Supernatural Fiction posted February 16, 2021 Chapters:  ...50 51 -52- 53... 


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The Curse/A Novel of the Breedline series

A chapter in the book THE CURSE

A Time for Healing

by scongrove




Background
Thanks for taking the time to read my chapter. It's new, so if you catch typos or mistakes, please let me know. Stay safe & enjoy!
As soon as Jem and Tessa arrived at their destination, they got out of the vehicle and walked toward Nicolas’s house, a cozy two-story cabin that butted against a lake. The place was breathtaking, and apparently well kept. It had a rustic look with an exterior made from cedar, stone, and brick cladding. Going by the size of the thing, it had to be at least three thousand square-feet if not bigger.

The cabin was surrounded by acres of trees that stretched across a grassland as far as the eye could see. It was already getting hot, but the cool breeze from the lake was refreshing and made it tolerable to be outside.  

Before they left the Covenant, Tessa decided to bring along her and Jace’s twin boys, Jax and little Jem. She thought it would be good for them to take an adventure and experience what nature had to offer. And hopefully, Amy would enjoy having playmates for the day.

With Jax tucked securely in his arms, Jem looked in Tessa’s direction and said, “Man… this place is spectacular.” He inhaled deeply, taking in the distinctive smell of fresh country air. “I’d love to have a place like this.”

“You and me both,” she replied, readjusting little Jem over her hip. “The boys would love it here, especially the lake.”

Jem nodded. “I’ll have to bring Evie for a visit. She loves the water.”

A few moments later, they were greeted at the door by Nicolas. He motioned them inside. “Please, come on in,” he said with slight southern drawl. “Everyone is gathered on the back patio.”

“Thank you, Nicolas,” Tessa said as she came inside with Jem following in behind her. “I hope you don’t mind me bringing the boys along.”

“Of course not.” He smiled. “I’m glad you brought them. Amy will be thrilled to have someone to play with.”

Tessa smiled and Jem said, “This place is like a slice of heaven.” He looked up at the cathedral ceiling, noticing the chandelier made of deer antlers and then back to Nicolas. “How long have you had this place?”

“Believe it or not,” Nicolas said, cocking a brow, “I’ve owned this property for more than a century. There’s about seven hundred acres here. It wasn’t until the early thirties that I decided to build this cabin. Of course, I’ve made a few upgrades since then.”

“You’re giving away your age, Nicolas,” Tessa said. “Although, you don’t look a day over twenty.”

He chuckled. “That’s about the only good thing immortality has to offer.”  
   
As Nicolas led them to a sliding glass door, the second they stepped onto the patio, Amy rushed forward.

“Hi, my name is Amy,” she said, looking between the twin boys and then focusing on Jem. “Can they play with me?”  

“You betcha, sweetheart,” Jem said, smiling down at Amy. “This is Jax.” Then he looked over at Tessa and said, “And that’s his twin brother, little Jem and their mama, Tessa."

Amy looked up at the toddler in Tessa’s arms and then back to Jem with a puzzled look on her face. “How come that baby has the same name as you?”

“His daddy is my twin brother,” Jem explained. “He named him after me.”

She grinned, appearing satisfied with his explanation.

When Jem lowered Jax down, he watched in fascination as Amy got on her knees and wrapped her arms around the toddler. The second Amy released Jax, he reached out and tugged at one of her long pigtails, slightly pulling at it.

“I’m sorry, Amy,” Tessa said as she knelt next to Jax and placed his brother beside him. “He doesn’t mean you any harm. He’s just very curious.”

Little Jem frowned at his brother and muttered, “No-no.”

“It’s okay,” Amy said, smiling at little Jem. “He didn’t hurt me.”

“Amy, do you like chocolate chip cookies?” Tessa asked.

Her eyes brightened. “I love chocolate chip cookies!”

What little kid didn’t? Tessa thought. And then she thought of what Amy had gone through when her and her mother had been kidnapped by a serial killer. It nearly gutted her. No child should be subjected to such evil. It made Tessa want to weep, but she couldn’t show it. At least not in front of Amy.
      
“But first,” Tessa finally said, focusing back on Amy, “we better ask your mommy if it’s okay.”

“’Kay,” Amy bashfully said, her thumb automatically going to her mouth.

It had been a habit she’d recently adapted. Most likely, due to the traumatic incident she’d experienced.
 
Amy quickly looked up when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes lit up when she saw it was her mother.

“Yes, honey,” Martha said. “You can have one cookie.”

Amy lowered her thumb from her mouth and offered her mother a tentative smile and then glanced over at Tessa. “She said it’s okay.”

“One chocolate chip cookie coming right up,” Tessa said as she reached into the bag that was strapped over her shoulder. When she brought her hand out, she had a plastic baggie full of cookies the size of saucers.

Amy’s eyes rounded and Jax and little Jem instantaneously started to clap.

Martha stood back and watched in wonder as Amy took to Tessa and the others so easily. It all seemed too good to be true, but she was grateful to have met such good, caring people.

“Mind if I steal your Mama for a moment?” Jem said, his eyes focused on Amy as she shoved a piece of cookie in her mouth.

She looked up at Jem with her cheeks stuffed full and smiled.

He chuckled. “Enjoy your cookie, sweetheart.” He lightly patted her on top of the head. “And save one for me.”

Jem nodded at Martha and then guided her away from Amy to a comfortable seating area on the other side of the covered patio.

“I’m glad you came,” Martha said as she sat across from Jem. “I don’t think I thanked you enough for saving my daughter. If you hadn’t been there—”

“Please…” Jem held up a halting hand. “It’s okay, Martha. I’m just glad she’s okay and that’s all that matters.”

“What you did was a miracle,” Martha said in a tear-laced voice. “Amy is everything to me. She’s all I have.”

Jem scooted his chair close to Martha’s and leaned forward. “I came by to see how Amy was doing, but I also wanted to talk to you about something private.”

“Oh…” Martha said, her voice sounding curious. “Is there something wrong?”

“No, no,” Jem quickly said. “It’s about you.” He hesitated for a moment. “Helen told me about your condition, and I’d like to help.”

“You mean…” Her eyes rounded. “You want to help with my cancer?”

“Yes, Martha. I think I can heal you, or at least I’d like to try. But you have to know…” he hesitated for a moment and released a deep breath. “My gift is new to me. There’s a chance it could be dangerous. It’s up to you.”

Suddenly, tears streamed down Martha’s cheeks. And before she managed to utter a single word, he reached out and took hold of her hand.

Although they only sat there for a few minutes, it felt like time stood still. Martha sat in silence, trying her best to comprehend the offer Jem had presented to her. Finally, she said, “I would like more than anything to try. But… how is this possible? I mean… how can you…”

“Heal people,” Jem said as Martha’s voice trailed off. When she nodded, he went on to say, “It’s hard to explain and I know you’re confused considering everything you’ve been through. Especially all the bizarre things you’ve witnessed in the last few days. But all I can tell you is… this gift I have… it’s something I was born with. Can you except that answer?”

Martha smiled. “Absolutely.”   

Jem lightly squeezed her hand. “Thank you, Martha.”

As Martha started to pull her hand away, Jem tightened his hold. “Wait,” he whispered with a smile curving his lips. “Let’s do this now.”

She looked at him surprised. “Really?”

“Why not?” Jem replied, shrugging his shoulders. “Aren’t you ready to rid yourself of all the pain and finally start living?”  

“More than anything.” She blinked more tears. “What do I need to do?”

“Just close your eyes, Martha. Let me do all the rest.”

As soon as she closed her eyes, he shut his and focused on nothing but healing. It wasn’t long before a warm sensation crept through his body and surrounded hers like a ray of sunshine.

At once, the effects of Jem’s healing energy poured into Martha. Slowly, the pain magically lifted from her body. It was like something she’d only hoped to imagine. She felt renewed and somehow free.

The moment Jem sensed strength in Martha that hadn’t been there before, he breathed a sigh of relief and released her hand.

“You can open your eyes, Martha.”

When she lifted her lids, she stared at him with an open mouth. She closed it and reopened it several times but not a word came out. Then her expression softened, and her eyes glistened with tears.

“T-Thank you,” she said. “I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me and my daughter.”

“It was my pleasure.”

Jem’s focus was so great on Martha that he hadn’t realized someone was standing next to him until a small voice said, “Did you take away Mama’s sickness?”

His brows lifted when he turned to see Amy standing next to him with an inquisitive look on her face that was smeared with chocolate.

“Yes, sweetheart. Your Mama is much better now.”

“Look,” Amy said, extending her hand, offering him a cookie. “I saved you the biggest one.”

“Why thank you,” Jem said with a smile in his voice. “That is the biggest cookie I’ve ever seen.”

When Jem took the cookie, Amy patted his cheeks with her sticky hands and said, “You and Jena are my bestest friends.”

“Well then,” Jem said, surprised by her statement. “I consider that a real honor. What did I do to deserve that?”

“You saved us, silly,” she said with a giggle, and then looked toward her mother. “Isn’t that right, Mama?”

More tears gathered in Martha’s eyes. For a moment she remained silent, clearly overwhelmed by what Amy had said. She should have realized her daughter was more observant than she gave her credit for. After all, Amy was brighter than the average five-year-old.

Amy looked worried when her mother didn’t answer right away. She hurried over and climbed into her lap, putting her little hand to her mother’s cheek.

“Don’t cry, Mama,” she said, gently wiping away the tears as they ran down Martha’s face. “It’ll be okay.” Amy focused her eyes toward Jem. “Won’t it, Jem?”

“Most definitely, sweetheart,” Jem replied, looking between Amy and Martha with a genuine expression on his face.

Slowly, he reached out for Martha’s hand and then he reached for Amy’s, linking them all together. “You can count on me and everyone here. We’re your family now.”

Martha smiled and Amy launched herself from her mother's lap and into Jem's. His heart melted as she wrapped her arms around him, squeezing tightly. If he hadn't already been solidly attached to this little girl, that would have sealed the deal. 

To be continued. . . 

 




A reference for terms and cast of characters in this chapter, especially for new readers:

BREEDLINE - A species of humans that have the ability to change from human form into wolf form if they are born an identical twin. They are not like the old legend of the Lycanthropy myth. The Breedline species can shift into their wolf at will. The moon has no power over them. They do not pass their ability to other humans. Although they live among humans, their species is secret. In wolf form, they have superstrength, speed, and heightened senses. Compared to humans, Breedlines have tremendous advantages when it comes to health. Their bodies heal fast and are not subject to illness or diseases. The only thing that slows their healing process is silver. It is their kryptonite. Besides old age, a silver bullet to the brain is the only way to kill a Breedline.
All male Breedlines change into their first wolf at the age of eighteen. Female Breedlines do not go through the change until they make love to their Breedline bonded mate.

BREEDLINE TWINS - They have a strong, unbreakable bond from birth. Born with telepathic abilities, they have the power to sense their twin's emotions or injuries. In some cases, the bond between twins is so strong they cannot live without the other.

BREEDLINE COVENANT - The Breedline species must live within the boundaries of their Covenant. There is one in every state. A council governs its laws and oversees the species population.

THE BREEDLINE QUEEN - A Breedline queen is born once every one hundred years. Her massive stature, black fur, and red eyes are the queen's trademarks. Her alpha wolf has twice the strength, speed, and size of any Breedline. She rules over all the Breedline Covenants. She is their absolute law.

SUCCUBUS (a.k.a. Creepers) - A succubus feeds off the blood of a Breedline species. They are skilled with hypnotic abilities and capable of using their beautiful features to influence the thoughts of the Breedline species and humans.

HALF-BREED - A species born with the genes from both a Breedline and a succubus. They can bond with either species. Although they cannot shift into a wolf, they need blood from a Breedline to survive.

Jem Chamberlain (a.k.a. the Chosen Son) - He is a Breedline species and Jace's identical twin brother. He carries the gene of the Chiang-Shih demon, which gives him the power to create a portal and a force of electrical energy used as a weapon and other powers he discovers later. His bonded mate is Mia Blackwood. He's an IT engineer and the drummer in the band Chaos.

Tessa Fairchild (the Breedline queen) - She was born into the human world and later discovers she's a Breedline. Abandoned by her parents, and raised by her aunt and uncle, Tessa has no knowledge of being born a twin. After she meets Jace, they become bonded mates. During her first change into her Breedline wolf, she shifts into the new Breedline queen. She is an aspiring artist.

Jena McCain - She is an inspiring artist with the ability to speak with the dead. Jena was attacked and bitten by an age-old creature and cursed with a lust for human blood. Now that she is to become the creature and hunt humans, instead of killing innocent people, she will only hunt evil.

Nicolas Ratcliff - He is immortal with the power of invisibility and supernatural speed. He works for the San Francisco Police Department as a detective. He's bonded with Jena McCain.

Martha Dunlap - Her and her daughter were kidnapped by a serial rapist. Before they were harmed, Jena's creature saved them and killed their kidnapper.

Amy Dunlap - She is Martha's five-year-old daughter.

Jax and little Jem Chamberlain - They are Breedline and Jace and Tessa's twin sons.

Evie Chamberlain - She is a half-breed and Jem and Mia's daughter.
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