as mud.' Mason felt his skin warm. Uncomfortable with what was being suggested, he hoped he wasn't blushing.
`What it means, Mason,' Ruth said, leaning in close, lips near his ear, `is that part of you, the bit you keep locked away when you're with me, cannot stay locked away forever. It seeps out, dangerous, violent. And it will hurt me.'
`But not me.' Mason caught the glance between Renee and Ruth. An understanding joined them, one that he hadn't seen before. Trouble poked at him.
`It's why I have changed now,' Renee said. `Like you saw. Back in the club.' She looked up for a moment, letting her hair shift into a mane and skin marble like his. `That part of you is drawn to me, Mason. It's the part of you that unlocked the Huntress inside me. And it's why there was an explosion when we kissed.'
Tashia smiled at him. `When gifted people bond, fireworks happen.'
`This is insane.' Mason stood up, his head clear. `You're all standing around chatting about this like it happens all the time.' Too many eyes stared at him. His skin itched.
`Why are we here? All this must be happening for a reason. Us and you, all being here tonight. Why?' He helped Ruth stand and Nikki went to her, brushing sand off. Renee remained seated, looking at the ground.
`We come here to reconnect with our goddess, Darla,' Ivy said, standing beside Tashia.
Mason looked at Renee, her hair hanging limp as she stared at the sand. He'd seen enough to know her hair was the first give-away of how she was feeling. Damn it. Guilt pricked him. `So, what does this entail then? You didn't all come here to pray.' He stepped over to Renee. What had he said to make her so sad? Why did he feel so guilty?
Tashia gestured around her. `Hmm, Darla's energy presence comes here, to this place.'
`And we reconnect with her,' Nikki said. `Affirm our gifts and love of Darla. Her strength has guided us away from the path of the Bloodells.'
`Right.' He hesitated, then reached down and touched Renee. `Need a hand?'
`No.' She looked away then stood up. `I'll go and do a perimeter check.' She vanished in a red blur into the trees. He stood there feeling the wrongness of what just happened.
`Hmm. Strong in flesh she is, but delicate of heart.' Tashia's hand rested on his shoulder.
`I don't really understand what's going on.' He frowned and moved with the others around the fire. `Why are there no men here?'
`Hmm, our men tend to be seduced by the bloodlust.' Tashia's voice dropped as she leaned closer. `Try to be Mason and less of Hunter. It is difficult for most of the women to have you here. Remember, they know you only as Butcher.'
`What did you say to Renee?' Ruth stood beside him and Tashia faded away. `Why has she left?'
`Doing a perimeter sweep she said.'
`Uh-huh.'
She stepped in front of him. `Are you all right Mason?'
`Yes, yes.' He hugged her, enjoying the scent of her hair. `It's just so hard to understand it all.' He caught sight of movement in the trees. `And it's about to get harder. Wil's here.'
Ruth turned as Renee reappeared in a gush of wind.
`Your boy is here.' She crossed her arms, watching Mason. `And he's pissed off with you two.'
`You spoke to him?' Ruth stepped toward the trees.
`Nope, didn't need to.' Renee tilted her head. `He's armed and smells of anger.'
Mason widened his vision until he spotted Wilson hiding in the trees, pistols in hand.
`There is another?' Ivy muttered from behind.
`Yes.' Mason nodded, waving Wilson to come out. `Our son.'
He watched Wilson slip the pistols into a tree before stepping out of his hiding place.
`Are all your clan like this?' Ivy asked as Wilson jogged towards them, face creased in a frown.
`The son isn't as stubborn or as irritating as the father,' Renee said, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. `But still gifted.'
`Who's that?' Lilly stepped past them, Rose clinging to her arm.
`Wilson.' Mason said, glancing at Lilly before studying Rose's missing teeth and swollen face. `Rose, you look like crap.'
`Nah,' she muttered. He decided to leave it.
`So, what the hell have you done?' Wilson ignored the crowd of women and waved his arms wildly. `I thought you were in the club.' Ruth hugged him and he went quiet, hugging her back, but staring at Mason.
`We're fine.' Mason shifted under his son's stare. The lad had a right to be worried.
`It's all right, Wil,' Ruth said, holding him. `Everything is all right.'
`Uh-huh, then why is the sand moving?' He staggered and clung to Ruth.
`Is it Gaia?' Mason asked, keeping his balance as sand rippled underfoot.
`Yep.' Ruth let Wilson go as the sand rose up.
`Hmm, this is unusual. Troubling.' Tashia stepped forward but all the other women, including the Flowers, shuffled back. `Gaia does not reveal herself like this. To us.'
`Things are getting freaky again.' Wilson followed his mother towards the moving sand. Mason glanced around at the Darkells gathered near the fire. Ivy nodded to him. Lilly helped Rose stand.
Yep, it was freaky all right.
`This isn't part of the evening celebrations?' he asked Tashia when she joined him.
`Our paths are very different. Our energy is sourced off-world, you might say. Gaia's is bound to the earth we stand on.'
`Different paths, but not enemies?' He glanced up at her. Gaia was taking form near Ruth.
`There have been misunderstandings in the past but no major conflict. Humans are her children and so it is Bloodells she wars with.'
`She does?' He glanced back at Ruth waiting for Gaia. `How?'
`The goddess has many ways of influencing the earth and its elements. They can kill.' She touched him with a long finger. `But when things are dire, Gaia can unleash something far more dangerous than any Unnatural.'
Mason folded his arms, thinking he knew what she was suggesting. `You mean me.'
`At first. But now…' Tashia looked at Ruth and he went cold. She was reaching out to touch Gaia. Nikki stood close behind.
`Ruth? How?'
`Would we be standing here if Ruth had died a year ago?'
`No.' He rubbed his nose. The darkness in him began to uncoil, pain and memories roiled deep inside. `You know about that?'
`Hmm, I do. Without love and your family you are just a butcher. Just a mindless
