I could see the lightning through my eye lids. The bright color was an unwelcome contrast to the darkness that was around me. The booming sound of thunder had me rolling on my side to cover my head with the pillows.

Exhaustion didn't even begin to describe what my body felt. I felt like someone had hit me with a bat to my back, over and over again. It was stiff as a board and my head ached like I had a hangover.

Did I get drunk and fall down the stairs? I wondered.

Of course not! I don't drink. Not like I had been 21 for very long anyways.

Trying to will myself back to sleep I groaned when I stiffened when I heard someone moving around me. It was Caleb I told myself. Of course, it was him. I was moved to his room it would make sense that he was in here, checking up on me.

My assumption was incorrect though as I pulled the pillow tighter over my head.

"Kayleigh, this is not up for discussion anymore. I am passing the torch. My time here is done." There was an older lady's voice heard coming from the foot of my bed. I don't remember seeing an old lady before I went to bed. I thought all the older werewolves lived in cottages outside the mansion.

"Sorcha you can't leave me to-to this girl!" The other voice sounded younger and agitated. "You choose her and then... what- you just leave?! You can't just leave me like this. It's been 700 years and you're j-just done?"

Whoever this girl is someone needed to shut her up. My head was pounding and I needed sleep, I knew I needed sleep but I couldn't get any with these two yelling at one another. Who the hell were they anyway? And where was Caleb?

"I'm not repeating myself. This girl is to take my place. I get to chose and this is who is best fit." The elder lady sternly announced. "I have been doing my job for over 700 years and I've finally found a soul that has been through mourning more times than many. I thought her mother was the right fit but I was wrong all those years ago. It was her."

"Sorcha please! She's not rea-"

The younger woman sounded upset, like what the elder woman was saying was bizarre. Hell I thought it was bizarre too. "She is ready and I am tired. I have grown tired of helping announce the coming of death. I've done my job and have done so with pride. Evelyn is the next Mana Báis."

"Has the council even approved thi-" I finally sat up throwing the pillow at the end of the bed to look at the two woman. How I imagined them to look was not what they actually looked like. Their amethyst eyes zeroed in on me but it wasn't the color of their eyes that stunned me it was the color of their hair. It was whiter than snow and shined brighter than a fluorescent light bulb.

The eldest woman had waist long straight hair with a red cloak that fell well past her waist. I was sure it fell down to the ground but the foot of the bed cut off the lower part of her body. The younger girl was about my age with short white hair that was cut just below her jaw. She wore the same red clock that the elder lady was.

I couldn't help but think they were red riding hood wannabes. Was this Halloween?

No it couldn't be it was spring.

"Who are you?" I barely croaked out my question.

"Can I not finish any damn sentence?" The younger of the two voiced exasperated she hadn't been able to speak a complete sentence. Her purple eyes held such distaste when they analyzed every detail of my face. It was as if she were trying to find a flaw, an error, any indication that I was defective.

"Kayleigh! That is no way to talk to the new Mana Báis." The older lady shouted coming closer to my side, sitting on the edge of the black bed.

Wait! I thought scanning over the room. This is Caleb's room... where is he? Where is anyone? Who the hell are these people?

"This all may be very confusing my child but-"

"Who are you? Where's Caleb?" I searched the room for any indication of Caleb. He wasn't anywhere to be seen. It was just myself and these two woman I've never seen in my life.

"My name is Sorcha," The eldest lady told me a soft smile on her wrinkled face. She looked to be at least seventy. Her aged hand reached out to rest on my shoulder as another flash of light lit up the dull black room. "This is Kayleigh." She gestures to the younger girl.

Kayleigh came around to stand on the other side of the black king bed. My mind was becoming overwhelmed with trepidation and my mouth was growing even drier. I wanted to panic like a child locked in a closet with a phobia of small spaces, but I couldn't afford it. I needed to keep myself together or else I was going to lose all sense of reality.

This was all a god damn dream.

A delusional dream.

My imagination must be going ramped right now. Yes! That's makes sense.

"Where's Caleb? I want Caleb." I told them throwing the covers further off my body revealing a white silk night gown.

I never remembered changing into or even owning a white silk nightgown. Did they change me?

Where was Caleb?

He wouldn't have left me here.

Surely he was nearby.

My mind kept coming back to one thing Caleb. The more I became anxious the more I thought of him. The more I thought of him the more worried I became thinking of what may have haven't to him. It was a terrible cycle that was succeeding in draining my energy completely.

"We are in the twilight zone." Sorcha pointed out. I blinked confused. "We are in the space between life and death. A universe of their own."

"Their own?"

"Follow me." Sorcha stood up and headed towards the bedroom door. When I didn't move to follow her Kayleigh cleared her throat. Her eye brow rose in a condescending manner while she crossed her arms and leaned towards one hip. The snotty attitude she was giving me made me want to spit profanities in her flawless face.

It wasn't like I asked to be here. I wanted to go back home.

Home.

Was the estate my new home? Of course not. It was only temporary.

"Follow her. I'd hate to have to force you." She gave a sly smirk. I hopped to my feet and scurried to Sorcha the door was wide open and I only caught a glimpse of her red cloak before she disappeared into the hallway.

My bare feet padded against the hard wood floor and the night gown slide against the floor as I eventually caught up to Sorcha. Kayleigh was close behind. When I looked over my shoulder for a quick glance her eyes were zeroed in on my every move. She brightened her purple eyes and I gulped turning away from her and moving closer to Sorcha.

Kayleigh was giving me a threatening and mistrusting aura. Sorcha was at least semi-humble. It didn't change anything though. I was still very much confused and suspicious, I was in the estate but as we continued to walk around it, the more I realized that it was deserted.

"Where is everyone? What did you do to them?" The more I realized no one was around the more my heart sped up in concern.

None of this was making sense. I was bitten and then... am I... dead?

Sorcha chuckled as we descended down the marron and gold staircase. "No dear. You are far from dead."

"Then where is everyone? And you said we were in the twi-light zone?" She opened the front door and walked outside the icy cold breeze made every one of my goosebumps stand up. When Sorcha continued to walked outside I froze at the edge of the doorway. I wasn't standing there still for very long before Kayleigh pushed me forward.

I turned around to spat and tell her to keep her hands off me but something caught my eyes when I stumbled outside. My heart stopped and my breathing halted. I paled as I witnessed something I never thought I would ever see in my life. And I thought I had seen it all.

A grayish-blue figure floated near Kayleigh. It was a young girl about sixteen years maybe eighteen; she was floating by like she was lost in thought. The poor girl looked dull, exhausted, and impassive. She look lost and as she neared me she looked more than just tired... she looked long gone in her endless thoughts.

Wait... was she...

No...

She looked like a...

"A ghost?" I must have said my thought out loud as Kayleigh felt the need to speak up.

Sorcha reached out to grab my hands in hers. Her hands felt warm against my clammy hands. I felt lost... I felt trapped in a world I couldn't even begin to understand. Where was I?

"Like I said before my darling-" She pulled me along with her. "We are in the twilight zone. We are in between life and death... also known as purgatory."

When my face scrunched up in confusion she tried to give me a smile but my stomach only twisted in uncertainty as her purple eyes glowed. They were definitely supernatural but I couldn't tell what they were.

Were they Vampires?

Shit! Vampire's had purple eyes... what if...

"We aren't Vampires." Kayleigh introjected into my thoughts. When my face showed how disturbed I was with the amount of times that she was able to tell me wrong with me preserved thoughts, she shrugged.

Jesus what did these women know that I didn't? Was I missing something? Was their something I missed that I didn't understand?

There was no way I was this naïve. Not when I know what Caleb was... and what I've seen. I couldn't help but think I was dead.

"Then what are you?" I halted in the midst of my strides. I wasn't following them absentmindedly.

Kayleigh moved in front of the ghostly looking girl grabbing the figures wrist and halting her senseless movement. Her purple eyes glowed brighter and lighter as she looked until the teenage girls soul-less eyes.

What was she doing?

Sorcha came to stand next to me as I watched Kayleigh lead the girl behind her. They were walking down the stone driveway of the estate.

"Where are they-"

"Watch." Sorcha grinned watching Kayleigh gently pull the seemingly lost girl. As I continued to observe them Kayleigh raised her other hand in front of her a bright white oval appeared. It was mystic-like with a halo of light that gentle lit up the edge of the oval. I was trying ton concentrate my eyes on the white oval to see what was in it but it was empty. There was nothing just white.

Kayleigh gave out a short scream before the ghostly girl morphed into saturated color. Her once grey-blue color transitioned into olive skin and pin straight black hair. Her brown eyes locked in on Kayleigh's bright purple orbs. The young girl looked frightened and confused. She took a step back becoming aware of her surroundings.

"W-Where am I?" She wondered looking around in utter confusion. "Where's my... mom?" The poor girl looked like she was on the verge of tears.

Kayleigh rested her hands on her shoulders giving her a warm smile before speaking up. "Olivia you are in the twilight zone. A place between life and death. You have just completed your trip through all of your memories embracing and reliving each one."

"I-I don't understand."

Kayleigh wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulders bringing her closer to her. "Olivia you are no longer on physical earth. You're mother is in Coelum already waiting for you. She is just beyond the white portal." When the girl showed to pull away from Kayleigh's touch she took her arm away from around her shoulders. "It is alright to be scared. Not everything is black and white. Their are parts of this universe we will never fully understand but what I do understand and know for a fact is that your mom has passed through to another realm. A realm of no pain, no suffering, and no fear. A realm that is pure paradise."

The young girl looked around the estate. There were several other ghostly figures that were walking around nearby but it didn't seem like she could see them. She was seeing things that we couldn't. Confused I turned to Sorcha but she only put a finger to her lips.

"Who are you then?" Olivia pointed at Kayleigh only and I grew more perplexed when I realized she didn't see Sorcha or myself. We're we... invisible? No. That's not... it's impossible.

"I am Kayleigh one of the seven divine apostles of purgatory. The realm between life and death. I am here to help you and guide you into the afterlife."

As Kayleigh explained the same thing they had told me moments earlier I soon grasp the fact that I was indeed not on physically earth. Nothing looked or felt the same. But knowing exactly where I was didn't solve the unanswered question of why. Why was I here?

Kayleigh reach out to take Olivia's hand in her's. This time Olivia allowed it not pulling away as she looked into Kayleigh's eyes seeming to be utterly stuck in a trans.

"Mom? Where are you?" Olivia asked tears falling down in endless waterfalls as she continued to stare into Kayleigh's eyes. Was she controlling her? Kayleigh continued to guide Olivia step by step closer to the white portal as Olivia remained fixated on her glowing purple eyes. "Is-is it safe? I-I miss you and I'm scared." She sobbed.

As they neared the portal an arm randomly stretched out and I gasped as Kayleigh handed Olivia's hand off to the one that suddenly appeared. What the hell was going on?

Olivia wiped her tears. "I'm sorry mom. I shouldn't have gone to the party. It's my fault. I should have listened to you. We wouldn't have ran off the road if I had just listened to you.... I-I'm sorry mom." The random hand rubbed the back of hers in a comforting gesture. Olivia chuckled out of no where before she nodded her head as she looked into the portal seeing something I could not. Then she spoke up turning to Kayleigh. "Thank you, I'm ready."

Kayleigh gave her a smile before she stepping through the portal and disappeared. The portal swirled until it was completely gone swallowing Olivia up.

The eerie silence was quiet enough I could hear that my heart was thudding against my rib cage as I tried to comprehend what I just witnessed.

"W-where did she go?" I whispered still starring at the same spot the portal once was. When I finally looked to Sorcha and Kayleigh they finally replied.

"We are one of the seven apostles of purgatory." Sorcha began to further explain. When I blinked still needed more clarification she laughed lightly to herself. "Also none as banshees."

I took a step back. "So I dead!"

Kayleigh scoffed rolling her eyes. Her arms crossed as her irritation became less and less able to be suppressed.

"No you are not child. You are very much alive just like us. That's why we don't look lost in purgatory. You aren't reliving every waking memory now are you?"

"Well... no."

"Exactly. Evelyn I've chosen you to take over my role as Mana Báis. The ruler of death. You'll rule over all the other six apostles." My eye fluttered between the two of them. These woman were mad, absolutely crazy, but then again... I new this wasn't home. This wasn't at all the real Black Nova Estate.

"But I don't want to be a banshee. I'm human, I want to remain a human. I got bitten by a werewolf I didn't change-"

"You're right you didn't change. You rejected the bite Evelyn. You would have died had I not intervened." Sorcha explained. I couldn't help the feeling of anger that came over me. If this lady was asking me to thank her she was going to be rudely surprised.

"I didn't ask to be whatever it is you two are. I didn't ask to be a-a-"

"Spit it out already! A banshee? A Mana Baís?" Kayleigh stepped closer to me her frustration radiating off of her in waves. "What? You can't wrap your head around the fact that your a supernatural? Or are you that ungrateful someone decided to save your ungrateful life!" Kayleigh turned around pointing her finger in my face while she faced Sorcha. "This is the soul you chose to hold control over all of us? This girl doesn't look like she mourned a day in her life. She's an selfish bi-"

I didn't even get a chance to defend myself as the Sorcha smacked Kayleigh across the face, stunning her once infuriated face. Now her face was red for more than just rage. There was a clear hand print on her cheek that was screaming red against her pale skin. Kayleigh palmed her sore cheek as Sorcha approached her.

"I will not. I repeat will NOT ever hear you speak to Evelyn like that again." Sorcha gripped her chin roughly forcing her to look her in the eyes. "And I'll be damned if I let you question me again. This is finally Kayleigh. Do not act like it was a walk in the park when you too were saved and converted into a banshee."

Kayleigh dropped her head in embarrassment stepping aside as she came up to me. Sorcha flicked her wrist and a red cloak spontaneously appeared.

"So Evelyn now that you know all that you do, do you accept becoming a banshee or would you like to pass on to Coelum like everyone else?" She wasn't making it difficult to pick one. I didn't want to die and I didn't want to be a supernatural, but death just sounded that much worse.

Nodding my head caused Sorcha to beam as she waved her hand in front of me and the red cloak landed in my arms. Catching it I looked over at her. She snapped her fingers and my once dark brown hair turned frost white.

"You're hair and the cloak will only appear here in purgatory, unless for some reason you abilities decides otherwise." My eyes widened. I didn't want anyone to know what I was now... I couldn't even say it in my head. "Don't worry child that rarely happens. It's usually just for self defense."

"You promise?" I questioned looking at the cloak in my arms with suspicion.

"Of course I wouldn't lie to you. But you really must be going dear. Your mate is losing it right now fearing you're on your way to die." Sorcha flicked her wrist one last time as a similar portal appeared but this time I could see Caleb holding me in bed as a woman handed him a mug.

Jeez I did look dead.

There was a sudden snap sound and a little tug against my neck. When I looked down I saw that I was now wearing the red cloak.

"Don't worry darling. I'll be around for a little while to help you learn your new abilities. For now you really must be going."

Sorcha gave me one last wholesome smile before I stepped into the portal.

The moment I crossed into the portal I felt like I was spinning into an endless hole. Colors flashed all around me making me nauseous beyond imaginable. I cringed when a smell hit my noise and I gasped as Caleb's room came into view.

There was a mug underneath my nose and soon I realized that I was back on earth. I took a glimpse up at Caleb and immediately felt calmer. A sense of tranquility set in.

At the moment I didn't want to think about anything other than being here with him. Though I was still beside myself about him marking me I knew he didn't do it to harm me. I was growing to realize that he actually felt guilty for doing it.

As I sat drinking the mug that Caleb so kindly helped pour for me, my own guilt started to set it.