Norse Wolf Rising Rosie Chelsea-Black

4

"Nature is a wonderful healer, don't you think Rosie?." This is Antonia's way to have me look deep into nature and learn how nature is able to heal not only our bodies but our souls too. It wasn't a surprise to her when I came out of the closet, a closet I was not aware I was in I will add. My closet isn't a closet where my sexuality had been hiding, this closet we have decided to call the 'Magical Hidey Hole'.

When my grandmother died, we remained in London for an extra week or so. That period of my life is still a blur on certain details, but when we came home to New Orleans, our bodies began to change and over a small period of time some truths came to light.

Antonia is helping to release the tension she is sensing by keeping our conversation to light subjects such as the nature around us. However while we are sat on the grass in Jackson square, with her voice adding a soundtrack, my thoughts return to the past.

Jackson and I enter the garden, the Huskies are sat on the patio with their noses flaring. As soon as they smell us they howl a greeting but it isn't as welcoming as the ones we usually receive. There is a sadness, a foreboding in their welcome which sends a shiver through my blood. Looking up to Jackson he stands still, looks around, rests his hands on my shoulder before leaning down to whisper in my ear. "Use your sight and hearing, scan the grounds, something is off sis." Doing as he asks, my eyes scan the grounds, ears focus on any sounds that should not be here, but I already know it is of no use, the Huskies would have attacked anyone who shouldn't be here. Knowing Jackson is using me as a second opinion, I shake my head indicating there is nothing or no one here. Nodding his head he walks around to the front of the house while I walk past the Huskies and enter the house through the French doors. Taking my shoes off carefully, not wanting to warn anyone with my heavy footed approach, my body keeps to the shadows. The smell in the air is like nothing I have smelled before. Jackson and I meet at the bottom of the staircase ,we look at each other, draw in a breath then go upstairs, taking two steps at a time. Following behind him on this set of stairs reminds me of the last time we climbed these stairs. Foreboding hits me. "Nanny." I whisper to Jackson.

No sooner have I said her name that I hear her whisper our names. "Be kind to all, look after your sister my son." Then a breeze blows through the house just before we enter her bedroom and find her sleeping on her bed.

Tiptoeing into the bedroom, my feet sinking into the deep carpet, it is obvious to the both of us that nanny is not sleeping, yet neither of us want to be the one to say the words we are both dreading. Climbing up onto her bed, my body crawls over to her, she has positioned herself in the centre of the bed, my body curls up next to hers, resting my head on her shoulder with my lips kissing her neck. Jackson shadows my move on the other side of the bed, we both lay there with our hands resting over hers while we breathe in her scent, knowing we are never going to smell it again.

The spark that follows could be described as surprising, but it wasn't, it was familiar and comforting. Moving my fingers against Jackie's,( a childhood nickname for my brother),whilst at the same brushing my fingers against the back of my nanny's hand, I watch the spark grow, then divide and run along our fingers. The spark seems to grow the further it travels up our arms into our shoulders then down our bodies until every inch of our individual bodies has been touched by this spark. I am unsure what Jackson is feeling, but I am feeling love, truth, warmth and forgiveness, but most of all I am feeling acceptance. Moving my hand before my face, my eyes focus on the palm of my hand as it glows, then an insignia forms . The insignia is slow to appear as if someone is drawing it on my hand before my eyes. There is no pain, just warmth as if someone is blowing hot air onto my palm. My body tingles that familiar tingle I used to feel when Nanny repeated my name three times, warning me I was in trouble. Only this time the tingle feels like a hug and a kiss, a goodbye hug and kiss.

My eyes are full of water that refuses to spill, unable to move. My heart is beating as fast as a heavy rock drummer's beat. "Nanny, why?" is all I am able to whisper with grief in my tone. Not long after, the insignia vanishes from my palm, now the air is cold, the flowers are dying fast and the howls from the Huskies are full of heartache. Nanny is dead, the matriarch of our family has passed and we had no idea she was sick.

A delicate touch on my arm, the scent of lavender wrapping around me snaps me out of my day dream. Turning to look at Antonia I share a weak smile with her acknowledging her comfort but showing that I am okay.

"So, let's talk business, were you able to talk to the girls in the shelter?" I had asked her to see if the girls around the same age as our victims could tell us anything.

"Nothing we didn't already know, but I was able to cast a tracking spell. I can share with you their movements for the twelve hours before their death." The worry on her face shatters my heart, this witch is not a typical French Quarter witch. She cares far too much, not just for her own kind but for anything that has a heartbeat. It is Antonia that taught me to disregard the gossip surrounding my family and encourage me to build a life for myself. Knowing she would keep my concerns secret, I shared that my big brother, Jackson, is causing me heart attacks because of his current relationship, and she suggested ways to cope. Not going to lie, it is not in my nature to allow my siblings to live a life of their own, hell they don't give me that privilege so why should they have it?

"Why do you look worried Antonia?" The concern in my voice prompts her to look a little bashful.

"The two girls, let's call them G1 and G2, did you notice their appearance?" Her deep breathing indicates that she is trying to keep herself emotionally controlled, not a good sign when a witch as powerful as her is trying to keep in control.

"Not you too." Shaking my head in disappointment. "Yes I have noticed their appearance, G1 and G2 resemble our out of towner Jessica." Inhaling a long deep breath, I try very hard to keep my emotions together, the last thing I need is for Ástríðr to wake up and act out. These girls are her recent trigger, if she is triggered right now I will shift into a wolf and scare the s**t out of the tourists currently enjoying their day in the square. " I am not working on Jessica's case, I am here to discuss G1 and G2 as well as any other local girls that could or have gone missing. This doesn't seem like an isolated situation to me."

"You're correct Rosie, there are more missing children out there." She draws in a long deep breath. Suddenly I feel a cold breeze running over my body. This is something that will change my world, yes, I am aware that for some reason I am making this all about me. It could have something to do with the girls looking eerily similar to my younger self.

"G1 and G2 are the only girls that have been reported. What are you not telling me Toni?" Using her nickname helps to lower my hackles, just a little bit. But the chip on my shoulder is hardening not to mention growing.

"Rosie, I have to tell you there have been little girls going missing from our community since you arrived." She holds her hands up in defence of her statement. It is then I realize the reason for her raising her hands as a shield. I have been growling, my nose is itching, finger nails are tingling...... all signs that Ástríðr has awoken and does not like what she just heard. She wants to swap bodies and take over the hunt, protecting me from something she already knows herself. Closing my eyes while I inhale a few deep breaths, I release the breaths until I feel a little calmer. My eyes open on the last deep breath, squeezing my hands into balls and then releasing them a few times. I finally focus my eyes on Antonia, nodding to indicate I am ready to hear everything else she has to say.

"You have been in New Orleans, two years now. Correct?" She looks at me with a quizzical look on her face. For some reason this is important.

" I moved just after my eighteenth birthday so that means, yes two years until November." I can feel the life drain from my soul; my wolf is restless as if she is trying to yell at Antonia.

"I needed to make sure because now I can tell you everything. When you told me about Jessica, I had to look back over our intake, then I had to speak to our elders then finally some parents. I did this so that I could get all the facts, document them together, chart them and .... f**k it Rosie!" She sucks in a breath then looks away with embarrassment. " I even produced a booklet with photos and information on each little girl. Rosie, the girls have been going missing six months before you arrived. All blue eyes, long dark hair, fair skinned AND with English heritage. Not British but ENGLISH. The other common denominator between these girls," she chews on her lower lip. "is that they are daughters of witches belonging to either the French Quarter Coven, or from the old coven which now resides out in the Bayou. Your grandmother's relations."

We sit in silence for a long time. Simply sitting here allows me time to digest everything she has told me. I already know G1 and G2 were seven years old. Denying these little girls resembled me is not something I am able to do. Know there are more than just these two and Jessica is not only making me angry but scaring the s**t out of me.

"Why didn't anyone tell me Antonia?" The hurt on my face and in my tone of voice is not missed on her, it is very clear this is personal now.

"Until Jessica, we honestly thought it was a coincidence. If this had started once you were here, we would have notified you. Even though the girls have not been found, we....." she shakes her head, she knows there is no justification in the world that will help defend the French Quarter Witches.

"I am starting to understand why Nanny didn't want me mixed up with you witches." It was a mumble under my breath but she heard it, the flinch of her body made that very clear.

Nanny had always warned me that witches do not trust anyone outside of their circle. They keep their secrets, do not ask for help and do not help anyone unless they are in the coven, that includes the other witches in the area. Deep down I know this is not Antonia's fault, I get the impression it is personal - she is worried about the children. If Antonia was as selfish as the rest of her coven, she wouldn't be running the centre with Iona. Iona, now there is another witch I had thought fondly of. Has she been stabbing me in the back too?

"I'm hurt Toni, I am to assume Iona knows this information too!" This isn't a question, it is a statement, and one Toni can't deny. " We agreed we were going to keep the politics out of our friendship, you also told me I was not being held accountable for the politics between your coven and my nanny. So tell me, is it my job or is this mistrust due to nanny?" My eyebrow is raised while my temper is locked down, her answer is going to determine how our friendship moves forward. Will it be a friendship or simply a professional relationship?. No matter the answer, unlike the witches I will not allow the kids or mothers to suffer, I will still do what I need to do.

"I was following the orders from the Elders, I have dropped you hints Rosie." She inhales as if she is relieved to finally get this off her chest. " I have been trying to find a way to walk in both worlds, but I guess I am going to have to choose, right?"

"You shouldn't have to Toni, and this is not on me, before you even consider putting this on me. Just remember who put you in this situation in the first place. I will tell you this, from this day forth I will only communicate with you or Iona. No one else is to approach us for our services."

She nods her head then reaches into her bag, a bag I have dubbed the 'Mary Poppins Bag', it is self explanatory really. Pulling out a folder, she looks at it as if the end of the world is nigh if she hands it over. It could very well be. "Take it, do with it as you will, I need to talk with Iona then I will let you know where I stand."

Antonia and Iona are the only women I have considered friends. Disregarding Nanny's 'wise words' my friendship had blossomed and NO, watching my back was never an issue with these two ladies. Now I have to wonder.

Entering into the clinical looking building we have adopted as the HQ for the Paranormal Hunters, my mind is all over the place. It is obvious to me that the betrayal I feel for Iona and Antonia is deeper than I would like it to be. Is that because Ástríðr, is now joined to me and I have her emotions tied to mine? Is it because they are the only females I have allowed myself to form a relationship with, that are not family, or is it simply because I still have not heard from Matthew and Jackson that I feel as lonely as I have ever felt in my life?. "Rosie my child, it is all of the above. Betrayal and trust are emotions you have been protected from, but now you have to learn, analyse then adapt." Ástríðr might be honest with her advice but she also sounded bored.

Stepping into my office my ass hits the cushion on the sofa, I kick my boots off and reach over for the TV remote, switch on the TV to the news channel before taking out the file Antonia gave me and settle in for a few hours of reading then more research. The day my brother, Jackson, walks back into this building to take his role back is the day I may actually smile again.