The Haret (The Haret Series)

by Denise Daisy

  Felicitas had never heard her mother talk back to her father let alone utter a curse word. In spite of everything seeming so hopeless her mother’s sudden display of courage lifted her spirits.

  Sharon softened her voice and turned her words to Felicitas.

  “Honey, dear, what do you want from us?”

  “I want to talk to Ian for a minute.” Ian stepped forward pleased to be beckoned. He lowered his hands until Sheriff Edwards told him to keep them high.

  Grant stepped to the other side of Felicitas his gun hanging by his side yet still clutched firmly in his hand. She felt safe enough between the two, she kept her arms crossed in front of her and fired off her first question.

  “Why did you give my private journal to the media? Didn‘t you think that might humiliate me?”

  Ian took another small step forward.

  “I’d rather you be humiliated than taken advantage of.” He cut his eyes over to Grant. “I’m trying to protect you from this pervert. I’m not the bad guy Taz, He is. He drugged you and stole your purity that you value so much.”

  Felicitas shook her head. “Grant didn’t drug me or steal anything. I didn’t lose my virginity Ian.”

  “Well you’re pregnant aren’t you? Wanna explain to everyone how you got that way cause I’d sure like to know?”

  Felicitas was tired had no desire to tell the whole bizarre story.

  “Yes I am pregnant Ian, but it’s not what you think.”

  “Then what is it then? Why won’t you say? We all want to hear? Are you saying you’re in love with this mountain man’s standing next to you? Is he the mystery man you write about in your journal? Is that why he nearly put a bullet in all of us? He protecting his baby?”

  Ian turned to Sheriff Edwards. “A forty year old man having sex with a seventeen year old. Now that has to be a crime even in your hick town.”

  Ian’s sarcasm hurt.

  “Ian, you’re being rude. I got pregnant in a dream.”

  Ian laughed and ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

  “Damn it Taz! I thought you were smarter than this. Are you on something? What has this ass hole given you?”

  Again he cut his eyes over to Grant and curled his lips in a snarl.

  “You took what was mine and I swear I will kill you before this is all over.”

  Felicitas gasped unnerved at the anger in him she had never witnessed before.

  Grant didn’t respond but took a small step forward and slightly cocked his head in an unspoken challenge to Ian.

  The stand-off lasted only a few seconds before Felicitas decided to relieve the tension and turned the conversation to her mother.

  “Momma, Grandma showed me the heirloom storybook. It totally backs up what happened to me. I think you and daddy should read it. I want to be home more than anything but I don’t want to come if no one is going to believe me. I’d rather stay with grandma.”

  “That’s not up to you Felicitas.” Melvin said refusing to stay quiet any longer. “As your father I am obliged to do what’s in your best interest. It’s your senior year; you have college to think about especially now since you’re going to have a kid to raise. I don’t know this man standing next to you with a gun in his hand and as your father I do not approve you staying under the same roof with him.”

  “Besides all of that,” Detective Russell interjected. “There is still an attempted murder under investigation. You are going to need to be available for questioning and depositions. And whether you like it or not you are going to be ordered by the County to go to counseling. You have caused quite a disruption…”

  Sheriff Edwards spit out a stream of brown fluid.

  “Seems to me the crime was committed less than two miles from this house. If there’s any depositions or questioning it will be done right here, not in Murfreesboro. Might be best for her to hang around for a while and as far as I see it there aint nothing illegal ’bout a child visiting her grandma.”

  Melvin tossed out one last threat.

  “I can bring a court order and override your jurisdiction.”

  “You’ll do no such thing.” Sharon said.

  “I am her mother and I give my permission for her to stay here tonight. You force her to come home and she will just run again. At least here I know she’s safe.”

  “Safe?” Melvin flung his arms into the air? “Is this what you call safe?”

  “She‘ll be safe tonight because I am staying here with her. I‘m warning you don’t fight me on this.” She turned her attention to Grant.

  “Now I’m coming in to see my mother. Step aside and don’t shoot me.”

  Sharon held her head high and flounced gracefully across the yard and up the porch steps. She paused at the top and turned to face the three left standing near the car.

  “Go home. I‘ve got this.”

  She took Felicitas hand and entered the old farm house.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  The doctor stitched up Rosie while shaking his head in disbelief that only hours after she brought in a gunshot victim she would return as one herself. He did admit that he wasn’t at all surprised and said nothing about that woman shocked him anymore. Felicitas could tell that half the men in the town seemed to have a deep respect and somewhat of an infatuation with her grandmother.

  After the doctor patched her up he sent her home with a strict order to rest along with a ton of pain killers which he knew she wouldn’t take. According to Rosie pain killers were for the weak. Even with one arm in a sling she insisted that Grant open up the diner so she could feed everyone.

  Still feeling empowered, Sharon demanded Rosie sit and rest while she and Felicitas threw a meal together. Esther offered her help as well more eager to hang out and spy on Grant and Rosie. She had no intention of going home until she knew what was going on. Reed hadn’t insisted they leave and under the circumstances he seemed quite content to be where he was.

  A blustering wind whirled about outside scattering leaves and rattling the windows but inside the warm café the pleasing aroma of home cooked food made the small restaurant an ideal place for everyone to gather. Such a stark contrast to the awkwardness Felicitas experienced yesterday. She forced back tears as she carried the food to the table and looked over at the place where she and David sat less than twenty four hours ago.

  Rosie insisted they say grace so everyone bowed their heads and took the hand of the person sitting next to them. Felicitas held Esther’s hand but did not close her eyes. Instead she watched her grandmother lift her face toward heaven and pray. In all her years of attending church she never heard a prayer like this one. She watched in awe as Rosie talked to God as if he were standing right next to her. She didn’t use flowery words or speak in some old English gibberish, she just spoke plain and simple like she always did and kept her eyes opened as if she were talking face to face with the Almighty. She prayed healing for David, her words so powerful Felicitas half expected him to walk in the café and join them.

  Felicitas took her attention to her mother who was also watching Rosie pray and was moved to see the admiration on her mother’s face. Sharon must have felt her gaze because she turned to look at her daughter. They both gave each other a soft smile then bowed their heads for the remainder of Rosie’s supplication.

  After a delicious meal of roast chicken, collard greens, creamed potatoes and fried okra, Meredith headed back to the hospital to be near her son. Danny stayed at the diner a while longer before going home. Once Danny left Sheriff Edwards suggested the rest of them settle down with a cup of coffee and discuss their present situation. He gave all the legalities as to what they would be facing come morning. He said Grant was a prime suspect in David’s shooting since he was the last one to see him not to mention the incriminating text messages sent moments before he was shot. Both messages pointed a suspicious finger at Grant. Sheriff Edwards believed Grant was innocent but also knew Detective Russell would pull a few strings and override his jurisdiction.
Even Sharon agreed that Melvin was no one to trifle with and would more than likely be banging on the front door first thing in the morning. She continued to say she thought it would be in Felicitas best interest to return to her home promising she would do her best to protect her from prosecution or having to attend County Mental Health. It was when she offered her protection that Grant bit back.

  “Lady you don’t even know what she needs protecting from. Those things are child’s play compared to what’s really after her.”

  Sharon straightened her back displaying perfect posture the professional smile forming across her lips.

  “And pray tell what might that be? Vampires lurking in the woods? Werewolves prowling around our house while we sleep?”

  Grant bit back not at all appreciating her condescending remarks.

  “Ever heard of the Drakes?”

  He watched the color drained from her face.

  “No, no I haven’t.”

  “Sharon….” Rosie reprimanded “You have forgotten about the Drakes?”

  “By the look on her face she remembers ‘em all right.”

  Grant’s mocking infuriated her more. She pressed her lips together, an air of hostility returning to her rigid body.

  “I could only wish I had forgotten. Twenty years of therapy and no, but I will not have my daughter traumatized the same way you did me. I have no desire for her to believe your horrific homespun legends. It’s all just a bunch of fantasy and has no bearing in any of our lives.”

  “Tell that to the poor guy hanging on to life in the hospital.”

  “You have no proof that was the work of Drakes.”

  Sheriff Edwards added a teaspoon of sugar to his coffee and stirred it noisily clanging his spoon against the side. It was his way of defusing Grant and Sharon’s squabble.

  “Just so you know the facts, I got a good look at the burned out truck. There was no evidence of how the fire got started. Looks like the work of a huge blow torch. I’m just sayin’…”

  Esther refused to sit quiet any longer. She hated more than anything to be left in the dark. She pretty much demanded to know what or who the Drakes were and what they had to do with Felicitas. Everyone sat silenced at her outburst until Felicitas suggested Grant tell Esther about Chowilawu.

  Grant mentioned that since he couldn’t smoke in Felicitas presence he needed a strong cup of black coffee if he was obliged to tell the story again. To Felicitas surprise her mother rose to get the coffee pot and refilled his mug to the rim. She gave a sly smile, “Go for it mountain man, spin your tall tales. I’m dying to see everyone’s reaction.”

  Grant took a gulp of the steaming liquid wiped his mouth with his sleeve just to annoy her and once again began the legend of Chowilawu. He told it word for word same as he did the night before. He mentioned the two books and that Felicitas was the virgin who carries the child that will reunite the two kingdoms and that he is her guardian, the one who will lead her and the prophesied baby home.

  Felicitas sipped her hot cocoa and watched the expressions on Esther, Reed and her mother’s face. Esther hung on to every word but her face gave no hint as to whether she believed Grant or not. Reed’s face was almost identical to Esther’s howbeit his eyes were more narrowed as if he were lost in deep thought. Felicitas could only imagine what he must be thinking. In a way she felt for Esther. After finally getting Reed’s attention she might lose him because of the insanity of the things surrounding her.

  Felicitas took her attention to her mother who was listening to Grant as if she had heard the story so many times that she could join in and finish it for him. When Grant mentioned the part of Draco, the kingdom of Shadows and the rise of Savas Sharon fidgeted uncomfortably avoiding the careful eyes of her mother. There was something there, another secret. Felicitas was sure of it.

  Grant finished the story with the pronouncement that he believed David’s injuries were the work of the Drakes and if the Sheriff didn’t order round the clock guards for him they would finish the job to which Edwards replied that he already had it taken care of. By Sheriff Edwards contribution to the conversation Felicitas could tell he too believed the tall tale.

  After hearing the story a second time it appeared even more real to her and seemed to bring some of her past dreams back to the front of her memory. She recalled a dream where Raine told her the story and to be aware of the one he called the deceiver. She tried to recall more of the dream but couldn’t. She wished she had her journal with her so she could read parts of it to Grant and maybe shed some light on some of its cryptic messages.

  Esther’s loud pronouncement of her judgment on the story drew Felicitas attention back to the table.

  “It makes perfect sense to me.”

  Sharon laughed, “Esther I figured you a smarter girl than to believe two people can meet in a dream fall in love and have intercourse that results in a real pregnancy.”

  “I believe in my friend Mrs. Rebold. She has never lied to me in all the years I’ve known her. If Felicitas said she got pregnant in a dream then she got pregnant in a dream, plain and simple. I don’t see the problem here. This story confirms her story and if you ask me I can’t understand why you wouldn’t believe the two most important women in your life.”

  Rosie pounded the table in front of her and shouted a hearty amen as if she was attending an ole time revival meeting. Sharon opened her mouth to rebuttal but Esther kept on going. “You were my Sunday school teacher for years and told me that the Holy Spirit came over Mary and impregnated her and when Joseph didn’t believe her an angel told him in a dream it was true. How can you believe that story and not Taz’s?”

  Sharon looked at all the faces staring at her waiting for a response. Even the Sheriff had an annoying grin plastered across his face.

  “I’ll make a deal with you, if an angel appears to me in a dream and tells me to believe this rubbish then I will. But until then, I think Taz needs to go home in the morning.” She turned her attention to Grant.

  “And you sir are free of your guardian duties. Get a job with the witness protection program I’m sure Edwards here can fix you up.”

  Sharon grabbed their mugs and headed for the kitchen. Felicitas wasn’t sure but she thought she just witnessed her mother flirting.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  By nine o’clock all the dishes were washed and the tables cleaned. Grant noticed Rosie growing weary and insisted they call it a night and head back to the house. Esther agreed it was time for her and Reed to go home too. Grant hit the lights as they all stepped out the back door and into the brisk night air. The path to the house was dark; no one had thought to bring a flashlight and the moon obscured by menacing gray clouds offered them little light.

  A few steps down the path and Grant stopped abruptly sniffing into the air like a hound dog on a hunt. He put his hand up motioning for everyone to stop their chatter. Putting his ear to the wind he listened intently then broke into a run.

  “The house is burning!”

  Everyone stayed on Grants heels sprinting down the narrow path. The closer they got the louder the roar of the flames consuming the two story farm house. Just as Rosie arrived her legs gave out beneath her; she fell into the front yard one hand clutching her chest the other extended toward her home. Sheriff Edwards was on his transmitter immediately calling for the fire department and the paramedics. He screamed into the radio saying the wind was picking up and spreading the fire fast. The dry leaves made the entire area a tinderbox. Grant ran to the side of the house and uncurled the garden hose making a desperate attempt to put out the raging fire.

  The brisk wind whipped at the flames stirring the sparking embers sending them soaring into the air igniting the surrounding trees like torches.

  Shattering of glass in the upstairs windows drew Felicitas attention to the roof. She took a step forward straining her eyes trying to comprehend what she was seeing. A disturbing image came into view chilling her in spite of the intense heat radiating off the house
. In the midst of the smoke and flames she saw a dark figure perched on the highest point of the roof like a twisted gargoyle hanging on the side of a castle wall. His massive body stood erect his back was arched and his mouth was spewing out venomous flames.

  Then another flash, a memory, the night in the woods… Raine warned her to run. She inhaled the hideous scent of burning sulfur just as a figure approached. The face would not materialize. The only thing she could remember was sheer terror.

  She tried to scream but not a sound would come from her mouth. The horror of the presence petrified her consuming her strength and stealing the breath from her lungs.

  The drake closed his mouth and turned his head toward her aware of her gaze. His eyes were snakelike glowing in the midst of the flames yet they looked right past her as a sneer spread across his face. Felicitas body gave way allowing her to turn to see the source of his attention. She looked at the ashen face of her mother locked eyes with the creature. With extreme arrogance he gave Sharon a nod. With a wave of his hand a pair of wings, black as pitch and glistening in the glow of the flames, unfurled lifting him upward with the smoke until he disappeared in the threatening sky.

  Sharon stood paralyzed in fear just as Felicitas had been; immobilized by a horrific encounter with the nightmares from her youth. Unwillingly she watched his triumphant exit then dropped her gaze meeting Felicitas eyes before her legs buckled beneath her sending her to the ground.

  Then as suddenly as the drake vanished upward he returned bringing more with him. They landed walking unharmed through the flames stepping from the billows of smoke manifesting them in full view. They circled surrounding everyone. Sheriff Edwards pulled his gun but before he could fire a shot he was consumed by a burst of flames spurting from the mouth of the drake standing closest to him. He fell to the ground dead, his body charred black beyond recognition. Grant dove for Felicitas but before reaching her flames scorched his body melting his skin like wax. Felicitas screamed as he fell distorted and grotesque beside her.