Chapter 49 - Cards On The Table (Ansel Conrad POV) Pt.6

Guessing game: How old do you think Naomi is?

Hey allllll! Okay so funny story. I swear I felt like the Grinch today! It was my block party and while I'm normally all like "Yeah!! Block party!" I was more like "Ugh, I hope it rains!" I mean it's just SO HUMID in Chicago right now. I was out there for like an hour around 8am, and nearly had an asthma attack it was so muggy out. So by 11am, I was like "Rain! Rain! Rain! Rain dangit!"

So... I get my wish, it rains... but it comes down with lightening and thunder and the power goes out until like five minutes ago LOL!

Anyways... be careful what you wish for. Enjoy :)

Chapter 49 – Cards On The Table (Ansel Conrad POV) Pt.6

I seldom placed my trust into people easily without taking time to know them. Many people thought to keep their enemies closer than friends and not all relationships are sought out because or on faith.

So looking at the Naomi with her alabaster skin, flushed cheeks and dark jet-black hair, I could hardly blame Danny, Cynthia or Leslie for underestimating her. I had done just the same as my brother.

There really was nothing threatening when it came down to physical features about Naomi. She stood maybe at five feet five inches, was petite with delicate facial features and wide eyes that reminded me of an innocent creature.

Hell, dainty was the word that came to mind when I saw her – bulgy now – in her down jacket.

She stands in front of me now, waiting for my response, but what could I truly say? I thought her a Kitsune, but it was clear that I did not have the most knowledge on the beings.

For one, I did not know that they were Guardians or had Charges but had just been informed by Andy and Naomi of that bond they held.

"You are leaving because you sense danger," Naomi says and again, her selection in words are registered, "We can tranquilizer her, and leave her in my car. My family is on their way to Bend. They will arrive in two hours, but I feel that your suspicion is warranted," again I just hold a fixed frown on my face.

"We leave?" I blink glancing at my parents, my mind still turning over what Naomi has revealed to me. "Are you worried to leave Danny and the children behind?" Naomi continues speaking.

"I've been giving them special tea," my eyes widen, and I hoist Cynthia up when my grip on her loosens. "Yes, you have, I've been meaning to ask what tea you've been giving the children," my mother comes forth now, aware of what Naomi has been doing at the guest house.

"Danny is grieving, and the effects of her feeding on him-"

"Wait! What?" Dad comes closer, joining us glancing at Naomi, my mom and Cynthia. "Who has been feeding on Danny?" assuming a vampire.

"His wife, Cynthia," Naomi answers in her small but poised voice. "Not just on Danny, but all the children," I almost want to laugh at her matter-a-fact tone.

Baffled, dad takes a step back rubbing his face. In the distance I hear an approaching vehicle, and step back in the shadows with Cynthia for a moment until I've placed the noise it brings.

Trevor.

The last to arrive – although I understood why.

With his job at the hospital, he could not just leave without making sure that someone would be covering his workload. Plus I had him make a little stop to make sure that Nick Ramos was more than preoccupied as we made our escape.

"If we leave her here, with distance from Cynthia, your brother will think clearer, though it will take some time before he is in his right mind-"

"What have you been giving the children to drink?" Mom asks again while Trevor drives his car to the double decker trailer Liam was loading with our cars, space for just two more. One after he placed Trevor's on board.

"Snowdonia Hawkweed – I drink it myself," Naomi answers and in this one moment I have to take lead on my mothers facial expressions. Blue eyes turn thoughtful as she tilts her head to the side, and I can almost read her thought process on her face. "That – that is very rare," mom says with a frown on her lips.

"Is it dangerous?" I ask ready to drop Cynthia like a carcass and capture Naomi. Mom shakes her head, "It is a rare plant that grows in only in Europe, thought to be extinct since the 1950's," I slide my eyes to Naomi.

How did this nineteen year old get her hands on such a rare plant?

"How did you – is it in the tea you've been giving the children?" mom asks flustered which was a sight to see. She spent her whole life learning of herbs and their healing components.

"It is Cassia Tea," Naomi says, while I take a step back from the conversation. I couldn't leave Danny behind, or his children, especially with the new information. As a leader, Danny would bring trouble and I wanted to protect the group. However, as his brother, knowing that he has been under Cynthia's thumb for all these years, the callousness I just witnessed...

"Trevor," I call my brother over, and the conversation around me halts, "Naomi, I," this was harder than I wanted it to be. How did I agree to her help without information on her family? What if she was just saying all the right things?

There was no way of knowing how this would all turn out down the road, but in the right here she was being honest with my mother – knowing mom knew of herbs.

"What is going on?" Trevor asks pulling me away from the group. "I've used two tranquilizers on Cynthia. If I want to keep her out for at least two or three hours-"

"How long ago?"

"Ten minutes," he nods, "one more and you can have her under for three to four hours," I nod, decisively.

"Naomi can you open your car please, and Trevor bring all the sedatives from the garage, before mom hides the house." I speak over my shoulder, jogging to Naomi's car. I was making plans at each and every step we took. I pull the backdoor open, but I halt in my place looking at Naomi who is pointing to the trunk.

"My family should be here soon, but just incase she believes she can get out, the trunk is lined with void," my face remains deadpanned. Again I just look at this nonthreatening young lady. Cynthia killed her previous Charge she said. Angrily so.

Yet there is no hate in her eyes, it's as though standing before me is my youngest Amy, and the innocence shines brightly. More information is stored away.

Naomi is unbelievably calm in situations. The wind cries, and I push aside all else just to listen to her heart beat, and it too is at peace.

Shutting the back door, I drop Cynthia in. just looking down at this woman that had inserted her self in our lives, that wormed her way into Danny's heart. Tina had died, and I thought the worst thing was a spouse dying but now, I had to wonder. Which was worse, having the person change right before your eyes? Or them dying? You lost them both ways, but at least with one of them there was an end in sight. Right?

"I'm bringing Danny and the kids with us," I feel the need to tell Naomi, and I watch her from the corner of my eyes, as she looks emotionally down at Cynthia herself. When Trevor comes to us, injecting her with one more sedative, Naomi reaches for a thick bluish black wool blanket, covering Cynthia.

Once the trunk is shut, I stalk back towards my parents, and the other adults that would be following us.

"I don't want Danny causing trouble, so I say we keep him and Leslie sedated until we arrive at our destination. When we do, I'll be better equipped to handle him them there. Mom, Dad, Andy, Naomi and Trevor will be with us in the double decker. Trevor, you'll monitor Danny and Leslie."

"Uhm, Liam if you could just put the minivan on the trailer. Mom, you can start to hide the house. I want to pick up in the next ten minutes," I inform the others. "Jamal," I turn to one of the young males that I had helped that was coming along with us, unlike some of the other young men that had decided to leave with Nick. Instantly he is at my side as we walk up to the guest house, "You, Colter, Hailey, and Breanna, you'll be driving the four door truck." I point to the last of Danny's vehicle. He nods, "Make sure to remove all tracking devices, use the detector."

Naomi rushes inside when my father, Trevor, Andy and I do as well, mom and Kalenah grabbing Stella, Genesis and Danny Junior.

The first one we take by surprise is Leslie. As Trevor injects her with the sedatives there is a second between the squeak she makes. Her eyes flying open in shock and the ability to fight off unconsciousness comes swiftly after.

Faster, ready to hit the road, we gather what we can in the short time I've given everyone, before Trevor carries our brother and Leslie onto the trailer motorhome. I can hear my mother chanting just outside, family crest in her hands, probably suspended above her head, as is her way.

My father sits behind the wheel, and inches us off when mom boards the bus. The hard lines of my guesthouse in Bend, Oregon shimmer before they fade out and what was once is no more. At least to anyone that will be searching – they'll find nothing, unless they have my mother undo the spell.

In the darkness we escape. Although, there are still answers we do not have, and trouble that may follow us to North Carolina.

My heart pounds and I constantly search the windows as dad leaves and Angela is at the table on her laptop, making arrangements for Lydia. It's the one thing I know Danny might never forgive me for – he didn't get a chance to say a proper goodbye. However, I hoped that with Angela's help, he'd be pleased that we buried Lydia next to Tina.

Hell, who am I kidding? We took away his will. Although not like I was beginning to understand how Cynthia did it.

Exhausted, when Kalenah returns to the first floor of the bus, I take a seat near the front, behind my father on the black leather sofa, Andy and Naomi opposite me. Grabbing water from the fridge, mom takes the seat next to my dad, waiting for what Naomi had to say now that we were on our way.

In black distressed jeans and a white shirt, she pulls off her shoes, lining them up near her, but pulling her feet up on the chair. Dark eyes focused, she rests back.

"What would you all like to know?"

More like where did we even begin?

"You said you've been watching Andy for five years?"

She nods, "Yes, but I did not have an in with the family until Leslie was about sixteen. I registered in school, became her friend, then slowly made my way to just blend in," she shrugs as though it was no big deal.

"Did – how did you become Andy's Guardian?"

"There are so many stories out there of Kitsune's and I'm sure we won't get through everything right now, but I'm a Celestial Fox Spirit. Andy is my tenth Charge, but I've only gotten Seven Tails-"

"You have tails? That is true? How many can you have?" my mother asks spitting out questions.

"I have seven. We get our tails on our good deeds for our Charges. A Charge is always a Fae. From what my parents have told me and theirs them, there was a man that was here from another world. And he rescued Inari, while in human form and when he was asked what he wanted in return, he asked that Fox Spirits look out for Fae's."

The light purr of the bus is the only sound inside the truck. I glance at my mother who sits stunted and my father, I'm sure his face would say the same if I could see it.

"Inari decided that it would play a trick on the man, placing itself in danger seven more times, and each time regardless of the appears chosen, the man intervened saving Inari and others each time."

I blink engrossed in her story, but trying to sort out all the stories I've heard. "Inari played many tricks, but when the man never asked for wealth or any material gains, Inari decided that for each life he saved while saving Inari's, that they would be vessels that carry Fox Spirits."

"How many?"

"Uhm, again, this is mostly just passed down information, but many say that it was one hundred families. Because they helped Inari play trickeries on the man, each tail is a way to undo their part in the tricky. After you've successfully gained eight Tails that gives you your freedom of sorts. We believe that getting your eighth Tail doesn't just gain your freedom, but also prosperity and growth."

Exhaling heavily, I say nothing. Unsure what I could say.

"So why are you Andy's Guardian, but not Cynthia?"

"I feel close to Naomi," Andy is the one to actually answer. "At first," he turns to face all of us, including Naomi. "You said that you've been watching me for five years?" Naomi nods and Andy closes his eyes tilting his head to the side.

"I – I thought maybe Fatima had been close to me around five years ago... like I thought – I remember looking for her when school started, except I didn't know what I was looking for – I just felt like maybe she was there."

Naomi nods for a moment keeping quiet.

"When Cynthia crossed paths with my Charge and she died, I followed Cynthia and when I found you, my Fox knew you were our next Charge. For a long time I did not approach you, only watching the family from a distance, learning. That is when I learned that Cynthia was feeding on life energy."

Naomi grumbles, shaking her head. Black locks tease her jaw. "I did not understand where or who or even how she had killed my Charge. But eventually from following the family I was able to gather enough information."

"I've been quite busy, trying to undermine her as best as I could with tea and herbs-"

"That's why you're always offering to cook for us, and baking..." Andy blurts out. Smiling shyly, Naomi bobs her head.

"It's Cassia tea I make you all to drink. It has many functions, but drinking it helps the brain remain strong, and helps your mind concentrate. Cynthia's feeding effects the mind, causing neural damage. So the Cassia tea heals that damage as well as prevent her from being able to get into your mind at all. In my meals I've been sneaking in the ingredients; Snowdonia Hawkweed, Panax Ginseng, Ginkgo Biloba, Brahmi and Ashwagandha," she counts off on her left hand starting with her thumb jutting out. "It keeps the wrong people out of your mind-" mom gasps.

"And to also remove the reins the Elders have on shifters?" my mother asks with wide knowing eyes. Naomi simply nods, "It is a rare plant, Snowdonia Hawkweed, and your Elders knew why they saw to get rid of such a potent plant."

I rest back mind blown.

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© 2016 roxann_season All Rights Reserved

I'm so happy with how this story is turning out... Like I'm looking at my outline and I'm just so darn pleased! What about you guys?

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So yeah... Naomi is important :)

And I'm also happy that we're at this point where readers are commenting like:

"okay okay, I see why Faith's story is important."

BUT I know some are frustrated because you KNOW things these characters don't lol.

anyways, don't forget to vote and drop a note :)