Lights from the Camaro SS hit the door of Damien's house, it was a place of sanctuary for me, a place I felt safe and wanted. My head rose to the lights on the door and the reflection of the numbers placed off to the side. In a matter of hours, Damien would wake to half of the bed being cold and a note placed on the pillow where my head was laying just before bed, a note that took me a long time to just write for so few words, a small note on yellow paper that would change things so much.

I am leaving this note as a good-bye for now. I am leaving and I am unsure of when I will be back. I understand you want to protect me, you want to help, but I also know I can take well of myself and there are things I need to do for myself. Don’t look for me, you will never find me. Don’t worry for me, I am not in danger but you will be if you try to follow. Keep your heart broken Damien, if you allow me through your door once more I will explain everything, but for now, I need to go.

With Love,

Mandii

Nova had given me a reason to go where I was going, a place I wished I could avoid, however now I had no choice. The tires started to spin over gravel and under the moonlight, I was gone onto the dark road. I was becoming a monster, of that I was sure, but it was going to be my choice to what monster I would become. I had heard of an original Siren who held up somewhat of a court. It was a long shot in the dark, but I had to try to find her, she was the only one who at this moment could help me.

The sun was starting to rise over the road and I was running on empty. My car was close to the “E” and it sounded like a monster was growling inside of me longing for food. After turning off the main road I made my way to what seemed to be an old time Gas Station. There was a small place that seemed to be for mechanics and two small pumps sitting out in front. It only took a few minutes to fill up the tank and walk across the road to the small diner.

I was on my way out when a man in a black dressed down jacket passed me. I managed to get a look at the mans hat before he dashed to his car, right in front of mine at the pump. There was a red feather held on by a green scale. “I’m not here to hurt you, I have a message, avoid flowers of Sapphire Blue but feathers covered in a bloody scale will lead you to what is true.” The words of a woman in the woods in nothing but black rang. A Bloody scale holds a red feather.

Hey!

Dropping what I had in my hand, meaning the food I was wishing I could have eaten, my body darted across the road to the startled man. He began to start his car, panic in his eyes, as I approached the door and pulled it open.

Don’t hurt me!

Hurt you? Why would I hurt you?....

His hat fell to the dirt and my body shot with heat as if it knew something I didn’t. The mans face, hidden by the black hat, was horribly deformed with cuts and scars. His eyes, still holding shock and panic, looked up at me with a deep sadness.

You’re one of them, I know what you want and you aren’t getting a lick of a word from my lips! In fact, you are her! Get away!

A blade was sent to my arm causing it to not only burn, but seemingly infect the cut as soon as it came in contact with my blood. I held onto my arm and let out a growl that hung in my throat long after. My hand pushed the man back to the car and held his feet above the ground. He started to squirm under my hand and claw at my arm.

Let go of me!

I don’t take too kind to people who know me but I don’t know them. How do you know I’m “Her” and who is “Her”?

No one, you are not her, now let me go!

If I’m not her why did you piss yourself and try to run like I was death itself.

We both looked down to the wet spot on his black pants. He stopped moving and hung under my hand.

You’re a Siren, not just any Siren however, oh no, you are part of the original bloodline even after all of these years.

I pushed him harder into the car and started to grit my teeth. I could feel the cut on my arm trying to heal itself after trying to force the man harder into the car, but with a quick look, it was having no effect.

How do you know what I am.

You’re glamor doesn’t work on me Mandii, you should see yourself, I haven’t seen feathers like that since you're father.

Cut the movie scene act, I’m not going to ask you who my father was or how you see me without my, um, glamor? If you know who I am, what I am, why the hell are you running for your little life.

You want to see Helen.

Helen?

The Leader of the court, I know what you want, in fact I foretold it to Helen.

So now you are some future seer? Also, if she knows I’m coming, and you know I was coming, why are you so scare of me?! You never answered that!

Because I can not tell you!

Why the hell not!

It is a very long story.

And I have a very long boot that will go up you're very small ass if you do not start telling me what I need to know!

Only Helen can tell you.

A smile lingered across my lips and I released the man. He dropped to the dirt and looked up to me dusting off his shirt.

Then you are taking me to Helen. I have some questions I would enjoy answers to.

No.

Why not?

I’m trying to keep what I see from happening, I’m not taking you.

I looked up to the sky before sending an eye roll in the direction of the small man. I leaned down picking up his hat and holding it just out of reach for him to get it.

Oh, pick on the little guy!

You want your hat and I want to see Helen.

Fine!

I released the hat over, and before he could run off into the car, I picked him up and walked over to my Camaro.

No! How do you know I’m not lying!

Avoid flowers of Sapphire Blue but feathers covered in a bloody scale will lead you to what is true. You have a bloody scale and a red feather.

Shit.

I smiled to myself as I walked over to my side of the car, looking around, and getting inside. It was made obvious that he wasn’t happy with me, nor the situation he was put in. As for me, I was glad to not have to drive around in circles looking for some mystical gate to Siren land, now I had a tour guide.

An hour passed by as I was lead to a dead end. The man next to me let out a sigh and got out of the car as I stayed seated, looking up at nothing but trees and a large gate. My eyes flashed golden brown as the man walked to my side of the car.

Well?

This is it?

He gave me an eye roll before opening my door. It was slammed behind me as I stood and walked to the trees. My hand ran across the gate, it was white with a gold finish.

This is nowhere near conspicuous.

Only you and I can see it. To everyone else it appears to be no more than a wire gate and if they go past it, woods cover the land.

So no one should know that we exist.

Shouldn’t you have asked that before showing half of you're wrestling company?

Only seven.

He gave me one last eye roll before taking out his blade again and cutting a shallow cut in my hand. I let out a small noise before he pushed my hand to the gate. Blood ran down and it sounded like gears started to shift. The gate opened to lush green grass and water.

This is where I leave you, I can not go beyond this point.

This is all I needed you for.

I stuck out my hand, that held his hat in it. He vigorously took it from my hand and placed it back on his head to hide behind it. I looked down to him and gave him a hit on the back of the head before stepping into the grass.

Behind me, the gate closed and seemingly disappeared. Everything seemed peaceful here, almost like the place Tikisa showed me that I took Damien to, the only difference was the water here. I walked into a place where the grass was slightly higher. Everything seemed to be so untouched, in fact, no one seemed to even be here let alone lived here.

You’re looking for Helen.

I turned to a girl leaning down in the grass. Her hair shown red in the sunlight and the white dress that she had on was soaked in water. This was what the other Sirens looked like? She looked so young. I nodded my head as she smiled and stood to take my hand.



She took me between the taller grass trails before stopping at a place full of trees. Considering the lack of all the Sirens I would have expected to be here, I assumed this belonged to only the Court, does that mean this girl is part of the court? She is either part of them or working for them, working for them seemed to be a tasking job considering the man I had to almost strangle to get here didn’t look like he was kept in well condition.

She will be here soon. Your name is Mandii, correct?

I must be famous around here, everyone knows my name yet I know none of yours. Not exactly fair do you think?

My name is Amaryllis.

So you’re a water Nymph named after a flower.

We aren’t exactly Water Nymphs.

Then mermaid.

This isn’t a movie Mandii.

So you are Mandii.

A blonde made her way out from the trees and stopped in front of me. She was followed by three more people who were dressed in white dresses, similar to Amaryllis. They seemed to be pretty intimidating, If this wasn’t the “Court” and Original I would hate to see them.

I’m Helen.



I was attempting to hold my jaw up and not allow it to drop to the ground. It seems like if you are a Siren you keep beauty even if you are a thousand years old. She smiled to me before looking over at Amaryllis and giving a nod. The two took me to a small place in the middle of the trees. Five seats were placed in a row under the trees and each person took a seat. Amaryllis sat next to Helen and the three that followed after sat in the remaining seats. Now I understood why they call it a court, I felt like I was in front of a judge and jury.

I have been waiting for you to come to me.

Then you know why I’m here.

I do.

Well?

Your attempts to find a so called “Cure” have been very amusing. There is no “Cure” for what you are Mandii, this was not given to you like a cold. You are what you are by your own doing, you can not reverse it.

Then how was I given this not curable curse?

Your Siren blood was activated after you felt betrayed, we were created because of a betrayal and in that betrayal some of us are called to be a Siren. When you were made a Siren, your heart stopped and was then put on a restart. When you're heart began beating once more the Siren blood rushed into your veins, destroying most of the Human cells that were in your body.

Then why didn’t it just kill off my Human Blood? And why the hell am I mutating into something not Human but not Siren.

You chose to fight what is coming, you are fighting the Siren blood and it is causing you to turn into not only a Human, but also Siren. Your father had the same happen to him, he was holding onto what humanity he could hold on to and in the end, he paid for that with his life.

Wait, holding onto his humanity killed him? How?

You have a choice now Mandii, you can allow the Siren to fully take over your body, or, you can chose to fight it and pay the same price as your father. It is easier to just give in to the blood.

And what, turn into what? If he didn’t want to turn into this thing there has to be a reason behind it.

Helen stood and the rest of the court began to talk. She released a sigh and I could feel a chill go down my spine. My eyes grew darker in golden as Helen stepped closer to me, but far enough away I could tell she was waiting for me to attack her for one reason or another.

From the start of our time Mandii, we were made to extract revenge. We were made to bring back a child and also cause pain to the one whom took it. The reason why you are so strong and already learning things about the Siren and the powers it holds, is due to the way you were turned. A child was taken, your child was taken, you wanted revenge, the cycle repeated with you and that is why you should give into the blood.

You didn’t answer my question.

The words rang through my teeth that were held tightly together. Helen looked up before looking away and starting to walk back to her seat.

We want revenge, we want revenge over the human race and many of the creatures that inhabit this world. You are the only one that can do that due to the cycle repeating. We want you, Mandii, to lead in a new world. Your power will be overwhelming and you can change everything.

How about you just say this, you want me to kill off everything but us, is that not what you are trying to say without saying it?

We need a new world order.

No, you need a muzzle. You are talking about killing off a whole world, one that you believe should die so you can get your revenge, am I right? Who are you to say who should die and not die. Everyone has done something wrong in their life to make someone else want revenge, what makes you think that you are so special to decided that you get revenge over everything?

You are upset, I can see this....

No shit Sherlock, want to state even more of the obvious?

So, if you would ever be so kind as to just give in, I will allow your brother, lover, your lovers sister, and your child walk free of this.

Fuck, you.

Suddenly, Helens eyes began to change as she turned to face me in front of her seat. She looked down upon me and the following of her began to grin. I took in a deep breath and stepped closer to where Helen was.

I can give you every answer you ever asked for.

I’m not going to be your war monkey to stand up and kill people who have not done anything to hurt you. You are talking about killing off everything that lives aside from your own kind and I will not help you in doing so.

Then you will die.

I would sooner die than be the thing you fight with.

You have no real choice, unless of course, you chose to have Sage take your place.

Touch her and I will put an end to your thousand years.

All we have to do is wait until she is old enough, you will have no choice, you will be dead.

Heat, overwhelming heat rushing into my veins. Memories of Sage rushed into my mind and everything that happened for me to lose her. Would I really allow myself to die and leave Sage to this life? Did Helen really expect me to just kill myself, no, she expects me to change and follow her to keep Sage safe.

I won’t be dead, but I won’t follow you. If it is a war you want then a war you shall have. I had my child taken away from me, I won’t let her be taken by you as well just to turn her into this! I’ve been stepped on, I’ve been hung out to dry, I’ve lost everything I loved in one horrid swoop but I won’t bow before some bitch who thinks she is some god! I’m not out for power, I have a ridiculous Vampire ex for that.

Your need for revenge and power will overtake you and you will be back.

When I come back, you better run, or swim, whatever the hell it is that you do to move faster.

Helen stuck out her chest, looking closer to a bird than fish, before watching me as I turned away. Suddenly, she released a shrill sound that rang in and out of my ears. I hit the ground with my knees before turning back around. I wasn’t the only one down, everyone but Helen had fallen to their knees. I closed my eyes before putting my hands over my ears and sending out a shrill sound as well. Altogether the noise stopped and I felt Helen land on my chest. She looked down smiling at me, her eyes a deep red with a shimmer of blue.

You will fail and join me. You have no idea what you are up against.

No, you don’t know what you are pissing off.

With a smile, I jabbed the dagger the man has used on me before, into the side of Helen. She sent out a shrill noise before letting me get to my feet. I started to run, feeling two of the court behind me. The gate came into view once again as I was pulled into the air.

Shhh shhh, Mandii please.

A hand was placed over my mouth as I looked up at Amaryllis. I spoke muffled under her hand.

You're one of them.

Yes.

Then why did you...

I want to help.

To Be continued.