Hero
Lyrics by Enrique Eglasias
As she slipped into the smoky loudness of Asuka’s, the only dance club remotely near Maharet’s compound, Jesse felt a slight twinge of guilt. She’d snuck out of the house before her two friends had woken, to go drink and dance with people her age. Not that they weren’t good company, Maharet’s insightful arguments about archaeology and Mael’s cheerful banter, but she needed a night out. So, having put on some shimmery make-up, strappy heels, and a short, but flared dress, she’d left the compound and made her way here.
Loud techno blared out of the speakers above the dance floor and people writhed there. Instead of joining them immediately she went to the bar and ordered a Horny Girl Scout, finding the name of it humorously appropriate and enjoying the sweet tastes of peppermint schnapps and kahlua. Outside the sun slid below the horizon and Jesse emptied her second shot glass of the same drink.
Sliding onto the dance floor she found something else to be guilty about; for years she’d been learning to dance from Mael, Maharet’s tall, blonde friend, and now those same dance moves, made racier and done faster, made her the star of the floor, but without Mael. Beautiful men and women clung to her, swaying to the beats of the frantic music and Jesse surrendered.
When the cool hands fell on her hours later, Jesse was grateful for the contact. She was hot and sweaty from the dancing, her dress clinging to her body, hair damp.
“What’s your name, sugar?” She asked, knocking back another Girl Scout, the third of the night. His hands moved to stop her from the drink but he was too slow to stop her.
“Jesse-“ Her eyes went wide and she fought off choking on the sweet liquor.
“Mael? What are you doing here?” Turning to see him better she was startled to see he’d changed out of his usual clothes; instead of tan doeskin, Mael wore black leather pants and a midnight blue dress shirt. “What happened to your clothes?” The blonde man ducked his head slightly, hiding the emotion in his eyes.
“Maharet insisted I should change before coming to retrieve you; something about me looking like a rabid woodsman, I believe.” His jewel bright blue eyes fell to her forest green dress, which clung awkwardly from sweat, and when he looked back up hunger was in his eyes. Jesse grinned at the expression on his face.
“To retrieve me?” Jesse asked.
“Ah, yes. Wouldn’t want any harm to come to you, would we?” The way he was standing with her was possessive enough that she saw prospective dance partners stopping ten feet away. “Lets go home Jesse.” He leaned in and lowered his voice. “Who knows what any of these young men have on their minds? Some one might just grab-“
“Probably the same thing you have on yours.” Jesse retorted. Mael froze, fire in his eyes, and mouth working like a fish. Seeing that he was stunned, she made a break for it, melding back into the dancing crowd seamlessly. The druid stopped gaping, shook his head, and reminded himself that Maharet would likely skin him alive for lusting after her human relative. Then he entered the fray, tracking Jesse, mind not sure if he wanted to drag her back to the compound and to safety, or show her exactly how right her statement was, to hell with the consequences.
Jesse laughed when the cold hands caught her again, spinning her to face his blue-eyed wrath.
“Jesse-“
“Dance with me, Mael?” The flabbergasted Druid felt her warm arms wind around him and felt himself be reminded that this was, after all, Maharet’s ancestor and that the apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree. She had him wrapped around her little finger.
“Not to this garbage.” As much as he wanted to. Kept reminding himself that Maharet liked skinning things.
Of course, as if she’d planned it, which would have been interesting, a slow tune started. One that they had danced to in the past couple of weeks. Mael shrugged and gave in, letting the universe force his hand.
*Would you dance
If I asked you to dance?
Would you run
And never look back?*
Ignoring the foreboding feeling her wicked smile gave him, Mael let his arms wind around the red head as people around them began swaying to the music.
*Would you cry
If you saw me crying?
Would you save my soul tonight?*
“Oh, ha ha Jesse.” He heard the beat picking up behind the music and mock frowned at the girl.
“Dance with me Mael. Please.”
*Would you tremble
If I touched your hands?
Would you laugh?*
The words broke him and Mael gave in, releasing Jesse to twirl her quickly before pulling her flush against his cool body. Someone whistled at them and Jesse laughed, her head lolling back on its pale column, making Mael lick his lips appreciatively.
*Oh please tell me this
Would you die
for the one you love?
Oh, hold me in your arms tonight.*
People watched as the pale blonde manipulated the younger red head around the dance floor, the chemistry between the two of them obvious as they swayed or slid against each other. Their emerald and saphire eyes were locked and both were smiling vividly, no one noticing one had a much sharper set of pearly whites.
*I can be your hero baby
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away.*
Mael pulled Jesse close, one hand nesting in her hair and holding her into his neck, the other hand spread across the lower back. His cool lips brushed her ear as he whispered the lines to her and Jesse pulled back, grinning from ear to ear.
*Will you swear
That you’ll always be mine?
Would you lie
Would you run and hide?*
He spun Jesse again, much to the delight of the techno crowd who found the blend of music and dance styles irresistible and she pulled him after her, so the lithe druid had to spin to her. He laughed, enjoying himself too much, having completely forgotten about Maharet and her threats about returning her progeny home in one piece.
*Am I in too deep?
Have I lost my mind?
I don’t care, you’re here tonight.
I can be your hero baby
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away.*
This time when Mael pulled Jesse back to him he saw faint tears at the corners of her eyes, and leaned in to kiss them away. The saline taste flooded his palate, reminding him how human she was, how fragile.
*I just want to love you
I just want to hold you
Am I in too deep?
Have I lost my mind?
I don’t care, you’re here tonight.*
Jesse pressed her lips to the edge beneath his jaw, feeling a pulse throbbing there, beneath the cool skin and felt his hands tighten on her momentarily. He bent his head to sing her the chorus again, blue eyes flashing.
*I can be your hero baby
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away
And I can be your hero
I can kiss away the pain
And I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away*
She let her fingers wind in Mael’s silvery blonde locks and pulled his head down towards hers. His cool lips pressed to hers for a moment, before they opened and with a few touched of her own tongue against his she realized he must be cool all over. Of course, her over-active, and with him, dirty imagination immediately supplied her with wonderful ideas of how to use Mael to keep cool on the sweltering summer nights. Jesse ended up smiling against his mouth.
*You can take my breath away
And I can be your hero.*
Once the song was over Mael slid an arm around her waist and led her off the dance floor, glaring down other interested men. She laughed and wrapped a hand around one of his strong arms. Soon they were out in the warm California night and he guided her to the roadster, at which point Jesse slid into the passenger seat and handed him the keys.
“If I had the car, how did you get here?” She asked as he started the engine and began backing up. Mael winked.
“I flew all the way,” he said conspiratorially. “Just to save you.” Jesse yawned and giggled at his answer. Minuets later she was curled against his side, halfway asleep as Mael drove down the highway, back to the compound.
“Mael…” she murmured in her sleep, fingers curling in his shirt material. The rest of the ride was silent, as Mael hooked an arm around Jesse, fingers brushing over her red locks. At the compound, almost an hour later, he lifted the slight girl in his arms and made his way through the long halls towards her room, only to be intercepted at the doorway by Maharet. A non-furious looking Maharet, he was pleased to see.
“Have fun?” She asked.
“Fun?” he echoed, unsure how to answer the question, and shifted Jesse in his arms. She sighed.
“My hero…” her fingers looped into his shirt collar and tugged at it. “Mael, I’m tired, I want to go to bed…” she sounded like a petulant child, which saved his hide, he was sure. “Come with me?” And then she was asleep again.
Mael could feel Maharet’s gaze on him and knew, except for the fact he was holding Jesse, she’d probably make all of his internal organs explode with her mind. He’d seen her do it before, in China. Looking up, ready to face his doom, he was startled by the look on her face.
Maharet looked highly amused, green eyes sparkling mischievously at him. With one pale hand she pushed the door to Jesse’s room open and motioned for him to put Jesse down on the bed within. He slunk by and she followed him daintily.
“You look like the child that just got caught in the cookie jar.” She told him as he laid Jesse out on the hanging bed.
“Aren’t I?”
When Maharet made a choking noise he turned and saw she had her face in her hands, and was laughing softly. With a wave of her hand she tried to compose her self.
“Go stand over there, and turn around. I have to dress Jesse for bed, you big stupid Druid.” Mael did as she said, facing the empty wall. Maharet snickered a few more times. “I can’t believe you actually thought that I made you change so you wouldn’t scare people.” More choking laughter. “To think you’ve survived this long, Mael. I made you change so that you would look more attractive to Jesse.” Mael turned around at that, startled, but Maharet had already slid Jesse into a large tee shirt and sat brushing her red curls. “She’s madly in love with you, you know.” Maharet’s expression went dead serious in a second. “You break her heart, I’ll break yours.”
“I love her too much for that.” Mael promised.
“Then we have an understanding?”
He nodded.
