“She rules with a crown of fire. Impossible to touch unless she touches you first.”

  Pens&Keys

  For the first time in my life and hopefully the st time in my life. I knocked on Elloren’s door. She left without saying a word. If she wasn’t at our house, then she would be at our school. Taking a deep breath, I easily focused on her footsteps inside. I heard hesitation as she reached the door. Waiting for her to open it will go down as the longest minute I have ever experienced.

  “Elloren, can we talk?”

  Elloren never leaves without saying so. She has never looked so distant as she did st night. She has never gone an almost a full day without speaking to me. Without sending a text or a pigeon. Something. Godric advised that I give her space. I did a full day.

  That should be enough space for her right? Enough time? How do I give her space? A person that invades my personal space without second thought? A person that when she has something cruel to say, reduces any distance between us. A person that once told me the st thing they needed was space. Too much time to regret too much time to remember.

  When Elloren finally opened the door. Her eyes did not meet mines. Stepping aside was her only invitation in. Walking into her room/studio apartment was like walking into a different dimension. No matter how many times I saw her space, it always is a sensory shock. Soft pastel pink and white curtains velvet curtains dressed the back wall of floor to ceiling windows. A white bear rug and a bck and white polka dot rectangle rug covered most of the floor in her living room. A vintage styled pink and gold sofa always made itself known due to its embroidery of gold and white stitch design. Two golden peacock mps supplied all the light Elloren ever used in this space outside of the natural sunlight. Sitting in a bck and white flowered chair, I waited for Elloren to say something. She always said something.

  Sitting on her sofa she folded her leg underneath her, her blue hair falling in waves around her face.

  Two minutes passed without a word from her. Opening my mouth to speak, Elloren cut me off.

  “I went to hell Alucard. Not that I was expecting something else. But I went to hell, and I saw… I saw your kingdom. When I was at the gate, I thought. No, I wanted to stay there. Not because of The Holy Trinities, not of my parents, but because for the first time in my life. I felt safe. Like nothing could touch me. Nothing could use me. Nothing could lie to me. Nothing could harm me. And I thought, is this how Alucard feels every day? This powerful? This whole? This complete? This bulletproof?”

  Lifting her head up, Elloren looked at me. Her green eyes burning with the fresh fire of hell.

  “You look different you know? More like your father, less like your mother now. Less fire more ash. And yes, the irony is not lost on me. Your mother is actually the one that leaves ashes behind.”

  Rolling her eyes Elloren let her chin fall to her now raised knees.

  “Do you feel any different?”

  “Non. I feel whole again.”

  “Not new? Just whole?”

  “Oui. Recall the story about me losing my mind and being locked up in our celr?”

  Nodding her head, Elloren raised her chin off her bare knee.

  “That was much more than my body outgrowing my mind. It was a sealing of my powers. I was too young to handle it all.”

  “And now can you handle it all?”

  “Non, but it’s easier.”

  “You even ascend like a princess.”

  “Elloren I am not a princess. I am.” Swallowing, I paused. I came here to make sure Elloren was okay, not to make sure I am okay.

  “Elloren, are you okay? No one goes to hell and returns the same person.”

  The fire in her eyes fluttered a little.

  “Elloren I am not a princess I am. Finish the thought, Alucard. What are you?”

  “I came for you not me, Elloren. There will always be time for me.”

  “You came for me? Why? To see if I pn on returning to your family?”

  “Being with us has always been your choice Elloren.”

  “My choice? Your father knew, your mother knew, even the witches knew. Whose blood I have in my veins. No one bothered to inform me.”

  “Why would they do that? For what reason?”

  Leaning my head on the back of my hand, I waited for Elloren to answer. Her anger is valid, but the knowledge she has gained would not have changed anything about her life prior to me finding her.

  “Because it’s the decent thing to do.”

  Raising my eyebrow at her. Elloren tapped herself on her forehead.

  “Of course, why would I expect decency from vampires?”

  “Oui, why would you?”

  “Maybe because I thought you, they, we are a family.”

  “Have we not treated you like such Elloren? When I brought you home did my mother not hire a private chef to feed you? Build a kitchen for you, tailor made clothes for you? A sector of the house for you? Access to whatever you requested. We are your family, and we have treated you as such.”

  “Guilt will also make you treat someone like family.”

  Waving my hand I replied,

  “Oui, I suppose so. However, the end result is the same. We treat you like family.

  “We treat you like family. Do you not hear yourself Alucard? It’s always this divide. I am an outsider, even with your father’s blood in my veins.”

  Sighing, I replied.

  “You are not a St. Vincent Elloren. My father did not willingly give his blood. It was stolen. You are not a vampire, and you can never become one. You are a BckGate. You are a witch. A powerful one. You are a God Elloren.”

  “Shut…..UPPP!!!. God, for one second, I want everyone to stop fucking telling me what I am. Who I am. I am not a fucking BckGate. She is not my real mother. It is not her blood that created me.”

  Standing up, Elloren started to pace her floors. Her bare feet sounded like thunder striking iron against the concrete floors. I can see it all. Her rage. Her hurt, her, lostness.

  This is good. She is still Elloren. Just angrier. The fire of hell will do that. Elevate powerful emotions. Elloren’s most powerful emotion just happens to be rage.

  “You all want to use me for some reason or another. You all lie. You all fucking suckkkkkkk!!!!!!”

  Screaming at the top of her lungs, Elloren fell to her knees. Letting her scream die out, her head fell in hands. My instincts told me to stay away from her but my heart bleed for her. She is suffering far worse then when I found her before.

  “The worst part Alucard, the worst part is I don’t know if we would be friends if you weren’t The Spell, if I didn’t have your father’s blood.”

  Slowly standing up and wiping the tears and snot from her face. Elloren faced me.

  “When I was waiting at the gate in hell. The creature who guards the gate is a spiteful creation. They showed me all the reasons I should stay there. And when they showed a memory or whatever it was of you. My first thought was, ‘Alucard, oh, yes makes sense she will rule here one day. Makes sense that they show me you.’ But no, what they showed me was a conversation you had with your father. Surely you remember. The one where you said

  ‘Besides she is a medium. A gifted medium. Having her in my debt one day alongside a necromancer will come in handy.’

  You remember that one?”

  Lifting my head off the back of my head. I nodded. This is why she hasn’t spoken to me all day. This is why her anger is directed towards me. She thinks I am using her. As if my affection for her is disingenuous. To be fair, if I heard that conversation I would believe the same thing. However, she is wrong. I would never force Elloren to serve me.

  “Is that what your pns for me are? To serve you Alucard? Do not lie. Because one day I will find out and I will remember this moment.”

  I can hear the underlined threat in the spaces she left bnk.

  “Non, Crissia will die and you Elloren just at it has always been. You are free to decide for yourself.”

  “Good. I believe you. Even if I am angry, I believe you. Even if I am lost, I believe you.”

  Walking towards me and squatting in front of me. The fresh fire of hell still producing heat on Elloren’s skin. Reached for me.

  Taking her face in my hands, I connected our foreheads. Closing her eyes, Elloren let out a breath I knew well. Relief.

  “I do not know if things were different if we would be here. I have no use for such trivial wonders. You are my family, my friend, my companion in so many ways. I am sorry you are suffering. But you are you Elloren. You may not have your mother’s blood in your veins. But you have earned the name BckGate. The dead recognize you as a BckGate.

  You are a witch of necromancy. Never let anyone take what is rightfully yours. No one else was in that basement with you. No one else survived the vileness of that woman. You did. Own it Elloren BckGate.

  I found you in the dark once before and ever since I have never let go of your hand and I never will. Go as far as you need you inside The Forest of Self-Discovery. I will find you and bring you home. Because I love you.”

  Letting out a slow ugh, Elloren opened her eyes. Her green ones to my red ones.

  “Both my mother’s hate me Alucard. Why?”

  “I do not think Siren hates you Elloren, I think she knew. She knew that we would find each other. Remember what Crissa said, Siren hid from her sisters for decades. She must have known she couldn’t hide forever. ‘Non, vampire. When you are as old as we are. Nothing is considered the future.’ Was what The Holy Trinities said to me. I am sure that held a double meaning.”

  “Then why only show herself to Crissa and not me?”

  “I do not know. Maybe because you have focused too much on necromancy and not enough on witchery?”

  Laughing Elloren fell on her bottom. Her long thick cardigan dulling the collision.

  “Did you figure all this out?”

  “More yes then no.”

  Laying back on the floor her. Her blue hair providing contrast to the white bear rug. Pulling a piece of her hair in front of her, Elloren said.

  “Why the blue hair though?”

  “You are your mother's’ daughter.”

  “Right Siren has blue hair.”

  “Is The Forest of Self-Discovery a real pce?”

  “Yes, Ires said that’s where you need to go. Her removing the witches spell in your heart basically reset you. You should see your heart Elloren. It’s crystalized. It is beautiful.”

  “What if I am still required to carry out the wishes of the witches? To liberate them?”

  “I do not know my friend.”

  Sitting up Elloren sighed.

  “Are we going to make it out of this war still friends Alucard?”

  “Oui.”

  Cpping her hands together Elloren nodded. Time for a conversation change.

  “Before we change topics are we not going to speak about your father?” I asked.

  Lowering her gaze at me, Elloren replied.

  “We have plenty of time for that. Just know I am not mourning his death.”

  Giving her a once over, I could see no traces of lies within her words. My friend is suffering but not because of her father’s death. Standing up, Elloren went into her fridge. Bringing back a bottle of wine for herself and a vial of blood for me.

  Sitting on her couch, feet pnted on the floor. Elloren spread her legs apart. Enough space for me to fit.

  “Are you too cool for my French braids?” She asked taking a sip of her red wine.

  Smirking at her I decided to show off a returned power of mines. Shattering myself into one hundred red bats. Flying around Elloren’s apartment in bat form was a little tricky at first. Seeing everything all at once is something I am still getting used to. Once I found Elloren’s face. I reduced my bat form down to a single bat.

  Holding out her hand. I nded in her palm.

  “Of course you would turn into red bats. This is so cool. Holding you in one hand. Does this hurt?”

  Taking one finger Elloren stroke my bat wing. The fmes of hell no longer burning brightly in her eyes. My vision is very limited in my bat form. However, my hearing is incredible. I can hear the students four floors down sleeping. Their heartbeats letting me know what they are. Two earth elves.

  Changing my form back to human and pcing myself on the floor between Elloren’s legs. She hit my shoulder.

  “Red bats Alucard? That’s insane.”

  “Lelieth and no your touching doesn’t hurt.”

  Separating my hair into two sections. Elloren replied,

  “What?”

  “The name my father refers to me as is Lelieth. However, once he told my mother why he had given me that name she changed it.”

  “So why the name Lelieth?”

  “She is the creator of The Underground. She was also father’s first deep love. His darkness her darkness, their madness. My father said it was one of the golden millenniums of his life.”

  “He loved her for a thousand years?”

  “Apparently. It gets better though. She had a witch cast a spell to give her a womb. She wanted to carry a child. The witch did and Lelieth did carry a child. However, the child and her supposedly perished at birth. The witch gave her a womb, but she knew that neither should exist. Not Lelieth or the child.”

  Elloren’s fingers stopped moving.

  “The witches killed your father’s first love. But she returned to him in the form of a daughter.” Elloren said. Her voice distant from trying to piece together ancient history.

  Leaning my head back until it rested in Elloren’s p. Gncing down at me she asked.

  “Did the child return to?”

  Shaking my head, Elloren’s eyes widen.

  “The child never died. Did it?”

  “No Elloren.”

  “That child is my mother?”

  “Oui.”

  Sitting back Elloren’s fingers fell from my hair. However, she quickly regained herself. Titling my head to the side and regathering my hair she continued to braid.

  “Are you and Godric now a couple?” Elloren asked. The hint of pyfulness that she would have had in her voice, if she was still herself nowhere to be heard.

  “A couple? I am not sure. He hasn’t come out and ask me to be his girlfriend.”

  Titling my head further to the side gring down at me. Elloren pressed her lips together. As if to say, “Are you serious?”

  “Does Godric seem like the type to ask such a question Alucard? Oooh damn my bad. Lelieth.”

  Hitting her knee with my palm. Elloren ughed as she finished the first braid.

  “No, Godric is not the type to ask someone to be his girlfriend. He is the type to say. ‘I want you to fade into me when this is over. Become mines. I have never felt the inclinations to offer any portion of myself to anyone besides one person. I want to own you until time stops for me. If you feel anything for me that resembles that. Acknowledge it to me now.’”

  Whisper screaming at the top of her lungs. Elloren shook my shoulders. Her entire body rocking with excitement. Her entire body still too hot to be normal. But still, it is too early to worry Elloren about it. Three days, I will give the fire three days to fade and if it did not. I will go to hell myself. Its not like hell can mark her. She has already been touched by death, already cimed as a God.

  “What did you say? Alucard. I mean OMG.”

  “In my way I said yes.”

  Standing up then sitting back down. Elloren said.

  “Noooo, tell me exactly what you said. I know you remember. So, tell me word for word. And do not py coy with me. Tell me.”

  Sighing and lifting my hands in surrender I repeated back to Elloren what I said to Godric.

  “There is no one that has ever walked this universe more beautiful than you Godric. I knew that the first night you came into my orbit. If we were human, I am sure this would sound romantic but it’s not. I want to drink from you. Pour my blood into you to tie you closer to me. I want to know what it’s like to have nothing in between us. I can fade into you, but only if you surrender back Godric. I have decades to waste on these emotions of mines. Decades to explore the depths of yours. Are you willing to allow me to turn you if a few decades are not enough? Would you give up being a God?”

  Whisper yelling again, Elloren fainted on her side. Turning back to look at her. With one hand over her heart and the other one over her head. The fog of romance circling in her green eyes as she mouthed “It’s a love story baby just say yes.”

  “What?” I asked. Worried that the fire has wrapped itself around her brain.

  “Lyrics by the singer named Taylor…never mind. What’s important is that you have a boyfriend. Your first one. Because Ethan doesn’t count.”

  “Why not?”

  “Are you telling me you want to fade into Ethan? Can he handle such a thing?” Elloren asked raising her eyebrow and sitting up on her elbow.

  “Non.” I replied. Turning back around and pointing at the second section of my hair that still required French braiding.

  “Ethan is my familiar whose name is Sebastian. In a way he will also be my companion.”

  Pcing her hand on my cheeks and tilting my head back again. Her tea green eyes to my red ones. Beyond the fire burning in her eyes. I can see the kind eyes of my friend. A kindness that only comes from people who have suffered. An understanding of what a simple smile can do for someone in pain. A gentleness that I will never possess.

  “Alucard you really have ascended. You are going to be a queen one day you know. While I may not choose to serve you. I will never choose to go against you. Especially with Ethan guiding you. He may not be boyfriend material, but I know a genius when I see one.”

  Kissing my cheek. Elloren began to braid again. This time neither one of us said anything as her fingers moved effortlessly through the curls of my hair. Css will resume tomorrow and tomorrow I will see Godric. Tomorrow I will have my best friend and tomorrow we will figure out Siren’s true intentions. Did she give Elloren away to save her or did she give Elloren away to use her? Tomorrow. But maybe nothing needs to be done tomorrow? Maybe rest? Maybe skipping css tomorrow will be best.

  No, I want to see Godric tomorrow. I want to know his thoughts. Since regaining my powers, I can no longer feel him. I hate it. Where is he? What are his emotions? Is there a way I can call to him telepathically like I can do with Ethan. Or is there still a great distance between our power? I am not yet a God, but I will be. Lelieth (The God of The Underground), The Count (Father of Vampires, My Creator, King of The Underground), The Sun Eater, (My mother, Home of the Bck fme), and my human father who gave me human capabilities. My lineage is undeniable. Will he see me as someone to simply fade into him or will he understand I am unable to simply fade into someone else without them surrendering back? He maybe a Victorian but I am a St. Vincent.

  I am The God of The Underground.

  As Elloren finished braiding my hair. I composed a list of people that I needed to kill.

  Crissa

  Elloren’s Mother

  Mr. Bluestone

  The Holy Trinities

  Sighing internally. I realized I still need to inform Elloren about Gabriel, well his father at least. Mr. Bluestone wouldn’t be as easy to track down. I have never met him before. No idea where he lives or what is powers are. I only know Ires herself is afraid of him.

  Pinning my French braids so they form a small crown around my head. Elloren said, he her best royalist accent,

  “Queen Alucard. Your crown of fire is now finish. May you rule without mercy but with love in the center.”

  Leaning back once again. I watched as Elloren let out a yawn. Her green eyes flickering with dying fmes. Another winter storm is coming in a few days. The Winter Elemental will wake for one st goodbye, before The Spring Elemental wakes. She unlike her sister, she is kinder.

  Standing up and reaching my hand down to Elloren she took it.

  “Do you have to sleep with Godric tonight or are you staying?” Elloren asked, sleep coating her words.

  “I can stay if you need me to.”

  “No no. You have a boyfriend now. Call him. I will be fine. We are fine.”

  Finishing her bottle of wine. Elloren bent down to touch my forehead with her forehead. Still too warm. Her mocha skin flustered from half consciousness.

  “Tomorrow, we pn.” She said, leaning too much of her body weight against my forehead. She has been fighting against the fire of hell for a while. Of course she is drained. Too drained to put herself to bed.

  Removing her cardigan and pcing her in the bed. I listened as she rested for a few moments. To make sure the fire was nowhere near her heart. It is not. It remained a thin yer covering her skin. Increasing her body heat slowly until it died out. Elloren will win because we still have many conversations left. Other things I need to tell her.

  “She will be okay Master. You cannot fight her battles for her. If you command them gone. How will she learn to fight. How will she survive The Forest of Self-Discovery?”

  Ethan is right I know he is. But Elloren is a fighter. I owe her kindness for what my family has neglected to give without conditions. She should hate us, hate me. However, she doesn’t instead she braids my hair and ughs with me. She forgives, because that is her power what she fights for. The center of love. Holding my hands above her body, I commanded the fire of hell to return. The entire exchange was silent disturbing nothing.

  I will never let go of your hand Elloren. But one day you will no longer need it. Kissing her forehead. I opened the window in her room. The fire of hell always leaves behind unbearable heat. Nothing the Winter Elemental can not cool off.

  There is no moon tonight. Only the clouds of oncoming snow.

  Gncing back at Elloren, her eyes were on me. The fire of hell no longer in them.

  “Thank you, I was wondering if you were going to send them back.”

  “You knew they were there?”

  “Yes, it’s amazing how much I can see just in the reflection of your eyes.” Smiling and turning over. She pulled the covers over her head.

  Exiting her room and pulling out my phone as I walked towards the elevator. I dialed Godric’s number.

  He answered on the first ring.

  “Can I come to you?”

  “Oui.” I replied. The elevator doors opened, and a pair of arms reached out, pulling me in. Lips pressed against mines as my back found its way to the gss wall of the elevator. Godric kissed me as if tying to pick up where we left off during my feeding. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I kissed him back with equal force and excitement.

  “Can I have you tonight?”

  Kissing his neck I replied in between kisses.

  “I can’t I need to sleep. My body is not use to its returned state. Tomorrow night I am all yours if you will have me.”

  Growling a little he bit my lip. “I will always have you.”

  The elevators doors opened, and Godric pced me back on my own two feet. Finding our way back to my room. He disappeared to turn on the shower. Slipping out my clothes I climbed into the shower with Godric. He is beautiful everywhere. I want to do more than wash him, but sunrise will be coming soon. Six hours if I am feeling it right and my body is reacting to it higher than before. I can still withstand the sunlight thankfully.

  After our shower, I crashed into my bed on top of Godric. Wrapping his arms around me, I inhaled him. His warmth nestling around me.

  “Is this alright for you sleep?”

  “Oui.” Was all I could say before sleep cimed me as its mistress for the night.