Keeper (Matefinder Next Generation Book 1) (11 page)

‘Down girl,’
Jax told me.

I glared at my twin. He didn’t understand.

Nahuel turned to all of us. “This is Lina, descendant of Alma, spiritual leader of our tribe.”

I swallowed hard. Dammit, she was an Alpha.

Lina stepped closer and extended her hand to me. “Well met, young wolf.”

Shaking it, I tried not to point out that she was pretty young herself. I was pretty sure that Nahuel brought us here because he thought this woman could help save my mate, so I needed to play nice.  Then Lina did the same to Jaxon, who totally checked her out. As she moved toward Gavin, I saw her nostrils flare. Instead of shaking his hand, she grasped both sides of his face and brought it inches from her, peering into his eyes.  I was about to intervene when I saw white mist float around her feet and swirl up, spinning around her body and Gavin’s, creating a cocoon of magic. WTF? Shamans were magic users? We didn’t really know much about them, so much so that we didn’t even consider them a supernatural species. We had no documentation of what their abilities were. Other than performing our mating ceremonies, we never saw them. Gavin held strong, locking Lina in his gaze. Suddenly, his eyes went bloodshot, the white completely filling with blood. I stepped forward to rip her away from him when Nahuel grabbed my arm.

“She’s hurting him!” I shouted at Nahuel ready to throw his ass off me and douse Lina with magic. But Nahuel gave me a look that sent chills racing up my spine.

“She is the only person left in this world who can help him.”

His words crushed me and I couldn’t help the tears that lined my eyes. Looking back at the cocoon of magic, I saw it dissipate and then slowly her hands dropped down and Gavin stumbled backward, falling onto his butt, eyes wide. I ran to his side, helping him up just as the fever flared to life within me and patches of fur rose on his skin. Gavin and I shared a ‘What the hell is going on’ look.

Lina spoke over us all. “True Mates. He is a Light Keeper, one of your descendants, Nahuel.”

My mouth popped open in shock.

Glancing at Nahuel, I saw his face pinched with pain. “Haseya.”

Lina nodded in understanding and gave Nahuel a warm look of pity.

‘What the hell is going on here?
’ Jaxon asked, but I didn’t have an answer. I also hated to admit that I felt Gavin retreat from me and he wasn’t using our bond to speak. What the hell had she done to him?

“What’s the Light Keeper? What is Haseya? What’s going on?” I directed my questions at Nahuel and threw in an Alpha glare for good measure.

There was silence for a beat but just when I was about to ask again, Nahuel spoke.

“Haseya was my daughter.” Crossing the space between us, Nahuel took Gavin in a big hug, surprising us all. “We are well met, grandson.” His words sent a shock through both Gavin and me, and then I felt it ... the reason he closed off the matebond. He was seething with rage and I bristled at the dark feelings coming off of him.

Gavin, who hadn’t spoken since we arrived, pulled back from Nahuel, his face drawn with malice. “Seriously? You think a hug can fix this!? Your daughter dropped me off at an orphanage twenty years ago and you didn’t bother to look for me! Didn’t bother to tell me I was a shaman. Instead, you let the fevers and pain take me. You let me think I was dying! I thought I was a freak! A monster!”

His anger made the fever blaze hotter inside of me, as more fur continued to ripple on his arms. Suddenly, thunder crackled overhead and dark clouds rolled in as if by magic. Jax and I shared a look.

Lina looked intrigued. “He still has his power but he’s losing it. Taking her wolf.”

Nahuel looked hurt by Gavin’s words but didn’t say anything, only nodded to Lina to agree with her comment.

Gavin stepped closer to Nahuel straightening to his full height. Muscles flexed, he looked like a UFC cage fighter ready to rip someone’s head off. Shit.

“You let me die! I’m dying!” He screamed and I swore I heard the undertones of a wolf growl in his voice. The clouds opened up and rain pelted down on us.

Lina stood strong and cut him down with her words. “No, young Light Keeper. You will not die, that was a farce. Anya will. Your True Mate takes your fever and you take her wolf. In the end, if you cannot right this wrong, she will burn alive and you will stand on four paws.”

Chills broke out all over my body as I stumbled backward into Jaxon’s outstretched arms. My hand went to my mouth as the rain tumbled down on all of us. All traces of anger fled as Gavin turned to me, looking vulnerable.

But just then, my mother’s words came floating into my mind as if by magic. “The future can change,” I said aloud and got a smile from Lina.

“Yes, it can. That’s why you’re here.” She looked fierce then and I decided that I liked and trusted her. The rain died off to a sprinkle and then the clouds thinned, letting the last of the day’s sunlight in. Gavin’s hand slipped into mine as he fully stepped into my space, meeting my eyes. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he declared.

I mustered up a weak smile and nodded so he wouldn’t feel bad, but I knew now that this was what my mother saw. My death, not his.

Nahuel had shaken off whatever emotions had cemented him and now he was moving. “It’s time to tell stories.”

He walked to the group of tall warriors that had stood vigil off to the side of our little display.

Lina followed the shaman, leaving Jaxon, Gavin, and I to chat.

Jaxon closed in the space to my right so we were standing in a small circle.

“Lina’s hot. I’m just throwing that out there. Don’t tell Avery,” my brother joked and it actually got a smile out of me and Gavin. He was great in times like these, inappropriately funny. It was annoying, but it broke the tension.

“Are you okay?” I focused my attention on my mate.

He looked lost, eyes empty, hair tousled like a little boy. “Not really. I want more answers.”

Nodding, I understood and was grateful for his honest reply.

“What did she do when she grabbed your head?” Jaxon asked and I was grateful because I wanted to know, too.

Gavin looked completely spooked. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it, then opened it again. “I can’t really explain it. She … looked into my soul.”

My eyes widened but before I could respond, the steady beating of drums behind me pulled at my attention. Turning, I saw that a circle had gathered. The warriors, Nahuel, and Lina stood around a raging fire as the sun began to set. The warriors beat on drums strapped to their waists.

“Let’s get our answers,” I told the boys and walked over to the gathering. The group parted to allow us entry and I could see Lina was fanning the circle with sage smoke as a magic mist formed a protective barrier. My eyebrow quirked up, curious as to why protection was needed. My wolf itched to break free. Two large fallen logs served as benches and we took a seat as Nahuel indicated we do so. Gavin sat on my left, Jaxon on my right. Scanning the faces of the warriors, I could see now that they were all over six feet tall, carved from stone with rock hard muscles, and had a fierceness in their gaze that told me they were the bad-ass muthas of the shaman world.

Lina grabbed a decorated stick, an eagle feather hanging from it, and stood facing us.

“I will honor you now with a story of the great Light Keeper.” She flicked her eyes for a second to Nahuel who bowed deeply. Light Keeper. They called Gavin that. Was Nahuel a Light Keeper, too?

“Since the creation of man, Great Sky Father and Great Earth Mother have blessed the earth with Light Keepers. Beings with such great power, they can stop time, control the elements, even bring back the dead.”

My eyes were wide as I stared at Nahuel, my heart hammering in my chest. Was she talking about him? I knew he was a badass and special, but holy shit. Did my mother know this?

“But … in keeping with the Great Balance, an opposite to the Light Keeper came into creation.”

The drumming stopped and Lina grimaced. “Skin Walkers.”

At the words ‘Skin Walkers,’ the sage in Lina’s hands burst into flames. Suddenly, the warriors beat the drums loudly and thunder cracked overhead.

But Lina continued. “Some fear to even speak the name Skin Walker! But fear is what their evil magic feeds on, and so I say the name with ease.”

The firelight was dancing in her eyes and she looked absolutely stunning, fearless, an Alpha for sure. I was lying if I said this shit wasn’t freaking me out.

Nahuel stood and took the decorated stick from Lina. “Around the time that my people cursed the werewolves with infertility, there was a great war between the Light Keepers and the Skin Walkers. Such a catastrophic war it was, that today, only one of each remain. One Walker. One Keeper,” Nahuel stated and the flames danced higher. I slipped my hand into Gavin’s and squeezed, seeking his warmth and comfort.

Nahuel squatted in front of Gavin, meeting his steady gaze. “Until you.”

Gavin’s chest was rising and falling but he stayed completely silent. I was burning with questions, but this was my mate’s journey and I didn’t want to intervene. So of course Jaxon did.

“So, which is he? Walker or Keeper? Because if you say Walker, I’m sleeping with one eye open tonight,” Jax joked.

‘Inappropriate timing, brother,’
I scolded.

‘Well, this silent stare down shit isn’t getting answers,’
Jax told me.

Nahuel looked sad for a moment. “Both.”

My blood chilled and I nearly pulled my hand out of Gavin’s but forced myself not to. Finally, Gavin let go of my hand, and stood.

“Explain everything now or I’ll go mad,” he instructed.

My heart ached for him then and I was about to stand and demand the same when Nahuel nodded and spoke.

“Many, many years ago, I fell in love with a human. She had hair the color of corn silk, eyes the color of the sky. She bore me my first and only child, Haseya, a daughter. A Light Keeper like myself and my heart had never been so full. Light Keepers do not age unless we want to. I chose to age with my wife … until she was killed by Mukesh, Skin Walker.”

My hand flew to my mouth as my heart hurt for Nahuel. Gavin’s features immediately softened. Nahuel continued as Lina fanned the smoke in the circle.

“Shortly after my wife’s death, Haseya turned thirteen and went on her vision quest to claim her power and meet her animal. She was sent alone, with no food as all young Light Keepers are.”

No. I had a bad feeling about how this story was going to end. Gavin just stood there, facing Nahuel, taking it all in. Nahuel’s face suddenly constricted with emotion as he held out the stick to Lina and turned away. Lina nodded and took the stick from Nahuel, trying not to show emotion but her voice wavered.

“Haseya returned from her vision quest with her full power and a child in her belly. The Skin Walker followed her and raped her, then left her alive.”

“No!” I stood as tears lined my eyes. This was majorly fricked up storytelling and I had a feeling we were talking about my mate’s mother. My mate’s evil father. I wanted to protect him from this shit. I didn’t want him to hear the rest. Raped and pregnant at thirteen? Jesus.

Gavin stared at his feet and then Lina said what I expected. “Haseya, carried the baby to term but the night before her labor began, she ran away. Used her powers to cloak herself from Nahuel and everyone trying to help her.  She killed herself. We later found her body and the baby was gone.”

Gavin took off running and burst through the warriors holding the circle tight, knocking one of them clean over. He ran, full speed into the forest as thunder shook the sky and rain fell down in clumps.

“Gavin!” I tore off after him, but Lina caught my upper arm. “Some things need to be worked out alone.”

My wolf rose to the surface then and a growl ripped from my throat. Lina smirked, letting me go. I liked the bitch, but if she ever laid a hand on me to stop me again, we were going to have big problems. My feet pounded the ground, smashing through the muddy water-logged forest floor as I searched for him. Darkness had fallen and the rain was messing with his scent trail. Then I heard a twig snap and altered my direction to follow the sound.

Soaking wet, standing like a broken child staring at his feet, was Gavin. Part of me didn’t want to deal with this shit. This was serious and heavy, and I didn’t want to grow up this fast. But this was my mate and the tumult of emotions that were coursing through the matebond scared me to my core. I barely knew him, kissed him once and here I was in his darkest hour just as I should be.

The right thing to say just fell from my lips. “None of this changes how I feel about you. How anyone will feel about you.”

He looked up and met my gaze, his eyes glowing an eerie shade of yellowish red. “I’m part evil, a product of rape. She should have killed me, too.”

No! I crossed the distance between us in record time but he flinched.

“Don’t touch me.” His voice cracked with vulnerability. “I’m sorry I got you into this mess.”

I barked out a sarcastic laugh and the rain lessened, with it Gavin’s eyes threaded back to their normal green. The fever was raging inside of me, but I ignored it.