9.16 – Through thick and thin

So, I was actually rather surprised with the results, but it seems the majority prefers scheduled posting! So I’ll stick to one chapter a week for now 🙂

Nikolas’ POV

I finished securing my headband around my head.

I don’t get why so many people feel the need the negatively comment on it. Last weekend alone during the gathering, it seems half the family there kept asking me stuff like aren’t you too old for this sort of thing?.

It doesn’t look bad does it? I think it gives me a ninja like look. Or even a pirate look! And who doesn’t want to look like a pirate ninja?

Was that a growl? Did I just hear it snore again?

I sighed.

Ever since Max and I went downstairs, I keep thinking I can hear it growling. It’s not as scary anymore now that I know it’s just sleeping. I haven’t gone back down though. Maxwell made me promise to wait till he was there.

And either way, stuff’s been a little too busy at home for me to slip downstairs.

Pa’ just got back home from the hospital last night.

“You ready?” Nikita asked with a glint in her eyes as I exited.

“No, not yet. I need to go get my violin.” I said.

“Well hurry up then. Dad and pa are waiting downstairs.” She insisted, trying to shove me towards the dance room.

During my pa’s birthday party, he was hit with a heart attack. A bad one.

Dad was ready for it though, and with the help of my uncle Benjamin (who’s a doctor), pa made it to the hospital just in time.

Even though dad kept calling us to tell us everything was fine, and that pa would be just fine and they’d be home in no time – it didn’t change a thing to how scary the whole thing had been for Niki and I. Forced to wait at home, we decided we’d do some sort of little show for pa and dad when they came back. Something to lift everyone’s spirits.

I was going to play a new song I felt pretty confident about on the violin, and Nikita would show off the magic she was finally able to do. She’s always had trouble with spells, more so than me, but she at least managed to master light shows. The magic isn’t harmful in any way, its only purpose is to be light. It doesn’t require a lot of magic and it can be really pretty. Especially if performed by Nikita.

I thought we were doing a really good job. I hadn’t missed a lot of notes, and Niki’s magic was in perfect rhythm with my violin, and when I glanced at pa he seemed really pleased with the show.

But when I glanced at dad…he seemed really tense.

Maybe he was still nervous for pa. Even though the doctors gave him meds and told him if he rested he should be fine.

But his hands were in fists and his jaw was clenched. It’s when Nikita made the fireworks that filled the whole room that dad exploded.

He jumped to his feet and practically shouted at us to stop. Nikita’s magic dissolved into the air, and I stopped playing as my blood froze in shock.

Dad looked really pissed, but somehow it didn’t feel like it was our fault. Didn’t make us feel any better though.

“Xavier…” Pa said sadly, but dad had just walked away.

Its then that pa decided to explain to us what the doctors had told dad. They found it a bit odd that pa had heart problems since he didn’t have the lifestyle to go with it or the genetics. After a little bit of research and tests, the doctors had told our fathers they suspected the origin was magic. That the prolonged exposure was impacting his health as a natural.

Of course pa quickly said he didn’t believe any of that, and that he was probably just one of those rare unexplained cases.

But it was pretty clear dad was considering that possibility.

***

It was one of those nice quiet evenings. We could hear the faint crickets chatting outside, the hand of the clock moving and the news playing on tv. Dad had to go to work for some last minute problems, so it was just us three at home.

Pa was taking the ‘get some rest’ order to heart and had dozed off in front of the tv, while Niki and I kept checking things out for my school year. We chatted a bit too about how she wanted to see if she could be a dance assistant when her knees healed and about what a jerk Jace was for breaking up with her a week ago, even though he wasn’t really a jerk, it made sense for them to break up since Jace wanted to get a job that required him to move around a lot, but it still sucks cause Niki really saw a future with him for once.

So basically Nikita monologued while I wrote down the list of material I needed for next year.

I cast pa a quick glance.

“He’s going to be okay right?” I whispered.

“Of course.”

“But they’ve been fighting. And it’s always the same thing. Always about what the doctors said.”

“Yeah, but pa said-”

“Niki dad has a sixth sense. Wouldn’t it apply here?”

“I don’t know. But there’s never ever been a problem, so I’m going to choose to believe it was just a wild guess.” Nikita sternly said.

The matter was supposed to end there for the night, but the tv decided to pick it up.

“-heard what happened to one of the Pallen sons last weekend. Right after Leopold Pallen himself passed away. Talk about bad luck.”

“I know Jack, but this is a learning experience. It seems Edmund Pallen’s heart attack was caused by magic!”

“Supernaturals again?”

“The drama still isn’t over.”

“You’d think they’d already be extinct by now.”

“Hey be nice! One of my distant cousins is a witch. *laugh*”

“So what you’re saying is that it’s the supernaturals fault that Edmund Pallen’s health is in danger?”

“Yes it is. Hardly anyone remembers this, but centuries ago, when supernaturals were stronger and more powerful, it was against the law for naturals and supernaturals to live under the same roof. There were several accounts of naturals suffering from various diseases because they came into prolonged contact with supernaturals. Naturals just weren’t built to be surrounded by so much magic.”

“That’s horrible. There were accounts of deaths too weren’t there?”

“Of course. Back then, five years working with a werewolf and you could suddenly get a brain tumor out of nowhere. Over time there were still some supernaturals that mixed with naturals, you know the forbidden love kind of thing, and the mixed bloods didn’t get the same effects.”

“But now it’s starting all over again? Supernaturals just can’t give up. There’s also a lot of weird reports of strange supernaturals. The police caught someone who could control a flame! Nearly brought down a grocery store.”

“The supernatural problem is getting ridiculous. Ridgevalley should adopt Twinbrook policies. Several stores are refusing entry to supernaturals. No, but really look at this fancy keep out sign this kid from Twinbrook made for his local convenience store! I want one of these on my front yard-”

Pa had woken up and switched channels to a different news.

Niki and I were still as statues, the horrid words we’d heard on the news ringing in our heads.

People are actually banning supernaturals from stores?

Is it really because his husband and his two kids are supernaturals that pa is sick?

“You don’t think…” Niki mumbled under her breath.

“No. Let’s not go there.” I replied just as uncertainly.

It’s not our fault. It’s not our fault.

But I don’t think dad will be practicing our magic anytime soon.

“Nikolas.” Pa called and I whipped around so fast I almost pulled a muscle.

“Yeah?”

He pointed at the tv where they were showing a list of missing children.

“Dexter Klose. Isn’t that your friend, Elvis’ little brother?”

I gaped at the tv. I’d only seen the kid once or twice, but there was no doubt about it, it was him! Elvis’ brother was missing!?

I have to call Elvis. And Lucas. And the twins. I have to call everyone!

But dad chose that exact moment to come back home.

I didn’t get a chance after that either, because dad felt bad about how he’d reacted and insisted we transformed the evening into a family game night. No doubt about it, it was a lot of fun and we all easily forgot about what had happened.

But by the time we’d finished our games, it was way too late to call anyone. And I’d probably get yelled for it – both by my friends and my parents. So I had to go straight to bed, knowing Elvis was probably dealing with the loss of his little brother on his own because he’s stubborn like that when it comes to real stuff.

Somehow I managed to go to sleep, but it’s to wonder why I went to sleep at all, when I got woken up by a sound.

Something that I swear sounded like the growling of that monster.

Gah screw my promise. I am not waiting till Max decides to come visit again. There’s so much stuff to explore down there! And it’s my basement. He can’t get privilege on it just because he’s an adult.

Having taken my decision, I slipped out of my room and made my way downstairs, careful to use a trick Nikita taught me. It’s a neat little trick, that really only works for witches with little to no magic (so perfect for us). She told me to imagine my magic in a tight little ball, and see myself shoving it somewhere deep and hidden inside me. This way I could actually hide my supernatural presence from other supernaturals. Not sure if it really works, but I don’t remember Nikita ever getting caught when sneaking out!

I drifted down the stairs as silently as I could (wondering if maybe I should’ve brought my wand with me), and flattened myself against the wall when I heard noises.

Someone else was downstairs.

Well I knew that. Dad slept downstairs now. Even though pa pleads him not to, he does it anyway. I guess maybe he thinks if he’s too close to pa all the time he’ll make it worse? Dad is the strongest witch in the world. He’s got a shit ton of magic, so if it was someone in this house who was affecting pa it was probably dad-

But like pa said! It’s got nothing to do with magic. Even if they said otherwise on the news.

I peeked around the corner and spotted dad and Nikita on the couch. Nikita? She’s crying?

I could barely hear what she was saying. Her voice was muffled by her own hiccups and dad’s shoulder. At first I thought she was crying because, like me, she was afraid dad might decide to leave us because of what’s happening to pa. Because he’d feel responsible for pa’s condition and think going away might make everything better. As if pa would want that, as if we’d let him-

But picking up on the little pieces of words, I realized it was something else entirely.

“I was going to dance, it’s all I ever wanted! But now all because of some stupid car some stupid car-” Nikita managed to choke out before heading back into a sobbing mess.

I guess my big sister wasn’t as tough as I thought she was. I guess the happy smile, getting better, looking like she was ready to put the accident behind her and focus on what she could still do with her future…I guess that was all a lie.

I wanted to go over there and hug her too. My poor sister.

Dad’s eyes locked onto mine. I got the message and headed back upstairs.

Okay so, guess the basement can wait after all.

***

No one’s POV

The rain is beating harshly, today, just on the outskirts of StoneBridge. It’s dreadfully hot, humid and raining all at the same time. No one in their right mind would voluntarily step outside today.

Yet there are two who run through the weather with ease, long accustomed to keeping their footing on wet sloppy terrain.

“STOP!” The vampire calls out in a hoarse voice. It must’ve easily been months since he’d last spoken. In other circumstances he wouldn’t have even tried speaking out, knowing there’d be no use to it. But today, at this moment, he felt like he had to try because he’d run out of choices.

And today, exclusively at that moment, the girl opted to listen.

She skidded to a stop in her long since soaked shoes.

She stood still, waiting for the vampire to catch up. She looked up into the cloudy sky, blinking as the raindrops hit her face.

“Stop.” The vampire repeated once he’d reached her. “We’re too close to James’ territory. He’ll notice us if we get any closer.”

Any closer and James will get curious. Any closer and James might decide he’s better suited to watch over the Weapon. Any closer and James might decide it’d be safer to keep the last surviving white-eyed safe in his basement.

“I know.” Her small words hit the raindrops.

The Weapon – Jane – Gretel – she’s changed a lot since Kevil had first met her. When the white-eyed vampire had stolen her from his master’s basement, she’d been just a creature then. Fearing the world, she could only be tamed and controlled thanks to the power the white eyes held over her. Whether it was magical or not, she obeyed his every commands. For the longest time she was merely a tool he’d stolen from Velor.

But then the lizard-eyed creature began to speak, to feel, and to act with much less fear. She began to appreciate the company of those who treated her well. She began to feel pity for the ones she was forced to take the life of. Ironically, it was in watching Velor and Assaria perform acts of cruelty that parts of humanity came back.

And then she was stabbed, cut in half, by the mighty sword of a mighty fairy. As her wound closed and she healed, the White-eyed lost any control he’d had over her. The vampire could no longer control her.

Nevertheless, he decided to follow her. He decided he’d protect her. Even if Velor and Assaria were gone, he would protect her. Sometimes she let him, but more often than not she ran from him. She simply ran, everywhere.

“Then double back.” Kevil said.

“You don’t understand. Something is wrong.” She shook her head slowly. Her outstretched hands caught the raindrops before they could fall to the ground. “It fills me. It controls me. This need to take life.” She clenched her jaw.

She’d never felt it before. Feeling empty was better than this. It had only been for a few months, a few years maybe, but it had arose, deep in her soul, the need to feel someone’s life force trickling out of them and through her arm, through her self.

“Then let’s go back to the cabin.” The cabin on top of the mountains where they sometimes went to. It was a place they could call home from time to time. A place she had so eagerly run from just a few weeks ago.

“You don’t understand.” She growled, spinning around and gripping his throat with the strength only she possessed.

She could snap his neck if she wanted to, but all she desired was to take. But even as her body tried to sap his life force nothing happened. He was a white-eyed, the one being she couldn’t deplete. It’s as if she was attempting to drain the ocean one spoonful at a time.

She let him go, the need controlling her dissipating away.

He rubbed his throat, coughing a little as he did.

“Why James?” He began again, once his throat didn’t seem as sore.

“I am the reason she’s dead. I took her wings.”

“You want James to kill you?” Kevil asked in surprise.

“Yes.” Maybe he truly wasn’t suited to protect her.

“That’s a horrible idea.”

“Would you rather I take everyone’s lives as my own? I have that power. No one understands. There would be only you, her and me left. Would you rather that?” She hissed. She hadn’t met everyone. She didn’t know everyone. Not everyone had treated her well. But the world would be empty without everyone.

And she knew she had that power. And as the days went by, she grew to hate more and more the people who had forced her to discover it inside her.

Kevil looked at her, the girl who was older than him by centuries, but had the appearance of a teenager. At the girl who was uttering reasons for her own murder.

Death.

Why did it always have to be the only solution?