The buzzing of the old neon sign was like pounding nails into Isis' head. She laid on the cool sheets of the bed, too hot to pull up the covers. Her red hair, usually the color of ruby, now an auburn from the sweat that dripped down its tendrils to puddle on the floor.
A knock sounded at the door and she groaned. The sun was high in the sky and it took all her energy not to burn and stay awake that she did not regulate her body temperature. She answered the door slowly, wary of any visitors, there was n one even in the hall. Isis scanned, no one near enough to have knocked. It could only mean...
Isis spun to find a single white rose with a red ribbon in a bow on the stem. It was him again. She stared at the rose, her eyes glazed with memories.
Isis was a small girl, only four and she wandered the science lab. It had been her home since before she was born, a test tube baby. She never spoke, but she grazed the scientist's thoughts. They thought she was a freak, a monster, but it was a breakthrough to have created her. They were going to kill her before she got too strong, afraid of her powers. Isis ran to the only scientist who genuinely cared for her, loved her as her own child. The woman was in the hall, reading a paper by herself when Isis grabbed onto her legs.
"They are going to kill me." Isis whispered the words, her first spoken words and Rose, took heed. She smuggled the girl out that night and started a life on the run with her husband Jack, who had come to love Isis through Rose's stories.
Years later, Isis was fifteen, a man strode into the room, his hair was thinning, his eyes sunken, the scariest man she had ever seen.
"I have come to take your daughter in marriage." He spoke, his voice oily and evil.
"No, She is not an abject to be given away." Jack spoke firmly, his last mistake. Three nights later he was killed and a white rose with a red ribbon attached was found on his body, the rose petals made red with his blood. a week later her mother. Isis had been on the hunt since then. At eighteen she was getting tired of running. Since the death of her parents three years ago she received over eight hundred roses, tucked in her jacket pockets, on her kitchen table.
Isis moved quickly, she grabbed her bag and ran through the shower before dressing in enough clothes to cover every inch of her skin, besides her face, which was shaded by a large brimmed hat.
"Ma'am, are you alright?" Isis looked up to see a young man standing beside her, concern shining in his eyes.
"No, no I am fine. Thank you sir." She smiled reassuringly at him but her eyes were streaming and burning. She needed to go somewhere but she was lost. She landed in Romania the night before and was planning her next move when she was interrupted. She looked toward the forest and knew she would at least get to ground for the next few hours before sundown. The trees and the earth sang to her, welcoming her home and she smiled. She found a deep cave, filled with crystals and deeper still, a hot spring. She slipped into the hot water after sheding her clothes. A deep sigh escaping her lips and after bathing she laid down to sleep the rest of the day.
As the sun set Isis woke, aware now that someone stirred beneath the earth. She clothed herself in blue jeans, botdf shirt and converse high tops. A man and woman strode into the room, their laughter echoing off the walls and poor Isis stood, hoping she could sneak out but as the couple entered they looked immediatly at her and froze. The man stepped infront of the female and stood, posied to pounce. Isis stared, more afraid than she had ever been. The man's black hair billowed around him, as if a breeze whirled around him. His eyes were black and cold, his dress upperclass. The woman had red hair, frizzy red hair and she was just as afraid as Isis looked.
"Who are you?" The man demanded. the anger struck at Isis and she was close to tears.
"Isis. Please sir, I only wish to leave, I swear. Please let me leave." Isis begged, tears slipping down her cheeks. The man stopped short, surprised at her reaction. He probed at her mind and though she kept her history locked away so no man could find out her secret, he felt her fear and desperation. He dropped his guard and to Isis' surprise, he bowed.
"My name is Jaqcues, I can do no other than aid you. What are you doing here?"
"Seeking safety from- seeking shade from the suns rays, afraid I got lost in the forest and I was tired and sought shelter here.
"Please, if you would, take me to the village so I could keep on my way." She said, trying to keep her voice even.
"Safety? I can not set you to the village this late, for it would be dangerous and a folly on my part. I therefore must take you to my brother's home which is close by. Let us be off." He said and swept his arm toward the cavern exit. They walked the whole way, he did not know of her abilities. She having learned to hide away that part of her to avoid detection by the undead, though she knew he was Carpathian, along with his woman, she was not taking chances. They arrived at the house after only twenty minutes of walking and his brother was on the porch.
"Jacques, what are you doing here? You are to be out, that is why I have your child." He joked.
"I found a girl. She was in the cavern. She seeks the village to continue on her journey, but it is dangerous at night, and I did not want her alone in the village." Jacques replied. "Isis, this is my brother, Mikhail Dubrinski, and his second in command Gregori Daratrazanoff." Jacques said and motioned to a man who stood in shadow on the porch.
"What was his last name?" Isis stammered.
"Daratrazanoff, mouthful I know but he sticks to it."
"It is not a mouthful, its, its beautiful" Isis whispered. Mikhail and jacques looked at her, surprised and concerned. Gregori stepped off the porch and approached her to bow.
"Thank you Isis. Your compliment means much." He stated as he rose.
"What do you like about his name but not ours?" Jacques asked with mock anger.
"Bucaues yours is not mine." Isis replied simply and looked into Gregori's eyes, those beautiful silver eyes.
"What?" Mikhail asked, shocked into taking a step back.
"My name is Isis Daratrazanoff."
"Whoa re your parents?" Mikhail asked, eager to find more hunters.
"I do not have parents. I have two people who tried to raise me but were killed."
"Are they not your parents?"
"They saved me. I never had birth parents since I was never born. I am- I am a," tears sprung to Isis' eyes, sobs wracked her body. "I am a test tube baby. Fully Carpathian, yet born in a lab. A disgrace to nature and a monster to mankind. They were going to kill me when Jack and Rose saved me. Rose took me home and started a life on the run for me. When I was fifteen a man came and asked for my hand in marriage, Rose and Jack told him no. He killed Jack first. a week later Rose. I have been on the run ever since. He can get to me though. He leaves me presents. A white rose with a red ribbon bow. He can get to me at any time but he loves torturing me. Please. May I please go to the village now? i need to keep moving." Isis pleaded as she wiped away the tears that continued to slip from her eyes.
"We can no longer allow that." Mikhail told her.
"Please. If I do not keep moving the man will come here, You do not want your child in there to get hurt do you? Or your wive Mikhail?" Isis countered. "I need to go, he will follow."
"Hehehe, you need not worry so about us. We will kill him if he ever gets close." Jacques laughed.
"It is no laughing matter. He will kill you and your loved ones." Isis snapped. She misted and tried to take to the sky but someone was in her mind, even in areas she had blocked off. He had seized her mind and controlled her. She could not move, she could not shift, she was stuck. She struck out at the men, a blast of energy to blow them back. Gregori had to step infront of Mikhail and his concentration was lost. Isis flew from the men, hoping it was not too late to save the men and their families from their ignorance. She landed in the village, there was a small playground, long since abandoned by the children for the day. The swings hung still, the slide cold and showed no sign of the children that had left it for the night. The monkey bars stood alone, towering above all else. Isis sat on one of the swings and looked up at the moon, beautiful and majestic, and thought of Jack and Rose, whose only crime was caring about her enough to save her. A single tear slipped down her cheek when she felt a sudden brush of air. Isis stood and looked around, poised to pounce, but all she found was a white rose with a red ribbon. When Isis picked it up a piece of paper fluttered down from the slide. Isis stared in shock at the written message. "You or them..."