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emma-nation · 5 years

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Within You - Bloodbound AU - Chapter 10

Summary: One year after defeating Gaius, the gang has finally found peace… Until a tragic incident awakens the ultimate and most dangerous threat they ever faced.

Genre: Angst/Adventure/Romance

Rating: T - Warning for violence and language

Notes:

- Sequel to the fics For You, In The Daylight and Without You. You can read all of them here.

- This chapter is my baby and I’m really proud of it. I hope you like it too!

- I probably won’t be around for the next few days (for BB finale included), so please forgive me if I take too long to post Chapter 11.

- My fellow writers: stay home writing your awesome fics.

- Dear readers: stay home reading and leaving your lovely reviews. We love you. Stay safe!

Tag List: @supersphynxsworld, @lightning-fury, @spacecarrousel, @tigerbryn11, @gavryllo, @annabellewerecorgi, @whoinvitedalx, @sheyah, @imnotdonewiththeelementalists, @scaryqueenbee, @bigmemesplz, @la-guerra-69, @kamilahsayeed-owns-me, @morvengarde, @tephy24, @iam-the-fuckin-queen, @voltos9, @scorpichoices, @leavemeandmyshipsalone, @jen825, @andreear17, @justejuste727, @aureliaxj, @graceschoices, @mrskamilxh, @msuhailey, @zoe6111, @noodledragon22, @tigerbryn11, @shanuuh, @ilovetaylorswiftforever7, @ilovekamilahsayeed, @allaboutchoices , @fal-carrington , @scarlet-letter-a0114, @trouble-with-the-curve

Kamilah

In her office, Kamilah tried one last time to dial her brother’s number. Voice mail again. She rolled her eyes.

“Until when are you going to ignore me?” She sighed.

She remembered their last conversation, a few days earlier. It was late night, he knocked her penthouse’s door repeatedly. When Kamilah opened it, Lysimachus was pale as a ghost. His heart was racing inside his chest and his breath shallow and quick, indicating he was in great distress.

“It’s her, Kamilah,” he told, when she forced him to sit down and calm himself. “Rheya’s the First.”

“Brother, she just left my place,” she argued. “I invited her for dinner. I tested her through the day. There’s no evidence…”

“She confessed, Kamilah! Right in my face. She’s not who you think she is, okay? She set up that whole situation with Priya. She threatened to kill Katherine… and me!”

Kamilah sat down and looked deeply into his brother eyes. They never lied to each other. And he was scared, truly scared. In truth, she had never seen Lysimachus so frightened before.

“Brother, I…” she grabbed his hand, unsure of what to say to comfort him. Unsure of what to think. “I’m so confused.”

“Why don’t you believe me?” He seemed hurt. Truly hurt. And especially obsessed to find a manner to defeat the First Vampire.

In the next morning, Adrian called her. An emergency. A vial containing a blood sample from the Tree Of Eternal Life had disappeared from the laboratory. They searched all over the city, in every place it could be. They conducted searches at Priya’s mansion and club, Lester’s businesses and even among their own Clan members. There was no sign of the blood.

Until Kamilah found it by accident, inside the secret weapon storage in her brother’s apartment. Lysimachus swore, once again, that it was Rheya’s doing. But all evidence lead to him. His old card was used to access the safest areas in the laboratory. The employees also remembered seeing him there during the night. The footage from the security cameras had been purposely erased. Everything pointed to one direction, he planned to ingest the blood to become more powerful.

An emergency voting decided it would be better if he was temporarily out of The Council.

“I know you’re going through a lot of stress,” Kamilah told him. “I’m not saying I don’t believe you, but I’m also not saying I am. Just, stay in New Orleans for a few days. Clear your mind a bit.”

“Not even you… my fucking twin sister!” Lysimachus punched a hole in the wall. “You’ll all regret what you’re doing, and especially who you’re trusting. She’s manipulating each one of you!”

Coming back to reality, somebody was waiting for her at the door. Rheya. All those days, Kamilah was monitoring her closely. There wasn’t a single part of her that indicated danger.

“Kamilah?” She asked. “Is everything okay?”

“Absolutely,” Kamilah answered. “Personal issues. And you? Anything I can help with?”

“Actually, I’ve seen something that concerned me. I’ve been receiving threats and I believe they’re coming from the Order Of Dawn. I think they could be coming for me.”

She showed Kamilah some strange messages she received and pictures she took of strangers observing her out of the window.

“Don’t worry,” she assured. “We’ll investigate and grant you some protection.”

“Really?” Her eyes filled with tears and she started to cry. “Sometimes I think it’d be better if I returned to Europe. I never wanted to cause you trouble.”

“Rheya, no…”

Kamilah felt extremely bad for her. She quickly called Adrian and some of her Clan members to patrol the city and make sure no Order soldiers were walking around New York.

———-

Lysimachus

Angry, Lysimachus trained alone with a punching bag in his apartment in New Orleans. As soon as he arrived, Garrus checked his mind. Rheya’s presence was beginning to take over the place. With his Fae magic, he was able to remove it. But it was too late, everyone at The Council was convinced he was guilty.

He had to find a manner to stop Rheya by himself. She should have at least one weakness. She wasn’t invincible. Nothing could be. In nature, everything had a balance. An opposite.

“Wow,” a female voice said behind him, “someone’s mad.”

“Katherine,” he turned around, wiping off the sweat from his face with a towel. “Do you know how to kill a bitch?”

“Stake her. Or set her on fire. Assuming you’re talking about the Queen Bitch, Priya Lacroix.”

“Not actually. I’m talking about the First Vampire.”

“Is she truly real?” Her eyes went wide in surprise.

“Why do you think I’m back here?” Lysimachus told. “She caused that situation with Priya and found a manner to put everyone against me, when I discovered her identity.”

“Oh boy, you’re in serious trouble.”

“I know.”

After he showered, they walked around the streets of New Orleans while he informed her about the whole story. Since the Tree Of Eternal Life, the creation of Gaius and Xenocrates to the First Vampire’s return, using of Amy’s death.

“Why Amy?” Katherine wanted to know.

“According to this creepy British cult, she’s her descendant,” Lysimachus told. “And also a Bloodkeeper. What in my opinion, is the major sign of their connection. Their powers seem to be very similar.”

“Have you told all of that to your sister?”

He let out a chuckle.

“Who says she believes me? If Rheya asks her company, she’d probably give her everything in a second. She trusts her with her eyes closed.”

They stopped by the Graveyard Shift for a drink. Nik and Cal joined them and became part of the conversation. None of them had any ideas of what in this world could kill a legendary vampire.

“What do you think her plans are?” Nik asked. “She seems harmless so far.”

“She’s playing cautiously,” Lysimachus told. “Slowly involving and seducing everyone into her game. Soon they will bend to her will or meet a terrible fate. But her main interest… I think she wants Amy. For some purpose.”

“If she’s truly a queen,” Cal commented. “Amy would be her princess. Isn’t it obvious? She wants to share her legacy.”

“A legacy of blood and destruction,” Katherine added. “After that, she’ll probably eradicate the human kind.”

They all stared at each other in silence. None of them had a suggestion that could help.

“Let’s drink while we still can,” Nik suggested.

After he order at the bar, Ivy approached the table bringing their drinks and heard the conversation.

“Well well, a conversation about a legendary bloody creature. My favorite subject.”

“It wouldn’t be, if you met her,” Lysimachus showed them a picture of Rheya on his phone. “Ladies and gentlemen, the real face of evil. Rheya Apostolous.”

“Legendary. Bloody. And hot,” Ivy grinned.

“No wonder why your friends are getting into her so easily,” Cal joked.

“Come on, guys. Yes, she’s gorgeous. But she want all of us dead or kissing her feet. Would you mind helping me to come up with a plan? Something that could end her for good? There must be something. A balance nature created to stop her.”

Ivy was pensive for a moment before speaking:

“Meet me at the library tonight. I think I’ve got something we can do.”

“Does it involve the dead?” Lysimachus rolled his eyes, wondering how many ghosts he’d have to capture. “Or necromancy of any sorts?”

“Yes. I was thinking about… a Ouija board. But better.”

“Here we go again,” Katherine looked at him and sighed.

———-

Amy

As a form to protect Rheya, Kamilah requested Amy to follow her to all places. She was more than glad to help, after all she and the Greek vampire had an immense connection.

“So, Amy. How is it going with your psychic powers?” Rheya asked while they were working out together at the private gym in her building.

“I feel great,” she smiled. “Everyday I gain more and more control over them.”

“You not only can enter people’s minds, but you can make them actually experience the memories, is that correct?”

Rheya’s expression suddenly changed. She stopped with her exercises, looking sad, nostalgic.

“Yes. What’s wrong?” Confused, Amy stopped too. She lead Rheya to the nearest bench.

“Would you mind… showing me my family again? It’s been so long. Time is cruel. It has erased my husband’s voice from my memories or the scent of my little daughter’s hair. I miss them everyday and… I can’t barely remember their faces.”

“Of course.”

Amy grabbed her hands, focusing on the depths of her mind. Suddenly she could see both of them standing in an ancient throne room, where Rheya was in company of a man and a little girl.

“At least now I have the evening free to have dinner with you and Iola,” she smiled. “My two loves.”

“Mama, I want to see your fangs again!” Iola asked.

“They’re nothing special…“

“They are! I want fangs like you, Mama!”

“My darling… No, Iola. These are just for me, do you understand?”

Watching the scene, Amy couldn’t avoid feeling emotional. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. For some reason she felt attached to those people. Maybe because of the tragedy she knew that would later separate them. Or even because it made her think of her own family.

When they returned, Rheya’s eyes were teary but she had a smile on her face.

“Thank you so much, Amy,” she hugged her tightly. “It was so good to see my Iola again. Actually… you remind me a lot of her.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, since young age she was exactly like you. Adventurous, fierce and she had a great sense of humor.”

At the same time Amy felt sadness hearing those words, it also caused her unexplainable joy.

“I’m sorry she was taken from you,” Amy lamented.

“Don’t be,” Rheya touched her cheek fondly. “Sometimes life takes something away from you… but it grants you something else in return. Sooner or later.”

Amy went home and showered, but the scene she experienced with Rheya wouldn’t leave her thoughts. Especially her daughter. They seemed to be so close, so affectionate to each other.

That vision triggered inside Amy an intense desire of having a family on her own too. She imagined having a daughter with Kamilah. She’d give her little girl everything her mother didn’t provide her while growing up. She not only would be her parent, but her best friend. They’d share good memories and start adventures together.

She texted Kamilah, asking her to go home as soon as possible. After lunch she was impatiently waiting for her wife. As Amy sat down on the couch, their kitten, Beruthiel, quickly jumped on her lap.

In the first days, Kamilah was reluctant about getting attached to their new pet, considering how short their life-span could be compared to theirs. Now, everyday she’d come home with a new gift for Beruthiel. She was literally treating her like a princess.

They could form a beautiful little family. She, Kamilah, their cat and a baby.

“Hey,” her wife entered the penthouse, “is everything okay? You said you needed to see me.”

“Yes,” Amy wrapped her arms around Kamilah’s neck. “I’ve scheduled a visit to Raines Corporation. You know, only to check how his research is progressing.”

“Oh, what research?”

“The one we can have a baby.”

“Only to check, huh?” Kamilah’s raised eyebrow suggested she already knew what Amy had in mind.

“And get informed on how it would work.”

“Amy…” Kamilah sighed. “I’m okay with adopting a cat but… we’re not in a good moment to consider having children.”

“Why?” Amy wanted to know. “We’re married, with a stable life, I’ve got perfect control of my powers. I see no reason to postpone it.”

“She’s out there. The First Vampire.”

“Kamilah, please… I even stopped having those creepy visions. She’s gone for good.”

“She’s not,” Kamilah’s expression was serious and certain. “I sensed her presence the other day. She could be the one who manipulated Priya’s mind and yours. And besides, there’s also the possibility the Order soldiers could be out there, getting ready to strike.”

“So…” Amy threw herself on the couch, biting her lower lip. “Didn’t you have to discuss this Order issues with Adrian? I could come with you.”

Kamilah stared at her in silence again. Her face suggested she wasn’t thrilled about the idea.

“It’s not the right moment, Amy. It’s not like we’re buying a new video game, it’s a life we’re talking about. I’m not bringing a child to this world, knowing they could be in danger.”

“It will never be good moment right? I mean, you said countless times you never wanted to be a mother and that you can’t stand children.”

Amy stood up from the couch, storming to the front door. She knew it was only another excuse. Kamilah would never give her what she wanted the most. She felt extremely upset and frustrated.

“Amy…” Kamilah interrupted her. “Can we talk about this?”

“No,” she responded, coldly and ironic. “It’s not the right moment.”

Alone, she took her car and drove directly to Raines Corporation. If Kamilah didn’t want to be part of this decision, she’d do it by herself. And in the end, if she still couldn’t accept it… maybe she didn’t love her as much as she thought.

———-

Lysimachus

After midnight, Lysimachus and Katherine followed to Ivy’s library. Trusting her was never the smartest or safest idea, but it was the only option he had at the moment.

The library was completely dark, until the very end of the building, where Ivy had prepared a magical seal on the floor, surrounded by candles.

“For heaven’s sake, what is that?” Katherine asked. “Please tell me you’re not planning to take him to the Realm of Death.”

“I considered it,” Ivy said. “But it was too risky, especially because he’s… biologically dead? So I decided to bring the dead to our world instead.”

“Wait,” Lysimachus interrupted. “Who are you planning to summon from the dead?

“The Two Sons. Xenocrates and Gaius.”

Only that name alone brought shivers to Lysimachus body. He hated that man with every fiber of his body being. If one thing he was sure, was that he never wanted to see Gaius again. Not even in spirit.

“Bring Xenocrates. Let Gaius trapped in hell, where it’s his place.”

“Okay, I’ll need to perform a ritual. Mind giving me some privacy?”

“Of course.”

Lysimachus walked to an armchair where he sat down. Katherine followed him. He buried his head in his hands, wondering what could even happen if that ritual went wrong and for some reason Gaius escaped the Realm Of Death and returned to life. By the side of his beloved Goddess, they’d rule the world, exterminating the human kind.

“Hey,” Katherine touched his shoulder, “what’s wrong? You’re shaking.”

“Gaius,” he confessed. “Only the mention of his name it… it drives me crazy. Have you ever hated someone so badly it consumes you, changes you?”

“Yeah, not someone. Something. A monster.”

“He Turned me, against my will. Besides keeping me separated from my sister from centuries. I can help thinking everything he caused in her life was a revenge against me. Even if he’s dead… the part of me he took away is never returning.”

“I can relate. That monster… it took the most precious thing I’ve ever had. And I will never be the same again. Even if I try. Part of me also died that day.”

“Katherine…” Lysimachus looked into her eyes. For the first time she looked open, vulnerable. “You never told me…”

“I usually don’t,” Katherine shrugged, fighting off her emotions. “I think I’m really starting to trust you.”

“Well, that’s a good thing.”

“Not for me.”

They both shared a laugh, when Ivy’s voice called them back. It was time to summon Xenocrates’ spirit. Ivy was voicing some words in an ancient language when the flames from the candles exploded and intensified, almost blinding them with the light.

As Lysimachus opened his eyes again, Xenocrates’ form was standing in the middle of the seal.

“What did you call me here for?” He snarled. "A man can’t even be dead, without being bothered by abominations like you?“

"We need answers,” Lysimachus approached. “About Rheya. You were her First Son, you must know how to end her for good.”

“And why do you think I’d help you? Especially, when you were all responsible for setting her free.”

“They didn’t,” Katherine intervened. “They didn’t set her free. They were only studying the blood, for good purposes.”

“It had nothing to do with the blood. It was… something else.”

“What was it?” Lysimachus asked, intrigued. “We didn’t know. And now, she has started to cause trouble. I need to stop her before the damage spreads.”

“I don’t know what brought Rheya back, otherwise I’d have prevented it,” Xenocrates told. “But if you want to stop her you’ll need to go after her husband, Demetrius. His blood is the only thing that can stop her.”

“Isn’t he dead?”

“Sort of. Rheya attempted to Turn him when he was murdered but it was too late. Her blood transformed him into something dark, without a conscience. A monster.”

“The First Feral,” Katherine concluded.

“His presence brought death to everything around him, including Rheya herself,” Xenocrates continued. “She was weakened by his darkness. So she sent him away.”

“And where is he now?” Lysimachus wanted to know.

“In the Island of Death, somewhere in South Pacific.”

“I’ll find him.”

“You will,” Xenocrates let out a sarcastic laugh. “But you won’t make it back home. The Island will drain all your life before you even get to him.”

“So what do I have to do?”

“My time here is over.”

“No! Wait!”

A strong wind filled the room, lighting off all the candles and the First Son disappeared.

“So what do we do now?” Katherine wondered. “How will we get to the Island?”

“I don’t know,” Lysimachus sighed, frustrated. “He said it drains the life of any living being that approaches it.”

“But he didn’t say anything about a undead being, did he?” Ivy suggested.

———-

Kamilah

In the beginning of the night, Kamilah went to Raines Corporation to meet Adrian and find out if he had any news about a possible invasion of the Order Of Dawn in New York. Amy wasn’t picking up her calls, but she found out she was at the Shadow Den with Lily. Apparently they invited Rheya for a girl’s night.

“Please, tell me she didn’t convince you to impregnate her,” Kamilah took a sip of the whiskey Adrian served her. “I know her, Adrian. She does that puppy dog eyes that make you unable to say no.”

“She didn’t,” Adrian let out a small laugh. “I showed her the research, but explained it’s still a work in progress. And I’d need your DNA too.”

“Good. How would it work anyways?”

“It’s a serum. First, you both must sign a contract. I’ll mix Amy’s DNA to yours and add the blood from the Tree. The three elements together will generate a new life. A new being.”

“Just like that?”

“Not really,” Adrian explained. “After I inject it on Amy’s body or yours, you will have to… conceive the baby, if you know what I mean. Like a regular pregnancy.”

“I see.”

Kamilah swallowed the entire glass of whiskey in one sip, trying to get rid of the stress the thought of being a mother caused her.

“What’s the deal, Kamilah?” Adrian asked, noticing her silence.

“I’m not ready, Adrian,” Kamilah sighed and confessed. “And I don’t think I’ll ever be! I’m 2065 years old. I’ve killed people and burned cities to the ground. How can I become a mother? How am I supposed to raise a child?”

“We’re never ready, but when the moment comes, it’s just magical. You’ll learn to be a mom, Kamilah. Together with Amy.”

She noticed how distant and nostalgic Adrian looked after that talk. It probably reminded him of his son, Charles.

“We’ve adopted a cat recently,” Kamilah changed the subject. “Her name is…”

She couldn’t get used to that name. Something Amy and Lily picked out from one of their geeky obsessions.

“Beruthiel. I heard about her,” a smile returned to Adrian’s face. “I was also told you’ve been using your penthouse security system to observe her when you’re absent. And that you’ve bought her like 10 different collars in a week.”

She only rolled her eyes in response and walked to the window. Kamilah started remembering Amy’s behavior that afternoon. ‘No. It’s not the right moment’. Those words were said with the same coldness and rage as when she was under the First Vampire’s influence, before her Turning. She was about to express her concerns about her dark presence inhabiting Amy’s body, when the emergency alarm of Raines Corporartion started echoing through the entire building.

“What is that?” Kamilah asked, confused.

“I don’t know,” Adrian ran to his computer. “But it doesn’t sound good.”

From the security cameras, they observed as a small group dressed in white marched into the building, inspecting every corner. Searching for something specific. Their clothes and weapons had a military look, like they were soldiers of some kind. Kamilah recognized immediately who they were.

“The Order Of Dawn,” she concluded. “What do we do?”

“I don’t know,” Adrian was completely enraged. “But I won’t be standing here and watch them kill my employees.”

Kamilah followed him outside the office, with her daggers in hand. The Order Of Dawn was known for their skilled and ruthless hunters, who would kill everyone that stood in the way of their mission, humans or vampires.

“They’re at the labs,” Adrian whispered, watching the security cameras from his cell phone. “They’re… torturing them.”

Kamilah glanced at the screen, observing the soldiers holding a blade against one of the scientists’ neck. Adrian hands were shaking in anger. His eyes were dark and distant. She knew it was useless to try to calm him down at this stage.

“Look,” Kamilah pointed. “Two of them are guarding the main hall. We can ambush them and steal their outfits. It’ll make it easier for us to get the rest of them.”

“Good plan.”

They followed to the main hall through the emergency staircase, avoiding to make any noise. Arriving at the company’s entrance, they waited for the right moment to strike. Moving silent and stealth, Kamilah took down one guard while Adrian took the other.

After wearing their uniforms, Adrian checked the cameras one last time. They weren’t in a large group, only 7 soldiers, he counted. He and Kamilah proceeded with their plan, entering the laboratories disguised as members of the Order Of Dawn.

“What are you two doing here?” One of them asked, as he saw them. “You were supposed to guard the door. Raines could be arriving at any minute.”

“He won’t, Kamilah told, approaching the group, ready to draw her daggers.

"How can you be so sure?!”

“Because…” Adrian grabbed the soldier’s neck, breaking it instantly. “He’s right here.”

The remaining soldiers pulled their weapons and circled them.

“There’s six now,” Kamilah looked at Adrian. “Three for each?”

He nodded in agreement.

Kamilah’s soldiers attacked her with their UV flashlights. She looked at them for a second, before rolling her eyes.

“It seems like you haven’t received the latest updates,” she threw one of her daggers right into a soldier’s chest. “UV light doesn’t do a damn thing on me!”

Using her advanced speed, Kamilah dodged their crossbows and retrieved back her dagger. From behind, she stabbed both of them at the same time. She looked at Adrian, holding in his hands the hearts of two of his soldiers, while chasing the last of them. Kamilah streaked in his direction, daggers in hands, going straight for his neck.

“It’s over,” she said as he dropped dead on the floor.

After checking his employees, Adrian offered Kamilah drank some stored blood to recover strength and heal any minor injuries.

Kamilah’s cell phone started ringing. It was Priya.

“I know you hate me. But sending the Order Of Dawn to my club was a slut move, Kamilah!”

“What? Are they in there too?” She shared a concerned look with Adrian.

“Of course…” by the sound, Priya stopped to shoot the soldiers with a gun. “Otherwise, why would I even call you? ”

“I… I’ll send some reinforcement.”

“Those were one of my favorite shoes!” The fashion designer yelled. Panicked screams were heard in the background.

“Priya?!”

“There’s no need, I think I killed all of them. Wait…” she fired the gun again. “Yes, now I did.”

Adrian was also on his phone. The Order also attacked Lester’s business. With the help of his Clan, he managed to get rid of them.

“Leave one of them alive,” Adrian ordered. “Bring him for an interrogation tomorrow.”

He hung up. Both of their phones buzzed at the same time with texts from several vampires of Jax’s clan. The Shadow Den was under attack, by the largest group of soldiers seem in New York so far.

“Oh no.”

“We have to go,” Kamilah rushed, headed to her car. “Amy is in danger.”

———-

Amy

“Another fight?!” Lily questioned, while Amy finished putting on some make-up. Rheya would arrive soon and they’d introduce her to the life in the Shadow Den. “And because you want to have children?!”

“Yes,” Amy answered. “I just feel ready for the next step. I want to start a family with Kamilah.”

“Amy, I’m sorry but it doesn’t sound like you. I mean, you guys have been married for only a year. A lot can change.”

“What are you suggesting? Nothing is changing between us.”

“You’re a vampire now,” Lily told. “There’s so much you may want to experience. You’ll have the eternity to be a mother.”

“Being married to Kamilah, I’ve already experienced a lot,” Amy argued. “We’ve traveled to so many places, she introduced me to a lot of new things, we’ve grown up as couple… it seems like the right moment.”

“Well, that’s your decision to make. But make sure you’re not using it only to mask your past traumas.”

Amy did have a family-related trauma. She always felt abandoned, rejected by her mom. Ofter she’d seek for affection in her friend’s families. The conflicts between them only got worse when she became a teenager. In many occasions, she made her mom cry. Which was enough for her to decided the should follow different paths.

Now she had built her own life away from her hometown. She had a great job, a loving wife and she finally got answers about her mother’s behavior and her origins. In truth, she was starting to understand and even forgive her.

Having a baby with Kamilah had little to do with that. Part of her didn’t want children before because she wasn’t sure she’d be able to be a good mother, based on her own experiences. Now she wanted to break that cycle. She wanted to fix things with her mom, and at the same time, have the motherhood experience herself.

“Hello,” for some reason Rheya was already standing in the living room. “You didn’t hear me knocking, the door was opened so I entered. I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”

“Not at all!” Amy smiled, dismissing her thoughts. “We were waiting for you. By the way, that’s Lily. My best friend.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Lily extended her hand. “Very nice.”

“It’s my pleasure, darling. Amy talks about you all the time.”

Amy checked her watch. It was almost time for Liv’s new show to start. Both of her friends had engaged in a conversation. Lily seemed to be nervous around Rheya, panicking and stuttering. She shook her head in denial.

“Hey, you two,” she called. “Let’s go!”

First, they gave Rheya a tour of the Shadow Den. She was impressed by the place, checking all the stores and attractions the community had to offer.

“This place is amazing. A mass of vampires, rejected by The Council, build all of this? Without any support?”

“They did,” Lily told. “We made some improvements and redesigned after we were recognized as a Clan by The Council.”

“And there…” Amy pointed to the male vampire coming in their direction, “is the man behind most of it, Jax Matsuo.”

“Hey,” Jax joined them, briefly nodding at Rheya. “What are you girls up to?”

“We’re headed to Liv’s new show, but before we’re showing Rheya around.”

“Rheya, huh? I remember seeing you at the Tribunal. You saved Priya’s ass.”

“Jax,” Rheya looked deeply into his eyes and grabbed one of his hands. “Your bravery, your strength is like no other. Building this place, protecting your people, fighting for your rights… it’s inspiring. You have my admiration.”

“Whoa,” Jax’s cheeks turned a little pink. “Thank you, but I had help of my Clan members. We were all part of this.”

“I… I…” Lily made some effort to insert herself in the conversation. “I created the Fangbook. A social network for vampires.”

Rheya grinned and grabbed her hand too.

“This is also amazing, darling. An online gathering of all vampires in the world. Your knowledge can serve for greater purposes. You can achieve great things. Never doubt your potential.”

“T-Thank you.”

Amy laughed and patted her best friend’s shoulder.

Together they followed to Liv’s cabaret, finding their reserved seats in the front row. That was the debut of a show she long planned, back when she still a mortal. She looked unusually happy that night.

“This place is crowded,” Amy told Jax, before the lights went out.

“I know, right?” He said. “It’s good to finally see a smile on her face.”

A dancing number started on the stage, Amy was very focused. The music was hypnotizing. She and Lily started to move their bodies in sync to the rhythm.

“Come on, Jax,” Amy shouted. “Join us.”

“In a moment,” he looked serious at his cell phone screen. “There’s something wrong in the tunnels.”

Jax didn’t have any time to leave, as soon as he got up a group of soldiers dressed in white burst through the doors. Amy recognized them from Greece.

“The Order Of Dawn.”

“Everyone take cover!” Jax yelled, as they started to aim and shoot their crossbows at the vampires in the cabaret.

Amy stood frozen in the middle of the commotion, her eyes registering the scene all around her. Vampires attempted to run, or even to protect themselves, only to suffer cruel and painful deaths. There was a lot of screaming and crying, while the Order Of Dawn chanted:

”The Order does not yield. The Order does not sleep. The Order shows no mercy… and leaves no survivors.”

She tried to locate Rheya and Lily but they were nowhere to be seen. A tightness on her chest started to suffocate her.

“Amy!” Jax pulled her out of the way, to prevent an attack with UV light. Considering the desperation of the moment, he probably had forgotten it didn’t affect her.

“Jax,” she returned to her conscience. However, when she looked at the male vampire on the ground he wasn’t moving. His chest had a big burning wound. Tears stated to fill her eyes as she touched it. No vampire would survive an injury of that extent. “Jax, please…”

“Die,” an Order soldier appeared in front of her, with a crossbow aimed to her chest. She fired. Amy stopped the stake midway with her psychic powers.

Looking around, she could see piles of ash all around the club, along with severely hurt vampires, struggling to stay alive. Rage started to consume her. She felt her eyes burning in pure anger.

With a grin on her face, she sent the stake back in the soldier’s direction. Hitting her right in the middle of her eyes.

“What is that?” A group of soldiers came in her direction, as their member’s lifeless body fell on the ground.

Amy could feel their hearts beating. The blood flowing inside their veins. They had no idea what she could do. They had no idea of what she could become. She had the urge to kill them. All of them. She focused, gathering all her power.

“Kill her,” their leader ordered. She jerked her hand, sending all of them flying. The heavy impact against the wall crushed every bone inside their fragile human bodies.

More soldiers came in her direction. She leaped forward. With fangs drawn, she went directly to their throats. Her hands also fought, tearing into some soldiers’ chests and ripping off their hearts.

“Monster! Monster!” They started to retreat and runaway scared.

Amy couldn’t let them get away. Not after what they had done. They deserved no second chances. Only death. By the time they reached the door, she appeared in front of them.

“Leave… no… survivors!” She yelled, mocking their chant. Her hands were engulfed by fire and she send blasts in their direction. She stood and watched while it consumed their bodies.

As they silenced, she closed her eyes. She could sense a couple of human heartbeats coming from behind the bar. Taking Jax’s katana, she slowly walked to them. They barely had any time to scream. The blood spraying from their slit throats soaked her skin and her clothes. She fed herself some of it, before going back to Jax unconscious body.

She kneeled right beside him, placing her hands over the wound. And that’s the last thing she did, before collapsing in exhaustion.

#bloodbound #kamilah sayeed #kamilah x mc #playchoices #choices stories you play #bloodbound fanfiction #within you #hoping it works this time

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crazy-loca-blog · 5 years

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Personal thoughts on… 2019 seasonal books

Note: As the title says, these are just personal opinions on Choices books and chapters. Of course, you may agree or disagree with them, I only use this platform to express my thoughts on what I read every week.

Finally! I promised that I would be posting this as soon as all the seasonal books were fully released, but I didn’t think it would take them so long to be finished… and I didn’t expect me to spend so much time reading them. For some stupid reason, I saw myself facing the same problem with all four books: trying to finish the first chapter was a real struggle. Maybe the beginning of the books was too slow, maybe the first chapters were too long… I have no idea why it took me forever finishing the first chapter of all four books. Luckily, all of them caught my attention in chapter 2 and of course, I couldn’t stop reading afterwards. The books are organized as per release date.

The Royal Holiday (November 16, 2019 - December 7, 2019): Sorry if I’m a little biased on this book, but I think talking about it may be a little complex, because I have a feeling that every person had a different experience depending on who you married to. Overall, I really liked it. I felt it was more similar to what we’re used to see in TRR than in TRH. And if you married Drake (as my MC did), I guess you’ll understand what I mean. If you didn’t marry him, let me give you a quick update: during The Royal Heir there were plenty of dialogs with Drake that were absolutely out of character… can you imagine him saying “yes” to Liam’s petition immediately? I mean, no doubts, no “but”, no nothing? Even the MC had more doubts than him! Anyway, in this Christmas book, the old Drake we know (and some of us learned to love) was back and that was pretty comforting. One of the things I liked the most about this book was how the writers found a balance between the time alone with our LI and the main plot of the story. On one hand, spending time with Drake and remembering that it was actually in Lythikos where they both began to realize they had some romantic feelings for each other was a nice detail. On the other hand, helping Olivia after all she did for the crown (and especially after what she went through with Anton and her aunt) was awesome. I personally missed her so much during TRH that she definitely deserved all the love and a whole book dedicated to her. But I have to admit I got mad… like really mad… when I saw all the nobles arriving at the party just because the press had been there. Can we just talk about how fake these people are? I kept waiting for the moment where someone would give them a piece of their mind, because I certainly did while reading the last chapter.

The Elementalists: Winters Past (November 27, 2019 - December 18, 2019): I think this was PB’s attempt to give us a proper closure for The Elementalists series… but they didn’t convince me. Don’t get me wrong, I think the book is pretty good, I had fun reading it, I loved the plot involving Shreya’s mother, Isabella and their friendship story, but as we won’t be seeing this gang anymore, I would have expected the book to solve at least some of the questions that were left unanswered in Book 2. There were plenty of hints (like how the MC and Atlas spent Christmas with their mother) and even some glimpses of the future (in my case, my MC is dating Beckett and they talked about meeting his parents… and even about having kids!) but nothing that concrete. Instead, the main plot took another direction and gave us a whole new story, with ghosts and a solstice (and now I’m wondering if we’ll see some crossover between TE and BB in the future) that ended up being very attractive and different. Isabella was, in my opinion, the perfect character that this story needed to be bright, something that this series needed after so much darkness. I even had to grab some tissues when she left, the scene was super emotive. The only thing that doesn’t add up to me is why they decided not to include Shreya’s sister in the story. Being this a short book, inviting her to the castle would have been actually fun, and it wouldn’t have affected the main story. Despite this, I think justice has been done to Griffin. Yes! Finally he got the love he has deserved from the very first moment! I’m so in love with this boy (seriously, the only reason why I didn’t choose him was because I’m convinced that Beckett was the perfect match for my MC) and I was so disappointed that he never got the recognition he deserves for being a good guy, that it was awesome to see someone finally recognizing what a treasure he is.

Bloodbound: Dark Solstice (December 21, 2019 - January 11, 2020): At first, I didn’t understand why PB would release a Bloodbound holiday special when this is one of the darkest series in the app. I would have never thought that this would become my favorite seasonal book of 2019. So, we had the Dark Solstice instead of Christmas. And it was awesome! I know I’ve said this plenty of times, but one of my favorite things about a story is when the writers realize that there is more than a “main LI” and they do their best to balance the screen time and the interactions with all of them. And they did it. I also loved how the story was focused on Kamilah and Lily, instead of being focused on Adrian and Jax (as things usually are in the main series). Finally, we had something that took us out of what a Christmas book is supposed to be, and I’m thankful for that, as it helped us to “fight” the cheesiness we may have found in the other three books. But my favorite thing about this book has to be how they made things work with the main series. We had this awesome crossover with the Nightbound gang (who would have thought they actually met Ivy, Garrus and Krom before meeting Cal in Book 2?) that left me begging for a trip to New Orleans at some point during Book 3. We also had glimpses of Gaius and Serafine, which helped to link this book the plot of Book 2 (smart move!). And last, but no least, if you got all four pieces of the portrait, you got to see these new characters, all of them Japanese vampires. Who are they? Are they somehow related to Jax? How did the kid realize that things wouldn’t be the same after this solstice? What will be their role during Book 3? Will they be decisive characters? I have so many questions now!

Desire and Decorum: First Winter (December 22, 2019 - January 12, 2020): I have some mixed emotions on this book. As many of us, I was excited to see these people one more time after the beautiful final chapter that the writers gave us in Desire and Decorum, Book 3. But I’m not going to lie… I’m a little disappointed with the result. It’s not a bad book, but I ended up feeling that it was unnecessary; especially because it didn’t give us an actual new plot and it didn’t add many new things to the original plot either, as the other three seasonal books did. So for me, this is probably the weakest release of the season. Sure, it answered some questions such as how Harry and Miss Sutton got engaged and how Sir Luke and Cordelia (if you shipped them) didn’t get engaged during this period, but there was nothing too exciting to make this book memorable. Not even Henrietta was the annoying character we were used to see throughout the series. Probably my only “OMG” moment of the story was when we had the chance to make Constance to kiss someone under the mistletoe. I chose Prince Hamid just to see what happened, and it seems they actually ended up becoming a thing in the future… I didn’t expect that to happen, not at all! I also liked the fact that they remembered old traditions while trying to create some new ones, but for some reason, I felt the MC said that exact sentence so many times during the book that it ended up feeling “forced”. Instead, I think it would have been cute to see a main plot with the two brothers, our grandmother and even Henrietta teaching the MC about the old family traditions, our MC teaching them about her traditions with her mom, and then creating new ones with our husband/wife and our friends. Overall, the book left me a bittersweet feeling. I enjoyed reading it, but it lacks of that “something” to make it feel like a really special book.

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theshijlegacy · 5 years

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Rise of Skywalker ramblings

Saw RoS last night and loved it.

I’d seen the mixed reviews and was a bit apprehensive going in, but was pleasantly surprised in a lot of ways. It kept some of the spirit of TLJ that I liked while still delivering a lot of the “safer” Star Wars story that I expected. Being part of a super enthusiastic opening night crowd is always fun too. And it’s nice to see that I’m not the only person who liked the whole 7-8-9 trilogy!

Spoileriffic thoughts below.

--Rey Palpatine was one of the theories I’d kicked around, but it would have been nice if she really was nobody, like the Force doesn’t care who you’re related to. Timeline-wise she would have been better off as his great-granddaughter but I completely buy Sheev having lots of kids and/or having some later in life.

--I’d been running with the “Skywalker is the new name for Force user” theory for a while, but I’m OK with Rey adopting it as her last name. She doesn’t have to be a Palpatine and the name of the family that saved the galaxy is continuing.

--HOLY CRAP FINN IS FORCE SENSITIVE. I would love it if that was what he wanted to tell Rey. (Best answer from Reddit: “I’m in love with Poe and don’t know how to tell him!”)

--Ben Solo didn’t make it to the end! I was convinced he’d get a redemption arc and live happily ever after. Props to JJ/whoever for going in that direction, especially with the Jedi fadeout.

--The opening crawl getting right to "oh hey the emperor isn't really dead.” So happy they didn't drag out the “when-do-we-see/hear-the-emperor???” mystery

--Sheev Palpatine and his motherfucking contingencies for contingencies, plans-within-plans shit. This guy was a thousand steps ahead of everyone else, all the time. Got a glimpse of that in Empire’s End too.

--LOL the tank of Snoke clones. Sheev loves his clones, in both canon and legends!

--Poe’s lightspeed skipping. Poe being an ex-spice runner. Poe and Zorii! Poe in general. Poe is great.

--Luke/Leia training flashback!! Leia's lightsaber!!!! Which she presumably built herself!!!!!

--3-way Finn/Poe/Rey hug. And the sound of a thousand fanfics being composed…

--More First Order defectors who had been kidnapped as children. (Also a plot point in Empire’s End, complete with a 6-year-old-ish Armitage Hux ordering around a group of kidnapped-and-brainwashed child recruits)

--Hux being the mole, not because he agrees with the resistance, but because he hates Kylo Ren. I bet he was hatching a plan as soon as Snoke was killed.

--Force-healing onscreen! And it wasn’t just “Force magic” (which I also would have been OK with), it was actual taking life from one to give to another.

--Rey was noticeably better at lightsaber fighting. She was… not great in TFA. Only slightly better in TLJ. Her year of training really shows and I like that we’ve seen a pretty clear progression.

--Rey stopping that transport with some Kyle Katarn shit and Kylo trying to get it back and OH SHIT REY SHOT OUT FORCE LIGHTNING

--Palpatine: GLADoS edition has been added to my recent “horrifying scene that works but really gives me the creeps” list (also includes flashback to Coulson resuscitation/brain surgery with him repeating “just let me die” on Agents of SHIELD, Brainy getting rebooted on Supergirl)

--Aside from his GLADoS-esque support arm complete with wires, I liked undead-Palpatine's look - missing fingers, whited-out eyes, and his transformation after he stole life from Rey & Kylo. Especially the red-lined robes.

--Got serious Endgame vibes at the end with all the ships showing up. Husband unit also pointed out the parallel of “I am inevitable”/”I am Iron Man” and “I am all Sith”/”I am all Jedi”

--OMG ALL THE JEDI SPEAKING TO REY. I didn’t recognize everything at first but I heard Obi-Wan (young & old), Yoda, Mace Windu, Ahsoka(!!!!!), and Anakin. Per the credits, voices also included Qui-Gon(!), Luminara Unduli, Aayla Secura, Adi Gallia, and Kanan Jarrus(!!!!!). Two notable absences: Cal Kestis and Ezra Bridger. I can accept Cal’s fate as TBD since Fallen Order just came out, but this is really good news for Ezra. I am now super super interested to see where these two have been.

--Kept the Rey/Kylo force-connection deal. It weirded me out in TLJ but I’m really glad it was kept here.

--Wedge coming back for one last ride! (and aging pretty well, wow)

--RIP Snap. :-( I’d grown a bit attached to him after the Aftermath trilogy, but I think Norra and Brentin would have been proud.

-- ForceGhost!Luke has a new attitude; I guess being dead for a while tends to mellow you out. I am still 100% OK with his character in this trilogy.

--Kylo not being as good at fighting after he dropped the dark-side allegiance – specifically the 6v1 fight against the Knights of Ren before he got the lightsaber. Like he'd been into it so deep for so long he forgot how to fight without it.

--Han coming back one last time for some Ghost Dad Advice

--THANKS FOR NOT KILLING CHEWIE!! I was seriously worried

--Rey fights herself!

--Where can I buy a replica of that Sith wayfinder? I do like shiny force-user crystals/holocrons/etc

--Rey finally builds her own lightsaber! And it’s yellow.

--TAKE THAT REYLOS: Oh you want a kiss huh? There’s your kiss! AND NOW HE’S DEAD.

--That whole scene. Kylo staring at dead Rey. Kylo force-healing Rey and bringing her back to life. And now they’re staring at each other, and I’m thinking don’t kiss you idiots, don’t fucking do it. FUCK they did. I actually booed out loud. (I will not deny being a little bit happy that Kylo died immediately after)

--All of the “are you happy Ep 7 & 8 haters???” stuff: Rey is super powerful because she’s Palpatine’s granddaughter, someone bringing up a “why don’t we Holdo this” argument and getting shot down with good reason, showing Leia’s Force powers with a flashback to being trained by Luke AND having her own lightsaber

--The urgent timeline got kind of.. muddled? Forgotten? They had 18 hours or 12 and still had time for all those spacejumps and Lando gathering friends from all over?

--A bit too on-the-nose with some of the ROTJ parallels. Lando in disguise saving the day on a desert planet! Speeder bike chase! Emperor taunting Our Hero while their friends are losing a huge battle outside! A Skywalker dies so Our Hero can live!

--Also wondered if one of the writers played SWTOR: Emperor who really isn’t dead uses Super Mega Force Lightning and tries to jump into Our Hero’s body to take over their mind.

After chewing on this for a day, here’s my ranking of Skywalker/Palpatine saga films from best to worst:

5 > 8 > 9 > 4 > 7 > 6 > 3 > 2 > 1

And including Solo and Rogue One:

5 > Rogue One > 8 > 9 > 4 > 7 > 6 > 3 > Solo > 2 > 1

tbh I’m so far into the “inject all Star Wars content directly into my veins pls” territory that I can’t say I hate any of it, and even the cringiest prequel moments are leaps and bounds ahead of a lot of other junk I’ve watched/read/played. So much about Star Wars is just FUN, and I will gladly handwave away most of my nitpicks (SpeedForce, I ain’t gotta explain shit) for the sake of enjoying the story. Even the ridiculous stuff that I poke fun at is still a part of the whole mess; it can’t all be great or even good or OK and that is fine with me. [NOTE: I have not watched the Holiday Special but the husband unit is weirdly enthusiastic about me doing so; it may happen yet this year.]

I really like this comment from the A.V. Club. More cynical than my overall take on the whole shebang but I totally know with where they’re coming from. I don’t agree with all the responses but it’s a pretty good discussion.

#rise of skywalker spoilers #episode 9 spoilers #spoilers

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bxcketbarnes · 6 years

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Ghost of You - Part Two

Pairing: Luke Hemmings x Reader

Author: @cxddlyash

Words: 1989

Author’s Note: We all know I’m a sucKer for happy endings! If you didn't know... well you do now. So, here it is! ALSO POSTED ON THE SAME DAY AS THE FIRST PART. WOW, RIGHT? Thanks to @h0tsos for fixing a couple of mistakes and letting me know her thoughts on it!

picture credit

Luke worked nonstop in the studio, wanting to get the beat of this song just right. He had some help from a couple writers, telling him their ideas and the blonde managed to finish the song in about two weeks.

He found himself standing outside of Calum’s door, knocking quietly as he waited for his best friend to open the door. Luke hasn’t actually been to his house since before the breakup, only in the studio.

The door opened and Cal stood on the other side, his eyes growing wide. “Luke? What are you doing here?” He asked, closing the door a bit and Luke’s eyebrows furrowed together.

“I, uh, finished the song. I wanted your opinion on it,” he mumbled, tangling his fingers together before just pushing past Calum despite the brunette’s plea for him to stop.

You were sat on the couch, snuggled into a blanket you took from the house, Luke’s scent slightly on it as you watched a sad movie. Your head picked up to Calum shouting Luke’s name and your heart dropped, not wanting him to see you like this.

Luke’s eyes landed on you as you perched yourself up on the couch. He could see the tears in your eyes before his gaze went to the tv. “Y/N… w-what-“ he started, confused but realizing why your here and before he could get out a coherent sentence you ran off to the room you stayed in.

His heart broke slightly, staring down the hallways. “Luke…” Calum started, resting a hand on his friend's shoulder and Luke pulled away from him.

“Yo-You didn’t even tell me she was here? Or how she was!?” He yelled, glaring at him.

“She didn’t want you to know,” the bassist calmly spoke, giving Luke a sad look. “She’s far from fine though. Just know that.” Luke ran his fingers through his curls, shaking his head a bit before rushing out of the house, walking back towards his.

You heard the door slam shut and you jumped a bit, knowing that he had left in anger. You say cross-legged on the bed, hearing Calum’s footsteps coming closer to your door before he knocked on the wooden surface.

He walked inside the room after you mumbled for him to come in. “I’m sorry. I-I should’ve just let you tell him where I was. I didn’t want you guys to get into a fight,” you whispered, a tear sliding down your cheek and Cal sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed beside you.

“It’s fine. I didn’t expect him to come over. He hasn’t left the house unless it was to go to the studio,” he mentioned and you frowned knowing that’s not like Luke at all. “He’s a mess… you know that right? I don’t think he can live without you.”

You shook your head, trying not to cry. “Please don’t tell me that,” your voice strained, sniffling a bit. The two of you sat in silence for a few moments before Calum pulled you into his chest. “T-This is all my fault. We’re both broken because of me.” You cried into his shirt, damping the fabric with your tears as you shook. Your breathing picked up as the task became a little harder, Calum noticing.

He pushed you away from him, moving some of the hair from your face as you kept hyperventilating. “Hey, it’s okay. This isn’t your fault. You were just doing what you thought best… everyone makes mistakes,” Calum gently cooed, rubbing the sides of your arms as you nodded, wiping the wet streaks from your flushed cheeks. “I know you won’t want to, but you should go talk to him.”

Calum dropped you off at your and Luke’s shared place, staring at it as you took a deep breath, gathering the courage to just go up to the front door. “Bye, have fun!” Cal called out as he drove away, not giving you the option to really run.

You sighed defeatedly, stepping slowly towards the place. You bent down, grabbing the key from under the flower pot, unlocking the front door before stepping inside. It was eerily quiet, the sound of Luke’s piano playing in the distance as you noticed the house to only be slightly messy.

Papers strewn about the coffee table caught your attention and you walked towards it, sitting gently onto the white couch. You picked up the pieces of paper, fingers grazing against the ink smudges knowing Luke put his heart into this song Ghost of You.

Here I am waking up, still can't sleep on your side There's your coffee cup, the lipstick stain fades with time If I can dream long enough, you'd tell me I'd be just fine I'll be just fine So I drown it out like I always do Dancing through our house with the ghost of you And I chase it down, with a shot of truth Dancing through our house with the ghost of you

Fresh tears were added to the paper, except these were yours. You placed the papers back in their original spot, covering your face with your hands as you silently cried. He wrote a song about me… Luke’s voice singing throughout the house made you peek your head up, missing the way his voice sounded but this… this sounded nothing like the Luke you knew. His voice cracked while singing the lyrics you just read, the sound of the piano softly playing along to his voice.

You pushed yourself up from the couch, following the sounds of his voice to find him sitting in front of his piano, singing his heart out as he was hunched over a bit. You bit your knuckles to stop yourself from letting out a sob, continuing to watch him until he finished. Your eyes moved to Petunia who was lying on her bed beside him, her head picking up at the sight of you.

She immediately got up, trotting towards you as you crouched down, petting her belly as she laid on her back.

The piano playing stopped as Luke noticed Petunia wasn’t in her bed, glancing behind him to see you crouched down by her, petting her. A sad smile came to his lips, wondering if you were actually here or a figment of his imagination.

“You came back?” His voice spoke out quietly and you glanced over at the blonde, seeing this tired blue eyes looking at you.

You pressed your lips together while standing up before making your way towards him, sitting down next to him at the piano. “I figured we needed to talk,” you mumbled, toying with your fingers as he nodded, the two of you facing the piano.

His slender fingers played with the keys, pressing one every minute or so as you sat in silence. “Calum said you were far from fine…” Luke trailed off, gazing down at you as you sighed, nodding your head.

“He’s right. I don’t think there’s been a time where I didn’t cry myself to sleep,” you explained furthermore. “He said you were a mess.”

Luke let out a dry laugh, biting his bottom lip before nodding. “He’s also right. I haven’t left the house unless it was to go to record or write, I-I stare at your side of the bed every morning and every night, trying to figure out what I’d done wrong,” he mumbled quietly, the crack in his voice returning.

“Luke… you didn’t do anything. I should’ve just talked to you about it, but I-I honestly thought leaving was the best choice for both of us. I realize now that it wasn’t the right choice,” you told him, scooting a bit closer as your hips slightly touched.

Your hands were in your lap as Luke looked down at you, taking a big risk and reaching over to grab your hand. He laced your fingers together, butterflies erupting in your stomach as you squeezed his hand. “Can you just tell me why? What your reason was? It’s been eating away at me for three months.”

“Well, the distance was one. I hated that you were gone most of the time, but I knew it was for what you loved and I was okay with it. Secondly, the cheating rumors. I know… I know you’d never cheat on me, but the pictures, th-they looked so real and I thought that I wasn’t good enough for you anymore. Lastly, your fans. They were great in the beginning, but I guess they shipped you more with Sierra than they did with me and they became hateful. Sending me threats and hate and it topped everything off. I-I had to do something,” you explained in more depth to him, your free hand fumbling with his fingers.

Luke sighed, leaning down to press a kiss to the side of your head. “I love you so much. I honestly don’t want anyone else in my life like you were. You were the one for me, you still are. I-I’ll say something to the fans, have you come with us on tour-,” he started listing off things and you briefly cut him off.

“Who’ll watch Piggy?” You asked, looking down at the bulldog-terrier who was sleeping in her bed.

“I’ll find someone. I don’t wanna be away from you anymore. I-I don’t wanna risk the chance of coming home for you not to be here again. Please… please come home. Come back to me,” Luke whispered, resting his forehead against yours.

“Of course I’ll come back. You’re my home, Luke. I’m sorry for leaving. If I could go back in time I’d change the way I handled it,” you mumbled, one of your hands resting on his chest. Luke pulled away from you, getting up as you curiously glanced at him, wondering what he was doing.

He picked you up bridal style, a small squeal leaving your lips as Luke carried you to the bedroom, Petunia following you. You hid your face in his neck, taking in his wonderful scent as you missed it so much.

Luke set you down on your side of the bed, moving some of your hair from our face before laying down beside you. His hands reached for your waist, pulling you closer as you rested your head on his chest.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” he whispered as he combed his fingers through your hair.

You turned your head to look at him, leaning on your elbow before dipping down to press a kiss to his lips. Luke let out a small moan, his large hand resting on your cheek as he began kissing you back, missing the feeling of your lips against his.

Luke flipped you over, hovering over you as he deepened the kiss. You wrapped your arms around his neck, your fingers running through his curls as your heart fluttered. He pulled away, breathing heavily as you slowly opened your eyes.

“I’m glad I’m here too. I missed everything about you.”

Taglist: @honeymoonmuke @gotta-try-something-new @thebookamongmen @dashlilymark @ashs-cheergirl @lukeskisses @shower-me-with-roses

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onestowatch · 6 years

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PREMIERE + Q&A: Spirit Animal Releases “Karma” in Anticipation of Debut Album

Spirit Animal isn’t your typical rock band. They don’t care about genres, labels, or boundaries, and their eclectic style has brought us yet another upbeat tune that we’re digging entitled “Karma.” It’s the type of song meant to be listened to at full volume, so you can hear every bit of the drums and bass, topped off with lead singer Steve Cooper’s powerful vocals. The track is the second single to be released from the band’s upcoming debut album Born Yesterday.

Cooper, along with guitarist Cal Stamp, drummer Ronen Evron, and bassist Paul Michel approach their music from any and every direction. The band draws inspiration everywhere from the Arctic Monkeys to Kendrick Lamar, and the result is a pleasantly dynamic, rhythmic, and at times even funky, rock sound. Their unique sound has unique origins, with Paul’s history in the D.C. hardcore scene, Ronen’s past studying at Berklee College of Music, and Steve’s early love for rap music.

Spirit Animal’s strategy when it comes to making music is that there is no strategy. They have no set process for making music, and the product is music that has such an effortless feel to it and you can basically hear how much fun they’re having. Though that effortless, fun sound will probably have you wanting to join in singing at the top of your lungs, their music is also incredibly reflective and intended to ignite your thoughts.

The band quickly gained attention after its first hit “The Black Jack White” which racked up over a million hits on Spotify and 2016’s “Regular World,” which reached 3 million hits. Fast forward to 2018 after tirelessly touring and working on music, Spirit Animal is finally giving us a full-length debut, which is music to our ears.

You can listen to Spirit Animal’s latest release “Karma” below:

youtube

We also got the scoop from Spirit Animal frontman Steve Cooper about what inspired the song, which artists he’s been loving, and more. Just keep reading to find out.

OTW: Your upcoming Atlantic Records debut, Born Yesterday, was largely written and recorded in the band’s backyard of Brooklyn. How does the city landscape influence your creative process?

Steve: I wouldn't say that the urban terrain has much impact on us -- we're actually pretty outdoorsy -- but the people certainly do. One thing that has always unified us has been the desire to make music that can "touch all types." In New York, when you're in headphones cranking your demos or whatever you're working on, and you're jammed between 500 subway riders from every edge of the Earth, it's inspiring to picture them listening, too. What would they think? How would they react? Is there a way you can make this music more them and more you? There's always been a built-in creative challenge associated with this city, but it's not only because there are so many artists here. It's because there are so many people here.

OTW: What made you decide to announce your debut album with the song “Karma”?

Steve: We can't pretend it was planned in advance, but it does make a lot of sense in terms of how it was written, the cover art concept (an avatar whose components are assembling from every direction), and our general approach to genre and style. We flew from New York to L.A. to write this song. The producer, Ryan Petersen, traveled from Nashville having just moved away from L.A. The other co-writer, Nolan Sipe, drove up from San Diego day-of. We used Tenacious D's rehearsal space and borrowed gear. We then took the tune back to NY for post-production, did a good amount of long-distance idea swapping between the three cities, and actually wound up having to go down to Nashville to cut alternate lyrics (they didn't end up getting used). These days, it's not uncommon to cobble together old parts or to combine the home and pro studio pieces. But I think it's fair to say that this song has the most airline rewards points to redeem.

OTW: How do you feel Born Yesterday differs your earlier work?

Steve: We talk a lot about how we've changed each other and taken on each other's writing and stylistic tendencies. Inherent in this growth is a sonic cohesiveness, almost like a Venn diagram that slowly becomes a single oval. In our earlier work, there were both elements that we knew we wanted to move away from -- things we sometimes saw as crutches that we knew we could do very well (funk riffs, for instance) -- and elements that we knew could be potential strengths that we were rejecting or needing to find a way to incorporate more (pop/rap influences). A combination of time, which you can't rush, and a newfound creative license that came from working with more people, helped us shape what we now refer to as "the album we always wanted to make."

OTW: You guys have a big summer tour coming up, what’s the craziest experience you’ve had as a band on the road?

Steve: Since I'm writing this while hungry, I'm gonna go with The Great Burger Survival of 2016. We made the mistake of touring the upper midwest in the dead of winter (PRO TIP: don't) and road conditions had been horrible the whole trip. We made the requisite post-show McDonald's run despite the Minnesota snow and ordered our standard faves. For Cal, that's a cheeseburger meal. We divvied up the goods and got to noshing as Ronen, the warrior that he is, took the wheel instead of eating. Not 90 seconds later we boarded the highway on-ramp at a very reasonable speed, but even responsible Ronen was no match for the black ice. We skidded off the ramp, did a 240 across four lanes of traffic (Tony Hawk would have been proud) and slammed into the cement barrier, front-first. Stunned, we looked around the van to see what had happened. French fries were EVERYWHERE, sweet and sour smeared on my seat handle. I looked behind me to Cal, who was alone on the back bench. He raised his arm up, triumphant as Lady Liberty herself, gripping a fully intact burger. "Are you ok?," I asked. "My burger is," he said, and gave me a bite.

OTW: Who are some of your Ones to Watch artists?

Steve: This might seem like the easiest question, but since we're obsessed with new music, it's absolutely not. How about 25 "ones"?!

Husky Loops, Amber Mark, Sarah Reeves, Vicktor Taiwò, Octavian, Kim Petras, NVDES, Injury Reserve, Valee, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Lanks, Numb.er, Daniel Avery, Sarah Blasko, Olden Yolk, Ghost Bones, Moaning, SAINt JHN, Haley Heynderickx, Ross From Friends, ISLAND, Kadhja Bonet, Courtney Marie Andrews, Palace Winter, Saltwater Sun

#interview #spirit animal #born yesterday #karma #rock #alternative #indie #premiere

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homervnned · 5 years

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–– f l o u r - c a k e d h a n d s c l o s e t h e r e g i s t e r .

“ oh, for fuck’s sake. ”

there’s that signature eye roll. they’re talking ‘bout their dead wife A G A I N.

haven’t they read the roll along’s no sentimental bullshit policy ?

“ just eat your fuckin’ cinnamon roll. ”

whaddup. hope y’like your bakers how you like your sweet rolls : rude and emotional unavailable !

( sean teale, human, he/him & cismale ) is that ( spellbound ) by ( ac/dc ) playing? guess ( “brooks baker” / ferris feller )’s comin’ in hot! heard folks say the ( “25” / 52 ) year old ( bakery owner ) was at the thanksgiving fair, ( nearly droppin’ a tray of sweets ‘n goodies at his bakery stand as he thought he recognized the orange-wearing witch who hexed him years ago ) when chaos ensued. during the glitch, ( he tried to follow that damned lady to give her a piece of his mind, but wound up defendin’ himself from incomin’ hooligans with a blow-up baseball bat instead ).

b a c k g r o u n d.

born as ferris feller in letum falls, oklahoma, 1930. his mother, greta feller, raised him and his little sister ( possible wc, if she’s been turned supernatural ? ) on her own. the story goes his father was stationed abroad in the military as a courier and died in a freak accident. there were photos of him ‘round the house, but really, those are just black and white photos of some random soldier his ma had written correspondence with as a volunteer letter writer during world war i. his real father was the local pastor. his mother started sleeping with him after he brought his suits in to be dry cleaned at her laundromat.

ferris took a natural liking to baseball, and distinguished himself as a standout batter early in elementary. his ma worked extra mending clothes in order to pay his little league dues, and soon little ferris was catapulted to local baseball success.

he never was the brightest tool in the shed. always quick with a comeback, but his faculties were always more geared toward the sport than mental acuity. he passed high school with the help of a tutor and very lenient teachers, who all wanted to see the first letum falls baseball star make to the big leagues.

and make it, he did. in 1948, ferris jumped on board with the new york yankees and made major league history with the team for over fifteen years.

but there was always this one gal throughout high school who couldn’t get the hint. she asked him to the sadie hawkins and he said yes out of pity, which he learned was a big mistake. this girl confessed her love for him at the end of their senior prom, ‘n ferris didn’t know what to say except no. that summer, stuff got weird. it started with small things. a beetle in his salad. worms in his burgers at the diner. and then he noticed the trend: it all happened when she was around, watchin’. she cornered him after a game in baltimore about two years after he started playin’ and demanded he propose to her, that she’d seen into the future and they were meant to be. ferris laughed in her face. and she said he’d rue the day. she said, you’ll get what’s comin’ to ya, feller, and then you won’t be so gosh darned smug.

ferris thought nothin’ of it, until the tenth year of his baseball career rolled around and he noticed his hits hadn’t changed. his records hadn’t budged anywhere but up. but... he was supposed to be pushin’ 33. his original teammates were talkin’ about retirement. developing some crow’s feet, some aches ‘n pains, some grays. yet there ferris was, as fresh-faced as when he joined.

and that’s when it hit him. that damn girl hexed him. and with the media talkin’ bout his miraculous youth, ferris knew he needed to step outta the limelight. but just retiring wasn’t an option –– they’d send reporters to monitor his post-game life. they’d see that he still looked the same. sounded the same.

once again: not the sharpest tool in the shed. ferris ups and disappears in 1964. the media speculates kidnapping. murder. the search is on and ferris flees. ducks into the shadows. waits a few years livin’ quiet before he slinks on back to letum falls.

it isn’t until near arrival in ‘66 he realizes he’s... he hasn’t got a plan. he parks the car he bought off the side of the road in delaware and racks his mind for a story. a name. anythin’.

brooks. it works. different letter, different sound. he buys himself a modest house near the outskirts of town ‘n gets his ducks in a row. doesn’t even blink at the idea of a surname, ‘til people start askin’. he’s gotta have a reason to be here. a story. people start sayin’ he looks familiar... and there’s his in: ferris feller’s son. came here in search of my pa, you seen him? he’ll fake shock when folks say feller disappeared years ago. swallow his tears ‘n pay his vague condolences when they say his ma died of a heart attack in ‘64, after learnin’ about ferris’s disappearance. and he’ll... open a bakery. yeah. he’ll lie ‘n say his ma was a baker in baltimore, she met feller after a game ‘n he was the result. he’ll stay a while. open a bakery. bakery. baker. brooks baker. that’ll work.

so he opens the roll along. the town loves it. by 1970, he’s winnin’ awards with his sweets. but the baker’s disposition doesn’t match the confections’ flavor.

he’s bitter. crass. a dark cloud. you don’t walk into the roll along for a chat. but that doesn’t stop some from tryin’. behind that glare, there’s somethin’. behind those icy eyes, there’s a different story.

ask him if he knows baseball. he’ll say nah, never played a lick in my life. he misses it. god damn it, he misses the game.

he keeps facial hair to look around his age. although his age is loose –– he avoids numbers. avoids specifics. folks speculate he’s in his mid-20s and that’ll do. but if he ever shaved? he wouldn’t look a day over 22.

t h e f a i r .

the roll along had its very own tent at the thanksgiving fair, and it was doin’ great business. brooks almost dropped a full tray of sweet rolls when chaos broke out. and then he saw the lady in orange and he just about lost his marbles. chucked the tray onto the nearest table. set off after her. but she disappeared ‘n then he had some hooligans on his hands, so he snatched the closest weapon –– a jumbo inflatable baseball bat and had at it.

no glitz and glam. no heroics. he whacked those monsters upside the head with a useless bubble of hot air, sustained some deep slashes, ‘n then got the fuck outta there. locked himself in the bakery, slumped against the fridge, bloodied. cursed himself for bein’ here. cursed himself for not just dyin’ already.

the roll along was roped into hosting one of the pre-vigil gatherings. the mayor asked for 400 sweet rolls to honor the 400 fallen. brooks thought it was in poor taste but hey, can’t argue with asherby. he spent all night bakin’ the damned things in his blood-stained shirt.

c u r r e n t l y .

he can’t shake it. seein’ that woman. because that might be her. that might be the bitch who did this to him. the bitch who took everything by giving him it all.

so he’s stress bakin’. a lot. pawning it off on everyone and anyone. takin’ out his frustrations on unwitting customers.

people are askin’ more questions ‘bout where he’s from, but it’s been so long and he’s told so many white lies, it’s hard to keep his story straight. what’s it to you? is his go-to response, but that’s not sufficing any more.

c u r r e n t c o n n e c t i o n s .

unlikely friends – duffy freely. they’re an unlikely pair. but somehow, brooks’ bitterness doesn’t scare duffy off. and there’s somethin’ about this girl’s earnestness that’s got something akin to trust risin’ up in him. a friend. who’d have thunk.

smug flirty banter – cal caldwell. the roll along supplies baked goods to letum skate, and ever since findin’ its owner hiding away in a closet from customers and coaxing him out with baked goods, brooks has developed... an intrigue ‘round cal. and, well. the guy’s a warlock. maybe he can help figure a way outta this fuckin’ curse.

w a n t e d c o n n e c t i o n s .

younger sister. she’d be pretty old now, but i imagine if this was filled, she’d have been turned supernatural in her 20s or 30s. growing up, brooks and his sister weren’t very close. brooks was always their mother’s priority because of baseball, and i imagine there was a lot of bitterness when he left town so quickly for the yankees. she’s likely around, and if they have interacted, it would be clipped and tense. dysfunctional as fuck. there’d be a lot of resentment about how their mother died. because, well... it’s his fuckin’ fault.

drinking buds. two shots of vodka, glug glug glug !! brooks is... well. definitely an alcoholic, among other things. he carries such a weight that it’s the only way he really knows how to dull it all. he’s bound to have a person or two for choice company in those need-to-drown-it-out moments.

bitter buds. they don’t take one another’s shit. and in all other universes, maybe they’d be sworn enemies. but for some reason, these two wind up actually getting along.

someone haunt the shit out of him. ghosts, i’m lookin’ at you.

unofficial baker’s aid. alright so. brooks is all about flying solo. managing his own shit. but maybe this customer hangs around so often that they’ve become part of the process? taste testing, helping to get things out of the oven, dealing with customers when brooks is done with their shit, etc.

#othqintro #intro.

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