Burnin' Up | J. Saltzman - Legacies [1]

T H I R T Y - T H R E E

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The library is filled with caged animals as more come in. Alligators and rats litter the tables as Hope stands in the center with a clip board in hand. Landon walks up to her with more rats.

In the corner of the room, Stella coaxes the birds into relative silence as Teddy attempts to quiet the other animals. As a turtle bites the tip of his finger, he shouts and recoils; the birds start chirping loudly.

Stella sighs. "Look what you've done, you oaf!"

Teddy sends her a look. "It bit me!"

"So?" Stella raises an eyebrow. "You're a big boy. Don't tell me a small nip hurt you that much." Teddy grumbles a response. "Or did it just scare you?"

He glares at her.

She chuckles to herself as she nudges her finger into the owl's cage. At first, the owl ruffles its feathers, leaning in to inspect the finger. Stella coos, and the bird relaxes, snuggling into her grasp with a content look on its face.

"Why are you so good with animals?" Teddy grumbles.

"I'm a witch," she replies with a soft smile. "I'm connected to nature. That includes the birds in the trees and the fish in the sea."

Frowning, Teddy watches her out of the corner of his eye. "Did you just come up with that?"

She shakes her head. "That's how Mom explained it. Magic flows through everything: the earth, the sky, the ocean. It makes up everything we breathe and see and touch. Everything that has ever been or will ever be has magic at its core. Some things just have more magic than others."

Suddenly, Teddy straightens his back. His nose flares as his eyes flicker yellow.

"T?" Stella asks. "What's wrong?"

Teddy spins on his heel with his canines out. He races towards Hope as claws stick out of his fingertips; his eyes find the scent he hates.

Hope stops Teddy with her hand, her eyes also on the boy entering the room. Teddy pants in anger, but Hope's hand on his shoulder calms him slightly as Stella approaches the group.

"Who's that?" Landon asks, frowning at the vampire boy staring at the Hales.

"That's Roman," Stella replies as fire flickers behind her eyes. "Hope's ex-boyfriend."

"Let me bite him," Teddy demands.

Hope shakes her head. "I want to know why he's here."

Slowly and hesitantly, Roman approaches the group. Landon glares almost as harshly as the Hales. Only Hope remains composed of politeness as she nods her head in greeting.

"I should probably explain," Roman scratches the back of his head. "Dr. Saltzman's been a little overwhelmed, so, uh, I've been doing a little recruiting recon for him lately. But he asked me to come in today and lend a hand."

Landon coughs from behind Hope. She sighs, saying, "Uh, this is Landon. and you already know my cousins."

Roman glances at the Hales. Both have their arms crossed over their chests: Teddy's yellow eyes glare at the vampires as he licks his canines tantalizingly; Stella rolls a small ball of fire over her fingertips as she sends Roman a cold, Mikaelson smirk.

"I'm her boyfriend," Landon says with his own version of an intimidating smile. "And a phoenix, by the way, which is so cool."

Roman inhales sharply. "I better go find Dr. Saltzman."