by C. B. Haight
Everyone looked to her, and she looked down at her hands to avoid their attention. “Only one thing comes to mind,” she paused, “I don’t have my memories back clearly, but I told you all about his memory of me being with him when he was a boy. The details were too personal to share with you, but it seems in light of his current situation, privacy takes a place in the background.”
Cade felt a weight of apprehension settle on his chest.
“I should tell you, first, that my memories have mixed with his, so it is hard for me to distinguish them. I don’t like thinking about it because the emotions are mixed together as well. The emotions are, for me, the strongest part of it.
“The flashes I had the night Jarrett took me started with him trapped in a burning house. I had dreams about it before, but I never understood them until I connected to Jarrett. Sometimes in the dreams I didn’t save him, and everything kept changing as I tried. With Jarrett though, when I touched him, I could see myself through his eyes. I saw myself helping him from that burning cottage in Pennsylvania. He couldn’t have been any older than thirteen, maybe fourteen.
“Since connecting to him that night, I’ve had more dreams. I understand that he was in the house because people in the village nearby thought he was a demon.” Collett steeled herself for what would come next. “The villagers also accused a woman named Rowena of being a witch. She was with him. Jarrett was struggling with his new change to a werewolf. His temper was short, and the people in the village witnessed some of his changes first hand.”
She paused and met Cade’s eyes. “It was horrid what they did to them. I cannot even begin to describe it, and though he was still a boy, he suffered more than anyone should ever have to.” She purposely left out the details of Rowena’s and his torture and how Rowena’s death broke the small, confused boy that was once Jarrett.
Cynda sucked in a breath. “How horrible.” The mother in her cried out for the little boy who saw the worst side of mankind, and Collett felt the strength of her compassion.
“He was twelve. We were big for our age, but he was twelve,” Cade uttered solemnly. They all drew their eyes from Collett to focus on him. “That’s when I changed for the first time, so it’s likely he did too. Our werewolf lineage caused us to be much taller and stronger than other boys our age.”
Collett nodded. “I can’t always sort it out clearly. It’s still very vague. I believe Rowena to be his mother, but he never called her that. He always called her by name.”
“That’s because she wasn’t,” replied Cade. “Our real mother died to protect us. Her name was Lyndell, or so I was told by Merilynn, the woman who raised me. She wouldn’t allow me to call her Mom either. She told me she couldn’t replace my mother and never wanted to, so I called her Aunt Merilynn. She told me a lot about the day I was born and how the village wanted to kill us because they thought our mother was a witch.
“She was—a witch I mean—and Merilynn too. Later, after my first change, she explained that being werewolves was the true reason they sought to kill me that day. The village had seen werewolves roaming in the woods around that time, most likely my father’s pack. That’s how they used to do it then. Werewolves stayed in packs, some still do for protection and control purposes. They do it to keep each other in check, and it is natural to the animal in them.
“Merilynn explained my birth mark and how rumors about my mother being a witch were spreading even before my birth. Then when I was born, the frightened midwife saw my mark and strange eyes and ran screaming for help. Merilynn told me they saw it as a curse from Satan.
“She didn’t tell me of Jarrett. I never knew about him until much later, and it is likely Rowena told him similar things. Merilynn was fiercely loyal to our mother and her memory. I suspect the same of Rowena.”
“She would have to be to take a werewolf baby from a self-proclaimed witch back in those days,” Cynda agreed.
Something pricked at the back of Collett’s mind, but it was gone before she could grasp it. She looked to Cade. “In any case, I don’t understand how or why, but I was there that day. I saved him from the fire. I would only save him though, and she died that night. He hated me for that his whole life. He still does in a way. He blames himself too.”
“Would only save him?” Cynda questioned.
“I don’t know the reason, but I didn’t, or wouldn’t, go back for her. He begged me to, and I refused.”
“So, you think he’s going to where she died?” Nate interjected.
“It’s the only her I can think of.”
“It makes sense,” Rederrick added. “To him, that’s home, and where does a person go when things are at their worst?”
“Home,” Cade confirmed.
Collett pronounced sadly, “I think it’s more than that. Jarrett thinks he is going to die. That’s where he wants to be when he does. We’re out of time, Cade. He’s giving up.”
Chapter 9
Early the next morning, Cade was on the phone in the office trying to make the necessary arrangements for Nate and himself to go to Pennsylvania to find Jarrett. When Collett walked in, Cade was distracted momentarily as his heart skipped a beat. Smiling to his wife, he continued talking, and Collett picked up on his end of the conversation.
“Yeah, well I’m not really sure how long.”
He paused, listened, and then replied, “I know, but I’d really owe you.” His smile spread to a grin, and he laughed, “All right then, we’ll call it even.”
This time, his pause was longer, and as he listened, he watched Collett walk over to him. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into his lap. “I swear I’ll do my best to have you home by Mardi Gras. I wouldn’t want to face your wrath if you missed that,” he said.
Now that she was closer, Collett heard a quick, feminine laugh come from the other end. “I’m counting on it Mon’Ami. If not, I’ll be dragging that new wife of yours down here to The Big Easy and show her how to really party.”
“I’ll bet,” he dryly replied.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she told him.
“I’ll pick you up at the airport then. See you soon.” Cade hung up the phone.
Curious, Collett asked, “Who was that?”
“That was Delphene, a friend of mine in New Orleans. She’s going to break tradition to come and help out here while I’m gone looking for Jarrett.”
“Delphene?”
“She’s…well, she’s like me.”
“Like you?”
In reply, he raised his brows and smiled wickedly.
“Oh, like you, so she’s…”
“Yes, like me,” he repeated, confirming Delphene’s animal side.
“Do we really need more help? I don’t want to keep putting more people in the middle of this mess. Rederrick and Nate seem to have it under control, plus we have Jeffery.”
Cade sighed and stood with her. “I’m taking Nate with me, and Rederrick can’t be at it 24 hours a day. Even with Jeffery, it makes me nervous. I need to be sure you’re all safe here.”
“And Delphene—she can do that? Reassure you that we’re safe?”
“I still hate leaving, but yes, this helps. Even though we haven’t been under attack, I need to know you have protection. Deep in my gut, I know this is far from over. In fact, I think we are just getting started. Rederrick agrees with me, and when I get back, I think it would be best if we go somewhere else.”
“Jarrett too?”
He hesitated a second but nodded. “If he’ll come.”
“Cynda and Rederrick?”
Cade shrugged. “We’ll see, but I don’t know. They would like to stay, especially with Christmas coming.”
“Where will we go?”
“I’m thinking about getting out of the country.”
“I don’t have a passport.”
He shrugged. “We’ll work it out.”
Collett smiled at him. “You’re the boss.”
Cade looked down into her eyes and felt a st
irring inside. She was everything to him. It didn’t matter that their time together had been so short. He moved his hand to her neck and pulled her to him for a kiss. Nipping playfully at her lip, he felt her grin against his lips. They pressed closer together, their lips in sync. Cade savored the sweet flavor of her. Feeling a powerful, consuming need, he gripped her tighter as the kiss became more fevered. Collett’s slender, warm fingers gripped his elbows, erasing any space between them.
“Ahem.”
Reluctantly, Cade broke away from the kiss, but refused to break the connection and held her hypnotized in his intensely heated gaze. “You need something, Nate, or do you simply like tormenting me?”
Collett turned her head to see Nate in the doorway. He smiled, and her flushed cheeks turned an even brighter shade as she blushed.
“Actually, I need a minute, but torturing you a bit is an added bonus,” he said lightly.
Collett turned around completely, and still craving the contact with her, Cade rested his hand on her shoulder.
“Nate,” Collett greeted.
“Hello Mrs. Werren,” he teased. “That’s still going to take a little getting used to. I’ll have to keep saying it so I can adjust. Cade, married?” He shook his head in mock disbelief.
“What is it you need?” Cade asked.
“I set up everything for tomorrow night like you wanted,” he said, smiling.
Collett released a breath. Whether it was melancholy because he was leaving or relief that he was finally going for Jarrett, Cade was unsure, but he remained focused. “Are you still going with me?”
“Yeah, you think I’m going to let you fly that plane?” he quipped.
“You’re a pilot?” Collett asked.
“Yes ma’am. What you see before you is a born and bred Air Force brat,” he replied with a mock salute. He shrugged and turned serious. “My dad was anyway. He died about a year before my mom, and then, after my mom was killed, Cade took me to a family that was also in the Air Force, thinking it would be easier for me. When I was old enough, I picked up where my dad left off - for a few years anyway.”
“All right then,” Cade interjected, “We’ll head out tomorrow and hope we can find him before any more of The Faction’s flunkies do.”
Collett looked back to him. “You will,” she said confidently, as the alternative was unacceptable. Cade squeezed her shoulder, and she placed her hand on his. The separation would be hard for both of them, but they knew doing nothing would be worse.
That night, Collett sat on the edge of the bed in her silk robe and rubbed lotion into her freshly showered legs when Cade came in. He stopped and could do nothing more than stare at the sight of her. Still massaging, she looked up at him. “When will you leave?”
“Huh?” He shifted his gaze from her long legs to her eyes, and her question registered. “Oh, tomorrow afternoon. I’ll pick Delphene up around nine and show her the ropes. We’re scheduled to head out about four.” Moving closer to her with a grin, he took the lotion from her hand and placed it on the bedside table. “Let’s not talk about that right now.”
“Okay. What exactly would you like to discuss instead?” she asked playfully.
He pushed her backward on the bed and leaned over her. “I really would like to not discuss anything.” Her leg came up and her robe opened, exposing her supple skin. “I think it’s time for you to get out of this robe.” He softly ran his hand over her leg, sending shivers through her.
“Okay, I’ll get dressed then,” she teased while nudging his chest and moving to rise halfheartedly.
Holding her down with one hand, he used the other to move further up the soft skin of her leg. “Maybe in a bit,” he mumbled and kissed her knee. “Or maybe not,” he taunted and grinned with a sexy gleam in his eyes. His hand sent chills through her as it progressed until it reached her hip, and he heard her sigh. Cade grinned in satisfaction. “For now, let me help you with this.” He reached for the sash that held the robe closed and tugged on the tie, watching as it slipped free.
Upon loosening the robe, he saw a sliver of skin on her belly and gently skimmed his fingers over her warm flesh, further widening the opening. Enjoying the rare intimate moment together, they lay back on the bed and indulged in the sensation of shared love and sensual touch.
Later, feeling satisfied and warm after their time together, Cade rolled to Collet’s side. He pulled her close so she could lay on his chest and basked in the feel of her skin against his. He gently caressed her back for a time until he noted the abandoned bottle of lotion on the table. Reaching across her, he picked up the cream and sniffed near its top. He grinned and said happily, “So this is where it comes from.”
“What?”
“Your scent.”
“Oh,” she replied quietly.
“Have I ever told you it’s what first drew me in?” He pulled her wrist up to his nose and inhaled a deep breath.
Her lips twitched. “No, you never have.”
“You were standing by your apartment building, waiting for the limo that would bring you here. You looked so nervous then. I wondered what could be wrong, and I watched you for a while. Then, I couldn’t look away. That dress— you—” He shook his head. “No man alive could have looked away. When the wind blew and carried your scent over to me, I was lost.”
She lifted her head and propped it up to look curiously at him.
“It’s true. You have the most intoxicating scent I’ve ever come across, and you are the most captivating woman I have ever seen. I thank God that Rederrick brought you here that day and told me to look out for you.”
“You believe in God?” she asked genuinely.
His lips tilted up in a crooked grin. “Yes, I do. Why are you so surprised?”
“I… I don’t know. It’s just something I didn’t really consider. You’re a…”
“Because I’m a demon?” he finished for her.
“You’re not a demon.”
“Legend and myths say otherwise, but Merilynn wouldn't have me believe it. It didn’t matter that she was a witch—she believed wholeheartedly in God, Heaven, and Hell. She taught me that consequences, whether good or bad, are our own design.” He grinned fondly.
“She would say, ‘We are what we make ourselves, and even the most normal of men can be a demon if they choose to behave as one.’ Then she’d remind me that we are all a part of the Divine Creator’s design, and that He does not make mistakes. Judgment is for him alone.
“She taught me all of that and more. Experience has shown me she was right. Though, sometimes, I had to learn the hard way.
“Plus, I’ve witnessed all kinds of events and miracles to reinforce those beliefs, incidents like you coming here, to us, when you could have ended up in a million other places. To me, that was not mere luck. It was meant to be.”
Collett lay back down and pondered his words. She trailed her finger over his chest with a smooth, soft touch. “What was she like?”
“Merilynn?”
She nodded in reply.
“She was kind and loving, though she had a nasty temper,” he chuckled softly. “You didn’t cross her without feeling her wrath, but she was also quick to forgive at the same time.” His smile widened as memories came to him. “She believed in justice, balance, and that education was the key to all of it. Even back then, in a time where many didn't bother to learn to read or write, she insisted we knew how. Even more, she taught us to stand for what’s right.”
“Us?”
“She got married when I was two and bore six other children,” he answered as he absently twined his fingers in her hair.
Collett smiled and curled into him tightly. She listened as he talked about Merilynn and his long-deceased family.
He spoke for a long time, telling her all about them. They helped him to blend in, and Merilynn trained him to control his animalistic instincts. He described Merilynn’s patient husband, Conner. He was an Irishman who believed in magic, fairies, and the li
ke, making him the perfect match for Merilynn.
Every memory Cade shared warmed her. He spoke as if it all happened yesterday, instead of more than two centuries before. She closed her eyes and pictured the strong, confidant woman with compassionate, dark-brown eyes and a little boy sitting with her—learning to read by candlelight.
“If she didn’t tell you about Jarrett, how did you find him?” Collett asked drowsily.
An unbidden memory flashed through Cade’s mind...
The man on the rock kept his back turned, but Cade could smell the scent of wild beast within him. It was a scent he would never forget. Despite being in the form of a man with long black hair, Cade knew this was the werewolf he was hunting.
The man spoke with a deep voice, “I knew you would come eventually.”
Surprised, Cade asked, “You did?”
“Yes. I have been waiting a long time to meet you,”
Cade was not sure what to say, so he kept silent.
Then the man on the rock stood. With his keen eyesight, Cade could see he was about his same height, same build. He looked a little leaner, but his muscles were sharp. Cade knew if this came to blows, it would not be an easy fight to win.
The man turned to face Cade. “Yes, I have been waiting a long time to meet you, brother.”
Before he could answer, Collett sat up. “He found you. He was looking for you!” she exclaimed.
He sat up with her, intrigued. “You saw my memories.” It was a statement, not a question.
“Did I? I wasn’t even trying, and it was so clear—much clearer than it has been for others. It was almost like…”
Cade waited, and when she didn’t continue, he prompted, “like…”
Her brows pinched together in thought. “It was like with Jarrett but not as strong or as painful. It almost felt like my memory too.”
“It couldn’t have been. Jarrett and I were the only ones there. You said that when you remembered saving Jarrett, you saw yourself there.”