Cassandra Cassandra Farrelli: Scarlet Women Book 1

I paced in front of this so-called diner, Gustos. This area of town was sketchy, but I had chosen this meeting place for a reason. Cass had been thinking about it one day when she was dreaming, a man, but not a man— a prophet, is what she had called him. I had known exactly what of Cass spoke, a seer. I peered down the covered walkway, the way that Cass had described this man was more of a thing than human, but I saw him at once, on his knees praying, wearing the burlap garb that had become associated with those who were devout, those who were set apart for God’s work. I looked around, it wasn’t always good luck to be noticed talking to a seer— it either meant you had a problem you couldn’t fix and needed supernatural, spiritual advice or you had been caught by them as you passed by and given unwanted and unwarranted advice.

“Ahhh, daughter of Eve, hail and peace be to you.” The old man’s voice cut through the stale air, making crisp sounds as he enunciated, like the crisp sounds of something snapping or breaking. I shuddered, I should run the other way, but Pierre and Melrose had both spoken about a prophecy, and I couldn’t just ignore it. If it was more than a coincidence that my last descendant had asked for me to be the one to return to guide her, and unwittingly used my evil husband to do it, then I needed to know. What exactly was my role in all of this anyways? And to what end?

“Greetings of peace, oh wise one, teller of truth, speaker of doom— anointed one.”

The seer stood from his stooped posture, and met my eyes with his own blank stare. That was the other creepy thing I’d always found about seers— one of the things that marks them? Their blindness, blindness turned inward to open the unknown. I bit my lip to stop from screaming as the old one took my hand in his weatherly grip. “You who are doomed to die, to live— you have come with many questions, but I will only answer one.”

I almost yanked my arm away, dying to shout so many things, like ‘one, really?’ And variations of that question, but I had to be wise, when the seer said one, he usually meant only one. I took a deep breath, okay, so what one question? “Where are the prophecies about me kept?”

“Ahh, therein is the key— you have chosen well, daughter of Eve.” The seer pulled me close, his hot breath and thick beard scratching and offending my face with their closeness and odors. “You must go to the place that of it is said, the eye of the needle,”

Great. A riddle?

“A place where many kings and emperors have fought, a place where sits power, and many names. Yes, it is the connecting point of what was once considered the whole known world,” his hand released me. “There, you will find the scrolls, hidden in the rocks with other ancient religious texts. Go to the monks in black…” The seer sunk down into his bent over prayer posture, facing the east.

I wanted more, but for now I filed that away in my brain. And how was I supposed to travel anywhere, what with my impending doom? I sighed, it wasn’t useless information, I’d just have to figure it into my rules and regulations that I set down when I met with Lucas. Not that I had a giant list anyways— I again glanced around, no one— good, that was very good, it wouldn’t do to have Christopher see me with a see, and at last I had some answers to my question, why was I here? I was here because it had been prophesied, which also made me feel ill. So, my family was always supposed to have been killed off slowly but Lucifer? I sighed, and walked away from the seer, and back to where the entrance of this diner was. A blue mini pulled into the ally, just across the way, and Christopher, my son, bundled out, looking fierce. I sighed, how was it that he had received so much of his father’s good looks, but only his bad traits— impatience, pig headedness… he was a-”

“Cassandra. You wanted to talk, so I’m here. What is it?”

I wondered if he could see in my eyes, the way that Pierre had, if he could guess who I was. “Christopher,” I whispered, “The patron saint for those who are in need of protection.”

I saw him pause, he looked at me again, and blinked a few times. “I’m sorry, but what?”

“Only that you are aptly named.” I sighed, it was clear that Christopher, or Topher as he was going by these days, had been shaped into a weapon of destruction and chaos by his father. “Shame.” I looked away, for fear he would see how this knowledge hurt my heart.

“What do you want, Cassandra?”

“Take me to your father. It’s time we talked.”

“Cassandra-”

“Christopher, please.”

“Very well, follow me.” Topher headed back across the alley, not even stopping to see if I was in fact following him and opened up the passenger door of his mini, “after you.”

I slid into the car, ignoring my heart, screaming to tell him that he was my son— that the anger and bitterness he felt towards women was not going to save him in the end. No, in the end he would become just as evil as Lucifer with his black wings and corrupted heart.

Topher started the car, “is something wrong Cass?” I noticed the way his voice softened just a little, perhaps he was still not beyond saving. The car pulled out of the alley, and Topher turned us onto the main road, taking us back into the city, towards St. Mary’s Cathedral, which I could already see in the distance.

“I have some terms that I would like to lay down for your father.”

“Terms?” Topher turned the car onto a side street— we were very close to St. Mary’s now, a few more turns and we’d be just outside the cemetery.

“Yes.”

Topher put the car in park on the side of the road, “not sure my ‘dad’ is big on giving terms.”

“He’s not called the angel of light for no reason.” I muttered as Topher got out of the car and ran around to open my door.

“Sorry, what’s that?”

I stood, frozen on the spot. I had seen the cemetery in Cass’ dreams, but standing here was another story. I could feel the souls of many of my daughters weeping as they laid buried beneath the ground. “Nothing.” I whispered, forcing myself to dethaw— if I couldn’t pull myself from this spot where I was rooted, then Christopher was going to know something was wrong, and I still didn’t want him to figure out who I was. “Where’s Mark these days?”

“He-” Topher spat, “is struggling with the fact that he has to watch you live out your final days, and that you have to die. So, he’s spending a lot of time with the humans, and vamps who can stand him. He’s out there denying the fact that this is who we are.”

We walked through the grass, entering the sacred ground of the cemetery. “What about you? It doesn’t bother you knowing that I am probably going to die?” I stared at the gravestones as we walked down the long aisle that led right to St Mary’s Cathedral— this was the oldest row of tombstones, dating all the way back to the sixteen hundreds.

“Oh it bothers me.” Christopher murmured, “but I don’t see how else our species can survive.”

“And yet, you haven’t taken a mate?” I paused and looked up at my son, “perhaps you don’t think you-”

“Let’s not keep father waiting.” Christopher cut me off, but not before I saw the hesitation on his face.

“Will you tell me why?”

“It isn’t our fault.” Topher started walking faster, “it’s the women, it’s the thought of love. I don’t claim to want to hurt anyone, and yet just my touch can mark some innocent, mark her for death. So— I shall never love.”

“Oh, but my darling,” I whispered as he moved just out of hearing, “you can’t stop falling in love.” God knew, I thought as I looked upward, I hadn’t been able to stop falling in love over and over again, regardless of the pain, the brokenness and the certain death— at the end of it all. I looked ahead and knew he hadn’t heard me, so I ran to catch up. “So you plan to hate all your life?”

We exited the cemetery, and were almost at the heavy wooden door of the church. “If that’s what keeps me from being a monster, I will always choose hate.” He pushed open the doors and the air from the church spilled out like angry bees when they were disturbed. “Be careful in your demands of my father, he’s not one for being soft.”

Oh, but he would be with me, and I knew it. This was, afterall his last chance at getting his disgusting hands on me. I didn’t reply but instead followed Topher into the church— I could see past echoes of a battle happening here, I couldn’t tell how long ago. They were fighting, all the supernaturals, over, a locket? The vampires, the Fae, the shapeshifters and werewolves... Why were they fighting over a locket? I paused in the center of the church and looked up— someone had painted Eden as it once was… my mother was there, my father… me, my brothers— and the snake, and the flaming sword… it was all there. I let out a little gasp, someone had painted me wearing the golden locket that I’d seen in the echoes of the battle, it had been painted so it was glowing, pure golden light rippled out of the painting of the locket, so real it almost hurt my eyes.

“Careful, it’s best not to look into the sun.” Topher whispered reverently as he took my arm.

“The sun?”

Tother shook his head, “It’s what my father calls it. It’s special, he told me, linked somehow to the original Cassandra.”

I feigned disinterest, “Oh?”

“That’s all I know.” Topher shrugged. “It was here, now it’s gone. We don’t know where. It was the item many supernaturals fought over.”

“Why?”

Topher had walked up the steps to the pulpit, and pushed on a white tile that almost looked like it was falling off the step, a portion of the floor slid away and revealed a passage down into the ground. More stale air rose up to meet us, I shivered, great— just wanted to head underground where demons walked.

“On that point I am not super clear, father mentioned it has something to do with the beginning of the end.”

“Well, that’s not ominous at all.” I hissed as Topher disappeared into the stairway descending into the earth.

“Coming?”

Well, nothing for it, Cassandra— you came here of your own will, and you will stand firm. “Yeah, I’m coming.” I took a few tenuous steps down the stairs, so far so good, the stairs hadn’t fallen apart, nor had the earth split open to devour me.

Topher was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. “Come on, I promise we aren’t mole people.” He rolled his eyes at me, and I made myself walk the rest of the way down into the dark.

It was cool down here, and beautiful. Marble columns, beautifully painted frescos— tapestries hanging from walls… I stared at every sight, as Topher kept guiding me, and when I stopped too long to stare at something, grabbed my arm and gently tugged me forward. Soon we were lost in a maze of passageways that seemed endless.

“Here we are,” Topher’s voice cut the silence and stillness of the air like a knife, he gestured through the open door, “my father is waiting, good luck.”

I walked in through the open door into a strange room that looked like it have been torn into two— half the space had what looked like a science lab feel, complete with a metal table to dissect things on, the other appeared a comfy seating area with upholstered couches and armchairs with bookshelves and a fireplace. Lucifer was seated on one of the armchairs reading a book, his red eyes skimming the page as his pale skin flickered with his dancing tattoos— he looked up as I entered, but I looked away, not able to meet his demon eyed gaze.

“My love.” There was the sound of fluttering and then he was there, his arms around me. I grimaced and almost threw up. I was going to need to find the strength to go through with all this— because he would know if I was faking it.

“Lucas,” I murmured as I pulled away, knowing he liked this fake name over his real one. I made myself smile at him and then gave his arms a gentle squeeze while also removing them from myself, I found my way to an armchair and sat.

“Christopher tells me you would like to chat?”

I nodded, and pointed at the armchair across from me, “yes, please sit. It’s time we talked over terms,”

“Terms?”

“Rules.”

“Ahhh— and what would those be?” Lucifer asked as he made his way to the chair I was still pointing at and sat.

“I will marry you.” I held up a finger, as Lucifer almost started to speak, “but— on these terms.”

“Very well, what are the terms?”

“No more nightmares for Cass.”

“But-”

“Darling, I lived in that pit for six thousand years— it’s not romantic, it’s terrifying. I know you built that black tower for me, but I hate it. Stop. Stop now.”

“I’d already given her some space, but— alright, I won’t resume the dreams-”

“Or the visions during the day.”

“Fine. What else?”

“You give her her last year, let her graduate, say goodby to this human world and her life and friends, properly, don’t come by the house, leave her alone. She knows she has to be with you, I am making her see that.”

“And you, what do you want?”

Yes, what did I want? “I have terms for Cass that I have already started to lay down-” hanging out with Violet and Irene for starters… but Lucifer didn’t need to know that.

“And I ask again, what about you Cassandra?”

“I want to see you in white wings when you take me, and no red eyes… but blue, like the sky. I want to travel and see some of this modern world before it is my time, my last time…” the hook was set, would he take it? “You know how much I love sunshine and nature and the wild winds.”

“Yes, I do my love, but travel? Travel where?”

I thought about the seer’s riddle, where indeed? “I want to go to the oldest city, the eye of needle-”

“Istanbul? Why didn’t you say? The markets still smell of ancient and bizarre, and-”

“So you will take me?”

“It is not as safe as I would like to take you there… Perhaps Greece? We could get a boat, sail the seas that you love so much!”

“Can we not do both?” Was I pushing my luck? Why didn’t Lucifer want to go there?

“You really want this?”

“With all my heart.” I tossed in my happiest grin, hoping to charm him.

“I suppose… but we will have to be careful. The inner council still sits underneath Istanbul.”

Ah, that was what he was afraid of. The vampire council that was formed at the start of the war. I didn’t know much about the council, only that it was formed to defeat the fallen, and that every supernatural in one last act of defiance had banded together despite their differences to throw everything they had at the fallen. The council had worked with the angels who were still on the earth in those days— but I hadn’t lived till the end of the war, so what happened afterwards was a mystery to me. I had no idea they were still around— but if they were, there had to be a reason, and part of that reason was their whole mantra about freeing the world from the Nephilim, who were snatching women’s left, right and center back in my day.

“They mustn’t know I am there, my love.”

“Of course not, my dear.” I cooed, “we will be swift as eagles,” and if I happened to gain more knowledge about them in my digging, all the better for me.

“And deadly as vipers.” Lucifer finished.

Nope. No, no, no… always no to the snake imagery. “Of course.” I stood. “I look forward to seeing you,” or not seeing you at all, “in a few months.”

“Leaving already?” Lucifer stood quickly.

“Unless you want my sons to realize who I am.” Lucifer froze, “yes, I know Mark and Christopher are my children, and thus far I am willing to look past how you have turned them into nothing more than weapons of your hate, but I will tell them who I am if you do anything that displeases me or breaks the items we have discussed here today.”

Cassandra, I-”

“Save it, I don’t want to hear any more lies.” I hissed. The picture of the locket popped into my head, “before I go— I saw a very interesting picture painted on the ceiling of St Mary’s… I was there in the garden with my family, but I had this necklace on…”

“Out of the question. I refuse to talk about-”

“Mark? Topher, you around?” I called out as loudly as I could, even though the sound of everything seemed to be dampened here, this far below ground.

“Alright, alright. What do you want to know?”

“Why do you call it the sun?”

“It is pure light. It is a form preserved from the heavens, but not of the angels…”

“Wait— it’s a being?”

“Yes, a being of light— pure before corruption, sealed off from this world except in dreams, or on days the veils of the world are at their thinnest— but it is a caveat.”

“How so?”

“There shall be light, and there shall be darkness-”

Yes, and day and night, my parents had told me the story over and over again, the creation of the world… “And neither can exist at the same time.” Suddenly it dawned on me, this being of light that was tied to me, it was the downfall for Lucifer and if I was able to get my hands on it and the prophecy...

“But it was lost,”

“In the war?”

Lucifer glared at me, clearly not liking where this conversation was headed. “I think it is time for you to go. I look forward to seeing you again, my love.” Lucifer strode from the room while pulling a phone out of his pocket, “I’ll call Topher to take you home.”

I would have gloated, done a dance, laughed, cried— with the wins and information I had gathered successfully today, but before I could even explore the room after Lucifer left, Christopher was already there and ready to escort me back the way we’d come, as if I would have ever found the way out by myself. I was utterly relieved when we finally emerged from the underground into the church, even this dusty air had more life in it then the caverns below.

“I take it you were successful with your rules and terms?” Topher glanced sideways at me, clearly noticing the shift in my mood.

“Yes.”

“Cassandra, I am, I am truly glad for you. I make it no secret to say I am sorry your life will be cut short.”

My heart squeezed in my chest a little hearing Christopher even admit the smallest amount of empathy. “Thank you, Christopher. When I am gone, please hold on to your humanity.”

“I will try.”

We left the church behind us, and I felt more free to wander through the cemetery now that we were no longer rushed. I stopped at each of the graves of my ancestor’s who were buried here. I let myself cry as I felt their pain, and whispered prayers of love, hope and protection over their tormented souls.

“I didn’t realize you were so religious.” Christopher muttered when we finally left the cemetery behind us and got back into his little blue car.

“I am not.” I wiped away the last few tears, “I do not understand this word— religious. I-” I stopped myself, I had almost revealed something about my life that would have given away that I was the original Cassandra, and his mother. “I’m sorry, it’s not that I don’t understand this word, I just really don’t like it. I like to think of myself as someone who has a relationship with-” but I didn’t, did I? God had cursed me. I didn’t have a relationship with him, and now I was choosing of my own free will to become a vampire, also a thief of the tree of life… that was as cursed as- “lets just say, I’d like to have a relationship with God, over ritualistic ceremony and whatever is encompassed by the word religion.”

“Sure. I guess.” Christopher nodded as if he understood everything I was saying, but I knew he hadn’t. I looked out the window and watched the world pass by, people and places, buildings of stone… people who didn’t know that the devil lived below them under a church so very close by. Soon we were weaving through streets I recognized from my walk to Acroft, and Topher was pulling the car up in front of Cass’ house. “Well, this is your stop,” he paused for a second, “look, please take care of yourself. And I’ll see you around soon.”

“Are you going to be lurking from the shadows?”

“Nope. That’s not my job.” He grinned, “And Mark’s too busy playing hooky. I might be taking up my post again next year at Acroft, give Mark a break. It has been a few years.”

I nodded, “Well, you just do what’s best for you.” I got out of the car, “and you make sure to stay as human as possible.”

“Right, I’ll give it a go.”

I smiled, and closed the door, waving over my shoulder before heading up the steps to Cass’ place. I pulled the house key out and let myself inside. I could hear Mariah and Ray laughing from the great room, I didn’t want to face them, and why not let them be joyful for a while longer, before their daughter went missing and died. Instead I made my way to Cass’ room, where I flopped back on the bed, as the cell phone started to ring. Great— was Mark calling or that girl, Mel? How did Cass talk to her anyways? Apparently they were best friends… I pulled the phone out of the gray purse, and flipped it open.

“Hello?”

“Ahhhh I got her!” Violet’s voice sounded somewhat far away, “Hi Cassandra!”

“Hi Violet, what’s up?”

“Feel like joining Irene and I at Plumanara?”

Did I ever! “YES! After the day I’ve had?”

“Amazing, Irene and I are already in the neighborhood, ready in five? I can’t wait to hear about your day.”

I heard the implication in her voice, could she sense that I was Cassandra not Cass? “Of course, I have so much news.”

“Good news?”

“Yes, the best.” I paused, “You better catch Cass up tomorrow before class though.”

“Of course. I’ll pick her up, but it’s you right now, isn’t it?”

“If you mean Cassandra, daughter of Eve, then yes. Can you tell?”

“Oddly, I can. There’s something different in your tone, just different enough that I can pinpoint it.”

“Good.” I got up and threw open the wardrobe, “Also, I desperately need to go shopping.”

Violet laughed, “We can definitely do that soon. See you in like three mins.”

“Kay, bye.” I hung up the phone and stared at the closet, well I guess I’d just have to pick the best from what I had and go from there. I reached in and closed my eyes, whatever I grabbed was what I was going to wear. “Eeeeeeee….” I pulled and opened my eyes at the same time, and was strangely comforted— it was a white summer dress, not nearly as fancy as I was sure Irene and Violet were, but it was plain and simple, elegant— white gathered cap sleeves, scooped neck, scooped back, fitted waist and flaring out into a bell skirt that hit my mid thigh. I squealed and quickly changed, already hearing a knock on the door. “I got it!” I called as I threw the purse to cross myself and ran down the hall toward the front door. “Going out! Be back soon!” Plumanara here I come!

I slipped out the door, and skipped down the stairs breathing in the cool evening air, and saw the limo already waiting along the curb, Irene and a Violet hanging out the door, music spilling from the inside of the limo. I felt for the first time since arriving in this strange world and being brought back from death, a sense of belonging and comfortability in this skin. I felt a laugh bubble up from inside me, from the depths of my being as I watched Violet and Irene bobbing to the music. Perhaps I could adapt to living in this modern unfamiliar world after all. Letting the laughter spill from within me, I ran to the limo and joined my friends. Who knew that Cassandra, daughter of Eve, could even make friends? Definitely not me, but I had to admit, my life was better for having them in it. I had been alone for too long, kept people and even my own thoughts at bay, it was time to live, and let people in— to learn to love again.

“It’s early! Are we heading straight to the club?”

Violet shook her head, and looked over at Irene, who grinned. “I made an appointment with my favorite tattoo artist, no pressure, Vi is getting something small, I’m getting something small and they said if all three of us were getting something roughly the same size that they would only charge one fee— which I don’t mind paying, but you have to know what you want…”

“Tattoos?” Well that was a little bit of a shock. I looked at Irene and Violet with new eyes and realized they both were pretty inked up, but Violet’s tattoo’s were moving, living— like a birthmark, whereas Irene’s were not. I grabbed Violet’s arm and traced the intricate pattern of ivy that ran around her wrist and up her arm, “Juliette has a similar pattern but its-”

“On her face.” Violet murmured, staring at her own arm, and then showing me her left arm as well, where there was a slightly different moving tattoo, bands of gold, white and green ivy from her elbow all the way down her wrist circling her ring finger. “The only on my right arm is my Pureblood birthmark, the one on my left is my wedding tattoo, marking me as married, Viktor has the same mark on his left arm.”

I dropped Violet’s arm. It was similar to the mark of Cain, the first murderer, he too had been marked, so everyone knew who he was— I shivered, when did these birthmarks or tattoos come into play? I didn’t remember vampires back in my day having any such marks. But I also had recognized that I, even in Cass’ body, had been able to tell which beings were supernatural and what kind of supernatural, when she clearly hadn’t... “You were born this way?”

“Yes.”

I grabbed Irene’s arm and studied the tattoos on her arms, they didn’t move, but one of them did indeed look like it hadn’t been put on her, but that she had been born with it. “This one?” I gently traced it on her arm.

“Yes,” Irene whispered, “that’s the one that I was born with— a rose by no other name… and no, it doesn’t move, it just shows that I am a vampire. We’re all born into this world— unless we’re made, even though turning someone is technically illegal. Those who are turned don’t have marks, but their children will, if they aren’t killed by the council.”

I filed this knowledge away, and tried not to look super curious. So, the Nephilim had ancient script written on their skin and vampires had living tattoo birthmarks… but only the Purebloods. Well, that explained why so many of them were tattooed.

“So do you know what you’d like to get?”

“Irene, don’t push her.” Violet chided.

What did I want? Did I want something? I closed my eyes, and thought about my life— “A rose by no other name,” I whispered. I could see it in my mind’s eye, my life, this long chain of roses, but roses on a thorny chain. I shivered, suddenly I knew where I’d seen a tattoo like that— Juliette, who was Marcus’ twin. “Roses, ivy and thorns…”

“I’m sorry, you want the Steinheart family crest?” Irene asked incredulously.

My eyes flew open, “I didn’t, what?” My voice came out as a squeak, as I made uncomfortable eye contact with Violet, my cheeks going as purple as my eyes.

“I suppose it was always going to be h-”

“Violet!” I cut her off, still so embarrassed.

“Look Vi, if that’s what she wants, there’s no reason to stop her.”

I looked out the window, choosing silence over more awkward conversation. There was something about riding in a limo that just made the entire experience for travel that much more, well more. I thought about how it felt to be in Christopher’s little blue car in comparison, the bumpy ride, or the way you felt flung as the car turned a corner… Here it was as if we were floating on air, or not moving at all— but when I looked out the window the world was washing by, a wave of color. Irene danced to the music, her orange dress clashing horribly with her pink hair, but she didn’t seem to mind, and somehow pulled it off without looking like one of the traffic cones that littered the area around Cass’ house. Violet also danced, but I could tell she was much more interested in continuing to talk to me than just having a good time. The limo slowed, pulling onto a hilly street, where there were little boutiques on both sides of the road— there weren’t a lot of people here, only handfuls of shoppers walking about, probably because it was supper time and the majority of people who were out, were probably in restaurants by now.

“Where are we?”

“This is my favorite place to shop,” Violet pointed up at one of the buildings that appeared to be empty and closed up, “Idrisa, is the best dress shop around.”

“But-” Irene interrupted, “that’s not where we’re going.” Irene pushed open the limo door, “we’re going next door, to see Roger at his tattoo parlor— Ofendisma.”

“Quite the name.” I chuckled, how many people had been offended by his tattoos for him to choose a name like that?

Violet also chuckled, clearly enjoying making Irene a little uncomfortable. “She’s right,” was all Violet could reply to Irene’s glare before she bounced off and across the street. “Well, we better follow her, she’s kind of bossy, but she’s got a good heart.”

Violet and I exited the limo and followed Irene across the street to where she stood impatiently waiting for us, tapping her toe on the cement sidewalk. We walked up a few steps to the door of the building that looked closed up and abandoned. I was about to say as much when Irene raised her fist and knocked in a strange pattern, a moment later the door swung open, and we entered a dimly lit foyer with a staircase ascending in front of us and on either side of the foyer two locked doors. Irene walked to her left and knocked again in a different pattern, and I heard a lock disengage, she tossed us a grin and pushed open the door.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Irene disappeared into the open doorway.

I sighed, why did everything with these vampires have to be so secretive? But I followed anyway, as Violet gave my arm a little squeeze, as if to tell me I was safe with her. The tattoo parlor wasn’t very large, in fact I looked like the front room in a house, with chairs set up and equipment and mirrors, or maybe that was the hair salon I was thinking of, not a house… regardless, it was quite a fascinating sight. There were a few supernaturals in the shop getting tattoos from beings that were clearly Fae, their eyes all one big marble of color, just like their shape shifting friends. The hum and buzz of the shop was almost calming, I watched curiously as the beautiful designs appeared on the supernatural beings skin, as needles pierced them, and the ink flowed… I was entranced. I took a step forward, and my vision was blocked by a giant werewolf.

“Hi Roger!” Irene stuck out her hand and was met with a bear-like hug instead.

“Irene Inverness, my favorite customer! So you have brought your friends.” Roger looked me up and down, I knew he could sense I was human, but he probably could also see the fallen’s mark on my skin. “Do you all know what design you would like?”

“Oh yes! We do!” Irene was practically jumping up and down in her excitement, her orange dress floofing up around her like an orange cloud. “I’d like a heart of stars to go with my rose that I already have. Violet wants an infinity sign on her foot and this one-” she pointed at me, “wants the Steinheart family birthmark…”

Everyone went quiet, even the Fae who were busy tattooing the supernaturals stopped, when Irene said the Steinheart name. Was everyone really that afraid of the Steinhearts?

“Interesting choice for a human.” Roger finally stated, while clearing his throat, and glancing over at his employees, who seemed to get whatever message he was sending and resumed their designing. “But you are an interesting human, aren’t you?” Roger gestured at the backroom, and the three of us filed past him and into the other room, which was very similar to the front room, but with only one chair. “Who’s first?”

“She is.” Irene gave me a little push forward.

“Very well, come sit, little human.”

I went and sat on the chair, and laid back. I was suddenly wildly scared for no reason, I had lived through so many things and now I was afraid of a little needle prick?

“Take a deep breath.” Roger intoned, as he took my right arm, “think of something else, something far far away.”

I squeezed my eyes shut and began to think of my past. There was a memory that had been bugging me for a while— like it had been planted into my mind by someone else, but I knew it was my memory. I could see myself at my cave, overlooking the Pangea… I felt the needle prick and tried to get back to my memory… the Pangea, I was humming, as the twins tossed about within me, my vampire children… the children I’d never seen. I grit my teeth as the pain from the needle threatened to pull me out of my memory. I was humming, listening to my babies as they dreamt. A man was making his way toward me, a vampire, but not from my time. He looked so worried, and my heart went out to him. He seemed shocked to see me, and confused. He looked so familiar and yet not… his green eyes and his- I gasped, my arm was throbbing, I couldn’t help it, I opened my eyes and looked over where Roger was working.

“Almost done.”

Impossible. I had only been allowing myself to sink into that memory for a few minutes, but when I looked down at my arm, I could see the rose, thorn and ivy design snaking its way around my arm and down to my wrist. “It’s beautiful.”

“And deadly.” Roger whispered, glancing at where Irene and Violet sat chit chatting on folding chairs against the wall. “You really must have a death wish.” Roger was putting something over the tattoo, “second skin.” He gestured, “Leave this on, to protect the tattoo while your skin is healing, and try not to get it wet, and for the love of god, don’t scratch it— even though it’s going to be itchy for the first little bit.”

I nodded. “Okay.” I managed to choke out.

“All done. Want to grab whoever is next?”

I slid off the chair and walked over to Irene and Violet. “I’m all done! Who’s next?”

“Ooooooh, let me see!” Irene grabbed my arm and stared at the swirling tattoo, “this is beautiful, no idea why you’d choose it, but beautiful.” She dropped my arm, “my turn!” And skipped off to where Roger was.

“So,” Violet asked me, as I sat down, “the Steinheart crest?”

I sighed, and pulled my throbbing arm to myself, cradling it. “I know I promised Juliette that I would stay away from Marcus-”

“But you really love him, don’t you?”

“Well, I loved a version of him that I don’t know still exists.”

“Or maybe, that version of him doesn’t exist anymore because you didn’t exist anymore… I’ve heard the rumors, stories of a man who once had a heart, and not only cares about power and having pure blooded children.”

“He has a harem, doesn’t he…” I whispered, somehow knowing he had tried to replace me but failed.

“Yes.”

Damn that man, and his stupidity. “Of course he does.” I glanced at Violet’s worried face, “look Violet, I’m not going anywhere near Marcus, at least not now— I have this whole death thing I have to survive, and then transitioning and then-” we’ll see where I ended up after all that. “And hopefully being able to help other women who’ve been ’marked,’ so,” I shrugged, but still cradled my throbbing arm.

“You’re not going to be able to hide that tattoo from the fallen.”

No, I wasn’t, and I didn’t even care. I shrugged again. “Or Cass. She’s going to be mad.”

Violet chucked, “I’ll try to help with that. How was the rest of your day?”

Oh, yeah, I’d almost forgotten what an eventful day it had been. “Was called into the office, Pierre? Steinheart’s servant, he told me to stay away from Marcus on severe terms, and then I called Topher and met up with Lucas, to set some terms.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I basically guaranteed her the rest of her human year at Acroft, and that she wouldn’t have any more creepy dreams, or visions— and that Lucas wouldn’t visit her. The next time she sees him is when he comes to collect her for the covenant ceremony.”

“Wow, that’s pretty impressive that you got him to agree to all that.”

“Thanks, I thought so!” I contemplated telling Violet about the necklace and the being of light trapped within it that could help destroy Lucifer, but decided not to. That was a secret that I had a feeling would unfold itself, at the right time. “Also, it might not have been a coincidence that Cass called me back, apparently it’s part of a prophecy…” I would have told her more, but Irene bounded back and sent Violet over to Roger. Violet cast me a look like, ‘this conversation isn’t over,’ and I nodded.

Violet was only in the chair for thirty minutes, but I was mentally drained by the time she was done— Irene didn’t stop talking, nor did she stop moving. We must have discussed everything from braiding hair to favorite styles of music, fashion, men, shopping, drinks… some of the things she talked about I didn’t even understand, but I nodded and acted like I did anyway. When Violet finally made her way to us, I had never been more relieved. Irene grinned ogling over Violet’s foot tattoo, before flitting off and pulling out a wallet to pay Roger. I turned away and looked over at Violet,

“Please say it’s time to go dancing.” I sent Violet a begging look, and Violet merely laughed at me.

“What? Miss me that much? Or was Irene just too much?”

I laughed this time as Irene again danced over to us, “let’s go PAR-TAY!”

We all had a good laugh as we left the tattoo parlor behind us, giggling as we got back in the limo. I was ready to let loose and dance with the electric beat of the music at Plumanara. The limo pulled away from the curb and we headed toward the club. I glanced down at my arm one last time, yes, Cass was going to be very angry about this one...