Alison sat on the fountain with a yawn, a single tear dripping down her cheek as she did so before she brushed it away and groaned.
"Do you sleep at all with Kira around?" Jack questioned, raising an eyebrow before he bit into his sandwich.
"I do." Alison retorted. "It's actually a lot harder to get up than it used to be."
"Oh do tell." Veronica grinned, gently elbowing the werewolf to try and get her to spill the beans.
"Yeah, you never used to be so tired, so it means she must be doing something right huh?" Drake grinned.
"Oh ha ha. You guys are so funny. It's almost like we're dating or something." Alison grumbled.
"I mean, at least you can stay awake." Jack laughed. "She didn't even bother showing up today."
"She also has a hole in her hand caused by a cursed hunter's weapons." Veronica added. "I mean, we can ask her to stab you, I'm sure her blades are the same."
"N-No. I'm good." Jack cringed. "So is she actually just sleeping at home?"
"She was talking to her sister when I left, so something important may have come up." Alison shrugged. "If something was wrong she would have told me."
"Speaking of which." Veronica noted, pointing towards the road as Zoe started crossing over the grass heading towards them with her arms behind her back.
"Why aren't you with Kira?" Alison questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Because she's out cold and I can teleport to her at will." Zoe shrugged. "And I'm technically still with her. Anyways, I came to find some entertainment." She smiled happily.
"You just want the piece of cake I put in my lunch bag this morning."
"How dare you. I just wanted to come-"
"You know, the more you lie to me the less I want to give it to you." Alison sighed.
"Alright jeez. It was a considering factor." Zoe confessed. "Kira also asked me to come in her place you know. I'm not that bad."
"I mean, you are pretty scary." Jack noted.
Zoe sat beside Alison on the fountain and smirked. "I try."
Alison handed the Shade a small plastic container and a fork, which she took happily and began chowing down on the chocolate cake.
"So why do you like sweets so much? Just because?" Alison raised an eyebrow.
"It's a Shade thing I guess." Zoe shrugged. "Or maybe it just runs in my family. My mom and siblings are the same way."
"You have siblings?" Alison questioned. "You never told me about them."
"You never asked. Plus I don't really like to talk about them. Most of them I've never even met before. I grew up with a couple in Nightshade castle, but otherwise I never had the opportunity. My mom just goes around having kids with everyone because she's a whore like that."
"Fuck." Drake grumbled as the Shade basically just tore apart the mood as she shoveled the cake into her mouth.
"Don't freak out thinking you guys are walking on glass with me. I don't care. I've gotten over it all a long time ago." She explained. "Though it's a refreshing change from the girl with daddy issues, I guess it's not really all that different."
"Still. It's kind of a dark topic for most people. You sure you're alright?" Veronica questioned.
"Yep. Anyone else got anything coated in sugar?" She questioned.
Everyone just shook their heads and she smiled, handing Alison the empty container which she stuffed into her backpack. Zoe just crossed her legs and leaned back.
"Is Kira's hand doing any better?" Veronica questioned.
Zoe nodded. "Pureblood vampires are more effected by cursed weapons because there's no trace of humanity to counter it. But it also means an increased healing factor. The wound is basically just a scratch now, but it's still really sore." The shade explained.
"She had me worried." Veronica admitted. "But she was really handy in a fight."
"Well, she's been training since she was like a hundred."
Everyone just blinked at her.
"Right... Well, vampires age slower. So at about a hundred she'd probably be around two or three in human years. Maybe even younger." Zoe shrugged.
"How old is she?" Jack asked.
Zoe seemed in thought. "I don't really keep track of numbers. She probably does though. She's a couple hundred years older than Alice."
"Is asking a vampire's age like asking a woman's?"
"She is a woman." Veronica rolled her eyes.
"She's a little over a thousand I think. Maybe more." Zoe shrugged. "She'll probably break your legs if you ask though, so I wouldn't."
"I have another question. How come Purebloods don't burn in the sun? Wouldn't their Pureblood make them more likely to burn?"
"Vampirism has changed a lot over the centuries. A long time ago, vampires didn't even look like humans. They looked more like hairless werewolves with wings and horns. But over time, they realized that they could get more blood by blending in with humans so they gave up this form. The Purebloods can still use it, but only the ones born from Rose's family tree actually know how. Water is slowly loosing it's effect on vampires too, as some turned vampires don't really seem that bothered by it, and for others it still hurts all the same. As for the sun hurting them, it's believed to have been a curse placed on them by a powerful mage such as Vivienne."
"I thought she cursed vampires with the kissing thing." Veronica questioned.
"Most vampires can resist that spell. It's not like a collar. So it's probably more like something in their instincts that makes them compelled to do what they're told." Zoe explained. "Otherwise Kira would be really bad at arguing with Alison, which is obviously not the case."
"H-Hey! We don't argue that much!" Alison growled.
Zoe just smirked and waved her off. Before seeming to listen to someone talk in her ear before smiling. "Peredite is coming to visit."
"Without Aviri?" Alison questioned.
"Kira has to return to Exodious for a sec. Zia is visiting the palace so Peredite is going to babysit you since I have to go with her." Zoe explained.
"So Kira's not going to be home when I get out of school?"
"We'll be back by the end of the day." Zoe laughed. "We're not leaving you again Fluffy."
Alison growled but Zoe just stood up and stretched. "I'll see you all tomorrow." She waved.
"Have fun." Veronica smiled.
Zoe took a few steps forward with a wave over her shoulder before fading into a mist that flew off on the breeze.
"Doesn't it creep you out that she lives in Kira's body even when you do private stuff?" Drake questioned.
"It's not like they have a choice." Alison shrugged. "You get used to it."
"I guess we just don't get it." Jack noted. "So you have a new girl waiting for you at home huh?"
"My girlfriend's sister's girlfriend. Yes." Alison rolled her eyes and started packing up her lunch box.
"I can't wait to meet her." Veronica smiled. "I wonder what kind of person she is?"
"Who knows? I never met her or Aviri." Alison confessed. "Well, I've talked to her through Kira, but I never met her in person. She seems nice."
"We should start heading back to class." The mage noted.
"Right." Alison swung her backpack over her shoulder and stood up, making her way back into the building with her friends following behind her.
---
Alison stepped down the steps with a yawn heading into the back fields to meet up with her friends for a training session before heading home. The second her foot touched the grass she paused and turned her head looking around.
Something wasn't quite right. She could smell that her friends had already left the building and headed into the forest, but the school soccer team wasn't playing in the field before her. She was sure that there was an announcement about a big game coming up this weekend. Shouldn't they be practicing?
"It's called a barrier." Came a voice from behind her. Alison spun around, jumping back to see Alice making her way down the steps towards her with her hands stuffed into her jacket pockets.
The vampire was wearing a black leather jacket and torn jeans with combat boots. Though her expression was eerily calm compared to when she had first seen her. Even her eyes seemed less wild.
"You used to be able to sense them just by being nearby. Guess you really did loose your edge in this world." The vampire shrugged, not missing a step as she made her way so she was standing at the bottom of the stairs, standing only a few feet away from the werewolf.
"What do you want Alice?" Alison snapped, glaring at the psychotic vampire.
"The same thing I always wanted." She confessed, shrugging her shoulders. "I want to get out of my family, and put my father in the ground. But I can't do that, so I'm stuck doing his bidding."
"Don't pretend like I'm supposed to feel sorry for you." Alison retorted, tossing her bag onto the grass and readying herself for a fight.
"Why would you feel sorry for me? You've had it bad too. You're mate left you in another world."
"To keep you from finding me!"
"Look how well that worked out."
"Shut up!"
Alice's eyes regained their wild edge for a moment before calming again as she took a deep breath. "The safest place for you is in that castle, and they refuse to take you in because they're worried about what Zia will do."
"She's afraid of the future, you can't just expect her to let it go."
"Does Kira really think the Wizard's Tower is going to go to war with the Nightshades? Amy has powerful sway over the director, who is also good friends with Rose as well as most of the Keepers there. They know that you can only fend off a prophecy for so long before it comes true. They can't go to war over something that was inevitable."
"Why the hell are you here Alice? Didn't Kira scare you off already?"
"She nearly tore my arm off yes." Alice grimaced at the thought. "But it changes nothing."
"I get the feeling you don't want to do these things. Why help your father? You could help the Nightshades fight him!" Alison barked.
Alice held her gaze on the werewolf. "It's not that simple."
"It IS that simple! You could help Kira protect me. You could help convince Zia that things are changing for the better!"
"If I confront my aunt, it will only make things much worse. She has no love for me because I'm his child." Alice explained. "And having a Daybreaker in the same house as a Pureblood Werewolf and Vampire who are clearly courting will only make it look like we're trying to bring about this prophecy."
"Why are you so calm now when you were so broken a few days ago?" Alison asked.
"My mind is fragmented in ways I can't explain." Alice explained like it was a painful topic. "Not all of me is always here."
"Is that your brother's doing?" Alison growled. "I know his power. He can bring about the worst in people and manifest their cruelty as a separate being. Is this the real you?"
"This was always the real me." Alice scoffed.
"He can pull your darkness forward can't he? He can force you to be cruel and do things you don't want to?"
Alice glanced down at the ground before looking back up at Alison, but gave her no other answer.
"Kira explained how vampire twins work. He has to be in this world for you to survive right? Or you have to be bouncing your connection through a pocket dimension like Kira and Aviri do."
"Indeed."
"But you can control a person's soul can't you? You can separate your soul from his permanently!"
"That could kill both of us."
"We can help you Alice. You don't have to serve your father and suffer your brother's punishment. You can break free, you just have to try."
Alice shook her head. "It doesn't work that way."
"You've never tried have you!? You just sit there and do what your told no matter how much you hate being used! You don't have to obey them anymore Alice, you can break away."
"No she can't."
Alison spun around finding a young man who looked strikingly similar to Alice standing a few yards away with his arms crossed over his chest. He was even dressed the same, but with shorter hair and dangerously wild eyes. A gold dragon ear wrap was curled around his left ear as well as several solid gold bands were wrapped around his fingers like he was a prince.
"Alex." Alison snarled. "You two waited for Kira to leave."
"Well the idiot made it pretty obvious when she left through that portal. All we had to do was watch it." Alex laughed. "She clearly thought we'd wait longer, but why would we do that when we can just take what we want when she's not around to stop us? Not that she could fend the two of us off by herself."
Alison turned back to Alice. "You don't have to do this Alice."
"Yes she does." Alex growled. "She doesn't want to help you, you stupid mutt! She's the first born of Agora Daybreaker! She has a legacy to uphold!"
"If she's really older then why are you making all her decisions!?"
"Because she's too stupid to make them herself!" Alex roared, getting Alice to cringe at the statement.
"Are you listening Alice? He thinks you're too stupid to think for yourself." Alison scoffed. "You're little brother thinks he's better than you."
"I am better than her!" Alex laughed wickedly. "She's a stupid little girl who fails at everything and is always getting sent to Oblivion to think about her failures yet she never learns anything!"
Alice's eyes burned holes in her brother's face but he didn't seem to notice as he continued to laugh. "She couldn't even capture you with her pet dragon! How hard is it to break your legs? I could easily kill that little Nightshade bitch! Yet she's failed to kill her time and time again!"
"Can you hear him Alice? He thinks your a piece of garbage." Alison shrugged.
"She is!"
Alice's eyes turned blood red and Alex cringed like the air was knocked out of him before falling to his knees. Alice pushed past Alison and slammed her knee into Alex's chin, throwing him onto his back.
"You seem to talk a lot of shit for a little kid." Alice snarled. "You never get sent on these jobs, nor have you ever fought Kira before in your life. So how would you know how well you'd fair against her?"
Alex looked like he was trying to answer, but no sound passed his lips as he writhed in pain on the ground.
"I'm sick of letting you hold power over me little brother. I've kept my mouth shut because I knew Father would never leave it be if I ever fought you, but I'm sick and tired of letting the two of you abuse me. If you don't think I'm a threat, then I'm going to have to remind you which of us holds the stronger power."
"Break your connection to his soul with your power Alice. Don't let him use you anymore."
Alice turned and glared at Alison with the same hatred. "What the hell do you think I'm doing!?"
"I mean it just looks like you're glaring at him and talking shit." Alison shrugged.
Alice glared back down at her brother before kicking him across the ground. "I'll have nothing to do with you or Agora again. So go back to father and tell him the same thing that I told you. I'm done playing bitch to all your stupid games."
Alex picked himself up with a snarl. "Father will slaughter you for this!"
"If I see him I'll be sure to take his soul and send it to Oblivion for eternity for everything he's done to me. In fact, I think I'll just take your soul instead little brother. As compensation for everything you've done to me."
Alex snarled and readied a fighting stance.
"You're doing the right thing Alice. You don't have to be your family's pawn anymore." Alison offered, then whined when Alice's gaze turned back on her, and she felt her own soul wither under the vampire's deadly gaze.
"You think I'll be content to be the Nightshade's pawn instead!?" Alice roared. "I'm not going to be their prisoner either!"
"N-no! St-Stay- h-here!" Alison managed, clawing at her throat like she was being choked.
"Why the hell would I stay here with you!?"
"Wh-where-else-"
Alice turned away from Alison who sucked in a breath of air before coughing as she fell onto her knees. "You... You don't have to go back to Exodious. You can stay here in the Human World. You and Kira can talk it out. The two of you used to be friends right? She told me how she used to play with you when you were kids."
"That was a long time ago."
"Kira will never trust you! You're just a broken toy that needs to be thrown out. Don't worry dearest sister. I'll take good care of our clan." Alex grinned.
"That won't be necessary Alex." Once again, another voice rang out. Alison turned to see a young woman walking down the steps of the school. One that seemed almost familiar, though she knew she'd never once seen the woman before.
She was wearing skinny jeans and purple sneakers. She had a purple and black vest on but her arms were behind her back as she almost pranced down the steps. Her hair was the same purple as her jacket, and her irises were a bright neon pink.
Alice and Alex's eyes lit up in shock as the woman made her way over. "You never came through the portal! We would have seen you enter this world!" Alex snapped.
"I didn't use the public portal." The woman scoffed. "I made my own portal knowing you would likely be paying attention to it. I foresaw that something like this would happen, so I prepared for the worst case scenario."
"Merlin's dog has no business here!" Alex roared.
"I don't serve Merlin. I haven't for several hundred years. As you should be well aware I've served the Nightshades. Particularly Aviri."
"Peredite?" Alison asked.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Lady Alison. I just wish it was under better circumstances. Forgive me for not getting here sooner." She bowed respectively before seeming to walk through a spider web that tore apart her appearance, and changed her form.
Instead of a beautiful woman standing before them, a creature continued forward in her place. This creature was covered in short, thin, purple fur, but her hands and arms just above her elbows were covered in what appeared to be solid crystal of a deep, dark purple. The same crystal replaced her shoes and grew up to the second joint on her legs, as now she was walking on her toes like some kind of canine. She had two toes in front like hooked claws, and one behind like the talons of a hawk. A slender tail waved behind her, and half of it was covered in the same crystal, but it still seemed to bend like it wasn't a solid material. It's point ended in a deadly spike that glistened in the sunlight.
The demon's hair was still bright purple, and was still tied up in a long pony tail. Her eyes became a solid pink, as in, no iris or whites just a solid and luminescent pink. Her jeans turned to shorts, and her vest now seemed embroidered in silver vines that laced through the fabric.
"What the fuck are you?!"
"I'm a Zealot." Peredite answered with a soft smile.
"From Torchlight?"
The zealot face palmed.