Lurking in the Shadows

Blake opened the door to the restaurant, scanning the crowded tables for the person he was looking for. He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a breath. Standing here at the doorway was awkward, so he took a few more steps, starting to curse his little sister for not sitting out in the open.
The werewolf ducked into one of the rooms of to the side, an easy grin appearing because he quickly found Aubrey. Her red hair stood out, and Blake could hear her sarcastic tone of voice across the room, followed by loud laughter from the people she was with.
He approached the table filled with the younger werewolves. A few days ago Aubrey had convinced herself that pack members should be socializing outside of their furniture store, so she had invited some of her friends out to eat. Blake had to admit, it seemed like a good idea now.
Without difficulty, Blake recognized five out of the six teenagers here. Aubrey's close friend, Bethany, was by her side as usual, her short hair and tall stature making them an unlikely pair, but one that was familiar to him. A few years ago Aubrey had found Beth out in the forest, newly turned, and the two had been inseperable since then.
What made Aubrey's idea seem even better was that the newest pack member, Luke, was laughing along with the group. Usually the 16 year old was pretty quiet, but it shouldn't have surprised Blake that Aubrey brought him out of his shell with this fun outing. It struck Blake that maybe that had been her purpose all along.
Blake remembered how he and his sister had been out running one morning when they stumbled on Luke. Wild eyes, half-changed, Aubrey had been the one who immediately suggested they bring him back. She was always like that, welcoming any new werewolves. Blake was a little more cautious.
With a curious glance in the boy's direction, Blake picked up on Luke's subtle stares aimed at Aubrey. Blake chuckled to himself. Of course, Aubrey unknowingly had a lot of interested boys, and it seemed like Luke was joining them.
Blake too had some admirers in the pack, although he knew about most of them. The girls his age were a lot bolder. In fact, it was almost expected that he was going to pick Cady, a tough blonde, as his mate. However, he had no feelings for her, and hopefully she would understand that soon.
"What's so funny, Blake?" Aubrey's accusing voice was softened by her laughing eyes, and her little group snickered up at him. He rolled his eyes at them.
"Oh, nothing." Blake briefly looked at Luke, who suddenly understood that he'd been caught, his ears turning a little pink. Aubrey didn't even notice, though, so he was safe.
"Come on, Bree, I'm supposed to take you home." Surprisingly, without protest his sister got up and followed him to the door, waving goodbye to her friends. Blake assumed that they were all waiting on a different ride.
Most of the 16 year old's were like Aubrey, starting to fall behind in the human world. Aubrey hadn't gotten her liscence yet, and just hadn't had the time to even think about it. She was always busy helping around the pack and family, and for that Blake didn't mind driving her around.
About to get in the car, Aubrey paused. "Hm.. Do you hear something?" She had a look of concentration on her face, and couldn't help mimicking it as he listened as well.
He sighed. "Maybe." And with that the two turned towards a dark alley. Blake started walking towards the noise, Aubrey following closely behing, quietly murmuring that all boys were so sexist, thinking that girls couldn't go first. Blake hushed her quickly.

The warm light from the interior of Kade's Cafe flowed out into the dank streets surrounding it, promising a safe haven too any weary traveler. Standing in front of its wide, open window's, Vanessa felt neither warm nor welcome. All she felt was the almost primal need to sink her blade hilt deep into the stinking carcass of a Demon straight from Hell. She'd never before felt an emotion this tense before; it was both scary and exciting.
Taking out a shiny new Sensor she had grabbed from the Weapons Room, Vanessa skirted the front of the Cafe, watching the lights on the object as she headed down a back alley way. The Sensor displayed readings of a very low demon level, but her instincts told her other wise. The air was unusually still for a cold winter's night. The father she walked into the depths of the side alley, the colder it seemed to get, bringing goose bumps to her arms and shivers up her spine. Something was definitely up here; something that smelled like a high level Demon.
Out of the corner of her eye, Vanessa glimpsed a spot of white. A few quick strides led her to the largest pentagram she'd ever seen in her short career of Demon Hunting. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembered being told that pentagrams could only be created by Warlocks. Their purpose involved summoning any object their creator wished, most often ending up to be a high level Demon or another of their kind. Kneeling down, Vanessa pinched up some of the powdery residue that made up the symbol, rubbing it in between her index finger and thumb. The action sent more shivers down her back, this time due to the sudden surge of energy present around her. The Shadowhunter had almost retrieved her dagger stuck in its sheath at her waist, when a great blast of wind sent her body flying back, straight into a very solidly built, brick wall.
Stunned and more than just bruised, Vanessa tried to shoot straight back up from her sprawled position, but only achieved a weak crouching position. Thanking the Angel that she still had her dagger, she gripped it firmly, and look up to stare her attacker down. What she saw was something she would never have expected in her wildest dreams. Only a few feet away, a roiling mass of black clouds rose up into one shape and then another, ever changing. Bright lights seemed to be popping on and off inside it, almost like the way clouds in the night time sky look when a lightning storm hits. The smell of dead and rotting things hit her as yet another force to be reckoned with. Swallowing the urge to vomit, Vanessa calculated her next move in the space of a few seconds, tensed her muscles, and then flew, dagger outstretched into the very heart of the thing.
Hitting the ground on the other side of the alley, she stared once again up at the black force, astonishment plane on her face. The thing hadn't even been injured by her attack, her clean dagger a testament to it. With a great roar, the thing seemed to solidify a little more, becoming more of a good based substance that flowed with surprising speed. Acting on the instinct to run rather than any other Shadowhunter ability she possessed, Vanessa raced to the lighter end of the alley, hoping to escape and come back with reinforcements.
A wall as thick as the brick one had been stopped her in her tracks. It was invisible as the air that surrounded her, but as unrelenting as the hardest stone. Turning around, she had now option now but to face her attacker, and her impending death. The thing had followed her as silently as a ghost, and was now a hairs breadth away from her. At this proximity, the Shadowhunter could almost see a form inside the mass, a jagged body that ended in all points. Vanessa stared straight into where she guessed its eyes would be, as the clouds finally engulfed her into its ice cold confines.
At least I tried.
This thought was the last thing she was aware of before unconsciousness took her.

"Aubrey, get back." Blake growled at his little sister, her bold and adventurous attitude leading her in front of him, farther away from the protection he could offer. She looked up at him in defiance, planning to keep going. Reaching out his hand, Blake pulled her back behind him.
He wasn't stupid. Blake could feel the cooler temperature, the tension in the air. Aubrey may have not noticed yet, but Blake had, and her safety was his one concern now. He wished he had the time to take her back to the car, or the charisma to convince her to go back herself, but he had been gifted with neither and therefore chose to keep a sharp eye on her.
Peering around some boxes, the two werewolves saw an unconscious girl laying on the ground, with pale skin and closed eyes. A demon, with a black, cloudy changing figure stood over her, laughing quietly.
In a flash, before Blake could tell her not to, Aubrey was off, changing into a wolf quicker than Blake had ever seen before. Cursing his sister, he changed a split second after, following her to the beast.

Petite and speedy, Aubrey already knew how they were going to fight together, without having to speak a plan. Her and her brother had practiced and fought together so often, his battle moves were as familiar to her as her own. She was the distraction, quick enough to get away and small enough to only be an annoying pest. Blake would be the muscle, the true attacker, the one who went for the kill.
True to her role, Aubrey went for the thing's leg, her teeth sinking through clouds and finding a solid being underneath. Biting down hard, she ignored the revolting taste flooding her mouth and the part of her mind screaming that she was consuming poison.
The creature turned to her, and with an effective swing threw her off. Aubrey hit the brick alley wall with a crack, head spinning and stars flying. Sucking in a breath, gagging, and then getting up again, she only allowed herself a brief, scared look at Blake before charging back. Clamping onto the same leg, Aubrey fueled her power with bloodlust and rage, chasing away the fear.

Blake, as soon as he saw his sister's scared eyes, hit the demon full force, determined to do some damage. Sharp claws did nothing and only scratched the cloudy surface of the creature, leaving no wounds.
The thing had fallen to the ground after Blake's collision, and the werewolf hurried to finish him. With his jaw closing around the neck, Blake struggled to kill it. Only after a good minute did he finally hear a sucked gasp, then a crunch, as the demon's neck broke, leaving it's head severed. The entire body had begun gaining substance the angrier the demon got, so it was mostly lucky timing that they'd killed it.
Standing up, Blake searched for his inner human, pulling on the memories and that force to change him back. As a human, he looked down just in time to see the creature disintegrate, leaving only a small trace of ashes. He heard coughing, and felt severe terror flood his heart as he turned towards Aubrey.
Relief made him sigh, and he hurried over to her. She was standing, a little scratched, a little bruised, but standing. Leaning against the brick, Aubrey coughed again, spitting black blood out of her mouth. "Blech. He tasted nasty." She complained, and a tired smile worked its way onto Blake's face.
Walking over to the unconscious girl, they both crouched down. Aubrey immediately put her fingers on the stranger's wrist. "She's alive.. But her pulse is weak."
Blake brushed some hair out of the girl's face, careful to not touch any of the tiny scratches that covered her skin. Whatever the demon had done to her, he'd left little cuts everywhere.
Aubrey sucked in her breath. Turning to her, Blake feared bad news about injuries, but instead heard a single word. "Shadowhunter." Looking at what his sister had already seen, Blake now noticed a large black rune on the girls' hand.
"We have to take her back." He said, the words escaping his mouth before he could stop them. Aubrey looked up in shock, irritation starting to cloud her features.
"We can't trust her, Blake. She's not one of us." Aubrey stood up, as if that settled matters, and started to walk away. Blake stayed by the girl's side, unable to leave.
"Bree, what if she was another werewolf? You wouldn't hesitate to bring her back. She's kind of like Bethany, remember? Half-dead and scared. You convinced me to bring her back, and that girl became your best friend. Now, this girl needs our help too. We can't just leave her because she's not the same as us."
Aubrey stomped back, clearly irritated but giving up after hearing Blake's logic. "Fine. But you just like her because she's pretty." She grumbled to herself as she waited for Blake to pick her up.
Carrying the Shadowhunter back to the car, Blake gently sat her in the front seat, buckling her in and leaning her seat back so that she wouldn't fall. Aubrey grumbled again as she crawled in the back seat, and Blake hurridly drove them off to the furniture store.

Nightingale walking, unsure of her surroundings. She had never been here before, but it looked like a cafe. She walked over to a corner, for a fight seemed to be arising. While she walked, she snatched a menu, she was hungry. Reading it, she wondered why it didn't look like a mundane menu. It has raw fish, cow blood (she was happy for that), kelp, and any other odd foods. She went to the back off the menu, and found the mundane food. oh how she wished she could eat those foods again. The memory of turkey was just to overwhelming. She got up, and went to a seat to watch the fight.
She knew that she was in danger, just sitting out there in the open, reading a menu, near a fight, but she wanted adventure. IF she was pulled in the fight, she would love it. It seamed like another downworlder, and, a mundane, but not a mundane. She wasn't sure who, or what it was, she just needed to get nearer. She sighed, put the menu down, and walked over.

Cora stepped in the cafe, flipping her long hair over her shoulder. Glancing around the room, she searched for her target. There had been the smallest of whispers floating around, and this vampire had come to investigate. A Daylighter had apparently blown into town, and Cora was determined not to let her get away.
One of the clan had apparently spotted this gifted vampire walking through the city earlier in the day, and had immediately informed Cora. The description given matched this girl here, and besides, normally all the other vampires currently in the city were from her clan. Hopefully, this was who she was searching for.
The possible Daylighter was only other vampire in the building, and she seemed to be moving somewhere else. Is she leaving already? Cora wondered to herself. Well, that won't do. Slipping her way through tables and Downworlders, she gave a friendly wave to the owner, Kade, and then took a spot next to the vampire before she could get farther.
"Hmm... Fights can be exciting, can't they?" Cora shot the girl a knowing look, and before she could protest, led her over to a table. The fight seemed to have died down, and the cafe resumed with its normal business. A waiter, with small horns poking from his hair, hurried over with a menu for the new customer, and a Bloody Mary for the regular.
"Get whatever you want, I'm buying." Cora had a feeling that this might make the girl suspicious, but not many people turned down a free meal here. She also assumed that she'd have to offer this vampire something to keep her attention, and Cora wanted the Daylighter to hear her out.
"I'm Cora, in case you were wondering. You are?" She took a sip from her drink, happy that she had been here so many times that the staff new exactly how she wanted it. The mixture of alcohol and blood brought new energy to Cora, and she set her drink back down, gazing patiently at the girl.

Nightengale just stared, and studdered, "Um, Night-Nightengale." She ordered some cow blood, and drank. "I'm new here and I need someone's help." It was true, she knew no one and nothing, and a guild would we wonderful for her. She saw what hte girl was drinking, and jumped, "Wait, your a vampire?" She asked, surprised that she wasn't the only one.

She new there was a clan in New York, but she didn't want to meet them. She hated clans, always bossing people around. She loved being her own person, chose her own ways to live her life. And being a daylighter, she couldn't do anything in the day if she made any friends with a vampire from the clan.

"Why are you here?" Nightengale jumped again, but from her chair, ready to attack, "What do you want from me. I will not join a clan." She started to shake

Cora sighed slightly, but pulled at the reserves of her patience, and gave Nightengale a soothing smile. She blinked a few times, giving the vampire full opportunity to recognize her dark red eyes, and took another sip of her drink, the smooth liquid sliding down her throat pleasantly.
"Relax, Nightengale, nobody said anything about a clan. In fact, the local group here won't even bother you if you're with me. Please, sit back down. You haven't finished your drink." She motioned for the girl to take her seat.
Cora desperately wanted this Daylighter on her side, and would do many things to have her there. She'd play guide, protector, whatever, if it gained Nightengale's trust. Later, she'd slowly introduce her to the idea of joining the clan. Already thinking of an angle to present that proposal, Cora had to refocus her attention on Nightengale.
"Look, Nightengale, you need help? I can offer you whatever you need. You just have to trust me." She flipped her hair over her shoulder, and smiled again, and finished her drink.

She sat back down slowly. "Okay..." She didn't entirely trust this person, but this girl wasn't forcing her into a clan. She took two more sips of her drink. "SO you are a vampire." SHe said it more of a statement, than a question. "You look more a protector, than a clan member."
She did like protectors, though, so honest, and helpful. They were rarely mad, and were very patient. "So, I'm not really street smart, so would you be really kind, and help me out with the roads of New York." She then took a long sip of blood, and thought, "Daylighters must be really rare, if people noticed one on site."

Cora leaned back in her seat, a smile sliding onto her face. Almost effortlessly she had Nightengale on her side, but she also knew that she would have to keep her guard up. Nobody ever trusted anyone this easily, so Cora would have to play her part
well.
Glancing towards the window, Cora happily observed that the sun had set and night had fallen. This Daylighter might be able to enjoy sunlight, but her new guide couldn't. Luckily though, that wouldn't be a problem now. Cora could take Nightengale anywhere she wanted to go.
"I would love to help," She said, willing sheer kindness into her voice. "Do you have a specific place you want to go? Anyone you need to meet?"
Trying not to pry, she posed the questions as if she was only doing her job, but Cora was curious. Was this Daylighter here for someone? Did she have a reason of popping up in New York? Any information could be useful when Cora tried to convince her to join her clan later.

Nightingale thought for a second, and had an idea, but she knew if she messed it up, she would be in huge trouble. "Yes, I do have someplace in mind. Is there a cemetery around here?" She never did like cemeteries, but if she was able to keep this girl talking, she could be able ot figure out if this girl meant harm, or if she was a loner, like herself.
"I haven't been near cemeteries in a long time, but you know, it would be nice ot see one." SHe had to resist saying 'for it's been about 200 years.' She had always hated saying her age, made her sound like a powerful vampire, which she was no where close. She hated knowing that no matter how much she was known for her skills to run through the day, she was close to a fledgling.

Jeremiah Vale's bottom lip slipped shortly under a tooth as he peered in through the glass windows separating the dynamic bar from the mundane world, his sharp fingernails scratching lightly through his matted black hair as he inhaled shortly, straightening his posture. A single hand wavered across the door, allowing it to open without physical contact as he stepped through the entry way, sneezing slightly as his wings cracked momentarily before resting against his back.
Vale had been to a number of bars through his years, yet the enclosed, populated space still set him at unease. Swallowing his brief moment of anxiety Vale had made his way past the tables without accidentally breaking anything, taking a seat at the counter, a brief finger waving to the tender. "I'll have a water, thank you." His voice was young, but of a different time, a slight accent to the pronunciation of his vowels, but nothing distinguished as he shrugged his shoulders forward, his hands closing around the sides of a glass cup as he exhaled a sigh, his eyes glancing across the room to the two vampire's and the bar's other inhabitants.

Harper had made it back to the city she loved. The semester was ending, and she was thankful for that. It had been a tough couple of months. She barely had time to go anywhere or do anything that she normally loved to do. The courses were getting stricter and demanded much of her attention, she didn't even have much time for her roommate, Ashley, anymore. Harper sighed as she drew out her phone and texted Ashley to see how she was holding up. She remembered Ashley telling her that her parents were not the best people to hang around with and so she figured a simple text might lighten the mood. As for her own parents, well they were busy working on a murder case and told her to enjoy the city.

"It has changed a lot since you were last here." Her mother had told her over the phone, and so here she was, striding down the sidewalk, window shopping. The night air was brisk and there was a light breeze that swirled its way in and out of the city walls. Harper was glad to have her long tan coat to wrap around her. She stuck her hands inside the pockets as she came upon a place that seemed different. Kade's Cafe it read, with a smile she decided to enter and find a warm place to rest and order some coffee. The door chimed to let others know that someone had entered and she looked up.

Her mouth agape, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief. Monsters... or, creatures were taking refuge here. Harper shook her head, standing frozen in front of the door. This had to be a dream she thought as she opened her eyes once more, the picture still unchanged. A tiny squeak of a gasp escaped her lips as she swallowed. "This can't be happening.... This isn't real." She muttered to herself as she backed away and slammed in to the door. She screamed, thinking it was one of the creatures. Her logical, realistic mind trying to find a reason for this. Perhaps lack of sleep? Lack of hydration, that could cause hallucinations. Certainly that is what was at fault here.

Genevieve, sitting at the bar, sipped a fruity concoction of sorts that had been given to her after telling the owner to surprise her. The drink was nice, exactly what she needed, and now she chatted with the owner Kade, a warlock friend of hers. The cafe was busy, with plenty of waiters bustling around, but Kade would always find time for Genny, as she had helped him out of a rough spot some time ago.
The door chimed as another customer entered, and Genevieve almost didn't think anything of it until she heard a girl's scream. The look on her face said it all. A mundane had stumbled in and somehow could see all the secrets that she shouldn't.
Kade, staring at the mundane in confusion, didn't make a move to help her. Genevieve, who had in a way dealt with this situation before, quickly made her way to the girl to make up for the cafe owner's lack of action.
"Ok, calm down. I promise, there's a reason for this. Why don't you come to the back with me and I'll explain what you can see." Genevieve spoke with a reassuring voice, calm and collected, willing the girl to relax slightly. That was asking for a lot, but Genny hoped she would hear her out.
Kade opened a door leading to a back room, finally out of his state of shock. The other poeple in the cafe stared at the human, and some greedy vampires in the corner scooted a tiny bit closer. Genevieve shot them a look, and motioned for the girl to follow her.

Harper stood in shock. There were people, well they at least resembled people, with wings on them, others had skin that shouldn't be that color, some looked like normal humans except for the fact that they had teeth like a shark. It was like a sensory overload for her eyes. Her mind flashed through the calendar, maybe it was Halloween and they were having some sort of Halloween party. If this was true she would definitely have to get a hold of their costume designer, but her mental calendar told her it was in fact not anywhere close to October.

She jumped back some, pressing herself as close to the wall as she could get as a girl, younger than her by the looks of it, approached her. Harper didn't think she seemed at all as strange as the others in here. The girl's eyes were an unusual color, violet. But then again, there were contacts for that. Maybe she is like me...Human...Did I really just say that? Her mind was in a mental war with itself as the girl told her to calm down. Harper struck a confused and bewildered expression her way. Was this girl mental? Then again I am seeing monsters... Everything in her rational mind said there had to be an explanation for all of this. This was certainly not real.

"I-"She began as she noticed a guy with sharp teeth inch closer. Perhaps she was better off going with this girl who seemed the most normal in the room. Harper calculated the risks of staying here or going with her. Something she did often and came to the conclusion that it resulted better if she went with the girl. The girl was smaller than her in height and weight and Harper figured she could take her if the need arose. Plus she had mace in her purse, it is New York after all. Harper grabbed hold of her purse tightly and went to where a tall gentlemen opened the back door for them both. She quickly scooted inside and proceeded to grab her head with her hands in disbelief, shaking her head to and fro.

"What the hell was that?" She almost yelled, a shaking hand pointed in the direction they had came. "Tell me that it is just some prank and I am on a T.V show." Harper demanded.

Genevieve watched the girl carefully, frowning to herself. This new discovery wasn't easy for anybody, and although she was taking it just as well as anyone else, Genny wished she would calm down. She hated to see people like this, unsure and freaked out, and her helpful and kind nature was working in overdrive, determined to help her.
"What the hell was that?" The girl almost yelled, a shaking hand pointed in the direction they had came. "Tell me that it is just some prank and I am on a T.V show." she demanded.
"I wish I could say it was," Genevieve began. "Why don't we sit down, this'll take some explaining." Pulling out a chair for herself at a table, Genny motioned for the girl to do the same.
"I'm going to assume this is the first time you've seen any of this, based on your reaction. Unless you've seen anything unusual, and just blown it off?" Genevieve spoke outloud, but was really thinking to herself, trying to figure out the best way to start the long explanation.
"Basically, there's another world besides the human one," She paused, giving the girl a moment to accept that. "All the fairytales and scary stories are basically true. Vampires, werewolves, demons, you name it, we've got it."
"I, myself, am a warlock. Sort of like a witch of sorts, we can cast spells. My name's Genevieve, by the way. It's not like we're not people, we're just different."
"Now, most humans can't see this world. It's hidden by a mist, invisible or portrayed as something else, somethine believable. However, there are some, like you, that are given the Sight. Sometimes it's random, but usually the humans' family has had some contact with our world. Which leads me to my next question, do you know if your parents are involved in any way?"

Harper clasped her hands together to try and get her shaking to stop. Her logical mind was trying to decipher how those creatures could actually be real. This was all too much. Her first day back and she just happens to go waltzing in to a cafe that is filled with monsters. Her eyes flittered to the girl before her as she spoke. Harper was about to protest but when the girl pulled out a chair she realized how weak her knees were. She gave a short smile and sat down, crossing one leg over the other and then having her hands placed on her knee cap.

"I-" Harper began but stopped short as she remembered when she was a child she use to tell her parents she saw monsters. But didn't every little girl. Something told her that it wasn't make believe. She cleared her throat which had become increasingly dry over the last few minutes, "I've never seen anything like this before. I mean I saw monsters as a child, but every kid sees monsters." she shrugged hoping that the girl would agree with her. Her brow furrowed in contemplation as the girl spoke of another world. This was something straight out of a supernatural movie, this couldn't be real.

"Vampires?" She repeated in total disbelief. She use to love vampires when she was a little girl, that was one of the main things she dressed up as for Halloween. Harper crossed her arms over her chest and flicked a piece of hair away from her face. When the girl told her she was a warlock, Harper shook her head.


"Warlock?" Harper said with a perked brow as she looked over the girl whose name was now Genevieve. "So like Harry Potter?" She asked, "Could you show me something then?" Her mind trying to make sense of this. If she saw it first hand then it had to be real. Harper let out a laugh as she shook her head once more.

"My parents? Not hardly. They are lawyers here. Of course they've never had dealings with..." Harper glanced around and then back at the warlock, "this other world." It was preposterous to think her parents had this Sight that Genevieve spoke about. If so they never seemed to show any signs of it.

Genevieve smiled amusedly. "A bit like Harry Potter, yeah." In time with her words, but without a snap of her fingers or any formality, a cup of tea appeared before the girl, without spilling a single drop. The girl stared at her with wide eyes, and Genny hid her amusement this time, hoping to spare her feelings a little.
"Kade won't mind if we borrowed that," She motioned to the cup. "I find that having a soothing drink helps one deal with shocking situations sometimes. I must say, you're handling this better than expected."
Genevieve stared thoughtfully at the girl, trying to piece together some of the puzzle. "Well, I'd bet anything that those 'monsters' you saw as a child were quite real. Now you have a reason for seeing them."
Genny really felt bad for this girl. Here she was, a normal college-age student, going about her normal life, when she stumbled herself into this new world. If this hadn't have happened, she might have been able to get away without ever knowing the truth, the darker part of the world where demons and devilish creatures lurked.
"Well, even if your parents weren't involved, you never know. Still, I suppose you wouldn't remember anything if something happened when you were younger."

Harper nodded and drew in a shaky breath. It was taking all she had to control herself. Not to freak out, go screaming out of here and running to the nearest police station. But if what this girl was saying was true, who would believe her. They would just label her as a freak and stick her in a mental hospital. And her parents. Harper sighed thinking about them. Did they truly have something to do with this world? She came out of her mental thought as Genevieve made a cup of tea appear, without words, a wand, or anything. Just a simple snap of the fingers.

"Wow..." She whispered as she eyed the cup with a look of fascination and amazement. "That was....Amazing." Harper said as she touched the cup making sure it was real and not some figment of her imagination or a cruel joke being portrayed. The cup felt cool to the touch and the tea's aroma beckoned for her to take a sip. Harper did just that and took a quick sip, "Thank you." She said with a small smile. Her mind screaming that this could not be true, giving her a slight headache.

"Trust me, inside I'm flipping out." Harper said truthfully even though she laughed with fear, disbelief, and nerves. Harper cleared her throat and hated to think that as a child she truly was seeing monsters. How it made her feel that her parents never believed her. Her hands enclosed tightly around the cup as she reminisced. Harper looked up at her and shook her head slowly, "They don't really like to talk about my childhood much." She said as if it were just a thought and nothing more. "Actually, the funny thing is, is I've noticed in family albums that they only have pictures of me at 8 months old and nothing less. They say it was a fire that took the other photos." Harper shrugged and took another quick sip of the tea, it did seem to help soothe her nerves.

Genevieve had to admire the girl in front of her, who although admitting to freaking out, was able to give a small chuckle and continue with a decently calm demeanor. Had the situation been flipped, Genny was not sure she would handle what was going on with the same brave attitude.
"They don't really like to talk about my childhood much." Harper began, and Genny watched her closely, giving the girl all of her attention. "Actually, the funny thing is, is I've noticed in family albums that they only have pictures of me at 8 months old and nothing less. They say it was a fire that took the other photos."
Genny thought carefully, first on what Harper had said, and then on how she could phrase what needed to be spoken next. Still keeping this girl's nerves at the forefront of her mind, the warlock phrased her next words as delicately as possible, but was still determined to tell her the truth of her thoughts.
"I'm going to be honest with you," She began, almost as a warning. "Coincidences in this world are almost unheard of and everything seems to happen for a reason. I think there might be something in your past, whether something your parents chose to keep hidden or they do not know themselves, I can't be sure. This fire thing does make for an interesting situation. I believe it's somehow connected to the reason you have the Sight."
"I'm going to ask you to trust me. With your permission, I'd like to do a simple memory spell, see if I can find something that you were perhaps to young too clearly remember now. It'll be painless. That is, of course, if you want the truth. You can walk away now, pretend this never happened, and I wouldn't blame you."

The tea brought comfort to her as Harper took another sip. This girl, Genevieve, who sat in front of her was nothing if not normal, except for the violet eyes. Those of course could be mistaken for contacts though, especially in New York it would not be unheard of. Harper remembered seeing one with cat eyes before. It was strange but she admired those who didn't care about what people thought of them. She had to, always proper, always formal. Harper took in a deep breath as the warlock began to speak.

"Memory spell? Could that really work?" Harper asked, her brows furrowed in question. "If it is painless like you say..." She took another sip and then glanced back up at Genevieve, "Then lets do it. I need to know the truth, why this happened. And my parents won't tell me." Harper said as it felt like her throat tightened with fear. What are you doing? Are you crazy?! You just met this girl and now you are going to let her inside your mind? The most scared of places? Harper sighed, the mental war inside her head between her rational mind and her curiosity taking a toll. Perhaps this look inside would silence it.

Genevieve nodded at the girl in admiration. Bravery came in all shapes and sizes, and Harper was definitely exemplifying her own form. Genny knew just how terrifying the process could be for someone, let alone a young woman who had just found out that everything she had once believed in was all crashing down, and that her past might not be what she imagined. Still, this girl was determined to find the truth, even if it hurt, and Genevieve really respected that courage.
"Here, give me your hands," Genevieve said, holding out her own. Harper set her drink down and did just that, eyeing the warlock a little warily, but trusting her all the same. Genny shut her eyes, and began talking in a slow, soothing voice.
"Now, memory spells work differently for everyone. There's different techniques, different ways to do them. No warlock's method will be the same as another's. Mine is simple, but powerful. All you need to do is let me in, don't hide anything. Trust me." Her soft voice faded, and the scene shifted.
Suddenly, Genevieve was an infant, being carried in the arms of someone she assumed to be the mother. Quickly, she was moving, and the colors blurred by as only an infant's vision could. Her mother set her down, tucked away in a little niche, and Genny watched as she, and her father, were murdered by a demon, in an Institute that she didn't recognize.
Time had no meaning, so sometime later she was found by the police, taken to an adoption agency, and taken in by a new family. Only bits and pieces, mostly unknown monsters sightings, stood out to Genevieve now, and after several long minutes she came back to reality.
"How much of that did you see with me?" She asked, unsure of where to start. Everything Harper had known was a pretty, almost seamless lie.

Harper did as she was told and took the hands of the warlock sitting in front of her. Her hands were a bit shakey as she eyed the girl warily. All she wanted now was to be back in her dorm in Upstate New York learning about the death sentence or something else that dealt with the real world. Of course what is real anymore? Genevieve closed her eyes and spoke and Harper took a deep breath and watched her lips move. She couldn't believe she was actually going to do this. But part of it was to see if anything would even happen. Yes the tea was a neat trick but she was still skeptical.

Harper nodded even though Genevieve could not see, she closed her eyes and freed her troubled mind. Immediately she felt a tingling sensation like the tickle of a feather on her mind. A flash of white light shot out across her closed eyes and then she was an infant. A strange but familiar woman held her, it was not her mother of today but there was something oddly recognizable about her that Harper couldn't put her finger on. Then she was placed in a secure area only to watch the horrible deaths of the woman that carried her and a man by some creature. Moments later a policeman found her and she was taken to another location. Time passed and she was adopted, these people Harper recognized. She caught her breath as it was her parents. Her eyes flew open, she ripped her hands away and shook her head.

"No...It can't be." She gasped through tears as she stood and paced in the small area, Harper looked to the girl, "What did you do to me? Was there something in that drink?" She exclaimed a quivering hand pointed to the tea. "I saw all of it, but it is not real. That was not me!"

Genevieve simply stared at the girl, overwhelmed by her rection. She'd vastly misjudged what she would do and how quickly her calm mood would fade. Harper had jumped up and started pacing, as if she couldn't bear to be still with the discoverusy of this new possible past.
"There's no trick," Genny said quietly, raising her hands in the universal sign of innocence. "I'm truly, deeply sorry, but that was you."
Genevieve could really relate to Harper right now, the feeling that the entire world you'd grown up in was all a lie. Long ago, in a dingy hospital, she'd learned of her true heritage, of how she was a demon spawn, not human in any way. Genny rarely thought of that night, but it was the one of the ones that had changed everything for her.
Taking a sip of the girl's own tea, Genny looked at her with careful eyes. "Nothing in the tea. I promise, what you saw is real. It hasn't been tampered with. It's your past."
Genevieve twisted a ring around her finger, stopping to think about what she would say next. "You can either accept this, and learn more, and I'll help you to the best of my ability, or you can walk out now, Harper, and return to your old life, if you really can turn your back on this new world."

This girl was calm before Harper while Harper rung her hands together in distress, she stayed close to the other side of the wall, her eyes fixated on something on the floor. Her mind ran flashbacks of the images that she had seen. Like a silent film, the ghastly images of, what, her real parents? She brushed her hair back as she looked at Genevieve. Harper let out a whimper of a breath, her knees felt weak as she stood huddled in the corner. She eyed Genevieve as she took a sip of the girl's tea. So either there wasn't anything wrong or she didn't truly drink any of the tea.

Harper slowly came to take a seat, not able to stand any longer on her feet, afraid they may give out at any second. She had always thought she was different, different from her parents. Her passions were none of the things that they wanted for her. She didn't even look like them. They both had blonde hair and blue eyes while she was all brown. Perhaps she had always known but a part of her wanted to stay blind.

"I'm sorry." Harper piped up as she wrapped her arms around herself. "I think I've always known I was adopted, I just didn't think that was why." She said, tears stinging the rims of her eyes. "I don't think I could ever go back to my former life. I wouldn't know how." She said with a shrug as she wiped away a fallen tear. "I would like your help Genevieve."

Harper stood there, her back still against the far wall, her hand tight together in shock, fear, and intrigue. She really did want the...warlocks help. God I sound insane... She thought to herself as she exhaled and shook her head. "I'm sorry.... I think I need to get some air." Harper said as she wrapped her arms around her waist and rushed out before Genevieve could protest. She hesitated, remembering the front of the diner and reverted to the back alley exit where there was sure to be no one, or no thing there. The frigid air hit her exposed face and caused her olive skin to flush a deep red.

She wrung her hands together and blew in them as she enjoyed the cold, it was real, familiar, and she needed that. The sounds of a distant New York helped to slow her heartbeat and made a small smile appear on her lips. Harper thought about the visions, or memories. It was strange, she was a college student going in her parents footsteps. She had friends, almost had a boyfriend, and now she was alone and in an unfamiliar place in a familiar city. A place she didn't know existed, but was some how always a part of. She now knew how her parents died and she wanted that memory erased. Harper sighed as her back hit the wet wall behind her, she let her head fall in her hands as she drew in deep breaths.