“How could I possibly fulfill a prophecy, I’m just a human,” I argued, walking ahead of him to the door.
“I’m sure Serafina felt the same way when she came here to be a dancer, but then she managed to free an entire race from an ancient curse and be crowned queen in the process,” Rook countered.
I laughed. “I guess when you put it that way, anything is possible.”
He followed me out his front door and we crossed the open space to another door. On the other side of that door was a foyer that looked very similar to the one outside Dragon and Serafina’s apartment. When we stepped inside the elevator Rook pressed the down button and something in my gut twisted. Now that we were actually on our way to see Rachel, I wasn’t sure if I was up to it.
“I’ll be right there with you the whole time. I’ll be by your side or I’ll give you space, no matter what you need I’ll do my best to give it to you,” Rook told me and for once I was glad he could read me like a book.
Rook took me to his office and when I asked why he explained, “It wouldn’t be a good idea for you to be in the same room with Rachel right now. The slightest change to her environment could agitate her, and it’s best if she remains calm as much as possible.”
We sat in the back of his office and he pulled up live feeds from the security cameras on the monitors lined up before us. On one monitor my daughter was writhing on a bed moaning and touching herself with obvious sexual pleasure. She was dressed in hospital scrubs but that didn’t make the scene any less disturbing.
Reaching for Rook’s hand I drew strength from him and asked, “How do you get her to eat and drink?”
“They make it part of the fantasies they’re projecting into her mind.”
Images I never wanted to think about again popped into my head and I shook myself as I looked away from Rachel to the next monitor where Clarissa was lying nude across a bed with her head hanging off the edge. A man I recognized as Jasper who worked at the front desk was also nude and standing over her thrusting himself into her mouth.
“Jasper is a good kid, but he’s always been one of the weaker nightshifters and Clarissa never missed an opportunity to remind him of that,” Rook informed me.
“It looks like he’s enjoying a little revenge.”
Rook snorted. “This is his fifth shift and every time he’s been in there he’s made sure he put Clarissa in her place. I’m surprised she’s not on her knees or chained up in a stockade again.”
My eyebrows rose. From what Rook described Jasper had a lot of pent up anger towards Clarissa to work off.
“Where are they in relation to Rachel?” I asked.
“They’re in the same room but Solomon set up a ward so that no one can actually get near Rachel. They have to be close enough for the nightshifters to easily project images and sensations into Rachel, but we don’t trust Clarissa enough to allow her or anyone she might try to control access to Rachel. Sex demons can be very persuasive when they crank up the pheromones. We remove Clarissa from the room when it’s time to feed Rachel to avoid any possible problems.”
“How long can they keep this up?” I glanced over to see him watching me.
“There are enough nightshifters here to keep Rachel calm indefinitely. How long will Clarissa be able to keep up?” Rook shrugged. “Only time will tell but she knows that when her usefulness runs out so does her time.”
“What do you mean?”
“Clarissa facilitated both attacks on Serafina as well as Rachel’s abduction.” He paused for a moment and seemed to struggle with some emotion. When he continued the anger vibrating in his voice was unmistakable. “She was also the one who told Adan you left the resort without me.”
For a moment I didn’t know who he was talking about. When it hit me I murmured, “So that was his name.”
Rook reached up to brush his fingers along my cheek and I flinched away from him.
“I’m so sorry Rook; I don’t mean to do that. I know you won’t hurt me, it’s just...” I didn’t know how to describe the sense of panic I felt when he tried to touch me unexpectedly.
Ever so slowly he rolled his chair closer to mine and pulled me into his arms. Holding my head against his chest while he smoothed his hand over my hair he said, “You don’t need to apologize to me Angela. We’ll work through this no matter how long it takes.”
Feeling his love for me, hearing it in his voice, the tears finally came. Rook held me while I cried, rocking me softly and whispering words that I was starting to recognize as his native language. It felt so good to have him hold me.
When the tears eventually slowed I looked up at him and asked, “What were you whispering?”
He brushed my hair back and pressed a light kiss to my forehead. “It was a prayer to the Goddess in the language of my people. I asked her to guide you back into the light so that you may leave the darkness of pain and fear behind you.”
“Thank you Rook. I don’t know what happened, it was like a fog was lifted and suddenly everything I should have been feeling crashed over me.”
Combing his fingers through my hair he told me, “You woke up in the ICU and for a split second it felt like the weight of a thousand elephants had been lifted off my chest. The relief I felt knowing you were finally awake was immeasurable. But you were screaming, thrashing around as if you were fighting for your life and I had to restrain you. Claire came in and put you back to sleep. Later she told me that while she was in your mind she made sure that the next time you woke the memories would come back slower and you would be better prepared to handle the emotional fallout when it came.”
Pulling back I looked around for something to wipe my face with. Rook went to get me a napkin from the minibar across the room then came back and leaned against the counter with one ankle crossed over the other.
“Claire offered to erase your memories but I told her I wouldn’t make that decision for you,” he told me quietly.
I shook my head. “I won’t let you bear the burden of that knowledge alone Rook.”
He nodded like that was the answer he expected me to give.
Once my face was clean and my nose was blown I said, “I’d like to go see Claire, to thank her if that would be alright.”
Rook smiled warmly. “I think she’d like that, she should be in her studio telling fortunes for the guests at this time of day.”
The hallways of the resort were crowded with tourists but there were only two people in Claire’s waiting room when we arrived. Claire’s studio was everything you’d expect it to be. Tiny lights twinkled like stars across the ceiling of the dimly lit room, candles burned on every tabletop, and a bead curtain separated the waiting area from the back room. Toss in a few moon and star covered pillows and throw blankets and it was a shining example of how stereotypes and clichés were brought to life at Myths and Legends.
Rook and I sat on a small delicate looking sofa together. After a few minutes Solomon came through the bead curtain looking absolutely disheveled. His hair usually had the carefree messy look that actually took a lot of work to achieve, but this was different. It looked like he’d been running his hands through his hair repeatedly and his clothes were mismatched and so wrinkled he must have slept in them.
Going by Rook’s wide eyes and gaping mouth he was just as surprised by Solomon’s appearance as I was. Before either of us could comment Solomon hurried out of the room and Claire stepped into view.
“Diane, I have been waiting for you to come by and see me,” Claire said to the woman seated across from me.
In response Diane sputtered, “How did you know my name?”
Claire bent and took Diane’s hands in hers. “Never mind that right now dear. I wish we had more time to chat but you have somewhere to be.”
“I do?”
“Of course you do dear. Take your daughter and turn right onto the main road heading towards Louisiana when you leave the resort. Stop at the first gas station you come to after you cross the border and let lit
tle Elaine choose some numbers for lottery tickets.”
Diane just sat there gawking at Claire.
Pulling Diane to her feet Claire said, “You better go now or it will be too late.”
Diane shook herself then rushed out the door while Rook and I chuckled.
Next Claire spoke to the other woman who had been waiting for her. “Liliana, I want you to meet me in Lilith’s Lounge tonight at nine o’clock.” The woman raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow and Claire added, “I promise, it will be well worth your trouble.”
Liliana inclined her head then rose from the chair and left without a word.
“Any chance you’d tell me where to find a winning lottery ticket?” Rook asked Claire with a grin.
She smiled back, “Only if I thought those millions you have in the bank might actually run out some day.”
“Millions?” The question just slipped past my lips.
Rook’s shoulder lifted in a shrug. “Claire occasionally gives stock market tips and I’ve made some good investments over the years.”
“That’s not important now,” Claire said as she pulled me to my feet and hooked her arm through mine. “Rook, Angela and I need to have a little girl time, why don’t you check with Donovan and I’ll see that she makes it safely back to your apartment when we’re finished.”
She started leading me towards the back room but Rook was suddenly in front of us blocking our path. “What are you up to Claire?”
I had to take a deep breath but managed to keep myself from cowering under his anger. Recognizing my fear he took a step back.
“I give you my word, no harm will come to Angela before you see her again,” Claire promised him.
Rook held her gaze for a moment then asked me, “Is this okay with you?”
I swallowed hard then nodded. “I trust Claire.”
“Then it’s settled, we’ll see you in about an hour,” Claire said with a bright smile.
Rook still didn’t look happy but he left without any further argument. Claire and I went through the bead curtain and sat at a small table lined with a dark blue velvet tablecloth. On the table were a stack of tarot cards and a crystal ball with smoke swirling in its center.
“I’d like to thank you for the clothes and everything you’ve done for me,” I told Claire sincerely.
“There’s no need for that dear,” she replied, handing me a paper cup with a plastic lid that she’d grabbed off the hutch when we entered the room.
I took the cup and sipped its contents. Mmm... Caramel Macchiato, my favorite. “All the same, I’m deeply thankful for your help.”
She sipped from her own cup then came right to the point. “We don’t have much time before Rook comes looking for you. Very soon he will realize there is a way to save your daughter.”
I gasped. “How?”
“A more important question is; will you be able to give him the help he needs to pull it off?”
Her eyes pierced mine and I knew what she was really asking.
After a moment she continued, “He will not ask for your help, nor will he want to accept it when you offer it. But if you want your daughter back you will need to be strong and convince him that you are able to do what must be done.”
“If there is any chance to fix what has been done to Rachel I will find the strength to see it through.”
“I know you will,” Claire assured me. “There is one more thing I thought you should know.” She reached out to where my hand rested on the table and covered it with hers. “No matter what Adan said to you, Rook would have loved his child whether he had the ability to shift time or not.”
Tears slid down my face. “He?”
She nodded. “You would have had a son.”
A son. The child I lost would have been a boy. Would he have looked like Rook? Would he have been strong and confident like his father? As caring and compassionate?
Wiping away my tears I asked Claire, “Will Rook ever forgive me for letting Adan take his son from him?”
Red flames flared in her eyes when she said, “Adan will pay for his crimes against you and your son, but I promise you, no one here will ever blame you for his actions, especially not Rook.”
I started to argue but she cut me off. “Angela, you can’t live your life in fear and we certainly don’t want you to feel like a prisoner here at the resort. You went to the store and even followed security protocols by taking Malcolm with you.”
She waved her hand when I opened my mouth. “I know that was an afterthought on your part but you’re still getting used to needing security. The point is, you didn’t create the danger to yourself and your child, Adan did. Adan, and only Adan, is responsible for what happened to you, and to everyone else who was harmed by his actions, including your unborn child.”
I didn’t try to argue any further. I still wasn’t sure if I agreed with her, but I’d at least consider what she had to say before I dismissed her opinions altogether. She was after all, centuries older than I was and that had to count for something.
Claire talked me into getting takeout from The Dragon’s Lair on our way back to Rook’s apartment. When we stepped off the elevator I realized there were no curtains in the next room and asked Claire if it was safe for her to go any farther. She said the storm shutters would close when she placed her hand on the control panel if needed, but the sun had already set a few moments earlier.
Once we were inside Rook’s apartment Claire pointed out glass doors on both sides of the TV that I hadn’t noticed earlier and asked if I wanted to sit on the balcony while we ate. The balcony was wide with several seating arrangements and enough space to dance at one end. We sat near the railing where we had a good view of the torch lit beach below.
The wind was blowing pretty hard so I had to hold my hair while I ate but it was nice to get some fresh air. Just after we were finished eating the front door opened and Claire said her goodbyes. A few moments later Rook stepped out onto the balcony and I knew it was time to tell him about his son.
* * * * *
Chapter Twenty-Eight
After searching just about everywhere in the resort I finally found Dragon sitting with Doyle on the edge of the ring in The Dungeon, the fight arena here at the resort.
When they noticed me walking down the aisle Doyle said, “I hadn’t expected you to leave Angela’s side for at least a decade.”
Stopping in front of them I crossed my arms over my chest and jerked my head towards Dragon. “She’s with his mother who told me he needed my help.”
Dragon snorted and shook his head. “I wonder what she’s up to this time. Doyle and I were just discussing the tournament that will take place a few months from now at Supernova. Do you remember what happened the last time the tournament was held there?”
I shrugged. “Sure, Lucien’s lucky ring was stolen and he lost the marksmanship competition for the first time in centuries.”
“And he hasn’t won since,” Doyle added.
Dragon nodded and continued, “When his ring was stolen it was replaced with a replica that only Lucien can tell isn’t the original. He said he could just sense that it wasn’t his ring. To the rest of us, the replacement looks and feels exactly like the one that was stolen.
I was just telling Doyle I wished you could go back in time and replace the original ring with a fake one just before it was stolen. The thief probably wouldn’t know the difference so the timeline would remain the same but if you could somehow bring the original ring back to this time we could return it to Lucien. Maybe then he’d be able to win the tournament this year.”
“It couldn’t be that simple.” I said more to myself than to Dragon or Doyle.
“What couldn’t be that simple?” Dragon asked. “I know you’re gaining powers, but that was ten years ago and as far as I know you still can’t return to your original time once you go back.”
“Not the ring, the prophecy,” I told him impatiently and quoted the line I was thinking about, “Time f
or one, can make the trade. The other is lost, his life must fade.” I paused then asked no one in particular, “But who is the ‘other’?”
All the air went out of my lungs with my next thought. No. Oh Goddess, please let me be wrong.
“I have to go,” I told Dragon and Doyle over my shoulder as I hurried to the exit. They called after me but I just kept walking. I needed to find Angela, to know if what I suspected was true.
Claire met me in the living room of my apartment. One look at her grim face and I knew I was right.
“Where is she?” I asked.
“She’s out on the balcony,” Claire replied.
When I strode past her and stepped out onto the balcony Angela was standing near the railing looking out over the Gulf with her hands cradling her lower abdomen. The wind was blowing her long blonde hair all over the place but she didn’t even seem to notice.
“Why didn’t you tell me Angela?” I hadn’t meant for the question to come out, and the words weren’t angry but they still caused her to start. With a softer tone I said, “I’m not angry, I just want to understand what happened.”
As I moved slowly towards her she turned to face me with tears running down her cheeks. “I ignored the signs because you were so sure it wasn’t possible. Then we realized it was a possibility, but I wanted to be sure before I said anything. That’s why I went to the store; to get a home pregnancy test. When Adan found me I had the test in my hand, so he knew I was pregnant, or at least that I suspected I was.”
She fell into the chair beside her and put her head in her hands. “He tried to bond with me but he said you’d done something to prevent it. He said my soul was stained with yours. He thought it was because of the baby, but I knew it was because we nearly bonded the night before. Whatever caused you to start the bonding ritual saved me from being bonded to Adan. Before he pushed me out of his car at the ER he said he’d try again after the baby was gone and you had one of your nightshifters heal me.”
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