Mother, Daughter
Disclaimer: I do not own this, and am not receiving any money for this story. In fact, even this part of the plot is not mine—it's Cheyenne's! So, kudos to Cheyenne, and be sure to thank her when you review…
Author's Note: I'm REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY… well, you get the picture—sorry for not updating! Not to make excuses, but: I've been in two plays, juggling finals, been gone for two-three weeks on vacation (camping), swim team, etc. I am really sorry! But here is the chapter. Enjoy!
Castrata stared, unsure of whether or not she was completely and totally hallucinating.
"Castrata—it's me." Serena said, simply, as if reading her mind. Which, Castrata belatedly realized, was probably the case.
"Mom?" Castrata whispered. Her throat closed and her eyes itched with tears. "Mom?"
The tears that had been building in Castrata's eyes were no longer in her control. As if she were only five years old, Castrata sobbed her heart out, her mother gently rocking her and stroking her hair.
As soon as Castrata got herself under control, she asked, "Mom, what do I do?"
Serena sat for a moment, as if pondering the situation—Castrata didn't even need to explain; her mother already knew.
"Two choice," her mother said, slowly, "have been given to you."
She paused.
"There are always two choices. Always. But…" Her mother paused again, "Sometimes, always… there is a third choice."
A third choice? Somehow, that didn't seem likely. And what effect would this 'third choice', whatever it was, have on curse-her-friggin-name-Jimena and the other Daughters?
"Jimena?" Serena breathed, practically spitting the name out, as her spectacular eyes narrowed in hateful anger. "She's involved with this? I might have known."
Castrata hurried to assure her mother that Jimena was in no way involved with any of Castrata's doings.
"The self-absorbed, good-for-nothing—wait. What did you say?"
"Jimena isn't involved with any of this." Castrata repeated.
Serena's eyes narrowed. "She better not be."
There was a silent moment. Tension that had been building from the start was now clearly evident.
"And these—Daughters." Serena continued, "It sounds like they're right in Jimena's lap. Worthless. If they haven't the backbone—"
Crack. The carpet to the direct left of Serena was blackened and burned. Smoke issued forth in copious amounts.
The string of tension had snapped.
"Don't—you—dare—talk—about—my—friends—like—that." Castrata whispered her voice deadly soft.
"They aren't worthy to be called your friends!" Serena hissed. "They have no power, no backbone, no—"
"Didn't you hear me?" Castrata screamed. "Don't! Friends stand up for you, Mom, and are there for you when you need them. Who are you to say that they're bad friends? They're always there for me! Where were you when I needed you? Where have you been? You abandoned me!"
Serena opened her mouth to reply, and closed it again. "You know I had no choice." She whispered tightly, tears shimmering in her spectacular eyes. Almost enough to make Castrata feel guilty about what she had said. Almost.
"You don't even know them, Mom. How can you say they're bad friends? That they aren't powerful? Do you even know their powers?" Her mother was silent. "Lanya controls the weather. She can create little pockets of dry air for us in the pouring rain, or bring a snow in the middle of July to LA. She doesn't even need to move the storms—she creates her own. She can throw lightning; wrap herself in clouds, fly in the wind…
"Jadyn can see the future, the past, and the present at will. Unlike Jimena, she can see whatever she wishes whenever she wishes. She receives visions, as well, but relies mostly on connecting the past and the present. She can look back to the creation of the world, learn the lessons of the past, and connect them to the battles of today. She can see where our enemies are at any given moment…"
"Okay, you've made your point!" Serena gave a slight smile.
Castrata paid no attention. She wasn't done yet.
"Ariasti is a shape-shifter. She can shift into animal form if she wishes, but that's not as useful as human form. However, whenever she wishes, she can shift herself, and any of us, into a bat to fly away. Or, more importantly, she can disguise us from the prying eyes of the Followers. In instants she can make me look exactly like you—voice and all."
"And what is that you do, Castrata?" Serena asked softly.
Castrata looked at the ground. "I don't know," she said finally. "Just when I think I've figured it out, something comes up, and its not the same anymore."
"Like?" Serena prompted.
"Like I thought I had the same mind-reading ability as you. But just now—I fried the carpet. That wasn't a mind-reading ability."
Serena frowned. "No, it wasn't."
"And Dad—Dad thinks that I have no boundaries on my powers…" Castrata trailed off. There was an exceptionally strange look on Serena's face. Something caught between love and denial. And she was looking at something directly over Castrata's shoulder.
Stanton stood in the doorway, wearing the same expression, as he looked at Serena over Castrata's other shoulder.
"Stanton…?" Serena asked hesitantly.
"Serena," Stanton said, his voice husky.
"Mom and Dad?" Castrata raised an eyebrow. The two ignored her. They were wrapped up in the their own little world.
Castrata rolled her eyes and turned her back. They hadn't seen each other in over ten years. The least she could do was give them 30 seconds of privacy.
When Castrata turned back, her parents were still kissing. But something had changed. Outside, the sunny day had vanished, leaving instead a stormy world. Lightning flashed and the lights flickered.
If Castrata's self-imposed boundaries had been down, and she had been able to see in the dark, she would have seen, in that split second, both of her parent's eyes flash open. In her mother's eyes, worry and love. And in her father's…. seduction. Evil and need… and the look of a man succumbing to his inner demons.
There was a choking sound, as the lights flickered back on.
Castrata stared in horror at the scene in front of her. No longer were her parents standing in front of her. Her father was there, clutching in his arms a wraith, transparent, and leaving the world.
"Castrata," the wraith whispered. "There is always a third choice. Always. Find your third choice. I love you…"
And she was gone.
Her father gave an odd sort of howl of a wounded beast and raised his face to Castrata. Castrata thought her heart must have stopped then and there. She saw no recognition in her father's piercing eyes.
Only hate. The need to kill, revenge for the loss of his… mate? The thing that was her father—or her father's inner demons released—gave a wordless snarl and leapt for Castrata's throat.
The lights flickered again.
Someone watching the house would have seen pitch darkness, suddenly thrown out by the explosion of blinding blue-white light.
Castrata stared in wonder at her hands. Issuing forth from them were streams of blue-white light, which wrapped themselves around her body.
Her father snarled again, and Castrata flinched, loosing focus. The protective light was doused immediately. All was darkness.
Slowly, Castrata's eyes adjusted to the darkness. Her father stood before her.
"Daughter."
Did he recognize her? His eyes were no longer those of a beast, yet they were not the comforting blue of her father's.
Then she realized what he had said.
Before she could move, his hands were around her throat, gripping, squeezing. Squeezing the life out of her.
She was no longer Castrata—but a Daughter. And Daughters needed to be killed or turned.
"Look into my eyes…"
Come…. come to me….
Let go….
Come…. come to me….
"No!" Castrata said weakly, fighting to turn. The hand squeezed tighter—she could no longer breathe…
The world was spinning… going dark before her eyes. She didn't want to die… she had a world to save…
She smiled slightly. Couldn't let go….
Come… come to me…All your troubles will be over….
Come… come to me…
Castrata felt her body going limp. Suddenly, the hand stopped squeezing. Castrata collapsed to the ground. Her father had turned to look at something behind him.
Castrata raised her head slightly to see what he was looking at.
It was her mother.
But Serena had come… come and gone. How was she here now?
Tendrils of wind wrapped around Castrata's waist, lifting her up, and she knew. She could only hope that Ari got away before Stanton realized she was not Serena.
The wind carried Castrata out of the house. She was rapidly loosing consciousness.
A howl of pain and rage barely penetrated the fog of her mind.
Castrata awoke many hours later in an unfamiliar room. No… she knew this place… it was Ari's room.
"What happened?" She gasped.
"Jadyn Saw you. It took us awhile to get there, but you managed okay on your own," Lanya said. "I directed the winds to get Ari in place, and she fooled your Dad into thinking she was that woman. Was she…. was she your mother?"
Castrata nodded, but quickly stopped—the motion was making the world spin.
"Listen, guys. There's something I have to tell you."
And she told them. Everything.
Author's Note: Well, hope you liked the chapter, and the fact that I reviewed… So, once again, Kudos to Cheyenne… Now, review, and we'll all be happy! Hopefully, the next chapter will arrive soon…. but I am going on vacation for a week, so it should be right after that…. Luv you all! (Don't you like smilies…. I like smilies!)