The Conversation

Connor and his father Jake took their seats. A waiter came, took orders and left, shutting the door behind him. Jake waggled his eyebrows theatrically as he poured coffee for both of them.

"So, I guess you deserve answers now." Connor didn't trust himself to answer out loud, instead nodding as he poured himself a generous helping of creamer and stirred in his sugars. "It's like this, son. We're not human."

"..." Connor was glad he hadn't raised his cup yet; he'd have choked on his coffee. "WHAT? Not human?"

"Shush. Listen. I'm what we call an Incubus. I have certain powers. You, Connor, are my son, and so you will have powers of your own. However, your mother, bless her, is all human. You're half-human, half-Incubus: we call that a Cambrion." Jake sipped his own coffee while Connor looked at him in terror and wondered if madness was hereditary. "The easiest demonstration... pass me a napkin. No, more than that."

Connor watched his father wrap one of the water glasses in napkins, then break it on the table.

"Don't want broken glass everywhere!" said Jake cheerfully. Then he picked up one of the larger slivers and dragged it down his cheek, holding another wad of napkins at chin height.

Blood spurted, not even flowed, out of the wound.

Connor didn't scream, but rushed from his seat, picking up more napkins and furiously trying to pack them over the wound.

"No, no, it's fine!" said his father, and wiped at his face. The wound had stopped bleeding. In fact, it was closing in front of Connor's eyes. He kept wiping, and soon there was no sign he'd been cut except for a pile of bloodied napkins. "Hmm... remind me to tip well. Anyway, shallow cuts are easy to heal. The deeper the wound, the slower and harder to mend. And I wouldn't try that stunt. Not only are you only half Incubus, but you're very young. Cambrions tend to reach maturity no earlier than 17, and it'll be a decade at least before they're fully manifested."

"So. If I believe you... what powers do I have? Healing?" said Connor cautiously.