“Yeah, tell me about it. I hate these powers.” She pushed from her chair. “I would give anything to have them taken away from me and I can’t believe I just said that. Fuck.” She grabbed a handful of her hair and tugged. “I am such an idiot, Jonah.”
“No, you’re not, and stop pulling at your hair before you go bald.”
Releasing her hair, she dropped her hands to her sides and let out a long breath. “I should know better than to make claims like that. Saying something similar is what cost me my daughter.”
“To find me.” Jonah stood, placing both palms on the desk. “If you hadn’t signed that paper to save me you would still have your daughter.”
“I thought we were past this.”
He shrugged one shoulder while he grabbed the cane resting on the side of his desk. “It’s always there, in the back of my mind. If it hadn’t been for me, she would still be here.”
“Don’t go there. Let’s place the blame where it’s deserved. Chaos. He’s the root of all of this and as soon as I find the bastard I am going to take great pleasure wringing the life out of him.” She turned as Starla came into the room. “Have you got anything?”
Starla shook her head, somberly. “My mother and the High Priestess Essema have no clue what is blocking the entryway. But whatever is blocking it is preventing Rajana from leaving as well.”
“Get out? She’s locked in there? Holy hell.” Wasn’t that perfect…until Trinity reminded herself that her daughter was locked in there with her. “Avadur did something similar to her when he took Basil away from her. I believe he was helped by the Dark Mystics. Maybe—”
“No!” both Starla and Jonah said at once.
“I was only going to suggest we talk to them about it and find out what kind of spell was used.”
“It’s too dangerous, Trin.”
“This is my daughter we’re talking about, Jonah. She’s locked in there with Rajana and Avadur. I have to get her out of there before they corrupt her.”
“And we will, but not by going to the Dark Mystics.” He took her hand in his, giving it a squeeze. “I know it’s hard for you. We will save her, but not by going through the Dark Mystics.”
“My mother did say that something came through it a few days ago. Right before it was locked up.”
Trinity turned to Starla with utter curiosity. “Really? Like what?”
“She didn’t know, only that it was powerful, or had to be in order to seal up the Realm. She did say that whatever came through landed here in Jacob’s Cove.”
“Get out! Well, shit. We have to go out and do some investigating. I have to know what came through and how they managed it. Thanks for the tip, Starla. Catch you both later.” Trinity vanished before either had a chance to reply.
She needed Basil’s help to search the city.
***
Taking Dusty’s lead to clean up in the washroom, Felicity entered after he was finished. Though she wished the room had a tub she could lounge in for an hour, she made the best of what she had. The towel was rough and scratchy and she wondered how anyone could use it on a daily basis. The soap smelled odd, medicinal, but she used it anyway. Once she had finished washing, she changed her clothes. Before leaving the room, she frowned at her image in the mirror. Her hair was looking worn and needed cleansing. She just didn’t know how she would be able to do that without a tub of water. She’d have to find a way, and soon.
Leaving the washroom, she found Dusty sitting on a stool, leaning over the microscope. His hair was damp and she wondered how he’d managed to wash it.
Seeing him sitting there stirred something deep inside of her that curled like a fist in her belly. She remembered how it felt laying on top of him. How his arms had cradled her, stroked her hair while he sucked on her neck. How his hips had moved up and down against her pelvis. The way his hard member had pressed into her made her feel tingly inside. She wondered what it would feel like against her naked flesh.
“Crap!”
She jolted out of her thoughts to see Dusty push from his chair with a frustrated look on his face. She felt something gooey inside of her melt as she looked at him.
“My blood is still the same.”
Taking a deep breath, she walked to him. “What are you doing?”
He ran his hands through his hair, scattering tiny droplets of water in his frustration. “I thought since I felt invigorated after drinking from you that maybe my blood would glow like yours. But it’s still the same as it was before.”
“Why did you expect it to be different?” He smelled fresh, much like the medicinal soap but on him it gave off a different fragrance she found she rather liked.
“I don’t know. I just thought if I ingested your blood it would show up in mine. No big deal. Look, I’m getting hungry. I think we need to go out and look for some food.”
“Out…there?” She thumbed towards the door, indicating outside.
“Yeah. There should be some sort of grocery shops around here and hopefully they’re not all picked out.”
She suddenly felt rather ill. “Out there, in the dark?”
“Yes. Did anything bad happen to us last time we went out?”
“That crazy man came after us,” she reminded him and remembering the crazy man made her feel a little more sickly.
“And you took care of him, didn’t you? We’ll be fine, Felicity. Besides, we have no choice…or at least I don’t. I need to eat. If you don’t want to go out there, I can go alone—”
“No!” she blurted out rather harshly, then caught herself. “Sorry. I do not wish to be here alone. I will go with you.” Even if it meant being terrified.
“Okay, let’s roll.”
“When we return and you’ve eaten, can we lie together naked and make ourselves orgasm?”
He choked, coughed, and choked some more.
“My goodness. Are you all right?” She patted his back while he coughed wildly.
“Yeah…” He cleared his throat. “I…I’m just not used to a woman asking me that.”
“Why not?” She followed him through the hallway to the front entrance.
“I told you, I’ve never had sex before.”
“Right. Did you not want to have sex with a woman before now?”
His hand paused at the door and she wondered if he was afraid of stepping out into the darkness as well. He chuckled. “It’s all I practically think about now.”
“Then why have you never engaged in sexual activity with a woman before?” Hardly noticing the darkness, Felicity followed Dusty to the car they had ridden in before.
“Man, the embarrassment just keeps coming. It’s not as easy as that, Felicity.”
She climbed into the passenger’s side while he sat behind the steering wheel. “Why not? If you want to engage in sexual activity with another person you should just do so.”
“If only it was that simple. A person has to be attracted to the other person and vice versa for them to have sex. It has to be mutual.”
“Did you not find a mate you were attracted to?”
“Oh, I found plenty. It was the other way around. The women I liked didn’t like me in the same way.”
He started them moving and she barely noticed.
“That is preposterous. What woman wouldn’t find you attractive?” She certainly did, especially those big eyes of his and all that curly hair. He had a nice, smooth face, round and gentle. She saw no reason a woman wouldn’t find him attractive.
“Where have you been all my life?” he chuckled.
“I’ve been in the Realm. Would you like to lie naked with me when we return?”
“This is the weirdest conversation I have ever had.”
She didn’t understand him. “It is not so weird. It is a simple question
. Do you wish to lie naked with me or not?”
“Look, having sex for the first time is a big deal, for a girl mostly.”
“Why?” He fiddled with a knob and some sort of music began to play. She found the beat of it rather interesting.
“Because you’re giving away something of yourself that is precious. Your virginity. When you agree to have sex for the first time, you are allowing your partner to take that precious part of you away.”
“Where would you take it?” Not that she truly knew what he meant but she didn’t want to look stupid.
“Not physically. I can’t believe I’m having this conversation.” He drew in a deep breath, running his hand over his face. “Look, when I…put my…penis inside of your…vagina, I pop your…oh man…I pop your cherry.”
“My what?”
“Oh man…” He ran his hand over his face again. “This is a conversation your mother should have had with you.”
“Yes, well, she didn’t.” It annoyed her that she hadn’t. Felicity wished she knew more about men and women and how they interacted and why. “So I am asking you what I need to know because I wish to engage in sexual activity with you.”
“Hey, check this out, there’s a store and it looks like it’s been broken into a few times.”
He swerved to the front of the store and hurried from the car.
“Why will you not answer me, Dusty?”
“Because, it’s embarrassing. When we get back I’ll look through the offices and see if there’s a medical book lying around for you to read up on. Okay? But for now, let’s grab some food.”
She didn’t understand why it was embarrassing. It seemed natural enough when she’d watched couples pressing their bodies together and they didn’t look embarrassed at doing so. Although, they’d had a pained expression on their faces. “Will it hurt?” she asked while following him as he grabbed some sort of metal contraption on wheels.
He let out a long breath before replying. “It might.”
“Oh…” She wasn’t sure she liked the idea of pain. “But orgasming with you earlier wasn’t painful. It was delightful.” She sighed, remembering how her body had felt, the warmth that had accompanied the shiver and the surge of energy that had spilled from her.
“It’s not painful to orgasm. But the first time can be painful.” He loaded things in the metal contraption as they walked through the store.
It was in utter disaster, cans and packages lay strewn everywhere as they walked along the rows. “Why is the first time painful?”
“I told you, I’ll find you a book to read up on. Man, they really picked this place over. I guess we’ll have to make do with…canned soup and dry noodles.”
Staying quiet as he loaded up on food supplies, Felicity was baffled as to why he wouldn’t just tell her what she wanted to know. When he seemed satisfied by what he had gathered, she went along with him to the exit of the building. She couldn’t wait to get back to their home so she could get the information she needed.
“Hold it right there.”
She jumped behind Dusty and squealed. Peering over his shoulder, she saw a tall woman with long, red hair and a handsome gentleman with black hair that came to his shoulders, standing in the doorway.
Something inside of her told her they would not harm her.
“One more move and you’ll both be dust.”
Maybe she was wrong.
Chapter Eleven
Dusty held up his hands. “Look, all we want is some food and no trouble.”
Felicity said nothing but instead wrapped her arms around his body and held onto him for dear life.
“You two look awfully young to be on your own. Where are you from?”
That voice, Felicity knew that voice. Though she had no idea about the face, the voice was unmistakable. It was a little raw, but soft. Just like the woman in the cell.
“Like I said, we don’t want any trouble. Just let us pass and we’ll be out of here in no time.”
“Trinity?” Felicity managed, still clinging to Dusty.
The woman cocked her head to the side. “Yeah. Do we know each other?”
That was definitely the voice. Relaxing, Felicity released her grip on Dusty and slid beside him. “My name is Felicity. I believe I am your daughter.”
Trinity tilted her head a little more but before she spoke, the gentleman stepped up. “I don’t know what you think you’re pulling with that but it isn’t funny. I think the two of you need to come with us.”
“No!” Dusty stepped back, taking Felicity with him. “Look, she didn’t mean what she said. We just want to get out of here and go back to where we’ve been staying. Okay?”
“I said that because it is the truth.” Daringly, Felicity stepped away from Dusty’s side and held her head high. “My name is Felicity and I believe you are my birth mother.”
“That’s impossible,” Trinity blurted out, shooting a nasty glare at Felicity. “I only had one child and that was only months ago. I don’t know what you think you’re—”
“Months?” She knew her mother had aged her, still, it had been more than months. Maybe she was mistaken. “Is your name Trinity Ford?”
“Yes, it is, but you are not my daughter.”
“We need to take them in, lock them up until we get some answers.”
Felicity turned her attention to the dark gentleman. “Lock us up?”
“They want to kidnap us or something, Felicity. We need to get out of here. Do your little freeze thing and let’s go.”
“Freeze thing?” Trinity inquired.
“She has phenomenal powers and she’s not afraid to use them. Right, Felicity?”
She didn’t want to use her powers on this woman she suspected of being her mother. But when the gentleman stepped closer to her, she had no choice.
“Basil!”
Felicity’s eyes flew to the woman. “He isn’t being harmed. I only set him in a temporary stasis. He can hear us, he can breathe, and feel. What did you call him?”
“Basil. He’s my…soon to be husband.” Trinity ran to his side, taking his face in her hands. “I can’t release you, Basil. I don’t know what she did but I can’t release you.” She spun around, eyes fierce. “Release him.”
“My father’s name is Basil.” Was this possible? Had she finally met her birth parents?
“We need to get out of here, Felicity. Now!” Dusty tugged at her but she held her ground.
“My birth father’s name is Basil and my birth mother’s name is Trinity. I live in the Realm of Mystics with my mother, Rajana.”
Trinity froze.
“I was taken upon my birth to the Realm and that is where I have lived all this time.”
“Felicity?”
“Yes.”
“It can’t be you. How is this possible? You should be a baby.” Trinity’s voice wavered with emotion.
“I should, but I am not. Look into me and you will see.” She felt her birth mother enter her mind and she felt the gasp when the truth was told.
“Promise me you will not attempt to take me without my consent and I will let you free,” she said to Basil and heard him agree inside her mind.
“He can’t answer you, how do you know he won’t take us?” Dusty asked fearfully.
“Because I can hear his thoughts.” She released Basil and looked him square in the eyes as she spoke. “Hello, Father.”
“Holy fu—dge, Basil. It’s her.” With tears in her eyes, Trinity stared at her daughter. “It’s our girl.”
“Felicity.” Basil reached out for her hands but she pulled them away. “I won’t hurt you.”
“My mother tells me otherwise.”
“I am your mother,” Trinity demanded, wiping her tear-streaked face. “Not h
er.”
“You are the woman who gave me life, who birthed me, but you are not the woman who raised me.”
“Only because she stole you from me.” As Trinity moved towards her, Felicity froze both her parents to their spots.
“We need to get out of here.” Grabbing Dusty’s hand, she tugged him to the doorway. He dragged the cart with him as they left the store.
“Those are your parents. Are you just going to leave them like that?”
“I will release them when we’re far enough away.” She couldn’t believe it. She had finally met her parents and yet she was running away from them. She was a coward.
As they drove away, she released her spell, then watched out the window to make sure they didn’t follow her.
Her heart ached the whole way home.
***
“That was our daughter,” Trinity said as she and Basil searched. She couldn’t believe it, but it was true. She’d not only seen inside her daughter to know the genetics matched but she felt the connection. Her blood, Basil’s blood was mixed with the woman claiming to be their daughter. Woman. “How is it she’s that old? I know time moves more quickly in the Realm, but still. She has to be at least…over eighteen.”
Basil shrugged. “My guess would be close to twenty and I have no idea how it can be. But with my mother, I’m not surprised.”
It took a fair bit of effort to keep up with Basil’s quick steps, but Trinity managed it. “Her hair is black, like yours, and she has your eyes.” And she was beautiful. Trinity felt the tears welling up and stopped where she was. “And she’s all grown up.”
Basil stopped as Trinity sat down on the sidewalk where she was.
“I never had her as a baby and now she’s a grown woman and I still can’t have her.”
He sat down beside her, running his hand along her back. “We’ll find her, my love, and we’ll get behind all of this.”
“She’s so tall, so thin, so…beautiful and who the hell was that with her?”
“And out comes the protective mother,” Basil laughed as he pulled her into his arms. “We’ll find her and we’ll get all the answers we need.”
Shiela Stewart - [Darkness 06] Page 7