Daughter of the Mara (The Mara Chronicles Book I)

Chapter 7

Harvey stared out of the window of his makeshift bedroom into a misty, gray Northwest morning. He didn't see the mist, really, or the yard, he was too lost in thought; his senses numbed by lack of sleep. Last night had not gone the way he'd hoped, although Edmund propositioning Jay had hardly come as a shock to Harvey. It had been this way his entire life: if Harvey had something Edmund would do whatever he had to do to make sure he had it too. It was the very quality that had driven them apart in the first place. Edmund would take what he wanted, no matter how much it had hurt his brother, and then take the time to explain why he deserved it more.

What had hurt the most though wasn't Edmund's selfishness (he was used to that), but Jay's preference for his brother. He shouldn't have been surprised. Edmund had never wanted for female company while Harvey's standoffish attitude and perceived coldness deterred the opposite sex. Harvey should have known that Jay would prefer his brother's good looks and charming façade, but it didn't make it hurt any less. Jay was supposed to be his. He found her, freed her, and, most importantly, he loved her. It had all been planned, all arranged, and then Edmund stepped in with a kind word and an amorous glance and destroyed it all. It hurt more than Harvey could bear.

Harvey brushed a hand across his face. He couldn't think about this now, there was too much to do. Edmund or no Edmund, he still had to train Jay so she could take her rightful place among the mara. He had to find a way to make her a functioning member of human and mara society. All this without anybody finding out about it, especially Edmund. It was a daunting task and he couldn't let his feelings get in the way. He would have to try and hold everything in and not waste time imagining Edmund and Jay together.

A knock came from the bedroom door. Violently brushing away an errant tear with the back of his hand, Harvey stood and marched to the door. If Edmund was here again he wasn't sure if he would be able to control himself. He flung the door open as angry thoughts raced through his head.

Jay stood anxiously on the other side, her dark hair pulled back from her face. Heavy black lashes framed her multi colored eyes and made the perplexed look on her face all the more pronounced. He watched those eyes fill with confusion as he stared at her silently. He couldn't make himself look away though, as looking at her beauty made all thoughts of his hatred for his brother flee his mind. Harvey hoped that Edmund knew he wasn't going to let her go without a fight.

"Are you okay?" Jay asked, looking ever more uncomfortable under his gaze.

Harvey looked down as Jay anxiously shoved her hands into the pockets of the black jeans she was wearing. Edmund's new clothes, he gathered. "I'm fine," he replied, knowing as he spoke that she wouldn't believe him. "Did you need me for something?"

Jay nodded. "I want to talk about the mara."

"All right," Harvey replied, before turning away from her and returning to where he had been sitting on his cot. "What do you want to know?" He didn't look back at her as he spoke.

"Well," she started, her voice trembling slightly, "last night I covered for you when I said that you were helping me with your neuroscience or whatever and I was wondering, since you mentioned it before, how were you planning to help me?" He could feel her presence behind him now without having to look.

"I was just thinking about that myself actually." He paused considering where this path may lead them. "Are you sure you're ready for my help?" Harvey asked, not looking at her.

Suddenly she was there sitting beside him on the cot. "I have been waiting for someone to help me since I was thirteen years old. Trust me when I say that I am more than ready." She reached out and grabbed his hand and Harvey's head jerked up to face her. "I will do whatever I have to do to not go back to Lakewood. Anything." Her voice had taken on a pleading tone and he knew she wasn't lying. Jay really would do anything to not go back to that place he had freed her from.