Shadows Kiss

*Brian's POV*

I still couldn't believe that this horrible accident had happened. What was she doing out here? Who or what had brought her here? Why did she jump into the water? Was she going after something? What was she holding on to when I first seen her? I had so many questions and no answers.

Guilt weighed heavy on my heart, feeling as though I had failed her. Alice and I had became so close, we hit a bump in the road with what had happened with Anna, but we had worked through it. First I let her down by doing what I did to her best friend, now I had let her die. I might as well have killed her myself. It was I who had seen her, but I still didn't get to her fast enough.

I got to my feet looking back to her motionless, naked body. I wiped at the tears still falling from my eyes. I looked up to the moon shining down over all of us. I felt numb, still replaying the events over in my mind.

"She's opening her eyes!" Jimmy screamed out. My head dropped immediately to focus on the pale girl. I seen the sparkle of Alice's wide eyes, as she began to cough violently and water came rushing from her blue lips. Everyone began to stir with excitement.

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*Alice's POV*

I opened my eyes to see Matt over me, tears running from his hazel eyes. Suddenly I began to choke on something, water came pouring from my mouth. I could hear all the boys around me yelling and shouting. Matt leaned me forward, striking my back to help me cough up the water. Finally it was over. My body began to shake uncontrollably. I glanced down to see that I was naked, hugging myself tight.

"I think she's going into shock!" Sully shouted over the commotion around me. I turned my head to face him and tried to speak, but no words came out. My bottom lip was shaking so hard my teeth began to make a chattering noise.

"Here, here!" Jimmy ran over with his shirt in his hand, reaching it out to Matt. Matt slid the shirt over my head and I managed to push my arms through. It was so long that it fit me like a dress.

Then I was lifted in the air by Matt. "Let's get her inside." He said, taking off back towards the castle.

I couldn't help but to look back over his shoulder to the lonely pond one last time. All of a sudden everything came rushing back to me. I was a flood of emotions on the inside. My mind couldn't understand what had happened. Where did she go? Was she even real? I didn't have the answers I so desperately needed. All I knew was I really missed my Mom.

Once back at the castle everyone was running around in a hurry. Sully was throwing more logs on the fire. Jimmy had ran to fetch blankets. Johnny had gone after towels. Brian was pushing furniture around to clear the space in front of the fireplace. Then Zack pushed the couch right up to it, facing the bright flames.

Matt sat down on the end of the couch, laying me across it, my head resting on his lap. Even in a robe, my hair in a towel, three blankets, and being up close and personal to the fire, I was still shivering. I needed more body heat, but couldn't tell them. Matt rubbed his hand up and down my arm briskly to warm me up. Everyone stood staring at my shaking body, except Brian who had gone to pull off his soaking wet pants.

"She needs more body heat." Brian spoke then, walking back into the room in nothing but a pair of pajama pants. "Here, let me." He walked over, lifting my legs and taking a seat. He placed my legs onto his lap, rubbing them as Matt was doing to my arms.

Slowly the shaking stopped as I felt my core begin to warm up. I was exhausted from the traumatic events. After my body grew still I felt the boys slow their pace, as they continued to rub my body. I couldn't fight it off anymore and I didn't even want to, I fell asleep.

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My eyes fluttered open to see the sun shining through the curtains, causing me to wince from the bright light. I rolled over with a loud groan, noticing my body ached all over. I felt like death warmed over. I rose from the bed and looked around the room, realizing then I was in the room that Matt and I had been staying in. I put my feet on the floor, walking to the vanity mirror. I rubbed my hands over my pale face then looked back to the horrid image of the girl standing before me.

I let out a deep sigh, turning to make my way to the bathroom. I turned the knob of the shower on to steaming hot. I removed the robe letting it fall to the floor. I stepped inside the shower, closing the door behind me. The hot water washed over my icy flesh, bringing me back to life. Inside my mind a series of flashbacks of the night before played over and over, as I caressed my body with the soapy sponge.

Then a voice broke through my thoughts. "Good morning angel." I heard Matt call from the other side of the shower door. I opened my eyes to see him open the door and greet me with a warm smile. "How do you feel baby?" Matt's hazel eyes were full of concern, but still managed to hold hope inside of them.

"I'm fine." I gave him a weak smile, as I rinsed the shampoo from my hair. I watched as he raised an eyebrow to me, leaning back against the side of the shower wall. "I mean I'm a little sore, mostly in my ribs from where I coughed so hard. I might also have a cold coming on. But other than that I'm okay."

"I suspect you will probably have pneumonia from being in that icy water, then naked in the chilly night air. Sully is downstairs making you some kind of rare tea that he says will help fight that off though." He stood silent for a moment, his eyes roaming over me.

"That's sweet of him." I said, running the conditioner through my hair.

"Yeah." Matt paused a moment, looking to the floor, then back to me. "Alice, do you remember what happened?"

I was hesitant to answer, but decided to be honest. "Yes, I think so." I nodded, continuing to rinse my hair again.

"Do you feel like talking about it?"

"Sure." I simply answered, turning to twist the knob to shut the water off.

"Everyone is really worried about you." He informed me, reaching me a towel.

I took it and wrapped my hair up, then grabbed the next one from him to dry off. "Nobody needs to be concerned about me, I'm fine." I overlapped the towel around my body, walking past him out the door to the bedroom.

"Darling, you nearly died last night. To be honest, you scared the hell out of all of us." He sighed, following me out of the bathroom.

"I'm really sorry Matt. I didn't mean for any of that to happen, but I couldn't control it." I turned to hug him tightly. I felt him kiss my forehead softly. "How about you give me a minute to get dressed and I'll come downstairs so we can all discuss it?"

"Do you feel comfortable talking about it with all of us? Because you don't-"

"It's okay baby." I cut him off. "I don't mind. And it would save me from having to explain everything over and over to each person separately."

"Okay, just as long as you feel comfortable."

"I do. I'll be down in just a few." I stood on my tippy toes to place a small kiss on his lips. With that he turned and exited the room.

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About thirty minutes later I made my descent down the spiral staircase and into the corridor. I could hear the guys voices echoing down to me from the dining hall. Everyone turned to greet me with bright smiles and good mornings. "Hey guys." I waved to all of them, taking my place at the table beside of Matt.

Sully came through the door of the kitchen carrying a coffee mug, "This is for you beloved." He placed the cup down on the table in front of me.

I lifted the warm cup in my hands, taking in a whiff of it. "This smells delicious." I looked back to my friend.

"It should keep you from getting sick, as well as help with any aliments that are present now." He patted me on the shoulder, taking a seat beside me.

"Thank you Sully." I said, then taking a sip.

"Are you hungry Alice?" Zacky asked from across the table.

"Yes, I'm starving!" I placed a hand on my stomach.

"We made you breakfast." Johnny beamed over to me, waving a hand over the morning feast of everything from eggs and sausage to pancakes and toast and everything in between.

"Thank you guys, that was very sweet of you." I remarked, glancing over the large meal. "I hope you guys will help me eat it though, because unfortunately I can't eat all this by myself." I giggled.

"Well we already had our breakfast." Jimmy held up his glass of blood, looking over to the almost empty pitchers along the table. "But we can still help you out." He chuckled, grabbing a plate and loading it down with food.

I rolled my eyes at him, shaking my head. "Vampires." I whispered.

"What would you like baby?" Matt asked.

"I'll have some eggs, sausage, and toast please." I smiled to him. He nodded and stood from the table going around to retrieve my order. "Oh and can I just have orange juice or coffee? No blood for me thanks." I held up a hand, making a face.

"Sure." He laughed at my request.

We all laughed and talked as we enjoyed our morning meal together. But I could tell they were all anxiously waiting for me to finish so they could start drilling me with questions. After taking my last bite of toast I slid my plate away from my body, leaning back into my chair with a yawn. They were all silent for a moment, trying to decide who should go first.

It was Sully, "So Alice, dear do you remember what happened last night? I mean before you came back to?"

"I think so, everything is still a little blurry but I'm pretty sure I remember correctly." I narrowed my eyes looking at the table, nodding my head.

"Do you remember jumping into the water?" Johnny asked.

"Yes." I answered, looking up to him.

"Do you remember why?"

"Yes."

"Alice, what happened?" Brian leaned his elbows on the table, his brown eyes looked so sad.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing thoughts. I had kept this secret from them for far too long. It was time now and I was ready. "Last night I was awoken by someone touching me. I looked up to see my mother standing over me." I began.

"Your mother?" Zacky looked to me, confused.

"Yes, my mother died when I was twelve. So she has been dead for a long time now. But I swear I wasn't dreaming. This was not sleepwalking, I saw her. She was right there in front of me and she told me to follow her. So I did."

"So she was who led you to the pond?" Jimmy asked.

"Yes."

"What did she say?"

"She told me she missed me and couldn't bare to be without me anymore." I felt the tears stinging the back of my eyes, but fought hard to hold them back. "She asked me to come with her, she said we could be together again, just like I always wanted."

"That's who was leading you into the water." Brian's eyes flashed with a memory. "I could see your hand out like you were holding on to something, I just didn't know what." His warm eyes turned back to me in amazement.

"So then she asked you to jump into the water?" Zacky asked with wide eyes.

"Not exactly. She just asked if I wanted to be with her again and I said yes. So then she took my hand and said to follow her and then everything would be the way it was when she was still here. She walked off the dock into the water and I did the same." I explained. "Once in the water I could see her swimming deeper and deeper, waving for me to follow her. I did my best to keep up, but I released my last breath and everything became blurry after that." I was silent for a moment, remembering what it felt like to know I was dying. "The next thing I remember is coughing up all that water and seeing you guys all around me."

"I don't understand." Sully shook his head. "This is your mother we are talking about, the woman who gave birth to you and loved you more than life itself. Why would she come to you in the middle of the night and lead you to your death, just to be with her?" He seemed upset by this. "It just doesn't make sense. Your mother would never want you to end your life for her."

"I think I might understand in a way." I sighed. "There's something I haven't told you guys." I looked around the room nervously, biting down on my lip.

"What is it Alice?" Johnny crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back into his chair.

"You know my father is a vampire hunter. And the truth is, I knew vampires were real before you even told me." I admitted.

"What?" Zacky nearly gasped.

"Yes. I felt the strange energy coming from you just as the Aunts did. I wasn't sure what it was, because it had been years since I encountered it. So I couldn't place it exactly. Nobody believes vampires are real so when people hear about my dad I just try to play it off and act like he's crazy. But I knew they were, because I seen one long ago."

"When?" Jimmy looked to me in shock.

"The night my mother died."

"Your mom died by the hands of one of our kind?" Matt gave me an apologetic look.

"Yes." I took another deep breath, bracing myself to relive the horrifying night in my mind. "My father was hunting in Romania, where he came across a male and a female who had done the most awful thing.....they had turned a child."

"That is a crime to our kind!" Matt became angry.

"Well, it was one that had gone unnoticed. My father attacked them, killing the female and the child, but the male escaped. My father tracked him for months but never found him. A couple years before this my mother and father divorced because she said she couldn't take it anymore. His constant hunting drove a wedge between them. She said it was not his place to punish innocent creatures, they were to be left to the will of the gods. But my father argued they were vile monsters preying upon the true innocents. She wanted him to be home with us, but hunting was his passion. Neither of them ever loved anyone else, never remarried or dated another. They loved each other, but just couldn't be together." I paused for a moment, becoming consumed by my own thoughts.

"So what happened?" I heard Johnny's small voice from across the table.

"My father finally gave up the search for the vamp. He eventually came home to visit us, but he wasn't alone. The vampire had followed him home. When my father left for another trip, that night it was just my mother and I home. We were working in the garden by moonlight as she was teaching me about herbs. The vamp came out of no where to attack us, to make my father pay for what he had done. His main concern was to kill me, but my mother fought hard. She used every ounce of her magick to save my life. As her energy was draining down, she cast what was left to put a protection spell over me so that if any vampire were to try to drink my blood, a single drop of it would kill them. In doing so, it left her powerless, she had no more magick to call upon. Just as he took her down she told me to run."

"Did he come after you then?" Sully asked.

"Yes. I ran for the forest as fast as I could, but he found me. I wasn't sure what my mother had done, I can just remember her chanting in a foreign language words I didn't understand. But the vamp caught up to me in no time. He knocked me to the ground with an incredible force, leaving this." I pulled my shirt down over my shoulder, to reveal the bite mark that remained deep in the skin of my collar bone.

They all stared at the mark with wide eyes, completely amazed. "I had wondered where that came from, I knew it was a vampire bite." Matt narrowed his eyes, as he ran his fingers along my collar bone.

"So your blood killed him?" Zacky looked back up to meet my eyes.

"Yes."

"I don't understand, how did you not turn?" Jimmy furrowed his brow.

"I'm not sure, I guess it has something to do with the spell my mother cast." I shrugged.

"That's incredible. Your mother must have been a very powerful witch." Brian stated in amazement.

"She was very powerful." I nodded.

"Alice I am so sorry that happened to you and your mother." Matt grabbed my hand.

"Thank you." I nodded, looking back down to the table.

"Thank you for sharing this with us Alice." Brian tried to smile to me.

"It's time you knew." My blue eyes met his. "No more secrets."

One by one they all came to hug me and offer their condolences for what had happened. I was so happy the conversation had finally come to an end. I hated digging up those old memories. The moment one came to my mind during the day I shoved it away, burying it deep again. But they often continued to haunted my nightmares at night.