SEEMINGLY DEFENSIVE

I walked towards a door and already sensed Curtis on the inside, hugging Alexa and tenderly caressing her back as she shivered and cried, I had never thought it was this bad.

I opened the door then took one step and fell through the open portal on the floor.

I came back a few seconds later, covered in garbage and seaweed then knocked this time and called,"Curtis...I came to say that I'm sorry for what I said and did to you and especially to Alexa, it's just...I have lost so many people who were so precious to me, my twin brother and best friend, my father and role model, my brother's first son and first joy through him, and even, Trevor, who wasn't only an apprentice to me, but was like the brother I lost, then came Alexa, who had a certain light within her, which shone much brighter than any of ours, especially mine, I never wanted it to be tainted, but then she met and fell for you and to tell the truth, I was frightened, as I didn't see you the way she did, I saw you as a threat, but now I just want us to start over, we may not have the same relationship you have with her or that I had with any of my lost, but I can tell you that it would be special, so, please let me in."

By now, all the garbage and volatile compounds(stinky gases) had long been Hydroteleported away and either hydrolyzed or condensed to make newer, safer, better smelling compounds.

I waited for a few seconds for Curtis to answer and when he did, he said,"Leave..."

"If that's what you want."I said, and left.

I was going to listen to his opinion and wishes from then on...

***

That night, Alexa was stirring on her bed and Curtis woke up and saw her drenched in sweat, squealing from fear.

Before he could do anything, she calmed down.

He kissed her forehead and got a napkin for her sweat, but realized a number of spiders were getting a little too comfortable around her.

After taking down the webs, he went to sit besides Alexa and Nicky, who had seen the future and knew her mother would need extra company.

After lovingly caressing the little girl's cheek, he lay down besides them.

A few rooms over, Anneliese realized I was, just a few seconds ago, stirring as if having a bad dream, then I suddenly went still like a rock.

The gem on my chest also began to change colour, turning a sickly yellow one before changing back to normal.

She tried to wake me up but it wasn't working, she touched my forehead and saw I was burning with a fever, then had no other choice but to go into my head...

Curtis hadn't slept for about half an hour, he just kept watch over Alexa when Nicky called,"Daddy..."

"Yes, sweetie?"He asked.

"You're scared, aren't you?"She asked.

He chuckled then said,"I'm not scared of anything."

"Maybe not to yourself, but to mom, you are."She said.

He was silent till she continued,"Uncle Felix is really sick, do you think I could go to help him?"

He smiled then said,"I'll tell you what, you keep your mom company and I'll go and talk to him, deal?"

"Okay but...please don't be too hard on him."

"... I'll try."He said and left.

Anneliese couldn't make sense of the dream, it was just flashes of memories that I had no part in, including far into the past, like before even my mom was born, they were giving her a headache when she wasn't even the one supposed to experience them.

She woke herself and me up and I slowly turned over, my brain throbbing, I hadn't had much practice in Dream Catching so I was basically still a beginner.

I saw Curtis standing besides my bed then smiled at him in the dim light as he asked,"What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to fix what I broke...my sister."I answered.

"Just stop it will you? Every time you try to ' help ' you make things worse, now Alexa's sleeping like a log, just leave us alone and don't interfere in our business."

He then stormed out of the room and I sighed as Anneliese was leaving to get me some warm peanut soup.

I stopped her and begged her not to leave me, so she sat besides me to ask,"What is up with you and Curtis?"

"He blames me for what is happening to Alexa."

"And is it your fault?"She asked.

"A little...a lot, I was just trying to protect her and ended up breaking her, but Curtis wouldn't listen no matter how much I try to apologize."

"I don't think it's that simple, Curtis is a very misunderstood guy, who takes time in forming intimate relationships, but when he does, he does everything he can to keep them safe, somehow like..."

"Alex?"

"You."

She kissed my forehead and left the room.

***

Alexa was sleeping, cuddling Nicky like a stuffed animal as someone entered the room, then walked closer to the two, smelling their blood, he knew they were both exceptionally powerful, he couldn't choose, so he went for the smaller one first.

He gently gripped the girl's neck, then opened his mouth, showing his pearly white vampire fangs.

He struck at the girl's neck but was interrupted an inch away from the enticing appendage when someone said,"If you dare bite her, I'd make sure you'd wish you weren't immortal."

The vampire looked up and down at Curtis then grinned and said,"I'll save the beauties for last..."

It then dashed at him and jumped into the air but a swirling wind blew it, crashing it into the ceiling and back down.

Before the vampire could even get to its knees, it was blown to a wall by another wind, then slammed into the ceiling again and thrown back down, right before dispersing into a flood of bats, some of which distracted Curtis, the rest of which dashed at the sleeping beauties.

Curtis was about to teleport to their side when he was held down by a powerful force and all the bats flew to and gathered behind him, where they materialised as Curtis struggled to break free, then the vampire licked its lips and bit him on the bottom of his neck and he yelled, then a pair of eyes darted open...