The Long Lost

by Patti Larsen

  Before I could act or think, still trapped in the world of what happened, a huge shimmering shield burst into life around the entire parking lot, trapping us inside.

  My demon snarled. Shaylee screamed her protest. But my magic was still and silent. And from the looks on the faces of everyone around me, I wasn’t the only one.

  ***

  Chapter Forty Four

  Black robed figures circled us in the sky, some hovering in place, others swooping in a pattern above. Three landed, their power gently parting the top of the dome. Odette panted her way to her feet, rage out of control even as one of the figures swept back his hood.

  “You are ordered,” he said, deep voice full of power as his light brown eyes swept over us, “to cease and desist all hostilities by order of the North American High Council of Witches.”

  Enforcers. Had to be. Fed by the universal power of the entire Council, only they could be so strong to shut down the battle. I could feel the tingle of defensive magic coming from him, how it sparked in his honey brown hair.

  About time they showed up.

  Mom bowed her head to the Enforcer. “I was challenged,” she said.

  “Irrelevant.” He glared at all of us. “Such challenges are illegal. You know better, Hayle coven leader.”

  Gram growled something under her breath, but held her peace while Odette drew herself up, trembling, face wreathed in false indignation.

  “I was only defending myself,” she said, voice vibrating with denial, “and my coven.”

  “I don’t care who started it.” He actually sighed. “I’m here to finish it.”

  One of the other Enforcers stepped forward, pulling back his own hood. I stared in wide-mouthed shock, brain freezing as I realized who I was looking at while Dominic Moromond spoke.

  “We are.” He brushed past the first Enforcer who frowned at him, but bowed his head and backed up a pace.

  Dominic an Enforcer? What the hell was going on? My eyes flickered to the right, caught sight of Quaid. I’d never seen such focused attention as though he poured every ounce of himself into staring at his former adoptive father.

  There was murder in those chocolate brown eyes.

  “Now then,” Dominic said with an oily smile for Mom, looking her up and down as if my dad wasn’t standing right there, or the rest of us for that matter. “You have your orders, as Enforcer Tremere told you. By command of the High Council you are to stand down immediately and cease this confrontation.”

  Why did I get the impression he would have loved to see Mom and Odette fight it out?

  The old woman glared at Mom. “I demand satisfaction,” she said. “This woman plans to murder one of my coven members.”

  Dominic turned to Odette with a shark’s smile. “After the same girl falsely accused and almost killed her brother.” He shook his head, balding scalp shining in the glow of the shield. “Enough, Odette Dumont.”

  Weird for Dominic to take our side on anything. My surprise was gone the moment he turned to Mom. “That being said, the girl will be released into our custody.”

  “No!” Uncle Frank surged forward only to be knocked back by a flicker of power from Enforcer Tremere. Uncle Frank staggered, but didn’t back down. His scars were so vivid in the blue light, madness in his one good eye. “I demand she pay for what she’s done.”

  Dominic paused as if thinking it over. Odette’s eyes flickered to Ameline. It was the first time I saw doubt on the girl’s face, real doubt.

  “Perhaps you’re right,” Dominic said with great cheer, so inappropriate for the circumstances I wondered about the state of his mental health. “This is after all outside coven law and passes into vampire/witch treaty territory.”

  Enforcer Tremere looked troubled, but remained silent. Odette’s face contorted as she realized she was about to lose.

  “No!” Whether the pressure had gotten to her at last, or she somehow temporarily lost her mind, she reacted with magic, lashing out, not at the Vegas as she’d done before, not to free Ameline, but directly at my mother.

  I knew Mom wasn’t prepared, not anymore. Not with three High Council Enforcers standing right there, another dozen or so circling us. And how the woman managed to tap into her magic when I knew the rest of us were blocked was beyond me. But I felt it, like a muffled cry, the surge of her magic as it broke through and went for Mom.

  Before the Enforcers could act, Gram did. A whip of blue flame cut off Odette’s attack, slicing through the ball of lavender-tinted fire, cutting it in half and sending it scattering to the ground in a hail of sparks. Mom stood her ground, but she paled.

  Odette turned to Gram with a howl of rage. Gram struck again before the old woman could act, driving her to her knees with the whip of fire, taking her feet out from under her.

  “Enough!” Dominic’s magic struck Gram, but couldn’t budge her. She stared at him with a flat expression, recoiling her lash of fire, letting it die out as it retreated. “You’ve attacked another coven member in full view of Enforcers after being ordered to desist.” He was smiling again, almost vibrating with happiness. “You’ve disobeyed the law, Ethpeal Hayle, and for that you will be punished.”

  So unfair! Gram didn’t react the way I expected, the way I was screaming in fury inside. Instead, she gestured into the air with one hand, a symbol forming before her.

  Enforcer Tremere stepped forward, eyes wide, and made the same symbol.

  “Sister,” he said, “forgive me. I had no idea you were one of us.”

  Um… huh?

  Gram bowed her head, but only in acknowledgment. There wasn’t a scrap of apology in her. “Forgiven,” she said. “Though I’m no longer an active member of the Enforcers, I retain my power.”

  “Once an Enforcer, for always,” Tremere said.

  Dominic was clearly taken aback. His anger rippled out. “None of that matters,” he snapped.

  “Oh, but it does.” Tremere’s voice was cold as the third Enforcer approached, her angry face just visible under the black velvet of her hood as she stood at his side. “Not only was she defending a family member from an attack, she is one of us and thus has the power to enforce coven law.”

  “And had this scum’s sister,” Gram glared at Odette who dragged herself to her feet yet again, “not murdered my sister Zira, I would be an Enforcer yet.”

  Holy crap. Gram was an Enforcer?

  “There you have it.” Dominic looked around as if he’d uncovered a great truth instead of a way to twist it. “She gave up her status to take over as leader of the Hayle coven.”

  “But she is no longer leader of that coven,” Tremere said with the same chill in his tone. “Once she gave up that power she returned to Enforcer status as is our law.”

  The crowd of black-cloaked watchers above us circled closer. I could feel the weight of their agreement. Gram lifted her head and waved once, acknowledging their welcome before meeting Dominic’s angry eyes.

  “I follow the law,” she said. “And I am proud of my brothers and sisters in arms. Though I wonder at the quality of witch being invited to join our ranks these days.”

  Dominic scowled a moment before turning to Mom.

  “The Dumont family will be escorted from your territory,” he said, all false amusement gone from his tone. It made me happy we’d ruined his night. “Any contact between your two families will be seen as an attempt to circumvent the orders of the High Council and will be met with severe penalties.”

  “Understood,” Mom said.

  He turned his back, eyes meeting mine, his anger clear. But when he saw me, his humor returned. Dominic cast a glance over his shoulder at Mom as he rose into the air.

  “How silly of me,” he said, “in all the excitement I failed to tell you Batsheva sends her love.”

  He was gone in a rush of power, taking most of the Enforcers with him, but I didn’t notice really.

  I was too busy fighting my demon’s need to go after him and rip his ugly heart out.


  ***

  Chapter Forty Five

  Sunlight streamed in the kitchen windows, turning the Enforcer’s honey hair a glowing gold. I sat and watched him, Sassafras in my lap, while Mom served him tea.

  “We’ve been trying to reach the High Council for some time,” Mom said while the man seemed to squirm in discomfort. “Can you shed some light on why we’ve been ignored, Enforcer Tremere?”

  “Pender, please, Ms. Hayle.” He sat stiff and uncomfortable. “I’m afraid that’s a question you’ll have to ask the Council. I’m merely a messenger. And an officer of coven law. I follow orders as they are given to me.”

  I wanted to confront him, but Gram’s mind wouldn’t let me.

  We could have an ally here, she sent. There is still honor among my brothers and sisters it seems.

  After he’d left, with very little more information wrung from him, Mom sighed and hugged herself, staring into her teacup.

  “This isn’t over,” she said.

  “No,” Gram said, dropping lump after lump into hers with little bursts of magic, “but at least now we know who we’re up against.”

  The Moromonds. I just couldn’t believe it. How did they manage it? The last I’d seen of Batsheva, she used negative blood magic to escape with her oh-so-charming husband after Mom kicked her ass.

  Something was obviously up and it was about time we got to the bottom of it.

  Not like we’d get more information from the Dumonts. Odette and her family were gone, escorted out of town the night before. I’d watched Mia and Quaid go with them. Mia wouldn’t meet my eyes and Quaid was still wrapped up in the hate that possessed him, his whole body tense with it.

  Uncle Frank and Sunny, together with their blood clan, tried to go after them only to have Enforcer Tremere block their attempt.

  “The Dumont family will be allowed to pass,” he said. “I have my orders.”

  “And our satisfaction?” Uncle Frank shook with rage. “What of the treaty between our people, Enforcer?”

  Tremere bowed his head. “I have no instructions,” he admitted at last. “You must take your grievance up with the High Council.”

  Yeah, that went over well. I wanted to follow when the entire clan flickered as one and faded to shadows, the shield now dissolved so they could leave, but Dad was there holding me by my shoulders still, as though he knew if he let me go I’d do something we’d all regret.

  He was right.

  I have to admit, it was pretty cool to see the Enforcers land, the few who remained, and greet Gram like an equal. I could tell she was still furious, but she was also very gracious with them and I wondered if she planned to return to their ranks now that her past had come back to haunt her.

  I retreated to my room, leaving Sassafras and Galleytrot in the sunny kitchen. It was still hard for me to believe both Mia and Quaid went with the Dumonts, after all we knew about them now. Were they really that brainwashed? Was it possible? I threw myself down on my bed, heart aching, only to jerk upright at the sound of my phone vibrating its way across my dresser.

  I dove for it, checked the screen. A text from Alison.

  I’d forgotten all about her.

  In nuthouse. Come c me?

  I didn’t even hesitate. The drive to the hospital was quick and silent, at least on the outside. Inside my mind churned. The familiar uncomfortable feel of the building seemed unimportant as I took the slip of paper with her room number on it and went to the psych ward.

  This time there was no confrontation with a Sidhe spirit, no Mia/Pain’s possession to deal with. Only a lost, forlorn and damaged girl sitting in the sunlight on the horrible plastic chairs in the lounge beside the double doors, her hair in a pony tail, face scrubbed fresh of makeup so the deep, dark circles under her eyes showed clearly.

  I ran to her the moment our gazes met, hugging her as she stood up, her lower lip shaking, skin translucently pale.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered into my hair. “I’m such a jerk.”

  I hugged her as hard as I dared. “Yup,” I said. “Me too.”

  It made her laugh, a soft sound through tears. I heard the door creak behind me as someone emerged from the ward and turned to see Angela Morgan standing there. But not the woman I remembered. Gone was the heavy makeup, the fake nails, the perfect hair. She looked ordinary, slightly worn around the edges, but more beautiful than I’d ever seen her.

  A genuine smile touched her face and she came forward to hug me.

  “Thank you for coming,” she said. A real person looked back at me from behind her gaze and I smiled in return.

  “Couldn’t keep me away,” I said.

  I followed Alison inside the ward, her mom nodding to the nurse it was okay I joined them. Her room was small but private, and Angela had brought her beautiful quilt to make it seem more homey.

  “I’m in for a few days,” Alison said as her mom left us there to talk. “They want to observe me.” She rolled her eyes, but her voice cracked when she said it, hands clenching together in her lap as she collapsed on the bed. “Syd,” she whispered, “I’m kind of screwed up.”

  “Yeah,” I said, “I know. But we all are, Al. And you can unscrew a bit, you know?”

  She smiled at me. “I guess.” She sighed, eyes drifting to the doorway. “I’m just really grateful for you,” she said. “You saved my life, I’m sure of it.”

  I was about to argue when she gestured. I glanced over my shoulder, out the door. Someone was shuffling past, leaning heavily on a nurse’s arm.

  “It could have been so much worse,” Alison whispered. “I could have ended up like Page.”

  Oh. My. No. Way. Page. I’d forgotten all about the vindictive cheer squad leader. As Alison spoke I understood, recognized the thin and wasted creature in the ugly hospital robe, knew as the girl lifted her head and met my eyes, her gaze empty of anything resembling thought, that Alison was absolutely right.

  The Enforcers mind wiped Page. Turned her into a shell.

  I watched shuffle by, but for the life of me, I honestly couldn’t bring myself to feel sorry for her.

  I was definitely going to pay for that unforgiveness when it was time to tally up such things.

  ***

  Chapter Forty Six

  What was it about the feel of him that brought me running even when I hated him just then? The back yard felt so far away as I scrambled out of bed, lurched from my room, down the stairs and through the screen door. I stopped myself finally, panting and angry.

  No way were we playing this damned game again. I glared at Quaid where he stood, hands in his pockets, a thin T-shirt the only thing between him and me. That and the ten-foot gap my anger insisted on. “What do you want?” I hated the mere touch of his mind had so much unconscious control over me. He’d left me, hadn’t he? How dare he come back like this after abandoning our family magic, severing the link between us, shacking up with that ice-cold bitch Ameline?

  He didn’t say anything for a moment, gaze on the ground.

  “Well?” I stormed closer to him, the hem of my pajama bottoms instantly soaked with dew from the grass. “Look at me, you coward.”

  Quaid did. And the moment our eyes met all of my anger and hurt went away. I couldn’t stop the soft cry that escaped me as I closed the last of the distance between us, he moving to meet me, all the love he felt for me brimming in his beautiful eyes.

  I hugged him hard around his neck, felt him lift me, holding me to him as I wrapped my legs around his waist and clung to him. His magic embraced me, the deliciousness of it wrapping me up and filling me to the brim with its heat. I refused to sob like an idiot, but couldn’t stop the few tears that leaked out and darkened the collar of his T-shirt.

  “Syd,” he whispered. “Oh Syd, I’ve missed you so much.”

  Was he crying? I pulled back, pressed my nose against his, freeing one hand to stroke the wetness from his stubbled cheek.

  “Why?” I wanted to be angry again, wished I could hurt him as mu
ch as he’d hurt me, lash out, something, anything. But the longer we touched, the stronger our connection became, and I was unable to do anything that would risk the loss of it again.

  “I couldn’t tell you,” he said. “They had to believe me. If you knew, you could have given me away and I needed them to trust me.”

  The Dumonts. “Quaid, what was so important you would risk us?” It seemed the only question though I had millions more.

  “Odette,” he said between clenched teeth, arms tightening around me as he reacted to saying her name. “I knew she was connected to Batsheva.”

  Gram wasn’t the only one after revenge. “You could have told me.”

  He shook his head, dark hair falling over his eyes. I quickly brushed it away so I could see him clearly. Quaid strode the few feet to our familiar bench, sitting with me sideways in his lap, the lovely smell of him, leather pants and all, making my heart beat faster.

  “I had them all fooled,” he said, “but I couldn’t convince Ameline. Not if you knew. You had to have an honest reaction.”

  My heart hurt in a sudden stab of grief. “Tell me you’re not going to marry her!”

  He hugged me, lips brushing my forehead, hands stroking my back. “I’d rather die,” he said. “I love you, Syd. And I always will.”

  I let myself cry then, clinging to him for a moment before sitting up straighter and pulling myself together. “I’m going to make you pay for this, you know.”

  His laughter rumbled out of him, making my body vibrate. “Oh, I know.”

  “So now what?” Sudden hope surged. “You come back?”

  He didn’t need to speak to shatter that dream. Quaid just looked at me, level and calm, while I figured it out.

  “Not yet,” I whispered.

  “No,” he said. “Not yet. I’m so close, Syd. The stuff I’ve uncovered…” Quaid sighed. “I’m pretty sure Odette was behind the deaths of my parents.”