Disclaimer: All characters that are recognised obviously do not belong to me, Siris Fern and Mallory Feorne are obviously my own lame creations.
PRINCESS
THE SAFE HOUSE
The limousine continued driving for what seemed to be hours. The silence went on and Siris could not help but notice that Mallory's neck was smooth. Not smooth in a way that made her hungry, but rather, smooth as if she hadn't taken blood from him at all. Siris was perplexed; she was sure that she had bitten him but where there should have been two faint red marks there was unblemished skin. Her thoughts and her confusion turned over and over again in her mind until the limousine finally stopped. It was dark outside, Siris was sure.
Grandma Harman and the Maiden, Aradia, unfastened their seatbelts. Mallory and Siris followed suit. No sooner had the 'clack' of their seatbelts sounded, when the door opened swiftly. Grandma Harman and Aradia were led out in one fluid motion. Moments later a head covered in velvety dark hair poked through the door.
"Out you come, it's clear." Mallory and Siris scrambled out as gracefully as they could manage. Once the four of them were assembled in the garage between their bodyguards, they headed up into the safe house. They moved slowly through the dark toward the bright light on the far side of the garage. When they entered the house, they were greeted by a bubbly copper haired witch, before being led into a sitting room.
"Are you hungry?"
"Famished."
Grandma Harman signalled at one of her attendants, who quickly scurried off. Within moments they were all ushered into another room. Aradia took Siris' arm and they followed another attendant into yet another room. Once inside Aradia sat down on a chaise and at the sight of the goat that entered from another door, Siris could feel her teeth lengthen into fine points.
"Leave us, we will be fine. I will call you when we are done," Aradia said. Siris was startled; she didn't expect the young woman to stay while she fed. The attendant looked uncertain, but a stern glance from the Maiden saw him leave without further delay. "Don't mind me; you can feed when you're ready."
Siris moved toward the goat, all the while calming it with her mind. She knelt down by it and gently pierced its throat with her canines. She felt its blood invigorating her body and she could feel the tension slipping from her muscles. She wanted to dance and sprint up a mountain side all at once. She stopped when she felt the goat's mind weakening. She wiped off the last remaining drops of blood from the creature's neck and willed it to sit down on the floor; it did so without resistance.
"Is there something that you would ask of me, Maiden?"
"Aradia. And yes," Siris waited for a response. The soft curve of a smile lingered on Aradia's lips, but there was trouble in her eyes. Siris was concerned; although she had not long been awake she felt implicit trust towards the girl. "There will come a point where you will have to choose –"
"I have already chosen."
"You will have to choose those that are worth saving," Oh, Siris had not expected that; "I know your heart, Siris Fern, and I do not doubt your choice, although, at the time, you may." Siris looked into Aradia's unseeing eyes, "Trust your heart and do not give up; that is all I ask of you." Siris nodded, it was all that she could do.
"Yes, Aradia," Siris managed to croak out her assent after a pause. The Maiden's smile returned to her lips.
"Come, now," she hooked her arm through the crook of Siris' and led her back through the door of the room.
Outside, the attendant started, but before he could regain his composure, Aradia sent him to retrieve the goat. He nodded and was out of their sight.
"Let me show you around, Siris."
"Maiden, how is it that you can do that?" a soft laugh came out of Aradia, and at her side, Siris could feel the Maiden trembling with mirth.
"You would think that, even when blind, one should know well the place in which they had lived. Would you not?" Siris nodded and the Maiden's unseeing eyes seemed to take it all in.
Siris' mind was in turmoil as she was being led from room to room by the blind girl. She could remember others in the witch tribe who had been struck by blindness, yet none of them had the status, or even the poise or the grace of this girl before her. In her time, those who had lost their vision often wandered off, and were never heard from again. In fact, many had offered themselves to the blood drinkers, in an attempt to make one last contribution. Had they all been so wrong in supposing that the loss of sight carried with it the inability to contribute? The tour ended as Aradia guided Siris into her new room and sat down on the soft bed with her.
Siris looked around her, all the things that were so unfamiliar to her. She was terrified. She felt threatened and she wanted to fight them, even when their purpose was unknown to her, but she looked at Aradia and let her serene features guide her.
"I'm finding it difficult to comprehend –"
"It's quite alright. You will get used to it, and there are others to help you. Mallory is here too." Siris' eyes narrowed at the mention of his name.
"I don't trust him."
"I know."
"What are we doing here anyway; shouldn't we be rescuing the daughter of Hellewise and her friends?"
"We're at a safe house, Siris, and we will rescue her in time. At this point in time, we need to get you up to speed." The girls talked for a long while and eventually the Maiden put Siris to sleep.
They were made to wait in the safe house for a few more days before finally, one morning, Siris opened her door to reveal one of Aradia's attendants.
"It's time." Siris followed him out into the sitting room, where Mallory was already waiting. She was still suspicious of him and she begrudged him for the smug expression that he wore.
Siris' eyes darted around the room; she was excited.
"Scarlett has eyes all over the city; we cannot take the limo," Mallory looked pointedly at Grandma Harman, who nodded.
"We'll take you to the outskirts and then we'll switch cars."
As soon as the words were out of her mouth the copper-haired witch and the girl with velvety dark hair stepped into the room and ushered everyone out again. In a neat row, flanked by more security, the Maiden, the Crone and their two guests were marched into the garage and seated inside the limo. The garage doors slid open and the limo cruised onto the streets of Las Vegas followed closely by another black limo and a sportier Aston Martin.
How will Siris and Mallory get back into Circle Midnight to save Blaise and her friends?
Reviews float my boat ^_^
