Bloodline - Chapter 6: Open your eye

It wasn't so uncommon for Blood Witches to have a fever during Awakening. The witches undergoing the ritual were helpless and unaware what was happening to their bodies. It simply happened and they were coping with the consequences after they woke up. It never was something horrible, just a light fever and the second day everything was back to normal.

But not now.

Erika knew the older the witch got, the worse impact the ritual will have on the body. Just like now with her niece. Erika was by her side in a moment, checking her temperature. Abigail's whole body was shaking, she burned and wasn't responding to her calling. What was worse, she couldn't cool her down because it wouldn't help. She had to let the body settle it down. Magic fever was a bitch but Abigail was strong. At least Erika hoped so. Because if the worst would happen, then she couldn't take her to hospital. Try to explain magic fever.

×

I wasn't sure where I was. It wasn't a place or a garden. It wasn't from memory. I was somewhere. It was filled with snakes and every little head was staring at me. Some of them tried to crawl up my legs but with a little yelp of mine that seemed to scare them a bit none even touched me. Some of them bared their fangs at me, they were every size, some small, some long or giant. Not a single one was eating its own tail though.

What the hell? Why am I looking for a snake eating its tail? Why? The giant one wasn't enough?  Hell, why wasn't I already woken up? Why these hallucinations still continued? I took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. This was taking so fucking long. Should I learn something or someone was playing with me? I didn't know. "Hey! Is anybody here?!" Snakes lifted their heads and thousands of eyes stared at me. I think if they could, they would blink at me. Snakes in general have poor sight, so they track presence of others by heat and movement. Now I was happy I was in school focused child and while teacher was telling us some very interesting facts everybody else slept through I was able not to forget them.

I never thought I will be so afraid of snakes but there were many of them. "Stop playing with me!" And there was this hiss. Great. I pissed them off. But I was pissed too.

We are everywhere and nowhere. Do not be afraid of us. Not every creature with fangs means to do you harm.

I hated when someone spoke in riddles. Fucking cryptic talk. What did that giant Ouroboros said? Open your eye? How did he made me do it? The hissing went louder. Then I remembered one chant from Erika's grimoires. I covered my eyes with my hands and took a deep breath. Lerath ma garem. Open, my eye.

I blinked once, then twice and all snakes were crawling into one big formartion until they created one big Ouroboros.

We are the never-ending cycle. We can never truly die. We will always be reborn. We guard closely creatures like you. Remember you were reborn for a reason, search for signs and they will lead you to your path.

×

Erika sat at her bedside for a good hour when her phone rang. It was Lynda. "Yes?"

"What the fuck is going on?! Destiny just called me speaking about something bad and Peter had to leave town because something almost forced him to change. He left with that Godfrey boy - just in case he said. What the fuck are you doing, Erika?"

So much for keeping it quiet. "I am not doing anything. It's Abigail's Awakening."

"And what the fuck went wrong? With that every single supernatural creature will know something is going on. Why didn't you take her on the other side of the world?"

"I can't. She's unconscious. I didn't know it would be like that! It didn't happen during mine and we were two who undewent Awakening at the same time!"

"That's fucking creepy."

×

I woke up in my bed. Aunt Erika was beside me, holding my hand and watching me closely. My head hurt and everything that came out of my mouth I considered words were just moans.

"Looks like you came back with a gift."

Her words sounded from afar. It took them a while till they reached my ears through the rush of my blood. "What?" What, that's my voice?

"You have one eye blue. The other one is green."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No, but it doesn't happen very often to witch to come back with a gift. We were gifted with a magic. That should be enough."

The second time I woke up, after falling asleep in the middle of a conversation, my headache was gone and so was Erika. I was alone in my room. Everything was the same but on the other hand completely different. I felt a bit stronger, all spells I memorized were getting a new meaning. Carefully getting out of bed and going downstairs - that was my new mission and successfully accomplished.

I was thirsty, so thirsty and also very tired. Undergoing Awakening was extremely strenuous - I felt like I could be sleeping on my feet and that's how Erika found me, took me back to bed, saying I needed a well deserved rest. She didn't talk about anything that happened during the ritual. Honestly, she was suspiciously quiet but my strength was nowhere to be found so I didn't ask questions. Maybe I was afraid of the answers.

My dreams were filled with a dark figure without face. It was a tall man, clothed in black expensive suit. There was a golden ring on his little finger and I couldn't make out the picture on it. We stood in the woods, only trees and fallen leaves around us. The sky covered in dark clouds as smile slowly spread across my lips. "I knew you would find me here."

"You're not afraid of me?"

"Why would I be?"

"Because of our past. We shed our skins like snakes. Always changing bodies but the souls remain the same."

"We are changing, evolving. We can learn from our past and make the future better."

"Maybe. And every time I won't be entirely human."

"I'm not entirely human too. And I'm no wolf."

"No, you are so, so much worse."

The rain started to fall. His words hurt but were true.