• I tiptoed down the dark hallway. I was sure he was still in the house. I could feel his presence. Well, of course I could, that was my gift. Knowing where anyone in the world was, by just thinking about them. It was useful, most of the time, but sometimes, I think it would be easier just to be able to read everybody’s mind.
    I had to find him. I put my pale, shaking hands up to my forehead, and concentrated hard on the last memory I had of him. I saw him almost immediately.
    Aeron was in my room, tearing though my things. Books, blankets, pillows were flying though the air. Posters were being torn off my wall by unseen hands.
    Oh, I almost forgot, Aeron’s gift is he controls the whole shadow world. He can summon demons anytime to help him do his bidding, but best of all, they’re invisible. And since they’re not real people I can’t “see” them.
    Now I knew my house was practically infested with the vermin. Black shadows crawled across the house, but there was no one those shadows belonged to. There presence alone gave me the creeps. I couldn’t believe that Aeron would-
    My thought was cut off of by a cold hand on my bare shoulder.
    “Still playing games we know we can’t win, I see,” Aeron’s deep voice rang in my ears. His grip tightened on my shoulder.
    “Aeron, you know you don’t want to do this,” I coaxed.
    “If only you really knew how much I do want to do this, dear, Lorelei.”
    His hand felt like glass against my face when he pushed a loose stand of my dirty blonde hair back behind my ear.
    “Don’t touch me,” I spat, stretching out the words so he would understand.
    His cool fingers still caressed my face. I wasn’t going to be able to control myself if he kept this up. He knew that, and he was waiting for me to crack. He always did like to run tests on my abilities. How much control over her I had. How long she took control. How much I remembered.
    His touch moved from my face. Instead he dragged them slowly over my uncovered arms. I shivered away from his touch. I turned to face him, hands crossed over my chest. When I saw him, I gasped.
    “Do you like it,” he asked, fingering his new, darker, hairdo, “or have you already seen it?”
    “You know I haven’t seen it yet.”
    “Oh, right, you’re “visions” only come as sketches of the person, and in the way you last saw them. I completely forgot.”
    “No you didn’t,” I said through gritted teeth.
    More and more of his demons surrounded him. I felt the cold air emanating from where they were standing.
    I had to get away. I wouldn’t be able to control her any longer.
    I ran down the long hallway, but I didn’t get very far. I was tackled by about 50 of the demons. They were weightless, but when they wanted, they weighed as much as a normal human.
    I heard Aeron’s voice as she took over, “Now get back before you get hurt, and ready yourselves for a show.”
    I’d give him a show all right.
    I felt my body contract, and transform into something mystical. Something I had never seen before, but I wanted to see, badly.
    I transformed into Sera.