Cassandra Cassandra Farrelli: Scarlet Women Book 1

I awoke with a crazy headache, my alarm going off, the face flashing six thirty at me. I groaned, I felt like I hadn’t slept in a week. How long had Cassandra been in control this time? I had promised her only a few days to sort out her plan, a plan which she had been rather vague on, only that she had one. A plan that according to her would save me and set all our ancestors free from hell, free to finally be put to rest. Or as Cassandra had put it, ‘free to enter the pearly white gates.’

“Hey hon,” Mariah poked her head into the open door, “you have a good time with your friends?”

Oh crap— who had Cassandra been hanging out with? “Oh yeah, so much fun. Love me a good girls night.”

“I’m so glad. I know it’s been hard on you not having Melanie around. Violet and Irene seem nice. Why don’t you invite them over for dinner sometime?”

Phewf. “Sure mom, I’ll ask them when they’re free.” Mom seemed pacified, and smiling at me, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and headed off, humming. Interesting, my mom humming? Usually only Ray hummed…

I slid out of bed, and closed the door. The lamp in the corner of the room was still on, I or Cassandra rather must have forgotten to turn it off. I fixed that, and went to look at myself in the mirror— no bumps or bruises, no scrapes… I looked like I was all in one piece, but for the headache I had and the feeling like my body had slammed into a wall… I winced as I poked my arm— but it looked perfectly fine. How was it that I was in pain, but I looked perfectly healthy?

“Um, Cassandra— you there?” Nothing. Of course, go figure, whenever I wanted to talk to her, she was nowhere to be found… I pulled open the wardrobe closet, and started to rifle through, pulling out a yellow sundress, and orange cardigan.

“EWWWW. Absolutely not.”

“Ahah! There you are.”

“Did you need anything other than fashion advice?”

I winced, Cassandra giving me fashion advice? “Um, that won’t ever be happening, since you like to run around naked,”

“Hey. I might have gotten used to wearing SOME things these days. A girl can change you know.”

There was something in her voice, something that made me realize that Cassandra wasn’t as young or naive sounding anymore, she sounded more mature, as if she was growing up. It worried me— I’d almost rather she stayed the way I’d met her— young, innocent and conniving, at least then— I knew where she stood and where I stood…

“Something bothering you?”

I sighed, “How long Cassandra?”

“How long what?”

“You know what.” I put the yellow dress and orange cardigan back into the closet and pulled out a purple Aline dress— when Cassandra didn’t make a fuss, I ditched my nightie and pulled on the dress. “How long were you in control of my body this time?”

“One day.”

One day? Sure, one day. I ached in ways I had never ached, “No way, Cassandra. Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not. I swear, I went to school yesterday, went out with the girls, and now you’re back.”

“No tricks?”

“Nope.”

I shut the wardrobe closet and stared at my reflection. “And your plan?”

“In motion.”

“Good,” I whispered. “Very good.”

“Don’t get me wrong, we still have a long way to go, but its in motion, and I am highly confident that its going to work… but-”

“Ahaha! I knew there was going to be a ‘but-’” I turned off the fan, and went to spread my bed. “What is the ‘but,’ Cassandra?”

“I need a few nights a week to hang with the girls. They’re essential to our plan, the one to keep you alive? … and you can’t ask questions…. and you’ll need to just agree with things they say from here on out.”

I grit my teeth. “I don’t like it.”

“Tell you what, I’ll even deal with Lucas, you just have to get us through school.”

I liked that even less. “And Mel?”

“You can talk to Mel all you want.”

“Sheesh, you just want control of the rest of my life, no big.”

“Please?”

I picked up a green dress with gold straps from the back of the desk chair— it reminded me of a dress I might have seen, albeit in white, on some Greek woman or statue. “Was I wearing this?” I don’t know if I was more mortified or impressed.

“At some point, you’re just going to have to trust me.”

As if. But it wasn’t really like I had a choice— she was the one with the plan, and I was the one in the predicament…I dropped the green dress back onto the chair. “I have to get to school.” I picked up the gray purse from where Cassandra had dropped it.

“Cass, please?”

There was a begging in her tone, and it cut me. She hadn’t really even lived— even though she said she had— her life had been cut off at the same age I was now— she hadn’t traveled, hadn’t gotten to know who she was or what she was capable of. I felt a giant wave of empathy for my original ancestor. I sighed, “Sure. Do what you need to.” Cassandra’s presence faded to the background again, but not before I felt her extreme pleasure. I rolled my eyes, as there was a knock on my door.

“Breakfast before school?” Ray’s voice floated to me.

“Coming!” I hollered back, and looking at myself one more time in the mirror, I left it behind and headed into the kitchen, where the smell of coffee called to me, maybe that would help with my headache.

Ray and mom were both in the kitchen, which wasn’t something I was used to— except for once a week, when we had family dinners, it was often just mom and I if Ray was working late— or just Ray and I in the morning after mom had headed into the office early. They were both humming a similar tune, and making breakfast together. Ray was making his standard usual pancakes, and mom was making scrambled eggs and bacon. It smelled like heaven with the essence of coffee thrown in in the background. I dropped my purse on the counter, and they both looked up and grinned at me— it was a little creepy.

“Morning, hon.” Ray pushed his glasses further onto his nose, which was a classic Ray move.

“Did I miss a family memo?” I pulled out one of the bar stools and sat down, leaning both my elbows onto the table, and snatching a piece of bacon off the plate where mom had already put some on paper towels to dry off some of the grease. I glanced up at Ray and mom, to see if either one of them would get mad at me for snatching the bacon, but neither seemed to notice, mom seemed miles away, in her own little world. “Seriously what’s going on?”

“Honey,” mom began and put a mug of coffee in front of me.

“Okay, now I’m actually weirded out. Mom, you never let me have coffee. Ray?”

Ray flipped a pancake off the pan and onto the stack he always liked creating, then he pulled my mom into a side hug, and grinned at me through his thick glasses. “Cass, you mom and I have something to tell you.”

“Okay.”

“Remember I told you we were going to a celebration last night for hooking that big client?”

Did I remember? Absolutely not— that was when Cassandra had control of my body, dang— this was what she meant about saying yes to things and agreeing with people… living a double life didn’t really agree with me… much too complicated. “Yeah, sure. So?”

“Well, we were at the dinner, and-”

“And I started feeling really unwell. I mean I haven;t been feeling very well for months— I thought-” mom paused, “I thought it was to do with something else, but I was wrong...”

Wait— did she think it had something to do with our past? Was she finally going to admit that-

“I’m pregnant!” Mome pulled a pregnancy test out from a box she’d somehow hidden beside the stack of bacon, and waved the plus sign in my face.

“You’re going to be a big sister!”

If I hadn’t been sitting down, I probably would have fallen over. “Wha-, I mean congratulations!”

“Look Cass, I know this is probably just as much a shock for you as it is for us, but I hope you can eventually be excited.” Mom came around the island and gave me a big hug. “You’ll always be my number one bug.”

“And my number one too.” Ray added, grinning at us both from across the island.

“I just don’t know what to say! It’s not that I’m not pumped for you guys it’s just-” a massive surprise… “I’m happy for you.” I made sure to return my mom’s hug, “really, I am!” I tossed a smile at Ray, “wow— almost a seventeen year age gap. That’s-”

“Crazy? I know.” Mom released me and held me at arms length, grinning. “I never thought I’d want or need more than one, but I’m so grateful to be carrying another child.”

Suddenly my blood ran cold. Another child? “I really hope it’s a brother!” I tried to say with as much enthusiasm as I could, otherwise another generation of women would be haunted and cursed by Lucas— and my attempt to stop him from hurting my family by my plan with Cassandra wouldn’t work.

“Awwww babe, that’s so cute!” Mom squeezed my arm. “Come on, let’s eat breakfast, you want to grab plates, I’ll grab the utensils?”

I nodded, and grabbed the plates and put them out around the small table in our kitchen, mom followed me with the utensils and cups, as Ray brought over the food. It always felt awkward sitting here at this table, mainly because we almost never sat here. Mom or Ray usually used this table for their laptops as they worked from home, if they didn’t feel like using the office upstairs in the loft, or I would use it when I was studying, if I wanted a change of view from my bedroom desk… but eating here as a family? Mom brought over some orange juice and we all sat down.

Ray cleared his throat, “I’d like to give thanks.” He reached out and took my hand and my mom’s hand and gave them both a squeeze, then he lowered his head to pray.

I’d never known Ray or my mother to be even remotely religious, so this was a new experience for me. I closed my eyes and lowered my head, mostly because I didn’t want anyone to know how awkward I already felt.

“Thank you God, for this food, my family, and this amazing day. We lift up our grateful hearts for this blessing, an additional little Pirot to this family, and we ask for your protection over this little life— keep them safe, and bring them into this world healthy and strong. And thank you for these two women who are here to guide and love not just me, but this little human who I can’t wait to meet. Amen.” Ray gave our hands one more squeeze then released them, “Alright ladies, let’s dig in!”

‘Dig in’ was an understatement— I had never seen my mother eat so much, compliment the cooking— yes, even her own, so much or down orange juice like there was no tomorrow. I could only manage to eat a little of everything while not trying to feel like I was going to barf. Whatever Cassandra had fed me yesterday was NOT agreeing with my stomach. I drank three glasses of coffee, which only slightly helped my headache, and then I checked my phone— it was high past time that I liked to leave myself in order to get to school on time.

“Sorry mom, Ray— I have to get to school. I’ll see you both when I get home.” I pushed up off the chair and gave mom a hug, kissing the top of her head, and nodded at Ray.

“Of course sweetie.” Mom looked up at me before I had a chance to run away, “and how is your boyfriend? We haven’t seen too much of him or heard you talk about him in a while.”

Well, if that wasn’t the understatement of the year, I didn’t know what was. “He’s okay.” I lied. “We’re taking things slow.” Correction: I was trying to keep him at bay— but it was weird, I hadn’t had any dreams lately, or even seen him… which might be bad— he might be planning something, I’d have to ask Cassandra later.

“Good.” Mom cast Ray a warning glance, “slow is good.”

I felt a wave of nausea. “Yeah, I have to get to school. Bye.” I scooped up the gray purse and headed out of the house. It was seven thirty, homeroom was at eight— and it was a half an hour walk. I sighed, and made myself walk in the direction of the school even though my whole body was aching and the sun was making my headache worse. Several times I contemplated talking to Cassandra and asking her what was up, but then there were so many people around I didn’t want to look like a crazy person… Instead I pulled out my phone, and stared at Mel’s number. I doubted she was going to talk to me, but maybe she’d respond to my text. I typed, ‘guess what, my mom and Ray are having a baby!’ And hit send. Who knows, maybe, if I was lucky, Mels wasn’t still angry enough with me still to not reply to such crazy news. I put my phone away, and tried to think about something, anything else. I stared at storefronts as they opened for business or were getting ready to open for customers— so much of life is spent scurrying about from one thing to the next that people don’t really even stop to appreciate the beauty of the world around them, at least that’s what Cassandra would say.

A horn honked startling me, I jumped, then heard a familiar voice, “Morning Cass!” I turned around, there was Violet.

“Good morning, Violet!”

“Running late this morning?” I nodded, “Well, hop in, me too! We were up so late last night.” Again I nodded. “Thanks for being such a trooper and sticking it out!”

“It was a great time.” I mumbled back as I slid into the car.

“How are you feeling today?” Violet queried. “You don’t look so hot— you sure you want to come to class? Like I mean I know we have a pop quiz but-”

“Probably just a hangover, right?”

“Right.” Violet looked at me sideways. “Want some sunglasses?” I nodded again and Violet pulled some shades out from her glove compartment and handed them to me. “Anything else you noticed?”

“Food tastes off.”

“Hmmm… Yeah, I’ve heard that can happen, must still be-”

“What?”

“Oh nothing. Are you ready for the pop quiz? It will probably be on Enoch.”

Enoch? Who was he again? I closed my eyes to remember if I had read up on him, and I felt like I was spinning. I opened my eyes and stared out the window. “Enoch, yeah— the guy who never died, right?”

“That’s right.” Violet scanned her gate pass and the gate creaked open. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

I sighed as Violet pulled her car up the drive and into the parking lot. “Yeah, I mean my mom and Ray dropped some news on me at breakfast… but-” I bit my lip, no reason to drop my family drama on Violet. “I think I’ll be okay. I just feel weird, like different you know. Must be something I ate yesterday-”

“Or drank.” Violet threw in as she opened her door and got out of the car.

“Yeah, I guess.” I followed Violet into the school, we walked along quietly, Violet seeming miles away, deep in thought, but about what— I couldn’t tell you. Cassandra had said Irene and Violet were important parts of her plan to save my life, but I couldn’t see how. The hallways were just as dark as usual, but my eyes could make out more detail then they had ever been able to before in the dim light. I tried to shrug it off, especially when I realized I was still wearing the sunglasses. I pulled them off, “your shades… thanks.”

Violet smiled at me, “No problem, what don’t you keep them for later, seeing as you didn’t bring any and it’s going to probably still be sunny when we leave.”

I knew Violet was right, our summer days had come to an end, but it was still warm and sunny for autumn, with only a hint of chill in the air. This was usually my favorite season, when the leaves changed and pumpkin everything returned to every coffee shop under the sun— but this year had a sense of dread and finality to it. We turned the last corner and almost ran into our short professor, Mr. Flimheart, who was just in front of us making his way to the class with a giant briefcase.

“Would you like some assistance, professor?” Violet gently tapped Flimheart on the shoulder.

“Ahhh, Violet, thank you, but no— I am quite alright, I just have extra texts in my bag today, and am running a little behind on my own schedule.”

“Pop quiz today?” I asked nervously.

“Pop quiz? Hmmm, yes— I was going to do that, but something else came up, besides, Miss Pirot, if we did indeed have a pop quiz, I am sure you would have aced it.”

Well, that was kind of him. “Thank you sir.”

“Not at all, not at all…”

We headed into the classroom, where students were mingling already, chattering, and completely ignoring Violet, Flimheart and myself.

“No, I thought instead we would take a look at something entirely different today…” Flimheart hoisted his briefcase onto the lab desk and turned his marble eyes to stare at Violet and I, “and talk about metamorphosis.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, well, why don’t you two take your seats and our class will begin.”

Violet and I scrambled to our seats, Irene waving us over, and looking at Flimheart very suspiciously. “What was that about?” she whispered. Violet and I both shrugged as Flimheart began his first monotone lecture of the day.

“Good morning class. I know I promised many of you that we were going to be having a pop quiz today, however, I have changed my mind. Cassandra and Violet, would you please help pass out these books?”

Flimheart almost never asked for my help in class, he was always asking Violet or Irene or anyone else, other than myself to help when something came up, so I was a little shocked. Violet gave me a little nudge and I followed her to where Flimheart had been stacking the books he had pulled out of his briefcase. I took half the stack and Violet took the other half and we began to distribute the books. There was a picture of a butterfly on the front, but no text that I could see. Taking the last book for myself I returned to my seat, and flipped through the book, again a lot of pictures but almost no text. I could tell that I wasn’t the only one with questions, the nearly almost always silent classroom was abuzz with quiet murmurs and mumbles.

“Yes, I am sure that you all have questions.” Flimheart turned and wrote on the whiteboard in giant letters, ‘Metamorphosis.’ “Metamorphosis, what is it you may ask— or if you are a keener and like to ready the dictionary you might already know.” Flimheart turned and glared at me. “According to the Oxford dictionary, Metamorphosis is defined as the following; the process of transformation from an immature form to an adult form in two or more distinct stages.” He paused, “This obviously could refer to many things. We could discuss it within the confines of humanity, the stages of life— from birth; childhood to adolescence to adulthood. This is a metamorphosis of which you are all a part. But there is another definition; a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, but natural or supernatural forces.” Flimheart stopped speaking, and cleared his throat. “There are some things my pupils, which are exhibits of this kind of metamorphosis-” Flimheart’s voice dropped in volume, “and we know that these exhibits are technically forbidden.”

Violet squirmed beside me, I don’t know what made her so uncomfortable but something did.

“The supernatural is powerful, and it answers to no one, changing a ‘thing’ from the inside out to something completely different. This metamorphosis often leaves very little indicators on the outside that the ‘thing’ is changed, oh— there will be telltale signs, little things almost indistinguishable by eye, but felt deeply.”

I leaned in, what was Flimheart on about?

“Next week Acroft opens for regular classes. The school will be a wash with fresh students who are experiencing their own metamorphosis— their very first year here at Acroft, and students who, like yourselves are about to experience a different kind of metamorphosis as you get ready to graduate and leave the world of Acroft behind you. These are the big questions, the big changes who define who you are and who you are becoming. I expect all of you to show a big Acroft welcome to your newest members. Now… please open your texts to page fifteen. You will have thirty minutes to study and discuss with your desk partners pages fifteen to thirty, before we have a quiz on these insects and amphibians who experience metamorphosis. I have a meeting. Please excuse me.” Flimheart turned and made his way out of the classroom, where he met up with a man with blonde hair, who I caught staring at me before he and Flimheart disappeared from view, but not before I saw him point a finger at me, and ask Flimheart something.

“What’s going on Violet?” I whispered, as I opened my textbook to page fifteen, where a picture of a tadpole with drawings of how it slowly turned into a frog stared up at me. Violet shrugged, but I could tell something had shaken her. “Who was that talking to Flimheart?”

“Him?” Violet cast a look over her shoulder, “that was Pierre.”

“And who is he?”

“Pierre works for the Steinhearts.”

I would have asked more, but I was being shushed by some of the students behind me, I turned around to tell them to shove it, when I realized Topher was missing. “Vi-”

Violet pinched my arm and nodded at the desk, I looked down— she had written me a note. ‘Second day he has missed classes. Something’s up.’

‘What?’ I scribbled back.

‘Not sure, but nothing good.’ Violet hastily wrote, as Flimheart reentered the room.

“Class I thought I told you to discuss. Please, discuss the drawings and images, you now have twenty five minutes until your pop quiz.” The classroom sprung to life, as students began to share their opinions with their desk mates. Seeming satisfied, Flimheart again left the room.

Violet avoided my attempts to get her attention, or at least draw her attention away from discussing what was on the pages in front of us. I was beyond frustrated, not just because of my headache or aches and pains, but the fact that I had agreed with Cassandra to keep secrets from one another— that and the anxiety about my mom and Ray and their ‘little’ announcement.

“You see here on page fifteen,” Violet pointed at the page, clearly taking the leadership role in our group discussion, as Irene and I leaned in to stare at the amphibian in it’s metamorphosis into a frog, from tadpole onward, “That this frog began as an egg, then-”

“This is BORING.” Irene rolled her eyes. “Come on, there has to be something more interesting in this book— and WHY is Flimheart teaching us about frogs?”

“Irene, please! Listen, and for goodness sake, add something worth adding!”

Irene sighed, and snatched the book from Violet, flipping through the book, as Violet tried to snatch it back. “There has to be something interesting in here, and— OH!” Irene tossed the book, and it landed on Violet’s lap.

“Oh.” Violet whispered, her face going paler than normal. I leaned in, what could make Violet scared, or worried? There on the page was a picture of a person, with all their circulatory system and veins and heart drawn, with a picture of-

“Are those teeth?”

“Shhhh…” Violet closed the book. “Flimheart should never have brought this book here!”

“What could he be thinking?” Hissed Irene, glancing nervously over her shoulder.

“If Dean Melrose found out?” Violet and Irene locked eyes for a moment, both looking really uncomfortable.

“Guys, what is it?”

“What it is,” Violet pulled me in close and whispered in my ear, “it’s a diagram of how a human is turned into a vampire.”

I wanted to tell Violet that she was crazy— but I knew what I’d seen on the page I’d accidentally flipped to. I glanced over at Irene, who was nodding. “And he just— put them, these books, in the hands of his students?” Suddenly I had a sick feeling. I knew what kind of metamorphosis Flimheart had been referring to that was ‘illegal.’ “And is it legal for someone to turn a human into a vampire?”

Irene shook her head, “technically? You’d probably get away with it, if you were careful, but the council outlawed it. It’s one of the reasons there are so few of us left.”

“Yes, the council turns a blind eye to that— but this?” Violet grabbed all three books from our desk and walked up to Flimheart’s podium, stepping behind the long teaching desk. “Alright class, Irene and Cassandra will be collecting your books— please pass them to the end of your row for collection.”

A few hands shot up all around the classroom, as I could almost hear the students’ silent complaint that it hadn’t been twenty minutes yet.

“I know its a few minutes early,” Violet continued, “but honestly, if you can’t describe the metamorphosis of an amphibian, butterfly, or beaver by now, then you aren’t really smart enough to be in this class.”

I could already hear books being passed to the end of rows of desks. I nodded at Violet and then with Irene, I began to collect the books which Violet put immediately into Flimheart’s black suitcase and closed with a loud bang, before ensuring that the locks were clasped. Violet returned to her seat in between Irene and I, and the room soon was awash in quiet murmurs.

“Let’s hope,” Violet hissed once more people were talking, “that no one else saw what we saw.”

Flimheart soon returned, with a stack of papers that he distributed to the class, our ‘pop quiz.’ I turned over the paper, and scanned the quiz— it was actually really simple, a thirty question multiple choice, on exactly what had been on pages fifteen through thirty. I glanced up at Flimheart, he was scowling, reading something he had pulled out of a large manila envelope, he looked up and for a brief second we locked eyes, if you could call staring into two marbles locking eyes… I couldn’t read an emotion there, in his blank marble eyes, but I could tell from his body posture and the scowl on his face that he was frustrated and displeased with whatever he was reading. I quickly filled out the multiple choice quiz, knowing that I was going to ace this stupid thing, and wondered if I should write down what I had seen in the pages we weren’t supposed to read— for extra credit. I sighed, almost sure that it had been Flimheart’s personal agenda to make sure at least one person had read or seen the picture of the human being transitioned into a vampire.

“Bored Cassandra?” Flimheart’s voice cut through the silence of shuffling papers and pencils filling in multiple choice bubbles.

I shook my head, and flipped my quiz over, indicating I was finished.

“Thought not.” Flimheart mumbled and went back to reading his papers. “If you haven’t finished your tests in the next minute, there is no hope of guessing the answers. Please hand your tests down to the end of your row and I will come collect them. We will have our ten minute break early today.” Flimheart stood, putting the stack of papers he had been reading back into the manila envelope, then stuffing the envelope into his briefcase on top of the stack of books making sure the lock clicked into place. No one moved as Flimheart walked down the side of the classroom and collected the quizzes, but as soon as he had reached the back of the room, and had all the quizzes in hand, the room sprung to life students filing out quickly, as if they couldn’t wait to leave, even Violet and Irene fled— within seconds I was the only student still in the classroom. “Ahhh, Cassandra, our little enigma.” Flimheart frowned, as he shuffled back to his desk, and looked down on me from his teaching pulpit. “I hope you found something interesting in the texts this morning, other than of course, the simple things which I am sure you already knew.”

So, it had been Flimheart’s goal for-

“Yes, it was for your benefit.” Flimheart cleared his throat, “you have attracted all kinds of interest Cassandra— be careful. What I showed you is a warning of things to come.”

Things to come? “Sorry, professor, I’m not sure I understand.” I tried to laugh, but it came out not the way I wanted to. “I don’t know who you’ve been talking to— maybe some prophet or seer is it?”

“Yes, yes I have, more like reading prophecies, and talking to key players. You are much more than you seem.”

“But I’m just Cassandra, and I’m nothing, if a boring, albeit very studious, human.” I argued back, hoping to avoid conversations about fallen angels and having death babies. I squirmed, suddenly understanding why Violet and Irene had screamed as soon as they were able.

“No.” Flimheart blinked. “You are not,” Flimheart coughed, which looked very strange because of his unblinking marble-like eyes. “Today you are excused from classes. Go report to Dean Melrose office, where you have been requested by a prominent guest, and remember Miss Pirot, caution. You are on a path that slides into oblivion.”

I shivered, something about his words. And what prophecy? I was just a normal girl with a cursed family, but a human girl.

“Go.” Flimheart said again but this time more sternly.

I stood very shakily, and turned tail, practically jogging, if not sprinting down the hallway and out the building, gasping for air as if I was drowning. I stood in the Autumn sun for a moment, it was still warm but already I could sense a chill in the air— as the seasons were on the brink of change. I looked around, what would it be like next week when as Flimheart said, all the rest of the students returned to Acroft? Feeling the creepy feelings leave me as I stood in the sun, I took a deep breath, I was a Pirot woman, and we were strong, independent and— and Dean Melrose was probably waiting for me in his office. I forced my legs to move, one step at a time before I ran away and chickened out. I walked into the new school building, it was so quiet here, the only thing I could hear was my own breathing. I hadn’t been back to Dean Melrose office since Ray and I had been here for my interview to get into Acroft, and my memory of that day, and of that young doctor with red hair was still pretty burnt into my brain. I peeked into open classrooms and tried to picture them full of students, but all I could see was Gusto’s diner filled with monster-like people.

I shook myself, “come on Cass. You’ve dealt with much worse things in the past, besides, we make our own futures.” At least I was going to try. I turned into the office, and almost jumped when I realized a short squat woman was seated behind the secretary’s desk. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize anyone was here!”

The woman looked up from the desk, her brown eyes looked me up and down from head to toe, and she tucked a piece of blonde hair behind her ear, as she smirked. “Ah, the infamous Cassandra. Welcome, Dean Melrose is waiting for you.”

Infamous? I wasn’t infamous.

“This way,” she gestured, buzzing open the door that led into the back offices.

“Thanks, I mumbled, and went through the door, which seemed to slam shut behind me. The dark hallway wasn’t as quiet as it had been the last time, lights shone out off open offices, and I could hear voices within several as I walked by, peering in as much as I could, trying to get a peek of any of the professors, or staff I could. I wasn’t as lucky as I’d hoped, only really catching a glance of doctor Gristman talking to someone who’s back was to me— but I knew she’d spotted me because she walked over to the door and slammed it as I passed by. It felt like the hallway was longer than before, like it had taken me ages to walk down it, but I knew my mind was playing tricks on me, that I’d probably only taken at least fifty steps from the start of the hallway till I was standing at Dean Melrose office door. I raised my hand to knock, but the door swung open before I’d even managed an attempt at knocking.

“Cassandra!” Dean Melrose’s voice boomed in the empty hall, “come in, come in. We’ve been waiting for you.”

I stepped into the office, the dean closing it behind me. I nervously glanced around the room, wondering who the ‘we’ was that dean Melrose had been referring to, but I didn’t see anyone.

“Sorry for dilly dallying.” I murmured, as I continued to scan the room.

“Not a problem, not a problem at all my dear.” Dean Melrose walked over to his desk and took a seat, motioning that I should join him. I uneasily walked further into the office and took a seat across from him in one of the chairs set out for guests. “Don’t worry, you’re not— well, not in trouble.” The dean smiled at me, but I could sense he was putting on his best behavior, acting very polite and civil, which he normally was, but this was so so much more. “And how are you finding your classes?”

“Sorry dean— but I thought you had a guest I was to meet?”

“You are such a direct young lady.” Melrose chuckled. “Alright, enough of the formalities. Uhum.” Melrose’s smiling face turned quite serious, “Cassandra, how old are you?”

I stared at Melrose, was he serious? He knew how old I was.

“Please, Cassandra, just answer the question.”

“I’m almost seventeen.”

“You’re certain, you aren’t older?”

“I would know.” I choked out.

“Then how is it-” A voice I didn’t recognize came from somewhere in the room, “that your aura is saying you are thousands of years old?”

So, there was someone else here, but where? Again I looked around, but I saw nothing and no one else in the room.

“I’m not! And if you believe in auras-”

“Don’t lie to me Cassandra. I was there, I know you.”

Something in me flickered to life, begging to be released, again I felt nauseous, my head pounding. At first I wasn’t quite sure what was screaming at me until I realized that it was Cassandra. Not now, this was bad. “Perhaps you just think I look familiar because I am the spitting image of my original ancestor, Cassandra, I even have her namesake. BUT, I promise you— I am a human girl, a sixteen year old, human girl. Nothing more.”

“There, see, Pierre? What did I tell you? You’re wrong.” Melrose relaxed in his char a little, loosening his tie, and letting out a sigh.

Pierre? The man who had been talking to Flimheart?

“Careful.” Cassandra whispered in the back of my mind.

I wanted to ask her who Pierre was, but I didn’t have the patience to try to communicate with her via my thoughts right now.

“Ahhhh, there you are.” Pierre’s voice came out so softly I could have sworn it was the wind speaking, but even as the words slid from his lips, Pierre stepped out from behind Melrose ’large armchair he had been lounging in behind his desk. I almost jumped, Melrose and Pierre could have been brothers, they were very similar in height and their features were almost an exact match. His brown eyes stared into mine, but not at me, almost as if he could see Cassandra’s soul hidden within my own, and I realized after a moment that was what he was doing. “Come out, court out where-ever you are.” Pierre sang in a menacing way.

“Cass, I have to talk to him.”

“I don’t really have a choice, do I?”

“No.”

“No.” Pierre said at the exact same time as Cassandra.

I sighed, “one second.” I released control back to Cassandra, but stayed close to the surface as she again took control of my body. Pierre might want to talk to Cassandra, but I wanted to know what they talked about.

“Hello Cassandra, daughter of Eve.”

I heard Melrose gasp from where he sat, clearly having had no idea that I’d had Cassandra’s consciousness in my mind this whole time. He straightened in his chair, and clenched the edge of his desk as if it were a lifeline.

“Pierre,” Cassandra hissed, “what does the servant of Silvaneous Steinheart want this time?”

“I am no one’s servant.” I watched Pierre take a menacing step towards Cassandra, as if I was watching TV, not as if it was happening to me, I’d noticed that lately, that whenever Cassandra took control of me she was getting stronger, had more ability to shut me out or push me away— it made me afraid she was thinking about keeping my body and allowing my soul to die instead of hers, but at least the headache was gone and I didn’t feel nauseous at all.

“Brother.” Melrose grabbed Pierre’s arm, “please, this situation-”

“No longer requires your attention.” Pierre cast a glance at Melrose as if he were just another annoyance. “Leave. Don’t you have classes to prepare for?”

Melrose withdrew his hand as if Pierre had bitten it, “Remember to whom you speak, mixed blood.” Melrose hissed, “I-”

“You what? You’re lucky you have such Pure blood? Is that it?”

Clearly the brothers had some kind of issue, but not even Cassandra seemed to want to figure it out, “SILENCE!” Cassandra shouted, and both Pierre and Melrose shut up, fast. I was amazed at her confidence, a human shouting at vampires. “Pierre, you clearly wanted to talk, so talk. What are you even doing here?”

“I am here on the behalf of my patron, Marcus Steinheart.” Pierre paused and raised an eyebrow as he took Cassandra in, watching for something…. hadn’t Cassandra mentioned a man named Marcus to me at some point? Maybe I was going crazy— but no, I felt her bristle, even though I was just a consciousness in my own body. “Yes, on the behalf of Marcus Steinheart. His two eldest are to begin school here next fall.”

“Again,” Cassandra flipped some hair over her shoulder, “why did you want to speak to me?”

“Because I saw you, I had to know— and I had to warn you.”

“Warn me?”

Oh oh, this was bad.

“Warn me about what?”

“To stay away from Marcus, Silvaneous demands it.”

“Oh, he does, does he? And-”

“And it doesn’t matter.” Pierre laughed, “all this time, I knew you were a-”

“LANGUAGE!” Melrose howled, “this is still a school.”

“Fine. It doesn’t matter, that’s why.” Pierre grabbed Cassandra’s arm, and poked the spot where Lucas’ mark had burnt my skin. “You don’t have much time do you?”

Cassandra ripped her arm, my arm away from Pierre. “That is none of your business.”

“Same old Cassandra, getting involved with the Nephilim scum even after everything— you’d still pick death.” Pierre laughed, but it was a bleak laugh. “After everything that you put Marcus through…”

Cassandra launched at Pierre screaming bloody murder, but it didn’t seem to do anything to him. He laughed, and pushed her away, I felt myself falling, and suddenly I was floating in darkness. Cassandra had pushed me out— into the void. I sighed. Hopefully Cassandra would catch me up, not that she was much for sharing.

I felt Cass’ presence fall away from me as I pushed her into the recesses of her own mind. Cass couldn’t know about Marcus, she couldn’t know what Silvaneous or Pierre had done— that was my pain and my secret. I screamed and launched myself at Pierre, but he threw my very human form backwards, and I would have hit the ground if Melrose hadn’t caught me.

“Enough!” Melrose panted pulling my body up into a standing position as I leaned against his cold suit clad form. “Get out of my school, and don’t come back.”

Pierre growled, but didn’t argue, he cast one more menacing look over his shoulder, opened the office door and strode from the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

“I am so sorry,” Melrose walked me to a chair and sat me down, “if I had known he meant to attack you or the emotions he would bring up I would never-”

“It’s okay.” It was anything but okay. He had threatened me, called me a whore, without calling me a whore and then had proceeded to imply that I had a death wish, that I would always choose death over life. “I’m sorry dean, but is it true? You and Pierre, are brothers? How?”

“Oh, that.” Melrose sighed, and sat on the chair opposite me, “It’s a long story. Pierre’s father married a vampire back in the day, but he was taken out of this world before my mother had any of us— his father is human. But those born from original human and vampire couplings were born Pureblood, I didn’t find Pierre until, well— I can’t remember how many hundreds of years ago— when he was brought back and turned in France… but I digress. You would do well to heed his warning.”

“So Silvaneous still walks the earth?”

Melrose looked uncomfortable, “He calls himself Silvaneous, yes, and it is him— but to those who are naive he has convinced them that he is a mere three hundred years old-”

“And that was what I sensed, something has gone wrong with time.” It was worse than I had imagined. “What did he say happened to his ancestors?”

“Dead. In the war.”

“All lies?”

“From what I know. But— Cassandra, not very many have this knowledge… and it is dangerous. I have seen many supernatural beings die just knowing he is alive… the war, he timelocked-”

“Yes, I see.” I stood, I was glad I had sent Cass deep into the recesses of her consciousness, this way she wouldn’t, couldn’t know or get us killed. “Time locked. How? That would require great penance, or sacrifice or-”

“Magic? Ha. I have tried to suss it out since I was young. It isn’t magic. It is older than magic.”

My head snapped up, “older than magic? You don’t mean…”

“He made a deal with the angels? I don’t know, they all went back into heaven or their locked locations to prepare for armageddon.”

I shivered. “But this is just a whisper?”

“Cassandra, why are you here? Why now? Who called you to this girl’s consciousness?”

I wanted to tell him it was Lucifer, but he already knew too much. “That, friend, is a secret I will take to my grave.” Melrose looked disappointed, as he should, but that was all he was getting from me. “I have a plan, but in order for it to unfold I must die.”

Melrose stood, “die? So you really plan on allowing whichever Nephilim marked you to impregnate you? Cassandra— you are-”

“Not really going to die. Just be reborn.” Good, Cass had brought her gray purse with her. I popped it open, and found Mark’s number, but quickly thought better of it. “What do you know about Topher Farrelli?”

“Oh please, tell me he isn’t the one.”

“He is not.” I was glad my sons hadn’t taken a human life or was it mate they called it these days… “But I need to get a hold of him.”

“Why?”

“Trust me, it’s better if I don’t tell you. Can you tell him to meet me outside Gustos?”

“If I must.” I tossed Melrose a withering look, and he walked over to his desk and pulled out a phone book from the top desk drawer. “Farrelli, Tohper… let’s see.” Melrose pulled a small silver flip phone from his pocket and dialed, “Ah, Christopher. Pleasure to hear your disgruntled voice as always. I have one Cassandra Pirot here requesting you to meet her at Gustos in-” I held up both hands, “ten minutes… good? Excellent, I’ll tell her.” Melrose hung up the phone. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

Oh, I did. “Yes, I do.”

“And will you tell him who you are?”

“No. He can’t know, not yet.”

“And your plan?”

I felt the vampire blood in my veins, quickening, bonding with my original blood. “Oh, isn’t it obvious? I’m the beautiful butterfly setting a trap.” It was time to change things up, set some rules in my favor. I was emerging from my cocoon.