Decisions Ch. 08

"Me? How?"

"I don't know. You just... you were hurt. Badly. You and everyone else that I love were hurt. Jazz, Lucy, Ricky, Elena, Viktor, our parents. I couldn't do a thing about it. I'm so scared that one of these days, I'm going to come home and find that my nightmare turned into a reality."

Stasi breathed a small sigh of relief, so small that I almost missed it, when I said the dream wasn't about her losing control. I knew why. "Chris, nothing's going to happen to me, to us." She declared. "When you were attacked and the judge threw the book at the stupid idiot that threw the brick, everyone knew that we were off-limits. But, really... is that your biggest fear?"

"Yes. It's losing the people I love." I said.

"You should hear mine." Stasi snorted.

"What's yours?"

"It's mirrors," She said, bluntly. "I hate mirrors."

"What, really?" I asked, suspiciously. It had to have been a joke. A fear of mirrors? It was so stereotypically vampiric.

"Yes, really." She confirmed. "I hate looking into mirrors."

"How come you always use them to get ready, then?" I pointed out.

"Because..." Stasi began, scrunching her nose in thought. "It's complicated, but long story short, you should fear nothing except fear itself." She cracked a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Ah, FDR, " I said. "What he should've said is that you have nothing to fear except fear itself... as well as crippling polio."

I was going to hell for that one.

Stasi's eyes widened and she burst out into laughter, my joke stimulating her somewhat dark side of humor. Laughter was always the best medicine, and when she laughed, I laughed too. It was therapeutic getting out the details of my nightmare. "Oh, lyubov. That was great."

"Thank you, thank you. I try my best. Fear must've been paralyzing for people back then." I bowed my head when Stasi howled with even more laughter. "I like to think that it was as great as the time you fell asleep in Mr. Coppergut's class and snored in the middle of his lecture. It was adorable."

That stopped her laughing. Her mouth dropped open and she suddenly looked horrified.

"I snored?!"

"You snored the last time." I laughed. "Why do you think I poked you so hard in the side. I was trying to save your dignity.

"I did not!" She exclaimed, blushing profusely. Her own volume surprised her and she toned back. "I did not snore." She repeated, quieter, but not weaker

"Yes, you did!"

"I did not!"

"Yes, you did!"

"No, I didn't, lyubov." She growled in her accent. I was just about to point out that she did, but before the words could get out of my mouth, she bared her fangs, snarling. She tackled and attacked me. But rather than bite me, she did something that made me just as uncomfortable. Her hands roved under my shirt all across my abdomen and neck, tickling me to no end. It might not have been so bad if her hands were warm.

But they were delightedly as cold as ice, so by the process of elimination, it was bad.

Stasi wasn't particularly strong, but I let her do it, no matter how ticklish I was. I screamed and laughed, going along with everything, doing my best to block her merciless assault, but it was no use. She had the upper hand. Eventually she stopped, her face mere inches from my own, a giggle escaping her lips.

She was so gorgeous. The epitome of my every fantasy I had growing up. My best friend. The best thing was, that fantasy was reality. She was here, right now with me, and she was mine.

Stasi tucked a long strand of raven hair behind her ears. "Still think I snored?" She asked, her hands poised above my stomach.

"No, no, you win!" I laughed.

"Good. So I didn't snore?"

"No... but hypothet-.."

"Nyet!" She cried. "You already said no. No hypothetically. I either snored in AP Stats, or I didn't snore in AP Stats. Which one is it, lyubov?"

"I'll just plead the fifth." I chuckled.

Stasi rolled her eyes. "Not exactly the answer I would've liked, but I'll take it. Only because you just woke up." Stasi settled back down on my groin, slowly rocking her hips. There was no way she could've missed it. My erection was visible through even the thick fabric of my sweatpants. All because of her. Her tank top and boy shorts left little to the imagination. I wondered if she ever got cold during the night, but she always said I was her furnace and made her feel warm. Her smile changed from contentful to mischievous. "It also looks like someone else is waking up."

"Stasi," I warned. "My parents..."

"Left for work already. They checked in earlier this morning but saw that you were still asleep. They told me to tell you they loved you and that Sunday dinner is at my house tonight."

"Oh, that explains why they didn't come in when I was screaming." I said.

"Like a girl." Stasi noted.

"Oi!" I exclaimed. "I don't scream like a girl."

"Whatever you say, zaichik. We all know the truth." She scooted back and peeled back the waistband of my sweatpants. "Oh, hello." She grinned, wrapping her cold, long fingers around my erect cock and making my breath hitch. She looked up at my face. "I love it that I can make you do this."

"I love it, too." I groaned, propping myself up on my elbows.

"I know you do." She shifted onto her knees and bent down low, her mouth precariously close to the head of my cock. Her hand slid over the head, stroking it softly. With almost no warning at all, her hand dropped to the base and she engulfed the head of my cock, making me gasp in pleasure. A shudder passed through my body and I had no choice but to drop my head back on the pillow and squeeze my eyes shut. If I watched her doing it, the show would be over before it even started.

Her tongue flicked against the head as she sucked, slurping noises providing a lewd ambiance. I was on cloud nine, feeling her lips sliding up and down my length, her fangs softly scraping the skin. I opened my eyes, watching my beautiful girlfriend and best friend bob her head as she took me into her throat. Stasi was peering up at me with her crystal blue eyes wide open, smiling softly around my length.

With a soft 'pop', she let go, wiping her mouth. "Having fun?"

"Lots," I replied. "I feel like I'm going to have a whole lot more in a second, though."

Stasi cocked her head, staring at me adorably. "How so, lyubov?"

"I just.. I... I..."

How do I say this without sounding like a teenage boy that just wants sex?

When Stasi saw me struggle to answer, she laughed. "Relax, lyubov. I was only kidding. I know what we're going to do and nothing has me wetter." Slowly and fluidly, like a body of water, she pulled her tanktop off of her. My mouth dropped open when I saw her body. She was absolutely gorgeous. Every inch of her deliciously pale skin was cool to the touch. She was beautiful, from her lovely face, flat stomach, and curvaceous body.

"You're beautiful." I said.

"Thanks, you are too. I mean..." Stasi began, her eyes widening.

I laughed. "Relax, Stasi. I know what you're trying to say."

I sat up, pushing her forward softly, until she was on her back. Stasi made a small noise of surprise, propping herself up on her elbows, looking at me with half-lidded eyes. Without a word, I positioned my face between her legs. We had done this so many times, I knew what buttons to push... but it didn't hurt having a game plan. After I sketched out a rough plan in my head, I lowered my mouth to her pussy and did my thing.

At first, I was kind of disappointed by the lack of moans and noises she was making, but when I opened my eyes and looked up, Stasi's eyes were screwed tightly shut; her mouth wide open in pleasure. It didn't take long for her to get vocal.

"Oh, Chris!" She exclaimed. "Chris, don't stop!"

I grinned and gave myself a mental fist bump. With Stasi's lewd noises propelling me, I used my tongue and lips to probe every inch of her pussy, inside and out, making sure to pay close attention to her clit, which was quite swollen. Before long, Stasi was running her hands through my hair, and panting like crazy.

Finally, she pushed my head away, looking at me with wide eyes. Her skin was flushed and her breathing was labored. "Chris, that was... oh god.."

"That was what?" I said, giving her a cheeky smile. Although I didn't like getting compliments alot, I loved getting compliments from her.

"That was..." She panted. "That was alright."

"Wait... what?" I asked.

"Yep. That was..." She took another deep breath. "That was... alright, alright, alright." She giggled, a fang-accentuated grin on her face. I raised my eyebrow in confusion.

"What?"

"We watched Interstellar last night." She said.

"Yeah, and?"

"Matthew McConaughey is in that movie." She pointed out.

"And?" I asked, dumbly.

"Chris, don't you watch movies? His trademark is 'Alright, alright, alright'."

"What?"

"Great," She huffed in her adorable accent. "You just made me look dumb."

"OH! Now, I get it. Haha, that's funny."

"No, the damage is done." She said, crossing her arms and turning her nose at me. "I'm offended, really offended, now."

"Oh, Stasi... I'm sorry." I said, grinning. "Here, how can I make it up to you?"

"Do you really think you can make it up to me?" She asked, raising her eyebrow. "How are you so sure you can make it up to me?"

"What do I have to do, Ms. Sokolov?"

"Well, I'm super horny and I kind of really need to be fucked by my best friend who I love with all my heart. So," She pulled me up to her, so the cold skin of her tantalizing breasts were against my naked chest. "Maybe... just maybe, you can make it up to me by solving that problem."

"Alright, alright, alright." I said, planting kisses on her face.

"Good save." She noted. I was just about to reply, but she cut off my words by sealing my lips in a kiss, wrapping her arms around my back. She broke the kiss before turning around onto her belly, bracing herself on her hands and knees. Reaching blindly one with hand, I guided my cock into her pussy, sinking into her in one fluid motion that made the both of us groan. "Welcome home, lyubov." She gushed, affectionately.

"Good to be home." I grunted. "I love you, Stasi."

"We say those three words so often... but, I don't get tired of it. Do you?"

"No. It makes my heart flutter every time you say it."

"You took the words right out of my... oh!" She made a noise as I thrusted forward, her hips pushing back to meet mine. "Mouth. You took them out of my mouth." She said, blushing as I continued to plough into her. "God, you're so warm." Stasi moaned into my ear, panting as I pressed her face deeper into the bed with every thrust.

"You're so cold... not that it's a bad thing!" I said.

I was already teetering on the edge from our oral onslaught. Despite an orgasm bearing down on me like the grim reaper, I somehow managed to keep all my focus on Stasi. She looked as close as I was. She had turned her face back to look at me and sweat was dribbling down her scalp, plastering her raven hair to her forehead. But her eyes, it was her eyes that made my heart flutter. Her eyes were trained on me, simply staring at me with that affectionate smile and loving, dopey expression on her face. I knew she was close because she was squirming underneath me, her cold body presenting all different kinds of sensations against my hot skin.

"Chris," Stasi panted, only a few minutes later.

"Yeah?" I gasped. "Oh God, I'm getting so close."

"I... I'm close too." She stammered, the accented words tumbling out of her mouth. Her fangs were more pronounced, her pupils dilated. "Oh! So... close!"

I was on the clock ever since I woke up and after only a few more thrusts, I fell off the edge.

"Stasi!" I cried, feeling my balls growing tight. I came inside her, the intensity of my climax nearly making me pass out. I continued to thrust inside her, making her whole body tremble and soon enough, she arched her back, and with a final cry, she came as well, screaming my name in one garbled mess into a pillow as her body went slack. Finally, I slowed my movements, collapsing on top of her back.

"Oof!" She gasped. "You're heavy."

"Sorry."

"It's OK. Oh, that felt so good." Stasi purred. "Who knew that sex could be so amazing?"

I wrapped my arms around her in an embrace and rolled to the side, hugging her furiously. She smelled like perspiration and strawberries, both smells suiting her very much. I probably smelled far worse.

We laid there together, simply holding onto each other. It was a while before we said anything. We just wanted to enjoy each other's presence. That's how much we loved each other. We didn't even have to say anything to one another. We were content with being with each other. I, however, couldn't take the silence.

"Did w-.." I began.

"Sh..." Stasi shushed me, placing a finger on my lips. "I'm trying to listen.."

"Listen to what?"

"Your heartbeat. It's slowing down." She observed, her ear on my chest. "I just love listening to it. The 'Tha-Thump... tha-thump... tha-thump." Vampires had hearts that beat, but they just beat slowly. Very slowly, in fact. After a moment, Stasi sighed in contentment, looking up at me. "Ok, now you can speak."

"Spasibo. Did we ever finish Interstellar?" I piped up.

"No." Stasi replied. "You fell asleep, remember?"

"Want to finish it now or eat breakfast?"

"Porque no las dos?" She breathed, sitting up in bed. "Can you cook this time? I need a bit of a shower. We made a little bit of a mess... down there."

"Alright, alright, alright." I laughed. Stasi gave me a look, reluctantly letting go of me so I could get downstairs.

"Lyubov?" She asked breathlessly, just as I was sliding off the bed.

"Yeah?" I asked, turning back to her as I shimmied into a pair of boxers. My breath was taken away with how beautiful she looked, her pale skin glowing and her chest rising up and down. Her eyes were half-lidded and her raven hair was a complete mess, but she was mine.

"Please don't say that anymore." She giggled.

"Alright, alright, alright." I said, making her roll her crystal blue eyes.

"Never should have made that joke." She grumbled, turning her face into the pillow so I couldn't see her smiling. I knew she was smiling.

"Yes, you shouldn't have," I observed. "Do you want the curtains opened or kept closed?" I didn't even know why I even bothered asking. The answer going to be the same. Although she could get burned easily in the Sun (vampires having super sensitive skin and all), it didn't really matter if she was inside. She just didn't like light... but then again, neither did Vik, Elena, Anton, or Yulia.

"Closed!" She replied, her voice muffled because it was buried in the pillow.

"Alright, alright, alri-... OW!" I cried, as the soft pillow that Stasi chucked as hard as she could hit me on the face.

"Dork!" She giggled.

Chapter 2:

"Chris, this is a terrible idea." Valerian scowled.

"I agree." DeAndre declared. "This is a shitty idea."

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. They were being so, so stupid! Is this where the stereotype of an asinine football player came from? I looked back up at all my former football teammates, my brothers, and looked at each and every one of them in the face. "Guys, I'm not sure if you're aware, but this was asked of us directly by the Coven. The least we could do for them is agree."

"I'd agree," Mitch pointed out. "If there was actually something in it for me. What even makes you think that this shit will work? Play football with a bunch of kids for a day? Will that stop the police from badgering me in the street?"

The entire weight room murmured in agreement. I was seeing Mitch's point. Racial tensions had left humans and monsters more divided than ever before. Something as trivial as this wasn't going to fix anything big. I had a sinking feeling that Anton and Vasili were in over their heads.

"Look-" I began.

"No, you look." Valerian argued. "This is a joke and they're taking the piss out of us. We're already busy as it is and the Coven wants us to take our time out of our lives to go play with human and monster kids? No thank you. That sounds like a complete waste of time. When they find out that Belcourt is the one doing the training, nobody is going to even go."

"Some are, it's during school." Viktor said. "Don't forget. The Coven promised a lot of media there. It'd be good to have something good on the news for once. I'm tired of deliberately avoiding turning on CNN just to see another attack or demonstration. High School football players playing with kids sounds like a nice story."

"Thank you, Vik." I said, a hint of a prideful smile adorning my lips. To everyone else, not so much.

I took a deep breath, looking at everyone in the eye. "Who thinks humans are the enemy?"

Seventy-five percent of the hands of the team rose. Viktor and Ricky didn't vote, but I saw Ricky's hand twitch just barely.

"Why?" I asked.

"Why what?" Valerian asked. He raised his hand.

"Why do you think humans are the enemy?"

"Because they oppress us." DeAndre pointed out. "They make us live our lives in fear. We should hate them."

A murmur of agreement resounded all across the weight room. I took another breath, my eyes flashing. I was human, for crying out loud! "Nelson Mandela once spent 30 years in a prison cell in South Africa. After he was released, he was ready to forgive the people who put him in that godforsaken cell."

"And?" DeAndre asked, dumbly.

"He used rugby to unite his broken country. If he spent 30 years in a cell, I'm pretty sure you can spend 2 hours playing football in a park instead of being at school." I growled, growing impatient. "That goes to each and every one of you. To those who don't think that they can play the sport we all love for a couple of hours next week, you can leave. To those that can, shoot me a text tonight saying you can go. That's it."

I watched my team take this in before acknowledging me and leaving. DeAndre bumped into me as he walked past me, no doubt on purpose. I simply waved him off. By the time the door closed, all that was left was Vik and Ricky.

"I can count on you two to come, right?" I asked.

"Sure can." Ricky said. "You coming, Vik?"

"Why not? It'd be fun... as long as no D-Toss protesters show up. I don't want to get splattered in red paint again."

******

When the bus doors hissed open, I was the first one up and out of my seat. I stood on the aisle, facing my team. "Remember guys, cameras are on us at all times. Please, please, please for the love of god, don't do anything stupid." I said.

I took the murmurs and half-nods as 'yes'. "Ready, Coach?" I asked, turning to Coach Freddy.

"Ready." He replied, standing up and stretching. Although we were driving to another part of the city, it was still a fairly long drive. The traffic was brutal, the result of a reinstatement of new checkpoint systems for monsters. It took nearly half an hour for our bus to be fully inspected and cleared to go through.

"Alright then... let's go." I said, walking off the bus. My shoes crunched on the gravel as I hopped off, sniffing the cool January air. We were certainly in 'that' part of the city, at a rundown old school that served human students. It was neglected by the local government and it showed with the dead grass, vandalized playground, and mobile classrooms. However, you'd hardly think it was a miserable area because of all the screaming kids running around.

"I'm going to go speak with the Principal." Coach Freddy said. "You get the team settled."

"You got it, coach." I replied. He nodded and walked off.