Third Person POV:
Raven snickered as she saw Lauren fast asleep on the couch, the credits to Coraline rolling. She, Paris, Richard, and Rose had all come downstairs to find this. Lauren, who never sleeps, was sleeping. "She's so cute when she sleeps," Raven mumbled to herself as she reached down and curled Lauren's hair around her finger with a smile.
"Here she says she never sleeps," Paris commented as he leaned over and waved his hand in front of her eyes just to make sure Lauren was in fact asleep.
"Can't you just read her thoughts anyways? You don't need to check to see if she's asleep Paris," Richard said as he sat on the back of the couch and looked down at the sleeping girl with a smirk.
"No way am I going in to her dream state for a peek. I heard her once say to herself that if she does sleep she only has nightmares. I don't need another scar before the war." Paris shook his head and stepped back a step. Raven giggled and sat down next to her head, pulling her to her as she had Lauren's head resting in her lap.
"Awwww.... This is so cute," she said and giggled as she started to play with Lauren's hair. "I wonder what she's dreaming about...."
"Probably nothing fluffy." Paris said as he took a seat on the couch across. "Might as well watch her." Raven started to hum a lullaby to herself as she continued to play with Lauren's hair, taking up a vigil to watch her all night.
Lauren's POV:
"Alright, here we are," Richard said as we pulled up to the manor. "This is where we are moving in sweetie!" He turned to me and smiled tiredly. "Now daddy's got to get to work on unpacking our stuff and then maybe we will play a board game later....Oh wait...I have to work, don't I?" He sighed and got out of the car, turning it off. I rolled my eyes in annoyance. He always worked! He promised board games and fun times when we moved here.... but looks like this move will still not change anything. I crossed my arms.
"Whatever." I said stubbornly. I was still mad about the move. Of course I was mad! I had to leave my friends behind at the old manor.
"Lauren, don't be upset. We will play later, right dear?" My father turned to look at Paris, who I got the distinct feeling was my mom. Paris turned to look at me and gave a fake smile.
"We promise dear." Paris turned back to Richard and gave him a look then went back to her journal. Richard only smiled and went to the back, getting the boxes.
"Sweetie, can you help me carry all this in?" Richard called to me as he started to move the boxes to the not so impressive manor. It looked like it needed a lot of work. I watched as Paris got out of the car and motioned for me to get out. I rolled my eyes then climbed out.
"Are there even people here that I can talk to?" I asked as I looked around at the woods surrounds the manor. I'm going to go insane... I will slowly die. That's when I saw Rose stretching on the porch in a pink gymnastics outfit and wearing what looked like a rag around her neck like it was a scarf. When she saw us, she smiled and straightened up from where she had her head between her feet.
"Welcome...to Hell," she said with a smirk and then smiled like nothing happened.
"What was that?" Richard said, frowning a bit as he paused beside her.
"I said welcome to the manor!" She giggled and then did a backflip, landing on the railing of the porch. I walked up to them and looked Rose over.
"Don't I know you?" I asked curiously.
"No, you can't possibly know me, but I've heard about you~! You are supposed to be the new arrivals that are going to be living here. There are some people that I should tell you about that you will be meeting soon. There's Val...She's an actress...Well, ex-actress. Oh, and don't set out mice traps. I keep them as pets," she said and giggled, looking at Paris. Paris wrinkled up his nose.
"Disgusting... Come on Lauren." Paris motioned for me to come inside.
"Nice meeting you." I said nervously and went into the house.
"Byieee!" She called after me and grabbed the hang over part of the roof, doing a flip to get on top of it. Richard was inside, putting down the boxes he had and sighed as he straightened up, grabbing his back.
"Oh these old bones...." He winced in pain as I heard his back crack.
"Told you to get a new body." Paris hissed and swatted his chest. "Lauren go unpack." Paris waved me off. I raised an eyebrow then headed upstairs with- Where did this suitcase come from? Okay... I went upstairs with my suitcase. After I was done unpacking, I headed outside to what looked to be an old garden that had been neglected. I spotted a girl with purple hair walking around in it. I twirled my hair around my fingers as I cautiously walked up to her.
"Hello?" I asked. "Do you live here too?" I asked innocently. What if this is... that actress. Ex-actress? She turned to me and her golden eyes widened as she inspected me.
"Whoa....Momma let a child move in?" She asked and looked behind me back at the manor. "No, I don't live in there... In fact, I'm not even allowed to go in because she says it's dangerous. Oh! Watch out," she said and reached out, pulling me to her. "You're standing on a hidden well. It's very deep, and you'd die if the lid of it gave out." I looked at where I was standing then pushed her away from me.
"What? Dangerous!? You wish. It isn't dangerous. I think you-" I made the crazy sign. "Need to go check your mom into a hospital." I headed away from her then.
"My name is Raven by the way! Nice to meet you Lauren!" I raised an eyebrow... Did I tell her my name.... I don't recall doing that... I looked over my shoulder to her. She smiled at me sweetly and then laughed a bit as a cat started nuzzling at her feet. She reached down and petted it then looked at me. "Be careful, or you might find yourself in trouble," she warned with a smile. I rolled my eyes and decided to head back inside. I walked towards the front door and seen a box going to Rose who lived upstairs... She was just down here.... I picked it up and carried it up the stairs and to her door. I knocked on it and waited for an answer.
"Hello!? Rose!" I called. She appeared behind me and narrowed her eyes.
"Are you spying on me? You're here to steal my idea, aren't you?! You can't have my precious circus mice!" She hissed at me and glanced me up and down before taking the bite out of an apple. I handed her the box then.
"I was not spying. There is your mail." I headed for the stairs then. "Good bye Rose!" I called over my shoulder.
"I'll be seeing you later my darling," she said, changing gears as I heard her go into her room. I walked down to my door and walked into the house.
"Mom! Dad! I was wondering if we could play!" I called as I headed for the kitchen. I spotted Richard sitting at the table on his laptop, writing an email to my mother's allies.
"Can't....working," Richard said calmly as he blinked slowly, picking up a cup of coffee and sipping on it.
"What about-" As soon as I was about to ask I noticed Paris was on the counter, looking at his tablet.
"Busy. Go count the doors and windows." Paris suggested. She handed me a pen and paper. I rolled my eyes but decided to do it for some strange reason. I walked off with it and started on the upstairs.... working my way to the living room. I counted up the last of the windows in the living room then glanced around once. Nothing.... important. I paused as I seen a doll that looked like me on the couch. I walked over to it cautiously. It looks exactly like me. I glanced over to where it was staring at and noticed something funny behind a picture that was on the floor. I walked up to it then pushed it out of the way to see a small door.
"PARIS! WHAT'S THIS DOOR!?" I asked and waited for her to come in and tell me. Richard rolled in on a desk chair instead with his laptop in his lap.
"What door?" He asked as he glanced up from what he was doing. He frowned as he saw it. "Hmm....Well, it's an old house. I'd imagine it's just been cut off from the rest of the house, the part that we are living in, so that the owner of it....A Mrs. Sylvia I think... could make it into apartments. That's all that probably is sweetie. Did you finish counting the windows?"
"I did finish with the windows... Adding onto the door list." I told him as I marked it down then stood up and walked over to the doll. "By the way thank you for this doll! You didn't have to." I raised it up to show Richard. He widened his eyes and then shrugged, looking down at his laptop.
"As much as I'd like to take the credit for that, you know that your mother keeps me on a tight budget. That wasn't me or your mom," he said and then kicked the floor, rolling out of the room on the chair as it spun. I raised an eyebrow.
"Then... who?" I wondered and carried it with me to my bedroom upstairs. I might as well read for the rest of the time I have until supper. I walked into the bedroom and sat the doll down before pulling out Twilight from my bag. I took a seat on my bed and began to read it. After a couple of hours I heard Paris.
"COME DOWN! I HAVE SUPPER READY! SORRY I COULDN'T AFFORD THE GOOD STUFF!" I sat the book down and took the doll with me downstairs. I found Paris holding out a bottle to me with red liquid inside. "It's a little old." I took it and sniffed it then looked at the doll.
"Think their trying to poison me?" I asked the doll. I made it nod then held the drink back to Paris. He snatched it away and looked annoyed.
"Fine. Go to bed." She suggested. I nodded and went back to my bedroom and laid down on the bed and started to read Twilight again. After a few hours... Way past midnight I heard squeaking. Mice! Rose! I grabbed the doll and put the book under my bed. I headed towards the door, finding them running off down the hall. I headed after them and they lead me to the door. I watched them head inside it so I slid down by it then opened the door. I watched as a magical tunnel lead me somewhere else. I went into it not knowing what would happen... It was like going through time to me. I came out of it finding the living room I was just in.. Not much was changed. No wait... The couch is Black now. I noted to myself. I stood up slowly and glanced around. I walked towards the kitchen as I smelled an incredible aroma. When I walked in, I saw Paris cutting the wrists of a young Asian girl and holding wine glasses up under her wrists, watching in satisfaction as her blood leaked into the glasses- two of them. There was a plate of raw steak on the counter that she was leaving untouched.
"Oh, there you are my dear," Paris looked up at me and smiled sweetly. "I was just fixing you some dinner." The Asian girl closed her eyes as she winced, being submissive and not fighting back as she seemed to be ok with it.
"Dinner?" I asked and raised an eyebrow. "But mom... You never fixed dinner like this before." I told her to refresh her memory. "Are you feeling okay?" She laughed a bit and then held out a full glass to me, steam slowly rising off of it.
"Never better my sweet. Only the best for my darling daughter. I'm your other mother, Louis." She laughed and took a sip of her own glass. "Now please be a dear and go get your other father. He's in the study," Louis said and pointed to the door. "His dinner is going to lose it's flavor."
"What.... Okay." I took a sip of the blood in the glass then headed the study to inform my... other father about his meal. I reached it and opened the door after knocking. "Um... Excuse me?" I asked nervously. "Other mother said that dinner is ready." I informed. When I opened the door, I was bombarded with a hug.
"There's my sweet little girl!" I heard a voice say in my ear. "Come here, I have to show you what I've been working on!" My other father pulled back and pulled me over to the desk then swept all the papers off of it, revealing a desk with a built in computer that glowed to life. Millions of game options popped up on the surface. When I glanced over at him, I saw that my other father was August.
"August?" I asked as I looked him over... He's so young.... Younger then me. I raised an eyebrow. "What's going on... Why am I here? How did I get here? Louis is saying he is my other mother." I told him.. He should be able to connect to my confusion... How did I know him again? He laughed and ruffled my hair.
"Louis didn't explain it to you? Guess that leaves it up to me. You see, everybody has two sets of parents, their parents and their other parents. Louis and I, well...we've been waiting for you for a long time. We are your other parents! Louis made the doll for you, see," he said and gestured to the doll in my hand. "We managed to get it to you as a welcoming gift. So dinner is done then?"
"Yes dinner is done..." I trailed as I decided to go along with it. That just means two Christmases and two birth days! I grabbed his hand and pulled him down to the kitchen so we could eat. "Thank you for the doll." I said as I entered. It was meant for both of them.
"Aw no problem sweetie! We've been waiting for you for a long time. We love you so much," Louis said and appeared to be tearing up.
"Now, now," August said and pulled Louis into a hug, rubbing her head. "That's all behind us now....We can live with our daughter and not have to be waiting any longer. Ooooh, steak!" He let go of Louis and went for the steak, picking it up and taking a bite out of it. I shook my head and sipped on the blood.
"Live with me now?" I asked curiously. I could still go back to my mom and dad... right?
"Oh silly, he only means that you will now be seeing us as well! You spend time with your parents during the day, and then the real party starts at night, when you get to see us. We've been so lonely without you here...." Louis sighed and took a sip of the blood. "Blood lost it's luster....and began to have no flavor for me."
"So you mean... no more lonely nights?" I asked curiously. "I can come here every night?" I looked towards the living room then. There is just no way... this is happening.
"Mhm," August said through a mouthful of steak.
"We'd love you to stay with us always, but well..." Louis trailed off and finished the glass, setting it down.
"Well what?" I asked. "Why not?" I wondered.
"She just thought that you might want some time to think about it is all," August spoke up as he quickly finished the steak and started licking his fingers.
"Oh." I nodded as I faked like I was considering it. I would really have to think that over.... I mean really... where am I? I don't know these two. Their claiming their my other parents but I never seen them in my whole life... Or have I?
"Dear, you need to work out in the garden," Louis said and smiled towards August. "Our dream won't come true without some fun effort. You should take Lauren out there and show her what we are working on." August smiled and nodded, and suddenly, we were both outside in a gorgeous garden with luxurious flowers growing everywhere. A stone path cut through them, allowing access to the rest of the beautiful garden. A few cherry trees grew here and there as well, the petals falling like snow in the slight breeze. August laughed a bit and put a hand on my back.
"Have fun exploring my dear. Watch out for those dragon snappers. They'll really tickle you, and the Bleeding Hearts actually bleed. It's really sweet if you'd like to try some of it," he said and smiled down at me.
"No... I don't want anymore to drink. I think I am full. This is cool though... The garden. I never expected you to actually.. Garden." I laughed and walked over to the nearest flower and tried to pick it. "It's romantic..." I mumbled.
"Louis thought you'd like it. She said that she thought that you liked really pretty things and that we should only get the best for you. I've been caring for this garden for you for a while now," he said and walked up, handing me garden snipers to cut it with. "Here, cut it at an angle like this. It helps the flower live longer in a vase if you cut the stem like this." He showed me and then handed me the flower along with the scissors. I nodded towards him and smelled the flower.
"Do you have any Valerian flowers? Their my favorite." I asked as I looked around for them.
"Of course, they're right over here." He led me to another part of the garden, and I saw tons of them. I giggled and cut a few like he showed me and handed the scissors back to him.
"This is wonderful. I'm going to go take these inside to put them in a vase with mom. Thank you other dad. These are going to look amazing on the kitchen table." I nodded to myself as I headed back to the house and walked in. I went to the kitchen. "Other mom! Look! I have flowers! Let's put them in a vase!" I called... for some reason I expected her to still be in the kitchen. However, she wasn't.
"Hm? Flowers?" I heard a voice from behind me. "Those look good. I'll have to give August my compliments when he comes back inside. You did a good job cutting them my dear." Louis walked past me and over to a cabinet, getting down a vase with a smile. "Did you like the garden sweetie?"
"It was beautiful." I told her as I walked over to the sink and turned on the water for her and washed the stems off of the flowers then waited for her to have the vase ready for them. "What were you doing? Can I help you?" I asked curiously.
"Well, I was just working on my piano skills...if you'd like me to teach you, I'd love to," she said as she came over and filled up the vase with water and took the flowers to put them in the vase. I gave a nod.
"I'd love to learn!" I giggled. "What should we play together?" I tilted my head. She smiled sweetly and set the vase down on the table.
"How about we start with something easy," she asked and led me out of the kitchen and to the living room where a grand piano sat. "Take a seat." I sat down on the bench and ran my fingers across the keys and waited for her to sit by me.
"Oh.... Something easy...." I smiled at the thought. I'm going to learn something from Louis! She sat beside me and put a book on the piano music stand then turned to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star at the very beginning off the book.
"How about this one? It's more complicated than Mary Had a Little Lamb, but I think that you can handle this. After all, you are my daughter," she said and laughed, ruffling my hair. She placed her hands on the piano, showing me the notes as she explained it to me and showed me the keys and the pattern to the piano. When she took her hands away for me to play I started on the notes and played the song like it was natural to me.... Did I know piano? Or was I just a natural born piano player? "Very good, just what I expected. How about we try....Scarborough Fair. That one is one of my personal favorites," she told me and turned further into the book. I gave a nod towards her in agreement.
"Scarborough Fair sounds familiar... who is it by?" I asked curiously as I looked towards the music in front of us.
"It's a folk song love....One that was sung by bards across England about the Scarborough Fair that was approved by the king- not the fair that you are thinking of, but a fair where they sold things like an open market in Scarborough," she said and played the first few measures of it for me. I nodded along to the song as she played the beginning for me. I watched her hands carefully and then played it back to her, getting the notes correct. "Great!" She complimented and then started the next phrase for me. Eventually we got through the whole song. I yawned and stretched.
"I'm getting a bit tired." I admitted... never thought I would say that. I stood up off the bench. "I'm going to go to bed." I told her. "Goodnight?"
"Here, let me tuck you in first," she said and stood up. "August," she sung out and looked behind her to see him coming through the door. "We're going to tuck Lauren in!" She laughed and looked at me, starting to lead me up the stairs. August followed behind us with a small smile. I smiled as I looked at August then over him towards the living room. Shouldn't I go back? I looked back to Louis as I followed her towards my bedroom.
"I hope you have sweet dreams Lauren!" August told me as he lifted me up onto his shoulders and carried me the rest of the way. When we got into the room he sat me down on the bed and I glanced over my newly improved bedroom... There was books piled up on the books shelves instead of them being empty. I glanced towards the wall where a swan lake design was painted across it. I widened my eyes at the details.
"Louis.... August..." I said softly.
"Yes my dear?" Louis said as she moved me under the blanket and started to tuck me in, placing the doll beside my head. I looked at the doll in wonder and then looked over towards August and Louis.
"Thank you for the stuff..." I told them and smiled. August leaned down and kissed my forehead.
"Your welcome darling!" He smiled as he pulled back.
"If there is anything in the world that you want, you let me know," Louis said softly and moved the hair off of my face. "Get some rest darling....We'll see you tomorrow." She stepped back and winded up a music box, setting it down on the nightstand as she grabbed August's hand. I watched them standing by the door before I drifted asleep.
I woke up to the sound of rain pouring outside. I sat up and rubbed my head as I looked around to see I was in my plain bedroom... Nothing magical about it. The walls were their plain blue color. I climbed out of bed then looked towards the bed. I grabbed the doll and took it with me downstairs to the kitchen. "MOM! DAD!" I called. "I want to tell you about this weird dream I had!" I announced and walked into the kitchen, expecting them to be there.
"What dream?" Paris asked and turned towards me, he was heating up blood in the microwave. I wrinkled up my nose. "Was it bad? Oh we have to go into town today so get ready." Richard glanced up at me from where he was sitting on his laptop.
"You look like you got a decent night's sleep.... Paris, dear, the Prince of Thailand says that he won't work with us." He turned to look at my mom and blinked with a tired look in his eyes. I frowned and watched as Paris crushed a glass in his hands out of anger. I backed up out of the room before I could hear what he had to say about it. I walked back upstairs and to my bedroom then got ready to go out into town. I took the doll with me when we went out to town and when we came back Paris suggested I go see the actress who lived downstairs so I headed off to her door with the doll. I knocked on the door and put the doll linked in my arm as I waited. A bulgy man opened the door and smiled at me.
"Who are you?" He asked and raised an eyebrow.
"Uh.... I'm Lauren. I live upstairs. Paris- my mom wanted me to come visit... So I am." I explained. A girl pushed past him and smirked at me. Her hair was dyed a rainbow and she looked me over with hunger.
"Lauren! Come in." She pulled me in immediately.
"They say you are an ex- actress?" I asked.
"Oh yes!" Lauren turned to me and before I knew it we were on a couch and the man was standing nearby in the kitchen area. He was leaned over the counter on his laptop.
"Who is he?" I asked and gestured to him.
"Oh! He is my body guard." She brushed it off. "Have we met before? You smell delightful." She leaned in towards me and sniffed my neck. I scooted away from her then and put the doll in my lap.
"No... I don't believe-"
"We have met before! I know you!" She giggled. "You live upstairs." She pointed upwards. "Your in great danger." She touched her head then. "I have connections." She leaned back against the couch.
"Danger? Would your connection be a girl named Raven? Because she is a liar."
"RAVEN! How did you know?" Val giggled and shook her head. "Want to see something cool?" I shook my head. She giggled and held out her hand to me. I awkwardly touched her hand and she pulled me in towards her and bit my neck. I screamed and pulled back from her and took off out of the apartment. I took the doll with me as I ran back to my front door and went into the house. Freaks! I am surrounded by freaks. I ran into the kitchen and held my neck as it wouldn't stop bleeding.
"Why are you bleeding?" Paris asked with an raised eyebrow.
"Val!" I yelled out in anger.
"You should've stayed away from her." Paris mumbled.
"YOU TOLD ME TO GO SEE HER!"
"Did not." Paris said calmly.
"Sweetie, you should get that covered up before another vampire smells it. We do live with a lot of vampires after all," Richard murmured from his laptop then glanced up at me. "Besides, you really do smell great, and I'd hate it if your mother got a little bit out of control. Her tastes are more expensive and the budget we are on has been bothering her." Paris started to lick her lips as I walked out of the kitchen quickly. I looked down at the doll as I headed for the bathroom. I noticed a drop had landed on it's lips so I rubbed it off.
"Sorry little me." I told it and then headed into the bathroom. I sat it on the counter and grabbed two band-aids and covered up the two wholes with them. I took the doll with me to my room and sat down on the bed and grabbed the Twilight book out from under my pillow and started to read on it for the remainder of the day. Oddly I skipped supper and when the sun went down fully and there wasn't a sound coming from downstairs. I took the doll with me downstairs to the door. I pulled it open easily and watched as the tunnel lead me towards the other living room. I crawled through it with the doll and came out on the other side.
"Other mom! Other dad! I'm home!" I called and ran towards the kitchen excitedly.
"There you are dear! Just in time for supper!" Louis said, brightening up as she saw me. "I got you a glass of the rarest blood out there." I saw a glass of blood on the table, still hot and fresh. "Now...who did that nasty little thing to you?" Louis asked as she spotted the Band-Aids on my neck with a frown. "That's completely horrid. Your mother should have done more.... I would have had a word with that Val character.... Our Val isn't near as terrible as that brute you have on that side of the door. She's really sweet here." Louis shook her head and ran her fingers through her short white hair then glanced over at August. "August dear, have you seen Benjamin? He was supposed to be here thirty minutes ago to take Lauren out to visit the other ones who live here....You know, the circus?" She whispered the last part in August's ear.
"Benjamin?" I wondered as I took the grass and took a sip of the blood. I gasped at the taste! It's amazing... One of the most divine blood I have ever laid my fangs in. I looked at Louis in awe. "How'd you manage to get this?" I wondered. Who was Benjamin? Was he... someone like Raven?
"Hmm? Oh that? We have some donors around here," Louis said and flashed a smile towards me. I noticed that she was wearing long sleeves today. "Benjamin is..." The doorbell rang and Louis laughed. "Well, he's here!" She disappeared and came back into the kitchen after a minute with a familiar looking guy. "This is Benjamin." I looked him over in wonder.
"Have we met before?" I asked him curiously. Did he go to my old school or something? I held out a hand to him cautiously. Last time I handed out a hand to a stranger I got bit. He smiled and took my hand, giving it a kiss.
"He's your boyfriend, remember? Mommy Paris didn't like you being with him before you moved, so I brought him here for you." Louis smiled at me and gave a wink. I nodded and looked Benjamin over. Is he my other boyfriend?
"Nice meeting you Benjamin," I mumbled.
"Now you two kids have fun out there today. Stay out as long as you want, but don't get lost," August said and nudged us both out of the kitchen. I linked an arm with Benjamin as I walked with him out of the house.
"So where are we going first?" I asked him curiously.
"How about we go visit Rose? She's going to be expecting us," he said and smiled. That's when I noticed that he had no evidence of having any kind of fangs, just regular human teeth. I leaned in and smelled him cautiously. Was he human? He smelled definitely like a vampire.... "Hmm?" He frowned at me and tilted my head up to look at him. "Something wrong?"
"Where are your fangs?" I asked and then moved to inspect his mouth. He blushed and looked away from me, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Louis thought it would be better if you didn't have to be afraid of me biting you....so she took my fangs," he told me quietly. I shook my head. That's a mean thing to do to a vampire. Take away their fangs... I shifted from him awkwardly.
"She shouldn't had done that." I whispered. I walked with him towards Rose's door.
"It's alright. I willingly let her, and it only hurt for about an hour....I'd rather make you happy than have you scared of me," he said and smiled at me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
"I'm not scared if my boyfriend bites me... but when a stranger does it for no good reason then I get a bit.... frightened." I told him as we was by the door now. I knocked on it and waited for Rose to appear. Benjamin brightened up and watched as the door slowly opened, revealing a room that had been decorated with multicolored string lights. A black light was on the wall across from the door and lit up green letters that spelled out 'Welcome to the Circus Lauren'. I heard a giggle and then saw a few mice on the ground dressed up in a light blue outfit that glowed under the light. The one in the middle blew on a tiny trumpet, playing a fanfare and then they all ran down to a little tent in the middle of the floor that could fit at least three people in it and still have a lot of space. Rose smirked as she saw us and held out two icecream cones.
"Welcome," she whispered and looked over at Benjamin, giving a wink. He laughed and leaned in, kissing my cheek.
"It's amazing Rose... Did you really train the mice to do that?" I asked as I wrapped an arm around Benjamin. She nodded and handed us the icecreams.
"Yes, I have a reward system for them. I earned their affection and respect with gifts and then taught them all that by rewarding them as they got things right and punishing them as they disobeyed. It's worked wonders!" She laughed and then disappeared. I looked towards Benjamin then went towards the tent and peeked inside. Surprisingly it was a circus tent. I crawled in and left room for Benjamin to join me inside. He crawled in beside me and smiled as he started to eat his ice cream. I spotted the mice on the ground in an arena, looking up at me. As soon as we were settled, the one with the trumpet bowed and started to play Centuries as another appeared with a marching drum on, giving the beat for it. The mice began to do tricks and even did some trapeze stuff along with tightrope tricks. Towards the end of the song, they started tossing each other on top of another, building a tower as they stood on each other's paws, and I saw that they spelled out my name on top of each other. Benjamin laughed and kissed my cheek.
"I bet this only took Rose two days. She's a genius you know?"
"No I didn't know." I told him and clapped for the mice. "She must of done it in less then two days though! I just got here yesterday." I shook my head.
"Well Louis probably tipped her off that you would be coming soon. You never know with her. She loves to plan things out," he whispered to me and leaned in to my neck instinctively then stopped, resting his head on my shoulder as he looked back towards the mice. They all bowed and then another song started up and they began another show for me. I watched them in amazement. Another song? Benjamin laughed and hugged me as he saw them. When they were done doing something I would have thought impossible for mice to do, Rose appeared in the middle of them and smiled, taking a bow.
"How'd you like it, you two love birds?"
"I loved it Rose!" I told her and laughed. "How'd you manage to get them to do it?" I wondered and smiled towards Benjamin.
"Like I said, the reward system works wonders." She smirked at me and then bent down, picking up the one with the trumpet. "Out of all of them, this is the most talented...I named him Kent." I nodded and watched her. This all seemed familiar then to me. Hadn't I seen this before? Other mother? Other father... Door that takes you into another world... Circus mice.... Ex- actresses... Kid that tells you the house is dangerous... How is it dangerous exactly? I took in a deep breath as I remembered the movie Caroline. I backed up suddenly, going out of the tent. I need to get home! When I got out of the tent, I saw Louis standing at the door with a smile.
"How'd you enjoy yourself sweetie? Did you have fun today?"
"I did." I told him nervously. "I'm tired though... so I think I am going to head to bed early tonight." I told him. Louis raised an eyebrow at me.
"Alright then. August darling! It's time to tuck in Lauren for the night!" He walked out of the room then, leaving me with Rose and Benjamin. I looked at Rose.
"It was a really nice show Rose... Thank you so much." I turned to Benjamin then and smiled innocently. "See you soon." I told him and headed off for downstairs where I could go to bed and escape this place. I am never returning here. When I got downstairs however, I found Raven sitting in a chair, inspecting her nails.
"You- are you the other Raven too?" I asked softly. She looked up at me, and that's when I noticed she looked more like a ghost than an actual live person.
"Hm? No... I'm not another Raven.... I'm real, unlike this world. Mother trapped me here long ago....ate me up," she whispered to me as she stood up. Two other ghosts appeared by her, and I got the distinct feeling that the one on her left- the only boy- was named Parker and the other girl was named Lucy. "She ate us all up." I screamed and widened my eyes. I knew it! I have to get out of here. I ran towards the living room to get to the door. They appeared in front of me and looked alarmed.
"If she hears you miss, you'll be in terrible danger...more than you already are. You can't let her know that you know.... She'll eat you early," Lucy said and then Parker grabbed my hands.
"Please be careful miss...If she sees us...." he started. Raven appeared beside me.
"You can't escape her.... She'll find her ways. She can spy into your life with that doll.... That's how she got us. She spied on our lives through the little doll's eyes and saw that we were unhappy. She lured us here with a dreamland and then...when she offered to let us stay in exchange for our- our...fangs....we said yes. She made us defenseless and then she ate us," Raven told me.
"She controls everything that happens here, and she can affect what happens in your world too," Lucy said in my ear.
"She'll make you come back. You've got to trick her," Parker chimed in.
"And while your at it...can you get our fangs back? It really hurts," Raven whined, touching her lips. I nodded in confusion.
"I'll get them back for you." I promised them. How was I supposed to do that though? I looked around in case she was near.
"Thank you," they whispered to me and then disappeared. As soon as they did, Louis and August both came in. I smiled innocently at them.
"Ready to tuck me in?" I asked and faked a yawned. I stretched and walked over to them, pulling them to my bedroom so they could put me to sleep. After they tucked me in, I caught Louis smirking a bit at me- a first. I watched them leave the room then pulled the covers over my head and tried to fall asleep. After a bit.... I faded into dreamland.
When I woke up I pushed the covers off of me in excitement to be awake and at my actual home. I glanced around to make sure that I was in my room. I was, but I felt like something was off. I saw the doll sitting up on my chest, staring at me with it's unblinking gaze. A glasses case was sitting on my nightstand with a note attached to it as well. I picked up the glasses case and put the doll by me. I opened up the case and read the note at the same time.
Dear Lauren,
You're in terrible danger. It's not a dream. Use the glasses. They'll help you see what cannot be seen. Be strong and smart, or else you'll die.
~Raven and the ghost children~
I looked at the doll and crumbled up the note. I stuck it in my pocket then put the glasses on and glanced around the room. How did Caroline do it again? I will just reenact what she done. Rose came into my room then with a worried expression.
"Have you seen your parents? They aren't home, and the car is here...." She looked around and then spotted the doll. "That's interesting. Anyways, the mice don't know anything about where your parents are, and Val downstairs is going loopy off of tea."
"You mean my parents are missing?" I asked curiously and got out of bed then. I left the doll in the bed, deciding to stop carrying it around. If the ghost children are right.. I don't want to even touch it. "I don't know where they could be Rose." I shook my head.
"Well, they left the stove on and left some terrible smelling blood in it. I don't think that they are that irresponsible, and I didn't find them in their bedroom either. Seems like they just...disappeared. Oh, and there's this girl outside asking for you. She refuses to come in, saying that her mom will be upset." Rose turned on her heel and left the room then. I looked at the doll then grabbed it and put it in my chest of valuables. I walked off towards the front door to see What Raven might want. I walked out and looked around for her. She grinned as she saw me from the yard, a black cat at her feet.
"Welcome back Lauren."
"What do you mean by that?" I asked her and walked up to her.
"Well, she let you come back to this place, meaning that she's got something up her sleeve. Jinx here told me that she's got your parents now," she told me and looked down at the cat who stared up at me. "She can travel between both worlds you know? She takes me with her sometimes..."
"Was you... There last night?" I asked her quietly and looked towards my bedroom windows.
"Hmm? What are we talking about?" She asked, looking up at me as I saw something in her eyes click. "Anyways, mommy says that she's missing her doll."
"What doll?" I asked and turned back to Raven. "Is it a doll that looks like her?"
"Well, she says that she thinks that you might have it and that it would be best to return it to her before something bad happens. She told me that's how she lost her sister...the doll took her. She would come back and tell these fantastic stories about another mother and father, but eventually, she went missing in this house. It's why she refuses to let me go inside. She doesn't want the same thing to happen to me."
"My other parents gave me that doll..." I mumbled. "I think it is safer away from your mother. She might get you both." I warned and smirked. "My other mother likes company." I teased and went to tickle her. She giggled and started to run off from me, the cat chasing after her.
"EEK!" I didn't chase after her though.
"Safe trip home!" I yelled then walked back towards the house and walked in. I went over to the door in the living room and tried to open it up. Looks like I have to go back in.. For my parents. The tunnel appeared so I went through it and when I entered the other living room I glanced around. "Other Mom! My parents are missing! Do you know what happened to them?" I asked and went for the kitchen to find her there.. She was humming to herself as she stirred up some stir fry in a pan on the stove.
"Your parents? How....terrible," she murmured to herself.
"Do you know what happened?" I asked again as I walked up towards her cautiously.
"How about you just stay with me? They probably ran off...to France maybe? That seems like something that a couple would do with so much work and a daughter to take care of. They probably couldn't handle the stress. They are inferior to me after all. I would never leave you," she said and turned to me, smirking just a bit. "How about you go get your father? He's in the study again, and he's going to miss the treat that I'm making for him. I raised an eyebrow and then walked off for the study. I'm not going to stay here... I smiled and walked up to his study and knocked on the door before I entered it.
"Other dad?" I asked. "Other mom wanted me to come get you and tell you that it is time to come down to the kitchen. She made a treat for you." I informed him. August turned to me from the computer and nodded.
"Sure! I will be down right away." August stood up and walked over to me then picked me up and sat me on his shoulders. He carried me down to the kitchen and sat me down as soon as we got to the kitchen. I saw Louis smirking as he sat on the counter, holding a bowl of stir fry for August.
"Here boy," Louis said and laughed as he took a bite of the stir fry teasingly. August grabbed the bowl of stir fry and started eating it and sat down at the table.
"Thanks sweetie!" August said and smiled. I sat down across from August and looked over at Louis.
"So... If they moved away then it looks like this might be the last time I see you two. I will have to move as well." I started up the conversation.
"No....You should just stay with us," Louis said and smirked, giving a glance over to August. "They don't want you anymore....and we just love you to death."
"Yes... but I need to live in the world... not this one. This one is small." I told them cautiously. August turned to look at Louis and smirked back.
"Small...why I'd say it's...cozy. Isn't that right August? It'll keep us together forever," Louis said and hopped off of the counter and onto the floor, not taking his eyes off of August. I sat back in my chair and watched the two making eye contact. Something is up.
"What if it doesn't?" I questioned.
"Oh...it will," she hummed out and then leaned into August, giving him a kiss before looking at me as she wrapped her arms around him. "Don't worry... It will."
"What if I don't want to stay here forever?" I asked. "I like it out there.... It is challenging."
"You don't want to go back there....No one loves you there," she said and then started to walk towards me, her boots making a sound on the floor as she got closer to me. "We love you so much....You don't want to leave us. We don't want you to leave us. All you've got to do to stay here is...let me take your fangs," she whispered and then appeared right beside me, grabbing my shoulders as she held me down in the chair. "August darling," she called to him and smirked. I struggled to get away from her.
"Don't take my fangs!" I cried out. August took another bite of stir fry before getting up and walking towards us. "PLEASE! I don't want my fangs to be taken away!" I tried to get out of the chair and August laughed at my struggles. I saw the three ghost children appear behind them, and they watched with faint interest and a look of pity. Raven sat on the counter and grabbed a strawberry from a nearby bowl and started to eat it as she hummed to herself. "Mom please!" I cried out and kicked at August. He reached into a drawer and pulled out a pair of pliers. I screamed and kicked the floor, sending the chair backwards and into Louis. I got him to let me go and I took off running for the living room. I heard a howl behind me and I widened my eyes. Benjamin appeared in front of me and grabbed me, spinning me around to see Louis and a wolf at her heels.
"Now where do you think you are going? Benjamin, hold her down." Louis smirked and made a clicking noise with the pliers to inspire more fear in me.
"Yes ma'am," he whispered softly and his grip tightened on me. He was shaking a bit, but he obeyed. The ghost children migrated into the living room behind Louis and I saw that Lucy had a bag of popcorn that she was sharing with Parker. I screamed and stomped on Benjamin's foot then spun around in his arms and bit into him to get him to fear me. I tore out a chunk of his neck and spit it at the ground.
"Back off." I ordered Benjamin. He screamed and put a hand over his neck, whimpering a bit and then ran off from me in fear. I turned towards Louis then took off for the door out of here. There is no way I'm going to stay here or ever come back! They're not taking my fangs. That's when I saw Paris's corpse on the floor with Richard's on top of him, their blood spilling out onto the floor. Louis grabbed my arm and spun me around, forcing my mouth open and ripping out one of my fangs. I screamed and pulled back as a wave of pain shook my body. I fell to my knees and held my mouth.. I started crying. "This isn't love!" I told Louis. "Your evil."
"No, my dear, I'm not evil and I do love you. I'm doing this for you," he said and smirked, getting down on his knees as he reached into my mouth, ripping out the last one. He laughed and looked back at August. "August, are you hungry?" She asked and smirked. She looked back at me and leaned in, biting into my neck. I groaned and tried to push him backwards.
"Stop! Don't do this Louis!" I cried out. The wolf started to come towards me and I widened my eyes in fear as it's eyes stared deep into my soul. Someone help me! Anyone.... I closed my eyes tightly and screamed. I spotted Raven standing above us with a cold look in her eyes, staring down at me with a blank look on her face.
"You just couldn't get away....Could you?" She whispered to me and tilted her head as the other two came up beside her and looked down at me with grins.
"Guess you get to join the club," Lucy said.
"Welcome to Hell," Parker told me, reiterating what Rose had first said when we moved into this horrible manor. I felt the wolf bite into my shoulder and started to rip me apart. Pain surged throughout my body and I screamed.
"NO!" I cried out. "Help me!" I screamed as I felt myself being pinned down.
"Hmmm..." Raven sat down next to me and started to play with my hair, humming to herself as she giggled.
"It'll all be over soon... Then you'll be dead! Just like me," she said and laughed with an insane sound to her voice. I felt fear in my chest as I found that I had no way out of this.
I woke up screaming on the couch and looked around frantically as my chest stung with fear. I could taste the rich blood from the dream in my mouth. I shot up off the couch and headed towards the door to get the hell out of the manor. "Lauren! Calm down! It was all a dream! Your okay!" I heard Paris yelling from behind me. I didn't want to head back though... It could be Louis! Raven appeared in front of me and grabbed me, pulling me into a hug.
"Shhh, it's ok.... It was just a nightmare. Look, I'll prove it. 2 times 2 is 4 and the same when you add it!" She giggled and pulled back, looking me in the eyes as she brushed my hair out of my face. "You fell asleep on the couch while watching Caroline." I shivered and leaned up against a nearby wall and fell down to the floor against it.
"It was horrible. I'll never fall back asleep again." I promised myself. I pulled my knees to my chest then held my head down towards my knees. "I died."
"You died?" She sat down in front of me and frowned. "PARIS! WE NEED SOME HELP IN HERE!" She shouted for him. I heard Paris appear by her and sit down by me.
"It's okay Lauren! You won't die! You are going to live a very long time. Trust me. I'm sure that nothing that happened in your dream will ever come true. Unless you can see the future.... then I want to know what you seen." He laughed nervously.
"They ate me alive... Ripped out my teeth... Swallowed me whole..." I mumbled. "Horrible... Little other mother."
"Other mother?" Raven frowned and looked at me. "You mean like an adopted mommy? I had one of those once....She got eaten....after she told me I was insane. She was a psychiatrist you know." She giggled and looked me over. I touched my fangs then to make sure I still had them and relaxed as I felt my sharp pointy teeth. They are still there! I sighed and decided to ignore the nightmare now... at least in front of them. I relaxed then looked up at them and gave a nod.
"I'm fine." I told them and stood up. I still have my fangs. Raven stood up with me and pulled me into a hug, grabbing Paris by his shirt and pulling him into a group hug.
"Good, I'd chase away the nightmares if you wanted," Raven told me.
"You can't chase mine away...." I mumbled. "They are always there when I sleep... So I don't sleep." Raven sighed and nodded as she pulled back from the hug, releasing Paris from her grip.
"Alright Lauren.... By the way...You called Paris your mommy in your sleep," she said and touched my nose lightly.
"Makes since.. He was my mom in my dream." I said softly and Paris gave me a smirk.
"Oh really?" He teased. I glared him down.
"And you said that Richard was your daddy," Raven added in. I blushed and shook my head.
"Don't tell me I done that! I swear you any of you mention this stuff to anyone..." I grumbled.
"Awww, Paris and Richard...." Raven giggled and looked over at Paris, giving smirk. "Looks like you two now have an adorable girl."
"Two adorable girls." Paris said with a smirk. "Then another daughter and a son. You two haven't met them yet." Raven blushed and bit her bottom lip.
"Hm?" She said and glanced over at me then back at Paris, looking a little embarrassed.
"Your like a daughter to us too Raven." Paris said then started walking off. Her blush deepened and she looked over at me.
"So....now that you've had sleep....How about we watch Annabelle?" She giggled and grabbed my hand. I shook my head but went with her to the living room.
"I might as well watch it." I mumbled. However, when we got to the room, I saw a small ragdoll on the couch...that looked just like me. It sat there and stared up at me, a small smile on it's lips. I screamed and ran out of the room then out of fear and went towards the garage. Time to leave! Raven appeared in front of me and blocked my way to the garage and grabbed me.
"Hey, calm down. It's just a doll that I had made for you at this really cool store. They make exact replicas of people, and I thought that you might like it. If you don't... I can get rid of it," she told me.
"GET RID OF IT." I told her and narrowed my eyes. She nodded quickly.
"Ok, I'll get rid of it. In the fireplace it goes," she teleported us back to the living room and grabbed the doll, throwing it into the fireplace. She smiled in satisfaction as it burned into ashes. "See? No more." I watched it burn away then nodded.
"Thanks Raven." I mumbled. "Why would you even get something like that made? That's just creepy as hell."
"Well, I didn't know that you didn't like dolls," she said and sat down on the couch. "Next time I will just get you a candy bar."
"What's wrong with you? No one likes dolls! Their creepy!" I told her and sat down by her. Paris walked in and sat down on the other couch. She glanced at Paris and smiled at him then looked at me.
"I happen to like dolls," she said and giggled. "Besides, you probably played with a few when you were a child."
"Never. I found them weird. I always played with the chickens on the farm... sometimes the horses." I told her.
"You grew up on a farm?" She widened her eyes and sat up, grabbing my hands. "What was it like? Was it like? Was it like the movies?" She asked excitedly.
"Nothing like the movies. Sometimes Pa killed some of the animals because we couldn't afford to feed them. I lost one of my best friends from it. Everything was skinny back then." I told her and shuddered. She frowned and hugged me.
"That must have been rough for you.... Being a vampire all my life, I never really saw much of that around me. I just was curious, sorry," she said softly and curled my hair around her fingers.
"My human life wasn't so bad... I remember when I first met my husband... It was on one of the plumpest summer days where everything was at it's fattest. His name was John. He liked my eyes and told me they were the clearest he ever seen. He sold my dad a cow earlier that year. He had came back to the farm to check on her... I think he just wanted to see me. A week later I was engaged and the following week I was pregnant with my first born." I rubbed my stomach as I remembered my human life. John was one of the truest men I ever known. He worked hard too to put the food on the table. Come to think of it he reminds me of Benjamin. I laid my head on Raven's shoulder. "Three years later John died, a drunk man murdered him as well as my children. All for our money. I was going to die too... If it wasn't for her." I stopped talking then as I came across the story of how I met my maker. I took in a deep breath. "She killed him and turned me into a vampire while I was dying. The baby never made it." I whispered the last part as I looked towards my stomach. I had told them so much then... I blushed and looked around the room. Paris was looking at me curiously.
"That's so sad....You must have hated her," Raven said, petting my hair. "I would've if she ruined my life like that. Who was she?" She hummed in my ear softly as she kissed the top of my head.
"She saved me... I don't really hate her." I admitted. "I don't remember much about her actually. I know she freed me from being her new born." I told Raven.
"Well of course she did because you wouldn't be sitting here with me if she hadn't released you. Maybe she got killed," she mused and then rubbed my head.
"I think she did... But I think I would remember something like that." I laughed and looked up into her eyes. She smiled down at me and giggled a bit.
"Well, you probably won't see her again," she said softly to me and then kissed the top of my head again.
"Probably not, usually when makers free their little newborns.... it is to send them off on their own for a very long time... Possibly for all eternity." Paris told us.
"Hmm, must be tough being a newborn," Raven said, looking over at him. "I don't think I've ever made one...." She frowned and looked at the ground. "Weeeell....maybe- No, no I haven't."
"I've made so many I lost count." Paris told us. "I've had so many wars..." He shook his head. "I love each and every one of them though. Sometimes they get special treatment from the others." He laughed.
"Special treatment?" Raven looked back up at him. "Like bad special treatment or good special treatment? I can see it both ways."
"There has only been Richard in my life... Unlike Richard." Paris looked towards Richard. "He's had one other besides me." Paris hissed out.
"Hmm?" Richard looked over at him from where he was reading a book. "What are we talking about? I feel like you're angry with me...." He looked Paris over and bit his bottom lip as his eyes sparked in fear. He jumped up and hid behind the chair he had been sitting with in case Paris was really mad at him.
"Remember when you thought I was dead that one time after you killed me out of anger because of the whole- You turned into a demon and I got a vampire hunter to exorcist you- then you killed me a few years later when I put you into a body... Then you went to Africa and met a male that looked sort of like me and you mated with him... Then I met my twin in that time period I was regenerating back and we found you two and I murdered your lover then we had a huge fight that ended with us in bed two years later and laughing about the whole thing?" Paris asked and I raised an eyebrow.
"Love you?" Richard called from behind the chair. "By the way kids, I can be really scary.... I just don't look like it. I used to be a legend," he told us as he peeked at us from behind the chair. "Should've told you sooner instead of letting Paris tell you...."
"Richard wanted power and so he binged on blood and became a demonic being.... I had stood by his side for a bit before realized that I was no longer satisfied with his sour tasting blood and demonic ways.... So I took him down... Backstabbed him in the back with Rose's help. He was mad for a long time at me about that to... Even slept with another." Paris narrowed his eyes. Richard laughed nervously.
"Well now you can kill me all you want, but when I come back, I'm always gonna crawl back into bed with you even if you try to keep me out," he said and winked at him.
"I know one thing... I would never sleep with another." Paris said and held his chin up high. I giggled as I watched them fight about it.
"Those days are behind me now.... I can't even stand to be by myself for too long without you. I went to sleep for ten years...." He got up from behind the couch and walked over to him. "Mister high and mighty over here...you would have just waited and pretty much lived those ten years out if it was me in the coffin."
"Your right, I wouldn't let our empire fall." Paris muttered. "Now look at what we have to do! I had to kill a vampire just to get my manor back." Paris groaned. "I also am going to have to fight that stupid vampire hunter association and run them back off of our land. Oh and let's not mention Louis."
"Now, if you really wanted to end it sooner, you could always use me," Richard said and sat down in Paris's lap, looking him in the eyes. "I'd have the hunters begging in thirty minutes."
"I'd have them begging in five minutes." Paris smirked. "I just have to build up our status again and become gods like we was. Everyone will know and fear us soon." Richard raised an eyebrow at him and smirked.
"Well, you know that I have to have my fun. If you want, I can go out and take out the nearest headquarters tomorrow and turn the whole lot of them for you. Instant army with their own weapons right there," he said and leaned in, giving Paris a kiss. Raven raised an eyebrow at them.
"I think that they are having a competition over there...." she whispered in my ear with a giggle.
"We will do it together when I say we will." Paris told him and kissed Richard back. I shook my head as I watched.