AN: Enjoy. Feedback. Updates. inspiredthoughts@hotmail.com ***************** Curiosity Killed... Chapter Thirty ***************** I twirl hair around my bruised fingers as AJ leads me slowly towards Kevin’s rooms. Yay for me looking like an infant, all being unable to walk and whatnot. AJ opens the door cheerfully to reveal four battered Backstreet Boys and one prim and proper Council member. The Boys stand ad start to crowd me, smiles wreathing their face but, I have my priorities. Responsibilities. A need to greet my invited guest before she takes offense and starts chopping bits and pieces of me off and that just can’t be allowed. I happen to like all of my fingers and toes, thank you. So I ignore my captors which, as a fan, is harder than you’d think, and manage a formal, if somewhat off balanced bow to Ellis Von Berg. “I greet and welcome you to my hearth and home.” Elli’s perfectly coiffed in a business suit that would cost more than I scrape together in a year, silver hair pinned up fashionably and demurely. Her face isn’t classically beautiful, but elegant, with merry blue eyes that twinkle when she’s having a particular good torture. She waves a manicured hand in greeting. “And I greet you in return. Now, child, see to your court, they grow impatient.” I snort and turn to greet the Boys. Brian is the most banged up, looking decidedly worse for wear with a swollen lips and black eyes. He’s walking with a limp but manages to totter forward himself to kiss my cheek. Nice Brian, pet. His blue eyes are huge and earnest. “Are you all right, really Catling?” “Better than you, Black and Blue.” He laughs and I ache for knowing how good of a father he would have been if Kevin and Lydia and Fate hadn’t played their hands. Howie shoves Brian aside and gently lifts one hand before brushing his warm lips across my knuckles. Chocolate flavored eyes assess my injuries themselves and he sighs. “We’ve never meant to cause you pain.” I chuckle tiredly. “Charmer.” “Yeah, yeah, enough of that mushy stuff. Don’t I get a hello? I got three fingers broken saving your wussy butt.” “Icky Nicky.” “Oh shut up Catling.” And suddenly I’m enveloped in a very careful, very strong hug from Nick Carter. He surprises in more ways than one sometimes. He sets me down gently and leaves me to face Kevin. He comes forward looking haggard and old beyond mortality. I feel pity for him suddenly, that he’s been laid so low by his choices in life. Kevin Richardson is a vibrant, strong, proud man, for all that he is a bloodsucker. I think I’m drawn to the elegant irony of his integrity as much as I am to the passion he can stir with his large hands on my warm skin and his lips devouring mine. But for all my pity, I can’t get the idea of he and Lydia embracing out of my mind. He’s hers, more than I will ever belong to Dracula or any other master, and the thought sickens me. The Backstreet Boys are better than Lydia. Better than her cruel machinations. There’s a faint flash of shame in his jaded eyes and while I allow his knuckles to skim the contour of my mouth, I step back before he can try to hold me, shaking my head. His cheeks flush with dark anger as his eyes flash obsidian. “You think Dracula has never held another, child? In all the years he has claimed ownership of you have you ever scorned him as you just did me?” he demands in a whisper, furious. I glare up at him before spitting back a venomous answer, “Dracula has held plenty of others, but he has never, EVER, been owned by them. Every time you touch me, I feel Lydia on my skin.” And suddenly Kevin is haggard again, anger drained. “I, we… fought her for you.” I laugh, the sound ugly, and hate myself. Dracula is right, I am a heartless bitch. “Ya'll should have fought her for yourselves. You know what I am to you.” Hunger, need blazes in his eyes and before I can pull away from his lightning speed I’m in Kevin’s arms, my face nestled against the corded strength of his neck and proud but bowed shoulders. It hurts to be held by him in ways that transcend the physical. “You are our salvation.” Tears streak my battered cheeks, despite our audience. Right now they don’t exist, just us, always us. “I’m nothing to you Kevin, nothing. No mortal can ever be anything else to a Vampire. Nothing but a pawn, a meal, a body to warm you bed since you can no longer warm your own…” He snarls suddenly and leaves me, bereft and cold, despite my taunting words. Even a heartless bitch can hurt sometimes. I watch as the Boys withdraw to the side of the room. Ellis Von Berg, her kindly shrewd eyes intent on our exchanges, walks slowly to my side. “He cares for you.” My jaw tightens and I want Stephen with ferocity that hurts. I miss him so much. “Kevin shouldn’t. They want to protect me. They offer promises of safety and happiness and they don’t know anything! Lydia…” “They protected you from Lydia. What more could you ask for?” I know that they can hear our argument but I don’t care, as angry and bereft and hurt as I am, I finally don’t give a damn. My curiosity had been sated, thank you. “And could they protect me from all the enemies that Dracula shields me from? I’m more Vampire than they are! I know that this will end with me six feet under and no one else will accept that.” Ellis’s eyes twinkle with good humor as she smiles gently at my emotional display. “Catherine, whether you admit this or not, the entire Vampire Community has been waiting with bated breath for you to be placed six feet under. And if you are planning an untimely demise, please try for October 15. We have a pool going and I’d dearly love to win those three white goats they’re offering as the prize.” I blink. “Now, the real question isn’t about your death. You’re mortal, child, that’s a foregone conclusion. The real question is, how will you USE your death?” I blink again. “You have a pool going?” She snorts elegantly. “Please don’t tell me you’re offended.” I snort, considerably less elegantly. “I’m just mad no one let me in on it.” We share a look of mutual understanding as identical smiles touch our lips. I love Ellis. “We need to talk,” she finally says. I sigh mightily but nod. “I know.” I start to make my way painfully towards the bedroom but her stiff question stops me. “Did you ask Kevin if we could speak?” I stare at Ellis Von Berg in disbelief. She primly folds her hands and stares me down from her demure height of four feet, eight inches. I hate it when people are shorter than me. It doesn't happen very often. “Why do I have to ask, its you…” I whine, suddenly feeling childish but not caring. Ellis smiles faintly but shakes her head firmly. “Your loyalty is in contestation. The Backstreet Boys are trying to steal you away from your Lord. When you are not in Dracula’s presence they ARE your protectors and you are answerable to them. I glower. “I don’t want to.” She rolls gray eyes. “Shoo, ask.” I sigh again dramatically and slowly shuffle back to where Kevin’s waiting, a smirk tugging on his lips despite the harsh words we just exchanged. I ignore the rest of the Boys and point my index finger squarely at his chest. “If you say one thing…” I warn darkly. He raises one brow at my imperious tone. “May I please speak with Ellis?” I ask in a rush. The smirk fades to a tentative smile. “You may,” Kevin finally replies with a stiff incline of his head in Ellis’s direction. Mr. Dumb Pants is still pissed, but not mad enough to miss a chance to lord over me. “Jerk,” I mutter and stumble back to the Vampire’s side. I like this Vampire though. Ellis and I are tight, or as tight as possible without sharing blood and, umm, no thank you. “Will you ever grow up?” she asks somewhat fondly as I link my arm carefully in hers and we walk to the relative privacy of Kevin’s actual bedroom. “Do you want me to?” I demand good-naturedly, less edgy now that we’re away from my so called captors. She laughs and pats my cheek like the grandmother I never knew. Only I don’t think my grandmother would have done it just to see me wince. Well, my father’s mother… “No,” Ellis agrees placidly, “I like you just the way you are.” She closes the door behind us and I sit carefully with rare grace on the bed, leaving her room to join me. In all honesty I’m just happy I don’t collapse. She does join me, perching on the edge before turning her sharp eyes to me. “How are you doing?” I sigh, my usual façade fading away under her warm regard. Well, frigidly warm regard. Ellis is one of the most proper Vampires I know. Funny that she likes me now that I think about it. “Shitty.” She looks surprised. “Are you truly that tempted? You’ve denied Dracula, master of deception and seduction longer than any other mortal has ever even dreamed of, and you think to throw all that away on five children who are ‘less Vampire than you’?” I rub my face, fighting tears, and try to explain, knowing that she, of ANYONE, will understand. “It’s just, I like them, Ellis, I really, really do. They’re all so damned nice in their own twisted way and they shouldn’t be here, they shouldn’t be Vampires. They should be alive and ignorant and happy and singing to teenies without a care in their flighty celebrity brains. Lydia did them a terrible disservice by turning them, and we both know it.” “And how are they different from hundreds, thousands of others? How many newly turned fools have you met who die or are killed? It’s the way of our kind, Catherine, you more than any one I’ve ever met understands that. You ARE Vampire in spirit little one; your soul is fierce. It is how you have survived for so long.” “I know,” I whisper, sounding strained, “I’ve killed my fair share of those newly turned fools. But this is different; they’re different. I could save them and if they die, they die because of me.” “Nonsense!” Ellis snaps, sounding upset. “You’re a pawn, Catherine, it’s that simple and you know it. You’ve said it! This is between Dracula and the five of them. This is a power play, nothing more and nothing less. You are not involved farther than they involve you. Don’t look for trouble here child. I don’t want you hurt.” I squeeze my eyes shut and remember heart broken Brian loving Leighanne and Baylee. “I can make them Vampire,” I say softly in the vast silence between us. “They need protection. I can get them that. I can make them great.” I’ve been thinking on it for awhile now. Pondering it like the life or death decision that it is. I shiver anyway though. Speaking the words makes them real. Her gnarled fingers touch my chin and when I open my brown eyes she looks sad, so sad. “At what cost to yourself though, Catherine? I know what you’re thinking. You’d be walking a dangerous line and a single misstep, a single misjudgment would mean true death for you and who knows who else.” “Do you think I can do it?” I ask as curiosity lights my eyes, despite the situation. Ellis laughs and sounds tired with the sound. “If anyone can young one, you can.” “And if I do, if I succeed, will you guarantee me your backing, even against the Council?” A fierce smile tugs at her lips. “You forget child, I AM the Council.” “Your promise, Ellis Von Berg.” The smile becomes one of Ellis’s rare grins. “My promise,” she responds, sounding proud which is good because, Ellis disappointed usually results in some pretty fantastic methods of torture. She does good work and is even pretty ethical for a bloodsucker, if somewhat bloodthirsty, but then, she is the oldest Council member in that she’s been a part of it the longest. Other Vampires may be older, and even more powerful, but Ellis Von Berg has shaped the Council for nearly a century. It’s a damn good thing she’s fond of me because not even Dracula could save me from her wrath. She won’t save me from this mess though, it’s not the Vampire way. I don’t fault her for that. I clean up my own messes- if I survive them. “Good,” I reply, reveling in my victory and trying very, VERY hard not to think too hard about what I’ve just pledged to attempt. “Now you know I love you but please take the crazy one away from here. Next time Lydia tries to turn me, I’m staking her and screw the Council’s wrath. I still say she should have been destroyed long ago.” “So do I Catherine, so do I. She’s weak…” I disagree with a pert smile. “No, that’s the problem. She’s strong. Everything you make is strong. Not always sane, but strong.” Ellis pats my knee and shakes her head. “You’ll be the death of yourself one of these days.” “I’d much rather have me be the cause of my death than some stranger. I wouldn’t trust them to do the job right. October 15, right?” She laughs again, delighted, and kisses my cheek, making me flinch before I can control the gesture. “You’re a treasure.” I try not to blush too hard. Bloodsuckers are really weird. Of course, so am I.