Luna's Sokjan (Book one) (20 page)

As she sat down on the bed
and watched me dig through the chest
.

“I do keep blankets and
keepsakes in here.” I pulled out the only blanket in the chest and
unrolled it on the floor. The dark green blanket held my most
prized possession, my first sword. Taking hold of the well- worn
black leather hilt, I pulled the black blade out of its black
scabbard. It was a foot longer than, a normal, long sword, with
runes carved into the black metal. I ran a loving hand over the
metal and felt the tingle of magic responding to my touch, like
greeting an old friend
,
and it made me smile.

I handed it to her.
Taking, the sword from me, she studied the blade. The blade’s
balance was perfect. Unlike those poorly made swords that Mary had
made them use.

“Angus had it made for me
when I was a little bit older than you. You can use it until we can
get your sword made.” I told her.

“What do the markings
mean?” She asked and touched one of the marks.

“The runes are of
protection,” I told her and touched each of the runes, “Sun, air,
water, earth, fire, and moon.”

My Sōkjan marks. Angus had
the sword commissioned, after I received my final mark, on my
thirteenth birthday. He said that I should never get another one,
since he had never heard of another Sōkjan with more than six
marks. So, far he was right.

“Swing the sword around to
see if you like its weight.” I suggested to her.

So, while she tested the
sword, I gathered a few more items to take back to Gabriel’s
house.

“Why does your backyard
look like this?” she asked from the window.

I moved to stand next to
her. From this height, you could see the outline of the circle I
had created in the backyard.

“It is a special place for
me.” I told her as I ran my hand down her hair. “I was born with
the gift of magic and my mother taught me how to control it. Bend
it, if you will, to make it do what I want it to do. This is where
I like to work when I’m at home. I guess I’ll have to make another
one at Gabriel’s house.” I glanced down at her. “There are some
tests we can do to see if you can learn this kind of magic and they
will tell us how strong you are.” She looked up at me, and I
touched her face. “I will teach you all I know little shewolf. Just
like my mother, father, and Angus did for me.”

“What about your own
children?” She asked.

“What children?” Did she
know something I didn’t, again?

“What about the children
Gabriel and you will have? Will you teach them the same things?”
She asked.

I hadn’t thought about
children with Gabriel. Being an Sōkjan, I didn’t even know if I
could have children. Sōkjans were almost always men. I’d have to
ask Angus.

“I don’t know. I never
thought I would have children. That’s why when Gabriel asked me
about you, I saw you as my one chance to pass on my knowledge. Not
that I’ll be a mother, maybe an older sister with a bad temper and
a mean sense of humor.” I grinned at her.

She laughed and placed her
hand on mine.

“Why do I feel better with
you than anyone else?” She asked.

I thought about it for a
moment, and had no answer for her, but I also felt a strong
connection to her.

“Here, place your hand
over mine.” I instructed her.

She complied with my
request, and I pushed a little power from my hand into
hers.

“Show me her power.” I
commanded and smiled as her hand lit up a purple color.

It was the same test that
Angus had done to me many years ago.

“Do you have any
unexplained marks anywhere on your body?” She shook her head in
awe. “How old are you?”

“I am twelve.” She
answered.

Just the right age, I
sighed, thank you, Fate you heartless bitch. I studied the girl,
Angus had been retired over ten years ago, and I had been prepared
to take his place. The old Sōkjans legends taught us that when one
Sōkjan died a new Sōkjan would be prepared to take his place,
extremely rarely did one of us retire. If Jennifer did turn out to
be an Sōkjan, she would be the second female in this
decade.

Luna, please don’t make
her an Sōkjan, I prayed with all my heart and soul. I loved being
what I was, but it was a tremendously hard life and I didn’t want
that kind of life her.

“I think we should go down
and see how the sword works for you.” I pulled my energy back, and
the colored slowly faded away, “Game?”

“Game. What did that mean
McKenna?” She asked and took the scabbard when I offered it to
her.

“It means that we need to
start your magic training soon, but I need to talk to Angus first.
Jennifer I don’t want to mess things up by going too fast.” I
explained to her.

In the backyard, I pulled
off my jacket and shoes and Jennifer did the same. I talked her
through the warm up exercises
.

“Where is your sword?” She
asked.

With Gabriel’s wolves
watching from the living room window, I pulled my long black bladed
sword from my back.

“WOW! How did you do
that?” She screamed.

She touched the blade with
my nod. It looked just like the one she held.

“Just like the dagger you
threw at Estella, how?” She asked in disbelief.

I leaned into her with a
small smile playing around my lips. I had already decided to teach
her the old spell if she wanted to learn it.

“It’s magic.” I whispered.
“Now let’s see what you can really do.”

We practiced for a couple
of hours, before one of the wolves, John, I believe. Told us
Gabriel had called to remind me about the party tonight, as if I
needed reminding.

On the drive, back to
Gabriel’s house Jennifer and I talked, about her parents and mine.
I listened to her complain about how her friends didn’t understand
what she was dealing with and how much she missed her parents. This
I understood all too well.

The first thing Jennifer
did when we got to the house was show Gabriel the sword.

Then Jennifer ran upstairs
to call her friends. Gabriel looked at me.

“What?! She needed a sword
until I can order hers. What the hell is she supposed to use?” I
started up the stairs. “Did you want her to use one of those
imbalanced old rusted swords that Mary had? I don’t think so. Not
my kid.”

His laughter made me
smile.

Chapter 13

The next time I came down
the stairs, I was dressed for a party. Black and silver dress,
black four inch high heels, and makeup, my hair was pulled back in
a knot that allowed some of the hair to hang down my back to my
waist.

Gabriel waited for me at
the bottom of the stairs. He looked extraordinarily handsome in his
black suit that was cut to fit his muscular frame. I loved the look
of him. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I smiled up at
him.

He didn’t say a
word.

“What? You don’t like it?”
I asked, a little upset, “Do you want me to wear something else?
Maybe that little black dress would be better?”

I turned to go back up the
stairs.

“No!” He took my hand.
“You are so beautiful, you take my breath.” He kissed
me.

I pulled back away from
him and ran a finger across his lips wiping off my
lipstick.

“No kissing.” I told him.
“You’ll get lipstick on you.”

“I hope you like this.” He
said to me and opened a small black case.

It held a diamond necklace
with matching bracelet. I did like them a lot. Cats always like
shiny, sparkly things. I turned so he could put the necklace on me,
as I put on the bracelet.

“Thank you.” I kissed him
and then wiped the lipstick off his lips again, “You look very
handsome in your black suit. Why don’t we forget the party and just
have dinner in bed?”

He laughed.

“No, my little tigress,
but later when we get back you can model your jewelry for me nude.”
He promised with a wink.

Oh, I would do that and
more, so much more.

The massive house was an
explosion of lights, like a fire against the night sky. Cars and
limos filled the long driveway. The valet driver’s ran back and
forth parking cars as they arrived. The rich and wealthy walking up
the stairs to the party that waited within.

“We are really going in?”
I asked for the hundredth time.

I would have given just
about anything to change his mind.

“This might not be as bad
as you think. You might meet someone you like.” He said.

Gabriel waved off the
valet and opened the car door himself. Taking his hand, he helped
me out of the car.

“You could take comfort in
the knowledge that you are the most beautiful and the most
dangerous woman here, Tigress.” He said tucking my hand in the
crook of his arm. “And you’re all mine.” He growled placing a kiss
against my temple.

“Flattery will only get
you so far in life
,
Gabriel.” I smiled showing him my teeth.

Maybe it wouldn’t be as
miserable as I had first believed. Maybe it wouldn’t as bad as the
scenes of hell that I had created in my head. We walked up the
stairs enter the glowing house of doom.

It was worse than
hell.

People openly stared at us
as we walked in. The handsome Gabriel Garrison and his exotic
looking mate. I stopped trying to remember names after the very
first couple. Jacob and the supremely young, wife Tiffany
Worthington, the immensely proud owners of the house of doom, I
know this because I had asked.

“Oh yes we just love this
house” The supremely young Tiffany told me.

She was a twenty something
blond, with perfect hair, even if she didn’t think so, blue eyes
and glowing tanned skin. She had the typical “other woman” look
about her. She was Jacob’s second wife, and hated his kids, but
loved his money.

She was very interested in
Gabriel. Apparently she had some friends that would just die to go
out with him. Hell she would have dated him if he had been
interested. I looked at Gabriel. He stood across the room talking
to a group of men. Jacob and he had left us girls to “talk” and get
to know one another. I had cursed them both repeatedly.

“Really?” I asked her
coolly. “You would have made a play for Gabriel while you were
still with Jacob?” She laughed.

“No, I would have broken
up with Jacob if Gabriel had been interested.” She whispered to me.
“He’s younger and has more money.” I peered at Jacob.

He was a middle-age man in
reasonable shape. He had a charming smile and kind eyes. I liked
what I saw. Gabriel’s power moved against my skin, and I glanced at
him. The possessive glow in his amber eyes took my
breath.

“Oooh, he’s possessive.”
Tiffany breathed waving her hand in front of her chest.

“You have no idea.” I
sighed.

I took a drink of water
and pushed a little energy back at him. His feral smile made my
heart jump.

“How long have you been
married?” She asked and licked her lips as she gazed at Gabriel
over her champagne glass
.

“About a week,” I stared
at her.

She looked
shocked.

“When did you start
dating? How long have you known each other?” Her blue eyes
widen.

“About a week,” I
repeated. Her mouth fell open, “Oh, I’m a good fuck, and I’m rich.
What can I say?” She choked on her champagne as I strolled towards
Gabriel.

The next couple Gabriel
introduced me to. Was an older gentleman in his early sixties and
his wife was in her mid-forties.

I was half listening to
what the woman next to me was saying as I glanced around the room.
As a game, I was sending out short pulses of energy to see what I
would find, so far not much. Gabriel moved his hand down my back to
get my attention. I looked up at him.

“Mrs. Halford would like
to know the name of your personal trainer?” he said.

I didn’t have a clue what
he was talking about. Angus and my father were the only trainers
I’d ever had.

“I’m sorry?” I
asked.

“My dearest, I wanted to
know the name of your personal trainer is or the name of your
plastic surgeon.” Mrs. Halford said to me.

I know that my mouth
didn’t fall open at her question, because I took a sip of
water.

“Surgeon?” I
asked.

I felt Gabriel’s body jerk
in silent laugher.

“You do have a plastic
surgeon, don’t you dear?” She clarified. I shook my
head.

“I don’t have a personal
trainer anymore, and I have never needed a plastic surgeon. Why do
you ask?” I inquired
.

“I wanted to know how you
stay in such good shape.” She replied.