Chapter 6 - The Strength; inner strength and quiet determination

One month later, Aurelio did not have to worry on whether or not Halcyone would hold true to her word and meet him for their exchange. She came to him before the full moon had risen.

“Do you really think a girl like me wants to feed her passions in an old abandoned warehouse?” Came her sultry voice from the shadows. Aurelio turned on the sidewalk to face her as she stepped into the light provided by an electric streetlamp. Her short red hair glistened under the light and her emerald eyes shone with the seductiveness of devils. She was dressed in a stark white top decorated with lace and sequins and a pair of slinky pinstripe dress pants. On anyone else, the outfit would have seemed dirty and desperate, but she held her own inner light and that candle set her alluring sexual energies aflame. No man would have refused her, no matter his morals. She was in no way sleazy but richly attractive and simply irresistible. “Won’t you take me to your room, Aurelio?” Halcyone’s luscious lips curled into a wicked smile as she reached her arms up around his neck.

He shrugged her off with a harshness that made her scowl. “Don’t touch me,” the werewolf barked. “Teru’s there. And don’t I have to transform first?”

“Oh, I thought surely you’d be up for experimentation,” she cooed while lacing her arms around his waist, her fingers and red nails moving like spiders. “Teru’s sleeping on the sofa. We won’t be disturbed. And as for your condition, I have a theory that I should be able to consume enough of your energy to keep you from transforming altogether.”

Aurelio eyed her apprehensively for a moment, running a hand through his unkempt brown hair. On any other night of the month, he would have been well-groomed and sporting the wardrobe of a celebrity, but tonight the looming moon had already turned his mood for the worse. His face was stubbly and unshaven, his hair tangled and unclean. He wore nothing fancier than an old t-shirt already full of small tears and holes and a pair of dirty blue jeans. On his feet were cheap, worn sandals.

“And just how drained will that leave me?” he asked.

“I’m not sure, but I’m always willing to take a risk,” she said, grinning challengingly.

A taxi pulled up beside them and Arion opened the door for Aurelio to get in. Asking the taxi driver to wait for him, the vampire stepped out of the taxi and strode up to the pair. “What’s going on?” he demanded, glancing first to Halcyone and then to Aurelio.

“I’m not going with you tonight,” Aurelio said, gaining a contemptuous reaction from Arion. Then he pointed a thumb to indicate Halcyone’s influence. “I’m staying with her, apparently.”

“Don’t be foolish,” Arion glared, his oceanic eyes blazing. “Do you know how dangerous that is? What would happen if you transformed right in front of Teru?” He crossed his arms angrily over his chest, rumpling the olive green fabric of his dress shirt. The tan slacks he wore cascaded smoothly and folded delicately of the tops of his glossy black shoes.

“You’re so selfish,” Halcyone complained up at him as she tightened her grip on Aurelio’s arm. “Aurelio and I will be fine. But you can watch if you want.”

“Fine,” Arion hissed, obviously repulsed. “Do what you want. If you want to believe whatever trickery she’s set you up to, that’s your own skin.” He got back in the cab and violently slammed the door.

When he was gone, Aurelio let out an exasperated sigh, then let Halcyone lead him back up to his dorm room. They entered quietly so as not to disturb Teru’s nap on the couch. Apparently, he had crashed right after band practice. His heavy book bag and guitar case lay in a heap on the floor and he had not even had the energy to take his shoes off. Aurelio stared at him for a moment, smiling to himself. If only I could live with that blissful ignorance . . . . He thinks I’m keeping dark secrets from him, but revealing them would only corrupt his innocence. I won’t be the one to do that.

“Yeah, I know he’s cute, but let’s hurry this up. I‘m famished.” Pressing her hands in the small of his back, Halcyone forced him into his bedroom and locked the door behind them.

Meanwhile, Teru stirred in his sleep and was overtaken by a dream. Twenty years ago, he was back in Tokyo with the blonde vampire and he had invited her into his home not for the first time. They were blissfully in love and she giggled happily as she put her arms around his neck.

“Let’s go away from here, Kei,” he said, looking down into her glittering ruby eyes. “I’ve got some money saved up from the band’s gigs. We can go to a small town in the country and no one will find us.” He guided her fragile, pale body in his arms as they moved to sit on his bed. At his words, she seemed to become sad and looked away. “Kei?”

“I can’t,” she said quietly. “They’d never let me. You know that.” Both of them remained silent for a few moments, knowing what she said was the truth. The vampire coven was too protective of her and their relationship together was strictly forbidden. Up until now, they had continued to meet only in secret. She spoke his name, but the dream distorted it and it was unintelligible in his sleeping mind.

Placing a guitar-calloused hand on her jaw, Teru tilted her face to see the blood tears standing in her eyes. He bent forward and passionately kissed her, only to be met by her own carnal hunger. Her need, however, was far different from his own. She leaned into him as they kissed, moving her cold hands over his warm flesh. Looking up at him, now lying on her back, Kei reached up and pulled his face to hers. Obediently, he kissed her, caressing her body as he moved over her. There was some small sound of protest from her lips as he unlaced her boots and began to peel the fishnet stockings from beneath her red pleated skirt, but she made no move to stop him. Soon she was removing his own t-shirt, revealing his tan, toned body, and pressing her fingertips and palms into the bare flesh of his back. Prompting her hands with his own, he silently guided her to unbutton his pants and playfully slid his fingertips beneath her short skirt.

“No,” she laughed, turning her head and grasping for his hands. But he was already pressing against her, so she twisted artfully beneath him to escape and forced him to take the submissive position. The vampire straddled him, holding his wrists captive above his head, then bent down and kissed his neck.

“You ready for this, gay boy?” Halcyone smirked as she unbuttoned her pants and slowly slid them off. She removed her top and strapless bra, revealing her shameless nakedness beneath. She looked over at Aurelio who sat on the bed wearing only a pair of boxers with his arms and legs crossed. “You’re not going to make this easy, are you?” The succubus frowned down at him, resting one hand on her naked hip. Then she seemed to regain her purpose and moved gracefully towards him, reaching out first to uncross his arms and then his legs as she leaned over him. Without a fight, he allowed her to push him onto his back and she remained suspended on all fours above him. “Just relax,” she whispered, closing her eyes and letting her lips brush his earlobe. “We have to take our time if we want it to work properly. I need to take a lot of your energy to keep you from transforming, so forget who I am and who you are and just let it happen.”

“I just want to get it over with,” Aurelio replied through tight lips. It was obvious that he was still tense, but she was banking on his body’s needs to override that uneasiness. Before he could speak another word, her mouth had covered his and she was driving her tongue past his lips to contend with his own. As could be expected for a succubus, it did not take very long for Halcyone to awaken feelings Aurelio did not even know he had. A hidden desire deep within his soul was beginning to consume him and, slowly, she worked her dark magic to possess it.

“Do it,” Teru whispered breathlessly into the vampire girl’s ear, struggling only slightly in her surprisingly strong grip. “I want it.” Those three words were all it took and, from that moment on, their very existence was forever doomed.

Kei parted her lips, revealing the abnormally large eyeteeth and, without further hesitation, pierced the flesh. Blood gushed out from the two tiny holes in his neck until she clamped her hungry mouth over them. The sucking sensation as she pulled on his veins was both unendurable pain and endless pleasure. The perfume of her long blonde hair caressed his face and the weight of her small body on his own only fueled his desperate want of her. The Japanese boy writhed beneath her, his chin tilted skyward as he gasped for breath, until suddenly she stopped. Sitting up, she released his wrists and stared at him with clouded vision. Her lips and tongue were darkened with blood and her breathing was as labored as his own.

The moon was becoming visible now, rising into the clouds. Halcyone was determined to try every trick she knew in order to get any kind of reaction and she was succeeding. The strangeness of their melding together had passed and she felt her demon flesh begin to absorb the invisible waves of passion that radiated from Aurelio’s body like heat waves on the sand. She grinned to herself, eyes looking boldly over his tanned but scarred body as she moved in rhythm, and allowed gentle sighs to escape her red lips.

Despite his preferences and morals, Aurelio kept in mind the reason why he was allowing this to happen and forced himself to participate. He would not allow himself to speak during the act and kept his eyes closed, trying to imagine other faces and bodies. For a while, he just wanted it to be over, not finding much pleasure in it, but then she had slithered down and licked him gently before coming back up to nibble his earlobes. She had guided him, as a teacher a pupil, in ways to please her as well and, when he stole a glance up at her, found that she seemed to be enjoying herself.

Still lost in the realm of waking dreams, Teru let out a soft moan and rolled over on the sofa. Kei was laying beside him now, her head on his arm, and his fingers reaching desperately for that secret destination. Again, she deterred him and brought his wrist to her mouth. Again, the flesh was broken and the boy was wrought into a state of an endless desire. He fought against the weak feeling that was slowly creeping over his limbs, and feeling dangerous, pulled her close and bit her own neck. She gasped, surprised yet delighted, and crushed herself against him, begging him to tear into her throat. But it was impossible for him, despite all the teasing vibrations he had given her, so they lay back to rest again. They looked at each other, both grinning shyly and adoring each other, and then her gaze traveled lustfully to her own wrist. Curiously, he watched as she cut open the flesh with her glassy fingernail. Droplets of blood came to the surface at once and splattered onto her chest, but she lowered her wrist, twisting onto her side, and pressed the wound against his lips.

“Mmm, delicious,” Halcyone breathed over him. “You’re not half bad at this, Aure.” Increasing her movement, the succubus drove against him and then with a sudden gasping laughter, flipped onto her back and pulled him on top of her. “C’mon,” she said with a seductive grin and pressed her talons painfully into his back.

The taste of her blood on his tongue sent rapturous sensations throughout every fiber of his very being. With both hands, he took hold of her wrist and pressed it so hard against his lips that he thought he would crush the bones. It seemed for an eternity that he drank her enchanted blood and yet it was over in mere seconds. She had effortlessly yanked her wrist free and plunged her mouth against his, hungrily devouring him just as he devoured her. As she lay on top of him, she moved again to the wound on his throat and began to draw the blood more violently than before. Between breathless cries, he thrust his hips against her body and, in moments, lay motionless and dry-mouthed. Realizing with a virgin mentality what had taken place, she smiled and kissed the side of his mouth lovingly. Then she lay quietly beside him, resting her head on his shoulder and buried her face in his neck, still licking gently at the wound.

Aurelio inhaled sharply as the tension between his legs began to crest. Halcyone laughed again, arching her back and lifting her hips, and felt the sexual energy waves increase tremendously. He hung his head, hiding his face behind his sweaty, tangled mane, and began to pant as the heat within surmounted. A guttural sound escaped his throat and he collapsed heavily against her.

Halcyone shifted so that she was no longer beneath him and let out a contented sigh. “I can’t say it was the best sex I’ve ever had, but definitely the best gay sex,” she mused aloud. “And, damn, I’ll live for a month off of that. Normally, it‘s a college boy here, an adulterous husband there. It really takes a lot of effort, you know--”

“Would you shut up?” Aurelio growled, still laying exhausted and trying to catch his breath.

“Aw, you’re cranky,” she pouted for a moment, then climbed effortlessly over his naked body and searched the room for one of his shirts. After putting it on, she announced she had the first shower and disappeared from the room.

“Damn her,” Aurelio muttered under her breath. Finally finding enough strength to sit upright, he grabbed his clothes from the floor and put them on. He made some half-hearted attempt to fix his hair, then gave up, and sprayed on some expensive cologne before padding barefoot into the living room. He paused suddenly and blinked at Teru, who was now awake and appearing to check his shorts. “Um... did you just wake up?” He asked nervously. It really would not do for Teru to suspect anything serious going on between he and Halcyone because it would clearly ruin his chances, truce or non.

“I, uh, yeah,” Teru replied, seemingly just as nervous. “I was just dreaming and. . . .” He laughing uneasily, but when he got no more response than a strange stare from Aurelio, it seemed to make him more uneasy. “I’m just... gonnagotothebathroom.” The boy walked quickly passed Aurelio and into the hallway, but paused with his hand on the doorknob when he heard the shower running. Slowly, he turned to face Aurelio, who was giving him a very guilty look. “Who’s using our shower?” He asked skeptically, wrinkling his nose.

“Halcyone,” Aurelio answered, unable to think of an excuse off the top of his head. “You know how she is, just pops on over when she feels like it. Heh. She thinks she lives here.” He waved his hand as if to dismiss the subject, hoping that Teru would drop it as well.

“So I can’t go to the bathroom?” Teru said unhappily.

“Well, I’m sure she’ll be out in a minute. You can just borrow some of my boxers if you want,” Aurelio offered, flashing a sexy grin.

“No, that’s okay,” Teru quickly declined, but moved down the hall into their bedroom.

An hour or so later, everyone had gotten showers and was devouring fresh delivery pizza in the living room.

“So, tell us about your dream, huh, Teru?” Halcyone pressed, nudging his arm with her elbow.

“I don’t think you really want to hear about it,” he muttered as his face began to grow a little pink.

“You can’t ask a guy to talk about something like that,” Aurelio defended him although he had no real experience in that respect. “It’s about privacy, something you don’t know anything about, Halcyone,” he sneered.

“Whatever,” she rolled her eyes and took a large bite of steaming pizza. “I was just trying to make conversation, but if he’s really too shy to talk about it . . . .”

Aurelio glanced at Teru, who was staring at his slice of pizza as if it were something vicious and would bite his hand off if he tried to eat it. “It’s no big deal. You must’ve had a hard day, right? To be passed out on the couch like that. When do you guys have another show?”

“It was about her,” Teru said quietly, drawing looks of confusion and curiosity from Aurelio and Halcyone respectively. Before they could ask who he meant, he continued. “The blonde vampire, Kei. I never expected it to go this far. These dreams can’t simply be dreams, Aure,” the boy lamented. “Who is she? Why do I keep dreaming about her?”

Aurelio frowned, but said nothing, and shifted his gaze to the half-empty pizza box on the coffee table. It was Halcyone who was brave enough to ask questions.

“What are you talking about? What girl?”

“I’ve told Aure about it,” Teru said, looking over at his room mate and then back to Halcyone. He told her a brief summary of how the dreams started before he came to America and had gotten more vivid and more involved since then. He was beginning to believe there was some kind of hidden meaning behind them and even Halcyone agreed that they were not coincidence.

“Well, she’s Japanese, right? And blonde? That‘s not normal,” Halcyone pointed out.

“Yeah, her father was an American,“ Teru answered as plainly as if the girl had been over to his house the day before. “Don’t look at me like that. I told you I’ve had. . .several dreams about her.”

“You sure she’s not just a character from a book or something?” Aurelio began to feel slightly concerned. He had never heard of anyone having dreams from an ongoing storyline before, especially not with such lucid detail. Perhaps Teru had known this girl a long time ago, and if that was true, he was plainly still in love with her.

“I’ve never met her before,” Teru shook his head with certainty.

“Well, if you have met her, maybe she’s looking for you. Remember that girl I met at the club a while back? She was blonde, but I don’t think she was Japanese,” Halcyone suggested.

“She can’t be. The events in those dreams took place at least twenty years ago. It doesn’t make any sense.”

“I say you just forget about them,” Aurelio spoke up. His voice carried less emotion than usual and he was looking at Teru with an uncharacteristically hard expression. “They’re just dreams. What have they got to do with you now, huh?”

Halcyone scoffed. “If you’re so tired and cranky, you should just go to bed.” Of course, she knew full well why he was tired. Even after taking a shower and attempting to fix himself up, it was obvious their exchange had left him severely exhausted. She told herself she’d be surprised if he stayed awake until eight o‘clock.

“And why are you still here?” he shot bitterly at her.

“Aure’s right,” Teru said suddenly to interrupt their bickering. “We should just drop it. Let’s watch a movie or something.” Thinking he had saved them from arguing only to have them start quarreling over which movie to watch, Teru sighed with defeat and occupied himself with cleaning up the pizza remains.

It was a loud knock on the door that finally made Halcyone and Aurelio stop attacking each other and Teru return from his refuge in the kitchen. The three of them blinked at each other, none yet making a move to answer the door.

“It’s probably Hannah or Lu,” Teru shrugged, oblivious to their reasons of hesitation.

Halcyone had detected at once that it was a female and Aurelio’s nose told him that she was not exactly human although she did a good imitation of one. Finally, he got up and, hoping for the best, answered the door.

“Is Teru here?” The girl blurted out, then broke into a wide grin when she saw past Aurelio’s attempts to block her view and noticed Teru in the background. She immediately rushed over to him and threw her arms around him in joy. “I’m so happy that I’ve finally found you!”

Teru stared down at her in disbelief. “Who are you?” he blurted out. To his disappointment, this girl looked nothing compared to the vampire from his dreams. She had chin-length sandy blonde hair and square-cut bangs. She was wearing, like Halcyone had stated months ago, jeans and a Harry Potter t-shirt.

“My name is Sera,” she introduced herself with a smile and offered her hand delicately. “I‘ve been looking for you because of those dreams you‘ve been having. Something must be done to stop them.”

“What? How do you know about my dreams?” Teru asked her, a bit shaken, and then shot an inquisitive glance at Aurelio. He was the only one, besides Halcyone only moments ago, to whom he had revealed his dreams. Aurelio shrugged his shoulders innocently, knowing that he had not breathed a word of Teru’s secrets.

As the girl sat herself down on the sofa beside Teru, Aurelio and Halcyone exchanged apprehensive glances. Something’s up with her, they both thought. Sera, however, seemed to have no interest in Teru’s company. It was not that she did not perceive what they were. It was simply that she had other priorities and as long as the succubus and werewolf did not try to prevent her from accomplishing her goal, they were not her concern.

“I’ve been getting reports about your dreams, some vague summaries, but that last one really surprised me,” Sera went on as if the subject were perfectly normal. Teru was growing increasingly red around the ears and muttering questions of “How did she know about that?” Aurelio and Halcyone listened on in rapt silence. “I had no idea this situation was so serious,” the girl said with a small frown. Sera bent down to take her tennis shoes off, then brought her legs up to sit cross-legged on the sofa. Despite her almost amusing appearance, she held Teru’s gaze with a very somber expression. “The on-going storyline is evidence to the fact that you could quite possibly be a reincarnation of the boy from your dreams.”

“What!?” Teru, Aurelio, and Halcyone exclaimed collectively.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Aurelio demanded angrily. “Just who the hell are you?”

Sera turned to face him with an almost vehement countenance. “I can assure you that this has nothing to do with Hell. It’s very possible that these things did indeed happen to him in a past life. That is what I’m here to investigate.”

“And where did you say you were from?” Halcyone prompted, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“I didn’t,” the girl replied flatly. “I’m from England, if you can‘t tell by the accent, but that’s all you need to know.”

“Wait, this doesn’t make any sense,” Teru sighed. “If I’m a reincarnation from twenty years ago, then are you saying that girl was really a vampire?”

Sera giggled obscurely, but shook her head. “Well, don’t you believe in angels, Teru? There are several kinds of supernatural creatures out there. They can disguise themselves quite well. The world is a big place and there are plenty of places for them to hide.”

“I really don’t like where this is going,” voiced Aurelio moodily and yawned widely afterward.

“I already said that you should just go to sleep,” Halcyone argued.

Aurelio sighed with exasperation, bringing a hand to his weary head. What good is remaining human if I can’t even stay conscious? I’m sure it would be more endurable if she wasn’t still here. “I’m going to bed,” the Mexican announced and got to his feet. “I’ll see you guys later. Be sure and update me on your past life in the morning, Teru,” he called disdainfully and went off to bed. He peeled off his outer clothes and changed the sheets on his bed, flurries of thoughts running each other over in his mind. In reality, Aurelio was worried that what Sera might tell Teru would be the truth. She seemed very knowledgeable about supernatural beings as she was clearly one herself. The fact that she had been “receiving reports” on Teru’s dreams disturbed him greatly and he wondered how that might be possible. Had someone been spying on them or was there simply some other way? He was also worried that this so-called English girl might reveal his and Halcyone’s true identities to Teru. That would surely mark the downfall of their friendship and put to death any possibility of romantic relationship he might hope to have. Before he had any more time to think about the bizarreness of the evening and the oddity that was happening even now, fatigue overtook the werewolf and he fell into a deep sleep.

“But the dreams aren’t in any storyline,” Teru protested. “They’re all out of order.”

“That’s your unconsciousness trying to protect you,” Sera insisted. “It’s a lot of information to take it and it’s very unusual for someone to remember their past life, not to mention dangerous. This sort of thing isn’t supposed to happen.”

“And what are you going to do about it?” Halcyone demanded to know, crossing her arms defiantly over the lacey white top.

“Well . . . . I’m not sure just yet,” Sera mumbled almost inaudibly.

“What the hell?” Halcyone whined, throwing up her hands and getting to her feet. “This girl’s crazy, Teru. I told you how she treated me at the club.”

“I’m not crazy,” the blonde girl protested with a frown. “And you probably lied about that club incident anyway. I know there’s something that has to be done, I just haven’t figured it out yet, that’s all. It’s not like they give me all the answers.”

“Who are ‘they’?” Teru asked.

“My superiors. They specialize in this kind of thing. I’m just in training, actually,” she admitted.

“What? You’re just an apprentice?” Halcyone mocked her. “Oh, great. Teru’s sure to get his great mystery solved with someone like you on the case.”

“Halcyone, cool it,” Teru warned her.

“Whatever. I’m not gonna sit around and listen to this crap anymore.” With that said, she opened the door to leave only to find Arion standing outside it, hand poised and about to knock. She screamed and then glared at him for startling her. “Can you knock or what? What do you want?”

Arion made eye contact with the new girl before speaking. He draws them like moths to a flame, he thought in regard to Teru’s tendency to befriend supernatural beings. “I was just stopping by to check on Aurelio,” he said, looking pointedly down at the succubus.

“He’s sleeping,” she said with a wave of her hand. “He’s fine so no need to worry about your boyfriend.”

The vampire met that comment with an exasperated sigh and shifted his gaze again to Sera. Something about her draws me to her. Why do I feel this pull? Shaking his curly head to clear his thoughts lest she read them, Arion gave a courteous nod to the occupants of the room. “Fine. Goodnight.” And he was gone.

After Arion’s departure, Sera seemed to grow uneasy and began asking them questions on how they knew him.

“Teru doesn’t know him,” Halcyone made clear, hoping to get the point across that he had no knowledge of their secret identities. “But anyway, I’m leaving now that Mr. Angst is gone. G’night, Teru.”

“That guy gives me a bad feeling, that’s all,” Sera told Teru after Halcyone had gone. Actually, all of your friends do. I can’t believe this guy’s still in the dark about all of this. “Look, maybe I should come back another time. It’s late.”

“Wait, you haven’t told me anything yet. Isn’t there anything else you know about my dreams?” Teru pleaded up at her as she rose from the sofa to leave.

Sera smiled down at him warmly, the overhead light seeming to make a soft white glow around her outline. “Don’t worry, Teru. Everything will be fine. Just remember to tell me if you have anymore dreams. I’ll come back soon, okay?” Without warning, she bent down and wrapped her arms around his neck in a friendly embrace. “Goodbye!” She called cheerfully and left him sitting alone in bewilderment.

“God, it’s been a day,” he groaned, dropping his head in his hands. “I can’t believe this is happening to me. I just want to pass my exams.”

The next evening after classes were over, Teru stopped by the dorm long enough to pick up his guitar then headed down to the music room where he was supposed to meet Lunetta for practice. Lunetta greeted him warmly.

“I was just setting up,” the girl said as she lowered a microphone to the accurate level. Her book bag, decorated lovingly with adorable key chains and cute patches, was resting in a chair behind her. There was no stage in the music room, just a white tiled floor and four sets of wooden rises. A host of chairs, as if for an audience, filled the large room. “Here, do you need the sheet music?”

“Thanks,” he said, taking the few sheets of paper and went about unhooking his guitar case. In silence, he brought out the appropriate cords and hooked his electric instrument up to the school’s available amplifiers. Teru then lifted the guitar over his head, making sure the woven strap was secure, and strummed a few test chords. The electrically charged music carried beautifully over the expansive room and Lunetta smiled in admiration.

“You ready to begin?” She asked, looking him over. But as she did so, her smile faded and she began to notice that something was off about him. Teru was usually cheerful and lighthearted but today, something was definitely troubling him. “You okay, Teru?” Lunetta placed a delicate hand on his shoulder, wanting him to lift his gaze from his guitar up to her.

“A lot’s been going on lately,” he sighed, glancing up at her with those startling blue eyes. “Do you remember. . .that Tarot reading you did at the party? I hardly remember the details, but something happened last night that sort of jarred my memory. What was it about a messenger? An energetic woman or something?”

“Oh, that’s the Page of Wands,” Lunetta said, furrowing her brow thoughtfully. “Hmm. . .I think that card just says that you will receive a message in regards to your initial dilemma.”

“Yeah,” he responded thoughtfully. “My dilemma was my dreams, I believe. I’ve been having really strange ones that don’t make any sense to me. And last night, a random girl showed up at our door claiming to know about them.”

“Really?” Lunetta blinked, her brown and blue eyes wide. “Who did she say she was?”

“She didn‘t really say. I was just thinking that she was the messenger that the cards pointed to. Don’t you think so?”

“It sounds like it. She was pretty energetic, huh?” A knowing smile spread across her face.

“Yeah,” Teru grinned. “She definitely wasn’t shy. But. . .should I trust her? I mean, she just came from no where claiming to know all about me.”

“Hmm. . . That‘s very strange,” Lunetta frowned lightly, bringing a finger to her chin in thought. “Well, I’ll see what Hannah thinks about it. But, I guess all we can do is wait and see what happens, right? I’m sure she’ll reveal her purpose before long.”

Teru nodded silently, still unconvinced that Sera’s appearance was not extremely weird. According to his Tarot reading, she would be the one to help him find the meaning of his dreams. “Do you think you could give me another reading sometime, Lu?”

“Sure, I’d love to,” the girl smiled generously. “But right now we’d better do some homework, hm?”

A few nights later, a silky coated Siamese cat was making her way down the hallway of the boy’s dormitory. A small bell on her pink collar tinkled as she trotted on. Pets were not tolerated on campus, so her being there caused a slight commotion; however, she merely gave a twitch of her brown-tipped tail and trotted on unhampered. Hannah the cat paused as she passed Halcyone and a voluptuous blue-haired woman having a spat not far from Teru and Aurelio‘s dorm.

“You’re just being childish, Halcyone,” the older woman chided her. “You can’t have an entire college campus to yourself.”

“Well, I don’t know why you had to show up here, Sirena,” Halcyone pouted, crossing her arms stubbornly over her chest. She was much shorter than Sirena and looked much younger compared to her. “There are plenty of other campuses around.”

“I just wanted to keep an eye on you, that’s all,” the woman purred, flipping her long hair over her shoulder and winking at a group of boys that walked past, whistling and catcalling. “Can’t a mother visit her only daughter from time to time?”

Halcyone just scoffed in response. Her mother shrugged and waved goodbye to her before sauntering down the hall after the boys. They all seemed very interested in her and took no notice of the cute red-headed girl against the wall.

“Damn her,” Halcyone cursed. Suddenly, she noticed the Siamese cat watching her from just a few feet away and scowled. “What are you looking at? You’re not allowed in here either.” With that she turned and stalked off in the opposite direction of her mother.

Hannah grinned to herself in her cat form and, when Halcyone had gone, began scratching and meowing at Aurelio’s door.

“Hey, what’re you doing here?” Aurelio glancing down at her as she darted around his ankles into the apartment. He watched in awe as the cat’s body began to stretch and shift into Hannah’s human form.

“Halcyone just leave here?” She asked with a mischievous grin as plopped down on the sofa.

“Yeah. You pass her?” Aurelio said from the kitchen, then asked Hannah what drink she’d prefer. He was not surprised when she asked for milk and made her a glass, grabbing a canned soda for himself.

“She was talking to some blue-haired chick. Seems they were arguing about territory or something,” Hannah said, smiling as he handed her the glass of milk. She took a long gulp before speaking again. “Hey, where’s Teru?” She asked suddenly, glancing down the hall.

Aurelio shook his head wearily in response to the succubae plaguing the dorm and then motioned down the hallway. “He’s getting ready for work. I was planning on going down to the club to watch the show. You and Lunetta can come along if you like,” he offered.

“Ooh, that sounds like fun,” Hannah chirped. “I’m always trying to get Lunetta to go out to a club with me but she never fails to come up with some excuse. I know she’s shy about dancing, but if I got a few drinks in her, I’m sure she’d loosen up.”

“Hey Hannah, how‘s it goin‘?” Teru greeted her as he entered the room. He was all dressed up in a white button-up shirt, black dress pants, and his signature black skull tie. The shirt was untucked and halfway unbuttoned and he wore the tie haphazardly to match his wildly spiked hairstyle. Various pieces of gothic jewelry adorned his throat and wrists. Two thick lines of eyeliner were drawn on his lower lids and his school-prohibited lip ring was in.

“Wow, you look hot,” she grinned approvingly, looking him over. “I had no idea you were in a punk band.”

“It’s just temporary work,” he said with a shy smile.

There was a short silence between the three of them until Teru brought up Halcyone.

“She said she’s coming to the show tonight. Have you met her, Hannah?”

“Yeah, I think I saw her at the party,” she said offhandedly. Hannah had known her for what she was the moment she had seen her. Cats had a gift for identifying the supernatural, but she wondered how Teru had never sensed anything strange about her. Most likely, he was as drawn to her as the other boys, Hannah thought with disgust.

“Too bad Halcyone’s not gay,” Aurelio said with a grin. “You’d make a perfect couple, Hannah.”

“W-what?!” She sputtered at his provocation. “Well, too bad Teru’s not gay, huh?” The cat-girl gave a knowing wink, causing Aurelio to become flustered and shut his mouth very quickly.

“Did you and Lu want to go to a movie later, Hannah?” Teru asked, clearing his throat loudly.

“Hm, I don’t think we’ll be able to after clubbing,” she grinned. “You and Aure should go ‘though.” Then she leaned in and whispered, “I just know he’d love to sit in the dark with you.”

“I heard that,” Aurelio muttered through clenched teeth, shooting a glare in Hannah’s direction.

“Right, well, I guess I’d better get going,” Teru said abruptly. After retrieving his guitar case, he said goodbye to them and hurried out.

As soon as he was gone, Hannah burst into uncontrollable laughter, holding her sides. “I don’t know how you stand it,” she cracked. “How can you live with him and never say anything? What’s he gonna do when he finds out?”

Aurelio glared at her in response. “He’s not going to find out,” he said coldly, rising from the sofa to throw his empty soda can away.

“Oh, you’re so boring,” she sighed, still gripping her sides. “Well, I guess I’ll go tell Lu to get ready. It takes her hours. See you at the club.” Hannah’s form melted away into the cat and she waited patiently for Aurelio to open the door for her.

“Why do you disguise yourself to run around campus?” He asked, looking down at her.

Unlike Halcyone, I’m a student of this campus, came her voice in his head, and I can get in trouble for wandering the boys’ dorm after dark. Besides, it’s fun. She swished her tail and darted through the open door.

Nights later, Arion rose up from his coffin and the presence of another being in his small apartment hit him full on. Scrambling to his feet, his heart hammering in his chest, he braced himself for an attack as the woman stepped from the shadows.

The tiniest smile curved her full maroon-painted lips and the moonlight fell across her ghostly white skin. Her features were perfectly rounded and curved in all the right places as if she were made of porcelain. Her jet black hair was pulled up into a tight bun with two crimson chopsticks; short bangs, parted in the middle, framed her face. A traditional kimono adorned her body, pinched tightly around her small waist with an elaborate ribbon. The material was a crimson color, reflectively gold in the right lighting, and was decorated with delicate purple and pink flowers, each sewed on by hand.

“Konoko,” Arion breathed, his eyes widening in surprise. What was she doing here?

“My darling,” the vampire woman smiled warmly, stepping up to him and enfolding him with her arms and bell sleeves. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and, when she pulled back, she held loosely onto his arms. “Let’s sit down.” Her voice was rich and textured with the Japanese accent, but her English was as flawless as her beauty.

She led him through the door of his bedroom to the loveseat in his luxuriously furnished living room. It was not that anyone beside Arion or his victims would ever see his apartment; Konoko simply had insisted that he deserved to have the best that money could buy. The fact that she had chosen to come out to California surprised him greatly. To his knowledge, she rarely even made the journey from her home in Kyoto onto the paved streets. Because of her age, the need for blood was not as desperate. She also had the power to draw the mortals to her, if she chose.

Alone, Arion was strong, independent, and considerably cold, but in Konoko’s shadow, he was a child again. She caressed his face, running her fingers through his curly hair, and even fussed with his wrinkled clothes. Her golden eyes creased with a mother’s love as she peered up at him. She was the vampire that gave him immortality when he asked for it. She was the Mistress to whom he had pledged eternal loyalty.

Before he could ask why she had come, she brushed her fingers across his lips to silence him. “It was not very difficult finding a nocturnal flight to North America,” she said with a smile that quickly faded. “Something has happened, Arion, the requires my immediate attention and will affect Aurelio as well. Melinda has come out of hiding and she is not alone. In the few months that have passed, she has created two sirelings and they aided her in attacking the leaders of the Mexican werewolf pack.”

“You mean Aurelio’s parents?” Arion asked, raising his eyebrows in mild shock.

“Yes,” she said. “His father is gravely wounded. The sirelings caused much damage and injured other households before reaching the Rodriguez’s. She has begun her attack on the werewolves.”

“What should we do, Mistress?” The attentive gaze of his oceanic eyes did not waver.

“You must first tell Aurelio. I will personally go to the wolves and ensure their safety. Rosalia contacted me soon after the incident and I agreed to go to her. Her clan is in danger.”

“What do I tell him? When was the attack?”

“Last night,” she said. “On the night following the full moon, when the wolves are weakest. Tell him that his father is injured, but should survive. The pack is pulling together to protect his mother and sisters, but it may not be enough. I will stay with them for only a few nights until I can be sure that there will be no more attacks. Melinda will not attack while I am present, I am sure. It would be no effort for me to kill her new fledglings.” Konoko let out a soft sigh and reached up to brush her bangs away from her face. “There is no time to waste. Go to him tonight.”

“Yes, Mistress,” Arion replied, rising to his feet. “Will you be staying here tonight?”

“I will remain here for tonight. Airplane travel is extremely tiring,” Konoko replied with a weak smile. She rose from the loveseat and crossed the room to the front door where she had left her suitcase. “I’ll be waiting for you, my darling.”

With a flick of her wrist, Melinda dismissed her two sirelings. In less than two hours, they arrived at their destination in Mexico, and found themselves in front of the Rodriguez home. They already had the aftermath of ruthless attacks on sleeping wolves behind them. Now it was time for the purpose of their mission; the battle that would initiate a war.

“Must be nice to live in a house like that,” Caleb said with smirk, glancing to his twin brother.

Nikolas met his gaze, but did not join in his coveting. The boys, appearing to be in their late twenties, were identical in the way they wore they hair: long and blonde and parted on the side, and in their way of dress: men’s suits of black dress pants and white cotton shirts; black ties hung loosely around their throats. Both of them were physically fit and fair skinned. Perhaps the only visual difference between them was their eye color. Caleb’s eyes were icy blue while Nikolas’s were a dark red, a result of the taint of the dark blood they shared.

They were young immortals, but the bloodstream Melinda had passed on to them was full of power. She had inherited from her maker, although she chose not to use it, an awesome physical strength that would allow them to defeat the werewolves and the Lamia vampires.

“Let’s just get this over with, brother,” Nikolas said, and the two began marching forward.

Chapter 5 - The Devil; temptation and the abuse of power

Not far from Aurelio’s college in Los Angeles, the sun had dissolved into the sparkling waters of the Pacific, casting a crimson and amethyst hue over the white sands and crashing surf. A tall surfer boy with dark curly hair sat on the beach, his arm around an attractive blonde girl. He had met her only nights before in a cafe that was frequented by college kids, all willing to try anything twice, and arranged to meet her here.

“I told you I would be here after sunset,” Arion said with a rare smile, his bluish-green eyes watching her with a muted hunger. Billie, the girl of no more than twenty years, grinned at him and said that she only got there early to see the sunset. “How was it?” he asked, his smile flickering ever so slightly.

“Oh, it was beautiful,” she gushed. “The whole sky was like a painting. Reds, oranges, yellows all blended together. It was so breathtaking. I wish I’d brought a camera.” Billie sighed contentedly and brought a hand up to touch his chest between the low collar of his black shirt. The wind caught her hair and she shivered, being clad only in a bikini and a pair of surfing shorts. Her green eyes looked out over the darkening ocean as she leaned her head on his strong shoulder.

“Breathtaking..,” he echoed, but his tone was far from reverent and bordered on the fringes of envy. Arion glanced down at her and, with an olive-skinned hand, brushed the layers of gold from the crevice of her neck and shoulder. He could feel the warmth of her nearly naked body against his and smell the hot blood pumping just beneath her skin as his touch caused her pulse to quicken. While he turned her in his arms, those glistening eyes staring up at him, a small innocent smile touched her glossy lips and the vampire thought of how fragile she seemed; flesh and blood and bone. How easily he could break her and how soon she would die were she to survive this night. There would be another to take her and make her his own. Arion had had no wish to die, to see his best years wasted on such trivial things as society made important. Life was short and uncertain. Immortality was power forever. Was that not the reason he had chosen this undead existence instead of true life? Had not it seemed easier to siphon what he needed from other beings than to struggle among the living? But it was never that simple . . . .

With these final thoughts, his fangs pierced her throat. The succulent flesh yielded and from the two tiny holes spurted the girl’s lifeblood. She writhed only slightly, feeling the pleasure and pain of it as he sucked the blood from her veins and sent rapturous sensations all over her body with the touch of his fingertips. At the last moment, when her heart quivered and threatened to collapse, he withdrew his lips from her neck and looked once more onto her tanned heart-shaped face. Her eyes were closed tightly in passion, her mouth a perfect O in breathless expression as she dug her manicured nails into his back. Weak and helpless, now on the verge of death, her fragile body fell heavily against him. The inhaling and exhaling of her lungs was scarcely audible, not more than a faint whisper of breath on her parched lips.

“Even if you’d had a camera, Billie,” he said softly, “it wouldn’t have mattered. You’ll never see another sunset and neither will I.”

Several hours later, when he had grown tired of wandering the city, Arion had taken the short journey to Aurelio’s college and now stood in the wide, poorly lit hallway of the boys’ dormitory. The night was half-way gone and most of the students were inside their dorms, but occasionally one or a small group would pass and give no more than a moment’s glance at the tall boy waiting to be invited into Aurelio’s apartment. Dressed in a black collared cotton shirt, knee-length khaki shorts, and sandals, Arion looked much like a human surfer boy with his Grecian tanned skin. He was slender, but the toned muscles of his shoulders and calves were obvious even beneath the thin fabric of his clothes. Curly dark hair reached the tips of his ears, dampened by the ocean spray, and was intentionally unkempt. The vampiric eyes, in their varying shades of blue and green, held a coldness and detached passivity that gave the only evidence to his unnatural existence.

“Do I have to invite you in?” Aurelio asked, eyeing the vampire suspiciously. The werewolf was wearing long sleeves, to hide his scars, and loose faded blue jeans that hung low on his hips. Teru peered curiously over his shoulder from the sofa, dressed in a white tank wife-beater and plaid cotton pajama pants.

Before speaking, Arion took notice of the human’s scent, shifting his eyes only briefly in Teru’s direction. “Whether or not you want this conversation to take place in his presence is up to you, but it would be foolish to postpone it.”

Aurelio hesitated and creased his eyebrows in annoyance. He knew that the last thing he wanted was for this arrogant vampire to be around Teru, but he was not about to ask Teru to leave and the option of going out so late did not seem very friendly either. After last night’s party, he simply wanted to stay indoors and relax.

“We can go out to the balcony,” Aurelio said finally. He led Arion through the living room, glancing discreetly at Teru as he passed, and closed the glass door behind them as they stepped onto the open air balcony. The city was quiet although a few cars and taxis still roamed the streets and the night wind that ruffled their hair and tugged at their garments was cool. Aurelio shivered momentarily and brought his arms to cross tensely over his chest. “I hope this isn’t going to take long. What is this about?”

“I spoke to you briefly about the vampire war when I first met you,” he began. The werewolf gave an uninterested nod to show that he remembered, so Arion continued. “The Gaki, the day-walkers, have begun to make their move in Japan, committing crimes to try and expose us, the Lamia. Japan is more or less our place of origin and until now the two breeds have not have much contact. Tensions are escalating. Sooner or later, the war will be brought overseas to America and you wolves will be dragged into it whether you like it or not.”

“What?” Aurelio glared up at the vampire suddenly. “What does it have to do with us?”

Arion sighed at the werewolf’s obvious incompetence. “We vampires are an aristocratic society. You don’t see it now, but alliances are being made to ensure our victory in this civil war, as you called it. Your parents, the leaders of your pack, made an alliance with my mistress, who is also a figurehead of her breed, and it will not be overlooked.”

“Are you black mailing us?” Aurelio demanded furiously, tightening his grip on the balcony’s iron bars.

“No,” Arion said simply, “But we want to ask for a favor when the time comes. My mistress expects her wishes to be granted.“

“You’re asking us to help you fight your enemies for you.”

“We’re asking you to help us survive. I keep the secret of your identity and I help you survive in this city. That was the pact; an eye for an eye. As long as you cooperate, your family and your pack will be taken care of. If you care about your pack, and your human--” He made a motion to indicate Teru inside.

“He’s not mine--,” Interrupted the wolf with clenched teeth.

“Well, then, if you ever hope him to be, then you’ll comply with us when the time comes,” the vampire finished. His impassive gaze bore down on the Mexican boy, daring him to make his protests as he knew he would.

“This isn’t making any sense to me,” he growled, resting his elbows on the ledge and gripping his head in his hands. Tangled stray locks spilled out over his grip and his shoulders were taut, making him appear distressed. “What exactly are you saying?” Aurelio demanded, turned to meet the vampire’s glare.

“I’m saying that this little pact between us is more than just ‘Baby-sit him while he’s in California.’ That thing that happened the night before you left should be evidence enough that the werewolves are not safe. I told you before that Melinda and Raul were both members of the Gaki breed. Although you did indeed triumph over them, you were lucky. If more vampires had been present, you could have been in danger. They are a very formidable breed, especially to us, because we are vulnerable to them. That is why we have arranged this contract with you. The treaty has already been signed, so to speak, and we are already on the same side. If you turn from us now, they will no doubt annihilate you because you are their only true threat.”

Aurelio nodded slowly, taking it all in. He was beginning to understand exactly why his parents had sent him across the border. For his own safety and for the future of his pack, they sacrificed their only son into the hands of the vampires. Aurelio had always known that Gonzalo and Rosalia, his parents, were important figureheads of their race, but how much power they possessed and how much fate they controlled was still a mystery to him. He also knew now that this was a matter of politics. After a few moments of recollection, he said:

“I don’t know much about vampires. I have only met you and Raul, and neither of you seem worth saving.”

“Fool. We won’t simply die out. It would take ages,” Arion said impatiently. “If the Gaki win over us, they will only come after you. They are a breed corrupt by power. The day-walkers live in the guise of humans, owning houses and keeping jobs when necessary, but they drink human blood the same as us. They kill indiscriminately and in doing so, foolishly endanger our race with their needless arrogance. Human lives are their playthings. And it’s possible that a Gaki could walk right past you and you would never notice,” said Arion, looking over at Aurelio with the self-importance that knowledge had given him. “They live all over North America and some small clans have been located in Europe as well. We Lamia, although I did not, originated from Japan and the Asian world. We believe in separating ourselves from the humans because we are the farthest thing from human. With the possession of such knowledge and telepathic power, we are above that species. That is what my mistress believes and what I believe. Others of our kind may have their own ways of thinking.” The vampire shrugged and looked out over the sleeping city. The two of them were silent for a long time, perhaps allowing the entirety of Arion’s speech to sink in or dissipate on the wind.

“How is my family?” Aurelio asked suddenly, with an honest tone in his voice.

“It has been a week or so since I have had contact with them. As far as I know, no Gaki have gotten to them yet. I believe they are considering relocating the clan, or pact,” Arion corrected himself.

“Relocating?” he echoed. “But why?”

Arion did not answer either because he could not or because he assumed that it had simply been a rhetorical question. Finally, he said that he would contact Aurelio upon receiving any further information and if not, would see him on the full moon. Aurelio went back inside to find Teru’s curious face peering at him from the sofa.

“You look tense,” Teru noted. “What was that all about?”

“It’s nothing,” he said, avoiding the subject. “I’m pretty tired, so I’m going to bed.” And without giving Teru another chance to ask questions, he retired to their room, closing the door behind him.

Days later, Teru received a phone call from Lunetta inviting he and Aurelio over for dinner. She said that she would be cooking a Thai dish for them and they were to come over around seven. Aurelio was not too thrilled about the outing, but Teru was able to convince him to give the girls a second chance at his friendship and decided to go along. Lunetta was placing a large plate of fresh spring rolls, satay chicken, and other appetizers onto the large coffee table when they arrived. Hannah greeted them both with enthusiasm, her blue eyes glowing warmly.

“Welcome,” Lunetta paused to say hello and gestured around their spacious apartment. Aurelio noticed at once the pale blue eye that was no longer hidden behind her hair. “We just cleaned up, so I hope it meets your standards.” The boys were speechless at the immaculate and sophisticated decoration of the place. Everything was done in an Asian theme in earthly tones of reds, browns, and oranges that contrasted tastefully with the spotless white carpet. The ambience was completed with matching candles, polished wooden carvings, and thriving potted plants. Like the boys, they also had a black leather sofa although it seemed to fit their color scheme much better and blended perfectly with the elegant glass end tables and mahogany coffee table. Hannah grabbed a couple of posh beaded throw pillows from the sofa and tossed one at each of them.

“Have a seat,” she grinned widely. She too plopped down at one end of the table long enough to turn on a random movie and then bounded into the kitchen to get them drinks. “We’ve got sweet tea, coke, and beer.” They all opted for beer. “So, did anything from your reading come true yet?” Hannah asked Teru as she resumed her seat and twisted the cap off of her bottle.

“No, not yet,” he said.

“Teru,” Lunetta called sweetly from the kitchen. “Would you mind helping me out for a minute?”

A bit surprised at being a guest that was asked to help, but willing to nonetheless, Teru got up and went into the kitchen, leaving Hannah and Aurelio alone together . Aurelio hadn’t expected her to want to start a conversation with him as he felt the tension between them building, but to his surprise she confessed that she had a motive for inviting him over that night.

“I’ve had a feeling ever since I met you, Aurelio, that you’re not a normal human being,” Hannah said with a mischievous smile. “Using her skill in the occult, Lu has recently confirmed those suspicions, so don’t bother lying to me. I know what you are.”

Aurelio’s breath caught in his throat, unsure of how to respond. Could she honestly have discovered his secret identity after only one brief meeting, at which they were all inebriated? “And just what am I, Hannah?” he challenged. He had his suspicions of her and Lunetta’s humanity as well and was not about to let her off the hook if she truly had guessed his nature.

“Werewolf,” she simply stated with obvious satisfaction. “But don’t worry. I won’t be the one to tell your secret. There’s something that I must tell you. I am a shape shifter as well, a breed you most likely have never heard of. I am a Cheshire Cat. I believe the fact that I am a cat and you are a wolf explains our innate dislike of each other, don’t you?”

Again he was speechless. Cheshire Cat? He had never even known the breed existed outside of English poetry. “What . . . does a Cheshire Cat do?” he had to ask, brown eyes widening in awe.

Hannah giggled. “I was born with this gift, and as a result, was very sick as a child. Every time I invoked my powers of good fortune, I became drained and weak. I did not gain the ability to shift until my late teens and can take on the form of a Siamese house cat any time I like, as well as teleport myself to places I have formally been. I can become invisible, too, but it’s actually very tiring, so I don’t do that unless absolute it’s necessary,” she explained. “As I said, I am very lucky and possess good fortune, sometimes lending my gift to others.”

“And Lunetta? Is she...?”

To this assumption, Hannah burst into laughter. “No, she’s not anything supernatural. She’s a human, just the same as Teru, but she does have a few added, er, bonuses when it comes to dealing with the supernatural. I’m sure she kept it well hidden from you, but her right eye--”

Aurelio had been sitting on the edge of his seat, unbelieving of the confessions he was hearing. He was so sure that Hannah was about to reveal the reason for his fears, that Lunetta possessed some secret power, but Teru and Lunetta both came into the room at that moment, carrying steaming dishes piled high of rice, marinated chicken, and vegetables. He sighed, disappointed that their conversation would have to be continued later.

“How are your classes going, Teru?” Lunetta asked, having not forgotten that they shared the same academic major.

“Very well,” he replied between bites of chicken and rice. “I’ve been working on a guitar solo for mid-terms. Do you guys have to do solos, too?”

“Yes, I’m afraid we do,” she admitted shyly. “I’m a bit nervous about it, even if it’s not in front of the class.”

“Why don’t we practice together sometime?” Teru suggested.

“Oh, that would be wonderful. Let’s work something out before you leave tonight, okay?”

“Sure,” Teru nodded, blushing slightly as he felt the gazes of Aurelio and Hannah fall upon him. “Uh, are you doing alright, Hannah?”

She giggled, her shoulders shaking with silent laughter. “Just fine, Teru. I always have good luck when it comes to exams.” Her eyes sparkled mysteriously. “But enough talk about school. I get enough of it during the day. Let’s do something fun tonight, okay?”

“What did you have in mind?” Aurelio asked warily, glancing across the table at her.

“Well, we bought a new game the other day,” she announced in a sing-song voice.

“A game?” Teru’s face brightened.

“Not a video game, Teru, sorry,” Lunetta apologized with a small smile. “It’s a Ouija board. You use it to contact spirits. Have you ever used one?”

If either of the boys had been slightly disturbed about the girls’ Tarot card hobby, it was nothing compared to the uneasiness they felt when the subject of ghosts was mentioned. It was obvious neither of them had any desire to contact the dead, especially if those spirits happened to be floating around their campus. Aurelio was against the idea from the very beginning, insisting that it was not merely a game or something to be played with. His parents had raised him to be a devout Catholic, after all, and he refused to stay over should they decide to bring out the board. Teru, on the other hand, remained silent in his opinions although the look on his face and his lack of comments was enough to prove that he was not exactly gung-ho about the whole idea. However, despite the disapproval of the boys, Hannah had drug out the game immediately after dinner was cleaned up and turned out the lights while Lunetta went around the room lighting candles. Now the four of them sat in the middle of the room in the dark, each governing a side of the rectangle board made from glossed cardboard and a glow-in-the-dark substance.

“We think we have a ghost,” Hannah announced. “So, we bought this to try and figure out what she’s doing in our dorm.”

“We’re not sure it’s a girl. Just because it‘s haunting a girls’ dorm doesn‘t mean that it‘s a female spirit,” Lunetta corrected her. “All you have to do is remain calm and place your finger tips lightly on this indicator.” The Ouija board had printed on it in Gothic letters each letter of the alphabet, numbers zero through nine, and the words “YES” and “NO” in opposite corners. The players of the game were supposed to touch a triangular plastic pointer that was used to spell out the ghost’s response.

“How do you know there’s a ghost?” Teru asked timidly, glancing at the flickering candles that circled the room. A gentle breeze seemed to generate out of no where and each individual flame seemed to be fighting for its tiny life.

For a moment, neither of the girls spoke. Hannah opened her mouth once and then seemed to have thought better of it, and closed it. Lunetta lifted her eyes to hold Teru’s gaze, never blinking with those two mismatched eyes, and finally she began to tell him of the eerie happenings of late. The ghost wished to make itself known, she said. Things were being moved from their proper places in the middle of the night. Lights would go out randomly or the television would turn off in the middle of a show. Sometimes she felt a cold spot in the room, no where near an air vent, or sensed something cold drifting past her.

“I’m almost positive that a ghost is here. I want to find out why,” she said bravely and then turned her attention to the glowing board. The others silently followed her example; eight finger tips all rested lightly on the pointer. “It’s best if you close your eyes and concentrate until the pointer starts to move. Now we have to ask it a question, so I’ll go first:

Is there anyone that wants to talk to us?“

The room was deadly silent except for the sounds of their breathing and the flickering of the candles, but then, very slowly and by tiny budges, the pointer began to move. There was a sharp intake of breath from one of the four, but they kept their hands steady and the pointer grated across the board until it reached the word “YES.” Watching the board, Lunetta spoke again.

“Please tell us your name.”

Aurelio stared wide-eyed, unbelieving that the object was moving by the force of the spirit. Surely one of the others was guilty of moving it, he assured himself, but searching each of their faces, he knew that they were all as guiltless as he. Whether it be a subconscious force or a true spirit, the pointer was moving. Sweat began to leak from his fingertips and he had to lean forward to keep his touch on the pointer.

“L,” Hannah said quietly as the first letter was revealed. “U. K. A. Luka. Is that a boy’s name or a girl’s name?” She wondered. There was no sign of nervousness or fright in her voice. She had already become comfortable playing this so-called game and she was curious for the answers it would show them. Slowly, the indicator gently pulled their fingers across the board until the word “BOY” was spelled out.

Once that answer was given, Lunetta appeared to hesitate as she decided whether or not to ask the next question. After looking at each of them, she drew in her breath and asked the question whose answer they most dreaded.

“How did you die?”

The pointer slowly accelerated, gliding almost without effort from letter to letter.

“Car,” Lunetta voiced the answer. And after a series of other questions, the group discovered that the boy, Luka, had been the victim of a drunk driver. He had been the passenger. When the crash happened and he had been mortally wounded, his classmates brought him back to this dorm room instead of taking him to the hospital. Here, he died. “Because they were afraid of the blame, they let their friend die,” she said sadly, her free hand touching her lips. “How horrible...”

“Well, why is he still here?” Teru asked suddenly. The pointer began to move at once, almost at a shocking speed now as it zipped across the board. The four of them had to bend forward and lean back, extending and retracting their arms, to remain in contact with the pointer, although without their touch it would only cease to move.

“R. E. V. E. N. G. E.”

Suddenly, the indicator jerked in a violent motion, startling them all, as Aurelio pushed it away from him and folded his arms in defiance.

“Okay, that’s enough,” he said roughly. “I’m not playing this game anymore.”

“Aurelio,” Hannah whined as the others looked at him with disappointment. They had all, save for Aurelio, had really gotten their curiosities involved with Luka’s responses and did not want to quit.

“Uh uh,” Aurelio shook his head, getting to his feet. “It’s late. I want to go home.” The werewolf looked pointedly down into his room mate’s bewildered face. Now that he was resolute, he could not do more than hope that Teru would follow him. He loathed to think of leaving him here with these witches of girls.

“But what about Luka, Aure? We have to find out what he wants,” Teru attempted to reason with his friend.

Aurelio scoffed. “He’s a ghost, Teru. And this is nonsense. You can stay here and contact the dead if you like,” he made exaggerated hand gestures, “but I’m going home. Thank you for the dinner, Lunetta.” He then crossed the length of the shadowy room and without hesitation, stepped out into the hallway of the girl’s dorm. “Ridiculous,” he muttered to himself. He wanted to refuse to believe what had happened, that they had really contacted the spirit of a once living college student, but he knew as well as they all did that no one was making it up. They were getting in over their heads and meddling in things they shouldn’t, he thought. It was time to turn his attentions elsewhere. Without warning of someone approaching him, he felt a hand on his arm and turned to find Teru.

“Aure, wait up,” Teru panted, out of breath. They stood under the pale moon on the sidewalk that crossed the campus courtyard. “You alright? Why’d you get so angry about it?”

“We shouldn’t be doing it, that’s all,” he said firmly. “I don’t like ghosts and I don’t want to talk to one, especially not one that’s out for revenge on the stupid kids that killed it.”

Teru frowned at his room mate’s uncharacteristic hostility. In that interval, he glanced up at the glowing moon and Aurelio followed his gaze with a frown. “It’ll be full tomorrow,” Teru said quietly. There was no more talk of ghosts and death after that and the two made their way back to their building.

The next day was a Monday and it passed terribly slow for Teru, but for Aurelio, who was dreading the evening, it went only too quickly. Having recovered along with their classmates from Saturday’s party, they went back to class and learned the dates and times of each of their mid-terms. The school schedule would be slightly rearranged for these exams and they would have shorter classes as a result.

“Did you see Halcyone today?” Teru asked, throwing his book bag into the corner of their bedroom. He sat down on his bed and took off his shoes, rubbing his aching feet, and looked up at Aurelio who was propped up on his bed. He had apparently been home for some time and was sketching some type of architectural work in his book.

“No,” he said shortly, not bothering to lift his eyes from his paper. “Why?”

“I just hope she didn’t get too sick at that party,” the Japanese boy said, shrugging. “It’s been a while since she’s come over. Not since that girl approached her at the club.... Do you think she was really looking for me?”

Aurelio let out a sigh of annoyance and finally made eye contact with his friend. “Who knows? Halcyone could have been making it up for all we know.”

Frowning, Teru decided that Aurelio was in one of his “moods” and decided to start fixing dinner. It was still a little early, but he had been forced to skip lunch that day to catch up on some homework he had neglected during the weekend. After putting a frozen pizza in the oven, he picked up the phone and dialed the number to Halcyone’s cell phone. She was delighted to be invited to dinner and told him she would be over as soon as she changed clothes.

As he hung up the phone, Teru was quite aware that his relationship with Halcyone was not normal and most likely unsafe. He wanted to like her, it was true, but something always held him back as if he were still waiting for someone different. Although hurting her was the last thing he wanted, he still felt drawn to her as if against his will. Perhaps it was out of pity, he rationalized, or for sake of their continuing friendship. Nonetheless, he felt compelled to invite her over in the lack of attention from Aurelio. His philosophy was when one friend failed you, call another. Fifteen minutes later, Halcyone was curled up on the sofa, catlike and clinging to Teru’s arm. Gently, he slid his arm from her grasp and leaned forward to reach his can of soda on the coffee table.

“Did you want to go out tonight?” Halcyone asked him, those emerald eyes sparkling with glee. “There’s a new movie playing. Something based on a comic book. We could grab some drinks afterwards.”

“We could go out,” Teru shrugged. “I doubt Aure wants to go anywhere ‘though.” As those spoken words could evoke his presence, the werewolf lumbered into the room. At once his gaze became malicious as he noticed the erotic sent emanating from the succubus on his sofa.

“Who invited you here?” Aurelio paused the doorway to glare at her, one hand resting on his hip. He wore a light pink collared shirt and low cut blue jeans. It was obvious that he had not taken much time in getting himself dressed because he had missed a button and the tails of his wrinkled shirt hung sloppily over his jeans.

“Teru invited me here,” she came back with a snap. He wasn’t going to ruin her chances tonight, she vowed.

At this, Aurelio narrowed his eyes, taking in the view of both of them, cuddled up on the sofa together. It kindled a rage within him, make his chest constrict as if his heart were literally enflamed. “Fine. Do whatever you want,” he growled bitterly. “I’m going out.” Without even bothering to stick around for dinner, much less inform them of his destination, Aurelio slammed the door shut behind him and was gone.

It took a moment for Teru to realize that his clenched teeth were the cause of his aching jaw. “I don’t get him, man,” he said mostly to himself. “What’s his problem today?”

Halcyone shrugged her slender shoulders and drew herself up to Teru. “Who knows? Or cares for that matter?” The truth was, however, that there was some curiosity surrounding the gay male that intrigued her. She had been well aware of his supernatural scent the day she met him. Unlike other human males, she was unable to tempt him with her sensuous charms and unlike other human males, he smelled more of earth and forest than raging hormones. The red-haired girl nuzzled her face against Teru’s chest, reaching a lithe arm around his waist, and sighed contentedly. “Did you know it’s a full moon tonight? It should be rising soon. Want to go out on the balcony?” She murmured.

“No, Halcyone,” Teru said firmly, startling her. The scent of cooked pizza wafted into the living room, preventing him the diversion he needed to untangle her limbs from around him. The kind of person he was made him just as honest as he was innocent, and he knew, that although his body continually and stubbornly responded to Halcyone’s advances, his heart did not. Teru was fatally human and it was that honest vulnerability that constantly persuaded his friends to keep their secrets from him. So fragile was he, so sensitive, that the power of the mental shock any of them could effortlessly give, would damage the core of his being. “Don’t you remember what I told you a couple of weeks ago, Halcyone?” His voiced was carried out to her in the living room as he removed the steaming pizza from the oven. “I just can’t think of you that way,” he said softly, turning to face her as she stood in the doorway.

Halcyone had never looked more delicate, standing there in the harsh halogen light. Her gaze was cast downward at her bare feet on the worn linoleum floor and cropped strands of red framed her face, hiding her eyes from view. Over her stomach, her arms were crossed tightly in obvious anxiety. After a moment of silence, she finally lifted her head, assaulting Teru with her piercing green eyes.

“I know what you said, Teru, but I won’t quit trying to make you see me that way,” she spoke with ease. The true emotion in her evoked not only determination but articulacy as well. An unusual sense of honesty engulfed her and her soul strengthened. “I’ve cared about you ever since the day we met. It’s only been a few months, I know, but this love is genuine. I won’t let you go.” Her lovely lips stretched into an unsmiling line, her hands fidgeted at the cheap fabric flattering her body.

What could he say to her? A sudden leaden feeling creeping into his stomach, he sighed and forced himself to look at her. “I don’t know,” the Japanese boy admitted quietly “I don’t want this right now.” It was all he could use to defend himself. “Can’t was just be friends and see where it goes? If I go back to Japan, I may never see you again. I can’t afford to risk losing so much. I need friends now, Halcyone.”

Halcyone nodded and looked up at him slowly. “I understand, Teru. Let’s just be friends.” She smiled, almost too brightly, and swiftly moved back him to the pizza on the stove. “I get first pick!” Her happy voice filled the kitchen like a song and Teru felt his uneasiness melting away. The awkwardness of being alone with her had gone as quickly as it had come. Following her prompt, he chose his own slices of pizza and went with her back into the living room.

After they had eaten, Halcyone persuaded Teru to go out to the balcony. They stood in silence for several moments, watching the city and the faint full moon. Clouds had nearly engulfed it and the lights of the city made it harder to see. Without warning, Halcyone brought up Aurelio’s whereabouts again. She grilled Teru with questions on why he was gone out, where he might possibly be, or who he was with. Her sudden interest in Aurelio when they never seemed to get along struck Teru as suspicious, but Halcyone persisted.

“Didn’t we see him with that Arion guy last month? Maybe they went out together,” Teru suggested, watching the glowing moon. Something about the celestial body drew his attention against his will; he could not take his eyes off of it.

“That guy...” Halcyone frowned. She recalled the night she had met him at the club. “There’s something off about him. Do you think he’s gay?” She grinned brilliantly, obviously joking and getting a distracted laugh from Teru. Ignored, the succubus pouted and moved back from the edge of the balcony, leaning against the closed glass doors. The smile faded from her lips as she watched Teru’s shadowed figure in the moonlight. The fact that he ignored her, possessing the will to, frustrated her and starved her as well. Here she was practically throwing herself at a human male at his sexual peak and was rejected, even ignored. She had troubled herself to the verge of tears now and the image of Sirena, an experienced succubus and also her mother, conjured in her mind. Sirena would certainly chide her for this. She had been foolish enough to love a human once, and Halcyone was no doubt doomed to the same lonely fate if she let herself all prey to those honest feelings.

Where could Aurelio have gone, she wondered. Where would Arion go with him? Most likely they were no where in public. Arion did not seem the club-hopper type, she told herself. Although she neglected to mention to Teru the reason for her suspicions, she suspected that he was not a natural human. The lack of scent had been evident to her. Being a succubus, her sense of smell was vital. She had to know when a human was attracted to her, when she had a chance with them, but Arion had carried no scent at all. He was dead.

“Teru, I’m going to leave. You’re obviously not enjoying the face that I’m here.” I don’t even know why you invited me over, she thought sadly.

“That’s not true, Halcyone,” Teru turned to her suddenly, worry etched on his soft feminine features.

“It is true,” she retaliated. “You’re just spacing out and ignoring anything I say. It’s late anyway and I need to go.” She turned, having worked out a possible solution to Aurelio’s whereabouts, and went back through the glass doors into Teru’s apartment. He followed her, but only as far as the middle of the living room and stood looking at her as she turned back to face him. “I’m sorry, Teru. I’m sure you have a lot on your mind with school and all. Thank you for dinner,” the redhead thanked him with a gentle smile. Her eyes were bright again and an inner radiance seemed to enliven her, making her more beautiful before his eyes.

The girl had not left him time to respond and blew a kiss before she was out of the door. Teru was alone. He had not been successful in repairing his friendship with Halcyone. Unaware of what more he could do, he resigned to clean up their pizza mess and went into his room to play guitar. Midway through his therapy session, the phone rang and he answered to Lunetta’s voice on the other end.

“Are you busy?” she asked.

“No,” he replied. “Halcyone was over, but she just left.”

“If it’s not too late, do you want to get together and practice for the exam? I borrowed some sheet music from my professor. You shouldn’t have trouble playing the song for my solo.”

“It’s only eight,” he said. “I’ll be over in a few minutes.” There was a sudden muffling on the other end and soon Hannah’s cheerful voice came on the line.

“Hey Teru, what’s Aure up to? He should come over, too.” From the sound of her voice, she was grinning from ear to ear, those catlike eyes creasing in laughter. She was always like that, looking for some trouble to get into.

“He’s not here,” Teru frowned. The disappointment had to be evident in his voice.

“Aw, that’s too bad,” Hannah sighed dejectedly. “Well, come over anyway. We’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Sure. See you.” He hung up the phone, feeling his spirits lifted after having talked to them. Still, there was that leaden feeling in his stomach again. His mind shifted to his and Aurelio’s earlier conversation about secrets and could not help but feel that Aurelio was keeping some dark secret from him. Most of the time, they got along famously, but for whatever reason, Aurelio seemed to lapse into moods of antisocial behavior and push his friends away. Maybe it was a mental disorder, Teru rationalized. His reaction to Hannah and Lunetta’s ghost was strange as well . . . . Thinking of Aurelio, he zipped up his nylon guitar case and headed across campus to the girls’ dorm.

Meanwhile, Halcyone decided that a dead being like a vampire would never put himself in the middle of a city of mortals and hailed a taxi to the edge of town. It did not take her long to sniff him out. The reek of death drew her to him and she found him waiting in the moonlight outside an old, abandoned warehouse just as she had expected. She did not bother keeping to the shadows as Arion already knew she was there. His keen vampiric senses gave him the ability to locate all living bodies within the vicinity without fail. Smiling and twisting her hips, Halcyone sauntered up to him.

“Well, what are you doing here? I know you’re a friend of Aurelio and I know that you’re dead,” she said with confidence as he merely sneered down at her. “Where is he now, Mr. Vampire?”

“What do you want with him, devil?” Arion spoke in the smooth venomous voice of his, those sharp oceanic eyes seeming to hold their own light in the dark. A frown tugged at the corners of his pale lips.

In that interval, a series of growls and the sound of smashing wood echoed within the building, turning Halcyone’s curious gaze to the warehouse door. She lifted a perfectly arched eyebrow in response.

“I see,” she enunciated, placing her hands behind her back and taking a few steps around Arion, looking him up and down knowingly.

“You’re not going in there,” Arion said calmly. “I don’t know why anyone would be foolish enough to mess with a werewolf on a full moon.”

With a sly smile, Halcyone stepped swiftly up to Arion and laced her arms around his neck. Repulsed, he glared down at her and began to pull her hands from their grip but she was smarter than she let on and in a second’s time, she had pressed her lips to his neck. The vampire froze as her perfumed scent enveloped him and her warmth breath filled his ear.

“You see, vampire,” Halcyone breathed, “I have a very important reason for going in there right now and I can’t let someone like you get in my way.” She pressed her soft, succulent body up against his harder form, her own body heat transferring rapidly to the cold flesh of the vampire’s. He let out a broken sigh as she turned her head, baring her throat to him.

“No!” he roared suddenly and shoved her to the sandy cement. “I won’t be fooled by your demonic trickery.”

Halcyone lowered her gaze for a moment, biting her lower lip then rose to her feet and brushed herself off. “I don’t think you understand the seriousness of the situation,” she said in a low voice. A sourceless wind was generating around her, blowing her short hair and ruffling her clothes. Arion watched in awe as she began to change, revealing her true form. Her skin shifted into a light bluish hue and the hair on her head grew to her waist and flickered fiery red in the wind. Red fingernails and toenails turned onyx and sharpened into hooked claws; her feet broke free of the leather boots she wore and a smooth blue tail with a spaded tip lashed out from beneath her short skirt. She lifted her eyes, which had turned golden, and great, leathery wings exploded from her slender back, casting her form into shadow. Her lips parted in an evil grin as she moved seductively up to the vampire, wrapping her arms and now her tail around him. In shock, he shifted but did not choose to break free of her grasp. Halcyone kissed him hard on the mouth, licked his lips hungrily. Gripping the back of his neck, she guided his thirsting fangs to her tender throat and he took the bait.

Her blood coursed through his veins like none other. Passionate, fiery, it ignited the primal hunger for blood and he clutched her tighter. Halcyone writhed in his monstrous hold, fearful that she might not be able to free herself now that his instincts had control, but she heard the breaking suction of his mouth from her throat and she took a deep, shaky breath. Weakened, she looked up into his eyes; they were half-shut from pleasure and his lips were parted and bloody. The tiny peak of his fangs were visible to her and she shuddered. Taking the key from his back pocket, she moved away from him just as he was awakening from his swoon. He called angrily after her, but she had shut the door and locked it behind her.

“That was close,” she let out a sigh of relief as she waited for her vision to shift in the darkness. Soon, she could see as well as in the daylight and located Aurelio not by his whimpering and panting alone. Standing before him in her demonic form, he on all fours like a wounded animal, she placed her hands on her bare hips and smirked. “Why, hello, Aurelio.”

In a flash, he had leapt upon her and pinned her to the ground. Her skull made a dull sound as it connected with the hard concrete flooring and she moaned in pain. The werewolf snapped its jaws viciously and tore at the flesh of her wrists and arms as it sought to capture them. Desperately, Halcyone twisted her tail and brought it down like a scorpion’s into Aurelio’s spine. He howled furiously and propelled himself off of her. She got to her feet, gasping for breath, and flexed her own talons. A deadly gaze peered through her eerie amber eyes as she stepped up to him, causing his back to meet the wall. The beast paused as if noticing her strange form for the first time and looked on in confusion at the expanse of her unfurled wings.

“You poor stupid beast,” the demon cooed in a sugary voice laced with poison. “You don’t even know who I am, do you? Or where you are? You’re insane.” The werewolf emitted a low warning growl as she crept closer but she heeded him not and slithered her partially exposed body up against his own. “We can both benefit from this, you know,” she whispered, snaking her hands down the length of his body. “Although I’d prefer you in human form... but I am a succubus. It‘s really all the same to me.”

On the outside, Arion finally managed to break the lock by using brute force and bending the metal. His breed of vampire was not known for its physical strength, but he was still stronger than an average mortal man. Not having to wait on his eyes to adjust to the darkness, he followed the corridor winding to the open area where Aurelio and Halcyone lay.

When the human Aurelio came to, he was exposed and covered in sweat. His hair was matted and his chest and limbs were stricken with bloody self-inflicted wounds. Slowly, his eyes focused on Halcyone’s true form and Arion as he moved soundlessly from the shadows. He could not bring himself to talk, such was his level of surprise, as no being had ever broken the spell of the full moon.

Halcyone lifted herself from atop him and folded her wings about her shoulders like a cloak. “Now do you understand?” She said, ignoring the arrival of Arion in the background. “You give this to me and I can give sanity to you. Once a month. What do you say?”

“You steal my sexual energy in exchange for my remaining human?” Aurelio growled through clenched teeth, narrowing his dark eyes. He was still in shock at what had just taken place without his knowledge or consent. The succubus had shamelessly raped him and now she wanted to make some kind of deal about it. As infuriating as it was to him, the idea of not having to suffer twelve long hours of insanity once a month sounded very appealing.

“You see, Aurelio, your kind are a true powerhouse in the supernatural world. Because they are mindless when they transform, werewolves must rely on their immense physical strength to survive. I must rely on my cunning and power to seduce. If you and I strike a deal, I won’t have to exhaust several college boys each week just to satisfy my hunger and you won’t have to hide from Teru,” she explained.

“So this is about Teru?” Aurelio caught on.

“Well, in a way, yes,” Halcyone replied innocently, placing a finger to her lips in contemplation. “I wanted to tie him into the deal, too.”

“What about him?” He demanded, observed her suspiciously.

“The truth is,” she began, “I love Teru and I know that you do, too. So, let’s call a truce, along with this other pact, and agree not to make a move on him.”

“What is this? Some kind of sick love triangle?” Arion drawled, his arms crossed defiantly over his chest. He was trying his best to avoid looking at Aurelio as he made no attempt to cover himself, but was finding it difficult as he attempted to watch Halcyone in order for Aurelio’s safety. “A werewolf, a succubus, and a clueless mortal. It’s ridiculous for both of your kinds to even contemplate a relationship with him.”

“I am mortal,” Halcyone protested, her tail swishing and her wings unfolding as she placed her hands on her hips. “You know that, Arion.” The fact that he had been able to drink her blood was suggestive enough of her mortality. Whether or not he was a match for her demonic strength was yet another question.

“What do you make of this, Aurelio?” Arion reluctantly shifted his gaze to meet the boy’s. He knew that if Aurelio agreed to Halcyone’s pact, then his job would become much less complicated; however, he had no idea what dangers it might impose on Aurelio himself.

“You’ll be just like a common human,” Halcyone assured him. “The only difference is that you’ll be slightly drained as opposed to being insane and wounded for the week following the full moon.”

There was a lengthy silence as Aurelio appeared to be thinking it over. Arion had finally found Aurelio’s discarded clothing and tossed them over, turning his back but keeping his ears open for a response. In the dark, Halcyone’s tail swayed passively, a confident grin on her pale blue face as she looked down at him. At long last, a decently dressed Aurelio got to his feet and looked steadfast into Halcyone’s eyes.

“Let me get this straight. On the full moon, you and I...” he waved his hands, dismissing the word that apparently disgusted him and continued, “And I go home, human again for the rest of the month. Right?”

Halcyone giggled, a strange sight in her monstrous form. “Right. But remember, you’re not allowed to make a move on Teru. Got it?”

Aurelio nodded slowly, wondering if there were any loopholes he was forgetting.

“If you do,” she said with sudden seriousness, “I’ll reveal your secret to him.”

“You’re blackmailing me,” Aurelio realized, narrowing his eyes angrily. “Typical dirty work for a succubus.”

“I won’t hesitate to ruin his sanity, Aurelio,” the succubus repeated.

“You do that and I’ll kill you,” he threatened, matching her malevolent tone.

“Fine,” she said, twirling on heel and stood still as her demonic form began to melt away into her adorable human shell. “I won’t touch Teru and I‘ll see you next month. Goodnight.” Glancing back over her bare shoulder, Halcyone smiled at him, and shot a sinister grin pointedly at Arion as she brushed past.

After Halcyone had gone, Arion questioned Aurelio on his wellness to which he replied that he was feeling quite normal despite the dramatic loss of energy. The vampire still insisted on seeing him home so Aurelio, too polite to protest, allowed him to pay the taxi bill once again.

“I’m sorry,” Arion said through tight lips as they rode in the dark cab.

“Pardon?” Aurelio blinked, glancing over at him. The last thing he had expected was an honest apology from this arrogant being.

“She should never have gotten past me,” he said quietly. “I shouldn’t have allowed it. I risked your safety and I’m sorry for that.” He shifted his eyes in the dark, that blue-green gaze making contact with Aurelio’s.

“Hey, no worries,” Aurelio replied airily, allowing a genuine smile to tug at his mouth. He was actually quite happy that Arion had decided to treat him like a person and not some lowly creature. “I believe things will work out for the better this way.”

It was nearing eleven-thirty when Aurelio came dragging in. Teru looked up from a plate of nachos in surprise as his room mate appeared to be covered in dirt, cuts, and bruises. Startled by Aurelio’s terrible appearance, he expressed some concern verbally but was met with only an incoherent response and Aurelio stumbled into the bedroom, collapsing on the bed. Teru tried to concentrate on his schoolbook, but gave up around midnight and decided to take a late shower.

Meanwhile, Arion stopped by, picked the lock, and went silently inside the dorm. Moving cautiously, Arion checked to make sure Teru was still in the shower, and then slipped into the boys’ shared bedroom. Arion sighed, seeing that Aurelio was still sleeping soundly, and stood watch until he heard the shower turn off. Satisfied, he stealthily made his way out of the apartment undetected.

In the following weeks, Halcyone and Aurelio kept their promises not to make a direct move on the unsuspecting Teru and for the next couple of months, on the full moon, they met in confidence to exchange their halves of the bargain. Aurelio’s school life went on as usual and Halcyone’s social life seemed to be reduced to Teru and his room mate. Arion occasionally checked up on Aurelio, but their contact soon became limited to a one-a-month routine just to assure things were going as planned. Teru continued to work hard in his band and in his school work and, during the months that passed, to the secrets of his friends was none the wiser. And, also unknown to him, the forces that governed his Tarot reading were sweeping into motion.