Chapter 10: Chapter. 10 Red eyes at the window

Diana soaked in the bath tub until the water was cool and her fingers were wrinkly. In the bath she was able to shut out the madness that had surrounded her and shaken her to the core. Inside the small little bathroom of her childhood home she could just be alone with her thoughts. Was this really happening? Magic and spirits with real. Seeing not one but two spirit guardianshad drilled it home for her. Denial was no longer an option. Diana closed her eyes and sat forward in the bath as she smoothed her hands back over her dark mane. Water was forced out of her locks and she finger combed it into a plait. Buying more time and putting off having to face the haunting reality awaiting her outside the bathroom.

Outside that door was her younger sister who was a magical savant, with a powerful spirit guardian and her mother’s old title of Coven Mother. Her mother was dead, murdered, and her childhood memories were locked behind some sort of spell. It wasn't her own mind surpresing her memories to defend herself against some traumatic event, but magic hiding the truth of her past from her.

But who would seal away her memories? And why? Was it her mother? She was the one who sent her away for her own safety, acording to Anna. So that would make sense. With no memory a 13 year old Diana couldn’t make her way back to Salem. If my memories hadn't started to come back to me in my nightmares, I would never have known where I was from. What my mother’s name was, or how her voice sounded. Her gentle eyes and warm embrace.

But her mother wasn’t the only thing she recalled in her nightmares. She wasn’t seeing a therapist because she missed her mother, delusional or not.

Diana exhaled in a gush of air like it had been knocked out of her and she gripped the rim of the bath tub. If...my memories of my mother and being a witch is real...then...the other things I’ve been seeing...could they...be real too? She cupped her mouth and stood urgently. Adrenaline buzzed in her veins and she stared into the bathroom mirror opposite her. Her reflection looked back at her with terror. N-no. That’s impossible. She shook her head and stumbled out of the bath. She hurried to wrap her hair in one towel and her body in another one. Witches and magic is one thing? But not monsters? Anna hasn’t mentioned anything about monsters. Just because some of my flash backs were accurate, doesn’t mean they all are. Some nightmares are just nightmares.

At least she dearly hoped so.

***

In her bedroom Diana could almost see some of her blurred memories acting out before her. Most involved her younger self being very unhappy and feeling inadequate. Her mother was also prominent in her flash backs. She sighed and walked the room freely as she traced her fingers over the oak wood wardrobe, her dresser table, and the autumn wall paper. She smiled and recalled how safe she felt in this room.

Red eyes.

Diana screamed as she faced the window and saw for amoment, just a moment, a pair of massive red eyes looking at her from the other side. There was no face. Just two eyes that were far too big, with pupils that streaked black like an explosion from the centre of crimson orbs. Staring right at her and sending heat across her skin like she was stood too close to a roaring bonfire.

Diana stumbled back, whimpering in terror, and fell to her backside. She scrambled until her back came up against her wardrobe. The eyes were gone, but her heart was still on the ceiling and she didn’t dare look away from the window.

Her bedroom door slammed open seconds before Anna ran into the room with her hands raised and her hazel eyes shimmering gold.

“Behind me Diana!” She didn’t move. Sh couldnt. She was imobalised by fear. Diana stared at the window and absently registered that Anna had moved to stand between her and where she’d seen those haunting eyes. “…no I don’t sense any intruders? I’ll ask her.” Anna looked over her right shoulder, her eyes still glowing gold as she looked down at her sobbing older sister. “What happened? Why did you scream?”

“…r…red…” She pulled her knees up to her chest and bither lips as she tried to control how she shook. The urge to throw up returned and she turned pale with nausea. “R-r-r-red e-eyes. In-n the window.” She forced out, and Anna looked to her right with alarm. Later Diana would realise Anna was looking at Knox, but he wasn’t visible to her at the moment.

“You’re sure?” Anna lowered her hands and braced herself on one knee before her. "Diana this is important. You’re sure you saw red eyes outside the window?” Diana whimpered and nodded her head frantically. “Crap. That means they know she’s here. Already?” Anna grimaced and looked up at where Knox must be. “The house is warded with blood magic, so none without Couper blood can enter. We’re safe here from invasion, but what about their magic?”

Who? Diana opened her mouth to ask, but couldn’t find her voice. Her chest heaved as she hyperventilated and it was becoming harder to think clearly through the dizzy fog of anxiety. Who knows I’m here? Who was that What was that thing?! “Well she did fall from the sky. I shouldn’t be surprised that news of her arrival spread to our enemies soon enough. But to come right up to the house? Why take the risk?”

Who?! Diana reached for her throat and felt like she couldn’t breathe, even though she was panting. Who was that? Who’s after me? I’m in anger. Red eyes-such big scary red eyes-I can’t-I can’t-

Thud.

Anna turned and found her sister slumped on her side onthe floor with the towel around her waist and legs. “…I think she passed out.” Anna hurried to tuck the towel back up to cover her chest and stroked her damp hair from her face. The towel she’d used to restrain her hair had fallen away when she fell. “Yes, please get her back into bed and watch over her tonight. I have to call the coven and mobilise sentries to guard the house.” Anna looked Knox right in his many white eyes and looked deadly serious in her conviction. “If that thing came right up to my house, then we are going to need around the clock warding to keep it away from Diana. They must know we’ve brought her here to strengthen the wards. They’ll kill her to stop us. Or maybe they just want to kill another potential breeder for the Couper line to end out legacy and the blessing over Salem? Either way, they aren’t getting her. Not the dark ones, and especially not their master.”

Diana’s body was lifted up, towel and all, and placed onto the bed. Knox tucked her under the duvet with all his hands simultaneously, mainly because he knew it would please Anna for him to do so. He stood at the foot of the bed and hissed as he let his magic spread throughout the room. His manyspectral arms pressed to the walls, door and window. Like a spider in the middle of his web, he was sensitive to the vibrations of any movement or magic long before it would reach them. His humanoid hands gripped the foot of her bed and he watched the eldest Couper sleep.