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Wrong Choice:
“And I'm melting in your eyes like my first time that I caught fire”
-The Used

“Evan?” Laydon called as he walked out the door behind Evan.

She turned around, hair flowing behind her. “Yo?” She had her phone out.

“Can you come over and help me with my stats? I need help catching up.” He smiled shyly.

“Sure,” she said shrugging. “I was just about to call Randy to pick me up, but yeah that’s fine.”

He walked over to his car, her following. He knew this was a bad idea. He knew it. If Ethan or Jocelyn found out…but he needed help and since Patrick was at band practice she was the only one. Okay she wasn’t, but Jocelyn was still…Jocelyn

They got into it and started the ignition with his music playing. Oldies. Queen. He had been listening to it immensely lately. The whole ride to his house Evan sang along beautifully. When he entered his neighborhood Evan whistled.

“God damn boy,” she said turning down the volume. “And you work?”

He shrugged. “Got to make a living some how,” he laughed before coughing.

“Not feeling any better?” She asked solemnly.

“Nope,” he shook his head then pulled into his driveway.

“Nice,” she said getting out and looking at the huge yard. “It’s so big and open.” She spread out her arms looking up. “Amazing place to fly,” she said dreamily.

“I thought we’d go inside,” Laydon said laughing awkwardly.

She turned and shot him a killer smile. “Right.”

Together they walked together into his house. Once in Laydon called, “Grams. Are you home?” Then he spotted the note on the dining room table.

Laydon, it read, I went over to your aunts for the night. I don’t think I’ll be home tonight but you can stay at Ethan’s or have Ethan over. I’ll call you when I know for sure.
-Grams

Laydon hurt inside. Damn it, he thought. Now who was going to keep him in line? “Well,” he said, not really sure where to go with it.

“Huh?” Evan asked. She was over by the stairs starring at the picture of his mother and father.

“Grams is out,” he said coming over to her. “That’s my mum, and dad.” He pointed at each of them.

“She’s beautiful,” she said, but Laydon didn’t think Evan had much of a say seeing as how beautiful she was as well.

“So are you,” he said aloud before thinking about it. He bit his cheek.

She looked at him, gazing. “You look like both of them.”

He smiled. “I know,” he said simply, reminding himself of Han Solo.

“You have her hair,” she said looking back at him and touching his. She took a breath and then said, looking down, “but his eyes.” She looked up at him again.

Looking into her emerald eyes he was overwhelmed, amazed by her. Without thinking he started to lean closer before stopping with one word popping into his mind Ethan. He turned suddenly. “Sorry,” he said shortly.

He looked back at her and saw her looking away, cheeks flushed. “Yeah. Let’s get busy.” She said looking over at him and smiling forcefully.

***

In the middle of the books paper and laptop lay Laydon and Evan. They were in the living room with a C.D. playing in the background. The couch had their almost empty bags on it.

They were around half way done when Laydon’s stomach growled loudly. Evan looked at him before busting up laughing.

“You got a monster in there?” She asked rolling on the ground.

“Maybe,” Laydon said getting up. “I’m going to go order a pizza. Cheese or Pepperoni?” He asked.

“Don’t care,” Evan said shaking her head. “Do you have any soda? Or coffee? Something with caffeine at least?”

“Sure,” he said leaving the room. “Give me a second.” While he called the local place he hunted around his kitchen for a soda before finding a Rockstar hidden behind his grandmother’s wine coolers. After hanging it up he went back into the living room and tossed the can at Evan.

“Sweet,” she said smiling and popping it open. She took a drink before asking, “How long for the pizza?”

He shrugged. “About half an hour,” he said then plopped down against the couch.

“Long enough for another worksheet,” Evan mocked excitement.

“Ugh,” Laydon sighed. “Please can we take a break?” He knew he sounded whiney when he
said it, but didn’t care.

“Only if you want to fail,” Evan shot back.
He groaned.

“Fine,” she said stretching. “Let’s take a break.”

Laydon smiled gratefully. “So…” he trailed of unable to think of anything to say. “About them Yankees.” They both laughed at that, Laydon’s laughter turning into coughs. “Doesn’t look like I’m getting that much better.”

“You are,” Evan said. “You just can’t move that much. It’s like mono.”

“Mono?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah,” she shrugged. “You know the kissing disease?”

“Oh yeah,” Laydon nodded. “Like the little fluff ball they sell Kwirkworld.”

She laughed. “Yeah. You’re sore for awhile then it all goes away…” she trailed off the last three words and bit her lips, like she knew something he didn’t.

“You’ve had mono?” Laydon asked. He realized that he didn’t know that much about her other than what they shared at work, and he wanted to learn more.

“Nah,” she shook her head. “But Randy has, of course.”

“Oh,” Laydon said.

“So I take it you forgave me?” She asked, looking up at him through her lashes. “What I said at the game. I didn’t mean it,” she rushed on, “I was just pissed at Jocelyn and Randy was being a dick and Vl—“ she stopped. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Laydon smiled at her, he would never be mad at her forever. “I get it. Jo’s…Jo.”

“Sorry,” Evan mumbled again, feeling shy.

“Tell me about you,” he blurted out. “I mean, I don’t know that much about you,” he finished awkwardly.

She shrugged again. “What’s to know? I moved here with Randy to stay with Dick and—”

“And that’s all I know,” Laydon cut across her. “So tell me about the stuff that I and other people don’t know.”

She smiled as if no one ever asked her that, and he realized no one probably did. “I like nature,” she said. “I’m liberal in that way. I like the green and hate how humans are cutting it down for greed. Green’s my favorite color. I like music a lot, and art. I used to see a lot of plays, too.”

And as long as she had words to say Laydon would listen to her. She talked about her interests and disinterests and he found some were like his but also a lot different. It was great that they were opposites as much as they were alike he thought. She talked about her family too, but always careful to avoid something. She had more interests then Laydon could list but he loved listening about her.

“Come here,” Laydon said at one point getting up. She had just told him that she had played piano, but guitar interested her more.

She looked up at him. “What?”

“I want to show you something.” He held out his hand to help her up. “Come on.”
She took it and he didn’t let go when she was up but pulled her upstairs to his room.

“This is my interest,” he said pushing open the door. His walls were always covered in sketches; sketches with pencils, with charcoal, some with colored pastels; sketches of people creatures and places. Above his bed was a wolf surrounded by trees and bows and arrows and fire.

She saw it instantly and walked over touching it, out of his reach. “It’s amazing.”

“Nah,” Laydon shook his head. “But I didn’t bring you up here to show you that,” he said. “I want to hear you play,” he said and pointed at his guitar.

She smiled at him and walked around to it picking it up. “Why?” she asked.

“Because,” Laydon said hesitant, “I think it’ll sound beautiful.”

She kept the smile on her face, as she picked up the acoustic and sat down on the bed, Laydon beside her. She strummed a few chords before falling into a song Laydon had never heard before. She didn’t sing but just played, soft and hard at the same time. It made Laydon’s blood pulse under his skin.

She played the last chord slowly, letting it ring. “I’m rusty.” She put it back on the stand.

“No,” Laydon said seriously. “You’re amazing.”

Evan shook her head still smiling; she sat back on the bed. “My father taught me.” She paused. “Before he died.”

“I’m sorry,” Laydon said although he knew he had already told her this. “You can talk to me about it,” he said. “If you want to.”

She took his hand again and he squeezed hers softly. She shook her head slowly. “I want to, but I’m scared to.”

“Why?” Laydon asked brushing her hair behind her shoulder.

“Because they were murdered, Laydon.” She closed her eyes and lay back, as though she was picturing it. “By the devil.”

“That’s terrible,” Laydon said before he thought better of it.

“Isn’t it?” She asked. “And I have to deal with it every single day. Not the fact that they’re gone, but that the murderer is still out there.”

“How’s he still out there?” He was confused.

She opened her eyes and smiled. “My sister was engaged,” she said, and to Laydon it seemed as if she was changing the subject. “She felt as if she had met the perfect man.”

And then it clicked. “He killed them?”

“No,” Evan said. “His…master did. He was only there to get the inside scoop on us all. I saw right through him. I knew he wasn’t a good person, but my sister wouldn’t listen. Neither would my parents. Only my brother did.”

“Randy,” Laydon said, nodding.

“No,” Evan said sitting up. “My little brother, Andrew.”

“What?” Laydon was confused.

“Can I trust you?” Evan asked. “I think I can, and I know you need to understand what I am saying more than anyone.”

“Yeah,” Laydon said without hesitation. “I—”

But the doorbell rang. Pizza, he realized. So they got up and went down stairs to the front door. While he paid the long-haired, zit-encrusted, pizza guy he noticed a small white car drive up the driveway. Ah shit, he thought.

Disturbance
“I had hoped for a better you.”
-Shawn Harris

The pizza dude drove away when Jocelyn got to the front porch. “Hey, Lay,” she said in an over dramatized voice. “You look better than I’ve heard you were doing. I’ve only heard from others though. How come you haven’t called me?”

She was inside by now and Laydon hoped, no prayed, with all of his heart that Evan was still upstairs. He cocked his head to the side and heard her playing with the guitar again. “I haven’t been able to,” Laydon lied, a natural. “Grams thought it was adding to much stress to my, er, mono.” He smiled at the end, remembering what Evan had said.

“Okay,” Jocelyn said slowly. “So when are you going to be back?” She walked through the house like she owned the place.

“I’m not sure,” Laydon said following her, annoyed. “Look Jocelyn, Grams is out of town, and I don’t have a lot of energy. I don’t think you should stay.” She looked at him with sad eyes, but Laydon focused. “Besides, you don’t want to get sick, right? It’s almost midterms.”

“Yeah you’re right,” Jocelyn mumbled.
Laydon sighed, mad at himself for upsetting her. “Look Jo, I’ll be back in no time, I promise. Thanks for checking on me.”

She was still upset, Laydon could tell. But there was nothing he could do. But, he realized, there was something he had to do. “Jo,” he said, gloomy, “Stay. I think I need to talk to you.” He gestured to the couch.

Jocelyn looked at him, a bewildered look on her face; shock mixed with delight, but beneath that was fear. They both sat down. “So what’s up?” She asked with

Laydon hesitated. He didn’t know what to say. “I, er,” All that would go through his head were cheesy Break up lines “It’s not you, it’s me.” Or just “I want to see other people.” and “it’s not working out.” He stuck with the latter, well, sort of. “I’m not sure that it’s working,” he said slowly. “I mean,” he said quickly to her shaken face, “I like you, well liked you, but—”

“So you’ve been lying this whole time?” Jocelyn interrupted him. “You just put on a fake smile and just did everything for no reason?”

“I did like you,” Laydon said, exasperated. “But, now it’s just gotten to be too much.”

Jocelyn just shook her head, pissed off. “It has something to do with that new girl, doesn’t it? Like how you got pissed when I trashed her.” She shook her head again, muttering, “I knew it.”

”No,” Laydon said. “I wouldn’t do that to you, or Ethan. This is entirely different. This is about you and me, and how much you haven’t been the you I thought you were.”

Jocelyn was taken aback. She stood up without saying anything, just looking at him.

“I’m sorry,” Laydon said slowly.

“You’ll regret it,” is all Jocelyn said before walking out the door, slamming it as she went.

Laydon sighed. He got up and noticed Jocelyn’s keys on the table. Sighing again, he picked them up and walked to the door.

“Is she gone?”

Laydon jumped at the sound of Evan’s voice behind him. She was at the bottom of the stairs; he hadn’t heard her come down.

He was about to answer when the door opened behind him and a shrill noise came through.

Jocelyn was standing there; anger mixed with humiliation, laced with revenge was on her face. “You’re a fucking liar, Laydon Harris.” She said before raising her hand to strike. However, she turned to Evan, hitting her. Hard.

“Jocelyn!” Laydon yelled, looking at Evan. She licked the blood on her lip and Laydon saw hatred in her eyes. Slowly, oddly, he saw her muscles turn to pounce. He had a moment to grab her, but that was all it took. As Laydon struggled he heard the door slam, again, Jocelyn gone at last.

Evan was breathing hard, as Laydon released her. “Evan?” He asked, a lot in her name. Was she okay? Was she going to attack him? Was she going to go after Jocelyn?

“Sorry,” she said turning away and grabbing her black coat, “I should go.” She dodged around him and ran out the door.

Without hesitating Laydon ran after her, barefoot. “Evan!” He called. He saw her walking fast, away from him and down the drive. Laydon had the advantage of two years Cross Country. And, well, her just walking fast. He stopped in front of her causing her to almost run into him. “Evan,” he said softly, his hands on her shoulders. “What’s wrong?”

She didn’t look up for a few seconds, perhaps minutes, but at least she didn’t struggle against him. But when she did look up, her face was sad.

Without thinking Laydon hugged her, and she let him, relaxing into him. Laydon was amazed by how perfect they fit together; his chin tucked over her head, her hands lightly touching his back. It was perfection. He waited a few moment, then chuckled softly, “This is, as quiet as it gets,” he sang softly Hush. “Hushed out now…” he trailed off remembering the rest was sad.

“I’m sorry,” Evan whispered again. “I shouldn’t have been here at all, nor should I have tried to fight Jocelyn. She wouldn’t have had a chance.” She laughed.

“Don’t be sorry,” Laydon answered. “I’m glad you came, I needed to do that anyways.”

“But it was still because of me, wasn’t it?” Evan pulled back and looked at him, seeing through him.

Laydon bit his lip, not wanting to lie. “Part of it,” he admitted looking over her head. “She was kind of, er, different too.”

“I’m not going to lie,” Evan said, closing her eyes. “But what I feel for you is why I’m glad you did end it.”

Laydon held his breath, afraid. Slowly he let it out. “Evan,” he said again, this time a sort of whine.

“I know,” Evan said nodding, her eyes still closed. “Ethan. You would hurt just as much as he would.”

“Thank you,” Laydon whispered hugging her again. He was okay. This was okay. As long as—“Shit,” he muttered.

“What is it?” Evan mumbled into his chest.

“Jocelyn,” Laydon said, struggling to keep his voice even. “She’ll spread it; claim I was cheating on her. Ethan will know. Everyone will.”

“Laydon,” Evan sighed. “Why do you care what everyone thinks?” She pulled back from him, to look in his eyes. “I only care what you think.”

Laydon smiled crookedly at her. “Ethan’s my best friend, and I could never hurt him.”

“If he was your best friend,” Evan said honestly, “Then he would believe you over Jocelyn.”

“Ethan will believe the truth,” Laydon said after a moment thought. “And, honestly, he can’t fathom what I feel for you.”

Evan looked at him, her green eyes wide, innocent. “I’m sorry,” she started to say again.

“Don’t be,” Laydon said, and although he had been imagining and dreading it all night, all week, ever since he first saw her in the park he still couldn’t believe it when his lips touched hers.

Explanation
“We feel things we can’t explain; if we just try we might…”
-Automatic Loveletter

“I’m not what you believe me to be.” Evan was lying on the couch, her head in Laydon’s lap. She was telling him her story. “You have to understand that our connection,” she pushed her palm against his, cold against hot, “Is not a normal thing. Well normal for you.”

“What do you mean?” Laydon was confused now; sure he had never felt this before but it wasn’t something he thought didn’t exist.

“I need you to understand this, you, no one else,” she sat up, nervous, anxious. “Because there are things in this realm that many do not understand; I don’t even understand all of them.”

“What are you talking about?” Laydon asked wary. He felt like he should have known there would be a twist, with his mother coming into his dream, and his sick, and everything. There had to be a twist.

“What do you know about, er, mythology?” She wouldn’t look at him when she said it.

“I’m fascinated by it, really.” Laydon didn’t know where she was going with this. “I learned what I could from TV and books. I’ve always wished it was real.”

“Like Supernatural and Buffy,” she teased, at least he thought she was, “Or like Twilight and Harry Potter,” she said the names mockingly.

“Well,” Laydon smiled brightly, realizing he felt better around her. “I never watched Buffy, buy I have watched Supernatural and read the other two.”

“So if I told you, that, I don’t know,” she said lightly, “I was actually born in 1722? Oh and my brother isn’t my brother?”

“Hypothetically?” Laydon was nervous, glad she wasn’t touching him anymore to feel him shake.

“Sure,” Evan smiled a bit. Then there was a pause. “No.” The look on her face wasn’t joking.

Laydon didn’t know what to say. He just stared at her. When she didn’t say anything he spoke. “Sorry?”

She bit her lip. “It’s against his rules to say anything, but to understand this, understand him, you must know the truth.”

“Which is?” Laydon wasn’t sure he wanted to know.

“Vladimir killed my family. And now, now he’s not just Randy’s master, but my own.” She shook her head, disgusted. “When I walked into the living room to find my whole family slaughtered, my little brother, I was afraid. Vlad was there and even though I knew who he was, and what he did, he was the only one. Randy was there too, my friend. Loren had already broken free. We were…royalty of our kind.

“Vampires. Count Vladimir Dracule isn’t just legend after all. We all exist, just better than one would think. We don’t always need blood; we just need something with the same toxins in our veins. I’m sorry,” she said seeing the paled look on Laydon’s face. “I’m scaring you aren’t I?”

Laydon shook his head. “Actually, I’m fascinated. I’m amazed that this is real, and you’re…you.” He reached out, less shaken, and pulled her to him, kissing her softly.

“You really don’t care?” Evan asked when he released her.

He shook his head again. “Nope. I have a feeling this might take a turn for the worst after all.”

She smiled up at him again before continuing. “I guess you’re right. So, tell me Laydon Harris, what do you know about your father?”

“My father?” Laydon was confused; he thought this was about them

“Sorry,” Evan mumbled. “Maybe I should start with myself. You see, my sister was engaged; his name is Randal Bailey.”

“Randal, Randy?” Laydon was startled. “I thought he was your brother?”

“I told you no.” She recalled certain of herself. “He was my sister’s fiancé, Chloe’s. She was—the perfect daughter. She had long blonde hair, the thinnest body, boys after her. No one looked twice at me when she was in the room. She only had a couple boyfriends, until Randy. He was, well, made to be her second half. They completed each other so well. I didn’t trust him.

“Turns out I was right.” She shrugged, knowing she already said something like this, just wanting to him to understand her better. “Andrew was on my side the whole time. My whole life. He liked me better than her, although my parents couldn’t give a rat’s ass about me. They didn’t even notice I ran before the wedding. They—they didn’t know…that was the last time I saw them…alive.” She stopped. The rest of her story resolved into tears as she clung to Laydon, soaking his t-shirt.

“It’s okay,” he murmured the empty words as he stroked her hair. He knew that it wasn’t, he knew what it was like for parents not to here that their kids did love them. “But they do know,” he said awhile later, as he recalled it. “They listen to you. Because they can see you, they follow your story, and love you.”

“Huh?” Evan said, tears silencing.

“My grams told me a story,” Laydon said pulling her back to him, “That my father told her, about my mother. That my mother knew my Grams did love her, and she loved her too. Because my mum ran off from Grams, pregnant with me. Grams told it to me too, because I was so mad at my dad the night…he died. I wanted to apologize, but couldn’t. She said that they are hearing our story, told by an angel, to them all. That they love us too.”

Evan smiled up at him. “That’s amazing. To look at it that way.” She paused. “Why were you mad at your dad?”

Laydon smiled softly. “I was five, and he wouldn’t buy me a new bike.”
Evan laughed, although she knew she shouldn’t, and Laydon laughed with her, because now it was funny.

“So…” he began, “Are you going to finish your story?”

She stopped smiling. “I guess,” she said slowly. “I ran because they wouldn’t listen to me about him. About Randy. When I realized I needed to be there for Chloe I came back, I hadn’t made it very far, a week maybe. So I came back and in the living room, they were all lying there…Blood was soaked into the floor. I couldn’t scream, and then Vlad and Randy were there, waiting for me.

“I thought they didn’t kill me because I wasn’t there, but they weren’t going to kill me anyways, it just made it easier that I ran. They came to the Doyle’s because of me. They saw me a few weeks before finding my sister, and saw that I was different from others, like Randy. So he changed me.”

“I’m so sorry,” Laydon said, astounded. Evan shook her head, but Laydon caught her mouth with his and kissed her sweetly, to tell her it was okay.

“Why are you still here?” Evan asked when they broke apart.

“Because you need me to be,” Laydon said honestly. “And I want to be.”

She smiled back at him. “I didn’t know Vlad killed them at first,” she continued. “Him and Randy, just…Well I knew Randy wasn’t honest, but he was then, I could feel it. They made me feel special, like how everyone looked at Chloe. I let them change me, and stayed with them.”

“I understand,” Laydon said thinking. “They were like your real family. Not counting Andrew,” he added.

“Yeah. I missed him.” She looked at him vaguely, thinking about some far thing. “I gave my entire life to Vlad. I just had to. He spared me.”
Laydon saw her toying a necklace that looked like a coin. He took it in his hand and noticed the markings. “E. D.?” He asked.

“It was my fathers,” she explained. “He was wearing it when I found them. I took it from him. It’s the Doyle family crest.”

“I see,” Laydon said laying it against her cold skin.

“I see you have a crest of your own,” she said pointing to the necklace his mother gave him.

“Yeah, my mum gave it to me,” he said taking it off and holding it up. “It’s the day and night, see?”

She looked at it oddly before swallowing and saying “Yeah, tribal.”

Laydon beamed at her. “Yeah.”

“Laydon,” she looked at him, honesty coming forward. “There are three different creatures that have the same myths. Me, the Damned; Humans, the Sinners; and the Blessed, your father.”

“So that’s why you asked about him,” he said after a moment. “What’s the Blessed?”

“Guess?” Evan responded, getting up and going into the kitchen.
Laydon followed her and saw her sitting on the counter, eating a slice of pizza.

“Werewolf?” Laydon he asked, grabbing a piece.

“A Blessed is what the books would call Werewolves,” she said slowly. “But, but you are different. You will have both worlds into your life.”

“Worlds?” Laydon almost choked.

“This realm, your realm is a realm that contains everything from the other realms. Greece, Rome, China, Day, Night, ALL. ALL is what we call it. It has ever culture from different realms and these all coexist here.

“Your father was from Day, or rather Zi. Until they left. He created you with a mortal. One strong enough to have you so you could be Day and Night.” She pointed to his necklace. “We Damned are from Night, Naopte.”

“You're pulling my leg.” Laydon said smiling widely. “This isn't really. You're just trying to get my mind off of the hell I'm going to have.”

Evan just looked at him. “You've seen me in the sun. I don't turn to stone or sparkle,” she said it like a curse word. “I don't have a shadow. Like I don't have a soul.”

Laydon snorted. “You have a soul. You are just confused.” He set down his crust and stood in front of her. “This can't be real.” He put her hair behind her ear.

“You've been sick lately,” she said not looking at him. “Because of the Change. Your body is undergoing the change to the Blessed. Laydon, you have to believe me. You will have the power to change things.”

“Why am I so different?” Laydon asked, trying to get her to look him in the eye. “You haven't said why, just that my mother was mortal.”

“Be—because I,” she paused before looking into his eyes. “I am drawn to you. Because of the powers that draw us together. You said that you knew what I was talking about, so please believe me when I say that this exists and you are of both worlds.”

Laydon didn't speak for a bit, just looked at her. No. He looked past her. “Both worlds huh? So what I'm some Werewolf Vampire guy?”

Evan smiled. “Pretty much,” she said.

“I don't know why I'm taking this in so easily,” Laydon said. “I mean, it's so much yet here I am without completely freaking out.”

“It's because you can feel it,” Evan said softly. “In every fiber of your being, you know it's true. And you can't not feel it.”

“It has something to do with you being here, too.” He smiled at her. “If what you're saying is true, then it is only because you are here.”

She smiled at him. “I don't feel alone anymore,” she said. “It's amazing. I've never felt this complete.” She slid off the counter in front of Laydon.

“You don't have too.” He kissed her softly. They walked back into the living room and sat on the couch. “So...if you’re a Vampire what can you do?”

“Huh?” Evan was still a little dazed.

“You know like how Dracula could influence people, or like Edward could get into someone's mind.”

She snorted at him. “Right. Actually some of us do have stuff like that. Randy's sister can sort of find out things about people by just looking at them or smelling them. Uh, Randy knows places. Like can see other people's interpretation of places. And I guess I guess it'd be psychometry.” She looked at him and laughed at his confusion. “It means I can tell things by touch. It's similar to Randy's sister but a lot less intuitive. That’s how I know if someone is lying”

“Oh,” he said slowly. “And that's how you knew I was of both worlds?”

She shrugged. “Vlad knew who you were. So that was that. It's just how he is.”

Laydon was quiet, afraid he'll say something stupid. “This is so weird. How this entire evening spiraled to the supernatural. It's like something I've always wanted to happen, but still.”

She smiled at him. “But it makes me feel better. I have someone to understand me. Someone different.”

“Me too.” Laydon rubbed her back soothingly. “So how does the whole Change work?”

“For you?” Evan asked. “I have no idea. Because you are so different I cannot tell. The original Change however is around what has been going on with you. At the beginning of a month they start to get sick, feel unwell. Throwing up. And then on the full moon the gene explodes and then you are able to change at will.”

“Huh.” He looked out her oddly. “How old are you then?” He asked randomly.
“I was…Damned when I was 15,” Evan said to his general astonishment. “Every couple hundred years is about a year in regular time.”

“That’s…odd,” he smiled lightly. “But I’m glad we’re finally open with each other, with ourselves.”

“Me too,” she said. “But I do need to get going. Didn't your grandmother say Ethan needs to spend the night?”

Laydon got up and pulled her off the couch. “I was actually thinking about calling Patrick.”

“You can't avoid the inevitable.” Evan started to pick up her book and papers on the floor and Laydon started helping, both quiet.

“I'll take you home,” he said once they had finished.

“Thanks,” she said smiling.

They walked to the door and Laydon held it open for her and locking it after himself. “Thank you actually,” he said once inside the car. “For enlightening me.”

“Glad to,” Evan said quietly. “You know why.” She smiled at him so she wouldn't have to say it for the millionth time.

After that it was quiet on the ride to Evan's, except for directions. He was scared to ask her anything else; nervous about what was going to happen.

He pulled up to her house, and understood why she liked his house so much, hers wasn’t…as nice. It was in the rougher, more Mexican side of town.

“I’ll see you around,” she said starting to open the door, but Laydon grabbed her arm and kissed her again, roughly this time, scared to let her go. She responded as he had hoped and soon enough they were pressed closely together.

Laydon knew they would have to stop soon, that she needed to get inside and he had to call Pat. Reluctantly he let her go. She climbed out the passenger door and went around to his open window and kissed him once on the lips and once on his shoulder, the latter sent a shock wave down his arm but he didn’t think anything of it, only his lips on her hair at the same time.

She waved from the porch.

Aftermath:
“And it feels like I’m lifted, from the railroad ties; I won’t get up and walk away, and be rescued by your side.”
-Ballad: The Memory

Laydon dialed Patrick's number but only got the voicemail. “It's my day, leave a message and you might get your way.”

Laydon groaned, “Patrick! Call me back AQAP. It's Laydon by the way.” Patrick wasn't one to not answer his phone so he waited a couple minutes by throwing the rest of the pizza in the fridge and pulling out a thing of apple juice.

Werewolf, the words floated across his mind. All of his instincts were screaming that it was true. That he was of, what did she call it? Naopte? No his was Zi. Day. Did that mean his father could morph into a dog? Or a full furry man. He didn't know and didn't know who else would no. He could ask Grams. But what if he couldn't? What if that, like, killed him, or something?

Laydon rubbed the spot Evan had kissed him, and realized she hadn’t just kissed him, she bit him. He looked at the mark, seeing that it was growing darker, bruising. Laydon just looked at it. He wasn’t able to think about it for long though.

Dum, dum, dumdum, dum, dumdum, dum, dumdum, Laydon heard his phone belt out Patrick’s ringtone, but now he was unsure he wanted to answer it. But he did. “Sup?”

“Don’t know,” Patrick said obviously doing something in the background. “You called me.”

“Right,” Laydon said after a fashion. “Grams went out of town and wanted to know if you could come over for the night.”

“And you didn’t?” Patrick asked sarcastically.

“I’ve got pizza,” Laydon bribed.

Patrick snorted before answering dryly, “Do I have to dance for it?”

“Not this time,” Laydon laughed. “And I think we have m-n-ms somewhere.”

He heard Patrick sigh. “Fine you got me. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

***

Laydon hadn’t told Patrick the complete truth, just that Evan came over and helped him with his homework and Jo broke up with him for thinking that they were doing something. Which they did after she came, Pat pointed out.

Pat promised not to tell Ethan until Laydon did, but that he would try to keep the Jocelyn rumors die down. Laydon stayed at home when Pat left for school the next morning, wishing he could go to see Evan, and explain to Ethan.

He ended up sending a text to Ethan, telling him to come over during lunch, and one to Evan telling her not to. He had completely forgotten about the bite.


Unfortunately Jocelyn had already gotten to Ethan by the time he got there.

“What the fuck, man?” Ethan shouted as he got out of his car and saw Ethan sitting on the front porch. “You fucking promised. I thought we were supposed to be friends? Best friends? Does that mean anything to you?”

“It means everything to me,” Laydon said, not shouting. “I wanted to explain it to you before she did.”

Ethan was standing across from him now, in front of the door. “Yeah, guess how that worked out? With the same damn ending.”

“It’s not what it was,” Laydon tried but Ethan cut across him again.

“Oh really?” Ethan mocked realization. “So Evan wasn’t at your house when Jocelyn got there? And you two aren’t going out now? You didn’t steal her from me?”

Laydon closed his eyes, knowing that it was true. “I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he said calmly.

“Yeah that denies it,” Ethan drawled sarcastically. “Seriously dude, if you wanted to be a prick, you didn’t have to have me come over.”

“I like her too much to say no,” Laydon said quietly. “I couldn’t tell you that because, because you never liked someone like that.”

“You know what it hurt me in the long run anyways,” Ethan said shortly. He turned around and walked to his car.

“Ethan!” Laydon shouted. “You’re supposed to believe me! You’re my fucking best friend!”

But Ethan didn’t hear him as he got in the car and blasted some Fall Out Boy song out the windows.

Laydon watched him go.

Loren:
"Guilt stains on my pillow; Blood on my terraces; Torsos in my closet; Shadows from my past; Life is real life is real"
-Queen

A few days later, Laydon finally went to work, lucky Evan wasn’t working the shift. He wanted to talk to Kirk. And he felt like shit. He had started throwing up again. It had gotten worse since Evan bit him. But the rest of him felt worse since Ethan wasn’t talking to him.

So slightly green he punched in and said, "Hey, Kirk."

"Whoa, man!" Kirk held up his hands in defeat. "You look like..." he broke off at the look on Laydon's face. The one that said 'I will rip your intestines out through your throat if you continue that sentence'. "What happened?"
Sighing, and unknowing if he was glad business was slow, or not, he went ahead. "Good or bad?" He asked.

"Bad," Kirk said a moment after hesitation, his eyebrows pulled together in worry for his best employee. "The good usually makes up for it."

"Well," Laydon said smiling sarcastically, "My girlfriend dumped me, Ethan refuses to listen to anything I try to say, I’m running out of last month’s paycheck and I've been sick for the last few weeks and it's getting worse." Laydon spoke breathlessly, starting to feel nauseous.

"Damn," Kirk said, stroking his goatee in his thinking phase. "Why? Like how come Jocelyn and ...you know...all of it?"

"In a word: Evan." He closed his eyes, waiting for Kirk's answer.

"Ah. Evan." He smiled slightly. "She's the good I take it. She certainly has a way with everything. But something’s just not right about her. She was always sad when I saw her. I mean she knows how to have fun, that I know."
Laydon laughed at him. "Trust me, man that I know as well."

"So you guys are close?" Kirk asked.

"Yeah." Laydon slid a hand through his hair. "We can talk about anything and be honest about it. There's no judgment, and no lies. There's stuff I can talk to her about, that I can't with Ethan."

"But Ethan's mad at you?" Kirk reminded him, prodding him to answer the question.

"Because he liked her." He frowned then took a customer’s order. "And because we're close."

"And that's why Jocelyn dumped you?"

"Yeah..." Laydon said looking down. "That."

"Laydon," Kirk said, staring him down. "What happened? Exactly?"

Laydon sighed, beaten. "You know the other night when I took her home....?"

"Yeah." Kirk looked at him. "And...?"

"Well...we ended up going over to my house and were just listening music and we just started talking. And Jocelyn came and saw us together, and thought something was going on.” He stared at his hands.

“Was there?” Kirk asked, getting to the point.

“Not then,” Laydon said quietly. “After.” Kirk took another order. "I kissed her and it felt right. Utterly, amazingly right."

"I get it." Kirk held up his hands again, in a stop-talking motion. “So, did Ethan find out?”

“Yup,” Laydon said. “Jo told him. I didn’t want to hurt him, but Evan’s so…Evan.”

"Ah yes," Kirk said eyeing the pale brunette girl who just made the order. He mixed her drink. "Evan Damian Doyle; heartbreaker." He looked at the drink's name. "Loren,” he called loudly, knowing it was the girl's. "And I will talk to you in a bit," he winked at her.

She smiled and blushed, but then surprised them both by asking in a slight Irish accent "Are you talking about the girl who works here?"

Kirk looked at Laydon around the counter, and he just shrugged. “Yeah,” Kirk answered, unsure, “Perce here is her boyfriend. How do you know her?”

“We were old friends,” she said smiling brightly, and Laydon could tell how old exactly. “We lived near each other for some time.”

“Odd,” Kirk said just shrugging. “I’ll take the customer, you can talk to her,” he added to Laydon as he walked away.

They went to a booth and sat down. “Uh, Laydon,” he said putting his hand out. She eyed his name tag and raised an eyebrow. “Er, Percival Laydon Harris, actually.” He smiled slightly.

“Loren Faye Bailey,” she said shaking his hand. Laydon noticed the coolness of her hand, warm because of the drink she ordered, and knew he was right about how old of friends they were.

“So how do I know you’re really her friend?” He asked eyes narrowing, as they said it at the same time. Laydon laughed lightly, Loren just smiling. So Laydon pulled out a receipt and drew on the back the Doyle family crest.

Loren apparently recognized it. “So you do know her. And well.” She smiled at him, and was able to prove her worth more easily. She pulled out a pink wallet and took out a picture. It was of Randy, and he could only assume Chloe. “I was friends with Chloe Rose, and sister to Randal Faye.”

“Evan’s mentioned you then,” Laydon said smiling. “Not by name,” he added quickly, “Just by relation.”

She nodded. “Right. I’ve known her for a long time, and I’m pretty sure you understand how long too.”

“How do you know I know?” he asked slyly. “For sure, I mean.”

“Because I can smell it on you,” she said seriously. “Because I can smell your, er, inheritance on your skin.” She looked at him fiercely and grabbed his wrist. “And I can smell us in your veins. Your blood sings for us

“Us?”

“Us. As in myself, Evan, Randy, Vlad, the rest.” She continued to look at him closely. “You should know that. You knew that when I walked through the door.” It wasn’t a question.

“I did,” Laydon admitted. “I was hoping to ignore it.”

“But you can’t,” Loren said simply. “Because our Sange can’t just ignore us. They want to kill us. Them. Vlad. You aren’t meant to kill us. You are meant to save us. And the fact that Evan’s, er, taste flows through your veins makes us more, er, delectable to you. You can’t just ignore us.

“What,” Laydon asked nervously, “Do you know about me? How do you know this?”

“It’s me,” Loren answered seriously. “To know things that aren’t meant to be known by everyone. I can tell by your smell, touch and sight that I know more about you than you.”

Laydon opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it, knowing she was right.

“Over a hundred years ago,” Loren continued, “My people, The Damned, attacked a group of Blessed. That’s when it began. They had no reason to attack, but for sport. Eventually they forced them out of Zi. Fifty-three years ago was when it got worse. The sixteen Damned killed eighteen of them. Two Honoured were killed as well. I returned to see Evan and Randy after that.”

“Returned?” Laydon asked. He realized she had been saying “they” as she wasn’t part of them.

“I had left long before that. Before their…true nature came out. When they attacked I finally understood our name. We are damned. Evan wanted to come with me after that, but she couldn’t, not without Vlad killing her. I’m surprised we were able to keep that away from him. So a year later she finds me. She tells me that another killing took place. Another nine of them were down, the women. They were dying out. The Honoured were all dead.

“They were dead because of a prophecy, Laydon.” She eyed him carefully. “A prophecy that said a boy will exist to make peace between the two worlds. That he will be of both worlds. That his blood will sing for one of us, but he will be one of them. And now I sit across the table from the only person on Earth that feels exactly like that.” She looked at him pointedly.

Laydon swallowed. “Why’d they think killing the women would help?” He asked nervously.

“Because,” Loren took a sip of coffee. “It would strike penetrating fear into their hearts, and stop the Blessed from carrying.”

“Then if I’m him,” Laydon spoke slowly, “How am I here today? Seeing as they thought that would work.”

“They didn’t get the whole prophecy,” she said.

Like Snape, Laydon thought. Let’s listen in but forget the key part. Idiots.

“They thought,” Loren snapped him out of his thoughts, “That the Sange was supposed to be full blooded. Obviously they were mistaken.”

Something finally clicked to Laydon, making him nervous. “How do you know all of this?”

“Because I have spent the last 312 years trying, desperately, to find a way for our people to exist peacefully. So we can all live in harmony with the Sinners. It’s so important that we can.”

“I’m still confused about why I’m here,” he said after a moment. “Why I haven’t been hunted, or why my mother was able to have me.”

“Your father,” Loren shook her head, “Was too young to understand why they killed the women, only that a son was important. He tried six times before your mother and each time they both died. The baby and the mother. When you were five, he knew they would come looking for you both, and they could track you by him. He knew the only way to protect you was to…end himself.”

Laydon had tears in his eyes. “Grams helped disguise me, because she was her mother, with no connection to Dad.”

“Exactly.” Loren smiled and grabbed his wrist again. “You are him, but you are also a threat.”

“To who?” He asked.

“To the Damned,” she said softly. “Because with you, the Blessed will come back, and have a reason for treaty. And the Damned follow Vlad. They want to feed freely and travel where they must. Vlad has been hunting you for the past 52 years. He plans to kill you. And now he has found you, thanks to Evan and Randy.” She said her brother’s name bitterly.

“They sold me out.” It wasn’t a question.

Loren nodded anyways. “They…work for Vlad,” she said simply. “That’s their job.” She said it with sadness.

Laydon bit his lip. He had trusted her. And he knew Loren was telling the truth. She was too good for words. And he could feel it. Huh. That was new.

She stood up quickly, realizing she might’ve said too much. “I’ve got to get going. I came here to see if Evan was around anyways. I miss her and Randy.”

“Oh,” Laydon said as he got up to. “Do you need a ride anywhere?”

“Nope,” She said quickly. “My ride is outside. At least you aren’t completely unaware anymore. You’ll stand a fair chance. Well, as fair as being half human can give you.” She half-smiled.

“What do you mean ‘fair chance’?” He asked, confused.

“That was the other part of the prophecy,” Loren said, cocking her head to the side.

“That you will capture his Shadow from Shadow Land, and push it back into him. He’ll be mortal.”

“He?” But Laydon was sure he knew.

“Vlad,” Loren answered, his thoughts correct.

“So you mean kill him?” Laydon asked.

“I mean he’ll be vulnerable,” she smiled. “So he can be killed.”

Laydon just looked at her and she laughed.

“Well, I’ve got to go now. I will see you again,” she shook his hand again and grinned. “Three, two, and—”

“So, Loren,” Kirk came up to them, seeing they were done. He whispered something in her ear, and she giggled slightly writing down something on his hand, without looking.

“You’re sweet,” she kissed his cheek and waved at Laydon. “Good bye, Sunet Sange.” She walked out the door.

“Bye Loren,” Laydon said, too late.

“Sunet Sange?” Kirk raised his eyebrow. “What’s that mean?” He looked at Laydon, because he had been still staring at the door Loren walked out of.

“No idea,” Laydon said patting his shoulder. “Good luck with her, though.” He walked back to the bin of dirty dishes.

Kirk followed saying, “No luck; she wrote down something weird.” He held out his hand. It read: Ajutorul vine de la prieteni, S.S. “What the fuck?”

“No idea,” Laydon repeated. “Google it.”

“Maybe later,” Kirk said taking another order. “So what did you guys talk about, then?”

“Evan’s family,” Laydon said, not really lying. And then he felt a lurch in his stomach. “Uh, would you mind greatly if I take off? I’m starting not to feel that great,” as if to prove a point he hiccupped.

“Didn’t you just say you needed to work?” Kirk narrowed his eyes mockingly.

“Yes,” Laydon pointed out. “But seeing as you don’t really need me, and I don’t need the money yet, you could. Seriously, Dude, I need to go lay down.”

“Fine,” Kirk said laughing. “I’ll see if Jinx or Evan can come in. They might need to work. Well, Jinx will.”

“I owe you one,” Laydon said, punching out, and grabbing his jacket. “I’ll catch you later.”

As he walked out he thought he heard Kirk mutter something that sounded like, “You better.”

Laydon walked down the street to his car, afraid of what would happen. The only solution that all this was happening because Evan had bit him was just impossible. And she was working with Vlad. That was, well, possible. And obvious. So that didn’t make since on why she bit him. It kina put a wedge into Vladimir’s whole plan and all. Did Laydon actually believe she loved him then? He felt like he loved her.

Her. The one who was working for blood. And he knew the honesty in Loren’s words were true. Evan was with Vlad. Laydon sighed as he opened his door.



Okay. I decided just to post this as well, then the epic part i wrote later.
So...enjoy. COMMENTS ARE APPRECIATED AND NEEDED xD

Always, as Promised
-S.
+Mandy gave me the idea of Angels reading it. And such so...yeah...that might happen in the nend ;)