Fighting Destiny (Central Coven) (7 page)

We had just walked through the door, and Anita elbowed me in the ribs. She was motioning toward the back of the room with her chin. The guys were sitting in the back of the room.  I was mesmerized by the way the florescent light glinted off Finn’s thick, dark, wavy hair.  His ivory skin and deep blue eyes seemed to glow.  Dean sat next to him, thickly muscled, with dark honey blond hair, and wild green eyes.  They had a mystical aura surrounding them that had captured every female’s attention in the room.  It seemed all of the girls were trying to move close to them, even one I was fairly certain was a lesbian. 

I was disappointed to see none of the desks near them were available.  Despite that, Anita kept moving toward them.  She focused her gaze on the girls on either side of them and half-smiled.  Her expression managed to look menacing without showing her fangs.  Both girls immediately vacated their seats.  Finn seemed shocked by the girls departure, pleased, but shocked.  Dean on the other hand seemed amused.  Odd.

The professor began her lecture on the emperors of the Roman Empire.  She wove a lively tale of the highs and lows of one of the most advanced societies of the ancient world.  My head was filled with the origins of republican government, the debauchery of gladiator battles, and the horrors of Caligula and Nero. 

Fifty minutes later we were stuffing our books back into our bags.  Finn playfully tugged at Anita’s hair to get her attention, “That was an interesting method of getting the seat you wanted.”  “I guess they were just intimidated by me,” she shrugged.  Anita sniffed at the air and asked Dean, “Did anyone ever tell you that you smell like pine?”  

Anita looked pointedly at me, and my eyes flashed green.  She nodded at my recognition of her meaning. “Did you say pine?” I repeated.  Hmmm…interesting.  Dean smirked, like he didn’t care if we figured out his secret.  I had to hand it to the guy, he was nothing if not confident.  Anita sauntered up to him, leaned in, and sniffed his neck.  Dean put his large hand in her hair and tenderly kissed her forehead.   “We should talk later,” she whispered to Dean.  “Looking forward to it,” he answered.

Anita and I had theater next, to fill our humanities requirement.  We didn’t register together. Still, somehow we had both decided on our own that since we were good at pretending to be ‘normal’, acting shouldn’t be difficult. Not that there was much acting in this class, it was theater appreciation.  There were a couple of monologues to deliver, but mostly it was learning the basics of stage directions and how to read a script.

On the way to class, I asked Anita, “That thing back there with Dean, are you sure?”  “Yeah, he’s the shape shifter,” Anita said with certainty.  I don’t know why I asked; I knew she was right. 

I liked Theater Appreciation, but it seemed to last longer than history. Good thing I wasn’t considering Theater as a major.  Today was the worst.  It’s hard to sit through a class when it seems there are more important things to do, like find out there was yet another supernatural practically living with me.  Plus I was starving.  But I made it through the entire fifty minutes.  I was one step closer to reaching my goal of not failing out of school.

“What do you want to do for lunch?” I asked as we picked up our bags to leave the Tower Theater, where our class was held.  I got turned around easily in this room.  The tiny theater was a round design, and entirely black: the floors, ceilings, seats, and the walls.  It is great for watching a play, but incredibly disorienting when leaving. 

Anita snickered as I turned from side to side trying to get my bearings.  “Ehmm,” she said pretending to clear her throat, and pointed to the exit behind me.  “Well, we all can’t have a
nose
for directions,” I said pointedly.  “I suppose not, but if you wanted to get out of here
before
your two hour break is over I thought I would help.”  She laughed briefly at her own joke, and continued, “So lunch?”

“Do you want to meet up with the guys?” I asked.  “No, I don’t want to see Dean until I can talk to him alone after class today.  Do you think we can avoid meeting with them without them getting suspicious?”  “Yeah, we can tell them we want to look over some monologues.  They are still a couple weeks off, but we still need to pick one out and memorize them.”  “That sounds like a good excuse, but hey, do we actually have to do that over lunch?” Anita asked alarmed.  I pulled a book of monologues for women from my bag.  There would be enough for both of us to choose one we liked.  “Two birds with this stone,” I said and I tossed her the book.  She scowled at me as we each took out our phones to text our excuses to Finn and Dean.

We didn’t have a problem with the guys.  Finn texted I should choose something from the
Vagina Monologues
. None of us had even read them, but he was juvenile enough to find that hilarious.  In fact I’m sure that is why they didn’t give us any trouble, at least Finn, because they were afraid they would have to listen to us read whiny female poetry, and discuss it at length.  Dean, I’m sure, was also waiting to speak to Anita until they were alone. 

Anita left for class, but I still had an hour break.  She got back to the dorm at three and I got back an hour later.  On my way up the stairs to my room, I saw Dean and Finn playing pool in the rec room on the main floor.  I waved and continued upstairs. I bumped into Anita on her way down.  “They are both downstairs.  Have you had a chance to talk to Dean?”   “No, I need you to distract Finn while I talk to Dean,” Anita schemed.  “I think I can manage,” I said. 

I turned around and sauntered into the rec room. Some girls from the second floor had come down the other staircase, and were doing their best to gain the boys attention.  Neither of them seemed to notice too much.  Still, I felt threatened.  Anita calmly walked over to Dean and whispered into his ear, “Ready to talk?”  Dean looked at her with a mixture of hope and concern, “I guess now is as good a time as any.”

I put my hand on Finn’s shoulder, “How about we give them some privacy.”  “Any suggestions?” he asked waggling his eyebrows.  “Let’s head upstairs, unless you’re afraid of being alone with me?” We headed toward the back staircase, because it was not used as frequently. 

Between the second and third floors there was a wide space under the stairs.  Finn grabbed my hand and pulled me into the corner. He let go of my hand and grasped my waist.  With his other hand he gently stroked my cheek.  He pushed a strand of my hair from my face, and then fisted his hand in the mass of it behind my head. Firmly but gently he pulled my face towards him and kissed me.  There was warmth in his kiss, so much different from kissing Grey. 

I pressed my body against his, and slid my hands up his strong arms and onto his shoulders.  We kissed innocently and sweetly at first, lips brushed gently, light touches. I bit softly at his bottom lip. The kiss grew more urgent and passionate.   I wanted to touch his hair, so I slipped my hand into his wavy locks.  My hand gently graced the top of his pointed ear. 

Pointed?  How could this be?  They weren’t pointed the last time.  Finn sensing a change released my hair, and gave me a puzzled look.  Well hell, I might as well ask, because as far as I know human males don’t have pointed ears. “Finn, have you experienced any, uhm…changes lately?”  “Such as?” he asked hesitantly.  I fidgeted and unconsciously began to rub the top of my right ear.  “Well, like your ears becoming pointed?” “You noticed that, huh?” he said embarrassed.  “Is it new?”  “Yes, it is.  I know it is weird, but that isn’t all sometimes the weather changes around me.  I can’t figure any of this out,” he sighed, relieved to say it out loud.  “Don’t worry Finn, it isn’t weird.  Not to me at least, this might be hard for you to wrap your brain around though.  Let’s go to your room, and I will explain the best I can.” 

I pressed my hand against the window to gather my thoughts and I got a flash of what was transpiring between Dean and Anita.  They sat talking on a bench near a cluster of trees.  “So you’re a shape shifter,” Anita said.  “How long have you known?” Dean asked.  “I suspected it was you last night when I saw you in the tree because you smelled familiar, but when I smelled the pine on you in class today I knew for sure.” “How could you smell that?” Dean questioned.

Anita laughed, “Well, I have a secret of my own.  I guess since I know yours it is only fair you know mine.  Brace yourself,” Anita warned and grinned showing her fangs.  Dean tilted his head in thought, “I knew it was something, but I really wasn’t expecting that. I mean I’ve seen you out during the day. I thought you were a witch.”  “I’m only half-vampire.  It is a long story, but another vampire, who is sort of a friend, stopped my attack but I still half changed.  I have all of their strength and the appearance, but none of their weaknesses.  Well, almost none,” she said with a smile.  Dean bumped into her shoulder with his, “Aren’t we a pair?”  “Yeah, I suppose so,” Anita said with a smile. 

“Does Chloë know about you?” Dean asked.  Anita laughed, “Chloë…uhmmm….Lets just say your secret would be safe with her.  Anything beyond that and I should just let her tell you herself,” Anita said.  “Is there something you aren’t telling me?” Dean asked?  “Plenty, actually we should probably go talk to her because there is a situation she and I are in the middle of right now and we could use your help if you are willing.”  “Okay, you’ve peaked my curiosity about her now anyway.  Let’s go,” Dean said. 

“Are you all right?” Finn asked, pulling me from the vision. “Yes, just day dreaming again.”  I blinked my eyes several times to chase away the images of Anita and Dean.  Finn lightly brushed my hand, still trying to gain my full attention.  Warmth and a tingling raced through my veins.   It was like a static shock; it hurt, but I wanted to feel it again.

We ran into Dean and Anita coming in from the other staircase.  “We’ll talk later,” I whispered to Finn, and kissed him on the cheek.  His deep blue eyes flashed a brilliant electric blue.  How could I have ever thought he was human?  Anita cocked her eyebrow at me, and I briefly put my finger to my lips.  She nodded, understanding I would tell her later, and continued with the reason she came to find me, “Dean would like to talk to you.”  “Let’s go in then,” I replied.

The four of us entered the guy’s dorm room. “Anita said you could keep my secret Chloë.” I nodded yes. “If the girls are going to know then I guess I should tell you too Finn.” Dean took a deep breath and blurted out, “I am a shape shifter.”  “A what?  What the hell is a shape shifter?” Finn demanded.  The changes he had been going through, and hearing that his roommate can turn into an animal was driving Finn to his breaking point.  He was practically humming with fear and disbelief, while he listened to Dean’s explanation.

“I have the ability to turn into a cougar.  I mean I have to turn into a cougar, during the full moon.  The rest of the time I can do it when ever I want.”

Finn started to pace back and forth.  “I’m lost.  I don’t understand any of this.” Finn turned to me, “How are you taking this so casually?” “Finn, what have your parents told you about your heritage?” I asked.  “Really you want to know what ethnicity I am? Okay, I’ll play along.  I don’t see how this helps anything, but we are Scandinavian and German.”  I tried to touch his arm to comfort him, but he pulled away and continued to pace.

“When was the last time you spoke to your parents?”  “I…uh…haven’t heard from them since the day I arrived on campus,” he replied.  “What are their names?” I asked.  “Hans and Eliana Christiansen.  Why?”  “I’m going to call my mother.  She doesn’t know shit about being a mom, but things like this she knows.”

Today I sensed otherness in Finn, the fact that I hadn’t sensed it at first, means a very powerful spell had been placed on him.  It had to be a glamour, a spell to make him look differently than normal.  I had been studying my spell books, more intensely since Vanessa disappeared, I didn’t want to be caught off guard again.

I pulled out my cell phone and called Marguerite, my mother. “Bonsoir maman, Can I ask you a question?” “Oui, bien sûr.  What do you want to know?” “Do you know Hans or Eliana Christiansen?”  “Chérie,” Marguerite said, “Are you consorting wit elves now?”
Elves?
I thought silently. “Have you heard from them?” I asked.  “No, chérie. Should I have?” she asked.  “Leur fils n’savait pas où ils sont. Can you look into it?” I requested.  “Mais oui chérie.  Eh, Finn does not know where his parents are?  Merde, there are others missing also.  Alors, I wouldn’t worry they are very powerful elves, oui.  Is there anything else?” she asked in her thick French accent. “No, rien.  You have answered my questions, mercí, maman. À bien tôt,” I said and hung up the phone.

Finn was staring at me through the entire conversation with my mother.  “Okay, later I am going to tell you how sexy it is when you speak French, but I have to process all this other stuff first. So, why would your mother know anything about my parents?” I took a deep breath. I was worried how he was going to handle this.  “Finn,” I began, “God, there is just no simple way to ease into this. Well here it goes…I’m a witch.” I raised my eyebrow and tried to gage his reaction.  It seemed he was sticking with stunned silence, so I continued, “My mother said that…” Finn held up his hand and cut me off.  And stunned silence was over. “You’re a what?”

“I’m. A. Witch.  Can you handle this, ‘cause it is going to get a bit weirder before we are done.” This was so not going well.  “Witches and shape shifters?  Have you all lost your minds?  Is this some kind of joke, I mean come on, this stuff doesn’t exist.”  He was going to need proof. 

Hmm, what to do?  Then it occurred to me, a glamour spell kept all of this from him, it would only be right if I used a glamour to prove it to him.  I looked at Anita, studying her.  I grabbed my waist length, wavy, nearly black brown, soft hair into my hands and slid my hands down its length.  The color lightened to a mahogany with lighter caramel streaks. My waves straightened out, and the length contracted to the middle of my back. I waved my hand in front of my face, and my tan colored skin lightened to Anita’s unearthly golden porcelain color.  My full lips and angular cheekbones that indicated my Native American heritage softened and reflected the delicate features of her Hispanic heritage.  I wrapped my arms around myself, and shrank down to match her petite five foot two frame rather than my average five foot five.