Water Goddess
Page 17
“And you wouldn’t?” Kendra blinked slowly and turned to them. “You would have gladly given your life for Kelly, wouldn’t you?” She looked at Tempest and Eden. “And you two for your mortal?”
They each nodded.
“Then hush.” Kendra grinned at their collective gasp of outrage.
“She’ll be harder to live with now more than ever,” Tempest mock whispered.
Erin threw back her head and laughed. A throaty, full-blown laugh that stirred the clouds and lifted the hearts of all those around her. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled broadly.
“Come to me, Kendra. I have a gift for you. One that comes from my heart. Will you accept it?”
Kendra moved forward and clasped her hands. A light blue light erupted from where their hands met. “I gladly accept this gift, daughter of my destiny. And know that when you wake, the exchange will have been made.” She stood still as her powers poured back into her body with an eagerness that surprised her. Erin slumped forward and fell into her arms. “Sleep, daughter.” She gently kissed Erin’s brow. “Sleep.”
* * * *
Erin ached in places that, honest to God, she had no right to ache in. Even her teeth felt sore. She opened her eyes slowly and looked around. In her bed. In her room.
“Thank God,” she muttered.
Someone stirred at her elbow, and Erin lifted her head an inch to see who was with her. Hazel eyes met blue.
“Daniel,” she breathed.
And then he was with her. Smothering her gently with kisses from mouth to brow and back again. His hands stroked her soft blonde hair eagerly, and tears fell from his eyes onto her cheeks.
“Shhh,” he soothed her. “You’re home. You’re all right.”
“Max?” she asked.
“Max is fine,” Daniel assured her. “In fact, he’s at the hospital right now pestering me as to when he gets to see you.” His hazel eyes studied her closely. “And Kendra?”
Erin looked away as she felt tears gather in her eyes. “Back where she belongs,” she admitted.
Daniel cupped her chin and turned her face toward his. “You both saved us.” Then his eyes hardened. “Hector would have killed all of us for his drugs and money.” Daniel shook his head. “I can’t believe he is my brother.”
“Where is he?”
“In custody,” Daniel said shortly. “Where he deserves to stay the rest of his days.” He sighed heavily. “So much pain from one man. I don’t know where to begin to apologize. I should have kept you safe. But I didn’t.” Daniel looked into her eyes. “Hector told the police where the drugs and money were when he realized he would never see daylight again.” He growled in disgust.
Erin placed her fingers to his lips. “Love isn’t safe, Daniel. I’ve learned that. And I wouldn’t trade a moment I’ve spent with you for anything.”
“Love?” Daniel grinned and leaned closer to brush his lips against hers. “Did the ‘L’ word actually escape these lips?”
“It did.” Erin smiled and nodded. “I love you, Daniel. Deep in my soul. And even though I’m not a perfect example of what a girlfriend should be, I would like to be yours.”
“I don’t think so.”
Erin’s jaw dropped open, and Daniel lifted it gently. “I don’t need a girlfriend, querida. I need a wife. A mother of my children. A strong woman who will love me and my many mistakes.” He pulled a black box out of his pocket and opened the lid.
A sparkling one carat princess cut diamond sat high upon glittering platinum. “I need you to be my wife.” Daniel took the ring out and held out her hand. “Will you do me the honor?”
“Daniel,” Erin breathed. Tears welled up and spilled over her lashes.
“Enough tears, querida,” Daniel admonished gently. “I feel as though that’s all I’ve brought you.”
“Daniel.” Erin slid the ring on her finger. “You’ve brought me tears of joy. You’ve healed my heart and given me love.” She looked at the sparkling ring on her finger and smiled up at him. “You honor me. And I will gladly be your wife.”
He swept her close to him and hugged her tightly against his chest. “My love. My life.”
“Our love. Our life,” Erin corrected him and lifted her head for his kiss.
Chapter 12
It was a madhouse. There was not another word for the chaos that spilled through Maria’s house. Children dashed to and fro while adults tried to herd them like small cattle. Even through the closed door behind her she could hear the laughter and shouts.
Erin stood in Erica’s bedroom in front of a full-length mirror. She studied herself in the beautiful ivory wedding gown that had been Maria’s. Her hair was pulled back in a loose chignon with blonde tendrils curling about her face. Erica stood next to her in her white lace gown. She clutched a wicker basket with white flower petals in it. The small girl’s hair was a mirror image of her own.
“You are beautiful.” Erica smiled up at Erin in the mirror.
Erin fought back tears at the girl’s words. She turned around and sat on the bed. Then she patted the place beside her, and Erica joined her.
“I have something that I wish to speak to you about.” Erin took a deep breath.
Erica cocked her head to the side and studied her. “It’s important, isn’t it?”
“Very.” Erin brushed her hand down Erica’s hair. “I’m marrying your Uncle Daniel today.”
“Yes.” Erica smiled. “I’m glad.”
“As am I.” Erin grinned at her. “But there is also something else very important that might happen today. But only if you want it.”
Erica frowned. “What is it?”
Erin took Erica’s hands in her own. “We love you, Erica. You and Juan both. Daniel and I have talked about it. We would like to adopt both of you. We would be your mother and father.” Erica’s silence unnerved her. Erin rushed on. “You wouldn’t have to call us Mama and Papa,” she assured Erica. “But you would live with us, and we would take care of the both of you.” Tears brushed her eyes, but she held them back. “I know it’s a lot to take in. And you don’t have to answer right now. We just wanted you to think about it.”
“You would be my mother?” Erica studied Erin.
“I would be your mother.” A tear slid down Erin’s cheek. “I would take care of you both with every breath in my body. We would be a family.”
Erica launched herself at Erin and clung tightly to her. “You will keep us? You will love us?”
“Yes!” Erin hugged Erica and smiled. “All of the above.”
Erica sniffled against her dress. “I want you to be my mother. And Uncle Daniel is a good man. He will make a good father.”
“The best father.” Erin rested her head on top of her new daughter’s. “We have the papers downstairs. But we wanted to make sure that it is what you both wanted.”
“I’ve never wanted anything more.” Erica pulled back and tugged Erin’s hand. They both walked to the mirror.
Erin felt as though her heart would burst. A husband. A daughter and a son. How did she become so blessed?
“You finally listened to your heart, little one.” Kendra appeared in the mirror.
Erin and Erica both spun around. The goddess stood there dressed in a pale blue dress of silk that swirled about her body. It was sleeveless and the bodice wrapped lovingly across her. Her blonde hair blew about her head as if from an unseen wind.
Erin felt the connection immediately. Erica ran to the Goddess and hugged her tightly. “I hoped you would come. I drew another picture. I wanted you to see it.” She ran to her desk and rifled around through the pages until she found what she was looking for. She handed the piece of paper to Kendra and stepped back shyly.
Kendra brushed the paper lovingly. Erin moved closer to look at it. Kendra was dressed as she was now. But there was a bright blue bracelet that adorned her left wrist. Tiny ancient symbols crisscrossed through the light and shone brightly. At Erin’s questioning look, Kendra lifted
her arm.
And there it was.
The shock of power hit Erin with the force of a shove. Kendra reached out to steady her.
“I have you to thank for this, Erin.” Kendra smiled. “You are an amazing woman. You have exceeded my expectations.” The smile faded. “But I need to know if you regret the exchange.”
“I regret nothing.” Erin leaned forward to kiss Kendra’s cheek. “I wouldn’t change a thing. Not one minute of it.” She hugged Erica to her side. “I have a family now. I’m not afraid.”
Kendra smiled and leaned down. “And what of you, little one?”
“I’m going to have a mother and a father.” Erica nodded. “Erin promised.” Erica looked up at Erin with complete trust in her eyes.
“Family is most important.” Kendra smiled. “And I have a gift for you this day, Erica. Would you like to see my sisters?”
“Can I?” The girl’s eagerness was palpable. Her dark eyes lit.
“They have seen your portraits, child. And they know you have a gift.” Kendra lifted her hand. “Join us, sisters.”
Erin watched in awe as an invisible wind rippled through the room and settled. Tempest formed immediately in an emerald sheath. Her satin shoes adorned with diamonds that matched perfectly. Her blue eyes didn’t miss a thing as the girl squealed and rushed forward to speak to her. Tempest glanced up at Erin and winked.
Wilda came next in a bright red flash that took Erin’s breath away. The Goddess wore a crimson red pantsuit with short leather boots that flashed rubies. She pulled her hair back in a loose ponytail and grinned.
“Show us your work, child.”
Erica’s hands flew around her desk as the two Goddesses hovered over her every word.
Erin sensed the clean smell of the earth before a large red rose appeared in the center of the room. The petals unfolded slowly to reveal Eden’s form. She wore a pair of jeans and a blue and green flannel shirt. She had on a pair of worn tennis shoes covered in dirt and a hat that she tucked her beautiful mahogany hair into.
“I apologize.” She smiled and stepped forward. “I was working in the garden when Kendra called.”
The woman’s beauty shone from her like a lighthouse on a foggy day. She walked over to the desk, too.
“They’re incredible.” Erin looked at Kendra. “And I could feel them before they appeared. Is that part of what has happened?”
“The gift we shared is powerful.” Kendra nodded. “We are linked for eternity, Erin. You will always have a part of me as I have one of you.” She motioned to Erica. “And we will watch over your little ones. You needn’t worry about someone else hurting her.”
“I have Goddesses in my daughter’s room.” Erin sank to the bed with a goofy grin on her face. “I’m getting married today. I have a son and a daughter.”
Kendra hugged her tightly. “You are blessed, Erin.” She sighed in regret. “We have to go now, daughter.”
Three heads turned simultaneously. The Goddesses each placed a kiss on Erica’s head and walked to Kendra.
They turned in tandem and smiled at Erin and Erica. Their voices meshed. “We wish you peace and joy. Abundance and balance. And a lifetime filled with love.”
There was a small pop, and they were gone. It was a good thing Erin was sitting, or she would have fallen flat on her face.
“You fit in.” Erica walked over and sat beside Erin. She took Erin’s hand into her smaller one and squeezed it. “And so do I.”
Maria walked into the room five minutes later, smiling and bustling. “Ah, mijas. Are you almost ready?” She winked at Erin. “Your groom paces the floor like a caged tiger. I think he is a bit impatient.”
“Grandma Maria.” Erica stood and moved forward. “I love you, but I have to move out.”
Maria’s eyes met Erin’s, and Erin nodded. Maria rushed forward and gathered her granddaughter close. “That you do, mija. But you will see me often.” She kissed the top of Erica’s head. “You and Juan are always welcome here. And I think your new family will come to visit often.”
Erin stood and folded the two females in her arms. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Peace moved through her like a lazy river. She had a family. A home. A love that touched her through her pain. She stepped back and looked in the mirror again.
“I don’t want to keep Daniel waiting, now do I?” She winked at Maria and then Erica. Erin straightened her shoulders and walked into her new life.
* * * *
Kendra cried as Daniel and Erin said their vows. Her heart filled to capacity when the children painstakingly printed their names on the adoption certificate. The bracelet on her wrist was powerful, yes. But she had seen the power of love in force.
Tempest patted her back and handed her a handkerchief. “Cry, love. For you deserve it.” Her eyes lit on the happiness below them. “I have enjoyed this immensely. It gives one hope.”
Wilda smiled at her sisters. “Two of us have succeeded, Tempest.” She brushed her titian hair back and nodded to Kendra. “Though one of us almost got herself killed.”
Eden shook her head. “I swear if you try that, Tempest, I’ll bring you back from the dead and kill you myself.” Her brown eyes moved worriedly from Kendra to Tempest. She shook her finger. “Don’t think I don’t know what you are capable of.”
“Oh, ye of little faith.” Tempest’s lips twitched. She glanced at Wilda and Kendra. “We knew it wouldn’t be easy.” She took a deep breath. Thoughts flew through her with a rapidness that would have dizzied her sisters. So quick to make a decision. It was always her way. And once she made the decision, she would stick to it until the end.
Her heart skipped a beat as she thought of her past failures. She had been so close once. So very close. And then her mortal had chosen a path that took her away from her happiness. It had damn near killed Tempest.
Their ascension was important. There was no doubt. But it was the investment from the Goddesses. It was the process of taking a person’s life and guiding them to an ending that would feed their soul.
Wilda and Kendra had chosen wisely. Tempest’s mind flew back over their mortals and studied them. Her sisters chose women physically like themselves with personalities to match.
What would she do with a mortal with a temperament to match her own? Tempest grinned. Probably send the witch flying through the air like that little girl in the mortal movie. A tornado was a definitive form of travel. Tempest bit back a chuckle. She was not an easy female. None of them were. But Tempest cloaked herself in stubbornness as much as Wilda preferred her red garments.
Her sisters came through with flying colors. She could do no less.
Tempest stood at the edge of the cloud and waved her hands in front of her. The clouds parted on a sigh and left the sisters with a view of the world below them.
“Are you nervous?” Kendra whispered.
Tempest arched an eyebrow and shook her head haughtily. “I am never nervous, sister.” She paused. “I am merely studying.”
Maybe that was the key after all. Tempest frowned. A mortal like herself? God help her. If they didn’t kill each other in the first couple of days, they would probably be best friends. She bit her lip.
So many women who needed guidance. Women who had a Goddess in them but had no idea how to set her free. Tempest watched for several minutes as the mortals conducted their everyday lives, oblivious to her scrutiny. There was a woman in Wyoming who had potential. Another in Maine who needed a helping hand.
Tempest closed her eyes for a second. She needed a worldly woman. One who could embrace her life fully. One with a zest for life and all its possibilities. Her fingers tangled in her hair. Should she? An ebony-haired woman with a stubborn streak? Would the choice save her, or devastate her?
Tempest closed her eyes and sent her soul soaring downwards into the midst of mortals. She could feel the indecision and insecurity. And then her thoughts snagged on a voice. A voice that could have cut glass with irritation so deep it seemed
to be carved in every word.
“That one.” Tempest pointed, and her sisters gathered close.
Wilda looked slightly ill. “Um…Tempest?”
“Yes, sister?” She turned and studied Wilda.
“Does this mortal remind you of anyone?” Wilda’s green eyes were wide and unblinking.
Tempest shrugged. “Not really.” She brushed her ebony hair back and smiled. “But I like her spirit.”
“You’ll have your work cut out for you, sister.” Eden shook her head. “This one has buried her heart deep. Her head rules her world.” She looked at Tempest. “How do you propose to handle that?”
Tempest waved her hand, and her blue eyes hardened in determination. “I choose her. She will come around. You’ll see.”
Her three sisters peered down again, and shook their heads in unison.
“Tempest.” Kendra sighed. “You may very well have met your match.”
About the Author
Crystal Inman is a prolific author who likes to push the boundaries of writing. She writes Contemporary, Paranormal, Time Travel, Erotic, and Fantasy Romance. Many of her novels are bestsellers and continue to enchant readers. She’s written about love in the world of Virtual Reality. Love that won’t be denied even through the decades. Love that conquers the harshest of curses. And love that sees through the façade to the heart of the matter. Crystal lives with her three teenage daughters in the middle of nowhere with a messy desk, pieces of her sanity, and a manic mind. The writing always calls to her, persistently, and she loves every minute of it.
To learn more about Crystal and her books, visit her website at: http://chryswriter.tripod.com/
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