Lilac Valley

Religion and Truths

Every Sunday, you can find Con in church.

A gold cross around his neck.

A cross he hides in a drawer in his bedroom.

He still isn't sure if it can hurt Eddie.

Anytime, he invited him over as a kid, he would have his parents hide all the crucifixes.

Eddie would always joke.

"What's a crucifix going to do? I'm half-human...and 100% Jewish."

Con smiles thinking about it.

Con's dad is not a hateful person.

They have just been hurt by lots of people.

Humans and magical creatures.

Prayer is supposed to heal.

Prayer is supposed to bring a community together.

A church and a synagogue.

A secular community who attend houses of worship as they please.

But not Con.

He is there every Sunday.

Carter and Tori sit beside him in the front row.

On his other side is his sister and her husband.

He smiles.

"No Amber?" Carter asks. Con shakes his head.

"Maybe she's helping Eddie move in," Con says. "They're going to the courthouse. They're asking Marty and Autumn to be their witnesses."

~

Con takes off the cross before he goes home, puts it in his pocket after an early dinner with his family.

He stops.

In front of the potion store is Amber.

"What are you doing here?" Con asks.

"Picking something up," Amber answers. "In case things get worse..."

"Of course, things are going to get worse," Con says. "Wait a second. Vampires don't need potions. You lied to Eddie. Kyle is my son. You're getting something for him because the full moon is in a couple days. You couldn't fake marry me?"

"You hate all humans but me, why is that?" Amber asks. "Do I remind you of someone?"

"I don't know any humans besides you," Con says.

"Come with me," Amber says. They pop into Amethyst Café and sit at the usual table. Amber orders passion fruit tea and Con has coffee. "I did the foreign exchange program because I wanted to learn more about magical creatures."

"Like we're some other species," Con says.

"My mom left when I was two," Amber explains. "She moved back home. Couldn't have a relationship with a human. My dad couldn't raise a half-witch, so he had my powers drained. Eddie and I have a parent who left and have human DNA. I related to him. When I met you, your mom was killed two years prior by a human. An Anti-Magic human."

"Did you ever tell anyone?" Con asks. "Eddie?"

"I told someone, but not Eddie," Amber answers.

~

"How was church?" Eddie asks.

"Fine," Con answers.

"Going to hide your cross now?" Eddie asks. Con stops and turns.

"You know about that?" Con asks.

"It's not going to hurt me," Eddie says. "I'm Jewish, remember?"

"We've never tried and I don't want to," Con says.

"What happened?" Eddie asks.

"I ran into Amber," Con answers. "Talked about things. Don't do this. Don't marry her."

"I'll do what I want," Eddie says.

"You don't know her," Con says. "Will she fight against other humans? When the humans attack, I'll be ready."

"Don't be stupid," Eddie says.

"Because I'm a werewolf?" Con asks.

"Because you're you," Eddie says. "Don't get yourself involved in a battle. Look what happened to your mom and she was just going to the supermarket."

"I'm not going to die," Con says. "I have the strength of a wolf." Eddie smiles. "What? I do. I won't take the potion and I'll destroy them."

"I don't like when you say stuff like that," Eddie says. "You're so anti-human and you're a New York City cop. Cops are already complicated."

"I do my job," Con assures him. "I protect the city. I'm not going to shoot unarmed people. I'm going to follow orders."

"That's what the Nazis said," Eddie reminds him. "They were just following orders."

"I'm sorry Eddie," Con apologizes. "It's been a long day. I wasn't thinking."

"You never think," Eddie says.

"Hurtful stereotype," Con says.

"No, it's just you, Con." Eddie gets up and storms to his room. He slams the door.