YEAR: 1928

Alistair escorted Ana down the the east wing where Cain took his room. It’d been a few hours since he first arrived, and Ana found herself anxious. New people always made her uncomfortable, the uncertainty of how they’d accept her. While she trusted Alistair, the last person he selected to aid her with Matthias ended up..well, everyone knew how that ended. Ana didn’t like to think about it. But it always crept up when she was alone…

‘You need not blame yourself, Anastasia. It was I who brought his demise to him.’

Oh great, he was talking again. Ana almost missed the silence.

‘Leave me alone. I do not want to talk to you.’

‘I know you are upset with me, and you have every right to be. But I only did it to keep you safe.’

‘Keep me safe? Or keep your temporary body safe?’

‘Anastasia--’

“Here we are.”

Ana cut Matthias off to draw her attention back to Alistair, only now realizing they had stopped in front of a room she assumed to be Cain’s.

“I must warn you, Cain has a very specific method to his madness. It will be good practice for your patience.”

“You do not think I am patient?”

Alistair just chuckled. “I am saying everyone can be better at it.” He knocked on the door. “Cain? Are you up?”

“He is the one who said to be ready.”

There was no response, so he knocked again. Still no reply. Ana grumbled in her throat.

“He is being very rude.”

Alistair was in the process of a third knock when the door swung open, revealing a very disheveled looking Cain. His thick, wavy black hair was a mess, and he emerged topless. Ana did not see much, nor did she care to, as she let out a small shriek and covered her eyes the second she noticed his chest bare.

“Lesson one,” He began, his voice tired and slurred. “If i’m asleep, leave me the hell alone, or have coffee ready.”

“There is coffee where you’ll be going, Cain.”

“That requires effort to get it.” He looked down at Ana, who was still hiding in her hands. “What’s wrong with you?”

“W-W-WHERE IS Y-YOUR S-SH-SHIRT…?!”

“The floor.”

“W-WHY ARE YOU N-NOT W-W-WEARING IT?!”

“It’s hot.”

“Cain it’s snowing outside.”

“The damn snow isn’t inside, is it? NO? Then shut the hell up.”

“Cain put your shirt on.”

He growled, and shut the door. When he reemerged he did have a top on, a form fitting black turtleneck, and his hair messily pulled back into a low ponytail.

“You can stop losing your shit kid, I’m dressed now.”

Ana’s hands dropped but her face was flushed red, and her eyes glared at him.

“I am not a kid.”

“You are a child to everyone over the age of 20, and that’s a good ninety percent of the clan. So yes, you are a child. Lesson number two, I am always right.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Nobody is correct all the time.”

“Lesson number three, don’t argue with me.”

Ana opened her mouth to retort again, but Cain was already pushing past them. “Let’s go, kid.”

Ana growled, and Alistair chuckled. “I will leave the both of you to it, then.”

She whipped her head around to look at him, confused. “You are not coming?”

“Lesson four, I work one-on-one.” Cain called back from down the hall. “Let’s GO.”

“But, Alistair…”

“Anastasia I promise that you are in good hands. Cain isn’t like Father was. We’ve been friends for many years, and I trust him with my life.”

Ana slumped, looking down at the floor with a disappointed expression. Cain had stopped at the end of the hall, watching them and waiting. Alistair let out a sigh through his nose, and gently patted the top of her head.

“I know you’ll be alright. And you can come find me again when you’re done, alright? We can talk about how it went.”

She looked up enough for their eyes to meet, and softly nodded.

“Good girl. I’ll see you soon.”

Ana nodded again, and turned to walk to the end of the hall where Cain was waiting. Hands in his pockets and coat hung on his arm he watched her, until she stopped just next to him.

“...You cannot expect him to escort you everywhere forever, you know. No doubt Alistair will want to put you to work the as soon as you’re stable.”

“I know that.” She replied firmly. “I just do not like to be alone.”

He was silent, as if pondering. But his expression gave away nothing. He had a very stern face, cold blue eyes and strong cheek bones. His thick eyebrows were always knit together in a way that implied consistent irritation with everything, and the bags under his eyes aged him five more years, despite his clearly muscular physique.

“...We’re going downstairs to the rec room. You know where that is don’t you?”

“Yes sir.”

“Oh good, you remembered. Come on then let’s go.”

--------------------------------------------------

Cain sat down across from Ana, setting a cup of coffee in front of her. The room was peppered with people chatting when they first walked in, but most had taken off when they’d seen Cain stroll in with her. There were only a handful of people left now.

“If you want cream and sugar you’ll have to get it yourself.

Ana made a face at him. “I do not like cream in my coffee.”

He looked pleasantly surprised. “What about sugar?”

“I have never much cared for sweets or things of the like.”

He threw his hand up in relief. “Finally, someone who appreciates black coffee. All of these ninnies drink it with cream and sugar out of their rears, it’s more milk than coffee. Or they drink tea. We dumped that garbage in the harbor for a reason, we aren’t British anymore.”

Ana just shrugged. “I only like black teas. But coffee is prefered.”

“Good, because we’re not drinking that shit.” He took many grateful gulps, before letting out a drawn out sigh.

“Now that I am waking up, Alistair wanted me to get to know you before we began our training sessions. He only briefed me on vague details of you and your, friend.”

“He is not my friend.”

“I use the term loosely. Now...you two share a vessel, yes? Your body?”

“Da.”

“Right. But to what extent do you share his abilities? Aside from the super hearing and seeing which is typical more most creatures of your type, of course.”

“...Abilities?”
“I know that you uh,” He gestured his hands at her. “Turn rather beastly, when your temper flares, but is that the only thing that you two share?”

“....Nu.”

“And what else is there?”

“...I can hear what people are thinking if I listen hard enough. It does not work sometimes though.”

“How so?”

“I cannot hear what you and Alistair think.”

“Good. We made it that way.”

“...Made it how?”

“You’ll find out when you’re older. Now, what else?”

“...I can make people do things.”

One of his eyebrows quirked up. “...Like what?”

She didn’t reply verbally. She just looked around the room until she settled on a man sitting alone at a table, hi own cup of coffee in hand. Ana stared at him for a moment, before his body froze mid drink. With a hazed over look in his eyes, he lifted the cup over the table, and poured its entire contents onto it. Other people in the room looked over with shock and confusion, as Cain watched with interest. The man blinked back into control, looking dazed until he felt the coffee dripping into his lap, and he jumped up out of his seat with a cry. Cain chuffed to himself as he and onlookers rushed to find napkins to clean the spill.

“That’s a rare ability for demons. You have to be very old for cognitive manipulation. How old is this demon of yours?”

“He does not remember. But he says he lived back when the Roman Empire was thriving.”

Cain let out a whistle. “Another old coot, huh? Lovely.” He had a few more gulps of coffee. “What else?”

“...I am physically strong.”

“You’ll have to be more specific.”

“I brought a house down once.”

“....How big was the house?”

“Two stories. It was made of bricks.”

“Big bad wolf got an upgrade, huh?”

“I do not have windy breath.”

“Clearly.”

“I can make fire though.”

“So can most humans.”

“I meant in my stomach. And my hands.”

“...You’re telling me you can breathe fire?”

“Yes sir.”

He let out a deep breath. “This is going to be a doozy...so, essentially, you are a dragon of sorts?”

“Matthias says dragons got the idea from his race.”

“His race, huh? And what race is that?”

“The demon kind.”

“Yes, clearly. I meant what kind of demon.”

“...The reptilian kind?”

“...All this time and he hasn’t told you any of this?”

“I never cared to ask.”

“Well you need to. This will be important later down the road.” A silence fell over them as he finished off the rest of his coffee, slamming the cup down onto the table with another sigh.

“Damn, out already….you haven’t touched yours.”

“Not yet sir.”

“It’s going to get cold.”

“I prefer it cold.”

And finally, his expression changed for the first time since she'd first seen him--to personal offence. “...What.”

“My body temperature is too hot. I do not like hot things.”

“...I see. Well I guess that makes sense...is that all then?”

“Da.”

“You’re sure?”

“...Da.”

“You hesitated.”

Ana shrugged. “That is all he showed me.”

“So he does talk to you?”

“Da.”

“Is he talkin’ now?”

“Nu. I am mad at him.”

“Are you now? About what happened to the priest, no doubt.”

“...I did not want to hurt him.”

“Yes well it was a little late for diplomacy, so I heard.”

“I do not want to hurt anyone!”

There was a momentary silence again, and Ana could feel the tears prickling at her eyes. Cain sighed again, rustling through his pockets to fish out a pack of cigarettes.

“There’s no use in crying over what is already done. You will need to get over your resentment to this ‘Matthias’ if you hope to make any progress. You are stuck with him for life, after all.”

“...I just want to be normal...”

Cain studied her some more, before muttering something under his breath. He pulled out a cigarette, a lighter, and lit the end poking out from his lips to take in a deep breath.

“I’m afraid normal is off the table, kid. But it’s not the end of the world. All the people you see here are only here because they have something abnormal about them too, or have seen some nasty things.”

“Are any of them like me?”

“No one is like you, kid.”

Just as she thought. Her eyes went to the cup of lukewarm coffee, and she reached out to bring it to her lips. There was another sigh from the man across from her.