Soul Inheritance (15 page)

“
It really was necessary if she’s going to fight. I know so much that will help her. Don’t worry Dora; we’re one in the same. I would hardly hurt myself.”

“
But your time has come and gone. She’s… You’re not the same person. I mean, you’re both the same person literally, but your lives are not the same life. Oh… I’m not making sense even to myself!”

“
I know what you mean. I wouldn’t hurt this life… or steal it if that is what you’re afraid of. How can I steal what is technically mine anyway? The past can only help guide the present. It cannot be changed or relived. It cannot replace the person I’ve become. I’m only here to insure that my existence does not get trapped here, with him. That they don’t get me or the power that I yield. I hope that will be the case, anyway.”

Dora helped her to her feet and the others gathered round.

“
Well,” Margaret said authoritatively, “This wasn’t something we expected. She was just supposed to gain the knowledge of the other lives, not the personalities who lived them.”

“
You know Bess, I’m standing right here.” Katherine spoke with certainty and spunk she had never felt. Her green eyes sparkled, her personality overtaking Miranda’s. “I feel great.” She stepped forward, faltered, took Dora’s arm. “Well, a little dizzy, but otherwise good. It’s like the part of me that was always missing is suddenly there. It’s like Miranda was half of me or something.”

“
The part you feel’s missing is that part of you that is the family. The part that belongs to them.” Serena’s eyes bore into Katherine, as though searching.

Katherine’s eyes darkened to the brown shade again. “I don’t belong to anyone. I’m a liquid part of this world and that’s the way it’s going to stay. I was a fool once. Never again.” Miranda saw Serena’s statement as a challenge, rose to it, though Katherine completely missed the reasoning.

“
Okay, Katherine, you’re going to have to be sure you keep control of the new half, integrate her and fast. This is your life; she’s just your past. Your personality’s changed with all of the lives you’ve lived, your outlook is different. Those changes happened for a reason. They’re your strength. Let that go and you’ll loose your fight for sure.” Dora’s grip had tightened.

The dark eyes studied her for a few seconds. The brown clouds dissipated like a drop of mud in a clear pool, becoming foggy then clear, allowing the green through.

“
Yes, I suppose it would be too easy to let her take over. I think I’ll go rest. I’m feeling wiped out.”

“
That’s a good idea.”

“
Wait a minute, what about the protection spell?” Bell stepped forward.

The new, reassured Katherine turned, looked at Serena and then to Bell. “I think I’ve got all the protection I need. More than this group can give, no offense. I can feel the knowledge building in me now. It’s only a matter of time. I’ll be able to protect myself as well as any spell can,” Miranda’s cool tone returned and she looked again at Serena. “Thanks for the concern, but I think it’s going to be okay,” she smirked, reached out and squeezed the shoulder of the young witch.

Serena sneered back, “No offense taken. Just make me a promise.”

“
Okay, if I can.” Her eyes danced between green and brown.

“
When this’s over you’ll come back and teach us what you’ve learned.”

“
I’ll be sure to. Thanks for all you’ve done. I feel like a new person.”

Katherine turned and walked with Dora toward the house, leaning on her arm for balance. The others watched her leave, cleaned up and headed out in their different directions. Serena was the last to go. She said goodnight to Dora as she came down the stairs from Katherine’s room.

“
Good night Dora. Wish Katherine luck for me when she leaves in the morning.”

“
I don’t think she’s ready…” Dora’s face was soaked in concern.

“
Oh, she’s more than ready.” The girl was calm, self assured.

“
Empathic, sorry, almost forgot. I didn’t think divining the future was an empathic thing. For that matter I didn’t know your gift was as strong as it’s seemed tonight.”

“
Just call it a hunch. She’s got what it takes. On top of that she’s confident and she thinks she’s ready.” Serena shut the door gently and walked cheerfully down the steps. Looking up at the sun catchers over the arbor she tapped one with a finger, sending it spinning. “Piece of cake,” she smiled opening the gate and letting it slam shut in her wake. Black eyes glinted and glowed as she walked toward home.

Dora went to the back porch and sat watching the lightning bugs and worrying about Katherine. She had done all she could. Now she wondered if it had been the wrong thing. She’d never seen someone who did more than absorb the knowledge they were already privy to. Never had she heard of anyone doing this and coming back with two personalities in the same body. Especially two with so much time in-between them. They were one in the same, but the personality of the one in the present, in this case Katherine, had developed over time from the others. The life experience of her past lives made her who she was. To let an earlier personality take over in any regard could not be good. That would be like regressing instead of progressing. An individual was meant to move forward with knowledge and experience, not return to an earlier, more vulnerable state. Still, Miranda had advantages, memories, wisdom in the ways of magic Katherine was denied. She also possessed the history of the lake, of Greystone and what he wanted.

Katherine slept easily. She dreamed, but not like before. These were detached memories, as if she were watching from a distance. They gave her information of a basic sort. Miranda’s clan, her childhood, her time traveling with the gypsies. She saw campfires and heard music, watched lively dancers around the bright flames. They moved from place to place, collecting information from some, offering it to others, hawking magical remedies and cures. There were scenes where they endured ill treatment; name calling as they passed, thrash thrown at them. At night people gathered round to watch the fire eaters, dancing, storytelling and buy the herbal concoctions that were used to cure this and that. The same people who ridiculed them by the light of day came to call on them for their eccentric pleasures at night.

Miranda had grown weary of the road, of the hypocrites and their two faced behavior. She grew tired of being ogled and propositioned and touched by men who had no honorable intentions, but saw her as just another product to be bought at the gypsy tents. She wanted no part of it, danced away, out of their reach and disappeared into the night when the music stopped.

Until she came to the little town in Maine. It had felt different. Exciting in a way she had not felt before. They weren’t looked down on, but welcomed as they passed through. Not one foul eye was thrown their way, but smiles and even an occasional wave and welcome. The air nearly tingled around her and he’d come to the edge of their camp before they’d gotten the first fire built.

Charles had presented himself, inquiring if they possessed, among their numbers, one who held a special talent for dancing. There was a celebration being held at the Mansion on the lake and he would pay well if the dancers could come.

Charles caught her eye the moment he rode from the edge of the forest. Tall and debonair atop the red roan. He was dressed in dark pants and a white shirt with a ruffle at the throat and wrists, but no jacket that she could see. His dark hair was shoulder length and wavy. His dark eyes were deep pools with a view into an old soul. Drawn to him she introduced herself as the dancer he sought. She would bring several others. When asked what the occasion was he said it was the summer solstice. Their first real group celebration of the holiday since their coming to the new world and building the house on the lake.

It warmed her heart to know she was among pagans, though she was surprised. The gypsies were not long removed from sneaking through puritan country in the south. Charles was warm and welcoming. He did not ogle or make any inappropriate move at all. He spoke to her father with respect, to her as a respectable woman.

Miranda was spellbound from the first meeting. The group extended their stay in the small town to rest where they were welcome. She danced at the colorful festival, stayed for the rituals and was pleased when Charles sat and talked for a long time before they left that evening. He wooed, with her father’s permission, every evening until it was time for them to leave.

That day was different. He came to the camp in disarray, declared his love and begged her father to let her marry him. After consulting with his daughter the old man agreed and a wedding took place that night in the camp of the gypsies, in their tradition. Charles took her home and presented her his room to sleep in, but did not spend the wedding night. Instead he insisted that they should also celebrate their union by holding a ceremony at the lake with all the family present. A proper ceremony would be expected.

Charles bent and gently kissed her goodnight, pledging to hold the hand-fasting, quickly. In two days it took place by the water. There were many scenes of their happy times. Walks on the lake’s edge at dusk, the stained glass windows reflected in the cove as they strolled together and stopped to kiss in the darkness. Their love had been genuine, from both sides. Charles had once made a deal to save his people, to get them across the ocean safely where they could start a new life. At the time nothing else mattered. Now she was all that mattered and he was careful to tell her everything in hopes of saving her when the time came.

The natural magic was strong in her. At first Charles hoped deep inside it would be enough to save her and their children from what was to come. But as time moved on his love for her grew into obsession. A fire that burned deeper than his body, deeper than his soul, fueled only by her presence. A fire he wasn’t willing to relinquish.

Chapter nine

Nigel woke up from his nap, sat on the edge of the bed and stared out the window at the darkening world below. The street lights had already come on and there ribbons of light laced between them, moving in opposite directions. He stretched, dug through his bag. After selecting casual clothes he headed off to take a shower. Walking into the bathroom he stopped to assess the Jacuzzi.

“
I think I’ll save that for later, when I have company.”

The nightclub of choice tonight, The Jumping Jack, was in downtown Bangor. He circled the block until he found a parking spot, checked his appearance in the mirror.

The music was loud as he made his way to the bar, checking out the available goods scattered throughout the club. One girl in particular drew his attention. She looked very young, maybe too young to be allowed in. He took a seat several chairs down, ordered a vodka and orange juice.

Nigel watched her closely. Once he was satisfied that she was alone he motioned to the bar tender.

“
Send the lady a white wine on me.” He said, slipping a bill across the counter.

“
Yes, sir.” The elderly bar tender gave him a wily smile.

Once the drink had been delivered he smiled and raised his glass. She smiled back, moved down the bar to sit beside him.

“
Hi, I’m Nigel.”

“
Francis, but people call me Fran.” She was small and blonde. Plenty of bust and butt with a tiny waist in-between, just the way he liked them. Fran rambled on so long that by the time she paused he knew her life history. Not a lot of relationships, her parents were several states away and she’d come to Maine to attend college near her grandmother. She lived alone. A cheap apartment in a bad neighborhood.

‘
Perfect.’ Nigel thought to himself as he gave her an indulgent grin. The night moved smoothly as he plied her with alcohol. She got more unsteady as the evening progressed and more open to suggestions of further entertainment back at the hotel.

As two A.M. approached Nigel guided her, giggling and flirty, to his car. He drove back to the hotel.

“
Well, here we are,” he smiled over at Fran in the passenger seat of the rented Ford Taurus. Her face seemed to glow in the light from the dashboard.

“
Wow,” she giggled, looking up at the swanky hotel. “I’ve never been in there before.”

“
I have a suite at the top. You can see the city.”

“
Uh, well. I don’t know. I really shouldn’t.” She looked serious for a moment, as if sobering a little. “I really don’t know you very well.”

“
Oh, now. I told you all about myself. I know all about you. I’m not a serial killer or anything.” He laughed, got out of the car and came around her side, opened the door. “Mademoiselle, would a rogue treat such a tender young thing so kindly?” He took her hand, bent low and kissed it, looking up into her eyes.

Fran giggled again. Leaned forward to get out, fell backward into the seat, laughed some more. Nigel smiled his most charming smile and helped her out of the car and to his room.

‡

Katherine woke early the next morning rested and restless. She sat in front of the mirror at the dressing table and brushed her hair. Thoughts of the lake came easily and without the anxiety that usually accompanied them. The blue luggage sat neatly in one corner, waiting for her to pack the last few things left strewn around the room.