Heart of Ashes

Power Awakened

Evelyn heard a knock at the makeshift door Mercedes and Caine had set up before they left. It consisted of the old door and some magic. She looked through the peephole to see Donovan smiling at her.

Annoying little twerp, she thought as she unlatched it.

She took in the sight of Donovan, he'd gained a considerable amount of muscle since she last saw him and he had a giant sword strapped to his back. As promised, there was someone else with Donovan. A huge mountain of a man, with long, dark hair that hung about his shoulders and a thick beard over his strong jaw, was standing just past her threshold. He was a wall of muscle and had interesting symbols tattooed on his arm. He was wearing a Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell t-shirt and old, faded denims with heavy looking boots. A war axe hung from his belt and, like Donovan, he had a massive sword strapped to his back. His eyes were the same dangerous wine colour as Caine's. Maragi. He offered her a smile and he was about to extend a hand to introduce himself when Donovan spoke:

"Hey, Evie," he said, "this is my buddy Ragnar."

The other vampire, Ragnar, raised an eyebrow then shook it off and introduced himself properly, "Good evening, I am Ragnar but I am not Donovan's buddy."

He had a heavy Scandanavian accent and she instantly knew exactly what he was, or, what he had been. A Viking.

She reached past Donovan and accepted his hand, "Evelyn," she said, surprised at how gently Ragnar gripped her hand, "uh... come inside."

She stepped aside and let the two pass through. She showed them into the lounge where they disarmed and seated themselves. Well, Ragnar seated himself, Donovan draped himself across the couch.

"Can I... uh... offer you anything?" she asked, feeling very silly.

Ragnar shook his head, "No thank you."

Donovan smiled, "Got any O neg, love?"

She glared at him. She wanted to hit him but she knew it would achieve nothing. She looked at Ragnar and he nodded.

"Donovan?" he said.

"Ragnar?" Donovan replied.

"Come here."

Donovan swung his legs off the couch and went to Ragnar. Ragnar patted the cushion next to the one he was sitting on, indicating for Donovan to sit down. He did and Ragnar smacked him upside the head. A very loud crack resounded and Donovan's hands flew up to clutch his head.

"Bloody hell!" he hissed, "What was that for?"

"Show respect, little whelp," he said. Donovan rolled his eyes and was about to stand up to go back to his couch when Ragnar pulled him back, "Yes, Ragnar?"

Donovan glared at Evelyn, "Yes, Ragnar."

He looked embarrassed and that was good enough for her, "If you two don't mind, I'm going to check my mail."

Ragnar nodded and Donovan sulked. Evelyn went to fetch her laptop from her bedroom. She went back down to sit at the dining room table and opened her laptop. She logged on and her wallpaper popped up. It was the photo of her and her father. She right-clicked the screen and a menu came up. She selected the 'personalise' option and commenced to change her wallpaper to something she could live with. An old photo of her, Morwenna and Anthony in high school. She opened her mailbox and found three emails; one from the mother of one of her students informing her that the fee had been paid via EFT, another from the bank with the same information in it and another from Anthony. She clicked on it, he didn't normally email her so it was odd. The email had no subject and in it, three words were written.