Passion Found

by C Zinnia

  Mel bit her lip to keep from screaming. She tried to kick him, but he jumped out of her way.

  “Feisty, eh? That’ll be gone soon enough,” Bill said. “I’m going to enjoy breaking you.”

  “You can never break me,” Mel said.

  “We’ll find out,” Bill said as he picked up the knife. His triumph was cut short when the lobby door opened.

  Chapter 29

  Mel felt Viola more than she saw her.

  Viola was shocked at finding Mel in the lobby with Jesse and Bill. Seeing Mel hurt and held captive by Jesse unleashed Viola’s fury.

  In the blink of an eye, Viola was behind Bill.

  Bill tried to stab Viola with the knife. She caught his wrist and broke it. He yelled as he crumpled to the ground. She grabbed Bill by the collar and hit him in the face so hard his neck snapped back. She grabbed the knife and held it to his neck.

  “Viola, stop!” Bruce yelled as he came into the lobby. His Alpha voice demanded obedience.

  Viola froze. She was breathing through her nostrils. Her lips were pulled back in a snarl. She wanted nothing more than to slice Bill’s throat from ear to ear.

  “We need to find out what he knows,” Bruce said. “You know that. Bill still could be a way to find out about the Master Hunter.”

  Viola’s teeth were clenched so hard it looked like they were going to break. She used the back of the knife and hit Bill on the head. He fell unconscious to the ground.

  Viola glanced at Jesse with murder in her eyes.

  Jesse was paralyzed from fear. She kept Mel in front of her like a shield.

  “We don’t need her alive, do we?” Viola asked.

  Jesse immediately dropped Mel and tried to escape.

  Viola viciously grabbed Jesse and hauled her over to Bruce. Viola dumped the traitor at Bruce’s feet. “Get them out of my sight,” she snapped. Her eyes were dark from the intensity of her emotions. “Before I do something I’ll regret.”

  Daren came in and was shocked to see Mel. “Holy cow, Mel,” he said. “What are you doing here? Are you okay?”

  Viola’s attention shifted to Mel. The intensity shifted from murderous to concern. She walked over to Mel and cupped her face. “Are you okay, amor?” Viola asked softly. She was shaking. She had almost lost Mel and the thought terrified her.

  Mel was grateful to see Viola. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she touched Viola’s face. I almost died again, she thought. I came so close to never seeing my love again. “As good as can be expected,” she said meekly. “I’m just glad you’re here. I knew you’d come.”

  “Always. I’m just sorry I didn’t get here sooner. We had no idea you were captured. Nana and Papa had said you were sleeping,” Viola said.

  “Jesse had grabbed me from our bed,” Mel said.

  “Jesse did what?” Viola said. She glared at Jesse. Jesse wilted as she was carried outside by Bruce. Bill had already been taken away.

  Viola turned back to Mel. Her intensity softened. She held Mel close and kissed her. “Thank God you’re okay. Why didn’t you use your gifts to escape? What’s on your face?” Viola said.

  “I was too tired,” Mel said. “I don’t have anything else in me. Bill said this paste is supposed to keep me from using my gifts. I can feel the effects of the paste binding my aura down.”

  Viola was worried. “We’ll get you over to Eli,” she said. “Hopefully, he’ll be able to counteract the power of the paste if it’s not able to just wash off with water.”

  “Do you think we can go home now?” Mel asked. She started swaying, causing her nausea to worsen. She didn’t want to be in the lobby anymore.

  “Amor,” Viola said, alarmed. “Do you feel sick?”

  “Yes,” Mel said. “I’m nauseous, tired, and dizzy.”

  “Does your head hurt?” Viola asked.

  Mel didn’t understand where the questions were coming from. “Yes,” she said.

  “How many times did they hit your head?” Viola asked.

  “More than a couple,” Mel said. “Why?”

  “I think you have a concussion,” Viola said. She looked at Mel’s eyes. “We’ll have to treat it so you don’t have residual symptoms. Okay?”

  “Okay,” Mel said dully. She would agree with anything at this point if it helped her get to a place where she could lie down.

  By the time Mel and Viola went outside, Bruce and Daren had already left with Bill and Jesse. Samuel was waiting for Mel and Viola.

  The drive back was uncomfortable. The shame and hurt going through Samuel broke Mel’s heart. Samuel tried to remain unruffled, but inside he was torn apart. He knew what Jesse would face when they got back to the village. He knew there was nothing he could do to stop it.

  His energy was a dark cloud. He blamed himself. I should have been a better father. I should have married again when Marcy left us, he thought. He thought of all of the things he could have done differently. He hated himself.

  Mel couldn’t stand it. She touched his arm. “None of it is your fault,” she said. “You’re a good man. Did you do your best by Jesse?”

  “Yes,” Samuel said. “Everything I did was to help Jesse have a better life. I moved back in with my parents so she could have her grandmother as a role model. I cut back as much as I could at work so I could spend time with her. I took her on trips and tried to make sure she didn’t want for anything.”

  “All you can do is your best. Parenting doesn’t come with a manual,” Viola said. “You can’t change a person’s soul. You have to remember Jesse’s mom wasn’t the best role model. Would she have done the same thing for power?”

  “In a heartbeat,” Samuel said. “I just wish my little girl would have let go of that hunger. When her mom left, I tried to get her to talk to different therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists. All of them said she was a well-behaved adaptable girl and I had nothing to worry about.”

  “That’s because she knows the right things to say to make you believe what she wants you to believe,” Viola said. “She did the same thing to me.”

  Samuel didn’t argue. “I’m sorry, Viola. I’m sorry, Mel. I’m just as responsible as Jesse and Bill. I should have acknowledged who my daughter is. If I had, none of this would have happened,” he said.

  Everyone was silent for the rest of the drive. Mel’s eyes grew heavy and she started to fall asleep. “Mel, you need to stay up,” Viola said. Mel tried her best to stay awake. The curvy roads made her nausea increase. She swallowed down a whimper as she rested against Viola.

  “It’s all right, amor,” Viola soothed. “You’re going to be all right.”

  When they arrived, the village appeared empty. “Where is everyone?” Mel asked sluggishly.

  “They are witnessing judgment,” Samuel said. He shook as he got out of the car. As a beta, he knew he should go to the judgment. As a father, he feared what he would do. He squared his shoulders and went through the village.

  Viola helped Mel out of the car. “Come on, let’s go inside. You need to get worked on immediately,” she said.

  “I want to see the judgment,” Mel said desperately. Before Viola could protest, Mel added; “I need to. Otherwise, I’ll always think they’re still out there.”

  “Okay,” Viola said.

  Viola and Mel walked to a place just outside of the village. Stone benches surrounded a fire pit. Elders were sitting on the benches, including Nana and Papa. There were no smiles on their faces. The ambiance was so different from the last time Mel was here. For the barbeque, it was filled with joy and love. Now, the air was bleak and heavy.

  Bruce stood beside the fire pit with Jesse. Bill was nowhere to be seen. The fact made Mel nervous.

  “Where’s Bill?” Mel asked Viola.

  “Being held captive again probably,” Viola said. “Bruce wants more information from Bill.”

  Mel didn’t like the thought of Bill being alive.

  “Does anyone protest these charges placed against Jesse?” Bruce
asked the crowd.

  Silence.

  Samuel bit his lip as he stood behind his parents. He was holding both of their hands as his parents quietly cried.

  “Very well,” Bruce said. “I hereby deem Jesse guilty of all charges. The punishment is death. Does anyone disagree?” Again, no one spoke. Bruce recited a prayer for Jesse that Mel never heard before.

  Jesse paid Bruce no mind as she glared at Viola and Mel. She despised them now more than ever. She wished them nothing but torment and pain. This is all Mel’s fault, Jesse thought. Her hate was thick.

  Mel was stunned. Even now, Jesse shows no remorse, she thought. She stood taller beside Viola as she hoped Jesse could see that she wasn’t afraid of her.

  At the end of Bruce’s prayer, Bruce executed Jesse.

  It was quick and painless. Her eyes remained open even as life left them. They eerily stared blankly at Viola and Mel.

  People cried. They all felt betrayed by Jesse. They thought of her as family and they knew she had put all of them in danger for her selfish reasons.

  Mel was grateful none of the children were present to witness it.

  “Let’s go,” Viola said. “We need to get you taken care of.”

  “Not yet,” Eli said as he joined Mel and Viola. “Mel needs to go to the infirmary and get checked by Myra.”

  Viola didn’t like the suggestion. “I can assess Mel’s cognitive function,” she said.

  “I’m aware, but I couldn’t help but notice Mel was swaying while standing here. That means she received at least a couple hits to the head, correct?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she said.

  “I thought just as much and pointed it out to Myra. Myra took one look at Mel and said Mel needs a brain scan to make sure there are no internal bleeds. Can you do that?” Eli asked.

  “No,” Viola admitted. “Let’s go.”

  Chapter 30

  Eli walked with Viola and Mel to the infirmary.

  Myra was waiting for them in the lobby. She seemed more somber than normal, but Mel figured it was due to witnessing the execution.

  “I have the MRI machine warmed up and ready to go,” Myra said. “It’s good to see y’all alive.”

  “It’s good to be alive,” Mel muttered.

  “You two wait here,” Myra said to Viola and Eli.

  Myra led Mel through double doors, down a hallway, and into a small room with an MRI unit inside.

  “I’m surprised you all have one of these,” Mel admitted.

  “We got it recently. One of our pack members got a very nice contract in the NFL and he donated one to us. We’re the first pack within 100 miles to have an MRI machine and we have been able to help many packs because of his generosity,” Myra said. “He and I grew up together and he knows how hard it is for us to take trips to the ER to get scans when our body’s healing during the exam.”

  “Huh?” Mel said, dumbfounded.

  “Say Viola had a brain bleed. The MRI would show her brain repairing itself as the MRI was scanning her brain,” Myra explained. “Someone good at reading an MRI would notice it and that could lead to questions we don’t want asked. Understand?”

  “Makes sense. How many professional athletes are werewolves or some kind of shifter?” Mel asked.

  Myra just smiled at her. “Let’s get your brain scanned,” she said.

  Mel laid on the table and tried to ignore her racing heart as she was guided into the MRI machine.

  “I need you to hold as still as possible,” Myra said.

  Mel followed her instructions to the best of her abilities. She fought the urge to fall asleep while in the machine. She was astounded by the heaviness she felt while in the machine. It was like a fluctuating pressure that made her energy buzz.

  After the scan was over, Myra walked Mel back to the lobby where Viola paced impatiently. “How is she?” Viola asked.

  “No bleeds, but there is mild swelling. She’s got a concussion. Just keep an eye on her. Mel, you may have a headache or double vision. If you start vomiting, come back here immediately. Normally, I’d give you a regimen for concussion, but between Viola and Eli, they’ll make sure you do the right things to recover.” Myra gave Mel a hug. “Take care.”

  “Thank you, Myra,” Mel said.

  Viola and Mel left.

  “Can I go to sleep now?” Mel asked.

  “Not yet,” Viola said. “I want to assess you and Eli still needs to check out the thing on your forehead. He said he’s meeting us at the house. He had a couple of things to take care of.”

  Viola and Mel went to the main house. Viola led Mel into the kitchen and had her sit at the table. Viola rummaged through the cabinets to find the first aid kit. Viola examined Mel’s face and cleaned the small cuts on her cheeks left by Bill. Viola was careful not to touch the paste.

  Viola examined the back of Mel’s head and found a goose egg. Viola gave Mel a bag of ice to put on the goose head. She was sad to see so many bruises on Mel’s body from all of the abuse.

  Viola checked Mel’s pupils and did some other tests that Mel didn’t understand. Some involved checking her eyes, but some of it involved moving around one of Mel’s arms in a figure 8 motion. Mel was almost falling asleep by the end of it. She knew she wasn’t doing well because she wasn’t being her normal curious self. Instead, she just wanted to crawl into a hole and sleep for the next century.

  “You’re not going to feel like yourself for a while, but I think we’ll be able to fix you,” Viola said. “Luckily, we were able to treat you immediately. You’re done for today with treatment for your concussion. The most important thing for you is to rest. You don’t want to do a lot of physical or cognitive activities. You’re not going to be able to have coffee for a while. Caffeine isn’t good for you when you have a concussion.”

  “Okay,” Mel said, not liking the last bit. “Do I need to just stay in bed?”

  “No,” Viola said. “Resting too much can be just as bad. We have to introduce stimulus to you slowly. You need to always let me know what symptoms you’re experiencing and if they’re getting worse. It’s important. We’re going to have to do more therapy tomorrow.” Viola paused. “Maybe you and Eli can work on healing your head injury as well. That would make it easier.”

  “Okay,” Mel said. “I just want to sleep.”

  “I know, amor,” Viola said. “We will after Eli sees you.”

  At that moment, Eli walked into the kitchen with Silvia. “Oh my,” Silvia said when she saw Mel.

  Mel knew she looked like crap. She was seeing blurry. She was pretty sure she had a couple of goose eggs on her head. She hoped the rest of the pack had been too focused on Jesse to notice her in the background.

  Eli looked at the paste on Mel’s forehead. He whistled. “I’ve only heard of this spell from Sarah,” Eli said. “The good news is I know how to undo it. You were right not to wipe it off. I need to just add one more ingredient to this mix to reverse it.” He rummaged through the kitchen cabinet and pulled out a little jar of minced herbs. Mel couldn’t read the label. He rubbed the herb within the paste as he murmured an incantation to remove the spell.

  Mel felt the heaviness she had been feeling ease up.

  Once he finished, Eli nodded to Viola. “You can clean it off now,” he said. “I want to know what all occurred, but I’ll wait until Bruce gets here. I’m sure he will want to know as well and I doubt you want to tell the story twice.”

  “No, not really,” Mel said. “Where is Bruce?”

  “He went with Samuel to drop off Jesse’s body to prepare it for a pyre,” Eli answered.

  It wasn’t long before the kitchen filled with Nana, Papa, Dana, and Lee. Their voices echoed through the kitchen. It only made Mel’s headache worse.

  When Daren came in, everyone paused.

  “Where’s Bill?” Lee asked.

  “Locked up and unconscious,” Daren said. “Bruce wants Mel to interrogate him tomorrow.”

  Mel didn’t like the idea. She
could barely hold her own thoughts together. How am I supposed to get into someone else’s head? she thought.

  Their voices all mixed together as Mel lost focus. She tried to stay awake. She leaned her head on Viola’s shoulder. Viola wrapped her arm around her and kissed the top of her head. Mel soaked up the warmth of Viola’s love. She was able to drift into a light sleep.

  Mel woke up when Bruce came in. He looked exhausted. He hurt for his friend, Samuel. Bruce felt no parent should have to bury their child.

  Bruce walked up to Silvia. He rubbed her belly and whispered loving things to her belly and kissed it. He prayed their child was a happy, healthy baby.

  Bruce sat beside Mel and Viola. “Tell us what happened,” he said.

  Mel told them everything she could remember.

  “So, Bill never contacted the Master Hunter about you?” Bruce asked.

  “No,” Mel said. “He wanted my powers all to himself.”

  Bruce looked at Eli. “Do those sorts of spells work? Can you take away a person’s gift?” he asked.

  Eli shrugged. “From my understanding, the person dies before the gifts can be completely removed. It’s like the soul and abilities are intertwined. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. It also doesn’t mean it is possible. I’ve never seen it and neither had Sarah,” he said.

  Mel nearly fell over but was caught by Viola. “Sorry about that,” Mel said drowsily. “I fell asleep.”

  “Go to bed, Mel,” Bruce said. “You need to recover. I need you to interrogate Bill tomorrow. And you need to train with Eli. We have to figure out who this Master Hunter is before he sends another hunter.”

  The tasks overwhelmed Mel, but she tried not to show it. “Right,” she said.

  “You should call your mother before you go to bed,” Eli said. “You may be out the rest of the evening and we don’t need her calling the authorities.”

  Viola scowled but went upstairs to grab Mel’s phone and handed it to her.

  “Hi Mom,” Mel slurred when Tiffany answered.