Tulum

Chapter 8: Transformation

Atticus watched as Dagen bit into his burger. He watched as his eyes changed into an all cloudy gray color no pupil in sight. He watched as Dagen's body untense as it was finally able to get what it needed until Dagen's eyes flashed back to their normal grey. He had put down his burger and holding his mouth with his hands in pain.

"Dagen listen to me it's okay it's your first time it's going to hurt your teeth have to sharpen themselves to tear through the meat it's a normal reaction just continue to eat it'll stop soon" Atticus said in his most calming voice.

Dagen stared at him for a moment but then went to slowly starting to eat his burger. But Atticus was right once the pain had stopped, he couldn't help but eat the burger as if he had been starved for months. Once the burger was gone Dagen felt stronger than he ever was he looked around at the people standing in his room ashamed that he had just butchered a burger in front of them, but he knew they understood. They were probably the only people that would understand.

"You feel stronger, now don't you?" Calliope asked

"Yeah I never felt like this before" Dagen replied looking at her

"get used to it. A week before the full moon I get stronger, Faster, and my sense's get better. I'm guessing for you it's after or now that you fully transformed before your next meal too"

"Before my next meal?"

"It's a signal your body gives out it helps you know when you should eat or feed again. Like mine I always feel my fangs grow when I need to eat" Felix says now handing back Marlowe's squirrel.

Dagen nods sighing "Can we go home now? I'm tired and would like to wash my mouth. I hate to admit it but it's not a bad taste it's just the thought of it"

"Atticus has to sign papers on your way out" Marlowe says letting Gus crawl back in her pocket

"well then let's go" Dagen gets up out of bed before realizing that he was in a hospital gown "Where's my clothes?"

Juniper grabbed his clothes from the chair and handed it to him "the bathroom is right over there"

"thanks Juniper" He grabs his clothes and walked to the bathroom not realizing that his back side wasn't done all the way letting them see his boxers.

"He's got a nice-looking butt" Juniper says as soon as Dagen closed the door behind him causing Marlowe, Calliope and Felix to burst into laughter not at what Juniper said but the look of disgust and disappointment on Atticus's face.

At the front desk Atticus signed what he needed to then him and his group walked back home together some jokes were made that made everyone laugh except Atticus.

As they walk in their yard, they notice Nero standing they're on the porch waiting for them. Dagen could feel Felix tense beside him and start picking at his sweater sleeves has he struggles to hold his umbrella at the same time.

"Kids take Felix inside I'll talk to Nero" Atticus spoke in his normal calm tone.

Dagen watched as Juniper grabs Felix's hand where he was picking at his sweater sleeves, while Marlowe wrapped her arm around his and Calliope lead the way. Dagen had the feeling that they've done this before, several times before.

As Calliope walked past Nero she never once looked at him she simply just opened the door letting everyone in before closing it leaving just Nero and Atticus outside.

"You okay Felix?" Dagen asked

"Oh yes I'm just not a fan of people with Authority" he says softly

"it's getting late anyway why don't we all just go to bed?" Calliope asks

"We're not going to wait up for Atticus?"

"No because if we do, we'll just hear the yelling." Marlowe stated taking off her witchy looking boots.

"Yelling? What do they yell about?"

"Everything mostly, Nero wants Atticus to work back on the board with him."

"Back on the board?"

"Yeah Nero and Atticus made Tulum." Juniper says as if Dagen was already supposed to know this.

"They used to be best friends from what I heard." Marlowe replied

"What happened?" Dagen questioned

"they had a falling out." Calliope stated, "Now let's just get to bed." she added as she and the rest of the girls went upstairs. Dagen looked towards Felix who was drinking his food for the night.

Dagen waited for him to be done and for him to wash his cup and put it away before they both walked down the stairs to their rooms.

"I figured out of everyone you would stay up and wait for Atticus." Dagen says breaking the silence.

"No, I don't wait up because I know he wouldn't want me to. He doesn't like us hearing him arguing."

"How long have you been here Felix?"

"oh well I'm not sure a long time now"

"you've always lived with Atticus?"

Felix nodded "Yeah he took me in I had no one else."

"You didn't have any Vampire friends or something?"

"No. I had no one. I used to but We uh went our separate ways"

Dagen nodded "Oh Okay Well goodnight Felix."

"Goodnight Dagen." Felix says as he walks into his room

Dagen on the other hand decided to go back upstairs and wait for Atticus.

"I heard you watched our little Wendigo transformation today?" Dagen can hear Nero say with a smile.

"I did" Atticus says in his Calm but annoyed tone

"That must have been a sight you've never seen a Wendigo transform before. Was it fun? What happened did his teeth really get that sharp? What color were his eyes?"

"No, it wasn't a sight the kid had no idea what was going on. It hurt him Nero it wasn't about watching him it was about making sure he understood he was going to be okay." Atticus explained "And his eye color and how sharp his teeth became is none of your business may I add."

"I need to know what they do Atticus."

"it's not about what they do its about if we can protect them."

"See that's why we need you on the board! Me and you back again running Tulum!"

"No, I said No the first 100 times you've asked. I don't want to run it. I may have you helped you build it and get us contacts with the outside world but that's all I have and will ever do Nero so stop bothering me about it and let me sleep it's been a long day."

"Goodnight Atticus."

"Night Nero"