He finally turns to me, smiling and waving. I try to run to the door, but it’s like I’m moving through thick mud. “Merick...Run!”
“Taryn, Taryn baby. Come back to me.”
I blink, and suddenly the sun is shining through the windows and I’m on the floor in Merick’s arms. I’m panting as tears run down my cheeks. “I was w-watching you chop wood. All of a sudden it was pitch black outside. The black figure I’ve seen in my dreams was back. They were coming for you, but you couldn’t hear me calling your name. I tried to come to you, but it was like I couldn’t move fast enough.”
“Baby, when I came in you were staring off into space, shaking like a leaf with tears running down your cheeks. When I reached you, you collapsed in my arms.” He brushes my hair out of my face. “You were awake this time. I need to call Jonathon and have him and Marissa come over to check you out.”
He stands, taking me with him, and carries me into the living room. After placing me on the chaise lounge he kisses me softly, rubs my belly, and he disappears down the hall. I close my eyes, trying to hear what’s going on in Merick’s head.
“I need to do something. We can’t keep living like this.”
I sit up, my heart races as I think about what that means. Olivia can sense my stress because she’s kicking up a storm, “I know baby. We’ll protect Daddy.”
It’s ten minutes later when Merick opens the door to Marissa and Jonathon. I push myself up from the chaise lounge, which is getting harder and harder to do. “Hey you guys.” I try to sound upbeat, but inside I’m crying and scared.
“Child sit, I’ll come to you.” Marissa comes toward me and sits next to me. She places her hands on my belly and that familiar warmth spreads through me. “The child’s powers grow every day. That’s why your vision happened while you were awake.”
“How much power does she have?” It scares me to think that my child could have any sort of power.
“There is no way of knowing for sure until she’s born. The moment she was conceived she woke the magic of our land. You began to hear people’s thoughts and started having visions. Once she comes I have a feeling more of our ancestors will be coming home.”
I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself, but it’s very hard to do right now because the future is unknown.
Marissa takes my hand and places a little jar of a light green powder in it. “Take a teaspoon of this in the morning and before bed. You can mix it in your tea or plain water. This temporarily binds…”
“No Marissa, don’t we need her to be able to hear? What if there’s a threat and she can’t hear it coming? What if the baby tries to show her someone’s coming, but she can’t?”
“It’s very temporary Merick. This will allow her to get some rest. The baby is almost ready.” She looks at me. “Sweetheart you need all of the rest that you can get. The stress is not good for you or the child.”
I take it from her and nod. “I’ll use it, I promise.”
She gets up from the chaise lounge and helps me stand. “We’ll leave you, but I have a feeling we’ll be here again soon.” Marissa kisses both of my cheeks and then hugs Merick.
Jonathon stops in front of me. “The binding is very light, but it’ll be enough for you, for now.” He kisses the top of my head and then walks to the door.
Merick walks them out and I watch them through the window as they talk. Trees rustle in the distance and I run, or rather waddle, toward the door, but then I see Merick’s dad come out of the trees.
I carry the jar into the kitchen and sit it next to my tea so I won’t forget to take it. When Merick and his dad come in, Josef comes right to me. “Hi sweetheart. How are you feeling?” He pulls me into a hug, and kisses my forehead, tenderly.
“I’m feeling good Josef, thanks. Your granddaughter could be here at any time.” I smile up at him.
“Granddaughter? I hope she’s beautiful like her momma.” He’s been so sweet since the night I woke to him and Merick getting into it.
“Yep a little girl.” I rub my hands over my belly. “We want to name her Olivia. I hope you’re okay with that.”
Josef looks between the two of us and smiles. “She’d be so happy about that and very honored.”
Suddenly there’s a big boom that rocks the house, and I’m knocked to the floor.
Merick
“What happened?” Taryn looks up from the floor, a dazed confused expression on her face. “Merick?”
I remain trapped in my own trance. Torn between going to her and rushing out of the house in search of what caused the disruption. My father is gone, nothing more than a flash of silver fur. An eerie silence settles over the room, only the sound of my own heartbeat rings in my ear.
“Merick?” Again, Taryn calls out and I settle my gaze on her, slowly walking in her direction.
Reaching out for her, I carefully help her from the floor and begin looking her over for any marks or signs that her fall may have hurt her or our daughter. “I’m okay,” a hoarse whisper falls from her lips right before she cups my face in her palm and instantly I feel our deep undeniable connection. Even in the madness she has a way of calming me. I should be out there, looking, I should be ensuring that we are safe, only I can’t leave her.
Not yet.
So many things are already flashing through my mind, this
