Eclipse

10.

Prophecy

"What the fuck are you doing her, in my house, one my property, you fucking prick!" the woman screeched, almost flying through the garden in a whirl of silk and tulle, and with a crack, Kieran's head snapped to the side with the force of her slap.

"Cassandra-" Kieran began, raising a hand to the red imprint of her hand on his cheek, but she cut him off with another slap, sending his neck snapping to the other side.

"Don't you dare 'Cassandra' me, Kieran, because I've had enough of you and your ragtag group of fucking good samaritan Nephilim, you hear me? I've had enough of you dropping by whenever you feel like it just 'cause you want to go over the prophecy for the hundredth time! I've-had-enough! Now get the fuck out've here!"

I watched mutely as anger flared in Kieran's face, on which two red hand prints stood out prominently, as he glared at Cassandra. "You will listen to what I have to say, because, for once, you were right."

His words surprised the rage off Cassandra's dark exotic features. "What?"

"I'll explain once we get inside," Kieran snapped through written teeth

"What, with her?" Cassandra demanded incredulously, giving me a look of contempt.

"Yes, with her."

"Why? She doesn't seem like much does she?" She eyed my choice of bland clothes before resting on my tangled hair with a curl of the lip.

"Unlike you, Cassandra, we don't all have the power to get people naked in bed with one look."

Cassandra's full lips lifted into the faintest of smiles-or maybe it was a smirk?

"What's your name... Lupi?" I stared at her evenly without a word. "Not much of a talker, are you? Not particularly surprising, though, I suppose. Your voice must be as appalling as your looks.

"Cassandra..." Kieran began in a warning tone.

"Oh, stop worrying, Kieran. I won't be too nasty," she replied, cutting Kieran off without breaking eye contact with me, but a sly smile was forming. "My bark is worse that my bite, my dear little Lupi girl. You can tel me your name when you feel like you're ready, now, okay?" she added condescendingly.

"Megan Vaughn." The words blurted out of my mouth, and Cassandra's face bloomed into a dazzling smile, showing off a set of white teeth that contrasted against her ebony skin. "That wasn't so hard, was it? Now come. You can tell me whatever you deem necessary over a nice cup of tea." She laughed at Kieran's fuming expression and turned around in a flurry of her layered black dress.

I glanced at Kieran for direction, but he just pursed his lips and followed the unnatural beauty into her magnificent house.

The interior of the house was just as stunning as the exterior. Compared to modern day infrastructure, this manor seemed as though it had been cut out of the pages of a Victorian era novel, with chandeliers, hardwood floorboards and intricately carved furniture. Cassandra led us to a large library, laden with bookshelves loaded with books both old and new. Sitting a distance away from the bookshelves were several round tables, each encircled with four chairs and a small pile of decorative coasters in the middle, topped with a delicate glass vase holding a single semi-bloomed red tulip.

"Please, sit, my friends. You'll have to excuse me while I get tea ready."

Kieran smiled sweetly at her with just the right touch of poison before turning to look at me once Cassandra had turned away.