Painfully Ordinary Special Edition (20 page)

Even Leah’s mental voice
came across dripping with sarcasm.

Girl, if you were anyone else, I would’ve already dragged you out
of his lap by the hair. Hell, yes, it’s believable. Just don’t get crazy and
push Talon too far
.

Jace caressed my hair as Talon
had done so many times. “What are you talking about? I’m no fairy princess. You
have a red-gold waterfall running down your back.

I draped one arm around
his neck and leaned against him. “You are quite the charmer, aren’t you?” I
giggled.

Talon looked like he was
going to snap the pool cue he was holding.

“Would you ladies like
something to drink?” Jace asked.

“That sounds great,” I
said.

“Do you need some help?”
Leah asked innocently.

He lifted me off his lap,
setting me gently on the floor. “I sure could. Especially since you know where
the drinks are around here, and I don’t.” He bounded down the stairs behind
Leah, leaving me alone with a very angry Talon.

“What exactly do you think
you’re doing?” he demanded.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t
realize you were talking to me again.”

“Caitlin, be reasonable. All
you’re going to do is bring more trouble with Johr down on your head.”

“What are you talking
about? Anyway, what difference does it make to you? Obviously you feel what
happened at the lake was a mistake. That’s fine. Don’t worry I’m not going to
force my attentions on you.” I snapped.

A muscle twitched in his
jaw. “You’re right. What happened at the lake was a mistake. I never should
have allowed it to happen. It was inexcusable to put you in danger like that. I
failed in my duty to protect you.”

My entire body shook with
anger. “You know what? Screw your duty. I’m sick to death of hearing about it.
It seems to be the only thing you truly care about.
One
minute you’re telling me I bring light to your world, and the next minute you’re
pushing me away, using duty as an excuse. Either you care, or you don’t. I’m
tired of being confused all the time. I feel like I’ve been sleepwalking my
entire life, oblivious to a world I never even know existed.”

“Duty is all I had to keep
me company for centuries.” He sighed. “It’s not so easily cast aside. Duty has
always been the one constant in my life and the central component of being a
Turvata
.”

“Well, I hope you and your
duty
are very happy together. I, for
one, am sick of constantly having every aspect of my life managed for me.” I
walked over running a fingernail down his tense bicep. “From this point
forward, it’s my life to live. I’m going to start enjoying myself. You can
either join me, or stay out of my way.”

“Caitlin, please don’t do
anything rash. The danger you’re in is very real. I’m only concerned for your
safety.”

I continued running my
finger around the back of his arm and slid it down his back. I heard his sharp intake
of breath as I brought my hand to rest at the base of his spine.

I massaged the base of his
spine and studied him thoughtfully. “Tell me something, Talon. Why are you so
concerned about my safety? Is it inexplicably tied to your sense of duty or is
something else altogether?”

“How can I make you
understand?”

I gazed into his flaming
blue eyes. “Show me.”

He grabbed me and slammed
me against his length, lowering his face to kiss me, and I heard the abrupt intake
of my own breath, as his lips were just a fraction of an inch from mine.

“Hey people. Dinner will
be ready in about 5 minutes. We brought up some peach tea,” Leah said as she
came up the stairs.

Talon, horrified at
being caught
almost allowed me to fall to the floor. I
stared daggers at him as lightning flashed outside the window.

Chapter 16

Out of Control

Leah
stared at us with wide
eyes. Talon’s eyes were slowly morphing to a soft brown. Thunder and lightning continued
to rumble across the now dark sky.

Always the peacemaker,
Jace piped up. “So, whose turn is it now?”

“It’s Talon’s. I’m done
playing games.” I stormed down the stairs.

Leah headed back down as
well. “I’ll be right back” she called over her shoulder.

She caught me by the
shoulder.
“Caiti, stop.
What happened?”

“He makes me so mad! I
wish he would just make up his mind already. Either he wants to be with me, or
he doesn’t. Why do they have to make things so complicated? It just frustrates
me.”

“I know. I think he’s just
as confused as you are and he uses his duty as a shield. He wants you to be safe,
and sees himself as a threat to you. I don’t think he knows which direction to turn
at this point. If he gives in to you, Johr will turn around and banish him. He
’ll be forbidden
to see you at all and I suspect he would
rather appear to keep his distance emotionally, and still get to be around you.
Does that make sense?”

“Ugh. Yes. When did you
become the logical one? I’ll tell you this. He needs to pick a damn side and
stay on it. Either we are friends and that is all…or we are more. He can’t have
it both ways. I can’t continue to switch back and forth and remain sane.”

***

“What the HELL happened up
here?” Jace demanded.

“What always happens when
I am around her? I can’t seem to keep it together. If Leah hadn’t come up when
she did, I would’ve had Caitlin bent over the pool table kissing her
thoroughly.” Talon couldn’t believe his complete lack of control where she was
concerned. He wasn’t an untried youth – he was a centuries old warrior.

“Yeah, Leah has bad timing
that way, doesn’t
she
?”

“Jace.
This isn’t a joke. In the
last couple of weeks, I have broken multiple laws I pledged to protect
centuries ago. I cannot be with her. The fact we keep finding ourselves in
compromising positions is only going to prolong the pain. Not to mention it
puts her additional danger…both from me and Johr.” He still was waiting for the
other shoe to drop with Johr – he knew Johr was furious.

“Wait. I think this is
less about duty and more about being afraid of hurting her.
What
about the legend Breeg and Beau were talking about?
Maybe there is some
truth to it? If I were you, I would think it would be worth checking out.”

“Seriously.
Do you really think some
ancient legend is going to be talking about ME? I wouldn’t even know where to
begin to look.” Jace had to be crazy to think Talon was the subject of some
ancient prophecy.

“Why not?
Why can’t it be you? Try
starting with
Breeg
—I think he wants to help. I’m not
sure why, but I wouldn’t be looking a gift dwarf in the mouth. What we need to
do is keep them calm. They are unstable right now. I think if you push her away
one time too many, she is going to do something stupid.”

“There is one slight problem
with that line of logic. We have been forbidden to have anything to do with
them other than our duties as
Turvata.”
Talon couldn’t figure out exactly what Jace was trying say.

“So we just need to keep
them close in the ‘spirit of protection’.
Right?”

“Caitlin is right. You
would make an excellent used car salesman.” Jace had done the impossible, and
filled him with a renewed sense of hope.

***

We stopped in our tracks
at the sounds of Mom and Johr’s raised voices. We flattened ourselves against
the wall so we could watch and listen without attracting attention.

“Marne, she’s out of
control. Why can’t she see the danger she’s in?” Johr slammed his fist on the granite
that covered the kitchen island.

“Johr, has anyone
explained things to her? You know I’m unable as it was part of my exile. I’m
unable talk to her about anything of home or the
Ethereals
. I can only tell her about the things that affect me…like
showing her my true nature in Sanctuary. She’s capable of being reasonable, if
you will just take the time to explain why you’re asking these things of her.
As you may have already noticed, she doesn’t take well to
being
ordered about
. She’s a lot like her father that way.” She mumbled.

What the hell were they talking
about
? My
father was the calmest man I had ever known.

Breeg twisted around on
the couch behind Johr pointing at her and then back to Johr mouthing, “Tell
him.” Mom simply shook her head.

I glanced at Leah.
Tell him what?

Johr’s eyebrows came
together. “I didn’t know Jason all that well, but he never seemed to have any
sort of temper. Every time I saw him, he was quite content.” He gave her a big
grin. “To be honest, she reminds me a lot more of her mom at that age. Do you
remember some of the knockdown, drag-out fights we had back then? You used to
keep me in line with that temper of yours. You never took any crap from me.”

She chuckled. “Well,
someone had to do it. You can get a little overzealous. You were always so
concerned about your duty and wanting everything to fall in line.” She said
wistfully. “Sometimes, I used to feel like you put your duty ahead of me.”

That certainly sounded like Talon.

“Marne,
why didn’t you ever say anything to me?
Is that why you left?”

“Oh, Johr, it was a
million years ago. There’s really no point in rehashing it now.”

“There is to me. Please
tell me.”

“Johr, your lifelong dream
was to become part of the
Turvata
,
and ultimately rise through the ranks to the top. If you were with me, you
never
would have been accepted
.
I
have the same tendencies as Caitlin, and was of royal blood.
They never
would have allowed it. I wasn’t going to be the reason you
were
denied
entry into the
Turvata
.
It all worked out in the end. You achieved your dream and we were able to stay
close friends.”

“You didn’t have to leave.
Marne, I would’ve given it all up for you.”

Oh my God!

“I know. That’s why I
had
to leave.” She stared down at the
counter and peeled potatoes.

Johr ran his hand through
his thick hair. “I don’t understand. You weren’t gone but a month or so before
you met and married Jason and then Caitlin was born before a year was out. How
could you forget me so quickly?”

“You were in my thoughts
often. I just wanted you to get everything you had dreamed about for so long.
It’s not
like
I went away and never came back. You’re
here now and we’ve stayed very close friends all this time. You were there when
my children were born and have been a strong presence in their lives.”

“I love them as if they
were my own.
By god, Marne.
You
were
exiled
to this life because of the choices you made. You haven’t been
able to use your true form and celebrate life in
Feydall
as you were born to do.
Now Caitlin and
Brady know nothing of our home and the beauty within.”

“Johr, the best parts of
my life are still with me. I have you and my kids. I get to see Breeg, Gail and
the pack from time to time. So I can’t portal at will without causing a major
scandal…I can drive anywhere I want to go. Someday, I’ll find a way to take the
kids to
Feydall
and they’ll know of
their home. If nothing else, having my children and seeing you achieve all you
dreamed of, makes it worth it.”

He closed the distance
between them and pulled her into his arms gently. “There has never been anyone
but you. When you left, I buried myself in my work. I always held on to the
hope you would come back to me. It was so difficult to be here with you and Jason
knowing you belonged to someone else. He was a good man and took good care of
all of you…I couldn’t hate him, as much I may have wanted to.”

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and hearing. This explained
so much about
Mom and Johr and why they were so close
.
I reached
out and tentatively touched Johr’s mind with mine and jerked back at the images
that assaulted me.

She rose up on tiptoe gently
pressing her lips to his.

Johr saw Mom flitting through the meadows of wildflowers in Feydall
with him close on her heels. The next vision flashed to the day she left
Feydall, tears in her eyes as she hugged him goodbye. There was a flash and the
vision changed again. Mom was sitting on the edge of the bed with a hand on her
slightly swollen stomach holding a photo of Johr in the other hand, tears in
her eyes.

Johr jerked back and held
her at arm’s length.

“Marne, was Jason
Caitlin’s father?”

She appeared flustered and
refused to make eye contact. “Why would you ask me something like that?”

Yes, why
would
he ask her something
like that?

She glanced over at Breeg
and he nodded encouraging her to continue.

I just couldn’t figure out what he was trying to get her to do.

“Was he?”

“I can’t believe you would
suggest I had cheated on him. How could you think so little of me?” She pulled
away and busied herself with getting place settings out in preparation for
dinner.

“Ok, have it your way—for now. We aren’t done with this
conversation, Marne. I still want an answer.”

She inclined her head and
walked over to flick on the lights over the island. When her hand made contact
with the switch, the flights flickered on and off, matching her nervousness.

Nice to know I’m not the only one who has that problem.

Johr headed out the back
door to pull everything off the grill. Breeg walked over and took her hand.

“Marne,
luv.
Ye are gunna have ta tell him eventually. He deserves to ken. They both do.”

Leah and I exchanged
wide-eyed looks of disbelief. What exactly was the relationship between Mom and
Johr? We walked into the kitchen and found Breeg perched on a barstool watching
Mom desperately trying to uncork a bottle of wine.

“Is there anything we can
do to help?” I asked.

Mom narrowed her eyes at
me. “Are you really offering to help? I thought you girls would be hanging out
upstairs until dinnertime.”

“Nah.
It’s easier to think down
here.”

Breeg chuckled under his
breath. “Like muther like child.”

I turned around, stuck my
tongue out at him, and proceeded to take lettuce,
tomato
and cucumber out of the fridge for a salad.

The four of us sat in
comfortable silence for quite some time.

Johr opened the back door
with a bang, causing mom to jump practically out of her skin. It startled her to
the point her wings sprang out, scattering sparkling dust all over the kitchen.

Johr audibly sucked in his
breath. I couldn’t blame him–they were spectacular. Her wings flitted around rapidly
as she drained the remainder of her wine before slowly returning to their
hiding place.

Johr watched her
intensely.
“Really?”

Mom hurried around the
kitchen putting everything on the table. “Um, why doesn’t someone tell the boys
dinner is ready?”

I threw Johr a smart-ass
look and said, “They’re your boys. You can tell them.”

Leah gasped while Breeg laughed
aloud.

Johr grunted and muttered
under his breath, “Temper like her father…yeah right.” He stood at the bottom
of the stairs and called, “Dinner.”

Jace and Talon instantly
appeared in the kitchen. Jace had his hands over his stomach and Talon stood at
the far end of the kitchen.

Figures.

Mom was already pouring
herself another glass of wine, but at least her hands weren’t shaking so badly
anymore.

I gaped at the table,
pleasantly surprised. Johr had made my favorite…his famous teriyaki pork chops.
Breathing in deeply, I savored the smell. I couldn’t help myself and shot him a
big grin. He appeared shocked and stared at me as if he had never seen me
before. I shrugged one shoulder before Leah and I claimed our spots at the
table.

It was extremely quiet as
everyone sat down to eat. The tension was awful. Johr glanced around the table
and took a deep breath.

“So, what were you kids up
to?” he asked.