“Hungry?” I wondered randomly, just kind of wanting to do something for her. Maybe dessert, at least, unless she wanted to actually have a meal.
She glanced at me for a moment, before a small smile touched her lips.
“Yes.”
I grinned in response. I was really starting to find her habit of giving only short answers as being kind of adorable.
“Dessert,” she added, trying to hide her smirk now.
I went ahead and turned off the autopilot, planning on just stopping at the next exit, since I was sure we’d be able to find something , but then she leaned forward and began messing with the touchscreen on the dashboard, seeming to search for something on the navigation map.
She then paused what she was doing, not looking at me. “Can we take a small detour?”
“Oh, umm, yeah. Sure.”
She nodded, and then tapped on the map, picking what seemed like a random spot. I went ahead and just put the car in autopilot again, watching as we took the next exit anyway, only to begin traveling down some backroads, drifting further and further away from the interstate.
When the car stopped on the side of a dark road, indicating we’d arrived at our destination, I was thoroughly confused.
“What are we doing here?” I asked, glancing at the trees on either side, lining the street.
Winter popped open the door and climbed out without responding. Of course, I climbed out too and followed after her, trailing her as she crossed the street and began walking straight into the trees. Figuring I’d just have to wait and see, I continued to walk with her, only for us to break through the trees to discover a large pond.
Well, it was almost not enough to call it a pond, because it was massive , more like a tiny lake. I realized now I’d seen the body of water on the map, but didn’t think twice about it.
Winter stopped right at the edge, and then leaned down to lift up her pant leg, pulling out the large thin pocketknife she’d used to kill the Sheriff. She then held it in both hands, the blade closed, and just stared at it for a few seconds, all while I watched feeling confused as hell.
Her eyes were white again, and glowing softly, the whites of her eyes pitch-black. It was sincerely a creepy sight, but I did my best to focus on her behavior.
“Are you getting rid of it?” I finally asked out loud, wondering if it would be in bad taste right now to try to make a joke about getting rid of the murder weapon.
She hesitated. “Your daughter, Rose,” she began. “She can sense happy thoughts. But she can sometimes sense really unhappy ones too. I don’t want to bring this knife into the house. That man’s death is probably attached to it.”
I looked at her in shock. “Shit,” I hissed. “I had no idea.”
Winter nodded, still staring at the knife. “I know.”
“But, how did you even find that out?” I asked seriously, since the only way I could imagine it happening would be if Rose had come into contact with an object containing bad memories. And it would have been recent too, considering Winter had only been around for a week.
She grimaced. “Lexi has several items in her room that have very bad memories attached to them.” She looked up at me, her glowing snow-white eyes somber. “Lexi doesn’t even realize it. And she doesn’t actually associate the objects with what happened, or otherwise she wouldn’t keep them. But the bad thoughts are there, and Rose can sense it.” She paused, focusing on the knife in her hands again. “It’s why she’s never gone in Lexi’s room. Why she refuses to do so.”
Shit. I can’t believe I didn’t realize that, even after all this time! I mean, I couldn’t have known unless she told me, but still…
Unexpectedly, as a new possibility occurred to me, it felt like someone punched me in the gut.
I literally felt like I was going to be sick. “Does…” I took a deep breath. “Does she see the memories?”
“No,” Winter replied. “She just feels . But the feelings are bad. Very bad. So she simply avoids them. The good thing is, it’s nothing that Lexi brings out of her room.”
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, realizing I was going to have to speak with both Rose and Lexi, to try to figure out which items had the bad feelings attached to them. Because, even if it was something sentimental for Lexi, she couldn’t keep it in the house. Not if Rose could sense horrible emotions associated with them.
Dammit, I didn’t even know how such a thing was possible! I mean, if that was really the case, then almost any object could contain horrible feelings!
“Yes.” Winter agreed. “I also don’t understand how that works, since I only sense thoughts and emotions directly from people. And, it’s even possible that this knife won’t hold any bad feelings.” She looked up at me again, her moonlit gaze suddenly tender. “But, she’s your daughter. I don’t want to chance it.”
I couldn’t help it. Her saying that affected me. Like, seriously affected me. I reached out and wrapped my arm around her shoulders, pulling her in tight. And she let me for a few seconds, before she focused on the pocketknife again.
That’s when I realized something else was going on.
“Yes,” she agreed, responding to my thoughts. “Once I own something, it becomes mine . And I have a very difficult time letting go of it after that, even if it’s broken. I can share things, but giving them up entirely is…hard.” She then looked up at me. “I do give things up though. All the time. That’s why I don’t have very many possessions. But, it’s still hard.” Her glowing eyes focused on the knife. “Very hard.”
I nodded, letting go while taking a step back. “Then I’ll wait until you’re ready.”
She looked at me in surprise, before her black lips slowly formed a small smile. She then took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. “Okay. Now.”
Instantly, like when she’d punched Radley, all her muscles unexpectedly unleashed like a spring, her arm jerking back and then her entire body suddenly becoming a part of the swing. Her hand let go of the knife at a slight angle downward, causing it to hurtle toward the water over fifty feet away, before it hit the surface with such force that it was like a bomb had detonated in the pond.
Shit!
Damn, how was she so strong?!
I mean, I was pretty sure Freya was probably still stronger, but damn!
Winter stood straight again and frowned at me. “Maybe I’ll have to arm-wrestle Ms. Rosetti, though she might not like it very much if it turns out I’m stronger.”
I laughed at that. “Yeah, maybe let’s not go down that path anytime soon.” Although, while I didn’t want to belittle Winter’s strength, Freya could literally demolish a person’s head if she punched them as hard as she could. Or so I’d been told.
Winter’s expression was still serious. “Also, speaking of Ms. Rosetti. I have a message for her.”
“Wait, what?”
She looked me in the eyes, yet it felt like her glowing white gaze was seeing through me. “When we get back, I have no doubt Ms. Rosetti will want to see your memories. She may also work up the courage to try to view mine, even though her instincts are warning her not to, so I have a message for her.”
Shit, was that why Freya hadn’t even mentioned reading Winter’s memories? Because it was something I figured she’d bring up, but never did…
Winter paused, her moonlight gaze intensifying. “Ms. Freya, I know a little bit about your ability, and I am confident that you would not be able to handle experiencing what I go through every day. Especially not all at once, in just a few seconds. When I was younger, it took me a long time and a lot of help to learn how to cope with my superpower. And I sincerely believe that it would mess you up, and it would take you a while to recover. You have two daughters to take care of, so please. Please trust me, trust your instincts , and don’t try to read my memories.”
She took another deep breath, truly focusing on me again. “Okay. Let’s go.”
Needless to say…I didn’t know what to say…
>
Her words bothered me in more ways than one. Between what she disclosed about herself, and the implications of how it might make Freya psychologically unstable for a time…all of it, just really bothered me.
When we got back in the vehicle, I was still a little shaken by the idea, prompting me to completely forget about getting dessert. We were back on the interstate, with our trip to the large pond being thirty minutes behind us, before I remembered again.
Winter immediately told me not to worry about it, but I stopped off at the next exit anyway, working hard to change the mood. Especially since my mood was directly affecting her.
By the time I’d stopped at three different places, to get her ice cream, a box of jelly-filled donuts, and some cinnamon balls filled with frosting, along with another vanilla iced coffee, she was cheerfully wolfing it all down, the happiest I thought I’d ever seen her.
Nothing like sweets to cheer a person up.
Jackie ended up calling us on the way, wondering how far out we were, and also giving us the option to come in the next day, instead of tonight. However, Winter said her computer was broken and it was better to just take care of it now, so she didn’t have to worry about it the next day.
I wasn’t exactly sure what her computer had to do with it, but didn’t ask.
When we finally arrived at the CDS location where I now worked, I was shocked to find Lexi waiting for us, having driven my green Mustang. Her expression was a mixture of emotions as she threw herself in my arms the moment I reached the glass doors leading into the building’s lobby.
I kind of felt awkward having her thank me like I was her biggest hero, quickly admitting that I’d just been along for the ride and Winter did everything, including taking the guy out.
Lexi looked at Winter in surprise. “Oh, I’m sorry. Thank you.” It was obvious she felt awkward now.
Winter only nodded, her pale green eyes thankfully their normal color, due to the light coming from inside. I wasn’t sure the lights ever went out here, even if most people worked during the day. No doubt, there was always someone working, and security definitely worked around the clock.
Lexi continued. “I just got here a few minutes ago, but Jackie told me on the phone that she’d be waiting in her office for us.”
“Us?” I repeated.
Her cheeks flushed. “Well, no. The two of you. I just came because I wanted to thank you right away.”
I nodded in understanding. “Well, let’s get going then, so we can go home.”
Lexi smiled warmly, wrapping her arms around mine as she led the way inside the building. I didn’t feel awkward about it with Winter standing there, because she was pretty much well aware of the intricacies of all our relationships at this point.
However, when we got to the office, Lexi was stunned all over again for a completely different reason. The desks had been put back in place, but many of the electronics had been damaged earlier, making it noticeable that something happened recently.
Winter automatically answered her thoughts, before Lexi could even ask if I knew. “I punched Radley Lockhart in the face earlier today. He was being an asshole.”
Lexi gawked at her. “Y-You did?”
She nodded.
Recalling the incident prompted my own question. “Actually, what was he thinking about anyway? Or what did he say in his head that irritated you enough to punch him? Not that I’m complaining,” I added.
Winter remained silent, avoiding my gaze.
Jackie popped her head out of her office then, overhearing us talking in the otherwise empty place, since her door was cracked open. “Oh, you’re back. Please, join me.”
We all filed inside, with Winter sitting in one of the two leather chairs in front of Jackie’s desk, while I took the other, and Lexi sat on the edge of the couch behind us. Jackie then proceeded to record Winter explaining what transpired, with her sharing what she overheard to prompt her to identify the target, as well as my experience with speaking with him face-to-face.
By the time she was done, it was pretty obvious I didn’t do anything at all, other than hold the guy down, not that I’d really been expected to in the first place. After all, I was sort of still in orientation. However, I had to admit I felt a little embarrassed.
Once Winter was finished, Jackie cleared her throat, directing her words at the person responsible for completing the assignment. “Well, since the mission was successful, my superiors wanted me to offer your usual rate again, even though you declined it earlier.”
Winter shook her head. “No.”
“Wait,” Lexi finally interjected. “You took the job for free?”
She nodded, glancing back at her. “Because I punched Radley Lockhart in the face. Less problems this way. It was worth it.”
Lexi gawked at her. “Yeah, but I’m sure he deserved it.”
“It’s fine,” she replied, giving her attention back to Jackie.
My boss focused on me. “Anything you’d like to add to the report?” she wondered pleasantly.
Of course, I wasn’t expecting any kind of extra monetary compensation, even if I had helped out, since I was on salary now, whereas Winter was hired help who was paid on a case-by-case basis, like Nick used to be.
I shook my head. “No, I mean I wasn’t much help anyway, so–”
Winter interrupted me. “Yes, you were.”
“Well, I mean–”
She cut me off again, her gaze suddenly intense. “You helped. A lot.” She then looked at Jackie, responding to her thoughts. “Yes.” She paused. “Yes.”
Okay seriously, not knowing what was being discussed was a little frustrating, especially when Jackie just smiled and left it at that.
Once we were finished, with Winter having to read over the written report the computer produced from the recording, to verify accuracy, we all headed back out to the parking lot. However, Winter suggested I go home with Lexi, and let her use the borrowed car for a few hours. I was a little concerned about that, even though she was a grown woman and had probably done a ton of stuff on her own, but then she reminded me about the message I had to deliver to Freya.
Of course, she didn’t want to chance Freya getting a peek.
I held Lexi’s hand while I drove us home in my Mustang, keeping it in automatic instead of manual, so I’d have my hand free, but otherwise we didn’t talk much. However, I did promise her I was going to make it up to her for missing our date, even though it was obvious that her relief to have this bastard gone definitely surpassed any hurt feelings she had about our canceled plans.
Then, finally, once we were home and I had showered, I sat in bed with Lily and Freya, knowing we had some things to talk about. I was resting against the headboard, my wrist on my propped-up knee, while Freya was sitting at my side and Lily was at my feet.
Currently, we were just waiting on Freya to speak up, because she had scanned my memories and was now deep in thought.
After a few minutes, she took a deep breath, focusing on Lily. “Well, I guess we’re going to have to talk about how we want to handle this situation with our esteemed guest. Winter.”
Lily’s orange eyes nearly bugged out of her head, misunderstanding what Freya was implying, as she looked at me in shock. “Sam! Seriously?”
“Whoa!” I replied, holding up my hands, only to look at Freya. “Please elaborate, because she’s taking it the wrong way.”
Freya nodded. “Sam really isn’t into her.” She paused. “At least, not right now. However, it’s pretty clear she wants to be a part of this family.”
Now it was my turn to have my eyes bugging out of my head. I mean, I don’t know, I supposed I could see how she’d think that, but Freya just seemed so confident about it.
“Sam,” Freya continued, in response to my reaction. “From everything she’s said, it seems pretty obvious she’s looking for a pride to belong to. She’s looking for a family. I mean, she literally admitted that you’re the perfect alpha in her opinion, and a
s far as I’m aware, she’s single. She also mentioned how she would never be an alpha female, and her comment makes a lot of sense if she’s hoping to join our family, because she knows Lily and I are the alpha females.”
Shit, was that true?
Lily spoke up. “Wait, what’s all this talk about alphas and…” She paused. “Did you say pride ?”
Freya nodded. “Like a lion’s pride. Winter perceives our family like that.”
“Well, okay then,” Lily said, sounding bewildered.
“So what’s there to talk about?” I asked seriously. “I mean, you’ve seen my memories. I’m really not trying to add more women to this thing we have going on.”
Freya nodded. “I know. But with a superpower so rare and powerful as hers, having her on our side permanently is something to seriously discuss. Even if we decide not to let her stay, we should still talk about it.”
I sighed. “I really don’t like thinking about it like that though. We shouldn’t make a decision like this based only on her ability, because she’s more than just a superpower.”
“I know,” Freya agreed. “But what it comes down to is that she wants to be a part of our family, to finally have a home , and we should foundationally consider what she brings to the table. Having an ability like this on our side would be very useful for keeping our family safe. Especially when we’re looking at all of us potentially living forever, instead of just you and me, Sam.”
Lily had her head in her hands. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
“We haven’t decided anything,” Freya said reassuringly. “But we should talk about it.”
She shook her head, looking up at us. “But what is there to talk about? She’s basically already living here, she has a kickass ability that feels really invasive but is like the perfect superpower to solve our problems, and let’s be honest, she’s hot and I have no doubt Sam would want to screw her too if he wasn’t such a nice guy.”
Damn, I wasn’t sure if that was an insult or a compliment.
“Hey,” I said gently. “I know Heidi and I have sort of kissed and stuff, but it’s not too late if you’re really not okay with this.” And I meant that. I knew probably men across the globe would be screaming at me right now for being an idiot, but I couldn’t sacrifice my relationship with them just to get laid by more women.
The Powerful Pride of an Immortal (Immortal Supers Book 4) Page 29
