Not What You Expected

Chapter Twenty Four

I scoff, before acting faster than she and taking the small vile from her hands. "Good. That's exactly what I want and...need."

Lillian sighs and turns to stare at me as I am no longer where I originally was.

"Don't you think this is a little selfish? I mean, come on Sophia. You still have a chance at making things right between you, Calypso, Ryn, and Killian."

I scoff once more at her attempts to try to get me to change my mind, when in reality, I've made up my mind. Once I've made my decision, I never go back on it...never.

"I abandoned them three-hundred-and-thirty-four years ago. Trust me, if I wanted to reunite with them, I would've done it already...plus, why would I want them for children? I mean, Calypso is a manipulative wh*re, Ryn is basically the walking mascot for depression, and Killian...well, let's just say he has his daddy's anger issues and my thirst for blood."

Lillian's eyes narrow, and I watch as she frowns, if possible, even deeper. But before she can even respond, I throw yet another hurtful statement in.

"I wish they weren't even my children...they're such a disappointment. Who would want them as children?"

The feeling of my heart finally breaking in half feels almost perfect as I knew it was going to happen. It hurts me deeply to tell such lies about my children. I have never stopped loving, but for their sake, I can never be their mother. They need to live without me and know that I can never be the mother that they need. Because if I were to become the mother that they need and want, I would be acting on selfish desires and ruin their chances at happiness.

And I would stand in the way of their happiness...what I said about them is only part of who they are. Calypso is so smart. She's a fighter, and I know whatever this f**ked up world throws at her, she will be able to survive it. My only fear is that every time she takes a hit, that part of her will fade away until there is nothing left but an empty shell.

Ryn...oh, my beautiful Ryn, what I said about her being the walking mascot for depression was not a lie. She blames herself for everything, and some things were just meant to happen. But there is so much more to her than just the mask she wears, and one day, I hope that someone will teach her how to truly be happy.

Killian...he needs to straighten up for his mate...but underneath all of that anger and thirst for power is a man that William once was. Killian is a lot like his father, and he knows it. That's why the self-hatred in him is so powerful, that even the demons are jealous of it.

"You can lie all you want, to yourself and everyone else; but remember, I raised you, and I know you better than anyone else...so believe it when I say you're lying."

I scoff and give her my best 'are you serious' look, all the while smiling like a b***h.

"Enough about those...brats. Let's discuss my new life."

My children are not brats, and the way the words leave my tongue so bitterly makes my skin crawl with disgust.

Lillian sighs and pulls out a tan folder of such from the inside of her jacket.

"Your name is Riley Jane Snow, your dad is Charles Snow, and your mother is Charlotte snow. Your parents are divorced, and you live in Los Angeles California. You haven't seen your father in six years, and...well let's just say the rest of the details aren't important."

As she speaks, I inspect the items of the bag, which are a crappy looking iPhone, a pair of car keys and house keys, a wallet which is filled with information on the new 'me', and a picture of some red-haired girl who looks to be around thirteen.

I take the small square, wallet-sized picture out of the folder and inspect it further. The girl has light red hair that is wavy, blue eyes that seem to be the color of ice, and tannish skin that could be mistaken as pale. She is around 5'1 or 5'3. She is basically a bean pole with zero curves whatsoever, but what can you expect from a girl who hasn't even gone through puberty yet?

"Who is she?"

I point the picture towards Lillian, and she simply shrugs, "The real Riley Jane Snow."

I narrow my eyes at her. "If this is Riley Jane Snow, then why I am trying to become her?"

My voice drops to a low growl as I have no time for one of Lillian's games. I just want to drink this d*mn potion and get on with my 'new' life. A life where I am a normal human teenage girl who has normal human friends, a normal pet, and who attends a normal high school. A life where I am blind to the fact that the paranormal world exists, blind to the fact that I am a part of the world, and blind to the fact that I am a second-generation murderer.

Lillian narrows her eyes at me as well, "The girl is dead, died eight years ago, and I thought you might want to know who she was."

I nod my head before chucking the picture back into the folder. I take the small corkscrew head off of the vial. I bring the vial to my nose and sniff it once. Surprisingly, it smells of many different berries.

"The witch made it smell like one of those fruity drinks, so no one could pick up the scent of such strong magic."

I move the vial around until the liquid is practically threatening to jump out and spill onto the hard wooden dock.

"Did Arcane make it?"

"Of course. No other witch has the power to create such a potion."

"She still messing around with Killian?"

"Last time I checked, he was messing around with some fox shifter."

Arcane...a very powerful witch who has had her eyes on Killian since the day he turned eighteen. Of course, Killian, being the hybrid he is, never settles down, and that comes with its prices. Arcane is someone you don't play with, and let's just say Killian has been playing around with her for a few too many years.

I wonder when she'll finally crack? I give it a few more months...at most.

But like me, Lillian keeps tabs on my children. Besides me, the kids are all Lillian has left of family, and she knows it. That's why she keeps such tabs on them. I simply do it to make sure I don't have to kill someone who wrongs them.

"Any instructions?"

"Nope, just take it back like a shot and you'll be a totally different person."

I can't help but frown at her. I've never heard her use such a modern term, as Lillian has always preferred to remain in the sixteen-hundreds.

"Well, here goes nothing."

I part my lips, and tilt my head back, and do just as Lillian instructed. As the surprisingly warm liquid flows into my mouth and slides down my throat, everything starts to feel fuzzy and blurry.

My eyes close and all I see is darkness...

Riley Jane's P.O.V.

My eyes flutter open, and I look around puzzled as I see I am on one of the most popular boardwalks in Los Angeles.

How did I get here?

With that very thought, I look down and realize I am wearing an outfit that I would have never chosen to wear. I mean, I look like I've just walked out of one of those Netflix cliche beach movies.

I sigh as my head starts to hurt. Everything feels fuzzy and almost blurry. But I remember that I have a huge English test tomorrow, so with that thought in mind, I hurriedly leave. But as I am doing that, I can't help but notice a goth teenage girl standing only a few feet away from me, looking at me with disappointment laced in her eyes.

I quicken my pace and practically run away.

The amount of weird people in this world is crazy....