Natalia’s P. O. V

Melody picked the office phone up and frantically dialled a number. “Aquina’s daughter! She’s here!”

The person on the other side didn’t speak as loudly but I could still hear them, “Really? Are you sure?”

Melody nodded in earnest, “She has the name we were told and knows her first name. Her face is so similar to Aquina’s and I’m sure her hair is dyed.”

“I’ll send someone to stand in for you. Escort her here.” No sooner than the voice had said this that a woman came into the reception through the hallway – actually, she looked around my age. She had black hair and freckles dotted the bridge of her nose. She had earth brown eyes and was dressed in brown.

‘What’s with the colours in this place?’ Candy asked.

‘I’ve no clue’

“Thanks for filling in for me, Gaiana. I won’t be long”

Gaiana smiled, “No problem.”

Melody motioned for me to follow her and we walked into the hallway Gaiana had come from.

I felt like I was underground. The floor and ceiling here were also reinforced glass and you could see rocks and soil and animals like moles through it. The walls were the same earthy brown as Gaiana’s eyes. There were doors with – presumably - names of bankers on them. We walked for a long time till we reached the dead end of the hallway.

Just as I was about to point it out, Melody knocked on the wall five times and traced a star on it. A ding sounded and elevator doors opened. We stepped in and the doors shut. There were no buttons to press but the elevator moved up.

I turned to Melody, “What’s going on? I may have never been to a bank before but even I know that this isn’t a normal reaction. And what’s with the decoration and the hair colours? Who are you taking me to?”

Melody laughed, “No, this isn’t a normal reaction. Let’s just say that we’ve been expecting you. Everything will be explained when you meet Mrs Burton.”

I calmed a bit, “Is she the CEO?”

Melody shook her head, “She’s just temporarily in charge.”

Before I could ask where the real owner was, the elevator doors opened and we stepped into another hallway like the last one only without doors. We walked till we got to a set of French double doors. Melody did the same thing she did for the elevator and the doors opened.

The office we stepped into was beautiful. The floor and the bottom half of the walls were black like the hair but the top half of the walls was reinforced glass. The glass was separated into foot wide sections. Each section had something different in it like fire, water and fish, light, soil and rocks, flowers, hypnosis circles, musical instruments and numerous other things.

I felt safe and calm – more so than in the other parts of the building. There was a black office table on the far wall opposite the door with a lady behind it. She was beautiful with her piercing green eyes and hair like Gaiana’s. She wore a floral green shirt under her black suit and a black knee length pencil skirt. She looked no older than twenty.

She smiled when we came in. “Thank you, Melody. You may leave.” Melody smiled and left. The woman turned to me, “Hello, Natalia. My name is Florine Burton. We’ve been expecting you for quite some time. Please, sit with me.”

She walked to a black couch and sat down. I followed in suit. “Tell me, Natalia, how did you feel when you first saw this building?”

How did she know? “I felt warmth and tingles on my skin. When I stepped inside, I felt like the building was hugging and comforting me. In this room, I feel calmer and safer.”

She beamed, “What’s your real hair colour?”

‘Should I tell her?’ I asked Candy.

‘Mum must’ve trusted her plus I think there’s more to this. Besides, the Lightwood pack doesn’t know our real hair or eye colour’

“Black.”

She looked pleased with my answer. “How old are you?”

“Fifteen”

She nodded and mumbled, “So you’re not of age yet.”

I was confused. “Of age for what?”

“Your uncovering.”

Uncovering?

“You see, Natalia, what you are, is a Syren. It’s what I am, what Melody and Gaiana are and what your mother was.” She explained

“I’m a Siren?” I thought they were really attractive and irresistible to men.

“No, my dear. Sirens are our whorish cousin race and frankly, it’s offensive to most of us if you mix us up with them. We are Syrens – with a ‘y’. Yes, we are desirable to men but not as much as they are. They can grow a mono fin and can breathe under water, we can only swim extremely well and hold our breaths for about two hours – three if we really try. We sing very well but when they sing, they hypnotise all males within a ten foot radius, give or take depending on their level of strength. To balance things out, we get at least one power or special ability – the most is three so far – and a life partner.”

A life partner? I’ll get another mate? A smile broke out across my face but it quickly faded. I was already a werewolf and there had never been hybrids in supernatural history.

“But I’m a werewolf.” I informed her, “I haven’t shifted yet but she’s in my consciousness.”

Her smile faded and her eyes widened in horror.

“Your mother’s life partner wasn’t a werewolf-.” She started.

I didn’t need to hear what I already knew – that my mother had been raped and that I was a rape product. I checked my watch to find that it was midday. “I’m sorry Mrs Burton. I’d love to find out more about all this but I have a prior engagement that I must attend. My mother gave me a trust fund card and asked me to see you about it.”

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“Of course.” She typed something into her computer and printed some papers. “It will take some time to get all the money because she invested most of it in many enterprises that are successful only because of her money but this is the most I can get at the moment. What I’m giving you is roughly twenty percent of the total amount. If you’d just sign here, I can activate the card.”

I looked at the papers and my eyes bulged. Candy wolf whistled and laughed, ‘We’re loaded! That’s a lot of zeros, and to think this isn’t even half of the money.’

I signed and handed her the papers. She took the card and scanned it then handed it back to me along with my PIN. “Thank you, Mrs Burton.”

I got up and was about to open the door when she called out, “Natalia, do come back sometime. Your mother gave me some things to give to you. How about this time next week?”

I nodded, “Of course.” I opened the door then paused and turned back to her. “Mrs Burton, were you younger than my mother?”

She shook her head, “No dear, I’m four years older.”

“But that means she had me when she was about one – which is impossible.”

She smiled, “No dear, she had you when she was twenty.”

But that didn’t make sense unless Mrs Burton had an extremely good plastic surgeon – only vampires didn’t age. “But you look twenty.”

Her smile morphed into a smirk, “That is one of the only things Sirens and Syrens have in common. We only physically age a year for every decade lived once we reach eighteen. I look twenty but I’m actually thirty-nine.”

I matched her smirk with one of my own, “I’ll be here in three days.” This just kept getting better – or worse considering I was already a werewolf and wouldn’t get these perks. Oh well.

‘Hey!’ Candy scolded.

‘Sorry, Candy. You know I love you.’

I mimicked Melody’s actions when I got to the elevator-wall and left, waving to Gaiana and Melody as I passed them. Once I was out of the building, the calm receded back into tingling and eventually disappeared once I got into a cab.

When I got home, I thanked and paid the driver then got out. I checked my watch – half past one. I unlocked my door and went inside.

Flopping onto the couch, I kicked my shoes off and called to Candy, ‘Hey Candy, we should go grocery shopping. We haven’t eaten since we went out with Trevor yesterday and all we had was ice cream.’

‘Yeah, we should but after our outing with Trevor. Maybe tomorrow.’, she replied.

‘Sure. Do you think it’s possible that we could be a Syren too?’

‘I don’t think so, Nat. there have never been hybrids before. I don’t want to get your hopes up.’

My eyes felt heavy. ‘Okay, Candy. At least I have you, which I’m glad for.’ I yawned.

‘And I you, Nat.’ I could hear the small smile in her voice.

‘Candy, why haven’t we shifted yet? Everyone else shifted at thirteen. When will I see you?’ My eyes fluttered closed.

She sighed, ‘Soon, Nat. Soon.’

That was the last thing I heard before I drifted off to sleep.

**********

I was startled awake by banging on my door and fell off the couch with a thud. “Coming.” I mumbled, dusting myself off. I opened the door to find a smiling Trevor.

“You couldn’t have been subtler?” I grumbled as I put my shoes on.

He simply laughed, “Now where’s the fun in that?”

I followed him to his car – I’d learnt it was called a convertible. The hood was off, revealing two girls and a guy. The girls looked almost exactly the same. They were both blonde but one had curly hair and forest green eyes while the other had straight hair and baby blue eyes. The boy had chestnut coloured hair and eyes. They were talking and bickering animatedly.

They fell silent once we were near and stared at me. A blush rose to my cheeks when I heard one of the girls and the boy mumble something along the lines of “pretty” and “hot” while the other girl just stared wide eyed – envious.

It was Trevor who broke the silence, “Guys, this is Arielle – the girl I told you about.” He pointed to the guy, “This dufus is Greg,” he motioned to the green eyed girl then the blue eyed one, “and these are Hailey and Keily.”

Greg hopped out and circled me like a vulture, wolf whistling – not unlike Candy had earlier. He turned to Trevor. “Wow, Trev, you sure know how to pick ‘em. I’m glad I decided to join you today.”

I could tell that Greg, with his darker hair and eyes and scent of mischief and valour, was likely more outgoing than his younger brother. As mischief and laughter shone in his eyes, I knew I was right.

Trevor went beet red and Greg turned back to me then bowed dramatically. “Why, where are my manners? Allow me to formally introduce myself since my little brother didn’t do it justice. I am nineteen years old and my name is Gregory Geranomy but you may call me Greg.” He said in a fake British accent

He took my hand and kissed it, making me laugh. “Might I say, Madame, you are a beauty – simply divine.” He continued before standing back up to his full six feet.

I curtsied with my imaginary skirt, “Why, thank you kind sir. I’m eighteen years of age and my name is Arielle but you may call me Ari.” I matched his accent with one of my own then turned on Trevor and playfully hit his arm.

“You, young man, never said anything about a brother! How could you deprive me of the knowledge of a wonderful human being like him?” I scolded as Greg laughed.

“I sincerely apologise, fair maiden, it shall never happen again.” He claimed, matching our accents.

Greg snickered, “Of course it won’t – we’ve got no other siblings.” We laughed till a throat cleared. Our heads swivelled round to look at the girls. I’d completely forgotten about them.

I smiled and held my hand out, “Sorry. I’m Arielle but just call me Ari.”

I felt a current of energy as Hailey shook my outstretched hand and smiled back, “I’m Hailey but just call me Hail. It’s nice to meet you.”

‘She isn’t human. I don’t think her sister is either.’ I told Candy. “You too.”

“Keily.” Came her curt reply. I noticed her heavily caked on makeup, very short shorts and unnecessarily high heels. She didn’t bother smiling or releasing her folded arms to shake my hand. She just glared.

Something about the twins nagged at me, but I couldn’t place my finger on it.

‘I don’t think that one likes you very much.’ Candy observed.

‘Neither do I. She reminds me of Kylie. Their names even have all the same letters.’

I turned to Hail, “So tell me, where we are going?” That set her off.

Her green eyes sparkled as she spoke. “Oh my gosh! Trev told us about your lack of communication with the outside world. So sad. I could never live without my phone – it’s my baby. So first, we get you a new phone – or your first phone. Next, you’ll need a new wardrobe. No matter where you go for college, you’re gonna need an image. Something that says ‘you’. You can decide what to do afterwards.”

I heard Greg whisper to Trevor: “If the day isn’t over.”

We piled into the car with the younger Geranomy driving and the older one riding shotgun. I was between the blonde twins.

Hail turned to me, “So tell me about yourself, Ari.”

I shrugged, “There’s not really much to tell. I wasn’t the most popular girl in high school. I only had acquaintances and most of my schoolmates were horrible people.” There was no way I was going to admit to being bullied in front of Miss Glare-A-Lot. I’d known enough people like her to know that she’d exploit any and every weakness she found to her advantage.

She smiled, “No worries, hopefully, you’ll choose to go to our university. Apart from old man Gregor over there, we’ll all be starting for the first time so there haven’t been any real establishments yet.”

That sounded nice. I could start over where I already had people.

Where not many people knew each other and I would have a shot at being accepted.

Where I wouldn’t let people walk over me.

Where I could put my past behind me and nobody would know about it.

Where I would take the next step to my future as I found my answers.

‘How about it, Candy? Have we found our college?’

She chuckled, ‘What do you think?’ she asked rhetorically.

I grinned, “I’ve got a feeling you’ll be seeing a lot more of me in the next few years.” Hail grinned happily.