"Yoohooo… Earth to Alexis. Are you even listening?" I had tuned my surroundings out contemplating what the extent of my power was. No wonder the Gods thought it was too much power for us to wield.
"Yes, sorry. Go on." I had absolutely no idea what either of them had been saying.
"Well, open it up." Jo's excitement was barely contained. Her fingers inched closer and closer to the envelope that sat on the desk in front of me. If I didn't open it soon she was going to do it for me. I couldn't figure out why on earth she was so excited about me getting paid. I was new and probably worked three days out of one work week. One of those days I even shut the place down with a super storm. I picked up the envelope that had my named neatly printed on the front.
The thickness of the paper inside sent off warning bells that this was not a normal pay check. I felt across the bottom like a child trying to guess what was under the Christmas tree. A hard metal key caught my attention. I glared at both of them. I just wanted to get paid. Instead I was going to have to deal with some other crap that I got thrust into.
I ripped open the end and slid both the folded paper and key out onto the table. I eyed it suspiciously and waited to feel any twitch from my tattoo but it remained still and silent like a normal tattoo for once.
"What is it?" I still couldn't get passed all the suspicion that these to have created within me.
"You would know by now if it was something harmful, your Aconite would have alerted you." He was right, but I was still human. At least in my mind and suspicion runs deep in our blood. Slowly I unfolded the paper revealing a deed.
"This is a deed for a house in my name." I dropped the document back on the desk as wave after wave of my dream tore through me; the very house from my dream. Without conscious thought my mind raced through parts of the house that weren't from the dream. I already knew the house that I had only dreamed of once. I searched for the address that hung next to the door. Now the anticipated pain from my flower sang through me. It wasn't a dream or a memory, it was a premonition. I instinctively put my hand over my belly as if I would feel the child even now in present time.
"I don't want this!" I yelled as my sight came back to the present. Jo stood next to me as Jonathon cradled me in his arms on the floor.
"Tell me." He was asking me in no uncertain terms to trust him with whatever just caused me to crumple to the floor in a mess of pain and tears. He was asking me to trust him enough to divulge a secret that I wished to keep to myself. I felt that warmth and security he provided. I felt the strength in his stature. He could protect me if only I would let him.
"No."
His grip grew weak, but he didn't let me go completely. I had hurt him but I needed this.
"Not unless you tell me what you two were really arguing over when I came in." If I was going to give a little, they should be willing to give a little as well. I watched as they seemed to have a conversation without actually having one.
"Okay," Jonathon let out with a sigh.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
"I told you my theory on your deaths and how they coincided with you coming into your magic, right?" I shook my head at that. I knew at that moment I wouldn't like what they were arguing about.
"You also know that your family found great joy in your deaths." His voice was low, and he had wrapped his arms tightly around me. He had begun to shake, sharing his sudden fear with me. I was really not going to like what he was about to say. When a werewolf was scared it meant there was really something to be worried about.
"Your family rejoiced from the deaths that they themselves meted out," he said, the last sentence in a rush almost like he was too scared to say the words or let me hear them.
"Are you saying that they killed me in each and every life?" I knew that to be false and they should as well. Sebastian was the one to stab me to death the very first time. Jonathon though bobbed his head up and down in a contradiction to the facts that we all knew as truth.
"But that is not true and you know it. Sebastian stabbed me in my own bed. I saw it." He didn't know I had seen it for myself; but now wasn't the time to get into it. He sank his face into the curve of my shoulder, breathing in deep. He didn't like my reminder, but all I had done was state fact.
"That is not my story to tell." His muffled voice was barely audible against my skin. There he went invoking the “it's not my story” crap again. Pretty soon I am going to get everyone together to go over everything I needed to know all in one shot. I was seriously getting sick of bouncing from one person to the next just to finally get to another mind blowing scenario that is my life.
"Okay, then how does your theory become truth if clearly there was at least one time that I died by the hands of someone else entirely?" I wiggled one arm free reaching out towards Jo. Without a second thought she clasped my hand and pulled me from Jonathon's hold. I wanted to have this conversation like an adult not a child that needed coddling. If I was going to deal with this I needed to learn to deal with it better.
I barely glanced at the paper and key that still sat on the desk, trying to stifle the pain that still laced through me. I wanted one damn day to be normal. I was barely back comfortably in my seat before Jonathon carried on with his terms of the agreement.
"When Alexandria came into her powers the Elektita knew it even before she revealed her unique gifts. Her mother was their informant. Then every time you where reincarnated you died within years of coming into your powers. When the urge to find us was the strongest." Did he just admit to being the reason that I am murdered over and over again? No wonder I held little trust for him. All my dreams felt like different times and different places so it would make sense that we were fated to return to each other over and over again. Jo was destined as my familiar. I swung my attention to her.
"You led him to me." I knew I sounded accusatory.
"No, Alexis, you always find us." That was destiny at its finest. I had been wrong. I was destined to make the same mistakes in each life. That is what Jonathon's theory sounded like to me.
"Each life you would search us out, the Elektita, learned of your decision and ended that lifetime before you could be the downfall of their plan."
My mind whirled with the implications. I knew that what I felt between Jonathon and Sebastian was beyond love, but I would have never thought it was destiny. Then on top of it all, the Elektita had their own connections to the magic that lay within me. They could find me once it was awakened.
"But her family is long gone. I am sure the hunt for the chosen one was buried with them." I looked between the two, waiting for them to confirm what I knew as truth but they both sat their quietly, sullen.
"Right?" I was panicking now. There could not be that many immortals running around searching for the next incarnate of the chosen one.
"The Elektita’s beliefs have been passed down through the generations in hopes that one day the power that they feel was taken unfairly would be returned. They hunt you still to this day."
I mentally checked that as something very significant in my here and now before asking the next question.
"What does that have to do with your argument?" He was beating around the bush and I wanted to know why.
"Jo sensed one of our spells, along the perimeter, being tested. Our spells were placed within a hundred miles of us to keep out those who would do us harm. They are only triggered if the person trying to pass is seeking harm on us, or more specifically you."
"What in the hell where you arguing about?" I still wasn't getting why any of this would cause an argument. If they had spells in place to keep them out why would that be cause for worry?
"Jo wanted to tell you, I didn't." I wanted to give her a hug and scream to the world how thankful I was that someone actually wanted to tell me the truth prior to it blowing up in my face, but the anger at Jonathon swallowed my happiness whole.
"You wanted to keep the fact that someone may be trying to get to me a secret—from me." My voice exploded in
to a violent outburst that I am sure echoed through the entire place. I had been surprisingly calm up until this point. I slammed my fist into my chest repeatedly.
"You wanted to keep the fate of my life a secret."
"Calm yourself, Alexis. I only wanted to hold this information until I spoke with Sebastian. If there is a way we can strengthen the wards there would be no reason to worry." I felt sick with each word he spoke as a sinking feeling settled itself deep within me.
"There is no way for you to stop them." I spoke the words with such calm surety that I sent my arm hairs on end.
"What do you mean?" Jo's voice had reverted back to the fast squeak it did when she was scared I was going to cause another mess. I set my attention on the moon that sat in between the trees along the wall. I was going to tell them about my dream omitting the promise of a child. A little voice inside urged me to keep that part a secret. I took a deep breath in and exhaled. I was about to confess that I had lied to them when I had done nothing but ask them to be truthful with me.
"I lied to you, Jo." I looked her fully in her large green eyes pleading for her to understand.
"Last night, my dream was not a repeat of a prior dream. It was new and scared me more than any before." My heart was pounding. The urge to flee was thrumming through my nerves. I didn't want to face this now or ever but with potential enemies banging at the front door it was now or never.
"I didn't dream of the past or even the present. I dreamt of the future. I couldn't tell how far into the future but it definitely was the future. I lived in a house of my own. The address wasn't recognizable until now." I flicked the deed that sat on the desk." Jo sank into the other chair that sat directly in front of me, dread written into the lines of her face.
"I was getting the house ready for Christmas dinner. Everyone was coming." Pain engulfed my chest as I grew nearer to the part that I hoped meant nothing. Now that I knew that it was more of a premonition than a dream I was even scared to speak it out loud.
"Sebastian had set the wards so when the doorbell rang I knew it would be you two." I swallowed a large gulp of air, working to steady my breathing. I could visualize the entire dream like it was happening at this very moment. My hand rested against my belly with remembrance of the child that grew inside of me. Jonathon arched an eyebrow clearly as confused as I was about Sebastian setting wards for the house he had gifted me, but he didn't interrupt.
"But when I opened the door a hooded figure stood in your place. I tried to close the door before it could pass but I was too slow. All I felt was the hood as whoever it was blew by me and down the hall. A female’s voice promised she wasn't here to hurt me but my tattoo flared even brighter than ever before."
Fresh tears ran down my face with the memory. The tattoo gave a small pulse reminding me that it was only a memory now. There was nothing to fear here.
A deep growl tore through the room as Jonathon slammed his finger into the screen of his phone furiously searching for something. I was stunned silent as he began speaking feverishly into the phone. None of what he said made any sense at all. The only thing I knew for sure was that something I told him had sent him into a rage.
"Jo…" I whispered, trying not to interrupt whatever he was talking about. "What is he saying?"
Jo glanced at me before shaking her head no. She either couldn't tell me or didn't want to. I reminded myself that she was the one that wanted me to know this stuff so I didn't have a reason to be angry with her. Jo and I sat in silence listening to Jonathon's side of the conversation. By the expressions on Jo's face I could see she understood what was being said. I soothed my anger with the thought that she couldn't bring herself to tell me not that she didn't want to. Minutes passed and Jonathon's replies became few and far between.
"Fine." His last word was in English. Maybe it was for my sake but who knew.
"We will meet Sebastian and Rich in an hour." He said silencing the flood of questions that was bound to spill out.
CHAPTER THIRTY
I would finally get my wish. Everyone that held the answers that I needed would be in one room together. I wouldn't get the standard that is not my story to tell line. My happiness at the opportunity quickly became over shadowed by the feeling of pending doom. They all hated each other for one reason and that reason was me. It would be interesting to see how this would all turn out. Maybe they could set aside their hatred to come together for a common goal; figuring out me.
"Are you insane?" Jo's shriek interrupted my internal thought process.
As long as I could remember this was how I operated, within myself, probably because even as a child, voicing my own thoughts rarely produced much. Now as an adult where the problem seems to revolve completely around me, I was kept in the dark about most everything unless I could be useful.
"It is the only way. We need them and I would rather meet on my terms rather than bend to them."
"But our wards; you would have to bring them down to let them pass."
Jonathon must have set wards specifically against Sebastian and Richland. Of course, the day that Sebastian had waited in the parking lot made sense. He couldn't pass the doorway of the cafe. That is also why Richland had met me in the street. The wards blocked him from coming any further. What I found curious was Sebastian had never set wards against them, at least against Jo. She had walked without issue right into Sebastian's shop the day I had chosen Richland over her. Now that I knew our history I felt guilty. The past really did repeat itself. I had already begun abandoning those around me for him. I reached over and placed my hand on top of Jo's petite one. It was odd being able to cover a woman’s hand. Jo was a ball of fire crammed in a small package. She gave me an odd look before returning my smile.
"They are coming here?" I was just as amazed as Jo. It didn't seem like Jonathon to bring his enemy here. Since there was a greater enemy maybe he had thought better on that rule.
"No Alexis, they are not. If you would have been paying better attention you would know that we are meeting with them at your newly acquired home."
I didn't want to go there. Beads of cold fear sprang from my palms and I had to wipe my hands against my jeans. My breath came in short painful intervals. Fear glued me in place. Did he not hear me when I had explained my dream? It didn't matter about the wards the bad people were going to get through and there was nothing they could do to stop it.
"It will be okay. We will protect you after all that is what a familiar is for." Jo winked at me, renewing her grip on my now sweaty hand. I knew she was trying to quiet the fear that held me to my seat. It wasn't working very well. I didn't know what was worse at a time like this paralyzing fear or magically induced storms. Could there not be a happy medium?
Jonathon left to close up the cafe. Mack couldn't run the entire place by himself. I was beginning to wonder if Jonathon would have to close this place down permanently if he lost any more business due to me. Maybe if I ran from them all they could finally move on and have a real life. Find someone that would love each of them in the way that love should be given. I knew I would be breaking my promise of not abandoning Jo but it would be different this time. I would run with Sebastian or have to choose a side. She would not have to feel my death by the same blade over and over. Maybe I could harness this curse and make it hard for those who want me dead to find me. I would grow old and Jo would finally feel what a normal death would be. Peaceful. I watched her out of the corner of my eye watching me. Her face held knowledge and insight. She was already waiting for me to run. Even if that would be the best thing for all I couldn't do it. I couldn't run from it all.
"Will it really be okay?" My voice sounded hollow compared to the life that it had held just moments ago. I didn't want to be comforted; I wanted her to tell me the truth. She had been through this many times over. I just needed her honest assessment of how this ranked with all the other times that preceded my death. I hadn't even called my parents since I had been here. What kind of daughter was I? Not theirs
, a traitorous voice echoed through my thoughts. Still I knew they must be worried, but my life hadn't exactly been filled with unnecessary free time since arriving here. Maybe I should call them now. What would I say? Hey Mom and Dad, how is everything? Yes, I know it has been too long but you know how it goes. One day you find out you’re a reincarnated witch, the next you find out you are surrounded by werewolves and have acquired a familiar and to top it all off you have a death sentence on your head spanning longer than even you, my dear parents, have been alive. Other than that everything is great. Yes, I have a job and my boss was my lover in a past life.
Nope, that conversation was set for failure even before it began.
"If you truly need honesty, I'm not sure what will happen. Maybe we should look at the good in your premonition. Christmas is months away, so that should give us some hope that this isn't going to go badly." I knew she was trying to reassure the panic that was building inside of me but it didn't calm my nerves in the slightest.
"Let’s go."
I stood almost robotically. His hard command demanded compliance. I followed Jonathon out of the office my eyes wondering absently across his backside. Even at a time like this his body demanded my attention. The way his muscles moved just under his shirt had my fears slipping away. My eyes followed the motion downward trailing along the definition of his ass. The pants he wore where tailored to fit his masculine curves perfectly. I barely stopped in time to avoid ramming right into that backside.
"Will my car do?" He was completely unaware of where my focus had wandered and I was happy to keep it that way. I didn't want him to get any ideas, but Jo on the other hand had witnessed the entire thing. She shot me a knowing look while I tried to will her with my eyes to keep her trap shut. She let out a slight giggle before going through the motions of zipping her lips. Real slick Jo, I would get her for that.
Aconite (The Elektita Series Book 1) Page 17