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"Belladonna, are you with us?"

"Yes." Wow, my voice was calm. My father's eyebrows knit together at my flat response. I didn't blame him for worrying. I sounded like I was a reanimated corpse, completely devoid of feeling. "I'm fine," I said, trying to put a little more energy into my voice. I still sounded monotone. I couldn't summon the emotion.

I couldn't summon the emotion?

"What the hell?" The question was to myself, and it wasn't filled with a panic like it would have been before... well, before. It was merely a mild curiosity.

"It's alright," my mother's father said. "It's not unheard of for a lack of emotional response after an awakening as exuberant and trying as this has been." My father nodded in response. I grew bored with them and began examining the room again. It was not the bland room I had walked into any longer. The walls swirled with technicolor spirals. Symbols of the language I somehow recognized floated aimlessly around the air. My arm was swatting at them before I could stop myself. I was reminded somewhat of a cat playing "catch the fairy" with a pen light and I giggled. The giggle quickly evolved into full-on hysterical laughter. I stopped mid-spin to see my father and grandfather looking at me anxiously. I cocked my head to the side, a curious smile on my face.

"What's wrong with her?" James asked.

"I'm not sure... It could be..." My grandfather started to explain but I interrupted him.

"There's nothing wrong with me!" I shouted, furious. "Don't talk about me like I'm not here!" I was up in their faces. They didn't look angry at me. Only worried.

"Oh my god! What's wrond with me!? I'm sorry!" I shouted. "Oh god, why can't I control myself? What the hell!" I was panicking now.

"Relax, Donna. You probably just need to get away from the magic floating around the air in here. There is a lot of magic that goes into Awakening Ceremonies and so the air here is thick with charms."

I pondered that for a moment. Then, I took off running for the door. I whipped it open and was out in a hallway in no time. The bubbly, giddy feeling was beginning to fade. I was already starting to feel better. I wanted to feel sane again fast though. Suddenly I knew what I wanted. I wanted to be outside. I needed to be outside. Down the hall I could see a window to a courtyard. It was the same courtyard my "hospital" room had been connected to. I smiled and dashed down the hall, my heart beating an excited rythymn at my chance to be free of this wretched prison.

There was no latch on the window, but I could see light pouring in a wide open door farther down the hall. I ran for it. James and my grandfather were calling for me. Their voices echoed down the halls. I ignored them. They would understand if I explained what had happened. My sudden claustrophobia. For right now though I needed to be outside.

"Belladonna!" It was my father's voice. "Stop! Wait!"

I didn't.

"BELLADONNA! WAIT!" He called, louder. I faltered for a second, then took off with new found speed. Time around me froze and the walls blurred. Apparently I now had a warp speed. I laughed. It was amazing!

James appeared next to me suddenly. I lost my concentration and stumbled a little bit. The door was only 10 feet away!

"Stop! Belladonna! NO!" James shouted at me. I ignored him and I was quickly tackled to the ground.

I struggled a bit but he held me firm. "What are you doing?" I cried. "Let me go!"

"STOP Donna! Now!" Something in his voice made me freeze. I blinked a bit. My head was thick with fog and it gradually cleared. He must have seen the realization in my eyes because he released me from his grip and stood up. "Are you alright?" His voice was hard. Cold.

"Uhm. Yeah. I think. What.... happened?" I was suffering from temporary amnesia. I remembered running down here perfectly. What I wanted to know was why.

"You can't go outside right now! I told you before! The light is dangerous to us! Especially for a neophyte. You haven't built up a tolerance yet!"

I had never seen him angry before. I glanced at the light one more time and a longing I had never known surged within me. James shook me forcefully. "Look at me Belladonna. Stop thinking about it! It's one of the many perils of being a Vampire. Our destruction calls to us. It plays with us, teases us. Vampires are infatuated with the light, especially newborns. Combined with your low tolerance on being in sunlight, if you go outside there's a stong chance you'll die before we're able to restle you back inside."

"Oh."

"Oh? You could've died and that's all you've got to say? Oh?"

"What do you want me to do? Fall to my knees before you? Beg your forgiveness? 'I'm sorry! I'm just a lowly brainless newborn! I beg your forgiveness!' Is that what you want to hear?"

He looked slightly abashed. "No. Sorry. I was just afraid of losing you. I guss I overreacted."

I could feel the shock on my face. He was afraid of losing me?

"It surprises you to hear that I care about you?" He asked.

"Uh....Yeah."

"I'm your father. Of course I care whether you live or die."

"I don't know about you, but where I'm from lending half your genetics to someone doesn't mean you love them."

He looked puzzled for a minute. "Oh."

There was a silence for a minute. "Now what?" I asked.

"Well, we don't want another incident like this to happen again. Now we have to teach you what being a vampire and witch is all about. The dangers and the rewards," my grandfather said, walking up behind us.

"I can hardly wait," I said, half sarcastically and half meaning it.