chapter FIFTY-NINE
It was late when we got back to Vittorio’s. Vittorio went to make up the guest room, though I knew it was in perfect order, while I led Courtney to the kitchen.
“Do you want anything to eat or drink?” I asked.
“Just some water would be great. Thanks for letting me stay here.”
I pulled out a chair for her.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Anything.” As I answered, I found I truly meant that. I liked the girl, and would truthfully answer anything she asked. I set a glass of water down on the table for her and filled a kettle to make tea for myself.
“Do you live here, too?”
“That’s an easy one,” I laughed, setting the kettle on the stove. “Kind of. I have my own place, and it’s really just in the past few days Vittorio and I talked about me moving in here. I don’t know if I’ll get rid of my place, but I probably will. We’ve had a lot going on lately.”
“You are so lucky. He’s gorgeous!” she gushed and giggled.
I couldn’t help but smile. “Luckier than I deserve to be, that’s for sure. Come on, don’t you have any harder questions than that?” I teased. I didn’t know the girl well enough to know how to put her at ease, and I hoped light-hearted teasing would work.
“How did you meet Vittorio? And how on earth did you snag him? From what I’ve heard, he never dated anyone seriously until he met you.”
“Gossip gets around, huh?”
Courtney blushed and looked down.
“It’s okay; don’t be embarrassed. I met him at The Chapel. I was sitting at the bar minding my own business, when Bryn - the bartender - gave me a drink I hadn’t ordered, saying it was from Vittorio. I marched right up to thank him and introduce myself, and found myself rooted in place, staring like a damn fool. I have never been so awestruck by a man before; it was humiliating.” The kettle screeched its readiness. “I couldn't fathom why he would be so interested in me, but I found out a few days later.” I paused my story while I fixed my tea. I sat at the table with the mug of steaming Earl Grey tea, comforted by the aroma.
“Why was that?”
“Like you, I had no idea I had any power. Turns out my power is quite attracted to Vittorio’s, and it made itself known to me in a rather embarrassing way.”
Courtney gave me a questioning look. She wasn’t going to make this easy on me.
“One night at The Chapel, he kissed me. Just a kiss, nothing major. It barely would have earned a PG rating, aside from the way it affected me.”
“How is that?”
“My whole body felt like rubber. I almost fell, and when he caught me, it made the effect even stronger.” My cheeks burned. “I wanted him more than I have ever wanted anyone before. He realized then I had power, and brought me here to try to explain it to me. I agreed to let him teach me to control it. When he tried to leave the guest room to let me sleep, my power protested. Had it not been for Samuel, well,” I stared into my mug, letting my hair fall around my face, flustered at the prospect of telling Courtney. “I’m not sure even the dirtiest porn director would have wanted to film what I would have done to Vittorio.”
When I finally looked back at Courtney, she was staring at me with her mouth open. “You’re kidding?”
“I wish I was. He couldn’t train me. Until I could control my power, I couldn’t even be in the same room with him. Samuel had to train me, then he had to train us together until we could fully control our power together.”
“You can control your power now, right?” She took a drink of water.
“Yes, mostly, but it still takes great concentration when I’m around Vittorio.” I blushed again. “If I’m overly tired, I tend to lose a bit of control. Nothing like that first night, though.” I left out the incident where I nearly jumped Vittorio’s bones at The Chapel. If Courtney stuck around, I was sure she’d hear about it one way or another.
“What else can you do? What can I do?” Courtney leaned forward slightly.
“I can make people feel like they are being shocked by electricity. That’s my method of combat, it seems. I can also heal people.” I didn’t tell her about the ability to bring people back from the dead. I wasn’t ready for that to be common knowledge yet. Maybe never. It was way too Jesus Christy for me. “As for what you can do, time will tell. It seems almost everyone can do little tricks like the ball of light thing, but as for your more major abilities, we know you can see through glamour. You may or may not have others. Everyone is different.”
“When will I know?” She was eager to learn.
“I don’t know. Vittorio can answer questions like that better than I can. I’m still learning, too.”
“But you’re so strong.”
It was my turn to give a questioning look.
“Everyone in the coven talks about you. They’re either in awe of you or terrified of you.”
I gaped at her in disbelief.
“It’s true.” She paused. “Are you really going to the the new Sacerdotessa?”
“I don’t know. It’s possible. I still have a lot to learn. But let me ask you something. How do you know so much about the coven?”
“Miriam tells me about it. She knows I want to join, and she thinks if I know more about it, Clavius will be more likely to accept me.” She looked down into her lap. “Well, he would have been.”
“Why do you want to join so badly?”
“At first, it was to piss off my mom. But the more I hung around The Chapel, the more I got to like the people there.”
“You know this isn’t a game? It’s a religion. It’s not something you should do just because you hate your mom.”
“I know. I’ve been interested in witchcraft for a long time. I just never knew anyone for real until I met Miriam and her friends. And even then, I didn’t know magic was real…or that I had any power.” Courtney ran her finger around the rim of her glass, brow furrowed.
You can come save me anytime, love, I thought to Vittorio.
As soon as I did, he walked into the kitchen. “The guest room is ready if you would like to get some sleep.”
“Can I ask you some questions first?” Courtney’s expression was already under control.
“Of course.” Vittorio sat at the table.
I went to make him a cup of tea, and refill mine.
“How do I learn how to use this power? And what else can I do?”
“I will find someone in the coven to teach you. And there’s is no way to know that upfront. New abilities may manifest in time.”
“What do you mean ‘may?' "
“You may have other abilities, or you may not.”
“But how can I protect myself?” Courtney had so much to learn. It was hard to believe I knew as her just a month ago.
“Not everyone has a combative power,” Vittorio said.
“Do you?”
“Yes.” Vittorio did not elaborate.
I realized I didn’t know his combative power, either. Odd, since we had already been through so much. I guess I hadn’t been around for most of it, though, and things were chaotic the other night.
Again, Courtney did not push. She was very perceptive. It didn’t take magic to read a person’s body language if you knew what to look for.
“I think I’ll go to bed now. Thanks for letting me stay here,” she said.
“You are most welcome. You can stay as long as you like if you will feel safer here,” I said as I led her to the guest room.
“I think Courtney has been through something rough,” I said, finally in Vittorio’s bedroom.
“Why do you say that, mio amore?”
“She’s good at keeping her facial expressions in check. And she’s very perceptive. She knows when to ask questions, and when not to push a point. Do you think she might be able to read people’s minds or emotions?”
“I do not think she can read minds. That is a rare ability indeed, and is hard for the person possessing it to be unaware of. She shows no signs of it. It is possible she is an empath, however. Time will tell.”
I waited for him to say more.
“Are you going to ask me?” He raised his eyebrow.
“Ask you what?” I didn’t want to push him, either.
“How I protect myself.”
“Oh, that.” I tried to be nonchalant, but wanted desperately to know.
“Mio amore, do not play coy. I know you are curious.” He smiled at me, and pulled me to him.
“I just figure if you want me to know, you’ll tell me. I do find it interesting I haven’t seen it yet considering what we’ve been through,” I said, cuddling close.
“I have two combative skills. I am able to block power attacks, and turn their power back on them. I try to limit it to that.”
“What’s the other one?” I pulled away a little so I could look at him.
“I can drain one’s life force.”
“What do you mean?”
“Essentially, I can drain their energy and take it into myself. If I limit how much I drain, it will merely leave them weak. If I am not careful, it will kill them.”
“That’s how everyone’s combative power works, isn’t it? Too much and you kill your enemy?”
“Yes, but this is a little different. Bringing my enemy’s energy into myself is usually unpleasant. Many think it would be a wonderful ability, because it makes me stronger. But it is someone else’s life force, and it is often a negative force that I do not want in myself.”
“Can’t you drain them without taking their energy into yourself?”
“I have not figured out how, if it is possible. Imagine taking Neal’s power. Neal is hateful, evil. That would leave a stain on your psyche. Once will not affect you strongly, but if you drain too many people, even a little, it will build up. I do not like the power. I would almost rather have no combative ability.”
I shuddered at the thought. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For asking. I can tell it causes you pain.”
“Do not apologize. You deserve to know. It is the one aspect of myself which I have not been able to accept.” He looked lost in a sad memory, but I did not push for details. I put my arms around him and kissed his cheek.
“You have the power to drain life, and I can give it back.”
“I had not thought of it like that. An interesting observation, mio amore.”
Interesting, indeed. I still wanted to know what all this meant, why he said I could do great things. “I’m scared of my power, Vittorio.”
“It is nothing to be afraid of, mio amore.”
“The power to bring people back to life, in particular. I mean, if word of that gets out, everyone and their dog will want me to bring their loved ones back to life. I can’t do that.”
“We will keep that a closely guarded secret. But I do not believe it works like that. I believe you have to have a close connection to the person, a strong desire for them to be alive.”
“I hope you’re right.” I huddled close to him, as if he could make the Big Bad Monster go away. “Sometimes, I wish I could go back to being normal.”
“I understand.” He looked a little hurt.
“But then I remember it’s all this craziness that brought me to you, and I wouldn’t change a thing.” That earned me a smile.