Thread: The Clinic: Test Thriteen (mild language, sexual conduct)

Test Thirteen
The days leading up to the Formal were chaotic and messy. Classrooms fell out of disrepair until students were threatened. They hype unnerved me, since I knew so little about how things were meant to go. Sally and Elly walked me through most of it.
Before I knew it, it was the night of the formal.
I sat in my room, focusing on trying to bend a spoon. I’d heard of it in books before—a psychic’s trick—but I’d never thought it was real. Since I had recently come into my powers the teachers had chosen to start me on something simple. Apparently, bending a metal spoon was an elementary power.
The spoon’s metal quivered gently and started to bend but stopped. I glared at it in frustration but it didn’t move any further.
I sighed and tossed it onto the desk. It let out a ‘clink’ sound as it hit a metal can that held my pencils and I didn’t give it any further notice.
The tapping resonating on my door reminded me of how much time I’d spent on my spoon assignment. Somehow, seven hours had slipped away from me.
“Claire!” Elly’s voice called from the other side. “I’m coming in!”
I sighed again and turned my chair to look at the door as she, Sally, Kyle, and Tony walked in. Tony had disappeared with his upcoming exams but, apparently, he’d taken the night off for the Formal.
“Oh my God.”
Tony’s shocked expression after giving me a once over told me that something was off. And I could guess rather easily what it was.
Tony wore a simple black suit with a bow tie while Kyle wore a similar suit, only with a tie.
Sally wore a tight fitting purple gown with a rather low v-cut and a slice in the leg that ran over halfway up her thigh. It revealed very high-heeled, dark purple shoes. She wore several silver bracelets around her wrists and silver choker around her neck. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail with a few strands serving as bangs.
Elly, instead of flashy, bold colors, wore a light green dress with matching heels. It was modest but looked very nice on her. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail as well only her bangs had been left down completely. Her necklace seemed to overlap but, since it was silver, it was rather hard to tell.
“You aren’t dressed,” Tony gasped out. “Oh, God save us now!!”
He fell dramatically on the bed and Elly laughed. That was when I noticed them—the two boxes in her arms.
“What is that?”
The question fell from my lips and I immediately regretted it when she smiled.
“This,” she said matter-of-factly, “is your outfit for tonight.”
“You honestly didn’t think you were going to wear your uniform, did you?” Sally sneered, crossing her arms.
Elly shoved the boxes into my hands and pushed me in the direction of the bathroom.
“Go get dressed then we’ll fix your make up!!”
The high pitched note of glee made me feel uneasy—along with the word “make up.” What exactly was it—make up?
I closed the door behind me and opened the boxes carefully.
The dress I pulled out was solid white and I immediately recognized it—it was the same one my mother wore when I’d seen her. White heels accompanied it and I held the items gently.
Was it just a coincidence? Or more?
I changed quickly, my eyes standing out against my pale skin while the brands and markings on my palm weren’t well concealed by the arms of the dress.
After a final glance in the mirror, I walked back out.
Kyle stood in the door way while Sally, Elly, and Tony had gathered on my bed, looking at the spoon I’d been working with earlier.
Everyone but Kyle stared when I reentered the room.
I stood awkwardly, rubbing my brands nervously, as I sat in my desk chair.
“Are we ready to go?”
Sally blinked and shook her head.
“No,” she said with an evil glint in her eye. “We still have so much to do in the next hour!”
From the sound of her voice I couldn’t tell if she was joking or not. Somehow, I knew she wasn’t.

I stood quietly in front of the door that led into the hall where the Formal was taking place. For the Winter Formal, the choice of white seemed appropriate but few wore the simple color. As I watched people going in and out of the doors, I quickly realized I was the only one in white.
Cheylo was perched in a tree beside me while Naga and Aversion hid behind it, watching over me. Their presence comforted me, but very little.
Elly had chosen to go to the Formal with Kyle and I had it found odd but it seemed appropriate the more I had though about it. Sally was with Tony and I was with Scorpion.
The snow falling around me only made me think more about the Clinic and it took every ounce of strength I had not to run—to try to outrun the memories that haunted me.
“A goddess.”
I looked up and met Scorpion’s amber gaze that was locked on me. It took all I had not to rub my arms uncomfortably.
“An angel.”
“Me?”
The sound of my voice made me jump and Scorpion closed the space of us in a few, brief strides. My familiars rustled in the tree behind me but stayed where they were. I could tell they weren’t fond of Scorpion being too close to me but I wasn’t quite sure why.
Before I could process what was happening, Scorpion’s lips were on mine, his body pressed firmly against my own.
I kissed him back slowly, trying to reciprocate the affection but it came across more so as trying too hard—at least that was what I believed.
When he pulled back he took my hand and led me through the doors.
The hall was decorated in fake snow and fake, crystal snowflakes hung from the ceiling high above everyone. Soft music was flowing around the floor along with murmurs of people conversing.
It took me no time to find Elly, Sally, Tony, and Kyle.
Scorpion led me to them and smiled his greeting as I chose to voice my own.
“Hello.”
My voice sounded too happy and I immediately felt like I was trying to hard. No one seemed to catch on so I relaxed a fraction of an inch.
“Claire.”
I froze—unable to move, unable to breathe—as the familiar voice crossed the loud room to me. It wasn’t particularly loud—not even a yell—but it made my blood run cold as I turned to face the owner of the voice.
Time stood still as I met all too familiar green-brown eyes. I was thankful, at that moment, for Scorpion holding me up. I knew that, without his firm hold around my waist, I would’ve been on the floor.
“Scorpion?” I whispered meekly, feigning a smile. “I need to get some air.”
Realization of some kind crossed his face and he released me. I had to consciously focus on my legs to hold me up as I walked out a set of double doors and into the frosty night air.
Snow had just begun to fall, crystallizing the earth, and I found my mind going back to Zaien and the tree.
“Claire.”
The voice called to me from behind and I fought every instinct I had to run. I had to fight it. I had no choice in the matter.
“Byren,” I said evenly, not turning around. I knew that, if I met his eyes, I would crumble. “How did you get into here? Only mages can enter because of the Barrier.”
The Barrier was an invisible dome covering the entire perimeter. If you were not a mage you could not see it. It made attacking the school virtually impossible.
Unless he was saying…
I froze mid-thought. Two weeks had passed. He had matured. While I was paralyzed in a bed, Byren had matured. If he had been strong before I’d come to M. I. A. it was impossible to tell how much stronger he’d become.
“You…You…”
I couldn’t get the words to come. They stuck in my throat as if I was lying. Only I didn’t have the sharp pain that began behind my eyes.
“I matured,” he said evenly. “And part of me is mage.”
Part of me.
“What do you mean?” I said as calmly as I could.
I could feel my body shaking but both Byren and I knew it wasn’t from the cold.
I was afraid.
“Well, you see, Claire, I’m not only one specific creature like you natural-borns at the Clinic. I wasn’t made like you.”
“So, Jate and Feiral aren’t vampires?”
I heard the crunching of snow and I took in a slow breath, letting it out in a steady stream as he walked beside me, leaning on the balcony as the snow swirled around us.
His skin was a little paler—his tan less noticeable—and his hair was a shade lighter than before as well. I was guessing they were from vampiric traits. Since I was so close to him I had a better view of his eyes. They had remained the same—warm and welcoming. It hurt to look at them, knowing what he’d done.
“You see,” he whispered softly, “my parents aren’t fully vampires—neither were their parents. It’s best to begin with their parents, since they began the Time line.
“Their parents consisted of Arist and Cleona Time. Arist was a vampire. Vampires, as they’ve most likely taught you in this pathetic excuse for a school, are a dominant trait, then werewolves, and finally mages. Since mages are the closest to being human, they’re a less dominant gene.
“Cleona was, unlike Arist, a half breed—half vampire, half werewolf. Well, as a result, their children were a mix of pure vampire and half breeds. As I’ve come to understand, the pureblood children with werewolf blood in their genes slowly died horrible deaths. However, their half breed son survived.
“The son’s name was Variscite. Well, after his parents had been destroyed he went in search of a mate and found a mage named Kyanite. And, thus, Jate and Feiral were born.
“How I’ve been told, Kyanite left Variscite and, at age ten, the two were left to fend for themselves. I decided to look up a few things in the Great Halls of Species. It wasn’t hard to find records on them. Variscite had kept very well kempt records and Jate had picked up on the habit once his father had left.
“The truth is, Kyanite was forced to marry another mage in order to protect Variscite and my parents. She left without a word to anyone so, Variscite, Jate, and Feiral, assumed she had walked out on them. Their father, however, took it much harder than my parents had.
“Her loss quite literally destroyed him. But, it wasn’t that she had left, that had made her lost. It was what had transpired. She was pregnant from this new ‘husband’ of hers. It destroyed him. As fate would have it, Feiral and Jate caught wind of it and that is where the Clinic began.
“When they were ten they turned their home into the Clinic. Several modifications were made over the course of a year and a half as they waited for the child of Kyanite—their brother or sister—to be born. They had been taught medical research by their father and so studied extensively on all cultures in every sense they could.
“When modifications to their home were finished they were eleven, soon to be twelve and had chosen to bring in children of many ages—all below sixteen—in hopes that they would find Kyanite’s child.
“Unfortunately, about five months had passed before they found her—Kyanite. She had given birth to the child that had caused the death of my parent’s father. So, they killed Kyanite, stole the child, and disappeared behind their white walls.”
I blinked as everything fell into place.
“I take by now you’ve guessed that Kyanite was your mother. You would’ve been born when they were ten. You are sixteen and they are twenty-six. Do you honestly think it is such a coincidence?”
Everything slowed down as I tried to process everything. My mother had been killed by the very people who had watched over me for fourteen years. I had been taken away from a home I never knew I had.
“Fate…Giles…Aime…What about them? Why’re they here?”
“Fate,” he said matter-of-factly, “as well as Giles were just children who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, you could say. Aime, however, they thought might be Kyanite’s daughter.”
My vision swam and I could feel my stomach twist. Strong arms wrapped around me and I responded instinctively by leaning into the embrace. I immediately regretted it when I realized that it was Byren who had helped me stay standing.
“Claire,” he said gently, tilting my head up. “I can protect you. No one is more powerful than I am. I have every gene of every species in my body. Some may be diluted but they are still there.”
“Jate and Feiral…aren’t fully vampire are they?”
He shook his head no and I leaned into him further, feeling sick. Once again he lifted my head to meet his gaze.
“Come with me,” he whispered. “I swear I’ll protect you. You can be my mate. If I Choose you then no one can hurt you when it comes to my family.”
Chosen.
His lips lowered to my own before I could respond and he held me tightly to me, bending my back so I arched further into his body.
His kiss was just how I remembered it. Sweet and gentle. But there was no hint of the passion or fire I’d felt with Zaien. But there was the same emotion and yearning that had always been beneath the surface.
When he pulled away I was left breathless and barely able to stand. It had been quite some time since I’d had a kiss like that.
“Get away from her.”
The command that came from behind me caused me to jump and I turned, meeting Kyle’s cool gaze. It made me shiver and Byren held me to his side tightly. His hold on my waist hurt and I found myself wincing inadvertently whenever I would try to move.
“This is none of your concern,” Byren replied coldly. “I do believe you’re out of place, child.”
I heard a hiss and suddenly Naga was in front of Kyle. That was when I saw Aversion and Cheylo perched in trees. Had they been watching us all this time?
“You can’t feel it,” Kyle mused. The expression of amusement on his face was one I’d never seen and, honestly, it startled me. “It is no surprise, seeing as I’ve kept it hidden.”
“Kept what hidden?!” Byren demanded.
Kyle lifted his hand and I felt a familiar burning sensation start in my own. I didn’t even have to look to tell what it was.
I lifted my hand and saw one of the symbols glowing a dim black.
“Eta…”
The word left my mouth unbidden and I felt a jolt of…something slice through my blood stream and to the point on my hand.
“My name is Kyle Eta Sate. I am the highest member of the Council of Guardian Mages. This is my domain, Twisted. You do not belong here.”
“Eta!!!”
The familiar cry caused me to jolt and I watched as Elly ran to Kyle’s side. I could barely think as Rho, Zeta, and Epsilon gathered.
All five Guardian Mages were gathered in one place. Somehow, I knew this was rare. The burning in my hand intensified and I cried out at a myriad of colored lights came from the symbols.
“Son of Time,” Rho growled, lifting her hand so her palm raised towards the sky. “You are to leave that girl alone!!”
Rho stood in the center. To her left was Epsilon and Zeta. To her right were Kyle and Elly. All stood with their palms to the winter’s sky.
But if I had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate, to say that for destruction ice is also great and would suffice.
The snow around us froze, sharpening to ice shards, and with each fall the flaked became harder and more solid than just soft, powdered snow.
“Let her go,” Rho said coolly. “Otherwise you just may die here tonight, Son of Time.”
“This is Kyanite’s daughter!” he roared. “Her birth has caused all of Hell to erupt on this wretched earth! She needs to be killed!!”
A mage cannot lie.
I didn’t think. There was no room for thought. Between my disoriented state of finding the truth about my birth as well as Kyle and Elly being Guardian Mages…it was too much. I couldn’t take it.
“Shut…up,” I growled, looking at Byren. I shoved him towards the edge of the balcony we had currently occupied. “I trusted you! I loved you! You were always there for me! And then you betrayed me! All these years you knew!! You wanted me to trust you, didn’t you?! You wanted me to love you just so you could do this to me—have me killed!”
“Claire, no—it’s not like that! I love you!!”
“You know what, Byren?” I spat. “I did love you. I did trust you. I did believe in you. So your little plan worked. But, now that I know everything, I’d rather you just disappear!!”
The familiar burning sensation arose beneath my skin, causing my blood to flame in a mix of magick and anger.
“You know, Byren,” I said calmly. “We might’ve been good together. You might’ve made me happy. Now go to Hell!”
I shoved him back off the edge of the balcony. It was at least a two story drop just from the balcony alone. That wasn’t even counting if he fell down the hill.
Carefully I stood on the edge, calling down to him.
“Tell Jate and Feiral Kyanite’s daughter says hello!”
Where my bravado had come from, I had no idea. All I knew was that it proved effectual in getting me what I wanted. And, judging by the surprised looks from the others, I’d guessed that they were surprised to see me being so…brutal.
I didn’t look at them, didn’t speak to them, as I brushed past and back into the room overflowing with naïve people who had no clue as to what had transpired.
Finding Scorpion and the others took no time whatsoever. Scorpion sand the others stood out with their own sort of nocturnal beauty—especial Sally, who’s model grace held her above all the others who were near her.
The rest of the night was spent with laughter—from the others, not from me. I’d found my thoughts shifting back to Byren unconsciously before someone would say something and recapture my attention.
By the end of the night, I could barely keep my thoughts off of the Clinic. When Scorpion escorted me to my room, kissed me gently, and then left, I barely registered undress, crawling into bed, and feeling my familiars fall into their normal places at my sides.
Tomorrow…what would happen tomorrow? Would things resume as normal? Or would I be taken from this place?
Who knew what would come but tomorrow itself?

That night I barely slept. All I could truly recall of sleep was the brief snatches I’d received when my body, too exhausted, would cave into unconsciousness. My familiars expressed their concerns when I would wake again but always remained where they were.
Dressing was robotic. I felt as if I was at the Clinic once again, waking for my morning testing. Only, now, those familiar stings of needles and the smell of disinfectant wasn’t what would greet me in the morning.
I found myself desperately missing my daily routines. Missing the good mornings and hellos from those I’d grown close to. Missing even Jate and Feiral’s cold cruelty and the cool services we’d receive in the morning.
I missed the white walls and the medical smells I’d familiarized myself with. I missed Jate telling us to get to bed at night. I missed the Clinic in general.
Tears fell down my eyes as I turned my knob as reality—as the truth—hit me fully for the first time since my leave from the Clinic.
How were Giles and Aime fairing? Fate? Were they all alright? How was Fate handling the fact that she would be “leaving” soon?
“Miss Venue?”
I turned on my heel, just a handful of feet from my door, and met the eyes of the school’s headmaster.
“Are you alright, dear?” the woman asked, her amber eyes meeting my similar, orange ones sadly.
“Yes.” The reply was clipped and abrupt and the concern in her eyes deepened so I quickly continued. “I’m fine! I was just feeling a bit tired.”
The look in the elder woman’s eyes stayed concerned but she relaxed slightly.
“Alright…I came here to inform you that the Guardian Mages will be coming to collect you soon.”
I straightened.
“Collect?”
The word rolled off my tongue uneasily and I felt dread curling in my stomach like icy smoke. What did she mean by “collect?”
“Yes,” she said softly. “You will no longer be attending M. I. A. You will be finishing your training personally with Rho, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, and Iota.”
Eta and Iota…Kyle and Elly…they would be coming along? Or…would they be remaining behind?
“Kyle Sate and Elly James will be accompanying you for many days before you conjoin with the other three,” the woman explained slowly. “You will be leaving in exactly two hours so I suggest that you begin packing soon.”
“Naga,” I said before I could stop myself, “and the others…what about them?”
The headmaster’s gaze narrowed and she walked away casually, her reply soft and barely audible.
“That, Claire, will be up to them.”