by J. N. Colon
I watched him leave, staunching the urge to go after him and attach myself like a parasite.
“Angel, come on.” My mother’s terse voice shattered the pleasant haze Etie’s kisses had created.
I spun around and followed her inside. “Do you have to be so mean to him? Did you forget he saved me—more than once?”
“We didn’t forget how lucky we are Etie helped you get out of your voodoo deal.” Abuela leaned off the banister, crossing her arms against her chest.
Oh great. They were putting on a united front. I knew what was coming. I just wanted to avoid it.
“Lucas filled us in on what happened last night.” My mother tucked a lock of auburn hair behind her ear, her wedding ring glinting in the sunlight from the windows. “While Etie may have saved you, he’s also putting you in more danger than ever.”
I blanched. “You can’t be serious. You’re blaming this on him?”
“You wouldn’t have gone to that club if he hadn’t been there,” Abuela said, descending the stairs. “If someone figured out what you were and told the wrong person, you could be attacked any day now.”
I held my hand up. “You cannot blame this on Etie. I’m the one who went after him. I’m the one who stormed into that club and used my magic.” Heat swirled in my chest, and the lights began to flicker.
My mother motioned toward the electrical malfunctions. “You were doing so well with Lucas, and now all that work seems to have gone down the drain because of Etie’s effect on you.”
“Stop right there.” I took a deep breath, attempting to calm the storm brewing inside. “Etie’s not going anywhere. Nothing you do or say is going to change that.” I motioned toward the symbol seared into my skin. “This isn’t the only reason. I want to be with him. He makes me happy, and it’s about time you two stop blaming him for every terrible thing that’s happened to me.”
I stomped past them, ignoring their protests. Why were they so dead set on keeping me away from Etie? What had Lucas told them about last night?
He wasn’t in his room, so I took the back stairs to the attic. “Lucas? Are you in here?” A line creased my brow when I emerged into the space he’d cleared for us to practice magic. Marisol was passed out a few feet from the pentagram.
I bolted over and crashed on my knees, shaking her. “Marisol! Marisol, wake up!”
After a few long, panicked moments, she stirred. Her lids fluttered open, revealing hazy brown eyes. “Angel? What are you doing?”
I motioned around us. “What are you doing? You were unconscious.”
She sat up, lines creasing her forehead as she took in the attic. “What the hell? How did I get up here?”
I shifted back, sitting on my butt and taking a deep breath. “What’s the last thing you remember?”
Her face scrunched. “I was watching TV in my room and then…” she trailed off. “And then, you were waking me up.”
That wasn’t normal. Not one bit.
Her brows stretched up her forehead. “What if it’s my powers? What if the bind around them is beginning to break like yours?”
I chewed on my lower lip. “I guess that’s possible.” Maybe all the magic Lucas and I had been doing was starting to affect her.
Marisol grabbed my arm. “Don’t tell Mom or Abuela. They’ll just want to fix the binds.”
That was exactly what they’d do. They only relented with me because containing my powers wasn’t an option anymore. My sister was crazy, but was it fair to stop her from being who she really was?
“Okay, but if anything else weird happens, you need to tell me.” I shot her a stern look. “Promise me.”
“I promise, Flaca.” She grinned and held up three fingers. “Witch’s honor.”
I rolled my eyes. Marisol with magic was a disaster waiting to happen—if that was what this was. A lingering presence of power surrounded her. Tiny shimmers of it danced against my skin. What other explanation could there be?
Lucas poked his head into my room, his eyes barely meeting mine. “Can I come in?”
“Sure.” I closed the book I was reading, tossing it on my bed. I hadn’t seen him all day. Was he hiding from me? “Where have you been?”
He slowly strode in, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I was out getting supplies for more lessons.” He shrugged, his eyes darkening. “I figured you were busy with Etie.”
Was that anger creeping into his voice? Or jealousy perhaps?
Oh man. Now I was being paranoid. “He had to go out of town.”
“Are you okay?” Lucas asked. “Did you guys work everything out?”
Was Lucas secretly hoping we hadn’t?
Ugh. I needed to stop this. If I had doubts about his feelings or intentions, I should simply ask. “I’m fine.” I patted my bed for him to sit. “Are you?”
Lines formed in his forehead as he slowly dropped to the edge of my bed, his body tense. “You’re not mad at me for telling your family what happened at the club?”
My head drew back. “Of course not. It’s not your fault they’re blaming everything on Etie, right?”
Lucas quickly shook his head. “I only told them your mark burned and you had to get to him. That’s all.”
A sigh drifted out of my mouth, and I rubbed the spot between my eyes. “I just don’t understand why they’re so against him.”
“It’s because of your powers.” Lucas averted his eyes to the bed as he absentmindedly traced a crease in the comforter with his finger. “They’d rather you be close to someone who compliments you instead of makes you stronger. Wilder.”
“What? Someone like you?” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wanted to shove them back in. If life had a rewind button, I’d use it right now. The serious expression on Lucas’s face dropped a boulder-sized rock through my stomach.
“Is that so crazy, Angel?”
I swallowed hard and reached for the talisman that was no longer around my neck. “I haven’t really thought about it.” Unease prickled my skin. I wanted to bolt out of my room, but I needed to put my big girl pants on and face the truth. Maybe Etie had been right all along.
Lucas scooted closer, eating up the already small distance separating us. “That’s not true. Don’t tell me you haven’t had one little stray thought about me.”
Heat crept into my cheeks, and I was having a hard time denying it under his suddenly intense brown eyes. Images of him in just a towel flashed through my mind, water dripping down those taut muscles. I’d practically drooled right in front of him.
Yes, Lucas was yummy in many ways. Any idiot could see that. But his taste wasn’t the one I craved.
I shook the steamy pictures of him from my mind. “I’m very much taken.”
“I didn’t ask if you were single.” Lucas’s voice had turned husky, a tone I’d never heard from him before.
Oh hell. What happened to the guy who said he’d never come between a couple? I was pretty sure the heated look he was giving me was anything but platonic.
I stiffened. “I’m with Etie. It doesn’t matter what I’ve thought of anyone else. He’s my soul mate.” Apprehension sank through my bloodstream. Even when I thought there was the tiniest chance Lucas had feelings for me, I didn’t expect him to corner me with a come-hither stare.
“And if he wasn’t your soul mate?” Lucas’s warm breath dusted over my cheeks.
My pulse spiked. When the hell had he gotten so close?
A nervous laugh bubbled up. “I-um-think we should…” My eyes darted toward the door, pleading for an exit strategy. “I think I hear Marisol calling me. I should go—”
My words were cut off as Lucas moved faster than I could track, pressing his lips against mine. A pop of electricity sizzled over our mouths as he kissed me.
I was too stunned to react. He’d lured me in with that sweet, dimpled smile and caught me completely off guard. When my brain finally grasped what was happening, I shoved him off.
“What the hell are you d
oing!” I stood, putting some much-needed distance between us.
Lucas dragged his fingers through his hair, pulling on the roots. “I just wanted to see what it would feel like. I wanted to know…”
“Know what?” I screeched.
His eyes lifted, pinning me with those melting chocolate orbs. “To know if it felt as wonderful as I always dreamed it would be.”
I shook my head, taking another step back. A pit of dread tore open inside me. “What are you talking about?” On second thought, I didn’t want to know. I spun around and headed for the door.
Warm fingers clasped around my wrists, hauling me back. “Don’t tell me you didn’t feel anything.”
I yanked out of his grasp. “I didn’t,” I lied. Maybe there had been a little spark. So what? That was only a fraction of what had always been between Etie and me. I didn’t feel that way about Lucas, and I never would.
His lips thinned, and he shook his head. “Of course not. That voodoo caster consumes you. He washes everything else away.” Lucas reached for my hand again, catching it between his warm ones. “If you weren’t bound to him, you’d feel exactly what I do. You’d know—”
A tidal wave of energy slammed into the house, shaking the foundation. I grabbed onto Lucas to keep from crashing to the ground.
“What the hell was that?” I rasped, throwing up my barriers to protect me from the unexpected flood of magic.
“I don’t know.” Lucas’s eyes were a vibrant purple, his nostrils flaring. “Stay close.”
My heart shot to my throat. What if someone from the Le Revenant knew what I was and they decided to help themselves to my power? What if it was Mama CeCe? Etie was miles from Carrefour.
I clutched Lucas’s hand as we cautiously peered into the hall. He’d just kissed me without my permission, but the threat of being abducted by psycho witches or voodoo casters topped my anger. Nothing was out there but the ancient painting of Uncle Ferdinand looking creepy as usual.
“Be quiet,” Lucas murmured, pulling me down the soft carpet.
When we reached the bottom landing of the stairs, voices echoed from the kitchen. No screams or terror emanated from my family. In fact, it sounded like joyous laughter.
“Come on.” I dropped Lucas’s hand and tiptoed toward the kitchen. Abuela leaned against the counter, her eyes bright and cheeks wet with tears. My mother was crying in the arms of a tall, dark-haired man whose back was toward me.
The attic door opened, and Marisol stepped out. Her face instantly washed of color when she caught sight of the man. “Daddy?”
Chapter 25
The man shifted, revealing his face. A familiar face. Every ounce of air was sucked from my lungs, and my knees buckled. I would have fallen if Lucas hadn’t caught me, keeping me upright in his strong arms.
“Yeah, it’s me, Mar.” His voice was deep and warm, riddled with a slight Spanish accent. It was one I never thought I’d hear again.
Tears flooded from my sister’s big brown eyes. “What’s going on?”
“I’ll explain later.” He turned toward me. The same face I waved to at the end of the hall every morning stared back at me. “Hi, Angel.”
My father was alive.
How was this even possible? He’d been gone for ten years. Ten years. And now he was standing in our kitchen.
So many emotions ran through me, but the one I wanted to hold onto was going to shatter this happy moment.
Betrayal.
More secrets and lies had been unveiled. Finding out I was a witch was bad enough, but discovering my father’s death was all a part of this screwed up farce? “Tell us now.”
He blinked. “What?”
I shrugged out of Lucas’s grip, standing on my own. “Marisol asked what was going on. You said you’d explain later, but I think you need to explain now.”
My dad shot me a placating smile. “I’m sure it can wait, hija. I just want to hold my family.”
My eyes narrowed at my mother and Abuela. “Did you two know he was alive?”
Guilt flashed over their expressions, and it was déjà vu all over again. The only difference was Lucas was here instead of Etie.
“What?” Marisol hissed. “You let us think our father was dead for ten years?”
My mother sighed. “Marisol, just wait.”
She shook her head and made a wide berth around them until she was by my side. “Angel’s right. Someone better start talking. We’ve had enough of the bullshit.”
Lucas quietly took a seat at the table. His magic permeated the air, trying to calm the situation—mostly me. My barriers were thin, and the lights were already beginning to flash.
My father’s deep amber eyes lifted to the malfunctioning recessed lighting before falling back on me. “When we found out what you were, Angel, I made a deal with the coven. I was to get my family to safety. Then I would return as the coven leader.”
I crossed my arms against my chest as if protecting my heart from more of my family’s treachery. “Why couldn’t you have stayed with us?”
He pulled out a stool and helped my trembling mother into it. “I wanted to get you out of the coven and away from magic to help keep your powers bound. The coven didn’t think it was fair to lose my power, your grandmother’s, and both of you girls.” One of his hands rested on my mother’s shoulder while the other jammed into his thick brown waves, his fingers raking through the strands. His wedding band glinted in the overhead light. “We are the most powerful family in Covina de Validus. Losing us meant weakening everyone else and potentially putting them in danger from enemy covens. They’re my family too, and I couldn’t do that.”
Lucas admitted my father kept what I was from most of the coven. He trusted them about as much as he trusted his own daughters.
“But you could fake your death?” Marisol hissed.
“It was the only way.” A frustrated sigh spilled from my dad’s thinned lips. “If you girls knew I was still out there, you’d come looking for me, and Angel’s safety would have been forfeited.”
Great. Nothing like having the blame land at my own feet.
“This is bullshit,” Marisol spat, her eyes like dark fires. “All of you have manipulated our lives and lied to us. I don’t even know if anything coming out of you three is the truth.”
My mother wiped the tears from her face. “Marisol, this has been hard on all of us.”
“It was only supposed to be temporary,” my father said, gently squeezing my mother’s shoulder. “I simply needed to find a way to bind Angel’s conduit powers for good and keep her other magic. Once that was done, I would have come back for you.”
“Did you find a way?” My voice was sharp and stinging. Was he here to force a spell on me? I was having all kinds of trouble with these damn powers. Things would be so much easier without them, including my relationship with Etie.
But I’d rather be a stubborn brat than take anything he offered. Of course he wouldn’t be offering anything. I most likely wouldn’t have a choice.
His gaze shifted away. “Unfortunately, no. It’s still a work in progress.”
“I can’t do this right now.” Marisol was vibrating with anger. We were lucky she hadn’t figured out how to use her powers yet. We’d all be in trouble. “I’m out of here.”
“Marisol!” Abuela called after her as she disappeared around the corner. “Get back here.”
The slam of the front door was her only response.
“Let her go,” my father said. “She needs to cool off. She gets her temper from me.”
“How would you know?” I snapped. “You’ve been gone for ten years. You don’t know anything about either one of us.”
“That’s not true, Angel.” He inched closer, pain flashing through his expression. “I know what you need. I’ve always known what’s best for you.” His gaze shifted toward Lucas.
My jaw clenched as the pieces of the screwed up puzzle began to fall into place. I whipped around, glaring at the brujo I’
d trusted. “You knew the whole time he was alive, didn’t you?”
Those chocolate eyes fell to the ground. “I’m sorry.”
The light above the table flickered and swayed.
“Don’t blame him, Angel.” My dad turned to Lucas, his expression softening. He looked at him tenderly, fatherly. Lucas had grown up with my father, and by the looks of it, they were close. “He was only doing as I asked. He was protecting you.”
Lucas gave a quick nod. “Always.”
I stared between them, a massive weight sinking through my gut. A cold sweat beaded my forehead, giving me chills. The room spun, and I wanted to hide from the truth unveiling in my mind. It had been staring me in the face this entire time—since Lucas told me of his broken arranged marriage. He’d said the girl had chosen someone else, someone who was the worst person for her.
Oh my voodoo gods.
I licked my cold, dry lips. “I’m the girl you were promised to.” The words tasted sour in my mouth.
Lucas’s eyes flashed to mine, pain radiating through them. That was answer enough.
My heart threatened to shatter into a million pieces. Nothing in my life was ever cut and dry. So many secrets twisted everything until the truth was barely a shadow behind the lies.
“You never should have been bound to that voodoo caster.” My father’s tone turned sharp, knives stabbing each syllable. “But I’m going to fix that mistake.”
Cold descended through my veins, and I took a shaky step back. “What are you talking about? The bond between Etie and me is permanent. You can’t break it.”
His eyes darkened. “I can. And I will.”
Panic sliced through my chest. The thought of being separated from Etie made me want to hurl. “You can’t do that.” My hand shakily reached up, brushing over my toujou. “You can’t break the gwo-bon lyen.”
My father’s face softened, and he took a step closer. “It’s for your own good. Your powers together with his are too volatile.” He motioned toward the other betraying brujo. “You’ll be safe with Lucas. He’ll help you keep control of them.”