12

Portia took another whiff of the aroma coming in the room from outside, she was already at the door and wanted to smell it more.

When Kofi brought in the food, it seemed like simple mpotompotor, but with one look, she saw flashes.

It was a man and woman...her mother and father, her father waved the spoon in his hand around then placed it in her mother's mouth, then her mother laughed as he kissed her on the lips.

She then turned serious and picked Portia up as her father turned around, then it ended...

"What did you say your symbiote is again?"Kofi asked.

"Oh... it's this."She said, bringing out the gem.

"It's trapped in that? I don't think that counts as a..."

"No, it's literally the gem, it was the only thing my parents left me and then it decided to bond with me, not a Griffin, or a Unicorn, a black opal."

He smiled, which actually sent butterflies into her stomach as he said,"I like that, it's..."

"Strange?"

"...you, unique to you."

She smiled as he stood up then she asked where he was going as he said he was going to get some water for her to drink, but she said she just wanted to go to bed, so he got her some water.

In the two weeks she had lived with Skylar's family, she had gotten so used to bathing hot water, the very aura of cold water sent chills down her spine.

Kofi half closed his eyes at her, then zapped the water till it got a lot hotter, then she smiled and took it away.

After about thirty minutes, Kofi came to the bath shed then knocked and asked,"Did you like fall asleep in there? People are waiting."

She then remembered what used to happen at the orphanage, then took a deep breath and wrapped her packed towel around herself then walked out, then Kofi chuckled as he walked in, what was his deal?

She finished changing when he walked inside then she immediately found herself drooling at the figure beneath his shirt, he looked like the guy bound to Hercules!

Kofi saw her expression and asked if something was wrong then she looked away and said it was nothing as he smiled then walked away.

She couldn't stop that disgusting but tempting picture from replaying in her mind, all throughout the night, till it was time for school.

But when the time did come, she didn't want to go, she just had this strange feeling like her gem wanted to show her something, but couldn't.

After Kofi encouraged her to go, she was hooked.

At the school, she saw Skylar walking to his next class when he looked in their direction and widened his eyes, they were holding hands.

Skylar looked like he was going to blow and Portia was actually enjoying it, she then called Kofi and when he turned, she whispered in his ear,"I want to get back at Skylar, would you help me?"

"Bully an even bigger bully? That's all what I do."He said.

She smiled and gave him a small thank you kiss on the cheek and he widened his eyes as she walked away, by then, Skylar had crushed the frame of a door with his bare hand.

Portia walked into her classroom, not knowing she was being watched by someone in a red hood, several kilometres away.

She practiced a little of her new atom rearrangement skill as the teacher was late, then she got bored, so went forward in time to the first break.

She walked out of her classroom and ran immediately into Kofi's arms then he lifted her up into the air and held her between his arms and rubbed his nose on hers, from there, she could see the flaming red look in Skylar's eyes and she took it a step further, she kissed him on the lips.

He immediately pulled back and asked what she was doing and she felt stupid and embarrassed for doing that, but Skylar got the message.

Kofi placed her down, not willing to go on with the act, when Skylar walked in and asked,"What the heck are you doing?"

"Oh Skylar..."Portia said, gaining confidence,"... I assume you've already met Kofi, my new boyfriend."

Skylar glared at Kofi, who looked very confused, he had never wanted it to go that far.

Skylar then asked,"Boyfriend right? So you chose this poor, uncivilised, hotheaded Cretan over me?"

Before Kofi could speak, Portia had come forward to say,"Excuse me?! You have no idea what Kofi's father has done to him."

"Could it be worse than what mine did to me?"Skylar asked.

She was silent as Skylar said,"I thought so, Kofi, if you really are a man in love, why don't you fight for your pretty princess?"

"Anytime you're ready."He said.

"Kofi, what are you doing?!"Portia whispered.

"I can take care of myself and this tyrant needs to be put in his place."

"Not like this! You could get hurt!"

"What about him? You seem to have forgotten all the good he's done for you really quickly, one thing I'd never do, is forget my loved ones."

She was silent for a second, absorbing everything that he said, why did she let their relationship breakdown so easily?

Because he was a two faced jerk!

He didn't even bother apologizing!

She was so lost in thought, she didn't realize the feather that hooked her shirt and carried her to safety, or the electric fence that shielded the two, when she opened her eyes again, she saw something... someone, a Blood Boiler...

Blood Boilers were creatures of the Vladagan (blood) race.

They were extremely skilled in blood magic, able to control all the affairs of anything with the liquid through its veins.

They wore long, Red hoods which covered their supposedly hideous faces, but when they fell in love, they had the ability to take a sample of blood from their mate and turn into a stunning version of its species, so far as they lived by blood.

The fact that they were such powerful manipulators of basically... everything stated that they were a no mess with creature, but what was one doing there?

Skylar...

She screamed for Kofi to get out of there but he got distracted by her and got slashed in the chest by one of Skylar's feathers.

The crowd went tense as she screamed, then everything went strange, she was in the fourth dimension...she could set this right!

She looked at herself kissing Kofi then at Skylar, she knew the Blood Boiler had to be nearby, then caught it, on a tree, several meters away, surrounded by vampire bats.

She went into her past self then pulled back from the kiss before Kofi could and he asked,"What the heck are you doing?!"

She looked at him, then said,"I don't have time to explain but you have to follow me."

She tried pulling his arm but he pulled back then said he couldn't trust her anymore, she didn't go far enough.

She tried again, this time, a little farther, to where he was carrying her and looked for the creature again then found it, at the same spot.

She entered her avatar then just vanished with Kofi.

Kofi asked what was wrong then she pointed at the creature not far before them then he widened his eyes and asked,"That might be..."

"...why Skylar was acting so strange."She completed.

It's head turned 180° to face them and it began to laugh, showing its several, fang like teeth, with the bats screeching.

They looked around as the creature appeared besides Portia then said,"Boo."

She screamed as Kofi blasted electricity at it but it vanished again and appeared somewhere else.

Portia gained her bravery again then asked,"Who are you and what do you want with my boyfriend?!"

"Don't you mean, my boyfriend?"It asked.

It removed its hood and showed its face...Princess.

They were both surprised as she cackled like the witch she was then Portia said,"You're a monster!"

"Aren't we all?"She asked.

"He doesn't just belong to you!"

"He did the moment I fell in love with him."She said.

"This isn't love, this is an obsession! Leave my boyfriend alone!"

"He's not your boyfriend!"She screamed.

Then, out of nowhere, a cut appeared on Portia's arm and she screamed as Kofi ran to her aid.

Princess began to laugh as the leaves on the tree were parted by a strong wind, then she said,"Skylar baby, finish them off."

Skylar did a superhero landing and faced the two of them.

Portia started breathing heavily as Skylar's wings started scraping the floor.

She then said,"Skylar, this isn't you, I know you, you're the strongest, handsomest, kindest guy I know, you're the loveliest person of them all."

He looked into her eyes then walked closer, confused, then she ran into his arms, but ended up getting stabbed in the back with his wing...