The Pack House

Magik

A/N: Comment & Vote!
Pic: Adam

"I'm sick of eating the same thing every other night."

I had expected complaints for Red but hearing it come from Cam pissed me off. Our mysterious visitor chuckled as he pushed the pasta around. "Well maybe you can get off your ass and try cooking?" I suggested with a smirk.

Cam glared and Red growled. Marc squeezed my knee close to the point of the pain. I pushed his hand away, even more peeved. "Seeing as you don't pay rent to be here, I would imagine you'd be inclined to keep us happy."

Red's tone was so...civil. I realized that our guest much have meant more than I thought. "I don't think I was introduced to you two." He stated.

Marc spoke up. "He's my Mason. I'm Marc."

"Your Mason?" The man smiled. "You werewolves are so possessive."

"And?" Marc stated challengingly.

Red waved his hand at him. "So I trust they know about the fetus?"

"Yes, they know about our baby." Cam sniffed.

"What kind of Doctor are you?" I demanded after a minute.

The man smirked. "I am a warlock. The final descendant of Margery Hemlock--the skilled witch who placed the curse that allows these kinds of things to happen."

Marc stared at Red who was carefully eyeing his plate. "You--"

"Am skilled in Magik. Yes."

"Skilled? Isn't it something you're born with?"

The man snickered. "Magik is a cruel mistress. Those who don't have it, want it. Those who have it, want more. Our numbers have been severely depleted--we draw our power from the Earth. And with the Earth dying below our feet, natural Magic is all but gone. Magik is dark. It's consumes foolish individuals who think they can handle it. Thankfully for me, it's in my blood. Not to say the darkness isn't tempting." He smirked. "Call me Adam."

"You let this creature here? Near our mates?" Marc snapped furiously.

"None of that. If we can't be civil, I'll be forced to do something I'd rather not."

"Are you threatening me?" Marc breathed furiously.

"Must I?" Adam retorted.

"He's the only one who can help us with the pups." Red finally said.

"Ah-ah-ah. I never said that. I said I could try. This is unnatural. Unusual. No one has seen it before."

"He's studying Cam. And helping however he can." Red explained briefly. "He will be staying here while he conducts his uhm..."

"Research." Smiled Adam. "And I see there's a few other subjects beneath this roof. I do hope you'll allow me to--"

"Not a chance." Snarled Marc. "You can't trust their kind. You know what they did to our land!"

"It's your choice Marc. You can look at Will, Adam. If you'd like."

"It would be my pleasure. And if you change your mind I would love to check to see if life resides within your mate." Adam smiled tauntingly at Marc.

I could see a muscle working in Marc's jaw and cleared my throat to distract him. "Let's go." He huffed instantly grabbing my wrist.

"Ouch--go where Marc?" I asked as he pulled me toward the door.

"You're not staying in this place with that thing."

"He's a person Marc. We don't have any where else to go."

"We can go back home."

"We aren't going back to that hell hole Marc!"

"You'll do as I say Mason!" His fingers were digging into my arms.

Tears welled up in my eyes. "Marc please--"

"Get back here Marc. You and I both know you can't waltz back into Crimson Canyon. Be reasonable."

"I am!" Marc snapped. "He ruined our pack!"

"He didn't do anything. He wasn't even alive yet!" Snapped Red. "Be reasonable."

"We don't need him here!" Marc roared. "You went behind my back."

"It's my house Marc. You should want this for your mate--you want him to survive don't you? To bare you children?"

I could see the fire burning in Marc's eyes.

"That's what I thought." Red said, taking his silence as submission. "Now come sit down. Mason start cleaning up. Everyone's done."

I hadn't even gotten a chance to eat but I didn't care. I hated everything so much. There were no absolutes anymore. Nothing that promised stability.

I wanted to go back to when Cam was nice, Red was mean, my friends were here, Marc was gone, and I was a whore.

It was all a distant memory. Back in the dining room Adam was writing in a leather bound journal. I tried to peek but the words were foreign. "Latin," Adam told me without looking at me. "Magik's ink form. See?"

He drew something. A circle with little doodles inside. Before my eyes, the doodles swam. They flowed a bright magenta and reassembled themselves forming three slanted words that burned yellow and settled back into the page as though it had been simple ink.

"Get away from him!" Marc grabbed my arm and pulled me from him.

Adam winked at me and closed the book. The same words had been seared into the front in white. They hadn't been there before! My eyes were wide. I couldn't help but wonder what it said.

Read si audes

"What does--"

Marc grabbed my face. "You will not speak to him!" Spittle rained on my face.

His fingers were bruising my cheek bones. "Sentio dolore suo." Adam hissed, his eery eyes glowed.

Marc withdrew with a gasp. My twinge of concern was overwhelmed by interest what he'd said. Marc touch his jaw. "What did you do!" He snapped.

"It only seemed fair." Adam replied pleasantly. He held out the plate. "It was wonderful Mason. Thank you."

I took it with shaking hands as Red came to his brother's aid. "No funny business--you swore to that."

"I swore that I wouldn't bring harm to anyone in this house. And I didn't. He brought harm to himself. And will continue to until the charm is lifted."

"Charm?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Mason!" His slapped me hard only to withdraw himself staring in horror at Adam.

The man tittered and waved his book. "As I say, so it shall be. I suggest you get your act together Marc." He got to his feet. "Goodnight Red. Mason. Cameron."

He disappeared living me in awe. I massaged my burning cheek absentmindedly. I was so taken by something I hadn't really ever thought about it took me a moment to realize I had been struck by Marc. I looked at him but he was avoiding my eyes, rubbing his own face looking inwardly furious. Reluctant to poke the bear I got to my cleaning while Red spoke softly to Cam.

To my shock Cam appeared beside me, taking the sudsy dishes and rinsing them under the tap. "I'm not completely incapable of helping, according to Adam. It won't hurt the baby." Cam explained briefly. "I'll make breakfast in the morning."

I couldn't help but smile a bit. There was a lot on my mind but the little things like this really were helping.

As for Marc, I didn't know what to do. Any fleeting hope I had for us had diminished when his hand struck my face. Getting away from him wouldn't be easy of course. Who knew what he would do or who's side Red would take.

QOTC: thoughts on Adam?