"Daemon, I can't tell you what to do, but I have to tell you. I've worked with many Empaths and although I don't know anything about Mind readers, I can tell you that what you are doing is dangerous." Vannesa spoke softly, holding in her hands one of Daemon's.
"That phantom of your mother in your mind for now is just as you remember her, but even with your abilities, memory fades. I've seen many doing the same thing and it only ends one way. You are creating a mind demon. Your mother was my best friend and she was not a demon." tapping his thigh, she got up and headed for her office. It wasn't Daemon's first time here, he knew where her office was if he needed to find her.
Daemon sat still for a long time before his eyes began to glow. Holding his head down as doctors and patients passed back and forth, Daemon's glowing eyes flashed between the common golden hue and a sharp purple.
Not knowing how long he had been there, an excited voice alarmed him.
"Daemon!" he only had time to raise his head before a young figure crashed into him.
"Hey, Ruby," he greeted with a smile as he wrapped his arms around her in a hug.
Looking up he saw Nisa grinning at him and Dani blushing.
From the doorway, Vannesa, who had received the news that her children were in the building, walked into the room.
"Wow, you came to see him first and not me?" she asked teasingly when she saw her kids with Daemon. Inside though, she was shocked. Ruby and Nisa were twins but despite their physical similarities, they had very different personalities. Ruby was cold and Jaded while Nisa was warm and caring. She had wanted to take Ruby to a therapist many times but Daniel would not have any of his kids tagged as 'Special'. Secretly, though, she consulted with some colleagues, and it pained her to learn that her daughter was a high-functioning sociopath. Knowing what would happen if the authorities got that information, she did her best to hide Ruby as well as she could.
But here was the same Ruby who would say "I love you" simply because it was normal, genuinely expressing care for Daemon. If Daemon was using his abilities on Ruby, she no longer cared.
But as she walked in and Daemon let go of Ruby, the little girl rose from the ground, and her expression was once again hardened and stoic.
"Hey," Dani, noticing the pain in her mother's eyes reached out to stroke Vannesa's arm. Just in time as Nisa ran to her and hugged her legs.
"How did you all get here?" Vannesa asked while holding Nisa to herself.
"Dad brought us," Dani replied, causing Vannesa to frown.
"Where is he?" she asked.
"He left" Dani shrugged.
Now Vannesa was visibly confused; why would Daniel pick them up before school closed and bring them to her workplace?
"Did something happen?" she asked.
"I asked him but he wouldn't tell me. He just said to wait here with you" Dani replied.
"Give me a minute. I'll take care of something, and then we'll go home. Daemon needs the rest." Vannesa gently peeled Nisa away and turned to leave but Dani hurried after her.
"Did you.." she hesitated.
Smiling at her daughter, Vannesa replied with a nod, "Yes, it's finalized now. You have a brother"
Dani smiled and made to leave but Vannesa pulled her back.
"Hold on!" she called rolling her eyes.
"Don't think I haven't seen the way you look at him, you have a crush on Daemon, don't you?"
Dani's expression froze and was soon replaced with panic as her eyes darted around and her face slowly turned crimson.
Amused at her daughter, Vannesa shook her head, "No need to be embarrassed, he's a charming kid."
"How did you know?" Dani asked her face like a tomato.
"I always knew, you'd hurry back from school just to see Daemon when he came over with his Mom. Don't think I feel for your silly excuses" Vannesa chuckled.
Dani opened her mouth to speak but she was too embarrassed she could only hide her face in her palms.
"Hey, it's okay to have a crush. you have to learn to be bold about it." Vannesa started peeling away Dani's palms and lifting the young girl's chin.
"But he is your brother now," she added, causing Dani's red face to slowly turn pale instead.
"I'm not done," Vannesa quickly said, noticing the horror on her daughter's face.
"I just don't want you to get your hopes up. The boy is smart, but when it comes to romance, he is adorably naive. You might not see him that way, but I think he always saw you as his sister, and with it being legal now, it's a whole new hurdle."
By now, Dani's expression had turned somber, and her eyes focused on her mother, begging for help without words.
"I'm not trying to discourage you, Dani; all I'm saying is that a crush isn't enough reason to open this can of worms, so figure out what all this means before you go hogging the boy. Right now, he's dealing with some adult things, and he needs a friend, easygoing as he is. I can tell he is holding back from me. So just be his friend for now, alright? When you are older and know what you are getting into, then maybe you can entertain that butterfly in your stomach."
Nodding with a preoccupied expression, Dani slowly walked back toward the room. As she entered, she noticed Ruby glaring at Nisa, who was engrossed in a conversation with Daemon.
"Ruby" she called out, startling the young girl. Ruby looked up, and Dani raised a brow at her, causing her to shrug and take a seat on the floor beside Daemon.
"Did you get in?" Daemon suddenly asked looking straight up at Dani.
Freezing for a moment the girl stared blankly back at him.
"The Academy?" he asked tilting his head.
Realization hit her, and her eyes widened, and she released a breath.
"Uh- no, no I didn't. I decided to go for the Army instead," she replied, smiling.
"You did what?" Daemon asked, his voice soft but his eyes intense as he stared at her.
"Why?"
Dani shook her head and entered the room walking closer to him. The intense feeling around her did nothing to affect her or the two girls close to Daemon as they were already used to it.
"They held an event at our school, and I liked it," she replied as she settled down on the floor by his left and pulled Nisa, who was standing before Daemon, into her legs.
"Dani, the Army is dangerous," Daemon said, his eyes full of concern as he stared at her.
"And?" Dani asked back raising her brows.
"Why though? I mean besides what you've said, why really are you going for the army?"
Frowning at the repeated question, Dani paused to give it more thought.
"If I make it into the Rangers, I can get assigned to a Prosecutor" she replied, her voice low and contemplating.
"With me?" Daemon asked back, his face falling as she looked down at Nisa in her arms without saying anything.
"Becoming a Ranger is not easy, not that I don't think you are up to it but doing that for me doesn't feel worth it."
"It's not for you" Dani immediately shot back.
"It's not?"
Hearing the doubt in his voice Dani glared at him.
"No, it's not. I want to work with you because I think I'll enjoy it. See? Not for you"
Daemon opened his lips to speak but Dani's next sentence shut him up.
"Hey, if you don't want to work with me, just say it. If you like it then shut up and tell me"
Daemon was not her mother and Dani was not a flower girl. She wasn't forceful or anything but conviction, strength, and straightforward were adjectives one could use for her. Shy, indecisive, or conflicted was as far from her as a skirt.
"What if I don't want to be a Prosecutor anymore?" Daemon teased.
Dani turned to him with a grin, "Oh Daemon you think have no idea the things I'd do to get what I want"
Daemon's smile eased, and he struggled to maintain his composure. Despite the seal on his abilities, he was a powerful Empath and Mind Reader. There was raw will in Dani's words, unadulterated honestly, and he felt it. Perhaps she had no idea how true the words she said were but she probably never said anything more true all her life.