Page 11 of I Dated a Holiday Hero
Hever stepped out of bed and moved a few feet away before she lit herself up with dark fire that moved from her toes to her hair, leaving silvery scales behind. “That was part of it. Now for the other part.”
She let her black scales and body take over and felt better. Energized.
Torenne stared. “You use dark energy?”
“When I have to, but I have to look like this. When I am human, I am as strong as a human; when I am a monster, I can fight like a monster.” She looked at the good doctor. “This should have fixed it. I felt things exploding. Do you want to do another blood draw?”
Torenne nodded and scrambled to get a kit.
Hever downgraded herself to human and climbed back in bed. Her mom held her hand, and the doctor took the blood to run a test. “I will also have to do a new bone scan.”
“Yeah. I figured.”
Her mom touched her cheek. “I never thought you were a monster.”
“No, but it was hurled at me when we travelled, so I thought looking weak was safer.”
“Looking like me.”
“Well, the closer I could make myself look to you, the more I was accepted. Even by your family.”
She smiled sadly and kissed Hever’s forehead again. “You are always my little girl. From the moment I found you in that little boat, I knew you were destined for me. All the seers we ran into said the same. You are my little girl from the moment we met until the moment I die.”
Hever clutched her hands. “I have hoped you would say that but didn’t dare ask.”
Veradil smiled. “My life for yours, any day of the week.”
“Not if I have something to say about it.” Hever smiled.
Hours later, Torenne came in and said, “That is a very powerful transformation. Dark energy isn’t common, but you definitely have it. Heraina also has dark energy. She uses it frequently and can give you pointers if you need them.”
She nodded. “I have regular meetings with Hera now that she’s off mat leave and back to hawking our wares.” She looked at the doctor. “Can I go home now?”
Torenne nodded. “You can, but someone is hunting you, so remain under guard if possible. Maybe your patron?”
She snorted. “That’s doubtful. He lied about his origins because it is well known that omegas don’t want to hook up with Sethir. Not if they want to keep their lives and families.”
Torenne smiled. “Zera is very forthright that they are not allowed to take off with her omegas. The contract has to be worked out to the agreement of both parties.”
“Oh. Great. Good to know.”
Torenne asked, “Who is your patron again?”
“Krix. But it’s a very direct transaction.”
Torenne winced. “What does that entail?”
“More details than I want to spill between my mother and my doctor.”
Her mother huffed. “I can’t believe you did that.”
“I had an itch that needed scratching, and this is how I afforded the savings bonds for the nieces and nephews.”
“You are not Khytten, and you don’t need to meet men that way. I could introduce you to plenty of Sethir or other alphas.”
She groaned. “I don’t want my mother introducing me to a sexual partner.”
Veradil paused. “Oh, yes. I suppose that is right.”
