of evilness laced with it. Following the trail, I end up deeper in the wooded area. A feeling of malicious intent is heavy in the air. All of my synapses are firing off, warning me to leave… and to do so quickly. But being the man that has been tasked with finding out what’s going on, I must follow all of the clues and leads that present themselves to me.
I’ve never been a praying man, but right now, I’m praying to all of the gods and goddesses that my kind believe in. I ask for protection and knowledge to solve this case and save the lives of the innocents that have been, and will be, impacted by others’ evil intentions. A bright light stemming from a crack in time catches my attention as I make my way deeper into nature. This must be where the veil is being opened and closed. It’s a thin line of sparkling light as it dangles a foot off the ground. What bothers me the most is that the wildlife around it is at death’s door. The grass is no longer a lush green, it’s brown, in the final stages of dying a slow and painful death.
My chest tightens at the idea of this happening—our witches, Faes and vampires, they all depend on the growth of nature to keep their powers strong. They all feed off of Mother Earth to keep themselves strong and bountiful. As the earth weakens, so will they and their gifts.
The only thing I can do is pray—pray that this doesn’t leak into other areas of our island and spread into the mainlands. That would be a travesty if it were to happen. It’s bad enough that supernatural beings could be affected here on our safe parcel of land, but if it does spread wide and large, it has the possibilities of rendering all supernaturals weak, unable to defend the humans and all of our lands.
Vaughn
Something is amiss. A feeling of sorrowfulness settles deep in my bones. I can’t quite place my finger on what it is that is causing this achiness to reside within me, but it’s full of angst and fear. I’ve always felt safe here, but now, I worry if I shouldn’t grab Emmaline and run, finding sanctuary for the both of us somewhere well-guarded against the happenings surrounding us. Just until things have been settled and it’s safe to come back home.
Isn’t that what a mother is supposed to do? Protect her own against all odds and cherish them. I understand and recognize I’m not biologically Emmaline’s mother, but I feel her with every beat of my heart. The love I already have for this child is staggering, but I know I’m meant to be the one to raise her. Not only do I desire this, but so does she.
You don’t have to birth someone in order to love them unconditionally. I was pulled to her instantaneously when I entered that nursery for a reason; one I may not yet understand, but the fact remains as such. She wasn’t my case, she wasn’t my child to place, but my soul was enraptured the moment I laid my eyes upon her. I’ve never been called to another the way I was to her.
My heart weeps for Emmaline and her birth mother. The things they’ll miss from one another is enough to cause me to shed tears on their behalf. I don’t even care that she zaps me of my energy; I’ll gladly give it all to her if it helps her. The power she wields at such a young age is staggering. She’ll be powerful and a force to be reckoned with. I need to make sure that she’s surrounded by her kind and learns how to control her magic. I have no knowledge of how to do that personally, so I’ll be depending on the community to help me guide her through life. I wish I could do it all, but I’m only one person and I don’t have the tools at my disposal to answer all of her future questions.
Hearing Shyla coo at Scar has a smile gracing my face. Who would’ve thought on one fateful day that we’d both find children of our own? Children who don’t have our blood flowing through their systems, but ours all the same. Out of my peripheral, I see Emmaline begin to stir in her bassinet. Quickly striding in her direction, I pick her up before a wail loud