A Strange Little Desert Town - Chapter 12 (5/5)
A Strange Little Desert Town
Chapter Twelve - Accidental Truths
Part Five of Five
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Jacinta looked over at Wendy. Her blonde hair hung past her shoulders & the jewels strung on fine wires throughout it glimmered in the light. Wendy smiled back, her teeth hidden behind closed lips. Jacinta was sure there was something different about it tonight. She couldn't be sure however. Their hands brushed each others' across the table.
"Jass," Wendy began, unsure for the first time since they had known each other. "There is something I need to talk to you about."
Jacinta looked at her girlfriend. Their relationship was clandestine. Wendy was a Countess, hidden in this town from those who opposed her family's rule. A day would come when she would have to leave, & Jacinta would not be able to follow. It was an affair fraught with danger; aside from the social issues arising from same sex coupling, Wendy would one day have to marry for political gain. As the second child of Miranda Stripe, Jacinta had nothing to offer even had she been male.
Here it comes, thought Jacinta fearfully. She has to leave.
"Yes?" she asked, steeling herself for the ending to begin.
Weeks ago, after Bella’s funeral, Jacinta had called Wendy to come over. She didn’t want to be alone. They had discussed mortality & relationships. Perhaps it was seeing Jacinta so distraught that led Wendy to her suggestion. Whatever the reason, Wendy had come out with the truth about who & what she was; a Nightwalker. She offered Jacinta the chance to join her. To be able to watch over her extended family for as long as she chose.
Jacinta had accepted. She suddenly understood why Wendy hadn’t been able to attend Bella’s funeral. And so it was that she joined Wendy as a Nightwalker. She would never be able to safely watch a sunrise, & she had needed to move to the safety of Wendy’s home, but these had been sacrifices she was willing to make in the long term scheme of things.
She was brought back from her reverie with a jolt.
"Your mother's first partner," Wendy spoke softly. "How much do you know about him?"
"Nervous?" Jacinta asked incredulously.
"Hush," warned Wendy. "Normally I'd say we were safe within my walls, but in this I am not so sure."
Jacinta was blown away. This was not a topic she had ever expected to hear outside her own family. Her half brother's father was something that only her mother & Mike had ever spoken of. He had died long before Jacinta was born. Knowing Wendy was older than her was one thing. Jacinta didn't really like to think about it too hard & she had a strong suspicion this was going to drive it home. Hard.
But why was whispering necessary? Who would be listening?
"I know he died when my brother was two," Jacinta answered quietly. "He was engaged to mother. There was an incident."
"Surely that's not all," Wendy prompted.
Jacinta thought for a moment before continuing slowly.
"It happened in the spa. Mother wasn't fast enough to help. He caught fire & burnt to death right there in front of her on the night of Mike's birthday," Jacinta said. "Mother never got over him."
Wendy nodded.
"There is more to it than that," she said. "Think back to everything you know of him. This is important, Jass."
Jacinta furrowed her brows both in puzzlement & in concentration. What had Mike spoken of?
"He was a scientist," she continued, sorting through memories of conversations both shared & overheard. "He was often working late or steadily & was only able to give mother random allotments of time when he could find it. She didn't mind."
She paused & collected her thoughts.
"Mother was one of his only friends. He had two others in town & no one else. Not that he would have had time, I suppose. That's really it. He's not spoken of further than that. At least, not around me."
Wendy nodded.
"Parts of it are true," she said, her words sending Jacinta reeling. "He did work in science, but he wasn't a scientist. He was the experiment."
Jacinta's jaw dropped.
Wendy reached over & gently closed it. Even alone together they tried to keep the habit of not showing their teeth wherever possible. Their eyes met & Jacinta could see the heavy weight of sadness from the truth within Wendy's eyes.
"Essentially he was owned," Wendy continued. "His relationship with Miranda should never have happened, but somehow it did. There is a good chance it was allowed to happen as some sick twist in their research. Personally, I wouldn't put it past them. I don't know exactly what their research entailed, only the small bits & bobs that I can dig up. Circe & Loki Beaker are vile creatures, with no respect for the human race. Nervous was one of their success stories; & he only lived a half-life. His brother was far younger when his body caved in to the pressure."
Jacinta looked up, startled.
"His brother?!"
Wendy nodded.
"Nervous had a twin. They were identical, which was why they were chosen. Suddenly orphaned at the age of two years, they came to be in the possession of Circe & Loki. Renamed & rarely allowed out, they were written off within the case file as deceased with their parents. Circe planned it, Loki executed it.
"Over the years, Nervous & Tense were subjected to all manner of horrific experiments. They suffered electrocution in various ways, not only the more commonly known electro-shock therapy but also heinous concoctions dreamt up by Circe. Tense died during one of these obscure experiments when the boys were 19 years old. Nervous was devastated but was given no real means of mourning. One night, he snuck out of his basement quarters & off the premises entirely."
"Was that when he met my mother?"
"No," Wendy shook her head. "This was the night that he met Pascal Curious."
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