If his briefly darkening eyes were any indication, I’d say he didn’t like my taunting him very much. He noisily cleared his throat then grumbled a “right”. His posture was stiff, his features all taut, and his smile most definitely not convincing – but hey, who was I to complain? I was doing this my way.
“See?” I turned to my parents, my stare lingering on mom, finding the disapproving look in her eyes quite annoying.
Let the game begin.
Everything was at stake; my principles, my present, my future — my whole life, god dammit!
I have to fight, I thought, my resolution definitely made, I can’t lose this perilous game, I need to win.
He took me by surprise earlier and even scored, thanks to my stupid body and irritating hormones. His closeness was one hell of a challenge to my senses; I couldn’t even bring my brain to function correctly. I was practically ashamed to admit I couldn’t think straight at the time.
The thing is, I need to keep a coherent mind at all times, and that is exactly the reason why I won’t be letting him approach me like that anytime soon, I inwardly nodded at myself in approval as if sealing the deal.
The feeling he gave me might be great, but the chaos in my mind at the time was a disaster. I can’t have a relationship based on lust and carnal pleasures – no matter how good they are; it has to be reasonable. Everything must be rational for me. I can’t possibly allow myself to get emotionally involved for that would only lead to trouble.
I just need a guy who understands me, likes me for me, and respects me. I don’t think I can manage with a loving, protective, and jealously possessive alpha-ultra, now can I?
Ugh, seriously. I don’t know. I’m not even sixteen... Just let me be!
I sensed a frown making its way on my face. Damn those musings! Quickly recomposing my features, I stared at my discreetly fuming mate. He was not going to make it easy for me. Good thing I was tempted to go to any length to have it my way.
Chapter 13
Nostalgia
Just as we stepped inside the house, I heard Karl whisper from beside me, “Home sweet home.” It was easy to take note of the adoration in his voice.
He was my cousin but, to me, he was the best brother I could ever ask for. When my aunt, after years of solitude, and a seemingly never-ending mourning over the loss of her beloved husband, passed away in a car accident, my dad had done everything he could, the fastest he could, in order to become his legal guardian. The day he arrived, the sky had been of a stormy gray and raining cats and dogs.
Since he had been drenched from head to toe because of his little, slow, insouciant-like walk from the car to the house, it was difficult to say whether there were tears or not among the droplets of water trickling down his face. His green eyes were sad though; everybody could see that, even little me – I was five at the time, he was ten.
As his blond locks sticking to his grim face and his lifeless pools of green had come into sight, I had run towards him, held on his shirttail and tugged until he bent over my little form.
In that bubbly, innocent and oh-so-endearing manner children only could talk, I had asked him to smile, my forefingers tugging at the corners of his mouth. He had knelt on the floor and then forced a smile on his face. Had I been older, I would have seen that smile for what it had been – a rueful one. I was, however, only five at the time and just as I thought that maybe I had been able to bring some much needed joy into his saddened self, his eyes allowed the tears he had been desperate to hold to make their way down his cheeks.
I wasn’t even given the time to wonder why he was crying – though, admittedly, the reason was pretty obvious – that he was already engulfing me in a bear hug like I had never had before. I had awkwardly hugged him back for what seemed like hours but were probably only minutes, under the curious stares of my family.
That had to be the start of our unshakable bond.
At those memories, I felt all warm inside, my whole being overflowing with fraternal love for that man who was striding in the house, eager as he was to feel at home.
It was finally Sunday. It was finally Karl’s letting out day. It was finally my sixteenth birthday.
I had been more than excited to wake up this morning, desperate to feel any change in me –on the outside or within me, whichever it be – that would tell me I had finally grown into a real witch... I neither saw nor felt any. I was sure the change must have happened some time during the night; or to be more precise, at exactly midnight; yet there was no evidence of it. I was kind of frustrated with that, but decided not to dwell on it too much, and let it go for the time being –admittedly, it was Karl who convinced me. He had told me that it wasn’t something tangible per se – at least, not for a little time – and that I would have to make use of my powers to see the change.
The only problem there was that we weren’t allowed to go all witchy in the house. The last time my brothers and I did, we had almost burnt down the house – among other things. Needless to say, our parents had been furious.
**************
We enjoyed a familial lunch, chatted and had a
