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Acacia/Ciarán - Age 14

Meliorist Sanctum

Inhale.

Exhale.

Focus.

The dorm room fades around me as Sinéad and Fae had gone grocery shopping.

My index fingers and thumbs press against one another as I create a triangle before me. With eyelids closed, I can feel something tugging at the furthest reaches of my mind, a numbing sensation trailing through my muscles as I connect with the darkness. The shadows of my mind become a reality as I can feel it all around me.

My eyelids flutter open; the vibrant purplish wisps encircle around my hands before slithering up and coiling around my forearms like serpents. I briefly see the flicker of the spider webs materializing before me; however, I push past that block, and I feel something spinning. Weaving and manifesting energy out of the air...I pull my digits away from one another, creating an outer circle as a spherical ball appears before me.

It spins on an axis like the world itself, my gaze staring intensely into the abyss which forms through the threads. It offers a warm yet cooling feeling to radiate from the ball, tilting my head to the side as I glimpse further into it.

I feel it digging deeper into my soul, clawing at me but a split second later...before I can succumb to its wishes, it's that same sound like a transformer going out in the dorm room. The energy before me ignites briefly with a bloody red hue before it completely disappears.

Feeling my heart racing fast, I attempt to catch my breath as I turn my gaze all over the room, appearing as if I'm hearing and seeing the slightest detail and sound. A moment later, everything vanishes as I feel that warm glow, see the golden light before I exhale sharply.

Happening again...

...it's happening again...but I'm not with Grandpa Keir's pack.

It's...

...me.

Instead of focusing and trying to recognize everything around me harshly, I let the scene consume my mind.

We're standing there...dad and I. We're in my room at the castle, but I see there is anger on my features. We stare one another down while dad says something to me, trying to get me to come closer to him. I don't though.

For some reason...I don't.

I don't find safety in his arms.

Anger...

...the chess set shatters. The pieces fly everywhere when I throw it from my side table onto the marble floor. I'm screaming something at him...but I can't hear the words.

Hurt...

I feel the immense pain in my chest before it suddenly consumes my entire being. Everywhere is painful...everywhere hurts and I can't escape it.

I breathe in and out, gasping for air as I begin to form the room around me, the image lifting away.

Why?

Why was I so angry with dad?

"Yo!" Sinéad bursts through the door with Fae fluttering in overhead. Fae immediately heads toward her bed, dropping onto it with a light plopping sound before she reaches for something on the side table. Shaking my head, I turn to see Sinéad lingering in the doorframe.

As she taps her fingers against it, grinning like an idiot I ask her, "Can I help you?"

She shrugs her shoulders and gives me this devious smile when she says, "You didn't tell me you were dating the senior werewolf."

"What are you talking about?" I shake my head and slowly stand up at the side of my bed, "We aren't dating...where would you get that-"

"He's waiting for you...you're an hour late for a coffee date," she laughs at me while Fae also can't help her giggling coming from her side of the room.

Oh...

...I completely forgot.

We were going to get coffee and get to know each other a little better...

...that's not a date though.

Fae is suddenly in front of my face, her hand poking the tip of my nose as she states, "I think she's sick."

"What?" I question while shooing her away, waving my hand in front of my face while she flies up a bit higher.

"You did get quite pale for a second," Sinéad mentions. Without another thought, I feel terrible as I quickly put my shoes on and run right by her. While smiling wide and waving at me down the stairs, she says, "Bring back marshmallows! We forgot them for the hot chocolate!"

Her words go in one ear and out the other as I quickly cross the common room. Grasping the door handle, I fling it open, my face reddening the second I see Bryant standing near one of the courtyard columns. Once he sees me, I'm sure he's going to be upset; however, his eyes find mine, and he waves me over with a smile on his face.

"I am so-"

"Standing me up, huh?" He laughs while I'm still red in the face.

I wave my hands in front of me and stammer, "N-No...I...I...umm..."

"Coffee isn't your thing?" He offers while I continue to swallow the knot at the edge of my throat from embarrassment.

"No...I'm so sorry...I completely forgot..." it sounds even worse saying it out loud than it did in my head. After a few moments of silence, I sincerely say, "I didn't mean to stand you up...I've had so much going on, and I just can't think straight."

Bryant's features soften, and he says, "I'm just kidding. It's alright; I can imagine you being who you are that you have a lot going on."

"Thank you for understanding," a weak smile makes its way onto my face as he doesn't press any further. He nods, and we walk around the courtyard before heading down the pathway toward the more market area of the school where we can buy things for our rooms and grocery shop.

There is a small coffee shop that we stop at, Bryant opening the door for me as he motions and says, "Ladies first."

Cute and a gentleman...

Turning my eyes away from him so he can't see the expression that lingers on my face, I step into the shop. Taking a few steps inward, Bryant allows the door to swing shut behind him as he stands behind me. My eyes lift to the many selections, and I can't figure out what I want...I don't need caffeine since it's getting late in the evening...

...but hot chocolate would be delicious now that Sinéad has planted that into my head about the marshmallows.

I hadn't noticed Bryant walk next to me while leaning down slightly and asking, "What would you like to drink?"

"Hot chocolate please," I smile and he chuckles. When he does react this way to my selection I ask, "What?"

This causes him to laugh more.

"What?!" I look down at myself and around me, trying to figure out what it is until he shakes his head.

Bryant chuckles while stating, "I'm sorry...it's just so cute the way you scrunch your nose when you're getting riled up..." his voice trails off, and I see the way he glances at me sideways while standing to his full height, "...though you could have me fooled...I see you more as a wolf."

Uh...

While he steps away from me after that comment, I head toward one of the high tables looking outside at the pathway. Sitting up on the stool, my eyes land on students getting their supplies for the week before heading back toward the central part of the school. It's a few minutes later when Bryant sets a hot chocolate down in front of me.

My eyes widen, and I immediately grab it, feeling the warmth of the mug. He sits up on the stool, taking a sip of his own after blowing on the steam rising from the surface.

He glances at me now and then while I stare out at the pathway through the windows or down at my hot chocolate. After a bit, he asks me, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah..." my voice trails off as I'd just been caught up in random thought.

"Are you sure?" He arches a brow once I finally pull my attention away from the hot chocolate and stare into his eyes.

"Sinéad said this is a date," I glance away from him and take another sip from my mug.

Bryant then asks, "Oh? She did...now did she?" He observes me as I catch him looking me over out of the corner of my eye. A few moments later he takes a sip of his coffee before saying, "Whatever this is...it's completely up to you."

"What?" I question before I lift my gaze to see that it's his wolf I'm also speaking with.

His golden irises flicker briefly as he states, "If you want it to be a date...then it is but if you don't...we're merely two friends having coffee."

"Correction," I point at my mug and state, "one of these two friends is having hot chocolate."

"So...friends then?" Bryant asks, and I see that spark like I'd seen many times before in another...

Nodding my head, I take another sip of my hot chocolate before my eyes scan back out to the pathway. It's getting dark, the lights turning on in the absence of the sun.

It's very brief...but I see him.

Mercury stands near the corner of one of the buildings; his eyes fixated on me. The second our gazes meet, my heart rate accelerates... mainly because he's nodding for me to come out to him.

He's left me alone for so long...why start something now?

"I..." I turn to Bryant as he's setting down his mug before I finish, "...I need to go."

"Sure thing," he stands from the stool as I also lift away from mine. He nods in the direction of the door and says, "I'll walk you back."

"No...I'll be alright," I try and head him off to the door, knowing whatever Mercury wants it's not going to be the brightest idea keeping company. He's already threatened so much...the last I need is him harming more friends.

"Okay...Acacia-"

Bryant's voice is cut off by me moving through the door, heading out onto the pathway before I walk further away. I cut down near the building I know Mercury is now waiting behind, feeling my fear rising as I approach the end of the corner.

"Acacia..." his voice makes my skin crawl, but I feel all the air leave my lungs when my back collides with the building. He's got a grip on the front of my shirt as he pins me to the wall, staring up into his eyes before he tilts his head to the side and questions, "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm sorry...what do-"

Pain radiates in my cheek from where he'd just backhanded me, tears forming in my eyes as I breathe out slowly. His voice rings in my ear when he says, "Let's try that again."

"I'm sorry Sir..." my voice trails off as I feel his eyes staring into mine, "...I don't know what you mean."

"You and werewolves," Mercury shakes his head and narrows his eyes at me, "you like getting your heart broken, don't you?"

"Sir, I never-"

A squeak leaves my trembling lips when he pulls me to him, my body slamming into his while his nose is almost touching mine while he looms over me. His voice is dark when he says, "Let's get something straight...you back the fuck off of senior were-boy, and we won't have an issue."

"H-He's m-my d-date for t-the ball," I manage to get out before he hisses right in my face, seeing his irises shift to a bloody red.

"If anyone is your date to that stupid ball, it will be you taking me..." his voice is dark again, and I tremble against him. I feel the anger rolling off of him in waves, and I can't understand why and he snarls one last time, "Understand, Slave?!"

Nodding my head as tears fall down my cheeks I reply with, "Y-Yes S-Sir-"

"What the fuck are you doing to her?" My heart drops to the pit of my stomach when I hear Bryant's familiar voice.

While Mercury slowly pulls his face away from mine, both of our gazes land on Bryant as he stands at the edge of the corner, coming into full view. Mercury states, "This doesn't concern you."

"I see where Ciarán's mind is being plagued..." Bryant's voice trails off as he accuses, "...perhaps you are the sole reasoning behind his acted decisions upon the student council."

My heart beats extremely fast as the two of them stare one another down. Just as Mercury is about to say something, Bryant cuts in and states, "Acacia is protected under the Covenant of the Code enacted by her mother, the Hybrid Queen Rose Valentine. If you honestly believe you're going to get away with the way you're treating her, you're out of your mind."

"She acts of her own accord," Mercury retorts while pulling me hard into his side.

"Cut the crap because we both know that isn't true," Bryant shakes his head as his golden irises are sympathetic, his wolf reaching out to me. A second later he says, "Whatever it is you're blackmailing her with...you can-"

"You don't know what I can and can't do," Mercury is angrier now, though his features reflect a very calm demeanor. It's completely shifted when he releases his hold on me, and I stumble a few feet to the side. Balancing myself, Bryant has Mercury's full attention when he says, "I've gotten away with it this long...so what makes you believe you are any different from her blind as fuck parents who refuse to see what's happening around them?"

Bryant remains silent as Mercury continues, "Tell me...you honestly believe that I have zero connections in this world? That I don't have contingencies set in place for if something were to get out?" He points at me next and chuckles, "Go ahead...tell Dante...tell Cormac...hell, tell Rose when they come to the end of the year ball because I guarantee you...Acacia will not live to see another sunrise."

My heart beats so fast, my gaze flickering from Bryant to Mercury while Mercury continues, "So let's gamble right here and now if you like...go ahead and take a shot at me and get yourself banned from the ball just like the mermaid and siren sisters...you'd be making my job that much easier."

Everything...

...he ruins everything...

...why?!

What did I do?!

Tears are falling down my cheeks, and I hiccup a sob, Mercury's gaze landing on mine. He looks me over once before releasing a sigh and turning to Bryant before compromising, "If you're not into gambling...let's make a deal then," he nods at me and then says, "take the bitch to the ball as your date...but say a single word and my threat remains..."

How?

How is he just like my dad when it comes to playing with others?

I'm nothing like my dad off the chessboard...I can't compete with application in the real world, and it's just making me feel that much more insignificant.

Bryant narrows his eyes and snaps, "I don't trust vampires that easily...especially any spawn of Taft's."

"Oh...I don't expect you to trust me," he laughs before finishing, "you just need to believe in one thing..." his voice trails off when he finally sets his gaze on me stating, "...my threats are not idle...and Miss Acacia has had first-hand experience with that."

Mercury tilts his head to the side as he brings his no longer bloody red irises back to Bryant however...Bryant's wolf is still present when Mercury walks forward. He outstretches his arm while arching a brow and asking, "So...do we have a deal?"

Bryant is quiet for a long while before he finally outstretches his arm and shakes Mercury's hand.

It's like making a deal with the devil...

...where's the catch?

💫--To Be Continued--💫
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