Blood To Love

Chapter 16: Fein

It was late. I had set up the couch in the living room for Fein to sleep on. I was upstairs in my room when there was a knock at the window. I already knew who it was but it was nice to know he wanted to talk to me.
I get up and rush to the window and yank it open.
Gabriel was sitting on his window seal looking at me. His luminous Grey eyes are almost black in the pale moonlight. They were mesmerizing. I leaned on the seal and looked at him.

"Hey, Ivy. What were you doing?" He asks, trying to see into my room. I held back a laugh and pulled my curtains closed around me so he could only see me.

"That is for me to know and you to find out." I say laughing now. "What are you doing up, Gabriel. It's really late. "

"I couldn't sleep. Not with Fein sleeping in your house. I still don't trust him fully. Especially with you. "I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I scoffed.

"Gabriel Hunter, are you jealous?" I ask a gigantic smile creeping across my face. He looks away then nods, obviously he was self-conscious about it. It made him just that much more gorgeous. I laugh and stand on my window seal. "Move away from the window, Gabriel." I say looking at the spot he is standing.

"Ivy, what are you planning on doing?" He asks, looking confused and worried. A deafening grin plays on my lips.

"Just step to the side." I say coiling down onto the balls of my feet. He steps to his right. Out of the view of his window. I spring and one second standing on my window seal the next I am landing softly on my feet in his room. I turn and look at him. He was shocked that I was in his room but I could see him visibly exhale. He smiles and relaxes.

"You know you could have come in the front door, right?" He says leaning against the wall.

"Yeah, but then your dad would know I'm in the house. Besides, it was quicker coming through the window. Now, how about we get you to sleep. I have a midterm in the morning that I need to study for, and YOU need your sleep so you can function in the morning. It's already really late. I'm going to have to stop and get you Monsters before going to school in the morning." I say walking over and taking his hand.

Just when I had thought I had lulled Gabriel into a sense of peacefulness a blood curdling scream pierced the dark silence. It was coming from my house. It was Fein. I was back in my house in an instant. I rushed down the stairs and met my mother in the kitchen. We hurried to the living room. Gabriel came busting in the front door. Fein was thrashing in his sleep. Screaming over and over again. He must have been having one hell of a nightmare. I tried to get close but his arms were flailing. Mom had to restrain him.
Pressing a hand to either side of his face I tried to wake him. "Fein, Wake up. You're alright. Come on wake up. "I ended up shaking him awake. By the look on Gabriel's face he was a few seconds away from getting a bucket of ice. My mother was scratched from wrist to elbow.
When Fein finally woke up. He looked around at all three of us.

"What are you all doing staring at me? Is there a spider on me?" He says sitting up and patting at his shirt. We all held in the laughs.

"No Fein your good. You were screaming in your sleep. We think you were having a nightmare. Are you alright?" Mom says going to pat his hand. He yanks it back as if he had been burnt.

"No I'm fine. You can all leave me alone now. "He says laying back down.

"Fein don't you want to talk about it. It might help it not come back." I say sitting on the couch beside him.

"Just because you can get Gabriel to talk about his feelings and be open doesn't mean you can get me to do the same. I'm not a human like him. I'm not weak. "He says, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Excuse me?" I hear the anger in Gabriel's voice.

"Well it's true. I don't see what Ivy sees in you Gabriel. You're so weak and so unworthy of someone like a vampire. I'm just waiting for her to get tired of you. "He says not really caring what he says.

"Now Fein I don't think-"

"That is it! I have had it with your mouth. I'm way stronger than I look. "Gabriel says, grabbing him by the front of the shirt.

I see Fein smirk. "Hit me with your best shot HUMAN!" He says putting a lot of stress on the word human.

I couldn't stop Gabriel before he hauls off and punch's Fein in the mouth with all his strength. I flinch but Fein just sits there and smiles. "My turn." Fein says leaning back and smashes his head into Gabriel's.

I see blood spurt from Gabriel's nose and Gabriel crumble. My mom moves fastest and catches him.

"Mom take care of Gabriel for a moment. I want to talk with Fein," I say grabbing Fein by the wrist and yanking him up the stairs.

When we were safely locked inside my room I turned on him. "What the hell was that about Fein?"

Fein was standing in the middle of the room and looking straight at me. "I don't see why you protect that pathetic human. He can't even take care of himself. How is he going to protect you? Stop wasting your time on him. He is mortal in the end he is going to leave you anyway." With every word it was like a knife stabbing into my heart, but I couldn't let Fein know that.

"You're wrong Fein. You are so wrong. Gabriel is my mate, something I'm sure you will never have. You're too pig headed and mean for one. "He was across the room in seconds. I was slammed into the door and pinned there. Fein's eyes were redder than ever. His teeth were exposed and I knew I hit a cord for him.

"Listen to me Ivy and listen well. You don't know me at all and don't try to act like you do. "He was so close to me I could feel the heat of his breath on my throat. I tried to move but I couldn't. He was too strong for me. I look at him. There was hurt all over his face. Hurt and betrayal and an underlying emotion of mistrust and caution. I stop fighting him and look right at him.

"Who have you lost Fein?" I say so quiet only a vampire would ever hear it. Tears sprung to his eyes and his grip on me loosened enough for me to pull my hands away from him. Instead of pushing him away like most people would have I press his hands to his sides and wrap my arms around his shoulders letting him cry. "It's alright to cry Fein. I promise I won't tell anyone. Will you please tell me what's going on with you? You're not like this. I know that. Your Kind and loving. Your whole nature is protective and warm. Why are you being so cold?" I say rubbing his back.

"I don't want to be alone again Ivy. My parents abandoned me as a child. I never had anyone. You're going to change Him and I'm going to be left with no one again. I won't have anyone." He says balling his fists into the back of my shirt.

I couldn't help it. I laughed. "Oh Fein. That won't happen, I promise. I am not going to leave you alone. My mom wouldn't do that to you either. Yes I plan on changing Gabriel, but that doesn't mean we are going to forget about you and leave. That's not what family does. Family is there for you no matter what the problem is. You are part of our family now. We protect and care for our family. Always." I say gently rubbing his back.

I feel him take in a broken and ragged breath to calm down. He was so broken on the inside. Sure on the outside he was fine. He was strong and confident and most times arrogant but on the inside he was broken, he is hurt and scared.

I pick up a tissue from the box on my nightstand and wipe away the tears that had been running down his face. "From now on, you don't push us away like that. You can be open about what you're feeling, and Please don't go at Gabriel like that again. From here on out think of him as your brother. Protect him as if you were protecting me.

"Alright, Ivy. I promise.