chapter 23

Iris was thinking fast. She wondered what she had done to Jayson but shrugged the thought off, she didn't want to think about it. Suddenly she heard the cry of a baby. "A baby? What's a baby doing here by this time of the night" she said to herself going towards the sound of the baby crying.

She looked so beautiful and hard to give away. Iris wanted to walk away not wanting to take on that parental responsibility. After all, it was In front of an orphanage home, but the tears reminded her of her own childhood. Pain. Regret.

Looking at the baby once more she smiled. She was going to adopt the baby and make good use of her.

"You're one lucky human", she muttered as the baby chuckled, stretching forth her hands so she'd carry her.

Hah, fond of me already?

But, a feeling of uncertainty crawled into her mind. She thought of Jacob, Drella, Abubakar, Jayson and the others she had left behind. She didn't know if the two were okay. Jacob always kept in touch. If she bit this girl, her life would be at stake and she didn't want that.

"Just this once. This would be the last person I'd make my slave", she muttered though she didn't believe her words it was reassuring in a kind of way. Her canines grew and were sharper than ever. She brought the baby's hand and bit into it. The baby cried until she fell asleep.

You're mine now, pretty.

***

"Really? Do I need to go to school? I already know so much!" Ling said screaming at Iris who was rather interested in a book. "You need to get those testimonials, certificates and results. Even if you know so much, you still need to follow the process", she said in Chinese.

"Argh! I hate you"

"Says the twelve year old that thinks she knows so much but hasn't made a living"

"Because I'm twelve, idiot"

"Don't fool me too, Ling, you're ninety eight", she said and Ling screamed, throwing a glass at her. Iris caught it and smirked.

"Go to school, you'll thank me later" she closed the book and stood to leave.

"I won't" she said annoyed and Iris laughed.

"Children"

"Who are you calling a child you pipsqueak!" She shrieked, throwing a fruit knife but it hit the door and stuck there.

***

She was enjoying China, but that worry about Cordelia still lingered in her mind. She didn't want her to come and destroy the life she and Ling had built. Just as she was about to shrug the thought of her destroying her new life, she perceived that weird aura again and the hairs at her back stood.

"Cordelia"

Ling was asleep and Cordelia held a dagger raising it to stab the young girl. Iris said some strange words and a barrier was put around the sleeping girl . "Oh. I suddenly thought you lost your sense of smell, fox", she said facing her. Ling opened her eyes and looked at Cordelia. "You, how did you find us?"she said standing. Iris turned off her barrier and Ling snarled.

"Calm down dog"

Dog?!

Ling lunged at her and she dug wolfsbane straight into her heart. She stared at her, her face filled with horror.

"Fuck!" Iris screamed, casting a healing spell on her. That was the only thing she could do for her at the moment.

"Run Ling", she said in English and disappeared.

***

Iris looked around, here looked very familiar. There were some changes but she could never forget this place. There was no need asking where this was, she frowned. "Avalon, California '' she muttered. At least this wasn't Nestle lake or something. She sighed, sitting on the ground. "Fuck my life"

She spent a hundred years building her life in Avalon and watching out for Cordelia. She had promised not to hurt anybody or to turn anyone, she just wanted to live a good and quiet life here in her home.

Her life was going great until she decided to visit Nestle lake because she had perceived that aura in Avalon. It was the worst time of the year for her because the massacre in Nestle lake wasn't a small issue. She had remembered her last words after she had gained consciousness and fled to the woods.

"Cordelia won't find me here in California... If she does, I'll create a slave for myself just like other times". Though she had promised not to turn to someone else, the severity of the event that day made her speak out of turn.

"I'm safe in California" she had said…

Ten years later after the incident she met Lucy.

***

Iris smiled, California was really safe. She stared at the night sky, it was beautiful. Though she had that strange feeling that something evil was coming to Nestle lake, she wanted to enjoy her time here.

"It's late, what are you doing here?" Lucy said almost in a whisper. "Just thinking", she said and she sat beside her.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing much, love. Just how I spent my years doing nothing other than building a life then running away from it", she said smiling weakly.

"That sucks", Lucy said and they laughed.

"Maybe we should do that stuff again, you know, kicking some ass"

"No no no, I'm not doing that again", she said and Lucy hit her hard on the shoulder.

For once, she appreciated this life and it gave her hope. It reassured her that things would go well in the end.

***

"I decided to meet him unawares, trust me to do that, sweetheart". Cordelia said on the phone dressing up. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'm always okay, baby", she said and the so called sweetheart sighed. "Maybe you should take a break or…"

"Don't. I have plans, love, everything is prepared. I'll take Jayson first and come for the others. There would be no way of escape for my dear Iris"

"The last of the morhan clan", she added and scoffed.

"Be careful, you yourself said that the young man is like a ticking time bomb. Just kill them and come home", he said and she said nothing.

Cordelia wasn't just planning to kill them and come home. She wanted more power, more authority and she had planned years for it. She couldn't back away like that. All her hard work would be rewarded if she played her part well and let the blood moon do its own.

That was why she needed to be fast. The blood moon was drawing near… .