Tempest heard the door open, but she could not gather the strength to even whimper. A small voice drifted to her but she couldn't understand it. It was the same voice that had called to some goddess. She was confused and perhaps dreaming, but she listened to the sweet soft voice. It took her awhile before she realized that she was being read to. Opening her eyes just barely she saw a small girl sitting in a big chair beside the bed. She blinked several times trying to clear the blur in her vision. Surely she was seeing things for there was no children here only cruel men.
Julia knew that the woman had been awake for a short time, but she continued to read acting as if she had no clue. It had been nearly four weeks since she had first sat with the woman. It was hard to keep faith that the Goddess would answer her prayer, but she managed to hang on to it. Smiling she reached out and touched the woman's left hand gently. "I am glad to see you are awake. I was beginning to worry that you weren't going to wake back up," she felt the woman stiffen at her touch.
Tempest blinked once as she slowly moved her hand away from the child. Very slowly she moved trying to touch her lips. Her mouth was so dry she couldn't even swallow.
"You want something to drink?" Julia asked pretending she understood when she was really just reading her thoughts. ~She's awake Dad.~
Jules talked to the woman softly all the while reading her erratic thoughts. She didn't have the gift her father had with reading minds at will. Even at ten the young girl knew that her father needed a heir, one that could read minds. Reading minds and reading thoughts were completely different though most humans thought they were the same. Maddox could see into a person's mind and know what they were thinking and what had happened to them. Julia could only know what the person was thinking at the moment.
Sighing she knelt beside the bed bending the straw towards the woman's mouth. She knew that her father would be here shortly, but even she could tell that the woman was quickly getting tired once more. Picking through the thoughts she decided to answer the ones that she was able to.
"You are safe here is one of the first things I feel I should tell you. Hmmm...where are you seems like the next question you would ask if you could. Well that's easy enough to answer truthfully. I also think you are wondering how you got here," she whispered brushing the long red hair out of the woman's face.
Sitting the glass aside she pulled the chair closer to the bed. "I know you wanted more water, but I'm afraid to give you too much too quickly. My Uncle Val was hunting in the woods when he stumbled across you. Not knowing what else to do he brought you here to his brother's house. So now you lay in the MacThayen household safe and well looked after." Jules spoke so matter-of-factly for her age Tempest could help but smile even if it was only one sided.
Licking her dry lips slowly Tempest swallowed before opening her mouth. Her words were rough and scratchy sounding. "Th..Thank you. Tempest.....Tra...Tramayne," she managed finally before her eyes slide closed once more giving into the exhaustion.
Maddox stepped up beside his daughter laying a hand on her should as he looked down at the woman laying in his bed. He had arrived only long enough to hear the name she whispered. Once again he had missed seeing those eyes that haunted him. Looking down at her now he frowned deeply. Of all things this was not what he expected, and now he was at a lost.
"Yes Jules I do believe she is the one and the same Tempest Tramayne that the FBI is looking for. Of course there are half a dozon other government agencies looking for her too. When she wakes again we need to find out what she wants us to do. If she choses to leave Jules then we will honor her wishes," the clipped words were harsh.
Julia sadly watched her father storm quietly from the room. Looking back to the woman she sighed softly. Which of the two did she feel more sorry for she wondered. Her dad whom thought he was about to lose his mate, or the woman who didn't know yet that she had lost her entire family? The question bounced through her mind looking for an answer to help them both.