A/n: Yes, I'm aware of how short this. Yes, I am aware that I have not updated for four months and writing this short chapter does not make up for it. Trust me, I'm kicking myself in the ass right now as I post it. I feel awful for not being able to give you anything better and I hope you accept this apology. The end of this chapter should hold a little surprise though. Expect a better update within the coming week. Thank you for being patient with me even though I don't deserve it.
Same warnings apply.
So to say the least, after Chloe had stormed out of the library book closet she went home and had a full blown panic attack. Hyperventilating, shaky sweaty palms, pounding headaches, and well, you know the works. Her Aunt Lauren had barely walked in the front door before she stumbled over her teenage niece who had her head on her knees and was shaking like a leaf.
Lauren shut the door and slid down the wall to sit next to Chloe. "Chloe, what's wrong? The last time you left school early and I found you like this you had started your period and you were madder than anything." She paused when she saw that Chloe was looking at her with tear stained cheeks. "Okay, most definitely not mad."
Chloe let out a laugh that was completely devoid of humor. "Oh, no, I'm mad. Mad and embarrassed and confused and high school sucks."
"Heh, I understand that. I'll have to tell you some stories of mine later. C'mon Chlo, tell me what's wrong." Lauren softened her voice and grabbed Chloe's hand.
Chloe groaned and banged her head on the wall hard enough for Lauren to wince. "He knows, oh god, he knows."
"Wait, what?" Lauren stood up and held her hands out for her niece to grab on to.
With an annoyed sigh, Chloe pulled herself up and looks Lauren straight in the eye. "You know." Her voice sounded strange, almost robotic.
Lauren's eyes widened and she pressed her lips together. "Oh, oh." She played with Chloe's hands, trying to calm her down.
"Yeah, he knows and he told me I was a, oh what was it, um a Necromancer?" At the word Chloe paled even though it came from her own mouth.
"A...Necromancer?" Lauren goes still and grabs Chloe's chin. "Who is this he?"
Chloe sighed and gently pulled her chin away. "Derek Souza, my partner who is helping me with Paisley."
Lauren stared at her niece with an odd expression on her face. Chloe could see the calculating look in her eyes that she got when she was thinking really hard about something. It looked like her aunt was thinking about whatever it was really hard and she couldn't quite find the right words to say. The last time Chloe had seen Lauren think this hard about something was when she had been trying to tell Chloe that her father was going on a business for a long time and would not be back anytime soon. To be completely honest? Chloe was starting to get shaky again at the thought that her aunt was possibly hiding something from her.
Aunt Lauren on the other hand was having a hard time placing the name of the kid Chloe was working with. She knew she had heard the name before and it was eating away at her not being able to tell who he was. It was on the tip of her tongue because she had a feeling she had talked about him to someone years prior and she was biting the inside of her cheek raw right in front of Chloe just thinking about it.
And then it hit her harder than a ton of bricks.
"Chloe?" Lauren's hesitated, almost as if she was afraid to ask her question.
Chloe stared at her and shook her head, hopefully thinking she would be told later of what her aunt was thinking of. "Yeah?"
"Go into the kitchen and look up the word that the boy told you. My computer should be on the counter. I just realized I had a business phone call I needed to make." Lauren nudged Chloe in the direction of the kitchen and Chloe just nodded and obeyed her aunt's request.
Lauren walked into the family room, a troubled expression her face, and pulled out her cell phone. She dialed a number she thought she would never use again and took a few deep breaths as the phone started ringing. Soon enough she heard a chipper man on the other line give a happy sounding hello.
"Yes, Kit? Why was I uninformed that your son was working with my niece."
