Title: Walk the Line

Rating: M

Summary: "I don't care if you're my mate or Tristan's daughter," Will drawled, pressing Emilie against the wall, his lips so close to hers. "I hate you," he hissed. "But you're beautiful and you're mine." Sequel to The Thin Line

Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have…

Is it still me that makes you sweat?
Am I who you think about in bed?
When the lights are dim and your hands
are shaking as you're sliding off your dress

"Em!"

Emilie Jane Aldridge looked up from her book to see her younger sister, Jules, standing there. Both girls, both beautiful, were spitting images of their mother, Marina, who was beautiful by all standards. But the eldest, Em, as she was affectionately called, was the most beautiful out of all of them. Long, wavy dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes, the same color as her father before he was changed.

Jules looked just like her, except her eyes were a dark brown, matching that of their mother's. Today was Emilie's sixteenth birthday, and today was the day she'd find out the rest of her life. Her parents knew who her mate was from the minute of her birth, and her parents were thrilled with the choice, finding him a proper suitor for their daughter. From what Marina told her daughter, Emilie deducted that he was handsome, rich, smart, witty and a full fledged vampire, changed the night Em was born.

Tristan said that he showed up at the house, the night Em was born and told him that he was his daughter's mate, and intended to stick around till she was of a rightful age, and take her as his mate and wife. While Tristan was thrilled to have a beautiful daughter, he wasn't at this moment.

"Daddy's looking for you! Another boy, Em!" Jules said, taking her sister's hand and leading them into the foyer. "Outta my way, Auntie Chrisina!" Jules said, pushing the girl's aunt Chrisina out of the way. Chrisina was still just as beautiful and still just as in love with Braden as ever. The two had discussed having children, but decided to wait longer, taking their time to travel the world. They had just returned from Milan.

"Jules! Manners!" That was the sweet voice of Em and Jules' mother. Marina hadn't aged from when she was seventeen, with her long brown hair still in thick waves, her eyes a golden brown, and lips a bright red. Tristan still saw her as a goddess and he worshipped the floor his daughters walked on. Tristan viewed his daughters as treasures he thought he'd never have, until he found Marina. "Your father is very angry, Em." She warned. "Naughty girl!"

"Emilie Jane! Get in this office now!" Tristan's booming voice echoed through the house, making Jules giggle.

"You're in for it now!" She taunted, running out of the room and back into her room, shutting the door. Em rolled her eyes, walking down the hall towards her father's office and was almost there, till a hand stopped her.

"Oh, Em! Sulking again?" A very handsome boy said behind Em, turning her around to face him. He was tall, lean and black eyed, like her father. Will Stratton had joined the coven around the time of Em's birth, and while most would treat her like a little sister, Will treated her like she was inferior. She wasn't a vampire or a mortal; Em was half and half.

"I have even more reason to sulk now; what idiot let you out of your cage?" Emilie baited, pushing past Will and down the hall towards her father's office, noticing that Will was indeed following her. "Stalking is illegal in all 50 states."

"That's in America, smart ass. We're in England, oh smart one! Besides, your father needs to talk to me as well." Will explained, keeping his stride with his hands in his pockets. While Em had no problem admitting her intense dislike for Will, she had a major problem admitting how handsome he was, especially in these passing weeks.

Stopping at the door, Em went to knock on the door and received a brisk 'come in,' as the two walked in to see a stern, angry Tristan sitting at his desk.

"Third boy this week, Em! Sit!" He instructed, as both Em and Will took a seat in front of the desk, Em's eyes wide as Will smirked. "I understand that being half vampire and half mortal makes you unusually beautiful, but honestly, can you ease up with the boys coming and begging for my permission to marry you?! It's Monday night and that Kyle boy was the third this week! THIRD!"

"Oh is that all, daddy?" Em cooed, smiling at her father. "I was joking, I swear! He begged me to marry him, and I told him I'd say yes if you said it was all right. All the boys are scared of you, and haven't met you! I didn't think he'd have enough balls to come here." Em said with her smile still plastered on her face.

"Don't talk like that, Emilie. It's not ladylike. You know I'd never consent unless the boy was your mate, and that human was not." Tristan said, his eyes darting to Will when he said the word 'mate', but Em hadn't noticed. "You're sixteen today, which means that today your mate will make himself known to you."

"Mom was almost seventeen when you found her," Emilie said, picking at her nails. Tristan nodded knowingly, but didn't answer.

"Your mate has known you since your birth, and while he hasn't made himself a huge part of your life, he has always been looking out for you." Tristan continued to explain when Em felt something touching her leg. Will let his foot rest atop hers, sending sparks through her. Every time he touched her, she felt like this. If only he had a better personality.

"It's that guy! The one in the kitchens? He always knew what I was craving." Em said, before Will interrupted.

"It doesn't take a genius to know what you crave. You have the most severe addiction to chocolate I've ever seen, and I've been with loads of women." Will smirked.

"Your invisible friends and your hand hardly count as 'women'." Em drawled, her eyes turning to face Will as he scowled.

"As I was saying, they have support groups for chocoholics like you. It's called Weight Watchers; I think you should look into it." Will retorted, earning a hiss from Em.

"I think I should take my foot and shove it up your…"

"Emilie Jane Aldridge! If you finish that sentence, I'll never let you have chocolate again!" Tristan yelled, taking a piece of chocolate and throwing it at her. Emilie immediately shut her mouth.

"Now I know how it's done," Will grinned while Tristan scowled at him.

"And if I ever see you speak that way to my daughter again, let's just say you won't just be missing your tongue." Tristan menaced, his eyes as black as night. Will piped down but kept his eyes locked on Tristan's, as if challenging him. He was treading on his territory.

"Yeah, yeah, dad. I know he's supposed to come into my life, like be the knight and all, but how am I supposed to meet him if I don't go out? Me and Jules are going out." Em said, standing up from the chair and turned to look at Will. "Will, never a pleasure to see you and I sincerely hope that you fall down the stairs and break your neck. Bye daddy!"

Tristan didn't even bother opening his mouth, just turned to look at Will, who was scowling at the door.

"I don't know what the scowl's more about; the fact that your mate hates your guts or knowing that she'll attract men everywhere she goes."

"A little of both."

"I suppose it didn't go well," Braden said, noticing Tristan's face as the two of them went on their nightly dinner hunt. "You do know that when Em does come around, and she will, that she'll be happy with him."

"Or kill him, signing her own death warrant in the process. Emilie's reckless, she always was. Will is calculating and observant, the perfect predator. I'm not so sure I'm thrilled about that." Tristan said, his eyes searching for a scent he could tolerate. After biting Marina, every scent he smelt was terrible and vile. "I don't like the way he talks to her."

"If you haven't noticed, Emilie isn't exactly the most inviting towards him. But despite their bickering, Will has already sworn his loyalty to Em, in case you haven't noticed the way he watches her. Believe it or not, he's not over all the time for your company." Braden snickered, catching sight of a lovely blonde.

"He adores her, I know." Tristan said, taking notice of the blonde too. "Want to share?"

"Will Stratton! Put me down!" Em screamed as Will dragged her into the house, with Jules following behind them. "I'm with my sister, asshole!"

"You were dancing suggestively with some boy you didn't even know!" Will said, dropping her to the floor, with Em yelping as she hit the ground. "I did not like the way he was looking at you."

"Well, prison warden, I'm sixteen years old and you aren't my parent or my mate! I'll dance with whoever I fucking please and I'll do more with whoever I choose." Emilie threatened, as Jules ran out of the room, knowing it'd be a blood bath.

"I don't care who he was and what I am to you, but you're lucky I didn't break his neck! You let him put his hands on you like that? I'm your…I, uh, what would your father think?!" Will caught himself, baring his teeth at her, a territorial sign.

"Will Stratton has a weakness? I liked having his hands on me, on my waist and my chest. Kissed him too; knew what he was doing. He's not the only boy I danced with." Emilie taunted, smiling at Will. She used that smile, the smile that enticed any boy she directed it at. She watched as Will bit hard into his cheek, trying to keep in control.

Em smirked, sashaying her hips as she walked away, only to feel Will grab her by the waist, wrapping his arm tight around her waist.

He was baring his fangs at her again, his eyes the darkest she's ever seen it as he pressed her up against the wall. Em locked her eyes on his, and she never wanted someone so badly as she did right now; and it had to be her worst enemy. As if on command, Em wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him closer as she reveled in the feeling of his hands on her.

But she woke up from this dream, instantly shoving Will off her, scowling.

"Don't touch me," She growled, her eyes locked on Will's, the electric feeling of him touching was still present on her skin. But Will only smirked.

"You wanted me to kiss you, just now. You like the feeling of my hands on you and the way I held you against the wall. You've never had a problem attracting boys but I've always been the one you've wondered about. You claim to hate me, but I'm the only one that can get past the front you put up. You'd fall apart in my arms…"

He stopped as he felt the sting of Em's slap across his face. He turned to growl at her, but found no one standing in front of him. He heard the slam of her bedroom door and smirked. She was slowly breaking down and his advances towards her would become easier and easier to complete. It made sense; she was his mate after all.

"I don't like how this is going," Marina said to Tristan as she heard her daughter in the next room. She was annoyed and agitated, barking at anyone who dared enter her room to leave. "I know Will is a good man at heart, but he uses sex against her."

"I really don't want to hear my daughter and sex in the same sentence." Tristan said, lying down on their bed, as the sun began to rise. "Will cares for her deeply, but he just shows it in an odd and rather immature way is all."

Marina came to lie on the bed next to Tristan and wrapped her arms around his torso. "What happened to the dinner and movie sort of courtship? Now it's the 'push me against the wall, take me' situation." She pressed her lips against his chest and sighed. "I'm surprised Jules isn't jealous."

"The girls are close; Jules is happy for her sister, and her mate will come soon enough. I just hope that he isn't as…hostile towards her as Em and Will are to each other." Tristan whispered, taking him and Marina under the covers, kissing her forehead. "A boy came in today. He said he saw Jules at the club with Em and says he's her mate. I told him to feel free to come and stay with us, to get to know our Jules better. It should be a full house soon, with James, Ryn and Mila coming back soon. Wonder how they liked Italy?"

"I'm more worried about Em and Will. I just don't understand how the two can despise each other so much. I honestly believe that if Em is left in the dark about who exactly Will is, she'll continue to hate him." Marina mused, turning to her side and turning off the light. "I don't trust him."

"You don't have to trust him; Em does."

Song: Lying is the most fun a girl can have without taking her clothes off by Panic! At the Disco

The biggest problem with The Thin Line was with Tristan and Marina moving too fast. From the first chapter, you guys think I'm having the same problem again but I promise you, that isn't true! I did that scene between Will and Em to show their power over each other, but no real romance will happen between the two for a little while, considering the two are too prideful to give in fully to one another. Will seems like an asshole, but he honestly does care about Em (that's the true reason why he showed up at the club; not a jealousy thing). Also, a lot of reviewers from the last chapter of the Thin Line were like 'what the hell is up with your chap. titles?' All of my chapters are named after songs, and the beginnings of each chapter that are in italics are lyrics that I find especially poignant to the story. A little fyi. Real plot will start next chapter, so review!