Seventh Seal - Jacquelyn Faye Page 0,83

am your sister."

"Oh, come on. Quit joking around." She slid off the stone and started walking toward me. "We've known each other our whole lives, shared almost a hundred birthdays. Lived through depressions and wars and… I mean it's just not possible. You're not being funny, you're being mean." She frowned as she stopped in front of me. "I mean, we can't be sisters. You're perfect. You're beautiful, funny, powerful. You're a fucking Blackwell for goddess' sake. I'm just me. Josie. With a mom from hell. Okay, we kind of share that, too, but stop kidding around, Dot."

"I'm not. And I won't say I wish I wasn't. You know I've always thought of you as a sister… Well, it turns out we are."

"That's not possible. You're telling me we're twins and I got adopted off…" She was starting to get angry.

I put both my hands on her shoulders. "No. We have different mothers, but the same father."

"You're telling me my dad is your dad. A god? Sorry, Dot, try again. The only godly thing about me is my ability to screw up."

"You're not a screw up, Jose. Knock it off." It was my turn to get angry.

"You're telling me that your dad cheated on your mother with my mother? Nobody's that fucking stupid, Dorothea Blackwell."

"Not cheated on… See, your mom, my mom, and my dad went to a party…"

"Oh, gods. I'm going to be sick." She dropped low, crouching down in front of me and wringing her hands through her hair as she stared at my kneecaps. "No…no…no. That's just fucking wrong." She started shaking her head, not letting go of her hair. I couldn't blame her, either. I kind of wanted to put bleach in my eyes when I had my first visual, too.

I crouched down and gave her a crooked smile. "Try not to think of the deed, just the result. It helps."

She lifted her eyes. "How long have you known?"

"Not long. I was just trying to figure out how to tell you."

"I'm never going to be able to look at your mother again. Or mine. Oh, goddess…"

"I know. Kind of hard to believe, but I'm glad they did."

"How can you be glad? I may never have sex again."

"Yeah, right. And what do you mean how can I be glad? Josie Barton, you're my sister. My flesh and blood sibling. How can I not be glad? That's fucking awesome!"

She smiled for the first time and nodded. "That explains the same age and birthday, huh? We've always wondered about that."

"Yep. Mystery solved." I laughed and hugged her.

"Dot?"

"Yeah, Jose?"

"Thank you."

"For telling you?"

"No. Well, yes, but thank you for never succumbing to my hitting on you. Oh, goddess, I'm going to be sick again."

∞ ∞ ∞

I slipped the seven letters stuffed into seven envelopes into the pen drawer of my desk and pushed it shut. Well, it used to be my desk. It was Jason's now. And after the night I was about to have, the whole store might be his, too. A single tear fell and landed on the already worn surface of the wood surface. Quickly, I wiped my eyes and stood up, nearly shaking with fear. Reaching in my pocket, I let the warmth of the giant gem holding my father's power warm my skin. If everything went right, it would be his again soon.

Opening the door, I squeaked and caught my breath after nearly colliding with Jason. "Sorry, Dot! Didn't mean to scare you."

"No problems, Love. I'll see you later," I managed to mumble and tried to walk around him.

"Want to grab some dinner?'

"Uh…can't tonight. Taking Candace wedding dress shopping," I lied smoothly. After telling Josie that I was her actual sister, I used it as an excuse to steal Candace away from her for the night. Dar, I had told that I nearly shadow walked myself into a tree and that I would be kidnapping Shea to take us to the mall in Syracuse until I could control my power better. He had bought it, but I wasn't sure it was a hundred percent after the strange look he had given me. Not that it mattered. He would know the truth soon enough and it wasn't like he could follow us to Tartarus.

"Oh, that's cool. And sweet." He grinned at me and gave me a chaste kiss. No snogging in front of the customers. I didn't want them getting jealous or getting any ideas. "How about tomorrow?"

Sure. If I survive, I'll take you all out for