Matthias

by Ariana Kenny

  Chapter 13 Adjusting to life/death

  I awoke slowly, my muscles feeling stiff and foreign. I was in a soft bed and I could hear the tinkling of laughter from the other room, light seeping through under the door. I felt refreshed and light, and hung my legs over the side of the bed to examine my body. It felt the same to touch, but there was a feeling of disassociation there. I put on some light sweat pants that were draped over the end of the bed and picked up a T-shirt that lay next to them. As I moved, all my muscles seemed to be in overdrive, and when I pulled the shirt over my head and drew it down over my stomach, I ripped the side of it by accident. It hardly felt like I had exerted any force. This was going to take some getting used to, so I made a conscious note to myself to avoid buttons until I got the hang of things. I felt choked and a feeling I didn’t recognise gripped me as well.

  As I approached the door, I reached out, grasping the handle. In doing so I heard a splintering sound, so relaxed my grip and paused for a moment. There were so many sounds I could hear. I closed my eyes to absorb as much as I could.

  I could hear familiar voices in the room next door, Elias was among them. I could hear a trolley running down a hotel corridor, the ding of the elevator the floor below and the sounds of the honeymooners in the room next door. Beside them was an old man struggling to breathe as he slept. I opened my eyes and saw the intense detail in the wood of the door, the dust particles floating surreally. I tried to concentrate, but my insides were burning, making it difficult.

  My chest felt collapsed and I realised I wasn’t breathing. It took effort but I inhaled, then exhaled. I could smell everything around me. Cassie’s scent, Camille’s perfume, the room service delivered to another room, somewhere down the hall. I also smelled something else, sweet and overpoweringly intoxicating. It filled my senses. After a deep breath I felt back in control again and opened the door into the next room. There were balloons and a party sign saying ‘Congratulations’. I winced at the bright light and the sudden onslaught of sound as party blowers sounded my entrance and three voices chimed out “Surprise.”

  Cassie’s voice was noticeably not among them. She sat silently on a chair by the window. Violet, Camille, and Elias were smiling, welcoming. Violet hung off Elias as usual, Cam lounged against the couch.

  I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. Here was my official new family. My blood ties. I smiled awkwardly and sought Cassie out. She watched me quietly with the darkened window behind her streaked with rain. She wore a red velvet dress, and dark heeled shoes that laced up her calves.

  Violet was the first to reach me. “I knew you had it in you.” Violet cooed leading me over to the sofa while Cam poured me a Jack Daniels and handed it to me with a kiss on my cheek.

  “Welcome Matthias. I am sorry about the circumstances, but I am pleased I can finally call you my brother.” she drawled in her usually silky accent.

  “Yeah.” I found my voice and gulped back the drink. It burned pleasantly against the cold of my throat.

  Elias took the glass out of my hand to refill it and Cassie rose to her feet.

  “Jeez man your hands are cold.” Elias piped up “We need to get you something proper to drink hey!” That was it! That was the smell I picked up. That delectable, velvet scent. Blood, pumping through the bodies of the two next door. My head swirled and I sank down into the couch disgusted. I felt nausea and excitement burn in the pit of my stomach simultaneously.

  “Back off and give him some space.” Cassie’s welcome voice arrived in my head just in time to anchor me. She sat next to me and ran her hand across my head soothing the beat of my brain. “You’re going to be alright. There’s a lot to take in.” She saw my torn shirt and ran her finger along the ripped seam. “Everything takes a little practice, but you’ll learn fast."

  “Where are we?” I asked her.

  “The Hilton.” she said quietly back at me.

  “I need to go back home. See my dad.” I continued on. Her face became even more somber.

  “Matt. I don’t think that’s a good idea.” she balked.

  “Why not? I need to let him know I’m alright. Tell him what happened.” I was grasping at straws, I know.

  “Matthias.” Camille’s voice was purposefully calm. “Your father has already buried you and your mother. Can you imagine the shock if you just turned up?”

  Defeat settled on to me. “How could they have a funeral so quickly?”

  When my question was marred by silence, Violet spoke up with concern in her voice. “Honey. You’ve been out for over a week. We were beginning to wonder if you would wake up at all. Cassie was patrolling the park every night, all night, making sure no one passed by and found you there.”

  “If they don’t have my body,” I tried to reason “They might believe I’ve been wandering for a week, like people who forget who they are, amnesiacs.”

  “Mon Dieu!” exclaimed Cam exasperated.

  “Matt. My Matthias,” Cassie turned my head to face her. “You can’t go back. There was footage of you being…. attacked from the CCTV under the bridge. I smashed it before I took you, but not before it captured everything else. There’s no way to explain that. There was so much blood of yours. You are dead. Everyone has to let you go now, but we’re with you. We’ll help you. The first thing you need to do is feed though, so you won’t feel so disoriented.”

  “No! I won’t until I’ve thought this through."

  “Yes! You will." Cam cut back at me. “If you don’t feed soon, and properly, you will lose control. You can’t make a scene of yourself. For everyone’s sake.”

  I stood up to her staring her down. “Don’t tell me what to do Cam. That’s it, that’s enough. I’ve lost enough, I’m not going to back down now and lose what’s left of me by accidentally killing someone in an alley somewhere like an animal.” I looked over at Elias wishing I had chosen my words more carefully. “Sorry man, I don’t mean offense.” Elias waved his hand to dispel any concerns.

  Cassie spoke again. “We need you to think straight on this. Have a drink, settle in to your new body and then you can decide what you need to do next.” I looked at her intently. There was nothing but worry for me in her face.

  "I know what I want to do Cass." I said flatly. She must have known what was going to happen next, but to her credit she didn't try to stop me. Even as I launched myself through the door of the hotel and down the hall she only moved to stop Camille from grabbing me.

  "Let him go Cam." I heard her say, quickly followed by Violet, unnervingly composed saying: "He just needs to see for himself. Don't you remember what it was like?"

  "He sure is fast" Elias exclaimed and that was the last I heard of them as I disappeared down the stairwell taking a half floor at a time until I was out and running in the night air. I ran effortlessly and was mindful to keep to the shadows.

  After a short while I ended back at my parents' home, my father's home now. When I arrived, I stood for a moment out on the street downstairs. As soon as I was ready, I reached the gate and broke the outside lock just by squeezing the handle to make my way in. On reaching the front door I hesitated. I could see a soft light leach from under the door, and I felt to my core I shouldn't be here but still, I couldn't help myself. I had to let them know I was alright, was alive - of a fashion. I could hear Anton and Evie's voices inside hushed, muttering. They were worried he wouldn't cope. Evie was explaining she could help look after him while Anton covered the shop.

  I knocked gently.

  Their voices ceased and I realized the time was unforgivably late. Anton opened the door, and I shrank back as he creaked it open to check who it was.

  When he peered in to the dark I stepped forward boldly. Tears sprung to his eyes, his jaw dropped, and he let go of the baseball bat my father always kept behind the door for unexpected visitors. He rushed in to the dark and grabbed hold of me, crushed me to him and sobbed something indiscernible. My eyes widened and my mouth watered as I smelt his skin next
to my mouth. My brother by blood. Blood. When he broke away, he dragged me inside and when she saw me, Evie exclaimed out loud and hugged me closely as well. I smelt that smell again and I felt a shadow grow inside me.

  "He'll be so pleased to know you are alright." she sobbed. Then Anton asked the question I hadn't prepared for.

  "But how? When we saw the footage. That man beat the hell out of you, then that thing ripped a chunk out of you. You shouldn't be standing. Are you hurt? You don't look too hurt."

  "What does it matter. He's here." Evie reasoned. "I'll get us a drink to celebrate." and she got up to go to the kitchen.

  "What happened to you, little brother?" Anton rightfully asked me "How could you be gone for so long, and not tell us. We had a funeral for you two days ago. You, and Mother. When we couldn’t find your body, we had to …. Put you both to rest.” Anton gestured towards my father's bedroom “He nearly died from grief."

  "I didn't really come to until a little while ago, then I had to get away to come here." Not a word of a lie. Anton sighed in relief.

  "Of course. They must have not realized where you came from when you arrived in the hospital. I called everywhere just in case, but I suppose, if you didn't have any ID and you were unconscious.... It is so good to see you Matt."

  All of a sudden I was feeling very strange. The smell I had enjoyed so much at the hotel was all around me, enveloping me. I felt chocked and liberated at the same time. I gulped and tried to look away from Anton. My eyes felt like they were burning and I felt the sharp press of my fangs protruding, growing out from my gums, taking over the spot my canines used to occupy. Evie arrived just then with a bottle of my father's best scotch and four glasses. I breathed deeply trying to get through the moment as I suddenly realized why Cassie had tried to keep me from coming here. Yes it would be a shock for them, but a greater shock would be if I tried to eat them. I thought back to the pimp in the alley. How Elias had, with no dignity, torn the flesh from that man. How he had reveled in the taste. I looked away and stood up.

  "What are you doing? We have to tell dad that you are here" queried Anton. I heard the baby rustle and moan in the cot set up on the other side of the wall. I heard it's fluttering heart beat, like the drum of an animal's feet fleeing in knowing terror during the hunt. My stomach turned on itself and I had to get out. Now.

  "It's late." I was clutching at straws now, desperate for air. "I can come back a little later." Evie placed her hand on my shoulder and urged me back on the couch.

  "You need to rest" she assured me.

  "She's right. I don't know how you can be walking and talking after what I saw you go through. It's a freaking' miracle! Sit down and we'll get dad and see what we have to do next."

  "I will go wake your father" Evie announced. All I could really hear was the excited thrum of her pulse through her neck which was stretched perilously in front of my face as she placed the glasses down.

  "Don't tell him straight away" Anton instructed, “We’ll surprise him when he comes in." Some surprise. Evie disappeared out of the room. I needed out. If I had had a heart that worked anymore it would have been beating out of my chest now.

  "Whatever happened, you know you can talk to me right. You look like you are in pain Matt." I was. "Is there anything I can do? Anything you need? I am so pleased to have you back again little brother". He embraced me again and it was too much to bear. I opened my mouth, let my teeth come to full length and just as I moved to bite down I heard a hiss and felt an inhumanly strong hand pull me away. Anton looked at me in sheer horror. Cassie had pulled me back from him. She held me by my shirt and called for me to look at her. I looked her in the eye before I steadied myself to look back at my brother. I felt weak from hunger, driven with an urge to clamp my jaws around something fresh, quenching. Something near.

  "What the......" Anton just stared at me open mouthed. I heard Evie bringing my sleep ridden father down the hall. "Get out!" my brother seethed at me through gritted teeth. "What are you! Did you kill my brother, take him? Demon!" Anton grabbed a pen and knife from the table and made a makeshift cross. It had no effect of course, except to catch me off guard. My brother, appalled and fearful of me.

  "It's just me" I tried to talk normally through my new teeth. "Just me." I pleaded desperate. The look in his eyes bore no understanding though. "I just want to come home."

  Anton shouted down the hall. "Evie! Don't you come in here! Take dad back to bed."

  "But...." came the perplexed voice from down the corridor.

  "Do it. Trust me."

  "He is still your brother...." Cassie spoke softly, her voice marred with protective tones.

  "That is not my brother. Did you do this, did you?!" he turned on her.

  "I was as good as dead Anton, I thought it was a relief to see me alive?" I challenged.

  "But you're not alive are you. You died! Get out, get out and I don't want to see you here again. Don't come to speak with him, leave my family alone!"

  Cassandra tugged on my arm guiding me to the door.

  I looked at Anton, hand ready to slam the door shut. This was my last link to what I was before tonight. "Anton." I said his name like it could draw continents together.

  "Shut up; get out!" came the reply. Like that, we were gone, down the corridor, and I heard it slam behind us. I closed my eyes as I heard the sound echo.

  "I'm going to get you home now Matthias. Home with me" Cassie's voice was strong and comforting in the dark. My flesh felt cold and my stomach twisted in knots from grief and hunger. I nodded in the dark and knew she understood. She squeezed my arm with hers and we moved towards the hotel as if physically linked together.

  When we were inside, I didn't want to look at Camille's judging eyes, but she wasn't there anyway. She was at Myria's, or so Violet confirmed for me. When Violet lay eyes on me, she looked at me with pity. Was this what had happened when her father had realized what she had become.

  "Things not go as planned?" Elias was smugly propped up against a wall, arms crossed. "Bet the pimp ain't looking so bad after all." There wasn't malice in his voice, just jest, but I could only manage to give him the briefest of vacant glances before focusing on staring out the window.

  "Elias!" scolded Violet as I was steered to the couch where Cassie sat next to me.

  "Drink for me?" She could have asked for anything and it was hers after she stopped me from doing what I had been about to do to Anton. I relented, nodding. She reached out and stroked my hand. Violet handed her a mug, and Cassie pressed it in to my hands. It was warm and the smell overpowering. My mouth salivated and I inhaled deeply.

  "Ugh" I heard from Elias. "Why don't I find something nicer than that stale crap for him. There was a nice Canadian girl on concierge duty downstairs."

  "This will do just fine." Cassie mewed at him, her eyes never leaving my face. She ran her finger along my hairline pulling a few stray hairs back into place behind my ear. "Just sip gently to begin with" she urged. I took a dip in the liquid with my tongue before venturing a sip. It tasted like nothing else I ever tried. My sip turned in to a gulp and in a moment the contents were gone. My need swam through my brain and body.

  "More" I exclaimed.

  "You heard him." Cassie replied and Violet quickly handed her another. She exchanged it for the empty one in my hand and as I finished the last sips I felt a relief sweep over the room. Everyone relaxed, took a seat and seemed more at ease.

  "We are going out to some country house Violet found tonight" Cassie informed me. "Lots of fresh air, space to stretch out... You'll like it Matt."

  Just like that we left. Left the hotel, the lobby and took off in a borrowed Mazerati Camille found through the valet.

  The house was more like a mansion. There was a sprawling lawn and large gardens to compliment the estate. The property was owned by an older woman whom Violet had influenced to believe was a long lost relative. The woman roamed around during the day, and hovered around our group until she
took herself to bed at 8:00 sharp every night. She never interfered of course, remaining on the sidelines pleasantly knitting, reading and listening to the radio. There was a small compliment of staff who suspiciously eyed us off, not that Violet even tried to get them onside. They did as the lady of the house requested.

  It would be nice to say I handled those early days with some kind of dignity. Truth is I spent most of the first week feeling sorry for myself, lost in my own thoughts. It set me apart from the others as they settled in to their familiar patterns, and I settled in to a kind of depressive trance. I wanted to sleep my way through the first few weeks – find a way to disappear in to my own wallowing. As it turned out, I didn't need to sleep like the others though. I didn't suffer the same exhaustion come daybreak. I did however remain sensitive to the light. Still, I tolerated the sun better than everyone, except Violet who seemed as capable as I.

  Most nights I spent on the roof.

  One dusk, Cassie woke and found me sitting up there once again. I was just staring at nothing in particular, and she sat next to me. I faced ahead silently and she regarded me with curiosity. At least it wasn’t pity. I had plenty of that for myself.

  “So…” she said pensively.

  “So…” I reflected. I looked over at her and she looked like she glowed in the half light. Her eyes shone, her hair bounced back the moonlight.

  “Going to stay up here for the rest of eternity?”

  “Thinking about it.” I looked away again.

  “I used to think about a lot of things when I first changed. I had a spot too. Out on a pier where Cam used to live when she was, you know, alive.”

  “A pier. River or sea?” It wasn’t like I didn’t want to talk. Just not sure what I wanted to say, that’s all.

  “Canal actually. In France. Violet, Camille and Belil would often go there for breaks when things got too hot to stay in a town. It was like a refuge in between places to set up. No matter how careful you are, it can be really easy to make people suspicious.”

  “What was the set up with Belil anyway. How come he had so much control over you?”

  “He didn’t have control over me, I was always tied to Violet because she made me, saved me. Camille was though. Belil killed her whole family, then turned her, and even then he still had this hold over her because. The blood bond is almost impossible to resistor the first few 100 years or so. It wears off slowly over time, but until it does, we are drawn to obey the person who turned us, our sires, feel an instinctual pull to protect them.”

  “Even though he killed her family?” I asked horrified.

  “Even then.” she sighed. “Sometimes, it’s hard to know what to do when you can get away, especially if you just spent the last hundred years with someone, even if you hate that person. What do you do? Where do you go? There’s lots of reasons people stay with their makers long after they don’t have to – if they survive.

  “Why did he kill her family?” I questioned. I knew he was evil, but this seemed particularly cruel. Make it so someone could live forever with memories like that.

  “For the amulet - the one that controls the Old Ones. I thought it must have burned up in the fire until I saw Michael had it.”

  “So the family she described, who protected it, that he visited trying to get them to give it to him…”

  “That was Camille’s family. Her father was the one who took it on himself to protect it. He was a professor of history and mythology. Don’t look so sad.” She said placing her hand tentatively on my shoulder and then leaning her head in to me. “We all have had to say goodbye to everyone we knew, loved. Or will do. It’s just how we lose them that can shake us.”

  I hadn’t really considered that what I was so busy dwelling on, was something everyone here had been through. Elias was as new as I was, and the though forged a kind of fortitude to grow within me, a sense of normality returning to wake me. “What about Violet?” I asked. “Why did she stick around then, after everything Belil was? He didn’t turn her’.

  “No, he didn’t” she went on to explain “Her maker let her be free when he left her, and that was a very long time ago. Apparently he didn’t believe in the servitude Belil did. Belil made vampires to be his personal entourage, lackeys and army.”

  “So then why? Camille?”

  “No, well, Violet and Cam were always close, but Violet fell in love with one of the lackeys.” I could feel her smile against my shoulder and she linked her arm with mine. “They were incredible together, inseparable. Belil didn’t approve of course. Violet was quite older than most, great at influencing others – that being her talent. She was also so non-pliable, so independent, and represented a challenge to his authority. But Violet wouldn’t stay away in spite of the warnings. She was so used to making her own rules, bowing to another was never going to be an option. So any chance Beniamin – Ben- got, he would disappear and spend with her. She and Camille became closer over time, then she found me. Eventually I think Belil felt she was just moving in, making her own family within his own, so that’s when he locked her away.”

  “And Ben? He was punished like Violet?”

  “No. Cam tried to get him to run, but he wouldn’t. So did Violet, but Ben, well….he lost. Belil beheaded him after catching him with Violet. It would have happened soon enough though. Belil would often kill them off before they got too old anyway, to prevent them from gaining too much power and independence. The combination of increasing independence and heightening skills was too threatening, amulet or no amulet to help him.”

  “So we get stronger and our abilities become better honed over time.” It was more a statement than a question of mine.

  Cassie nodded “As we get older.” She paused tentative, as though wondering if to say what she was thinking or not. “I have to admit Matt, I am curious to see what you can already do, what skills will get stronger, or are waiting to develop. Already you’re special, so strong, so fast, speed…but, I can’t wait to see…. Well, everything I guess.”

  “Special.” I repeated. “Special. I’m special, you’re special. Aren’t we all just so special.” My voice was tainted with cynicism.

  “Would you believe me if I promised it gets easier with time?” Cassie moved to look at me directly, but I took hold of her hand, not wanting to let go.

  “No.” I smiled. “But I believe it will be easier with you.”

  Cassie leaned forward and kissed me. She was beautiful. “My Matt,” she sighed. “My Matthias.”

  I shook my head but kept smiling. “You know you are the only one I let call me that.”

  “It is your name. Perhaps one you can grow in to feeling more comfortable with.”

  “Like Cassandra.” I retorted.

  “I don’t mind Cassandra. It’s got a strong history behind it.” When she stopped talking, she took a moment before squeezing my hand. “Are you ready to come downstairs and join the rest of the world my Matthias.”

  “Guess I am as ready as I ever will be, my Cassandra.” Cassie gave a pretend wince and I rose to my feet with her. I headed for the window still holding her hand, but she didn’t follow. I looked back at her and she smiled. She let go of me and walked towards the edge of the roof. Out of habit I moved to stop her before I remembered there was no danger.

  “You are going to have to get used to the new rules you know….” And she jumped off the roof. I ran to the edge and looked over. Of course she stood, perfectly fine on the ground. She moved her head to one side and beckoned to me. Against all the instincts I had developed over my human years, I stepped off the edge and fell swiftly, heavy, to the ground. I landed easily, the ground cracking beneath my feet.

  In truth, I found it exciting to do something so bold like that. There were a few other tricks I wanted to try out, and I did over the next few days. The one I really wanted to master was influencing peoples’ minds like Violet did – not spiking them with my blood – just using my thoughts. So I chose to influence the head matron
of the staff, an unpleasant looking woman who regarded me as though I were a cockroach. I tried to tell her she was happy to be helping us with anything we wanted mainly because she was going to inherit the whole house next week and then she could boss the rest of the staff around and go on a long holiday. As I caught her gaze and looked intently at her, I was whispering as I had seen Violet do, the matron had raised a singular eyebrow and muttered some kind of curse word in German or Dutch, or something, and stalked off on me. Violet had been watching me quietly from the stairs. I hadn't even noticed until she snickered, unforgivingly, at my attempts.

  "Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh." she apologized to me though I doubted the sincerity.

  "How do you do it?" I quizzed her.

  "Not everyone can. Even then it takes time to get it right." came her reply. I must have looked disappointed and she came over to me, taking my arm and leaning her face to my shoulder. "Don’t worry," she comforted. "I'll bet there's a bunch of stuff you can do that I can't. We all seem to have different strengths that grow stronger with time and practice."

  "I was kind of hoping that might be one of the talents I would get." I confessed. Violet pulled on my arm and I followed her out the door and outside, into the night. Cassie looked up from an e- book she was reading and broadly smiled at me. Violet led me down the stairs to the grass below and Cassie ventured to watch from the railing.

  "Elias," Violet called. "Come help me with Matt." Elias appeared from nowhere almost instantaneously. He placed an arm on my shoulder and grinned, teeth shining and sharp in the moonlight. Cassie suddenly whipped around the outside of a semi circle of the grass that was marked with wicker torches. As she moved, the torches sparked in to life, bathing us in the licking light.

  An excited expression crossed Cassie's face and my skin tingled in anticipation. Violet stood in front of me confident and amused. Then she swung at me and I moved, on instinct, out of the path of her fist. Elias laughed out loud and Cassie looked proud. "He is fast isn't he." she enthused.

  "Cool." came Elias' response. "We'll teach him to be faster!" Elias shoved me, grinning, urging me on and I swatted him away, deftly deflecting his blow. "You have no idea how much I’m looking forward to this, man. I can't hit a girl, so finally I can have someone to practice with."

  "That's not fair," Violet whined. "I'd let you hit me if you asked nicely."

  Elias was over to her so quickly a torch blew out as he passed it. "Don't toy with me woman. Only say it if you mean it." and he kissed her so deeply I almost needed to look away all together. Cassie came to me as a welcome distraction.

  "It will be fun, finding out all about what you can and can't do." She picked it a rock a little smaller than the size of my fist and handed it to me. I dutifully took it and crushed it with little effort. This caught Elias' attention of course and he bounded over with one I could hold with two hands. I pressed the rock between the palms of my two hands and pressed. It crumbled in pieces and I dusted what was left off my hand.

  "Awesome! It took me a month to be able to do that. Do it again?" Elias asked enthusiastically. I scanned my palms which had been cut by the crumbled rock and watched them heal. I suddenly felt quite playful and gave Elias a competitive look.

  "Race you instead" I found myself saying to him. He looked more excited than ever and took off with me in close pursuit. We hit the outskirts of the property in little time at all, and as I approached him he ran up a tree to gain higher ground. As I ran, almost on his heels, I had a sudden rush of energy. I pushed past the limits of what I thought I could manage and suddenly it didn't feel like I was running anymore.

  As I moved I felt like I entered some kind of white space and instead of physically running, I became only aware of being in one spot, then another. I willed myself forward, back towards the house and past Elias who was just staring in amazement. He gave chase after a second of shock and tried to keep up with me, though failed. I made it back to the outskirts of the property and over the line, shifting in and out of jumps. Just as I felt almost too good, smiling at myself and this newfound ability, I realized I hadn't seen the tree.

  I slammed into it with my full force, and it crashed in to pieces as I hit the ground. I groaned out load with pain, and my neck felt twisted, blood seeping down my head and into my shirt. Then I heard Cam laughing as she dropped out of another tree and walked across to me. Cassie, Violet and Elias arrived to see me being helped up by Cam.

  "Ouch" sympathized Cassie. I realized my neck was on a wrong angle and Cam grabbed my head and wrenched, setting it straight. I could already feel everything settling back how it should, wounds closing over.

  "You still need to look where you're going" Cam taunted.

  "What would be the fun if I couldn't make you laugh" I responded cracking my shoulder and lower back. My humour went down well and I realized that Cam was over whatever issue she had with me.

  "Well at least there's someone who can keep up with me now." she said grinning as she ventured back to the steps of the house.

  "You can do that too then?" I asked her.

  "Yes I can. But I'm far better at dodging trees". With Camille still smirking, and the excitement over we sidled back to the house and Elias eyed off one of the staff, clearly getting hungry.

  "Not where we sleep" Violet warned.

  "She won't mind" he said thoughtfully.

  "How do you know" Violet chimed. "Anyway I feel like eating out. You promised to take me to the place by the harbour."

  Elias immediately picked up "Of course, let's go, but I'm driving." he snatched the keys and the two were out with the sound of the engine all that was left of them.

  "You coming inside?" Cassie called.

  "I'm going to stay out here, practice a little." I clearly needed it if I was going to get used to my new body. "I'll see you at sun up" and I continued practicing hitting, running, kicking until the sun hit. I was getting used to being dead, and feeling quite comfortable by the time I realized the early morning sun was scorching my skin and eyes and I grew tired. I could barely see by the time I retreated inside. I had pushed my limits intentionally so I could learn what they were.

  When I went inside Cassie was waiting for me, hidden in the shadows. She regarded me with curiosity. "You alright?" She asked groggy. "You aren't tired?" she questioned me again.

  "I am a bit." I offered heading over to her. I offered her my support and I pulled her weight in to my side. She was clearly having difficulty standing.

  "You're not really tired. Not like you should be." she caressed my face. "It's odd. Like your 1000 years old already. Just fresh from the grave you should have been asleep before me.." We started down the corridor together but her feet stumbled and I pulled her into my arms to carry her. Once in the safety of our room, I locked the door after laying her on the bed and then lay down beside her. I stroked her sleeping face and brushed tendrils of hair on to the pillow.

  Sighing, I regarded her. - my savior, my Cassandra. Offering an unknown future, shrouded in bad omens and twisted fate, but now my only....lifeline. I wondered what would come next.

  There had been something else keeping me outside pushing my limits, but I hadn't told her. Michael. Where was he? What was he doing? Gloating over my death. My mother's death? I had to know what he was doing. Coming after me had been sweet revenge for him, but there was more. I saw it in him, in his purposeful moves and control of the Old Ones. Something else he wanted now his old life was ended.

  Whatever was coming next, sleep wasn't. I lay there thinking about the last few weeks. No more normal for me. I kept waiting for sleep to take me. Waiting for an overwhelming urge to close my eyes and be overcome, but it didn’t until the next day. Even then, my sleep was disturbed by images of people and places I knew from my old life, ones I wondered if I shared with Cassie. Images of fears I had and feelings of revenge. Michael was in most of my thoughts of course. I imagined him living it up, lounging back in some expensive club devouring want-to-be star
lets and people he could otherwise lure to him. What was he doing with the Old Ones though…. That was the question that plagued me most. I hoped somehow they controlled him, so I could excuse his actions, forgive him his sins for all the time we spent like family. I trusted him. Had trusted him! In spite of all this though. I did eventually succumb to deep sleep.

  We stayed at that house for another two weeks after that, and I used the time at the house well to learn how best to use my new and improved body.