Returned (19 page)

Right now she didn’t want any more attacks to recover from. But she couldn't help enjoying the glow she felt knowing that she'd cracked some of his ribs. How odd was that? Feeling happy knowing you’d hurt someone.

“I must leave you, will you be okay?”

“I guess so,” she huffed.

“I’ve left some remedies with your mother. Have a lovely weekend.”

Ayden's lips brushed her cheek, the good side. He leant over her
and kissed her mother’s
cheeks. She heard the door close but didn't see her mother return to the room. If this first session was anything to go by, training was going to be one big pain in the backside.

Literally.

BEING RUDE GETS YOU NOWHERE

The last few weeks had been absolute bliss, well apart from the times he’d been dragged, almost kicking and screaming to several boring coven meetings. He’d had to bite his tongue during these sessions as Clay and Eli persisted in telling him how to handle
her.
He didn’t need advice because he could handle that girl perfectly fine.

             
Lying on the sofa he stuffed his hand into the big packet of crisps that balanced precariously on his chest. Grabbing more than a handful he forced them into his mouth. He crunched the crisps and muttered at the person sat on the stage on a re-run of a
Jeremy Kyle.
These people were seriously messed up.

             
He could hear Eli shuffling arou
nd in the kitchen and held back
his frustration. He loved Eli like a brother but that man had pushed him beyond his limit, even the sound of his feet made him angry.

“Jack, the weather is lovely outside, you fancy having a training session?”

Speak of the devil. “I don’t need to learn anything, Eli.”

Eli was about to say something else but was interrupted as Clay walked into the living room. Something was going on with him. Jack had caught him on more than one occasion smiling to himself.

“Clay, would you like to do a training session?”

Eli had cornered Clay and for a second Clay looked like a rabbit caught in blinding headlights. Rather impressed, despite himself, he observed the way Clay brushed aside this momentary lapse and smiled before saying, “Of course.”

Even though he wouldn't mind finding out what was putting the smile on Clay's face, he didn’t want to do any training. “Nah, I will watch some more of our Jezza Kyle.”

Clay and Eli exchanged a look as Clay walk towards the kitchen. He knew what the look meant; it infuriated him that they did it in front of him like he couldn't decipher their code. It wasn’t difficult.

“I don’t need you to keep nagging at me about using my power. When I face her, who is by the way only one small little girl, I will be ready.”

“You’ve not practised your gift, Jack. I can tell you that fighting for your life is very different to playing around with your gift
if and when you please. It is of great importance that you train with each of your coven members. Without this we won’t be able make sure you survive. You are our High Priest-”

“Yes, I am your High Priest, Eli,” Jack snapped trying to hold back his temper, “which means you need to follow
my
instructions. I don’t want to practise right now and will tell you when I am ready!”

Eli’s face held shock but he took a step back and looked him straight in the eye as he very slowly bowed. He felt like guilt had just sucker punched him.

“Of course, High Priest, please let your coven know when you are ready to begin training.”

Bowing again, Eli turned and headed to the kitchen.

Chuffing brilliant!

He'd royally screwed that up. He cursed, kicking the side of the sofa.

             
Sighing, he dropped his head in his hands closing his eyes. He knew he had to train and there was one thing holding him back. He didn’t want to look stupid but he didn’t feel like he was good enough. He'd been slotted into the High Priest role because of who his mother was, it hadn’t been based on what he could do. He would shame his coven. But then wasn’t it easier to look stupid in front of his coven rather than Cora? He thought it over and realised he’d made a mistake, one that he would have to swallow.

“Eli?”

Silence followed and it felt like a fist to his heart. He couldn't push away the only family he had.

“Yes, High Priest?” Eli walked slowly back into the room.

Jack held back a sigh. “Can you cut it out with the High Priest crap? I’m just plain old Jack, your brother in law. So,” he paused, “I’m sorry for being a git. When do we get started on this training business?”

The smile that suddenly exploded across Eli’s face was enough to make Jack feel better.

“Right now, if you want?”

“Sure.”

He brushed his hand through his hair and followed Eli. Maybe he would find out what was putting that smile on Clay's face.

THE LANDING IS A LITTLE RUSTY

“Clay, Jack wants his first training session; shall we show him what we’ve got?”

“Sure, I’m up for a challenge,” Clay said throwing him a wicked grin as he stood up and followed them into the middle of the back garden.

“It is important you know how to defend yourself. I will start by throwing a few things you way and see how you handle it.”

He nodded, okay, he could do that.

             
Before he was able to prepare himself, Jack saw something move, a blur of black and white. He didn’t really have much time to react as the thing
smacked
him on the top of his head and bounced a few times on the floor. Eli had cheated. He hadn't been prepared. He opened his mouth to shout at him then realised he’d look stupid if he did. When you’re in a fight you don’t just stop and say: 'by the way, I'm going to hit you no
w, just so you have a heads up.’

             
Something winked mischievously at him as it caught the rays of the sun. His heart jumped up into his mouth. He made a conscious effort to grab his power but he couldn’t feel any sort of stirring in his gut. What he did feel was pure undiluted fear. He nearly made a run for it but his pride kept him in place.

             
He could see that the gleaming tip of the fork was close. He was a dead man. He looked down, bracing his body for the pain. The fork would slide through his flesh like a hot knife in butter. Why had he worn a perfectly good top today of all days? Holding his breath, and like the weak man he was, he closed his eyes and stood straight waiting for the blow. It didn’t come.

“You’re not ready. Now can you see why you need to train and prepare yourself?” Eli’s shout eventually registered through the pounding of the blood that was pumping around his head.

He opened his eyes and looked at the fork that lay laughing at him on the ground near his feet. He wiped his hands over his face. He knew he wasn't ready. He knew that this first training session would make him look stupid. It was important he now moved on and started training.

“Okay, what do I need to do?”

“You need to build and hold your power even during times of fear. You almost always feel fear when you face someone but this should never stop you.”

“Okay.”

He focused on breathing and then nearly whooped with glee when he felt the rush of power deep in his gut. 

“Are you ready?”

Jack gave a curt nod. He looked around waiting.

             
Freezing water smacked him hard in his face, knocking the air out of his lungs. He made a huge mistake and opened his mouth in an attempt to breathe. Thousands of razor blades attacked his mouth and throat. He couldn’t open his eyes, the water was coming at him too fast. It was too strong. Opening his mouth, he took another mouthful of cold water.

             
This was a test, he needed to get out of the way, but the lack of oxygen wasn’t helping. Grabbing the power, he held his arms out and was instantly rewarded with the lightness he felt as his body moved upwards. He didn’t know how far he could go, he wasn't bothered. He just needed air. The water had subsided making his lungs cry joyously as air reached them, he spluttered and opened his eyes.

             
He must have been suspended at least thirty feet in the air. He'd never been afraid of heights but he was usually strapped in to something. The only thing that stopped him going head long into the floor was his ability to control his element. That wasn't what you would call great odds.

Eli was laughing. “Come down, Jack. That was really good. Took you long enough to figure out what to do. We thought you'd grown gills.”

He wasn’t finding this whole experience funny. He could have drowned whilst standing up in the middle of his garden.

             
Jack slowly descended. What worried him the most was what happened now? Not once since he’d developed this power had he landed without some sort of thump. His heart pounded with each decrease in height. At around fifteen feet he felt his element sneakily retreat. He flapped his arms hoping that would keep him afloat.

Fat chance.

             
He felt the intense pressure of gravity crush his body and he couldn't do a thing to stop it. As his body hit the floor, his legs crumbled beneath him, he heard the crunch of his bones as they made contact. Pain exploded in his head and then he was blissfully engulfed by darkness.

*

“Christ, do you think we need to take him to the hospital?” Eli’s voice was filled with worry.

“Right, Eli, and how would we explain what happened to him? Well Doc, he was levitating and fell out of the sky.”

“Clay, you don’t have to be a smart arse all the time. He hasn’t moved at all.”

Jack could hear them bickering. He quite enjoyed it.

“We need to do something.”

“Jack.”

Jack felt hands grip and shake him.

“Eli, I don't think you should do that. You could cause more damage.”

“What else do you suggest?”

“Let me think? A doctor, like I suggested before.”

“Jesus,” Jack mumbled. “You two could wake the dead with your bickering.”

“Not funny. Where are you injured? Can you feel your legs?”

“My legs are fine. The fireworks exploding in my head are my main worry.”

“Right, let’s get you inside, Clay?”

Jack looked at Clay and caught him glancing at his watch.

“You got somewhere to be? Who is the lucky lady?”

Clay blushed. He hadn’t realised the man was capable of blushing. Clay had a different woman every week, to see the man blush over one woman made things a little more interesting.

“Oh, you like this one, do we know her?”

“Some other time, eh?” Clay said and smiled as he moved his arms under Jack to help lift him.

He allowed them to carry him into the living. Of course, he could walk if he wanted to.

“Right, I’m heading out. Is there anything you need from the village?”

“No. Just go and have a good time.”

Pain lanced through his arm making him hiss. This is what he got for training but it meant he wasn't good enough, yet. When he was ready, she had better watch out.

Chapter 24

WALKING WOUNDED

So far, and it was only 11.15am, she'd dropped; two cups of hot chocolate, skilfully avoiding burning herself, five big books, one book nearly falling on a customer’s feet, three bottles of multicoloured sand, a bag of dried daisies and a cat ornament that had quite literally flown off the bookcase as she cleaned it. None of which she had been able to clean up. Her wrist, having been snapped in two last night, was throbbing angrily. Ayden’s miracle juice had stuck it back together but the juice hadn’t taken away the pain that comes once your bones start knitting back together.

             
Tabitha’s usual welcoming smile transformed into a scowl when she'd walked into the shop looking like the walking wounded. Clearly angry, Tabitha had placed cooling towels around her wrist when the pain had become too much. It wasn't like she wanted the training session to end in pain. She hadn’t ordered Ayden to go crazy and start attacking her. She didn't voice her opinion because she valued her life.