3 A friend with pride.

Chapter 2

******Alarcus

"That was it, a blue eye and a dark blue one!" exclaimed Wade, who is like a brother to me. We have faced everything together, this one too. Wade is the last born of the Gaiver family, a family of royal secretaries. He is the loudest and most vibrant man I have ever met in my life, just as much as he is the most secretive man I have ever seen. We all like him that way though.

"Stop it, Wade!" I scolded rightly. Everyone is super excited. I would be laughing at them if I wasn't a mess inside-out.

"This time it's an African." Nathaniel, the head of the royal security chimed in. I smiled at him in acknowledgement, yeah she is black. This must be a real shock to him since he talks as little as he fights much. Nathaniel is another friend of mine and the first born of the Goldstein family. A family referred to as the “Wolves”, they are responsible for the safety of the royal family. There is also a family of royal servants. Family this, family that. It gets a little boring sometimes but I am not complaining since that same propaganda enabled me to get good friends.

“Ugh, stop it! Will you?" a brown-blond, Milly, the girl among us said. Wait is she hissing? Okay, so everyone isn't excited!

"Did you get her?" Wade asked joyfully, totally ignoring Milly.

"No!" Sadly she ran so fast and everything happened too fast. I almost blew it up and used my super-fast running powers while running after her but that place was clear and humans always have their eyes on us - only if they knew what they were looking at so I kept my cool. Yep, I'm going to enjoy this chase!

*****Amare

THAT WAS HIM!! I can't believe this girl; she is so excited like…

But then, how do we meet again? The chance slipped.

"I know my choice slipped out of my hands. But I really think my head is going to burst," And I wouldn't like the idea of looking desperate to everybody any better! I said in my head, not like there is any privacy in here.

"Plus did you expect me to walkover and say “Hi, it's me” or “Hello, Audrey is right, it's you?” you think so?" I'm picturing acting all coy with that man candy, don't misunderstand me, that's because acting coy is Audrey's idea of being sexy when dealing with men…or may be it is?? "That would be so embarrassing!"

Come on you are too prouuuuud!

"Sure, I am! Sure!"

For a moment when I looked at him, the world disappeared, like we were on a deserted island. He looked so good, and he was staring at me, I couldn't stick around to find out what that look meant. He looked so dangerous.

Then let's plan, baby girl. There goes my girl, negotiating but sounds like she is accusing or ordering.

Meet Audrey, another girl's soul living in my body, she is 400 years old! She is Audrey and I am Amare. We are united, soul in soul, two in one. The him I don't know a name for. Well, yeah Audrey did tell me his name but for some reason it keep on flying away. Anyway back to the main point, she was his fiancée but died after THREE months of their meeting! Since both still longed for each other, Audrey kept coming in another women's body. Of course it started long ago, first it was Samantha and then it was Erika before me. But the women always died after months of encountering him as well. Talk about a complex. Now it's my turn, pretty cool huh?

Oh, I’m gonna have him, lady, I am!

I sigh "I' m afraid we leave it to fate. But no need to worry, I..." tap-tap on the door. I heard the muffled sound of knocking on the door. Liz. I went to open it.

"Hi bebz!" greeted the smiley Liz, her strawberry blond hair gracing her fair skin looked like fiery flames following down her back freely as it shined in the soft sunlight, in total contrast to her entire, she was in black joggings, an oversized blue t-shirt and a pair of Jordan shoes.

"Hi, Liiiz!" I greeted back with swag "Good timing. I have got loads of stories for you!"

"Really?!" Liz shot up instantly. She always found something to celebrate. "Audrey, hi!" she hugged me dearly as she acknowledged the other me. "Yeah, well, you look undecided" Liza pointed out boldly. We both went inside the house. Liz directly went to sit in her favorite spot, at the corner of the couch, I sat on the beanbag at her right. Then she turned to me "But well, what's the news?" she sat calmly yet having fun as she waited for me to speak up.

"You'll find it really stuffing!"

"Well, try me. Let's hear you out." Liz looked ready for a challenge. Me? I am not ready to give the challenge. I don’t even know how to say everything I want to say.

"I found him!"

"Hmm?" Liz’s eyebrows came together in confusion.

I tried again. "Audrey's groom or whatever, you know. He is handsome, no wonder!" I threw the information at her. I myself don't know what's going on so let's hope I get away with this much.

But…hmm... Liz is just staring at me stiffly without breathing.

"Are you alive?" I poked her fore arm with my finger.

She dramatically did a big show of breathing out slowly. "Seriously?" She finally spoke. Gosh, I was about to accuse myself of murder.

"That's pretty stuffing! WEEELL, where is he?" she drew out exaggerated her eyes widening in the process. Talk about stuffing information. But well, I warned you sis.

"I don't know." I shrugged. I don’t know anything anymore everything is just meshed inside my head.

"I see, and then what's your plan?" I rub my wet hands on the dark- green- sundress I was wearing. Well, obviously I'm not getting away with anything!

"I told you we need a plan. Plus I don't see why you are telling her all this!!" Why is this onyx always judging?

"Lord, Audrey. Liz I don't...You have something?"

"Well, why doesn't it surprise me? You know I' m just worried about you, because, I'm sure Audrey is helping you no better. And mostly, you have an errand to do, and it's better if you be quick." Liza shrugged, sincere concern in her voice, this girl is a real mother...that I didn't get to have for long.

"True but...I also need to stick around longer than 3 months!"

We let the sentence hung in the air for a min. 3 months, Lord this is so...

Liz’s voice broke through my mind which was starting to wander through dark places. "Shoot! I think that's part of the errand! Audrey has got any ideas?" If it wasn’t me who was in this kind of situation I would be laughing at the way we sound like stupid undercover right now. But sadly it is me.

"None, she is just shouting, rejoicing, accusing and all the stupid stuffs that's like her."

Brah, I'm helping

"We got you sis… all the way!" yeah, I'm sure Liz and Zoe will be with me in everything, through ups and downs we will be together.

"Tell me about him!" I jumped when Liz suddenly shouted. Mother of God, this woman is really loud. Did I say she is like a mother, well, I'll have to give that a second thought?

"There is no party here, stop it, noisy!" I made a show of slapping her but I didn’t touch her.

"Come on. I'm itching to know, come on!" Liz can be a pain in the ass, really.

"Fine!" I let the picture of the stranger from earlier fill my mind.

"He is tall, from what I saw even if he was sitting, he is very handsome even though I didn’t get to see him clearly and he has green eyes even though normal people seeing them from a big distance would think they are dark. He had a little smile posted on his face," Liz didn't stop me, so I go on. "A straight nose, a face, some of his hair fall on his forehead, and you know not many get away with such a hairstyle but he did." I come out of my daze and look at Liz "You know what, Liz? He is amazing, no wonder, Audrey went through with this!"

Told you! Audrey sounded so proud.

He looks so good but as a matter of fact I know he is no good.

"Really, wow, OMG, I can easily imagine such a drawing!" Liza being Liza started musing.

I felt myself sigh "Why did I even tell you this?" I know I sounded very bored and very mean. And Liz knew that it's not me but still I know by the way that her eyes glance to the floor that she is hurt.

"Sorry, my bad."

This always happen and I hate it so much, maybe my friends did understand but I hate it when I hurt them. And I hate that my besties don't know my door password because one day I could hurt them unconsciously if they jump on me unexpectedly.

"It's okay." Again I can tell by the way she blinks twice so rapidly, almost unnoticeably that it is not okay, that she is trying to make it okay. But it doesn’t work like that.

"Liz this is coming to the end, right?” I really wish all of this to end. “I'm going to do a good job." I really wish they remain beside me.

"That's so like you. The perfectionist," we hugged tight and we both smiled.

*******

The winter season was coming to an end and the spring was blessing the streets with the merry rays of light which reached down and laminated our souls. It has been two days since the café moment; I have not met him again. I kept asking myself questions. May be he didn’t live in Alaska, so I won’t be able to meet him soon? But then Alaska is wide may be he is in another city? What do I do when I don’t meet him again? But I decided to just get on with my life, troubles aside I have a life to live. Because no matter how small and irrelevant it would be it is mine and I should enjoy it as much as the situation allows me to. Everything is going to work out the way it did before. And with that in mind we decided to go shopping for groceries. I could hear thin ice clacking under our feet as I and Liz made our way to Liz’s home from the nearby store. My arms were full of groceries and it's me who talked against bringing a vehicle.

"Now to catch up with the gallery, some ancient Asian stuff was shipped in yesterday and today two of them are out on a very good price." Liz informed. Oh I didn't tell you? Liz owns four galleries, they aren't so big but anyway my friend is great, right? I invested in them that is why she informs me once in a while as one the major stakeholders.

"That's good Liz; you know even if I go back in time, I'd always invest in you! You are full of talents!" I sincerely grinned at the breathless Liz, who was almost waddling behind me. This girl really needs some sport into her system, another reason I suggested the walk besides simply getting some fresh air, not like I’m any better but at least I’m stronger. If we were normal humans and not a witch and a vampire hybrid, we would be moving on our knees by now. Things are just a little complicated for me but still I can call myself a witch and Liz is the hybrid.

"Duh! You don't have to remind me!" I felt rather than saw Liz rolling her eyes playfully. This was the same sentence she would use while being proud and annoying the shit out of us.

As we keep walking, I hit someone, my groceries dropped to my feet. I have to see what I hit but I have to pick up my groceries before they spill all around the road. Anyway, it feels like I've hit a soft rock, two hands reach down to help me. Ok that's some strong hands...well I guess it wasn't a rock? Not that I see a rock in middle of a road but a girl can take a guess, you know?