Chapitre 22: 22. A Dark-blood Witch
"Farrah," Cara said carefully, stepping closer. "You need to calm down. The kitchen is about to go up in flames."
Farrah blinked, as though waking from a trance, and looked around. The sight of the roaring burners seemed to snap her out of it. She gasped, backing away from the stove.
"I-I didn't mean to—" Farrah stammered, her voice trembling with panic.
"Farrah, breathe," Cara said firmly, gripping her friend's shoulders. "Whatever this is, you can control it. Just focus and turn it off."
Farrah nodded, her breathing ragged. She closed her eyes, exhaling deeply. Slowly, the flames began to subside, shrinking back to their normal size before extinguishing entirely.
The kitchen fell silent, save for the faint hiss of cooling metal.
"What the hell just happened?" Farrah whispered, staring at her trembling hands.
"I was hoping you could tell me," Cara replied, though she was already forming her own theories.
Hagrit, please tell me you have an idea what just happened.'
[Luckily for you, I do.]
'Then spill it.'
[Your friend is a witch.]
'A witch? Seriously? Are you kidding me?'
[No, she is a dark-blood witch, to be precise. A very powerful one.]
'Great. In one day, I've run into a werewolf, a witch, and whatever the hell Jackie is. Do you even know what Jackie is?'
[I don't know.]
'Liar. You know I can tell when anyone is lying, including those in my head.'
[Fine, but my answer remains the same. Figure it out yourself. I can't do everything for you.]
'You're being a real bitch right now, Hagrit. But fine, if this is how you want to play it.'
Hagrit fell silent, and Cara turned her focus back to Farrah.
"Has this happened before?" Cara asked.
Farrah hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. It happens whenever I get angry, which has been a lot lately."
"When did it start?"
"A week after you started reading minds," Farrah admitted, her gaze locking with Cara's.
Cara blinked, surprised. Farrah had known about her mind-reading abilities even before her death. Sylvester was beyond stunned that they were this close.
Pushing past the shock, Cara pressed on. "So how do you usually handle it? Do you even know what this is?"
"At first, I thought I was like you, but I can't read minds," Farrah said, frustration evident in her voice. "Whatever this is, it feeds on my anger or any strong emotions. I can't control it."
Cara's expression softened, sympathy filling her chest. "Don't worry. We'll figure this out. There's got to be a way to help you control it."
Just then, Lisa, one of their coworkers, barged into the kitchen. "Cara, table five has been waiting for their chicken and fries for hours now!"
"It's been less than twenty minutes, Lisa. Calm down," Cara replied, rolling her eyes.
Lisa's gaze flicked between Cara and Farrah, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Wait a minute, were you two making out in here?"
Farrah snorted, shaking her head as she plated the chicken and fries. "Lisa, get your mind out of the gutter. I'm not into women, not even beautiful ones like Cara."
Cara blinked, momentarily taken aback by the unexpected compliment. She hadn't ever thought of Farrah in a sexual or romantic light, but the remark flattered her nonetheless.
"Thanks for the compliment," Cara said with a small smile as she grabbed the platter. "See y'all later."
With that, she left the kitchen, carrying the meal out to table five, leaving behind a faint air of unease mingled with the scent of freshly cooked food.
—---
—---
It was 7 p.m., and Cara had just wrapped up her shift at the diner. Farrah was waiting outside, likely eager to discuss the bizarre events in the kitchen. Cara quickly changed into her monochrome blouse and black pants, ready to leave, when Jackie appeared in the doorway of the locker room. Her distinct, almost indecipherable scent, a mix of earthy musk and something animalistic Cara couldn't place, filled the air.
"I think we need to talk," Jackie said, her tone firm but laced with something unreadable.
Cara sighed, already suspecting where this was going. "Talk about what?"
Jackie's sharp gaze didn't waver. "From the way you just responded, I can tell you already know what we need to talk about."
She wasn't wrong. Cara already knew, reading Jackie's mind earlier, had revealed her affair with Cara's stepfather.
"We don't need to discuss anything, Jackie. At least not today," Cara replied curtly, brushing past her. "I need to rest. And by the way, you already know what you're doing is wrong. Talking to me won't fix anything, but you can choose to end it with a married man. Trust me, you'll feel a lot better."
Jackie didn't flinch but instead said something that stopped Cara dead in her tracks.
"I wasn't going to talk about Rudy," Jackie said evenly. "I wanted to talk about us."
Cara froze, her mind racing.
'What the hell? I thought I just read her mind, why am I only picking up on things about Rudy?'
[Because you're not really reading her mind. You're making assumptions. Supernatural beings aren't as easy to read as humans. Slow down and focus next time.]
"About us?" Cara turned to face Jackie, her brow furrowed. "What do you mean by that?"
Jackie stepped closer, her voice dropping slightly. "On the day you died, when you confronted me about Rudy, I told you how I felt about you."
"Wait… you have feelings for me?" Cara asked, stunned by the revelation.
"Yes," Jackie said without hesitation. "I told you I couldn't help it. And you got angry and stormed out of my office."
Cara's mind reeled. How had she missed this? Or had she blocked it out before her death? Either way, it didn't make sense now.
"Why are you telling me this now?" Cara asked, trying to process the situation.
Jackie's lips pressed into a thin line before she spoke. "Because I need you to know that I'm not going to let my feelings interfere with us working together. I'll bury them. Shove them so far down where the sun doesn't shine, if that's what it takes, since you clearly don't feel the same way."
Her voice carried a mix of vulnerability and defiance, and without waiting for a response, Jackie turned and walked out, leaving Cara alone in the locker room.
Cara stared at the empty doorway, trying to process what had just happened.
[What are you thinking?] Hagrit asked.
[Will she be your second conquest?]
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