by Ashley Marie
“Would you like to play?” I smile at Kayden from over my shoulder.
“Enough Avery.”
My heart sputters at the cracking in Kayden’s voice.
My thoughts wonder and spin when Kayden drops me off in the front room. I curl up in a brown chair, arms wrapped around my knees looking out the big bay crystal windows.
Is that how they did it. Where they like me? To be able to slaughter my father. They’d have to be. Maybe. It takes a certain kind of person to kill another human. I wonder what they felt. How could a person live with themselves after something so hideous?
Could I still have done what I did to that man Lee if I felt? I like to think I couldn’t hurt another person like that if I was normal. I don’t know, though. All I know is what I did is monstrous and that doesn’t bother me. I’d do it again. Just for a single taste. A little whisper of that feeling the ribbons brought me. Does that make me the real monster?
“Avery.” A whisper touch runs along my cheek.
My head moves slowly. Jeff is crouched in front of me.
“We need to talk.” He stands and moves back against the wall with sad eyes.
My eyes flick around. Kayden is standing the closes to me with Nick to his left. Camron is standing in the door way, white as a ghost. Aden is right inside the door way, leaning up against the wall, arms crossed, partly blocking Cam from view.
My gaze goes back to a stiff Jeff.
“What did he mean? Cursed blood.” My voice is a quiet whisper in the tension filed room.
Everyone looks shocked. Why I have no idea. I thought that was a rather good question considering I have no clue what a cursed blood means. And it might just explain why I’m so different.
“That’s not important right now. What you did to Alpha Lee is.” Jeff says slowly like he’s talking to a missed behaved child.
“I don’t know what I did exactly.” I hum looking back out the window. Shelly and Lilly are leaving. That’s good.
“Bull shit.” Aden snarls.
“Aden—-”
“No, Jeff. Don’t be so blind. She’s been lying to you this whole time.” Aden growls.
“Is this true?” Jeff sounds hurt.
“Yes,” I answer softly, watching the squirrels dart across the yard. Do wolves eat squirrels?
“Why?” Jeff asks.
My voice turns cold, “Because you lie. You knew I’m this cursed blood. You know who murdered my father. You’ve kept things from me. It’s only fair.” I mock turning towards Jeff with wide eyes and a slimy smile.
He shakes his head with a sad look.
“What is a cursed blood?”
His arms cross, “A person who is a half werewolf and half empath with the Rain blood. It’s very rare. Almost all the Rain blood line was wiped out over a thousand years ago, we haven’t heard anything about the Rain line in over a hundred. For you to have it is unheard of currently. You’re the first of your kind that’s lived past birth.”
Well.
“They kill them. The babies?”
“No.” His hands are up, “They never survive the birth.”
“Why me?”
“I don’t know. Your father must have been from the Rain line. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
I breathe in deep and let it out. It’s only fair.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Avery
MY GAZE STAYS out the window, “I was happy. So, happy.” Small smile forms on my face, “So full of life. When I came home that day. I cracked into a million pieces. Mind. Body. Soul.” My head shakes and I turn towards Jeff.
“For a child to see their parent the way I did would devastate anyone. But for me. I just had to be different.” I laugh, my fingers tapping on my thigh.
Everyone’s attention was squarely on me. Eyes intently considering my face. My words.
“I think seeing dad lifeless. Just lying there in his own blood is what broke whatever lock that was holding back my emphatic abilities. I didn’t notice it until the ward at Green Bier. Me being weaned off the sedatives probably helped with that. I started to get these little blips of feelings. They’d come and go like a strong wind. Pain. Anger. Lust. They were the more common ones.” My cold chuckle vibrates through the room, “The more the medicine wore off the more feelings I got. The stronger they became. To feel all of that on top of what I was already feeling, going through that alone would make a crazy person quite insane. I wanted it out. I wanted it to stop.” I look down at my arms and the pale silvery scars left by my finger nails, I sigh.
“Eventually I learned to block it out. Barricade the feelings from getting in. It just so happens I blocked my own emotions also.” I sigh and turn back towards the window. The evening rays shining through, warming my face.
“I was blissfully empty. I don’t want that to change. Then came the ribbons. The ethereal colored ribbons that floated around and through people. At first, I didn’t know what I was seeing. I thought I really was crazy. But the more I watched the people around me the more I figured it out.” I turn back towards Jeff. His face blank as a paper.
“I was seeing people’s emotions. These colored ribbons that danced and teased me are people’s emotions. And Here I thought I was a freak in till I came. Then I learned I’m just a bigger freak in a freaky world.”
“Avery.” It’s a soft-hearted whisper.
My head snaps towards Camron. Tears track down his cheeks.
“That man out there was not a nice person.” I snap, “I could see it. I could feel it.”
Camron blanches and ducks further behind a sneering Aden.
I turn back to Jeff.
“I hungered for his ribbons. His emotions. They were so dark. Filled with vile feelings. So, I took them.” I laugh.
They all stare at me. I can hear the minutes and seconds tick away. Echoing from the big Grandfather clock in the corner of the room.
“I don’t know what to say.” Jeff shakes his head. “They’re so much stuff we don’t know about you. How different you really are.” He steps closer, “I am truly sorry Avery. For an Empath to go through their awakening is a very difficult time. But for you to have no idea what was going on and the place you were in.” He shakes his head looking down at his feet.
“No wonder you’re so cold,” Camron mutters.
“That explains some of it. But you seeing emotions shouldn’t be possible. Nor you feeding off them.” Aden barks out.
“It has to be the Rain blood line side coming through, right?” Camron says excitedly. He starts bouncing on his toes, “I mean think about. They were the most powerful of empaths. With her DNA, its messed it up. Her empath and werewolf bleed into one. She craves emotions. Instead of the hunt.” His eyes are wide and he gives a nod.
Nobody says anything for a while. They all just dissect me with their different colored eyes.
“Maybe,” Jeff says.
“What’s with the Rain blood line?” I ask, my fingers start tapping again.
“It’s awful. You’re not awful I’m . . . it’s the story behind the Rain line.” Camron mutters, red faced.
“It happened over four thousand years ago,” Nick says his voice very different, like in a story mode, “Rain was a very powerful empath as the story goes. He grew to want more always more. They say he tried to force a bond on the blood prince and a war broke out. The prince killed Rain and all followers along with anyone with a drop of Rain blood. For you to have his blood is really impossible.”
That’s a good way to look at it. Me an impossible creature. I don’t know, though. I don’t know anything anymore, other than I’m drowning in this new world.
“She has to unblock her own emotions before we worry about anything else. “ Kayden speaks up darkly.
My eyes snap onto Kayden. They narrow at his hard-determined look. They can’t do this to me. I won’t let them. It won’t happen. The story about Rain already forgotten with Kayden’s words.
“He’s right. “Je
ff looks at me, “The back lash from un locking your emotions isn’t going to feel good but it must be done.”
“Why?” My voice snaps out like a spiked whip.
“For one it’s not healthy.” Jeff answers.
“And the other.” I snap out.
“It will kill you.” Aden states.
My head cocks. Kill me? How could not having any emotions kill me?
“I had a little sister.” Aden’s voice strains, “She turned out to be an empath. Unlucky really. She got her heart broken by a boy. A nobody scum of a boy. Not wanting to feel the heartache, she blocked out her own emotions. It’s not normal for an empath not to feel and goes against everything an empath is.” He sighs and closes his silvery eyes, “Eventually something has to give. The block exploded. Everything she blocked. Every little thing hit her and hit her hard. It overloaded her mind and body. Her heart gave out.” He looks at me with hard eyes, “You will not only kill yourself but also Kay.” With those parting words, he leaves the room.
“And Dean,” Camron mutters following Aden.
My head turns oh so slowly. Kay- Kayden leans up against the wall, his eyes squeezed shut.
“Dean? What happened with Dean?” Jeff growls.
“It’s not what you think. Avery can feel him.” Nick explains.
I’m guessing Dean is the black wolf in the rage. Wow. This day is just awesome.
“Why would my death kill you?” I whisper, clicking my tongue.
“Kayden.” I snap.
He sighs and opens his green eyes.
“I and you are life mates. My life is connected to yours and yours to mine.”
He holds my frigid gaze as I try to figure out what happened. When could this have happened? Me and him? I know it involves some sort of bond between the two people. But I haven’t done anything to bond to him. Have I?
Then it hits me. He did this. He did something to me while I was comatose for three days. I let my eyes say it all before I leave the room.
I take the stairs two at a time, going to the third floor.
I don’t want to unlock my emotions. I don’t want to feel again. But I also won’t let Kayden die because of me. I don’t feel. Nor do I care. But something in my mind. My heart. My soul won’t hear of his death. Of him never breathing anymore.
I walk up to my room and stop short.
“What are you doing here?”
Cammie turns and looks at me, “Waiting on you.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Kayden
KAYDEN’S SKIN RIPPLES with tension. He’s so pissed. Upset. How could they let Avery know about their connection? Yeah, it was for a good reason, but Kayden should have been the one to tell her, not them. Never them.
His wolf growls out, clawing at his skin. Wanting out. Wanting to get to Avery.
No longer hearing Avery’s soft steps, he explodes. Kayden lashes out the wall becoming his victim.
Kayden slams his right fist into the wall. Wood and dry wall splinter breaking apart forming a hole around his hand. His hand and knuckles are bloody, dripping onto the wood floor. He barley notices, touching his forehead beside the hole.
His breathing is labored. Too many thoughts fighting for dominance in his head.
What are they to do about Avery? Too much stuff came out all at once. Her telling of that night she lost Max. Her powers forming. Being in a mental house. The ribbons. So much stuff that he doesn’t know where to start. How to process it all. His hackles raise when Dean filters into his mind. Avery is Deans empath. He knows it’s not the same thing as his connection. It still bothers him on a deep level.
“Feel better brother.” Nick snorts.
“No.” Kayden stands up, turning to face Jeff and Nick.
Both men look as lost as he does.
“Well, that was insightful.” Nick smiles.
Kayden gives a snort. Insightful his ass. This has turned into a major mess.
“What now?” Nick asks. His eyes boring into Jeff.
“This is all new. We know nothing about these ribbons Avery talked about. It’s unknown. She’s unknown. A whole new breed.” Jeff lets out a sigh and takes a seat.
“Did you see how healthy she looked, though. Whatever she did to Lee nourished her.” Nick comments sitting down across from Jeff.
Kayden’s still standing. His left leg bouncing. He can’t sit. He needs to run. Feel the earth beneath his paws.
Yeah, he noticed Avery looked healthier too. Her face filled in a bit, no longer having a hollow look. Her pale skin got some color back into it. Her energy stronger too. She fed off Lee. Kayden was surprised that it didn’t disgust him. He was just glad that she looks alive now.
“I think Camron was right.” Kayden grunts out, “She fed off Lee.”
“And Jimmy. That day out at the beach. It seemed she was doing the same thing. Taking his pain away. Feeding off it.” Kayden says.
“It’s a possibility,” Jeff says not sounding convinced.
“What now?” Nick looks to Jeff.
“We get her to unlock her emotions. That’s where we will start.” Jeff frowns. “I’ll call around and see about the other stuff.”
“She’s not going to like it,” Kayden grumbles.
He doesn’t want to push her. Make her do anything against her will. It rattles his nerves.
“If she goes insane?” Nick voices the very thought Kayden didn’t want to think about.
“She won’t,” Jeff says calmly looking at Kayden knowing his need to protect Avery is riding him hard.
“She has Kayden. And apparently, Dean to help filter her emotions if it comes to be too much.”
Nick scoffs, “How much help could Dean be? He’s in the rage. Been there for who knows how long.”
“It has to be enough.” Jeff states.
Yes, it will. Kayden won’t lose her.
“I’m going for a run.” Kayden moves towards the door, Nicks voice stopping him.
“You want company?”
Kayden nods and leads the way.
As soon as his feet touch the grass. He shifts welcoming the warming of his blood. His bones breaking and reforming.
His large paws touch the ground. A howl heats the air as he takes off towards the trees. A slightly smaller brown wolf at his side.
He needed this. The forest smells fill his snout. The ground beneath his paws. The stretch and pull of his muscles.
A yip has his head slightly turning, Rabbit Nick growls the thought into Kayden’s mind.
He takes off in the same direction as Nick had gone, nipping at his brothers’ tail. It feels good to run with Nick.
Kayden finally feels calm. The pack bond doing its job.
A flash of black moves through the trees as Deans thoughts fills the two brothers head.
Hunt. Feed.
More wolf than man. The black wolf joins in on the hunt.
Kayden growls but does nothing else. He knows he’s more dominant than the black wolf. He has nothing to fear from him in this form. They’re pack. Pack means everything. A wolf is nothing without his pack.
Eventually, Kayden will make peace with Avery being Deans empath. His lips curl into a wolfish smile.
He howls causing the other two wolves to join in as they hunt as a unit.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Avery
“AH. THIS ISN’T working.” Camron screeches, throwing his hands in the air, walking back and forth in the yard.
“Ya think.” Cammie pops her gum from the lawn chair.
Cam turns sticking his tongue out at her.
I roll my eyes and stand up stretching out my legs. We’ve been at this for two hours. Camron has been trying to figure out how to unlock my emotions and nothing has worked so far.
Frustration slowly fills up my body. I turn to the side, where the trees meet the yard. Laying there, sun bathing is the midnight black wolf. I snap my figures out at him earning me a wolf like grunt.
“It’s weird how he just
lays there watching you,” Cammie says foot bouncing.
I look at her, “What’s not weird about me Cammie?”
She winks, “True.”
I shake out my shoulders, hoping to shake out the emotion and catch Kayden’s eyes on me. A small frown on his heart shaped lips.
We’re bonded. Not half way mated. I still can’t get past that he did that to us without me knowing. Or that I’m doing all of this for him.
I don’t care. I don’t want to unblock my emotions and yet I’m doing just that for him. Why?
“Okay, okay.” Camron claps his hands together, coming to stand in front of me.
“Explain it to me again. How do you block?”
I sigh, “It’s like this huge steel impenetrable wall inside my mind. It wraps everything up. It keeps everything from me.” I cross my arms.
“So. Is there another wall behind that one? Let’s say for your emotions.” He says looking lost in thought.
I just shake my head. I don’t know. I’ve never been behind the wall. Never had a reason to.
“This is what you are going to do. Listen. Go in your mind. Bypass the first wall. Your emotions should be past that, in a cage maybe.” He nods his head and smiles.
Cammie giggles, “Shut it.” Cam snaps.
“Go ahead and try it.” Cam nods his head at me.
My eyes shut and I focus on my wall. Slowly I walk through a fog not really moving. The fog starts to thin out. Its beautifully perfect. My steel wall. It’s a deep black, smooth and cold to the touch. I start walking along it, my fingers dragging across the cool metal, looking for a door. A window. Anything to let me pass. I find nothing.
“Walk through it.”
I jerk at the husky whisper in my ear. Kayden. I didn’t know he had moved so close to me. His strong chest up against my back. I can feel his muscles flex.
He smells good, like fresh cut grass.
Shaking my head, I block him out along with his body heat at my back and his strong hands resting on my hips.
Laying both hands on the wall I slowly start to push. It feels hard at first like a wall should be. The more I push the more it feels like it gives. Slowly I watch my hands start to sink in. It’s cool and thick like clay. My hands disappear, cut off at my wrist. It looks like I have no hands. Just my wrists laying against the wall. Too say it’s weird is an understatement. Alright. I take a deep breath and kind of do a jump run number into the rest of the wall.
