Chapter Nineteen
Buck
When after a few weeks, their mother had neither returned a call or shown up, we settled into our new life together, myself and my studious mate.
Traveling to the old witch’s house, who I’d come to know as Dani rather than Cliff’s affectionate Mrs. Pemberlin , gave me much time to bond with Cliff, riding land and roads that hadn’t called to me since ever. Since they imported humans from other countries to build lines of iron across the landscape. Though, the time I spent there had become boring, spending my time traversing the godless lands around the area while he handled school, finances, and the like, felt mostly wasted. It was fortunate that Dani kept me company as much as I her, spending cool evenings on the porch with Jacque nibbling weeds about the yard.
Fog lights in the dim evening caught my vision long after the rattling hum of Cliff’s engine, returning from yet another day of labs.
He’d gotten clearance to finish his last semester remotely, but he had to come in for labs once a week, and I found myself unwilling to allow him to make the journeys or spend the night away alone. And any time he had not dedicated to schooling or designing those houses for Sy and the business they were setting up, he was in bed with me, making up for all the sex he’d not had. I couldn’t get enough of him, personally, and I’d never complain.
“There’s your boy,” Dani said. She waved as the lights switched off and he came to a halt in front of the garage.
“Looks like it.” I threw a hand up in a wave, earning a less-shy but still-sweet smile.
“I got a text earlier from Brook!” he shouted as he exited his SUV, slamming the door with a sharp creak of metal.
“What’s he want?” I stood and stretched, a needless action that made something in me warm.
“Wanted to know if he and River can come over, if Mrs. Pemberlin is okay with it. I don’t want to drag gods over unannounced. Said something about wanting to hang out before…stuff.” He approached, thumbs hooked in his pockets. The unsaid stuff being his impending heat. I could scent it on him faintly. Instead of a kiss, a hug, or anything physical, he raked me up and down from head to toe in a slow, appreciative sweep. I could almost feel the heat in his gaze.
“Is this the Drowning River I’ve heard of?” Dani twisted her lips, the wrinkles at the corners of her mouth going taut. “I guess it would be rude of me to say no.”
“Tell him it’s okay, and to bring Dani a boon fit for a witch.” I grinned at Cliff, who buried his gaze onto his phone screen to reply.
“I don’t know why. They don’t have to bring me nothing. Just don’t bring trouble to my doorstep.” Dani scoffed and leaned back in her rocking chair. “The Buckling Stone here already saw to a gift enough for me.”
“I did nothing but pretend to be an old man for an evening.” I waved my hand dismissively.
“Well, now he’s dead and gone and that old mistress of his doesn’t get his savings. I can make sure our kids get it.” She reached for her drink and took a long sip.
“I didn’t know you had kids.” Cliff settled down on a rail next to Buck and hesitated when her face went wooden.
“Yeah. They don’t come around much, but it’s hard to really stick around when your kids are different. I’m a witch. Chuck was a latent. Three latent kids and none of them were happy with me about it. Sometimes they have it, sometimes they don’t. I think Chuck hated me a little for not giving him demi or active kids. It was his blood as much as mine, maybe more. Honestly, I don’t think he was a latent at all. I think he was too far gone from the line.” She wheezed out a long breath and leaned back. “So, I chased them off halfway when I found out he was seeing some witch on the other side of town and yeah… Buried him out back and the kids never have to hear his abuse again. Better they hate me than suffer.”
I nodded sagely, and Cliff sagged, visibly discontent with my mom, yeah? She hid all this from all of us. You should tell them.”
“That I murdered their father?” She snorted. “Best to let them think I’m a cunt than a murderer.”
“Why not both? There are worse things to be than a murderer, especially if he deserved it.” I adjusted my hat and settled back in my chair, rubbing my arm against Cliff’s side as I did so, soaking in a little touch in a sweet and innocent sort of way.
“I’ll think about it. Damage is long done though.” She waved us off as Cliff brightened at a text.
I glanced over as he showed me his phone, letting me know River and Brook were on their way. Ohio was a godless land, but it had once been River’s, and gods avoided it for his legacy that still haunted the land.
“Hopefully, whatever offering they bring me doesn’t eat or shit.” She huffed, and Cliff pursed his lips. Dani had grown comfortable and quite a bit outspoken since he’d revealed his nature.
“The alternative is something dead.” I nodded sagely. River’s lands weren’t too far off, and it was of no surprise when they were there in but a few minutes. Wherever bodies of water lay, there too River could also be. The pond nearby was an excellent spot, fueled by an underground river that suited his travel well.
“I mean, it’s alive for now,” Brook said, breaking our silence.
Cliff paled a little until Brook approached with a few freshly trimmed hawthorn branches. He delighted when Dani grinned. “Blessed and everything. Oh, I have half a dozen potions I can start now with this. Thank you.” She rose to her feet to collect the gift. “You are welcome on my land, Drowning River and Whispering Brook.”
She beamed as she dawdled inside and deposited the branches on a kitchen counter.
As crazy as River could be, I respected his thoughtfulness at times.
“Was thinking of maybe giving the house to my kids, coming down Louisiana way with my own kind.” Dani shuffled out, smiling. The years practically melted off her face as she did so. Being around our kind, her own kind and otherkin tended to reinvigorate witches, the shorter lived of the spectrum.
“I’ll ask Storm and Rayne, but I assume it’s fine. You’re a welcome addition.” A prickling sensation had my hackles on the rise, entuned to the earth as something not quite a scent alerted me to Cliff, something different about him.
River and Brook sat next to Dani, delving into a deep discussion. River had been on a mission for as long as I’d known him to have a child with his mate. With modern medicine, a pack doctor’s help and the meddling of witches I considered far closer to our mother than we were, he may well have his child. Dani certainly thought she had some answers.
That prickling protective feeling crawled over my arms again and I found myself migrating toward Cliff once more. “Something’s not right… Or maybe it is right.”
Cliff glanced over toward me and River snorted, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear. “Dear, take Cliff somewhere private. He’s close to his cycle. Dani and I can finish talking, and Brook will make us some coffee.”
“I’m caught up on my homework and I don’t have labs until next week.” Cliff pulled his phone out and checked a few things, thumb swiping about through what I thought were emails and a calendar, if I’d remembered their colors right. Then again, text messages looked similar. Maybe more emojis…
A prickle of something walked its way up my spine and Cliff glanced up from his phone, eyes dark with desire. Heat hadn’t hit him yet, but he’d been growing more comfortable with his lust, easier with his love, though he’d not said the word. “We going back to Thunder Acres or…”
“The Lowlands,” I automatically replied. I had no followers, only distant relatives of those long lost who were known to stop by infrequently. Most of the homes on my land had long fallen into disrepair, and I had a feeling that Cliff would help me develop the fallen-in structures one day.
Though I found solace in sharing Thunder Acres, my own land craved life, as it had been a place of worship, of love, and life. When Rayne came into our lives, things changed for the better. Life had grown, new worshipers born in our names.
“I’ll grab my stuff.” Cliff said his farewells and jogged off, heading toward his apartment to grab his overnight bag.
I jogged out into the yard and grabbed Jacque, unfastening my top two buttons to tuck him in as Cliff returned with his bag.
Rather than drive his SUV fifteen or so hours it’d take to drive from Ohio to Oklahoma, Cliff had started to trust me, trusting my ability to use his bond with Jacque and our own abilities to shift into our baser elements, literally dust in the wind that would carry us home. Wherever my lands lay, I could find without issue, and travel to in no time.
“Ready?” I asked as Cliff nudged me with his shoulder.
“You have no idea.” The low tones of his husky voice made me shudder.
Perfect.