Sweetest Devotion | ✓

twenty-seven

"Sons & Daughters" -The Decemberists

     "Did...Did she-"

     Nora was in a state of shock. She had taken a step away from the king-sized bed, a shaking hand covered her mouth in horror just as her eyes began to water. Sean looked from Nora to Bonnie in confusion, sitting up from the bed to go stand at the end of it, closer to Nora.

     "Who's Johnathon?" He tried to ask calmly.

     Nora could only stare off into space. Things were getting hazy and Sean's voice sounded far away. She was on the verge of passing out when behind her, Savannah had walked into the room. When she saw the state of shock on Nora, she walked over, quickly pulling the witch into her arms.

    "Nor? What's happened?" Savannah asked sadly, running her fingers through Nora's pin-straight white hair.

    Nora didn't allow herself to cry. She started shaking her head, eyes wide and the shaking hand still covered her mouth. Her body began to shake as her face had fallen. She heard both Sean and Savannah talking rapidly but they couldn't do anything besides wait for her to calm down enough to start talking.

     It only took her a few minutes to rip herself from the horror the name brought her. She removed herself from Savannah's arms, telling them they all needed to have a serious discussion downstairs. Sean had begun to refuse but stopped abruptly from the faraway look in Nora's eyes.

     Savannah brought her mate back into her arms, guiding her out of the bedroom and down the stairs, Sean trailing behind them with one last pained look at Bonnie. Marcus was halfway up the stairs when he saw them come down, following them to the living room. 

     Sean sat in his leather recliner while the siblings and witch on the couch. Nora rubbed her forehead then tucked some hair behind her ear before beginning. She cleared her throat and Savannah started rubbing her back in a comforting way, letting her mate know that she was there for her.

     "To...To understand who, Johnathon, is, I-I need to explain to ya what I know 'bout Bonnie," Nora started, avoiding all their eyes, "I told ya, Sean, how I met Bonnie and how I knew of 'er mother. Does the name...Malakhov, sound familiar to ya?" 

     All three shook their heads, she nodded once, continuing on, "I told ya Bonnie's mom was a powerful witch, she and 'er family were-are, very well known. When Bonnie's mom came to me, askin' me to watch over 'er, I told 'er no 'cause I ain't no babysitter and I wasn't 'bout to be responsible for another witch, let alone one that had no idea what the hell she or 'er family was.

     "Bonnie's mother, after I waved 'er off, killed 'erself not but days later. I had met Bonnie by accident sometime after but, didn't know who she was 'til a year later. When Johnathon Malakhov came for 'er. 

     "Johnathon is a powerful witch himself and coincidentally, Bonnie's mother's firstborn. Bonnie had no idea she has an older brother until then and was so excited when he introduced himself. He had told 'er all these nice things, how he had finally found 'er after so long, how much he wanted to be in 'er life, anythin' and everythin' to make 'er to idolize the man. 

     "I had seen 'em together and instantly knew who he was. He works for the council or 'elders' within the witch world. He's basically a bounty hunter but, not a good one. He brings in innocent souls and the council does whatever they want with 'em while Johnathon runs amok creatin' havoc.

     "I was able to get 'er away from Johnathon, tellin' 'er he wasn't a good man and that he was runnin' from the law, only comin' to 'er for money. I was able to send him away and she never saw him again. Or so I thought."

     "What do you mean, you think he was able to get to her after you sent him away?" Marcus asked her.

    Nora, having calmed down, was able to look up and look them all in the eye, she rubbed her forehead again, feeling a headache coming on, "There has to be a way for him to get his print on 'er. Genetically, they're close, but not close enough personally and emotionally for him to have such a way with 'er. 

     "He was able to implant a dream in 'er head all those months ago. He was able to figure out not only that she's a seer but who Sean is somehow and use the dream, where Sean found 'er in the forest, to manipulate 'er to come to him, whether she wanted to or not. He has to have somethin' over 'er to make 'er mind and body have a connection with him."

      Savannah was the first to question, "I thought you said you were able to drive him off and convince the Luna that he was up to no good?"

     Nora nodded, "He had to have come back and use the fact that he's 'er brother to slither his way into 'er heart. He had to have convinced 'er that he has no ill intentions with 'er. She was played by 'er own brother."

     "What do you think he wants with her?" Marcus asked.

    "I don't know," she breathed out, "But if he's goin' through all this trouble to get to 'er, that means that he's on a job, that the council wants 'er for somethin'."

     "You mentioned before that you think her mother's dying wish has something to do with all this?" Marcus asked.

     She nodded once, "The Malakhov family is very well known. Bonnie's mother marryin' and havin' a child with a human was a huge scandal but they could never trace 'er or the family, no one was ever able to find Bonnie and 'er dad, Joshua, and he was always travelin' for work.

     "Plus, the fact that he didn't give two shits about either Bonnie or 'er mother, Joshua wouldn't be good enough to get whatever they wanted from Bonnie's mother. She was so distraught after his alleged 'death' that she was driven to kill 'erself.

     "That's also a big no, no, within the witch community as well. There's some stupid legend that when a witch is ready to die, they're able to transfer their power to someone strong enough. So for 'er, a Malakhov and powerful witch, to just commit suicide 'cause of a human? She was doomed from the very beginnin' when it came to the council."

     "This is all too much," Savannah whispered to herself.

     "'Er dyin' wish had to have been big for the council to be goin' through all this trouble to get to Bonnie. I mean for Christ's sake, Johnathon had to forcefully implant a spell into 'er to get his point across. I can't imagine how horrible it felt."

     Nora rubbed her chest, feeling it ache for her friend just as Sean finally spoke. All three heads snapped over to him at the sound of his voice, "You know more, Nora. I know you do. But, for some reason, you aren't telling us. Why is that?"

     She gulped as she looked over at the territorial male sitting in the recliner as if it was a throne and he was a king, ready to inflict the worst punishment on her. Nora nodded, using both hands to tuck hair behind her ears and away from her face, licking her lips. 

     "Not only is being a seer rare but, it's also almost unheard of. When Bonnie was born, many were outraged that a half-blooded witch from the Malakhov line, has such an extraordinary gift. Bonnie's real name is, Bonnibelle Malakhov, and she is known as the bastard child of the witch world. 

     "And there are witches out there ready to slaughter 'er to gain 'er ability."