Eye of Prophecy

Chapter Seachd: Kinda Crushing...Kinda Wanna Kill Em'

Chapter Seachd aka Chapter Seven:

You know that nightmare you have where you're standing up on a stage, performing, and the crowd starts laughing hysterically—you look down and you realize that you're butt naked and everyone is laughing at you—this was worse, much worse. And I was comparing my current situation to the fact that I knew that nightmare, intimately. I had grown up with many "performances" staged for Compound members—performances that would have me stripped of my clothes, blooded and singing my visions for the pleasure, and practical use of whomever my sadistic family believed could help them. Yeah, it was a fucked up childhood. But I had learned many lessons from the sick way I had been raised; endurance, strength...and most important, survival. I might be a smart-ass bitch, but this smart ass mouth of mine had saved my tail on more than one occasion. There was something to be said about a hardened exterior made up of barb wire and sharp insults. When you met for a duel, only one would be left standing—I sure as hell intended for that person to be me.  And yeah, I sort of saw my life as one giant duel.  It was me, against...well...everyone else.  Even now, I kinda expected the other shoe to drop.  Tala was the fucking coolest kid I'd ever met, not that I had any other friends, kids or not.  But eventually, any minute now she would realize what a giant shit show my life was, and take cover—as she should.  As for the two hot Fae guys permeating the already hot room with even hotter, you-need-to-get-laid-sex fumes...they were just weird as shit Faeries in a weird as shit Realm, where clearly the women didn't offer them anything other then, uh, themselves, laid bare, open, and more than willing. 
    "You are thinking too hard, tein beag," Caed murmured.
    I blinked, as Caed's voice interrupted my churning thoughts.  I was now situated in a large overstuffed chair, and sitting across from me were Caed, Cael and Tala.  They all sat...they all sat staring at me.  They all sat staring at me as if they could rip the secrets out of my head just by staring.  Yup.  About that nightmare...
    "You can see how hard I'm thinking? Do my thoughts have a weight limit?" I asked blandly.  "You know," I went on, "I always hated that saying.  'You're thinking too hard,' I mean what the hell does that even mean? How the fuck do you distinguish between the adequate measurement of thought in weighted numerical terms?"
"That's your...I think Earthen's say, defense mechanism?" Tala said suddenly.
I blinked, "huh?"
"When you are uncomfortable you make these off comments."
"Do you mean off-color comments?" I asked dryly.
"Mayhaps. But you don't have to be uncomfortable, Del."
I laughed then. "Kiddo, trust me, my comments are off color and random, but they come at comfortable and uncomfortable moments. Hell, they come all the damn time. I'm a font of unwanted information at unwanted times," I snorted, "it's my other half that has verbal diarrhea."
       "Do you share your body with a spirit?" Tala looked excited at the prospect.
       "Sorry to disappoint, kiddo, but nope, I'm not possessed, just pointlessly random and easily distracted in my thoughts."
       "Oh, well, that is all right, Del. I think you are wonderful. And I am so glad that you are here."
Now I felt a bit uncomfortable, won't lie. I didn't do feelings all that well. "Uh, thanks, Tala. I think you're a great kid, too."
       She scrunched up her nose.  "I am na really a kid, Del. I truly do wish everyone," she speared Caed and Cael with a look before continuing, "...would get that. I may be young by Fae standards, but I'm not a babe, or child.  And I am na made up of spun sugar and blown glass. You need to give me a bit of space." This last part was directed at Caed.
       "I will na apologize for trying to keep ye safe, little one." Caed said.
       "What are you talking about, uncle? You never apologize for anything," Tala said cheekily.
       I laughed. Wow did Tala know her uncle or what? And ha, she had some sass in her! Good. She'd need it in this place surrounded by these Uber Alpha males!
"In fact, uncle dear. I think I will borrow Del here, for a moment...all right, more than a moment. Nay! Take that look off your face uncle. You and Cael have had her long enough...and you have also not been on your best behavior if Del is ta be believed...and trust me, I believe her."
I was outright doubled over now. Clearly timid, "I'm so sorry for skipping off to the Earthen Realm," Tala was long gone. In her place was a kick ass, take no prisoners sassafras Tala who more than knew how to handle her surly arrogant uncle, and his in-your-face, too hot to handle, friend.
        "I'm with Tala on this one, fellas. I think some girl time is overdue."
        "Girl time?" Cael sounded interested, too interested.
        "Straight up girl time, Cael. And no, you'd better get your mind out of the gutter...this chickadee in 13, in case you've forgotten." I said with a moue of distaste on my face. I was reminding him, well simply to remind him—not—absolutely not because I was jealous in any way of their relationship. Heck I didn't even like Cael, he was weird, right? And he had NO sense of personal boundaries.
         "Out of the gutter?" Cael looked slightly confused before rushing on, suddenly looking slightly disgusted. "And why do ye remind me of Talaleighas age? Are ye thinking that I have interest in her in..." his words cut off and he jumped to his feet. "Nay! How horrifying, sweet midnight. She is like a sister to me, the notion that I would see her in a...oh, I canna even fathom the thought it is just—"
         "Disgusting, horrifying...yes, we all heard ye, Cael," Tala said dryly.
         I looked over at her. Was she interested in him? Ugh, I so wasn't going there. "Well, how bout we go do that girls stuff?" I said to Tala instead.
         "Oh yes," Tala jumped out of her chair and grabbed my hand. "I'm taking Del to my rooms, uncle, and don't ye be even thinking of intruding." She shot a glare over at Cael. "That goes for ye too."
    I tossed a look over at the two stunned Alpha Fae before letting myself be dragged out of the room by a chirpy and way-too-cheerful Tala.