Back To Blackwood
The initial plan was to stay at the Kellen residence that night but father did not like the fact that Agent Walker had asked me to dinner. He promptly got in the middle between me and Agent Walker, cocked his eyebrow and said, “Sorry Agent Walker but we are going back to Everly tonight. My father forgot his medication and he needs it for his heart.” As my father had said this, I looked at my grandfather who looked confused. He was likely thinking what I was, “when did he have heart problems.” It dawned on me at that moment that my father was barring me from going on my first real date and that pissed me off. I had gone to protest by grabbing my father by the arm, “Daddy, I don’t know what you’re talking about but could you not.” He turned and gave me a pointed look that said, “Don’t you dare protest or you will not like the consequences.” I shut my mouth and turned and stalked off to the car, threw myself in there and slammed the car door. I pulled down the window just so I could hear the conversation. My father continued, “We will be leaving immediately. Thank you for your time, Agent Walker but I think we can take it from here.” My father turned on his heel and walked towards the car and everyone else hurried after him. As he got in the car, he attempted to sit next to me and I got out and moved to the front with the driver. I turned around in my seat to look at my father and said, “I’ve decided that you are going to be persona non grata to me until I decide that I’m not pissed at you anymore.” I turned around and huffed out a big breath to emphasize that I was not pleased at his actions. From the back seat, you could hear my mother laugh, “Reggie, if you could see your face right now. You look like someone kicked your puppy and stole your candy.” Lord Kellen clear his throat and was clearly uncomfortable, no doubt because of the kick the puppy comment being a lycan who, in Vellum, was an evolution of wolves/dogs. My mother leaned towards Lord Kellen and said, “My apologies Lord Kellen, that was a very insensitive thing to say in front of you and Jess.” You could hear Lord Kellen exhale to indicate he was relaxing, “Not to worry Your Grace, I sometimes forget that the Batiste Family has lived amongst the humans for so long that you may sometimes say things you don’t mean.”
After having dropped Lord Kellen off at his townhome, we were on our way to the airport. My mother decided to speak up to my father, “Dear, you shouldn’t have made us go home so soon. This could very well have been the last time Jess could spend with her father until the holidays.” Jess interjected, “It’s okay Your Grace, I had assumed we would be coming back right away so I didn’t really pack much. I am actually anxious to get back to Blackwood so we can prepare to pick up our books. I imagine the message will be waiting for us at the house when we arrive.” My father who had remained quiet only to say bye briefly to Lord Kellen finally spoke up, “Quite right, my dear. I just hope Xan would understand I had my reasons for leaving so abruptly.” He had emphasized the word Xan in an accusatory tone. I turned in my seat to look at Jess, “Jess, you can tell my father that I understand he was trying to keep me from going out with an extremely hot guy who actually liked me.” My mother at that point sunk into her seat and muttered under her breath, “Oh for crying out loud, here we go. Jess, don’t play their stupid games. You’re best off just to ignore this bullshit that’s about to go down. Rarely do these two get into arguments that are this silly but when they do it is the most childish shit you’ll ever witness.” Father, at this point, turned to my mother and said, “You should tell Xan that I thought it would be best to get her back home before the necklace wore off and that it wouldn’t be prudent to not have her around the humans much longer than what she was.” To this I turned to look at my father and stuck my tongue out at him, “You are the biggest jerk on the planet and I hate you.” My father then looked at me amused, “Well you’re not exactly the nicest person in the world either. You little brat, I swear I don’t feel like we didn’t discipline you enough. Ungrateful, rotten brat!” I huffed, “Whatever old man. I’m not talking to you anymore for the rest of my life!” He turned away towards the window and huffed, “Fine!” Jess looked at my mother and mouthed, “Oh my Gods.”
I was sitting on the airplane waiting for take off, disappointed that I couldn’t go sight seeing in the capital. I decided that I wasn’t talking to my father for the rest of the day and I was slumped in the seat pouting. I had my head leaned into my fist where it scrunched my cheek and I was peering out of the window. It was the best way I could ignore my father who was trying his best to get my attention and talk to me. I guess he was over our little spat in the car on the way over. Good luck dude, it wasn’t going to happen. If there was one thing I inherited from my mother, it was the heat that he called passion. I would never give in until I was ready and I very much wasn’t ready. Not only did he whisk us off to the airport immediately after the meeting, which was a renege on a promise he made before we left the manor, he embarrassed me with his actions. Agent Walker was gorgeous and I certainly wanted to take him up on his offer to take me out to dinner but nooo, that man who played a part in creating me, had to butt into my business. I was not going to be pleased. All of a sudden, I felt an overwhelming desire to sleep. As this feeling came over me, I looked up at my grandfather and said, “What the f...” I had passed out before I could finish my sentence, I had to remember to voice my displeasure at the fact that my grandfather had yet again used his ability on me against my will.
I was in the dark, I couldn’t see anything and then all of a sudden, a spotlight was shown onto me. I looked down and saw a teal ball gown and gold arm length gloves. I was breathing heavily at the anticipation that I was at a ball again. I reached up to my face where I felt a mask, swirling gold filigree in the shape of a butterfly. I turned about trying to find anyone in the room with me until I felt a presence behind me, I turned and l looked up to find the partially masked face of Burnett. He smiled, “You look gorgeous, may I have this dance?” We started in a waltz to Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake in what felt like a dance on the clouds. Just as the music picks up, I felt a large presence at my back. I thought to myself, “No! Not again!” as the presence starts to pull me away from Burnett. I start to cry being ripped away from the only man I wanted to be with. This was different this time, the spotlight was following me this time. I looked up to find a fully masked face with long golden hair framing it and in the middle were set the most gorgeous chartreuse eyes. At this I started awake, we were still in the air and I was being embraced by my father. He looked at me with concern in his eyes, “Xan, my darling, are you okay?” I buried my head into the crook of his neck and sobbed, “No, I think I may be having prophetic dreams.” At that, I could hear my grandfather’s breath catch and for the first time in my life I heard him cuss, “Shit!” As we all look at him, he was cradling his head in his hands. My father asked, “Father, what ever is the matter.” He looked up with tears in his eyes and said, “I cannot believe our poor Xan inherited my father’s ability.” My mother looked confused and looked at my father, “I thought us Pyres could only have one ability, what is going on?” My father’s brows started to furrow, “I don’t know but I have a feel we will need to talk to Pretre Jean about this.”
