Page 45 of Prey

Grams and I look at each other and she nods. “Shiva.” Jessa looks confused. I clear my throat and start again. “Shiva has been protecting him. It’s a long story but a lot has happened since we were here yesterday morning. The short of it is, I have my full demigod powers now and Shiva has blessed me. My ancestors have added their magic to two objects over the last several hundred years and I’m now in possession of said objects, greatly increasing my powers. But Shiva himself has been watching over my dad for some reason and he has been keeping him alive somehow.”

Jessa sags in the chair. “What the fuck, Shasta?”

“Yeah, welcome to my new crazy life.”

She flicks a glance in Ethan’s direction and raises an eyebrow. I hold up the ‘okay’ symbol with my hand and she continues talking about my dad.

“He’s going to need loads of counseling. The things he was screaming when we were working on him,” she shudders. “I can’t…Shas, don’t leave him alone. I don’t know what he may do. They did…despicable things to him. We did a very thorough healing on him. There wasn’t a single spot that wasn’t injured. I know I already said that, but I need you to understand what I’m really saying here.” She looks at me very pointedly and I hear Grams stifle a gasp.

She isn’t saying what I think she is? I look at her in shock and she just nods. Oh my Goddess. Electricity crackles over my entire body. Ethan and Kadi both growl behind me and the hair on my body stands on end.

Fuck, they are scary.

Ethan walks out of the office, slamming the door behind him as he goes and Kadi just shakes his head at me. I reach through the bond and feel that Ethan is talking to someone on the phone. His fury is a palpable living thing.

As is mine.

I am going to kill each and every one of them. I feel Ethan and Kadi agree through the bond. I don’t have to do this alone.

Jessa just looks at me and hands me a card with a name and number on it. Brigid Leigh. I look at her, curious who this is.

“That’s the name of a therapist who’s the namesake of Brigid herself and supposedly has actual ties to the Goddess. She is amazing at what she does and has never failed at any case she’s ever been given. They call her the ‘Healer of Souls’,” she says.

I raise my brows in surprise. Well, that’s pretty high praise. I tuck the card into my pocket. I’ll do anything in my power to help my dad get better. Maybe Ethan might want to talk to her too? Worth a shot to ask anyway.

Grams asks, “Is there anything in particular you want us to do first when we take him home?” She might be the Coven leader, but she gives credit where credit is due and Jessa is one of the top healers we have.

“Just keep him stress free, calm, and make sure he isn’t alone. The rest will have to come over time. We’ve healed all of his physical injuries. We can’t do anything about him being emaciated. Only lots of good food can do that and I know that’s one area that you excel at, Winnie.”

Grams is a really great cook. I know it will take time to get my dad back where he needs to be. But at least he’s on the road to recovery, and hopefully we can get him to talk to Brigid.

We head back to the room to check on my parents. My mom has climbed into the bed with my dad and they are holding each other tightly, foreheads pressed together, sleeping. Kadi squeezes my arm and we step out into the hallway. Grams stays in the room.

He gathers me closely. “How are you feeling, my Little Lioness?”

That’s a loaded question. My head and heart are a mass of different emotions. I just shrug. I can’t really answer it in words. Besides, he can feel everything I’m feeling, though that’s probably why he asked me in the first place; hoping I’d want to process some of my emotions. I just don’t have the spoons for it right now.

Ethan walks back over to us. “I called Laken. Joaquin is…busy with our guest right now. He’s been talking though. Laken and Joaquin have a special technique and it usually doesn’t take long for people to talk.” He has an evil look on his face right now and I hope to never be on the receiving end of that ever again.

“I’ve also called Alaric to come here and help Eloise and Winnie get Amir home. We are going to head over there now because you need to hear whatever they are going to get Logan’s father to say. Oh by the way, his name is Michael. Logan’s mother was Vivian.”

Well good, now I can stop calling them Logan’s mom and dad. Michael and Vivian. Normal names for such despicable people. But now we can get to the bottom of what happened with my dad.

“Speaking of Joaquin and Laken,” I start to say. Ethan cuts me off with a shake of his head.

“I saw Jessa’s neck. I also heard what she said to you. I think we just need to let them work it out among themselves. I know she’s your friend and you’re worried about her, but I’ve known Laken and Joaquin for a very long time and I can say that neither of them will ever hurt her intentionally. Vampire matings are a lot different than shifter matings. More visceral. Let her ask you if she needs help. Until then, just let it be, Little Witch. We didn't have a great start either. Fated mates aren’t a cut and dry thing.”

I can only nod. Maybe he’s right. I didn’t want anyone getting involved in our issues so it makes sense to let Jessa figure hers out on her own and just be there if she needs me. I walk back to the room and poke my head in to whisper to Grams. She nods, concern etched on her features while she stares at my parents.

This isn’t going to be easy. Not only are we going to be helping my dad get well, my mom will have to reacclimate as well. She’s spent so many years thinking he was dead. The crazy emotions she must be feeling right now have got to be overwhelming. The fact that both of them just fell asleep after holding each other and crying over being reunited says a lot about their emotional state.

I shut the door quietly behind me. The guys are waiting. Strong, sturdy, and mine. It still blows my mind a little that I have mates. But I can say, it’s pretty nice to have people of my own to count on through all of this.

Now, just to keep everyone alive until this is all finished.

Chapter twenty-four

Dark Magic & Gods

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