lightning witch 02 - lightning legacy (12 page)

“Okay, I’ll be there in a second. I’m trying to make sure the house doesn't burn down. Oh Lord, shit!” Troy’s voice rang over the sound of spraying. His voice very nearly shattered my fragile heart. I pulled my lightning back to my core.

"Hi, I'm Delaney. I um …"

"Oh, sweet mamajama. Okay, I think I got it out,” Troy said, rounding the corner.

Then I saw his face. His perfect face. My heart burst at seeing him. My eyes blurred with unshed tears. His face looked as shocked as I felt. He didn’t hesitate, he ran at me. He wrapped me in his arms and I inhaled the scent of him. Clean man and smoke? That was new. I couldn’t think, I could only feel. I felt him shudder against me. His whole body was thrumming and I was bawling uncontrollably. He pulled back and looked at me. That’s when I saw his face streaked with tears. Belatedly, I realized he was speaking.

“Jesus. I didn’t know where you were,” he said between sobs.

I began to calm slightly and that’s when I realized that the thrumming I felt was power. His body was calling to mine as though he were a ... No. This was the pull I felt when I saw another witch. But that was impossible. Troy wasn’t a witch. I placed a hand on his chest and then I felt it, I felt his pull. My eyes widened.

"What. The. Actual. Fuck," I said, as he pulled me past the poor man still standing in the doorway. I heard the door shut with a soft click. The small house smelled of smoke and burnt things. It smelled like most of the homes I ever lived in after I got done with them. God, just being close to Troy like this made me feel more normal, more like me before I became so damaged. Troy pulled me through the foggy house to the kitchen. He whirled to face me and his expression looked bleak. Oh God, my heart broke all over again at that look. He gazed at me as though he was trying to speak, but he couldn't find adequate words to express just what he was feeling.

He took in a deep breath; his expression changed to anger and he erupted, “Where the hell have you been? My life has been falling apart and my best friend was gone. For fucking months! I thought you were dead!”

His words were a knife to my heart.

I felt warm tears stream down my cheeks. I tried to speak, but no words came out. I should have been there for him.

"Shit. I'm sorry. I have gone through hell and back, and I thought you moved again and didn't tell me." In a swift movement, we both sat on the floor right where we stood. He reached out in a motion he's done a thousand times before, but I flinched. He pulled back, but gave me a soft smile. He reached for me again. He cradled my face with both hands and said in a low tone, "Tell me everything."

And I did. I told him every sordid detail, except for the specifics of my torture, not because I wanted to, because I couldn't seem to stop myself. But, damn it, as I spoke my heart felt lighter. With my words, Troy's face grew more and more incensed. After I finished, he looked much like I felt.

"Troy, I'm sorry I couldn't be here. I wanted to be. Even now, I worry that I have brought you more trouble than even we can handle."

He shook his head in negation. “Fuck that. Let him come at me. I’ll burn his ass,” Troy said, steeling his face.

“Yeah, so, speaking of that. Got something you want to tell me?” I leaned in close and lowered my tone appreciably, “And this story better include tall, tan and fuckable.”

"Lord, woman. Well, that’s Garrett. He's, well, my husband."

My eyes nearly bugged out of my skull.
I’m sorry, married?
I whipped my head around searching for the handsome Garrett. He leaned against the doorframe leading from the kitchen to the hallway. He looked not at me, but Troy. He looked at him with longing, as though even this separation was too much. My stomach did a little flip-flop for Troy. I was happy for him.

I opened my mouth to scold him for getting hitched without me, but he held up a hand to silence me.
As if that would stop me. Silly queen
.

“You got married without me!” Then fire erupted from his outstretched hand and just narrowly missed my face. The small blast of fire smacked the wall just behind me with a crack.

“Oh, don’t worry, I got it.” Garrett's smooth southern voice rang out as he walked over to the smoldering wall. He patted the small mark with his large hand, then gave me a thumbs up.

Stupidly, I raised a shaky hand and returned the gesture. I turned to look at Troy fully. In my best Cuban accent I said, "Lucy, you got some splainin' to do."

"Girl. I don't even know where to start," Troy said, eyeing his hand. He looked at the limb as though it were an unpredictable weapon. He gingerly lowered it to his lap then, clearly thinking better about it, he slipped the hand under his ass to sit on it.

“When did this start? I mean, I have never felt power in you.” He looked offended at the admission. So I added, “Troy, I don’t mean it like that. I mean I have never felt power in you calling to me the way another witch’s power does.”

"I think I started feeling weird after I got home from your aunt's requiem."

My eyes widened. No. No. Not possible.

His eyes narrowed at me. "Hooker, you better speak up, because I'm about a cunt hair shy of being a flaming queen. Do you realize just how cliché that is?"

I smiled, I couldn't help it. He was ridiculous, and I loved him for it. Maybe I could make him a shirt that said “Flaming queen.” I had to bite my lip to stop from grinning at the thought.

I released the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding and explained, "Well, my aunt said that in death a witch can gift her power to someone. She said these were just stories and she had never known anyone it had happened to. But, it would explain this. However, it takes a really powerful witch, like nearing the power of a god. The only way I could see this as a possibility would be a god came down and offered her part of his power. I don't know any gods out there who care that much about me. I mean latent powers are possible, but I would have felt something before."

His eyes bugged.
Oh, lord, he is about to flip.

"Whoa, wait a second before you flip out. Mil only told me stories about this happening. They were more like myths or tall tales. And did you miss the part about the god?" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Garrett cross to Troy and settle down behind him. He pulled Troy to his chest and held him there. Troy seemed to melt into the bigger man. I gave Garrett a shy smile. He calmed Troy. And at that moment I knew they were right. He was Troy's missing piece. As much as I loved seeing him happy, it caused a pang in my heart.

Troy’s eyes narrowed, “Like werewolves?”

Yeah, well there was that.

“Wait, Mil was an Earth Witch. She couldn’t have done this,” Troy said in a hopeful tone. He was waiting for me to confirm his words.

Aw shit
.

"Well, um not necessary. In the stories she told me, mind you this only happened twice before, the power changed and evolved. You don't know much about witches, you never had the need to know, but our power base comes from our core. Think of it like a well. If you dig and expand your well, it can grow. Now, a witch can grow more powerful, but they do have a cap, a level where their power is at a max. This is different for each witch. I have no idea what determines a witch's power, but I do know it's about the soul and how the soul reacts to that well. It's about how the power settles in you and you have a lot to do with it."

Shit. I was starting to believe this. He had a confused look plastered across his face, so I tried to clarify.

"Look, say Mil had sent me that power. Because of who I am, how the power settles in my core, and simply how the power reacts to me, it might be something entirely different. Power is fickle like that."

“She must have hated me to do this.” His tone was resigned. This time I saw it in his face.

"No, she would only gift you with this because she loved and trusted you with it. Our power isn't just an outfit we wear, then discard. It's an integral part of us and part of our spirit. She gave you part of her heart, part of her soul. She will never be complete without it," I said, trying not to cry. I needed one of the pins in my soul to ease.

“I miss the old bat. But, why? Why would she give this to me? All I have done with it is nearly burn everything to the ground …” He trailed off as though his words reminded him of something. “This is how you feel isn’t it?”

"Yeah. Like I have way too much power and like this whole thing is a mistake." I realized that it was true. It was how I felt. I felt like I was given all of this power for nothing. I was given this, and it was a mistake because surely a better person would have done more. Maybe, someone less weak could do more. And I wasn't worthy of the gift given to me at birth. I took in a deep breath and released it.

“As to why? Well, I don’t know. I think she made the right choice though. If we can get it under control, do you think you’ll be okay with it?”

He paused to think about the question. And I realized I’d stopped breathing. His answer mattered to me. It mattered a whole damn lot.

"Well, we will have to get a better teacher than you. No offense, but, D, you do fry more things than a KFC. Except the time you kicked that wolf’s ass. But, yeah I'll be okay. I like you witchy type people."

I mocked offense.

“I’ll have you know I have much more control over that now,” I chided, pointing at him. A small spark fell from my outstretched finger. Oops.

He looked from it and then to me, raising an eyebrow.

“Shut up.”

We sat on the hardwood floor. The three of us saying nothing, yet it was so cathartic. With every passing heartbeat, the room seemed to clear, and I grew lighter.

“I have a question,” Troy said, breathing the silence.

“Uh oh,” Garrett intoned.

Troy elbowed him, causing him to groan.

“Uff, what? Can you blame me? I smell trouble, love.”

"Hush you. Um, will you shift? I mean I don't know? Is that rude?"

My eyes widened at him. But, not at the question.

“Since when have you cared if something you said was rude?” I asked, smiling at him. It felt good to smile with him. I stood up. "I'll change for you, I'll need to eat though. I don't have one hundred percent control of everything just yet, so when I change, do me a favor and get something out for me to eat." I left the kitchen and walked into the hallway.

“Eat? Lord. Like what? Cake?” Troy called after me.

I raised an eyebrow at him as if to say, “Really?”

"I'm a wolf, Troy. Meat." I slipped into the small half bath that was tucked into the hall and stripped with quick efficiency. Then, I shifted. My shift held some pain. However, it felt, well, right. Like I’d been missing a part of me this whole time and now I was who I should be. My senses spiked. My beast riled a little at the new hunger pangs, and the dull beating of the heartbeats in the room filled my ears.

I nudged the door of the bathroom open with my nose and loped into the kitchen. Troy stood in the middle of the small room. His jaw was nearly resting on the floor. My eyes flicked to the fluttering pulse at his neck. My mouth watered. I padded over to him. I was not as big as Reid or Mitch. I only stood about four-and-a-half feet tall, whereas both of them were about five foot. I sat in front of him, waiting for him to do something.

He reached a tentative hand out, but before he made contact he withdrew.

"Can I touch you?" His voice wavered.

I ducked my head and snuffled at his hand. He lifted his arm, and I placed my head just under his wiggling fingers.

"Delaney, you're a beautiful woman. I mean, I think I have a better figure …" I eyed him. At my expression, he continued, "But, you’re magnificent. You're snow white, and your eyes glow silver. And your fur is soft, but it sparks with static electricity."

"Whoa. Delaney? That you?" Garrett held a plate of something that smelled divine.

I walked over to him. He took a few steps back, and his scent hit me like a ton of bricks. His fear. I growled low in my chest. I knew in my muddled mind that he wasn’t prey, but hell he smelled so damned good. I opened my mouth, panting.

“Garrett, I think she smells your fear. Put the plate on the floor and back away, okay, honey?” Troy’s tone was low and even.

Garrett did as he was instructed. My eyes locked on the plate. I sniffed the air then walked over. Ground turkey? Really? I cocked my head at Troy.

He threw his hands up in exasperation, "Look, I was trying to lose weight. I have to watch my figure. It's all we got. Oh, should we cook ..."

I fell on the food. His words were lost to the sounds of my eating. Though I would have not turned down more, I was sated. I wanted to change back, and now that I gained a little energy, I thought I could. I’d never tried so many fast changes so close together. Changing forms may be easier for me physically, but it took a lot out of me in other ways, like my control and energy. I paused and pulled my human form to the front. Changing my form was about letting the beast form slip past my human form and vice-versa. But, with that comes a game of who controls whom. It's not like there is another being in my body, but another facet of myself. I took a deep breath, and as I slowly released it, my human form eased to the front and I shifted.

I staggered a bit, though I did manage to stay on my feet. I felt Garrett's arm grasp my shoulder helping me. I hadn’t realized I was swaying. His warm hand helped to ground me slightly. I turned to him and gave him a soft smile in thanks. Changing forms so fast and close together made my nerves a little raw. I glanced up to find Troy staring at me slack jawed.

"You know, if someone had asked me six months ago if I would have my husband feeling up a naked white girl in my kitchen, I would have thought you were crazy. Yet, here we are."

I looked down and realized I’d forgotten to change in the other room.
Shit
. I covered myself with my arms.

“A little late for modesty, don’t you think?”

“Troy, grab my clothes, would you?” I said a little hoarsely.

He tossed a small hand towel at me as he walked to the bathroom. I caught it and said, “This towel ain't gonna cut it.”