Chapter Sixty Nine
“You really want me to humiliate you in front of my cousins.”
Richie grinned at Aralyn. “I’ll let you win.”
Aralyn snorted. “Let me win,” she muttered. “Feeling pretty cocky today, aren’t you?”
“Come on,” he coaxed.
Aralyn smiled, rotated her shoulders to loosen them up some more, as if the fifteen minutes of stretching she and Richie had done wasn’t enough.
It was early in the morning the following day, and the dojo was empty except for them and Natala.
Natala was watching with interest. She had had that wave of nausea again this morning as they came into the dojo where Richie was waiting, but it had passed quickly. It still gave her the heebie jeebies, reminding her of the abusive uncle who had helped 'raise' her. What was about this place?
Aralyn was dressed for a workout, in loose, lightweight pants, and a tank top over a sports bra. Richie wore similar lightweight clothes.
Natala decided she liked Richie. He was good natured, easy to talk to, and obviously loved to flirt. He had a secret though, of that she was sure. But he enjoyed Aralyn’s company, that was obvious, and he was very easy on the eyes. He was a good person overall, and yet more dangerous than he appeared.
She watched as they squared off, and Richie made the first move. Natala was quickly drawn into the dance between the pair, impressed by her cousin’s focus and adeptness at blocking Richie’s attacks and doling out her own. Richie blocked most of them but Aralyn got in a few hits. They teased each other with mocking comments and laughter, and Natala was struck by the change in her cousin.
Aralyn’s aura had been strong and golden since the day she barreled into Honey’s house, intent on finding Tiffany. It hadn’t wavered, and now, while sparring with Richie, it expanded. Richie’s aura was orange, with a hint of red. Not a bad combination. There was more depth to him than he let on. But it was the auras of Duncan and Adam that really intrigued her.
Duncan’s aura was dark, and constantly shifting. So was Adam’s. They were hard to get a lock on, and it bothered Natala. Adam’s was darker, but streaked with light colors. Adam had a past, and a very unpleasant one, but the lighter colors signaled he was a changed man, though he still fought his dark side occasionally. Duncan was more complex. He was a deep man, very spiritual, who felt everything keenly, whether it was loss or joy. They were both intense men, but Duncan was the more deeply layered of the two. They had many, many dark secrets between them.
And yet…she didn’t fear them. Anyone could be dangerous but she felt safe with them. Protected. She had a feeling they were going to be important to her future, she just didn’t know how yet.
It didn’t hurt that they were both good looking, in different ways. Not that Natala was tempted to stray from Dean, but Adam had a sophisticated, worldly demeanor, and Duncan had the romance hero vibe going on. Tiffany had a crush on them both, but Natala knew neither was destined for her cousin. She had done a reading focused on Tiffany after the kidnapping, and Tiffany’s future had changed. There was a lot of uncertainty now, but France played into it somehow. And adventure. And some danger. But it was always down the road, not in the near future. There was a blond man in the more immediate future, but Nat didn’t get the feeling it was Richie, for all his flirtations.
She returned her attention to the dueling pair, amused to see that Richie’s aura had turned red, charged with sexual energy. She had sensed his attraction to her cousin, but it was in full force now. Sparring with her cousin had Richie turned on. He was hoping to finally hook up with her this trip. Boy, was he in for disappointment, Natala thought with a smile as she sipped her coffee.
Pulling out her sketchpad, she began to sketch absently, letting her fingers do the work as she forgot about her cousin.
A feint and a blow to his unguarded midsection brought Richie to his knees.
“Uncle,” he wheezed.
Aralyn laughed and gave him a hand to help him up. “Told you I could beat you.”
“I held back,” he grinned as he got to his feet.
“Sure you did,” she smirked.
Without warning, Richie slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him, kissing him.
Startled, Aralyn let him kiss her for a few seconds, her brain whirling. It was nice, she thought, but that was it, just nice and she pulled away. Her heart belonged to someone else.
Richie’s blue eyes searched her face, disappointed. “I can tell that didn’t blow you away.”
She bit her lip. “I’m sorry, Richie. I’m really fond of you but…”
“You’re still in love with that Cam guy, aren’t you.”
She chuckled and her face lit up. “Yeah. In fact, we’re back together, as of this weekend.”
His disappointment became a big smile. “That’s great! I hope you two will be happy together. I mean that.”
“Thanks,” she grinned back. “No hard feelings?”
“Nah. But you know, if you ever need me to break his kneecaps or anything…”
She laughed. “I’ll be sure to call you.”
He gave her a roguish wink. “Hey, uh, your cousin Tiffany is single, right?”
***
Adam leaned against the counter, watching the three cousins with Duncan and Richie. It had been an interesting few days getting to know Aralyn’s cousins. And seeing a whole new side of Aralyn when she was with them.
If he was a spiritual man, Adam would have thought fate brought them here. But he really wasn’t, and considered it just another chain of events. He did believe people met for a reason, but he wasn’t sure how he, or Duncan or Richie fit into this.
His eyes strayed to Tiffany, as they had done so many times over the last few days. She was the shyest of three, and yet the most sophisticated. She could easily discuss any number of topics with him from art to opera, spoke fluent French and had traveled a lot. It was her that he really wanted to get to know, and get past the giangantic wall she had built around herself.
In appearance and personality, the three cousins were as different as night and day, the only real resemblance in their height. Aralyn was as bright and cheerful as her golden hair implied. A dark blue eyed, blonde, All-American beauty with killer curves, she was the most comfortable with herself, and easily the most confident and dominant personality of the trio.
Natala was so fae-like, Adam would have wondered if she was part fae, if he believed in such things. Her blue eyes were a different shade from her cousin's, much brighter, her shoulder length, black hair and fair skin making her look very Snow White-ish, albeit a very thin Snow White. Those blue eyes didn’t miss much, though, and while she was quiet, he could sense the strength in her that she had gained from the horrors of her life. She was a thinker, an observer, and cautious, probably due to years of living in fear and danger. But her spine was steel, he noted. He would bet that if push came to shove, she was a deadly opponent. Another cousin with wals up.
Then there was Tiffany. The sweet, elegant, classically beautiful heiress. With her big hazel eyes, long, wavy honey colored hair, it was easy to miss the brain behind the beauty. Slender and graceful, she commanded attention as easily as Aralyn, but in a quieter way. Where Aralyn wore jeans, sweatshirts and worn old cowboy boots, Tiffany wore well fitting designer clothes, and shoes that showed off a lovely pair of ankles. Even her jeans looked elegant when she wore them. Her hair was always combed, usually clipped back, in contrast to Aralyn’s wild curls or Natala’s usually down and loose style.
She was really just lovely, he had realized early on, and had spent the last two days getting to know her. She blushed easily, but could take a compliment better than most women. Her manners were flawless, tact and courtesy always at the ready.
“You look like you’re stalking prey,” Duncan commented, joining him to refill his wine glass.
“I’m quite fond of her,” he replied.
“Which one?” Duncan asked, amused.
“Tiffany.”
Duncan’s smile faltered. “Don’t toy with her, Adam. She’s had her heart crushed by an older man, badly.”
“I know. I just want to get to know her.”
Duncan eyed his old friend warily. Adam had never had a problem finding women, regardless of which alias he was using. Tiffany was just his type. Beautiful, shy, sophisticated. A few years before Adam had truly fallen in love, with a young woman dying of cancer. He had traveled the world trying to find a mystical cure when science failed, but it was no good. It had taken Adam a very long time to recover from Alexa’s death.
“If you seduce her, Aralyn will cut your balls off,” Duncan smirked. “Tiffany seems to have a thing for old men.”
“Older,” Adam corrected him. She didn’t need to know that he was really Methos, the world’s true, oldest living man.
"No, you qualify as ancient," Duncan snickered. “Just be careful, all right? They’re here for healing, not getting their hearts stomped on.”
Adam raised his glass to Duncan in mock salute. He fully intended to take Tiffany out to dinner, just the two of them.
***
Natala groaned, wanting the pressure off of her chest. She could hear the chanting from the Cherokee man assisting Duncan, the images wouldn’t let up as they marched through her brain.
The monsters had started coming slowly at first, taunting, crawling towards her, then one reached out to slap her. And another. She tried to swat it away but then they were slapping her, hitting her, pulling her hair, biting her. Her throat hurt from screaming as they gripped her, trying to pull her down.
“Fight back, Natala,” she could hear Duncan’s Scottish brogue, thicker than usual, through the din of insults being hurtled at her.
She tried, but they only grabbed her arms and forced her to her knees. Then he was there, with his evil grin, rotten teeth and fetid breath, unzipping his pants.
“No,” she whispered. “No. Not again. Never again.”
She broke free with her arms and charged him, her hands wrapping around his neck. Startled, he reached up to fight her off but she squeezed, screaming, squeezing and squeezing, ignoring the other demons as they pulled at her, bit her, tried to stop her. She felt the power welling up in her, white hot, rushing up through her body and into her arms She squeezed as hard as she could until his eyes began to bulge, blood began to ooze, and then his head exploded, covering her in gore and stink, and she gagged, feeling bile rise in her throat.
She stared at them, the decapitated body, and turned to the other demons. They hesitated now, afraid. She ignored her wounds, ignored the pain and extended her hands, amazed to see the talons her hands had become.
“Never again,” she hissed.
“Control it, Natala,” Duncan’s voice broke through. “Control the rage! Do not let it overtake you!”
She felt the rage, now ice cold and thick, sliding through her, into her, taking over. She was growing hard all over, powerful, her muscles broadening, talons growing longer from elongated hands, no, not hands, not any longer.
She slashed out with one hand, tearing a demon in two. They surged on her and she fought, losing herself in the maelstrom she created as she whirled, shredding body parts, ripping apart the dark forms and sinking her teeth into them as she destroyed her former tormentors.
“Natala, fight! Take back the control!” Duncan was shouting somewhere.
But she liked this kind of control. Power was surging through her. Nothing could hurt her ever again if she stayed like this. She was undefeatable. Powerful. Strong.
“Natala, do not let it win. Think of Aralyn, she’s waiting for you!”
There was a flash of gold somewhere off to the side and she felt the power gripping her suddenly weaken. The golden light moved away, out of reach, down the tunnel. The hold and feeling of power over her was fading now as she focused on the golden light.
“Wait!” she called. “Aralyn!”
She knew she couldn’t follow like this. Not as this monstrosity. If she wanted to follow the golden light, she had to regain control.
She threw the last demon body to the side, and fell to her knees, weak, pliant, when the noise startled her. Looking up, she frowned when she saw who stood there.
“You.”
“That’s right,” her other self smirked. This was her dark side, she knew that, somewhere in her mind. Pale, too much kohl eyeliner, in all black. Her hair was stick straight, eyes dark with menace. Fangs, she thought. I have fangs. She had seen this side of her before, a long, long time ago. Natala knew she was now standing on an edge.
“What do you want?”
“You slaughtered through them like they were nothing. Nice job,” her dark side said.
“But?”
“But your real tormentor is me. You had to know that.” Her dark side smiled, showing the fangs.
Natala didn’t answer as her other self circled her.
“You know it’s me. You hear me at night, while you think you’re asleep. You hear me whispering to you. You hear my voice needling you, regurgitating all those nasty, wicked thoughts you have about yourself. You hear me tell you how Dean will never really love a piece of trash like you. I’m the one who reminds you that you’re not only damaged goods, you’re destroyed inside. You’re dead inside. You can’t be intimate with Dean because you killed that part of yourself a long time ago. An admirable trait, by the way. By keeping him out, you keep this place nice and dark for me.”
Natala’s eyes followed her.
“I’m the one who keeps your food stash under the bed. It’s me you hear, telling you that Daddy is going to get tired of his freeloading daughter soon enough and you better be ready to get kicked to the curb. I’m the one who reminds you to look out for him, and to watch your back. I’m the one who keeps you up at night, listening for him to be like the other and come crawling into your bed.”
“Shut up,” Natala whispered. “He’s not like that! Brian isn’t like that!”
“They’re all like that,” her dark self said harshly. “Everything with a penis is like that. What have they ever brought you but misery and pain? Who do you think has been protecting you all these years? I’m the one that keeps you strong. I’m the one who keeps you alert and focused, when all you want to do is spread your legs for some worthless boy.”
“He’s not worthless,” Natala whispered, hot ears poking her eyes. “Dean loves me. He loves me!”
“He only wants you because he hasn’t gotten you in bed, you idiot! Once he gets between your legs, you think he’ll stick around? You think a man wants someone as cold and frigid and unresponsive as you? You can try all you want but you’re too frigid inside to keep him around. Once Dean gets a taste of you, he’ll toss you out like yesterday’s news. The thrill of the hunt will be gone, and you know it.”
“That’s not true!” Natala shouted.
“Fight, Natala.” Duncan was nearby, she thought. The golden glow down the tunnel was still there, but dimmer. Aralyn, come back, she thought desperately. I need you. Don’t leave me behind. “Don’t let it bring you down. You have to face it and fight it.”
“You know you’re only a time filler until Tiffany realized she wants him after all. He’s always been there for her, you know. Then he’ll toss you over for the trash you are and get the real prize of the family, beauty, charm, backed by Granddaddy’s money. He’s been waiting for her years because men are pathetic like that.” Her dark self was circling her, reaching out and touching her hair. “They’ll settle for the scraps like you in the meantime but they want the steak like her.”
“He won’t,” Natala whispered, hot tears flooding down her face. “Not Dean.”
“Sure he will. They all do. They all want the real girls. The ones who aren’t cold in bed, that will give them babies. But you won’t. You know you won’t. Your parts are too messed up from all those abortions.” Her dark self leaned in and whispered in her ear. “Shame, shame, Natty.”
“Stop,” she whispered, clenching her fists. “Stop.”
“Look at that,” her dark side mocked. “The gypsy girl cries. Of course, I know how much you really cry, especially at night, when no one hears you. Nothing is good enough for a bastard brat like you, is it? You finally get a family, and a home, and you still cry like a little girl.”
“Stop!” Natala shouted.
“You’ll betray them, you know,” her dark side taunted. “One of these days, the uncle’ll show up, and you’ll give him everything, just like you used to. You’ll sacrifice your new family for the old. You’ll go back with him, and return to whoring yourself for the old family, because you’re not worth anything else.
“I killed him!”
“You think his brother didn’t replace him? You think his brother is any better? You know he’s worse. Wait till he finds you, and you go crawling back to him, just like your pathetic mother.”
“I won’t!”
“That’s what she did, you know. She could have had it all with Brian, could have given you a real home, a loving home. You could have grown up with all those cousins, been the oldest, but as soon as he turned up, she just rolled over and gave up, like the pathetic bitch she was.”
“No!”
“Don’t let it win, Natala.” Duncan’s voice broke through.
She looked around.
“Can’t find your precious Duncan? Because he’s not here, you idiot. He’s sitting next to your body, petting it like a dog. He’s licking his lips and wondering if he has time to bang you before we finish our business.”
“He wouldn’t. He’s not like that!”
“He has a penis, he is like that! You and I both know it. You know he’s hiding all sorts of secrets.” Her dark side sidled up to her. “Get him in bed and he might tell you. But you’re such a frigid little whore I doubt it. He’s had hundreds of women, little girls, I bet, plenty younger than you. He’d love to get in your tight little body. I bet he’s already in there now, pumping away while you’re here, crying your little heart out like the wretched little whore that you are.”
“Shut up!” Natala screamed turned and grabbed her other self by the throat.
Her other self just laughed. “You think you can choke me like you did the other? Think again. You see, I am you. I know your moves. I know what you’ll do before you do it. You think that kilt up there is really going to help you? You think he’s helping you purge your soul? There’s no purge for you, Natala, you’re bad to the core, rotten from the inside out!”
“I am not,” Natala whispered, releasing her dark self. Tears streaming down her face, Natala sank to her knees. Natala buried her face in her hands.
“Remember Aralyn, your cousin. Remember Tiffany,” Duncan was talking again but his voice sounded so far away. “Remember how much they love you. Your father. Your cousins. Remember…”
“Your own mother knew you were worthless, that’s why she took you away,” her dark side continued. “The whole troupe knew. You think Brian didn’t know she was pregnant? You really think he wanted some trashy gypsy kid with his name? He could have found you if he wanted to.”
Natala shook her head, wanting to curl up in a ball and die right there.
“You are loved, Natala, by your family. Especially by Tiffany and Aralyn. They brought you here for help.” Duncan’s voice was fading in and out. Natala could barely see the golden glow in the corner now, it was so dim. She locked her eyes onto it. Aralyn, wait! Wait for me! Don’t walk away!
“They brought you here to mock you,” her other self cackled. “They want to tell the whole family how useless you are, how desperate you are to fit in, that you’d go through any silly ritual to be one of them. But you won’t, will you? You’ll never be one of them. You’ll always be the Belden Bastard.”
“Shut up!” Natala yelled.
Her dark self laughed.
The glow was almost gone, but Natala scrambled to her feet, bolting towards it. Her dark self jumped in front of her but she shoved the figure in black to the side, not losing sight of the dimming light.
“Aralyn!” she called. “Aralyn, wait!”
But the glow was moving. It had to be Aralyn, she thought. That was her cousin’s aura color. Gold. Like her brothers, and other family members. The family trademark. Family. It wasn’t just Aralyn, she realized. It was all of them. All of her family bore some gold in their aura. It was a family trademark.
“Tiffany! Moms! Brian! Brian!”
Mocking laughter surrounding her, along with a thick black smoke that crept into her eyes and Natala realized she was running place, her legs moving as if through sludge. She started to cough as the smoke crept into her lungs, burning and she fell to her knees, a name coming to her lips that she had never in her life uttered and now she screamed it.
“Daddy!”
Something hard materialized in her hand, and she recognized the sword. Duncan’s favorite sword.
Rising, she raised it and spun around, bring it down as fast and hard as she could, slicing her dark self in half. Stunned, her dark self just stared at her, then exploded in a bright light and mist, and was gone. Natala was surrounded by golden light and warmth, and then she was falling, falling…
Cold, sweet water touched her lips, and she opened her eyes slowly. It wasn’t her father’s dark brown eyes staring her with concern, but Duncan MacLeod’s.
“Duncan?” she croaked.
“Just rest,” he said soothingly.
They were still in the sweat lodge, but she was laying on her back, her head cupped by his hand, as he forced cold liquid down her mouth.
“What happened?” she asked.
“That’s for you to know,” he smiled at her.
“I-I can barely move.”
“That’s normal, for what you just underwent,” he assured her. “You’ve been under a good while, longer than most. Rest a bit, but in a moment, you’ll need to go to the pool.”
“Can’t swim,” she murmured.
“Aralyn will be there, she’ll help you.”
“Can you help me up?”
“No, kiddo. You have to do this on your own. After what you just faced, getting up and crawling a few yards will be a cakewalk.”
Natala groaned. Finally, a few minutes later, she forced herself into a sitting position, and drank the rest of the water Duncan offered here. She tried not to gape at his bare chest. He wore only lightweight shorts for this, baring an incredibly well cut chest with dark hair. How could she not appreciate it, she thought dimly. Handing the cup back to him, she crawled to the door and into the cold tunnel.
Her hopes for a heated pool were dashed when she crawled into a small chamber lit by candles, and found the pool to be only about eight feet long and three feet wide, and her cousin lounging in it. The room was too cold for the pool to be warm, and it was carved from the stone of the walls.
“I can’t swim, Ari,” she rasped. “You know that.”
“I’ll have you,” Aralyn answered. “Come on in. I can’t help you. You have to make it in on your own.”
Natala’s eyes opened wide. “What? I can’t!”
“Yes, you can. Look, I’m right here, and I will catch you. I swear it.” Aralyn stood just a foot away, her arms out. “Stretch out along the edge here and just roll into my arms.”
Natala shook her head. “I’ll drown!”
“No, you won’t. I”ll have you. I promise.”
Natala could feel her chest tightening. He had almost drowned her once, when he caught her and some others playing near the river after he told them not to. He had held her under until someone else stopped him, but she had never gone near a river, lake or stream since, and she didn’t even like tub baths.
“Nat,” Aralyn said firmly. “Look at me.”
Wide blue eyes trained on her.
“Do you trsut me?”
Natala nodded. “Of course,” she whispered.
“I promise, I will have you. You won’t drown.”
Natala stared at the pool. The memory of her lungs burning from lack of oxygen, the thought she was dying, raced through her mind.
“Stretch out on the edge and roll into my arms. Hold your nose with your fingers so water doesn’t go up it.”
Natala exhaled slowly. She could do this. She had slayed her other demons, literally. She could do this.
Natala groaned. All she wanted was her bed. She stretched out along the edge and inched up next to it.
“Just roll in,” Aralyn coaxed her gently. “I’ll catch you. I promise.”
Too tired to argue, Natala obeyed her cousin, and didn’t feel her cousin’s arms around because the freezing water shocked her so intently.
“What the Hell!” she shouted, coming up, flailing. “It’s ice water!”
“Stop fighting me!” Aralyn yelled, laughing, trying to keep hold of her.
Natala suddenly flung her arms around her cousin’s neck. “Ari!”
“Relax, I’ve got you. Now, listen, put your feet down.”
“What?”
“Put your feet down.”
Natala did so. Her cousin had been kneeling in the pool. “It’s only two feet?!”
“Yep. You can release the death grip now.”
Natala did so. “Why didn’t Duncan say so?”
“By the time you’re done with the sweat lodge, you’re pretty much a quivering sack of nothing. The cold helps refresh and refocus you. That’s why someone you trust has to be here to help you.”
“Refresh my ass!”
Aralyn laughed.
“Hey, who was here for you?”
Aralyn paused. “Duncan.”
“You trusted him that much?”
Aralyn nodded. “Do me a favor. Plug your nose, go under for about ten seconds, and come back up.”
“Why?”
“Just do it. I’ll hold you if you want.”
Natala sighed and shook her head, but did what her cousin asked. “Better?”
“Yes. Now, come on. Next step.”
“Please somewhere warm.”
“How do you feel?” Aralyn didn’t answer.
Natala followed her cousin. “Oddly enough…refreshed and refocused.”
Aralyn smirked and they walked down a tunnel to a door where warm air was emitting, Aralyn’s arm secure around her cousin’s waist.
“Please tell me that’s a sauna.”
“Warm spring.”
“Yes!”
Aralyn paused with her hand on the door. “We’ll only be in here for a few minutes. This’ll warm us up, and relax us. You’ve been cleansed, and purged. But staying in her too long might cook us.”
Natala nodded and followed her cousin in.
A moment later, she slid into the natural warm spring, and felt her body relax.
“Why does Duncan not open this to the public?” she asked, as she leaned back.
“Because it’s not a health spa. It’s a very private, very exclusive, spiritual healing center,” Aralyn replied.
Natala thought about it as she relaxed. “I supposed you want to know about my experience.”
“Not really,” Aralyn said, relaxing in the warm water. She floated on her back. “I mean, in some ways, yes, but it’s a really private thing, Nat. I’m never going to ask you. If you want to tell me, or anyone for that matter, that’s one hundred percent up to you.”
“How soon did you feel different?” Natala asked.
“Almost immediately,” Aralyn said.
Natala thought that over. She felt…different, for sure. But that could also be because she felt kind of high. Tingly.
“Just process everything,” Aralyn said. “We’ll have a quiet night in, with lots of junk food.”
“I’m starving.”
“I bet. You were in there for hours.”
“Hours?!”
“Yep. You missed lunch and it’s about dinner time.”
“Wow. Where’s Tiffany?”
“With Adam,” Aralyn grinned.
“I bet she didn’t miss us at all,” Natala laughed. “Not if she’s off with Mr. Smooth.”
***
That night, as she brushed her teeth before bed, Natala tried something she hadn’t done in years. Spitting out the Listerine, she stood in front of the mirror and concentrated. She had stopped reading her own aura years ago. It was hard to do with a mirror, but mainly because her aura had become so dark and murky that it made her cry. She couldn’t even remember what her natural aura color was, if she had ever known.
There’s a good chance this didn’t do anything for it, she told herself for the hundredth time. Don’t get your hopes up.
But all night she had felt good. Positive. Almost giddy. A little high. Light. Happy. Like a hundred pounds had been lifted from her soul.
Finally, her eyes relaxed as her aura became visible. And almost disappeared because she was so startled, she almost broke her concentration.
The black that she had seen years before was gone. Almost all of the dark had been stripped away. Instead, she found herself staring a wide stripe of bright blue surrounding her, flowing serenely, soothingly. Healer. Just like Brian’s. There was a thin stripe of purple around it. Pyschic. A little hint of orange. Idealist. And yes! It was there! A very, very thin sliver of gold, peeking in between the blue and purple. She had the family trademark of gold after all.
Tears poked at her eyes. Sniffling, she wiped her eyes.
“Nat, you all right?” Aralyn called.
“I’m fine!” she called out cheerfully.
She could tell by the movement that her aura wasn’t settled yet. These were her colors coming back to her, but they hadn’t really settled. Her base color was blue though, which made her happy. But she hoped the gold would widen with time. But all that really mattered was that the black was gone. She was indeed, at last, healing.
Meet the cast in full & see the family tree!
Author’s Notes
- A huge yee-haa to the fabulous and lovely Ronda, for editing this and her suggestions which made it much better! And another to Lindsay, for a final read-through!
- Thanks, Bonnie, for nagging me! :)
- Word Count, 5,146
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