Unnaturals

by Dean J. Anderson

  The witch indicated the redhead. `This one is Renee. I'm Nikki.'

  Mason raised an eyebrow. Renee seemed very human now, compared to the woman he'd been fighting. And both women was being very unlike Bloodells, who'd never been much for chat, or introductions.

  `Whoop de doo,' Wilson snorted. `Still doesn't explain why we're here, or why you attacked us on the island.'

  `We didn't attack you, idiot.' Renee took a couple of rapid steps towards them, green eyes flashing. Mason blinked at the speed of her response. She sounded so human now, yet she was so fast. He tried to form a reply, but his brain was moving so slowly. The earth began to tremble.

  `Holy shit!' Renee moved so fast she was a blur, finally coming to rest on top of the crypt.

  The ground had begun to move upwards. An arm formed, followed by a head.

  `That,' Nikki said, climbing up beside her sister, `would be the freaky bit you mentioned before.'

  Wilson shuffled back and Mason pulled Ruth around behind him. Something touched his mind and he didn't know if the situation had improved or just become worse.

  He knew that touch. It was her. The voice.

  `A woman,' Wilson said.

  Liquid blue eyes stared back at them. Earth made her flesh and skin. Strands of sand formed her long hair. Her lips were of a deep clay red. He smiled. She'd put make-up on.

  `It's my Voice,' he said and was rewarded with her smile.

  `You know her?' Nikki said, clearly surprised. `You do realise who she is?'

  `No. Who is she? On the day — the real day — this happened, we all heard her voice.'

  `We hear her in our dreams,' Ruth whispered, stepping towards the earthen figure. `Who are you?' she demanded.

  `She's Gaia.' Nikki said from her spot on the crypt, sounding worried. `Or Mother Earth as some know her.'

  The woman nodded.

  `You, Gaia, brought us back here?' Mason breathed more easily as she nodded again. `What for?'

  An arm came up and she pointed at the two women crouched on the crypt.

  `Oh, shit,' Renee muttered.

  `The Unnaturals?' Mason frowned, trying to understand. `You want me to, what, deal with them?'

  The ground shook under him. Gaia didn't really need to shake her head.

  Then the arm came up again, and she beckoned the women down.

  Renee moaned. `I got a bad feeling about this.'

  `Don't be a wuss. Come on.' Nikki slipped down off the crypt and stood waiting.

  `No way, sis. This is way too freaky.'

  Nikki glared up at her sister. `You got to trust me here. The magic stuff, I handle. You do the fighting, remember? Now, come on.'

  Gaia stood patiently, hand outstretched.

  Renee climbed down, under protest, not taking her eyes off Gaia who beckoned again.

  `Shut up, Renee. This is not the time to argue.'

  Mason hummed, surprised to realise they'd spoken the truth. `So they are really sisters.'

  `Is that important?' Wilson whispered.

  `Yeah, I thought it was a cover, but…' He glanced at them, reading their scents. `They really are sisters. Bloodells don't do happy families.'

  `They don't look like sisters.'

  `That's because you're men,' Ruth said. `Ignore hair and height differences. They're sisters.'

  `Oh.' Wilson shrugged.

  Mason would have smiled, but Gaia turned to him, reaching out for his family while the sisters approached to accept her other hand.

  Everything slowed. Mason hestitated. He felt the urge to run but Gaia smiled some more and his legs went heavy. He stared back, knowing something unexpected was about to happen whether he liked it or not.

  Ruth glanced at Mason, statue-like beside her. Gaia's fingers made a soft rustle as she beckoned again. `Child.'

  Ruth's eyes widened as she grasped what was happening.

  The voice touched her mind again. `Trust I have in you.' Ruth followed Gaia's glance at Mason. `He is strong-willed, loving. But tainted with a powerful rage.'

  `Mum?'

  `I can hear her, in my mind.'

  `But Dad's not moving.'

  `I think he's okay.' Ruth looked back to Gaia.

  `Hunter needs to listen and let us speak.'

  `Gaia is kind of making sure he doesn't lose his temper just right now.' Ruth glanced at Mason standing stony-faced beside her.

  `Uh-huh,' Wilson muttered, resting his hand, hot and strong, on her shoulder. `I don't like this.'

  `We've got to trust her, Wil.'

  `Not her — them.' His finger moved in the corner of her vision.

  `I don't think the sisters are going to try anything with Gaia here.' Ruth hoped she was right. The sisters didn't look dangerous to her. And they smelt nice.

  `The sisters will not harm you or your family.'

  `Gaia says they won't try anything, Wil.'

  `Hey, he's—' Renee shut up as Nikki spun round and grabbed her by the face.

  `Keep your mouth shut and behave.' Nikki leaned in closer and, though she whispered, Ruth found she could hear easily. `Don't screw this up. We're here because Gaia wants us to be. She's not one to invite our kind anywhere.'

  `The Darkells child is right. To act rashly now would be a mistake. Tell her so.'

  `Oh.' Ruth wanted to know what a Darkells was, but now was not the time. She wet her lips and felt the command flow through her, from Gaia.

  `Now is not the time to argue. To act rashly now would be a mistake.' Physical energy rippled out, filling her as the ground shifted beneath her feet. The sisters froze as the air vibrated.

  `Mum?'

  `The Voice of Gaia,' Nikki said, letting her sister go. `The woman is at one with the goddess. Gaia, I give you my word that she, that we shall not act in a rash manner.'

  Ruth blinked as Nikki's fear tainted the air. Again with the scents? What was happening with her sense of smell?

  `My time here is short, child, so listen. There must be no war between the Douglas and Darkells clans. Take my hand.'

  Ruth slipped her hand into Gaia's, enjoying the warmth of her touch.

  `What are you doing?' Wilson squeezed her shoulder. `Mum, what's happening?'

  `I think Gaia wants to show us something, to make sure that there is no distrust between us and the sisters.'

  `She wants a treaty between us and Butcher?' Renee stared at Gaia's outstretched hand.

  `No. Peace between my family and yours.' Ruth felt how right her words were. When Mason was with her, he was not Butcher. Just a loving family man. `To have no bloodshed between us.'

  `Why?' Nikki looked to her. `Why would we do this?'

  `Without each other, both clans will perish. A war is coming and the clans must be united.'

  `A war?' Ruth's mouth went dry but she didn't move her hand. `I don't understand.' She ignored the question on Nikki's face and Wilson's grip on her shoulder. Gaia held her attention.

  `Another seeks to take this world. All here will perish. You will watch your children die as Hunter is lost to the darkness.'

  `My children?' She touched her abdomen out of instinct. `I cannot have any more children.'

  `You will have children, many more. You are mother, lover, wife. All that is yet to be, hangs on you. It is you who have to lead here, because Hunter cannot. He is blinded by hate and will be lost if he cannot find his true self.

  `The Darkells can help, but they have to be as kin. You alone cannot do this, and they need you as well. Follow your instincts, child, for they are a powerful gift.'

  `What's she saying?' Nikki asked, excitement in her voice.

  `Yeah, what is going on?' Wilson's heartbeat was loud in her ears.

  `Okay,' she said touching Wilson with her free hand. `We need to agree to a treaty between our two families. That's the word, right?' Gaia nodded. `Treaty between us and the sisters.'

  `You think that's a good idea?'

  `The other option is we continue trying to live as we have been. Is that what you w
ant, Wil?' Ruth's stomach churned.

  `No,' Wil's grip eased. `I want to stop trying to second guess everything. I want us to be together and safe. I want Sal to be safe when she's with me.' His hand joined hers in Gaia's.

  `Are you nuts?' Renee pulled Nikki back from taking Gaia's hand.

  Nikki's eyes fixed on Ruth. `Maybe I'm nuts but, but it feels right.'

  `It feels right!' Renee threw her hands up and backed away. `Gaia's not a deity who has been exactly friendly to us. And him,' she pointed at Mason, `he's the freaking Butcher!'

  Ruth sagged. Renee was right. Mason would never—

  `I believe in you, Ruth.' Mason moved to join their hands in Gaia's. `Like I said, you know how to love and trust. It will not be easy but,' his arm went around her, `I will try.'

  Ruth leaned against him, feeling his body hot and tense. `You can start by not glaring at them. I can feel you doing it.'

  `Old habits die hard.'

  `No way am I doing this.' Renee stood, arms crossed, behind her sister.

  Ruth almost felt the grating of Nikki's teeth as she turned to her sister.

  `Whatever!' Mason snapped. The mood hardened. Renee glared at Mason. `Nikki's agreed, so let's get on with it.'

  Ruth stomped on his foot but failed to make an impression. He didn't flinch. `Mason, you said you would try.'

  `I am.' He waved a hand at Renee, `but she's obviously not going to do it, which suits me fine. She's a brat who thinks she's above us.'

  `A brat!' Renee slapped her hand over her sister's. `Better a brat than a freak.'

  Ruth squashed the smile threatening to form. Mason was helping, in his own way.

  `Okay, we've been sucked back in time. Seen ourselves dying again, met Gaia and now made up with the freaky sisters,' Wilson muttered loud enough for all to hear.

  Ruth closed her eyes for a second, her own temper itching at the distrust around her.

  `Oh,' Nikki gasped.

  Ruth saw a warm, soft fire flick across Gaia and onto their hands.

  `Nice,' Wilson said.

  Ruth watched it touch her, then Mason.

  `What's it supposed to—' Nikki buckled at the knees and Renee caught her. `Holy shit!'

  Ruth tensed as the fire surged, making every part of her tingle. Then it was gone.

  `Cool. Really weird, but cool.' Wilson looked at his hand.

  Mason did the same.

  Ruth swallowed. She felt hot, very hot. `Is it me or is it, um, hot?'

  Mason put his arm around her again. `Welcome to my world.'

  `Mum, Dad!'

  Gaia now stood encased in a blue energy.

  `This is what she wants us to see.' Ruth watched, colours and scents washing over her. The sisters glowed from the glare off Gaia. The ground hummed underfoot and Gaia turned to look down at the family, the other version of them, frozen in time.

  `This is going to hurt.' Mason's grip tightened. She felt Wilson's hand on her shoulder.

  Gaia knelt. `Be strong and follow your instincts and heart, my child.' She drove her glowing arms deep into the dying family.

  `She's part of us.'

  Ruth watched the torrents of energy poured from Gaia. Into Mason, with his chest torn open. Into Wilson, who'd been shot in the back trying to rescue them. Into her own cowering body. She knew then how they had survived. Not through a miracle, but by Gaia's life energy flowing into them.

  Renee screamed as the ground heaved. Nikki staggered and fell. Lightning streaked above them and shattered the air.

  The world around them began to shift and break apart. Mason held her, but it was the fear on Renee's face that made her act.

  `Help them!' Ruth tried to push Mason's arms off, but the pressure was too much. The ground began to melt away. `Mason, help them!'

  He tensed. She pushed again and then he was gone, moving unhindered through the chaos, his shape visible through the swirling debris.

  `Let him help!' she yelled as he offered his hands to the sisters. `Please, trust me. Let him help.'

  The world began to fold in and cold raced towards her. The sisters were not connected, as her family was, to Gaia.

  `Dad, it's coming.'

  A wave of icy darkness bore down on them. Ruth froze.

  Mason glanced back, his face overshadowed by another. Something darker than Butcher, something thriving on the chaos, the thing she knew Gaia had warned her about: what he could become.

  Nikki lunged for his hand. Ruth trembled as the shadow vanished from him. The last image in her mind as the cold darkness crashed down was Mason grabbing Renee.

  CHAPTER 6

  Wilson stirred, tongue thick in his mouth. Light seeped in through his eyelids. A shape stood nearby. Wilson let his mother go and stood up. They were back in the clearing. Mason stood over the sisters lying on the forest floor.

  `Dad?' Wilson's breath caught in his throat. His father's face was hard, creased in a frown. `You okay?'

  Mason looked at him, black-eyed. `Not sure,' he muttered.

  `Your face… When it's like that, is that him? Butcher?'

  Mason's eyes returned to normal and his face softened. `Did it look like me?' Mason touched his own face.

  `No.' Wilson stood up, careful of his mother's legs. `It's kind of alien. Hard. I don't like it.'

  `Sorry,' Mason smiled, but did not move, and Wilson could feel something was wrong. He'd always been able to sense his father's mood, even before—

  `The freaky sisters, are they a problem?'

  `Maybe.' Mason shrugged and shuffled back. `I can't tell any more. I always could see danger but now...'

  Wilson watched his father frown again, without the anger.

  `Is it like that? You can sense things from the Unnaturals? Like danger?'

  `Yes, mostly.' Mason rubbed his nose hard with a finger.

  Wilson wanted to smile at seeing his father's old habits reassert themselves.

  `Mum seems to like them.' He spoke quietly as Ruth stirred. `Back there with Gaia, Mum was in control. She had a power. Are we really going to be friends with them?' He couldn't quite believe what had happened.

  `I wasn't involved in whatever passed between your mother and Gaia.' Mason looked from Ruth to the sisters. `But I trust her, Wilson. We have to. There are some things I can't see that she can.'

  `Clear as mud.' Wilson shrugged. `But I'm not hanging around for round two when they wake up. Sally's here and I need to be with her. Since they aren't a problem, I'll go.' He caught sight of his pistol and picked it up. `I don't want Sally to worry or think I'm too clingy with you back. She thinks it's sweet I came to check up on you.'

  `Yeah, sweet,' Mason drawled. `Go take good care of her, Wil. We'll be right. Enjoy your time here. If anything serious pops up it won't be hard to find you.'

  `That's nice. So if I see you, it means the shit has hit the fan?' He waited as his father opened and closed his mouth, struggling. `Look, how about me and Sal drop by on our way out for dinner? We can say hi and have a conversation like normal people.'

  `Good plan.' Mason smiled at him. `It would be nice to meet Sally again.'

  `There you go, Dad, normal conversation.' He grinned back and winked as he began to leave. `Try to stay out of trouble, will you?'

  `I'm supposed to say that to you.'

  Wilson shook his head at Mason's expression. Ruth began to wake up. `See you around seven.'

  `I won't forget,' Mason said. He squatted down beside Ruth, touching her with great care. Wilson watched for a second, his father's simple actions saying more than any words could. He left with his mind on Sally.

  Ruth took a deep breath, eyes closed, and stretched, listening to Wilson's footsteps fade away. Dappled sunlight warmed her. Hands, strong but loving, touched her face and trailed down her body. Checking for injuries, she thought, until they stopped at her hips.

  `Hey you,' Ruth said, opening her eyes as Mason leant in. `I feel great. And damn you smell delicious.' She pulled him in and kissed him hard. Scents and fla
vours burst through her. Strong thumbs rolled the string of her bikini against her skin. Blood rushed through her and the fabric of her top felt delicious against her hardening nipples.

  `Now you know what it's like for me,' Mason whispered. `You have always smelt divine but now it's stronger. It's so very strong.'

  His fingers trailed up the inside of her thigh and she shuddered as he leant in and whispered in her ear. `It's like we're discovering each other all over again.' He kissed her neck, then her covered breast as he moved down. His thumbs rolled the top of her bikini bottom.

  She gasped at the touch of cool air against her sex and arched, wanting him.

  `Um.'

  Ruth looked up. Nikki stood beside them, eyes fixed on what Mason had revealed.

  Mason growled, snapping her bikini bottom back in place. `Christ, I forgot about you. What's wrong with me?'

  `Mason?' Ruth grabbed his arm, watching his face crease, the moment lost. Everything cooled in her as he glared at Nikki. She stood up, pulling herself up on Mason's arm, inhaling Nikki's scent.

  `Ah,' Nikki looked at her, a blush highlighting the vee in her neck.

  Another scent touched Ruth. `Relax. Everything's fine.' She squeezed Mason's arm and he glanced at her.

  `Uh-huh, so what's next then, Ruth?' He let her go, and moved away looking tense. `We invite the girls for wine and nibbles back at the villa with a good old chat about life?'

  She ignored his sarcasm. `Good idea.' Ruth glanced at Nikki and Renee watching her, agog at the suggestion. `It would be the civil thing to do, Mason, since we're not going to fight any longer.' The control she had felt good. Mason stared at her, jaw clenched, but she wasn't going to back down. They needed to get to know the girls.

  `Whatever,' he snapped, but she caught the flicker of his eyes as he assessed the sisters. Colour touched his ears and uncertainty clouded his face for a second. The sisters made him nervous.

  `Look, this is odd, I know. But you have to trust me, Mason. Please.'

  `Okay.' He glared at her. `I'll get some more bloody glasses out then.' He turned and headed down the slope towards the villa, stopping to scoop up the pistol Ruth had dropped earlier.

  `You don't have to do this. We can just leave,' Nikki said, standing close as they watched Mason walk down the slope. `I'm not sure a chat would be a good idea. It may aggravate him more.'