Alison smiled as she looked up at her school building, finally strong enough to go back and get on with her life. She knew with Kira around she didn't have to go to school. But the short time they spent apart helped herself a bit better. She was worried that too much time together might make them hate each other, and the vampire didn't seem to bothered by it.
As she made her way into the building she overheard an argument from the gymnasium. Curiosity got the best of her and she made her way over, knocking on the door to get their attention. "Everything okay in here?"
"Oh! Alison, you're back!" The young man smiled. "We heard you were really sick!"
"I was." Alison shrugged. "But I'm doing much better. I heard you two arguing, can I ask what it's about?"
The woman he was talking to sighed. "Hannah hurt her arm on a hiking trip. She won't be able to play for the concert tonight."
"There's a concert tonight?" Alison raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah!" The boy smiled. "Our band usually plays in the club on South Street, and tonight they're doing a huge event to raise money for charity. They asked us to be the main event, but they wanted Hannah to do a solo."
"Unfortunately, she got hurt, and no one else at the school knows how to play the violin. And even if they did, they wouldn't have time to prepare the song." The girl growled.
"Wait... You need a violinist?" Alison raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. And Unless you can pull one out of your ass, we're fucked."
"Well... maybe not my ass... but my girlfriend is in town and she happens to be a professional violinist. I'd have to see if she could, but I'll definitely ask." Alison shrugged.
"Wait really!? Oh my god that would be amazing! Even if she couldn't, thank you so much for trying!" The girl grinned.
"Anytime Kate." Alison smiled. "You two should really fight less."
"Well it's not my fault Tyler's an idiot."
"We've been dating for two years, you'd think you'd remember this by now." Tyler rolled his eyes.
Did you get all that? Alison called out in her thoughts as she waved her friends off and headed towards her first class.
I would love to play, but there's the matter of my magic coming off on my music. Kira explained. I have no control over it. The last thing I want to do is hypnotize everyone in the club.
True. Maybe you can wear a seal just for the song? Alison offered.
I suppose it could work.
Maybe Veronica will have a better idea though. We can ask her at lunch.
Sure.
---
"I could maybe create a barrier around her that'll filter out her music." Veronica noted, touching her hand to her chin as she was in thought. "But I'm sure your magic would be more powerful than a simple barrier that I could hold. Maybe I could ask my parents to help."
"Are you sure they wouldn't mind?" Kira questioned. "I mean, I could just not play."
"If you don't play it's going to ruin a lot of people's time." Alison offered. "They didn't expect for Hannah to get hurt."
"Still, it might be too much trouble." Kira looked guilty.
"It's strange though, I've never heard of vampire who uses music to hypnotize people." Drake noted as he stared down into his sandwich.
"Yeah, usually it's just something mages do." Jack agreed.
"Kira, if you want to play the violin for a charity event, you should be allowed to. My parents will feel the same way. You and I can go talk to them together and I'll prove it to you. They'd probably be happy to have something to do. Especially since the Daybreaker twins aren't an issue anymore."
"Speaking of Daybreaker." Jack noted, pointing across the front lawn where Alice was sitting against a tree with Sapphire seated next to her eating her own lunch. The dragon had decided to come back to school, but she demanded that Alice come and eat lunch with her as an apology for her service in the past.
"She's not who she was." Kira sighed. "It's good to see her slowly returning to the way she used to be."
"Have you heard anything from Sarah?" Alison asked.
"Sapphire is reporting directly to Sarah. Apparently the mage wants to see Alice for herself but is still nervous."
"Of what?" Veronica questioned. "You said so yourself that Alice isn't a bad guy anymore."
"No. But she's still broken." Kira shrugged. "She may get angry and hurt her, or do something else without realizing it. Thankfully, Sapphire is more than capable of dealing with Alice."
"Really? But she's Alice Daybreaker." Jack questioned.
"Sapphire was trained to fight since she was a child. She grew up as a noble's daughter and learned to fight from the best teachers. Alice, who's heart wouldn't really be in any conflict, won't really put up much of a fight."
"Unless she uses her power." Alison noted.
"I don't think she will. I think she's decided it's not something to be used without a good reason. But I do hope that Sarah decides to come see her. It'll be good to interact with someone with a different personality than Sapphire's rather submissive one."
"She didn't seem submissive when she was trying to kill us." Jack grumbled.
"I didn't say she was. She just has the personality for it." The vampire laughed before leaning forward so she could see Veronica who was on the other side of Alison. "If your parents wouldn't mind helping me then I'd greatly appreciate it. I miss being able to have concerts for Nightshade village."
"Why did you stop?" Alison asked.
"After I had my Awakening, my magic became much more difficult to control. That's when magic started to flow out of my music."
"Does it only happen with the violin? Mom said you could play the piano too."
"Unfortunately not. I've tried other instruments as well, but with the same result. It's usually most potent in anything with strings."
"You can play the guitar too?"
"So she's a rock star?" Drake laughed. "No wonder you like her so much."
Alison rolled her eyes. "They don't have electric guitars in Exodious. She probably plays an acoustic."
"Indeed. Your electric guitars are rather loud for me, and I don't enjoy playing them."
"Then you're not going to have fun at the concert. Tyler shreds his electric guitar." Veronica held up a "Rock on" symbol with her hand and stuck her tongue out a bit.
"And Kate is their base guitarist and vocalist."
"Was Hannah in their band?" Kira questioned.
"She was in an out of it. They were primarily rock but would sometimes do slow stuff for Hannah to join in on. But they sometimes did like a happy jig that just got everyone dancing. Hannah is a really good violinist." Drake smiled.
"This one has the biggest crush on her." Veronica rolled her eyes.
"She's sweet." Drake retorted.
Kira laughed. "I never had friends like you guys, so thanks for just letting me invite myself into your group."
"Anytime." Veronica grinned. "You and Zoe are always welcome to come get milkshakes. Speaking of which, can I kidnap her this weekend?"
"Of course." Kira nodded.
Are they dating? Alison questioned in her thoughts.
I don't think so. Kira shrugged. Zoe swore an oath of chastity when she became my soul. I of course don't care if she breaks this oath, but it's up to her.
Can't she like... hear us?
Indeed she can.
"The expressions you two make when you talk in your brains is weird." Jack noted.
"I'm not used to being able to talk to someone telepathically. I left Exodious before I became the Alpha of my pack, so I never had the link set up." Alison retorted.
"Why did you never set one up with them?" Kira questioned.
"I didn't know how."
"Well you can always learn how and do it later." Jack shrugged.
"Pass." Drake sighed. "I don't want to hear the things they talk about."
"The idea of having a couple whisper sweet nothings in the back of my head doesn't really sound that appealing." Veronica agreed.
"That's not what we use the link for." Alison rolled her eyes.
"Sure it's not. You mean to tell me that you can't hear her complimenting you every time she looks at you."
"Um..."
It's not my fault you always dress in front of me. Kira thought before her eyes widened. Shit, I really do that don't I?
"You know, now that you mention she did-"
"Alison!" Kira snapped, reaching over to cover her girlfriend's mouth. I can't help it! Don't go embarrassing me in front of your friends! I don't want them to think I'm a creep!
You are a creep. Alison laughed in her own mind, gently lowering Kira's hands from her mouth.
"How can you not compliment me?" The wolf grinned.
"True." Veronica smiled. "You two wanna have a ladies night?"
"What does that entail?" Kira questioned.
"Mall trip?"
"Thanks for the invitation guys." Drake rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, we'd love to go." Jack added.
"You two can come if you want." Veronica sighed. "Usually you don't, so I figured you wouldn't."
"Well if Kira and Zoe are gonna go then I wanna go." Jack admitted.
"Good to know that you guys like my girlfriend and her brain buddy, but that's not gonna help you." Alison laughed.
"Since you and Kira linked, does that mean Zoe's your soul too?" Drake raised an eyebrow. Alison exchanged glances with her vampire who just shrugged.
"Probably not." Kira answered.
Veronica stood up with a smile. "Then I'll see you all after school for our ladies night."
"It's not ladies night if we go." Jack grumbled.
"Ladies Night." Veronica repeated.