For the first time since all the magic talk had begun Melissa actually looked Mr Pleasant in the eye. It wasn't any easier just because he was wearing a skin, because he looked human. Melissa knew that he wasn't, under that. Well, human, but not alive. The skin was a lie.
The skin was a lie, she was fronting up to a four-hundred-year-old sorcerer, and Melissa didn't care. Her blood was boiling because this man, this sorcerer, saw fit to dictate to her how she raised her daughter in the very same breath he admitted he was dragging her into danger.
"You're four hundred years old," she said calmly. "I suppose if I'd lived that amount of time and had magic to rely on, I'd start feeling entitled too. But just because you have all those years behind you doesn't give you the right to start dictating how parents whom you don't even know raise their children."
Her fists were clenched, she was dimly aware, her fingernails digging into her palms. Her voice was still calm. "You say Stephanie has saved the world? She shouldn't have had to. You're the detective, or the soldier, or whatever you are. That's your job. It's the job of children to grow up before they start being given burdens that would crush adults. How dare you. How dare you tell me how wonderful my daughter is for being thrown into danger and surviving when you could have saved her from getting put into it at all. I already know she's wonderful. I knew she was wonderful before she got involved with you. I knew she was wonderful without her having to save the world."
Her voice was rising. She fought to keep it down so as not to attract attention, but that only made it shake. "If you ever, ever, let her be put into situations like that again without doing everything you can to make sure it never had to happen, so help me God, I don't care if you're a sorcerer and I'm not. I will make you regret it."
Melissa made to turn away, her heart still pounding through her whole body, but it wasn't enough. Words weren't enough. They wouldn't sink in with a man like that unless they were accompanied with something a little more memorable. With a jerk she turned back again. "And just in case you don't believe me, let this serve as a reminder."
With that she lifted her knee, hard and fast, directly into his groin. Then she stepped away from his doubling over, trembling as she slid back into the car and fumbled with putting her seatbelt back on.
no subject
The skin was a lie, she was fronting up to a four-hundred-year-old sorcerer, and Melissa didn't care. Her blood was boiling because this man, this sorcerer, saw fit to dictate to her how she raised her daughter in the very same breath he admitted he was dragging her into danger.
"You're four hundred years old," she said calmly. "I suppose if I'd lived that amount of time and had magic to rely on, I'd start feeling entitled too. But just because you have all those years behind you doesn't give you the right to start dictating how parents whom you don't even know raise their children."
Her fists were clenched, she was dimly aware, her fingernails digging into her palms. Her voice was still calm. "You say Stephanie has saved the world? She shouldn't have had to. You're the detective, or the soldier, or whatever you are. That's your job. It's the job of children to grow up before they start being given burdens that would crush adults. How dare you. How dare you tell me how wonderful my daughter is for being thrown into danger and surviving when you could have saved her from getting put into it at all. I already know she's wonderful. I knew she was wonderful before she got involved with you. I knew she was wonderful without her having to save the world."
Her voice was rising. She fought to keep it down so as not to attract attention, but that only made it shake. "If you ever, ever, let her be put into situations like that again without doing everything you can to make sure it never had to happen, so help me God, I don't care if you're a sorcerer and I'm not. I will make you regret it."
Melissa made to turn away, her heart still pounding through her whole body, but it wasn't enough. Words weren't enough. They wouldn't sink in with a man like that unless they were accompanied with something a little more memorable. With a jerk she turned back again. "And just in case you don't believe me, let this serve as a reminder."
With that she lifted her knee, hard and fast, directly into his groin. Then she stepped away from his doubling over, trembling as she slid back into the car and fumbled with putting her seatbelt back on.