I had been privy to much in my stint of captivity. Coersion, degradation, murder, suffering. The coven my parents had come from was no party, that was for sure, and for the months I spent with then I wondered how the hell they had ever gotten wrapped up in this. Then it put me on the path to wondering if I didn't know them at all. If maybe they had been party to it unlike me, who fought tooth and nail. I had always been fiercely independent. My parents frowned on it from time to time and did their best to cajole me to stay. My healing would best serve Scotland. The druids would love to have me and did I enjoy such mystic things? Then, the coven could use a strong recruit.

In the end, they had let me go spread my wings, but damn if they didn't constantly blow up my phone trying to get me home. It was their deaths that finally did it. I had been so damned determined to find out who killed them and why that I never stopped to think what they could have done to elicit such a violent ending.

Did they turn against Carver and in her rage, she order their murders? I think that either my mother or father, or both combined, were some sort of package powerhouse for the Coven and their deaths left a vacant spot of power that needed to be filled. Which poked a whole in my theory UNLESS they knew that I would manifest some sort of darker magic they could supplement.

All of this had led to this state. My mind was fuzzy from lack of everything and where Erik suspected some head trauma, that was true too. How many times had Carver knocked me back on that wooden post when I failed to comply? The base of my skull was round and tender to the touch with a bit of matted blood that had dried, my sticky hair glued to it. Erik's complete calmness is what soothes me the most, even if I don't realize it, my actions a bit disjointed.

When he smirks at me I feel a slight softening in my face. The old Sorcha would grin back, maybe saucily cock a hip and say some wise words. I don't flinch when he reveals his true nature. Many believed vampires to be complete evil and the magic community had quite a lot to fear from them, really, but I had met vampires before. Wait, I had? I tilt my head, my slanted emerald eyes with little lines out the side as I try to consider my memory. "You aren't here for my blood?" Despite the obviousness of the question, there is no worry in my voice. If Erik wanted to drink from me, he would have done it the moment I released the shadows. Our previous meeting could attest to why he might be intrigued by the scent even if I hadn't given him blood or anything of the like. Hadn't gotten far despite our friendly conversation. A curious one, Erik.

It is such a relief to find that my cat had survived this whole terrible nightmare that I can't help the few tears that slip past my eye as I cuddle him. I do happen to catch the wrinkle of Erik's nose at the end and then my wild face, so full of fey intensity, softens again and I give a very small smile. "Don't like cats?" It is both an observation and a challenge, as if daring him to say some nasty remark about Darwin. He was her bonded and she would be damned before she let him out of her sight again.

His offer is generous and a bit surprising. Reluctantly she squeezes Darwin once more before placing him on the ground where he continues his weaving betwixt her legs, looking over occasionally at Erik as if deciding whether he should attempt the same with the vampire. "That is... kind of you," I say, the suspicion back in my voice as I eye him in a different light, my fingers picking at my hem in an obvious nervous twitch. "You ah... wouldn't be expecting any payment or anything right?" And I wasn't talking prostitute payment either, the way my eyes dart to his lips, though that idea was startlingly not too unappealing. Strange what one things in such trying times.

I wait for his answer before glancing back at the boarded up shop, a frown marring my face once more. "Everything is gone. Gone, gone, gone," I mutter lightly, a despair in my voice and a pain in my heart. I couldn't access any of my inheritance without alerting the coven to my location and whatever effects were left in my makeshift room in that little store were either donated or thrown out by the owner when he came by to find it destroyed and me missing. No doubt called me all sorts of filthy names. I sigh, turn back to Erik. "How far is it?" I needed to know just how far I had to make it on my empty stomach and shaky knees. Where I would finally find a moment to rest and reflect and maybe break wide open.