Fated Truth (The True Witch Saga) (12 page)

Décor and knick knac
ks around the room start to rattle, but Gavin and Jaxx were too busy laughing their asses off to notice. Jaxx was turned on his side clutching his stomach guffawing, but I knew Seb had noticed. The windows started to bend inward as I stood. Books from the case started to slip from the shelves to swirl around me like a vortex. A literary bubble.

I glanced at the pair of them laughing and
the books flew in their direction. When they started to hit Gavin and Jaxx, they immediately stopped laughing and looked around, finally catching a clue. “
Stop fucking laughing at me!”
I boomed. My voice sounded like a waterfall inside the enclosed room.

Jaxx braved
the books swirling around me as they moved faster and faster to wrap me in his warm embrace. “Baby breathe. We weren’t laughing at you. We were laughing because no one ever talks to Seb like you just did,” he whispered in my ear.

I start
ed to take deep calming breaths.

“Telekinetic. Strong, s
o very, very strong,” Seb said almost to himself. “Untrained. Yet still so focused. I wonder what her other gifts are?”

“Hey
, douche! I’m right here! Stop talking about me like I’m some kind of experiment!”

Seb flashed me a smile full of fangs.

Well that’s different
,
I thought, but I wasn’t really surprised. What was one more surprise added to this cluster fuck.

“A little
respect is warranted,” Seb snarled at me.

I guess
ed he didn’t like the word ‘douche’.
I wondered if he knows what it means,
I chuckled at the thought. “If you come near me with those shiny little teeth, I’ll twist your innards until they melt out your nose. You get me, fang?” With that Gavin and Jaxx were rolling again. This time I didn’t feel the least bit angry. I smirked at them.

Seb even chuckled after his shock at my words wore
off. “Jaxx, I think she is a keeper.”

I groan
ed at the chauvinist shit going on. I walked over to the side bar and opened the mini fridge. “May I?” I asked Jaxx.

“Sure
, baby, whatever you want. You know that.”

I grab
bed myself and Jaxx a soda, and tossed him his. I rejoined him on the sofa and snuggled into his side. “So maybe we can get this over with? I’m drained from the day I’ve had.”

Seb came to attention at that. H
e took a seat on the arm chair closest to me. “What do you mean with the day you’ve had? Why are you drained?”

Jaxx explained
about the drain of energy that we both had been experiencing every time we were away from each other. Then he went on to tell everyone about the bathroom experience. Gavin looked baffled by what I’d done, but Seb just looked as if he were soaking everything in and categorizing it for later.

“So
, shitty day, to say the least,” Seb said looking at me with his fathomless eyes.

I start
ed to squirm in my seat, but I didn’t break contact. I just stared at him.

“Seb
,” Jaxx said in warning.

I turn
ed to look at Jaxx, hearing the warning in his tone and raised one brow in question.

“Seb
can mesmerize most Trues, Sups, and Norms with his stare. Not all Vampires can, but Seb is rustic.”

I laugh
ed at that. “Well he may be rustic, but he can’t trap me. But don’t worry Seb, your eyes are very pretty,” I teased.

He turned slightly pink at my compliment, but didn’t respond.

“So now can you explain why my long lost twin
is here and why you decided to spring it on me?”

“For your reaction
, of course. What other reason?”

“Prick
,” I muttered and Seb chuckled.

“The truth
is he was lost without you, Ella. He has been wounded and wandering aimlessly far from his chosen path for years. He needs you. That is why I brought him for you.”

I look
ed at Gavin as Seb spoke and I noticed the sadness in his eyes. He seemed so alone. Like I had been until I’d found Jaxx. I got up off the couch, moved to him and pull him into my arms. “I know I don’t know your story brother,” I whispered for his ears alone. “But as you said, we are blood. You are a part of me. I love you already. You will never be alone again.”

Gavin squeezed me to him
and I felt him shudder against me. He might have been crying, but I didn’t pull back to see.

Jaxx cleared his throat behind me, shattering the
moment. “Ella we still don’t know what kind of person he is. We don’t know what kind of life he has led.”

I pull
ed away from Gavin and spun around to confront him. “He is my brother, Jaxx! He could murder thousands and I would welcome him. Will you turn him away when I need him almost as much as I need you?”

He s
hakes his head in defeat at my words.

No of course he wouldn’t
,
I thought.
Of course he realizes how serious I am about welcoming my brother into my life and how determined I am to keep him there, at any costs,
I could see it on his face as he watched me, his eyes filled with love and understanding.

“Can we at least get a little back story from him? I would feel better knowing something about him at the very least.”

I looked back at Gavin and he nodded his head.

“I was raised by the very worst of our kind. They use their gifts
to fleece the Norms. Causing harm and chaos everywhere they go. I was left with them when our mother split us up. They were our father’s family.”

I he
ld up my hand and stopped him there. “Were?”

“Yes, sorry I just assumed you knew. Our father was killed in an accident befo
re we were born. At least they called it an accident. His family hated him for not conforming to their ways. So I have always doubted the accident story. Anyway, I was raised knowing nothing different. I started to help them steal from Norms at a young age. It wasn’t until I came into my maturity and my powers manifested that they started hounding me to do horrid things. Things that make me want to retch just thinking about it. When I refused, they kicked me out. All I had was a few items that were special to me. My bike, a picture of our mother and father, and my talisman,” he said as he lifted the talisman from underneath his shirt. It was a long roped silver chain with a huge jade chunk wrapped in an opal braid at the end.

Beautiful
,
I thought, and then focused on what he’d just said. “You have a photo of our parents?”

“Yes. Would you like to
see? Stupid. Of course you do.” He pulled it from his wallet and handed it to me.

I
saw where my life sprang from for the first time. Our mother was a blonde with jade green eyes, a willowy figure, and a smile so sweet it made you want to weep. Our father was as dark as our mother was light. With raven black hair and eyes, at least six foot two inches tall, and a bulky build. They looked very much in love in the photo, wrapped in each other’s arms as if they couldn’t be separated by anything. Gavin and I were a perfect mix of them both. I looked up at him with tears in my eyes as I handed the photo to Jaxx. “Thank you for that. You have no idea what it means to finally see them. When did you find our mother’s letter?”

“Not long before I left the hell I grew up in behind. Have you always had yours?”

“No, I got mine from my adopted uncle after my parentals kicked me out for being a dark and satanic soul, so just a couple of days ago.”

He looked
bewildered at my statement, but I left the explanations for another time. Jaxx handed the photo back to Gavin and he promised to have a copy made for me.

“So now that the mushy mush
is done,” Seb began. I’d actually almost forgotten he was there. He blended in. It was kind of creepy to tell you the truth. “I hear Ella has some questions for me. As I expected since she was raised by Norms and she just found herself to be a True blood last night. I must say, dear, you are taking everything remarkably well.”

“Yes, well, y
ou either adapt or you drown.” That was the only answer I had for him.

“So get to it. What are your questions? After the explanations we can talk about your training.”

“I’ve gotten the basics from Jaxx. I know that our people are hunted. I know that we have always been around. Sometimes we are more open with our selves than others of our kind, but what I want to know is why I feel drained when I’m separated from Jaxx?  Also why did I start seeing my powers develop at the age of five when I’m told that they don’t come until you are eighteen at the least? And I want to know the history of our people. I want to know
everything
.”

“Now that’s a tall order
, but first things first. What do you mean that you started experiencing your powers at five?”

“My adoptive parents tried to have me exercised of demons when I was five because I threw a tantrum. When I lost my temper because I didn’t get my way
, my eyes glowed and the tables shook all over the house. The Priest they took me to laughed at them and told them that I was a normal little girl, but I have always known I was different. So I hid myself, and pretended to be docile and calm at all times. I didn’t want to end up in a lab somewhere.”

“Hmmm well that
is different,” Seb replied, as he mulled over everything that I’d said.

I took momentary lack in conversation
to snuggle into Jaxx and lay my head on his shoulder. I really was wiped from everything that had occurred earlier that day.

“I don’t have the slightest
idea why your powers came on so early child, but it may be because of how you were treated by the people who were supposed to love and protect you. Perhaps it was a defensive result to the trauma.”

What he said made sense
to me. I shrugged and snuggled deeper into the couch with a yawn.

Jaxx stood and pulled
me off the couch with him. He looked around the room. “I think she needs food to refuel.”

“I think we could all use
a nip,” Seb chuckled at his own joke.

I laugh
ed too. It was wonderful that he was so comfortable with himself. I turned to him and asked what other kinds of sups there were in the world.

“Vampires, werewolves, and witches! Oh my!”
Seb joked.

I shook
my head getting the point, if I existed, why not? “What are you going to have for dinner, Seb? I’m sorry if that was rude.”

“I am
going to dine on a lovely blood bag, unless there are any of you that are offering something warm?” He winked at me.

Jaxx pulled me closer at his words
. “No nibbling,” he laughed.

“Why not?
I’m using him to answer my questions and to help me play catch up. It is the least I could do,” I replied.

Gavin and Jaxx look
ed mildly revolted at my volunteering to donate blood to Seb. “Ella, I don’t think you know what you are asking for. It is not like the many vamp romance novels floating around out there. Unless they are feeding off of their chosen mate, it is a very painful experience.”

“I figured sharp teeth sinking in wouldn’t feel good
, Jaxx.” I lifted my chin stubbornly. Seb might be a pain in my ass thinking I was a new toy to figure out, but he had helped. I always repaid my favors.
Always.

I shrug
ged Jaxx off and walked over to where Seb has been watching us, leaning against the kitchen counter. I pulled up the loose sleeve of my tunic and offered him the bend of my elbow. He looked at me like he hadn’t ever seen anything like me before, but in a lightening quick movement, he grabbed my arm and sank his teeth into my tender skin.

I stifle
d a scream of surprise. The pain was horrid, but bearable. I stiffened as he started to suckle. Jaxx came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I leaned my head back on his shoulder, never taking my eyes off of Seb. It was over within minutes.

As he released my arm, he licked
the lacerations and I watched as they closed. “My thanks, Ella, it’s very rare to have someone offer me what you have.”

I shrug
ged. Not blowing off his thanks, just not playing that much into it. “It’s fair. You helped me by answering some of my questions. You brought me my brother. And I’m assuming you are offering to become my teacher in the near future.”

“All true.” With that Seb bowed to me and left
the kitchen and us to our sandwiches that Gavin had been making for us while I assisted Seb with his dinner.

“Thank you for that, Ella
. No one has shown Seb much kindness in our world in a very long time.”

“Except for you,
” I said with a smile as Jaxx brushed my lips lightly with his. I glanced over and noticed that Gavin was already devouring his third ham and cheese sandwich. “How are you related to Seb? I know he’s your uncle, but he is a Vampire.”