{Every Step I Take}-(Stella/Roul?)

[Jisanna Elizabeth Taylor]

Every step I took was excrutiatingly painful, as it the impact of my footsteps moved my shoulder, my fractured shoulder. Every breath I managed to get to my lungs, that hurt like hell too. It seemed just being alive was agonizing. That Shifter couldn't have been strong enough to kill me and then die himself could he? No. My eternal punishment was living as a goddamned freak of nature, I could only hope that someone ended my life before I went insane and on a rampage. Of course 'The Director', as he had called himself, lived up in the mountains. Life just didn't want to be easy on me, ever. Nevertheless I was strong and I fought through the pain that the dead boy had inflicted on me. It wasn't just my physical body that was hurting, I was hurting inside- in my heart. What had I ever done to deserve a backstab like that? From my memory I had been nothing but nice to that brown eyed boy that I had once loved. For once in my life I felt pain and emotion, and I was confused. I couldn't bear to feel this way, and I realized that this is why I had shut out all traces of emotion so long ago. My hand clutched at my side where my fractured rib was, all I could feel was dicomfort. However these wounds were minor compared to the night he had gotten to me, and had almost killed me. I couldn't shift into my panther form because of these injuries, it would hinder the healing process.

I had given up on getting to the Hunters well hidden house five minutes ago, and I just lay under an overhanging rock. I needed to get over myself, the pain couldn't be that bad. Oh but I knew it was. Painfully getting back to my feet, I trudged onwards. Soon dusk was taking over and I needed to get back soon, when I was wounded, all of my power was concentrated on the healing and I could only see like a human during the dark. The little rest had given me enough strength to heal a little faster and my fractured bones and bruised skull numbed. I could concentrate on getting back to the house before I was caught out after dark. I couldn't feel my legs as a loped up the mountain in my steady gait, but soon enough I spied the house and slowed to a walk. I didn't like that so many hunters passed through here all day and night, it made me too wary to sleep. I opened the front door with scarcely a sound and crept in, looking for Stella and hoping not to scare her with my ragged appearance.

[Stella Mari De Souza]

Stella was laying on the sofa, her eyes closed, to many humans she would be resting, peacefully dreaming. She turned hearing a sound outside to her it sounded like footsteps. She turned her head, eyes still closed, she could smell shifter, dirt and BLOOD?! The vampire looked up, sitting up fast and swiftly as the door opened, she stood walking, well more like mad running toward Jisa. The shifter looked like she just had a battle with a bear. Stella's throat was burning from the blood, but as a vegetarian she did not mind, or care much for the blood, Stella was hovering over the shifter her eyes wide and hand quivering with anticipation. ''Jisa, what has happened. Sit down, i will get the first aid kit''. Stella did not even know if they had one, but in a blink of an eye she had ran up the stair got one and was back looking at Jisa. ''Tell me where you have cuts? or are bleeding?'', The vampire was nervous, she had no idea if a hunter had just attacked Jisa, or if Conall did this. But she would stay calm, this was her friend here. The vampire rolled up her sleeves and prepared for work.

[Jisanna Elizabeth Taylor]

I knew that my only friend would hear my entering the house and I expected her to come and greet me but the fact that she appeared so fast surprised me. I guess I had momentarily forgotten that she was in fact a vampire, and even though she was pregnant she was not any slower. I jumped slightly, the sudden movement caused sharp pain in my rib but I didn't show any signs of being hurt. Knowing that I could not worry my friend over me when she should be worrying over herself, I stood tall as if I was just fine, which I was but... a few fracture bones were okay conseridering the magnitude of the fight. I obeyed the sixteen year old, even though I was legally an adult now, though I wouldn't tell her that until tomorrow or a few weeks from now. I had never made a big deal about birthdays since my family had perished, I wasn't about to change that today. Settling on the couch I waited for Stella to return silently. Soon enough she was by my side and worrying over me, I could feel it.

"Stella, I'm fine. This isn't my blood."

I did not delve further into the details of the fight, I did not wish to. I wasn't about to let her know about my fractures either, they would heal on their own the more I rested. Being tough and cold hearted wasn't all that bad, you could easily hide things without seeming like you were hiding something. I scooted away from Stella, not liking the close proximity. Maybe before I had killed the Shifter I wouldn't have minded it, but I had reverted back to old Jisa. Closeness was something I didn't do.

[Stella Mari De Souza]

Stella was mad, well no there had to be a better word for it, she was murderous, she could not believe some one had even laid a hand on her best friend, her only friend. The vampire stood up with the shifters words her eyes glistening with anger, the fire that had been burning inside Stella this hole time. ''Jisanna, Please tell me how hurt you are? Do you need anything, not even ice?'', The vampire ran to her room and grabbed her favorite stuffed animal, Stella had no idea why, it always made her feel better so why not Jisa. She ran back downstairs and handed her the poodle like bear, ''I dont care what you say, he is my favorite, it must make you feel at home. Now are you SUREEE you dont want anything, not even water?''. Stella was starting to fret her anger mostly gone now, she hovered over Jisa, but that just made her feet hurt, the baby weight was starting to get ti her, finally, and her feet where very sore. She sighed hopping Jisa would just spill it, Stella did not like few words, and she knew how hard her panther could be.

[Jisanna Elizabeth Taylor]

The waves of anger- murderous anger, worried me. A stressed mother wasn't good, stress didn't reflect well on the baby. I had gone through school pretty much, that was the only reason I knew these things. If I had a choice then I wouldn't know these random facts, they might be help to Stella now but not me later. Right now, though I should be stronger, I couldn't help but feel slightly frightened of an angry vampire. Tomorrow I'd be harder and guarded, a good night's rest would do that much, if I infact managed to sleep. As Stella got up, my ocean blue eyes watched her. She demanded me to tell her how much I was hurt, and I didn't like lying to my friend, but I wouldn't tell her. I was sure that she knew that as well as I did.

"Stella, calm down. I'm fine, it's nothing a little rest can't fix."

I wasn't exactly favoring stuffed animals right now, I couldn't take that from my friend. Especially because it was her favorite. I hadn't had a stuffed animal since I was seven and I didn't want one, it reminded me too much of home and my family. It was much too uncomfortable for me.

"Stella I can't, it's yours and... I don't need anything."

[Stella Mari De Souza]

The vampire sighed, her feet where starting to kill her really, so for a last attempted she held her teddy and walked to the closed grabbing blankets and a pillow, Stella did not even know why she got them but it would make the night a lot more comfortable. She looked at Jisa squinting her eye in annoyance, the vampire walked slowly forward her skirt twirling as she walked forward, her mood apparent in her walk. Stella set the blankets on the ground and sat there laying the pillow down, her bear on top. She fluffed her skirt and unrolled her shirt, doing all this very slowly, Stella was thinking, and calming down all at once. As she took one last breath in she looked back up at Jisa's sparkling blue eyes, ''I hope you dont mind me staying here, i would ask you to come to my room, but i think i can guess your answer. And are you sure you dont want a shower? Change of clothe?'', Stella would think Jisa would want to relax feel better, maybe just think. Stella touched her tummy as she finished speaking, a small kick making her smile, soon Stella would have to find more donated blood or something, the baby is getting restless, just two more days and the baby will burn too.

[Roul Azzuen Ruuqo]

Roul dropped from the sky, he would have been here sooner if his wings weren't so tired they could fall off. He had followed Jisa after her battle, the trail ending here, and that was a long flight, even for him, and now his wings drooped to the ground instead of folding against his back. "Jisa? Are you okay?" He called out, not caring who answered or who heard. He didn't even keep up his senses, just stared blankly. He hated having to see black all the time...

[Jisanna Elizabeth Taylor]

I watched as my pregnant vampire friend got a makeshift bed ready on the floor of the living room. I was not about to let her sleep on the floor, even though she would not sleep. That couldn't be comfortable for her and it was not something I was going to deal with. It wasn't as if I was going to sleep tonight in my weakened state, especially in a Hunters house. I was still not comfortable in this situation. Getting up a sharp intake of breath took my lungs, my shoulder reacted to the change in gravity and my rib throbbed. It was obvious that it would take a while for them both to heal.

"No. I know you don't sleep Stella but you are not resting down there. Come up here on the couch, neither of us sleep anyways."

I knew that she might decline but I had to know that I had tried at least. My sharp ears, though weakened, heard the flapping as the shifter landed at the door. I was not happy in the least, how had he followed me here? That would mean he would've had to follow me from the river. That was not something that I enjoyed thinking of. Knowing that there could be Hunters around I ran to the door and opened it, pulling him in sharply. It's too bad it was with my broken shoulder, I almost shouted the words that were on my tongue, but I just hissed it in my head. Damn it!

"I'm fine, raven! But you wouldn't have been if the Hunters would've been out here."

[Stella Mari De Souza]

The vampire rolled her eyes and wanted to push her friend back down on to the couch, knowing it was much softer. Stella smiled and decided to tie her hair, in the worst time too, she moved wrong and her back just did not like that, a sharp pain came and her hand flew back down, her hair landing on her shoulders again, ''Outch. Urgh, well Jisanna i suppose you will sleep, you look so bruised and tired. I will probably just sit here and read, i will be fine.. though i am not sure about you''. Stella rubbed her side, but that did not help, she did though hear a faint sound of wings, but passed it of as a large bird. But the sound got closer and strong, soon Jisa jumped of the couch, Stella had no idea why, she stood up and followed, but stayed a few feet away. Jisanna had pulled another shifter into the house, he seemed lost and confused, Jisanna mad. Stella sighed and ran her hand threw her hair, ''Excuse me, you , you do know you are in a hunters house right.. you could be in grave danger.'' Stella then turned her golden eyes to Jisa confusen written all over them, she put her hands on her hips, her back still pained a little, her belly sticking out just by a little bit, '' Who is this man?''.

[Roul Azzuen Ruuqo]

Roul let Jisa pull him in, too tired to resist, even if he wanted to. He sighed, knowing it wouldn't have gone well. "Well, I knew you had come here, so It couldn't have been that bad, yea Know?" He said, shrugging. He wasn't as sarcastic as usual, still worn out from his flight, but he at least made the effort to pick his wings up when he moved. Dragging them around on the floor would cause major damage to the feathers. He shook his head, looking for the other voice, definately female, though he never heard it before. Ugh. I hate houses. They make noises echo so I can never tell where they're coming from! "I would like it if you'd speak right at me, if you don't mind. I'm standing right here, you know," He said, finally giving up and looking down. "And my name is Roul."

[Jisanna Elizabeth Taylor]

My blue eyes watched as my only vampire friend backed up my case against Roul being a blind old foul who just followed me into the snake pit. Didn't he know I dealt with dangerous situations as a past time? Well it seemed I did anyway. This place wasn't safe for anyone that the damn Hunter didn't approve of. Which meant me, apparently. No matter what Stella said, I would not be sleeping tonight, even if Stella loved him I did not have to. Roul's normal the-devil-may-care outlook on life did make me smile, he was a little like me in this way.

"But Roul it could be that bad, no offense intended Stella, but I do not sleep here because it could be that bad."

Stella's golden eyes bore into the side of my head as she questioned me on who Roul was, but I knew he was very capable of answering for himself even though he was blind. He did and made himself heard, but since I was protective of my friend my eyes narrowed at him in slight anger.

"Roul."

My sharp voice warned, a slight growl threading my fair voice. Just because I was badly injured so did not mean I was not myself. I could still protect whoever I wanted to.

[Stella Mari De Souza]

Stella was so confused, the man spoke as if he could not see exactly where Stella was standing, she tilted her head, but walked forward, a hand on her belly as if to protect her unborn child,''I am speaking right at you ..Roul, what is wrong, i am right here''. As she spoke the vampire reached a hand out and touched his hoping he could tell where she was. Stella had no idea what was wrong, but something did pop in her mind, Was he blind, but the man had just followed Jisa all this way!. Stella was confused, tired, and felling a little sick. She sighed and put his hand on her belly.''Roul i dont think you should be here, the child is the reason for all our danger'', Stella set his hand down then and stood behind Jisa again,her hand on her friends should, it was becoming harder to stand with every passing minute. She rubbed her side which for some reason still hurt!!, but for some reason Stella liked this Roul, she saw no threat in him, just the threat he could be being here. She looked at Jisa, having no idea in what to do.

[Roul Azzuen Ruuqo]

Roul automatically flinched at the cold touch of the vampire. "Sorry. And Jisa? If you're here it couldn't be that bad, and I'm not about to leave you here alone," he said, and used the last of his energy to try and pinpoint the items in the room, so he wouldn't trip on anything. With weak legs, he made his way to flopp down on the couch. "Face it; You're stuck with me," He said, smirking in her general direction.

[Jisanna Elizabeth Taylor]

This was a little bit of an epic fail in my view, blind raven shifter had followed me back here, pregnant vampire not knowing that he was blind, and me being silent because apparently he wasn't going to leave. I shook my head, my shoulder and rib still throbbing in addition to the back of my head. I couldn't catch a break could I? Just the one time I was broken in the literal way, something like this had to happen. But I decided to take it, because pushing him away wasn't an option apparently. I sighed as Stella stood behind me and put her hand on my shoulder, my broken shoulder. I jumped to the side and grabbed it as the sharp pains shot into my spine.

"Crap."

I whispered, well I couldn't act anymore could I? It was done and I couldn't help it. Looking back toward Roul I just shrugged as he flopped down onto the couch.

"Fine, make yourself at home. Your funeral."

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[Stella Mari De Souza]

idk if u want to continue but here i go..

The vampire freaked, she felt so bad, Jisa's shoulder! Stella screamed too, she backed away and almost fell back but she caught her self, her eyes where wide, and looked black, she seriously could not believe she had just hurt her friend, she just could not believe. She wiped her eyes, the tears that where not there, ''I am so sorry Jisanna!'', but Stella looked at Roul, she barely new this guy and he just barged in here like this and barely said anything to her, when she laid his hand on her stomach! you do not do this to a pregnant woman, they are emotional and very irritable. She really wished this had not to be but Stella had snapped, she stomped up to the man and pulled him by the ear, ''Dont you have manners! you just come in my house and.. and''. Stella just cant do this, be a mom, snap, she was going crazy...