“I feel the same.”
“Sasha, Heinrich, Will?”
Heinrich scowled. “I’d like to punch the crap out of him. What are you gonna do to him, Aaron?”
Aaron grinned. “Have my beta, Franklin, punch the crap out of him, but call it training. Over a period of weeks, I think. He’ll live under my thumb doing menial chores, but I'll also give him the practical instruction that he should have gotten from his father. Eventually I might set him up in his own pack, under my sponsorship and supervision. He’s powerful and intelligent. It would be a shame to lose a leader of that caliber. I think in the end, he’ll turn out okay, whether he leads a pack or not.”
Sasha and Will went along with the plan. Liam, Kyle and Ethan too.
Kaera twisted her mouth and huffed out an exasperated sigh. “I will agree, as long as you swear to take responsibility for his future actions.”
“I am responsible for every one of my wolves, and Gabriel is now one of mine. He’ll also be required to witness the executions of any of his pack members. The death of his brother and his father will mark him. He’ll fall in line. You all have the right to be there.”
I shuddered at the thought of watching someone else burned alive. “I’m going to pass, if that’s alright.” I took Garrett’s hand and said softly. “I’d like to check on Brina.”
“Yes, go ahead.” He looked back at Aaron. “I suppose we won’t ever see the rest of our fee.”
“Why, Cuz, the Los Altos pack’s finances are now under the control of the WPC and so if you submit an invoice, you’ll be paid. We’ll try to split up the assets among the families so they’ll all have start-up money wherever they end up. Sinc will be included in the dispersal of funds.”
That news made me very happy, so I gave Aaron a hug, said goodbye to the others and headed to Faerie with Kaera.
The room was darkened, unusual for a room in Faerie where light was as important as oxygen. Brina’s arms, legs and cheeks were blistered and raw and she was moaning in her sleep. The smell of burned flesh and hair filled the room with its stringent scent and I had to fight back a wave of nausea. I lowered myself into a chair next to the bed and took her bandaged hand in mine while Kaera stood behind me. Lord Argon and his consort, Lady Tereza, were also there, standing a silent vigil, their eyes moving from Brina to me and back to their daughter. The fae weren’t prepared for long term pain or illness. Their natural healing energy kicked in immediately when they were injured physically. After a night’s sleep, they were completely recovered, even when the injury was very serious.
I sent her a slow wave of my energy, keeping it gentle so as not to shock her, but I felt a block, similar to a psychic block only it seemed to be tainted with chemicals. I played with it for a few minutes, managing to untwist and unravel the thinnest part and poke some holes through the fabric of the magic. Finally my healing energy flowed smoothly, having found the outlets I’d created, and this time she responded. Her moaning stopped, her shoulders relaxed and I witnessed her natural healing ability jumpstart. Lord Argon smiled at me and then at his daughter, covering Lady Tereza’s hand with his own. When I noticed a tear make its way down the Lady’s cheek, I turned back to Brina.
Keara crouched by my chair. “Thank you, Jacqueline. Liam wasn’t able to get past the block. Was it iron?”
“I think so, probably a chemical compound that combined with the fire as it burned her. I’m no scientist. You should have come to me right away.”
She laughed. “You were injured yourself.”
"Thank you for saving me and Sinc. We'd both be dead if you hadn't acted so quickly. I brought some of this down on us. Karl knew that I was on to him. I should have been more discreet, but I have trouble backing down and keeping my mouth shut.”
“Look who you are talking to.” We laughed together. Kaera and Brina were both the kind to speak their minds openly.
Brina spoke suddenly from her bed. “Sister, why are you laughing as I lay here on my deathbed?”
“So dramatic, sister. I am afraid you will live to torture me another day. I will send for some food and honey wine.”
Lady Tereza and Lord Argon were on the other side of the bed speaking to Brina in Fae so I stayed by the window to give them privacy. A flock of tiny pixies flew by, giggling when they saw me at the open window. One of them stayed behind as the rest flew off. She was so small, with shiny teal wings that looked paper thin, and she spoke to me in a light voice in a language so lovely it made my heart break.
Kaera explained. “She asks if you are humankind or shifterkin. I’ll reply for you if you like.” I nodded. Kaera spoke a few sentences in the Pixie’s sweet language and I watched the tiny creature’s eyes widen in surprise. I peered at her with my magic and saw a brilliant aura of fuscia pink. Her bright red hair glistened in the sunshine as she asked another question.
“Now she wants to know if you will allow her to sit on your shoulder. She likes your scent. She says it is different from all others. I’d be careful if I were you. She might like you so much that she decides to take a bite out of your earlobe. They look very sweet, but the demi-fey like a certain amount of blood in their diet. They must eat often because their metabolism is so fast."
"Please tell her that I would be delighted if she would sit on my shoulder, but she may not bite me or take blood. And I would ask her name if that isn’t rude.”
Kaera translated and the pixie flew in to sit on my shoulder. I hardly felt her there, but she had a sweet scent of her own. “Sinlae is my name. What is yours?” Her accent was thick but I was able to understand her if I listened carefully.
Kaera raised an eyebrow and laughed. “A pixie who speaks English is rare.”
“Kaera, child of Argon, I greet you.” Her wings fluttered and tickled my neck as she dove off of my shoulder and hovered a foot from Kaera’s face with her hand over her heart.
“And I you, Sinlae, pixiekin.”
“I’m Jackie, Sinlae.”
“Jah Kee, shifterkin and demonspawn, I greet you.” Kaera must have told her everything.
“And I you, Sinlae, pixiekin.” This was beyond bizarre, but she was so lovely and sweet.
Brina saw us by the window. “Jackie, don’t let one of those devils attach themselves to you. You’ll never get rid of her.”
I walked over with Sinlae back on my shoulder and I felt the little one tense up. “I do not greet you Brina, child of Argon.”
Brina laughed. “I know this one. She causes all kinds of mischief.”
“How do you feel, Brina?” I asked. Her skin was still red, but the blisters had disappeared and she was smiling; a sure sign of her imminent recovery.
“Much improved. Thank you for working your magic. The pain was—unpleasant.”
“You were moaning like a girl.” Kaera teased her.
“I will show you on the training grounds how to moan like a girl, sister.”
I tried to look stern. “Eat and rest. Doctor’s orders.” Brina laughed.
“You are healer?” Sinlae asked. Her eyes narrowed as she concentrated on something. “So strong. Emerald aura like Lord Liam.”
“Lord Liam?”
Brina answered. “Technically after 1000 years a fae of noble birth is to be called lord or lady—but Liam does not insist on the title and neither does Aedus, and for that I am grateful. I think Aedus is already too full of himself.”
“You are just jealous of Philladre, admit it sister.”
“I feel sorry for her.” Brina grinned. “But I think this one has a little crush on Lord Liam.”
Sinlae's skin pinked up in a blush. She crossed her arms and glared at Brina. “You are no lady.”
Brina continued to tease her. “Do you know that Lord Liam spends half his day with Jackie in the human world?”
Her mouth dropped open in surprise. “Does he truly, Jah Kee?”
“Yes. He‘s a close friend of my mate, Garrett.”
Her eyes widened to match her mouth. “Hands
ome Garrett vampirelord is your mate?”
I was laughing now. “Yes. But please don't ever call him that to his face. His head would swell and I'd have to kill him." I grinned so the little one would know that I was kidding.
“I must tell my sisters. Good day to you all. Except you Brina big mouth.” She flew out the window so fast that I could barely see the blur of her shimmering wings.
Lord Argon approached me with his lovely consort, Lady Tereza. He spoke with a thick fae accent, but his emotions were easy to read. “Thank you for healing our daughter, Jacqueline. We are in your debt.” He placed his hand on his heart and nodded, sending me a delicious wash of fae magic, an honor, coming from an Elder.
“Brina and Kaera helped to find me when I was kidnapped, Lord Argon, and Kaera saved my life after the explosion. You owe me nothing. I hope that your daughters will help our team again in the future, because we always have need of strong warriors.” I looked at the two of them, one a rich dark beauty with a more serious nature and the other, light haired, light spirited and just as lovely. Both of them deadly: a perfect balance. They’d become my friends and I was fortunate to have them in my life.
I left soon after and slept like a log in my own bed with Samson curled up near my feet. Gabriel had left with Aaron, so Samson was mine once more, officially relieved of werewolf guard duty.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
After a light breakfast I went for a run. I’d slept well and felt that I needed the exercise, so I’d run along the coastline, chased occasionally by a stray dog and a few giggling children out with their dad. Crescent City was such a lovely place to live with its rocky beaches and bay populated by pleasure boats and fishing rigs. In the nearby mountains, redwood forests transported you back in time to ancient days when dinosaurs roamed the western states. Crisscrossed by rivers and valleys, brown hills and green parks, flower gardens and sand dunes, Crescent City was the perfect place for a population with eclectic tastes.
A drawback for some was the weather. Temperatures were cooler compared to most of the other California coastline cities and it rained—a lot. And then there was the fog, which rolled in occasionally and smothered the community with a cool choke hold. The weather never bothered me and the shifter/werewolf community seemed to like the cooler climes, probably because lush forests covered so much of the nearby terrain. It was prime hunting ground. Vampires adapted to any environment, as long as there was blood nearby, and the fae resided in their lovely Faerie dimension and so weren't concerned with how we chose to live. I felt at home here with my mate and my friends and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
When I got close to home, I decided to materialize behind a tree so Liam and Samson wouldn’t notice me as they trained together on the patio. He was working on hand signals: stay, sit, come, speak, etc… Samson was getting them right every time and Liam looked like a very proud parent.
“We both know that you’re there.” He smiled in my direction. “We smell your cheetah. Traveling the lines comes easy to you, I see.”
“Easy? It definitely wasn’t easy at first.” I must have looked annoyed as I thought back to the first excruciating pain of immersing myself in the burning magic of the lines, all the while pressured to learn the skill before Kennett returned to torture me. In the end, I hadn't learned quickly enough to avoid the torture, but the lines had indeed become my means of escape.
“Jacqueline, I know what you went through.” I turned away, too embarrassed to look at him. He noticed and sent Samson back into the house, closing the door behind him. “Let’s walk.”
I nodded my head and we struck off into the woods, walking silently along a familiar path. He took my hand and we were instantly on a low hill overlooking the sea. It wasn’t my imaginary cliff, a mental vision I used to focus my powers and find peace, sometimes with Garrett by my side. It was a real place I remembered passing on my way north into the mountains. There was a narrow trail that led down to the beach so we followed it to the bottom, Liam leading the way, and then sat on an outcropping of rock, taking our shoes off and letting our feet dangle in the salty spray.
I decided to forge ahead rather than waste time on small talk. “Did I ever properly thank you for what you did? I’m sure it was horrible for you.”
“As your friend, it was hard to see what he did to you and be unable to help. It was harder for me because he is fae: one of my own race. It’s amazing that you can trust any of us.”
“Most of the fae I've met are nothing like Kennet."
"I wish that were true. We in our Cascade Sidhe work very hard not to be like the reptiles we left behind at court." He looked at me again. "Did you feel me there with you?"
"Yes. A part of me knew you were protecting me, so even though everything was the same, even the pain, I knew that I'd be safe in the end. Since I’ve been back, I’ve wondered so often what it was like for you.”
He took off his shirt and laid back in the sunshine, stretching out on the smooth rock in a very human way, staring at the clouds drifting overhead on this unusually warm July day in Northern Cal. I crossed my legs into a pretzel and turned toward him, eager to listen. “It was extreme, but in the end, I suppose, cathartic. I was almost overwhelmed by the intensity of your feelings and thoughts and, because I’d left my own ego behind, as I’d intended, I could only travel with you and not influence your actions in any way. So I sent you suggestions to calm your mind and keep it from sustaining the trauma a second time."
He grinned. "Some of what I saw was actually entertaining. The way you dealt with Isaiah was extraordinary. You stood up to a demon and bargained your way to freedom. Your mind was always working on finding a way out. You never sat back and accepted your fate." His warm smile made me feel a little less embarrassed.
“When I decided to take this step with you, I thought that I would be your primary anchor to the reality that awaited you when you escaped: knowledge that your friends and your mate continued to support you no matter what happened with Kennet. But you already had your anchor and he never left you, not even during the height of the torture. He may have been hidden in your subconscious, but you could call him up to comfort you, and you did, often. Feeling the power of your love for each other firsthand was the wake-up call that I needed.”
He sighed, a long slow breath. "I’ve given up my indulgent little fantasy, which you and Garrett have been kind enough to ignore. You’ve trusted me, which is no small thing for a fae. We are as aliens to most supernatural groups, a nation to be feared and avoided.”
He sat up to look me directly in the eye. “You trusted me to keep my honor intact and never do anything to destroy our friendship or our alliance. But I don’t want secrets between us. There were times—moments when I thought about taking you with me to Faerie: when I almost did. But then I would have lost your trust and friendship and my honor.”
He noticed my slightly shocked expression, sighing and turning away to look out at the ocean. “You’re the one person in my life who understands what it means to be a warrior and a healer both. I'm no longer alone with this burden. Garrett is my friend, actually he's more like a brother, as close as Aedus is to me. To betray your trust would have been worse than anything that Kennet did to you.
"My people do not think the same way regarding other races, especially when it comes to our species' survival. Throughout the centuries, we've taken what and who we needed. I grew up believing this was normal. What Kennet proposed was only against the law because you are an ally, and therefore off limits."
“Liam, I've never once felt that I was in danger around you. You've never even flirted with me. I mean, have you seen how Sasha behaves?” We both laughed, cutting through some of the tension. I knew what this confession had cost him, so I reached out to him with my heart. “I feel the same connection with you, and like it or not, I’ll still be bending your ear when I need advice.”
"I'll be peeved if you don't." He smiled so charmingly, his amazing purple eyes sparkling in the gol
den sunshine, his features even more handsome than usual, as we enjoyed an afternoon away from the stress of our hectic lives. I remembered him loaning me his belt and then strapping his dagger onto it on the evening of my duel and what he'd said about not doing anything to come between Garrett and me.
As I watched him watching me, probably wondering how I'd take this confession of his, I realized we both knew the truth. I could have loved this man and been happy with him, if I hadn’t been fated to give my love and my heart to Garrett. Liam had so many of the same qualities that I loved in my mate. We smiled at each other in understanding, accepting that today, sitting together on this sunny ledge, that truth would be put aside forever.
He stared at the horizon where the sun was starting to sink lower, a hint of pink and gold tinting the sky. “I’m rededicating myself to my relationship with Kellaine. I’ve loved her for centuries: my lovely redhead as you referred to her. We were chosen for each other by the elders for political reasons. The human in me balked at the idea of not choosing my own mate, and yet, I do love her. I’ve tried many times to convince myself that it can’t work as a permanent bond because I didn’t choose her for myself. I’ve been acting like an idiot around her for five hundred years and she’s been extremely patient with me. I hope that I can be her anchor the way Garrett is yours.”
“From the way she looks at you, I’d say you already are.”
He smiled and lay back down to look up again at the clouds. “Did you know that my father kidnapped my mother and took her to Faerie against her will?”
“What? No, I didn’t. But Lady Erin seems so happy.” I must have sounded shocked because he grinned at me.
“She’s very happy. She loves him wholeheartedly as he does her, but at first, she was terribly unhappy. Her young husband had died tragically in a fishing boat accident only a few months before, so she was a perfect candidate for a human wife. My father didn’t mistreat her in any way other than forbidding her to leave Faerie or contact anyone in the human world. She was given luxurious accommodations and anything she could ask for was hers.”
Blown Away (Rogues Shifter Series Book 4) Page 16
