Hearts Song

Ch 11

The beat of the music wrapped around her like a glove as she wound her way through the many dancing bodies on the dance floor silently moving towards the members room. She entered the green room and stood in the doorway for a moment waiting for her eyes to adjust. Thirteen men and six women where there, Raven took three more steps into the room before she cleared her throat, “Hello I’m Raven and I’ll be your server tonight what can I get you?” one man in particular caught her eye and held it. He wore captive with his stare. She focused her hearing in his direction and heard a dangerous melody but one that said that no harm would come to her from him. A voice to her left answered her question and broke the spell of the man’s eyes. 2

“We’ll all have two shots of whiskey.” Ravens eyes did a quick calculation of how many shots they were asking for and didn’t blink an eye. She simply nodded and turned around and walked back in to the crowded dance floor and was greeted by the notes of the music like a missed lover. Raven quickly worked her way back to the bar and without giving Chase a second look gave her order in a voice that could barely be heard above the music. “I need 38 shots of whisky. Put it on the green rooms tab.” As Chase quickly filled her order he didn’t miss the way she never once looked his way and that bothered him. “Raven,” he called her name with is voice perfectly pitched to get her attention but still charming. When Raven heard Chase call her name a shiver of disgust went down her spine. Raven walked farther down the bar and grabbed a tray to hold the drinks and then made her way back smiling her greetings at a few dancers that she recognized. She made it back to Chase as he was finishing the last shot. She and he both loaded the shots on to the tray and she picked it up and very carefully made her way back to the green room letting the music choose the safest path to get to her destination. 3

As she wondered how she was going to get the door open it swung open and there stood one of the women that Raven had seen earlier lounging on one of the couches. “Thank you I was just wondering how to get the door open” Raven joked as she walked through the door. The man that had caught her eyes earlier was talking to a man; Raven wondered what his name was but was too afraid to ask. She walked to the closest table and set the tray down and started to unload it. When she was done Raven heard someone call to her. Knowing that it was no one in the room Raven listened closer to what the voice was saying. “I am sorry to do this to you my daughter but my time on this planet has ended and it’s time for you to remember, you must remember everything. And the one thing you should never forget is that I always loved you and I will always love you….” With that the voice faded away and so did Ravens surroundings. 4

When she came to the man that had caught her eye was holding her in his lap. Raven blinked her eyes a few times and turned to him. “What just happened?” a gruff laugh flowed from his chest and out for her to hear “I was just going to ask you that little one. Do you honestly not know what caused you to faint like that? One moment you where standing and the next falling, it was like your legs just couldn’t hold you anymore and you barely weigh enough right now I don’t see how they couldn’t hold you up.” 5

He said the last part with another soft chuckle. Raven tried to remember what had just happen but she got a giant head ache. She grabbed her head and groaned “I can’t remember and when I try my head starts to hurt.” Raven immediately felt like she needed air or she would die, she bolted for the back door and barely made it out in time for her to be sick. The cold winter air felt wonderful on her cheeks, the back door opened a few seconds later and the woman that had opened the door when her tray was loaded walked out. With a shy smile she said “The first few months can be rough but it’s all worth it in the end. I was sick during my first trimester but it was in the morning. But then again all women are different.” It took Raven a few minutes to figure out what she was talking about. 6

And then it click “I’m not pregnant I’ve never even slept with a guy!” the woman blushed and looked confused; she quickly turned around and walked back into the building. Raven flushed with embarrassment and ran to the employee’s entrance and knocked on the door. Franky the bouncer opened the peep hole and quickly opened the door “Raven what’s the matter you look like you’ve seen a ghost can I do anything to help?” Raven sat down straight on to the ground. “Can you ask Dannie if I can take the rest of the night off please I’m not feeling good.” Franky all six feet and three hundred pounds of him took off towards the boss’s office. A few minutes later he comes rushing back. “Mr. Dannie says that you can take the night off and to call in if you need tomorrow off to.” Raven shot him a grateful smile and walked to the break room to collect her keys and purse. 7

Ch 28

When Raven got home she went straight to her phone and called her mother. “Hello, dear what do I owe the pleasure to this call?” Raven paused before she asked “Mom am I adopted?” the other line went silent for what seemed like a life time before her mother answered, her mother could she even call her that? “Dear where did you ever get that thought?” “Mother is it true that’s all I need to know.” “Did that woman contact you; she promised me that she would leave you alone. When did she call you? Or did she visit you at work? How did she contact you tell me!” “First tell me her name?” “That little nobodies name is Midnight Shore. Now tell me how she contacted you?!” Raven hung up the phone and wrote down the name Midnight Shore on a sticky note to look up at the library. The phone rang two more times before Raven unplugged it. Raven walked to her tiny kitchen and heated up so chicken broth because that’s all her stomach could handle. By nine o’clock Raven was in bed and fast asleep. She woke up at ten in the morning and had toast before she got her keys and drove to the Malloy public library. One of the computers was open and Raven sat down and pulled up Google. The number one item that came up was Native American Singer Midnight Shore. 9

When Raven clicked on the link it gave her an address and a phone number, she wrote both of those down before she logged of. She found the nearest pay phone and dialed the number a man’s voice answered. “Hello and thank you for calling the Hôkû reservation. What can I do for you today?”Raven hesitated before answering him. “I’m looking for Midnight Shore. I need to ask her some questions about her daughter.” The line was silent for what seemed like a life time before the man answered “How do you know she had a daughter? Who are you and what do you want from her?” “My name is Raven Voulez or at least I thought it was.” “What did you say your name was again?” “Raven Voulez why, can she answer some questions for me?” ignoring her question he said “Come to the reservation tonight at seven pm. Try not to be late.” 10

At 7:03 Raven pulled into the reservation, a man standing in the middle of the road stopped her. He walked up to her window and said “From here we travel on foot” recognizing his voice from the phone earlier she shut off the car and got out. Raven looked at the man and heard a soft music coming from him one that signaled friend not foe and a kind heart. Raven followed him down a path that she could not see; pretty soon they came to a house, with lots of cars parked out front . The man walked straight to the front door and walked in. Raven hesitated at the entrance before following the man. He walked straight to the living room or what she thought was the living room and paused in the door way. 11

The man blocked her view of the room and so concentrated on the music around her, nothing screamed at her to get out and nothing assured safety except one song stood out from the rest and she couldn’t place where she had heard it from. The room grew quiet and the man said “let me introduce to you Midnight Shores’ daughter.” He stepped aside and Raven could see all the people in the room. The man sitting a corner of the room caught and held her eyes, she recognized him as the man from the green room the one that caught her when she fainted. And then she remembered what the man had just said. “Daughter what do you mean? All twenty-six years of my life I thought my mother was Juliet Voulez and just last night I found out she wasn’t , and now you claim that I’m some famous singers daughter. 12

That’s ridiculous I don’t know what type of practical joke you guys are into playing on people but I’m out of here.” Raven turned to head out when a figure in the archway stopped her. He was elderly about the eighty and he looked so familiar but when she tried to remember a pounding started in her head and wouldn’t let up. She clutched her head and took two steps back into the room, the old man following. The man came right up to her and laid his wrinkled hands over her smooth ones “The time has come my dear for you to remember who you are” his voice was frail but powerful and unlocked the flood gates in her mind. Her memories of her childhood that had been locked away came back.13

Ch314

“Raven how do you feel?” the old man sounded concerned. Raven looked at him and said “But Grandpa my name isn’t Raven its Niamh.” Tears fell down the old man’s face and Niamh frowned “Why are you crying grandpa? I thought that you would be happy that I remember?” The old man smiled through his tears. “I am child, I am.” He pulled her in to his arms and gave her a hug. He started to lead her away for the living room when a voice stopped him. “Wait a second Mr. Shore we still need to ask her some questions.” The coldness in that voice stopped her and made her turn around. The man who spoke sat higher than all but the man in the corner; he had an air of authority around him. Niamh listened to his music and found that the man lusted for her. A chill went down her spine “What do you want to know about me?” a cold smile crossed his face. “Just some simple questions why don’t you have a seat?” he patted the cushions beside him on the ‘throne’ he was sitting on. Niamh walked over to the man in the corner and sat herself at his feet. 15

“Ask way” she said. The man on the throne snarled and bared his teeth. Niamh yawned and waited for him to ask his questions, when he saw that his display had no affect on her he sat back and watched for a few minutes. “Your mother could heal with her voice can you?” Niamh then realized that the man had first wanted her mother but she had never given him what he wanted. She smiled slowly and said “I don’t know, never tried,” she shrugged her shoulders “never needed to either, nor did I wonder if I could because I never knew that my mother did.” “Let’s find out then shall we?” The man closest to her grandfather struck out a hand, but the fingernails where replaced with claws. A scream tore out of Niamh’s chest so loud and earsplitting that everyone in the room had to cover their ears. She tore past everyone and landed at her grandfather’s feet. 16

In her heart she knew that there was nothing she could do, her magic if she had any wasn’t meant for that there was a vocal healer once every 150 years. Her mother was the only one till the next one came along, her mother was suppose to live while everyone else died, she was suppose to live in order to teach the next healer just as she was taught and once their job was over only then could they cross over.17

She held her grandfather’s hand as he started to cross over. “I’m sorry I could not help you my child, you grew up prettier than I expected you….must…. be ….. A ………..heart………..breaker.” with that her grandfather let go of this world and traveled on to the next. Niamh got up and turned to look at the man who had ordered her grandfathers’ death. 18

“I guess that I can’t heal with my voice like my mother could, what a shame you needed her. You know there won’t be another around like her for another oh let’s see here 115 years.” Her voice was dull of emotion and it annoyed the man, she heard it in his music, she also heard the shock. Niamh turned and walked back to the man in the corner, his music seemed to want to comfort her and sooth her broken heart, it also called out its own longing and sadness. She opened her hear up and let the answer flow out of her. Shock crossed the man’s face for a moment before he seemed to double in size. She seated herself once more at the man’s feet. 19

And asked the other man “Are there any other questions that you need an answer to?” out of the corner of her eyes she watched as her grandfather’s empty body blew away on an invisible breeze. One that caressed her cheek and left her feeling comforted. “Not right now no, but later I will, but don’t worry I know where to find you if I need to ask you some questions.” He said it like it was a sensual caress; it made her want to puke. The man behind her let loose a growl, a warning to back off his territory. He stood up and pulled her up with him. He walked through the living room door and out through the front. Six other people following them like body guards.20

Ch 421

Richard didn’t let go of Niamh’s hand till they reached a truck and he lead her around to the passenger side “Get in.” his order wasn’t needed she was already getting into the truck. Richard ran to the driver side and jumped in. He threw the car into drive and sped out of the reservation. He didn’t stop till they reached Niamh’s apartment building. “Pack all of your clothes and then come back.” Niamh nodded her head and hopped out of the truck and let herself into the building. She ran up all three flights of stairs and into her apartment. 22

Her suitcases where pulled out from beneath her bed. She packed all of her clothes in what felt like five minutes. She turned around to take the two suitcases downstairs and there he was filling her doorway. “I’ll take those for you.” Richard held out his hands for the suitcases and when Niamh hesitated he took them. “Come on little one, your hearts song answered to mine there is no reason to fear me.” Niamh closed her eyes and listened to her heart and found that her song was joined by another this song was deep and leading making her song follow its beat. 23

She opened her eyes to find Richard looking at her “Before you came little one my hearts song was off beat and loud it had no plan no melody to help it calm down, it was full of violence and hate. As was I in that room at the bar I heard it a soft song one searching for something. And then again in that meeting on the reserve in that room my song called to yours and without even thinking about it you came to me not with your heart but just you and then later that night you came to me heart and body when your song answered mine.” 24

Niamh knew he was right. She followed him down the three flights of stairs and back to his truck. Richard put Niamh’s suitcases in the bed of his truck and then helped her in. He walked around to the driver’s side and got in. He pulled away from Niamh’s apartment building “I live 7 hours from here it’s going to be a long drive. Why don’t you try and get some sleep?” Niamh nodded her head “I want to but every time I close my eyes I watch them kill my grandfather over and over again.” 25

Her eyes where down cast Richard looked t her with sympathy in his eyes, but she missed it. So he let his hearts song do the work for him. Niamh’s mind and heart was filled with a song of understanding and comfort. It filled her thoughts and pushed out the nightmares, her head fell on to shoulder and within minutes she was asleep. Richards’s brother wolf’s chest puffed with pride that she would trust him. His mind was filled with the need to protect what was his. The one word that interred his mind was MINE. She was his mate and his other half no one would harm or take what was his. 26

The truck pulled up into Richards drive way 7 hours and a few minutes later. He carefully got out of the driver’s seat and went around getting Niamh out. A car pulled in behind his truck and Wrath his second in command got out. He looked at his alpha’s mate she was a petite little woman with black hair with blue streaks that shone in the moonlight. Her body was small yet had curves in all the right places, her breasts where well fitted against her shirt and her waist dipped in and her legs were long. 27

He blocked out any wanting of her from his mind she was his alpha’s and there for off limits. “Is there anything I can do for you alpha?” Richard who had notices the evaluation of his mate’s body growled a soft warning. Wrath all 6 feet shrunk and he became smaller “I meant no harm she is yours and yours only.” Richard stared at him until he dropped his eyes to the ground. Richards bother wolf called for blood this man thought that he could look at his mate like she was a free woman. 28

She was taken and he would not allow something like that to continue. Richard soothed his brother He meant no harms brother I would have sensed it. Calm down this is Wrath he would not challenge us. I will not let anyone take her from us she is ours and she will stay that way. The wolf retreated still ruffled but not calling for blood. “Can you unlock my front door? I want to put Niamh down so she can sleep she’s been through a lot.” At the sound of her name Niamh cuddled closer to Richard but didn’t wake. He listened to her hearts song and heard trust, love, comfort and that she felt safe. 29

His chest puffed with pride, his mate has happy and safe. Wrath walked up Richard’s front porch and unlocked his front door; he quickly searched the house to make sure it would be safe for the alpha’s mate. When all was clear he signaled to his alpha. Richard walked in and straight to the master bedroom, he laid her down on the bed, he untied her shoes and pulled off her socks, her jeans and shirt followed. She then laid on the bed in only an indigo silk bra and undies. Richard stared at Niamh and felt himself go hard, her skin glowed pale ivory with her black hair fanning out around her. Richard reached for a blanket and draped it over her, then he turned and left the room before Wrath came looking for him. 30

Wrath looked at him as he walked in, “You know that Marlissa won’t like this she’s been after you to become your mate for years.” Richard looked at Wrath “I’ve never looked at her that way. I barley even look at her or speak to her, the only reason she would what to be the alpha female is because she loves power she wouldn’t do the pack any good as my mate. But if she want to be then I’ll let her go and she can go and try to convince my brother that he needs a mate and she the best choice, because I found mine and I’m not going to let her go.” Richard smile was all predatory31