Insight

by Jennis Slaughter

  Kasey had holstered her gun, but hadn’t left her position in front of Jenny. She continued to watch the situation, already knowing where her loyalties now lay.

  Slowly the witch lowered her arm until the chair was inches above the floor, and then she closed her palm, letting the chair and the man drop the rest of the way. Turning around, she walked out the kitchen door and down the steps from the back porch. She walked away from the house for about a hundred yards and then she again took handfuls of dirt, but this time she threw tiny bits of dirt up at a time until the power was disbursed. Turning back around, she went and sat underneath an oak tree and closed her eyes.

  “Damn it,” growled Delaney. “Think I should go check on her?” she asked Jenny. “I’m not sure if she’s still mad at me or not.”

  Swallowing audibly, Jenny nodded her head, “Yeah, but I wouldn’t touch her, unless she reaches for you.”

  “Okay, Spaulding, you’re in charge. Sumners, you so much as take on step out of line and Agent Spaulding has my permission to call your boss and have you replaced.” With that, she turned and headed into the yard.

  j

  Spotting Raelin sitting under a large oak, she joined the witch, sitting crossed legged in front of her. “You okay?” she asked quietly, unsure of where they stood with each other.

  Raelin stared at the woman in front of her, tears springing to her eyes. “Yes, and I am so sorry. I shouldn’t have said all those things and I should have held you back. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  “No, I’m fine. I’m sorry I’ve brought all this trouble to you. We’re going to form a plan in a few minutes and then head into town. I can get my stuff and stay with Jasper in his spare room,” Del whispered around the lump in her throat.

  “You didn’t bring this trouble to me. Whoever took those girls and Jenny, brought this to my home, while the Kingsleys and Sam Brito brought this into my town. And I don’t want you to go, I didn’t mean what I said Delaney, but if you feel that you must, I can’t stop you.” Raelin hung her head, tears falling upon her cheeks.

  Del wanted more than anything to reach out and brush those tears away, but remembering what Jenny had told her she kept her hands to herself. She looked down at them, feeling her own tears threatening to fall and quickly blinked them back. “I don’t want to, I just thought you felt pressured or cornered or something. That maybe you felt rushed and needed some space. I thought that I’d ruined everything and that it would be easier on you if I wasn’t always in your face.”

  Raelin reached out her hand, but then dropped it in her lap. “I gave you myself because I wanted to. I offered myself to you; you did nothing to pressure me.” She hung her head again. “I’m out of alignment, and I only have myself to blame. I used up too much power yesterday and then last night with you, it was like I got a super recharge, but then I go and do what I did to Sumners. I wouldn’t blame you for leaving me. You need someone normal in your life. Not a messed up, small town witch.”

  “I don’t want to leave you. I don’t want to go back to my empty apartment and bury myself in work because I can’t stand the loneliness. I don’t want to go back to pretending I’m okay and I don’t want to go back to a life without you. Can’t you see that? Raelin, you are my life now. I feel you, even when you aren’t near me. Yesterday when you were in the woods, I couldn’t feel you. For the first time since you made love to me that second night, I couldn’t feel you in my head, and it scared me. I felt so alone and lost and empty. I don’t want that again; I wouldn’t survive feeling like that for the rest of my life. This whole thing is scary, it happened really fast I know but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Don’t you know? Normal isn’t what I want for me anymore.” Del choked on her own tears, no longer able to stop them from falling.

  “I don’t know how to ask you this, but can I have a kiss? I won’t be able to touch you for long...I’m afraid that I’ll take too much from you...I just really need a kiss.” Raelin lifted her hand to the blonde.

  Del simply nodded, unsure if her voice would work and leaned forward, brushing her lips hesitantly over Raelin’s. She threaded her fingers with Raelin’s, letting her take what she needed. “Take what you need Raelin, I think you’ll find I’m a lot stronger than you give me credit for,” she breathed against the full lips of her lover.

  The witch didn’t care who was watching, because at the moment Del’s lips touched hers, she was pulling the blonde into her lap and kissing her hungrily. She pulled in the love that she felt in the blonde and let it flow into the empty corners of her soul, filling her back up.

  Del didn’t try to stop her whimper as she felt Raelin pulling her into her lap. She threaded her fingers through dark waves, holding the witch close as the kiss deepened. She felt jagged edges that had formed inside her over the last few hours smoothing as Raelin held her and she felt their love deep in her chest, warming her from the inside out.

  Breaking away only when she needed a breath, Raelin whispered, “I do love you Delaney, and I’m so sorry for what I said and did.”

  Del nodded her acknowledgment at Raelin’s apology. “And I’m sorry too. For not telling you about the file earlier, and that I got so angry about something you had every right to question me on.”

  Leaning her forehead against the blonde, Raelin closed her eyes. All she wanted to do was to go to bed with Delaney and sleep for a week, but she knew that wasn’t possible, at least not right now. “You need to go take care of the Chief. There are girls out there depending on all of us to get them back. Just please be careful love. I need you home tonight in our bed.”

  Del placed a single lingering kiss against the brunette’s forehead. “I’ll be as careful as I can. Will you be okay here until I get back?”

  Nodding her head, the witch explained. “One of the lines runs under the tree and as soon as you and the others leave, I’ll start to recharge. Would you please ask Jenny to bring me some juice in a bit?”

  “Sure. Keep Rori close by just in case.” Del pulled away a bit, looking down at her hands, “So we are okay?”

  Reaching up to caress her lover’s face, Raelin smiled. “We are better than good. Today was not a good day for Sumners to be an ass. You go do what you need to do and Jenny and I will be fine. If I need you, I’ll send Rori.”

  Del kissed the fingers ghosting across her face and smiled down at Raelin. “He’s an ass every day. I don’t think he picks and chooses. I’ll try not to be too late.” Standing, Del leaned over to kiss the top of Raelin’s head. “I love you, even if I’m an ass sometimes.”

  Caressing the detective’s face, Raelin joked, “Like I’ve said before, you’re my ass, and I love you.”

  Del reluctantly left her witch to rest, knowing Rori wouldn’t leave her side and headed into the house. She entered the kitchen and found Sumners and Kasey going over some paper work while Jenny was bent over what looked to be sheet music.

  “Let’s figure out a plan so we can get this over with,” Del said, sitting next to the younger agent.

  Kasey looked up from the notes and nodded. “I just spoke with Jasper and he said the old building next door is perfect. It’s the last shop on the row so with only his shop sharing walls with it, no one will be able to hear anything that goes on inside.”

  “That’s perfect. Sumners, what have you managed to dig up on our good Chief?” The blonde asked giving him a hard look.

  “He’s been cooking his books. According to his bank records, and the county records, and the account the Kingsley’s set up for re-election, Brito has been siphoning money from the county and re-election accounts. His bank records show that he spends it at the tracks in the next town over.”

  “That’s enough to take him then. What else do we have? We can only hold him seventy-two hours unless we have enough hard evidence to press charges. Right now the account records are circumstantial at best.”

  Jenny piped up, “I don’t know if this helps, but there was a rumor going around that he was arresti
ng out-of-towners for no reason. Isn’t that false arrest or something?”

  Both agents and the detective looked over at Jenny wide eyed. “Where did you hear that from? This could actually be helpful,” Del mused.

  “That is useful. Sumners call the bullpen and have them go over all of the arrest records with Brito’s name on them. If that’s true, we have Brito by the balls.” Kasey gave Jenny a shy smile and gave the girl’s knee a quick squeeze under the table. “Thanks Jenny, I mean Ms. LeBlanc. That’s useful information,” the Agent corrected after catching the disapproving look from her partner.

  “I’ll make that phone call now and then we’ll have them fax Jasper the blueprints for the building next door if they can find them. It shouldn’t be a problem since you need to supply them when you apply for a building permit.” He nodded to the women and left the room, pulling his phone out as he went.

  “Glad that I was able to help.” Jenny’s smile was for the younger agent.

  Del watched as the two younger women got caught up in each other and shook her head. She started quietly gathering the files. “Well, while you two make googly eyes at each other, I’m going to pack up these here files and get ready to go. We’ll head in as soon as Sumners is done. So you might want to say any private goodbyes now.”

  Standing up, Jenny asked the Agent. “Would you mind getting me something off the shelf in the utility room?”

  Kasey blinked at the odd request and nodded. “Yeah sure, just show me what you want,” she replied standing.

  Walking into the small room, the auburn haired girl waited until the taller woman was well in the room before she turned to her to say. “I just wanted to tell you to please be careful with Chief Brito. He’s not to be trusted at all, and if he gets away from you, you will never find him. He knows this area like the back of his hand. I just...I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  Kasey actually looked surprised at that. “Oh, well I’ll be fine. All in a day’s work I guess. We’ll be sure to keep him nice and safe. In a locked room. In fact, once we finish the questioning, we’ll probably hand him over to another group of agents for safekeeping. Statistically it’s safer to have him away from here than it is to risk an attempted escape.”

  Shaking her head, Jenny reached up to pull down the dark head for a kiss. “I think I love your babbling.” She ran her lips over Kasey parted ones, sliding her tongue inside.

  Kasey felt all of the air leave her as Jenny kissed her and it took a few seconds for her to realize what was happening and respond. She wound her arms around the slim waist, holding Jenny gently against her, knowing that this could get her fired, but not really caring anyway.

  “Agent Spaulding, I do believe that I am falling for you,” the younger woman murmured against the brunette’s lips.

  “I think...I don’t...” Kasey closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath, trying to calm her thoughts. “I can’t even complete a sentence around you, I’m a complete spaz, totally awkward and, and I don’t even know,” Kasey groaned. Finally, she breathed in a deep breath. “I know I’m a total dork, but I really like you and I think I’m falling for you too,” she let out in one breath, surprised at her own words.

  Smiling up at the brunette, Jenny smiled. “Then we shall see what shall happens. Please be careful and I’ll be here when you get back.”

  “I will. As hopeless as I am with girls, I’m actually pretty good at being a Fed,” she glanced towards the door, knowing they didn’t have much time. Knowing she was blushing, she leaned down and gave Jenny a quick kiss. “You have my number if you need anything. Watch Ms. Montrose, Del seemed worried about her health after that magic display.”

  “Well, the only girl you have to worry about now is me, and don’t worry, I’ll take care of Rae.” The shorter woman wound her arms around the Agents neck, kissing her one last time. “See you soon.”

  Kasey gave the shorter woman a nod and a quick squeeze before she turned to meet up with the others.

  j

  Sumners came around the corner and spotted Raelin sitting alone under one of the giant oaks in the yard. “You sure it’s safe for you to be out here?” he asked standing over her.

  “I’m safer out here than I would be in a bank vault, but thank you for asking.” Raelin calmly look up at the Agent.

  “You know, I just don’t understand you. You seem so smart, so why then the life of sin? Surely someone as pretty as you could find yourself a good man to take care of you,” he asked with genuine curiosity.

  Looking up at the man, Raelin could tell that he believed in what he was asking. “I don’t need anyone to take care of me, and I don’t believe that I am living a life of sin. What I am, and I mean both a witch and a lesbian, I am naturally. I was made this way and I chose not to fight it. Why are you the way that you are?”

  “I am this way because it was God’s will for me to be this way. Why risk hell to live a self-indulgent lifestyle with a woman who parades around doing men’s work? I know several good men who would be more than happy to show you what you are missing. Help you get back to what God would want for you,” he stated.

  Shaking her head, Raelin tried a different tact. “Your God speaks of love, but restricts who you love. I do not wish to be told who I can or cannot love. If I cannot love honestly, then it isn’t love. Would you force your unborn son to do something that he felt was wrong, just because you felt it was right?”

  Sumners face darkened. “God tells me how to go about my life so that I may be granted eternal happiness after my trials. Any son of mine will do the same and know he is doing God’s work. He will know that if it’s God’s will, it can’t possibly be wrong.”

  Sighing, Raelin gave up. “If you continue acting the way that you do, forcing your views on everyone that you meet, you will have an empty life. Your wife will finally have enough of you bullying her at home, whenever you are home, and she will leave you and take your son from your life. You will have no one but yourself to blame for this, for I am not the only one that has warned you. Your minister and family have told you this also, but you are too proud to listen.” Raelin tilted her head to the side thinking. “Isn’t pride one of the seven deadly sins? Doesn’t that make you going against your God? And the rage that you have inside of you is another. Tsk, tsk...your God may not forgive you. I would be careful.”

  Something in Sumners snapped and he reached down to grab the smaller woman by the collar. He shoved her against the tree, his large hands around her throat, cutting off her air. “I will not let them have my son. People like you are the reason America is in the state it’s in. Filthy heathens!” he screamed, pressing against her throat harder.

  Raelin was too weak to pull any power in. The energy that she received from Del was barely enough to keep her from blacking out and grabbing at the hands around her neck.

  Rori jumped on the man’s back and started clawing and hissing at him, trying to get at his face. “DELANEY,” the cat howled.

  Delaney heard Rori’s cry and immediately ran out of the kitchen and towards where she’d left Raelin. Coming around the corner of the house, Delaney spotted Sumners, choking the life out of her witch. Rage surged through her as she barreled down on the agent. Having caught him by surprise, she managed to rip him away from Raelin and they fell to the ground in a struggle.

  Delaney finally managed to roll the older agent off her and connected a good solid hook to the man’s nose, satisfaction rolling through her when she felt the crunch of the cartilage. Before she could get any further Sumners swung an elbow, connecting with her temple knocking her to the side half dazed. He climbed on top of her drawing his gun as he pinned her down aiming for her head.

  Delaney saw the gun with just enough time to swing her hand to send his aim off and the shot barely grazed her shoulder. They struggled anew and Sumners once again got control of the gun, swinging the butt down onto the side of Delaney’s head just as a second shot was fired. Only the echo of the shots remained as everythin
g came to a silent stop.

  Raelin aimed the gun at Sumner’s head. “You have just doomed yourself to a six by six cell, leaving your wife and son alone.” The witch had picked up the detective’s gun when it had fallen in the scuffle. “Get off her now,” she rasped out, her throat damaged from the man’s choking.

  Sumners turned and sneered at the witch. “This is all your fault,” he yelled, leveling his own gun at the witch.

  “Drop it Sumners!” Kasey yelled from behind him, her own gun drawn and zeroed in on his heart. She spared a quick glance at the blonde and saw the blood oozing from a gash on her head, and the tear in her shoulder, but no movement. When the man didn’t listen, she took several slow steps closer. “I will shoot you dead so help me God, if you don’t drop your weapon!”

  He turned and swung his gun around, and Kasey fired out of instinct, hitting him only in the shoulder. The man cried out dropping the gun and falling to his side as his former partner grabbed him and dragged him off the limp blonde, handcuffing him before applying pressure to his wound. “Jenny! Grab the first aid kit out of my bag!”

  Jenny turned to run into the house when Raelin stopped her from where she had collapsed onto the ground. “No...help me over to Del,” she whispered.

  Reaching up, the witch put her arm around her friends shoulder and they made their way to Kasey and Del’s side. Dropping back to the ground, Raelin closed her eyes and centered herself the best that she could. Holding her hands over her lover, she concentrated on the blonde’s wounds. Breathlessly she pleaded, “Delaney, I need you to open your eyes and talk to me.” Nothing happened. Tears began to fall from her closed lids and Rori came to sit next to her, putting his paws on her legs, giving her some of his energy. “Come on Delaney...don’t you quit on me.” Jenny placed her own hand on Rae’s back along with Kasey’s.

  “Stop that Raelin, you’re going to hurt yourself if you keep using magic when you don’t have the energy for it,” the blonde coughed, not opening her eyes. God, her head pounded and her shoulder burned where the bullet burned a cut as it passed by her shoulder. “And where’s Sumners, I’m going to kick his ass as soon as I get up.”