World on Fire | J. Saltzman - Legacies [4]

S E V E N

"Oh, you're awake." Stella rushes to the woman's bedside with a cool glass of water. The woman's eyes dart around the room as she pushes up from the bed, flinching back when Stella comes to her side. "It's ok, I'm not here to hurt you. This is some water." She places the cup on the side table. "I'm Stella."

The woman simply stares for a moment before taking the glass and downing it in a gulp. "Oh, that feels so good," she breathes out, her shoulders relaxing. "Really hoping it's not drugged and you're not gonna harvest my organs or something."

Stella chuckles, shaking her head. "No, don't worry." Leaning back, she sits in the nearest chair, her hands tucked between her thighs. "Uh, Vanessa will be here soon. I'm just keeping an eye on you. Trying to remove myself."

The woman frowns. "Sorry, do we know each other?"

"No, but we will."

"Not like that sounds ominous."

"Right," Stella purses her lips. "You stumbled onto our campus. You were really sick, but we fixed you, so I gotta ask. What are you?"

"What am I?" The woman chuckles. "I don't understand. Where am I?"

"The Salvatore School. But, seriously, what are you?"

"Salvatore School? What, like, in Mystic Falls?"

"Did you hit your head?" Stella arches a brow. "Yes in Mystic Falls. You came to us. What do you remember?"

The woman's expression falters. "Uh, not much. How long have I been here?"

"A couple days. My girlfriend and I found you in the woods. You had been attacked by a—"

"Some animal," the woman says. "It was an animal, I think. I was with some friends and then..." She frowns once more.

"It wasn't an animal, actually." Stella searches the woman's expression. "It was a werewolf."

"Werewolf?" She laughs, though it sounds fake. "Did you hit your head?"

Stella crosses her arms. "Your blood had traces of magic in it. Before last night, you were a witch, so don't bullshit me. I'm a witch too. See?" She waves her hand, water flowing from her finger into the empty cup. The woman's eyes widen. "Now, I'll ask again, what are you?"

"A witch."

"Not anymore."

"Stella, stop," Stella rolls her eyes as Vanessa comes up to her side, hair strewn to the side that she desperately tries to smooth out. "Ignore her. She's stressed and rude." Stella sticks out her tongue. "My name is Vanessa. Sorry for the circumstances."

The woman blinks before looking down at the restraints around her arm, leaving only one free. She tugs at the ropes as runes glow faintly in the thread. "What the hell? Why can't I—"

"Because you don't have magic anymore," Stella replies. "You got bit. Twice."

"Bit?" The woman exclaims. She runs her free hand down her body. "Where?"

"Uh, your side and your neck," Vanessa carefully motions. "Both are healed now, though. Listen, I know this is a lot, but we are trying to help you. You came to us on the brink of death. You were in transition, and we healed you."

"Transition?" The woman's voice goes up an octave. "No, no, no. I'm not—I—"

"Sorry," Stella sighs. "I get it, it sucks but—"

"Stella," Vanessa hisses. "Why don't you go deal with something else?"

The woman shakes her head. "Why is it so bright in here? I can't breathe."