"After last night, you're going to have a really hard time getting rid of me." I grinned.
"Good." He grinned. "Breakfast is almost ready. Join us when you're ready." Doc left the bedroom.
I flopped back into the bed for a moment, unable to wipe the smile off my face. Whatever I had gotten myself into, at least it looked like I was really going to enjoy it.
I got dressed and headed out to get food. I found my phone on the table where I had left it. It still had a charge, and I sent a quick message to Victoria, letting her know I was still okay. I plugged it back in to top off the phone and went into the kitchen.
Today, breakfast was hash browns, bacon, eggs, and toast.
"So, can we go hiking tonight?" Ed brought plates over to the table.
Doc sighed. "Not tonight. We need to go put wards up on her dorm room and get her home."
"That sucks," Ed replied, sticking his lip out in a pout. "I don't want her to leave."
Allan laughed, clearly amused at his brother.
I tended to agree. Unfortunately, I couldn't just stay here all the time. We still needed to see if this was going to work, and at least for a while, having my own space was important.
"So, when can we take her running?" Ed asked while I filled my plate.
"What do you mean, go running?"
"You know, as a wolf. You would love it."
I stared. "Wait, I can't shapeshift. Can I?" It sucked how much I didn't know.
Doc cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair in a nervous gesture. "I might, uh, be able to force a change."
"Force?"
"Cause, facilitate," he added a couple of verbs, still looking nervous.
"How?"
"So, not to state the obvious, but this is not something you can share with anyone. It's not well known, though it's been exploited before, that vampire blood can do a lot of things if a non-vampire drinks it. Heal, sometimes. Convey powers that the person wouldn't otherwise have, increase inherent powers."
"Oh. That could be really bad if more people knew."
"Vampires aren't very common and are very secretive. If someone discovers one, the person usually dies, rather suddenly and often violently. But yeah, it would be really bad. They might overcome their fear of me enough to try and catch me. Especially since I'm not actually as powerful as a full vampire."
"Don't get Doc wrong, he's pretty bad ass." Ed grinned around a mouthful of food.
I smiled back at Ed. "I'm sure he is. So, how does that mean I can run as a wolf?"
"Well, you've already figured out I can shape shift. I do it by taking blood from either Ed or Allan. Just enough that I can access their ability for an evening. If you then drink some of my blood, it should convey that ability to you. You would probably need help to do it, at least the first time. That's where me forcing you to change comes in. We could try it without. I might have to use some mind control on you to get it done, until you get the hang of it."
"Oh. So, what happens if you drink a mage's blood? Does that let you do magic without help?"
"I've never tried." He frowned as if considering the idea. "Maybe."
"I guess we'll have to try sometime. Let me think about the wolf thing. I am pretty intrigued by the idea, so chances are I'm going to say yes. I just gotta think about it a little." I set my plate down at the table, mind reeling from the possibilities. It was a lot to take in.
Chapter 19
Sofia
After breakfast, Ed and Allan went off into the property to burn some more energy. Doc explained that they tended to work really hard on the weekends so that they could manage to sit still for classes during the week. They still got up and ran or did something before school and after. Being a young werewolf meant excessive amounts of energy to burn. I couldn't even imagine.
Doc took me outside. "While I know next to nothing about how mages cast magic, I do have a few ideas of things we can try to see if we can put you in touch with your powers. At the very least, being able to consciously do what you're already unconsciously doing would probably be helpful."
"You don't sound certain."
He shrugged. "I just hope you can still control your powers after we wake you up a little."
My eyes widened. "Oh, yeah. That...could be interesting."
Doc's obsidian eyes sparkled. "It's worth the risk." In a very Ed-like move, he took my hand and tugged me to the tree line.
"Seems like it will be another warm day," I said once we were in the cooler shade of the trees.
"Likely. We'll have them for a while. Sit here."
I did as instructed, sinking down to the pine needle carpeted ground and sitting cross-legged. Doc sat across from me and scooted forward until his knees touched mine. He held out his hands, and I put mine in them.
"I'm going to talk. Just listen to my words, you don't have to understand them, just listen to the rhythm. Try to sink down inside yourself and feel your magical energy where you've buried it, and then bring it to the surface. You can leave your eyes open or close them, it's up to you."
I nodded my agreement and shut my eyes, trying to do what I was told. Doc started speaking softly, and it was clear he didn't expect me to understand. He was speaking in a language I didn't know. Maybe Navajo?
The rhythm of the words carried me deep inside myself, to a place I had never consciously gone before, and yet, I felt outside of myself, too. I opened my eyes and looked around. The grove I stood in sparkled and danced with lavender motes of light. Outside the circle of trees was darkness. Inside was comforting light.
