The Unknown

Chapter 2

I looked at the black stone house. It was large and some of the floors seemed split if the roof line gave any indication. The gothic iron gate had truly sharpened spikes to hurt those that tried to climb the fence. Something told me the cuts may need a possible antidote as well. "I understand your recent bereavement Ms. Charles, however you are now my apprentice and I won't tolerate you laying about as you grieve," He told me. "We have things to do. So get used to not having a chance to sit and kick back as you children say."

Who uses words like bereavement anymore?

I simply shrugged as my reply. I wasn't one to talk much. The most I have ever communicated was in cheerleading, yelling out our cheers along with the others. Let me be clear, I never did any of what I did to be popular and make friends. I did it to train my body in case I ever had to run from one of The Unknown. Only reason I didn't get the chance was because I was caught with my guard down at home, where it was supposed to be safe. I will never make that mistake again.

He leads me inside and I was greeted with modern means ancient in a very tasteful way. Black marble floors with swirls of gold and silver in them went all throughout the place. There was a set of twin staircases that curved up to the second floor on either side. The stairs were of black stained wood and black railings. What was this dudes obsession with black?

Thankfully the walls were painted a dark grey with black trim. Through the center of the foyer lead to an open concept living room and kitchen where the black and grey with elements of silver and gold in tiny areas continued.

"I must warn you," he told me as he lead me up one of the staircases. "For safety reasons, many of the rooms move around. I have spelled the house to protect my vast collection of antiques." No normal collection of antiques would need to be protected in such a way you make parts of your house move and change. Given his profession, it wasn't all that surprising for him to have magical objects and such at his disposal. Another thing told me that he didn't need them.

"Will my room change places," I asked him. "No," He told me. "Then that's all I need to know," I told him. He glanced over his shoulder me, a small smirk on his lips, "Keep up that attitude and we will get along just fine kid." The room he took me too was on the second floor, and it was much like the rest of the house. Black.

In the center was a large black canopy bed with black bedding. Off to one part of the room, tucked in the corner, was a small black love seat in front of a large flat screen TV under a gas fireplace. A glass and black metal coffee table sat between. There were two doors, one leading to a rather large walk in closet and the other leading to a decent size ensuite. The luxury of the room didn't shock me all that much given how the rest of the house looked. I placed my bag on my bed, and noted that the bedding I did have, wouldn't fit my new king size bed.

"There will be rules," he told me, and I turned to face him. "Rule one, keep your nose out of my business. Rule two, clean up after yourself. I'm not like Ace, I dont have someone who looks after the house, I do it myself. Since I'm hardly here it is fairly easy despite its size. Rule three, anyone I bring here, whether for business or pleasure, doesn't leave this house, meaning you don't tell anyone. Rule four, you want to sleep around, do it somewhere else. This isn't a brothel."

Brothels went out of style a long time ago, I thought to myself.

"Rule five, always wear this." He then pulled out a silver ring that had a strange stone in the center. It looked rather large until he slid it on the middle finger of my left hand and it changed it's size to fit my finger. "It allows me to find you no matter where you are. It also let's me know if you're about to die. I'm no hero Ms. Charles, so don't expect that from me too often. Rule six, never venture to the fifth floor. That is my private domain. I will kill you if you even think about it. Rule seven, much like rule six, never go to the basement, the threat still stands. Rule eight, always expect the unexpected. You're part of the organization now, where we hunt down the Other Worlders, some you may not have ever seen. Keep your guard up and you wont end up killed. Rule nine, never withhold information from me. I can't be a proper mentor nor can I protect you if you withhold things from me. Rule ten, never ask me personal questions. Take me as I am, and don't bother trying to find out what's beneath the surface. Because I can promise you this, you won't like what you find."

I mentally took down notes of the rules. They were survival rules and I was going to stick to them well. I wanted to stay among the living. "A piece of advice for you Ms. Charles, change and adapt as fast as you can. Night is your new day and it starts tomorrow." He then left the room.

It wasn't until later when my things magically appeared in my bedroom. I began to look through the boxes and saw it really was everything from my parents home, minus the furniture. I felt the ache in my heart at the loss for my parents, however, no matter how much I want to and how hard I try, I can't bring myself to cry for them. Maybe that thing broke me when it took me captive. Torture can do strange things to the mind.

I shook my head and began to unpack. When I began to feel hungry, I ventured down stairs for the kitchen. I found Alister standing in front of the fire place, on the phone. His coat was off the, the sleeves of his silk shirt rolled up to his elbows. He was very muscular, with veins popping up on his arms in that very sexy way that makes women drool, including me. After recent events, I wasn't in the drooling mood. 

I looked about the kitchen for something to eat. The only thing this man had was a large variety of raw meat. From the way some of it looked, I was gonna say it wasn't all animal, nor from this world. I shut the fridge with a small sigh. He had no bread, no eggs, he was a straight up carnivore. I needed more than that to survive. "Make a list," he told me simply. I went to my room for a notepad and pen. I had many of them, never leaving home without one. I write what I see. Especially if it's something new.

New is deadly. Not knowing about it though is even deadlier. Never live in your safe zones, because if you're not careful, it'll get you killed. Only retreat to your safe zone when you need to recover then get your ass back up, put on your ass kicking boots and venture out to learn thy enemy. Just dont let them know you're on to them.

I wrote my list quickly, keeping it simple. I took it downstairs and left it on the counter before going up the stairs to my room. I was too exhausted to do much else so I just crawled under my black covers and let sleep take me away.

I was floating, looking out over a city I couldn't recognize. I've seen this before, the events that transpire. Chaos was every where. Many were screaming for help. Creatures were running about, high on happiness from their new found freedom. What was the cause for all of this? I looked to my right. There on top of a building, looking out over the chaos, some men stood. Usually I couldn't make out any of them. Now though, three were very much visible. Mikal, Ace, and Alister. They watched the city below like predators. Ace and Alister had eyes of gold, fangs showing as they look upon it all. They were like beasts, furious their territory had been trespassed on.

I looked back at the city, and suddenly the power was out. But it wasn't just here. It was all over the world. Darkness has taken over. I looked up at the dark clouds and saw it was snowing. I held out my hand and was horrified by what had fallen on it. It was red. When it melted, it looked like blood. Soon the streets would be filled with the blood snow, and there would be no stopping it. Not with out the Queen of The Unknown.