The Way it goes - Zoe

The way it goes



         It is another quiet morning in my house. Ziek is out on a job. He won’t get injured, but he will have complications. He has the ability to read and change people’s emotions. This is a great responsibility he still has problems with, but he has gotten better. His strongest point is tracking. He could follow anything or anyone across country. I can see into things, not very far… don’t worry, I’m not some all knowing gypsy with a crystal ball. I see what is important to me and my family. I admit when I work really hard I can see things based on the person, but that takes a lot of energy and Marcus gets concerned. Ally is hunting. This is mainly because Elli cut her arm and the blood on the floor kept her up all night. Ally is a vampire, and Elli is half human. There is always a fear between the two, but I know nothing will happen. They are best friends and love each other so much.

         Marcus and I have been together for three hundred and twenty six years. When I met him I knew he was a kind and miss understood man. That is right I said man, not demon or guardian. He had been excommunicated by both parties and was simply floating along in life. Since he had known nothing but hate when he did meet me I was a marvel. He’s very curious and I think he is sweet. Many other people don’t think so, they think he is too quiet. I like this about him though. Most people talk too much to hide what they are really like. He works so hard to be exactly who he is in everyone’s eyes. From the day we met I could see we would be perfect, and could help who ever needed our help.

         The first person who came into our family was Ziek. He originally came to train with Marcus, and learn to control his power. He was feeling everyone’s emotions, instead of focusing on control. After seeing how we worked he never left. Actually I am most proud of Ziek for changing his ways. He used to love going to clubs, and let’s just say with his power to control emotions, he did things he shouldn’t have. I do admit though he can still be a jerk. Most days he stays out of the ‘family’ problems. I guess that is not a bad thing because he normally doesn’t have an opinion on much. Don’t worry, I knew that it would change when we met Ally. It has become more appealing to him to lead a closer to normal life, to have a home instead of traveling constantly.

         Ally sought this house out. She had all the control she needed, but she sought home. She wanted a steady place with people who understand her and will forgive the things she has to do. I never understood why this was so important until my powers expanded and I could clearly see a person’s past. It saddened me greatly to see how she had come to miss these things. When she was attacked and left for dead she disappeared until she could control her urges. She was alone for years. When she returned to her very religious family and was honest with them, they tried to kill her. Ally injured her father and ran before she could smell the blood. Home has been missing from her life for six years now.

         Marcus and I argued about her for a while. He did not trust any type of Vampire. I had to point out that no one trusted him and he was one of the best people I had ever met. Then after Ally had hid in her room for a month, leaving through her window and skulking around the house, she came into the living room looking for me. She was scared and I could see that in Ziek’s face. Then I saw something else. Ally and Ziek talked the entire night. This settled my mind about giving her the home she was searching for. I had been feeling like I wasn’t giving her what she deserved. In my vision not once did Ziek use his powers, and not once was she nervous again. Over the next fifty years they grew closer, and made bonds. After seeing Ally talking with Ziek that night I knew eventually he would be her Marcus.

         Ziek literally carried Elli into our lives shortly after Ally had a big impact on him. All Ziek could tell me was that she had been very badly abused and he thought he could help. He meant it with his heart. I had never seen him care about anyone other then himself. Marcus healed her and I sat talking with her all night. I could not see her past, and when she felt me swimming through her head she asked me to stop. For her privacy I agreed, and explained. She asked if she could observe how this house worked simply because it intrigued her. Marcus was fascinated by her physical being half human and half Lancer. Lancers never had family and rarely had personal lives, especially with humans. He worked with her in training and they became quick friends. We didn’t know she had any powers for a long time. She was afraid of getting too attached, and I could see in the future she would protect this house and everyone in it with her life if it came to that.

         We have not had any new family members in over a hundred years. I have loved our family the way it is (to be fair, I loved it when it was just me and Marcus too). I know we’re not technically related, in fact, we’re all different species, but I love them for who they are, and nothing will change that. Not even the new arrival Ally will be bringing into the house later tonight. I can’t see who or what she is bringing into the house, but I know there will be a big adjustment. Ziek will be very unhappy, and he will get the wrong idea. Marcus will have the same view he adopted after Ally came into the house: prove you belong here.

         I choose not to see how Elli will react. She will make her feelings known to me when she is comfortable. She has just started letting me look ahead in her future, and I don’t want to jeopardize this trust she has in me. We have been working on it slowly, but Ziek assures me that she is relaxing. I know he is aware of her past, but I have not looked to find out. Trust me it is killing me not to know. It is now two am and I can tell Ally will be home soon.

         “Marcus,” I pushed him out of bed. “Wake up, wake up! Ally is bringing someone home.” I am excited. Ally is the most lovable person I have ever met, and she does everything very carefully. Who ever she brings home, should really fit in quite well.

         “Where is everyone?” Marcus got up and got dressed. It’s funny, he wears the same type of clothing everyday, but he’ll wear really outrageous boxers. It amuses me.

         “Ziek is driving.” I looked for people through my mind.  “He’ll be back five to ten minutes after Ally.” I figured. “Elli is on a job, won’t be back until tomorrow at the earliest.” I knew she was thinking about taking longer… something about another job. Marcus pulled his sweater on and got shoes on.

         “What do you know?” He walked toward the door and looked back at me.

         “You have ten minutes Hun,” I jumped up and pulled on stretchy caprice. It wouldn’t be smart for me to wear something flowy. Something tells me it would get ruined. Marcus hit the bottom stair and turned the lights in the foyer on. He was going to clean up a little bit, because he did not know in what condition this person would be arriving. I guess with how people get injured in this house that was something to be expected.

         I bounced down the stairs. Normally I could tell about anyone even on the property line. Right down to their credit score. I can only see that there is another life force traveling with Ally, and not by choice. This was something completely new for me. That doesn’t happen often so I am really really- I just ran into the side of Marcus. “Sorry,” I smiled and pushed my hair behind my ears. He smiled that warn smile. I didn’t have to tell him how exited I was.

         “What do you know?” He asked me again.

         “It is unhappy.” I answered. “At least that is what I can see. It is fuzzy, like Ally is not so sure of what she is doing.” I answered. That made sense. Plus when she was hunting it was always harder to see what she was thinking or doing clearly. She was just reaching the edge of the forty acre property line. She stopped and stood still to get herself under control. It still amazes me how easily she can start to turn it off. She took a deep breath and was at the front door. In all of my searching through the future, I hadn’t noticed anything about what she was bringing in.

         “Oh good, you saw,” Ally had this eight foot dog in a head lock. It was struggling and scratching up my hard wood floors. Oh well… Marcus likes wood work. “He wanted me to kill him.” She motioned. “He’s just a kid, and he wanted me to kill him.” Ally was out of breath and upset. The dog had shorts on. Like those big cargo shorts. “He told me he was dangerous and I needed to kill him before he hurt someone else. He begged. I can help him Zoë.” Ally was almost crying.

         “Let’s hear what he has to say.” Marcus looked down at the dog.

         “Change back!” Ally yelled and dropped her fist on the top of his head. I could hear the teeth smash together. It hurt just to think about. The eight foot dog shaped into a six-five boy with moppy brown hair. He was nineteen and his name was Jake.

         “You don’t want me here. I don’t want to kill anyone. You have to get rid of me.” He pleaded quickly. He stopped fighting after a moment. I could tell he was confused that we were all so calm about him changing.

         “How old are you?” Marcus asked quietly.

         “Twenty.” He answered still struggling.

         “Will you stay in human form to answer their questions?” Ally asked more directed at me than him.

         “He’ll be fine Ally please let him go.” I asked. He was so scared and hurt. Jake was new to his power. He had no clue what was going on with him. I could tell Marcus had read about it in one of many books. Jake fell to the floor and lay on his side. He was cut up and bruised. But the cuts were healing right in front of us, with no help. “Hi Jake I’m Zoë.” I sat next to him on the floor.

         “I don’t want to hurt anyone.” He wasn’t going to move from that spot until he knew we were safe from him.

         “Do you know how I know your name?” I couldn’t help but comb his hair with my fingers. He flinched the first time I touched him. “You are not the only one with gifts.” The more he got used my hands the more I could comfort him. “This house is home for people with gifts.” I said quietly.

         “I don’t want to hurt anyone.” He was quiet. “I don’t want to hurt anyone.” This is so SAD. Why wouldn’t he want to live? Who had engrained it into his head that he should not live. I know the connection Ally felt. She was the same way for a while.

         “Jake did you know that Ally is more dangerous than you.” I pointed at Ally. She wouldn’t mind if we could help him. “Do you know what is happening to you?” I knew he didn’t but it was calming to hear questions you knew the answer to.

         “No”

         “Would you like to find out?” I continued to comfort him. No one should condemn themselves to death. He’ll take this well, but he will need some love, lot’s of help and love. His breathing calmed down and he was thinking.

         “Jake what causes you to change is extreme emotions. So you need to keep a level head.” Marcus started up the stairs. “You want to find out what’s going on with you, come on up to my office.” He was blunt. It would work, but I wish he would be a little more caring. That is not fair, he is very caring. I wish he would be a little more sensitive. Jake leaned up to see where he was going. “Come on kid. I’m not the one that bites.” He smiled. Jake held his pants that were now a full ten sizes too big on him. He got up and followed Marcus upstairs. Ally wanted to follow him upstairs, just incase he changed.

         “He’ll be fine Ally,” I reassured her. Marcus was a very calming person. He was always honest and got things done. He was generally nice about it too. (Generally) Ziek is in the driveway.

         “Hey guys.” Ziek walked through the door and stopped. “Who was here.” He looked to Ally fist. He trusted her the most. Ally looked at her feet. She was ashamed and Ziek’s expression changed to extreme hate. He was going to tear up the stairs and kill who ever Made Ally ashamed.

         “You’re miss-reading her.” I corrected him quickly. “His name is Jake and she didn’t know if she should bring him into this house.” I continued Babbling. As I started to worry that I wasn’t getting through to him he calmed down. I love when he can read emotions and act accordingly. He’s kind of a hot head. “Right now I think you and Ally need to talk alone.” That should work out well. Ally will talk to him more willingly than she’ll talk to me.

         “Let’s go for a drive,” Ziek pulled Ally by the waist. He was always calmer when he drove. Good, he would need to be understanding for Ally to explain properly. They would be fine, they always were.