The second I felt arms around me, I didn't want to let go. I felt fragile in his embrace.
I'm a curse, I told myself. I shouldn't be alive.
James held me up weightlessly. At first I watched the half second we were zooming out of the arena. Now it was a slow second, he walks his way through the wide open space, his arms still wrapped around me.
My father always did this, if I was fragile from a wound or from a nervous breakdown. The last time he did was that night I last saw him.
The house was burning and my father tried his best to find me. I was down already, inhaling the smoke and coughing roughly. My throat was dried then and I tried my best not to breathe in the clouds of gray.
I was in the basement, where the fire first started. It surrounded me, the stairs was half burnt and the gas was spreading, taking up as much as possible and with the touch of the fire, the whole line started to flame.
I covered my mouth and nose with the hem of my shirt but it was useless, I felt myself fainting and slowly dying from the thick clouds.
"KATHY"
I tried my best to wave my arm, calling my father.
"Oh Kathy" he purrs, knowing he's trying hard to calm down. "You'll be okay"
He drops the fire blanket, blocking the fire for him to pass by, lifting me in his arms. I finally felt safe and living. Alive. Finally.
A few fire trucks were parked on our front and as we both step out, they hurdled in. The time I let go of my father, I felt doubtful I'd see him again because in that moment I saw him step his way in once again. Then the house bursted into flames.
I cried, watching the fire strengthen, grasping waves of oxygen. It's building itself up. I screamed and felt myself deafening from it. Andre came in and held me in his arms, crying out for our father to return.
Mother blamed nobody but me. She loved father dearly and she was furious when he died. It was a switch, from love to hate. She treated me like dirt, maybe even lower. Making me the slave of the house.
Pointing at me with her forefinger, fisting my shirt. "You did this, child" she says harshly. "YOU KILLED YOUR FATHER"
"Kathleen" Jason cooed, waking me from my memory.
I was laying on the same cavern bed like earlier that day. "I'm a curse, aren't I?"
Jason shushes me, wiping the sweat off my forehead. "I know this wasn't supposed to happen. But it did"
"I'm the package" I spoke silently.
"Kath" Jason frowns. "This only means you're one of a kind. You're an immortal. You're-"
"The chosen one" I continued his sentence. He suddenly tenses and takes a step back.
"How did you-?" He squints.
I rested my head on the soft pillows. "I -"
"JAMES" Jason yells, calling the vampire.
A strong force came passed through the curtains but thin as the winds, James stood beside Jason. Surprising him.
"What's going on?" He turned to me. "Are you okay?"
"She knows" Jason explains as they faced each other. With their facial expression, James read Jason quickly.
"I need a moment" James says. Laying a reassuring hand in Jason's shoulder as he strolls off.
"Kathleen" James faces me, sitting on the edge of the bed as I forced myself up. "Tell me everything"
I may have sugar coated the events with Elijah but James saved me, probably twice now, counting what happened in the arena. I had to tell him. So I did.
"The green acid spoke?" Jason asks, furrowing his brows in confusion.
"It was like a hiss" I explained. "And the blade"
"I understand the blade" He says which reassured myself that I wasn't crazy.
"Kill the chosen one? Kill the witch's daughter?" James asks. "That's what the acid said.
"Yup" I popped the p. "The witch? As in, Alicia?"
I faced him but his eyes were closed, fingers on his temple as if it ached, "Acid speaking?"
"Get over it" I laughed.
"It just seems impossible" He complains
"I'm here"
A boy with ivory hair opened the curtains. His shirt was scruffy dirty and had holes in it,
Also in his pants. His face had smeared soil and he was quite hairy and smelt like a dog.
"Robert" i said.
He turned to me in shock and looked at James furiously. "You dare put an immortal with us?!"
"She's not what you think she is" James explained.
"She's a curse" Robert pointed at me but his eyes were on James. "She will lead us to the end of Supernatural camp"
"Watch your tone" James said ferociously.
"No you watch your tone" Robert says, stepping in. "One bite from me and you're dead"
"You're the werewolf" I sighed but he looked at me intently. "You're Robert, the alpha"
They both watched me.
"James, give me a minute?" I asked as James left hesitantly.
"I'm not afraid of you" Robert says but with his facial expression, I was unsure if he is.
"I know you have something with another woman from a different faction" I explained. "I kind of heard it in my dreams"
Robert's eyes widen. "I-"
"Her name was Cassy" I explained. "And I bet with all my life she's a trainee as a siren. Professor told me strict rules of dating in the camp"
Robert turned as if to check his surroundings. "What did you see?"
"You were at the back" I say. "Kissing and Cassy wanted you to leave with her. But-"
"I rejected it" Robert continued, knowing my dreams were all true. "Because of-"
"Elijah" I say.
Elijah didn't talk about family matter but I bet Robert was as broken as he is. He looked woken up by what I discovered. He looked quite older than Elijah which made sense and had the same tanned skin.
"Your brother" I say confidently.
"Did he tell you this?" Robert asks.
"No" I quickly answered, standing.
"Then how did you know?"
"I don't know" I sighed. "Its just do"
Robert scoffed.
"Look" I breathed. "You may hate me all you want but I'm not so sure you would like to do that"
"I don't" He honestly answers.
James came in disturbing us but I didn't want to change such a subject.
"How long were you here?" I asked Robert who just stood quiet.
"Just a year" James answered for him and it looked like Robert desperately wanted to punch him.
"Percentage?" I asked politely.
"88%" James answered once again and this time, Robert tackled him playfully, keeping his mouth off.
"Boys" I sighed before they stood upright listening. "Doesn't that mean I'm stronger than you? I am a 100% werewolf."
"Oh please" Robert shrugs. "I'm the alpha"
"Based on his percentage" James explained.
"But I have a higher percentage, meaning I could be the alpha"
Robert backs down. "You're not serious are you?"
I shrugged sarcastically. " I don't know, you tell me"
Robert rolled his eyes but I could see he didn't want to give up his clan just like that. He was afraid and he didn't have any choice.
"How dare you black mail me?" He squints.
"How dare you insult me?" I answer back as James scoffs. Robert glared at him before James pretended as if it was a cough.
"Fine" Robert answered. "What do you need?"
"I need you to train me" I answer and both jumped in surprise.
"No! My pack will obviously be upset, this is outrageous" Robert complains.
"You have no power to decide that, we still have to talk to Duke and the rest" James argues,his face hot.
"But what do you want me to do?" I asked, my arms folded and my tone louder than theirs. "Sit around like a special child. That would make me more like a curse"
I turned to Robert who stood quiet. "You may look at me like that. As a curse and as a bad luck voodoo whatever. But I see myself as I have a gift"
I sounded more confident than 20mins ago and I wanted it to stay that way.
"Secret trainings" I assure them.
"Who from the siren and Banshee team? We got Elijah and Jason from the rest."Robert asks.
"I would like to keep my connections low" I said. "Cassandra"
James scoffed as if knowing Robert's secret. "You don't know Cassy, Kath. She's stupid"
I felt Robert fighting hard to stop himself from nudging his shoulder.
"Connections low, nobody will know" I explained as if it was a good idea.
I faced James. "Know anyone from the Banshees"
He shook his head. "They're creepy and silent like stalkers. Nobody likes that"
"Then we better start soon" I smiled as he did too, leaving Robert frowning.
_____
I ordered James to call his friends while Robert takes care of the siren, Cassy.
I stayed in the cavern and braided my hair from boredom.
Though I was still surprised of my power. Such power. Being a hundred percent of all. I'm all of the strongest. I didn't know how I got the genes.
I tried recalling nights in my room when the moon was full.
Nights in my room was fuzzy, like the night of the party. I wondered why. Magic? I couldn't even think I would do such things.
A jar stood in front of me. I placed out my left hand, resting them and pretending I was hugging the figure of the jar. I closed my eyes and concentrated. And tensed my fingers till I heard a crack.
I opened my eyes quickly to see the jar still standing whole, no cracks. Confusion hit me.
"Whoops"
I turned to James who lifted his foot from a cracked vase.
"What is it?" I say, standing.
"Duke wants to talk to you"
______
"Kathleen" he says softly. "How well do you know your family?"
"Bad" I answered after he nod to proceed.
"I never knew my grandparents from both sides. My father had no siblings nor cousins and so does my mom. Though, my dad was a Filipino and we stayed in Manila before I turned 16. We stayed in New Orleans till I'm 18 and the time my father died, we moved to New York" I explained.
"Was your dad a Filipino?" Duke asks politely.
"I guess" I shrugged.
"Filipinos are most likely prone to have the werewolf gene" Duke explains, facing me and the rest: James, Robert, Jason and Elijah.
Robert scowled. "My mom was a Filipino"
"Shape shifters are more from western countries, especially sirens" Duke explained. "Banshees from the Irish region mostly and witches are south Asian.
"So how will we figure Kathleen's history when she doesn't have any?" Robert argues.
I sat in front of them, as if they were watching a careless child. My mind on other things.
"Did you ever experience hardship?" Duke faces me.
"Not other than the excruciating pain that school day" I answered honestly.
"No, darling" Jason protests. "That effect was clearly from a demon. Helena fed you sugar coated poison ever since you were young. Clearly effected you in that time"
"Well" I shrugged. "That's all I know"
They all shook their head in thought.
"Duke" I call him. "Does the witch, Alicia, have any children?"
Duke was lost in thought but had a moment to glare at the children responsible for sharing such an information.
"There was a myth that she did have children" Duke explains.
"Twins" James spoke. "Georgina and James"
"You had a twin?" I asked respectfully as he nodded. "My foster mother told me we lost her in a fire, but I never believed that"
"But-" I was cut off by a camper who hurriedly ran to Duke, disturbing us.
"Children" Duke calls us, his voice stern trying carefully not to expose his fear. "Lets head to dinner. I've heard there's some news for us"
We hurriedly went pass towers to camping site, wooden tables were filled with types of food. ( I didn't even realize campers in the camp would eat mortal food)
But all the campers stood by the fire watching intently. A figure stood, hands tied up behind her. She was a girl, her hair ginger and face freckled. Scratches and wounds displayed on every corner of her skin. Her hair covered her face but she was able to speak.
"Help" she cried.
She wasn't in the fire because there were desperate campers trying to free the poor girl. The fire was high which made all the campers look up to see her. The flame was flat but bursting with light and heat. The girl looked like she was in another place, dark and terrifying. A window, I thought. A window to hell.
I didn't even realize it till Jason ran over me, pushing me aside as he quickly transformed to the same eagle that night. Flapping furiously, to the front of the crowd till his beak was dangerously close to the flame.
He cawed but it wasn't the caw of pride but anger and sadness.
The girl trying breaking out of the ropes tied to her back as she cried. "Please help me"
Then I knew, it was the same voice who took over me. The 29 year old broken 'mother', my caretaker, my best friend .
Rebecca