I continued toward them clutching Lena’s hand. The women were passing out cups of a smoky liquid to people. Whatever it was, everyone who sipped it seemed deliriously happy.
That was what we needed, especially me. Anything to get all these negative thoughts of mine to settle.
“Oh, that’s the Tillman witches. They make a special drink called Witches Brew for the festival. It’s amazing. You have to try some.” She pulled me in the direction of the line. “I don’t care that you turned down bobbing for apples or purple cotton candy, but you are not turning this down.”
I let her drag me along.
“Okay. I’ll try some.”
I’d hoped she suggested it anyway. It seemed like a distraction from life rested at the bottom of their cups.
“My first year in town I learned to never turn down a cup of Tillman’s Witches Brew.”
“Why? What’s in it?”
Lena flashed me a sly smile. “No one knows but them. Trust me though, you won’t care what’s in it once you take a sip.”
“That good, huh?”
“Oh, you have no idea.”
I wet my lips as I thought over the possibilities of what made up the drink. Was it magic?
“We were just about to come check on you,” Violet said. I hadn’t noticed her walking toward us. She rushed to Lena and pulled her in for a hug. Hubs was right on her heels. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m good,” Lena insisted. She flashed the old woman a bright smile, and I knew she wasn’t lying. Lena was good. She was more than good. She was free.
I wanted to burn the way she looked just then into my memory and hold onto it forever.
“You had us worried,” Hubs said. He pulled her in for a hug once Violet released her. “Try not to get yourself into trouble like that again, young lady.”
“I promise.” Lena laughed. “Thanks for everything you two did for me. It means a lot.”
“It was nothing.” Violet sniffled and for a moment, I thought she was tearing up. “Now why don’t the two of you go off and have fun. Don’t let us old coots slow you down.”
“We will. Bye,” Lena said. She reached for my hand once they walked away and gave it a squeeze. “I really do love them.”
“I know. They love you too.”
I glanced at the old couple, watching as they made their way through the crowd. Hubs glanced at me from over his shoulder as though he could feel my eyes on him and winked. A sad smile pulled at the corners of his lips before he turned back around.
He knew my time with Lena was limited. He knew that after tonight I had no idea what the cards held for me.
“Hey,” Lena said, rousing me from my thoughts. “What are you thinking about so hard over there? You’re supposed to be excited to try some Witches Brew.”
I stared into her beautiful eyes and fought the urge to tell her. There was no point. My worries would only ruin the time we had left, however long it was. Besides, I’d left her a letter saying everything I needed to. It was on top of the Pop-Tart box in her kitchen cabinet.
“I am. Nothing but Witches Brew is on my mind,” I lied. “Am I going to get drunk from it? Everyone looks drunk. Happy. But drunk.”
Lena grinned, and I knew there was a possibility. “You might describe it that way.”
“Vague answer, but I’m still down to try a cup.”
“Good.”
While we waited in line, I glanced around. When I spotted Claire and Mason at a spooky storytelling booth filled with little kids I smiled. Both of them were dressed in full costume and looked to be having a good time. Mason was reading a story out loud, and Claire was having fun passing out candy attached to bookmarks. She spotted me and waved, then started toward us.
“Hey,” She said once she reached us. Her gaze shifted to Lena. “I meant to see how you were doing earlier, but I had to help set up our booth. Mason is terrible at decorating.” She rolled her eyes.
“I’m good,” Lena said. She tucked her hair behind her ear. It was clear from the tone of her voice she had no idea why Claire would be checking up on her at all.
I guess I’d left a few parts out of my rendition of the aftermath from taking the Sisters out.
“Good. I’m glad.” Claire smiled. “I was happy to help out and sort of return the favor I owed you. I still really appreciate what you did for me and Danny. We would have never figured everything out if you hadn’t been brave enough to tell us about the book and the visions he was showing you.”
I arched a brow. Hmm...so, Lena had helped Claire by using her raven’s sight. Interesting.
“Oh, it was no big deal. Really,” Lena said, downplaying her gift as usual.
“No. It really was,” Claire said. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Lena shifted around on her feet, and I realized how nervous she was. I should have said something to her about how Claire and the others had helped me clean things up on the beach and checked on her while she was unconscious. I regretted it now.
“Well, I guess I better get back over there.” Claire pointed to her storytelling booth. “I’m up next to read. I picked one about a spooky skeleton.”
“Good luck and thanks again,” I said.
“No problem. This is a tight-knit community; we help each other whenever we can.”
“I’ve realized that. It’s nice.”
“See you two around,” Claire said with a wave. “Have fun. Oh, and happy Halloween!”
“What was that about?” Lena asked once Claire was out of earshot.
“She saw me carrying you from the beach after you passed out and checked on you. She said she owed you a favor and wanted to help in any way she could. She and Mason helped Violet and Hubs burn the bodies of the Sisters while I took care of you.”
“Really?” Lena’s brows pinched together. She shifted to seek them out in the crowd.
“Yeah. It seems your family here is bigger than you thought it was.” I squeezed her hand in mine. “These people have taken to you whether you realize it or not.”
“Yeah, seems like it.” A wistful tone entered her words that had me thinking she was in awe.
The line to get a cup of Witches Brew moved forward, making us the next to be served. Once the couple in front of us were taken care of Anna directed her attention to us.
“Ready for a cup of Witches Brew?” The bubbly blond asked.
“Definitely,” Lena insisted.
Anna’s grin widened as she ladled up two cups of the smoky drink and then passed them to us. “Enjoy and happy Halloween!”
I stared in my cup as we stepped to the side, allowing the next in line to get theirs. Why was it smoking?
“To being free of the Sisters, enjoying Halloween, and being together again,” Lena said. She lifted her cup to mine in a toast.
Her last words hit me hard. The first flickers of guilt stabbed through me. I felt as though I was lying to her even though I wasn’t. All I was doing was withholding my worries. There was no harm in that, right? I mean, I could be wrong about everything. For all I knew, I could still be here after the clock struck midnight. No Cinderella story for this guy.
I lifted my cup and forced a smile, hoping Lena didn’t notice was fake. “I’ll drink to that.”
The first taste of fruity goodness spread across my tongue. I wasn’t much for girly drinks but this one wasn’t half bad. I downed the rest in an instant, eager to seem as carefree as the couple who’d been in line before us now seemed.
“Well, what do you think?” Lena’s eyes were on me. She was judging my reaction. “Good?”
The desire to laugh pulled at me. “Oh, yeah.”
There was definitely some magic at play in the concoction. I guess that's to be expected though. After all, it was created by real witches.
Seconds later my muscles relaxed. Laughter bubbled up from within me beyond my control, and I found all my worries and negative thoughts had vanished.
Lena burst i
nto a fit of laughter as well, and we stood there, giggling like idiots for a while before finally continuing to make our way around the festival. Now that my mind was in a better place, I was willing to bob for apples and play a few Halloween themed games.
When we decided to head back to Lena’s place, it was close to eleven. I was still feeling the fuzzy effects of one too many cups of Witches Brew and so was Lena. She kicked off her boots just inside her front door and then shimmied out of the heavy sweater she’d been wearing. Her tank top beneath was tight fitting. It drew my attention to her perky breasts right away. I averted my eyes before she caught me staring, but it was difficult because I wanted her. If these were our last moments together, I wanted to spend them showing her how much I cared for her.
All the Witches Brew coursing through her system had me second-guessing myself though and refraining from making a move. While I’d had just as much as she had, mine seemed to have worn off a hell of a lot faster.
I wouldn’t make a move unless she did. And even then, I’d question it multiple times before I gave in. It was the gentleman thing to do.
Lena stumbled to her kitchen. I followed close behind and helped her get a glass of water when she fell into another fit of laughter. Once she had a few sips, we made our way to her room. She flopped onto her bed and shimmied out of her jeans, managing to get herself stuck. I helped her as best I could, and then she slipped beneath the sheets. When she realized I was still standing there, she patted the bed beside her and locked eyes with me. I could see her desire for me to touch her, taste her, make love to her, but it wasn’t the right moment for that. I wasn’t feeling it. We’d had our moment a few nights ago, and it had been amazing. Right now, when she wasn’t herself, wasn’t how I wanted things between us to end. If an end was coming.
“Come on,” she pleaded in a husky tone. “Climb in.”
I shucked off my shoes and did as she asked. When I laid down beside her, she rested her head on my chest and traced her fingers along my abdomen. A shiver slipped through her, and I knew it was because I was colder now than I’d ever been. I pulled her blankets up to her shoulders.
Did my being colder mean I was fading faster? My throat pinched tight at the thought.
“So, there’s this song I love because it always reminded me of you,” Lena whispered. She sounded half asleep. “Of us. Before.”
“What’s it called?”
“It’s on my phone. Play it.”
I reached for her cell on the nightstand.
“It should be the first song that pops up when you open the music app. I listen to it all the time.” She yawned.
I found the app and opened it. I tapped play on the first song that popped up. The first few chords floated through the speakers before a guy started to sing. I leaned back against the pillows and held Lena tighter in my arms while I closed my eyes and listened to the song that made her think of me.
“I love you,” she whispered just before her breathing evened out, and I knew she was sleeping.
“I love you more.” I kissed the top of her head. “Always and forever.”
I laid in bed beside her, holding her as tight as I could manage, and allowed myself to become lost in the lyrics of her song. When it was over, I hit repeat so it would continuously play through the night. While I might not be here come morning, the song would be, and I hoped combined with my letter it would convey exactly how much she meant to me.
Twenty
Lena
He was gone.
The thought stabbed me through the chest. When I woke up Thane was gone. The song I often played because it reminded me of us, what we used to be as kids and what we could be now, still streamed from my phone, but the bed was empty where he should’ve been.
At first, I’d thought he might be in the living room reading my copy of The Great Gatsby and sipping coffee again, but when I tiptoed in there to check he wasn’t there. The living room was empty. Hell, my whole apartment was empty.
Thane wasn’t here.
He was gone.
I sat on my couch, my heart racing and my body trembling to match, thinking that maybe he’d gone to Urban Grind for coffee and breakfast like he had yesterday. It was only nine-thirty, still early enough to get coffee. I pulled my knees up to my chin and stared at the second hand of the clock moving in time with my heartbeat. When too much time passed, I knew Thane hadn’t gone for coffee.
Then where had he gone?
Something in my gut told me I was missing something. This was bigger than him walking out on me. I could feel it.
I chewed my bottom lip as I thought of all the places he might be, hoping I was being overly dramatic and silly. Still, there was something deep inside me that knew that wasn’t true.
“Maybe he went to the beach for a walk,” I whispered. My voice was small and frail, sounding nothing like it should. “Maybe he went to the lighthouse.”
An ache built in the back of my throat as I clutched my knees to my chest tighter because I knew in a way I couldn’t put into words neither of those scenarios were true.
Thane was gone.
But he wouldn’t have left without saying goodbye.
I pulled on a robe and stepped out onto my balcony. Since my view overlooked Main Street and town square, I could see the bulk of town. I searched each face I saw for Thane.
He was nowhere. I saw everyone but him.
Anna and Slade were at her food truck. Mrs. Ackerman was walking Pugsley. Mattie was chatting with Delpha on the steps of the library as they sipped coffee. Tessa and Cole were leading the other hunters on their usual morning jog past the willow tree.
Still no Thane.
My stomach bottomed out. Tears pricked my eyes. I stumbled back inside, locking the balcony door behind me. My gaze drifted around my apartment. It felt hollow, empty without him. Same as me.
When had he left? Why?
We’d beaten the Sisters. This was supposed to be our time. Hadn’t he wanted that too? Clips from last night and all the fun we’d had at the festival surfaced. He’d laughed. We’d kissed. The night had been good.
There had to be a reason I was missing for why he wasn’t here right now.
I stepped to my couch and plopped down. My mind raced with every moment I could remember us sharing. The first time I realized he was here. Reading through books in the library. Walking through town. Our kiss at the lighthouse. Last night.
When hours had passed with no Thane and still no answers as to where he’d gone I slipped off the couch and forced myself to grab a Pop-Tart. Depriving my body of food wasn’t going to make me think any clearer. When I reached for the box, I noticed a folded piece of paper on top. My brows pinched together. When I pulled it out, my name was written on the front.
Was this from Thane? It had to be.
My heart hammered against my ribs as nausea sloshed through me. What if this was his goodbye? What if he’d been too much of a coward to tell me to my face that he didn’t plan to stay in Willow Harbor now that he was free from the Sisters?
“If he left me a letter, he wasn’t coming back.” The words jarred me to the core as they passed from my lips.
Tears swelled in my eyes. Did I want to read it? Did I want to know what he had to say?
Of course I did.
With shaky fingers, I unfolded the paper and read Thane’s words.
Lena,
If you’re reading this it’s because I’m no longer with you. I want you to know it’s not by choice. I realized something about myself I should’ve mentioned to you a while ago but didn’t because I wasn’t sure how. A distraction was the last thing you needed at the time. I know now though, it was selfish of me to keep this secret to myself.
You’re probably wondering what the hell I’m talking about, huh? Well, I guess crazy Mrs. Ackerman said it best...I’m here but I’m not. Whatever the Sisters did to me that day six years ago I don’t think it can be undone. Not even after their death.
I’m a ghost
, Lena.
You knew this. You had to of, same as me. Think about it—I came from inside a compass, was always cold to the touch, rarely ate. You’re smart. I’m sure you had an inkling.
Anyway, I’m sorry.
I hope I’m not always invisible to you if I’m able to hang around your place. I hope the magic of Halloween allows me to see you again or even that willow tree everyone talked so highly about. If not, then I at least hope I get to still see you in my true afterlife again because you’re the best thing that ever happened to me.
You’re my everything.
I know this letter is going to come to you as a shock, as will my sudden absence, but please know that leaving you was never my choice. It wasn’t how I wanted our story to end.
I love you, Lena. Always have and always will. Never forget that.
- Thane
My heart broke. Right there in my kitchen. I clutched the letter to my chest and cried until there were no more tears left. Until I could barely breathe. Until memories of last night flashed through my mind on repeat and I knew that was all they were, memories. I would never be able to recreate them with him. Never be able to replace them with newer better ones.
Thane was gone.
If I’d known before what I did now I wouldn’t have done anything differently last night, besides hold him a little closer and stay awake a little longer.
I closed my eyes as a memory of kissing him shifted through me. It was so vivid I swore I could feel his cool lips against mine. My fingertips lifted to touch them.
How could I have been so blind? How had I not known what he was? How had my raven not picked up on it either?
Fresh sobs shook my body as my emotions shifted to anger. At myself for not putting the pieces together. At Thane for not telling me. At the Sisters for all the pain they’d ever caused me.
And then my anger directed itself at the stupid willow tree. Why had it led him here? Why had it allowed him to be ripped away from me again?
[Willow Harbor 08.0] Raven's Sight Page 14