Changes

Chapter 5

I feel like I had been hit by a speeding truck. The events of yesterday then came spiraling back to me. I groaned softly, my body and head aching severely. "How do you feel," Mr. Z said. I opened my eyes and saw him sitting in a chair beside the bed. "Like hell," I whispered. Hearing sound hurt. He ran a glowing hand over me and I closed my eyes until I felt him move his hand away. "Your magic is incredibly low," he stated. I knew it was low, I could feel the lack of magic in me. "Your brothers told me about what happens when you use that part of your magic," he said. "Until I can find a way for it to not kill you when you use it, don't use it anymore." "Careful Mr. Z, or you'll make me think you care about me," I said, my voice unbelievably scratchy. He helped me move so I was leaning against the head board. He brought a cup to my lips and I didn't know what it was filled with. It smelled sweet though. I drank it, then coughed at the bitter taste. "What is that," I asked him, wishing I could get the taste off of my tongue. "It's a potion that will help shorten your recovery time. You're no use to me helpless and I have much better things to do besides watch over you," He explained coldly. "So much for you caring about me," I joked. He moved so he was leaning over me, "Let's get some things straight Ms. Zio, I only care about money, power, and sex. Never will I care about a woman. Especially one who carelessly uses power that can easily kill her." I rolled my eyes at him, "You and I both know it wasn't carelessly. After all, she had the power to keep you locked out."

Wrong thing to say I realized as his sapphire eyes became red. He gave a low warning growl while showing sharp teeth. I stared him down, challenging him. Never will I back down. Not to him, not to anyone. The first to look away would surely loose this battle of dominance, and I refuse to loose. I heard the door open, and could feel another strong presence in the room. It was the man in the suit. I think I remember one of the others calling him Silver. He didn't say anything, letting us have this silent battle. Mr. Z tried to intimidate me more, but I gave him a smirk. I then grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards me, kissing him. He repaid that kiss tenfold before tearing his lips from mine. His eyes were blue now. "I'll have your brothers bring you something to eat," He then left, leaving Silver in the doorway. "Pushing him will result in an early grave," He told me. "And will you be the one putting me there?" He shook his head, "You'll be putting yourself there."

He then left as my over protective brothers were coming in with another cup of that dreaded potion and some stew, made with the same potion. The first cup I had, had given me the strength to go up against him, so I knew it was working. I just wished it tasted better.

"How long was I out," I asked Jay as I took another bite of the stew. It was horrid but I felt my magic returning along with my strength with each bite. "Four days," He told me. "Was that the thing that killed Dario," Jaden asked me and I nodded. "She confessed to doing it." "She disappeared," Jay told me. "They brought her here to search through her mind, but she woke up despite her heart wasn't in her body. Cherif thinks it regrew while she was unconscious. Since it freed itself, they've been hunting it, keeping us under house arrest. Thanks to the magic residue she had left behind when she made the force-field, they know just how to counter her magic somehow." "What happened with Conner afterwards," I asked as I took a few gulps of the potion in the cup. "Wiped his memory clean of what happened and replaced it with a casual memory of you two running the store until Mr. Z sent him home for the evening," Jay explained.

We continued to talk until I felt a hundred percent and I kicked them out so I could shower and dress. After doing my reports and video journal I left the room and found myself downstairs with them. Our care package from our mother came in. I smiled with glee when I opened my box. I pulled out the two rolls of weapons I had. One roll was various knives and blades I had collected over the years. The second roll had vials of various poisons and their antidotes. "Glad to see you're on your feet again Ms. Zio," Mr. Z said when he entered the house. He came over and looked at my weapons. "I knew you were the kind to hide a blade in your garter Ms. Zio."