Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ Ravenous ❯ Meditation Mirror ( Chapter 2 )

Father's Blood, Mother's Love

 

Mirror of Meditation

 

 

Kali cradled the girl in her arms, as she leaned against the backboard of her bed. She moved her hand to brush a strand of purple hair that fell over her eyes, tucking behind the girl's ear. Her body had become stilled, halting the violent shaking she had endured when she had first found the girl. Normally, a vampire would awaken much earlier, but for some reason, this girl still slept, various expressions changing over her face, as if she were stuck in a dream. The elder vampire sighed inwardly, as one of her legs hung over the side of the bed while the other lay extended over the soft mattress.

 

She felt the girl stir in her arms, and attempt to sense her surroundings before allowing herself to fully awaken. She hadn't even noticed she was in resting in her lap, until she tried to sit up, though the transformation had drained all energy from her, resulting in a mild movement of her limbs. The dark haired sorceress fluttered her eyes open, though seemed to have trouble focusing upon anything. Her senses stretched out, immediately feeling the presence of another.

 

“Is someone there?” she called out. She had been so tired when she went to shift her weight, she felt a pair of strong, but soft and warm around wrapped around her pull her back into a cradled position. Usually one to protest, she was surprised herself when she felt relatively comfortable within this person's grasp.

 

“Hi,” the girl spoke as Raven looked up, a warm kind expression upon her features. “I'm Kali. Tell me, do you know what's happening to you?”

 

“I don't feel well,” Raven replied. A light hunger was lingering in the pit of her stomach, while her brain slowly hinted that an apple would not crave her desire this time. She shifted lightly to rest her head against the girl's arm, surprised that she felt so comfortable with a girl she didn't know. “I don't know what's happening to me.”

 

“Was there anyone else with you?” Kali asked, hoping she could possibly describe the thoughtless vampire that left the poor girl alone. Raven shook her head, her eyebrows lowering slightly in irritation of not knowing what was happening. “So you have inherited the gift.”

 

“Gift?” Raven questioned, as she finally pulled herself to sit up in the girl's lap. “What do you mean gift? What's happening to me?”

 

Raven hadn't spoken the last part of her sentence before the hunger in her stomach came back, her vision blurring faintly while the room spun. Kali felt the girl sway against her, and held her close so she wouldn't fall. Tilting her head to the side, she placed her palm on the back of the girl's head, slowly moving her to her own neck.

 

“Do what comes natural,” Kali spoke so softly, Raven had barely caught the words. Nearly breathing in pants, Raven took in the girl's scent, almost making her eyes roll in the back of her head. Relying on instincts, Rave clamped her mouth over the girl's neck, and without hesitation, bit her enlarged canines into the girl, drawing blood. The warm liquid seemed to bee what her stomach was screaming for, the hunger in her stomach finally letting itself known. She sucked until her stomach was satisfied, pulling away in shock in realization to what she had just done. She backed off the girl's lap, onto the bed, but as tired as she was, she merely sat a few feet from her, resting on her elbows.

 

“What did you do to me? What did you mean by inherited the gift? What gift?” Raven demanded, trying to mask the look of fear she felt inside. Kali blinked, as she turned to her lamp that suddenly shattered the moment the girl had finished asking her question. She smiled, turning back to the girl. Yes, this girl was very interesting indeed.

 

Raven didn't do so well masking her fear, though Kali still held the same warm, caring look she gave when she had first awakened. Raven calmed somewhat, but still kept her distance. If the girl did want to hurt her, she would have already done so.

 

“I have not done anything to you,” the girl spoke softly, repositioning herself to sit cross legged upon the bed. “You have been reborn.”

 

“Reborn?” Raven asked curiously. Kali leaned over to her night stand, pulling, to Raven's surprise, the book she could never open. Placing in between them, Kali looked Raven straight in the eyes when she looked up.

 

“Tonight, you have turned into a vampire,” Kali replied, shifting the book toward the girl.

 

“A vampire?” Raven asked skeptically, as she pulled the book toward her, her fingers moving along the thick material.

 

“You drank blood, did you not?” Kali replied with a raised eyebrow. Raven's brows lowered slightly, concentrating for a moment. She stretched her senses out to the girl, attempting to read her thoughts. She blinked, when it appeared the girl's mind was perfectly able to withstand her abilities, though allowing her to sense her emotions. Calm, and relaxed. She spoke the truth. Her smile fell a bit when Raven did this, speaking out.

 

“Don't read my mind,” Kali asked. “I can feel it when you try to.”

 

“Sorry,” Raven blushed, lowering her eyes. She should have known the girl's abilities before attempting to read her mind. Her eyes returned to the book, knowing earlier that it may have had something to do with the way she had felt.

 

“Why don't open it?” Kali suggested.

 

Raven's hand rested on the lock, slowly examining the book before she once again tried to open it. As her index finger pushed against the lock, it clicked open to her surprise, while a white mist formed around it, then shattered and dissolved in thin air. Assuming the enchantment preventing her from opening had been broken, she opened the book to the first page, not too surprised to see the writings of vampires on the first page. She sighed a bit, resting her eyes closed for a moment. She closed the book when her eyes opened, looking to the girl who had saved her.

 

“Thank you,” she said simply, pushing herself to the edge of the bed. “I appreciate your help.”

 

Kali smirked when the girl attempted to stand up, her legs giving out quickly due to her exhaustion. Kali was quick, reaching her arm around the girl's waist, preventing her from falling onto her face. Raven flushed, hiding her face from the girl.

 

“I guess it would be alright to stay here for a while longer,” Raven said, realizing the girl would not let go of her, pulling her into the same position as before.

 

`She really has no idea,' Kali thought to herself with a smile. She would tell the girl when she awoke later, and take her under her wing.

 

“Do you have a couch I could sleep on?” Raven asked quietly, realizing sleep was slowly taking over her. Kali shook her head, as she leaned against the backboard of her bed, pulling the girl into the same position as before.

 

“Don't worry,” Kali replied. “You can sleep just as you were.”

Before Raven could even protest, she was asleep, exhaustion quickly taking over her. Kali lifted her knees a bit, tilting her head to the side. This girl was different than the rest, that was for sure. She would have her hands full with this one.

 

-----

 

Raven woke hours later, feeling the warmth of the girl next to her. She should have felt more uncomfortable, sleeping next to a girl of which she hadn't even learned the name of yet. Still, this girl seemed to know much of her apparent `heritage,' and quite possibly more. Her breathing was slow, and she remained in the girl's embrace, with the girl's cape wrapped around her like a blanket. She took in a deep breath, taking in the comfort of the girl, throwing her stray thoughts aside, and for once, feeling relaxed. Kali felt the girl stir beneath her, pulling her arm from around her.

 

“How are you feeling?” Kali asked the girl as she sat up. Raven instantly felt the coldness around her when she had risen, pulling the cape to her own cloak around her to keep herself warm as she too sat up.

 

“Tired,” she replied, while she rubbed her eyes childishly. Kali smirked at the girl, leaning her back against the board of her bed. An itch developed within her newly developed fangs, that extended on their own accord, and a burning sensation similar to the previous day in the back of her throat. She was thirsty, or hungry if you will, as well as tired.

 

“I know,” Kali said, motioning over to the girl. “You'll be like this for a few days. Your body will adjust to it.”

 

Raven followed the girl's commands without question, but hesitated when Kali moved her hair aside, tilting her head and lifting her neck for her to feed from. Blinking, Kali eyed the girl.

 

“It's alright,” Kali told her after seeing her hesitate. “I know you're hungry.”

 

Raven swallowed the lump in her throat, still forcing herself a distance from the girl. Kali sighed, tilting her head back to its previous position, giving the girl a questioning look.

 

“What's wrong?” Kali asked suddenly, wondering why the girl was not feeding.

 

“Why are you helping me?” Raven asked curiously. No one had ever helped her since she had come back to this planet, and could not find any reason that this girl could be so nice to her unless it were for some ulterior motive. Kali seemed taken back by the question, as if Raven should have already known the answer.

 

“You've been turned into an immortal,” Kali started, her voice smooth. “I am just trying to prepare you to live for an eternity.”

 

“You didn't answer my question,” Raven announced. “Why did you come to my aid back in the warehouse.”

 

“Because you needed it,” Kali replied. “You would have died of hunger if I had not sensed you changing.”

 

Raven felt the girl was still avoiding the question, though the exhaustion she felt made her drop it then and there.

 

“So I will need to feed off people?” Raven asked, attempting to change the subject. Kali welcomed the change with open arms.

 

“Yes,” she nodded. “But not for a while. You'll have to adjust fully to becoming a vampire, otherwise you might end up loosing control of yourself, and accidentally killing someone.”

 

Raven nodded in understanding, shifting uncomfortably on the bed, rubbing one arm with her other hand, looking around nervously.

 

“My name's Kali,” the girl spoke softly, as if sensing the girl's turmoil. Raven turned to the girl, seeing her smile. Swallowing a lump that had formed in her throat, she nodded her head.

 

“Raven,” she responded. Kali smiled warmly, motioning for the girl to come close to her once again.

 

“I know you're hungry, Raven,” she said to the girl. “The sensation will only get worse unless you feed. Now come over here.”

 

Raven obeyed the girl, and crawled over. Kali made her neck available once again, tilting her brunette hair to the side. Again, Raven hesitated, her tongue running along her extended fangs. She felt pressure upon the back of her head, urging her once more to the girl's neck. Closing her eyes, she bit softly into the flesh, barely drawing blood. She drank slowly, and more carefully than she had last time, the hunger not driving her mad as it did the previous day. Kali tilted her head back when Raven pulled away, the two puncture marks healing instantly. She frowned slightly, noticing the girl taking barely any blood from her.

 

“New vampires should drink until they are full,” Kali commented. Raven shook her head.

 

“I feel sick,” she replied, keeping her eyes down, as the room swayed slightly around her. Kali held a wavering hand.

 

“It will pass. Your stomach is not yet used to accepting blood for a food substance,” she replied. “You should rest then.”

 

“I've been resting a lot,” Raven then commented as soon as the dizzy spell wore off.

 

“That's to be expected,” Kali responded. “Your body is slowly dying.”

 

“Dying?” Raven asked, curious suddenly. Kali nodded.

 

“All the cells in your body are slowly dying, and reforming into something new. That is why when one becomes a vampire, they are weak. It takes nearly a week for some, and longer for others,” Kali said, tilting her head a bit and bringing a hand to her chin. “Though I have heard people inheriting the blood of a vampire, I have never seen it with my own eyes.”

 

Raven's eyes shifted from her in the manner she had spoken to her, feeling like an experiment suddenly. Kali waved her hand with a shake of her head.

 

“I meant no disrespect,” she said apologetically. “It is just I am unsure of how similar the transformation would be to someone turned into a vampire.”

 

“How does one become a vampire, if not by inheritance?” Raven asked curiously. Kali smiled, liking their simple `teacher-student' relationship that slowly started to develop between them.

 

“Well, it's not as simple as you may think,” she said. “For one to change, the mortal must grasp the heart of the immortal for the genes to be passed on.”

 

“You mean,” Raven started with a frightened look. “They'd have to physically put their hand through the vampire's chest?”

 

Kali nodded.

 

“It seems rather…”

 

“Gory,” Kali filled in the blank rather easily, as Raven nodded. “Yes. Some careless vampires change mortals for simple play, and leave them there to either go mad from the hunger, or simply die of starvation, not knowing why simple food products of mortals will not satisfy their hunger.”

 

“That's terrible,” Raven started, looking to the girl's eyes. “Have you ever created one of your own?”

 

Kali shook her head.

 

“I have never created one of my own,” Kali responded. “I have only taken in those who cannot teach themselves.”

 

Raven nodded.

 

“Then,” Raven began. “That's why you helped me?”

 

Kali nodded.

 

“I take in those who have no one to teach them,” Kali replied with a smile. “I can't stand it when vampires are careless, and turn mortals that are sometimes unwilling to change, and don't understand.”

 

“Is that why you haven't turned anyone?” Raven asked curiously. She noticed Kali's normal façade falter, and instantly shook her head. “Sorry. I didn't mean to ask something so personal.”

 

“It's alright,” Kali informed the girl with a nod. Raven's eyes turned toward the book that had once again been moved back to the night stand, Kali following the girl's view. “You want to read it now?”

 

Raven nodded, and Kali handed the girl the book. Shifting her weight on the bed, she rose from it, stretching her limbs. Raven sat cross legged, as she moved to the first page, reading its contents.

 

“Would you like something to drink?” Kali asked, as she moved herself toward the kitchen of her small house, knowing the girl was most likely not used to a simple blood-only diet.

 

“Some herbal tea, if you have some,” Raven replied without looking, already deep into her reading. Kali smirked at her request, filling up a kettle with warm water, and turning her stove on.

 

“Where did you get a book like that anyhow?” Kali asked from the other room. “I noticed there was some sort of energy barrier around it when I picked it up.”

 

“I wasn't able to open it until the other day,” Raven replied, as she flipped a page. “I've had it as long as I can remember.”

 

Suddenly, a stray thought within the girl's mind passed, making her eyes widen. She shut the book, and frantically looked about the room, hoping she had grabbed it as well. Kali was surprised when she found Raven looking about her room, in search of something. Placing the tea cup on her night stand, she looked to the girl curiously.

 

“What are you looking for?” Kali finally asked, surprised that the girl found the energy to be looking about the way she was. Raven stopped, not really wanting to go and rip open every drawer to her dresser, and raid her closet, even if her mind was screaming for her to do it.

 

“My mirror,” she replied, trying to keep herself calm. “You grabbed that too, right?”

 

Kali blinked.

 

“Mirror?”

 

Raven's heart began racing, breathing hastened, eyes widening, hands shaking, legs becoming wobbly: all the symptoms of a very frantic sorceress. Raven brought her hands to her head in worry, as she started to pace about the room. Kali quickly went to her side, grasping the girl's shoulders.

 

“Raven,” she asked, not too sure why the girl was so upset over a mirror. “I'm sure if I go back, it'll still be there.”

 

“You don't understand,” she replied, shaking from the girl's grasp. “I need it. I need it right now!”

 

Shattering glass filled their ears, as Kali turned to see her front window completely shattered by the girl's uncontrollable powers. Kali turned back to the girl who had moved to place the boots Kali had removed when she had brought the girl in.

 

“Where are you going?” she asked rather stupidly, already knowing the answer.

 

“I'm going back,” she replied, standing from the bed when her boots were on.

 

“No way,” Kali shook her head, throwing her hand out. “You wouldn't make it halfway down the block before collapsing. You have to rest for at least a full two days before you'll even start to regain your energy.”

 

Raven was already passing by her halfway through her last sentence, pulling the hood to her cloak over her head.

 

“You don't even know where you are!” Kali yelled, as she caught up to the girl, who already had a hand on the door handle. Raven turned to the girl, studying her for a moment, looking at the house structure, and with a sniff of her nose, she opened the door, confirming her prior assumptions.

 

“England,” she said, as she left. Kali shook her head in frustration at the girl's stubbornness.

 

“This girl will be the death of me yet.”

 

-----

 

“You cant' expect to fly across the ocean!” Kali yelled to the girl, as she walked down the stone path, the sorceress' eyes running across the open fields set up in all directions around her. Frowning, Kali came up to the girl, grasping tightly upon her wrist. “What is so important about your mirror?”

 

Raven shook her head, attempting to release the girl's hand, but finding it rather difficult with the grip Kali had upon her. Frowning, she eyed the girl, realizing she would back down. Shaking her head, she let out a sigh, turning to face her.

 

“I need it,” she mumbled, averting the girl's eyes. Kali shook her head.

 

“If you need it that bad,” she started, crossing her arms over her chest. “I will bring you to it.”

 

“I don't need to be pampered,” Raven replied, looking rather insulted with the constant motherly act the girl had been pulling over her since they had met. Kali shook her head.

 

“You wont make it on your own,” Kali replied. “I'm going to go with you.”

 

Raven's emotions screamed to protest, but listened to her mind, and nodded in agreement. She knew this girl meant her no harm, though she felt angry with her for constantly watching over her.

 

`I need my mirror,' Raven's mind screamed. She shook her head free of all thoughts, letting out a frustrated sigh.

 

“Are you alright?” Kali asked with a raised eyebrow, sensing the inner turmoil once again within the sorceress.

 

“We should get going,” Raven avoided the question, as she pulled her cape around her, levitating into the air. Kali shook her head, as she raised herself to follow. Raven looked to the sun, and with sensing which direction she needed to be going in, erupted in a black aura, and flew off with Kali right next to her, both keeping the same pace.

 

-----

 

By the time they had hit the ocean, Kali couldn't believe the girl next to her. In only one day, she seemed to regain all her strength A million thoughts ran through her mind at one time, as she studied the girl flying next to her.

 

`Is it because she inherited the genes that she is able to regenerate her cells at a faster rate?' Kali wondered. `Or is it that since she was born with the gift that she was merely already an immortal, and she did not need the time for her cells to regenerate?'

 

The girl continued to amaze her, keeping a steady pace, never slowing down or speeding up. She noticed the girl had closed her eyes the moment they approached the ocean, muttering words she couldn't understand.

 

`I know a lot of languages,' Kali thought as her eyebrows lowered. `But that is a new one to me.'

 

A barely visible black sphere surrounded the sorceress, remaining motionless as she flew. It almost looked as if she were flying in her sleep.

 

“Raven?” Kali asked after several minutes of silence. No response. The black sphere around her reflected off the water below, Kali noticed. “A trance?”

 

-----

 

It was well into the night, the moment they reached land, the shield surrounding Raven started to shimmer. Her body jolted somewhat, and she awoke, fluttering her eyes open. The sphere surrounding her shattered, and it seemed she was now flying on her own. Kali kept a close eye on the girl, as they flew over the city, noticing signs of strain upon her face, and her constant attempts to mask them.

 

Frowning, she kept silent, as the girl continued to fly in silence, making their way through the city Kali had left only a couple of days earlier. Suddenly, Raven stopped, floating with her back up straight, her hood covering her face completely as her head fell. Kali had nearly flown passed her, not expecting her to stop so suddenly. Turning around, Kali examined the girl as she questioned.

 

“What's wrong?” she asked. Raven didn't respond. She tilted her head, as she floated over to the girl, lowering her head to view the girl's eyes. Covered by the shadows, Kali removed the girl's hood just as her eyes flashed yellow. Not understanding the sudden change within the girl, Kali backed away when she tried to lash out at her, dodging the sudden slap to her face. Raven then grasped her head, as her eyes shut tightly, suddenly in a struggle with herself. Kali just watched, as the girl thrashed her head about, not knowing what to do.

 

Suddenly, she stopped and her eyes opened, revealing those violet orbs Kali was hoping for. As Kali breathed a sigh of liberation, Raven's eyes rolled to the back of her head, as her altitude dropped, falling backward toward the streets below. Kali quickly flew down and scooped the girl up in her arms, floating to the ground in an alleyway.

 

“Raven?” she asked. No response. Kali shook her head. She had waited much too long to feed. Kali pulled the sleeve to her right arm up, bringing her wrist to her mouth. Extending her fangs, she bit into her wrist, blood pouring out from it. With her other hand, she parted Raven's lips, and dropped the blood into her mouth, squeezing the injury to allow the liquid to flow fast.

 

“Damn it Raven, why do you have to be so damn stubborn?” she asked aloud in frustration. Her eyes caught movement in the girl's throat, excepting her blood much to her relief. Her head rose, reaching for the girl's wrist, wrapping her lips around the food source. Raven's eyes fluttered opened, and rested her head back when she realized what she was doing, tilting her head to the side to avoid eye contact.

 

“You okay?” Kali asked the sorceress. Raven felt ashamed, keeping her head to the side. She muttered a `yea' and started to sit up. Kali rubbed the girl's back, sitting next to her, placing an arm around her.

 

“Did I pass out?” Raven asked, without looking to the girl. The image of those yellow eyes flashed by Kali's mind, as she too averted eye contact.

 

“Yea,” she replied simply.

 

“I didn't notice the hunger,” Raven said worriedly.

 

“That's why I told you it was dangerous,” Kali responded with a shake of her head.

 

“It would be dangerous if I didn't get my mirror,” Raven replied to her comment, as she started to stand up. Kali decided not to push the issue, and wait until they came in contact with this mirror to really find out what it was all about. As they started to fly again, Kali couldn't shake the intense look those yellow eyes had given her.

 

`What was that?'

 

-----

 

“It's not here!” Raven screamed, as she threw the crate next to her blanket and pillow over the edge, smashing to pieces as it hit the floor. She paced back and forth, her heart racing as she looked around the second floor. Kali held a confused look, as her eyes traveled around in the darkness.

 

“Calm down,” Kali tried to persuade the girl. “It has to be here somewhere. There hasn't been anyone here since I took you the other day.”

 

“How can you be sure?” Raven yelled, continuing to search through the second floor, as she nearly circled around the building. Kali pointed to her nose, as she followed the girl.

 

“Like you, I have a keen sense of smell. No one has been in here, except rats,” Kali replied, glaring one that just crossed her path. With her sensitive eyes following along the shadows, the twitched slightly, picking up a reflection. “I think I found something!”

 

Raven popped her head up from the other side of the building, and quickly flew up. Kali bent over, picking up the artifact covered by the shadows.

 

“Probably flew over here when you threw the crate in your tantrum,” Kali teased with a smirk, as she observed the mirror. “Wow, it's pretty.”

 

“DON'T!” Raven yelled. Kali gazed into the mirror just as a shadow rose from it. Her eyes widened as the shadow from the mirror wrapped around her, surrounding her with nothing but blackness. Raven flew as fast as she could, but the girl was already pulled into the reflection, the mirror dropping to the floor. Her eyes shut tightly as she landed, grasping her head. “No, not now!”

 

She fell to her knees in struggle, as her emotions went wild, with nearly ever window in the building shattering. Old crates and boxes around the inside of the building lifted, and Raven stretched her arm toward the mirror, gritting her teeth as beads of sweat formed upon her head. With one eye half open, she was mere inches away from the mirror.

 

“So close…”

 

-----

 

Author's Notes: Don't you hate it when you get to a certain spot, and then the next thin you see is “Author's Notes.” Don't you just want to kill the author? Yea, I hate that too.

 

Daughter of the Equinox: Glad to see you reviewing another one of my stories ^_^ Thanks for the review, and hope you keep reading.

 

Xion Glydus: Didn't read it all the way through? Psh, don't review till ya read it all, you know? Anyhow, you should get started on your story, man, I wanna read it. ^_^

 

Darby: Oh, I was allowed to write much more ^_^ I'm going to be doing the entire year Kali was with Raven, and if I get that far, I'm gonna do right up to, most likely, when she joined the Titans. Though both will most likely be about two chapters apart from each other -nod-

 

Jonakhensu: Yes, it was a real good story. I sent an e-mail to every address on the site, and I still haven't gotten a response yet. I'm pretty pissed cause this chapter I couldn't look up the actual flashback, so I couldn't really remember some parts, and just had to do it from memory instead of reference like the last chapter, so some things will most likely be off, but I tried my best.

 

Plays With Fire: I like to think of my hands as capable. Nuh, I don't know why it was taken off. Like I said, I'm still awaiting the reason from Fanfiction in an E-mail. Doubt I'll get it though. I update my stories as often as I can, and with just about five or six stories now, my Teen Titans Stories are the ones being updated the most… I'm not sure what's wrong with my DBZ story, but I haven't updated it in a while…. I should really work on that.

 

Saint Raven: Just another worm for the fishing pole, you know? I seem to have you hooked on all my stories, neh? I was thinking about your suggestion about doing a little Jinx/Ice action. My original plan, and I'll let you know of course, was to have Ice pair off with Robin, cause of their background that will be reviled in the next chapter, and have Jinx with Cyborg, since there seemed to be a little romance going on in the show like that. … I don't think that last sentence made sense. I don't know, my dyslexia has been really bad lately and spell/grammar check hasn't been treating me nice lately. Oh well.

 

Thanks for the reviews, and I hope you all will enjoy this story ^_^