by Mary Ting
Copyright © Mary Ting 2014
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews.
Formatting by Inkstain Interior Book Designing
I dedicate this book to YOU! Thank you for falling in love with Mason and Skylar and all the characters that means so much to me.
Thank you to all my author friends, blogger friends, and everyone who has supported me in any way. To my street team, PR-Damaris Cardinali, PA-Nicole Blanchard, Lisa from The Rock Stars of Romance, editors-Maxine and Melissa, and to my beta readers - Vanessa Strickler, Janie Iturralde, Amber Douglas McCallister, DawnMarie Carpintero, Mary La…you are super stars!!!
Alexandrea Weis and Kara Nichols, this book wouldn’t be perfect without your help.
BOOKS BY M. CLARKE—NEW ADULT
Something Great
Something Wonderful
Something Forever
&
My Clarity (Stand-Alone)
BOOKS BY MARY TING—YOUNG ADULT
CROSSROADS SAGA:
Crossroads
Between
Beyond
Eternity
Halo City
DESCENDANT PROPHECIES:
From Gods
“Sky.”
“Dad?” I murmured, and swallowed nervously.
“Sky.” I heard Mason call my name soon after, but I couldn’t turn to him for even a split second, for fear the stranger would disappear. Instead, I placed my hand on Mason’s arm, letting him know I had heard him. As I waited to hear the answer from the stranger who was standing just a few yards away, my heart pounded out of control and I was frozen in place.
“Sky,” the stranger called softly again.
Though I recognized his voice this time, the voice that sang to me many times before I fell asleep, I had to be sure. “Is that you, Dad?” Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe, and unexpected tears pooled in my eyes from the possibilities after all these years. However, I needed to guard my heart just in case it wasn’t my dad. I didn’t want to be disappointed, but at the same time, I didn’t know what I would do or say if it was him. A part of me wondered if I was dreaming, because it seemed so surreal, but I knew for a fact that I wasn’t.
The stranger took off his black fedora and took a step toward me. It was dark, but the light post was just enough to highlight his body. “Sky, it’s me. Your dad.”
Before he could take another step, Mason stepped in front of me, tightly gripping my arm, preparing to bolt us out of there. I saw the little sparks on the tips of his fingers, but only I could see them since they were curled inward.
“It’s okay, Mason. It’s my father,” I said, but the words barely left my mouth. They got caught in my throat as tears threatened to fall, but I refused to cry. I would not let him know how much I’d missed him, how much I’d ached for him, how heartbroken I was when he left. And how all those nights I’d cried myself to sleep from his absence.
When Mason slowly took a step back, giving me a clear view, my father rushed to stand in front of me. He embraced me tightly and held me for what seemed like an eternity. I felt his body lightly shudder, and I didn’t know what to do.
Stunned by his affection and the familiarity of his scent, confirming he was my dad, my body stiffened with my arms dangling, unsure of how to respond. It should feel natural to wrap my arms around him, but I couldn’t. The last time I had hugged him was ten years ago, when I was eight. My empty heart had blocked the love for my dad to the extent that I felt stone cold toward him.
Backing away, he continued to keep his eyes on me. “I’m sorry for showing up like this, but I didn’t have a choice. We need to talk, but not here and not now. Someone might be watching us.”
He was sorry? After all these years, this was all he had to say to me? Although I was fuming with anger, I had to let it go, especially since there was a possibility that he might be right…someone might be watching us.
“When and where?” I asked, feeling like there was a lump in my throat.
Mason turned toward me with a questioning look, most likely wanting to be included when this happened; he was protective of me that way. It would have been polite to introduce Mason, but I didn’t want to. My father didn’t deserve to know anyone in my life, and Mason wasn’t just anyone.
“How about my place?” Mason intervened.
“Okay,” Dad agreed. “This Friday at eight. I’ll see you then.” Placing his hat back on his head, he gave a nervous smile and started to walk away.
“Wait,” I said out loud, stopping him in his tracks. “You don’t know where he lives.” A part of me wondered if he even intended to meet us at all. Knowing his past, I doubted he would.
Dad turned. “I know where he lives.”
“He’s been watching us, or just me,” I concluded, pacing in my bedroom, seething from anger and frustration. But for how long was the question. How could my dad expect me to wait a week when it had been ten long, dreadful years? What was another week to him?
“I understand why you’re upset. I’m sure he has a good explanation. Don’t let him get to you like this.” Mason was spread out on my bed with his arms tucked behind his head. Seeing the curve of his muscles flexed made him look so incredibly delicious that it stopped me from thinking about my dad for a second. Mason’s body took up the full length of my bed. Under the plain T-shirt, his ripped muscles took shape, and his wicked smile caused all sorts of sparks inside of me. “Come here and lay next to me. I’ll make you feel better.” His tone was sweet, yet playful, adding another level of excitement in me.
Slowly curling my lips, I snuggled my body next to his and released a long sigh. His arms immediately wrapped around me, giving me a sense of comfort and security. When he planted a tender kiss on my forehead, I dissolved into him.
Everything about my life seemed like a dream. Having those creatures—the vultures—after me was bad enough, but to find out I had Hades and Medusa’s blood was even worse. My blood was poison to all descendants of the gods…good or evil. One drop of my blood in their body would cause them to turn into stone, and then into nothing but ashes. I might as well have been Medusa.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t even ask the gods for help. They had all vanished when religion prevailed, or so we were told. Who knew if that was even the truth? With many unanswered questions, we sought the wisdom of the Oracles, but it was useless. Only one Oracle still existed, and while we found some answers, the Oracle wanted me dead when she discovered I was known as the “Keeper of Death.” A prophecy foretold that a Keeper of Death would wipe out all of the gods’ descendants…good and evil.
Luckily for me, I had Mason. It had been only a few days since he confessed how he truly felt about me. Though I felt the same way about him, there was a part of me that would always be uneasy, knowing that I could accidently kill him. It was better to take precautions, just in case.
“Do you have classes tomorrow?” Mason asked, massaging my back idly in a small, circular motion. Somehow, his hand had found its way up inside my sweater when I was lost in my own thoughts.
Quivering from the pleasurable warmth, I enjoyed his simple touch. It made me dizzy and tingly in my stomach. I had forgotten about my father and why I was flustered in the first place. “I have one class in the morning,
and then I’m all yours,” I managed to say, peering up into his eyes. They turned shiny silver, indicating he was using his power. They always glowed like that when he used it, and the brightness increased with the intensity of its strength. It was extremely difficult to speak when all I could feel were the tiny sparks of electricity he was purposely inflicting on me.
“You’re always mine, Echo.” Winking, he dove in for a kiss. It was deep, yet soft and tender. When he pulled away, my fingers were still wrung on his T-shirt and I couldn’t help myself…I held him tighter.
“You okay?” Mason asked, caressing my back.
Exhaling a deep sigh, I pulled back and slid my hand slowly down the curve of his forearm…it was so hard and strong. I needed the physical confirmation that he was really here and that it wasn’t a dream. I had been through some rocky times—almost drowning, almost falling off the cliff, almost being killed by Mason’s half-brother, Remus, not to mention the nightmare with Alena—but that was all in the past.
What worried me most was what the future held for us. Now that my identity had been exposed, there would be more dangers ahead. I didn’t handle the unknown well; it frightened me. Alena was working for someone more powerful than herself; and this leader seemed to have the vultures in control. Who or what else would come after us was the question that needed an answer.
“I’m okay,” I mumbled, turning away. I didn’t want Mason to see the worried look in my eyes. “Just thinking about my classes and my exams.”
Lifting my chin with the tip of his fingers, he stared me squarely in the eyes. “Sky, I know you. I know this isn’t about your exams. Don’t worry too much. I’m here and my family will be there for you, too. I have to trust them and learn to ask for help. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you. Do you understand me, Sky?”
I did, because I would do the same for him. I felt his words in the core of my heart. “Yes, I understand.” My lips curled up to show him I felt better, and I molded my body into his again. I moaned softly, taking in the feel of him, the scent of him, making me forget all of my worries. He had that kind of effect on me.
Mason tenderly rubbed his cheek into mine while his fingers laced through my hair. “Are you hungry?”
“I could eat.”
“Good, I’m starving.” He jetted off the bed and extended his hand to help me up. “Since you have a class in the morning, I’ll leave after dinner.”
I didn’t want him to leave, but I knew he had business to take care of. Managing several restaurants must be stressful. Being business partners with his brothers helped, but knowing Mason, he was more of a hands-on type of manager.
After grabbing my jacket and purse, we headed downstairs and walked out together in the dark.
I took Sky out to dinner. We ended up going to a local restaurant since I planned to go back home. Sky barely touched her food, and I knew why. I didn’t blame her, though … plenty of thoughts must be going through her mind. Seeing her dad had shaken her so much, she must be wondering if it was real.
“You need to eat,” I stated, trying to snap her out of it. I wanted to give her time to process, but I also worried that she wasn’t eating. I knew she was hungry.
“I lost my appetite. You want some of mine?” Skylar grumbled through her teeth.
I forked a slice of her fish and placed it close to her mouth. “Eat.” My tone was demanding, but she knew not to take it that way.
She peered up to see what was in front of her and gave me a huge smile, the kind of sexy smile that made my stomach flutter, in a good way. Then she took a bite. “Yes, Dad,” she said, then froze. “I mean….”
“It’s okay, Sky. Tell me how you feel.” But how could she? So many things had happened. Her life changed the moment the others found out about her, and she would never have a normal life. Selfishly, I was more than glad she wasn’t a normal girl, or we would have never met. Although, if given the choice, I wouldn’t want her to be the Keeper of Death.
“Can we talk about something else?” She scooped up the mashed potatoes with a spoon. I felt better when they disappeared into her mouth.
“What do you want to talk about?”
Sky twirled her spoon in circles around the potatoes, following the motion with her eyes, avoiding meeting mine. “About the time you found out about who you were.” Her question came out hesitantly. I had been avoiding this subject, but perhaps it was time to let her know how I’d found out so that it would help her.
I took a sip of my water and waited for her to look at me. The silence got her attention. “Nick’s mom purposely became friends with my mom through mutual friends. She was really nice to us. She even invited us to her house…the house we are living in now. That’s when Nick and I became acquaintances.”
“Did you get along with him?” Sky was intrigued, leaning closer. She even took a bite of her food.
“Nick was Nick. He was always friendly. He had a plan of easing us into trusting them.” I wiggled my index and middle finger when I said the word plan. “He would call me to hang out.”
“Did you?”
“A couple of times. I think he was trying to figure out if I knew anything about being a descendant.”
“So when and how did you find out?”
I exhaled a deep sigh. It was the day that I wished I could do over again. It was one of the turning points in my life. Had I listened carefully and taken it all into consideration, I might have been able to save my mother’s life. “Nick’s mom was over at my house. They had gone shopping together. She asked me casual questions at first, stuff about school. Then she told us about why my dad had left us, and how she’d found out about the gods’ descendants from him. I clearly remember her words. ‘Come with me. Let me show you what Nick can do. You might be like him. You had the same father. You just need guidance.’”
“Wow. That must have been shocking. At least I saw the vultures to make me believe.”
“It was. My mom kicked her out and told her they were no longer friends, but Nick’s mom didn’t give up. However, it was too late.”
Sky released a sympathetic sigh and reached over to rest her hand on mine. “I’m sorry, Mason. I know that you wish you had believed her so you could have saved your mother, but you can’t think that way. You can’t change the past, but you can make the future better. You’ve been there for me so many times, risking your life for me. I don’t even know how to thank you.”
I kissed her hand, piercing her with my eyes. “You don’t need to thank me. I do it because you mean everything to me, Sky. You are my world. Don’t you ever forget that. Now. Eat. Before I take you to the naughty corner.”
Sky rewarded me with an irresistible smirk, and my mind reeled back to that day.
“Get out!” my mom shouted. “Don’t ever come back. I can’t believe you could do this.” Seeing her body shake and her face turning red in anger, I got out of my chair and placed my hand on her, hoping to comfort her.
Nick’s mom cautiously slid out of her chair and stood up. “I know this sounds crazy, but if you would let me explain.” Her tone was soft and calming, which seemed to add more fire to my mom’s rage.
“Out! I don’t care what you have to say. We are not friends anymore. Don’t call me. Don’t come over. Get out now before I do something crazy. You had an affair with my husband, and even had a child with him? I never knew, and I wish I still didn’t know. I thought he left because he couldn’t handle the responsibility. Now you’re telling me you’re not the only one and that he had other affairs? This is….” Mom wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hold it together. When the tears came, I knew I had to do something.
“Mrs. Grand. Please. You need to go.” It was strange calling her by the same last name as mine. It didn’t bother me before, but it did today. Finding out that I had a half-brother and that he’d known about this all along made me irate, but I couldn’t blame this on him. This was between the adults.
Mrs. Grand slung her purse over her
shoulder and headed for the entryway. When I opened the door for her, she made it halfway out before turning to me. “Please, Mason, I’m not crazy. I didn’t tell your mom, but your father is dead. He came to me the night before he died and told me everything. How do you think I felt? How do you think Nick felt?” Mrs. Grand showed me her hand and pointed at her fingertips. “I believed when Nick showed me that he could shoot what looks like lightning out of his fingertips, like silver colored sparks. It’s beautiful and frightening.”
I nodded to be polite. Mrs. Grand reached inside of her purse and handed me a slip of paper. “You’ve only been to my house a couple of times, so I wrote down my address and phone number, just in case. Please, Mason. Let us help you. These monsters killed your father, and they are after us too. Do something about it before it’s too late.”
“Close the door, Mason,” Mom ordered.
“I’ll give this to my mom,” I stated, indicating the paper she’d given me. I only said it so she would leave. “I think you’d better go now.”
“Talk to Nick, Mason. He’ll help you. He’ll explain everything.”
“Okay.” I nodded politely again and closed the door behind her. Walking to my mom, I dropped the paper on the dining table. I could have dropped it into the trashcan, but I couldn’t. As crazy as Mrs. Grand sounded, my gut told me she was telling me the truth, yet her story was surreal.
“Mason.” Mom wrapped her arms around me and held on tightly. I didn’t know how long she sobbed, but I let her cry on my shoulder until she was ready to let go. My heart ached for her. I was already used to the fact that I had no dad, so finding out he was dead didn’t affect me. However, discovering that he’d had several affairs must have been unsettling for her, especially since we never knew why he’d left us in the first place.
I could only imagine what was going through her mind. Knowing how distraught she was, I decided not to say a word. I had great respect for my mom. Being a single parent—starting from my elementary years—had been difficult for her. She worked long hours as a paralegal, but always managed to have time for me, and since we didn’t have relatives nearby, it was just us. I respected her for being independent and moving forward with her life, instead of sulking around the house for him. I knew I was one of the main reasons why she was brave. Her love for me was enough to give her the fuel to move on.