This Is Where I Want To Be

53. Cool Down

Louis

The first night we returned after the embassy meeting, we were all tired. It was a stressful situation, but we knew more than ever before. It was an information dump of what was really going on with our two races and why we were on Earth. Raas refused to talk about Chris. The watchers had brought us back via the teleporter, and Juliet headed straight for my room. I was happy she didn’t even ask and was right behind her. A few moments later, there was a knock at the door. Chris was standing in the doorway, his thoughts a nervous mess; I followed what he wanted, and I called him over. He jumped into bed with us, grabbing Juliet and pulling her into him. She smiled, holding me in front of her, thanked me, and we fell asleep immediately. I didn’t think Marcus would join us, and he didn’t. Their morning routine of her and Marcus reading and Chris on his phone at her feet was fine with me. I helped in the kitchen and reviewed the plans to build Charlene’s house; I kept myself busy planning and organizing.

Chris had been in our bed for five months, every night, until Juliet had her setback, and I took her from Michael. It was draining, and yet I had to leave it. I guess I reached a breaking point when I slammed the door in his face. The next morning, without opening her eyes, she turned into me, playing with the chain around her neck. We were alone for the first time in months. Not like she had not tried; Juliet had been all over me the first few days, like it was before we slept together. I had pushed her away, and it was killing us. “It wasn’t Chris talking to Sita… it was Marcus.” Her eyes slowly met mine. I flicked her forehead. Defeated, her eyes closed. One thing about Juliet’s mind was… she judged herself more than she did others. I felt immediately guilty kissing her.

“Really?”

“Yeah… You’re kinda going nuts on us.”

She nodded and turned onto her back, pressing fingers into her eye sockets, “I don’t know what is wrong with me. Since before the embassy and I changed into whatever I did when you woke up… I haven’t been myself. I feel myself getting worse every day. The smallest things set me off crying, or I’m so angry I can kill someone… The hormones aren’t helping.” She sat up, pulling the skin on her shoulder to see how far the leathery patch had grown. Juliet wore only a very loose tank top hanging low over her breasts. When she lifted her arm, the rounding of her side boob peeked out. It was the same one Charlene had put on her that first night we were all together. She pulled me forward, inspecting my shoulder.

My mind was already down another path, focusing on the soft skin running from her neck into her top. She gasped and ran her finger over the small, leathery spot on my bare shoulder. My first lesion had appeared where hers was… a small one, but it was there. Juliet’s jaw flexed, clenching her teeth as I tried to kiss away her thoughts. “Don’t,” I begged.

“What? Be so hard on myself? Look at what I’m doing to you! To Chris and Marcus. This is a big stuff up… Everything!” I frowned. She meant all of this… All of us. Doubt was clouding her thoughts. The last thing we needed was a depressed Juliet. I pulled her down onto her back and got on top of her. I had left her alone for many reasons; regardless, it was getting to me, and I missed her. “It’s been so long. Do you still remember what to do?” she joked.

“I’ll follow your lead,” she giggled, opening her lips for me.

A knock at the door halted me. I groaned into her neck, “Chris?”

“Yeah, it’s me… Marcus is also here,” I rolled off her.

“Come in…” If this was going to blow up… that day was as good as any other.

Juliet kept nervously playing with the sheet around her waist and then my chain hanging around her neck, “I’m sorry….” she whispered.

Chris came over and pulled her to her feet and into his arms. Marcus was painfully aware of what she had on. “You get more possessive over him, Juliet… Every time you guys sleep together… And you’ve only been sleeping with him,” I complained.

Juliet and Chris frowned at each other, “We haven’t. I don’t want to while she’s pregnant.”

“Then what?” I asked. I was reading everyone but couldn’t do it twenty-four-seven to everyone in the house at once. I also stopped myself as soon as their thoughts wandered.

“We just fool around,” Chris smirked, “Where we should have started off… Not pushing people into cars,” Chris softly shoved her shoulder. Juliet picked up a cushion and hit him with it. Her breasts were visible for a second, and Marcus had to turn around, wincing as if he was in pain.

“Hey, Marcus!” she got up. He turned around slowly, “You won’t even kiss me… Touch me. Hold my hand. And I’m not forcing another guy to do anything. I’ve made a mess just because you guys listened to me.”

Marcus bit his lip nervously. His thoughts were a jumbled mess of excuses. He couldn’t answer her. “The problem you have, Juliet… We are the three worst cowards you will ever see in life.”

Her eyes rolled, “Liar. But good try.”

She jumped off the bed, pacing, turning to Marcus… “So that’s it…? Do you want me to make the first move? Why? This isn’t like you. A few months ago, you would’ve taken the first gap you could.” He kept biting his lip. His eyes wandered all over her. Marcus was tempted, but something had happened after the embassy. When Marcus had to fight to get Juliet, he did everything he had to; now he had her, and he was stuck. She was so fragile, and he was scared about the future. I was scared. Chris was scared… and we were lying to her.

Getting nothing from Marcus, she came at me, “You…! You blame me?! I tried… You said you won’t ask anymore. But now you don’t do anything… No one does, and I’m frustrated… It’s as if the branding and the pregnancy stopped you guys from initiating any physical contact. After we came back from the embassy.”

We were quiet because we couldn’t give her the answers she wanted— again—and like the first time, I wasn’t honest with her or included her… It was only a matter of time before she lost all control or found out and killed me.

“Juliet! You guys come quickly!” Cindy called.

We wanted to go downstairs; Marcus reached out and stopped Juliet before she could run out the door, “Put on some clothes,” he wasn’t asking.

“No!” she flung him off her.

He pointed a finger at her, “Put on some clothes! Now!”

Juliet was in a good mood after the drugs. Slowly, she stepped forward and placed her lips over his finger, sliding forward until it was entirely in her mouth. She licked and sucked forwards and backward. My mouth fell open. Chris’s thoughts ran over the last time they were together, and he slowly stepped out of the room, “I‘m going to the bathroom… really quickly.”

There went the first coward.

I didn’t know what to do. Marcus slowly pulled his finger out of her mouth. His eyes were haunted, his body physically straining, “Put on some clothes… Louis, go get something now.”

I sighed; he was like a machine. Juliet’s shoulders slumped, and she stepped back from him. The familiar gesture between them made him visibly convulse and swore loudly. He stomped out of the room, saying things in our language.

There went coward number two.

I pulled her into my arms and kissed her for all three of us. It helped, and she smiled, holding my face in her hands, “I love you.”

It was all I needed to hear, “Oh, Baby… I love you way more than you love me.” She giggled. I handed her the blazer on the floor she would have put on over her tank top. We walked down the stairs into the open space towards the front door, where she stopped. I went first and walked out down the steps as was the custom. Warden was standing next to a big rattling cage; noises emanated from inside—sounds I’d never heard before. The cage was massive, taller than any average human, and at least three meters wide. Juliet circled the thing… “There are three compartments. With three… things in there….” her smile turned upside down.

“What?” I ask.

“I can’t play because I’m pregnant.”

Warden stepped forward, handing me a device, “Press there to release. We will drop them high in the mountains. You guys can go hunting like proper… Creatures… Aliens or whatever,” he pointed up to the sky, “Full moon… Keep Chris busy and all that.”

We had forgotten; we’d been busy with building the house those last few months. Chris had been a real hit at the cages. Marcus was training him, so they both wanted to fight every time. What happened yesterday had put us all on a downer. None of us felt like celebrating or fighting. Juliet was deteriorating, and everyone was freaking out. “Where did this come from?” I asked.

“I’m not going to say… Just leave some for the wife and in-laws when you’re done. Chris isn’t going to,” Warden grinned at his complaint, “You and Marcus will have to share,” a smirk played on his mouth… “I will be there watching….” Warden pointed a gun finger at Chris and shot at him with imaginary darts. He flew up and landed on the cages, the beasts going mad inside. He teleported out of there, cages in tow.

“Movie night and takeout?” Juliet asked.

“Carl and I are going to the cages tonight to watch Ben fight,” Liam said.

Juliet and Charlene locked eyes and clapped their hands, jumping up and down, “Girl’s night!” I shook my head; Juliet was so cool until she did that. Marcus’s reaction was priceless. He stood back, staring at her, shaking his head like I had done the first day we met. Juliet was and would always act silly. It was hard for Marcus to let the compound Juliet go and how she was there; subdued, pushed down. She skipped over, kissing Marcus on the lips. He was reminded of the day he saw her without a veil for the first time. She had skipped away from him… and he thought she was too young for anything romantic. He didn’t react, but she didn’t care, running back up the stairs and into the house. “I told you to stop running,” Chris yelled. She paused and walked up the stairs, locking arms with Charlene.

Marcus was slowly coming to the conclusion that Juliet was an enigma, and one of the reasons he fell in love with her was because she kept him on his toes… I think he was a little out of his depth with all the emotions bottled into one little girl and two other husbands. Juliet listening to Chris and not to him… being off the compound and what happened with Michael the day before. Cindy was standing with the little baby in her arms; the three disappeared, completely forgetting us. It was probably exactly what we needed; to get out of the house and to eat something proper. Killing humans after eating that beast-type alien at the embassy had been a little disappointing.

Warden came to drop us off at the cages a half hour before the sun would set. Underneath us, the cages were quiet, not like earlier. There was no ramming into the sides or any sounds. I tried to sneak a peak, but the dusk sunlight made it impossible. Nevertheless, we were excited, and the adrenalin was pumping as Marcus, and I stood manifested. “Let’s make this interesting,” I locked gazes with Marcus, “Let’s run in opposite directions. Chris can open the cages. These things will chase us away from him. The first one to kill their dinner and have it back here wins.”

“Wins what?” Marcus asked doubtfully.

I smirked and flashed my eyebrows, “You okay with that, Chris?”

He drew in a breath… his fists clenched next to his sides as the sun disappeared behind him. He nodded quickly, “Go! If I make it back home before you… I win, and she’s mine again. And just third-base stuff, nothing making her go into premature labor.”

I made a face. I pushed Marcus and jumped off, choosing my way to high ground first. Marcus growled. “Count to twenty,” I yelled.

“One, two, skip a few… twenty.” I heard Marcus snort as Chris opened one of the gates. We were fast, and whatever was chasing us would have a hell of a time catching up.

***

Chris

I pressed the button… not caring if Louis had a two-second start or twenty—not that night. I could feel the moon rising behind me. I hadn’t told anyone I became more and more in control of myself every month on the full moon. I still had minor time-lapses throughout the night… where Chris took a back seat. Still, mostly, I was fully aware of my strength, size, and abilities being added to the “creature” side of my body, just like vamps who needed to grow up and get their strength and speed throughout life. My race probably worked under the same kind of law, and one of the things was the horns on my head. Turning around, I saw the bright light coming out behind the Alps. Marcus also noticed and jumped down, running downhill. I didn’t have much time, and I opened the second gate when Marcus was out of sight. The creatures were too fast for me to take in their form. Each one followed their target by instinct. Clicking sounds came from both Marcus and Louis running in different directions. Louis’s sound faded first and then Marcus’s. I knew they were far enough separated to take on my own meal. Curious, I wanted to take a good look at the thing before I completely ripped it to pieces. The cage was eerily quiet. I pointed the device to the door, and it opened.

Nothing happened. I could hear steady breathing. A spear-like weapon gripped the top edge of the cage. Whatever was in there pulled himself up using the harpoon-like hook as leverage, flipping mid-air and coming to a standstill in front of me. Confusion floored me; it wasn’t a beast at all. It was an alien race… sentient in every way… The moon rose out from behind me. My body jolted into another form. The guy… smirked at me. I advanced quickly, seeing they weren’t there to be eaten but to fight. It would be sport either way… The victor kills the other.

From the corner of my eye, I saw the familiar white figure. Warden momentarily distracted the bird and me, flying down towards us. Those metal-like prongs extended down from his legs. He came to get me out of there. I raised a hand, “I’m okay,” Warden wasn’t expecting coherency, “I figured this wasn’t what you had planned.”

Fear oozed from the human in the sky… usually so in control. The birdlike alien’s head kept darting from me to Warden, assessing who the real threat was. Shaped almost like an ostrich—two long legs, agile teardrop body shape—instead of wings, two arms stretched out from its sides. Its one arm ended in a hawk-like claw for a hand. One massive middle finger stood out at least forty centimeters in the shape of a blade. The other hand held a spear as tall as them. It lifted both and created sparks above their head, announcing his attack. Its small grey, beady eyes fixed on Warden. I felt a little offended. “Fly, Warden! Get out of here!” He did try. The bird pushed the spear into the cage roof and got a good grip. It vaulted onto the tip, balancing until it jumped towards Warden. The bird twirled in the air, slicing with the blade finger. My heart almost stopped as the blood sprayed in a circular motion from his spinning body. It was clean-cut. Warden’s neck had a big gash over the width. I bellowed out my cry, making everything around me shake. The spear fell, giving the bird nowhere to land. It was not deterred, and it chose to decline steadily. I jumped up, slicing outward with both my claws.

“Clank!” I hit a metal-like material.

The bird let all of its weight drop. It landed elegantly on the cage in front of me, jumping up, it twirled again. Its tentacle-like hair lifted, secreting a spray that burned my flesh. I advanced as he went for Warden hovering in the air… Warden was desperately covering his throat, trying to contain the damage. I pulled the creature down into a wrestling move so my legs and arms locked him in place. A moment later, more watchers took Warden and flew off. Relieved, I put all my focus on the thing in my rear-naked choke. Like Ashleigh, I extended my claws in and out; even so close, I didn’t make a dent in his armor. His legs wriggled loose, bending in the weirdest way, pushing us up, getting itself out of my arms and legs. My thoughts jumped to Louis. Out of the three of us, he was the least likely to survive a fight; I couldn’t see him getting the better of one of them. My heart pounded as we somersaulted into the air. Their legs were strong, and it lifted me in one swift ‘woosh.’ My mind raced through everything Marcus had drilled into me the last six months; practice after practice would mean nothing if you were up against someone older and more experienced. Every hold I could imagine would be stopped by the one arm ending in a knife. My close combat training wouldn’t help to get rid of a weapon if it was attached to a body… I needed to break its finger off. His spear was out of reach. I teleported for it. Before he even noticed, I was gone. He tried reaching the cage’s other side; I picked it up first, took my fencing stance, and lunged. It was the first time I saw a trace of fear on its face, staring and tilting its head like a stupid turkey.

They probably didn’t know what ability they would come face to face with. Teleportation wasn’t on his radar. I used it more… confusing him… Marcus would be proud. I lunged vigorously every time I appeared, trying his armor for weak spots. It wasn’t good timing, and I was pushed to the back for a second as my creature side took over; thinking about Louis gave me the strength to fight it, and for the first time, I could completely control myself, not wanting to provide the alien any more leverage over us. I struck a few times on the blade finger… to see if their weapons were a counter. Nothing worked. I teleported far into a tree, retreating. The bird circled itself, searching for me. I needed to think… Louis was more important. I chose and teleported uphill. A stampede of big bird feet behind me.

***

Louis

I was the first to run and hear whatever was behind me. Chris didn’t give me a twenty-second start. The thing was heavy on my heel. I kept climbing, knowing I would stand a better chance of killing it if I got some advantage over it. My sense of smell was either failing me… or whatever was after us wasn’t anything to eat. The raging beast’s scent at the house was so prominent. It was quiet around me as I stood waiting, surveying my surroundings. Not one twig snapped—nothing. A strange feeling climbed up my spine… It was watching me. I clicked away, trying to sense anything other than a tree, rock, or plant. I had been living in those mountains for so long, and nothing could eat me besides whatever was hiding from me. Why was it not attacking… unless it? I spun around. The thing had flanked and was behind me, attacking. I was too fast. It landed close to me, already in a battle stance—ready for a fight. It wasn’t a beast but a soldier. Armor. Weapon. Communication device on its face.

“You are Louis du Pont.” A mechanical device translated the whirring sounds it made. Like, I was going to answer that… “We were hired to kill you. Good luck.” He advanced, running and spearing with a lance-like pole. It whistled past my head. The whooshing sound resonated in the quiet. “Thwack,” it entered a tree behind me with a sharp blow. His strength was beyond mine, but not his speed. It was no longer a hunting expedition. I opted for the second choice; to get off the mountain ASAP! That day, I would gladly be a coward.

I dodged him easily and made my escape. A high-pitched whirring sound pierced the sky. A bright pink light followed, illuminating the area. What came down wasn’t flare particles. “Drones? What the…?” Hundreds were buzzing above me as I ran in the direction I came from, and locking myself in one of the cages would probably be my best bet… I wasn’t taking those things back to the house. Chris was at the cages… While running, I felt the familiar “bamf” wind of Chris’ teleportation. I stopped dead in my tracks, waiting for him to sense me. The trees swayed every time he landed, and finally, he noticed me. Chris was in his full moon outfit … very lucid, thinking. He teleported to me and got us out of there into a high tree. I hung in one of his arms as we watched the two birds come together. The whirring continued. One waved his hand over a bracelet he wore on his wrist. He was tracking the drones.

They spoke, but the communicator wasn’t turned off, “We need him… leave the riphath… he is skilled in fighting. We need to pick up the vamp and go. We can end him somewhere else.” The other nodded, and they split up. Chris didn’t want to talk, but we thought the same thing… We needed Marcus.