𝐆𝐎𝐃𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒//𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐆𝐎𝐃𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐘

Trying to calm the storm...

September 20, 2013

Silvia could see the clear resemblance between Sky and her mother. She had a picture of Sky through various stages of her life. If she couldn't care for her upfront she would from afar. Silvia did all she could, though there was constant disappointment and guilt.

I should have took her home. Steered her away from him. She would have still been here.

Silvia thought that every time she came to the edge of Hemlock Grove. But then...

Sky wouldn't be here, and dammit if she wasn't a spitting image of her mother. She's all I have left of her mother.

Silvia had to restrain herself when around Sky, because there was an urge to tell her all about her mother. That would bring an unnecessary strain between the three who watched over Sky.

The love Silvia had for Sky grew each year and each year she wished more than before that she had just ran off with Sky, back to France. Though if she did both her and Sky would have been dead before they could get out of the country.

Silvia was now parked in front of their residence. The moon partially hidden behind their roof and the living room light was still on. She knew Dominic was waiting for her.

Her knuckles rapped against the door in a quick manner. She heard shuffling before the door opened. Revealed was Dominic with a stressed expression on his face.

"Uriel?" Silvia said, a moment passed, and no response from him, "I'm sorry, I meant Dominic, sorry. What's wrong?"

"Come in first." He said moving aside to let Silvia pass. She notice he had a slight visible shake. It was most visible in his hands. It was rare to see Dominic in such shape. He was always well spoken and very sure of himself. Now he just seemed an anxious mess.

Dominic lead Silvia to the kitchen, passing a sleeping Sky on the couch on the way.

"She's usually in her bed-"

"We we're watching movies and she fell asleep so I decided to let her stay there. She hasn't been sleeping well lately or sleeping that much now anyway, I had to give her some melatonin."

"That worked?!" Silvia asked with wide eyes.

"Well it was a large dosage. She's getting stronger Silvia." Dominic said, his voice a little above a whisper now.

"Is she noticing these changes?" Silvia asked impatiently.

"She's more focused on these dreams she's having. At least to my knowledge she is." Dominic paused. "When I take her to box and her martial arts classes she seems more...aggressive. That's why I started to train her myself."

"And...her emotions?"

"Well...she's a true teenager. She's starting to rebel. Not a lot though, she's just asking more questions and coming home past her curfew."

"Do you know where she is when she's out past her curfew?"

"With that Godfrey kid."

"Ah, the upir." Silvia said.

"I can't keep her away from him."

"Those two have a bond. Something really special. You wouldn't be able to keep them apart if you tried your hardest." She said. "Let's start."

Silvia soon started the complicated chant, her voice leveled. Dominic would have had to lean in close to hear her. It started to seem as if it were just Sky and Silvia we're in the room. Dominic felt like an outsider. It still baffled Dominic how one could be so intimate with their craft. It was a life he knew little of despite knowing Silvia for hundreds of years.

"There. She should be okay for the next three months," Silvia said turning back to Dominic. "You should try to get her strength back under control-"

"Dominic? Who's this?"

Both Dominic and Silvia froze, locking eyes with each other. Fear spread onto their faces.

"Shit." They both whispered. Silvia slowly turned around to face Sky who was now standing.

"Hi," Silvia said. "I'm Silvia."

"I'm Sky. You're Dominic's...friend?" Sky asked carefully, she couldn't recall Dominic having any friends, not even an acquaintance.

"Yeah, I'm a friend. I was in town and I thought it'd be nice to stop by, to catch up on what we've missed." Silvia said. Another lie to the young girl who was clueless to the bigger picture. Sky just nodded, looking as if she had something brewing in her head.

"There's a guest room upstairs two doors down on the left. I can go set it up for you." Sky said. Silvia couldn't say a thank you as Sky was already up the stairs.

It hadn't occurred to Sky that she had a curiosity of other people. So many thoughts of what Silvia could be like ran through her head. Sky was curious about Silvia in a way only Sky could be. Sky planned a million and one questions for Silvia before she left for school in the morning.
-
"So how come you've never been around before?" Sky asked. Silvia couldn't ignore the close look Sky was giving, as if she was examining her. It wasn't in a rude or disrespectful manner, just heightened curiosity. Silvia could tell Sky was looking for a specific answer and she was asking any question that could confirm her suspicion.

"My life gets pretty busy and Hemlock Grove is pretty far from where I live." Silvia answered.

"How long have you been friends with Dominic?" Sky asked.

"A very, very long time. "Silvia answered, she tried to not come off as nervous as she was.

"Still can't believe Dominic has a friend..."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dominic spoke up for the first time since coming into the kitchen. His tone leaned more into playful than offense.

If you were to step back and snap a photo it would look as if they're just a regular family. Genuine smiles on their faces and each of them satisfied in each other's presence. It was an unknown warmth that settled between the three of them, it would be like old times if two more people were in the kitchen.

But like all good moments this one ended and now it was memory. Sky found herself staring Silvia and then to Dominic and than back to Silvia. She hadn't realized she was holding back tears until she tasted blood on her tongue from biting her lip too hard. It was becoming too much. This feeling she felt. It was overwhelming. She hadn't given herself the luxury of thinking she could ever have a real family and that this woman who showed up to their house could be her mother.

"Come on kid, the bus'll be here any minute." Dominic said.

"I'm riding with Roman today." Sky said, trying to wipe away her tears as discreetly as she could.

"Excuse me?" Dominic asked.

"I'm riding with Roman." Sky said again.

"What happened to taking the bus?" He asked, sitting his cup of coffee down.

"I just prefer riding with Roman. Is that a problem?" Sky's tone now matched his.

"I don't want to get a phone call saying you've skipped. Do you understand me, Sky?"

"Yes. Dominic." Sky said, all of her previous anger started to bubble up.

Silvia flinched, Silvia tried to promise herself but she couldn't deny she was a bit afraid. It was just apart of who Sky was, unknown to Sky herself. Though it could always be managed.

"Watch that tone," Dominic said. "And I want you home after school. No running around with Godfrey."

"Whatever." Sky said, pushing her chair back and grabbing her book bag. She made sure to slam the door. Partly to annoy Dominic and partly to relieve some of her anger.

"Uncle of the year, huh?" Dominic asked.

"Pretty sure her father couldn't do any better," Silvia answered. "How about I stay for a little while to help? Hm?"

That sounded like Heaven to Dominic, because truth be told he didn't know what he was doing. Neither of them knew how this would turn out but it was all they could come up with. They couldn't allow fear to take over as it had before.