Roses and Fangs: ch. 3. Convergence pt. 5.

The weekend came and went without Kara, Sam, and Jacqueline seeing much of each other. Kara spent the evenings in her room shut away, riding out the effects of the full moon. Sam spent allot of his free time either in the art labs or in his dorm working on his art. Jacqueline was spending time with her new roommate whom was fast turning into a good friend.
By Monday, all three were feeling tired and dragging themselves to classes. During the one of the classes she and Sam shared, Kara kept stealing glances at him as she took notes.
After the class, she hung back to ask the professor some questions. By the time she was done, Sam had already left. She looked for him in the humanities plaza but didn’t see him. She headed on to the cafeteria and grabbed herself a pita pizza. She took her time eating it. When she was done she headed over to the art building.
She found him in one of the drawing classes. There were about fifteen students in the room seated in a semi circle with their easels in front of them.
They were facing a model that Kara didn’t know whether she was a student or not. The model was in a quasi-Victorian dress with fishnets. Although the model was in a suggestive pose, Kara was amused to discover she was relieved the model wasn’t nude.
The professor, a woman in her forties with chestnut hair that was just beginning to show signs of grey, waved Kara in. Embarrassed, Kara walked over to the professor. “Can I help you?” the woman asked Kara quietly.
“Sorry, my friend is in your class and I was curious,” Kara said.
“Well, we’re just doing some position exercises, the professor stated, but you’re welcome to stay and watch if you like.” The professor looked up over her class and called out, “Time.”
The students all tacked fresh paper on their easels while the model changed positions. She stretched out on her back, giving it a slight arch and raising one knee up to reveal the fishnets she wore under the gown. The sensuality of the model’s pose wasn’t lost on her audience and many were paying more attention to her then their sketches.
Even Sam didn’t seem quite immune though he didn’t seem quite as distracted as some of the others, especially the other men. Even so, he didn’t seem aware of Kara’s presence as she pulled up a chair beside him and Kara ruefully felt a pang of jealousy for the look that the model was able to present and the attention she commanded and secretly wondered if she were a vampire.
As she settled in beside him she noticed in the minute or so he had already managed to lay out the general shape of the model on paper, the dark charcoal lines stark against the white paper. As he began to fill in the shape with more defining lines, Kara noticed Sam was being a bit more generous with some curves and a bit less with others. In fact the general body shape didn’t quite match the model’s at all, even though the lines of the dress that Sam was making seemed to match. It was almost as if he was drawing someone else in the exact same pose and dress.
Knowing the extent of Sam’s talent Kara couldn’t believe that usch a discrepancy was anything but deliberate. Intrigued she looked down at the pile of sketches on the floor beside the easel and saw a consistency in the discrepancies that carried through all his drawings. In face even the texture of the model’s hair was consistently different then that of the model’s.
“A more egotistical and self-centered girl who saw these might think that you were drawing her instead of the model,” she whispered.
Sam blinked and seemed to notice her for the first time but went back to drawing quickly. “If that self-centered girl was sitting beside me right now, she would be right,” he whispered back.
“Time.” The call cut across the room causing Sam and the other students to add their current sketches to the piles and start over as the model chose a new pose. As Sam settled into his new drawing, Kara impulsively leaned over, tilting her head against his shoulder. One of his lines went errant and he paused for a moment blinking, but then he smiled and adjusted for the unexpected motion.
Something inside Kara that she could no longer deny crept into her thoughts and she admitted to herself that this felt right to her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the professor looking at her, and she wondered if she was about to be thrown out of the classroom, but then the professor flashed a smile and winked. Taking that to mean that the professor was condoning her behavior she continued to snuggle against Sam while he worked.
Allowing herself to shut her eyes and take in the scents of the wood, charcoal, dried paint, and sweat that permeated the room, she focused in on the smell that was Sam and found to her surprise that though it still triggered racial instincts buried deep within her, the smell was also deeply comforting to her on a level that she could not describe. In that moment she realized that deep inside she had already made a decision, and that despite the fact it petrified her, that she couldn’t imagine any other future. Taking a deep, terrified breath, she let it out in a single word, “yes.” Reaching around to squeeze Sam’s arm as he paused his sketching she repeated herself as if to reassure herself of her resolve, “Yes.”

***

Sam hadn’t really been paying attention during the class, and while he realized that many of the other students, male and female were seemingly ruptured with the admittedly sensuous model, he was not. Instead, he was zoned into his own thoughts, daydreams really, imagining it was Kara that was modeling and not some sensuous housewife the professor happened to know.
He was startled then when Kara was suddenly beside him commenting about the lack of accuracy off his drawings with a wry amused expression. Her amusement relieved him, though he was embarrassed that she realized what he was doing, at least she didn’t think he was obsessed. In fact, judging by the way she was resting her head on his shoulder, she seemed to find the gesture somehow comforting or reassuring. He wasn’t sure which.
Aware that the professor was watching them, he quickly resumed his work. However a new energy and passion poured itself though the simple charcoal and made itself present on the paper. If Kara wasn’t modeling for him, at least she was beside him. Beside him in a way that she had never been before, and the sheer power of the emotions he felt were translating themselves to the page. He allowed himself to be lost in the moment.
So it was understandable that the sudden smell of fear radiating of Kara caused him to be distracted and he almost missed her first whisper. He blinked, uncertain at first as to what she meant, but then she squeezed his arm while repeating herself, and the way in which she snuggled closer to him, as if drawing strength from him left little doubt as to what she meant. He wrapped his arm around her, and though it was an awkward way to draw, he spent the remainder of the class like that.

***

Early that evening after their classes were over, the two of them were in humanities plaza, Kara laying with her head resting comfortably in Sam’s lap. Kara still felt nervous, but that nervousness was mitigated somewhat by Sam’s reassuring touch. Even more reassuring were the smiles of some of their mutual friends. Even Erica paused just long enough to flash a wave as she passed by.
As it started to get dark they decided to grab food. For reasons neither would remember later they both agreed on the cafeteria in Virginia Kettering hall. Both were feeling exceptionally hungry and their trays were quite loaded by the time they were ready to sit down.
As they swiped their meal cards, and looked for a place to sit, Kara noticed Jacqueline seated with a group of girls laughing and seemingly enjoying herself immensely. One girl in particular, a blonde seemed to be sharing allot of laughs with Jacqueline. She seemed to notice Kara staring at Jacqueline and gave her a nudge. Jacqueline looked up, and seeing Kara flashed a big smile and tossed a friendly wave.
“Jacqueline seems to be looking a little happier,” Kara remarked as she and Sam sat down together a few tables away.
“Yeah, looks like she made some new friends,” Sam replied. “I’m glad for her, she seemed kind of lonely.”
“Yeah definitely,” Kara nodded thoughtfully. “I just hope they treat her well.”
“Better then that creep from last summer, for sure.” Sam’s brows darkened. He tried unsuccessfully to suppress a shudder at the unpleasant memory.
“I’m sorry you had to kill him,” Kara stated softly. She leaned in, resting her head on his shoulder.
Sam wrapped his arm around her. “I’m not,” he replied honestly. “Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t enjoy it, but in the same situation I would have done it again. I probably would have even if he hadn’t come at me with the knife.”
Kara looked up at him questioningly. “It’s one thing to hurt someone cause you need to eat, to defend someone, or to defend yourself. Hell, it’s even one thing to do it as part of a consensual sex act. But there is nothing more evil then to hurt someone simply because you enjoy it. And that creep did. Trust me I could smell it on him,” Sam explained. “People like him are far and away the most dangerous kind of predators.”
Kara looked away. She knew Charley hadn’t been the first kill for either of them, although until that point all of Kara’s had been animals. She wasn’t sure about Sam, and she really didn’t want to know.
“So what do you think of the ribs,” she asked changing the subject.
If the abrupt change in topic surprised Sam he didn’t let it show. “Better than I would have expected from a cafeteria,” he admitted. “But overall the food here is pretty good.”
Kara nodded. “You should attend an event that the university does the catering for,” she grined. “The catering here is amazing. Better then allot of restraints even.”
Sam grunted. “You’ll just have to take me to some of them.”
Kara smiled. “If I’m allowed to bring a date, I will.”
She looked up and noticed the group that Jacqueline was with cleaning up and taking their trays to the conveyer. She was about to wave a farewell when she realized that Jacqueline was dragging the blonde their way. “Hey, Jacqueline,” She stood and greeted the younger girl with a hug then moved to the side as Sam followed suit.
“Hey Kara, Sam,” Jacqueline beamed, as she then moved around the table and sat down across from the couple. The blonde girl sat next to her. “Shelly these are the people that saved my life last summer. Guys, this is my new roommate Shelly.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Shelly reached her hand across the table to Sam and then Kara. As Kara shook it her eyes met Shelly’s and she froze while they reacted. Sam also noticed the reaction and tensed up. As Kara drew her hand back, Jacqueline also froze realizing from Kara’s look and Sam’s glare that she might have made a mistake.
Shelly, cleared her throat and tried to stay relaxed. “Jacqueline told me allot about you,” she said softly so that only the four of them could hear, “but she didn’t tell me that either of you was a vampire or a were. Please don’t be mad at her, I don’t think she realizes we can recognize each other.”
Jacqueline was pale as a ghost and looking down like she was about to cry. “I thought that if Erica knew Shelly, it would be alright,” She floundered helplessly. “What did I do wrong now?”
“You just endangered Kara and me,” Sam was looking livid at this point, and Kara reached out to squeeze his arm.
“Relax Sam, she didn’t realize what she was doing. I’ve barely started to explain things to her.” Kara’s voice trembled more then she wanted but she tried to calm Sam down.
“Jacqueline, remember how allot of weres are still afraid of vampires?” Shelly asked gently. When Jacqueline nodded, she continued, “sometimes, they have good reason. Vampires are allot like humans, some good, some not, some prejudiced, some not. Weres, at least the few that I’ve met are much the same. It’s not always a good idea to bring the attention of a were to a vampire or vice versa, at least without asking first.”
Jacqueline looked down, “I’m sorry.”
Surprisingly it was Sam that reached across and patted Jacqueline’s arm. “Just ask us next time, Jacquie. Okay?”
Jacqueline looked up at the nickname and nodded. Despite being upset, the fact that Sam used a nickname for her both pleased and relieved and a wisp of a smile briefly touched her lips.
Shelly gave her roommate an uncomfortable smile. “I think I am making your friends nervous, I’ll just meet you back at the room.” She turned to face Sam and Kara. “It was nice meeting both of you.” She hesitated briefly then continued in a very soft voice that Jaqueline could just barely hear. “You two look good together.”
Jacqueline nodded sadly but Kara shook her head. “Stay if you want.”
Shelly blinked and looked at Kara. “You sure? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
Kara shrugged. “There seem to be allot of Kindred here, and as you figured out, I’m with Sam so no doubt I’ll be meeting allot more. I may as well start getting used to it now.”
Sam’s hand reached for Kara’s and gave her a reassuring squeeze, but he remained quiet and Kara sensed he was feeling as nervous as she was.
Shelly chewed her lip lightly. “For what it’s worth, I’m a little nervous too. I don’t really have many were friends. At least that know what I am. It was kind of…discouraged when I was growing up.”
She shrugged apologetically. “My family isn’t exactly what you call progressive."

Roses and Fangs: ch. 3. Convergence pt. 4.

Kara looked up from her screen, startled as someone knocked on her door. “Come in,” she called. She flinched as the door opened to reveal Erica carrying a brown bag.
If Erica saw the flinch she ignored it and gestured to the edge of Kara’s bed. “Mind if I sit?”
“Go ahead,” Kara saved her work and turned to face Erika trying very hard to hide her anxiety. “Thanks again for switching with me.”
“No problem, I hope Monday is enough time for the moon’s effects to be less…” Erica hesitated searching for words.
“Problematic?” Kara supplied helpfully. “Yeah. Saturday is the full moon so by Monday it will have waned enough that I can handle it without shifting.”
“Good, that works out for me anyways. I have an exam on Tuesday that will be a bitch.” She reached into the bag she had brought with her pulling out two cans. “Want a beer?”
“Please,” Kara shrugged reaching over to nudge the door shut. “Aren’t you on duty?”
“Not for a little while yet,” Erica shrugged as she popped open her own can and took a sip.
Kara sipped her own and awkward seconds passed slowly as she and Erica sat eyeing each other over their beers. Finally Kara broke the silence. “So somehow I doubt you just stopped by to share a beer, so what exactly is it you do want?”
Erica sighed and sat holding her beer in both hands. She let out a slow breath before meeting Kara’s eyes, wincing at Kara’s flinch when their eyes locked and reacted “Sam is in love with you.”
Kara nodded slowly never taking her eyes off Erica. “I know. He’s made it pretty clear.”
Erica studied Kara’s face intently. “And do you feel the same about him?”
Kara sighed setting her beer on the desk behind her and leaning forward. “I told him not to pressure me,” she growled.
“Relax, he doesn’t even know I’m here.” Erica held up her hands as if to shield herself from Kara’s anger. “I came on my own. I realize you and I have never exactly been as close friends as I would have liked, but I always liked you almost as much as Sam does. Haven’t I always treated you as a friend?”
Kara relaxed a little and nodded. “Yeah you have.”
“Then can you accept that I might have my own reasons for wanting to know if you feel the same about my cuz as he does about you??”
Kara hesitated for a few seconds before finally nodding slowly. “Okay, I’ll accept that. I guess it would only be natural to know if a were dared to love a vampire.”
Erica sat up and slamed the remains of her beer onto the desk next to Kara’s, leaning down so she looked Kara in the eyes. Kara flinched and backed away as the dark-haired vampire glared at Kara. “I don’t give a damn that you’re a were, Kara. What I care about is the fact my cousin is so in love with you that it sometimes hurts to watch. He has never even looked at another girl. You are the girl he wants.”
The vampire continued to glare at Kara. “I know he does,: the werewolf said softly.
“Do you love him?” Erica pressed.
“Of course I do.”
“As much as he loves you?” Erica’s eyes searched Kara’s.
Kara hesitated. “Probably.” The vampires arched her eyebrows but Kara continued before she could speak. “He is so intense about it, and at times his intensity almost scares me. I do love him, Erica. I just don’t know if its as much as he does me, or even if I love him enough,” she admitted softly, her eyes dropping to stare at her lap.
Erica backed away from the werewolf, taking her beer with her. She sipped it thoughtfully, the silence in the room building into a palpable tension. At last she tossed the empty can into the trash and headed for the door much to Kara’s relief.
As she opened the door Erica turned around to face Kara. “Kara, I can’t tell you what to do, but I think you are causing yourself and Sam both allot of unnecessary pain.”
Kara sighed, “What if they come after us?”
“This isn’t the seventeen hundreds anymore Kara. It’s not even the nineteen hundreds. I doubt that many will come after you, and if they do, you’re not alone.”
Kara blinked. “You don’t care if I date your cousin?”
Erica shrugged. “You gotta follow you’re your heart Kara.” With that she walked out and pulled the door shut behind her.
She’s so scared of vampires she can’t see what’s in front of her, she thought to herself sadly. She’s missing out because she is afraid of what the vampires will do to her if she goes out with Sam. She shook her head sadly. Well, there might be some that would do something stupid, but there’s bigots everywhere. I just hope she won’t let her fears prevent her from a chance at happiness.
Back in Kara’s room, Kara was turning thoughtfully back to her computer, her mind only half focused on her assignment.

***

The next day Jacqueline came back to her new dorm room to see Shelly stocking up the refrigerators. “Hey, probably only want to use the one in front,” she suggested, as the dark haired girl came into the room and closed the door.
“Why’s that?” Jacqueline asked.
“Well I store the blood in the back one,” Shelly explained. I hide it behind some pop cans, and it comes in sealed packs but, I find the smell and taste still tend to get into everything else,” she scrunched her nose up. “And if its unappetizing to me, I can only imagine what it would be like for humans.” She shrugged.
“Um yeah, I’ll use the one in the front then,” Jacqueline smiled. “Thanks for the warning.”
“No problem. Thanks for not getting all grossed out by your blood drinking roomie.”
Jacqueline chuckled. “It’s just nice to have a roommate that doesn’t seem to hate my guts.”
Shelly shrugged. “Well I haven’t had any problems with you yet. I’ll admit it’s a challenge living with humans, but it is easier now that I don’t have to hide what I am from you.”
She gave a warm smile as she finished with the refrigerator and stood up. “The other girls want us to join them for dinner at VWK. I figured we could hang out a bit until then if that’s okay?”
The darker haired girl couldn’t contain her grin. “Sounds great. What did you have in mind?”
Shelly cocked her head to the side. “Well I figured we could talk while we figure out while we rearrange the room a bit. What do you think about moving the desks around to the side and putting the refrigerators over there?”
By the time the knock on the door told the girls it was time for dinner, the two had managed to rearrange the room at least twice to find the maximum open area and were already coming up with ideas for how to spend the weekend. Shelly couldn’t help but notice how happy her roommate seemed just to have someone that genuinely wanted her around and couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to make her so sad and lonely.