Where do I began. My mind drawing a blank at the worse possible time. A soft smile on Olivers face as he continued to sit in front of me by this point the early morning sun has made itself home in the splashes of oranges, purples and reds the soft tinge of blue slowly overtaking as I lean back in the booth.

    "I... I really don't know where to begin." I finally say looking from the table and back to Oliver who tilts his head, taking my hand again the smell of magic hits my nose.

    'The Ghouls are not my fathers.' Oliver answers. 'Yes, Jane is my aunt, and no I do not burn in the sunlight its more of an uncomfortable pinpricking.'

    Releasing my hand, I sigh a bit relived.

    "Why couldn't I tell though, you seemed so normal." Shaking my head Oliver silently laughs gesturing to himself. "Yes, ass I thought you were normal. But I should have known better your attire should have given me a hint." I smirk as Oliver grabs my hand.

    'What's wrong with my attire?' He questions before smirking 'I look fabulous thank you very much.'

    "Yes, fabulously outdated." I smirked "Why couldn't you do this before would have made things easier."

    Oliver shrugs before pointing at his mouth.

    "Makes you hungry I presume."

    Oliver nods before smiling and leaning back in the booth. I hum back before looking out the window seeing the sun finally out, I sigh and get up out the booth.

    "Want to stick around tonight? Or are you safe to go home?" Walking towards the front door I check outside before turning back to face Oliver who is staring passed my shoulder to the cool morning sun. He lifts his hand pointing towards the ground before nodding. "Alright then, I'll show you to the room cause once I show you, I'm gonna knock the fuck out."

Oliver nods a silent laughter coming from him as I lead him upstairs, through the broken door and into the living room. His eyes looking around with a soft smile as I open the bedroom door. Stepping inside he gives me a soft nod of thanks before walking over to the nearly unused bed.

    "Alright," I close the door stepping over to my recliner and for the first time in months I sit back relax and don't grab a drink. Grabbing my remote I turn the TV on to the news a young woman with light brown hair and a grimace on her face.

    "Today another body has been found in Aurora Springs, A Local Fisherman Phillip Harris found in the river by local boy Newton Mercer."

    I shot up out my chair. 'Newton?!' Stumbling out of the recliner I grab my phone off the kitchen counter and quickly dialed the house number. After a few minutes of nothing but dial tone Newton's voice comes through.

    "Mercer Residents."

    "Newton, is it true what the news says?!" 

    "Yeah... Mom just picked me up from the police department an hour ago." Newton responds.

    "What the hell..." I mumbling pinching the bridge of my nose. "Where were you? What were you doing? And what time?"

    "Passed the Silver Lake about a mile from your bar, And about 11:25 PM..." He responds skipping over the second question like it was physically gonna hurt him.

    "Newton." 

    "Yeah?" He responds, I can hear him fidgeting with the cable of the wall phone.

    "What were you doing?"

    Newton doesn't respond the line seemingly going dead for a few seconds before he mumbles his voice barely above a whisper. "I was trying to shift..."

    I sigh leaning against the kitchen counter.

    "Newton..."

    "I know, I know but it's been ages everything has been just overwhelming and I... I can't let them win." He mumbles.

    "Derek?" I question and even though I can't see him I know he's nodding as he answers my question with a quiet yes. "Newton you ain't got to show that Incubus anything, like Ma keeps telling you, ignore him."

    "I'll try."

    "Good. Now go get a nap in before Ma makes, ya work out in the garden again." I remark making Newton chuckle as he hangs up the call. Sighing I pocket my phone, my eyes immediately going to the bedroom door. Listening for a second before slipping downstairs and out the door.

    The walk to the lake was peaceful, a quiet sense washing over the usually bustling woodlands. Keeping my head on a swivel an eerie sensation crawls up my back cascading goosebumps down my broad arms as I reach the lakes edge.

    Cautiously I walk around the edge kicking up loose dirt and rocks as I go.

    "What are you doing out here?" A familiar shrill voice hits my ears, turning to it Iris stands with her arms folded.

    "None of your business." I retort continuing to walk my back to her.

    "It is my damn business I live on the other side of the lake." She snaps stomping over and grasping my arm.

    Yanking my arm back I growl lowly. "Keep your hands off me Iris unless you want to become one with the lake."

    "That a threat or a promise?" She folds her arms over her chest a sly smirk on her face as she props up the only assets loved more then my money.

    Rolling my eyes I turn and continue to walk hearing her agitated huff she curses and follows me. The sound of her heels thudding against the dirt path for a couple of minutes before she grabs the back of my shirt.

    "What?" I look back

    "Why you being so cold? We used to be so close." She sighs 

    "Used to be is the key words their Iris, we used to be a lot of things before you decided to jump ship an hour after my father died. You left me with nothing, and now that things are starting to look up you've decided to saunter in like I owe you something?" I turn completely around throwing my arms out. "Well, I got news for you Iris, I don't owe you jack shit!" I snap growling lowly. "And if you really think I do, you got another thing coming."

    Her hand drops as she backs up before lifting both hands in surrender. Her face going between smug, anger, and then something close to acceptance before twisting back around to that anger I knew to well.

    "You have no idea what I've been through since that day. You think you know me, but you don't!" 

    "I know you well enough." I retort taking a deep breath to calm my flaming nerves as I turn and walk ignoring her objections. Until we reach the other side of the lake her house a large modern structure almost clashing with the thick forestry as though it didn't belong.

    "What are you even looking for?" She finally questions stepping around me to block my path.

    "I know you watch the news."

    "Yeah." She rolls her eyes. "I heard little Newt found something, but I was a tad busy."

    "Well to make it simple for you, it was a dead body, I believe it came from the ghoul that attacked me last night."

    "So that's why the bar looked like shit." She hums folding her arms over her chest. "But why did it attack you? Or you know what better yet, how did it get into your bar? Don't you lock the doors?"

    "I do, that's why I'm out here. Maybe get a lead before someone else ends up that thing's midnight snack."

    "Well, I did see something last night." Iris leans back a bit. "But you got to do something for me." A sharp smile crosses her face making my blood run cold.

    "And what would that be?"