Untitled

It was the same. They were all the same. Recycled templates that held recycled words.

I yawned and continued to read the essay. My eyes trailed over the words, but never took in a detailed interpretation of what they said. I sighed and put a B+ on the top of the page. I didn’t even know if the author deserved it, I just wanted to finish marking. I sat back in my chair and ran my hand through my dark brown hair. Being a teacher could have its downsides.
I loved standing in front of the classroom, looking at the faces of my students and seeing the wonder as I talked animatedly about History. Even the teenagers who I had heard from other teachers to have been a nuisance sat and listened as I created my own re-enactments. Being younger than most of the teachers here also helped. The students I taught were about 17-18, and me being in my late 20’s, I found that they could relate to me. I discussed a lot of personal things, and in turn they did the same. I still made them call me by my second name, Mr Lance though. It was school regulation. But this was one side of the job I didn’t particularly like. Some essays were refreshing and new, but most of them were just the same, over and over again.
It was while my mind wandered that I heard the urgent knocks on my door. I opened my eyes, confused. I hadn’t told anyone I’d be here. Who would’ve guessed that I’d be in my classroom on the last weekend of the school year? My mind worked over my memories and found nobody who would’ve known. The knocks came again, louder this time. I got up slowly and walked towards the heavy wooden door. It had a little window on it, and I was surprised to see one of my students faces. Her expression was something that I did not expect; it was as if she was trying to restrain how desperate she felt. I frowned and unlocked the door.

“Iris? What are you-“

Before I could finish my sentence Iris pushed me aside and stormed in the room, slamming the door behind her and quickly locking it. I started to protest.

“Iris!”

Her vivid blue eyes bore into mine; she looked as if she were in a panic. “Mr Lance, I need you to hide. Now.”

The urgency in her tone confused me. “What do you mean?”

She turned and scanned the room. Her eyes fell on the metal cupboard that held all my books. She raced over to it and threw open the doors, she then proceeded to knock all the books onto the floor and started to rip out the shelves.

“Iris! What is the meaning of this?” I demanded, angry now.

She spun around to meet my angry gaze. The full power of her eyes were unleashed on me. “I’m trying to keep you alive. I need you to hide. And fast.”

“What do-“ I started.

She put her hand and shushed me. She cocked her head slightly, as if concentrating on something. She then sprung into action. Iris rushed over to where I was standing and dragged me, with force I didn’t know she could muster, over to the cupboard that was now completely vacant.

“I demand to kn-“

“Mr Lance. I need you to hide right now because some very bad men are looking for me. If they find you with me, you are in danger of being killed. I need you to get in the cupboard and stay silent. If you believe, even slightly, I’m begging you to just do as I say.”

Her eyes gazed into mine, pleading me to obey her. For a moment I was speechless, no words seemed to form. She took advantage of the silence.

“If nothing happens in a couple minutes, you can come out and put me in detention for the rest of my life. Suspend me. Expel me even.”

My mind was racing. Iris was not a student that was usually this forward. She sat in the back of the class, silent. She watched with knowledge in her eyes and usually got top marks in the class. This side of her was one that I had never seen. Somehow, deep in my mind, I believed her. My rational mind told me that this was all ridiculous, but my instincts somehow told me that her words were the truth. It only took a second for these thoughts to rush through my head before I found myself clambering into the cramped cupboard. Iris quickly closed the doors and locked them, but I felt like she was not the danger. I could see a tiny crack through the doors, and her eyes appeared in front of it.

“Thank you. Just stay quiet and don’t come out at anytime, no matter what.”

My silence showed her that I understood. My rational voice was screaming at the absurdity of the situation, but somehow I managed to suppress it. I heard shuffling as Iris shoved the books from the cupboard under my desk in an attempt to conceal them. It was then that there was knock on the door. My heart stopped.

“No matter what...” Iris whispered, moving towards the door.

I stared out of the cupboard, knowing that the small crack would not be enough for me to be spotted. She unlocked the door and smiled. A hand suddenly shot out and shoved her back. She fell to the floor and yelped. A man appeared and grunted, looking around the room.

“Hey!” Iris exclaimed, getting to her feet.

Another man appeared. He closed the door behind him and locked it again. Both men were very large and wearing dark clothing. An involuntary shiver ran down my spine.

“Are you the only one here?” The first man asked in a gruff voice.

“Why?” Iris asked in a tiny voice.

The other man smirked. “Just answer.”

“Yes.” She whimpered, even I nearly believed her.

“Good.” The first man sighed.

I could feel the ache in my legs and resisted the urge to stretch as I looked out at the tense scene. The second man put his hand under his dark coat and pulled out a gun in a fluid motion. I nearly burst out, but remembered Iris’s words. No matter what.
The man suddenly brought his hand up with the gun resting comfortably in his palm and aimed at Iris. A loud shot rang through the room and I fell back, startled. I heard someone cry out and another gunshot before there was a snap. The room was silent. I was in shock. It took me a moment to recover before I heard Iris panting. I kicked at the doors and they flew open, I ignored the instinctual action to run, to run far away from this place. I fell out of my metal prison before jumping to my feet. I glanced at the scene that I had missed.

The two men were on the floor, one had his neck twisted at an obscure angle, and the other had a gunshot wound just about his left eye. My eyes trailed to Iris, who was slumped over a desk, weakly supporting herself. I moved towards her, but she saw me coming and flew back, hitting the far wall.

“No!” She roared at me, “Stay back!”

I took a step back, surprised at her response. She bent over, holding her shoulder. It was then that I saw the blood that trickled over her fingers. I felt some odd protectiveness over her, I just wanted to rush over and help, but I didn’t want to provoke her after what she did to the two men on the floor. She finally stood up straight and looked at me with clear eyes. “Okay, I’m good now.”

“No you’re not!” I cried, horrified.

“Are you bad with blood?” She asked, wincing.

I shook my head. She smiled slightly. “Good.”

She lifted her leg up and rolled up her jeans to reveal a black strap that ran around her calf. She pulled a long silver blade out and then put her leg back down. She glanced up at me.

“You might want to look away.”

But I found that I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her. She gave me a moment before realizing that I wasn’t going to turn around. She shrugged and brought the knife up to her shoulder, I then saw the bullet wound that was inflicted just below her collarbone. She brought the knife tip to the site and then closed her eyes before cutting into her flesh. I stood there with my mouth wide open as she let out a low hiss. She proceeded to cut a cross on the wound with eerie accuracy. She stopped cutting and finally pulled the skin a little bit back. She then took the blade and stuck it straight into the bullet hole. I heard a sharp intake of air before she flicked her wrist. I heard a click as a metallic object fell to the floor. Iris bent down and picked it up, putting it into the light. The bullet was slightly fragmented, but nearly in perfect condition. She glanced at me.

“Wha...What just happened?” I stuttered.

She put the knife back into the strap on her calf. “You’re still in danger, there might be more.” She stated, looking at the bodies.

“You... You killed them.” I said, astounded.

She looked at me with an icy glare. “Us or them.”

She averted her eyes and looked as if she was in deep concentration. “Iris...” I demanded, “I need to know what just happened.”

Her eyes flicked to me. “You need to come with me.”

“What?” I gasped, “You just killed two men in front of me!”

“I just saved you.” She replied, “And now I’m going to do it again. I think they were the only ones, but I don’t know for sure. You need to go home, and pack. Quickly. I’ll pick you up in twenty minutes.”

“Not until you tell me what’s happened.”

“Mr Lance. I need you to trust me. Like you did before. I will tell you, but I’m not going to sit here while more men come to kill me.”

I didn’t move. Iris rolled her eyes.

“Okay, I promise that I’m not selling myself, I’m not a druggie or a drug lord and that I haven’t done anything illegal.”

“Except kill those two men.” I stated.

She gave an exasperated cry, “They tried to kill us! You’re impossible!”

I looked down at the bodies. “What are you going to do?”

“I know what you’re going to do. Go home and pack, then I’ll pick you up in twenty minutes.”

“Why should I go with you?” I challenged.

“Because I just saved your life. I need you trust me.”

I put away the last of my clothes and quickly scanned my messy room. I was pretty sure that I had packed all that I needed. I grumbled to myself as I zipped the black bag closed and peered out the window. The only car that was parked on the quiet road was a black convertible, and I know Iris would not have been able to afford that. I fell onto my large bed, trying to make sense of today. I sighed; my whole world had been tipped. I had just witnessed a student commit murder, and I was going to run away with her? I resisted the urge to run from her. To bolt from this situation. But I knew that I would be safer with her.

The honking of a car horn stirred me out of my thoughts. I got up from the bed and looked out my window towards the street. I saw Iris outside the black convertible with the front door open, waiting for me. My first thought was the car. How could she get that car? She was just a teenager! She didn’t seem like a spoiled little brat like other students I had. I dismissed the thought and grabbed my bag before checking the house. Everything was locked and ready to go. I had notified the school of my absence, and my girlfriend and I had broken up the month before. As I said, I was all set. I locked the front door and walked briskly to the car. Iris looked up at me and popped the boot, waiting for me to put my bag in. Once that was I done and walked around to the front passenger’s seat and opened the sleek car door. I hesitated in sitting down. The voice in my head was screaming at me, asking me what the hell I was doing. To be honest? I didn’t know.

I pushed the voice to the back of my mind and took a seat next to Iris. She looked at me and smiled warmly before starting up the engine. On any other day I would’ve enjoyed the purr of the engine, but today was not a normal day. It was only when the car started moving that she spoke.

“Thanks.” She said softly.

“What for?” I asked, although it was one of the least important questions I wanted to ask.

“For trusting me.”

There was silence for a little while longer. It was tense, as if it could shatter.

“I need an explanation.” I said, as if stating a fact.

She glanced at me. “Later.”

“No. Now.” I demanded.

I heard her let out a long sigh, but she did not speak.

“Give me one reason what I shouldn’t call the cops right now and tell them about the two bodies in my classroom.”

“Because there are no bodies.”

I sat for a moment, speechless. “You... disposed of them?”

She gave a hard nod. I thought about that for a moment. It was then that I noticed the scenery around me changing. The suburban houses were slowly becoming less and less frequent until all that was left was open fields.

“Where are we going?”

“My house. My real one. I keep one near school for Monday to Friday, but we’re going to my official home. The safest place I can think of.”

It was a full ten minutes of silence before I spoke up again.

“How is your bullet wound?” I asked, looking at the bulky white bandage that was now strapped to her shoulder.

“Fine.” She replied quickly.

I frowned but ignored it. It wasn’t really an everyday subject, gunshots and all that.

“Look, Mr Lance...” Iris started.

“Call me Alex, please.”

“Okay... Look, Alex. I know you have no reason to trust me. Hell I wouldn’t trust me by what I’ve seen today, but I need you to know that I’m just trying to protect you.”

There was a pause. “I don’t even know you anymore Iris. You used to be the smart quiet girl that sat in the back of my class. So Iris, tell me, who are you?” My voice was harsher than I had intended it to be, almost as if I was accusing her.

Iris took a breath before answering.

“I don’t know.”

It took about two hours to get to where we wanted to be, and no word was spoken since our last conversation. It had been nearly an hour since I last saw any signs of civilization, and I was beginning to get nervous. It was then that Iris pulled onto a side road that revealed a large iron gate.

“We’re here.” Iris smiled, happy to be home.

I tried to look behind the gate to see some kind of house, but it was all shielded by trees. It was like a wild forest that grew with no boundaries. The woods were eerie, empty. Iris interrupted my thoughts as she got out of the car. I stayed frozen to my seat, not knowing whether to follow or to stay put. It was only then that I saw the black keypad on the side of the gate. Iris casually walked up and typed a number in. She then proceeded to clearly state her name. The gates gave a slight creak as they opened up. Iris walked back to the car and got in, revving the engine. As soon as the gates were open she slowly eased the car up the upwards sloping dirt road. It was only when we rounded the corner of trees that I saw it. I knew that Iris was wrong. This was not a house. It was a mansion. It looked like a small palace with stone balconies jutting out of the beautifully old walls. Ivy climbed up, as if reaching for a higher place to grow. I was speechless as we drove up to the modern looking garage on the side of the house. Iris pressed a button on a small remote and one of the many car doors started to creep open. She took a moment to look at my astounded expression.

“Like it?”

I was speechless. Iris smiled and eased up into the garage before shutting off the engine.

“This place is... yours?”

“Sure, all to myself to. My parents died, but I earned all this though.” She clarified.

I didn’t care; it was beautiful either way around. Iris cut off the engine and got out of the car; I followed her and took my bag out of the back. She opened a door on the side of the garage that led to a wide open hall. She motioned for me to stay put as she went inside, leaving me by the black convertible. She reappeared after a few seconds.

“Disabling the alarms.” She stated.

I nodded and followed her into the main hall. I was absolutely amazed at the size of it; it was like a grand ballroom. The stairs reminded me of posh palaces that split midway to continue in two parts to either side of the open hallways that stood like balconies, overlooking the hall. The hall was very tidy and held many artistic paintings; how Iris managed to get these I had no clue. The walls were very majestic, seeming to be hand carved from the 1800’s. The ceiling held a beautiful chandelier which light bounced graciously off, creating a rainbow effect. The room also held many bookcases, filled with all different types of books. A royal study lay next to the stairs, with a modern looking computer on it and some important paperwork. In the middle of the regal room was a large and lush couch set, with a huge TV that sat on the wall. I gasped as I looked at all the hidden antiques that lined the walls, paintings and statues among other things. All the various doorways were mysterious, as if leading to other royal rooms like this.
Iris turned to me and smiled. “It isn’t much, but it’s what I call home.”

I looked at her, unable to hold the astonishment from my face. I could see that she took pleasure in this. My mind was flying at a million miles per hour, how well did I really know this seemingly innocent girl that stood before me? Did her blue eyes hold something more than just a normal teenager? Iris noticed me studying her and quickly hid behind her sleek black hair before turning away.

“How...” I started.

“Later.” She repeated. It was a phrase I was hearing too much of.

I noted other things around the hall: Stereo system, grand piano, plants, an old globe and a lot of different objects I could not find a name to. Iris interrupted my thoughts.

“Do you want to see your room?”

Her voice echoed in the large hall. “This is five times the area of my house... And this is just the main hall...” I stammered, my voice echoing.

Iris rolled her eyes, “Follow me.”

She started to climb the staircase, and I hesitantly followed, lugging my black bag behind me. She turned onto the left side of the stairs and continued all the way up to the hallway. Looking behind to make sure I was following, she continued along the corridor on her left and found the room she was looking for. It wasn’t too far from the stairs and still overlooking the hall. I stopped behind her and examined the door. It matched the walls that I saw before, a grand masterpiece that looked hand carved out of wood. I still couldn’t get my head around the design of this place, or how Iris had managed to get her hands on it. Iris suddenly opened the door and motioned for me to go in first. I took a deep breath and took a step into, what was soon to be, my bedroom.
What struck me first was the size. My house was about the size of this room, which was really saying something. A large double bed stood against the far wall with a large wooden frame and headboard. A fireplace was situated on the side wall with a large stone frame and an impressive looking bookcase set surrounding it. There was a study in the corner of the room with a seemingly antique desk, complete with a large lamp and laptop which overlooked the forest outside through a large window. I saw another door next to the bedside table. I moved towards it and took the handle, opening it. It was again, a large room, like the rest of the house. It had a shower in the far corner and a spa in the middle of the room, level with the ground. A counter was on the right hand wall, complete with different bottles and soaps. I turned to see Iris in the doorway, smirking at me.

“You like?”

I stared at her. “How did you get this place?”

She gave me a stern look. “You are impatient. I told you, later.”

“No. Now.” I said, raising my voice slightly.

She rolled her eyes. “At least let me give you a tour and introduce to you some other residents here, okay?”

I wavered slightly; she didn’t wait and spun on her heel before walking out of the bathroom. I followed and dropped my bag on the huge bed.

“Other residents?” I questioned nervously.

Iris snickered. “Residents with more than two legs.”

“Oh.” I murmured.

I followed Iris out of the room and into the huge hall again. She waited for me to catch up with her down the hall. I walked quickly and followed her into another room. It was the same essentials on royal proportions, bed, study and bathroom. She showed me the grand study and other spare bedrooms. It was only when we skipped a door that I spoke up.

“What’s in there?” I asked.

“Later.” She repeated.

Iris then pointed to another door. “That’s my room. Don’t go in there.”

“Why not?”

“I’m a very private person.” She said softly before moving on.

We then moved downstairs again. Iris went through a huge corridor that revealed a large gym. There were monkey bars about five meters off the ground, weights and a running track among other things.

“Everything here is for you to use too.”

“Thanks.”Was all I managed to get out.

“Want to see the pool?” Iris smiled, winking.

I nodded, still not managing to form complete sentences. A private gym? A pool?
We went through another corridor and I could feel the moisture already. I was sure that I would somehow get lost around here. We emerged to another large room, this time with a large pool in it. It was about three quarters the size of an Olympic pool, complete with intricate tiling and beautiful mosaics that ran along the floor, into the pool and onto the walls and ceiling. A spa sat level with the pool, on the edge so that you could easily move between the two.
The far wall was glass, so you could see out into the woods. It was as if Iris could read my thoughts.

“It’s one way glass. Just so nobody can look in.” She chuckled.

I took another moment to absorb all this in. I heard Iris suddenly let out a low whistle. I turned to her and she smiled at me.

“Just a moment.”

It only took a couple of seconds before I heard the clicks of nails on the wooden floor. A large collie trotted into the room and stood faithfully beside Iris. It had deep brown eyes, they were enchanting.

“Alex, this is Eurydice. Say hello to Alex please.”

Eurydice let out a high pitched bark at me. I jumped a little bit, “Eury... what?”

“Pronounce it like U-ree-dice.” Iris guided me.

I followed her instructions and I knew I got it right as soon as Eurydice’s tail started to wag furiously.

“She’s very friendly. Eurydice, where’s Orpheus?”

Eurydice turned her head towards the corridor, and just on cue came Orpheus. I took a step back when I first saw him; it was all in the appearance that made the cold feel of fear pulse through me. Iris noticed.

“He’s not going to hurt you. He’s tame.””

“But... He is part wolf, right?” I asked, eyeing the dog’s grey shaggy coat.

Orpheus stood on Iris’s other side, and both dogs seemed to watch me with interest.

“Full wolf actually.” Iris agreed, “But he’s grown up with me. He won’t hurt anyone unless I tell him.”

“Okay, that’s enough.” I snapped, “I need to know what’s going on.”

I saw something flicker behind Iris’s eyes, but it was gone so fast that I couldn’t tell what it was. She turned to the two dogs.

“Leave us alone, okay?” She whispered.

They both gave a bark and loped off into the house, nudging each other. It seemed they had unrestricted access to wherever they wanted to go.

Iris turned to me. “Shall we go outside?”

I looked through the glass wall and saw the large open area of grass before the woods started. It was a sunny day, early afternoon. Iris didn’t wait for an answer; she just walked around the edge of the pool and opened the door in the corner. I followed her slowly; unsure of what she was trying to do. We walked for a couple of minutes until we reached the edge of the forest. Iris stopped and suddenly spun towards me.

“What is my name?” She asked with a curious expression on her face.

“Iris... Isabella, if I remember correctly.”

She nodded thoughtfully. “My real name is Iris Anton Alexandra. Iris Isabella is my public name.”

“Public name?”

She smiled, “Humans are so easy to deceive.”

I frowned at her words. Iris looked at me and sighed.

“I’m not what you think I am.”

I was silent still, waiting for her to elaborate.

“Those men...”

“The ones that you killed?” I accused.

She ignored my tone, “Yes. They... They do not like what... What I am.”

“What you are?” I questioned.

She cried out in frustration. “People are so blind! Do I have to spell it out?”

I shot her a confused look. Iris looked me straight in the eyes.

“I’m not human.”

It took me a moment, but I was still waiting for the joke. It let out a little snigger. Iris looked at me in disbelief.

“What? You can’t actually be serious!” I laughed.

“Dead serious.”

I raised an eyebrow, still grinning. “Prove it.”

Iris smiled, as if suddenly thinking of a way to prove me wrong. “Okay. The gunshot wound. It was here, right?” She asked, pointing to her bulky and bloodied bandage.

I nodded, knowing I was going to try not to laugh out loud. I watched curiously as Iris removed the bloody bandage and lowered her t-shirt over her shoulder. I was still looking for the blood, the scar... something. But there was nothing. I leaned closer, concentrating on seeing something incriminating. But there was nothing.

“You’re nervous.” Iris stated, startling me.

“Oh yeah? Why?” I snorted.

“Because your heartbeat just accelerated.”

I automatically brought my hand up to my chest, and felt the same fear run through me as I felt that indeed, my heartbeat had sped up.

“That doesn’t prove anything.”

Iris rolled her eyes. “What does it take?!”

“Something solid. Evidence.”

She thought about this for a moment. Finally it seemed that Iris had an idea that would maybe win me over. She leaned over slightly, bringing her hands up to her eyes. It seemed like she was touching each eye individually, but she was tilted so I couldn’t make sure. Suddenly she shot up, surprising me. I took an involuntary step back, and that’s when I saw it. The eyes, the vivid blue eyes. But they weren’t dull anymore. Almost her whole eye was covered in black, as if her iris had expanded over to edge. I looked closely, trying to see the contacts. Iris held up her fingers, revealing two thin slivers.

“Contacts.” She said, smug.

I still couldn’t get used to the eyes; it was like staring at a wild dog.

“Impossible...” I mumbled.

“Give me your hand.”

“What?”

“Give me your hand.” Iris repeated.

I held out my hand, palm down. Iris took it and put my palm on her forehead. After a few seconds I had to take my hand back, it was scorching.

“What the hell?” I cried.

She beamed. “My core body temperature is hotter. I don’t know how hot though, never really took the time to check.”

There was a moment of silence.

“And the gunshot injury?”

She shrugged. “I have some ability to heal fast too. It’s something that came with the package.”

“Package?”

A great sadness came over Iris. It wasn’t something significant, but you could see it in her black eyes, the way they seemed to stir.

“Yes.” She whispered.

“I think I have a right to know.” I murmured.

Her head snapped up and I was surprised to see anger all over her face, her posture. “You have a right? You don’t get everything in life, I’ve learnt that much. I had a right to fucking safety, and I never got that.”

As soon as the words were out of Iris’s mouth I could see that she regretted it. She mumbled an apology and hid her face behind her hair, embarrassed.

“I’m not used to talking to people that much, sorry.”

“Why not?” I asked, confused.

She peered out behind a long strand of her hair. “It’s not safe.”

“Safe?” I persisted.

“When I’m around people... People to me...” Suddenly she screamed in frustration, her big black eyes swirling. “They don’t understand!”

“Who doesn’t understand?”

“Everyone! They look at me and see some kind of, freak. Their primal instincts about me tell them to stay away.” Her eyes glanced at my face, “I’m sorry that this is confusing. It’s just... People tend to get hurt around me.”

“What?” I asked, completely lost.

“Today, in the classroom, just after I got shot. I told you to stay back.”

“Yes, you looked... Scared.”

She nodded slowly, contemplating my answer. “I was, but for you.”

“Me?”

“I’ve never had to look after someone in this life. It gets stressful. I didn’t want to...” A shudder rippled through her.

“Okay, so what are you?” I asked.

A small smile played on her lips. “You know what the funny thing is?”

I was getting frustrated now. “What?”

She looked into my eyes with her pitch black irises. “You already know.”

“Iris, I don’t know what you are. You’re some person that can heal quickly, has deep black eyes and has a body temperature that shouldn’t be possible.”

“You know. I’m what you fear. I’m what goes bump in the night... Tell me, what are make believe creatures you know?” She asked, cocking her head to the side in curiosity.

“What, like mythical creatures?”

Iris nodded.

“Mummies, Dragons, Ghosts, Vampires-“

“Stop.” Iris said, startling me. “You’re on the right track. Now tell me, what is the sworn enemy of Vampires are in common mythology.”

I had to think for a moment. “Werewolves if I remember correctly.”

Iris’s eyes looked at me expectantly. The big eyes that stared at me with their black depths, waiting for a reaction.
I couldn’t hide a smile.

“You can’t be serious.”

“You think I like to joke about this?”

“...I guess I’ll have to wait until midnight to make sure.” I sniggered.

Iris shook her head. “No, it doesn’t work like that, silver bullets and all. I can change at will, and I am in control of myself. Well, mostly. I only lose control when I’m hunting or when I get emotional. Which is what happened in the classroom when I got shot, I didn’t want you near me in case I exploded.”

I couldn’t hold back a snort of laughter. “This is ridiculous.”

“This is reality.” Iris snapped.

I was surprised at the authority in her voice.

“Prove it.” I insisted.

Her eyes studied me for a moment. “You might run.”

I rolled my eyes.

“And I want you to know, you will stay here. I don’t care if you hate me forever; I’d rather you never speak to me again then be the cause of your death.”

I muttered. “What could cause me to hate you forever?”

The pain in her eyes was obvious to see, it ran deep. “What I am.”

I couldn’t stand her eyes all of a sudden; the pain seemed to crush me. In a blink it was gone, as if she had erased it from inside her.

“So are you going to show me or what?” I teased weakly.

Iris smiled, “You won’t be laughing for long.”

“We’ll see.” I retorted.

She suddenly turned serious. “Seriously, please don’t be afraid. You are the first person who has ever seen me like this. I don’t like what I am, but I live with it. Please, don’t make it harder.”

Her vulnerability was something I had not seen in anyone else. It was scary looking into her pleading eyes and seeing how this seemingly strong willed person had their guard down.

I smiled warmly, again taking up my nature as the kind teacher, still not believing though. “I won’t be afraid.”

Iris nodded and turned away from me, walking a couple of steps before looking back. “Please, don’t run.” She whispered.

Iris swiftly jumped forward, as if launching herself at an unknown target. I was aware of a loud rustling sound. I had never heard anything like it in my whole life. Suddenly Iris looked as if her clothes and skin had split, revealing a pitch black body underneath. The little frame that was once Iris seemed to become bigger, reminding me of a large bear that I had once seen when I was hunting with my father. The fur that grew out from the body was sleek yet untidy and rough, the colour resembling Iris’s natural hair colour, a pitch dark black. It only took a second for the transformation to take place and for these thoughts to rush through my head. The large black wolf fell silently to its paws before turning to meet my astounded gaze. It was the eyes that gave her away. They were pitch black eyes. They were Iris’s eyes.
I stumbled back in astonishment at what I had just witnessed. Iris stood still, watching my reaction, her black eyes studying me. I took a step towards her, although I did not consciously think of it.

“Iris?” I stammered.

She took a slow step towards me, hesitantly, as if she was afraid that she would scare me off.

“Is that... really you?”

Iris walked carefully towards me now, more confident yet always keeping her eyes on me to make sure that I wasn’t freaking out. And funnily enough, I wasn’t. Just surprised.
She was only a step away from me when she stopped, her eyes nearly level with mine. Her sleek fur glinted in the sun, shimmering gracefully. I took the last step towards her, putting my trembling hands out towards her. She flattened her ears and lowered her head, not in a sign of aggression but more to put me at ease with my situation. She lifted her head suddenly and for the first time, my bare hands caressed her muzzle. She leaned into my hand as I stood there, feeling my whole world shift in the space of a second. I ran my hands over her head, moving down her spine. I looked at her, feeling her hot skin muffled under the protection of her coat. Her ears perked up as I continued to move my hands over her, trying to believe what I had just witnessed. Finally I found the self control to take a step back, clearing my throat as if gathering myself.

“Can you change back?” I asked.

Iris nodded, which made me feel weird that she was communicating while in wolf form. She took a couple of paces away from me before swiftly jumping forward. There was the same rustling sound as before, while her whole body seemed tear through the fur that I had been stroking moments earlier. She was fully clothed and fell forward into a crouch, sitting on one knee. She stood up and brushed herself off before slowly turning towards me. Her worried expression reminded me of students in my class, students who were insecure and uncertain.

“I’m okay.” I assured, astounded.

“You sure?” She asked, her dark eyes drilling holes in me.

I nodded, feeling overwhelmed by what had just happened. “Can I sit down?” I asked weakly.

She let out a nervous chuckle. “Go ahead.”

I sat down in the soft grass and tried to gather my thoughts. Iris followed suite and gracefully sat close to me. Thoughts were flying through my head with no time for me to focus. Iris was silent, looking at the forest peacefully.

“Can I ask you a couple questions?” I finally managed to say.

She looked at me warmly. “I’ll try answering them to the best of my abilities.”

I tried to pick out my first question. “How?”

She smiled, “That might take a bit of explaining.”

“I’m your prisoner, I have time.”

Iris let out a little laugh at that one. “I guess so. Another special ability I have is, immortal youth.”

“You can’t grow old?” I cried out.

She tilted her head, considering that. “That’s one way of putting it. I can die, but I am stuck to my current age.”

“Which is?”

“18.” She answered clearly.

“And you were born in...?”

She hesitated before deciding to tell me. “1639.”

I sat back, amazed. “That makes you 370 years old.”

She scrunched up her nose, “If you must put it like that.”

“What does this have to do with how you became... You know.”

“You can say it, it’s not like I’ll be offended.” She laughed.

“How you became a werewolf.” I repeated, feeling more comfortable now.

“You must remember, in the 1600’s people had different values and different ways of life. School was a luxury, not a necessity. I was born on a small farm in England to Elizabeth and Lazlo Alexandra. I grew up a single child, learning the ways of the land and loving my parents. I had no friends besides my flock which consisted of four sheep, a ram and three ewes. We lived on vegetables we farmed and food we traded for down in the town market. I hated that town simply because of the savage ways it dealt with the unknown. They had burnings of supposed ‘witches’ in the town square regularly, with people gathering to watch. It sickens me to this day.”

I could see her eyes flicker with hate. Suddenly she glanced up at me. “Sorry, I’m rambling.”

“No, this is interesting.” I promised her.

She smiled, warmth flooding through her eyes. “Anyways, one day while I was out tending to the flock I heard a commotion out by the farmhouse. I saw flames and heard my parent’s cries. I remember them crying out for me to run as I saw the townspeople lighting the house on fire, with my parents inside. I ran as fast as I could, my life depended on it. I ran further that I had ever ventured into the forest and lost the wild mob that killed my parents on some false charges. But as soon as I had stopped long enough to catch my breath, all I could think was ‘now what?’”

Her eyes were far off, as if she were in another place.

“I lay down under a large Oak, wondering how long it would take for me to starve to death. It took a while I must tell you, night had fallen and I was shivering like crazy. Then this dark wolf slinked out from the darkness, taking me in. His eyes bore into mine and it seemed to feel sorry for me, as if it pitied me. For some reason I welcomed the wolf, because it meant a quicker end to my life and a faster way to see my parents in heaven. But instead of attacking me, the wolf walked up to me. It bit me, almost tenderly, on the wrist.”

Iris slid the sleeve of her black shirt up, revealing two small puncture marks.

“From that wolf. And then, as soon as it had come, the wolf disappeared into the night. I remember the heat spread from that one limb suddenly took over my entire body. I lay there for days, hoping death would come, but I was able to survive the excruciating experience. I still don’t know how, but I finally awoke from my transformation, never to be the same again.”

The corners of her lips curled upwards into a little smile.

“I’m boring you, sorry.”

“What did you do?” I asked, enchanted by her story.

“I came to consciousness in human form, yet still changed. Suddenly I could see further and better than I had ever seen. I was able to smell the hunters that had trekked through the forest a week ago. I could hear the rustling of deer by the river, a mile away. I freaked out, lost control and then burst into a wolf.”

The way she said it, as if it was an everyday thing, kept me astounded at her story.

“I couldn’t change back for a couple of days, because I have to calm down to change back. I explored my talents and, I guess the rest is history.”

Her eyes flickered to my face, looking at my reaction. I tried not to let the confusion inside of me show on my face.

“How did it come to all this then?” I finally managed to say, gesturing at the mansion that stood behind us.

Her eyes twinkled. “A little bit of this and that. When I’m a wolf, I can keep myself warm and safe, plus I can hunt. Imagine working while not paying rent or paying for food. Then imagine being able to work as anything you want. It adds up eventually.”

“You can work as anything?” I said sceptically.

“I’ve had a lot of time on my hands. I’ve been a doctor, teacher, scientist and even a spy.”

“A spy?” I gasped.

She nodded, letting a mischievous smirk play on her lips. “I was a key part in Holland in World War II. I managed to infiltrate the German forces and gather information. I was part of the rebellion.”

I sat back in disbelief.

“I moved around a lot. I’ve was born in England, then moved to places like Italy, France, Holland, Ireland, Africa, Scotland and finally America.”

“You said World War II.” I said aloud, “What about World War I?”

“I simply disappeared. I wasn’t ready for war and unlike most of the world, I had an escape route. I lived life as a wolf, acting on simple needs.”

I nodded, considering the incredibility of the stories she was telling me. “When you change, how do your clothes... You know... How come they don’t rip?”

A small laugh. “They did, at first. It seemed like when I gained control over this whole thing, I was able to shift without tearing up my clothes. Something that came with control I think.”

“And are you the only one?” I asked softly.

There was a sad note to her voice. “I have only been with one other of my kind.”

There was a slight pause. “Who was she?” I prompted.

“He.” Iris corrected.

“So, what was his story?” I tried again.

“My birth name was Iris Alexandra.”

I cut her off, “But you said your name was Iris Anton Alexandra!”

“It is. Anton was the other one of my kind.”

The wording caught my attention. “Was?”

She sighed. “I was quite adjusted to the whole werewolf thing; it was about a decade after I had been transformed when I met him. He was a human.”

“Human?”

A sad smile played on her lips. “Yes, I fell in love with a human. He fell in love with me too, so I told him what I was. He wasn’t disgusted with me like I thought he’d be. Instead, he wanted to be like me.” Her face scrunched up, as if confused at the concept.

“What happened?” I asked, riveted in the story.

“For a year we discussed it, until finally I agreed. He was the love of my life and I wanted to be with him forever. I bit him, just like I had been bitten. It was agony, pure agony watching him writhe in pain while the transformation happened to his body.” I could see the hurt in her eyes as she described her memory. “But I protected him as he changed, and he emerged a new man. He was better than I ever managed.”

There was a pause as I could see her remember her love. “We lived happily for many years, spending much of that time as our wolf-selves. We built a house in the forest, away from any towns or people that could hurt us. Or so I thought.”

She stared off into space. “About 20 years after his transformation Anton decided that he needed to go get some important supplies that we alone could not provide. He assured that I stay home, telling me he would be fine. When he didn’t come back about two days later I started to get worried. On the third day, just as I was about to go after him, a mob showed up demanding blood. I found out they had slaughtered Anton, and I was forced to flee. I’ve been alone ever since.”

“Until now.” I offered.

All traces of pain and sadness were suppressed from her eyes as she looked up at me, a hint of a smile on her face. “Until now.”

“So what happened before... In the classroom?”

I heard her let out a frustrated moan. “For god sakes, those idiots. Don’t even get me started.”

She as shaking her head in disbelief, this peaked my curiosity. “Please?”

Her eyes scrutinized my face. “There are people out there who suspect of my existence. They have heard whispers and seen photographs of my youth. Yet, they cannot prove anything. So they set out to destroy me themselves.”

“Wait... They want to kill you?”

“Yes, my existence goes against their beliefs. Today got a little bit too close to comfort so I chose to retreat here.” She smiled, motioning around her.

“And me? How do I fit in?” I asked, inquisitive.

“Fit in? I’m not sure. I was fleeing from these men that had tracked me down, but I knew I couldn’t change in the middle of suburbia. So I tried to get to the place I thought I could lose them, school. When I was sprinting I heard a faint heartbeat and I knew I had to save whoever was there. It was you, and I did what I had to do to get you out alive.”

It took a moment for this information to sink in.

“Has anyone else, you know... found out?”

She shook her head. “Apart from Anton, nobody. Others suspect, but they don’t know.”

Silence followed.

“I’m sorry, it’s a lot to take in.” I thought aloud.

“I know.” Iris whispered.

“Wait.” I gasped as a realization hit me. “Can you talk to your dogs?”

“No.” She smirked, trying to hold back a laugh. “I do have a special bond with them because of my canine side.”

“So where does that leave us? It’s weird, considering that I thought of you as a student.” I mused.

“I’m not sure. I don’t even know if I can trust you with my secret.”

“Secret? Is that what you call it?” I smiled.

“Why? What would you call it?”

I thought for a moment. “A lifestyle?”

Iris let out a sad sigh. “I don’t like what I am, but I live with it.”

“You’re special.” I stated.

“Not in other people’s opinion.”

“Do you really care what they think?”

“I know I shouldn’t, but I still crave human intimacy. I’ve been alone for centuries. I guess that’s a good thing, I can disconnect from the world whenever I want then.”

“That isn’t necessarily a good thing.” I murmured.

“But now I have to look after you.” She winked.

“And what do we do while you hold me captive?”

A strange flicker of mischief blazed behind Iris’s eyes.

“Ever wanted to go to France?”