One More I Love You

24 hours

Multicolored streaks of paint beamed across my skin. Some smeared by our sweat . Isaac on the other hand was only able to get through half a face painting, complaining that the pain was cold and it tickled. What Isaac and I were doing on the floor wouldn't necessarily be described as dancing. We're basically making out and touching each other any and everywhere.

No matter how much wolfsbane and alcohol I consume could get me as intoxicated as I feel right now. The closer he holds me, the more I feel it. In my veins, my bones, it's like every cell in my body has been calling out for him and we haven't even been separated for a full 24 hours.

I don't know how other mates do this. Live life knowing that half of your heart is wandering outside your chest, and there's no way you can protect from everything in the world that wants to destroy it. But right now he's here with me and I'm whole again. It almost mad me forget about the fact that he was hiding something from me. Almost.

As my hands made their way from his shoulders up into his hair, I stop just behind his left ear. It feels like a wound of some kind. I pulled away from the kiss, and his eyes open immediately. "What? What's wrong?" His voice was airy and laced with concern.

"There's something on your head. Behind your ear." I pull him down to my level so I could get a better look, but it was too dark to really see anything. He raises a hand to feel what I'm talking about. Once he does, his eyes grow wide.

Isaac gabs my hand and pulls me through the crowd to the bathroom. "Show me. Show me where it is."

"Turn to the mirror." I direct him. He follows my instructions, placing both hands firmly on the sink. I grab his chin and cock his head to the right, pulling on his ear so he could see better. "You see that?"

"What is that?"

"It looks like a number five." Literally. It looks like he'd been branded. The only thing that's more concerning than the fact that he hadn't noticed when it happened, was that it hadn't already healed completely.

"Isaac you need to tell me what happened the other night." I try to pry it out of him once more. For once he was prepared to give me a straight answer, but we were interrupted by a low moan.

"Did you hear that?" Behind a couple of boxes in the corner we find Ethan just laying there on the ground. He was shivering but his body was drenched with sweat. His eyes were open and distant. We rush over to aid him.

"I think he's in shock." I stated taking his head in my hands. I check behind his left ear to see if my suspicions were true. "It's the same. Exactly the same."

Isaac takes Ethan's wrist in one hand and his elbow in the other. "What are you doing?" I question him.

"It'll trigger the healing." In one swift motion Isaac breaks his arm. The sound on breaking bones makes my skin crawl. We both immediately step back as Ethan reactivity sits up with a roar. Fangs out and blue eyes glowing.

When he came back down he was drained but more aware. Mumbling something about shadow monsters. I didn't even have the chance to question him before Derek's voice bellowed through the loft telling everyone to get out. Chaos soon followed, and eventually the sound of fleeing teens died down.

"I guess the party's over." Isaac summed up.

"We gotta get him out of here." We each threw a arm over our shoulders and dragged him to the main room. By the time we got there the only people still here were Scott, Kira, Aiden, Derek, and Allison. There were also three ninjas dressed in all black. They had masks covering their faces and black smoke was basically radiating off of them.

In unison they all turned to face Aiden. "Guys... They're all looking at me." He warned. They all too a step towards him.

"Why are they all looking at me?" Another step. "Guys!"

Scott, Derek and Isaac all immediately sprung into action, each taking on one ninja. They were beaten badly too. These ninjas were basically floating on air, not making a sound as they do it. At one point Derek was able to snap one of their necks but in a puff of smoke it corrected its self and then sent him flying clear across the room.

Isaac had gotten up to get back in there but the one he was fighting pulled out an actual sword out of thin air and threatened him with it. At which point the three of them backed off. We all watched helplessly as they cornered Aiden. Two of the ninjas each grabbed one of his arms holding him in place as the last one walked up.

The last one grabbed Aiden by the back of his head, behind his left ear. After a moment of staring into his eyes they let Aiden fall the ground shivering. They then all turned in Scott and Kira's direction.

Scott threateningly bared his fangs at them and flashed his red eyes. This obviously didn't stop them from coming. But what did was the rising sun. As the rays came through the window the three of them blew away like dust in the wind, leaving nothing in their wake.

"What the hell were those things?" Scott asked no one in particular, but Isaac was the only one to answer, turning to Allison.

"Your dad's twenty-four hours are up."