Forever His True Mate

Chapter 10

          Conor watched Camille in her fitful sleep and contemplated waking her up. The captain had just come on the intercom requesting trays up and seats upright as they began their final descent into Louisiana’s  Lafayette Regional Airport. It was dark outside so the twinkling lights of the scenic view below would be something that he thought she would want to see. He made his decision and said her name while gently shaking her. It only took one utterance of her name and she shot upright with a scared expression on her face until she looked and saw him. Her face relaxed and a small smile graced her lips. His brow furrowed at her reaction. “You OK?” he asked tentatively. Camille glanced out the window. “Yes. Are we here?” Her answer worried him. Something was definitely going on with her. No wonder she felt the need the disappear and run home to seek help. “Hey, you can talk to me.” He said watching her as she watched the city lights move closer. “When I’m ready. Listen, I didn’t ask you to come though I am glad you are here. Please stay in the hotel and don’t come with me unless I invite you this time. Please.” She said as she turned to him and looked him square in the eye as if she were searching his soul. “Sure. I am truly sorry I barged in on your life.” He said holding his head low. Camille could tell that he was being sincere. “Thank you.” Was all she said as the planes wheels touched down on the runway with a solid bump.

          Camille called her Aunt Marie to come and get the pair from the airport. She explained Conor’s presence and told her that he would be staying in a hotel. Then her grandmother jumped on the phone. Conor could hear what the woman was saying. It was apparent that the idea of her granddaughter’s friend staying in and spending money on an expensive and overpriced hotel room was the most appalling idea ever. Eventually Camille relented and promised to bring him with her. Conor stood next to her with a laughing look on his face and Camille stared daggers at him as she told her family where they would wait for them. Camille hung up the phone and glared at Conor. “Are you happy now?” She said in feigned attitude. He didn’t say a word as they strolled through the automatic sliding glass doors of the airports entrance. “Seriously Conor,” She stopped him short off to the side of the main walkway. “I need you to stay out of whatever is going on. Unless I invite you in. I don’t like that you inserted yourself in the first place. But I know that I could use the distraction of you to help me through.” She said raising her head in defiance. Conor didn’t respond. He only nodded his head and the two began walking again, following signs for the short-term parking area where they had agreed to meet her aunt. It bothered Camille that she was so determined to be dependent of anyone yet here she was… running to grandma and clinging to this man she barely knew but knew she loved. She mentally stopped short. Loved… him? How? When? Why? She couldn’t explain it. It had to be connected to the dreams. Maybe he was the reason. She laughed at her thinking. Why would her whole life go topsy turvy? She remembered a dream. The silhouette of a man she knew. Instinctively. But who was it? All she knew was that the silhouette had calmed her like a soothing balm over her soul. She had felt the same feeling when she had awakened from the blood moon dream. She shivered. “Are you cold?” Conor asked not missing the minuscule reaction to her thoughts. She shook her head.

            The pair reached the area where they were to meet Camille’s aunt who was already there waiting for them. The woman hoped out of her yellow Jeep Wrangler and ran to Camille and embraced her. She was about six inches shorter that Camille and had a plump round face to go with a round body. “Mon chéri!! How long has it been?!!” She took Camille’s face into her hands and turned it to the left and right examining her features. “Child, you look more and more like that sister of mine every time I see you!” Camille’s aunt explained finally letting go of her face and planting a kiss on each cheek. “Aunt Marie this is my boyfriend, Conor.” Camille gestured toward Conor who smiled widely. “ Ravi de vous rencontrer.” He replied in perfect French. Marie smiled broadly. “Nice to meet you as well Conor. Oh Camille, what a nice man. And so polite!” She said turning to Camille Who rolled her eyes. “He is standing right here and can hear you Auntie.” Camille chuckled at the abashed look on her aunt’s face as she ushered them toward her waiting Jeep.           The drive to New Iberia took about an hour as Marie navigated the back roads leading to the swamp lands that Camille’s family called home. She talked to Conor about the history of the family, omitted the powers that were handed down woman to woman. The trio pulled up to a very large and stately home. I was a faded white that had begun peeling from being battered by the elements. There were two wrap around porches. One on the lower level and the upper level. The smell of azalea was strong, but it was so dark that one couldn’t make out where the smell was coming from. Conor assumed it was close to the porch. He grabbed his and Camille’s bags and followed behind the two women. They walked up onto the porch and through an unlocked grand front door. Though it was after nine p.m., laughter could be heard coming from a room at the end of the long main entrance hall. They walked down the hall. On a small table. There sat a couple of crystals and a small bit of sage burn steadily. The smell burned Conor’s nose and he wondered about the significance of  the family setting out such crystals as Angelite, a comforting crystal that was large, gray, and unrefined. There was also black amber, a crystal to ward off physical attacks and ill intentions that was a black marble and also in a raw form with jagged edges. The table was lit with steadily glowing candles with the small bundle of sage burning front and center.           The group filed down the hallway towards the laughter. They reached the room and suddenly there was a rush of people surrounding Camille. Conor melted into the background as to move out of the way. He found him self next to an elderly woman. She was quiet and watching with loving eyes until she noticed him watching as well. “I can tell what you are.” She looked at him with serious eyes. “You hurt her… do anything to her that she doesn’t willingly want, I will bring down on you a plague that would curdle your worst nightmares.” The malice in her voice was like venom and Conor immediately respected the woman. Though she was older, she was sharp as a tac and just as perceptive. “How?” He asked in marvel. No one had ever picked him out so easily. Not even the women that fell in love with him. She smiled a smile that looked deep and knowing. Camille seemed to have hugged and kissed everyone and she made her way to the woman with a smile on her face. “Grand mama.” Was all she said as the woman embarrassed her in a tight hug. “Don’t worry chéri, we will fix things and get things back on track for you.” Her grandmother patted her head gently as she let the tears of worry that she had been holding in and the weight that lifted off her was a great relief. “How about I take you to your room Conor.” Marie said touching his arm to pull his attention away from the emotional moment. He nodded once and followed Marie back into the main hall and up a grand staircase. They passed two doors and came to a modest door with a glass knob. She turned it and walked into the medium sized bedroom complete with adjoining bathroom. She smiled at him as she turned to leave the room. “If you need anything darling, I’m down at the end of the hall on the left.” With that she left Conor alone to his thoughts.          Camille sat with her grandmother later into the night discussing her life and getting updates about her extended family. They were a fairly close net group that cared for one another and banded together in times of need. “Will do a reading for you tomorrow night, there is a full mood and the Goddess will smile on us as we look at what you have seen.” Her grand mother said as she gently patted her hand, Camille had told her grand mother about the vivid dreams she had been having but didn’t go into great detail. Her grandmother looked worn and tired from the long evening. “What kind of reading did you perform she asked curiously as the two women got up and slowly walk toward the elderly woman’s room down a hall that stretched past the stairs. “Just a simple one. I was just seeing and what I saw put me on edge and soon after the dreams started.” Camille opened the room door for the woman. “don’t worry dear, we will get to the bottom of all this.” They bid each other good night and Camille closed the door softly and padded back down the hall to the stairs. Camille had always stayed in the same room when she visited, and this was no exception. As she passed Conor’s door it creaked open and he popped his head out. He had heard everything with his super hearing. “Yes, I’m fine.” She didn’t sound convince to her own ears. Her voice was still thick from the tears she had shed talking with her grandmother. “What are you doing up?” She asked him attempting to take the attention off of herself. “I have trouble sleeping sometimes.” He replied and laughed mentally. That was the understatement of the century. “Ill see you in the morning.” She said and kissed his cheek and walked down the hall and into her room. That night, she slept peacefully for the first time in a while. She had made a good choice coming here.