Guardian: Whisper

Author’s notes: This is the rewritten version of Days of Darkness, the first of the Guardian Saga stories.

Caitlin’s alarm jerked her awake, blue eyes blinking as she rolled over and hit the damnable device. It shut off without so much as a peep, and rightfully so… it wouldn’t be the first time she had thrown it against the wall. Caitlin sighed heavily, lifting a hand to her head as she sat up.

“What was that…” she murmured, focusing on the pale blue sheets, trying to still her mind. Her head was whirling…

Caitlin glanced at the clock again.

“Damn it…” The little red lights blinked 6:30 at her. “Why the hell am I up this early? Did I even set the damn thing?” She flopped back down, checking the clock again.

“Saturday…” she mumbled. “We’re all meeting at Anne’s tonight… I hope her brother doesn’t bring his damn friends, I don’t think I’m in a mood to handle Jason…” She pulled the covers over her head, figuring that the alarm must have been set last night out of habit and began to dose off once more… it wasn’t like she even needed to be awake…

“Wait… wait… who…” Caitlin’s eyes blinked open once more. She stared at the slightly chipped white celing, bringing herself back to reality.

“What…” She shook her head, pushing herself up. 10:45… much more reasonable an hour… especially on a Saturday.

“I must have been up too late,” she murmured to herself, shaking her head. “I haven’t had dreams that weird in a while.” Still, today would be a fairly normal day. She and a few of her friends (those that were in town), were dropping by Anne’s house for a girl’s night sleepover… something they hadn’t done in a while. The chance to act decidedly goofy with no one there to bother them all night was one she was definatly looking forward to.

Plus, even though Mark had threatened to, she doubted Anne’s older brother would actually harass them by inviting his own friends over for the night. Still, it was a decent threat. Some of his friends… particularly Jason… had a tendency to be dumb enough to get hurt… not on purpose…

“It’ll be fine,” Caitlin told herself. “Don’t get paranoid just cause of some dumb dream…”

It was dead quiet on the roads latter that day… too quiet… and if Caitlin didn’t know any better she would have thought that she was trapped in some wacky alternate dimension…

*Thank god for distractions…* was her first thought. *Or this would be way to creepy.*

“Are you sure you know where we’re going?” Anna asked her from the back seat. The blonde’s arms were crossed over her chest and she looked decidedly bored. In the passenger seat next to Caitlin, Abby rolled her eyes.

“We’re almost there,” she hissed back. Caitlin blinked at her.

“You alright?” she asked, her eyes focusing back on the strangely quiet road. Abby shrugged, not replying any more than that.

“This is your first time going to Anne’s new house right?” Anna asked her. Caitlin nodded, continuing to look forward.

“The directions aren’t hard… why are you so jumpy anyways?” Anna’s response was the same as Abby’s, to shrug and say nothing.

“This road is too quiet…” Abby spoke up.

“You sound like me,” Caitlin told her. “I’m supposed to be the paranoid one, not you.” A soft chuckle was Abby’s response.

“I just didn’t get much sleep last night,” she said finally, leaning her head back. The wind whipped through the open window, twisting the redhead’s hair before blowing back to rustle Anna’s short blonde locks.

“There’s the turn,” Anna pointed out. Caitlin cursed and slowed the car, spinning around the bend a little faster than she would have liked. Anna laughed. “You said the directions were easy,” she pointed out. Caitlin glared at her through the rearview mirror. A few lights on the dimly lit street blinked into view. Ahead, Anne’s house loomed tall and proud, a decently sized old Victorian home with a white wrap-around porch and a tall dark pine tree blocking part of the side from view. The sun was just starting to dip below the horizon, giving the house’s deep red paint shadows where most wouldn’t linger. It was a beautiful home… but…

Caitlin pulled into the driveway, hoping out and grabbing her overnight bag as her two friends followed suit (Abby’s bag being supernaturally tiny as usual). She locked the car door and tucked the keys into her bag, watching as Anna hopped up the steps in front of them, ringing the door-bell.

The house was fairly dark, Caitlin noticed, except for the dull porch-lights. Maybe Anne had forgotten to turn them on? It wouldn’t be the first time.

Anna tried the bell again…. and again… it wasn’t until the fifth ring with at least a few minutes waiting in between that Caitlin began to get slightly worried.

Anne had remembered they were coming… right?

A figure walked towards the door, indistinguishable because of the darkness and moving carefully, as if it were afraid of… something.

Mark pulled the door open, a look of surprising relief on his face.

“Abby, Anna, Caitlin…” his worried eyes visibly relaxed upon seeing them.

“What’s wrong?” Caitlin asked, confused by the expression in his eyes. Mark sighed, eyeing the three of them.

“Come on in,” he told them. “Heather and Liesl should be here soon too… I hope.” They walked in past him, Abby and Anna slightly put off but willing to wait a bit. Caitlin caught Mark’s arm as she entered, gazing into his eyes.

“Where’s Anne?” she asked him. Mark flinched. He glanced at the other two, who had moved themselves towards the living room.

“I don’t know,” he admitted as Caitlin stepped inside finally. He closed the door behind them, leaning against it. “The house was dark when I got home from work,” he explained. “I knew she was having you guys over tonight… she hasn’t come home yet.” Caitlin’s eyes narrowed, then she broke into a small comforting smile.

“She’ll be home soon… probably was planning something,” she told Mark. The man sighed, nodding.

“You’re probably right… usually she leaves a note. I’m just worried,” he explained. Caitlin nodded.

“We’ll scold her when she gets back for you, don’t worry.” She began moving towards the living room where Abby and Anna had gone, Mark following behind her. With Mark out of her line of vision, her smile dropped and her narrowed gaze returned. Something wasn’t right… Anne, while she could be late, wouldn’t have forgotten that they’d be here. Normally she’d be home, making sure her brother didn’t try to mess up her plans. Mark and Anne’s parents were out for the weekend, no worries there, but still… *Where are you Anne?*

The doorbell rang again and Mark went to grab the door as Caitlin sat down on the couch.

“Well?” Anna asked her.

“Anne’s not here,” was Caitlin’s answer. She could tell Abby was eyeing her with that ‘meaning what?’ look of hers. Caitlin frowned, glancing up at her quieter friend. “She wasn’t home when Mark got here, she hasn’t come home since.” Anna’s frown matched hers.

“She can’t have forgotten…”

“Forgotten what?” Liesl poked her head through the open doorframe. Caitlin grinned up at her. The only one of her friends smaller than she was, Liesl had shoulder length pale-brown hair and woodland eyes –green flecked with brown. Behind her, Heather, the tallest of the group, watched them with curious blue eyes.

“We’re speculating as to where Anne is?” Anna told them as the two moved into the room and took seats –Heather on the sofa chair’s footstool and Liesl on the couch arm. Mark also wandered into the room, settling himself on the floor by the couch and checking his watch.

“Joe and Jason are going to be here in a few minutes to pick me up,” he told them. “If Anne’s not back by then, you girls can still stay… just don’t get into too much trouble.” Heather rolled her eyes.

“We’re not twelve genius. And next time Joe suggests we are, he’s dead!” Mark grinned at her.

“Nineteen in two months right?” he asked with a smirk. Heather glared at him.

“Shut up…”

“You’re out of Highschool, what are you complaining about?” Anna asked her.

“Technically so are we…” Caitlin muttered. “And at least the rest of you are legal…” Liesl patted her head.

“Poor little Cat…” she told her with a conspiratorial wink. “Only a month left right?” Caitlin smiled back.

The doorbell rang for the third time that evening.

“Must be Joe…” Mark mumbled as he made for the door… no rest for the weary here (or should we say worried…). The five girls could hear voices in the hall. There was a sound of surprise as the three men –Mark, Joe, and Joe’s twin brother Jason- walked back into the room.

“I thought you were picking Rhodry and Kevin up,” Mark told Joe, a note of confusion in his voice. The dark-haired man frowned, blue-green eyes creasing.

“He said they’d meet us here. Something came up,” he explained.

“The streets were weird tonight, weren’t they,” Jason noted, glancing at his brother. Caitlin looked up, surprised.

“You noticed too?” she asked. Jason blinked and nodded.

“Yeah… usually that road’s fairly busy. There was no one on it tonight, and the sun just went down.”

“There was no one on our way here either,” Caitlin told him, watching the brunette man. “It’s my first time on that road, but it seemed strange to me too.”

“Maybe they were abducted?” Heather suggested with a laugh. Jason glared at her while Caitlin just rolled her eyes.

“Don’t tell me-“

The door… again… Mark rose, this time frowning in confusion. Caitlin was about to shrug it off as well… then she heard Mark’s shout from the door. The small blue-eyed girl bounced off the couch, darting for the door before anyone had a chance to react. She gasped at what she saw there.

She recognized the two men in the doorway. Both were friends of Mark: Kevin, a good friend of the twins, was also Liesl’s older brother. The smallest of Mark’s friends, he at one point had a bit of a reputation for being picked on in Highschool. He was a kind-hearted man, almost always smiling and willing to listen. Even Caitlin would admit she had a crush on him at one point…

The second man was taller, and darker, his hair strait back and long, tied back in a ponytail to his mid-back. Mark had met him in college the year before and they had only been introduced once. Still, Rhodry was an interesting guy, usually quiet but with a witty sense of humor. It was what he held in his arms that shocked Caitlin the most.

“Anne…” Her voice was almost a whisper. She rushed over to them, checking her friend for breath and pulse. There was a pulse… it was so faint… it felt…

Something clutched at her chest.

“Caitlin?” Mark looked worried, more than he had been before.

“I’m alright. Let’s get her in the living room,” Caitlin stated, brushing off his concern. *I’m not the one half-dead!* Anne’s hand dropped from Rhodry’s grasp as the three guys moved into the house. Caitlin froze as something clattered to the ground. She knelt… ignored by the other three as they concerned themselves with getting Anne somewhere safe.

Her had reached down… brushing something… something hard…

Then the hallway around her dissolved, only for a split second. A white feather fell into her palm… she could see someone’s hand reach for her.

The vision broke and she found her hand clutched around a small white crystal that glowed with a steady silver light.

“Caitlin?” Caitlin was shocked to find Kevin kneeling beside her. She smiled at him, closing her fist around the crystal.

“I’m fine, Kevin,” she told him, before getting up and moving towards the living room. Kevin stared after her, his expression neutral. He knelt to the floor, touching the spot where she had been.

Kevin’s eyes widened. He stood sharply, surprise covering his features. *That vision…* Kevin covered his hear with his hand, trying his best to calm his nerves. *Something’s about to happen…* He gazed at the living room doorway, listening to the concerned, shocked noises coming from within as Rhodry carried Anne within.

“They’re right in the middle of it…”

The shock over Anne’s appearance died down a bit once the dark eyed woman had woken up and explained a bit of what happened.

“I walked down to the street towards the co-op,” she told them. “Thought some food might be good for the night.” Anna nodded at that. Anne just glared at her playfully. “I must have hit my head. Next thing I knew I was here.” Rhodry frowned at her.

“You don’t have a concussion…” he muttered. “Still… you should stay as still as possible for awhile. You’re extremely pale.” Caitlin looked up from where she was absently playing with the crystal she had found. She had been listening, but only half… *Pale?* she thought. *If Anne’s pale what do they call me?*

Then she got a good look at her older friend. Anne was indeed very pale, much paler than normal, and her eyes looked… bloodshot and tired… very tired.

“Maybe we should let you rest tonight,” she suggested, her eyes creasing in worry. Anne shook her head.

“I’m fine,” she assured the girl. Caitlin frowned.

“Are you sure?” she asked. Anne only nodded, sitting up with a grin as false as a light bulb at night. She was lying… Caitlin knew it, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it.

In the corner of the room, watching the rest carefully, Kevin was lost in his own thoughts… in the vision he had had minutes before and the many that had preceded it.

It was no secret, at least to the guys. Kevin was a psychic, and a powerful one. Being his sister, Liesl most likely knew as well, though he had never told her himself. And really, he was wishing he had never been born with that power.

What he had seen, today and within the past week… no… past month. Something was coming, something that would involve those close to him. It hadn’t been until today though, that one of the figures that so often surrounded him in his visions had showed its face. Kevin’s eyes rested on Caitlin, the youngest of his sister’s friends.

It had been her… the angel in white. She had smiled at him, back from that strange being that she had become. A figure in white, loose robes wrapped around her and huge white wings protruding from her back. If Caitlin was the white figure… then the others…

Only the two shadow figures behind Caitlin and the black being, as well as the fifth of the four surrounding them had been completely obscured. Was it because they were yet to exist?

If Caitlin was one… then could the other five be…

Contrary to her earlier statement, Anne fell asleep fairly early. And anything before midnight was unusually early for her. The half-moon had risen only a few hours before, but Caitlin continued to stare out at it, unsure of what was keeping her awake. It was rare, nights where she couldn’t sleep… and she hated them.

Something was keeping her awake… some sense of… something. She winced, pressing her palm over her eye. Her head was pounding…

“Are you alright?”

Rhodry… she had forgotten that Mark’s friends had stayed over, just incase some other weird incident happened. Of course, nothing had happened, but…

“I’m fine,” Caitlin told him, taking her hand away from her head quickly… too quickly really… Rhodry sat down on the bench next to her, his supernaturally clear blue eyes fixed on hers.

“I would have thought you’d be asleep by now. From what I’ve heard, you’re not nocturnal like Anne is…” Caitlin smiled wryly at him.

“I can’t sleep,” she admitted. “Too tense… I hate it when this happens.” Rhodry moved closer to her, pressing a hand to her head. Caitlin jumped a bit.

“Headache?” he asked. *Is his hand glowing?* was Caitlin’s thought. She didn’t really care… it was warm… the ache in her head was receding… warm…

She shook her head and stared at him.

“What did you…”

“They didn’t tell you about me did they?” Rhodry responded, looking somewhere between amused and a little hurt.

“I didn’t mean…”

“I can heal.” Now Caitlin was really staring at him.

“You mean… like in fairy tales?” she asked him pointedly. Rhodry was beginning to get a little unnerved by her stare. He sighed.

“Yes… I guess you could say that…” he answered.

“Damn…” Caitlin muttered under her breath. She chuckled. “I’ve always wanted fairy tale powers…”

“It’s more trouble than it’s worth.” Caitlin looked up at Rhodry and the blue-eyed man shrugged. He lifted his hand, staring at his open palm. “I’m different than normal people… it’s not something I can tell just anyone. I thought Anne had told you so…”

“Anne knows?” Caitlin asked him. Rhodry nodded.

“Yeah… Mark told her…” Half ignoring Rhodry’s answer, Caitlin lifted his palm, inspecting it herself.

“Still, it’s got to be useful,” she told him. Rhodry stared at her. *I thought she’d be more… * Caitlin smiled at him.

“It’s not a bad thing to be different,” she told him. “You’re unique, like no one else in the world. You can’t be replaced…” Rhodry’s stare turned into a frown.

“No one can be replaced.”

Anne’s eyes snapped open, glowing a deep blood-red.

*You could help us…* She winced… a voice… in her head… that was what had woken her… that strange voice…

*With you, we could rule the night…*

“Who are you?”

*You could save us…*

“What do you…”

*You… dark one…*

“I’m not…” Anne sat up, shaking her head violently.

*Come with us…*

“No…”

*Leave these weak mortals…*

“No…”

*Come…*

“I can’t!” Anne muffled her scream with her hands. Her head was suddenly clear… nothing… “What was…” Anne sighed and stood, taking in the dark room around her. Heather was camped out on the floor, sleeping quite comfortably on the thick carpet. Near her, on the sofa chair, Liesl had curled herself into a small ball.

The dark around her was astoundingly clear…

Anne clutched her head. “I need some air,” she muttered. She began to walk towards the door, opening it a crack and slipping into the kitchen.

“Anne?” It was Caitlin, sitting on the bench near the window, her eyes wide with surprise. Next to her, her brother’s friend Rhodry was also gazing at her intently. Caitlin jumped up from her spot, wavering slightly (honestly Anne was shocked the younger girl was awake). “Are you alright?” she asked.

Anne nodded, making towards the door. She needed to get out… get away… something… she felt like if she stayed she’d…

“Anne… your eyes…” She stopped dead and turned to Caitlin… then stared into the mirror behind her.

Her eyes… they were *glowing*

“What…” Anne reached a hand up to her face.

“Anne…”

“Get away from me!” Caitlin stopped in her tracks… then moved forward.

“Anne,” her voice was stronger. Anne stumbled back, shielding her eyes with a hand.

“Get away…” Caitlin continued to move forward. Anne could feel the wood of the door pressing against her back as she slid to her knees. “Get…”

Suddenly she felt weak… and dry… something clawed at her throat. Caitlin kneeled down next to her, touching her arm. Anne batted the girl’s hand away, only to find Rhodry kneeling on her other side.

“Is this what happened?” the healer asked her. Anne stared at him as he brushed her hair back over her shoulder, revealing a pair of barely visible puncture wounds just above her jugular.

“Impossible…” Caitlin was far beyond shocked. Healers she could handle… but this.

“Not impossible,” Rhodry told her. “If my kind exist, so do hers.”

“Anne…” Anne looked down, unable to face either of them. The clawing at her throat was getting stronger. She needed… she stared at Caitlin’s hand, resting on her arm… she could *feel* the blood pulsing beneath the skin… Anne bit her lip.

“What I want to know… is why your heart is still beating.” Both Anne and Caitlin stared at Rhodry in shock.

“My… heart?” Anne asked him. Rhodry nodded.

“I checked for a pulse when I found you… you’re not dead… just…”

“Is that possible?” Anne asked. Caitlin frowned.

“It’s a legend… but if vampires exist then I guess…”

“What?” Anne asked her, curiosity temporarily overriding her hunger.

“Supposedly it only happens when a vampire fails to complete a change in it’s chosen progeny. Sometimes… if the victim is strong enough, they become trapped in between the change, a living vampire. They’re supposed to be similar to half-breeds, able to stand daylight, need less blood then a true neonate vampire would. It usually only happens when the victim is a possessor of extreme magical power. That power can support the person’s body through the half-change until the blood settles again and the new ‘living’ awakens.” Caitlin fell quiet after that explanation.

“Where did you hear of that?” Anne asked her. Caitlin shrugged.

“Don’t really remember,” she told them. “Probably in some random book.”

“That solves that problem then,” Rhodry murmured. “But still… as a living… she still needs blood doesn’t she?” he asked. Caitlin nodded in reply.

“Apparently living vampires can go longer without blood then true vampires, but they still need it…” Caitlin stopped. “And Anne must have been only just turned…” Rhodry rolled up his sleeve without much of a thought, holding it out.

“Rhodry…”

“Do you know what you’re doing?” Anne asked him, staring pointedly at him. Rhodry smiled wryly.

“I’m the one you’re least likely to hurt here,” he explained. “Vampire venom doesn’t affect me.” Anne eyed him again. She could feel that burning growing stronger as her eyes drifted, latching onto his arm. She could feel the blood, just as she had with Caitlin… “It’s alright…”

Rhodry winced as Anne bit into his wrist. Caitlin just stared at him… attempting to ignore Anne… this was a lot of information to process at one time… now she was certain she would be getting no sleep tonight.

“You sure about this?” she asked him. Rhodry nodded, relaxing slightly as Anne continued her feeding.

“I’ll be fine…” he winced again, this time as Anne pushed at his arm. It felt like she was both trying to push him away and dig her fangs in deeper all at once. Green light flared and Anne jumped back, the glow of her eyes dimming slightly. She sighed, leaning back against the door, attempting not to watch as the twin marks on Rhodry’s wrist began to seal over until there wasn’t even a scratch left.

“Sorry,” she told him. “I… I couldn’t stop…” Again, Rhodry shrugged. His eyes were dimmer… tired… even with his abilities, loosing blood like that was difficult.

“At least I know I can stop you now…” he replied. Anne stared at him.

“You didn’t know…” Rhodry could feel Caitlin glaring at him as well.

“It’s alright.” He stood, shaking slightly as he braced himself against a nearby chair. “You should both get to sleep…” He promptly collapsed, narrowly missing hitting his head on the chair. Caitlin sighed heavily.

“Men…” she muttered. Anne grinned at her, smiling as she got to her feet.

“He’s probably right. You at least should get some sleep. I don’t want to deal with you tomorrow if you end up staying up much longer.” Caitlin glared at her.

“I’m not…”

“Sleep…” Anne’s eyes glowed once more, entrancing her… Caitlin slumped, asleep.

“Good thing she was sitting…” Anne murmured. She lifted Caitlin first, settling her on the couch in the next room. *Maybe I can get used to this…* she thought as she returned for Rhodry. *If I have help… maybe…*

She reached into her pocket and opened her palm…

…a black crystal, glowing with violet-black inner fire stared back at her…

Author’s note: Revamping going well. ^_^ (pun intended) This version will undoubtedly be longer than the first (thank god!!!) and hopefully will make a bit more sense. Until next time. *bows and disappears in a cloud of sakura petals*