Perception

Part 7

Nathan POV:

I can tell something major happened when they get back to the house. Silas is unnaturally still, and pale—odd considering his Mediterranean coloring. Mr. Blackbourne is unusually distracted. I scoop Peanut up in a hug because I need the comfort of contact with her.

"So, Peanut! What do you want to do today? Victor's parents are in Europe, so I thought we could go over there and swim. It seems like forever since we had a pool party!" I watch as her eyes brighten, and her defeated posture becomes animated once more.

"That is a great idea, Mr. Griffin. I will contact Mr. Lee, and have him tell the others to head over there this afternoon," Mr. B. says while running his thumb over the edge of his phone.  He slowly turned on his heel, and walks out of the house.  I'm feeling a vague sense of unease as Peanut barrels back into the room with her to-go bag.

"Honey, did you eat breakfast yet? We already did before going out, but I can make something for you!" she exclaims with sparkling eyes. Her obvious joy lifts any heavy feelings, and I glance at Silas to see his shoulders finally relax.

"No, Peanut, but I can make my own food," I say and steal a swift kiss. Her and Silas head to the living room and boot up a game system until it is time to head over to Victor's.

***

We pile out of Silas' car, and immediately head to the third floor just as a family meeting one that I wasn't invited to! wraps up. I catch Mr. B.'s eyes and he gestures for me to remain while everyone else heads off to change and go down to the pool.

"It seems Miss Sorenson has acquired a rather unique skill akin to hypnotism, although I have never seen or heard of it being used in such a manner before," he states bluntly.

"So, was that Sang's big plan? To hypnotize the bas...jerk?" I catch myself before cursing needlessly.

"Do you recall her dealings with McCoy at the tree line? It seems she had begun the process at that point using the mental imagery of a snow globe to ward off pain. Today she took it one step further, and used that snow globe imagery to cause pain if McCoy even thought of causing harm to herself or any of our family."

Okay, so Peanut was a bit of a mystic. That's kind of hot. "So, do you think that will work?" I ask because I really hoped we've seen the last of that guy.

"Perhaps. At least we know that it initially worked. As we had retired from the room, it seems McCoy experienced a large amount of pain," Mr. B. explains with grim satisfaction. I am dismissed, change, and head down to the pool.

Victor POV:

Princess holds my hand and smiles shyly at me when we get to the pool enclosure. I can see from the corner of my eye the guards watching Sang with altogether too much curiosity and fascination. Dirty old bastards. I press the intercom button for the kitchen and request refreshments for 10, then lead Sang to a lounger at the poolside.

We are joined by the others, all of us showing too much interest in Sang's new swimsuit, a stunning dark pink two piece with diagonal silver lines that angle downward from the outside in making her curves all the more enticing.