Elementris, Exposure, Eruption Box set: The Vangeretta Curse Series
Page 87
“Guess you’re going to have to hit the books too then?”
“Not exactly. I’m just going to make sure you do.”
…Ava…
Ava walked through the lost city again. This time it was different. Flowers were in full bloom and there were people everywhere. Ava watched as a little girl plucked a wild strawberry from a bush by the stairs and offered it to a butterfly. The butterfly ticked her nose with its delicate wings. Popping the strawberry into her mouth, she laughed as she tasted the perfectly sweet fruit.
Demeter spoke, walking up to join her, “This is how it used to be, before things turned bad.”
“What about Emberlee?” Ava asked, looking into Demeter’s green eyes.
“Emberlee’s birth changed everything. She’s more than a True Elementris. Emberlee was born into a circle, just as I was. One of those six children will lead.”
“Will it be Emberlee?”
She sighed and looked at Ava, “I can’t tell you that.”
Frustrated, Ava asked, “What about the curse? Will she inherit the family curse?”
“A curse is only as strong as your belief in it, Ava.”
“Is that why Alec didn’t die?”
“That had nothing to do with the curse. That was your bond. It’s very strong.”
“Have there been many others who have bonded like me and Alec?”
“Through time, you and Alec are the only two that have shared that bond.”
“Really? His grandmother said there were others.”
“There were.”
“I don’t understand?” Ava shook her head.
“You and Alec are bound through the years. Your souls are bound. They always will be and have been for many years to come.”
“What are you saying?”
“Do you remember the woman in my circle; the one with red hair?”
“The one that looked like me?”
“Yes. She looked like you because she was you.”
“What do you mean? You’re not making any sense.”
Her name was Caranalia. She and Poseidon, another in my circle, were in love. They were like magnets. Just like you and Alec. When I took their magic, I didn’t know that they had performed a powerful bonding spell.”
“A bonding spell?”
“It was more than that really. I still don’t know how they did it. I didn’t realize it until years later. When I met Hanna Vangeretta and Mitchel, they were just as Caranalia and Poseidon.
As Demeter spoke, Ava could see them. She saw the way they looked at each other. She saw them fight for each other. “Their souls were linked, each bound to find the other through time,” she said quietly.
“Yes. When I realized it, I created a spell, a curse.
“The Vangeretta Curse?! You created it?”
“I never got the chance to finish it. Years later, long after I was gone a woman named Sara used it. Sara was married to a man named Darian. Darian looked like Poseidon. He had the same green eyes, he walked like him, even talked like him. When Sara and Darian went to Salem, they met Victoria Vangeretta.”
“That’s when Sara used the spell,” Ava said as she watched. “Victoria blossomed when she was in Darian’s presence. Their bond was undeniable, Sara would have seen that.”
Demeter nodded, “Exactly. Darian fell madly in love with Victoria and Sara turned to dark magic. My daughter gave her the curse I had created and Sara performed it. I thought it ended with Victoria, but I see that I was wrong. The bonding spell is stronger than I first imagined.”
“So the curse is real?” Ava backed away.
Demeter stepped forward, “The bond you share is strong, Ava; stronger than time and death. The curse put on your family was not strong enough to kill your magic, nor his. Your child carries all that your souls know, the darkness, and the light. She will be tempted by both. The bond you share must remain strong in order to help her. Be careful, Ava. You must always remember that the bonds that tie can also be severed.”
Ava parted her lips to speak, but Demeter was gone. She closed her eyes as tears filled them and when she opened them again, Alec was sitting beside her. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
Ava sat up quickly, breathing hard. “Nothing. Is Emberlee okay?”
“Yes.” Emberlee was nestled in her daddy’s big arms, sound asleep. Cool air was blowing in through the open windows. Alec looked down at Emberlee and smiled, “She woke up just long enough to peek to see who had her, then went right back to sleep. You were crying, Ava. Is something wrong?”
Ava looked at Emberlee and smiled. “No, nothing’s wrong.”
He put his free arm around her as she sat up and leaned against him. Emberlee smiled in her sleep.
“Hey, Alec?”
“Hey, Ava?” He laughed.
She laughed with him. “Seriously, Alec, I want you to do something for me.”
“Anything.”
“I want you to get rid of the diary.”
He looked puzzled, “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
He kissed her hand.
“One more thing. I want to ask you something kind of strange.”
“Everything about us is strange. Fire away.”
“Okay. If you were… If you knew you were about to die, what would be the last thing you would do?”
Alec caressed her cheek, then, sliding his hand around the back of her neck, he pulled her to him. “If I were about to die,” he said, kissing her neck, “and I could do only one thing,” he continued, kissing her cheek, “I would use my last breath to kiss you,” he said softly as he finally claimed her lips.
The End
The story continues with the next generation.
Look for the New Roots Series coming soon.