Selina sat up, opened her eyes, and looked around her. She gasped. "Oh, my god," she whispered to herself. "What have I done?"
There was a tarp near her. She pulled it around herself. Bodies, bodies everywhere. And then she saw the wolf in the corner. He didn't seem to notice her. He was gnawing away at the face of one of the dead women. Selina screamed, stoood up, and ran into the smoky gymnasium. She pulled the tarp tighter around herself and sat down in a folding chair, breathing hard. "Oh, god, oh god, oh, god." Then she felt hands on her shoulders. She looked up. There he was.
"Are you all right?" He asked.
"What the hell were you doing?" She asked. "Like waking up surrounded by dead bodies wasn't bad enough?"
"Well I had to eat something," he said. "And there wasn't much else around."
She shivered. "That's going to stay with me for awhile."
"I don't see what you're so upset about," he said. "You hated all these people so what's wrong with giving them what's coming to them?"
Selina looked up. "I know I hated them, but they really didn't deserve that."
He looked at her. "You're still not embracing your werewolf side, are you?"
"Well is that what you want?" she asked.
He shrugged. "I don't know. I just don't like seeing you miserable like this when we could do something to fix it."
"Can we go home now?" Selina asked.
"All right," he said. "I'll go get your clothes."
He returned a few minutes later and she dressed. They left the school and drove home where Alistair met them at the door. "So," he said. "How was the reunion?"
"I don't want to talk about it," Selina said.
Alistair gave Klaus a look. "What did you do now?"
"He didn't do anything," Selina said. "It was all me. Everything went wrong. I thought I could change things, but I can't, and now I've just messed everything up!"
"What do you mean?" Alistair asked.
"I went berserk!" Selina said. "It was like something out of a Stephen King novel! Bodies everywhere, things caught on fire..." She sat down and put her head in her hands.
"Well, what can we do for you?" Alistair asked.
"I'm on a fast track to hell," Selina said. "And it's nobody's fault, really. I'm just addicted, that's all."
"Addicted to what, I can imagine," Alistair said.
"Exactly," Selina nodded.
"What's the matter?" Klaus asked.
"You can't say we have a healthy relationship," Selina said. Because we don't. Why we get out of bed in the morning, I have no idea."
"I've been wondering that too," Klaus said.
"See?" Selina looked triumphantly at Alistair. "That's exactly what I mean!"
"I think the two of you need to be separated," Alistair said.
Selina looked up, her tears gone. "I'm upset about it, but I'm not that upset."
Klaus grinned. "She can't stay away."
"And neither can you," Alistair told him. "Admit it. If you had any willpower at all, you wouldn't have followed her to the reunion."
"Ha ha," Selina grinned. "I think you've just been owned."
"I'm serious this time," Alistair said. "And I can help."
"We tried that," Selina said. "And it didn't work because I have no willpower! Maybe I should just face my problems and go to sexaholics anonymous."
"That's for if you'll sleep with anybody," Alistair said. "You have a particular problem, as far as I know. And what happend last time was because we weren't working on both of you at the same time. Now we will be."
"What are you going to do?" Selina asked.
"It'll be okay," Alistair said. "I promise."
"What are you going to do?" Klaus asked later. "She's become a complete wreck."
"And why do you think that is?" Alistair asked.
"She's having trouble accepting her werewolf side," Klaus said. "If I'd have known it would mess her up this much, I wouldn't have subjected her to it."
"It's not just her," Alistair said. "Her mother's entire family, while not exactly in the dark about their condition, doesn't go around waving a banner about it either, especially not the girls. I believe she's the first female werewolf in the line."
"Really?" Klaus asked. "Maybe things would be better if we could make her more comfortable about being a werewolf. Could you do that?"
"I could," Alistair nodded. "But do you honestly believe that's the best thing for her? And for you and her?"
"Yes," Klaus nodded. "I think it is. She's too soft now. All her life, people have stomped on her, and now it's time for her to stomp on them and not feel a lick of guilt about it!"
"All right," Alistair said skeptically. "Whatever you say."
"Do you think I'm wrong?" Klaus asked.
Alistair shook his head. "No, you're absolutely right. Look in your mirror and see for yourself."
As soon as Klaus had gone to his room, Alistair went to see Selina, who still seemed distraught. "What's the matter?" he asked.
"You know," Selina said. "I told you. I don't like this at all. Why can't I just have a nice, normal relationship where me and my significant other say hi to each other over our newspaper and morning coffee, and then we leave for work and don't see each other until evening?"
"That's your idea of a good relationship?" Alistair asked.
"Yeah," Selina said. "You know, it really is."
"So if it was possible, you would want you and Klaus to see each other only in the morning, be away from each other all day, and then see each other again at night?"
"Yeah," Selina nodded. "It would be noble of him to have other interests besides sex and killing stuff, right? Like maybe a job at an insurance company, or a law firm..." She sighed happily. "Could you do that?"
"I could," Alistair nodded. "But do you honestly believe that's the best thing for him? And for you and him?"
"Yes," Selina nodded. "I think it's time he used those skills of his to help people rather than hurt them. It'll be good for his character."
"All right," Alistair said skeptically. "Whatever you say."
"Do you think I'm wrong?" Selina asked.
Alistair shook his head. "No, you're absolutely right. Look in your mirror and see for yourself."
When Selina reached her bedroom, she stared at the mirror next to her closet. She reached out and touched it. To her surprise, she was able to stick her hand through. She pulled it out quickly and then stuck it in again. "That's weird," she said. Suddenly, she felt herself being pulled through. When she landed, she was facedown in a field of grass. She looked up and saw Rusty sitting beside her, a pocket watch tied to his collar. "You're late!" he said.
"And you're talking!" Selina said, amazed. "Why would you do that?"
"No time for questions," Rusty said. "Come with me and hurry."
"Oh, all right," Selina said. He began running through a forest and then suddenly came to a small dog house. "Come inside," he said.
"But that's so small," Selina said. "I can't possibly fit. Can't you see that?"
"Eat one of those," Rusty said, indicating a plate of pink frosted cakes sitting next to the house. "And take the bottle of wine for later. You're going to need it."
Selina sighed. "All right," she said and ate one of the cakes which caused her to shrink. She then followed Rusty into the doghouse and he led her through a maze of corridors and finally out the other side, so they were outdoors again. "Drink the wine now," Rusty said. "You don't want to become prey for birds."
Selina pulled out the little decanter of wine. "I certainly don't," she said and drank it down. One she was normal size again, Rusty led her on. They ran into a dragonfly which beared a strange resemblance to alistair. He was smoking a cigarette. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
Selina shrugged. "I don't know."
He blew a plume of smoke. "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"
Selina cleared her throat. "Because Edgar Allan Poe wrote on both?"
He grinned. "I didn't know there was an answer to that question, but what you said seems good enough. Before you continue on though, I have to ask: are you really sure you want to see what is to come?"
"Yes," Selina said. "You asked me that at the house and I told you yes!"
"I don't believe we've ever met," the dragonfly said. "But as long as you're sure, you may proceed."
Selina curtseyed. "Thank you," she said. She and Rusty continued on their way.
They came across a little tea cart where two people who looked a lot like Damon and Alaric shouting out their wares.
"And who are you?" Damon asked.
"I think that's alice," Alaric said. "She looks like an Alice. Tea?"
"No," Selina shook her head. "I don't want any, thank you. I have somewhere I have to be. And my name isn't Alice, it's Selina."
Damon burst out laughing. "That's a funny name!"
"Have a seat, have a seat," Alaric said. "Turning down our tea would be a grave mistake!"
"Why?" Selina asked.
"Because," Alaric said. "You wouldn't want to disappoint me on my birthday."
"It's your birthday?" Selina asked.
"No," Damon said. "It's his unbirthday. And mine too! And yours! This calls for a toast!" They poured her a cup of tea and toasted. After she finished drinking, she said, "It's been nice chatting, but I have to go. Goodbye."
She continued on her way. Rusty seemed to have disappeared. She soon found herself in the front yard of a large house. She saw the name on the mailbox and smiled in satisfaction. "It's our house," she said. She opened the door and stepped inside, arriving in the kitchen. Klaus was reading the paper and wearing a gray suit. "Good morning," he said, coming to give her a kiss on the cheek. Coffee?"
"Yes, please," Selina said. He poured her some coffee and she put sugar and milk in it. "So," she said after taking a sip, "What are you going to do today?"
"Just going to the office," he said. "I have that new ad campaign to show to the client today, and my boss says that if it goes well, he'll make me a partner. It's a fifteen millon dollar account, you know."
"Oh, that's great!" Selina said. "You better get going. You don't want to be late."
He nodded and kissed her on the cheek. "Would you have a look at my black suit jacket today? It's missing a button."
"Sure," Selina said. "I have just the thing to fix that. You run along be the successful person you are! Chicken all right for dinner tonight?"
"Of course," he said. "See you then. And just one more thing...my mother said she might stop by today. But you can handle her. I know it."
"Yes," Selina said. "Lovely, wonderful..."
The door closed behind him and all Selina could do was wait. She'd know when the old battleaxe would show up. She set a bouquet of white roses in a vase on the counter. A few minutes later, the phone rang. "Did you pick up the roses yet?" Asked the voice on the othe end. "Red ones, I hope."
"No," Selina said. "I couldn't. They only had white ones."
"Oh," said the voice. "I feel sorry for you...you wouldn't by chance have red paint on you, would you? That might save the day."
"Even if I did, I wouldn't repaint all the roses to make her happy," Selina said.
The voice on the other end sighed. "As you wish."
A few hours later, there was a knock on the front door. Rusty and several other people entered the house, including Klaus' mother, Elissavetta. She was dressed entirely in red. She walked into the kitchen and saw the roses on the table. "White roses," she said with a disdainful sniff. "I hate white roses."
"Well too bad," Selina said. "Because that's all they had. Deal with it."
"You dare speak to me that way?" Elissavetta asked.
Selina nodded. "I always have and I always will."
Elissavetta looked down at Rusty. "Where's my executioner? Off with her head!"
"What?" Selina asked. "No!"
"Well, well, well," Elissavetta began circling her. "I might be willing to spare your life...if you play croquet with me and win."
"Fine," Selina said. "I'm actually good at that."
They got out the mallets and the balls and played best out of five. To everyone's surprise, Selina won and Elissavetta left in a huff."
Selina sewed the button Klaus's jacket and fixed up the chicken, and then waited for him to come home. When he arrived, they sat down together and ate. He regaled her with stories of his day at the office and then after dessert. he looked at his watch. "I have to go," he said.
"Why?" Selina asked. "You just got home! I thought we'd spend some time along tonight! I even bought some new things to surprise you!"
"How sweet of you," Klaus said. "But Jack and I have a golf date and you know I can't miss golf."
"But that takes such a long time," Selina complained. "And you're always too tired when you get back."
"That's why we got separate beds," he said. "So I wouldn't disturb you."
Selina groaned. "Why the hell did I marry you?" She asked.
"Because," he said, "I'm ambitious and dependable and I give you your space. Why else would we marry?"
"Because we like to have fun together!" She burst out. "You tell me I'm pretty and then we have wild, crazy sex and buildings fall down and things catch on fire and...and you push me to do things I never thought I'd do...I need you for that!"
He looked at her like she was crazy. "Maybe you should go to bed early tonight, dear," he said. "I don't think you're well."
Selina scoffed. "After a day with your mother, who would be?"
He ignored her and left for his golf game. Once he shut the door behind him, she noticed a cat in the corner. He grinned widely at her. "Isn't it wonderful to get everything you wish for?"