I heard a knock at the door and I quickly raced out of the kitchen towards the door. I paused when I got to it though and straighten my back, putting a calm look on my face so Hermes wouldn’t know I had raced out to meet him. I felt so bad for earlier and what I said to him. I realize now that I was uncalled for and I did hurt his feelings saying I was stronger than him.

I mean, I was but that didn’t mean I should rub it in his face.

My dad raised an eyebrow at me and I shrugged. I answered the door and put on a friendly smile, “Hey, glad you came.”

“You said it was important.” he said as he came in and waved at my dad. He didn’t look very happy as he did and he might still be hurt at what I had said. I wanted to hug him and apologize, saying I was horrible but I didn’t want to do that with my dad and mom in the room. “Abigail, nice to see you.” he said.

My mom smiled widely and paused the TV show she was watching, “Hermes, so glad you’re here. Staying for dinner?”

“Uh—sure, of course. I would love to.” Hermes said.

“Okay, no more talking.” I said as I wrapped my arms around Hermes arm and pulled him towards the dining room that lead to the kitchen. When we were inside, I wrapped my arms around Hermes waist and placed my cheek over his chest, “I’m so sorry, I was horrible to your earlier. I didn’t mean what I said, it was wrong of me Hermes.”

“Jaycee, it isn’t me you should be apologizing to, it’s Grace. You sprained her ankle pretty badly, but you can’t without explain how you were able to do that buy flinging at a desk at her.”, he said and I pouted since I didn’t care what happened about Grace. She gave me a snotty look and I didn’t want to get in trouble, so I used a little magic to help. Teach her a listen. Hermes put his hands on my shoulders and pulled me away a little so he could look down at me, “Jaycee, enough with a magic for right now. I’m worried about you.”

I chuckled, “Worried? About what—oh, the water boiling!” I said when I realized the pot I had on the stove was boiling and it’ll be too hot to drink. Well too hot for Hermes, I love this temperature. Makes this chilly fall air go away with a nice cup of hot chocolate. I grabbed the two cups that had chocolate powder in it. I lifted the pot up and started pouring some water into the cups, “I don’t see why you’re worried, Hermes, I’m completely fine—ow! Ow!” I yelped when the stupid water poured down the stupid pot and onto my hand and arm! I dropped the pot and held my burning right hand to my chest.

“Oh damnit,” Hermes said as he took my hand and I winced, whimpering in pain. It was angry red going down my arm and my eyes stung with tears.

“What happened?” my mom asked when she came into the room, concern on her face with my dad behind her since I had screamed pretty loudly.

“Jaycee burned herself—sorry.” Hermes said when he touched the red marks on my arm and I cried out in pain.

“She burned herself?” my dad questioned as he walked over to us. “That’s impossible, we don’t get burn by hot water. See.” he said as he stuck his hand in the pot.

“Then why’d I get burn?” I asked as tears escaped my eyes and down my face. “Make it stop! It really hurts!”

Hermes put his fingertips at the top of the angry red marks and whispered. I felt a cool breeze touching my skin where his fingertips were above. He moved his hand down my arm and around my hand, making the burning feeling stop and disappear.

I pouted when he put my arm down and I pressed myself against him, wanting him to wrap his arms around me to comfort me. It upset me though when he only put one up around my shoulders. I wanted to be held, told it would be alright but he wasn’t doing it!

“What’s going on?” my dad asked.

“I’m worried about Jaycee.” Hermes said as if I wasn’t in the room.

I scoffed and stepped back angrily away from him, “Worried about what? You’re such a jerk, you won’t even comfort me after I’ve just been hurt.”

“Jaycee?” my mom questioned. “What’s wrong? You’re never this moody.”

“I’m fine, Jesus Christ, everyone stop freaking out.” I said and my dad eyes widen.

“Excuse me?” he questioned. The house phone went off and my mom left the room to go answer it. He gave me a hard look, “I suggest getting rid of the attitude young lady.”

“Or what?” I asked, getting even more annoyed that my dad ordering me. They’re both here talking about me like I wasn’t here, as if I was a child. “Punish me? Send me up to my room?”

“Yes.”, he said as he grabbed my arm and I winced since he was holding onto it tightly.

“Ow! Daddy, stop it!” I said, adding a little whimper along because I knew it would make him quickly let go.

“I’m sorry, Jaycee, I didn’t mean—“

“Why would you hurt me?” I yelled at him and he looked confused and upset.

“Jaycee, I wouldn’t—“

“What’s going on?” my mom asked, her voice hard. She looked at my dad with an angry look, “Did you just grab Jaycee?”

“What? No. I mean, yes but she’s faking it Abby!” my dad said when my mom put a protective arm around me and I crossed my arms over my chest, pouting my lower lip to make me seem innocent.

My mom scoffed, “Look, there’s someone asking for you on the phone.” she said.

“I don’t care who’s on the phone.” my dad said coldly. “Jaycee, tell your mother I didn’t grab you roughly.”

“It did hurt though.” I said as I rubbed my arm where his hand was. Actually, it didn’t hurt anymore because the second he let go, it was like he never grabbed me. So maybe I was being dramatic, but it’ll teach him to never treat me like a child again.

“Just go talk to whoever it was.” my mom said and my dad scoffed, looking at me. He shook his head and I looked away. He walked out of the room and my mom spoke, “Jaycee, dear, are you alright?” she asked. “Your dad really didn’t hurt, right? He would never do that.”

I looked at her, “I know mom, he’s right. He didn’t hurt me, I’m just a little upset. Today was pretty bad, I’ve been having a headache all day. It’s been a little rough for me since that night.”

She nodded and kissed my cheek, “its okay, your dad will understand.”

“Abigail, if you don’t mind.” Hermes said as he looked at me and I was confused since he was giving me a hard look. Was he angry? Why would he be angry at me for? “I would like to take Jaycee somewhere, I promise we won’t be more than an hour.”

“Of course I can go.” I said as I got out of my mom arms. I wrapped my arms around Hermes waist, giving him a sweet smile. I didn’t want Hermes to be angry at me. Whatever I did wrong, I’ll fix it because I don’t want him to be angry at me.

He looked at my mom, waiting for her answer and that angered me. I’m seventeen years old! I don’t need my mom permission to go somewhere anymore! My mom sighed, “Sure, but don’t stay out to late. It is a school night.”

*

(Hermes)

Jaycee swung our arms as we walked out into the woods and she giggled as she stopped, coming in front of me. She put her hands on my chest and smiled, “Hermes, if you wanted us to be alone you could have said so. I would have met you here, you shouldn’t have seen that embarrassing scene back at my house.” she said as she rolled her eyes. She leaned up on her tip toes to kiss me, but I turned my head away. “What’s wrong?” she asked innocently as if she didn’t see the problem. Well, she actually doesn’t. She was blind at what was going on.

But I wasn’t.

I looked back at her, “Jaycee, you need to stop using magic.”

“O-oh, I know.” she said quickly as she looked down at my chest with sad eyes. “I know, Hermes, I’ve been using so much lately I’m completely forgetting who I was who I am.”

My eyes widen, a little surprised. So maybe Jaycee did see there was something wrong with her. Thank God! It made all of this much easier to deal with. Unlike with Lucinda, I’m not going to break up with Jaycee because of this. I loved her way to much to avoid the situation. “I’m glad you see it—“

“I mean, I’m a werewolf way before a witch. I can be both though, since it’s who I am, it’s my true nature.” she said and my eyebrows furrowed together. “Less magic, but I’m not going to give up. You still have lots to teach Me.”, she grinned as she looked up at me and wrapped her arms around my neck.

I put my hands on her waist when she started to lean up again, “No, Jaycee, you still don’t understand. You need to stop it all.” I said and she groaned, stepping away. She twirled around as she looked up at the sky, humming. “Jaycee, stop, this is serious. The darkness is filling your body up.”

She stopped and chuckled, “Darkness? A little paranoid don’t you think?” she asked as she began to twirled around again. “Hermes, dance with me! The moon looks so pretty night, I could just dance all night as I look up at the stars.”

I walked over to her and grabbed her shoulders to stop her. She pouted as she looked up at me, “Jaycee, stop and listen. This is serious, you need to stop. If you stop now, all the darkness will go away in time.”

“I’m fine, Hermes.” she said. “Will you just kiss me? You haven’t kissed me today—Hermes!” she whined when I pulled away from her. She scoffed, “You really think there’s something wrong with me? Because there isn’t, I’m perfectly fine. Actually, I’m more than fine. I haven’t felt this alive for such a long time. Ever since you left me, I’ve been nothing but depressed and now that I’m finally happy, you don’t want me to be.”

“Jaycee, of course I want you happy.” I said. “But you did a very big spell all alone, there is darkness in you. I can see it, I know what it looks like.”

“Oh, so you think I’m turning into Lucinda?” she asked. She hit my arm pretty roughly and I gave her Are-You-Crazy look, “Don’t ever compare me to that bitch again! I can’t believe you think I’ve lost my mind.”

“No, but you are coming close.” I said and she wasn’t very happy buy the way she glared at me.

“You’re such an asshole.” she said.

“I love you, Jaycee, so please stop this.” I begged her.

She shook her head, “No, you just don’t want anyone who’s stronger than you. Lucinda was strong than you, so you broke up with her. Now I’m stronger than you, so you want to control me and make me stop. You can’t control me, Hermes.”

“I’m not trying to control you, Jaycee. Please!” I said as I cupped her face in my head and gave her a serious look. “I’m worried about you, please stop using magic until its safe. Remember, you’re a werewolf.”

Her hard glaring eyes soften as she looked up at me, “Hermes, I’m scared.” She whispered. “This isn’t me.”

“It’s going to be okay.” I said calmly and I put my arms around her. She brought her hands up to my shoulders, holding onto me tightly. She rubbed her cheek against my jacket and tilt her head back. She leaned in slowly and I let her kiss me. I brought my hand up to her neck as I kissed her softly. She pressed her mouth against mine hard loud and her hands came up to my jacket, starting to take the button out the holes. “No, stop.” I said I moved her hands.

“Its alright.” she said as she kissed me. “No one around for miles, we’re alone.”

She started messing with my jacket again and I let her pull off me. I moved one of my hands under her shirt and felt her soft warm bare skin of her back. She ran one of her hands up threw my hair and she pushed me back until my back hit a tree.

I felt her nails pinch my arms, making me hold back the hiss coming up my throat since it hurt a little. She could have cut me if she pressed a little hard down on my skin. I’ve always enjoyed making out with Jaycee, but something about it this time felt very wrong. The air just felt much more uncomfortable.

“Jaycee, we should head back.” I said.

She shook her head, “No, we can stay.” she said as she kissed me hard and I felt her teeth against my lips. They were pointy and sharp. I put my hands on her waist and started pushing her away a little but she pulled herself back, “Stop that, we’re fine.”, she said, her voice hard. I felt her teeth bite my lower lip and I hissed as I thrash my head to the side. She hit me hard enough that when I brought my hand up to my mouth and touched my lip, I felt warm thick liquid. She had bitten me so hard there was blood. “A little blood never hurt.” she said as she took my hand and looked at my finger where blood went down.

I scoffed and pulled my arm away, “Jaycee, okay we need to seriously go.”

“Seriously, Hermes, stop being a way.” she said as she pulled her shirt up and was in her in her purple bar. She grinned and pressed herself against me, “I want to—here where the moon is on us.”

“No.” I said as I tried pulling her away. “Not while you’re like this—Jaycee! No.” I hissed when she ripped at the end of my shirt. I didn’t want to, but I roughly shoved her away.

She was clearly surprised and she scoffed, “What? I’m not pretty enough like this? You don’t want? I’m sure all the girls back in sunny Florida were so much hotter.”

“Jaycee, stop!” I said. “This isn’t you.”

“This is me!” she yelled as she pointed at her chest. “This is who I am so I’m sorry if you don’t like it! I’m a witch and a werewolf, sorry if that intimidates you—“

“Then shift.” I said, ignoring the last few words she said. She gave me a confused look and I pointed at where she stood, “Shift, right here. You haven’t shifted for a while, I will like to see you in your true form Jaycee.”

“Well that prove I’m alright?” she asked.

I nodded quickly, “Yes, so do it.”

She glared at me and breathed heavily out her nose. She closed her eyes and I waited for her to shift into the big brown wolf she was. She licked her lips and turned her head to one side, cracking it. She cracked her knuckles and for a few moments, nothing happened. She opened her eyes and scoffed, “I’m a little tensed, alright? I can feel the shift, but with you watching it’s make me a little shy.”

“Can you do it?” I asked as I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Yes!” she said coldly. She closed her eyes and cleared her throat, trying again. She moaned desperately after a moment and I heard a tearing sound like a jeans ripping as she formed into a giant wolf. She stretched her legs out and shook her fur.

I reached up and took her head in my hands, scratching behind her ears, “Feels better, huh? Being like this.” I asked and she rubbed her head against me.