Chapter Six:

People are crowding the venue for the party. A live band are playing music as everyone have a great time. The night is young as all the vampires, werewolves, witches, and even humans fill the entire place. Drake's family are already here since this is their party. Tonight is a great night, despite the troubles that happened during the day.

Stiles and Drake enter. Their clothing has been changed. Drake is dressed in black clothing with a black leather jacket as always. Stiles is just dressed like she always dressed. People approach Drake with friendly smiles and gestures. Stiles on the other hand, nervously takes herself over to the bar.

"Can I get a club soda?" Stiles yells over the loud music to the bartender. The bartender gets a glass and pours her a club soda. She doesn't want to keep consuming alcohol. Stiles is handed the glass. She just takes little sips while scouting the party. She's so new to this kinda thing. She doesn't want to embarrass herself.

Liana approaches. Stiles sighs heavily, still taking sips of her drink. The two make eye contact. Liana orders a drink and sits next to Stiles.

"How've you been?" Liana starts the conversation.

"Fine." Stiles nods, but Liana's face shows that she knows Stiles is lying. Stiles gives in. "Okay, I'm scared."

Liana smiles. She gazes down and takes a deep breath. "Let me tell you a story." A long beat passes. "My family were once a powerful coven in this city since the 1920s. I remember my grandmother telling me the power my bloodline holds." Liana reminisces. "One night, when I was nine years old, hunters had came into the night at our private home. Our magic meant nothing, because they had set up a moon ash barrier. I was forced to watch my mom, my dad, my brothers, and my two nieces die. Butchered to death before my eyes." Stiles eyes widen at the thought. "I was somehow able to escape."

Stiles stares at her with pain in her eyes. The thought of such a loss stings her heart.

"Drake's family found me a week later. I was using magic to steal food. I barely had any training. I only knew simple spells." Liana reminisces. "They took me in. I hated it at first. I didn't trust them and I was terrified of the fact that they were going to use me for their own benefit. But as the years went on, I got closer to them and I grew love for them. And they had grew love for me."

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that." Stiles says. "Losing your family in one night is rough."

"I made my peace a long time ago. I know they're always with me. And the love and memories I have of them will be with me forever...even after my death." Liana smiles, thinking about her loved ones.

"ATTENTION, PARTY PEOPLE!" Drake's deep, vibrant accent booms. He speaks clearly in a microphone. He and his family are standing on the stage. "Are we enjoying ourselves tonight?" The crowd goes crazy, raising their glasses.

"Ugh, Drake!" A girl nearly creams herself at the sight of him.

"Love you too, baby." Drake responds in a sultry voice before returning to what he was going to say. "Tonight we would love to introduce the newest member of our family. Please give a warm and nocturnal welcome to Stiles!"

The heart in Stiles' chest drops to the pit of her stomach. An uncomfortable fire burns her from the mortification as ceiling lights are pointed in her direction. Stiles hurries to grab her drink and downs the rest of it in desperation.

"You better go, girl." Lisanna shakes her lightly with a hand on her shoulder.

Stiles' knees buckle. Everyone claps for her. Some of the guys in the crowd whistles and hoots at her. A few girls do the same as well. In the crowd, Tammy watches with a smile. Stiles feels as if she's gliding towards the stage. She steps up as Drake helps her. Her shyness defines her.

"Meet the newest witch of our family." Drake directs Stiles towards the microphone.

"Demonstrate your powers!" Someone says in the back.

"Uh…...hi." Stiles squeaks. "My na-name is Stiles." Galen laughs at her bashfullness.

Ioanna pushes her from the mic. Lisanna approaches and enters the stage. She walks over to Stiles to hold her hand. Stiles gasps loudly with wide eyes from their magic connecting.

"Sorry. She's shy." Ioanna says with a smile.

"Let's show them something." Lisanna says to Stiles. Out of nowhere, both girls feel a wave crash over them. Lisanna's eyes gleam fluorescent gold while Stiles' eyes gleam icy blue. "Ek roep op die natuur, laat ons hulle krag sein!"

Lisanna raises her free hand. Fire immediately engulfs the entire place, scaring everyone. There's no escaping anywhere if anyone wishes to run. Drake and his family stare in their direction with worry.

"That's enough, girls!" Camilla says.

"Laat die vlamme soos die son brand." The flames get hotter. "OPHOU!" The fire quickly fades away. Stiles and Lisanna's eyes return to normal. Their hands disconnect. Lisanna smiles and laughs. Stiles sweats from the intense power. The tension slowly dies down as everyone stares in shock. In a matter of seconds, the crowd goes wild.

"WOOOOOO!" Everyone cheers at their awesome powers.

"That is only a fraction of our power together." Lisanna speaks on the mic. "So tonight, give Stiles a warm welcoming. With the alliance between all our species, no one can touch us. Enjoy the party with peace and love." She bows so elegantly.

"Some party trick." Galen nods before taking a drink of his bourbon.

"Well, we had to give the audience a show." Lisanna walks past him, but not before feeling his chest. The rest of the family looks to Stiles.

Tammy immediately leaves. She heads outside of the venue to reach for her phone. he dials a number and places the phone on her right ear. The phone rings. The anticipation is getting to her. Someone picks up.

"Hello." It's woman's voice.

"Maya, it's me." Tammy replies in a hast. "We got a problem."


(...)

The Ladies' Bathroom

Stiles breaks through the door in a haze. She's still overwhelmed by the power Lisanna had released via through their connection. She's alone. No one else is in the bathroom. Stiles goes over to one of the sinks, turns on the faucet, and washes her face in cold water. After three splashes, she turns the water off and wipes her face off with a paper towel. Her breathing is raspy.

"Be calm, Stiles." She says to herself with a breathless voice.

Out of nowhere, someone exits one of the stalls. It's a woman in her 30s. Her hair is a rich of dark cinnamon, flowing down her back like an endless wave. Her pale skin is flawless with beauty marks. Her eyes are green like emeralds. The woman is beauty divine and is impossible to resist.

Stiles stares at herself in the mirror. She's uneasy as the woman checks herself beside her. Stiles' eyebrows raise for a short second; seeing the woman's perfect curves in her red dress. The woman smiles with her perfect white teeth. If anyone looks closely, they can see her fangs glisten.

"Rough night?" The woman addresses Stiles.

"Uhh...yeah." Stiles gathers herself. She heads to the door.

"How does it feel to be a spark, Stiles?" The woman suddenly questions, making the young girl's heart and feet stop. Stiles looks confused. Her body senses danger.

"How did you know?" Stiles questions.

"I can smell it. You are not a witch. Witches smell earthy." The woman smirks. "But sparks smell like the fruit of the earth, hence their power."

Stiles turns around in fear. Her body shakes.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Lamia." The woman smiles with her eyes flashing a hue of crimson.

"Lamia, as in….the child-eating demon, who was once a Libyan queen?" Stiles realizes who she's speaking to. Lamia nods. Stiles' eyes point left to right multiple times. "Nice to meet you. Excuse me." She tries to leave. But as soon as she turns around, Lamia is standing right there in her face! Stiles backs away in a panic.

"I'm afraid I cannot let you leave." Lamia's claws retract. "I need your help to break my curse."

"Curse?" Stiles is frightened and bewildered, which makes Lamia frustrated.

"Because of my affair with Zeus, his lovely wife turned me into a child-eating demon, who feasts on the hearts and flesh of children. Hera slaughtered my children and cursed me to have no more. That is when you come in." Lamia explains.

"Hera sounds like one cold bitch if you ask me." Stiles scratches her head. "I don't even know how to use my magic."

"I'll just need your heart." Lamia begins to transform into the demon she is.

"Oh, my God." Stiles begins to cry.

Lamia roars with her fanged mouth oozing black liquid. Stiles cowers away.

"Don't kill me." She extends her arm, falling into a corner. She's trapped.

Out of nowhere, the Lamia stops before she can attack. The lights begin to flicker. Stiles feels a sudden surge. She looks in Lamia's direction. Icy waves of blue washes over her brown eyes. Small trails of lightning sparks from her eyes and fingers. Stiles can feel the magic in her veins. Her instincts are telling her to fight.

"Mmm, what a prize." Lamia looks down with her crimson eyes glowing like a precious gem. "That power will be mine, Stiles, sooner or later." Lamia disappears in the shadows!

Stiles' eyes go back to normal. The power in her vein stops surging. Blood starts pounding in her ears. Her heart beats erratically. Stiles loses her vision. Her throat feels constricted. She slowly slips into a dark place as her eyes shut.

"STILES!" Drake breaks the bathroom door off its hinges. Lisanna, Ioanna, Camilla and Galen are with him. Stiles is out cold in the corner of one of the stall. Drakes rushes to her aid. Everyone can smell Lamia's nasty earth-like scent in the air.

"Someone tried to attack her?" Galen's face grows pale as his fangs come out to play.

"I know that smell." Camilla notices. "It's the same scent that was on the body at the morgue." The family looks concerned as Drake holds Stiles in his arms.