Chapter Eight-Jed

I leaned back in the chair and it squeaked slightly as I started tapping my finger on the glass table; a nervous habit I could never really shake. "I saw her. I saw Tara," I admitted before leaning forward and looking into my mother's chocolate brown eyes, she needed to know how serious I was about this, "it happened more than once. Each time there's a close physical connection I relive memories of her and I from before and I'm almost certain that this hexblood sees what I see.

She doesn't know that I'm experiencing the same thing at the same time but I believe she's starting to suspect as much. It's happened twice now and I can't explain it but I think this," I stood up quickly and spun around, lifting my shirt to reveal the mark, "has something to do with it." I added frantically.

She gasped and the chair scraped loudly on the wood as she stood up and walked over to me, "Aphrodite's flower," she whispered almost to herself as she began tracing the outline.

"How can this be? As soon as her heart stopped beating I-" I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw a few times, trying not to fall apart as the images from that night began pushing their way to the front of my mind.

I should have protected her, I could have done something if only I was there. I should have realized something was wrong when she insisted I go out without her. Maybe if I had been more observant she'd be alive and well instead of scattered out at sea. All these regrets haunted me every single day, but it was not the time to deal with it, so I shoved them away and forced myself to focused on the current situation instead.

I shrugged her off and turned around, "I felt a shift, a change in me," I tapped my fist on my chest, over my heart, "I felt it deep in my soul, Mom. It's a pain unlike anything I've ever experienced and I'd know if she were alive now. Crazier things have happened in our world but not that," I shook my head, "it took a long time to accept it, but she is gone. So why has this happened? How is it possible for it to go from a white scar back to black ink when my mate is dead?"

Her features gave away just how much she understood my pain; she lost her mate quite young as well.

She pursed her lips together and shook her head, "I've never heard of someone being mated twice in one lifetime, but perhaps the Scrolls know something about it. I'll have a look, but In the meantime I think I need to meet this hexblood. If she's in any way connected to this I'll need to speak with her, it may help me find a solution to your problem if I learn more about her history, her parents, where she grew up and such."

Not good. How would I explain to my mother that the hexblood was a slave on the island I've been living on? That when I first got there I'd been part of the violence and unjust actions that took place there on a daily basis.

Everyone there knew the way the Fae ruled that Island was harsh and cruel beyond measure to majority of the people living there. It was an island of their own, for their own, where they ruled and made the rules. A place where supernaturals of value were allowed to live as they pleased but only got there if they were invited by the fae queen herself; something that didn't happen to the most well behaved supernaturals of the world.

This was going to be a tough one but I needed answers before I went crazy, "Sure. I'll bring her by tomorrow night." I said, trying to keep my voice light as she stood up and hugged me tightly. It was still so hard to believe that many years ago I was in her arms so small and helpless yet there she stood, the top of her head only reaching the middle of my chest.

She walked me to the door and I leaned down to kiss her cheek, I could see the unspoken words on the tip of her tongue so I spoke before she had to voice her fears, "I'll be back tomorrow. I promise." I gave her hand one last squeeze before letting go and walking down the stairs.

"One more thing," I said, turning around as I remembered what I'd forgotten to mention, "she believes this is a curse that's been placed on us. I didn't know how to explain what the mark meant without explaining my past, I don't want her getting the wrong impression; we don't exactly get along."

"She doesn't know what it means?" She asked, tilting her head to the side slightly, "How? Every supernatural knows what that symbol is."

I shrugged, "I don't really know much about her but I don't think she grew up with supernatural parents, she knows she's a hexblood but doesn't know much about the detailed history of our world." I knew it sounded like a terrible explanation but it was the best I could come up with, "Also, I'll be bringing Delilah with me. Please, be nice."

She frowned but didn't say a word, instead she gave me a quick nod and went back inside.

**********

Pushing the door to the apartment open, I was surprised to see that the hexblood had finally changed out of those rags.

Instead she was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a tight pink shirt. She sat cross-legged on the couch and eyed the piece of pizza on the plate in front of her with scepticism.

I almost forgot that the hexbloods on the island were given nothing but water and rotten leftovers. The fae didn't feel like discarding their scraps themselves and solved the problem by giving it to the villagers. They could survive on it but they never quite became physically strong and healthy enough to revolt.

She must have felt my eyes on her, her whole body became rigid and her eyes moved to where I stood.

I cleared my throat as Delilah walked up to me, her hands wrapped around a steaming cup of coffee. Her usually perfectly made up face was free of dark eyeliner, concealer and heavily contoured cheeks, revealing the dark rings beneath her eyes, "I got nothing," she told me sadly, "the cell number I had for Josephine now belongs to some Spanish dude in Texas who says he has no clue who I'm talking about. I tried the store, which is still here, but the woman I spoke to said that it was sold to her grandmother years ago and that the previous owner retired. They have no idea where she went."

She seemed very worried about my situation and it really made me appreciate her that much more. She'd been my best friend for years, seen me at my best and worst. Sometimes it felt like she was the only one that cared for me. Perhaps she was. Life would have been easier if my form had chosen her as my mate instead but my soul just didn't want her like that. She was a like sister to me now, the best I could have ever asked for.

I placed my hand on her shoulder, "Hey, it's going to be okay. We'll find a way to fix this, I promise. I have a solution, but you're not going to like it."

"Will it help?" She asked, stepping forward and looking me in the eyes. She was about as tall as I was; a very strange trait for a witch.

"I think so," I said with a firm nod, "she said she'd consult the Scrolls but that first she feels she needs to meet—"

Without warning Kenna came crashing into us, dragging Delilah away from me and throwing her into the wall, sending bricks and debris scattering around the room.

Delilah was momentarily shocked, but quickly recovered as she snarled and began chanting. Sparks flew from every lightbulb and plug around us as Kenna walked up to her and grabbed her by the neck.

She shoved her down and climbed on top of her, her fangs extended as she pulled Delilah's head roughly to the side and prepared to attack.

I ran forward to intervene but a second before I touched her, her eyes flashed, changing from a brilliant gold similar to my own back to her usual mismatched colours of green and brown.

She stepped back and looked down at her hands, her lip quivering as she looked back up and saw what she'd done.

Delilah stood up, her arm bloody as she readied herself for an attack. Without thinking twice I stepped in front of Kenna, protecting her when I saw she was going to make no move to defend herself.

Delilah looked shocked and hurt before crossing her arms and looking past me, "You're lucky he was here this time, next time you won't be so lucky." She said. With one last glare at me she spun on her heel and walked out. As the door shut behind her, every lightbulb in the house shattered into pieces, leaving Kenna and I alone in the dark apartment.