Page 132 of Reaper
His eyes go a bit unfocused a bit and he twirls a fidget-like ring on his finger, something I’ve noticed he does a lot when he’s nervous.
“For as far back as our family’s books go, which is around the early seventeen hundreds, the women on both sides of the family ofma mère(my mom), have been heavily tied to Voodoo, the good kind, not the bad,” he rushes to say when I stare at him in shock. “Like my ancestors,ma mère(my mom) andmes soeurs(my sisters) focus on the healing aspect. In addition, they make healing and protection charms or gris-gris as we call them. They are also known to have seen visions, though some have more clarity and accuracy than others. While it is extremely rare, sometimes the firstborn son inherits those same abilities. From our books, it’s only happened a handful of times. I am one of those few.”
I lick my suddenly dry lips. “So, are you trying to say you had a vision last night?”
He nods, his eyes still unfocused as he continues to fidget with his ring. “I did, two of them actually. I knew that if we didn’tget to you quickly, whoever your stalker is would have taken you after seriously injuring, if not killing, Atlas. He was hiding in the woods, lying in wait. On the way back here from the hospital, I stopped and checked where I’d seen him in the vision. He’d cleared out his stuff, but there were signs that he had been there for a while.”
“Did you see his face or anything we can use to identify him?” Anthony asks him and Loki shakes his head.
“I’m sorry, but no, I didn’t. Once I grasped what I was seeing, I tried to push but that just made him hazier.” Loki lifts his head, and his eyes bore into mine. “From here on out, I believe he will be picking up his game. I could feel his emotions when I went to the site. Whoever this guy is, he is head over heels in love with you, Lark. His anger and betrayal at you not listening to him was so overwhelming it nearly brought me to my knees.”
Shock seeps through me at what Loki is implying and my chest tightens at the thought of what else this asshole might do to get to me.
“I also think your earlier worries about him wanting to punish you but also at the same time ‘save’ you were correct. I highly recommend that you are armed wherever you go, even if you’re here in your own home or if you are walking between here and the clubhouse. Please do not take chances with this. Whoever he is, he is very dangerous.”
Anthony takes my mug and sets it on the coffee table before gently wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me closer to him. I take a few moments to take a couple of deep breaths before turning back to Loki.
“You said you had a couple of visions. What was the other one?”
He hesitates and I wince.
“I mean, if you’re allowed to tell us, that is. I don’t know all the rules related to visions and everything.”
He gives me a small smile and casts a nervous glance at Anthony before he focuses back on me.
“The second vision relates to something I’ve wanted to do for a while now. I’ve felt a kindred spirit in you, Lark, almost exactly like the connection I can sense between my siblings and I. The vision was actually split into two—on one hand, I sawma mère(my mom) visiting here in Junction Creek and the three of us were relaxing in one of the townhouses as we got to know each other. The other was of you and Reaper inma maison de famille(my family’s house) while you got to know everyone else.”
He pauses before opening his mouth a few times as a sheepish look comes over him.
“I guess what I’m trying to say is… Would it be okay with you if I claimed you as my sister? I’ve felt the connection for a while now but wasn’t sure how you’d be with it. Then that vision came to me right after the one with the stalker and I got the sense that it was time to ask you.”
A nervous excitement runs through me but I force myself to calm down and think. “What would your parents and siblings think of you adopting me as family?”
The smile he gives me lights up his face as his eyes sparkle. “They’d be happy to welcome you into the family and they’d do so with open arms. If it weren’t winter, I’m almost positive they’d be making plans to come here as soon as I tell them the news, if they haven’t also received the same vision. Onlymes parents(my parents) have come up in winter before and that’s because Dad’s parents are from here.”
I return his smile. “I’d love it if you were my brother.”
I laugh as he damn near launches from his chair and wraps me in a surprisingly gently hug.
“Ma famille(My family) is going to love you,soeur(sister).”
I hug him tighter and close my eyes to keep from getting emotional.
I finally have a brother, something I’ve dreamed about for years.
Chapter 49
Reaper
Larkleansbackinmy arms after Loki releases her, but I can tell by the stubborn set of his jaw that he isn’t telling her something.
She looks up at me with a happy but also sleepy expression on her face. “How about I take you upstairs, Darlin’? You can get some rest for a few more hours.”
She nods, but then, her forehead wrinkles as she frowns. “Where’s Miracle?”
I tilt my head toward the hallway. “She’s resting in a guest room down here. Atlas called her as she was on her way home from work and she drove straight here after stopping by her apartment.”
Her eyebrows damn near disappear into her hairline as she mouths ‘he called her’.
