Prologue

 

The girl stood in the room, looking around wearing a look that resembled amusement.  The body lying on the bed in front of her, bathed in blood, did not even faze her as she made her way towards the closet.  When she reached it, her mood quickly changed and she scowled.  Her clothing that had once been hanging was on the floor, stained with the very same substance that covered the man on her bed.  On the floor in the middle of all the clothing she saw the blade gleaming in the light with a single, thin stream of blood running down its edge.

Rolling her eyes, she reached down and picked it up with two fingers, holding it as if it were some disgusting thing that she didn’t want to be near.  She shook her head and tossed it aside.  Amateurs, she thought, almost smiling.  Whoever had done this was extremely stupid, attempting to frame her for it.  She knew the police would show up soon, having been through this stunt several times.  The fact that her prints were on the knife didn’t bother her, they wouldn’t be able to match it or even find the slightest bit of evidence that she had ever existed.  She had no identity.  She was a ghost, moving around to wherever she felt like going and staying in the shadows, watching people live their pathetic, happy little lives.  A kind of life that she had once had, but was gone forever.

Glancing back down at the floor, her eyes caught something else.  A photograph of…Him.  She jumped back, startled to feel tears prickling her eyes.  Her breath was coming short, her pulse racing.  Only one man had ever made her feel that way, and his picture lay on the floor in front of her.  She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and stepped forward.  She slowly knelt beside the picture, reaching out to it.  She picked it up as if it were the most valuable treasure in the world, running her finger slowly across the man in it.  His deep, dark eyes stared up at her with that glimmer as if he knew something that no one else did, something bigger than everyone.  He looked almost sad in the picture, though.  He seemed to know something was coming…she sighed and blinked back the tears.  She hadn’t cried in a long time, and she wasn’t about to right now.  Just because of a picture…

She couldn’t tare her eyes off of the picture.  His shaved head had just stubble on it, almost as much as his face which looked as though he hadn’t shaved in a few days…in fact; the picture looked as though it had been taken just before it had happened.  She had only seen that vulnerable look once on his face, and that had been as he had died.  Her heart clenched, feeling his eyes on her.  His dark, gorgeous eyes, the ones that had sparkled when she made him smile, the ones that had shone with so much love at one time…and so much betrayal…she missed him like hell.  But she would never see him again; she knew that there was no chance of it.  And she was doomed to live forever without him; he had made sure of that.  

Vampires don’t come back, the voice still echoed in her head, even after all these years.  Her one and only soul mate, gone forever, and she had to go on forever without him.  She knew he would never leave her heart.

Obviously, someone else had known that as well, leaving the picture there for her to find.  Whoever had done this was perhaps not an amateur as she had thought before.  They knew her, and her one and only weakness, though it was no longer there to be a weakness.  But it was meant to get to her, and though she would never admit it, it had.  They had known that she would freeze and that she would remember; the one thing she didn’t want to know.

Who would do this?  Who would make her remember these painful things, the one who had changed her so much?  Why did they do this?  She didn’t want to remember.  It was hard enough to live every day with the guilt and the pain, the hole in her heart where he had been.  People had always said that the heart healed, but she knew hers would not.  The heart could heal for regular relationships, but what they had was much more than just a relationship.  It was bigger than that.  For a brief moment in her everlasting life, she had been complete, happy, and untouchable.  They had touched the stars, above and beyond everyone and everything deemed possible in this world, something more beautiful that most would experience in ten lifetimes.   For that moment, there was nothing better in the universe that could even come close to what they had.  But that was gone now.  Forever.  And she was alone.  Forever.  Because of one man…

The very same man who was standing in the doorway that very second.   She could tell he was there before she even turned around.  She had felt him there, but she was surprised she hadn’t felt him sooner.  She had been so wrapped up in the picture.

“Kalika,” he said, his voice echoing in the room.  Vampires don’t come back, his words popped into her heard again, what he had said after she had lost her soul mate.

“I told you never to contact me,” she replied after a long silence.  

“Kalika, please-“

“No!” she said, vehemently.  All of the tears, the emotions, everything, had disappeared as soon as he had entered her mind.  He had done this to remind her, to get her attention.

“We need your help,” he stated, calmly.

“I did my part already.  I no longer owe you anything,” her tone was deadly.  “I figured you would get the message, Fiske.”

She knew that he was nodding grimly in the reference to the head of his assistant that she had sent to him.

“I told you that if you sent anyone after me I would kill them,” she never took her eyes off the picture in her hands.  “I want no part in your schemes.”

“My schemes, as you so kindly put it, save the world from total destruction,” he replied to her.

“Let it be destroyed,” she mumbled.

“Kalika, I’m sorry,” he said, trying to appeal to her.  “I’m so sorry that it went the way it did.  It wasn’t supposed to be that way.”

“Oh?  And what way would you have it be?” she made herself sound amused, even though she felt like crying for the first time in centuries.

“You know what I meant,” he sat down in the chair next to the door.  “We’ve done everything that we can without coming to you, Kalika.  But we need your help again.”

“No.”

“Won’t you even hear what I have to ask?”

“The answer is no.  I will not help you,” she said with so much contempt that he was obviously surprised.

“Look, we’ve all made sacrifices-“ as soon as the word was out of his mouth, he knew he had made a mistake.

“Sacrifices?” she burst out, jumping up and whirling around.  Her stormy gray eyes were filled with so much hatred; he stood up and took a step toward the door.  “You know nothing of sacrifices,” she continued.  “You lost nothing.  I lost everything.  My family…my friends…my soul mate…”

He winced at her words.  “I lost your trust,” he said, quietly, his eyes full of pain and regret.  “I lost you.”

She laughed haughtily, shaking her head.  “Do you truly think that you can appeal to me that way anymore?”  Her face was cold, her eyes glittering dangerously.  “I am no longer the pathetic little romantic I was before, Fiske.  I do not care about your pitiful little game anymore.  Let everything be destroyed,” she paused a little bit of pain slipping into her voice, “at least then I wouldn’t have to live anymore.”

Her experience, her tiredness, her pain showed for one brief second.  Then, it was gone.  The beautiful, honest, sweet girl she had once been had disappeared, replaced by an angry, lonely, uncaring girl.  She was just as beautiful as ever, but it was a dark beauty, one that was mysterious and exotic, but one that everyone feared to deal with.  She was lost.

“Kalika, I know we have asked much of you.  I know that it was unfair.  But we truly need your help.  We need you…I need you.  Please…”

“Why should I care what you need?  You didn’t care one bit about what I needed!  You made me what I am, Fiske.  If you hadn’t forced me to…” she sighed angrily.  “He would still be here and, god forbid, I would be happy.  But you couldn’t let that happen.  You had to take that away from me.”

“Please Kalika, help us.  Remember.”

“No, I will not help you, nor will I remember.  I don’t want to remember.”

“Remember,” he said, with more emphasis, causing the painful memories leaked back into her mind, memories that she thought she had destroyed long ago…back to the beginning…

 

 

 

 

 

Part One

 

 

 “Do NOT blame me for the fact that you spend more money than we make…”

Kalika Lilith groaned softly, slowly rolling over in her bed.  Aw, shit, she thought.  Here we go again…  She rolled her eyes and pulled the pillow over her head, attempting to ignore the screams that were echoing through the house.  Can they never get along? She thought.  Sighing, she knew it was pointless to try for any more sleep.  Once her parents started fighting, there was no stopping them.

Rolling off her bed, she pulled herself to her feet and yanked her jeans on.  She fumbled for the remote to her C.D. player, grumbling to herself as she kicked it across her room.  The arguing was really starting to get to her, and finally she just ran over to the remote and turned the music on as loud as she could get it.  It was a major relief to her, droning out the angry screams from downstairs. Nothing stopped them; they could find anything to argue about whether it was money, the family, or even something as small as a glass of spilt milk.  At seventeen years old, Kalika had already decided that there was no such thing as love and that she was destined to be in a marriage like that of her parents…if she ever got married.  The only reason she stuck around was for her siblings.  Her twin sister, Kayleigh, didn’t want to leave, and there was no way she could haul her three little brothers with her wherever she went.

She ran her hand through her shoulder length bluish black hair, growling.  Even with her music so loud, she could still hear them fighting.

Suddenly, the music was off.  “Kalika Baiame, what did I tell you about that racket?” her mother’s voice came from behind her.

“Sorry,” she muttered, not turning around.  She ran her hand through her long, curly black hair and sighed.  She didn’t want to see the bruises she knew were forming on her mother’s face.

“Don’t take that tone young lady,” her step-father shouted.  Kalika jumped as he grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him.  His breath reeked of alcohol, not unusual for him.

Kalika stared defiantly up at him, forcing herself to hide her fear under her icy cold exterior.  She knew her blue eyes were turning a stormy grey by his reaction.

“Sorry, Billy,” she muttered with contempt, knowing full well that he hated being called that.

His fist connected with her jaw, throwing her to the ground.  Before he could continue, the doorbell rang.  Bill stalked off, stumbling through the door.

Kalika stayed still as she heard his heavy footsteps echo down the hallway.  As they quickly faded, her mother dropped to her side.

“Kali-“

“Don’t bother,” Kalika interrupted, yanking her arm out of her mother’s reach.  Her mother wouldn’t help her if it came down to it.  Her mother would just sit back and relax if her step father went after Kalika.  She stood up and wiped the blood off of her mouth.

“Kalika, your father really does care about you,” her mother said.

“He ain’t my fucking father!” Kalika shot back.  “And he sure as hell don’t give two shits about me.”  She knew that wasn’t exactly true, but she was pissed and if he could get away with hitting her when he was drunk, she could pull off being bitchy when she was pissed.

Her mother sighed and walked out of the room, saying “Maybe you can talk some sense into her…”

“Kalika?” a soft voice came from the doorway.  It could barely be heard over the loud music blaring from above her head.

            Kalika turned the music down a bit, allowing the sound of the newest argument to come in.  She turned and looked at Kayleigh and asked, “Yeah, wha’d’ya need?”

“What time do you go to work?” Kayleigh asked.

“Work?” Kalika asked, confused, her stormy gray eyes meeting Kayleigh’s own clear blue ones.  Kayleigh and Kalika were twins, but no one could tell from their looks.  Kayleigh was the complete opposite of Kalika with white-blonde hair.  They were as different as night and day, Kayleigh being quiet and nice, while Kalika was outgoing and sarcastic.

“Yeah…work…remember, the diner?” Kayleigh rolled her eyes.

“Oh yeah…I quit that job 2 weeks ago,” Kalika said, nonchalantly.

“What?  Then where have you been going all this time?”

“Out,” she replied, darkly.

“You’re leaving now?” Kayleigh said, incredulously.  “But what about the family dinner?”

“As opposed to sitting here and listening to them fight again?  I’d rather stick rusty nails in my eyes,” Kalika replied impassively.  She glanced at her sister, shaking her head.

“Kalika,” Kayleigh pleaded.

“Look, you can come with me if you want, but I ain’t staying here,” Kalika growled.

Kayleigh looked uncomfortable.  Even with the constant fighting, Kayleigh would never leave the family like Kalika did.  Kalika would leave for days at a time, disappearing into the night then reappearing a few days later on the doorstep, usually escorted by the police for something or another that she’d gotten caught doing.  It drove their parents nuts, but it got her away from everything.

“Whatever, Kayleigh,” Kalika rolled her eyes.  Once a daddy’s girl, always a daddy’s girl, she thought to herself.  She had never once tried like Kayleigh did to be perfect and lead the perfect life.  She wasn’t going to force herself to be something she wasn’t for her parent’s sake.  They’d never tried to stop fighting for the twins, so she figured she didn’t have to give them anything.

“Kalika, please don’t leave…” Kayleigh pleaded.  “I have a really bad feeling this time…”

“Look, Bill’s going crazy, Kayleigh,” Kalika exploded.  “He’s always drinking…hey you hear that?  Nothing.  They’ve stopped fighting, which means he’s drinking.  You know what that means, Kayleigh?  Mom’s gonna start on him again, and one of these days, he’s gonna lose it…he’s drunk, and he won’t stop one of these times.  I dunno about you, but I do not want to be around when he goes psycho on her ass!”  With that, Kalika stormed to the window, glancing over her shoulder as she climbed out.  Sighing, she paused halfway through.  “You coming or not?”

Kayleigh glanced in the direction of the silence, and then nodded.

“Fine,” Kalika said.  “Meet me outside in five minutes.”  The sorrowful look on Kayleigh’s face disappeared as Kalika easily climbed down from the tree right next to her window.  Her mom had always loved that tree, so she refused to let their step father cut it down, even thought they both knew that was how Kalika would sneak out of the house.  It was one of the few topics of their arguments.

“Kalika,” Kayleigh whispered from the side of the house.  Kalika nodded to her and lead the way out to the street, never even glancing back.  They walked until they reached a pay phone, where Kalika planned on calling someone to pick them up.

“’Lo?” a groggy voice answered after the tenth ring.

“Hey, it’s me,” Kalika replied, keeping her voice steady and unemotional.

There was silence on the other end of the line, then, “You need a ride?”

Kalika let out a sigh of relief, “Yeah.”

“Meet me at the warehouse,” the guy said.

“Okay,” she said.  “And Rafe?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks,” she whispered.

“No problem, kid,” Rafe answered.  Kalika considered Rafe to be one of her closest friends.  He had picked her up off the streets ten years earlier when she had run away for one of the first times, keeping her safe whenever she needed to get away from her parents.  He was the only one besides Kayleigh who understood her situation.  His parents had been just as bad as hers, and one night his father had gotten drunk and killed Rafe’s mother, then himself.  Rafe had only been ten years old at the time, and he had seen the whole thing.  Kalika figured that was why he took her in and always took care of her.  He rarely actually talked with anyone besides Kalika.  There were several other people living with him, but he just didn’t talk to them the way he would with her.  It was weird, though, considering that, while they shared similar memories of their childhoods, he was much older than her.  Not that he looked it.  He looked as though he was about 22 years old, but in truth, as Kalika figured he had to be older.  He just had this look in his eyes, as though he had experienced more than was possible in a single lifetime.

At the warehouse, Kalika and Kayleigh leaned against the wall, shivering.  It was the middle of winter, and Kalika hadn’t grabbed her jacket.

“Kalika-“

“No, Kayleigh,” Kalika interrupted her.  She knew Kayleigh was going to offer her a jacket, but Kalika wouldn’t let her sister freeze.

“Damn pride,” she heard Kayleigh mutter.

“There’s Rafe,” Kalika said before Kayleigh could chastise her.  The old car pulled up beside them, and Rafe jumped out, looking pissed off.

“Sorry I woke you up,” Kalika said.

“I don’t give a shit about that,” Rafe growled.  “What the hell are you doing out here without a fucking jacket?”  His hand brushed against her sleeveless shirt.

“’Cuz I wasn’t thinking,” Kalika looked away from his dark brown eyes.

“Damn, kid,” he muttered in the same tone Kayleigh had earlier.  He pulled a sweatshirt from the backseat and pushed it at her, then gestured to the car.  He glanced to his left, finally noticing Kayleigh, and nodded in her direction.

“Whose sweatshirt is this?” Kalika asked.  She had never seen it before, but it was comfortable and smelled very nice.

“It’s…it belongs to a friend of mine who’s visiting from out of town,” Rafe replied, never looking at her.  She could tell that something was up by the way he was acting, but she didn’t push it.

The three of them climbed into Rafe’s car, and Rafe immediately put the heat on high for Kalika.  He looked at Kalika, and gently pulled her to him in one of his bear hugs.  He always knew when she needed one.

“Things getting’ bad again?” he whispered into her ear.

“Yeah,” she replied, burying her face in the curve between his neck and his shoulder.

“Must’ve been pretty bad if you brought her,” he whispered back.  He knew that Kalika wouldn’t have brought Kayleigh, nor would Kayleigh have come, if it weren’t bad.

“He was getting drunk when we left.  I didn’t want to stick around for him to come after me again when he got done with Mom,” Kalika shrugged.  She felt Rafe tense up.  She had finally just recently told him that he father often beat her when he got drunk, which had pissed him off.

Rafe froze when she said that.  “Again?” he asked.  His voice was cold.

Kalika nodded, refusing to look up at him.  He tilted her face up, scowling when he saw the dried blood on her lip.

Kalika pulled back so he could drive; she wanted to get as far away from her parents as possible.  “Let’s just go…”

“Where you wanna go?” Rafe asked, knowing full well she didn’t want to go to his place.  He didn’t really seem to want to either.  There were too many memories there, between the two of them.  Memories from when they had been together, a time when Kalika had been slightly happy.  He had convinced her to stay there as much as he possibly could, to keep her out of her house.  That had only lasted a few months though, until she had walked in one night to find him in bed, drunk, with another girl.  It had completely broken her heart, not that anyone knew that.  Even Kayleigh didn’t know, though Kalika knew she suspected that it had happened.  Rafe had chased Kalika for months, trying to get her to forgive him and to give him a second chance.  Kalika didn’t believe in second chances.  She agreed to be friends with him, though, nothing more.  It was hard enough to stay like that at first.  She had wanted to hold him as they had once, kiss him, and touch him.  She never let herself though, and finally got over it.  Both of them had finally moved on.

“I don’t care,” she replied, trying not to think about what had been.  “Anywhere but here.”

Rafe grinned, almost sadly as if he had been remembering too, and started driving.  None of them knew where they were going, just that they didn’t want to go home.

They drove in silence for a few minutes until Rafe finally said, “Kali, do you want me to get you out of this?”

Kalika knew he could get her out of it, and he would take her away to somewhere she could be safe and free of this nightmare.  The bastard would never be able to touch her again…then thoughts of her mother and family came to her.  She knew her little brothers, Krishna, Korbin, and Ket, would follow her anywhere.  Bill went after Ket, who had just turned fifteen, the oldest of the three boys, too, when he wasn’t acting the way Bill felt he should or if he ever stood up for Kalika.  Korbin and Krishna were both too young to understand.  Korbin was ten and Krishna was eight, and both just saw that Bill was an angry person and hid when he flipped out.  Kayleigh, though, wouldn’t leave.  Eventually, Bill would turn on Kayleigh, whom he adored, since Kalika wasn’t there to take it.  Kalika couldn’t leave her twin behind, especially if it meant letting her get hurt.

“I can’t…” she whispered, staring straight ahead.  A part of her wanted to cry, the broken heart that wanted to leave so much, to be free of the pain and the hell that she lived in.  She refused to though.  She never cried, ever, especially not in front of other people.  At that moment, though, her heart tore.  Rafe was promising her a life of happiness, a life where she wouldn’t have to be afraid or sad.  Something I’ll never have… she thought.  Her eyes welled up with tears for a split second, but she blinked them away quickly, knowing that it wasn’t worth it.

“Kali…” Rafe began to plead.  His voice was full of concern.

“No,” she stated, her tone rough.  She would never allow Rafe to beg.  He was better than that.

Rafe sighed, running his hand over his blond spikes, continuing to drive.  Kalika looked over at him, wishing she didn’t hurt him like she did.  His face held its emotionless state, as it always did, but his green eyes, while staring ahead, were sad.  She knew he hated that he couldn’t protect her from this.  He been able to protect her from everything bad since she had met him years ago, but this was one thing he was unable to stop.

 “Thanks, Rafe,” Kalika said, truly meaning it.  Then, in a softer tone, she said, “Thanks for everything.”

Rafe looked at her sadly, nodding slowly.  “No prob, kiddo,” he replied.  He held her eyes for a moment, as if trying to get her to completely forgive him.  He knew as well as she did that she had never forgave him, and though she still completely trusted him with everything else, a part of her still hurt from that night.  He would never know just how much, though, she vowed silently, tearing her eyes from his as they hardened.  She didn’t like that he was able to catch how she felt sometimes.

“We’d better be getting back,” Kayleigh said quietly.  “It’s getting late.”

Kalika nodded in agreement, and Rafe turned the car in the direction of their house, unhappily.  “I don’t like that I’m sending you back there.”

“You’re not,” Kalika said, her voice hard.  “I’m going back by my own choice.”

“You wouldn’t go any other way,” he sighed.  “You’re too damn stubborn.”

“And don’t you forget it,” she replied, cockily.

They rode in silence as they got closer to the house.  Rafe didn’t want to her to go, but she couldn’t stay.  Both of them knew that.  Krishna would be home from his friend’s house soon, and Kalika didn’t want him to be there with Bill alone. 

Rafe pulled the car up in front of the house, his mood somber.  As Kalika opened the door and started stepping out of the car, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back in.  “I’m sorry, Kali,” he whispered, pulling her close to him.  She knew it was the first and probably the last time he had apologized to someone.  Rafe was never that way.

She looked up at him, her eyes revealing very little of the huge amount of emotion that she felt.  “It’s too late,” she said, sadly.  “We can’t go back, Rafe.”

“I know…” he looked straight into her eyes.  “But at least know that I am sorry for what I did.  I know I can never have you back, but at least I can let you know that.  I’ll never stop caring for you, my little Kali.  You’re my best friend, and I never want to lose that.  Come over tomorrow for dinner or something.”

“God knows you and your friends need a decent meal,” she said, smiling.  She had never seen them eat at all, and their fridge was filled with just junk food.

“Then come by and visit.  Everyone misses you,” he replied.

Kalika nodded, pulling away from him.  She half smiled at him, then climbed out of the car, slamming the door behind her.  She walked up to the house with Kayleigh, not looking back once.

“Kali!!!” Krishna screamed from behind her as he ran up the driveway, followed closely by Ket and Korbin.  He leapt into her arms as she spun around to meet him.

“Hey kiddo,” she said, as he gripped her tightly.  “How was your day?”

“Good!  You should’a seen what I made in art…” Kalika watched as Rafe stared at them through the window of his car, as Krishna talked about his art project.  Rafe watched them for a few moments, and then slowly drove away.  She smiled down at her little brother as he went on about school.

“Come on,” Kalika said as he finished.  “Let’s go get dinner.”

The boys nodded and they all of them walked in the front door.  Kalika shut it behind them as silently as she could, not wanting to wake their father, who was passed out on the couch.  She wanted to get as far on making dinner as she could before he woke up.  If she didn’t, he’d probably start in on her again, and her jaw was still throbbing from their earlier encounter. 

“Go get started on your homework,” she whispered as the boys took off their coats and shoes.  “And don’t leave a mess.”

Korbin and Krishna nodded and ran upstairs while Ket paused at the doorway.  “He got you again, didn’t he?” he asked.

Kalika nodded, gently touching her jaw.  She could tell a nasty looking bruise was starting to form there, meaning she would have to come up with yet another excuse when her teachers noticed at school.

Ket looked at the floor, worriedly.  “Kali-“

“Go get your homework done, Ket,” she interrupted.  “Don’t let the boys come down until I call you guys and stay away from Bill.  He’s been drinking…”  She trailed off, letting her eyes wander to where Bill was passed out on the couch.  “God knows where Mom is, so just keep them quiet, okay?”

Ket sighed and nodded, then quickly disappeared.  Kalika hated that they had to go through this.  Three more months until I’m eighteen, she thought, hope building inside of her.  Then I’ll get them out of here, and they’ll never have to worry about him again.  She just hoped that she made it through the next few months.  She was the backbone of the family, and Bill knew it.  None of them would have made it that far without her, and he knew that Kayleigh wasn’t strong enough to make it out in the real world on her own.  If only Bill would sober up, then her mother would too and Kalika wouldn’t have to do all the work she shouldn’t have to do.

Kalika got into the kitchen and found Ket already in there, making the salad.  “Ket…” she said.

“I know, Kali, I know,” Ket said.  “But let me help you, I don’t have much homework!”

Kalika smiled softly at her little brother, nodding.  She knew what Bill didn’t know: that if anything happened to her, Ket could easily take over.  He was just as strong as she was.  “Thanks, Ket,” she finally whispered.

“Yeah, well, I don’t want you getting into trouble with him again,” he replied, looking at her worriedly.

Bill always blamed Kalika for everything when he was drunk, she figured because she was the one who looked most like their father.  She had their father’s hair and eyes, and most of all his spirit.  Bill had known their father and had always been jealous of the man.  The twins had been his only daughters, but that hadn’t mattered to him.  He had taken off right after the twins had been born, and after he left, their mother had changed.  Once a kind, caring women, she began drinking and married Bill to hide her pain, only to cause that wonderful women to disappear into a dark abyss.  It was replaced by an angry, bitter woman, who hated seeing her children because they all reminded her of her happy days.  Except, of course, Kayleigh, who looked exactly like their mother. 

Ket, Korbin and Krishna were all from different men.  Their mother didn’t know which kid belonged to whom, not that it mattered much to her.  She had been drunk off her ass and had slept with several men.  Once Bill came into their lives, though, her mother at least had straightened up a little bit.  She had still stopped caring about Kalika, mostly due to how much she was like her father.

Bill always thought it was necessary to hit Kalika when he was drinking.  He always found something wrong with what she was doing, whether it be something she messed up or an invisible part that she screwed up, though it was never there in the first place.  Just the day before, Kalika had been beaten for forgetting to put away a small cloth in her hurry to finish the other chores her father weighed on her.

Kalika finished cooking, trying not to think about what was happening to their lives.  Ket had already set the table for her and gone upstairs, and Bill was just waking up.  He stalked into the kitchen, shouting, “What took you so long to make the dinner, child?”  He never used her name.  Perhaps it reminded him that she was a real person that he was hurting, or maybe he just didn’t like it.

“Sorry,” she said, placing the food on the table.  The contempt she had for him welled up inside of her, but she refused to say anything because it would bring trouble on the boys as well.

Everyone but Krishna came downstairs and sat at the table.  Krishna, even at the age of six, was a very sick child.  He had nightmares all of the time, and barely ever slept due to them.  When he did sleep, they didn’t wake him.  They all remained silent, though Bill and their mother spoke back and forth occasionally and talked to Kayleigh.

When they finally finished, se cleared the table and had started cleaning the dishes until a soft cry was heard form upstairs.  Not even glancing at Bill, she rushed up the stairs and to her little brother’s room, where she sat on the bed next to him.

“Kali,” he sobbed, clinging to her.

“It’s all right…shh, it’s all right little one,” she whispered in his ear, pulling him into her lap.  She placed a hand on his head, feeling the fever.  He had been okay a few hours earlier, but these fevers came on suddenly with him.

“Is he all right?” she heard Ket say from the door.

“I don’t know,” she said, quietly, once Krishna had calmed down.  “Take Korbin to your room and go do your homework, okay?”

Ket nodded and took Korbin out of the room, saying, “I finished the dishes for you.”

“Thanks Ket,” she replied, gratefully.  “I don’t know what I would do without you.”  Ket smiled over his shoulder before disappearing around the corner.  He was definitely able to help her out whenever she needed it.

Kalika looked back down at Krishna, who stared up at her tearfully.  “It’s okay, sweetie,” she whispered, rubbing his back.  She lay him back down on the bed and continued to rub his back and play with his hair.

“What’s going on?” Bill’s gruff voice came, shaking a bit from the alcohol.

“He’s still sick,” Kalika said as quietly as she could, biting back a sarcastic reply and hoping he wouldn’t become angry.  He just scoffed and retreated downstairs to his room, slamming the door behind him, leaving Kalika and Krishna alone.

When Krishna fell asleep, Kalika tucked him in and kissed his forehead.  She checked on Ket and Korbin, finding them both fast asleep.  She carried Korbin back to his room, putting him to bed, then shut off the lights in both rooms and went to her room.

Part Two

 

Kalika woke up early in the mourning to hear Krishna coughing in the next room.  She jumped out of bed immediately to get to him before he woke up Bill and sent him into another fit of rage.

“Krishna?” she walked into his room, whispering.  “Baby, what’s wrong?”

“It hurts,” he managed, tears in his eyes.  “Kali, it hurts so much.”

“I’m so sorry Baby,” she said, hurrying to the bed and wrapping her arms around him.  She knew he was dying, as did he.  The doctors had said that he had six months at the absolute most to live, but they said not to expect that.  They had allowed Kalika to take him home since there was nothing left that they could do for him.  Krishna had a rare form of cancer, the explanation of which Kalika had toned out because she didn’t understand the medical terms that the doctor’s were using.  All she got was that her baby brother was dying and that no one could save him.  All they could do was keep him comfortable in his last few months.

“I’ll call the teacher and let her know you’re not coming in today, okay sweetheart?” she whispered in his ear.  She reached for the morphing IV that the doctor’s had given them and hooked it into his arm, where he always had a needle in.  She sighed as Krishna’s pained expression softened.  He relaxed back against the pillow as the morphine filled his system.

She picked up the phone that was next to his bed and called the school, telling them that her little brother would not be in that day.  The administrator sent her love to Krishna before saying goodbye.  Krishna’s whole school knew of what was happening to him, which proved to be a bit of a distraction as everyone loved the small child.

Once she was done with the school, she called Rafe.

“Heya, what did I do to deserve hearing from you two days in a row?” he joked.  He knew her father wasn’t up yet, so something wasn’t wrong.

“Oh blah,” she rolled her eyes.  “You wanna come pick me and the kid up?”

Rafe’s jovial mood quickly sobered.  “He hurting?”

“He was, but the morphine’s kicking in so he’s pretty much out of it,” she whispered.  She hated seeing her little brother going through this.

“I’ll be there in a few,” he said quickly.  “Kali…”

He seemed to be trying to tell her something, but he didn’t know how to.  “What’s up?”

“Well…I’ll be bringing someone with me.  He’s new here, a buddy of mine from out of town, and I don’t want to just ditch him or anything…”

She knew he was lying about something within that statement, but she didn’t push it.  Something was up though, and she was going to find out what.

“That’s fine,” she finally said.  “Is there something about this guy that you’re worried about?”

“You always could read me,” he grunted.

“Yeah, I’m smart that way. Look, I doubt he’ll be a problem.  You coming?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there soon.”  They both hung up then, skipping the goodbyes.

Looking back at her little brother, she found him smiling up at her.

“Feeling better?” she asked, a bit suspicious of the mischievous grin on his face.

“You’ll be happy,” he said.

“And why is that?”

“Trust me,” he replied.

“All right, let’s just get you ready.  We’re gonna go have some fun today,” she gently lifted him up off the bed and helped him to the closet to get him dressed.

A noise behind her caught her attention.  “Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” a cranky voice growled.

“I’m taking Krishna out for a bit so he can relax,” Kalika didn’t look up.  The truth was that she was afraid to.

“Excuse me, bitch?”

“Krishna, go into the bathroom and lock the door,” she whispered, pushing him towards the bathroom.  Krishna looked at her, fearfully, then ran into the bathroom.  He shut the door just in time to miss seeing Bill’s fist hit Kalika’s head.

She stayed silent as she fell to the floor, refusing to cry out.  Tears popped into her eyes from the pain and she blinked them back.  Bill dragged her up and hit her again, this time in the jaw.  She felt some blood pooling in her mouth.  On her knees, she was breathing hard.  She didn’t try to fight back; it would just make it worse.  She kept thinking that as his foot made contact with her chest, throwing her to the side.  She lay crumpled on the floor, coughing up blood.  Her chest was throbbing.

“Don’t ever talk back to me again, bitch,” he growled.  “And keep your mouth shut when you leave.  I get woken up again and I won’t go as easy on you as I did this time.”  He went back to his room and slammed the door.

Kalika coughed again, rolling onto her back.  Her chest was hurting really bad, but she forced herself to ignore it and wiped the blood that was trickling down her chin.  She forced herself to stand up and straighten herself out.  She didn’t want Krishna to see her like this.

“Krishna,” she mumbled, just loud enough that he could hear her.  “You can come out now.”

Krishna poked his head out of the bathroom, tears running down his cheeks.  “He hurt you again,” Krishna ran to her.  She hugged him close to her, doing everything she could not to cry.  He wasn’t squeezing too tightly, but it hurt none the less.

“Come one, sweetie, let’s get you dressed,” she finally said.  By the time she got him to agree to an outfit, Korbin and Ket had left for their bus and Kayleigh had left for work.

“Sheesh kid, you are totally vain,” she scowled as she pulled the shirt over his head.

“I am not vain,” he stomped his foot.  “I merely take pride in my appearance.”

Laughter from behind them got their attention.

“He sounds like you, Kali,” Rafe managed.  The guy behind him had a menacing smile on his face, but even with it he was eerily gorgeous.

“Don’t encourage him,” she growled.  She tore her eyes off of the other guy and turned back to her little brother, who had his mischievous grin on his face once again.  “And don’t you start,” she pointed a finger at him.  “He’s ready, let’s go before he finds another outfit to change into.”

She stood up and walked out of the room, brushing past the guy.  As she walked past, her eyes met his deep brown ones and she paused.  It felt like a millennium, but for some reason she felt like she knew him.  She couldn’t help feeling surprised, but what made it even weirder was that her surprised was reflected in his eyes.  At least it wasn’t just her.

She yanked her eyes from his and carefully pushed past his huge, bulky frame, trying not to touch him.  She was afraid of what she would feel if she touched him, and clearly he felt the same way, because he flattened himself against the wall.  Well, she thought, I supposed he isn’t really flattening himself because he barely made any more room.  And why in God’s name is he wearing that shirt?  It makes him look so…appealing…  She hated that.  She had vowed never to allow another guy to cause problems with her, and she fully intended on keeping that vow.  It was everything she could do not to look back at his muscular body that had some sort of electric pull for her.  She could feel the need to be near him, to look into those gorgeous brown eyes forever.

Pushing those thoughts aside, she moved quickly to her room, shouting over her should, “Be right there, just gotta get ready.”

Rafe groaned at that.  “You take just as long as your little brother does!”

“Then help him get his things together while I’m getting ready and stop whining you baby!” she replied, cockily.  She heard the guy grunt at that, obviously attempting and failing to hold back a smile.  He must have known that no one got away with talking to Rafe that way, and found it amusing how she managed to.

“You gonna let her talk to you like that?” he said.

“Are you kidding me?  That girl is a force of nature, no one lets her do anything.  I dare you to try to force her, but don’t say I didn’t warn you when she reams your ass,” she heard Rafe grumble.

“Hey, hurry your ass up bitch!” the guy called to her.

“Oh I know I did not hear you say that,” she stalked out of  her room and straight to him.  “Don’t you ever call me that again or I will so rip your balls off and shove them down you throat.”  She had completely forgotten his size for a moment and had pushed him hard against the wall in anger.

He was very surprised by the attack took a menacing step towards her, looking like he was unsure whether to be pissed off at her or to respect her for having the guts to stand up to him.

“Go ahead,” she finally closed the silence between them.  She stood there, glaring at him defiantly.  He couldn’t do anything to her that she hadn’t survived before, so there was no need for her to worry.  Pain wasn’t to be feared in her world, it was just expected and dealt with.

He looked at her with interest and a tiny bit of respect, nodding in approval.  “She’s good.”  He never took his eyes off of her.

“I know she is,” Rafe commented from his side.  Kalika saw him looking back and forth between them out of the corner of her eye, seeming a little annoyed with the fact that neither of them had broken eye contact yet.  Kalika felt a bit taken aback by the fact that she didn’t want to.  She was also a bit surprised by the fact that she hadn’t noticed that how close the two of them were standing.  She usually wasn’t so comfortable with standing so close to anyone she hadn’t even met yet, especially a guy that was so big. 

Finally, Rafe pushed between them, attempting to break the spell.  Kalika stepped back, but obviously Rafe had failed.  It was still there, but she looked away, flushing.  She didn’t want to let herself get in so deep.  It was just a guy.

“Kali, you ready?” Rafe said, looking at the guy hard.

“Yeah.  So, are you gonna introduce us or just get all pissy?” she smiled.

“Kali this is Phyre.  Phyre, this is Kalika,” Rafe muttered.  “All right, let’s go.”

She laughed and walked down the hall, shaking her head.  She had never seen Rafe so jealous before.  He must be worried that she would lose herself to this man, which was obviously something that happened a lot.  She could tell by his stature when he was near her that he expected her to fall all over herself trying to impress him.  He seemed to be used to getting all the girls.

We’ll see about that, she thought.  There was definitely some kind of magnetic pull between them, but she could fight it.  She’d fought all her life to survive; it wouldn’t be much of a change to do it now.

They walked outside, Rafe carrying Krishna carefully.  The little boy had fallen asleep on the couch when he had been waiting for them.  As they reached the car, Kalika stopped outside the door and waited for Phyre.  She opened the door and looked at him expectantly, and he stood there, looking at her.

“Well?” she said.  “Get your bitch ass in back.  I get the front seat whenever I ride in this car.”

Phyre looked really surprised and Rafe laughed.  When Phyre looked at him, he just shrugged.  “What the lady says goes.”

Phyre seemed not to know whether to be angry or amused.  He finally moved past her and pushed the seat forward, trying to climb in back as gracefully as he possibly could.  When he tripped, she laughed.  “You are about as graceful as a baby elephant.”  He just glared at her in reply.

When he finally got in the back, he looked at Rafe again.  “She always this bitchy?”

“I told you not to mess with her, man,” Rafe shrugged as he got Krishna situated.  “You asked for it.”

Kalika shoved the seat back in its place and sat down, grinning victoriously.  He seemed to be unused to girls pushing him around like this.

“You’re lucky,” Rafe muttered under his breath.  “He never lets anyone treat him this way…be careful kiddo; he has no problem hitting girls.”

“He won’t hit me,” she said back, somehow sure of it.  She didn’t know why, she just somehow knew that he wasn’t going to hurt her.

“You’re playing with fire,” he laughed at his own pun.

“You are such a dork, Rafe,” she said, rolling her eyes.  “Now let’s go!  I haven’t seen everyone in a long time.”

Rafe gunned it out of there and sped all the way into the city to the house he and several of his friends stayed in.  She wasn’t surprised that Rafe actually came outside today.  He tended to be one of those people who hated the sun.  He rarely came out during the day, seeing as he tended to work nights and spent the nights he didn’t work out having fun.  He slept all day unless she called him, but he rarely came to get her like this unless it was really cloudy outside.  The house he and his friends lived in had dark shades.  He had been picky about his roommates; he had told her when they first met.  He didn’t want someone who would mess up his schedule in the house, so all the people who lived there worked at night as well.

They rode in silence, the radio blaring to covering it.  Rafe was different around his friends.  He was more careful about showing affection; he had a whole meaner attitude.  He would torture other people whenever he was with his friends.  Kalika just rolled her eyes.  Boys were so pathetic.  They always had to show off in front of their friends.

As they pulled up in front of Rafe’s house, Rafe paused.  “Stay here a sec Kali,” he said.  He got out of the car and walked inside.

“Will you let me out?” the deep, rough voice came from the back seat.

“I dunno, maybe-“ she stopped when he kicked the back of the seat.  “Well, now I’m definitely not letting you out.”  She crossed her arms and sat ignoring the kicks.  She couldn’t help laughing quietly at his protests.

Finally, Rafe’s only female roommate, Aysha, came outside, running.  The two of them were good friends, but they hardly had seen each other in the past few weeks.

“Aysha!” Kalika yelped, flying out of the car.  The two girls hugged, laughing.

“Girl, how on earth did you get that big hulk of a man in the backseat?” Aysha shrugged her long brown hair off her shoulders.  “He don’t let anyone tell him what to do.”

“Neither do I,” Kalika smirked.  “I always win.”

Aysha laughed and linked arms with Kalika.  “Don’t worry about Krishna, I’ll get him,” Rafe called as the two of them walked into the house.  Kalika didn’t even turn back.  Rafe was willing to care for Krishna whenever he got her out there since she was always responsible for the little boy.  He didn’t mind giving her a break.

Kalika watched Aysha gab away as she always did, wishing she looked like the girl.  Aysha was tall and thin, like a model, with gorgeous brown hair and deep green eyes.  She was into witchcraft and all that, which Kalika wasn’t sure she totally believed in, but Aysha was so awesome that she didn’t let it get to her.

“So hunny,” Aysha got her attention once again.  “You must tell me your secret on dealing with that man.  He has been impossible since he got here.”

Kalika laughed, shrugging, “I honestly don’t know.  He just listens to me?”

Aysha shook her head.  “That man don’t listen to anyone.  He does as he wants and forces it if he has to.  Yet you managed to get him in that cramped back seat without a bruise on you.  He must like you girl.”

“No, I just stood my ground with him when I met him.  He tried that whole ‘I’m so big you should do as I say’ bit with me but I didn’t let him get away with it.”

“Hmmm.  I tried that and got this,” Aysha showed her a bruise on her arm.

“He did that?” Kalika stopped in her tracks, astonished.  Her astonishment turned quickly to anger.  He had no right to hurt her friend.

“Kali-“ Aysha tried to stop her.  It was too late, though, because she was already headed towards where Phyre was stretching from being in the back seat.  When he saw her coming, he eyed her wearily.

“You self righteous pig!” she smacked him so hard her hand stung.  He stumbled back, surprised.  “You fucking jerk!  I can’t believe you had the gall to hurt Aysha and think that you could get away with it!”

She saw a flash of anger in his dark eyes.  A dangerous look crossed his face and he took a step forward menacingly.  She met him halfway though and shoved him back against the car.  “Don’t you ever even think of doing that again or I will kick your ass so hard-“

She was interrupted by laughter from the front steps.  Rafe’s other roommates, Nikolas, Raven, and Thistle, were all cracking up.  “We’ve missed you Kali,” Raven shouted to her.  Forgetting her anger, she spun around and ran to the guys, jumping into their arms.  They had always been there to protect her when she asked, and she adored them.  “It’s so quiet around here without you, kiddo,” Thistle was grinning down at her.  She smiled impishly.

Nikolas grabbed her and lifted her off the ground in a great bear hug, the hug she had missed so much.  She held her breath until he set her down, trying not to let him see the pain she was still feeling.  She heard Rafe and Phyre walking up behind them, Phyre grumbling under his breath.  She knew he was pissed that she had done that.  Too bad, she thought.  He’ll just have to deal with it…

She grinned at the three guys, taking them in.  She had missed them so much.  Raven and Thistle were twins with the same blond hair and blue eyes, while Nikolas had a head full of black hair and cobalt blue eyes.  They were all eerily gorgeous.

Nikolas took Krishna from Rafe and brought him upstairs while the others went inside to sit and talk.  “Kali, where have you been?  We’ve missed you!” Raven said, excitedly.  She heard Phyre snort behind her, but she ignored it.

“Sorry, I’ve been…a bit tied up.  My father wouldn’t let me out of his sight much,” she replied softly.  She could feel their eyes, looking at the bruise that was forming on her jaw.  She could still taste the blood in her mouth, and her chest was throbbing again.

She forced herself to smile, though, trying to mask her pain.  “So how are you guys all doing?” she asked.

No one answered, ignoring her attempt to change the subject.  Even Phyre’s anger seemed to have subsided when he noticed her bruise.

“Kali, let us get you outta there,” Raven finally said, the emotion in his eyes apparent.  He rarely showed so much emotion.

“You know I can’t,” she said.  “What, are you going to take Ket, Korbin, and Krishna in too?  You don’t have room for that.  And what about Kayleigh?  Bill will go after her if we all leave, right after I get hunted down for running away and kidnapping.”

“Kali-“

“I can’t, Rave, no matter how much I want to,” she whispered.  “I just can’t…”

“Does anyone want something to drink?” she offered, jumping up to get rid of the mood.  Not waiting for an answer, she walked into the kitchen.  Her hands were shaking; she hated people seeing her like this.  She leaned against the counter, putting her head in her hands. 

“You actually let someone hurt you?” Phyre’s deep voice came from behind her.  “You let someone do that to you?”

“And what would you suggest that I do?” she straightened herself.  “Leave?  Run away?  So he can go after my sister or my brothers?  Or would you have me fight back so he kills me instead of just beating me?  Then I wouldn’t be around anyway and he’d go after them.”

“You could…” Phyre seemed to be at a loss of words, yet another characteristic that was obviously new to him.

“What, Phyre?” she looked into her eyes, unable to mask the pain that filled her soul.  “What could I do?  The only other option is to call the cops, and that could easily end us up in a worse situation.  Not only that, we’ll be separated.  I protect them the only way I know how.  And I survive.”

“You seem to be good at survival,” there was no sarcasm, behind his words.  He seemed to be affected by her words and the look she knew was in her eyes.  “I can see now why you got so angry about the bruise I gave Aysha.”

“I have no reason to be scared of what you might do,” she whispered, finally meeting his eyes.  “Please don’t ever touch her again.  Or any other girl for that matter.  The last thing I wanna see is another guy turning out like Bill.”

He remained silent, just watching her.  He didn’t seem to know how to react to her.

“Why are you here?” he asked, gruffly.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“What are you doing in a place like this?  Or don’t you know about it?”

Before she could answer, Rafe walked in.  His face was pale.  “What’s going on?” he said, glaring at Phyre.

“Nothing,” Kalika said, opening the fridge and grabbing some Cokes out of it.

Rafe’s gaze never left Phyre.  “Go on, Kali, Aysha wants to show you some of her new stuff.”

The tension between the two was so much that Kalika actually listened to him and went back out to the living room.  She handed the Cokes out and silently followed Aysha upstairs.

“I take it that Rafe told you to bring me up here?” Kali said once they were behind Aysha’s door, safely in her room.

“Yeah,” Aysha rolled her eyes.  “Kali, you gotta understand something about Phyre.  He’s being nice towards you for some reason, but he’s not a nice guy.”  Kalika was taken aback by the seriousness in Aysha’s voice.  “Kali, he’s done some very bad things, and there’s stuff that he’s going to do…just be careful all right?”

Kalika just watched her.

“Everyone can see that there’s something between the two of you, whether you like it or not.  Granted I think it may be different than what he’s used to, but…”

“What do you mean?” Kalika asked.

“He usually…he uses girls…and Kali…he’s not like Rafe or Raven or Thistle.  You know they use girls and toss them aside, but Phyre…he…well he kills them.  For the sheer pleasure of it.  It’s his game.  Please, be careful.”

Kalika froze.  Phyre killed girls.  The violence…it didn’t seem right, though.  She didn’t know what to think of this.  She was very confused.

“I know that you don’t want to hear this…I’m sorry…” Aysha was saying.

“It’s not your fault, Aysha,” Kalika said. 

“It partly is,” she said, guiltily.

“How so?”

“Kali…you know I’m into witchcraft, but-“

Once again, when someone was trying to tell her something, Rafe appeared, stopping her.  “Kali, Krishna’s asking for you.”  He sent the same glare he had given to Phyre in Aysha’s direction.

Kalika got up silently and went to the room Krishna was in, putting him back to sleep.  She was sure now that everyone in the house knew something, and Rafe didn’t want her knowing about it.

 

Part Three

 

Krishna fell back to sleep quickly once Kalika got in there, which was surprising to her.  Rafe woke him up, she realized.  He sure is going through a whole lot to keep something from me…She shook her head.  Nothing like this had ever happened when she came over before.  Maybe they had just hidden it well back then, because it seemed obvious that this was something that had been kept secret for a long time.

Kalika stood up and moved silently out of the room, going back downstairs.  She was a little hurt that Rafe was going so far to keep this from her.  When she made it to the bottom of the stairs, she found only Phyre in the room.  He was staring at her, like he had expected her to come down just then.

“They ran out to pick up some dinner,” he said, anticipating her question.  “Rafe said something about needing to talk to everyone.”

“And you’re still here because…”

“I didn’t feel like going,” he shrugged.  The tone of his voice told her that Rafe had attempted to make him go, but he hadn’t.

“Okay,” she said, sitting on the couch next to him.  She felt tired, and her body was aching from Bill’s message to her a few hours earlier.

“You okay?” he was still watching her carefully.

She just shrugged, not wanting to complain.  She turned herself towards the television, wanting to ignore him as much as possible.  She didn’t want to look into his eyes again, because she knew something would happen if she did.

The television proved to not help her, and within a few minutes, she was falling asleep.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Kalika woke up lying next to Phyre a few hours later.  He was stretched out next to her, his arms wrapped around her.  She was facing him, her head buried in his muscular chest.  For someone with so many muscles, he was comfortable.  She found herself feeling really warm, and for the first time in years, she felt relaxed when she woke up.  She wasn’t afraid of what Bill was going to do or worried about Krishna.  She was totally relaxed and comfortable.  She closed her eyes again, knowing that she shouldn’t allow herself to stay in Phyre’s arms.  She could resist, though.  She just wanted to go back to sleep.  Within minutes, she felt herself drifting off again.

“Don’t say a word, Rafe,” she felt Phyre’s voice rumble, though he was talking softly.  “She’s sleeping, she needs it.  Just let her be.”

She could hear Rafe say, “Don’t you hurt her, Phyre.  She’s not one of your toys.  Don’t even try your game with her.”

“Rafe,” Kalika heard Aysha say, whispering.  “Rafe, will you just shut up?  Phyre may be a jerk, but have you ever seen him treat one of his toys the way he’s been treating her?  Just leave it be and let her sleep.”

She heard Rafe and Aysha leave the room, which she felt grateful for.  She wanted to get back to sleep, and she was so close to it.  She almost jumped when she felt Phyre’s huge hand gently pushing her hair off of her face.  She was surprised that someone so large and mean could be so gentle.  The surprise stemmed from what she knew now of his lifestyle.  She still had trouble believing that this man who was so gentle with her used girls and killed them.  Somehow, though, knowing that didn’t scare her.

“Sleep, my angel, sleep,” he whispered to her. 

That surprised her more than anything.  This man was just full of surprises.

She drifted off once again until Rafe entered the room, making a lot of noise.  She groaned and buried her head closer to Phyre.

“Food’s ready,” Rafe muttered, sounding pretty angry.  She heard him stomp back out of the room when neither of them answered.

“Kali?” Phyre asked her.  “I know you’re awake, come one.”

She groaned and rolled onto her back, almost falling off of the couch.  The couch was huge, but Phyre looked like he could be a bouncer, so there wasn’t room for her to do that.  She would have fallen if Phyre hadn’t grabbed her.  He looked down at her, amused.

“Blah,” she made a face at him and sat up.  He kept his arm around her until her feet were planted firmly on the ground.  She stood up, swaying a bit.  She hadn’t really eaten since lunch the day before, so she felt a bit weak.  Phyre was up immediately and his arms were around her again, holding her up.

“I’m okay,” she said, trying to step back.

“Sure,” he said, letting go a bit but moving behind her and keeping his hand on her back, ready to help her if she needed it.  It felt…right somehow, when he had his hand rested on her back.  She half turned and looked at him, truly looked at him.  He looked like he was actually worried about her.  Like he actually cared.  Why though? She thought to herself.  “Why would he choose me?

“I didn’t choose you,” he muttered.  “You chose me.”

She looked at him weird.  She didn’t think she had said that aloud, but then she shrugged.  She must have said it aloud.

“Trust me, girlie, this was not my choice.  I didn’t choose to end up like this…” he continued muttering.

So he didn’t want this…well, she didn’t either.  She didn’t like that she was falling for him this hard, and this fast.  It didn’t seem right.  But she couldn’t help that she cared for him already, that she wanted him close to her, that she felt so much for him.  She really didn’t like it.

“Like I said, neither do I,” he muttered again.  Now she was confused.  She knew that she hadn’t said that aloud.  That was too weird.

He was looking at her now, seeming to have realized that something was up.  She could see it.  He knew something about what was going on.

“Are you guys coming or not?” Rafe’s voice rang through the room.  He sounded really mad.

Kalika quickly turned away and walked into the dining room, where everyone was sitting already.  Aysha grinned at her and patted the chair next to her.  She sat down and watched Phyre sit straight across from her.  Their eyes met but both look away, attempting to avoid eye contact.

“He really likes you…” Aysha whispered in her ear.  “He’s totally acting different than he did this morning before you came over.  I’ve never seen him this…calm…”

She smiled and looked at the plate in front of her. 

“I tried to get Krishna up but he said he didn’t feel like eating,” Rafe said.  She could feel his eyes on her.

“He usually isn’t for dinner.  Don’t worry, I gave him some food earlier,” Kalika replied.

“I also called your sister and let her know that you were going to stay here for a bit,” Rafe continued.

Kalika’s head snapped up.  She had totally forgotten about her family, which she never did.  Phyre was proving to have a pretty bad effect on her.

“Don’t worry.  She arranged for the boys to spend the night with friends and she’s working the night shift so they’re all taken care of for the night,” Aysha volunteered when she saw Kalika’s expression.

Kalika nodded slowly, still feeling a bit worried.  It was weird for her not to be taking care of her family.  She had always been the one to arrange for these things to be taken care of.  This was the first time that she actually felt like a teenager, able to just go and have fun, to relax without worrying about how the kids were or what to cook for dinner.  It was different.  She kind of liked it.

Kalika had never had a normal life.  She had always been taking care of someone, helping her mother when she was drunk, getting her brothers out to school, etc.  There was always something to do or someone to take care of.  It had always been hard on her.  Even when she was a little kid, she hadn’t been able to act like a little kid.  She had always been forced to be responsible.  Being this irresponsible, letting go and doing allowing herself to feel the way she did about a dangerous man, it all felt so good. 

She couldn’t believe she was thinking this.  This guy was someone she hardly knew.  He was probably only visiting for a short time, and then he would be gone.  He would probably forget about her, move on to some other girl and go back to his way of life.  He would probably never even think of her again.  She knew all of this, yet she couldn’t take her eyes off of him.  Judging by the way he was still looking at her, maybe he did have a bit more feeling for her than what she thought.  She didn’t know what to think right now.

She blushed slightly and looked back down at her plate, not wanting anyone to catch them staring at each other like lovesick puppies.

“Hey, Kali,” Raven said, breaking the silence at the table.  “How’s that bruise?”

She looked at him, amused.  He was attempting to help things but he brought up another topic that didn’t seem to be something anyone wanted to talk about.

“It actually doesn’t hurt that bad,” she said, shrugging.  She smiled at him, thankful for his help.  “He was tired so it didn’t cause as much damage as it usually does.”

Thistle smiled grimly and said, “So what did you two do today?”

Kalika smiled, but it faded as she noticed the look of death on Rafe’s face.  He was definitely not happy with the fact that she and Phyre had spent that time together. 

“We just slept,” Phyre grumbled, glaring at Thistle.  Thistle cowered back a bit, and Kalika could see why.  Phyre’s eyes got a silverish tint to them and his face was emotionless, making him look very dangerous.  The coldness in his eyes scared her.  It was a terrifying look.  No wonder everyone was scared of him; this was a side of him that he hadn’t shown since she met him that moment. 

Phyre turned back to look at her, his expression fading.  He looked like he regretted doing that in front of her.  She knew that she had a horrified look on her face.  Everyone went silent once again after that.  No one knew what to say.

Kalika raised her eyebrows but looked down at the food she was pushing around the plate.  These guys were the toughest guys she had ever met and they were cowering.  It was a different experience.  Once again, she wasn’t sure what to think.  She was not used to not having a strong opinion about something.  This was an interesting day.  She was experiencing all sorts of things that she hadn’t experienced before.

When she looked back up, Phyre was gone.  He had gotten up and left without her realizing it.  So had Raven, Thistle, and Nikolas.  It was just her, Rafe and Aysha sitting there.

“Kali,” Rafe said, knowing he had her attention.  “Stay away from Phyre.  He’s dangerous.”

“Rafe, come on,” she said.  “You think I didn’t figure that out?  You have to understand that…I dunno…I can’t help it.  There’s something about him…”

“Kali, he’s a killer.  Doesn’t that mean anything to you?  What if he tries to kill you?”

“Rafe, he wouldn’t do that,” Aysha interrupted.  “You and I both know that this is something different.  You admitted that you saw it the second they met.  They’re soul mates.”

“Soul mates?  Aysha, come on, that’s just some line from a romance movie…” Kalika stopped when she saw the looks on Rafe’s and Aysha’s faces.  Obviously they had deep beliefs about this subject, so she wasn’t going to push it.

“It’s real, kiddo,” Rafe said.  “I’ve seen it.  Aysha, they are not-“

“Rafe!  Stop this!  Just because it’s not how you want it doesn’t mean that it’s not the way it is.  Now stop putting it off and tell her the truth,” Aysha interrupted.

“Hold up a sec, what do you mean that you’ve seen it?” Kalika said.

“Kali, we do have something to tell you,” Rafe said.  “You’re not gonna want to believe it, but I want you to promise me that you’ll hear us out.”  When Kalika nodded, he sighed and continued.  “I have a reason for not going into direct sunlight.  It’s the same one that the others have.  Direct sunlight will kill us, Kali.”  When she opened her mouth to ask why, he put his hand up to quiet her.  “Kali, we’re vampires.”

Kalika’s jaw dropped.  He couldn’t be serious.

“I am serious, so stop thinking I’m not,” he said.

She jumped up.  She hadn’t said anything.

“Sit, Kali,” Aysha put a hand on her shoulder and Kalika felt soothed.  She felt calmer…she wanted to know what Aysha was doing to her.

“Kali,” Aysha said.  “Understand that it is true.  And Rafe, stop poking around in her mind.  You have no business in there.”

“Wait, what??” Kalika interrupted.  “What exactly do you mean by that?”

“Have you ever felt like…I dunno, like someone was with you in your head?” Aysha said.  “Or when you’re in a room alone and you feel like someone is there with you?”

Kalika nodded, unable to find words.  Aysha continued, “Well, vampires tend to be able to read minds.  Whenever you feel like you’re not alone, that tends to be what’s going on.  They’re just too damn cowardly to show themselves when they do that.  And when these guys tend to say what you’re thinking or respond to something you thought, that’s because they’re doing it then.”

Kalika just nodded, her eyes narrowing.  There had been many times that Rafe had done it and Phyre had done it earlier.  She was pissed.  They had been digging in her brain, without her permission.  She really didn’t like that.

“Kali, we didn’t do it to-“

“You just did it again, didn’t you?” she interrupted Rafe.  He nodded, guiltily.  “Stop it!” she yelled.  She didn’t know what to think.  They have to be crazy or something, she thought.  Rafe’s face crumpled when she thought that.  He had done it again.  “You need to stop projecting your thoughts, Kali,” he said, looking down.  “I am the only one who has gone into your head, I promise.  Even Phyre hasn’t.  You tend to project your thoughts much more than most humans, so it’s hard not to hear them.”

She just looked at him.  She had known them for so long and now they were vampires?  She didn’t get it.  Vampires were myths, just a figment from someone’s imagination.

“Vampires?  What the hell do you mean, Aysha?  Vampires go after humans don’t they?” Kalika asked.  Aysha nodded slowly.  “Then why haven’t you killed me?” Kalika continued.  “Why haven’t you taken me and drank all my blood or however you do it?”

“Just because we’re vampires doesn’t necessarily mean that we kill all humans.  We only hunt for food, Kali.  And you’re our friend, we wouldn’t do that to you,” Rafe intervened.  He was nearly pleading with her, trying to get her to look at him.

“Besides, I’m not a vampire.  Only the boys here are.  I’m just a witch,” Aysha said.  “Kali, I know it’s a lot to take in, but you have to believe me.  The only reason you never knew is because we were trying to protect you.  But now that you and Phyre are-“

“So what’s the deal with Phyre?  You were telling me about how dangerous he is, but isn’t Rafe just as dangerous?  Rafe must kill people too,” Kalika interrupted her.

“There’s a difference, hunny,” Phyre’s voice came from behind her.

“Yeah, Phyre kills for the sheer pleasure of it, he loves to kill humans.  He takes complete joy in killing them.  He toys with them and then kills them.  It’s his idea of a good time,” Rafe growled.

“As far as I’m concerned, you’re just as bad if you kill for food,” Kalika snapped.  “I’m sure there are ways for you to take their blood without killing them.”

She didn’t need to look at his face to know that he was looking ashamed.  She looked over her shoulder to see that Phyre was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed with a smug look on his face.

“So, what, were you just being nice to me so you could eat me?” she glared at him.  The look disappeared from his face very quickly and he shook his head slowly.  “That was never my intention,” he replied, quietly.  His eyes flashed.  “Not by my choice, of course, but, one can’t go around killing their soul mate.”

“Oh don’t even start on that.  I don’t believe any of this shit,” Kalika jumped up.

“It’s true, Kali, as I said, I’ve seen it several times,” Rafe finally said.  “I’ve seen you several times.”  The hurt and anger in his voice made her finally look at him.  Those feelings were reflected in his eyes.  “Every single one of your lifetimes, I have hunted you down Kali.  I’ve been in love with you for thousands of years.  But every time, he manages to cross your path and you realize who he is.  You look at him the same exact way you looked at him this morning and this evening at dinner.  Every time,” he said, shaking his head. 

“We’ve been best friends in all of your lifetimes,” Aysha said.  “Why do you think that the boys are so fond of you?  Any other human who came into their lives like you did would end up being food pretty quick.  They very rarely become attached to regular humans…though you are a very old soul.  You have been around for a long time, Kali.”

Suddenly, Rafe launched himself out of his chair.  His face was pale.  “You knew, didn’t you Phyre?” he accused.  “You knew it was her.  That’s why you came here so suddenly, that’s why you wanted to come with me to pick her up.  You knew that I had found her!”

Kalika looked over her shoulder at Phyre, confused.  He shrugged, not moving much.  “I’ve had her tracked since she was young, Rafe.  Do you honestly think that I wouldn’t make sure she would always be safe?”

“Safe from what?” Rafe said.  “I have always been her protector.  I always have been.  What would she need to be safe from?”

Phyre’s eyes glittered fiercely.  “You,” he replied.  “Do you honestly think I never knew about how you tried to take her from me?  Do you think that I never saw the way you looked at her, the lies you told her to keep her from me?  And do you honestly think that I didn’t know you would get to her first, and hurt her?  That’s why I am her soul mate, and not you, Rafe.  Because I would never hurt her the way you did.”  Phyre was extremely angry now.  “And you know the part that pisses me off the most?  You knew that she was mine, and you went after her anyway.  I don’t like that, Rafe.”

Rafe took a step back.  Kalika figured that he must have thought that Phyre wouldn’t know about them.  She didn’t know what to say about that.  She was coming to believe that it was real.

“Did you little Rafe here tell you about how, in the last life, he killed you to keep you from me?  We had just found each other and he went into a jealous rage and killed both you and Aysha,” Phyre’s eyes never left Rafe as Kalika and Aysha both gasped.  They looked at each other.

“Rafe…is that true?” Kalika managed to get out.

Rafe looked at her, sadly.  “Yes,” he finally said.  “I was so…I don’t know…but understand that after I felt horrible.  I found you early in this one to take care of you to make up for it…Kali, I’m sorry…”

Kalika blinked a few times.  She didn’t know what to say.

“I should have just killed you the first time you tried to split us up,” Phyre spat.  “Then I would never have had to deal with you again.”

“Wouldn’t he just come back, like I did?” Kalika whispered to Aysha, who shook her head.  Aysha looked at her and said, “Vampires don’t come back.  No one really knows why, it’s just when they are killed, they aren’t reborn.  It’s something that everyone has been wondering about since it first happened.  It’s thought because they’re partially dead or something by becoming vampires, I dunno the technical aspects or something.”

Kalika just shook her head.  This was way too much information for her head to handle.  And seeing Phyre advancing on Rafe in the corner of her eye pushed her over.

“Stop,” she said, stepping up in between the two boys.  “Stop right now.  That’s enough of this shit, I’ve got enough on my mind right now to have you two beating the shit outta each other.  I just…I…” she dropped her hands and shook her head.  “I honestly don’t know what to think right now…”

Phyre gently placed a hand on her arm, the first contact between the two of them without a clothing barrier.  It was like a shock of electricity that passed between them and Kalika almost jumped back.  It felt good though, like a connection between them.

“This isn’t fair,” she whispered.  “You remember how it was before, I don’t.”

“I also have the memories of your deaths.  Every time, something or someone,” he looked pointedly at Rafe, “broke us up.”  He looked down at her, running a finger down her cheek.

She stopped him by grabbing his wrist, ignoring the shocks.  “Stop trying to make him jealous.  I’m not going to be your little toy to get at Rafe.”

“That’s what I’ve always loved about you,” he whispered so quietly that neither Rafe nor Aysha could hear, chuckling.  “You never let me get away with anything.”

He leaned down, his lips barely brushing hers, making her blush.  This time, she just knew that he wasn’t doing it to annoy Rafe.  He was doing it because he wanted to.  It was like no one else in the world existed but the two of them.  Everything around them faded off into a blur.  All she could see was Phyre, his gorgeous eyes, just him.  And it was perfect to her.

“Hey!”  Rafe’s voice was shouting at them.  “Will you two stop that?”

Reluctantly, she tore her gaze from Phyre’s and glared at Rafe.  “Sorry, it’s not exactly something I have any control over.”

She knew she sounded much harsher than she intended, but he had caused a lot of problems.  She found herself believing Aysha and Rafe with Phyre there.  Something about him just made her believe.  What am I thinking? She scolded herself.  I haven’t even known him 24 hours and I’m already too trusting.  He could be trapping me…

Phyre was standing closer to her than he had been before.  “You’re projecting your thoughts again,” he said, keeping his hand on her arm.  “I’ll have to teach you to block that so you don’t go around telling everyone what you’re thinking.”  He was smirking at what he had obviously heard.  “And I’m not trapping you…I just enjoy hurting others.  There was never a time that I was able to hurt you in any way.”

She could tell he was telling the truth about everything he was saying.

“You’ve always had that power over me, sweetheart?” Phyre continued.  “I’m not able to lie to you, no matter how hard I try.  You’ve always been able to catch me.”

He was smiling with recognition, obviously some memories that she couldn’t remember.  They must have been pretty good.  He grinned and said, “Every memory I have of you was a good one.”

Aysha was smiling at them.  “I can just tell that it’s right to see you two together.  Admit it, Rafe,” she turned to the scowling guy.  “You know this is the way that it’s supposed to be.”

Rafe watched Kalika and nodded slowly, looking sad.  He definitely wasn’t happy about it.  “I accept it.  Don’t worry, Kali, I’m not going to kill you,” he said.  “That only happened because…well, I know you don’t like excuses, but Phyre and I had been arguing…”

She put her hand up.  “Let’s not go into this now,” she said.  “Don’t worry; I can’t hold you responsible for something I don’t even remember.  But it’s getting late and I’m getting tired.”  She yawned at that moment, just wanting to lie down.  She had slept a bit today, but she was still tired.  She leaned against Phyre without thinking about it, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“She’s right.  We’ll talk more tomorrow,” Phyre said, calming down.  “This isn’t over Rafe.”  He gently picked her up and carried her up the stairs to his room, carefully putting her on the bed.  She was already asleep.

Part Four

 

When Kalika woke up, she was wrapped once again in Phyre’s arms.  He was just watching her as she slowly awoke, smiling slightly.  He felt so comfortable, so right.  Like this was how it was supposed to be.  She had never had that feeling before.  Even her friendship with Rafe hadn’t felt this right.  Aysha had always been someone with whom she was comfortable with, but once again, it didn’t even compare to the feeling she had here.  She thought it would be a strange feeling, but it wasn’t.  It felt as though they fit perfectly together, as though something had molded them long ago into two puzzle pieces that went together.

The moment faded as she remembered all that had been said the night before.  Rafe killed me, she thought.  She couldn’t believe it, it seemed almost wrong.  At the same time, though, she knew it was right.  Everything she had learned last night had seemed strange, but not wrong.  Nothing about what they had told her felt like a lie.  The whole time they had been talking, it had felt like she had been through it before, as though a part of her had known it already.  It was the same way that she had felt when she met Phyre; like she had already known him.  It seemed a little strange as well that she had gotten so attached to him already when she barely knew him, but again, at the same time, she felt as though she already knew everything about him. 

If what had been said was true, then technically she did already know him.  She had known him for a very long time.  They had merely been separated several times, but every time, he had found her.  All her life, she had felt like she was looking for something; that something was looking for her.  Now she felt that it had always been Phyre.  He had been looking for her from the beginning of time, and would continue looking for after every time she died.

She frowned at that thought, not liking it.  She didn’t like the idea of being separated from him again, nor did she like the idea of waiting so long for him to find her.

“I wanted to come to you earlier, Kali,” he said.  The way he pronounced her name sounded better than how it had always been said.  It sounded more…ancient.  She liked it.  He got her attention again, “Would you have been able to understand, my sweet?”

She slowly shook her head, knowing that she wouldn’t.  It had taken her years to come to fully trust Rafe, Raven, Thistle, and Nikolas.  Aysha had always been someone she trusted, but for some reason, it had been hard for her to trust the others, no matter how much she loved them.

“They betrayed you, hunny,” Phyre said.  “A long time ago.”

“When Rafe killed me?” she mumbled.

“No,” he replied.  “No, they were very against that.  Afterwards, they refused to talk to him for years.  They have always loved you.  It was long ago, long before you can possibly imagine.  When you first met them, they used you to…well, that’s not important.  The point is that they used you then left you for dead.  You had trusted them completely, and they had left you.  That was when you began to have trouble trusting anyone.”

She wanted to know what they had done.  She wanted to remember more than anything, but after she thought that, she felt horrible that she wanted to know when she saw the look on Phyre’s face.

“Baby, there are a lot of things that happened, that you could easily remember, that you don’t want to.  Some horrible things have happened to you at the hands of those you love.  Please trust me and don’t try to find out too much more than what people are willing to tell you.  None of us have a very good past, including you.  You are just blessed not to remember.”  The pain, the sadness, the hurt on his face made her want to cry.  She didn’t know what had happened, but she trusted him.  Her trust for him overpowered her inquisitiveness. 

Nodding, she gently kissed his cheek and watched his face light up.  He looked calmer now, which she liked.  “It does make a lot of sense,” she said to him, “now that I think about it.  I always thought that the boys looked so old, and sometimes they would apologize for me and look so sad when they hadn’t done anything that I knew of.”

“I know for sure that Thistle and Raven have never forgiven themselves for what they did to you.  Nikolas is a bit harder to tell sometimes, though.  He loves you; I know that, but Nikolas…” Phyre stopped himself and looked at her, as if he was debating whether or not to tell her what he was thinking.  She just waited silently, not wanting to interrupt him.

“Just be careful around him, okay?” he said.  He must have known that he would have to continue a bit if she was going to listen to him.  “He hasn’t been the most…well; let’s just say that he’s not someone who has been too nice to you in the past.  When you aren’t looking, he’s done some pretty bad things.”

She nodded.  She had always had a bit of a feeling to that extent about Nikolas.  She cared about him, but she had never gotten as close to him as she had the others.

“Aysha, on the other hand-“

“Has never once betrayed me and never will,” she interrupted him without a doubt.  Aysha was closer to her than her twin was, and had been since the second they had met.  There was a special bond between them that no one could ever understand.

“The two of you had a bond since the first time you ever met.  It’s always been like this with you two.  I don’t know why or how, but it has,” Phyre smiled down at her.

“What about us?” she asked him.

“Us?  Shit, the first time we met, we both felt it but we were at each other’s throats.  We would have killed each other if we hadn’t been soul mates.  We never could stay mad at each other for anything, though.  And…I’ve done some horrible things to you in my time…”  Phyre’s face fell when he said that last sentence.

“Like what?” she asked, gently.

“I’ve done some really bad things in my time, and sometimes it was hard to fall out of my habits that I get into without you around.  I’ve made you pretty mad…” Phyre smiled a little.  Some memory, she guessed, something of her when he had really pissed her off.

“So I’ll take that as a ‘you don’t want to talk about’ it subject,” she grinned at him.  He nodded at that, not able to hide his amusement.

“So how old of a soul am I?” she changed the subject.

“A very old soul, my dear,” he replied.  “You’ve basically been around since humans have evolved, and you’re spirit hasn’t changed a bit in all those years.”

“And you’ve been around the whole time?” she inquired.

He nodded.  “I have been there since the beginning as well, longer in fact.  I have been here since before…well, that’s not the point.  One time, we were torn apart…you loved me, even though I was a demon and your village had kicked you out for that.  We had made a home together…keep in mind that this was before the guys became vampires.  We have met in lifetimes before that time, and that was before history saw the existence of humans.  You and Rafe were both human at that time and your village elders had set up a marriage for the two of you…but anyways, the actual first time we met, we were both human.  This was even before Rafe showed up, before anyone else, and demons ruled the world.  But then the First showed up…he murdered both you and our daughter, then gave me the choice of either death or becoming like him.  I chose becoming a vampire, knowing that you would be reborn and I could find you again.”

She listened with interest.  “So what’s the longest amount of time that we’ve spent together before I got killed?” she asked, the thought bothering her.

“A few weeks.  The absolute first time, we were together a little over six years, married.  Our daughter had been five when she was killed.  I still remember that night…” Phyre replied, his eyes actually misting.  “She was so beautiful, Kali.  Just like you…but anyways, after that, we weren’t together long before something tore us apart…”  He seemed to be catching her drift.

“Why is that?” she asked.

“There are forces far beyond even The First’s realm of thought.  The force of Fate, for instance, is something that none of us will ever understand.  Fate does as it wishes, always.  Nothing can be done to change what is planned,” Phyre explained to her.

“Nothing?”

“Even if something happened to throw Fate off course, she would change things to make them turn out as she originally planned.  We may not like what our fates are, but we must deal with it for we cannot change it.”

Kalika nodded, slowly, partially understanding.  Something about the conversation struck a bad chord with her.  There was something, a feeling of premonition, perhaps, that made her feel deeply uncomfortable. 

Phyre realize this and pulled her tightly against her.  “Don’t worry, sweets, I’m not going to let anything happen to you this time.”  He kissed the top of her head, then let her back a bit.  His eyes stayed on hers for a moment, seeing her soul.  Then, he leaned down and kissed her softly.  The kiss was amazing, a feeling that nearly knocked her out.  It was as though an explosion of emotion occurred, the most wonderful feeling she had ever experienced.  As the kiss deepened, she felt like just locking the two of them up and never going anywhere.  It felt as though she would never need anything as long as she had him.

A nock at the door interrupted them, eliciting a growl from Phyre.  The most amusing part, to her, was that he sounded more like a small child than anything.  She pulled back from him and got up slowly, moving to the door.  When she opened it, she found Rafe, looking amused and angry at the same time.

“You guys getting up sometime today?” he asked.

“Trust me,” she heard Phyre mumble.  “I’m up.”

She giggled, nodding to Rafe.  “We’ll be down in a minute.”

Rafe, who had obviously heard Phyre’s comment, spun on his heel and stalked downstairs without another word to either of them.  Kalika looked back at Phyre, who was now standing right behind her.  He reached around her and tried to shut the door, a suggestive grin on his face.  Her foot was in the way, though, blocking his attempt.

“Denied,” he sighed, letting go of the door and looking at her with a pathetic puppy dog expression on his face.

She laughed and kissed him, then turned, grabbing his hand, and dragged him down the stairs.  He followed, scowling.  “I wanna-“

“I know what you want to do, and the answer is no for the moment,” she couldn’t resist smiling. 

“For the moment?” he perked up immediately. 

She burst out laughing again as they entered the kitchen, almost falling over.  Everyone looked up, confused.  “Don’t ask,” she managed out.

Aysha was smiling knowingly at her.  Kalika returned her smile, blushing slightly.  Aysha knew exactly what she was laughing about, but then, she was another woman, so it must have been pretty obvious to her.

“Kali, come help me,” Aysha said, leading her into the kitchen and ushering everyone out.

Kalika followed her and shut the door once everyone else was out.  “What’s up?” she asked, innocently. 

Aysha laughed.  “Obviously you guys.  I’m really glad to see you so happy, Kali, seriously.  You truly do deserve it.”

“Thanks,” she said.  “Aysha-“

“I truly don’t remember everything,” Aysha interrupted as she usually did.  “I have gone to many hypnotherapy sessions to get what I have.  And I still know barely anything.  Kali, there’s a lot that I have learned that may be best if you don’t know.”

Kalika didn’t say anything, letting Aysha go at her own pace.  Aysha would tell her if she thought it was right.

“You need to understand that some things are left unknown to us.  We are old souls, and we are that way for a reason. Understand that Fate runs our lives in the right direction,” Aysha looked very worried.

“Fate,” Kalika whispered.  “Phyre mentioned it…”

“Kali, there is one thing that vampires never see; no matter how long they live.  Fate doesn’t like vampires.  Vampires change the route Fate has planned for them, especially concerning us.  Vampires change everything…they continue on when they weren’t supposed to.  Vampires intervene in Fate’s plan, messing things up hardcore.  They do as they wish, ignoring the laws of nature and the Gods.  Fate wishes things to be a certain way for a reason and when something intervenes, her plan must be changed in order to keep everything the way it must be.”

“I understand,” Kali said, nodding slowly.  “So if a vampire were to meet up with his ‘soul mate’ that happens to be an old soul…”

“It kind messes up the plan,” Aysha finished for her, understanding her train of thought.

“Which would explain why, when they reunite in each life, something tears them apart,” Kalika continued, thinking hard.

“Yeah,” Aysha said.

“So maybe soul mates don’t exist?” Kalika asked.

“Now that isn’t true,” Aysha said.  “Everyone does have a soul mate, but they only tend to meet up with them every few lifetimes.”

Kalika looked down, worried.  She didn’t like this at all.

“Kali, don’t worry,” Aysha said.  “I think by now Fate has fixed her plan to include you and Phyre actually together.”

“I somehow doubt Fate would change plans just for me,” Kalika relied.  “I’m worried that she won’t like that he found me again.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Phyre’s voice came from the doorway.  Kalika looked over her shoulder at him, seeing a determined glitter in his eye.  Phyre’s eyes stayed on her as he said, “I won’t let it happen again.”

Kalika watched him carefully.  “Just how do you plan to stop it?” she asked.

“You are not turning her into a vampire, Phyre!” Aysha jumped to her feet.  Kalika raised her eyebrows in surprise.  She hadn’t thought of that.

“It’s the only way, Aysha,” Phyre said.  “What else should I do?  Watch her die again?  I can’t take that anymore.”

“Phyre, there has to be another way!” Aysha cried.

“There isn’t and you know it,” he sounded like he was losing it.  “You said it yourself; vampires don’t apply to Fate’s rules.”

“And vampires don’t come back!” Aysha yelled at him, tears in her eyes.  “Fate always finds a way to correct the wrongs done!”

“Aysha, calm down,” Kalika stepped in.  “And Phyre, drop it for now.  We can talk about this later.”

Both nodded, not liking it.  They were both scowling at one another.  “Please,” she pleaded, looking between the two of them.  “Please, let’s just drop it!”

Phyre finally looked down at her, tenderly.  “Fine,” he said.  “But we do need to talk about it, my sweet.”

Aysha’s expression softened.  She shoved Phyre out the door nonetheless.  “We still need to talk girl talk,” she smiled sweetly at him.  Phyre managed to kiss Kalika quickly before the door shut behind him.

Aysha turned back to her, “He really does care about you.  He wouldn’t have let me do that before he ran into you.”

Kalika smiled softly, just thinking of his smile.  Aysha continued, “Kali, I can’t believe the change I’ve seen in him since you showed up.  He’s seriously a totally different person.  You do bring a good side out in him.”

Kalika nodded, deep in thought.

“Don’t even think about it,” Aysha said.  “Don’t.  Kalika, please…”

“Aysha…I’ve lost him so many times…” Kalika’s eyes filled with tears.  “I hate it!  Why can’t I just be with him?”

Aysha shook her head.  “I don’t know,” she finally said.  “Kali, I do understand…but what about…”

“Our friendship?” Kalika interrupted.  “It’s not gonna end no matter what.  I won’t let go of you, you’ve been with me for far too long.”

Aysha nodded.  “I just…I worry, Kali.  We’re dealing with something far stronger than either of us can imagine.”

“We’ll make it, Aysha.  If it’s one this I’ve learned, Fate’s nemesis is Hope.  I haven’t lost hope yet, Aysha, and I’m not gonna now.  Hope will guide us,” Kali looked at her.  “God I sound like a corny commercial for some religion…”

Aysha laughed.  “You do have a point, though,” she said.  “Maybe it can work…but you’re not becoming a vampire with out me!”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Kalika grinned at her.

“Did I hear what I think I heard?” Phyre poked his head into the kitchen, hopefully.  Aysha threw an apple at his head, laughing.

“Woah!” they heard Rafe from behind him.  “We’re not armed or dangerous, hold fire!”

“Dangerous?” Kalika choked out.  “Please, Rafe, you are about as dangerous as a worm.”

“Hey!” Rafe glared at her.  “Come on now, of all the things you could compare me to, you do it to a worm?”

“I’m under pressure, it’s the first thing that came to my mind,” she shrugged.

“And when you thought of me, the first thing that came to your mind was a worm?” Rafe scowled at her.  “Why a worm?”

“Why not a worm?” Kalika asked.  “Worms have feelings too, you know.  I mean, I did just get to yours…”

“Don’t make me beat you,” Rafe growled.

“Oh please, you wouldn’t hurt a fly,” she smiled sweetly.

“If its name is Kalika, I would,” he grumbled under his breath.

“If you two are done…” Phyre stated, sarcastically.

“Actually, we’re not done, so if you guys could wait a minute—hey!” Phyre interrupted her by pulling her into his arms, dodging apples from Aysha’s direction.

Even Rafe was laughing, and Kalika could tell it was because he was glad that she wasn’t angry at him from what she had learned the night before.  Glancing over at Aysha, she could see the young witch turning to aim at Rafe, am interesting look on her face.  Aysha likes Rafe, Kalika realized.

“She has since the second she first met him lifetimes ago,” Phyre whispered so softly she barely heard him.  “Rafe has been so caught up with you that he has never seen what’s right in front of him.”

This could prove interesting, she thought.  Looking up into Phyre’s eyes, being in his arms, she felt so happy that she could burst.  “Phyre?” Kalika whispered.

“Yes, my sweet?” he looked at her adoringly.

“Make me like you…” she said, earning a look of surprise and pure joy from him.  “I never want to be separated from you again.”

He wrapped his arms tightly around her, hugging her tightly.  “Neither do I,” he said back.

Part Five

 

“No,” Rafe said, the kitchen silent.  “No, no, no, no, no!”

“Rafe,” Kalika said, rolling her eyes.  “You can’t tell me what and what not to do and you know it.”

“Kalika, you are not becoming a vampire!” Rafe slammed his fist on the table.  “I have kept you from doing so for thousands of years, and I will do the same now.  It’s not happening.”

“It’s not you’re choice, Rafe!” Kalika got right up in his face.  “I want to be able to spend time with Phyre for once, to be with him and remember being with him!  He has all these memories of me and the only ones I have of him are from the past 24 hours!  How is that fair?  How is that right?”

“Then go do a hypnotherapy session, but neither you nor Aysha are getting turned and that’s final,” Rafe scowled down at her.

“What, so I can just be killed and start all over again?” she shot back.  “I want to be with him, and what right do you have to tell me what to do?”

“I have been your guardian for a long time now, Kali,” Rafe shook his head.  “I know you just as well as anyone.”

“No, you don’t,” Phyre said, quietly.  “You truly don’t, Rafe.”

Rafe glared at him, saying, “Yes I do.”

“No…” Kalika blinked a few times, as if something was coming to her.  “No, you really don’t.”  Realization hit her hard, causing her to almost stumble back.  “You only know…”

“He only knows what you let him know,” Phyre refused to look at anyone.  “Rafe, you don’t know anything.”

“What are you talking about?” Rafe shouted.

“I…” Kalika couldn’t completely understand, but she knew that, even in this life, she had always kept some things from Rafe.  Certain things didn’t seem right to tell him, she had been afraid to tell him…  “Rafe, just drop it.  You can’t stop me, this is what I want.  This isn’t about you and me, Rafe.”

That stopped him dead in his tracks.  He looked stunned.  She understood now.  Rafe had always wanted her, since the beginning.  Something had always told her that if she had told him about the other guys she had been with, that she wasn’t a virgin, things like that, knowing it would send him into a jealous rage.  “Rafe, this is about me and my choices.  I know why you don’t want me to do this.”  It all made sense to her now.  “Throughout every single one of my lifetimes, you always wanted the chance to get me back.  Sometimes it happened, like this one…but by becoming a vampire, I seal the deal, don’t I?  That’s how you see it.  If I allow Phyre to change me, you would finally have to accept that I love him and only him, and there wouldn’t be another chance for you.  I wouldn’t come back, not knowing anything.  You couldn’t manipulate the fact that I’m an old soul anymore because I would always remember.”

Everyone was silent, comprehending what she was saying, and Rafe was still, a hint of tears in his eyes.  “I…” he tried to talk, but it didn’t work.  He looked so lost, so hurt.  “Kali…”  He looked at her, seeming not to know what exactly to say.  “You’re right,” he finally whispered after several minutes of silence.

Aysha gasped and Phyre took a step back, his eyes flashing in anger.

“That’s what it was always about, wasn’t it?” Kalika continued, feeling her own hurt and anger boiling over.  “It was never about me, it was always about you.  You couldn’t let me be happy…you…you arranged to have me killed every time, did you?”  She didn’t know where this was coming from, but she felt deep within herself that it was the truth.  “If you couldn’t have me, no one could…”

Rafe grabbed the counter to support himself.  “I…it’s not totally about that, Kali…you see…”  He looked at her, attempting to plead with his eyes to make her stop.

“Why then?”

“Why him?” he struggled to speak.  “Why him?  He’s nothing but a terrible, evil person who has stopped at nothing to get what he wants-“

“And what about you, Rafe?” Kalika interrupted him, tears running down her face.  “I trusted you, and you betrayed me.  You’re exactly how you describe him!”

She didn’t know what to do, what to think.  Everything was hitting her, hard.  She truly didn’t know how she was getting to all this, but she knew that it didn’t matter that much.  The one person she wanted to trust more than anything, her own guardian, had betrayed her.  It was too much in so little time, finding all this out.  First, he was a vampire, now he had gotten her killed in a majority of her lifetimes because he couldn’t have her.  She didn’t know how to react.

“Kali, please,” Rafe composed himself.  “Let’s talk about this alone-“

She wrenched back, not letting him touch her.  “Why?  So you can kill me again?”  She stumbled away from him, not knowing completely where she was going.  “I…I just need to go for a walk…I need some time alone to think.”

Without waiting for anyone to say anything, she pushed her way out of the kitchen and ran outside into the rain, allowing it to mask her tears.  She could barely see, she was crying so hard.  It was too much for her to comprehend at one point in time, too much happening…

She wandered down the street, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, shivering.  She felt so lost, so unsure of herself.  She had always been confident in what was going around her, knowing exactly what was to come and how to deal with it.  Now, she couldn’t even think straight.  Within a few hours, her life had done a complete turnaround.  At least dealing with Bill I knew what to expect, she thought, bitterly.

She was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice the black van until it hit her, throwing her against a brick wall.  Groaning, she tried to roll over, but someone was already next to her, holding her tightly in place.

“If you know what’s good for you,” a man’s voice whispered in her ear, “you’ll do as I say.” 

He lifted her off the ground as she heard another set of feet pound on the ground.  Someone else must have jumped out of the van.  They yanked her off the ground and dragged her towards the van.

She began screaming, kicking, not knowing what exactly to do. All she knew was that she wanted to get away from this.  “Phyre!” she screamed, just before she felt something smack down on the back of her head, knocking her unconscious.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Kalika awoke with a start, her head throbbing.  She blinked several times, trying to clear her vision.  She felt like she had been run over by a truck.  Oh wait, she thought, wryly.  I was.  She sighed in pain and tried to move her body finding she couldn’t.  Hysteria started to jump through her body, but she quickly got control and took two deep breaths.  She knew she had to stay calm.  She looked down to see that she was tied to a chair with some rope that was softer than any she had ever seen before.

“It’s ancient, made by the Greeks,” a voice echoed through the chamber.  A light came on, blinding her.  She turned her head, feeling the pain get worse.

“For some reason, you think I care,” she muttered, moving around to attempt to loosen it a bit.  She was deeply uncomfortable.

“We need your help, Kalika Lilith,” the man stated.

“Yeah, this is a good way to convince me to help you…” she rolled her eyes.  These people obviously weren’t the brightest.

“You know-“

“Hey, if you want me to even consider helping your ass, you’d better untie me,” she interrupted. 

The man said nothing, but two guys who looked particularly hairy stalked over to her and began untying her.  One of them began…morphing…it looked like he was changing into a wolf.  Kalika watched with interest.

“No wonder you smelled so funny when you grabbed me,” she muttered.  The wolf growled at her, never taking its eyes off of her.

“Yes, I have already made it clear to them that they handled you all wrong.  They were not supposed to harm you in any way,” the man walked in front of the light.

“That worked real well,” she sighed again, rubbing her wrists as they were released.  She didn’t even want to try to stand up.  She knew it wouldn’t work.

“My child-“

“Don’t call me that,” she interrupted him again.

He sighed in annoyance, and then continued, “I apologize for their behavior.  They have been reprimanded, I assure you.  Now, on to more pressing matters.”

“Like what?” she said, trying her best to stay awake.  “Hey, I think your little dogs gave me a concussion.”

The wolf growled at her and the other hairy guy just glared.  She gave them both a look that said back off, which, surprisingly, they did.

“You may be an old soul,” the man explained, “but you have many characteristics of a witch.  It wouldn’t surprise me if you have one in you family line.”

“Yeah, whatever, get on with it,” she replied.

“Your name interests me, Kalika Lilith,” he said, ignoring her unhappiness.  “You names are always interesting.  Kali, who you are named after, was the destructive form of the wife of Shiva in Hindu mythology.  Did you know that your little nickname that everyone uses for you means ‘the black one’ in Sanskrit?” he said, pronouncing it as Phyre had, like Kaw-lee instead of like everyone else did, saying Kall-ee.  She did like the way he and Phyre pronounced it better.  “I do believe you are her incarnation, my dear.  Lilith goes well with it.  It is derived from the Assyrian word lilitu, meaning ‘of the night.’  Did you know that that was the name of a demon in ancient Assyrian myths?  That had been a common name for you, you loved having it in those times…you scared a great many people.  Both Jewish and Islamic traditions have a Lilith, as well, Adam’s first wife who was sent out of Eden because she wouldn’t submit to him.  Their children were the evil spirits of the world.”

“Okay, I get it; my name means the dark on of the night.  Get on with it,” she rolled her eyes.

“I believe it describes you well if you look at the meanings and the stories behind it.  You never were one to submit…Phyre loves that about you,” he continued as though she hadn’t spoken.

Mentioning Phyre made her angry.  “Enough,” she said, coldly.  “Get on with it of let me go; I’m tired of playing these stupid games.”

“Very well.  We need your help, Kalika Lilith.  Your beloved Phyre is going to cause some trouble soon and we need you to stop it,” he was very serious.

“Ahh, what now?  Can’t everyone just leave us alone and let us deal with what we got?  Why can’t I just go one damn day without something else coming up?” she was talking more towards Fate than anyone, getting very pissed off.  This was getting really old.

“Kalika, calm down,” Rafe’s voice echoed through the room.  She gasped, anger coursing through her.  If she could get up, she would have been beating him senseless.

“You know, Rafe, you truly are more trouble than you’re worth,” she growled, aiming to hurt him.  She knew that she had.

“Please just listen.  I wasn’t able to tell you this in front of him,” Rafe said, not looking at her.  “This man has devoted himself for many centuries towards the cause of saving the humans.  Hear him out at least.  He was the one who sent me to be your guardian.”

“Some guardian,” she spat.

“He killed you at my orders,” the man stepped in.  “He didn’t like it one bit, I promise you that.  Every time it happened, he spent hours over your body, crying.  He did it only because he knew it was the only way to stop Phyre.”

“Stop Phyre from what?” she finally said after letting the room fall to silence for several minutes.

“From destroying the human race, forcing them into slavery,” Rafe said.  “Has been prophesized, which was why The First changed him.  We were lucky that The First didn’t realize that you were part of the prophecy as well, if She had, we would have been lost.”

“Lucky for you, not for me,” she scowled.  “I somehow doubt that ever took joy in being killed and taken from my soul mate several thousand, perhaps million times.”

“It had to be done,” the man said.  “If it didn’t we wouldn’t have been able to get to you before all was lost.”

“All was lost?  Okay, how about you start telling me a bit more and your name is right where we’re gonna start,” Kalika said.

“My name is Akakios,” he said.

“Greek for not evil or innocent,” she sighed.

“You know your names,” he said.

“I did a project on Ancient Greek names,” Kalika said.  She just left it at that.

“Did you know what your beloved Phyre’s surname is?” Akakios asked.  When Kalika remained silent, he continued, “Casimir.  It means-“

“To destroy the peace,” Kalika said.

“It’s derived from the Slavic word kazic, ‘to destroy’-“

“Okay, enough of the names, I really don’t care,” Kalika interrupted.

“Fine,” Akakios said.  “Your lover is going to destroy the world as we know is and create a new one with him in charge.”

“I kinda figured that was what you were trying to tell me in that roundabout way,” Kalika rolled her eyes.  “What exactly do you want me to do about it?”

“Stop him,” Akakios pleaded.  “Stop him or we will be forced to end your life again.  Rafe tells me that you wish to become a vampire.  We can not allow that to happen, for that is the first sign that it is to begin.”

“Please,” she said.  “Drop the prophesy bit.  Go back to why you think I’m going to help you.”

“Phyre may be nice around you, Kali,” Rafe stated, “but he is evil by nature.  He will not let anyone stop him this time.  Anyone who gets in his way will be killed, it’s already started.  We have sent many people to attempt to talk to him, and all of them end up dead.  He won’t hurt you, though.  Perhaps he will listen to you and you can stop him.”

She looked at Rafe with a cool expression on her face.  She knew that what she had said to him earlier had been true.  The only reason he had agreed to kill her before was because he couldn’t have her.

“And how do you know I’m not evil like he is?” she replied.  “Perhaps this plan of his doesn’t sound so bad.”  It was everything she could do not to sound scared.  She was pretending to be uncaring, unemotional, but she knew it was working like a charm.  All three men in the room paled and the wolf whined.  “Perhaps I don’t wish to stop him.  Perhaps I wish to finally get the time you have always denied from us.  Why should I help you?”

“Kali, you know me,” Rafe said.  “Search within yourself.  You know that this is the truth and that you don’t want this to happen.  It means the destruction of all you know, going into a world with Phyre as the king.  He is very dangerous, you just haven’t seen it.  He won’t stop once he wins.  His path will, in the end, lead to the destruction of the world to the point where you will not be together.”

Kalika remained silent, letting the words sink in.  She knew she was being very selfish and that she should help.  There was that part of her, thought, that was dominating her feelings, that was angry at them for not coming to her before.  They had just killed her off, expecting it to solve the problem.  That hadn’t exactly earned her trust.

“Please, Kali,” Rafe whispered.

“I need to think about it,” she relented.  “I just…I need to think.”

Akakios looked relieved.  “It doesn’t mean separating you, my dear.  Perhaps he can be convinced not to do this.”

She looked at him, coldly.  “And if he doesn’t?”

“Then we will have to go to extreme measures,” Rafe said.  “Understand that we only killed you because he has the blood of The First in him.  He is very strong.  We have yet to find a way to stop him.”

“You mean a way to kill him,” she corrected.

“Yes,” Rafe replied.

“That doesn’t make it any better, Rafe.  You’re still forcing us apart, once again.  Did you ever tell Akakios here the real reason you agreed to kill me?”

Rafe got really still, as if he was afraid to move.

“Rafe here isn’t the wonderful guardian you think he is,” she looked at Akakios.  “Fun story, really it is.  Get it out of him sometime, but now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to leave.  NOW.”  She glared harshly at them when they didn’t move, and they all jumped up.  She knew she had power over them right now, and she was going to use it.

Rafe left the room and the wolf and the hairy man led her out to the van.  They drove her back to where they had hit her and shoved her out of the van onto the concrete.  She landed really hard.  “We’re watching you,” one of the muttered before it sped off.

She lay there, in the rain, feeling the tears well up again.  She didn’t want to move from the spot, hurting too much and just afraid.  Her fear was getting the best of her now that she was out of the situation, and she didn’t like it.  She didn’t like what they had been aiming at when talking about “dealing” with Phyre.

Just then, Phyre was beside her, holding her tightly in his arms.  He pulled back a little and looked at her, worry written all over his face.  “Are you okay?  We’ve been looking all over for you!  Krishna saw you get hit and taken, I thought I’d lost you!” the words were spilling out of his mouth so fast that she could barely keep up.  She pulled him tightly against her, burying her head in his shoulder.  She couldn’t speak.  For some reason, she didn’t want to tell him what had happened; what they had said.  She was scared that it was true.  The rain was pelting them, but neither moved.  Neither of them wanted to break the moment.  For that one moment, everything around them was gone.  It was just the two of them, alone, and nothing could touch them. Everything was okay; no one could hurt them or tear them apart.  She loved that feeling.

“I’m right here, I promise,” he was whispering.  “I won’t let anything hurt you again.”

She knew that he meant it, he didn’t want her hurting.  He wanted her happy.  She couldn’t tell him what had happened.  She couldn’t let him hear her thinking about it.  How could she stop projecting her thoughts, though?  Suddenly, it hit her.  If she pictured a wall, blocking certain things, perhaps he would never know.  Maybe they could go on; maybe what Akakios had predicted was bogus and wouldn’t happen.  Maybe it would be okay for once…

She felt Phyre slowly lift her up and start carrying her back towards the house, which was only about a block away.  At least they left me close to safety, she thought.  When they got inside, Aysha was waiting with blankets, a change of clothes for both of them, and hot chocolate.

“Rafe, Nik, Thistle and Raven are all out still looking for you,” Aysha said.  “They’ll be back soon though.”

Kalika paused as Phyre set her down, realizing that for the first time in her life, she wasn’t afraid to undress in front of a man.  She changed quickly, though, attempting not to stare as Phyre slowly did the say.  He only put his pants on, proving to be a very distracting person to her.  He grinned when he caught her staring.

“Hey,” he said, pulling her to him.  “You warming up?’

She nodded.  “Where’s Krishna?” she asked.

“Kayleigh picked him up,” Aysha said.  “She brought him home since all of his supplies were there.  Don’t worry, Bill is working tonight and your mom is gone, so he’s safe.”

Kalika nodded again, still pressed against Phyre.  She knew he was afraid to let her out of his sight again after what had happened.  She could tell that he felt responsible for her getting grabbed.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered to her.

“It’s not your fault, baby,” she said back, running her cold fingers across his cheek.  He wrapped her up tightly, and then looked down at her, kissing her gently.

“You know, if you’re going to do this vampire thing, you’d better do it before the guys get back,” Aysha whispered.  Kalika knew she was right.  If they started now, they’d have to finish it and no one could stop them.

Kalika looked up at Phyre, who nodded slowly.  “Do you know what it entails, darling?” he asked her.  When she shook her head, he explained, “First, I must drain you of your blood.  This will just about kill you.  If your blood is there, then there is the immunity and the antibodies that will fight it off.  My blood is like a virus to your body, it will change your whole system into a new one, transforming you into a vampire.  Once I have drained you, I will give you my blood so this can occur.  This is called bloodletting.  Once you consume my blood, you will most likely pass out.  It’s a painful process after that, since your body is basically dying, so it attempts to shut you down to save itself.  When you wake up, you will be very thirsty and you may or may not remember anything at the moment.  I’ve seen it where the victim remembers, and others are just so hungry they don’t know anything but to eat.”  He paused.  “Are you sure this is what you want, angel?”

She looked at him.  “If it means I can stay with you, then yes.”

Phyre turned to Aysha, ready to ask her the same.

“Phyre, I want to stay with Kali.  It sucks always watching her die,” Aysha said.

Phyre nodded.  “Kali, I’ll start with you.  That way you’ll be out when I do it to Aysha.”  She looked at him hard for a second, then nodded, understanding.  It sounded like a very intimate experience, and just the thought of him doing it to Aysha made her jealous.

Phyre smiled lovingly down at her, pulling her close.  “We will be together forever.  No one can stop us now,” he whispered in her ear before slowly licking the spot above her breast that he obviously intended on biting.  Just as he was leaning down, she grabbed his face with her hands.  “Don’t you dare bite Aysha like this.  I will be forced to beat you senseless.”

He laughed, agreeing.  “I promise I will stick to her neck.”  He gave her a reassuring smile as he leaned down again, pulling her tightly to him.  She winced, expecting the bite to hurt, but it didn’t at all.  He was gently, and she felt only his lips on her skin.  There was a tiny prick for a single second, and then a connection.  She could feel him, everything about him.  The world truly faded around them as the connection stabilized.

She slowly opened her eyes to find herself standing in a slightly misty area.  The sound of rushing water was next to her…a river perhaps?  Looking to her left, she saw it.  It was a waterfall, a gorgeous one, falling into a lake.  All around her were trees.  In front of her, Phyre stood in all his glory, shirtless.  It was just the two of them. 

“Where are we?” she asked him, confused.

“I’m not really sure.  This hasn’t ever happened before,” he replied.

The way he was looking at her caused her heart to flutter.  Lust rushed through her body.

“Is this what it’s going to be like for Aysha, too?” she asked as he stepped closer to her.

He smiled down at her softly, shaking his head.   “No my sweet, no she will not get this pleasure.  I have heard of this kind of thing happening before, before soul mates.  It’s like their own little world, where just the two of them can be in bliss.”

Kalika smiled at him, loving the sound of his voice.  “It’s beautiful here.”

He nodded, agreeing with her, and took another step.  They were so close now that she could feel his muscles brushing against her.  He kissed her hungrily, pulling her so close to him that she was sure they were going to become one being.  Suddenly, he pulled back.

“We must go now,” he said, looking worried.

“No, please Phyre…” she pleaded.  “Can’t we just stay here forever?”

“No my sweet,” Phyre whispered.  “We have been here too long as it is…I must stop before I take too much.  If you die before I give you my blood, I won’t be able to save you.”

She took a step back reluctantly, sadly.  The world slowly faded around them and the living room began to take its place.

Phyre was pulling back form her, still supporting her.  She couldn’t move, nor could she speak.

“Damn,” she heard him say.

“What?” Aysha’s voice came.  “What’s going on?”

“After so much blood is taken, some people pass out,” Phyre sounded frantic.  “Baby, hold on, please!  Stay with me…”

She felt him move around and then something wet touched her lips.  She forced her tongue to lick it, even though it was hard.

“Good girl,” she heard Phyre whisper.  More blood was dripping now, and she drank it up, feeling him push her head tightly against his wrist, which was an amazing feat considering he was still holding her up.  She felt him slowly lower her onto the couch, but he was still there, his open hand now running through her hair.

“It’ll be okay baby,” she heard him whisper.  “I’ll be here when you wake.”

Then, she drifted into darkness.

Part Six

 

Kalika slowly opened her eyes to complete darkness, though it seemed as light as day.  She felt…strange.  It was almost like hunger, just harsher, stabbing pains.  Something shifted in the chair across the room, and she noticed it even though she was facing the opposite direction.  She turned and looked at the creature, seeing it in a whole different light.  This male, her mate, had once looked so normal to her, but now he looked godly.  He had a dark aura around him that made him seem like he was something beyond this world.  He is, though, she thought.  He truly is.  Looking over on the floor lay another, a female.  She had a lighter aura, though, and she looked much more innocent than the male. 

She slowly stood, stretching like a cat.  There were two others in chairs at the table, unconscious.  They were definitely human.  Her eyes zeroed in on one’s neck, seeing the vein pumping blood.  Licking her lips, she took a step towards the human, knowing that the male she had watched earlier was staring at her attentively.  He wishes to see what I am going to do, she realized, a smile coming to her face.  She took another step towards the humans when the front door flew open.  She quickly crouched down in a position where she was ready to attack.  Her instincts led her, allowing a growl to slip in her throat.

Those who entered were not human, though they looked surprised when they heard her.  They looked around for her and she brought herself back up to a standing position, her muscles still tense.  For a brief moment, they didn’t seem to know how to react to her.  Then, three of them shouted in glee.

“Kali!” they said, grinning.  They looked a bit…evil…when they did that.  For some reason, she found it to be quite amusing.

“Yes?” she asked, smiling coldly.  The three laughed.

“This is great,” one of them said.

“Shut up Raven,” the fourth, who had appeared at the doorway much after the other three, scowled at them.  “This isn’t right.  Phyre-“

He had only gotten to take half of his menacing step towards the one who had made her when she flew across the room and grabbed him by the neck.  She didn’t like anyone threatening her mate.  She lifted him off the ground, let him hang for a minute, then set him back down.  She glared at him before turning and moving across the room to stand next to her mate.  He was smiling down at her with pride.

“What did you do to her?” the one she had just assaulted managed to croak out.  He was sitting on his knees where she had dropped him, his hand on his neck.

“I did what she asked of me,” her mate’s eyes never left hers.

“No,” the one groaned, attempting to stand up.

“You had to have done something else,” another said, looking her up and down with amazement.

“I had to give her the blood I had from The First,” her mate said after a long pause.  This elicited a gasp from all of the others.  “I had no choice,” he went on.  “She wasn’t taking to it well.”

“You gave her the blood of The First?” the one on the floor yelled.  “Are you insane?  Look what it did to her!  She just woke up and already she’s stronger than all of us put together!”

“I must admit, I too am surprised by this.  I didn’t think that it would affect her so much,” her mate said.  “It’s quite amazing…”

“It’s horrible,” the one gasped again.  “This is not a good thing, she was never meant to be a vampire!”

“Stop talking about me as if I weren’t here,” she finally interrupted.  Her eyes strayed over to the two humans again, and she felt the pains worsen.

“Is she okay?” one of them asked.

Everyone’s attention turned to her, staring.  She never moved her eyes from the humans.

“Damn,” her mate swore suddenly.  “She needs to feed.  She must be starving…”

Before they could say another word, she was already across the room and attacking one of the humans, her mouth finding its way to the main artery in his neck.

She could hear the others talking, something about how it was interesting that she hadn’t even been taught how to feed and she was doing it, but she ignored them.  The power that was flowing through her with the blood of this human was magnificent.  She never wanted it to end.

Quickly though, she felt her mate gently prying her off of the human.  “You must never drink the last drop, my sweet,” he whispered in her ear.  Her surroundings, she found as she opened her eyes, were familiar now, and she could put names to everyone’s face once again.  She still felt different, though.  She could feel more, her senses were much more acute.  She heard someone across the street sneeze as she allowed Phyre to pull her away from the other human.  She looked up at him and scowled, wanting more.

“Save some for Aysha, my queen,” Phyre looked down at her.

She scanned the room, her eyes pausing on Rafe, who was sitting on the floor, still holding his neck.  He was staring at her in horror.  She knew she was looking harsh and unforgiving.  She still couldn’t believe that he wanted her to kill Phyre.  What were his little friends going to do now that she had gone against their wishes?

She looked over at Aysha, who was still lying on the floor.  Aysha was awake now, though she was still pretending to be asleep.  The thought of Phyre changing Aysha, the thought of his lips on her skin, drove her nuts.  She hated it.

She pushed her anger aside, though, knowing it would do no good at the moment.  “Aysha,” she finally said, her voice cutting through the silence.  “You can stop pretending to be asleep now.”

Aysha stood up slowly, smiling impishly.  Phyre was still staring at her, this time with a bit more interest.  “How did you know?” he asked her.

She shrugged.  “I just did.”

Raven shouted out again, this time more loudly.  “We got our little girls with us forever now!”

“Let’s party!” Thistle yelled.  Rafe was the only one who didn’t look happy with this idea.  “C’mon Rafe, now we can take them to the fun places!”

“Thistle, show Aysha how to feed,” Phyre commanded.  Thistle straightened up and led Aysha over to the humans immediately.

Kalika looked down at her clothes, rumbled and dirty from her little kidnapping, then looked at Phyre.  “I’m going to change,” she said.  She turned and walked upstairs before anyone had the chance to say anything.

She could feel their eyes following her as she walked up the steps, everyone obviously impressed with her.  She felt like she was a goddess, more powerful than anyone or anything.  She couldn’t help it, the power she felt flowing through her was almost overwhelming.  Everything was attacking her senses, it was as though she hadn’t truly seen or heard anything before.  She felt as though she had been deaf, blind, and just all around cut off from the world.  It was an amazing feeling, a wonderful feeling.  Everything felt new to her, even the touch of clothing to her skin.  It was a completely different feeling.  How she had been only hours before felt like it had been lifetimes ago, so different.  She felt like this was where she truly belonged.

She quickly dressed in a black skirt and tight shirt, showing off everything she had to show.  Her knee-high boots definitely added to the outfit.  She heard Aysha tell the boys that she was coming upstairs as well, and soon she arrived in the room.

“This is…”

“Different,” Kalika finished Aysha’s thought for her.  “Right.”

“Yeah,” Aysha smiled at her.  “Kali, you look…so…wow.  I’ve never seen you look like this before.  It’s like looking at a whole new person.”

“Same to you,” Kalika grinned.

“I’m serious, though.  Kali, you look like one of those ancient goddesses or something.  You look so…inhuman.”

“I thought that about Phyre when I first saw him,” Kalika said, her hand moving to the necklace around her neck.  It hadn’t been there before.  She fingered the small vial at the end of it, filled with blood.  The First’s, she realized.  Phyre must have put it around her neck.  It seemed like a gift of such reverence, such perfection.  She knew it was something special to him, something that meant the world to him.  It made her feel wonderful that he had put it on her.  It had some form of protection to it; she could feel the barrier around it.

“The two of you look like you should be ruling the world or something.  You seem so untouchable, so perfect,” Aysha interrupted her thoughts.

Kalika looked at her.

“Kali, you’re eyes…” Aysha took a step back.  “They’re…the irises are completely different.  They’re like…red…but your pupils are like a cat’s are!”

Kalika felt her lips slowly form a smile.  “What are you going to wear?” she changed the subject, looking back down to her necklace.

“I…I don’t know yet…” Aysha still seemed taken aback by her appearance.  “How can I compare to you?”

“Aysha,” she looked at her again.  “It’s not like that…”

“It is, Kali,” Aysha smiled at her.  “You’ve always been more beautiful, but this is just…it’s like something out of someone’s imagination.  It’s unexplainable.”

“Aysha, we are all beautiful in our own ways,” Kalika couldn’t think of anything else to say.

Aysha was just looking at her, a soft, knowing smile on her face.  “Kali, you have always had the eye of every single person who ever saw you.  Before, it was because you looked kind of like a puppy that had been kicked around.  You were still beautiful, but you looked so sad.  Now, you look like you are beyond anything imaginable.  You are an artist’s dream.  You always have been.”

Kalika knew it was a compliment, but she contemplated it.  “I suppose this has changed everything, hasn’t it?” she finally asked.

“Yes,” Aysha said, “yes it has.”

“I can’t go back home,” Kalika realized.  “I can’t…”  A part of her thought it was good, the other sobered at the fact that her family was left to deal with Bill alone.

“Kali, don’t think about it right now.  Let’s just go have some fun,” Aysha said, quietly.

The two of them walked downstairs, ignoring the stares from the guys.  They knew that they commanded the attention of the room.

“Shit, Phyre,” Kalika could hear Rafe, even though she knew no one else could.  “What did you do…”

She ignored him and stalked straight over to Phyre, who was almost drooling.  He regained his composure and let a low growl out as he looked her up and down.  She looked up at him with confidence.  She knew he was hers forever now.

“Jesus, look at them,” Nikolas whistled.  “They look like—“

“Been through that already,” Kalika dismissed the thought with a flick of her wrist.  “Let’s go have some fun.”

Nikolas smiled evilly at her, obviously loving this.  Raven and Thistle looked the same way.

“We’ve been waiting a long time to hear you say those words, gorgeous,” Raven said.  They all walked outside, Rafe trailing behind.  She knew he was coming just to keep an eye on them.

They walked down the street, all knowing that every single person they passed was staring intently on them, wondrously.  Kalika and Phyre led the pack, the others following unquestioningly.  It just seemed as if this was the way it was supposed to be.

As they approached a club with an illuminated sign that read “Phantom” on it, all of the creatures in front of them moved away.  It seemed that no one was willing to mess with them.  Phyre was clearly stating that she was his, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist.  Everyone, human and vampire alike, watched them.  Even the bouncer stepped aside as they got up to the doorway, moving the velvet rope to allow them all in. 

The club had only vampires in it, perhaps a few that were shape shifters or werewolves.  No humans were in the club, which in part, annoyed Kalika.  She was hungry.

“Would you like to join me in the feeding room?” Phyre whispered in her ear.  She smiled at him and walked beside him towards another door, across the dance floor.  The dancers didn’t stop dancing, but they did clear a path to allow them through.  It appeared that no one wanted to question their power.

He led her through the door where she saw many humans, looking fearful.  A part of her wanted to feel bad for them, but her vampire side won out and they two of them attacked separate victims, while all others watched them.  Every vampire had stopped feeding to watch the two of them, which surprised Kalika.  She didn’t let it show, though, knowing that she wanted these creatures to accept her as one of them and as a possible leader.

She stopped as she felt the last few drops near the edge of the vein she was sucking on, remembering Phyre’s words.  He had just finished before her and was watching her, grinning.  She stood up in front of him, eyeing the trickle of blood move slowly down his chin.  Then, she stepped towards him and licked it up to his lips, then kissed him intensely.  He kissed back, hard, pulling her body against him.  It didn’t feel as though he was going to crush her, as it had before.  It felt like she was his equal now.  Everyone’s eyes were on them as Phyre pulled her skirt up a bit and lifted her up.  She wrapped her legs around him and he stepped back to sit on a giant chair behind him. 

Suddenly, she stopped him with her finger on his lips.  “Later,” she whispered in his ear.  He growled as she stepped up off of him, knowing he was already on his feet and following her as she walked over to the doorway.  As she opened it, she was hit with a wave of thoughts from the other vampires, who didn’t have as good of a wall for their thoughts as they believed that they did.  She could hear their voices in her head, whispers about her and Phyre, trying to figure out who they were.  She loved it.

She and Phyre just ignored them, turning to the dance floor and looking at no one but each other.  For the first time in her life, she felt no worries, no fear, no anger…just purely happy.  The two of them danced until just before dawn, when they headed home to sleep.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Kalika awoke slowly the next evening, just after sunset.  Phyre was beside her in the pitch black room, still asleep.  She could see him perfectly, every feature of his face down to the lines on his forehead.  He was beautiful.

Suddenly, she perked up, hearing a noise from the kitchen.  She silently moved down the stairs and sat outside the kitchen, listening in.  Rafe was on the phone, whispering intensely. 

“She’s been turned,” he was whispering, fearfully.  “She ignored us…I know, I know, but I can’t kill her now.  She’ll never come back and she’s our only hope to eliminate the problem!”

Kalika raised her eyebrows, tilting her head.  Rafe continued, “I don’t know, I hope she listens…there’s nothing else that we can do now…well, taking her again would be crazy, Phyre hardly let her out of his sight as it was, but now that he turned her…I should go, they’ll be up soon…yes, I will figure something out.”

He hung up the phone and she heard him lean his head against the wall.  He sighed, sounding old.  “What have you done, Kalika?” he said, his voice pained.  Kalika remained frozen, not fully understanding.

“I don’t know what I am to do now, how am I to save you now that you have chosen this path?” Rafe continued talking to himself.  “All is lost without you…”

Kalika was confused.  She didn’t know what he was talking about, but she didn’t like the tone of his voice.  She had never heard him sound like this before, usually he was so dark and strong, but now he sounded scared.  It was very uncharacteristic of him.  Or perhaps it’s uncharacteristic of who he wants everyone to think he is…if the guys found him out, that he was on another side, they would…suddenly, it was more clear to her.  Rafe was not the person she thought he was.  She had never truly known the real Rafe.  The vampire she heard in the kitchen was the real Rafe.  For a brief moment, she felt sympathy for Rafe, his situation.  Then, another side kicked in.  He lied to me, to all of us…he convinced us he was someone else, but he is betraying the guys…she wanted to go tell Phyre, to get Rafe out of the way, but something held her back.  Something told her not to act just yet, to let things play out and see what was to come.

Slowly standing up, she walked into the kitchen with confidence.  She figured that he hadn’t realized she was there, but she felt the need to let him know.  She had been right; when Rafe looked up at her from his spot on the floor, he got very pale. 

“How long have you been out there?” he finally asked, looking down.  His arms rested on his knees, knees pulled to his chest.  He looked…different.  He didn’t look like the charming, cocky, fearless guy she knew for so long, the guy that she had once been with.  She didn’t know what to think of him anymore, how to act around him.

“Who are you, Rafe?” she finally whispered, sitting down in front of him.  “I don’t even know who you are…”

Rafe sighed, looking up.  “It had to be that way, Kali,” he responded.  He looked so much older at that moment, his wisdom that he had gained over the past several thousand years showing in his eyes.  “I had no choice…do you think I wanted to hurt you like I did?”

“Why did you even hook up with me?”

“Because I love you,” he answered, calmly.  “I always have, since the day I first remember seeing you…I suppose you don’t really remember that, though…”

Kalika remained silent.  She didn’t know what to say to him.  He was definitely making it harder for her to dislike him or be angry with him.

“We go back a long way, Kali.  And every time I find you again, I have to do the same thing as I did before, keep you at a distance.  If I don’t, then I fall in love with you all over again, and you eventually meet Phyre…this has been happening since humans first existed,” Rafe looked at her, but she knew he was seeing something else.  Something that she didn’t remember, but she knew had once been.

“We were to be mates, then.  We were only teenagers, but our parents had set us up to be together.  Then, one day, a demon showed up…the first humans dealt with demons a lot, for demons were the first to rule the planet.  Then, humans came along…the Gods just must have decided that it was their turn to take over…but I remember the day we first met Phyre…at least, the first day when I was there…it’s a day that I shall never forget.

“You were standing next to me; we were walking by the river.  Suddenly, he dropped in.  His intent had been to feed on us, to kill us…but the two of you looked at each other, and he seemed to be unable to move.  Something happened, I didn’t completely understand right away, but it hit me pretty quick.  You two were meant for each other, meant for something greater than this world was ready for.  I tried to attack him, to get him away, but he merely pushed me aside.  He went to you and touched your face…”  Rafe trailed off for a moment, his eyes filled with tears.  He looked straight at her.  “I froze when I watched you two.  I couldn’t get myself to move, to push him away from you…but you didn’t seem to want that.  It was like the two of you recognized each other’s souls; even then…that was your first meeting.  He fled after he touched you, but that wasn’t the last of him.  After that day, I had never been able to even get close to the part of your soul that he touched in that one moment.  Every lifetime, I gave it a try, I tried to get you to forget him and be with me.  But even when your mind didn’t remember him, your soul did.  You were never truly content with me.  Finally, I just started doing things to push you away from me.  I was there to protect you, but I knew in order to do that, I had to hurt you.  I had hoped that maybe if you didn’t get too close to me, you wouldn’t find Phyre…but every time, he would find you…

“When he did, the first few times, I allowed someone to split you up.  I didn’t have a good reason at that point, just jealousy.  After the first few times you came back, a man came up to me.”

“Akakios?” Kalika interjected.

Rafe nodded.  “He found me, told me of this prophecy that he had stolen from the demons that told of one who was meant to be king, and his queen, who would take over the world and enslave the human race.  If that happened, the other half of the prophecy, that Akakios had, predicted to destruction of the world and the universe as we know it.  I didn’t believe it at first, but he made me think of when the two of you had been together; the signs that had shown up…there was the end of the demon rule, the coming of the civilizations, the two ‘wars of the world’, as the text put it, an unexplainable power flowing through the blood of the female, the destruction of the First…all things that when put together were so destructive that it would bring an end the world that they would control.

“Kali, it killed a part of me every time that I saw you die.  I hated it…it wasn’t just Fate; it was the manipulation of Fate.  Akakios started The Order just after you died that time.  We were there to ensure the continuation of humanity, to keep the peace between the demons that lived on and humans.  Trust me, there are several demons that wish for your arrival, for the two of you to come together and take over the world.  Kali, you gotta understand that they don’t know the other half of the prophecy.  They don’t know and won’t believe that it means the end of everything including them.  We can’t let you and Phyre do this…”

“How can you be so sure that it will happen, Rafe?” Kalika finally said, after letting several minutes pass.  “How do you know?”

“The prophecy—“

“Is just that, a prophecy!  It’s something written on a piece of parchment!” Kalika said, angrily.  “You never even gave us a chance, Rafe.  You use this prophecy to explain actions that are a result of jealousy, nothing more.  You never let things go to see what would happen, you never let me and Phyre be together!  How could you presume to know what would happen?  You never let it be!  You have been playing God for the past several thousand years because I found someone who I connected with more than I did with you!  Did you ever think of talking to me in the first place?  To explaining this prophecy to me before you destroyed my life over and over again?  You didn’t, did you?  You couldn’t even give me the chance to choose, you just offed me and waited for my next life…I don’t believe you, Rafe.”

“That’s not how this is, Kali, I know you’re bitter but you’re blowing it out of proportion—“

“Excuse me?” she jumped up angrily.  “I’m doing what?  You killed me several times, Rafe.  You allowed for this all to happen!  Of course I’m bitter!  You never even gave me a chance to take care of things myself!  So did that prophecy mention something like this?  About how you supposedly needed to dictate my life and control everything?  How could you do this?  Why?”

“I’m sorry…” Rafe put his head in his hands.  “Kali, maybe I did things the wrong way, but they had to be done…”

“Says who?  That whack job, Akakios?  So I’m supposed to throw everything away, to get rid of the one person who truly understands me and knows me, just for this?” Kalika knew she was probably getting a bit irrational, but she couldn’t stop.  The anger had been building up since she had seen him at the warehouse, and she couldn’t take it anymore.  “I’m not going to, Rafe.  You can do whatever the hell you want to, but I’m not giving him up this time because of you.  I won’t lose him again.  You can’t stop me this time, Rafe, I won’t let you.  It’s over.”

With that, she stalked out of the kitchen.  She was so angry, so hurt…she didn’t know what to do, but she wasn’t going to let them tear her and Phyre apart again.  It was her turn to be happy now, and they could deal with it.

“One of the signs is the death of innocent people with your blood, Kalika,” Rafe’s voice floated out of the kitchen.  He sounded strained.  “Young ones, murdered for no good reason.  Do you think it is coincidence that you have a twin sister, Kali, who is so good it makes you sick sometimes?  Who do you think was feeing me that information?”

Kalika froze in her tracks and Rafe walked out of the kitchen behind her.  He was calm now, his tone calculated.  He was aiming to get to her.

“She’s an old soul too, you know…we got to her three years ago, and she agreed to help us.”

Kalika turned around glared at him fiercely.  Anger flowed through her blood and she growled.  Before she knew what was happening, her hand flew up in the air and a wave of power burst out.  He flew back against the wall, making the whole house rattle, and Kalika fell backwards onto the floor from the power of the wave.  Both of them stared at each other in surprise, Rafe looking horrified. Within seconds, everyone was downstairs.

“What’s going on?” Phyre got to her side and knelt down next to her.  “Kali, what happened?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered, unable to take her eyes off of Rafe.  She was shaking, fear filling her heart.  Rafe still stared at her, ignoring Aysha next to him and the hands offered to him from Rave and Thistle. 

Kalika didn’t know what to do.  This new power scared her, especially since she really didn’t have any control over it.  She allowed Phyre to lift her into his arms and she watched as Thistle pulled Rafe up.  Behind him was a huge hole in the wall, blackened with the power that had put him there. 

“What the hell is that?” Raven asked.  Everyone looked at Kalika, who was staring at her hands.  They were both red from the power leaving them.

“I don’t know,” she said again, looking back up at Rafe in confusion, then up into Phyre’s eyes.

“The blood of the First,” he said, looking at her with pride.  “The First was said to possess amazing powers that could move someone without Him touching them, even kill another demon by sending enough through them.  Kali, his blood mixed with yours must have done something, allowed you to have this power…which means he will be coming to find you.”

Part Seven

 

 

“Wait a sec, the First is coming here?” Thistle’s eyes widened.  “We gotta clean and shit!”

“I never thought that those words would ever come out of your mouth, Thist,” Raven raised his eyebrows. 

“The First won’t care about whether or not this place is clean.  He will only wish to see Kalika,” Phyre interrupted them.  “Worry not, my little queen.  You will get along with him quite well.”

“Yes, you will, Kali,” Nikolas stepped forward.  “He is a ladies man, he will love you.  He has an eye for gorgeous woman, and you have definitely surpassed them all.”

Kalika smiled at that, felling a tad bit embarrassed.  The embarrassment passed when she glanced at Phyre, who was staring hard at Nikolas.  He didn’t seem like he had thought of that.

“Perhaps we should feed before he comes,” Phyre said, still glaring at Nikolas.

“He’s coming tonight?” Kalika asked.

“He must have felt your power the second you were made into a vampire, my sweet,” Phyre replied.  “I am surprised he hasn’t shown up already.”

Kalika looked at him, not sure how to respond.  She didn’t know how she felt about this “First” showing up.  She just had a bit of a bad feeling about him.

“It will be all right,” Phyre pulled her close and gently brushed his hand against her cheek.  “As long as we are together, we will be okay.”

Kalika smiled softly, looking deep into his eyes.  She could tell that he knew she was a bit uneasy about this. 

“It will be all right,” his eyes never left hers, giving her reassurance.

Kalika felt something strange at that moment, something that troubled her.  The feeling swept through her and she felt as though she had been punched.  He is coming, a voice whispered in her head.  She didn’t know where the voice came from, but it was a warning.  Before she had the chance to do anything, she knew he was there.

“Open the door,” she said, coldly, towards Nikolas.

Nikolas looked at her for a moment, confused, before his body began moving towards the door as if compelled to do so.  He was blinking profusely as he opened the door to reveal a tall vampire.  He was gorgeous.  Gorgeous didn’t even begin to describe this creature.  His skin was a bit darker, tan almost but obviously natural seeing as he was a vampire.  His hair was so dark that it had a bluish tint to it, and his eyes were such a deep red that Kalika almost felt like stepping back.  She didn’t though, her body and her mind refused to let her.  She wouldn’t stand down to this creature, no matter whom or what he was.

As he walked in, the others stepped out of his way, bowing.  Even Phyre stepped back, a little behind Kalika, bowing his head in reverence.  Kalika stayed, though, keeping her head high.  She glared into the vampire’s eyes defiantly, feeling his attempting to compel her to bow.  She fought it, pushing back with her mind as much as she possibly could.  It was enough; he stepped back first in surprise.

Phyre glanced up and put his hand on Kalika’s shoulder, trying to force her to at least bow a little, but she resisted him as well.

“No,” the vampire said, raising his hand.  A small smile crossed his face.  “Let her be.”

Phyre kept his hand on her shoulder but stopped the force.  He stepped up next to her, moving his hand slowly down her back and around her waist in an obvious gesture to point off that she was off limits to this creature.

“Allow me to introduce myself,” the vampire said, bowing slowly to her and kissing her hand.  “I am known as Tantalus, for there is no one left who could speak my true name.”

“Tantalus?” Kalika raised an eyebrow.  “Such as the son of Zeus?”

“Ahh, you know your mythology…” Tantalus smiled, a smile that was eerily fearsome.  “That is very good, though the name in mythology came after me.  I was not named after some myth.”

Kalika rolled her eyes.  For some reason, she felt very sarcastic and defiant around this vampire.  “Glad you’re not stuck up or anything.”

“Kalika!” Nikolas said.  “Do not speak to The First in such a way!”

Kalika’s temper flared somewhere deep inside of her.  She had never felt such anger.  She cocked her head slightly, looking in Nikolas’s direction, then flicked her hand and he went flying against the wall.  Something about this new creature made her more irritable and almost divine, like nothing could touch and no one should defy.

Her actions caused Tantalus to look at her with a great respect.  She merely looked back at him, showing no emotion and strengthening her psychic walls against his probes.  Phyre’s arm tightened around her waist protectively and possessively.

Tantalus still held her hand, using it to attempt to push past her psychic wall and failing.  His smile turned to a frown of anger.  “I have never seen a vampire as strong as you, my dear.  How long has she been a vampire?”

“What, you aren’t strong enough to have felt me when I was turned?” she replied, pulling her hand back.

Tantalus’s eyes turned to her, anger flashing through them, turning them to a deep crimson.  “You may have my blood in you, little one, but perhaps you should show more respect for your elders,” he growled.

She met his eyes stubbornly, ignoring his silent command to submit to him.  It seemed as though she had caught him in her eyes, as if he couldn’t break away.  A bit of something—perhaps fear?—broke through for a brief second, and suddenly she could feel his thoughts.

“I turned her about 24 hours ago,” Phyre said, causing Tantalus to pull his gaze from hers, breaking the connection.  He stared at Phyre, astonished.

“You mean to tell me that this child is but only 24 hours a vampire?”  Tantalus laughed.  An illusion, she heard his thoughts.  Merely an illusion.

“It was no illusion,” she said, glaring at him.

“Perhaps you should not read where you don’t belong, young one,” Tantalus replied, equally cool.

“Perhaps you should prove your power and stop me,” she growled.  A small, wicked smile crossed her lips slowly.

Tantalus looked at her for a moment, then laughed.  “I like you,” he said, copying her smile.  “I truly like you, my dear.  We must talk.”  He put his hand out, waiting for her to take it.

“I go with,” Phyre stepped forward.

Tantalus turned his glare in Phyre’s direction, unhappy.  “You do not command me to do anything.”

“He goes with me,” Kalika grabbed everyone’s attention.  “If you wish to speak to me, you may speak to him as well.  If you treat him as though he is not your equal, you may leave this domain.”

Tantalus didn’t seem to know what to think of this.  Finally, he nodded slowly.  “Very well then,” he said, looking between the two. “Perhaps that is best…perhaps the prophecy is to come true.”

Kalika suddenly thought about Rafe.  Tantalus hadn’t even glanced in his direction, but if he turned his powers towards Rafe, he would know all.  She extended her psychic wall to cover everyone in the room except the old vampire.

Tantalus noticed this.  “Why did you do that, young one?” he asked, suspiciously.

“I feel that you have no right to read the thoughts of others without their permission.  And seeing as you haven’t yet, I am making certain that you don’t,” Kalika replied.  She didn’t care if she angered him.

He smiled again, “Very well, I will not force you to stop.”

He was trying to cover himself, she realized.  She must have somehow scared him.

Kalika decided she wanted to push it a little more, though, and stalked past Tantalus, Phyre right behind her.  Tantalus was forced to follow the two of them downstairs into the dungeon-like area below the house.  Kalika dropped into the large chair, Phyre climbing in behind her to hold her.

“You’re not making it obvious or anything,” she said, quietly.  Phyre laughed in her ear, gently kissing her neck.  She knew that he was glaring at Tantalus.

“What is it that you wish to speak of?” Kalika asked.  She wasn’t quite sure why, but she spoke and acted very formally in front of this vampire, as though she felt like she was better than him.  It was a part of her that she had never known existed.

“You, my dear,” Tantalus said, seductively, even though Phyre was right behind her.  “I wish to make you my queen.”

Kalika felt a spark of something behind her, something she could tell was far more powerful than her.  The spark had come from Phyre, she realized, confused.  He was definitely hiding a part of him from this vampire and from everyone else.

Kalika laughed, hiding her confusion, her reaction happening before she knew what she was doing.  “You wish for me to be your queen?  Hardly likely, Tantalus.  I am mated with another.”

“That matters not,” Tantalus growled, swiftly moving across the room and pulling her from the chair, out of Phyre’s grasp.

“You may wish to rethink your actions, Tantalus,” Kalika said, dangerously.  She stepped back, knowing that Phyre would not be able to control his anger much longer.

“You should be mine,” Tantalus spoke quietly, so much that she knew Phyre could not hear him.  “He is undeserving of you.  You are much too powerful for this petty little vampire.”

Kalika rolled her eyes.  “Sorry,” she replied.  “Not interested.”

She ignored his look of complete bewilderment.  He was obviously not used to having a woman of any species deny him.  Within seconds, his emotions turned to infuriation.  A growl from deep within his throat shook the whole house.

“You will be mine,” his voice was deep and raspy, a voice that seemed to sound through the ages.

“Do not presume to tell me what I will or will not be,” Kalika felt her own anger boil up.  She stood tall in front of him, unflinching at his outrage.  A darker power than then anything she every thought possible rippled through the room, causing her almost keel over.  Phyre stood next to her, though, not moving or reacting to this spurt of energy, his hand on her shoulder.  That’s why it hardly touched me, she thought.  Even though she could feel a deep pain, she knew that it wasn’t even a touch of what Tantalus was attempting to unleash.  It was meant towards Phyre, she knew.  Tantalus wanted to destroy her mate so he could seek her.  Anger streamed through her veins, taking over her.  She was reverting to an ancient being, to some primal character she didn’t know.  She no longer felt logic, no longer recognized anything with humanity.  She only felt anger.

“You may wish to stop while you have a chance,” Phyre said, frostily.  “If she comes after you, I guarantee that even with all of you age; you will not be able to defend yourself.”

Tantalus seemed to acknowledge this fact and step down.  Kalika calmed a bit, still feeling her anger, but beginning to see the world again as she knew it.

“Perhaps you should learn your lesson, Tantalus,” Phyre said.  “You have tried this several times, and every time you have felt the repercussions of messing with one’s mate.  You of all people should know that this is something that predates even you.  Mating is something that came before even the Gods.”

Kalika looked at Tantalus, sizing him up and licking her lips menacingly.  Tantalus took another step towards the doorway, looking deeply displeased.

“This isn’t over,” he whispered, his voice carrying as if there was a wind, then he disappeared.  Kalika could feel him getting farther away, but she could tell that he wasn’t leaving town any time soon.

Kalika looked up at Phyre, feeling her anger fade quickly.  “What are you hiding from all of us?” she asked, gently caressing his cheek.

“I know not what you speak of,” he grinned, feigning innocence.  “That was quite interesting.”

“You despise him, don’t you?” she asked.

“Perhaps,” he said, his eyes darkening.  “He has taken you from me several times.  He often said that if he couldn’t have you, no one could.  I fear that he will take you.”

“He doesn’t have a chance,” Kalika smiled softly.  “Not up against us…especially not against you.  You could kill him at any time…yet you let him live.  Why?”

“I will not turn into that kind of creature in front of you, Kali,” he whispered, looking melancholy.  “I never want you to see that side of me.”

“Phyre,” Kalika kept her hand on his cheek.  “I know that it is there.  It will not scare me.  We all have that side to us…you just have to power to truly show it.”

“I do not wish to show it to you…” he said, looking away.  “You are better than that.”

“What do you call what I just did?” Kalika asked.  “I forgot who I was for a moment, the power overtook me.  I allowed the dark to take me and…I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t interfered.”

“My dear, even with the dark taking over, you were beautiful,” Phyre said, looking back into her eyes.

“Now, you have seen my dark side and you believe this,” she replied.  “So why would I feel any different?”

Phyre looked at her for a moment before changing the subject.  “He believes that he is the one in the prophecy, that he would be the one to take you and rule the world.”

“It’s not,” Kalika said, completely sure of herself.  “He’s not as powerful as he thinks he is.  He merely gives the illusion of power, trying to look like it.  He may be much older, but he has little control compared to you.  You are quite the actor, Phyre.”

Phyre stared at her, appreciatively.  “So you caught that, huh?”

“You always act so reverent towards him, but I see right through that and now he does as well,” Kalika smiled.  “I think he underestimates you.”

“Yes,” Phyre said, darkly.  “Yes he does.”

He gently took her hand and pulled her upstairs, ignoring the gasps from the others.

“What happened?” they were demanding, but he completely overlooked them and pulled her up to his room, practically dragging her up the stairs.

“Phyre-“ before she could say anything else, Phyre pulled her into his room and slammed the door behind them, pushing her up against it and kissing her passionately.  Kalika got over her surprise quickly and kissed him back.

Phyre kept control over her, though, pulling her with him to the bed.  He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist, letting him hold her up.  They never stopped kissing as he dropped on to the bed, allowing her to be on top.  Before she let him lay down, she pulled his shirt up over his head and threw it aside, feeling him literally rip hers off.  Too bad, I liked that shirt, she thought as she pushed him back on the bed, slowly brushing her lips against his chest lightly, moving down his chest and towards his pants.

Phyre groaned softly, “Oh, Kali, you are my queen…”

She lifted her head and smiled, “I know.”

She unzipped his jeans and yanked them off, continuing to kiss down his thin line of hair that led down beneath his boxers. 

“Allow me,” he muttered, his eyes filled with desire as he pulled off his boxers.

“I figured you would wear anything at all…” she said, smiling at him.

“Usually I don’t,” Phyre shrugged, taking her by surprise as he flipped her under him.  “Now you will be mine,” he growled at her.

He pulled her pants off and covered her mouth with his, kissing her roughly.  His fingers probed her clitoris, gently.  She moaned, her breathing speeding up.  His lips gently moved down her neck, nibbling slightly.  She arched her back as his fingers moved back a bit and went inside of her, slowly sliding in and out.  She felt his erection brush against her leg.

She groaned as he pulled back, only fingering her.  “Oh, Phyre…please…” she was pleading with him.  She opened her eyes and scowled at him.  She could feel the laughter rumble from deep within him as he rolled on top of her and slowly pushed himself inside of her, eliciting a moan from her.

“Men were made from different stuff when you were actually living…” she mumbled in surprise.

“Why thank you, my queen,” he smiled down at her, and began to roll his hips into hers.

Even he seemed to lose himself when she started to raise her hips to meet him, their bodies moving together.  They both started grinding together, forcefully, and Kalika couldn’t help but begin to moan loudly.  Phyre’s breathing quickened and his groans grew louder as well.  Kalika smiled to herself in satisfaction that she was making him get so loud.  Suddenly, her smile disappeared to an enormous feeling of pleasure, and they both climaxed together.

Phyre collapsed on top of her, still breathing hard.  “Well, my little queen is definitely amazing…in all aspects of life…” he mumbled, slowly rolling off of her and laying next to her and exhaled slowly.

Kalika leaned on his chest, looking down at him, smiling softly.  “Phyre?” she asked.  “Will you tell me about our daughter?”

That caught him off-guard.  A look of sadness passed through his eyes.  “I suppose you don’t remember at all, do you?”

She shook her head, leaning down and kissing his cheek.  “Please?”

Phyre nodded.  “As I told you before, she was beautiful…almost as beautiful as you.  She was very…rambunctious.  No one was able to control her but you.  She refused to listen to the elders or give respect to anyone unless she felt that they had earned it.  It was hard to believe that she was only five years old when she was…well anyways; she was an amazing little girl.  Very smart for her age.  She was much like you…no one but you could debate her and win.  She was good at pointing out things that no one saw.  I always thought that the two of you lived in your own little world, saw things that only you could see.  Sometimes I would find you two sitting next to the river and just staring off, as if you saw something no one else could.  The two of you were everything to me…”

“It’s all right,” Kalika gently ran her hand up and down his chest.  “You don’t have to say more.”  She saw how much it hurt him.  She couldn’t even imagine what he had gone through in his unnaturally long life, seeing his daughter murdered, on top of seeing her death so many times.  She knew that she would lose it if she had to watch him die.

 

Part Eight

 

 

Kalika sat up slowly, welcoming a new day…Well, night actually, she thought.  It was weird to get used to the fact that she would be unable to see daylight again.  She would never get to see a sunrise or a sunset, or go play with Krishna, Korbin and Ket in the park like she used to.

“Oh my God,” she jump out of Phyre’s bed and started to pull her clothes on.  She hadn’t seen her family in days and she wasn’t there to protect them or take the brunt of Bill’s anger.

“What’s wrong?” Phyre slowly stood up and wrapped his arms around her.

“My family…I may have changed but they still have Bill to deal with…” she said, looking up at him.

“What are you going to do?” he asked her, brushing some of her hair out of her eyes.

“I don’t know yet…” she replied, starting to pull her shirt on.  “I’ll figure that out when I get there…”

She paused for a moment and looked at him, standing there naked.  “As much as I enjoy you naked, you should get dressed and come with me.”

He laughed.  “Fine,” he said, “I’ll come with you then.  Thanks for asking.”

“I don’t ask, I tell,” she stood up straighter and glared at him mockingly.  “I’m gonna run ahead so I can get there.  Catch up with me?”

“Yeah, be there soon,” he planted a kiss on her forehead, then turned to pull his pants on.

She wanted just to stand there and watch him, taking in every bit of him, but she knew she needed to go check on things.  She was worried about Krishna.  As she ran downstairs and out the door, she saw that no one was up yet.  The sun had just gone down and she could see the last strands on light flickering across the sky as she walked out the door, shutting it behind her.

“I really don’t feel like walking there…” she said to herself.  Her eyes caught Rafe’s car and she grinned.  “Hope he doesn’t mind me borrowing it!” 

She jogged over to it and hopped in, knowing that the keys were in there already.  She turned the ignition and revved the engine loud enough so everyone would wake up and know that she was taking the car, just to spite them.  Before any of them could get out there, though, she got out of the driveway and down the street, squealing the tires as she went around the corner, blowing the stop sign.  She didn’t really care about that stuff anymore.  Just days ago, she would have been so scared of a cop seeing her do that, not wanting to do anything to mess up her record.  She had feared that if she ever messed up, she wouldn’t be able to get the boys out of the house when she turned eighteen.  Now, she didn’t care.  She was going to take the boys tonight and bring them with her.  She no longer feared Bill, knowing that she could beat him easily.

She pulled into her driveway, making as much noise as possible.  Come and get it, Billy, she thought, grinning evilly.  Bring it on.

Just as she had expected, he came running out onto the lawn when he heard her, stumbling over everything and nothing.  “Where have you been, you little slut?” he slurred as she stepped out of the car.  “Whoring yourself out?  Gimme the damn money!”

As she tried to walk past him, he grabbed her wrist.  She stopped and looked down at his hand, then said, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”  A low growl escaped her throat.

Bill was definitely caught off guard.  “Don’t you tell me what to do you whore!”  He raised his other hand to hit her but she twisted out of his grip and caught the other hand, yanking it behind his back.  Within less than a second, she had him on the ground with a knife to his neck.

“If you know what’s good for you, you will not try that again,” she could feel her fangs slowly slide down as she got angry.  “Now here’s the deal you stupid fucker.  I am taking the boys and Kayleigh.  You will stay out of the way and never try to come after us.  If I even think that you called the cops or tried to send someone or that you are coming, I will kill you.” 

Bill’s breathing quickened as he looked into her eyes and saw the changes.  “What are you?” he whispered, finally, fear making his body shake.

“I am your worst nightmare,” she muttered.  “I took your shit for far too long, now you have one chance to let go.  If you even think about coming after us, you can kiss your life goodbye because I will torture you so much that you will wish you were never born.”

With that, she stood up, brushed herself off, and strode into the house.  She knew that the boys and Kayleigh were watching through the window, so as soon as she got in she said, “Get your shit, you guys are coming with me.”

“Kalika!” Kayleigh said, running to her.  The boys ran straight upstairs, screaming with happiness that they were getting out of the hellhole.  “Oh, Kali, where have you been?  You…you look different…”

“I will explain—“ Kalika froze.  She felt something, a presence… “Tantalus.”

“What?” Kayleigh looked confused.

Kalika pushed the stabbing fear away.  She didn’t know if she could handle Tantalus alone.  She couldn’t feel Phyre anywhere near there.  “Kayleigh, listen to me.  Go get your shit now, this place isn’t safe!”

Kayleigh looked at her.  “What are you talking about, Kali?”

Before Kalika could answer, she knew Tantalus was at the door.  “My,” he said, “won’t you invite me in?”

Kalika turned to see Bill being held up by Tantalus, looking stunned.

“Bill, no!” she shouted, but she was too late.  Bill invited the vampire into the house.

Tantalus looked at Kalika and made a tsking sound, then dropped Bill.  “Well, I figured that you would come here.”

Kalika shoved Kayleigh back behind her.  “You leave them alone,” she growled. 

“Oh, now why would I do that?” Tantalus said.  “You can’t do anything to me right now; you are nothing without your beloved soul mate next to you.  He is the source of your powers, my dear, as you are the source of his.  Separated, you are harmless.”

“Where is he?” she asked, knowing that Tantalus had intercepted Phyre.

“Worry not, child, he is not dead.  I couldn’t have him killed when the two of you are to take over the world for me, now could I?”

“We will do nothing of the sort!” she shouted, feeling the power behind her voice.  “I may not be as strong as when he is around, but I still am strong enough to stop you.”

Tantalus laughed.  “You are stronger than these humans, yes, but you are merely newly made, child.  You will be unable to face me without your precious Phyre.”

Kalika stood tall.  She wouldn’t give him any ground.  Tantalus looked at her, then smiled.  His smile deeply disturbed her.

“Come to me,” he said, gesturing.  Kalika felt the pull but resisted, catching him by surprise.  “Very well,” he continued.  He turned and looked straight into Kayleigh’s eyes.  “Come, dear.”

Kayleigh began to step forward.  “Kayleigh, no,” Kalika said, grabbing Kayleigh’s arm.  Kayleigh still pulled, but Kalika pushed her back onto the couch.  “Stay,” she commanded.  She knew that she was strong enough to force a human’s will, and that Tantalus wouldn’t be able to counter it.

As she turned back, she felt Tantalus moving.

“Kali!” she heard a small voice cry.

“Korbin!  No!” she said, turning completely around to see Tantalus with his pinky finger to Korbin’s throat.  Smiling, he quickly drew it across Korbin’s throat, slicing it open.

“No!” she screamed as Tantalus leaned down and began to sip from the boy.  She jumped towards them but was grabbed midair by several pairs of hands.  She was pulled back and slammed on the ground.  Looking up, she saw several vampires.  Tantalus’ cronies, she thought, struggling against them.  The anger inside of her was welling up quickly.

Suddenly, she stopped struggling.  Their hands loosened on her so she threw all of her weight in one direction then ducked, causing them all to fly against the doorway.  She then flew over and yanked Tantalus off of her little brother, throwing him across the room.  She dodged down and caught Korbin before he hit the floor, already knowing that he was gone.  “No,” she whispered, running her finger slowly down his cheek.

Hearing Tantalus moving, she jumped up, but he was already up the stairs.  NO!” she screamed telepathically, following him.  She jumped on his back, but his little cronies were back and pulled her off.  There were more of them this time, holding her down in one position.

“Now,” Tantalus stood up and looked at her.  “You will feel the consequences of defying me.”

Tantalus reached into the closet and yanked the two boys who had been hiding in there out, throwing them on the floor. 

“Get away from us!” Ket screamed, jumping up and advancing on Tantalus.  Tantalus easily threw him off and commanded, “Stay.”  Ket lay frozen on the floor.

Kalika opened her mouth to help but one of the vampires slammed his hand over her mouth.  “Just watch, pretty,” he whispered in her ear.  She struggled against them as Tantalus grabbed Krishna off the floor.

“This one is sickly,” he looked at the boy with disgust, dropping him and knocking the small child out.  “Why didn’t you just put the little one out of his misery?  He would have been much better off…no worries, though, I will do it for you.  Right after I take care of the other one.”

Tantalus reached over and yanked Ket up, throwing him against the wall, causing Kalika to fight harder.

“He should be fun…so full of life…” Tantalus taunted her, never taking his eyes off of Ket.  Ket pulled himself off the floor and stood tall.

“How interesting your family is, my dear,” Tantalus watched him.  “He knows that death is coming for him and that it will be horrible, but he still continues to fight.  He has your spirit…well, that can easily be broken in one so young.”

Kalika screamed into that vampire’s as Tantalus brutally slashed at Ket, making deep red gashes on his chest.  Ket cried out in pain, but never stepped back.

“Fuck you!” he yelled, staring deep into Tantalus’ eyes.

Tantalus lost his temper and dove at him then, and Kalika’s eyes filled with tears as she fought the vampires that held her down.  She bit down on the hand and screamed as she fought.  “No!  Ket!” she cried out, over and over again.  “NO!”

A scream so pained that it shook the house came out of her as Tantalus ripped Ket’s body apart, piece by piece, with so much ferocity that blood splattered everywhere.  Kalika felt the tears fall down her face as she was forced to watch her brother die in a horribly painful way.  She could still hear him choking up blood as Tantalus tore off his last arm.  “Quite the fighter isn’t he?” the old vampire said.  “I admire that.”  Then, mercifully, he slashed Ket’s throat.

Kalika lay silently, completely frozen, staring at her brother.  The only sound came from downstairs, Kayleigh’s moans as she realized what was going on upstairs.

“Bring her downstairs,” Tantalus said, dragging Krishna behind him as he walked towards the steps.  “I want her to see what I do next.”

Kalika began fighting again as the vampires pulled her down the stairs and threw her down on the floor.  Then all got a better hold on her and held tight.

“My dear, you think that humans are cruel to each other?” Tantalus said to her.  “Just you wait and see what I do to your sister here…”

Kalika kicked and screamed as Tantalus once again dragged his nail across her sibling’s throat, only enough to make blood flow this time.  He then tore off her sister’s clothing.

“Have you ever done this yet?  You really should,” he said to Kalika as he began to rape Kayleigh, drinking her blood at the same time.  “It gives so much ecstasy, it’s amazing.”

Kalika felt the anger well up so much that it was taking control of her.  She felt powerful suddenly.  Looking up, she saw Phyre stride through the doorway and step over Bill’s dead body.

“Tantalus!” she said, so calmly that she got his attention.  He looked over and saw Phyre standing at the doorway.  Kalika closed her eyes for a moment and let her power well up, then forced it out.  All of the vampires holding her down flew away from her so hard that they went straight through the walls, crying in pain.  Tantalus stood up and jumped back from her sister.

“Phyre, get Krishna and Kayleigh out of here,” she commanded.  “Put them in the car.”

Phyre did as she asked.  “Where’s your mom?” he paused at the doorway.

“I believe he already killed her,” she answered, never taking her eyes off of Tantalus’.  The two glared at each other.

“Now it’s my turn,” she stated, feeling the power inside of her surge again.  Before she knew what she was doing, the power took control of her and flew out.  Her arms were forced back and her back arched, the power freely leaving her body and attacking all who had been causing her trouble.  For a moment, all she could see was a bright blue light, then, everything went black.

 

Part Nine

 

“Kali?  Kali!” a voice interrupted her.

“Five more minutes…” she mumbled.  “I’ll be up soon…”

“No, Kali, you have to wake up!” the voice said, urgently.  “Tantalus will be awake soon and he’s gonna be pissed!”

Kalika’s eyes flew open.  “Wait, what?”  She jumped up, swaying a bit on her feet.

“Your magic, or whatever it is,” she looked to see Raven holding her up.  “You were able to knock him out, quite a feat, trust me!  But he will wake up soon and when he does, he’s gonna go crazy.”

Kalika looked up at him, curiously.  “What did I do?”

“I so don’t know the answer to that, no one does,” Rave began to pull her away from the house.  “Even Phyre isn’t quite sure what you did to Tantalus, all we know is that there was a HUGE blue flash that knocked out the power in half the town and then Phyre showed up at the house with your sister and your little bro.  He’s on his way back, he had to hide them.”

Kalika steadied herself against the car and shook her head slowly, attempting to get herself pulled together.  “What do you mean, now?”

“Honey, you are totally awesome, I have never seen anything do something like that!  You completely knocked out the First; no one has ever been able to do that before.  The First is like totally invincible, and you almost killed him!”

“Okay and why can’t I go kill him now?” she asked.

“Because—“

“Because I am awake now, my dear,” she heard a voice behind her.  She tensed up, shaking slightly from anger.

Turning around, she confidently said, “What’s wrong Tantalus?  Don’t like being treated like that?”

A low growl escaped Tantalus’ throat, and his expression changed to one of complete anger.

“Now, now,” she said, lifting her chin.  “Anger management!”

Kalika couldn’t help smiling innocently at his expression.  He seemed to be growing angrier by the second.

“You, my dear, are quite sassy for one who doesn’t have power unless her soul mate is around…and he isn’t…” Tantalus took a menacing step towards her.  “So now, it’s your turn…you get a choice now, and you’d better make it good.  You may either come with me, or you may be killed.”

“Umm…neither,” Kalika said, grinning sarcastically.  “You have no power over me, Tantalus,” she continued as he attempted to force his will on her.

Tantalus scowled at her, his anger evident.  “You will be mine, Kalika,” he said, obviously trying to calm himself down.

“Um, no I won’t,” she said, crossing her arms.  “If you think that you can tell me what to do, you so have another thing coming to you.  No one tells me what to do!  I do what I want, when I want, whether you like it or not, so get over it.  I don’t care if you’re the First; you’re a dickhead who needs to learn that you are so not as hot as you think you are.”

Tantalus blinked a few times, trying to make sense of what was going on.  Kalika suddenly felt another presence, Phyre, creeping up behind Tantalus, so she continued on to distract him.  “Tantalus, for some reason you think you can do whatever the hell you want and everyone must bow down to you, well newsflash dumb shit, you are not all-powerful.  I pretty much proved that a little bit ago and we’re gonna prove it to you now!”

At that, Phyre jumped on Tantalus’ back and, snarling, ferociously bit his neck.  Before Tantalus could do anything, Kalika and Raven were on him as well.  Kalika drank for a moment then jumped back, pulling Raven with her.  “Phyre,” she said, “enough, he’s weakened.”

Phyre let go and allowed Tantalus to fall to his knees, walking over to Kalika and smiling down at her.  “That was beautiful, love,” he said, kissing her.

Kalika smiled back at him before walking over to Tantalus, glaring at the elder.  Something else took over her, a deeper creature that she had never felt before.  Kalika suddenly had no control over herself or her actions.  “Tantalus, there are many things that bother me, but you go beyond that.  You take lives with no mercy, you destroy with no need.  For the First Vampire, you aren’t very wise.”  She stopped in front of him, looking down at him with pure hatred flaring in her eyes.  “Now, it is time for all of your sins to come back on you.”  She suddenly launched her hands at his head, gripping it between her them, beginning to chant.  Dark energies ripped through her, making their way to her source of power.  Tantalus was attempting to fight her with his own darkness, failing horribly as she tore his magicks out of him and willed them to join with her own.

Another set of hands, those of Phyre, joined hers, and she stepped back to allow him to finish the job, continuing her chant with his voice joining hers.  She could see Tantalus’ magick flowing into Phyre, making him stronger than Tantalus could ever hoped to have been.  Phyre closed his eyes and tilted his head up towards the sky as the powers flowed into him, smiling slightly.  Kalika could feel the force of Phyre’s own darkness begin to grow, and she stepped back.  It was surprising to feel that, a dark premonition tearing through her soul as she watched the scene before her unfold.

This shouldn’t be happening, she thought.  Something about this isn’t right…

Images flickered within her mind, causing her to drop to the ground.  She wasn’t able to make sense of all of the images; they were just coming too fast.  Taking deep breaths, she stood back up and watched Phyre’s core gain power and strengthen as Tantalus’ weakened.  A glow appeared around them as Phyre slowly killed The First, gaining all of his power and might.  Kalika blinked a few times, trying to put the images out of her head, but they wouldn’t go away, nor would they allow her to push them aside for the moment.

Suddenly, she fell to her knees again, dropping her own head into her hands.  Phyre was floating now, Tantalus beneath him.  Phyre’s hands were no longer on Tantalus’ head, but the power was still flowing through the channel between the two of them.  That was her last view of Phyre as the vision over took her.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Kalika opened her eyes and blinked several times, confused.  Her vision was blurred for a moment, but when it cleared, she saw a field.  There was something familiar about the field, as if she had been there before.  Still trying to figure out exactly where she was and what was going on, she slowly turned around to take in her surroundings.  The field was more of a clearing in the middle of trees.  Perhaps a forest? she thought, still trying to concentrate on what was familiar.

The snap of a twig in the trees behind her caught her attention and she whirled around, crouching down instinctively.  She peered into the tree line, her eyes flicking around quickly, trying to narrow down where the noise had come from.  An ominous feeling overtook her, causing her to almost fall over in surprise.  Damn feelings, she though trying to figure out exactly what was occurring at that point in time that had brought her there.  She was about to stand up when a battle cry arose in the area she was looking at, then a return cry came from behind her.

A cold feeling came over Kalika as she realized, I’m in the middle of a war…She jumped up to attempt to run away when both sides charged each other, coming right at her.  She stopped in her tracks when she realized what was so strange about this picture.  The side in front of her was human and the side coming behind her was demonic.  She felt frozen in her spot, unable to move in complete fear of what she was seeing.  It’s a last stand, she thought, and her jaw dropped.  There were so few humans, perhaps a hundred or so, running towards the thousands of demons with fear in their eyes, knowing that they had no chance against the demonic power approaching them.  Yet they continued towards the army of evil, knowing it was their only chance for freedom, as little a chance as it was.

The thoughts of the humans attacked her mind, fears of death, for their families, for a life of slavery…there was no hope in the thoughts, not one of the humans rushing the demons believed that they were going to make it through this fight alive.  Several were thinking of how much better off they would be dead rather than live in the servitude of the creatures of the underworld, who were rising up to take power of the world they had once lived in. 

Suddenly, within the blink of an eye, Kalika was back, viewing the clash of the two sides as they reached each other.  A tear rolled down her cheek as she watched the humans try to fight a losing battle.  Another source of power was felt by Kalika, though, something hidden in the wooded area that the humans had come from.  Hope filled her for a moment as she realized that it was witches, vampires, werewolves, all coming to fight for the humans.  The supporters of a peaceful realm where all lived in harmony, a group she had once read about in mythology that she had never thought could exist but did.  As the new group reached the humans with divine speed, Kalika knew that it wasn’t enough.  There were far too many of the demons against them for the humans to win, even with the help of the other creatures.

The slaughter went quickly, though some would say that it was quite a fight for the humans.  While they fell fast, they held up longer than any had ever thought they would.  Kalika watched, unable to help she knew.  Somehow, she knew that she was there as an observer only, that none could see her or hear her, that there was no chance of her saving these brave men and women who tried to save the world as they knew it.

Within seconds, they were all on the ground, the Earth stained with the blood of the innocent, and the few that had survived were being taken for slavery.  Many vampires were feeding on the dead or those who were almost dead, the psychic vampires attacking the few remaining humans before they were chained up.  Several females were being raped by other demonic creatures, others being tortured to give up information about any free humans that were still in hiding. 

“The humans no longer rule!” a voice rose up, above the noise of the war.  “They shall no longer destroy our Earth; no longer take up the beautiful resources.  They will be our slaves, our food, as they should be!  The Gods no longer may interfere with us or this world, they have left, withdrawn from this world and given it to us!  We shall destroy all human built objects, and let our earth grow back as it should have been!”

The skies above darkened as voice spoke, magicks flying free as Kalika knew they had once been.  The magicks of the old were awakening, reclaiming the world.  Darkness surrounded all of the creatures below, who were crying out in victory, slashing throats of humans and mercilessly massacring them. 

Kalika closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tears from what she had just seen.  When she opened them, she was in a city.  She could not tell what city it was, for it was in ruins.  No building still stood, the demons were destroying everything in sight.  Cries from children rang through the air as they were captured and thrown into carts to be carried to some place, probably to be bred and sold to slavery.  Kalika looked around, the tears flowing down her face.  A part of her sympathized with the humans. 

“It’s not supposed to be like this,” she whispered, leaning down to gently touch the face of a child who had been killed.  The child’s face was clean, but suddenly, her hands were a deep crimson, she knew it was the blood of the innocent who had been killed in this short war.  The blood of the innocent was on her hands.

“Why?” she screamed at the sky, standing up.  “Why have You chosen me?” 

The Gods would not answer her; they had left as the voice had said earlier.  They no longer protected this world form the evils that were in it, they had abandoned their creations forever.  They no longer heard the cries that ascended from this planet.

Kalika stared down at her hands, falling to her knees.  She slowly rocked herself back and forth, unable to look anywhere but her hands, knowing she had caused this scene, until finally, she closed her eyes.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Kalika opened her eyes to see Phyre before her, slowly lowering to the ground.  Tantalus was gone; she had no clue where he was.  She assumed he was destroyed for good, no longer a threat to them.  She forced herself to stand, shaking from the visions that were still attacking her.

As Phyre landed, he turned and strode to her, a powerful aura emanating from him.  Kalika stared into his eyes, not seeing him but seeing someone else.  His eyes were different, pure black as the power rested itself within him.  When he reached her, he pulled her to him and kissed her roughly, and she kissed back, still shaking.

“What’s wrong?” he asked as he pulled back.  His eyes searched hers, back to normal.  Maybe it was a trick of light, she thought, trying to calm her soul.  Something still seemed wrong, though.

“Nothing,” she finally answered, looking deeply into his eyes.  She didn’t want to believe what she had just seen; she didn’t want to think that it would happen, that it would be because of the two of them.  “Is he gone?”

“Yes,” Phyre smiled, darkly.  “He will no longer be able to touch us.  I have drained him of his powers, of his life.  He is gone.”

Kalika nodded slowly, then said, “We should go.”

Phyre agreed, gently taking her hand and leading her towards the car where Raven and Nikolas stood.  Nikolas was smiling disturbingly.

“Let’s go,” Phyre commanded, and the two jumped and opened the door, climbing in back quickly.  They obviously could feel the power emanating off of Phyre, not wanting to feel the full effects of it.  Phyre climbed into the passenger seat and drove them home, silently. 

“They are fine,” he said before she could even ask about her family.  “Rafe is taking them somewhere safe.”

A chill went down Kalika’s spine at his emphasis on the word safe.  He must know about Rafe…she thought.  She knew that as much as he was trying, he was unable to read her mind.  She strengthened her walls a little more, knowing that as powerful as he had just become, he wouldn’t be able to enter her mind until she allowed it.  She looked out the window, staring at the city around her, the vision flashing in her head.  She didn’t know what she was going to do, but she knew that she needed to talk to Rafe.

Part Ten

 

“Rafe?” Kalika called out, running around the warehouse that she had been held in not too long ago.  “RAFE!  Get your ass out here; I know that you are here!”

“I’m here,” Rafe dropped from the second floor.

“You better stay here and pray that Phyre doesn’t find you,” Kalika scowled at him.  “And what did you do with my family?”

“They’re safe and what do you mean about Phyre?” Rafe sounded concerned.

“I mean that I think he knows that you’re playing both sides and I want to see them,” Kalika said, trying to get to her main concern.

“He knows?” Rafe’s eyes grew large.

“Yes, well, he kinda drained Tantalus of his power and life and I think he learned everything the old bat knew-“

“The old bat?” Rafe chuckled.

“Well, he is old, and that’s not the point.  The point is that I am fairly sure that he knows what you’re up to because I got the distinct feeling that Tantalus knew about you.  Now where’s my family?” Kalika was getting annoyed.

“They’re safe, don’t worry, this is a more pressing matter,” Rafe said.

“No, it’s not.  Now where are they?” Kalika pressed.

“Look, like I said, I promise that they’re safe.  We even have the best doctors taking care of your brother.  They say that he might have a chance,” Rafe said.

“Really?” Kalika’s voice softened.  All she had ever been told was that Krishna didn’t have a chance and that they were surprised he was still alive.

“They think that they can save him with…newer techniques…” Rafe smiled, embarrassed.

“What do you mean by that?” Kalika said, suspiciously.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh yes you do, I so heard that tone in your voice.”

“Umm…”

“What?”

“Okay, there are new tests with vampires-“

“You are so not turning my brother-“

“That’s not the point.  It’s more of…a cure in a way.  Humans who are sick are given a small amount of vampire blood, not enough to change them or cause anything to happen, just enough to get in their system and cure any problems with them.  It could work-“

“Yeah, and it could harm him!  I don’t want my little brother to be this way.  You know him, Rafe, he’s not like this.  He loves all life and respects it and he would never be able to take one.  What if-“

“Kali, nothing will go wrong.  I promise it’s just enough to get rid of the cancer and cure him.  It’s enough to finally give him a normal childhood, as he deserves.”

Kalika paused.  “Now isn’t really the time to be arguing about this,” she sighed.  “What I was trying to tell you was that Phyre knows about you.  I think he knows everything.”

“How do you know this?”

“He had a look in his eye, something that just told me he knew.  Then, when he said that you had taken my family to a safe place, just the way he said it, it seemed like he knew that something wasn’t right.”

Rafe sighed softly, and then straightened up.  “I truly hope he doesn’t, Kali, I really hope he doesn’t.  If he does, I’m screwed.”

“I can’t honestly say for sure, but I think that it would be better if you didn’t try to play into this.  Let me take care of Phyre, maybe I can…”

“There is nothing that you can do now to deter him from his goal, Kalika,” a new voice came up. 

Kalika rolled her eyes as Akakios walked into the large room, his footsteps echoing throughout the entire building.  “Oh for the love of…Why must you be here?”

“I have only come because you totally ignored our ruling,” Akakios looked at her, deeply angry.

“Yeah, I did, and that’s because you have no right to tell me what to do,” she defiantly stomped her foot.

“Kalika, we do as we must to protect the world and all of the beings within it.  We cannot just allow one person to be happy—“

“And why not?  When will it be my turn to finally be happy?  When will it be okay for me to actually live with the one I am meant for?” Kalika finally lost it.  “All of my life—lives, actually—I have been separated from the one that I love, I have been killed and I have been a pawn of fate, and now finally, I have the chance to be okay, to be happy, and now, yet again, I am not allowed this.  I know that you have allowed others their little happiness, even when it has cause problems in the world, and don’t you dare deny it because you know it’s true, too.  Now it’s my turn!  You have been playing God in my life for thousands of years…how can you be so sure that’s what is meant to be?  How can you be sure that this is how the Gods wish it to be?”

Kalika paused and took a deep breath, roughly brushing her eyes to get rid of the tears.  She was shaking and hardly able to stand up straight.  “I am so tired of you people dominating my life, making things change and happen when maybe they should be!  Please, please just give me this for once!”

Akakios and Rafe both stood, even Akakios obviously moved by her words.  “I am so sorry,” Rafe said, stepping towards her.  “I am so, so sorry, Kali.”

“Kalika, I truly wish that I could tell you yes for once.  I truly wish that I could just let you go with him and allow things to happen,” Akakios said, softly.  “I know that you don’t believe it, but I do wish this.  I have faced you like this several times.  And every time, I have to turn you down and tell you that it can’t happen.”

“Akakios, this really isn’t the time-“

“It’s never the time, Rafe,” Akakios interrupted Rafe, looking hard at him.

“What is going on?” Kalika said, dread filling her heart.

“Kalika, you cannot be with him.  There is only one way to stop Phyre now, and you are the only one who can do it,” Akakios said.

Kalika took a step back, shaking her head, “No…”

“Kalika, it must be done,” he said.

“No, no, no…” Kalika’s eyes filled with tears again.

“Kalika, he must be killed.”

“NO!” Kalika fell to her knees, finally allowing the tears to fall.  Her shoulders shook with anguish as she tried to block out his words.

“Kalika, it must be done, you have seen what will happen if you don’t,” Akakios was saying.

Rafe’s voice mixed with his, “Akakios, stop, this isn’t fair!”

“She must do this, it’s the only way,” Akakios continued.  “The council has been searching for every single other way possible, but nothing else can be done now that Phyre has taken Tantalus and his power.  There is no other way.”

“There has to be,” Rafe argued.  “I may not like him, but we can’t ask this of her.”

“There is no other way, Rafe,” Akakios said.  “I have searched, whether you believe it or not.  I have spent countless hours looking for any other way, some way that didn’t include ending it like this.  I truly have, but I there is none.  Phyre has become too powerful, even the binding spells that the covenant had placed on him was broken by this recent event.  There is no other way to stop Phyre now, whenever he chooses to begin the process, he will succeed!  Only Kalika is able to stop him now.”

“Stop it,” Kalika whispered, over and over as Akakios spoke.  “Stop it!”

“She has no other choice,” Akakios was saying, angrily.  “She must stop him, or the world will suffer!  We cannot suffer for the mere happiness of one!”

“Stop it!” Kalika roared, standing up.  “Stop talking about me as though I am not here and stop trying to force me to do your dirty work!  I am not some pawn that you can use as you wish and I will not do whatever you want!  I am a person too!  You speak of the suffering of everyone else, yet you neglect MY suffering!  It doesn’t matter to you that you have ruined my life over and over again, and it doesn’t matter that you have forced me to sacrifice so much…I will not do it anymore…”

“Kalika—“ Akakios tried to interrupt her.

“NO!  It stops here!  I will not do your bidding any more!  This is my turn now, and you cannot stop it!” Kalika continued.  She was so angry that she could see straight, but she felt herself reaching to her back where she had a blade.  “You will not do this to me again.”

Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself down, but she knew she was pulling the blade out anyway.  In one quick move, she slashed Akakios’ throat, making Rafe jump back with a shout.

Kalika just stood, staring down at the man who was dying quickly.  Akakios stared up at her, blinking in confusion.  His hands barely made it to his throat before his eyes rolled to the back of his head, blood pooling around his lifeless body.  Kalika knelt down for a moment, cleaning the blade off with Akakios’ shirt, then stood up and turned to Rafe.  She felt a coldness running through her body, a darkness that she couldn’t control.  An unquenchable taste for blood was hitting her hard.  All that she wanted was to kill again, causing her fear from her good side to battle her dark side.  She advanced on Rafe, not seeing her friend but only another to kill.

“Kali?” Rafe was saying, doubtfully.  “Kalika, what are you doing?”

Kalika continued to advance, unable to control her self.  Something darker was in charge now, making her body move however it willed it.

“Kalika?” Rafe was sounding worried now.  “Kalika, get a hold of yourself!”

Kalika continued to advance on him, feeling a dark smile come across her face.  “What’s wrong, Rafe?” she asked, her voice deepened and darker.

“Kalika, this isn’t you!  Kalika!” Rafe was shouting, trying to get her attention.  He continued to step back as she got closer.

“You will not stop me this time, Rafe,” Kalika said, as she took another step in his direction.  “This time, it is my turn to decide my fate.”

“Kalika, please!” Rafe pleaded with her.

“Listen to me, Rafe,” Kalika stopped.  “And listen to me well.  You will not interfere this time.  It is finally time for me to take control.  You will stay out of it.  No more trying to run things and make things turn out the way you want them to.  You cannot intervene this time; you need to let me handle things.  If you had allowed that in the beginning, things would have never turned out like this.”

“What are you talking about?” Rafe asked.

“I am talking about this whole situation.  It should have never gone this far, Rafe, and you know it.  If these people hadn’t gotten in the way in the first place, it would never have gotten to this point.  It shouldn’t be like this,” Kalika said, her voice monotone.

“Kalika, no, you can’t be thinking that you and Phyre—“

“I can be thinking however I want to.  It is my time to take control and do as I should have long ago,” Kalika said, looking at him.  “Goodbye, Rafe.  Take care of my family.”

“Kalika-“

Kalika ignored his protests and turned, walking out of the warehouse.  She knew that Rafe wouldn’t follow her.  He understood that it was no longer in his authority to stop this.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Kalika walked all the way back to the house in the rain, deep in thought.  So many things rushed through her head, from Phyre to Rafe and everything in between.  She loved Phyre so much, more than she could ever explain to anyone.  She felt Phyre as a big part of her, part that if she lost, she would never be the same.  She didn’t know what to do.  She was being forced to choose between everything that she believed in and the one who loved her unconditionally, who had always found her and taken care of her…

She didn’t know what to do anymore.  The darker side of her was in a battle with the lighter side, trying to tell her to choose Phyre and tell everyone and everything else to fuck off.  But then, the thought of her sister and brother came into her mind.  What would happen to them if she went with Phyre?  He would never allow them to be hurt…she thought, and she knew it was true.  Finally, she stopped and looked up at the sky.

“What do you want from me?” she screamed.  “Why me?  Oh, why am I even asking, you’re not going to answer!”

Kalika started to walk again, when a voice behind her interrupted her.

“We always answer, child, just not necessarily in the ways that you wish us to.”

Kalika turned around to see a man, just an ordinary man, standing behind her.  “Who the hell are you?”

“Is that any way to speak to one of the few who made your kind?” he replied with amusement.

“No, it’s the way that I speak to one of the few who allows so much pain and suffering in this world, who sits by and lets these things happen!” she scowled at him.

The man chuckled.  “The greatest often find their paths difficult and rocky, but it seems that the troubles along the way always make the view all the more inspiring.”

Kalika rolled her eyes.  “That’s such a great answer, you should go on Jeopardy.”

“Child, we are not able to interfere with the wills and desires of the creatures we created, nor are we able to do so with those who have evolved from those we created,” the man said, a soft smile crossing his face.  “We gave freewill to all those we created.  We cannot just take that away.”

“Even if it means destroying all that you have created?” she spat back.

“Even if that is what is to come,” he replied.

Kalika looked around her, noticing that everything was frozen, stopped.  “What’s going on?”

“While I can take human form, I prefer not to speak with ones who are to decide the fate of the world in front of all.  It tends to cause chaos and cults,” he said.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“It matters not.  All that matters is what is to come,” he said.

Kalika sighed.  “And what exactly is to come?”

“That is part of the problem,” his eyes darkened.  “We no longer can see what is to come.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be all knowing and powerful?” she asked, sarcastically.

Even the man smiled at that.  “Yes, we are.  But that, again, is part of the problem.  The future has become…cloudy.  We can no longer be sure as to what is to come.”

“What does that mean?” she asked.

“It means that there is no longer a clear path.  We do not know what will happen, just as you don’t.”

“So that’s why you’re here?  You wanna tell me what to do, too?” she growled.

“No, I saw what you did to the last person who did that,” he replied, dryly.

“Oh, you’re a comedian, that’s comforting,” she said.

“All I came for was to see the one who is to decide the future,” he said, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Great, just put a little more pressure there, thanks.”

“There is no pressure, Child,” he said, smiling.  “There is no need for it.  You must understand that we will not take a side on the matters of those down here.  We are merely there to watch, to keep an eye on things.  We do not wish to interfere with the freewill of the creatures here.”

Kalika smiled at his attempt to not say humans, and then sighed.  “I don’t know what to do.”

“Kalika, worry not.  You will do what is in your heart, and that is all that matters.  You only need to do that, and then it will be okay.”

Kalika just looked at him, confused.

The man grinned at her.  “Worry not, my dear.  Understand that the good must always be balanced out by the evil in the world.  Dark and light will go back and forth.  And when the time comes that the human reign is over, so be it.”

“But who am I to decide that?” Kalika asked, frowning.

“You are the one who has suffered for the human race for several thousand years.  You are the one who has dealt with the repercussions of keeping the human race in charge.  It seems only fitting that you are the one who decides their fate,” he said.

“I don’t want this,” she whispered, sitting on the curb and putting her head in her hands.

He sat down next to her and squeezed her shoulder.  “It is as it must be.  The light and the dark, in order to keep the great balance, take turns ruling this world.  It matters not what your choice is, the light will come back if you choose the dark.”

“But will the human race be back?” she asked.

“That I know now.  As I said, the future has become clouded.  Whatever happens next is not known to us.  We can only sit back and watch now, for it is the time of the creatures of Earth to decide what is to come.”

“And what of my vision?” she asked.

“Visions are merely a hint of what may come.  That may or may not happen, no matter what the decision is,” he said.

“This doesn’t help much,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“It isn’t supposed to tell you what to do,” he said, kindly.  “It is only to calm your soul, to allow you a few minutes to rest.  Your soul is tired, my child, it is ready for a long rest.”

“Yet I somehow get the feeling that isn’t going to happen for a long time,” she sighed.

He shrugged.  “You are a strong one.  We know that whatever your choice is, it will be the right one.”

“No pressure, huh?” she said.

“None whatsoever.  No matter what happens, just remember that you will make the one that needs to happen,” he said.

“So you can’t tell me what to do?” she asked, slightly hopeful.

“That is not the place of the Gods, and you know that.  We are only here to guide.”

“So guide me,” she pleaded.

“In matters of the fate of the world and the universe, I cannot.”

She scowled at him again.  “What about the universe now?”

“You know that everything has an effect on everything else.  A change will affect the universe as we know it.”

“Is this the end of everything theories that people have been trying to get me to hear?” she asked.

The man just looked at her.  “We cannot be sure as to what will happen if things change.”

Kalika felt her shoulders drop again and she looked out across the street at the people there.  “I don’t know what to do.”

“We do not envy the position that you are in,” he said.  “You are to decide the fate of the universe.  Even most Gods do not have to face that.  But know this: only a select few are endowed with this responsibility.  Even most Gods are not given this.”

“Thanks,” she replied, sarcastically.  “Thanks a lot.”

The man grinned at her.  “No problem.”

Kalika rolled her eyes, but couldn’t resist a small smile.  “It is kinda nice to be around someone who isn’t trying to influence me in one way or another.”

The man nodded.  “It is time to go on.  We cannot disrupt the world for so long without causing problems.”

Kalika nodded slowly, almost sadly.  She liked this, just being without anyone pushing her or the feeling of conflict.  “Thanks,” she called out as he walked away.  He turned around and waved at her.

“Follow your heart, and it will be all right,” he said.

“Yeah,” she muttered.  “Maybe someday it will be.”

She sighed as he disappeared and the world began to move again, almost wishing it wouldn’t.  Someday, the world echoed in her head.  Someday…

“Kalika!” the child’s voice cried out as she swung him around.  The laughter echoed through the air.

“Kali?” another little voice asked as she set Krishna down.  “Will things ever be all right?”

“Someday, Ket, someday,” she said.  “Someday, things will be okay, and we’ll all be happy.”

Tears ran down her face as she thought about Ket, knowing that he never had the chance to be happy.  Korbin’s smile was ground into her head, the little smile he gave her as she told him of the better days to come, the better days that he would never experience.  She sighed softly, brushing the tears away.  I should have been able to save them, she thought, as her world crashed down around her.  She had been unable to get her brothers to safety.  She hadn’t stopped Tantalus in time; she hadn’t been able to make things better for the innocents who had no chance.

As she continued to cry, she felt two strong arms gently lift her up and carry her to the warmth of a car.  Opening her eyes, she found herself looking into Phyre’s warm eyes.  He tightened his arms around her as the car started to move and she buried her head into his shoulder, allowing the tears to fall.  She felt so confused, so unsure of herself.  She didn’t know what to do or how to go about figuring it all out.  All that she knew was that for once, she was happy with someone.  And she wasn’t ready to give that up.

Part Eleven

 

Kalika stepped outside the next night, seeing the last rays of the sun disappear.

“You shouldn’t be out here so early, my love,” Phyre whispered in her ear.  He wrapped his arms around her waist and she leaned back against him, smiling softly.  He continued, “You could easily be killed by even the smallest bit of sunlight.”

“I thought it was going to be cloudy again as it has been,” she said.  “I figured it would be okay to be outside.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, kissing her neck.  “As long as I have you, it will all be well.”

Kalika smiled, turning back to look at him.  “Phyre?” she asked, tentatively.

“Yes?” he said, staring deep into her eyes.

“What are we going to do now?”

“What do you mean, sweets?” he asked, trying to cover his shock at her question.

“Don’t try to keep me from what’s going on,” she replied, turning forward again to look at the darkened sky.  “I know that there are people after us and trying to stop you.”

Phyre remained silent, and she could feel his pain.  Finally, he said, “They don’t want us together.”

Kalika sighed.  “I figured that one out.”

“I won’t let them stop us this time, sweets,” he said, his voice hard.  “They will not get to break us apart again.  I have you, and I’m not letting go of you again.”

Kalika felt tears prickle her eyelids, threatening to overflow.  “What if…”

Phyre waited for her to finish the sentence.

“Phyre, what if they do, though?” she finally asked, her voice quivering.

“Kali,” he said, turning her to face him.  He tilted her chin up so he could look into her eyes.  “No matter what happens, I will find you.  Nothing can stop that.”

Kalika smiled softly, running her thumb down his cheek.  “Vampires don’t come back…” she whispered.  “What if they get one of us?”

“It won’t matter; I don’t care what everyone says.  If we get separated again, I will find you.  I will always come for you…” he gently kissed her, and then smiled.  “But that won’t happen.  We are together, and I won’t let them take you from me again.”

Kalika kissed him before he could see her reaction, then hugged him tightly.  “I don’t ever want to be away from you.”

“And I you,” he replied with a grin.  “But we don’t have to worry about that.  It will all be all right, my love, you will see.  Everything will turn out as it should.”

He kissed her again, and then went back into the house.  Kalika turned back to her sky, staring up at the stars in wonder.  He won’t tell me his plans, she thought, sadly.  He knows that I won’t like them.  Sighing, she went back to her dilemma.  She didn’t know what to do.  She would either have to betray her soul mate or allow things to go as they were and see what was to come of it.  Somehow she knew that it wouldn’t be good, though.

Kalika turned and went inside, plopping down on the couch next to Aysha.  She looked at her, knowing that her friend knew of her problems.  “Aysha, what should I do?”

“Kalika, I can’t answer that for you.  I don’t know what is bothering you, but I can see something is…if you decide you want to talk, let me know,” Aysha replied, looking at her.  “I am always here for you and I promise whatever it is, I will not judge you or take sides.”

“I get the feeling you have an idea of what I’m thinking about,” Kalika said.

“Perhaps,” Aysha admitted.  “But it’s not for me to decide or to believe.  I only know little things, but I can’t sit here and try to tell you what to do.  All I can do is hope that all turns out right.”

Kalika nodded.

“Where is Rafe?” Aysha asked, turning to her.

“That’s what I’d like to know,” Phyre’s voice came from behind her.  Kalika looked at him.  He stood at the top of the stairs with Nikolas, looking at her.

Kalika shrugged.  “Last I heard, he was taking my family to safety.  I thought you guys knew where he was…”

“We don’t,” Raven said, walking in the front door with Thistle close behind him.  “We haven’t seen him at all.”

“You don’t think that he deserted us, do you?” Thistle asked.

“He wouldn’t,” Aysha said, confidently.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Phyre interrupted.  “I think he’s playing two sides here…”

“What?” Raven shouted.  “Rafe wouldn’t do that, you know that, Phyre!”

“Wouldn’t he?” Phyre raised an eyebrow and walked gracefully down the stairs.  “I have wondered if he was, but this disappearance makes me sure.”

“Maybe he’s just taking Krishna and Kayleigh far away!” Thistle jumped to Rafe’s defense.  “We don’t know anything.”

“What about that little disappearance when Kali was taken?” Nikolas jumped in.  “Did you see him when you were grabbed, Kali?”

All attention turned to her, but she didn’t even so much as blink.  “No, I didn’t.”

Kalika knew that Aysha knew she was lying, but Aysha wasn’t going to say anything.  Then, it hit her.  How did Aysha know so much about her problem?  She looked at her friend, who was staring out the window, attempting to cover herself.

Aysha’s one of them, she realized.  She noticed Nikolas watching both of them with suspicion, so she said, “Look, we can’t jump to conclusions here.  Yes, the signs point in that direction, but there are other possibilities.  Perhaps we should just wait for him to come back before we point fingers.”

Phyre nodded and whispered something to Nikolas so quietly that no one else was able to pick it up.  Kalika somehow knew that it had to do with finding Rafe.

“Aysha, can we talk?” Kalika asked, never taking her eyes off of Phyre and Nikolas. 

“Yeah,” Aysha replied, grabbing her arm and taking her upstairs, quickly.  “I think that we need to.”

Aysha pulled her into a room and shut the door.  Kalika whispered a few words and the room darkened a bit with the magick she had put into it.  “Don’t worry, no one can hear us.  Now, you need to tell me what is going on,” Kalika said, staring at Aysha.

“Kali,” Aysha started, but then stopped, knowing that trying to play dumb wouldn’t work.  She sighed, then said, “Fine.”

Kalika sat there for a few moments, attempting to be patient and give Aysha the time she needed to figure out what to say.

“Kalika, there is much more to everything than you know,” Aysha said, finally looking up at her.  “I take it you figured out that I have been working with Rafe?”

Kalika nodded, doing her best not to open her mouth.  She knew that Aysha needed to do this in her own time.

“I have known about all of this for about two years now.  I am not a reincarnation of your best friend as you thought.  I am resurrected.  After I died the first time, Rafe brought me back from death and I have lived ever since.”

“But he told me…” the words died on Kalika’s lips.

“I know, I know.  And I told you the same thing.  Kali, there is so much for you to take in, so much that is going on that you have to deal with…we didn’t want to throw too much at you all at once.  We wanted to slowly tell you, piece by piece.  Rafe knew that I wasn’t to come back.  He knew that, even though we were best friends, the Gods had no plans to send me on to the next life, and he knew that he needed me to help with you.  He knew that you would always know me when you saw me and you would trust me.”

“So when were you going to tell me about the real first time that I died?  About how Phyre and I were married and I had a child?” Kalika whispered.  She couldn’t find the strength to look at her friend.

Aysha’s head snapped up.  “How did you know about that?”

“Phyre told me about it…then I dreamt about it…why did you even tell me about that so called first time when it wasn’t?” Kalika said.

“Kali, I don’t know,” Aysha gave in.  “I’m so sorry, but I honestly don’t.  The order of what to tell you and what not to came from above—“

“From Akakios?” Kalika replied, sarcastically.

“Yes…” Aysha looked confused.

“Well, telling me things comes from you now because Akakios no longer walks in the mortal realm,” Kalika said.

“What?” Aysha looked at her as if she had gone crazy.

“I killed him when I hunted down Rafe,” Kalika felt no emotional at all, though she knew that she should.

“Oh Gods, Kali, what have you done?” Aysha snarled.  Kalika was taken aback; she had never seen Aysha like this.  Aysha was always the one who was level headed, she never got upset or angry at anything.

“What?” Kalika asked, smiling slightly.

“Kalika, Akakios was the leader of the whole resistance!  Akakios was the one who led us to fight the ones like Phyre who wish to take over…you have basically dismantled the entire resistance!” Aysha was flipping out.

“Please, you don’t need that weirdo for anything.  If you must do the whole resistance thing, then do it yourself,” Kalika shrugged.

“No wonder Rafe hasn’t come back…Kalika, you realize that he will most likely take over, right?” Aysha snapped at her.

“Probably…I am doing what I need to, Aysha, and I expect you to do the same,” Kalika growled.  She was getting tired of this game, so she got up.

Aysha grabbed her wrist.  “Kalika, this isn’t how it’s supposed to be…”

“Oh?  And how is it supposed to be?” Kalika raised an eyebrow.  “Am I supposed to bow down to your will and kill the one who has always taken care of me?  Am I to betray his trust and just get rid of him because it’s what you want?  Guess what, Aysha…it’s not always like that.  You think that just because things might now turn out as you wish, it will be the end of the world…well guess what honey, things aren’t always what they seem.”

With that, Kalika began to walk out, breaking the spell.

“Kalika!” Aysha pleaded, sounding horrified.

“You’d better leave now Aysha, before I tell Phyre that you are betraying him as well.  He will not be happy with you,” Kalika paused and looked at her, then walked down the stairs.

“Who will not be happy with her?” Phyre said to her as she walked into the room where he and Nikolas were talking.

“It’s time,” she said, smiling at him and ignoring his question.

Phyre looked surprise.  “What for, my sweet?” he asked.

“For you to tell me everything.  I’m not stupid, Phyre.  I know what you plan on doing,” Kalika said to him, straight out.  “And I will have no part in it until you tell me everything.”

Part Twelve

 

Phyre looked at Kalika, half way surprised.  “How did you find out?”

“I’m just smart that way, Phyre,” Kalika said.  “Now start explaining.  I am really starting to think that everyone around here is just using me for some purpose or another.”

“I’m not using you, sweets,” Phyre stood up.

“Funny, then why on earth would you keep this from me?  What ever was going through your mind when you decided not to tell me what you were planning?” she growled at him, taking a step back at his advance.

“Kali,” Phyre tried to reach for her, but again, she pulled back.

“Do not touch me,” she said, coldly.  “You had better start talking now, or I will leave.”

Phyre sighed and sat back down.  “I don’t know what I should say.”

“You just want to take over the world?” Kalika said.

“Something like that, I guess,” Phyre replied, looking up at her.  “There is no reason that vampires should be slaves to a lesser being, that we should have to hide who we are to exist.  We should be proud of what we are and we should show them who is in charge.  Humans think that they have some special power or something that keep them in charge of this place.  Well, they have had their time and now it is ours!”

“Quite the tyrant, aren’t we?” she said, sarcastically. 

“You of all people should understand, Kali,” he stood up again, pacing.  “Look what happens when humans are in charge: look where you grew up.  Look what they did to you, how they treated you!  You deserved better!”

“They’re not all like that,” she said.

“At heart, they are.  Their history shows it, they used to hang women like you and Aysha for being witches, or even burn them at the stake!  They enjoy causing pain in others.”

“You are forgetting that I was one up until not too long ago,” she scowled at him.

“You are better than that…Kali, we can rule the world, we can do as we please!  We will no longer have to bow down to these humans, to hide what we are!  You are beginning to sound like Rafe.”

Kalika looked at him, surprised.

“I know what he is; you don’t have to cover for him.  I know that you feel partly responsible for him due to what has happened, so worry not my love,” Phyre turned to face her.  “He is working for Akakios—“

“Not anymore,” she rolled her eyes.

“What are you talking about?” Phyre asked.

Kalika didn’t move this time as he advanced on her.  “He annoyed me, so I took care of him.”

Phyre started to laugh and hugged her.  “You are amazing; we have been trying to figure out what to do with him for awhile now.”

“Don’t get too worked up, Rafe is next in line.  Are you really willing to kill your friend?” she asked him, watching him wearily as he set her back down.  “Are you that cold hearted?”

Phyre didn’t step back but contemplated her words.  “I do not wish to…”

“But…” she added, knowing that there was one.

“But, if he gets in my way, I will not let him stop me,” Phyre said, a sadness replacing his walls.

“Phyre…” she wanted to try to talk him out of this.

“This is my dream, my love…” Phyre interrupted, kneeling down before her.  “Please, understand, I have wanted this since I lost you the first time, I want for a way for us to be together, to be in a place that no one can touch us!  I want this for you and only for you…”  He buried his head in her shirt, wrapping his arms around her waist.  “I want only to be with you, to be able to walk around without the fear of someone taking you from me again, without worrying some human will find out and kill us both!”

Kalika slowly moved her hand down to his head, gently rubbing.  “I understand…” she said, finally truly understanding.  There was no other way for them, no possibility other than this for them to exist together.  Fate would forever be pulling them apart, until finally one of them was taken for good, then never to be found again.  Now that she was a vampire like him, if one of them were to be killed, they would never be together again.  And if they didn’t go through with this, someone would end up coming after them, fate would arrange it…unless we could change destiny…she thought as she bent down to kiss Phyre’s forehead.  We must change destiny.  It is all we have left.

“I love you,” Phyre whispered, kissing her cheeks, her eyes, and then her mouth.  “I can’t lose you again!”

“I know,” she replied.  “I know, and I agree.  We must do this…I don’t want to be apart form you anymore.  I don’t care what we have to do; I just want to be with you.”

Phyre smiled softly and kissed her again, then pulled her close into a tight embrace.  “I will never let you go, my love…we will be together, always.  I will make sure of it.”

Kalika felt tears well up in her eyes.  She wanted to be with Phyre, more than anything.  Memories of her past lives often flashed lately, but now it was worse.  She could see herself and Phyre…and their child…as it should be…it took her a moment to realize that it was from Phyre, he was showing her that night, that fateful night that had caused all of this to be…

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

“Mommy!” the little girl cried out, running to her.  “Mommy, do I really have to go to bed?”

“Yes, Kannina, you must go to bed,” she said to the little girl, picking her up.  “Didn’t your father tell you that?”

“Does she ever listen to a word that I tell her?” she heard her husband’s voice boom through the entryway.

Setting down their daughter, she went to him and kissed him soundly.  “How was the hunt?”

“It went well, we found much food,” he replied, setting his things down.  “There will be plenty for the village to make it through the winter.”

“That’s wonderful,” she looked up into his eyes.  “I missed you.”

“And I you, my love,” he gently caressed her face.  “But we are together now, we are safe and well.  I will be here now.”

“And for that I am grateful,” she replied.  “I have had a bad feeling lately, like something horrible is about to happen.”

“Nothing horrible will happen to us,” he whispered in her ear, kissing her neck.  “I will always protect you and Kannina.”

She smiled up at him, then buried her face into his shoulder.  “Oh, how I have missed having you next to me!”

She could feel his laughter rumble deep from within, reverberating through his chest.  “I missed you, my love, but we must get Kannina to bed before I show you just how much I missed you!”

She felt her cheeks redden with the warmth of embarrassment as she slowly pulled back from her husband.  “Do not speak like that in front of her!” she gently smacked his arm, making him chuckle.  “Kannina!”

They both looked around, looking for their daughter.  “Now where has that girl gone to?”

As they walked down the hall, they heard a squeak from the closet.

“Trying to get out of going to bed, are we?” she heard her husband say before throwing open the closet door.  Their daughter squealed as he lifted her up and threw her carefully over his shoulder, his fingers sliding to her ribs and lightly tickling every few seconds.  “Time for bed,” he continued, walking to her room and throwing her on her bed.  “You want to be up for the festival tomorrow, don’t you?”

“Yes!” Kannina shouted, lying down obediently.

She stood at the doorway and watched her husband get their daughter to sleep, smiling lovingly.  As he silently walked over to her once the little one was asleep, he whispered, “Come, we must talk.”

Quizzically, she followed him to their bedroom.  “What is wrong?”

“There have been sightings of a demon along the river, just north of us,” he said, looking at her.

She gasped in reply.

“Worry not, my love,” he quickly pulled her to him.  “We shall be just fine, just be cautious.”

She nodded into his chest, knowing that was where her premonition stemmed from.  “And you,” she mumbled.  “Please, be careful.”

He squeezed her tightly to him, then led her to their bed and gently lay her down.  “We shall be all right,” he said as he kissed her sweetly.  “Oh how I have missed you!”

Suddenly, a noise from the bushes came through the window.  Both of them stood up as Kannina screamed from her bedroom.

“Kannina!” she shouted, jumping up and running down the hall, her husband calling for her.  She ignored his cries and ran for her child, only to run right into a man.  Crying out she fell to the floor, her body frozen in fear.

Blood ran down his chin, the blood of their child she knew.  He held Kannina in his arms, only to drop the child when he saw her.  He advanced at her and grabbed her, yanking her off the floor.

“No!” she heard her husband’s voice shout from behind her, but she could barely hear him.  All she saw was the deep blackness of this creatures eyes, all she heard was the thumping of her heart as it took what she knew was it’s last few beats.

“Please…” she whispered, knowing it wouldn’t listen.  Closing her eyes, she thought of her child and her husband.  “I love you!” she shouted to him, then gasped as the demon bit into her throat, tearing it open.  It dropped her onto the floor, following quickly, and her head lolled to its side, her eyes taking in her husband for one last moment, wanting to just see him.

“I will find you!” she could hear him scream, the last words she ever heard.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Looking up at Phyre, she could see the tears running down his face.  He remembered ever moment of the night, his last night as a mortal, something that vampires rarely were able to do.  Living so long, she hadn’t expected something from that long ago to be so clear in his head.

“I have kept it with me always,” he said, as though reading her thoughts.  “I have never allowed myself to forget that night, keeping it with me to make sure that I remembered what I was fighting for.”

“I am so sorry,” she whispered, kissing his tears away.

“I told you that I would find you, my love,” he said, his eyes filled with sadness.  “And I never want to let that go.”

“I know,” she replied, smiling softly at him.  “I know, my love.  We will be together.”  Her anger mounted as her thoughts went to those she had once called friends.  They only want to tear us apart, she thought.  I will not let them.  Phyre and I will be together until the end of time…

She looked at her lover, smiling softly, then said, “Let’s do it, Phyre.  Let’s go.”

“Are you sure?” he asked her, looking hopeful.

“Yes,” she replied.

He laughed and jumped up.  “I will gather our things!”

“I’ll be right there,” she replied.  “I just need to do something really quick.”

As Phyre took off upstairs, she grabbed the phone and dialed Kayleigh’s cell phone.

“Kalika?” Kayleigh answered.

“Yeah, it’s me,” she said back.

“Kali, you need to come quick!  Rafe—“

“I can’t do that,” she interrupted.

“Why not?”

“I’m sorry, Kayleigh.  Just tell Krishna that I love him.  I have some things to do.”

“What’s going on, Kali?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

There was a pause, then, “Please be careful.  We both love you.”

“I love you too, Kayleigh.”

“Don’t do it.”

“I have to.”

“Don’t do this, Kali.  Please don’t.”

“Kayleigh, listen to me.  You save lives.  It’s your gift, bestowed upon you by the women of our family.  I take them.  That’s just how it is.”

“It doesn’t have to be that way!”

“It does and you know it.  You’re the good one, you always have been.  I accept my fate, Kayleigh.”

“Please, Kali…look, I know that you will make the right decision.  No matter what you say, you are a good person and you will do what needs to be done.”

“Goodbye, Kayleigh.”

“Kali—“

Kalika hung up the phone before her sister could say anymore.  She needed to do this.  It was the only way left, and she couldn’t allow anyone to change her mind.  This was how things needed to be.

Part Thirteen

 

Phyre stood in the alter, merely waiting for the darkness of the eclipse to make its way across the lands.  Once the lands were covered in darkness, the ritual would begin and the world would stay forever in that fashion, the sun disappearing and the vampires taking over.  He smiled at the thought, knowing that he could be with Kalika as long as this went through.

“I will not allow that to happen,” a voice behind him rang through the dark caves, the fires on the torches wavering slightly.

“Rafe,” he replied, turning around slowly.  “I have been waiting for you.”

“You can’t do this, Phyre,” Aysha stepped out from behind him.  “Please, don’t do this!”

“You are both pathetic,” he growled at them.  “Do you not understand that this is the only way?”

“It isn’t the only way, Phyre, we can find another,” Rafe was pleading with him.

“You look different Rafe…perhaps it’s the loss of your mentor?” Phyre baited him.

Rafe almost lunged at him, only to be grabbed by Nikolas and Thistle.  Raven stepped out of the shadows behind Aysha and pushed her to her knees.  “You have betrayed us!” Thistle said, angrily.  “I thought you two were with us, but you were just using us!”

“Thistle, no, understand—“

“Oh, I understand all right!” Thistle interrupted Aysha, pushing the spear against her throat.  “Now not another word!”

“Thank you boys,” Phyre slowly stepped down from the alter.  “We do need some sacrifices to call upon the Gods.”

“They will work,” Nikolas smiled at them.  “They will work perfectly.

Phyre knelt down beside Rafe, shaking his head.  “You should have stayed out of this, my friend,” he whispered to him.  “I did not want things to end this way, but I will not allow you to get in my way.”

“Phyre, please,” Rafe said.

“No!” Phyre growled, and Raven lashed him with his whip.  “You listen to me!  You have taken her from me far too many times for me to allow it any more!  I will not sit back and watch her die for the last time, knowing I will never see her again.  I have allowed it for far too long.  I merely want to be with her…”

“That can’t be and you know it Phyre!” Aysha shouted against the spear that was digging into her neck.  “If it is…”

“It can be,” he said.

“Doesn’t Kalika get a say in this?” Rafe was digging for a last ditch effort.  “Shouldn’t she know everything and then get to decide?”

“Oh, but she does,” Rafe stood and walked back to the alter.  “She does.”

“No, she can’t!” Aysha whispered.  “Rafe, she can’t have found out and still decided to go along with this!”

“She may have, Aysha,” Rafe replied, horrified.  “She wants to be with Phyre so much…”

Aysha gasped, tears rolling down her cheeks.  “Not Kalika, she wouldn’t allow this!”

“Things are changing her,” Rafe said.  “She has seen another side of the world, something new and exciting; she has found her soul mate.  Once you find your soul mate…”

“You don’t let go,” Aysha whispered, nodding.  Her shoulders slumped with her sobs.  “I don’t want to die, Rafe.”

“It will be okay,” he said to her.  “At least we will both be in a better…”

His words trailed off as his eyes moved to the doorway on his left that was opening.  Mist slowly rolled out of the corridor that had once been filled with the sunlight from the world, now dark, filling the floor of the cavern.  A woman appeared, stepping slowly, wearing the clothing of an Egyptian goddess.  Rafe’s jaw dropped at the sight.  It was mystifying.  The woman’s long hair fell loosely down her back, her skin so clear and bronze that he wanted to touch it.  He gasped in horror when he realized who it was.

“Kalika!” Aysha cried out.

Kalika barely glanced at them, only for a moment, then looked back to her lover.  She then took a moment to look down at herself, smiling darkly.  She was wearing a dress that Phyre had managed to hide away and keep in the best of condition from the times when they had started this plan, long ago.  It was ancient Egyptian looking, the top merely bra-like made of gold metal and the bottom a white skirt, hanging all the way down to her bare feet.  She was adorned in jewelry of the old times, her hair hanging down her back, left alone.  Her bronze skin stood out against the clothing, making her look like a queen.

“Kalika!” she heard Rafe shout at her, attempting to get her attention.  “Please, don’t do this!”

Kalika ignored him, slowly taking a step down the stairway that led to the main floor.

“Come to me!” Phyre commanded, and she smiled, continuing towards him.

Phyre began chanting in an ancient language, along with Raven, Thistle, and Nikolas.  Their voices combined as Kalika neared the alter.  She didn’t even look down at Rafe and Aysha, though they were moving around and shouting at her to get her attention.

Stepping up to the alter, she faced Phyre, who allowed his chanting to subside.  Thistle, Raven, and Nikolas continued to chant though, their voices rising.  Above Kalika and Phyre was a whole in the land, allowing the light from the eclipse to shine down on them.  She glanced down at her skin to see that it was not affecting her, nor was it affecting Phyre.  She looked back up at him as he took a step to her and pulled her tightly against her.

“It is time, my love,” he whispered.  Out of the corner of her eye she could see Nikolas approaching Aysha with a ritualistic knife, smiling sadistically.

She looked back at Phyre and kissed him hungrily, their tongues combining.

Pulling back, she whispered, “I love you.”  Her eyes never left his as she pulled him into another deep kiss, her hand snaking behind her back and gripping the hilt of the dagger she had hidden beneath the skirt.  In one quick move, her lips never straying from Phyre’s, she drove the knife deep into him.

Phyre pulled back slightly, looking at her, his eyes wide and filled with anger and betrayal.  He gasped for breath, stumbling back a few steps.

“I am so sorry,” Kalika whispered to him, tears welling up in her eyes.

Everything and everyone around them froze.  Kalika didn’t notice all the eyes on her, the silence of the cavern, the eclipse slowly passing on to allow true sunlight to hit her skin.  She barely even felt the burning from it, nor did she notice the smoke rising from her flesh.

Finally, she stepped out of the spot and knelt beside her soul mate, allowing the tears to come freely.  “I love you,” she whispered, pulling his head against her chest.  “I am so sorry, my love!”  Her body racked with sobs and she felt him gasping for breath, trying to speak to her.

“Why?” he whispered, looking deep into her eyes.  His hurt was evident, so bad that she cried out in pain.

“I am so sorry!” she screamed, holding him tightly.  “Please, Phyre, please forgive me.”

He said nothing for a moment, just staring up into her tear-filled eyes.  His eyes were overflowing as well, full of the betrayal from what she had done.  “Please,” she whispered again.

“De corde totaliter Et ex mente tota, Sum presentialiter Absens in remota {With all my heart, And all my soul, I am with you, Though I am far away},” he finally whispered to her in Latin.  He gasped for breath a few more times before she saw the life in his eyes slowly leave.  He never took his eyes off of her, though, never blinked, as he died.  Suddenly, as the last of his life left his body, a burst of blinding white light exploded from the two of them and lashed through the room, like a shock wave.  Kalika screamed in pain as it went through her, but hardly heard the screams of the others in the room as it tore the life from their bodies.

“No!” Kalika screamed, though she knew her cries wouldn’t be heard over the roar of the shock wave.  As the room quieted, she realized she was alone.  The bodies of Aysha, Thistle, Raven, and Nikolas lay on the floor, their bodies slowly turning to dust, and Phyre’s lay in her arms.  Leaning over the remains of her soul mate, she screamed again, unable to stop herself.  Everything was gone.  She had nothing left.  She had betrayed her soul mate, killed him.  Her friends and family were all dead.  All was lost.

“Why?” she screamed, echoing one of Phyre’s last words.  “Why?”

Kalika couldn’t move herself from that spot.  She had no control over her body.  All she knew was what she was feeling.  A part of herself had been torn out with the shock wave, the part that Phyre had inhabited.  She felt as though half of herself was gone, like someone had cut up her soul.  She could not go back now.  It was too late.

A hand fell down on her shoulder, making her jump.  Glancing back, she saw it was the god she had talked to earlier.  Standing up and spinning around in one fluid motion, she shouted, “Why?  Why did I have to do this?”

The god merely stood there, smiling sadly at her.  “You were chosen in hopes that you would make the right choice.  For a short time there, we all thought you were going to make the one that would cause the destruction of us all.”

“This isn’t fair!” she said, her tears falling uncontrollably.  She slammed her fists against his chest.  “Why did you have to take him from me?”

His eyes saddened even more.  “I am sorry that you had to make this choice, Kalika,” he whispered to her, gently catching her fists.  “You should never have been put into this position.  It is bad enough that you had to lose him, but you should not have been the one to have to choose it.  Killing a soul mate does horrible things to a person.”

“No kidding,” she growled at him, almost falling to her knees.  The god caught her and held her up.

“Be strong, little one,” he continued.  “As much as it hurts, you have made the right choice.”

“How can you be so sure?” she asked.

“Come with me,” he stepped back and held out his hand.  She took it and he led her out of the caves, to the peak that overlooked the city.  “Look at that.”

She looked on, seeing the children playing, the people moving about their lives, unknowing of how close they came to destruction.  She slowly sank to her knees.  “I don’t care…”

“Then look over there,” he pointed to a hill.

Kalika looked up at him, then followed his arm to the small hill that she had once sat on to get peace and quiet.  There sat Kayleigh and Krishna, alive and well.  Kayleigh was holding Krishna up, then allowed her arms to fall.  Krishna began to walk to her tree, the one that she had carved her name in so long ago.  He gently fingered the letters she had carved and set down the flowers in his hands.  She could hear his voice, even though he was on the other side of town.

“Kali, I miss you,” he was saying.  “I know that you are gone now.  I feel it.  I miss you, though, and I love you.  I hope that you are happy wherever you are, and that you will be okay.  I am getting better.  Rafe found something for me a few days ago; he said it was a secret that he had found that will make me okay again.  I am feeling so much better!  I don’t think he got the chance to tell you about it, but I have it and I’m going to be okay.  I know that someday I’ll find you again.  Someday we will run together the way we used to and we will both be happy.  Kayleigh will take care of me, though, so don’t worry.  I’ll be okay, I promise…”

Kalika started to cry again at that.

“That is what you made the choice for, my dear,” the god was saying.  “That is why you did what you did.  Phyre understood that.”

“I hurt him so much…” she replied.

“He knew why you needed to do that.  He understood,” the god knelt down beside her.  “It was a horrible choice, but you did it.  You have allowed mankind another chance at redemption.  You did well.”

Rafe walked up and stood beside her.  “Kali, it’s over.  You did it.”

“No, Rafe,” she interrupted.  “This isn’t over.  There is much more to come.”

With that, she turned away from him and looked up at the god as he disappeared.  “Thank you,” she heard his whisper in the wind.  She took one last look at her siblings, then got up and turned around, walking back towards the caves.  She knew she had to hide in them until dusk, then she would go.  She knew she had to leave everything here, let everyone go on like she was dead.  It was better that way.  They would be happy, and they would leave full lives.

“I love you,” she swore she heard another whisper in the wind.

“Phyre?” she said, her eyes filling with tears again.  “I am so sorry,” she said, one last time, before disappearing into the caves to sleep.  As she made her way into them, she thought of death, of waiting for the sun to hit her and take all the pain away.  Within moments, she put the thoughts aside and continued on.  She deserved this and she knew it.  She knew she must continue on, suffering, forever, missing the one she could never have again.  This was his curse to her for her betrayal, that she should forever live without him.  She had to live for eternity with her demons, her shame.  She deserved it. 

 

Epilogue

 

Kalika sat on the beach, staring out at the ocean, in front of the caves that were so familiar to her.  Finally, after so long, she allowed a tear to roll down her cheek as the first rays of dawn came across the sky.

“May I sit down?” a familiar voice comes from behind her.

“It’s a free country, Fiske,” she said, sarcastically. 

“I wish you wouldn’t call me that…” he sighed.

“It’s what they call you now, isn’t it?” she replied.

“Please, Kali…don’t call me that…” he said.

“I haven’t been Kali for a long time, now,” she whispered back.  She looked up at him for a moment, the patted the sand next to her.  “Sit down, Rafe.”

“I’m sorry, Kali…” he said as he sat next to her.  “Maybe we could…do something…”

 “No, we can’t,” she interrupts.  “It has to be this way.   We both know that.”

“It doesn’t Kali,” he said.  He gently placed his hand on her arm.  “We’ve been through a lot together.  We can make it through…”

She looked at him, her eyes filled with despair.  Her world had shattered that night, everything had gone.  She didn’t want to do it anymore.

“Kali, please…” he pleaded with her.

“I’ve done my part,” she heard herself saying to the man.  “And don’t even try to change my mind, Rafe.”

“Please,” he said to her.

“No!” she said.  “I have done enough for you and for this world of ungrateful, horrid beings.  No longer am I in debt to them for anything.  Just leave me alone.”

“You’re better than this, Kali,” he whispered to her.  “You proved that to everyone that day when you chose to kill Phyre.”

“A decision, that to this day, I regret,” she spat.  “He was my soul mate, Rafe.  He was all that I had.  And you had to make me listen to my conscious and kill him.  He didn’t deserve that!”

“Please, Kali…”

“Rafe, if you don’t leave this room right now—“

“Please listen to me!  Listen to me as the friend you once relied on, the person you called the second you got into any trouble, the man that you once had some love for!” he interrupted her.  The words came like a physical blow to her, causing her to step back.

“Please, Kali,” he said.  “I can’t live like this anymore. I hate what I am, what I have become.  You live every day knowing that you betrayed your soul mate; I live very moment, my soul tearing apart because of what I did to you.  I didn’t advocate getting rid of Phyre to save the world; I did it out of selfishness.  I just wanted you, as I always have.  And I never realized what I was doing until it was too late.  I gave you only one way to end things, without thinking that I could have helped you find another way.  I could have saved both of you.  It is my fault that you are what you are today, that he is gone forever!  You were so perfect, so sweet, so beautiful…I could have saved that!”

“I’m not as perfect as you think I am, Rafe,” she replied.

“But you are, Kali, it’s all still there!”

“You think I’m this perfect being, that everything I do is for an ultimate good reason.  Rafe, do you know what I was thinking before I ended up killing Phyre?  I wasn’t planning on doing it, you know!  I wasn’t thinking about saving the world or any of that crap, I just wanted to be with him and take over everything.  There was so much anger and hatred for humans in me, so much darkness.  I truly wanted to turn the humans into slaves and change the world.  Did you know that, Rafe?”

Rafe fell silent, staring out over the ocean.

“And you know what?” she continued.  “It hasn’t changed.  Every day, I wonder what life would be like if I hadn’t killed him.  Rafe, I’m not some wonderful, good person.  When I allowed the darkness to take over me, I was truly happy for the first time in my life.  When I was killing, I loved it!  I loved the rush, the screams for mercy, and the torture of the innocent.  I loved causing chaos and being bad.”

Rafe was now looking at her in complete shock, horrified, as she stood up.

“Rafe, you have some picture of me in your head, some vision of a flawless, perfect girl who you’re in love with.  You say that you love me, but that’s not true.  Look at you right now; you despise the fact that I enjoyed those things.  Phyre loved that side of me as much as he loved my good side.  You are in love with an idea of what you want me to be, but that’s not me.”

Rafe was looking at the sand, flushing slightly.

“You wanna know who I truly am, Rafe?  I love to torture humans; I love the sound of their screams and the thrill of the chase and the bloodlust.”

“That’s not you, Kali!” Rafe interrupted.  “See, this is why I didn’t want you to turn!  It changed you!”

Kalika threw her head back and laughed.  “You know the first time I killed someone?” she taunted him.  “I was twelve.  Some kid looked at me funny and so I decided to stab him.  I slashed his little friend’s throat, and then I sat on a bench and watched them die slowly.  I enjoyed the silent screams for help.”

Rafe’s jaw dropped.  He looked at her in horror.

“Hmmm, I think that you’re starting to get it.  Do I still seem so perfect to you?  That wasn’t the only time I did it, either.  When I was fourteen, I get even more curious.  I took my little spear that I made and stuck it through some innocent old man’s heart.  Did Nikolas tell you about that?  He watched, he thought it was great!”  She paused for a moment, taking in Rafe’s expression.  Then, she looked at him with contempt before continuing.  “You’re not as good of a guardian as you thought you were.  And I’m not the innocent little girl that you were so sure that I was.”

She began to step towards Rafe, menacingly.  “You’d better go now, Rafe.  See, you missed the part after Phyre died, where I drained him.  I took all of the wonderful vampire blood that he had, all the power from both him and Tantalus.  You see, I don’t care whose blood I take, demon or mortal.” 

Rafe was stepping back every time she stepped forward, his eyes widening.  She could smell his fear.

“What’s wrong, Rafe?  Don’t like this side of me so much?  Isn’t it amazing how I can convince even those who I know best that I’m innocent and good?  Rafe, didn’t you ever wonder why I was chosen with Phyre to take over the world?  Phyre always knew this side of me.  He always saw my darkness.  He loved it, but that’s beside the point.  I’m getting hungry, Rafe, and so is he,” she said, nodding behind Rafe.

Rafe spun around and gasped in terror as Phyre jump at him and grabbed him, striking his neck.  Kalika slowly walked over to them, allowing Phyre to drink, then stopped him.  She pulled Rafe away and pushed him to the ground, kneeling on top of him.

“I brought him back, Rafe.  I warned you that it wasn’t over, that there was more to come.  That’s why I took his blood, enough to make me stronger and enough to save for the right time.  Rafe, when I was first turned, it wasn’t the right time.  I overestimated your intelligence; I thought that you would notice the signs that something wasn’t right.  But you and your little group were convinced that the prophecy was right—that, by the way, wasn’t the real one, it was a fake, so that when it really happened, there would be no one who would be prepared to stop us.  Now is the time, though.  Boys?”

As she called, Thistle, Raven, and Nikolas strode up to them, and stood behind Phyre.

“It was all planned, Rafe.  You were my pawn, my toy.  But I no longer have a need for you now.  Look around you, Rafe…shouldn’t the sun be coming up?  I know that you were hoping for that.”

Rafe looked around him, struggling to get up.  When he realized what was happening, he froze.  There was no sunlight, not even the slightest rays of it.  He gasped as he looked down the beach and saw demons tearing the flesh of humans.  His eyes finally landed on the ocean, which was died red with the blood of the mortals.

“Once the threads of fate have been entangled, Rafe, they cannot be undone,” she whispered in his ear.  “Now it is time for you to die.  I’d keep you alive, but…well…you understand.”

With that, she dove down to his neck and tore it open, drinking.  Once she had drained him, she stood up, and Phyre came to her.

“My love,” he growled in her ear and licked the excess blood off of her chin.  “It is time.”

Kalika smiled up and him, evilly, and the five of them walked down the beach into the chaos that they had created.