Early Evening Stroll

I'd returned to my apartment and spent the night and next day almost motionless, considering my conversation with the hell-witch. The next evening, I changed into some of the clothing that Sophia had helped me pick out. If I was going to pretend to be a schoolgirl here, I may as well begin the charade. I chose a modest but form-fitting blouse along with blue jeans, and headed out. The thunderstorm had passed, but the sun had set an hour ago.

I walked down the streets of Silver Lake. I didn't want to take my car ... it was a little too ostentatious. I quickly located the areas where the local teenagers congregated, and was heading to a popular coffee shop when a window display caught my eye. This particular store sold home-decor items ... all fake, of course ... with a Greco-Roman motif. I eyed them slowly, thinking of my time in the Empire. I hadn't yet decided if I liked this time period better, or the one before. I briefly wondered about the coven of vampires that was said to be the 'royalty' of our kind ... I remembered that coven in its early years, and wondered if any of the same vampires had survived these many years. When I'd first arrived in Spain and travelled Europe, I'd heard rumors of them, but no names. I had stayed away from the town where they were said to live; although I would never admit it, I was afraid that Scipio Africanus had survived, and his was one face I never wished to see again.

My eyes were closed as I walked down the streets of Silver Lake. There was something off about the town at the moment. A smell that I was familiar with but I couldn't quite place. It was too faint to fully recognize but I still wanted to follow it. See if I could find out where it was coming from. With my eyes closed it was easier to focus on the faint scent, my other senses made sure I kept walking straight and avoiding any collisions.

I had originally driven to Silver Lake to run into Gavin as per usual, maybe even Blake, Bren, Ray, and Bri. But as I pulled my car into a tiny parking spot I was quickly distracted by the scent. Now I was just lazily walking around the streets. The soft clicking of my heels on the pavement were part of the usual background noises I completely ignored.

It was as if I was in a daze just walking around. I could hear the humans around me taking an effort to avoid me. Their confusion was all directed toward me. I didn't need to read minds to know what they were all thinking. Why is she just walking blindly? It was nearly an hour before there was a single scent that distracted me from my lazy quest. Finally opening my eyes I smiled at the back of Alessandra's head. I couldn't quite place her emotions, they kept seeming to jump. But it was a nice surprise running into her.

"For just starting, you pull off the typical teenage girl quite well."

I continued my musing as I looked at the window display. I was thinking about my past, the vampire I'd been before my encounter with that first witch, and how I'd changed since then. No one who'd known me back then would ever have thought that I would have even considered swearing off human blood, yet here I was ... trying to meet and fit in with a coven that subsisted on animal blood. I thought it had something to do with my memories, the vague, hazy recollections that had been taken from me, but were slowly returning. Apparently, in my human life, I'd been a generally 'good' person, because as more and more bits of those memories surfaced, I became less and less the ruthless and vindictive vampire I'd been.

The sounds of people heading to and from the coffee shop were all around me, as was the smell of their blood, and the sound of their heartbeats. I was tempted ... who wouldn't be ... but I had always been a very controlled and disciplined being, which might just give me a chance to succeed here. I barely noticed as Sophia approached me, until I matched the clicking of her heels with the complete lack of a heartbeat. The wind brought me her scent, and I knew who it was. I turned just as she spoke, smiling at her comment.

"Thanks in great part to you and your aptitude for fashion. I was, I believe, only sixteen years old or so when I was turned, so that helps."

I raised an eyebrow. Sophia had a ... curious look on her face, just beyond her smile.

"Is everything well with you? You seem ... disturbed, slightly. Is it difficult, being around all of these people, and resisting the urges they bring? Gavin said that you were the newest arrival besides myself, so I imagine it must be difficult. It is somewhat difficult for me, as well, but my training was ... thorough."

I grimaced slightly ... I needed to put those memories behind me, and make new ones. I wanted to reclaim the ones that I'd lost, from when I'd been human, but the ones from my first years as a vampire ... I would have loved to be able to lose those completely. Although, in the final analysis, they had made me a stronger person, a stronger vampire, than I might otherwise have been.

For a moment I felt the hunger from Alessandra just before my appearance distracted her. I took a deep breath to calm the monster inside me. I wasn't hungry, but the usual temptations of human blood was always magnified when I was near another vampire feeling the same thing. It made things challenging at times, but I had great control. It was one of the few things I could thank from my early years as a vampire. A small smile appeared on my face when Alessandra said it was partly because I had helped her find the proper clothes. I had actually had an enjoyable time shopping with her.

"That does make things easier when you were changed closer to the age you're trying to play. I was turned when I was nearly 19. Makes being a high school student a little challenging at times."

I should have realize that another vampire would be able to notice a different look on my face. A human would have assumed I was completely happy, as simple as that. I wasn't sure what to say to Alessandra. If I had known what it was that I was smelling, I would have an option of saying something, but since I didn't, I just shrugged.

"I just recognize a scent but I can't quite place it. I feel like I should know who or what it is, but it's just too faint to tell."

When Alessandra began to ask if it was hard to my head shook. That hadn't been the reason, though I could see how someone might think it was. Since no one really knew my past, it made sense that she would assume that I was new to the vegetarian thing. I shook my head.

"I'm new to the Varner family, but not to this life style. I've been vegetarian for a decade or so. It takes time, but eventually you learn to ignore the cravings. As long as you keep you're self well freed, the scent can only do so much. When I was first changed and started being around humans, I couldn't handle it. But I had good training, even before I began this lifestyle."

I noticed her smile, and was glad she appreciated the compliment, which was meant sincerely ... I could see Sophia and I becoming friends.

I smiled myself.

"I don't think you'll have any trouble at all ... even to my sight you fit right in with the younger human teenagers here. And in this day and time, with the focus on the latest fashions and your knowledge of those trends, I'm completely confident that you can pull it off."

I frowned, then had a thought.

"I hate that feeling. Is this scent ... unusual in any way, or just one that you believe you've come across before?"

I found myself wondering if Matthew had entered Silver Lake yet. I wasn't detecting his scent, but then vampires varied in even their basic abilities, and I didn't know if Sophia's sense of smell was more keen than my own.

I raised my eyebrows and nodded in respect.

"I can't say the same, but I'm hoping you and the Varners can help me learn to live as you do. I'm thinking of taking Gavin up on his offer to stay with his family, I think it might be very helpful to be constantly surrounded by supportive others. It's strange really, to think ... "

I shook my head, smiling apologetically. I liked Sophia, but I wasn't ready to share my history wit her just yet.

"I took down a few deer on my way back from ... a drive I took last night. Not quite as satisfying as carnivores, of course, but enough to keep me stable for now. Where do you and the Varners hunt?"

I smiled ruefully.

"I remember those first few years very clearly myself ... as much as I'd like not to. One of the curses of being one of us, I assume."

"I've been able to pull it off with ease for the most part. Though I usually attend colleges more than high schools and that's simply because I actually wanted to learn more. The only reason I'm in high school was because I was kinda trapped into it. Though it seems like things have turned out rather well for me thus far."

The first day I walked into the school, I was expecting my time to pass unnoticed to me. I wasn't excited about being stuck in a high school, but meeting Blake and Bren, things had a bit of promise. The longer I spent time with them, the better I felt about the situation. It was getting to the point I was actually looking forward to school at times, typically when I hadn't seen the Varner family in a while.

"It's a scent I know from my past. But it's too faint to be certain. That's the problem. I was lazily following the scent hoping that if I had a place were the scent was more potent I would be able to figure out who the scent was. But no luck as of yet."

My past, I tried my best to forget it. But that was impossible for a vampire. Especially our past as vampires. I had forgotten most of my human past even when it was happening I remember thinking it was unimportant and I would be fine if I didn't remember any of it. Of course that was all before I even aware forgetting was even an option. The early years though, now I really wished I could forget it all.

"We can help, I'm sure the Varners would be more than happy to. They are all very welcoming, I'm sure the house is great too. I've just never been there before." I paused for a moment before shrugging. "I hunt near my house in the Raventree Hollow woods. There is more than enough wild life for everyone. Though the werewolves are there as well, so you have to be careful to stay far from humans while hunting - which isn't usually an issue. The humans stay far away from the deepest part of the forest. I could take you sometime if you want."

I tilted my head, curious.

"Trapped into it? Howso?"

I frowned thoughtfully.

"If this scent were one that I myself had encountered before, I could ... possibly ... help you locate its source with my own ability. I say possibly because that part of my ability is not the most reliable."

I considered for a moment; I was a secretive person, but Sophia had shared information on her ability with me, and I felt it would only be fair to reciprocate, at least partially.

"I can hear, and speak to, common weather phenomena. It's an unreliable talent, as I said, but the wind might be willing to help me track down a particular scent ... again, if I had encountered that scent myself."

I was a little surprised that she hadn't been to the Varner's house, then I stiffened and frowned when she mentioned werewolves.

"I'm afraid that might not be a good idea ... I've encountered werewolves before, and blood has been spilled every single time. If there's somewhere else, somewhere farther from those ... things ... I'd be happy to go hunting with you sometime."

"It was my own fault, I usually have a better story for when I move to a new place, but I had ran into a human before I decided on things. One lie led to another." I shrugged before explaining further. I was still embarrassed at how foolish I had been. "I had to pick some things up at a local store in Raventree, a woman I ran into asked how old I was and I stupidly said 18, then she asked if I was attending the local school and I said I was actually attending the school in Silver Lake. Turns out her sister works at the Academy's office. She said she'd be looking out for me. Therefore I had to attend at least for a bit. I liked Raventree Hollow, wasn't ready to leave just yet."

I fell silent as Alessandra began to explain what her ability was. That wasn't one I had heard of before. My eyebrow rose for a moment speaking to the weather. Even as a vampire that sounded a little strange. I didn't really think the weather even had a voice. I knew I did something "strange" myself, but everyone experiences emotions. It was a little easier to comprehend someone feeling everyone's emotions. I smiled through, it was nice of her to offer.

"I appreciate the offer and honesty about your ability. But I don't know if you would have experienced this scent before. I don't even recognize it completely. It's just a bit of a tease. Enough to let me know I know it, but knot enough to identify it. I'm sure I could track it a bit longer until I got a better whiff of it."

I hated the word, whiff, but I couldn't think of a better word to describe it. Curiosity got the better of me for a moment through, distracting me from my own concern with the faint scent.

"How exactly does that work, communicating with the weather?"

The stiffening didn't go unnoticed. When I first meet the werewolves I was was concerned, but after agreeing to their rules, I hadn't had any issues with them. I was apparently one of the few, I knew the Varners had a little incident with the werewolves too, I actually felt a little bad I hadn't brought it up. I just didn't realize it would be a problem at any point.

"There are other places, in Raventree still. But I have yet to catch the scent of any of the werewolves. Next time to need to go hunting let me know. The company would be nice."

I nodded and smiled knowingly.

"When I first ... well, years ago, when I found myself in an unfamiliar place ... I had similar difficulties, but things worked out."

I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply. I could smell the blood of the humans all around us, which excited my hunger, but I was able to contain myself due to my recent feeding. I detected the distinct scents of vampires, but none that I recognized, except for Gavin's and Sophia's ... the latter was strong, of course, as she was right in front of me, but the former was very faint. I opened my eyes and shook my head.

"I can detect the scent of other vampires here, but having only met you and Gavin, I'm not sure which of the others belong to the Varners, and which is the one you're referring to. Sorry I can't be of more assistance ... wait a moment."

I held up a finger and closed my eyes again, calling the wind. A breeze surrounded me, and I asked it ... I didn't necessarily have to speak out loud to communicate with the weather ... if it could pick up the scents of any new vampires in the area, besides mine and Sophia's. After some cajoling, the breeze agreed to try, and drifted off.

"There. I've asked to breeze to try to find any vampire scents that are new to this area, besides yours and my own. As to whether we'll get an answer, much less a useful one ... "

I shrugged.

"I can never be sure. It is an unpredictable ability that I have, at best. Most of the time I hear it speaking to me, but of course not much of what it says is relevant. The wind is flighty and mercurial, its attention moving from one thing to another very quickly. The clouds ... "

I chuckled.

"take forever to say anything, unless there's a serious storm, and even then ... their perspective is very lazy. The thunder is often cooperative, if I appease it by doing things that are noisy or violent. As for the lightning ... "

I grimaced.

"You really don't want to know. I hear their voices in my mind, and am able to let them hear my thoughts. It took some practice, learning to think in ways that the various phenomena would understand."

I nodded and turned, to start walking toward the coffee shop.

"I would like that. Have you been to this nearby coffee shop? I thought it would be a good place to begin my charade, get to know some of the people that I'll be attending school with. Shall we?"

"I suppose I could say things are working out for me as well. As of lately at least. The constant presence of humans is at least something I've grown accustom too."

With a shrug I glanced at the crowd of humans that walked past. Part of me, a large part, hated the fact I was actually enjoying being around these humans because of the Varners. But it was the truth. A small gust of wind brought the various human scents in a swirl around me. My mouth began to water and I took in a slow deep breath savoring the scent. It would be so easy to give in and make another mistake like I did ten years ago. Before coming to Raventree Hollow and Silver Lake, I didn't hate myself completely for slipping up, but now it was different. It was as if I didn't to disappoint the Varners. They didn't think I was a complete monster and I didn't want to prove them wrong.

"Vampire scent? I recognize Blake, Bren, Gavin and yourself. Others that I assume are the other Varners. I wasn't thinking of the scent as a vampire. I wish that would narrow things down for me, it doesn't sadly."

As Alessandra closed her eyes I watched her closely. I was intrigued to see what exactly she was doing. Every vampire worked differently when it came to accessing their ability. For me it was as if it was a sixth sense. Constantly there but I could focus in on it to receive more detail. But as Alessandra did whatever it was she was doing, my sixth sense began to act up. I could feel the vampires but mixed in with her emotions was something else. It wasn't a real emotion more like a taste of something. As soon as it came it left and Alessandra opened her eyes again.

"Well tell the wind I say thank you for at least trying."

I didn't attempt to suppress the smirk of amusement on my face. There was something that sound so strange and to be prefect honest funny discussing talking to the weather. I listened with focus as Alessandra mentioned how the different weathers acted. I couldn't decide which was more strange, the fact weather had different personalities or whether thinking about it, each personality seemed to fit with the given weather. My eyebrow rose as Alessandra grimaced. There wasn't much that could make a vampire do that, I was very intrigued to know what lightening required of her.

"It sounds complicated, that's for sure. But I suppose every ability has its difficulties. I'm sure there are also the advantages that you've learn to live with as well."

As Alessandra began to walk I instantly fell into step with her as well. It was becoming obvious how much she wanted to fit in with the humans. I personally didn't care, as long as the humans thought I was at least human they could think anything else about me that they wanted. But Alessandra's company would be nice, so if the coffee shop was where she wanted to go, I didn't mind going as well.

"The coffee shop sounds good to me. I know there are usually quite a few of the students there at this time of night, I could point out some of the humans that I know if you'd like."