It Was Just Before Dawn, The Star Splattered Sky Was

Chosen

It was just before dawn, the star splattered sky was gradually being erased by the soft warm glow just beyond the horizon. I breathed in slowly and closed my eyes, padding my wet puffy, still feverish cheeks. There was no sound, no birds singing, no one talking, not even the rustling, sounds of the trees, dancing and swaying with the cool gentle breeze. Nothing but the sound of my heart, beating with content. I opened my hazel-nut brown eyes and glanced down at the tiny village that I called my home town below and sighed deeply. Should I jump? Should I just get this over and done with? Would anyone notice or care if I died? I never thought of how I was going to die. Until now. When one of the vampires came for me. I touched the mark on my pale neck. Suddenly I felt it burst into flames, burning me. I screamed in pain. I felt it’s venom running through my veins. I did not want to turn into a monster. I would rather jump off the cliff edge than live, live for eternity, as one of them. Something hot and wet poured down the sides of my cheeks, I hastily wiped away my tears. I only have one day left before I changed into a vampire. Maybe less… If I chose to become a vampire, I had to get to the vampire kingdom, or I will die. If I do not choose I will die anyway, but it would be a lot more painful…and slower as well. If I jumped now it would be all over. As I sat, thinking about what I should do, the memories of the incident just a few hours ago flew back to me. “Hey! Sirena!” my friend Kern shouted, “Wait up!”. I stopped and slowly turned round. I gave up on hiding my tears and I let them fall off my face. “What’s wrong?” He ran up to me and hugged me. I hugged him back tightly and burst into tears. “Is it your family again?” I nodded, not wanting to meet his gaze. “Tell me what happened, Sirena”. I slowly lifted up my head and looked into his bright blue eyes. I could tell he was worrying to much about me again. “It’s nothing. I’m fine honestly. Quit worrying about me so much, Kern.” I touched his face and smiled at him. “I just need to be alone for a little while, okay?” I let go of him and turned away, slowly walking down the long dark road. I was lying on the grass, next to the empty park, looking up at the clear night sky. It was so peaceful at night. I wish I could just lie here forever. Away from all my fears and troubles. Away from my parents anyway. They always say how they wish me dead. Or at least, to go for away from them, and never bother them. They have their other special daughter. The one who is always so perfect apparently. “Why can’t you be more like your sister!? Just leave and never come back! We don’t care about you anymore!” That is what they always told me. I sighed and closed my eyes, blood-shot and sore from all the crying. I wish I would leave too. I just want to belong somewhere. I want to be happy. Then just after I thought of those words…or said them. I wasn’t quite sure. I felt someone was here. I looked round. Sure enough, there was a guy, leaning against the side of the park fence, staring at me. It was hard to see who he was but the scarlet red, glowing mark on his neck illuminated his gorgeous face. He was tall and his pale skin seemed to glisten in the moonlight, his dark brown messy hair covering his left eye. His eyes were dark, almost black. He wore dark clothing, normal, but dark. I’m sure he noticed I was gawking at him because his smiled. His smile melted my heart. I knew straight away who he was. A vampire. And there was only one reason why he was in the real world. I have been chosen. “Sirena, come to me…” His voice was enchanting, putting me in a trance. I stood up on gradually walked towards him. “Night has chosen you, Sirena Rosewood. Now you must choose between life or death. Accept your new life. And join us at

the Moon Glaciers, in the Vampire Kingdom. You have one day.” And he took a step closer to me and touched my neck. His lips then sunk into my neck gently, his venom being pulsed through my veins as my blood trickled down the side of my neck. I gasped in pain and in pleasure. Then. Suddenly. I fainted. I then realised what I should do. What I am going to do. I stood up, took a deep breath, and took a step to my fate, I walked back down the steep steps, away from my past thoughts. I’m going to find Kern, I’m going to go to the Moon Glaciers. The Mark

I finally reached Kern’s house which seemed to have took hours to me. I knocked on the door and waited for a reply. “Who is it?” he answered. “It’s just me, Kern” I replied. “Oh Sirena. Come in!” he shouted. I tried to cover my neck with my long, black, curly hair and opened the door and walked through the bright colourful hall, up the stairs, and into his bedroom. His bedroom was different from the rest of the house. Instead of it being colourful and big, it was small and very dark and gloomy. His walls were painted black and dark blue, covered in his favourite metal bands. His bed was in the corner of the room, next to it was a dressing table with pictures of me and him from when we were little, to pictures of us recently. We have known each other since primary school and we’ve been close friends ever since. We never keep secrets from each other, we always tell each other everything. I don’t know what I would do without him. “Sirena, are you okay?” Kern asked, “You seem deep in thought.” “Oh sorry. Yea I was just thinking…” I trailed off. “Anyway, Kern I need to talk to you. It’s urgent. But it’s kind of hard to explain. Even to you…” I looked up at him. He was just an inch taller than me, seventeen, only a year older than me. His medium length black hair, streaked with blue through it looked amazing as always. His natural hair colour is blonde but he said he didn’t like it much so he dyes his hair. His electric blue eyes always startled me, his eyes were so amazing sometimes I can’t tear my gaze from them. He was wearing a black shirt, opened at the top to reveal some of his chest, black jeans, and black boots. He would suit being a vampire… god what am I saying. “Sers, you can tell me anything. You know that. We’re best friends. We never keep anything from each other.” he said to me, softly. “I know that.” I took a deep breathe and then told him everything. When I was finished he just looked at me in surprise. “Let me see the mark, please.” he smiled at me. “Okay, but don’t freak” I said. “I won’t, I promise, I’m not surprised you got chosen.” he said still smiling. I brushed my hair away from the left side of my neck, revealing my mark. “Whoa Sers, is it ment to look like that?” he said in a happily shocked voice. I didn’t know what he was talking about but I went over to the mirror. I looked awful. There was blue bags under my eyes, my skin looked unusually pale (yes, even for a soon-to-be-vampire), my hair was a state as well. Then I realised I haven’t slept for a whole 24 hours. God I need some sleep. Then I glanced down to my neck. It was beautiful but not normal. It looked like the adult vampire marks. Every adult vampire had a unique tattoo. Mine was a crescent moon, surrounded by stars, clouds and spirals. Though it was not yet glowing, a new vampire should not have any tattoo yet. Strange. I touched the mark and it burned, not a painful kind, but

a soft warm buzz, that seemed to flow all around my body. “It’s beautiful” Kern whispered. “I know. It is…” I replied back quietly. We stood for ages, staring at my wonderful new mark, it felt like minutes and minutes had gone by but maybe it was just a few seconds… Then I realised. This is not the time for gazing at a mark. I have to be at the vampire kingdom by tonight. What time is it? How long have I wasted? How am I going to get there? “What time is it?” I asked him. He checked his watch. “3 ‘o‘ clock” he replied. “We need to get going.” I said to him “Yes.” Kern agreed with me. “We have to go to your place to get you some of your things” “I am not going near them. They will never let me leave again. It will be like a prison. They will call me a freak, or a witch.” I whined. “Shh. It’s okay, I’ll be there with you. Every step of the way. I promise” he hugged me and cradled me in his arms, stroking my hair. I smiled at him and he smiled back. Kern is always such a caring guy… “Okay let’s go.” I said firmly. Walking down the stairs, back through the hall and out the door, seeming a lot more confident than I actually felt. Getting to my house was a lot quicker than getting to Kerns. As I stood outside my front door, I braced myself for what was to come, took yet another deep breathe, and went in. I went through to the kitchen and saw my mum cooking, as always. “Hi, mum.” I said, hoping she was in a good mood. “Where have you been all night?” she said coldly. Darn, looks like she isn’t. I forgot I never came home last night. Speaking of which…What happened after I fainted? I remember a vampire biting my neck and waking up…argh. I all of a sudden had a splitting headache. “I was at a friends house, staying over.” , as I tried to act calm. “Did you not think of telling me?” she said in the same cold tone. “Sorry I- I forgot.” I hesitated. “Hey, Mrs Rosewood” said a familiar voice. I sighed in relief. I forgot Kern was here. Kern makes things a lot better. “Oh, hello Kern. I never realised you were here.” she smiled, changing her tone of voice. “Yea, mum. I need to talk to you.” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “What have you done this time?”, back to her cold voice. I braced myself again, and moved my hair out of the way. Revealing my mark. She gasped in horror. “You witch! You-You…Your no daughter of mine. I will not have a daughter with an ugly thing like that on your neck. You freak! Get out of my house! NOW!” she screamed. I sighed. “I need to get some of my stuff. Then I will be gone. I will be out of your life for good. And I’m going to see my aunt that you call a so called witch, too. Bye.” and I stormed out the kitchen, stomped into my room and slammed the door. I heard Kern open the door, and closed it quietly behind him. “Are you okay?” he asked in concern. I sniffed and breathed heavily. He knew I was crying and he sat down beside me. He put his arms around me and cradled me again and said, “ Don’t cry. Your going to get through this.” Okay partially about what my mum says about my aunt is true. She has an extra sense. She can read auras and see and speak to spirits. Is that cool or what? I wish I had a gift like that. Just as I was drifting into deep thought, my head got worse, and I began to feel sick. I think I’m getting ill, or maybe… “What time is it?”, I asked Kern. “It is…”, checking his watch, “5 ‘o’clock” and he looked up at me. I am sure I saw the hint of worry, maybe even fear in his eyes? “Hell. Already? Time is going by so quickly today…”, I trailed off again and we were both silent, for what seemed like another few, very long, minutes. Wasting more time as my short life ticked away…

“We still have time, don’t worry.”, his fear in his eyes had disappeared, “but I have to say, you do look awful. You need to have a sleep. Even just an hours rest. Please?” he said. I thought about it for a while, wondering if I should waste any more time, then I eventually nodded in agreement. He was right. I did look awful and I haven’t slept in ages. I’m not a vampire. I laughed silently to myself at that thought. Well even if I was a vampire… vampires do sleep. The glowing red eyes, not ever sleeping and burning alive in the sunlight is all cliché crap. I lied down on my bed, closed my eyes, and in a few moments I was fast asleep.

A weird experience

I stirred in my sleep and reluctantly opened my eyes, not wanting to wake up from my peaceful dreaming. I glanced across the room sleepily, waiting for my eyes to re-adjust. I saw kern, sitting on a chair next to the computer desk, “What time is it?”, I ground, still half asleep. “It’s seven.”, he replied to me, “Sorry I never woke you up, you were exhausted and I didn’t want to disturb you.” “It’s okay.”, forcing myself to sit up on the bed. “I got all your things ready for you so we could leave straight away when you woke up.” “Okay let’s go.” And I got off the bed, picked up the rucksack that I swung over my shoulders, and headed out the door. Trying carefully not to make too much noise in case my mother noticed. I opened my truck door, and Kern sat in the drivers seat, as he reversed and turned out the street, I thought about seeing my aunt again. My Aunt Annika lived in a cottage next to a little forest in the countryside. She had a lovely home. I always knew when I was close to her house because of the nice smell of lavender, roses, and tulips. She loved collecting lavender from the lavender field that was not far from her house. She also had a wonderful garden, which she always took care of. When I was little, I used to pick flowers with Auntie Annika. And I would run home happily and give them to my mother saying, “Mummy. Mummy. Look what I got you. I picked some flowers for you again today. Aren’t they lovely?” And she would smell them, put them in a vase, and water them. But times have changed, she hardly notices me, and when she does all she does is blame everything on me. Saying how life would be better without me. She doesn’t need me. I shouldn’t have been born. I sighed, like I care anymore. That was the past, I’m moving on, starting a new life, and, I can’t believe I am going to say this but, starting a new life as a vampire. Oh my god. Then the headache came back again, and the sickness, I felt like I was going to throw up. I clutched the side of the truck door and breathed

in and out slowly. I need to get there fast. “Sers, are you okay?” Then, as if it couldn’t get any worse, my truck struggled, then slowed and halted to a stop. We ran out of petrol. “Ah, hell.”, I said, “I forgot I was almost out. Luckily it’s only half a mile or so till we get to my aunt’s house. We could walk.” “Okay, let’s get moving.” Kern said. We both stepped out the truck and walked steadily towards our last hope. After 15 minutes of continuous walking, I could see my aunt’s house, only a pinprick, up a large sloping road, but I could still see it. It was roughly eight now and the sun was gradually being replaced by the shining crescent moon and glittering diamonds above me. My head was getting more and more worse, like a person drawing a line up from the back of my head, over the top and down my forehead with a red hot poker. I screamed in agony. My stomach twirled and turned and my eyes began to blur. I could no longer focus properly. “Sirena! Are you okay!?”, he shouted. I managed to open my mouth to say, “I need to…get to…” I croaked, my voice sounding incredibly weak. “I know, we are almost there. Just hold on.” I walked and walked. My knees were getting weak and heavy, buckling underneath my body. I collapsed on the ground, shaking, unable to withstand my own weight. I leaned over and brought up my insides. Except I never threw up anything I have eaten, I through up my own blood. I’m dying. I’m not going to make it. It’s too late, I thought to myself. “Oh god, Sers,” he gasped, “I’m going to carry you now, okay? I’ll be gentle.” He lifted me up with ease, putting one hand beneath my knees, the other around my waist and hastened up the hill towards my aunts house, my only true home. Step by step we got closer. I threw up more and more blood that was pouring out my mouth like pouring red wine into a glass. Kern began to pick up the pace, turning into a jog, then a run, he ran the speed of sound up the steep slope. I felt so tired and weak. I just wanted to fall into a deep sleep, exhausted from the drainages of the puddles of deep scarlet that scattered the ground. Unable to keep my eyes open any longer, I did fall into that deep, deep sleep, or so I thought. I saw the bright light at the end of the never ending tunnel. I ran towards it but someone or something stopped me. I heard a voice, but it was not Kerns. This time it was a women’s voice. “Sirena…come this way, my daughter.” she whispered like sweet honey. I turned around, away from the startling white light that tried to pull me towards it. “That’s it, follow the sound of my voice…” I kept wondering aimlessly towards the soft warm voice, till I came upon a women. Her hair was long, curly and black. Like mine and my aunts. Her face was abnormally beautiful. Her soft pale skin glistening in the darkness. She wore a beautiful long black, strapless dress that fitted her perfectly. Her curvy body was covered in fascinating tattoos like mine. The glowing golden crescent moon on her neck with the spirals, swirls and stars had expanded across her cheek, also down from her neck, past her shoulders and down her back, arms and palms. The…I blinked to make sure I wasn’t imagining things. Nope. The spirals were turning and swirling and the stars were twinkling like they had a mind of their own. I was hypnotized by their amazing, magical uniqueness. Everything about her seemed so beautiful…so perfect. “Wh-Who are you?”, I asked. “I am Thea, the goddess of vampires. And you, are little Sirena Rosewood. My special girl. I am proud of you.” “How you know my name?” She laughed and said, “The world is full of secrets and mysteries, one day I will tell you everything. When you are ready, my Sers.” “Am I dead?”, I whispered. “No, you are not. I would say you were almost dead, if I didn’t stop you then you would be. But I don’t think that would make matters any better.”, she smiled sweetly at me. “I have so many questions to ask you…”

“I know, all in good time, my dear.” she said, “I have granted you a new life and new gifts, and in time you will learn more about your memories and your past that your mother in the human world would never wish to discuss with you. Believe in yourself, my daughter, and you will do well.” She hugged me, kissed my forehead, and touched my mark, a warm tingling feeling when down my neck as my mark shot into flames. Then, she turned and disappeared through the darkness. “Wait don’t go!”, I shouted. But no one answered. Suddenly I flew back into life, I saw a glimpse of my aunt and the glowing gate between the human world and the vampire world, and fainted for the second time in one day.

That guy

I woke up from my unconscious state. My senses slowly regenerating. First my smell came back, the smell of…a hospital really. Argh. Then sounds, the sounds of footsteps and people talking. I could hear Kern’s voice first. Thank goodness. I’m glad he is still here. Then my auntie Annika’s. Oh my god. I’ve missed her so much. And a female voice I did not recognise. Then my sight as I slowly opened my eyes. “She is stirring. She will wake soon.”, the mysterious person said. “Oh thank goodness, baby. Are you okay? Do you remember anything?”, my aunt said. I looked up at my aunt’s face. Her hair dangling over me. I could feel her breathe

on my face. I tried to think about last night. If it is even morning yet. But when I tried to think about it my head throbbed. The more I tried the more it ached. I shook my head. “You are still healing, your memories will come back in time. Your very lucky to be alive.”, the women smiled at me. She had brown, medium length, wavy hair. She was pale skinned and beautiful of course. With green eyes and dark red, glossy lips. I looked at her neck, she had a mark of a beating heart with a cupid arrow through it, surrounded by flying baby dragons that breathed fire. It glowed the scarlet red. It really was beautiful and fascinating. “Who are you?”, I said curiously. “I’m Pheora, high priestess of the Moon Glaciers. You are Sirena Rosewood. I have heard a lot about you by your aunt here. I am really fascinated by your mark also. Do you remember how it happened?”, she asked. “Oh, I don’t know. I got chosen and when I looked in the mirror I had a mark, but it does not glow.” “Does it not? I would suggest you look in the mirror then.” As she passed me a mirror. I looked myself again. Well not exactly myself. Just healthy again. I had beautiful, smooth, pale skin. My hazel-nut eyes shined, my lips were a healthy glossy red. I opened my mouth. My surprisingly healthy, snow white canines were long and sharp. Fangs!? Eeek. So there was some things about this turning-intovampire thing I needed to get used to. I looked down at my neck. It was…beautiful. I gasped in amazement. My mark was glowing brightly, a golden colour. “I have only just noticed that…”, I said surprisingly. “You are really fascinating Sirena, full of mysteries.” Then suddenly I remembered. How could I forget? Especially the conversation I had with the goddess, Thea. “The world is full of secrets and mysteries, one day I will tell you everything. When you are ready, my Sers.” She had also touched my mark. Was that when she made it glow? It was very special too. Only Thea’s mark glowed gold. Then I realised I still hadn’t greeted Kern yet. I looked up at him. “Hello, Kern.” “Hello, Sers,” he smiled, “I’m so glad your okay, I thought… I thought I’d lost you.” “You will never lose me, Kern”, I smiled back at him, and tried to stand up and give him a hug when- bang- I flung backwards, back into bed. I then realised there was a protective barrier around my bed, it glowed green, like a shield around me. A healing protective barrier? Nice. “Sorry I forgot to mention. I put a protective healing barrier around you. Not even you can escape it while you heal. You have to rest for another hour or so. And while you rest I will tell you more about our school. Then I will introduce you to your new room mate. If that is okay with you.” I didn’t want to meet my new room mate. What if she thinks I’m a freak? What if everyone here will stare at my neck and think I am different, I’m a freak, or maybe even special? I just wanted to be normal. Then I heard a voice inside my head “Believe in yourself, my daughter.” Okay is that just me, or can Thea read inside my head? “Sirena?” “Oh sorry. Yes of course.” “Good.”, she said, “Now lie still and listen.” “We start classes at night time. It is now one in the morning. Lessons start at nine at night and finish at half two. We do not have classes on the weekends. The subjects you can take are martial arts and archery, drama, horse riding and music. You can pick up to three of them as they are not compulsory. English, history, magic, fencing and vampirism sociology 101 are.” hahaha, vampirism 101, why am I not surprised? “I will give you a map of the school, till you know your way around. I am sure your room mate will show you to your classes. Write down your subjects on this piece of paper and I will give you your timetable.” she handed me a blank piece of paper and an old fashioned quill. “Do I not need ink?”, I asked.

“No, the quills never run out of ink.” she replied. I grasped the quill in my hand and scribbled down drama, horse riding and martial arts and handed it back to Pheora. “Good.” A black cat suddenly appeared and pounced onto Pheora’s lap and purred softly. “Oh hello, Shadow.” as she stroked her neck and ears. She looked up at Sirena and said, “Cats are very fond of us. So are owls. Though owls were more like messengers, than our pets”, she continued, “Cats and owls choose us, we do not choose them.” “How will I know if one chooses me?”, I asked. “You will see.” “Oh and also. Adult vampires, like me and the teachers, all know what the time is and when the next full moon is without needing a clock or a watch. We also have a ritual at every full moon. Our so called religion, if you would like to call it, is a lot like a Wicca. Except a lot less rules. Adult vampires may also obtain a gift from the goddess Thea. But not all vampires do. “What is your gift then?”, I asked. “I can read minds, well, I can catch glimpses of people thoughts. I can also get into certain peoples minds and control them. Tell them what to do.” I thought for a moment. “If you can catch glimpses of peoples thoughts, why did I need to write my subjects down on a piece of paper?” “Ah you see that’s the problem. I cannot seem to get into your mind for some reason. I have never had that problem before.” There was silence. “I believe that you must be important to the goddess, Sirena.”, she said, “use your gifts wisely.” I nodded firmly. “How many years do we stay at school for?” “As long as necessary. The average time is 5 or 6 years. Some people mature quicker than others, some take longer.”. “Now I think it is time for us to depart and show you around. Kern, nice to meet you, I hope maybe one day, the goddess will choose you and you will join us here at the Moon Glaciers, but for the mean time, I bid you fair well,” she said politely, touching his hand. “Annika, it is a pleasure meeting you again my old friend. I take it you know how to produce the gate back to the human world?”, as she hugged her. “Yes I do, thank you for taking care of my little niece.”, she said, “Is it possible for us to come visit again?”, she asked. “Of course, anytime, as you are close to me, I shall grant passage to you and Kern to come see Sirena whenever.” “Thank you very much, Pheora.” She turned round and spoke something that I could not hear, she lifted her hand and a golden gate appeared, waiting for her and Kern to pass through. “Bye, my niece” “Bye, Sers, don’t get into do much trouble while I am gone.” He winked at me and both of them walked through the magical gate and everything vanished. Leaving only me and Pheora alone together. “I think it is time for you to meet your new room mate. Oh and I also forgot, your buddy who will be looking after you for a while, he is a sixth year. It may be… quite interesting when you meet each other.” Just then, a tall guy walked in. He was leaning against the medical room wall next to the door, his pale skin glistening and his glowing red mark stood out from the rest of his body. His messy dark brown hair covering one of his dark, almost black eyes. He wore a black shirt, opened at the top, with the Moon Glaciers tie. It was red, with the logo at the bottom, the shape of a glowing gold crescent moon. He had a badge saying prefect on it, and another logo I did not recognise, it read “sixth year”. He looked up at Esme. “You asked for me, high priestess?”, his deep enchanting voice made the hairs on my body stand up on end. “Yes, Daren. I am sure you are aware of your new buddy, Sirena Rosewood?”, she

asked, excitement in her voice. The guy looked up at me, “Yes I am.”, he did that smile that melted my heart, “Hello, Sirena Rosewood.” The guy who marked me.

Powers

Oh my Thea. I almost fainted by the mere sight of his gorgeous body, and his face, and smile, and eyes. Just everything about him really. “Sirena, are you okay? You look like you are about to faint again.”, he laughed. I blushed. Oh my thea, his laugh was amazing. I just lay there gawking at him, speechless. “You are allowed to speak Sirena, you know.”, Pheora laughed too. “Y-yes sorry. I’m okay. I’ll try not to pass out.” “Good.”, he said. He walked over, lifted up his hand and whispered, “aut amin fallaner osta, lle cael um eithal, wany.” and the healing protective barrier disappeared. I seemed to recognise the language from somewhere… “We speak the language of elves when doing magic, also known as quenya.”, he said. Why is it so familiar to me? I concentrated hard, trying to think, when I had a flashback, just a glimpse, when I was little maybe? I heard the language again, the tall women standing over me, and she reached to take my hand, her dark curly hair fell over mine, revealing a golden mark on her neck. No it can’t be. I’m just imagining things. “I have granted you a new life and new gifts, and in time you will learn more about your memories and your past that your mother in the human world would never wish to discuss with you.” Why would my own mum keep my past from me? What is she afraid of? “You witch! You-You…Your no daughter of mine. I will not have a daughter with an ugly thing like that on your neck. You freak! Get out of my house! NOW!” Why did she hesitate so much? Why is she so cruel to people like me? Is it a mask to hide my past and memories from me? My head decided to spin from thinking too much, I leaned over and gagged. “Are you okay, Sirena?”, he asked, leaning over me. “Yes, sorry. I just...it doesn’t matter.”, I finally said. He frowned. “Okay then.” “I think we should leave, you have healed a drastic amount since a few hours ago and even without healing you by magic, your healing at an extraordinary rate. I do not think you want to stay in this medical ward any longer do you?”, she smiled. “No.” “Then let’s go.”, as we walked down the medical ward, and out the door. We walked down the solid, dark brick corridors, the only light from the lanterns that scattered down the walls, lighting our pathway. We took some lefts and turned at some rights, till we reached the gothic grand staircase. Pheora halted. “Sorry, but there is a first former in the medical facility needing my assistance. I will have to go now. Daren will show you the rest of the way.”, she touched my hand and walked back down the corridors, back to the medical room. “As you probably noticed, humans greet by shaking hands with one another, we do not shake hands in the vampire world. Instead we just lightly touch hands.”, he said. “Yes I did notice.” “We haven’t really been alone together since I marked you. That must have been a shock for you, I am sorry.”, he said apologetically. “No, don’t apologise, I’m glad it happened. I feel like life is going to be better

from now on here.”, I smiled at him and he smiled back. We stared into each others eyes for what seemed like hours. We have only just met but it feels like I have known him for ages. Like we have known each other in another life. I felt a connection with him and I am sure he was thinking and feeling the same things too. “You have an extraordinary mark,” he lifted his hand and gentle brushed underneath my hair and placed his palm on my neck. “Almost as beautiful as you.”, he said seductively. When he touched my mark it was incredible. Not only did I feel the pleasurable fire that burned and tingled through my body, I felt the wind rustling around my hair. I felt like I was next to the seaside, on a warm sandy beach in the sunlight. I smelt lavender, roses and tulips like my aunt’s garden. I felt myself leap with happiness and excitement from inside my body, my spirit and soul. Incredible… “What is?”, he said, getting closer to me. I must of said that out loud. “I think I felt the five elements when you touched my mark.” “That is incredible, because I certainly never did that, no one has ever truly felt the five elements like that. Thea is right, you are incredibly special.” “Not even the warm, burning, tingling feeling?” “No. We get the tingling feeling, but nothing else.” I was silent. We walked up the staircase and to the left till we finally came across a huge double door, the girls dormitory. He pushed open the doors and went in to the lounge, I slowly followed behind him. There was three girls. One was lying on the sofa reading a magazine, another one was kneeling on the floor, practicing magic I presumed. The third one was leaning against the wall on the far end. Her long blond, curly hair over her face. She began to walk towards us. She wore a short frilly mini skirt with fishnet tights, high heeled shoes and a tight black shirt showing her curves, buttoned down so low it showed some of her cleavage. A gold tie hanged from her neck, with the Moon Glaciers logo and a pink badge saying fabulous. She also had a pretty logo that was covered in stars and planets that moved, like a galaxy, it looked so real. Underneath it read, “Head girl.” HA. I laughed. Her? A slut? Head girl? What was the high priestess thinking? She moved her hips as she walked, strutting like she was walking down a catwalk. She caught me laughing and she glared at me. I am sure I caught a glimpse of Daren, trying not to laugh too. We were both thinking the same thing. A stuck up slut who ‘thinks-they-are-all-it‘. she laughed trying to sound seductively, walking really close against Daren, playing with his tie, “Daren, love. You could of knocked first before you walked into the girls dormitory, you don’t know what I could have been doing.” Eww, I tried not to laugh and gag at what she just said. I caught eye contact with Daren, the right corner of his mouth twitched into an uncontrollable grin, and gently pushed the slut away. “My bad. Actually the reason I came here was to show Miss Rosewood up to her dormitory. Which I am sure you are well aware of.”, he said, “Why are you even up here in the girls dormitory anyway, Lysha? Don’t you have your own suite?”, he asked suspiciously. “Yes I do, but there is nothing wrong with checking up on my girls once and a while, making sure they are okay is there? Plus I sensed Sirena coming. I decided to give her a warm greeting.”, glaring at him. Daren laughed. “Since when did you ever look after your girls? You bully them into making them say and do things to make you look like an innocent angel that rose from hell.”, he laughed again. I saw fire in Lysha’s eyes and with her two index fingers she pointed them at Daren’s throat and said, “dinan ro ya quend nwalm.”, he suddenly stopped laughing and grabbed his neck, his legs kicked about, trying to find air, his face began to get redder and redder. She was strangling him. “Stop that!”, I said. She kept going, her eyes glowing red and full of hate and anguish. “I said. STOP. THAT”, I shouted. I felt power rushing through me, my eyes in flames, glaring at her. Everything shook around me. “Leave him, NOW.” Suddenly she flew back and hit the back wall of the room, crumbling to the floor. Daren fell to the ground, clutching his throat, gasping in air heavily. Oh my Thea. What did I do? Did I do that? No I can’t of. I never touched

her, I don’t know any magic. “Are you okay, Lysha? I didn’t mean to.”, I said, shocked at what I didn’t want to believe was me. She laughed, a cold evil laugh. “Your telling me you didn’t know you did that?”, she said, it wasn’t a question. “You also spoke the ancient elfish language. I never knew you could speak that.” Neither did I. I stood there speechless. “No I didn’t, I said it in English. I said to stop that now and all of a sudden you flung yourself onto the floor and collapsed.”, I whispered. “Haha. I flung myself? Don’t kid yourself. You know you did that. You freak.”, and she stormed out the dormitory. All the girls had came into the lounge wondering what the shouting was all about. There was a moments silence and everyone clapped and cheered. “That was amazing. Even if you didn’t know what you were doing.”, said a girl, stepping out of the crowd. She had beautiful short, layered and spiky red hair. She had glossy red lips like mine and emerald green eyes. She wore a skirt and a black shirt like Lyshas. Not as low buttoned and as short as Lysha’s outfit though. She had the school tie. It was yellow with the logo of a first year. “Sirena, right? I’m Rosalia. Your knew room mate. It’s nice to finally meet you.”, and she gave me a big hug. “I’m going to go now, Sirena.”, Daren said, “Thank you for saving me back there, and it was very cool.” He lifted my hand, bent down and kissed it. “Contact me whenever you need me Miss Rosewood. My priestess.”, and he walked out the room. I gasped in shock, about to faint from his flirty kind personality. “Oh my THEA. You have got to be joking me? Daren? The hottest prefect in the Moon Glaciers.”, she said in shock. “I know, he’s my new buddy.”, I replied. “Your kidding me? You never noticed that he totally has a thing for you as well?” “Do you really think? He does?”, I said a bit to happily. “Okay and you have a thing for him I take it.”, she said, “You too definitely have some chemistry going on.” We both laughed. “Whatever Rosalia.” “You can call me Rose, or Rosie if you like. That’s what all my friend’s call me.”, she said. She passed me my uniform. “Here take this. Pheora told Lysha to take this up to the dormitory for you. It’s the reason why she was here in the first place.” I took them, feeling guiltily. “Hey don’t feel guilty. Remember what she did to Daren. She bullies everyone younger than her as well. She deserves it.” I nodded. “Let‘s go down for dinner. You can meet some of my friends there. Don‘t worry. We‘ve all been what your going through. You‘ll get used to it. Honest.”, she touched my hand and once I got changed we went down the hall, down the staircase, to the main dining hall. “Thanks, Rose. For everything. You make me feel like I belong somewhere. In the real world I never felt that before.”. She squeezed my hand and said, “That’s what true friends are for.”

New friends

I sat down at one of the far end tables in the hall next to Rosalia. Three other people surrounded us. Next to rose was a small girl, long straight, blonde hair and blue eyes. The guy opposite both of us had black, short spiky hair. His eyes flashed the colour of green. And to my right was another girl. She was average height, her long ginger hair hanging down her face. She also had green eyes and her freckles speckled around her nose. “Hey y’all.”, Rose said, “This is Sirena Rosewood, my new room mate. She will be sitting with us today.” “Hi, Sirena. I’m Kallie.”, the blonde girl greeted. “I’m Derek.” The ginger haired girl cheeks went a rosy colour, she looked up at wiped her hair away from her eyes and said, “Hello Sirena. I’m Sarah. It’s nice to finally meet you”, in her nice, sweet voice. “She also just kicked Lysha‘s ass.”, she said with a big grin on her face. “Hey that was an accident.”, trying to hide the smile on my face. “Wicked! How did you do it?”, Derek asked. “I don’t know. It just sort of, happened. I think I flung her across the room.”, trying not to laugh at that thought again. “She also spoke elfish without realising it. None of us know elfish and we don’t learn till atleast 3rd grade.”, she said. “Whoa…”, whispered Kallie. “You have to tell Pheora about this, Sirena.”, said Sarah. I thought about it for

a moment. “Nah, not just yet. I need to figure more of this out myself first. Plus Pheora has more things on her mind than me to worry about.”, I said. “Okay.”, she said disappointedly. “I’m going to get something to eat, coming Sers?”, Rose asked. “Um, sure.” Once we had finished eating, we all got up and left the hall. “Come Sirena, I will show you your new room you are going to be sharing with me.”, Rose said excitedly, taking my hand. We all walked up the staircase and once we got to the top we stopped to say goodbye to Derek. “Bye Derek.”, she smiled. Giving him a big hug that lasted for ages. “Bye.”, Kallie and Sarah said. Also giving him a hug. “Bye Derek, it’s nice to meet you.”, I smiled up at him. “You too.”, and he gave me a hug. “See y’all laters.”, he winked and walked the opposite way than us, to the boys dormitory. When we went into the huge lounge it was busier than before. There was girls leaning, lying and sitting on the sofas and chairs. People kneeling on the floor, doing homework or practicing magic. Girls talking and gossiping at what happened today. There was about twenty or thirty. “Follow us, Sirena.”, Rose said. We went down to the end of the room, up a narrow staircase until we got to the first level. “There is six levels, one level for each year. There is about ten rooms on each level. This hall is where we sleep. We’re in room four. We sometimes sneak into each others rooms though, so I might see you soon. Bye.”, Kallie hugged me and left, Sarah hugged me after her and followed. We took a right and I followed Rosalia down the hall till we reached number ten. “This is our room.”, and we entered it. The walls were painted a dark purple, a plum sort of colour, the left side of the wall scattered with twilight posters and bands. It wasn’t that big, nor was it really small. There was a window at the far end, blinds covered it to dim the light, decorated with dark purple curtains to match the walls. I took off my shoes and stepped along the soft crème carpet. Under the window was two ebony, bed side cabinets. Two beds on either side against the walls. The bed covers were a stripy lilac and deep purple. There was a big wardrobe beside me and my left hand side, a chest of drawers, all matching furniture. I walked into the small bathroom. There was a shower in the corner, toilet on the left, a sink next to a wall and above was a large mirror. Her room was very nice. I loved it. “I love your room.” “Thanks. Your bed is on the right” “Thank you” I sat on the soft, comfy bed and unpacked my bag. I heard a thumping noise, I turned round and stared at the window. There was an owl, pecking at the window, obviously wanting in. “Snowy!”, Rosalia shouted. Running to open the window and let the owl in. She held out her arm and the bird flew onto it, holding out her left leg. “Oh it’s a letter from my parents.”, she said excitedly. She unrolled it and I saw her eyes swift from side to side as she read it. “It’s nothing really. They are just asking how I am and when the next holiday is so they can see me.” “Your parents obviously care about you then. Is that your owl?” “They miss me too much. What about yours? Yes this is my owl. I found her, well, she found me really, soon after I first came here. She was sitting in a tree just outside the school, staring at me. I instantly felt a connection between us and she flew onto my arm. I knew that instant she was my pet, she had chosen me. We have been together ever since. She is a great companion.” Lightly tickling the birds neck with one finger. She sat down and scribbled a letter to go back to her parents. “My parents don’t care really. They never have. Luckily only my mum was there when I came home. She saw the mark on my neck and must of freaked. She called me a witch and a freak. She told me to leave and never come back. So I did. I came here.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” “Its ‘Kay really.” She finished writing and she rolled it up and put it in Snowy’s leg pouch. “Snowy. I want you to go to the owlary, get some rest and something to eat. Then when you are ready take this letter to my parents, you know where to go. Thank you.” She seemed to have understood because she flapped her wings and headed out the door and flew away. We both got changed into our pyjamas and lied across our beds, looking up at the ceiling. “It’s Friday tomorrow isn’t it?”, it wasn’t really a question, “I’ll show you around your classes tomorrow then how about on Saturday you come with me shopping? Just the two of us? It will be fun.” “Sure. I would love to.”, I said happily. “Good. What have you got tomorrow anyway?” “Hey that reminds me. Pheora was ment to be giving me a timetable for tomorrow. She still hasn’t gave me it yet.” Just as I said that Snowy came flying through the window again. In her mouth was a piece of paper. I took it from her beak and opened it up. It was my timetable. On the back it said, ‘Sorry I forgot to give you this. One of teachers sensed you were needing it and Snowy just happened to be flying by.’ “What is it?” Rosalia asked. “My timetable. Apparently one of the vampires sensed I needed it.” “Creepy. Yea it takes a while getting used to the vampires senses.”, she said. “So tell me what you got.” I read the columns under Friday. “Magic, Sociology, Drama and Martial Arts.” “Oh my, me too.”, she said, surprised that we had the exact same timetable. “Best day of the week. No English or History. I take it you took drama, martial arts and horse riding? Me too. I love to act, I love kicking ass and I love horses. You will probably do really well in Martial Arts and Magic.” “I hope so.” Someone knocked on the door. It was Kallie and Sarah. They opened the door and quietly shut it behind them. “Heya.”, they both said. They were wearing their pyjamas. Kallie’s were bight pink with hearts on them that read ‘Love me‘. Sarah’s were red with little cows saying ‘Moo’. They were both carrying a teddy too. Kallie’s was a soft white fluffy bunny and Sarah’s was a soft brown teddy bear. They reminded me of non-identical twins. “What’s up?”, Kallie asked. “We are just discussing our timetable for tomorrow.” “Ooh, what did you take Sers?”, Sarah asked. “Martial Arts, Horse riding and Drama.” “Cool. I took Music, Horse riding and Archery.” “I took Music, Archery and Martial arts. I’ve had bad experience with horses… I’ve kind of created a phobia now.” “Aww Kallie, what happened?”, I asked. “My horse reared and through me off and stomped on me. He broke my arm.” “Christ. Were you okay? That must have been so scary and awful for you.” She shrugged her shoulders. “It’s fine now I guess apart from I’m scared of them now.” “I would be too if something like that happened to me.” I hugged her and she hugged back. Rose yawned and said, “Sorry. I’m getting a bit tired now, I may go to sleep. Night.”, and she crawled under her covers and closed her eyes. I’m sure she was asleep already. “I think I’ll go to sleep too. Night Kallie, night Sarah.”, I said. “Good night, Hun.”, and she hugged me again. “Night.”, Sarah hugged me too. “See you in the morning. Well night… well still. It’s easier just saying morning.”, and they walked out the room and closed the door quietly behind them again, tiptoeing back to their room. I went back into my bed and rolled onto my side and fell asleep quicker than I thought I would. The Riatsu

When I got up Rose was still sleeping. I had a shower and got dressed and quietly left the room to go see Sarah and Kallie. They were up and dressed too and were sitting eating cereal from their mini fridge and cupboard. “Hey Sers. Do you want some cereal?”, Kallie asked. “Sure.” I poured myself some cheerios and milk and sat down with them and slowly ate them one by one. “I guess Rosie isn’t up yet.”, she said. “She never is. She doesn’t get up till about eight.”, Sarah said. Just then the door clicked and opened . “Here I am.”, she said. Her hair was dripping wet and she rubbed her hair with a towel to dry it. She yawned and also got herself some cheerio’s and sat down on the sofa. Their room was about the same size as ours, except from the cupboard and mini fridge, and also the TV. “Sarah’s parents bought us the TV by the way, incase you’re wondering how we have it. Her parents are loaded.”, Kallie said. “They are not loaded. They just decided to spend some money on me since I was leaving them.”, Sarah said. “They are still rich.” “Are not.” “Are too.” “You guys! Stop arguing about who’s parents are rich or not.”, Rosie said. “Sorry.”, they both said at the same time. “Let’s go downstairs to the lounge.” I suggested. “Good idea.” We all sat on the sofa downstairs, and no one talked for an exceedingly long time. We all jumped when we heard Derek at the door. “Are you all there? It’s just me.”, he said. And entered the room. “Hey.” everyone said. “No one has been talking since you came here. I’m glad you broke the silence.” I said, he laughed. Rose took out a portable mirror and eyeliner, followed by her hair gel. She began spiking her hair outwards and putting a thin layer of eyeliner around her eyes. She then took out her eye shadow and chose a dark gothic red to cover her eyelids and her lower eye line. She was stunning, she really suited it. “I love your hair and make-up like that. You look gorgeous”, Derek whispered in Rose‘s ear but load enough for me to hear, she giggled. Is there something going on between Derek and Rose that they are not confessing? “Let’s go to class guys. We don’t want to be late.”, Kallie said. Magic was interesting. Even if we weren’t doing any practical work today. “Turn your text books to page sixty six please.”, Mrs Huang said. “We will be learning how to cast a protective barrier around yourself. Sirena Rosewood, dear. I know you have just started, but I am sure your friends will teach you more of the basic spells as your homework. If you need any help you can see me anytime.”, she said nicely. When one of the girls in the class started talking and wouldn’t shut up, she used her two index fingers and quickly pointed them at her mouth, zipping it shut. Everyone laughed. “That’s what you get for talking again, Miss Annabelle.”, she said, clearly having a laugh too. “I shall unzip you at the end of the lesson. Continue your work in silence till then.” The bell rang and everyone began to pack up. “Next week we will be practicing them, so please revise the casting and practice it in silence for homework over the weekend everyone. Have a nice day.”, she shouted. Vampire Sociology was okay too. Apart from the fact the high priestess, Pheora was our teacher. She strolled into the classroom and everyone was silent at once. “So. Since we have a new student with us today. Could someone kindly volunteer to tell her what we were talking about the last day.”, she said. Rose raised her hand up. “Yes, Rose. Of course.” “The last day we were talking about maturing.”, she said in a nice loud, clear voice. “Some vampires turn into mature vampires at different stages. The reason is, is all to do with how strong the vampire is on the inside. Every mind and body

is different. Vampires who are strong and have the determination to go through this and the people who want this, will mature quicker. Ones that are weak and fragile, are less likely to mature.”, she said. I listened to what she said carefully and went over it a couple of times. Did she mean less likely to mature quickly or less likely to mature at all?… “Excellent. Well said. That is correct.”. Rose looked up at smiled at me. I raised my hand. “Yes, Sirena?” “When Rose said ‘is less likely to mature’, does she mean less likely to mature quicker. Or at all?”, I asked. Everyone went silent and stared at me. Pheora sighed. “I am sorry, Sirena. But I am afraid I can’t answer your question.”. The bell rang and she strolled out the room again. “What the hell was that about?” Rose asked. “I think she knew what I said was correct. But she is either hiding it or she does not want us to hear till we are older.” “You are really clever.” I laughed. “Let’s hope we are not weak then.”, as we walked out the Sociology class room, down to the hall for lunch. We sat down next to Derek, Kallie and Sarah and ate our sandwiches. “Coming to think about it, people do leave mysteriously once and a while. Very rarely though. Only about 4 every 6 months or so. So it isn’t that bad.”, Derek said. “It’s still some.”, I said, “Hey. I could sneak down to the library if you want tonight or tomorrow. I’ll research about it for you.” “You will get caught.” “hmm. Actually I probably will. Can’t trust these teachers senses.” Then I thought of something. “Seniors and prefects are allowed to look at all the books aren’t they? They are old enough.” “Yea…” “What about Daren, my buddy? I’m sure he will help.” “Hey good idea Sers.” Rose said. “You can ask him in martial arts last thing, he helps our class at the practical stuff every Friday.”, she winked at me. “What!?” She giggled and walked away to put her rubbish in the bin. Great, now Daren is going to be watching me epically fail at martial arts? Not cool. The bell rang and we all got up to go to our classes. “Hey Sers wait up.”, she said. And we linked arms and skipped and giggled down to Drama. Drama seemed to go so slow. I kept thinking about seeing Daren last thing. God- I mean Thea. I think I have a crush on a senior prefect. How lame. I giggled to myself. “Sirena? Hello? Earth to Sers.”, I looked up and only just realised Rose was trying to catch my attention for the last 5 minutes. I was too busy spacing. “Sorry.”, I said. “Mr Urbane told us to practice this part of Romeo and Juliet. I’ll be Romeo and you can be Juliet, ‘Kay?” “Sure.”, not really with it. “From the world-wearied flesh. Eyes, look your last! Arms, take your last embrace! And, lips, O you The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss A dateless bargain to engrossing death! Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavoury guide! Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on The dashing rocks why sea-sick weary bark! Here’s to my love!”

Rose drinks the empty glass bottle that was supposed to be poison. “O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.” Rose rolls her eyes and falls to the floor, letting her hands open to reveal the bottle. I opened my eyes and sat up, “O comfortable friar! Where is my lord? I do remember well where I should be, And there I am. Where is my Romeo?” I looked around and looked down at Rose who was supposedly dead, or Romeo in this case. “What’s here? A cup, closed in my love’s hand? Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end: O churl! Drunk all, and left no friendly drop To help me after? I shall kiss thy lips; Haply some poison yet doth hang on them, To make die with a restorative.” Great. Do I have to kiss her? Terrific. Not. I bent down and kissed her lips. “Thy lips are warm.” Well they were warm. “Yea, noise? Then I’ll be brief. O happy dagger!” I took the dagger on the floor. “This is thy sheath” I pretended to stab myself in the stomach. “There rust and let me die.” I fell on Rose and pretended to be dead. I heard applause all around us. “Excellent! Absolutely brilliant. We have some talented actresses in this class. Well done Rose and Sirena.”, Mr Urbane said. We stood up and bowed and burst out laughing. “Thanks Mr Urbane.” Just then the bell rang and we hurried out of class. When we got into the Martial Arts room it was very big, like a hall. The tables and chairs had been pushed aside to leave a huge space in the middle for practicing. “Hello everyone. Spread out, spread out!”, the man said. Rose whispered to me, “That’s Amarandis. He doesn’t like being called by his second name, he thinks it’s stupid. He likes to be called by his first name by everyone. He is the coolest and most popular teacher here. His name is a mixture of Greek and Latin. Totally sexy and gorgeous to match is gorgeous face and body, obviously.” “Today we will be working on riatsus. Someone tell me what exactly are they.” I heard my Aunt talking about this to me, it is similar to aura. I raised my hand. “Yes, Sirena.”, he looked confused and surprised that I put my hand up. “Riatsu is like an aura. Aura is the glow around our bodies that represent our soul. Everyone had a different and unique aura even if they look the same and have the same colour. Riatsu is more powerful and is used in battle to make ourselves stronger and faster to protect ourselves against the enemy for a period of time. The better riatsu you can produce, the more power you become.” “Exactly! Well done Sirena. Not only are you new to my class but you can raise your hand and answer my questions like you are an expert. Why don’t you try and produce your riatsu? I think you know how to do it. Why don’t you compete against my assistant, Daren?”, pointing to the guy just slightly behind him who has been listening to me the whole time. Ah crap. Can things get anymore worse. I cleared my throat. “Sure”, I said. I stepped into the wide open area opposite Daren. We stared into each others eyes for a long moment and he winked at me. “Everyone watch carefully. We reach into our souls and find our aura and our strength. Use the power of it to create an riatsu. Use all the power you’ve got around you. Imagine it and you can do it.”, he said. Suddenly everything around him seemed to stick up. Red sparks flew up from him, it grew and grew. I could feel even feel it now. This power… I almost gagged at the strong riatsu. Incredible. Then I tried mine. I drew out everything I had. I used my mind, soul and strength. Everything blew around me like I was in a hurricane. Golden sparks flew upwards, surrounding me. I lifted out my right first and clenched it. A little tip from my Aunt. Sparks flew out of

my fist and my riatsu grew and grew, and so did the wind. Fire then surrounded me in a circle at my feet. Then Rain fell around me, but none touched my body. The ground around me shook, and I felt my eyes glow red with power. My spirit leaped. Still my riatsu grew. And so did Daren’s. But mine was still stronger. “Incredible…”,Amarandis gasped. I flung all my power at Daren, but told it not to hurt him. Only disable him. The golden lighting struck at Daren. Followed by a wave of flames, but it only surrounded him. And I used my left hand and pushed my riatsu to him and sent him flying across the room. He just lost concentration so his riatsu disappeared. He wasn’t hurt though because he forced himself up, panting and smiling at me. I calmed my riatsu till it was gone, too. I looked round, Amarandis was in shock. He tried to move towards us and pointed at where the riatsu was. “How…how…impossible. Amazingly impossible. That was. Brilliant!”, he gasped. Everyone around me clapped and cheered. A few said, “How did you do that?” “That was amazing Sirena!”, “Awesome!”. “You had so much power even I found it difficult to withstand. And you were able to control it, you also made it only disable Daren’s riatsu and never hurt him. That is way beyond normal vampire level. Possibly even Daren’s level. And that felt like that was only your taster…”, he whispered, still in shock. “You are now being transferred to higher Martial Arts. Congratulations, Sirena.”, he said. What!? Higher? Senior level? For that!? That was nothing… Then I realised what I did. It was incredible. How did I DO that? I was even shocked at myself. “T-thank you. I didn’t even realise how I did that myself…” Then I realised I was feeling incredible weak, I tried to step forward and I collapsed and fainted.

Blood Lust

I was sitting on the floor staring at the beautiful women in front of me. She was speaking elvish and I seemed to understand her. “Say mummy.” she said. “Where’s mummy?” I pointed my small tubby finger at her and smiled with my young chubby cheeks. “Good girl.”, she said. I clapped my hands together and giggled. “Ma...ma”, I said in elvish. My first word “Oh my, well done!”, she shouted in happyness. Tears forming in her eyes. “Don’t… cwy, mamma.” I managed to say. “Oh I cant help but cry in happiness, sweetie. You said your first word and it was me.”. She picked me up and swung me around . “I love you, my little princess. I would never let anything ever happen to you.” she said. “Sirena.” I stared at her mark. It was really pretty. Golden moons and stars scattered her neck. I touched them and I felt warm flames go through us both… “Sirena, are you okay?” said a voice. “She can’t obviously hear you, Rose. Give up already. She’s exhausted, she will wake up when she is ready. Do not worry.”, I heard a guy say. “She probably can hear me though. She’s in a coma.” “She is not in a coma! Stop over exaggerating.”, Kern, said. Kern!? “Well she’s been sleeping for 24 hours. Maybe she is…”, Sarah said. “I agree with Sarah.”, Kallie said. “Hey. You guys. Stop arguing. I agree with Kern. She over used her powers

yesterday. Let her regenerate. I’m not surprised if she can hear us now. I can sense she is already returning to her normal state, but slowly.”, Daren said. Oh hell. I tried to speak but I couldn’t. I couldn’t move either. Great, maybe I was in a coma. “Oh I know. Maybe it’s like sleeping beauty. Maybe if the love of her life comes along and kisses her she will wake up.”, Rose said. Trust her. I’m going to kill her when my limbs wake up. “Daren.”, Kallie whistled. “We all know you like her.” “So what if I do? If I kissed her she still wouldn’t wake up. We are not in a fairy tale.” Oh my Thea. Daren. Likes. Me. And. He. Might. Kiss. Me. If he does I will end up fainting again into a bigger coma of shock. Okay in the mean time let’s think about my lovely dream I had with my mother. Wait a sec. I jolted up in bed. Eyes wide in shock. No… I’m imagining things again. I got head rush from getting up so quickly and collapsed again. “Oh look. I didn’t have to”, Daren said coldly at Rose, but in a joke way. “Sers, hun. Are you okay? Can you speak? I think you can hear us. Considering your awake now.” I tried to open my mouth but nothing came out. Well at least I can move now. I shook my head. “Aww it’s okay, babe.”, she hugged me. “Hey, Sers” Kern winked at me. I’ve missed Kern. Even if it has only been a couple of days, it seems a lot longer than that. I smiled at him and he seemed to understand. “Oh by the way I may of told Daren something.”, Rose said. WHAT!? I jolted up again, looking annoyed at Rose. I must of said it out loud because she laughed and said. “That got you talking. I never really, but now Daren thinks your keeping something from him.”, she winked at me too. Oh great. I’m going to kill her. “I’m going to kill you!”, I said. I pulled back the hospital covers and chased Rose, squealing. I caught up with her and threw her on one of the hospital beds and tickled her till she couldn’t stand it any longer. “No, Stop!”, squealing her head off. I did and I laughed. “You scared the Jesus out of me, Sirena. Collapsing like that and not waking up. Don’t do that to me again”, and we hugged. “There is no time to go in town today. But I will promise you we will go tomorrow.”, she said. I nodded. “Sure.” I ran up to hug Kern. “I’ve missed you so much!”, I said, leaping into his arms. Kern gasped, “Ow. You can let me go now Sirena, your stronger than me remember.” he laughed. “Oh. Oops.”, I let go of him immediately and I smiled and giggled. “It’s only been a couple of days Sers. Do you love me that much?”, he laughed. I loved his laugh… his smile… his awesome hair… We stared at each other for ages, we were really close together. I could feel his warm breathe on my skin. I wanted to kiss him. Argh get a grip of yourself Sirena. First you think you have a thing for Daren. Now you think you really like Kern. God I swear this whole vampire thing is getting to my head. Our lips were just an inch or two away from each other but I leant away and looked the other direction and cleared my throat. “So how are you? Is my aunt okay?”, I said. “I’m fine.”, he leant close to me and said something that only I could hear “I’ve missed you like crazy”, in a husky voice that made me crazy. He leant back again and said, “Your aunt is also fine. Worried about you, you know. She’s asking for you. You should call her sometime.” “Yea I should.” I wanted to speak to him in private. Tell him about all the gossip since I came here. Tell him all my secrets. I haven’t done that in ages, well, it seems like ages. “We need to catch up on things.”, I smiled, “Come for a walk with me.”, I said. I looked back at Rose and the others who hadn’t seemed to notice anything strange. “I’m going to have a walk with Kern, catch up with the latest gossip and stuff.” I said. “Sure, Sers.”, Rose said. “Bye, my little priestess.”, Daren winked at me. Oh my Thea. I better get out of

here before I collapse again. Then I thought of something. Why does “my little priestess” remind me of something? Why do I feel that me and Daren have a connection? I frowned and thought hard about it. I suddenly had another flash back again. Wait how did I know it was a flash back? It was only a glimpse, it looked like…Daren, but younger. I didn’t know where we were. A room of some sort, it was dark. He smiled at me, the same smile Daren has. We walked out the medical room and down a hall way. Déjà vu much. Instead of going to the grand stairs we went down some steps through the huge double doors, out the main entrance to the school. It was quite mild. Only a slight breeze ruffled the leaves of the tall old tree, next to the large fence that surround the school. I haven’t been outside here before. It was so peaceful at night, more peaceful than the real world. Even if the darkness covered everything I still saw everything reasonably clearly. A vampire sense, I thought. We strolled across the grounds to the grass, underneath the large oak tree. We were close again, and he touched my mark. I felt fire, running water, a warm breeze go through me. I also felt the tingling feeling everyone felt. I’m not sure if humans like Kern can feel it. He smiled still gazing at my mark, then he looked up at me. “So how have you been lately? Tell me your days so far.”, he said. I told him everything, every detail, even about Daren. He seemed to stiffen at that part though. “You are remarkable, Sers.”, he brushed away my hair from my neck and gazed into my eyes, we were only an inch away from each other again. He glimpsed at my lips and we hovered for a few moments. Then he bent down and kissed me. His lips were warm and soft, and I kissed back. I slipped in my tongue, it was wet but enjoyable. He lightly chewed on my bottom lip and let go, back to kissing me again. He was an amazing kisser. I very lightly bit his lip, knowing I had sharp teeth, but it still made his lip bleed slightly. “Careful now Sers, don’t drink all my blood.”, he laughed. I kissed him again and that’s when it hit me. The warm blood tasting in my mouth like sweet red wine. The smell was amazing, the taste was amazing…I wanted more. I sucked his lip and drank his blood, it came more and more easily, flowing into my mouth, filling me with admirable pleasure. I loved the taste of his blood. I groaned. Then I realised what I was doing then lightly pressed my hands against him and pushed him away. “I’m sorry.”, I said. Feeling a lot more energetic after drinking his blood. “It’s okay, it never hurt, it was very…”, he trailed off. “I know” “I want you to drink more of my blood Sers. And I know you do too.” “I can’t Kern. This is wrong, we’re just friends.” “We don’t have to be. I’ve loved you since the day we met.” “Me too. I just didn’t realise it till I got bitten.” He laughed. “We have to go back inside now” He sighed, “Yea okay.” “I love you.”, I said. “But I think I like Daren too. I’m so messed up.” “No your not. I love you too.” We kissed again and walked back inside to visit everyone else. “Hey again everyone.”, I said. “Hey.”, Rose said. “Have a nice walk?” “Yea.” I felt awkward. Daren glimpsed at me, then at Kern. “Nice swollen lip you got yourself there, Kern.” coldly. He walked towards us and said, “You’ve got a bit blood there, Sirena.” and he wiped it away with his right thumb and held it there for a moment. I opened my mouth slightly and he brushed my lips and bent over slightly. But he leant back and stared at Kern for ages. Giving him a warning look. Kern stared back. I did not like this at all. But he smiled at him, then at me, but I could see the sad flames in his eyes. And he walked away, out the room. Rose tilted the right side of her mouth up into a “I know what your

thinking and feeling” expression. “Did you drink Kerns blood?” she asked. “Did you have a lust for blood?”. “umm. Yes.” “Vampires aren’t supposed to experience that till senior year.”

The truth

There was another awkward silence. No one said anything for minutes, but was probably only a few seconds. “You should tell Pheora.” “Well what am I exactly going to say?” “Just tell her after sociology, everything that has been happening. Well maybe not everything.” I sighed, “Alright then.” “Hey Sers, I better get going. My parents will be wondering where I am. I’ll visit you next weekend with your aunt.”, he leant down and kissed my lips briefly and quickly walked across the room. “pant Tel’ ando ar’ lav amin tarna im vamprayre ar’ gwaith.”, he whispered. He lifted his hand up and the golden gate appeared. He did not have the fluent, enchanting voice as the vampires and her aunt, but it worked. Another thing was…I seemed to understand every word he just said. He turned to face me. “Your aunt taught me that.” his smile faded, “Sers are you okay? You look pale and confused.” “open thy gate and grant me passage between vampires and humans…” Rose looked up at me. “How did you know that?” “I don’t know…” “That’s creepy”, Kern said. “You really do need to tell Pheora.”, and he walked through the gate, disappearing with the glow. “Do you know what this means?” she gasped. “You may think vampires know elfish. They don’t. No one has been able to understand the language properly since… since the kingdom was made. They only know the elfish words for the spell casting. They don’t know what it actually means. Sirena…you must special. There is something about you… I know it.” “They don’t?” “No.” “Wow…” “Anyway, what is going on between you and Kern? First you say you have a thing for Daren. Now Kern is suddenly your boyfriend.” “It’s rather complicated…” “I have time.” “Well it’s just…I don’t know. Ever since I was chosen and marked I’ve had a weird attraction for Kern. Maybe I’ve always have, I just didn’t realise, I don’t know. His scent, his looks, his taste…” “Well think about it. He is human. Maybe that’s why. I’m sure if you ask Pheora about it she will know the answers. Maybe your advancing to quickly. Or maybe you have powers beyond our imagination… like Martial arts.” “What so I’m a freak?” “No that’s not it.” “I just want to be the same as everyone else here Rose. I just want to be normal!”, and I stormed out the room. “Sirena, wait!”, her voice trailed in the background, and was eventually cut off when I was out of hearing shot. I stormed through the halls and eventually shoved myself against the wall and slid down. What was wrong with me? And why am I different from everyone else? Why do I never fit in? Sirena… My neck shot up. I looked around the dark abandoned hallway. I recognised that voice. The goddess Thea? Dear child. Suddenly she appeared in front of me. Why does she always pop out of nowhere? “Thea…” She tilted her head down and smiled at me.

“Do not put yourself down so much. What did I say about believing yourself?” “I’m sorry. But why do I have to be so different? Why do I have to be a freak” I whined. “Shh. You are certainly not a freak. As I said. All will be revealed in time. Why do you think you’ve been having flash backs and memories recently?” “Memories-Flash backs? Wait your saying that was real? I wasn’t imagining things?” She laughed. “No you were not imagining things. My dear… your memory of your past was taken away from you to protect you. I decided to reveal it to you when you were ready. Come”, she held out her hand. I hesitated for a moment, then gently took it. I was in a room. Well. We were in a room. It was dark, only brightened with candlelight. It was a large room, a lounge or a study maybe. I couldn’t really tell. There was four or more people. Talking, whispering and murmuring. I only recognised one, which was Thea. “What am I going to do?”, she cried. “I don’t want to lose my daughter as well. I also do not want her to go through all this. I do not want her to suffer all her life. I want to protect her, to make all this disappear for her. But that is impossible.” “Your highness. There has to be a way. You must know a way. You are Queen of the vampire kingdom. You are the second descendant to the royal blood line of vampires. Daughter of the first vampire. You must know. “But I do not!” Someone else coughed and began to say something. “Pardon me, your majesty. But I think I might know a way.” the women said. “Yes go on.” “As one of the first witches in the kingdom, having a great power of witchcraft and spells. I could take away Sirena’s memories temporarily. She will live in silence for a long time. Thousands of years. Till it is time for her to be reborn. She will be born into the real world, and given to a suitable family. Your mortal sister. She will grow up and when she is ready, be chosen and join us again in the vampire kingdom, where she will finally take the place as queen of the vampire kingdom. Where she belongs. When you take over your fathers place as goddess and ruler over the land, you will show her her past in time, and her new future. But while she is gone, there shall be no queen or king. No royal family. Nothing. The elfish language lost.” “Can you do that?” Thea said more calmly. “Yes.” “Then it is settled then. I did a terrible thing. A sin past all forgiveness. And that thing I did cost more than I wanted it to. I thought I was doing good. But I was wrong. I shall be crucified, a royal death. I will be loved, I will be hated. There shall be no more queen or king for the next thousand or so years.” The witch waved her hand and a scroll with writing on it appeared, there was a line where she had to sign. It was her deal she made with the witch, her sacrifice. She took the quill and scribbled her name. “I shall die, but be reborn into the spirit world. As a goddess over the kingdom. I shall sacrifice my blood, for my Sirena. My daughter.”, she smiled up at me and went over to me and touched my face. “Soon this will be all over my darling, till you a ready.” she kissed my forehead, when several people with black coats and hood came in. They surrounded Thea and said, “You have made and signed a treaty that shall be kept until the new heir takes over. You shall be burned alive at the stake when the sun is at its highest. Your majesty” they bowed and took her arms and out the door. The other me started cry, “Mum! No! Please don’t go!” “Shh. It will be alright now. Your mum is doing this for you. It will be all over soon. Relax and close your eyes” the girl did. And the witch placed her hand in front of her and murmured the treaty in elfish. The twin of me leaned over and fell on the floor, like she fell into a deep sleep. She glistened and sparkled and the weirdest thing happened. When the dazzling light faded away it left a little baby me. It never cried or anything. It lay still like it was dead, but she

wasn’t. She was fast asleep, waiting to be woken in a thousand years. The women picked her up and whispered, “Hush now. Princess Sirena.” Suddenly I was back in the dark hall way, gasping for breathe. Sweat dripping off me. Thea was still there. “No. I don’t believe that. No. You can’t be.” I tried to back away, still in shock. “I know your in shock, my dear. But you have to believe it. I am your real mother. And you are princess Sirena of the vampire kingdom, heir to the throne.” She kissed my forehead and everything disappeared into darkness.

Friendships and vows

“Sirena? Sirena!?” I heard Daren shout. Honestly, how many times have I fainted while becoming a vampire. “I’m okay.”, I told him. “Oh thank goodness. You had me worried there…again.” I laughed rather tiredly. “By the way, about earlier…” “Nah. You don’t need to explain.” I gazed into his gorgeous eyes, when my head began to throb again. “I seemed to recognise you from somewhere. Ever since I returned to the vampire kingdom…” “Returned?”, he seemed puzzled, “And that would also be impossible Sirena. Maybe you hurt your head when you collapsed.” Did I say returned? Oh of course. The flash backs and the conversation I had with Thea, the goddess…or my mother. But I prefer goddess to be quite honest. I did not want to remember, but I had no choice. Daren called my name again and broke me from my thoughts. “Oh sorry, I was deep in thought. It-it doesn’t matter. Maybe I did hurt my head. I am going to return to my dormitory now. I need some rest.” I turned my back on him and moved step by step to my room to think things through and sort my messed up head out. “Sirena…” Darens hand touched my shoulder as I turned my head to look at him. We were in the same hallway, in the same place, but not in the same time. Daren looked slightly younger than he was. “Princess…” he said. I tried to move my mouth but my body refused to obey. My body moved on it’s own accord. “Please, do not call me princess. Just call me by my name.” “Very well, Sirena.” he sighed, and bent down and knelt on one knee, as though he was about to propose to me and held my hand “I solemnly swear that I will protect you with my mind body and soul. For my kingdom, for those with royal blood running through their veins, and for my love. And if this promise is broken, the element of fire will burn me, the element of water will drown me, the element of earth will burry me, the element of air will suffocate me and the element of spirit will defeat me.” As he spoke those powerful words, I felt and saw the elements around us. I felt fire heat my skin as it casted a circle around us and through his hand. I then felt the water surrounding me, but I knew that I was still bone dry. I felt and smelt the grass beneath my feet, that surrounded the centre of the circle. I felt the warm breeze on my face. I felt myself leaping up and dancing, I felt

amazing. He had made an unbreakable vow. We flung back into the present and Daren automatically took away his hand from my shoulders, his eyes showed fear, like I was some sort of disease. “Did you see…” “Yea, I did. I’ve been getting them a lot recently…getting my memories back from my past life, now I really need to go to bed.” I walked off. I heard Daren still talking, obviously still in shock. “Memories?…Past life?…Unbreakable vow?…I’m dreaming.” he started pinching himself. I tried to laugh but failed as I climbed the stairs, I could not help myself.

So today was Sunday. I sat propped up in bed, day dreaming and thinking to myself as always. I wonder if I’m still going shopping with Rose today, after my little conversation with her about me and I stormed off crying. Sigh. And now I’m going to be even more of a freak. Princess of the vampire kingdom? The last heir? Hahaha. Who is going to believe that? Plus I have decided not to tell anyone about this. Not yet. I may tell Rose though, if I manage to talk to her. I went through to Sarah and Kallie’s room and helped myself to some cereal. “Are you okay, Sers? You seem in shock.” Kallie said. “Huh? Oh, um yea I’m fine. Thanks.” I noticed Kallie and Sarah exchanging looks. “Have you seen Rose anywhere?” “No we haven’t, isn’t she still sleeping?” My eyes widened. “No I have seen her at all actually.” “Oh dear.” Kallie and Sarah leaned forward from the sofa. “We better look for her.” “It’s okay. I will. I need to talk to her anyway…” “Did something happen between you both? She seemed upset the last time we saw her.” “Um, its nothing. I was rather upset and I kind of shouted at her.” “Oh, maybe that’s why. She wont be far, try looking for her in the courtyard.” “Thanks.” I closed the door behind me. I saw her standing under the big oak tree, paper on her lap and a quill in her hand. Her owl, Snowy, was sitting quite happily on one of the branches above her. She was obviously writing a letter to her parents. “Hey.” I said. Rose looked up at me and looked down at the long letter she had written again. “Hi.” “I’m sorry about yesterday night. Just so much was happening I just couldn’t cope with it all.” I knelt down in front of her and took her hand. “But I understand now. I really need to tell you something and I don’t know if you will believe me or trust me. But I need you too, you’re my best friend and I love you to bits, Rose. Please forgive me? I know you were just trying to help, and I thank you for it.” I saw her lips twitching into an uncontrollable smile. She threw the paper and quill aside and threw her arms around me and gave me a big squeeze. “Apology accepted,” she smiled. “Am I still showing you around town?” “You bet.” We giggled and I helped her up. “Let me just finish this letter.” She picked it up and scribbled down a last few words, rolled it up, and put it in Snowy’s pouch. She took off and flew up into the sky and was out of sight. We linked arms and walked together out of the gates and into the village.

When the impossible…becomes possible

Not long after we hugged and made up, we reached the small town that was known as Aldreon that was only a ten to fifteen minute walk from the school. It was not like the towns and cities nowadays in the other kingdom. It was a lot more like the Victorian times, though I did recognise it. I have gotten used to the fact that I am gong to recognise and remember a lot of things here for a while, until Thea has finished giving back my memories. We walked with our arms still locked together, down the bright cobbled street. I gazed curiously at the strange shops that stood on either side of me. “This is the main street, people mostly go here for their shopping.” as we turned right into a big open space filled with old and new buildings. “Here on the left are some of the shops we will visit when buying our books for school. On the right are shops like clothes, beauty shops, oh and there is the shop, ‘Abel’s’ that we call ‘Claire’s’ in the human world.” as she pointed ahead at a more gothic version of one of my favourite shops. I giggled. They actually have a vampire kingdom version of claires. “And those are other famous vampire designer shops like ‘Mori

Vanim’ which is also a beauty shop. All the shops are in elvish, no one knows the English meaning of them.” she said. “It means, ‘Dark Beauty’,” I answered without knowing I opened my mouth. “Oh. Thank you, its so weird how you know elvish. Which reminds me, what do you need to tell me?” “Oh um. I need to tell you in private. Where no one else can hear us. Do you know any place were people hardly go to?” “Actually yes I do. It is an old pub that has been here for centuries. There is only one or two people who tend to go in it.” “Okay, lets go there then.” I followed her up the road, and took a left into a cold, miserable, creepy street. With only a few strangers passing by, many with their hoods up. “These are witches. Dark witches. We tend not to mix with them. This is their street, this is why hardly anyone goes here, its rather creepy place don’t you think?” I shivered, “yea.” We passed a few dusty shops, some that were closed down, broken windows and falling apart, and stepped into a dull, empty pub. Rose was right, hardly anyone went here except a few witches and wizards I presumed. We exchanged looks, let go of each other and crossed our arms as though we were standing out in the cold for too long, and sat at the far back. I felt the strange feeling someone was watching me, I glanced over a few tabled in front of me. A very old looking women, with her black cloak up, covering most of her face, was facing my direction. I could not see her eyes but I had the sense she was watching me… “Don’t mind her. She’s always in here. I don’t think she ever leaves this place. She is a bit creepy but you’ll get used to her. So tell me. What is it?” “Well…ever since came to the kingdom, I’ve been having dreams, flash backs, memories. I’m sorry if I never told you before. It was just creeping me out a bit. I needed to sort things out first. It started off when I was in the medical ward for the first time and Daren spoke elvish. I though I recognised it from somewhere. Later I had a glimpse of someone, with a golden mark just like mine, hair just like mine and my aunts, about to take my hand. But that’s impossible, only Thea has that mark…” “Whoa wait. Your having flash backs? How do you know? And how do you know Thea has that mark? Have you seen her? Talked to her?” “Yes I have. When I was just been marked, she saved me from dying. She spoke to me but I didn’t really understand her as such, saying something about “in time, she will show me things my mother in the real world would have never have told me” or something like that.” “Real mother?” “Hold on. I’m still trying to tell my story. Let me finish.” “Ah okay, sorry your majesty.” she laughed, but I stood silent. “What’s the matter? Was it something I said?” “oh. Um. No. it’s fine… Anyway I then all of a sudden had this weird power when we were practicing our auras and riatsu’s. I then had another flashback. A proper one. When I was little… She was holding me, teaching me my first words, in elvish. I was sure it was Thea, but I may have been imagining things again. When I stormed off after breaking down with you yesterday, she called for me again. She asked me to take her hand and she stood with me in one of my memories. It was her. She was getting in trouble for something, something bad, really bad. She said she didn’t want to lose her daughter. She signed a treaty with a witch, the witch promised Thea that she would came her daughter away from all of this. Away from royalty, from the nightmares, from her mother being prosecuted. The witch said she would take away my memories temporally and my life, and in thousands of years, when it is time, I would be reborn into the human world with Thea’s mortal sister. My human mum that I thought was my real mum all along. Then I would be chosen and brought here again so I can take over my mother and fathers place and be queen of the vampire kingdom. The goddess Thea…is my mother.” “Holy mother of…” she gasped, “Oh my. Well that’s a lot to take in. Hold on I just

need a minute. I don’t know about you but even I myself find that difficult to take in. Your…you’re the goddesses mother? And your princess Sirena? That’s pretty awesome. But scary. It would also explain a lot. But there is still a lot to be answered. What did your mother do?” “I know…that’s what I want to know. And I’m going to find out one way or another. Another thing. When Daren touched my hand before I left…we shared a memory. Another flash back.” “Oh my…this sounds like its going to be good. Explain.” “We were in the same place, but back in time. Daren… swore to protect me. He even made an unbreakable vow. I did not know what it was but of course my memories did. I am sure we will get taught it a lot later on. They cannot be broken. And if they can, the person who broke it would be severely punished. He said in elvish, “I solemnly swear that I will protect you with my mind body and soul. For my kingdom, for those with royal blood running through their veins, and for my love. And if this promise is broken, the element of fire will burn me, the element of water will drown me, the element of earth will burry me, the element of air will suffocate me and the element of spirit will defeat me. I also felt the elements around me. I could see the circle of the elements flowing through us both and around us. It felt amazing.” “Whoa…oh my goodness. Wait so…Daren was preserved in the real world as well?” “I do not know. I don’t think in the real world. But his life was preserved. Since he swore to protect me. If that happened to me…it would happen to him also. It would explain the connection I felt when I saw Daren. I felt like I knew him, like he was close to me. This is why.” “oh my. That does make so much sense. Whoa.” she gasped, “What did Daren say?” “Well…he was a bit shocked. But I am sure that what I am going through, he is going through as well. He has also spoken to the goddess before.” “Wow…” I heard someone else whispering as well…but…in elvish? Impossible! I looked round. “It cant be…” the old women said. She took down her hood. No…impossible. The witch that made the treaty with the goddess. The witch that saved my life.

The beautiful reflection

“Come with me!”, the old witch said, as she grabbed both my arm and Rose’s arm, out of the pub and into another dark alley. “You, your Sirena? Princess Sirena? Thea’s daughter?”, she whispered, stroking my face. “No offence but your kind of creeping me out.”, I said to her, looking at her strangely. “I am sorry, but I’ve been waiting so many centuries for you. Trying to preserve my life long enough to see your face, and tell you what I need to tell you. I cursed myself, saying I would not die until you are reborn. And now you are here, finally here.” “Yes I am, I’ve talked to…my mother. She told me about you and that before she was killed and I was taken away by you. What did she do?” She was silent. “Tell me!” “I cannot tell you. I am sorry. You are still too young.” “But I need to know!” There was a long pause and eventually she spoke, “Fine. I will tell you it briefly, and I will give you clues. But that is all I will be able to give you. I am sorry. I am forbidden.” “Go on then.” “Your mother was different from her father and grandfather. Your great grandfather separated the human world and the vampire kingdom. It was not right to keep them together. To mix with the humans. We are predators to humans. Human lives would be lost. But your mother had a new idea, a plan, of love and sharing. She thought we could, with time, evolve from this lust for humans blood. She created a golden gate, allowing certain humans through here, and certain vampires through there. But only, if the humans had interest in us, if they believed in us and had a pagan or a Wicca religion. Most of these humans were strong in there religion, and kept it. But there was those that were weak, and fragile. They couldn’t change into us vampires. Your mother’s plan did not work out to well. Some of the humans died…in a way.”

“Wait, in a way?”, I asked, puzzled. “The humans, turned into uuaina auoko.” “Soul demons?” “I cannot tell you anymore, I am sorry. I have to go now. I wish you good luck Sirena. Farewell.”. I watched her as touched my cheek, and stepped away as her green aura soared out of her body, up into the sky and vanished. I stared at her lifeless body at my knees, knelt down and touched her mark, nothing. She was dead. Rose and I exchanged looks, sighed, and slowly walked away. “Should we tell the others?”, Rose asked. “Not yet. We need to sort this out ourselves. Just you and me.” I smiled at her, and grabbed her hand. “Let’s go shopping.” About two hours later, when our hands were full of clothes, we decided to walk back to the Moon Glaciers. When we got there we went straight up to the dormitory and dumped our shopping on the floor, slumped onto the sofa next to Derek, Sarah, Kallie and…Daren, and yawned with exhaustion. “Have fun shopping?”, Kallie said. “Um…” I glanced at Rose. She glanced back at me. “Yea we did thanks, we got a bunch of stuff out of designers on sale. Want to see? There was so much good clothes, we wanted to buy the whole shop, that’s what took us so long.”, she laughed. She was good at hiding secrets. “Yea! Course we want to see.”, Sarah and Kallie said. “What is it with girls and shopping so much?”, Derek asked. “Beats me.”, Daren said. We haven’t spoke since that weird flash back, I could see that he was trying to avoid contact with me. Which reminds me, I need to sort myself out. I can’t have Kern and Daren. But maybe it is because he is human. I only saw him as a friend before I got marked. It could be the attraction for humans. Actually not for humans…for human’s blood. Rose was showing all our clothes we bought, first hers, then mine. “Ooh, and I love this one.”, she held up a long dress. It was very beautiful, she picked it out for me. It was a velvet blood red corset, patterned with black swirls that went out into a long red gown, coated with a black frilly part that went over the top of it. I loved it. “Whoa,” Sarah gasped, “I’m stealing your dress.” “I’d love to see you in it, Sirena.”, Derek said. “Yea, Sers,” Rose said, put it on, she nudged me with her elbow and shoved the dress into my arms. Daren stayed silent, fidgeting. I rolled my eyes. “Fine.” I sighed. Just to keep them all happy. “Yay!”, everyone shouted. I went upstairs into my room, and undressed. I gently placed the gown over my head and put it on and zipped it up at the side. Hmm…I guess I need to tie it at the back. Just then, I heard Rose’s footsteps getting louder, “Do you need a help?”, she asked. “Yea, thanks.” She picked up the two strings at the back and pulled very tightly so I could hardly breathe. I gasped. “Sorry, but it’s a gothic Victorian dress, it needs to be tight.” “Yea, I gathered.” When she was finally finished, I walked over and looked into the mirror. Oh my. Was that me? I stared at this beautiful figure in the reflection. I could not believe that this object was shining a clone of me. My eyes seemed a lot brighter than before and my pale skin seemed to glisten more. My black hair had gotten slightly longer, curling into perfect ringlets. I smiled, my sparkling white teeth and fangs were even beautiful. And then my body. I was a perfect weight, and the dress showed off my curves. My breasts stood out a lot more in the corset, curving at the waist and out with the gown. It fitted perfectly. I looked up to my shoulders, to my pale neck. It was glowing even brighter now, as though it produced sparks, like fireworks in the night sky. The pattern on my neck seemed to have extended just slightly, to the tops of my shoulders. The stars were

twinkling, and the twirls were twirling. And I hadn’t noticed before, but the moon had changed shape, to fit with the moon in the sky. It was almost a full moon now. “Wow…” I gasped. “You got that right” Rose said, astonished., “Your neck…” “I know.” “It’s almost time for the ceremony, the one every full moon. We’re having a ball, or a party if you want to call it. You should wear this. By the way, you will need a partner. I think I know who you’ll choose.” I laughed. “I might ask him before dinner, I need to talk to him about getting books we can research on anyway, remember.” “Oh yea, I forgot about that. Good idea” I took a deep breathe, “Let’s go show the others.” “Oh my…”, Kallie said. They all gasped in amazement, like they just saw a shiny new toy at Christmas. “You’re stunning!”, Sarah screeched. “Okay okay, don’t get too excited, it’s not that interesting. “It rather is.”, said Derek. “Daren don’t you think Sirena looks pretty?” Rose asked. Daren looked up and said hesitatingly, “Oh um, yes, she looks…nice.” and he looked away quickly. He seemed… distracted. “Is that all you can say?”, Rose said coldly, “Daren I think I need to speak to you in private, please?” she said. “This can’t be good,” Derek inhaled, “Good luck Daren, I’d be careful you know, you don’t want to see her when she’s angry.” Daren half laughed. They both went out the room and closed the door leaving a gap slightly, so that I could hear. “Sirena has told me about yesterday night, and everything else too. You don’t know all of it, but you may know some of it. She’s still not sure about that flash back yet, the goddess is still showing her memories. But I know this, it is real. I know your still creeped out and scared but that is no reason to act like…a bit of a jerk. I thought you were a real gentleman. Look, why don’t you both try to speak about it and stop ignoring each other?” Rose lectured. “She’s also having flashbacks?” “Yes that’s what I’m trying to say. I think the goddess wants you and Sirena to tell each other them, it might set off some more so that we know what’s going on.” “Right okay, yea. I’m sorry if I’ve been acting weird today, it’s not just that it’s…” “Kern?” “Yea.” “Don’t worry about that. Sirena is just progressing more quickly. It’s just the lust of human blood, she even said she never started seeing him till she began to change into a vampire. And what Kern is feeling, is the attraction to vampires. It is nothing more.” “Okay.” “Let’s go inside, I need some food.” Rose winked at me and walked across the room and stood in front of us all. “Anyone coming for dinner?”, she asked. “Me”, Sarah and Kallie both said. “And me too, my stomach is rumbling”, Derek groaned. “I’ll be there in a minute, Rose.”, I secretly winked to her.

An insane idea

Daren walked to where I was sitting and sat down next to me. “They are correct you know, your beautiful.”, he stroked my hair away from my face. My cheeks flushed a red colour, burning up. “So Sirena you’ve been having them too? The flash backs?” “Yea. It was kind of weird at first. But now I sort of go with it.” He laughed, “The goddess told me to go to the human world and choose you. She came to me one day, and sort of gave me this weird flash back…” “What was it?” “It’s kind of hard to explain. We were out in a garden of some sort, playing about. We were kids you see. About ten or eleven. The goddess was there, and…my father. They were laughing at something, laughing at us, just having a good time. That flash back wasn’t that interesting. But she showed me another one”, he explained, “We were slightly older, fourteen or fifteen, and we caught the goddess and my dad talking. We peeped around the edge of the door and saw them in the hall and they were acting very serious.” “What were they saying?” “It would be easier if I show you.” I gave him a puzzled look an gasped when he all of a sudden grabbed my arm and pulled me into some flash back. “Their growing up. Soon they will no longer be just teenagers and my daughter will take the throne as queen in just a few years. And your son, Lord Daren of Arnor, is going to swear to protect my, Sirena. I have felt it. As have those who see the future. And we both know soon after I will be captured…and sentence to death. Your son is also in a dangerous position in the royal line.” The man sighed. “I know, but believe in them, my dear Thea. When the time is right, and you take over as the new goddess, you will guide them and watch over them. As will I.” Daren’s father hugged my mother, and everything around us began to fade out and in the next second, I was sitting next to Daren again. I couldn’t say anything, I was still shocked. “Lord Daren of Arnor?”, I manage to say, giggling, “Nice name.” “Oh shut up.”, he blushed. “Do you think were related?” “No. But I do know that our parents were very good friends, and we both had our old life’s memories taken away from us. But…”

“Why?”, we asked ourselves together. I was so confused, I also wanted to say something to him, something I think he felt to. I took a deep breath in as my heart fluttered and danced, hammering and drumming against my chest. “And I do know something else…” “And what would that be?”, he frowned and stroked my face. “We’re soul mates.”, and I leant up and kissed his lips. I loved the feeling of his lips on mine, as the pleasure filled me up and washed away all the negative thoughts and confusion. I realised now, I loved him, and I have since the first time I met his gaze that cold night were he made all the bad things go away. “I’ve been wanting to do that for ages.”, he grinned, his arms around my shoulders. “Me too.”, my eyesight went blurry and I tried my best not to blink and show that I was upset but failed miserably. “Sers, what’s wrong?”, tightening his grip around me, trying to comfort me. “It’s just…Argh. I’m so messed up. One minute I’m being a freak by drinking Kern’s blood and snogging him. Now I’m kissing you. I love both of you. Why can’t I be simple?” “Your just going through a difficult time at the moment. While wanting Kern’s blood, which I say isn’t normal for a first year, and everything about your past just popping up out of nowhere, finding out you’re princess of the whole kingdom and your mothers the goddess… is pretty hard to go through. I honestly don’t know how your managing it.”, he kissed me on the forehead and added, “Don’t worry. Everything will be okay. We will all look after you, Sarah, Kallie, Derek, Rose, Kern and especially me. I love you, my Sirena.”, and he kissed me softly on the lips. I kissed him back and told him I loved him too.

Daren and I, slowly made our way to the cafeteria where our friends had left two spaces for us to sit down next to them. Rose raised her two eyebrows at me when I sat down next to her and I shook my head and laughed silently to myself. She leaned over and whispered something that only I could hear, “Talk later, eh?”, she leant back and winked again. I pierced my lips to stop myself laughing and thought to myself, that girl cracks me up. No one seemed to notice anything weird, so I got up and helped myself to a huge plate of spaghetti, my favourite food, yum. Rose yawned, “Today has been such a long day.” “Ditto, Rose.”, Kallie and Sarah said at the same time, too busy to say anything else as they chomped on a double decker, vegetarian style. “I think I’m going to dorm straight after this, I’m too tired. What about you Sers?” “Yea, deffo.” “Suit yourselves,” Derek said, “Actually I need to do some homework, I’ll walk with you.” Me and Rose rolled our eyes and mumbled the word ‘geek’. “I need to do some prefect duty, you know what some of the kids are like, wondering around the school when everyone is sleeping, causing trouble.”, Daren said. “Chyea. They think there so cool.”, Kallie said. “If they think their cool, we’re daaamn hot.” Sarah said, high fiving Kallie. “Oh god. Quit with the bad jokes.”, I said. “There not really jokes, there more facts than anything.” “Pfft you wish.” and we all giggled. When I put the last spoonful of the delicious spaghetti, Rose got up, grabbed my unused arm and half dragged me away from the table that I almost tripped up. “Oi, do you mind? I was eating.”

“I don’t care. Miss gossip girl wants to know the details.” I rolled my eyes at her and followed her to our room in the girls dormitory. “Wait up, I want to come.”, Derek called. “You know you shouldn’t be going into the girls dorm, you have your own one.” “Yes but there not exactly the most friendliest of people in my dorm.” “Tough cookie.” “Fine, I’ll just go then. I understand.” He attempted to do his really bad ‘feel guilty face’. “That’s not going to work Derek. Plus we’re tired, we’re going up to our room anyway.” “Okay fine, I’ll see what the girls are up to, Later.” “Bye Derek” we both said, and blew him a kiss. He rolled his eyes at us and walked off. Oh crap. I just remembered that I had forgotten again about finding out that thing in sociology…and then something just clicked in my brain, and my face widened in shock. The thing the witch was on about, and the thing Pheora in sociology…it’s linked. “That’s it!”, I said, a little too loudly, a couple of people walking passed glanced back and gave me strange looks. I cleared my throat and lowered my voice. “You know how Pheora was saying some might not mature in sociology?” “Yes?” “And the witch said some humans did not survived and turned into uuaina auoko?” “Yes…”, then she also got it and her eyes widened, “Oh my god…”, she croaked. “We need to find Daren, now. We need a spell of invisibility, a spell of light, and a prefect. We’re going to be those ‘cool kids’ and do something we’re not supposed to. Tonight.”

Practicing magic “Are you mad?”, was the first thing Daren said when we found him in one of the hallways getting a few first years into trouble. “Most likely.”, I said. “If we get caught we could be in serious trouble…they will ask why we’re looking up uuaina auoko in the restricted area of the school library. And Pheora said I was going to be promoted to head boy and if I get caught I would probably get depromoted and that opportunity will be completely shattered thanks to you two.” “Aww really? Congratulations.”, Rose said cheerfully. Daren gritted his teeth and his face reddened. “Relax, we’re not going to get caught.” “How do you know?” “Because we both feel it, it’s just a tingling in our necks and that feeling.” Daren relaxed slightly and finally agreed to take us to the restricted library. “Right we need a plan now,” he said, “Sirena, what have you got in mind?” I smiled. “In exactly 3 hours, at 12 noon, everyone will be sleeping, or at least in there

rooms. The lights will be out. We will meet at the grand staircase then. We first need some sort of invisibility spell if that’s possible, and a spell that will allow us to see in the dark, we don’t want to be seen. We use that on all three of us, and I will somehow bring the elements in to protect us. I’ve never done it before but I have that feeling again I need to do it, the go-…my mother will guide me.” Daren nodded, “How are we ment to find it though? Have you seen how big the library is? And the restricted section won’t be as easy as searching alphabetical order like a normal library.” “Just trust me, I know what I’m doing. Or at least, my conscience does.” “Well that’s confidence.” I gave him a sharp look. And he smiled jokily. “Daren, do you have your senior level magic book? There must be something in there about spells like them.” “Yea, You both can come up to my suite that Pheora just gave me for now and Rose can study them, I heard your good with magic.” “Yea I guess, it’s something I’ve always been naturally good at.” “Well that’s sorted then, the rest will be luck”, I smiled. Daren sighed, “Alright, let’s do this” And we followed him to his room. Wow…was all I could say to his massive unbelievably lovely suite. His lounge was like the same as our dormitory. His bathroom was very nice, like the huge bathrooms you get at posh expensive hotels, without the guy standing with fresh towels and rows of cologne. And his bedroom was big too. With a king size bed to himself may I add. “I haven’t had time to put up all my posters and stuff and decorate my room.” “It’s beautiful…”, I said. “You got that right,” staring up at the huge beautiful chandelier dangling above her head that must of cost a fortune, “You are one lucky-” “Yes anyway, let’s get that book. Rose can start on that, I can start on how to summon the elements and Daren…you can just make sure this is going to work. “Pfft. Yea you get the really good jobs and I get to just watch you.”, we walked off and searched through all his books. “Sorry, if I think of something I’ll give you something else…” I said thoughtfully, “Actually, can you tell us more about the restricted section? What’s it like?” He came back and handed a book to Rose who took it gratefully, “It’s not that complicated. It’s just you have to think pacifically about what you want and what you want to find out. And by doing this you will know where to find it, but the bad thing is, some adult vampires might find out.” “Ah crap,” was all I could say. “Now you tell us this?”, Rose said. “Wait. Maybe this is why I need my elements. My elements protect and that yea? Maybe we use our riatsu’s and elements to protect what we’re doing and to stop them ever finding out.” “Good idea.” After an hour, maybe two. Rose finally shouted, “Got it!”, we looked at her questionably. “Quella- to become invisible to others who you do not want to be seen by. Advantages- People will be completely unaware of your presence, even gifted vampires or witches. Disadvantages- Depending on the strength of the spell, it will only last a certain amount of time. Average is an hour. This spell cannot be used recklessly as it drains the energy of ones self.” “Excellent, that would be perfect. It’s not like we’re going to be there a long time. We can get the book and bring it back to Daren’s suite without anyone

noticing. The trouble is getting it back…but we can worry about that later.” “Unfortunately the books cannot be taken out. We are going to have to take off the spell while we’re there. Then use the spell again on the way out. If we take the books out it triggers the vampires, even with or without your elements.” “Darn. Oh well. Still. Everything has its goods and bads.” “How is the elements going?” “Not good. I can’t seem to do it. I don’t know the casting of the circle.” “Well we can show you. But we don’t have time.” “Wait. I know what I have to do. It must be in one of my memories. My mother can show me.” “How are you going to get inside one of your memories?” “I’ve done it before. I just need to concentrate.” I closed my eyes. And thought about the elements, I concentrated hard, about my mother (the goddess) and fire, water, earth, air, and spirit. And suddenly information filled my head, flashes going so fast in my brain it was hard to keep up. It was exactly like what they do in the matrix when they learn something, except I wasn’t plugged in to any machine… I shot up, breathing deeply and opened my eyes. “I know how to do it.” “Your really scare me sometimes, Sers.”, Rose said. I smiled. “Let’s practice.” “How do you do the spell of invisibility Rose?” “Well it says here. You must concentrate on what you want to be invisible, and who from and say the word quella as its pronounced properly. It is a difficult spell to do properly and strongly as very few know the proper pronunciation.” “Great, how are we ment to do it properly?” I cleared my throat, “I know the language remember?” “Oh yea. We’re sure are glad to have you.” “It’s quu-eel-eh. The q is just pronounced the letter q. And say it like you really mean it. You don’t say the words. You make your voice the spell.” “Rose, you try it first.” She took a deep breathe and closed her eyes, frowns appearing across her forehead as she concentrated hard. “Quella.”, her voice was enchanting, like it was putting a spell on me. The words quella chimed and she began to fade, I felt her presence disappear, as though she was never in this room, it was only me and Daren alone. “Oh my god…it worked.”, I said. “Problem is, I don’t think we can see or hear her. How do you become visible again?” Suddenly Rose popped out of nowhere again and startled me and Daren. “As I was trying to say, I think I did a really strong spell since you couldn’t hear me either. You say quella again, but imagine being visible again.” “Oh. Wow Daren is right you must be really good at magic.”, I complimented her. She blushed. Me and Daren tried it next, and after just a couple of attempts we got it. “Yay!”, Rose sounded excited. I checked the time, it was ten to twelve. “I think we have to do it for real now”, I said. “What about the elements?”, Daren asked. “No time to practice, let’s just hope I get this right.” I took a deep breath, held out my right arm and clenched it into a fist beside me. I felt my golden riatsu light up around me, but not only was it golden as I focused on the elements, it was red for fire, green for earth, blue for water, yellow for air, and purple for spirit.

The monster within

“Air, surround us and guide us in the right direction”, I immediately felt the cool air against my face, and saw the wind circling around us all. One down, four to go. “Fire, burn the evidence of our wrong doings.” I felt the warm heat rush up from my feet to my head and the circle around us lit up into flames. Another one. “Water, wash away any regrets we may have.” A cool wet feeling washed down me, and through my arm and water fell to ground and surrounded us, but did not put out the blazing fire. “Earth, may our footsteps be unseen by any other.” I smelled fleshy cut grass and looked down, sure enough, grass had surrounded us, but the other three elements stood strong. “And lastly, spirit, give us strength and luck on our task, this is very important.” All of a sudden I felt incredibly happy, I felt like I do anything, like this was completely nothing, I laughed in happiness. “That was…amazing”, Rose gasped, and we all laughed. “Right, we need to cast the invisibility spell now. Oh crap, does anyone know a light spell?” “I do, it’s really simple. You just need to use your two index fingers in front of you, and say me-a”, Daren demonstrated and a ball of light flew from his two index fingers and floated in front of us. “Excellent. Daren you can do that. Let’s do the invisibility spell now, but remember to make the light invisible too, it will look kind of strange seeing a floating ball of light wondering about.” Rose laughed. We all concentrated hard and in moments we were all invisible, but still visible to each other so we didn’t bump into each other. “Cool.”, Daren said. “Let’s go.”, and we walked out of Daren’s suite, and made our way to the library. “Ow! you stood on my foot,” Rose hissed. “Oops sorry,” Daren whispered. We finally reached the gate to the restricted library and I pushed firmly against it. It didn’t budge. “Do you really think they would leave the gate open for everyone just to walk in that easily?”, Daren said, amused. “Well…”, I thought. “Move out the way.” Rose said, as she stepped in front of us and pointed at the lock with her two index fingers she said, well, enchanted the word ‘assa’ and the gate immediately unlocked and opened. She looked back on us and smiled cockily. “Pfft, whatever.”, I said, trying to sound un-interested by her way too good magic spells. We gently pushed on the gate and crept in. Daren was right. It was huge. It was like a never ending tunnel of giant bookshelves one after the other. I walked slightly further, stopped, closed my eyes, and thought deeply of what I wanted. I want to find out about uuaina auoko. I want to find out what the goddess done. She sent me on an important mission. I need to find out about the vampire kingdom’s past. I felt a light breeze that seemed to be trying to show me the right way. I opened my eyes and followed the direction of the wind, getting quicker and quicker on every step I take. I halted to stop when I had a sudden urge to go into the aisle beside me. I turned and walked down it. The wind finally stopped when I reached a very old book. “Why do I feel like Harry Potter?”, I asked Rose and Daren when they caught up. “Hmm. Let me think. Practicing magic that is forbidden, like that poly juice potion, sneaking in to a restricted section in a library invisible, like Harry and the invisibility cloak, looking up a very old book about something very old like

Nicholas flamell or whatever his name was…”, Sarah said in a sarcastic tone. We all laughed. “Lets hope a screaming guy doesn’t try to escape from the book when you open it.”, Daren said. “Yea,” I grinned thinking about Harry potter, it was one of my favourite series of books and movies. I glimpsed back at the book and saw writing down the binding that I did not see before. I traced my finger down the gold shimmering text gently, being careful not to damage the worn away book. I picked it up and was about to walk away when I saw another one fall side ways to replace the gap I made, with curiosity I picked it up as well and gently placed them on the nearest bench and sat down. I took a deep breathe in and blew out along the top of the second book I picked up and wiped it with my sleeve. It was allowed bigger and heavier than the first one. I whispered to myself the title, “Tel’ yesta” the beginning. “What?”, Daren and Rose said together with confusion on their faces. “It means the beginning” I smiled at them. I opened the book, skimming through, chapter by chapter, lightly turning the thin, crumbling yellowed pages, careful not to tear or damage the fragile pieces of script more than it already was with age. Daren and Rose started on “Dangerous creatures: Facts and how to get rid of them.” Hours had past, my eyes were a tonne of weights and I found it more and more difficult to keep them open, but I continued filling my head with important information. I yawned and Daren looked up at me with concern. “I think you’ve been reading that book long enough Sers, I think we should go to bed. It’s like 3 in the afternoon, and the fact we have class in 6 hours time.” “Yeaaaa yeaaa” as my eyes drooped, I closed the book and put my arms out in front of me to lean my head on them and fall asleep in absolute exhaustion when I heard a wwwrr-rrooo. I nearly jumped out my skin. I jolted my head up too fast and hurt my neck and found Rose knocked out with her arms dangling by her side and her head leaning on the table like she was looking at Daren. And she was snoring. “I think you better carry her to our room,” I yawned. “I’ll manage to walk by myself.” “Good cause who said I was carrying you,” he smirked. I frowned at him and hissed. Oh my goddess did I just hiss? I’m definitely going through this transformation to fast, or maybe I will turn into a big giant serpent when someone gets on the wrong side of me. I imagined myself as a giant snake about to sink my poisonous fangs into Daren’s neck, when it changed into a monster, with red eyes and long sharp canines, draining the motionless guy I loved empty. I shook my head and almost screamed but the terrifying image was gone. “Hey, Sirena, are you alright, your as pale as a ghost, literally,” he quickly got up from his chair and came over to me and grabbed my shoulders lightly, “Sirena? Are you with me?” I broke free out of the ice that was freezing over me and I was able to look up at him and speak, “Sorry. I’m fine. I’m just tired that’s all. Let’s put our spells over us and get Rose to her bed. We’ll talk about what we learned tomorrow, well, today rather.” Half an hour later I finally got back to our room, Daren placed Rose into her bed gently and pulled the covers over her, careful not to wake her. He squeezed my hand before he left and whispered good night to me. I got into bed to, put my head on the soft warm pillow and just before I fell into an unconscious state, the image of the scene I had earlier came back to me. My last thought was. Maybe I am turning into a monster. My mouth watered thinking about his blood and I fell into a deep sleep.