Page 58 of April's Fool
“What I didn’t get was Basil and my dad looked like twins to anyone else. To me, the differences were obvious. Her perceptions colored Fern’s vision. When she saw Basil, she thought it was my father. Our father, I guess.”
“So what happened?” I wanted to know why I was put into foster care.
“I failed her. She asked me to come, to find a new family for you, but Basil was watching me like a hawk. I couldn’t move without him breathing down my neck. The next thing I knew, I was getting a call from a hospital saying Fern had died.”
The room echoed with the silence that followed.
Thyme sniffled. I just felt numb. There were faint stirrings of pity for them both, but that was it.
This story felt like it belonged to a stranger. I guess it did. I never really knew Fern, never knew my mom, I was too young.
“I searched for you. I swear I did. But you were lost in the system and completely human to all tests. I buried Fern and tried to move on with my life. She knew things, though. Her visions had told her what was to come. I didn’t believe her then, I do now. In the notes she left, she told me things.”
He launched himself at my feet again. This time he took hold of my hands. A sudden golden flare erupted between our joined hands, bathing the entire club with its blinding light.
A pain shot through me, sharp and piercing my very soul.
Then a click.
A current tried to sweep me under. It felt vast. Too vast.
It was over in just a moment, leaving me panting for breath.
The wave ebbed, waiting.
Panic overtook me at the alien feeling inside. I felt the power inside me, ready to spring forth.
Protect.
Guard.
Safety.
I clung to the last feeling with everything I had. With my last conscious thought, I was gone.
Searching
Amorandes
My vision came backfar too slowly. I was disoriented for a moment. Then I noticed Damon was missing.
The bottom fell out of my world. Where was he?
I rounded on the witches, my fury powering my change, my full demon form bursting out of the beautifully tailored tuxedo. Damon was going to murder me for ruining it later. The vague thought passed through my mind as I focused all my ire on Thyme.
“What did you do?” I shook with fear and anger. Damon was gone, yet I knew he was still alive. Whatever fledgling bond we had developed let me know that. My magic had bonded itself to him subconsciously. Damon was mine as much as I was his.
“I… uh…” Thyme cut a nervous glance at Oak. “I unlocked him.”
“Unlocked him?” I repeated, barely comprehending what he was saying.
“I was the key. Fern made it so I could unlock the spells with my magic. He has all his powers, plus some. Whatever was left of Fern’s magic went into him… and to me.”
When I spared Thyme more than a passing glance, I could tell he was struggling with magical overload. His fingertips sparked against the carpet he’d landed on.
“Then where is he?”
Oak recovered first. “He had a massive surge, likely putting him down for a while. He’ll have gone somewhere safe. If he’s not in your apartment—“
