Jar of Souls

by Bradford Bates

  “The magic-user?” Julian questioned. He obviously thought that marrying one of the gifted was below them. It wasn’t unexpected that he would have found their union revolting. John had experienced much of the same from the gifted around him at the time.

  “Yes.” Her eyes had grown defiant. She was waiting for him to challenge her on it. I had a feeling if he did, I would be seeing the first bloodshed since their arrival firsthand.

  He must have seen something in her eyes, because he relented and turned back toward me. “So tell me, Adam, why are we here?”

  There was too much for me to explain without showing them a little of what the problem was first. I played the video Sarafina had provided and let them watch it a few times. Then I went over what had happened since then. Sarah’s eyes only widened once at the mention of a man named Jackson being responsible for one of our victories. Her eyes met mine briefly, full of unasked questions.

  Julian waited patiently for me to finish before saying, “I don’t see how this is a pack problem. This seems like a gifted and Fallen issue. Why should we risk our lives to help you?”

  “Outside of the fact that your Alpha commanded you to do so, I wouldn’t think that you would require another reason.”

  He let out a low growl. He only stopped when Sarah placed a calming hand on his arm. “Fine,” he spat. “What is the plan?”

  “I will go with a few of the gifted to lure Gaston out of hiding with the Jar. We need you to be able to cover our backs. I am certain he will bring numerous undead for support as well as maybe one or two ghouls under his control. We need you to take care of the undead and support us in our attack on Gaston once they have been handled.”

  “So you brought us here to be backup, to be a diversion? We need to be part of the fight; there must be some honor in what we do. Ripping apart the shambling hordes of a mad man will bring us no renown.”

  “There will be plenty of renown for all of us if we stop him. Gaston is the only lich that I have even found reference to in the last seven hundred years. Destroying him should be plenty to bring your pack the esteem that you crave. All of us have a part to play in this.”

  “I would like to join you on the forefront of this battle. You can assign one of your blasted gifted to fight alongside my wolves.”

  “What would your father say if you fell in this battle? The front will be a dangerous place, and full of wild magic.”

  “Let me worry about that. You just focus on what you need to do.”

  “I have your assurances that if you fall in this battle, the pack will not retaliate?”

  “You do.”

  I looked toward Sarah for confirmation; she slowly nodded to affirm that she would let the Alpha of Alphas know if the worst was to happen. I met Julian’s eyes. “So be it.”

  He stood up and made to leave the office. Sarah stood up behind him. “Julian, would it be all right if I spoke with Sarah for a moment?”

  He looked at her for confirmation before answering. “It would be, but make sure not to keep her too long. We had a long journey and need to gather our strength before the battle.” He turned and left without another word.

  Sarah sat back down across from me, and for the first few minutes, we just sat and stared at each other. The uncomfortable silence grew until I couldn’t take it anymore. “I meant what I said; it’s good to see you again.”

  She almost seemed ready to laugh. “I also meant what I said.”

  “So are you not even going to ask about him? Are you not even the slightest bit curious?”

  Her look turned from haughty to one of sadness. “I haven’t seen him since he was a baby. He was less than one year old when I was forced to abandon him.”

  “It must have been horrific for you,” I said, a feeling of shame sweeping over me.

  “There was a possibility it could have been avoided if you had been there. If you would have found the courage to stand with us.”

  “Nothing would have made me happier. When I received word of the attack, I was in Europe, summoned by the council. I sent Stillman to help, and by the time I returned, only smoldering ashes remained of the house.”

  “Stillman did what he could, but with you there we would have been able to win.”

  What she left unsaid and what hung between us was what she meant. If you had been there, John would still be alive. I had told myself the same thing over and over again as I had mourned his loss. If I had left sooner, if I had ignored the council’s summons, if I had expected their plan, he would still be alive.

  “I miss him too.”

  “No!” she shouted. “You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to grieve him the way I do. Where were you when we needed you the most? You were gone! That’s when your friends on the council came for us. That is why he died.”

  There was nothing for me to say to that. It was true the council had moved behind my back and taken steps to eliminate them. All I had been able to do in the aftermath was to ensure that everyone knew they were dead. After that, my time with the council was done. For eighteen years I carried this burden. It was still as fresh as it was then, my greatest failure as a friend and a leader.

  There was nothing I could do to change how she felt, so it was time to move on. “Your son has grown into a wonderful man.”

  “How would you know?”

  “He had his awakening. It went about as well as it could for anyone who was untrained. After the awakening, his foster parents ended up dead, and Stillman brought the boy to me.”

  “Wait, he is here now?”

  “He is, and although he thinks that you have been dead his entire life, I am sure that he would be happy to see you.”

  “I wondered when you said the name Jackson earlier if it could be him, but all of me hoped that he was still living a normal life. You said his parents were killed?”

  It hung in the air between us, and I started to wonder for the first time why I had never bothered to look further into the incident. That had been a mistake, especially when Stillman had been involved. I still wasn’t sure what goal he was working toward, but I was sure that it wasn’t the same as mine. “You would have to ask Stillman about the specifics. He is the one who found him and brought him in.”

  “Isn’t he on the council now? Why wouldn’t he have just killed him?”

  “I do still hold some power over people. I think that he knew if the boy died, my anger might have finally found what it was looking for. Also, he still believes in the prophecy, as do I.”

  “That damn prophecy is what got John killed; it’s what will get my son killed if you do not do something about it. It’s just some old words, Adam. Jackson needs to be able to lead his own life.”

  “I tend to agree with you. Life isn’t dictated by prophecy; the prophecy will be fulfilled by his life.”

  “Just as vague and full of double talk as normal.”

  “So would you like to meet him?”

  “I don’t even know where to begin. What I would say? He must hate me for leaving him.”

  “If he does, he has never shown it. I think he would be happy to see you. He has to be feeling alone now that his adoptive parents are gone. You could fill that void in his life.”

  “I want to see him—I have to—even if it means he hates me.”

  “I’ll call him to the office and you two can be alone.”

  “Thank you.”

  I almost wasn’t sure that I had heard it. That must have been hard for her with all the hate and resentment she still felt for me. As much as she hated me for what happened, she couldn’t blame me more than I blamed myself. At least now there was one good thing that was happening out of all of that tragedy. For the first time since before he would have been old enough to remember, Jackson was going to meet his mother.

  15

  Jackson

  Henry was moving toward me at a quick pace. Today his limp was more pronounced than usual. I had to wonder if he was in pain; maybe it got worse when it rained
. Not sure where I heard that, but I was pretty sure it was a thing. It had to be tough for him to be surrounded by all of these younger in-shape kids knowing that he couldn’t go out into the field anymore. As far as people went, Henry was one of the good ones. He always was upbeat and pleasant. That was why the look on his face now had me worried.

  As he limped up, I have to say I was hoping that he would pass me by and that look was meant for someone else. He stopped right next to me, and I just knew whatever it was, it was going to be bad. “What’s up, Henry?” He paused for a second, and that was when I realized the look wasn’t grim. It was worried with maybe a dollop of pity mixed in.

  “Jackson, there is someone in Adam’s office here to see you.”

  Ok, that was weird. I really didn’t have any friends or family outside of this building, so unless this was a gag or some other student, I didn’t know what to think about it. “Who is it?”

  “I think it would be better if Adam told you himself.” Then he gave me that same look, concern mixed with a little bit of sorrow.

  “And he is waiting for me now.”

  “Yes, Adam is just outside of the office.”

  “All right, thanks, Henry.” He gave me one more of those worried looks, and I set off to find Adam.

  Just what in the hell was going on? It wasn’t my birthday; I had just finished celebrating that. I had grown pretty bad with watching the dates since I had started training, but I was pretty sure I hadn’t been here an entire year yet, or maybe I had? If it wasn’t my anniversary or birthday, maybe it was Marcus’s or April’s. If it was, though, I’m pretty sure someone would have told me. What about Britta? She kept things pretty close to the vest. Could it be her birthday?

  That only made sense, though, if Henry was setting me up, and he didn’t seem like the person to do that. And what was with that look on his face? No, something else was going on here, and it couldn’t be the best news. Maybe Adam had found out more about my adoptive parents. That would probably be enough to make Henry uncomfortable. Either way, I was about to find out.

  I rounded the last corner to Adam’s office and found him just where Henry had said he would be. He was waiting for me just outside, and the door to his office was closed. “Henry said you wanted to see me.”

  “Jackson, I have something to tell you.” His face kind of crunched up like he just wasn’t sure how to deliver the news.

  “All of my friends are ok, right? Nothing’s happened? No one died?” An edge of panic had found its way into my voice. All of this was just a little too weird.

  “Quite the opposite, actually. Someone we thought was dead actually isn’t.”

  “What are you talking about? Just tell me already.”

  He watched me for a moment and then came to some kind of decision. “Jackson, just promise me that you will give her the benefit of the doubt before you assume anything.”

  I nodded, still wondering what in the hell he could be talking about.

  He moved toward the door and then opened it without stepping in. “Jackson, let me introduce you to your mother. This is Sarah Blackthorn.” Adam stepped out of the way and closed the door behind me as I entered his office.

  Was he kidding? He had been the one to tell me that my biological parents were just as dead as my adoptive parents. It wasn’t like Adam to lie; in fact, I wasn’t sure if I had ever heard him utter a single lie in all of our time together. So this woman who was standing up in front of me had to be my mother. How could she be here now? Where had she been while I was growing up?

  She finished standing and turned to face me. I felt my breath hitch for a moment. This had to be some kind of joke they were playing. If it was, it was the most horribly cruel thing that had ever been done to me. There was no way the woman in front of me could have been my mother. She didn’t look a day over twenty-five.

  Then it clicked into place. She was a Lycan. So it was possible that she was my mother. Could they really age that slowly? It was like looking at someone who was slightly older but not too old to date, and she was my mom. She gave birth to me over eighteen years ago. Man, the supernatural world was a total mindfuck. People could be hundreds of years old and appear to be in their twenties.

  I watched her as she took a few tentative steps toward me; she was just as unsure of what to do as I was. Her black hair came down to her waist, and her eyes looked a little moist as she crept forward. Like the entire supernatural world, she was exceedingly beautiful. Her Native American features made her stand out, and I wondered if I had inherited any of her looks.

  It seemed things were moving too slow for her. She threw caution to the wind and raced forward the last few steps, wrapping me up in a gigantic hug. It was tight, so tight I almost couldn’t breathe, but I didn’t want to let go. This was my mom, the first time I had ever had the chance to meet her. A bone-crushing hug wasn’t going to end because I couldn’t breathe.

  She seemed to realize what she was doing, and the hug moved back to a less life-threatening pressure. I felt the first of her sobs start, and a few of her tears decorated my shirt. I couldn’t do anything except hold her, and then I felt a few of my own tears come to the surface. Wow, the first time I got to meet my mom and I was crying like a baby.

  After what seemed like forever but was probably closer to five minutes, her chest stopped heaving and both of our tears had dried. She stepped back, holding me at arm’s length, looking into my face. “I’m sorry, it’s just that you look so much like him. It’s hard for me not to think about your father when I see you.”

  “Do you really think I look like him?”

  “More than you do me.” She smiled then. “It’s a good thing; it helps me to remember him. Plus he would have said he had all the looks in the family anyway. Plus you’re wearing his necklace.”

  “He left it for me. I haven’t taken it off since I found it.”

  “John wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.” She hugged me again and then pulled back, looking into my eyes.

  “I thought you were dead?” I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that, but it was all I could think of.

  She winced for a second, as if she had been hoping to avoid the question. “Everyone did. It was the only way I could keep you safe. Your father and I were being hunted. Neither of us wanted anything to happen to you.”

  “So you had to leave to keep me safe?” I hope it didn’t come out sounding like an accusation, but I just had to know.

  “I did. Your father stayed behind to hold them off while I ran. Everyone thought I died in the blast. I left you with some close friends and disappeared. If they thought we were dead, you were safe. If I was alive, then you might be too and they would have never stopped hunting us.”

  “Why were they hunting you in the first place?”

  “Because of the damn prophecy. Because we dared to have a child together. They were hunting us because of what you represented; the thought of an offspring between a Lycan and one of the gifted was something that couldn’t be tolerated.”

  “So you’re saying that Dad died because I was born.”

  She stepped forward and hugged me again. “No, never think that, never believe that,” she whispered fiercely into my ear before stepping away. “We were hunted because they thought we were too powerful, that we had become a threat to the council. They wanted to kill us to make an example, and they succeeded.”

  “I’m not sure what to say. This is a lot to take in.”

  “You don’t have to say anything. I know that you don’t know me, but if it’s ok with you, I would like to get to know more about you.”

  “Thank you for trying to make this easier on me. Why don’t we get together tomorrow and talk again. You can come over to my room; I have some people I’d like you to meet.”

  “That sounds perfect.”

  “See you then.” I turned to leave.

  “Jackson, I’m here with other Lycans to help Adam defeat Gaston. I think he has something planned for tonight, so
you might see me again sooner than tomorrow.”

  “I think I’m ok with that.” I turned and gave her a smile before walking out the door.

  So many emotions swirled through me as I left Adam’s office. I had family, real genuine family. That was something that I had thought I lost forever. Now I just needed to figure out how I felt about it. What was going to happen between us? Would she move here? Would I just see her on holidays or for missions? It was too hard to worry about the details. They would sort themselves out. One thought just kept playing over and over in my mind. She’s alive, and I have a family again. I wondered why Henry and Adam had looked so worried. This was a good thing, right?

  I couldn’t wait to tell April. She had always thought that it was so sad that I never had the chance to meet my parents. Now I had gotten to meet one of them, and it felt pretty darn good. I walked back to my room, not sure if my feet even hit the ground. I had a family.

  When I got back into my room, I was shocked to see my three friends there waiting for me. It was like they just knew that I needed them right now. Britta and April were on opposite sides of the couch, and Marcus occupied my big leather chair. All of them wore identical concerned expressions on their faces. April patted the couch next to her. “What are you guys doing here?” I asked, making my way over.

  As I sat down, Britta leaned into me and April gave the smallest of scowls before patting my leg. Marcus just looked interested to find out what was going on. I looked at each of their faces and could tell none of them knew yet.

  Marcus just kind of gave me a wink. It was one of those innuendo-filled kinds. I didn’t think either of the girls saw it, at least I hoped not, for his sake. It seemed to say man, what I wouldn’t give to be where you are now. Then he finally broke the silence. “Henry came and found us. Seemed to think that you would need a couple friends around when you got back.”

  April gave Marcus a look. “We ran into Britta on our way here, and Marcus thought that she should come with us.”