by M. Lathan
“I would never hurt you, Sophia.”
“I know, love. You wouldn’t.” Her phone chirped in her pocket, and she jumped. She looked as spastic as I did at school. “I know,” she said to the caller. “I understand. I’m handling it. Goodbye.” She straightened her dress with her trembling hands. “Come sit, sweetheart.” We sat on the sofa, and she grabbed both of my hands. “Did he see you?” she asked, her voice shaking.
“No. I stayed up here.”
She sighed and closed her eyes. “I’ll handle it. Don’t worry. She won’t turn you in. If Remi is with a hunter who purges now, she won’t be going anywhere near the actual agents. Everything is fine. But … just to be sure, I’m going to take you to your other home in California.”
“Is everyone going?” She shook her head and kissed my hand.
“This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have brought them here. I’m sorry, sweetheart, but they can’t go with you.”
“No! I want them to come. All of them. Especially Nate.”
Her phone went off again. She jumped again, more rattled than before. She listened for a moment, her face twisted in pain. “Vaughn. Her name is Remi Vaughn. Human. She wasn’t before. She is now.” Sophia’s free hand balled into a fist. “I didn’t know until a few minutes ago!” She huffed into the phone. “Christine told me.”
Sophia’s husband or whoever that was must have been very upset. Her eyes watered as she listened. She closed the phone without speaking again. Maybe the caller had hung up on her.
“I have to go, sweetheart. I’ll come back later.” She snapped and grabbed my hands again. “I put a suitcase in your closet, but I’ll pack for you when I come back. We can discuss Nathan then.”
A tear fell from her sparkling eye just before she vanished. At least she saw how horrible this was. I ran down to Nate’s room and walked through the open door. Paul and Emma were watching him pack.
“Paul says we’re headed to Texas. We’re going to stay at Sophia’s house for a while,” Nate said. “She said you were going to California, right?”
“Yeah.” I sat on his bed and folded a pair of jeans for him “Do you … want to go to Texas?” I asked.
“Nope. I want to go with you, but I heard Sophia. I heard her say you can’t date me. She doesn’t think I’m good enough for you.”
Before I could disagree, Paul smacked his lips and Emma sighed loudly.
“She would never think a witch is better than a shifter. I’m sure she doesn’t have anything against you. It’s not in her nature,” Paul said. “I’m not saying this because she’s my grandmother, but she’s an angel. She didn’t come out of hiding when the world embraced magic, so she was one of the few of our kind with a job for like a decade. Our house stayed packed with all sorts of creatures needing her help. Some were shifters just like you.”
“It’s true,” Emma said. “She wouldn’t act that way with you. She only ever wants to help. She even got my parents out of jail. Not a cage, like a real prison. I can’t imagine how much that cost, and she’s never asked for a penny. And she’s spent thousands on me alone, just from this year. She would never be rude to you, Nathan. She’s just weird about Christine. Very protective.”
Nate sat next to me and covered his face. “I know! And she walked in while I was all over her prized possession. I’m lucky she’s even letting me go to Texas.”
“I’m not her prized possession,” I said.
They all grunted. Paul nodded sarcastically. “Sure, you’re not. She only threatens her own flesh and blood for you. Risks getting captured for you. Acts like a completely different person for you. And Nate just told us this is your house! Now, it’s even stranger. Nana’s TVs at home don’t even have color! And since your parents died years ago, I know she had to get all these flat screens for you.”
I hadn’t thought about that. Why would there be flat screens here if my parents died when I was a baby? And they were here before I came. Or at least by the time she gave me the tour. And everything was clean, not much dust other than in Catherine’s studio. And wasn’t there a big storm and flood here a few years ago? This house didn’t look like it had gone through a hurricane and been vacant until now.
“Thanks for letting us stay here,” Emma said. “We really didn’t know until Nate just blurted it out.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t mention it,” Paul said. “If this were my house, you guys would know it every day. Every time you sat on something, I’d say you’re welcome.”
Emma smacked his shoulder. “And I’m sorry about Remi, Chris. I feel responsible. He could have seen you. She told me she had a new boyfriend the other day, a wizard she wanted me to meet. I didn’t think she’d bring him here.”
That was the last thing I heard any of them say. They didn’t know what Remi was. They didn’t know about her friend. They didn’t know just how much danger they’d just been in. And me too. Liam could be the kind of hunter who would want to breed me. Maybe he even knew Julian.
I shivered.
I assumed Paul and Emma left to pack, I hadn’t heard them say. My boyfriend stuffed the clothes on his bed in a little duffle bag. He walked out of the room and came back with a toothbrush and deodorant.
The selfish part of me wanted to cry about him leaving, Paul and Emma too. I knew he’d hold me and treat me like the victim I wasn’t.
“We’ll have the phone, babe. Or I’ll catch a bus to California. Or … would you use magic to come see me?”
I couldn’t look at him and lie flat out, so I said, “No.”
“Okay. I understand.” His shoulders fell, and I reached for his face.
“You think you’re not important enough for me to use magic, don’t you?” He nodded.
This would be where I would clam up. I’d be silent and deceitful for his love. His smile. But that could have gotten everyone in the house hurt today. If I hadn’t called Sophia, and finally said something, they could be in cages and I could be wherever breeding happened.
“You are important enough, Nate. You’re the most important person to ever have lived to me. When I say I can’t use magic, I mean that literally.”
“I understand. We’ll work it out,” he said, tempting me to let it go. I reached up to kiss him. His response was immediate. Sweet and soft. Possibly the last.
“I love you,” I said. “And that’s really amazing because I didn’t even think that would be possible for me. In a really short time, you’ve changed my life. Made me smile and laugh. But-”
He groaned and touched a tear I hadn’t felt. “Let me guess. I’m a nice boy, but just not for you.”
“No, listen.”
“I know Sophia is great. They didn’t have to praise her. She saved my life already. And yours too. So I understand if you want to listen to her.”
“No, Nate. I’m not breaking up with you, but once I tell you something, you may want to break up with me.” I stared at his flawless face, my heart pounding, tears streaming. “I’ve been trying to tell you something. Not very hard, but I’ve wanted to say something important. I’ve been really dishonest about who I am. I’ve been selfish because I didn’t want to lose you. I didn’t want to go back to not having anyone. And today, I could’ve gotten you hurt. All of us.”
“I don’t understand, babe. What’s wrong?”
I looked away, trembling. “I can’t use magic to come see you … because I don’t have it. I thought I was a witch, but a few days ago, right before you walked in and saw me bleeding, I found out I’m not. I’m … human. More than that, I’m one of the things you think are disgusting. Psychic. Like my mother was.”
We sat there, tensed, for a lifetime.
“Are you joking?” he whispered.
“I wish.” Another torturous pause. “I’m not like the copies you talked about. My parents loved each other. And I do get very angry, but I am always trying not to be. Always, Nate. I swear. And my mother didn’t pass me her powers in the way you’d think. I read it in her diar
y. I could go get it. You could read it with me.” He still didn’t say anything. “Breeding is different than you think. The whole copy thing, it’s so different, Nate. And I understand if you’re upset. I should have told you the minute I found out. I’m sorry. I love you.”
I desperately needed to hear him say it back. I needed him to be my glue, to fix everything like he’d done every day since we played fetch.
“No, you don’t,” Nate whispered. He stood from the bed and moved painfully slow and painfully far away. “You can’t. Copies don’t love. They don’t feel anything but hate.” He leaned against the wall with his head hanging low. “The first time I saw you, I thought it was eerie how perfect you were. Like someone took exactly what I’d find attractive and delivered her to me, or me to her. Then made her smell like perfection. Act like it too.” He chuckled and looked up at me. “There is no God controlling this. It’s you. And I think you’re perfect because you are. The wolf told me they drown copies if they don’t come out right. They have to be absolutely perfect, or their masters hold them under water until they die.”
I ran to him when I saw the tears.
“It’s not like that. I don’t have a master. My parents made me,” I said, quoting Sophia.
“I just should’ve known something like this wouldn’t happen to me. Of course I don’t have a girlfriend. Why would I? Did you make me think I was in love with you? Is that why we were moving so fast? A mind trick?”
“No!” I cried. At least I didn’t think it was.
“Jesus, what is your master planning for us? Is Sophia helping you? Or are you going to hurt her too?”
“It’s not like that. I just found out.” I wrapped my arms around him, clutching his t-shirt. “You have to believe me. I’m the same person I was a minute ago.”
“Stop touching me,” he said, pushing me away. “You have us in your home, pretending like we’re guests. Letting me sleep in your bed. That’s really gross. Really twisted!” He gasped and rubbed his neck. “My head! I’m getting my head cut off, aren’t I?” I couldn’t move. This was way worse than I imagined it would be. His beautiful green eyes were burning with more than disgust. With hate and hurt and fear.
“Nate, no. Please listen to me. I love you, and I would never hurt you.”
“You can stop with the act now, Christine or Leah or whoever you are.” Leah? I was her again? I was nothing again?
He snatched his bag and ran out of the room. “Get out of here!” he yelled. “She’s a copy. Go!”
I ran into the hall, toward the commotion he’d caused by yelling. He blew past me and ran out of the front door. I ran down the stairs, no hope of catching him, but still running, because I needed him, because I couldn’t let us end like this. He’d left the door open, and I raced to it. At the threshold, a frozen arm hooked around my stomach. I almost screamed at Catherine, but this chill was different. This ghost was different.
I fell to my knees in the doorway, acting like my mother way too late. The door closed in front of me slowly, nudged by my father. It felt like it meant, don’t be silly and run after him, you still can’t leave the house.
I had to stay hidden and alone. Like I was meant to be.
Emma and Paul never came out. The eerie quiet of the house told me they were gone too.
Being tortured by high school girls was not death. This was. Having everything snatched away in a moment. Having Nathan look at me like he hated me. Being told not to touch him.
I stretched out on the floor, crumbling. It felt like Raymond stretched out too.
“Go back to your wife,” I whispered. “The lady who killed herself because of you. I’m fine here alone. And I’ll be this way for the rest of my life.”
But he didn’t leave. He stayed down there with me, just far enough away that my teeth didn’t chatter.
Nate thought I wanted to hurt him, that all of this was my trap. I’d immediately turned evil in his mind. I’d never be held again. Kissed either. I wished it had never happened. Then I wouldn’t know what I was missing out on.
I ran out of tears after a while. I was just coughing and calling for my ex-boyfriend who couldn’t hear me.
“Emma called,” Sophia whispered. Raymond left at the sound of her voice. I didn’t have enough energy to stand or move at all. “She’s worried about you. Are you okay, love?” I didn’t answer. Wasn’t that obvious? “How long have you known that you’re human?”
“A few days.” She kneeled next to me and brushed my hair out of my face. “You?”
“Your whole life. It’s a long story. I’ll tell you when you wake up.” I wasn’t tired until she’d said that. She kissed my forehead, and my eyes closed. “That’s it. Don’t fight it, love. Just sleep.”
Chapter Twelve
I stretched my dead arms and legs in the softest bed I’d ever been in. I opened my eyes in an unfamiliar room. Everything was pure white or crystal. Expensive and modern.
My head was pounding, so the crying and the breakup hadn’t been a nightmare. It least I wasn’t suicidal. Yet.
I would’ve burst into tears again if the pillows didn’t smell so wonderful. Like oranges. Like peace.
“Sophia?” I said, when I stopped sniffing, convinced I was imagining the scent because I needed it so badly.
The double doors of the bedroom opened, and Sophia poked her head in. “You’re finally awake?”
“Finally?”
She came in and pulled the covers back. “You've been out a while. It's Sunday, the 4th. It’s almost three in the evening.” That would explain why my body was so heavy.
“Where are we?” I asked. “California?”
“Paris, dear.”
She reached for my hand to help me out of the high bed. Once down, I ran to the window to see Paris. It didn’t disappoint. We must have been high up. My view was of rooftops and the heart of the city, like photos from World Geography of the touristy part of Paris. Or maybe all of Paris was picture perfect like this.
“Why are we here?” Sophia closed the curtain and took my hand. She led me to an all white bathroom and started the shower.
“We’ll talk about everything when you get out,” she said and smiled, relaxed and back to her normal self. Maybe because I wasn’t groping and getting groped by a shifter.
Ouch. It hurt to think of him. Like knife in my chest, hurt.
She walked out, leaving the door open. I undressed anyway. I had to adjust the water in the shower. It was way too hot. In the process, I wet my hair. I decided to wash it since I’d drenched half of it.
I grabbed the clear bottle on the ledge, guessing it was shampoo. It only took a drop for it to wrap me up completely. It was, hands down, the most wonderful thing I’d ever smelled. Better than Nathan. And it didn’t hurt to think of him anymore. Nothing was wrong now, and I had the strangest urge to curl up and sleep. It was ten times more potent than any orange I’d ever smelled. Like oranges only mimic this scent.
I forgot to rush so Sophia could explain everything. I took my time, lathering the shampoo everywhere – in my hair and all over.
“Sophia?”
“Yes?” she said, in the bathroom, closer than I expected her to be. But I didn’t jump. I was too calm to jump.
“Did you make this shampoo? Like with a spell?”
“No, love. But if you like it, I can get you some.”
“Please.”
She reached a towel through the curtain. I reluctantly took it and shut the water off. She turned away from me, and I slipped on the black panties and bra she had waiting on the counter. She wrapped my hair in the towel and shook my head fast and in crazy directions. We laughed for a moment like my world hadn’t ended and she hadn’t been lying to me for days.
Sophia tapped the arm of a chair pushed up to the mirror. I smiled when I realized she was about to comb my hair. “I’m sorry about Nathan,” she said, parting down half and clipping up the other. “I found him a few miles away from the house. He’s with Emma and
Paul at my place. Don’t worry.”
“He hates me.”
“He’s a boy. The male species reacts incorrectly ninety-nine percent of the time. He’ll realize it, and you’ll have to decide if you want to forgive him or not. Though … I think I know what you will choose.” She reached in the cabinet and pulled out hairspray. This apartment or hotel was very stocked. “I’m sorry about what I said about you not dating him. I’m partly to blame for his mood. I had no right saying that.”
“I get why you did. No Contact, right?”
She nodded as she very gently combed through my curls with more skill than I had.
“I wouldn’t worry about that either. I was just a little wound up at the time.” A little? That was the biggest understatement of the year. “I’m glad you called me about Remi. I know you could’ve handled it yourself, but it was very wise of you not to.” She chuckled unexpectedly. “You pack a lot of power in this little body of yours.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked.
Our eyes met in the mirror, and she looked away a moment later. She sprayed more of the hairspray that I wished smelled like the shampoo.
“I wanted to take things slowly. I didn’t want to take you from school, tell you about your inheritance, and reveal that you were wrong about your powers all in the same night. So, I lied and got the kids for you, but it wasn’t something they should know. And I didn’t want you to have to hide anything.”
It sounded very orchestrated when she put it like that. She’d made it seem like they’d needed a place to stay before. Now, it sounded like they were there to keep me company.
“You know … of all the humans like yourself I’ve known, you are by far the kindest,” she said. The comb snagged in my hair. She apologized with a kiss on my cheek. She pulled back to my ear and whispered, “Nothing like your mother at your age.”
I turned around in the chair, and she smiled. Immediately, I saw what I should’ve seen the moment I’d read it in the diary. Sophia was the maid Catherine hated. She turned my shoulders, making me face the mirror, and continued combing through my hair.