*Sera's POV*
"And you don't remember changing or washing?"
"I didn't do it. I was upset and well, I was feeling sorry for myself and then I noticed I had this gown under the hoodie that wasn't there. And my hair is clean now, and my nails. It's weird. I don't understand it." The priest shakes his head.
"I've been confused for hours now." He chuckles. "You've been here all night, my brothers should be here soon though. Do you mind to speak with them?"
"I do not mind. It's the least I could do for your kindness."
He sits down across from me and we talk about life, God, childhoods, favorite snacks and hobbies. He has deep laugh lines around his mouth and eyes, I can tell he has experienced just as much happiness as he has sorrows in this world. I tell him this and he laughs and pats his plump belly.
"I've experienced the good foods too." I giggle and swat at his arm which only cracks him up.
"You've missed. You'll have better luck next time." He winks. I fake offense.
"Would you listen to that? They are here! I'll bring them to you. Pardon me." He eases himself up and to the back entrance of the church. I'm nervous as I wait. I expect the worst. I'm a dead creature of who knows what origins. They'll probably try to perform an exorcism. I smile morbidly to myself. I said I wanted to be free, and human again but look at me. Even in death I still don't quite belong. I suppose I'm free enough though. Be careful what you wish for. A group of men enter, ou f mixed ethnicities and ages. Each eyeing me warily as I smile and pat the bench beside me in what I hope is a friendly gesture and not creepy given my appearance.
"Hello. You are dead?" The younger one asks. I snort.
"Hello. Yes, unfortunately I am. It sucks." I shrug and he nervously gives a soft laugh.
"I imagine it does, I am sorry. I am Ethan. You are?"
"Seraphine. Don't be. In a way it's probably better. Hey! I'm free now." I smile. The others watch my face with horrified expressions. "Oh. Oh crap. The teeth." I cover my mouth. "I'm sorry."
"What are you, Seraphine?" One of the elders asks. His skin is dark and smooth save for the salt and peppervstuble on his chin. Even his brows are slightly grey. He has neat dark ha oh growth a long stripe of greys along his ear, it makes him look distinguished.
"I'm not certain. I lived my whole life believing I was a human. I was told my father is an incubus and that I am similar to a cambion, but not exactly. I'm something else too, I think, but it's hard to remember. Everything is so distant and fuzzy."
"So you would be partial succubus?" I nod uncomfortably. He eyes the priest that I befriended. "Mathias, you brought a succubus into our church?"
"I will not have her questioned. She is benign. Helpful. She has not harmed a single thing here, only sought refuge."
"Will we allow all charming demons shelter here from now on?"
"She is no demon." Mathias counters. I clear my throat.
"I don't entirely know what I am, but I would never harm you. Mathias interrogated me well and monitored me for hours before granting my stay. He is a kind man, he would not allow me here if I were a threat. It was only for one night. I'm leaving today. I only wanted to be warm and to rest my mind in hopes my memory will be restored. I'm looking for a preteen child who was in my care. His name is Axar. I need to know if he's safe. I don't know of the demon who aided in my death had attacked him or not. I need to know that he is alright." The man looks down uncomfortably.
"We still cannot trust you."
"Nor can I you. Trust is a dangerous thing, believe me."
"You said you were killed by a demon?"
"Yes, well mortally wounded. The man who had kept me captive is the one who dealt the final blow."
"The incubus man I was telling you about. He had took her to his home and refused to let her leave. He messed with her mind as well, I believe that's why her memory is hard to retrieve. She told me of her family though, what she can remember." Mathias cuts in. The salt and pepper man nods.
"Would you mind to tell me of your family?" I nod to him.
"My father is Samael. My mother is unknown to me. I recently learned that my grandfather is Ezekiel. Barima, my friend, told me that father took me from my mother at birth because she was going to give me to Ezekiel as a sacrifice. I do not understand why, he doesn't want me either."
"Samael. Ezekiel..." He says aloud. "I've heard these names before. There was a nephilim, Ezekiel. Could he be your grandfather?"
"Possibly. I'm not certain. Father told me nothing, he kept me away from everyone including himself. I'm sorry for the lack of information." He nods.
"I understand. You cannot help that. Can you tell us what you are capable of?"
"I'm not sure, I can't use most of them. I am part banshee by accident though. I absorbed a banshee friend and we brought her back to life, but it split us somehow. I got half of her abilities, and her mine. So I can use the scream, and I can heal. I'm also stronger than typical humans, though I'm not certain what good that is now. It takes a few tries to hold things. I've been practicing!" I stand and go over to a book of psalms. It takes me two tries, but I hold it and place it on my face with my head tilted. I produce a low whine until it floats above my face. Several men clutch their cross necklaces. I set the book down gently. The young man pulls up his pant leg to expose a scrapped shin.
"Is it ok if I try to heal it? I'm not sure how to in this form..."
"I'd be delighted." I approach him cautiously and kneel. He watches me with wide, intrigued eyes. Not nearly as hostile or judgmental as the rest of the group. I manage to touch his leg first try and I bounce with glee. Success! I focus like I wouldve alive to heal myself, but on his scrape. I close my eyes in concentration and when I open them, his shin his blemish free. I grin at him and he blushes and gives a heartfelt thank you. He hugged me and I was able to stay touchable, but something happened. I felt warm again. Full even. My eyes rounded and I looked down in shame before I started to cry. He studied me, seemingly worried.
"What's wrong? Was it me?"
"No. I did it again. Even in death, I'm still doing it. I'm sorry..." I wipe the strange red tears away.
"Doing what? I didn't feel or see anything? It's okay." I curl up, guilty. Now they will hate me even more.
"I fed. I...I can take energy. It makes me warm, and I'm not hungry anymore. I do it subconsciously, but he figured it out and told me what I had been doing. I never meant to. I swear I-"
"Calm. Calm. It's okay, really. I felt nothing. I didn't even know. But now you-"
"It is certainly not okay!" An older white man with a receding hairline blurts. "Whether she means it or not, is mellow in nature or not, this thing is an abomination and it's eating from people. Even if it doesn't harm you while doing it, it should not be doing it let alone in a church of all places."
"Ethan, Mathias..." I look st the salt and pepper haired man. "You sir, and the others who have been kind to me thank you for your time and company. I wish you the best, may our paths cross agsin. As for you..." I look at the rude man. "I hope you get diarrhea. I'd say your banter took years off my life, but I'm dead already fortunately. I'll make like your hairline and retreat." I huff and I walk backwards to the exit to leave, waving goodbye to everyone as Ethan and Mathias wave me off.
Exiting the lot I start back on the highway again, trying to remember how to get to that house, to Axar. It's risky, but I need to see he's okay and being well looked after. Then, I'll leave. I'll do whatever the dead do. I'll roam, observe, go places I couldn't afford or see alive. I'm not sure what else to do. I am far outside the circle that Justin and I drove yesterday. I still wonder what he was doing so far from home. Does he work here somewhere now? I pass a few houses, taking down their lights and decor to store away. I walk for hours, and hours. What am I even doing? When I came to on the highway I should've just turned around and backtracked, but I had no freaking clue where I even pissed last let alone who Axar was or is staying at that moment. If I were alive, I'd definitely have a headache right now.
It's dark now. I'm closer to the gas station I held the candy in, opposite side of the road. I don't understand why I'm following the traffic laws. Nobody gives a shit which side I walk, they can't see me. I'm just a damn ghost. I could walk the street and be fine. I could sit on a car and hitch a ride unseen. A club up ahead catches my attention.
It's a small little club, with a few tiny shops nearby. I recognize some of them from passing through the other day. A little line of about fifteen to twenty people shuffles through the doors. I watch their excited faces chattering as they enter. I decide to walk past them and go in. Nobody can see me it seems, and I'm starting to feel cold again. Perhaps I can sneak a little energy to keep me comfortable on the way. Kind of a rip off being a ghost and steal being plagued by feelings and needs. I'll have to review this dead thing to Barima to compare experiences. I'd rate this like a three out of ten. Ha!
Inside the club fast paced, sexual music pulses through speakers. There is probably about thirty people in here mingling. Men's shirts are unbuttoned, women's clothing taut and tiny as people grind and dance together. Few sit at tables and the little bar. I stand in the corner watch it all unfold. Within about 15 minutes, we are over fifty people. Wow! I'm not even alive and I'm I'm overstimulated by the crowd that continues to grow. I couldn't move now without dodging people if I were alive.
I make my way to the first happy couple who are all over one another. I try to keep in mind how to feed. I think I do it subconsciously through touch, but I want to learn how to do it with perfect. What better place to experiment? I focus on grabbing the lady while she dances. I put my hand right by his and in minutes I am warm again. That was instinct though, not intentional. I will figure this out. I scan for my next victims and locate them in moments. I grin like the grinch and slip over to them.
A shy male couple. Both extremely interested, but nobody wants to make the first move. They dance stiffly, not touching and the conversation isn't flowing as it should despite the body language between the two of them revealing the chemistry. I rub my hands together and focus on touching the taller man's hand. They dance face to face, slowly getting closer as I successfully take his hand and place it on his date's bum. Hee! Here we go. I have broken their ice and I initiated that feeding of energy. I feel great now, cozy even. I jump up and down.
"Bold! Bold! You-you are so bold."
"Me? You put my hand there!" They both giggle a little, embarrassed.
"Well? Are you dare going to say you didn't like it?"
"I'd be lying. But..." He grabs the booty. "Now that I know you liked it too, I'll do it again." I smile at them as they dance and pick at one another, pleased with my work.
I look around, determined to try again with a new source, and that's when I spot a woman I swear I've seen before. She stands in a small black number, lace trimmed with her head reclined in laughter. Auburn locks fall over her shoulders as she laughs. She is tall, regal as Barima was, and has this innate thing about her that draws you in. I watch her for several minutes, until she senses me. She turns her eyes to me, and she winks. My blood goes cold. She can see me? Who is she? The church men all could see me, which surprised me, and so could Justin. No correlation. How can some but not others see me?
I turn to leave here but I can sense her pursuit. I eye her over my shoulder as I cross the writhing bodies to an empty booth on the far side. She struts behind me, heels clacking as her long legs keep pace. I sit down as she slides in on the other side.
"Hello?" I say bashfully to her.
"Hello Itara." She grabs my hands somehow and smiles sadly. I cock my head at her.
"My name is Seraphine, miss. You have the wrong person." She shakes her head and giggles.
"I never gave you that name. I named you Itara, after me. I am Ivara. I had wondered what your father called you though." My jaw drops.
"You...you are my mom?" Her eyes light up at my recognition.
"Yes. Yes I am. I've been searching for you. You have family, people, who are just dying to meet you." I shiver and an odd sense of distrust blooms. I don't even know her. Why is she interested in me now? How'd she find me? Recognize me? I remember Barima's words. You're grandfather is Ezekiel. Your mother wanted to give you to him as sacrifice, according to your father. I force a smile back at her and I look around the room for a distraction. I've got to get out of here.