Chapter Eight – Revelations
It still annoyed him that Neil Harris refused to talk to him on Saturday. Irritated, instead of furious because he wasn’t a complete ass. He understood that they had experienced tragedy and were probably scuttling to make sense of the murder and find the killer before he could bring his note into effect. What he was furious about, however, was the fact that yet another member of his family is caught in the organization’s crosshairs resulting from the need to control their kind. He wasn’t against the punishment meted to those who used their abilities to cause pain and suffering, in fact, he fully supported it. Human life, supplemented by abilities or not, was sacred. He couldn’t care less what happened to the filth who misuse their gifts, and would merrily dispose of slime such as Finn Bailey.
His contempt for the council started and festered since his mother walked out, and it boiled when his father went missing. He gave them a fair chance on the seat and asked for honesty. All Jaxon wanted was the truth, no matter how hard or devastating, but he wasn’t afforded the simple courtesy. The time he spent in his father’s seat solidified his suspicions that they were more interested in covering their own asses than to have a blemish on their pristine reputation. So, when the council had sent word this morning that if he still wanted to speak with them, they had time for him this afternoon. He got on his motorbike and made the trip. Damn right he wanted to talk to them.
With his helmet tucked under his left arm, he stepped into the Grand Hall, and silence followed him in. Eighteen members looked at him expectantly. The council had twenty chief members, however, one had his guts spilled on that very table, though now, it was gleaming once more. The other was on a date with his newest fling and blissfully unaware of his brother’s second visit to the council. The two vacant seats at the High Table would remain so during this meeting.
“Best to tell us what you are after, Jaxon. We have a situation to handle and we granted this meeting as a courtesy.”
He’d know that snotty British accent anywhere, Benjamin Gale. What a dick, Jaxon snorted. “Courtesy, you say. Why?” He looked around the room, and not a single eye could look at him. “All this civility,” he sneered the word “because the last member of my family is now also in jeopardy?”
Neil Harris, his father’s closest confidant, spoke. “Jax, I thought we’d settled that.”
Shaking his head in disgust “No, we settled nothing. You lied to me. I asked you to be honest, you looked me in the eye and lied to me. Why the hell would I want to belong to an organization who covers the inconvenient truth in polished bullshit?”
“If you came only to revive dead horses, you may leave.”
“Oh, shut up, Benjamin.” Jaxon didn’t even spare him a glance. He looked directly at Neil, made sure he had all his attention. “I am informing you,” he gave the rest a quick glance, “you now have another seat to fill.”
Understanding his inference, Neil spoke calmly. “Devyn can make his own choices, Jax.”
He promised himself he would not lose control, but his grip was slipping. “Not this time. I will not allow this fucking council to take the last of my family. Do you understand me?”
“What will you do, Jaxon? Compel him to forsake what he believes in?” The Brit challenged.
“Without blinking.” He agreed instantly.
Neil’s face etched in disbelieve. “You’d take away his choice?”
Benjamin pushed up from his chair in outrage. “That is against the rules! You will face severe consequences and your connection to this council would not be taken into consideration.”
Jaxon’s eyes bled black. His words sent frost into the room. “Devyn is out. With or without your accord.” He looked at Benjamin. “With or without his choice.” The silence followed him out again.
Neil caught him just before he reached his matt-black Sportster. In his opinion, his bike was one of the few things in life which didn’t constantly disappoint him.
“Jaxon, wait.”
“What for? He straddled the bike with no intention what so ever of waiting, but the words slapped him into submission.
“Vincent made me promise not to do this, but I can see now that instead of shielding, this is hurting. You and Devyn deserve to know the truth.”
“The truth about what?”
“Your parents. Put down your helmet and take a walk with me.”
“Just spit it out.”
Neil only waited patiently. Jaxon sighed, feeling oddly like a scolded child. He slid off the bike and placed his helmet on the seat.
Neil started walking down the path towards the rose gardens, and Jaxon followed. “Ivy had a gift, Jaxon.”
He stopped short at that. “No, my mother didn’t have any abilities.”
Neil sighed “She did. They just never told you.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Ignoring the question, Neil continued. “Along with the physical and psychological, you also have an emotional aptitude, don’t you Jaxon?” He didn’t wait for confirmation because he didn’t need it. “Having more than one ability has in recent years become more common, but it remains extremely rare for one being to possess all three traits. Your physical capacity to stop blood flow. Your psychological gift of compulsion and then your mother’s, experiencing the emotions of the people around you.”
Jaxon remained silent. Precious few people knew he had more than two abilities, but even those closest to him were unaware of the true extent of the burden.
“You can sense I am being truthful this time, can’t you?”
“Tell me what happened to my parents, Neil.”
They walked in silence for a moment longer. “Ivy was slowing deteriorating after giving birth to you and your brother. Having all those emotions swirling around inside, only a few of which were her own, had an adverse impact on her mental health and she became severely depressed. I will spare you the continuous up and downs, and get to the most important parts. Your father heard rumors of a man, a very dangerous man, who supposedly has the power to bind abilities. Vince was obsessed with finding this man. If he bound Ivy’s abilities, she’d become better.”
“Where is she?” His voice barely a whisper at first. “Where is my mother, Neil?” It came more forcefully.
He turned, his face flooded with sympathy. “I am sorry, Jaxon. Your mother committed suicide eighteen years ago.”
Even as the world below him was crumbling, Jaxon remained rooted to the spot. He didn’t trust himself enough to speak just yet, and Neil completely obliterates his world. “When she died Vince called off his search and focused on you and your brother, he picked the search up again about six years ago when he noticed you showing the same signs your mother did before she took her own life. When he went missing, he went looking for Bane and never returned. We suspect, and as do you, that your father is dead. Only we think Bane had killed him.”
Before Neil could say another word, Jaxon pivoted, ignoring the pleas to hear the rest, he straddled his bike once more and poured his grief into a soulless machine.