Autumn's Beginning, Autumn's Breeze

Val~

"Interesting?" I smiled, amused by the way Natan spoke. "Interesting is a strange way to describe us..."

"Why do you say that?" Natan was truly curious. It was funny.

"Well, normally we are considered frightening....or amazing, perhaps....never interesting." I added under my breath, hoping he wouldn't hear. "And I am none of those things...so where I fit in is unknown."


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Isabella~

I didn't bother adressing my wounds; they were minor, and I was more concerned with my friends. I moved about them, healing who I could, and ridding them of their pains. I saw the vampire, Max, standing a ways away. I walked over to stand next to him.

"How are you?" I asked softly, refusing to look him in the eyes.

"Fine."

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

"Good," I kept my answer as simple as his, while healing the large gash on my arm. I wished I could start conversation as well as my brother...curses.

Oh dear, who to be...? This MAY be a long post, and if it turns out to be, i apologize. I won't be on again until tomorrow sometime, too. 13 hour car drive and all...

Natan-

I shook my head slowly. "No, you do fit into those categories. Not SO much the first one on my account; i don't really find you frightening at all, and how could I? I've known you my whole life. But for others, like my father, you could be considered frightening, but he will get used to it. Trust me.
"But you are amazing and interesting, no not deny it. I for one have never truly met a vampire before. I've heard stories, caught fleeting glimpses, but never met or talked to one. And yet here I am today, practically surrounded by them!"

In my excitement i had stopped pacing and was using my hands as emphasis. I bit my lip and clasped my hands behind my back, resuming pacing around the bed. She watched me steadily, contemplating my words.

Davnix-

I led the girl back to Natan's house and knocked on the door. Leira answered almost immediatly.

"Davnix!" she squealed, jumping on me. "Where are the others!?"

"Isn't Natan and your father here? With Val?"

She shook her head. "No, why? Should they be?"

"I don't know. Maybe..." i turned my head to look at her again. "Stay here. We'll be right back, and we'll bring the rest of them home. Don't worry, everyone's fine."

She got down off of me slowly, her bottom lip stuck out. "Promise you'll be back soon?"

I smiled. "Yes, i promise. But stay here. We need you to hold down the fort, ok?"

She nodded and shut the door. I turned back to Velna.

"You're good with children," she commented.

"Yeah, i'm told that a lot. Sadly, that puts me on babysitting duty a lot."

She laughed softly as I led her off in the direction of Val's house, where i thought Natan, Nathaniel, and Val would be.

Riley-

I hadn't realized we were up so high. Heights didn't bother me too much, but apparently Ariana hated them. I gradually lessened out height until we hovered just above the roofs of the buildings.

"Is this better?" I asked softly.

I felt a weak nod from her.

"Where are we going?" i asked.

She glanced around quickly. "Just take me down. My brother is only a street away." she said weakly.

I flapped my wings once and brought us to another narrow street with two figures walking toward us. I dropped down to the ground and set Ariana on her feet, holding onto her.

Davnix came running up. "What happened?"

"She was bleeding on her shoulder pretty badly and I wanted to get her away from the vampire as soon as possible. Is the healer home?"

Davnix looked his sister over before answering me. "No, but i think i know where he is. Follow me."

I fell into step behind him and another girl i did not recognize. I glanced at her curiously while supporting Ariana's unsteady steps.

Velna

Velna walked along side Davnix as they walked down the street with the two new comers. One of them was his sister the other, she wasn't sure. 'Trent, where are you?' She screamed in her mind. She didn't like being around so many people she didn't know. Davnix was nice and trustworthy, she had figured that out while they walked, but she didn't know about the other two. Davnix speed up when he saw his sister's shoulder, but she easily kept up. She was used to Trent's fast pace. Davnix and him seemed to have the same pace. They got closer to the house she had been in before and she glanced around.

'Come one, Velna, where are you?' She heard Trent call, he was here!

'Trent!' She bit her lip hiding a smile, she was finally back with her brother.



Trent

Trent wrung his hands, he was sitting on a chair in the guest room while everyone took care of the hurt people. Velna was near by, he could feel it, and after talking with her he was anxious, but she had told him to stay put, so stay put he would. Crest wasn't talking, which only meant he was injured. That worried him even more. Who had his sister been with and how had Crest gotten hurt. He wrung his hands tighter, all this worrying wasn't good.

Ariana

I felt so stupid leaning patheticly against Riley, but I couldn't help it. Heights didn't just scare the crap out of me they also left me feeling ill. I couldn't force myself into a position where I could walk myself so I just let myself be dragged along side him.


Max.

Isabella was standing right next to me, making it dreadfully uncomfortable. All the carnage around was really starting to make me hungry and she was bleeding....

"Aren't you going to dress your wounds?" I asked.

"They're minor ones. Why?"

"Its making it really hard to stay standing still."

"Oh." I turned to her to see the fear in her eyes. Fear, good, it made her blood smell less and less appitzing. But that was more a psychologocial thing for me.

She must have seen the look in my eyes because she took a step back. "Go," I mumbled, "Alise was once a vampire, but I have not her control. Go before I lose it."

She turned around and ran.

Valentina~

I smiled at Natan. He cocked his head to the side curiously, trying to figure out what I was thinking.

"I never thought you'd really noticed me..." I murmured, more to myself than to him. "I always thought you liked me as more of a sister, and would never like me the way I like you." Natan sighed, sitting down next to me again. I leaned forward, toward him.

"Funny, I always thought the same." I rolled my eyes, kissing him lightly on the cheek.

"And I thought I was being too obvious about it." He laughed. Suddenly his face went blank, as if having a rather dreadful thought.

"Val, can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"It may be someone offensive..."

"Go ahead," I urged.

"Well...how do I smell, vampire-wise?" I grinned, moving close to his neck. He stayed where he sat, stick straight, trying to seem brave. I could smell his heart quicken, the blood pulsing faster and stronger. He didn't flinch when I inhaled deeply, nor when I moved even closer to him. I opened my mouth, biting him lightly. He flinched, moving away.

"Don't worry," I said softly. "I have execellent control. That was just a playful bite..." he smiled a little, although his heart still beat quicker than I would have liked it to. "By the way, you smell utterly amazing." he nodded. "I'm sorry...did I frighten you?"

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Isabella~

I moved away from Max, so that I could properly heal my wound without him smelling it. He was so amazing...but yet he showed no interest in me. Curses!!

"Why do you even bother?" I snapped at myself, being more pessimistic than I usually was. This was one of the insanely weird things I did sometimes, yelling at myself like I was someone else. "You are such a fool, falling for him. He's amazing, and can quite obviously do better than you! You're wasting your time, and more importantly, his time!" I sat down on the hill where I had been pacing, head in my hands frustratedly.

Behind me someone cleared their throat. I turned to see Max.

"Um...you didn't...hear all that...did you?" he grinned at me, and I moaned loudly, knowing he had.

Natan-

I laughed harshly, though i could hear a note of panic (or insanity) in my laugh. I coughed to cover it up.

"Speaking of insanity..." i mumbled to myself under my breath. I looked up and spoke louder this time: "Erm...I should probably be freeing my father here sometime soon...He...er...won't be too pleased with either of us, i should think."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, see, he's not exactly...unconscious...more of...er, paralyzed? He can still hear what's going on, just can't move anything. But he's asleep right now, i think, because he's stopped fighting my magic."

"Why didn't you just knock him out?" Val asked, coughing lightly. "Wouldn't it have been easier?"

"Yes, Val, I was going to knock my own father out on a battle field...right." I rolled my eyes.

"He was dangerous!"

"So are you!" i yelled back. I blinked and looked away. "I'm sorry." i mumbled. "It was all I could do to bring him under control. He was dangerous, i know, but i could never do anything to hurt him more than was necessary. Even what i did caused me much guilt."

I turned to the door. "Sorry, again." i mumbled over my shoulder. "Didn't mean it."


Davnix-

I felt Velna tense slightly for a moment, then relax as we neared Val's house. I looked around and saw a slim form leaning against the wall.

"Is that your brother?" i asked in a low voice.

Velna nodded. "Yes, this is Trent."

Riley-

I glanced down at Ariana quickly as i heard Davnix and the other girl start talking quietly.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

She nodded slightly and shivered. I realized she must be freezing, for after all, it was nearing midnight in the end of Autumn. I glanced around quickly before unfolding one of my wings from around myself and wrapping it around her.

Valentina~

I got up, following Natan out into my living room. He was still murmuring his apology.

"There's no need to apologize to me," I said quietly. "I know I'm dangerous. Didn't I say that already?" Natan nodded, standing over his father.

"You might not want to be in the same room as him right now," he suggested quietly.

"I'm not worried."

"But I am." I gave him a critical glance. "Okay, stay if you like."

Natan-

I sighed. "Just, stand somewhere where he won't see you at first?" i pleaded. She shrugged and moved to stand in a dark corner out of sight from the head of the couch.

I looked down at my father, lying helpless on Val's couch. I touched his forehead lightly with the tips of my fingers, closing my eyes and searching his emotions and thoughts quickly for any sign of anger...or worse. I found nothing but peace and exhaustion, thankfully.

Whispering a word, i lifted the spell and withdrew my fingers from his forehead. There was no immediate reaction, so i gestured for Val to follow me and went back into her room. She shut the door softly behind us.

"He's tired, and I don't blame him. We can continue our discussion in here. Okay?"

Valentina~

"Okay," I agreed, sitting on the bed. He sat next to me, putting an arm around me. "What more is there to talk about?"

"Well, for starters, do you have any questions?"

"Just one. What about you?"

"Ask your first."

"All right." I took a deep breath. "What do you think your father will do when he wakes up?"

Natan-

I laughed softly. She glanced at me curiously.

"There is no telling with him," i said quietly, laughter still in my voice. "But I don't think it will be anything to worry about. He is a reasonable and understanding man, really. He just needs guidance sometimes. Someone to put him back on the right track."

She sighed. "Don't we all?"

"That we do." I agreed.

"So, what's your question?" she asked after a moment.

"How long have you been a vampire?"

Max

I couldn't help but grin at the girl, just as I couldn't help but follow her. I wasn't following the scent of her blood, it smelled unappitising, but that was to her advantage, I was following her beauty. I wanted her, not her blood.

But I doubted she knew that.

"Now who are you mentally injuring yourself about?" I asked coyly sitting down next to her.



Ariana

I snuggled closer to Riley's bare chest, finding warmth between him and his wings and found it easier to relax. Dots blurred her vision and I had the fleeting thought that the wound must have been deeper than I had thought.

I could feel my hold on conciousness slipping and I knew that before I did I'd have to get my brothers attention, "Davnix," I gasped, "remember that time we were fighting and your sword slipped?"

He paused and turned to face me, "yeah."

"Remember how I felt after that?"

"Yeah."

"Twice as bad," I gasped and lost conciousness.

Riley-

I heard Ariana gasp weakly and say something to her brother before she slumped against me. I picked her up easily, still using my wings as a makeshift blanket.

"What did she say?" I asked Davnix, who was watching her with a worried look on his face.

He glanced at me quickly. "We need to get her to my cousin as fast as possible. Did you notice any bad cuts on her?"

"She's got one pretty bad one on her shoulder, but it's bandaged up with a rag."

"That'd be it, then. Same place it was last time, too. Man, mom's going to kill me..." i heard him mutter before turning and walking briskly towards the door to Val's house. The other girl that had been with him had already run to meet the other figure leaning against the wall and the two of them were now conversing quietly.

Isabella~

I kept my face in my hands, so I wouldn't stare at Max again.

"No one," I replied, my voice muffled by my hands.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that." Max said, chuckling to himself. "Could you take your face out of your hands please?"

I lifted my head up, looking at him. "No one," I replied quickly, hiding my head again.

"It certainly didn't sound like no one," he replied, smiling. "Come on, tell me who."

"You..." It was barely audible, but he heard it. Just as I had known he had heard me before, when he made me repeat myself.

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Valentina~

"I don't know how long..." I replied slowly, wishing to remember how old I really was. "Time meshes together after a while."

"How did it happen?" I took a deep breath, shuddering at the memory. "You don't have to..."

"No, it's fine. You ought to know. I'll try to make it fairly simple." I moved closer to him, trying to keep myself calm. "My parents were killed when I was 16, by vampires. So I always had...a fear, of them, to say the least. We lived here when they died, so most people already knew that. After their death, I left for while."

"I remember that! You came and said goodbye, but told no one where you were going!"

"Yes. I remember your face that day...Anyway--I only went a few towns away, to a pub where I had heard vampires hung out. When I got there, it was late. I went in, and ordered a drink. I had hardly even taken a sip when they began gathering around me. It was a group of men, most of them extremely young looking. They were talking, and I didn't mind it. When one of them touched me, however...

"I tried to leave...tehy followed me outside. There were six of them, at least. The circled me, and attacked. One by one, they'd bite. Then drink a bit and pass me on. Twas almost like I was a beer..." I showed him a few of the marks. "Those are the left over scars. I managed to get rid of the others. Once they were full, most of them left. One stayed behind. He looked down at me, and laughed. Then he slit his own wrist, forcing me to drink." I shuddered, the taste filling my mouth in memory. "Then he left me there..." I stopped talking, figuring Natan could figure out teh rest.

Max

I snickered to myself and pulled her against me, knowing I shouldn't.

"I think your aunt and uncle would kill me for this," I said grinning.

"Aunt Alise REALLY hates you."

"I deserve it." I let go of her arm so she would be free to pull away whenever she wanted to.

Natan-

I gathered Val in my arms tenderly. "Sounds rough."

"You have no idea."

"You're right, i don't. I cannot even begin to imagine what you have felt."

I laughed softly again. I couldn't help it. "But why on earth did you go into a pub where vampires hang out?"

"I-"

Her reply was cut short by a knock on the door. Our door. Val jumped.

"Is it-"

"No, that's the main door. I made it so that if anyone knocks on the front door, it will sound like someone is knocking on this door, and if anyone knocks on this door, it will sound like someone knocked on the front door."

I went and opened the bedroom door and slipped out, opening the front door slowly. Davnix stood there, along with Riley and Ariana, who was unconscious.

"Ariana needs help," Davnix said.

"I see that. Here, Riley, bring her inside and take her to the back bedroom, then come straight back out here." i said turning and pointing into the other room. Then a turned to my father, pointed a finger at him, and said a silencing spell so he wouldn't be woken up by the sound. The Avian hurried past, reemerging moments later.

"What's going on here?" Davnix asked.

"I've got more patients than just Ariana, so if you'll excuse me, i'm very busy. I'd invite you two in, but it's a little crowded. Feel free to use the abandoned house next door. I'll come get you once she's conscious, which shouldn't be long." I said hurriedly. I barely got a nod from Davnix before i shut the door and went back to the bedroom where Val was leaning over Ariana.

"If the smell bothers you, go wait outside with Davnix and Riley. I'll be done here shortly." I offered. She shook her head.

I shrugged and set to work on my youngest cousin, gently pulling off the dirty, blood-soaked rag and instructing Val to go and get a fresh clean one. I cleaned the cut, applied a salve that would help t heal and keep it from getting infected, and wrapped it up again. Thankfully it wasn't anything too serious.