Avana's mahogany brown hair, pulled into a ponytail, bounced as she skipped across the wide enterance of the Watcher's Council building.
Her parents were members of the council, and she understood that she was to stay out of the way until the meeting was over, she didn't understand, however, why at 16 years of age, she was not left on her own at home.
Avana found her way to the library with ease, she had been there many times before, through many meetings and emergencies.
The Library was vastly enormous, the shelves made of oak seemed to go on forever, and it seemed to her, for anyone to read all of the books, they would have to read every moment they were awake. Even Wesley hadn't read them all, and he was.... especially bookish for 17 years old.
Avana made her way to the end-section of the largest bookcase.
She had passed these books many times before, none of them really catching her interest until that moment.
She frowned slightly as she ran her index and middle fingers along the leather spines of two seemingly identical copies of "10 Most Dangerous Vampires of the 1800s."
Both copies were Revised versions, which struck Avana as odd, in her entire life of searching the library during Council meetings, she had never before seen two of the same book; sometimes she would find an original version and a revised version side-by-side, but never two of what appeared to be the same book.
She pulled both books off the shelf, the leather covers and gold lettering were absolutely identical.
She held one in her right hand, and one in her left; she didn't feel any difference in the weight, so she sat down, still determined to figure out how the books were different.
Avana opened them both to the first page; they both appeared to be the same, and the next 24 pages were absolutely identical.
As she turned the 25th page, she found the center of the second book had been cut out to accomadate an ornate, old, brass key.
Avana pulled out the key as if doing so would set off the alarms on the building's self-destruct mechanism.
Nothing happened.
She recalled seeing a metal plate on the wall next to the small table opposite the door, and hurried over to it.
She flipped it open and was dissapointed in what she found, it was the switch for the ceiling fan.
She ran her hand along the walls, but felt nothing but the texture of the feathered wallpaper.
Again dissapointed, she returned to the books.
Suddenly an idea hit her; she rushed over to where she pulled out the books, there was a distinctive keyhole.
Avana's brandy-brown eyes sparkled with anticipation as she slid the key into the hole and turned it with a resounding click.
The last 4 feet of the shelf shifted back, and moved aside, so Avana could now see what the key was for.
Inside the secret room, there were rows upon rows of bookshelves.
She shut her mouth quickly when she realized that she must have stumbled upon the Great Archives. There were many archives stored on the shelves of the library, but the ones that may have contained dangerous information were kept well hidden.
She wandered through the shelves, her mouth falling open again.
She began to read the titles on the spines aloud as she walked slowly.
"David of Austrailia."
She noted that there were 4 volumes, but went on to the next few.
"Darla." She muttered under her breath.
She had heard the name mentioned by her parents.
Avana was under the impression that Darla was dangerous, and not to be meddled with.
She continued on.
"Danielle" She said with resounding finality.
She had always loved the name, and the lettering was so beautiful, that she had to pull it out.
She opened the book carefully.
On the first page, there was a black-and-white photo of a gorgeous girl.
She appeared to be blonde with chocolate brown eyes, and she was giving the camera a sweet, girlishly shy smile.
Avana lingered on the photograph for a few moments, marveling at the girl's beauty, before turning the page.
When she did turn the page, she realized that where she was from wasn't printed on the cover, but the first page, what could be gotten from scanning, it told of where she was turned into a creature of the night.
She settled down on the floor to read the book.
Avana was quickly swept away in the tale of gore, lust and evil.
Her parents were members of the council, and she understood that she was to stay out of the way until the meeting was over, she didn't understand, however, why at 16 years of age, she was not left on her own at home.
Avana found her way to the library with ease, she had been there many times before, through many meetings and emergencies.
The Library was vastly enormous, the shelves made of oak seemed to go on forever, and it seemed to her, for anyone to read all of the books, they would have to read every moment they were awake. Even Wesley hadn't read them all, and he was.... especially bookish for 17 years old.
Avana made her way to the end-section of the largest bookcase.
She had passed these books many times before, none of them really catching her interest until that moment.
She frowned slightly as she ran her index and middle fingers along the leather spines of two seemingly identical copies of "10 Most Dangerous Vampires of the 1800s."
Both copies were Revised versions, which struck Avana as odd, in her entire life of searching the library during Council meetings, she had never before seen two of the same book; sometimes she would find an original version and a revised version side-by-side, but never two of what appeared to be the same book.
She pulled both books off the shelf, the leather covers and gold lettering were absolutely identical.
She held one in her right hand, and one in her left; she didn't feel any difference in the weight, so she sat down, still determined to figure out how the books were different.
Avana opened them both to the first page; they both appeared to be the same, and the next 24 pages were absolutely identical.
As she turned the 25th page, she found the center of the second book had been cut out to accomadate an ornate, old, brass key.
Avana pulled out the key as if doing so would set off the alarms on the building's self-destruct mechanism.
Nothing happened.
She recalled seeing a metal plate on the wall next to the small table opposite the door, and hurried over to it.
She flipped it open and was dissapointed in what she found, it was the switch for the ceiling fan.
She ran her hand along the walls, but felt nothing but the texture of the feathered wallpaper.
Again dissapointed, she returned to the books.
Suddenly an idea hit her; she rushed over to where she pulled out the books, there was a distinctive keyhole.
Avana's brandy-brown eyes sparkled with anticipation as she slid the key into the hole and turned it with a resounding click.
The last 4 feet of the shelf shifted back, and moved aside, so Avana could now see what the key was for.
Inside the secret room, there were rows upon rows of bookshelves.
She shut her mouth quickly when she realized that she must have stumbled upon the Great Archives. There were many archives stored on the shelves of the library, but the ones that may have contained dangerous information were kept well hidden.
She wandered through the shelves, her mouth falling open again.
She began to read the titles on the spines aloud as she walked slowly.
"David of Austrailia."
She noted that there were 4 volumes, but went on to the next few.
"Darla." She muttered under her breath.
She had heard the name mentioned by her parents.
Avana was under the impression that Darla was dangerous, and not to be meddled with.
She continued on.
"Danielle" She said with resounding finality.
She had always loved the name, and the lettering was so beautiful, that she had to pull it out.
She opened the book carefully.
On the first page, there was a black-and-white photo of a gorgeous girl.
She appeared to be blonde with chocolate brown eyes, and she was giving the camera a sweet, girlishly shy smile.
Avana lingered on the photograph for a few moments, marveling at the girl's beauty, before turning the page.
When she did turn the page, she realized that where she was from wasn't printed on the cover, but the first page, what could be gotten from scanning, it told of where she was turned into a creature of the night.
She settled down on the floor to read the book.
Avana was quickly swept away in the tale of gore, lust and evil.
