• Chapter 4~ the phoenix daughter
    I had been at Shana's home for three days. She had given me a grand tour of the place I was going to live for seventeen days. The house was two stories high. It was red brick all the way around the house, and white windows on the front and sides of the house. On the back of the house, it had balconies and glass doors and some parts of the wall that were just window. It might sound a mess, but the two glass doors were on the very bottom floor in the corners. As for the balconies, the three of them lined up on the top level with two rooms (Including my room) With glass windows that took up an entire wall. As for the interior, the entrance was huge. It had photo's and portraits and expensive vases. The entrance poured out into the dining room directly in front. Off to the right of the entrance was the first living room, and off to the left was the staircase to the bedroom floor. When you walked through the dining room, you would see a large glass dining table with a black frame. The chairs had the same black frame, but had cushions to sit on, not glass. To the left was a large kitchen. In the kitchen was the usual fridge, cupboard. Counter to prepare food on, sink and a smaller dining table for two people in the corner. Through the glass doors that were in the kitchen, you would come to an alfresco area. It had shade, a barbecue and some deck-chairs. A path came out from that and led you to an indoor pool. It had a brick wall, but glass roof. It was heated. Shana said it keeps you away from the excuses that might get you out of your daily training. When you go up the stairs to the bedroom level, you have five bedrooms off to the right of you, and one long hallway with a great view off to the left. The hallway was red. The carpet and the wall paint. All other rooms were cream with either floating floor or royal blue carpet. It wasn't a boring place to live. But all I had to really remember is that my schedule is on the kitchen table, and my room was the fourth one down. She said that it was essential that I stayed with her until my phasing was complete. She also explained phasing to me. Apparently, phasing is the seventeen day period before a demon is born. Whether you had a ceremony or the blood was already in your veins, you have to wait until your body reacts to your demon hormones. In this time, your eyes change, your strength becomes incredible, your senses sharpen a little, and you gain a power unique to you. I don't have one as of late. Shana feeds me well on top of letting me live with her, and she tutors me and trains me to use my strength effectively. I am really enjoying my time with Shana.
    Today is Friday. Dimitri will be free this afternoon, so I asked Shana if I could have one night off from demon training and spend it with Dimitri. She agreed as long as I did all of my homework on demon history and did a 1k swim before hand. When those rules were set, I finished all of my homework, and extra, in record time. And I finished my swim 10 minutes faster that yesterday. At five o'clock, I put on my best dress and shoes and greeted Dimitri at the door. I wore a bright red dress with no sleeves or straps. The bottom of the dress was a handkerchief style, and the waist was tight fitting to my body. It clung comfortably to my skin and made me feel beautiful. I put contact lenses in to change my eye colour to brown just so Dimitri could go out with me, not a demon. He was going to find out the truth, but I needed him to have a few normal memories with me. One day, he might not want to be with me if he finds out I'm a demon. So I think that I will tell him after he and I have had a great time. I really do love him.
    Dimitri wore a black shirt and pants. He rolled up the sleeves and unbuttoned the first three buttons. He looked so handsome. His hair was brushed and washed and his aftershave filled my senses as I sat in his arms in the car on the way to our unknown destination. Dimitri would not tell me where we were going. He said it had to remain a surprise. I always loved his surprises. He always knew the right thing to do to make me happy. His ideas were also very unique. Spending time together at a restaurant was good, but to finish the night, instead of just getting a kiss, he would give me a whole heap of his drawings. He always drew me pictures. I really liked it when he would draw the two of us as chibis. I would take them all home and stick them on my wall. I really wished to know if he drew me something this time. On our way to the unknown destination, Dimitri held me tight in his arms, never letting me go. I ran my hand along his cheek bone and stroked his face. He was so soft against my skin, and he was so warm sometimes that it would burn. I couldn't wait any longer; I had to know where we were going. Around twenty minutes after we started traveling to our destination, we arrived at a small lake with a path to it and a large willow tree dangling over. The sunset was just over the horizon, and it was gorgeous. Dimitri removed his tight grip on my body and unfastened his seatbelt. I pulled of my seatbelt and flung my legs over the side of the seat out the door. Dimitri stood at the door and took my hand into his and led me out of the car and down the path. The lake sparkled and rippled with the light breeze. Dimitri's warm hand led me to a small glass and metal table. He pulled a seat out from under the table and let me take my place before the meal set up. Dimitri walked over to the opposite side and took his place on the other seat.
    “I have asked mum to come down and set up our dinner, and I asked dad to drive us here. It's all been set up perfectly.” Dimitri leaned over and removed the lid on my plate to reveal spaghetti bolognaise. Dimitri really liked spaghetti. He poured lemonade into each of our cups from the bottle next to him. An esky was at the base of the table with the lid firmly in place. I raised my fork to the plate and then into my mouth. It was delicious. Dimitri smiled as he filled his mouth with the fresh spaghetti. The night was perfect. The sunset was pink, orange, purple and red. The lake was like glass now that the breeze had disappeared. The willow shaded us from the afternoon sun and birds. The table was small, but nice, and the dinner was delicious. The night was even better because I spent the whole time with Dimitri. After we ate our dinner, Dimitri gathered our plates and cutlery and placed them in the esky. He then pulled out a plate of chocolate cake. That was something we both loved. Dimitri and I shared the cake and talked about anything that came to mind. He had been so worried about me when I was sent to the hospital. He also said that a few classmates thought I had silver eyes. He said it was bizarre and that they are just making up stories. Dimitri was drawing heaps at school, and he hoped to draw me a ne picture soon. He asked me why I was staying with Shana, and I told him that she was just making sure that I was well after my time in the hospital. Dimitri was happy to know that I was being cared for. I needed to lie though. If he found out that I was a demon now, I would ruin the whole evening. The night sky was just starting to sparkle. The stars were out and the moon was full. He lit a candle on our table and held out his hand so I could join him over by the lake. He held my hand tight and stroked it with the other. We stood by the lake and stared into the glimmering water. The two of us reflected in the glass lake and smiled at one another whilst we talked. Our conversations didn't have to go anywhere, we just talked. He turned to face me and then scooped me up into his arms. He walked slowly over to the willow tree and set me down at the base. He lay down next to me and handed me a box.
    “I hope you like it. It is a small token to show how much you mean to me.” Dimitri placed both hands in his lap and snapped his teeth together in anticipation. Inside the small blue box, was a ring. It was white gold with a small diamond in the centre of four claws. On either side of the diamond was a flower pattern. The ring was fairly wide, but small to fit my finger. The flower pattern travelled all the way around the ring. It was stunning!
    “Thank-you! It's beautiful!” I smiled a huge smile and pulled the ring out from the box and placed it on my left hand index finger. I raised my hand to view my ring better and forgot about my tattoo showing.
    “What's with the tattoo, Alice? I thought it was just rumours. Don't tell me your eyes really are silver, just not all the time.” I did not know what to do. I couldn't make anymore lies. I loved Dimitri. I needed to give him the truth.
    “Dimitri, The silver eyes is true.” I pulled the contact lenses out of my eyes and showed him their real colour.
    “I thought I could cover them with contact lenses and tell you about them later. I didn't want to ruin this night. I wanted you and I to have normal memories."
    “Normal memories? What are you talking about? If you had red eyes, we'd still have normal memories. If your hair was green, I'd still love you and make memories with you. Just because you have a tattoo and silver eyes, doesn't mean that you are any different to me. I still love you. I always will.”
    “Even if you found out that I was a demon?” Dimitri gave me a stern look and moved his head away from my face.
    “That's going to far don't you think? Demons don't exist.”
    “Yes they do. That's why I'm with Shana. She is giving me demon lessons. She is looking after me until I finish my phasing. I am slowly becoming a demon. I was apart of a rebirth ceremony. I didn't choose this life, I was forced into it, but this is what I am.” Dimitri gave me a blank look and then took my left hand. He glanced into my palm and asked about the tattoo. I explained everything to him from the beginning and let him decide for himself whether I am still suited to be his. I thought for sure that he would go running or at least say I'm crazy and break up with me. Instead, he said;
    “Don't ever give me the choice to leave you I only wish to be with you. No one else: just you. I can accept you no matter what you are. I just don’t know how to react to this news. You aren’t human. Is there like a demon world or something like that?”
    “No. We are just creatures upon this earth as far as I know. But if you are confused, you can ask Shana.” I felt pretty good after giving Dimitri an explanation and not a lie. He lay with me and we watched the stars twinkle in the night sky. He asked me a few other random questions and then lay silently in my arms. He turned his head to face mine and reached forward to give me a kiss. His gentle lips pressed softly against mine and he took my face in his hands. He really did love me no matter what. I was meant to be with him, and he was meant to be with me.
    Dimitri was slowly falling asleep with his head on my shoulder. It was very late and his dad needed to come pick us up. I lay his head against the tree and sat myself upright. I looked over the horizon and towards the lake. I saw a small figure in the distance. It was a man in his early thirties, late twenties. He was reasonably tall and wore a red jacket. He looked just like my demon father with the red jacket. The man began to move. He was walking at a fairly fast pace in our direction. Panic flashed through my body and I shook Dimitri to let him know we had a visitor. By the time Dimitri had fully woken up, the man was by my side.
    “My name is Damien. I am a phoenix. Your demon father said that we would find you at Shana's house. He's been watching you. He told me your location and now I can collect you.” Damien was very muscular and had a very forceful voice. He had no kindness in it like my demon father did. But why was he taking me? And why was my demon father getting involved with this?
    “You know my father? What's his name?”
    “Your father's name is Ronan. He said that you will have a special gift, and you will decide the Apocalypse outcome when it arrives.” Ronan. My demon father's name was Ronan. Ronan was giving me to this guy so I could help with the Apocalypse? No Way! Why was I always receiving confusing information without the background information first?
    “Uh-Uh, No way on earth am I going to join you and help decide our fate. I think that I will just leave it to fate and ask you to leave.”
    “No way Missy. I have every right to take you. Your father has given me permission to take you to the phoenix house. Shana is not suitable for your lessons. You will be taught by our teacher. You are to become a great warrior. And guess what? You will become a warrior whether you like it or not.” With that, he threw me over his shoulder and picked up Dimitri with his other free hand. This guy was strong. He carried us over the horizon to a car. His car was a four wheel drive with black paint. The interior was leather. He threw the two of us in the back and locked the doors. He then walked around to the driver’s door and unlocked so he could get in. Once he was in, he locked the doors once again and jammed the key in the ignition.

    Chapter 5~ to find ones father
    Damien drove like a mad man. He was driving at ridiculous speeds and didn't get caught. His recklessness was going to kill us, but luckily the destination wasn't to far away. I had no idea to where we were, but it seemed like a city. Many tall buildings all close together and many people in red jackets. This was the city from my dream. I recognized it immediately. If my dreams were right about all of this, I wished to know if they were right about the war. And the part before I got speared in the chest. Damien stopped the car in a parking lot. He unlocked our doors and allowed us to get out. He didn't restrain us because we were surrounded. About twenty men, all in red jackets, surrounded us. We had no escape.
    “This way to your new home.” Damien led the way towards a large apartment complex. The building was thirty stores high. It was gray and silver and covered in windows. The building was kept very well, and the city itself was very neat and tidy. Not like in my dream. The doors to the apartment complex were held open as we entered. Damien walked up a flight of stairs and handed us a key.
    “This is your room, number 22. Please look after it and stay in it. Don't leave the room until instructed to, either by your schedule or by me.” Damien pushed the two of us through the door and slammed it shut behind us. The room was large. Much larger that my room at Shana's place. It one corner was a lounge room set up. The television and two couches were placed in an orderly fashion, and in the other corner was the bedroom set up. A double bed with some down lights above it. At the end was a box and on either side was a side table. On each table was a lamp and on one side was a schedule and an alarm clock. Next to the bedroom set up was a door. Through that door was the bathroom. We had all the essentials. Accept food. And we had a problem. We only had one bed.

    That night, Dimitri slept on the couch so that I could have the bed. I made a deal with him that I would sleep I the bed tonight as long as he slept in it tomorrow. He reluctantly agreed. A huge storm blew while we were trying to sleep. I had no such luck, so I wandered over to Damien's make shift bed. He was shivering, but sound asleep. He was so cute whilst he slept, and I couldn't sleep in that bed with all that had happened. We got kidnapped for crying out loud. So I scooped Dimitri into my arms and pulled back the sheets on the bed. I tucked him in on his side and stroked my hands through his hair. I kissed his forehead and watched him as he slept.
    In the morning, I awoke to a kiss from Damien. He queried me on why I slept with my head on the bed and the rest on the floor, and why I gave up the bed for him. I explained how I couldn't sleep and I just thought that he might appreciate a warm bed. He called me cutie and hugged me. I believe he was okay with my switch during the night.
    For breakfast, Damien brought us some cornflakes and milk. The bowls were small but we were being held hostage. After we ate, Damien handed us some clothes. My clothes were tracksuit pants and a t-shirt, and Dimitri got jeans and a shirt and jumper and socks and shoes. My feet were cold, but apparently I had martial arts training on level 4 with Hanazono Sensei. I was taught Karate. After that, I was given a swimming lesson to improve my arm and leg strength. After that I started a full body workout in a gym set up on level 15 and then I had fencing lessons on level 21. I was just taught to fight and strengthen my body. I was phasing, so my body strength was not yet at its peak. I was training so when it was, I could make the most of it. I much preferred Shana's lessons. She was kind, polite and very intelligent. These teachers were only using brute force. I was aching all over, and because Dimitri couldn't train with me, he was put to work down in the cafeteria. At 9:30pm, Dimitri and I were given a plate of gruel and sent up to our room. This was going to be our life every single day.
    At 10 o'clock, I took a shower and put my pajamas on. I was given a white singlet and gray track pants the night before to use as sleepwear. This was hell. I still had 12 days left until I was a full fledged demon. Once I was at my strongest, I was getting out, even if it meant falling down a thirty story building.
    Dimitri slept in the bed again and I decided to lie awake next to him. The bed was at least comfy. Dimitri stroked my face and tried to comfort me most of the night, but he eventually drifted to sleep, and I lay quiet, staring at the ceiling.
    “Psst! Alice, I know where your father is if you are interested.” I heard a low female voice come from the door.
    “Who are you?” I called back in a soft whisper so Dimitri would not stir.
    “Manna. I know your demon father and I believe you should see him. He cannot let his best friend treat you like this.”
    “Okay. I will go with you to my father. But I must come back before Damien finds out I'm gone.”
    “No problem. Follow me.” I walked down the hall and down the flight of stairs trailing behind Manna. She would check that it was okay to go and then run for it. Manna had short blond hair and a black, tight fitting top on and jeans. She led me straight out of the complex and into the open streets. At the end of the street, we came to a bar. I wouldn't have been let in, but this was demon land, you could go anywhere. At the back of the loud bar, there was a tall dark man with two women at his side. They were demon guards. Manna had a chat to them and they let us through a door they were blocking. It the room through the door, was a table, and at the table was a council. At the head of the table was Ronan. My demon father.

    Chapter 6~ keeping your promise
    "Why are you here? You should be with Damien!" My demon father was furious. He didn't want to have anything to do with me.
    "I came with this girl to meet you. You transformed me into... into, this! I am now one of your kind, and I was human not to long ago." I didn't care that he was angry, so was I! His hands slammed the table with a loud crack.
    “How dare you come here. I made the separation easy. I left you before you could become attached. I didn't want you to be hurt if I stayed and became your friend and then left to face my fate. I did it out of love. I have watched you for ages now. You are special. Not only to our plan, but to me. Damien is harsh, but he is making you strong enough to live life no matter what it throws at you.” Ronan whispered into another demons ear and then seated himself down. All of the other demons in the room exited in a single file, leaving Ronan and me all alone. Ronan pulled a chair out next to him and gestured me to sit. The door into the room was pulled shut, and a hush fell over the conference table. Ronan placed his hands on his knee and smiled sheepishly at me. A little bit like a teenager with a crush.
    “This was hard on both of us. The moment I knew you existed, I loved you. As a romantic person, it seemed weird. But as your demon father, I know that I will be happy. I will protect you no matter what, but you need to do a favour for me.” I liked hearing that he loved me, but having to do him a favour is not the fatherly thing to do. He is most definitely a first time dad.
    “I don't think that I should do you any favours. I had no choice in my transformation, and I am being held hostage. Can I go free? If you let me go back to Shana, I will consider helping you.” I hoped that my demon father could be fairly kind. Whenever I see him, I picture him as a man with a family and so much love to give.
    “I wish for you to have the best training. But if Shana will help you cooperate, then so be it.” Ronan flicked his long strands of hair behind his shoulder and dusted off his jacket. I guess he was really going to let me go.
    “You may go.”
    “Thank-you so m....”
    “Dimitri must stay.” Dimitri must stay! Why? I didn't want Dimitri to suffer anymore. And the worst thing was, I was free to go and he remained prisoner. And it was my entire fault.
    “Dimitri will stay so that you will play your part when the time is right. I don't want you to leave with Shana and you turn your back on us. You’re a good girl. But you aren't a girl anymore. You are a demon. I can't trust anyone. Not even my own daughter.” I was a criminal in my father's eyes. The only people in the demon world who care are Shana and Manna. All the others are cruel, wicked and insensitive demons.
    “I am sending you back home to Shana. When I call for you, you will come. I have promised to send you to Shana in exchange for one small favour. You have no choice, you have promised.” With those cruel words, my father summoned his council and had me thrown out. In the streets, a car pulled up beside me and three demons got out. Two women and a man forced me into the back of the shiny, yellow Porsche. Tears streamed down my face as I screamed from the back of the car. I bashed my fists on the back window and tossed around to stop the driver. The female demon next to me gagged me and tied my hands. Dimitri was in the Apartment Complex all alone. Who knows what they would do to him. They could kill him, or make a slave out of him. They might even torture him for amusement. My screams and cries muffled out and became howls like a wolf. A hand was the last thing I saw before I blacked out. The woman next to me had hit me in the head with such a force I lost consciousness. When I woke, the door to the car was being hauled open, and the male demon was reaching toward me. I'd hoped that he was going to untie me, but instead, he put me over his shoulder and spun around. Once he faced away from the car, he launched me into the air like a garbage bag into the bin and drove off in his sports car. I hit the ground with a mighty thud and lay motionless on the gravel in front of someone's house. I squinted at the house and tried to find out where I was. After re-adjusting my eyes, I found my bearings. I was lying in pain in the front yard of Shana's home. My eyes became heavy, and I fell back asleep with Shana running out to greet me.