2 Chapter 2 - Is it Good News or Bad? (1/2)

The next morning, I woke up with Alice draped over my body like it was her duty to be my blanket. I stroked her hair for a few minutes until she groaned into my chest which made me chuckle. She gave me a look as she pushed herself up, not minding that she was using my smaller cleavage as the platform for her hands.

”Really?” I asked, motioning to her hands.

”You liked me gripping them enough last night,” she chuckled.

”Can you let me up? I'd like to get some training in before things become too chaotic,” I said.

She sighed but climbed off of me after a moment. I sat up and gave her butt a playful smack before I fled to the bathroom, only dodging the vicious pillow thrown at my back by ducking behind the door. I hurried through my morning routine of washing my face, brushing my teeth, and such.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, Alice was mostly dressed and fussing over her hair. I chuckled as I walked over and went through my dresser for some workout clothes. She rushed into the bathroom once I was clear and I heard the sink turn on. I was fully dressed by the time she reappeared with a grumpy look on her face.

”What's with that look?” I asked with a playful grin.

”It's because of this!” she growled as she pulled the collar of her shirt to the side, revealing a purplish mark on her collarbone.

I couldn't help, but snigger as I scratched the back of my head and looked away. It was a bad habit, especially considering the strange situation she was in, but I never could remember that when things got heated. ”Sorry,” I said with a sheepish grin on my face, remembering last night.

”You're hopeless,” she said as she stepped in close to me.

I placed a hand on her cheek while the other fell to her waist and I gave her a gentle kiss as I held her tight. She returned it with far more experience than I could show before she pulled away.

”Let's get something to eat before we start this busy day. Once she gets here, I want you to sit in for the introduction. I'm putting her under your care to start with,” Alice said as she turned and headed for the door.

”Wait... what? I thought was Gus's thing. Even with his ”incredible charm” and telling them I am his sister, all of the other girls screamed at the first sight of me,” I complained as I followed her down the hall.

”This one is another bloodline awakening like you, so she should be more understanding... plus, it has been over a year since the last time someone new was added in and your 'human' form has improved greatly.”

I sighed in defeat since I knew it would be impossible to change her mind once it was made up. We reached the kitchen where Terri and Kiara were already sitting at the main table while a stone golem was preparing breakfast. Terri was from a small town in Georgia before she wound up here. She had long, reddish-brown hair and freckles which gave her this innocent, girl-next-door look, but she was frightening with a bow in her hands and even more so when she pulled out her tool bag. Kiara was from India and the newest member of the group. Her long, straight black hair hung loosely past her shoulders accenting her soft jawline and she gave off a gentle aura thanks to her affinity with nature and plant magic which made her an excellent alchemist.

Terri got up and poured Alice a cup of coffee when we entered while Kiara gave both of us a polite greeting. I sat down in my normal spot and poured myself a glass of juice. Alice slumped down into the chair between me and Terri and only moved when a cup of coffee appeared next to her head.

”So, do they know?” I asked.

”Do we know what?” Kiara asked as she peeked over her mug.

Alice refused to respond as she focused solely on her cup while she enjoyed her first few sips. ”No, they don't know,” she said when she gently placed down her cup.

”You two are annoying sometimes,” Terri complained.

I laughed and replied, ”Maybe, but this one is all Alice... A new girl will be brought in today.”

”And we are only hearing about this now!” Terri exclaimed.

”Would knowing two days ago make any difference?” Alice sighed then took another drink from her cup with a melancholy look across her face.

”Still...” Terri said with a sigh.

”Does anyone else in the manor know?” Kiara asked.

”No.”

”That's not like you, Alice. What's up with this girl?” I asked.

”It's not the girl that's the problem, it's just that she is the last one...”

Everyone went silent upon hearing Alice's words as we all knew what the ”last one” meant. A countdown was started the moment her bloodline had awakened until, what Alice called the ”Great Ward”, would completely collapse and Earth would be plunged into a world filled with all various creatures of myths and legends. Alice went into great detail about the future each time someone new joined the manor and, even though we didn't believe her words, there was little room for doubt after she 'showed' us the future.

”How long will we have?” Kiara asked.

”Five... maybe ten years if nothing interferes with the Great Ward, but things will. If I still remain from the 'Old Days', others will have as well. Any one of them could try something once they feel the ward weakening which would just speed up matters.”

No one talked for a while as we just blankly stared at our drinks. We sat there in silence for a few moments before Sophia and Lesedi walked in, laughing then stopped when they saw us.