Blood and Beasts (36 page)

Time was lost as they simply
remained in their bubble of protection. Tristan and Seph
’
s eyes were closed as they both poured their power into
the sphere. Francesca breathed heavily, injured, needing the infirmary. Rodney
stayed as he was, holding Seph
’
s hand firmly, not daring to morph
into his normal state lest he disturb the pair and break their protection
bubble. Abernathy didn
’
t stir, slumped between Tristan and
Seph
’
s hard grips.

Rodney noted when teachers swarmed
in, dispatching of frenzied vampires left and right. These frenzied vampires
had been constantly attacking their bubble, causing it to bend a little but
never to break. The high priestess had walked around them, studying every angle
of it. She had seen Rodney looking at her and winked at him. Although they
couldn
’
t speak because of the protections,
he shuddered when she pointed at the whole group and smiled broadly, as though
she wanted them for something… a collection? Her fangs were disconcerting. He
let that thought go. It felt like he got that thought from the woman
’
s mind, but he didn
’
t read minds. Only Seph could do
that.

More time passed, and the teachers
were cleaning up the mess. Sir Cosmos came to the bubble and looked at it
pertinently. Rodney took the hint. Nobody else was paying attention. He broke
his grasps with Francesca and Seph. This distracted Seph, who dropped Abernathy
’
s hand, who slumped in Tristan
’
s grip, distracting him. The bubble
shattered. They all blinked several times, the sudden dullness of light startling
them as the whiteness faded.

“Well, I think we have many things
to thank you for,” Sir Cosmos commented casually as they all stretched from
their uncomfortable, stiffened positions. “You saved a student,” he gestured at
the slowly blinking Abernathy, tousled hair all over her face as Tristan
brushed it back for her. “Stopped a horrific ritual near our grounds,” he
indicated the cavern, and they noticed that it was completely excavated now.
“And all of your powers have excelled further than any thought possible,” his
pale blue eyes studied them a moment, seeing more in them than they cared for.
“I fear the protective spell would do this, merge your powers. You
’
ll get used to it,” he said with a
shrug, and they all looked at each other, confused.

“Merging powers?” Seph asked,
working her jaw several times, eyes still very light.

“You shall find out soon enough,”
Sir Cosmos said cryptically, and they all exchanged skeptical glances over his
usual babble.

“Seph,” her eyes snapped up as Phin
strode towards her.

He pulled her aside slightly, but
Rodney stood off in the distance, rippling to his normal self and watching
them.

“Let
’
s just ignore that little thing you noticed…” He looked
very uncomfortable as she grinned.

What little thing?
Rodney
asked, and she waved that thought away, throwing up her shields.

“It
’
s fine, Phin,
” she said before giving him a warm
hug. “Thank you so much for coming. I thought…” she bit her bottom lip with
that morbid and unspoken thought.

“I could hardly ignore you. You
were filled with power,” his eyes shifted over to Alistair
’
s fallen form.
“You killed him?” He asked, although
his question didn
’
t really need an answer. “Most
vampires would find it difficult to kill a creature as old as he. I have been
doing my research on him. He
’
s not young at all. In fact, he
’
s quite old,” he looked puzzled for
a moment. “You shouldn
’
t have been able to kill him. I don
’
t know what effect it will have on
you. Your eyes are white,” he remarked, and she shrugged.

“Better white than red. I ate a
lot,” she remarked icily.

“Yes, but you used a lot of your
power in that protection spell. Yes, you and your friends shared each other
’
s power, but it should have drained
you some. I
’
ll be interested to see what changes
that spell shall have on you five,” he said before turning swiftly and leaving
her there to think it all over.

“Who knows?” Rodney said as she
came over.

“I thought I blocked you from my
mind,” she commented as they made their way over to the woozy Abernathy,
resilient Tristan, and healing Francesca.

“You did. He didn
’
t. You really saw him doing that?”
He asked, and she nudged him playfully, like always.

“You didn
’
t… see that, alright?” She said, a smile on her face.

“So, now what?” Abernathy asked the
important question, and they all looked at each other, wondering that exact,
same thing.

A week later, and they were all
near that same cavern again. This time, however, they were meandering on the
shore of the nearby lake. Seph and Rodney were lounging on the plush, green
grass, not talking aloud but with their minds. It helped with privacy.

Francesca and Tristan were
engrossed in a rambunctious game of tag, running all over the place as they
chased each other. Abernathy rolled in the grass beside Silo. Linda was near
them, holding hands with Stefan, reconciled with him once again. They were all
healed, and all their problems were resolved in that crisp, autumn night.

Tristan
’
s mismatched eyes glinted in the starlight, his left
electric-blue, his right a golden orb. That was something they had learned. He
could now morph into a wolf, just a wolf, whenever he wanted to. It was what
the spell had left on him. Hopefully he wouldn
’
t have to change during the full moon. They had yet to
discover that.

Abernathy had an affinity for
earth, loving it more than ever. She would just hang outside the Room and watch
as she created little dirt castles with her mind. She was learning all kinds of
things with her new power, things Tristan never thought to try. She would then
share her findings with him, and together they would practice their earthen
magic.

Seph was much better at spells, her
skills excelling at a level beyond any vampire. She even surpassed many a
wizard. She was also particularly good at creating things. Her first few days
had been tough as she continued to animate anything she touched. She eventually
learned how to control that aspect of her power, at least mostly.

Rodney was very changed, reading
people
’
s minds easily, although not as
easily as Seph. She could block him swiftly, as could most. However, it was an
improvement. He also learned Seph
’
s problem with her ability, hearing
everybody
’
s thoughts who didn
’
t think to block them. Some things
no one should hear.

Lastly, Francesca could shift into
the same half-were form as Rodney now. It had been a singular trait of his,
something only werewolves in his particular line could do, from his father
’
s side. Now she could, a useful
talent to become stronger but conserve energy.

They probably had many more
oddities to each of them that they had yet to discover, whether from the spell
or just simply a talent they already had. They would always accept each other,
and they would always have each other. That was the important thing.

THE
END