As he entered, Demonicus looked at Franklin with his eyebrows reaching for the top of his forehead.
Before Demonicus could utter even one word, Franklin put his finger to his lips, "Quietly, follow me. I don't want to disturb her from her fun yet."
His eyes are alight with so much love and happiness that Demonicus is taken aback, his eyes widening to saucers.
Where did my grumpy and demanding father go? She must be one hell of a woman to change him overnight....Oh.
He walked as silent as the wind behind Franklin, following him and the scent of something so mouth watering, he wanted to run, not walk.
At the sight that greeted him, he felt confused watching father smiling with love of all things in his eyes at the currently insane looking mortal woman that resembles his long dead mother.
I hear someone clearing their throat in what suspiciously sounds like it's covering up a laugh. Assuming it's Sen.... um, Franklin, I stop. Immediately overcome by the feeling of vertigo, I grab the countertop with my head down for a few moments, hair in disarray, while the room tilts back to normal and stops moving on me.
I feel my chest and face heating up in embarrassment as I wish my skin was darker to hide my blushes more easily.
"Hi honey, I was just...." I say as I flip my hair back over onto my shoulders, trailing off as I see another tall handsome man with jet black hair, and the build of a body builder staring at me with wide deep green eyes, mouth open, and his jaw hanging toward the floor.
Good God, do demons come in any category other than hot as hell and mouth watering?
I'm unable to hold back my own laughter at the look of sheer confusion and suspicion on the other man's face.
"What in hellfire were you doing, while listening to that, that noise?" Demonicus asks.
The question has me laughing even harder, bending over at the waist, my arms wrapped around my middle as the muscles spasm out of control. Yes, I can see the headlines now. Woman dies from laughter due to suspicious demon!
"Demonicus that was very rude." Franklin admonishes the demon gently, before he too begins convulsing with laughter for no reason at all. Not aware that he's just heard my thoughts, projected loud and clear.
I finally get my laughter under control, taking deep gasping breaths when I realize, I'm in front of a stranger clad in only my silk pajamas while I'm daydreaming about stripping my mate naked and doing him right there on the countertop. The non-hormonal part of me is trying to focus on the matter at hand.
"Oh screw it, they're just demons after all. It's not like they're going to call the fashion police!" I mumble under my breath quietly as I move quickly behind the counter to dish up food. My mate's hearty laughter causes me to look up from what I'm doing. I give him a suspicious look. There's no way in hellfire he could have heard that, could he?
"Oh love, yes I did hear that." He answers my thought and shocks the hell out of me once again.
"Quit answering my thoughts Franklin!" I growl at him.
"Was I sweetheart? The look your eyes and the particular piece of my anatomy they're focused on right now, tells me your thoughts are a little more dangerous." Franklin says and chuckles huskily. His eyes twinkle with merriment and promises of pleasure to come. I can't help but inhale sharply as my body floods with heat.
I see an apology in Demonicus's face and instantly growl at him too.
"Don't you dare apologize, Demonicus. It's completely alright. Believe me, my music has been called much, much worse." I chuckle a bit myself trying not to let the laughing fit overwhelm me once more. I decide to explain my situation to him, to help him to understand.
"I like to listen to my favorite human music when I cook. It's comforting to me, and makes my home seem less lonely. I'm used to being here all alone. So, I dance around for fun and just let myself go. Does that make any sense?" My eyebrows raising in question as I await his answer.
"Actually Miss Jinny, that does make a lot of sense. I'm sorry I called your music, noise. I know I need to learn these human ways if I'm ever to blend in and live like one."
"You'll learn, it's just going to take some time son." Franklin says kindly.
"Whoa! Hold onto your shorts boys. Franklin, what do you mean when you call Demonicus
your
son?" My voice squeaks, my eyes widen considerably as I try and wrap my head around the idea.
"Sweetheart, let me introduce you to my adopted son, Demonicus. Demonicus, this is Jinny. My mate has come back to me."
"Your wha..." Demonicus narrowly focuses his eyes on me intently and silently for a few moments. While subject to that stare, I finally know what it's like for that speck of blood being scrutinized under a microscope.
She looks like mother. Just like mother. It is possible? Is it really her, and does she even know?
My eyes widen and my mouth falls open. I try to quickly cover it by turning away to set the plates of food on the table with incredibly shaky hands. I can't handle being stared at any longer and feel like I'm losing it. I swear to God, I just heard Demonicus's thoughts. What mother is he speaking of? Why can't I hear Franklin's thoughts? What the hell is happening to me, what am I becoming?
It's all just too much at the moment as I feel my mind begin to shatter. I'm suddenly terrified as well as confused. My breathing hitches in my chest at the same time I'm try so hard to remain calm but, my mind is not having any of that nonsense.
Finally, I turn and focus on Franklin whose looking out the window above the sink. His head whips toward me with incredible force. So much so that his head whips towards me with such force that his neck should be broken right now.
I see complete shock and wonder rise up in his eyes. It terrifies me even more. I have this irrational belief that he really can hear my thoughts.
Heloise could never do that! Not even in Hell....
Franklin's heart races in his chest as he stares at Jinny. Her happy face quickly turns into a terrified one. She looks like a frightened rabbit ready to escape from the big bad predators. Her beautiful rare lavender eyes focus intensely on the sliding doors.
Jinny is preparing to flee to the safety of her sanctuary, her outdoor garden maze. It's written all over her face. Her mind is about to break, it's been too much too quickly for her to handle and he should have seen it sooner.
The urge to run like a maddened wolf takes over as the room begins to close in tighter and tighter all around me. It becoming harder and harder to draw a breath.
I feel all of my senses going on full alert. My heart races a marathon in my chest even as it leaves me far behind in its dust.
Leaving the plates of food on the table where I set them, I breathlessly say, "Eat up guys, I'll be right back." I quickly turn like a mad woman toward my open sliding patio doors.
I make the mistake of glancing over my shoulder when I hear a noise behind me that makes me jump a mile. Franklin is approaching me cautiously with his arms wide open.
He's trying to trap you! Run as fast and as far as you can. Now girl!
My mind screams.
Before I make the conscious decision to move, my legs are carrying me at a dizzying speed out the doors as if a crazed murderer is after me.
I run for my large maze and the sanctuary of my garden overlooking the city skyline at its end.
My feet are running in quicksand again, my brain flashes back to the beginning of the week when I ran from him then too. It only causes my heart to race even faster. I feel sweaty and weak yet push myself with renewed vigor as the insane urge to fight for my life overcomes me.
Just as I reach the rocky entrance to my beautiful maze, a heavy weight slams into my back and forces me to fall forward head first toward the rocky gravel. My only thought is, Damn, this is going to hurt as I close my eyes. I don't want to see it coming.
A few seconds later, when my face doesn't smash into the rough gravel, I open my eyes in disbelief. My arms are still outstretched in front of me to break my fall.
It's as if time is standing still. The only thing between my face and impending facial road rash is a few mere inches.
A second later I realize strong muscular arms are holding me tightly. I scream for help, struggling against the large bands of steel.
My mind is stuck reliving that day not so long ago as fear paralyzes me. I expect to see the monster my mind conjured up that day. A voice penetrates through the fear but, it takes me another moment to recognize it.
"Sweetheart. I can and will hold you firmly all day long until you wear out. Now,
please
stop struggling. I know you're frightened and confused. If you let me, I can explain. I can help you make sense of your newly developed gift and all of it."
His voice is low and soothing, as he tries to coax me to become calm. I'm lost to him. I struggle even more, my words are stuck in my throat like a sinking rock.
I know you somehow just gained the power of telepathic hearing. I can see it scares you deeply and I understand. I'll block my mind to give you some silence. Please, just calm down and stay with me in the here and now.
Franklin sends the thought calmly and reassuringly into my mind. It momentarily overrides the other voices now gaining in strength and volume in my head. Yet, instead of helping, it just contributes to my irrational overwhelming fears.
I push my hands tightly over my ears and temples to alleviate the increasing pain in my head. It doesn't help. I grip large handfuls of my hair in my hands and pull as hard as I can, nearly ripping it out in a huge chunk. I desperately need the physical pain to override the pain of the voices screaming in my head.
"Make them go away! I can't do this! So many voices, they're screaming so loudly! Go away, all of you, leave me the hell alone!" I scream shrilly.
Franklin tries to listen to Jinny's head to see what is causing her such pain and nearly buckles himself.
Afraid Jinny's head will explode from the incredible pain and screaming voices, he holds her head tightly between his hands with lightning speed. Chanting quickly and feverently in a language as old as time, he gives her a temporary block to prevent her from hearing anything except her own thoughts and his, when she's ready.
What's going on here? The ability to hear human and demonic voices is not something my wife had in her past lives. She never had any ability other than communicating with the Gods as their favorite daughter.
There's no way she can have the gift of the angels, not unless....Hellfire! One of her parents had to have been an archangel on earth! That's only happened three times in my existence! It would explain why they were burned beyond recognition. Angels are notoriously hard to kill.
Numb and grateful for the sudden blessed silence in my head, I finally feel more like myself and more in control. Although, my head feels incredibly raw, as if someone just threw it in a meat grinder. I have a fiercely intense migraine beginning.
"Franklin, what the hell is happening to me, what is this? Is this God joking at my expense?" I ask and try to cover my fear with a sarcastic laugh. The movement causes intense agony in my temples as my legs give out beneath me.
"Shhh. Sweetheart, wrap your arms around my neck. I'll take you to your room and help you get some much needed sleep.
We'll discuss your new abilities later." Franklin cuddles her gently in his loving arms. He treats Jinny as if she's fragile like a butterfly's wings.
He carries me past Demonicus. Who I notice has finished off his breakfast and mine as well. I can see he feels awful, it's written all over his face, the poor guy. I smile lovingly at Demonicus and whisper, "I'm so glad someone at least loves my cooking." Franklin and Demonicus both chuckle softly.
"It's the best I've ever had." Demonicus whispers back with a genuine smile. Then, looks as if he wants to say more. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Franklin shaking his head no silently.
Franklin lays me gently down on my bed and helps me to be as comfortable as I can under the circumstances. He makes me feel loved and cherished.
"Franklin, please forgive me if I hurt you. I couldn't stop the insane fear as my mind flashed back to that day...." My voice sounds rough even to my ears and I know it's due to the migraine now plowing its way through my head.
"Shhh, it's ok love. Don't waste your strength, I'm fine. You need to sleep now darling." Franklin says, his voice deep and comforting. He gazes at me with his heart in his eyes. I sigh peacefully as he compels me into a deep and healing sleep.
Franklin comes back downstairs after assuring himself that Jinny's sleeping peacefully. He heads outside where he senses Demonicus.
Wearily Franklin sits down next to his adopted son and explains what happened to cause Jinny's full blown panic attack.
"I don't understand why a mere mortal woman has the gift of hearing humans and demons both on such a magnificent scale? Is it possible she's not fully mortal, father?"
"I think I have to consider that possibility. I have a feeling there's much, much more to her story. For some reason, the whole truth has been kept from her and it's dangerous as hell. The only way she can have the abilities I know she already possesses, is if one of her parents was an archangel. It just doesn't make any sense not without more information." Franklin's shoulders slump as he places his face in his hands.
"Never before, have I seen a soul or a heart as pure as Jinny's. She deserves the truth about our past together in Egypt and in Hell. She needs to understand exactly how much danger her life is in while we seek out answers."
"Father, No! You can't tell her about Egypt! She will hate you when she finds out about the sacrifices and she will hate herself. You'll trigger
all
her memories. That along with everything else, will completely destroy her with the incredible darkness of days past. Please don't do this, I beg of you! Let the past stay dead."