Bleeding Hearts

Chapter 19

*Aaliyah's P.O.V*

Reading a bunch of books should have made me know a lot about what happened to me. However I hadn't really learned anything at all. I mean it was basically just the same old stories split into different books.

"Is there any cure?" I finally ask, interrupting the conversation that was going on between the council members. They share kind of this awkward look that tells me a lot more than the books have said.

"I don't like that look, stop looking at each other and talk to me!" I demand, making Tenebris step towards me. He towers over me so I have to tilt my head back to look at him. I expect for him to be angry at me, however he just gives me a pitying look that I hate.

"Aaliyah, there is a spell that we could try. However, I cast a spell on you when you were distracted earlier," he says, making me frown, "Your magic is circulating through you, forming an almost shield. I'm afraid that until your magic stops shielding you, it's impossible to turn you back into your adult form," he states.

"No! No, you're wrong. You have to be wrong!" I say, staring at him as my breathing starts to pick up. He has to be wrong! There's no way I as going to be stuck as a child, I couldn't! I just couldn't!

"I am very sorry Aaliyah," he says, making me shake my head as I refuse to look at him. This was possibly one of the worst things that could ever happen to me.

"I understand that this is probably a lot for you to take in Aaliyah, however you physically being a child brings a lot of conflict up with you staying on your own," Tenebris says, staying on my level. I shake my head, not wanting to have this conversation. Not now, not ever.

"I'm not going back to my parents, you can't make me," I state, my chest heaving as I curly fingers up and down repeatedly to try to focus on anything except him and his words. He couldn't make me go back! I wouldn't do it. I'd die before going back to them.

"Aaliyah, I never said you would," Tenebris states as he reaches out to grab one of my hands. I flinch away, hating the feeling of anyone touching me at the moment. He seems to understand and just stays quiet, letting my thoughts bounce around my head.

"I can stay with Zero and Miachel," I say, glancing at the two vampires that were behind me. My tone turns slightly questioning and I earn a small nod from Zero who smiles slightly.

"Of course," Miachel agrees. I glance at the rest of the witch council, refusing to look at Tenebris until he starts to speak.

"While that might work...your magic. I don't think they would be able to help you if it lashed out," Tenebris says after a moment, making me furrow my eyebrows. My magic hasn't lashed out once when I've been here! He didn't know what he was talking about!

I feel my hair start to stand up, my magic flood through me at the perceived insult. He raises an eyebrow, swirling his hand in the air. A dome of magic encircled the two of us, the outside world blocked from my view as the two of us were now just standing in a purple dome of magic.

"What did you do?" I ask, glaring at him with a frown. I didn't like being surrounded by anything, it made me feel trapped. I especially didn't like that I was stuck with a council member, one that was much more powerful than me in every aspect.

  "Your magic is reacting to my words,  it is safer to shield you so you do not hurt others," Tenebris says, making my magic bristle underneath my skin.

"I wouldn't hurt anyone," I retort, making him raise an eyebrow. The questioning look in his eyes makes me frown. I wouldn't hurt anyone? Would I?

"I don't think you would ever hurt anyone intentionally. However your magic is still trying to get used to your much smaller form and therefore is on edge. You are still creating magic, producing at an adult rate. Your body is not able to handle that much magic," Tenebris informs me, making me nod hesitantly. He had a point.

"That's why you want me to stay with someone with magic. You think that I'm dangerous," I say softly, keeping my head tilted down.

"I don't think that you would ever purposely hurt someone. Understand that Aaliyah. I think your magic is very volatile in an attempt to protect you. Magic can be one of the most dangerous things. It's probably the best defense you will ever have, however if your magic can't determine what a real threat is, that does put everyone in quite a dangerous situation. Most importantly, it puts you in a dangerous situation," Tenebris says as he sits down. I look anywhere but at him, deciding it would be best to avoid any and all eye contact.

"How am I dangerous to myself?" I ask, my magic prickling at my fingertips. I flex my fingers slightly, trying to get rid of the feeling that made my fingers burn.

"Look down," Tenebris says. I do as he says, only then realizing that my fingers were actually burning. With fire. He reaches out to take my hands, making me shake my head and step back.

"Why can't I control my magic? Why am I such a freak?" I ask, making him lean forward to grab me. I jerk against his hold, my magic lashing out at the sudden touch. My magic feels sharp and serrated, cutting into his hands.

"You are a very powerful magic child. You may have the mind of an adult but you are a child nonetheless," Tenebris says, his magic healing his skin every time my magic lashes out against him.

"I don't want to be! I don't," I sob, not sure whether it was being powerful or being a child. They were connected like a spiderweb. To sever one would probably sever both things at once. I couldn't lose my magic...could I? Would it be worth it....