There are some memories in life that are clear as day, you remember every detail from the smell of the air to the colour of your socks you were wearing, to the exact mimute you walked down the street... Other memories are vague and distorted, like looking through a rain soaked window.
I can never quite recall the moment i ran away from my foster parents or how i managed to get from the haunting rat infested bridge way in the town to the warm comforting hotel bedroom. in those endless moments I had escaped from a place worse than hell itself. Little did i know in a few short years i would return as mistress of the household and the place where i had spent so many of my childhood nightmares would become the santcuary where humanity's nightmares would be protected...
'And in today's news, the FBH patrol have issued a warning statement to all citizens within south Carolina not to venture outdoors after dark and for all children to be accompanied by adults at all times. This is the 48th attack since June and experts believe that the number will continue to rise….'
Glaring in frustration, Ayame sighed and slammed the newspaper closed, muting the television, she continued making notes. On her desk lay numerous headlines from the day all of them advertising their kind as monsters, the newest words of slander against her kind: abomination, plague, beast, Murderer. Over the years she'd come to accept these phrases, phrases uttered in the playground as the children pulled her hair and laughed at her hair colour, snide comments from the neighbours as they tutted at her eyes, and even whispers from her adopted parents when they amused she wasn't listening. She assumed time would heal the pain, but in truth the sting of those words never faded.
Resting her head on the desk she looked to the floor, her mind drifted away from her parents and childhood and forward towards the little girl in the room downstairs. Lily, like her, had never felt she belonged. Thoughts about lily and her life in captivity. She closed her eyes tightly as her mind replayed the horror of the young girl's words as she had finally awoke and spoke of the cruelty she had endured for as long as she could remember. Locked in a facility in the middle of no where she had undergone unimaginable torture, been shot at, poked, prodded and examined, even locked into a cage without food or water for days. However the recent 'tests' had been the most savage, Lily had been almost blinded using specially designed lights and locked in a room with a feral male, then using her DNA they had begun injecting the small girl with chemicals designed to slow the heart and clot the blood, chemicals designed to slow the immune system and caused nausea and drowsiness. From close examination of the needle marks, Aya had quickly deduced that she had been recently injected with silver which would have burnt the girl badly and caused her immune system to suffer further.
If aiden hadn't rescued her... she would most certainly have been dead by the end of the week.
Lifting her head slowly, she looked around the room she occupied. Across from her, shelves crammed with books lined the walls. These were thick volumes in many different sizes she had acquired over the years. To the right stood a small plasma television resting on a cabinet desk and In front of all this an old oak desk stood with stacks of papers neatly placed into piles. For the past fortnight this study had served a dual purpose as also her bedroom since she had found it unbearable sleeping in her own alone.
Crimson had been gone almost 2 months now, every day felt like an endless struggle without him beside her to comfort and console her. Secretly. She would give anything to go back to the previous winter, before he had taken off to observe what was going. Before he had decided he needed to do more to protect her. That winter, on Christmas Eve, he had arrived at the house, hugged her tightly and they had taken off without warning, gone to a cabin in the woods where the trees canopied and allowed only the light of the moon to shine through. They had lit a roaring log fire, made mugs of hot tea and just… talked. Talked about everything. That night, She had admitted her darkest fears to him and in return he had told her of his past. Of things he had never uttered to anyone before. Talking of the darkest memories of his life had caused her to shudder and yet she loved him for telling her, had asked more about his past, his family, his life. For that she loved, him and only him, Her demonic angel, her crimson.
Now that night seemed like a distant memory, leaving her mind full of thoughts and worries, full of possibilities and uncertainties. The chance she wouldn't see him again played over and over in her head, causing tears of frustration to build. Realising she was growling softly, Aya frowned. One thing she was certain of in this world. If anything happened to him, nobody, not even Hades himself would be able separate them.
A tingle of static ran down her spine, pulling her from her thoughts. Ayame rose to her feet, knowing company had arrived. Striding into the hall, Aiden's back came into view and she smiled softly as he closed the door with sincere care, determined not to wake Lily in the process.
'Ai can you do me a favour? We have company and I honestly don't feel like dealing with zero right now. Do you mind showing him the door for me?'
Walking past her brother and towards the main staircase that would lead down to the hallway she stopped and smiled.
'And Aiden… Play nice.'
Aya walked quickly down the main staircase and smiled at the woman who stood at the bottom. Dressed in a short purple miniskirt and top, with waist length bubblegum pink hair that twisted in sensually down her slender body and smooth golden tanned skin, it was easy to mistake Nyx as an average Barbie girl, however her blood coloured eyes reminded Aya of the misery and suffering Nyx had gone through in her eternal life and her glinting black metallic scythe showed the power and strength she contained with her lithe body. Reaching the bottom of the stairs Ayame slowly ran her eyes down the long swirly tattoo branded into her half-sister's skin and shivered. Her own mother had scared her sister to achieve that. It was a reminder to her sister that her power and actions would always have consequences.
Nyx met her sister's gaze, smiled gently and hugged her sister tightly.
'What's happened Aya? You wouldn't call me unless it was urgent.'
Laughing gently she let go of her sister and stepped back. She should have known her older sister would know there was something wrong. Ever since they had been reunited Nyx had shown the amazing ability of knowing things that she shouldn't. Aya had always supposed it helped that she had the power of the night and secrets on her side. But it also seemed to help that very few people could successfully lie to Nyx, and even fewer survived lying to her when caught.
Aya stared at her sister in the eyes, red against green.
'There's been some revelations with the humans and I need you to-'
A sudden crash interrupted Aya followed by many more. Turning quickly she headed towards the source of the commotion, Nyx following behind her.
In the kitchen, Aiden and Zero were facing each other, fists raised, eyes boring into each other. Aiden's had slowly begun to turn blue as his lycan side became visible. Both were growling softly and both displayed a number of cuts and developing bruises, the minor ones already fading, across their skin. The kitchen itself looked as through a bomb had hit it, plates and cups were smashed across the floor, and the cupboard door had been ripped off its hinges and the tap bent out of place as water trickled from it. Glass sparkled on the floor in front of them and Ayame's beloved coffee maker was now no more than a lump of metal beeping in the corner of the room.
Everything went silent as Aya's eyes widened at the shock of what she was seeing. After a few tense moments, she turned her gaze on the responsible people and glared.
'Ai, I told you to show him the door'
Aiden shrugged nervously and attempted to smile at his sister.
'I did' turning his focus on to the door toward the living room, a prominent dint showed Aya where Aiden had clearly rammed Zero's head into it. Aya growled.
'Not what I meant, and you know it. Picking up the coffee maker she nudged it into the bin.
'You owe me a new one. Nyx what I was saying before these children decided to trash my kitchen is I think its time to call everyone.'
Nyx nodded once and brushed her pink hair out of her eyes, which continued to sparkle mysteriously. 'I think you have guests by the way.'
Reaching the hallway Ayame instantly noticed a large white wolf that was frozen still in the doorway; the honey golden eyes of the magnificent animal watched her intensely as she stepped steadily towards it, never breaking eye contact. Behind this gorgeous animal, a raven was perched on the table; the sleek ebony feathers a stark contrast to the she-wolf's ivory fur.
Aya took a few more steps forward and nodded her head once, retaining eye contact with the beast, who meanwhile was content with showing its dominance by blocking the hallway with its large and powerful body.
'You are in my house. You are not the alpha here, now lie.' Growled Aya softly, her eyes glowing an eerie violet.
After what seemed like hours, the creature, finally satisfied with its rank within the household, dropped its head slightly, breaking its gaze on the woman in front of her, turned and ran up the stairs, its raven companion following silently after it. Aya turned and slowly faced her sister as she rolled her eyes softly, yawning at the same moment
'Lyrisca and Isabelle have arrived.'
The three of them entered the living room and after what seemed like an eternity, Aiden noticed a golden brown haired woman slowly walk into the living room followed shortly by a raven-haired woman. Despite their youthful looks, the serene look of the two showed the maturity of their age and gave an unmistakable air of authority, which was tangible in the still air. Watching he took in a deep breath as Aya gazed at the two in front of her and took a slight step forward.
In the small movement, the air surrounding them became tense. The gold flickering of the lycan girl caused a shiver to go through Aiden as he watched his sister face her instantly. Her own eyes had turned a dark violet. Both of the females' eyes locked in a battle of wills.
'Lyrissa of the Columbia basin pack. You have no jurisdiction here. You have no laws over me'
Aiden shivered as he felt a wave of power wash over him as Aya spoke. Her voice was a deep timbre, so unlike her usual bright feminine voice. This tone left no room for disagreements. On her face he noticed the insignia of her power begin to etch itself down her face again, the blue swirling in twisting motions down her face.
'Lyrissa you shall obey and not challenge me again'
Watching in amazement, the golden beauty before his sister slowly bowed under her will, submitting to the command without hesitation. Simultaneously the magnetic push that he had felt faded, as Aya's own marking did.
Taking a few steps forward, Lyrissa instantly embraced Ayame, causing the boys to gape in amazement.
'Its good to see you Ayame.'
Nodding softly, She turned and began to introduce everyone to the pair and then finally introduced the women who stood before her.
Ai, Zero, These two are my oldest friends. Without them I would most likely be moon struck right now and I have owed them my life on more than one account.'
Zero nodded and grimaced. Moon struck: Another term for insanity in a lycan. Becoming moon struck was every lycan's worse nightmare, as often they became blood thirsty and vicious. A moon struck wolf was likely to kill its own children if it had the choice and once the process began, death was often the only cure.
'Lyrissa as you have already heard is the Columbia Basin Pack's alpha'
Zero raised an eyebrow slowly in confusion toward to the female in front of him: From experience, Alphas were always male.
Lyrissa noticed the look.
'Yes you did hear it right, Alpha. When my father died he left his pack in my care'
Zero took a small step back at the harsh tone at which this petit girl had talked to him. The anger and resentment coated every word in venom causing him to take a slightly step back in shock. He nodded once slowly.
'No disrespect intended'
Aya turned slightly and indicted to her right towards the moody woman le.
'And this everyone is Isabella. She is officially the oldest vampire left in existence and a valued friend to me'
Isabella suddenly smiled brightly, her eyes flickering different colours.
'There's a pup here.' She grinned, showing her canines instantly, her dark eyes shining.
Rising from the cream leather sofa in which she had been sat placidly for the duration of the conversation, Nyx sighed and brushed her hair from her shoulders, her small graceful steps placing her in front of the pair that stood before Aya.
'That's why you have been called. We need your help.' Nyx's gaze focused toward the hall as she taps her nails rhythmically against the steel blade of her scythe. 'Id like you both to meet a special little girl.'
Through the door, wandered the tiny girl, her ears pricking as she concentrated on the voices of the people in the room. Turning once she smiled brightly up at the vampire and lycan, her eyes shinning brightly, causing them both to focus on her. Walking quickly towards them she curtsied once and hugged Isabella's waist tightly as she nuzzled her face into the soft fabric of her t-shirt.
Nyx laughed quietly, as for the second time that day, Aiden gaped in shock and amazement. The lycan boy instantly taking a cautious step forward as if considering removing the young girl from where she stood.
Isabella, lyrissa, Id like you to meet the newest member of the family… This is Lily'