Post by Anne Porter on Jan 16, 2008 22:49:50 GMT -5
Anne stepped onto the stage to read a piece of poetry she had written a while back, "This piece is called 'Secret Admirer'." Anne cleared her throat as the lights began to dim. A blue-ish spotlight fell upon her in the darkness... She began:
This is the person who sits in the corner,
The one who is labeled,
A "Secret Admirer."
This person is shy,
And often to sweet.
And inside he knows,
That his feelings all show,
No matter how hard he tries to hide them.
And when you are talking,
He remembers everything that was said,
And when he sees you smile,
His face turns bright red.
This is the person who sits in the corner,
The one who is labeled,
"Your Secret Admirer."
"Thank you." Anne bowed and walked off the stage. Thinking no one was satisfied, she sighed sadly. After a few seconds, a clapping arose from the crowd. All eyes turned to this person, a young boy, about her age. Anne had seen him before, he looked very familiar... She had seen him follow her once or twice through the forest, then sit to watch as she conjured spells of many different kinds. Soon, the entire room arose with clapping and whistling. Anne smiled at the boy and silently left the stage.
Phoenix watched Anne. She stepped up on the stage, knowing Anne had softened up the crowd. She took a deep breath and conjured up a bass beat. Everyone oohed and aahed, she began:
I'm waiting for you to rescue me.
For you to save me from the time.
The time I'll have to leave.
The time where you'll no longer be mine.
Save me from these next few days
When being Sentimental will take over me.
Save me from the horrors of my life
The days where it feels I live in a tree.
Don't let me slip and fall
Don't make me fall on my head
I don't want to leave you behind
And I don't want to be ahead!
Phoenix finished and the bass beat dissolved into the distance. The audience snapped their approval and Phoenix smiled as she walked off the stage.
Anne had stopped at the cafe door before leaving, she was trying to think where she had seen Pheonix's face before today. When Pheonix had finished her poem, Anne walked over to introduce herself, hoping that talking to her might make something click in her mind.
Phoenix saw Anne walking towards her. This was a pleasant surprise. Not many people know this, but Vampires can remember all their previous lives. And in many lives before back in the Medieval Times, she and Anne had been friends, then rivals. Of course, Phoenix did mess with Anne's boyfriend at the time, who was not present in this life. Or maybe he was, but she just hadn't found him yet. Anyhow, Anne had found out when Phoenix gave birth to a son that looked exactly like her boyfriend. That son actually was now Phoenix's Great Grandfather. How ironic is that? Well, Phoenix is technically related to Anne, because Anne forgave her boyfriend, who then gave birth to Anne's great Grandmother...
Thinking of this Phoenix realized something that could be true. Maybe, just maybe, this had actually happened. She thought some more, quickly before Anne got here. YES!! She remembered so it was her. She was the one they had talked about. She was the one! She was-- "Anne, your poem was great! I enjoyed it very much!" Phoenix said in her sweetest voice. Anne looked at her in a confused way. Phoenix could tell that many questions had spouted in Anne's mind. It was the actual questions that she couldn't see. But these questions must have been good!
Anne stared at Pheonix for a quick minute or two with a confused look on her face. She figured she'd probably be better off being nice, seeing as she'd just been complimented, "Thanks, yours was pretty good, too." Anne nodded, looking at the scrap of paper in Pheonix's hand. Pheonix gave her a friendly smile, it was as if she'd known her her whole life, or longer...
"So, how've you been? It seems like ages since I last saw you. Hell, it has been!"
"Do I know you from somewhere? Or better yet, do you know me from somewhere?" Anne was beginning to get unbearably confused, and her ears itched in anticipation for an answer.
"Well, let's just say, that previous living conditions have brought us together and farther apart. Long story short, we sort of have a long history, that started in a seperate life. And things sort of got rotten between us, but I hope we can change that. Well actually it was your great great grandmother. But anyhow, we'll get into that with different detail." Phoenix said. She remembered everything all too clearly. Anne just looked at her as if everything was spinning around in circles. Phoenix smiled. This was an expression that Phoenix loved seeing on people. Confusion went so far... Anne began to speak, but found herself at a loss for words. She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but then stopped. She couldn't figure out whether to call Pheonix crazy or to just accept some weird fact that they'd known eachother.
"Well, I guess I'll be seeing you around then... Nice to... er... see you... again... So, do you live around here?"Anne asked, innocently. Phoenix squinted at her. She thought of how that was honestly a stupid question.
"No... I live in the mountains to the North. My pets don't find the city life quite right. How about you? Are you close by?" Phoenix asked.
She also knew that this was a stupid question, but who cared. Everybody has a stupid question here and there. But when someone knows the answer, they ask just so they don't look like a creepy stalker. Of course who would suspect Phoenix, who at this point was adorned with all black, a stalker?
Anne stared at Phoenix with a ponderous glint in her dark green eyes, "Well... Yes and no." Phoenix stared at her... then laughed. She smiled at Anne and sighed.
"A mind reader I presume? I should have guessed that you would acquire that ability. Indeed, I see it now. The ability of mind reading. Very good Anne, touche!" Phoenix laughed.
"I may have introduced myself as Phoenix Allette Jones, but as you have probably figured out, my name is really Serayna Joel Evi. And it is with pleasure that I allow you to use my real name." Serayna stated. Anne looked at her for a while, her brows furrowed.
"Phoenix is just a coy, for those who are watching me. If I tell them my name is Phoenix, then they'll think of me as Phoenix, the second born child of Dracula. But i'm really Serayna, the third born child of Emilia and Charles DeMoissant, Lord and Lady of the Sewer. Who also happens to have a younger sister who was both a wife and child of Dracula." Serayna said. Anne opened her mouth and Serayna laughed again, "Yes disgusting, I know! But she also happens to have died during labor, which also killed her child, so there are no children of the deceased Lord Dracula left, except every vampire in the world. How does that sound?" Serayna asked, staggering a bit.
"It sounds like Serayna, Princess of the Sewer, had a little bit too much to drink tonight." Anne stated blankly. Serayna stared at her for a minute and tried to contemplate the expression on Anne's face, debating whether it was a joke or a serious comment. After a few more seconds of silence, Anne laughed loudly and lightly slapped Serayna on the shoulder,
"Oh, Serayna, you always were the gullible one of the bunch!" Maybe if she just played along long enough, the freak would leave her alone...
"No I was merely wondering how you knew I was slightly drunk... Oh well... We all have our own little- fatal flaw... Mine just happens to be alcohol. I could drink myself to death." Serayna said laughing. Suddenly she frowned and looked at Anne.
"You really don't remember me do you?" Serayna asked looking at Anne. Anne shook her head.
"It's okay, I didn't expect you too, anyway. That's why I said you probably don't remember me. Well, technically, I guess there isn't anything to remember. It was before our time." Serayna muttered more to herself than Anne.
"Well, I actually have to get going... Sorry... Um, maybe we could do this another time." Anne waved as she started to walk away, "Oh, wait. Here." Anne closed her hand tightly into a fist and whispered softly into it. She opened her hand towards Serayna and an old piece of paper fluttered into her hands, "I'm here every night at midnight to three A.M. Meet me here when you want to talk." With that, Anne melted into the next gust of wind.
Serayna read the paper now in her hands:
"Graveyard. Second tomb To tHe left on the fAr side of the old oak tree iN the back. Anytime between Midnight and Three A.M. Katch you later S!."
She puzzled over why Anne had capitalized some letters randomly throughout the letter, and read it over a few times. She finally figured what it was after about the second or third time through. It read:
"THANKS."
Serayna, didn't know why, but when she smiled, the paper burst into flames. Letting it float to the ground, Serayna watched Anne melt into the dark night. Something inside Serayna told her that this was not going to be the last time she saw Anne melt into the darkness. She turned around and saw the moon shining through a thick of clouds. A slow melody spun around her, it's tune enchanting. Unable to turn away from it, she walked forwards, her gaze stuck on the moon. The tune was mournful and played a sad story in her mind. The notes got and higher, and the tune more suspenseful. Then... it stopped. A lone instrument played the last six notes.
Then the drums beat hard, the wind vengeful. Serayna watched as the already dark moon grew black, and the forest grew blue. There was something wrong, but no one was there to tell her what it was. The wind whipped around her, the story being told before, grew hate and mistrust, she spun and was forced on her knees, the sound of drums and bells were overcoming her, the painful story coming to the climax.
Then it came the lone howl that would be her demise. It flowed through the night, and the drums became softer and softer, then another instrument picked up the slack, it's tune was mischevious and heartbreaking. Soft but quick, it floated through her heart, through her body with a vengeance, leaving her winded and awed.
The band of the wind picked up and Serayna felt the end coming. The moon started to shine again and the lone howl of the wolf, wasn't so lone anymore, the part of her that once was cold, was warm, the need of blood was no longer there, replaced with a hunger that she couldn't come over. Standing up, Serayna knew what was wrong, and knew that this was bad, closing her eyes she felt it. Her soul belonged to the Wind.
Anne sat atop the black mountain, her eyes an acid-green, watching Serayna. Anne's fangs grew out from the upper over her bottom lip, the points sharp and sparkling. Yes, she would be ready, when the time came.
Again, Anne melted away again and appeared in the entrance of a dark cave. She looked behind her, then above, and around. Seeing she was the only one there, she whispered her secret words into the night, her cold breath invisible in the night air. Her Transylvanian accent heavy on her vampire tongue. The walls of the cave rumbled, Anne did not move. Then, the wall at the innermost side of the cave slid open, revealing a long stairway, spiraling down into the darkness, where an ominous green glow hung in the mist. Anne gracefully stepped onto the first bit of the stairway and waved her hand elegantly behind her, sealing the rocky wall, and closing out the Upstairs world.
It took her no more than three minutes to get all the way to the bottom of the stairwell, though it would have taken a week for any mortal; the rotting skeletons in the corners were just more proof of that fact. She now stood in front of a thick wooden door that appeared to have been shut for centuries. The cobwebs hung fresh all around her and the damp mildew smell lingered in the air. Anne took the golden key out of her robe pocket and placed it in the lock. Turning the key, she grabbed the handle. Then, when the locks clicked out of place, she pulled the door open, ran inside, and slammed it shut; all in less than a second, and with little to no sound at all.
Now she was in an old-fashioned cafe; this one was directly beneath the Wyvern. Against the wall was an old piano and a violin. She walked over to the violin and played a sad melody of memories past. The moonlight of the above world shone through the drains from streets above as the creatures of the night gathered all around, listening and watching... Then, there he was. As graceful as ever, stepping closer to the stage. He smiled at Anne and she smiled back; then he took his place at the piano and joined in with the melody; only now it had a lighter, happier feeling...
Their somewhat haunting melody played in Serayna's mind, growing mournful and painful. Closing her eyes she wished she could be there, with her own. Suddenly opening her eyes, she was in the parlour, in the back. She hid in the shadows, out of sight from the couple playing their song. Smiling, Serayna stepped forward, and silently made her way to the stage.
She was about to start climbing the stairs when the violin stopped it's tune, so suddenly. Anne was watching, her eyes sent questions through Serayna's mind, but glaring in a cautious mood.
Serayna smiled weakly, and disappeared behind the curtains. By now the piano's weaving melody had halted. As Serayna fumbled around back stage, she could hear their whispers, their questions, "What's she doing here? I thought you said this place was hidden from mortals..." He said.
"It is... She is not mortal. Once a vampire, she had become werewolf. One of my siblings before, now one of my enemies. But as long ago, we shall at least remain friends, until the battles call." Anne whispered. Serayna's hearing had improved. The man was shaking his head.
"I don't understand vampires. Too complicated." He whispered.
"And I suppose Demons are better?" Anne snapped. He nodded.
"I'm sorry but sometimes we just make more sense." He practically mouthed. Anne rolled her eyes. Serayna stepped out from behind the curtain, a flute in hand.
"Anne long ago, we tried to survive with music. Me with a violin, you with your guitar, Tiaret with her flute, and Tyrell with her singing. Do you remember?" Serayna asked, putting a hand on Anne's shoulder. Anne breathed out and smiled.
"Yes... i remember. What are saying?" Anne asked, she could tell Serayna was going somewhere with this.
"Now here we are years later, and neither Tiaret nor Tyrell will return. And we have significantly changed. I have the flute now, you have your violin, and he has his piano. We can make this work... better than the last time." Serayna said. She held up her flute and played. Anne smiled, and debated whether to play along, or to let Serayna figure it out on her own. She glanced over at James, his dark eyes shone with a thousand and more questions. But he shrugged them off for the moment and smiled a bright smile, his perfect teeth glistenting in the dim lights, and urged her to join in. She placed her violin back onto her shoulder and started to play, slowly, quietly, almost like a lullaby. James then joined in, striking the perfect chords on his ancient piano and the three fit together like lost puzzle pieces, finally rejoined to their center picture.
The two girls were settling their differences and arguing out their problems with eachother through the music. James listened in to them, but mainly was just playing along to help them keep their argument steady-going and reasonable...
Hours passed. James was the first to stop playing as he watched the sisters play, now and then with more intensity, then softer, and back again. He stole secret glances at Anne as often as he could. He stared lovingly into her deep brown eyes and followed the light as it fell into her dark hair and watched how it moved as it framed her pale face. James sighed with satifaction; this was all he needed. She was his world, his joy, and his every thought. She felt exactly the same about him, and he knew it. She had told him in person many times, as had he to her. They were all eachother would ever want... Forever and longer.
As Serayna watched James and Anne making eyes at each other she sighed. In a way, she guessed, she was jealous of them. The way they had each other, and that they at least had someone to be with, had someone to hold when they had a bad day. They had someone to hug on those days when you just want, so badly, to break down crying. Serayna didn't have someone like that. She had friends, sure, but she didn't have someone to hold, someone to love, someone to break down crying with. She didn't have someone who understood her the way they understood each other... Serayna was jealous of them. She had let that jealousy get to her once. That's actually what had started this whole arguement. her jealousy had gotten out of hand. Now Serayna knew how to control it. Now she knew how to keep it beneath her eyes, hate when she was alone, and lie when she was with someone. That's the way it always was. The way it always will be.
Serayna thought of this, and realized there it was again. The person she used to be, the jealousy. She was just subduing it. She needed to poison it. Not with a positoxin, but with an actual, fatal killing poison. She was a witch, or she once was. She could do that, couldn't she? Seryana shook these thoughts from her mind, trying to ignore those memories of jealousy and hatred. At least ignore it as she conversed through music, her favorite way of talking. But as she played, she thought she heard another player trying to join. But their instrument changed and she couldn't decide.
Twice she heard a brassy noise, soprano like a trumpet. Once she heard a wooden sound, reedy as well. Another was a voice. Warbling between Tenor and Alto. But every few minutes that vocaling or instrument, would fade away and the next would come into faze. She couldn't decide. And at one point she thought she heard the sound of a bow moving across a string. Another violin. Serayna didn't know which was the right instrument to add in again. And it didn't matter which one she wanted added, it wasn't up to her, it was up to the players. They had to decide who would step in.
The full clear, low sound of the clarinet added in, as if speaking only to Serayna, singling her out in the song and weaving a picture of longing and eternal peace in her mind. She, with her flute, and he, with his clarinet, played in perfect harmony as if they'd been rehearsing this piece for years together; yet Serayna still had no idea who this new musician was. She didn't want to know yet because, to find out, she'd have to open her eyes. Open her eyes and be torn from the beautiful pictures that his music had painted for her in her head. She smiled, her anger defused, and relaxed as she played, now more with the clarinet rather than Anne's violin.
Anne stopped playing for a while and went to sit on the small piano bench next to James. James smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and the two watched Serayna and the clarinetist play their new tune. Soon, Anne had drifted to sleep in the warmth of James's muscular arms and the sound of his voice as he quietly hummed her a lullaby; he sounded like an angel, luring her farther into soft slumber with each passing second.
The music that filled the room played a movie in Serayna's head. Scenes of a love long overdue, anger that had welled up inside, a new found serenity that could only be expressed through music. Like a silent ballet, the dance, the waltz of an arguement between two that were "lovers". Playing long and whole notes, as the Clarinet made up a quick tune, like anger welling up inside, Serayna slowly started to gain the control of her body back. She felt the tension in the music, the Clarinet was building a Crecendo, Serayna silented her flute, and opened her eyes, not willing to look, or see the Clarinet Player, she walked over to Anne.
She imagined this solo with a trumpet back ground or a vocal background. She had heard it once before, how could she not hear it now?
Walking over to Anne, she sat down on what little space of the bench there was left. James was staring at Serayna, disbelief in his eyes, "Why aren't you playing?" He asked silently, trying not to wake Anne, for she had finally fallen asleep.
I'm not sure if that's the path i want to follow. I mean, as all three of us played, I heard instruments adding in, like in an arguement from my mind. And they would weave in and out, not being there at the same time as each other. And I heard two seperate Trumpets playing, a Clarinet, every once in a blue moon, I'd hear another violin, and sometimes a singer. Serayna explained telepathically. She had acquired that when she became Lycan. And i think about it, and realize, that Dromio is not that much of my love. Even if i do love him, my love is not returned. There is no point, if love is not returned, is there? Serayna sighed. She suddenly felt something, and she looked over to where Dromio was standing, his clarinet was down, and his eyes were sad. He was looking at her, and his eyes shone confusion, and betrayal.
"Dromio..." But he held up a hand, he whispered something and disappeared. Serayna cried out and lurched forward, but it was too late, he was gone.
"No. Here we go..." James muttered sarcastically. Anne opened her calm green eyes and looked around the room, alert, waiting, ready to pounce if something was happening. She had heard James's last expression and had awoken ready to fight. James felt the muscles in her arms begin to tense up, but only slightly, and he could feel her breathing getting quieter, a secret technique of instinct she had invented and taught to herself.
"It's alright, Anne. Nothing going on yet, you can rest again." James whispered, so close to her ear she could almost feel his lips moving as he spoke. Her breathing went back to it's normal volume and she looked up at James. He was smiling down at her, always impressed at how she was always ready to battle any type of danger that brought itself on her, no matter what was going on previous to that moment. She smiled and scooted closer to him, resting her head on his chest as she gave him a gigantic hug and he wrapped his arms around her. After a few seconds, Anne sat up and rubbed her face, "How long was I out for?" She asked turning to face James.
"A few hours, at the least." He said, now reaching to take her warm hands into his. He smiled again as he saw the look on Anne's face, "Geeze! What did you do, did you stick your hands in a freezer this whole time?" She gasped. He only laughed and shrugged,
"You'd think so." He replied. Anne's smile melted and then, seeing Serayna for the first time since she woke up, she noticed that her eyes had turned a dark gray and she was sitting on the floor, head in her hands. Anne opened her mouth to say something to James but he held up his free hand to stop her. Then he tapped her forehead gently with his index finger, she understood what he meant. Turning to Serayna, Anne had to focus, harder than usual, in order to read her thoughts about what had happened earlier. Finally, though, she got through. It was a huge muddle of sorrow, jealousy, confusion, desperation, guilt, and then, the worst of them all, something Anne never thought to find, especially in the mind of her best friend, anger. Blood-red, ferocious anger; the kind that kills innocent people in the darkness of the night while they sleep warm in their beds, unknowing of the danger that creeps up and snags them away forever. Although these thoughts were pushed far back into the deepest corners of Serayna's mind, Anne could tell that they weren't there often. Whether the thoughts were of causing pain to others or those of self-harm, Anne knew this wasn't anything to leave alone.
Anne snapped out of her trance and tears instantly welled in her eyes. James looked at her protectively, though confused and saddened to see her this way, he felt he should do something.
What did she say to you? He thought demandingly to her. Anne just shook her head and pulled her knees onto the chair, hugging them and burying her face in her arms. James couldn't stand seeing her hurt, no matter what it was, and pulled her close to him, burying his face in her hair. He thought again, Please tell me, what did you see?
We have to help her, Anne thought to him carefully, she's got the worst of the worst going on within her and I fear it may be too late if we wait any longer. I've seen things deep within the confines of her mind that she couldn't even dream to think about yet. But if we leave her in her current state of mind, even she will be consumed by the monster within herself, as even you and I once were. James nodded in agreement and snuggled closer to her, his hands holding hers as he hugged her comfortingly. He thought one last thing to her before they drifted off to sleep, then pondered ways to help their dear friend--No, Anne's sister...
After about an hour or so, Serayna melted herself into the darkness and transported herself to the graveyard.
This is the person who sits in the corner,
The one who is labeled,
A "Secret Admirer."
This person is shy,
And often to sweet.
And inside he knows,
That his feelings all show,
No matter how hard he tries to hide them.
And when you are talking,
He remembers everything that was said,
And when he sees you smile,
His face turns bright red.
This is the person who sits in the corner,
The one who is labeled,
"Your Secret Admirer."
"Thank you." Anne bowed and walked off the stage. Thinking no one was satisfied, she sighed sadly. After a few seconds, a clapping arose from the crowd. All eyes turned to this person, a young boy, about her age. Anne had seen him before, he looked very familiar... She had seen him follow her once or twice through the forest, then sit to watch as she conjured spells of many different kinds. Soon, the entire room arose with clapping and whistling. Anne smiled at the boy and silently left the stage.
Phoenix watched Anne. She stepped up on the stage, knowing Anne had softened up the crowd. She took a deep breath and conjured up a bass beat. Everyone oohed and aahed, she began:
I'm waiting for you to rescue me.
For you to save me from the time.
The time I'll have to leave.
The time where you'll no longer be mine.
Save me from these next few days
When being Sentimental will take over me.
Save me from the horrors of my life
The days where it feels I live in a tree.
Don't let me slip and fall
Don't make me fall on my head
I don't want to leave you behind
And I don't want to be ahead!
Phoenix finished and the bass beat dissolved into the distance. The audience snapped their approval and Phoenix smiled as she walked off the stage.
Anne had stopped at the cafe door before leaving, she was trying to think where she had seen Pheonix's face before today. When Pheonix had finished her poem, Anne walked over to introduce herself, hoping that talking to her might make something click in her mind.
Phoenix saw Anne walking towards her. This was a pleasant surprise. Not many people know this, but Vampires can remember all their previous lives. And in many lives before back in the Medieval Times, she and Anne had been friends, then rivals. Of course, Phoenix did mess with Anne's boyfriend at the time, who was not present in this life. Or maybe he was, but she just hadn't found him yet. Anyhow, Anne had found out when Phoenix gave birth to a son that looked exactly like her boyfriend. That son actually was now Phoenix's Great Grandfather. How ironic is that? Well, Phoenix is technically related to Anne, because Anne forgave her boyfriend, who then gave birth to Anne's great Grandmother...
Thinking of this Phoenix realized something that could be true. Maybe, just maybe, this had actually happened. She thought some more, quickly before Anne got here. YES!! She remembered so it was her. She was the one they had talked about. She was the one! She was-- "Anne, your poem was great! I enjoyed it very much!" Phoenix said in her sweetest voice. Anne looked at her in a confused way. Phoenix could tell that many questions had spouted in Anne's mind. It was the actual questions that she couldn't see. But these questions must have been good!
Anne stared at Pheonix for a quick minute or two with a confused look on her face. She figured she'd probably be better off being nice, seeing as she'd just been complimented, "Thanks, yours was pretty good, too." Anne nodded, looking at the scrap of paper in Pheonix's hand. Pheonix gave her a friendly smile, it was as if she'd known her her whole life, or longer...
"So, how've you been? It seems like ages since I last saw you. Hell, it has been!"
"Do I know you from somewhere? Or better yet, do you know me from somewhere?" Anne was beginning to get unbearably confused, and her ears itched in anticipation for an answer.
"Well, let's just say, that previous living conditions have brought us together and farther apart. Long story short, we sort of have a long history, that started in a seperate life. And things sort of got rotten between us, but I hope we can change that. Well actually it was your great great grandmother. But anyhow, we'll get into that with different detail." Phoenix said. She remembered everything all too clearly. Anne just looked at her as if everything was spinning around in circles. Phoenix smiled. This was an expression that Phoenix loved seeing on people. Confusion went so far... Anne began to speak, but found herself at a loss for words. She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but then stopped. She couldn't figure out whether to call Pheonix crazy or to just accept some weird fact that they'd known eachother.
"Well, I guess I'll be seeing you around then... Nice to... er... see you... again... So, do you live around here?"Anne asked, innocently. Phoenix squinted at her. She thought of how that was honestly a stupid question.
"No... I live in the mountains to the North. My pets don't find the city life quite right. How about you? Are you close by?" Phoenix asked.
She also knew that this was a stupid question, but who cared. Everybody has a stupid question here and there. But when someone knows the answer, they ask just so they don't look like a creepy stalker. Of course who would suspect Phoenix, who at this point was adorned with all black, a stalker?
Anne stared at Phoenix with a ponderous glint in her dark green eyes, "Well... Yes and no." Phoenix stared at her... then laughed. She smiled at Anne and sighed.
"A mind reader I presume? I should have guessed that you would acquire that ability. Indeed, I see it now. The ability of mind reading. Very good Anne, touche!" Phoenix laughed.
"I may have introduced myself as Phoenix Allette Jones, but as you have probably figured out, my name is really Serayna Joel Evi. And it is with pleasure that I allow you to use my real name." Serayna stated. Anne looked at her for a while, her brows furrowed.
"Phoenix is just a coy, for those who are watching me. If I tell them my name is Phoenix, then they'll think of me as Phoenix, the second born child of Dracula. But i'm really Serayna, the third born child of Emilia and Charles DeMoissant, Lord and Lady of the Sewer. Who also happens to have a younger sister who was both a wife and child of Dracula." Serayna said. Anne opened her mouth and Serayna laughed again, "Yes disgusting, I know! But she also happens to have died during labor, which also killed her child, so there are no children of the deceased Lord Dracula left, except every vampire in the world. How does that sound?" Serayna asked, staggering a bit.
"It sounds like Serayna, Princess of the Sewer, had a little bit too much to drink tonight." Anne stated blankly. Serayna stared at her for a minute and tried to contemplate the expression on Anne's face, debating whether it was a joke or a serious comment. After a few more seconds of silence, Anne laughed loudly and lightly slapped Serayna on the shoulder,
"Oh, Serayna, you always were the gullible one of the bunch!" Maybe if she just played along long enough, the freak would leave her alone...
"No I was merely wondering how you knew I was slightly drunk... Oh well... We all have our own little- fatal flaw... Mine just happens to be alcohol. I could drink myself to death." Serayna said laughing. Suddenly she frowned and looked at Anne.
"You really don't remember me do you?" Serayna asked looking at Anne. Anne shook her head.
"It's okay, I didn't expect you too, anyway. That's why I said you probably don't remember me. Well, technically, I guess there isn't anything to remember. It was before our time." Serayna muttered more to herself than Anne.
"Well, I actually have to get going... Sorry... Um, maybe we could do this another time." Anne waved as she started to walk away, "Oh, wait. Here." Anne closed her hand tightly into a fist and whispered softly into it. She opened her hand towards Serayna and an old piece of paper fluttered into her hands, "I'm here every night at midnight to three A.M. Meet me here when you want to talk." With that, Anne melted into the next gust of wind.
Serayna read the paper now in her hands:
"Graveyard. Second tomb To tHe left on the fAr side of the old oak tree iN the back. Anytime between Midnight and Three A.M. Katch you later S!."
She puzzled over why Anne had capitalized some letters randomly throughout the letter, and read it over a few times. She finally figured what it was after about the second or third time through. It read:
"THANKS."
Serayna, didn't know why, but when she smiled, the paper burst into flames. Letting it float to the ground, Serayna watched Anne melt into the dark night. Something inside Serayna told her that this was not going to be the last time she saw Anne melt into the darkness. She turned around and saw the moon shining through a thick of clouds. A slow melody spun around her, it's tune enchanting. Unable to turn away from it, she walked forwards, her gaze stuck on the moon. The tune was mournful and played a sad story in her mind. The notes got and higher, and the tune more suspenseful. Then... it stopped. A lone instrument played the last six notes.
Then the drums beat hard, the wind vengeful. Serayna watched as the already dark moon grew black, and the forest grew blue. There was something wrong, but no one was there to tell her what it was. The wind whipped around her, the story being told before, grew hate and mistrust, she spun and was forced on her knees, the sound of drums and bells were overcoming her, the painful story coming to the climax.
Then it came the lone howl that would be her demise. It flowed through the night, and the drums became softer and softer, then another instrument picked up the slack, it's tune was mischevious and heartbreaking. Soft but quick, it floated through her heart, through her body with a vengeance, leaving her winded and awed.
The band of the wind picked up and Serayna felt the end coming. The moon started to shine again and the lone howl of the wolf, wasn't so lone anymore, the part of her that once was cold, was warm, the need of blood was no longer there, replaced with a hunger that she couldn't come over. Standing up, Serayna knew what was wrong, and knew that this was bad, closing her eyes she felt it. Her soul belonged to the Wind.
Anne sat atop the black mountain, her eyes an acid-green, watching Serayna. Anne's fangs grew out from the upper over her bottom lip, the points sharp and sparkling. Yes, she would be ready, when the time came.
Again, Anne melted away again and appeared in the entrance of a dark cave. She looked behind her, then above, and around. Seeing she was the only one there, she whispered her secret words into the night, her cold breath invisible in the night air. Her Transylvanian accent heavy on her vampire tongue. The walls of the cave rumbled, Anne did not move. Then, the wall at the innermost side of the cave slid open, revealing a long stairway, spiraling down into the darkness, where an ominous green glow hung in the mist. Anne gracefully stepped onto the first bit of the stairway and waved her hand elegantly behind her, sealing the rocky wall, and closing out the Upstairs world.
It took her no more than three minutes to get all the way to the bottom of the stairwell, though it would have taken a week for any mortal; the rotting skeletons in the corners were just more proof of that fact. She now stood in front of a thick wooden door that appeared to have been shut for centuries. The cobwebs hung fresh all around her and the damp mildew smell lingered in the air. Anne took the golden key out of her robe pocket and placed it in the lock. Turning the key, she grabbed the handle. Then, when the locks clicked out of place, she pulled the door open, ran inside, and slammed it shut; all in less than a second, and with little to no sound at all.
Now she was in an old-fashioned cafe; this one was directly beneath the Wyvern. Against the wall was an old piano and a violin. She walked over to the violin and played a sad melody of memories past. The moonlight of the above world shone through the drains from streets above as the creatures of the night gathered all around, listening and watching... Then, there he was. As graceful as ever, stepping closer to the stage. He smiled at Anne and she smiled back; then he took his place at the piano and joined in with the melody; only now it had a lighter, happier feeling...
Their somewhat haunting melody played in Serayna's mind, growing mournful and painful. Closing her eyes she wished she could be there, with her own. Suddenly opening her eyes, she was in the parlour, in the back. She hid in the shadows, out of sight from the couple playing their song. Smiling, Serayna stepped forward, and silently made her way to the stage.
She was about to start climbing the stairs when the violin stopped it's tune, so suddenly. Anne was watching, her eyes sent questions through Serayna's mind, but glaring in a cautious mood.
Serayna smiled weakly, and disappeared behind the curtains. By now the piano's weaving melody had halted. As Serayna fumbled around back stage, she could hear their whispers, their questions, "What's she doing here? I thought you said this place was hidden from mortals..." He said.
"It is... She is not mortal. Once a vampire, she had become werewolf. One of my siblings before, now one of my enemies. But as long ago, we shall at least remain friends, until the battles call." Anne whispered. Serayna's hearing had improved. The man was shaking his head.
"I don't understand vampires. Too complicated." He whispered.
"And I suppose Demons are better?" Anne snapped. He nodded.
"I'm sorry but sometimes we just make more sense." He practically mouthed. Anne rolled her eyes. Serayna stepped out from behind the curtain, a flute in hand.
"Anne long ago, we tried to survive with music. Me with a violin, you with your guitar, Tiaret with her flute, and Tyrell with her singing. Do you remember?" Serayna asked, putting a hand on Anne's shoulder. Anne breathed out and smiled.
"Yes... i remember. What are saying?" Anne asked, she could tell Serayna was going somewhere with this.
"Now here we are years later, and neither Tiaret nor Tyrell will return. And we have significantly changed. I have the flute now, you have your violin, and he has his piano. We can make this work... better than the last time." Serayna said. She held up her flute and played. Anne smiled, and debated whether to play along, or to let Serayna figure it out on her own. She glanced over at James, his dark eyes shone with a thousand and more questions. But he shrugged them off for the moment and smiled a bright smile, his perfect teeth glistenting in the dim lights, and urged her to join in. She placed her violin back onto her shoulder and started to play, slowly, quietly, almost like a lullaby. James then joined in, striking the perfect chords on his ancient piano and the three fit together like lost puzzle pieces, finally rejoined to their center picture.
The two girls were settling their differences and arguing out their problems with eachother through the music. James listened in to them, but mainly was just playing along to help them keep their argument steady-going and reasonable...
Hours passed. James was the first to stop playing as he watched the sisters play, now and then with more intensity, then softer, and back again. He stole secret glances at Anne as often as he could. He stared lovingly into her deep brown eyes and followed the light as it fell into her dark hair and watched how it moved as it framed her pale face. James sighed with satifaction; this was all he needed. She was his world, his joy, and his every thought. She felt exactly the same about him, and he knew it. She had told him in person many times, as had he to her. They were all eachother would ever want... Forever and longer.
As Serayna watched James and Anne making eyes at each other she sighed. In a way, she guessed, she was jealous of them. The way they had each other, and that they at least had someone to be with, had someone to hold when they had a bad day. They had someone to hug on those days when you just want, so badly, to break down crying. Serayna didn't have someone like that. She had friends, sure, but she didn't have someone to hold, someone to love, someone to break down crying with. She didn't have someone who understood her the way they understood each other... Serayna was jealous of them. She had let that jealousy get to her once. That's actually what had started this whole arguement. her jealousy had gotten out of hand. Now Serayna knew how to control it. Now she knew how to keep it beneath her eyes, hate when she was alone, and lie when she was with someone. That's the way it always was. The way it always will be.
Serayna thought of this, and realized there it was again. The person she used to be, the jealousy. She was just subduing it. She needed to poison it. Not with a positoxin, but with an actual, fatal killing poison. She was a witch, or she once was. She could do that, couldn't she? Seryana shook these thoughts from her mind, trying to ignore those memories of jealousy and hatred. At least ignore it as she conversed through music, her favorite way of talking. But as she played, she thought she heard another player trying to join. But their instrument changed and she couldn't decide.
Twice she heard a brassy noise, soprano like a trumpet. Once she heard a wooden sound, reedy as well. Another was a voice. Warbling between Tenor and Alto. But every few minutes that vocaling or instrument, would fade away and the next would come into faze. She couldn't decide. And at one point she thought she heard the sound of a bow moving across a string. Another violin. Serayna didn't know which was the right instrument to add in again. And it didn't matter which one she wanted added, it wasn't up to her, it was up to the players. They had to decide who would step in.
The full clear, low sound of the clarinet added in, as if speaking only to Serayna, singling her out in the song and weaving a picture of longing and eternal peace in her mind. She, with her flute, and he, with his clarinet, played in perfect harmony as if they'd been rehearsing this piece for years together; yet Serayna still had no idea who this new musician was. She didn't want to know yet because, to find out, she'd have to open her eyes. Open her eyes and be torn from the beautiful pictures that his music had painted for her in her head. She smiled, her anger defused, and relaxed as she played, now more with the clarinet rather than Anne's violin.
Anne stopped playing for a while and went to sit on the small piano bench next to James. James smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and the two watched Serayna and the clarinetist play their new tune. Soon, Anne had drifted to sleep in the warmth of James's muscular arms and the sound of his voice as he quietly hummed her a lullaby; he sounded like an angel, luring her farther into soft slumber with each passing second.
The music that filled the room played a movie in Serayna's head. Scenes of a love long overdue, anger that had welled up inside, a new found serenity that could only be expressed through music. Like a silent ballet, the dance, the waltz of an arguement between two that were "lovers". Playing long and whole notes, as the Clarinet made up a quick tune, like anger welling up inside, Serayna slowly started to gain the control of her body back. She felt the tension in the music, the Clarinet was building a Crecendo, Serayna silented her flute, and opened her eyes, not willing to look, or see the Clarinet Player, she walked over to Anne.
She imagined this solo with a trumpet back ground or a vocal background. She had heard it once before, how could she not hear it now?
Walking over to Anne, she sat down on what little space of the bench there was left. James was staring at Serayna, disbelief in his eyes, "Why aren't you playing?" He asked silently, trying not to wake Anne, for she had finally fallen asleep.
I'm not sure if that's the path i want to follow. I mean, as all three of us played, I heard instruments adding in, like in an arguement from my mind. And they would weave in and out, not being there at the same time as each other. And I heard two seperate Trumpets playing, a Clarinet, every once in a blue moon, I'd hear another violin, and sometimes a singer. Serayna explained telepathically. She had acquired that when she became Lycan. And i think about it, and realize, that Dromio is not that much of my love. Even if i do love him, my love is not returned. There is no point, if love is not returned, is there? Serayna sighed. She suddenly felt something, and she looked over to where Dromio was standing, his clarinet was down, and his eyes were sad. He was looking at her, and his eyes shone confusion, and betrayal.
"Dromio..." But he held up a hand, he whispered something and disappeared. Serayna cried out and lurched forward, but it was too late, he was gone.
"No. Here we go..." James muttered sarcastically. Anne opened her calm green eyes and looked around the room, alert, waiting, ready to pounce if something was happening. She had heard James's last expression and had awoken ready to fight. James felt the muscles in her arms begin to tense up, but only slightly, and he could feel her breathing getting quieter, a secret technique of instinct she had invented and taught to herself.
"It's alright, Anne. Nothing going on yet, you can rest again." James whispered, so close to her ear she could almost feel his lips moving as he spoke. Her breathing went back to it's normal volume and she looked up at James. He was smiling down at her, always impressed at how she was always ready to battle any type of danger that brought itself on her, no matter what was going on previous to that moment. She smiled and scooted closer to him, resting her head on his chest as she gave him a gigantic hug and he wrapped his arms around her. After a few seconds, Anne sat up and rubbed her face, "How long was I out for?" She asked turning to face James.
"A few hours, at the least." He said, now reaching to take her warm hands into his. He smiled again as he saw the look on Anne's face, "Geeze! What did you do, did you stick your hands in a freezer this whole time?" She gasped. He only laughed and shrugged,
"You'd think so." He replied. Anne's smile melted and then, seeing Serayna for the first time since she woke up, she noticed that her eyes had turned a dark gray and she was sitting on the floor, head in her hands. Anne opened her mouth to say something to James but he held up his free hand to stop her. Then he tapped her forehead gently with his index finger, she understood what he meant. Turning to Serayna, Anne had to focus, harder than usual, in order to read her thoughts about what had happened earlier. Finally, though, she got through. It was a huge muddle of sorrow, jealousy, confusion, desperation, guilt, and then, the worst of them all, something Anne never thought to find, especially in the mind of her best friend, anger. Blood-red, ferocious anger; the kind that kills innocent people in the darkness of the night while they sleep warm in their beds, unknowing of the danger that creeps up and snags them away forever. Although these thoughts were pushed far back into the deepest corners of Serayna's mind, Anne could tell that they weren't there often. Whether the thoughts were of causing pain to others or those of self-harm, Anne knew this wasn't anything to leave alone.
Anne snapped out of her trance and tears instantly welled in her eyes. James looked at her protectively, though confused and saddened to see her this way, he felt he should do something.
What did she say to you? He thought demandingly to her. Anne just shook her head and pulled her knees onto the chair, hugging them and burying her face in her arms. James couldn't stand seeing her hurt, no matter what it was, and pulled her close to him, burying his face in her hair. He thought again, Please tell me, what did you see?
We have to help her, Anne thought to him carefully, she's got the worst of the worst going on within her and I fear it may be too late if we wait any longer. I've seen things deep within the confines of her mind that she couldn't even dream to think about yet. But if we leave her in her current state of mind, even she will be consumed by the monster within herself, as even you and I once were. James nodded in agreement and snuggled closer to her, his hands holding hers as he hugged her comfortingly. He thought one last thing to her before they drifted off to sleep, then pondered ways to help their dear friend--No, Anne's sister...
After about an hour or so, Serayna melted herself into the darkness and transported herself to the graveyard.