The Otherkind Book One:Heart

~*~ 42 ~*~

~*~ 42 ~*~

"Let's go inside. It's cold out here."

"No, I'm waiting here."

Sighing she grabbed a blanket from the sleigh wrapping it around me. "There's nothing we can do Rowan. Standing here won't bring them back."

I nodded but kept staring off into the distance like I could see something.

"Rowan, they aren't here. Please? Trust me?"

I wouldn't be budged.

"Please come in child, tell me what happened? I don't know anything and I will not leave you out here alone."

I didn't answer her.

"Fine so we will both stand out here." she pulled down another blanket wrapping it around herself.

"What did you mean by they are not even here? They aren't here are they, they went—- over there right?"

She looked at me "Tell you what, I'll share what I know if you do the same, only inside the house. Deal?"

I knew she was right but I didn't want it to be true. I didn't want to believe that they'd all been here and now they were all gone. He'd been with me, and now, he was angry and gone. Again. It was beginning to feel like we were missing our chances in a game that was not only changing its rules, but speeding up towards an end that I couldn't even see, let alone understand. Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, it froze in a cloud as it left me. Grams was right. It was too cold out and whether I liked it or not, they were gone.

Resolutely I turned toward the house, Grams right beside me. My hand burned. Now that I was on the porch and the light was better I looked at the burn puzzled. "Grams?"

She had already gone inside. "What honey?" she was hanging up her coat and then briskly rubbing her arms.

I opened the screen door and came in. "Look at this. It's like, look—-" I held my hand out to her to see. The angry red burn was in the shape of an angel, perfectly formed with two very long wings that arched upward above the angel. Was it the shape that had angered Grayson and Archer? What did it mean?

"It's a burn Rowan!" Concernedly she reached for my hand "What happened out there?" and then she too saw the shape of it. Her mouth opened but she didn't say anything. Deep worry creased her brow. I forced down my own feelings.

"It's very," I struggled to find a word, "weird."

"Well, I don't believe in coincidences that's for sure, which makes me wonder who has marked you, and why?"

I looked at her and felt a bone chilling coldness deep inside me. "Who?"

"We need to talk."

In unison we went out into the front parlor toward the fireplace which I looked nervously at. I didn't want to see this one become animated as well. I don't know if I would ever be able to see a fireplace with a cheerful fire in it again without instantly recalling that thing that attacked us in the darkness. Turning away from the fire I saw the tree, the pile of presents yet under it that had been intended for the rest of the family after Christmas carols. A tear slid down my cheek.

"I know dear, believe me I know. I've been where you are now. Not quite the same way, but close enough where I can empathize with what you are feeling." She watched me for a moment. "I'll be right back Rowan. Let me get a few things so I can tend to that burn. I'll be right back, I promise."

I didn't want to be left alone. I moved further away from the fire and stood in the archway between the parlor and the foyer.

When she came back I followed her back into the parlor. She motioned me to sit at the couch and then sat down beside me and looked at my hand. "Let me see if there is anything I can do."