Incarnations Read Free Page B

differently."
    "Yes, I know." Vesta stilled with her hand on
Caislyn's back. "I just want you to understand, that in hindsight,
decisions can seem foolhardy. Sometimes, they turn out to be
exactly that, but others... well, it's something you have to figure
out for yourself. And Caislyn, I know there's been so much, too
much, for you to have to deal with." Vesta stopped there,
apparently trying to find the right words.
    "But..." Caislyn interjected.
    "But, you need to make another decision soon, or it
may be taken out of your hands completely."
    "Good." She said stiffly. "If it's taken out of my
hands, then so be it."
    "Just remember Caislyn, sitting back and allowing the
decision to be made for you can be way more painful than making it
yourself. Even if one of these boys decides it's not right for
them, what kind of message are you sending to the other?" Caislyn
looked at Vesta questioningly, not getting it. "He's going to think
you only chose him by default, because he was all that was left.
He's going to see that you really didn't make a choice. You took
the coward's way out, and that's never an attractive look on
anyone." Vesta patted Caislyn's back one more time, and then got up
to leave the room. “My daughter is not a coward,” she said as she
walked out.
    This time, it was Caislyn's turn to abuse the
pillows. By the time she wore herself out again, she realized the
only person she wished she could put in front of her fists was
herself. "How did I let my world get so screwed up?" She said it
out loud, but there was no one around to answer her. She found
herself wishing for all the world that Jaxon was there to help her.
"Jax, I need you," she cried into the pillow.
    ***

HISTORIES & MYSTERIES
     
    "I have a proposition for you."
    Jaxon looked up into the quiet greenish blue depths
of Brigid's eyes, wondering how in the hell she had managed to fall
asleep in the midst of a strange vampire so easily. "What kind of
proposition?"
    "I need to get to a certain vampire, for a little
revenge of my own, but he's guarded by a witch. I haven't been able
to get close enough to do anything more than watch from a distance
in a great many years. I would love nothing more than to be able to
end his reign on this Earth."
    "Sounds awful personal, feels worse." Jaxon nursed
her temples. She hadn't quite brought her shields all the way up
before the blazing anger rolled off of Brigid in white hot waves.
"So, what did this particular vampire do to you, because honestly,
unless he's wearing the brown robes of the Brotherhood, I don't
have a whole lot of interest." Jaxon stood up and went to the small
kitchenette off to the side. She filled her mug with the water that
had been boiling, and dropped a tea bag in.
    "He used to run with another woman, although back
then it was another vampire instead of the witch he's using today.
The day Marc sired me, his little minion killed my entire family."
The name drew Jaxon's attention immediately. "He may not wear the
brown robes you and I both seek, but I have it on good authority
that he once did." Brigid drew closer to stand over Jaxon as she
fumbled around with her tea, adding honey and a little cream to it
before she turned to go sit back down.
    "Does this Marc have a last name?" Jaxon knew it was
a long shot that she was thinking of the same vampire that Brigid
now wanted dead, but she still had to ask.
    "Indeed, his surname is Pithview."
    Jaxon had to swallow her reaction quickly. "Okay,"
she said simply as she sipped her tea. Brigid eyed her
suspiciously, but didn't say any more on the subject.
    "I need a little downtime first to recharge my
batteries. I've been rolling along at a solid run for almost a
month now."
    "Do I need to ask what you're running from?"
    "No." Jaxon said and turned to head for the hot
shower she so desperately needed.
    ~*~
    Jaxon stepped out of the bathroom with a smile on her
face. She looked right at Brigid, "did you find what you were
looking for?"
    "Excuse