Chapter 12 Isaac
Isaac
Watching his mate dash after trouble, Isaac held his breath until Cherry placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. When had she moved? Isaac focused solely on Rafael’s form as he disappeared from sight.
“He’ll be fine,” Cherry comforted. “He won’t willingly put himself in danger unless it’s necessary.”
That thought scared Isaac the most.
Turning in his seat, legs now straddling the bench, Isaac thought about how he could be of assistance. It felt wrong to just sit there and wait.
Granny Love’s advice filtered through his mind’s eye. Her first words whenever she tried to teach him had been to see. See what they show you.
At one point in his childhood, he remembered seeing. It had terrified his parents, which gave a good indication as to why they tried to keep Granny away.
Isaac felt like crap for listening and pushing her away as he grew. He could have learned so much from her.
He still could.
Not only did he have connections here within Misfit Park, but all that knowledge lingered in the recesses of his mind; he just needed to pull it out.
Closing his eyes, he folded his hands on his lap and concentrated.
Inhale, two, three, hold. A crow cawed in the distance. Exhale, five six. See.
Towards his right, Isaac could see shadows wisping around a darkened house within the community. Constantine? Isaac would circle back around to that man later. Those were not benevolent shadows, nor the ones Isaac witnessed at the Nightmare Show.
See.
More wisps, spirits, this time in white. They were no hindrance, similar to leprechauns or gnomes.
"Focus," he chided himself. Focus on what?
See with your heart.
He heard Granny Love’s voice in his head. See with his heart? Isaac wasn’t certain what she meant, but he shut off his brain and focused fully on his heart and the love he felt for Rafael.
His vision followed Rafael’s footsteps toward the forest, where he lost sight of his mate. The woods were dark, twisted, and broken.
Deeper he went. A flash of light sparked around the edges, changing the forest. A green snake wrapped around a delicate soul.
“Help,” Isaac croaked out, still lost in the vision. He felt hands on his shoulders, his forearms.
“Follow it back, Isaac,” a new voice joined the fray of his mind.
“They need help. Green snake. Injured man.”
“Yvonne and Damien’s pack is there. They'll protect your mate.”
“Not my mate. Snake’s?”
Isaac felt the vision coming to an end, a soft, subtle dark tunnel. The sensation felt akin to the closing of a curtain. Yet before he could be released, he was tugged down a side path.
An arched path led to his Granny's front door. A front door he hadn’t seen in years.
“What ya waitin’ for, hell's gates ta invite ya in?” his Granny's voice called from the door that creaked its way open. There she stood, an ethereal form, waving a swatch of herbs at him as he stepped through the threshold.
“How?”
Granny rolled her eyes at him and huffed. “Anything is possible. I was right, wasn't I?" She said cheekily, a knowing smirk curving her weathered lips.
“About what?” Isaac clenched his fingers. He no longer felt himself sitting on a bench at the park but rather standing before a corporeal form of his Granny.
His breath caught in his throat, and his arm extended as if not controlled by him when he poked his Granny in the arm.
Her laughter surrounded him, and Isaac felt tears sting and then blur his vision.
“How?” He choked on a sob.
“Oh, my boy,” she shook her head at him, “I've always been here for you. You just weren’t ready.”
Isaac stopped processing and threw his arms around the sassy woman before him. He could figure out everything else later.
“I'm sorry. I've missed you so much.”
“Me too, my dear.”
“I have so many questions.” Isaac didn't want to let go, reluctantly pulling back.
“We'll have time for that soon. Right now, I need to tell you how proud of you I am. You've always followed your own path, and that led you right to where you were meant to be. The park I started years ago with Yvonne.” Her knowing grin had Isaac pinching his brows in confusion.
“You started Misfit Park?”
“With help,” she tilted her head and smirked. “I saw your mate in danger. And knew if we didn’t create a safe haven for oddities, you'd never find him. And him never you.”
Isaac felt his heart jump into his throat. How could she have known all those years ago?
“Is he still in danger?” Isaac didn't want to ask that question, yet knew he needed to know.
Granny's smile morphed to a sadness that mirrored in her gaze.
“Unfortunately I don't have those answers anymore. But you do.” Granny leaned in and kissed his forehead before pushing Isaac backwards.
“I'm always with you.” Her words faded as Isaac found himself coughing, arms flailing, and surrounded by several members of Rafael’s family.
He innately knew he'd come to care for them as his own family soon.
“Welcome back,” Cherry smirked at him as his eyes focused on one face, even if the edges of her frame were still fuzzy.
Blinking several times, Isaac rubbed the pads of his fingers in circles along his temples.
“Are they safe?” Isaac’s first thoughts about Rafael made his stomach twist and turn in worry.
Cherry smiled brightly. “We've sent medical aid.
Let's get you home.” She stepped closer, arms poised to support him in a lift.
He almost disputed it and remembered she was a magical shifter.
She could probably throw him with ease. “You're looking a little rough, and it would be beneficial to get you settled before Rafael gets back.”
Which meant Rafael was okay. Isaac let Cherry assist him and felt just how much his vision had taken out of him. Hopefully it wouldn't always be that way, and he could control his magic without dire consequences.
The trip to Rafael’s apartment blurred, no thanks to the slight headache that began to pulse behind Isaac’s eyes as he leaned heavily on Cherry.
Somehow they entered the apartment, and Cherry eased him to the couch.
“Yvonne says Rafael and Steve are headed back now,” Cherry informed him. She looked gorgeous bathed in a swatch of light from the large window, her blue dreads contrasting with her red dress.
“That means he'll be home soon.”
“Can I get you anything?” Isaac read the concern clear on her face.
“Glass of water, please.” Thanks to Cherry, Isaac was sipping on ice water when Rafael probed his mind.
“I'm at home. Waiting for you.” Isaac sent to calm his mate's nerves.
“Headed home now, baby.”