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I TRY TO COME TO TERMS with the fact that Bob’s in charge. And that he gave everyone jobs except me.
Rose and her guys race toward Aquamarine at vampire speed. It distracts her from Sapphire, who stands up on Wim's back, and Bob who leans forward on Ford's. The two of them wave their arms and shout to get the drunken club goers' attention, while Juli squats in front of the door and murmurs an incantation.
"I think it worked!" he cries as an orange rope of power shoots toward the door.
For a split second, I think I smell pumpkin spice.
Then, Chase reaches for the door and the scent of pumpkin spice intensifies. When he doesn't get thrown back the way he did earlier, I think Juli's finally done it, but the door refuses to open.
"Shit," Julian curses. "Aren't there any other witches here?"
"If there are, they're drunk," Chase gestures at the still-dancing club goers.
I open my mouth to offer some words of encouragement, but Wes beats me to it. "You got this, man. Try again.”
My bear shifter stands tall, blocking Aquamarine's view of us, his tense shoulders telling me he's ready to shift into a bear at any moment. Even he's got a job, while I'm pretty much useless here.
It takes me back to my pre-academy days. To Mom shouting that she has no use for a daughter with wonky powers. To her dropping me off with the headmistress and wiping her hands clean of me.
If my powers weren't wonky, she'd have let me come home on school holidays. I wouldn't have lost touch with my baby sister. And Bob would have given me a job, too.
Emotions bounce around in my chest. Hurt. Anger. Frustration.
My chameleon magic flickers, and for a split second, I hope that I can control it and shift into something powerful. Like the dragon shifter who drops by Jewels Cafe every Friday and Sunday night, mid-flight to see her boyfriend. I could shift into her, swoop across Club Vee, pick up Aquamarine in my talons, and...
I shift.
Into a dragon!
My tail slams into Chase, throwing him to the right, then swishes and slams into Julian, throwing him to the left. My head hits Wes right in the ass, sending him tumbling forward.
Most of the humans keep dancing, but the supes stop what they're doing to gape.
Even I'm shocked.
As much as I wanted to shift into a dragon, I never expected it would actually happen.
"Do you really think you can defeat me?" Aquamarine raises her hands in the air, eyes blazing as they lock on me. "I'm going to make you pay!"