REXANNA
Rome wasn't built in a day.
Her hands scoured the top of the box until finally, finally she felt the crack to be able to pry it open. Her back turned to the outside, but she wasn’t entirely unprepared – the sparkler had been left momentarily on the top of the box to alight the world around her and there were plenty more where that came from. She pried it open just a tiny amount before a voice caused her to jump. Whirling, with sparkler now in hand, she turned to the source and spotted an all too familiar face among the darkness.And for a moment, she realizes she should have known.
But there weren’t any smiles and gentle greetings that she offered Lucas – no, her mouth formed a small line and she fought off the urge to reach for her neck where the bruising had gotten better, but still wasn’t one hundred percent. His voice had reached her in a purr, and where Rexanna would usually react to that as well, she couldn’t find it in her to really care that much. But he kept his distance for a moment, offering a bow, and she was reminded for a brief moment of Archebold as she looked upon him and her firework died before she summoned another to take its place.
“Not as bad as at the Spire.” She responded to him, voice flat and eyes perhaps a bit wary as she stared at him like a hawk. She didn’t trust one ounce of him after what had happened, she also didn’t know if he even remembered the event. But the night she spent at Phoebe’s after, with Bastien’s worried face and mother hen-like actions were enough for her to realize just how serious it had been. And now that she was getting better, she didn’t want to repeat it and worry anyone else further.
She didn’t move, though, uncertain of what exactly to do seeing as she was cornered in a way. She also didn’t know what his motives were, and some of that made her wary as well – especially as she eyed his grin and the fangs within, and how once upon a time she had craved the feeling they had given. But it was a dangerous game. Rexanna’s head tilted to him, almost bored as she kept him in her sights. “I am quite brave, actually, but I can handle myself when I know what to expect.” There was a bit of fire within her voice as she replied to his earlier statement and awaited to see where it would go from there.
But it burned in one.
