Love Bites

Peacekeeper

   It's been a rather busy, nearly two weeks since Beau's parents left. Our first three Black Knights have moved into HQ and things are going well. Zach has been coming over to HQ the last couple of days and I know it's not actually to bring me snacks, like he's pretending. He gravitates towards Marcy's desk in the corner, I have her monitoring the website corespondents. Ian and I are waiting for our next applicant and I can't help but to eavesdrop on the kids.

"I'm surprised Molly isn't hovering around you as usual. She reminds me of Larry, a bit overprotective." Zach says, smiling and sitting on the edge of Marcy's desk.

"She means well though, it's just... I feel like..." Marcy stops, frowning and lowering her head.

"... a burden?" Zach asks and she nods, glancing up curiously. "I can understand that. I don't know much of what you two have been through, but what I do know is... you're both strong. You have to be to survive that. Anyway, Larry put his life on hold for me for nearly a decade. I know what it's like to feel like a burden." He says softly.

"I'm not strong." Marcy whispers she rubs her wrist. "I heard how your other Dad became a familiar. He forced your Dad to turn him." She sighs, straightening her spine. "It was the opposite for me. Molly was turned and I was blinded in one eye. I couldn't handle the... what he did to us." She says, gritting her teeth. She doesn't notice Zach tense and clench his fists. "I thought Molly could escape without me weighing her down. So, I slit my right wrist. She caught me before I could finish. She was so scared." She chokes on a sob and wipes at a tear. "She bit where I had cut and then slit her own wrist, dripping her blood into my cut. If you look close, you can see the ghost of a scar here." She smiles, rubbing her wrist.

"That's why you did it?" Molly's teary voice asks from the stairs. "So I could escape without you?" She shakes her head and crosses to her sister, looking at Zach knelt beside Marcy and holding her hand in his. She smiles through her tears. "He's right, you're strong. It took so much courage to do that, for my sake." She reaches out to wipe a tear from Marcy's cheek and she smiles softly down at Zach. "Help me look after her?" She asks, knowing Zach has a crush on her sister. "I'll be starting training soon and won't be able to spend as much time with her. Help me keep her company?" She pats Zach's shoulder and he nods eagerly.

"Molly!" Marcy blushes and looks at Zach. "Uhm, I think you just got her blessing or whatever." She shrugs her shoulders and smiles at him and Zach grins at her.

"I should buy a lottery ticket." Zach says and both girls look at him curiously. "Today must be my lucky day." He winks at Marcy and she blushes.

"Aren't they adorable?" I whisper to Ian and he nods, rolling his eyes.

                                                                             *   *   *

   It's just about time for the bar to open, but Beau hurries into HQ looking worried. He plops down in a chair beside me and gives Ian an odd look.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" I ask, it's not like him to miss opening the bar.

"Have you two not seen the international news reports? I thought it was just Europe at first, but it's starting in other countries too." Beau bites his lip and glances around nervously. "Do you think it's going to happen here?"

"Beau, what are you talking about?" I ask, taking his hand.

"Riots. Humans targeting vampires and familiars." Beau takes a deep breath. "Humans are killing or at the very least, injuring our kind all over the world baby." He jumps, Ian's cell phone ringing.

"Hmm, it's Dad, I mean Jovis." Ian says, furrowing his brows. He accepts the call and steps away, but returns quickly. "I'm putting you on speaker Dad. Go ahead."