“You two really do need to get a room, I can definitely agree with Ivy on that one.” Kate said. “So were you going to share the good news with me? I assume this is good news, despite its sudden and unplanned nature. And speaking of that,” Kate slapped Finn on the arm, “did we not have the safe sex talk when you were younger? Or did you not listen? And you! Honestly Crimson, I would have thought you would know better.”
“Uh…” Crimson didn’t really have an answer for her. Everything with her and Finn had been so much about feeling and intense need in the moment that she had never even given it a thought. She should have, she knew that, but then, self control had never been her strong suit.
Finn looked suitably remorseful, but still happy. “Well, what have you got to say for yourself?” Kate demanded good naturedly.
“Oops?” Finn said with a cheeky grin.
“I’m going to let this slide, because when you are dealing with prophecies and the powers that be, some things just seem to happen and no one can control them. Care to share how you know that this is really happening?”Crimson blushed a deep red, but still managed to get out a fairly censored version of what had transpired the night before—the vision they both had of the green eyed Dragon. Kate was not surprised.
“Well, that’s settled then. It’s a bit early to start picking out baby names and buying nappies, so I think we should keep this under wraps for awhile. In the meantime, we need to figure out what we are going to do about Amiee and if Rickon is working with her, we need to deal with him as well.”
“Part of me wants to hide. I would like nothing more than to live in peace with Finn, but I know that’s never going to happen as long as she’s out there, especially since we know she has the prophecy and that it has something to do with her too. We need to figure out her part in this. Do you have any ideas?”
“It mentions an old power dying. That could be referencing Amiee,” Kate looked thoughtful for a moment and then went on. “When she came to the shop the other day, I have to say I was surprised that I was able to get rid of her so easy. Sure, the swords are charmed silver, but she seemed really afraid of them, and that is not normal. I think that maybe the spell she has to give her more power is starting to fail and she is getting weaker. That spell is very old, very nasty dark magic. It requires tributes to feed it. When I think of all those girls that Rickon has used over
the years, it makes me sick, but I think I know where he has been getting them.”
“That makes sense,” Finn said. “Mariah may know something about that. I think she was with him for a long time. Although, despite being weak and beat up, I don’t think anything has been taken from her. Sadly, I think she probably was there willingly, a lot like Drella.”
Crimson took his hand. She could see that he was really hurting to see his sister like that, especially knowing some of the things she had been through. She felt some of the same pain seeing how far Drella had fallen. It was true that they had had differences, and Drella had hurt her very badly, but she was still her sister in her heart, even if they were not actually related by blood. But Finn and Mariah were twins, it had to be so much harder for him. She wished she could hold him and make it all go away, but she knew he would just have to work through it. Hopefully, Mariah would recover and things would be better for her.
“I wish things could have been different for her,” Kate said sadly. “I did my best, but she just didn’t handle losing your parents very well. I had hoped that sending her to live with your mother’s family would allow her some freedom to find herself and help her to heal, but it looks like it did more harm than good. I should have protected her better.”
“None of this is your fault, Katie,” Finn told her. “You have to stop blaming yourself for everything bad in the world. You were great. You took care of us. You took care of Crimson. You have given so much of yourself to so many people. When will you see that?”
Kate got up. “Thank you, lad, I appreciate that you care so much. I have some thinking to do and I want to check in on Mariah. Why don’t you two go down to your room and get some rest. It’s been a trying morning for all of us, and somehow, I don’t think you have been sleeping as much as you should.” Kate’s sunny spirit seemed to be coming back, at least a little. She smiled weakly and headed for the stairs.
Finn nodded and turned to Crimson. “Care to join me in my man cave?”
“Man cave?” Crimson asked puzzled.
“That’s what Katie always called my room. It’s in the basement. She is so sentimental, she hasn’t changed a thing. Just promise you won’t be offended by my car posters and comic books.”
“Is there a bed?” she asked innocently.
“A waterbed. You, my dear, are going to love it!”
Chapter 21
Mariah made it back to her room and under the covers just in time for Kate to open the door and peer in to check on her. After listening outside the kitchen door, she was even more convinced that she needed to get lost, and right now. Shit was getting real in there. Real in a way she wanted no part of. The fix the Prince had set her up with was long gone and she was feeling like jumping out of her skin. The whole “old home week” thing was so not her scene. She’d hated it here growing up and it hadn’t gotten better with age.
Katie was still trying to fix everyone, it seemed. And of course, Finn was still drinking the kool-aid. Mariah wondered how boring it must be being such a goody-goody all the damn time. Well, not all the time, because he had managed to knock up his girlfriend. It was so typical. When Katie had found out she was having sex, she’d read her the riot act, like she was some kind of deviant or something, but Finn, he was still her golden boy. What a bunch of bullshit.
If she thought she could score her in this backward ass town, she play off the wounded baby bird act for awhile for a place to crash, but the dope in Seaside had sucked years ago and she was sure it still would. It was a long hike back to Portland, though. She was in no condition to hitch, she looked like hell and felt worse. Her best bet was to call Rickon and get him to come get her. Maybe with that prissy bitch Drella gone, she would be his favorite again. She still looked good when she fixed herself up, and she knew all the twisted little things that Rickon liked.
She waited for about an hour, to make sure the coast was clear, then Mariah crept silently down the stairs and grabbed the phone. She dialed Rickon’s cell, and waited for him to pick up.
“Hello?” Rickon asked, sounding impatient and pissed off as usual.
“Hey baby,” Mariah crooned in her sexiest voice. “You gotta come get me.”
“Where the fuck are you? Drella was supposed to have you back hours ago. If that dumb whore nodded off again, I’m going to kick her ass.”
“Last night was fucking wrecked! The Prince flipped out and snapped Jess’s neck and Drella freaked. I passed out in the car and the next thing I know, I’m stuck in hometown hell with Katie playing all mother hen and shit. Then Drella took off with some queen that was like half goat or some shit. Please, Rickon, come get me. I’m hurting so bad.”
“I should just leave you there. I’ve got my own shit to deal with right now.”
“C’mon baby,” Mariah whined. “I need you. I’ll make it worth your while. I can’t stay here. Katie will have me all dressed up in bows, and if I have to watch my brother make eyes at his creepy ass girlfriend, I think I’ll puke.”
“Wait, your brother’s girlfriend, what does she look like?”
“I don’t know, she’s little and weird and has cheap red highlights in her hair. I think she’s Drella’s sister or something. God, she’s so sweet. I want to punch her. And my brother is all over her, like she’s fucking princess or something instead of some cheap slut he managed to knock up.”
Rickon was quiet for a minute and then he started to laugh in that cold creepy way he had right before he punched you in the kidneys. “Oh, my day just got a little brighter little bird. Meet me at the rest area on the edge of town in a couple ho
urs.”
Mariah hung up the phone. She was starting to feel better already. She went to her room and opened the closet, looking for something to wear. Her old gym bag was still there, right where she left it. She opened it up and was amazed, Katie must not have even bothered to look in it. Her favorite clubbing outfit was still there, along with some makeup and a pair fuck-me shoes that she had saved up for months to buy. She pulled on an old Seaside High hoodie and hoisted the bag over her shoulder. She could change in the bathroom at the Quickstop. On her way out the door, she took a $20 out of Kate’s purse.
The short walk to the Quickstop did little to clear her head, but when she was going through the bag getting ready, she found a bottle with a few hydros. That had taken the edge off a little. It wasn’t the body numbing coma inducing high she craved, but at least she didn’t feel like chewing her lips off anymore. The outfit wasn’t as hot as she remembered and the once skin tight skirt hung off her too thin frame, but the shoes still fit and still looked great. By the time Rickon’s SUV pulled up, she was feeling more like herself, more in control.
There was someone with him, but she couldn’t see who. She opened the door and climbed in the backseat. “It’s about fucking time you got here. I thought I was to go nuts back there.” Mariah rummaged in her bag and lit a cigarette. “Who’s the bimbo?”
“Bimbo? Such sophisticated company you are keeping these days, Rickon,” Aimee said.
“Hey, have we met? You look familiar.”
“No, we have not met, but I believe you’ve seen my daughter. What was the colorful phrase way you described her to Rickon? The cheap slut your brother managed to knock up?” Amiee’s eyes started to glow menacingly.
“You’re her Mom? Don’t take this the wrong way lady, but your daughter is lame,” Mariah said with a flip of her hair. “Did you bring my stuff? I could really use a fix.”
Rickon looked over his shoulder and gave her an icy glare. “Are you certain about what you told Rickon? Is it true that my daughter is with child?”Amiee asked in a soft soothing voice.
“That’s what they said. I was listening at the door, so I didn’t hear everything, but yeah.”
“Tell me about your brother. Do you have the same mother and father?”
“Yeah, we’re twins. Finn takes after Dad, though.”
“I knew there was something fishy about that guy.” Rickon said almost to himself.
Aimee turned to Rickon. “Do you have any further use for this person?”
“No,” he said flatly.
Amiee grabbed Mariah by the hair and her eyes heated up. The last thing Mariah heard was a loud crack as her neck snapped, then the world went dark.
“Pull over so we can get rid of her before she starts to smell worse. We need to pay a little visit to Kate and my wayward daughter.”
Chapter 22
Crimson and Finn awoke suddenly to the sound of the door being kicked in upstairs, followed by Kate’s screams. While she may have been rusty, Crimson’s Guardian instincts took over. In seconds, she threw her clothes on, and was headed up the stairs. Finn was close behind her. Wishing she’d brought at least a dagger, she searched the kitchen counter for a weapon. She grabbed a knife from the block. Finn had a baseball bat from his room.
Kate was on the stairs, holding Rickon back with one of the Swords from her shop. Amiee was standing in the middle of the living room with her hands on her hips. “Ah, just the person I was hoping to see. I’ve missed you so much,” her voice was sweet, but her eyes betrayed her. “Crimson baby, I’m your mother.”
“So I’ve been told,” Crimson said, her voice ice cold. “Drop in for tea, did you?”
“Why so hostile? Has Kate been spreading lies about me again? She never liked me, she was always jealous of your father. She’s kept you from me all these years. I just want to know my daughter. I mean you no harm.”
“Save it. I know why you are here.” Kate was slowly backing Rickon down the stairs. “And you,” Crimson said, looking at Rickon with fury in her eyes, “You have a lot to answer for.”
“Seriously, Crimson. You need to get over me. Your jealousy is embarrassing.” Rickon sneered. “As for your fishy little boyfriend there, well, he may be taller, but I’m twice the man he’ll ever be.”
Despite the gravity of the situation, Crimson had to swallow hr laughter. “You are not a man. You use women to make you feel better about yourself. You are pathetic, and you will pay dearly for what you did to my sister and Mariah and all those other girls.”
“Silly girl, I have friends in places so high you’d get whiplash looking up at them. I provide a service. As for your sister and dear sweet little Mariah, they weren’t innocent. They came to me. Drella may have run, but she’ll come crawling back, she always does, just like Mariah did. Of course, Mariah outlived her usefulness. I regret to say she is no longer with us.”
Kate gasped and went pale. Finn looked like he’d been kicked in the stomach. “What have you done with my sister?” Finn demanded.
“I didn’t do anything with her. Amiee needed a little pick-me-up, and well, she wasn’t much use to me after that.”
“I’ll kill you with my bare hands!” Finn roared. Crimson held him back. Kate burst into tears.
“It’s been so nice watching you catch up, but I have places to go.” Amiee’s eyes started to glow. “Come to mommy, sweetheart, it’s time to go now,” she said in an eerie voice.
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Crimson spat.
“I had hoped to do this the easy way, but if that’s the way you are going to play it…” The glow in Amiee’s eyes grew stronger. Amiee turned in Kate’s direction. Kate started to scream. “I can play this game all day.” Finn ran to Kate.
“Stop it you bitch!”Crimson’s eyes began to glow. She felt a power building in her belly. Amiee released Kate.
“Oh, kitten,” Amiee said, amusedly. “How cute, but you still have your training wheels on. You are not ready to play with the big girls yet.” Aimee turned her eyes on Crimson and turned up the heat, but quickly became frustrated when Crimson shook her head and shrugged it off.
Crimson felt something open inside her and the temperature started to rise in the room. “Don’t underestimate me, Mommy,” she said, her voice strangely amplified by the power building inside her. Amiee stumbled backwards as she felt the power being drawn from her. “Oh, does that hurt? Sorry. Oh wait, never mind, fuck you!”
Rickon started to back towards the door, but Finn caught him by the throat. Kate tossed her sword to Finn. “I should gut you.” Finn pressed the sword to Rickon’s belly from behind. “But I refuse to sink to your level. I won’t have your blood on my hands” Finn tightened his grip on Rickon’s neck until he passed out and slumped over. Finn let him fall to the floor and put his foot in the middle of his back.
Amiee’s fury grew. Their gazes locked, Crimson continued to pull power from Amiee. “Had enough yet?”
“I’m just getting started, little girl.” With that, she fled. Crimson collapsed, exhausted. Kate went to her side and helped her to the sofa.
Rickon started to stir, but Finn pushed him back down. “What are we going to do with this trash?” he asked.
Crimson caught her breath. “The Council is dead, but someone must have taken charge by now. We need to get him to Court so he can be judged for his crimes. Do you have a crystal, Kate?”
“It’s upstairs. I’ll go. How are you? Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine, just drained.”
“Finn? How about you?” Finn nodded silently. “There’s a chest in the hall closet. I think there is some rope in there. I’ll get it so we can tie him up and then I’ll make a call.” Kate found the rope and helped Finn bind Rickon’s hands and feet, then went upstairs to make the call.
Finn kicked Rickon in the side and went to Crimson. Gathering her in his arms, he could feel that she was trembling. He touched her face and felt the tears that were starting. His kissed them away. “Sh
hh. It’s over. I was so scared, baby. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you.”
“I don’t know how to explain it, I could feel her power filling me up. But it’s like it’s not in me anymore. I think it’s the baby. I can actually feel it, Finn. At first, I thought I was imagining it, but I can still feel it. It’s really there. Our baby is really there. And it’s strong, so strong.”
Finn put his head in her lap. “Are you in there, little one?” Finn said to her belly, smiling.
Kate came back down the stairs. “I got through. Your dad has taken charge of the Council. He knows about Drella, and he’ll be here soon to take Rickon back with him to Court.”
“Sit down Kate. You look like you are about to drop,” Crimson said. “I’m so sorry about Mariah. I can’t even imagine how much you both must be hurting.”
“I should have seen it,” Kate said quietly. “There was always so much anger in her. So much defiance. Everything I tried to do to help her only seemed to make it worse. I guess that at least now she is at peace.” Tears glistened in Kate’s eyes as she spoke. “I’m going up to bed. Can you two handle this?” she asked.
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