As Alive As I'll Ever Be (AAAIEB)

Chapter 6

I turn the doorknob to the front door to find it locked. Aaron must have left. I reach into my pocket and pull out the keys. "No one is home right now, which is good, but I still don't know if I can trust you." I push open the door and we walk in. "You can. I'm with the Praetor Lupus."

"Yeah." I say as I shut the door and lock it. "What is that exactly?" 

Parker paces around the kitchen, looking around curiously. "Well, the Praetor is a group of werewolves and vampires that have been taken in previously and want to help newly turned vampires or werewolves. Sometimes even a confused warlock along the way. We take them in and show them the ropes 

of this new world. We help them settle in and learn and join a pack or clan. And, if they want, we recruite them." 

"Woah woah woah woah woah. Let me get this straight. Werewolves? Warlocks? They are real?"

Parker nods with a small knowing smile. I feel my eyes expand and my mouth fall open. He chuckles and says "Yeah. Vampires, Werewolves, Warlocks, Faeries, Demons, Shadowhunters. They all exist."

I nod and mull it over, but soon stop, confused "Wait, what's a Shadowhunter?" 

Parker plops down on the couch, making himself right at home. I sit across from him on an armchair. "Shadowhunters, also known as the Nephilim, are a group of humans with angel blood. They keep order in the Shadow world. They kill the demons that make their way into our realm and keep 'Downworlders' in check."

"Ok." I say slowly, soaking it all in. "So, they are like the police?"

Parker shrugs "Yeah. But much more annoying. The Praetor stays out of thier business and they stay out of ours."

I don't know why but something about these Shadowhunters struck my interest. "So, Parker. I'm a vampire, but what are you?" 

"I'm a werewolf. And, just fyi, our kind don't usually get along. It's a long ongoing conflict. The Praetor is an exception of course."

I nod, not really having any more to say. But Parker did. "So, you probably want to know more about what you are. I will tell you what I can.

You can't go out in the sunlight.

You are essentially dead, so avoid doctors.

You live off of blood.

You cannot enter another persons dwelling without being invited by said person.

You cannot say holy words, such as angel names and the name of any god.

Any object of holyness that you are connected to will repel you.

Holy water is your enemy, that stuff burns you like acid.

You live, essentially forever.

You heal freakishly fast.

I can't think of anything else."

  That list stayed with me long after Parker left. Of course, he said he would check up on me regularly. I went through it over and over, picking out the proes and cons until finally Aaron came home. I told him I wasn't feeling well and that I would probably sleep all day tomorrow.

I was only half-lying.