The Dragon's Daughter

Chapter 14

Saturday 4:30 p.m.

WARNING: Character Injury/death

I suddenly begin to dry heave on the curb. Thankfully, nothing came up but some bile. I tried to stifle the urge I felt coming on to heave again and swallowed hard. Acid stung my throat. I groaned. Nothing would ever be the same again. I thought I was something I wasn't. First, I thought I was a normal girl. Then, for a fleeting moment, I thought I was a powerful one, capable of commanding a man and have him obey without question. Now I knew I was neither normal nor powerful in this crazy world. Nothing was ever just plain black and white. I was this lost thing.

I stood upright from where I was balanced, hands on knees, from where I vomited. I faced my friends. Yes, Hector was a friend now, I supposed. He's saved my life and that changed his status from bully to something else. Maybe friend was the wrong word, but he wasn't my enemy. Whatever he was, he and Jess looked at me with concern.

"I'm OK." I assured them. "Are you both OK?"

Jess shook her head and shrugged, in a "it is what it is" fashion. I admired that about her. She went with the flow. Even if that flow was magic and chaos all in one day.

Hector replied with a "Yeah."

"Ok," I asked them. "Are we still waiting on Gabe or getting out of here immediately?"

"Waiting," said Jess at the same time Hector supplied his reply.

"Getting out of here."

I huffed, "Not helpful, guys."

About that time, my father's white pickup peeled into the parking lot like he was being pursued by the hounds of hell. It literally burned rubber when it whipped into the lot and screeched to a stop. The smell of burnt tires stung my nose.

I could not believe he had found us.

"Kids!" My father jumped out of the car like a thing possessed, "How did you get out of the safe room?"

I stepped forward, "It was a prison dad. And thanks so much for the shackle to go with it." I held up my arm where my bracelet used to be.

"You took it off!" My father looked, of all things, disappointed in me, like I had rejected a priceless gift.

"Yes, I took it off." I strode further towards him, stopping short when he began his advance on me. I didn't want him to get within grabbing distance. He was a big, strong guy. What if he tried to physically pick me up and haul me into the truck by force? Who even knew with him these days?

"You lied to me about what it was," I accused. "You lied about everything!"

"I only did it to protect you from saying something you might regret. Do you know how hard it is to control what you say?"

"Oh, right? It has nothing to do with you being afraid of me because I'm a monster who might make you do things, right?"

He lowered his voice. His tone fatherly again. "Your magic cannot affect me, sweetheart." His expression was solemn, but I wasn't buying it.

"Hop on one foot!" I commanded. It was the best I could come up with at the moment. He didn't move.

"I told you." He still looked sad and somehow older than I had ever seen him. Grayer around the temple. More lines around his eyes.

I scanned him up and down with utter disgust. "Just... leave me alone," I cried out. I must had started to cry at some point, I realized when fresh tears hit my lips.