Her Fate

City of Angels

I make my way back to the training room, my mind still trying to understand what had happened. The second I had left the room I already felt myself wanting him. Then I remembered the pain before. When I was trying to remember things before this. It had to be a really powerful spell to affect all of us. But it clearly wasn't strong enough because some of us kept breaking it for a few moments before it comes back.

It suddenly all made sense. If it was a memory spell, that's why Max had spoke to me as if we knew each other. The way my body reacted to him. I longed for his touch. Yet he went through so much to hurt me. Hurting Chris... He only would have known he could get to me by doing that if he had known us both. But then there was the matter of Connor. My body reacted more to him. I wanted Max's touch but I wanted Connor so much it actually hurt.

Clearly, I had history before this with both Max and Connor. I couldn't even begin to imagine what our history had been like when I heard a loud growl. My head snapped up, I had reached the doors of the training room. The second I heard the growl, I flew through the doors. My eyes locked on a huge wolf in a fighting stance, facing Hex. They were circling each other and my eyes glowed red.

The wolf had dark fur, almost completely black but for the ring of lighter brown fur around his neck. My vampire instincts kicked in and I hissed, stepping back. My hiss seemed to distract Hex and the wolf, as they both faced me. Before I could attack, someone wrapped their arms around me and held be back. "Fangsy! It's okay!" Chris yelled, his grip loosened once I stopped fighting.

Then I noticed the wolf's eyes and my one widened. They were red. Blood red. Instantly I knew who it was. But that made no sense. I had never heard of a Lupin having red eyes like a vampire. I calmed, though I wasn't happy. Why didn't anyone tell me Logan was a Lupin? I paused. No, not a Lupin. I remembered the electricity. "Sublimis." I speak slowly and Logan's ears perk up as his form relaxes.

When Connor is back in the room and Logan is human again I speak. “Okay, so, if this whole thing is planing to work. With us living together so we can get what we want, Max and Maxine dead, we are going to have to set a few ground rules.” Before anyone can object, I continue, “Rule number one, there will be no secrets about anything as important as what you are.” My eyes clash with Logan’s and he nods, looking down. “Secrets from your past are okay unless you want to tell someone, in which case you obviously can. Rule two, there will be no judging of things like what you eat or how you fight. If there is you will have to deal with me kicking your ass. Rule three, we will be doing chore type things. Before you all groan, it is only because I don’t want Responsum having to constantly clean up after all of us.” Responsum gives me a grateful smile and I smile back. Everyone is quiet, and when it seems like I won’t say anymore, Kiera speaks.

“I think we can all agree to those. And as we spend more time together we can all come up with more rules that you have to approve. Everyone who is okay with that raise their hand.” Everyone’s hands shoot up, “keep your hands up if you also vote Piper to be our rightful leader.”

No one falters. I look at Kiera and smile. She may enjoy teasing me more than anything but she still has my back, no matter what. She smiles and winks at me as they finally start to lower their hands. I do have to know, why she felt the need to speak in front of everyone about this. All those years of being in front of a lot of people, and now I decide to not be comfortable. You would think I would be more prepared to lead a group of people.

“Okay then, we should probably make sure we at least know each other, and I don’t necessarily mean locking yourself in a room with one other person and interviewing them. I mean we can break off into teams of three or whatever when we have to go get more info. You don’t have to talk about life stories, just make sure you are comfortable with one another.” I sigh then look at Responsum in the corner writing on his paper. “I am going to probably regret this but I ask that Responsum please put teams together because if I do it, it will likely end badly.” Responsum’s head snaps up at his name and he looks surprised for a moment before grinning.

“I already wrote down teams I think are best to sweep different cities. We don’t know where everyone that we need is but we know that there are three more people.” He walks over and hands me a paper. After looking at it I smile. This is gonna be fun!

“Okay! Jamie, you are with me. Connor with Hex and Kiera, Logan with Chris. Connor, you guys are going to Washington. Chris, you two are going to Chicago. Jamie and I are going to Los Angeles!” I squeal with delight as the group disperses. Jamie and I go to my room to get me a change of clothes. “Do you want to check and see if you like anything?” I ask her once I have changed. I am wearing a black crop top, a short black skirt, and black ankle boots.

She thinks about it before hoping off my bed where she has been playing with a deck of cards, and strolling over. I take her spot as she disappears into my closet. “So, why do you seem excited to be going to Los Angeles?”

“Aren’t you?”

“Well, of course I am. You just seem like the happiest girl alive when you read the paper.”

“I have always wanted to go the Los Angeles! I love that place!”

She poked her head out of the closet and eyed me curiously. “You seem to love a lot. Your friends, your brother, dogs, Los Angeles-“ I cut her off before she wastes hours trying to say everything I love.

“I guess I do. I am still like a normal person with great ambitions. And a girl that hates two things thing above everything else.”

“Oh yeah? And what are those?”

“More like who. I hate my mother, and I hate Max. You didn’t get to see what Max did to Chris but it was horrible. I have never seen anything bad enough to make me feel like I am about to die. I was poisoned at the time but the pain started to disappear when I saw Chris like that.” I shiver for two reasons. but she didn't need to know the other one. She vanishes into my closet again.

“I’m sorry for what happened to him. I feel bad that he had to go through that.” She appears again, spinning to display the outfit she chose. A forest green knee length sleeveless dress, and black converses.

“Oh my god, you look amazing! It’s just missing one thing.” I dig through my closet, getting all the way to the back before I finally find it. “Found it!” She is standing in the same place when I get back out. I toss her a green leather jacket that is a darker shade than her dress. Jamie tugs the jacket over her shoulders.

“I love it! We are ready for Los Angeles!” She started to walk out but I shook my head.

“Not quite.” I found a red purse for me and a green one for Jamie. Then I tossed her a bright blue wallet and slid my own blood red wallet into my bag. Then I grabbed a notebook and jotted down a quick list.

“What’s that for?”

“It’s a list of things to do or get while in Los Angeles. Plus these bags were enchanted by Responsum to hold anything and everything without making it look like even a notebook is in it.” Also a good way to steal but I figure that isn’t something that needs to be said out loud. Jamie looks pleased as she looks at my list.

“Phones? Books? Computers? Do we even have enough money for all this?” Her smile faltered only slightly before I nodded. I was grinning, because Kiera and I was supposed to go shopping. We were gonna get dresses and that but technology is way better. At the school, we had never really been allowed with technology. It was used for the kind of research information not found in books or quick communication with family. Kiera loves tech more than anyone I have ever met. I would go as far as to say she loves it more than I love my friends.

“Responsum gave me and the others these wallets that can produce any amount of money you need.” I check myself in the mirror, fix my hair, and we are gone. Through my door, down the stairs, through another door, and finally through the portal. I have a key to get back in my purse and it is the only thing that seems to make the bag feel heavier.

I am frozen by excitement when I see the city, and Jamie has to drag me from the spot. “You won’t be able to enjoy the City of Angels if you go into shock.” She laughs as my face lights up and I start to walk. She links arms with me and we scurry down the packed sidewalk. People talk about poker and dancing. A group of girls is giggling about some boy that was like totally looking at them.

A homeless man is asking for money but the most anyone does is throw a measly penny in his cup, yet that small action seems to make his day. I take pity on him and drop several bills into the cup. His eyes widen in surprise and he is suddenly grinning from ear to ear.

We stop by a technology store and get fourteen of the newest models. The store lady looked at us like we were crazy until I pulled out a wad of cash and then her eyes almost turned into dollar signs. Now we had phones and chargers and several computers stashed in our bags.

“What next?”

I look at my list and excitement fills me. Before I can say anything Jamie gasps. I look at her but she has already run ahead. “Jamie! What are you doing?” I run after her but her attention is on the car.

“It’s beautiful, don’t you think?” She is staring at the bright red car and not me. I raise an eyebrow.

“Sure it is pretty, but we have other things to do.” I do love the color and all but I am more interested in finding who it is we need to.

“It’s a 2016 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray! I have wanted one forever!” She starts mumbling about the engine and wheel diameter so I stop listening.

“What does any of this have to do with finding someone?”

“Can we please take it for a spin?” Her eyes are pleading, and I find myself crumbling. Finally I nod and she sticks her finger towards the locked door excitedly. I hear a click and the door swings open. I slide into the passenger side and she gets into the driver’s seat. I am still going over the list when her door closes and the car starts. A key is in the ignition, only it is made of vines. Wow, she is incredible.

“Let’s do this.” Something in her voice makes me freeze and buckle in as fast as I can. Jamie quickly adjusts the seat, shifts gears, and slams on the gas. We lurch forward so fast, I am glued to the back of my seat. She takes a road with cars more spread out and is driving passed each car at an absurd speed. She shifts gears constantly, making us go faster. The city is zipping by when my eye suddenly catches on someone.

“Jamie. Stop the car.” She does as I say, placing her arm across my chest so I don’t slam into the dashboard. I get out of the car and run into the sidewalk. The adrenaline from the short joyride is starting to wear off but I know what I see. A boy is standing just inside an alley. This would be normal, if not for the fact that he was glowing a vibrant neon blue. He shuffles his feet nervously. He is looking at me.