Page 32 of Anger

Lanie/Lamia

She was released the following day, and Fisher accompanied her home. On the way out, she’d stopped and seen Ranson and was relieved to see her healing had worked. Mac had held her gaze and was silent during her visit.

Lanie was more confused than ever. Didn’t he want to know what she had done? Weren’t there questions burning deep in him? However, she needed to get to the castle.

After healing Ranson, Anger was hungry and clawed at her for a meal.

As soon as she was in her bedroom at home, she entered the mirror portal and discovered Mary on the other side.

“Let us heal you,” Mary demanded.

“Nice to see you too, sister. And no. For once, this must be done the human way,” Lanie replied.

“I do not like it,” Mary growled.

“You don’t have to. But I need to wound and scar for now. When it is time to disappear, then we can heal the scar. People will expect to see it if I wear an off-the-shoulder dress. This is one time being human works against us.” Lanie shifted into Lamia. “That’s better. Like this, I do not feel the pain,” Lamia stated and smiled.

“You know, it is no wonder Medusa hates you,” Mary said, and Lamia grinned.

“Not my fault she’s all ugly and hissy,” Lamia responded. “Anger needs a big meal today. I forced it to heal, and he’s ravenous.”

“Lamia! You healed?”

“My guard, Ranson. I’ve no idea why I did, but I had to. It was inexplicable,” Lamia replied.

Her tail swished.

“Go and reassure everyone you are fine. I’ll find Anger its food,” Mary replied.

Lamia noted how her gaze had already turned to the mirror portals as she began searching. Touching her sister on her shoulder to say thanks, Lamia slithered through the castle.

“Bitch!” Lorelai shouted from somewhere, and Lamia hissed her laughter. While similar, they were very different. Medusa had snakes in her hair, and Lamia had none. Both retained human-like faces, but Medusa’s thinner and gaunter, while Lamia remained beautiful.

Their tails were different, too. Lamia’s was covered in iridescent scales, while Medusa’s was browner, more like a snakes.

“Jealous cow!” Lamia called back, and Lorelai laughed.

“I can turn a man to stone, something you can’t, sister,” Lorelai said as she rounded a corner.

“Hateful woman,” Lamia replied as they embraced.

“How is Lanie’s shoulder wound?” Lorelai asked.

“Painful, hence my shift.”

“The media is in a frenzy over your shooting. You’re not exactly keeping a low profile,” Lorelai stated.

“Believe me, that wasn’t my choice. I’m mortified by it. However, it might make some Hunters reconsider Lanie as Lamia,” Lamia replied.

“Do you think the Hunters are clocking onto our shifted forms?” Lorelai questioned.

“Yes. Social media is everywhere now. There are facial recognition programmes and other things that can track our identity down,” Lamia mused.

“What do we do?” Lorelai asked.

“That’s for the board to resolve. Either we must change looks every fifty/sixty years, or we withdraw from society altogether,” Lamia stated.

“The original spell laid Lilith, Maeve, and Pandora out for weeks. Asking them to cast it every half a century is unfair,” Lorelai considered.

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