I cringed. Kai was doing this for me.I was subtly picking up on clues that werewolves, witches and vampires kept tothemselves.
She nodded and took the dagger to Kai’swrist and dropped a few drops of blood into her bowl.
“I call on my ancestors and spiritguardians who come in the white light. I provide the powerful blood of an Alphaas an offering. Help me to find what was once lost. Open my mind to thememories no matter the cost.”
I could see a white mist coming downfrom the ceiling and into Sylvia’s head. I gasped and she looked at me withsilver-coated irises. Her expression became blank. The mist intensified and Istumbled back to avoid it. Kai looked at me oddly as if he weren’t seeing themist. Sylvia looked horrified and then she smiled and a tear rolled down hercheek. I watched her face play out a dozen expressions as if she were watchinga movie. The mist retreated and Sylvia’s eyes returned to their normal color.
“What happened? The mist…” Istuttered.
“You saw the mist?” Sylvia lookedshocked. Then she reached out her hand. “Aurora, I think you have the gift of apowerful seer witch. I think I can show you everything I just saw. Take myhand.”
I reached for her outstretched hand butKai stepped in front of me. “I don’t trust witch magic.”
I looked at Kai and chewed my lip. “Ineed to see.”
Then I grabbed her hand. I was pulledinto a vision and it felt much like the visions I had when I saw a pair ofmates.
A younger woman with long blonde hairsat on a bed of green grass stroking a large muscular man’s arm. He looked ather and smiled before taking her in for a passionate kiss. “Genevieve,” hewhispered. Then the scene changed and it showed the man who was with Genevieveturning into a werewolf and running with a pack. It flashed to Genevievestanding over a spell book and her eyes glazing over white. She was a witch.Then Genevieve was at home and holding her swollen belly. She was pregnant. Theman stroked her belly. “How can it be? You’re a witch and I’m a werewolf. Howcan you be pregnant with our child?”
Genevieve had been crying; tearsstreaked her face. “You don’t believe me? I haven’t been with anyone else,Vincent!” she screamed.
“I want to believe you! But it’s notpossible. Werewolves can take witches and humans for lovers but not as mates.We can only have children with our mate!”
Genevieve stood boldly. “Maybe I amyour mate! I just happen to be a witch, but I am your soul mate, Vincent Briar!I’m carrying your child and when the baby is born you will see. If only werewolfmates can produce a child, then how am I pregnant with yours?”
She ran from the house crying.
The next scene showed Genevievehaving just given birth to twins, holding a small baby girl and a boy. Thebabies were wrapped in a fuzzy blanket. Vincent was there, he held them andstroked Genevieve’s hair. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. They are mine. I cansee it. They smell like me, too.”
She gazed at Vincent and smiled. “Iwant to name her Ruby, after my grandmother, and I want to name him Cole, afteryour father.”
“I love you, I love them,” Vincentsaid as the scene faded.
The next scene showed Ruby growing upat varying ages, five and then twelve, and then when she met her mate. Itseemed that when she shifted with her mate for the first time is when her Matefinderabilities manifested. Then it showed her wedding day. It showed her changingfrom wolf to human but also casting spells with Genevieve, her mother. She wassome sort of Hybrid. It showed Genevieve arguing with a vampire and beingkilled. Vincent tried to defend her honor and was torn apart by the vampirecoven.
Ruby explored her new abilitiesfinding mated pairs but was sad not to have her mother’s guidance. Then it showedher pregnant and also having twins. She held the babies wrapped in her armswhile her mate caressed her face; tears shown on her cheeks. “I want to nameher Aurora, and his name will be Drake, after you.”
Her husband looked at her “Are yousure it has to be this way? I’m an Alpha, I can protect them. I will keep themsafe.”
Ruby’s eyes glowed yellow. “I’ve seenher future and mine. We must have them turned human before the first full moon.Then they will go live with Beth. She is my best friend and she is human. Wewill have a high priestess wipe Beth’s memory. She and her husband have beentrying to conceive. They will think the babies are their natural children. Thepriestess will fix her own memory so that no one ever finds out. I’ve seen itand it’s the only way to keep them safe.” Ruby cried openly as her husband heldher.
The next scene showed Sylvia performinga ceremony on the twin babies. Sylvia looked at Ruby. “You know the price ofturning wolf pups into humans?”
Ruby nodded boldly. “The children’smother must take her life before the first full moon after their birth.” Ruby’smate wasn’t present.
Then they were brought to Beth andher husband’s house and a spell was cast to wipe their memory of the fact thatthe twins were not theirs.
Ruby was captured by a werewolf packand a dark warlock on the way back from the ceremony. They did horrible thingsto her. Tortured her, starved her, and forced her with magic to tell them whotheir mates were. The wolves started changing innocent children. Ruby’s mateand his pack showed up to free her and her mate’s head was torn off. He diedprotecting her. When her pack freed her of the magic chains binding her, sheran outside and looked at the moon. Not yet full. The pack that had taken herwas still fighting. She walked over to the Alpha of the pack that captured herand sealed her death. “I challenge you as Alpha of Wide Rim pack.”
I knew what was next. I didn’t wantto see her beheaded. I ripped my hand away from Sylvia, crying, and broke awayfrom the vision. Kai caught me as I fell back. Sylvia ran over to me and heldme for a long time. Kai seemed to understand I was okay and that Sylvia and Ishared something intimate. It was a long time before I could speak.
“Ruby, she was my mother,” I croakedout.
Sylvia nodded and stroked my hair. “Genevievewas my best friend. I would do anything for her and Ruby. That explains why Iwould wipe my memory. Now I remember it all. We were trying to protect you andDrake. Your mother, Ruby, she was a powerful seer. She could see the future.She showed me the future she saw for you and Drake. You wouldn’t make it toyour fifth birthday without being captured and drained for your blood if shehadn’t done what she’d done.”
I breathed out shakily. “She sacrificedherself. My mom, Beth. She was her best friend?”
Sylvia nodded. “Beth and Ruby met inhigh school and then went off to college together. Became instant friends; theywere inseparable.” Sylvia was touching her temple and stared off, lost in herthoughts.
