Lust For Blue - Kaylor

The Trust

Taylor wakes up for a second morning without Karlie by her side. She wonders why the vampire isn't here this time. Thankfully Taylor has not woken up from a bad dream. Oh no, last night was filled with visions of Karlie. Karlie smiling, Karlie laughing, Karlie kissing Taylor's blushing cheeks. The memory brings Taylor a knowing smile that warms her from head to toe.

She wonders whether or not she should arise from her bed. The lumpy pillows have become quite comfortable after just a few nights. And the woollen blanket is cosier than ever. But despite the tempting warmth, Taylor stretches herself into life and plods through the cave to see if anyone else is awake. The cave is very quiet, almost unsettlingly. The crackle of the ever burning fire is the only sound that echoes off of the stone walls. Along with the soft plodding of Taylor's bare feet.

Taylor presses an ear to Georgia and Cara's bedroom door and there aren't any noises of any kind. They're probably still asleep, she thinks. The girl makes her way to the eating area and the den. No one in sight. Growing nervous, Taylor chances checking the Haim sisters rooms. Again, she is greeted with an eerie quietness at Este's door and Alana's. Surely, it is nearing eight AM. Not everybody must be asleep. Perhaps the group have left to go hunting this morning. That could definitely be it. Taylor hasn't seen them eat a large hunk of red meat since the day she moved in with everyone.

But just as she is about to make that assumption official, she hears a loud sigh from Danielle's room. Cautiously approaching the door, Taylor gently pushes it open. Sitting in a huddle on the floor inside is Karlie, Cara, Este, and Danielle - squeezed in the middle of them. The group stare up at the intruder, all of them silent and red eyed. Danielle's face is buried in Este's chest, her sister's arms lovingly wrapped around her. Este whispers something to Danielle and leans her towards Cara, who replaces Este's embrace. Este shakily stands up and makes shooing motions towards Taylor, leading her away from the strange scene. The door closes behind them and Este brings a weary hand through her bright winter hair.

"What's happening?" Taylor hisses.

"She lost her pup" Este whispers. "This is the second time it's happened... It's not even hers, she's breeding for another family. And to be honest I don't think they'll wait around for her much longer"

A lost memory renews itself in Taylor's mind. She's clutching her bruised lip with a damp cloth...

"Desmond, I'm sorry, I can't do anything about this!"

"How are we to hand over the business or expand our wealth without a child to our name?!

"We can try again! I'll let you try again, Des-"

"I don't really need your permission, woman. Of course I'm going to keep trying"

"Oh, dear... Oh, no" Taylor softly exclaims.

"Poor thing" Este sniffs, dabbing at one eye with the sleeve of her woolly jumper.

"How long do werewolves take to be born?" Taylor inquires.

"A little over two months. Plus you have to wait a month in between that to recover"

Taylor is unsure if what else to say. And it slowly occurs to her why Danielle's stomach had been so small all this time. She brings a palm to one side of her face and folds the other hand under her left armpit - deep in thought about how terribly tragic this is. Este looks tired. A painful looking scarlet blushes under her irises. It appears she has to blink harder in order to dampen her eyes. For the first time in Taylor's presence, she is not the strong, tough-as-nails wolf that she made herself out to be.