“I tried, but there was only a wall. I think Devon was close so her shields were up,” I jumped in.
“If that’s the case, the only way you can find her is when she’s asleep, and from what we saw of her the other day, she was consumed by the beast, so you’re going to have to track her. Maybe in a few hours when she’s asleep, I can help you. It’s dangerous. If Devon suspects anything, he can attack you psychically through her. If that happens, you’re toast. You won’t be able to throw your shields up quick enough.”
“I have to take that chance. I have to find her.”
“Then it’s settled.” Aria glanced at the clock. It was only eight-thirty in the morning. “We need to wait two hours or so, just to make sure she and Devon are both in a deep sleep. Think you can wait that long?”
“I don’t have a choice, do I?”
“No, but in the meantime, do you want any more eggs?”
I glared at her and she laughed. I collapsed on the sofa, basking in the light of the sun, hoping in some way it would impart some of its strength so that I could find Devon and free Veronica before it set. I was only dreaming, and the sun was something to warm my skin and light my way.
My name is Ronnie
.
I cupped my burned hand close to my chest, hoping it would heal. I smiled over what I had accomplished.
When the sun rose that morning, I had pretended to go to sleep, waiting for my Master to fall into his dreams. When I was sure he was settled in bed, I searched my mind for some connection to my child. I had to call to her, to let her know where I was. With all of my searching I found nothing. I had almost given up when I felt my humanity stir deep within my mind. It held back and then came forward, assuming it could help me. It was the part of me Brenna had more kinship with. Even though it was our blood that ran in the child’s veins, it was the mortality of my personality she was connected to.
Veronica came forth as if coming onto a stage. We stood side by side on the same platform, evaluating one another. For the first time, there was no animosity between us. I had finally realized she was right about Devon. Our merging into one being earlier had been the right thing to do. There were still some things we had to work out though. Veronica showed me her love for our child and that it was because of Brenna that we could now be truly whole. We sized each other up, circling the stage, wondering what the other would do. We needed Brenna to survive to keep us together because we both loved her so much. It wasn’t just me who would find her. It would have to be a combined effort. At that moment, she wanted to come back and take control, but it wasn’t a good idea. The Master must not know. If he did, then he would rip us to shreds. Just the thought of his claws touching my skin made me shiver with disgust. I didn’t want him fondling me anymore, let alone fucking me. I wanted to feel the soft hands of my child. I pulled the memories from Veronica of when our body had been engaged in the act of love with her. That was what I wanted. I desired to drink her in, making her feel what it was like to be really and truly loved by another of her kind. Or someone like her kind. It was true we were different because she had no beast. The Master did not know this, and I was not about to tell him.
As he slept, I merged briefly with Veronica and let her find the bond we shared with Brenna. She found it quickly. I closed my eyes and stared at the wall. I thought of Brenna, and suddenly I was in the child’s head as she thought of Veronica. As she thought of me. I had to get used to the name as it echoed inside of my head. I was so used to being called Ronnie, for it was what my Master called me on the night of my birth, but I could learn to hate it.
My humanity cheered as we made contact with Brenna. It suggested we go to the window and let Brenna know where we were. I agreed, but the sun would hurt. I hesitated, and then drew back the shades, looking out briefly and being blinded by the sun as I put my hand up to shield my eyes. My skin caught on fire. I shrieked loudly, breaking a glass coffee table my Master had in the other room from the pitch of the wail. It woke him, and he came running.
My mortality retreated so he would not suspect anything. He saw me looking out the window and pushed me aside, back handing me so that I flew against the wall, crunching the material it was made of. He stood over me, his row of fangs ready to burst from his mouth. I cowered in front of him.
“Never do that again. Don’t you know sunlight will kill us? Kill me?”
He threw me into a closet and locked the door. “Stupid bitch. I knew I should’ve disposed of her when I had the chance,” Devon muttered to himself.
Once darkness enveloped me, I smiled. My humanity surfaced and said it would be all right. Brenna would find me. I believed that, and that was what I thought of as I drifted off to sleep, with my humanity settling back into my personality. I knew there would be some adjustment, but I didn’t think that we had to be at war anymore. Our differences could be worked out, if not for the good of our existence, then for the good of our child, who was braver and stronger than both of us. She had faced what was inside of her and knew what it was like not to fear the light of day.
My name is Brenna
.
I paced anxiously, waiting for the sun to climb in the sky. Aria finished the eggs and sat down to read a book. I tried to remain calm and keep myself busy. I screened my answering machine, listening to the desperate clients who needed my help. I took a paper and pen and began to record their numbers, categorizing which ones were more important and how old the messages were. I made it through most of them without thinking of Veronica. The last few, the most recent ones, were all whining about lost loves. In frustration, I yanked the answering machine from the socket and threw it against the wall. Aria gazed up at me and laughed.
“That’s a great way to conduct your business. Don’t you ever wonder why they want to know what the future will bring them? I mean, when people came to me as I sat in the temple, I often wondered why they bothered. We all have free will, but no, humans are too stupid to accept that. They all wanted me to solve their problems. Did you ever find that to be true when you did readings?”
I wondered if Aria retained her psychic powers after she had been turned. When I shifted my gaze, focusing on her aura, I noticed it wasn’t as bright as mine, as those of people who were psychic. Normally, those who did psychic work had brighter energy fields due to the fact they were conduits of energy from another realm of reality, another dimension. My aura had not changed much. It had grown brighter. I had thought about going back to doing psychic readings. It would be easier now that I was a vampire. Some form of higher consciousness gave me the ability to continue my life as well as help those who crossed my path, and it had let me keep my abilities.
“There were times, as a mortal, they got on my nerves, but I always helped them in some way. It didn’t matter if the information was wrong. It was important that the clients walked out with a lighter heart. Many times this happened and I felt complete just in that knowledge. Humans might be my prey, but that doesn’t mean that I have to con them, or pry into their minds. All it means is that I have more responsibility. Didn’t you ever feel that way about the ones you helped? I mean, you must have had kings and queens coming to you for advice, considering you were supposed to be the direct connection to the Divine.”
“At first it was great and then it got boring. I’d go into a trance and things came out of my mouth, but I had no connection to the words. I liked the status. Do you know how many men and women begged for me, just to touch them, to spend the night? Of course, I was supposed to be a virgin, like any of the priestesses were. That’s a laugh. At night there were so many orgies. So many things happened to me that I didn’t know where one thing began and the other stopped. After a while I thought I was indestructible, a goddess. Now look at me. Perfect body, great skin, and all I can eat without gaining a pound.”
“Don’t you miss it though, the connection to the other side, to the cosmos?”
“We are the other side, honey.”
“Yes, but—”
“But nothing,” Aria glanced at the clock. “Come on. Veronica and Devon should be wrapped in dreams.”
I sighed, hating how she changed the subject, but it gave me the answer. She truly did miss the feeling of being plugged in. It wasn’t the all-powerful feeling she talked about, that was just an ego trip. No, the plugged in feeling was the ability to know things, to understand the universe on a basic level without having to think about it. At those moments, it didn’t matter how old you were, or what race, or where you were on the planet. You were part of everything, part of the universal consciousness that kept the world intact. You had an awareness of yourself that let you float along with the atoms of dust on the wind, be part of a cat basking in the sun, or just be the energy between two lovers as they kissed for the first time. It was an experience that really couldn’t be put into words, but it was what made the job worth it.
“Come on. Stop thinking of your future, past, present, whatever. I need you to focus in on Veronica.”
I nodded, knowing she was right. There would be many times I could contemplate the mysteries of the universe and how they now fitted into my life. It was not the time to compare and contrast the differences in my psychic channels. This was the time to find the one I loved.
I sat down next to her on the couch as she pulled the curtains across the window, putting the room into semi-darkness. I sighed as the temperature dropped. Still, it was a welcome relief. Up until then I had not realized how hot I had been. I closed my eyes and let myself relax. Focusing on my aura, I felt the magnetism it put off as it interacted with everything else in the environment. I grounded myself, pushing my energy down within the earth so I wouldn’t have to call upon my own energy to defend myself. If need be, I could pull energy from the elements around me. In my mind, I cleared my thoughts, waiting for Aria to help me.
Her hand lingered on my temples. I shivered as I felt her aura contracting against mine. She massaged my forehead, urging me to relax more. I tried to comply, but I was too keyed up on trying to find Veronica.
“Quiet your mind. Pull one thing from your memory that is the strongest connection you have to her. It can be an emotion, a picture. Find that and hold on to it.”
Images of her flashed in my mind, but I cleared them away, as they would do me no good. I needed to find an emotion because that was how my psychic abilities worked. I got feelings about things. Of course there were images, but emotions were stronger than all of them, and the emotion I had for her was love. I grasped onto that, and held it close to my heart, bringing it into my brain.
Aria’s mind brushed against mine. I had no shields up against her. I trusted her and didn’t need to close my thoughts.
“Now, cast out your mind, holding on to that emotion. Send it out like you would when you read a person. Move like the wind latching to the one you love and push past her shields. Invade her mind and let her know who you are.”
Aria’s words faded as I concentrated on Veronica. I had to find her in the myriads of people in New Orleans. I had not used my psychic powers since I had been turned, so it was like using them for the first time and not knowing what I was doing. As I held to the love for Veronica, I knew I was getting closer. Her aura vibrated like a beacon in a midnight cloud-filled sea. It was bright and I was drawn right to it. I moved faster than I ever imagined, until I was there and the light blinded me. When I thought it couldn’t get any brighter, I opened my eyes and saw that I was standing in a room. A king sized bed took up most of the space. I moved closer, noting the hardwood floors, and saw a familiar figure sleeping on it. Devon. He wasn’t why I came. Veronica was nearby. I scanned the room for any sign of her and heard breathing inside the closet.
I grasped the knob, but my flesh passed through the metal. I tried again, but the same thing happened. Even though I was with Veronica, I was nothing more than a ghost. If Devon suspected me, I wouldn’t be able get back to my body soon enough to raise my shields to protect myself. I was too inexperienced to understand how to do damage on this level. He could do more than enough mental damage to my psyche if I were unprotected. I didn’t want to chance that.
Not being able to open the door, I stepped through it. Passing through the wood was interesting. Each tiny sliver impaled me, tickling my insides. Inside I crouched down, watching Veronica lost in a soundless sleep.
My heart thumped loudly as the innocence of her was so wonderful. This was the woman I had fallen in love with, the one who would take care of me over the next few centuries. Absently, I tried to move a piece of hair out of her face.
My aura connected with hers and her eyes snapped open, staring into space, knowing someone was there, but not being able to see me. The piece of hair I touched actually moved a few millimeters.
When her eyes opened, I knew the beast was awake in her. Her eyes were partially red from hunger. I glanced down at her arms to see one bore the burn I thought I had on mine. It was true; I really had been there. Unconsciously, I moved my hand over the area, feeling the energy. There was a hole. My aura moved into hers, filling the gap as I concentrated. A golden light encompassed my arm and moved over her hand and into the break in her aura. The flesh underneath began to mend, the burned skin turning white and then pink, until there was nothing left of the wound. The golden light lingered a bit longer and then died down. The heat that entered my body left me, and then I was lightheaded.
“Who’s there?” Veronica whispered.
Brenna
, I thought to her.
“It can’t be.”
I didn’t know what to say to her.
Brenna, you must come back
, Aria shouted across the distance. Her voice echoed in my mind, calling me back.
I only had a few more moments with Veronica. Closing my eyes, I focused the energy in my hand, brushing my palm against her cheek, sending her my love at the same time. She felt the depression of my hand on her flesh. She looked into the empty space, knowing I was truly there.
“Is it really you?”
Yes.
Her eyes grew wet as she heard me. Something was tugging deep inside me, trying to get my attention. Aria tried to pull me back.
Come with me.
Veronica shook her head no. She didn’t have that much courage, and the height of the sun would kill her because of her demonic personality. I had to try anyway. I needed her, wanted her to be with me.
Then how can I find you?
“The same way you found me now. All it takes is one time to establish the link.”
Then why didn’t you do this before?
“How could I when my Master needed me? Now…it doesn’t matter. You shouldn’t come here. He’ll kill you. Don’t come looking for me again. Please go! I—”
The door opened. Devon snarled at Veronica and pulled her out of the closet. I stayed where I was, afraid to move in case he sensed me.
“Who the hell were you talking to? Don’t you know I’m fucking trying to sleep? This is the second time this morning. Are you trying to drive me mad?”
“No Master! I’m sorry. I was dreaming, talking in my sleep. Please, forgive me.”
My heart went out as I saw the strong woman I loved broken in front of the demonic bastard who had made her. Devon’s cruelty had made her dependent on him. She tried to be complacent, but he just wasn’t listening. He was too much of a dumb ass to want to believe her.
Instead of leaving her alone, he threw her across the room so she landed on the bed. He lunged at her, talons poised over her heart.
“Is this want you wanted?” he screamed.
“No, Master. Please, I’m sorry,” she whined.
Devon paused, horrified at what she had said. “Did you say no to me? You fucking whore. Just for that I’ll show you what it’s like to deny your Master.”
Veronica covered her face as he swiped at her, trying to defend herself as Devon shredded her tits. Blood and tissues flew around the room as if an automatic shredder had gone crazy. I screamed in frustration, but he didn’t hear me. He kept attacking her, slicing away muscle and chips of bone. If I didn’t stop him, then she might lose one of her arms, or worse, he could graze her heart and kill her. I noticed one of Devon’s slippers by the foot of his bed. Without thinking I made a grab for it, and to my amazement it came with me. Not taking the time to wonder what made me able to hold it, I lobbed it. It landed squarely on the back of Devon’s head. He stopped in mid-slash and turned around, looking to see who had thrown the slipper. He couldn’t see me. I thought I was safe, and his nostrils flared as he caught my scent. He smiled a wicked grin. The muscles relaxed around his mouth, and his arm fell to his side. I didn’t know what he was doing, but I knew it was time to leave.
I thought of Aria and returning to my flesh. I tugged on the connection I had stretched so very thin, and like a rubber band rebounding, I snapped across the distance and was thrown into my body. The scene at Devon’s house retreated, as I was pulled backward through a long black tunnel. Devon’s feral presence descended upon me. I slammed back into my body, opening my eyes. I drew on energy from the earth, picturing a thick, circular, clear wall around me, before Devon arrived in the apartment. He snarled as he tried toppling my barriers, but he couldn’t. I had gotten back just in time.
Don’t think you can have her back. She’s mine. Just like you’ll soon be.
“You’ll never have me. And I’ll get her back. Just you wait. Now get out of here.”
I felt Devon smile. His grin seemed to spread throughout the room, pressing on me at all sides.
If you do come for her, maybe there won’t be anything left
.
“I’ll kill you.”
I’d like to see you try, little one. How about this: you come and I’ll let her go. We’ll trade fair and square. You see, I really want you.
“Brenna, don’t. It’s a trap.”
“I know Aria, but what am I going to do?” I paused. The only way Veronica would be set free would be by playing by his rules. She would not be able to survive with him much longer, and even if he did get me, there was no way I was going to bend to his will. He had me and he knew it. “Fine. Where do I meet you?”