Back In Time

Chapter 12: In Which a Memory Is Worth 1,000 Words

"How can that be?" I asked, thoroughly freaked out. My eyes darted back and forth between Godric and Eric, not sure who to look to for explanation. Eric looked just as unsettled as I was, but Godric looked oddly introspective. He took another step, coming into the room.

"You said that you are of Fae descent," he said slowly, looking to me for confirmation. I nodded. "Which is how you came by your telepathy?" he asked, eyebrows lifting slightly.

"More or less," I said, thinking how to explain. "One of Niall's associates, Mr. Cataliades passed it to me. Fintan asked him to give a 'gift' his descendants," I explained.

"The demon Cataliades?" Eric asked, incredulous.

"That's the one," I agreed. He made a moue of distaste. "What?" I asked, feeling slightly protective of the lawyer. He'd always been pretty helpful to me.

"Demons," he muttered, shaking his head. I rolled my eyes.

"As a human, you could hear only humans but when you were made vampire, our minds were made plain to you as well?" Godric asked, drawing my attention back to him.

"Well, I could sort of hear Were's and shifters when I was human. It was harder but not impossible. But now I can hear everyone, clear as day," I told him.

"And apparently you are now able to share images with others as well," Eric added. I wrinkled my brow, looking at him.

"Do you think that was a fluke because we'd just bonded? Maybe since you're my Maker, there was something weird with the bond going on? Some kind of pre-emptive connection or something?" I asked, hoping like hell he'd say 'Oh yeah, you know what? That's probably exactly what that was. Don't even sweat it.' Alas, Godric shot those hopes down in a blaze of glory with his next words.

"I can see them too." I snapped my head back over to him.

"What?" I asked, completely shocked. He nodded slowly, eyes looking straight ahead though he was clearly a thousand miles away.

"Earlier, you were remembering me standing before you with no shirt on. You saw my tattoos. I looked toward the sky, spreading out my arms," he sounded like he was in a trance. I felt like the floor just dropped out from under me. I felt Eric's body go rigid behind me and I knew he'd figured out where that memory had come from. "Last night, when you were telling us of your heritage, you remembered Eric trying to make amends with you. For not saving you. He told you that he suffered with you, hurt with you. That he bled with you, not because you were bonded but because he loved you. He was in pain, speaking these words to you."

My throat constricted and I had a wild urge to cry. I swallowed convulsively, beating the impulse back. I didn't dare look at Eric, who felt like a statue behind me. The only sound for what seemed like an eternity was Anna's quiet breathing in the next room. Once I was certain I could control my voice, I spoke.

"That's how you knew I was telling the truth," I said softly. Godric's eyes refocused and he looked at me, nodding. "How could you see when Eric couldn't?" I was assuming that had Eric seen it then, he wouldn't have seemed so shocked tonight.

"Godric is intuitive," Eric answered from behind me. I realized I should probably get off of his lap but I had an overwhelming need to be near him at that moment. SInce he didn't seem to be uncomfortable with me so close, I stayed put. I nodded at his words, having picked up on that myself. But was that enough to seemy memories? Just when I was about to ask, it hit me.

"That's his gift." It wasn't a question. They both nodded. Not all of us had gifts, but Eric could fly and Sophie Anne had been able to keep her children with her forever. In my opinion, a flair for snarky sarcasm and an unparalleled shopping stamina didn't count as 'gifts', which meant Pam didn't have one. Bill didn't either. Although I sometimes mused that the level of douche-osity he maintained on a regular basis really should count for something. "So perhaps you could see because of that?" I asked, trying to make sense of everything.