Disclaimer: I don't own DP or HON or WOTO
Chapter Three: History Repeating
October 14th, 2004
Third POV:
The three men argued over a business opportunity. Well, at least two of the three men, the tallest just stood there rather awkwardly and only inputting small noises of agreement when he was looked to.
The other two men kept bickering, but the third man was too distracted to even notice them. Something else kept drawing his attention to the forest.
He shook his head sharply and willed for his friend to finish up quickly so they could go. It must be the fact that he hadn't Changed in a few days, but then again he never felt the greatest urges to shift forms usually. Not like the others.
But he knew that it wasn't the allure of the Change, it was his other "sixth sense" that made his dark eyes wander to the trees. Was something out there? He nonchalantly tilted his face up the slightest and sniffed, the wind blew past but he didn't smell anything strange, just the annoying scent of humans.
He sighed, muted to his companion and the business man. His feet began to move on their own and he budged toward the tree line, if something was out there then it was his duty to make sure it wasn't anything that could endanger his family and Pack.
"Jer?" he turned back to his best friend and saw the business man yelling into his phone. "Something wrong?"
Jeremy opened his mouth to lie but he couldn't, it was Antonio and he would know better. "I'll be right back Tonio, finish up here and come then come and get me."
"Yeah just gimme a second and I'll tell Bradford that we'll pick this up tomorrow."
"No Antonio, this is important to you and the company," Jeremy said. "I won't go far and it doesn't smell like a mutt is out there but if it is I'll holler. I don't need to be babysat every five minutes."
Antonio grunted but promised he'd finish up quickly and join up with him. With that Jeremy sauntered into the forest, he didn't even stop at the tree line to sniff for an enemy. He just knew that whatever was beckoning him into the woods wasn't able to hurt him or had no intentions of attacking.
After a few minutes of walking casually and brushing his bangs back impatiently, Jeremy decided that once he got back to Stonehaven he'd have Elena give him a haircut. No matter how treacherous that may be. The chilly wind nipped at his cheeks and his hair flew in front of his eyes, and an impatient brush to put it back in place. He drew in a deep breath and blew it out in content.
He liked autumn a lot, the different colours, the scents, the sights, and the sounds. And the relief of cool weather after a scorching summer under a pound or so of fur made for cold temperatures.
He kept strolling along the path, not really thinking about anything just enjoying the October climate until a haunting pair of green orbs popped into his mind. The barest of smiles touched his lips; he'd been unusually happy when Paige had called a council meeting in Buffalo for the 18th. It meant he could see Jaime again.
It was only at the beginning of August that Jeremy felt the first pings of romantic feelings for Jaime. In the same month he'd blasted her for coming up with a plan that had many dangers, but it had worked and he'd felt sorry for being so cold to her. Jaime had understood and she'd forgiven him.
"It's okay Jeremy, I understand," she'd said. "Your family and Pack comes first, and when something threatens them it's your instinct to protect them. But when one is hurt, one is pregnant and everything is just really messed up your primary instinct is to take them somewhere safe and far away from the threat. I understand and you're forgiven."
It was then that he'd realized that he'd have to work to be truly forgiven; he didn't expect Jaime to just up and excuse his brash behaviour. Since then he'd begun seeing her in a different way, the way she held herself, the faint smile that graced her lips when she found something amusing, the little things that made her Jaime.
Then there had been thoughts of painting Jaime naked, seeing her body –
He stopped, his thoughts halted abruptly, and dropped to one knee to get a better smell. A human had gone through this forest, yes many humans' scents crisscrossed on the path but none had veered more than a foot or so away from it.
This human's odour went straight across the path and into the foliage again. And it reeked of fear and the underlying scent of death, whatever had happened to this person they'd been dying when the stumbled across the place.
Jeremy ventured off the trail and into the trees and not ten feet away a body lay on top of the undergrowth. It lay on its side; the persons back faced Jeremy, a tiny body. A child.
As Jeremy ambled closer to the child he saw the dark braid poking out from underneath the clothes. He presumed it was most likely a girl. Finally he reached the body and his suspicions were confirmed, a young girl. She looked no more than 8 years old, if that, she looked even younger.
He bent to check her pulse, though he could hear the small fluttering from inside her chest, and felt the weakening flow of her blood. She was dying. Jeremy stood, ready to turn back and get Antonio so they could figure out what to do with her.
Then her shape blurred, Jeremy blinked. The young girl's form shifted until she was no longer a girl. Instead a young boy lay in her place; he was filthy and scrawny, so skinny it seemed like he just got by on meals. His body was covered in bruises and scabs, toe and finger nails long and warped, and a mop of golden curls piled up on his head. Jeremy blinked again and the girl was back.
Then a new flash of a memory flew in front of Jeremy's eyes, the same boy but he was older and beaming at his own son. Jeremy sucked in a breath, the little girl lying before him reminded Jeremy of Clayton.
The setting sun glinted off something close to the girl's head; curiously he bent down again and fingered a red rock that was attached to a chain that led around the girl's neck.
What a strange necklace, Jeremy thought, his dark brows knitted together. Where had he seen this type of necklace before? It was on the tip of his tongue, and then he remembered.
Last month at the last council meeting, he'd sat next to Jaime and caught her reading a necromancy grimoire. She'd flipped to a page with the image of an amulet, when he'd asked her about it she'd explained what it was for. To keep a necromancer's glow, the aura that identifies a person as a necromancer and attracts ghosts, to a minimum.
This girl wasn't human – not entirely at least – she was a necromancer.
"Holy shit!" Antonio's bellow made Jeremy jump. "What the hell is a human kid doing here? Why is a human kid unconscious in the middle of a forest?"
"No idea but I don't think she's completely human either," Jeremy flipped out his cell phone and punched in a number. He ignored Antonio's array of questions and concentrated on the ringing of the phone.
On the third ring a woman answered with a tired, "Hello?"
"Hey I'm sorry if I woke you," his voice softened the slightest bit.
"Hmmm you did but I'll get my pay back on Monday," Jaime sighed. "And you wouldn't be calling me unless there was something extremely important happening or the world is ending."
Jeremy hesitated, that hurt him a bit to know she thought he'd only call her when he needed to. "I've got a bit of a situation on my hands. I think I've found a child that could be a necromancer, I know that supernaturals don't come into their powers until adolescence but this girl has an amulet like the one in the grimoire you showed me."
Jaime cursed. "Okay well how about you take her back to Stonehaven and we'll figure out what we can do with her. The rest of the council will be here soon enough."
"How long until you get to Stonehaven?"
"Maybe an hour and a half," Jeremy could almost see the blush crept through her cheeks. "Um it's been a long week and I decided to take off before it got any worse."
Jeremy's lip twitched, and a small half smile crossed his features. "Ah, that's fine. Better even, but I should probably go, the girl is close to death, and her face is cold. I need to get her food as soon as possible."
Jaime signed off and promised to be at Stonehaven by 7 pm. He pocketed his phone and Antonio moved behind him. The leaves crackled underneath his feet until Antonio was also crouching beside the girl.
"How long do you think she's been out here?" Antonio asked Jeremy. "She doesn't look very dirty and she's dressed for the cool weather."
"No idea," Jeremy rumbled and picked up the girl, she was feather light. "I'm surprised she's even alive, a girl this small and light could've been used for scraps for a starving animal. Run back and get a water bottle, just in case she wakes on the ride and is thirsty."
Antonio nodded and sprinted back to town to get a water bottle while Jeremy carried the girl back to the car that he and Antonio had come in. Antonio caught up with Jeremy as he was getting in the back seat with the girl.
Antonio slid into the driver's seat and handed Jeremy the bottle then they began the journey home. As the car whizzed past the city Jeremy assessed the girl with great care, she looked so frail and small. Smaller than Clay was when Jeremy found him at the age of 7.
She had long dark hair that was in a loose plait, leaves and mud entwined through her tresses. Incredibly pasty skin, Jeremy thought it was too pale; she looked whiter than a sheet. She was tiny and very emaciated, as light as a feather and didn't even make it to Jeremy's waist in height. In all Jeremy thought she looked dead, but the rise and fall of her chest and the steady beats from inside said otherwise.
"Hey don't you smell dried blood somewhere on her?" Antonio looked back quickly before returning to look at traffic, "And not just from the little scratches on her face."
Jeremy notice something on her right shoulder and found the many articles of clothing sliced through to reveal a cut, deeper than just a scrape but not so deep that it was life threatening. It had already crusted over but who knew what the wound had come in contact with, it needed to be disinfected right away.
"It looks like something sliced her shoulder," Jeremy pulled the first aid kit from underneath the seat, tore her jacket off of her, and cleaned the injury with alcohol. He was grateful that she was unconscious or the alcohol might've stung badly for her. She stirred, her face scrunching up in pain but once Jeremy put a Band-Aid on it she relaxed again. "She felt the sting of the alcohol while I was cleaning the wound but she didn't wake. She might also need stitches but otherwise I can just bandage it and do that later when she's awake."
"Huh?" Antonio said. "She must be a fighter. I wonder what Clay's gonna think of her."
Jeremy's brows shot up. "What do you mean?"
"Well it's obvious that you wouldn't have picked her up if she hadn't reminded you of Clay. If she didn't then you would've called the police and let them handle it, even if she was a supernatural."
"When I saw her there her appearance changed until I saw an illusion of Clay. The old Clay, the one you've never seen. When he actually looked like a feral child. But it wasn't just Clay that made me take her with us. Jaime would want to meet a child with an amulet like this," Jeremy lips pursed and he stared down at the girls face. Her head was in his lap and she looked so serene.
She reminded him of many people. The way he found her reminded him of Clay. How she slept with a faint smile touching her lips reminded him of Jaime. The way she survived in the wilderness when anything could've taken her life, her immense strength, reminded him of Elena. But the person she reminded him of the most was himself.
"Hey," Antonio's beefy hand came down on Jeremy's shoulder, starling the Alpha. "We're back at Stonehaven."
Jeremy nodded and scooted out of Antonio's Mercedes. They hadn't gone far from Bear Valley, only about a half hour away to a town where Antonio had arranged a meeting with a business man and dragged Jeremy along.
Jeremy and Antonio made their way up the path to Stonehaven, Jeremy carrying the mystery girl. With every step Jeremy's fears of Clay exploding over the fact that a human girl trespassed on his territory was coming true. When Antonio held the door open for him, Jeremy took a tentative step inside, cringed and held the girl as tightly to him as possible.
A thump came from upstairs, a door opening and slamming shut, then Clay barrelling down the stairs in a fury. He stopped short and pulled a face of surprise when he saw the small body in Jeremy's arms but his face twisted back into the mask of contempt he felt with any human he didn't know. And this little girl had trespassed on Clay's territory, like any predator, he saw her as a threat. And any threats need to be eliminated. Immediately.
"What the hell is that thing?" Clay demanded and jabbed a finger at the girl.
"Well, Clay," Antonio chuckled, shrugging out of his jacket. "As any sane person would know, it's the elusive female child. Really Clay, with over twenty years of anthropology under your belt, I would think you'd know what a little girl looks like."
"What's it doing here?" Clay hissed at Jeremy.
"She's here because she's a supernatural and she's dying," Jeremy enunciated each reference of the girl, not liking Clay calling her it. "Clay, come into the study and I'll explain."
As they proceeded to Jeremy's study, Nick and Elena joined them, each holding a baby.
"Meeting?" Nick's gaze went to the girl. "Oh shit."
Clay took his son from Nick's arms and he and Elena put their month old twins down for a nap.
When they returned the girl was sprawled over the chaise, making Clay and Nick sit on the floor. Clay glared at the body on the couch then Elena kicked him and told him to stop being an ass.
"A child is hardly any reason to see as a threat, Clay. That is unless they're a werewolf kid like you were," Antonio grinned when Clay turned his glower at him. "Seriously what harm could she do other than scream our ears off?"
"To me, that's enough," Nick muttered and Clay agreed with him.
"Exposure," Clay snarled. "That's how much of a threat she is."
"And why would she do such a thing is she's a supernatural herself?" Elena questioned, giving her mate a sharp glance. "All supernaturals know that if they exposed themselves that they'd be burned at the stake, or in modern times, killed instantly. Most humans wouldn't even think of them be supernatural, chalk it up to mentally ill or something else. Either way, it'll land them in an asylum or dead."
"Yes, but Clay has a valid reason too," Jeremy spoke up. "It's only a presumption that the girl is a necromancer. A weak one at that, I'm only guessing because of the necklace she wears."
"So you brought a girl in here, a girl that is a risk of exposure to us, because of a fucking necklace?" Clay detonated all over again and he tried to keep ranting but a voice at the door stopped him.
"A lapis is created to decrease a necromancer's glow," Jaime stepped into the study. "I'm sorry that I let myself in but I didn't want to wake the twins by ringing the bell and I knocked. I thought that you guys would've heard me."
Jeremy glanced at her then looked back and did a more thorough investigation. Jaime didn't look like she usually did. Instead of skirts, blouses and fitting dresses like she normally donned, Jaime was dressed casually. Her wavy, fiery red hair was pulled up into a high ponytail; she wore black sweat pants and a light blue pullover hoodie. She had little makeup on, which was even stranger for her, and she looked tired. But Jeremy could barely tear his eyes from her.
"It doesn't matter what the damned necklace does," Clay spat. "That thing –"
"Is a child and a necromancer," Jaime cut him off. "And a girl so don't call her it or thing," Jaime turned toward thin air. "Eve? Can you try to gauge her powers?"
Jeremy knew she was talking to the dead half-demon and witch, Eve Levine, and Jaime's spirit guide. Jeremy hadn't met Eve personally but he had met her daughter, Savannah, she'd spent almost every summer since she was 12 at Stonehaven.
"What's she saying?" Elena mumbled through her hand.
"That the girl is a necromancer but, like any necromancer her age, her glow is insignificant," Jaime looked to where Jeremy sat in his chair. "Eve said she needs to be kept alive, and she also wants to see the power the necklace has." Jaime began lifting the pendant over the girls head. As soon as it was off Eve had to shield her eyes.
"GET IT BACK ON!" Eve screamed, inaudible to all but Jaime and the parade of ghosts that came in hordes.
Jaime jumped up and positioned herself so that the girl was partially protected by Jaime's body, not that it would do anything. Eve started barking at the ghosts to get the hell out of there or she'd report them all to the Fates.
Jaime knew she should have brought her necromancy kit up with her but at least she pocketed a lighter and a branch of vervain in case something happened. Burning vervain would drive the ghosts away and that's exactly what she did, unfortunately it also drove Eve away. When Jaime summoned her back, though, Eve complimented her on her fast thinking.
"Eve says that the girl is very powerful, even at such an age," Jaime sat on the arm of the couch. "With the lapis on she has the small aura that any necromancer at her age has, without it though…" she trailed off and peeked at the half-dead child. "She's much more powerful than I am. Her glow is enormous and very bright apparently."
Jaime shook her head. "If she has this much power now… I can't begin to imagine what she'll be able to do once she comes into her full powers," Jaime sobbed and looked at Jeremy. "We need to keep her alive; I want to speak with her once she wakes up."
"Then take her back to Syracuse with you, she's not staying here," Clay grumbled. "Feed her, bathe her, clothe her, do whatever the hell you want with her. She's. Not. Staying. Here."
"Yes she is, Clayton," Jeremy's tone was firm. "I realize that you think of her as a nuisance and a danger but the way I found her, they way she was just unconscious in the forest. She reminded me of you."
"And you were a werewolf, Clay. She's a human girl with the power of necromancy," Elena touched her mate's shoulder. "I know that you're thinking of our safety, especially the twins', but what harm could she do?"
Clay opened his mouth to say something but Jaime cut him off again. "Give her a break Clay, you don't know her and haven't even given her the chance to prove herself yet," the necromancer bristled. "Look I've had one helluva week and just spent a five hour flight with a sleaze ball trying to grope me every five minutes. Give. Her. A. Chance."
They all gaped at Jaime. They'd never seen this side of her, and they all thought it was more than a bit frightening. Jeremy thought she looked gorgeous, even if she looked like she hadn't slept for days. This new side of her made Jeremy's brows lift and his pants tented. Oh no, he thought and quickly tried to hide the reaction.
Clay stared at the girl – intently, for about five minutes. Then he exhaled, defeated. "Fine."
Jeremy nodded; he didn't need Clay to tell him that at the first sign of trouble from her that Clay would make sure that she wouldn't be able to ever create trouble again. The six decided it was best for the girl to sleep in the guest room and for the council to be in New York as soon as possible, which included any underlings and Karl Marsten. So, while Jeremy and Jaime took the girl to the guest bedroom, the other four got busy making various calls to the rest of the delegates.
When they were finally in the room Jeremy laid the girl on the bed then tried to get water down her throat. Easier said than done. They knew that it would be better if the girl was up and able to drink herself, or even aware that they were trying to give her water to keep her alive because it would diminish the risk of her choking. With her being insentient, they need to be careful and make sure the water went down the right pipe and that she wouldn't choke.
Jeremy knew that they shouldn't give her anything to eat or drink but if they wanted her alive then they would have to overlook that rule. When they were done that, Jaime slumped on the bed next to her.
"Are you all right?" Jeremy's face was lined with concern over Jaime's wellbeing.
"Been better," Jaime slurred, sleep catching up with her finally. "It's been a long and hard week and I'm not going to bore you with the details."
"I wouldn't mind," Jeremy smirked when one of her perfect brows lifted in surprise. "But I'm assuming that you would rather sleep than tell me about your week. That's okay, sleep. I'll wake you if anything else happens."
"Mmm thanks," Jaime murmured and was asleep in a matter of seconds. Jeremy took up post in the room, just in case something happened to one or both of them.
He'd been there for ten minutes before his head slumped and his eyes closed, he knew he wouldn't sleep but he would rest. Then the door opened and Clay's blonde head poked in.
"Can I speak with you?" he asked the older man. Jeremy nodded and they returned to the study, Jeremy settling back into his chair and Clay on the couch. "Nick's ordering pizza and is leaving soon to get it, Tonio's still trying to get in contact with Marsten and a few other people."
Clay squirmed on the chaise and Jeremy sighed. "Spit it out Clay."
"Why did she remind you of me?"
"Not just you. Her strength to survive in the wilderness on her own even if it was only for a few hours reminded me of Elena."
Clay stood, paced over to the fire place, struck a match and tossed it in and stirred the embers. "I know necromancers' pose no real threat physically but Jaime said she's powerful, even more powerful than Jaime herself. I –"
"You're worrying about the twins and Elena and the rest of us, even Jaime, Paige, Savannah and the other delegates. Maybe not Cassandra but you're still anxious." When Clay began to protest Jeremy shot him a knowing look and Clay quieted. "You're beating yourself over about your arm, don't. Like Jaime said, give the girl a chance and you might even like her, Clay."
Clay's lips pressed together, like he doubted he'd ever like any human child, his twins were an exception – they weren't fully human. But neither was this girl, and Clay was curious about her and her story.
"Come and get me when dinner arrives," Jeremy stood and started for the door but Clay's voice stopped him before he could leave.
"You know this is history repeating, Jer. She's gonna be Satan's spawn, throw hell around here and turn out to be a venomous necro, bite her lover and be a psychotic killer."
Jeremy chuckled. "Well then I guess I'll know how to handle it this time. But, I just hope this one doesn't dissect the beloved class guinea pig."
"But it was already dead!"
A/N:
Okay so it's been a really long time and I'm super sorry about that. I've had a hard time writing and trying to form my ideas, so it might be a long time before I update any of my stories.
BUT I WILL UPDATE! Neither Four Leaf Clover nor Children of the Night are on hiatus or discontinued! They will be update even if it's been a month or two since it was last updated.
Speaking of Children of the Night, I've had a bit of a writer's block and am working past it and hope that the next chapter will be up soon.
This chapter has many references to the Otherworld series, so if you haven't read it you may be a bit confused. Also, I was wondering if you guys wanted me to write in one of the other characters POV (like Jaime, Jeremy, Elena, Clay, etc…) until Clover wakes up. PM or review for feedback.
Thanks for your patience and support! Shawna~~~
