I took a sip of my water so that I could compose myself. My hand shook as I lifted the bottle to my mouth. They would go through all of this just so I could get a hug from my grandmother? They would put my feelings above everything else? Above the coven? Of all the guardians that could have been chosen for me, I was thankful it was them. Even prickly Roark.
“Aren’t you a little curious as to why I’ve taken most of what I’ve learned in stride? Wouldn’t most people freak if they were told a whole other world existed besides their own?”
When no one responded, I shifted in my seat and stared out the window. Jax’s thumb rubbed against the back of my hand in a steady rhythm, reminding me that he was here for me.
“My grandmother is a psychic,” I said. “I grew up hearing tales of the supernatural. Not the kind you see in the movies, but real folklore on how werewolves, vampires, and fairies came into existence. These were stories handed down through each generation of my family. I never really believed what she told me. I always thought they were just bedtime stories but better than the ones on TV.”
My palms began to sweat as I opened the vault that I had sealed shut long ago. This was the most painful time of my childhood. I still bore the scars from it. If anyone understood the cruelty of people who didn’t understand the mystical, it was me. Swallowing the lump forming in my throat, my pulse began to race. I blinked back the moisture forming in my eyes.
Quinn reached between the seats and rested his hand on my bouncing knee. “Whatever it is that has you anxious, love, let it out. We have lived for centuries. There is nothing that you can tell us that you should be ashamed of.”
I gave him a weak smile as I held my tears at bay. Roark’s worried gaze flicked to the rearview mirror. When our eyes met, he quickly swung them back to the road.
Roark might not be ready to let me in, but it was time for me to trust my guardians. I needed to embrace my past and open up myself to my gift. It may be the only way to survive this. These were my guardians. Through our bond, I knew they would protect me no matter what.
“It wasn’t until I was six that I realized I was special like my grandmother. Just in a different way.” A knot formed in my belly as I unboxed the memories I had long ago buried. I was thankful for the anchor Quinn and Jax provided. Their touch reminded me that they wouldn’t let go in this storm of emotions. Swallowing, I continued, “My friend Lizzie was killed in a car accident with her father. Her mother and brother survived. It’s funny how fate plays a part in our lives. She never sat behind her father in the car, but that day she took her brother’s seat in the back.”
Jax shifted next to me and swiped my tears with his free hand. “I’m so sorry, Kat.”
My pulse quickened as I lifted my gaze to him. None of them had called me Kat. They’d always used my formal name. It was probably another way for them to keep their distance. Of course Jax would be the first one. Our connection was stronger than the others. At least he wasn’t trying to push me away.
Focusing on our joined hands, I continued, “A week after she passed, I was playing in the backyard when I saw Lizzie. I thought it must have been a mistake. She was okay. I was so excited that I ran into the house to tell my grandmother.”
I chanced a glance at Jax and Quinn. There was no judgment, just warmth and compassion. The bond between us confirmed it. If I wasn’t mistaken, Roark projected comfort too. Quinn gave a slight nod of encouragement.
“My grandmother wasn’t surprised by what I had told her. It was almost as if she had expected Lizzie to come back. It just wasn’t in the way that I thought.” I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, needing another minute to compose myself before I finished. “She explained that Lizzie was still gone and how her body was no longer here, but her spirit was. She told me that I was special and had a very precious gift. It wasn’t until I told my friends about Lizzie that I realized it wasn’t a gift. It was a curse.”
“Aw, love. Kids can be cruel. As well as adults. You shouldn’t be ashamed.” Quinn’s voice was like a warm breeze, chasing away the cold that had crept across my skin.
This was the second time he’d called me love. The endearment caused my stomach to flip.
A slow smile formed on his lips. I had forgotten about the damn bond. He definitely knew the effect he had on me.
I broke eye contact and glanced out the window. We would be home in a few minutes. I needed to finish before we arrived.
“None of my friends believed me. They called me a liar and said that I was doing it for attention. When they told their parents, they weren’t allowed to play with me anymore. For a while, Lizzie was my only friend. I never talked about her with anyone except my grandmother and my uncle. Everyone else believed I was so upset over losing her that I’d made her an imaginary friend. It wasn’t until middle school that I made new friends.”
Everyone accepted my grandmother. In their eyes, her readings were just a parlor trick–something fun to do on a night out with friends. But a child that sees spirits… That’s a whole other level of weirdness.
“So you, more than anyone, understand why the coven has laws in place to protect us,” Roark said. “Could you imagine what would happen if humans knew shifters and fairies were real? Every last one of us would be hunted down and either killed or used as lab experiments.”
Roark never took his eyes off the road. His mouth remained in a hard line. If he gripped the steering wheel any harder, it would snap.
“Do you think someone found out that Samara was a witch?” I asked. “Did they kill her because of it?”
No one rushed to answer my question. Jax and Quinn squinted as if they were contemplating what I’d asked. Roark’s gaze lifted to the rearview mirror. He didn’t need to respond. The anguish in his eyes said it all.
“It’s something we’ve considered,” Quinn replied. “It’s one of many reasons why we’re protecting you.”
A moment later, the car chimed, letting Roark know to turn down my driveway.
“With my grandmother’s help,” I said, “I’m going to try and talk to Samara. I think she tried to connect with me at her ceremony, but I was too stubborn to let her in. Hopefully, I’m not too late and she’ll still respond to me.”
Roark stopped the car and put it in park. As I reached for the door, Jax pulled me back toward him. “Whatever you need from us, we’re here for you. You’re not alone.”
I squeezed his hand and smiled, before exiting the car. I let my gaze drift toward the barn. The top half was slate gray and the bottom, trimmed in stone. It was big enough to board a dozen horses—two of which were mine. I wished I had time to visit them today. Taking care of them had been my therapy until I left for college.
Turning toward the house, I froze when I found my grandmother waiting on the porch. Her silver hair was styled in her standard braid and the wind blew wisps across her face.
I didn’t need to say a word. She opened her arms and I ran into them. There was nothing fragile about my grandmother. Running a horse farm her entire life had given her a strength that belied her age.
We stood shoulder to shoulder, my tears soaking her shirt. I didn’t realize how much I needed her until that moment.
After what seemed like an eternity, I withdrew just enough so I could wipe the tears from my cheeks. If I was going to continue to be a blubbering mess, I would need to start carrying tissues in my pocket.
“Hi, Nona. I have a feeling that you know why I’m here.”
“I tried to warn you, Katarina, but you didn’t return my calls.”
I dropped my gaze to my shoes and scuffed my foot across the wood planks on the porch.
She placed her finger under my chin and lifted until we were eye to eye.
“I’m sorry, Nona. You know I avoid your premonitions. It’s too painful for me. I wish I had listened this time.”
A warm smile spread across her face as she rested her hand against my cheek. “You know that we can’t change the past, so there is no need t
o dwell on it. If you come inside, I’ll see what I can do about your future.”
She always knew how to put me at ease. Even when I ignored my gifts, she never pressed me to stop. I had become a shell of myself and had withdrawn from everyone and everything but my horses. When the last voice had finally faded, I was able to feel like myself again.
My grandmother stepped around me and motioned for my guardians to step forward. “You must be my Katarina’s mates. Thank you for keeping her safe.”
My head jerked toward my grandmother. Mates? I nearly choked at her label of them. My grandmother’s intuition had never been wrong, but there was always a first time for everything. Somehow, she’d mixed up mates with guardians. Maybe the bond confused her. It’s not like that was common in our world.
When I turned to Roark, his mouth hung open and his eyes were wide as they focused on my grandmother. Jax chuckled at Roark’s reaction. He lifted Roark’s chin until his mouth snapped closed. If I wasn’t filled with dread over what was next, I might have laughed too.
Quinn held out his hand, “I’m Quinn. You don’t have to worry about Katarina. We are sworn to protect her.”
My grandmother clasped his hand and didn’t let go. I knew what she was doing and judging from Quinn’s thoughtful expression, he did too.
My grandmother smiled. “Your blood runs hot. You feel everything with a burning passion. My Katarina needs a little spice in her life. She works too much. Her passion is for her work. She needs someone who will match the fire inside of her.”
Right now, the fire inside burned my cheeks. I couldn’t dig a hole deep enough to crawl into. My grandmother had no filter.
Jax stepped up and took Quinn’s place. I prayed that my grandmother didn’t sense what had happened between the two of us. Not that she would disapprove. Her comment to Quinn proved that she thought I needed to get a boyfriend…or three. I just didn’t need her having a window into my sex life.
Jax cradled my grandmother’s hands in between both of his. I couldn’t help but smile at the way his eyes warmed when they greeted her. She cocked her head as she studied him. “I see your strength. You fight every day to keep the peace in your soul. Light and dark, white and black, struggle for control. Finding the balance is easier than you think. You need to link your soul to another that can help you carry it. That person will ground you more than your earth element is capable of.”
His gaze flicked to mine. The bond between us quivered, then tightened. I sucked in a breath at the force of it. Did he feel that too? Was my grandmother suggesting I was the one to center him? I played back the kiss in the bar. He’d almost bitten me, but I was able to bring him back. Was it a coincidence, or was I what he needed? I shook away any desire for us to be together. We were here to break the bond and remove Samara’s powers. I needed to stay focused on that and not on what could never be.
Now it was Roark’s turn. Would he allow my grandmother to read him, or would he walk away? With all eyes focused on him, Roark dug his hand through his hair and rolled his eyes. He stepped next to Jax and waited.
My grandmother’s mouth quirked up. She always loved a challenge. Her hands folded over Roark’s. As soon as she made contact, his shoulders relaxed. Yup. He had fallen under Nona’s spell. I thought it would have taken a little longer since he was so stubborn.
“Everything about you is turbulent. When I look in your eyes, I see raging seas. You need someone to calm your storm. With steady waters, you will open yourself up emotionally. You will find a balance.”
Seriously? Did she have to throw in that they all needed me? If she felt this strongly about our bond, she may not be the one that could help us sever it. This wasn’t going the way I’d thought it would.
I shifted my gaze to Roark, only to find his eyes already locked on me. I saw the storm that my grandmother said raged inside him. But there was something else…could it possibly be hope? Did he want the same thing I secretly wished for? I wished to keep them as my guardians. I wished to see what the future could bring for us.
He didn’t release my gaze when my grandmother patted his hand. It might have been in sympathy or encouragement. One never knew with her. She could see things others couldn’t. Maybe that was what scared me the most—the fact that she might already know my destiny.
Turning toward the door, she broke the silence. “Well, let’s head inside. I think it’s time we consult the cards.”
Chapter 13
~Katarina~
It had been years since my grandmother read tarot cards for me. Everything she’d predicted then came true. I graduated college at the top of my class, found a great job, and busted my ass to get the promotion I wanted. Yet my future card held chaos. It finally made sense why I’d received that card.
Jax and Quinn flanked my sides while Roark followed behind me. My grandmother led us into the house, and the moment I stepped inside the living room, I smiled. Nothing had changed. She had the same rustic furniture and decor. The scent of patchouli reminded me of peace and home. The picture frames lining the walls brought back memories from long ago. Goosebumps covered my skin as the energy inside the house thumped like a heartbeat.
My grandmother motioned us to follow her into her office. It’s where she always did readings for friends and clients. I took the seat across from her, settling into the lavender cushion on the chair. Quinn and Jax sat on the sofa against the wall. Roark remained by the door but in view.
“You know the drill.” Grandma took her cards out of their box and handed them to me. “Shuffle and think of what you want the cards to reveal. When you’re ready, hand them to me.”
I peeked toward Quinn and Jax, and much as I suspected, they were staring at me. When they both nodded, I accepted the cards from my grandmother. As I shuffled them, I thought of what I wanted them to show me. I needed answers, like why Samara had transferred her powers to me. What was my connection to this? What was this bond I shared with her guardians? Roark said he’d never desired Samara, that she was like a sister, but I was different. Why was our bond so different?
Once I finished, I handed the cards back to my grandmother.
She closed her eyes briefly, then grabbed the top card. “I’m doing a Celtic cross. It will provide more information than many spreads.”
“I remember you telling me how it was an eye-opening reading.”
Nona nodded. She laid the first card down, followed by another card across it. The third card went below them, the next to her left, then one closer to me. The sixth card, the future card, went to her right. The next four cards she laid in a vertical row.
“We’ll begin with the first card, the heart of the matter.”
She flipped it over. One of the most notorious cards in the deck stared back at us. Death. Had I not seen this card before, I would have flipped. Most people thought it meant a literal death, but it didn’t. I couldn’t remember exactly what it stood for, but death wasn’t it. I should know since it had played a huge part in my childhood.
“What a beautiful card and on point. Death represents transition. You, my sweet girl, are going through a significant change in your life.”
What an understatement. All I could do was nod at her and avoid the eyes of my guardians. I didn’t have to see them to know they were focused on me. The tingle up my spine confirmed it.
The crossing card flipped over next, and I saw a card more than just familiar to me. It was the card I had drawn in my future spot during my last reading. This time it was in a different place, which meant it would carry a different meaning.
“The Tower. This is a card of chaos and confusion. I see why it’s crossing you.” She played with the third card and glanced at each guardian. “I will go through and reveal each card. Once I finish, I will look at each as a bigger picture and provide a final reading.”
“We’re well aware of how tarot divination works, ma’am.” Quinn spoke in a soothing voice. “The mystical forces in this universe have always been a part of our lives.
We look forward to hearing your divination.”
My grandmother nodded once, then flipped over the next card.
“Oh my.” She patted her chest and sucked in a breath. “The Seven of Swords—the card of betrayals. In this spot, it shows the root of the cause, the reason behind card one, the heart of the matter.”
I stared in silence, not sure what to say or do. None of it made sense to me yet, but I knew when she finished, it would all become clear. So I remained quiet, watching as she flipped each card and described its meaning. The Ten of Swords was in the fourth position, representing the past. The Justice card flipped over in the fifth position, which Nona said dealt with attitude and beliefs. By the time she reached the tenth card, I zoned out for a moment. It was all a clusterfuck in my head, just like my life. Nothing made sense.
“Baby girl, are you with me?” Nona’s voice brought me back to reality. I gazed at her and nodded. “I’m going to give you the bigger picture now. Pay attention to what I say.”
“Of course.”
Nona patted my hand, then pointed to the first card. “Death represents transition, and in a sense, the death of one's old self or old beliefs. With the Tower card crossing, it means your transition is coming by way of chaos. This will not be easy. Your transition is coming about because of a betrayal, like the Seven of Swords shows.” She moved her finger to the card beneath the first two.
“What kind of betrayal?” As far as I knew, I hadn’t wronged anyone.
“I don’t know what the betrayal was, but I know that it brought about a great tragedy. The Ten of Swords confirms this.” She tapped the fourth card before moving to the next. “Though this position in the spread represents attitudes and beliefs, I don’t think they are yours. Justice is about fairness. In comparison with the other cards, I think you were chosen for a task that requires you to be fair and to weigh each decision you make.”
Abducted by Magic Page 11