So I'm not gonna lie, I was sort of wondering what was going on and why no one has left a comment or review about my story and I was sort of wondering if I should postpone updating it. Then I realized people are probably reading or rereading "The Power of Family" which sadly (or not so sadly) 31 chapters long, sigh. So I figure I will just keep posting the chapters for this story so everyone can jump in a read them when they are done with that one. So if in a month, 6 months or 18 years from now when you do read this story, please leave a review or comment and let me know how I did, I really love writing and I'm glad I'm sort of getting back into it.
Now, onto the next chapter, what are Mel and Peyton up to?
"What the hell was that" Peyton said as they rematerialized.
"Shh" Mel said as she held up her finger to her mouth.
"Why are we in the boy's apartment?" Peyton asked quietly.
"If you insist on talking, do it telepathically at least" Mel's voice rang through Peyton's mind.
"Well sorry. Now are you going to tell me what we are doing here or do I have to guess" Peyton asked.
"I am going to take your advice and feel what Blake feels for me. Then I can finally put this whole thing behind everyone when I prove that he really isn't in love with me" Mel said.
"And how are you going to do that?" Peyton asked.
"Empathy power, plus with a little added extra power boost having you nearby" Mel explained.
"Ok, but how do you plan on getting close enough without him seeing us?" Peyton asked.
"What is with all these questions? I got it covered; all you have to do is stand there, ok?" Mel questioned her cousin.
"Fine" Peyton said as she crossed her arms.
The two heard the door to Blake's room open. "Show time" Mel said looking at Peyton and grabbing her hand turning the two invisible. The two girls walked carefully down the hall to the kitchen where the young manticore in question was sitting at the kitchen table looking sorrowfully at a bowl of cereal.
"Seriously Mel, look how sad he is" Peyton said.
"He could be sad for any number of reasons" Mel replied. "Now quiet I need to concentrate."
Mel closed her eyes for a moment and silently breathed out. She took a step closer to Blake and started to draw on the empathy power of her cousin Portia. She felt Blake's sadness that was evident on his face. She then slowly started to tap into Peyton's natural cupid ability to strengthen the power. She felt all sorts of things, anger at his boss for making him come in on the weekend, dread for the project he was working on, and sadness for the rejection Mel handed out to him. Mel focused on the sad feeling; it was the most prominent and also bubbled to the top of his thoughts. Mel used her own ability to read the boy's thoughts.
"I how could I be so stupid" Blake mentally berated himself. "Of course she wouldn't want me. Why would one of the most powerful witches in the world want to be with a demon?"
Mel felt bad for the fact that he was thinking like that. She really didn't mean that he was a bad person. She went back to focusing on his emotions. His sadness was growing, thinking about the young witch. Mel let a silent tear run down her invisible cheek. How could she cause so much misery for the young demon? Mel was about to stop because now she was just mad at herself, Peyton sensing that Mel was about to stop put her hand on her shoulder.
"No Mel, keep digging. What's at the heart of the sadness?" Peyton said.
Mel paused for a moment and then began to concentrate on Blake. She was drawing on more and more of Peyton's cupid ability. Mel plunged herself into the sadness that was coming off of Blake in waves. She dove deeper and deeper into his emotions when suddenly it hit her like a ton of bricks. Mel was so over taken with what she felt she let out a gasp, causing Blake to look up from his breakfast and look around the room.
"Mel we have to go" Peyton said dragging her cousin down the hall.
Upon hearing the footsteps Blake jumped up and started going towards the sound down the hall.
Peyton knew Blake was following them so when they reached Chris's room at the end of the hall, she pushed Mel so she was near the wall. Blake poked his head into the room and looked around. Upon being satisfied no one was in the apartment but him he gave a shrug and walked back towards the kitchen.
Peyton let out a sigh "That was close" she said as she let go of Mel's hand and the two became visible again. Mel stood next to her cousin in an almost catatonic state. "Mel, are you ok?" Mel just stood there. Peyton grabbed Mel's hand and the two hearted back to the camp site.
The two reappeared on the beach next to their stuff. The others still off doing whatever they had gone to do before the two left.
"What the hell was that?" Peyton half yelled at her cousin. "I've never seen you just freeze like that."
Mel stared at her cousin not talking. Her eyes getting glassy with tears daring to spill over.
"He loves me" Mel finally managed to squeak out.
"Well duh" Peyton said as she cocked a hip "did you think I was just making things up?"
"No Peyton, he loves me so much it hurts. I felt that for a second, he has been feeling it for years. How can someone walk around with so much pain like that?" She questioned herself.
"You're looking at it all wrong Mel. It's not the pain he feels. He only feels the love and compassion he has for you. He is going through all that for you. That pain is nothing compared to what he would feel if you were never in his life again. His love has such a death grip because he knows you; it developed out of a friendship, a bond" Peyton explained to her cousin.
Portia and Faith were swimming out a ways from the shore.
"Parker told me about me about when Mel and her were talking, Blake apparently confessed his love for her, that's how the spell was really broken with true love's kiss" Portia was gossiping with Faith.
"So why is she all depressed then?" Faith asked.
"Something about continuously dating demons. I can't believe she thinks of Blake as a demon, Shayne was a demon, yes, but Blake come on he may have demonic powers and his mother was a demon but that doesn't really mean anything right?" Portia asked.
"Ask your mom and see how much that really matters" Faith replied.
"So not the same, Faith" Portia responded.
"I know, Blake isn't Cole, he was raised human, not as a demon but I can see why she is upset" Faith answered.
"Well it's a good thing my cupid side decided to tweak those potion pills" Portia said with a grin.
"So how are we going to slip this magical little pill past Mel?" Faith asked.
"Easy, one of us will just drop a pill in her food or drink tonight" Portia replied.
"So how does it work again? I want to make sure we aren't doing something we are going to regret" Faith responded.
"It will suppress the anger she is feeling at the world right now, sort of like how an anti-depressant allows your brain to release chemicals that make you happy, this will allow her happiness to be enhanced and eventually she won't even think about why she is mad anymore. Plus with the little extra boost I added all we have to do is get her thinking about Blake and let the cupid magic do it's, uh magic" Portia explained.
"Yea that's what I'm worried about. Why are you trying to force her to Blake, couldn't that just jeopardize any hope of a real relationship?" Faith questioned.
"Maybe if she had more than one pill but a single dose will just intensify any feelings for Blake; it's just a little bit of pheromones and minor ingredients from love potions, all her feelings will be legitimate, she will just continue to think about them more" Portia explained.
"I hope you're right about this" Faith said a little reluctantly and the two started swimming to shore.
Portia and Faith got back to shore and sat in the sand with Mel and Peyton.
"Good swim ladies?" Peyton asked.
"Better than just sitting on the beach" Portia remarked.
"Gross, there are like fish in that water. I am perfectly content sitting on the beach, thank you" Peyton replied back.
"Well should we go find the others and see if the boys managed to catch anything?" Faith asked.
"Sure, it will be nice to take a walk" Portia said as the four girls started walking down the beach.
"Well, well, did you boys manage to catch anything?" Mel said as they approached the boys.
"Actually they did. At least enough for dinner tonight" Hope replied.
"I'll even help you clean them Portia" Chris said as he dangled a bouquet of fish in front of his cousin.
"Deal" she said with a smile.
"What else do we have planned for the day and night?" Peyton asked.
"Well it's getting to be late afternoon, why don't we head back to the site and just hang out for a bit, get things ready for dinner and a campfire" H.J. instructed.
"I am not touching anything dead, slimy, scaly, crawly, or gross" Peyton reiterated to her family.
"We know Peyton" Wyatt said as he brushed past the high maintenance girl.
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