Double update again... If I fail my classes, I blame this book... :) 

Edit: lokidottir

~Songs~

How to Save a Life- the Fray (it's a perfect song for the last scene)

Enjoy!

Chapter Seven 

~Thea's POV~

When I wake up, I'm still in the portal room. I must not have been out for long. Jack, bless him, hasn't panicked and run for help. He is staring at me, sitting with crossed legs, a few feet away from me as if I'm going to disappear at any given second. 

"Did you turn the thing off?" I ask, gesturing wildly at the portal to elaborate what 'thing' is. "Turn it off, turn it off, turn it-"

"It's turned off, no sweat," says Jack, who looks relieved that I've shown signs of life. "So, um, what happened? You said hampire or something, what does that...mean?" 

I groan, suddenly remembering what had happened. I would have loved to pass it off as a dream. I feel very dizzy, but not as bad as I had been. "Let's get out of here first, before Tony decides to come and check on his pet invention."

Jack does not follow me silently, "You're scaring me, Thea," he says as we bound us the stairs to the fifth floor, where my room is. We manage to avoid contact with anyone. "Could you elucidate a little more?"

"Elucidate?" I wrinkle my nose as I run, "You've been hanging out with Max, haven't you?" 

I shut the door behind us with a bang, locking it with a click.

"Well he is my cousin," points out Jack. 

"Wait, I thought he was your half cousin," I say, running over to the window, checking for any sort of bird whatsoever, and then closing the curtains tightly. "How does that work?"

Jack watches me from his perch on my bed, concerned, as I triple check the lock on my door. "He's my dad's second wife's nephew, Kyle too. Now could you tell me what happened?" 

"I didn't land in Asgard," I say, as way of explanation, throwing my dagger down onto the bed, narrowly missing Jack's thigh. 

"I sort of figured that part out for myself," says Jack without a glance at the knife. "Where'd you go?" 

I stop trying to look at my neck wound in the mirror and pause to think about that. I know that it was a city, possibly New York, but seeing as Blaidd had gotten to Michigan, I rather doubt it. "I have absolutely no idea," I finally admit.

"Thanks for that," says Jack sarcastically.

"It was on earth though," I say.

"Oh goody, you've narrowed it down to planet earth," Jack is getting more and more sarcastic as he's getting more and more impatient. "Got anything else?" 

"It was a room..." I say carefully, having no idea how to explain this. 

"Thea, you really need to take public speaking lessons."

"I...I..." I stammer, then burst into tears. 

Jack immediately looks sorry for his sarcasm and gets off the bed to give me a hug. "Um, Thea, are you all right?" 

"No, no, no, no, no!" I wail. "I thought all of this was over!" 

"Okay, Thea, you're still scaring me," says Jack, his eyes frightened, "Can you tell me, I am begging of you, what happened?" 

"I can't!" I gasp, "I can't, I can't, I can't!"

"Okay, okay, I got it," says Jack, rubbing my back in comforting little circles. "You can't. How about...you just rest? I have to get home soon enough, anyway." Jack looks satisfied with the plan. "And you text me if you want to, you got me?"

"Yeah," I say, "But you swear you won't tell anyone, right?"

"Of course not," says Jack looking rather hurt that I dare bring up such an act of desolate betrayal. "I told you that I didn't want my arse kicked for-"

He stops talking as the door handle jams. I jump, running behind the mirror, and immediately feel stupid as Clint's voice rings out, "Are you guys in there?" 

Jack gives me another curious look as I walk out from behind my pathetic excuse for a hiding place and then opens the door. 

"Hey, Jack, we need to get go- hey, Thea, what's wrong?" 

I open my mouth and close it. Good job, Thea. 

Thankfully, Jack steps in smoothly. "Gwen. It's um...it's been rough," he says the last part in a whisper, further solidifying the lie. "Yeah."

Clint looks at me, then says, "Thea, you're not leaving until Tuesday now. Something came up in the lab, and seeing as you're suspended," Clint doesn't appear the slightest bit concerned or surprised that I've landed myself in suspension, "It's okay if you don't get back to Michigan until that night." 

"Yeah," I say loquaciously, "Yeah, sounds good, thanks."

"Let's get going Jack," says Clint, nodding at me and then vanishing into the hallway. 

Jack gives me another hug, again orders me to text him at any given time ("even if it's 3 AM") and then follows his uncle. 

I immediately lock the door behind him. 

*

I spend the rest of the day in my room, mostly staring at the ceiling. But then, I get up and turn on the laptop computer on my desk. Opening Google, I type in Velah. The only thing that comes up is some sort of Indie band. 

Next, I try vampire. 

This, of course, brings up tens of millions of results, most of them having to do with Twilight) so I narrow it down to vampire + Ardhigiza. 

Nada. 

I give up an hour later, minimizing the window. Whatever the Velah are, they are undocumented on the Internet. 

*

At dinner, we are joined by Maria Hill and Bruce, but not Jack, which gives me a beautiful excuse for not talking. I play with bits of my pasta, swirling it around my fork in perfect little bunches before dumping it back down and starting over.

"Not hungry?" Pepper asks me kindly, and I jump at her words. I've been jumping at everything today. 

Kyle's eyes swivel over towards me and narrow.

"Um, no, not really," I say, avoiding Kyle's suspicious look. "Jack and I had a snack earlier." 

Pepper smiles, and Kyle looks relatively satisfied, going back to his pork loin. "Ah. I told Tony we need to put a lock on that refrigerator, for the amount the two of you eat."

I laugh as realistically as possible. 

*

That night is a nightmare. Actually, it's several nightmares, most of them having to do with Videl. In them, he's advancing towards me threateningly, leering at me coldly, laughing, bloodthirsty, and I all I can taste and smell and feel is blood. 

I wake up screaming to one of them, when he had killed Leah and gone on to me, fangs in my neck, eyes red. Panting, I scramble out of blood and turn on my light. Hurrying over to the bathroom, I toss water onto my face, trying to cool my face down. 

When I look up, Videl is looking at me through the mirror. 

I close my eyes and  scream so shrilly, I'm pretty sure I'm going to break the mirror. 

"God, Thea, what is up with you?" 

I open my eyes a peep. It's only Kyle, who is (of course) shirtless and sleepy-eyed. I am so relieved that I lean down against the counter. "Oh...Kyle...hi..." 

"Nightmare?" he asks shrewdly. 

"Good guess," I rasp. 

"Mind telling me what it's about?" 

I wave my hand as casually as possible. "Just...just the usual." I squeak. 

"Do you want me to stay in here with-"

"No. No, you're fine. I mean I'm fine." I take a deep breath. "I'll probably just read a little." 

He raises an eyebrow. "All right then. Nighty night." I hear the door shut behind him. 

I read The Giver without really comprehending what I'm reading. I try to fight my heavy lids, but eventually, sleep wins, as it does every night, and I'm forced back to my nightmares. 

The next time I wake up screaming, the sun is filtering through my closed curtains, and I hear the usual busy and clamor of New York and Stark tower. They're ready to start the day, even if I am not. 

*

I'm still thinking about what to do about my little Velah problem as I watch Bruce and Kyle work in their lab on Monday. To tell anyone except Jack and Peter (who I am definitely not going to bother right now) would land me in such infinite trouble, I'd be lucky I wouldn't end up imprisoned for the rest of my life. But to not tell anyone could potentially land me or someone else as a midnight snack. 

I had debated writing in the journal in all-caps for Thor's help, but had decided against the decision. Not only is the journal practically useless, but Thor would probably tell Loki, which means I would definitely be imprisoned for life. Or worse. Definitely worse. 

I've never been trapped in such a corner. 

Jack had texted me repeatedly yesterday, and I had answered only because I didn't want him getting so worried that he'd go back on his word and turn us in. My responses were so short that Jack hadn't even texted me this morning. 

I've been jumpy the entire time at Stark Tower, startling at everything from a slammed door to a loud voice, to JARVIS reporting throughout the day. When the phone had rang shrilly throughout the building, I had lost my balance on the stairs and fallen backwards. Thankfully, Kyle had been there, and had naturally found something new to tease me about. 

Now, I am fiddling with a bit of wire as I watch Bruce record various measurements on a large platinum screen. "What are you doing?" 

Bruce looks at me from over his glasses. "Taking measurements."

"Yeah, I know that. What are you doing that for?" I'm talking mainly to keep my nerves down. "Like, what are you measuring?" 

"Red blood cell proportions in a sample of liver," replies Bruce calmly. 

"Oo. Blood. Delightful!" I say in a fake-cheerful voice. 

Bruce looks up, not at me, but at Kyle, who has been watching my every movement as if I were a documented criminal. "Are you okay, Thea? You're not acting like yourself." 

"Yeah, I'm fine," I say, deciding that it's time to escape from the lab before anyone can ask me any more questions. 

*

That afternoon, I lie back on one of the giant couches in one of the even bigger living areas that populate the second floor of Stark Tower, thinking so hard that my brain is beginning to hurt. Technically, Jack could  beam me to Myrinea, but not only is wherever-she-is not technically a realm, but Jack is in school today and tomorrow, and I leave tomorrow night. 

I might be able to get up there by myself, but that's assuming it's not locked and I have the right HP code. I will not be trusting anything on my phone, seeing as-

"Okay, Thea, time's up. What's going on?"

I jump about two feet in the air, then whirl around to see Kyle leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and staring daggers at me. 

"What do you mean what's going on?" I ask as innocently as possible. 

Kyle, with his usual saunter, walks over and sits down next to me on the couch, clasping his hands together, then ticks off with his fingers, "Let's see. You're more fidgety than the horses during a thunderstorm, you never go anywhere in this building without your dagger," he looks pointedly at the dagger in my hand- I try to push it underneath the cushion. "You're screaming bloody murder in your sleep and yelling about blood and Leah and something like Vishel over and over, and you were googling the likes of vampire and Velah and whatever that last word was." 

After I give him a confused look, he adds, "You didn't close out of Google, you minimized it." 

Damn, damn, damn.

"Now what's going on?" His green eyes are regarding me with curiosity and a little more than smugness. 

For once in my life, I cannot think of a lie suitable for something as monumental as this. 

"Um. Um. Um." I gulp, looking anywhere around the room but at Kyle. 

"Thea..." his voice is warning. 

"Nothing!" I exclaim, trying for exasperation. "Nothing! Would everyone stop grilling me?" 

I get up to stalk away, dignified as possible while I try my very hardest to figure out what to do with myself. Videl's eyes, fangs, and touch keep flickering through my mind. 

But Kyle, reacting quickly, grabs my arm before I can get far. "Thea, talk to me." 

"I'm fine!" I screech, abandoning all pretenses and losing my head completely. "I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine!" 

"Say you're fine one more time, and you're going to regret it," says Kyle, not letting go of me, no matter how hard I pull, leaning over me threateningly. 

"Leave me alone!" I scream at him, digging my heels into the carpet 

But he just wraps his arms around me as I begin to cry hysterically, falling back on the couch, taking me with him. "Sh..." he murmurs, rocking me gently, rubbing my back like Jack had a day ago. "Come here, tell me what happened."

In between my sobs, the entire story comes out in little pieces. I'm leaning against Kyle's chest and can't tell what his reactions are, but at least he doesn't yell at me, just holds me tighter. 

By the time I'm done talking, my head is throbbing, and my nose is all stuffed up. Kyle pushes me up so that I'm facing him. 

"Okay, Thea," says Kyle, reaching forward and pushing my now-wet hair from my face. "You need to calm down some. It's going to be all right, okay, sweetie? I swear, I've got your back, you got that?"

I nod miserably, trying not to start crying again and also thinking that Kyle has never called me 'sweetie' in a non-sarcastic way. 

"I'm going to talk with the rest of the guys. We'll figure something out. But you're not alone, okay?" Kyle leans forward and softly kisses my forehead. 

"You're not mad at me?" I whisper. 

"Of course I'm mad, I'm furious at you, and when this is all done with, I'm gonna ground you until you're eighteen. But for now, I'm going to help you clean up this mess that you've created for yourself." 

"But we're leaving for Michigan tomorrow," I say miserably. 

"Now we're not. I think a creepy vampy creature goes on a higher priority list than a math test, even if you weren't suspended. Look, Thea, I know things have been tough for you. They're going to get even tougher, so hold on tight." He flicks my elbow playfully, and I retaliate my punching his shoulder. He smiles. "Now let's go to dinner." 

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Love, Sierra