Chapter Text
"Damnit." The curse lingered in the air like smoke.
Rumi had to resist the urge to run after the wolf, her patterns throbbing with each beat of her anxious heart. Mira wasn't in any better state, her jaw clenched hard enough to snap bones.
"What do we do?" Mira voiced after an agonizing silence, her eyes flicking towards Rumi expectantly. She was the leader after all, she should know what to do. Right? But as she stood there, the demon realized she was at a loss.
"I don't know…" She worried her lips between her teeth, the motion catching Mira's gaze, "Let's just try and keep her comfortable and safe for now." Rumi decided with an air of finality as they slowly made their way down the hall with practiced silence.
They found Zoey in the closet, where she said she would end up, curled around a bag of yukpo. It was vaguely similar to the beef jerky she had in the U.S. so she kept it around when she got the craving. Mira crouched down in a fluid motion as Rumi hummed comfortingly, the Honmoon vibrating with each note.
"Zo, we're right here, okay? We're not going anywhere, you just relax, alright?" Mira soothed, then turned her head slightly towards Rumi while keeping her eyes on the werewolf. Zoey paid them little attention as she devoured her yukpo, her ears twitching wildly.
"Maybe we should turn on a documentary for her?" Mira suggested in a low voice that had Rumi flushing, despite the seriousness of their situation. She tried to focus. Turtle documentaries were a comfort for Zoey, usually capturing her attention for hours on end and concluded with her excitedly explaining everything to Mira and Rumi if they were around. By the end of it, she was so exhausted from her excitement that she often fell asleep on one of their shoulders. Mira hoped this would be the same for her even in her lupine form.
Rumi nodded in agreement, padding over to the bed to grab the remote and turn on one of Zoey's favorite documentaries. As the now familiar opening lines quietly trickled into the room, Zoey's ears perked up. She lifted her large head, cocking it to the side with obvious curiosity. Rumi hid her smile behind her hand. Zoey slowly stood and crept towards the tv, her eyes on the turtles peacefully gliding across the screen. She sat back on her haunches and her tail began to swish across the floor in rhythmic motions. Rumi let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, quietly setting the remote down and sliding down to sit next to the wolf. Mira crawled over the bed and slipped down the footboard, leaning against it as she settled on the other side of Zoey, whose tail still wagged gently.
The room fell into a peaceful quiet, the quiet murmuring of the narrator in the documentary the only sound save for their breathing. Mira caught Rumi's gaze and a flash of emotion passed between them, something quick and relieved, but enough to slow their racing hearts and frazzled thoughts. Mira gently carded her hand through Zoey's fur, relaxing further when the werewolf didn't flinch away, instead letting out a faint whine.
"It's okay, we got you. You just stay with us," Mira murmured, her voice low and steady like rainfall. Rumi found herself relaxing into the sound, her hand brushing against Mira's as she reached up to run her fingers down Zoey's back. Humming filled the space between them as Rumi closed her eyes, a smile pulling at her lips.
Zoey's eyes fluttered open, squinting against the sunlight streaming into the room through the open curtains. She first registered the ache in her bones, then the hunger clawing at her stomach before her mind latched onto the girls curled up against her, a blanket wrapped around her bare form. Rumi with her head in Zoey's lap and Mira slumped into her shoulder. Why are we on the floor? She mused absently as she extended her legs out to stretch her stiff form, careful not to jostle Rumi too much. But the demon woke despite her efforts, gorgeous brown eyes darting around before they met Zoey's.
"How you feeling?" Rumi mumbled, forcing the words out through a sleep heavy mind. She quickly sat up so she could look Zoey over, a furrow of concern forming between her brows. Zoey reached out to smooth the wrinkle away with her thumb, a smile forming on her face. She had always been alone when she woke from a shift, but they were here. They stayed. She swallowed the wad of emotion stuck in her throat and interwined her and Rumi's fingers.
"You shouldn't be so worried so early. It's bad for your health," She quipped gently. A breath of amusement escaped the singer and she rolled her eyes.
"Zoey," She drawled, "Answer my question, hun." Zoey could have melted at the term of endearment and Rumi knew exactly what it did to her.
"'M fine…" A slight raise of the demon's brow forced her to continue, "A little sore. Hungry. But other than that," She shrugged, her thumb brushing over Rumi's knuckles. Rumi shifted to the side and scooped up a change of clothes for Zoey, handing them to her with a sheepish grin. Zoey took them and slowly slipped them on. Rumi's brow furrowed as her brain buzzed for something to do.
"Breakfast?" She suggested, and Zoey grinned.
"Please!" She exclaimed dramatically. Mira had drowsily curled up on the floor while Zoey dressed but Zoey's words finally stirred her from her sleep. The dancer groaned and pawed at Zoey's arm.
"Shhhush," She slurred, her body curling closer to Zoey, tucking her nose into the crook of her neck. Zoey managed a small smile, knowing the response wasn't genuine, she was just tired.
"Sorry baby, go back to sleep," Zoey murmured in her ear, pressing a kiss to her cheek. A sleepy smile pulled at Mira's lips, warming Zoey from top to bottom. Rumi wordlessly stood, her limbs moving in her routine stretches, something both of the girls adored watching. Mira gave up on sleep as she tilted her head so her eyes could follow Rumi's movements. Her fangs ached absently, but she ignored the urge and the pain. No. She wrapped her arm around Zoey and pulled her closer to distract herself—and hide from the sunlight, but she refused to acknowledge the way it made her skin prickle. She stared determinedly at the way Rumi's patterns stretched and glowed faintly in the morning light. The ache intensified to a rhythmic pounding, causing her to open her mouth to stretch out her jaw before quickly shutting it. The pain didn't fade, it only crept up her skull to her forehead, burrowing into her brain, pulling at her nerves. She redirected her focus to her breaths, in and out, like the cadence of the sea lapping at the sand. The imagery usually helped but it seemed to losing its potency. Rumi padded off, supposedly to make breakfast, Mira assumed. But her mind was working slowly as her fangs prodded angrily at the inside of her lips.
"Mir? You okay?" Zoey spoke up, her mouth set in a thin line as her eyes narrowed. Mira immediately recognized the familiar expression of pain and her brain stuttered to a halt; she instinctually relaxed her hands, they had been digging into Zoey's arm without her noticing. In her mind's eye, Mira saw a flash of rocky waves rapidly surge away from the shoreline.
"Shit. I'm so sorry, are you okay?" She blurted out, her eyes widening as her hands hovered nervously over Zoey's body. A wave of thoughts loomed at the edge of her mind before it all came crashing down in a matter of seconds. You hurt her. You're dangerous. You don't deserve a family, you don't deserve them. You hurt her, you hurt her, you hurt her! Then Zoey's hands were firmly gripping her shoulders, stopping her from pulling away.
"Hey, I'm okay. Are you okay?" Zoey's words clattered like pebbles against concrete before being swallowed by a torrent of frothy blue. Mira sucked in a sharp breath, the air hitting her fangs and sparking pain in her bones. Her eyes flicked around but saw nothing but waves turning a bloody red, flooding her mind. The hands on her shoulders tightened as her own hands dropped into her lap, hard enough to hurt.
"Rumi!" Zoey called, her voice shaky with anxiety. There were hands in her lap. Whose? Hands on hands. Squeeze. Voices. A metallic taste in her mouth. Shaking shaking shaking. Was the world shaking? Hunger clawed at her, urges she should be able to push back. Should be… You'll hurt them. The sea whispered, dripping red elixir down her forehead as she knelt before the wave.
"Mira!" Brown eyes and purple hair filled her vision as hands cupped her face. She was drowning, choking on the bloody water. She only managed a weak sound in response to the eyes. Someone let out an audible breath. You don't deserve them… Red ran down her cheeks as she squeezed her eyes shut.
"Honey, talk to us," Rumi whispered, her fingers tapping gently on Mira's cheeks, "We're here, it's okay. Can you nod if you can hear me?" She felt herself nod shakily, three pulses pounding in her ears, her own, and two others. She felt the red seeping into her skin, staining everything it touched.
"Ok, ok that's good, you're doing so good," Rumi soothed, her voice like honey, painting the world with her voice. The red faded, replaced with gold and purple. She remembered Zoey saying once that sometimes she liked to see the world in colors and lyrics, which Mira thought was beautiful. She exhaled, feeling her jaw go slack despite the blooming agony lingering in her mouth. Focus.
"Hurts," She forced out, trying to ignore the sound of twin heartbeats pounding against her ears.
"What hurts?" Zoey scooted forward, her eyes examining her with a sharpness usually reserved for rap battles. Mira prodded at her cheek with her fingers before pulling back with a hiss, her lips curling back to reveal her fangs. Rumi's expression flicked through emotions Mira couldn't quite place, which only annoyed her further.
"Let me help-" But Mira was shaking her head before Rumi finished her sentence.
"No! I can't-" You'll hurt them. Mira let out a broken noise. Rumi sighed and gently took Mira's hands in hers.
"You won't hurt me. Just do it," Her voice was soft and pleading, as she gazed into her eyes, "We love you. Let us." Mira crumpled under her gaze, the visions and thoughts plaguing her fading under the glow of her love, her sun. The ocean dried up. All that remained was pain and urges and their hands on hers. Oh, also the blood surging through their veins, always that. Rumi moved her hands to Mira's cheeks, brushing the dampness away as she pulled Mira's face towards her neck.
"I trust you." Damning words, those. She exhaled shakily against her demon's skin. Instinct took over and she went blind as her fangs sunk past the patterns.
Zoey blinked rapidly as she sat there, her mind quickly trying to reconcile the rapid turn of events. Her arms still burned slightly from where Mira had gripped them, and now that same girl was sucking greedily at their leader's neck. They looked like an ancient painting come to life, bathed in shadow and light, Mira hidden from the sun's searching rays and Rumi glowing with its light. It made Zoey tremble with something she couldn't name. Awe? Desire? The type of emotion that stretches through your whole being and lingers in your cheeks and chest. She leaned forward, her fingers brushing against Rumi's thigh as she stared.
Rumi let out a hoarse chuckle, then stilled at the sound of Mira's muffled noise of protest at her movement.
"'S all good," She reassured both of them, vaguely amused at Zoey's awestruck expression as she ran her hand through Mira's hair. Mira was clinging to her, not painfully, but Rumi didn't think she could pry her off if she wanted to. But she eventually began to feel lightheaded as the steady sucking of Mira's lips against her skin became less a mix of pain and pleasure and instead shifted to a worrying numbness. She cast a glance to Zoey and cracked a smile as she snapped out of her intense gazing, her cheeks stained a pretty pink.
"Huh? Oh, Mir, I think maybe it's time to stop…" Zoey spoke slowly, carefully. Mira turned, lips stained with blood, pupils blown wide as she stared unblinkingly at Zoey. Rumi reached up to press her fingertips to the two pinpricks on her neck, still oozing blood.
Mira's mind came back to her in pieces, Rumi, Zoey, sunlight, blood, satisfaction. She sighed, her gaze sliding back towards Rumi, concern zapping her nervous system back into gear.
She fumbled to speak, her lips feeling heavy and slow with the taste of her still lingering on her tongue. "Did I hurt you?"
"No, no, I'm fine!" Her voice came out quick and strained, her face paling slightly as she slumped against the footboard of the bed.
"Zoey, get her on the bed please, I'm going to go get her water and first aid stuff," Mira stated, rising to her feet and marching out of the room.
Zoey nodded at Mira's receding form and heaved Rumi up so her weight rested on Zoey's shoulder. She grunted slightly with the effort, not from her weight but just the awkward position of practically carrying someone who was a good few inches taller than her. She managed to maneuver the dazed woman to the bed, dropping her gracelessly onto the mattress, almost ending up on top of her. Rumi laughed weakly at the position, her hands moving to squeeze at Zoey's hips.
"Stop it," Zoey murmured half heartedly, smiling as she pushed a pillow under Rumi's head and suspiciously eyed the marks on her neck, "Does it hurt?" Rumi shook her head, then groaned slightly when the movement made her head pound painfully.
"I'm just lightheaded, probably from the blood loss…" Rumi tilted her head to watch as Mira entered the room, shivering slightly at the determined look in her eyes. Pretty…
"I gotcha baby, don't worry," Mira mumbled absently as she kneeled next to the demon on the bed, her hands deftly disinfecting the wound. Rumi let out a hiss as the solution stung her neck.
"Shh, it's okay, you're doing so good, I'm so sorry," Mira continued. She pressed a bandage onto the marks, then a kiss. Rumi melted into the mattress, her patterns pulsing joyously, the pain practically forgotten. Mira placed a water bottle between her hands.
"Mm, no sorry. It was nice. I love you."
Mira didn't respond, only flopping down next to her, sated. Rumi took her hand in hers, placing the bottle of water to the side.
"You're not a monster. You didn't hurt me. And you won't. Your vampire side isn't bad. It isn't." She whispered firmly as Zoey curled into her other side, humming in agreement. Mira nuzzled into Rumi's shoulder, her thoughts bouncing around her head like pinballs in a pinball machine. She let the silence linger. Maybe it wasn't all bad, Rumi seemed fine, maybe she could learn to live with this… She clenched her jaw, staring down the line of Rumi's collarbone.
"Breakfast?" Zoey suggested after a while, her stomach growling audibly. The older girls laughed, Rumi giving a nod as they all meandered towards the kitchen, the sun bathing them in its glow, and for once, none of them shied away from the light.