At midnight, Gloria and Kayla continue their practice. Kayla is able to breathe out air for a constant 7 seconds. She bounces up and down like a wild bunny. "I DID IT!"

"Shh..." Gloria observes the door of the art studio. "But yes, you did it!" she exclaims in a lower shout. 

"What's next?"   

"We're still on shadow breathing, dear. You haven't accomplished it until you breathe without expelling oxygen."

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"Close your eyes." Kay shuts them. "You have to learn to ignore the urge to breathe by finding a lifeline through nature. This will allow you an unorthodox live span."

"A what??"

"The less you breathe, the longer you live...and the slower you age."

"This can slow down aging??"

"Yes...by borrowing from the earth." 

"How long could I live?" 

"My grandmother is 210 years old. "Of course, she had to fake her death and disappear to not reveal this secret."

"Whoa, 210 years old...?" 

"And she doesn't look a year over 40.'

"Teach me how to do that?!"

"Calm your voice...you'll learn in time. It's best we take small steps. Now...silent." How does she expect me to be silent after that bombshell?! I can live to be extremely old?? I wonder what's the highest age. Can Spell Benders ever die? Are we immortal like vampires?? "We'll begin with pursed lip breathing; this will reduce your lungs to work less by keeping your airways open longer. The key is to decrease lung activity to help you ignore it. Inhale slowly through your nostrils. Pout your lips as if you're blowing outward. Breathe out as slow as possible through your lips. 7 seconds out. Then hold." 

Kayla does the technique with ease, to her it's simple enough. Even when her granny tells her to repeat it ten times. She does so naturally. As Kay exhales for 7 seconds, she gets lost in of world where she could be immortal. Could I live longer than Kota? Given vampires have endless life...could I also have that? But I wouldn't want to outlive Darius. That'll be the worst! Unless...I can slow his aging too? I have so many questions to ask Granny.  

Kayla repeats the exercise ten times...and is captivated by her chest, which moves lesser than before. Its motion isn't as long in duration. It should be working every second...now it moves every 7 seconds. "I can't believe this is possible..." She expects her dormant chest...counting to 7 before it works on its own to pump up and down. My respiratory system is so laxed. My airways are full enough without me having to hold my breath! "It's like it's on autopilot!"

"Shh...!"

"Sorry...but this is so neat!" She whispers.

"Next lesson, you'll be breathing with the wind. So, practice this every morning without me....and with me at night."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Don't stay up talking to that boy all night. You need good rest."

"How did you...?"

"I have eyes...I saw the radio."

"Oh."

"Darius has a very high energy...that's how I know he's good for you."

Kayla blushes. "I know...he was shining."

"Yes, love is a marvelous thing. Your dad will see this soon and set you free."

"I hope so.." Kay pinches her mouth to one side.

"Goodnight." Gloria steps from the balcony.

"Goodnight." Kayla tiptoes to her room and gently closes the door. She slips into bed, retrieving the radio from under her pillow. Kay turns the volume up only by a notch, so the callback isn't loud. She holds down the button and speaks. "Darius come in. Do you copy?" She murmurs.

A low hum of static sounds from her radio. "I copy, superstar."

"What are you doing?"

"Thinking about you."

"What exactly are you thinking about?"

"Our makeout session...it got me excited." His buttery smooth voice sends shivers down her spine. "Maybe we can do that again tomorrow."

"How? I can't see you, remember?"

"I'll sneak through the back of the school."

"But my granny waits on me..."

"Just say you forgot something in your locker."

"I could..." Kayla muses this over. "I could say I left my pager."

"That sounds believable enough."

"But...then it won't be long enough, we'll have to rush."

"That's fine with me...as long as I get to touch you."

"Aww." Kay snuggles against her pillow, all mush on the inside from Darius's charm. "I missed touching you too."

KOTA

This is day three of being trapped inside my room. I'm going insane due to lack of space. To the bed and window is only ten steps. I'm doing dozens of laps...since I don't need sleep. I want to go out and search the states until I have the disgusting smell of him in my system. Mom said to give her a few days, has she told dad yet? Will he fall for my lie as she did? I hope so. I have to get out of this place.  

I have to speak with Kayla alone...she has to know where the scum is. Her grandmother, Gloria, has visited twice, handing over a paper each time. My parents are always silent when opening the door. Usually they greet visitors, not inaudibly accept a paper as if dealing drugs. I think they're all communicating through writing so I can't know what's up. If I ask Kayla, she'll tell me. She told me the truth before...I think she'll be honest again. 

Kayla wants to help me...unlike my family. They just want to silence me and make me fake as if I'm normal. I'm not. Kota hears Odina pull out a kitchen chair. It's suppertime. Ravioli, avocado sauce, and steak is the main meal. His nose registers each pinch of seasoning, each baking ingredient as if tasting it as a mortal. "Dear...I think we should rethink having Kota in his room all day."

"He leaves when I say so."

"Think about his well-being, this is horrible for his social life. He has to go back to school."

"I agree with mom..." Dyani declares as meek as a mouse.

"Kota's not leaving that room until I see fit!" Matto blows out like a bull. "Let's eat."

He hears the scrapping of silverware on plates. No one is willing to protest dad when he's like this. It's hopeless. I'm stuck here for all eternity. The thought of school is appealing as of right now. At least I can go away on my own.

Elu clears his throat. "Gloria phoned about Kayla's process. She'll be well prepped to detect if there's a cure in no time. I would say by the end of the month."

"That's great!" Dy scoots back in her chair. "I'll go tell Kota."

"NO!"

"BUT DAD?!"

"I SAID NO!"

"Son, this is something we all should celebrate." Elu's voice is as soft as a feather. "Please..."

"Kota can hear fine enough. Now. Eat."

Dad is a bully. He reminds me of Macy's boyfriend. The jock. He thinks everyone has to obey him. What is it with him? I wasn't as disrespectful as he's making it seem. I yelled and said one curse word. I wasn't in control of myself. They all saw my eyes change...they all saw me being possessed. I hope mother is explaining this to him. But I think she was right...there's no stopping him when he's like this. She knows him better than I do. I'll have to wait until he settles down. Until he's my father again, not this dictator.

At midnight, Kota hears footsteps outside his door. He thinks it's his mother again but is wrong. "Kota..." Dyani speaks in a hushed tone. He goes to open the door. His big sister has a bowl of chocolate pudding. She offers it to him. "I know you don't eat...but it's your favorite." His sister simpers. "Mom told me what she did. Dad went too far." Dy slips into the room and close the door. "He's being a pain in the ass. I don't get why he's treating you this bad. But you running off like that was scary...and you did shout and curse. But..."

"The crime doesn't fit the punishment. Rebelling teenagers aren't permanently glued to the house."

"He doesn't know the trauma you went through. Anyone would want to kill a murderer."

"So...you're on my side?" Kota assumed otherwise.

"We all are...except dad. He thinks your violence is uncalled for."

"It's not..."

"I know...you feel like their lives were wasted."

"No...I feel like I should've died instead of them."

Dy's brows curl to her hairline, she's pained by his words. "Why would you say that?!"

"Because I shouldn't be alive...I don't understand why I am and they're dead." Kota's flat tone and dull eyes match the grim words. "I just stood there and did nothing...I let them get killed. So why should I care about dying?"

"Stop speaking like this!" Her eyes swell with tears.

"That's how I feel..."

"I thought you just wanted to off the guy...not commit suicide!"

"If there's no cure...why should I stay this way?"

"Mom told me you have feelings for Kayla...maybe you can start over."

He doesn't have a comeback for this. I considered being friends with her...but could we be more. My affections aren't one sided. I saw the look of desire in Kayla's eyes. The way she limited her eye contact with me. As always, this is a tempting outcome. "How? When I can't even leave the house to try with her?" 

"Give the old man time ...mom is still hatching a plan." 

"He's a bull...I'm never leaving."

"This isn't forever....just let him cool off." Dyani hugs her little brother, tussling his hair atop his head. "Don't scare me like that again. I don't want to hear you talk about dying again. You hear me?" She kisses the top of his head. 

I can't promise that'll be the last time I'm morbid. If I stay in this room, I'll relive the past and fall back into suicidal thoughts. If I were out...it would be easier to ignore the urge. The survivor's guilt would be tolerable. When his sis is gone to bed, Kota decides to draw. He has nothing else to do and doesn't want to keep strolling the tiny room. He sits on the ledge of the bed with paper and a pencil. Kota stares at the paper, browsing his mind for something to draw. Nothing positive comes to mind...because of his glum mood. So, he resorts to illustrating the evil vampire. 

I hate that I know every curve of his face...every hue of his hair...every pattern in his eyes. But I have to release my angst somehow. The burgundy irises he sketch are empty as a pit. The sharp teeth, pointy nails. His claws are the signature of Satan. The blond hair is as multicolored as stacks of straw. Kota tears the paper up in rage, ripping it into long shreds instead of chunks. No...I need to focus on something positive. 

He gets up for a new sheet of paper. Kayla's face appears as a choice. He doesn't question why...Kota just follows the urge. His fingers conduct the pencil to etch the ends of Kayla's curly, bushy hair. Kota goes through the drawer to find a shade of brown to fill in the color. 

Her hair is the same hue of her eyes. Her skin is rich as soil. Kayla's hairline is as well molded as her heart shaped face. Button nose. Doe eyes. Cupid's bow...and lush lips. The led of the pencil streaks fast to define the lines of her face and hair. To color in every inch of her. The last part he fills in are Kayla's velvety lips. A perfect dark chocolate. I wonder how sweet they taste. Is her mouth as soft as cushions? As magnetic as her voice? As electric as her presence? Will a kiss from her liven my lips...just as she reanimated my body? 

Kota looks over the portrait he's just crafted. He's lured in by the picture. Calmed by Kayla's penetrating gaze, he reminisces their fleeting eye contact. A tidal wave of positivity lightens his despair. Kota grabs a new sheet of paper. I have to see her...not just for selfish reasons. Not just to smuggle information from her...but to be bathed in inner sunlight. I want to try with Kayla. I could use some joy in my life. On the paper, he writes an apology letter to his dad:

Father,

I was out of line. I'll apologize for years if I have to. I was blinded by fury. The voice in my head made me behave irrationally. The possessive entity returned and persuaded me to disrespect you. I lost control. I'm sorry. My old self would've never spoken to you and mom that way. But I'm not my old self anymore. I'm trying to be, but I can't help that my soul is damned. I wish it wasn't. I wished I was normal again.

Kota glances at the drawing of Kayla then back down at the paper:

I don't know if mom has told you yet but I'm willing to attend school with Kayla. I'm better when I'm around her...and think we could be great friends. I'd like to enroll in her school, so I'll have someone who's inhuman like me. I'll stop trying to kill and let you and mom handle the vampire. I'll let my violence rest, just like you want. Please forgive me for challenging your dominance. I just want our relationship back. I need my father back.

Kota rolls up the paper and walks to slide it under the door.