A Late Summer Bloom (20 page)

“Colton
Wacumin
ma’am.
Texas born and raised.”

Surprised by his surname, Desiree questioned him.
“
Wacumin
?
Texas, huh?
Tell
me Colton, do you have a birthmark anywhere?”

“No, Ma’am.”

She watched him closely. “You seem rather nervous. Are you sure about
the birthmark, because if my theory is correct, you have a small birthmark
somewhere on your body resembling an eye.”

She watched him swallow hard and shake his head no. Desiree moved
closer to him. “You need not fear me, Colton, but I think you know that
already.
Wacumin
is an old surname I am familiar
with. You have another eye, don’t you? You can see what others cannot?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re beginning to piss me off, and you won’t like me when I’m
pissed.”

As she waited for him to give in, she quickly decided the situation was
dire enough to give it to him straight. Huffing at his stubbornness, she
snapped at him. “Look, Colt. I’m about to tell you something that is
gonna
freak you out. You might think I’m crazy, but that’s
the chance I’ll have to take.”

“I’m listening.”

“There is a war brewing up there.” She pointed up through the opening
of earth above their heads. “Witches and warlocks are about to do battle. The
outcome will determine whether or not the human race eventually becomes
enslaved. Now, the details will take too much time, and that’s something we
might be running out of, but if you are honest with me, we can help each
other.”

Colt was quiet. Desiree covered her face with her hands, feeling
desperate. Simon was on her mind. She would most likely never see him again.
She should have apologized, she should—just then she heard Colt confess.

“Yes Ma’am. I have the eye. It’s here, on my ankle.”

Desiree looked up. Shock registered, watching him pull his pant leg up
and point to a birthmark. It was the first time she ever saw one up close. Glad
she was made to study her origins, she said, “Thank the Gods. Colton. You have
the mark of a watcher.”

Colt stared at his mark. When he spoke, he sounded far away, almost
sullen.
“A watcher?”

“Yes. A certain race of witches believed to have been wiped out.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“Tell me, Colt, are there any others like you that you know of.”

She watched him think for a moment.
“No, ma’am.
I always knew I was different. I never knew what was wrong with me. But, I learned
to live with it, block it out, so to speak. The colors can be blinding,
ya
know?”

“You should have been informed of your heritage, the importance of your
gift. Have you no coven?”

“Coven?”

“Family.”

“None to speak of, Miss Desiree.”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-one.
I was raised in an orphanage in Waco, Texas.
Went there when I was four.
The only thing I had on my
person was my given name. Lady Sonia told me to keep it hush-hush, so I did. I
was schooled there, learned proper manners and all. As soon as I left, I got me
a job working a grill. Saved me some money and took the first bus to New
Orleans. It’s always called to me, ma’am.”

“I’m only a year older than you, Colt, so if you call me ma’am again,
I’ll turn that gorgeous mane of hair, white.”

He chuckled.
“Yes ma—Miss Desiree.”

“How can I say this? Your surname means watcher. It was one of the
original names of your kind. Your mark means your blood is pure. You might
think to be human, but the power you possess is supernatural. Can I ask what it
is that you see?”

“Auras.
I can see the color of one’s soul. It can be pure or
it can have a taint. It can be red or black as night. People are horrible, Miss
Desiree.
Truly despicable.”

Apathy swelled her heart thinking of his struggle to understand, his
years alone. She spoke softly, almost as if she didn‘t want to hear the answer
to her next question. “And me? You saw the color of my aura?”

“Yes. You have more than one. I assumed you were the woman in the tomb
you cried over. I didn’t think you knew, so I followed you for days,
wantin
’ to tell you, to put you at ease, but I am not
always well received. One night, I had one too many. I met a woman who informed
me that if I didn’t help her, I’d be sorry. She said no one would get hurt. I
should’ve known better, but when I drink, I block my sight.”

“Well, there’s a lesson for you—”

When Colt hung his head, Desiree sighed, her voice softer. “So by
helping her, she meant capturing me?”

“She told me it was just to question you. That’s all. That’s why I
stayed with you. I wouldn’t leave a woman in the clutches of such evil. Miss
Sonia raised me right.”

“That she did. But your good manners is not
gonna
help you know. I’m afraid you doomed yourself. Who is
she
by the way?”

“Selena.”

“Selena?
Colt, you must tell me everything. Don’t leave a
thing out.”

Desiree was so angry she could spit fire. Not only did Selena think
Desiree was after Julien, she was about to feed her to a warlock. This was bad.
Really bad.
Yet, Desiree could only wish for one
thing—to see Simon once more. She couldn’t explain it but her need for him grew
stronger every waking moment.

Chapter
Thirty

In the early morning hours, Giselle and Julien traveled southeast,
deeper into the heart of Florida. A storm blackened the sky and rain pelted the
ground like sheets of glass. Giselle felt a shift in the air, like static
electricity. Her latest vision showed Desiree in danger. Because of that, Giselle
found it hard to focus on anything but her friend. Allowing a brief stop at the
nearest cave, she sought out the healing minerals and chanted a prayer. She
felt weak as she tried on numerous occasions to tap into the veil. With each
attempt, she failed. Since her visions came in their own time, trying to call
on the sight at will was something she’d never done before.

Julien put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. The slight pressure
signaled his understanding of the insurmountable pressure she was feeling. She shrugged
his hand off her shoulder and moved out of his grasp to seek a place of
privacy. Not wanting to give any thought to the argument they had before her
vision, she thought it better to deal with it later. The safety of her best
friend was her utmost priority.

Standing in an alcove that looked as though it had been carved out of
porcelain marble, Giselle studied the smooth walls. The thick swirls of crimson
reds and deep purple hues were abundant and archaic in design. The floor was
more rigid, with sharp peaks in marble jutting up at different angles. The rocks
had slippery flat surfaces which made sitting rather difficult. She stood and
tried to concentrate. The stillness, disrupted by only her breath, would aid in
her attempt to tap into the veil. It had to.

With her arms extended, palms up, she found a spot on the wall. It was
red, interwoven with shades of purple. She focused on it harder, meditating. When
the splotch moved and stretched, she remained calm, centered. The wall covering
shrunk in size, its movement making her dizzy. She recognized the one spot on
the wall as a bruise marring the skin under a sea of bangle bracelets. A smile
curved the upside of her mouth. Giselle tried desperately to hone in on her friend.
Nothing worked. She was unsuccessful in getting her attention. Then, the man
she was with noticed her. Giselle smiled wide as she focused in on the man.

****

Julien paced outside the entrance of the cavern, waiting for Simon to
arrive. The heavy rain would make it difficult for the traveler to fly, but shifting
was the easiest and fastest way to reach them. A falcon could be seen flying overhead.
Something about the creature piqued his curiosity. Watching it drop to the
earth in a dive so fluid and fast that it seemed like a blur, he grinned.

Observing the traveler shift was as amazing as it was liberating. When Simon
shifted into his human form, Julien let out a sigh of relief, rubbing his brow.

“Has the queen discovered any news of Desiree?”

“She’s been trying to tap into the veil.
Nothing so
far.”

Julien noticed the stress and worry lining the traveler’s expression.
“Do you mind telling me what happened?”

“In my entire existence, I’ve never failed an assignment. But Desiree …
she brought me to the brink of my sanity. Night after night, I was made to
relive the pain of my past. And I turned away from her, for just a little
while.”

The ashen color of his skin and the deep creases around his mouth told
of his state of mind. Julien also noticed his eyes. The sparkle was gone, only
to be replaced by what looked like defeat. There was no life in him, just a
shell.

“Your past?”

“Desiree had been revisiting all the places I went with my eternal love.
But, when she returned to the place where my beloved was viciously slaughtered
by a warlock, I left her. You’d think I would’ve learned. I let the same thing
happen at the very same place in the quarter almost a century ago. I must save
her, Julien—even if I die doing it.”

He placed his hand on Simon’s shoulder. “You will do no such thing. We
will find her together. There is strength in numbers.”

“Julien, your allegiance and protection must be on the queen at all times.
If it comes down to it ... if I trade myself for her, you must kill the warlock
who takes me immediately. Don’t let me wallow in the pit.”

“Never.
Come. You need to rest. Rejuvenate.”

As they entered the cave, Simon professed his concern. “These warlocks
are growing in number. Witches are falling victim to the dark side every day. Times
are changing. It is no longer considered honorable to be a traveler. No
disrespect, but those who volunteer
are
bent on
revenge. If Giselle hones her powers and brings the families together at last,
our race has a chance to become what we once were. Real witches are shrinking
in number while warlocks take over. Giselle is our final hope. She must sit on
the throne and rule the covens with intelligence, compassion and reasoning. The
royals will listen and the tide will change, but only if she is willing to
sacrifice the life she’d like to have for the life of a queen.”

Stopping just shy of the cavern pools, Julien questioned Simon. “Sacrifice
her life?
How so?”

“She will need to produce children to keep our race from weakening. We
need the power only her offspring can create. It is said that she must marry a
royal. It is the only way to sustain a pure bloodline.”

“So what you’re saying is Giselle and I could never marry?”

Simon looked surprised. “Is that what you want?”

Julien shrugged his shoulders. This was something he didn’t see coming.
For the first time in his life, love had rushed into his heart and now he must
let it slip away. He not only had to sacrifice his love for Giselle, he had to
make sure she did the same in return. He hardened his attitude. “What I want is
to kill
Judias
.”

Giselle startled them. “And nothing more?” she asked.

He read the hurt in her eyes as she kept a watchful eye on him. Simon
rushed to her side. “Do you have news? Were you successful?”

Breaking her stare, she looked at Simon. “Yes, I was successful.
Desiree is alive and in the woods near Cottonwood Landing. She is being held
captive, along with a man.”

Simon furrowed his brow.
“A man?
Who is this
man?”

“Not to worry, Simon. He will help us.”

“Us?
I can’t ask that of you. You are the queen. Your responsibility is to
the covens.”

“My responsibility is to myself. And I need to rescue my best friend
from the clutches of a warlock. I won’t be told she is not important enough.
Nor will I be told my life and needs will have to be put last. I suspect it is
this type of allegiance that got our race in trouble in the first place. As a
society, we haven’t moved with the times. Well, that’s about to change with my
rule. So, let’s go get Desiree.”

Julien smiled proudly at her statement.

“What are we waiting for? Let’s go.” Simon announced.

Giselle looked at Julien. “We’ll be along, Simon. Give us a minute.”

Simon pursed his lips and bowed at the waist.
”Of
course, My Queen.”

Without breaking her stare, her eyes watered and it pulled at his
heartstrings.

He wanted to stay under her spell forever. He wanted to kiss away her
fears. He wanted to profess his undying love. Mostly, he wanted to marry his
little witch and have babies by the dozen. But he could think of nothing else
than the fate of a race. That fate rested on Giselle’s shoulders and, although
he loved her, he knew they could never commit to one another. She needed to
have babies.
Royal babies.
The families will converge
on her to marry another with a pure bloodline. Making her choose between him
and her obligatory duty as the queen of the royals was not something he wanted
for her. He would request she break their bond. When he cleared his throat to
speak, Giselle spoke first.