Sacred Spite

by Nadia Heaton

  “Leave, vampires. You are not welcome here.”

  “That isn’t your house, Mirabelle. We’re here to speak to Fleur and Bethany. Maybe you should let them decide whether they want to see us or not.”

  Her eyes flared at his use of her name, but Savion didn’t regret it. He wanted Mirabelle to know that he was onto her and her vampire hating schemes.

  “Get out now. We will not give another warning.”

  “Bethany! Do you know your aunt is playing guard dog here?”

  Savion clapped a hand over Jermaine’s mouth, but the damage was done. There was a scuffle inside the house, but the front door seemed to be jammed.

  “Come on, we need to go.”

  “I’m not going while they keep Bethany in there like a prisoner!”

  “And I’m not forcing Fleur to get into a fight with her own coven over us! We’ll just have to use that phone Bethany got you from the safety of Rashid’s.”

  Jermaine resisted for a moment, but finally allowed Savion to pull him away. It wasn’t a moment too soon, because by the glow of her hands, it looked like Mirabelle was conjuring up something nasty.

  20

  “What do you mean you can’t do anything! That’s not acceptable!”

  “Calm down, young lady. Losing your temper isn’t going to help anything.”

  Fleur grudgingly conceded the point. She took a deep, calming breath, and the edges of the carpet ceased curling. “Mirabelle can’t do this.”

  “She can.” Barrett didn’t look happy either, but he was taking this a lot better than Fleur or Bethany. “She’s the coven leader, and this concerns her coven.”

  “I’m not part of the coven,” Bethany said grimly. “She can’t keep me here. I’ll move to the Caribbean if I must. No one will keep me from Jermaine.”

  “Shh.” Lisette made frantic hushing motions with her hands. “If Mirabelle hears you say that, it’ll make things worse, not better, trust me.”

  Emily glanced again out of the window. “How long have they been there? I didn’t even know they were there until there was that blast of magic.”

  “I’ll go find out.” Fleur didn’t get three steps before her dad stopped her.

  “No, you’re too close to this, Fleur. So are your sisters. I’ll go. Mirabelle is my sister. She’ll talk to me.”

  “Fine, but you’d better get her to let us out,” Bethany grumbled. When Jermaine had called out for her, Bethany had tried to bash her way through the front door, which was enchanted shut. Fleur had tried to help, but Lisette and Tristan together had stopped her. She wasn’t happy about that, but she knew they were just trying to protect her.

  The entire family waited tensely while Barrett talked to Mirabelle. Fleur’s listening spells did nothing, which meant that Mirabelle must have some powerful warding up. Eventually, Barrett returned, his shoulders tense.

  “She knows,” he said without preamble. “I don’t know how, but she did some more digging into the vampire situation and somehow found out that you girls healed Jermaine, and that we’ve been harboring him ever since.”

  Bethany paled, and Tristan went to put an arm around her waist.

  “What about… Savion?” Fleur hadn’t told her parents what had happened between her and Savion, but they were astute enough to know that something was going on, even if they weren’t in on the details.

  “All she knows is that Savion is looking for his brother, and that he met you and Lisette in the shop. We’re going to keep it like that.”

  “I have to talk to her. How long can she stand outside with the rest of the coven? She’ll have to take a break, eventually.”

  “I know. She’s agreed to speak with all of us, as long as I can assure her that you three are under control. She doesn’t trust any of us much right now, but you less so, since you have powerful magic you can use against her if you choose to.”

  Things must be really bad if Mirabelle thought her own nieces would attack her. Though, to be honest, Fleur understood the caution. She barely had a handle on what was happening in her own head. She couldn’t see herself attacking her coven, but she couldn’t imagine hurting Savion either, even if she was ordered to.

  Lisette answered for all of them. “We wouldn’t attack our own coven. Mirabelle must really have gone off the deep end if she thinks that.” Fleur and Tristan nodded enthusiastically. Bethany didn’t speak up her own agreement, still fuming silently. Mirabelle wouldn’t be worried about her, though. A mortal was no threat to a witch.

  Barrett had another brief conversation with the witches outside before Mirabelle followed him in. Fleur noticed that the door was still magically barred. They resisted the urge to throw a fit and demand to be released. She needed to keep control of her emotions. She couldn’t risk Mirabelle finding out how she felt about Savion, no matter what.

  Lisette nudged Fleur and Bethany back a few steps, urging them to let her take the lead here. It was probably the best idea; Lis at least had a clear head.

  Mirabelle directed them all to sit down like she owned the place, then leveled an imperious stare at the four sisters. “Well? What do you all have to say for yourselves?”

  Lisette spoke before Fleur could flare up. “Well, mainly we want to know why we are suddenly prisoners in our own home.”

  “You know very well why. You healed and have been harboring a vampire. You lied to the coven. You betrayed my trust. I have every right to confine you until I am sure you won’t put us in further danger.”

  “No.” Fleur forgot all about letting Lisette speak for them as she faced off against Mirabelle. “I made the decision to heal Jermaine, and to let him stay here. Other than you, no one in the coven outranks me. Lisette and Tristan were following orders. They have done nothing wrong, and neither has Bethany. The rules that apply to witches have no bearing on her. She’s free to fall in love with whoever she likes.”

  “It is taboo for vampire to be with a mortal.”

  “By vampire law. That’s an offense for Jermaine’s coven to deal with. You have no authority over that issue.”

  Mirabelle’s eyes flashed, but she visibly calmed herself before speaking. “I will grant that, but at the very least, I am not opening up that door until I have answers from you. Now, Fleur, since you seem set on taking the blame for all this, do you have anything to say to excuse your actions?”

  “Yes.” Fleur lifted her chin defiantly, daring Mirabelle to question the answer she surely didn’t expect. “Bethany is in love with Jermaine. Letting him die would be wrong. She’s my sister, and it’s my job to look out for her, which includes looking out for people she loves, even if those people are vampires.

  “I knew you wouldn’t agree. I knew you’d want to let Jermaine die, no matter how it would break Beth’s heart. I chose to keep the information from you because I believe your judgement in this matter is compromised.”

  “My judgement is compromised? And where, exactly, do you get that from?”

  “From everything you’ve ever taught me about vampires, Mirabelle. We learn to hate them without ever knowing them. We don’t even consider that they may have fears and hopes just like the rest of us. We see them as soulless monsters.

  “Would Bethany fall for a soulless monster, though? She wouldn’t, which means there has to be more to Jermaine than the rhetoric we’re all taught from a young age. This rivalry between vampires and witches needs to change. We’re going to destroy each other if we keep going like this.”

  Mirabelle gaped at her. Fleur looked calmly back, and her aunt rounded on Emily and Barrett. “What do you have to say about this!”

  “I think she’s right,” Barrett said flatly. “I thought the same as you, Belle, but having Jermaine here… he’s not what you think he is. I’ll admit I wasn’t thrilled at first, but that’s the past. I’m glad Bethany has found him, and I stand behind her in this.”

  “As do I.” Emily smiled warmly at Bethany. “Who she falls in love with is no business of the coven, but even i
f it was, I would fight for her. She and Jermaine are perfect together.”

  “I suppose you three support this as well?” Mirabelle shot at Fleur, Lisette and Tristan.

  Fleur knew she spoke for all of them when she replied. “We do.”

  It was quiet for a minute while Mirabelle digested this. It wasn’t a peaceful quiet – it felt like a storm was brewing, and Fleur’s instinct was to take cover.

  “We can discuss all of this once we’ve gotten rid of the vampires. They are the immediate threat. We are working on finding their location, and once we do, we will attack. Either they will die, or they will retreat, wounded, wanting nothing more than never to get near us again. The rest can all wait until we are safe.”

  It was only the knowledge that Mirabelle, as misguided as she was, was genuinely trying to protect them that stopped Fleur from making an attempt on her aunt’s life. Her vision went red, and her hands balled into fists.

  Lisette stepped swiftly between them. “Mirabelle, that’s a bad idea. Starting a war with vampires will only end in bloodshed for us. As long as they don’t hurt us, there’s no reason to go after them.”

  “I decide that, Lisette, not you.”

  “You can’t. They’re innocent!” Fleur realized she was shouting, but she didn’t care. “I won’t let you!”

  “You won’t let me? You’re not coven leader yet, Fleur. You’d better hope that I find out you’re under some vampire spell that impedes your judgement, or I’ll be seriously reconsidering that appointment.”

  “Alright, enough.” Barrett glared around at all of them. “We’re getting nowhere with this conversation. Mirabelle, I don’t want to be a prisoner in my own house, nor do I want that for my wife and daughters. Do you understand?”

  “This place must be guarded. We already know it is a target for vampires.”

  “Fine, guard it, but let us come and go as we please. We’ll be careful, I promise.”

  Mirabelle didn’t look happy about it, but she nodded. “Don’t go out alone. And you stay away from those vampires!”

  Fleur knew that Mirabelle wasn’t going to trust that order to be followed, not after what she’d heard today. If any of them left, they would be trailed, and the last thing Fleur needed was to lead her coven to Savion.

  But then how was she going to warn him?

  21

  Fleur waited until Mirabelle left before turning to her sisters. Bethany had already stormed off to her room, no doubt to call Jermaine. It wouldn’t work. She could feel that Mirabelle had shielded the house thoroughly. No electronic signals could enter or leave. It looked like she was more worried about containing them than protecting them.

  Lisette correctly understood the silent plea in Fleur’s eyes. “Let’s go upstairs.”

  Their parents were smart enough not to question. The less they knew, the better. Fleur, Tristan and Lisette converged in Fleur’s room.

  She didn’t waste any time. “I need your help.”

  “To warn Savion, we know. Mirabelle is completely wrong about this. I can’t believe she’d attack with no provocation.” Tristan was biting her lip, her eyes sad.

  “I can,” Lisette said grimly. “She’s always taken the vampire hatred thing much more seriously than the rest of us. What do you need, Fleur?”

  “I have enough power to transport myself, but not to do that and a location ritual, at least not without resting for quite some time first.”

  “And time is short,” Lisette finished. “You said he’s staying in the chateau up the coast?”

  “Yes, but I don’t know exactly where it is; no one does. I think it’s shielded by vampire magic.”

  “Easy enough. We can pool our power and do a location ritual. I’ll get what we need.” Tristan hurried out, leaving Lisette and Fleur to prepare. They went up to the attic and set careful shields all around it. If Mirabelle got wind of what they were doing, she would put a stop to it immediately. It was a horrible feeling, not being able to trust her own coven.

  Lisette unhooked the disco ball from the ceiling and easily peeled off the outer shell of shielded mirrors. Inside was their secret, one the three sisters had shared for nearly ten years now. The orb glowed faintly, pulsing with power. They didn’t use it often, not wanting to risk taking it out of the shielded exterior Lisette had created when they’d found it.

  Fleur still remembered that day as clearly as if it had been yesterday. They had been exploring the old church site – the very same one she and Savion had gone to. Barrett had let them go off on their own for the first time, Lisette carrying a little Tristan on her hip. Fleur had decided that she wanted to get to the bottom of a pile of molding boards for reasons she couldn’t recall now.

  Right at the bottom, they had found a trapdoor. Lisette had led the way, coming across the strangely glowing orb. None of them were really sure why, but it seemed important to keep this secret. They made a pact never to speak of it to anyone, and smuggled it home. over the years, they had experimented with its powers.

  The orb could augment scrying spells when the location of the subject was unsure. It could brighten enough to burn, and it sometimes showed flashes of things that Fleur suspected were possible futures. She knew that Mirabelle would take it if she knew about it. As the one who had led the way to the orb, Fleur felt protective of it, and had discouraged any talk of telling the rest of the coven about it over the years.

  Now, she was more grateful than ever for that instinct. Tristan returned with the usual box of candles and crystals used for rituals like this, and the three of them joined hands, sitting in a circle around the orb, which pulsed faintly on a blue cushion.

  Fleur led the ritual, speaking words she knew off by heart. The swirling fog within the orb brightened and seemed to open up to her waiting. Her voice trembled slightly as she named the recipient of the spell.

  “Savion.”

  The fog swirled, quickly resolving into a picture of a lavish room. Savion was sleeping, but as the scene settled, he jerked awake, as though sensing someone watching. After carefully looking around, he shrugged and threw the covers aside.

  He was sleeping naked, and Fleur found herself blushing. It wasn’t lost on her sisters that she didn’t for a moment look away. Lisette smirked, and Tristan giggled softly before focusing her attention back on the scene before them.

  Savion got dressed, much to Fleur’s disappointment, and strolled through the house, coming to another room. He went in without knocking, and Fleur recognized Jermaine in the huge bed. Good, he’d made it back to his brother. She didn’t want Savion to have to worry about Jermaine’s safety.

  It was just getting dark outside, which meant it was morning for vampires. The household seemed to be stirring. Jermaine and Savion went from room to room, greeting their companions.

  All of the vampires seemed relieved to have Jermaine back safely. Their heartfelt reunions just drove home what Fleur had already started to realize. Vampires weren’t different to witches or humans, not really. Not in the things that mattered. They still felt love and loyalty. They had codes and morals, just like everyone else.

  Mirabelle was wrong, and Fleur intended to make her aunt see that.

  She pressed a hand to the orb, closing her eyes. It almost had a lock on the place. She watched for another minute as the vampires had breakfast – scrambled eggs with tall glasses of blood, eww – before checking again.

  “Got it,” Fleur murmured. She took the location into herself, like saving a GPS address. She nodded to Lisette and Tristan, and the three of them broke the spell.

  “Thanks. I’d better get going.”

  Lisette put a hand on her arm, stopping her in her tracks. “Fleur, I’m not sure this is a good idea. You saw the same thing we did – there are a lot of vampires there. I know you’re powerful, but even you couldn’t stand against them all on your own.”

  “I’m not planning to stand against them, Lis. I just need to warn them about Mirabelle. I’m not planning to start a fight.
Besides, Savion and Jermaine would never let it come to that.”

  “You put too much trust in them.”

  “You’ve gotten to know Jermaine too, Tristan. Tell me, do you really think he’d hurt me?”

  “No,” Tristan admitted, “but I can’t say the same for all those other vampires. They won’t like it when you turn up. You’re still a witch, whatever else has happened between you and Savion.”

  “Look, I know it’s a risk, but I have to trust that Savion will protect me. He knows that hurting me would start a war with the coven, and unlike Mirabelle, he doesn’t want war. I have to warn him, and I’m willing to accept that things might go wrong.”

  Tristan threw her hands up in exasperation, but Lisette was looking intently at Fleur, apparently reading her emotions. Lisette could sense certain emotions, and she was especially attuned to her sisters.

  “Wow,” she breathed. “You’re really lost on him, aren’t you?”

  “Shut up, Lis,” Fleur snapped. “I’m not lost on anyone. I just don’t want our home town to become a warzone.”

  “Sure, ok. Let’s go with that.”

  Fleur glared at her. Someday, she’d no doubt come to appreciate Lisette’s insight and ask for her advice about Savion, but today wasn’t that day. “Are you going to let me go or not?”

  “Yes.” Tristan gave Lisette a dirty look, but didn’t argue as her sister continued. “But you’re not using your own power. Tristan and I will send you.”

  “That will leave you with virtually nothing yourselves.”

  “We aren’t the ones who’ll need it. You will. Besides, we’re on house arrest, remember? We may technically be allowed out, but we’ll be trailed by guards wherever we go. We’ll hardly need our powers.”

  Tristan had a point, but Fleur didn’t like leaving her sisters so low on power in such a tenuous situation. Though she didn’t like the idea of going in without sufficient magical backup either, and it didn’t look like Lis or Tristan was asking. They were going to do this, whether she wanted the help or not.