Chapter one: Open Endings

Chapter One: Open Endings 

   

   Waking up in a car again was not a good sight. Many things were not good in my life, but this had to be the worst.

When she noticed I was awake I knew I was in deep s**t. “Mina, how could you? Why would you call that poor man all those nasty vile words!” Nancy, my case worker screeched at me as I rolled my eyes lazily.

   I never knew when I was going to blow from all of the remarks people gave me, most of the time I never talked. Sometimes I boiled over and couldn’t take the names, chores and school anymore. People were never smart enough just to stay the hell away from me. No one knew how much I worked at being how I was and never allowing people in.

   Nancy knew I wouldn’t answer her no matter how much she tried so she just sighed. I hadn’t said a word to her in moths. She would never know what I sounded like again. It was her fault I was here, if she had never left when she did I would have been fine. She thought leaving the case to a newbie was going to fly and it didn’t. No one would be able to take me now.

   “Your going to live with a relative we found. She is older, but we think she will be able to keep you until you are eighteen. Do you understand? Two more years and your home free!” She was as happy to get rid of me as I was happy to be going somewhere far away from Tom and Leann.

   I nodded once tiredly as we drove to the airport. I was flying across boarders and going back to the states. An American family member was something I never expected, but it couldn’t hurt to give this one a chance.

   “Your Uncle told me to give you this before you left.” She handed me a small box and a suitcase as we went to the lady at the gate.

   When I opened the box I saw my ring inside. I had lost it many years ago, it was a copy of it but just the same. The black band fit perfectly to my small finger and the red stone matched my old one. 

   Nancy watched as I went into the plane then I was out of her hands and into American Children Services hands. They were going to have a handful at the least.

   “Ladies and Gentlemen please fasten your seat belts and pay attention to the signs above you head when you are able to take them off. Thank you for flying Air Russia!” The overly happy flight attendant said in Russian then hung up the phone.

   When my thirteen hour flight was over we were in rain country. Nancy had told me there was no stopping to the darkness here as it was the same back home. I liked the rain almost as much as the dark. Both of those together were my dream come true. Nothing could ruin this trip.

   “Hallo?” A tall elderly looking lady said looking at me.

   I presumed she was my grandmother from my mothers side.

   “Privet!” I helloed in Russian and she smiled.

   “You will be speaking as much American as you possibly can okay?” She asked me in a rhetorical sense.

   The trip to her house seemed more enjoyable as we left the main road and went to a side road that was further out than I expected an elderly lady to live.

   “Do you think that you will be comfortable out here in the woods?” Her voice showed no age to it.

   I slowly nodded my head as we came out form the canopy of trees to a large house. It looked to be made of stone and glass. I was in awe at the sight. This was nothing I had expected moving across the world. Nothing like anything I had ever seen back in Russia.

   “Wow.” I breathed stepping into the beautiful house. 

   Everything was perfectly placed and there was nothing out of place. It astonished me that the house was planned this way. Nothing said she was older, nothing said she was young either. It all looked to placed, too well placed. I had my questions why everything seemed like she got it out of magazines.

   “How do you like it?” Her voice was no more than another rhetorical question.

   “It is very nice.” I said waving my had as though it was nothing.

   “Well let us go to your room then.” The way her accent was placed sounded nothing like any Russian person I had herd, no matter where they came from. I thought it sounded more Romanian.

   Upstairs three floors was my room. It was the only room on that floor and it seemed to take up the whole floor. Glass windows were placed on ever wall and they expanded the whole wall. My breath caught in my throat as I looked at the room. Black curtains and white bedspreads, I was falling in love with a room.

   She quietly left me.

   My mind was racing and I knew that this was more than just an arrangement for me. Something told me there was more to this than just me living with a relative for two years, something screamed it, but I couldn’t place it.

   Grandma Sarah, as I was asked to call her, called me down to dinner. Sitting at the table was a girl, she looked to be the same age as I was, but her structure was bigger than mine. I thought about all of the people I was leaving behind and felt nothing. Everything that was there that I would miss at all would never be needed again.

   “Nancy told me that you were in homeschool all your life?” Her mouth was half full but she talked.

   “Yes.” I put another forkful of salad in my mouth. I was also a vegetarian.

   “Are you able to get along with children of your own age?” Her questions baffled me... I knew where this was going.

   “You are sending me to a public school.” I waved my fork as if it were nothing.

   “Bright girl. This is not a public school, it took many strings, but you are in now.” It was Almost second semester and I was already done with the year. Flunking off was not something I usually did, but if it got me out of school, public school at least, then I was all willing.

   I should have graduated this year but the standards kept raising as I got further and further through high school. Many of my home schooled peers did not like this and dropped out, but I stayed for the fun of it all. Graduating was something I had to do to get into the world.

   “You start tomorrow night.”

   “What do you mean by night?” I growled.

   She looked at me then the calendar, tomorrow was a day to dread. I knew secrets most people were never supposed to know and I lived. Many people would want me dead if they knew of my knowing of the Night Walkers world. I kept my mouth shut and kept to the shadows.

   “Full moon Mina.” She threw a canister at me.

   I popped the lid off and inside was a blade. She was not a normal elderly woman, she was a hunter and I would not take part in this.

   “I cannot kill a Night Walker.” I snapped at her angrily at the thought.

   “And why not? You know what they do, you know how they think.” She yelled back.

   The front door opened and I clutched the blade in my hand tighter.

   Slowly a man emerged into my sights as I kept as calm as possible. 

   His face was nice and tan, medium sized eyes that were brown matching his hair. Nothing about his said Night Walker at all! He screamed it, he was a Blood breed, I could not place him, but I knew the smell.

   “She does not kill Lucius!” The laughter made me wonder.

   “Then what?” He asked taking up a plate of food and sitting at the table as if I were not there. The blade sat in my hand and grew colder until I could not stand it and placed it in my other hand to only get the same effect.

   “Hello! I am here, what the hell are you two talking about!?” I demanded setting the blade back into the canister.

   Both of them looked away from me as quickly as they could without causing my suspicion to rise, but it did.

   “Answer me now!” I yelled, my voice broke and I sounded frightened.

   The man, Lucius, stood and walked to me and grabbed my arms. The touch was the same as the blade, it burned.

   His eyes burned into mine as he stared at me. “Tell me you don’t know what I am Miss. Mina.” He was serious. No one in his world wanted me knowing what he was, what they were. What they did and how they did it was the main reason because they were so cruel about it, but none the less it didn’t bother me a little. I was cold a heartless as they were, but I was more afraid than anything.

   “I can’t.” My lip quivered as the burning didn’t stop and he knew it wouldn’t.

   “Your the rarity Miss. Mina, nothing will make you forget unless you want to. Keep the blade, it is no use to me anymore.” He let go of my arms and placed the blade and a piece of fabric in my hand

“Why are you doing this to me?” I asked in a whisper.

“Because, anyone else would have run by now.” Then he was gone. He didn’t walk away, didn’t fly or crawl. He was just gone in a flash. Nothing was left in his place, just a scorch mark on the ground. 

   She couldn’t be my real grandmother, she knew too much. Hw did she know all of this and how did Lucius know that I knew about his kinds. No one was supposed to know outside my circle. That circle was long gone though.

   “Child, I am your grandmother, but I am older than you think.” When I turned around she was gone and in her place was a tall beautiful woman. She was a night walker. Something hit my head and I was out.

   The blade had returned to it’s rightful owner, now we waited. She was the thing that stood between us and the mortals and she would break the veil that was there. The final string would be broken in nine months, the day of reckoning. On that day everything would be rewritten in our way, the perfect way. No one would stand before us and question who is right and who is wrong. There are too many things to question now as is.

“How do you think the Night Walkers are going to take this? The Lights are here again.” Gabriel asked me.

“No one will know until the time is right. She is not as they are, nor as they will be. Light and Dark have mixed again and this time we will not let it corrupt her. She will have to be better than the last or all things will be thrown out of balance again.” I whispered watching her motionless body as her mind went over everything.

Her aura was glowing black right now. The balance inside of her was shifted and not the way we wanted. We needed white, pure white to be sure she was who she was. 

We turned to leave.

“Waite my friend.” Gabriel shouted as I was far away but could see what had happened.

The brightest light I had ever see was shining before us. Nothing would ever again make my eyes hurt like this had. Something was setting her off, making her change. It was unnatural and we had to find out why her sense were the way they were.

“My brother, I think we have found her.” I laughed harshly. Everyone would find her and try and kill her. No one would want to see what would happen is she was able to find her powers.

“You are right. Alert the order immediately!” We both were speeding away as the light went out behind us. Her inner light was calling to us, trying to break free from the darkness that was on the outside trying to cover it. Both were keeping her safe, but the darkness had its own reasons.

Slowly I sat up to see nothing nowhere around me.

“Good your up.” A girl muttered.

“Who the hell are you?” I snapped at her. My anger boiled over the night as I slept in a dreamless state.

“I'm your cousin. Grandma told me to be nice to you, to not kill you.” She was talking out loud but that didn't give me a name.

“Who they hell are you?” I asked again standing up and reaching for the blade. It wasn't there.

“Are you looking for this pretty thing?” She held up the blade wrapped in a cloth. “This little f****r here almost burned a pretty little hole through my hand! And for what? A mortal?” She laughed maniacally. I was growing scared without the only thing that could save me from this cousin if she wanted to kill me. There was no choice but to play along.

“That still doesn't give me a name.” I said through clenched teeth.

“Samantha. I'm Veshmeer's brother's daughter.” She twirled the blade around in her hand as she paced my room.

“Veshmeer is my only living relative from what everyone has told me.” I murmured.

Samantha laughed hysterically. “Living, that my dear would be your key word.” Her white teeth flashed and I knew she was a Night Walker. Everyone I met was a Night Walker. “Now let us-” She dropped the blade and screamed a blood curling high pitched scream.

As she was distracted I dove for the blade and pointed it at her.

My smile was showing. “Get the hell out before I send you back.” I snarled as she clutched her wounded hand to her chest. I knew she would be better after she fed tonight, but it still didn't make it good. All Night Walkers were like this if they didn't feed for a while. I just got used to it.

Grandma Sarah was really my Grandmother, she was never around me as a child, but she had pictures of me and my mother. My mother, as a baby, was just like I was, but she was bigger as I was born early. Grandma made sure to have Samantha feed before she saw me next or I would be the meal.

“Are you feeling okay Mina? You look paler than yesterday.” Grandma Sarah said. Her tone was questionable. I was feeling different and it hurt to think about it. Somethings were changing, but I still felt extremely different.

“Yes, I am.” I lied. I still didn't trust them all just yet.

A knock on the door sent her flying to it as I sat down eating my dinner. The food she made showed how old she was, not only from the presentation but from the form of how she presented it. It was a very old set up, all the forks needed and spoons. 

Two people walked in with Grandmother and I recognized them both as tormentors. Samantha and Lucius. They didn't look pleased to see each other, as I was not pleased to see them at all. Not even if I was growing used to the idea of them being around the same living space as I was.

“Are you almost ready?” Grandma asked me.

“Of course.” I said smiling plastic. My uniform was on my bed and I needed to change, that would give me a chance to pack the blade. Night walker schools were not too popular on letting mortals in.

Lucius watched me as I walked up to my room. His look did not scare me, it was the possessive look he had in his eyes. Nothing now could scare me as much as that look. It was protective, but harming in a way. 

“Do not let it make you content.” A voice called to me.

“Who's there?!” I demanded closing my door.

“I can hear your innermost thoughts there is no need to talk out loud Mina.” It said again but this time closer.

I concentrated on looking for whoever it was, but no one could be in my room without me seeing. My balcony was the only place anyone could hide.

“Why are you here?” I tried.

“To keep you safe until you are no longer needed.” He answered.

“How do I know you are real?”

Something moved from the corner of my eye and thats when I saw him. He was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Even in the Night Walker world he was beautiful. His dark red hair and white skin made him stand out in the darkness. The red eyes were what caught me and it made me blink. I couldn't believe he was standing there.

“I am Castiel. A guardian.” He turned from me and I saw two giant black wings.

I sucked in a breath and backed up too far. My arm didn't have enough time to grab onto the ledge before I fell.

An arm met mine and it pulled mine too hard. I screamed in pain as my shoulder was dislocated.

“I'm going to have to pull.” His eyes were frantic as he pulled me up quickly and sat me down. “How did this happen.” He muttered to himself as I cradled my arm.

“You showed up.” I growled angrily as he put his hand on my shoulder and I heard a loud pop. “God damn it!” I clenched my teeth and let tears fall. It hurt more than I remembered.

His finger wiped away some of the tears as I stood up. “You can't go to this school.” She told me.

“Why not?”

Something came from behind him and landed. There were more than one of him!

“No, no, NO!” I screamed. My world had changed once, nothing was going to change it again!   “Go away, get away from me!” I screamed as my heart started to beat faster. Something was making me colder.

“Mina, calm down.” Nathaniel said harshly, but I couldn’t.

My door flew off the hinges as Lucius ran in. His eyes were wide as he took in the sight of the winged men.

“Light Shadows.” He snarled and stepped in front of me as I broke down. “What are you doing in our territory?” He was angry.

They both were on the ledge. “None of a Night walkers business.” The other one hissed as they jumped down as flew away.

“I can’t do this.” I stammered. “There is no way I can do this anymore.” My blubbering made me scared, I was cracking. Tears were blinding me as I stumbled into my room and fell next to my bed into a ball.

Lucius picked me up and sat me upright on my bed facing him. “Do you think any of us asked for this? Did I ask to be changed into this...” He pointed to his purple eyes. “Do you think we asked you to join our world as a mortal? You never had to stay, someone could have wiped your mind ages ago.” He stroked my face as I thought about it. I never wanted to forget what was around me, but I never wanted to be this deep into it all.

My hand stopped his and jerked back immediately, but there was no burn, no coldness. He was different! “Why do you not burn me?” I asked when he turned away from me.

His shoulders grew ridged. “What?” He growled.

I jumped away from him as he turned too quickly and scared me.

“I didn’t burn you?” Both of us were curious now.

“No.” I whimpered as he took ahold of my face and brought his mere inches away from mine. “Are you burning yet?” He demanded.

I slightly shook my head as he held it. Night Walkers were supposed to burn their victims. I knew I had an immunity to the burn, but not to blood drinkers. Only the Moon Walkers.

His mouth covered mine and I tried to pull away. Burning was nothing like this, it was cold though not uncomfortable. His mouth didn’t leave mine until I pushed his body away. It was very hard, but I got him to move an inch away.

“Get the f-” His hands were all over me, it was not sexual, but it was weird. He patted all surfaces of my body testing what we just experienced. He didn’t burn me, nothing was burning. I had changed more. 

“I’m not burning you!” His eyes were wide. There was only one being that was not able to be burned by any being. Light’s. They had immunity to everything. If a blood drinker bit a Moon Walker then it would die and vice versa.

“Please, stop touching me.” I whispered and he slowly took his hands away form me.

“I’m sorry about that, none of the half breeds could survive that!” It was true, half breeds were cursed by only being able to touch one Night Walker without being burned, but to be able to touch all would make me a full breed. But his voice was something more than I expected, he was more than I expected.

My mind raced thinking about the kiss that was shared, it was nothing, but it was everything. He was everything at the moment and I couldn’t control the hatred for him and the...emotions I was feeling.

Samantha apologized for almost killing me as we drove to the school. Her explanation was livid, but I understood what she meant. She rarely fed and so she was more emotional than most blood drinkers.

“So tell me, how did two Light’s get into our territory?” She asked lounging in the front seat of the car as Lucius drove. I couldn’t explain it at all, I didn’t know about the territories.

“They snuck in. How else would they have found our hideout. Were going to have to move now you know?” He snapped. I didn’t get his anger, some other breed crossed a boarder and he was truly upset about it, but there was no need to feel this anger that he was feeling.

“What is the matter?” I whispered sinking into the seat.

“What is the matter is that two Light’s got into our area without being spotted and they were able to find our house. We are supposed to be underground. Mina, you are supposed to be underground!” Samantha yelled appalled at me.

I still didn’t understand what she was getting at. Where was I fitting into this picture?

“You are a half-breed! We are full bloods, we are the biggest Vampyre family there is, the highest up by all means. And you are a half-breed! If people knew that the heir to the throne’s only child was a half-breed we would all be screwed. Your mother was legendary and now she is gone! People are always asking questions, no one knows why. If anyone knew you were the heir then we would be thrown to the ground. Our family ridiculed!” Samantha sounded truly horrified at the thought of being lower.

I knew I was half-breed, but I didn’t know where I fit into anything. Being a half was a curse, nothing could touch you and you could touch nothing. If anything tried to touch you then you could die or get a sever burn. I never died, but was burned a lot.

“No one has told me anything. I’ve been...” I stopped, there was no need for them to know my past. They could care less, they were higher up on the food chain by all means.

As we approached the school we were stared at by man people. The school itself was larger than any school I had ever seen in the little town I had been in. People wise, there were not many night students. I would think there were many day students, but there was no way for me to know. Nothing about this school screamed scary except the students.

“There comes another one, they are letting in too many of those.” A girl whispered to another girl.

“Arn’t those.... Oh MY GOD!” The girl she was talking to gasped. “Those are then Vallera's’!” Her voice carried as many students noticed us, some even stepped out of the way to let us through. Everyone seemed to know about my family, everyone but me!

“Do not let any of them get close to her Lucius!” Samantha said is a harsh voice as we entered the main school. His body closed in on mine as we went further into the building where there were more students.

“We need for her to touch someone without us near, or we will never know if she is immune to the burn. If she is the we can let her go on her own Samantha.” He said as our arms brushed. I felt a slight tingly feeling, but it was nothing like a burn. I liked this feeling.

Her lips were pressed into a thin line as a few students passed and she pushed me into them. I stayed upright and didn’t double over in pain. Their faces were bleak as they saw who we were. No one would stand up to us because of fear, their fear ruled their lives. “Sorry!” All three of the boys stammered as they ran off.

“Well, that went well. But we need to keep an eye out. Lucius your with her, I don’t want to deal with a Junior.” She was a senior and didn’t want to change classes as Lucius was. He was only seventeen. He didn’t look seventeen.

School was going by with only a few incidents. Students and teachers alike were weary of us and didn’t talk with us much. I thought if I stayed away from Lucius enough then the touching wouldn’t bother me as much, but I was wrong and it made it worse. I needed to feel his light touches on my arm.

“Are you awake?” He asked me as we walked through the hall.

My eyes met his and I sighed inwardly. “Uh, sorry, headache.” My voice didn’t travel when I talked and many people avoided conversations with me because of that tiny thing.

“Do you want me to take you home?”

Her face was paler now than it was earlier when I had...kissed her. My thoughts on that was that I made a big mistake kissing her, she didn’t like it and I took my happiness too far. I had been watching her for far too long not to be that happy, but she was able to touch me! Neither of us would get hurt from her touch. 

“Okay.” I said not thinking. She needed to go home if something was going wrong with her, but I couldn’t make myself push her. Something about her seemed to scare me in a way. There was a power about what she said that made everything final.