Whooo! Chapter Two! 

I feel better about this chapter. If Blood Eyes has a little bit of a horror feel, that's probably because I've been on a horror movie binge. In 48 hours, I've watched The Conjuring, Mama, The Apparition, The Amityville Horror, Insidious, half of Insidious 2 (still working on it), Anabelle, Cabin in the Woods, The Babadook, Orphan, and House at the End of the Street (plus the last episode of Game of Thrones, Aladdin, and Only Lovers Left Alive). 

As you can see, my summers are rather boring ;) 

If you have any horror movie recommendations, please let me know! I LOVED Mama, The Conjuring, and The Amityville Horror, and absolutely hated Cabin in the Woods. The only one that really creeped me out was Annabelle (I'm pretty good with horror- Supernatural took care of that), and Insidious was creepy, but I was writing and was too distracted to be scared ;) 

I'm also re-doing the cast list, so that should be up in a couple minutes. 

***CHANGE***: Giovanna no longer has an older brother named Antonio. 

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There are a lot of characters introduced here, mostly little siblings, so here's a breakdown, just to help you out. 

Calens: Kyle, Emmaline, Dean (17), Elizabeth (12), Zachary (12)

Brighams: (Victoire's family; used to be the Bartons) Scarlett, Lee, Victoire (17), Adam (13)

Bianchis: Giovanna (17), Carolina (12), Arabella (3)

Other Friends: Ajia and Ayaan (both 17)

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Please VOTE and COMMENT!

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Chapter 2: The Witch Giovanna Can See

Ten miles away, later in the afternoon, Giovanna Bianchi has locked herself in the room she and Victoire share and refused to let anyone in. She has buried herself in her rose-colored blanket, strands of her straight red hair sticking out around her freckled face. Shivering, she closes her eyes tightly, hoping to rid herself of the consciousness of the world.

A rhythmic knock comes from the door.

"Let me in, Principessa," says Kyle. "Don't hole yourself up forever and break my heart."

Rubbing her pale hand over her red, splotchy nose, Giovanna lugs herself off the bed, letting the blanket fall behind her. Taking a deep breath, she turns the doorknob.

Kyle is leaning against the wooden frame, holding two colorful mugs of hot chocolate. Giovanna can smell the richness from here.

"I know it's a little warm for cocoa, but it always makes things a little better," he says, handing her the Minnie Mouse mug.

Giovanna tries to smile, but when that happens, she starts crying again.

Distantly, she feels Kyle take the mug and put it on the nightstand, then his arms go around her as he leads her back to the bed. For a few minutes, all Giovanna can do is lean on him, smelling kitchen spices and chocolate.

Finally, she lifts her head, blinking back more tears. "Wh-what am I going to do?" she whimpers, her voice thick with sobs and a faint Italian accent. "I didn't mean to... I didn't mean to say it..."

"It's all right," says Kyle soothingly. "This isn't your fault. None of this is your fault."

"What's wrong with me? Why am I like this?"

"Absolutely nothing is wrong with you," says Kyle. "You're just as God made you."

"No! No, this can't be right. I'm not right, God can't love me and y-you and Emmaline-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," says Kyle, taking Giovanna's cold hands in his tan, warm ones. "There's nothing wrong with you, baby. Look at your necklace. Look at it." He holds up the silver cross affixed to her neck, similar to the wooden one he wears around his. "Look at it. God loves you. Just because you choose a certain person to love doesn't mean he doesn't love you any less. He made you this way for a reason, and there is nothing wrong with that!"

"B-but the Bible s-says that-"

"You're probably thinking of the verse in Leviticus," says Kyle, grabbing the worn Bible from Giovanna's desk- while Victoire's is completely empty of books, Giovanna's is full of old and new novels. "'You shall not lie with a man as with a woman', right?"

Giovanna nods rapidly.

"First of all, it's Leviticus," says Kyle. "That's the same book as when the Jews were told to sacrifice the heads of doves and all that good stuff to atone for their sins. This was before Jesus, and this was before His death paid for sins. Jesus Himself said that nobody should be discriminated against for any innocent reason. People don't make up their homosexuality. They're born with it, and God made you just the way you are. You shouldn't feel ashamed of it. It's you. God loves you just the same."

"But I c-can't," she sobs. "I c-can't, they're calling me a hypocrite and that I shouldn't be allowed at dance and-"

"Why shouldn't you be allowed at dance?" Kyle asks, rubbing her back. "You're a beautiful dancer. You were Odette last fall and you were fabulous."

"Because," Giovanna whispers. "They say I shouldn't be allowed in the dressing rooms because the only reason I'm there is to see naked girls."

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry," says Kyle, kissing her forehead. "That is complete and utter crap. Ignorant people say ignorant things. It's up to us to be the stronger ones. I know it's hard, but you haven't done anything wrong. You have to trust me."

"How can I go back to school?" Giovanna cries. "After that... how can I?"

"Not everyone is homophobic," says Kyle, placing the Bible back on the nightstand. "And-"

"What about Ayaan?" asks Giovanna tearfully. "What if his family... I don't think the Qur'an-"

"Ayaan cares about you very much," says Kyle. "And Emmaline and I have been close friends with the Kassems for years. If you're looking for a homophobic family, that's the wrong place to look." Giovanna sniffs, and Kyle continues, "Not everyone is going to dislike you. And even if you were straight, not everyone is going to like you. Sure, the number might be a little higher, but that's just the weak weeding themselves out."

Giovanna leans heavily against Kyle's broad shoulder. "I can't go back out there."

"Yes, you can." Kyle smiles at her gently. "With the power of hot chocolate and your beautiful spirit, you most certainly can."

"Wh-what about you and Emmaline?"

"What about us?"

Giovanna doesn't respond.

Kyle frowns. "You think that Emmaline and I won't want you around anymore? Good God, Giovanna, that's insane. What would Elizabeth do without you? You're the best signer in this house after Line. And what would I do without my sous-chef?"

"B-but now-"

"Your sexuality does not define you, just as your pretty red hair does not define you," says Kyle. "Your actions and your personality define you. You can do this, Giovanna. It's going to be hard, but-"

"I'm not strong! I'm not like Victoire. She... she doesn't care about what anyone else thinks. She's brave and-"

"And she's also a rebel," says Kyle with a small smile. "You and Victoire are not alike, but you're both strong. And it's been obvious that Victoire is bisexual for years, but we haven't kicked her out of the house yet, have we?"

"But isn't bisexual better? It's closer."

"Not remotely. Lesbian, gay, straight, bi is all the same to me. If you started killing puppies, that's when I'd have a problem. Not for this. Never for this."

At that moment, two figures appear at the door: twelve-year-old Elizabeth and Victoire, both directly from school. Victoire, dressed in her usual ensemble of tattered black, raises her arched eyebrows at the sight. Before she can say anything, Elizabeth, her black hair down to her waist and her blue eyes concerned, moves her hands rapidly in the sign language her mother taught her when she was little. Is Gia okay?

Smiling bravely, Giovanna moves her hands too, also speaking the words out loud for Elizabeth to try to lipread. "I'm okay, Lizzie."

Elizabeth smiles, then runs up to Giovanna and hugs her. Giovanna sniffs and wraps her arms around the younger girl, backpack and all.

When she looks up, Victoire's crimson eyes are narrowed into hers. Not angry, just concerned.

"So what time is Anthony coming over?" asks Victoire, leaning against the wall lazily as if coming out is an everyday occurrence. Victoire is clumsy at sign language, so habitually, Giovanna translates for Elizabeth. "By the way, Ajia and Ayaan are here. Downstairs with Dean in the kitchen."

"Of course they are," says Kyle, smirking slightly as he signs. "And he'll be here at five. Here's an idea. We'll have some dinner, Principessa here can help out, and then the lot of you can go to Pacific Park."

Elizabeth smiles. Can I go, too?

"Don't you have homework?" Kyle asks, signing and then tickling his daughter. She laughs, somewhat brokenly.

I have homework, but I want to go to Pacific Park.

"Fine," says Kyle, his fingers brushing the bedclothes. "Mommy and I are going to talk to Anthony for a little bit, and then we'll take you to Pacific Park after you're done with your homework. Deal?"

Elizabeth nods eagerly, then runs out of the room.

"Victoire, want to help with dinner?" asks Kyle.

"Do I look like Ramsey Gordon?" she asks, plopping down on the bed. "Besides, Dean and I need to work on our Metamorphoses project. Some comparison and shit."

"Sounds like a good time," says Kyle. "Scarlett called earlier, by the way."

"Don't care," says Victoire, throwing her backpack beside her bed. "I'm stripping, by the way. I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to this shirt."

"Oh," says Giovanna, hastily getting to her feet. "I'll leave."

"I didn't say you had to go," says Victoire. "I don't give a shit who sees me naked. Kyle might, though. He's married, you know."

"But," says Giovanna hesitantly. "If I'm-"

"I'm bi," Victoire reminds Giovanna. "I don't care."

"All right," says Kyle, getting to his feet. "That's my cue. Giovanna, I expect my sous-chef in my kitchen in fifteen minutes."

The door shuts behind him. Victoire pulls off her shirt, leaving her in just her bra. Giovanna tries very hard not to look at her pale curves, even though she has no romantic interest in the girl.

"Are you okay?" asks Victoire, the closest thing to concern Giovanna has heard from her in a while.

Giovanna nods.

"All right," says Victoire, leaving it at that. Giovanna likes that about her- she leaves things be. Victoire tugs on a UCLA sweatshirt, then unzips her backpack, rummaging through the mess. Unlike Giovanna, Victoire is perpetually messy. "Are you going to help with dinner?"

"Yes," says Giovanna. She stretches her long arms above her, blinking her green eyes to the ceiling. She glances at the window, toward the spring afternoon. "I'll probably-"

She screams.

"What?" Victoire looks up from the pieces of paper strewn around. "What is it?"

"A woman!" gasps Giovanna, scrambling back on the carpet and staring at the open shutters. "There was a woman at the window."

Victoire stares. "We're on the second floor! They'd have to be floating!"

Giovanna can't take her eyes off the shutters. "B-but she was right there. She had messy brown hair and purple eyes and she was staring right at you!"

Victoire jumps up, then walks to the window. She pushes back the shutters and leans through it, looking up and down the stucco house. "There's nothing here. Maybe we shouldn't have let you watch Insidious."

Giovanna screams again. "She's right there!"

Victoire whirls around, but while Giovanna sees luminous violet eyes and a gaping grin, the other girl appears to be staring into nothing. "What are you talking about?" she demands. "There's literally nothing out there?"

Footsteps, and then Ayaan pokes his head in the girls' bedroom, Sarge at his ankles. "Are you guys okay?"

"Haven't you heard of knocking?" asks Victoire. "I could have been naked."

Ayaan immediately looks apologetic. "Sorry. But look at the bright side. You're not. And I heard Giovanna scream."

"There was a woman in the window," says Giovanna.

Ayaan blinks. "A what?"

"A WOMAN."

"Are you sure?"

"YES."

Victoire waves her hand out the window, then bangs the shutters closed. "No-thing. Nada. No woman. No creepy witch."

Giovanna is still staring at the window. "I wasn't making it up. I saw her, Victoire!"

"Sorry," says Ayaan. "But the only witch I see in here is Victoire."

Victoire throws a pencil case at him with frightening accuracy. "Damn you, Ayaan."

"WORDS, VICTOIRE." Ayaan barely manages to duck away from the pencil case. "You are in English Literature with honors."

"Because I placed out of Fluent Cussing with distinct honors."

Giovanna doesn't really care about the bickering of her friends. She is still staring out the window. But she sees nothing but the afternoon sun over the Pacific Ocean.

Victoire turns back to her. "Look, it's been a long day. I'm going to get this worthless project done with Dean, you can delight us with your culinary abilities again, and then we'll go to Pacific Park. Okay?"

Giovanna finally turns away from the shutters. "Okay," she mutters. "Ayaan... are you..." She swallows. "Do you still like me?"

Ayaan looks horrified. "Why would I not?"

"Because you're religious, like Dean."

He looks even more horrified, and hurries to engulf her in a warm hug. Ayaan always smells like spices and blankets. "Of course I do! Get that silly little idea out of your head. You're still fabulous. And America's Next Top Chef."

"Good, that's settled," says Victoire. "Now let's go. I've got shit to do."

*

Victoire and Ayaan should have believed Giovanna about the woman in the window.

Not that it matters to the violet eyes or the gaping grin.

*

The doorbell rings just as Dean and I are putting the finishing touches on our Lit project on the lanai. It's not a bad setup our school supplies are littered over the stucco floor, abandoned celery sticks are on the table, and the lanai overlooks the Pacific Ocean. Our house is up on the hills, not quite as high as some of the mansions, but there are some benefits of Kyle working in a top secret government facility. Dean is wearing a loose tank top, having swapped his school attire for comfort, and I've long traded the UCLA sweatshirt for a loose camisole of my own.

"Can you get that?" shouts Emmaline from the dining room.

"Teamwork," says Dean, giving me a high five, which ends up being more of a high-five-into-my-waist as I get up.

"Teamwork is for eight-year-old campfire goodie goodies," I say, jumping over our pile of construction paper on the way to the door.

"That's inspiring," says Ajia. She and Ayaan were working on chemistry at the table next to us, until Ayaan had to go home an hour ago.

I unlock the front door to find Anthony in the doorway. He's wearing the same clothes as he was at school, although he has also thrown on an old brown jacket.

"Hi, Professor Lupin," I say. "Welcome to the Brady Bunch."

"Hi, Wednesday Adams," Anthony returns. "Thanks for the welcome."

"VICTOIRE!"

I look up to see a bespectacled Adam hanging over the banister. Beside him is Zachary Calen, Lizzie's twin brother.

"What? And stop doing that, you're going to fall and I'll have to present Scarlett with your bashed-in head."

Adam makes a face at me. "Is dinner ready?"

"And who's that?' asks Zachary, who has the fairest hair of the Calen kids.

"Yes, dinner is ready, and this is the homeless man we decided to adopt."

"Ouch," says Anthony. "Do I look that bad?"

"Nice to meet you!" says Adam with a grin, obviously not believing me. "Do you live on the street?"

"Only when the real estate is good," says Anthony. He slips off his shoes and nods to me. "How's Giovanna?"

I take off my snapback and start braiding my long hair back. "Better. Slightly. Probably. I don't know, I'm not a shrink."

"Nor are you a very welcome host."

"It ain't my house." I slap my snapback on again. "Kitchen is this way. Hope you don't mind zoos, because you just stepped inside one."

"Anthony!" says Kyle when we step inside the kitchen. Some Rascal Flatts song is playing in the background, and he's taking bread out of the oven. Giovanna is nearby, cutting cucumbers into even slices and tossing them into a large salad bowl. She has one toe keeping open the refrigerator, the face of which is decorated with watercolors Elizabeth has done. "Glad you could make it, thanks for the coming."

"No problem, thanks for the invite," says Anthony. "Hey, Giovanna."

"Hi," she says quietly, almost cutting herself with her knife.

Elizabeth runs into the kitchen, Sarge bounding right beside her. Even though Lizzie is fairly self-sufficient, Sarge is a trained service dog. And a big doofus. Grinning, Elizabeth signs to her father, Is dinner ready?

"Yes, it is," says Kyle, signing back. He points to my English teacher. "This is Anthony."

Elizabeth suddenly looks shy. She's usually energetic, but either it's because Anthony doesn't actually look like a homeless person, or because she's scared about being ostracized.

It doesn't seem to affect Anthony. He crouches so he's eye-level with Elizabeth and then moves his hands fluidly. "Hi, Elizabeth. My sign language is sucky, but I try. I like your butterfly hair."

She giggles, grinning again, then signing. Clip. Not hair.

"My bad," says Anthony, smiling as he stands. "Sorry."

"Go get the others," says and signs Kyle, and Elizabeth runs out of the kitchen just as Emmaline walks in, Arabella in her arms. Arabella is only three, but clearly a Bianchi, marked with her vibrant tuff of red hair.

"This is my Emmaline," says Kyle, leaning away from the stove to kiss his wife rather passionately. "She decided to give up being a Victoria's Secret angel to marry my lowly butt."

Emmaline rolls her eyes. "He's making that up. I'm a vet- my clinic is right across from the Malibu Country Mart. It's nice to meet you."

"Pleasure," says Anthony, shaking her hand. "Who's this pretty girl?"

"Arabella," says Emmaline. "Say hi to Anthony, Bella."

The toddler grins, beating her fists as she laughs. I've never seen a child laugh so much as her.

"And to ease your curiosity, no we don't breed like rabbits," says Kyle, sliding the bread onto a large plate. "We're a bit of a blended household here. The redheads aren't hours, and neither is Princess Foul Mouth."

"She called me homeless," offers Anthony, and when he winks at me, I roll my eyes.

"Where have your manners gone?" asks Kyle who like normal, dances around disciplining me. "And I made vegetarian lasagna for you, Victoire. You're welcome."

Ajia appears from the lanai as if by magic. Someday, I hope to be able to perfect Ajia's beauty. She's like a queen. "Did you just say lasagna, Kyle? Oh, hey, Anthony."

"That I did," says Kyle. "Go sit down so we can try to round up the crew."

"Rounding up the crew" takes about fifteen more minutes, and we barely fit in the large dining room that has the same view as the lanai. I sit between Giovanna and Ajia, practically salivating from hunger- I was so worried about Giovanna, I barely ate lunch.

Thankfully, Kyle and Giovanna were busy making another culinary masterpiece. True to word, Kyle made French bread and veggie lasagna- I can tease him for anything, but not for this. Giovanna also took the time to whip up her homemade Italian dressing for the salad, plus chicken fritters, sticky ribs, and grilled asparagus.

"So how long have you been in Malibu?" Emmaline asks Anthony, passing the barbeque sauce to Zach and Adam.

"Two years," says Anthony. "I got my PHD in Archaeology and World Literature from Stanford and then took up teaching at Pacific High right after. I've always liked teaching. Kids are great."

"Not always," says Dean, mouth full of ribs. "Take a look at us."

"You guys are great, who am I kidding?" asks Anthony. "Especially Wednesday over there, chowing down the veggies."

I point an asparagus stalk at him. "Hey, we're not at school. I can say whatever I want."

"Within reason," says Emmaline.

"Not really," I say.

"Technically true," says Kyle.

"And you say whatever you want at school too," says Anthony.

"Doesn't hurt my feelings if it's true." With a single bite, I decapitate the asparagus stalk.

"Are we still going to Pacific Park?" asks Ajia. "I promised Momma I'd buy her a Bubba Gump t-shirt."

"As far as I know, that's where you guys are going," says Kyle. "As long as you're back by eleven. It's a Friday, but I don't want you out until midnight."

"I'll text Ayaan," says Ajia, ducking into her purse to grab her phone. "Hopefully, he can come."

"As long as we don't ride the Ferris Wheel," says Dean. "I think Ayaan might have a heart attack."

Elizabeth and Carolina have not taken their eyes off of Anthony, and both have reverted to shyness. Anthony should consider getting a girlfriend before he's overwhelmed with admirers.

Can you speak Polish? Elizabeth pulls at Anthony's sleeve

"Sorry, Elizabeth," he says, his hands moving slightly slower. "I can't understand you."

Elizabeth looks down, clasping her hands together.

Giovanna's fingers fly immediately, repeating Elizabeth's question and speaking it out loud.

"Ah," says Anthony, turning to Elizabeth. His hands are a little clumsy, but he does a pretty good job. "Not Polish. I am Romanian."

Elizabeth wrinkles her nose. Is that a language?

After Giovanna's translation, Anthony nods and smiles at Elizabeth. "Yes."

Elizabeth swallows her bite of chicken, then gets up from her chair, running into Kyle's small office with Sarge at her feet. She comes back seconds later and hands Anthony a piece of paper and a pencil. Write something in Romanian.

"Honey," says Emmaline, signing from across the table. "Let him eat first."

"Nah, it's okay," says Anthony, taking the pencil. He scribbles something and gives it to Lizzie.

Elizabeth's blue eyes dart back and forth. What does it mean?

"It means you're very talented," says Anthony, signing the words. "I like your paintings in the kitchen."

Emmaline smiles, mimicking her daughter's delightful beaming.

The rest of the meal passes uneventfully, if you can count a dinner of twelve as uneventful. After key lime pie (crust courtesy of Kyle, frosting courtesy of Giovanna), the "tweenyboppers", as Kyle calls them, go onto the lanai to do homework while the rest of us get ready to go to Pacific Park.

It's sometimes chilly by the ocean at night, so I grab an old sweater. I pull back my tangly hair, swooping it into a messy bun with tendrils hanging around my face. Giovanna redoes her makeup, and she's still fixing her mascara when I walk back out of our room.

"We're riding the Plunge, right?" asks Dean with a grin, meeting me in the hallway. He's wearing a navy hoodie.

"Only if Ayaan doesn't try to shanghai us into the bumper cars," I say. "You know he hates drops."

"And the Ferris Wheel," says Ajia, joining us from the guest bathroom. "He texted back saying he would come on the one condition that we would under no circumstances ride the Ferris Wheel."

"I'll tell him I'll buy cotton candy," I say as we walk down the stairs. "That should make it up to him."

We pass Emmaline's office- which is larger than Kyle's- and even though the door is closed, we can see through the glass that the Calens are in a deep discussion with Anthony.

"Is Giovanna doing better?" asks Ajia, also noticing.

"I guess she is," I say. "She hasn't said much, but it's not like she's a Chatty Cathy."

"I think the more we make it seem like something is bugging her, the more she's going to be upset," says Dean, sidestepping into the kitchen and grabbing another bite of key lime pie.

"You already had two slices," I say.

"I'm a growing man," he says with a wink. I roll my eyes. Dean got his charm from his father.

Carolina and Elizabeth appear from around the banisters. Hastily, Elizabeth points at Dean and signs, Can you bring me back candy?

"And me," adds Carolina.

"Sure," says Dean, signing back to his sister. "But I think you're pretty sweet enough."

Carolina rolls her eyes, but a mollified Elizabeth giggles. Dean stoops to kiss his sister on the top of the head, then signs, What kind?

Anything!

"All right." He stands. "As soon as Giovanna gets back, we'll-"

A bone-chilling scream shatters through the house.

Elizabeth, confused by what must be our confused expressions, rapidly signs, asking what's wrong. Ajia stays behind to explain, but Dean and I are already sprinting up the stairs. I'm faster than Dean, and make it to my bedroom.

I might be fast, but apparently, Kyle, Emmaline, and Anthony were faster. Kyle's fingers are around a trembling Giovanna, who is pointing at the window.

"What's wrong, Principessa?" he asks. "What is it?"

"There was a woman!" she gasps, her entire body shaking. "A woman with purple eyes and she was staring through the window and shouting and I saw her earlier but nobody believed me because they couldn't see her either?"

"Is she still there, Giovanna?" asks Anthony. I'm surprised. I wouldn't think an English teacher would believe a seventeen year old girl claiming that a purple-eyed woman is haunting her bedroom window.

"N-no," says Giovanna, who doesn't seem to want to look at the window anymore, just the carpet. "She's gone."

"What did she say?" asks Kyle, who looks solemn and completely serious.

"She w-wants Victoire. She wants Victoire's blood, something, I don't know!"

Kyle and Emmaline look at each other. Anthony looks at me.

"What the fuck?" I ask.

Kyle doesn't bother with chastising my language. "Giovanna, what did she look like?"

"Purple eyes. Brown hair. She was white. I d-don't know."

Kyle mutters under his breath, then stands. "Are you sure, Giovanna?"

"Yes!" Giovanna finally raises her head. "I swear, it's- VICTOIRE!"

She screams again, falling back against the bed and pointing at me.

"What's wrong?" I ask. "What the hell is wrong with me now?"

"Your teeth!" exclaims Giovanna.

I run to the vanity, then push my lips back. But my teeth look perfectly ordinary.

"Dear God," says Anthony, who is behind me, reflected in the mirror. He's staring right at me like he's seeing a ghost.

"What is wrong with my teeth?" I ask, moving my tongue over them. "Other than having veggie lasagna stuck in them, they're normal. I'm normal. And also-"

"You're not normal," says Anthony. "Who are your parents?"

"Does this really matter?" asks Emmaline. Her voice is sharp, but the looks she and her husband keep exchanging are anxious. Beside his mother, Dean looks half-worried, half-confused.

"Yes," says Anthony. "You have fangs, Victoire. And Giovanna can see them- and the woman in the window- because she's a Seer. Just like me." 

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Thoughts? Please VOTE and COMMENT! And be sure to nominate Maelstrom or Revenge (you remember those, right ;) ) in the Marvel awards! 

I'll try to update again tomorrow, but you never know...

What do you think of Victoire versus Thea? But more to the point, does Victoire remind you of a certain amber-eyed, sassy Velah? 

;) 

xoxo Sierra xoxo

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