While the Cat's Away

I gave a very tiny sigh, knowing full well that if I wasn't careful everyone would be able to hear me but I couldn't help myself this time. Bren was only talking to Ray now and it seemed like everyone was in on the conversation but me. It wasn't that I was jealous I just felt left out. It made me shoot a glance at Sophia and I gave her a pitiful, sorry look. I didn't mean to make her feel what I was feeling right now and I tried desperately to make it go away but I just couldn't shove it away.

I took the sweater from Ray as she handed it to me and I stood up to slip it on. I was glad that Ray was into comfortable clothes too. The sweater, when it fell down, was enough to cover my hips and then some. Now I just had to make sure that my dress didn't slip up. I took off my shoes, which were hurting my feet even though I hadn't walked more than twenty feet in them and then sat back down in Bren's lap. Even though no one could see my dress anymore, I still wrapped my arms around myself but more out of awkwardness than anything. I was extremely happy that everyone was getting along with everyone else, it was my own fault for not fitting in right.

"Don't be."

I said quietly to Sophia. I didn't think she knew it, but I really hadn't meant to growl at her and make her aware that I was just a teensy bit uneasy. I tried to convey, with my own feelings since I knew she could feel them, that I was genuinely sorry for having growled at her and that I understood because I knew how it was to be hungry and around humans.

"Not eating anyone but Gavin apparently."

I winked at her to lighten the mood and then frowned when Ray got up and got Bri a sweater and one for herself. I didn't know why those two were covering up, but I noticed the window open and the fact that I was as cold as ice. I couldn't exactly blame her. I even hesitated putting my arms around her when she sat back down but in the end I didn't have enough will power. I held her close to me.

"Yeah, talk about you having a mental image." I joked with Ray. "I saw it in his mind.. that's even worse, I think."

I pulled her to me and nuzzled my face into her hair so that I could smell the herbal shampoo she used.

I grunted at Blake and narrowed my eyes at him when he joked with Sophia about her eating me, apparently it was suppose to be in some kind of perverted way.

"You're awful, Blake."

I guessed that I was good at being able to tease people but I didn't like taking it myself. Not that I was pissed or even a little angry. I was actually a tiny bit embarrassed. I didn't want Blake to scare Sophia away from me. Honestly, with as many feelings as I was starting to have toward her it was amazing she didn't know how I felt already.

"Wait what? Me find something to do?" I snorted at them all. "You forget that I might be the youngest but my life wasn't exactly one big party when I was human."

I sighed and looked around the room, then quickly spotted the CD player that was sitting on Ray's dresser. I hopped up and turned on the CD player so fast that before Ray or Bri could blink, the music was on and I was standing in front of Sophia with my hand held out to her.

"I think Sophia should dance with me." I grinned down at her. "Or should I go downstairs and find a bland, unappealing human to dance with?"

I hadn't meant it as an insult to the two human girls that were in here at all, and I winced almost immediately because I realized how that might have sounded.

"Sorry.. I didn't mean it that way." I gazed back at Ray and Bri sheepishly.

I blushed a little and frowned at Sophia apologetically. "Sorry."

And finally I decided to go with honesty with her. "It's just that you're a little more intimidating than the boys and don't really seem to like humans. And even though your eyes are brown, so I know you don't feed on us...they're black tonight and you have shadows..so I know you're hungry" I winced slightly "Sorry if I'm prying or if I offended you..but I just know that when I'm starving, it's hard to resist a buffet"

I shrank a little into Blake's cold arms, feeling embarrassed. Like I'd said, I'd never had friends before or been social, so it was probably pretty easy for my big mouth to offend people. While I didn't really consider Sophia a friend, mostly because she was intimidating and not to fond of me, I didn't dislike her and hadn't wanted to say anything to upset her.

"Ew, stop that!" I groaned at Blake when he told me he'd seen it from Mike's mind, which put it into my mind from that point of view now "No more talking about Mike's sex life please"

I shuddered slightly and then I blinked as my room was suddenly filled with music. I glanced around and it took me a moment to realize what the hell had happened.

"Must be so cool to move that fast" I chuckled, shaking my head as Gavin was now standing there trying to get Sophia to dance with him "And that's alright, Gavin. Compared to you lot, I'm sure we are pretty bland" I shrugged

I listened to the conversations going on around me, but didn't pay much attention to them. I was busy paying attention to Bri, who'd gone very quiet in my arms. I nuzzled my face against her cheek so I could talk in her ear

"You alright? Not too cold are you? I can get you a blanket. I'm sure Ray won't mind"

I looked up finally when I heard Ray talk about it being cool to move so fast. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Why don't you ask Bri what it's like? I..uh..gave her a piggyback ride." I snickered "But I don't think she liked it too much"

I nuzzled Bri again and chuckled "Did ya, love?"

My eyes closed as Bri’s emotions spread through me. I was use to that feeling to be honest, not just from myself but from being around humans. It was such a common emotion. But as my eyes opened I gave Bri a look I knew she hadn’t expected. Sympathy. With my small half smile I just shrugged at her. When I could distinguish between people’s emotions, it was a way of connecting to them. I was use to Bri’s emotions and while it annoyed me like no other, I didn’t exactly want her to feel bad about anything. My half smile disappeared once I was sure Bri saw it and I glanced over at Blake laughing.

“Wait I get to eat Gavin? Kinky.”

With a big grin I tuned to Gavin just as I was hit with his brief moment of embarrassment. The truth of the matter when it came to Gavin’s emotions, I made a more conscious effort to shove all of them into the back of mine. It was easier to once you became familiar with them and of everyone I had ever meet, I could find Gavin’s emotions out of a crowd with ease. As my own feelings for him were starting to grow I didn’t want to find out his joking comments had no underlying meaning. It was all part of self preservation. But despite my attempts, sometimes, like right now with his moment of embarrassment, Gavin’s emotions made their way through. My eyebrow rose for a moment as I eyed him. Why had Blake’s comment embarrassed him?

My head turned sharply when Ray began to speak honestly with me. A snicker left my lips before I could stop myself and I glanced at Blake for a moment hoping he could get the girlfriend of his to not discuss my eating habits or come to any conclusions about me what-so-ever. Of course I was intimidating, I was a vampire after all and while she had a bond with Blake that change him in her mind, we weren’t fun loving creatures. We were monsters, killers, Ray was still our pray, and why would I live what is suppose to be my meal? Not to mention the hunger a vampire felt was unbelievably different than a humans. I took a deep breath, making sure to capture the fresh air in my lungs.

“I think that line of conversation would be a bit better at a different time. Like you said, I haven’t eaten in a while; tempers can run high when a person is hungry.”

Luckily my sudden anger changed quickly when I saw Gavin run to put in a CD for us to dance. A smile grew on my face when he held out his hand for me to take. Laughing I shook my head, like I’d want him of all people to fun off and find a human girl to fall for. That wouldn’t exactly make my day any better. Taking his hand I stood up with his help.

“Like I’d want to dance with anyone else”

I snickered at Gavin’s sheepish look. There really was something about him that made me much happier than I usually was. I nodded to him in agreement though, humans were bland. I just couldn’t say that aloud, Blake and Bren would hear and they wouldn’t appreciate the comment. They already knew I disapproved, not that my opinion mattered to them. Wrapping my arms around Gavin’s neck I glanced around him at Ray.

“The speed is amazing.”

My heart sped up again as Brendan nuzzled his face against my cheek. I was aware of the fact that Sophia could feel everything and I was trying desperately not to torture her here but I couldn't help getting excited whenever Brendan showed me any attention.

"No, I'm fine so long as you don't move from me." I grinned and him and snuggled down against his chest. He might not have been warm or soft but he was still oddly comfortable.

"I'm fine. Just listening to you guys talk is all." I said as innocently as possible.. I didn't want Brendan to know how I'd been feeling. I was willing to share that with Sophia because I really couldn't help it, but I wouldn't tell Bren.

I giggled when Brendan talked about the ride he'd given me and then nuzzled into me again. I blushed because I was ashamed about the giggle but chuckled.

"It was bad.. but.. not something I couldn't get use to."

I rose an eyebrow at Sophia, but gave her a timid smile just as briefly as I'd gotten one from her. I appreciated her not glaring at me for a change.. it actually made me feel slightly more comfortable with her.

I held Ray close to me and chuckled at Sophia's reaction to Ray speaking about her eating habits. I pressed my mouth to Ray's ear and spoke quietly to her. I knew the other four wouldn't listen in on what I was saying so I knew I was okay to say what I wanted.

"Don't take offense, Ray. Our hunger is a lot different than a human's hunger. It's unbearable.. painful even. Uncontrollable and we often lose that control. Best not to play with the lion while it's starving and you smell like a nice, yummy deer, huh?"

I chuckled musically in her ear and nuzzled my face into her neck. If I would have to take a side in this it would have to be Ray's. While I understood Sophia's view, I also knew that Ray was making an effort to be friendly with Sophia. I wished she would return the favor instead of being so angry.

"Okay. No more Mike's sex life. But what about yours?" I smirked at her.

"It has its perks." I chuckled at Ray when she said that the speed would be cool, and I quickly turned on Brendan when he said that Bri had rode on his back as he ran once. "Are you serious?"

I had to choke it out, I was in so much shock. It was enough that those two were with Ray and Bri but they had to share all our secrets too? I frowned at them and forced myself to turn back to Sophia. I didn't want to be angry right now, not when I had Sophia to keep me occupied.

"You're not bland, obviously." I chuckled at Ray. "You sure aren't to Blake."

I laughed at Sophia when she said getting to eat me was kinky.

"Only if you're really nice." I winked at her and then helped her to her feet, even though she didn't need it. I spun her around in a circle when she wrapped her arms around my neck. I wanted to take her mind off the conversation about eating because it was even affecting me now. "Aren't you lazy butts gonna get up and dance too?" I asked the rest of them, but couldn't take my eyes off Sophia.