Chapter 283

Jesse gives me a little glare, clearly wanting to be in on the mini conference, but I just grin at him and flick my fingers towards the door, telling him to go away. Cora laughs and gathers up my brother and my cousin, escorting them out of the room and shutting the door behind her so that mom, me, and Jacks are quite suddenly alone.

Jackson sighs, letting me slip down to the floor, even though I can tell he doesn’t want to.

Mom keeps her eyes on the door until it snicks shut and then whips her head back to the two of us. “Did Rafe and Daphne break up? What’s going on there?”

“Mom, I called this private conference to talk about me,” I say, pressing my fingers delicately to my heart. “Not your precious meatball.”

“But he is a precious little meatball!” mom says, gathering her fists tight below her chin and looking at me with shining eyes. “Just a sad, precious little heartbroken meatball!”

I laugh, shaking my head at her but heaving a little sigh. And then as mom slips into Rafe’s desk chair and I take my seat again, Jackson pulling his chair over to sit between us, I quickly fill my mom in on Rafe’s romantic drama. And even though I can tell she has a thousand questions, I smile my gratitude when mom tucks them all away and leans towards me.

“Okay. Thanks for telling me that – but I’m sure he’ll be okay. But what’s up with you, baby? Are you all right?” She leans forward, putting a warm hand on my knee, her eyes bright and loving and defensive, like she’s ready to call the Goddess back and give her a piece of her mind if she’s truly upset me.

My lip starts to tremble at the concern in her voice, the way she so clearly offers to take my troubles from me and solve all my problems.

“Can you stay, mom?” I croak, suddenly wanting her near very, very much. So, so much has changed so fast and I just…want my mom. “Just for like, one more night?”

A sudden rush of worry and love comes flooding down my bond with Jackson as he sees how upset I am, but I’m still looking at mom even as he reaches out a hand and places it warm on my back.

“Oh, sweetie,” mom whispers, her heart breaking as she slowly shakes her head.

I sit up straighter, squaring my shoulders, hating that answer but knowing that she’d only deny me this if she had a good reason for it.

“I have to go home,” mom whispers, scootching closer and taking my face again between her hands. “To…to Markie, and June. And your dad,” she shakes her head. “They need me and…” she bites her lip, “with what you said? About the Dark God having…interest, in our Junepiper?”

I sigh, hanging my head for a moment and then nodding.

“You’ll be fine here, love,” my mom says, petting me softly, my hair and my cheeks. “You’ve got Jackson, who is much better at protecting than me and just as nice.” I glance over at my mate to see him flushing a bit at the compliment, but he moves his eyes to mine, giving me a little nod that lets me know that I’m his full priority in my mother’s absence.

But still, it’s not enough, is it?

“I won’t be all right, though,” I say with a sudden desperation, remembering that new dark thing that curls within me. And then, dropping my head, I start to cry again when I realize that I had a chance to ask the Goddess about it – and, like an idiot, I didn’t.

“Oh, little baby,” mom murmurs, slipping out of her chair and moving to mine, budging me half off so she can sit next to me and wrap one arm tight around my back, the other moving to cup my face. “Tell me,” she whispers, looking seriously into my eyes. “Tell me everything.”

I spill it all out of me, the story of what happened with the God of Darkness kissed me. Of some darkness turning slowly inside me and then opening one eye, awake and fresh and hungry and eager to do…something, though I have no idea what. Down the bond I can feel Jackson’s growing horror as I speak, though I’m surprised to see that mom simply…nods.

And doesn’t look surprised at all.

“Oh, baby,” mom whispers, shaking her head at me when I fall silent, finally out of words. “For what it’s worth, I…don’t think it’s all bad.”

Jackson and I stare at mom in shock and she sighs.

“I guess it’s time,” she murmurs, petting my face softly, “to fill you in on a little thing that happened the day you were born.” And then my mother tells me a story that makes my jaw fall open in shock – of how the God of Darkness apparently pulled her aside into another realm and gave to me…this thing that I’ve been holding, apparently, since the day I was born.

“But he assures me it was a gift,” mom says, a little desperate.

“And you…believe him?” I ask, horrified.

“Baby,” mom says, stroking her hands again over my hair. “It’s…you kind of had to be there – he insisted it was a blessing and not a curse. Plus, it passed through me to get to you – you weren’t born yet, and I felt it. It’s not that Gods can’t lie, my love, it’s just that…why would they bother? Whatever he gave you…” she bites her lip and gives a helpless shrug. “I’m sorry, darling. I know that it’s new and it’s frightening but…” she sighs and places her hands again on my cheeks, letting her healing magic sweep through me. “I’ve been scanning you for this ever since you were a little girl, and sweetheart…there is no true darkness in you. My love,” she looks at me quite seriously. “Whatever this is…I don’t think that it’s bad. I think that it’s yours.”

I look down at myself, trying to see through myself to this new…gift, whatever it is. This thing I absolutely do not understand. “But if he gave me a gift, why was he such a jerk all semester?” I murmur, shaking my head.

Mom laughs and I look up to see her shaking her own. “We can’t understand these Gods’ emotions, sugar. Plus…I get the impression that he is deeply bitter that your grandmother left him. It’s complicated.”

“Oh, gross,” I say, my shoulders falling as I realize something. “Oh, gross, mom – grandma’s ex husband kissed me to wake this thing up –“

Mom bursts out laughing, rocking back with it.

“Gross,” I continue, sticking out my tongue and looking over at Jacks, “my sort-of Grandpa…and it was not like, a chaste little kiss…”

Jackson’s eyes narrow, a growl rumbling in his chest at the idea.

And something about this – Jackson jealous of a God, ready to rip him to shreds for kissing me, brings a small smile to my face.

“Just try not to think about it too much, kiddo,” mom says, wrapping me up in a hug and pressing a kiss to my hair.

“Done and done,” I mutter, putting the thought from my mind with a shudder. Mom stands up, smoothing her hands down over her shirt and looking towards the door when a hesitant knock comes at the door.

“I am so sorry,” Cora says, slipping the door open and looking between the three of us. “But Ella…they’ve told me that they want us to leave now. That if we don’t, we’ll have to wait until morning.”

My mom turns back to Jackson and I, looking between us, biting her lip as if she’s seriously considering it – and I see in that instant that she will stay, for me, if I ask her now.

“Go, mama,” I say quietly, standing and doing my best to paste a smile on my face as I give her shoulder a little shove. “Go back to dad and protect my Junie. I like her now, after all.”

Mom grins and then wraps her arms around me. “I love you so much, little baby trouble,” she whispers, holding me tight. “And take care of your brother – he puts up a big front like your dad but…there’s a big meatball heart under all that stoicism and muscle. He needs love too.”

I whisper my promise that I will and mom moves on to Jackson, who bends low to pull mom into a tight hug. “Well see you soon?” he asks.

“Yes, sweet boy,” she says, pulling back and patting him on the cheek, giving him a beautiful smile. “Take care of my girlie.”

“With my life,” he says, dipping into a little bow that has absolutely no irony as mom steps away to the door. I move quickly to Jackson’s side, watching mom and Cora go, blowing us kisses as they do.

And then it’s just me and Jacks, all alone.