The thick thorns of surrounding plants dug into my skin leaving deep crimson gouges as I stumbled through the thicket of the woods that lay between my home and the boarding house. The pain had lessened now, which was only the calm before the storm, as I pushed harder and harder with my legs, my feet covered in cuts and scraps as I had failed to remember shoes in my hast. I didn't know why I was running towards where the dying person lay, the past has only taught me that the final burst of power as they breath their last breath will only be more painful if I am closer, if anything I should be running further and further away but this death was so painful that it couldn't be an accident. This was a deliberate act and I intended on finding who had caused it. A warm yellow light burned my fragile tear filled eyes as I approached the boarding house.
I stood at the edge of the garden and felt like a cave dweller stumbling into the daylight for the first time, the woods had been a deep midnight black and I found it comforting to be able to conceal myself in the blackness. Now however, where they to look out a window the blood thirsty murders would see a deranged girl looking back at them but it was a risk I needed to take. My stomach churned as I knew I was risking a lot, the final burst of power would be excruciating and I wasn't quite sure I could take it especially if the person lay dying just across this garden in the warm comfort of the boarding house. Stay or run became my only thought.
Sadly I didn't get a choice, the person inhaled air for the last time and the power sought me out like a heat seeking missile and I crumpled to the ground like the pin being hit by a bowling ball. I set my lips in a tight line refusing to even let one small whimper out encase it gave my position away, again I found my back arching as my body tried to separate itself from the pain, my hand dug into the precision cut grass of the garden and tore chunks from it. My eyes flew open as the power ricocheted off my chest like a machine gun and its bullets, my body jumped helplessly before falling with a deafening thump to the ground. Deep breathing, a favourite pastime of mine this evening, helped me to calm down as the pain retreated and a gentle sense of strength filled me up from the tip of my toes to the top of my head. Leaves floated around me, hanging in the air as the power within me had lifted them up. Pebbles, rocks, twigs and sticks all drifted in the air above me.
After lying there for several moments I managed to drag myself back up onto my feet, I felt better than ever and as I stood up all the leaves, rocks and sticks that had been dancing gracefully in the air dropped to the ground once more, to rest where they belonged. In one swift movement I was stood next to a window, it was the quickest I had ever moved and I found myself just a little bit grateful for this evenings events. I could feel the strength that lingered in me now, the power that I held was amazing. Never before had I experienced a power boost like that. The yellow light cast an unwelcome glow against my pale skin as I edged closer to the window pane. I appeared to be looking into some kind of ridiculously sized living area, the walls covered with books, carefully carved wooden furniture filled the room and all listening gently to the roar of an open fire. I could even hear the cracking of the kindling as the power circulated around my ears, my eyes could detect the scratches left on the wooden floor. It was then my eyes flew up and seen the body of the deceased and my heart stopped.
Tears fell freely from my eyes as the body of Alaric Saltzman lay dead by the fire, the young man I had been introduced to as Stefan kneeled beside him. He almost looked grief stricken. A forceful wind slammed against my back as I scanned his body for whatever had killed him, I was right earlier a blow to the right lung and the discarded stake rolling on the floor made it very clear what had happened here. For some unknown reason Alaric had decided to attack the Salvatore Brothers, okay not so unknown. He was seeking revenge on most likely Damon for what he had done to his wife Isobel. I pressed my hand against the icy window pane and watched the heat from my body steam it up beneath my palm. The ring on Alaric should begin to kick in anytime now and he would awake, everything would hopefully be alright. But I couldn't quite grasp what I should do next. One of the brothers had killed my Uncle- yeah he was alright thanks to the ring I posted Isobel years ago- but they had still taken it upon them to make sure he wouldn't attempt it again.
Then again wouldn't I have reacted any differently had they come into my home to kill me, which they very well might if they ever discover what I am and who is after me; I knew that I would have killed them and not even blinked about it. There wouldn't have been any guilt over killing them, they were Vampires and though I would never be foolish enough to assume they were all out to kill me, it had just been proven in the past that they feared those that hunted me and would quicker turn against me rather than face death. As Alaric breathed back into life I slipped around the side of the house to wait for him. I ran my hands against the rough stone walls as I walked around the house, it took Alaric a good five or so minutes to explain to Stefan the whole ordeal and get his bearings before he finally emerged from inside the house. He set about walking in the general direction of his car.
"So that wasn't the smartest move now was it?" I laughed gently from where I stood, it was all slightly amusing now the worst was over.
"Anya? What are you doing here?" he demanded through gritted teeth as he squinted about looking for me.
"Well I was at home asleep, until you up'd and died causing me to be woken up in horrific pain. Honestly what did you think you would achieve by killing Damon Salvatore?" I growled back but at the same time kept a low voice encase either brother got close enough to hear.
"I don't know but look lets just get in the car and I will drop you home and we can discuss what happened there." I moved quickly into the passenger side of the car and as we drove back towards my house. Where he would no doubt catch me up on his erratic train of thought and his next move.
As the sunlight trickled gently though my open window, it immediately sought me out like a thief stealing me from my peaceful slumber. My eye flickered open to find myself alone still in this house built to horde people and their belongings, I felt a bit inadequate seen as I only really occupied one room, compared the many rooms on the other floors. I slowly got up after stretching out each muscle as I moved about, it was funny to think that after the horrifying pain of last night I could awake feeling so refreshed and revitalised. As the sun creped across my skin I noticed that I seemed to have yet again grown paler, the sunlight magnified the snowy complexion of my skin and almost made it glow. My eyes rolled in their signature motion as followed my morning routine as always in order to get ready, memories of late last night/early this morning still fresh in my mind.
After piling into Alaric's car, he drove in his usual meticulous manner back to my own house. Where he spent the next couple of hours walking me through the thought process that made walking into a 170 year old Vampire's home and attempting to kill him seemed like a good idea. After a thorough discussion on why when it comes to all supernatural related incidents in the future I should be consulted first and kept informed on everything, he caught me up on the ins and out of this sleepy little town, frankly it was quite a fascinating tale and the depth of what he knew of the Salvatores was amazing, their whole history he had researched. Alaric was even clued up on Katherine Pierce love of their lives and reason for what they are. Obviously he knew no intimate details, just that both brothers fell for her and she turned them out of love? But much more likely she turned them out of boredom. Vampires rarely knew how to love. The whole thing left me wanting to know more, so I guess that's why I decided to seek out Damon Salvatore today, there was something going on in this town and the biker bad boy knew more than he was letting on, clearly he was a central character in all of this. Knowing little about him, I would have to hope he would appear to me in the Mystic Grill. Where I would fail at flirting in the hope he would disclose some information to me. If all else fails I guess I can just use a little extra persuasion to help me along.
My phone buzzed and Mark's name sang gleefully on the screen, it was almost as if he had sensed I was up to mischief.
"Well hello there." I laughed down the phone. "Do you have me censored for plotting or something?"
"What? Anya you haven't done something stupid already have you?" He may have been laughing but he was serious all the same, I moved about picking up my discarded pyjamas that I had swapped for dark jeans and a plain blue t-shirt.
"No I haven't but thanks for the faith in me, I was planning on spending the day hanging out in the local bar getting a feel for the place, you know? And you happened to call as I was planning it, that was all." The lies flowed freely and without hesitation just like they had taught me. As much as I loved and missed Mark the last thing I needed was my overbearing father figure strolling into town and uprooting me, when I was I so sure that something interesting was simmering in the background. I moved though the house to the large modern kitchen as I continued speaking to Mark.
"Hm, anyway I was just calling to check you were alive and that you were aware, that despite me not being there, the elders are expecting you to go to a secluded place and practice using your eh talents." I groaned loudly, I hated having to practice it made me feel less human and like lab experiment. "I know, I know, you hate it but please. You need to be able to do these things if anything bad should happen whilst your there."
"Fine I will go out later and practise." I spoke though gritted teeth as I poured my favourite cereal into a bowl.
"Good, look I better go sweetheart, Sit rector lux in tenebris vos dulcis angeli." Mark rushed, he was eager to get off the phone meaning that the elders were on their way and he wasn't actually suppose to be on the phone to me.
"Sit lumen intrare." I answered; in fact I only got about half way through before my ears were assaulted by the sound of a dial tone. Well that was just a bit rude. I finished eating and cleared the house up before I drove the winding streets into town.
I entered the musty bar that was the Mystic Grill and low and behold his highness was preached right where I knew he would be. I paused for a moment and looked him over. There was no denying how beautiful he was, smoking hot, his black silken hair gleamed in the dingy bar light. His back was broad and muscular, but either way he was still a Vampire, which by default meant he would probably kill me if he knew what I was; out of fear for his superiors. The rest of them had at least. My eyes flicked up to the Cougar flirting with him to his right, long dark brown hair and a very pretty face but her clothes were years to young for her and her skin worn away slightly from years of promiscuity. Of course to a normal person this wasn't visible but me? I unfortunately got the joy of begin able to see every detail on a persons face, the scars they didn't even know they had. Enhanced vision was a bitch. I moved over to the bar and took a seat at the far end, perfectly in his eye line and it wasn't till I had sat down did I notice the petite frame of Jenna Sommers drinking casually next to the Cougar. Hm, she has an interesting choice in company seen as she wasn't Damon's biggest fan from what Alaric had told me. I smiled at the barman and signalled for a drink as I listened to the party opposite me.
"Don't be grumpy. It cant be that bad." Jenna laughed delicately as she taunted Damon's mood, I noticed the furrow between his brows and the lines around his eyes as he squinted menacingly. There was something with his eyes, a very light shade of pink glossed over them and flakes of dry blood hung on his eyelashes. Clearly today had been a rough day for Damon. He hadn't contracted this injuries last night, these were fresh. Most likely explaining his mood. His long eyelashes cast shadows down his face and for a brief moment insecurity flickered in those ice blue eyes and my heart ache to know more. I sighed deeply and looked away, this was the worst part of being this I felt what others felt, I had the need, the physically need to care for others and nurture. I got no choice in it, I guess its like the maternal instinct that lies in every woman, except I possess it for the world. My mind swam as the memories blurred my vision.
My chest heaved up and down as I sprinted through the trees, my movements were far to fast for even the Autumn leaves to crunch under my feet. I paused eyes flicking about my surroundings, Mark had sent me out here hunting. I was to track down another person based purely on empathy. So i took deep breaths like her told me and let the power circulate around my body, to my eyes, my ears but most importantly to my heart and mind. It created a link between the two, one that very few people were able to do effectively on even the most basic level. I stood breathing and listening to the garden around me.
The scrapping claws of some great cat lurking in the dark echoed eerily within my head, the music of the garden soothed my ears, all the animal cries mixing together to create a sonnet for the gardens inmates. The wind teased my skin, ruffling my hair like a kindly old men as it breezed about the room, the sun casting delicate shadows across my skin. The scent of the wild burned my nose, free of the perfumed gasoline of the modern world. Faintly about three, maybe four, hundred yards away there was a flicking blue light glittering in my mind.
I followed the light and let my feet carry me gracefully to where the light grew stronger and stronger, my eyes still clamped shut. The closer I got the more I yearned to help whoever it was I had discovered was incredibly sad but there was something else there. Though yes they were sad the light was bright and playful, full of innocence. My heart hurt for whoever I was about to discover as they were far too good for this place, the temple of lies and sordid secrets. I know this place is suppose to be good and pure, it was built to help protect others like me but as technology grew and faith drifted away, this place grew darker and darker. It was far too paranoid about what was coming and the access to modern medicine had only opened them to means of torture. Taking in the supernatural freaks they found in the streets and putting them through tests so they could gain knowledge all to help me. The intentions of their tests may have been good but they were still inhuman and cruel. I should know. I was their favourite pin cushion, despite having been waiting for my creation their faith had faltered over the years and when I appeared to them, I was believed to be a lie.
I left my eyes drift open as the pain of the light peaked, I found myself gazing across the prettiest child I had ever seen. I had been hunting, no searching for this child; she sat in a pile of leaves playing with her lilac dress that flowed all around her. Her blonde curls fell perfectly all around her shoulders and sweet face. Her skin as beautiful as the first snowflake of winter. I crouched in front of the child and took her fidgeting hands in mine. She didn't fear me, she looked back at me with big emerald eyes and gave me the sweetest smile. I could feel it floating all around her, the admiration and fascination that I had created. I laughed gently and she copied me.
"I thought the man was joking when he said you would come find me." Her voice rang clearly in the air as I settled down on the gardens dead soldiers of the autumn war.
"Why didn't you believe I would come find? Why are you here?" I asked as I watched entranced by this strange child.
"Well, Mummy said it was my job but I still don't get why she wouldn't do it, she said I had to play in the garden and the man said that a pretty lady would come get me when I could come back inside. But I have been here so long; I thought maybe they had forgotten me." Her voice was still light but also sad at the same time. She was the first child I had seen close up since the fire. They were kept away from me in the opposite side of the temple; they were too wild to be near me. It wasn't uncommon for children to be brought up here or to be used in the elder's demented games but it was strange for them to be here in the garden, let alone near me.
"Why were you so sad then?" She reached forward and placed a silver bracelet in my hands, it had snapped clean near the clasp.
"My bracelet broke and it's not really mine, its one of Mummy's. She will be so mad when she sees it." I laughed at the girl; her sadness was for her impending telling off and her mother's feelings.
"Well I don't know about you but I know just the way to fix this. You just have to have a little faith and belief that's all." I laughed loudly and her eyes widened at me as I teased her. The fact was I could fix this easily with a small burst of power but she needn't know that.
"Can you do it, please?" emeralds glittered in front of me, she glowed a bright brilliant white as she grew excited and I had to laugh again. The child's happiness infectious. I nodded and she shuffled happily before me. I took the bracelet and clasped it tightly between my own hands.
"Now I need you to close your eyes and believe with everything you have that its fixed and I can make it so but if you don't believe hard enough I cant do anything, its just how it works sadly." I beamed at the girl as she nodded, curls bobbing up and down. She closed her eyes and began muttering please under her breath, I let the power drift over the bracelet in my hand. It began to float in the air in a white orb as the power took over doing the rest.
I reached forward and plucked the bracelet from the air as it was done, not letting for a moment the girl to stop her wishing. I took her hand and her eyes opened at record pace as I placed the bracelet back in her hand. It had gone from worn down silver with a broken chain, to one that shone in the sunlight and had no kinks or breakages anywhere to be seen. She reached forward and threw her arms around me, my cheek. A tear rolled down my face as the child clutched to me saying 'thank you' over and over again. It was the first time anyone had hugged me.
"You'd be surprised. My primary reason for existence has abandoned me and after today's events, the remains of the shaky ground that I walk on are about to go kaboom. Let's get hammered." Damon's voice snapped me back into reality, only to catch him watching me intently.
"Anya," he said softly before raising his glass and downing the lot, I mimicked his action and before I could signal the barman placed another one down before me. Looks like the man was learning. That was the best thing about my method of compulsion, though it could only be broken by me, it allowed them to adapt it to everyday life and change it slightly. It wasn't an immovable action like that of the Vampires compulsion, it was play dough. They could mould it into what they wanted, needed or desired. No doubt in his mind he had constructed some kind of back story as to why we had this little routine down to a knack.
"You know I am beginning to believe you live here Mr Salvatore, I have lived her only a few days and yet this is where I find you every time we cross paths." I smiled warmly at him earning a glare from the Cougar as she detected the playful banter that existed between us so easily. Jenna however just watched, unaware of who I was and my relation to her crush. He chuckled darkly never breaking our eye contact, maybe getting information from him and bringing him onto my side would be easier than I thought.
"I could say the same about you Miss Anya, "he winked at me over his scotch glass.
"Touché." I giggled in reply.
"Now, it's a bit naughty for the new girl to be drinking alone oh so as frequently as you are. So join us, I won't bite unless you want me too." He raised his eyebrow at me cheekily, ah so we are back to the terrible Vampire puns were we.
"Why not, and that is a request I won't be making, I am sure your bites worse than your bark." I winked back before he began introducing me to his female companions. It was going to be a long afternoon.