Beasthood (The Hidden Blood Series) (3 page)

“
I’ll get Kerk on the search.”

             
Maria’s face aged ten years in that moment. She knew this wouldn’t turn out well. So much was at stake and it could all go horribly wrong.

~
Chapter 3-
Escape~

Friday May 6
th
, 2011, 9:12 a.m. -
Jaz’s Living Room

             
It was a lazy morning at number 63. Inside the red brick house that stood slap bang in the middle of the suburban, tree filled street, Jaz was sprawled on the lilac sofa in the cosy, wood-overloaded living room.

             
Still in her dressing gown, she smiled politely, removing her bare feet from the dark wood coffee table as her aunt strolled into the room. Jaz hadn't moved from that spot on the sofa since she'd come down the stairs at half six that morning
.

She wasn’t an early bird but ever since her horrifying, real-life nightmare, she’d found it almost impossible to sleep well. She had even resorted to sleeping pills though she hated anything like that. Pills for sleeping, pills for depression (which she refused to take). Pills, pills, pills. She despised it, but when you haven’t had a good night’s sleep for so long you get desperate.

She’d taken them the night before and had been mighty pissed off that they hadn’t worked. She’d had less than three hours sleep- probably less than two. She gave up counting the hours months ago.

             
Shadows were heavily set under her eyes as she gazed up at her aunt. This was not her therapist Aunt Ruth, but her father’s sister Aunt Erica. She was a kind and bubbly woman and reminded Jaz of her mother in personality. Though, Jaz noticed, Aunt Erica had a much more worldly countenance about her.

There was something wild and free about her that Jaz couldn’t explain; but she sensed it. Though her aunt was a well-dressed woman, in trouser suits and expensive shoes, Jaz could still picture her camping high up in some mountain, eating freshly caught fish for breakfast. She liked her a lot though she’d only known her about a year.

              Aunt Erica had appeared on their doorstep at the end of April last year. Erica had introduced herself when Jaz had come back from a day out with her best-friends Ellie and Lisa. It was the back end of the Easter holidays, she recalled.

Jaz was surprised and puzzled that her dad had never mentioned he had a sister. She always thought he had just two brothers. She’d never seen pictures of her either.

He'd said, “Erica has been living abroad for a long time. It upset me to mention her because I never got to see her.” But Jaz didn’t buy it.

She suspected, especially after observing her parents reactions that there was some unsaid tension between them. She didn’t know why and didn’t want to get in the middle of it, but whatever it was, it caused her dad to watch her aunt cautiously at times. Her mum -she swore- had looked almost afraid, but it was swept away by a forced smile in Jaz’s direction whenever she realized she was being watched.

Jaz had long since accepted that this was the way things were and didn’t think it was her place to bring up whatever was in the past between them. They seemed to have reconciled now and that was all that mattered.

Time heals all wounds
, she thought. She hoped that included her too.

             
Her aunt watched Jaz now with displeasure. She didn’t like to see her niece in such a state. She looked extremely pale, exhausted and had lost weight, Erica observed.

This has gone too far,
she thought resolutely.

“
This is an unexpected pleasure, Erica,” Jaz’s father began.

“
Well you know me John, I like to surprise.” Jaz didn’t see her father’s face tense. His whole body tightened as he eyed her aunt uncomfortably. Erica ignored him and sat down next to Jaz, gazing half-heartedly at the TV before turning to look at her niece. “You haven’t been sleeping.” It wasn’t a question. Jaz simply nodded, not wanting to peel her eyes away from Scrubs and the funny escape world of JD. She was feeling sensitive today and knew that if she looked at her aunt right then, she might cry. “Have you taken anything to help?” Erica asked softly.

“
My sister prescribed her with some sleeping pills,” Rachel, her mother, answered.

             
Aunt Erica barely looked at her. She couldn’t take her eyes off her niece. She was very worried about her. Jaz just wasn’t herself.

“
They don’t work,” Jaz mumbled.

             
Aunt Erica bobbed her head once as if she understood. And she did, more than Jaz knew. She felt a twinge of guilt in her heart. “I have a suggestion- well it is more of a request,” her aunt began cheerily to lighten the mood. It caused Jaz to glance to her side at her aunt who was sitting upright with a perfect posture. She was slumped, almost lying down on the sofa. She knew how bad she looked but she couldn’t seem to will herself to care. She did really, but today just wasn’t a good day.

This sudden change in conversation, however, had given her heart a tiny lift. She gazed at her aunt inquiringly as Erica announced, “How would you like to take a break from all this,” waving her arms around her to symbolize ‘Jaz’s Life’ before adding, “and come with me on a trip?”

Jaz raised her eyebrows in surprise. “You want to take me like… on a holiday?”

             
Her aunt was beaming now. She had achieved what she wanted. She knew her niece would come with her. Jaz trusted her and it made Erica proud to see it. “Yes. Just for a week or two. I’m a well known member of a spa resort up north. They will treat you like a princess. There are loads of activities and you will be pampered and looked after. Trust me, when you come back you will feel a hell-of-a lot better.”

             
Jaz stared at the floor, considering it.

It sounded like a great offer, and not something that came along everyday.

Her aunt had been a rock to her even in the short time she’d known her. She was a breath of fresh air –an escape- from her life. 

She wondered if it would be okay to ask if Lisa and Ellie could come.

No, that’d be really rude. I can call them everyday. I’ve got loads of free minutes.

“
Is that a yes?” her aunt inquired though from the wideness of her own smile, she knew it was.

Jaz glanced up at her dad curiously when she’d noticed how tightly clenched his fists were. She gazed up at his face. He wasn’t looking at her. He was glaring at his sister. Jaz was shocked by the look in his eyes. He wasn’t just furious, he was anxious. She knew that because when he realized she was watching him, it was the first emotion to spread over his face.

She stared at him a moment longer, before she glanced at her mum. Rachel looked as if she’d been shot with a pellet gun. Her eyes were watery as she glanced from Aunt Erica to her daughter.

So I guess they have more reconciling to do than I had first imagined,
Jaz thought with disappointment. “As long as it’s okay with mum and dad?” Jaz half-asked, half-answered. Her aunt swiveled round to look at them. Jaz noticed her father’s feet shift awkwardly.

             
She frowned, trying to understand her parents’ reactions until her aunt distracted her. “So? What d’ya think? Would you mind terribly if I steal your daughter for a week or two? Two might be better don’t you think? It will give her a break, change her surroundings.” Her brother eyed her unsurely. “Oh come on John. Can we put our differences aside? I’m only trying to help.”

             
He kept silent. Jaz wished he’d say something. She watched her father intensely, willing him to just apologize and get over whatever it was that he couldn’t seem to forget.

             
After a brief moment he sighed and said, “Very well.”

             
Jaz smiled, though it wasn’t as big as it could have been. She wasn’t the same smiley, bubbly person she had been a year ago. That would take time.

Her aunt grinned with delight and triumph. She turned to her niece and announced. “Well that’s settled then. You pack your bags; we’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning!”

              Jaz was surprised at how short notice that was but didn’t really mind. She was just relieved to be able to get away. It would only be for two weeks anyway.

~
Chapter 4-
Find~

Monday 26
th
April, 20
10
, 7:05 a.m. -
Arik’s Study

“
Why did you choose to meet me here? Do you know what will happen if we get caught!?”

“
Hushhhh!” hissed the young man.

His contact was only five years older but lacked the skills to lead, control his temper and remain calm in stressful situations.

The young man knew his contact's faults too well, but he was also strong, ruthless, useful and above all, he was loyal. To the young man and no one else. He'd made sure of that.  “We can't meet in my room. It's too risky. Arik will be here any minute because he invited us here. He’ll never suspect anything is off. Apparently there's news about the girl.”

His companion widened his eyes in concern. “Do you think they know what happened?”

“Of course not!” the young man scoffed.

“
What happens when they find the twin?” the contact inquired, his black eyes regarded the young man intently.

“
It doesn’t matter. She'll not be a problem.”

“
And Nik?”

             
The young man smiled slyly. “Leave him to me. Just keep your mouth shut, do your duties and they'll never find out about Lora.”

             
His contact was about to respond but the sound of jogging footfalls approaching from the corridor outside, silenced them both.

             
Within moments Arik rushed in, followed closely by Maria and another, younger woman behind her. The young man looked at them inquiringly, showing no hint that he’d had a very treacherous conversation only moments ago.

“
Where is Nik?” Arik asked. In that moment, a tall, dark-eyed man appeared behind the door. He stepped in and surveyed them calmly. Inside he was quaking. He knew they had news. “Ah, perfect timing.”

“
Well?” the young man pushed, impatiently.

             
Arik scolded him with his eyes. The young man looked away. The woman who had been standing close to Maria stepped forward. The suspense in the air was suffocating.  The dark-eyed man clenched and unclenched his right fist.

“
We’ve found her,” the woman announced.

             
The dark-eyed man could finally breathe though he had mixed emotions about it. He was relieved she’d been found, shocked and confused that she was even alive, excited and uncertain about meeting her. “Where is she?” he asked.

“
She’s living in Sheffield, with her adopted parents.”

“
She doesn’t know?” The younger woman gazed at the dark-eyed man gravely in response. “About anything?” he questioned.

             
She remained silent. Only he truly felt the weight of this answer. He knew the suffering she’d go through when all was revealed to her.

“
Her name is Jasmine Barker. I’ve seen her but haven’t yet made contact. I plan to go in a few days,” the younger woman announced.

             
The dark-eyed man was itching with impatience but he was very good at self-control. He reined it in and told himself over and over again that it would take time.

Just wait.

             
The younger woman continued, “I need to gain her trust before I can do anything. I’ll keep an eye on her for any signs of C
hange
.”

             
Everyone looked up at her as she said the word.

             
It was only the young man who asked what everyone else had been wondering. “She hasn’t Changed at
all
?” The younger woman shook her head. “Are you sure?” he pushed.

             
She glared at the boy, who she disliked more times than not, before replying in a sharp voice, “I am
quite
capable of determining these things; it is after all
my
speciality-
not
yours. I’m more than sure.” To her satisfaction, she silenced the boy. She then gazed at the others seriously. “She may be late in age but I have no doubt she is the one. I can smell it on her.”

“
And what if you’re wrong and the same thing happens to her as it did to Lora?”

             
The dark-eyed man shot the young man a cutting glare at his words. The young man gazed at his superior apologetically. The dark-eyed man accepted it and looked away.

“
It won’t,” was the woman’s resolute answer.

“
I will know the difference,” the dark-eyed man added. He had a very low, velvety voice. The kind you knew, if he ever raised it in anger, it would be a deafening, terrifying sound.

“
Yes, he will. You will feel the sisterly connection between her and Lora the moment you touch her. And you'll know for yourself who she is,” Maria acceded.

             
The dark-eyed man looked down, pretending to concentrate on a spot on the floor.

He was ashamed that he hadn’t realized the difference. Lora had been 'human'. He had suspected something wasn't right but not to this extent. Because he'd felt an immense love for her he was sure could only come from the bond. But it wasn't. Because that was only something purebloods could share, as far as he knew anyway. He was aggrieved that Lora had most likely not been his true mate after all. It would mean meeting her twin to know for sure.

Maria tapped her hand lightly on his arm in sympathy. Before they'd come to this meeting, she had said to him, “When you see her. When you shake her hand, the moment you even just touch her, you will feel it and you’ll know.” She wasn't talking about confirming the girl was Lora's twin. “One way or the other. If she is a potential mate you'll know. She will too, but she won’t understand it. As she is, her senses are not as strong as yours. But she will still feel something.”

People could put two and two together themselves and work out that this twin could be a possible bonded mate to him, but it wasn't as black and white as that. He understood that now, more than most.

Arik then turned to the younger woman asking, “How long do you believe you’ll need before she trusts you, Erica? She hasn’t got a lot of time left.”

“
Give me a year max.” Erica replied confidently. “I
am
her
real
aunt after all.”