Page 10 of Jacinth

CHAPTER 8

Orion

“What doyou mean he’s not in the house?”

Niko kept ranting in some drug-induced psychosis. Clearly, the idiot was on something else. I sprinted to the bedroom I had laid Sky down in a couple of hours earlier. The sheets were rumpled, but cold to the touch, and the rest of the house silent.

He was gone. Again.

Times like these, I almost regretted not putting him in an institution. He would be safe there. If I were honest with myself, both of them could do with the help, but I was too selfish to let them go. When my abilities manifested, I always hoped their... eccentricities... resulted from other abilities, but neither had any affinity for resurrection. Trust me, I’d tried to teach them.

I grabbed the key to my Cobra—aka my pride and joy—and jogged out the front door. Niko would be fine by himself for a little while. I knew there was no more booze in the house and I would go searching for any new stashes he might have later.

Despite my concern for the whereabouts of my youngest brother, I coasted through the back streets of Silver Springs, enjoying the wind in my face and the view over the indigo-and-white racing-striped bonnet of my lady love. As I passed Lady Blue Tattoo, the tingling in my fingertips was a friendly reminder I should book to have a few more runes added to my skin.

Losing the amulet was having more of a physical effect than expected. This became even more apparent as I noticed people on the sidewalks dressed in coats and button-downs while I sweated slightly in my t-shirt.

Parked on the left up ahead, I noticed a vaguely familiar van. Something itched at the back of my memory. Where had I seen it?

A moment later, the puzzle was forgotten as my very own version of Houdini wandered down the street with two identical females. At this distance, he looked clear-eyed and stable. One of the females... not so much. She appeared to be arguing with the other two, and I wondered what could be the cause.

Skyler, surely.

I pulled my baby into the nearest parking space that was safe for her to be in: not too close to the street, or a corner, not under a tree... Ok, so I may have had to jog the two blocks back by the time I found a sufficient place.

As I approached, I felt the oddest tugging sensation in my chest. The female was still gesticulating wildly, and I noticed her hands were a milk white. Long fingers clawed and released, as though she could rip her frustration to shreds. Her hair brought to mind the old fairy tales of maidens in castles without doors; and her chest... cradled my amulet.

No wonder I was drawn to her. She held my power.

“Orion!” Sky called cheerfully. “I found her. Isn’t she marvelous? And all ours! Where is Niko? He should be here for this!”

“Are you drunk?” The words spilled from my mouth thoughtlessly.

As far as I knew, Sky had never even sniffed alcohol. He had enough problems staying in the present without introducing depressants into his system. He seemed so joyous, though. Smiling. Good god, he was never present enough to smile, but the proof was right in front of me.

The female gave an awkward, half-hearted wave as though wishing she were elsewhere.

“Hi. How’re you doing?”

“You won’t take the amulet back yet, will you? We still have until midnight, right?” The other one— not awkward waver— cut in, and I realized it was the girl from the cemetery this morning.

“Hey, um...” I tried to catch up with the conversation while resolutelynotlooking at the girl wearing MY amulet. “No, I came for my brother.”

Sky didn’t have my reservations on the whole eye contact thing, and as he looked back at her, he lit up with a strange adoration.

“I found her. It’s all going to work out, because I found her.”

I continued to stare silently at him, and he dimmed a little. It was best if I didn’t buy into his delusions.

“Orion. Listen carefully. This is Jacinth. She is our mate.”

Was he speaking slowly for my benefit?!

“She is who we have been looking for. The reason we had to come to Silver Springs. The reason that guy should have died. He killed her...” He choked up for a minute before shaking his head.

“She is going to change everything.”

“If she doesn’t get exorcised,” the twin muttered.

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