Metamorphosis

Chapter 17

I ran upstairs to my bedroom, grabbed my bag and filled it with my shower stuff and some clothes and slid it under my bed so that no one would see it.

" Hey baby, whatcha doing?" Landon asked as he walked into the door.

" Um nothing," I responded quickly and hesitantly, " I was grabbing my laptop charger. I had forgotten it here last night when I was working on my new blog."

" Oh yeah, was that before or after we had sex last night?" Landon asked me, grabbing my waist and pulling me close.

" After. You fell asleep so I snuck out of bed and went to work on it. I put a couple of pillows where I was lying so that you wouldn't tell the difference," I told him hoping he would believe me.

" Alright baby. Well when you are ready come downstairs, Connor has a plan," Landon said as we kissed.

Great. How am I going to pull this off? I knew Landon noticed the shakiness in my voice. I need a plan and need one now. I walked downstairs after I finished packing my bag and saw Connor standing in the kitchen with Landon, both sitting opposite of each other at the table.

" So, what's the plan?" I wondered what concoction they stirred up this time.

" The plan is to get you to safety. If Samantha is really after you, you need to be out of the way and out of the line of fire. Landon is taking you to our friend's house in Bayside, about 40 minutes away, and there you will be safe with Layla. She has been our friend for years and owes us a favor," Connor responded, looking back and forth between me and Landon with a touch of impatience in his voice.

" Alright. When do I leave?" I asked, becoming more and more hesitant as the conversation occurred.

" That's the thing. We leave in 20 minutes, so pack your stuff and get going," Connor responded with a sense of leadership in his voice.

I hurried and grabbed my already packed bag underneath my bed. I quickly packed my laptop and everything I would need to hunt her down. I took one final look in the mirror and told myself " Don't mess this up or this could end badly." I walked back downstairs for the last time and stopped at the front door. I turned around and looked at Connor.

" Everything will be fine Nevada. Trust me. I will take care of him," Connor told me as we embraced for what felt like a forever long hug.

We let go of each other and I walked out the door with Landon's hand in mine. We walked to his 1980 Jeep and threw my stuff in the back. We didn't talk for almost the entire ride until I broke the ice.

" How are you okay with this?" I asked him with a hint of sadness in my voice.

" If I am being honest, baby, I'm not okay with this. But, we have no other choice. This is the only way to keep you safe and out of harm's way. I hate being away from you especially in a time like this."

" So then why aren't you staying with me somewhere?"

" Because Nevada I just can't, okay. I can't protect you and Connor and myself all at the same time," he said in a rage.

" I never asked you to protect me."

" I know that, but that is what you do for someone you love. I can't lose you Nevada. I just can't," Landon stated, now aggravated with me.

I can feel the pain he was in during this situation. I could feel everything he was feeling because I felt it too: Sadness, anger, pain, frustration. The drive felt long and like a moving picture of the same ocean view, same trees, same road. We finally arrived at Layla's in Bayside. Her house wasn't as big but she had a bunch of property, which meant I could put my plan in action tonight. We walked up to the forest oasis door and knocked.

" Layla, it has been too long my friend. Layla I would like you to meet Nevada. Nevada, this is Layla."

" Hello," Layla said as she put out her hand for a handshake.

" Hello," I responded, returning the handshake.

" I will be back for you when this is done okay. Please just stay here with Layla," Landon said as he brought me in for a final embrace and kiss before going back home.

Layla guided me inside with her palm on the small of my back. She was kind and considerate.

" I see you have a few abilities but I can't quite make them out except for one. Pathokinesis," Layla stated with some shock in her voice.

" How did you know that? And what is that?" I asked, disturbed.

" Oh, right, duh," Layla said as she facepalmed herself, " Landon told me that you like to know powers beforehand." She paused for a moment and continued the conversation. " I have power identification. I can understand your current and future abilities. That was my role in the council. If there is a vampire the council is unaware of, they would give me a call and I would come running but that was before they basically shunned me out."

" They shunned YOU out! Why? You seem like a nice person," I responded in shock.

" Well... long story short, I had joined an army and they had said I broke one of their laws. Which makes no sense because I had never joined an army unless switching covens counts as joining an army then yeah I joined an army," Layla responded with some hurt in her voice.

" Alright, so what is path-o-kin-esis?"I asked confused while trying to divert the conversation.

" Right. Sorry. Squirrel. Pathokinesis is basically you being able to sense other people's emotions and be able to change them at will. You also have the power of immaculate beauty but I don't consider that a power, I just consider that a gift," she responded now as cool as a cucumber.

" You said I had other abilities, right?"

" Yes, but -."

" But what?

" I can't make them out yet. Sometimes it's easy and sometimes it's not. I can tell you one thing. You have at least two more abilities which is very rare I might add," she said with some jealousy in her voice.

Before I could start up another conversation, someone had pulled up. Layla quickly looked at me and guided me to my tiny room down the hall. She was scared. I quickly ran to the windows in my room which faced the driveway and looked out of them carefully. I could only make out bits and pieces of the conversation and it didn't sound too hopeful. I peeked even farther outside and I saw James and another guy with him. Layla did her best to keep them outside but she was unsuccessful. James had busted into the house and started to walk towards my room. My heart started to beat faster and faster. It felt like it was going to pop out of my chest. I tried to calm down but it was too late. James kicked the door in and I brought my knees to my chest.

" You're coming with us," James said as he snapped my neck.