After a moment of heavy silence, Myriah tore her gaze from Axels eyes to take in the rest of the room. 'Stay…' she pleaded as she took hold of his sleeve. Axel looked at Myriah who was watching
Jasmine who was also watching her with guarded eyes. 'I don't trust her…'
Green held lavender and another silence filled the room, this one coursing with adrenaline. 'I want what she's guarding.' Myriah thought as she ground her teeth together. 'I want to know how I know you.' Jasmine swayed under the intensity of Myriahs magic, 'how does this girl not know what she is, and yet she controls her powers?' Myriah, lost in her silent battle with Jasmine, snarled and thrust her free hand forward, throwing the books Jasmine had gathered to the wall behind her.
"Myriah." Axel snapped. Her eyes found his and instead of molten silver she was met with charcoal grey. 'He's upset with me…' her wide eyes narrowed and found Jasmine again, 'for her…?' her inner voice snarled, as she took a blind step toward Jasmine who slid into a stance. "Myriah…" Axel warned for the second time as he hooked a finger under her chin and guided her face to his. The forceful look in his eyes made her shiver.
'Wha-' her eyes widened when he pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes.
"That is enough." Axel murmured in gentle tones. "We don't use our powers on one another." He intoned as the hand that was on her chin slid to her hair and cupped the back of her head, holding her in place. "Here, there are no enemies among us. We all have our stories and so we all have to have some medium of trust in one another." Myriahs lavender eyes narrowed into a glare, "She's hiding something." Axel sighed, "I know her!" Myriah tried to get out Axels grip but he used his free hand to pull her flush against his body. "I-I-" Myriah felt her body relax against his, "I n-need-"
"Don't let your emotion cloud your judgement." He soothed as his free arm slipped around her waist. 'Her body fits right into mine…' Axel instinctively buried his face into the cook of her neck. To be greeted by the natural scent of jasmine and rain, 'By the gods…' they both thought as Myriah whimpered and squeezed her eyes shut. 'He's-' with her hands splayed on his chest, Myriah gradually turned redder and redder.
'This is not a boy…' she thought as her anger gave way to new, foreign feelings. Like the shivers coursing through her body with the hard body pressed against her. 'This is a warrior…' she thought as she melted into him and let his strength seep into her, 'This is a man…' she thought as her eyes closed, 'A man who will keep me safe.'
Atoli clearing her throat had the two jumping apart, "Myriah, come join us." She coaxed in soothing tones, as she patted the seat next to her, "you can sit by me." Myriah tilted her head in contemplation when a blushing Axel grabbed her wrist and guided her to the love seat to sit next to him. Myriah felt her breath hitch when he slid her hand into his and held their connected hands on his knee. 'Well well well…' Angalo watched the whole scene with a combination of concern and amusement. After a moment of awkward silence Myriahs lavender eyes landed on Atoli,
"H-How do you change your age and appearance?" She asked after a moment of openly staring at Jasmine who stared back with her head tilted. 'This girl vexes me... ' they thought while holding one another's eyes in the mirror above Atolis head.
'Completely impenetrable... and that is why I can't trust you…'
Axel gripping her hand with a low warning growl, pulled Myriah from her staring match with Jasmine who shook her head and went back to her tasks. Myriah eyed Axel who caught her gaze and shook his head.
"Myriah?" Atoli gently called, pulling her from her silent conversation with Axel, "Its a bit of a story." The brown eyed girl murmured. Myriahs mind started to race in a swirl of thoughts and questions.
"Myriah.." Axel murmured her name, pulling her from her spiraling thoughts. She looked at him with helpless eyes. 'This girl…' Axel could nearly see the questions racing in her mind. 'What is this?' He held their hands up which made Myriah tilt her head in confusion, "You are among your people, no harm will befall you here. Ask as many questions as you can handle receiving the answers to. We will only give you the truth... However that truth may not be the answers you seek." He assured in soothing tones. 'I need for her to be okay…' Their gazes locked again and it wasn't the immediate, distracting spark that connected them, it was something heavier, an unmistakable feeling that weighed on his chest... 'I need to know that you will survive your demons…' Axel had never been in tune with a woman's feelings before he looked into Myriah's eyes. 'I need…'
His eyes widened when her small body leaned into his, 'You will keep me safe?' The question meant for the confines of her mind slipped to his and he nodded with a set jaw. 'I promise you…' He didn't know much when it came to this girl who sets his heart aflame every time her eyes met his. 'Here is where I'll stay…' he brought their connected hands to his lips, making Myriahs breath hitch and her eyes widen when he kissed the back of her hand, holding her vulnerable gaze with his steady one. 'One thing I do know…' He internally grinned when Myriahs cheeks flamed red and her eyes lit up, 'Is that I will protect you with my life…'
Axel's tenderness toward Myriah had Angalo tilting his head. 'Axel is the name sake for ice. He is ruthless without compassion or remorse…'
With each victory they gained, Axel pushed for another. With every loss, Axel would lose himself in the research that Atoli's hacking provided. Axel would train well into the hours of the night and he would lock himself away until he devised a strategy for their next mission...
'My younger brother… strong and cold… being melted by this slip of a girl…' the thought was an endearing one that sent him back to the past.
Myriah stared at Angalo, and she blinked. She couldn't say why, but she knew that wherever Axel was that's where it was safe. She knew his words were true, and that he would allow no harm to come her way.
"Okay Myriah, here's the sitch: Vampires are still a myth to the humans. Which works in our favor…" Atoli murmured. Myriah blinked. 'Vampires?' She thought as she looked at Axel, "Did she just say… vampires?" Everyone in the room looked at Myriah as her shoulders started to shake, and she started to laugh.
Axel watched her laugh with a small smile on his lips. He could say that he was in tune with her, every time she held his gaze, he saw into her. 'She seams unaffected by my brother…' he observed as Myriah continued to laugh, "You're kidding, right?" She asked as she wiped her tears away with her free hand, "Is she now, princess?" Angalo challenged with a grin. 'This man's eyes aren't like Axels…' Myriah dismissed, 'Well...' She watched as he grinned and stood while spreading his arms.
'Do you think she's lying princess?' Angalos voice danced in her mind, making Myriahs eyes widen.
'I can see his thoughts…' Myriah tilted her head. 'Do tell me, princess… what do you really know of your people?' Angalos voice taunted again.
She looked from Angalo to Axel and back. They looked the same. Except Angalo was slightly taller. The height difference was so small, the average human wouldn't be able to detect it. They looked like twins, except for where Axel's face was angular and sculpted, Angalo's was slightly more oval, just a hair longer, but no less handsome… she wanted to reply to Angalos questions, but 'I simply must know…'
"Are you two twins?" Myriah blurted. Angalo blinked, this wasn't expected either… Axel tilted his head and Angalo laughed, a rich and hearty sound that made Myriah blush. But it didn't thwart her.
Axel glanced at Myriah From the corner of his eye. Her question isn't regarding the fact that Angalo started with Vampires, but if they were twins... he brought his free hand to his head in exasperation.
'Naturally… a girl drawn to me would worry about the wrong things…'
Myriahs eyes caught Axels again and he was answering her question, "He is older than me by sixteen years." Axel murmured, to which Myriah nodded with her lips shaped in an 'o'.
"Let me get this straight, princess. Your question isn't to my challenge but to my relation with my brother?" Myriah shrugged while averting Angalos gaze, "Axel told me youball would tell the truth, so I had to know."
She explained as if it was the simplest thing ever. Axel ran a hand through his hair, and chuckled. 'Is it too late to turn back?' He idly wondered as he watched Myriah from the corner of his eye. '…' He pondered as Angalo returned to sit beside Atoli who was quietly giggling behind her hand.
"Anyways…" Angalo said with an exaggerated eye roll, "Now that the relation with my baby brother is established." Myriah nodded with a giggle. Axel watched her lean forward, interested. '…are you really interested, or is this how you escape?' He wondered as Angalo cleared his throat loudly making Myriah giggle again.
'Are you being sincere?' Axel looked at their connected hands, 'You're laughing… when your turmoil is raging just below the surface…'
"Axel, myself and Nicholas are the three of the oldest and strongest of our kind." Angalo murmured as he relaxed in the recliner that he sat in. Myriah looked at him with wide eyes.
"Oldest?" She asked in awe, Angalo took on a royal air and nodded dismissively, "I know, I know… you're in the presence of true royalty, but don't worry it's all legit." Myriah giggled until Axel leaned toward her,
"It's rumored that our fathers father was first." Axel murmured, choosing to humor Myriahs current mood. 'Maybe this is what she needs… laughter, a sense of family… maybe she needs to rebuild what was ripped away from her…' Myriah stared at Axel now, 'They're polar opposites…' "Is it true?" Myriah asked in awe, at which Axel nodded with a gentle nudge of her shoulder with his own. Myriah giggled and leaned into him.
"Hold on, have you eaten, Myriah?" Kain asked as he moved to sit in the recliner that Angalo frequented. Myriah was about to wave a no when her stomach rumbled loudly. Atoli perked up, "I'll start dinner." Myriah reached for Atoli who had already skirted away. She pouted and looked at Axel, "this is your home now, Myriah." Axel murmured as he reluctantly released her hand. The lack of warmth was a hard slap to his face. Myriah felt tears sting her eyes until Axel took her hand again and stood. "You don't need to ask to roam the property." He muttered as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Come on, I'll take you to her…" he muttered as she stood with a 'yay' and he dragged her down the hall.
"They're so cute." Angalo praised as he slid the files to himself, 'let's see here…'