Something Lost, Something Gained (BEING EDITED)

Chapter 27: My Dilemma

I lay sprawled out on the carpet, my eyes pointed towards the ceiling. Kill Ethan, I have to kill Ethan. My mind throws thoughts against the side of my head, threatening to drive me mad. I turned him into one of the most disgusting creatures in the entire world. I feel tears well up in my eyes. I can't kill him...I couldn't kill anyone even if I tried. I roll over onto my stomach and rest my chin on my arms. Why did it have to be a Wendigo? Why not any other creature?

*Flash back*

"Luce?" Elan looks at me with concern.

My eyes stay wide, unable to comprehend what was just told to me. "What?" My voice barely able to be heard.

"You are going to have to kill him Lucinda, he is an abomination." 

"I-I-I c-cant! You are asking me to kill my best friend in the entire world? Do you just expect me to be okay with that!?" I begin to scream, unable to control my rage.

Elan looks at me clearly frustrated. "Do you not see what he is? What he is becoming?"

"Yes, dad, I see what he is!" I yell.

Elan reaches out and grabs my arm. "Do you see this? Do you see what is happening?" I watch as my tattoo turns from a deep shade of blue into a shade of wine.

"What the heck?" I snatch my arm from his hand so I can study the Triskelion.

"Oh no, it is worse than I feared." Elan's voice fills with panic.  

"Um, can you please explain?" My eye brows knit together. 

"Your tattoo has been slowly fading from black, correct?" He waits for my response. I clutch my arm to my chest and nod. "Ah hell, when you drew on the full moon you made Ethan into not just a Wendigo, but the same one who killed your grandparents." "See they did not die that night, but over the course of a few weeks."

"Go on," I say, holding on to every word.

"That night, when they tried to eradicate all the Wendigos it was a full moon. As you know things went horribly wrong, some how they knew your grandparents were coming. When they stole your mother's parents magic it was slow and grueling process."

He pauses for a second and thinks before speaking again.

"The original Wendigos were ten times as powerful as the one you and your friends encountered. They had the strength of one hundred men, and an insatiable hunger. The originals wiped out whole towns when they became hungry. Their hunger was never fully satisfied but they could go many moons without feeding. But, when they did eat it would be in uncontrollable frenzies. This is why your coven outlawed drawing on the full moon, for its power was too strong for anyone to handle."

"I still don't see what this has to do with the tattoo." I frown and scrunch up my face.

"Lucinda, it has everything to do with your tattoo. You are linked to Ethan. That initial surge of power that brought him back to life, that moment you gave up your magic to save him, it tied you to him. But you did not give him all of your magic, for it would have killed you right then and there." Elan clears his throat. "As Ethan becomes stronger, as he becomes more Wendigo than human, he draws more and more power from you. His need to feed, his increase in strength, it is draining your life force. Your tattoo will go through many color changes, as the moon phases. It began as black, then blue, purple, red, orange, gold, and then eventually it will be gone."

"What happens when it is gone?"

"You will die."

*Present day*

I am going to die if I do not kill him. I know that he will turn into a completely vile monster, but I just can't do it. There's got to be a way to say him. I hear footsteps coming downstairs, they belong to Sebastian. He lays down next to me, his arm brushing mine. I feel tears slip from my eyes, I am no longer able to hold them back. A sob escapes my mouth. Bastian slips his hand into mine and squeezes. 

"I can't kill him," I whisper.

"I know, which is why you wont be alone." Although his words are meant to comfort me it makes me feel worse. "Come 'ere"

Bash pulls me onto his chest, stroking my hair. He hums a song softly to me as I continue to cry. I have a huge dilemma. Either I die, or he dies. Neither option sounds plausible. Bastian keeps on humming and playing with my hair. My sobs turn into hiccups, and then stop all together. Strawberry comes down the steps carrying mugs of coffee. I sit up and gladly take one. The hot liquid slides down my throat smoothly, warming me from the inside out. She gives me a small smile, one that I can not return. 

"There's someone at the door," I hear Bash mumble as he takes a drink of coffee. I hear Elan walk to the door and open it. 

"Hey Luce," Elan yells down the stairs, "I think you need to come up here."

I slowly stand up and drag myself to the door. My eyes widen and my heart stops in its tracks as I see who is at the door. My little Leland stands at the door covered in dried blood from head to toe.