The Past & the Present (Completed)

Chapter Twenty: Together Again

As winter fades into to spring the snow melts but it never really gets any warmer at this altitude. With spring comes more people moving back to the ruins of the village. Fresh blood for my sisters and new people completely unaware of the danger of our family.

Free to wander in the daylight Daniela and Cassandra have taken to cleaning their faces, donning more normal clothing, and stalking amongst the humans. At first it was just Daniela but increasingly responsible Cassandra realized it was only a matter of time before she brought a crusade of torch bearing vigilantes to the doors of the castle.

Ever since I left Bela has been gone day after day spending as much time as she can with Donna. As I suspected it did not help her mental state at all, my leaving. Bela has told me not to come back, whether it be her keeping Donna to herself or rather a concern for my safety is yet to be determined.

With the melting of the snow mother has more time to go horseback riding and find new safe trails for us to ride on with her. Granted she prefers to do this alone which means leaving me unattended so my complacence has finally paid off.

"Be home before dark. If your sisters and I have to come find you-"

"You won't mother. I promise, I'll be back. I'll take Erobus, he's probably dying for a walk. Be safe, look out for branches," I grin, trying not to look too eager as mother dons her riding gloves and swings up into the saddle.

Once I can no longer hear the thunderous beating of Freckle's hooves I run through the house to grab shoes and a jacket before hurtling out the garden gate and out towards the cottage.

Mother said to be back before darl. I'll actually need to be home before that in order to take a bath to make sure she doesn't smell Quentin on me.

At the cottage I'm in for a surprise. I enter with a knock and freeze. Louis and Maria and Quentin all stare back.

"You're all here."

"Hi Em."

"You're here!"

First I pull Maria into a tight hug, temporarily panicking Louis before he pats down my very flat, scarred chest.

"No more teeth?"

"No more teeth. Fangs though," I open my mouth to show him, feeling like a primary school student again.

He's next in line for a bear hug and finally Quentin. He squirms but doesn't manage to get away. Not this time. I yank the flannel off his shoulder and look at the lycan bite. Nearly two months later and it's still a pus filled, infected scab.

I glare, "Don't you ever pull something stupid and heroic like that again."

"You, wished I had died?"

"The hundreds of lycans are others who were given cadou. Five, now six of us have reacted well. The alternative was watching you live and suffer or killing you myself," I explain, "So, yes. Part of me wanted you dead. But in a loving way."

We all sit on the floor and after Erobus finally stops growling at Quentin he settles between Maria and I. Like the enormous goof he is he rolls over for belly scratches.

"So what's his story?" Louis asks.

"Erobus? He's my dog. Or, well, my sisters and I have a dog and I spend the most time with him since I've been locked in the house."

All three friends look at me worriedly.

"Mother just wants to protect me. Having died and watched my sisters die I really don't blame her."

"Mother," Louis winces, "The giant pale lady with glowing yellow eyes?"

"They're not that bad."

"Em your eyes are starting to look like that," Maria murmurs, "And your face is different. Again."

I offer a cheesy, toothy grin, "Apparently I'm a shape shifter. I mirror whoever I live with. I was with aunt Donna for a while so I probably look a little like her."

"About her. Why is there a giant wooden mannequin wearing my socks staked through the heart in the front yard?" Quentin asks.

"Oh dear," I murmur, "We were working on a doll together, she's a dollmaker, but since she's mad at me she must have taken it out on Manne-Quentin instead. Yes, it was supposed to look like you. I didn't know you were okay though!"

"Em that's just creepy."

"I know! I'm coping."

"So are we," Maria murmurs. She squeezes my hand and I squeeze back, "Any word from Chris about the samples they took?"

This time it's Quentin who's confused, "Samples?"

"They kind of kidnapped her too. Quentin got away, obviously. You're both totally infected," Louis murmurs, scratching his head, "But Chris thinks you might be salvageable. His words, not mine. I think you could both come back."

After a moment Louis nods, "You might need a muzzle man."

"I'm not going back. I can't. Mother Miranda said if I get too far away I'll die. After seeing her power I'm not about to test it," Quentin says, "I didn't know that was the deal, I just wanted to be alive so I could be with Emily. Or look after you."

I look at Quentin, "Who look after who? I told you all to get out safely."

"I never got that part."

"That's alright, look at these two who very much did," I laugh, "Back. Microwave dinners and fast food and showers. Student loans, social pressure, and stupid people."

The air is a little tense. Maria smiles, "And family dinners at my house and saving up for a trip to meet Louis' grandparents. The landlord has got to hate us by now. I wonder who all misses us."

"Everyone," Louis murmurs, "Come on, you have to try. I can't go home wondering if you guys are alive or okay or if you've started eating people. They're not really your family Em. You're not Iulia Dimitrov-"

"Dimitrescu. And sometimes, I'm really not sure who I am," I murmur, "Let's say I agree. Let's say that Quentin and I come back with you. I don't look like me. I smell like me. I barely sound like me. Without feeling my sisters closeby I get lonely. At least once a day I get a craving for human blood. And what are people going to think when they see me, huh? Will the doctors ever stop poking and prodding and taking bits of me?"

At first Quentin looks worried but more and more he begins nodding along.

"The choice is yours," Maria says sadly, "But we can't stay forever."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Erobus says.

All my friends are frozen in horror as he rises up a writhing mass of black vines and feathers, but I'm not afraid. I'm irate.

"Run!"

Once again I slam into Miranda. But this time I throw my hand out the way mother does when she summons her claws. Mine are short but she still shrieks when I embed them deep in her guts.

Looking back I realize my friends are staring at me in horror. Even Quentin.

"Go!" I snarl, and this time they do scramble and flee.