Ch 22 Part 2

    Skye paced the kitchen floor while Chase and Maury looked like they were watching a tennis match. Gertie had found a way to make herself useful and was quietly waiting for the kettle to boil so she could make tea for herself and Skye while pouring  two fingers of Bourbon for the men. Each pass that Skye made past them had Maury smacking her hand lightly out of her mouth unaware that she was biting her nails. After what seemed like the hundredth time she stopped and glared at him.

    “Why do you keep doing that?” she snapped.

    He smirked at her. “I was trying to see how long it would take you to stop wearing out the floor.”

    She stared at him for a moment with her mouth slightly open. “Fuck off Mo.”

    “Mo? Mo… do you have any idea how long it’s been since someone has called me Mo? He asked.

    “Stop Maury…” Chase warned.

    “It was back in 1883…” he started and every person in the kitchen groaned. Chase stood up to usher his friend out into the other room when Angel started whining and ran for the front door. Her stocky little body skidded to a halt as the door opened and Dominic came in with two other men following him. Normally the extra men would have caused some anxiety for Skye but with so many of them coming and going lately it didn’t faze her anymore and her thoughts were currently on other things. She had noticed that they weren’t even all of her thoughts, some were Georgia’s as she thought of her “sister” and what she might be going through.

    She could feel the other soul’s frustration at not having the full use of her powers and at the same time without her Sister freed she couldn’t find her without the help of the others adding to Georgia’s unstable condition. Skye had gotten the address of the couple from the shop and knew something bad was going to happen very soon. 

    She didn’t need Georgia's feelings to know it. She saw what was in Carol-Anne’s eyes too. The only reason why she had waiting for Dominic was because the red headed woman was a part of all of this. Someone that might on some kind of level be able to understand what she was going through and according to them she was not where she was supposed to be. Where her Pack was no one knew and where her caretaker and holding vessel were was also a mystery.

    The two men with Dom were from another Pack. A tall Norse looking man with long blonde hair and a lean build trailed in behind him while another man just as tall but with short dark hair, broad shoulders and piercing grey eyes came in last. Both man looked very unhappy to be there and at this point Skye didn’t care about pleasing anyone anymore. They watched her cautiously, with a hint of distaste but the man with the disconcerting grey eyes was the one that held her attention.

    Dom stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her as Chase and Maury stepped forward to shake the men’s hands in camaraderie. She trembled in his arms and he tightened the squeeze briefly in a show of comfort before letting her go.

    “Skye?” The blonde man's rough voice saying her name startled her out of her thoughts. "Dominic explained his concerns and it worries us as well.” he said softer than she thought possible. It fleetingly occurred to her then that the man with him was like Chase. Strong, silent and protecting his pack leader.

    “We have reached out to the other Packs and there is one missing. It’s like they just…vanished.” His attention turned to Dominic. “We are very concerned that this... being… is unaccounted for.” The distaste that entered his voice again could not be hidden and he spoke to Dominic with slice of contempt while his body language showed that he did not want to be involved. Skye tilted her head in interest as she watched his body tell her the truth. His involvement was tied to all of them but if he had his way he would leave them to fend for themselves.

    His term for Carol-Anne prickled at her and she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. At the same time she felt more than saw Chase come up behind her as he sensed her fast rising emotion. She looked at the man confused. “What do you mean being? She's a woman that needs our help. She doesn't deserve the pain he's caused her.” she said as calmly as she could but her body was humming.

    “Skye…” Chase warned cautiously and shot a glance at Maury who took up a space just to the left of Skye, between her and Dom. The room began to pulse gently with energy as Skye kept her eyes trained on the tall blonde man that stood solidly in front of her not blinking. The man beside him stepped forward to place his body slightly between Skye and his leader.

    At that moment Gertie stepped forward with a cup of tea seemingly oblivious to the tension building in the room and motioned to hand the cup to Skye. Both of the new men snarled at her and she flinched startled almost spilling the tea on her. To everyone's surprise Maury stepped in front of Gertie and growled his own warning at the men. As usual Chase was knowing in his silent sentinel persona but Dominic couldn’t hide the confusion from his face as his bewilderment was at the surface in the form of one raised eyebrow. 

     Like a blot of electricity slamming up from her feet up to her head Skye’s anxiety ramped up as Georgia’s anger swelled from the display of posturing.

    She felt Georgia’s soul rush alongside the electrical current to the surface and slammed into the wall Skye had built in her mind with Gertie's help. Her whole frame shook with the force of it and she swayed from the mental attack. Every man in the room stood still. Chase was still behind her ready to grab her if it was necessary, only the two new men were apprehensive at the situation but to their credit they stood their ground in a defensive stance waiting for the attack they were sure was to come. 

    Gertie stood frozen in between them all knowing that her presence had triggered the strangers. She had forgotten that even though the relationship between the Guardians and the Caretaker was strained at first that they had all become at ease with each other. Mostly Gertie as she relished the companionship of Skye’s family after being alone for so many years. Even though Maury still slung insults at her, she felt they had some neutral ground to stand on and some form of respect growing from how they both work to aide and protect children.

    Skye slammed down hard on her knees tearing Gertie from her thoughts and she quickly knelt down to her whispering softly in her ear. Every man in the room went still as they felt the energy change again. Only Dominic, Chase and Maury knew what was happening and Dom let out and exasperated sigh.

   “Something’s wrong!” Skye screamed, the noise in her head was so loud. “She wants out…now! I can’t hold her.”

    For the first time since they arrived in her home the two strangers looked like fear had finally found them. “Ryan,” Dom said loud pointing to the blonde man “You and Sig need to step back a bit please." His calm demeanor told them that he had been through this before. Confusion lit their eyes as they stepped back to watch. .” He glanced at Skye on the floor wanting to go to her but knew better. “Very slowly…” he added. They didn’t wait for an explanation as they immediately stepped backwards towards the entrance to the kitchen, with their eyes wide.

    Maury leaned down and lightly touched Gertie’s shoulder urging her to stand up and step away from Skye but before he could move her away Skye stood with celestial grace and her green eyes were gone, replaced Georgia’s golden ones. Her gaze settled on Ryan and Sig as her lip curled in anger as recognition registered but she pushed it aside and turned her golden eyes to Dominic.

    “You…Guardian…take me to my sister.” She snapped.

Chapter 22 Part 1

   

      Carol Anne watched the house approaching. It felt more like looming to her, the weight of the day pressing in on her steadily when she thought that she wouldn't be coming back to this place again. She didn’t even realize that she had already said her goodbyes to the place that had become her sanctuary and her prison at the same time. Tears burned her eyes as she stared hopelessly up at the house and she knew that Roberts silence on the way home was a cause for concern but she couldn’t feel the concern at the moment. All she could feel was the weight of sadness in every muscle of her body that she had because she had lost her chance.

    The painting that Robert had gone there for in the first place was in the back seat covered in brown paper. Usually it would have been boxed and shipped but after the incident he insisted on taking it as it was, right at that moment. She knew it was because he didn’t want to be in contact with them for a while and answer any questions about her health.

    Confusion was fleeting in her head in regards to the strange woman and man that were with her in the park. The only things she remembered were the strange golden colour of the woman’s eyes and the feeling of absolute power coming off of the man with her. The thoughts of them were small, inconsequential compared to what she knew was coming for her and…she didn’t care.

    Nothing could make her feel, her body was numb and she almost welcomed the Pit and the cold, damp solitude that would wrap itself around her.

    Robert stopped the car and put it in Park, he made no motion to get out of the car and neither did she. Her lashes drifted down in acceptance of what was to come when he finally spoke.  “You wanted him to touch you, didn’t you.” It was a statement. “Did you faint at his looks in hopes that he would whisk you away?”

    She slowly opened her eyes and sighed knowing that he really didn’t want an answer and that it really didn’t matter what she said anyway, it would just make him angry so she slowly shook her head. Her red hair swayed slightly. He wanted her scared but she had no energy to be scared, no will left to be.

   “Let’s just get this over with…” it slipped out before she could stop it, she didn’t want to stop it. She felt the car tremble as he shook with barely contained rage.

    “You want this over Angel?” he snarled “This will never be over…” He got out of the car and slammed the door. As he stomped over to her side she debated locking the doors but it would be no use he would just break the window, so she sat still willing her face not to betray her when she felt it. There was warmth that ebbed its way into her, faint but there. Robert’s hand went to reach for her door handle as his gaze went to his prize in the back seat and he stopped, suddenly deciding that he would take it inside first.

    Carol Anne let out another slow sigh but still felt nothing about what was to come. She would make him end it. She didn’t care about the money; all she cared about was that she could make it as difficult and messy as possible so that her brother could find some suspicious behaviour to investigate and hopefully get justice for her. She was determined for the pain to end, the imprisonment, most of all the control.

    She would make him end it.

    There was a small protest in her mind but she blocked it out. No more pain. She thought to herself and a tiny thread of anxiety tried to worm its way in. Oddly she found it curious considering that she had decided firmly the next step for herself. The draft from the back door opening drew her out of her own thoughts momentarily as Robert grabbed the painting gently.

    With the painting in his right hand he threw open the door with his left and grabbed Carol Ann’s shoulder in a strong firm grip nearly ripping her out of the car. Her body was a phantom to her; she felt him distantly and knew he was even angrier that she wasn’t reacting. She wasn’t cowering or crying, she wasn’t trying to protect herself or pleading and he hated it. She could feel the waves of intense rage coming off of him and she didn’t care. The protest came again and again she shoved the thought to the back of her mind. He grabbed the back of her neck and dragged her to the front door.

   “Take your key and open the door.” He snarled. She did as he asked and he pushed her through hard enough that she lost her balance and fell to the floor. He kicked the door shut with his foot before he gingerly set the painting down under the alarm and punched in the code to disarm it. He looked at her with disgust and contempt in his eyes as she stared into his, daring him as she knew her behaviour would. He prowled around her and she refused to move, to show fear. She knew the Pit would be waiting for her and for one second she wondered if she flung herself in… if it would it be enough?

    Seething he glared at her, reading her body language he softened his features in understanding. “I thought the Pit would be the appropriate punishment for you Angel, but I see now that I am wrong. The Rack seems more fitting for this don’t you think?” She said nothing but panic began to well up and she pushed it down. The Rack was a bit more of a challenge she would have to work around. She would be tied and gagged. Usually he used it to punish her sexually but she had a feeling that wouldn’t be the only way this time. She swallowed the bile that rose in her throat and kept her silence while she thought rapidly about how to provoke him before he could completely restrain her.

    She had run out of time. He grabbed her by her fire red hair and lifted her to her feet as he propelled her towards the stairs. She stumbled and he cursed her. “You cheating bitch!” he swore as he shoved her upwards. “You let him touch you! I bet you loved his hands all over you!” she laughed then… unintentionally and he hesitated. He stopped and shook her by the hair before he backhanded her causing her tooth to cut her lip and thin trail of blood slipped down her face. She saw stars at first but welcomed them…welcomed the pain.

    The protest in her head was faint now, like feather light touches inside her mind, a faraway voice. Before she knew it she was in the attic being pushed to her knees with her ears ringing as he stripped her down. She refused to fight or show fear. She needed to push him over the edge but as soon as her eyes moved to the attic window Robert saw her intention and took hold of her hair again to throw her across the room towards the Rack. Her back hit the wood with such force it knocked her breath from her but she didn’t cry out in pain. She bit down and grunted, from her knees she looked up and glared at him. Her invitation to bring it on, that she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. “Get it over with.” She ground out and to her surprise he faltered but regained his composure quickly.

    To her dismay she noticed that the front of his pants had gone tight from his excitement but she set her jaw while in her head she said a tearful goodbye to the people she loved.

    “Oh…Angel…” he purred “I think I’m really going to like this.”

Chapter 21 Part 2

    Georgia closed the gap quickly and sat down on the bench beside Carol Anne. Her golden eyes gazed into the other woman’s wide grey eyes searching. It had been so long, so many centuries since she had seen her sister that she felt another surge of emotion that she had long since forgotten. She would have thought it was love but she considered love a weakness so she equated the feeling to respect.

    She searched for her sister’s soul in the woman and felt hollow when she found no sign of her; instead flashes of pictures entered her sight. Flashes of tears and blood others of hatred and humiliation. The ground gently shook beneath their feet as Georgia’s anger raged to the surface. Knowing the guardian was coming up behind her didn’t matter; she would rip the man apart that she saw in the memories of her sister.

    “You are not at full power.” She heard in her head. “I saw what you saw but there is another way to handle this.” Georgia hated that she was right and grit her teeth against Skye’s words that did nothing to help her rage. “Or… Chase can kill you and I’ll be back to myself again.”

    That last sentence checked her and her expression softened as she took in the fear in Carol Anne’s eyes. Chase was directly behind her now and on full guard. He had a curved knife with a Hematite grip within quick reach of his hand. It was the only thing that could do long lasting damage to her. “Down dog.” She said sweetly and he stood perfectly still but ready. She turned her attention back to Carol Anne and spoke softly. “Sister…I’ve seen your horrors and this will be dealt with.” She reached out to touch her and the bonds restraining Carol Anne fell away but she didn’t move away. Carol Anne sat frozen before her staring into those eyes. “I know that your plan is to leave, I have seen this…but I need you to go back. I won’t lose you after finally finding you.” She paused. “It is not really you though…but I will keep your vessel safe until I find your soul.” Georgia could compel men and women but never a sister. She had to trust that Carol Anne would listen and Georgia never trusted anyone.

    She stood with the grace of a queen and her eyes never left Carol Anne’s face. “One more night sister and we will be together again.” As she turned, she looked up at Chase. “I know enough to know that if I go in there and see that man he’ll die by my hand and you will have to kill me.” She noted how fierce and handsome he looked at this moment. “I also know that since 2 souls dwell in this vessel, if you kill me, you will kill her and without a soul inhabiting this body…” her eyes flicked to the awning of the shop. “We will both die…and not return.”

    Georgia felt Skye’s immediate fear spike through her. Chase didn’t change his expression but his body visibly relaxed. She raised her hand slowly and placed it on his chest. He flinched, not so much seen as felt and when she looked into his eyes again her golden eyes were replaced by green ones and the hand touching him was shaking.

    Skye dropped her hand and turned to where Carol Anne was still speechless on the bench. She took in Skye’s now green eyes, the colour drained from her face and she fainted.

    Skye looked at Chase with pleading eyes. His only response was a grunt and leaned down to pick up Carol Anne. “We need to talk.” He said gruffly.

   “You think?” she snapped and he gave her an incredulous look as he lifted the unconscious woman. Feeling ashamed of her reaction she was reminded that she had been in almost the same position as the woman he was holding not so long ago. “Sorry.”

    The bell rang as the shop door opened and Skye held it open for Chase to sidestep through. They heard the voices in the next room and heard Robert haggling with Leigh. They exchanged a glance and understood. She motioned him towards a Victorian sofa made of dark wood and lush green well-worn fabric. The scroll work on the high back and arms was elegant and it creaked gently when Chase laid Carol Anne down.

    The creak drew Leigh’s attention and she gasped and ran into the room. Robert turned, saw his wife laying there with Chase standing above her and something flashed across his face. It was not care or concern. Both Skye and Chase caught it before it turned to feigned concern for his wife’s condition as he hurried into the room. Chase stepped back when Robert approached and kneeled down next to his wife. He didn’t look at anyone as he asked. “What happened?”

   The lie came easily to Skye and she had a feeling that it wasn’t her that the explanation was coming from. “I was outside talking to Chase and she just passed out by the pond!” She couldn’t stop talking. “I asked Chase to bring her here because you know, I couldn’t carry her. The poor thing I hope she’s ok!” She forced herself to put a hand on Roberts shoulder…she shouldn’t have. She felt his hatred, felt his enjoyment of hurting her and even felt his shame that he liked hurting her so much.

    Visions of brutal violence hit her but it wasn’t his violence, it was Georgia’s. Visions of her hand breaking through his chest, through the muscle and bone past the breastplate to his beating heart. The image of blood pooling around her hand and flowing down her wrist before it stopped at the elbow and splashed to the floor.

   The grotesque image of her hand closing around his heart and squeezing rattled her but only for a moment.

    To Skye’s surprise she calmly removed her hand and stepped back only to hit a solid body. Chase’s warmth soaked into her and she relaxed even though her emotions were a storm inside of her. Her desire to save Carol Anne was absolute.

    She felt Georgia smile.

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 19 Part 1

    
    Now that things had settled into some normal type of pattern Skye realized that she didn’t mind the houseful as much as she had thought she would. Chase and Maury shared the guest room in shifts as they took turns sleeping in the front room to guard the door. With their extra sensitive hearing they could be up and at the door before whomever it was reached the bottom of the stairs. From Angels usual spot just outside of the kitchen there was no way anyone would get past her without a full wake and shake. When Skye asked why they needed to guard the door in the first place Maury told her that in case Gertie tried to wander or initiate the exchange of souls they would be ready, both men awake and alert in an instant.

    The fact that Georgia had made another appearance rattled them and in turn they decided that if she returned again the first thing she would try to do while she had control would be to try and leave the house in which case they would be there to stop her. When she asked Chase if she was now a prisoner in her own home he told her that she was no prisoner, but she now went nowhere without an escort.

    Gertie turned out to be a big help despite the words and curses she would spit out against Maury every time he was near her. She would cook and clean, she set up Jack in a corner of the kitchen temporarily and would sleep in the den just off of the kitchen. The room was too small to fit both her and the cage in the tiny space. Gertie had mentioned the attic and staying up there but Skye didn’t feel comfortable with that since the witch was not supposed to be there for long there was no reason to set up house for her. 

    Skye even began to get used to the smell of Sage in the house as well as other herbs Gertie put out every day. Something began to change in the banter that Gertie and Maury had begun the week with and for a minute Skye thought the old witch might have a thing for the young-ish Guardian, until she came into the kitchen one night and heard them fighting almost to the point of coming to physical blows with each other.

    At that point Skye removed Gertie from the room as Maury made obscene gestures until they cleared the area.  Skye glared at him over Gerties shoulder and all he did was glare at the back of Gerties head and his tense muscles threatened to tear through his shirt. Chase never gave any reaction to the fighting between the two. He was always looking into the age old curse and noting the events in another Journal much like Deacons, both were close at hand. The front room had been turned into a makeshift headquarters. Every now and then one of the others would show up and either add or take away information but none of the other men were ever near Gertie.

    Skye had put off going in to work or seeing Anna and Leigh over the course of the week and knew that pretty soon her best friend from up the street was going to show up at her door with a lot of questions if she didn’t physically see her soon. Making sure she talked to both of them every day made her feel normal too. Like nothing had changed. She told them both that she had unexpected family in from out of town, the same story she told Savannah and Kyra so they left her to her own devices  for the remainder of the week. The shock from both of them was not hidden and if she knew Leigh at all the curiosity was killing her at the thought of Skye with more family. She would want to see it with her own eyes.

    Up in her room, staring out of her bedroom window at the girls playing in the yard but not really seeing anything, Skye wondered how she was going to go on living like nothing was wrong. She hadn’t told Dominic about the bank foreclosing yet because the shame kept her quiet. She could tell that her new bodyguards knew something was wrong but neither of them felt the urge to ask any questions and she was thankful for that. Letting out a loose sigh she crossed her arms over her chest and had to remember to breathe as she tried to think about how to solve this problem that was ticking away day by day.

    Georgia was becoming a constant in her head, always trying to poke through the fabric and trick Skye into setting her free but a lot of the time Georgia seemed content to watch what was going on through Skye’s eyes. At first the feeling of sharing a mind felt like an intrusion but now it was beginning to feel like a part of her. Maury had told her a few days before that he knew when Georgia was watching because Skye’s eyes would become flecked with gold.

    “They feel safe.” Georgia mused.

    “Well,” she corrected “Not the large one, I have dealt with that one before.” The sound of her voice softened “He is not the brute he makes out himself to be but make no mistake he is ruthless and has no remorse for the things he does.”

    Curiosity beat at Skye then and she wanted to know more. Thinking about Chase bothered her,especially when there was someone else in her head that would analyse her thoughts as something other than innocent curiosity.  Never had Skye spent so much time with the two men that were quickly becoming part of her household. Besides the time that Cyrus spent with them learning things that he considered private, the girls spent a fair amount of time with them too. Savannah was always behind Maury as he told her stories and Kyra would sit for hours of endless silence with Chase either reading or drawing.

    It just dawned on Skye that Kyra wasn’t drawing in the sketchbook that her father had given her. Skye’s heart sunk a little more and guilt grew anew in the space left behind.

   She felt Georgia’s attention refocus on her; she could feel the interest in her feelings and why she felt that way. Like tendrils of smoke through her mind she could sense the soul sifting through her memories and an image of Deacon drifted up. Shock rippled through her and Skye immediately got angry; before she knew it she threw up a wall so fast that Georgia didn’t know what had happened and for that matter neither did Skye. Both of them were shocked and Georgia retreated quickly to her corner of Skye’s mind in complete confusion. It didn’t last long; Skye knew that although Georgia was confused, she wasn’t rattled, she was too calm.

    On the outside Skye was trembling so fiercely that she couldn’t see straight. Her vision became hazy as the scene she was looking at out the window started looking farther and farther away. She felt the tug like a rope pulling her backwards and sound warbled in her ears, in that second she clued into what was happening. Georgia had found her weakness, it was in her emotions and Georgia latched on holding on for dear life. In her grief that refused to lessen or go away, the grief that stayed with her every second of every day. Once Skye made the connection she fought close off herself and to pull herself forward, swimming against the current trying to get closer to Kyra and Savannah playing outside in the yard.

    She focused on them with everything she had but she was losing her grip. The other soul dug in and hung on, she wanted out just as much as Skye wanted to stay on the surface and she screamed inside her head, screamed for Georgia to let go and crawl back to where she came from and that only made Georgia pull that much harder.

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 18 Part 2

                                                                       18-2

    A few days later Skye’s body and mind were feeling better, her mind was still fractured but she had gotten enough of a grip on everything that she didn’t feel like she was going to have a meltdown every second of the day thus having to commit herself to a facility where she would be drugged back to some form of normalcy.

    The thought was still in her head when she entered the kitchen and saw Maury standing in front of the toaster, head tilted back, eyes closed, toast about to burn and clearly still tired after being up all night playing video games with Cyrus. The sight of him standing there, lightly swaying from side to side made her smile and as small as it was it was a smile none the less. Those had been few and far between in the recently with everything that was going on.

    “Morning,” she said casually as she glided past him. When all she got back was a grunt she smiled again. “Did my boy kick your ass…again?” she asked with a cheeky tone. Skye made it to the sliding glass door and as she picked up her cigarettes that were on the counter, both dogs came barreling through the house and into the kitchen all teeth and tongues, fully aware that the actions their human had just completed meant that they were going to go outside.

    Maury tilted his head at the chaos and cocked open one eye. “That kid…” he paused “is a lethal tactical genius.” He frowned “I guess that means I’m not?” 

    Fishing the lighter out of the cigarette pouch Skye let out a soft laugh. “I prefer to say it takes one to know one.” 

    She watched as his head snap up as he thought about what she said.  Slowly he turned to her with a self-satisfied half smile. “Thank you Skye that made my day. I’m too tired to walk over there and hug you for it though so let’s just pretend I did OK?” She had no problem with that seeing as she still barely knew Maury or Chase. Maury got a look in his eyes that made her curious enough to stop her with the sliding door barely open. Angel wedged a paw in and pushed her muscular body through the opening so quickly that Skye nearly fell over.

“What?” She inquired

“I think I just figured out how to take that son of yours down thanks to you.”

    Skye froze; her eyes went wide and shook her head. “Oh, no you don’t. If he knows you got any form of insight from me he’ll lose his mind.” Maury just grinned and stared at her nodding his head. She was pretty sure he didn’t hear a word she had just said and she couldn’t help taking comfort in the fact that there was someone there for Cyrus. They truly did have men in their family that could step up and show him how to be a man in the absence of his father.

    Just as she was mulling over the thought in her head, cigarette still unlit in hand, Chase came strolling casually into the kitchen shirtless in blue jeans with a towel thrown over one shoulder, his skin freshly damp from the shower making his skin glisten and ripple with every step he took. The man’s abs were perfect as they stretched across his tapered waist. Skye backed up a step and hit the sliding glass door at an odd angle startling herself. She recovered quickly and turned her attention to the two dogs chasing each other around the yard before either man could see the blush that hit her cheeks. Without another word she turned and took the opportunity to get herself out the door into the cool morning air, gratefully leaving the glass between the things that make you stupid and herself.

   She hadn’t had even a smidgen of interest in anyone else since she and Deacon had gotten together. She cursed herself for reacting that way and chastised herself for thinking she was being unfaithful to his memory. Chase was good looking, even more than that with his strawberry blonde hair and aqua green eyes. The strong jaw line he had like Deacon, the same jaw that Cyrus had and would become more prominent as he got older. Her mind wrestled with the reaction she had. As she tried to shove it away, Georgia spoke up in her head. “He is a fine, fine specimen of his species.” She purred from inside of her.

    “Shut up…” Skye pushed back “I’m married.” She felt the heavy weight in her heart but Georgia had no filter.

   “Ahhh…yes.” She crooned. “But I am not. The things I would do to him and have him do to me…if I liked... Wolves”

    Anger shot through Skye immediately and she wasn’t quite sure why but she stifled it just as quickly. Was it because this was her body and she wouldn’t let Georgia use it to betray her love of Deacon or was it because in the short time Chase has been in her face over the past week she felt a bond with him? Was she being protective over him like he was over her and the family? The internal debate went on between herself and Georgia to the point that she hadn’t realized that not only did she light her cigarette but had burned away to nothing so she tossed it in the nearby ashtray. While she fought this internal battle Chase had standing in front of her leaning against the closed sliding glass door with an eyebrow cocked staring at her.

   When her recognition kicked in she blushed immediately because of course, he still wasn’t wearing a shirt.

   “I…ah…I” she started. Before she could continue he cut her off.

   “She’s talking to you isn’t she.” More of a statement than it was a question in that gravely, knees weakening voice he had.

   Skye could only nod and then ever so softly she heard the low growl in his throat. She regained her self-control and asked sharply, “Dominic and Gertie are positive that she can’t take over my body as long as the incantation hasn’t been said, correct?” Chase gave her a solid dip of his head in confirmation.

    “Well then, it doesn’t matter if she’s talking to me about how hot you are then.” It was out before she could take it back and both of  Chase’s brows shot up in question. Skye put both hands up palms out in front of her and her heart felt like it was pounding out of her chest. “Never mind!.. I never said that out loud, are we clear?”

   Chase’s face relaxed into a smoldering half smile that forced Skye to blush yet again as she sidestepped past him before her mouth could get her into any more trouble.

    The whole time she heard Georgia in her head laughing.

Chapter 18 Part 1

                                                             18-1 

  After several cups of tea and a bit of food into her, Skye reclined in her chair at the table with yet another steaming mug in her hands. Maury had already made it back with two big bags of clothes for himself and Chase. She could only imagine what else was in them. While they were setting up the sleeping arrangements with Cyrus, Gertie wandered around the house with a smudge stick made of Sage claiming she needed to purify the house.

  Skye was too tired to care but she tracked the woman with her ears as she wandered around the house. The past few days had been much of a nightmare for her but if it was one thing she knew she did well it was adapt. Before Cyrus had gone to go and pick up his sisters Chase had given him a story about how they were going to have company staying with them for a little while to fix up the attic and make it a working home office for Skye and since they were family it was ok for Chase and Maury to be there.

    She had no idea how to explain Gertie to the girls, so they decided to say that she was a friend of Dominic’s that needed a place to stay for a few days. Even though Maury almost choked on his laughter at the “friend” part of the story, they all agreed that simpler was better as well as it being Maury’s job to watch the witch while Chase was on what they were calling multiple personality watch. Dominic would stop by regularly and work with Cyrus on his development.

   Skye knew that Kyra had heard what was said the night before and wasn’t clueless to the situation, even if they didn’t understand exactly what was happening they knew things were different and Kyra would know that the extra people in the house was not because of the story they were going to be told. She almost hoped that it would get Kyra talking but held out no real hope for that.

  Weighing on the other side of her mind was the appointment with the bank and how she was going to come up with the money they needed…soon. Dominic was a thought to help but now with everything else going on she figured she would give it some time before she found it necessary to talk to him. Maybe there would be something good sold at the shop that could buy her some time. Just the thought of losing the store made her think of Anna and Leigh and how her family were not the only ones affected.  Leigh had her kids and an ex in jail so there was no support coming from him. The realization made her feel sick as she held her rapidly cooling mug of tea.

    With a groan she set her mug down on the table, slowly leaned forward and banged her head lightly off the oak table top. Maybe she would rattle the other person in there with her.

   Chase had approached silently as usual, pulled out the chair that was next to her, making her jump and almost knock her tea over. He couldn’t hide the small half smile that appeared on his lips while she tried to regain control of her speeding heart and glared at him.

    “For a big man Chase, you sure are quiet.” She said softly staring back into her mug. All he did was shrug. Just looking at him reminded her of Deacon. Even though they had different hair and eye colours the shape of their faces were similar and the set of their eyes was how you could tell they were related. Chase was bigger than Deacon but not by much. He had about 3 inches on his cousin in height and width and it was all muscle for both of them. She looked up at him and shook her head slowly.

    Chase knew by the way Skye was looking at him that she had something on her mind. He could sense her anxiousness and the slight tinge of fear that came off of her but he waited patiently until she was ready to say whatever she needed to. She took a breath and exhaled but the words never came so he sat back, crossed his arms over his broad chest and looked at her, really looked at her.

   He had seen that face for many, many years, centuries even and he knew that this time things were different for her. They were different for all of them and a small part of him was glad for it because it wasn’t going to be the same thing this time. He had to step up for his cousin’s family, Deacon was gone and she was left here with kids in tow and a whole new world she knew nothing about. He took in her features, her hair and the way she had it tucked behind her ear, the deep colour of her eyes and the sadness in them on top of the fear but there was something different about that. Not only was the scent of fear coming off of her but underneath that there was sense of something that he couldn’t quite pin point and even though he couldn’t figure out what it was he could feel that it was even more serious to her than what was going on now. It was at that point that he realized he was still staring at her.

    After forcing his gaze away from her, he focused on the open glass door and the dogs sunning themselves on the lawn, listening to the ticking clock on the wall. It felt like forever had passed when she finally spoke. “Can I ask you something?” she said in that same soft voice. “If Deacon was here, would I have found out any of this?” Chase turned his attention back to her and uncrossed his arms so that he could lean on the table.

   He looked into her eyes steady and true he meant every word he said. “Yes, you would have.” Skye sighed and nodded. “He would have told you;” he continued “He would have had to because she would have found you either way.” In his mind he tacked on that she wouldn’t have had time to be scared, she would have been gone.

    He watched as she tapped her fingers on the table, her nails making a ticking noise as she sorted through her thoughts. The minutes seemed like hours as he waited for more questions to come, but they didn’t. Without another word about it she picked up her mug and stood. Before she left the room she put a hand on Chase’s large shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I’m going to shower.”  Her final words to him and he couldn’t help but feel the tug of her sorrow and exhaustion even though he knew she was strong enough to handle the road ahead, when she needed them they would be there.

    His only impending regret was that she wouldn’t be with them long now that she knew the truth. It was only a matter of time before the woman walking away from him was gone and the vengeful spoiled brat was back.

    He leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes and sighed.

Chapter 17 Part 3

                                                                ~~~17-3~~

    After settling everything down Skye was finally sitting upright while her fussy extra-large nursemaids complained that she should be lying down and resting more especially since they had no idea how to handle having two souls active in one body. Her head moved back and forth between them like she was watching a tennis match with them each take turns while they tried to figure out what to do with her. Every time she tried to offer an opinion or try to move they would crowd in close and speak over each other in the process. The only thing that got them to back off was when she told them that Kyra and Savannah would be home soon and Skye wanted the appearance of normalcy for their sake. She, being in no hurry scare them unnecessarily.

    Dominic understood but still insisted on making her some tea and toast while also forcing her to promise that she wasn’t going to do anything dramatic or outrageous because that would be something she would do it seemed. She could tell that he was attempting to get his own mind as well as himself in control and in all of the years that she had known him…well that she remembered knowing him she had never seen him panic. He was always cool and collected. The immovable mountain or so she thought, until know and it was all because of her.

    It didn’t matter if he was used to seeing her unravelled and confused because as far as she knew or was concerned she had always taken care of herself hadn’t she? In her mind she remembered how Deacon took care of everyone once they were together.

    Shifting her focus back to the matter at hand she didn’t need to look too hard at the grimacing faces of the men in the room with her including her own son, who looked so much like his father while he stood side by side with them that it broke her heart as she nodded in agreement to their terms. Once that was taken care of Maury moved over to her first, leaning over her so that she could put her arm around his neck. “You can’t be serious.” She laughed. Maury tilted his head, stared her right in the eye, said nothing and didn’t move. She searched his face and found no humour in his eyes. “Oh, you are serious.”

    “I’m not a fragile flower.” She griped as she wrapped her arm around his lean but broad shoulders and stood. Immediately vertigo tried to take over. Her balance was off and without Maury’s help she would have fallen back on her ass. He waited for her to get her bearings before he led her from the room. Cyrus had a look of deep worry in his eyes as she moved past him and stroked her fingers gently across his cheek on the way by. By the time Skye finally reached the kitchen, Maury’s arm was around her waist firmly holding her and yet gentle as if she were breakable. She looked around the room and then her eyes fell directly on Gertie who was now seated at the kitchen table surveying the room.

 “You’re still here?” she spat out with no care for the old woman’s feelings as Maury seated her directly across the table from the old woman.

  Not fazed in the least by Skye’s reaction, Gertie seemed almost calmed by the hostility shown towards her, so with an incline of her head she merely smiled and replied, “I have more yet to do here before you see the last of me.” Maury let out a low growl of warning from behind Skye just as Gertie had opened her mouth again. Thinking better of it she instead closed it and remained silent.

 Skye sent Cyrus to go pick up the girls and although he was reluctant to leave her his mother reminded him of how they were going to have to protect them from all of the craziness that had descended on their family. Knowing that once he left she and her guests would figure out their next course of action. As soon as she heard the front door close she told all of them what had happened with Georgia and then she in turn listened to the story from Gertie and Maury about what had happened upstairs.

 Skye’s blood went cold at the thought of some spirit or presence taking root in Kyra’s room. It was all too much, too much all at once. Had she even taken a breath in the past 3 or so days? The flea market seemed so far away. Distracted from her thoughts when she saw Dominic run a rough calloused hand through his hair and let out a long sigh. He looked at Chase and gave a slight nod of his head. 

 After what seemed like forever Dom finally spoke, “Skye, I’m going to leave Chase and Maury here with you.” Before Maury could protest he continued. “Maury will drive me home, pick up some clothes and some other “things” for them and then comeback here.” The way he said “things” told Skye everything she needed to know. They were going to bring guns into her house, this time Skye was ready to argue and her anxiety started to rev high.

 “I don’t want the girls coming home and seeing all of these people here. They’re scared enough already.” She pleaded but Dominic’s eye’s never left hers as he said as calmly as he could, “You have a soul that is half free in your body that doesn’t give a shit about your girls.” Skye recoiled like she had been slapped before he continued, “You also have a witch here that might be able to help us figure out what’s going on. I would take her with me but…” he paused and refocused on the witch in question. “My men would kill her on sight, Caretakers and Guardians do not have the best history together. She is…much safer here.”

   Maury didn’t stay silent this time. “The others won’t think that’s a good idea either boss, once they find out they might come here kill her anyway.” Skye paled at the thought and yet Dominic waved him off with little concern. “They will do as they are told; they have no choice in the matter.” Dom pulled Maury over and spoke to him softly.

    Skye looked at all of the faces in the room until her gaze settled on Chase standing next to her watching the conversation with Dominic an Maury intently. She almost reached out and touched his hand before she stopped herself instead she turned her attention to Dominic.

    “Fine…but figure this out quick, unfortunately this isn’t the only thing I have to worry about right now.” Chase’s brows rose up at the comment and she saw the curiosity and urging for her to continue in his eyes but she chose to ignore it, not wanting to air anymore dirty laundry their way.

    Skye could tell by the look on his face though that the conversation wasn’t over, they were in serve and protect mode now and even though she had never seen them like this; part of her felt safe and another part was terrified about losing their home. She had less than 30 days to pull off a miracle.