Deviant (Blendling Trilogy #1)

Chapter Two

TGIF! After a week of dodging Macy, I looked forward to the weekend enthusiastically. Not only was I going to have two days to do as I pleased, my best friend and cousin, Cameron was also turning sixteen. We were celebrating it low key as Cam didn't want a party. He passed driving test on Wednesday and I was especially looking forward to going to school in style. I spotted him at his locker waiting for me and hurried to catch up.
"Sup man." He said, bumping fists "You just missed your girlfriend". I rolled my eyes knowing he was referring to Macy. She'd been telling anyone who'd listen I was her boyfriend
"Looking forward to tomorrow?" I asked
"Yah"'he smiled. He looked tired
"Are you okay man?"
"It feels like a freaking matching band in my head." He said as we started home
"You're burning up" I said, feeling his temperature
"I figured." He said and stumbled a little. I had to grab a hold of him. I was confused. We never get ill, its one of the perks of being different.

Immediately we got home, I led him to bed and called our mothers. Even though they didn't need to work, they still liked to keep up appearances. Money was not a problem, a warlock ancestor saw to it centuries ago that the Deveraux never lacked. The family crypt was filled with gemstones, no one was actually buried there. Blended corpses are always cremated, to avoid the risk of autopsies and post mortem testings which could lead to exposure. My mum and I changed our names to her family name after my dad's death. It was safer, my mum had told me and I never questioned her.

I kept vigil at his side until our mothers came home. I was pressing a wet towel to his forehead when his mother came in with tears in her eyes.
"My baby" she cried " my poor baby look at you"
"I'm fine ma" he croaked
"You don't look fine" she said, collecting the towel from me to dip into the bucket of cool water besides the bed. She took over from me. "What happened. What did you eat"
"Mum really I'm fine. Just a little fever"
"Oh Char" she called to my mum " What do I do! This isn't supposed to be happening to my baby" she wept and my mum hugged her, transferring the wet towel to me
"Hush love. He will be fine" she assured
"But he looks so pale!" She cried
"Gerry he'll be fine. Maybe you and mum should make some soup or something. I read once that it helps with fever" I said, trying to soothe her.
"Soup?" She asked in tears "yes I can make soup. Chicken noodle soup, his favourite..."she muttered to herself and walked out
"Better go check on her, I'll watch him" I told my mum. She looked at Cameron, nodded once and followed her sister who was still muttering to herself.
"Phoenix" Cam whispered
"Yeah?"
"Please play me a song" I smiled, got my guitar and played,singing a couple of songs I knew he liked. By the time I finished singing 'kissed by a rose' by Seal, he was already asleep.

I gently put the guitar away and left the room. Walking towards the kitchen, I heard whispers from the kitchen...
"Char I can't think of the alternative. Not my baby"
"What else. Stop trying to convince yourself that he caught a human disease. You know it's near impossible"
"I know nothing. Everything has changed"
"The only thing that has changed is that both sides have decided to become tolerant of each other. Nothing is clear"
"They won't have my son!"
"Never!" My mum cried. I decided to make my presence known and they both kept quiet and wept softly
"He's asleep." I offered lamely
"He'll be fine" mum said. "Have you eaten?" She said, standing up to check the fridge
"What's going on?" I asked. My mum ignored me and continued pulling out ingredients from the freezer.
"Mum" I tried again
"It's fine Phoenix" Gerry said. "Will you follow me to the dealers to get Cammy's car?" She never called him Cammy except she was trying to bribe him, or nervous.
"Look, I will be sixteen next month. I'm not a kid anymore. If something is happening with Cam, I deserve to know!" I shouted furiously
"Pipe down will you, you'll wake him" mum whispered
"What is going on" I asked again
"We won't know for sure until tomorrow morning" mum finally supplied. "We have our suspicions but tomorrow will either confirm or negate them. In the meantime I suggest we carry on planning his party. One thing I'm sure of is that Cameron will be very angry if he doesn't have a cake and his car tomorrow. So while you are both out, please pick up some ingredients for the cake. Don't forget chocolate."
"I'll go get my purse" Gerry said, wiping her face on a tissue and exiting. I turned to my mum
"Cam and I know things you know. We talk about them. I really wish you'd stop treating us like children. I know we behave juvenile sometimes but that's just our way of assuming a semblance of normalcy."
"Oh Ace" mum said softly, abandoning the fridge. Ace was my nickname from my dad. She hugged me from behind, placing her head on my back because I'm much taller.
"Gerry and I know you're not kids. But we're only trying to protect you from the dangers of our world. The less you know of it, the safer you'll be" mum said. I turned to her angrily
"Ever think that letting us know will help us prepare for this trouble you speak of? If we don't know the danger, how do we know how to prevent it" I almost shouted
"Someday you'll be a parent" she said in tears
"Here comes the water works" I said sarcastically, throwing my hands up.
"Don't be rude to your mother" Gerry said, reentering the kitchen. "Go grab a jacket, there's a bite in the air"
"Fine whatever." I said and stormed out of the kitchen. I heard Gerry whisper softly
"I really hope we are wrong about Cammy."