Chapter one: Freyre
Even though we had made New York our home, we still had to change homes and schools before anyone noticed Rhys or I didn't age like everyone else. However, we had found a solution, we were able to afford one of those mansions around New York. It was one of the old Victorian styled mansions. It had a long drive that was lined, and shaded by the most beautiful cherry blossoms that and one could lay their eyes on. When you reached the end of the drive way, and came upon the house it was a magnificent 2 story mansion made from old sandstone, with a mixture of modern brick from when it was renovated. It had a large veranda that was shaped by the pillars that stood either side of the entrance. Growing along up along the walls were ivy that gave it a much more rustic look, the stairs had to entrances that met in the middle and forged one staircase up to the door. The door before you walked into the mansion, was made from beautiful mahogany. As you walked into the foyer of the house, you walk into beautiful, opal white tiles that shined in the morning sun, a chandelier above the middle of the foyer was made from thousands of small diamonds that sparkled day and night. Off to the left was the ball room that ran the length of the house, to the right was the parlour, where I guess in the olden days women would have served their visitors tea and cake. A corridor straight ahead leads to the servant's quarters and the kitchen and laundry. But the corridor would be hidden by the staircase that lead to the upper level, where there was who knows many bedrooms and bathrooms. There was too many to count. There was also the massive library that I spent most of my time in when I could spare a minute. We made this our home. I was even able to get a horse that I could ride whenever I want. Rhys was never to fond of horses, but he never stopped me from owing Ma Belle, once we had settled into our new home and life.
I just hope it lasts. Rhys or I haven't had any trouble with the men that killed my parents, but I just concluded that we were so well hidden that they couldn't find us. But that still didn't stop me from being vigilant when we went out. They would still be after me, these men would never give up on trying to catch me as I am the last of my kind left. But for now, there would be no running, no moving. We were home. Now it is time to start my day at the new school.
_
Even though I have had many first days at different schools over the years, I would still get nervous at each one. And I doubt that will change when it came time for me to do it again. I will always be the new girl, the girl who is different and always wonder what people would think of me. I try to fit in and blend in with the crowd but I can't do that, not with the way I look. I am as pale as a ghost or as a vampire (you pick, they both exist in my world and I have been mistaken for both), even though in tiger form my eyes are as blue as opals, in human form I have a condition called Alexandria's Genesis, which causes my eyes to be a vibrant, bright purple, and in a world where eyes are mostly brown, blue or green, one would stand out. My hair is as black as the midnight sky without a full moon, which contrasts how pale my skin is. But no matter how many times I tried to tan over summer, it would never last the day.
So here I am at Iryllian High, at the office for registration, I can feel they eyes of my other class mate's eyes on me, judging me by how I look and it is making me uncomfortable. But I push on, it just like every other day, they will forget I exist in two to three days, and go back to their normal days like I never existed to begin with. That's just how I like it. However, till that day comes I am new meat and they first must show me where I stand on the dumb high school social hierarchy, a stupid human thing to do. If only they knew what I was, then they would all be running scared. but my secret needs to remain a secret no matter what I feel.
I was shown around school, and led to my locker. After the student had shown me around she left and I was left to fend for myself. It didn't take long for the queen bee to come around to mark her territory. I don't even blame her, I could feel the boys on me, undressing me with their eyes. I am not pretty by many standards, but I could still hold my own if I was to ever into a beauty contest. Which I would never do as it is a stupid human tradition. But as time has gone on, humanity has become even worse that other times. They used to call me names and try to put me down in a nonphysical way. This time it is no different until one knocks me against the locker next to mine and starts throwing my books all around the corridor. I must hold back my anger, I need to look human. If I don't, my secret would be revealed and Rhys would never forgive me. I would never forgive myself. So, I put on an act of being weak and whimpering human that could not slit their throats on a whim. Jumping for my books as the school watches these girls try to ruin any reputation I could get at this school.
Once they have grown bored they drop my books in the corridor and leave with all the onlookers following on behind like a pack of sheep that they are. I collect my books and pack them into my locker ready for tomorrow. I can't be here today. Not after that spectacle, I should have been prepared for this outcome, but I wasn't. I was expecting just name calling, not the humiliation I received. Not even the teachers did anything about it, they just looked on like this was some kind of initiation ritual that was performed on every new kid. And it probably was. They still should have stopped it. I was so angry, if I didn't leave I don't think I would be able to hold my form together. I would hurt someone and I didn't need that, on top of what has just occurred. So, before I started crying, to hold in the anger, I went to the office and told them that it was a mistake to come today and that I will be back tomorrow when I was readier. The office didn't care, they just made me sign this letter saying that I would catch up on the classes that I missed and let me go.
The anger was getting harder to control. I hate this school. The tears were blurring my vision that I could barely see what was in front of me. So, I was unable to see the body I ran into. I breathed out a sorry and kept running, I don't even think he could hear me. I was in that much of a rush that I didn't even notice the stench of death that came off the body as I ran past. I didn't feel the electricity that ran through my body when it touch the body of the unknown suspect that I ran into. I just kept running into the forest behind the school. Once I thought I was a safe distance away from the school and anyone who might spot me, I let out my anger. I started to scream, that halfway turned into a roar as I changed from human form to tiger. Once I was in tiger form, I took off like a bat out of hell, running like, if I ran fast and far enough all my problems would just disappear and it would work for a while, at least until I turned back into a human. For now, though, exploring the forest in my tiger form, dodging trees and jumping over roots with my powerful legs. I was free. I don't know how long I explored the forest, but I came upon the back of the property that Rhys and I shared. I knew he wouldn't be home, because he would be at the club. But I still had to be careful because of the workers we employed. They didn't know our secret. Rhys and I overheard them talking about the theories of how a club owner and her brother could afford to live in a place as grand as ours. With super hearing it was not hard. The most favoured option among the workers was that we run a very successful drug ring. I laughed at the notion, but Rhys and I let them think whatever they liked if they didn't figure out a secret and kept out of the basement, we didn't care what they thought of us. I snuck around to the front of the property and changed back into human before anyone could notice me and walked through the door.
"Your home mam, is everything okay?" Ms. Claire exclaimed as she saw me come through the door. Ms. Claire was our house keeper, she works with two other maids, Miss Octavia and Miss jane, too keep the mansion clean. She also does the cooking for Rhys and me when we aren't working late in the club. We also had Mr. Hunter, who works as a groundskeeper, and a young boy named Julian who works close with Mr. Hunter and does chores in the stables. "I am fine, Ms. Claire, just had a bad start at school that is all". I don't know what Ms. Claire thinks about me being only 17 and owning a club and still having to go to school. "Did you want me to fix up any food for you?" she asked, I just shook my head, "no, I am fine, but can you send Julian to go and get Ma Bella ready for a ride?", "Sure miss". I smiled at Ms. Claire and went up the stairs to go and get changed. Once I was change, I headed to the stables to see how well Julian was faring with getting Ma Bella ready. She was not an easy horse, she didn't like anyone but me, that is why I had to save her when I heard she was going to the glue factory. No one could tame her, from her wild mustang ways. But when I saw her, I knew she was the one for me. She is a mighty Black mare, with a stripe of white that runs down her nose. She has two white socks on her back hooves and she stands at 16 hands tall. When I got to the stable I could hear Julian arguing with my horse. It was kind of funny to hear.
"Will you stand still?", there was a short neigh in response, then came "of course you won't, because I am not Freyre right?", then a snort in response. I had come to the stall and watch on, with a small smile on my face as I watched Julian bargaining with my horse to let him finish tacking her up for the ride. "Well if you don't stand still and let me put this saddle on you, Freyre won't be able to take you for the ride". By this point, Ma Bella, had saw me standing in the entrance to her stall and had gone completely still. I saw Julian nod and finished tacking up. When he spun around and saw me standing there, he went bright red in the face. I could not stop from laughing at the look on his face.
"How long have you been standing there? How much of that did you hear?" he asked. With which I replied, "Most of it". I don't think anyone could have gone any redder than he was when he turned around and saw me standing there. But I was wrong he could. I just laughed and took the reins in which I lead Ma Bella out to the paddock and mounted her for our ride. As soon as I was in the saddle she took off heading to our favourite trail.
Riding on Ma Bella was the best, it was so easy and relaxing. With the wind in our hair and the sun shining down on us, we cantered across the lush green grass of the paddock into the forest I came from earlier that day. We slowed down to a walk in which I could look around at our surroundings. There were wild flowers and herbs littered across the forest floor, fallen leaves and branches from the canopy high above. There were tiny animals that flitted across the floor at the sound of Ma Bella's hooves hitting the hard-packed trail path. We kept going further into the forest until we came upon our favourite spot. The rock wall that has a pond of water at the bottom of it. And if you come at the right time, after a night of heavy rain, there would be a wonderful waterfall cascading down the walls. Even when there was no waterfall, it was an amazing sight to behold. There were rocks all around the edge of the water, it was like a wall holding the water in, some of those rocks were even large enough to sun bathe on when the sun hits them at the right angle. The water is such a clear blue that it sparkles like miniature diamonds in the sun, at the right angle you could even see the sun rays of light reflecting off the water. With the mixture of sun gold yellow, amber orange and forest green leaves on the trees and floor in the background, it was an amazing site. No matter how many times I came here, it always took my breath away at the sight.
It was a warm enough day, that I decided that I might take a dip in the pond while I let Ma Bella feast on the grass close to the pond. The pond was deep enough that I could dive off the rocks and still not come anywhere near the bottom. Once I reached the surface of the water again, I floated on my back, soaking up the sun that was shining on the water. I let the water and the sun take all my troubles away and just relaxed.
The sun was setting by the time Ma Bella and I arrived back at the mansion. Rhys was home, I could tell by his black truck sitting in the drive. He must have spotted me and came out, because I hardly made it to the stable before he met us at the door.
"Are you okay? Ms. Claire rang me and told me that you had come home early from school. Did anything happen that I need to talk to the principle about?" Rhys rushed out. He was such a worry wort. So, I explained what happened and told him I would be able to handle it tomorrow, that it just took me by surprise that's all, and that he didn't need to go to the principle. But Rhys being Rhys, he didn't listen and called the principle as my parental guardian; which on all records he is; about the incident that had occurred and explained that we will withdraw our sizable donation to the school if some action didn't take place, and if some policies didn't change, like the teachers ignoring the bullying that occurred in front of them.
To distract me from the dread of tomorrow. We put on our favourite movies "The Fast and the Furious" series and watched well into the night. We had popcorn, bags of chips, chocolate and soft drink for dinner and for desert we had tubs of ice-cream. Thanks to our high metabolism and the energy we exert when we change, we could eat all this and not gain a pound. Even though Rhys could not fully change, he still had the high metabolism and still worked out for hours in our gym at home to release some of the energy that we would usually spend on the change. I fell asleep sometime in the night, with my head in his lap with Rhys stroking my hair.
_
It's the first second day at school and when I arrived, I heard that the principle had suspended the students that had assaulted me in the corridor for a week, and everyone knew my name, and not in the good way. They called me Freyre the rat. If only they knew my real nature. They blamed me for getting those students suspended. I could handle that I just needed to get through the day. I started a chant in my head that said, 'I can do this, I can do this', it repeated all through my head as I walked down the corridor towards my first class for a day. Then, my senses went on alert, just before I was pulled into the janitor's closet. My day just went from bad to worse in that small second.
"So, you're the one who ran into me yesterday and barely apologised" said a voice from above me, "now you have to pay". The voice was low and had a hint of anger behind the words, which scared me. And I didn't scare easily. But to contrast that, I felt safe in the stranger's arms, even when he threatened to hurt me. With my senses on overdrive from the fright of being pulled into the closet, I could smell his scent. Even though it had the scent of death, there was also a hint of chocolate and a rain forest after it has rained. I knew that this man was a Vampire and he could really hurt me if he wanted. With the threat and the realisation of what he was it should have scared me. But like I said earlier I don't scare easily, so I wasn't afraid. I was more scared of what I felt around this stranger, I could feel the electricity that ran under my skin at the areas of where he touched me, and the feeling of being safe is what scared me the most. The only other person who made me feel safe is Rhys, and that's because he saved my life all those years ago. I better keep that information to myself though. I could feel my heart beat getting faster the longer I stayed in this closet with the man, even though I knew he was a vampire, I didn't look up, for the shame of him seeing how red my face has gotten.
"Well I said sorry, but like you said you heard it, even if it was quiet, so I don't need to pay for anything" I said more calmly than I felt. Even I was starting to be able to hear my heart beat, and if I was I had a sinking feeling that he could. But there is nothing I can do about it but hope that he leaves soon.
_
He just left. He was there one minute then gone the next. And with a such a curt tone when he said. "Okay, fine, sorry for wasting your time". Who does he think he is? Well whoever he is, he made me late for my first class. As I rush around the school trying to figure out which class room was mine, after about 5 minutes, I found the class room and knocked on the door, so the teacher would know I was here. I heard a soft come in from the other side, as I pulled the door open I could tell my day was going to go downhill from here. Once I had entered every student was looking at me like I was a piece of meat that they can squish under their shoe. I hated that look, especially when I was the most powerful one in this room. Even when I smelled the mixture of supernatural creatures in the room, and they were silently trying to catch wind of my scent to figure what I was, but to anyone who didn't knew better or know what my scent means, everyone thought I was just human.
I walked to the teacher and handed her the form explaining that I was the new student that I needed her to sign, so at the end of the day I can give it to the office, so they know I have been integrated into all my classes. My first class was Ancient Civilisations.
"Good Morning, Miss Deaousos, Glad you could make it to class" Mrs. Clarke said as she signed the sheet. I heard a few sniggers from the class, but when I turned around to head to the empty seat I saw in the back of the class, the students were dumbfounded and looking at each other like to say 'Did I hear that right? Her last name is Deaousos'. By lunch time everyone knew my name and they gave me a whole new attitude, they were all asking me to sit with them and have lunch with them. I politely refused everyone saying I had work to catch up on and went to the library. What is with everyone? Why are all wanting to my friends suddenly? I was just as confused as I sat in a quite table in the back of the library that I doubt anyone would find me here.
I had barely started into the work when I smelt someone approaching. They had a scent of strawberries and cream, so I knew that they weren't threatening. I heard the foot falls stop suddenly and when I looked up I was looking at a girl who was about 5.5, has red wavy hair, that cascades to her lower back, she had bright green eyes that went wide at the sight of me sitting at the table.
"Your Miss Deaousos, aren't you?" she said like I was like a celebrity and not a fellow student. When I looked at her confusingly and nodded, she just smiled and sat down. "Hi, my name is Artemis, like the Greek goddess, my mum is fascinated with them, anyway, your brother owns the most hip and successful club in the whole town, Guilty Pleasures!", that's when it dawned on me. Everyone knew my name because of Rhys.
Let me quickly explain, about 50 or so years ago, Rhys and our decided to change our last names, so that we could pretend that we were brother and sister without the questions. Even though we live in the world where there are step siblings and adoptive siblings and half siblings. So, we say we are half siblings, with him being the eldest even though I am the oldest of about 40 years. He just looks the oldest cause unlike me who was born what I am, Rhys was bitten. Whereas my first transformation at 17 kept me this age, he was bitten when he was 25, so when he had his first transformation, he looks much older than me.
Suddenly Artemis voice drifted me back from my thoughts, "So tell me a bit about yourself, where did you move from?".
"I moved around a lot, I have been everywhere, but I actually just a transfer, my brother and I moved into the neighbourhood about 2 weeks ago, from the other side of town and instead of just commuting to school, I just transferred" I explained. She nodded along like she understood, "Tell me more about yourself?" she asked.
"Ah well, like you and everyone else seems to know, my brother is Rhys Deaousos, I am 17 years old, I used to go to the Hill Equestrian Lodge, where I did most of my riding, competitions, and found my true horse, which I brought and lodge at Hill Equestrian until we moved and I was able to stable her on the property. At my last school, I studied Advanced Math, Advanced sciences, World languages, History and English. I did a few extracurricular activities such as dance, musical and even a couple of sports. As I mentioned earlier I love to ride horses, and Ma Bella is wonderful to ride, her gait is so steady and calm, but my most favourite hobby is reading, oh I am so sorry I am droning on" and just as I finished the bell rang to signal the start of the next class. So, we quietly packed up our belongings and head to class. The rest of the day droned on. I was so looking forward to the end of the day. For my last period I had study hall so I put the form in to the office and I left school to head home. I didn't need to study at school. So, I jumped in Ferrari 488 Spider. It was Blue Corsa, it had Daytona racing seats, the interior is charcoal, with the steering wheel being a blue medio. The spider can sprint from 0-100 in three seconds flat, and from 0-200 in 8.7 seconds flat, it has 3902cc turbo V8 engine. It was the most amazing machine that I have ever brought. I drove home, finished all my homework in under two hours, went and brushed down Ma Bella. When it was starting to get late enough, I head to the club to do the books and inventory.