Part 2 to Unnamed (at the moment)

Part 2

Once I was in my room, I headed straight to the bathroom. I gaped at myself in the mirror, my cheek was smeared with blood from a fresh cut under my eye and my curly hair was matted in the back and sticking out this way and that. I was embarrassed that Eric and Rayla even had to see me this way. There was only one way to solve my issue and that was one thing I really, really wanted to do, shower. After I showered I covered my hands with band aids and put a big gauzy patch on the cut under my eye. I ran my fingers through my hair with sweet smelling product then blow dried. Finally I brushed my teeth. All I had left was getting dressed which I loved doing, considering my wardrobe was something to see. I had everything in every shape or form. When I turned ten Magnus gave me a master bed room with my own bathroom and walk in closet and I got to pick to paint it blue with black swirls, because it reminded me of my marks which I loved because they made me feel like I had a security and a place I belonged.

I picked out some simple black loose jeans and a white t-shirt with the words ‘Forget Princess I want to be a Vampire’ sprawled across the chest, it was something Eric gave me as a joke after a raid mission against the vampire clave gone wrong.

I found Eric sitting at the island in the kitchen eating fruit loops and a bottle Pepsi.

“Hey” I said cautiously entering the room.

“Hey” he replied glumly.

“Ok, ok” I opened the fridge door and peered inside “What is your problem?”

“Nothing…….”

I wasn’t convinced, but I was too hungry to think. I picked an apple from the center piece and sat down with a glass of water.

“Eric, you are driving me crazy” I said biting into the apple.

“Why, should you care?” He gazed into the bottom of his cereal bowl.

“Because I’m your best friend”

“Ok, I’m gonna come right out with it” He took the cap off the Pepsi and took a drink “I’m worried that this new guy is going to be better than us and Magnus is going to split us up”

“What? No! That’s crazy, he’d never do that” but as the words left my lips I couldn’t help but wonder if he would.

“Yes he would” he snapped “and you know it”

“But Eric, we’re one of the best teams”

“That, Kit, just means that he may not want to. But according to Hunter and tribe law he would have to”

“But we’re good Eric, we’re good” I tried reassuring him but the attempt was a waist of my breath “We’ll just have to wait and see, have you seen Magnus?”

“Not since he sent us in to see you” he sounded a little perkier now.

“I’m gonna go try to find him” I set my half eaten apple on the counter. As I was leaving the room Eric called to me “You won’t tell him what I told you right?” his eyes where begging me as I looked back at him, I nodded and left.

I found Magnus below the building in the weapons room he was sitting on a bench turning a blade over in his long fingers. “Magnus” I asked as I approached him.

His head shot up and he looked at me through blurred eyes “Catherine, please some and sit with me” he sounded like he was actually asking me to visit with him.

“Magnus” I said again

“Yes”

“Who is this newbie?” I sucked in my breath hoping he wouldn’t have the same reaction as he did when I asked for a puppy at eight years old.

“Her name is, Anika” he bowed his head in despair.

“Her!” I shouted without even really planning to.

He nodded. “Magnus, what’s wrong with that?” I sat closer to him.

He shook his head and tightly closed his eyes “It was a last resort, Kit” I liked it when he called me Kit, like my Mother used to.

“But why?” I felt so dense not being able to tell what he was getting at.

“Because, he’s back” he said slowly shaking his head.

I didn’t even bother to ask who he was but I would take a mental note to remember to ask him later “When does, Anika get here?”

“She’s here” he sighed.

“Oh” I tried not to sound too startled “Where?”

“In her room” the sides of his lips started to turn up into a demonic smile.

Panic ran through me “What room Magnus?” I demanded.

He looked at me his grin still across his lips “Room three”

Room three, room three, room three where had I heard that before I was examining Magnus’s smile, it wasn’t really a funny smile it was more like a begging for pity smile, then it hit me and it hit me hard like a rock in the pants. My room. I didn’t even say another word before I was upstairs and at my door in seconds. Around my door Eric, Rayla and Michael had already gathered. Each of their faces expressed a look of sympathy and udder shock. Michael’s red hair was tangled and he was wearing an old yellow shirt and a pajama pants he had dark purple circles around his eyes and bright red cheeks. “She’s in there?” I asked meekly.

Eric nodded. “Why would Magnus do that, there are plenty of spare rooms” Rayla whispered to Michael and he whispered something back that didn’t really sound too reassuring. Eric slipped his hand into mine reassuringly. I raised my free hand and knocked on the door, no one answered. I was about to knock again when I realized that it was my room, I didn’t have to knock if I didn’t want to. I opened the door and everyone piled in and stood just inside the door staring like idiots. There was a bang in the silence because Michael had closed the door then the room drifted into silence again. She was beautiful. She was tiny and delicate with long beautifully gold hair with blond foils. Her face was thin and feminine, she had brown eyes that where specked golden and she had faint freckles that where to her complete favor across her cheeks and nose. I thought I heard Michael sigh. My eyes drifted down her skinny body, she was wearing a thin white summer dress it had spaghetti straps and small embroidered flowers around the trim of the bodice and the flowing skirt reached just to her thin knees. She was bare footed and her hair hung around her making her look like a Woodlyn fairy.

“I’m Anika” she stepped toward Rayla. Rayla stared at her, she was gaping. Her expression quickly changed to sassy and she flicked her hair and put her small hands on her hips, her long red nails dug into the soft fabric of her skinny jeans. Before this day we were all sure that we had never seen anything more beautiful than Rayla and today our minds changed.

“I’m Rayla” she slit her eyes and stared at her through her mask of makeup.

Anika smiled nervously and turned to Michael who nearly fainted when she moved. “Hello” she looked at him through her lashes, doing that look that girls often do for guys which made me wonder if anyone had ever actually not liked Michael besides me. “Hey” he nodded and shook her hand.

She walked delicately to Eric and I could feel his hand slip from mine in awe. He acted worse than Michael he was practically tipping over in his shoes. I threw him an irritated glance and he snapped out of it “Hey” he said before Anika could speak “You’re Anika, I know”

She looked taken aback and her arms rose slightly in surprise. She turned to me and I could feel everyone’s eyes on me, watching and waiting for my reaction. Up close she smelled sweet and her face was perfect and clear, her eyes searched my unaltered glare. “Look Anika, this is my room” I sighed preparing for her to say something stupid.

“I know Magnus-” She started talking but I decided to make a point by interrupting her “Why are you in here?”

“Because, Magnus told me to stay here until everything gets sorted out.” She smiled sweetly and cast a flirty glance to Michael.

“Well, I can assure you it won’t be for long” I fumbled with the bottom of my shirt. Eric shook slightly and I recognized it as laughing.

She opened her mouth to snap something back but instead she simply stepped backwards. “Well, I must be going” I said and stomped out of the room letting go of Eric’s hand. I wanted to go somewhere to be alone or to rest and hide out but there was nowhere to go. I had to resort to the weapons room and thanks to God Magnus was long gone and only the blade he was fumbling with was sitting on the bench still. I settled myself on a bench in the furthest corner of the room behind a row of spears and wire. I put my head in my hands trying to recall why Magnus would do this. I remembered the look in his eyes and how desperately he said ‘He is back’. Who was He? I had to find out or else my life and team would never be the same.

~K.C.