THE LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS - BWS

twenty-two

Three days. Three days that I had been trying to fix that stupid glass, and so far the progress was minimal. If I didn't already know that time was not on our side, William reminded me of it multiple times a day. But despite my strongest efforts, the glass wouldn't budge. I had managed to make it tremble for a second, but that was the extent of it, to everyone's frustration.

    "She's worthless," Veronica spat at me, her lips curled with disdain. She had called me worse in the last couple of days. Her hate for me didn't seem to  shrink, on the contrary.

    "Vee," Caelan warned.

    "What? Are you blind? She can't do anything," Veronica sniffed. "We're wasting our time with her."

    My hands fisted into balls, my nails digging into my palms. I quickly realized it, and forced myself to release the pressure. But she was right. I was useless to them if I couldn't use my powers. Would I ever be able to? Were they even real?

    Caelan turned to William, anxiously. But the vampire didn't move, or say anything, his eyes trained on me. I didn't have to look at him to know, I could feel the weight of his stare. When I finally looked, his eyebrows were slightly furrowed, his face focused. What was he thinking about?

    "There's no we," Caelan eventually said to his sister.

    "Since you're in my home, there is."

    "That's my home too!" he pointed out, throwing his hands in the hair, as if what he was saying wasn't obvious.

    I smiled at their bickering. Despite not liking Veronica very much - okay, not at all - I did enjoy hearing them bicker. It was rare to see someone treat Caelan that way.

I walked over to the small wooden bench near the door and grabbed the half empty bottle of water I brought for our training before bringing it to my lips. The training sessions were intense, both mentally and physically. Despite not having to move, sweat beaded my forehead and neck.

"Leave us," William's voice echoed in the room, turning everyone's attention to him. He detached himself from the opposite wall and slowly walked to us. Caelan's surprised eyes moved between William and I. "Do I need to repeat myself?"

I stood by the door, the water bottle still in my hands, wondering what to do.

"Will—" Caelan tried, but the low growl that escaped the older vampire's throat was enough of a warning to shut him up.

Veronica rolled her eyes, flicked her hair over her shoulder and started for the door, her chin held high, her high heels clicking on the wooden floor. She gave me one last glare, her lips still curled against her teeth as if the very sight of me made her sick, and disappeared into the hallway.

"Good luck," Caelan said as he started to follow her, making me frown. What was that supposed to mean? "Come on White Fang, let's get you something to eat," he added to Dee who was comfortably sitting in the corner of the room. Her head switched back and forth between me and Caelan, before she jumped to her paws and started to follow him. I was only starting to get used to her trusting William so much. She would never have left me alone in a room with anyone before.

I looked at them as they crossed the hallway before turning my head back to William who was approaching me silently, his gaze piercing. The tingling feeling became stronger the closest he got to me, my body temperature instantly rising up. He stopped right in front of me, and scanned my face, a half smile quickly appearing at the corner of his lips. He extended his arms, making me flinch, and reached for the door beside me, closing it in one swift movement. My reaction didn't go unnoticed. His head tilted and his eyebrows flexed.