Fifth Essence: A Reverse Harem Tale (Lovin' the Coven Book 5)

by Jacquelyn Faye

  "Getting a good look?"

  "It's kind of amazing in jeans, isn't it?"

  "I don't know. I'm not staring at it."

  "Well, you should. It's impressive."

  "Not into guy butts."

  Dar must have realized we were talking about him and pulled his head out of the fridge. "Uh. Sorry?"

  "Don't be," Chief chuckled. At least he was handling it well.

  Dar headed back to the living room. I hated seeing him leave, but I loved watching him walk away. Seriously.

  "You okay?" Chief whispered the question in my ear.

  "Something is wrong with me."

  "Something more than the usual stuff?"

  I turned my head and narrowed my eyes. "You're going to get all witty and shit when we were being romantical?"

  "Um. I mean what's wrong, sweetie?"

  "Better. I mean I am… Well, I'm usually feeling frisky, but lately it's been like woah."

  "Like sniff people's necks and stare at them like they're a burger?"

  "Yeah."

  "So horny it spills over on your familiars and causes them to make out with other people?"

  "Yeah."

  "So horny it drives you insane at restaurants and causes embarrassing moments?"

  "Well, that was hungry more than horny, but kind of the same thing."

  "Don't know what you're talking about. Seems like the same old awesome Dot I fell in love with."

  "If there wasn't a fae girl in my bed with severe emotional trauma right now, I'd totally drag you in there and have my way with you."

  Ding dong.

  "Fucking doorbell…"

  Chief chuckled and let me go. "You expecting someone?"

  "It's most likely Josie. I told her to get her ass home and she probably forgot her key." I walked over to the front door and unlocked it, flinging it open to give her a disgusted look.

  Delron fell through my door, an arrow piercing his chest, perilously close to his heart, and slash marks covering most of his body.

  "You're not Josie," I said, confused.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  "He going to live?" Chief didn't sound overly concerned.

  If I were being honest with myself, I didn't like how much magic it was taking to heal his wounds. It was almost like they had been coated with something to keep him from healing. I needed more power.

  "I can heal him, but it's taking way more power than it should be. I don't think it's because he's an elf, but I'm not sure. Can you text Shea and ask him to come over?" I stared at the wound and concentrated, feeling bad for having to kick Candace out of my bed, but my room was the largest and had the most room to work. Plus, I had towels and a sink close by.

  "Sure thing," Chief answered. "Uh. I don't have his number."

  "This is fucking insane. Everybody in this damn coven better have everybody else's number in their damn phone by the end of the week or I'm going to start zapping tender parts."

  "I have it." Candace got up off the bed where she had been sitting, watching with concern. She ran to her room to get her cell.

  "You're right. I'll get with Candace and get everybody's number. Start a group text or something, just in case of emergencies. Like this."

  "Good." I frowned. "It's like the arrow and whatever cut him were covered in acid, and it's still eating his flesh."

  "That's kind of gross. Who would use weapons like that?"

  "Uh. Just a guess, but I'm going to say dark elves."

  "His own people did this?"

  "I'm guessing."

  "I hope you're wrong. For Jaeren's sake."

  "Me, too."

  "I texted him," Candace said as she padded back into my room.

  I prayed he would have an answer, because I was running out of juice quickly. A moment later, he solidified out of the shadow in the corner of my room. "What is wrong?"

  "His wounds aren't healing!" I was starting to panic. If he died, there was no hope for Jaeren. I didn't want to waste a good box of crayons.

  He came around the bed and inspected some of the lower wounds on the elf, letting me continue to pump healing magic in the arrow wound by his heart. Getting the arrow out without causing more damage had been almost impossible and used a good portion of my power. "I sense no negative magics."

  "Well, it shouldn't be this damn hard to heal him. There has to be something."

  Chief moved closer and put his hands on my shoulders. I half-expected him to pull me away from my patient. I gasped a little in surprise when he started feeding me power as only he could. "That help?"

  "Yes! Much. Thanks, Chief."

  "Welcome," was all he said and gave me a little squeeze.

  Shea reached down and touched the wound, bringing his finger to his mouth and tasting it. He made a face and spit the blood out on my floor. If he knew what it was, I would forgive him for the grossness factor of spitting on my floor.

  "Waste water."

  "Like sewage?"

  "No. It is the venom of a rift wight. When they bite you, the wound never heals and you waste away to nothing, becoming a wight yourself. Like the venom of a brown recluse with ghostly effects."

  "Is there a cure?"

  "The combined power of a team of healers, perhaps," he said sadly and cast Delron a pitying glance.

  "We need to get him to Faerie. I could heal him there."

  "If he were to step one foot in the court of light, he would be killed within moments of being seen. I fear it would be the same if he returned home…"

  "Shit."

  "Yes. An impasse."

  Thoughts fluttered through my brain and a vision of my car bouncing across Faerie settled in the forefront. "If we can't bring him to Faerie, I'll bring Faerie to him."

  "Wait, what?" Chief did start to pull me back this time.

  "Lady that would be inadvisable," Shea managed to caution as I used my left hand to claw a hole through the veil beside the bed. It was strange seeing the purple liquid part beneath my fingers, floating like a gaping wound in my bedroom, but I didn't hesitate and shoved my hand through the tear.

  Limitless power was literally at my fingertips. Chief was physically blown back away from me and left a dent in the wall behind him. Shea scrambled away and Candace began floating beside the bed.

  "You have finally realized what you can truly do, even in this world." Candace's voice took on a familiar, otherworldly tone.

  "Greetings, Lady," I said without looking up from Delron.

  "Greetings to you, Child."

  "Is this okay? I'm not in trouble, am I?"

  "No. Not in trouble. I just wish to advise you that you have now drawn even more attention to yourself. What you have done," she paused to motion to my arm hanging into another realm, "has not gone unnoticed. Your visitor today will have been the first of many. Now is the time to find your father."

  "I'm trying. My damned mother stopped me the first time."

  "She fears for you."

  "I know. But she should know by now, I can be just as stubborn as her."

  "She knows quite well," my mother said from the door of my bedroom. I didn't have to look over my shoulder to see her. I'd have recognized her voice anywhere.

  "Shit."

  The goddess chuckled. I was glad she found my family dysfunction funny. "Greetings, High Priestess of the Coven of the Black Well."

  "Greetings, my Lady," my mother said reverently.

  "I shall leave you to your task, Daughter," she said and reached out and stroked my cheek before Candace collapsed to the bed beside me. At least she didn't drop her to the floor.

  "Daughter, might I ask what you are doing?"

  "Healing the dark elf who kidnapped my elf, but he's got some kind of poison in his wounds, so I had to tear a hole in the veil between worlds to access the power of Faerie to heal him. You know. The usual."

  "Might I ask how?"

  "When I'm done," I said and concentrated on the wound, finally able to concentrate. As long as my mother stopped ta
lking. Using the power at my disposal, I literally burned the poison from his wounds, watching as it evaporated in plumes of black smoke. They were making my eyes water, but hopefully not damaging to anyone's lungs. Wight poison smoke probably ranked right up there with asbestos.

  When the venom was gone, the wounds healed almost instantly, and Delron came to with a sucking noise as he took his first deep breath since he had collapsed in my doorway.

  "Lady?"

  "You're safe, Delron."

  "You have my thanks, as well as my apologies."

  "Rest for a moment while I speak to the others. Just answer me one thing, is Jaeren safe?"

  "For now."

  "Okay. One step at a time. Rest and I'll be back soon."

  "Thank you."

  "Shea, keep an eye on him? Please?"

  "Yes, my queen."

  "Oh, you need to stop saying that." I leaned closer to him. "Especially in front of my mother."

  "Yes, my queen," he whispered back with a small smile.

  "I can still hear you both."

  "Of course you can, you're part bat," I mumbled under my breath.

  "What was that, Daughter?"

  "I said, I love your hat."

  "As I am not wearing one, I shall assume you are hallucinating. I shall be in your kitchen. You do have tea, do you not?"

  I looked over at Candace. She gave a quick nod. "Of course, Mother. Help yourself."

  I got up from the bed and turned around, nearly running into Chief who was magically fixing the damage he had caused to the wall.

  "Sorry about that, Chief. You okay?"

  "Yeah. Your drywall, not so much."

  "Didn't know it would have that much kick. Forgive me?"

  He looked over and smiled. "For being so damn beautiful? I think that can be arranged."

  "Sweet talkers. The lot of you." I leaned over and gave him a kiss before heading to deal with my mother. While I wasn't looking forward to dealing with her, I was looking for some damn answers. Hopefully, she would be able to give them to me.

  Chapter 7

  "Where is it, Daughter?"

  "Where is what, Mother?"

  "We've been over this before. Watch your tone, young lady."

  I sighed, grabbed a clean mug from the cabinet, and set it in the coffee maker. If I was about to deal with her level of bullshit, I needed caffeine. Or wine, and we were out of that.

  "You didn't answer my question."

  "Mother," I said and held up my hand until the brewer sputtered the rest of my patience potion into my favorite cauldron mug. I graciously took a sip and breathed a sigh. "You never answered mine. Where is what?"

  "The gem you sent me a picture of."

  "My father's gem?"

  "Yes!" She slammed her empty mug down on the counter. She was still waiting for the tea kettle to boil, thankfully.

  "Safe."

  "Give it to me."

  "No."

  "Daughter!" She was practically wailing.

  I'd had more than enough. "Who is my father?"

  "I can't."

  "I didn't ask what he was, I asked who he was. Give me a name at least."

  "Aodh," she managed to stammer. "He has many names, but that is the one he gave me."

  "Aodh?"

  "Aodh."

  "You say it like that's supposed to mean something to me."

  "You asked me for a name, and I have given it to you. You have the gem, you need to give it to me."

  "No."

  "Daughter. I am doing this for your own damn good. I know you don't believe me, but it is the truth. That gem is not what you think it is."

  "What is it?"

  "Insanity and death."

  "I've seen that, but it doesn't seem to be bothering me," I said and pulled it out from under my shirt.

  Her eyes, as soon as they gazed upon the red facets, narrowed as she reached a hand out for it, shaking like some sort of drug addict.

  "Mother?"

  Her hand stopped, but the haunted look never left her eyes, nor did the gem ever leave their sight. My mother and I might not have gotten along, even at the best of times, but my heart broke when she started sobbing.

  I shoved the jewel back in my shirt and wrapped my arms around her. My mother crying as I held her was something I would never have expected to see, not in a thousand years. She pulled away when the doorbell went off. Again.

  "I'll get it," Chief called out softly.

  "Thanks."

  Mother straightened herself and began frantically wiping the tears from her eyes. I knew why a moment later, when Nana came strolling into the kitchen.

  "Nana?"

  "Greetings, Child."

  "Why are you here?"

  "To act as mediator."

  I nodded my thanks to her when my mother turned around to finish wiping the moisture off her face. "Greetings, Mother."

  "Hello, Daughter," Nana told her with a sad smile, even though she couldn't see it. "The past has finally caught up to us. It's time to for her to know the truth."

  "We can't."

  "We must."

  "No. I mean we can't." My mother turned back around and gave her a fearful look. "Don't you think I've tried? I am physically unable to do so. He is the only one who can."

  "Alright. Hold on, both of you. Go sit in the dining room. I'll make tea."

  They both nodded and headed for the dining room table. Dar padded up to me, back in his canine form. I shall keep an eye on the elf, as well. Give you some privacy.

  Thank you.

  He took off toward my bedroom, nearly trampling Candace as she came out. I lifted the kettle off the stove and shook it, adding more water before setting it back down to boil.

  "Sit, Lady. I shall make the tea."

  "Thanks, Candace."

  "I'll get going, unless you want me to stay?" Chief raised his eyebrows questioningly.

  "I do, but go ahead. I'll fill you in later," I said with a slump, sighing and not looking forward to the family reunion in my dining room.

  "Call me if you need me."

  "I will."

  He gave me a tight hug and kissed me once more on the lips, before heading for the door. He turned and waved one more time. "Good luck," he mouthed and pulled the door open.

  Josie was standing there, not moving and looking like she was either pouting or unsure if she should come inside. I felt bad for forgetting her and Candace's problem. I stuck my hand out and motioned her in with my finger, narrowing my eyes.

  She shook her head.

  "Josephina Barton, you have three seconds to stand before me before I destroy your signed New Kids on the Block poster."

  Her eyes widened and she practically ran into the house.

  "Come with me."

  I noticed she refused to look at Candace, and Candace wasn't looking up from the kettle on the stove. I hoped she realized it would never boil staring at it like that. "Be right back, Candace."

  She just nodded.

  "I'll be right back," I called out to Nana and Mother as we passed by the dining room. "Have a bit of drama in every room today."

  Nana nodded; Mother frowned.

  I led Josie into her room, the only unoccupied one at the moment. Moving out of the way, I let her pass me and closed the door behind us.

  "Dot, save it. I'm sure you have bigger problems to deal with than Candace and I."

  "Since you two are my family, you couldn't be more wrong."

  "She called me Yuki, Dot."

  "I know. She told me, or rather, I told her. I'd meant it as a joke."

  "I don't know what to do."

  "I'll tell you what you're going to do. You're going to forget about the whole damn thing," I said and motioned for her to sit on the bed. I pulled her rolling chair from her desk and sat down on it, facing her. "She wasn't dreaming of Yuki while you were making out."

  "Uh…pretty sure she was."

  "No. She wasn't. She told me exactly what happened. The whole time you wer
e fooling around in the shower, she was panicking that you were going to leave her over the stupid kiss that had nothing to do with her to begin with."

  "I'm not leaving her! I was just pissed off."

  "I know that. You know that. But think, Josephina. Think about how horrible of a life that girl has had up until now. Of course she was afraid you were going to leave her, and running out the door as soon as she accidentally screwed up wasn't the brightest thing you've ever done. If you had stopped and talked about it with her, instead of jumping the gun, you would have known that and saved her and you a lot of tears and pain!"

  I'd meant to calmly lecture her, but I was more than a little pissed off. Candace invoked maternal instincts in me that I didn't know I had. I kind of wanted to take a shower and wash them off me.

  "She was?"

  "Yes!"

  "Oh, crap. I shouldn't have given her shit before it happened. I'd meant it as a joke, but it was kind of therapeutic. I fucked up."

  "You think?"

  Josie sighed and covered her face with her hands, shoulders lifting and falling as the tears came. "I'm a horrible person. I should have known. I'm used to dealing with people who always seem to have ulterior motives, but I should have realized she would never. What am I going to do?" She pulled her hands away from her face. "Please tell me I didn't just wreck the best thing that has ever happened to me?"

  "Of course not." I opened the door. "Candace, come here, please," I called out to the kitchen.

  When Candace walked, it was quieter than a whisper of a breeze. I nearly chuckled when I heard her feet shuffling across the floor.

  "Yes?" She peeked around the wall.

  "Come in." I closed the door again after she entered the room. "Tell this doltish oaf that you still love her," I told Candace.

  She looked at Josie and nodded, eyes as wide as they could go. "I do."

  "No, Candace. Tell her."

  "I love you. I love only you."

  "And you, Josie. Do you love Candace?"

  "With all of my heart, soul, bits and pieces."

  "Congratulations. Now quit being stupid, the both of you."

  "Wait. Did we just get married?" Josie started laughing between sniffles.

  "If you want to be. I now pronounce you dolt and oaf. You may kiss the elf." I patted Candace on the head and left the room, closing the door behind me and sighing.