by L M Lacee
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:
H
arper could feel her anger stir as she entered the lift, this was all Ocean Walkers fault. Her argument with Joy. Frankie’s near death experience, Ocean bloody Walker had a lot to answer for!
She grumbled under her breath all the way out of the castle, so incensed she forgot she was meant to meet up with Frankie. She stomped down the steps of the castle scattering people out of her way from just the murderous look on her face.
Her temper was no better by the time she arrived at the gallery to see Edith walking in ahead of her. Deciding she needed to get this over with, she pushed in through the glass doors and growled out a hello to Edee as she passed her.
Ignoring the frown Edith wore, she made her way to the back room where she knew the art would be waiting for her to look at. Harper came to a complete stop when she saw the twelve canvases as well as the framed photos from Ocean.
“Oh shit…” She moved backwards until she came to the stool she knew was there and sat, her hand over her heart. All the time her eyes wandered over each piece. “Oh Helena, you were a master!” She whispered as she looked at the framed photos she sighed, “Your daughter followed in your footsteps.” Harper felt tears enter her eyes, she had admired and respected Helena greatly, and the world was a poorer place without her.
“She was better than I was lead to believe, we studied her in school.” Edith told her.
Harper nodded. “As did I, Edee she was the best there was, no one was or is better. Is this all there is?”
Edith rubbed her hands together in glee, “Hell no just a sample apparently.”
“Oh good.” Harper looked at her. “She has it all here?”
“If you mean her daughter Ocean… yes.”
“Damn!”
“You don’t like her?” Edith whispered, “Harper?”
Harper made no comment only shrugged. Edith told her. “Well, she is here.”
“What?”
“Ocean is here.”
Why did she have to be here? Harper growled to herself getting up she walked into the gallery and there she was, larger than life, she looked good. Harper frowned harder, damn female.
Helena had told her all about her angry, wayward daughter when she had studied under her although she and Ocean had never met. On her last visit to Helena’s she had just missed meeting Ocean by days, Helena had still been upset when she had arrived. Before she could halt the words Harper demanded harshly.
“Why are you here?”
Ocean turned around it was inevitability she thought that she would eventually run into Harper, it was only amazing she had not until now. “One could ask you the same thing?”
Harper smirked as she walked in closer to Ocean, yes she knew it was a bitchy move of intimidation and was not surprised when Ocean refused to move.
Edith stood behind her counter, watching the females as Harper shrugged casually saying. “As I have talent, it should be obvious why I am here. I am asking why you are.”
“Eww! Burn from the great master herself. So hurt!” Ocean mocked as Ciana and Frankie entered, feeling the tension immediately. Frankie asked. “What is going on?”
“Oh, your girl is being her typical obnoxious self!” Ocean stated as she grinned at Harper. Who snorted as she said. “Well, it seems you have not changed still the spoilt angry little girl!”
Ocean laughed. “For the love of… Why does everyone think that?”
“Duh! Probably because you do nothing to change anyone’s opinion.”
“You know Harper, I never asked you here. Please feel free to leave. Like now!”
“Wow bitchy too!”
“No, just pissed at stupidity.”
Harper smirked again. “You know Ocean, if this has to do with your mother, she sought me out. Not the other way around. She wanted a real artist as a friend. Someone to talk to that did not demand all her attention. It is not my fault you were not capable of being that kind of person for her and she had to go looking elsewhere.”
Ocean jerked her head as though she had been slapped, she lost the color in her face as she said quietly. “Wow! Didn’t take you long to tell me what a lousy daughter I was, did it?”
Harper pointed an angry, laced with guilt finger at Ocean. “I have no idea what kind of daughter you were, she never spoke about you. In fact I never knew she had a daughter until years later when I visited again. You had just been there for a visit yourself. Some of your photos were there. That was when she told me she had a daughter.” The silence in the room after she had stopped talking impinged on her. As she looked around at the expressions of disbelief on her friends faces, she went over all she had said. Shaking her head at her own callousness, she looked regretfully at the pale faces of Frankie and Ciana.
Ocean raised her eyebrows and in voice devoid of expression said. “That would be about right. I am amazed she had not thrown them out.”
She turned and walked from the gallery. Ciana went to go after her, stopping only long enough to demand. “How could you Harper? That was just cruel.”
She found Ocean just down the street, who took one look at Ciana’s face and sighed, “It’s okay Ciana, let’s go to my place. I want to show you something.”
“Sure, I am sorry Ocean.”
“Oh Ciana, it was what it was. I have you now. She cannot hurt me anymore. Nor can a female who knows nothing. Come on.”
Edith stood arms crossed looking at a stunned Harper whose eyes rose to hers and she stammered out. “I…I…I am sorry that was mean, it sort of slipped out.”
Edith shook his head and looked behind her to where Frankie stood in the doorway to the back room. “Frankie!” Harper said and came to a stop as Frankie pointed a finger at her. “I am ashamed of you. Harper that was cruel, you hurt her on purpose.”
Harper cringed, embarrassed and ashamed, she hit back. “Oh yeah, take her side. You don’t know what she was like. Her mother told me she was a nightmare. She was never home. That was the first time in ten years she had been to visit her. Helena liked me, really liked me, we talked and laughed, painted together. She said I was the daughter she wished she had! I was angry at Ocean. I wanted to track her down and bring her back to her mother but Helena begged me not to.”
“Because you would have found out she was a horrible, nasty, neglectful mother that hated her own daughter.” Stated Frankie.
Harper said weakly. “You don’t know that Frankie?”
“Yeah, I do, so does Ocean and worse of all so do you!”
Frankie looked at her and for once it was not with affection, she was cold as she said. “If you don’t believe me, read this.” She placed a book on the counter. “It is all there, her hatred and contempt for Ocean and her talent. Her anger at being impregnated by Andre`. The deal she made with the Goddesses. Everything. Your precious Helena was a cruel spiteful, bitter female. Her daughter, that horrible daughter you despise, wore the brunt of her mother’s anger and hatred for years. Yet when Helena fell ill, Ocean canceled her world photo tour and rushed to her mother’s home and nursed her for two long, arduous, thankless years. Where were you Harper?”
Harper looked at the journal and shook her head. “She was not that female to me!”
“Lucky you.” Claire said as she entered. “Why have you not looked with your talent? That is what it is for and yet you persist in painting Ocean as the bad person the one who hated. Are you so afraid to be proved wrong? That your judgement was wrong. You should ask yourself why you never looked beyond the surface to what kind of female Helena Walker was.”
Harper looked at Claire. “It is not like that?”
But she could tell Claire did not believe her. Frankie sniffed. “Well, it seems whatever Helena Walker was like with her daughter. She would not be like that with you. I am leaving with Claire. See you later Edee.”
“Frankie…Claire…”
“No Harper… I am angry with you, stay away from me for a few days. Maybe you should practice
your gifts. They seem to be letting you down. Or are you not willing to see the truth of who Ocean and her mother were. Like Claire said.”
With a nod to Edith, Frankie and Claire left to go find Ocean and Ciana and try and make some sense of what just happened. Harper looked at the book and shook her head, leaving as she had come, except her anger had turn to sadness. She sought her barn and her art.
Edith picked up the old book and flipped the pages open to see nothing. No writing, no words on the lined sheets and smiled. Crafty Frankie, she knew Harper would not read it and had called her bluff. Although one had to wonder how Frankie knew all that about two people she had not long known.
CHAPTER NINETEEN:
W hen Ocean and Ciana reached her house, they found Birdy with Sparrow and Loa, who was cuddling Parker. “Hello Lady Ocean. I would like to introduce my friends Sparrow. Commander of Queen Scarlett’s guards and Loa her captain. They came over for a visit. I hope that is okay?”
“Good morning Birdy, this is your home, your friends are always welcomed.” Ocean said. “I am happy to meet you both. Do you know my sister Ciana?”
They all said yes and hello to Ciana. Ocean took Parker from Loa and asked. “Where are the girls?”
Birdy looked at her two friends, then grimaced.
“In their rooms, they have been fighting.”
“Again!” Sighed Ocean.
Birdy nodded. “Sorry but yes.”
“Seriously they need to go to school. Okay so I have to show Ciana something. May we have morning tea when we get back?”
“Sure I will make it now.”
Ocean nodded her thanks to Birdy. “Ladies stay and visit as long as you like.”
Ocean took Ciana upstairs by way of the lift. “I wanted to give you a painting that my mother did.”
Ciana was a little stunned. “Really why? Not that I don’t want one but they are yours?”
Ocean shrugged. “You will see why in a minute.” They moved along the hall and entered a small room Ciana’s jaw dropped. “Wow! There are heaps. Your mother was prolific.”
“That she was!” Ocean agreed.
Ciana asked. “Will you sell them?”
“Maybe or I will show them with Edith then keep them for my children.” She picked up the same canvas Reighn had the day before and handed it to Ciana, who looked at it and cried out. “Oh my Goddess that is my grandfather and me. I remember this place. It was Indonesia. I was four. It was one of my first digs with them she looked at Ocean. “She was there?”
“Yes, I think so.”
“Why…why do you think she was?”
Ocean shrugged. “I have no idea, maybe she knew them. Well, she would have to have really. She gave birth to you as well.”
Ciana shook her head, “Why did she give me away. I wonder that, since I found out. I wonder was there something wrong with me?”
Ocean moved Parker in her arms and took Ciana’s hand leading her from the room. Softly she said “Ciana do not go down that rabbit hole. It is a nasty, horrible place, and it takes far too long to ever come back. Believe me I have been there.”
Ciana thought about what Ocean said, looked at the painting in her hand, then sighed. “Okay, thanks.”
Together they walked down the stairs, half way down they heard the angry arguing coming from Paige and Kadee.
“Wow that sounds bad.” Ciana murmured to Ocean who grunted. “I think it is to do with coming off the pills. I hope.” She muttered.
“So when will they shift?”
“Any day now.” Conor assures me. “Can’t be soon enough for me, then they may cease to be brats!”
As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Ciana smiled in sympathy as a particularly loud scream was heard from above. Claire and Frankie walked in.
“Who is killing who?” Frankie asked, Ciana laughed. “The girls are annoyed with each other.”
“That is putting it mildly!” Ocean told Claire.
“How long have they been like that?” Claire asked Ocean as she passed Parker to her. “For a day or two now.” Ocean replied.
“Oh.” Frankie hugged Ocean. “I am sorry about before with Harper.”
“Look you two I will tell you what I told Ciana, my mother was who she was. Harper is who she is, and I believe she will figure it out.”
“You are very charitable.” Claire said knowing the anger Ocean carried or had.
“Maybe or maybe I have my family and friends and I am trying very hard to make a new life for her.” She pointed to Parker in Claire’s arms and as they heard a thump from upstairs. “As well as those two.”
Frankie said. “Okay so we are here for morning tea and to take the girls shopping now, or I am.”
“Well Sparrow and Loa are here so let’s go.” Ciana told them and started for the kitchen. “I will go get the girls.” Frankie told them as she raced upstairs.
Good luck with that.” Ocean muttered as she followed the other two. “Please let there be cake!”
CHAPTER TWENTY:
E arly Saturday morning after a quiet or not so quiet night depending on if you were a parent or child. The girls had argued on and off all evening. Their excursion with Frankie shopping, had only increased the irritation they felt with each other.
Kadee was positive Paige hogged all the attention from Frankie, while Paige called Kadee a spoilt baby. Or variations of these themes were discussed or yelled at each other until they went to bed.
Ocean was positive this anger was related to losing Joy’s happy presence, mixed in with their grief.
Conor was positive it would all be sorted out when they finally shifted. Regardless Ocean was thankful when she could shut herself in her bedroom for the night.
Early the following morning just as the sun was deciding about getting up for the day, she heard Parker snuffle through the monitor and what sounded like several growls. She turned over, Conor was flat on his back in his normal pose of sleep. Again she was thankful for the massive bed. Smiling she nudged him. His eyes sprang open instantly, it was something she was getting used to. Apparently it was a Leo thing! He would be deeply asleep one minute then awake the next. Unlike Ocean who took a while to wake fully. “What is it?”
Ocean smiled and kissed him. “I heard some growls from Parker’s room I am fairly sure a baby less than a week old cannot do that.”
“What kind of growls?”
“Like whiny growls.”
“Huh, you think the girls have shifted?” He got up and she sighed admiring his physique. The male was built just fine with muscles and lightly tanned skin with even the few scars he had which could not distract from the male. “Maybe.” Ocean said as she got up and pulled her dressing gown on. Conor cocked an eyebrow at her noticing the look of desire in her eyes.
“We don’t have time for that?”
“Are you sure?” She pouted as he grinned. “Sadly yes, I have an early meeting with Reighn this morning.”
“What?” She clutched a hand over her heart as she asked. “Why?”
“About you know who!”
Wide eyed she asked, or whined, she did not care what it sounded like. “You are leaving me with them?” Her voice rose at the end. Conor just stopped himself from laughing at her horrified face, “They are your daughters!”
“No, they are not. They are possessed teenagers!”
Conor could no longer hold it in he laughed and headed to Parker’s room as Ocean followed. He pushed open the door to the nursery to be greeted by two obviously young lionesses.
“Oh my!” Ocean said as she peeked around his arm, “You were right.”
Conor smiled as Ocean said. “I thought they would be like full-grown lions?”
Conor squatted down as the girls both slowly came to him. “No if they were just wild lions, they would be fully mature and able to hunt and look after themselves.” He looked up at her, “And have their own cubs.”
Ocean frowned. “What?”
He laughed out loud then s
aid. “But as shifters we develop slower so while they are human teenagers as lionesses they are just coming out of being cubs. So between a year and two years old. Plus we think the drugs held their maturity back some.
“Oh so they still have years before they are mature?”
“Very much so, which is why we are long lived by human standards, not so much by dragons.”
“Well, who is?” She quipped back. By this time the two young lionesses had reached Conor where they started to rub against him as he petted them. He pulled Ocean down beside him. “They need to mark you. It is an instinctive reaction. It is, so they know who you are from others and who you belong to.”
“Ahh, so that explains you?”
Conor smirked. “No, that is me just wanting you, marking you is a by-product.”
“Okay!” Ocean grinned. “Good to know.”
Ocean looked into the face of the lioness when she came to her and realized she knew who this was, “Paige hello sweetheart, you are beautiful.” Paige mewed which sounded like a purr. Ocean asked Conor “Do Lion’s purr?”
Conor cocked an eyebrow at her. “Remind me to show you tonight.” Ocean laughed at him as Paige rubbed against her. Kadee having finished with Conor came to Ocean. She snarled at Paige, who cuffed her with a paw and growled low in her chest making Kadee cower on the floor.
“Dominance.” Conor told her as they both watched the young lionesses. “They are working out rank. It is okay, I won’t let it get out of hand but it is what they would have figured out as cubs in a litter.”
“Oh.” Ocean whispered as Paige went to Conor, he made a sound in his throat and she dropped to the floor. He smiled at Ocean’s concerned look. “I am Leo they need as young to know I out rank them all.”
“What about me, do I have rank?”
“Yes, we will teach them that.”
“Okay.” She petted Kadee and looked into pretty amber eyes, “Well my Kadee, you make a very pretty lioness.” Both girls had golden fur with amber eyes and they had little tuffs of fur at the end of their ears. They were both muscled although she could see it was underdeveloped. Some training and running as lion would strengthen that, she knew.