| Chapter 6 Brian rolled over, grabbing for the phone. He wanted nothing more than to slam the thing back down, but he held it to his ear instead, "Yeah?" "Hey Bri, I just wanted to make sure you're up," Howie said. Brian sat up and looked out the balcony windows. The sun was just rising. "I am now," he said. "Alright, I ordered breakfast for us. When you're ready come on over," Howie said. "I guess I know what I'm having," Brian whined, dropping his feet over the side of the bed and standing up. "I know you hate it Bri, but it's the only way," Howie retorted. Brian sighed, "I know D. I'll be over in a bit." "K," Howie said, hanging up. Brian hung up the phone and walked into the bathroom. He flipped the light on, squinting until his eyes got used to it. Tentatively he pulled his shirt off, his jaw dropping to the floor, and his eyes growing wide with shock. His scar was gone. For a second he didn't even breathe, he was afraid to. His scar, that he'd had for over three years now was just not there anymore. How do you explain that? You freakin can't! He leaned on the counter, "Oh God, oh God ... what am I gonna do?" he asked himself, looking back up at his reflection in the mirror. At that moment something else struck him. He stepped back, looking at his torso and arms. They seemed a bit more muscular than before. Like he'd been working out. Not huge muscles, but he seemed more toned, more cut. He peeled the jeans he'd slept in off and inspected his legs. They too seemed more defined. He stepped back up to the mirror and leaned in, inspecting his face. It to, looked different. His complection was much more clear than it had been just the day before. He rubbed the stubble on the side of his face. "Just to think, all these years I've been trying to work out and get muscles, all I needed to do was get bit by a vampire," he told himself, almost crying at his own words. He sighed, taking off his socks, then his boxers. He stepped into the shower, turning the water on as hot as he could stand it. Maybe it would take the chill from his skin, and his heart. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Howie paced across his room, his cell phone to his ear. "Eli, I need a name," he said. "I know Howie. I'm working on it, but it's gonna take some time. The Network is highly guarded. It's not as easy as calling someone," he replied. Howie sighed, "I know Eli, but he's already healing. It won't be long at all." "I'm doing the best I can. I'll let you know as soon as I get anything," Eli said. A knock came at the door and Howie walked over, opening it. Brian stepped inside, and Howie waved him over to the small table where he had already set out the room service. Brian sat down, uncovering his plate and sighing heavily. "Howie, did you find out where Brian was?" Eli asked. "Um, no but hang on a sec," he said, placing his hand over the phone, "Bri, where was this club at?" Brian looked up from his plate, "I don't remember the name of the town. It was about twenty miles outside of the city, why?" Howie held his finger up as he relayed the information, then quickly said goodbye and hung up. "Who are you talking to?" Brian asked, worry on his face. Howie walked over and sat down to his own breakfast, "A watcher friend of mine. He's trying to help find the one that bit you." "Why?" Brian asked, shoving a dripping piece of meat into his mouth. Howie grimaced, "Um, well, she's one they've been looking for. It'd be nice to know where she was at so we could keep tabs on her." "Oh, Ok," he said. Howie took a few bites, then looked back up. "Bri, did you do something different?" he asked. Brian met his eyes, "I shaved." Howie laughed, "No that's not it. Something's different." Brian sighed, putting his fork down, "Um, my scar is gone, and I look like I've been working out or something." "It's gone? Completely?" Howie marveled. Brian nodded. "Oh wow," he muttered. "What am I gonna do D? We've got that photo shoot today?" Brian asked, forcing the tears that were making their way up, back down. Howie played with his food for a moment as he thought, "Well, you could keep your back to everyone while you change." Brian glared at him, "You know that won't work. They're always putting the clothes on you, making sure they fit just right. How am I gonna explain this?" Howie shook his head, "Anti-scarring cream?" Brian closed his eyes and bit his lip to keep from yelling. This was not Howie's fault, he was just trying to help. He didn't need to be yelled at for doing so. "Brian, I'm sorry, I just dunno how to explain it," he said. "Neither do I, but I'm gonna have to think of something. A heart surgery scar just doesn't disappear, no matter how much anti-scar cream you put on it," Brian said. Howie glanced at his watch, "Well, eat and maybe we can think of something between now and then." Brian forked another disgusting piece of meat and shoved it into his mouth, "God I hope so." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brian stood in front of his rack of clothes, terrified. He was in a large dressing room, people everywhere. It was just like any other photo shoot the guys had done, except then he wasn't afraid to undress in front of anyone. He took a deep breath and glanced around. Everyone seemed to be minding their own business. All the guys were changing, and no one was looking his way. He was close to the corner of the room, so he quietly pulled the rack to the corner, positioning it across the corner, making a screen with it. He slipped behind the rack and put on his first outfit, completely shielded from the room. He stepped out from behind his rack and joined the other guys. "Ok guys," the photographer said, ushering them over to the set, "I want to do the group pics first, then we'll move on to the individual's." She posed the guys as she wanted them, then started. Brian endured the countless flashes, but with each one, his eyes felt more sensitive. As they broke for a wardrobe change, he caught up with A.J. "Hey Alex, you got an extra set of glasses I can borrow?" he asked. A.J. peered over his sunglasses at him, "Yeah, why? You trying to steal my look or what?" he laughed. Brian smiled, "Naw man, the flashes are hurting my eyes and giving me a headache." "Ohh, well let me see what I got," A.J. said, moving over to his rack and rummaging through his accessories. He pulled out a couple pair, "Here, knock yourself out," he said handing them to Brian. "Thanks," Brian said, moving over to his make shift private dressing room and changing into the next outfit. The boys went back out, getting in position again. "Nice shades dude," Nick said, pulling them halfway down Brian's nose. Brian glared at him, then smiled, pushing them back up as the photographer started in again. "Um Brian, can you take off the glasses?" she asked. "I'd rather not," he replied. Kevin swatted his arm and gave him a hard stare. "What? A.J. doesn't get asked to take them off, why should I?" Brian asked. "That's because people expect him to wear them. They don't expect you to," Kevin retorted. Brian sighed, "My eyes hurt and I have a headache. I'd rather keep them on." Kevin started to say something when the photographer came over, "No, go ahead and leave them on. It'll be something different," she said, smiling at Brian before going back to her camera. Nick nudged Brian, leaning down close, "I think she likes you dude." Brian laughed, rolling his eyes, "Yeah right." Finally the group shoots where over, and they were working on the individual's. Everyone had changed into different outfits. Ones that more caught each boys individual personalities. Brian instantly didn't like his, so he went about finding what he wanted. He took so long that they saved him for last. "Come on Bri, they're waiting on you," Nick called, walking up to Brian's �dressing room'. "What are you doing hiding back there?" he asked, pulling the rack out of the way. Brian was just buttoning up his shirt, and jumped as Nick was suddenly in front of him. Nick stood there with a dumbfounded look on his face, his mouth hanging open. "Bri, your scar.....?" "Shhhh," Brian said, pulling Nick behind the rack with him, "I know, just don't say anything." "But it ...?" Nick said, pointing at Brian's chest. Brian grabbed his finger and pushed it down, then took Nick's face in his hands, staring deep into his eyes, "Listen, I don't want you to say anything about it. I want you to pretend like you didn't even see it, Ok?" Nick stared at him, almost in a daze. "Nick?" He blinked a few times, then looked back toward the set, "Come on Bri, you're holding everything up." Brian quickly buttoned his shirt the rest of the way before Nick looked back over, "I'm almost ready." "K," Nick said, turning to leave the confines. "Nick, you aren't gonna tell right?" Brian asked. Nick turned back to him, "Tell what?" Brian started to slap him out of frustration, but the look in the boys eyes made it clear he had no clue what Brian was talking about. "Um, never mind," he said, grabbing the pair of sunglasses that matched his outfit and putting them on. "Ohh Kay," Nick said, rolling his eyes as he exited the rack, Brian following him. "Jesus! Who the hell are you and what'd you do with Brian?" A.J. said, as Brian walked toward the set. "What?" Brian asked, looking at himself. "Nothin man, it's cool," A.J. said, "Just that you don't normally wear that kinda stuff. Glad to see you got some style." Brian laughed, taking his place on the set. The photographer was inserting another roll of film, not really paying him any attention. Brian caught almost everyone else in the building staring at him. He glanced down at his outfit again. Sure it wasn't really what people thought of him, but it was what he wanted to wear. Somehow he'd found a pair of knee length black boots, to which he'd added a pair of tight black leather pants. Over that he wore a deep blue long sleeved shirt with ruffles down the front and the sleeves that flared out at the ends. He'd placed a pair of light blue tinted sun glasses on to complete the look. For some reason, he felt at home in those clothes. "Ok Brian I'd like to start with ......" the photographer said, stopping mid sentence when she looked up and saw him. "Oh my," she mumbled, and if Brian didn't know any better, he could have sworn she was drooling. After a moment she cleared her throat, "Um, yeah ... that's um ..... nice." Brian grinned, making her blush. "Ok, pictures," she said, lifting her camera and snapping away. Howie sat on the small couch watching Brian's shoot. He glanced around the room, wondering what was happening. Everyone's eyes, even the guys, were fixed on Brian. It was like they were all rabid dogs and Brian was a piece of filet minon. "He looks good," Nick commented behind Howie. "Damn straight skippy," A.J. said, "I'm straight and even I'm getting a woody." Kevin promptly slapped A.J. in the back of the head, "Hey, that's my cousin your talking bout!" "Come on Kev, you gotta admit he looks ... um hot," Nick said, his cheeks blushing at the admission. "He looks nice, yeah," Kevin agreed, trying unsuccessfully to look back down at his magazine. The photographer took a small break, needing to reload her camera. She'd already taken more pictures of Brian than she had any of the other guys. Howie walked over to where Brian was sitting on the set. "Hey," he whispered, "I don't know what you're doing, but you need to get a grip on it." "What do you mean?" Brian asked, peering at him over the rim of his glasses. Howie shrugged, "Everyone in here is drooling. You need to figure out what it is your doing and stop it before someone tackles you." Brian laughed, "I swear, I don't know what I'm doing." Howie patted his shoulder, "Well, try and figure it out K? A.J.'s horney enough as it is without this." Brian's eyes widened as he glanced over at the guys. Both Nick and A.J. where just staring at him, lustful looks in their eyes. "Oh good God," Brian muttered, looking back to Howie. Howie smiled, then laughed. "You're enjoying this to much," Brian glared, pointing his finger at him. "Sorry, can't help it. It's so funny," he chuckled. Brian rolled his eyes, as Howie walked back over to the couch and the photographer started snapping away again. Two hours and five rolls of film later, they were done. They had all gotten back into their own clothes, and headed out to the bus. As soon as Brian walked through the door, he groaned, pulling A.J.'s shades out and putting them on. "Sunlight hurting your eyes?" Howie asked. Brian nodded, looking over, "That's suppose to be normal right? I'm not gonna burst into flames or anything am I?" Howie laughed, "No, that's just a myth. Yeah, it's normal," he answered. Brian sighed and stepped onto the bus. "Just not this soon," Howie muttered behind him. Brian sat down, waiting for the bus to take off. They had a long drive, over night to the next city they were suppose to be at in the morning. "We're stopping at MickyD's for supper guys," the bus driver yelled as he pulled from the parking lot. Brian bit his lip, knowing there was nothing he could eat there that would help the weakness he was starting to feel. Howie gave him a sympathetic glance. Brian got up and headed for his bunk, "I'm not hungry, I'm gonna get some sleep." He headed to the middle of the bus, when A.J. stepped out of the bathroom, a huge smile on his face. Brian noted it was the same one he had during the photo shoot. "Oh great," he mumbled, wondering what he was going to do. Then it hit him, if it worked on Nick, maybe it would work on A.J. Brian glanced behind him, making sure the others weren't looking, then he grabbed A.J's face, staring deep into his eyes. "Stop looking at me like that! You don't like me like that and you know it!" he whispered fiercely, "Understand?" A.J was lost in his stare, but managed to nod his head. "Good," Brian said, letting him go and climbing into his bunk, shutting the curtain. He lay there for a few minutes, trying to figure out what it was he was doing to cause everyone to ogle after him. Whatever it was, he needed to stop it, and fast. Bad enough he had to deal with what he was, he didn't need any gay rumors to go along with it. He turned on his side, hugging his pillow. He giggled quietly to himself, "At least my Jedi mind tricks work," he whispered, then bit his lip, the sadness of his situation coming at him full force. He really was changing into his creature he so desperately didn't want to be. Silent tears trailed down his cheeks as he closed his eyes, wishing for the millionth time that he was dreaming. Chapter 7 |