Chapter 18

Lifting her head from under my chin and she just stares at me; confused, I open my mouth when she says, "Mama, what happened to your hair?"

"What do you mean?", I ask, before taking a stray to see that my hair was a fiery red color.

It didn't tell me that my hair was going to change color; hopefully, I don't look bad with the fiery red, because that's going to suck. Letting out a sigh, Jess looks back at me before saying, "You look pretty with that hair color."

"Thank you.", I say.

"Is that all that is going to happen?", she asks.

"I'm not sure; I'll check the book, maybe there was something I missed.", I say.

Doing just that, I grabbed the book once again, and saw if there was any hidden message from her; when I didn't find any, I was going to give up, but I noticed on the back of the book inside, there seemed to be an so opening it, I pulled out a note.

'If you were just a half-ling before reading this or before, a loved one was in danger; then you'll be going through some phases. The first phase is your hair color; sometimes not, but it depends on if you have over one power. The second phase is the markings, but not all if there's over one; the third phase is the rest of the markings and the ears, and the last phase is the wings. Please note that the changes will happen the longer your loved one is in danger or how much you use it without knowing. So I have three more phases to go through; placing the note back inside where I found it. Putting the book away, I was about to head towards Jess when she came into the living room; smiling at her, I held up three fingers which she nodded. She sits on the couch and turns on the tv. I began heading over to the couch again, but there was a knock on the door, so I turned around. Opening the door, I see who I believe is Mr. Samuell-Phoenix.

"Yes?", I say.

"Good afternoon, I'm here to do a medical scan on you and your daughter before classes start.", he tells me.

"Okay, Jessica is in the living room.", I tell him while opening the door wider.

He thanks me before heading in, following closely behind him; he got to the door frame when he stops, walking around him, I speak, "Jess, Mr. Samuell-Phoenix is here to give us a medical scan."

"Okay, but could we stay here?", she asks.

"That's perfectly fine.", he tells her.

Mr. Samuell-Phoenix's eyes went light gray to a dark shade of gray, then back to light; after that a paper appeared in his hand. How can he do that if he's a dark phoenix? Jess's eyes narrow at him and when he looks up, he gives her a small smile before turning to do and doing the eye thing again, but this time he speaks.

"As you may already know, I'm a dark phoenix and one of its powers is being able to give a medical scan from any type of creature without touching them."

"So what did my scan say, then?", Jess asks not letting up her glare.

"Does-"

"I would like to know. You may be the healer here, but that doesn't mean I trust you.", I say, interrupting him.

He nods before switching the papers so he's looking at Jess's; taking a breath, he begins. "You were abused and malnourished along with a broken arm from falling off the monkey bars."

"Okay.", she answers before turning her attention back to the tv.

Shaking my head, I began leading him back out when he turned and faced me. Leaning against the door frame, I wait for him to talk.

"Umm.. my husband was wondering if you would like to have dinner with us?"

"Who's going to be there?", I ask.

"Besides myself and my husband, it'll be both our children.", he says.

"When do you need your answer?", I ask.

"By the end of the week.", he says before leaving.

Heading to Jess, she looks up and smiles, which makes me smile as I come sit next to her. She curls up by my side, wrapping my arm around her, as we silently watch what's playing. After a while, I asked her; "Hey, the guy who was just in our room, his husband was wondering if we would like to have dinner with them."

"Do you know-"

"It'll be them and their children.", I answered.

She nods before she stares at the tv, which means she is having a mental conversation with herself. About five minutes have passed, so I kiss her crown, which gets her out, and she looks up at me from under her eyelashes.

"We can go."

"What did your mind say to you?", I asked.

"They said, 'Why would you ask me.'" she states.

"I asked you because you're my daughter and you have a say.", I explained.

Once again she has the staring off into space; waiting patiently for her to come back. Once she is done, she moves away and then makes me pay full attention to her. Seeing her eyes red and hair, I know her vampire is in control; this causes me to face her.

"She isn't your daughter, though.", they say.

"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything.", I tell them.

"Everything!", they snap.

"No, it doesn't. You can have a child that isn't blood related to you.", I say, then explain.

"That means nothing!", they say, glaring at me.

"What's really going on?", I state, staring into their eyes.

They let out a sigh before her hair changes back to normal. They look up at me with their ruby eyes and give me a soft smile, "We're protective of her since her parents hurt her.", they tell me.

"I figured as much; ask away on anything you want to know.", I tell them.

"Do you really love her, or is it all for show?", they ask.

"I love them, I've loved them since I found her.", I tell them honestly.