[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
what he wants. Raven finished her tea.
What do you think he s up to? Tobias asked.
Raven fidgeted with her napkin as she explained. I think
Laroque is trying to genetically alter the Lamai DNA, or something
92 www.samhainpublishing.com
Blood Pool
along those lines. There is something different with the platelets. I
need to study the samples and run more tests. She picked at her
vegetables. Tobias got up to stoke the fire. He hated that he made
his daughter so uncomfortable.
Bo whispered, Dinner is delicious, cante skuye.
Thank you, Raven said, staring into his eyes.
Later. You can thank me later, he whispered.
Tobias sat back down. You said he s doing this the same way
HIV is spread. He drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair.
Raven, do you think he could be creating some sort of virus?
It s possible. I ll have to make a few more calls to some
friends in San Francisco. Frank said Laroque was doing research
there years ago. I started digging around, and my old college
roommate called me back right before I started cooking dinner. It
doesn t sound promising. She said she s going to get back to me if
any more information comes up.
What about the girl, Jade? Bo brought up the subject that
made Tobias shift in his seat.
Tobias cut into the juicy meat, slightly nervous. He set down
his fork. Tobias made an art form out of seemingly eating a meal. In
reality, he d only taken a bite or two at most. I would have to
assume she is like her father. She hasn t tried to escape, and from
what I ve heard, he loves her a great deal.
How can you be sure she s like her father? She carries Mom s
genes, too.
I hope for her sake she doesn t, Tobias said forlornly. He
changed the topic. How are your parents, Bo?
www.samhainpublishing.com 93
B. Ella Donna
Fine. They re with my sisters in Colorado. They re all coming
in for the big ceremony on the thirty-first.
Tobias smiled. It ll be good to see them again. Your
grandfather and I talk quite often.
That was Lamai speak meaning Bo s grandfather Matoskah
and Raven s father met in the dreamtime.
No one knew exactly how old Bo s grandfather was, but he and
Tobias had known each other for a long time.
Bo cleaned up after dinner, and a half-hour later they all drove
up to Town Hall in Raven s car. Tobias tried to make idle chatter on
the way. He wanted to ignore the feelings of dread, which took root
inside. He couldn t.
In front of Town Hall, a large bonfire burned in a cast iron
cauldron that was over one hundred years old. The roads glowed
with orange lights, and minstrels played on almost every street
corner.
A horse-drawn wagon carried Julianna and Solaris, with
Nathaniel a wizard of sorts guiding the horses down the street.
The wagon overflowed with cornstalks, potatoes, apples and
pumpkins. Solaris and Julianna tossed candy to the children walking
beside them.
Music filled the air as others followed on foot, playing fiddles
and pennywhistles. The parade started at Town Hall and would end
at Three Maidens Marina, a five-mile journey across the island.
Townspeople dressed in long cloaks with pointed hats, while some
painted their faces to resemble skeletons, devils, angels, scarecrows
94 www.samhainpublishing.com
Blood Pool
or mermaids. A few wore sheer fairy wings, and when they caught
the light just right, their auras glowed. Those were the real fae.
Hey, Raven& here re some beads! Julianna called, tossing a
few necklaces to her.
Thanks, Jules, she shouted in reply, winding the beads
around her neck.
People draped themselves with gems the colors of autumn and
necklaces made of acorns. Some children from Bo s clan had their
faces painted with the images of their alter egos. A few of the little
shape shifters appeared as tigers, wolves and bears. Jaguars, hawks
and owls represented other clans.
Tobias joined Frank on the front lawn of Town Hall, by the
fire. Emerald flirted with Raven s father. Her blonde hair fell in
waves down her back, and her aura pulsed in shades of crimson.
She was in love.
Emerald s magick helped keep Raven s father safe not that
he needed it. In his way, he did love the beautiful fae.
Tobias spent a lot of time with Emerald whenever he came to
visit. She held a special place in his heart. Still, Raven knew her
mother would always haunt his dreams.
Emerald s sister Iris, on the other hand, had to deal with
Emerald after Tobias departed. Iris had confided to Raven a few
months earlier how Emerald pined away for hours after each time he
left. For weeks after, Emerald would try to come up with something
magickal to bring him back and keep Tobias on the island.
www.samhainpublishing.com 95
B. Ella Donna
Iris had even mentioned to Raven that Emerald wanted to bear
his child. Emerald confessed to Iris that she thought it would fill the
void left by Nicolette.
She had miscarried twice. It wasn t easy for Lamai to have
children with humans or other magickal beings.
Tobias had hinted at having other children. Raven assumed
throughout his long life he d had to have fathered more than a few.
Some had probably died a long time ago. Born of mortal women,
each had his or her Achilles heel, just as she had. Tobias found her
mother s reincarnated soul lifetime after lifetime. She d often ask
her father to talk about when he d first met her mother. He always
promised he would, but never did. And so she wondered when
Tobias would tell that story, along with countless others. Raven
sensed there were many stories to tell. She also suspected there were
a few full-blooded Lamai brothers or sisters out there.
Raven was shocked to hear her father had been on the island
other times and not visited her. Then again, she was always
disappointed in some way with her father. Her mother s death had
changed Raven s life in so many respects. She often wondered how
her relationship with her father would have been had her mother
lived. Would it be the same, better or maybe worse? There was no
magick to mend a broken heart. Only time could do that. And time
was something that Tobias never seemed to lack.
96 www.samhainpublishing.com
Chapter Six
Raven was enjoying the festivities of the first Night of the
Parades when she heard a high pitched voice cry out.
I m pregnant, Tobias! Emerald screeched as she flung herself
into his arms. I just found out. Dr. Odin called me on my cell
phone with the news.
Raven turned and caught a glimmer of tears in her father s
eyes.
Tobias spun Emerald around in his gentle embrace.
Oh, Emmie, that s wonderful news! Iris joined in the
celebration, literally jumping for joy as Tobias hugged Emerald.
This was the first real display of affection Raven had seen between
her father and Emerald. It was long overdue, in Raven s opinion.
Are you okay? Is the baby healthy? Tobias asked, stroking
Emerald s cheek.
Yes! He said the blood tests came back fantastic, and there s
very little chance of miscarriage. My hormone levels are high, and
that s a good sign. Oh, baby& I m so happy! Emerald cried as she
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]