Deviant (Blendling Trilogy #1)

Chapter Twelve

I waited in the car and watched my family and Jacqueline's walk away. It was decided that I stay in the car since, because of my health issues, I'd be a liability to them all. As we drove to the cemetery where the blooding would be performed, Jacqueline explained that she didn't add me to her circle because the ritual required great strength and I might die if I exerted myself that way. It hurt to be the weak link but I wanted to survive so I obeyed. Mum said I could join the circle once I got better.

They reached a clearing and four of them joined hands, with the girls in the middle. I could see their lips moving but couldn't hear what they were saying. I closed my eyes and fantasized about Maybelline, Belle. She was so beautiful, more so than her twin. She has a beautiful laugh, I muse, I can listen to it all day. Her smile lights up the room and her eyes make you want to forget your problems. She's also calm, a polar opposite of her mother and sister; but when she got angry! Her anger gets me hot and bothered, she's like a tornado, laying into anything in her path. Even though she and her twin are identical, I could easily tell them apart: both are of same height and size, same colouring and similar dress sense. That's all they had in common. Belle is gentle and sweet. She has a way of looking at you that makes you think you're the only one in a room.

My thoughts were interrupted by the clap of thunder. I checked the dashboard clock and was surprised it was a few minutes past midnight. Directing my eyes to my family, I was amazed to see the twins suspended in the air. Cam stood to the east, mum to the west, Jacqueline to the north, and Gerry to the south. Their hands were raised and Jacqueline murmured into the wind. I rolled down the window to hear what she was saying. She was speaking a Latin incarnation I didn't understand. Suddenly the girls shot higher into the air, spinning round like rag dolls caught in a whirlwind. A blinding flash of light lit the air and I had to shield my eyes from the light. When I opened them, they were all on the ground and the girls were gradually lowered to the ground by some unseen force. My first impulse was to help them up, but instincts warned me to stay in the car. So I did. A few minutes later, they all stood. Jacqueline rushed to hug her children and my mum turned to me with a tired smile. The blooding was a success!

***
That afternoon, we sat together in Jacqueline's den. Mum was still uncomfortable around her but it was to be expected. Gerry was calmer and was currently texting Bass in a corner of the room. Mum ran her hands through my hair and murmured reassurances. The twins were testing out basic spells with a delighted Cam as audience. Jacqueline had excused herself. I knew she was stalling but wanted her to have as much time as she needed, she too was uncomfortable around mum. She came in a few minutes later and sat on her throne chair. We all sat up straighter and waited. Since she loved drama, she looked down her nose at us before speaking. The minute she opened her mouth, I knew it was bad news.

"I'm afraid what I told Phoenix was correct, I cannot brew the elixir at this point."
"What!" Mum shouted and paled. I held my head in my palms
"You promised" Gerry cried
"You swore to help" mum whispered "We paid your price."
"Yes yes" she said, waving her hand "I said I'd help for a price, you didn't ask what help I'd be providing" she said mockingly.
"You took an oath to help" mum cried in defeat
"I swore to an oath to help my circle, he's not in it" she replied, eyeing me.
"I will kill you!" Cam said, shrugging off Sherry's hold and stalking towards her. I rushed to intercept him. Jacqueline just smiled.
"What help are you offering" I asked carefully
"I can make you a charm" she said grudgingly. "As much as I hate Charlotte, I cannot punish you because I still love Malcolm" she said spitefully. Mum stood to attack and I intercepted her too.
"What does this charm do" Sherry asked in interest. Jacqueline grinned
"It's called the Steal charm. It was initially used by the Supreme Council to strip rogue Odda of their ability, but a couple of us tweaked it. Malcolm helped, he even named it." Mum growled, she grinned wider.
"Tweaked?" I asked
"We tweaked it to spot and steal any abilities we liked. It was temporary of course, the ability eventually went back to it's owner" she grinned.

I remembered this story. Gerry told me about it once when I asked her about the woman at the airport. She didn't tell me that my father was involved, only that the woman was a wicked witch. She'd told me the woman was no better than the Reaper and I'd been intrigued rather than disgusted.
"How's this of help?" I asked
"When combined with a lock spell, the charm holds the abilities longer. I knew a Blendling once, a vampire and a healer. His animal side was volatile so we locked it in the charm. He was discontented with his healing abilities and broke the charm, releasing the other ability. He was killed two years later by Blendling hunters." She finished in indifference. We were all feeling optimistic at this point.
"You're saying you can remove my abilities?"
"No, It cannot remove all, one must remain or the others will return. It cannot make you human" she ground out impatiently. "You'll be like everyone every other Odda with one ability."
"I still don't understand" Mum prompted. She and Cameron had resumed their seats
"I'm not surprised, you've always been rather daft" Jacqueline said sneering. Mum ignored the bait with a sigh.
"What she's trying to explain is that she can lock away my other abilities in a charm. Once this is done, the rot in my core will halt because my core will recognize me as whatever strength I choose. But if I break the charm, the strengths will return and my core will burn out" I explained.
"But that's easy, too easy" Belle said
"Why not? All he has to do is choose from the abilities he has used before, since his core recognizes it, and lock the others away"
"Can't he choose any one" Cam asked hopefully. I could tell he wanted me to choose his ability.
"No! You're as daft as your aunt!" Jacqueline cried. "It has to be one he has used before or his core will think it's stolen and try to return it. That will surely break the charm"
"So which do I choose?" I mussed aloud, looking at mum for direction.