A few more paces into the room, I halted. I’d heard something, but I wasn’t sure what or where. Holding still, I listened harder, but nothing.
“Lars? It’s Destiny. Aunt Cecilia told me about you. Will you come out?”
Still nothing.
I opened my mouth to call again, but Cass covered it with his hand with a gentle touch. “He won’t come out like this. Let’s just wait. Keep the door open and see what he does.”
Crossing my arms, I shook my head in irritation, mostly with myself that I couldn’t get this boy to come to me. “Cass, what’s the demon dimension like? Do you mix and mingle with other demons? Did you know Tygen?”
“It’s possible,” Cass stated, crossing his arms. “Tygen is a popular name among Matrada demons, so I may have known him since I knew a few that were summoned. As for what it’s like, it’s much like Earth, but different. Our homes are not like this, and our plants are different, and we don’t have jobs like humans do, but we have gatherings and parties, provide food for ourselves and others, and we work for what we want. It’s simpler, much simpler. That’s not to say human life is better or worse compared to demons. It’s just different.”
A question burned on the tip of my tongue and I bit my lip to silence it. Until I couldn’t. “Cass, when you teach Lars about demon symbols and about the demon dimension, am I allowed to learn as well?”
He arched a brow at me. "Are you sure you want me to?"
"Yes. I may have feared demons before, but that's because my coven lied and hid the truth. I'm done hiding from it. I want to know. If that means moving here to keep us all safe, I'll do it. If it means keeping an open mind, I'll do that too. Please, Cass."
“Hmm. I guess we could try it. First, let’s work with Lars and finish this house.”
I nodded. He was right. We had priorities.
Staring over the room again, I contemplated searching it for Lars, but shook my head. He’d come out when he was ready. We were new faces he didn’t know. I’d be scared of us too if I were him.
“Yeah, let’s go upstairs and clean.”
“Mama always kept it cluttered so people wouldn’t come in and stay,” a tiny voice spoke from behind the couch across the room. “She said it was safest.”
My heart twisted at the sound of the boy’s trembling voice. “Yes, but if I move in here and don’t clean it up, someone will notice,” I countered, voice soft and gentle. “Plus, I want to make the upstairs usable for my sister. Would you like to meet her? She’s about your age.”
A white haired, bluish skinned head stuck itself out from between the couch and wall, black eyes wide. They widened further when they landed on Cass. The adult demon, previously a mountain of intimidation, crouched low to the ground, resting his forearms on his thighs.
“You’re safe, Lars,” Cass stated. “We won’t harm you. We are family.”
Lars’s throat bobbed as he swallowed. “You’re like me and Papa?”
“A Matrada demon? Yes. Recently summoned from the demon dimension.”
“And you’re a witch?” Lars rested his gaze on me, and I nodded.
“Yes, I am, and so is my sister, though neither one of us practices magic much.”
“Mama used to make potions and enchantments for other witches. She was always using her magic.” The boy slid out from behind the couch, barely larger in form than Izzy. “If you wanted, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if you used her workroom.”
I smiled at the boy and reached out a hand. “I’m sure you’re right. Are you hungry?”
He shook his head. “No, there’s some food down here.” That didn’t stop him from taking my hand as he stared at Cass, who was on eye level with him and a foot away. “Are you two mates like Mama and Papa?”
“Yes,” Cass stated without question or hesitation. “Mates and friends.”
Izzy’s eyes widened the second we appeared in the main house’s kitchen minutes later with Lars in tow. The two kids greeted one another, and Izzy instantly handed Lars her second coloring book and crayons. It didn’t seem like he’d done much coloring, but Izzy’s chatter and questions had them both distracted soon after while Cass and I continued to work on the main house.
“Should we be changing things if Cecilia had them like this as a front?” Cass asked as I handed him a box of kitchen supplies to add to the donation pile. The kids grew quiet, listening for my response.
I shrugged. “I think of it this way: in a game of tag, you can’t keep hiding in the same spot or hiding in similar places or people are going to become suspicious and find you and know where you’re hiding. Plus, it would be weird to move into someone else’s house and keep it the same as they had it. That would draw more attention than hide us.”
Cass bit his lower lip, thinking on my words, then nodded. “I suppose that’s true. I never thought about it that way. If someone who’d visited her before came now-.”
“They’d wonder why I still have her clutter around and where my stuff is at. We can still keep the front that this is the main house, for whatever reason Aunt Cecilia did it, and keep the basement a secret, but we can’t keep this area the same. Plus, I can’t live underground. It would drive me crazy.”
“That would do the same to me as well, I believe,” Cass stated, crooked grin on his face. “I’ll put this where you need it.”
While Cass did as I asked, I turned my attention on Lars, who still watched me. “Does that make sense?”
“I guess so. Do you need help?”
Lars was a sweet little seven-year-old. I liked him already, and my heart hurt for him, as it did for Izzy. Neither of them should grow up without parents. Cass entered the room again, setting hands on his hips to survey what was happening.
Decision made, I strode over to him, grabbed his arm and hauled him after me to the living room and out the front door. The driveway was gravel, and the stones crunched under my shoes as I headed toward the end of it so there wasn’t a chance we could be overheard.
“What’s wrong?” Cass asked, picking up on my anxiousness.
I stopped walking, intertwining my fingers together as I gazed out at the trees across the street from Aunt Cecilia’s house. “Do you really mean what you say? That you’ll help me raise the kids?”
“Yes, of course. I’m your mate. If you view them as yours, then so do I. Destiny, what’s this about? What’s wrong?”
Still jittery, I faced him. He stood so close. I hadn’t realized how close until then. His heat filled the gap between us, and I took his hands to steady mine. Taking a breath for courage, I met Cass’s gaze.
“I can’t raise them alone, Cass, and I will raise them, both of them. But I’m afraid. Some days I still feel like a kid myself. If you’re here to stay, then I need you, I need your help. They need a father figure as much as they need me. I know this is crazy, and we practically just met, but if you do this, I promise to be your mate, not just your friend. It’ll just take time.”
Cass released my hands to cup my face with his, the warmth a soothing balm to my fears. “Destiny, I am a demon. Human laws and instincts don’t guide me. Matrada demon instinct is to love and protect our families. The moment you summoned me, you became my family, and your sister is mine, and that little boy is family. You have my support. I swear it. And I promise to do what I can to help raise them well, both of them.
“As for you being my mate, that has always been the case. Neither you nor I can change that fact. In time, you’ll see it as I do, and I’m patient enough to wait for it. You do not have to give your body to me, ever, if you don’t wish it. I will not take it if I know you aren’t ready, and you’re nowhere near ready, and I wouldn’t expect you to be. I am still a stranger to you. This is not a trade, Destiny. I’m not helping you raise those children in exchange for sharing your bed as more than a friend. That is not how this works. Ever.”
Tears slid down my cheeks to wet his hands. “Thank you, Cass. Thank you so much.”
He leaned in, his sof
t, hot lips searing my forehead with a gentle kiss. “You have nothing to thank me for. Will you please tell me your plan?”
“Clear everything out that we can and then go back home to grab the few essentials we left behind since we weren’t expecting to stay.”
“Back to your coven?”
“Yes. If we’re fast and quiet, they won’t even know that we’re there. I wish I could go alone-.”
“I’d never let you.”
“But we can’t leave the kids alone, which means we’re going to have to bring them. I need your strength for a few things of Mom’s I want to bring back.”
“I’ll help.” Cass released my face to grab one of my hands and squeezed it. “Let’s go clean this house for you.”
“First, let’s eat dinner. I’m starving.”
Cass led me back to the house, my hand in his. In all my life I’d never felt so protected and cherished, and I hoped I’d never take it for granted. Perhaps there was something about this Matrada demon that had my human instincts all confused. While I didn’t love Cass, there was definitely quite a bit of affection.
We spent the rest of the day cleaning and sorting on the main level. Tomorrow I’d need to haul the garbage to the local dump so we had more room. Then I could also take a load to be donated.
That night, when I announced it was time to leave for the hotel, Lars stopped me. “Why do we have to go? Can’t we stay downstairs?”
His words halted me. I hadn’t thought about it. My brain was on auto-pilot and it knew the hotel was our home away from home because this place was a disaster.
Except downstairs wasn’t.
I looked to Cass. He lifted one shoulder in a lazy shrug, his inky black eyes sparkling with curiosity about what I’d decide. It was an easy decision, but I still didn’t make it lightly. My two demons would be safest here.
“Yes, we’ll stay here, but…” I looked to Cass, who tipped his head at me. “If we go back to my place tonight, we can grab everything we’ll need now and no one will be looking for us. We’ve only been gone a couple days. If we wait, they’ll be expecting us to return.”
Cass nodded. “How long will it take to reach your home?”
“A few hours. Well, four. It’ll be the dead of night so no one should even notice us. The kids can sleep in the car.” I only had one booster seat in the truck, but something told me my Matrada demon cousin would be just fine on impact if what the book and Aunt Cecilia said was true. “We’ll grab our belongings from the hotel on the way back.”
“That’s good. Okay, children, let’s go on an adventure,” Cass stated, beckoning the children toward the front door.
I grabbed my purse from the table and followed them outside, locking the door behind us. On a whim, I’d left the skeleton key hidden in a junk drawer inside. It wasn’t the basement I didn’t want anyone to touch. It was Aunt Cecilia’s workroom. Something told me I’d be spending a lot of time in there soon finding out what this “dark” magic was all about.
Cass had the kids strapped in the back when I arrived, so I climbed into the driver’s seat and readied to go while he finished up and took his seat behind me. Already the sun was setting, which meant this journey would be made completely in the dark both ways. I hated driving in the dark, but it was our best chance of not being spotted.
“Is four hours far enough away from your coven for us to be safe?” Cass murmured a couple hours later after the kids had both fallen asleep. It had taken Lars far longer to crash because he’d never left the house and the world was all new to him. The newness and excitement hadn’t been strong enough in the end to ward off sleep.
“It’s going to have to be. I don’t know how to spell a house to move it.”
Reaching between us, Cass took the hand I rested on my thigh. “Then I will keep you safe if anyone comes.”
I smiled up at him. “I know you will, Cass. I trust you.”
“And I trust you.”
Two hours later, we pulled into the subdivision where my parents, and a large part of our coven, lived. Most of the houses were dark, affirming my theory that this was the best time to do our packing and leaving. Even still, my skin crawled from a feeling of being watched, but I didn’t see anyone.
“Let’s do this as silently as possible,” I whispered after I’d backed into the garage and shut the door. It was useless to whisper, but I still felt creeped out. Cass nodded, understanding my need for quiet.
We left the kids in the cab sleeping. They knew where we’d be if they woke up and needed us. So, I led Cass to the adjoining door of the house.
It was silent inside, Cass leading the way as usual. I’d made a mental list of all that I wanted to grab, and I prayed it fit in my truck.
The first stop was my room where I grabbed out a few suitcases and dumped my clothes and toiletries in without care, and a few pictures ended up in the mess. My next stop was Izzy’s room. While Cass helped a little with the task, he spent most of his time listening and watching since I didn’t really need him yet. Once all the suitcases were full, I had him take them to the garage.
Next was Mom and Dad’s room. I’d gotten rid of most of their belongings after they’d passed, but kept all that I’d wanted. These were already packed in boxes and totes, which I’d yet to take to the basement because I couldn’t stomach it. So, Cass took those to the garage as well.
I stopped at the linen closet and grabbed up as much bedding and towels as would fit in a tote I dumped out in my room which held old clothes. Bathroom belongings ended up in a box. I cringed when I checked the time. We were taking far too long.
Skipping the rest of the bedroom things, I moved to the kitchen, packing up everything that I wanted. It was yet again surprising how little fit inside one box or tote, but I used as much space as I could find. When Cass warned me we were running out of room, I had a moment of panic.
“It’s all right,” Cass stated, resting his hands on my shoulders. “We can always come back.”
“I don’t want to.” I shook my head, punctuating my argument. “I never want to come back here again.”
“Then only take what you will regret leaving. If we have the funds, we can purchase new later, or use what Cecilia has until we can afford new.”
I nodded. He was right. So, I finished packing up what things were most important, including crucial documentation and the one thing I wanted above all: Mom’s sewing machine. My skills lacked in the ability to sew, but this was Mom’s most prized possession, and I had hours of memories just watching her sew in the evenings while I read books. The books also got packed.
Job complete, we climbed back into the truck, our doors slamming making the kids stir, but neither one opened their eyes as we headed out of town. We’d done it. We’d snuck in and snuck out without notice. I’d say it was too easy, but really, it wasn’t like anyone was expecting us back yet. And if they found us, I’d just easily say I was leaving the coven. It wasn’t like they could stop me.
The horizon was already changing colors to a bright orange by the time I swung the truck into the hotel parking lot. Once the engine cut, I turned in my seat to find four blurry eyes staring at me from the back seat. Either stopping had woken the kids or they’d woken up earlier and weren’t chatty.
“I’ll be right back,” I told them, voice low. “I’ll grab our things and then we’ll head home and you can go back to sleep if you want.”
Izzy turned in her seat and leaned her head against the window. Lars nodded, closing his eyes with a deep breath. They really were great kids. How’d I end up lucky enough to raise them?
“Do you need help?” Cass murmured, and I shook my head.
“No, I should be able to manage it. There’s not much there. Stay with the kids.”
I was ready to fall asleep myself as I climbed from the truck and swiped the keycard over the door. However, that exhaustion evaporated the second I stepped a foot into the hotel room. Two women occupied the private space inside, both of whom I kne
w well.
“What are you doing here?” I ground out to my grandmas.
“We came to see if you needed any help,” Grandma Phillips stated from the far side of the room.
Grandma Kentwood sat on the bed, a book in her hand...the same book I’d used to summon Cass. “Then we found this. Destiny, what are you doing with this? If Cecilia’s house is full of dark magic, then you need to leave it as is and sell it.”
“First, you two shouldn’t be in here. Second, you have no right to go through my things. And third, I’ll do whatever I feel is best for me and Izzy. This is stalking.”
“We’re only looking out for your future in the coven,” Grandma Phillips stated, drawing closer.
I lifted a hand. “Yeah, about that. I’m tired of being controlled by our coven. If you two don’t leave now, I’m leaving the coven. Permanently. And I’m taking Izzy with me.”
Two pairs of burning eyes glared back at me.
Grandma Kentwood found her voice first. “You wouldn’t dare. If you do, we’ll take her from you.”
“You can’t. That’s called kidnapping, and what are you going to tell the judge? That we’re witches and we left your precious coven? That’s laughable. Now, give me my things and get out.”
The book snapped shut as Grandma Kentwood stood up. The second she was on her feet she stiffened, eyes frozen on something behind me. I could feel him without even looking. Cass stood in the doorway, and he had both witches’ attention as their mouths fell open.
“You’ve already performed dark magic,” Grandma Phillips breathed, taking a step back.
I shrugged. “On accident, but I don’t regret it. Plus, I’m learning that there really isn’t anything as ‘dark’ magic. It’s only dark when used for evil purposes. This demon is actually sweet and helpful, and he wouldn’t hurt a fly unless it meant to harm me. Now, will you leave?”
Both women nodded, their fear palpable, even though they were two powerful witches. Their fear of demons was placed in lies and hidden truths. I almost felt sorry for them and their ignorance.
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