Page 3 of Edmond

“You’ve made your point.” She looked at the man standing in the doorway and nodded in his direction. When Brandy stood up, she made her way to her and nearly touched her again. But blue eyes wasn’t having it. “Brandy, she’s hurt you enough. Stay away from her.”

“She’s done nothing wrong but what I asked of her.” Filling the sink up with the hot water, she looked at Brandy when she said her name. “You said you were sunburnt. Is that true?”

“No.” Nodding, she asked her what was wrong with her back. Pulling her shirt up over her back about half way, she heard the hiss of breath as the two of them saw what no one else had ever seen, not even herself fully. “I’m not sure where this came from. But just this morning, it started to appear on my back and legs. It doesn’t hurt, not at all but I don’t know what it will do if someone touches it. When I tried to wash it off, it grabbed…no, it attached itself to my hand and ran up my arm to my back again. Like it was…I could feel that it was having fun teasing me.” Mac looked at Blue eyes. “I knew that you were coming here. I also knew that you’d have an altercation with my brothers. I can’t read you. I can’t even breach this…I’m not sure what it would be called, but I can’t help but feel that if you were to touch me that, this thing, this vine, will engulf us both until there will be nothing left of either of us.”

Mac turned her back on the two people when they left through the same door that they’d come in here to see her in. While she was putting on the five burgers that she knew that Thelma was going to need, she put onions to grill and mushrooms as well for one of the burgers. Today had been the only day that she’d ever been able to keep up with Thelma and the sickness that was spreading through her body. Dementia.

She noticed that the couple and the man were sitting in the dining area. It was nearly six in the morning now, and she was going to be free soon to go home. What she’d do there, she had no idea. The thought of some of the things that had happened when she’d left home yesterday morning still scared her shitless.

Cleaning up her area, she was gathering up the trash when she realized that Thelma was gone. She did that sometimes, but today, she could tell that she’d gone to the cemetery to talk to her husband, Grant. Pulling the three large, heavy trash bags toward the doors, she nearly fell over when the weight of them knocked back when she was just no longer holding them. The man, she still didn’t know his name, was helping her.

They put the bags in the dumpster, her only able to carry one to his two, she turned and headed back to the diner. There were things that she still had to do and it wouldn’t get done if he were to start asking her questions that she wouldn’t have answers to. Not that she knew the answers, but simply knew that she’d not have them. As soon as the banking was finished, the doors, including the walk-in, were locked up. She headed out of the diner once again so that she could go home and see if she could figure shit out. However, she wasn’t the least bit surprised when he asked her…well, he actually ordered her into his truck. Mac kept moving, and when he pulled in front of her, she stopped the truck from hurting her by stopping it with her hand. That was a huge mistake.

Chapter 2

Edmond looked at his truck. Well, what was left of it. When he’d meant to just park along the street to talk to her and he’d simply lost control. Or so he’d thought. What had happened was that the drive shaft had gone out and he lost control of the truck. Nearly hitting Mac in the process. Each time he looked at the truck, he was amazed at the amount of strength that it must have taken to get it bashed in like—

“Are you all right?” He looked up at the police officer who had been there for some time now if her pinched face was any indication. “I asked you if you’re all right, Mr. Frazier. I’d appreciate it if you were to stop looking like you’re stupid and answer me.”

“Who the fuck shit in your oatmeal, Donna. Go away. Can’t you see that he’s having enough to worry about rather than having you stand over him being the bitch that you are? I told your captain that you needed to keep away from people. Now, scoot along before I help you with that again. Go over there and see if anyone else was hurt. Or is that out of your job description, too?” Officer Donna called Mac a smart ass and a bitch. “I am. You’ve known me all my life, and you’re just now figuring that out? If so, then you’re not nearly as observant as you should be. Leave the man alone.”

As the officer walked away, glaring at Mac as she did, the other woman seemed to not mind that she’d just pissed off an officer of the law. He wondered if he was going to have to—

“What the hell was that for?” The slap to his face had him turning to look around to see where Brandy was, and he decided that she was too far away to save him from Mac. “I was thinking. Is that a crime nowadays, too?”

“Slow your oats, buddy. You did look sort of freaked out. Now that you’re talking again, I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry I broke your truck. I didn’t know that I could do that.” He asked her if she was hurt. “No. I had a small scratch on my hand, but it’s gone now. I don’t…I didn’t know that I could do that. I mean, I was just putting out my hand—like that was going to stop the truck from coming at me—to, I guess, stop its movement. I didn’t know that I could…I keep repeating myself, but I honestly didn’t know that would happen.”

“Yeah, I heard you talking to my brother when you were standing over there. He had to drag me out of the truck. Nothing was hurt with me either, but it did scare ten years off my life, I will admit that to you. And only you.” She nodded and handed him the milky drink that she had in her hand. “Is this another peach shake? That is the best way to use peaches if you ask me. It’s like having a cobbler and ice cream. Thank you for this.”

As he drank right from the glass, he didn’t want to use a straw to get it clogged up again. She just sat there, looking around. Neither of them, it seemed wanted to look anywhere near where the truck was sitting. Finally, when he was ready to talk to her, she seemed to have found her tongue, too.

“You’re my mate. Correct?” He said that he’d only just figured that out himself. And that he was sorry about it. “Sorry, you’re my mate or that I’m your mate. Never mind, that made a great deal more sense in my head. My mind is going in about fifty directions right now.”

“I understood you. And not I’m not unhappy that you’re my mate but just the circumstances that it’s come about for us.” She nodded. “You told Brandy that you only just got this power or magic shit this morning. Before I came along, you told her.”

“I was being a bitch to her, not that I think she noticed. She’s sort of one herself, isn’t she?” He grinned and laughed while telling her that he’d never say that to her. “I, on the other hand, have no such trouble. But I was doing that to make her…I thought that she could tell me that she had heard of all the things I was telling her about myself getting this freaky ability and that it was nothing. I have a feeling that there isn’t anyone out there that can do this shit. At least, that I know of. Did you have any special shit going on with you?”

“I haven’t tried anything yet. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you’re my mate, and you’re very strong. Did you hit the truck or just put out your hand? I’m not sure that you answering either of those is going to make me feel less wigged out but if you can tell me I’m—” He was slapped again, this time he knew that he deserved it. “Thank you for that. I do believe that I was going off the deep end again. Not that I’ve ever done that before, but that’s what it feels like to me.”

“You should have seen me when I found that vine thing on my back. And then, when it moved, I swear to you, for the first time in my life, I fainted. When I woke up, it was still there, and I had a headache for about two hours until I noticed that it was gone. It faded out, the headache, not the vine.” He told her that he’d like to see if it went to him. “Are you sure about that? I mean, it’s not a wonderful feeling having even knowledge of the sucker freaks me out a bit. But I’m willing if you are.”

“Does it itch?” She told him no, but when it moved, she could feel it. “Then yes, I’m willing to see if it comes to me. I have this phobia about itching. Probably has a great deal to do with my upbringing. On the off chance that it does come to me, I want to check and see…did I tell you that I was a wolf? I’m not sure but I think you knew that already. Whatever, sorry. I’m still freaked out, as you put it, about the truck.”

She stood up, and he realized how tall she was. When she pulled her shirt up just enough for him to see the vine, it pulled from her body as if it were seeking him. Putting out his hand, he hated that it was trembling, but as soon as he put out his hand, the thing wrapped around his extended finger.

“Christ.” They both said it at the same time and he asked Mac if she was hurt. “No, it’s just I can feel it moving more than before. Like its in a hurry to get to you. I don’t know why, Edmond, but I’m going to pass out.”

He caught her just as she was going down. His own head was feeling oddly empty at that moment and he held onto his conciseness as tightly as he could. Lica showed up just as he was feeling the effect of the vine moving along his skin. Watching his brother’s face as he came to him, all Edmond could think about was fainting wasn’t all the manly.

Waking up, he was on the ground. He thought that he’d only woke up because the ground beneath him was so cold. Not sitting up but reaching blindly for Mac, he was surprised and comforted that she was close enough for him to touch. That was when he felt the vine moving along his arm to go to Mac.

“Edmond, that thing is moving across your hand.” He told Lica that he knew that. “Just like that? You knew that was going to happen? You’re so calm about this. Christ, I would be freaking the fuck out about now.”

“I was when it first came to me.” Mac sat up, and he asked her if she was all right. Nodding, she stood up and left the two of them there. “I didn’t mean to piss her off. What did I do?”

“I think she was looking for Brandy. I don’t know why I think that but that’s where I’m at right now. Also, the vine, it’s moving along your hand now. I don’t know what it wants, do you?” Several things popped into his head at just that moment. It wanted to touch his brother. However, he was looking at it like he was terrified of it, and he didn’t want him to hit him if he suddenly reached out with the vine and it hooked onto him. That made him laugh, he wasn’t entirely sure why, but he laid back while his humor seemed to consume him.

“You’re nuts.” Edmond agreed with his brother. “Well, I hope you understand that I’m going to leave the two of you to whatever is going on. I was supposed to be sleeping in when you called out to me.”