A Dark Night with a Dark Stranger Ch. 12

I hope you didn't freeze him during..." Sandra whispered to Bell, before her and Larissa began giggling.

Bell scoffed, but smiled, looking around the room nervously, hoping that she had been the only one to hear Sandra's comment. She was a little taken aback that they girls suspected her and Ragon had hooked up. She hoped they hadn't been too noisy. The thought of the other vampires being able to hear them was mortifying, and she tried desperately to push this thought from her mind, while Sandra and Larissa continued to giggle, much to her annoyance.

"Are we going to talk about what happened tonight?" Sameth asked.

Bell swung around to face him. He was sitting on a bar stool near the kitchen, with a half empty bottle of scotch besides him. Seeing Sameth in the kitchen reminded Bell of food. She moved over to him, bushing past, as she began raiding the cupboards for something, anything to eat. Until then she hadn't realised how hungry she was.

"Yes, Kiara must be seriously pissed! How she could think to attack you at one of the elders parties. They would have been rife if Kiara attacked one of their guests. We may need to speak with her, let her know that she is not going to lay one of her cheap, manicured fingernails on you," Sandra said.

"But how do we even know if she has un-frozen? Maybe we don't have to worry about her anymore?" Cambridge asked.

Ragon looked sceptical.

"No," Sameth said, "about Bell's slowing down time, or whatever the hell it was."

Bell had been halfway to piling her mouth full of biscuits when she had stopped and stared at Sameth.

"Have you ever heard of anything like this happening before?" Ragon asked.

Sameth shook his head and one quick glance around at the other vampires told him that they hadn't either. It was true, he had never before heard of a mortal having any powers over vampires.

"Was Kiara the only thing to freeze?" Sameth questioned.

Bell's mouth was half full of biscuits when she mumbled, "Revrething roun me storped," and then swallowing her mouthful and said, "everything around me stopped, there was no wind, and some flowers that had been falling were frozen in mid-air."

"So it's not just vampires, it's everything that she has this power over," Sameth said considering Bell's answer a concerned look on his face.

"Maybe it wasn't Bell?" Larissa pipped up.

"But then how?" Ragon asked.

"I don't know, but I have an idea how to find out," Larissa said, a mischievous grin on her face that could have rivalled one of Clyde's.

Half an hour later and everyone accept for Patrick was gathered outside. Ryder had been listening intently to the group's conversation. From what he had gathered there was a vampire after Bell and she had somehow managed to stop them from killing her. The world of vampires was new to him, but he didn't fear it, as most would. There was something magical about it; so he sat and listened, hoping to be able to help, but wanting most of all not to be left out. The moon, though a little higher in the sky, was still large and yellow and the storm clouds that had threatened Brisbane with rain, had now rolled back out to sea.

"This feels stupid," Bell said loudly, forgetting that the vampires would be able to hear her.

She was standing on one of the highest branches of a large tipiana tree that took up most of Ragon's back yard. She was shaking slightly from her fear of heights, which caused the branch above her that she was holding onto to wobble dramatically. Next to her was Sandra. She was poised like a leopard on the same branch as Bell, needing nothing to steady her.

"It's alright honey, I've got you," she said, watching Bell's hands shake.

"Why am I doing this again?" She whispered to Sandra.

From down below it was Ragon who answered, "because this is the easiest way for us to see if you freeze yourself to slow down your fall."

"And you're sure you will catch me?" She asked, unable to keep the hysteria out of her voice.

"Always," Ragon replied.

"Oh please," Clyde whispered to Ragon, "And if he doesn't, I will," he yelled up to Bell.

From up the top of the tree Sandra laughed, causing the branch they were standing on to shake, "Clyde honey, were trying to make her scared, not freaking terrified," she said.

Clyde was about to respond, but before he could voice his retort Bell said, "please don't move so much, I am not exactly a big fan of heights."

Sandra stopped quickly, and reached over to steady Bell, a weak smile on her face as she said, "sorry hun."

"Ok, so I am going to go after three," Bell said from up above, talking faster and faster, "you know like one, two ,three then I will jump," Bell said, moving over to the edge of the branch, and looking down at the ground. She moved back a little, re-doubling her grasp on the branch and added, "I am not going to go on three, I am going to after three, so not one, two..."

But before she could finish her sentence, Sandra had pushed her, and she relinquished her grip of the branch and fell, the wind wishing past her ears as her stomach dropped.

"Ahhh,' she screamed, her arms and legs flailing everywhere.

Down below Ragon waited as she fell, arms outstretched: ready. Suddenly he felt a rough shove in his side, as he was pushed hard, falling ten metres through the air, and landing crumpled near the neighbour's fence. Bell's eyes had been shut tightly while she fell. It seemed to only last for a moment before she felt someone catching her. Opening her eyes quickly she looked up and saw: Clyde? For a few moments she remained cradled in his arms, unable to think straight. Then Ragon blurred towards them and seeing his stricken face, she quickly jumped out of Clyde's embrace.

"You're welcome," Clyde said smiling politely after her.

Though Bell had not seen what had happened below on the ground as she fell, it wasn't too difficult for her to guess. Ragon was brushing off bark and dirt from his clothes, while scowling at Clyde.

"What?" Clyde asked shrugging, at Ragon's death glare, "I told her if you weren't there that I would catch her."

For a moment Ragon considered hitting him, but then Patrick was next to them shaking his head and saying, "I don't think she stopped herself. I kept my eyes on all of you the whole time, and it all looked normal to me."

Bell, who was also shaking her head but not at this, had suddenly turned and said, "Yea, I don't think I did anything but fall, and maybe suffer a small heart attack."

"Well it was worth a shot," Sandra said to Larissa.

"Any other bright ideas?" Sameth asked the group.

"Well we could try going higher?" Cambridge asked, but Bell shook her head.

"It's different, when I was with Kiara I thought I was going to die. But when I was up in the tree, I knew that..." she was going to Ragon's name but instead said, "someone would catch me."

"Bell honey, we can't try to kill you, just to see if you can freeze time. What if it wasn't you?" Sandra said.

Sandra had made a valid point, but Bell dismissed it. Though she hadn't said it out loud to anyone, she was almost certain that it had been her that had stopped time and not something or someone else. But she had no way of explaining this to everyone, and absolutely no way of proving it.

"So what do we do now?" Patrick asked, his eyes roaming over to Ryder.

"Well I am not jumping out of or off anything else," Bell said.

"Actually I have an idea," Clyde said, watching as Patrick walked over to Ryder, and he moved over to Ragon in a heartbeat, and whispered something in his ear.

Almost as soon as Clyde had finished whispering, Sandra grabbed Bell's hand and said, "come on, let's have a shot. I am sure that you need one after that."

Bell allowed Sandra and Larissa to pull her back inside, just as Ragon raised an eyebrow in response to Clyde. She was half way towards the house, with her back to the group and out of ear shot, when Ragon nodded and said, "as long as everyone agrees."

Patrick, who had been standing nearby, nodded his head. Ryder watched confused, as all the vampires nodded their heads in agreement. Asides from Bell, he had been the only one unable to hear what Clyde had whispered.

Less than five minutes later and the rest of the group joined the girls inside. Bell had already had three shots of bourbon when Ragon came and sat down beside her.

"So what brilliant plan did you come up with?" she asked, her hand holding up her fourth shot ready to drink.

Ragon hesitated for a moment, than Clyde moved over to them, took the undrunk shot from Bell, and downed it saying, "it wasn't going to work. Falling out of an aeroplane without a parachute just has too many logistical problems."

Bell gulped loudly, not entirely trusting that Clyde had given up on this scheme.

"Don't worry," Ragon said, taking Bell by the hand and squeezing it, "I won't let Clyde throw you out of an aeroplane."

"It's too bad you two took your costumes off," Patrick said, "we could have continued the Halloween party here."

"Just because they're not dressed up, doesn't mean they can't still party," Sandra said, pouring two large glasses with Kentuckey bourbon and handing one to each of them. "Trick or treat," she said raising her glass before she shot it.

A second later and music was blaring out of the speakers, and Cambridge and Sandra were dancing together, while their mates watched jealously. Ragon had continued to hold Bell's hand, until Ryde came up to her.

"Me being here, he said, it's not, too much for you is it?" he asked, a puppy dog look taking over in his eyes.

Bell paused to think, turning to stare out of the open veranda doors.

"It's not too much, I just... I just don't want you getting hurt," she said.

"We're all grown up now Bell, and I know how to take care of myself," he said winking before adding, "besides, how do you know that it isn't Patrick who needs to be careful of me?"

Bell smiled weakly, unable to avoid looking down at his now bandaged wrist, under which a large bite mark was.

"Do I?" Patrick asked from the other couch, where he was giving Larissa a massage.

His voice was casual, even suggestive, as if he were hoping that there was something dangerous about his new interest. Ryder smiled innocently back at Patrick, batting his eye lashes a few more times than necessary.

"What did you think of Nikolas and William?" Patrick asked, moving away from Larissa to her annoyance and swooning over the couch, closer to where she and Ryder sat.

"Well Nikolas was..." she began.

"I know; dreamy right?" Patrick finished for her.

One of Ryder's eyebrows raised but Patrick leaned over to him, saying, "don't worry, I only have eyes for you."

Bell blushed furiously, while Ryder was lost in Patrick's large green eyes. She was just beginning to feel awkward, when Ragon took her by the hand and said, "I have been dying to dance with you all night."

Bell smiled, and listened to the song that was playing; a slow one: Jezabels, 'Endless summer'. She had just taken Ragon's hand and he had twirled her when the music suddenly changed.

"Nice," Sandra said, glaring at Clyde, who had just put on, 'I like big butts,' and was humming tunelessly to it, a wicked grin on his face from where he stood near the CD player.

Bell was half way to Clyde, intent on punching him, when Ragon dragged her back to the dance floor.

"Just pretend," he whispered, humming lightly in her ear as he continued to dance with her.

Bell felt like she was floating. Every dip brought a new smile and each turn had her glowing more and more brightly. Had the other vampires thought that she looked like an angel before, it was nothing to how she now glowed. Though her pyjamas were by no means a match for the angelic costume she had adorned hours ago when she had danced with Clyde, it didn't matter. The same feelings of hope, inspiration and remembrance washed over the immortals; and Patrick, who had been watching intently, rested his head in his hand, cupping his cheek, as though he had never seen anything more adorable. It didn't matter that the music had changed, and that they were dancing slowly to loud rap music. Bell's only thoughts rested on Ragon, and the pair continued to glide through the living room, forgetting that everyone was there, entirely oblivious that they were being watched. When Ragon's hypothetical music ended, he swept Bell into his arm, and kissed her slowly on the lips. Bell returned the kiss hungrily, her eyes closed so that everything and everyone in the background faded away.

"Ohhh," Patrick sighed, unable to look away.

Bell had bitten Ragon's lower lip teasingly, before Ragon pulled away from her. When finally Bell opened her eyes, she was looking disappointedly at him, upset at his ending their perfect moment together so abruptly. Now as she traced his line of vision to the rest of the vampires in the room, she thought she could guess why he had stopped her. Had she not been reminded that they were in a room full of spying eyes, she probably would have jumped him.

"Well," Clyde said, looking knowingly over at Ragon and then at Patrick, "let's do something fun."

Patrick clapped his hands together excitedly, and Ryder nodded.

"Hmmm, well we can't play sources, and it's too late to grab a bite to eat at a club, so what does that leave us with?" Clyde mused out loud.

"How about a nice, friendly game of checkers?" Cambridge asked.

He was ignored almost entirely, when Clyde said, "let's do shots," and moved over to the kitchen in a blur.

A second later and nine shot glasses were lined up along the kitchen bench, all overflowing with vodka. Ryder was the first to move, quickly jumping up from where he sat next to Patrick and throwing the glass nearest him down the hatch. Bell laughed, and moved into the kitchen and copied him. In no time at all, all the glasses had been emptied, and Clyde was re-filling them. After a while Bell lost count of how many shots she had done before realising that she needed to go to the bathroom.

Excusing herself she said, "make sure my next one is ready," and then moved over to her room, swaying a little as the alcohol took effect.

She was just checking her reflection in the mirror when a loud crashing noise made her race out the door and into the kitchen.

"Woops," Ryder said drunkenly, before reaching down behind the kitchen counter to pick up the broken pieces of glass.

"I feel like I should yell out taxi," Clyde said amused, as he looked down mournfully at the smashed vodka bottle.

"Shit," Ryder said suddenly, and Bell moved over to him.

From where he sat on the floor, Bell could make out that he had cut his finger, which was now bleeding profusely. She made to move towards him, but suddenly there was a long, low growl from behind her. She turned to see Patrick, staring down at Ryder, his eyes wide with hunger. In a second the atmosphere in the room changed. It was as if it was ten degrees colder and Bell watched in horror at the look on Patricks face, recognising the familiar lustful look for blood. From behind his top lip, two sharp fangs were revealed, and without pausing he moved over to Ryder. Ryder looked up helplessly at the monster, too paralysed by fear to respond.

"No," Bell screamed, throwing her hands up protectively in the air to stop him.

As though obeying her command Patrick stopped. For a moment she blinked confused, and then realised that it wasn't just Patrick who had frozen: everyone had. For a few moments she breathed hard, trying to wrap her head around the situation.

Glancing around at the other frozen vampires, she was surprised to see that no-one else had been in motion to stop Patrick, as if they were watching him. Dismissing this confusing thought, she deliberated on what to do next. Thinking quickly she tried to pull Ryder away, hoping that if she at least managed to move him, it would be enough time for Ragon or one of the others to stop Patrick. It was hard work. Ryder's dead weight felt as though it was suspended in gelatine, and Bell fought hard against the gravity which tried to keep him in place.

Panting hard from her efforts, she managed to drag him a few feet away from the group, into the living room, before sudden movement told her that time had re-started. For a moment all eyes were staring curiously at her and Ryder.

Ryder was surprised to find himself in the living room, but he leant over to Bell smiling and said, "I knew you'd save me."

"What?" Bell asked, looking back at Patrick, whose face was completely back to normal.

There wasn't a trace of malice or hunger about him, only surprise. After a moment Ragon moved over to where Bell was sitting and gently placed an arm on her shoulder.

"You did it," he said simply, without the faintest hint of being impressed.

"Does someone want to tell me what the hell is going on?" Bell asked.

To her surprise it was Clyde who moved over to her and said, "I thought the best way to err... test you, would be to put you in a more make believe situation."

For a few moments she stared disbelievingly up at him, and said, "but..." pointing to Ryder, lost for words.

"It's fake," Ryder said, putting his finger into his mouth and licking off the dark red liquid, "tomato sauce."

Bell didn't move for a while. She looked back and forth from Patrick to Ryder, and then her eyes rested on Ragon. It was true; she really could stop time.

"So what the hell does this mean?" asked Sameth, from where he was standing in the kitchen, a strange unrecognisable look plastered on his face.

"Well for one thing, we know that Kiara must have unfrozen afterwards. Which means not only do we need to keep protecting Bell from her. And if she has worked out what you did, then she will probably want to kill you more than ever, now that you're a threat to her," Cambridge said, a grim look on his face.