This is a brilliant example of everything and I am damn proud of it.
The echo of Elena, writing in her diary, channeled itself into Victor's mind as he tried and failed to drown out the thoughts of others all the while enjoying his morning tea.
'Dear diary, today will be different. It has to be. I will smile, and it will be believable. My smile will say "I'm fine, thank you." "Yes, I feel much better." I will no longer be the sad little girl who lost her parents. I will start fresh, be someone new. It's the only way I'll make it through.'
In the kitchen, he watched as Elena hurried down with Jeremy not far behind.
Jenna, the amazing woman that oozed compassion, muttered. "Toast. I can make toast."
Elena barely reacted. "It's all about the coffee, Aunt Jenna."
"Is there coffee?" And Victor rolled his eyes, not really liking how little appreciation he sensed in their hearts and heads.
Walking over to Jenna, he grabbed her arm, ignoring the pain of her thought flooding his mind until he sensed one thought he needed. "You have your presentation, you're late." She gaped at him. "We are safe here, just go."
"You're right, god I am so unprepared." And she shot off, out of the house, to her car.
Turning to the others, he pushed his thoughts out, a wave of intent really. He read them, the surface thoughts they had. Jeremy was one ball of misery, having already stolen Elena's painkillers. Elena was burning out, desperate to serve others to serve herself...
A miserable sight to be seen.
"I'll see you both later." He said awkwardly.
Elena stopped him as he walked away. "Bonnie wants to meet you... she's driving me to school..." He heard, in her heart, something else. 'Dad wanted you to be a part of this family... might as well start treating you like that now.' Her thoughts came on waves of guilt and shame, but also hope.
Smiling he nodded. "I would love that."
And soon they were in Bonnie's car, her aura one of light and love and comfort. She had hugged him, introducing herself with almost empty headed distance. He sat in the back, drifting off before something caught him.
"So Grams is telling me I'm psychic." He froze, eyes wide." Our ancestors were from Salem, witches and all that, I know, crazy, but she's going on and on about it, and I'm like, put this woman in a home already! But then I started thinking, I predicted Obama and I predicted Heath Ledger, and I still think Florida will break off and turn into little resort islands...Elena! Back in the car."
Elena:, who was disassociating, snapped to it. " I did it again, didn't I? I-I'm sorry, Bonnie. You were telling me that..."
"That I'm psychic now." She said once more, not knowing that Victor was pushing into her mind, tracing deeper that he usually did. A hard task without touch, after all his gifts had only manifested after Grayson had died. The moment Jenna had shaken his hand, her dark emotions surging into his mind awakening his gifts.
He was so focused on her thoughts, cursing his weakness, that he never caught more than the tale end of Bonnie's words. "I predict this year is going to be kick ass. And I predict all the sad and dark times are over and you are going to be beyond happy."
Turning, feeling eyes on him, he saw a crow... but felt a heavy presence looking at him...
'What the fuck is going on...' Turning back to Bonnie, he sighed. 'I really need to meet this Grams of hers...'
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
This was a joy to write.
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.