Athene
"Tinny, are you going to be okay?"
I couldn't face Ma after all the trouble she went through that day just to make me feel better. The event haunted us even when we got back to the city. I had to convince Ma to live with me temporarily while Mr. Nick's friend fixes the fence. Back then I have to come up with a pretty solid lie so that Ma wouldn't worry about me.
It turns even Ma wanted to make sure I am okay and decided to stay with me for a while. I actually hate it when I lie to her, but then what choice do I have?
"Ma, I'll be okay, don't worry," I said as I hugged her real tight.
"Alright, take care,"
I gently kissed Ma's forehead before and Cleo gave me a meow of encouragement before I went out.
I'm still scared, but if I'm not going to work I'm not going to get paid for my brain. Good thing, I still have my guts, now time for work.
"Tinny, are you okay?"
For the nth time, I was able to hear that question again. I smiled at Lulu and nodded.
"Do you want to grab some donuts?" She beamed.
I got to admit, her smile is always contagious and I'll be happy to get infected anytime.
My phone began to ring which is quite odd.
"Did you have a boyfriend already?" Lulu frowned when I picked up my phone.
"Silly you, it's just—"
"Athene,"
It's that sing-song voice again, just how techy is she?
"Oh, hello Myrtle,"
Lulu gave me a confused look and suddenly became really quiet.
"Athene, can we talk away from your friend? I can feel her curious energy,"
Oh right, I forgot that she's a she-vamp with cool psychic powers!
"Why thank you, now go to the roof if you don't want me to cast a teleportation spell on you again,"
I smiled at Lulu and gave an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, I have to take this one first,"
"Who is she?" she asked.
If I tell you, you would actually think I'm crazy.
"A friend I met back home, she's really cool. I wish you could meet her,"
And I hope you wouldn't freak out.
Lulu smiled as a response as she playfully pushes me to the door.
"Well, you better meet up with that really cool gal, she seemed nice to me,"
I can tell that Lulu was sad about what I said I guess she will be okay.
"Thanks, I'll make it up to you. How about dinner at my place? Ma would be so thrilled to see you,"
The sadness from her eyes suddenly disappeared when I invited her.
"Count me in! I miss Ma's cooking too,"
We both clapped our hands together and smiled like those little kids who were in the height of their sugar-rush.
"Deal,"
My phone began to ring again and I immediately went up to the roof of our building. I wouldn't be so surprised if I see Myrtle there, after all that vamp has really cool magic but what I did not expect was to see a red-haired guy who was taller than Myrtle.
I slowly walk towards them and noticed they were talking about something so important but I can't seem to understand the language that they were using. Was it French, German, or Latin?
Myrtle was wearing a simple pink t-shirt and a pair black of jeans. She was wearing one of those black sneakers that I have at home. This time she had her hair tied in a messy bun but was able to look really gorgeous.
"Athene, I'm glad you're here," she greeted me with a big bear hug.
"Well, I'm here. How can I help?"
The man gave me a really weird stare and he seemed to look like he was about to cry. He had a really rare eye color, it was lilac and I am sure about one thing, he was the guy at the store.
"So, is he the 'other one' you're referring to?"
Myrtle smile and nodded as a response. She held my hand and slowly pulled me to where the guy was standing. His stare was already trying to melt me and I don't think I can actually handle it up close.
"Elf, hold your eyes down, you're making her uncomfortable,"
Whoa wait, did I hear it right? Did she call him elf?
"Oh, I'm sorry," He said as he bowed slightly.
I guess it's an elf thingy huh? Myrtle and I exchanged glances. She smiled sweetly and started to pinch my cheeks.
"We'll be frank, okay? But, promise me that you won't freak out like what the marfach of this realm would usually do,"
"Huh? What's that?"
The man and Myrtle exchanged glances. I can literally sense the uneasiness in those lilac eyes but Myrtle smiled at him and nodded.
"What is your name?" The man asked
How should I start this? I am not really good at introducing myself. I suck at it.
"Athene Carys,"
The man nodded and moved a bit closer to examine me. He was 7 ft. tall and his shadow towered above me.
"Please to meet you, call me Neo," he said.
I didn't notice that it was sunny; I guess I have been so glum I forgot to appreciate nature's efforts to make me smile. I glanced at Myrtle who was even enjoying the heat of the sun. Aren't vampires supposed to be vulnerable in daylight?
"Don't move," He whispered into my ear.
I tried not to react because his voice was actually giving me a cringe. Please not on my ear mister. NOT ON MY EAR.
His eyes began to narrow but he wasn't staring at me, I tried to turn around but he pulled me close towards him. The sky above us began to darken and the wind howled. But, I am not sure if the howling was from the wind. I heard the familiar blood-curdling scream of the monsters that showed up to me two weeks ago.
"What's happening?"
Myrtle suddenly appeared in front of us and was holding some kind of a book.
"Myrtle, cast the protection spell,"
Neo said as he tightened his grip on my arm.
"Goddess of Light hear my plea,
Cast a spell around thee,
Burn thy vicious enemy."
A ring of light began to appear underneath me and it began to grow bigger until it reached Myrtle.
"I'm sorry if you have to experience this," Myrtle said as the pages of her book began to flip rapidly even though there was no wind.
"Whatever happens, don't look," The man said.
He didn't loosen his grip but he was careful not to hurt me.
"At least tell me what's going on,"
I can feel that Myrtle was exchanging glances with this guy because I heard him sigh.
"Athene, you were being hunted down by the Vashtas,"
I gave him a confused look,
"What is that?"
He raised his head and his kind expression still remained on his face, but his eyes were filled with fire that I couldn't describe.
"They're demons from our realm," He said.
"Athene, we'll discuss things later, okay?" Myrtle said.
The light began to disappear and before I even knew it, I wasn't on the rooftop of our building but inside of a very posh apartment. Neo finally loosen his grip and patted my head gently.
"For a marfach you did a great job not to freak out," He said while smiling.
I heard Myrtle sigh and a loud thud echoed throughout the huge living room as she closed her book. She gracefully sat on the velvet gray couch and began to rub her forehead gently.
"If they're going to attack us, they should've at least given us a warning," she said as she continued to rub her forehead.
"They're a headache, Athene darling; you'll be facing more of them soon,"
Candles were scattered in the living room of the apartment. The whole place smelled like lotus flowers but it looks like they were actually trying to cover up something. Could it be that they were also being tracked down by the same creatures?
"What are these umm, candles for?" I asked.
Myrtle smiled and pointed her finger towards me.
"Wait, why me? Do I give off some kind of a weird scent?"
Oh wait, could it be that my scent is too foul for their noses? Or am I just overthinking again?
"Actually, why don't you join us here there is an empty seat over there, and relax, okay?"
I just hope it was as easy as they thought it would. The red-haired guy, Neo was actually at the window watching the sky slowly returned to its normal state.
"They're gone," He muttered as he strides gracefully on the cool gray floor of the apartment.
He took the chair next to me and stared at Myrtle as she continues to rub her forehead.
"Neo, kindly explain to her the rest, I really need to excuse myself. I'm not feeling well,"
With a snap, she disappeared on the couch where she was sitting and teleported herself somewhere in this luxurious apartment.
Mr. Red-haired Neo and I were left in a very awkward position. I can tell that he's the type that doesn't really interact with women unless he knew them. He was uneasy and I swear he doesn't even know where to start. Should I start the first conversation or wait for him to talk?
We accidentally stared into each other's eyes and we both quickly averted our gazes. Oh, what a great conversation starter.
"Where should I start?" I asked him.
I know it's a bit awkward but what choice do I have? This guy won't talk unless I talk first, I guess?
"I'm sorry if you had to go through the whole bloody scene," He said.
"And I'm sorry if I was hesitant to talk to you first. Things are complicated at this point and I don't know where I should start,"
This guy actually said "I'm sorry but you shouldn't be involved here" too nicely. And we are actually on the same boat, I just hope it wouldn't sink, because my vicious thoughts can actually swim and love to drag me to the bottom of the ocean.
"Well, tell me everything. Like why are those creatures chasing me? And why did you guys have so many candles here?"
It sounds dumb to ask Myrtle's (I guess) obsession with candles but the opportunity is just really making me curious.
"Oh, Myrtle doesn't really want to offend you about the scented candles,"
Oh, so it was Myrtle who actually thinks I smell weird.
"She can actually sense how powerful a person is through their scent. The more powerful a person is she will likely suffer side effects such as dizziness and headaches."
I can only talk to animals, but that doesn't sound like a powerful ability, right?. It was more like a Disney princess ability which always comes in handy for them.
"What do you mean?"
"Myrtle is a Pandora, and a rare one because of her race. Her potential is still untapped, like yours,"
He said as he gave me one of those I'm dead serious stares.
"Like mine?" Okay, I'm confused.
" Yes. Let me ask you a very simple question,"
Now his introduction reminds me of the time my math teacher said that his question is going to be easy, but I doubt that.
"Um, okay?"
For thirty seconds he was silent, and then a weird white light suddenly glowed from across the room. Neo muttered something about drao- I don't know what it was, but he ignored the weird light coming from what seems to be a crystal ball. He slowly pulled out a leather satchel under the wooden table and took out what seems to be a scroll.
The weird crest on the scroll suddenly gave me goosebumps.
"I've seen that before," I muttered as I pointed to the scroll's crest.
He slowly placed the scroll on top of the table and the crest suddenly began to move like crazy. The wave-like symbol began to swirl around while the dragon's eyes emitted a familiar blue light and the sun was slowly replaced by a bright blue moon.
"That looks like the symbol on my pocket watch," I told him. I immediately opened my pocket watch and noticed that it was also emitting that same blue light like the one from the scroll.
Neo stared at the pocket watch that I was holding and then at the scroll.
"Are you still going to ask me a question?" I asked him
Neo shook his head and smiled
"I already have the answer to my question, Athene,"