"aeryn, someone's here to see you. come downstairs," my mother said.
i looked at the grandfather clock that stood against the wall across the room frommy bed. it read just after eight at , i wonder who would make a house call this late, i thought. i chuckled as i stood up. the reason behind my laughter was that eight at night was really early for me. i crossed over to my trap door in the floor and opened it. i jumped down and landed on the carpeted floor of the seventh floor corridor below my attic bedroom.
i sniffed at the air. the scent that drifted up to me was one of burning wood: it was rose. what did she want from me this late at night, i thought as i approached the central staircase. i reached the banister and looked over. there, in the foyer, stood my best friend, and the girl i've secretly been in love with since before she was even born.
i vaulted myself up and over the railing. i landed in front of her on the first floor. "show off," she muttered.
"what do you want, rose? why are you here so late? you know i can't have visitors until after ten or before seven," i said.
"i really need to tell you something, so do you think we could talk, else-where? meaning somewhere a little more private?" she replied as she looked warily at the paintings and photos of my relatives who were watching and listening.
i nodded and lead her to my uncle richie's library. when i heard the door close i hurried to close the curtains on my sixteen year old third cousin who looked like she was about to watch a very dramatic film, popcorn and all. when i turned back to her i saw that rose had turned bright red with anger.
"what's wrong rose?" i asked, a look of worry spreading over my face.
"my parents are telling me that if i don't find a mate by the next blue moon they'll disown me," she said.
"ok, so what's the problem? why don't you find a mate?"
"because the one being who i'd want for a mate wouldn't ever want to be with me!"
"why not? you're a very nice,caring girl who would go out and donate a limb for your friends if they needed you to," i said defensively.
"really?"
"why, who is this person?" i asked.
"you."
my mind froze. i would've said my heart stopped but my heart stopped over five hundred years ago. this kid that i've known her entire life has just gone mentally out of this demension by telling me this. she's just screwing with me. in a very cruel way. it's not possible for the bad-guy-gone-good to get what they want. ever. i just stood there for a minute, staring at her and then i plopped down into a chair.
"what's wrong, aeryn?" rose asked, her look was worried.
"what's wrong?! you're a centaur. i'm a vampire who has been around since 1376. i'm about to be 634 years old. how are you, the girl i've been in love with since we were working at the bank together which was about ten human years ago. that's what's wrong!" i shouted.
"but why are you so mad?" she asked innocently.
"because of that," i shreaked as i waved my hands wildly at her.
"what? what did i do?" she asked, now paranoid about possibly getting me mad.
"your innocence! you are still so young and yet you want to marry someone who has been through almost every illness and war since 1352! why do you play such cruel jokes?" i cried.
"i'm not joking. and if you think i'm young i was actually born just a little after you when you were human. i'm not as young as you think i am. besides, i love you. i always have," rose said quietly.
"but how is this supposed to work?" i asked after a moment of silence.
i was thinking about what the meaning of "mate" could possibly entail. how did a creature with a human body mate with a creature that had a half animal and half human body? as i thought about it rose was quiet. she wanted me to think even though she knew the answer.
"why don't we go for a walk. i think my legs are getting cramped from standing too still," rose suggested.
i nodded. i thought for a moment about anything i might want to bring then i said,
"hold on for a few minutes. i wanna get something from my room. i'll be down in a few."
rose nodded and smiled as i flew up the seven flights of stairs. i banged on the wall below my trap door and the door fell open. i sprung upwards and landed lightly on my toes in my room. i grabbed my dress that i had worn the day before i was turned. it was black with a ribbon running through the back for the corset effect and ragged lace at the hems. i slipped on my black ballet slippers and put my hair back with a headband. i grabbed my drawing pad as well as my notebook, pencils, ink, quill, and charcoal. i shoved the items into my sack and grabbed my light overcoat. i jumped back down and flew back down the stairs.
"wow. that was slow!" rose said jokingly.
i elbowed her in the ribs and she grabbed me in a huge embrace. i smiled because it felt so right to be there.
"come on, there's someone i want you to meet," she said as she pulled me onto her back.
i had never ridden her before but this was actually very comforting. she turned herself around and walked slowly out of the house. she started to speed up as we reached the edge of the cobblestone driveway. soon we were at the edge of my territory. i lowered myself to her, hiding for fear that the sun would burn me. i had never seen the sun after i had been turned. she pushed the boulder out of the way of the entrance. when he stepped out i looked up to see that it was dark.
"i requested, from the Lord and Lady, that once i spoke to you of my love for you and i found out that you did love me as well that the darkness remains as long as that love continues to burn. at least while you're outside of your territory. that way we could still have food and water," she explained.
as we rode along i sat up and looked around us. we were riding throught a large field of ash. she galloped faster when she saw a line of trees on the other side of the field. when we reached the wooded area she slowed a little. she trotted through the brush and leaves. soon she stopped at a clearing. in the clearing stood a massive centaur. the lower half of him was clydesdale. when he heard rose he turned his head.
"hello grandfather," rose said solemnly.
"hello young one," the older centaur said in a deep voice.
"grandfather, my friend here would like to know how to make a transformation. remember how you spoke of the blood drinker that you knew?" rose said hurriedly.
the older centaur nodded as he looked me over. his eyes were dark as he took me in.
"she is one of them," he stated.
rose nodded. she tapped my leg with her hand as a signal and i dismounted. i stood there, in the clearing with two centaurs, feeling very uncomfortable.
"you want to learn a transformation?" he asked.
i nodded, afraid to speak for fear that my voice would aggitate him.
"who is she to you, rose of darkness?" he asked as he turned to rose.
"hopefully my mate," rose said as she shifted from side to side.
"hmm. do your parents realize who you've chosen? more like what you've chosen?"
"not yet. i wanted to find out if she could make the transformation before i told them," she explained.
"so you're deceiving your parents for love. typical. how long have you known each other?"
"only the God and Goddess knows. it's a really long time," rose said.
"hmm. let me see your hand, er, what's your name child?" the centaur asked.
"aeryn," i replied, cringing because my voice was tinkling like crystal bells, as always.
"aeryn. give me your hand."
i put out my hand and he grabbed it. he closed his eyes and muttered to himself.
"hmm. she is quite young and quite powerful for someone her age. she just might be able to do it. i will give you instructions on how to make the transformation but you'll have to focus alot. you'll have to feed quite a bit as well. gathering and maintaining an energy level as high as what is needed for a transformation can be quite hard. be warned that if you do mate with my granddaughter and conceive her child you'll be staying in the state of a centaur until the child's birth. and it may end up being more like her or more like you. only time will well," the old centaur warned.
i nodded.
"depending on how quickly you gather energy there are many possible outcomes. you may not be able to make the transformation the first time. or you may be able to make it but you may not be able to maintain it for longer than a few minutes. it all depends on you and what you can do."
i waited as he thought for a moment. when he snapped his fingers a sack appeared. he handed it to me.
"take this back to your home. read the instructions. all of the items you'll need is in there. just be careful."
i nodded again.
i looked at the grandfather clock that stood against the wall across the room frommy bed. it read just after eight at , i wonder who would make a house call this late, i thought. i chuckled as i stood up. the reason behind my laughter was that eight at night was really early for me. i crossed over to my trap door in the floor and opened it. i jumped down and landed on the carpeted floor of the seventh floor corridor below my attic bedroom.
i sniffed at the air. the scent that drifted up to me was one of burning wood: it was rose. what did she want from me this late at night, i thought as i approached the central staircase. i reached the banister and looked over. there, in the foyer, stood my best friend, and the girl i've secretly been in love with since before she was even born.
i vaulted myself up and over the railing. i landed in front of her on the first floor. "show off," she muttered.
"what do you want, rose? why are you here so late? you know i can't have visitors until after ten or before seven," i said.
"i really need to tell you something, so do you think we could talk, else-where? meaning somewhere a little more private?" she replied as she looked warily at the paintings and photos of my relatives who were watching and listening.
i nodded and lead her to my uncle richie's library. when i heard the door close i hurried to close the curtains on my sixteen year old third cousin who looked like she was about to watch a very dramatic film, popcorn and all. when i turned back to her i saw that rose had turned bright red with anger.
"what's wrong rose?" i asked, a look of worry spreading over my face.
"my parents are telling me that if i don't find a mate by the next blue moon they'll disown me," she said.
"ok, so what's the problem? why don't you find a mate?"
"because the one being who i'd want for a mate wouldn't ever want to be with me!"
"why not? you're a very nice,caring girl who would go out and donate a limb for your friends if they needed you to," i said defensively.
"really?"
"why, who is this person?" i asked.
"you."
my mind froze. i would've said my heart stopped but my heart stopped over five hundred years ago. this kid that i've known her entire life has just gone mentally out of this demension by telling me this. she's just screwing with me. in a very cruel way. it's not possible for the bad-guy-gone-good to get what they want. ever. i just stood there for a minute, staring at her and then i plopped down into a chair.
"what's wrong, aeryn?" rose asked, her look was worried.
"what's wrong?! you're a centaur. i'm a vampire who has been around since 1376. i'm about to be 634 years old. how are you, the girl i've been in love with since we were working at the bank together which was about ten human years ago. that's what's wrong!" i shouted.
"but why are you so mad?" she asked innocently.
"because of that," i shreaked as i waved my hands wildly at her.
"what? what did i do?" she asked, now paranoid about possibly getting me mad.
"your innocence! you are still so young and yet you want to marry someone who has been through almost every illness and war since 1352! why do you play such cruel jokes?" i cried.
"i'm not joking. and if you think i'm young i was actually born just a little after you when you were human. i'm not as young as you think i am. besides, i love you. i always have," rose said quietly.
"but how is this supposed to work?" i asked after a moment of silence.
i was thinking about what the meaning of "mate" could possibly entail. how did a creature with a human body mate with a creature that had a half animal and half human body? as i thought about it rose was quiet. she wanted me to think even though she knew the answer.
"why don't we go for a walk. i think my legs are getting cramped from standing too still," rose suggested.
i nodded. i thought for a moment about anything i might want to bring then i said,
"hold on for a few minutes. i wanna get something from my room. i'll be down in a few."
rose nodded and smiled as i flew up the seven flights of stairs. i banged on the wall below my trap door and the door fell open. i sprung upwards and landed lightly on my toes in my room. i grabbed my dress that i had worn the day before i was turned. it was black with a ribbon running through the back for the corset effect and ragged lace at the hems. i slipped on my black ballet slippers and put my hair back with a headband. i grabbed my drawing pad as well as my notebook, pencils, ink, quill, and charcoal. i shoved the items into my sack and grabbed my light overcoat. i jumped back down and flew back down the stairs.
"wow. that was slow!" rose said jokingly.
i elbowed her in the ribs and she grabbed me in a huge embrace. i smiled because it felt so right to be there.
"come on, there's someone i want you to meet," she said as she pulled me onto her back.
i had never ridden her before but this was actually very comforting. she turned herself around and walked slowly out of the house. she started to speed up as we reached the edge of the cobblestone driveway. soon we were at the edge of my territory. i lowered myself to her, hiding for fear that the sun would burn me. i had never seen the sun after i had been turned. she pushed the boulder out of the way of the entrance. when he stepped out i looked up to see that it was dark.
"i requested, from the Lord and Lady, that once i spoke to you of my love for you and i found out that you did love me as well that the darkness remains as long as that love continues to burn. at least while you're outside of your territory. that way we could still have food and water," she explained.
as we rode along i sat up and looked around us. we were riding throught a large field of ash. she galloped faster when she saw a line of trees on the other side of the field. when we reached the wooded area she slowed a little. she trotted through the brush and leaves. soon she stopped at a clearing. in the clearing stood a massive centaur. the lower half of him was clydesdale. when he heard rose he turned his head.
"hello grandfather," rose said solemnly.
"hello young one," the older centaur said in a deep voice.
"grandfather, my friend here would like to know how to make a transformation. remember how you spoke of the blood drinker that you knew?" rose said hurriedly.
the older centaur nodded as he looked me over. his eyes were dark as he took me in.
"she is one of them," he stated.
rose nodded. she tapped my leg with her hand as a signal and i dismounted. i stood there, in the clearing with two centaurs, feeling very uncomfortable.
"you want to learn a transformation?" he asked.
i nodded, afraid to speak for fear that my voice would aggitate him.
"who is she to you, rose of darkness?" he asked as he turned to rose.
"hopefully my mate," rose said as she shifted from side to side.
"hmm. do your parents realize who you've chosen? more like what you've chosen?"
"not yet. i wanted to find out if she could make the transformation before i told them," she explained.
"so you're deceiving your parents for love. typical. how long have you known each other?"
"only the God and Goddess knows. it's a really long time," rose said.
"hmm. let me see your hand, er, what's your name child?" the centaur asked.
"aeryn," i replied, cringing because my voice was tinkling like crystal bells, as always.
"aeryn. give me your hand."
i put out my hand and he grabbed it. he closed his eyes and muttered to himself.
"hmm. she is quite young and quite powerful for someone her age. she just might be able to do it. i will give you instructions on how to make the transformation but you'll have to focus alot. you'll have to feed quite a bit as well. gathering and maintaining an energy level as high as what is needed for a transformation can be quite hard. be warned that if you do mate with my granddaughter and conceive her child you'll be staying in the state of a centaur until the child's birth. and it may end up being more like her or more like you. only time will well," the old centaur warned.
i nodded.
"depending on how quickly you gather energy there are many possible outcomes. you may not be able to make the transformation the first time. or you may be able to make it but you may not be able to maintain it for longer than a few minutes. it all depends on you and what you can do."
i waited as he thought for a moment. when he snapped his fingers a sack appeared. he handed it to me.
"take this back to your home. read the instructions. all of the items you'll need is in there. just be careful."
i nodded again.