Susanna
I didn't know what to do. Jesus. I didn't know what to do! Everything was so confusing, so screwed up. Even Ian couldn't comfort me now. The entire family was walking around the house, cross, scared, frustrated. We could never work together properly. We were a time-bomb.
I needed Jessica. As much as I hated to admit it, I needed my sister by my side - both of them, if I hadn't been so angry with Regina. Maybe she would start feeling sorry soon and come home and apologise. Yes, I was mad with her, but that didn't mean I didn't love her or didn't want her to be safe. I didn't know where she was and that scared me. She could be anywhere, in all kinds of danger. It was strangely comforting Helen was with her. As much as I hated that woman, she would make sure nothing would happen to my sister.
And the uprising was at hand. We just didn't know when they would start their big attack. I would need to contact Mickael for that. He wouldn't know, of course, but he would be able to find out. I hoped. Or else we would have to be ready at all times and that kind of tension would break me.
I couldn't wait until Jessica came home - I had missed her. She had always been by my side, had always helped me control our crazy little sister, had always been the one to make me see things clearly. And as much as I hated to get her away from Lily again, poor, sweet Lily, I wanted her by my side. More than anything.
The rest of the family could go to hell for all I cared. Except for aunt Jennifer, of course; she was always on my side, no matter what happened.
I was in one of the many empty rooms we had one day - a small study - when she came walking in.
"How are you feeling, darling?" She asked me, while sitting down next to me on a chair and motherly putting an arm around me.
I sighed. "Horrible, of course."
"Regina will come back."
Ian had told her everything. They had talked a lot lately, which was strangely pleasing.
"How can you be sure?" I asked cynically.
"Because, even though she makes bad choices and can be incredibly dumb and selfish sometimes, she is not a bad person. She's loyal. She loves you." Aunt Jennifer smiled at me. "She will come back, mark my words. I think she probably feels sorry already."
"I hope you're right." I sighed.
"I'm always right."
I chuckled shortly and lay my head on her shoulder. She softly stroked my arms. We didn't say anything.
Moments like these, I loved - though I was a grown woman, I sometimes longed for somebody's touch, for motherly love. I had missed my parents during my turbulent years, and I had always felt they hadn't been there right when I needed them the most. My parents. I sometimes doubted if they would have been good parents. From the moment me and my sisters were born, we were raised to be hunters. I think we had missed part of our childhood.
We had missed being a kid in general. Always so much responsibility, so much duties, so much things to take into account. Never just going to a playground or have a nice party, because we never got the chance. And we all dealt with that in our own way.
Regina acted like a child now because she had never gotten the chance when she was younger. Jessica expressed herself in her art, which was quite dark, gloom, depressing and gruesome sometimes. I just hid it away deep in my mind and tried not to think about it.
Jessica's way was probably the best. But I couldn't draw, write, play music or do anything remotely artistic. In high school I always got Jessica to make my art projects, and I would do her math homework in return.
"Do you think she's safe?" I asked aunt Jennifer.
"Regina? Oh, I think she can handle more than you give her credit for."
I sighed. "But she's such a child."
"Not anymore, Susanna. She stopped being a child a long time ago. She just acts like one. But she is a grown-up and you should treat her like that more often."
"Maybe." I mumbled.
Aunt Jennifer sighed, but didn't respond. We sat there together for a while, like a mother with her daughter. Then again, I saw her as my mother. My father. My parents. She had been both for us without trying to replace them.
The bell ringed and I immediately jumped up.
"That must be Jessica!" I said.
Enthusiastically I ran downstairs. I hadn't realised how much I had missed her laugh, her jokes, her presence. Maybe thinking about my parents and sisters had made me melancholic, but I pulled open the door and nearly jumped in her arms. I embraced her as if this was the last time I would ever see her.
"I missed you, smurf hair." I mumbled.
She was surprised by my sudden affection, but embraced me back and said: "I missed you too."
Something was wrong with her voice. I let her go and took a step back. She had been crying - her eyes and nose were red, her cheeks still a bit wet.
"Darling, what's wrong?" I said, while pulling her inside and shutting the door.
She didn't say anything for a while, like she was hesitating. "I just... I realised I have missed you too."
She was lying. I could see that. I was a pretty good liar myself, so I usually knew when others were lying as well. But she wouldn't want to talk about it, so I just smiled at her as if I believed her.
"Come in. The entire family is in the living room, so let's avoid them. Would you care for some tea?" I said.
She raised one eyebrow at me. "What happened to you? You've never been this happy to see me."
I sighed. "I just... Needed somebody."
"What about Ian?"
She opened the door to the drawing room and quickly checked inside. Nobody, apparently, because she walked in. I followed her.
"He's sweet and I love to have him around me, but it's... different. I mean, you've lived with me almost my entire life." I said. "You know me through and through."
She laughed (though it sounded fake) and sat down on a couch. This room was slowly becoming the 'drama room' - all the bad things happened here. I wished we had gone to the library.
"True." She said. "Anyway, how's Sacha?"
She changed the subject. There was really something she didn't want to talk about - was it something with Lily? I definitely hoped not.
"Calmer." I answered. "You can talk to her, if you want to."
She thought about it for a few seconds, and then said: "I would love that - it's been what seems ages."
We got up again and walked out. I was happy to leave the room. Too many bad things had happened there and I didn't like being reminded of them.
We met Ian in the corridor. He greeted Jessica enthusiastically and even hugged her. Jessica seemed genuinely happy to see him. Then again, most people were automatically happy to be around him.
"Where are you going?" He asked curiously.
That was one of the things I liked about him. He was always curious, always longing to learn new things. His enthusiasm seemed endless. With him, I got the feeling I could discover new things every day.
"Jess wants to talk to Sacha." I said.
"Oh, good idea!" He laughed at Jessica. "Have fun. I'm going to have tea with your aunt." He chuckled. "Never thought I'd say that. Anyway, she's a sweet lady! Said she wanted to show me some book."
"Sounds great." I said.
He smiled at me. My heart cheered in my chest. "I hope it is." He said. "Give Sacha my best, okay?"
"Okay." I answered.
He hesitated for a minute, but then gave me a quick kiss on the lips, blushed afterwards and quickly walked on. Like he was scared to see how I would react. Silly man - he should know by now I truly liked him.
I turned around and saw Jessica smiling like an idiot.
"What?" I asked.
She kept smiling. "Nothing."
We kept walking. I saw her smile quickly disappear and turn into a sorrowful frown, as if it had reminded her of something bad. I wanted to ask if there was something wrong in between her and Lily, but I didn't. I knew her. She wouldn't want to talk about it, she would deny it, change the subject. She was a lot like me sometimes.
We reached the basement and walked towards Sacha's door - but there was already someone there.
"Huh." I said.
The man turned around and in the dim light, I saw his white hair and sharp features.
"Greg?" Jessica asked surprised.
Had he been talking to her? Why in God's name? He walked towards us and I saw he looked very, very tired. And sad. He wore the exact same Motörhead-shirt he had worn for a couple of days now. His hair was messy. He wasn't even wearing any shoes. Why was he going downhill so much?
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?" He snarled angrily. Then his eyes softened and he sighed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude."
I raised my eyebrows. "Well, you failed at that."
He didn't even give me a clever response. He just stared at the floor sadly and clenched his fists.
"What are you doing down here?" Jessica asked. She sounded friendly.
He shrugged. "Just talking to Sacha. Nothing special."
"I didn't know you did that." I said stunned.
He shrugged again - a short, careless gesture - but I could tell by the look on his face he did care. A lot.
"Daily." He mumbled. "Sometimes more often - I don't keep track."
Now I was really flabbergasted. "Really? Why?"
"Because she's a nice girl!" He snarled, but his voice broke in the process. "She was innocent. She shouldn't have been killed. She should have never become a vampire, but that bastard..."
He was breathing heavily and his fists trembled. Something told me he desperately needed to punch something - I just hoped it wouldn't be me or Jessica.
"I thought you were on Mickael's side." I said carefully.
"I am! Was. I don't know." He sighed.
Suddenly I heard Sacha's voice. She had been listening all along. "You're on our side, aren't you, Greg?" She sounded calm. Normal. Like herself.
"I thought we were all on the same side." I said. "I mean, Mickael is helping us, isn't he? He helps us with the uprising."
Greg didn't answer. Jessica and I both frowned, nearly at the same time. I occasionally forgot how much she was like me. Apart from the blue hair, I mean.
"Greg?" I asked.
He still didn't respond - he just leaned against the wall. Sacha spoke again. "Greg, please, tell them what you've told me. Please."
Now I was really getting curious.
"What is she talking about?"
He bit his lip and avoided my eyes. Jessica walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "Greg." She said softly. "I know you're not as mean-spirited and arrogant as you pretend to be. I remember our conversation in the garden. I saw a different you. I liked him better. Be that you again - tell us what's going on."
He didn't shake her hand off. I almost thought he liked the attention, the affection. He wasn't really the type to get a lot of friendly physical contact from people - maybe it was his attitude. Or smell.
"Mickael will kill me." He mumbled.
I tried to sound as convincing as I could. "We'll protect you. We'll help you."
He shook his head. "No, you'll hate me if I tell you this."
"I didn't." Sacha said. "I thought it was very brave of you."
It was so strange to hear her voice coming from the other side of the door, to still keep her locked up. She was dangerous, I knew that, but I just wanted to talk to her while I could see her.
"Tell us, Greg, please." Jessica said. "I'd really appreciate it."
He frowned - I could almost see the battle going on inside him happen. Which side was going to win? The tough, arrogant, witch, or the kinder human, capable of regular emotions?
Human for the win. He started talking.
"I know Helen took Regina too Mickael. Regina thinks she's safe, that Helen is trying to help her, but the truth is... Regina is in danger. Grave danger."