Her Quest : Magic in the Blood

Ian was angry. Well, that was not a big deal considering he was always losing his temper. But this time, Ian was furious. His cousins, who never left him out, had gone out with that girl, forgetting their plans for a night out. How could they do this to him?

Emm watched Ian pacing the room as he sat perched on the counter by the window in the library. It was a cozy corner, one he didn't want anyone to know about for that was his spot. He gave Dimitri a look that said, You handle him. When Dim did not respond and stayed sprawled on the couch, Emm sighed and rose from his seat.

"Will you sit down for a moment?" He asked Ian, "It's not like she would steal our brother's virtue,” Ian turned to glare at him causing Dimitri to chuckle.

"He's right," Dim nodded towards Emm, rising from the couch. Ian stared at him but Dim shifted his gaze to the window, "They will be back any minute now."

Not a second later the sound of front door opening drifted in the room, followed by it being slammed shut and muffled laughter.

"Come on, Ian. Don't be so prissy," Dim raised his hand as Ian opened his mouth, "Later."

That was enough to shut him up. Gage and Jake burst into the room, calling out to them, but one look at Ian's sulking face and realisation dawned on their faces.

"She's in the kitchen,” Jake said, barely controlling the growl in his voice. Ian stepped towards him but Gage came in between them.

"We were just out strolling. Why does that bother you so much?" Gage asked lightly.

"She's not one of us. You are forgetting that,” Ian's voice was low but his eyes were sparkling with a fire well known by them all.

"That doesn't mean we have to stay away from her like she's a rabid animal," Dim raised his voice, forgetting his vow to be calm, "You are reacting like a fool," he accused, jabbing his finger in Ian's chest.

"I am being a fool?" he whispered lowly and then the walls of his temper broke, "So now, I am a fool to you because of that girl?"

"Lower your voice. She'll hear you."

"Damn you! As if, I care. Let her hear."

"You don't know anything about her", Jake jerked Ian around to face him, "Do you know what she has been through? Do you have any idea what she -"

"So you believed all her damsel in distress sob stories she made up?" Ian sneered, "Maybe she just wants a nice little companion like you, little Jake," Jake's eyes turned hard. He hated being reminded again and again about his inability. He averted his gaze from Ian's and took a step back. But Ian continued, unaware of the hurt his words caused, "Maybe she just wants a wee bit of fun from you, or that she's here to just win all our hearts with her lovely and sweet angel talks and then rob us. Not of our wealth, nah, but of what we are. Maybe she just wants to play with us and when we -", a movement by the door caught his eyes, making him stop mid-sentence.

And there she was - standing like a deer in the headlights. Her eyes gazed into Ian's, the hurt in her eyes evident.

"Why stop now, Ian?" Sonia whispered.

At the sound of her voice, everyone turned to look at her. She averted her gaze to look at the others as she stepped inside the library. What she saw on their faces were adoration, apology, happiness and above all else, some kind of suppressed fury.

She stepped in front of Ian but refused to look at him. Instead, she spoke to the others, "I was not eavesdropping," she said, mentally kicking herself on hearing her voice tremble. Taking in a deep breath, she continued, "I just came in to call you guys for snacks. Jake mentioned you would be in here. I did not mean to listen but before I could tell myself that it's your personal discussion, Jake said something that stopped me," she looked at Jake, blinking back the tears before looking into Ian's eyes. Sonia felt anger radiate off of him, which fuelled her anger.

"I am not a damsel in distress, Ian", her voice was low but there was fire in her eyes much like in the ones looking back at her. "And neither am I here for any of the reasons you have in that nasty mind of yours. You got a problem with me. You come and say it to me," she stepped forward invading his personal space, "There's no need to talk behind my back. I am not here on my own will. You better get that hammered into your thick head,” Saying so she whirled around which caused her ponytail to whip around and slap at Ian's cheek.

Upon reaching the door, she stopped, "And there is no need to claw at your brothers with your ugly and useless temper over nothing," she added over her shoulder and then left the room.

Moments later, they heard the kitchen door open and close. And then, there was complete silence.

Ian still had one hand on his cheek where her hair had touched his skin.

Dimitri was the first to come back to his senses, "Well that was something," he grinned and stepped towards the window, "Looks like a storm's coming. Does she know around the woods, Jake?"

Jake startled at his name, "Err - no. She once said that she liked the view from her room but was afraid to explore them. Said she kinda gets this feeling that she will not be the same after going in there."

Gage lifted his brows, seemingly impressed, "You do know her a lot, bro!"

Jake merely shrugged his shoulders, "She is good,” he whispered his gaze finding Ian in an accusing stare.

"Yeah, so we better bring her back before she loses herself," Dim said.

"I will go get her," Jake offered.

"No," Emm raised his hand to stop him, "it's better if Ian goes. He's the one who accused her in the first place."

"Me?" Ian turned to look at them but the steely glares wavered him, "Yeah okay, I am going." He stated and hurried out.

"Remember you are speaking with a human," Dim said and earned a growl in response.

When Ian slammed the door shut, they all looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Did you see his face?" Gage exclaimed.

"Gosh! Just wait till everyone gets to know about this. They're never going to believe it," Jake slumped on the couch and stretched his legs.

"No," Emm went over and sat on the window counter, "We don't tell them. It is Ian's and Sonia's business. They will handle it."

Jake and Dim both nodded in agreement.

"Meanwhile, anyone up for some food?" Gage questioned.

***

Sonia walked deep into the forest. All her life, she had never talked to anyone so rudely. But the things he had accused her of, hurt her and made her angrier than she thought she could ever be. How can someone think so badly about a person, she thought furiously swiping her hair away from her face as the wind became more violent.

He does not know anything, her inner voice reasoned as she fumed; it's not really his fault. She looked around and hoped she was not lost. Stomping further, she listened to that voice continue in her head, No one wants any interference in their normal life.

Sonia stopped at that. That is true, she thought, I am a hindrance. The thought made her furious at herself.

"He's right," she muttered, "why do I deserve to be treated well when my own kin broke my heart? When my own blood..." she trailed off and all her frustration, her anger, her despair burst out in form of tears. She was unable to stop them just as she was unable to stop the sudden downpour.

Instead, she sat on the ground and rested against the side of a tree. She wrapped her arms around herself and quietly sobbed to her heart's content.

***

"Just where the hell did you come from?" Ian asked the rain looking up at the sky, "How am I supposed to find her in this storm?" he muttered, "Stupid girl," he slipped, cursed then continued ahead.

Why he turned to his left all of a sudden, he didn't know. He just kept on repeating that he had to find her and it appeared that his feet knew where to take him.

He was still cursing the muddy path when he saw her. It was like coming upon an interesting character from a fairy tale. Later he would find it funny to have made the comparison. But looking at her, all those happy endings and clichés came to his mind.

She looks sad, Ian noticed as he observed her from a distance. Her eyes were red and swollen. She sat on the ground, her back against a tree, her arms wrapped around her knees and her head tilted towards the sky.

Just as it had appeared, the rain stopped. Ian scowled at the sky and then looked back at her. She saw him just then and began to rise. She managed to get up and then stumbled.

Ian rushed and caught her by her waist. "Shi-", he stopped abruptly upon noticing her extremely pale face. Her clothes were wet and clung to her.

Cursing loudly, he lowered her down and kneeled beside her, "Damn it! Sonia, are you alright?"

Her eyes closed and Ian's panic rose. Then she opened her eyes again and looked right in his eyes.

"Are you alright, love?" He whispered still cradling her in his arms.

Sonia raised her hand to his cheek but didn't touch him, "I am sorry," she breathed and then her hand fell to her side and she passed out.