Page 8 of Bound By the Moon

“I’ve never seen anything like it before in mylife.” I admitted. I really do need to make the trip, with Willow,soon to go see Annalise and Andy.” I smiled at that. “I’m stillgetting used to the fact that they got together. I bet Averytotally blew his stack.”

Serena quirked her eyebrows up at that, a smirkappearing at the corner of her mouth. “Indeed, he did, as you say,blow his stack.” Her light chuckle reverberated through the roomwith a life of its very own. It was rare to hear Serena laugh, butwhen she did, I would swear it was like being in a princess movie,where the birds chirped just for her. She was magic incarnate. “Atany rate,” she finally continued on, “she will be pleased that youloved it.” Serena sat up a bit straighter, and put her no-nonsensebusiness face back in place. The transformation was astounding. Onemoment, she was a free, magical, happy cartoonish character. Thenext, she became a woman to be reckoned with. “Now, on to thebusiness at hand. I need to know everything that took place withNatalia before we call them to us.”

~*~

“Thank you for coming,” I greeted Natalia and Evanas they entered my house.

“It’s not like we had a choice,” Evancomplained.

Natalia glared at him, and apologized, “please,forgive him. He has no manners.”

“I am well aware.” I agreed.

“I would like to have help. To understand what hashappened to me, and how to control it better.” Natalia seemedgenuine. Her thick accent washed over me in waves as she spoke,calming my nerves. It took a moment before I realized somethingwasn’t quite right about that, and I shook free of the feeling.

“Did you…” I didn’t even finish getting the questionout before Serena was upon us.

“You, my dear, just glamoured the White Wolf. Ithink this is far more serious than we originally thought.” Serenatugged on Natalia’s arm, and pulled her into my living room. BeforeI could follow, Evan stopped me.

“What just happened?” He actually looked concernednow.

“A feeling of calm washed over me, like I was okaywith what Natalia could do, and nothing was wrong. I was ready tojust go bake some cookies, and invite her to stay for tea, but...”I bit into my lip as I thought about what snapped me out of it. “Idon’t know. Something deep down inside me told me it was a lie, andthe minute I let that doubt kick into full gear the feeling of calmfell away.” I studied Evan’s expression and he was not happy tohear the latest news. “She doesn’t affect you, does she?”

“No. At least, not that I am aware. I have seen heraffect other things, and people before, but I never felt anydifferent during those times either. Just like now, with you. Iknew something was off, but I didn’t feel it myself.”

“You do remember when I told you yesterday that Iwould hunt you down to the ends of the earth and beyond if youdidn’t play this straight with me?” He nodded that he remembered.“Why the hell didn’t you tell me about her doing this to peoplebefore?”

“Honestly, I didn’t think she would be able toaffect you. I mean, you’re the White Wolf. You even managed to beatmy father’s compulsion.”

I sighed then. “You know, maybe your bond makes youimmune to whatever is going on with her. We’ll talk to Serena aboutthat in a minute though. Come on, we better not miss any ofthis.”

I listened as Evan and Natalia re-told the story ofhow she discovered her abilities, watching Serena for any sign thatshe was afraid or worried. I saw only interest on her part.

“So, these abilities didn’t really manifest untilafter you became a mated pair?” Evan and Natalia looked at eachother then, and while Evan acknowledged what Serena said, Nataliaappeared thoughtful instead.

“No, I think I remember my sister and I makingthings glow when I was younger, but…”

“But what?” Serena prodded.

“It’s like the memory has just come back to me. Itwasn’t there before, so maybe I am just making the memories happenin my head while searching for an explanation?”

“You said you and your sister both had braceletsgiven to you by your mother?”

“Yes, we did.”

“And yours was taken off by a woman Antoineknew?”

“That is correct.”

“Did these things also start happening after thebracelet was taken off?”

“I don’t know. I was given some kind of medicinefrom the woman. It made me not feel so good all the time, and thereare spots that I don’t remember. Everything is blank, but the girlssay I was gone for long periods of time.”

“Hmmm,” Serena offered, as she took a closer look atthe woman who sat before her. “Okay, but you definitely noticedthings beginning to happen often after you were mated withMikael?”

“Yes, everything was normal for a while, when I wasfirst brought here. I don’t remember having any odd things happen.Not until we became mated. The first time I saw the light, since Iwas a child, was then. And again when we found my sister’sbracelet.”

“Very interesting.” Serena stated before turning inmy direction. “Didn’t your abilities begin to skyrocket after youwere mated with Mikael?”

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