Eden's Mark (2 page)

Chapter Two

              “This is a difficult story to tell.” Val’s voice cracked. “Eve was my sister, and your mother.” Val hesitated.

             
My
mother? Oh, my. “So you’re saying you are my aunt? All this time you’ve been my real, true family and let me believe I was an orphan?” Hot tears stung my cheeks. The lies, all these years, pain surfaced leaving my birthmark flaming.

             
“Your anger is expected. Once you hear the full story I hope you will be able to forgive the lies and secrets.” Soft, hushed, barely a whisper. Val never met my gaze.

             
I swiped at the tears and took a long sip of amber liquid. They didn’t deserve my compliance to listen, but this may be the only chance I get to learn my history.

             
“Some people said we were as different as night and day. My best friend, I see her in you more and more, you’ve inherited the same laugh.”  Val smiled a small smile. “We lived in a small place called Ellethny. It is a wonderful place, so alive and bustling. I remember the mountains, some the lightest shade of lavender, others so dark they look like onyx. There are fields that looked like the ocean and forests so beautiful they transport you. Our world is a place that houses people of special races. Four main races originally inhabited the land, as the decades have come and gone, lines have mingled and created mixes of each bloodline. Our historian claims Fey, or fairies, came to Ellethny first, thus taking properties in the north for themselves. Rich in gold and gem deposits, the Fey mined the hills north and built their fantastical homes using these materials. By far the most luxurious.”

             
Absolutely absurd; I debated on calling out the ridiculousness of the whole thing.

             
“A second house claimed the east; we know them as Night Walkers, vampires to you. That part of the region is mountainous, good for building homes deep inside the rock. Vampires can withstand some sun as they age but mostly live in the black of night. Mages, the third clan, our ancestry, built homes to the west. The minerals found in the ground and in the rocks make great conduits for energy. We use the energy from the living things around us: plants, animals, the sun is another source those rare among us can harness. Minerals help to magnify the spells’ potency. Not to mention our area is home to several unique plants we require for specific potions and remedies.”

             
I saw something flicker across Val’s face. Now I understood her affinity for making those crazy concoctions, assuming it’s all true.

             
“The final tribe came to inhabit the south. More like aboriginals, Shifters are by far the most resourceful. Like our world, the southern region is hotter, drier, but unusual. Plains meet forests in striking contrast of colors, crops thrive in the dry heat and require very little water or sun. The coppery soil has interesting uses and is the main stay for every house.

             
I wore a ridiculous expression. Did Val believe I would buy into this crap? She seemed completely serious.

             
“Whoa, hold on a second. I am to believe vampires and other nighttime oogie boogies exist?” Skepticism didn’t even touch what I thought. Real fairies and witches, right, and my father is Bigfoot.

             
“Yes Eden. They do exist and some even live here in this world. Most are exiles or people who chose to live a different way.” She took a slow sip of her tea letting me absorb her words.

             
“As mages, we can manipulate the energy around us to make things happen. Eve was one of the best. At the age of four, she could already do glamour. She had so much potential the Old Ones said Eve was to be the most powerful mage in our generation. Everyone wanted to be like your mother. She had many suitors, but none made her smile like Marcus Gelsey. He doted on her so, but there was one problem. He was a Fey.”

             
“The most eligible Fey in his clan, girls went crazy every time he was out in public. Tall, bronze skin, long dark hair, and the greenest eyes caused quite the riot. Large midnight wings, silver designs streaming up the feathers, veining out, creating his house insignia. The grander the wing design, the more upscale the family. The Gelseys, richest family, head council members, and extremely powerful in the art of seeing and telekinetic abilities. His parents, Circenn and Lander, had already arranged a match between Marcus and Olive Rouche. Olive’s family, the second wealthiest of the Fey, didn’t hesitate and agreed to the coupling. Her parents, manipulated by Circenn, became lackeys of the Gelseys’. What no one expected is that Marcus took a real shine to Eve. Your father loved everything about your mother, especially her willingness to help anyone who needed it, no matter what.”

             
“Okay wait… just back up a sec.” My brain stuttered while processing this information. “You’re telling me my mom is a witch, you are a witch, my father is a fairy and I…,” this was hard to say, “and I am part witch and part fairy?” This is insane and completely unbelievable. My mark flamed to life, the blood in my veins sang backing up the words Val spoke to me. I rubbed my birthmark while I stared at my now known family.

             
“Eden, what’s wrong? You keep rubbing your wrist.” Lex looked at me, waiting for an answer.

             
“Just a nervous tic, I’ll be okay.” Such a lie; being ok would take some time after all this.

             
On the verge of tears, Val took a deep breath, no doubt trying to keep her composure. “There is so much you need to know, to help you understand why I never told you before now. Can you allow me to finish before I answer any questions?”

             
My eyes found a loose thread on the pillow next to me giving me a reason to keep my eyes cast away from her. My fingers pulled at the tiny thread and I nodded my head numbly.

             
“Most races married within their clans, keeping the bloodlines pure. Some fell in love with others outside their tribe and married. The council frowned upon it. Reasons, they said, were due to not knowing what kinds of abilities these mixed-race children would have. The council went so far as to say mixed-race children could become a danger to our way of life. At the time, no one thought about the prophecy speaking of such a child. Those that chose to have children fled Ellethny and came to this world. That is how stories of people like us came about; it’s also how I met Lexington.” He squeezed her hand and kissed her knuckles.

             
“Our mother tried to talk some sense into her, keep her from seeing him; it had the opposite effect. Eve found ways to run into Marcus, and they eventually started sneaking off together. Many months passed; the scandal grew around the both of them. One night, coming in late, Eve asked us all to sit down; she had some news to share. Eve told us that she and Marcus had ran off and gotten married. They had gone to one of their friends in an outlying Shifter village, a Wiseman officiated the ceremony. Marcus walked in the room and stood proudly by your mother’s side. He put his arm around her; you could see a beautiful light swirl like mist between them. The happiness I felt for my sister and her new husband was overshadowed by the fear of Marcus’ parents.” I watched the pain surface in Val.

             
Guilt hit me. I should be nicer to Val over all this. The more I listened to her story, the more my belief in her words grew. The eclipsed spot on my wrist flared in confirmation causing me to rub it harder, hoping to ease the burn.

             
“None of us had ever seen anything so marvelous. Power radiated off them and made each of us feel an overwhelming sensation of euphoria. Their emotions towards each other flowed in the misting light. For a long moment silence filled the room, finally, my dad asked if they could see the mist around each other. Eve said they saw a glow about them, but nothing like the sight we beheld. Marcus told us his body warmed up when she touched him and he could hear her in his mind without her speaking. Your mother confirmed the same for herself. This odd occurrence had us confounded.”

             
Val stood grabbing the tea tray in her hands. I looked up at her, “Wait, you’re not done, are you?” My words sounded harsh, more so than I intended.

             
“No, I want to get more tea. Would you like some, too?” She stood in front of me, reaching for the cup in my hand.

             
I held the cup out to her, but she curled her fingers around my wrist exposing my birthmark. “Hey!” Instinctively I jerked my arm free from her grasp. Betrayal. That’s what registered first, and then…anger.

             
“Why?” Heat rose in my face, tears spilled down my cheeks. Their unreadable expressions turned to shock in a nanosecond. I felt like a freak. Jumping up from the chair, I ran right out the front door.

Chapter Three

              I had no idea where to go; my feet took me where they wanted. My brain was full, their shocked expressions revealing how much of a freak I was. I always knew deep inside that I was different from others, but I chalked that up to individuality. Who would have thought this was the real reason?

             
I ran, wiping the tears sliding from my eyes, blurring my vision. I stopped in front of an oak, the breath in my chest heavy; it eased as I followed the large tree up to the night sky. This must be the conservation area behind the house. The darkness made me pause. Something pushed me forwards, the black vastness calling to me, pulling at an unknown part of me.

             
Breathing deep now, I inhaled the earthy aroma that surrounded me, letting the forest consume all the turmoil that twisted in my head. Something about the mossy rich smell gave me chills. I felt a connection when I was outside, plants, trees, even the soil teemed with life. A present hum filled my ears allowing me to concentrate on the forest life.

             
For years, I longed to come back here and explore, to answer the call that pulled at me daily. Val and Lex always had a reason for me to stay away. As I stepped into this overgrown maze of large trees and underbrush, normalcy and calm washed over me.
I belong here
.

             
Singing as I walked, “This is the story of a girl, who cried a river and drowned the whole world, though she looked so sad and lonely there, I absolutely loved her…when she smiled.”

             
Animals came out to inspect the curious intruder singing, disrupting their nightly routine. I tromped through the barely lit ground humming. My ears did a jerk thing, a noise registered, catching my attention, frenzied, wild, predatory: the noise of a hunter chasing prey.

             
Listening intently to the growling animal, I made my way through the branches and brush in its direction. Quiet, disturbing the thing responsible for the feral sounds was not on my to-do list. The cold night made my muscles stiff and my feet clumsy, not that I was graceful to begin with, far from it. Limbs and twigs brush against my body, leaving the dew behind, wetting my arms and legs. Shivers sent prickles down my flesh sending up an alarm.

             
Wondering what type of animal was the owner of such an angry, hungry sound busied me from the thoughts of fairies and witches.
Human
echoed in the back of my mind, but what kind of human lives out here? I should definitely go home. Before my feet turned, swift movements from the creek made me go still.

             
I walked towards the water; the small clearing had one solitary tree, a willow tree. Under the tree sat a figure shadowed by the lack of light and the flowing branches from the willow. The silhouette was large, too large to be female, sitting on knees hidden by the weeping tree. The figure turned my way and a deep animalistic growl escaped his lips.

             
I remember in school a teacher asked, if I had to choose flight or fight in a dangerous situation, what would I choose? Fight was the answer then, big words, and big talk. Now that I faced a dangerous situation, my instincts screamed at me…
flight.

             
“Run, run to the house. Run to the house!” I told myself in a sort of mantra. I didn’t get far, my foot found a hole, a large rock broke my fall kissing my forehead.

             
“Why didn’t I get the graceful gene…” I hung my head frustrated at my non-agility.

             
My flesh heated in a strange way, my uneasiness grew, the figure stood behind me.

             
“What are you doing in the forest… spying on me?” Hard and angry, his voice spit words at me. I tried to stand; my ankle rebelled at the idea. I could tilt only so far to see the stranger.

             
Dark grey eyes, the color of steel, outlined in black leered at me. I froze, he moved away with a speed I consider, superhuman.

             
“Tell me why you came. Don’t you know it isn’t safe?” I felt the anger in his voice and my temper ignited.

             
I whirled my upper body around trying to find him, “I came to clear my head. How did I know anyone would be around tonight? As for spying on you, get over yourself. I ended up by your tree because of a noise I heard. I have done nothing to you, so take your growl and intimidation back to the water!” My temper got the better of me; my bold words were only words. Inside, I was terrified.

             
I rose up, put weight on my foot and let a small cry loose. I sat on the rock trying to figure out what to do. I raised my hand to wipe the blood from my forehead that was now dripping down my face. Out of nowhere, this strange man stood in a beam of moonlight next to me.

             
“You think I growled at you?” His voice was softer, amused. I couldn’t place the accent, I knew right away he was definitely
not
from here.

             
“Okay, so maybe growl isn’t the right word, I don’t even know if it was you who made the noise, but you don’t need to be a bully. I was just here to get some clarity. Had I not heard the strange growly noise, I wouldn’t have even made it this far into the woods.”  I took a tentative peek at him. My cheeks flushed… o-m-g!

             
The moonlight shined overhead, illuminating his features. Speechless. Despite the angry glower, yelling, and the present crazy man in the woods persona, he was beyond attractive. Like the not-real kind of attractive. I ogled the pale golden skin, sleek muscular frame, full pouty lips, and coal black hair hanging over his forehead past his brows ready to set a woman on fire. A deadly combination to all women. There was a scar across his right cheek and down to his neck, the only part of him that didn’t look like the cover of GQ. Scar or not, he was perfect. Broody, first thought that came to mind after assessing this magnificent male specimen, made my lips up turn. I was six shades of red and my heart hammered under my ribs.

             
“Wow.” I couldn’t lose my tractor beam stare. He was just too good-looking.             

             
“Excuse me?” The man tilted his head in question.

             
Embarrassed, “Um…nothing.” I needed to shut up,
now.

             
I fixated on my shoes, convinced I scanned over Mr. Hotty long enough to make us both uncomfortable.

             
“What is your name?” My voice sounded unlike me, high-pitched, girly. Flirting, I was flirting. Sigh, only me. I shook my head at myself.

             
Another swift change in his position, “My name is not important, we should get you home.”

             
The voice coming from him now was stern, yet soft in a strange way. Heat spread through my body finding my birthmark as he scooped me up, the gesture taking me by surprise. The scrutiny was gone and sort of sadness was left behind, I can add moody to my list of adjectives describing him.

             
My breath caught as he whisked us through the woods using his speed. I closed my eyes tight to keep from getting sick and buried my head into his cool neck. Intoxication…the only word I had for his scent. The pheromone concoction he released was designed to make the knees weak and the tongue-tied. Way too soon, I felt us stop; I opened my eyes to see a house stare back at me.

             
In the span of a couple seconds, the stranger set me down and I turned to look at him; he was nowhere in sight. I didn’t even hear him leave. I looked around hoping for one last glimpse, but I knew he was no doubt in the woods where I found him. I watched the door open, Lex and Val embracing me as if I was gone for weeks. Val’s puffy eyes and tear streaked face showed an unspoken apology. They both gave me a stare that said,
“If we hadn’t just messed up, you would be in so much trouble, young woman
.” I took a step and felt the stab of pain in my ankle.