Chapter 44: Chapter Forty-Three

Delanie

“Ajax?” I called. “I ran later than I thought.”

The living room and kitchen likes were on. I went into the kitchen and found a broken mug beneath the counter and coffee beans spread on the kitchen isle.

“Ajax?” I called again.

I ran out the back door and found Goby sleep on the garden chair. It was dark and Ajax wasn’t there. I ran back into the house and went to our room. Groaning made me rush into the bathroom.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, everything’s fine,” Ajax growled.

The sink was stained with a black paste that had sticks and yellow stuff added to it.

“What is that?” I frowned. Then it hit me. “Your shoulder!”

“I said I’m fine, Delanie.”

His right shoulder and part of his arm was now black. His tattoos were even covered. It looked like someone spray painted Ajax’s skin.

“You should have said something earlier, Ajax. Now look.”

“I didn’t know it would get this bad, babe. I thought it was just healing slowly.”

“I think I’m cursed,” I blurted out. “I did this to you what if you’re dying.”

Ajax’s jaw dropped slightly. “Okay let’s calm down.”

I shook my head. “No, I spoke to Shaina and she told me about curses. What I did wasn’t normal and now look at your arm.”

“It’s okay babe, you’re not cursed. Why would you be cursed what have you done?”

He cupped my cheeks and stared into my eyes. “You’re a princess. There’s another explanation.”

I trembled now. “You need a doctor. We’re going now.”

I turned and marched out of the bathroom. His herbs wouldn’t help I didn’t even know he was using them rightly. If Ajax didn’t like antiseptic he wouldn’t like going to a hospital but I grabbed his jacket from the closet and hung onto it.

He walked out of the bathroom slowly and sighed heavily.

“I don’t need all that,” he said.

I pouted. “You’re not going to sleep like that. Look at your shoulder!”

He brushed his right shoulder and winced. He looked at me as if I didn’t notice his pain.

“We’re going. Now.”

***

I needed to learn how to drive for occasions like this. He wouldn’t let me call Ross to take us to the clinic Ajax insisted on driving himself and he was obviously uncomfortable. I couldn’t stop apologizing for hitting him but he didn’t want to hear it. I couldn’t bear to imagine what would happen if that thing kept spreading. Hours ago it was a little dot now it was a huge scar.

We walked into the empty clinic. It smelled like bleach and medicine. I officially restarted work next week. It didn’t take long until we heard someone shuffling and Betty appeared in the waiting area.

“Alpha Ajax, Del, what’s wrong? Are you okay, Delanie?” Betty touched her chest.

“I’m fine. It’s him.”

I quickly explained what happened in Black Vapour pack and tried not to sound like I should be committed into a mad house but tried to make sense too by the end of my story Betty clenched her teeth and gripped her hands tightly.

“Are you sure, Delanie?”

I nodded.

“Then a hospital can’t help you. You need a Seer.”

I looked at Ajax and he lifted his shoulder. “We can only see her tomorrow.”

“No, my Aunt is a Seer. We can see her right now.”

Ajax and I shared a look. Mine was more pleading but he gave him. Betty told the other nurse on duty she had a family emergency so she could leave. It was a slow night thank goodness. Less than ten minutes later we drove into a small picturesque part of the pack. The homes were warm and welcoming like cottages with green lawns and lanterns lighting up the streets and front yards.

“It’s gorgeous here,” I said.

“Yeah, this is where the mages live. Small community but no one messes with them.”

“Mages?” I asked.

“Yeah, witches, fae, the occasional mermaids but we haven’t had one for years.”

“Are we seeing a witch?” I asked.

Betty parked her small red van in front of a homey cottage with a welcome sign in front of the house and vibrant lilies on the porch. Ajax parked in the street.

“No, Seers don’t normally have powers. They see the future or the past. Relatively harmless.”

“Okay,” I said nervously.

Betty waited for us at the front door. I hoped we didn’t piss off her aunt for coming so late. The door opened and a slender blonde woman in her evening robe opened the door a crack.

“Betty?”

“Aunt Cheryl, we need your help.”

“If you’re brought me the Warrior Alpha then this must be important. Come inside, hurry.”

She ushered us inside and locked the door with several latches and deadbolts and a key.

“Betty please make some tea, the caramel’s in the fridge.”

Betty nodded and turned into the kitchen while Cheryl led us to the living room. She turned off the TV and settled on a floral couch.

“Okay, let me have your hands, Alpha Ajax,” Cheryl said holding out her hands.

Ajax stared at me and I lifted a shoulder. Ajax placed his big hands in Cheryl’s fragile bony hands. Her pale blue eyes seemed to glisten when their hands joined.

“Hmm, you haven’t been the nicest boy,” she commented. “I guess you don’t get a nickname like the warrior Alpha without being a bit bad.”

Ajax shifted uncomfortably as Cheryl continued her reading.

“You’ve got magic in you. Destructive magic. It’s not good.”

“What?” I exclaimed. “What do we do? How do we get rid of it?”

Cheryl shut her eyes and bobbed her head from side to side.

“This is interesting. This magic… it’s goddess magic.”

Ajax looked over his shoulder at me and grinned. “Well, that explains a lot.”

“Like what?” I asked, frowning.

“It explains how sexy you are.”

Cheryl broke contact with Ajax and leaned back in her seat. She rubbed her forehead and sighed. Betty joined us with a tray of tea. I happily received it hoping it would calm me.

“So how do we fix this? Destruction magic’s going to kill me,” Ajax said.

“Yes, kill you or you could lose your arm,” Cheryl added.

“Ah perfect,” Ajax said sarcastically.

Cheryl put her cup down and stared at me intensely. “You did this,” she said softly.

“I didn’t know mean to… I was scared I didn’t want to lose you.”

Cheryl pouted. “Poor child. You’ve had a hard life. Give me your hand.”

She held out her right hand. She repeated the same process with me. My heart was pounding as I waited for Cheryl to speak.

“Hmm, I thought you might be part goddess but you’re not. You’re something different. The goddess made you a cure.”

“What do you mean cure?” Ajax asked, his voice filled with concern.

“A cure to any curse. This is bad. I don’t know why the goddess would do this to you. You’ve already had a hard life now she’s made you a sacrifice to redeem the ones she cursed.”

My heart slammed into my ribcage and a lump formed in my throat. I stared at the shocked faces in the room. For a second I thought I didn’t hear right.

Did she say sacrifice?