Can you smell the danger in roses?

[moonlightxxdance]

"Well thank you, even though my beauty acts as a curse sometimes too. And I have only been a vampire for 42 years. I have no idea about how long I was human. I barely remember it at all, which is why you may know me, but I don't really know you." Emberr smiled, "And yess, I could notice Gary as we approached, your lucky to have him in your life." she said glancing down again. She sub consciously played with the necklace dangled from her neck catching the moonlight. She also stopped walking in her original way and even standing still she looked like she standing in a beautiful way.

[brighteyedbeauty]

When Emberr said this about Gary she bit her lip. She tried to focus on Emberr, looking like some kind of goddess standing there. Was it good she had Gary? She didn't know. This confused her. She saw the ring, was it really meant for her? What would she say if he did ask her? Would he ask her since she ran away from him touching her neck? Would she be sad if he didn't ask her? Would she never have a boyfriend again? Was Gary her boyfriend?
Maika stopped thinking about this, they had approached Gary. She whispered to Emberr, "Shh..." she pointed, a smile on her face and in her eyes.
"Do you smell the danger sweetheart?" he responded, "Only in the roses dear," turning around, he kissed her forehead, he was a good foot taller than her.
"Gary, I'd like to introduce Emberr," she played Vanna White for a second and showed off Emberr in all her glorius beauty.

[moonlightxxdance]

"Hello Gary," Emberr said politely, but not stepping any closer. She looked up at him, he was much taller then her. She looked at the two of them and they looked cute together, but when she looked at Maika she didn't look into it as much as Gary was. She sighed, that's how she had been with Poison and now he was lost. Remembering to be polite Emberr held her hand out to Gary. She smiled showing her bright with teeth, but kept her more pronounced fangs hidden.

[brighteyedbeauty]

Maika nervously stepped to Gary's side while the two shook hands. This was weird, she felt like she was forcing things upon Emberr, after all they had just met. Why did she rush to have them meet and why did she offer her help, it was hard to refuse soembody who asked if they could help. Maika knew Emberr was thinking about Poison, she felt bad but she turned to Gary as to shove the thought away. She ran her teeth over the fangs inside her mouth, a sharp point met her tounge, it felt nice, comforting actually, she knew she could be dangerous.
Gary took a tentative step here, pulling Maika closer. He started to speak to Emberr, "The pleasure is all mine. Maika...Maika....MAIKA!" she snapped out of her dazed state and looked Emberr in the eyes, she didn't wait for a response. Gary had started speaking again, "Maika," he got down on one knee. Her head started to shake side to side in disbelief. A torturous expression reached her eyes before the rest of her face, "Maika, will you...' she kept shaking her head muttering no to herself, "....marry me?"
"What?" she said confused, she was so wrapped up she thought she heard wrong.
"Will you marry me?" he had said, he asked her. She had expected it and he asked her, "I never want to be away from you, again."
"Emberr?" Maika asked looking deeply into the depths of the huge catlike eyes. She thought desperately to herself, willing for Ember to save her.

[moonlightxxdance]

Emberr could tell Maika wasn't ready, she knew right away. She gasped and stepped to the side, staggering if you could ever call her movements that.

"Maika, remember what I told you about the scars? Well, I need to get out of here." Emberr said, it was after all the truth. She felt the dark presence growing inside her and she felt someone else's torture. She let out a broken sob and rushed to the highest spot in the garden where she could see much of the city. She tried to search for Poison knowing he had to be here. She could sense him and she was worried.

What did her enemies do to him? she thought. Ohh, if they did anything to him I will kill them. She tiptoed on the top of the statue she was standing on usually all her acute eye sight to find Poison. She saw him in the edges of the gardens and he looked as bad as her. She shouted his name and fell from the statue as he rushed towards her.

[brighteyedbeauty]

Maika responded with a rapid quick action she flashed a grateful smile at Emberr. Her thankfullness didn't last long though, Emberr had fallen, she rushed forward but stopped herself, someone was coming. She spun around to Gary.
"Gary, do you love me?" he answered with a yes and Maika breathed in, "Gary I'm- I'm not ready, I- I don;t know what I can do, I'm not sure if I love you back," this had all gushed out in seconds, despite the pauses and hesitations.
"Yes, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Please Kaki, for me, let's just try this, we have till the end of never to figure it out," he used her nickname, she froze. Kaki, she repeated it over and over again in her mind...Kaki....the end of never....forever.....so binding.

She said yes

Then slipped to the moist ground and closed her eyes in a dead faint.

[moonlightxxdance]

Emberr quickly came out of her faint and Poison was standing next to her and she jumped on him and kissed his cheek. Then she jumped off him and glided over to Maika and sat her up on a bench and held her still. Emberr was smiling now even though she knew she might easily ruin this moment. Poison came to her side and whispered something in her ear. Her smiled disappeared, but her face remianed absolutely calm.

She looked at Maika next to her. And asked her how she was feeling, knowing that voice usually pulled people out of a faint. She kept her face calm so she wouldn't scare Gary or Maika. No one had to know what may happen.

[brighteyedbeauty]

Emberr's voice was calling her, she snapped to groggily. "I just wanna go-ta sleeeeeep," her words were slurred and eyes wouldn't open at her command. Gary started to soothe her with words, "Up and adam my little fiance." This woke her up straight away and he started to laugh melodiously.
"Emberr? Oh! Who is this?" The boy, more like a man, was handsome and courteous, she saw the love written all over his face. Emberr's face was as calm as a cucumber. Gary swept Maika off her feet and pulled her in to nuzzle her ear, it tickled. Maika let out a squeek and jumped from Gary's arms, stayed close to the encircling arms and Gary's chest.
She smoothed out her outfit and gave a questioning but welcoming smile to the everfamous Poison.

[moonlightxxdance]

"This is Poison of course," Emberr said smiling. Poison was much taller than Ember and he had long black hair, just the like the current style. He had a snake bite and blue gray eyes. He smiled at Maika and Gary politely. "Ohh, Poision this is Gary and Maika, they are newly engaged," she said in a lovely voice. Emphasizing the word engaged and making it sound even sweeter than her voice normally was. Poison laughed, not in a mean way, at the new couple.

"Congratulations," he said wrapping his arm around Emberr. They looked at eachother, seeing eachother's faces up close for the first time in so long. Emberr smiled shyly and blushed and Poison laughed at her. "I missed you so much." he murmered his face by her neck.

[brighteyedbeauty]

"Can you excuse us for just a moment? I need to talk to Gary about of engagement," she shuddered at the word and her nickname kept going through her head, Kaki, why did he stun her like that? It was so damn confusing! She took Gary's hand and played with his fingers, waiting patiently for the OK from Emberr. She really wanted to give these two time for a renunion, her excuse worked perfectly. She smiled prettily into Gary's awaiting eyes.

[moonlightxxdance]

"Of course, besides I'd love to spend time with Poison." Emberr smiled. She watched Gary and Maika walk away and then she turned back to Posion.

"I'm so glad to see you!" she exclaimed happily, but the look concerned again, "Where'd all the scars come from?"

"I got into a couple bar fights and stuff," he shrugged trying to keep her calm, "No big deal, I didn't have you to keep my temper in check." He smiled and she hugged him and rested her head on his chest humming the song she wrote for him. She just wanted to make sure he was actually there in her arms.

[brighteyedbeauty]

"Where are you taking me hon?" Gary asked playfully.

"Away....., for myself of course," was Maika's nonchalant response.

"Your taking me away so they can have time to themselves aren't you?"

"Maybe....."

"You're too good to them. But I like having you to MYSELF as well. Where'd you meet this Emberr girl anyways."
Maika looked sharply at him, "None of your business."

"What, afraid to let me in on a relashionship you made while I was gone?"All kindness was gone from his voice.
Maika's voice dripped acid as she readied herself for what she was about to say, "Why do you ask?"

"Aw, no, your not holding this over my head again Kaki!"

"Don't, call me Kaki, it's Maika. And for the last time, I don't wanna hear about Faith, OK?"

"I was with her Ka-Maika, you can't expect me to let go of that."

"Yea, Yea I do, becasue you left me, 5 years after we met, you left. I needed you Gary, and you deserted me. How else was I supposed to stop eating humans, yea, I'm going to say it, eating humans. It isn't normal! Well for us it is, but I don't want it to be. I had no choice being this way. Just because you changed Faith into one of us and left to 'help' her, you didn't help me."

"I tried Maika! Faith needed me more than you did, that's why I left," a softer note touched his low toned voice, "i stil love you Kaki, understand that. I didn't want to leave, I had to leave. I don't want to lose you Maika. Not over Faith, not over anything."

"Too late Gary. You already have," she spun on her heel and strutted away, acid from her words and tension from the hate hung in the air. He called after her, "Kaki!! We're still engaged!"

"Yea right Gary, in your dreams."

[moonlightxxdance]

Emberr heard raised voices and sensed tension in them. She felt, but she was vampire she couldn't help what she heard. She peeked just to check everything was okay and saw Maika walking away from Gary and raced after her. She ran infront of her and spun around putting both her hands on Maika's shoulders.

"Can we talk about what just happened? I'd like to help if I could." Emberr saw Poison approaching Gary caustiously out of the corner of her eye just like she wanted. Hopefully, Poison would calm Gary down and Emberr could keep Maika calm. She didn't want a fight to happen.

[brighteyedbeauty]

Tears involuntarily came, spilling from Maika's eyes. Emberr most likey knew what this felt like, having your heart broken...She sniffled, her small, freckled, turned up nose crinkled up. Sighing, she started to tell the story.

"Emberr, I'm going to tell you a story of what happened a long long time ago. I would really appreciate it if you don't judge me too harshly, I was...young. Gary and I met back in 1940, he quickly fell in 'love' with me, I wasn't sure if it was real. At the time, I was bordering London, side-stepping other territories, I didn't want trouble. We met in a garden, a lot like this one. He would gaze at me, and not look away. I have to admit, I was pretty normal looking, not stunning, not gorgeous, not like a normal vampire. I was just...me."
she paused, regaining breath.

"Sometimes you just know when you have to be near someone, it was like that with Gary and me. Being near each other was like oxygen, can't live without it, no matter how hard you may try. He approached me finally and said, 'Can you smell the danger?' He smelled the same then as he does now. Like roses and slight evergreenhis personel smell. I said, as you may have guessed, 'only in the roses'. We travelled together for 5 years. In 1945, we met Faith, well, he did. I was away, hunting. I was trying to cure myself of revenge addiction, eating humans out of spite."
She gave an apologetic look to Emberr.

"She was dying, and he pitied her. She had gotten beaten and left in a graveyard, partially out of a dare. The thing he didn't know, she was my old friend, I remembered her. The same lightning smile and dimples. The same raven black hair and olive skin. He bit her to save her. The weird thing was, he didn't eat her, apparently, she didn't smell appatizing enough to him, he was in total control. So he left me, no note, no goodbye. He went to help Faith instead. I was so mad, revenge addiction set in again. I lost my 'oxygen' and felt like I was dying. trust me, I tried to die, but I was too scared so I gave up trying. While he was gone, he had an affair with her, for some reason. He came back, and tried to get back into my good graces."
Maika's voice was spiteful and she sighed resentfully.

"He kissed me for the first time and I found my breath again, my life was there, staring me in the eye, mocking me. I was such a fool. I got over it for the time being but when Faith showed up with a baby, I was shocked. Gary stayed with me, and we changed our 'diet'. He visits Faith every now and then, when we're not travelling too much. Sooner or later you figure I would leave him. I did. I never had the same 'love' for him as he did for me, I just need him like oxygen, I supposed that I wouldn't have to breath. So I travelled on my own, he hunted me down, and here we are."
She lookjed desperately at Emberr's expression.

"We fought because he wanted to know about you, but it's not becasue you exactly. I just didn't want him to know one thing about me. I wanted one secret. And you were it. Since I knew you, it was one thing Gary couldn't create a tie to, it was like perfume to me, smelling great and reeking of freedom. For detail let's just say, I wanted to break ties with Gary and when he proposed I got that same oxygen-missing feeling and I couldn't not breath anymore."

[moonlightxxdance]

Emberr sighed and looked at the ground for an immeasurable moment.
"I understand what you mean. Like I said, beauty is just a curse. I have been cheated on so many times I stopped counting. Of course, when I found Poison I had the same doubt in him." She gazed up sadly at Maika's eyes and then back at the ground letting a tear fall.
"Well, the doubt made Poison frustrated with me, so he went and cheated, because that was my expectation of him. You just you have to trust who you truely love. If you love Gary, stay with him. You have to forgive and forget; that's life, even life for immortals." She dropped her hands and let them swing by her sides and she looked up again, her eyes pleading, "I can't make this desicion for you, but I say at the least stay his friend, he loves you. And if you love him back, forgive him and be happy. Forgetting makes it so much simpler, really think about what you feel. I though I didn't love Poison at first, but if I hadn't stayed with him, I would be devastated." Emberr paused and softened her gaze, it was more understanding now. Her eyes shined with feeling.

"I know that it feels horrible, and it will never truely be forgived, but if you love someone, you have to accept the mistakes and flaws they have too. Trust me, you'll learn I have flaws too, everyone has them. You just have to decide, is he worth his flaws?" Emberr paused, composing herself, into the less emotional way she usually was. She waited patiently for Maika's response. She saw Poison out of the corner of her eye again and could tell they were talking, but didn't understand the words.