“I knew you were going to kill in this, Ella. Mr. Tight ass is going to flip! In a totally good way of course,” she said, giggling to herself, but I couldn’t help but agree with her. If he didn’t think something good about the way that I looked, then the boy was blind.
“Jessa,” I said looking at my face in the mirror, “I actually like the makeup. Thanks, girl! You went for subtle, I’m seriously surprised!”
She’d gone with a thin black liner, nude shadow that really made my eyes pop, and blush pink lip gloss. The only thing she’d really pumped up was the mascara. I looked like I was wearing falsies. I looked like me, but just more polished. My bestie was most def a genius at this stuff.
“Jessa…” I began, taking a deep breath. “Just wow! No wonder you want to do this kind of stuff for a living after high school!” I turned to her in wonder.
Jessa smiled and hugged herself. I could tell she was really proud. I grabbed my new black clutch off the dresser just as the doorbell rang. Now I was really nervous. What if he didn’t like me when he really got to know me? I was just now getting to know the real me! I’d been repressing myself for so long, because of how I was raised. Ugh. Let’s do this! I said to myself.
Jessa went down the stairs first to open the door, reminding me not to come down for at least five minutes, so I could make an entrance. I could hear voices in the front hall, so I started to descend the staircase. When I locked eyes with Jaxx, he looked completely stunned. He met me at the bottom step and took both of my hands in his. He gave me the once over and smiled into my eyes.
“Little raven, you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen,” he said enamored.
If this wasn’t a blush worthy moment, I didn’t know what was. I looked behind me to wave goodbye to Jessa, whose smile was so wide I could see every one of her teeth. Jaxx took my hand, leading me to his shiny Porsche. Once we were inside, he let out a puff of breath.
“What?” I asked.
“I have got to say, I was really nervous picking you up from your uncle’s house. He didn’t seem to like me at all the other night.”
“That’s not it at all. I think he was just nervous. He doesn’t have any kids of his own.” I smiled to reassure him.
“Well we’d better get going. I have a table waiting,” he said with a grin.
“Where?”
“Sedona’s. I took a chance…I hope that you like the place.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it a bit short notice to get a table there? That place is always packed out,” I said feeling just a little bit amazed.
“Don’t worry pretty eyes. I have my ways.” He smiled my way.
“I love Sedona’s.” I smirked at him, trying to look sexy. Hopefully not humiliating myself in the process, I thought.
Jaxx drove to the restaurant way above the speed limit, never using his turn signal, and never slowing for other traffic. When he spoke to me he turned so that he could meet my eyes every time. When an old beater of a truck almost hit us, he took the last turn toward the restaurant. I giggled and he grinned at me.
“What?”
“You’re as reckless as Jessa is when she drives,” I said and he frowned. I smiled, reassuring him. “Don’t worry, I’m used to it. It’s not a bad thing honestly. I’m used to it.”
“Fair enough,” he replied, leaving his seat to open my door for me. He handed the valet his keys and escorted me into the restaurant.
We were seated right away at a table near a large bay window. Even though I knew Jaxx liked the way I looked, I felt out of place with the way the rest of the patrons were looking at me. They were all older and dressed a lot more conservatively.
We ordered, and Jaxx closed his menu telling the waiter, “And bring us a bottle of your best house wine.”
“Yes, sir,” the waiter said without even batting an eye as he took our menus.
“This place is unbelievable,” I whispered leaning across the table.
“Thanks, I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Wait. What do you mean? Does your family own this place?”
“No,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “I own this place. My uncle currently runs it since I’m still in school.” He reached across the table and took my hand.
When our hands connected, the light show began again. I was startled and quickly tried to remove my hand, but he wouldn’t let go. I raised my eyes to his, questioning.
“Relax, Ella. No one can see it but us. I promise,” he said with a grin.
Now he was just confusing me. “You can see it too? I don’t understand.”
“Ella, you have to know that we are different. I just assumed you knew since you’re wearing your family’s talisman.” He nodded at my neck.
I reached up to touch my necklace. “I was adopted, Jaxx. I don’t know who my real family is. The family I have always known just kicked me out of their lives yesterday.”
“Shit! I should have known it was something like that. You looked so surprised when we shook hands in the Caf the other day. I just never would have guessed that you were raised by Norms.”
“Norms? What does that even mean? How am I different?” I asked him.
The waiter returned to our table with our food and my line of questioning was cut off.
“Just relax, Ella. I’ll explain everything when we have more privacy,” he assured me. “This isn’t the place for this conversation. I know you have questions, I can see them swirling in your eyes. Just take a breath. Have patience and let’s enjoy our meal,” he suggested.
We talked endlessly about our interests during the meal and I realized that we had a lot in common, but the weight of what had just been sprung on me was causing a giant knot to form in my stomach. Jaxx was charming, funny, and said all the right things as he tried to keep my mind from wandering past the present.
Various people approached our table to greet him and he always proudly introduced me with a smile. When we left the restaurant I felt all eyes on us. He was like a celebrity. Everyone wanted his attention, asking his opinion on things. When we got to the door he handed the ticket to the valet.
“Okay, Ella, just a few more minutes. We’ll go back to my place and I’ll tell you all that I know. I promise I will answer as many of your questions as I can.”
I let out a huge breath at that and started to relax for the first time since we arrived at the restaurant. He drove to his house which was quite a ways outside of town.
“Your home is gorgeous,” I said as we pulled into his drive. “Are your parents at home?” I was worried about meeting his parents on top of everything else.
He pulled the car around in front of the house and stopped. “No. This is my home. My parents passed many years ago.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I had no idea,” I said softly and then stayed silent for a long moment, just sitting in the plush leather seat. I turned to look at him and he seemed to be lost in thought. “Jaxx, really, I’m sorry. I spoke without thinking. I just didn’t know what to say.”
“Like I said, Ella, it was a very long time ago. I barely even remember them anymore.”
We got out of the car and headed for the front door. Jaxx disabled the security system. “The code is 06202002, I’ll write it down for you later, I want you to feel safe here. If you ever need a place to go, you can come here. Anytime, Ella, I mean it.”
I just stayed mute as we walked in the front entryway. It was vast and opulent. That’s the only way I could explain it. All marble floors and white statues.
“Don’t feel out of place here, Ella. I didn’t decorate it. It has been in my family for ages. It’s a little much for my tastes also.”
I giggled at that. I couldn’t picture him comfortably in this place, in his biker boots and worn tees. He led me up the main staircase to his room on the second floor and the décor there was completely different. It had hardwood flooring, dark grey walls, and various band posters framed and mounted on the walls. “I can see you here.”
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He turned and looked at me with a puzzled expression. “What do you mean?”
“I just mean this area of the house seems more like you. Comfortable, but with an edge. I don’t know what I’m saying. It’s just a guess. I’m going to be quiet now before I stuff my foot in it again.”
“No you’re right. You are much more intuitive than you would have yourself believe. It must be one of your gifts, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
“Okay…” I looked at him with so many questions running through my head that I didn’t even know where to begin.
“Okay why don’t we start with this? You tell me where you got your talisman. How you came to be adopted, then I’ll fill you in on everything else. And, Ella,” he said with a grin. “There is a lot of else. So keep an open mind and open your heart. No matter what I tell you. Please don’t be scared or try and run.”
I sat in the nearest chair and tried to process what he’d just said. It closely resembled what was written in my mother’s letter. I took a calming breath and began to tell him my story.
“I was dropped off outside my Uncle Dan’s door when I was three months old. It would have been November. I was wrapped in a pink blanket and I had letter and my necklace tucked inside the blanket I was wrapped in. My uncle was barely eighteen at the time and he couldn’t keep me or care for me himself, but his sister was old and already married to a respected man in the community. So he took me to her and they adopted me. I grew up in a house hold where you didn’t speak unless you were spoken to. When I was three years old my adopted parents took me to a Catholic Priest claiming I had a demon inhabiting me because my eyes glittered when I got upset. The Priest laughed at them after he met me. When I was younger and I got upset, my eyes would glitter and glow. I actually remember that, I also remember that things would rattle and move when I was throwing a tantrum over not getting my way,” I paused wondering how to continue.
Jaxx waited patiently. With a smile he took my hand. “Go on,” he encouraged me.
I nodded and swallowed hard. “I was verbally and physically abused growing up,” I said tightly. “They called it beating the demons out of me. I was told I was a damned soul and only pain would cleanse it.” I looked up into Jaxx’s eyes which were filled with compassion. “That went on until I turned eighteen, a few weeks ago. Then I was legally old enough to leave and they didn’t want that. They wanted everyone outside our home to think that we had the perfect family,” I finished, staring at my lap. I was afraid to look at him again, afraid I would see disgust on his face, disgust for me, but when I finally looked at him, he had tears streaming down his cheeks. There was something else in his eyes, something I couldn’t quite explain, anger, maybe, but something more too.
“How did…why did you leave?” he asked softly.
“Last night, when you found me sitting alone after dark,” I started and he nodded, remembering. “My mother had just kicked me out of the house because Sabrina had called her and told her I was doing vile things with someone in the Caf. She slapped me and threw me out. After you left, my Uncle took me back to get some of my things…” I stopped, feeling the tears stinging my eyes. “She was burning them all in the backyard, Jaxx.” I finally broke down and started sobbing.
Jaxx moved quickly and pulled me into his arms. “This is not your fault Ella. Norms are afraid of things they can’t understand. They react cruelly. That’s on them. Not you, never you, sweet girl.” He continued to rock me and whisper sweet things into my hair until I calmed myself down.
“ I’m good now. You can let go. I promise not to break down again. I hate crying. I never cry in front of anyone. Ever.”
“Never be afraid to show yourself to me, little raven. You are mine. Just as I am yours. You can always be honest with me, in all ways,” he said softly.
I looked at him. I mean I really looked at him and read the truth of his words in his eyes. “Can you tell me what is going on now? I would really like to know that I’m not going crazy. And I’d like to know why I have always felt out of place with everyone around me.” I settled more into his arms.
“This isn’t going to be easy to understand, Ella. You weren’t raised in this world, my world. There have always been our people in this world. We stay hidden because we are different from others. We stay hidden because, as you already understand, when people don’t understand something, they lash out and are most likely cruel to those who aren’t like them.” Jaxx shifted us over to the couch and snuggled me into his arms. “We are True Magic users. Most would call us Wiccans or witches, but we don’t need spells or incantations to work our magic. We just will it and if it’s within our personal gifts it will be. We have been around since the beginning of mankind. Once, a very long time ago, we were respected for our talents. We were seers, healers, and great warriors, but there are always those who hate. Who hunt us out of fear and jealousy. When one of our young was born she or he was given a talisman to guide and protect them.” Jaxx pulled a thick silver rope chain out from under his shirt. It had a large moonstone hanging from it. Wrapped around the moonstone was a thin rope of jade. “The seers in our clans make the talismans to guide us to adulthood. They also have a calming effect on us. It helps us control our gifts early on. We are also long lived. It takes a lot to kill us once we reach maturity.”
“If our young are so important that we are gifted with our own talismans to guide and protect us, why was I thrown away like yesterday’s trash?” I asked, feeling on the verge of tears again. What was so wrong with me that my own mother didn’t want me?
“I just don’t know, little raven. I wish I could give you all that you seek, but that isn’t my gift.”
“What is your gift, Jaxx? If you don’t mind me asking?”
“I draw my strength from moonlight. I am faster and stronger than most, I can read the true intent of others, I can make myself mist when the moon is full, and I was put on this earth to protect and love my soul mate.”
I started to pull out of his arms at that. “Your soul mate? Why are you holding me, if you have a soul mate out there waiting for you somewhere? I don’t want to start anything that we won’t be able to finish, Jaxx.”
Jaxx leaned down and looked deeply into my eyes. “Open your heart. Open your soul, little raven. Tell me what you see in my eyes.”
I took a deep breath and opened myself up to everything around me. I blocked everything out but him. His almost white eyes with just a hint of blue, eyes of ice, and I saw it. I saw the truth of what he was trying to tell me. He was mine, as I am his.
“We were born for each other, Ella. I have searched centuries for you.”
“Is that why it’s a light show whenever we touch?”
“Yes, when our kind meets his or her other half, there are signs, such as the glow when our skin touches. It can, at times, be painful to be without the other, and reading each other’s feelings.”
I sat in silence, just absorbing everything that I had learned. I believed him. I knew that I would feel it if he were lying to me, but my thoughts were a whirl of wonder. I was special. I wasn’t trash, as I had been raised to believe. I belonged to someone and he belonged to me. I had a home. I looked up at Jaxx and smiled into his eyes. “Thank you, Jaxx. Thank you for everything.”
“There is no need to thank me for anything, little raven. I’m always here for you. For anything at all, I’m yours. Now, let’s take a walk on the grounds. There is a full moon tonight and I want to show you some of our world’s splendor.”
He took me by the hand and opened a floor to ceiling window. I looked at him like he was crazy. We were on the second floor and I wasn’t demented enough to want to become a pancake anytime soon. Jaxx stepped onto the window sill and held out his hand.
“Trust me. Take my hand and believe.” I took his hand and climbed onto the window sill to stand next to him. Before I could freak myself out and look down, I started to feel like I was floating. I was lighter than air. I could see nothing but swi
rls of grays, whites, and the lightest of blues. Moments later I was back on my own two feet firmly planted in the dewing grass. I looked at him in awe.
“What was that? I felt all floaty, then we were on the ground again!”
“That’s walking on moonlight, turning into the mists of the night,” he said with a grin. “I can take someone with me if I’m touching them or if they are close enough to me. Come, there is much to show you.”
We strolled hand in hand through the vast grounds of his estate. The back of the house looked huge. It was a beautiful Colonial Manor speaking of times past. We spoke of many things, never straying far from one another as I explored.
“Jaxx?” I said suddenly as something he’d mentioned earlier came to mind. “If you are so old, why are you enrolled in my high school?”
He chuckled at my question. It was one of many I had asked him tonight. “I couldn’t come up with any other way to get close to you. I had to know you, Ella. I am drawn to you. I’ve always known my other half was out there, that I just had to wait and be patient. When I first saw you sitting in that church, you looked so lost. So alone. Then something I did sparked something within you and you burned.” He laughed, probably remembering me flipping him the bird in a House of God.
I smiled, remembering it as well. “What do you think my powers will become?”
“I don’t know,” he replied, wrapping me in his arms. We just stood there and rocked back forth in the moonlight. “But if I had to guess, I would say telekinesis, clairvoyance, and probably empathy. From what I have seen from watching you and trust me, I have watched for a while. You have always been so kind to others, empathizing with even the worst type of person, going out of your way to put others first, always.”
I smiled, thinking I was okay with those gifts.
“We can get through anything together, Ella. You need not worry.”
I nodded. “I would like to look for my birth mother when I’m more settled into myself,” I said softly.
Fated Truth (The True Witch Saga) Page 6