[CLOSED] still holding on.

[aubri 'bee' ella-paige reed]

Aubri sat down the flowers on the grave of her family. She couldn't imagine all their chopped up body parts down there in that one vault, not much bigger than a coffin. They hadn't been able to identify what went to who and where it went so they just put them all in a big and told Aubri to bury them. And she did. As best she could. Her uncle helped pay, and the life insurance her father had helped pay, but most of it came from her salary. She still put a good half of her check towards it. She figured they deserved something nice, even if she was working herself to death over it. She ran her fingers across the names, ten straightened up, walking out of the cemetery.

She had no idea where she was going, actually sober for once. It felt strange, and she wasn't sure she liked it. She put her hands in her pockets of her small skirt, looking down at her shoes. A pretty girl shouldn't have to live the way she did, but she had no choice. 'I'd be better off with the rest of my family..' She thought, looking up as she almost ran into someone.

"Sorry.." She mumbled.

[trez matthew steele]

Trez brushed his thumb over the picture of him and his brother in hand, a single rose held in the other. He didn't even notice the girl walking towards him, jumped. "S'okay.."

No matter how much he smiled, how okay he acted, losing your brother to cancer, your own parents unable to even make it to help, hurt a lot. It had been a small funeral, Trez being the closest. It was hard to imagine it had been almost three months.

He cleared his throat, stepping past her, images of another funeral flashing through his head. Expcept in there, it felt like he was watching his own through somebody elses eyes.

He shook away the bothersome thoughts, memories, whatever they were. They were pretty damn common, he hated how most turned out. 'Epilepsy my ass...' He thought bitterly. 'No fuckin' flashing lights or quick movements cause what I have. It's inhuman.'

But it wasn't a time to think about that. He paused at the carved headstone, stooping to set the picture down, the rose next to it. "Love you, Xander..." He murmured softly under his breath.

Rubbing at an eye, his chest shuddered faintly. He hesitated a moment longer and then turned around, slinking back towards the gates of the cemetery in silence.

[aubri 'bee' ella-paige reed]

Aubri was passing by the alley separating two buildings when her arm was yanked and she disappeared into the darkness. She cried out, obviously scared.

"August stop!" She pleaded, not in the mood for his rough games. He had been on a biting kick, had already bit and probably turned poor Marcus.

"Come on, Bee. Don't be like that." He groaned, pressing her against the wall. She could feel his hot breath on her neck and tipped her head back, praying he wouldn't bite her. "You smell good. Your rosy perfume and your red lips.." She didn't know what he was seeing -or smelling- but it wasn't her. She didn't have on lipstick. Or perfume.

"August.. Stop.. Please.." She pleaded, slowly trying to slip away from him. But his glowing red eyes had different ideas. He wasn't seeing Aubri, he was seeing Marilyn Monroe.

"Shh.." He told her, grabbing her by the waist and pressing a hand to her mouth before she could scream. He drug her into the dark alley, easily overpowering the kicking girl.

[trez matthew steele]

Trez glanced up at the first cry, frowning faintly. Curiosity got the best of his better judgement as usual and he peered into an alley at a scuffle of sound.

All he saw was a shadow disappearing further. He followed quietly, tensing as he spotted the girl he'd run into and somebody else in the dim light. "Hey!" He snapped. "Fuck off yeah?" He grabbed at his shirt, yanking him harshly back, teeth gritting as he glared. "Why don't you go pick on someone else, asshole?"

[aubri 'bee' ella-paige reed]

"Ow.." She cried as August dropped her. She knew there was no sense in arguing with him. The only thing you could do was run and hope he didn't catch up. She grabbed the boy by the hand, yanking him back into the sidewalk.

"Just run!" She screamed, darting across the road with the boy's hand in hers. She jumped over a fence, nearly stumbling on the way down. She lost a shoe, but didn't pay any attention. She could hear August behind them. She tripped over something, and went sprawling on the grass. In a matter of seconds, August was on top of her, his breath sharp and his glare angry.

"AH!" She screamed, kneeing him in the crotch as hard as she could. He doubled over and she grabbed the guy's arm again, pulling him into the maze of trees.

[trez matthew steele]

Vampire. Well shit..
He felt her grab his hand and pull, and he stumbled, running beside her with enough ease until they jumped the fence. She stumbled and the guy was on top of her again.

Helping her to her feet, they were soon enough in the trees. He huffed, knees meeting the ground as he doubled over with a rugged breath, knew it was clearly unhealthy he couldn't breath after that short run. Knew it wasn't his fault though, he couldn't risk a seizure.

If the guy found them, it was a straight shot back into down, his den apartment area just down one of the alleys, hidden tothe point nobody would expect it to be a place to live.

"Fuck," He drawled under his breath.

[aubri 'bee' ella-paige reed]

Aubri collapsed against one of the trees, sinking to the ground. She hoped August didn't catch up. And that the guy didn't faint. "Shh.." She told him, pressing her finger to her lips. She closed her eyes, focused on her breathing when she felt a hand around her mouth again. Her muffled scream echoed back at her and she started kicking her feet. He was determined to get her, no matter what it took.

"JUST FUCKING RUN!" She screamed when August let her go to round the tree. She was too tired to keep running. She tried to get up, using the tree as support, but August only shoved her to the ground.

"Just stop.." She pleaded, closing her eyes. "Please.. stop.." Something moved in the bush, and August backed away, obviously fearing it was a wolf. Aubri just laid there, watching August walk off.

[trez matthew steele]

Trez shuddered faintly, but didn't get up when she screamed. He willed his heartr ate to slow down. He closed his eyes, waiting for the guy to be gone for sure.

"To think-..I used to want to run track..." He let out a wavering breath, tilting his head to look at her. "You alright..?

[aubri 'bee' ella-paige reed]

"Never better.." She mumbled, pushing down her short skirt when she realized you could see her underwear. She brought her knees up, hoping he didn't see anything he didn't want to. She might be a waitress but she wasn't a whore. Or at least, she tried not to be. But she had been known to sell her body for drugs, money when she needed it. She closed her eyes again, folding her hands over her stomach.

"I don't think I did much in high school other than torment the fuck out of my teachers." She said, her eyes still closed.

[trez matthew steele]

He chuckled, the feeling passing gradually, and relaxed. "Who didn't have a few rough high school years at some point?" He murmured, smiling over at her. "We all got our problems to deal with."

He glanced at his phone, it was early, he had planned on heading right back to his place. "Mother fuck.." He refused to have a seizure for just missing his medication. "C'mon, you can hang at my place 'till we're sure he's gone. I gotta take my meds or imma be in a helluva lot of trouble." He pushed himself to his feet, clearing his throat, and held a hand out to her.