Chapter Sixteen

Quinn

Quinn couldn’t stoptouching Nikita.Staring at her to make sure she was really there.Her beautiful baby girl.In all her years, Quinn never imagined meeting her again, much less where Nikita wanted to know her.As Kyllian drove away from the mall, Quinn held Nikita’s hand.She stared at her daughter who looked almost identical to Quinn at her age.Nikita’s hair was a shade lighter, but she had the same blue eyes.The same nose.Even her ears were shaped like Quinn’s, a little on the large side and slightly pointed.

“A training simulation?Really?”Nikita was grinning at Kyllian, and it was clear she was enamored with him.

“Hey, I had to tell him something that didn’t require someone trying to erase all the footage of you tearing through the mall.Who did you kick down the escalator?”Kyllian asked, pride in his voice

“Brett.Mercy sent him with me to the restroom.Can one of you tell me what the hell is going on?”Nikita gripped Quinn’s hand tighter.

“It’s a long story,” Quinn responded.“Before I get into it, because I promise I’ll tell you everything, we need to decide where we’re going.”

Nikita’s eyes widened.“I’m not going back to the pack.You can forget it.”

Quinn cupped Nikita’s cheek.“Never, my darling girl.But you still have two months left until you graduate.Kyllian thought we might get an extended stay hotel suite close to the school so you can finish out the year.Graduating is a big deal.”

“But what about Blake?Won’t he be looking for me?”

“No,” Kyllian said.“I need to tell you what I did and get it out of the way first.It’s one of those beg for forgiveness instead of asking permission situations.As a Gryphon, I have the ability to influence minds.Make people do things or forget things.I made your whole pack forget about you and Quinn.”

“Seriously?That’s...that’s a little scary.”

“It can be, but I promise you now I will never use it on you.Gryphons were given the gift in case our human mates couldn’t handle the knowledge of our existence.We don’t have fated mates or destined mates.There aren’t that many Gryphons, so not all of our kind get to mate with other Gryphons.Most have human partners.To keep our existence a secret, we can voice them if needed.I might have overstepped in making your whole pack forget about the two of you, but it seemed like the easiest solution.I’m sorry if it’s not something you wanted.If you want to keep in touch with anyone from your pack, I can undo the command.”Nikita chewed on her lip, and Quinn held her breath.Nikita said she would never go back, but that didn’t mean there weren’t those who she loved.Who were important to her.

“It’s sad to say, but Tarryn is the only one I care anything about.Well, I’ll miss Jake, my little brother, but I figure it’s only a matter of time before he falls prey to Blake’s influence the way Nathan has.Without me there, Carrie won’t feel neglected, and Nathan won’t feel threatened.As far as school, I’m pretty much done.I asked Tarryn to get my assignments while I went off searching for Quinn, but even if I never turned in another assignment, I’ll still have a 4.0 average.I’m taking mostly AP classes this year.Can we, I don’t know, call the school and tell them I’m sick or something?See if I can do the work remotely?They can mail my diploma to me, right?”

Quinn’s heart swelled with pride, but at the same time, it broke hearing Nikita wouldn’t miss anyone from her life.“You don’t want to walk across the stage with your classmates?And Mercy said something about you being top in your class.Won’t you need to make a speech?”

“Tommy Connors and I have the same GPA and are co-valedictorians.If I don’t show back up, he’ll still do his speech, but I won’t have to.And before you ask, yes, I’m cool with that.Finding out about my past put me in a tailspin, and I couldn’t focus on what I wanted to say to my class anyway.”

“I’m so sorry,” Quinn whispered.“I should have never given up trying to find you.”

“Why did you?”Nikita didn’t sound accusing only curious.

“I was your age.Lost and alone.”Quinn took a deep breath, turned so she was facing her child, and told her everything from the beginning.Starting with her own parents, she laid it all out for Nikita.

Nikita remained silent, taking it all in.When Quinn finished, Nikita smiled.“Thank you for coming for me now.”She leaned over and hugged Quinn the best she could with her seatbelt on.Quinn held her daughter, breathing in her scent, and thanking the goddess for her beautiful child and her fierce mate.When Nikita released her, she turned to Kyllian.“So, about that sidecar.”

Kyllian laughed, shaking his head.“Nothing but trouble.”

Nikita grabbed Quinn’s hand and put hers next to it.“It’s incredible how much we’re alike.When I saw you back at the mall for the first time, it was surreal.”

“Wait ‘til you see a picture of my mom.The genes are strong in our female line.I met her mother back at the RC pack, and I had the same reaction.If I hadn’t known better, I’d have thought it was Finola standing there.”

“I’m glad I look like you because you’re gorgeous.I can’t wait to see your Wolf.I wonder if they’re similar too.”

“They are,” Kyllian said.“Quinn’s Wolf is slightly larger than your own, but your markings are the same.Speaking of, Quinn and I were talking.”

“Seems like you’ve been doing a lot of that,” Nikita teased.

“Yes, smartass, we have.This whole meeting and mating has been quick.But we were discussing buying some property and building a new house for the three of us.We need to know if that’s something you want.We don’t know your plans for the future, like are you going to college?Have you already applied and been accepted somewhere?Since I didn’t go, I don’t know the process, but you’ve probably got that all figured out.”

“First off, I would be devastated if we didn’t live together,” Nikita admitted.“Ever since you told me about your family, they’re all I can think about.And meeting Trenton.From the way you both speak about your dads, I’m ready to meet them both.And Rory.I need a grandma who’ll have my back, not stab me in it.As for college, I didn’t apply anywhere.Blake discouraged it.I’m pretty sure he was counting on me finding a mate and continuing the dire line.He would never let me go off to school anyway.I’ve always had shadows everywhere I went.”

“If it’s something you want to do, Kyllian and I will help you apply.Between us, we have the money to pay for it if it’s too late to get scholarships or grants.”

“I appreciate the offer.Learning comes easy to me, but I’ve not found anything that screams ‘this is what I want to do with my life.’I’m aces with computers, but Blake monitored everything I did at home.I think he was afraid I’d try to find you.I figure I have plenty of time to figure out what calls to me.What about you?I take it since you stayed home you didn’t go either?”she asked Quinn.

Tags: Faith Gibson Crime
Source: readsnovelonline.net