Cursed

Part Five

There had been many times over the last five years that Kevin had resented the treaty, had resented being chosen as the delegate for the warlocks. It isolated him from his people a lot of the time and he often didn't feel like his fellow Elders respected his craft. The meticulous rituals that were his way of life were so often minimized or ridiculed in favor of the reckless blundering of the others. Though he was was not in charge, and wasn't even close to being the oldest, Kevin often felt like the designated house parent.

That isn't to say he hadn't found friendship here in this unlikely place. His connection to Avi was probably the simplest; the cool patience of immortality was fairly compatible with the ancient solemnity of the craft. And then there was Kirstin. While she was often flighty and shrill, her respect for nature and life in general made her a pleasant companion. Mitch was the most complicated of Kevin's housemates. Weighed down by personal tragedy, but also fully deserving of the respect he demanded, Kevin often found himself torn between comforting Mitch and fearing him.

Scott had only been a part of their lives for a couple of days, but he had already stirred everyone up. Kevin couldn't be sure, but it seemed like all of the other three had minor to severe crushes on the boy, and it was clear that all of them were already invested enough to endure great personal sacrifice on his behalf.

Kevin wondered what it was about this boy that made him so special. Was it just the natural light that radiated out of him? Or was it the pair of wicked viruses that were shredding up his insides that made him irresistible? Maybe it was because he was so obviously unique.

The boy may have resembled Alex, but it was clear from the very beginning that he was something else entirely. And Kevin had searched every book he could find on the subject and still had no concrete answers or predictions.

Six days ago, the boy had collapsed, and had since been basically comatose. Occasionally his lips or lashes would flutter and fill the room with hope, but then nothing else would follow. His temperature would rise to deadly levels and then regulate. His pulse would speed and then dip to nothing and then normalize again. He made no sense. And in those six days, the Elders seemed to be lacking in sense as well.

At times the group was united, working together toward the goal of keeping this human alive. Most of the time, they exhibited maturity and teamwork. But after so many days, the fabric was beginning to unravel. With little to do but read and research and hover, the space got close and crowded.

"I'm just saying, the room could use airing out," Kirstin said pointedly on the sixth day of this awkward bedside vigil. "Avi has had the good sense to retire to his crypt whenever the sun comes up. But you two never clear out and it's getting rank in here."

Mitch looked up and glared. "As the one with the most heightened sense of smell, I can assure you, that's just your imagination. You probably just want us out of the way so you can dance half naked around the breakfast pastries or whatever it is you do when we're sleeping or gone."

Kirstin went magenta with indignation and opened her mouth to retort, but Kevin shushed them. "How anyone is expected to rest and recover in these conditions is beyond me," he said. The wereleopard and the faerie pushed Scott back to the top of the priorities list as they had done continually this week and retreated to their corners.

Kevin put a hand against the sick boy's cheek and found him very normal. With each regulation of his vital signs, everyone got testy, knowing another trial was certainly ahead. He wasn't sure how much longer they were expected to endure this.

He listened closely for any changes in the boy's breathing, and the whole room was actually silent for once, so they all jumped when a strange buzzing noise sounded from the corner. "What is that?" Kevin asked sharply.