Destiny's Witch (BxB)

Chapter 19: The Matriarch of Secrets

Perry

David was, above all things, gentle and passionate, just as he was during our first sexual experience. I feel as if I have tip-toed around the subject for so long, trying my hardest not to give it energy.

David is the first, and only, person I have ever given myself to sexually. His absence from my life started immediately after we slept together. The only luckiest thing about my new destiny is it distracted me from my sadness over David, for the most part.

This time was different. We had a short talk afterward, and he expressed that being with me makes him happy. The terrifying unknown of sleeping with him again feels like a different experience.

Our hangout session is cut short by the back-to-back calls from Alan and the incessant alarms for David's football practice. David relented after listening to an angry voicemail from Alan. Alan's demand that I come home, followed by threat of putting out an APB convinced both of us it is time to go.

I smile the entire drive home, even more when I look over and see David smiling as well. Surprisingly, he kisses me goodbye after pulling up to my house. He promises to call me and I promise to answer his calls.

My hesitation on exiting his truck is directly correlated to knowing Alan is waiting for me inside. Halfway up the driveway, my senses tune into a new green Nissan Altima. I do not know who the car belongs to.

David honks as he drives off.

My body freezes as I reach out to the doorknob. Beyond the door are three voices fighting for dominance. Alan and Penny's voices are familiar, the other is less familiar but I recognize her.

With a twist of the knob, I rush into the house, slamming the door behind me. I turn the corner to the living room to see Penny and Alan standing beside a brown leather armchair where my grandmother, Patricia, is sitting.

Patricia, a rounder woman in her late 70s, jumps to her feet and pulls me into a hug. The smell of Carol's Daughter moisturizer hits my nose at the same time the sage does. Even with my growth spurt, she is as tall as I am.

She dotes on how big I have gotten. She compliments what a 'handsome young man' I have grown into before she apologizes for declining my invitation. Alan squirms out of the corner of my eye.

"So, it's true? You invited her here?" Penny asks. "Because you know about your powers?"

My eyes dart to Alan without my consent before switching back to Penny. "I invited her here because I needed answers."

"Why not come to us?" Penny asks.

"He did." Patricia says. "Alan, is there something you need to tell my daughter?"

Penny is stunned as her eyes narrow on Alan. "What's she talking about? Did you know about Perry's powers being activated?" She asks.

Alan scowls at Patricia as he grabs Penny's hands. He slowly begins to detail the secret we have kept from her. The look on Penny's face morphs from moment to moment as horror replaces all previous emotions.

Penny pulls away from Alan as Patricia wraps an arm around my shoulder. Penny looks between us, confused. A look of sympathy passes over her face.

"You lied to me." Penny says.

The tone of her voice breaks my heart. Her voice is far away, even though she is standing a couple of feet away. Her mind is processing everything in front of my face.

Penny looks to me. "And you couldn't come to me about your magic?" She asks.

"No." I say.

"You two lied to me for months! I could have helped." Penny looks to Alan, "He's a kid, but you! You should know better!"

The two begin to argue as Alan asserts his point of my powers stemming from his Hunter DNA, not her magical DNA. The argument highlights the venom he has for my magical powers. Penny sees it as well.

"Some things never change." Patricia says.

Alan glares at her. "And you couldn't give us a heads up? Couldn't wait to assert yourself as a hero in this, could you?!" He asks.

"Don't blame this on her! You should have told me." Penny says.

"This is not my fault. I warned you this would happen. I told you once they learned what you did—" Patricia asks.

"What did they do?" I ask.

All three adults become stuck. The three of them exchange hesitant glances, likely attempting to formulate their own excuses. It feels like a bunch of rats trying to figure out the best piece of wood to get them off the ship to safety.

Alan clears his throat to speak. "When you and Porter were younger, we made a decision about your witch powers. We agreed that you were not safe, so we—"

"It's true. You bound me?" I say.

The three adults are once again shaken to their core. Penny and Alan glance at each other, trying to find some solace in each other.

They have no clue that there will be no solace where I am concerned.

"You lied to me. You knew exactly what was happening to me! I trusted you." I say. "Why?"

"You don't know the entire story. We did what we did to protect you." Penny says.

"It wasn't your call!" I shout.

"It was! We are your parents, we're supposed to protect you. We made a choice to protect you and—" Alan says.

"Good job!" I scream. "I am a goddamn beacon for danger and you bound powers that could save me. You took something innately mine and ripped it from me! And then you asked me to lie to everyone I love, and still didn't tell me the truth. You haven't given me a straight answer yet!"

"Perry, we—"

"Alan," Penny says, "he's right."

"You're both liars!" I say.

Before they can make up another lie, I retreat from the room, up the stairs and slam the door to my room. My emotions are running wild as I try to control my fury. I feel a slight pull, as if something is pulling my soul away from my body before the same feeling of blacking out as I did in the bathroom creeps up on me. I defeat the feeling this time by laying on my bed and closing my eyes.

Once again, I feel betrayed and alone.