“Because your great great grandmother is the reason my mother is dead!” he roars.
I step away from him until my back hits the wall. A buzzing sound starts in my ears and the next thing I know I am rushing through his room grabbing my suitcase out of the closet and begin grabbing my clothes, throwing them inside.
“Taryn what are you doing?” he whispers from behind me.
“I-I’m leaving before I get you killed.” I cover my mouth to muffle the sob that rips from my throat. “Every dream...vision I’ve had, you die. I can’t do that to you. I’d rather leave, knowing that you’ll live a long life then stay and watch you die because of me.”
Merick turns me in his arms, hugging me close as I cry. “Baby you can’t leave me because if you do I’m already dead.” He tips my face up, kissing my lips. “Now let’s go downstairs and I’ll tell you everything.”
I nod and let him lead me out of our room.
Merick
I’ve gone about this all wrong. I’ve ignored her and distanced myself so she couldn’t read the thoughts that have been consistently having. The pain that has been lingering inside of me daily since I heard the deep connection between her family and mine.
My fear is that the wrong people find out what gift she holds, and history repeats itself, only this time they use my mate to destroy us all.
I guide Taryn to the couch and ensure she is placed comfortably before I sit before her on the edge of the coffee table. Facing her, I notice the redness of her eyes and just how tired she appears.
Guilt slams into me, knowing that I’ve inflicted this unsettled feeling in her.
“I’ve failed,” I say. She looks up and our eyes lock. “I’ve been trying to keep this hidden for fear of hurting you and in the end I’ve hurt anyway.”
Taryn doesn’t even attempt to argue with my words. She shouldn’t, they’re true.
“I went to visit some old friends of my parents, Asta and Fiona.” I already understand that this explanation will be one of the hardest things I will ever have to share with Taryn. “Fiona and my mother were very close, like mother and daughter. They’d always been present in my life, and with them coming back into town, I wanted to meet with them before bringing you.”
Taryn flinches as if she feels this is related to her and not them.
“It’s not you, it's them. Asta can be very intimidating, much like my father. I wanted to feel them out, understand where their heads were in all this. There is still a lot of animosity and I hadn’t seen them since my mother's death.” Taryn’s eyes fill to the brim with unshed tears and I reach out to cover her hand with my own.
“I don’t understand,” she whispers in an unsteady voice. “How is it possible that my great,” pausing she takes in a deep breath, “great grandmother had anything to do with what happened to your--,” she stops and looks away from me. Almost shameful.
“I’ll explain but first I need you to understand that in no way are you responsible for any of this. I don’t hold you accountable for history.”
“But I’m tied to it,” she says, the tears fall heavily. Her body trembles as she leans forward and covers her face with her hands.
“She was forced.” Taryn’s body jerks in surprise and again she lifts her head looking directly at me. “She was gifted, much like you.” It kills me to see Taryn in this state, so lost and vulnerable. All I want is to protect her from any harm, physical or emotional, but this I can no longer avoid. Ignoring it has caused her the exact opposite of what I want. “Abigail had premonitions. She was able to see things before they happened. She was friends with my ancestors, and when the enemy found out how valuable her gifts were, they captured her.”
Taryn covers her mouth with her hand.
“They forced her to share information with them that led to destruction that took my mother among others.
“No,” shaking her head in disbelief, she attempts to stand. “No, no,” she sobs. Wrapping her in my arms I stand before and allow her to fall apart. I remain strong, but on the inside, I am breaking too. Acceptance of our connection and how it runs much deeper than either of us were actually aware. Promising that this changes nothing, that we will come out on the opposite side of it, stronger, unbreakable.
“I love you,” I whisper into her hair, needing her to hear me. I've neglected to assure her that my love is strong. For days I’ve pulled away, trying to protect her and again I’ve failed her. “Nothing can, or will ever change that. You are my world Taryn, you and our daughter.”
Her body shakes as the emotions take over and I smile, finally allowing the message she’d written on the note left behind to sink in.
A daughter.
“It’s beautiful,” I stand back watching Fiona gift Taryn with Amethyst. A necklace holding so much more power than a regular piece of jewelry. It’s not only a gem but one dipped in the blood of our creator. A binding spell that is meant to connect us all, we feel what she feels, fear, anxiety. A way to connect her to the pack as we are all connected.
“It will enhance your abilities, trigger the thoughts, but also help you control them more.” Taryn lowers her head and allows Fiona to slide it over her neck. “This child will be linked to all of us as part shifter, but to you we are only linked in our thoughts. Your gift is powerful,
