The sun hung high in the air. Ocean waves crashed against the sand in short bursts, splashing on the people lined up closest to the clear water. The sand was hot to the touch, shining brightly as if small jewels had been planted very precisely amongst the beach blanket.
It was noon. Families, men and women, crowded the shoreline with beach gear. All of the people gathered laughed their morning away, as carefree as humans can be during this time of year. It was strange at first, how it was barely a week into March and already the spring weather had come to visit. The warm air, lush green grass and leaves left an easy impression on Hailey.
It was a time to relax, and she relished in the idea of getting away from everything.
She lay removed from the humans scattered about. Dressed in a black bikini, with a gold circlet holding the top together on her chest, and two thin strings of black fabric wrapped around her waist. She had her eyes shut under the shade of a flourishing green tree. Shaded glasses rest on the bridge of her nose, and her ears were plugged with a pair of earbuds. Music played loudly, blocking out the world and letting her mind be at peace.
Peace, something she felt that she was already fighting for. Now, she wasn't sure. Girston had shaken her deeply with his sudden reflection of his actions, and for him to do such a thing was unheard of. He was never the type of person to second guess himself, at least, not from what Hailey knew of him.
His strong exterior was cracked, shattered, for some reason.
What was that reason?
Hailey found herself sitting up on her lounging chair, hugging her legs close to her chest and getting lost in her thoughts. She sat there in silence for a while, not noticing when two boys approached her about ten minutes later.
They looked at one another, before coughing into their fists to catch her attention. She looked up at them both, pulling out her ear buds and raising an eyebrow.
The first one to speak looked a little younger than his friend. He had shaggy blonde hair and peach fuzz along his jaw. His crystal blue eyes seemed to hold a gentle, yet mischievous shine that gave his chiseled face and developed body an attractive glow.
His friend wasn't too bad looking either to Hailey. Dark hair, and brown eyes. His skin was tanned and face freshly shaven. His features gave off a spanish descent, his muscle tone much more defined than the blonde. He was a bit taller than his friend as well, and held an air of extreme cockiness.
Cockiness, as Hailey noticed, due to the little imagination he left in his swim trunks.
"Any reason you're here alone? A girl as beautiful as you should have someone watching her back."
Hailey brushed them off at first. She knew what they wanted and had no intention of giving it to them. She took another glance at them both a few seconds later, and came to a single conclusion.
Carlos didn't actually care about her. No one did. So why not enjoy herself some?
"Aren't you one with words," She cooed. "I came to relax, as anyone would in this weather."
His spanish friend spoke up, a slight accent in his words. "Ah. The weather is beautiful today. Perfect for escaping, right?" He sat at the foot of her chair. "I'm Marco. My friend here is Steve," He said, pointing to the blonde, who waved at her in response.
"Hailey," She said, holding her hand out to shake his. Marco took her palm, rolling her hand over and placing a soft kiss on her knuckles. Smooth.
"So, Mami," Marco began, "You wouldn't mind us keeping you company, right?"
"Of course not. You're welcome to do whatever you want with me."
They both shifted a bit, trying to hide the growing smirks and quick glances they gave each other. Hailey didn't mind, and in fact, welcomed them to try something. Any attention was positive attention. She had dealt with Carlos so much, she wondered how other men are. So far, these two were smooth talkers to the core. Guys who pick up girls that are alone or with their friends.
Simple, but effective if they know what signs to look for. They didn't seem at all bad at heart though. Just two dudes looking to get some action.
Hailey didn't make it easy. She made sure to get the point across she wasn't like other girls they might have dealt with. Hours rolled by, the three spending most of their time in the ocean. Hailey made sure to focus on teasing both boys, and her plans worked wonders.
During their swim, she loosened her bikini bottoms and let them slowly roll off, exposing more of her skin to the pair. While on the beach, when no one looked towards them, she would purposely flash them a quick glance of her bust, watching their surprised reactions at how bold she was. In her mind, humans were such simple creatures, and men were the easiest to manipulate because most thought with a head other than the one of their shoulders.
It came as no surprise when, come sunset, the two dragged Hailey away from the beach, into the back of Marco's jeep in the parking lot, and frantically tried removing their trunks while Hailey giggled madly. She gazed at both boys in full glory, her thoughts rolling over and comparing them to Carlos. Both came up a bit short, much to her disappointment, but she was willing to give it a go.
As she reached for Steve, her hand stopped, another image popping in her mind.
She wasn't sure if it was a memory or vision, but it still sent a chill through her bones. She couldn't see much of his face, but his hair was a dead give away. The white locks, slicked with sweat, the heavy grunting and feeling of being complete stuffed and fulfilled. His face came into light, violet eyes peering down at her, heat washing over and inside her body to the point she felt a heavy wave of pleasure crash down on her, right there in Marco's backseat.
She came to, drooling, sitting a thick puddle of her own juices, face beet red and full of embarrassment. Both Marco and Steve looked at each other, bumping fists, before Steve said, "Damn. You get that excited to see us Hailey?"
She didn't respond. She sat in silence, before jumping to her feet and began to quickly run off. The two called out to her, but she left them behind.
Guilt.
A heavy root of guilt settled in her stomach, nausea washing over her. Down the pier she rushed, grabbing the first garbage can she could and letting the contents of her stomach go free. She heaved and heaved, before crumbling down next to the green basket and breaking into tears.
Frantically, she would apologize. Over and over, sadness and tears rushing down her face, she clutched her hair, squeezing and nearly tearing out lock after lock. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Takabi! Please, don't get mad! I didn't mean to do it!" Her voice croaked, growing loud but words completely incoherent as she sniffled and cried.
-----------------------------------
Girston stood in silence. His eyes gazed at the blood pool in the center of the cathedral, watching as the liquid rippled and rose into the air. It took a shape, an aged woman in a cloak. Completely red, and face hidden, she cleared her throat, before speaking. When her words came forth, her tone was a dangerous one. No nonsense, full of death and very little care.
"So, both boys have bonded more with the Gems?"
"Yes," He said dryly. The heat was increasingly unbearable. "Coupled with the fact we waited too long for the ritual, we can't separate them even if we had them captured."
The bloody woman was quiet for a little while, placing a hand to her chin, before saying, "And what of Shine?"
"She allies with her brothers."
"Troublesome, though, I shall not worry. We gained enough resources from Earth to move on now. They have five gems currently, four trained, and we have four. There's three that remain undiscovered, but I am working on that." Her body slowly began to fade back into the pond of blood. "Prep our Gems. Make sure all is set before we leave for Dreulara."
"Yes, Dear," Girston replied, her body completely submerging into the stream of blood. He shut his eyes, taking in a deep breath, and the scent of fresh blood. When he turned on his heel, he began to stroll down the aisle, cupping his arm, thoughts racing. He was nervous, his heart ramming against his ribs.
Dreulara. The homeworld of the Dragons. He had been, only one time before during the last war, when he was on the side of light. Now, he would return, cloaked in darkness. The idea left a deep imprint in his mind, how his second visit may be the last time the planet flourishes before it's eradicated.
Is this truly what you want?
He stopped in his tracks, eyes wide. It was his voice that spoke to him, but it was so distant. So cold. So evil.
You're doubting yourself. Let it go. Return to that cold hearted warrior you once were.
Then it was gone. Girston clutched his chest, taking in quick short breaths.
"Cold… Hearted."
His eyes flashed a mix of violet and green. His thoughts rolled over one another, and he truly began feeling the effects of his inner conflict. His own light clashed with ideals of a man who he didn't know. This man shared his face, but not his soul. Locked away, deep inside, but Girston felt those chains were slowly coming undone. He was dangerous, and as he gazed at his palms, his worries only grew when he watched the dark emit from his fingertips.