Author's note: To anyone who has read this fanfiction, I can only give you my sincerest apologies about the length of time between this and my last post and I'm hoping that I'll be able to post a chapter at least once a month from now on.

Chapter 2

The car pulled up outside of their new home and from where Caelan was sat; there was nothing interesting about it. It was a house that on the outside appeared to be quite old, with windows so dirty they blocked any light from seeping into the house as the moth eaten curtains clung desperately onto the pole. He could smell a deep, musty aroma oozing from the house; one that had him feel slightly ill but thankfully did not over power his heightened senses.

He opened the car door and massaged a knot out of his tired back that had manifested during the last hour of their long trip. Sometimes he wondered why they didn't live in a motor home anymore – but then he would remember what happened to the R.V they had rented when he was thirteen and he sincerely doubted that they would ever try that again.

His steely blue eyes went back to the house. It appeared to be very rickety, like a gust of wind would blow it over. That would soon change and by the time they left, it would be a wonderful home with many modern appliances ready and waiting for the next occupant.

Sarah turned the key in the ignition and the engine purred softly as it powered down, "Would you like to go ahead and chose a room?"

"Not yet."

Caelan's eyes travelled to the car and he gave it a sympathetic pat. It was a good car, one that had survived many a dent and bump and was actually the closest thing he'd had to a long-term home in years but he could see that the poor thing wouldn't last much longer. Well, he could give it some of his power – part of his soul – and transform it, but he suspected that his mother would only ever let him do so in extreme circumstances.

Out of curiosity, he popped the bonnet, only to be greeted by a cloud of smoke. He gestured with his hands and the smoke died down.

He adjusted his sunglasses once more and looked over the top of them to his mother who was standing beside him now, "I think we should find a garage and get the old girl fixed up."

Sarah nodded, "I saw one on the way here. I'll call them after we finish unpacking."

Caelan straightened up and looked at some of their new 'neighbours' staring at them. Some of them were children; in fact the majority of those staring at them were children.

When he was younger – after he first changed in fact – his mother informed him that children, in their innocence, had a sense for things that adults did not. The older they became the weaker this apparent ability would become. Therefore, the children, whilst they could not see him for what he was under the flesh – only a sensitive could do that without him changing – could determine that there was something not quite right about him.

Despite that fact, Caelan was very fond of children and found them much easier to get along with than adults.

Caelan's attention went back to the car, "How much longer do you think she'll last?"

Sarah shrugged as she closed the bonnet, "I'm not sure. It honestly depends on what damage she sustains in the future and just how serious." She smiled and rubbed his shoulder when she saw his expression – one of regret – and said, "Don't worry, she's an old car anyway. Now, why don't you go and start unpacking."

"Yes mum."

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The inside of the house was draughty, due to the many holes in the walls that had formed over the years. The floorboards creaked under his weight. Some of the windows were cracked and shattered, whilst others had moths plastered to the glass by the grime and dirt. There was a fireplace on the farthest wall. It would have been beautiful once. He could see ashes in the bottom of the fireplace, relatively fresh – it wasn't unknown for homeless people to shelter in abandoned homes. Now the fireplace was decrepit and feeble in comparison to what it once was, just like the rest of the house.

Caelan waved his hand above the ashes experimentally. The ashes caught fire once more with his hand resting above them. Caelan withdrew his hand and watched as the fire shrivelled, royal blue flames turning blood red and finally black as the fire faded once more into ashes. Caelan decided not to do that again. But the few pieces of furniture that were left looked wooden and would catch fire easily.

He then heard a soft rustling upstairs. Growling softly in the back of his throat, he stalked back into the hallway. His eyes flickered to the staircase – some stairs were missing whilst others were broken – Caelan swept his arms beside him and his body floated upwards, landing softly on the first floor he stalked silently, like a predator, into the room on the far side of the house.

A noise was drifting out of the door that was ajar, rustling of sheets and panting, followed by a faint pitter-patter of feet and the dull click of either claws or nails against the wooden floor.

Caelan pressed himself against the door and peered into the room. There was a dirty mirror in one corner that was partially covered by a white cloth, the end of which was now on the floor and beneath it a small body tossed and turned. Caelan recognized the smell: wet fur and dirt. Then he heard a frightened bark and a scruffy tail briefly emerged from the cloth.

Advancing, but no longer stalking, Caelan approached the cloth and lifted it off the animal. A small and tatty dog stared up at him with black eyes. It growled at him, low and animalistic. Its coat was a mixture of light and dark browns, with a creamy white underbelly and black back, face and ears. When Caelan looked deeper into its eyes, he saw a thin circle of brown surrounding its pupils.

"Hello there." Caelan said and leaned down.