Crux. Part 11

"Hush your mouth." The words lacked heat, and Mahalia fastened him with an appraising stare. "Do you really think you need to be messing around with that girl right now? With everything she's gone through, not to mention what she's got ahead of her?"

He had to look away. "It's not like that, May."

Mahalia tilted her head. "Tsk. I saw you earlier, Jack. She lights you up." She held up a hand to halt his protest. "Mind you, I don't think that's a bad thing. If you find someone who makes you feel that way, you should grab 'em and hold on. The problem is the situation."

Jackson wanted to deny it, all of it. He wanted to say he liked Mackenzie just fine, but there was nothing going on between them. But the way she'd felt beneath him wasn't nothing, so he shrugged at his mentor. "What do you want from me?"

Her answer was firm. "I want you to say that you're thinking with more than your d.i.c.k, and I want you to mean it."

"Jesus, May." Jackson's cheeks heated. "Fine. I'm thinking with more than my d.i.c.k."

She extinguished her cigarette. "All right."

"I mean it," he insisted. "Nothing happened, because this whole thing is just messed up, and that's no way to start something."

"No, it isn't." She rose from her chair. "I remember when I first met you, Jack. You were...miserable. Working that awful job at the insurance company, no friends. But you always smiled and joked, and not a single one of the regulars at the bar knew just how unhappy you were."

As a cautionary tale, its clarity was questionable. "I'm not sure I get your meaning, May."

She sighed. "If you can let this woman see beneath all that good ol' boy bulls.h.i.+t, I think she could be good for you. And I know you could be good for her."

She was warning him again, he was sure of it, but he just grumbled, "I'm going to go pull out the sofa in the living room."

Mahalia smiled. "Good boy."

He made a face and reached for the sliding gla.s.s door.

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"She'd be lucky to have you."

Jackson was watching infomercials on the converted sofa bed when Steven came back. He nodded to the older man as he flipped channels. "Sorry about earlier. You didn't have to go."

Steven leaned against the doorframe and gave him a flat look. "I really did."

"Mahalia already read me the riot act. Not that I needed it," he added pointedly.

Steven dropped into the chair beside the couch. "I'm heading to the airport in the morning. I can't do anything to help until Peyton arrives, and my presence could put you all in danger. But there are things you need to know before I go. Things she'll need to know when she's ready. You're going to have to tell her if I can't."

Jackson turned off the television. "All right."

Steven closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I have to leave because there's no spell you can cast to hide me from Charles Talbot." A bitter smile tugged at his lips as he opened his eyes again, and the look in them was chilling. "Blood calls to blood. That's what Mahalia says. He's my uncle."

Jackson just stared at him, trying to make sense of his words. "That's why you were helping Mackenzie's parents. How you even knew they needed help. Jesus."

"It was supposed to be voluntary," Steven said quietly. "Cougar couples who believed in Charles's dream, who were willing to work with him. I wasn't around much because I was the one who traveled the country to find them. The first couple I brought to him had a baby boy. Marcus. The next time I came home, they were dead and Charles was raising Marcus as his own son."

"Talbot killed them." It wasn't a question.

"The closer he got to success the more...unbalanced he became." Steven rubbed at the side of his face. "It seems brutal, the way the wolves treat Mich.e.l.le, but there's a reason Seers are so feared. Having access to that much power... Charles started to think he could play G.o.d."

Anger welled in Jackson with surprising speed, and he rose from the sofa bed and began to pace. "Except he wasn't just playing G.o.d, was he? He was getting it done, and you were helping."

Steven didn't defend himself, only nodded. "Yes. I was helping. I've tried to tell myself over the years that I didn't know, but there's nothing I can do to change what happened. All I can say is that as soon as I realized he wasn't looking for willing partic.i.p.ants, I tried to make it right."

Jackson fought to calm himself. Whatever Steven's role in Talbot's operation had been, it was ancient history. "Mackenzie was already on the way, so you took her parents to New Orleans. To Mahalia."

"I'd met her during one of my trips," Steven confirmed. "She wasn't powerful enough to hide them forever, but we needed to keep them safe until Jess-until Mackenzie was born. She watched over them and did her best to hide them while I tracked down Zacharias. It took four years to find him. Even then he was a virtual recluse."

Jackson leaned on the arm of the couch. "Wait, so... Mahalia knew Mackenzie after she was born?"

"No. She cast the spells, but they didn't stay in contact. They were only supposed to call Mahalia if there was an emergency, even after Zacharias cast his spell. Simon and Janice called her when Charles came after them, but by the time we got there all that was left was an empty, burned-out house."

"The fire that supposedly killed them all."

"Yes. That's the end of what I know. Janice, Simon and Jessica Evans disappeared. I didn't believe any of them had survived until Mahalia called me."

Jackson nodded, his jaw tight. "We'll have to get the rest of the story from Talbot when we find him."

"Jackson-" Steven's expression was serious. "You have to understand what we're dealing with. Charles isn't just powerful; he's experienced. He's had over sixty years to fine-tune his skills, and he has more raw power than anyone you've ever met. If we get the chance, we take him out. No questions, no complicated plans and no asking him why. It's the only way Mackenzie will ever be safe."

Jackson ran his hands through his hair. "If he's so d.a.m.n powerful, how exactly are we supposed to take him out in the first place? Do we have a plan?"

"We have Mich.e.l.le."

"That's your plan?" Jackson asked, incredulous. They couldn't throw Nick's sister at Charles Talbot and hope she managed to best him. "Will there be a steel cage involved, or is this going to be more of a street fight?"

Steven sighed. "That's not the plan. But she's the only one with a chance of stopping him, and unless you can tell me exactly what she's capable of, I don't know how to plan at this point. Mahalia has the experience and Mich.e.l.le has the raw power. We'll do what they think will work." His smile was self-deprecating. "I'm just the muscle."

Jackson dropped to the sofa again. "I'm sorry. I feel so d.a.m.n helpless. But that's not your fault, so I shouldn't take it out on you."

"You like her."

Jackson played dumb. "Who, Mahalia?"

Steven snorted.

Jackson shot him a look. "Fine, yes. I like Mackenzie. I thought that much would have been obvious, seeing as how you had to leave when she and I started making out."

"I didn't ask if you wanted her. You're both young, attractive and dealing with a lot of stress. s.e.x wouldn't be terribly surprising. I was asking if there was something more going on."

It was Jackson's turn to snort. "I tend to save my requests for casual s.e.x for women whose lives aren't in danger, thanks."

"I suppose I screwed up taking care of her and have no right to worry now." He shrugged. "I want to do a better job this time. Take care of her, Jackson."

"I will," he promised. "Don't worry about her."

"Take care of Mahalia too," Steven added with a grin. "Just don't tell her I told you to. She'll kick both of our a.s.ses."

"Will do. Thanks, Steven."

Steven smiled as he rose. "Good night, Jackson."

"'Night." Jackson watched him go, trying to not to think about the fact that the man was headed in the direction of Mahalia's bedroom. Instead, he settled back down on the sofa bed and retrieved the remote control again.

Chapter Twelve.

It was a sign of how much better she felt about the world in general that Mackenzie didn't panic when a gentle hand on her shoulder woke her. She rolled over with a sleepy yawn and blinked at Jackson's face in the dim light. "Hey."

He smiled softly as he lowered himself to the bed. "Hey. Mahalia's making breakfast and Steven just caught a cab. It's safest for everyone if he leaves now."

His words distracted her from how nice it was to wake up to his smile. "What do you mean? Why are we safer if he's gone?"

"Because Talbot can find him," he answered simply. "Maybe easier than he can find the rest of us. It's hard to explain."

She took him at his word and moved closer to slide her arm around him. "You're staying here though, right?"

"Of course I am."

Mackenzie smiled, feeling surprisingly at peace. A full night's sleep in a comfortable bed had done wonders for her state of mind. So had the memory of how amazing Jackson's body had felt pressing hers into the mattress.

"We said no s.e.x," she murmured as she rubbed lazily at his back, "but what are your feelings on good morning kisses?"

"Acceptable under most circ.u.mstances." He wrapped a lock of her hair around his finger. "Is that a purely hypothetical question, or were you planning to ravish me?"

She probably had morning breath and most of her hair had escaped its braid to tangle wildly around her head, but she didn't care. "It depends. Hypothetically, do you have anywhere else you need to be?"

He considered the question with too much deliberateness to be believed. "Hmm. I was going to take a shower, but I might have a little time. Maybe just a few smooches. Like this." He feathered a kiss across the tip of her nose.

The gesture made her laugh as she played with the hair at the back of his head, just above his neck. "I'm going to kiss you." She whispered the words against his cheek. "Really, really kiss you. Open mouths and tongues and maybe some whimpering. If you're not interested, you might want to run."

Heat flared in his eyes, darkening them. "Oh, I'm interested."

"Good." She only had to s.h.i.+ft her mouth an inch to the side to catch his lower lip between hers, and she ran her tongue teasingly along it before kissing him in earnest.

He moaned softly and tilted his head, bringing his lips closer to hers, his tongue delving into her mouth as he cupped the back of her neck. His warm, strong fingers on the sensitive skin made her s.h.i.+ver.

She wasn't sure when she made the conscious decision to move, but she was suddenly on her back, her arms around him as he leaned over her, his mouth leaving hers to skim over the edge of her jaw to her throat. "Is this going to hold you over?"

"No." She laughed and tilted her head back, loving the feeling of his lips on her. "But I suppose I'll manage somehow. Especially since Mahalia's all of thirty feet away right now."

Jackson rose from the bed. "I'll be out of the shower in time for pancakes, so save me some, all right?"

"Better hurry. I'm hungry, and she's a great cook."

"No argument here." He gave her an almost tender look before disappearing through the door. Mackenzie crawled out of bed with a bemused smile. It was far too easy to ignore the life-changing events of the past weeks and give in to the giddy thrill that always came with a new crush, or a new- Relations.h.i.+p? The thought stopped her, and she stood next to the bed with her pants in her hands. A relations.h.i.+p was the last thing she needed at the moment. And yet...

The bemused smile returned, and she couldn't shake it while she cleaned up and brushed her hair, or while she pulled on her clothes. She couldn't even banish it when she walked into the kitchen to greet Mahalia. "Good morning."

"Morning, Mackenzie." The older woman stirred a bowl of what looked like batter. "Do you like b.u.t.termilk pancakes? How about some orange juice? I made Steven squeeze it fresh this morning."

"Really?" Mackenzie leaned against the counter and watched as Mahalia moved efficiently around her kitchen. "I've never had fresh-squeezed orange juice."

"What?" One perfectly groomed eyebrow rose in surprise. "Now, that just isn't right. You like sausage or bacon, honey?"

"Either's fine. Can I help you with anything?"

Mahalia waved her away. "Sit down and rest. You've been through a lot, and it isn't over yet."

"I suppose it isn't." Mackenzie took a seat and drummed her fingers absently on the smooth wood of the table. "Jackson said Steven had to go. That Talbot could find him?"

"Mm-hmm." Mahalia began to pour the batter on a heated griddle.

"I don't really understand. But I guess there's a lot of stuff I don't understand." She still wasn't sure she wanted to, if she was going to be perfectly honest with herself.

Mahalia hesitated as she reached for a spatula. "That part, at least, isn't complicated," she admitted. "Talbot will always be able to find Steven because he's Steven's uncle."

"He's-" She stopped. "Oh. That's why Steven knows so much about him?"

"That's why," she confirmed. "Before you were born, Steven was helping Charles. He thought... Well, he believed his uncle when he said this scheme was the only thing that would save the cougars." She stared at the griddle, her amber eyes unseeing. "It took him a while to figure out how far Charles would go, though. The things he would do to ensure the ritual's success."

Mackenzie considered that as she watched tiny holes appear in the top of the pancakes. "What about Marcus? Is he like me? A kid someone had to...to further this cause?"

"His parents were killed."

She pulled her gaze away from the pancakes and studied Mahalia, whose tone made it clear she knew more than she'd said. "Who killed them?"

Mahalia glanced away. "They wanted out, I suppose."

It wasn't much of an answer, but it was enough. Whoever his parents had been, they hadn't agreed with Charles's plan, and Charles had killed them. Just like her parents. Maybe Marcus hadn't been lying when he'd said they had more in common than she could ever guess. "So Steven warned my parents, and they left?"

"He had to do more than warn them," Mahalia corrected. "He got them out, got them away." The faraway look came back into her eyes. "Brought them to New Orleans. To me."

Mackenzie had never wondered much about her birth parents, but now she couldn't stop thinking about them. What sort of people they'd been, why they'd decided to throw in with Charles's plans. Mahalia obviously didn't like talking about it, but Mackenzie couldn't stop her questions. "What were they like?"

At first, she wasn't sure if Mahalia had heard her. The older woman reached into a drawer and drew out a crumpled pack of cigarettes, sighing as she pulled one from the pack and struck a lighter. "Young. Disappointed. Scared."

"Oh." She could imagine that easily enough, all things considered. "I guess it wasn't really a time for social chats."

"Simon and Janice were very nice. They were just like Steven, and Marcus's parents. They bought into Charles's a.s.sertions that their race was dying out, because it's true. Then they found out he was a fanatic. One apparently willing to kill a couple and take their child to raise as his own." Mahalia took a drag from the cigarette. "Saying it wasn't exactly a social situation is a bit of an understatement."