Chapter 36: Memories

Lucinda

I blinked in confusion, squinting around me. I did not recognize the place. It looked like a small house from what I could see. I peered around as a young, pretty woman walked through. She was tall and shapely, with short, reddish brown hair. She completely ignored me as if I was invisible.

I followed her slowly. She walked into a small room with a tiny bed, on which lay a small fussing baby.

"Ooh, my sweet, why all the noise? No, no, Mummy's here now. Shh, shh, my baby. There, that's my baby. Come on, my sweet," she cooed. I smiled slightly, although I had no idea where I was or who these people were.

She danced a little with her child and took her to the kitchen. I followed again.

"I leave you alone for five minutes and you're already complaining. Seriously, what am I going to do with you?" the woman said to the baby.

She crushed some avocado and mixed in a little milk while speaking absently to the child. I watched curiously.

"Okay, my dear, open up. That's it, good, ahhh. Good Naomi!" she praised indulgently.

The child's face scrunched up, but the woman skillfully cheered her up again and made sure she did not cry. Soon, the bowl was all finished and the lady cleaned up.

She picked up the baby and sat down in a chair.

"Now Naomi," the lady said, looking directly at me, but apparently not seeing me. "What will we do? Cara can't keep us here forever. Your dumbass father will be following me here soon. No don't look at me like that. I know it's my fault but I thought it would really work out just cause we were mates. But no, it doesn't. I guess it's just like how two wolves who aren't mates can still be happy together. But no, I'm straying from the point now. Let's see. If your dad catches us what will he do? Will he even keep you alive? Of course it would be an end to me, like he always said. You, my sweet? Can we risk it?" She asked in a sweet voice while my jaw hung open.

"Hell to the no," she chuckled, hugging the baby. Suddenly, her beautiful honey eyes darkened. "I will never do anything to put you in danger. I will protect you with everything I have. I will fight for you till the breath leaves my body," she vowed.

She looked at the baby, who had fallen asleep during her rant. She kissed the mini forehead.

The door suddenly opened, and I jumped. A pretty, open-faced girl stumbled into the room. She had striking green eyes as she smiled at the mother of the baby.

"Hey Blaire," she said. She grabbed a glass and poured herself some juice from the fridge. The mother, apparently Blaire, simply watched.

"Cara," the mother said.

"Yeah, I got bad news," said Cara grimly.

Blaire sucked in a sharp breath. "What did he say this time?"

Cara eyed Blaire, as if in deliberation. "Er, no. He— he didn't say anything."

"Oh, so it wasn't him? Great. Whatever news you've got, it can't be worse than Gerald and his—"

"He's here."

"He's here!?" Blaire shrieked, launching to her feet and startling the baby. Naomi screamed. Cara swooped in and rescued her from her panicked mother.

Blaire stormed around the room, screaming profanities as tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. "What the hell Cara! You said you would keep track of him and warn me! Cara— don't you understand? He'll kill her! Or worse, he'll keep her and taint her spirit little by painful little until he has corrupted her. What if she turns out like him? Or what if he turns her into a spiritless little slave with no sense of freedom, right, or honor! Cara. I brought her here just to get her out of his clutches, I thought you understood that!"

Blaire stopped suddenly in front of Cara, eyes blazing even as they swam in unacknowledged tears.

Cara faltered beneath the mother's righteous fury. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "The— the bird spilled some magical dust on the orb, and I could not use it for three days. I looked into it now, and he was only three hours away by car."

Blaire said nothing. She just blinked and fell back into a chair, staring unseeing out the window. Her expression gradually morphed into one of resignation, while Cara tried in vain to pacify Naomi.

After a few minutes of silence between the two ladies, Blaire called out,

"Carmella."

"Yes Blaire," she whispered timidly.

"You know me," continued the mother, continuing to look outside. "You know what I would like. You love my Naomi dearly, and you know all about werewolves."

I didn't like the sound of this. From Cara's paling face, I could tell that she didn't either.

"Gerald is following me, not the baby. He will not catch her if I am not with her."

"Oh, Blaire," Cara pleaded.

"You've got lots of contacts," Blaire carried on as if Cara hadn't said anything. "Meaning you can pull strings here and there, and disappear."

"Blaire, please, I can't—"

"And, since you're an alchemist and all, I'm sure you can cook up something that will suppress her powers until she's old enough to know to hide them. Neat, huh?"

"Look here, Blaire," Cara pleaded. "She won't be happy— I mean, not as happy as she would if you were there. And more importantly, what happens to you? I know you're planning something like your going to him to hold him off."

"Precisely," said Blaire with a wry, almost delusional, smile. "I go to him, we kiss and make up, and live happily ever after."

I raised my eyebrows. "What?" I said, but they didn't hear me.

"Blaire. You're abandoning your daughter."

"Not if I leave her with her foster mother."

"Foster mother?!"

"Yes, Cara. I'm leaving her in your care. Look at it this way. I must leave the child in order to get Gerald off her trail. So... who better to leave her with than you? You were there for me when I had to leave the pack. You were there when Gerald started persecuting me. You stuck with me when I fled. You provided me with a place to stay and supplies for my daughter. Naomi likes you. You're the only one who I can trust to keep her safe. All my friends are in the pack and report to him. Please, Cara. I have no choice here. He can track me because of the mating bond, but not her. She's safe if she's not with me." Blaire stood, then kneeled beseechingly before her. "Please, Carmella. Do this last thing for me. Let me know that at least my baby is safe."

Cara was the one sobbing now. She opened and closed her mouth but could say nothing. At the end, she simply nodded sadly.

Blaire sighed, relieved. She stood up and stepped to the door. Then she checked herself and turned back. "One last thing. As soon as I leave, go to my bed. In the lowest drawer there is a small bag. It has a locket in it. So, what you should do is this: take the locket and cut Naomi's finger. Just a little. Drip one drop of blood onto the locket."

"That's it?"

"That's it. Do not get your own blood on the locket. Understood?"

"Okay— okay Blaire. And— and I'm sorry. Although I still can't imagine leaving the apple of my eye behind because my mate wouldn't accept her!"

The mother chuckled darkly. "It's not like I have a choice," she said with a smile; but the infinite pain and sadness in her eyes made it obvious to me that it was a lament.

Cara must have seen it too, for she schooled her face and straightened her spine and said, "I will do what you say, Blaire. In honor of you, who I see as a mother, I will take care of your daughter who you entrust to me."

Blaire smiled fondly at her. "I know I can always count on you."

Then, she caressed Naomi with the tender love of a mother.

"I love you, my dearest," she whispered. "Always. And I will be looking for you, all the rest of my life. If you never see me again, just remember that I love you, and that it's not your fault. And that you were destined for greatness. Hush! Hush, my child. Now go. Do not forget me, for I shall find you yet."

I blinked. And again. I could have sworn  I had heard those words before— I just couldn't remember when.

Blaire left the house. Just outside, I heard the sound of bones cracking and flesh moving into place.

Cara, meanwhile, tenderly carried the baby to a room. She rummaged through a few things until she found a small pocket knife. Then she opened the lowest drawer, and pulled out a golden necklace with a small, heart shaped locket on it.

A locket.

One that I would recognize anywhere.

It was mine. I had worn that locket since before I could remember. I immediately grabbed at my neck to see if it was there and sure enough, it was. The exact same necklace, only that mine was silver.

Naomi had long ceased crying, and now eyed the blade curiously. She smiled at Cara, whose eyes were still very full. The girl grabbed the baby's hand and held it in her own, directly over the locket.

Just then, a hiccup racked her body.

The sharp knife cut them both. I watched in horror as Naomi's drop of dark red blood rolled right into the cut in Cara's hand, mingling with her blood before cascading down to the locket in one large crimson dollop and landing with a tiny splat!

Cara blanched. "Oh, no. Please be okay, Naomi! What have I done?"

She fretted and worried about her blunder while I watched the locket glow. It immediately changed color and put on the silver sheen it has now.

Naomi was crying again. Cara was crying and panicking. The locket was glowing. And the vision was fading.

Fast.