“Yeah, I can’t imagine this with anyone else. Let me show you the spell.” She pulled him into the kitchen and plugged sink, filling the it with water.
“That’s why you don’t have a phone?” he asked.
She giggled. “I guess. Look, she didn’t grow up with a phone. We never had one when I was a kid. We didn’t need one when we went our separate ways. This works for us.”
He nodded. “Think I could convince you to get a phone?”
She smiled. “Maybe. We’ll see.”
He pulled her closer to kiss her. She pulled back once the sink was full and turned to shut off the faucet. She spoke the spell, and her mother appeared a few seconds later.
“There you are, and is this Chatan?” Mom’s face split into a grin.
“Yes, this is Chatan, I wanted you to meet him. This is my mom, Mina.”
He leaned closer, looking into the water. “Hey, wish we were doing this face to face, but it’s a pleasure.”
She smiled. “He’s sweet and cute. And you look so happy, little dove.”
Jacinda smiled. “I am, Mom. Maybe soon we’ll meet you somewhere, but we need to take care of that strigoi first.”
“Oh, baby, don’t get in her way. Let the Silver Council deal with it.”
Her mouth popped open. “What?”
“Only a matter of time with the way people are disappearing from that area. They are going to investigate. Better you stay out of their way,” Mom said.
Jacinda frowned. “You want me to stay out of the way?”
“Yes, I do. Not that I believe you will.” She sighed, then smiled. “I hadn’t heard from you for a few days. I wanted to see my girl.” Tears filled her eyes. “You’re in love now, aren’t you?”
She nodded. “I am. And soon I’ll bring Chatan to you.”
“Good. I miss you, baby. And, Chatan, be good to her. She deserves the world.”
“Mom, so do you.”
“I have you. I have your father in my heart and soul. Everything I could ask for I have. You found your other half finally. I need to go. Love you.”
She faded away and Jacinda’s breath caught. The fear pouring off Jacinda worried him. He turned her to look into her eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
* * * *
Mom had seen something. Jacinda didn’t know what, but that was the closest to goodbye her mother ever came. “Something’s wrong. Maybe I shouldn’t have had you there. Maybe she wanted to tell me something. I need to go in the bathroom, see if there’s more.”
“If you’re sure.” The hurt in his eyes tore her apart.
“I’m sorry. It doesn’t change anything, but I need to know why that sounded like it may be the last time we’d talk.”
“I didn’t get that impression,” he whispered.
“You don’t know her like I do. And she’s a seer. She saw something. It’s the only explanation.” Jacinda pulled out of his arms.
“Will you talk to me after?” he asked.
She nodded, hoping she could still tell him everything. She ran to the bathroom, filled the water, and contacted her mother. It took her a moment to answer, but she reappeared over another sink, tears in her eyes.
“Why are you crying, Mom?”
“You found what your father wanted you to find. I never believed you would.”
“Mom, I don’t care about that. Why are you so upset?”
“I should have believed in you.”
“You did, in other things. You wanted to protect me in case he was wrong. You did everything you could for me. Now stop. What’s going on?”
“Promise you won’t run from him. Tell him everything. Let him help you.”
“Promise. Now what did you see to make you like this?”
“My girl finally whole. I’m sorry. Makes me miss your father. I’m sure he’s happy for you.”
“Me too.” She wanted to demand answers, but Mom wasn’t going to tell her anything more. As soon as they dealt with Josephine, Jacinda planned to take Chatan to her mother. Hopefully, her mom was only upset because Jacinda finally had what her mother lost. “I love you, Mom. But if you have something to say, don’t hold back. Tell me.”
“No, I don’t. I’m happy for you. These are tears of joy. Only a little regret that I didn’t believe in you or Tyrell.”
“Everyone has tried for years. I get it. Mom, I love you.”
“Love you too, Jacinda. Go back to your man. Don’t worry him because I’m emotional.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to you soon.”
Smiling, she waved and Jacinda ended the spell. She stepped into the hall and Chatan was right there, waiting with such a sad look.
“Everything okay?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I don’t remember the last time I saw her like that. She always smiles.”
“Sometimes things hit us hard. She probably saw you with me and remembered being with your father. It’s why my dad doesn’t like being out here. Everything reminds him of my mother, and he can’t deal with it.”
“Does he blame himself?”
Chatan nodded. “Yeah, he was busy searching for answers for a friend of his. He wasn’t there when she first got sick. Then he couldn’t find a way to cure her.”
“We should talk. You may decide everything to do with me is too much.”
He took her hands and pulled her toward the bedroom. “I have a feeling nothing you say could ever change anything between us.”
She hoped not. “I guess we’ll see.”
He sat down on the bed, fully clothed and cross-legged. “Tell me your story.”
Not an ounce of humor graced her laugh. “Sounds like a bedtime story to scare kids into going to sleep. Only, I’ve seen what happens to those of us the creature finds.”
His head tipped. “I’m all ears.”
She let out a breath and licked her lips. Then she started slowly. “My family has always been a source of power. Unlike most Others, we wind up with different casters, it makes for magic deemed too powerful by the Dark Templar. Some of us have been hunted by then, but mostly, because of a dark entity that couldn’t claim what he wanted. He cursed our family.”
“I don’t understand,” Chatan said.
“One of my ancestors could manipulate reality. They called her a transcendent mage. One of the Dark Templar hunted her down, but she used magic to make him fall in love. Only then she couldn’t break the spell to get rid of him. He became obsessed. She refused him. The mage was more sorcerer than mage, and he called on a powerful entity to help him claim her. She fused them together and Thanatos became a monster, oozing shadows, giant wings. He looks something like a shadowy demon.”
Chatan rubbed her arm. “Sounds similar to what’s locked away at the pillar. And remnants of the creature are at the waterfall. Everyone who goes there at night is plagued by nightmares.”
“Does he look like this?” She held out her hands, calling the image she saw in countless nightmares. Nine feet tall, black skin, red scales, giant black wings with curling red patterns. Glowing red eyes.
His head cocked. “That’s more demon than anything.”
“That may not be his true form. He’s an illusionist, sorcerer, and other things. Plus, whatever gifts the creature gave him. Maybe he delved into our deepest nightmares and created something truly terrifying.”
“And why should this scare me away?”
She closed her hands, clearing the image, only to open them again and form the last victim she knew of ten years before. A woman of thirty years. Blond hair, blue eyes, freckles, and she had ancient symbols Jacinda couldn’t find anywhere, carved into her flesh. The only other place she’d seen those symbols were in the dreams. “I can’t read those. No one can, as far as I can tell.”
His brow pinched. “I may know someone to ask. It’s right up his alley, the kind of shit he loves to study. And why he was away when my mother got sick. Chasing after another ancient creature with old symbols no one could find.”
“Did he find out what they were?”
“Yes, but he wouldn’t tell me what. My father would love to meet you.”
“You don’t sound like you want me to meet him.”
He shrugged. “I do, but I don’t always see eye to eye with him. We have a strained relationship. I don’t understand how he could replace my mother so quickly. And he doesn’t see why I don’t believe in myself.”
Her head tipped. “Why don’t you believe in yourself?”
“Mom didn’t.” He looked away. “Her words stuck with me. She told me we weren’t all meant for greatness.”
“Chatan, you are so much more than you believe. I feel the magic inside you. Hawk believes it too. He came to life because you helped me find what I needed. And somehow, I think they’re supposed to help me stop Thanatos, and I don’t have a clue how.”
“Jacinda, we’ll figure it out. Besides, this way, you get to meet my brothers, my favorite cousin and his fiancé, and my father. You get to see the other half of my life.”
“I’ll be happy to. Now tell me a little about the rest of your family.”
“Tomahawk is a tattoo artist. He did my wolf and hawk. There’s magic in those pieces. He’s with a nurse, and they have a sweet little girl. Dakota is purely a healer. His married to a doctor, and they have a little boy. They live in Edenton. My father was married to a woman before my mother, and they had Tomahawk and Dakota, who are twins. Their mother died in a car crash. Two months later he met my mother and fell in love. Then he lost to her to a curse, or illness. He found his current wife just months after my mother died.” He wiped at his eyes. I have never understood how he can move on so quickly if he truly loved my mother, their mother, and this woman. I don’t get it.”
“I don’t know what to tell you. I mean, I always wished my mother would find someone else, and she never did.”
“It was so fast though. So, don’t be surprised if I choose to hang with my brothers or Eddie more.”
“I’m happy wherever you want to go. But tell me about Eddie.”
He smiled. “He’s a few years younger, but we’re close. Tom and Dakota are twelve years older than me. We aren’t as close. I was around Eddie and Jackie a lot. I told you how they were like family, or everyone thought they were. He’s in IT for Ward Tower Security. And Jackie is a photographer. They live in Seattle.”
His phone rang and he picked it up only to frown. “Okay, that’s Eddie. He has the worst timing. Let me take this and I’ll be back.”
“Of course.”
Chapter 33
Chatan went outside and sat on the step to the porch. “What’s up, Eddie?”
“Josephine Monvoisin is wanted for a list of crimes I can’t even begin to understand. And Jacinda is Brent’s granddaughter. Shit, I didn’t know he had kids until ten minutes ago.”
“What?” Chatan shook his head. Brent was a sorcerer, among other things, who helped Eddie and Jackie because he was Jackie’s cousin. He was part Fae. “Grandfather?”
“Yeah, he hasn’t seen anything but a picture when she turned two. She’s sitting in your lap.”
“What the fuck?” Chatan demanded.
“Shit, I don’t know. You were like ten. She was little, maybe two. You seemed to adore her. She wouldn’t let go of your hair. It’s the only picture he has of her, and I’m sure it’s you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Yeah, neither do I. I can’t get a hold of your father. Your brothers don’t remember anything to do with that. I have no solid answer. He hasn’t seen his son in thirty years. He got the occasional letter until his death twenty years ago.”
“Oh fuck. I need to talk to my father.”
“You love her, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I do. She’s the one I’ve been waiting for.”
“Then don’t freak out about her relation to Brent. I doubt she even knows.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so. And why the hell would that bother me? But maybe we can reunite her with family. That makes her Jackie’s cousin.” He rubbed at his face, and considered how to tell Jacinda about his brief fling with Jackie.
“Yeah. Toryn has some interesting notes about her family. Only women born for a thousand of years. Only a few left. Something bad is hunting them. Brent’s looking into it.”
“Thanatos. She said his name is Thanatos. She only knows part of the story. Shit, we need to deal with Josephine before I can bring her out there.”
“Yeah, and Mike is part of the team that’s headed out there to deal with her.”
“When will they be here?” Chatan asked.
“Tomorrow. They want to do this right. They want the elders’ cooperation to get the proof they need to destroy her.”
“Yeah, they’ll be happy to fork it over. But can you guarantee they won’t mind Jacinda being what she is?”
He snorted. “Not going to be a problem. They all respect Brent. I’m more worried about how his blood bound is going to react, but Amelia is pretty fucking cool.”
Chatan shook his head. “That little redhead? Isn’t she human?”
“Vampire and a sorceress as of a couple months ago. She’s pretty scary when she wants to be.”
“Hmm, well, good to know.”
“And I think Amelia will be fine with it, but they aren’t far apart in age. That’s what will make things interesting.”
Chatan snorted. “Of course. Well, I should go. Thanks for the info. Go ahead and give Mike or whoever needs it my contact info. Jacinda is worried I’d somehow dump her after learning about Thanatos, but that’s not happening.”
“What I found on this thing hunting her family, I can’t blame her. Must be hard knowing something plans to devour your soul. At least that’s the theory.”
“Right. Hey, tell Jackie hi for me.”
“Will do. Can’t wait to meet Jacinda.” Eddie hung up.
Chatan found Jacinda staring out the window.
“Still worried I won’t choose you?”
“My father died luring that thing away. Promise you’ll never do that for me.”
Chatan shook his head. “No, but I’ll help you figure out how to stop him.”
She nodded, leaning against the window. “I hope my father was right. He was convinced I need Hawk’s help, but Hawk needs Dove. So, it’s this big circle, because Dove needs me. And none of it makes sense. Dove is the gift. And my soulmate must be you.”
He nodded. “I can agree with that.”
She reached for his hand, then pulled him closer when he took hers. “What if I can’t stop him?”
“Weren’t you the one who told me I could do more than I thought?”
She nodded.
“Stop doubting yourself. I believe in you. I believe in us. So, how about we make love, then maybe you can start trying to teach me? How to use my magic.”
She grinned. “Gladly.”
In the morning, he could call his father. Maybe his father would finally tell him the truth about what happened to his mother.
* * * *
Jacinda sat on his couch in nothing but his T-shirt while he sat in a pair of shorts. She smiled as she took his hands and placed them palm up on her knees. Then she touched the center.
“Okay, Chatan, imagine sparks, right where my fingers are.”
“Don’t cheat and do it for me.”
She smiled. “If you can’t do it after a few tries, I’ll start by giving you the spark to manipulate. Sometimes conjuring elements is harder than starting with them.”
His lips screwed up as he focused on his hands, then closed his eyes. “Stop touching the spot.”
She giggled, but her hands moved away. He lifted the back of his hands off her knees and focused.
There was a snap, then a crackle. He opened one eye to see her leaning back on her elbows, her arms far away from him and sparks dancing in his palms.
Light danced through her eyes. “Not so hard, and no, I didn’t help.”
He pushed mor
e energy into the tiny sparks and lightning arced off his fingertips. “I’m doing this?”
“Yes, you are. All I had to do was tell you how to focus. It gets easier with practice. Soon you’ll call it without even thinking about it.”
He closed his hands and dove on her, pinning her down as he kissed her. “You really have broken through whatever was blocking everything.”
“Chatan, it was always there. Sometimes, those closest to us hurt us when they really want to help. Your mother didn’t know another way. She should have asked for help. And it hurt you all these years.”
He kissed her again. “She didn’t want to hurt me.”
“Of course not. But you’ve got to learn that no one but you dictates what you can do. Got it? Doesn’t matter what they say, what they do, only you can figure out what your gifts are.”
“Maybe you can heal better than you think.”
She snorted. “And some of us honestly have no gift with healing. I don’t. It doesn’t call to me the same way other magic does. And that’s okay. I can’t reproduce everything. I don’t want to either. And sometimes I surprise myself with what I manage to reproduce. However, I accepted long ago that expectations can hold you back if you let them.”
“How?”
“Because I was always stubborn by nature. Tell me I can’t, and I’ll find a way, most of the time. Couple exceptions. The healing. But that’s okay, because I learned first aid.” She pushed at his chest. “Now, we try some other tricks. See how much more we can get you to do. Okay?”
“Yeah, I’m ready.”
Chapter 34
Nightmares plagued Jacinda’s sleep once they finally finished practicing magic. She couldn’t get Thanatos out of her mind, but she had no good direction for him. And maybe he couldn’t find her behind the wards, but she couldn’t stay there forever.
Chatan soothed her every time she bolted out of bed. The comfort didn’t last. Maybe it was because she summoned the image, maybe because she shared the story. She spent most of her time avoiding thoughts of Thanatos.
By dawn, she gave up on sleep and moved to the couch with her father’s journal. She kept reading it. There was nothing about what to do with the gift. Nothing at all.
Finding Hawk (Branches of Emrys Book 3) Page 21