“She’s right. Each dimension has a different magical flavor. This one is acidic, like burnt coffee, and ours is like cream,” Mira offered.
“There is also a different frequency,” Natalia added after most of the group turned confused stares toward Miracle. “Earth witches are innately in tune to the energy of our planet so what Mira is saying, in her unique way, is we need to return home and work some magic.”
Elizabeth nodded her agreement, and the rest of the room stood in silence. No one really knew what to say.
“Okay, get out of here so we can start working on the Brick and Ophelia takedown,” Becky said as she turned on her heel, and left the room.
Savannah wanted to point out that they did a lot of damage toward that end game already, but her sister’s double was already disappearing down the darkened passageway. Somehow, she knew it wouldn’t matter anyway. “I guess that means we’ve overstayed our welcome.”
Chapter Nine
Rebecca
REBECCA COULDN’T SHAKE THE FEELING that something wasn’t right about the reappearance of her mother. For years she dreamed her mother would return, that the tragic night had never happened, and that she’d never left them as orphans defenseless in a cold world. For years she dreamed her life was a nightmare, and all she had to do was wake up to find the happy family she remembered. When she finally accepted her family’s fate, she made the choice to become a werewolf to avenge her parents’ deaths only to learn the saying, ‘when you seek revenge, be sure to dig two graves, one for your enemy and the other for yourself…’ or in her case, the second grave became Savannah’s.
On the same night her father returned from the dead, her sister was sired into becoming a vampire by her own enemy, Celestia. Now, on the same day they risked their lives to save their brother, her mother returns from the grave. It all seemed entirely too coincidental, and Rebecca wasn’t a person comfortable with coincidence. Siren paced nervously as she watched Grandmother Catherine, Miracle, Natalia, and Hunter work on the spell necessary to prove this particular Elizabeth came from this universe.
Gabriel snaked his hand around Rebecca’s waist and pulled her against his hard chest. His familiar scent of pine and peppermint assaulted her senses, and managed to relax her, slightly. He always seemed to know exactly what to do to calm her nerves. His lips gently caressed the nape of her neck, and moved to the side where his silver, swirly mark tingled, reminding her she wasn’t alone. ‘I can feel your anxiety, my love.’ He spoke softly inside her of head.
‘You’re doing a good job putting my mind at ease.’ She grinned her response into his mind, reveling in the strong, passionate desire his possessive hold, and soft lips elicited. He was her rock, her mate, and in a very short time, she was coming to realize how terrified she was of losing him. She squeezed his wrist that was wrapped around her waist, and leaned into him ever so slightly. She was always careful not to show weakness, even though she was beginning to realize her greatest weakness was him. She once thought it was her family, her siblings specifically, but it was him. ‘I worry that she is our mother, and also, that she isn’t,’ she offered as a way to get her mind off the intense feelings he inspired in her very soul.
He nodded his understanding as he rested his chin on the top of her head. ‘I can see that. Either way, you lose, but you also win,’ he pointed out.
‘What would you do if your father or mother returned from the grave?’ They rarely talked about his parents. His mother died while giving birth to one of his half siblings who didn’t make it even two days on Earth, and his stepfather, the man who made her into a werewolf, was killed in the massacre that left her as the new Arizona alpha. He was the same man who had exiled Gabriel because he refused to marry a she-wolf from another pack, something she was selfishly grateful for.
Understandably, it was a sore subject with him, but he spoke with determination in her mind. ‘I’d kill him and hug her.’
Rebecca couldn’t help but chuckle silently. Typical Gabriel. Simple, cryptic answers. No fuss, no muss with him. She adored that about him.
The casters began chanting while Rebecca examined the faces of the onlookers. Lucky stood in between Mystery and Savannah with his arms crossed over his chest, a familiar stance that allowed him to keep his golden-amber eyes veiled. Mysti mirrored Lucky’s shielded posture. Savannah wore a mixture of distrust on her face and hope in her eyes. It was the same hope she saw in Hunter’s face as Freya stood watching in wide-eyed awe while holding his hand in her own. The hope she saw in her siblings’ faces made her think of something her best friend Jackson said to her once. “Hope is a demon in angel clothing.” She glanced over at Jackson who sat on the step of the back porch deck. His kind, brown eyes were warm and understanding. Just like Gabe, only in a different way, he was also her rock. She was so thankful he didn’t get hurt during the rescue attempt earlier that day.
She was transported back to a memory from three years ago. Jackson just had another fight with his parents, and he went straight to her. The memory was a vivid one for a few reasons. One, it was one of those rare days it was raining in Chandler, Arizona, and he showed up at her house soaking wet from head to toe. It disguised his tears nicely, but his puffy, sad, brown eyes destroyed that illusion the moment they locked with hers. She rushed him up the stairs to her bedroom, and sent Savannah downstairs to get them all something hot to drink. She grabbed a towel, and some of her sweats for him to wear while she threw his clothes into the dryer. Savannah brought up chamomile tea, and they all waited in silence for Jackson to talk about what was bothering him.
“They can’t accept who I am.” He looked directly at Rebecca, and she knew what he was referring to, but couldn’t share that with Savannah. The fact that he wasn’t really her boyfriend, that she was his beard, helping him cover up the secret that he was gay was one of the few secrets she ever kept from Savvy. It was hard to hide this from her, but she also had to respect his wishes. It was his secret to share. “They’ll never accept who I am.” He put his head in his shaky hands.
“With time, they will,” Rebecca told him with more confidence than she felt. His father was a demanding man, a leader in the local government, and a successful businessman. He had expectations of his only son that were hard for Jackson to fulfill.
“Like hell, Becks.” He shook his head angrily. “You just don’t understand.”
“I understand all of it, and there is always hope that things will turn around.” Rebecca continued, despite the pain in Jackson’s voice. He needed to keep a positive outlook. This was something Rebecca learned from Savannah, and she was usually right.
He snorted. “Hope is a demon in angel clothing, Rebecca.” He ran a hand through his sandy-brown hair, and narrowed his eyes on her. “Hope is the worst of the demons. She builds you up, makes you believe you can succeed, that everything is going to work, and then when it doesn’t, you are left deflated and lost.” Even back then, she felt a connection to the demon metaphor. Her best friend was a psychic, after all.
Rebecca walked over to Jackson, and sat beside him. She needed his strength. She leaned her head on his shoulder and waited. Gabriel joined them, and held her hand in silent support. Her two favorite men in all the world surrounded her, and helped her brace for the news, whatever it would be.
The chanting stopped, and Mira swirled some liquid mixed with a prick of Elizabeth’s blood in a clear vial. When the whirlwind of liquid stopped, the color changed to a light blue which reminded Rebecca of the sky. “She checks out.” Mira’s voice broke into Rebecca’s thoughts. Everyone around them seemed to let out a breath no one knew they were holding. It was Catherine that reacted first, and the rest followed suit, surrounding Elizabeth in a wave of love that put the waves of the sea to shame.
When the happiness subsided, Rebecca asked the question she was sure was on everyone’s mind. “If you were bound to stay away from us, how can you truly be here now?”
Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. “The bind
ing was to keep me from contacting you. Maybe because you found me, I escaped the pain, kind of like a magical loophole.”
Rebecca pursed her lips as she thought about the answer. She really did want this to be their mother. What did she need to do to alleviate her doubt?
***
Savannah
SAVANNAH JOINED IN THE CELEBRATION, but she was sure to keep her distance; not just because werewolves had joined the party, and she had a genetic aversion toward her sister and Gabriel, but also because she felt something was wrong. She didn’t know if it was because of Elizabeth’s arrival or the rest of her family drama. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good. She could feel it in her bones, scratching away at the marrow attempting to break through the surface.
Lucky, being an outsider to the family dynamic, stayed close to her. It was nice having the man that reminded her of chai tea and comfort in close proximity, but knowing he was not for her made the feelings bittersweet, and she never enjoyed that type of chocolate. She sure as hell didn’t appreciate Miracle’s obvious interest in the angel hybrid. Long lost sister or not, she wasn’t in the mood to see him get screwed over by another Winters sister.
It didn’t help that underneath her veil to protect him she still had feelings for the man. She harbored affections for him, and knew they were wrong since she was engaged to Viktor; emotions which she shunned, she constantly needed to remind herself. She really had no right to say anything, but the idea of him attaching himself to another one of her sisters was just too much. She’d be able to let him go if he found someone not connected to her by blood. It was a lie. Deep down she knew it, but it was her lie, and it made her feel better.
Her absentee fiancé was not helping matters on the romantic front. He insisted they would be better off in an open marriage. She knew she should be thankful for the freedom, but she wasn’t that kind of girl, and Lucky knew it.
“Are you okay?” his voice washed over her like warm, smooth, melted milk chocolate from a fondu plate – she loved that chocolate. He was so close she could literally lean inches his way, and be in his strong arms. But she had to respect his wishes. He didn’t want to get involved with her unless she was free from her arranged engagement. It was easier said than done. Celestia refused to release her from the contract, and Viktor wasn’t budging either. He even went to Europe to work on some problem over there making it impossible to even discuss dissolving the agreement. But if she searched deep in her psyche, she’d have to admit she wasn’t sure she wanted the arrangement disbanded. She made the promise, and was settled with the idea. Lucky was simply a distraction, and his request to keep distance between them was helping her to realize this reality.
Savannah shook her head. “No. I’m torn. I dreamed of a reunion with mother, ever since news of our father’s demise was found to be overrated. But now that she’s here, and I’m … what I am now?” She turned watery eyes in his direction. “I’m being selfish, I know that, but… well, before all this, I think she would’ve been proud of who I was, but not now. Now I’m… repulsive.” The last word came out on a whisper.
Lucky chuckled deeply, which seemed inappropriate for the moment, as he pulled her toward his solid chest forcing her to look him in the eye. “You, Savannah, are far from repulsive. A little impetuous maybe, intelligent definitely, thoughtful without a doubt, and breathtaking, absolutely, but repulsive? Not in the least.”
“Impetuous?”
His chest rumbled with laughter again. “Out of all of that you only caught that one word?”
Savannah rolled her sapphire eyes, and offered a weak smile. “I heard everything, but don’t believe it.”
“For someone that has read every positive self-help book in the local library you really know how to dwell on the negative.” His voice held a hint of frustration, but he didn’t let her go. He held her close against him, unwilling to let her fall into the negative abyss, as if he could save her from drowning in her own pity. “If Elizabeth doesn’t love you for who you are today, all of you, she is blind.” He released one hand from her waist to brush a loose tendril of blonde hair behind her ear. “I meant what I said, you’re breathtaking, Savannah. And you deserve to be happy.” A sadness crept behind those magical, golden-amber eyes, and she felt a part of her heart snap. She knew he was wishing things could be different between them. If the man wasn’t so principled, they would be kissing right now, but deep down, she couldn’t blame his resolve. She needed to have the same kind of steely tenacity.
He got involved with Rebecca when he was promised to Felicity, her sire’s bodyguard. Apparently, he learned from that mistake, and vowed not to repeat it again. But she couldn’t help but wonder why he bent that rule for her sister and not for her. “You’re very kind with your words, Lucky, but your actions tell a different story.”
“Why? Is this because I won’t kiss you? Because I want nothing more than to kiss you, to hold you in my arms like this all the time, to bask in your inner sunlight. It all depends on you at this point. I won’t be that guy again.”
“But you were for my sister.” Hurt shadowed her eyes.
“Rebecca and I were caught up in the ‘pretend’ part of our assignment. You could say we got a little impetuous ourselves, but that turned out to be a terrible mistake. I won’t start our relationship on that sour note,” he growled deeply, “despite the fact that I want to lock lips with you right now, I want more than the physical component that you only offer. I want…,” his voice went deeper, raspier if it was possible, and his breath tickled her ear as he moved closer to speak softer. “I will deny this to everyone else, everyone except you, but I want that fairy tale romance that Gabriel has with Rebecca, and I can see us finding it together, but not like this.”
Savannah melted in his arms, she was thankful he was holding her waist because she was positive her knees would’ve given out at that moment. In that moment, she decided she needed to rethink this engagement to Viktor. Maybe there was a way out of it that would keep her family safe. If there was, she was going to find it. How could she marry Viktor when she knew she could have so much more with Lucky?
Her phone chose that moment to buzz, and Lucky released her so she could check the message.
7:30 at the Monastery graveyard – was the simple text she received from a blocked phone number. It was the message she was waiting for; she was sure of it. A quick glance at the time told her she needed to go to make it in time for the meeting with the representative of the Convent of Souls.
“Is everything okay?” Lucky asked, noting her sudden change in mood.
“Yes, but I have to go.” She started toward the door, spun on her heel, and headed back to him. Without thinking, simply acting, she reached up, wrapped her hands around his neck, and pulled him down for a kiss. It wasn’t Earth-shattering. It was a simple promise, but when their lips connected she felt her body ignite. He took her breath away as his lips moved, and opened against hers. His fingers dug into her hips and held her steady.
When their lips parted, she felt a loss. It was all the proof she needed. She would find a way to make it work between them. “I will try to find a way out.” And with that promise, she turned and left a stunned Lucky, and the rest of her family staring after her in shock at the public display of affection with a man who was not her fiancé.
Chapter Eleven
Hunter
HUNTER WAS GRATEFUL FOR THE ride from Jackson to Rebecca’s compound. His poor little dragon shifter, Freya, had been through hell in the last twenty-four hours. It was odd, but in just one day, Hunter suddenly found himself a surrogate father to the fragile child, and he planned to make good on his commitment to taking care of her. He couldn’t think of any place safer than Rebecca’s compound. The problem was Freya wasn’t extremely happy with the idea of spending any time with wolves, and no one could really blame her after what Ophelia and Brick put her through. It didn’t help that the murder of Freya’s father was at the hands of a wolf. If it took his entire life, he’d
find a way to make Ophelia and her rat pack pay for the pain they caused his family.
Somehow, he managed to convince the young dragon shifter that Rebecca’s pack was different, and because Becks was his sister, and Freya seemed to trust him more than anyone else in this dimension, she agreed to stay there - temporarily. It was one of the first times having a werewolf for a sister actually paid off. “You ready?” He asked the nervous little redhead.
Her eyes were as large as saucers, and the cold stare of fear was obvious, but like a trooper, she took his hand and nodded. They exited the vehicle. “Thanks for the ride, Jacks.”
“Of course, anytime, Hunt.” He knelt down to Freya’s eye level. “It was wonderful meeting you too, Freya.” She only nodded, and offered a weak smile. He grinned, “I think you and Willow are going to get along beautifully.”
“Willow?”
“You remember Gabriel?” She nodded at Hunter’s question, and he smiled. “He has a little sister named Willow, and brother a named River. They live here, and are about your age.”
“Too bad I’m not in a friend making mood with the werewolves.” She rolled her eyes as they headed toward the front door.
Gabriel and Rebecca met them on the porch, concern etched deeply on Becca’s face, making her look older than her eighteen years. “Hunt, I thought you would’ve stayed at grandma’s tonight with the return of mother,” Rebecca said, the surprise strong in her voice.
“I think getting Freya settled into a stable environment is more important. We were wondering if we could stay here?” He had spent years trying to stabilize his life after their parents’ death. Consistency with his grandmother, Catherine, was key.
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