Quantum Physics was one of Corin's favourite classes. It challenged her and the fact there were only five people in the class made it great. The teacher was brilliant and Corin had read a couple of his books. She was currently trying to finish her homework and think up a plan of attack for herself and Payton. The presence that they both felt hadn't gone away and was getting stronger. The skipped out on Nicky's most nights to train. It was putting a bigger wedge between the girls and the rest of the group and it seemed that Reid and Tyler were being extra big jerks. Several times Corin and Payton had tried to talk to them, only to be shoved aside like they were nothing, so the guys could go and talk to a more promising conquest.
The one time when Corin tried to talk to Reid, he turned to a girl standing beside him and pressed his lips to hers. Corin looked startled for a moment, before she set a look of resolve on her face.
"You know, if you didn't want to talk to me, you could have just said so, I would have left you alone. The last thing I have ever wanted to do is get in your way. When we are all done what we need to do, we'll be out of your hair for good. You won't have to worry about us cramping your style anymore." Corin said it to Reid, but loud enough for the other three boys to hear. Payton sneered at the group and looked at Pogue.
"Thanks 'big brother', nice to know who you can count on." With a flip of her head, she followed Corin out.
Caleb looked shocked for a moment and then rubbed the back of his head. "I think we may have gone too far. When I said we should watch them, I didn't mean alienate them. Reid, I so want to kick your ass right now, for hurting Corin. I'm sure Pogue feels the same way, Tyler."
"Like you're one to talk. You sure have been caring and brotherly lately." Reid bit back sarcastically. Both Caleb and Pogue hung their heads.
"We have to apologize and make it up to them." Everyone looked at Tyler.
"How?"
"I have no idea, but I can't keep doing this. It's killing me every time I see Payton frown at me. I don't agree with some of the stuff they may be doing, but they are still Corin and Payton and if I can somehow help them through their problems, I will. I don't care what you guys do, but I am going to do anything and everything I can to make it up to them and hopefully they can forgive me enough to talk to me again. I've lost the right to love Payton, but I think right now, I would be happy with her looking at me without hate in her eyes." Tyler turned and followed the same way the girls went.
"I think Baby Boy has the right idea. I've seen what girls look like who are hooked, they don't have that look. I know we all saw Corin that night at Nicky's, but maybe she was just drunk? I know you think I'm not the best choice for your sister, but I intended to prove differently, to both of you. I have been in love with Corin since I can remember, I just didn't know it back then. Since she's been here, I can't think of anyone else. I haven't even kissed her yet and every other girl pales in comparison to her." Reid followed Tyler.
Caleb looked at Pogue and sighed, "I know. I've never seen him like that before. I promise, if they forgive us and start talking to us again, I will let the two of them have a chance."
Pogue smiled at his best friend and clapped his hand on his shoulder. "Let's go man, we've got some serious damage control to do."
It was amazing watching Payton eat. Corin would have thrown up by now, from being so full. The others watched her warily, from over at their table. Tyler looked at Pogue and gave his shoulders a slight shrug. Pogue knew what everyone was thinking and he felt a bit guilty for thinking the same things himself. He looked over to Caleb and gave him a slight nod. It was time to intervene. The word was sent out to the rest of the group, after school, they would corner the two girls and confront them about their drug problem.
There were two periods left in the day and right now both Payton and Corin had study hall. Tyler, Sarah and Pogue were with them. Corin kept rubbing her head and she could feel a headache coming on.
"This is so not what I need right now." She leaned over to Payton.
"Headache or head ache?"
"Head ache." Payton looked around worried. She spotted the study hall teacher talking to the librarian.
"I think we could make it out of here. Come on, I'll help you."
"No, I won't make it home." Payton glanced around the room and went over to Sarah.
"Sarah, we need to use your room. Corin is getting a headache and needs to lay down right away."
"Sure, let's go." The two girls made their way back to Corin, who looked really pale.
"Sarah said we could use her room. Hurry."
"No, I can't. This one is gonna be a big one."
"I think it's too late to worry about that. We need leave now, before this happens in the middle of the library." Corin stood to her feet and swayed a little. Payton got under her arm and steadied her. Pogue looked over at his sister and gave her a worried look. Grudges forgotten, she motioned that Corin had a headache. Pogue got up and went to help his sister. Tyler watched curiously.
"What's going on?"
"Corin's got a really bad headache and we need to let her lay down. Move!" Pogue looked shocked at his sisters gruffness.
"I'm not gonna make it Pay, we need to step." Payton turned to Pogue, looking worried.
"Go get everyone else, now! Sarah can I have your keys?"
"I'll just come with you guys."
"You won't be able to keep up and I can only step with one other person." Sarah gave her a questioning look, but handed her the keys. "Maybe help Pogue get everyone else and meet us in your room." Payton looked around, scrunched her eyes and took a step. The next second Pogue, Sarah and Tyler, who had joined them, were staring at an empty hall.
"What the..."
"Come on, let's go get the others. I have a feeling this is big." Sarah ran off towards Caleb's class, Pogue went to get Kate and Tyler was already running to get Reid.
Payton threw the door open and quickly laid Corin on the first bed she saw. She ran into the bathroom and grabbed a cloth sitting on the sink. She brought the cold cloth to Corin and rubbed it on her face. The door opened and Pogue and Kate came in followed by Caleb and Sarah. Tyler and Reid could be heard coming down the hall.
"What is going on? Is Cor alright?" Caleb went to take a step towards his sister, but Payton held her hand up to stop him.
"Please stand back." Corin started to moan and move around. "Quick shut the door." Tyler who was closest, closed the door and Payton waved her hand at the door. There was a flash of light around the room and a squishing sound around the door.
"What the hell was that?" Pogue was always so articulate.
"I just silenced and sealed the room. She hasn't had this in a while and it looks like it's going to be big." Corin started to get louder and her arms were now flailing. Payton looked at her friend and then the people in the room. She reached over to Caleb and grabbed his arm. She pulled him over to Corin and placed his arm in front of Corin's nose. Corin started to sniff up his arm. "Quick all of you get over here. Let her smell you." She received a few incredulous looks. She placed her hands on her hips and glared at them. "Get over here now. Hurry." Everyone did as they were told, though they felt foolish. While they were doing that, Payton reached down to Corin's shirt and ripped it off of her. Then she reached down to her skirt and pulled it off.
"Well if you wanted to get kinky, all you had to do was ask." Payton glared at Reid and then she grabbed him and threw him on the bed.
"I am taking her clothes off, so they don't get completely ruined. Keep her calm." Reid looked startled, but soon settled into the half naked girl. He was rubbing her arms and head and whispering in her ear. Payton turned back to the rest. "I don't know what she is going to be, but it looks like it's going to be a big one. No one freak out. She's smelled all of you, so she will know who you are. She may have one more change after this, but that should be it."
"What are you talking about? Is she a werewolf or something?" Caleb asked, looking a mixture of pissed off and confused.
"I guess you could say, or something. Corin, she can change shape. Didn't you know?"
"Obviously not!"
"Don't get snippy with me. Not my fault you weren't informed. All of our father's knew and so did Gorman. Do you know anything about us?"
"Us who?" This time it was Pogue.
"Corin and I, who! Crap." Payton kicked the side of the bed. "Ok, Corin and I also have powers. I am able to flash step, basically walk faster than the speed of light."
"That's what you did in the hall?"
"Yes. I also have a kind of super human strength. Corin has visions and can change into several different animal forms. Both of us can also do magic."
"Your eyes don't turn black. You need to be careful about using too much."
"Calm down cowboy. No our eyes don't turn black, we aren't cursed. Because we aren't cursed, there is no problem with using too much."
"What do you mean, not cursed?"
"Only the men in the line are cursed, not the women."
"Why haven't we heard of this before? Why doesn't it say anything in the book?"
"I have no idea and there was exactly alot of reference for this. How many women through the years have been born into the families?
"Not many. Only a handful I think." Caleb guessed.
"Exactly."
"Umm, could someone help over here." Reid was on the bed, trying to restrain a thrashing Corin. Payton ran over to the bed and lifted Reid off. He looked at her shocked. She had just lifted his whole body off the bed with one arm and didn't even look fazed.
"Crap, crap. Cor, sweetie. Come on honey. Look at me." No one dared to take a breath.
A weak voice was heard through the room. "This is gonna be a big one."
"Yeah, I'll be here the whole time though." Corin nodded her head at Payton's promise.
Corin's entire body stiffened and then she started to thrash around the bed. When they thought she was going to fall off, her body arched up and she rolled over onto her hands and knees. Payton stood back and watched her friend. The others were fixed on Corin. She arched her back up and let out an agonizing scream and looked directly at the group in front of her. Her body started to morph right before their eyes. Before anyone knew it, there was a black panther sitting on the bed, where Corin used to be.