I prefer the dead. They are much more accommodating.

   ~Pens&Keys


Elloren, the raven-haired witch, and I all stood on the opposite side the black metal door. The witch casting the spell lifting the barrier surrounding the room. Bowing towards me, the mute witch left us alone. Elloren reached for the doorknob, however the door opened first. A wave of red hair standing before us. A little shorter then Elloren and a lot taller than me. She smelled of magic and rage.


“Are you here to free me?” She asked. Her voice low and raspy. Shaking our heads in unison, Elloren and I took one step towards her. If this girl happens to be a runner, we need to be prepared. Whatever a vampire couldn’t catch, fairies most certainly could. Lifting her hair from her face, I pulled in air that I did not need. Shock is that I believe humans would label this emotion.


Elloren and I both breathing out Clarissa. The red hair, the low and raspy voice, the very depths of intelligence in her blue eyes.


“You know me.” Said the Clarissa look alike. Placing her hands on my shoulders, shoving her face more into my eyesight.


“Your eye powers. The Devil’s Amulets, right? Carmine eyes, plum, red hair, antisocial. You are Alucard. Which means you must be the necromancer.”


The girl did a twirl in her white tulle dress. Her bruised bare feet tripping over each other. Clumsy. Attempting to recall any information about Clarissa prior to a few days ago failed. Why is my memory not working?


Stepping inside the room, following the clumsy twirling girl. She finally stopping once she reached the window that peered out towards the darken forest. Resting her back against the window, she let out a sigh.


“One thing is for certain Clarissa is not a vampire. That was shockingly disgraceful.” Elloren commented from behind me.


“A necromancer commenting on disgrace? How out of place.” The Clarissa lookalike replied. Disgust coating her words.


“Alucard, have you figured out who I am yet?” She asked sliding down the window until her ass collided with the floor. “Or is there still static?”


My instincts told me I could relax. This girl was no threat. She is not going to run, and my father was wrong about her sanity leaving her soul. Sitting down on the only chair in the room I said,


“Your name is Clarissa, oui?”


Poking her pressed lips and widening her eyes a little she replied, “I do not speak French. My name is Clarissa.”


Her failing blue eyes met mines, and I knew that this is Clarissa. I remembered the criticism scent she carried with her. I need to remember more.


“Are you a twin Clarissa? Elloren asked from her leaning position on against the medal door. Her face fill heart shaped face filled with her own questions.


“No, necromancer I am not a twin. Ask something else.”


“Why not just tell us medium.”


“Holy fuck, why didn’t I think of that. I cannot. I am bonded by a spell.”


If I am remembering correctly annoyance is a key personality trait of Clarissa’s. The more spoke or the longer she remained in my presence. It felt as if the more I could remember about her.


“Keep speaking Clarissa. It’s working.” With the click of her tongue, she agreed.


“Okay, but can one of you please turn down the heat?”


“Why? So, you can chat with your dead mom?” Glancing back at Elloren, I couldn’t believe she would say that. But then again, mediums and necromancers have a long history of violence. Deciding to keep working on remembering. I let them speak to each other however they wanted.


Clarissa did have a point though. All the heat in this mansion is currently being funneled into this room. One to prevent her from speaking with the dead and two to prevent her from sleeping. No one can sleep with a layer of sweat covering their skin. Looking at Clarissa deeper now, I could tell she hasn’t slept in days. The bags under her eyes would become permanent if she did not sleep soon. Her nails are also bloody from burying them into the glass.


“No, it’s so I can summon yours. Isn’t there a basement you should be tied up in?” Biting my lip, I focused on trying to remember Clarissa not what she is currently saying. Outside her window the trees began to frost over with ice. After a blood moon there is always a snowstorm.


Elloren and I need to wrap this up fast. We still need to get back on campus.


“What kind of bond Clarissa?” I asked. My patience growing thin with my own memory. Why couldn’t I remember.


“The heat Alucard what can you do regarding the heat in this room."


Clarissa pulled her hair into a wild ponytail. Only to release it because she did not have anything to keep it in place.


“There is nothing I can do regarding the heat. These are my parent’s rules, not mine.”


Tossing her head to the side, Clarissa replied. “For fucks sake. Are you not the princess of hell or vampires or something? You can do something.”


Just then the metal door opened just a little, allowing Elloren to slip out. The witches preferred her over me any day. I remind them of my father. Elloren reminds them of home.


“She is going to solve the heat problem. Now why am I unable to remember you?” I asked, leaning back in the wooden chair.


“You were being poisoned by my father. All of you were.” Lowering my gaze at Clarissa she continued to speak.


“I met you twice, before I became bonded. That is why you are having a hard time clearing the static in your head about me. We were not exposed to each other long enough for you to know see the real me from the cloned me.”


“Cloned?”


“Are you an echo Alucard? Yes cloned. That Clarissa that the school knows is not me.” Clarissa dragged her legs to her chest, placing her head on her knees. Sadness beginning to creep into the criticism air she held around her.


Folding my own legs underneath me, asking. “You can answer some questions but not all why?”


“I can answer questions using the knowledge I have prior to the bonding. After the bonding only the things the dead can whisper to me. Whenever I am not burning in hell.” She said screaming out the burning in hell part. Speaking of hell.


“How did you find your way here?”


“Excuse me?” Clarissa asked sliding her legs back flat on the floor.


“I did not find my way to this Vampire lair. I was brought here by that mute.”


Resisting the urge to wrap my hands around her throat for her distaste in how she spoke about my family home. I gave her warning.


“Speak of my family and our things with the highest discernment.” I knew my eyes glowed red, because I could see their reflection in Clarissa eyes. Holding up her hands in surrender she said.


“Fine Alucard. I kiss the ring.” “Fucking vampires.”


Slouching back down in the chair, I asked. “What poisoned us?”


“Stolen magic. From The Angel of Death.” Widening my eyes I could only stare at Clarissa.


The Angel of Death is one of the entities not even the four gatekeepers could match. We know limited things about them because they did not make their powers known.


“How do you know this?”


“Easy math. What other spell or power has the potency to erase or replace memories? The Angel of Death is the only one that can change time. It goes Vatican (God of Time) Angel of Death (Angel of Death.)


Interlocking my hands placing them under my chin I thought about what Clarissa is declaring. A memory spell is advanced. However, a mass memory spell at Academy West is inconceivable. But not impossible. Non, the Clarissa in front of me began to resurface in my mind.


I saw her the day before she left. Or the day before the cloned Clarissa came. The real Clarissa was vacant hollow almost. I did not say anything that day because I personally do not care for her. I now know better she was spell bounded that day. Leaving to go wherever the caster was or wherever they sent her. Clarissa did say it was the mute witch that brought her here. The raven-haired mute most certainly knows something.


“Can you tell me anything else?”


“No, my knowledge ends there.”


Moving in front of her, I held out my hand to her. The moment she placed her hand in mine the heat turned off. Sighing in relief, she did something unexpected. Wrapping her arms around me she hugged me. Not hugging her back, I did inhale her scent. That brought back another memory of her. Clarissa sitting in the library reading books to the dead. Clarissa always smelt of vintage books and coffee.


Sliding her arms from around me. Fresh tears falling from her eyes, I said. “I am going to tell you all that I know. I am going to find a witch that can break your bond. I am going to let you out of this room. But I need you to play along a little while longer. I need one week.”


Using the back of her dress sleeve to wipe her the water from her face. Clarissa said, “I thought you couldn’t do anything?”


Waving my hand in a dismissive way I replied, “I lied. I wanted to confirm you are who you say you are.”

Straightening her shoulders Clarissa said, “And?”


Walking out the door without looking back I replied, “Vintage books and coffee.” Before closing the door, her chuckle reached my ears.