by Rose Pressey
“What do you mean I am in possession of the book illegally? It was here in my great-aunt’s home. She left the place to me, so anything in the home is now mine.” I smiled, proud that I could offer him this detail.
“You see, the book was stolen from my mother by a woman named Gina Rochester. I believe you know her,” Giovanni said with a smirk.
I stopped in my tracks. That was Nicolas’ mother. I glanced at Nicolas and saw the fury in his eyes.
“Are you referring to my mother?” Nicolas asked through gritted teeth. “My mother never took anything in her life. I don’t appreciate you suggesting such.”
Giovanni leaned back on the sofa and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Look, I didn’t mean to offend, but I’m just telling you the facts.”
“I don’t believe you and if that’s all you’ve got in the way of proof, then I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” I said, crossing my arms in front of my chest.
“Yes, how dare you come in here and accuse someone of stealing. Who do you think you are?” Annabelle said.
She’d really gotten braver and more vocal in the past few days. I was glad to see her coming out of her shell. I needed to follow her lead.
“I didn’t come here with merely hearsay,” Giovanni said. “I told you I have proof and that’s what I have got.”
His statement had me more fearful than ever.
Chapter Four
“How about you explain what you’re talking about?” I asked crossly. “You can’t come in here and accuse someone of a crime without telling us what brought you to that conclusion in the first place. You especially can’t accuse someone who is no longer around to defend herself.”
If only Nicolas’ mother was still around. She’d been killed by her evil sister. Her sister had of course wanted the Book of Mystics. Nicolas’ mother had come back in spirit form to talk with me, but that had taken a great deal of energy and I doubted she’d be able to do it again. I was almost afraid to attempt bringing anyone back with a spell after all the times I’d messed it up. I was going to leave that one alone.
“My mother was Anais St. Clair, née Demarco. She was the owner of the book. It disappeared and then Nicolas’ mother became the leader. She stole the book from my mother.” He folded his hands together and placed them in his lap.
I held my arm out, blocking Nicolas from moving forward and confronting Giovanni. I knew he didn’t want to listen to the man talk about his mother like that, but I had to get to the bottom of what was going on.
“Jon, can you and Nicolas wait for me on the veranda? I’d like to speak with Giovanni alone.” I looked at Jon.
Nicolas shook his head. “That’s not a good idea, Hallie. Someone should be in here with you.”
“I’ll be fine,” I said as I glared at Giovanni.
Nicolas finally released a deep breath and joined Jon on the other side of the room.
“I’ll go outside with the guys,” Annabelle said.
“You can stay if you’d like, Annabelle,” I offered, hoping that she wouldn’t leave.
She shook her head and stared at Giovanni. “I need fresh air anyway.”
I didn’t blame her. I didn’t particularly want to be in the room with this man either. Nicolas hesitated and looked at me again. I nodded and smiled, then he finally walked out with Jon and Annabelle.
Now that I was alone with Giovanni, I could get to the bottom of this without worrying about Nicolas pulverizing Giovanni.
“How do you know that Nicolas’ mother took the book? And if your mother had the book, then why wasn’t she the leader?” I asked, crossing my arms in front of my chest.
He smiled. “My mother didn’t own the book long enough to accept the position as leader. She had it for about an hour.”
“How can you prove this?” I asked with a smirk.
“I can prove it to you if you let me see the book,” he said.
I scoffed. “Oh, no, do you really think I would fall for something like that? Do you really think I am that stupid?”
He smirked. “I don’t think you’re stupid. Quite the opposite, actually. You are a smart woman and beautiful too, I might add.”
There was no way flattery would get him anywhere. “As soon as I bring the book out you will take off with it.”
“I would never dream of doing such a thing,” he said innocently.
“We’re discussing the details of the book only. This is a serious matter and I think you’re aware of the gravity of this situation. I am the leader and I intend on keeping it that way. So I suggest you tell me how it is that you think you own the book and make it snappy. You only have a few minutes before I kick you out.” I sat up a little straighter.
He stared at me for a moment and I pointed at the grandfather clock.
Finally, he said, “Only the true owner of the Book of Mystics can add a spell to the book. My mother added a spell to the book, and I can add one too. So you see, Nicolas’ mother stole the book. She was never the true leader because she was never able to add a spell to the book. Have you added a spell to the book?” he asked with a condescending smirk.
It felt as if someone had knocked the air right out of me. No, I had not added a spell to the book. How the heck would I do something like that? I’d barely gotten the chance to read the book. The Book of Mystics that I’d found in my great-aunt’s attic had been written in a strange language. It had only appeared in English at times when I needed it the most. What would I say to this man? He was staring at me, waiting for an answer.
Finally, I settled on, “I can’t give you that information. I’m the leader and I don’t have to discuss the book with you. It is a private matter. I am entrusted with holding this book and I plan on keeping it that way.”
“I’ll take that as a no.” He smirked. “That’s why I wanted to see the book so that I could show you the spell that my mother added to the book, plus add a spell on my own. Once that’s done then you can hand over the book and this whole nasty misunderstanding will be over. And since you had nothing to do with the crime, I won’t hold you accountable.”
Gee, that was awfully nice of him. Considering I really hadn’t done anything wrong.
“Plus, I won’t do anything to Nicolas for his mother’s actions,” he said with a smile.
He was proud of his noble acts. This guy had really rubbed me the wrong way this time.
“Do you expect me to just take your word for it? Even if you can add a spell to the book, I’m going to need more proof that this is actually the law of the book. So I’m sure you’ll understand that I need more time to research this,” I said.
He took a deep breath and released it. “Fine, but don’t take too long. I have to return home soon.”
“Where is home?” I asked.
“I live in Baton Rouge,” he said.
Nicolas, Jon and Annabelle returned to the room. I supposed they were getting antsy and wanted to know what was happening. How would I ever explain this to them?
Giovanni pushed to his feet. “I’ll be in touch very soon.” He nodded goodbye and walked toward the door. “I’ll see myself out, Ms. LaVeau.”
With that, he was gone. And none too soon for me either. But I knew he would be back. I had to figure out if what he said was true. How would I do that? There had to be something in the Book of Mystics on this subject. If I wasn’t the owner of the book, then how the heck could I read what was on the pages? Supposedly, only the true owner could read it.
Wasn’t there somewhere that the basic laws of magical society were codified? The understanding of the laws was somehow dependent on one person being able to occasionally read snippets from an otherwise indecipherable book? Wouldn’t it be easier if they had just written this stuff down in plain English? If no one could read the book, how would they know the leader of the Underworld wasn’t lying to them? Heck, I could tell everyone whatever I wanted the book to say. Imagine if I pretended to read from the book that the laws of the Underworld state
d that all witches must give me double chocolate chip cookies. Or endless amounts of cupcakes?
Nicolas, Jon and Annabelle stared at me. “Well, what did he say?” Annabelle asked.
“He said that the true owner of the Book of Mystics can add spells to the book. He claims that his mother added a spell and that Nicolas’ mother did not. He asked me if I’d added a spell to the book,” I said.
Annabelle’s eyes widened. “Have you?”
I think she knew me well enough to know that I definitely had not. I gave her the look and she nodded with understanding. “I only just figured out what the book says—well, what some of the book says—and it never mentioned anything about adding spells.”
“I don’t trust him and he gives me the creeps.” Annabelle rubbed her arms.
“Do you all know anything about this?” I asked, looking from Nicolas to Jon.
They shook their heads.
“I intend to find out who that guy is,” Nicolas said. “He can’t come in here and accuse my mother and get away with it. And I won’t allow him to take the book from you either.”
Annabelle stepped over to the window and looked out. “He’s pulling out of the driveway now.”
Nicolas walked over and touched my shoulder as he stood behind my chair.
Annabelle looked at us and said, “We should go. It’s been a long day and I know we all need rest.”
I nodded. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Nicolas and I walked them to the front door and said goodbye. After Annabelle and Jon left, it was just Nicolas and me. He stepped closer and took my hand in his. He traced my lips with his finger, then lowered his mouth to mine. After the passionate kiss, he didn’t speak, but instead he guided me toward the staircase. My heart beat wildly in my chest. I followed him up the stairs and to my bedroom.
Nicolas’ sexual magnetism was something that I couldn’t resist tonight. Nicolas led me over to the large mahogany bed in the middle of the room. The restless desire in his eyes had my heart racing. A small lamp on the nightstand cast a soft glow across the cream-colored walls. He pulled back the white down comforter and I joined him on the soft bed.
My pulse skittered as his hands traced my exposed skin. His touch was soft and delicate. My head went back, exposing my throat to him. His fangs grazed the skin of my neck, and then he kissed me on the lips. My senses reeled as I lost myself in his arms. Tonight more than ever I needed to allow myself to be swept away from the chaos. Nicolas was just the person to do this.
Chapter Five
Nicolas’ eyes were closed and his chest moved up and down gently as he slept. I had to admit that I hated getting out of the bed and leaving him, but I wanted to check the book for the spell that Giovanni claimed his mother had added. I wanted to be alone while I did it too. If the outcome was bad news and the book really had an added spell, then I wanted to handle it on my own terms. I’d tell everyone about it later.
Since everyone wanted to get their hands on the Book of Mystics, I had a secret hiding place for the book now. It was in a locked box, in a locked trunk, at the foot of my bed. I kept my bedroom door locked at all times too. I wasn’t taking any chances.
After slipping out of bed, I eased across the floor, trying to keep the loose boards from squeaking and waking Nicolas. I glanced over at him. He even looked gorgeous while he was sleeping. I imagined that I drooled or something while I was sleeping—not exactly sleeping beauty.
I finally got the trunk unlocked and grabbed the book. When I reached the bedroom door, I looked back at Nicolas. He was still asleep, so I eased out of the room and tiptoed down the stairs. When the house was completely silent, it felt as if it watched my every move. At first this sensation had been unnerving, but the longer I stayed at LaVeau Manor, the more comfort it gave me. The house had a soul and eyes. If only the walls could talk.
When I reached the bottom of the stairs, my cell phone rang in my purse on the parlor table.
“Who could that be?” I whispered to Pluto as he zipped by. I hurried and pulled the phone from my purse. I recognized the number right away.
“I heard what happened,” Liam said when I answered the phone.
“Word gets around quickly,” I said.
“Jon called me to give me a heads up. Are you doing okay?” he asked with concern in his voice.
“As well as can be expected, I guess.” I looked over my shoulder, sure that I’d heard a sound.
“Do you know anything about his claims? Do you know this Giovanni guy? I’ve certainly never heard of him,” Liam said.
“I’ve never heard of this rule he claims entitles him to the book, and I don’t know who he is either,” I said.
“I’ll see what I can do to help,” he said.
“Thanks, Liam. I know I can always count on you.”
“I’ll look into it first thing in the morning. How’s Nicolas handling it?”
I was shocked that Liam had asked about his brother. They had a rocky relationship to say the least, but since I’d met them, they had made small steps toward mending that broken fence. I liked to think I had a little bit to do with that.
Their problems had started long before I knew them though. The tension between the brothers had been evident from the moment they had arrived at LaVeau Manor. The fact that Liam and Nicolas had the same father hadn’t stopped the resentment between them. They’d kept the fact that they were brothers from me for a long time.
Liam was the Underworld detective who had been in charge of protecting Nicolas’ mother. She had been murdered by her sister when Liam had been guarding her, and Nicolas had held that against Liam for some time. At least that was what Liam had thought, but Nicolas had explained that he wasn’t holding a grudge.
Nicolas and his mother had been turned by a group of vampires. The same vampires had later turned Liam. The two men had taken their time telling me that they were vampires—the truth had only come out when they could no longer hide their fangs.
“Nicolas is doing okay.” I’d failed at hiding the surprise in my voice.
“Just let me know if you need anything, okay?” Liam’s voice was low and sexy.
He seemed a million miles away now. It had only been a short time ago that he’d been in my bed where Nicolas was now. No, it wasn’t how it sounded. He’d only been protecting me and nothing had happened, but I wouldn’t lie and say that I hadn’t thought about it at the time. We had shared several passionate kisses. How was I supposed to choose between two gorgeous men?
“Thank you,” I said softly. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said, then hung up.
Uh-oh. What was I doing? What had I gotten myself into? This was why my life was spiraling out of control. Leading the Underworld, fighting demons, and having two sexy men in my life—I had to figure things out pronto.
After stuffing the phone back into my purse, I carried the book into the kitchen and placed it on the island in the center of the room. The kitchen was a sea of white. My aunt Maddy’s apothecary jars filled with spices and herbs lined the shelves to my left and a stone fireplace with a large cauldron was on the wall to my right. Just down the hallway was the large dining room. A massive mahogany dining table sat in the middle of the room with an equally impressive crystal chandelier dangling above it.
It seemed like forever ago that I’d served Liam and Nicolas breakfast on that first day. If I’d known then what I knew now, would I have run away? Would I have given the Book of Mystics to someone else? Maybe that would have ended all the headaches I was now dealing with. Yet here I was trying to keep the book out of Giovanni’s hands. Apparently I enjoyed being the leader more than I realized, or I was just asking for stress.
I flipped open the front cover of the large leather-bound book. As soon as my fingers touched the pages the words turned from a language that I didn’t understand to English. Now if I could just find what I was looking for. I needed to check the book for spells that had be
en added recently. But how would I know? They all looked old and as if they’d been there for ages.
I flicked through the pages, but since I couldn’t read everything in the book, I had no idea which spell had been written by whom. Only the spells that the book felt I needed would appear to me in English. Directions and instructions were now in English, but I saw no mention of adding spells. And as far as I knew, there was nowhere in the book that it stated who had written a particular spell. Anyone could claim that they had written the spell, but how would they prove it?
“Why can’t you help me now when I need it the most?” I said to the book.
Great, now I was actually talking to the book. Thank goodness it hadn’t talked back.
A wind soon whirled around me and the pages of the book flipped rapidly. After a few seconds, the wind stopped and the book had come to rest on a page toward the back.
I had no idea what the spell was for, but apparently the book was trying to guide me in the right direction. Not any easy task, I had to admit. With my way of constantly screwing things up, it would be much easier if the spells were labeled with names. At least then I would have some idea of what I was getting myself into.
I’d gotten used to some of the spells already, and it looked as if this one was for clarity—maybe to help with my thoughts as I figured out this mess. For the spell, I’d call to the elements. Rising my arms and facing north, I recited the words: “Element of Earth, I call to you. Empower me with your energy to see clearly.” I moved to face the west, and recited the words: “Element of Air, I call to you to push away the negativity that surrounds me.” Once again I changed positions so that I now faced the south and recited the words: “Element of Fire, I call to you for warmth and protection. Help me have the knowledge.” With one more move I faced the east and recited the words: “Element of Water, I call to you for force and tranquility. Give me the force to make the right decisions.”