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.