Annalise

Torn between running away, or confronting her friends, Annalise stood trembling. She hadn't seen her friends once since she died and then seeing them now. Seeing how time had changed them, it brought back all the feelings of longing and isolation back. It left her wanting. Aching for things to be back to normal.

But the chance of that died with her 5 years ago.

She glanced at Eugene, his green eyes were narrowed in concern, as he turned to address Noah and Mia again. "Leave." He demanded, warily looking upwards. The lights began to flash on and off, erratically as Annalise felt more tears begin to pool in her eyes. A vice wrapping around her heart like thorns.

"What's going on?" Mia asked, peering behind him and into the house. Unknowingly staring directly where Annalise stood.

Annalise choked on a sob. "Mia," She said brokenly, as the dangling lights above her began to start swaying.

"Faulty electricity," Eugene explained, but he was fooling nobody by the looks on both Mia's and Noah's faces. "Now I suggest you leave." his tone took a dark turn, as he slammed the double doors on both their stunned faces. He turned to face Annalise almost reluctantly. She had no idea what was going on, to make him look like that. Like he was approaching a walking time bomb.

She backed away from him, as he started to move for her. He raised his hands pacifyingly and eventually, the swinging of the light fixtures and the flashing came to a stop. Despite this, the tears were still coming, and Annalise raised her hand to her head. "They couldn't see me," she said, repeating it again and again like a broken mantra.

"I know Anna, I know," Eugene said sympathetically, standing in front of her with his arms raised, like he wasn't quite sure what to do with them. The use of the new nickname shocked her enough to stop her sniffling. "It's okay now," He said soothingly, and she breathed deeply, rubbing her eyes furiously.

She took another few deep breaths, before saying "I'm sorry about that, it's just. It's just difficult." Eugene frowned, fingers tapping the side of his leg.

"It's fine, I would just like to know who they were?" he asked patiently. "It's Noah and Mia," she explained, and a look of recognition took over his face. "The friends you mentioned the other day." He stated.

She had mentioned them briefly during one of their chats, but didn't delve into any deeper details. "I haven't seen them since...you know," she said, fiddling with her hands. Eugene nodded absentmindedly, gesturing for her to follow him.

He led them into the kitchen, where he sat down on one of the mahogany chairs. She copied him, and sat directly opposite. "Did you notice anything while that was happening?" He questioned.

Annalise raised an eyebrow, confused. "The lights were going on and off, but that hasn't got anything to do with me for once," she shrugged, scrutinising the light fixtures.

"No, I think it does," Eugene replied. "Have you noticed anything like this happening before? Specifically when you're emotional?"

Once again Annalise shook her head. "No I don't think so? It's not something I thought to pay attention to." He hummed contemplatively, placing a finger under his chin.

"You are sure, correct?"

Annalise nodded, feeling a tad annoyed at the continued questioning. "Yes, I am. Why?" Eugene flicked out his phone from the pocket of his moth-eaten joggers. The entire time he had lived here, she'd never seen him in anything else but joggers and a loose top. He didn't really seem to care for appearances, and it showed in his bed tousled hair and old clothing. Tapping away, he seemed focused on something on the screen.

Finally, he found what he was looking for, and shoved the phone to her face. She had to squint at the brightness coming from it, how he had his phone that bright never ceased to surprise her, especially as he was a Vampire. It was a small article, on a non descript website, the type that would pop up with dodgy ads every two seconds and would probably give you a virus if you weren't careful. It read

'A poltergeist- a spirit or ghost responsible for physical phenomena such as telekinesis, moving objects and interacting with the physical world-' '-though rare, poltergeist sightings have been recorded for centuries'

"I don't know why I didn't see it before," Eugene said, placing the phone back into his pocket, with a self depreciating 'tut'. "Over 200 years alive, and I can't pick a poltergeist apart from a ghost." Annalise blinked, what was he on about? He continued rambling to himself angrily, until she interrupted him.

"Hold on! Slow down. I don't understand what you mean?"

Eugene rubbed a hand across his face. "It's not that important, but overall I'm more upset with myself than anything," he explained. "You realise that doesn't explain a thing right?" she deadpanned. "It's just I thought you were an average ghost, but you're a poltergeist. Which is a type of ghost who is able to interact with the world around them. It normally means they have something tying them to this plane,"

"Right, so like from the movie poltergeist?" Annalise said, tilting her head. "The-the what movie?" Eugene asked, shook his head as if to collect his thoughts, "It doesn't matter, what does matter is are you okay?"

Sobering suddenly, she crossed her legs, and folded in on herself slightly. "I- i don't know," she admitted, her 'heart' constricting painfully.

"It will be okay, Anna," and there was the nickname again, despite herself she smiled a little. "I will find out what happened, it's my oath." he said with a seriousness that had her heart clenching for an entirely different reason altogether.

-----

Eugene

Night time was the only time in the day Eugene could really flourish. While, yes, vampires could go out in the day time and most of the myths surrounding them were straight up false. The sun weakened them, and Eugene always liked having control. The feeling of power flowing through his body where blood should be, was intoxicating and familiar. It was all the more present at night time, which is why he tended to do everything then instead of during the day.

Annalise was busying herself watching the TV he had brought, in the living room. Having watched her break down today, it startled him. He empathised with her, it had to be a lonely existence trapped inside a house for so long. And for the foreseeable future. It only strengthened his resolve to help her. Though he didn't want to get involved with the supernatural, he felt himself pulled to her. Like two opposite ends of a magnet, drawn to a collision.

He only hoped in the end, it wouldn't be painful.

Eugene quickly brought his phone out, stepping outside the house to the front door and basking in the gentle moonlight. He had calls to make. While he had stepped away from his clan, he still had contact with a few of them he could trust. He scrolled through the contacts and picked out a number. It rang only three times before the phone picked up.

"Cassius? I need your help."