I wanted to tell my mother about how I met Ouija at school, But I wasn't going into it without finding out more information first.
Even for myself, I hardly had time to even process this newly found friend of mine. The thought of just going straight to my mother with less answers than I could manage made me cringe.
Especially with us being new, and staying under radar. I had to always think on my toes, mimicking the tics that humans had, acting to the furthest degree to make sure I wouldnt get burned.
Try as I may...not to read mothers mind- who was used to the lack of privacy in my presence. I wanted to make sure her intuition didn't catch anything on me.
"Vex, How was school?" Mother asked.
Her attention that had been focused on getting blood out of the bag and into a small cup shifted instantly on me.
"Oh, It was fine. You know...Classes, Listening to lectures, homework. The usual."
I looked at her. She was watching me with eyes that said that they totally believed I'd come up with something and not made an ass out of myself.
I wish I held her confidence in me.
"So, what are the humans working on this time? New friends to mention?"
My heart sank slightly before I launched into explaining my Language Arts Project on the Play of Macbeth, leaving out the fact I had met Ouija. She didn't respond. I was worried she could sense my half assed lies before she handed me dinner with a soft smile.
"Sounds like normal teenage work. I'm happy to hear things went accordingly." Mother noted. I swirled around the contents of my cup, watching the bubbles drown into the red.
"Speaking of work. May I be excused to finish my assignment? I shouldn't be long."
She nodded and waved me off with her skinny hand. As strong as she may seem, her mind was a shadowless lake that was clear like glass. She was depressed.
I took a deep breath as I grabbed my cup and headed up the stairs toward my bedroom.
I sat myself on the edge of my bed before laying on my back. My eyes starring up at my roof as I sighed to myself.
What the hell am I going to do tomorrow? I thought. My gut telling me that I was missing something important. Ouija must tell me everything she remembers about the night she died. I sat up once again, my mirror reflecting my dark purple eyes. I grabbed my glass and inhaled the delicious scent, an intoxicating mixture. The sweet red liquid now rushing down my throat, my eyes shifting from their normal purple swirls to the gross bright red colour. I hated drinking from the donation center. My craving seemed to be met with satisfaction- Even if they weren't- I will not let them consume me.
I moved towards my laptop opening it's screen that scrolled between photos of my old friends and I together. One of my favorite photos popped up. My friend Isabella who was a curly red head with freckles, on my right with her arm wrapped around me. On my left, Owen with his wild, dark curls that fell over his eyes. He is the son the another council memeber, Darius Van Houston. His father broke honorary code by mating with a human- meaning Owen was sentenced to a life long fight with bullies for being 'impure'.
I pushed myself to move on from staring at my past and decided to focus on someone elses.
Pulling up Google again- Without all The restrictions, I typed in Aidens name into the browser. A coroner's report pops up along with Salems Evening News attached with an article.
Aiden Beltane found DEAD in July 1888.
The report documented by: Elizabeth Jules
My breath became slightly heavier as I opened the article into full view, to find a picture of an older man hanging from the rafters in his home.
I continued reading:
In 1888, Seventy Year Old, Aiden Beltane was found by his visiting Cousin, Margret Thron, Seven days after his death. Margret seen walking in unannounced, feeling worried for her cousin, was met with her worst fear. Found her dear cousin who had hung himself in his bedroom among the rafters above with a note, later found my Salems Police in his shirt pocket, reading:
"I'm sorry for what I did."
Ruling this case, a suicide.
A tiny paragraph below his article reviewed a girl who was ruled as missing in 1818, and her mother who hadn't been found. Reported by Aiden seventy years ago before.
Holy shit. I mumbled. So many things began to make more sense, yet, something felt more off. I wrote down everything I had just discovered into my journal to show Ouija tomorrow. People believe she is missing, including her mother. Now to add her brother's suicide on top of that? Goddess be with me...
My door creaked softly as my mothers head poked inside. She was wearing her white doctor overcoat that settled over her blue uniform.
"Vex, I got an emergency at the hospital. I need to take graveyard shift tonight. I won't be home till morning, so Im expecting you to behave while I'm gone. Please feed Zen, and don't leave the house. I love you."
And almost instantly as she was in, she was rushing back out towards her car. Most humans don't know or understand this, but Cats are very special when they attach themselves to a clan, or a member, they are bonded for life.
My cat, Zen, found me when I was in junior year at the academy. I had been troubled experiencing troubles with my craving around humans, and I had followed this female who was walking near our perimeter. I felt like a predator stalking it's prey as I hid within the branches of our willow trees, watching her anxious movements. I landed on the ground behind her quietly, my mouth was watering at the meer thought of tasting her before Zen has shown herself. She hissed and bowed down into a fighting stance- scaring the girl off into another direction in full sprint.
Our eyes locked and something inside the two off us had shifted, (spiritually speaking.) Her presence alone had calmed me down, as mine did to her; Inseparable from their and on.
I dug through my dresser drawers that had neat folds within their wooden frames, pulling out a black pair of sweats, my black sweat shirt, and a dark purple tank top. I needed to get out for awhile.
I moved swiftly down the stairs and into the living room to find Zen curled into a ball on the couch, next to my spot. Her head perking up as I neared her, looking her multicoloured eyes on mine.
"Mee-eeh-uf-ow"
Unconcerned, my girl launched herself into my arms, and I had to my sweater and a small (slightly chubby) white cat. All the while Zen complaining at me in her soft childlike voice. She adored me, and definitely had chosen me as her own. But that didn't mean she wasn't a brat at times.
I shifted her to my shoulders as I tied my sweater around my waist, moving to the front, turning the brass door knob.
"Shall we go on a walk?" I asked her as I scratched under her chin. She purred in response as I set off down the street. The November evening breeze whipping locks of my hair around. The beach that was only five minutes away was along the coast of Salem, surrounded by sharp rocks that mainly found themselves fending off teenages in search for a makeout spot. Looking around for any spectators, coast looking clear, I jumped over the barrier quickly and onto the sand below on the other side.
Zen growled softly in my ear, (She hates it when I use my abilities.)
The smell of the damp earth is familiar, as is the way the water hitting the shore has captured the echo tight within the walls, making time slow and conversations last longer.
The water is calm and blue, it's surface rippling only at the edges where shallow waters meet the sand. On instinct, I moved closer to peer in, feeling a slight tug instinctive pity for the masked girl staring back at me.
Thankfully, the sun had been settling in behind the horizon, becoming a gradient of pinks leaking from the orange and yellow hues. Nightfall blues inching nearer like the tide.
If Zen hadn't hissed a warning, I would have attacked when the deep voice spoke behind me.
"How did you get over here?"
I glanced over my shoulder- and froze. Ohmygoddess...
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I'm just not used to seeing anyone else over here. Not many try to get over those rocks, unless they have a phone to record themselves."
My eyes moved over every part of him, my lungs greedy for breath I didn't remember needing. He's tall and lanky, managing somehow to look broad. His teeth are white but the slightest bit crooked. Slightly long wavy brown hair that fell just over his eyes, so dark they looked black and bottemless, sparkled mischievously.
Stop being so weird. Say something!
"Oh, well...I don't own a phone.." Wow me, really?
"Well I guess the idea of me getting your number is out the window then, huh?"
He had an unhurried smile. Raking back the waves of his hair with his fingers.
I hesitated too long with a response, he looked slightly defeated as he began to turn away.
"What makes you think I would gave you my number anyways?"
Oh goddess. He was leaving! Why must I blurt things out?
He twisted around with his heel in the sand, chuckling quietly.
"Well most people like us now a days carry phones around twenty-four seven. Like one second without it, and they'll miss something big, or small."
He removed his hand from his pocket and moved it towards me.
"I'm Jake, Jake hood! And I'm pretty sure I've seen you at school."
I kept my hand at my side, their handshakes were different from our traditional greeting. We would have grasped eachothers forearms and bowed our heads slightly, as a sign of respect. For them? A slight grasp of the hand...very informal.
Jake's gaze narrowed and slipped across my cheeks, over my nose, and paused at my lips. He blinks once, slowly. Waiting in a heavy silence.
"Vex.., Vex Luna." I pretty much mumbled.
His mouth spread into a smile. My stomach flipping in tiny circles as I gawked slightly.
"To be honest with you, I already knew your name."
My eyes reatreated to the sand as my cheeks grew hot and red. He continued.
"My buddies and I saw you this morning sitting alone at the fountain. My friends only said a few things about you."
"They have?" I asked slightly mortified.
His hands went up quickly as if preparing to be hit.
"Don't worry! Nothing bad- just your name and where you're from."
He quickly finished, my cheeks only growing more red.
I let out a small sigh, looking back up to face him, and he was looking at me. Really looking at me, like he wanted to capture every detail. When our eyes met for only a moment, he made a strangled sound, narrowing his gaze and leaning in closer to look.
I was wearing my contacts, right? What is he doing?
"What?" I asked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
He shook his head. "You're..."
"I'm what?" What did he see? I can't invade his mind. That would be rude.
Blinking again, slowly. (Something I assume he does a lot) an unselfconsious, unhurried blink, as if he's capturing an image of me and developing it on his lids.
"Intense.." he murmured.
With that word, another voice appeared in my head. Like an echo of a lost, intrusive memory.
"This is too intense...Please stop!"
I stumbled back a few steps, my eyes wide. I noticed the pulse in his neck beginning to pound, It seemed to echo inside my own throat.
"Are you alright?" Jake asks as he reached for my arm, but I was already turning, trying to escape. More of my memory floods back.
My lips were warm and wet as they left the boys neck, stopping by his ear to whisper, "Are you afraid of dying?"
"Woah, Vex. Maybe you should sit down," Pausing short as his hands kept reaching for me. I could smell him. My throat becoming dry as my fangs began to lower inside my mouth.
Zen rubbed her head against the side of my ear, reminding me that I was going to be okay. I sucked in a deep breath as I collected my thoughts again.
"Vex, I didn't mean to interrupt you. Sit down, we can talk. Or sit in an awkward silence if you prefer?"
I looked at him once more, his eyes looked as if they were pleading for me to stay. I was feeling rather light headed, so my ass met the sand with a soft thump. Keeping my mouth closed as my fangs reatreated back into my gums.
"Just for a little bit." I whispered. I didn't hear him respond, only to see that he sat down next to me with his gaze towards the water.
"I'm sorry- I just have a lot on my mind." Hoping he wouldn't think I was crazy, and spread rumors about this.
"It's just...The move here hasn't been the easiest. I'm not quite use to everything. And the people here are a lot different than the ones I left behind. No one treated eachother like they were a freak because they were different or, not attractive enough- "
I stopped talking abruptly, I sounded like an idiot. But instead of hear his laugh or, worse, saying something patronizing and taking off, he seemed as if he was considering what I had said.
"I agree. Look, I'm sorry people here are not the most welcoming- to say the least. I hope I at least can change your opinion on us."
I stared into his eyes. They really did seem bottomless. He was sitting so close to me I could feel the heat coming off of his body, his heart beat so calm as blood rushed through. I suppressed a shiver from the sudden rush of forbidden desire.
"Thanks." Feeling shrunk, I stood up again.
"I really should be heading back- I have an assignment to finish up on thats due tomorrow." (Not that I worried at all. I reported the book at least million times before.)
He didn't say anything for a moment. Then, slowly, he stood up and faced me. I didn't realize my clan mark was showing before his finger met the fluid line of my tattoo. I wanted to crumble under his touch, but I couldn't move.
"Beautiful, interesting, and intelligent?"
He whispered. I felt my face becoming hot again as he traced the lines of my goddess.
"I'm sorry- I really need to go."
I moved back from him, without paying the least bit of attention as I hurried off. With long, determined strides, I walked away.
I couldn't believe he touched my mark. Never again, will I let anything else happen.
Returning home I instantly noticed the front door had been left open. Zen launched from my shoulders and ran off inside.
"Zen! Wait!"
But it was too late. I ran in behind her, fanged barred as I scouted the front entry. My sense picked up something, before whoever came at me, I spun quickly to my left and threw them agaibst the door. My elbow up against their throat.
I was shocked.
"Well done, little sister. Your skills are, and always will be very well executed."
I moved back in surpise, releasing my brothers throat. He rubbed it gently as a smile broke out on his face.
"Missed me?" He winked, before I punched his shoulder.
I'm sorry to leave this here! Please don't hesitate to correct, or even comment if you like or, don't like something!
Stay tuned for chapter four!
C.K