`Yes, yes.' He hugged her, enjoying the scent of her hair. `It's just so hard to understand it all.' He caught sight of movement in the trees. `And it's about to get harder. Wil's here.'
Ruth turned as Renee reappeared in a gush of wind.
`Your boy is here.' She crossed her arms, watching Mason. `And he's pissed off with you two.'
`You spoke to him?' Ruth stepped toward the trees.
`Nope, didn't need to.' Renee tilted her head. `He's armed and smells of anger.'
Mason widened his vision until he spotted Wilson hiding in the trees, pistols in hand.
`There is another?' Ivy muttered from behind.
`Yes.' Mason nodded, waving Wilson to come out. `Our son.'
He watched Wilson slip the pistols into a tree before stepping out of his hiding place.
`Are all your clan like this?' Ivy asked as Wilson jogged towards them, face creased in a frown.
`The son isn't as stubborn or as irritating as the father,' Renee said, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. `But still gifted.'
`Who's that?' Lilly stepped past them, Rose clinging to her arm.
`Wilson.' Mason said, glancing at Lilly before studying Rose's missing teeth and swollen face. `Rose, you look like crap.'
`Nah,' she muttered. He decided to leave it.
`So, what the hell have you done?' Wilson ignored the crowd of women and waved his arms wildly. `I thought you were in the club.' Ruth hugged him and he went quiet, hugging her back, but staring at Mason.
`We're fine.' Mason shifted under his son's stare. The lad had a right to be worried.
`It's all right, Wil,' Ruth said, holding him. `Everything is all right.'
`Uh-huh, then why is the sand moving?' He staggered and clung to Ruth.
`Is it Gaia?' Mason asked, keeping his balance as sand rippled underfoot.
`Yep.' Ruth let Wilson go as the sand rose up.
`Hmm, this is unusual. Troubling.' Tashia stepped forward but all the other women, including the Flowers, shuffled back. `Gaia does not reveal herself like this. To us.'
`Things are getting freaky again.' Wilson followed his mother towards the moving sand. Mason glanced around at the Darkells gathered near the fire. Ivy nodded to him. Lilly helped Rose stand.
Yep, it was freaky all right.
`This isn't part of the evening celebrations?' he asked Tashia when she joined him.
`Our paths are very different. Our energy is sourced off-world, you might say. Gaia's is bound to the earth we stand on.'
`Different paths, but not enemies?' He glanced up at her. Gaia was taking form near Ruth.
`There have been misunderstandings in the past but no major conflict. Humans are her children and so it is Bloodells she wars with.'
`She does?' He glanced back at Ruth waiting for Gaia. `How?'
`The goddess has many ways of influencing the earth and its elements. They can kill.' She touched him with a long finger. `But when things are dire, Gaia can unleash something far more dangerous than any Unnatural.'
Mason folded his arms, thinking he knew what she was suggesting. `You mean me.'
`At first. But now…' Tashia looked at Ruth and he went cold. She was reaching out to touch Gaia. Nikki stood close behind.
`Ruth? How?'
`Would we be standing here if Ruth had died a year ago?'
`No.' He rubbed his nose. The darkness in him began to uncoil, pain and memories roiled deep inside. `You know about that?'
`Hmm, I do. Without love and your family you are just a butcher. Just a mindless killing machine with a limited lifespan. Even you figured that out.'
He snorted and ground his teeth but couldn't argue. She spoke the truth.
`To kill out of revenge is to hate.' She leaned over close to his ear. `But if you kill to protect your kin, to keep them safe...' She placed her hand on his shoulder and goosebumps tickled his skin. Understanding seeped in.
`Hunter?' She squeezed his shoulder then let him go.
Ruth hugged Gaia's form while Nikki watched. Renee stood to one side, watching him.
The odd one out, just like me, he thought, as Ruth waved him over.
He shook his head and went to join Ruth. Everything was changing so fast, but all he knew was he wasn't alone any more. That couldn't be bad.
Gaia's eyes settled on him. Ruth reached out but Mason could feel it already. Gaia wanted more from him. A lot more.
CHAPTER 12
Everything about Gaia made Ruth feel safe. Her touch, the warm energy that flowed from her. The very sense that they were connected gave Ruth comfort.
`He will need you tonight.' Gaia's liquid blue eyes moved to Mason as he walked towards them. `It will be you who has to be strong for him. The darkness within him must not speak here.'
`They're all staring at us, Mum.' Wilson edged closer to her. `And Dad doesn't look that happy either. What's going on?'
`They didn't expect Gaia.' She felt his hand on her shoulder, strong like his father's.
`And apparently something else is going to happen here. Nikki?'
Nikki stood looking skywards while Renee paced around her.
`What's wrong with her?' Mason thumbed at Nikki as he joined them. `And what's Gaia doing here? Tashia and the rest are all edgy about it.'
`Be ready. She comes.'
`Magi?' Tashia approached Nikki, but stopped just short of Renee's reach. Renee seemed different — more feline, violent — and even Tashia stood back from her. `Nikki! Can you sense it?'
`It's more.' Nikki didn't move, her eyes still skywards. A chill settled on Ruth and she reached for Mason, pulling him closer as Renee stopped pacing, eyes on him.
`The Dark Energy. It comes?' Tashia stepped back. The air became colder and Ruth felt her skin tighten. Mason's flesh went hard under her hand.
`No.' Nikki's voice deepened as tendrils of a black fog slithered over her.
Wilson's grip tightened on Ruth's arm as they watched the fog cover Nikki. Renee edged away, towards Mason.
`Mum, it's everywhere,' Wilson said, shuffling.
Something brushed her foot. Ruth watched long thin tendrils of black fog creeping low to the ground. A tendril crept up her leg, past her knee, its touch soft and cool on her skin.
`It will not harm you. Let it feel who you are,' Nikki said.
Ruth took a slow breath as the tendril slipped higher, curling around her thigh.
`Leave her be.' Nikki's voice boomed in the cold air.
The tendril fell away. Ruth watched it drift among the others then the fire flickered to a black light. Many of the women reached out to the fog, welcoming it.
`Nikki's face,' Wilson whispered. `It's, um, scaly.'
`Hey,' Ruth whispered, pulling at an immobile Mason. `Mason?' She moved to touch his face but Renee slipped in beside him, teeth flashing. Ruth withdrew her hand.
`What's that about?' Wilson whispered as Renee touched Mason's face with a clawed hand.
`I'm not sure.' Ruth's stomach went cold as Mason covered Renee's hand with his own, both so alike.
`Treaty.' The