Mark stepped back and wrung his hands. Mark couldn’t be more thankful his son lived, but he was terrified Valen would hate him for what he did. “Do you think Valen will understand about me? About why I haven’t gone to him?”
She nodded. “I just hope we can save him. He’s a good man. And he’s married. They have the potential for such a bright future.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “And he’ll want to save his mother if it’s possible.”
“We can figure that out later, okay?” Mark said.
“You’re still ritually bound to her.”
That cut deep. He held up both hands. “Cora, she chose that thing. She stabbed me. I barely made it out of there. Now, part of her wants to find me for Gerard. I don’t know about you, but nothing she does now can right what she did then.”
“You want to break Valen’s heart after finally meeting him?” she argued.
He snorted. “Who believes Gerard is his father, right?”
“Yes, but—”
Shaking his head, Mark backed away. “Look, if they can be saved, great. They aren’t a part of my life now, except to end the damned threat to you and the rest of the coven, and to me and my home.”
“How can you give up on everything you once knew?”
Mark laughed bitterly. “After the hell you went through, why can’t you?”
Cora blinked and stepped away. “It’s what I know.”
Morrigan answered, “Killing the doppelgangers is the only way to ensure you all live. That may or may not include whoever has started to change.”
Mark let out a breath and looked Cora in the eye. “Do you really think Kindra is worth saving? She did choose one of those bastards over her own kind.”
“She’s been manipulated since the beginning. Maybe Kindra can help us?”
Morrigan glanced down. “There is no guarantee Kindra, or Valen, can be saved. I’m not sure we can trust them.”
Cora glanced down. “I can’t help thinking there must be a way.”
“We’ll do everything we can,” Robert assured. “Our goal is to save as many as we can.”
Mark had to wonder what that meant. On one hand, he didn’t want to care. But he loved her once, and if she had been manipulated, didn’t she deserve a chance? Or would she be stupid and get herself in an even worse situation? He almost laughed. “I can’t think of a worse situation.”
Robert squeezed his shoulder.
Mark asked, “Can we go in, take the doppelgangers out, and deal with them ourselves?”
“We can try,” Robert answered.
Morrigan held up a hand. “They can pull portals open, slip through. Do you have a way to get to them and take them where they can’t escape?”
Tremaine smirked. “Yeah, we have a place that will work. Out of the way, not quite in any realm.”
Morrigan stepped closer to Tremaine. “You’re not afraid of using your magic?”
“I am willing. And Liz may even be willing to help.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Mark said, “what are you talking about?”
One of Morrigan’s eyebrows rose. “You willing to share your secret?”
Tremaine looked at Mark, then Cora. “This doesn’t leave the room.”
Cora nodded, though she looked like she might be sick.
“Never a word out of my mouth,” Mark promised. But he’d seen enough things in Edenton he’d never share that information.
“I’m a Rift Bender. We can create pocket realms, I suppose. That’s where we can trap the doppelgangers. It’s very hard to escape unless you’re one of us, or you have our help,” Tremaine explained.
“I don’t understand,” Cora answered.
“Doesn’t matter. It can be done.” Tremaine lifted a shoulder. “But it’s dangerous, and no one should know what I am, or Liz.”
“Two of you?” Morrigan asked. “You do know that just a couple more of you together and you can destroy the entire dimension?”
“Yeah, I know. She knows. But there are good things we can do too.”
Cora held her hand to her chest like she might feint, or maybe have a coronary.
Gina huffed out a breath. “Relax. Edenton is full of all kinds of Others. We all get along. There are more witches than Druciela.”
“Just no coven,” Druciela tacked on. “We’re independent. No high priest or priestess. No witchy politics. Everyone accepts everyone.” She glanced at Mark.
And strangely, he did feel accepted by Edenton. Even Druciela at the moment. To be fair, he had avoided her over the years, preferring not to be judged for the only realistic option he had. And that was mostly Josh’s reaction that caused his.
Morrigan paced away and came back. “And what if one or more doppelgangers escape with the rest of the witches? And what if the witches protect them? That’s what happened to Badb’s kingdom. No one wanted to believe those who complained their spouse was someone else when they came back from war. Some of them didn’t even realize someone had taken their spouse’s place. Badb found another man in her husband’s place. Some of them were more convincing than others, but she knew the difference, and killed the one who attempted to take her place, and nearly killed another.”
“Why wouldn’t they know?” Cora asked.
“Because they targeted people of power whose spouse was away for war.”
“Where the hell was she from that she went to war and her husband didn’t?” Cora asked.
“Faery. Many, many years ago. Gender means little to the Fae in most cases. Plus, there are many matriarchal groups in Faery,” Morrigan explained.
“And they still didn’t see the difference in their spouses?”
“Some thought they’d grown apart, others liked the changes. So many people want to ignore the danger right in front of them.”
“What happened to her?”
“That’s a complicated story, but all will be well once again. Her kingdom fell. Her people faded away as the doppelgangers took their original form and moved on to the next town. Nothing grows hundreds of years later, nothing lives there.”
Cora flexed her hands. “We have to stop it. What do I do?”
“Tell us what you can about Brightwater Bay,” Preston answered. “About the people there. We’ll do what we can to get everyone out.”
Chapter 12
Kindra drove past the empty house down the street from hers. Cora’s car was parked in the driveway, while another sat on the street. She couldn’t help wondering who was looking at the house. No one had actually moved into the town in more than twenty years.
She pulled into her driveway and climbed out of the car. A fine tremble worked through her body while her head spun. Pulling a breath became difficult as well.
Gerard was right. She was becoming one of them. And a sudden wave of clarity washed over her as if his influence was being washed away.
She had betrayed Anders, her sweet first love who would have done anything to make her happy. She let that thing get into her head and ruin him.
Was there a way to redeem herself and her son?
And if not, could she accept her choices?
Could she at least save her son? He was innocent in all of this, and a good man, like Anders had been.
Shaking all that off, she made her way inside.
Gerard stood as she came in, a smile stretching across his face. “There you are, my love.”
“Miss me?” she teased, wishing she could put some of the passion she once felt into it. It was all fake. Her heart hammered in her chest and fear clouded her mind. He could sense her thoughts most of the time.
Instead, he moved closer, studying her face. “What is it?”
His ignorance caused her to relax. She smiled slightly. “Tired. That’s all.”
Gerard took her hands. “The change is upon you.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“Please consider this a chance to better yourself.” He cares
sed her face, staring into her eyes. Nothing happened this time. She couldn’t feel him in her head. His grin widened. “Yes, you’re gaining our magic now. Remember, you chose me and our son.”
She nodded slowly, even as her stomach turned. Everything she once believed had been proven false. Her whole life had been designed by others. Including her parents. They pushed and prodded her to Anders. Then all that fell apart when they didn’t choose a new high priest.
Was there a way to fix all the sins she’d committed? Or was she stuck with her choices?
“You’ll start fresh with me and my people, in a new place, with new magics to behold.”
“What of the coven?”
“Does it matter?”
Of course it did. Both her answer and his, but for very different reasons. If she said yes, there was no telling what he would do. The few times she attempted to resist him, he hurt her, then brainwashed her. Would he kill her if she attempted to warn anyone?
And the question meant the coven would suffer at the very least, possibly die.
She lifted a shoulder and stared back at him. “You already know who I choose.”
“Do I?” His eyes narrowed.
“You, Gerard. I chose you from the very beginning.”
“You wouldn’t want the real Anders back?” he taunted.
“It’s been far too long for that. I thought I’d killed him.”
“So did I, until recently,” he admitted.
“Thought you said you knew,” she countered.
“It’s never that simple. He was weak enough and far enough away I couldn’t tell for sure. I always wondered because certain things that normally happen, didn’t.”
“Do they always?” she asked.
He lifted a shoulder. “No, but with his amount of power, it should have.”
“Power?” she asked.
He nodded, his eyes sparkling in evil delight. “Yes, power. Anders hadn’t met his potential, not even close.”
She couldn’t let herself think about that. It wouldn’t do her a damn bit of good.
“So, what did you learn?” Gerard asked, changing the subject.
She shook her head. “There’s something wrong with the memory. Like someone tampered with my head.” She pressed at her temples. “I do know the woman now with Anders is a werewolf, and she called herself Jada Tolon. But there are no werewolves up at Neah Bay.”
“You’re right, but I had Anthony look into possible places in Washington. There’s a large pack in Edenton, Washington. We need to send someone to scout the area and to find him. Someone he won’t recognize. I was considering Valen.”
“But he looks like Anders. Wouldn’t that be a giveaway?”
“He looks more like you. And it’s been long enough, and you believe he’s mated. Which means he won’t likely be thinking about you if he sees him. Besides, he’s a witch, he can contact the witches there.”
She nodded slowly.
“And keep in mind, if he’s mated, it makes the most sense for you to take this woman’s place.”
She blinked, then nodded.
Could she go through with it?
Did she have a choice?
“I’ll do what I must for my family. You and Valen.”
“Good, good. Now let me in so I can see if I can find the details you fail to remember.”
Best to play along until she could figure out what to do. “Of course.”
Gerard caressed her face, then slid into her mind. Hissing, he backed away. “You’re right, someone did fuck with your mind.”
“How can you tell?” she asked.
“Because I know your mind, and those memories aren’t your own. Though I know you’re questioning things now, but you won’t be soon.”
She wasn’t sure about that.
* * * *
Poor Kindra. Gerard almost laughed too many times while explaining her predicament. He had to hold it in. Soon enough, she’d be swayed, she always was.
How did he know her mind was tampered with? He knew the patterns as he’d done it to her himself. The question was, who had been in her head, and how much did they know about Anders and the doppelgangers?
Probably too much.
He knew what Kindra had left for. He had planted the idea himself. And what she learned had been fabricated, the memories were erased.
Which meant someone wanted to protect Anders’ new identity and location.
The phone rang, and his brow arched. He walked to pick it up. “Hello?”
Anthony replied, “Have you seen Cora?”
“No, let me ask Kindra.” He turned in her direction. “Know where Cora is?”
“Haven’t seen her since this afternoon.” She frowned, then held up her hand. “I saw her car outside the empty house. She’s probably showing it to someone who wants to move in.”
“She was at the empty house with someone. I could have Kindra check,” Gerard answered.
“Please. She knows our secrets. If she’s managed to escape we have to find her.”
“Of course.” He hung up. “Can you check the house? Seems she’s been gone a long time.”
“Sure,” Kindra answered. She hopped up and left the house. She smiled at him before shutting the door.
That was why he chose her. She so easily fell in line and chose him. Every single time.
* * * *
Kindra didn’t have much time and she didn’t know what to say if she did find Cora. Nor did she know what to do if her oldest friend was actually gone.
They might not always get along. They took two different sides to the little people issue. Cora was against them but couldn’t escape. Kindra went along with it all, and now she wasn’t sure why. Was her whole life a lie?
She hoped Cora had escaped. But how?
Her heart hammered in her chest as she walked down the road and up the steps to the front door of the empty home.
No one answered when she knocked, so she stepped inside. The place was empty, though she felt the lingering magic of another witch, and something else that felt familiar, though there wasn’t enough essence to actually pinpoint what she sensed.
Kindra took a slow breath and considered her options. She could call Cora, give her some sort of warning. Only, if Gerard kept stepping into her head, he would figure that out fast. Then again, if she disappeared, maybe Cora could help her disappear too.
She pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed Cora.
Chapter 13
Cora jumped when her phone rang. She hadn’t considered anyone calling her, though she should have expected it. She stared at the screen.
Kindra.
“Answer it,” Mark suggested.
She already found it easier to think of him as Mark. He was far more intense than before. He still looked as beautiful as he did before the doppelgangers had shown up. There really hadn’t been another word for him. Back then he’d been more ethereal somehow. Now, he radiated primal power and had grown into manhood. His body was sculpted in a way she would have never imagined.
There was a time when her thoughtless remarks wouldn’t have bothered him as much as they did now. Not that she blamed him. She’d had the closed-minded bullshit drilled into her all her life.
Witches weren’t supposed to mingle with anyone else, and yet, Druciela seemed to respect the mages, the werewolves, and the Fae. Probably whatever else resided in Edenton.
Shaking herself out of the thoughts, she looked back at her phone.
Now she sat in a room full of Others, working out how to save her coven. After she answered all of their questions, they continued to plan without her. She sat there, listening, her head spinning.
“Cora, answer it. They must know you’re gone,” Mark insisted.
“Can they trace it?” she asked.
Robert lifted a shoulder. “Doubtful. And if they come for you, we’re ready for them.”
She pressed talk. “D
idn’t expect to hear from you.”
Kindra sighed. “Look, I know you’re upset with me, and you have every right to be. But I’m worried. Where are you?”
“Never mind that. I’m not coming back.”
A strange sound escaped Kindra, one full of regret. “I don’t blame you. And it’s not safe right now. Things are changing. I’m not…right. I feel like my thoughts aren’t all my own. Maybe they never were.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You know how you used to complain about Anthony trying to brainwash you?”
Cora nodded, then answered, “Yeah. I told you that’s what Gerard was doing to you.”
“You were right all along.” She blew out a breath. “I don’t know what to do. I think…damn it…he says I’m becoming one of them. And I know Valen is. I don’t know what to do.”
“Do you want to be one of them?” Cora whispered.
“No. I just want my son to be okay. I want to do what’s right for him, if nothing else.”
“Is Gerard with you now?” she asked.
Kindra let out a small cry. “No. I’m at the empty house. They want to know where you are. I think they plan to kill you, Cora. Don’t come back.”
“Not going to.” She looked at Mark, then Robert, and back.
“I need to go. I’ll figure out something to tell them to buy you a little time. I’m sorry, Cora. I wish I had listened to you and Anders all those years ago.”
“Me too,” she whispered.
Tears filled Cora’s eyes. Kindra was never all bad. She made mistakes, she was pushed too hard by her parents. And finally, she seemed to realize how many mistakes she’d made.
“I’m with people who may be able to stop the change, in you and Valen. I’ll find a way to reach you soon. Okay? Stay safe, please. Keep Valen safe.”
Kindra sobbed. “Don’t come home. Don’t come for me. I don’t think they’ll let you live.” Kindra hung up.
Cora dropped the phone and stared at the floor.
* * * *
Mark moved in front of Cora and lifted her gaze. “What did she say?”
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