Nostalgicmiss Week 16 Entry: Waiting For The Moon

Nostalgicmiss
Thursday





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Nostalgicmiss's Choice: Picture 2


Title: Waiting For The Moon

I was stood naked in front of the mirror, looking at my new body with open eyes. He'd promised me beautiful, but the curves of my body the vibrancy of my tattoo's frozen against my pale skin was more than I'd ever expected. It almost made the pain worth it.

I'd always been a little sadistic, I'd found pleasure in pain, sought it out and let the stinging, burning and aching mingle with my body, but my favorite had always been pain during sex. The echo of it through my body as the euphoria of release made my skin vibrate in a million points of pure ecstasy made the feeling so much more intense.

I think people called that sexual deviancy.

Like I cared.

I had just been offered the most amazing opportunity. Riley had offered me immortality.

The best part about it, I got to keep the love of my life. We were a two-for-one deal, and Riley seemed almost pleased by this before he took us to her. Her scarlet eyes and fire red hair had made her alabaster skin seem like porcelain. She was anything but fragile though, the moment her body gripped mine, and her teeth sank neatly into my neck, I couldn't stop my fingers from reaching to her hairline and working through the red corkscrew curls. She may have looked like porcelain, but her skin was as cold and impenetrable as marble to the touch.

Dan watched with lust filled eyes as she drained my body close to death. I could feel my heart slowing as she drank deep, taking long draws of my life into her mouth. I could see he was turned on, I could see he wanted the chance to be brought to the brink of death as I had.

She released me and took a step toward Dan, I tried to stay on my feet, I tried to watch as the color drained from his skin, but the pain was instantaneous. Fire ran through my veins with fury. My body arched and shuddered as the white hot pain drove toward my heart.

I fell to the bed without conscious and twisted in pain, my fingers clung to the sheets as death charged toward my lifeforce. Riley's eyes looked away from me, remorse flickering briefly through the crimson pupils. He'd said there would be pain, and he'd delivered. This was the ultimate pain, the end of everything. This was death with a vengeance, a beast with heated branding irons for claws trying to escape from the inside.

I was aware of Dan's body falling beside mine, but I couldn't focus on his screams, the pain was too intense in my own as it weaved through my body, making even the follicles of my hair ache with the effort of simply being.

The pain seemed to last forever, the burning intensifying in rolls as it moved through my body. I'd thought I would pass out from it, but I was aware of everything, my eyes rolling as a new wave took control of my body.

When my heart finally stopped I expected an ache from the constant tension of my muscles. It had been at least three days of consistent pain, I was aware of the dim light moving into inky blackness, the cries of my love beside me, the rest of me was consumed by my own fire. But I felt nothing but strength in my own body. I could smell something I knew was beyond the walls, I could hear the traffic I knew must be at least four miles away.

My eyes fluttered open to an array of colors. It was the fading light outside the window casting a million colors I couldn't place or name. I stayed away from the fading light that seeped through a crack in the heavy curtains. Riley had warned us about the sun, but I sensed it would be gone soon. I wasn't sure how I knew, it was another thing that simply was.

My next movement had been to the mirror that extended across the eastern wall of the room. My magnificent body was on display now I had peeled the soft tattered cotton from my body.

"Look at you, Sophie," Dan said quietly, his voice like music as his eyes drank in my nakedness. He peeled away the tattered remains of his own clothes before stepping in front of me and pulling me into his arms.

"Look at you," I countered, my eyes finding the gentle glow of his skin mesmerizing. Prisms of light seemed to bounce from his abs in the dim glow. The burning in my throat was intensifying by the second, it was all encompassing but it didn't take away from the feel of his body against mine. I wasn't sure what I wanted more. Him or to feed the fire that was white hot embers waiting to be extinguished.

"It's still light out," he murmured, as though his thoughts were along the same path as my own. "Wanna waste some time?"

I felt each of the muscles in my face twist as I smiled up at him. A new life, a new outlook and a need for something pushing me along. Riley had said we would need to hunt before the red head had started, but we couldn't go out in the daylight.

So many thoughts passed through my mind as I tried to decipher what I wanted. Then Dan's fingers ghosted over my skin bringing a sensual feeling to the forefront of my mind. We had time to waste, and I could think of no better way to waste it than with him.

This was going to be fun.

*Announcement*

Sadly, we are losing another writer this week.

Miztrezboo will no longer be adding her wonderful stories to the frey. As always Prior obligations and RL are a pain in the ass, and she has eleventy billion WIP's :P

I just wanted to thank her for ten weeks of her awesomeness :)

As for the other ladies and the long silences, I just wanted to let you know I have changed the rules a little. The ladies have a choice in week to week participation. If they give me pictures, they're cycled in. If they don't, they're not :)

So I am trying to only announce the formal resignations :)

kimmydon Week 16 Entry: Over The Top

Kimmydon
Wednesday





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Kimmydon's Choice: Picture 1


Title: Over The Top

I shouldn't be up here. I really shouldn't be smoking. How many times had Mom told me? Hundreds, certainly. She knew it would be the death of one of us.

It was Sarah.

I remembered sitting with her, slipping out onto the roof when she jumped to it from the tree, sneaking in.

I'd idolized Sarah. She wasn't the typical big sister, responsible, providing an example. She was a rebel.

"Pete. Dad is gonna kill you." She told me when she found me sitting on the shingles. I watched her bare toes grip the rough surface. She took off her shoes to be quieter and safer. "What are you doing?"

"You're going to have a smoke, right? I want one too."

She rolled her eyes. "No, you don't; you almost puked the last time." Of course she already had her pack out and offered it to me. "I'm not Mom. If you wanna puke your guts out, just don't do it on me." She put one to her lips and lit it. Then she gave it to me, taking the unlit one from my fingers.

"Thanks, Sarah." She took several long drags, sitting beside me.

Finally she said, "You'll be cursing me in a minute. Go on." She motioned for me to take a puff. I did and coughed harshly.
She chuckled, her stream of smoke interrupted slightly. "Don't sweat it, Pete. Not everyone smokes. Let's go in before it rains."

She rubbed her cherry out on the shingles, pocketing the remnant. I passed mine to her as well. She put it next to hers, wrapped an arm around my shoulders and guided me into the house.

I inhaled deeply on the cigarette I now held. I didn't cough anymore, but they still made me nauseous. More with memory than reaction to the contents of the cancer stick. It had killed her, jumping from that stupid tree to the roof. That was the real reason I'd sent Beth the message. I couldn't bear to lose anyone else that way.

Broken body in the flower bed, limbs at odd angles. One shoe still on her foot.

She knew not to wear shoes. She knew the soles of her feet were the best traction. She must have been rushed that night. She had slipped, the forensic team determined. She had landed the jump, but fallen, cracking her head on the eave and breaking her neck. It could have just as easily been a broken arm or leg, but instead she had been paralyzed, face down in the muddy dirt.

Why had Mom and Dad let me know that? I rubbed the tears from my face. I'd been sixteen. Couldn't they have told me she died instantly. Why would they want me to know that she had tried to inhale mud until she had drowned in it, unable to move? I wished for the millionth time that I'd been waiting for her that night. That I could have run down, turned her head. But no, I'd played football with friends and passed out early.

I had meant to cut that tree down. Instead I sat out here in a robe and flannel pants, smoking, tempting the fates to finish me the way they had finished her.

"Sarah," I whispered, blowing the last of the smoke from my lungs. "Beth would have liked you." I crushed out the butt imagining Sarah among Beth, Mary and Jamie. She would have fit right in. If anything she would have been annoyed that Beth was too 'straight-laced' and gotten on better with Jamie.

I needed to let her go. Seven years was long enough. I'd already finished mourning Mom and Dad, but I couldn't let go of my big sister. I felt vulnerable without her. This house didn't help. It was filled with memories of them, and me with them, but I couldn't sell it. I couldn't bear to think of anyone else living here. And Mom and Dad had nearly paid it off. It wasn't any trouble to keep up the mortgage, especially after the life insurance came through.

I stood up carefully, looked at the scraggly tree, and sighed. Who would have thought that once again, the best thing in my life would come from it. It looked like it could barely support itself, let alone the women I loved most.

Beth couldn't know I thought that. I had to keep it close. No sense in scaring her off before our first date. No way I was telling her I'd had dreams of her standing in my mother's kitchen, brushing her hair in my bathroom, laying with me here under the stars. Too much, over the top for sure.

No, I'd play cool, as I had all along. Take her to a casual restaurant, maybe Mexican, and then out to see the improv troupe I enjoyed so much. The humor was right up her alley. She'd love it. I had almost lost it tonight, kept her here. I'd do better next time. I'd have the week in the office to settle back, establish the distance I needed. And I'd walk her to her place, not here. That was the real problem. I couldn't have her here unless I could keep her.

One day, if I didn't screw this up.

Romanticvamp's Week 16 Entry: It Started With A Chair

Romanticvamp
Tuesday





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Romanticvamp's Choice: Both


Title: It Started With A Chair

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A/N: Sorry for the ‘Juno’ reference. I was watching it and couldn’t get it out of my head!

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It started with a chair.

The only empty chair in the library at the time.

I had my eyes set on it as I wove in and out of the desks full of studying students. I was determined to get it. I nearly had it until a hand closed around the back a mere second before me.

I was angry and frustrated when I looked up. I found myself staring into green-blue eyes behind thick rimmed glasses. Messy hair, well dressed with a messenger back slung across his toned chest . . . yes, he was definitely cute, but that cuteness wasn’t helping dull the irritation I felt at having lost out on the last good studying spot.

He stared at me guiltily before glancing around the rest of the desks. Giving me a sheepish smile, he pulled the chair out and offered for me to sit down with his free hand. I was so stunned I sat and quickly mumbled a thank you. He nodded and then disappeared.

That wasn’t the only time I saw him. I passed him several times a day on campus and even discovered I had a class with him, though we sat on opposite ends of the room. I found myself intrigued with his seemingly old-fashioned manners and his good-looking charm.

From there, it progressed. He finally approached me and we moved along like any other would-be couple would. He took me out, made the night perfectly romantic. We eventually even became confident enough to call each other girlfriend and boyfriend.

I treasured every look, every smile that said I was his. Every brush of his fingertips against mine. The moments where we studied in companionable silence. Every fleeting moment of laughter, full of hope and joy for ourselves. I treasured the long talks that let us dig, really get to know each other. The feel of our bodies cuddled together in front of a movie or under the open sky. Every kiss that tasted of promises to be made and fulfilled. I even treasured the moments of ridiculous jealousy and possession.

Maybe that was why I never saw it coming. I simply showed up when he asked me to, listened when he told me he wanted more for himself. I held back the begging, refusing to be demeaned in that way. I let him hug me, felt him bury his face in my neck as if he didn’t really believe what he was saying. I clung to him like my I could hold him there, telling him silently with my arms that I didn’t want him to leave me.

He pulled away and left, like everything we had meant nothing. And I let him. I didn’t know what else to do.

I wandered into the library, seeking out our desk, freezing when I saw it wasn’t there. I glared at the student worker who explained they were remodeling in response to my furious questioning.

I found a free desk that faced the now empty spot that had brought us together, finally letting the tears go.

I had lost it all.

And for some reason, I blamed that chair.

Burntcore's Week 16 Entry: Into The Wild Blue

Burntcore
Tuesday





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Burntcore's Choice: Picture 2


Title: Into The Wild Blue


Blue is the water that reflects down below

Blue is the sky that shines from above

Here on the precipice I stand, halfway between

Halfway between a boy and a man

To fall, to fly… to be

My friends below made their choice

Should I follow or blaze my own path

I am unique, I am an individual, I am me

So I jump, but not just to the water below

But to my life, for my life

I jump, I dive, I choose

Into the Wild Blue

I fly, I soar

Into the Wild Blue

Bendingmirror's Week 16 Entry: The Right Boy?

Bendingmirrors
Monday





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Bendingmirror's Choice: Picture 1


Title: The Right Boy?

Seth had been a perfect gentleman. He wasn't just my first boyfriend; he was the boyfriend I would have had custom made if such a thing existed. Between the rush of college life, the busy-ness of dancing and trying to keep in contact with friends who were strewn across the country, he was the quiet, calm eye of the storm.

When Seth invited me back to his parent’s place during the long summer vacation, I agreed. After all, he had braved Forks and my mother over spring break, so I owed it to him to return the favor. The flight to Colorado wasn’t as long as I was expecting it to be, mainly because Seth kept me occupied with all sorts of travel games. I didn’t really have enough time to get more nervous about meeting his family, he’d mentioned that his older sister Leah was coming home especially to meet me. And he wondered why I was nervous!

I needn’t have been so worried. The Clearwaters’ were welcoming, even Leah managed to not scare me too much. By the time we had arrived back at their house I felt well and truly welcomed both to Denver and their family. Seth’s infectious grin had made an appearance as the plane touched down, and it seemed as though it was going to be a permanent fixture during our time here. Seeing where he had come from, the warm family he called his own, gave me great insight into how Seth managed to always been the sunshine in any room.

“So Alice, how is it that you met our Seth?” The husky voice of Leah rang out, accompanied by her own dimpled grin.

“My roommate Rose commandeered Seth and Jake to help her move her stuff into her room. I’d already been roped into helping her, and Seth and I wound up talking when Rose and Jake disappeared. He was so sweet to help out like that.”

Seth’s snort resounded through the dining room. “Sweet, my ass! What idiot in their right mind turns down two hot chicks who need help moving big boxes? I got to show off the guns as well as chat you up, don’t be telling people there were no ulterior motives.”

Mrs. Clearwaters’ disapproving scowl had Seth quickly apologizing for referring to us as chicks, and when it deepened he scrambled to add in an apology for using the word ‘ass’ at the dinner table. Seeing just how deeply he respected his mama had me smiling even harder, he was proving each day how perfect he was. I had to admit that sometimes that perfection was intimidating, but he seemed happy enough with my glaring imperfections: male best friend and all.

Leah showed me up to the room I’d be staying in while Seth helped his dad clean up the kitchen. Mrs. Clearwaters rule that the boys had to clean after she and Leah had cooked was a winner in my books. I took one look at the bunk beds and squealed, I had always wanted bunk beds. Mom had thought that there was no need for them, which was true as I didn’t have any siblings, but that didn’t make the yearning go away. As hard as some little girls wished for canopy beds, I had wished for bunks. Throwing my bags up onto the top bunk, I settled myself onto the bottom bunk and bounced just a little.

Leah rolled her eyes at me from the doorway. “Well I’ll leave you to your love affair with the bunks.” She turned to go, but then paused and threw over her shoulder. “A word to the wise, they squeak.” Leah continued up the hallway and out of my sight. I settled myself cross-legged on the mattress and took in my surroundings, this must be the guestroom. It certainly didn’t have the personality of a lived in bedroom, there were no posters on the walls, or signs that there had been any up either.

Seth’s padding steps up the stairs echoed in the room, coming closer and closer until he was leaning against the door frame, smiling his special smile at me.

“Enjoying your little bed there sprite?”

“Very much so! It’s so cute, I always wanted bunks.”

Seth nodded, “I remembered. When mom suggested putting you in my room, and banishing me to the bunks I told her that you’d prefer it this way.”

He closed the door, then crossed the room and bent to climb on to the bed with me.

“Good thing they didn’t make you stay in here, these beds make you appear even taller! There’s no way you’d sleep comfortably in them.”

“I’d be comfortable sleeping anywhere you are sweetie.” He faced me, drawing his legs in to mirror my pose. Reaching out to brush some of my hair off my face, he drew me in closer for a kiss. I was exactly where I needed to be, with exactly the right boy.

Nostalgicmiss' Week 15 Entry: Between the Stacks

Nostalgicmiss
Thursday





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Nostalgicmiss' Choice: Picture 2


Title: Between the Stacks


I was running late. Later than I had intended to be. Sure there was the whole fashionably late but I was even getting past that. I was heading into the unforgivably late territory.

"You and the library? I wasn't aware you knew the city had one," Bella teased. She was curled up on the couch with a book open across her legs, and her cat Satan lounging across the back behind her, his long black tail flicking against her shoulder.

"Ha ha, I wasn't aware you had a sense of humor."

"Don't be sore, Al. It's just not your typical hideout," Bella amended. I knew I'd been a little harsh with my retort but I hated being late for anything when it came down to my job.

"I'm not, I just have to be there to meet a co-worker. We would have done it at the office but their fumigating or some crap, which means we have to depend on the city library to have the books we need. It's a huge mess."

"This the deposition you were working on?"

I nodded in response as I ducked under the coffee table looking for the elusive shoe. I had it's counterpart gripped in my hand, but the other was refusing to be found. This was the only pair that matched my outfit but if I didn't find it soon I would have to grab another pair and head out like a fashion disaster.

"Have you tried the bathroom?"

"Why the hell would it be in the bathroom?" I asked quirking an eyebrow.

"Simple method of deduction," she countered with a smirk. "The last time you wore those we were at McGinty's. If I remember correctly you stumbled in and in the process of taking off your shoes decided your bladder would explode if you didn't go immediately."

Sounded like me.

I skipped to the bathroom and kicked around the towels strewn around the floor. For a pair of girls we were slobs. Bella's boyfriend Edward was constantly making fun of us for it. Not that I blamed him, it was kind of horrific at times.

My toe hit gold and I kicked the pile away from the shoe I'd been searching for.

"Bella Swan I owe you a beer," I called, dancing from the room and swinging the shoe in front of me. I swooped down to pick the other up and slid them onto my feet. "Right, I'm outta here. Love you."

"Love you back, bring some Chinese food home with you if you get out before ten."

"Will do," I sang grabbing my purse and swinging the door open.

Thirty minutes later and I was hot as a bull seeing red. The fucking incompetent cabby seemed as clueless as I did about the library, even if I did give him the right address.

"You said Main, lady."

"No, you crazy bastard, I said Market."

"You said Main. That's seventeen eighty-four."

"Are you fucking insane? Eighteen bucks to go six blocks?"

"I don't decide the rate, lady, I just read the damn meter," he argued, his eyebrows raised as he held out his hand. "The right address would have been a lot cheaper."

"What. Ever."

I slapped a twenty in his hand, and narrowed my eyes at him when he looked like he was going to argue. I always tipped the cabbies well, I knew how it went, you treat them well, they treat you well. But this jackass was not getting another dime from me. He'd taken me plum across town to Main Street so my fare was twice what it should have been.

Six blocks had ended up being sixteen. Now I was even later.

I marched up the steps to the front of the library and pulled the door open. The smell of books hit me like a dead weight almost knocking me to my ass. It was easy to understand Bella's fascination with books when this was the impression you were hit with. This wasn't one of those big chain bookstores with the smell of coffee making the books smell stale. This was the library.

I walked across the foyer, the clack of my heels sounding like thunder against the muted hum of the lights and distant voices. It wasn't like our old school library where the librarian yelled "Shh" at you in hopes that you would stop yakking about Ryan Reynolds and his tight ass. This was more the need for silence because of respect.

I pushed up on the balls of my feet a little more until I made it to the carpet. To make things easier for myself I could have looked at the map thing that was in the front lobby, but that was much too logical for me. Nope, I just marched on in there and decided I would find it by divine intervention.

Apparently, I was wrong.

The high shelves I found myself in were like a never ending maze. I couldn't see anything as I weaved through them, if I was being honest I was starting to panic. Every corner I took I was met with another wall of books with thin white strips at the bottom of the spines. I topped midway and leaned against a shelf, my breathing more elevated than normal due to the ever increasing fear mingling with the irritation at being even later than I already was.

"You look lost."

I jumped and yelped landing with a stumble. I steadied myself with a hand on my chest and one on the shelves. I looked around for the voice but found no one.

"Up here," said the voice, the humor evident.

I raised my eyes and saw a pair of black soles with black hair peeking over the top.

"You scared the shit out of me," I hissed, backing up a little so I could see the face the hair belonged to.

"Not my intention. I've been watching you weaving in and out of the stacks and figured you look good and lost. I'm guessing you're not a regular," he smirked, the book open in his hands was hovering over his legs.

"What the hell are you even doing up there?"

"I'm on my break," he replied, leaning forward a little more so his face was revealed. "Working here has it's benefits."

I was taken aback by his features as he leaned forward a little more. His large brown eyes and full lips were framed by a strong jaw and high cheek bones. He was gorgeous, and even with only a sliver of his shoulders visible I could see he was build. The chords of muscles in his neck were strained by the position he was in.

"So I see. I was supposed to meet a co-worker here to work on a deposition, our law offices are closed to us at the moment so we had to meet here, but I am lost and late. Could you point me in the right direction?"

His eyes sparkled with mischief as he assessed me and my situation. Handsome wasn't the word for this guy and I drank in the curve of his lips as he thought about the question. It should have annoyed me that he was taking so long to answer, but I couldn't take my eyes off him long enough to form a coherent thought.

"I'm on my break," he chuckled, lifting the book up to cover his features again. Without his face to distract me I came back to my senses.

"So you said. That doesn't mean you can't lift your arm and point."

"My hands are full," he said defiantly. Unfortunately, I could here the humor. I was his break time entertainment.

"Your an ass," I declared, and marched away with my head held high. I got three stacks over before I heard a gentle padding of soles against the shelves above me.

I stopped as soon as long legs appeared from the top of the shelves and nimbly scaled down to the floor.

The guy was huge, way over six foot, I craned my neck to look up at the smiling face above me. He was more handsome than I'd realized and his upper body was Wide and thick under his polo, even the arms seemed to stretch around his biceps in appreciation. He certainly wasn't the type you'd expect to see working in a library, but then it wasn't as though I frequented libraries so how would I know?

"I'm back on the clock, how can I help you?"

"Law section," I snapped, my hands on my hips. His ruggedly handsome looks may have distracted me once, but that was the last time it was going to happen.

"Certainly. If you'll just follow me I'll take you there."

"I would say thank you, but you're a jerk."

"Wow, good to see you have a sense of humor," he grinned, winking at me. "How bout I take you out to coffee and show you that I'm not really an asshole?"

"You stun me with your charm," I dead panned. "Could you just get me out of this maze?"

"Not until you say yes."

"Never. Gonna. Happen."

I marched past him, rolling my eyes at myself as I noticed how good he smelled. I wasn't sure if it was aftershave or just him, but it made my mouth water. I took another turn and felt him follow behind me, hanging back as he hummed out a tune.

"Tell me," I said calling over my shoulder. "How have you kept a job here for so long with that attitude of yours?"

"I don't think you understand, I am one of their best employee's. Seriously though, come have coffee with me. After you've finished your work."

"And if I say no?"

"I'll take you where you need to go. I'm not desperate, and I'd rather you made your own choice. Bribes aside."

"I'm not worth the effort?" I teased, slowing so we were walking side by side.

"I never said that I'd give up, I just said no bribes."

I laughed, a genuine laugh that no guy had been able to get out of me in a while.

"You're persistent, I like that in a guy. So how about you take me where I need to go and we go grab something to eat when I'm done?"

"Perfect," he grinned. "What's your name?"

"Alice Brandon, and yours?"

"Jacob, Jacob Black."