Shadow Breeds

Chapter 17

August closed the window again, but waited near it encase I was hit with a wave of heat. If I didn't know any better, I'd think I was starting menopause on my twenty-first birthday. I suppose transforming into a supernatural being is probably worse, I'd never know. My head began throbbing and I sat back on my heels to keep balanced, the dizziness had only been getting worse, "I think I'm going to pass-."

***

August

I caught her before she hit the ground. Her skin almost burned like a fire, nearly causing me to drop her. I lowered her slowly into a laying position so that I could get cold water started in the bath. When I had gone through this, that's what had helped me and I was hoping it would help her too.

"Bring lavender, basil, ginger and vervain, and throw on some chamomile tea," I spoke sternly to Magna through the Shadow. I opened a drawer under the sink and pulled out amethyst, citrine, jasper and onyx stones as well as some candles.

As I finished setting everything up, Magna walked through the door carrying herbs in one arm and tea in the other. "Set the tea on the counter, we have to get her to wake up," I said as I grabbed the herbs from her and began hand-measuring the necessary amounts. Last, but not least, I sprinkled sea salt along the edge of the tub and lit the candles.

"Help me set her in there," I said as I grabbed Ashe's upper body and gently lifted. Magna grabbed her feet and mirrored me as we carefully placed Ashe's limp body into the water. Once I was satisfied, I took a step back and nodded for Magna to begin her part. I wasn't evolved enough for this kind of magic and we couldn't afford to screw this up.

Magna began chanting in an old pagan tongue while using her hands to direct the energy where it needed to go. I was supposed to be paying attention so that I could learn, but all I could focus on was the new glow coming from Ashe's skin. I'd seen several transformations over the years, no one glowed like this. Maybe it was the soul connection, maybe there was more to her than any of us knew.

Ashe jolted into a sitting position, splashing water out of the tub in the process. I rushed past Magna and dropped down to Ashe's level, "you're okay, stay there, the water will help you through it."

I was going to continue coaxing her into relaxing but, her eyes caught me completely off-guard and froze me in place. Surely it couldn't be the soul connection causing me to see this, one glance at Magna confirmed that for me. They were quite literally glowing, as if they were moons inside her head. "What? Why are you guys staring like that it's making me nervous," she said hoarsely.

She groaned and gripped her head with her hands as she squeezed her eyes shut. "It's only been two hours and you're already showing physical changes, nothing to be nervous about sweetheart," I said softly. I turned to see Magna had already left the room so I grabbed the chamomile tea fused with blood from the sink and held it out to Ashe, "this will make you feel better."

She took it reluctantly and slowly drank it. Her body visibly relaxed and she sighed as she pulled the cup away from her lips. A look of regret crossed her face, "am I going to throw that back up?" I gave her a small smile and shook my head, "passing out after step one usually means step two is on its way, it could begin in an hour or it could-."

Before I could finish what I was saying, she let out a blood curdling scream. "Or it could start now," I finished with a sigh as I stood and took two steps back to give her space. Step two would probably be the most painful for her, physical changes were nearly the worst part for any of the Shadow Breeds experiencing a transformation. Feeling your bones stretch, snap and morph is something you only expect to go through in nightmares.