Could she make me... safe... to be around humans?
Then she smiled sweetly and said, “But this,” she tore the vine in half, “I can do now.” She held a half in each hand and I could see the black spells being rewoven and they began to change colors from black to red to white. And they seemed to flow in an intricate dance instead of slithering. Small vines grew out of the pieces and formed loops, and tiny white flowers bloomed on the segments.
Then the illuminated spells seemed to fade away and she was left holding what looked like two necklaces with delicate flowers at their center. She stood as she was just suddenly fully Gretta again, with those cute little antler nubs sticking out of her white hair.
She stood and walked toward the door saying softly, “You can come in now.” I was confused then Rachel and Amanda walked in. Ahhh... wolf hearing. Gretta smiled and gave Rachel a peck on the lips and held out a necklace. Rachel bowed down so she could place it over her head. She did the same with Amanda.
Then she said, “As long as you wear these, you will be immune to any of Rose's toxins.” They nodded in understanding. Perchta could do that? And make it look so simple? It made me wonder about the arrogance of human witches, believing they knew so much about magic. But compared to what I had just witnessed; the unweaving of spells and spinning them into something else; mortal magic users are just like children playing with things they don't fully understand.
Could she truly make talismans to protect people from my evil? Rachel stepped over to me and crouched to my level and extended a hand. “It is a pleasure to greet you properly Rose.”
I recoiled and looked around. They all had so much confidence in Gretta. I timidly reached out and grasped her hot hand. Her vine necklace seemed to pulse green. She tilted her head and smiled. I savored the hot touch. She was wolf hot like Mari and Daria were. But most importantly, she wasn't dead. She was shaking my hand and not dead. I shook more enthusiastically.
I realized everyone was watching me. I was still shaking, this was too long wasn't it. You're supposed to let go after. But I didn't want to let go. This was human contact again. I wanted more. I grinned sheepishly and released her and my hand became almost instantly cold. I was mumbling under my breath, “I can touch. No death, kill, poison, dead.”
Then Amanda was there, holding out her smaller hand. “A pleasure Rose.”
She may be smaller than Rachel, but she still had the steel grip of a wolf. Her vine pulsed, and I reveled in our contact then said, “Not dead, poison, kill.”
She smirked at me and said, “Not so much.” Then she looked at our hands. Oh. I released her. I was so happy to be surrounded by people I could actually touch, instead of looking in from the outside, detached from life. I didn't know what to do so I just grinned and hugged the silly wolf on my lap around her neck. Her tail pounded the ground beside me.
They all moved to the two beds where they could all sit facing each other. Parker looked over at me as I just watched them. She rolled her eyes and patted the bed on the other side of her. I rose up on my vines and spidered over toward them. Amanda's eyebrows rose. Oh, yes. Human. Must act human. I put my feet on the floor and walked the rest of the way as I retracted my black vines.
We started to just talk about anything but what Parker called “business”, since “that can wait till we are fed and rested.” The food arrived and I can tell you now that yes, I do indeed like Chinese. Enough was delivered for a small army, yet these women seemed to eat two or three times what I remember being able to eat before my curse.
Even Parker seemed surprised at how much she ate. She caught my questioning look and clarified, “I haven't been... ummm... paranormal for long.
Then she smiled sweetly and said, “But this,” she tore the vine in half, “I can do now.” She held a half in each hand and I could see the black spells being rewoven and they began to change colors from black to red to white. And they seemed to flow in an intricate dance instead of slithering. Small vines grew out of the pieces and formed loops, and tiny white flowers bloomed on the segments.
Then the illuminated spells seemed to fade away and she was left holding what looked like two necklaces with delicate flowers at their center. She stood as she was just suddenly fully Gretta again, with those cute little antler nubs sticking out of her white hair.
She stood and walked toward the door saying softly, “You can come in now.” I was confused then Rachel and Amanda walked in. Ahhh... wolf hearing. Gretta smiled and gave Rachel a peck on the lips and held out a necklace. Rachel bowed down so she could place it over her head. She did the same with Amanda.
Then she said, “As long as you wear these, you will be immune to any of Rose's toxins.” They nodded in understanding. Perchta could do that? And make it look so simple? It made me wonder about the arrogance of human witches, believing they knew so much about magic. But compared to what I had just witnessed; the unweaving of spells and spinning them into something else; mortal magic users are just like children playing with things they don't fully understand.
Could she truly make talismans to protect people from my evil? Rachel stepped over to me and crouched to my level and extended a hand. “It is a pleasure to greet you properly Rose.”
I recoiled and looked around. They all had so much confidence in Gretta. I timidly reached out and grasped her hot hand. Her vine necklace seemed to pulse green. She tilted her head and smiled. I savored the hot touch. She was wolf hot like Mari and Daria were. But most importantly, she wasn't dead. She was shaking my hand and not dead. I shook more enthusiastically.
I realized everyone was watching me. I was still shaking, this was too long wasn't it. You're supposed to let go after. But I didn't want to let go. This was human contact again. I wanted more. I grinned sheepishly and released her and my hand became almost instantly cold. I was mumbling under my breath, “I can touch. No death, kill, poison, dead.”
Then Amanda was there, holding out her smaller hand. “A pleasure Rose.”
She may be smaller than Rachel, but she still had the steel grip of a wolf. Her vine pulsed, and I reveled in our contact then said, “Not dead, poison, kill.”
She smirked at me and said, “Not so much.” Then she looked at our hands. Oh. I released her. I was so happy to be surrounded by people I could actually touch, instead of looking in from the outside, detached from life. I didn't know what to do so I just grinned and hugged the silly wolf on my lap around her neck. Her tail pounded the ground beside me.
They all moved to the two beds where they could all sit facing each other. Parker looked over at me as I just watched them. She rolled her eyes and patted the bed on the other side of her. I rose up on my vines and spidered over toward them. Amanda's eyebrows rose. Oh, yes. Human. Must act human. I put my feet on the floor and walked the rest of the way as I retracted my black vines.
We started to just talk about anything but what Parker called “business”, since “that can wait till we are fed and rested.” The food arrived and I can tell you now that yes, I do indeed like Chinese. Enough was delivered for a small army, yet these women seemed to eat two or three times what I remember being able to eat before my curse.
Even Parker seemed surprised at how much she ate. She caught my questioning look and clarified, “I haven't been... ummm... paranormal for long.
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