Keeper of Destinies Read online

  “Your mother shoots you.”

  He shook his head as if disappointed, but he didn’t appear shocked at all. “Damn. I have to say though, I’m not surprised. I always knew that she hated me.”

  “In the vision, it was an accident. She aims for someone else, but you run in and throw that person aside, saving his life and take the bullet.”

  Jack sipped his coffee and nodded thoughtfully. “Shit.”

  “Yeah,” she agreed, “Definitely shit.”

  They sat for a moment in silence, drinking their coffee and staring at the table. Then, Jack glanced up at her and as their gazes locked, appearing very serious he said, “Thank you for coming here. This … it means a lot to me that you would go out of your way to help save my child … and me. This family means everything to me.”

  “I couldn’t have it any other way. If I didn’t come, I would have suffered guilt, knowing I let you go to your death. Also, I have a grudge against your mother, so I’d like to see her pay for everything she has done to innocent people. So, the gesture isn’t completely unselfish.”

  Jack nodded. “I definitely respect that. And sorry about what she did to you.”

  “Nothing we can do about that now.” Emily shrugged. “It’s over. But, I’d like to make sure that doesn’t happen to anyone ever again.”

  “I’m with you,” Jack agreed. “All the way.”

  Emily blew on her coffee and then took another tentative sip. “Is it hard?”

  “Is what hard?” He tilted his head and searched her eyes for the answer.

  “Is it hard that your mother is the enemy? I mean, most people would have some serious issues having to work their way around that.” She hoped she wasn’t overstepping boundaries by asking, but the way she figured it. Open and honest was the only way they could all play this out safely.

  He shrugged, looking thoughtful as he contemplated his answer. “I suppose it is kind of hard, but I have to put that aside. I know that she never loved me. I know that she only cares about the survival of the Reaper Royalty and Reaper race.” He paused. “She never should have had a child. I’m pretty sure the only reason she did was to ensure that the Walker line would maintain power.”

  Emily nodded, but stayed silent, sensing that he wasn’t done.

  Sure enough, Jack closed his eyes as if he were gathering strength and then opened them again. “It is hard. Because she is still my mother. She gave birth to me. She is my blood. I wish I could say that didn’t matter at all, but it does.”

  “Which is why I am going to be the one to kill her,” Aiden said from the entrance to the kitchen.

  A sharp cry escaped her lips before she could stop it. She hadn’t heard him approach and apparently neither had Jack.

  “Sorry, Seer, didn’t mean to scare you.” Aiden moved into the kitchen and headed for the coffee pot. “But I overheard what my brother here was saying and that is exactly what I have been telling him. No one should have to kill their own mother. I don’t care how shitty of a parent they were, it’s just not something anyone should have to do.” He said this last part as poured the last bit of coffee into his mug. “Dammit.” He held the carafe up and examined it. Then, he set it aside and began the process of emptying the used grounds and making a fresh pot.

  Jack hadn’t turned to look at his friend. His eyes were downcast, staring into his mug. Finally, after a moment, he told him, “You shouldn’t have to do that either.”

  “Tough shit, bro. It’s the way it’s going to be.”

  “I feel like it’s my responsibility.”

  “Get over it.” Aiden filled the empty pot with water and poured it into the back of the coffee pot and then sat down with them at the table.

  Emily watched the interactions silently. She knew these two men were close. They were more than friends, they were brothers … bonded by a love that was stronger than blood. Fate had connected them, given them each other to help them survive.

  Jack finally just shook his head and gestured to the food on the counter. “I made breakfast, if you’re interested.”

  “I’m not ready to die yet. I have things to accomplish before that happens.”

  Jack rolled his eyes. “Stubborn moron.”

  “Deal with it,” Aiden retorted. “And that is definitely the pot calling the kettle black, bro.”

  “Where’s Liv.” Jack changed the subject.

  Aiden tested his coffee, then, finding it cool enough to drink, he took a larger swig. “Work. You know she gets up at like four in the morning to go get things started at the bakery. Leaving me all alone to fend for myself.”

  “Poor thing,” Jack teased.

  “I know, it’s a shame.”

  Emily watched, intrigued, as the two Reaper’s bantered back and forth. She had never really experienced anyone making jokes or teasing her, so she found the way that they communicated simply fascinating. From what she had seen, most of the Estmond family was like that as well.

  She liked it. She wasn’t entirely sure why she liked it, but she did.

  “So, Seer…” Aiden turned toward her. She usually tried to avoid his gaze, since this particular man still made her uncomfortable, but he stared at her until her eyes finally met his and he was sure he had her attention.

  He cleared his throat. “I feel like I owe you an apology for what happened back at the compound. I can be an emotionless bastard and I was doing what I was instructed to do.”

  “It’s okay,” Emily started to say.

  “No.” He shook his head. “It’s not okay. Those are not reasons, they are excuses, and nothing I can say will take away what happened. But know that I regret every part of it and I am sorry.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Jack’s jaw drop a little, but ignored it. She kept her gaze on Aiden’s and offered him a nod. “I forgive you.”

  She didn’t offer any long drawn out reasons why she forgave him. But mostly, she believed in karma and fate. Harboring harsh feelings for him, after he had truly tried to redeem himself, would only end up causing her more negativity and pain. She believed in forgiveness.

  But, then there were those like the Empress, who didn’t even try to do good. She lived and breathed evil, and those were the types of people that Emily would never be able to forgive.

  “Thank you,” Aiden told her.

  She nodded. “I still…” She didn’t know how to finish her sentence.

  “Still see what happened as if it were yesterday, every time you look at me?”

  She nodded. “Yes.” He had nailed it.

  “Well, I hope that fades in time,” he told her. “I understand why you feel that way, though.”

  Emily nodded again, not knowing what else to say on the topic. An awkward silence filled the space in the kitchen for a little bit, though it was quickly broken when James entered the room with Steph and Ethan.

  “I don’t care,” Steph was telling the men. “It doesn’t matter what he’s doing. If he says it’s not illegal or like … drugs or anything, then it’s none of our business what he does. He obviously doesn’t want us to know or he would just tell us.”

  James headed straight for the coffee pot, which was nearly done perking the fresh coffee. “I can’t handle not knowing. Secrets suck.”

  “If he has a secret, he definitely has a reason and he wouldn’t do anything that would put him or the family at risk,” Ethan interjected, following James to the coffee.

  “There’s food.” Jack gestured to the bacon and eggs. “Just leave enough for Lucy … like a helping for two people. I want my baby fed good.”

  Just then, the door to the kitchen opened again and Lucy appeared. “Don’t do that. I’m not eating that much.” The youngest Keeper looked pale, especially with the contrast of her dark red hair. She had the strands piled into a messy bun on top of her head and wore a pair of purple sweatpants with a little black tank top.

  Lucy glanced at Jack and rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry, I am eating, but I’m not that hungry right now.”

  “As long as you eat.”

  “I want coffee.”

  “You get one cup of regular so you don’t kill anyone, after that you get decaf.”

  Lucy halted on her way to the coffee pot where the boys were making way for her. “Decaf?” Her voice held an accusatory tone. “Are you kidding me?”

  Emily watched as the entire family turned their heads toward Jack to see how he would answer. Aware of the stares, Jack shrugged. “What? I’ve been reading and the books all say that a woman shouldn’t have too much caffeine when she is pregnant.”

  “Give me that book.” Lucy glared at him. “I’m burning it.”

  Jack widened his eyes and put a hand to his chest. “You can’t burn a book!”

  “I agree. But I’m making an exception for any book that tells me I can’t have coffee.” As if to prove her point she poured the brew into her mug and took a sip.

  “One cup.” He glared at her.

  She lifted her hand and gave him the finger while the mug was still at her lips.

  “I love you too, baby.”

  Emily couldn’t help but smile. This family had a different way of getting along than she was used to, but she knew without a doubt that they loved each other and would give anything to keep each other safe.

  That was something she never had, a family, especially one that would go to these lengths to protect one another.

  It was hard not to wish that she had that for herself.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  GREG

  The cemetery was beautiful in the fall. This was the season that Greg loved best. Summer in California was too hot. Yes, he was used to the sweltering summers, but that didn’t mean he liked them. Spring was okay, probably his second favorite, and w
inter never really lasted long. Winter was generally just an extended fall and spring. Snow was extremely rare, but it did get cold and rainy quite often.

  He patrolled the graveyard with only half his attention on the task, the other half of his mind was on the Seer. He had thought they would never see Emily after Napa. Now … she’d burst into their lives again and this time she had dropped a bomb on them. A big bomb.

  One of them was going to die. Jack was going to die if they didn’t do something.

  This was a serious situation and his mind should be on how they were going to get through it with everyone alive. He should be trying to figure out how they were going to defy death, but no, his thoughts were on Emily.

  He couldn’t figure out why it was so hard to get her off his mind. Sure, he loved women. He dated and got as much sex as he wanted, but this girl, he felt like he needed her in his life. He had never felt like that about a woman before. Ever.

  Well, that was actually a lie. He felt this way one time before, when he first met Emily during the battle at the Empresses compound. The moment he saw her, the attraction slammed into him like he had run into a brick wall. But then, she was gone and it was senseless to dwell on it. He’d gone this long without a woman, so what use was it to worry about something he couldn’t change.

  Now she was here and, from the looks of it, it appeared that they would be spending some time together. He should be happy about it, that she was here to help them, but his mind kept wandering to her … just her.

  The kicker here, though, was that James was attracted to her too. This had happened before with all the brothers, so it wasn’t like they hadn’t ever crushed on the same girl. He wished he could just give up and tell his brother to go for it. It would make more sense, since Emily was closer to James’ age anyway.

  That didn’t seem to be an option this time, however.

  With a sigh, he shoved the thoughts away and tried to concentrate on the task at hand. It was daylight, so the souls were not as visible as they were at night. Here and there he could spot the patches of air that were tinted with blue, but for the most part he couldn’t see them.

  Hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans, he trudged slowly up one of the trails to the back side of the cemetery and found a bench where he could sit for a while.

  The bench overlooked the farmhouse. He could see the family moving about inside and knew they were all fighting over the coffee pot and eating breakfast.

  His stomach rumbled at the thought of food. He typically ate first thing in the morning to fuel his body for the day, but today he’d come right out at five in the morning to relieve Hannah from her patrol. He was regretting the decision now, knowing he should have at least grabbed a snack.

  “Good morning, son.”

  The air shimmered and the sparkling blue mist of his father began to solidify, forming into the semitransparent image of his father.

  “Hi Dad.” Greg drew in a deep breath. It was still weird to see his father in this form. It was hard on him when his father had passed. He had been so sure that he would never see his father again, and had been happy that his dad would cross over to be with his mother once more. But no, he had refused the crossing because of his unfinished business and his need to be there for his kids.

  His father had been their only parent for many years and the man, even in death, could not stop protecting them. On one hand, Greg was happy that he could still talk to his father. The man had always been there for heart to hearts, regardless of if they were good heart to hearts or the kind meant to put a child in their place. On the other hand, Greg wanted his father to be free of the heartbreak and pain that the real world drowned them in. He wanted his father to be able to do whatever it was that they did when they finally crossed over, because he knew it had to be better than what went on here on earth.

  “Well …” His father crossed his nearly transparent arms over his Hawaiian shirt that his ghostly image still wore. “Looks like there is another addition to the group.”

  Greg shrugged. “I don’t know. She showed up last night and told us that Jack is going to die in Florida. She saw it in her visions, and she is here to help us to change the future.”

  “It can be changed, though?”

  “Possibly. We’re definitely going to try.”

  His father nodded, slowly, as if he were still thinking. “So, that’s all that is bothering you?”

  “I have a feeling you already know the answer to that.” Greg looked up at his father, who was standing over him, and felt his lip curve into a small smile. Gregory Estmond Sr. knew his kids. If there was anything this man was good at in life, it was reading his children. Not one of the seven of them could ever get a lie past their father.

  “The Seer?”

  “Yes.”

  “Ah, I understand.” His father nodded.

  “I don’t know what it is. I’m just having a hard time not thinking about her. Not about why she’s here, but her.”

  “I don’t see a problem with that. There isn’t a damn thing wrong with being attracted to someone.”

  “James likes her.”

  “Well that could be a problem, but you two will have to figure it out. And, it probably boils down to who she likes in return. Could be neither of you.”

  Greg shook his head and rolled his eyes a little. “I know that, dad. And that isn’t really the issue. The issue is that I should be more worried about the mission. I need to get my head in the game. Ever since she walked in that door last night I can barely think about anything else except her and that freaks me out.”

  “Why does that freak you out?”

  “I’m the one everyone depends on now that your gone. I’m the oldest.”

  His father scoffed. “Just because you’re the oldest and your siblings look up to you, doesn’t mean that you aren’t allowed to have personal issues. I certainly had my share of issues. Being older doesn’t shield you from life, son.”

  Greg was silent for a moment. He moved his gaze from his father and stared at the house. Everyone of those people inside that house depended on him for something. He couldn’t let his concentration stray now.

  He glanced away from the house and back up at his dad. “I don’t know, dad. It’s just not that simple.”

  “You think I don’t know that the life of a Keeper isn’t simple. Well, buddy, try raising seven kids alone and see how things go. At least the ones who depend on you are grown.”

  He had a point. His father was his hero, and was probably seen as that to many of those who lived in Summer Hollow as well. He didn’t know anyone who could raise seven kids all by themselves, not to mention that he helped raise Ethan, too.

  “Ah, speaking of your Seer, here she comes.” His father nodded in the direction of the house.

  Greg followed his gaze and saw Emily, holding a plate with a paper towel over it in one hand and closing the door with the other. She turned, her eyes drifting over the cemetery until she spotted him and then she began the short walk across the lawn, over into the graveyard.

  “You better meet her halfway son, she knows you saw her.”

  “Yeah.” Greg answered, still watching Emily as she walked casually up the trail toward him.

  His father’s image began to shimmer and slowly disappear. “Remember what I told you, though. Live life kid. Don’t give up your entire life because you feel responsible for them. You will take good care of them no matter what, so it’s okay to let your mind wander a bit. And it’s okay to have some fun too.”

  Greg nodded, acknowledging his father’s words. “Thanks dad.”

  And with that, his father was gone.

  Inhaling deeply, Greg pushed himself up off the bench and headed down the hill to meet Emily.

  She wore a thin cardigan and jeans. The light breeze lifted her curly hair off of her shoulders and blew some of the strands across her face as she continued up the trail toward him. He mentally photographed the moment, so that he could remember how she looked marching up the path on a brisk fall morning.

  “Good morning.” He called out, just before they finally reached each other.

  “Good morning.” She responded, a soft smile playing on her lips. “Jack made breakfast. I thought you might be hungry.”