ESME POV
We heard the front door open and shut but when I went out there no one was in the house. I guess Kira and Jace left.
"Everything okay?" Justin asked lowly. I nodded my head and walked back over to him, climbing in bed beside him.
"You should talk to her," I rubbed his chest, "she's just as sad as you are. She loved Grace too, we all did. It isn't her fault."
"I know it wasn't her fault," he sighed, "but she couldn't get out. She's the strongest person out of all of us right now and she couldn't get out.... and that means.... that means I had no chance of saving her myself..." I looked at him for a few seconds and I wrapped my arms around him tightly. "I should have been able to save her," he started to cry softly into my shoulder. I didn't even know what to do other than just hold him, love him. "I should have been able to. She was counting on me. She was -"
"Look at me," I set my hand under his chin and lifted his head up, "baby this is not because of you. We did what we could. We fell short and it caused horrible repercussions but we did what we could."
"Yeah well I should have tried harder," he shook his head, "I should have done more."
"What could you do?" I asked him, "you were chained up, you were having the shit beat out of you all the frigin time. You couldn't do anything else baby." I set his head back on my chest as I rubbed my fingers through his hair. I pressed my lips to his head, "I love you so much. I do, Justin. I love you. She loved you and she doesn't blame you."
"How do you know?" he breathed into my shirt.
"Because I know," I nodded my head against him, "and you know that when I know, I know."
His grip tightened around me, "I love you." I continued to rub his back but when the front door opened I stopped and stood up. Justin did the same, walking through his bedroom door before me. I watched as he headed downstairs and suddenly his body flew backwards into the wall and hit the ground. I ran out only to see Cassie standing there. I quickly grabbed her and pinned her to the ground.
"Freeze!" I yelled. I watched her body tense up and I was able to put my hand down. I rushed to Justin and knelt beside him.
"I'm okay," he groaned as he rolled over and slowly sat up, "I'm alright." I looked back at Cassie as she laid on the ground. "What the hell do we do?" he asked. I pulled my phone from in my pocket and called Kira.
"Hello?" she answered.
"I have Cassie here," I belted out, "she's downstairs."
"What?" she asked, "Cassie? Alone?"
"Yes," I nodded my head, "she just barged in here and I was able to stop her before she did too much. She got ahold of Justin but it's okay. He's okay."
"Oh my god that poor kid," she shook her head, "me and Jace are out right now but we'll come back as soon as we're done. Umm don't let her go, I guess chain her up downstairs. I'll deal with it when we get back." We finished up the conversation and when I hung up me and Justin headed towards her. We took her downstairs and I chained her hands to the pole. I spelled the chains, making sure to take away any power she has while she's in them. The two of us headed upstairs and I just stood around for a couple seconds.
"I want to kill her," Justin growled, "she was a reason. She-"
"Justin," I grabbed his hand, "baby we gotta wait for Kira. She'll handle this. Remember when we figured out she was being used against her will? We can't fully blame her." He looked at me for a few seconds and stormed by me, walking out the back door and slamming it behind him. "Seriously?" I whispered while sighing, "this is not going to make things better. Justin!" I ran out after him, picking up his scent and following it deeper into the woods. "Justin!" I yelled, "babe come on!"
"Will you fight with me?" he appeared out of no where, "will you?"
"Will I fight you?" I repeated, "no. No I will not fight you. Come on."
"I need you to," he stepped closer to me, "please." I stuck to my answer, shaking my head no. "Esme please!" he yelled. He hasn't ever raised his voice at me, towards me, nothing.
"I am not hurting you," I shook my head, "maybe you feel you deserve that pain because of what happened to Grace but you don't. Okay? You don't!" I stepped closer to him. His face was bright red, his veins were popping from his neck and arms as his eyes stayed full of tears. "You don't deserve that pain," I grabbed his hand and pulled him to me before wrapping my arms around him firmly, "baby you don't deserve anything."
"I'm sorry," he started to cry again. I felt horrible. I've never seen him cry, never known him to and since she passed... I feel like when I see him, I see nothing but sadness. "I didn't mean to yell at you," he shook his head, "I'm so sorry Esme. I'm sorry. I-"
"It's okay," I kissed the side of his head, "everything's okay. Just... please can we go home? Please? Nothing is going to get better out here."
"I want to go see her," he said, "I want to go sit by where I buried her." I nodded my head as I looked into his eyes.
"Okay," I continued, "okay we can go."
"You don't have to," he sighed while looking at the ground, "I don't want you to feel like you have to."
"No," I shook my head, "no it's okay. Really, it's okay. Come on, we'll go." He started that way. I felt so bad for him... what can I do? There's a happiness spell I could use. No, I probably shouldn't use that, the damage it could do once it wares off may be far worse.
"Stop," he stuck his hand out suddenly, "you hear that?" I listened closer with him and heard the breathing of a deer about a mile ahead. He looked at me and when I nodded he shifted, I did the same. It felt good to be a wolf again. The two of us took off running after it and within a few seconds we were stalking him on the hillside.
"Go that way," he linked with me, "we can go from either side."
"Lets be honest," I looked at him, "all it takes is one jump from you. That's all you need. I'll head over there." He nodded his head one time and I started to the other side of the buck. I watched him lunge forward and like I said, all he needed was one jump. I heard its neck break as he sank his teeth into its neck. I shifted and walked over to him, setting my hand on his head. "Alright you ready?" I smiled. He nodded his head again and I started running to where her grave was. He followed alongside me and before long we slowed down and came to a stop. He dropped the dear and shifted back into a human, walking over and sitting down in front of the cross he had woven out of sticks. He sat in silence with his eyes shut and his head bent on his hands. I listened to his heartbeat racing in his chest.
I set my hand on his shoulder, slowly moving my thumb back and forth. I knelt down and pressed my lips to the top of his head. He sat up straight, wiping his eyes and then standing. He turned around and started walking away without a word.
"Babe?" I asked him while grabbing the deer, "Justin, hold on." I ran to catch up with him and when I saw him all I saw was defeat. We made our way back in silence and when we got there and opened the back door, I was surprised to see shopping bags scattered around the living room.
"Why would you do that!" I suddenly heard Kira yelling from downstairs. I started running towards the basement door, listening as I made my way, "you let them kill them!" I ran down the stairs to see Jace pinned against the wall and Kira was choking Cassie. "I loved them and they're dead!" She screamed. Her face was bright red and her cheeks stained with tears, "you didn't help me! You didn't help anybody!"
"Kira!" I yelled, "Kira wait! If you're gonna do this you need to be sure!" I threw my hand forward, freeze burning her fingers to make her let go. Cassie started gasping as Kira grabbed her hand and made eye contact with me. I watched her eyes dart behind me and when I turned around, Justin stood watching.
"Do you want her dead?" Kira asked, "do you want her gone?" I felt like my jaw dropped. I couldn't believe she was basing this off that question.
I couldn't let him answer. I knew what he'd say, "Don't answer that-"
"No," he shook his head. My jaw actually dropped this time. I spun around and looked at him again, he made eye contact with me and continued to speak, "she was under a spell every time she was against us, each time she was on their side. She was forced into it. It wasn't her."
"I told you," Cassie blurted out, "I told you. John had been doing it to me and supposedly Jazz or Falco or whatever took it over once he died. I was a pawn. I-"
"Shut up!" Kira snapped at her. She was mad, I understood but she can't kill her. I know she won't. She wouldn't. "You have always been strong enough to break from their spells," she growled as she walked closer to Cassie, "a second mom to me is dead, she was there when you weren't. Never worried about her husband beating me. She was good. She had a daughter, she was smart and kind. She'd give the shirt off her back. She's dead. My best friend will never see her mom again! You had the power to stop it! The child we took in here, Grace, she was 12 or 13. She was a kid! A child! Justin's pack was slaughtered and she was the only survivor! I brought her back to life.. I looked at her as my own. I looked after her with my life and in the end I couldn't give mine for hers! I would have! She's dead! She's gone! Justin won't ever see her again, I won't!" Cassie was bawling, she should be. I get she was spelled but if Kira is telling the truth and she did have the power, then keep crying bitch. Keep realizing. "I loved her. We all loved her. She lived in this house! Her room is upstairs, Cassie! You had the power to stop it!" Kira continued, "you could have stopped it..."
"I'm so sorry," Cassie shook her head, "I am sorry Kira. I never meant for this to happen. I didn't know it would or was happening until he brought it my realization. I'm sorry. I love you. I-"
"You don't love me," Kira gently started to laugh and it slowly became a little louder, "you don't. You had the power to stop it! You aren't even denying it because you know! You had the power to stop it and you didn't! You didn't because part of you believed it was right!" She got even closer, wrapping her fingers around Cassies throat. I watched as a green color started to glow under Kiras hand. Both of their eyes rolled back and their heads fell back.
"Kira?" I asked, "hey? Kira!" What is happening. It continued for about 10 seconds and we all just stood and watched. It didn't appear to be hurting them...
Suddenly it went away and Kira went back to normal like nothing happening. Cassie was still slumped backwards but her eyes were normal. Kira still had her hand around her throat, "I don't accept your apology, I won't. The only reason I'm letting you out of here is because you were being spelled and because Justin and Jace have the same mindset. I don't ever want to see you again and I'm forever cloaking you. It'll break when I die."
Kira let go of Cassie and she fell backwards, as if all her strength was gone. What did Kira do? What was that? I watched as Kira stood and held her hand out. "No," Cassie begged tiredly, "pl..please. N.. no."
"For all around me, witness thee, eternal cloak the traitor I see," Kira spoke sternly, angrily. She then walked to Cassie again, "I don't know why you're acting like that now, you were fine a couple minutes ago." She unchained her hands, "leave. I never want to see you again. Ever. You're dead to me." She was inches away from Cassies face when she finally backed off. Jace landed on his feet again and stood there for a few seconds staring at Kira. "What?" She questioned.
"You're just letting her go?" He asked, "in here? And what did you do?"
"No. We're putting her outside and she can find her way elsewhere," she shook her head, "and what do you mean? I cloaked her."
"Before that," he grabbed Cassie and Kira opened the back door, "you grabbed her throat and there was this green light glowing. Her eyes rolled back, your eyes rolled back and then both your heads fell backwards. You woke up fine, like nothing happened... her, not so much."
Kira was confused, unsure. As if she didn't even remember, "I don't know, I-"
"You took my magic?" Cassie asked, "you took my magic?! Give it back!" What does she mean Kira took her magic? Is that possible? Jace tossed her outside and Kira shut the door. Cassie stood on the other side, banging her fists against the door.
"You took her magic?" I asked. She turned and looked at me after locking the door fully. Her eyes went back to Justin.
"Thank you," he said randomly behind me, "I know I haven't talked much. I'm sorry. I don't blame you, I blame me. But thank you for handling it the way you did. I know you tried." I looked back at Kira in shock and saw her eyes gloss over. That's the first time he's spoken to her. I'm sure it's a huge relief on her end too.
"I'm sorry Justin," she shook her head, "and thank you." She looked back and me and Jace, "I don't know what I did. I don't remember. I don't know." Cassie continued to beat on the door and oh how it was becoming annoying. Kira held her hand up, her fingers were all spread and her eyes were shut. I watched a blue spark light up the door and her banging stopped.
"What was that?" I asked her. Something isn't right... right?
"She's gone," her eyes opened and she looked at me, "we don't have to worry."
"What? What do you mean shes gone?" I scoffed while walking to the door and unlocking it, "what is happening?"
"I don't know where I sent her but she's gone," she nodded again, "I just know I sent her away."
"Kira," Jace said slowly, "do you feel okay?"
"I'm angry and I'm sad," she shrugged, "but-"
"Is she dead?" he asked, "did you kill her?"
"What?" Kiras eyebrows furrowed, "no. She's not dead. I just sent her away. I don't know. It's like something clicked on and I just did it. Like it came naturally or something. Like Jessica can portal, it was kind of like that."
"You grabbed her neck and a green light just started glowing," he continued to explain again, "what was it?"
"I. don't. know." she said sternly, "I don't remember any of that happening. I feel fine, I don't think it hurt her. I just-"
"Do you think you actually took her magic?" I asked while stepping closer to her, "like actually? Is that possible?"
"I don't know," she held her hands at her side. I could tell she was getting annoyed. "I just need a minute," she walked by us and up the stairs, opening the door and leaving the basement. I looked back at Jace.
"Should we be worried?" he looked at me.
"I don't know," I shook my head, "it doesn't seem to be hurting her or anything. Maybe it was a one time thing? Maybe Cassie was just exaggerating to get our attention?"
"I don't think so," Justin shook his head, "I think she took it. I hope she did. Cassie deserves to die, deep down I wanted to rip her head off myself but that's not the fair thing to do. I hope she never gets to use her powers again." He spun around, his back to us and walked out of the basement.