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It was, for once, a dull boring night.

Nothing in her shops going on her staff could not handle, none of her friends needed her guidance and advice on anything or was her assistance required in one of the newer type of raid that had suddenly become the rage among her kind.

For once, Zodiac simply had nothing to do, which was strange to her. She always had something to do. The idea of it refused to take root for a time as she poked about searching for something that required attention. Finally she gave up after feeding her fish a second time.

"Well, what do you think? she aimed her thoughts to the large black cat that sat in front of the fire like some miniature Egyptian goddess. Ginny stood up and stretched and padded her way to the door and meowed. The gypsy opened the door so the cat could go out, but Ginny looked up and kept meowing at her. "Oh, us go out?" she considered for a moment. "Wanna just go crusin'? Couple of bad girls with nothing better to do? Well why not." she decided. Zodiac grabbed her purse and keys and stepped out into the hallway. The cat following her at heel as they exited the complex and made for Zodiac's mini bus. She unlocked and opened the driver's door and Ginny jumped in and claimed shotgun on the passenger side. She climbed inside and started the machine. "So where to? This is your idea, not mine." she asked her familiar.

"Meow" Ginny answered as Zodiac put the bus into gear.

"Okay then, South it is." She exited the lot and turned south.

The bus sat at the city limits as the girl walked about. A step or two past the line and she could read the WELCOME TO HARPER ROCK words greeting any who passed this way. On the other side YOU ARE NOW LEAVING and so forth. The cat laid in the grass and looked impassively at the woman.

"First time I laid eyes on this sign, I told myself 'Angela? Keep that little *** of yours moving along. There will be trouble here.'. I did, I really did. Hell, you was there."

***

'Welcome to Harper Rock.' The girl read in her mind as she un-shouldered the large pack and let it fall to the ground off to the side of the road. Her back pack followed before she sat on the bags and relaxed. She dug into her purse and pulled a pack of smokes out and lit one as she looked about the surrounding area. 'Lots of green. I approve.'

The cat laid down next to her and closed its eyes. Absently she petted it as she looked about for traffic. The pair had put nearly twenty five miles on their collected feet so far today and this seemed like as good of a spot as any to wait for a chance for a ride. They were both tired, hungry and in need of a good shower. No cars could be seen or heard approaching form either direction. That disturbed the girl a bit, but not as much as the vibe she was feeling.

Despite all the flowing beauty of green forests surrounding the small town that sat sparkling in the sun, something was off. She could not put a finger on it. It was nothing visible but there was something. Her nerves were on fire, but she could not see what was causing it. Usually her extra sense (she felt the term 'Sixth Sense' was overused to the max) could guide her to what the source was but all she saw was the town.

'Something is going to happen here' she concluded. The feeling was everywhere. Almost tangible in the air itself. She was sure no normal person would notice it but a sensitive would. 'Ginny? Baby girl, we got to keep moving along. Put another twenty five between us and this time bomb.' she stood up and brushed her jeans off.

The honking of a car horn pulled her attention to a vehicle making its way to the entrance to the town. Instinctively, her hand brushed over her pocket where her grandfather's straight razor sat waiting for her hand if needed. The pickup truck stopped and a woman rolled down the window. "Hi there. Heading anywhere special?"

Angela lifted the small sign she wore around her neck that declared she could hear fine but could not speak, then answered the woman in sign language.

"I'm sorry sweetie. I don't understand that." the woman apologized. The girl pulled a pad from her jacket pocket and wrote.

JUST PASSING THRU. HOW FAR TO THE NEXT TOWN?

"The next town? Girl, you got at least fifty miles or so in front of you yet."

The girl cursed in her thoughts. Judging by the position of the sun, her and Ginny would be spending another night camped out under a tree again -both cold and hungry.

"Hey, I can give you a lift to the shelter at least. Get a hot meal, a shower and a decent night's sleep." the woman offered. "In the morning you would have a good chance of catching someone heading that way for a ride."

Angela debated it as her eyes looked at the town in the distance again. Whatever was going to happen wasn't going to happen today or tomorrow. She could not say exactly when it was going to happen, but not now. She looked at the woman, smiled, and placed her palms together as she inclined her head. "Put your stuff in the back and let's go." the woman replied. As the girl sat her bags in the back, Ginny jumped in to introduce herself. Angela got in and the truck began to roll.

"You never know. You might like it here. Find a job and settle down." the woman said as she drove along.

'Not ******* likely' the girl thought while she smiled in reply.

***

"I never listen to my own advice. Never." she frowned. Just shy of five years ago she crossed this line. A night's sleep led her to wake up and see an offer for part time employment waiting tables. She had time. A locker rented to keep her things safe, catching the odd jobs as she could. She was tired and slipping into a mundane life for a time was a rest of sorts. After over a year hitchhiking across America and parts of Mexico a bit of home base felt good.

"Sorry I got us both stuck here, baby girl. I really am" she 'spoke' absently to the cat as she walked back to the mini bus. She knew where she wanted to go next.

((Memory 1))

The mini bus rolled northbound through Coastside. The driver and passenger in no apparent hurry as earlier, but something was aiming the driver now. She crossed the bridge that took her into the Westwall district and turned off onto a side road till a familiar alleyway came into view. A quick visual to be sure nothing was lurking within, Zodiac backed the van into the darkness and exited. The following along as she rounded the corner and stood in front of a dilapidated store front that had seen better days.

PRIME LOCATION FOR RENT OR LEASE the sign in the broken window declared. "And I can see the line down the street of people hoping for a shot at this dump." her thoughts snorted as she stood looking the storefront over. It had been over a year now since she called this particular dump 'home'. The gypsy looked down the street and saw the other businesses that once dotted the area were gone now. She could name every owner there had been, knew about their families, and had worked for several of them once the idea of settling for a time had taken hold of her.

Minn's wife, who owned the small dry cleaners two doors North had told her of the small apartment for rent above the storefront. She imagined Angela was tired of living at the shelter and knew the grumpy old man that owned the building. A deal was struck and she found herself in a tiny two room with bath hovel. She had lived in worse and the idea of hard work to make it livable did not cause her to batt an eye. Living in the area where she worked saved her time and travel plus finally allowed her to get back in tune with her inner natures.

***

"Here!" The woman dropped a fifty dollar bill on the counter in front of the gypsy girl. She looked confused and made the question mark in the air with her fingers. "You did those cards for me. Told me my son was going to college and I laughed at you. Bet you it wouldn't happen." Mrs Minn slid a letter over for the girl to read. Apparently her son had managed to earn a partial scholarship to the local university. "Bet is bet and I pay when I loose."

The girl smiled at the good fortune of the boy. She slid the letter and the money back to Mrs. Minn and wrote on the small dry erase board she wore on a string tied to her belt.

THEN CONSIDER THAT PART OF MY CONTRIBUTION TO HIS COLLEGE FUND.

"You creepy girl, Angela. Creepy. Good kind of creepy. You should start your own place. Be like Ms Cleo on TV but better."

The gypsy pointed to herself and shook her head in denial, but Minn would have none of it.

"I talk to the grumpy one. Can use that store space you live over. No one wants it. Tell him some rent better than no rent."

***

She saw it now as it was. The steps and sidewalk clean and swept. The windows clean and glowing with colored lights within. Whitewashed and proud as the marquee sign above as well as the neon sign with a comical blinking eye declared to the world THE EYE OF ZODIAC . It had been a labor of love, hard work, bargain hunting and haggling to piece it all together. What she had earned since she arrived and the stash of money her Nana had given her was measured with an eyedropper and ever dime screamed for mercy as she found new ways to stretch them to her best advantage. In the local bank under her real name just shy of three thousand dollars of the money she had arrived here with sat collecting interest still. A mute (ha ha) testament to her determination not to go broke in the process.

Some of the best and worse people she would ever know walked through that door. Friends and enemies. Helpers and hindrances.

And one vampire who sat her entire idea of existence flat on its face.

But she didn't do this alone. No, she had help.

(( Memory 2 ))

***

"Miss Ferenczy?"

The girl sat in the office at the local university waiting. Angela had put in an offer for a business intern to work with her at the shop. She was smart and skilled with money, but the more involved twists of the business world was new to her. She could not afford to pay anyone, so offering to help a student in their quest to ear their degree in exchange for free help was the most practical solution she could come up with.

She looked up as her name was called and saw a girl with red hair and glasses smiling at her. The gypsy stood up, causing the small bells sewn into the seams of her outlandish skirts to jingle softly. Since opening the shop, she had reverted her appearance to fit the role. People came to see a gypsy witch so she gave them one. Presentation was a lesson she had learned years ago and she honestly adored dressing in such a manner that reflected her heritage.

"Hello, I'm Jennifer Hayes. The councilor said you were interested in a intern?" the girl then lifted her hands and began to sign. An intern with special skills I may add

The smile blossomed as Angela practically bounced in place.

"If you'd like to have a seat at the table, I can show you my qualification and discuss..."

Coffee. the girl signed.

"Excuse me?"

Coffee. Come with me. Find good coffee. Relax, then talk. The gypsy had already slid her oversized purse over her shoulder and was walking to the door. She rose her hand and wiggled her fingers encouraging Jennifer to follow her.

The outdoor barista was doing a brisk business that day. The pair sat in the sunshine sipping drinks. Angela smoked as she looked over the notes and presentation Jennifer had prepared to present herself with. Her instructors liked her and her class work was excellent to be sure, but the girl was trying to catch a vibe about the person she sat with. It had been her experience that sometimes the best person for the job could also be the biggest asshole you could ever meet. If she was going to have someone so deeply involved in her life she wanted the person not to be an asshole at heart. As she closed the folder, both women were startled by the black cat that jumped up on the table between them.

'Well, THERE you are!' Angela quickly grabbed Ginny and pulled her onto her lap.

"Oh my god!" Jennifer gasped for air. "What a monster sized cat. He yours?"

Don't you know that witches have familiars? And its she. Miss Jennifer Hayes, I present to you Miss Ginny Sweethips. She adopted me one day when I was traveling and has not left my side since.

"How long did you hitchike for?"

Over a year between Mexico and here with a whole lot of points in between.

"Wow. I was in Ontario. Once. Never left this town yet for any length of time." Jennifer sighed. "Well hello, Miss Ginny. Nice to meet you."

Ginny slipped off her owner's lap and walked to where the woman sat. She sniffed about the girl's feet for a few moments before jumping up into Jennifer's lap demanding attention.

Well now. Ginny does not give her affections easy, but she seems to like you. the gypsy signed as she watched the pair.

"You just a baby in a plus sized body, aren't ya?" Jennifer petted the purring mass of fur. "So, Miss Fren...Angela. What do you think? Do I have the qualifications you need for your business?"

Oh hell, the real boss of this operation decided that just now. You hired.

***

"I never went wrong when I trusted you, did I?" Zodiac watched the cat wandering about the deserted storefront as she caught some familiar scents of the past. It took a bit for Jennifer to adapt to what services The Eye provided, but she soon streamlined and simplified the business aspect of it all. And when the grumpy old man who owned this dump jacked the rent to an insane price figuring he could cash in on the business boom some felt would happen in this area when Dark Eden and other places opened up, Jennifer stayed with her. Dulce (one of her best friends who also spent some time in this very shop) had managed to get them a spot in the newly built Honeymead Market.

The boom failed to happen. The silent empty stores and shops were proof of that, while Angela (now just Mistress Zodiac after her 'accident' ) and Jennifer had gone on to form a mini empire of sorts. Three businesses now. Three! Members of the Chamber of Commerce and often consulted on their views of the ever changing pulse of business within the town. A community leader someone called her once. Not bad for a college student, a bit of gypsy trash and a fat black cat.

"What a long , strange trip it still is." her thoughts sung the reworded lyrics. She clicked her tongue to attract the cat's attention and headed back to her van.

(( Memory 2 ))

The band was cooking now. Blues was filling the club with a mood most could not resist once the music took hold of them. Zodiac never found the Blues to be as depressing as most felt it was. Blues touched you deeply, reminded you, moved you. A beat you could emphasize with. The Metronome was simmering and the gypsy sat in a familiar spot pretending to drink a drink she could not as she lost herself in the sounds for a time.

A break in the impromptu touring cruise of Harper Rock. Ginny sat curled up by her feet dozing now. It seemed to be the night for hitting points of past history that could not be forgotten or ignored and the Met was no exception.

***

She was lost, tired and sick to her stomach. Only a few days into the 'change' and she was guessing at things. Her grandmother's tomes had tales of the vampires in the past, but details of how and what they could and could not do were either vague or outlandish. Blood. She knew that much. Sunlight was poison now. Her burnt hand was proof of that.

The one that made her had vanished, leaving her to puzzle the matter out. A sink or swim type of learning experience the gypsy imagined. What possessed that woman to turn her was something of a mystery. She was hardly the candidate for a surviving bad assed vampire. Would she survive?

Well, that's what all of this was about she imagined.

She was wandering the streets of the town ringing a cat bell softly and looking around. Her beloved cat had gone ballistic at the appearance of the vampiress. She had even lashed out at the woman as she grabbed the gypsy. Angela recalled that much. But when she woke on the floor of her shop, Ginny was gone. She found no sign the woman had hurt the animal. She has simply vanished out there in the town.

The cat had become her security blanket in a odd sort of way. The animal was now her only link to her past. As much as she had grown to like Jennifer, she was a recent addition to the girl's life. The cat, however, had been part of things for a very long time. To think she had lost her too was too much to process, so hence the wandering.

Her wandering had taken her to a place called the Metronome. While some would find the idea of a cat hiding inside a nightclub laughable, it made total sense to the girl. Ginny had a talent for getting into places no one would ever consider. She wandered around the tables of people out for a night of enjoyment. Ringing her bell and showing the cardboard sign she made saying simply HAVE YOU SEEN MY CAT? The responses were less than friendly, of course. A few downright crude. The girl was used to such abuse. Being a gypsy, you learned to grow armor like skin over yourself when it came to public opinions.

***

A certain spot on the floor kept drawing her eyes. Yes, that was right. That was the place. She looked around. Despite the remodeling, she could find it easy enough. She smiled despite her somber mood. Taking a sniff of her drink, a notion occurred to her. When she was a child and a acolyte in her Nana's coven, she learned things and heard tales of other things. Some of the elders once told her that there were seven words. Not special or unique words, but seven common words that, if said in the proper order with the right tones and inflections at the proper moments the one you were speaking to would fall in love with you. She never could find out if such a thing was real of if the sisters were having fun with her.

***

She sighed in defeat. If Ginny was in here, she would know it. She made her way past the laughing people and headed for the exit, determined to continue her search when she felt a presence behind her. Angela turned and saw a young woman looking curiously, but not in a disgusted type of gaze, at her.

"Hello," the woman smiled.

***

But if such a thing as the seven words was real, then Temperance Avila proved the words of the coven wrong. She had managed it in one word. She said 'hello' on the very spot the mystic looked at with sad eyes.

(( Memory 3 ))

After a time, Zodiac left the confines of the Metronome and began to drive again. She let her hands do the work of deciding which way to go now. The girl did not feel she was quite in control of her little trip anymore as if something was leading her along now from point to point. Such a thing was not as strange an event in her life as some would find it. Ginny laid on the passenger seat-indifferent to everything. Either the cat was a conductor running this train or just an incidental passenger along for the ride.

Eventually she headed west. A two lane road that acted as a border between 'civilization' and the wilderness ran north and south and showed signs of having suffered during the winter's toll upon it. The brakes squealed softly as the van stopped by a large rock near the edge of the road, Even now, the rock still had bits of fading purple paint clinging stubbornly to it despite the efforts of the elements. Zodiac climbed out of the van and pulled her sword from the scabbard and took a few steps past the rock and began to poke about into the mulch and remains of leaves and broken twigs and limbs. Ginny ran off into the deep woods eagerly. Unlike her owner, the cat had nothing to fear in the forest.

*tink*

The sword struck something under the leaves. Zodiac crouched down and began to dig through the mess till she found what she was searching for. The metal rail was still there. A quick bit of poking about behind her found its mate. The first pair that began a path that led into the forest . the pairing of rails would eventually part but continue, forming a large circle around an alter stone she had placed there. And when the forest was warm and flushed with life, one would find themselves surrounded by the colors of wildflowers and above them a clear view of the heavens.

She remembered playing a dangerous game of tag while setting those rails into place. Putting trust into Ginny as she worked. When the cat growled or became agitated, she would stop everything and run as fast as she could back to the road and wait for a time before returning to where she left off and continued. The coven she saw herself forming one day would have use of such a place, but that was not the original reason why she did what she did.

***

They stood before their friends under the moon. Both had drank from the chalice with their free hand. The other bound to one another's by the binding cord. Habren's words so perfect for what they had become as she directed the pair along the ceremony.

I will stand by your side, hunt at your back, and fly within your Soul.
I will stand between you and all which would harm you.
I will shield you from the Light of Day with my flesh.
I will never betray you, for you are my Heart, my Soul and my Life.
I will laugh with you as well as cry.
I will be your strength when you are frail, as I will draw strength from you when I need it.
Our differences unique, yet I embrace them, for in this we grow together as one,
Each complementing the other as we learn from each other as we walk the night together.

Vows different that what she had learned under her grandmother's tutelage, yet basically the same as the living would share in meaning. Even the dead could love one another.

Even the damned could draw comfort as they walked side by side in the night- this one never ending night.

" I am probably not what you expected to find in your journey and the truth is, once upon a time, neither was you in mine."

She projected her mindspeak so that all might hear her personal vows.

" I am not a husband or a wife, and I do not see you as either."

She could not quit smiling as Tempy said her own words. Even in this, so perfect. So her.

So them.

A year and a day.

"We just are."

***

Everyone has their own 'Magical Mystery Tours' to do in their lives, and Tempy was no exception. Her own 'tour' took her past the 'Day', leaving the gypsy confused for a time. They were talking now again. Their one constant. No matter what was going on, they could always talk to each other. Zodiac would admit, she was no angel, but she never betrayed her in her heart.

Beyond the circle was another spot of 'love' as well. The meager remains of a past love. Her first love. Who died because of a moment of carelessness on her part. The nameless tiny grave should have blended in with its surroundings now after such a winter.

Ginny emerged from the underbrush and yowled loudly. Zodiac quickly crossed the road and stood next to the mini bus. The cat was tense and ready to fight something, so the girl pulled a small flute from her purse and blew a few notes. Ginny turned and ran back to her feet. "My defender and protector," her thoughts sighed as she crouched and petted the animal. She saw the underbrush move as something passed by, causing the cat to hiss and fuzz up again.

"Don't worry, precious. A chicken has more guts than that does. At least a chicken will cross the road sometimes." Once she felt it was safe, she picked up her familiar and continued to soothe it and climbed back into the bus.

(( Memory 4 ))

"Nothing has changed, yet nothing's the same"

She hummed along with the Ozzy as she drove. If this was some 'memory quest' she was on, it was becoming a bit of a bore now. After almost five years (two alive and three otherwise) she had memories all over this flea trap of a town.

She continued south back into Westwall. Her one person protest when Dark Eden was built across the street from her place (and the expense of soundproofing her apartment to keep out the noise when they was rocking the night away) Ivy Bluffs, where she first met Sundial and some others. Passing through the warehouse area, the business her one 'boy child' had managed to begin. She felt sad for a moment as she drove past. Zodiac had still heard nothing from Nev since he decided to take his own mystery tour and left the town.

She continued southward, crossing the bridge and then turning east by the trailer court. "No one discusses what happened in the trailer court." she reminded herself. In the distance she spied the Cimmerian and the Forge. A lot of rocking parties at Vel's place, and Zodiac probably imagined the owner of the Forge would lock the door if she ever came again to keep her out. "Some people just don't understand or appreciate the fine art of haggling."

She hooked south again into River Rock. Not so many memories here yet, but as her tires thumped over the manhole cover, a collection of them entered her mind from the sewers below. "No one discusses what happens in the sewers." Northward now, passing the Gauntlet "I really should use my membership one year." and then stopping at the docks. Memories to make one smile here. Fishing with her childe, Iris and knocking her into the water "She started it! Claiming all the fish was hers." the Sangue Ladies Party Cruise and the binding she performed on another of the boats. "Some weird, but nice, old man kept calling the couple Elvis and Pircilla"

Southward then a hook to the west, she was cruising along the south fence of the Quarantine Zone. She met Harper Rock's own 'Batman' in there and a bunch of others. ("And we never, ever discuss what happened in the graveyard.") . She had perfected her 'dancing' with the unnatural things in there which usually left her partner of the moment lying on the ground in pieces.

North through Wickbridge. Again, The Met, Beta Towers. Lots of friends in there. The memory of Dulce's first attempt at home decoration still burning holes in her mental eyes. Crossing the river now to Alpha Towers where Temperance allowed her to be her guest for a time. The Necropolis chatting with Amaranthia and seeing Habren's man, Mircea, doing an honest-to-god Peter Pan off the second floor balcony to dive down and attack the first fadebeast she had ever laid eyes on.

Atrum Nex and The Dragon temple. Creepy places. So much splendor within and not a sign of those who use it. They reminded her of dead tombs frozen in time. Thornside Park. How many times had she shown a side of herself too many felt she did not have there? Zodiac turned north again, passing the Asylum where Jonah and Sara stayed. The imagery of it always felt a bit odd to the gypsy. As far as she viewed things, the entire town was a sort of asylum now, so an asylum within an asylum struck her funny.

She kept going north, passing Mortll's flower shop and the Honeymead Market. She continued past the farm. Vision s of her and Jennifer chasing chickens in the middle of the night caused her to smile as she pulled into the gas station.

As she refilled the tank of the mini bus, she wondered where to next. Plenty of memories to the north still, but her eyes pulled her attention to the west.

There was only one place this far out that had any deep meanings for her.

***

Ginny raced along the branches with the skill and finesse of what she was. Right behind her was Zodiac. Cares discarded as cat and vampire played a game of tag up and down and side to side. The Eyrie itself could be a playground of sorts if one used it right. To them, it was a living jungle gym begging to be used. Too many of the others who dwelled here simply walked along the wider branches going to and fro. Some complaining how bridges should be set in place and the like. Zodiac would not want that at all. She was not the strongest or the fastest to be sure, but her agility was second to none. The Eyrie was probably the one place she felt comfortable wearing jeans or shorts when she played. A stray branch hooking her skirts could put her off balance too easily when she played, and despite her powers, it was a long way to the ground below.

No shoes required. More sure footed in her bare feet, she was practically a monkey. Problems and cares forgotten for a time as she chased her familiar about. Once she dared to climb as high as she could and once the limbs and branches began to bend from her meager weight, she worked her way outwards to get a view. She felt like Bilbo Baggins when he saw above the trees of Mirkwood. The view from atop this titan of the world around it was amazing. Even in darkness. The town looking like something from a painting below surrounded by the wilderness was a sight she would carry forever.

***

She leaned against the front of the mini bus as she looked at the tree in the distance. She was no longer a guest there, but it never stopped her from admiring the titan when she was in the area. Ginny meowed softly as she too looked. The girl could imagine the cat having its own memories of it as well. It was a haven and a playground, but also a place of firsts as well.

(( Memory 5 ))

Tizheruk they called it. The Ancient Tizheruk was its proper title. Some nightmare that only showed its face when it snowed. Zodiac's first encounter with the thing was an accident. Several hasty snaps with her phone before the battle was on was her proof to Lia something very weird had decided to show its face. It was big, ugly, powerfully strong and it didn't like vampires.

Typical...

Everyone was after the thing. Their attacks seemed to be for naught till someone deduced they were all having a gradual effect on the beast. It was only a matter of time till one of them managed to lay the killing blow. She took her turns engaging the monster. Sometimes she would be pounded into the snow while others she was suddenly alone.

"That's right!" she shouted into the darkness with her thoughts. "Go home to Momma and cry cause a Syzgany just was seconds from kicking your ***!" It was bravado and ******** and she knew it. Odds are the thing actually felt sorry for her or was laughing so hard at her efforts it left. For days they all kept at it till a member of Tytonidae- Quoth- managed to bring the beast down and returned with a prize.

And what a prize it was.

"And I helped!" she jested.

***

The few ritualists among them who were entrusted with a copy of the text studied it closely. Quoth had found something no one had ever seen before, except perhaps the first generations of returned vampires.

Her own opinions on the ramifications of the ritual were mixed. Were they, the new breed of vampires-so recently turned from mortality even remotely aware of the true meaning of 'Eternal'? Living forever was a nice idea, if one was actually prepared for the experience. A hundred years? Two hundred? That sounded still like a very long time to her. To spend, literally, forever with the same individual? How would someone with no point of reference to eternity itself deal with that, let alone hang out with the same person? Personally, she did not want to live forever. A longer life to explore things and experiences, yes. How much would she have changed a sixteenth of the way to the end of forever? Would she even remotely be herself after all that time?

No, living 'forever' was not for her as she thought now, but who knows how her views would change over time.

So when Velveteen approached her, she had mixed feelings about her request. She was honored her friend and faction leader wanted her to do this. She asked her many times in many ways 'Are you sure about this?'. It had nothing to do with her choice of a partner at all. Micah was basically Zodiac's 'father figure' if vampire bloodlines would be considered families. He was one of the few men she actually respected and at the time of her turning he was in a relationship with her sire, Scorpia (hence the 'mom and dad' analogy). In the end, she gave in and said yes to Velveteen.

It would be rude to leave Lia (Micah's childer by turning) out of such an event. Zodiac would perform the ritual but both of them would do the ceremony. It was the first time since arriving in Harper Rock she had a use for the robes her Nana had made her once she had been accepted into their coven.

***

"Above you are the stars-below you are the stones. as time does pass,
Remember.
Like a star should your love be constant-Like a stone should your love be firm.." the pair recited in unison as the final part of the ritual fell into place.

"... Be close, but not too close-Posses one another, but be understanding,
Have patience each with the other-For storms will come, but they will go quickly,
Be free in the giving of affection and warmth-Make love often, and be sensuous with one another,
Have no fear and let not the ways or words of the unenlightened give you unease,
For the Goddess and the God are with you both, Now and Always. Blessed be."

Lia and Zodiac announced the newly bound couple to the guests assembled who stood applauding them. Inwardly she was relived. The gypsy barely pulled it off. In time the ritual would be something she would do many more times for others. Elizabeth and Shamus, Lyonel and Eva, Karina and Lions, even her childers- Iris and Hagen, and Abelle and Chain, and she returned the honor for Habren who-after so long was bounded to her Mircea.

But Velveteen and Micah were the first by her hand to enter such a union.

The gypsy felt perhaps for the first time since being turned she was following part of the path she had longed to do when alive.

***

Temperance and her had discussed the idea several times, of course, but they found they were more comfortable simply being binded in handfasting. Eternal meant business. If one of them would expire, the remaining one would have no chance of linking their un lives to another in such a way. Some had parted from such a union, but it left a taint behind that did not allow the ritual to link them so closely to another to work again. Neither wanted to put the other in such a position should the worse happened.

Over a year now, and Vel and Micah seemed to be doing well. A plus. So were the majority of the others she had bounded over time. Good for them.

"Hang in there, guys. The first five hundred years are the hardest," she smirked. She scooped up Ginny and hugged the cat tightly against her. The vibrations of her purring echoing into her flesh as she just stood there in the moonlight. Eventually she climbed back into the driver's seat and began to head for home.

(( Memory 5 ))

"I should just bind to you."

"Mrow?" Ginny looked up with mild interest before laying back down on the seat.

"I mean, hell. You and me is the longest relationship I ever had." Her thoughts bubbled with laughter. "We have put a super tanker full of miles under our feet together, baby girl, and there is a lot of road to go yet. Probably would have been in a ditch twenty times over with my throat cut if not for you."

She grew silent for a moment as she prowled along now.

"This is all my fault. I admit it. I was tired, but that was no excuse. I let myself get comfortable. I let myself set down roots. I quit being Syzgany, goddamnit!" her thoughts were shouting now as her mood suddenly went darker, causing the cat to cringe a bit. "Nana would be kicking my *** from one end of this town to the other if she saw me now. Pride, Angela, pride! What happened to your Syzgany pride? You became domesticated! Civilized! Weren't you listening to me for the seventeen years you had me?"

The van flew past the entrance to the Ivy Bluff complex.

"We should be out there. Somewhere. Still exploring the world and owing no one a single damn thing. Wandering day, or night, and not worrying if the sun is gonna melt me to a pile of goo. What good is forever if it links you to this tiny assed little town? What good is any of this?" She was tempted to pull into the first liquor store she saw and buy several fifths. Chug till she puked and keep repeating the process till she ran out of liquor-hoping beyond hope enough of it would get into her system to make her numb if only for a few minutes. Ginny screeched. The intensity of her owner's telepathic shouting causing her pain now. The brakes screeched as well as the girl brought the van to a sudden halt.

"I'm sorry," she grabbed the cat and held it close. Petting it comfortingly. Unlike vocal screaming, where the sound could be lessened by covering one's ears, mental shouting when directly to the brain with no way to diminish its intensity. "I'm sorry, baby. I can't even wrap my head around long term, let alone forever." a bloody tear crawled down her cheek.

***

The old woman shook her head sadly as she watched her grand daughter approach. She had been fighting again. Shira was walking with her, occasionally turning and yelling at someone the woman could not see. Angela paused and thanked her friend, then walked right into the RV and shut the door behind her. Shira explained what had happened and Nana nodded her understanding as she stood up to follow.

Inside, the girl sat on the couch that served as her bed shaking as she cried. The older woman sat down and looked at her calmly. "So," she began. "The boy from the new family that joined us a few days ago simply had to state the obvious to you?"

NO! HE CALLED ME A DUMMY! the girls hand sings sharp and strong. JUST BECAUSE I CAN'T TALK!

"And why does this bother you?" Nana asked. Her eyes refusing to back down from the anger boiling in Angela's eyes. "Children are cruel. Simple. You know what your problem really is and you have overcome it as best you can. Are you going to pick fights with people twice your size because of their ignorance or because at heart you feel what they say is right?"

The girl looked down. The fire evaporating from her eyes now. Nana hugged the girl against her.

"You are Syzgany. You have that from my blood. You are also Ferenczy, From your father's blood. Syzgany survive. We are like the wildflowers and weeds. No matter how much the civilized ones throw poison upon us, we endure, we grow stronger, we thrive and survive. The Ferenczy in our family's past fought to be what he was as well. Perhaps that is why he chose Syzgany to be his supplicants. He knew how we truly were and wanted those qualities in his service. Both those qualities are within you, my Angel, as well as the things I teach you. Nothing you will ever set your mind to will be denied you."

The girl looked up as the woman inspected her face. The boy in question had no reservations of fighting a girl as he would another boy. She would remedy that soon enough. If the parent or parents would not see reason, there were other ways to solve this problem.

"How old is that boy? Fifteen? Sixteen? And you barely a twig at twelve? If you are going to insist on fights such as this, Angel, remember why the Goddess gave you knees." Nana gestured in the region of her crotch, causing the girl to break out in silent laughter.

***

"Do what you must-survive."

She looked down at Ginny, who was nuzzling and petting her face with one of her paws. "And you always forgive me, just like Nana did." She kissed the cat on top of its head and sat her down on the seat again. Crying never solved any thing then nor would it now. She would survive. Even this blast of poison thrown on her by fate didn't kill her outright. There was as much good as bad here. The trick was sorting it all out.

She was what she was, and those that did not like it or wanted to change her could just go play 'hide and go screw yourself'.

She was a witch, she was Syzgany, she was vampire, and she was a Ferenczy.

And by the Goddess,

she still had knees.

Zodiac dropped the van back into gear and moved off into the darkness. She popped a CD into the player and as Cinderella began to wail through the speakers, she sung along in her mind as her hands slapped out the beat against the steering wheel while the psychedelic painted mini bus went rocking along in the night.

I used to be now I'm not what you see,
lord I try
And now it seems all those dreams have come true,
but they're passing me by
Some fast talkin' mama for a dollar put a smile on my face
I'm drivin' all night
I end up in the same old place

My gypsy road can't take me home
I drive all night just to see the light
My gypsy road can't take me home
I keep on pushin' cause it feels alright

And who's to care if I grow my hair to the sky
I'll take a wish and a prayer, cross my fingers
cause I always get by
Some fast talkin' jerk for a dollar wiped the smile off my face
I'm drivin' all night
Just to keep the rat in the race

My gypsy road can't take me home
I drive all night just to see the light
My gypsy road can't take me home
I keep on pushin' cause it feels alright

Sometimes I feel so old
Got my lights burnin' bright
But I'm lookin' pretty sold

Sometimes I feel so cold
So cold

Let's go

Got to get on home

My gypsy road can't take me home
My gypsy road can't take me home, t-t-take me

My gypsy road can't take me home
I drive all night just to see the light
My gypsy road can't take me home
I keep on pushin' cause it feels alright

My gypsy road can't take me home
I drive all night just to see the light
My gypsy road can't take me home
I keep on p-p-pushin'

My gypsy road
My gypsy road
My gypsy road
My gypsy road

(lyrics by Cinderella. From the album 'Long Cold Winter'. Used without permission)