by Bob Dattolo
Her shoulders eased, “Thank you. I was afraid that I may have angered you.”
“At the time? Yeah. Now? Not at all.” She finally met my eyes with a solid look, “You’re not going to fight for first in your group?”
She frowned and shrugged, “No? It doesn’t seem worthwhile. After seeing what it did to Corey? Or what he allowed to have done? I don’t think I want that. I’d have fought for it two weeks ago if Corey left, but now? No. Let someone else in my dozenal have it. Let them lead the school. Or even Armand or Tom. I don’t care. It’s…what you did? Destroying everything? One of the things we’re all warned about before coming here is that we have to watch out for doing something that pisses someone off and they come after us a century down the road. Or two. Or five. Seeing what you did really puts it into perspective for me in ways it was never done before. Those of us that grew up in this world? We accept things that others wouldn’t. I can’t even tell you how often I’ve had sex when I didn’t want to. Or even had others do it. We’re taught to go along or piss people off. I’m starting to see that might make some sense, but sometimes you just need to take a stand if you can. I’m not at that point yet, but the idea is hitting me hard, you know?”
I waggled my hand, “A little, just not much? At any given time, I’m 50/50 on whether or not I’m accepting of what I’m becoming. Or, it’s not quite even any longer. I’m trying, but it’s hard. So much flies in the face of how I was raised and it’s a fight at times to wade through it. I’m succeeding, but it’s a battle. So what I see around me is perplexing that way. I don’t understand why people would put up with the things that you put up with. I get it a little more now, but it’s still hard at times.” Shrugging, I smiled at her, “But I’m proud of you for standing up even if it’s just a little bit. As they say, change begins with us, so one change with us may make another change elsewhere and maybe it’ll ripple out.”
She nodded slowly before looking around, “Umm…what’re you doing for lunch?”
“Nothing?” My stomach growled again, “No license or car or even exact change for the machine. I was thinking about Googling nearby places to walk to, but haven’t done that yet.”
Her smile finally looked heartfelt, “Want to go get lunch with me?”
I’m being invited to lunch by someone that started out as an enemy? What’s this world coming to?
“I’d love that.”
We stopped back by my room so that I could get my things, and she stared at the walls. “What’d you do to the walls in here? I thought we weren’t allowed to paint?”
I snickered and thought about lying, “Umm, it’s not paint. It’s magic.”
She stared at me, “What? You painted your walls with magic?”
“No? Or sort of?” My blush only came on half as hard as I expected it to. “Umm, the first night here? Steph was sort of helping me get used to things and I had my first, uhh, solo exploration?” Swallowing hard, I continued, “I sort of cast the spell without knowing I was doing it during one of them.”
She looked at the walls curiously, “I don’t get it? You, what, had an orgasm and the walls look like this now?”
“Yeah?”
“Umm, why?”
Pinching the bridge of my nose didn’t help me get over this, “Just touch the wall, maybe? You’ll see what it did.”
She gave me a look before reaching out and letting her fingers trail down the scintillating lights. As soon as her fingers touched, her head went back and she moaned hard before leaning forward, pushing her entire forearm against it as she came and then came again.
And then again.
Nearly a half hour later, she fell away from the wall and stared up at me from the floor with the silliest smile on her face, “Holy fucking hell. That has to be the best paint job I’ve ever seen before!”
Her look had me laughing. She looks that relaxed right now. “If you think that’s something, you should see the guys touch it. They can cum so much they can’t get it up any longer. Even the shifters. They cum a lot.”
She giggled and stared over at some of the colors, “I bet. That’s crazy. Why aren’t you touching it all the time?”
“Umm, we’ve sort of been having a big group thing in my room since it went up. It’s been getting, uh, adventurous I guess?”
She snickered, “I bet it would. That’s freaking awesome.” I had to help her stand, and she swayed on her feet, “I’m not sure I’d ever leave. That’s intense.”
“Yeah. So…your room now?”
She giggled again, “Don’t expect anything like that there. It’s just a normal room.”
“So was this one until they had me broaden my horizons. I’d never had an orgasm until that first time, so it’s sort of a pastime now, I guess.”
She had me follow her up to their floor, and a huge argument was taking place in the hallway. I’ve started to get an idea of names and what people are, but I’m still weaker than I should be.
A big guy that I heard was named Phil was going toe-to-toe with a girl nearly six inches shorter than he is. Still at least six feet tall, though.
“I don’t give a shit! I’m stronger than you, this is my dozenal!”
She sneered at him, “You’re not Corey, Phil. Stacey, Erica, and I want to lead, and you don’t stand a chance!”
He puffed up, “You want to challenge me?”
Lacie stayed to the side of the hallway, “Umm, excuse me?”
Phil glared at her, “There you are! How fucking dare you leave when we’re trying to figure out who takes first!”
She huddled in on herself more than I thought she needed to, “I’m sorry, Phil. I’m not interested in fighting over this.”
He took a step towards her, “I don’t give a shit what you’re interested in. I’m strongest, therefore you back me against these stupid bitches that don’t know their place!”
Erica came from a nearby room and looked pissed. I’d heard she’s an elephant, and that’s not something a lion can beat easily. Then again, Lorde is a hyena, and they’re supposed to be tough as hell. I think Stacey is a mage that focuses on…shoot, charms, maybe? “Are you pushing our girl into supporting you?”
He growled, letting some of his power out and raised a hand, making Lacie jerk away from him and hit the wall. My growl cut out the noise entirely in the hallway, “Touch her with that hand and I’ll fucking make you eat it. Do you understand me?”
The angry shifter stared at me before sneering, “Oh, there she is. Wonder bitch. Who invited you up to our floor? Go back to your space, loser. I don’t give a shit what they say happened out there in challenge, you’re nothing. I’m strongest in this dozenal and I will lead it. Then the school.”
Erica’s muscles trembled, and she looked ready to shift. Stacey stepped out from behind Phil, and something in her hands drew my attention. I’m not sure how I knew, but the ring in her hands would allow her to tear him a new asshole and dance through it in a conga line. Seeing it made me laugh. And want to touch it.
His face went ashen at my laugh, “You dare? You dare come up here on a floor where you aren’t wanted and then laugh at me? You laugh at me?”
I cocked my head at him and moved closer, “Laugh at you? No. Not at you. I’m laughing because you’re a fucking idiot and these girls are gonna tear you wide open and you don’t even realize it. Do you really think you can take on an elephant? All she has to do is get her hands on you once, and you’d be done. I can possibly see you beating Lorde, but with the others going along with her? Uh-uh. No way. Don’t even get me started on Stacey. She’s a step away from crushing you, and you don’t even see it.”
I didn’t even think about moving when he spit, hitting my shoe. My impending growl cut off at the insult as the thing inside of me swirled out of the cubbyhole and took residence.
“Motherfucker…” Lorde paled at the change in my face, but I still don’t know what they see.
He stepped closer, ignoring the others, “You have no i
dea what you’ve started here, do you? My pride has 300 members in it. With one call, one e-mail, I’ll start a never-ending campaign to destroy you and anyone you’ve ever loved. Is that what you want to start? Is it?”
For a moment I thought he was going to fall over when I started laughing. And couldn’t stop.
It only got worse when he pulled his phone and dialed it, getting an angry sounding man to answer on the other side.
“Phillip? Something wrong?”
Our resident lion snarled, “Dad? I have some two-bit whore here that decided to question me. I was hoping we could break out our tried and true retribution on her for bothering me?”
The father laughed, and my hearing kicked in more to let me pick up others in the background, “Oh my. We haven’t had one of those in a few years. Who’s the stupid whore that decided to mess with my boy?”
Phil glared at me, “Some stupid bitch by the name of Ceri. I’m not sure who her people are.”
I decided to end this, “Phil’s dad? My name is Ceri Driscoll. Feel free to come after me. I understand you go after our loved ones too? If so, I can give you my mom’s name if you’d like?” I hit speed dial and put my phone on speaker.
“I see you have balls. Give me her name, girl, and we’ll deal with her.”
Mom answered, “Something, dear one?”
“Yes, Mom. I’m here on the floor above ours. It seems there’s a bit of a dominance fight going on, and Phil decided to threaten Lacie when she asked me to go to lunch with her. When I had a problem with it, he threatened to have his pride of 300 start, in his words, a never-ending campaign to destroy me and anyone I love. I thought I’d get you on the phone before giving them your name. After all, Pride…Phil, what Pride are you from?”
Phil laughed, “You’re too fucking stupid. Pride Dunagon. God, you are one dumb bitch.”
Mom laughed with me, getting a startled look from Lacie and Stacey when they seemed to pick up the bells. “Oh my. Pride Dunagon? I’m trembling in my seat. Please, daughter-mine, please tell him my name.”
Phil’s dad laughed, harsh and bitter, “Stupid bitch begets stupid bitch. Who dares laugh at us? You say this like you’re a threat. You’re nothing to me.”
I didn’t laugh, but it was close, “Alpha to a soon to be missing Pride, I’d like to introduce you to my mom. Rasphael the Fey. I may be an adopted daughter, but I’m hers. She’s mine. Your son doesn’t appear to appreciate what he heard today. I killed five entire families in challenge at the same time. Magic users. Wolves. Rhinos. All because they decided to mess with me. Now you threaten me? And worse? You threaten my mother?”
Mom laughed as Phil fell into the wall, although she couldn’t see that. I think she was mainly responding to the noises coming from the phone, “No…impossible! There are no fey at school!”
“Be that as it may, lion, she may not be fey, but she is more than human. Much more. Enjoy your last few moments on this Earth. I look at your threats as a challenge. I am coming for you.”
“What do I need to do?”
She laughed again, “Daughter-mine, you need do nothing. By all means, destroy your classmate if he goes after you if you would like. Or leave him to me. I haven’t had a challenge from an entire family group in more than 300 years. I’m rather looking forward to this.”
“Should I come to you to help?”
She snickered, “And take away some of my fun? No. I can handle the pride. Go out and have fun at lunch and remember to call me about your permit test.”
“I will. Thank you, Mom. I love you.”
“And I love you. Thank you for thinking of me, young lion. I’ll remember to go easy on you.”
I hung up and pocketed my phone before smiling at my classmate as he barely stood against the wall. “If I were you, I’d think about an apology of sorts. Assuming she’ll accept it. I’m not sure what to say there. She’s waited more than 7,000 years for me to come along, and now I’m here. And you just threatened me and her. I wouldn’t be too surprised if your Pride’s gone soon.”
His father began yelling into the phone, “Lies! All lies! You’re attempting to scare us! Rasphael has no daughter! None! The fey don’t send their children off to school!”
I laughed harder, and I swear my sense of smell ramped up. Okay, weird. Are my senses getting stronger? “Good-bye Phil’s dad. I would say that I’d talk to her and get her to calm down, but I don’t care to. Frankly, you’re lucky you didn’t challenge me, because then your death would take longer. I’ll be heading to lunch now.”
A weird jangling bell sound came from his side of the line and a scream tore through the air in the background, “Martha! Martha!!!” The phone made a clattering sound as more roars and screams started on that side of the line, leaving me laughing in the hallway.
“Mom? Mom?!” Phil yelled at his hand, tears starting down his cheeks.
He didn’t move as I stepped into him, wiping his tears with my free hand. He didn’t look up until I licked the moisture from my fingers. “Not as good as blood, but not bad. I can taste just how sorry you are that you set this in motion. Good luck making it through the rest of the weekend. Last I knew, my mother was at her office in DC. I’m not even sure where your pride lives, but it’s curious to me that the screaming sound started so quickly. It’s almost like you went and threatened as monstrously powerful fey. Imagine that.”
More sounds came through the phone, drawing his attention back to his hand. He listened for less than ten seconds before sprinting towards the door, calling out for his parents again and again.
We watched him leave, and I debated saying something snide. Then I let it pass. There’s no reason to dig at him now that his family is being destroyed.
“Holy fucking hell. That…was that really Rasphael?” Stacey asked.
“It was.”
“Is she really your mom?”
“Like I said, adoptive. My parents are still out there somewhere, but they have a kill-on-sight order from the FBI right now. She’s my new mother.”
Erica snorted, “Is she really killing his Pride?”
I shrugged, “At a guess? Yeah? I don’t know that for a fact, but the bell sound makes me think that was her.”
Lacie nodded numbly, “I heard it in your laughs? You really are her daughter?”
“I am. Do you still want to go to lunch with me?”
It took her nearly 30 seconds to stand up straight, “Yes. Yes I would.”
The others in the hall looked hopeful, “Can we get in on that?” Lorde had such a hopeful look on her face.
Chapter 18
Lunch was really, really good. Really good. I was shocked at how well the conversation went among us all. Once they got over the fact that one of their classmates might be seeing his entire family killed, they seemed to accept me pretty easily. Then again, he hasn’t seen it yet. He’s from Kentucky, so he’s got a bit of a drive to get home. Your guess is as good as mine is on how she got from DC to their house that quickly. Given her reaction to my portal, I’m thinking she travelled some other method.
Oh well. I have to say that a tiny, tiny sliver of my brain kept wailing and demanding that I be upset at what just probably took place. I can’t seem to make myself do it. The majority of me just stands there and thinks, duh, don’t mess with someone that powerful.
Is that right? No, probably not. Then again, I’m not about to tell her no. Heck, if she hadn’t done it I’d have gone and done it. Somehow.
After lunch, I split up with the girls as they went back up to their floor to celebrate Stacey taking the alpha role. Erica isn’t quite wired to be in charge as an elephant, and Lorde could do it, but Stacey apparently has charms out the wazoo that push her into a dominant position. Then again, none of them care about being in charge of the school, so that might be up in the air. Maybe Tom will be on top? I guess we’ll see.
Back on my floor, my door was open when I arrived, and I found Headmaster Burnes there with Ms. Darvel talking to Steph
.
“You don’t know where she went to?” His stance makes me think he’s inordinately upset.
“No, she was still here when we…oh, there she is.” She looked pleased to see me, while the other two looked…off, I guess.
“Something wrong?”
Ms. Darvel wrung her hands together, “Ceri…did you do something to Philip Dunagon?”
Headmaster Burnes stepped forward, “Young lady, we received calls about attacks taking place at Pride Dunagon? Your classmate contacted us desperately searching for help?”
“Umm, my classmate? Who?”
“Phil.” Steph answered, “They said Phil contacted them?”
I don’t think she was expecting my smirk, “Why would he contact anyone? He’s the one that set everything in motion.”
Ms. Darvel slumped a little, “Ceri? What happened? What did you do?”
“Me? Nothing. Now, what happened is that Lacie asked me to go to lunch. We stopped at their floor and he threatened her for leaving and not helping him take the top spot. I told him I’d defend her and he decided that a patented Pride Dunagon approach for dealing with me would be perfect. A never-ending campaign to destroy me and anyone I ever loved. He contacted his father to start it, so I called my mother and introduced her to them and gave them her name. She rather took that as a challenge.”
Ms. Darvel sat down abruptly, “You…you contacted Rasphael and told her what they were going to do?”
“I did. Given the screams on the phone before Phil ran away, I’m thinking she moved on it rather suddenly. I’m not quite sure how she got from DC to wherever they live, but I’d be surprised if many of them are still alive.”
My teacher laughed, but it wasn’t a happy laugh, “My God…Why in the world would you threaten someone like Rasphael? What were they thinking?”