by Kendra Ashe
My entire world was falling apart. Mason was my heart. He was the reason I took my next breath, and now he was leaving.
“No! What is best for me is to be with you. I love you, Mason!”
He reached up and gently brushed my tears away. “I am the last person you need in your life. I am darkness.”
“It doesn’t matter. I was born to darkness.”
“Yes, but you will only blossom in the light. You will have children and grandchildren, and through it all, you will know that I will love you for eternity.”
His lips came down on mine but this time, there was no hunger in his kiss, only sadness, and regret. When his kiss ended, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close while I sobbed into his shirt.
The embrace was over too soon.
“Don’t do it, Mason. Please!” I cried as he turned away.
He hesitated. “Claire, don’t make this any harder than it already is.”
“But I can’t live without you,” I managed to choke out the words between sobs.
“Goodbye, love,” he said without turning around.
I closed my eyes so that I would not have to watch him walk away. The door clicked shut behind him.
When I opened my eyes, he was gone. Not since the day of Johnny’s funeral had I felt this alone and empty.
Instead of going after him like my heart was screaming at me to do, I turned away from the door.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Mornings were the worst. That’s when I would have to force my eyes open and face a bleak world without Mason in it. Nothing held the same joy for me. The sunshine seemed harsher and the nights darker.
There was beauty in the changing seasons, but I didn’t see it. I was incapable of seeing anything but my own misery. I walked around in a daze, going through the motions of life without actually living it.
It was like losing Johnny all over again.
The world kept turning and life went on, but I was stuck in a void where there was no emotion, no light, and no way out.
I’d gone out a couple times, hoping that by some chance I’d run into Mason. The other members of his band were still playing at the clubs from time to time, but not Mason.
One night, the drummer walked by my table and I mustered the nerve to ask him if he knew where Mason was, but he’d simply shaken his head. Not even his own band knew where he’d disappeared to.
Eventually, life returned to normal.
Normal didn’t mean that I was happy. In fact, I rarely smiled. Still, I had an apartment to pay for, which meant that I still had to go to work.
Wren was a sweetheart. He knew I was having a difficult time but didn’t push for details. He was the kind of guy who figured that when I was ready to talk, I would.
After what I’d witnessed in that back room at the Hole, it had taken me some time to get used to being around Wren again. I was still a little wary. My fears were baseless. Wren was the same person he’d always been.
I still liked my job, although it didn’t hold my interest like it once had.
But nothing held my interest for long. I couldn’t bring myself to watch my favorite shows these days, and if I did try to watch TV, I couldn’t focus.
My father did return to New Orleans as he’d promised. Nicolas was always close at hand now - watching over me. This should have made me feel safe and cared for, but it only reminded me of the person I really wanted to feel safe with.
As bad as the days were, they were nothing compared to the nights. There were nights when the emptiness was so profound, I considered seeking out a vampire to end my pain. If I turned, I could find Mason and there would no longer be any reason for us to be apart.
I couldn’t even count how many nights I’d sat at the window, staring into the night, always hoping beyond reason he would come back, or perhaps I would catch a glimpse of him watching me from the street. But I never did.
He was really gone.
Curling up on the sofa, I tried to concentrate on the vampire show, but as they played out their romantic drama, it all seemed hollow to me. Giving up, I turned the TV off and took my place near the window.
It was getting late. That meant there were very few people milling about.
This also meant there was less to occupy my thoughts. I would have already gone to bed if I’d thought I would actually fall asleep.
A cup of hot chocolate was exactly what I needed to help me sleep.
I was almost to the kitchen when I heard some noise coming from outside the living room window.
Spinning on my heels, I grabbed the first thing that was handy, which happened to be a statue of a street musician holding a saxophone. It was heavy and would do the job. Raising the statue over my head, I was ready to hit whoever was outside my window, but when the window slid open, it was Ax’s head that came through.
Releasing the air I’d been holding in my lungs, I lowered my makeshift weapon. “Ax! What are you doing?”
He brought his brows together, scowling a little. “Visiting! What does it look like?”
“So you come to my window?” I asked, putting the statue back in its location on the little cherry wood end table.
“You’re a bit jumpy don’t you think? I believe you were actually prepared to hit me in the head with that piece of art!” he grumbled.
Now I was perturbed. Placing a hand on my hip, I asked, “What do you expect? It isn’t every day I get visitors at my window, which by the way happens to be on the second floor. Why can’t you use the door like a normal person?”
“Me? Normal? Now you are losing touch with reality. Remember, I am the vampire, Ax,” he added, putting just a hint of menace in his voice.
“Oh jeez!” I said, rolling my eyes.
Sinking into the sofa, he propped his black boots on my coffee table. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“Well, yeah I kind of do! I don’t even put my feet up on the coffee table.” I reached out to push his boots off the table.
“So, the real reason I came by was to ask about this Wyoming trip. Are we still going?”
Instantly, I felt as if someone had stabbed me in the heart.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “Mason is gone now and it was his idea.”
With a wave of his hand, Ax brushed away my words. “Girl, you need to forget about him. He’s a player, like all vampires.”
“I don’t believe that.” I shook my head. “And forgetting about him is easier said than done.”
Jumping to his feet, Ax draped an arm around my shoulder. “The next time I see Mason Romero, I’m going to kick his ass for doing this to you.”
“It’s not really his fault. He just did what he thought was best, at my father’s insistence.”
A grimace twisted at Ax’s mouth. “That’s no excuse. I have a mind to find out where he’s hiding out and remind him of our intended trip.”
“Thanks.” I smiled. “But if he doesn’t want to be found, I don’t intend to bother him.”
“He’s just another guy, Claire. Don’t let the fact that he’s hundreds of years old intimidate you. One thing I can tell you, the basics don’t change. Men are men, no matter what century they’re from, or what’s in their diet,” he explained.
There was no doubt in my mind that Ax was right about that, but deep down I knew that Mason cared and that’s why he’d left.
When I had nothing encouraging to offer him, Ax gave up and left, except he used the door instead of the window.
I had no intention of allowing Ax to climb down the fire escape and risk him being seen by Miss Avalon. How he’d managed to get up the fire escape without my nosey neighbor seeing him was beyond me.
Like Wren, Ax hadn’t been a vampire long enough to perfect the art of levitation. Still, both vampires could jump pretty damn high, though I had my doubts that Ax had actually managed to jump to my second-story window.
After a hot shower and some chocolate, I crawled into my bed, but sleep eluded me. No matter how exhausted I was, I stil
l felt a certain amount of anxiety when it came to sleep. Inevitably, Mason would visit me in my dreams. His nightly presence was so real that when my eyes opened, I was surprised to see that I was still alone. That’s when the tears would come.
How could a dream be so real?
There were times when I wondered if he’d found a way to get into my head. The thought was erotic, but I suspected it was probably just wishful thinking.
* * *
Although I had my eyes on the computer, I wasn’t actually absorbing anything. All I could think about was how real last night had seemed. The lingering memory of the dream was almost too much to handle, even if it hadn’t been real.
“Claire! Are you still here?” Wren’s voice intruded into my thoughts.
Looking over to where he was sitting at his desk, I nodded. “Sorry. I wasn’t ignoring you. I just got lost there for a minute.”
“You’ve been staring at that same report for the last hour. Is something wrong?”
Sighing, I shook my head. “I guess I’m a little tired. That’s all.”
“Why don’t you go home and get some rest?” he suggested. “You don’t have to stay all night. You’ve already been here most of the day.”
“I’ll be okay,” I told him, turning my attention back to my computer. “I have to finish running this background check before I leave for the night.”
Wren got up from his desk and went to the little kitchenette to refill his coffee. After taking a couple swallows, he cleared his throat to get my attention.
Not that he really had to do that. Concentrating on work was out of the question.
Looking up, I asked, “Was there something else?”
“Well, I wasn’t going to bring this up until I’d asked your father about it, but maybe you’ll feel better if I do.”
Now I was curious.
“I’ve received some information that one of your sisters may be living in Graves Parish. I mean, this girl is a pretty good fit and someone I think we should check out.”
“Really? You’re right. We should check it out.” I wanted to be more enthusiastic, but it was difficult to reach outside the gloom that had become so much a part of my life.
“Are you kidding?” Wren shook his head. “This is fantastic news. I would think you’d be more excited, considering what this means for our cause. Like it or not, you’re one of us now. Not only could this girl bring us closer to uncovering the secrets, but she might also be your sister.”
“I know, and I am excited. This is great news,” I said.
And I really was excited.
Although I missed Mason so much it hurt, finding one of my sisters would take me that much closer to fulfilling the prophecy and my elusive destiny.
Wren walked over and gave me a soft slap on the back as if I were one of his buddies.
“I wish you would have listened to me, Claire. Didn’t I tell you not to look into his eyes?”
I opened my mouth to say something - to make some kind of excuse, but all that came out was a sob. That’s when the tears started.
Kneeling next to my chair, Wren took my hand in his. “It will be okay.
“It will never be okay again. I love him and living without him totally sucks.”
“He only did what he thought was best for you,” Wren reminded me.
“It wasn’t really the best thing!” I shook my head.
Standing up, Wren folded his arms and slipped into silent mode. After a few minutes, he put his arm around me. “Let’s concentrate on finding your long lost sisters. Life has a way of working out.”
I knew he was right. It was high time I put Mason behind me and do the job I’d been hired to do.
“Okay, where do I start?” I asked.
“I have a witch friend who owes me a favor, so I had her do some asking around. It seems Kieran has shown a significant interest in a little swamp witch by the name of Pepper Boucher from Bayou Belle in Graves Parish.”
“Okay, so do I go ask her if she is missing a father too?”
Although my sarcasm wasn’t lost on Wren, he wasn’t amused.
Frowning, he shook his head. “We don’t want to alert Kieran that we know what he is up to.”
“What makes you think my sister is a witch?”
“I don’t know that she is.” Wren shrugged. “But, if Kieran is showing interest in the witches of Graves Parish, we should as well. My witch friend is convinced that Miss Boucher is the one.”
Folding my arms, I gave him a sheepish grin. “And how do you propose I check her out if I’m not supposed to ask any questions?”
“You can go to Bayou Belle and ask a few discrete questions. That should give us an idea if we are on the right track.”
“And you’re sure I won’t be wasting my time?” I wasn’t convinced that Wren’s information was legitimate. As far as we knew, the witch that owed him a favor wasn’t doing anything more than shining him on.
“There have been several witches killed in the Graves Parish area over the last year,” he informed me. “That can’t be a coincidence.”
“So I take it Graves Parish has more than its share of witches.”
“You could say that.” Wren nodded. “It’s one of those havens I’ve been telling you about, though this one was basically created by the government so they could better keep track of the supernaturals.”
“Hmm, that could be interesting,” I said. “If nothing else, maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea if my sister was a witch. Having some magic on our side would make a lot of things easier.”
Specifically, I was thinking of finding Mason and perhaps turning Kieran into a frog but of course, I didn’t voice my thoughts. I figured my boss might not be too into one of his employees using a witch to find her sweetheart or exacting revenge on an enemy.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The Paranormal Huntress
What kind of name was that?
After talking with a few people in Bayou Belle, I’d discovered that Miss Boucher and her maternal aunt operated the Paranormal Huntress. From what I understood, it was some kind of investigative firm that focused on cases involving the paranormal.
Considering Bayou Belle was in the middle of a paranormal haven, I figured Miss Boucher probably wasn’t hurting for business.
Drawing in a deep breath, I got out of my car and approached the little building. There was a sign on top of the building that had Paranormal Huntress printed in blood-red text. The building was painted a bright green color that was more common in the Caribbean than Louisiana.
With all the disappearances and murders of Graves Parish witches in the last year, I actually had a good excuse to talk with the Bouchers. I figured I’d see if they knew anything about the case. Not only would that give me the opportunity to check out Pepper, but she might actually have some information we could use.
The bell attached to the door jingled, announcing my arrival. I stuck my head inside and was actually surprised to see a small little reception area that looked more like a doctor’s waiting room than a voodoo witch shop.
“Hello! Anyone here?” I called out, half hoping there wouldn’t be so I could leave and forget I’d ever traveled to Graves Parish. There was something about the town of Bayou Belle that just seemed off.
“I’ll be right out!” A female called from the back of the shop.
A few minutes later, a young woman strolled into the lobby. If the girl was Pepper Boucher, she didn’t look anything like what I’d imagined.
The young woman wore her long auburn hair loose, except for the dark green fishing hat on her head. She had dark eyes but there was a green tint to them.
“Can I help you?” she asked with a slight Cajun accent.
“Yeah, I was just looking for a reading. The sign in the window says you do readings,” I pointed out.
“We do,” she said with a nod. “Come back here.”
I followed her to a room that had been cut off from the rest of the shop by a thick
red velvet curtain.
“I’m Pepper,” she said with a smile.
Returning her smile, I told her my name and took a seat in front of an old metal desk.
“I charge $20 for readings.”
“Sounds like a good deal.” Digging into my purse, I pulled out a $20 bill and slid it across the desk.
As I studied Pepper, I decided she really didn’t look much like Nicolas. I concluded that if she was my half-sister, she probably looked more like her mother than Nicolas.
For sure she didn’t really resemble the traditional witch, if there was such a thing. Pepper was wearing a tan fishing vest and a pair of matching khakis.
“Can I have your hand?” she asked.
I offered my hand, palm side up. “Sorry, I don’t really know how this is supposed to work.”
“I just gaze at the lines on your hand and tell you what I see in it,” she informed me. “It’s more complicated than that but you get the drift. I use your hand to make a connection, but for me, it is like gazing into a crystal ball.”
“Okay,” I said, somewhat nervously.
“Hmm,” she muttered before looking up and smiling. “I see you’re in love but that your sweetheart has gone away.”
I wasn’t sure why I was shocked but I was. “What else do you see?”
Smiling, Pepper gazed at my palm. “I see that your sweetheart is in another state. I also see a star - one star, so I take that to mean Texas.”
“Texas?” I echoed.
I couldn’t for the life of me understand why Mason would go to Texas. It had to be even harder for a vampire to hide there.”
Pepper nodded. “He’s a stubborn one. He believes he is doing right by you, so if you want him, you’ll have to go after him.”
“Thanks,” I muttered, temporarily forgetting why I was really there.
“But you’re here for something else, right?” she asked.
Coming to my senses, I drew my brows together. “And how do you know that?”
“If I can see your love life don’t you think I can also see that you have other motives?”
Now I was worried. I should have known that if she had any psychic abilities she’d be able to sense that I was up to something. It was time to grasp at some straws.