Love Torment

19 (What happened to 18?)

When my eyes opened, I came to see the dark wood of the ceiling. I waited for the pain to make itself known and settle into the back of my skull. To my great surprise, their only thing lingering were a few tingles. I tried to get myself up to buy the heavy blanket placed on top of me weighed me down.

I simply opted to roll from under it to the edge of the bed. I let myself drop to the wooden floor with a thud. I laid on the floor for a second as I recollected my thoughts. I was at Siege's grandmother.

I remembered everything.

I got up slowly to take note of my surroundings. It was a tiny room with a plain beige scheme. It simply had a bed and a dresser to fill the space. While I looked around, I nodded slowly at myself as I sported a smile.

I didn't die.

I was alive. Hive five, me!

I was going to try to wrap my head around the sudden surge of my abilities. I had abilities. I was leaving it to join the endless thoughts to keep me up at night.

The nightgown I was wearing smelled of dogs and old ladies. I didn't let that bother much, at least I was cleaner.

I walked straight to the door and silently opened the door. I stepped out and placed myself into the passage. I tiptoe carefully to make sure nothing was creaking and I was unheard. I followed the light that was coming at the end of the passage. As I walked, I heard the low sound of voices.

''-to the council. They'll take care of her.'' It was a voice I had never heard before speaking. I looked to see the door of a room in the passage was slightly creaked open. I stood still in the spot to try to make sense of their other words. It was difficult to make out what they were saying.

''She...was Jexed.'' It was Siege, his tone was calm but almost sounded pleading. It was a tone I had never imagined to hear from him.

''What are you trying to say?'' The lady questioned. I could only assume it was his grandmother.

''Nothing. It's just...the plans. Why are we going for her?'' Siege questioned back his grandmother.

''Why are you questioning your family. It's a life for a life. A simple trade.'' The old lady spoke. The conversation was making me uneasy.

Siege was quiet for some time before he made another sound.

''Hmm.'' He hummed.

I moved past the door with not much thought of the noise I was making. I walked to the end of the passage and was met with a bright light that contrasted with the rest of the house. The living room area and the kitchen were an open plan. The curtains were wide open and the light from the wide windows was illuminating the entire area with the morning sun.

''Sleeping Beauty is up,'' Javan spoke as he looked back at me. He was seated at the kitchen counter with a half-empty plate in front of him. Mia was on the other side of the counter with an apron on and a warm smile on her face.

''I want to go,'' I spoke to them truthfully without skipping a beat. They both looked at me with perplexed expressions.

''What's wrong?'' Mia questioned me as she turned around to open up the fridge behind her.

''The old lady speaking to Siege gives me an antagonistic vibe. I honestly don't even wanna meet her. I might lose myself again. By choice.'' I explained to the two before walking closer to them. I skipped the last steps and took a seat beside Javan.

''She is intense. She gives you a clear sense of why Siege is what he is.'' Javan told me as he gave me a smile and a shrug.

''Before you request your leave, eat this,'' Mia told me as she places a plate of meat with blood oozing out of it freely. I had seen freshly hunted meet plenty of times. Never had it appealed to me as much as it did at that moment.

''Siege personally went out and got it for you earlier this morning,'' Mia explained to me with a certain smile on her face. My hunger for the meat was cast aside by my sudden suspicion.

''Choose one. Hate me or like me. What did he put in this?'' I questioned the two as shoved the plate away from me. I looked into their eyes and burst into laughter in a second.

''If you don't feed, you'll turn back into a- whatever it was that you were,'' Javan told me as he looked at me with a bright smile as he calmed down from his laughter.

He decided to do that much for me instead of going with his bury my plan. He was a true mystery to me. He seriously had to pick aside. HATE ME OR LOVE ME.

''What's getting Jexed?'' I questioned them as I poked at my meat and brought back my bloodied finger to my lips.

''What parents use to trigger the abilities of late bloomers,'' Mia explained to me with a bright smile. I nodded at her as I grew a hunger for the food before me.

''It usually results in the inevitable loss of control over your abilities. The were-folk used to use it as a form of punishment. They would cage someone in with a loved one they Jexed to see who would kill who first.'' Javan gave me a brief history lesson. I was mentally not there but the words were coming in.

I nodded at him. I looked down at my food and my stomach growled fiercely.

''Let's eat,'' I spoke to myself with a simple smile.