A/N: Hello Everyone! I wanted to thank everyone who took the time to review, save this story and read it^^
As to address a question I received (and I thought was important), I'd like to answer it here as well. The question was about Sam and practicing magic in the future (see how she struggles and where her strengths lie, I guess); Yes, we will see Samantha practice and try out new magic. However, to set up the story, it will go slowly. As much as I would like for Samantha to become a good witch in three chapters; that's not going to happen. She will fuck up a lot of times... Even without knowing. And yes, her way of doing magic right now is more instinctively.
Enjoy the next chapter
Chapter Seven, The Werewolf
My bare toes pressed harshly into the soft rug beneath my feet as I pressed my thumb harshly against the controller. My heart was beating fast as my avatar passed Tyler's (who now once again practically lived in the Gilbert house) and I grinned in victory. The silly video game we decided to play was bringing out our competitive sides and he grumbled when I threw an ink bomb behind me. Tyler's ears tinted with just a touch of pink when I drove over the finish line for the second time. I was in first place, having chosen Yoshi as my golden ticket and grinned manically. In the kitchen Jenna and Alaric were making preparations for dinner, or more accurately were happily making out and I was glad Tyler was there with me to help me through it.
Or more accurately, I was there helping him through the knowledge that he might be indeed part Werewolf. We still didn't know for sure, but after seeing the flash drive we thought he was. He'd been horrified when we finally watched the contents on the Flash drive two days ago. On it was a movie of Mason's transformation (he truly was a Werewolf) and it had been horrible. The screams, the way his body writhed on the ground and his eyes rolled into the back of his head, it had left me feeling rather nauseous. It still made me nauseous when I thought about it and suddenly Tyler snickered. His Mario had just bypassed my Yoshi and I gave him an irritate look. He had an odd way working through his problems.
"Guys?" Aunt Jenna came in from the kitchen, looking rather pallid and I frowned.
"Something wrong?" I asked slowly, my eyes narrowing when my avatar got hit by lightning and shrunk until he was the size of an ant. I grumbled under my breath, aiming to let Tyler bite the dust more seriously and grinned when I acquired super-speed. Mario Kart was wonderful.
"I need— I need to see my thesis supervisor." Jenna whispered looking like somehow she had ought to know that, but hadn't written it down anywhere. "He just called."
"Well," I retorted, "then you go and see him."
"Alaric wants to do some grocery shopping." She told me seriously and I paused the game, ignoring Tyler's complaint and stared up at my aunt with a frown. I understood the implications a moment later.
"I won't leave the house, Aunt Jenna." I told her solemnly. "I will stay in."
"You better do," Jenna told me threateningly and I was quite proud at myself for not rolling my eyes at her parent-behaviour. My aunt didn't notice my amusement and turned towards Alaric. He was holding a large folded shopping bag under his arm, smiling at Jenna. I thought he was amused by the display as well. After our five-day-long disappearance, aunt Jenna had been sure a good grounding was in order. I on the other end knew she wouldn't keep to it.
"Good luck," Alaric grinned at me and turned to Jenna, running his hand along her cheek and settled it on the back of her neck.
I glared at them with a faux-glare: "If you two are going to exchange saliva, don't do it in front of us."
"We're innocents." Tyler piped up, dropping his controller on the couch with a flair I found rather amusing.
Jenna gave me a look and she and Alaric moved their 'lovey-dovey goodbye saying' to the entrance hall and after I heard the obvious sounds of kissing, I exchanged a disgusted look with Tyler. It continued for several more minutes and I curled my legs up under my chin.
"Drive safe," Aunt Jenna said warmly, almost five minutes later, and they kissed again, for the umpteenth time. Tyler turned to me with a frown and I grimaced. When we heard Jenna whisper and cluck her tongue at her boyfriend as if Alaric Saltzman was a cute toddler on his first day of school, I felt my last resolve break.
"Bye Alaric!" I yelled loudly and grabbled for the remote control and turned the radio on, turning the volume of the music up and Tyler gave the most disgusted expression he could muster. I nodded in agreement and pulled my left leg under my right: "Bye Aunt Jenna!"
"Bye, Sweetheart!" Aunt Jenna greeted happily and I sighed thankfully when the door closed with a thud. Dull grey light filtered in through the windows and I waited several minutes before I yanked the pods out of my ears and moved closer to Tyler.
"I thought she'd never leave." Tyler whispered and I nodded in agreement. "Where are they both going anyway? I mean I'm happy they're gone and your sister being wherever she's supposed to be, but—"
"I think Alaric has a date with Damon and Aunt Jenna needs to meet with her thesis supervisor. I swear that thesis of hers is never going to be finished."
"Right, Damon…"
"I know—"
"I'm not sure what's up with Elena at the moment, though. She and Stefan are supposedly on a break— and believe me she didn't even put me through one of her third-degree lectures when I came home after five days of absence, but I'm pretty sure she had a male friend over this morning. Oh, yes, and Bonnie and Caroline are fighting for some reason. Well, at least Jeremy is happy. Anna took him to Europe."
"What if I trigger it?" Tyler whispered. "What if I do something that will wake the curse inside of me?"
"That can only happen when we know how you do so."
"Fine," Tyler rushed out, "we should learn how to avoid it. Happy now?"
"No," I muttered and I rubbed my hands over my face, "but, I can promise you, they don't know either. I managed to read Elena's last diary entries, but she stowed her diary somewhere else and I haven't found it yet."
The doorbell rung suddenly, shrilly and grating and I sighed: "Dear Lord, she forgot her keys, again."
When I opened the front door, it wasn't Jenna standing on the porch. Instead, a young man stood in front of me. He was muscular, and had a slim, athletic build to him. He had short, dark blond hair with blue eyes and was quite a bit taller than me. I cocked my head to the side and frowned, thinking he looked familiar but I couldn't place him.
"Erm, can I help you?"
"Hello, Samantha," the man greeted, "Long time no see."
"Ah— Mason," I whispered closing my eyes for a second and pressing my lips together. "That's great. How— how are you?"
Would it be horrible if I threw the door closed in his face? I breathed out slowly, but before I could make up my mind he shouldered his way inside, kicked the door closed with his foot and grabbed me by the shoulder steering me back into the living room. Tyler, who'd been lounging on the sofa stiffened before straightening in his seat and Mason pushed me back next to him, while he sat down on the edge of the coffee table.
"I can't believe you two!" He snapped irritably and I watched him wide-eyed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Going up to my apartment. What if something had happened? Did that possibility even occur to the two of you? What if Jules would have gone on the offensive? You two were after all trespassing."
"I'm sure that's the absolute worst thing you can do, with what? A town filled with Vampires and Werewolves?" I asked dryly.
"You two didn't even bother to show up for the preparations for the charity masquerade. I had to lie to your mother, Tyler." He admonished them and Tyler snorted.
"When do we ever show up for things like that?" He asked sarcastically.
"And besides," I added, "If people would start being honest with us for once we wouldn't have to play detective. If people stopped acting like we can't handle the truth none of this would have been necessary. Acting like we're stupid is not going to help you in any way."
Mason peered at me with a frown and Tyler glared at him: "I have my reasons for being secretive."
"Really, and look where that got you?" I asked irritably and he snorted.
"Says the little witch."
"Well— I suppose that couldn't stay a secret anymore than your lycanthropy could." I stated and narrowed my eyes. I could give him an aneurism he wouldn't forget anytime soon and he steepled his fingers together, pushing them to his lips.
"Fine," he conceded, "what do you two want to know?"
"Am I one?" Tyler rushed out and Mason closed his eyes as if he was in agony. His face blanched slightly and watched his nephew as if the vision physically hurt him.
"No," he finally stated, "but you're—"
"It's in his DNA isn't it?" I asked and Mason nodded.
"How do you trigger it?" Tyler demanded and Mason shook his head.
"You can't know. If you know— You'll not be capable to think of anything else once you know." He tried reasonable and Tyler jumped to his feet, fury flushing his face pink.
"Fuck you!" He snapped, "What do you think I'll be thinking about if I don't know? How am I supposed to avoid it when I don't know what causes the curse?"
"You have to kill someone, Tyler!" Mason snapped, getting to his feet as well and Tyler backed down slightly.
"What?"
"Happy now?"
"You killed someone?" I asked and Mason's face paled even more and the pillows of the couch dipped when Tyler flopped back down, his face blanched and his lips turning whither by the second. I had to intervene and with an air of coolness I did not feel, I crossed my legs and and smiled watery. "You don't really seem to be the type to be a cold-blooded killer?"
And if he was, I would protect my own. To regain and keep balance to nature was a witch's primary duty. I felt quite sure all supernaturals fell in the category 'out of balance' (even if they deserved a chance at life as everything else did), and I slowly dug my nails into the palms of my hands. Controlling the rising of my power with an exercise of even breathing. It worked well enough, I suppose.
"It was an accident," Mason admitted and Tyler's eyes were glued to his uncle with the sort of vehemence I worried would make him do something stupid. Normally, I wasn't one to judge doing stupid things, but even I had limits and slowly I reached out to him. He flinched slightly when my hand touched his shoulder and I tried (and failed) to smile.
"Ty?"
"I'd hoped you would tell me it wasn't in my DNA." He admitted slowly and I nodded before looking at Mason again. There was a fresh pain there that made the hairs on my arms and legs stand on end.
"It is," Mason agreed solemnly, "but it lies dormant until you cause someone's death."
"So basically if you kill someone," I concluded.
"Basically if you are responsible for someone's death. Genetics don't care if you meant to or not." He whispered and I turned to Tyler again. Most people went without ever killing anyone. Tyler stared at me his face an open book to me and we traded looks, all with meaning. He was scared and I thought everything should be fine. Or I hoped. Mason's eyes were flitting between me and Tyler with the sort of urgency I'd seen countless times before, but this time without the judgement. It was rather refreshing and I shifted in my east, curling both of my feet under me.
"You're only friends right?"
"Yes," I agreed, "since kindergarten."
"You were in kindergarten," Tyler absentmindedly corrected and I shrugged uncaringly.
Mason smiled: "I used to be close to your aunt."
"Oh?" I asked and cocked my head to the side. Aunt Jenna rarely spoke about her high school period, but when she did she had never mentioned Mason before. "What happened?"
"We drifted apart."
"Pity," I whispered and I realised belatedly I actually meant it. Mason seemed nice enough and I didn't really get a bad vibe from him either. If anything he often looked like he was in some kind of pain and I pursed my lips. "Why are you really here? In Mystic Falls I mean? I know your brother is in hospital but—"
"Because of the Moo— the rock." Tyler said seriously and Mason stiffened.
"You know about the Moonstone." He stated. It was definitely not a question and I gave him a dirty look. After that statement I didn't think lying would help us any further and I bit my lip hard.
"Yes," Tyler admitted and I met his unasked question with a look of worry. If he knew we had it, he'd want it. It wasn't hard to guess why.
"You have it." Mason concluded and I entertained my fingers into my lap.
"Why do you want it?" I asked and sat up straighter. Of course, him breaking the curse made sense, but it was a difficult curse. Not one you just broke because you got sick of it. He would need many elements and even I did not know them all.
"Because I want the curse broken." He stated looking at me as if I was slow-minded.
"To change at will?"
"No," he returned irritably, "to not change at all."
"How will you do that?" I asked and Tyler's eyes flitted between us as if following a difficult tennis match. "Because this curse is way more difficult than any I've seen so far."
"My— girlfriend has a way."
"You have a girlfriend?" Tyler quaffed. "You?"
"Right," Mason muttered, "the two of you have pushed me to my limits. Can I please have it?"
Tyler peered at me curiously and I sighed, jerking myself to a standing position: "Fine."
I quickly ascended the stairs, up to my room and returned moments later with the stone fisted tightly between my fingers. Mason had gotten to his feet as well, his eyes wide in what I thought looked like child-like wonder. He accepted it without even a moment of hesitance and briefly my fingers touched his hand. It was unexpected, my breath hitched. An image flashed before my eyes and I stumbled back, almost tripping over the coffee table. Mason didn't really notice, too caught up in his staring contest with the Moonstone and without another word, he marched out of the door.
"Sam?" Tyler whispered.
"I saw Elena," I mumbled, "All but naked. He— your uncle, he was kissing her."
"What?"
"I— I saw her!" I whispered and I met his eyes with my wider ones.
"That can't be—"
I shook my head, unsure what I should do. Oh God, what I had done. "Katherine. Elena's evil twin. She's— I think—"
"You make zero sense!" He retorted and I shook my head.
"He's with Katherine. She's— she's a psycho."
"Wait you mean the crazy bitch who tried to kill your uncle?"
"You've got it in one."
"Ty, I think I did something incredibly stupid." I whispered and he sped to the front door. I followed after him quickly. "Where are you going?"
"Going to find him, obviously!" He stated and turned to me. "You stay here!"
I opened my mouth to disagree but before I could say anything he slammed the door into my face and when I managed to open it again, he was gone…
To be continued…
A/N: As people probably have noticed, I like my characters with shades of grey. I like "anti-heroes" and "anti-villains" or even traditional heroes going darker, but I find hypocrisy sometimes hard to stand (which doesn't mean, my characters won't be little hypocrites; oh, when necessary they will; but there will be a limit to it). It's why I find Elena's actions sometimes hard to swallow (especially in season 4) and Sam is not always going to take well to it. However, it won't be the most important part to the story!
On another note, I'm very glad The Worst Witch is received so well and as always your comments absolutely make my day!
Next update around upcoming Sunday-Monday; feel free to leave me your thoughts. Either way Enjoy!
