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After a first, there's always a second: Chapter one.

"Had I never met Juliette Fairmont, maybe I could have loved moderately."

Calliope's legs began to tire. She had been running aimlessly for a while now. The effort and exhaustion had been a welcome distraction against her heartache. Her voice was hoarse from her screams, and her eyes dried out from tears. Calliope stopped midden in her pace, now standing in the middle of an empty road. Her breath was ragged, and she didn't know what to do next; for the first time in her life, Calliope Burns didn't have a plan.

Cal stood there motionless for a while. She replayed the events of the day in her mind. Theo had been turned and was probably already dead by then. Her father hadn't hesitated to treat his own blood like any other monster. What if it had been her? She shook that last thought away. Her mind then drifted to Jules. Her Jules, the one she had just started to love, only to lose her in the same breath. Calliope wasn't sure how true what she told her was. The hunter was angry at the vampire; it hadn't been her calling to make. Deep inside, though, she knew that Jules had done it to help. She knew Juliette better than she wanted to admit, and there had been no malice behind her action.

"I love you."

Calliope chocked up at the memory. She took her head in her hands and felt the tears well in her eyes. 'I should have said I love you too' was what her mind was screaming at her. A quiet sob managed to make its way through her lips, and before she knew it, she was crying again. Cal stayed like that for five minutes before deciding it was better to head home. She forced herself on her feet and began running once again.

The scene that welcomed her upon reaching her neighborhood was her father frantically loading the truck with Apollo: seemingly trying to talk him out of it. She approached them and caught a glimpse of their conversation. " We don't even know where they are," Apollo said, trying to position himself between their dad and the car.

" Well, I've got some idea." Her father forced her brother out of his way, closing the truck and moving to the driver's side. It was only then that both men became aware of Calliope's presence. "What's happening?" Cal asked, more confused than anything. She looked around and found her mom's absence. " Where's mom?"

"Baby girl, go inside; I'll handle this." Usually, Cal would oblige, but she could tell that something was up. She shook her head and stood her ground. "What happened, dad? Where are you going?" Her father looked like; he was ready to dismiss her before thinking otherwise. He let out an exasperated sigh. He motioned to the backseat, and she jumped right in. Cal saw Apollo hastily enter the passenger seat.

In seconds the engine was roaring, and they were on the road. Cal caught her father's eyes through the rearview mirror. "Your mother let the vampire out, and she won't answer her phone." He gravely explained. Calliope tried not to dwell on the fact that he refused to address her brother by name. At least she now knew that Theo was still alive. She discretely let out a relieved breath. " So where did mom take him? Where are we going?"

This time her question seemed to have fallen onto deaf ears as her father kept his gaze trained on the road. Apollo gave a quick worried glance, and she knew that they were both thinking the same thing. Suddenly the car came brutally to a stop, sending Cal slightly forward. It seemed that they had hit something. All three Burns looked at one another before promptly exiting the car. " What happened?" Apollo asked as they reared the front of the vehicle. There, on the ground, laid a deer.

"It just jumped before us; I couldn't stop the car fast enough." Cal had been through roadkills before, but this time was different. There was something chilling in the air. The deer was bleeding, but strangely it seemed to come from an injury unrelated to the crash. She glanced at the side of the road but met nothing but darkness. With their little accident on their hands, the Burns had no choice but adjourned their journey. Her dad notified the cops. Once everything was handled, she and Apollo successfully convinced him to head home.

The ride back home was silent. No one dared to break the building tension. As the car neared their driveway, Calliope could make out the silhouette of her mother sitting on the porch. Cal knew she hadn't been the only one to notice and could feel that a storm was about to erupt. Her assumption turned true as her father exited the car. He didn't make a move toward her mother, just opting to look at her. It was one of those times where they didn't need words between them, as a simple look conveyed what the other wanted to say. The huntress felt a pit in her stomach as her mother stood up and walked inside. Her father joined her with Apollo and her on his tail.

They found her on the couch, her head in her hand, and as she looked up, Cal could see how exhausted her mom looked. "Kids, please go to your rooms." Calliope knew that was no room to argue, and Apollo seemed to know it too as they both made their way upstairs. They stopped, however, at the top of the staircase. "How could you do this, Tee?" her father's voice resonated from the living room. "He could have hurt you; he could be killing innocent as we speak."

"He's my son Jack!" Cal gulped; she had never heard her mother's voice so emotional. "I just couldn't. I can't kill my baby."

"He's not our baby. That monster. IS. NOT. MY. SON!"

"He's not a monster. It doesn't erase who he used to be, who he is."

" You don't understand." They heard their father walk to the dining area, their mother's steps following him. "Then explain it to me, Jack. Explain how you can so easily think of killing your own son." The sound of chairs getting pulled back resonated, and quiet thuds, most likely from their parents sitting down. "Please help me understand."

"Theo's mom.." Their father started so quietly that they barely heard them from up there. "Aaliyah wasn't just killed by a vamp.." a breath. " The bastard that did it turned her into one." Calliope's breath caught in her throat. " When I found them both, she begged me to kill her, but I refused; I couldn't do it, so I let her go."

"Jack-..."

"Next thing I know, three people are dead, and I had to watch the woman I loved turn into a hideous monster. She was dead the moment that thing attacked her, and I should have ended her suffering before she truly turned into that monster. I still had to stake her and live with three deaths on my conscience."

It was at that point that Calliope stood up. She felt dizzy and couldn't bear to hear more. Apollo gave her a worried look that she tried to appease with a forced smile. Thankfully, he didn't probe further and let her leave. "Why did you nev-... does the guild know?"

"Only Mike and Sarah knew, and they helped me cover it up." It was the last thing she heard before her door closed. Cal wasn't sure how she was feeling. Outside of drained, it seemed that someone had made a dangerous cocktail of all negative emotions one could feel. She didn't know if she wanted to scream again or cry or do both. She had lost so much in the span of two weeks. In the end, the exhaustion won over everything else.

*************************

Blood, there was blood everywhere, from her hand to her clothes. The smell of a freshly dead body was omnipresent. She moved her head around, catching a patch of salt and pepper hair attached to a lifeless body. Her throat hurt, a telltale of her thirst. Hands-on her shoulders, a melodic voice whispering that everything will be okay, and then pain. A scorching pain ran through her ribcage, like something or someone was ripping her heart out of its dome. The pain kept getting stronger and stronger, and then, nothing.

Calliope woke up in a cold sweat. Her breath was short, and her heartbeat was erratic. She took her surroundings in, reassured that she was still in her bedroom. She got out of bed and took a look at herself in the mirror; she was still wearing her pajamas from the night before, no trace of blood. The huntress brought her hand to her heart; no pain there. Her dream had felt so real, but aside from a searing headache, she felt normal. With her nerves appeased, she went over her nightmare once more. It felt like that time she visited Jules' dreams but different. Just thinking about it made the headaches worst. Cal decided to leave it at that for now.

Calliope sat on her bed and went through the shitshow of the last 24h. Theo was alive -thank god- but a nightcrawler, she got accused of being a monster, the conversation from earlier, and Apollo's amnesia. Her thoughts drifted to Juliette for a split second, but she shot them down instantly. Eventually, the headache became too much to bear, and she went on the lookout for some aspirin.

She went downstairs and was surprised to see Apollo, all dressed up, rummaging in the armory. She approached her brother. "What are you doing?" Apollo jumped when he heard her voice before sighing in relief upon realizing who it was. "I'm heading to the Fairmont house. If anyone knows what happened, it's Elinor." He seemed to have found what he was looking for in the pantry as he closed it, a weapon in each hand.

Calliope looked at him incredulously. "Are you nuts? What's your plan? Attack her in her house in broad daylight? By yourself?" Her brother put the weapons in a duffel bag throwing it over his shoulder.

"Well, I have to do something. Elinor was there, Cal. For some reason, I cannot remember what happened that night. I think she killed Theo, well, hurt him. And it doesn't make sense because I was there, and I wouldn't have let that happen to him, so there must be something she did to me."

Apollo was rambling. Calliope wasn't sure if she had ever seen him look this much upset. Her brother looked frustrated with himself and desperate, for what she wasn't sure, but she sure as well was going to do her best to help him. "Okay, okay, but please don't do this alone. I'll come with you." She saw him open his mouth, already hearing his protest. "You can't stop me. I don't want to lose you too. I can't lose both my brothers, please." She saw Apollo's eyes soften, and he reluctantly agreed.

Calliope was on her way to the stairs when they both heard the doorbell. Both Burns looked at each other, confused. It was a Saturday, and they weren't expecting anyone. Apollo set his bag on the ground and went to open the door with Cal following behind him. The sight that welcomed them was a couple; a white man, and a woman next to him, presumably Latinx, holding between her hands a pie. "Hum...hello? can we help you?" Apollo tried, not sure who they were nor what they wanted.

"Hi, we're your new neighbors." The woman explained. At that moment, Cal heard two doors open upstairs and footsteps going down the stairs. "We wanted to introduce ourselves and brought a welcome gift." She raised the pie, and that's when Calliope caught a glimpse of her exposed arms. As a hunter, she had learned to be always conscious of her surroundings. It meant taking notice of spaces and observing attentively peoples around them. Thus, it was no surprise when she caught the lines on the woman's arm. Cal knew that she was a Guild member, and with the way Apollo gave her a subtle look, she knew that he had noticed them too.

Her parent arrived at that precise moment. "What's happening?" Her father questioned, eying the stranger with mistrust. "We were just introducing ourselves." The man said. "Also, we wanted to invite you to our place. After all, getting to know your neighbors is essential." He offered his hand for her father to shake, and Cal remarked the tattoo on his wrist. She didn't think much of it until she saw her parents' entire demeanor change. "Let's say our place tonight? Of course, we'll be expecting the whole family."

To the surprise of both Burns children, their parents accepted. Once the strangers had left, Cal turned to her father. "They're from the Guild right? Why were they here" Her father looked bewildered as he closed the door. It didn't look like she'd get an answer from him, so she turned to her mom. "Mom?"

"You're right. These two are from the Guild and that symbol..."

"That symbol is worn by one of the Guild's special force unit. I've heard about it before but never met one. Them being here can't mean anything good."

***********************

The Burns found themselves, hours later, knocking at the door of the house across theirs. The woman from earlier opened the door and welcomed them in. In the middle of the hallway stood Tess Franklin in all her glory. It was the first time Cal saw her since the attack on the Fairmonts. Without thinking, she went to hug the girl, passing her quick condolences. Tess reciprocated the embrace. They stood there for a second or five.

Once untangled from one another, Cal got the mindset to ask her what she was doing there, to which Tess replied that everything would be clear soon, guiding Cal to the dining hall. They were three people seated across a table; the man from earlier, a girl, and a boy. They both seemed slightly older than Calliope and Tess. Soon they were all in one room, the strangers and Tess on one side and the Burns on the other.

The tension in the room was Palpable. Eventually, the pie woman exclaimed herself. "We all come from the same Guild. There shouldn't be this much awkward tension between us." Her words had no effect on Cal's nervousness. Her mom, on the contrary, seemed to have regained some footing as she confronted them. "So, what is this all about?"

The man stood and was the one to speak up this time. "The four of us are part of Leviathan, a special unit inside the Guild." He once again showed his wrist. Calliope was able to get a better look at the symbol; it was a double-barred cross with an infinity symbol under it. "And, we're taking over the operation in Savannah."

The Burns exchanged glances. "I see that; the Guild didn't waste any time finding our replacement." Her father mumbled. The woman, whose name was still a mystery, intervened. "We're not here to replace you. We'll be your supervisors."

"Come again?" Apollo beat Cal to it.

"You heard it, pretty boy. You're working for us from now on." It came to the boy at the end of the table. Apollo looked at him, offended. "What did you say, kiddo?"

"How did you call me?" The guy was out of his chair in seconds. They were now facing each other off.

"Having a problem, shorty?"

"Well, the kid could drive up a blade right through your jugular before you even have the time to say oops."

"C'mon then." Apollo gave him a shove which only seemed to enrage the boy more as he prepared to swing at her brother.

"Apollo!"

"Saber!"

They were interrupted by Talia and the woman. It couldn't have been more than 10 minutes that they were there, and they were already throwing hands. If this was the climate they were supposed to work together in, Cal feared for their future. She saw the other, who till now had appeared bored by the whole meeting, sighed and stood up. "What an uncivilized exchange. If this is how you behave, I fear that; this collaboration will be rather tumultuous. But maybe we should introduce ourselves first, courtesy oblige."

The way she had been able to calm the situation was by all means intriguing. At first glance, the girl didn't appear to be older than Apollo, but the way she moved and talked, with such poise, showed that they were playing in different leagues. "Due to the nature of our operation, members of Leviathan aren't allowed to use their real name. We mostly work by codenames." She swept her eyes around. It was fascinating how she had the whole room in silence.

"However, in order to blend, we have cover's names. I'm Angel, but for the duration of my stay in Savannah, I'll go by Liz. That idiot right there-" She pointed in the direction of the guy presumably named Saber. "is Saber or, well, for now, Mattheo." Mattheo winked at Apollo before regaining his place at the table next to Liz. Cal heard her brother mock the boy's codename. Which thankfully, he didn't seem to hear.

Liz nodded in the direction of the man and woman" That's Eagle, Erick, Commander, or Kara, and you already know Tess. There. Now what we need to figure out; is the way we'll coordinate our operation during the next couples of weeks, if not months" This introduction session at least did work as a buffer as she could feel some of the tension evaporating.

"Wait a minute, the Guild already approved our move. We're supposed to leave in a few days." Her father tried to reason.

"The Guild is at its best when operating anonymously. That's why we try not to draw attention whenever operating." He gave them an accusing look. "Now, what do you think will happen if; a family that moved here three weeks ago, up and left as monsters made their comeback, three dead bodies were found with their daughters entangled in two of them and said daughter getting accused of being a monster herself. Wouldn't that feel suspicious to you?"

Something about the accusation in his voice didn't feel right with Calliope. "What are you trying to say?" Her mother was starting to get irritated. She could feel it.

"What Eagle meant is that for now, you have to remain in Savannah until further notice. And before you try to protest, it's an order from Guild's council." Perhaps it was shellfish, but Cal was happy that they were staying. It gave her hope of seeing her brother again. Although, the presence of this new 'family' put him more at risk than ever. And as if Liz could read her mind, she made a comment that made her nervous.

"Now that that's out of the way: aren't you guys a family of five? Where's Theseus Burns?" Cal's eyes immediately fell on her father. She was holding her breath, fearing what her father would say. Thankfully her mom came to the rescue, inventing a story about him running an errand. "May we know what kind of errands?"

"I don't think it's any of your business."

"Talia, everything concerning you and your family is our business. As your supervisors, we must know what you're doing, where you are, and what you know at all times. There can't be any secrets between us."

"So, what? We have to ask y'all every time we go to pee too?"

"Apollo-" Talia tried to stop him, to no avail.

"Nah, that's some bullshit."

"You're starting to get annoying. If you don't shut up, pretty boy, I might have to kill you." Calliope didn't doubt that he meant every word. There was just something with how Mattheo was looking at her brother with that sly smirk plastered on his face. No, she was sure he wanted nothing more. She could see her brother's response before he even opened his mouth. However, the words never made their way out.

The slap resonated through the room. Apollo looked up in shock at their mother. Feelings of betrayal and disbelief could be seen all over his face. Their parents had never hit them, at least not outside of training. Cal could see both; regret and rage in her mother's eyes as she ordered her brother to stay put. "Not a word."

Apollo's hot temper was really showing off right now. Even though Cal felt similar, she tried not to show it too much. It wasn't just other Guild members or Clayton Cook. She had heard of those units and how particularly ruthless they could be. If things were to escalate and it came down to fist, they most likely would be able to neutralize them without a hitch. They screamed danger. And seeing how her dad was balling his fists, she knew she was right. The worst part is that it felt like they were powerless in all this. She turned to look at Tess, who contented herself with staying silent in the background.

Kara took the reign of the conversation; in an attempt to mitigate the tension. "I think that as a token of our goodwill, we can trust your words on that one. Theseus Burn has one week. Now that that is out of the way, maybe we can actually start with the briefing?" Left with no choice, the Burns relent ad seated them around the table.

They had to recount everything that had happened since their arrival in Savannah. Throughout the first few minutes Cal would sporadically glance at her uncharacteristically silent brother. Whenever her eyes weren't on him, they were on Tess. Calliope still couldn't figure out their dynamic. They were not related, this much was clear, and at times it seemed more like they barely tolerated one another. However, she was unsure how Tess fitted in that painting.

Thankfully an opportunity to have a one-on-one conversation with her former best friend presented itself when Tess got asked to get drinks for everyone. Calliope volunteered to help her and followed her into the kitchen. The hunter grabbed Tess's arm the second they were out of earshot. "What the fuck are you doing with them."

Tess wrung herself free from Cal's grasp and put some distance between them. "I'm here to avenge my family. I'm here to kill Oliver Fairmont." Cal was looking at her, worried. Her parents had told her about the Franklins; they didn't give her any details, just that they were deceased. She had no idea Juliette's brother had done that. To think that roughly 24 hours ago, she was ready to go to his house with Jules. Calliope shook her head. " It doesn't explain why you're them?"

"What? You don't think I'm a good hunter." Tess crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow in challenge to which Cal just rolled her eyes. It reminded her of their old banter, only this time, it was a serious topic. "You know that, that's not what I meant."

The shorter girl uncrossed her arms, taking a more serious look. " I get what you're saying, but this is perhaps my only chance to get my revenge. They think that I might be helpful since I was present during the attack, and they're not all bad." that earned an incredulous chuckle from Cal and her best ' girl be serious' look. "I'm serious, for example, Mattheo. He and I have a lot in common."

Calliope's expression looked even less convinced than before. " That sociopathic asshole? Yeah, you're right. The resemblance is uncanny?"

Tess sighed. "He's not that bad. When I got here, he was the only one who understood me. We both bonded over being orphans, and he's been helping me through my grief plus, it feels good to have someone to share my Filipino heritage with now that my mom is dead. It makes me feel closer to her." Cal softened slightly. She could see that it meant a lot to Tess, and she didn't feel like raining on her parade. "Okay, if you say so. Just be careful."

During Calliope and Tess's conversation, a different one was ongoing at the dining table. They had reached the events of the attack on the Legacies party when something Kara mentioned had ticked Jack the wrong way. Leviathan got summoned the moment the Guild had been made aware of the presence of Legacies in Savannah. It meant that before the raid had even taken place, the special unit team was getting assembled. It was that particular detail that confused the Burns. " Pause. If the Guild sent you guys regardless of the outcome, why did they let us follow with the raid."

The answer that Erick gave him did nothing to alleviate the growing anger felt among the Burns; on the contrary, it amplified it. "As you know, spotting a Legacy is something close to a miracle, so a whole party full to the brim with them? It was a golden opportunity. The information you gathered from it is more valuable than you think."

The realization hit Talia first. "The spears. The Guild knew that they wouldn't kill them, did they?"

This time it was Liz who spoke. "We weren't sure if the arms would be effective. At least now we know."

"Weren't sure?! They sent the seven of us to place full monsters without knowing if we had the tools to kill them. And for what result? Our friends are now dead, and their daughter, who, for some reason, you brought back here, is now an orphan." Talia was barely able to control her rage. Learning that the fiasco of that night hadn't been just some big mistake but a calculated risk taken by the Guild with their lives on the line; was sickening.

"Why are you so pressed? " Mattheo countered. "They knew what they signed for when they enrolled in the Guild. If anything, they had a somewhat heroic death. It's more than some people get." Talia knew that he was trying to taunt them. She was grateful that there was a whole table separating them, or she might have already jumped him. Jack, for his part, didn't seem to think that the physical barrier between them was enough to stop him. He got up furious, and Talia had to restrain him.

"Mattheo!" The glare that Liz directed toward him was enough to cool even the hottest places in hell. The boy just shrugged before standing up. "Whatever, I'm bored. I'll be in my room. See you later, pretty boy. " He blew a kiss at Apollo before leaving the room.

The tension was still high even after Saber's departure. It took Jack of few deep breaths to calm himself. And, like a pattern, it was Kara, who yet again had to diffuse the situation." What happened to Mike and Sarah was a tragedy, but we should stay focused on our objective, which is to rid the world of those monsters to prevent tragedies like that from occurring again.

Jack just nodded and sat back down. Talia took his hand on the table to give him some comfort. No matter where they stood concerning their son: they would be there for one another. At that exact moment, the two teenagers re-entered the dining room. Both of them could feel that something had happened in their absence but couldn't figure out what. Cal did notice Mattheo's absence, so there was that.

Unfortunately for Cal, she didn't get much breathing time because as soon as she sat down, Erick shifted his attention to her. He gave her what she assumed was assumed to be a disarming smile. "So, Calliope, we heard about your particular relationship with Juliette Fairmont." Cal instantly blanched. She could feel the accusation oozing from his words. Cal was quick to refute his claim and lie that they were nothing other than classmates. However, that had seemed to be the wrong answer as Erick's smile dropped, and he sighed.

"Calliope, didn't we agree that there wouldn't be any secret between us? One of your classmates spotted the two of you making out hours after the raid at a bonfire, and plenty of individuals have seen you two together. And tell me why a horde of wannabe hunters was looking for you at the Fairmonts' mansion less than 24 hours ago?" At the corner of her eyes, she could see Tess staring at her. "I'll ask again; what's the nature of your relationship with Juliette Fairmont, and please, no lie this time."

Cal knew this was a trap. If she sincerely said that she and Juliette had been a thing -although they had never really officialized anything now that Calliope thought about it- she would probably get dragged to the Guild for treason. No, Cal couldn't disclose the truth. Yet, if she lied and they found out, the outcome would be the same, if not worst. Cal was surprised at how much this man knew about her. The fact that the Guild kept tabs on her had never crossed her mind.

The huntress desperately wanted to ask her parents for help but knew that if she looked in their direction, it would only incriminate her further. What she needed to do was bluff her way successfully. She subtly took a breath, dug her nails in her palms to ground her, and looked at Eagle with as much confidence and easiness she could fake. "I didn't lie." Erick looked like he was going to interrupt her, but she didn't give him the opportunity. "To me, we're nothing more than classmates, but to Juliette, we're more than that. She has feelings for me."

"And that means?"

Cal dug her nails deeper. "It means that I'm using her feeling for me to gather intel on the Legacies." The words felt nauseous in her mouth. She never would actually use Juliette feeling against her, no matter how angry she was with her, but for now, she had had to make them believe it. "It's only been a week, but I have made some progress."

Erick exchanged a look with Kara. "Really? What do you know." Cal had to be smart about this. She went over everything that happened with Juliette and tried to find something to throw their way. One look at Tess, and Cal knew what to say. She told them about how he killed Ashley and later turned her into a zombie. That and how he was working with a witch. Selling out Oliver wasn't a tough call. He murdered Mike and Sarah and wanted to transform her into a monster. She had expected a reaction from Tess but was confused by Kara's when she mentioned Oliver's witch girlfriend, Carmen.

The woman kept asking Calliope questions she had no answer to, and that detail seemed to frustrate her. There was a moment where Cal considered mentioning the snake she saw in Juliette's dream, yet something told her she shouldn't. For a second, she was afraid that her inconsequent knowledge of Oliver wouldn't suffice, but to her surprise, they accepted it as enough for now. The next shock came when they requested her to keep going with her and Jules' relationship. "Juliette Fairmont may be our key to eradicate all Legacies." were Erick's exact words. She now had to fake faking being in love with the girl she just promised to spend the rest of her days trying to kill.

Fucking great.

***************************

Calliope Burns had never been more grateful for Mondays. For the first time in her life, her house didn't feel like a safe place. The Burns house was bustling with nervous energy. Now that they knew they were essentially under close surveillance of the Guild, they needed to be discreet. Their main concern right now was Theo. Cal was still shocked that her dad didn't rat Theo out. Perhaps it was a shame or still existing love. Whatever it was, it had bought them time.

Her father wanted to kill him before the Guild got a hold on him, but her mom wouldn't relent. That had caused a weekend-long disagreement that the hunter was happy to escape. It was in those moments that she missed Theo. Her brother always knew what to say to make her feel better, to make even the worst situation seem harmless. She had hoped to find it in Apollo, but the latter had shut himself up in his room and didn't even come for dinner. The only proof she had that he was still there was his car parked in the driveway and the occasional noises coming from his room.

The fact that she had to keep attending school was the only good thing that came from the Guild's intervention. Who would have thought that high school would be the least stressful place for her, a teenage girl.

It was almost time for her class, so Cal opted to set off. Perhaps it had been the lack of sleep, absence of coffee, or wishful thinking that Juliette wouldn't be present, but the huntress seemed to have forgotten that they shared gym class. She made it all the way through the locker room and the field. She only realized her mistake when her ears caught the unmistakable sound of her vampire's laughter.

Whenever she wasn't thinking of Theo or worrying for Apollo, her thought went to Jules. Feelings were something she could navigate but never really understood. She wasn't always skilled at expressing them or even knowing they were there, so it was no wonder she struggled with understanding her feelings for Juliette. The anger was still there. Calliope still blamed Jules for turning Theo but somewhere deep inside felt relieved that no one truly knew a way to kill Legacies. Did she love her? did she hate her? Cal was conflicted and seeing Juliette standing just a few feet away from her didn't help at all.

Juliette was engrossed in a conversation with Ben and seemed normal, happy even, which was weird to Cal. She thought Jules would have been a little heartbroken after their last encounter. But if anything, Juliette seemed to be doing alright, and Calliope didn't know how to feel about it. Their eyes met, and Cal's heart skipped a beat. Jules still had that type of effect on her. But she quickly realized that something was off. The way Jules had looked at her felt so foreign. Like when you lock eyes with strangers on the train.

However, before she could dig deeper, the moment ended, disrupted by Mrs. Bridget's whistle. She paired in groups to play dodgeball, Ben on her team and Juliette on another. During their first match, Cal noticed the glares he kept throwing at her or how he would respond passive-aggressively to anything she said. She found it strange, knowing that the last time they saw one another, it was on a positive note.

The strangest thing, however, was that not once did Jules approach her when both of them weren't playing. She didn't try to talk to her or anything. Occasionally, Cal with catch her glancing her way but that was it. She ultimately reasoned that the vampire had chosen to ignore her. That seemed like the most plausible explanation for that strange interaction. For a moment, Calliope envisioned letting things as they were. If Juliette wanted to ignore her, maybe it was for the better. There was just one major problem; the Guild. They most likely expected her to keep the thing she had with Juliette going. If she started to distance herself now, they'd grow suspicious. Cal had no choice but to keep up appearances.

The next match was between Jule's team and another one. She was watching Jules move and realized that the girl seemed in pain. She was pretty slow and often frowning, not in concentration, more so in agony. The match was going well when one of the girls from Jules' team received the ball straight in her face.

Everyone gathered around the girl. She opened her eyes after a few seconds. Outside of light-headedness and a bloody nose, the girl seemed fine. Nonetheless, Mrs. Bridget insisted that she go to the Infirmary. Juliette volunteered to go with her, and Cal watched them leave.

The hunter didn't pay attention for the rest of gym class. She mindlessly went through the tasks, her mind being preoccupied with Juliette, so much so that she almost missed the end.

She pondered on the best way to approach Juliette. If the latter was really trying to ignore her, a direct approach was the best option. Cal settled for confronting her after the class. The only problem was that Juliette never made it back to class. It worried Cal slightly, but she tried not to overthink it. She did find her in the end. Juliette was in the locker room when they arrived. Cal noted that she looked out of it. She contemplated going to Jules, but with everyone in the locker room she decided otherwise.

She was out the minute she finished changing. The hunter positioned herself outside by the door and waited for Juliette to appear. Thankfully she didn't have to wait long as Jules came out second after her. Cal went in for it, gently grabbing her arm and getting them out of the entryway.

Jules let out a surprised squeal. She turned to look at Cal, seemingly ready to question her but froze. They stared at each other. It was as if time itself had stopped. It had been so long since they stood so close to each other. Cal could hear her heartbeat going crazy. She had forgotten why she was here or what she wanted. The moment seemed perfect, except it wasn't. One second, Juliette was looking at her; the next, she was squinting her eyes and seemed in pain?

Calliope released Jules's arm, thinking she had hurt her, Juliette being a vampire passing over her head. She brushed her hand through her hair to calm herself before explaining herself. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to talk to you." Juliette stayed weirdly silent, which was only increasing Cal's nerves. It wasn't like her to go into something plan, but she wasn't sure what she wanted to say right now. Cal may have told the Guild about using Jules feeling to her advantage, but doing it now felt weird. She finally opted to go with what her heart was telling her. "About that night. I don' regret saying what I said because that's how I felt, but I shouldn't have-..."

Cal stopped midsentence. They were just something unsettling in the way Juliette was looking at her, that and the fact that she was silent. One thing that Cal liked about Jules was her awkward rambling and how she would look at her. Like Cal was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, her eyes would always shine extra stronger when she looked at her. Right now, Juliette's eyes lacked that spark. She was looking at her funny. Like one looks at a stranger. Cal couldn't take it anymore. " Why are you looking at me like that?"

Juliette seemed confused. "Like what?"

"Like you don't know me." Cal could hear the distress in her own voice.

Juliette's frown deepened in her confusion. "Should I? I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are." Cal didn't know how to take that. To her, it must have been a joke. She tried to reason in her head that Jules was doing it to spite her. And, it was working. "It's me, Cal." For a moment, there was nothing, then came the telltale sign of recognition, and Call sighed in relief. She did it too soon.

"Are you Calliope Burns?"

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Had I never met Calliope Burns, maybe I could have loved moderately."

Juliette jolted awake in a state of panic. Her breaths were short, and she could feel her clothes sticking to her back. She was sweaty and cold. Juliette took a second or two to calm her breathing. She has had a nightmare, a weird one. It was about Ben. In it, her best friend was running in the woods, like he was trying to escape something. She saw him scream for help and fall a few times. On one of those times, he twisted his ankle. The dream ended with Ben on the floor, bloodied and presumably dead, with two big gashes on his neck.

Juliette couldn't shake away the mental image of her friend's dead body. The vampire closed her eyes and took her head in her hands, only to be assaulted by the faint scent of something familiar. Juliette opened her eyes to look at her hands and was horrified to see dried blood on them. She quickly took off her blanket and realized her clothes, too, were covered in blood.

Juliette rushed to the bathroom, opened the tap, and washed the blood out of her hands. She caught her reflection in the mirror; she looked like a mess.

Juliette attempted to recall the events of the night before. But each time she tried, she got hit with a piercing headache. The last thing Jules remembered was Elinor getting arrested and getting into her car. She was driving somewhere but couldn't place where. Juliette had no recollection of going home either. If anything, she was sure she would have chosen Oliver's place over her own.

Then she thought of her dream. It had seemed so real, so tangible. She could still see Ben's body. That's when she started freaking out. Juliette ran back to her room and looked everywhere for her phone, but couldn't find it anywhere. Juliette knew that she would never hurt her best friend. Even so, the doubt was growing in her mind. Her best course of action was to make sure he was okay. But first, she needed to throw her clothes away and take a shower.

Thirty minutes later, she was tumbling down the stairs. The plan was to straight to her car, but she stopped when she saw the luggage in the hall. Juliette called for her parents and found them in the kitchen. "Why are they luggage around? Are you going somewhere?"

Her mother put down her cup of coffee and turned to her. "Honey, your father and I are going to Budapest."

"Why?"

Her mom looked at her dad and then back to her. "It's something about the council, don't worry. If everything goes well, we'll be back by Tuesday." Juliette didn't know what to say. She could tell that her mother was withholding information, but she didn't feel like probing.

"When are you leaving?"

Her father stood up and took her in his arms. "In a few hours. We left you with enough money, and if there's anything, and I mean anything, don't hesitate to call us." Juliette nodded. Her father looked her up and down. "Were you going somewhere?"

"To Ben's."

"Okay." He kissed her on the forehead and let go of her. " Go have fun. We love you." Juliette reciprocated with her own, I love you too and went on her way. She didn't question much the whole. Making sure that Ben was okay was at the forefront of her mind. She would be suspicious of her parents' antics later.

The ride to Ben's house had never felt this excruciatingly slow. She attempted t whole ride to remember that night but failed once again. Every time the headache got worst. There was also a weird feeling of emptiness. Like she had forgotten something important, something dear to her heart. Thankfully, she arrived quickly at Ben's driveway. Juliette didn't even make sure that she had parked correctly. She just dove out of the car.

Juliette banged on the door, praying in the name of Lilith that her nightmare was just that, a nightmare. She was going for the second round of banging when the door burst open. "Why the hell are you attacking my door like that?" Ben stood in the entryway, looking completely fine and alive.

Juliette took him in a tight embrace. She had never felt more relieved than then. The vampire wasn't sure what would have happened had he not been okay. Apparently, she was holding too tight as Ben complained about a lack of air. Juliette let go of him and apologized. "Sorry, I'm just so glad you're okay."

Ben looked at her, confused. " Was I not supposed to?"

"No, of course not, I mean yes, I mean... Can I not just be happy that my friend is alright?" Ben eyed her suspiciously. She was never really able to hide a thing from him. Well, except for her being a vampire. Thankfully he did insist.

"Well, not so alright. Bunny has been acting a little extra weird ever since I told her about going to my father." Oh yeah, she had forgotten that. Ben was leaving her. It wasn't that she didn't understand the why -if she could, she would go too- just that not having her best man around would make her life a little bit harder.

"What am I going to do without you?"

"Well, you still have me till Friday, and you'll always have your hot girlfriend to keep you company." That confused Juliette. She was a gay-disaster, the kind that barely managed to hold a conversation with her crush, so her having a girlfriend seemed unlikely. Not only that, she was sure that if she did have a girlfriend, she would have definitely remembered.

"What, girlfriend? I don't have a girlfriend."

"Oh girl, I'm so sorry. I thought that ya'll were riding the love train. Did Cal dump you?" Juliette looked at him even more bewildered. Cal? The name sounded familiar, like she had heard it before. Yet as she tried to remember where her headaches just got worst. So much so that she winced in pain. Ben saw it and got worried.

"Hey, it's okay. We don't have to talk about it. It's Cal's loss anyway. You and I will consume a shit ton of ice cream, and you'll help me with my outfits. I'm having trouble choosing which one to take with me." Juliette wanted to argue, but the headaches were just so unbearable. It was like something was trying to bore its way out of her skull from the inside. So she just relented and let Ben lead her inside.

They spent the day eating gallons of ice cream, mostly Ben, watching their old favorite movies, and picking apart Ben's closet. The breakup therapy starter pack. After some time, the migraines eased up. Juliette ended up sleeping at Ben's.

********************

That night Jules dreamed of a girl without a face or name. She only saw snippets; eyes, lips, and strands of curly dark hair but never a visage. She awoke with a strange feeling. Like there was a hole in her heart, something missing. And it frustrated her that she couldn't figure out what.

Ben woke up later than her, and they got breakfast. Juliette decided to stay some more, knowing there was nobody at home. They didn't talk about her supposed girlfriend. Bunny spent the day out on a meeting with the other MAAMs. Ben's departure was giving her more reason to want to hunt monsters. Thank Lilith, the wine addict still didn't seem to suspect her true nature.

Something was plaguing her mind the entire day; if she hadn't attacked Ben, where did the blood come from? Juliette tried, but there was no way to rationalize it. If she did kill someone, what did she do with the body, and why couldn't she remember. Those questions kept her company during her ride home.

She found her house plunged in darkness. Juliette opted to head straight to her room, but something stopped her. A voice she wasn't expecting. "Welcome home, sweet little." Juliette turned in its direction, walked into the kitchen, and flickered on the lights. Elinor was seated at the kitchen table, looking at her sheepishly.

"Really? Isn't the whole villain sitting in the dark a bit overkill?" Juliette uttered as nonchalantly as she could.

Elinor shrugged. "You know I have a thing for theatrics."

"How did you get out?"

Elinor shrugged. "Let's just say that the evidence room caught fire, and by pure coincidence, my file was one of the destroyed ones. A human mistake, really. No proof, no crime."

Elinor stood up painfully slow. Juliette knew her sister well enough to know that behind that smile, she was pissed. "What do you want." She tried to make as much distance between her and her sister, backing away as Elinor approached closer.

"You see, I knew you've been incredibly naive and sentimental, but I never thought that you'll be stupid enough to choose Oliver's side or that your feelings for that hunter girl would blindside you to what's really important; family."

Juliette tried not to focus on the hunter-girl part of her sister's tirade. She kept moving deeper into the cooking area, looking for something just in case. Elinor was, by all means, faster and stronger. And while Juliette didn't think her sister would necessarily hurt her, she looked pissed off enough.

She found a knife on the countertop and weighted the idea. Elinor noticed and barked out a life." Don't tell me you're planning to use a knife?"

"Maybe"

As predicted, Elinor used her superspeed and had Juliette pinned against the floor-length cupboard. Her hand was pressing on the younger throat."You know I'm sick of that sappy shit of yours."

"We don't need to kill to survive." Juliette struggled to get her words out. Elinor had her suspended a few inches off the ground.

"The Juliette that I know would have never betrayed me. It's all that girl's fault. You've been prioritizing her over your own family." She got closer to Juliette's ear. "I want my little sister back, and you deserve some punishment for putting me in jail; that's why Calliope Burns must die."

Calliope Burns, the name was foreign but familiar all the same. It fell like an itch in her brain she couldn't scratch. No matter how hard she tried, Juliette had no recollection of a Calliope Burns. The headaches manifested themselves almost instantly. "Who?"

"C'mon, Jules, do you really think I'm that stupid?"

"I have no idea who that is." Elinor regarded her dubiously.

Seeing that her sister looked earnest, she attempted to force Juliette into telling the truth, but each time, the younger one's answer was the same. Juliette remembered the Burns. However, to her, there were only two brothers. She knew they attempted to kill her family, remembered Elinor wanting her to drain someone on her consecration, but gave an unknown name.

"Who the fuck is Vanessa?"

No matter how she asked, It seemed like all memories of Calliope had been either; completely erased or events rewritten. Her sister wasn't that good of a liar.

Finally believing her sister's words, she released her hold on Juliette, making her fall to the ground. Elinor was preocupied. Either Juliette was suffering from amnesia, or something unnatural was behind it. Neither options were ideal.

Juliette massaged her throat and looked up at her sister. She could see in her eye that the anger was receding, and a glimmer of worried emerged. It only added to Juliette's confusion. "Where's mom and dad?"

"In Budapest for a council meeting."

"Of course they are. Your little girlfriend is safe from now. Ripping her heart out won't be fun if you don't even remember her." With that, Elinor left. Juliette let out a breath of relief once her sister was out of sight. She got up on stood there for a second, thinking about the best course of action. Juliette could go to Oliver's, but for what? Jail had not contained Elinor, and she didn't feel like pissing her sister more than she already had.

The constant mention of a girlfriend, tho, was bugging her. She had half a mind looking up Calliope Burns but then remembered that she had no idea where her phone was. Dejected, Juliette decided to call it a night.

*******************

Juliette woke up once again in the wake of a dream of her mystery girl. From her mesmerizing brown eyes to her plump lips, curly hair, and smooth dark skin. She never got a full picture, just snippets. Juliette tried to reminisce the dream for as long as possible. Eventually, she had to get up for school.

Her first try at standing up was unsuccessful, as she got hit by an intense migraine. Juliette held her head in her hands, screaming out of pain. It was worst than the day before, and she had no idea why. She stayed like that for a while till the pain receded slightly. The only time the headaches had been that dreadful was before her first kill. The vampire thought it was a thing of the past, but it just kept happening.

After some time, Juliette managed to get out of bed and clean up for school. The absence of Elinor was at least a good reprieve for now. She was most likely off murdering people, and Jules could do nothing about it. Juliette didn't need more conflict to worsen her headaches. A well-filled thermos of coffee later, she was on her way to high school.

Juliette put on the radio if only to see if they discovered a new body last night. Nothing came, no body, no missing or missing person, only a weird amount of animals out of the woods, jumping up the road. Reassured of the absence of a potential murder she may have committed, she switched stations for the rest of the traject.

She met up with Ben in front of her locker. Midden in their discussion, the headaches just kept getting worst. Feeling her throat dry, she tried to assuage it with some coffee, but the thirst persisted. Juliette recognized it as a sign of hunger. It didn't make sense.

Vampires could last over a week between feeding, depending on how much they drank. The last couple of days, she had her first kill, then that time with Elinor and Theo Burns. Her first kill alone should have gotten her well within two weeks. She shouldn't be thirsty. The pain followed her to gym class. She tried her best not to let it shine and entertained a conversation with Ben.

Juliette felt it then. She looked up, her eyes locked with a mesmerizing pair of brown eyes, the ones from her dreams. The same curly hair, flawless dark skin, and kissable lips, it was the girl from her dreams. Juliette wasn't sure how it was possible. She was certain to have never seen her before, but it felt like she knew everything about her. It was like they were in a trance of sorts, unable to look away from her. It felt like being inside of a bubble. The otherwise harsh and loud world faded into the background. Same with her migraines. For a brief moment, there were only the two of them.

Unfortunately, every good thing has to end. The whistle broke the moment and brought back, in its wake, the rest of the world. Juliette blinked to reality. They got paired in groups, and she saw Ben ending up with her mysterious girl. Juliette thought that perhaps the girl was new, and in a sense, she could see it with the rather withdrawn way she interacted with the rest. But it was nowhere as awkward as a total newbie would be.

Throughout the games, Juliette's pain never left her. It seemed that with each passing moment, her thirst just became worst. Everything felt overwhelming; the noises, smells, lights, and that infuriating whistle. She needed to find a way out and thank Lilith, an opportunity presented itself. When Veronica Sinclaire passed out, she proposed to take her to the infirmary.

She led the girl there, where she subsequently dozed off. Apparently, Veronica didn't get any sleep the night before. Juliette planned to wait until one of the school nurses arrived. She made use of the moment to calm down. She managed for a little while until she got a whiff of a particular fragrance. The scent of blood engulfed her. Juliette turned to Veronica's slumped form. Of course, the girl was on her period.

Juliette could feel her fangs sprout out, and her thirst became unbearable. The whole instance felt surreal. One moment she was standing close to Veronica, and the next, she had her fangs buried in the girl's arm, drinking from the blood. The relief came instantly. It just felt right, and for a second, Juliette berated herself for not feeding. She kept going and going, it felt like Jules couldn't control herself.

She was reveling in it all when she a noise alerted her. Juliette sprang upright and turned in the direction it came from but saw nothing. She was sure hearing someone. However, the room seemed empty outside of her and Veronica. A Veronica, who looked sickly pale. Juliette hastened herself to check the girl's pulse. Thankfully, she was still alive but had lost a lot of blood. There was no denying that had Juliette kept going, she would have drained her. Horrified by that thought, Juliette ran away.

What happened had always been her biggest fear that one day she would lose control and attack someone. It just didn't make sense. Juliette shouldn't be feeling this way after her first kill. The only good thing was that now the headaches were gone, and so was her thirst. Altho she could still feel it but less persistent.

She didn't go back to gym class, preferring to stay in the locker room. The vampire used that time to go over the facts. She had lost control, almost killed a classmate, and was pretty sure someone had been looking at her. That and the blood on her clothes and amnesia from the other night was getting too much. She needed to talk to her parents. Juliette was still ruminating when the rest joined her in the locker room.

Juliette changed hastily, her thoughts still occupied with what happened. She was so much in her own head, she didn't notice at first someone grabbing her arm. Juliette let out a slight squeal as the person distanced them from the entrance. Once farther away, Juliette tune to her kidnapper, only to be met with her mysterious girl. Up close, she looked even more beautiful.

If she could, Juliette would want nothing more than to swim in the vastness of her gaze. The vampire was acutely aware of her grip on her. It felt like a hot iron burning the skin of her arm. And the pain that blossomed in her chest. It wasn't like the headaches, this one felt familiar, like a boa constrictor closing in on her heart. The pain made her squint, prompting her mysterious girl to release her. Juliette immediately missed her warmth.

She started talking, but the vampire couldn't make out a word she said. She knew the girl was familiar, but no matter how hard she tried, but couldn't remember from where. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Juliette heard that bit and was confused. "Like what?"

"Like you don't know me."

"Should I? I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are. "The vampire's confusion kept growing. Juliette was resolute that this was their first meeting because she would have never forgotten someone as beautiful as her. She could feel confusion.

"It's me, Cal." Juliette wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean. The name felt foreign, but there was something in with how she said it like that name should ring a bell to Juliette. She remembered it then. The name Ben used when talking about a girlfriend she didn't have. It was easy to make the connection between that and what Elinor said.

"Are you Calliope Burns?"

The girl looked almost offended by Juliette's words. "Yeah....but you already know that. Why do you keep acting like we're stranger?"

Juliette wasn't sure how to react. First Ben, then Elinor, and now or well Calliope -what a lovely name, she thought- they all seemed to believe she knew her. "Look I don't know you, and I'm not sure why everybody is acting as I do. I mean you were in my dreams but that's beside the point. What I'm trying to say is."

Calliope was going to respond when they got interrupted. "Cal, there you are. I was wondering if you could give me a- " The girl seemed only then to take notice of Juliette's presence. There was something in the way she looked at Juliette head to toe that sent a chill down the vampire's spine. It felt like she was being assessed, and she didn't like that.

"Tess? What're you doing here?" Calliope seemed surprised to see, what Juliette could only presume to be her friend, there. Not wanting to intrude on whatever conversation they going to have, Juliette opted to take her leave.

"Hum, well since your friend is here I should probably go. It was nice to meet you, Calliope."

"Jules, wait"

Juliette's pace faltered slightly at the nickname. There was just something in the way she had said that. But she shook her head and resumed walking, only glancing back when she was far enough. She could help but murmur to herself.

"Who are you Calliope Burns, and why are you in my dreams?"

#calliope burns #first kill #juliette fairmont #caliette

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