I studied the photograph of Mom and me. Flipping the page, I saw one of Mom, Daniel, and I together. A tear slipped down my cheek. “Look, our first family picture.” I angled it for him to see.
He nodded slowly, smiling crookedly. “Should we frame it?”
I nodded and slipped it out of the book. “I always thought you and Mom got married because of Oops,” I said. “That you were some random guy she’d met at our apartment complex, went on one date with, and ended up pregnant. I kind of feel lame for not knowing you were friends.” Kind of lame was an understatement.
“Oops was what motivated us to get married,” Daniel said, “but there were other factors involved. When your father died, I came for the funeral and stuck around when I saw how much Jenn was struggling with his death.” Daniel peered closer at the picture. “I moved into the same apartment complex that you all were in, but I was scared of interacting with you, specifically, because I feared you wouldn’t like me.”
“And I didn’t. I’m sorry.”
He looked sideways at me.
“Well, you had good reason to hate me. I got your mother pregnant a month and a half after your dad died.”
The old anger stirred a little.
“We were drunk, and in our grief, stirred the flame of our high school relationship and slipped up. Afterward, your mother felt like she’d betrayed you and Hiskia, adding to her grief. I’ve carried my own guilt. I’m sorry.”
“I think I can forgive you.”
A sad smile stole across his face.
“Oops is a bright ray of sun for all of us,” I added.
Daniel’s grin widened, and he nodded. “Ultimately, because of the meddling of her mother, Jenn was about to lose custody of you and Holden. Holden was bound to live either with Jenn’s mom or his father, Iago, and you were bound to live with Gran, or maybe even placed with another alv family.”
“Really?” I asked, thinking back to that time. No one had ever said anything to me. Not that I could remember.
He nodded. “Jenn and I talked, and we decided with Oops on the way, to get married. She’d been given a certain amount of time to prove she had a good home and proper care for you two, hence why we got married less than a year after your father’s death.”
“Oh…” I’d been so mad at Mom for marrying Daniel right after Dad died, I hadn’t wanted the truth. I could see Grandma Daphne meddling this way. “So, do you actually love each other?”
“You mean the storybook romantic love?” Daniel asked.
I nodded. “Like, once Oops leaves home, are you two even going to stay together? Or is this a temporary arrangement? After all, you two don’t really equate the picture of marital bliss.”
“Is it that obvious?” Daniel said with a smile. “You know, not that long ago, marriage was often an arrangement between a man and a woman, to support each other and raise children to be productive members of society. In many cases, romantic love had nothing to do with their relationship.”
“So, what?” That wasn’t really what I was hoping to hear.
“Yes, we love each other, Tara. We even sleep with each other sometimes—”
“I did not need to know that.”
Daniel chuckled, then sobered. “Tara, I love your mom. She could do a better job of showing it, but I know she loves me, too. Neither one of us has any plans of jumping ship.”
“Who’s jumping ship?”
Startled, I turned around.
Mom had come in from the hall, wearing scrubs with car keys in hand.
“You’re home early,” I said, surprised.
“I’m taking Daniel to a doctor's appointment.” She peered over my shoulder at the album, her brows lifting. “Did the truth finally come out?”
“Doctor’s appointment?” I looked at Daniel, concerned.
“Chiara showed up at Gran’s,” Daniel said to Mom.
“What?” Mom quickly looked at me.
“Now she knows.” His gaze landed on me.
“What is the doctor’s appointment for?” I asked.
“An annual checkup. Nothing to worry about.”
“Usually, people don’t need a driver for that,” I said.
Mom smiled. “I’m going to make sure his doctor does a good job.”
“Sometimes you terrify me,” Daniel muttered. “Don’t scare my doctor. We have a good relationship.” He slid the album in front of me. “This was meant for you. I have my own copy.”
“Oh. Thank you.” Warmth filled me, and it seemed the natural thing to hug him, so I did. Daniel’s arm came around me, giving me a fatherly squeeze.
He’d been waiting years for my acceptance. I wish all of this had somehow come out sooner, but I knew I wouldn’t have been ready. In fact, knowing who I used to be, it probably would have made my feelings worse toward him.
“Am I finally forgiven for marrying him?” Mom asked.
“No.” I snapped at her, then smiled with a little bit of moodiness in my expression. “You’ll only be forgiven if you start treating him nicer.” I picked up the album to take it to my room.
“How was meeting Chiara?” Mom asked.
“Oh my gosh, in the thirty seconds we talked, she was a nightmare. I’m so glad you’re my mom and not her,” I said, before heading into the hall.
Mom breathed a sigh of relief, and I looked at her. My blue eyes met hers, and a quiet moment of understanding passed between us. Stopping up beside her, I wrapped her in a hug, which she pulled me deeper into. “I love you, Tara.”
The six years of feeling abandoned by her were finally beginning to heal. Maybe I’d done my own abandoning and hadn’t realized that’s what I was doing. The realization hit me like a door slamming in my face. I’d been running from her for years. There was definitely room for me to be nicer to Mom.
I stepped away from her.
“I know Asher was going to come over, but do you mind being home when Oops gets off the bus?” Daniel asked. “I’m not sure we’ll be home by then.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Might take your mom on a date while I have her in the car with me.”
“Will you never relent?” Mom asked.
“You said yes when I asked you to marry me. I don’t think Tara knows you and I actually kiss each other.”
“Stop right there.” Mom said. “It’s time to leave.”
“Yes, Mother,” Daniel mumbled, then looked at me. A teasing look glinted in his eyes that I couldn’t remember ever seeing before.
All this time, he’d wanted me to accept him. “Mom, it’s all right,” I said.
Confusion furrowed her brow. “What’s all right?”
“I’m not mad at you for marrying Daniel anymore.”
Tears flooded her eyes, and she pressed her lips together, then smiled. “Don’t ever blame yourself for how Daniel and I treat each other. Got that?”
“But I have been a terror!” I turned on my heel and headed into the hall.
“Still are one,” Daniel teased.
I laughed, looking back at him. I could not get out of the kitchen. The banter was nice. “You only say that because I’m dating Asher.”
“Got that right. Still not sure I like him.”
I rolled my eyes. “Go see your doctor and ask him if something’s wrong with your head, because I think there might be if you’re still saying that.”
Daniel snorted. “I’ll get my jacket.” He stood, then took Mom by the elbow, pulled her to him, and kissed her in front of me.
Mom stiffened up, eyes wide for a second, before melting into it right before he leaned back, smiling as he looked into her eyes.
In my room, sitting on my bed, memories of my behavior toward Daniel and Mom barraged me. All the times I’d screamed at Daniel when he’d tried to correct me. Or the times, early on, when Mom asked to take me out, and I gave her the cold shoulder, heading over to Sam’s. Am I the reason...
Mom’s comment about not feeling guilty for how they’d treated ea
ch other kept me from spiraling into a cyclone of self-hate.
Plus, I focused on the baby pictures. The positive direction my family was finally heading made me glow inside.
I didn’t close the album until I heard a now familiar knock.
Asher’s here.
Taking the photobook, I hurried out, down the stairs, and swung open the door.
Asher waited with his backpack hanging on one shoulder. A grin illuminated his face. “You aren’t kicking me away this time?” He folded to my level. His face came within an inch.
“No,” I said. “I would never do that.”
He laughed. “Never again, I hope.” He gave me a two-second, too short kiss.
I smiled at him. “I’m sorry.”
“I took the liberty of bringing your makeup work from school. Hope you don’t mind.” He looked into my home. “Are your parents home?”
I shook my head, biting my lip. One of his mom’s rules was we couldn’t be alone inside—but that didn’t extend to the outdoors. “Daniel wants me to stay here for Oops getting off the bus.” I stepped outside, closing the door behind me. “There’s a gazebo by the lake that we can sit in. I want to show you something.”
At the end of the cul-de-sac, a short trail led to a public gazebo. Jerrick sat on the rail, looking out at the lake, and I stopped short.
“Oh,” I whispered, grabbing Asher’s arm. I nodded my head, indicating that we should retreat, but Jerrick turned and saw us.
He rose. “I’ll leave.”
“It’s okay—”
“It’s no bother.” Jerrick moved forward. “Have you told Holden who you’re dating?” He glanced at Asher, and a sly grin crossed his face. “I’d loved to see his reaction when you do.”
I took an uneasy step closer to Asher. “No, I haven’t talked to him since the end of spring.”
Asher picked up my hand protectively.
“Why aren’t you at college?” I asked. Last time I saw Jerrick, I figured he was visiting home for the weekend.
Jerrick walked backward, away from us. Brokenness glinted in his gray eyes. “I dropped out.” He spun on his heel and headed up the sidewalk toward his house.
I frowned.
“You wanted to show me something?” Asher asked.
I nodded. Remembering my discovery drove away the uneasy feeling Jerrick stirred.
Asher plopped his bag on the floor, and we sat on the bench that encircled the interior of the gazebo. I handed him the album.
“What’s this?”
“Baby pictures of me,” I said. “I’ve never seen them until today.”
His brows rose, and he quickly turned to the first page. He paused, then turned the pages reverently. “This is nice, Tara. Any pictures my parents printed off of me are in a box disorganized, mixed with photos of all my—” He cut off, looking closely at one of the pages. “Is that Daniel?”
I nodded. “Remember how I spent my first year in foster care?”
“Yeah.” He looked at me.
“Apparently, Daniel was my foster dad. He and his wife were trying to adopt me.”
“Wow. What’s the story behind that?”
I told him everything, and he listened intently. I held his gaze most of the time, feeling confident around him.
I looked at the lake. “I always thought Daniel was someone Mom met when we were living at the apartments and got her pregnant.” Tears burned in my eyes. “I missed my dad so much, I hated him because of it.”
“That’s understandable.” Asher picked up my hand, rubbing his thumb along my fingers.
“I think I hoped that by being terrible to him, he would leave. I can’t believe Daniel put up with me,” I said.
“Put up with you? You make it sound like you were terrible.” He closed the album.
“I was. Being a changeling didn’t help.”
He bent toward me. “I can’t imagine,” he whispered. “All I see is a beautiful angel I’m falling in love with.”
My heart warmed and quickened. He kissed me slow and gentle, then firmer, sending flurries through me. Positive source ignited with it, and I reached to pull him closer.
“Tara!” Jerrick shouted from the end of the trail.
I shot back from Asher, touching my lips. How long was he there? Why bug us now?
“Did you leave your front door open on purpose?”
“No, I shut it. What are you talking about?” Annoyed, I rose and walked to the end of the trail, then along the sidewalk on Jerrick’s side of the street until I could see that my door was open several inches, and it occurred to me that I hadn’t locked it. Asher trailed a foot behind me.
I glanced up at him. “I shut it, didn’t I?”
Asher nodded. “Maybe Nathaniel’s home,” he suggested.
“Yeah, but he’s usually OCD about locking it.”
The three of us crossed the road together, but once we reached my drive, crashing noises echoed from within the house, and my heart raced, dark source lacing around it.
Asher grabbed my elbow to keep me from going any further. “I’m calling my brother,” Asher pulled out his phone, stepping a few feet away from us.
Fear curdled with dark source in my stomach. “What if Nathaniel’s inside?” I whispered.
As I stepped forward to investigate more, Jerrick held out an arm to stop me. “Since my life is worth the least—”
“Jer!” I interrupted, not liking that line of thought.
“I’ll check it out. You wait.”
“Asher’s brother’s a cop.” I wrung my hands, looking toward the upstairs window.
Jerrick studied me. “I’m going to get closer to see what I can hear. Stay here.”
“Jer—”
He sprinted across the lawn, then up onto the porch. Asher ran behind me.
“Someone’s definitely in there.” Asher’s eyes widened. “William says he’s not far.”
A distant police siren grew louder, coming in our direction.
Jerrick returned. “Someone’s crying upstairs—destroying stuff. Is Nathaniel home?”
Something must have happened at school again. I glanced at Asher. Maybe that was all this was about. I sighed in relief.
As a cop car turned onto our street, the driver silenced the siren.
I felt bad calling Asher’s brother here for teenage drama. “I’ll check on Nathaniel.” Leaving Asher and Jerrick on the porch, I entered the house and headed up the stairs.
As I reached the top of the steps, Nathaniel’s cries sharpened in intensity, and the crescendo of destruction moved to a double forte.
Those weren’t wails of anger, they were shrieks of terror.
“Jerrick! Asher!” I yelled. Something else was going on. I raced to Nathaniel’s bedroom and pushed in the door.
Lamb-sized demons with monkey-like bodies, wings, and black, oily skin flourished around the room, destroying everything. These demons were animalistic imps, and I knew there were different types, but I had no idea what these guys were, but they were obviously mischief makers.
Pillow stuffing was everywhere as well as strips of the comforters. DVD discs swirled around like frisbees. At the center, Nathaniel sat with hands over his eyes, shrieking as destruction swirled around him. His face and arms bled from scratches, and his clothes were ripped.
“Nathaniel,” I gasped, frozen in the doorway. I didn’t have an alv dagger to destroy them.
They stopped and looked at me. Devilish smiles filled their faces, and where there should have been eyes, fire burned.
I shouldn’t have said anything. Run, fool.
29. Imps
The imps changed course and bee-lined toward me, silent as moths.
I spun on my heel, intent on barricading myself in the bathroom but smacked straight into Asher.
“Tara, what—”
From behind, something latched onto my head, then my shoulders and back, making me arch. It’s too late.
Fear spiraled dark source through me
as the creatures entered me.
“Flock imps,” Jerrick’s screech of terror echoed down the hall.
Flock?
More sank into me, ravenous for my positive source. Clutching at Asher’s jacket, I struggled to stay on my feet. As the impish beings entered my body, they all molded to fit me. Never was I more aware that a spirit existed within my physical form then I became at that moment as their shadows encircled it.
Horror registered in Asher’s eyes as he stared into mine. He frantically gripped me, trying to help me stand.
“Asher,” I whispered. “Asher.” I set a hand on his cheek, grappling for positive source.
“What’s wrong with her?” Asher called to Jerrick, sinking to the ground with me.
Every inch inside me felt like it crawled with worms. I squirmed, scratching at my neck, like that would help get them out.
“Tara, stop that!” Jerrick knelt on the floor and grabbed my hands, and I fought against him. He spoke to Asher. “Has she told you anything about changelings?”
“Yes.”
“Let me go!” I snarled at Jerrick.
Jerrick held on, shaking his head at me. “Anything about alvs?” he shouted at Asher.
“What? No!” Asher frantically tried to keep me in his arms. The contact allowed for a trickle of positive source that the demons feasted on.
“Simple story. She’s possessed with demons. They’re after her—”
I kicked Jerrick in the gut.
“Tara!” He growled, keeping his distance.
“How do we get them out?” Asher asked.
Still squirming from the wriggly feel of the imps, I reached up and set a hand on Asher’s neck. The direct skin-to-skin contact pulled in an extra sliver of positive source. Closing my eyes, I focused on that increase. As long as I had positive source, I kept an ounce of sanity, kept them from consuming my will.
“She drained me of my source in the spring to get mine out,” Jerrick said. “I’m an alv, not a changeling. We need a changeling for that.”
“My brother’s one.”
“Your cop brother? The one outside?”
“Yes.”
“Keep holding her. She needs positive source, or she’ll go mad.”
I opened my eyes as Jerrick sprung to his feet.
The Changeling's Source (Evedon Legacy Book 1) Page 32
