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I rubbed my eyes only to see it vanish. "Everything alright, sissy?", Trix, who noticed my discomfort, inquired me. "I am fine. Just recalled something....", I replied. "What thing?", she pressed. "If I had returned the cook book back to Nadia. For a moment I thought I hadn't", I lied. She stared at me for a while before she diverted her direction to the window. I was relieved.
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We finally reached Athens. We were welcomed by aunt Portia and her daughter Iris. "Adonis is upstairs, painting. He is a wonderful artist.....", Portia said with a welcoming smile. "Please, do come in", Iris said warmly. Aunt Portia lives with our grandparents. She is a vampire and a single parent as her husband died due to a car accident. Iris is eleven years old now. Her dad died when she was seven. One day, aunt Portia saw a young boy, sitting on sidewalk in scorching heat of the sun. He would sit there every day, as he had no one to take care of him. His mom divorced her husband when he was nine. His dad, after a year, wasn't keeping well. He had got cancer, and he died. That young boy was Adonis. He was nine when she adopted him.
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We were having dinner in the kitchen when Adonis barged through the door. "Hello there! Sorry I couldn't welcome you all earlier.... I had to finish whatever I had started, as the paints dry up....", he said. "My children will be joining WICKED High from next year onwards.... Adonis is a Vampire while Iris is a Siren", our aunt replied. "Great! In that case, we may meet often, sister!", my mother shrieked. "Yes Vicky!", our aunt exclaimed. They stood up, and they started jumping like mad women. After finishing having dinner, aunt Portia said, "Stay here for the night. We will be going to the hospital tomorrow. Let's take some rest now.... Good Night!".
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We children decided to stay up late and watch a movie. Adonis was two years older than Iris, so she was sad as he would be in a different class in WICKED High. To cheer her up, we decided to watch a comedy movie. We sat on the couch watching the it. "I and Catherine will be right back.... I need to show her something", Iris declared suddenly. She pulled me by the arm until we reached the basement. She pushed the small knife, which made her finger bleed. There were many statues in the entrance, holding swords, guns and other weapons. She pulled out a key from the gun of the first statue. "This is where the 'Fake' is. This key doesn't unlock the door. It is just for show. It is a trap for the foes. If anyone attacks this place, you know how to enter this place don't you?", she quizzed. I nodded in response. "The key unlocks the door, but not the forcefield.... In order to get into the safe, you must utter these words 'Porta Alchemica'. Understood? If anyone attacks, and you are in your most vulnerable state, don't hesitate to come here", she whispered. "But, why are you telling me this?", I inquired her. "We may not make it through this.... I just wanted someone to know about this....", Iris said with an anxious look on her face. "Who are 'WE'? And, cannot make it through what?", I asked perplexed.
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"Only time will tell youCatherine....", was her response. - --------
