24.

**Leila**




*Darkness...*

Within the darkness surrounding me, I could hear the sound of my own blood rushing through my veins like a menacing flood.
I could feel my heart pump in slow, and powerful beats, pulsing with such strength as my nostrils inhaled a generous, lungful of air, feeling like I was actually taking the first breath of my life as various and distinct scents hit me all at once, invading my senses and making me crave for something...
Something I wasn't even aware of yet.

My throat ached a little bit as my eyelids slowly fluttered open, noticing it was still nighttime as my gaze darted to the window, looking at the way the moonrays peeked through the curtains, giving the room a cold and dim hue.

*Why the hell am I up at this hour anyway?*

I rose myself into a sitting position as I took a glance at the clock on the nightstand, surprised to see that it showed 3:00 a.m. in the morning.

*Huh...*

I lightly shook my head and casually trailed my gaze ahead, surprised to see Blake and Azrael laying on the floor, Azrael leaning against the dresser while Blake was sound asleep in between his arms, his body serving as a bulky cradle for her smaller frame as she laid huddled against his chest, right next to a pillow and a comforter casually thrown over the floor.

*Aww...*

I smiled as I couldn't help but think how cute they were together, laying there and cuddling.

"Hi," He said with a mild smile as he had been looking at me ever since I had noticed them laying there.

"H-hi...What are you guys doing here?" I lightly shook my head with confusion, noticing they were also dressed in sleeping clothes as Blake had a tank top and a pair of comfy shorts on while Azrael wore a loose tank top and a pair of basketball shorts.

"Sleepover," He answered with a shrug, making me feel a little bit weird as I couldn't even seem to remember how did I get to bed, let alone plan a freaking sleepover in our room. Not to mention that I was still wearing my jeans and blouse, which was very odd by the way.
"How do you feel?" He then asked, keeping his voice low and careful not to wake her up.

"Pretty fine, why do you ask?" I curiously asked back with a raised brow.

Why would I feel anything but?

"What is the last thing you remember?" He carefully asked after a moment of thoroughly studying me -which was also very weird by the way- making me actually stop to think about it.

"I..."

*Pain.*

*Burning hot, searing pain.*

My eyes suddenly widened as the excruciating sensation of burning lava flowing through my veins came back to my memory, accompanied by the faint image of a pair of ruby red eyes.

"Oh my god, someone killed me!" I cried out in utter fright and shock, also startling Blake from her sleep, her eyes widening as she jumped into a sitting position and looked at me.

"Leila?" She croaked out, weirdly glancing around herself for a brief moment as she seemed to only now notice that she was actually sitting in Azrael's lap before she quickly looked back at me.

"Oh my god you're-"

"I...I don't understand! What's going on? How am I here, and alive?" I whimpered out as that last memory of myself running all alone until I ended up into a pair of cold arms came rushing back to me, even remembering the way that scary-looking blonde guy smirked, showing off a pair of freaking fangs before he...

*He bit me...*

My hand immediately rushed to that spot on my neck, wincing in horror as I could even recall the sickening sound of my own bones snapping.

"Baby, baby, I need you to calm down," I suddenly heard Rick's voice soothingly say from right next to me, blinking away my tears as my head snapped to the side, gazing at his beautiful face as he sat into a kneeling position right next to the bed.

"I..." I tried to reach out and touch him, only to feel a burning pain in my hand preventing me from doing so.

"Aah!"

"Oh my god what's this?" I cried out in shock, holding my hand close to my chest as I could still feel the faint burn slowly fading away as I warily tried with the other, only to feel the very same thing.

*What the hell?*

I let out a frightened whimper, desperately looking back at his troubled face.
"Why can't I touch you?"

He hesitated to answer, shifting his saddened gaze to Azrael and Blake before looking back at me.

"Rick, why can't I touch you?"

"W-what's going on?" I whimpered out in shock and despair, letting out small sobs and hiccups as I felt so scared...

*What is going on? Why aren’t they telling me anything?*

I blinked away my tears as I looked between them, feeling the exact same moment when Ricky’s demeanor suddenly changed, and before Blake or Azrael could even say anything he jumped over the bed and gathered me into his arms, holding me tight to his chest.

“Rick, no!” I heard Azrael shout, mere seconds before this absolutely sweet scent hit me like a brick wall, making my mouth water and my teeth ache.

*What the...*

“Shh...It’s okay, baby. You’re okay,”

I looked up into Ricky’s beautiful honey pools, drunk in love with this amzing, tantalizing scent.

*So fucking awesome...*

My mind whispered, begging me to just bring my nose closer and feel it...

Have a little taste...

And before I could even realize what was going on my mouth had already descended over the side of his neck, feeling the sweet and warm aroma of something liquid flooding my mouth, making me moan in utter delight.

Yet after only that single taste, I abruptly found myself pinned against the wall, hearing Blake’s frightened scream right before noticing Azrael’s face right in front of mine, holding a determined look plastered all over his face as his hand firmly held me by the throat.

Shock filled my body, my first instinct telling me to scream out loud in horror and fright before I lastly noticed that... he wasn’t hurting me like, at all.

In fact, I could only feel the warmth of his skin against mine, securely holding me in place yet not enough to hurt me.

“What the fuck?!?”