The Puppets and the Strings (A Werewolf's Saga Book 7) Read online

  Sharlia shrugged with this. “With his condition, are you sure that it was destroyed?”

  Instantly, she realized that neither was Sasha. She saw it in her eyes.

  “He would know that.” She looked down to her lap. The red diamond sparkled to her eyes. It always seemed to do it more when she thought about him. It was pointless. In all honesty, he was another one she would forgive in a heartbeat if he returned to her. She would always love him and that would never stop. She just chose not to do it, from time to time. It seemed that now was not one of those times. She felt the burn in her heart. She felt the ache in her mind. She felt his pull.

  Sharlia didn’t like that. “We must be sure of this Lady Sasha. We must be sure to know what he did with this drug.”

  Robert just nodded.

  Sasha now felt more intrigued. “Why is it that you have questions about this drug now, after all of this time?” She looked to Robert.

  Sharlia looked at Robert at the same time, and then turned back to the desk. “It has come to our attention that it may be being used against the Walker families by a group called the Gathering Storm.”

  Sasha’s eyes widened with hearing this. She too has heard of this group.

  Sharlia saw it. “I see you have heard of them.”

  Sasha turned away from them to her right. “Of course I have. Even with the family spread out and leaderless, I am still in contact with some of the groups.” She turned back straight to the desk. “A group in Philadelphia told me that something had happened to two Moonwalkers not a week ago. This Gathering Storm killed them. They staked them to a brick wall. They crucified them, naked and exposed like animals.”

  Sharlia felt disgusted, but at the same time, she felt relieved with this too. At least she didn’t have to explain the group to her.

  “We believe they are using this drug. They are turning them human so they can brutalize them.”

  Sasha nodded with this. She also felt scared. She knew full well what the drug did to her. If it wasn’t for Jimmy and Robert, she wouldn’t have survived. She couldn’t go back to being human. She loved being a black wolf. She liked having the gifts it gave her. She liked the long life. She loved her life more for it.

  “Then we have to find out what happened to it.” She stood up fast.

  Sharlia was startled with it. “How do we do that?” She didn’t expect it.

  Robert stood up with Sasha.

  “We have to go up north and ask him.” Sasha left her side of the desk and walked over towards them. She watched Sharlia now join them in standing. “We have to go and see Brandon and ask him what he did with it.”

  Sharlia loved the idea.

  Robert did too, but he also saw something else. Sasha was afraid but she was also eager to go and see Brandon. This was her excuse to do it.

  “Do you know where he is?” Sharlia saw only the hope for finding more answers. She could care less about the feelings of two people who would find a way to love again any way. She never doubted such things and never would.

  Sasha walked straight to the door, and opened it just as fast. “Adel?” she called out. She needed to have some things done before she could go.

  Adel came to her within a second. “Yes my dear?” She was nothing but gleeful. She was nothing but astute.

  “Would you please pack some things for me, make them casual. I am going on a trip.”

  The old lady nodded. “Yes my dear.” And she turned and left.

  Sasha turned back to her old friends. “He lives in his old apartment up in Redford Forge. He went there to find himself.” She took a deep breath. She now felt anxious. She couldn’t wait to see him again, but at the same time, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to. With the thirst, with the lust, house cats or otherwise, it can rake the mind. It can make a person do things, be things, that didn’t make sense. She didn’t know what to expect.

  Sharlia smiled.

  Robert felt for her. “Are you sure you can do this?”

  Sasha sighed. “We don’t have the choice, do we?” She left it at that.

  He did too. He had a strong feeling burst through him just then, and he knew what it was. It felt great to have the family coming back together again.

  13

  “Thank God. I was getting worried sick.” Rachel watched her two men step through the door. It took another second to see something that she didn’t expect. The two of them actually seemed to be liking each other. They actually looked calm. They looked relaxed. She didn’t know what it meant, but she had to find out. “Is everything okay?”

  Jimmy closed the screen door. He then closed the heavy wood door after it. “Yeah.” He came behind his son. “Everything is fine.”

  Casey walked to his mother and meant to head to the stairs behind her. Now that he was home, the talking would commence. A part of him still wanted it, but at the same time, the other part didn’t. It felt like a long ride home. Now that they were there, he wasn’t sure he wanted to do this. He was afraid of what might become of it. He was still a teenager after all. He wasn’t sure what he wanted, although he would never admit it.

  Jimmy didn’t intend to let him go that easily. “Casey, I think it’s time to talk.”

  Casey did stop.

  Rachel watched both of them. She didn’t know what to think about this, but one thing was for sure, Jimmy was going to keep his word. He was going to do what he knew was right.

  “There is something I need to tell you.” He readied himself with this. In some ways, he didn’t know where to start it, but in a lot more ways, he did. He just went with the latter. “It’s about what happened a long time ago. It’s about the reason I am the way that I am with you.”

  Casey was now listening too.

  Jimmy looked at his wife, saw a small smile light up her face, and it brought his mind to focus. It was time to begin.

  “I fear the way I do for you because of what happened to my family before I met your mother. I’m scared for you because of what happened to my wife—and my daughter—your sister.”

  Casey felt a heavy frog form in his throat. He actually felt it move, and find its way into his chest. It made it feel heavy and weighted down. It felt as if his heart was about to implode from within. He actually held his breaths. He felt like he was in shock, but never really was before, so he couldn’t describe it. It just felt strong. It felt bad.

  “I had a sister?” Somehow, he didn’t doubt this. He didn’t know why, but he seemed to know this already. It was an odd feeling.

  Jimmy stepped to his wife. He put his hands on his hips. He needed all of the support that he could find. He held himself up and was close enough to her just in case he needed more than he could give himself.

  “Yes you did. Her name was Sima. She and her mother, Alana, and I lived in Great Britain a long time ago. We lived a very good life. We were happy and content. Sima was a wonderful daughter." He paused some, while trying to gather his thoughts. He felt like crying, but held himself together. He did the best he always did. “She looked a lot like you actually. She was very beautiful and kind. She was perfect in every way.”

  Casey’s eyes exploded along with his belly. They both felt moist and ready to flood. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?” This was all that he could say.

  Jimmy understood everything he felt from him. He expected more actually.

  “I didn’t tell you because of that fear—the fear for what happened then. I thought that if you didn’t know everything that it would help protect you from what was out there. I thought it would protect you from them.”

  “Who?”

  “My brother and those that followed him, he tried to use her—your sister to get to me. They knew that she would be my only weakness. They were right.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  He shook his head. “Devish saw her gifts. He saw mine, what I could do and be for him. He tried to use both of us to quench his needs for blood. In the end, he took her mother. He ended up taking her.
”

  Casey felt the frog reform in his throat. “He killed her.” Again, he thought he would feel shocked with hearing this, but he wasn’t entirely. Again, he felt like he already knew everything.

  Jimmy looked in to Rachel’s deep eyes and let them consume his very soul. “He did. I watched her die. I felt it. I held her after it happened.”

  Casey looked at his mother, and then he looked down to the floor. He now understood some of this—his father’s nervousness with him—but there was more.

  “You wanted to protect me because of them taking her. But they are gone—you told me that Devish is dead.”

  Jimmy finally blinked. “He is, but he was not alone in his hatred and thirst. He had many followers. There are always monsters that can come again.” There were more than any of them would ever know. He had always believed it, no matter what anyone would tell him otherwise. He knew he was right.

  It was time to go a lot further than this. “Why did they want you, if he was your brother?”

  Jimmy shrugged as he answered. “He wanted the gifts inside me, my ability to heal from the things that would normally destroy them. Unlike the Walkers, I am immune to both silver and gold. I also possess a soul. I can live on even after death. He wanted everything so he could retake this world and make it in to his own image. The humans and their blood was all that he cared about. Nothing else mattered, not even me.”

  Again, Casey understood that, but, “Why me then? I don’t have any gifts, and if he’s gone from wanting you, then why keep trying to protect me?”

  Jimmy looked him in the eyes. “Your sister possessed a gift that was far more powerful than I think anyone realized. She could see through people, both monster and human alike. She could see things that no one else could. She became a threat to everyone.”

  Again, Casey had to stress, “But I don’t have any gifts.” He looked at his mother and back to his father again. “I have nothing that anyone would want.”

  Hearing this, Jimmy had to agree with his son. “That’s why I think it may be time for you to start doing some things on your own.” He stared directly at his son. “But it does come with risks too.” He hugged himself. “I did not show my true power, my abilities, until I turned seven. That was when the wolf first came out from inside me.”

  “I’m about to turn seven.” Casey swallowed. He knew this was too good to be true.

  Jimmy let his arms fall back to his sides. Both ways felt uncomfortable. It didn’t matter how they rested.

  “That’s what scares me son. You may still have gifts. They just might not have shown themselves to us yet.”

  He had to counter this, so he did. “What about my sister? When did she show her gifts?” This felt like a good one too.

  Jimmy looked at Rachel and then went back to his son. “She talked to me from a very young age.” He knew what Casey was trying to do, but he had to be honest with this. So, he stayed true to it and him.

  “So she had them before seven then.” The point was served. Again, he didn’t know why he seemed to know all of this, but still didn’t care. He used what he had.

  Jimmy nodded. “That’s why we are going to let you do this. You may be right, you may be normal; I just wanted you to know the truth. I wanted you to know of the reasons for the possible dangers that may be out there for you. It’s time for you to start it, but safely.”

  Casey almost couldn’t believe it; he was actually going to let this happen, so he had to repeat it to make sure he heard him right. “You’re telling me that I can go out by myself then?”

  Rachel felt that it was her time to come in to this now, so she did. “Your father and I have discussed this Casey, and we both feel that you are ready to spread your wings.” She took her son’s shoulders, wrapped her right arm around them, and squeezed him tightly. He was already getting taller than she was, so she had to raise her arm up to do it too. “It is time to begin your journey. We can’t stand in your way forever.”

  He turned to her and almost felt himself floored. He didn’t know what to feel, so he let his excitement fly out in full force instead.

  “You’re both serious.”

  Jimmy stepped to them, placed his left hand to his son’s right shoulder, and slapped him solidly. “We are both serious. You should have a life, and I think it’s time for you to start living it.”

  Casey smiled ear to ear. The look nearly consumed his face. Angel’s face raced inside his mind. Now he couldn’t wait to see her again.

  Jimmy said all he needed to say as a friend. It was time to be the father again too. “Just make sure that you’re safe. Watch those around you. Do not assume anything. If anything happens, no matter how strange you think it is, I want you to tell your mother or me about it. Be careful of who you trust. They may not be all that you think they are.” He let the hand fall back to his side. “Is that a deal?”

  Casey nodded emphatically yes. “Always. I promise you that I will remember everything.” He looked at his mother, and kissed her softly on her right cheek. “Thank you both.” He looked back to his father. “For everything.”

  Jimmy gave him a soft wink. “We love you Casey. We both want you to be happy, as much as we want you to be safe.”

  Casey turned, and headed to the stairs. He had to get to his bedroom, and begin his plans. He had so much to do that he didn’t know where to start.

  Rachel watched him leave. “We did the right thing Jimmy, you know that right.” She looked back.

  Jimmy hoped she was right. It was all he could do. “I hope so.” He finally breathed. “You know that I found him in a diner in town.” He stared at his wife. “He met a girl there.” He waited for the reaction that he knew was coming next.

  “A girl?” Her face turned pale. Her mind froze. “Who?” It was her turn to panic.

  All he could do was smile. “She’s his angel.” He looked back at the stairs, and suddenly felt like he wanted to go out by himself too. A mother’s longing to see her son happy always stopped when it came to the time to bring another woman into his life. He knew this, and now he waited for it to come to her.

  She wouldn’t disappoint him at all.

  He saw it in her eyes.

  So it begins.

  14

  It had been a long night. So much has happened that Martin couldn’t wait to tell them what they found out. Their long search was over. A piece of the puzzle had shown itself. They found him.

  Ever since he learned about the monsters, the ones that called themselves the Walkers, he never believed that he would reach this moment. It was the answers to all of his prayers. It meant that they had found a weapon. They had found something that gold or silver could never do. It would not only kill them, but it would take away the very beasts that haunted his nights. It would destroy the hoard, for the last time. To say the least, he hated them. He despised their strength. He derided their wealth and their status. He envied their control. He dreaded their power and everything they ever were. He knew why. His hatred was very well placed. After all, they took everything he had ever loved away from him. They destroyed his life. They ravaged his being. They corrupted his world. It was time to repay them for that—and more.

  But now I have something that can finally defeat them once and for all. They will not stand the chance once I unleash their very end upon them. I can save this world from them. I can destroy the very beasts that nearly destroyed this world.

  He had hoped for this day, since the first day he could remember hearing the truth. When he met the woman, when he saw what she could do, he knew it right then. He knew of the prayers being heard. He knew that God was real. With her gifts, she had told him so much. She had taught him everything he now knew.

  Making his way through the old Victorian home they worked out of, he opened the last door at the end of the hallway on the second floor. He didn’t need to knock.

  She wore a hood over her head. She wore the robe she always carried. He didn’t like it that he never saw her face, bu
t he did understand the need to do it. She had seen so much too. She also feared what they were. She told him as much and he never doubted her. How could anyone lie about such horrors? He would never doubt anyone who carried such scars in life—and in death.

  She raised her head. “Martin? Why are you so pleased?” her voice was as smooth as the color of the black robe she wore. She hadn’t expected him so soon. His task should have taken him longer than this.

  He calmed himself before he began. When he felt this way, it was hard for him to contain himself, so he had to take the time. It was his way only.

  She seemed to know everything already. She always did.

  “You have found him?”

  He should have been surprised by her wisdom, but he wasn’t. Since founding his Gathering Storm, he would never feel surprised again.

  “We have. He is living with a boy. He is there with him. He will be alone.”

  Her head stayed down. She never let them see her face. The pain in her eyes was impossible for her to bear to anyone but herself.

  “That is good. We may then begin.”

  He couldn’t see her face, but he could tell that she was pleased. “My people are going there to get him now. We are going to bring him back here.”

  She bowed her head back down. “Your people know of his strengths? They cannot underestimate his power. He will know you before they even think it to themselves.”

  He already knew this, so, “I have told them everything. They will be cautious.”

  She obviously wasn’t so sure. “He will see them coming if they think it. They must keep themselves prepared for him.”

  He understood this. He knew what he was. He told his people to guard against thinking too much. Besides, his human comrades were not going alone.

  “El is going with them.”

  She lifted her head up slightly. The hood covered her eyes, but her chin was shown to him.

  He felt her worry. “Is that a problem?”

  Her head went back down and the top of the dark hood flushed to her chest.