Page 109 of Claim Me
Blue rubs his chin, then looks at Marlow. "So your grandfather could do it. What about your dad?"
Marlow shrugs slightly. "Our dad grew up believing that abilities like that are something you hide, even from those closest to you. He told us that even if we ever discovered something like that in ourselves, we should never talk about it under any circumstances. Because we’d end up in cages, as test subjects."
A deep, heavy silence settles over the table.
Blue studies Marlow for a long moment with a strange intensity, while Marlow lowers his gaze.
"As for me, I’ve never noticed anything like that in myself. My talent is of a different nature, and as for my dad and Marlow, I never really asked," I say, huffing lightly to draw some attention away from my brother. "That’s a private matter."
Marlow keeps silent, avoiding our gazes.
"Interesting… very interesting," Blue murmurs, not pushing further, though he keeps watching Marlow for a moment before adding, "that kind of caution is justified. There are people who would want to exploit someone like yo—" he cuts himself off, then corrects himself, "someone with such ability." He gives Marlow a small smile. "For your own safety, it’s better not to talk about it."
"Exactly," Marlow mutters.
"Still, the subject is absolutely fascinating," Blue continues with the same, peculiar expression. "I wonder whether shapeshifters, if they do exist among us, always have to match the size of whatever they turn into." His tone stretches slightly, thoughtful.
"Logically, they probably should," I say. "My grandfather turned into a werewolf, or a wolf roughly his size. If it workeddifferently, if he could turn into something heavier like a bear or lighter like a bird, then that would probably require… actual magic."
"It could be magic. Think about your own abilities, Gabriel. What you do has to be magic, because there’s no way to explain it with science. Our ancestors, the aliens, had actual magic nobody could explain in scientific terms."
Marlow listens with surprising focus and nods with an enthusiasm that is not typical for him.
"Exactly!" he says, suddenly more animated. "Our cousin, Snow Nolan, has all kinds of strange abilities, including superhuman intuition. Magic is real. And I also think shapeshifters don’t have to match the exact size of their original form if magic is involved."
Blue gives him a warm, approving smile. We eat in silence for a moment, each of us caught up in our own thoughts, and then Blue speaks.
"So, are you graduating in May? One of my acquaintances owns a veterinary clinic. When you graduate, reach out. I might be able to help you get a position there, if you don’t already have something lined up."
I stare at Blue for a moment in disbelief.
He offers my brother a job? Before, he gave Veyron a sweet deal with Malden buying a place on his billboards, and now this? What’s going on? Why is he being nice to my family?
A strange flash of thought, totally random, rushes through my mind. What if Blue does it for me? To make me… like him? Despite himself, despite pushing me away with one hand, he is pulling me closer with the other.
Crazy?
I’m probably overthinking it. Maybe it’s just who he is, a genuinely good person willing to help whenever he can, and it has nothing to do with me.
But then my gaze connects with Blue’s, and there’s something almost electric there that makes me think the first version may be correct…
It’s as if, deep down, the opening in him is even bigger than I thought. I just need to find a way to fit into this.
To do it therightway.
I keep looking at him for a moment, and do I see it right? Is there a subtle, small smile directed at me? Something warm…
…and a spontaneous decision arises in me.
At this very moment something in me chooses him forever, locking onto him.
Right then and there, I know.
It’s Blue
…or nobody.
"Thank you," Marlow says, blushing faintly, obviously unaware of our strange exchange.
