The thing I have come to realize about humans is that as reliable as they may be, they can not help but succumb to patterns that offer comfort to them when surrounded by forces beyond their control.

After a rather long and dull car ride with both of the confounding women in the car remaining silent, Viper pulled over into a gas station to refuel the car. Which, contrary to my belief, would not offer me a chance to speak to Mykela alone, even for a few moments. As soon as Vipers door slammed shut, her's slammed open and off she went right into the convenience store. I watched as she rummaged around. Her frame, slow moving, as if looking for something.

I had the inkling that she would not find what she truly wanted in a gas station.

Shaking my head I looked around the rushed place, the night was falling slower than ever and yet the humans in their own means of transportation paid no mind to the show mother nature granted them with a moon who slowed her descent to cast a glow to the life below her. Even the sun seemed to take in the beauty, a trail of rose and summer oranges trailing behind him like a cape made up of whispers of awed inspiration at the fading sight in the sky. They say no love is sadder than that of the moon and the sun. I am yet to know where I sand on that matter.

"She has no money you know." A hiss of the wind or the very wind itself, but the exasperated tone in her voice made the words very much her own. "Unless you plan on us being an accomplice to a gas store robbery, I suggest you take the opportunity to slither in there like some gallant white knight and pay for her merchandise, waving around your fierce shining black card and with a swipe of plastic be forever seen as her hero."

A heavy sigh left me as I got out of the car and passed Viper who seemed sufficiently pleased with her imaginative idiocy. With long strides and a quick pause, I stood before the front door, white gloves on and inside the cool air-conditioned shack. There were two employees working, one an older gentleman who eyed me with curious fascination and another who paid me no one for his eyes where on the phone he held close to his face.

She was in the very back, staring intensely at the beverages behind the cooled glass. My steps were slow and yet I was beside her faster then any other man could have moved, my presence quiet and still I knew by the tilt of her chin that I was acknowledged, silent yet heard. We stood there quietly, both she and I staring at the liquid behind the cold glass. I wondered, with her here now, would I enjoy the taste?

Electricity rushing through the lights, a quiet yet persistent buzzing. The false air rushing out of a cooling machine that released more particles then freshness. These places made me want to bare my teeth, but it was a long withheld instinct that I buried deep. Along with many other things. I was good at burying things.

"Is it sad that I don't remember what my favorite drink is?"

I did not move my body from its position, head down and hands clasped behind me, but my gaze flickered down to her like a moth catching the first glimpse of light.

But Mykela was not light.

Her tone was neither sad nor angry. Her voice did not tremble with repressed emotions or carry out with the force of a banshee. If anything it was unconcerned. As if it were a mere side comment. Something to brush off. Yet I knew, nothing that ever came out of her mouth lacked reason or motive.

"In this life or the other?" My tone mirrored hers. In some other world those words were ironic. I watched as she leaned forward, both arms outstretched in front of her until her open palms pushed against the glass, her warmth seeping through and melting the thin layer of cold mist.

"Someone, I'm not yet sure who once told me that the beverage someone likes says a lot about a person. The core values they hold dear to them. Surgery drinks for those who need to feel love on a tiring day, even if momentary and artificial to soothe the soul. Bitter and dark drinks for those who see and hear far more then they wish throughout the day and need help to withstand what's surely to come," There was a pause, brief, but enough for me to catch the way her fingers twitched on the glass. " but water is fundamental so I am yet to understand where that falls." She pushed away from the glass, leaving behind two hand prints that left water running down the glass. "My point is that I am missing a core value to myself."

She was not human. Not completely. I could never be human, didn't want to be. But they fascinated me in a way that was. . .

I could not say for sure if the theory was correct. Sweet. Sour. Bitter. Acidic. It made no difference to me then and might not do so now, but water was always something I could depend on. It was everlasting and permanent. It nourished and cleansed. But to be defined to be put into a category by flavor, I couldn't say.

"We are our past and our past is what makes us. The future is what we take from the past and the present defines how we shape our future, but you are timeless. What past do you take from to make the woman that stands here now? Do they not all make the same Mykela in the end?" There was something off in my voice, I could tell, but I could not name it.

She looked down at her moist hands, her expression dark as she rubbed her fingers together. I did not have to look away from her to know that my eyes were too bright, full of too much interest. And so the moth flies towards the light with blinding amazement.

"I am them. They are me. We have always been the same and yet never the first." Her hands dropped to her side's as she looked back to the prints that had chilled over, a shadow of what they first were as they cooled.

I did not miss how she didn't answer my inquiry. Perhaps she didn't know it. So I tried another.

"Are you truly sad then?" Both she and I knew that if she wanted to she could try every beverage in this sad of excuse of a small market, that I would pay for all and any drink until she knew what she liked and disliked. But that was not the true issue here. She could ask me and I could tell her what I knew of her. Yet she did not.

Because she didn't want to know. She didn't want to care. She might not be able to anymore.

"No." She took a step back and began walking past me, hands clasped behind her back like mine. "No, I am not."

Somehow her confession made me feel exposed. How can someone who knows nothing of themselves manage to share everything and yet make the listener feel and remember each and everything they have never shared?

I half-turned to look at her but decided to simply wait for her by the front, leaving her to roam and choose on her own without having me over her shoulder. I was giving her time when that was what she had most and least of.

She didn't linger long in the store, stopping every now and then to tilt her head and stare at something but when she was finally ready she walked over to the counter and put a handful of snacks on the table. A bag of chips, some candy bars, and a few granola bars. Ignoring the odd looks the cashier was throwing my way I paid for the purchase and we both made our way to the car where Viper sat, drumming her hands to the song playing on the radio.

Walking around the car I watched as Mykela got in, throwing her snacks into the seat next to her without a care before settling in herself. Viper threw me a look which I just ignored. Sisters were always meddling, no matter the species. I stared out of the window, wishing more than anything that the words that came out of my mouth would be enough to bring comfort to the creature in the car that, perhaps out of us all, did not want it.

"So, my theory was correct?" Resisting the urge to turn I spoke.

"Yes, even for a detective out of practice, your hunch is still as sharp. It was quite the search, your family name remained the same, but your family multiples like rabbits at every new marriage." I confessed. Glancing at the rear view mirror I watched her blank face as she absorbed the information.

There was no burning glint at the information to play tribute to the possible burning curiosity. There was no facial movement, minimal and uncontrollable twitches. There was only desolation as she stared out of the moving window. She stared out as if she were watching the dance of the trees, their slow sways disappearing in the fast movement of the vehicle, I knew she was better than any other human, that even if for a moment she could see the branches snap and bend to the nights wind as if it were the conductor of an orchestra.

But for however beautiful the music was, she could not be swayed to listen to the melody. Not when her own desolation set the pace in which she viewed the world.

With her so near to me, I could almost taste the flavor of saddens she breathed into the world, recalling the conversation we had earlier it made the muscles of my abdomen tighten as unease filtered through the sensation of emotion which I did not wish to feel. Was this emotion hers? Or was I feeling this for her? There was no doubt in my being that knew that I wanted her, but if I were, to be honest, I could not put a single name to the thing that went on between Mykela and I. Our past and present was intertwined by blood and misery, tears and hatred. The history that made us also condemned us to forever be at odds, whatever future we could have could only be brought by something we could never accomplish in the past, but if we were to do so in the future would mean the end of something that could never truly bloom.

Her curse meant death, but our bond brought her back. Yet, as I stared at the woman who wore the same face like all other Mykelas, who fought with her passion and fire, I could not help but ask myself if what came back each and every time was not but a smaller shell of the original.

It had not always been like this. She had not always been like this. Of course each new Mykela that came to be had their own personality to fit their current life, but even then, they all had a type of fire to them. A spark of life, even if small. The longer I stared at her the harder it was to repress the last memory I had of her until at last, I let it resurface.

* * • * *

July 2nd, 1974

Nevada

Her steps should have been silent but based on the 'clack' that echoed every time she walked, she was in a hurry to be somewhere. I didn't take my eyes off of her agile body as she navigated through the busy bodied streets, wearing a white blouse that was tucked into her plain denim skirt that ended just above her knees she shouldn't have stood out when there were so many flashy, furry and bouncy things around yet she did. She took confident and strong steps in her leather black heels, the brisk movement making her messy ponytail swish this and that way, her locks glinting an almost reddish-brown whenever the sun would be bold enough to cast his eyes her way.

All around chatter and laughter bustled through the air, cars screeched and groaned as they drove by in their bright colors, tainting the air with the scent of metal and gasoline. From every direction, the sounds of struggling old air conditioning units worked to cool down the humidity within buildings, the laughter of children as they played at a nearby park. I disliked crowded places and humidity. I bit the fleshy part of my mouth to focus, even if slightly, on something other than my senses.

Everywhere I looked people strolled down the street in their colorful shirts and accessories, flaunting their voluminous hair. Open signs and radios playing upbeat music made folks of all races and sizes stop and chat with one another. This was a lively city without a doubt, but our purpose today made all the happy people more of an annoyance than an average obstacle. Making a sharp left we went around the corner and made our way to the large bricked building across the street from the children's park. The store read in bold orange letters "Mama's Stuff", on the window a small sign informed the reader of the selling of new and reusable purchases inside. Looking around I caught sight of a few parents huddled together and looking over this way.

Although it was just Mykela and me walking down the street I knew it was me that they were staring at. I stood out in multiple ways in this city. In this era. Just like in any other one. The sound of a wooden door being opened and the ring of bells pulled my attention back into focus.

Slipping in behind her I was fast, slinking past her back before her very own shadow had followed her into the store. Moving past the stacks of old ornaments and trinkets I made my way where the bookshelves were and found a spot in between two dusty rows that had a shadowed spot that was chilly enough to calm me for a bit. The store was larger than it looked, but the number of old books and antiques made for a claustrophobic feel. Lime green walls and walnut colored wooden floors made for an 'at home' sort of sense as Viper would say. Behind the front desk a petite African-American young human child sat staring at Mykela with dark eyes and an afro that began after her front braids, she wore bright blue overalls and yellow shoes that swung back and forth as she sat on the stool. Behind her, a dark curtain fluttered as the air conditioner worked. There were a handful of humans lingering about the store, each minding their own. A beat-up blue radio sat at the edge of the desk playing The House of the Rising Sun on low.

"Welcome to Mamma's Stuff, old and new and totally cute." The child said in a petulant tone that made me suspect she was in a mood. "My names Janet, how can I help you?"

There was a pause in her body, I knew from experience that Mykela was looking over the girl and trying to estimate just how much information would be enough and not too much.

"I'd like to take a look at Grandmas Stuff if that's alright with you Ms.Janet." It took the child a moment to process her words, her body freezing, eyes widening until she shot off of the chair and dashed behind the curtain without a loud screech.

"Papa!Papa!"

The child's sudden noise made the other humans look up and around, a couple narrowed their eyes towards the door looking for sudden danger, another looked around nervously. I let out a breath which perhaps I shouldn't as I suddenly had the eyes of the skittish humans on me. Not at all discretely, they took sight of Mykela's no-nonsense structure, my lurking figure in the shadows of the bookshelf and decided they would not be purchasing from this store today. Perhaps ever again. One after the other they all fled. Hmm, humans.

"I told you to stay in the room. You stand out far too much." Mykela said, turning to face me, arms coming over to cross over her chest. She wore none of the human cosmetic things the young females wore on their faces, her scent was pure of any strong chemicals humans deemed as 'good' and yet...

The intensity of having her deep-set brown eyes on me was chilling in the best way, the small tilt in her head as she looked me over, the way her lips pursed no doubt, in distaste at my current state. Where the outside light touched her dark skin, the health and liveliness seemed to just glow, especially as her white blouse, the loose sheer fabric might not have been tight around her figure but all the same, she was a sight. Any other man might have withered at the scathing look she threw my way, the sure and confident way she stood.

"It's hot no matter where I go here," I pointed out. " and I will not take my eyes off of you-"

" It's happened beside you, in front of you, with or without you." Sighing she dropped her arms and took a step forward. " Why are you dressed like this? You already stand out as you are. You look like some bad undercover fuzz operative."

"I thought it would help me fit in better." Slinking out of my spot I walked to her until we stood face to face. "In case you've forgotten, the dress of this day and age are as ridiculous as the customs and slang. Groovy? Trip-pin? Gee-wiz? What sort of self-expressed person uses this in everyday language." I let out a hiss, humans, from poetic sentences to one worded forms of expression. All I could do was ask, why?

"You can't fit in. Ever." She shook her head and reached up, removing the glittered red scarf from around my neck. "As for the phrases, their not all fooey." For once she grinned at me.

Footsteps made the rare grin thrown my way dissolve, blankness took over her like a new canvas without paint, her body straightened as she turned to face the newcomer. Perhaps it was that her smile was rarely thrown my way or that the heat had begun to eat at me again, but the control I had over my expression began to slip. The male was as a darker shade then Janet, but they had the uncanny same facial features, hers were far more feminine and small. Sturdy framed and cautious dark eyes, he had strong facial features with a long wide nose and large eyes, thick brows pushed together. Like a lot of African-American men in this era, he wore his hair out, tight curls coiling around him in a frizz. His face was full rounded, no particular sharp angles, but it was the tilt in his head as she looked between us two that spoke of his previous encounter with trouble. He wore a white collard orange shirt and black slats from where I could see.

"Well, I'll be damned, mama was right." His eyes flickered between Mykela and me, lingering on me for much longer. Something I was used to, but his were filled with more curiosity and acceptance than with fear and uncertainty. " You really are whiter than white. I thought she meant The Man." He mumbled that last part to himself.

I said nothing. Behind him, little Janet poked her head out to look from around her father's body. Staring at me with new eyes, now knowing that we weren't regular customers. Not even the regular magical customers. After a human second, he finally stopped staring at me and looked at Mykela with awe and stepped from around the desk.

" James Martin." He held out a hand to her, a wide smile beginning to take over the lower half of his face. "You must be Mykela."

Turning to face me James didn't hold out his hand but looked as if he wanted to do so. He knew something was off about me, even if he didn't exactly know what it was. But then again, perhaps my eyes gave me away.

"Venom." He whispered. Once more I said nothing but stare at the human male. He quickly took a couple of steps back and looked around the store nervously, his hand coming up to scratch the back of his head before he cleared his throat and gave us a shaky laugh. "You'll have to forgive me. It's just come to me as a surprise to have you two standing before me just as my mama said you would."

"How exactly do you know it is us?"

"You two were bedtime stories or mentioned in every Christmas. I've had your descriptions in my mind since I could learn to talk."

Mykela did as I and stayed quiet, but for a different reason. I had spent enough time with her to know she never interrupted people who rambled, something about getting information without asking. Seeming to remember Janet, he turned and put an arm around her small frame and half brought her forward.

"Janet here is my daughter, she helps watch the front for me when I have to take care of things outback. Janet these are the people that helped my pops and your greate granddaddy back in the day get away from some very bad people." There was a hesitant pause. "The lady here even gave up her life."

The words would have made anyone else tense up, the reminder possibly brining up a horrid memory of a time where humans were at their absolute worse, but Mykela's heart didn't even skip a beat. Janet, on the other hand, went wide-eyed and still.

"That's them papa?" She asked quietly as if we weren't standing here. Ignoring the feel of the cloth against my skin I put my hands in the black coat I wore, swearing that it would be the last time I allowed Viper to dress me to her taste. Leather in the heat was absurd and I had the scales to prove it.

"Yeah, this is them alright." James straightened up. " My family owes you a debt that can never be repaid, but all I can do is try."

"That's really unnecessary, truthfully," Mykela answered, her tone softening to that pleasant level that most humans took as a soothing voice. "We're here to look at Grandma's Stuff if you don't mind."

"Of course." He rushed to the front to flip the 'Open' sign and locked the door. "Right this way please."

Walking past us he walked toward the back of the store, passing boxes of music albums, posters, and shiny trinkets. On the left side of us, we passed multiple bookshelves of various shapes and sizes that were arranged in a way that reminded me of a maze. The deeper in we went the more cluttered it became as we passed by cassettes and wardrobes of colorful clothing. Passing by a rusted mirror I caught sight of my reflection and grimaced at the collar length white hair under the wine-colored fedora, black leather trench coat, a dark-colored shirt with some type of flower pattern and thick jeans. My golden eyes glared back at me in discomfort, for a moment I caught sight of scales climbing up my throat and across my cheek before disappearing.

I hate the 70's. I didn't fit in with these humans and their trends regardless of the year. I was also beginning to suspect that it was due to my decision to allow Viper to dress me. Humans believed females to be the head of style, but I was starting to suspect that was a part of the unequal treatments in the sexes and that this was simply expected of females.

"If you don't mind me asking James, how is your grandfather doing? Does he still live?"

Her voice snapped me out of my mental rambles, although she walked in front of me I took notice of the way her head kept turning this way and that way as if she wasn't just glancing around the room but actually looking for something. Releasing some of the control I had on my sense I tried to listen for something that I could not see and inhales to catch any scents that might warn me of foul play, but found nothing amiss but remained alert. Mykela's instincts were always right, even if they weren't always on time when it mattered.

"Oh no, he passed away a while ago Miss, but he died happy and free which is what he always wanted." Stopping beside the empty right wall he tapped twice and a sudden stillness filled the whole building. Slowly as if a blanket was being pulled off of them one by one wooden stair began appearing as if they had been there all along until they made way to a balcony that then showed a glass wall that ran the length of the whole store. It was a two-story store. First floor for humans, second floor for those who were a little more than human.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Mykela nodding to herself as if she were getting confirmation to something she had suspected. But how could I have not sensed this? A whole other floor above from where we walked, but the shift in the store made me realize that the reason the store had seemed so cramped to me was because it was cramped. Just not on the same floor as I had first thought.

"Is it a Repulsion spell or a barrier?" James turned, a surprised but impressed look on his face. Beside him, Janet shuffled about before running up the stairs quickly.

"Repulsion barrier actually," We made our way up the stairs. "Most people start to feel as if this little corner of the store gets really dusty and stay away. For those odd few who don't care about getting dirty, the barrier works as back up and I end up with a few customers who find themselves bumping into a lot of expensive breakable items."

"Let me guess," Her words were flat, but there was a hint of amusement. "You break it, you buy it?"

"At least the bag is free."

"True that."

Making our way to the top we entered the darkly lit witch shop and took a look around. Unlike the open and light space downstairs the walls here matched the black wooden floor as lanterns and candles illuminated the space in various corners and levels, from floor to wall and stacked on top of things. Facing the stairs there were shelves lined with various labeled herbs and bottles of liquid as well as white branches that seemed to be growing from the shelf itself and rooted itself all throughout the display. On my left, there were three large chests lined up against the wall. One black, one white the other a deep red and all were closed with chains. In the center of the room, on a forest green rug, there was a square wooden table a simple golden bowl in it, the bowl had dents and scratches. Nearing the table I peered down and caught sight of my reflection in the stilled water. Looking over to Mykela I saw her looking around as well as she made her way to what must have been the counter for this hop. Curiously, there sat Janet, just as she had as when we first walked in.

"How much did your grandfather inform you about us, James?"

"You've been cursed and die every time you two are reunited. Which is how you saved my grandfather nearly eighty years ago when he was a boy and yet stand here today looking just as he described you." He said without hesitation to answer, leaning against the glass window I watched him watch her. I couldn't tell if he was fascinated with the woman or her story but he was fascinated all in all. Looking around him I caught sight of Janet looking down at her lap, her feet wiggling around in a pattern I've seen children do when unsure or nervous.

"Well, you've certainly got the basics." Mykela glanced over at him for a moment before continuing her slow walk around the room, pausing to touch a wilted flower petal on the shelf.

"There's more?"

"Isn't there always?" She answered distractedly. "When I died, I had something on me that your grandfather promised to protect. Do you know-"

"You mean," Before he had even finished speaking was removing something around his neck and walking over to the bowl on the table. "this."

Both Mykela and I inched closer to take a look at what he was doing. Dropping what he was holding in his hand we watched as a fabric sting hit the water and begun to sink as if it were a rock, it took a moment for me to realize the water was glowing but when I did it had already stopped. Reaching in with his hand, James dipped his fingers, then his wrist, what looked like his whole are disappeared into the bowl. I had to give him credit, witches were clever when it came to hiding spaces. He grimaced for a moment before he began to pull his arm back out.

As he began to take his arm out, wrapped around his wrist were dried out vines with thorns, as his clenched fist came out Janet gasped at her fathers bloodied hand. Without pause he turned to face Mykela and held out his hand, opening his fingers to show a rounded object no bigger than the palm of his hand, wrapped in the very same thorns that were beginning to disentangle themselves from his wrist to coil tighter around the object they were protecting. reaching out her fingers had barely touched the thing when those very same thorn vine began to wither away and fall to the floor. Taking it from James, Mykela held it at eye level until the very last vine died off and fell to the floor.

"I've never been able to open it," James stated, bringing his bloodied hand to his chest. He wasn't badly injured, a few puncture marks and scratches, but he was alright. "Whenever I tried those things would come out to play. Almost lost a finger when I was a kid once. I smartened up real quick though, left it alone."

Janet jumped down from her chair and ran over to her father, peering up at him with large watery eyes. He smiled down at her and with his uninjured hand patted the top of her head.

"Can you go get my kit pumpkin?" Without answering, she took off down the stairs and my ears caught the sound of her frantically rummaging around somewhere. Looking back at the golden-colored ball in her hand he asked. "What is that thing exactly?"

The look on her face was one I had never seen before on her. It was a mixture of surprise and wariness. It was odd, especially when we had come here specifically to collect something she had lost so long ago. With both hands she began to squeeze at the rust-colored ball until a loud crack was heard, instantly the covering began to dissolve into white smoke in the air until that too disappeared.

"Its the Blood Compass."

It was a small thing really, one could even call it plain looking. If it weren't for the fact that what made up the back of the compass was clear glass, making the single needle visible through both sides of the flat object.

"Why does that name sound familiar?" He mumbled softly, his brows furrowed in concentration as he stared at the compass. Mykela glanced at me and tucked it into the pocket of her skirt.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to buy some things from your shop."

"Oh, Yes. Go right ahead." He nodded, still distracted by was no doubt going to be on his mind until he had answers.

The sound of small feet rushing to us alerted me before Janet came brawling in with a small pouch that had medical things humans used when hurt. Not that they did very much to hide the scent of the hurt, well, perhaps except when the medicinal herbs mixed in with a scent.

"Here Papa, I got it." She began unzipping the bag and rummaging through. It was clear to both of us that she was unhappy with the sight of blood just by the number of times her eyes looked to and away from his hand.

"Thank you, baby, you've done a good job." He removed the pouch from her hand and smiled. "Why don't you help her out, maybe she's got a list."

"Okay." She didn't need to be told twice to walk over and see in what she could be of assistance in.

I took a few steps back and watched everyone from my previous spot, leaning against the cool glass and trying not to rock in agitation at the heat. If I were, to be honest, I knew it wasn't the heat alone that was working on my nerves but rather the woman in the room.

She looked around calmly, picking this and that up, entertaining the child by listing to her explanation to what some things were when I knew without a doubt that Mykela had already categorized and labeled everything in here on sight. She was too collected for what was at stake. Out of us all, she knew the best and yet here she was. It made me uneasy.

The Blood Compass was our last resort, something that we had found in her last life but had not had the opportunity to use. Not before she was killed. Again.

"You don't talk very much, do you?" From the corner of my eye, I caught James inching closer to me, his hand now wrapped and bandaged. I nodded but didn't answer, I also didn't have to.

"You don't really want him too."

"Why's that?" For a moment he looked over at Mykela, surprised she had answered for me. She didn't turn to face us as she spoke, instead, she held up a sun-colored crystal, the candles nearby flickering in the image.

"Oh, he can talk, that's not the problem." Twisting the crystal higher I watched as she stared at the candle's fire, flickering, lighting the jewel up as if it contained that very fire. "Have you ever hear a sirens song?"

"I'm afraid we don't have many sirens down here. We got some bad Banshees though."

"Hmm." She looked over her shoulder with an amused glint in her eyes. "Well, if you ever do, remember this. It's not the song that hypnotizes you, it's their pitch of tone."

"Really?"

"Yes, they have acute soul sensors that let them know what tone and pitch to best lull a soul into their thralls."

"So he's like a siren?" Instead of looking disturbed he looked intrigued. For a moment, I imagined taking him underwater, but as soon as the image came it was gone. I wasn't a siren, but the ocean was still a part of my home.

"No. No, he is not." Her tone became cold as she answered, for a moment she held me in her thrall. There was a lot behind her eyes, like waves crashing into one another and then there was nothing but sand as she closed her self up once more.

"So what's his pitch then?" The curious human male insisted.

"Can you ring me up?"

"Of course right this way." With his head, he motioned for the counter and made his way there. While they settled on payments a small child-like hand had begun to reach for me from beside the doorway.

There was no question that I could not allow her to touch me, but I feared that if I moved faster than her eyes could follow that I would startle her into taking a step back and down the stairs. Giving a mental groan, I spoke.

"Do not touch me."

The words traveled through the room like air, everywhere and nowhere all at once. At once I knew that my words had caressed the back of Jame's neck to the point that his skin had chilled in this impossible heat, Janet felt them as well as they danced around her neck and whispered into her ear in a softened hiss.

She froze in her spot, her heart skipped one, two, three beats before it took off. Her father had frozen at the sound of my voice and slowly, he turned his head to look over Mykelas shoulder. There, that look. It was the same look humans gave me at the sound of my voice. While I knew I spoke their words and used their definitions, I was not one of them. My voice, if nothing else was a reminder. But to who? I made sure not to move, to allow Janet to take hold of her body and force herself away from me.

It took a moment but slowly the sound of her dragging what must have been stiff feet was heard as she made her way to her father's frozen form. Although his hands reached out to hold her when she was within his reach, his eyes never left mine as we became aware of the monster he had allowed into his shop. Mykela made quick work of putting her purchase in the bag she had been given and with a nod she turned and began to make her way out.

"Thank you for your help, you have provided greatly to us. Consider your family debt paid." Without another glance, she made her way down the stairs. With one last look to the stilled humans, I followed after.

It wasn't until I had begun to close the front door that my ears caught sound of his whispered words.

"So that's his....pitch."

* * *

Back in the hotel room the three of us sat around a dingy table, the hotel room we were staying in had enough to offer the basics with three-room and two bathrooms, but the living rooms decor was as simple as it could be. A brown carpet, cream walls with sparse paintings hung up and a television box. Logically I knew why we had to maintain a low cover, but this place did not compare to the previous homes or places I had stayed while I had looked for Mykela Debrouhs.

In front of me sat Mykela, her face pensive as she studied the compass on the table. To my left sat my sister Viper. She wore a dull yellow fabric wrapped around her newly shaven head, golden hoops dangled from her ears, her midnight complexion as perfect as ever, even with the odd eye paint she wore the shade of peaches. Much to liberal to this time, she wore bright orange pants made of a shimmery material that flared at the bottom and a red blouse with willowy sleeves. I had finally shed those ridiculous clothes for something lighter and not as flashy, I combed my hair back and out of my face as everyone else in the room was anything but ordinary.

"So this is the famous compass that's going to land us a descendant?" Viper spoke, tapping her barefoot on the ground impatiently. "Looks mighty powerful." She said sarcastically.

"It should be considering I stole it from a dark practitioner. Everyone knows their up to no good."

"Whose to say this is even going to work? I mean how do we now this little theory of yours is even possible?" Viper bit out, her gleaming white teeth flashing in a nasty smile.

"If it isn't then we're all screwed." Mykela answered casually, leaning back against the seat of her chair.

"We've been screwed the moment you died." I threw Viper a warning look that she ignored.

"Maybe you two shouldn't have been going around killing people." Her scathing words shouldn't have made my shoulders tense, but I would forever be reminded of my crimes no matter the explanation I gave.

"We've talked about this already." I said tersely.

The room was silent for moment, tension and aggression filling the air as we all looked at one another with silent words.

Logically speaking Viper was free to go as she pleased, her fate and life weren't tied to anyone, but being the ever loyal sister that she was she had not abandoned me for a moment. I appreciated her for that, but most of the times she made things tense. She was never far when I found Mykela, but always hostile towards, I knew she would never out right try to kill her but I had a feeling that if Viper suspected she would never rise again that she would go for it. My sister had a unique way of telling people to leave her family alone.

"Viper," I said turning to face her. " Mykela is trapped reincarnating every time she...dies. We know this, which is why its important to get back to the place this all went down but in order for us to do that we need-"

"I know, I know. A portal, this dimensions Debrouhs bloodline spell book, you two and unfortunately for us, a little witch teacher." She sighed. "Have I mentioned how awful your attachment to my brother has made things for us?"

"Have I mentioned how awful it was for him to bite me?" She questioned back sweetly, her smile turning sharp at the edges as her hands slowly came up to rest on the arms of the chair, there was a wildness in her eyes that made me uneasy.

I leaned forward, sliding my left leg back and the right forward. Viper wasn't blind, she took sight of Mykela's relaxed body and my tense one and narrowed her eyes. Wisely she spoke with caution.

" So when are we going to start looking for this words Debrouhs Coven?"

Mykela said nothing as that baited smile remained in place, her eyes peering at Viper in a way that depicted flesh being torn from skin, a stalker in the night and predator sizing up its next hunt. Before Viper could say anything or move I took over the situation, not needing to give the two females to turn into immortal enemies. Picking up the compass I extended it for her to grab, her eyes flicked down to it before grabbing it. Her touch sending an unwarranted chill through my arm as I pulled back.

"We're on a deadline, we don't have time for this."

"Your right." She whispered before placing the compass flat on her left hand, with the other hand she began to twist the small pin that held the needle in place. At once the needle disconnected and a small 'ping' sounded around the room like an echo before the the needle went wild in the glass compass walls, becoming erratic as it sensed it was about to be put into usage. Without a moments doubt she put her thumb over the small hole where the pin had been and instantly the needle halted, broke down into four small pieces and stabbed into the small hole too draw blood. The whole time they drained her for blood, I watched her face as a small twitch of the lips indicated any pain. When the needle had had enough it pulled out and put its self back together before hitting the bottom of the compass in wait. Puling her thumb away she places the pin back in place, casing the needle to fly back into place as if it had never come time life, but now needle began to glow a molten lava red.

Wiping her thumb on her skirt Mykela looked around the room before taking a breath, both Viper and I held still in our chairs as we wait to see if all our years in wait and planning would finally be seen through. Finally she seemed ready to say the words.

"Blood of my blood, lineage made from trees, find my family from sky or sea."

It felt like forever as we watched the needle begin to spin around, until it stopped completely.

It pointed at Mykela.

And then pointed left, someone other than her being found.

"Gnarly." Viper said, for once sounding caught off guard.

"We're going on a hunt." Mykela whispered, not looking away from the compass that continued to point East. As much as she tried, the spark of hope could not be hidden in her eyes.

I would make sure it stayed there.

* * • * *

"So who did you find that would be willing to help?"

Her voice pulled me out of my memories, making me blink before her words registered.

"Your very long, very removed cousin." Viper from beside me, throwing me a worried look at my silence. "Harper D, 23 and completely insane if you ask any of her friends."

"What does that mean exactly?"

"She's a bit of a psychic." Viper answered vaguely, tilting her head up while pressing her lips into a thin line.

"A bit or not at all?" Mykela asked skeptical, sliding away from her seat by the window to lean forward between the seats to look over at Viper. Her hands came up behind both of our headrests. With her hands so close to m head it was harder than I thought to push back the image of her playing with my hair.

"Oh she's psychic. And lucky and has a bit of your very own gift, but with a not so funny twist."

"You'll have to meet her first to see what she's talking about." I added, knowing she would continue to ask until she had an answer. "It's best to see Harper's result with your own eyes."

"Very well then." The way she asked her next question was too casual for me. "When did you find her?"

"Four years ago."

"You've had the compass longer than four years." Her voice came out small, but there was an edge to it, a nastiness to it.

"What part of your family multiples like bunny's, did you not get?" Viper snapped, hearing the tone as well, no doubt.

"What she means is that while finding the Debrouhs might not have been as hard as it seemed, finding the right one was. Your families coven has long been dissolved, the lack of practice and this worlds lack of magical sources made finding the right person nearly impossible."

The car was silent until she took a deep breath and leaned back into her seat.

"Does she at least have a grimoire?"

"Of sorts." I confessed wryly. It was really like a two page list of notes, but she didn't need to hear that now. "It's not much but she knows how to use her gifts-"

"Yeah when she's not-" I hissed at Viper in warning. She quieted down with a clench of her jaw.

"Let me guess, shes a wild card. At worse she doesn't know much about being a witch except from what she's gathered on the internet and at best she's been lucky so far on the usage of her powers and I get to play twenty questions with a child far more curious about my world then her's?"

"I hate when she does that." Viper muttered. Turning around in my seat I found her staring at the roof of the car, her hands across her chest.

"I know it doesn't seem like much to go on, but we've been watching her all the while looking for you. She's a blood relative, even if from a different world, there is power in her, even if does not match what you can do."

"What is all of this even for?"

The whispered words were like howl in the night. Their very definition something I would not have expected from her. For a moment I did not believe they had come from her until she turned her head down to look me in the face, her gaze desolate.

"Mykela..."

There was something about staring into the eyes of someone who had lived for more years then they had been promised and seeing no reflection of spark that would indicate such adventures. I had seen much in all my years, but I found myself feeling as if I were standing in a barren forest, a world of gray. Old, her eyes were so old and tired.

"To break your curse, release my brother from an eternity of you and maybe if we're luck find he son of a bitch who caused all of this mess." Vipers words were sharp but there was no bite to them as she spoke.

"Hmm." Looking away from me she turned to look back out of the window, watching as we passed dimly lit homes or abandoned buildings.

"Do you-" The words did not wish to leave my mouth and I no more then them wished to speak them so I turned around in my seat. "We will reach Harper's home in a few hours."

"Alright."

There was a pang in my chest, a tightness that coiled around me as a new realization came to mind. In all these years that we had played the game of cat and mouse, in our theorizing and looking for answers, not once had Mykela ever seemed as hopeless as she had now. There was one thing I feared as I looked on at her.

* * • * *

July 4th, 1974

The transportation of now was so much easier then by foot or carriage, but in this small space, I became aware of just how close Mykela sat to me. No matter the years and place, her scent never changed for me, the unique scent of fresh earth and lime trees, as well as something that I could never name but always knew it belonged to her alone.

As Viper drove down the streets, going as far east as the needle wanted us to, I mused on how strange it was to go off somewhere without knowing what would meet us at the end. All this for a possibility of freedom of something that had kept the three of us bound together for longer then most friendships would last. But then again to her, we were not friends. Acquaintances by force. Nothing more, I thought bitterly. Sure she had her moments were I suspected she began to relax, but then something always pulled her back.

I feared and loathed that reason. Emotions were different and complex when it came to humans, it was a slow lesson, but one I knew I would learn one day. Looking over at her I could not help but want to know more about the complex creature that was the woman beside me. All the time we had spent and I knew only handfuls of her true person and yet knew more about her body then perhaps she herself did.

"What will you do when we find a way to remove the curse?" I questioned leaning in slightly, she turned to me, brow raised.

"That's if we manage to do that."

"Don't be a party foul." Up front, our driver interrupted.

"Get bent, Viper."

"Why don't you try it Hunter." Viper said in a hubris tone, looking into the rear view mirror and wiggling both brows.

"Eye's on the road."

"Whatever you say...Square." I glared at her but didn't fall for the bait and instead gave my attention back to Mykela who was shaking her head.

"Lets not get into a brawl in a confined space." I reasoned out, speaking to both ladies.

"I could pull over." I ignored that.

"Well?"I asked, still waiting for an answer. She glanced at me before tilting her head side to side as she thought about it, but there was something off about the movement that didn't seem quiet right. No, it wasn't the movement that was off. It was something else.

"I can't say I've never considered what I would do once freed, but its been so long that I cant say I want that anymore." She placed her hands on her lap and looked down as she spoke.

"What was it that you wanted before?" I asked confused, was it not freedom of the curse or did she long for something that now could no longer be. Her words had only brought me more questions. Questions that I felt the need to find answers to.

She looked up and gave me a small smile before shaking her head.

"It's not important." before I could ask her she opened her mouth.

"We've got a fortnight before its too late and we don't know how long this trip might be. We've only been at it a day and a half." She quieted for a moment. "Finding the compass and a possible descendant, we've gotten farther than we have in a very long time."

"We have." I agreed. "But that does not mean we have to stop here when we are so close. Who knows, perhaps in a day or two we might have all we need." I spoke optimistically.

Her silence should have been my warning, but so young had I been, I had not a clue.

"Your right."

After a few more hours of mindless driving, Viper demanded we stopped for food. By that time the sun had begun to completely disappear from the sky and yet I had noticed that almost every store and shop were closing earlier than usual and yet people still lingered the streets in groups and packs. Looking around I caught sight of decorations in red, white and blue all over the street and posts, paper flowers and balloons.

"Is today another human celebration?" I asked no one in particular, glancing out the window as people walked out of dinners with ice cream and laughter filled the street.

"It's the fourth of July." Viper said nonchalantly.

"Yes, I know the date, but what is the occasion."

"That's the name of the occasion brother, the event is biased on the liberation or independence of something. I'm not sure."

"Oh."

"Do me a solid and put gas in the car while I get dinner taken care of. I think I can see a gas station up ahead."

"Alright."

She pulled into a decent looking dinner that had wandering people out front, but no one wandering around the parking lot. As she parked the car I looked over to find Mykela with a thoughtful look on her face. Viper left the car without another word and went into order us something to eat. With Mykela here I would be able to experience the taste in full instead of the nothingness that followed when she wasn't here.

"What is it?" I asked leaning over, I had begun to reach out for her before pulling back. She glanced at my hand but said nothing of it.

"Nothing." She nodded towards the front of the car. "We should get more gas for the car before she comes back. We both know how she gets when things don't get done."

"True."

"Actually, can you hold onto the compass?"

"Sure." I was taken back, but put it in my pocket.

"Thanks."

Stepping out of the back seat I made my way up tot he drivers side and just as Viper had said I quickly caught sight of a gas station up head. It was rather large for an empty station, white walls lined in red and black, tall windows showing the fully stocked store. I grimaced at the thought of touching the pump or anything in general, but I got out anyway. I was surprised to hear the back door open, Mykela pointed to the restroom a little on the side. I nodded in understanding. I didn't like leaving her alone, but I knew better by now than to try and shadow her.

She hadn't taken four steps away when multiple loud bangs sounded off and the sky lit up in right red and white colors. The sound was sharp and harsh for my ears, making me adjust my hearing to lessen the sound. Looking up I realized what it was and looked over at her with a grin.

"Fireworks." She said, looking up along with me.

As the sky lit up with multiple colors next I watched those colors light her body up, for a moment morphing her wondrous expression into a saddened smile. But what could she have been sad about in a moment such as this?

"Its's a sight I'll always remember." She said, turning before I could say more. I watched her back walk away from me, feeling uneasy, even knowing she was safely locked in.

Shaking my head I made my way into the store that thankfully only had one older man inside minding the store. Like all others before his he stared and quickly feared me, but thankfully managed to do his job and I managed to get gas for the car. Stepping outside I stood on the elevated pavement that separated the steps into the store from driving ground. Colors made their own impressions as lesser shadows as the fire works ahead went off in a craze. Looking back up I took a breath and shook my head, taking a step to make my way to the car until I smelled it.

Blood.

I knew. Of course I knew. It could only be her blood with the nearness and its unique scent. But that did not stop the words from spilling from my mouth.

"No. NO. NO." I was at the door before the next explosion went off in the sky, the door being ripped off with my strength, I threw it behind me not caring for the sound of shattered glass, the next explosion colored my vision red and yet when white took hold of the dark sky, red was all I saw.

She was on the ground, shattered glass around her wounded body. Glass in her body. For once her hair was released, curls laying around her in a wild mess. I could barely hear her heat, unsure if it was her or the sounds from the cursed sky. Red was all I saw as I knelt beside her, I felt my fangs drop as I breathed out shakily, my hands for all their strength weak as I pulled her onto me and held her, already knowing. She was too cold, too cold for someone as warm and kind as I knew she could be but rarely showed. Looking down let out a sound that sounded torn from my throat as I hissed at the glass shard in her chest.

I hadn't realized I had started to rock until my vision started to waver, but that might have been the liquid coming from my eyes and I held her as tightly as I dared.

"Not again. Not again." I whispered, but I knew. I always knew. Especially when the hold she held on my being began to chill.

It had started again.

Looking around desperately, always so desperate, I looked for anything that might have helped and instead caught sight of blooded words on a stall door.

'You need more time.'

Her words filled me with anger as I looked back down at her. I needed her. Not time. Her. Out side the sky continued to bring color to the sky, casting the room in flashes. Like always it began with her feet, shadows appearing from the ground like black flames to claim her for their own just as I felt the beginning of something that would not disappear until she was within reach again. It was like being filled with fog, murky and numbing.

Sounds came from out of my mouth as I tried to force words or cries out of my being but could not decide on one. Reaching over i took hold of her cold hand and held it to my face, not caring of the blood I could feel. Not caring at all. Slow, but not slow enough her body began to fade and disappear as if she were the flickering flames itself. Soon they were to her chest, the glass soon slipped through her and clattered to the floor, leaving behind a pristine shard as if it had never been used to end a life. Soon even her fingers had slipped through my grasp, I looked down at her face, memorizing every feature, lightly running my fingers through her hair and creasing her face before soon she was gone.

There was no body, no blood, no Mykela. As if she had never existed.

I sat there, staring at my empty lap, surround by shattered glass, my reflection showing me from all angles, white hair, pale skin, silver scales climbing up the side of my neck and onto my face as I began to loose control, golden eyes monstrous and furious. No. That wasn't the right word. There were no words. Outside the world continued to go on.

'You need more time.'

I turned to look at the words, but found that those too, had been taken from me.

'You need more time.'

I stood up.

'You need more time.'

I looked up at the ceasing, my hand coming up, fingers digging into my scalp as I felt my body shake and pulse all at once with what wanted to leave me and break me. My body was warmed from the outside air but chilled on the inside, my own insides twisting up and curling in, tensing and relaxing until I could hold on no longer. I needed no air, but i felt as if I could get none even if I tried.

I opened my mouth and let out a wail of rage.

* * *

I'm not sure what I did after that, but when I came too I was standing from across the gas station watching as the building burned to the ground. Or what was left of the building, there were chunks of it thrown around, glass shattered, I saw a car door hanging from the roof. Already police and firefighters were at the scene, people gathering to watch.

Somewhere fireworks were still going off.

From beside me Viper appeared and grabbed hold of my hand, pulling me softly, away from it all. Without another look we left.

In my pocket the compass felt heavy.

* * • * *

It had taken me a long time to get the basic complexities, the arts and languages, the plays and games of humans. Even now, there are some things that I know I will never truly understand, even with time. Emotions were always something I could not completely put my finger on.

But as I looked on at Mykela, as fear filled me at the memory of her sacrifice, I was never more aware of the dark side of her humanity.

I was not human, could never be, but I could pretend and I now feared that Mykela had forgotten how to be it.

Had forgotten how to live.

And perhaps, most frightening of all, did not want to learn.

/ / / / Authors Note: / / / /

Ha ha ha hiiiiiiii

Been a while..... a long while.

Well, break is over and here I am.