The Rumor (A Secret Past--Volume Two)

by Norah Black

  “Easy Foster!” Stefan said and slapped him on the back. “All eyes are on you.”

  Foster looked at Nadia for a moment. His eyes were completely black and smoldering. Nadia dizzily stared at him before lowering her head and resting it on his chest.

  Foster nodded his head at Garth and lifted one of his hands from Nadia’s back to hold out to him. “Sir, I thank you.” He shifted his eyes to Stefan. “I thank you both.”

  “Thank me after we talk. You may not feel the same way after you do.”

  Foster nodded and began to walk back to where the others were. He kept his arm tightly around Nadia’s waist.

  Nadia could see that all eyes were in fact on them. She recognized a few of the ones there as guests from the castle. Foster’s mother was absolutely beautiful standing in the early morning light. Her long auburn hair was pulled back in a loose braid and she didn’t look the least bit like a woman who had just run for her life after escaping the clutches of an evil queen. She looked like she was made from and part of the earth; an eternal pale presence of the meadow. She came forward and Foster loosened his grip on Nadia.

  “Nadia, this is my mother Julia Anak; mother I want you to meet my chosen, Nadia James.”

  Nadia held out her hand shyly and looked into Julia’s eyes. Something felt familiar. She thought perhaps déjà vu, but it didn’t matter. When Julia spoke it was like water running over rock; pleasant and gentle.

  “I am so happy to finally meet you.” She said and took Nadia’s hand in her own. She held on for a moment longer than normal, and gazed into Foster’s eyes. “We will have much to discuss.”

  Foster nodded and then stiffened as his father came and stood behind his wife. “We need to get back to the barn. We can’t be out here in the open!” he snapped. His eyes scanned Nadia and he spoke harsher than he actually meant to. “I suppose you’re Nadia?”

  Nadia nodded and let her eyes fall to the ground. “Yes, sir.”

  Darren sighed and took Julia by the arm. “Come, we need to go.”

  The strange party of escapees worked their way across the meadow and into the woods of the Anaks. From somewhere across the little brook a howl broke the quiet morning.

  *****

  There were four of the ten council members who came with the Anaks when they escaped: three male and one female. Nadia thought them to be somber faced and of indeterminate age. Sometimes they looked middle aged, then the light would shift, and they looked only twenty or thirty at most. She noticed they all wore long tunics with intricate embroidery of gold and dark blue on the edges and collars. When she had whispered to Foster about it, he had explained it meant they were council members. He had said only Elders of the council wore the gold and blue. Lower members wore only blue on their trims and collars.

  Nadia was impressed with the house Foster lived in. It was rustic and blended right into the forest around it. Darren took the council members to the barn, which Nadia thought to be odd, but Foster said he would explain it later. She wondered what they would do in there, and Foster said they would sleep.

  “But, where?” she whispered.

  “I’ll explain it all. It’s not a normal barn.” Foster smiled down at her and squeezed her hand. The rest of them, including Garth, went into the house.

  “I need to call my parents.” Nadia felt uneasy about it. She wasn’t sure what she would say to them. She certainly couldn’t tell them the truth about where she had been, so what exactly could she tell them?

  Foster nodded. “I will take you to them soon.” His eyes darkened. “There are a few things here we need to clear up.”

  The group entered the living room and Darren brought in some extra chairs. Once everyone was settled all eyes turned to Darren. His presence was such that it demanded attention. Nadia was fearful to look at him very much.

  “First of all, I will hear how my son made a deal with Lily? Lily who stole your grandfather’s throne based on a lie!”

  Darren kept his eyes on the floor and didn’t speak. His hands were clasped in front of him and rested on his knees. His silence only enraged Darren.

  “Darren, you will speak!”

  He continued to sit in silence. Darren’s complexion darkened and he crossed the room in three long strides. His hand slapped Darren in the side of his head with enough force to knock him from his chair. Darren stood slowly and stared at his father with narrowed eyes. A war waged on his face. Part of him was a son that was hurt, and the other was a man who was angry.

  “You have no right to strike me. I am a grown man.” Darren said in a calm voice.

  “Then act like one!”

  Darren repositioned his chair and sat back down. His posture was the slouching one that his family was used to. He opened his hand and smirked. “So, I made a deal with her, so what?”

  “What did you promise her?”

  “I promised her something she needed.”

  “Which was?”

  “Her, of course.” Darren said and indicated Nadia with a movement of his head.

  “I don’t...” Nadia began. “I don’t understand. None of you knew me, much less this Queen.”

  “It was all a fabulous coincidence. The Queen has known about you for quite some time.”

  All eyes were now on Nadia. She blushed under the scrutiny and fixed her gaze on Darren. “The night I was taken you and Garth came to the book store. Why would you do that?”

  “To see if you were in fact the one that the Queen wanted. She has spies in the Realm and she has spies in this world. She has watched you for over a year. Lily herself has walked in your world.”

  Julia gasped. “That is forbidden! A king or queen on the throne cannot leave the Realm!”

  “True, mother, but she did it. She used Glamour.”

  Nadia shook her head. There was that word again. “What does this have to do with me? I’m so ordinary it’s boring! I don’t stand out!”

  Darren leveled his gaze. “To one of any of our kind you do. Why do you think Foster was so drawn to you, and so quickly?”

  Nadia shrugged. “I have wondered that for a week myself.”

  Foster took her hand and smiled at her. “You were for me the minute I saw you.” He looked at his brother and frowned. “Why were you so angry just because she was human?”

  “That first day you came home late from school I already knew you had been with her. I was already neck deep in my dealings with Lily, you and her together caused a very big complication.”

  “So, her being human was never a real issue?”

  Darren turned from where he had been leaning against the fireplace and faced Foster. “No. A human would have still broken the rules for your kind.”

  Nadia looked around the room in confusion. “But I am human.” She said in a small voice.

  Darren shook his head. “Maybe in part, but your other part is what interests the Queen. Did you attend a Celtic festival last year?”

  “I did.”

  Darren nodded his head. “Sometimes members of the Fae come to those kinds of things. Just to cause mischief or some of them to actually sell wares, like enchanted crystals and spell books, or whatever.”

  Nadia thought about the festival and remembered things like that for sale. She and Kristen had laughed about it.

  “Anyway,” he continued, “one of those Fae, who also worked for the Queen saw you and recognized you for what you are. Some can tell, or at least get a general idea by simply brushing up against you.”

  Nadia felt sick. The room seemed to spin and she didn’t want to hear anymore, yet she knew she had to. “What is it they think I am?”

  Darren smiled a truly evil smile. “Valuable. You are Dark Elfin.”

  A stunned silence was in the room. Darren’s head jerked around and he pointed at her. “This skinny girl?”

  Nadia laughed out loud. “This isn’t D&D or Lord of the Rings!” She looked at Foster, expecting him to be laughing or at least smiling, but he wasn’t. “Foster has touched
me, he’s kissed me! My goodness you all saw that! He would have known!”

  Julia shook her head. “No, child, not everyone has that gift, and he is only partially in the blood line that would carry such a gift.”

  Nadia felt angry. She always felt angry when she couldn’t understand something. “Ok, Darren, why did you come to the bookstore?”

  “To make sure Garth grabbed the right one.”

  “He wasn’t alone though, was he?” she spat.

  “No. I helped him, and he took you into the Realm.”

  Nadia tried to gather her senses. She wanted Foster, but she wanted to be home in bed, waking from this terrible dream. A dark elf? What nonsense!

  Foster’s anger couldn’t be contained. “Brother, why don’t you tell of all your exploits?”

  Darren gave him an annoyed glance. Warren’s head shot up and Foster was glad to see the indignation there. He stood and crossed to Darren. “Tell them about Diana.”

  Julia looked confused and Darren rolled his eyes toward the ceiling.

  “Really, Darren? Another girl?” Darren asked.

  Darren’s expression changed and he gave Foster and Warren looks of warning. He tried to mouth ‘shut up’, but Julia saw him. She stood and walked to Darren’s side. “No, they will not be silent. Who is this Diana?”

  Warren’s eyes never left Darren’s. “If he has one shred of decency left, she will be your daughter in law. He has fathered a child with her.”

  “I most certainly did not!” Darren shouted coming to his feet.

  “You bred a child with a human!” Darren shouted.

  Warren turned and looked at his parents. “No, not a human, a Fae.”

  Julia’s face turned ashen and she looked across the room to the lady they called Zuzana. She motioned Julia to her and held her hand, speaking soft words to her.

  Darren looked at Foster. “Did you see the child?”

  “Yes. Warren already knew her because Darren took him into the Realm already. She showed us the child.”

  “There is no proof, that bastard is mine!”

  Foster ignored Darren and continued. “The child looks just like him, right down to the glossy black hair that shines like a million diamonds.” Foster smiled ruefully. “Oh and by the way, she helped us, and the only payment she requested was for us to tell her chosen to come and see his son.”

  Julia let out a moan. “You have a chosen, and you have slept with her already?” Julia glared at Foster. “You have a chosen too, have you bedded her yet?” she said and tilted her head to the side for emphasis.

  “No, mother! We will ceremony first!”

  Ceremnony? Nadia was sure she was going to vomit at any moment. It was too much. The things they were saying were just too much.

  Darren looked at Stefan. “You were with them, what does the child look like?”

  “Darren.” Darren let out an exasperated sigh. Stefan continued. “The child looked a bit large to just be Fae, I did see the hair, and well poor lad’s mother is a bit batty.”

  Darren howled with laughter. “Yeah, she is!”

  “THAT IS ENOUGH!” Darren bellowed. “You bed her and now you make fun of her?”

  Warren faced his father. “She’s not crazy. She’s actually very smart. She isn’t to her twenty-one yet, and she has hidden the baby all on her own. She gave birth on her own. She’s not crazy, just tired and very lonely.”

  Darren straightened his posture and pulled at the top of his pants. He looked at his youngest son with the eyes of someone weighing an item for worth. “How old is she?”

  “Just over nineteen.”

  Julia lifted red-rimmed eyes and looked at Darren then at Warren. She finally settled her gaze on Darren and opened and closed her mouth a few times before speaking. “Darren, we have a grandchild! We must go to this young girl! We must help her!”

  “We can’t go back into the Realm right now, Julia, you know this.”

  “Maybe you can’t but I can.” Warren spoke with authority.

  “No.” Julia whispered.

  Stefan stood at the same time Garth did. They looked at each other and recognized they had the same intention. “We will go get her.” They said together.

  Darren shook his head. “They will certainly be looking for Garth.”

  “It doesn’t matter. I owe a debt to your family for my involvement in this.”

  “What did she promise you?” Darren asked looking at Garth. His eyes held a faraway almost dreamy look. It was strange to see such an expression on Darren’s face.

  Garth regarded him with dark eyes. The dislike on his face was unmistakable. “The same she promised you I’m sure; a place by her side.”

  This time it was Darren’s turn to laugh. “And the two of you bought it?” His laughter became something close to hysterical. He doubled over and held his sides. “A Sidhe promises love two Nephilim, and they buy it! They both buy it!”

  Zuzana looked at him coolly. “I do recall a young and reckless son of the fallen that fell in love with a member of the Sidhe.”

  Darren immediately sobered. He stood and caught his breath. He looked at Julia for several long seconds. “Yes, and he has never regretted it.”

  Foster was not used to his father’s features softening; he was used to the hard dark eyes that knew no pity. There were still too many questions and not enough time. “Why did she want Nadia? Would someone explain it?”

  “Her blood.” Darren said.

  “My blood?” Nadia couldn’t comprehend it. “My blood for what?”

  Darren leaned towards her and touched her just below her juggler. He could feel her rapid pulse and grinned. “To drink it.”

  *****

  Nadia was being herded towards Foster’s vehicle. Darren was right on their heels. He threw a backpack into the backseat and turned to place something in Foster’s hand. Nadia leaned over and saw that it was a small pistol. Darren let go and placed a hand on the driver’s door.

  “Go there. Let her see her parents, do whatever is necessary to appease the police, and then get her back here. She will be in impossible danger if you don’t.” Darren looked at Nadia hard. “You understand that the life you knew may be over?”

  Nadia nodded her head.

  “Is my son worth it?”

  Nadia felt a moment of doubt. She looked at the ground and then up at Foster’s profile. He wouldn’t look at her; he kept his eyes on some point beyond his father. She could feel the tension in his hand and arm. She leaned in and smelled the earthy scent coming off of him. She allowed her mind to drift to the taste of his mouth and his emerald eyes. When she finally looked at Darren she knew only one thing; she would die before she let Foster out of her life.

  “Yes, sir, he is worth it.” She could feel Foster’s hand and arm relax.

  Darren nodded and stepped away. “Just so long as you are committed.”

  On impulse, Nadia let go of Foster’s hand and stepped up to Darren. He was as tall as Garth and even on her tiptoes she had to motion him to her. He bent his head down and she kissed his cheek. “Thank you for helping me.”

  Darren’s face was comical to Foster. He wanted so badly to remain a hard exterior, but in the innocent face of Nadia, and with her gesture of a thank you kiss, he couldn’t. He nodded his head and lightly touched her face.

  Foster grabbed her hand again and pulled her to the passenger door. Even in that moment of extreme danger and stress, he was a gentleman. They backed out and Foster left the front yard of his home, praying that all would be safe when he returned.

  *****

  The next four hours was hell. Crystal and Frank cried. They called Nadia an idiot. The police had been there, and the detective had to come back and take a statement.

  “Why did you drop your cell phone?”

  “I didn’t mean to.” Nadia smiled patiently. “I had dropped my purse and the cell phone fell out.”

  “Right, and you left your car because?”

  “Well, I was
just confused and, I needed to walk. You know...to sort things out.”

  “Oh my Lord, she has never done one thing reckless, Officer!” Crystal said for the fourth time.

  “Yes, Mam.” He replied again. He was fairly old and had graying sandy colored hair. Foster could tell he was just weary of the whole thing. He was hoping for the big case that he had wanted his whole career, and a flighty girl with no sense of direction was all he got. “So, you thought walking at night was a good idea?”

  “Here?” she laughed. “Of course I did.”

  The detective eyed her sharply. “Do you take any kinds of drugs, Miss James?”

  “Me? Oh no! I don’t even like aspirin!”

  The detective snapped his notebook shut and stood abruptly. “It’s a good thing you came home when you did, young lady. One more day and we were going to start a serious search.”

  “Which you should have done to begin with.” Frank mumbled. Foster smirked and hid it with his hand and a pretend cough. He knew something needed to be done. He placed his hand on the man’s arm and started walking him to the door.

  “Officer, I know this seems ridiculous.”

  “It sounds like a pack of lies!” he snapped.

  Foster nodded and let some of his energy seep through his fingertips. The man began to relax. “Yes, and it was reckless of her. It really is my fault. I pressured her too soon in our relationship, that’s all.”

  The man looked confused and finally he shrugged. “Women: can’t live with ‘em and can’t live without ‘em!”

  “That’s right.” Foster smiled and opened the screen door for him.

  “Well, at least she found those berries to eat! It’ll be one hell of a story to tell around the station!”

  Foster allowed a little more of his energy to seep into the man, and he gazed into his eyes. Foster thought of a flame and how a tiny one could become a blaze capable of devouring almost anything. He kept that image as he gazed into the detective’s eyes. “Maybe your report should state that she decided to go hiking, and lost her way. I see no need to make this family a laughing stock, do you?”

  He swallowed several times, and shook his head slowly. “No, I don’t.”

  Foster grinned and let go of his arm. He waved as the policeman got into his typical dark colored sedan, and drove away. He was certain the report would state she was lost while hiking and that would be the end of it. He turned back towards the others and saw Frank watching him closely. Foster gave him a weak smile and sat down. He was drained and needed to rest. Crystal followed Nadia to her bedroom, insisting she take a shower and check for ticks. When they heard the door click shut, Frank leaned forward. His eyes were steely, and Foster knew he didn’t buy a word of it.