School had been drop dead boring, even by Monday standards. As soon as the final bell sounded I raced out of class making for my locker before bee-lining for the warehouse. As it was Monday, I had training with Dean who went to all the effort each week to catch the train out from his place in the country. I was supposed to be learning these skills for when I became a Grigori but with every day that followed my seventeenth the reality that I wasn't going to bit harder and harder. I was angry. I was stressed. And I was going to take Dean out.

With a face set like a thunder cloud, I forced open the door. Grigori or not, here I come.

    "Afternoon," greeted Dean, not bothering to look up from his sports magazine. He was dressed in his usual training clothes; loose shorts and a fitted grey singlet. I glowered at him. Slamming my school bag down next to him I marched up to the bathroom to get changed. My hands were shaking with fury as I tried to get the buttons of my school dress undone and I muttered a string of curse words Mum would have had my head for if she'd caught me.

    "Ready yet?" Dean inquired when I returned. I swear, if looks could kill . . .

    "Shut. Up." I snapped. He rolled his eyes and grinned.

    "Someone's in a bad mood," Dean laughed, standing up to take his position on one end of the soft mat. "Failed a test? No sleep? No let me guess, PM..." I didn't wait for him to finish before I charged.

The first blow was to his jaw which, with his heightened reflexes, he'd managed to soften so I clipped him solidly. I then followed through with a series of fast hits spanning the entirety of his body. The idiot was smiling slightly, as if proud of my weak humanness, as he fell back a little wanting to get some distance between us to assess my next move. He didn't get very far before I spun in close, delivering a sharp elbow to the ribs and a sweeping kick to just behind his knee. To my surprise and pleasure, the Grigori doubled over so his head was almost touching the floor. I advanced, realising this was probably just a tactical ploy, ready to attack him again when he made a desperate T sign with his hand.

    "Wait up," he gasped before bending back down again. That's when I noticed something was wrong. As a human, I should barely have been able to make him wince and yet here Dean was breathless and contorted in pain. What was going on with everyone? Realising I wasn't attacking him anymore, the Grigori attempted to relax into a sitting position. Carefully I slipped my arm around his shoulders and helped him to stand in order to hobble over to the couch. I decided to stand. Once there, Dean carefully stretched out his left leg, the one I had kicked. He tried to smother the gasp he made as he moved it. The knee was a little swollen and slightly discoloured.

'Did I do that?' I thought in alarm. Sensing my horror, Dean left his leg alone to explain.

    "I broke it a couple of days ago," he managed, still quite breathless, "It was mostly healed but you must have kicked me at just the wrong spot. Or..." He trailed off for a moment. "Have you embraced?" The innocence with which he said it triggered something in me. Suddenly tears prickled in my eyes and I found myself crying without the slightest care who saw me. I shook my head furiously.

    "No," I sobbed, "Don't you get it, Dean? I can't be Grigori. I'm just always going to be plain, stupid Rose. Boring Rose. The daughter of the two greatest Grigori ever. Disappointment Rose." The words burned in my throat. "Human Rose." My tongue failed me then. I couldn't say anything more so I just bawled uncontrollably like a spoilt child. I felt warm, strong arms around me and a familiar but strained voice in my ear as I was lowered to the floor.

    "Rose," the Canadian whispered. He seemed so very far away, "You don't need to be Grigori. You're perfect the way you are. You're parents love you either way. I..." And everything fell away.

...

My eyes fluttered open. The room was awash with the dim, flickering light of a single candle. Without seeing anyone, I could feel the presence of another near-by. Slowly, I stumbled to my feet and searched for the intruder. There he was; seated on a three-legged wooden stool staring at me with a mixture of curiousity and distain. Behind him a window looked out into unending darkness. With a start, I realised the opening was full of faces; ghostly pale shadows, all so new to me yet startlingly familiar. As if in a trance, I found myself moving towards the window. As I stood looking out into the abyss I realised there was red paint running down the glass and pooling on the floor. No, not red paint; blood. Red blood.

    "Who are you?" I whispered, my voice echoing as if I was in a vast cavern, "What am I doing here?" Silence followed. I could only hear my deep rhythmic breathing and the slow, wet dripping of blood. After what felt like an age he finally spoke.

    "You have a choice ahead of you," his words caressed my ears like silk, "A choice that no-one but yourself can make. You have realised, I am sure, that you are not like your parents or those you surround yourself with. You do not have an angelic essence from birth." I forced back a frown. If I didn't have an angelic essence who was I talking to if not my angel maker?

    "I am indeed an angel," he continued, "But not your angel. I am merely a messenger. Due to your heritage you have been born instilled with power. A power which has the ability to make you like them. An ... equal to them." Was he saying I could be Grigori? The constant longing in my heart re-emerged. Was it really possible?

    "So you said I had a choice?" I questioned, interrupting my visitor, "What do you mean by 'a choice'?" A mildly annoyed expression flashed across his face so fast that I almost thought I didn't see it.

    "Your choice," he explained, "Must be made under the right circumstances. You have the power to be like them, though you will not be plagued by our fallen brethren if you choose to deny yourself this power. The choice lies ahead but your journey will be different to the rest and I cannot guarantee that it will not be far harder and for far less power." I used the ensuing silence to order my thoughts.

    "So I can embrace now?" I asked, "If I want?" He met my eyes for a brief moment and I thought I saw him shake his head sadly before the scene dissipated leaving me in the dark recesses of my mind to dwell on what I had witnessed. My heart leapt at the thought that, maybe, there was a chance I could finally fit in . . .

...

    "And the attacks are becoming more ... Violet. She's waking up." I forced my eyes open one millimetre at a time. What had happened?

    "Baby?" I heard someone call to me, "Can you hear me?" I recognised the voice; Mum. Gradually, my surroundings began to come into focus. I was in a bed. From the light fixture I could tell I must have still been at the warehouse.

    "Rosie? Baby? Darling?" Mum persisted, "Can you hear me?" She was right next to me, stroking my head tenderly. I couldn't turn my head to see her face but her voice seemed . . . fractured.

    "Hey, Mum," I croaked, barely able to force the words out, though the heaviness of my tongue. I heard her sob, quietly.

    "Are you okay, Rosie?" Mum questioned, still patting my hair, "What happened?"

'Good question' I thought, 'Ten marks for originality.' Her hands continued to stroke my head. I was feeling more awake by the second. Then I remembered the dream and the longing returned.

    "Water, please?" I asked my mother, fighting the pain, and she hastened to obey. The cool liquid refreshed me and quenched my burning thirst. I dragged myself into a sitting position.

    "Rosie?" Mum's eyes said it all. I tried for a smile.

    "M'okay, Mum," I answered looking her in the eye, "Just a little out of it." Her smile mirrored mine; half-hearted. Slowly, she rose to her feet.

    "I'll take her from here, Violet," someone else affirmed. A door closed and we were alone.

    "Hey, Griff," I attempted jovial and obviously failed. His stern and fatherly eyes scanned my face.

    "Liar," he frowned, "How bad is it?" I did a quick self-assessment.

    "Physically; I think I'm fine," I recounted, "Though I'm mentally exhausted and entirely confused." This evaluation seemed to be more to his liking.

    "Care to elaborate?" he pressed. I gave a small sigh.

    "I feel like someone has replaced my brain with ten tonnes of honey and I want to go to bed," I clarified. He nodded thoughtfully.

    "You were out for two days," he remarked. I stared awestruck. Two. Days.

    "Linc and Violet have been worried sick," he continued, "And not to mention Dean who was there when you just blanked out." Once again he studied me like one would a complicated maths equation. And with also a hint of apprehension.

    "What happened, Rose?" With him staring at me with fatherly concern, I longed to spill my guts.

. . .

Griffin let me be after a while seeing as he would get no answers. He set someone outside my door in case of an emergency but otherwise I was left on my own to rest and recover. When I woke up again I was feeling much stronger and in a far better frame of mind. In my head I replayed what I remembered from the strange dream, attempting to understand what I had been told. After a while I decided it was time to eat. My stomach was craving food of any kind as no-one had thought to bring me snacks.

As I opened the door I smacked it into Spencer's face. Spence was almost like a little brother to Mum and he definitely was one to me. An annoying one at that.

    "What the heck was that for, Wood!" he proclaimed throwing his hands into the air, "Trying to take my beautiful face off? Not jealous or anything, are you?" I couldn't hold back my giggles at the sight of his truly offended expression.

    "Aren't you meant to be dead or something?" I shook my head. "Well," he continued, "Your parents are sure acting like it. I haven't seen much of Linc but your mum. Sheesh! You'd think I'd killed her stuffed panda bear from kindergarten!" I let my face ease into an open smile.

    "Thanks for the warning, Spence," I grinned before heading off down the corridor.

No-one was downstairs so I helped myself to a large bowl of salmon and caper pasta. After heating it up in the microwave I hoed in at the table. Some time passed before the front door opened and in walked Dean. Or should I say hobbled. His face relaxed instantly.

    "Good to see you up, Rose," he greeted, smiling a little. I watched as he slowly made his way to where I was seated. His knee was wrapped up tightly.

    "Are you okay, Dean?" I responded concern etched across my face. He lazily shrugged one shoulder.

    "I'm okay," he answered, "It hurts like a mule. You re-broke it. That's healed over but it seriously bruised; muscles and skin. I'm out of active duty for another few days. Other than that I'm fine. All the better for seeing you actually conscious too." I nodded, processing the information. In one of the other rooms I could hear Spence slamming around the controls for the PlayStation.

    "You're okay?" Dean inquired, "I mean, you were out for two days and asleep for another one. I realised something was up but I wasn't expecting you to . . ."

    "Pass out crying in your arms?" I suggested.

    "Yeah," he agreed, "Pretty much." I smile apologetically. He smiles back and I know there's no hard feelings between us.

    "So..." he continues, "You're looking a little too happy considering the other day. What's up?"

. . .

Unknown POV

A smile played on my lips as she burst into joyous laughter. She flicked her straight, dark hair away from her face and I melted inside slightly. She was so beautiful. Her green eyes sparkled with humour alerting me to the fact she must have been enjoying the conversation. Her blood red lips encasing amazingly white teeth, all perfectly straight like a photo model.

    "My secret," she jeered. He pouted and tried to pressure her into telling more. Her black singlet snuck up her back a little as she shifted in her seat, exposing her porcelain skin. She was so pale, like salt or snow. So thin and delicate and sexy.

Around him she was so comfortable. Would she ever be like that with me? It annoyed me to no end that he could sit there with her and chat about anything while I had to hide in the shadows and just watch it all play out. She was so innocent. Could she not see the cute doe eyes he shot her way? Or the sudden flashes of flirtatious smiles? It killed me inside that I was reduced to secretly stalking her just to catch a glimpse, but maybe that was all I was destined to do. When she collapsed into his arms I so badly wanted to charge in there and tear him off her. But I didn't.

I had been getting stronger. Now, not only could I melt into the shadows, I could become almost entirely undetectable to any being; exile or Grigori. That was why I could watch her now, before the cover of full darkness. I still had to be careful though. Even with my quickly developing abilities I had to make sure I wasn't seen. I could never come out of the shadows when watching her. Due to my parentage I would be seen as a threat.

I could never be with her as a human. Something's were truly impossible. I was dangerous. I would only bring her harm and pain. But maybe she could handle that, if she were Grigori. For now I just had to bide my time and wait for the right moment to reveal myself. I could see it the time dawning in the distance. It was coming but not just yet . . .

. . .

Rose POV

It was nice to talk with Dean. It felt like I hadn't talked to anyone in years. Though our conversation had been brief it had also been pleasant. He left a little while after Dad arrived excusing himself for some other pressing engagement. My father came and sat down next to me in the seat Dean had just vacated.

    "Hey, Rose," he smiled, "Nice to see you up." I returned the gesture.

    "Nice to be up," I beamed.

    "You're feeling good?" he questioned further.

    "Yeah, awesome," I replied enthusiastically, "How 'bout you?"

    "I'm doing well myself."

'Liar!' I screamed in my head. He looked much the same as when I'd seen him last; pale, thin and drawn. And did he have silver in his hair? No, surely that was just a trick of the light. I cocked an eyebrow at his answer.

    "I'm getting better," he conceded, "The pills that Doctor Phillip's given me knock me around a bit. They're meant to help with the weight thing and the vertigo. They're pretty strong. We've been told not to expect an instant miracle but they'll help in the long term." That answer I could accept; Cameron's brother had been on similar medication before and it had taken weeks before any notable change occurred.

    "How's Mum?" I asked. Dad smiled a little at the thought of his wife.

    "She's okay, I guess," he reflected, "Worried about you and doesn't understand what happened, none of us do really, but, on the whole, she's well." That sounded like Mum; always worried about someone else besides herself.

    "Did you come to pick me up?" I inquired, hopefully. My father shook his head. I wanted to tell my parents about the dream together before I spilled to anyone else.

    "No, actually," he answered, "Is it okay if you stay with Griffin for a while? Mum and I are needed at the Academy for something or other." I shrugged my heart falling.

    "Yeah. Cool with me," I replied, a little put out, "Any ground rules?"

    "Just the usual," Dad grinned, "No drinking, bed by midnight and you have to go to school."

    "Yes, Sir," I shouted, sitting up straight and saluting him.

    "Come here," he whispered gathering me up into a bear hug. I knew what Mum meant when she said he smelled like sunshine and honey; it was so overpowering and welcoming. So familiar and good.

...

Sooooo? What did you think? Please tell me in the comments section! Also, has anyone seen/listened to 'Hamilton: An American Musical'? If you haven't, you should. Beware though there is a bit of swearing but it only adds to the awesomeness of Lin-Manuel Miranda's play. On top is the Working with Lemons version of  The Schuyler Sisters. So good! Anyway. I'll update again soon because a few of the chapters are quite similar but some major changes on the way! 

~SpanishFox