Solemn Acceptance

Charlotte smiled at her in agreement only to frown when Stone shook his head. Slitting her eyes over at Stone, she tried to convey to him to let Lucia go. He lifted one shoulder as if he didn't know what she was asking for. "You're going to stay with us for the time being, little one. It would be dangerous for you to be on your own at the moment."

"I'll be fine," Lucia pushed back. "Whatever illegal you all are doing, I won't say. Whatever thing you all are, I could hardly care less. Now, can we leave?"

Stone sighed. "We can talk about this later."

"We can talk about this now," Lucia hardened her voice.

Stone slid a glance over at Vincent, who was still on his best behavior but knew that it wasn't going to stay that way if he and Lucia didn't get going soon. "It is for the wellbeing of our race."

"Confirm it for me," Lucia muttered. "You all aren't normal right?"

Charlotte shook her head. "I'm a human, Lucia. Those you might meet going forth may all be vampires. The vampires that you have heard or seen on screen aren't exactly the same as the ones you see before you. They are just like humans except need blood as their primary sustenance as well as enhanced abilities that they cannot put in the spotlight."

"This is insane," Lucia bit out as her brows came together in worry. "Are you sure you want to be alone with him, Charlotte?"

"It's okay," she reassured. "I'll call for help when I need to."

Lucia gave a sharp laugh. "Do you even know what you're getting into? You're getting into something over your head."

"I've gone through it before. It's bloodlust, Lucia," Charlotte said with a long sigh. "I'll be alright. Follow Stone out, because I'm sorry to say, but you're in it for the long run."

Stone yanked her up by her arm making her squeak out in pain from his harsh grasp. "Let me go," she bit out.

"We need to go, little one."

"It's Lucia, goddamn it."

Charlotte should have seen it coming, but Lucia's frustration suddenly flowed out freely, and her anger fueled her to swing her free right hand that wasn't imprisoned by Stone through the air, her clenched fist flying as it smacked Stone square in the jaw with the hard sound from either his jaw or her knuckles cracking loudly.

Stone dropped her hand like it was foul, and she swung again, and Stone tackled Lucia to the wall. Lucia let out an unladylike grunt and curse only to get on top of him and start punching and kicking away much to Charlotte's shock.

Stone ripped Lucia off of him and threw her off of him making her cry out in pain when her body roughly slammed into the adjacent wall with too much force that it even made Charlotte cringe.

Vincent sensed Charlotte's distress and looked up at Stone and Lucia and roared. Charlotte wrapped her arms around Vincent and forced his gaze to look back at her. Vincent's eyes were glazed, and Charlotte knew that she didn't have much time left before Vincent was truly pushing the limits of his control.

Lucia backed up against the wall while covering her knuckles to her chest from the pain and wheezing for air, and Stone touched his wrist as if he was getting ready for a second round of getting rough.

"Everyone, stop!" Charlotte yelled.

"Don't touch me," Lucia hissed as she glared up at him.

Stone spat the blood from his mouth to the ground. "It might actually be better if I suck you dry right here."

"Don't you dare touch her!" Charlotte yelled. "If I so much see a scratch on her body, Stone, I'll put you six feet under the ground. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, yes," Stone replied lazily despite having the angry flare of the golden ring around his eyes that was at least better than the full golden eyes as a marker of alarm. "It wouldn't be convenient to get in between my best tracker's lady and her plus one."

"Get out of here, Stone," Charlotte muttered. "Tend to your wounds and watch over Lucia in the meantime."

Vincent was still in a state of delirium and was breathing softly on her shoulder with his soft breaths warm on her neck. She needed to sate his bloodlust as soon as possible since they couldn't stay in this place for too long considering that Stone had already given their signal out for a rescue group to come which would draw the vigilantes closer as well.

Her body was starting to heat up to match Vincent's, and Charlotte tilted her head at Stone to wait for his answer, but Stone didn't bother to give her the words that she wanted and went out the doors first, slamming it shut behind him. Lucia nodded at Charlotte without another complaint of protest and was about to go out the door when she stopped Lucia.

Charlotte lifted her hand to catch Lucia's attention, and Lucia turned back. "What is it?" she asked.

Charlotte lifted her arm to pull a blade from its sheath strap and tossed it over to her on the ground. "For self-defense."

"Or maybe to give him a taste of his own medicine," Lucia muttered.

"Don't go starting any battles when I'm not there," Charlotte reminded lightly.