Chapter 5
He buried deeper into the covers, moaning softly. He looked at the clock, seven thirty. Cursing softly, he sat up. They had a photo shoot in an hour. He shuffled out of bed, gathered his clothes and headed into the bathroom. After showering quickly, he stepped out and started getting dressed. He wiped the steam off the mirror and looked at his expression. Biting his lip, he turned his head to the side and gasped. There on his neck were two bite marks. He had actually let himself think that last night hadn't really happened. He slumped back on the toilet. How in the hell was he gonna explain that? What would he tell Mary? She'd covered up acne, but he was sure she wouldn't believe that he'd been bitten by a vampire. Sighing heavily he stood and walked out the bathroom, he'd think of something, he'd have to. Slipping his glasses on, he headed out. ***********************************************************************
"AJ you're up in an hour, go get make up." The director called. AJ sighed. He'd been able to avoid contact with anyone for most of the day, but the guys were giving him funny looks. He was sure he was drawing more attention that way. He made his way over to the seat.
"AJ, man you alright?" Nick asked, coming up to stand behind him.
"Yeah, why?"
Nick shrugged. "Dunno, you're acting funny."
"I am? Hadn't noticed." He kept his eyes focused on the table in front of him as Mary start applying the foundation. Nick stared at him in the mirror.
"You sick or something? You look kinda pale."
AJ's eyes darted to the mirror, looking at Nick. Nick raised his eyebrows. "I, do?"
"Yeah. Well stay away from me man, I don't need to get sick."
AJ rolled his eyes. "Sure man, c'mere and let me cough on ya!"
Nick jumped and backed away. AJ grinned and turned his attention back to the table, Nick was too easy sometimes.
"Whoa, this is weird. What happened here?" Mary asked. "What's this on your neck?"
Damn!
"What?"
"This, these two marks. They look like bites."
"Oh those, yeah I got bit by mosquitoes back home." AJ muttered, reaching up to scratch at his neck. He hoped he sounded convincing.
"That's an odd place for them. Funny, they don't look swelled or anything. You ok?"
"I'm fine Mary, I got them awhile ago so the swelling went down." AJ lied.
"Ok, I can put some alcohol on it if ya like."
"Nah it's ok. Doesn't itch that much anymore." He had to stop this now. "Oh, looks like you missed a spot." Mary continued applying the make up as AJ sighed in relief, that had been too close.
The rest of the photo shoot when on as normal, but the guys kept insisting he see the doctor, that he looked awfully pale.
"Take twenty guys and then we'll do some more group shots before we finish up." The photographer called as he went to reload his camera.
AJ walked over and sat with the rest of the guys, munching on some grapes and drinking some water.
"I'm beat." Nick moaned.
"You've been posing for pictures Nick, how tiring is that?" Kevin groaned.
"I'll have you know, making my face into different expressions is very tiring." Nick informed them.
"You only have one expression, cute." Brian smirked.
"Shut up Brian!" Nick yelled, pinging him in the head with a grape.
"Oh it's on now!" Brian called, throwing a small piece of celery at Nick, causing him to jump up and run as Brian chased him.
"Cut it out Brian!" Nick shouted, taking off.
"You're lucky that didn't have dip on it!!" Brian yelled, still chasing him.
AJ shook his head at the two and continued to pick at his sandwich.
"You ok J?" Kevin asked.
"Yeah, I'm alright. Just kinda sleepy, had a rough night."
"Yeah well, ya look like hell."
"Thank you Kev, so pleasant as usual."
"That's me. Seriously AJ, what's going on man? AJ, AJ! Hello!"
AJ wasn't paying attention to Kevin anymore. He was staring at the man standing in the corner, leather jacket, pale skin and sunglasses. He had a funny feeling about that guy, suddenly the man's gaze drifted to him and AJ stopped cold.
"AJ?"
He couldn't move, he couldn't breath, the coldness swept through his body quickly, causing him to shiver. He had to get away. He stood quickly, not noticing the look of amazement Kevin was getting him and headed for the door. He was almost there when he was stopped.
"AJ? Man where you going? We have group shots left." Howie told him. "You alright? You look like you've just seen a ghost."
AJ swallowed hard. "Fine, I just need a, a drink of water. I'll be right back." He pulled away and whirled around, stopping dead in his tracks.
"Going somewhere Mr. McLean?" The man asked.
The energy radiating from him was deadly, so cold, so empty. AJ didn't quite understand why he was so sensitive to all these sensations all of a sudden; it was as if a light switch in him had been flipped on.
"I was just going to get a drink." He pointed to the drinking fountain down the hall.
"There's bottled water in the bowl on the table. Help yourself, but you need to get back there, the photographer is ready." He stated calmly.
He nodded, just staring at him.
"Is there something wrong Mr. McLean?" The man asked, raising an eyebrow.
He shook his head. "No, nothing wrong."
"Are you..." The man tipped his head down, his glasses sliding down on his nose to reveal catlike eyes, the same kind of eyes Aradia had. "...Sure?"
"I'm sure."
The man was one of them. He took a breath as a rush of warmth spread over his body, the fear he had been experiencing, melting away suddenly. He watched as the man straightened suddenly, apparently startled and walked off. Gathering himself, he started back over to join the rest of the guys, walking past the bottled water. He'd tell Aradia tonight. ***********************************************************************
She floated there, waiting. She sincerely hoped no one happened to look up right then and see a girl floating in the air, she was full and didn't feel like killing anyone else. Her pulsed raced as she watched the door to his room open, the light from outside lighting the room briefly. She floated over to the side of the building, waiting for him to come inside completely.
She didn't have a lot of time. AJ would be leaving tomorrow night; she had to make her move. She watched as he closed the door and threw his wallet and glasses onto the table and headed into the bathroom. She opened the window and quietly slipped in. She stood by the window, looking and waiting for AJ to come out. After about ten minutes, she heard the water stop from inside the bathroom and she straightened. A few minutes later the door swung open and out came AJ, in nothing but a towel. Her eyes widened slightly, a small smile played on her lips as she watched AJ walk over to his bag, gathering clothes. She figured she'd better let her presence be known. She walked slowly, emerging from the shadows into his line of view.
He'd had that feeling again, and it'd only increased when he'd gotten to his room, like someone was watching him. All during his shower and everything, he just couldn't shake it. Walking over to the drawer, he grabbed some socks and turned to sit on the bed when he noticed someone standing there.
"CHRIST!" He screamed, jumping back.
"Sorry Alex." Aradia smiled, stifling a giggle.
He slumped down on the bed, breathing heavily. "Damnit, a little warning next time please! Shit!"
"I'm really sorry!" She grinned, walking over to stand in front of him.
"Yeah yeah, I bet." He patted the area next to him. "Sit."
She sat down on the bed next to him; he didn't seem to care that he was only in a towel with her there.
"You here to check in?"
"Yeah, how'd things go today?"
"It went. Photo shoot, make up, more photos, touch-ups..."
"Make up huh, did anyone notice the, added marks?"
"Yeah Mary did. Told her they were mosquito bites."
Aradia chuckled. "It's always a mosquito bite. Who's Mary?"
"Our make up lady."
"Oh." She was too happy to hear that. "Anyway, did you see anything unusual today?"
He was quiet, how did he tell her?
"Alex?"
Not like he could keep it from her.
"No you couldn't, and besides it's ok. I know already."
He turned to look at her. "You know? But how? How could you know?"
"I was there. Well not physically, but mentally."
He looked at her confused, when suddenly it dawned on him. "You mean it was you? That warm feeling was you?"
She nodded. "Mind you I was asleep, but I could still feel you, I could hear you. We're connected now. So I took care of it."
"You took care of it? How?"
"Why do you think he left?"
"Oh."
"I let him know that you were mine, he left you alone. Besides, he could smell me in you anyway. That's warning enough."
He was hers. "Yours? I'm yours?"
"In a manner of speaking yes. I've marked you, you carry my scent, he knows if he would've gone after you, he would've had to face me and the rest of my society. He wouldn't be able to handle them alone; he'd be in serious trouble for leading us to Jareth. That, and he wouldn't do anything in broad daylight either."
"Oh, I...see."
Aradia chuckled and then turned serious. "Are you ready?"
"Ready? For what?"
"Tonight, I'm taking you tonight."
His eyes widened and then he frowned. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that."
"It won't be that bad."
"They won't...bite me or whatever will they?"
"Like I said, you're mine. They won't touch you."
A slow smile spread over his lips.
"What?"
He shook his head. "Nothing."
She gave him a look before shaking her head. "Come on, let's go. Get dressed."
"I could just go like this."
She looked him over, his arms, his chest, his...towel. She cleared her throat. "Get dressed AJ, I'll be waiting outside." With that she got up and jumped out the window, leaving AJ to get ready.
