Chapter 11

Being Hung-over

‘Ugh, where is the truck that hit me?’ Thought Klaus while he fought against the last bit of hold unconsciousness had on him.

He had never felt this terrible except the one time he drank with the bum that lived near the corner Klaus used to beg from. In all honestly he hated alcohol due to how it turned his foster father into a monster that would beat them, but he was young and felt curious about the substance that would make a person turn into what he was.

The bum had passed him the bottle wrapped in a brown paper bag and even before he took a sip he could already smell it. To Klaus’ surprise it smelt sweet compared to the stuff his foster father drank. When the liquid touched his lips Klaus nearly gagged. He swallowed quickly and tried to take a breath, but it burned all the way to his core.

The bum cackled with laughter as Klaus sputtered and heaved.

“This is the best stuff boy. You better appreciate it. Now take another sip- the second sip helps take away the burn from the first.”

Klaus did as he was told and realised soon after that the old bum was lying through his teeth. The second sip was just as bad.

Klaus had barely made it home before he passed out on the bed. When he woke up he wasn’t sure how he got home nor did he care a second later when what felt like a jackhammer started to pound around in his skull. He never drank alcohol after that again.

Klaus wanted to roll to his side, but stopped dead when he felt something stuck to his arm. Finally daring to open his eyes to take stock of things Klaus winced and closed his eyes. “The light is knives and I am not amused. Did you guys make me drunk?”

The brief glimpse he had was of Lilith standing at the foot of the bed smiling at him.

Lilith laughed then and it was a sound to be appreciated. It was one born of the relief and care she felt for Klaus.

“We did not make you drunk, you were poisoned.”

Klaus groaned when heard Pain’s voice and asked. “What is the difference?”

Pain placed his hand on Klaus’ shoulder and leaned in close. “The difference is that you are now back in your human form although there has been… some changes. The plan worked though and the fact that you survived is fortuitous.”

Klaus shook his head, but felt regret right after when the spikes of pain is his head doubled with the movement. ‘No more moving, just talking.’

“The plan did not work.”

Silence met his statement so he explained. “I did not see my mother change nor do I know how she does it. When I nearly died it just happened with instinct, I think.”

More silence.

Klaus opened his eyes to see if the others were still there, but the glaring light changed his mind. “Can someone please dim the lights or something? In case you did not notice, there is a guy with a major hangover here.”

The lights dimmed and he opened his eyes again. The light was still glaring, but it wasn’t beams of death threatening to fry what was left of his brain.

He could finally take a good look at the room. It was what he would expect to see in fancy private hospitals where the rich become poor if they are not careful.

Before he could continue his inspection- Lilith stepped in front of him and smiled while taking his hand. “How long was I out?”

She squeezed his hand and muttered unhappily. “Almost three days. You really had me worried.”

As if a stating the time was a trigger to set his hunger off, his stomach rumbled and his mouth felt very dry.

Pain was suddenly right next to his ear. “I will arrange for food.” After his statement the demon disappeared through the door that led to the hallway.

Lilith watched all this with a smile. She still felt worried because Klaus was going to have a hard time ahead of him due to the changes his body went through. Pride had given Pain and Lilith a brief rundown on what they could expect, but they would not know for sure unless more thorough tests were done.

They had scanned him, prodded him, sampled him and whatever else they could do without actually cutting him apart. However, to get a complete idea of what the changes meant. They would need to do actual mind and fitness tests where Klaus participated.

There was still his young dragon self they needed to contend with. How it would affect his psyche was an unknown.

The most concerning thing was what Pride had said after checking the results for Klaus’ bone and muscle density. “The young master will basically have to learn to walk again.”

Seeing Lilith just standing there like a statue Klaus asked. “Is there something on my face?”

Lilith shook her head and sat down on a nearby chair. “Klaus, there are some things you need to know.”

Klaus frowned. “You know in the movies, books and other forms of entertainment it was never a good thing when a character used that line.”

Lilith wanted to admonish him for childishness, but she shrugged. “It is what it is.”

Klaus closed his eyes. Not looking forward to what he was about to hear at all. He had nearly died twice in the last few days. Got poisoned, turned into a dragon and now something else was wrong. Taking a deep breath, he tried to relax and failed miserably. “Okay, just hit me with it.”

Lilith took a deep breath and let it out. “We think that you will have to go through rehabilitation in order to learn how to use your new body.”

Klaus opened his eyes and looked at Lilith. “That’s it? That’s the big news. He smiled in relief I thought you were going to say I have developed some terminal illness or something.”

Lilith looked at him in shock. “What, no. I mean it’s disheartening to hear this, isn’t it?”

Klaus smiled. “Nope, if not for this headache I would feel great. My body feels lighter, my mind faster. Three days ago I was on death’s door and now I am waiting to have a meal with no death hanging over my head. I feel great.”

Lilith’s face scrounged up. “I guess you are right. Do you really feel lighter?”

Klaus looked at her with his head slightly tilted. “Yes I feel a lot lighter actually, maybe it’s because I have not eaten in a few days?” He mused.

Lilith shook her head. “Klaus you are definitely not lighter.”

“What do you mean?” The tone in Lilith’s voice was starting to ring a lot of bells for Klaus.

She leaned forward and put both her hands on his arm. “Klaus you nearly weigh a ton.”

Klaus started laughing. “Listen I know I am quite tall and that I have been working out regularly. So if you had to carry me after everything I am sorry, but-“

His sentence stopped halfway since Lilith looked dead serious. She saw as realization started to dawn on him and she reinforced it. “You literally nearly weigh a ton.”

Klaus let out a ridiculous snort giggle that started to fade as the truth sunk in. “That can’t be, I mean my muscle a bone density would have to be well… inhuman.”

Lilith put her hand on his cheek with worry in her eyes. It was cold against his hot skin. “Klaus, you never were human to begin with.”

Klaus let out a sigh while thinking of the implications. “Well, that is problematic especially since I need to pee.”

Lilith looked between him and the bathroom, a little red started to creep up her cheeks. “I can try and help you.”

Klaus nodded and lifted the blanket intending to get up. Lilith watched as his eyes grew comically big, before lowering the blanket again. His hands smoothed over it nervously and he gave her a forced smile. “Maybe I should wait for Pain to come and help me, I can hold it.”

“I have already seen it.” Lilith said knowing what had caused the reaction- there was no end to her amusement.

Klaus closed his eyes and she saw his jaw muscles twitch for a bit. He was biting back a retort. “Why am I naked? Don’t the evil spawn keep gowns in their hidden fortress in the mountains.”

Lilith shrugged and was all too happy to pass the blame on. “You should ask them when they return in the meantime, are you sure you can hold it?”

Klaus glared and wanted to lean closer, but discovered his fingers were stuck in the blanket where he had gripped to pick it up; his fingers had punched holes through the cloth. ‘Pretty much as I expected. What used to be normal exertion for me has now become too much strength for some things to handle. Rehabilitation indeed.’

He looked from the blanket to Lilith trying school his face in order hide his worry and turn it back into a glare. “You are enjoying this too much.”

Lilith swatted his arm and laughed heartily. “Don’t act like you are not pleasantly surprised by the change under the blanket. The other things will bother you for now, but I bet that one wont.”

Klaus frowned. “I was perfectly happy with my… my genitals before.”

Lilith laughed even more at his embarrassment. “Well they do say after a boy turns eighteen he starts to become a man. Your body just took it literal.” She patted his arm. “Don’t worry so much about it. There are far worse things than being hung.”

Klaus tilted his head. “Hung?”

Lilith nodded while her mirth started to die down. “Yes, hung. It means having a big penis.”

Klaus gingerly put his hand on his face in fear that he might smash his nose in. “This is, I don’t know how to feel right now.”

Lilith patted his shoulder and said with concern before bursting into a giggle again. “Well you did say you felt hung-over.”

“Just stop.” Klaus said as his soul left him. Who knew this woman could be like this?

Elise sat on a chair hugging her knees. The last few days had been hell for her. She had tried time and again to change Morgose’s mind from marrying her off to the Argents, but it was like talking to the stark wall she was now staring at.

Hope came in the form of her Aunt who had suddenly disappeared. She finally sussed the reason out of Morgose and found out her Aunt was off to search for other better suitors: The Jambavana. She had read the family books after hearing the name and it did not give her much hope.

Like the Argents shared their ancestry with wolves. The Jambavana shared theirs with bears and possibly monkeys or a mix of the two- It was complicated.

She was stuck between the devil she knew and this whole new family she had never interacted or heard of before her Aunt mentioned them. To top things off- a day after finding out where Boethia had gone news that she had gone missing came and seemed to hammer the last nail in Elise’s Argent coffin.

A soft knock on what Elise now considered was her prison door brought her out of the whirlpool of depression she was sinking in.

Morgose did not wait for an answer and opened the door to step into a room that she perceived as a mess. The girl had been angry that was obvious judging by how half the furniture in the room was destroyed. Granted there wasn’t much furniture in the bunker, but it would take considerable drive and effort to destroy the few things that were.

Elise just looked at her Aunt, nailing the older women with a souless stare.

Morgose looked for a place to sit, but there were feathers everywhere and she had just gotten a shower so she did not want to make herself dirty.

Morgose looked at the young girl and felt endless disappointment. ‘So spoiled, so entitled. Then again I never had to marry an Argent. Not that the marriage is an option anymore. I can only hope that dullard girl pulls through with the Jambavana.’

Looking at Elise who continued to ignore her like the petulant child Morgose thought her to be. Nowhere was the girl who so confident in herself to be found. Nowhere was the prideful girl who thought the world was her oyster. Elise looked worse for wear, her hair in disarray and unkempt. Her eyes were puffy and red. She was in a sorry state compared to before.

Skimming through her mind Morgose felt a sense of relief as no thoughts of suicide could be found. Her news may change that.

“I have information that may or may not make you happy.”

Elise finally looked at her so Morgose continued.

“The Argents are all dead.”

Elise’s eyes widened and Morgose read her thoughts. She felt that it was like looking at a rabbit that wasn’t sure where to go. Jumping around everywhere. It finally settled when the Elise took a deep breath and asked. “How?”

Morgose shrugged and talked as if she was discussing the weather despite the feeling of fear in her heart. “I am not sure, but I imagine it was the demons that follow that boy. If we could figure out whom it was that tried to kill him so could they.”

Elise squared her shoulders and fiddle with her hair in a vain attempt to make it look less like a bush that was on fire.

Elise was not sure about how she felt. Relief, yes definitely relief. Being a married or concubine to an Argent and made sterile was not preferable in any sense, however, her chances of dying without support was very great. They can’t be taught or told a lot about the Secret Wolrds, but one thing that gets repeated every day is; the very great danger of dying.

Half of the new generation dies in the first world every time a new group gets introduced to the Secret Worlds. Some years have seen them all die out.

They are taught that preparation is key. Elise had made some alliances with other girls personally while in the school for the gifted. Morgose had done the same with other families. So yes they had support, but none of it was from another big family like the Roth or Argents. If Elise went with the support they had managed to muster as it is, her chances of surviving was very small. Apart from that was the fact the girl was spoiled.

Elise felt regret because she always felt that her family would find what she needed, but she never considered what it would cost her personally.

“Don’t we still have a year?”

Morgose nodded. “We do, but a year flies by in but blink and right now we are desperate. The other families know this and they are circling like sharks. They have heard about Lilith leaving us and that has only made things worse. I was a fool, we both were.”

Elise wanted to ask why Morgose said it, but she soon realised. The boy, Klaus and the power behind him showed exactly what they needed and they had screwed the pooch.

No other group or family could have wiped out the Argents like they had on this world. Even more important than the action was the message it sent. Other families would be clamouring for Klaus to support their children. Elise nearly smiled with the knowledge. Klaus was simple if regarded from her point of view which was skewed by the years of bloodline and family politics the children from awakened families are thrust into as soon as they awaken and a lot of them awaken when they are young.

“What are we going to do?” Elise finally asked.

Morgose took a deep breath and looked Elise straight in the eye. “Leave the politicking to me. You on the other hand are going to go through every possible survival course and training I can dig up that is worth a damn. If Boeithia and I fail, you will at least stand a better chance of surviving.”

Elise took in a cold breath, but balled her fists in determination. “We did survival training in school so it should not be a problem for me.”

Morgose laughed. “You lived in tents set up by the camp managers and were showed a few plants you could eat and could not.”

Elise frowned and defended. “They also made us eat bugs once.” She realised how stupid she sounded even as she spoke and her shoulders slumped. “I will do as you ask.”

Morgose patted the girl’s unruly head of hair. “Good, now rest up you are going to need it. Your first training starts tomorrow try not to focus on what you can and can’t eat because the vegetation of the worlds differs greatly. Rather focus on how to hunt, how to set traps and find shelter. Those will be what save you in the end if whatever you are hunting does not hunt you first.”

Morgose walked towards the door and opened it. She stopped and turn towards the girl that now seemed very small. “And for the love of gods, please straighten yourself out, you look like a bar slut with a hangover.”