Chapter 21 Part 3

    An hour later, Skye stood outside with her arms crossed across her chest feeling a chill that wasn't really there as she watched Robert and Carol-Anne pull away and head home. She reflected on the day and tried to process what had happened.

   When Carol-Anne woke up she was disoriented and quiet but Skye knew by the way that she looked at her that Carol-Anne remembered what had happened. The thing Skye couldn't figure out was the look of defeat in her eyes when she turned her eyes to Robert who was the concerned husband or at least he appeared to be.

    Skye's thoughts warred with each other between calling the police and killing the man. She felt pretty certain that the thoughts of murder came from Georgia and was trying to separate the emotions when a hand gently touched her shoulder and she jumped, turning at the same time. Chase stood behind her with hands raised. "I come in peace." He said trying to lighten the mood and it might have worked if the humour had reached his eyes.

    She let out a soft sigh and turned her head to where Roberts tail lights were disappearing around the corner. "Sorry, I'm a bit jumpy. I just don't know what happened." She pulled her arms across her chest once more. Seeing the motion Chase automatically went to shrug off his jacket to wrap around her and realized he wasn't wearing one. Oblivious Skye continued. "I had a hold on her, she wasn't even fighting me and then all of a sudden I was pushed out." She turned to him then. "I thought she could only break through if I was being emotional?"

    He searched her eyes for a moment. "It wasn't because you were emotional. I was because she was."

    "What do you mean?" Confusion showing on her face.

    "I mean that she knew Carol-Anne...sort of." He motioned back over to the bench with an outstretched arm. "Come on and I'll tell you a story."

   Without hesitation she started walking. Trusting him was becoming easier and easier as the days went on and the more he was there, the more she could see herself depending on him. Immediately she shoved the thought from her mind. Usually she could feel Georgia's amusement when Skye thought about Chase but now she was silent, so silent that Skye felt a tinge of worry. He waited for her to sit before he did so himself and took a moment to stare at the lazy rippling swirls in the pond. She waited patiently and put together that he was trying to figure out just how much to tell her. "It's ok Chase, just spit it out I don't think I can be shocked by anything anymore."

    The side of his lip twitched up into a sideways smile and she noticed he had a dimple. "Oh you think not eh?" Again she crossed her arms and continued to wait.

    His gaze still on the pond, finally he spoke. "Centuries ago there were five Sisters. Created by what we called the Oracle. These five women had powers given to them beyond anything people of the time had ever seen. They were named Goddesses and worshiped as such. Their Laws were to heeded at all cost and by all cost I mean that if anyone disobeyed or opposed them they were killed swiftly, brutally and publicly. No chances given. A law broken was a life ended."

    "Striking fear into their followers was an easy task, but some over time tried to rebel. The sisters were too confident in their reign and became comfortable and relaxed thinking nothing could harm them until a peasant named Urily with his tame wolf wandered into their wooded grove and stumbled across their hidden palace. No one knew where they lived, there were barriers that would re-direct a passerby around them and really, it is still a mystery as to how he found it in the first place. The rumours were that the wolf could smell them because Urily's wife, who had been the one to tame the wolf had been killed by one of them." He cleared his throat then. "It's unknown which Sister but she was said to have taken a lock of Urily's wife's golden hair and that's what the wolf had tracked. When Urily found their lair the sisters were less than pleased and tried to make a lessen of him by tying him kneeling before them, arms outstretched with his forehead to the floor to be whipped"

    Chase looked at her sidelong to see if she was still tracking his story and Skye simply twirled a finger at him telling him to keep going.

    He sighed and returned his gaze to the pond. "One of the sisters was about to whip Urily but before she did so she tilted his head up so that their eyes could meet. In her hair was the lock of hair taken from his wife. Urily became enraged but couldn't get out of his bonds.  The sisters thought they controlled all things of nature including the wolf but the love that the wolf had for Urily was stronger than even the magic the Sisters had and the love and despair that Urily had for his dead wife was all the animal could feel. His screams threw the wolf into action and it lept out and sunk his teeth into the flesh of the Sister with the golden lock. Blood flowed as the sharp teeth tore through her and she screamed but couldn't get the wolf to let go. The Sisters stood in shock as the wolf's head shook from side to side tearing through her. Finally one of them struck the wolf hard enough for it to let go and it slid away from the injured Goddess.

    Before tending to her injured Sister she.. who is inside of you, immediately killed Urily with her magic and tried to heal the ruined flesh on her sisters arm but it wouldn't heal. The wolf that stood whimpering in the corner one moment at the death of Urily was now baring teeth and low growl was coming from deep within it's chest. Only it's eyes showed that it would stop at nothing to tear them apart and she blocked the wolf inside a magical box. As the other sisters were stunned, the Oracle appeared in a shadow next to the sister that killed Urily and spoke but not in the words of anything human. The Oracle told her that to control the beast she would need to bind the wolf to her so that it could do them no further harm. When the Sister asked why the wolf attacked, the Oracle disappeared as swiftly as she had come. Not taking any chances the sisters called all of the wolves in the area to them, split them off and bound each new pack to a sister for protection."

    He paused and waited for Skye to say something but she stayed silent. When he looked into her eyes again he saw the flicker of Georgia that lived inside of her. Just a flicker but enough to know she was listening and more than likely remembering.

    "Anyway long story short, that is where we come from as Guardians. We were to protect and could do nothing to stop them but they treated us well... for the most part." He opened his mouth to speak again and Skye held up a hand calmly.

    "Wait..." She tried to control her racing mind. "So you're telling me that you, and Dom, and Maury, all of you are Wolves...from centuries ago that were used to protect Goddesses that hurt and killed people?"

    Chase shrugged like it was no big deal.

    "Annd...where do I come in?" She asked.

    The big man sighed again. "Well now...that's another story for another day."

    She shook her head and stood. "I was wrong...I can still be shocked."

Chapter 20 Part 1

    Georgia could feel the emotions that Skye was pumping out like water gently cascading over her, pulsating waves that seemed to breathe. If Skye felt excited or anxious the waves were like heavy breaths being taken but sadness and the shame Skye was feeling was a slow and infuriating event and she couldn’t relate to the feeling of shame that Skye was having right this moment but she knew it was an emotion she had never felt before…preferably never to feel it again. She took in the waves emotion that washed over her and even as she concentrated on the feeling, she felt the sadness and thought it curious.

    Being inside Skye’s head had woken her up to many emotions that she had not felt for centuries, some she never felt… ever. Typically Georgia had three states she resided in… enjoyment, boredom and rage, with the lacking of the first two directly causing the third but watching how this life worked and feeling what Skye was feeling began to wreak havoc with her own sense of self. Never had the vessel contained both souls at the same time and she missed the blessed peace within the body, missed the chaos she could cause and even missed having the Guardians chase her down with vows to kills her and bring the innocent one back.

    Forever it was the game they have played since she was cursed so many centuries ago and in truth the Guardians had been cursed along with her. Cursed to spend their immortal lives keeping her confined when they had been hers in the beginning and they protected her life with their own. Now they only protect the Vessel and only when the innocent soul resides with in it.

    Georgia decided right then that as soon as she had the chance she would push forward. Skye was weakest when saddened or ashamed as she is now but Georgia didn’t know how to drive so she sat back and waited until the moment would arrive for her. Through Skye’s eyes she watched with fascination as the garage door rose and she saw the road on the other side. When she was in control, her magic took her from place to place in a flash of light and being bound with Skye’s soul prevented that magic from taking hold. Instead of thinking about that she sat quietly in the armchair that she fashioned in Skye’s mind and watched the scenery go by, wondering what she would see on their journey.

    The ride to the shop was relatively silent with Chase’s eyes glued to the side view mirror. Skye had fidgeted with the radio enough that he had to grab her hand and put it on the wheel making her jump and leaving it painfully on a station that was having and 80’s weekend. Cindy Lauper’s ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun’ was giving him a headache but he didn’t lose his focus. He couldn’t understand what passed as music as time went by but he could remember little girls everywhere being strangely inspired by the song when it first came out and whipped people into a frenzy of colourful clothes and wild hair. He didn’t even want to think about the Madonna influence.

     As soon as Skye turned left around the little park in the middle of the square he looked up and saw the Odds & Ends sign and let out a sigh of relief.

    “Oh don’t relax yet,” Skye said with a grin when she pulled into her parking spot in front of the store. “Wait until Anna and Leigh get a load of you.” Chase had handled women fawning over him before and just ignored it since none of them really appealed to him when they were like that. He shrugged it off before she continued. “Just wait…” her voice sang with amusement and for a brief moment he wished he could turn back.

    Skye grabbed her laptop out of the backseat and headed for the door, keys in hand so she could unlock it. When she stopped to fiddle with the lock, Chase turned his back to her and scanned up and down the street as his nostrils flared. When he was satisfied with their surroundings he turned to Skye who had stopped and froze before she actually put the key in the lock. Her hands were shaking. Aware that she was going to have a hard time keeping it together, he plucked the keys right out of her hands and inserted the key in the lock. Before he even had a chance to turn it the door opened wide and Leigh stood before him in blue jeans and a deep green blouse that set off her hazel eyes. Her dark brown hair swept up high on to her head in a tousled bun gave her a casual and yet sophisticated look.

    Skye immediately forgot what she was doing until she noticed Leigh’s wide eyes as they did a head to toe sweep of Chase snapped her out of her daze. Quickly she stepped past her nudging the stunned woman gently out of the way. She felt Georgia rise up just a little to examine the new person and Skye released and inner growl in her head.

    “Tsk tsk kitten, I’m just looking.” Georgia crooned and Skye shook it off turning to Leigh who was still staring at Chase while he stood solidly in the doorway looking unimpressed but waiting patiently for Skye to introduce him. She took a deep breathe to calm herself.

    “Leigh, this is cousin Chase.” She paused when he put out his hand, “he’s Deacon’s cousin and will be staying with me and the kids for a while.” Leigh gently, almost suggestively put her hand on top of his and gave a little squeeze. “Well, hello cousin…” her eyelids dropped to halfway and she stepped forward into him. Right before she could press herself up close and personal Skye took his other hand and began to lead him to the office more so far away from Leigh.

    “Chase is going to look at our books so no disturbing him ok?” she called out over her shoulder as she hurried him away. Not that he minded at all with the waves of sexual energy coming off of Leigh and her body language only showing one thing. He turned and took one last look at her who stood with her hip out, hands clasped in front of her. She gave a sly smile and licked her lips seductively before he was dragged into the office and Skye shut the door.

    Before she said anything Chase took a walk around the office and looked out the windows making note of what he could see, where people could hide and made a mental note of any possible escape routes. When he turned back to Skye she had a sour look on her face. “You’re really going to look at our books?”

He nodded.

    “Well I guess I should tell you the whole story then.” She took her seat behind the desk, took a deep breath, held his gaze and told him everything that happened with the bank and possible foreclosure.

Chapter 19 Part 3

    Dominic had come and gone, everything was put on the table in regards to the day and the attempt to break free from Georgia. Dom had put out there that if the only time she was ever quiet was when she was observing, then Skye should give her something to watch. In his own Dominic way meaning she should get up and go back to work.

     As thankful as she was for his input she had no idea how she was going to function out in the open around people even if those people were hers.

     Still having no further insight into how Georgia was semi free and how this would all work in their grand scheme of things frustrated them all. Skye was surprised at how her whole world was turned upside down and she wasn’t in a strait jacket yet considering this was all so new, and bizarre…very bizarre and yet old and familiar feeling to her at the same time. She didn’t trust her calmness about it all, or not knowing if it was her or Georgia that was radiating the sense of ease.

    After Dom left the first thing she wanted to do was have a smoke. Something she figured out that Georgia herself hated by the sense of disgust that would trickle over her as soon as she lit one up…that only made her want to smoke more. She sat herself down and looked at her dogs sitting patiently at Chase’s feet as he resumed his usual post of leaning against the raining, arms crossed across the broad chest she was trying so hard not to notice when Maury’s voice finally broke through her thoughts.

    “Working will keep you mind off of things.” Maury told her while he and Skye sat side by side watching the sun begin to set. It was her favourite time of day as the sky changed from blue to hues of orange, red and gold. Skye exhaled and pondered what work would be like with all of this extra baggage she had on top of trying to dig them out of the hole they were in. She loved working at Odds & Ends and now dread was creeping in about trying to control things with Georgia and if the distraction would even work to keep her quiet. Skye didn’t like the situation at all. “What if she tries to break out again?” she asked through another exhale.

    Maury shrugged and tossed a casual look Chase’s way with a smirk. “Big and bad will be with you, just put him in the office and put books in front of him.”

    Skye started at that and looked at him blankly for a moment before she replied “And I should tell Anna and Leigh what exactly?”

    He gave her and incredulous look as he stood up and stretched “The truth…” he said “He’s your cousin… in law and he came to look at the books. Simple and it’s not a lie because, he will be looking at your books.” Skye couldn’t deny his reasoning but now not only the terror of being outside the house if Georgia attacked made her nervous but, also that Chase would see how much trouble she was really in.

   She could feel Chase’s eyes on her and looked up into his aqua eyes. His gaze was steady and seemed to be searching hers, like he knew that she was hiding something and for all of his gifts that were being revealed day by day to her, she thought he most likely knew for sure. Her heart started pounding as she fell into those blue-green eyes and she could feel Georgia stirring inside of her like an itch she couldn’t scratch. That caused her mind to shift and think about Georgia’s reactions to Chase. Why he created a reaction in her at all and got her thinking about their possible past together.  Skye hoped that she could work something else out on top of it all. Maybe if she could get Maury to come in instead of Chase, would Georgia leave her alone?

    She thought that it might work. “Maybe you should come with me Maury? She gets a little restless whenever Chase is around.” She left out that it was only when he was looking at her.

    “Really?” Maury asked glancing in Chase’s direction. When he made eye contact, Chase merely lifted and eyebrow. “Why is that?”

    Skye balked at the question as soon as she saw the corner of Chase’s mouth twitch and turn upward. Just then Savannah came out and told her mother that she had a phone call. Thanking everything that was holy, she now had an excuse to leave the awkward conversation. She rose to her feet and put her cigarette out in the ashtray leaving the men to their plans.

    “Who is it Ladybug?”

    “It’s Auntie Leigh!” Savannah sang as she disappeared into the front room to continue watching cartoons. Skye paused and took a deep breathe before picking up the phone.

     She tried to put a smile she didn’t have into her voice. “Hey! What’s going on?” when she didn’t hear anything right away she froze, panic beginning to well up thinking of Marcus. “Leigh?”

     “Hey, sorry! Jordan had a jellybean half up his nose. That could have been a really inconvenient hospital trip.” She sang down the line and relief flooded Skye as she let out a laugh that she desperately needed.

    After stoically avoiding the questions Leigh was asking her about the new additions to the household. Skye decided against telling her that she was going to bring Chase in to the store with her. She felt better showing up with him instead because then Leigh and Anna would be so busy looking at and falling over him that they wouldn’t look at her too closely while she tried to keep Georgia at bay.

    With exhaustion tugging at her with every movement she sought out her kids. They almost seemed happier of late with the extra people in the house. Even Gertie, who spent a lot of time with Savannah who loved Jack to pieces. Angel took her post downstairs while Kona gently nudged Skye forward to bed. Skye wasn’t ready though, she had something she needed to do first.

    One by one Skye checked on each of her children hugging Savannah and tucking her in tight, brushing Kyra’s hair and telling her everything was going to be fine. When she asked Kyra what she thought of Chase and Maury she merely shrugged but Skye had been watching her with Chase and knew that her daughter was more than comfortable with the increased testosterone in the house. Last was Cy as he laid on his back in bed, one knee up and hands behind his head.

    She sat gently on the edge of the bed realizing now that she hadn’t asked him how he was taking all of the changes and the fact that he was now something that they had thought unreal and impossible and if she was honest she still really didn’t know what that was. He hadn’t hit the age where he would change they said, shape shifting, increased muscle mass and all of the things that Maury was helping him with…preparing him for. She put a hand on his leg and he flinched. Hurt flashed across her face before she could stop it and she removed her hand placing it in her lap and lacing her fingers together.

    “Sorry mom, I wasn’t expecting that.” Cyrus said softly.

    “Are you sure?” she replied, “Maybe you’re thinking now…” she felt tears welling up as she continued, “that I’m not your mom…”

    The thought had bounced around in her head for days and she pushed it out repeatedly. The thought of Cyrus thinking that she was a monster scared her more than she was willing to admit to anyone. Cyrus didn’t hesitate.

    “You are my mom. I had trouble in the beginning…I’m still having trouble but not where it comes to you being my mom.” He said but wouldn’t look at her. “I’m trying to figure it out and I’m scared you will disappear and that we will have to be taken care of by people we barely know.”

    She felt a sense of pride in her son at that moment. That he had thought about this meant more than she could have imagined. “I’ll take care of the girls no matter what.” He continued, his voice was unbelievably small as he finally looked up at her. “I’m not letting you go mom…not without one hell of a fight.” Cyrus sat up and wrapped his arms around her. She thought she could feel his strength and resolve in that action. He reluctantly loosened his grip enough to whisper to her.

    “I promise…”

    The next morning the now expected and quickly becoming normal hustle and bustle of the house was in full swing. Maury was making the girls breakfast while telling Savannah outrageous stories of wild animals from another place in time. Kyra listened and didn’t react in the same why her little sister did but she listened intently anyway. Cyrus was trying to find his text book that he had probably left on the floor by the couch in the living room when he and Maury were attacking each other on the PlayStation but Chase and Gertie were not in sight yet so Skye took that as her cue to go get her coffee, head out back with the dogs and try to do something that used to be normal before she headed off to work.

    She was leaning on the railing watching the dogs run in circles and do their morning thing with her coffee in one hand and cigarette in the other when both dogs, changed direction and ran past her. “I’m starting to think my dogs love you more than me.” She said knowing the reason why. She didn’t even need to look at him to know it was Chase and that he had that knowing and smug grin on his face.

    His large frame entered her periphery as he leaned back against the railing beside her and tapped the pocket of her sweater that she had her cigarettes in. Without a second thought she reached in, took out the pack and handed them to him along with the lighter. The silence was deafening for a few minutes while the stood facing opposite directions from each other but so close that Skye could feel the heat radiating from him. A flash of Deacon swirled through her thoughts, remembering that his temperature always ran hot. Hot enough were most of the time he slept on top of the blankets.

    She gave Chase a sidelong glance and he seemed not to notice her looking at him from head to toe. A silent comparison going on in her head but when she got to his torso, the flat but rippled plane of his stomach, the smooth molded shape of his shoulders as her gaze rested on his defined  pecs she felt her face heat and had to turn away quickly.

    In her head she heard Georgia let out a low laugh. Skye started and shook it off, tossing her cigarette into the ashtray just to have a reason not to stare. Now she couldn’t wait to get to the shop so that she could be distracted from thoughts of anything but work.

    “I’ll be in the SUV.” She said abruptly and strode into the house. After kissing each of her children on the head she picked up her jacket, laptop bag and keys on her way to the garage. The comforting and normal beep of the car alarm disengaging was music to her ears as she tossed her bag on the back seat and got behind the wheel.  She decided to warm it up while she waited for Chase and no sooner had she made that decision she saw is frame fill the doorway to the garage. He looked casual in his dark blue jeans and the long sleeved white shirt that hugged his upper body.

    Mentally she slapped herself for even noticing that anything hugged his muscular frame. She may not be ready to move on but she could appreciate the male form in all its glory, she thought to herself. “Oh how glorious it is…” Georgia chimed in and Skye gave her a mental push backwards that made the goddess again laugh softly. Seeing him unnerved her but apparently it amused the second soul. All she could think about was how so very similar he was to his cousin and how she felt like she was betraying his memory for looking at another man.

She felt ashamed.

Chapter 19 Part 2

                                                                    19-2

    Gertie felt the disturbance almost as soon as it happened. She felt the presence of her Mistress, just a shred but she knew it was her. Feeling the call of her Charge, she turned from Jack’s cage where she had been feeding him sunflower seeds and closed the cage door before she went to see what was happening. She wanted to be there for her Mistress in case she needed her. Before she made it even two steps out of the kitchen Chase was already in full stride running up the stairs in two’s.

    “Damn it!” Gertie cursed knowing she could never reach them before he could because of her age and restricted motion. Even so as she started to climb the stairs Maury stepped out of the front room and leaned casually against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. The smirk on his face did more than just irritate her.

    “Forget it old woman. You won’t win this.” The smugness in his tone rattled her more than anything else had. She was so used to being alone and she remembered why now as her hatred for the guardian settled over her like a blanket. Even as a young girl they had misjudged her. She looked at him with distaste as his mouth curved into a harsh smile causing her to turn and return to the kitchen instead of getting involved with whatever was happening upstairs.

    Opening the cage door Gertie cooed at Jack and tears threatened to spill over her eyes, but she kept it at bay by thinking back to her cottage that she missed more than anything at this moment. She swore that she would never let them see her cry.

                                                                             ~~

    Chase reached Skye’s bedroom and for a moment he felt wrong crossing the threshold. A brief flash of Deacon almost caused him to miss a step until he saw the terror on Skye’s face as she fought an invisible but all too real threat within herself. He knew his knowledge of the past wasn’t going to help him now and he couldn’t stop to think about what was going to happen next. He blocked everything out except for her when he crossed the room and took hold of Skye’s arms putting himself directly into her field of vision. Even though she was looking at him, he was well aware that she couldn’t really see him with the turbulent thoughts going on inside of her head. He cursed the fact that Georgia had a grip on her that he had no idea how to break.

    His first thought was to slap her again but seeing as it was Skye he was looking at he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Managing to gently move her over to the bed and sit her down he took a deep breathe. Every now and then her brows would crease in confusion but he had no way to be sure. “Skye…” he ventured softly. “Can you hear me?” when all she did was blink he took out his cell phone and called Dominic thinking maybe he knew something, a cold shower…something to help. He would question later why he felt so protective over her.

    He reluctantly stepped away from her and dialed Dominic’s number. He waited for him to answer as he paced back and forth across the room, his eyes constantly watching Skye. On his last pass in front of the bedroom door Savannah unknowingly strode in humming to herself a tune. He had at first ignored it thinking that she should not be near her mother at this particular moment in time and then a vague recollection of the notes niggled in his mind but couldn’t place from where.

    Bringing him back to the moment he remembered that he had a phone in his ear. “Chase…what’s the matter?” Dominic’s voice filtered through the receiver.

    “Hey Boss, we have a situation here…” his words trailed off as he watched Savannah climb up the end of the bed; crawl across the quilt and under Skye’s arm to sit in her lap.

    “What’s happened? Did she come back?” Dominic sounded calm at all times but with this all being so new he was a bit on edge, not enough to crack his strength or his resolve but enough to be frustrated and wary the same time held hostage by lack of knowledge.

    Chase took a breath to reply while he watched Savannah tuck herself into Skye’s side. She didn’t say anything, she continued to hum and play with a piece of Skye’s hair that had escaped her bun on her head. Within a few minutes Skye began to blink rapidly, trying to focus and looked around the room. Breathing heavy as she digested the situation Chase could sense the panic she was beginning build and moved towards her. Before he reached her she looked down at her sweet girl unaware of seeing Savannah come in.  The last visual that Skye remembered was seeing the girls in that backyard. Her mind cycled through what had happened in what had ended up only being a few minutes. When she looked up and saw Chase standing in front of her with his phone to his ear she felt the first pangs of anxiety.

    She hugged Savannah close and kissed the top of her head hoping to ease the panic and anxiety, keeping it in check. She didn’t want to scare her youngest daughter considering she was scaring herself. Even as that thought was going through her she felt the weighing presence of Chase near her and for the first time since they had dominated her home she was glad that she wasn’t alone. Daring to look at him she whispered harshly “What happened?” her eyes were pleading with him while every fiber of herself was hoping and praying that Georgia hadn’t broken through or hurt Savannah.

    Chase saw the additional question in her eyes and said softly “You’re fine Skye, Savannah just came in a moment ago. I was here the entire time” The sigh that she released was heavy but her body relaxed all except for her arms which had her daughter pinned in her lap.

    “Mommy?” The muffled sound of Savannah’s voice trapped in the crook of her arm made her jump and she let go of the little girl. After taking a few dramatic deep breaths Savannah got up on her knees and hugged Skye around the neck, kissing her cheek. “I love you Mommy.” She said before she hopped down like nothing was unusual.

    Chase still had the phone in his hand and the conversation forgotten. Dominic was trying to tell him that he was on his way over and they would figure this all out yet Chase never heard the last words Dominic said because he was too focused on Savannah as she strode from the room. Just before she reached the door she stopped and turned to face her mother. Her little smile lit up the room.

    “Don’t worry mommy, she can’t hurt you unless you’re sad.” She said and skipped from the room.

     Skye sat dumbfounded on the edge of the bed and Chase could do nothing other than hang up the phone. He was pretty sure that Dominic was still talking but at this point couldn’t care less as he processed what had just happened. He knew that Dom would not approve of the abrupt cut off and yet it was the furthest thing from his mind.  Chase stood speechless and in awe of one so small that could have an answer to something none of them knew the answer to. He turned then to look at Skye who by now white as a sheet.

    “I am going fucking crazy…” Skye turned to face him and her eyes were wet with tears but there was no sobbing, no wailing just quiet tears streaming down her face. Wanting to go to her and wipe her tears away overwhelmed him, it was completely unexpected. His training had taught him how to put emotions aside and he did so with ease once he had a handle on the feelings stirring inside of him. Deciding to focus on something else he turned Savannah’s words over in his head and took the chance that she might be on to something. The song was familiar and he held on to that.

    He tapped his cell phone on his wrist, something he did out of habit when his brain was turning. Something came to mind; he stopped tapping and looked at her.

    “If you don’t mind me asking, what were you thinking about before you tranced out?”

    Chase had a feeling he already knew and his instincts were usually right on the button. For once he prayed that the answer wasn’t what he thought it was because grief is the hardest thing to fight. Skye looked up at him, her green eyes lined with silver as she fought back the tears. Clearing her throat she said what he knew in his heart to be true.

    Between muffled breaths she managed to work her lips. “Deacon.”

    As soon as the word was out of her mouth Skye was up and pacing, now almost frantic at what Savannah had said and what had happened. Feeling relieved that Chase was there could only calm her so much. She had felt him and so did Georgia the minute he touched her. That was when the Goddess slipped giving Skye moment she needed to grab hold of the surface, but the struggle was like wading through quicksand. Suppressing the feelings that she had was all she could do at the moment until she figured out what it all meant. More and more Georgia’s emotions were flowing freely through her and the only one of them without pain was curiosity and sometimes mild amusement.  Georgia had been caught off-guard a second time and Skye knew that would not so easily happen again.

    “So what now?” she asked, “Georgia picked up an image of Deacon out of my head and she almost had me!” She wrung her hands together in front of her so hard that they hurt leaving her some reality injected into the situation. Her fear was beating at her, nothing seemed real anymore and everything that kept her grounded felt so far away.

    Leaning up against the dresser Chase followed her pacing with his eyes trying to find something that would help her calm down and think straight. He was at a loss with her, wondering about the other versions of her and how similar they were but the time periods produced different women and reactions. Even though at her core she was the same Skye he had seen over and over again, she had been submissive and he never really had to get to know her, she was Deacons Charge and where Deacon was easy and instructive Chase was an Enforcer and for the most part a silent killer.

    Not husband material.

    “Ok, listen,” he started off and realized that there was no way that she was listening to him. He could sense the anxiety and panic overriding her senses. Skye kept pacing ignoring him until he stood up and stepped into her path. When she ran nose first into his chest she was startled, not expecting his body to be so…firm. Georgia scoffed inside her head and Skye realized through Georgia that his close proximity distracted her from being afraid. For a moment when Georgia found the way Skye reacted to him amusing in return she would calm down, especially when he was close but right now he felt way too close to her. Too close in the bedroom she shared with his cousin for many years.

    Gently he put his hands on her shoulders and she visibly relaxed and began to breathe normally. Without warning she wrapped her arms around him and started to cry, as each sob rocked through her he felt the pull towards her, protecting her and her family.

   …His family now.

Chapter 18 Part 3

                                                                    18-3

    Carol Anne was feeling more like herself. Her ribs were still sore but she could move around again. Robert was surprised when he called her that morning and she was up and about already but she had to thank the iron will she had suddenly acquired for that. She embraced the pain and continued her day to day chores. Going about her day, her plan was always on her mind to get away from Robert and yet she wondered why she hadn’t done so before. Now… she told herself that all she had to do was make it to her brother before Robert could find her or take the money and run.

   He had been a gentle man over the past few days, almost as if he truly regretted what he did to her but she wouldn’t buy it for one more second. If she fell into that trap again then she would never build up the courage to get out.

   He was doting on her now, bringing her flowers and little presents when he came home from work and finally once he started talking about the little antique shop in town that he loved so much. Carol Anne knew that she would have to finalize her plan to escape soon. If she could get access to her bank account before he went into the store she could be gone right then. Even if she had to hide in an alleyway until he went away and then she could get to the police station further into the city. She would buy cloths later and had already stashed some of her belongings deep in the treeline on the property that she could go back for later with her brother. She knew those woods like the back of her hand but the main thing was her getting away from him long enough to go back and retrieve the bag she stashed.

    Robert never went into the woods. From the first time he heard the wolves howling in the night and the low growls of the bears he refused to get close to them at night. Fortunately for Carrie Anne that was exactly what she needed because when she went back for her things it would be under the cover of darkness. He kept everything related to the accounts in a safe she had no access to and on him at all times. More than once it occurred to her that she could hit him and knock him out, but the fear of that not going as planned prevented her from trying it.

    Sitting alone in her sun room she mulled over what she needed to do, putting everything in place. What would happen if she couldn’t get access to her card? She would have to come back and try again. It was the only option because he was not getting her inheritance; she was not going to let that happen. It had occurred to her that she could call the bank and report the card lost or stolen but then she would have no access either until she receives a new one. Even then it would be sent to the house. She wished that there was someone that she could trust to help her. She wanted more than anything to call her brother but once he saw what Robert had done and would do to her again there would be no stopping him and Robert would be a dead man with her brother in a cell instead.

    That didn’t sit well with her on any level.

   Carol Anne stood up and paced back and forth in the sun room slowly so she didn’t agitate her injuries. Absently she gently touched the leaves of the various plants in the room feeling a sense of calm while her brain moved from one thought to the next. She had so much in her head and it took everything she had to wait and be patient. Robert normally would have been very eager to go to Odd and Ends and his patience was a shock as well. Carol Anne had met a couple of the women that worked there when they first started going to the little shop and they seemed nice enough but after Carol Anne talked to them a bit too long one day Robert decided she was best left in the park outside of the shop where he could see her from the window and he knew that she wouldn’t dare leave.

    She stopped moving and turned her attention to the window. Her eyes automatically found the tall old growth trees towards the back acres of the property. She focused on a small cluster of trees that hid the path into woods where she had her few things that she could risk taking waiting for her. Once she could get free and to a phone she could start her new life and the only thing that was causing her any grief was knowing that she would have to go far away because Robert would not stop until he found her.

    Deciding that she didn’t want to think about that, she kept telling herself as she resumed pacing the floor that she would be free soon and would never let anything or anyone ever hurt her again.

    The violence that Robert exhibited towards her made her wonder how it was possible that he had ever loved her in the first place and when everything had gone and changed. She shook her head and decided that she didn’t care anymore why or how it happened just that it had and she was done being a victim.

    Suddenly she heard a car coming up the gravel drive and rushed as much as she was able to the Foyer. One look at the security monitors mounted in the wall by the door and she could see that Robert was home. Knowing that he would take a few minutes to collect his things from the car she walked back to the sun room and sat down in the chaise pulling a blanket over her legs.

    She had done everything she could around the house even though he told her to rest and with his new demeanor she didn’t want to rock the boat by not keeping things the way he liked them. She heard the key turn in the lock and the door swish open. Two steps to the right beside the monitors she could hear the soft beeps as his fingers swiftly put in the pass-code to the alarm. His footsteps echoed as he went into the kitchen and put the bags he had on the counter.

    Holding her breath Carrie Anne wasn’t sure what persona was going to walk through the archway to her and when she heard his steps coming towards the sun room she put on her loving wife face. She was right not to breathe because when he rounded the corner and entered the room. In his arms there were lilies, pink, orange and white all large and fragrant filling the whole room up with their aroma.

    He knew that she loved them, they were her favourite flowers and something her would buy her on a regular basis when they first started dating. Even on their honeymoon he had filled the hotel room with flowers. But then he spoke the words that let her know exactly what kind of mood he was in.

    “Hello Angel…” He purred with a smile.

Chapter 16 Part 3

    Gertie ran up the stairs as everything exploded beneath her in the kitchen. She didn't make it too far before she had to slow down to a crawl to catch her breath. Old women like her didn't run anymore and she needed to remember that. She stopped a few feet from the top while she swallowed thick pockets of air to listen to the sounds around her. The screaming had stopped and that was a good thing and although she didn't know who had stopped Georgia she had heard the slap of skin on skin and knew it must have been someone strong enough to shut her up. In that case it wasn't the smaller mouthy one and although she didn't approve of the assault on her Mistress she couldn't help but smile that the Vessel would feel the pain when she woke up.

     After a few breaths things stayed quiet so she continued up the rest of the stairs only to stop at the top and crouch down behind the railing that would not have hidden her in any way if they had chosen to look up.

    She watched all of the Guardians and the boy shuffle into the front room. The largest one walked by carrying the sleeping vessel. Only briefly did Dominic halt in the foyer causing Gertie to hold her breath and pray. If she moved now he would see her immediately, but all he did was cock his head slightly before he continued into the room. She could feel that her Mistress was no longer in control and that was not a bad thing at this point because with them distracted they weren't focusing on her. She was free to roam even if it was only for a few minutes. She had to find the energies she was feeling in the house. One felt good and the other felt dark...very, very dark. As they moved into the room she remained unnoticed.

      She straightened, her body stiff and opened her mind only to feel the energies she was seeking coming from two different directions. From where she stood she could feel the pull of the dark energy to the left and the good energy was above her. The pull from the left was so strong that before she knew it she was taking involuntary steps in that direction, the energy tugging at her mind and her body. Gertie felt the dark energy pulsate like a heartbeat and with every beat her feet moved forward. She fought it, only barely restrained herself but it was enough that her feet moved mere inches at a time so she didn't move very quickly.

    The energy felt wrong on all levels. It felt thick like she was moving through mud but also enveloped her like smoke that wrapped itself around her whole body pulling her towards the door at the end of the hall. She started to panic when she tried to plant her feet and pull backwards, away from the horrible feeling that was smothering her every inch of her. Her mind screamed for her to stop and to run but her body wouldn't listen, the screaming in her head got louder as she tried to harder will her legs to stop and turn around.

     Horrible images sprang into her mind of screaming misshapen mouths, contorted faces and abnormally large hands that turned in to claws as they grabbed and pawed at her. The result of the images only strengthening her resolve to break free of the hold the energy had on her but she was too weak and her panic took a firm hold. Her body continued to only move forward but her eyes were wide with fear. The door ahead was covered in shadows writhing in and out of the doorway, caressing the frame and walls. Until a sound from above her snapped the hold briefly and she could breathe again. Not that she had been aware that she wasn't breathing and she stumbled backwards a few steps panting as her gaze rose to the ceiling at the scraping noises above.

    The noise stopped and before she knew it once again the beating and pulsating resumed taking a hold on her body, once again moving her forward to shadows. In her mind she begged for something to break the hold again. No sound would come from her like her voice had taken a vacation the only noises she could make were small shallow rasping breaths . 

    Tears lined her eyes as she began to think the worst. The energy was malevolent and soaked with darkness, feeding off of her fear and then once again the scraping noise from above broke the hold it had on her. Whatever it was couldn't seem to concentrate, like it was distracted by the noises itself. Gertie had the brief thought that if it could be distracted then it was taking a hell of a lot of concentration and control to hang on to her. It seemed to her that the shadow didn’t like being interrupted as the hold was cleanly broken and she slumped to the floor, gasping for breath as a violent shudder coursed through her body.

    She felt rather than saw the dark energy crawl up the wall behind her and float along the ceiling carefully before it retreated back into the bedroom at the end of the hall and then she didn’t feel it at all anymore. She leaned her head against the wall and let the tears fall freely from her eyes.

Chapter 9 Part 1 - Revised

   As Skye felt her heart sink at the thought of not having her children, Cyrus sat on the stairs listening. His hands were in tight fists as he listened to the murmurs coming from the kitchen and even though they spoke softly he heard every word. His gaze was fixed on the front door but his ears tuned to what was going on in the other room. He didn’t understand how any of it was possible but knew that it was impossible for him to believe that he had heard Maury right about his mother having no reproductive organs. It didn’t take a genius to put that together, yet his curiosity was getting the better of him and all he wanted was to know more.

   He fought every urge to storm back in and tell them all that he had a right to be there as the man of the house or to leave and never come back but there was a that part of him that wanted to know more…a lot more and that part wouldn’t let him do it. He took a silent breath, scared to be noticed somehow and loosened his fists trying to relax even though he couldn’t wrap his brain around everything turning in his head. For the first time in what seemed like forever, he wished his father was there. One of his big questions was that if those men were protecting his mom then what were they?

   As if reading his thoughts he felt a small hand on his shoulder and turned to see Kyra sitting behind him on the step, the look in her eyes seemed to be wishing for the very same answers that he wanted. The pain in her eyes confirmed that she wished their father was there too.

   Cyrus gently patted her hand and gave her an awkward smile to which she smiled back at him. To see her that way warmed him. “What do we do?” he said softly to her. All she did was shrug and then from behind him wrapped her arms around her big brothers neck.

   Cyrus stood up then; made sure he had a good grip on Kyra and piggybacked his sister back up the stairs to her room. While taking 2 steps at a time he made a mental note that the hallway seemed darker than usual as he walked towards Kyra’s door. Like the lights had dimmed or a bulb had blown out in the hallway fixture. When he passed Savannah’s door he saw her playing with her dolls humming softly as she did when she was creating her make-believe worlds in pinks and blues with unicorns an dragons.

   With his hands holding Kyra close he leaned forward, pretended to charge like a bull using his head to push open her bedroom door. Running to the bed he spun around and tossed her down onto the soft mattress. At the same time he saw that her sketchbook was open on the desk.  “What are you drawing now Shortstop?” He asked as he moved towards it to look Kyra bolted off of the bed in a heartbeat and raced her brother to the desk. She picked up the sketchbook and in one smooth motion, threw it in the open drawer and slammed it shut with a speed Cyrus admired and yet found odd. The pictures on her walls fluttered with the force of the breeze she created.

   Cyrus told himself that everything Kyra did these days was odd though and thus normal for her.

   He stopped abruptly raised his hands in the air and said, “OK, OK I’ll leave it alone!” Kyra stood firm holding the drawer shut behind her with a look on her face that said only ‘I’m Sorry’ but Cyrus didn’t even notice as he turned and retreated from the room to return to his post for some more eavesdropping on the conversation in the kitchen.

  

   Once he closed the door and his footsteps faded away. Kyra stepped away from the desk and went over to curl up on her bed. No sooner than she did, the drawer she had put her sketchbook in slid open slowly on its own. From inside of it the book appeared and tumbled end over end out onto the floor where it sat vibrating slightly and then stopped moving altogether.

   Inside Kyra was terrified enough to scream but couldn’t find the voice for it. She ran the rest of the way across the room and jumped on her bed, pulled her knees up to her chin and remained there as she watched the book turn over and over until it reached the bottom of the bed and continue the movements until it sat on the end of the bed.

The book then opened itself, shuffled pages rapidly until it came to a fresh blank page and she felt the shadows circling around her; she felt the anxiousness in the wake of their movements urging her to pick up her pencil. Telling her a story but a story she didn’t want to know… without even realizing it the book was in her lap and a pencil in her hand.

She knew what it wanted…

She knew she had to do it…

Draw…

  

    

Chapter 1 Part 2 - Revised

    

     Continuing to turn the pages slowly, the sketch of Deacon seems to fade and once dark pencil lines get lighter and lighter, like he's disappearing. As she turned them she noticed that the figure in the corner has moves closer to the family, specifically Deacon. With her eyebrows knitted, she tried to process what she was seeing. She even flipped backwards a couple of times and looked at them again.  On the last page that Kyra had drawn on, Deacon is completely gone and so is the shadowy figure.

    She didn't even hazard a guess at what it meant but the feeling that weighed heavy in her mind and heart told her this wasn't a good thing. She would have to get Kyra a therapist and make her go if everything worked out with the bank. She would get her daughter the help she needed so that she could laugh and live. Have as full a life as she could after this trauma.

    With her throat threatening to close, she put the sketchbook back where she found it and turned to walk away. She took one step, then another and felt the tears start welling up as her throat made good on it’s threat and she choked up.

    “Shake it off Skye,” she told herself “There is no time for this.”

    Kona startled her with a bark and as she tried to catch her breath the tears stopped and she smiled. She looked at the dog with her hand covering her heart. “Oh you always know what to say to make me feel better.” When Skye looked at the clock on the nightstand and realized I only had just over an hour to get ready for her appointment and she hadn’t even showered yet she got her butt moving  and rushed to the linen closet to get a towel.

   She glanced behind her at the sketchbook as it sat on the bed with its deep brown leather cover, the reminder of what she saw began to cut deep again. Skye swore right there to fix what was broken if it was the last thing she ever did.  She knew that she had to make things better and show them all that they could make it without their father, not like they had much of a choice anyway. Skye shook her head almost violently and told herself again to snap out of it, she had things to do.

   Before she finally got into the shower she cranked the tap over to as hot as she could stand it and put her hand under the stream. Once it felt right she stripped off her clothes and stepped under the spray. She relaxed almost immediately when the hot water cascaded down her back. It felt like it could wash everything away for just a moment and as much as she wished she could stay in there for an exceptionally long 45 minute shower, she had to get a move on and get herself dressed. She soaped up, washed her hair and gave herself a good scrub and then turned off the water and stepped out. After she wrapped the towel around herself she took another and towel blotted her hair while she wiped the steam off of the mirror.

    She looked at her reflection and practiced smiling for a quick second thinking she looked absolutely ridiculous while she did it.  As soon as she turned around Skye almost tripped over Angel. That dog didn’t care where you were as long as she could silently lay behind your feet in an effort to pretty much kill you when you tripped over her. This time she had motive as Skye realized she had completely forgotten to feed them this morning. Her scrambled brain was not helping her at all. With quick steps Skye crossed the distance to her room and quickly got dressed. She thought quickly that should really learn how to plan ahead, she had no idea what to wear to something like this because she was so used to just waiting until Deacon came home to tell her what happened. She threw open the closet door and looked dismal. “I should have asked Leigh to help me.” It’s too late now.

    Finally after throwing several business looking like items around on her bed and on the floor she decide to go with the route that is her, black jeans, a nice blue blouse and light black jacket. It may not be what typical people would wear to a meeting with a loan officer but then again she’s not typical and she gave up caring as her frustration rose.

    Dressed, keys, travel mug in hand and heading for the front door Skye’s cell phone rings like clockwork… and it’s Anna. “Good Morning Sunshine!” she chimes, Skye can almost feel her beaming. Anna is not always this happy but when she is, it kind of makes her want to gag a little when she’s so chipper. “Hey Anna, did you put a bit of whiskey in your coffee this morning?”  She said. After a sarcastic laugh “Ha ha ha, you wish I did then I’d be too tired to drive you crazy while we shop today.”

    That is exactly what Anna would do today all the while nodding and smiling, “Well then at least you couldn’t talk me into buying some new amateurs’ work that looks like it was done by a five year old on a skittle high.” Now Anna laughed hard, “Yes Skye, but he’d have to be cute too!” Despite how much Skye bugs Anna about the way she acts around people, she is amazing and when she sets her mind to it Anna could con a con artist into giving her what she wanted at the price she wanted just by batting her big green eyes at them. Men and women react to her presence in a way Skye wished she could bottle and market somehow.

   Anna has no fear and cares deeply for those around her with a strength that Skye had to draw from before, and the last thing a person would want is to be on her bad side. She doesn’t forgive or forget and she could hold one hell of a grudge.

    Skye must have drifted again because Anna had noticed the pause and asked, “Are you ok?” That snapped Skye out of her haze and she replied “No… I’m fine but I’ll be a little bit late to pick you up,” with pause she added “I have an appointment with the bank.” She could hear the concern in Anna’s silence. “Are you sure? Is everything ok? I know it’s been tough.” The questions came funneling out very quickly Skye couldn’t keep up with them and she didn’t want to drag Anna into my problem just in case there wasn’t one.

   “I’m just going to see if I can rearrange a few things… you know to try and make it easier.”  Skye heard Anna let out her breath “Oh… ok well if you need me…need me at all you give me a call ok?” Skye smiled despite herself and answered her with a sincere thank you.

    “I’ll pick you up there after I’m done. It shouldn’t be too long.” Skye reassured her and with a kiss kiss noise Anna was gone and Skye could continue the painful task of speaking to a man in a suit about the future of her livelihood. “Angel, Kona, let go for a car ride!” I heard the thunder coming down the stairs towards me and they both came running. Kona stopped in front of me and sat down while Angel nudged her head into my leg until I opened the door to the garage.

    She walked around to the back of her Dodge Durango and opened the door for the dogs to get in. With no trouble Kona jumped in and settled on top of their blanket. Angel had some trouble since she was a tad over weight and snorted life a bull as she tried to get herself into the vehicle. In the end Skye had to help her by lifting the pit bulls back end up. Angel waddled over to Kona and lay next to him surely with hopes of taking off to the river for a run after Skye’s errands were done. She closed the back door of the truck and as she turned to get in the driver’s side she looked as she always did at the other stall in the two car garage that was housing a vehicle with grey car cover holding a memory that she was not willing to have surface yet and felt her throat start to close up… again. “Oh god, not again and really not now.” she told herself not wanting to wreck any of the makeup she was wearing and that wasn’t a lot just to show up at the bank with red puffy eyes. Although that might not be a bad idea in order to get a sympathy vote to extend the loan.