The Immortals

Prologue

Alex Knight

My mother stood before me with her arms crossed. I wondered what made her show up after so many years.

"Alexander." She spat. "What. Have. You. Done."

"Me?" I said.

I glanced at my mother's portrait hung on the wall. Her stormy grey eyes and rosy smile emanated pure beauty that made the portrait a masterpiece. But now, looking at the woman behind me, I can assure you she was far more beautiful back in 1765 when the portrait was made. Now, she looked as pleasant as a snorting bull.

"In all the years you were AWOL? Well, I went canoeing with Charles Dickens, warned the Captain that Titanic was about to sink, helped Bill Gates build Microsoft, and had a brunch with Beyonce and inspired her last album. Also, I tried the new Swedish restaurant downtown last Friday. You gotta check it out."

"I don't mean that." She said. "What have you done to yourself?!"

"This hairstyle?" I ran my hand through my hair. "You gotta catch up with the times, Mom. Even Zayn Malik is sporting this."

"You idiot. It's a waste talking to you." She took her head in her hands, dropping down on the couch. "Grab your stuff. We've to run. I don't know why you aren't running already."

"I don't see why I have to run." 

"They're coming for you!" 

"Can you explain who are 'they'?"

My mom stared at me in pure horror. "You've... you've no idea?"

I shook my head.

"You've grown into such a big MORON." she said. 

"Thanks to your consistent parental guidance."

She rolled her eyes. "Stealing the Epione. Not knowing what happens when you steal it." 

I laughed. My mother looked funny in crisis mode. But she must be dead serious. She wouldn't have shown up, otherwise. 

"Where is it, by the way?"

"What?"

"The Epione." she said. "What did you do with it? Who did you give it to? That subway girl, one of your 'epic loves'? What was her name, Hebe?"

I wanted to correct my mother about so many things. First, calling it Epione makes me puke. Second, I have only one epic love. Okay, two. Third, Hebe wasn't a subway girl, whatever that meant. I met her on a train in England in 1801. And I wouldn't give the cure to Hebe. She didn't want it. Also, we broke up a long time ago. As for my second epic love... 

Let's not talk about her. 

"I took it." I muttered.

All the color drained from her face, like she was staring at Death himself. Again.

"I took the cure."

Her jaw dropped. I didn't know if it was just a heavy breath, or she actually said "Whaaat..."

After a couple of minutes, she regained some of her color. "It was for a girl, right?" she breathed hard. "You turned mortal for a girl."

"Kind of." I said.

"I have no idea who she is and why she has got such a hold on you, but you better go get her. They'll kill you her too."

"Umm, I don't think so." I said, trying hard not to think about her.

My mother looked puzzled. I gulped down the lump in my throat as I formed the words:

"She turned."