IX ||| Paint It, Bloody Black

" I'm just slightly different, alright?" I grinned.

"Slightly different? Is that what extraordinarily out of this world is called now? Because that's what you are," she stared from the bag of blood to me. "There's only one person that won't die from your venom even if they drink a full with no protection whatsoever."

A shiver ran down my spine, and I refused to acknowledge what came to mind, "Yeah? Who?" Please don't say it. Don't say it. Don't say it.

But as she can't listen to my thoughts, she said it, "Your mate!"

Ugh. "My mate?" I feigned ignorance like a pro actress.

"Yes. Our mates are immune to us in all ways possible. If yours happen to be one of the types who enjoy some blood, they won't be harmed by the poison in it. Or by your bite," she grinned, "because you bite!"

My cheeks burned, but I kept a stoic face, "I do have fangs."

"Fangs that are more dangerous than a vampire's and could cause instant death. Can I see it? Your gangs?" Oh?

I opened my lips slightly, grinning with my fangs in display. "Yes."

"Bloody hell, it's awesome. It's thinner and slightly longer than the fangs of a vampire, and also have the suction tips. You can both pour your venom and suck their blood. Really marvelous, I should say. Can I take a bit of your venom later to study it? I'm a sucker for it. It must be a powerful killing skill," to study?

"I don't see why not," I hid my fangs, licking my lips. "And I have no interest in drinking anyone's blood."

"Have you done it before?" What?

"No!"

"Never say never then. Especially if you've never had a taste of it. Who knows? You might enjoy your mate's taste," a mischievous grin took over her lips. "In more ways than you can imagine."

I feel like she's talking in a sexual meaning, "I have no interest in having a mate," and I'll avoid all males in the Academy, after mom said my mate is there and it's a 'he'. I can't deal with that shite. Besides, I have zero experience in dealing with people, especially in a relationship. It would be a disaster. "None!"

She rolled her eyes, "You say that now, but this thought will vanish the instant you and your mate touch skin to skin." Skin to skin? Is that a thing? Then I won't let anyone touch me.

One more reason to be covered up. "Again, I don't want it."

"If you say so," she said by gave me a you're-full-of-shite look. "Done," she took the needle from my arm and the little wound healed right away. "Let me just mix it with the my homemade magical ink, and we'll get started, Hel. So, you can lay down," then she turned around and began doing her thing. "Oh, for it to work, I'll have to make a special tattoo that will connect the tattoos to your true magical form."

A serpent tattoo then? "Yeah?"

"Mm-hm. It has to be a tattoo that molds identically to your form, with colors and all, and above it must be the moon phase of the day you were born," she turned to me and looked at my necklace. "I take that Shay made this inspired in you, right?"

"Yes," my fingers touched the piece. "It's identical to my current form. Emerald dots and all. Can you make a drawing after the jewel? I was born in the night of a waning moon."

A smiled played in the corner of her lips, "It's the Crone's moon. And yes, I can make the drawing based on your necklace if you say it's identical to your true form. As there will be a lot of tattoos, I'll have to make a bigger one to connect with everything. So, what about a winged serpent on your back, looking up in the direction of the waning moon in your nape?"

Wow, she's creative. "I like it."

"Can I make the moon black?"

"Yes. I trust your skills," then I laid on my belly with my back to her, unlocking the back strap of my black bra. "Make me beautiful."

She giggled, "I will. Oh, and why do you keep doing that?"

What? "Doing what?"

"Channeling the natural magic in the house. You keep absorbing it all. Why are you doing it?" I'm doing what? "It all keeps getting absorbed by your body. It's cool, but why are you doing it? Are you recharging?"

I frowned, "I can do that? I… I'm not doing on purpose."

Abellona arched her eyebrows, "You've been literally doing that since you sat down in the living room, Hel. What do you mean you didn't know? Didn't Cosmos detect your channeling ability in you?" My what? "It seems like I overestimated the boy."

"My what? I don't know what I'm doing, sorry."

Sigh, "It's a special ability, kid," one more? It's what? Six now? "You apparently has a body that absorbs energy and magic from all your surroundings. And it seems quite strong if your body was doing it without you even taking notice of it."

My eyes widened, "Oh my Goddess. Is that why my body absorbed the magical emerald of the coffin? I always wondered why, but I thought it was because I had strayed inside there for too long."

That took a good laugh out of her, "No, Hel. It's because of this. It can be extremely useful, you know. Maybe you didn't notice before because you were locked on the crypt, but now that you're finally outside, your body is, one hundred percent, absorb natural magic and energy, channeling it inside you."

"How do I stop it?"

She clicked her tongue, "Training. But for now, I can make channeling tattoos in you body. It'll have to be two to channel it in both sides of your body and give balance. What about one in each of your shoulders? Going from your collarbones up to your shoulders."

"Will that help?" I gulped.

"It will. Your magic will stored in the tattoo, and as my tattoos are the spatial kind that can storage stuff, it'll be the best. That way your magic won't be savage and spreading out through out your entire body like it's happening now. And it'll be better to contain it all," I heard the sounds of pages moving, as if she's sorting out the pages of a books. "Do you have something against cherry blossoms?"

Why would I have? "No."

"Can we go with cherry blossoms then? It'll look amazing on you. Soft pink looks good with the silver of your hair and the midnight sapphire blue of your eyes," she knows this better than me, so it's better to trust it.

"I trust your tattoo-wise judgement."

"You're too cute," I highly doubt that word suits me, but alright. A compliment is a compliment. "As you're Shay's daughter, from the winged serpents legendary kin, and you're going to Belladonna, I'm thinking of presenting you with some protection tattoos too. Because kid, you have to keep in mind that you are not indestructible. Your kind was almost extinct after all, so, being careful is always good."

I know that, and I have zero desire of dying before I help on the fall of Meredith, "What do you have in mind?"

"The ancient nine binding-runes of courage, energy, health, good luck, love, grace, protection, endurance, and strength. They are simple and small, and I'm thinking of tattooing them like a bracelet over the shackles' scar on you ankles. Courage, energy, health, good luck, and protection on the right. Love, grace, endurance, strength, and protection again on the left."

She really knows what she's doing. I've studied about the ancient runes with Cosmos, so I know they are strong and effective. "What else?"

"Have you ever heard of the Serpent's Lock and Key?"