by Kristie Cook
A sob flew up into my throat, and I clapped my hand over my mouth to hold it in. Reality came crashing down on me. Xandru was about to be given a death sentence. I felt so much anger toward him for all that he’d done, but the thought of him no longer existing in this world . . . it was unfathomable. He was the love of my life. The love that had never truly reached its potential because so much had been against us. And maybe what he did was wrong, but could I blame him? If the situation was reversed, would I have done the same? It’s not like he knew about the curse and the consequences. And I’d thought about making Sindi reverse Ryan’s compulsion numerous times, and what we had was nothing compared to Xan and me.
My whole body curled inward as the green ball traveled over the group’s heads, circling slower and slower as though searching for the one it now belonged to. Xandru had been staring at me the whole time, and I fell into his beautiful gaze now as the ball hovered over his head. Tears streamed down my cheeks.
I love you, I mouthed as the ball wobbled, then dropped.
Everybody gasped. The sob I’d been holding in choked me. Oh. My. God. Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. What just happened?
Addie cried out. “Tase? NO!”
All eyes stared as the green light filled the man standing next to Xandru.
Seconds ticked by in total silence. The light faded, settling into him. Then Addie’s sobs broke through as she lunged for Xandru’s brother.
“No, no, no,” she cried as she held onto him and they fell to the floor. “What the fuck did you do?”
I stood glued to the spot as everyone else seemed to process everything much faster than me. A multitude of emotions battled inside me, and I didn’t know how to feel.
But then that big, powerful body moved toward me, those stunning eyes locked on me, and I knew exactly what I felt. I lunged into Xandru’s open arms and wrapped my entire body around his. I never wanted to let go. With great reluctance, I eventually pulled back and cradled his face in my hands.
“It wasn’t you,” I said.
He gave me a small smile. “Don’t you understand? More than anything, all I want is for you to live the life you want, not what others choose. All I want is for you to be happy. Even if it’s without me.”
I shook my head as I returned his smile. “It will never be without you.”
None of us wanting to stay in the big mansion yet, Aurelia, Gabe, and I walked into the inn, each of them holding my hand. As soon as we passed through the double doors, I gasped, Aurelia screamed, and Gabe simply froze.
“My babies,” said the figure standing behind the front desk with a big smile on her face. “Did you miss me?”
“Do you see and hear that?” Aurelia whispered.
“You, too?” I asked.
“Uh-huh.”
“How?” Aurelia asked.
“It’s Havenwood Falls, dear.” The woman moved toward us, eliciting another gasp and a scream. “Nothing makes sense here.”
“Oh. My. God. She just walked through the fucking desk,” Aurelia said.
“Language, love,” the ghostly figure warned.
Gabe blanched and began to turn around. “I’m out of here.”
“No way,” I hissed, clasping his shoulder. “We stick together now. Man up.”
“Oh, dear. I didn’t mean to frighten you.” She clapped her hands under her chin. “I’m just so happy to see you. All of you, together.”
“Um . . . I don’t mean to be rude,” I said, “but, well, we just buried you, Mammie!”
She squealed with delight. “You called me Mammie!”
“It’s really you, isn’t it?” Aurelia asked. She stepped forward and tried to touch Madame Luiza, but her hand went right through her.
The old woman giggled like a child. “That tickled!”
Whether from giddiness or exhaustion, the three of us all broke down in a fit of laughter. Mammie clapped her hands and danced around us.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, then I frowned. “Are you okay? Are you stuck between planes or something? Does someone need to guide you into the light?”
Mammie laughed. “You have sure come to accept things, haven’t you? Even the most bizarre. You must have had an eventful time while I was gone.”
“You don’t want to know,” I muttered. To a ghost. We were talking to a freaking ghost.
“Why are you here, Mammie?” Aurelia asked.
“Well, someone has to keep an eye on you kids,” she said with a wink. Then she looked at me. “And I thought I could help you out around here.”
I cocked my head. “How exactly would you do that?”
“I admit I am no genius when it comes to marketing, but I’ve watched enough TV. I’m pretty sure haunted hotels tend to stay booked up.”
“Mammie! You’re a genius!” I threw my arms open, but then dropped them. “I’d hug you, but . . . well . . . this is awkward.”
“It’s okay, dear. I feel your energy.” She smiled. “It’s good energy, too. I’m so happy for you. Welcome, home, Michaela.”
I grinned back. “It’s good to be here.”
After the shock of finding a ghost in our lobby wore off, it didn’t take long for everyone to settle down for the night. Over the next couple of days, though, we planned how to make the most of Mammie’s paranormal visits, as well as brainstormed ideas for the changing season and all of the festivals coming up in the spring and summer. As new guests arrived or townspeople stopped by for one reason or another, Mammie tipped me off as to who was human and who was supernatural, shocking me every time. Well, except for the creepy old dude with shifty eyes who came in. He had weasel-shifter written all over him, and Mammie and I worked together to scare him away.
Addie didn’t come by for several days, even after I told her about Mammie, caught up in Coven business. The smoke I’d smelled while in Mr. Roca’s clutches had been a fire at the library, which was where she’d disappeared to right before the Rocas kidnapped Aurelia and Gabe. As the Court’s business manager and Coven liaison, she was required to monitor the scene for any suspicious supernatural activity. Since then, she and the rest of the Coven and Court have been busy trying to quell rumors about the Rocas and the fire.
Xandru was held away, too, unsurprisingly with family issues. Such as nearly killing his brother for what Tase had done. The police were even called and would have been happy to kill two vampires, especially Rocas. So the brothers made up, but still had much to work out, with their family and each other.
Tonight, however, was ours. We had a date at the Fallview Tavern at the top of the falls. Aurelia helped me get ready for the evening in my cottage before she went to spend the night with her friend Lena. Gabe was already at a friend’s house for a sleepover. They were making the most of their last non-school night after their bereavement, and I planned to, as well.
A knock at the door had Aurelia and me exchanging a happy glance. I looked in the full-length mirror one more time.
“You look amazing,” my sister appraised, and I felt amazing in the silky black dress and black suede stilettos. I rarely dressed up, because it just wasn’t my style, but when I did, I felt all the more beautiful.
“Someone’s getting laid tonight,” Aurelia sing-songed.
“Shut up,” I muttered as I headed for the door, sure the vampire ears on the other side heard her.
But they weren’t the vampire ears I was expecting. I opened the door to find Addie and Tase on the porch, both looking quite nervous. I stepped outside, rubbing my bare arms against the cold bite of the night that promised another snowstorm. We stood in awkward silence for several beats.
“Um . . . how are you?” I asked Addie, noting the stress and sadness etched into her face.
“Tase has something to tell you.”
I looked at him with a brow lifted, mixed emotions swirling within. He’d caused so much heartache for my family and now for his own, but I wasn’t sure if a death sentence was quite fair. His forlorn expression tugg
ed at my heart strings.
“I want to apologize,” he said as his green gaze, similar to Xandru’s but more green than gray now, held mine. “I did it partly for the money, but I didn’t know the truth of the consequences.”
My brows pinched. “I’m sorry?”
He blew out a sigh. “I was bribed to turn you.”
I pulled back and blinked. “By who?”
“It’s Coven business,” Addie said.
“I think it’s my business,” I countered.
“I promise to tell you when the investigation is final,” she replied.
“It was a witch?”
They both nodded.
“She’ll be banished,” Addie said, “but that’s why I can’t say who yet.”
I nodded. “Fine. But for money, Tase? Really?”
He shoved his fists into his jeans pockets and gnawed on his lip like Xandru did. “Not completely. I thought I was doing Xandru a favor. I went with him on one of his trips to Atlanta, and I saw how fucking miserable he was. The bitch didn’t tell me about the curse, so I thought triggering your gene would be a win for everyone—you and Xandru, your family, me. I knew you’d passed the age of maturity, but it was worth a shot. She offered enough money to do the expansions to the ski resort like I wanted, so, well, I did it. I know it sounds like greed. I know it sounds like a Roca thing to do.” He looked at Addie and back at me. “But I really was trying to do the right fucking thing for once. Now I’m paying for it.”
Addie gave him a look.
“I know. I know. It is what it is,” he said. He pulled something out of his back pocket and held an envelope out to me. “I want you to have this. Dad did all kinds of shit to take business from the inn and give it to the resort, and I know you need it.”
I took the envelope and looked inside. I held it back out to him. “I can’t take this.”
“You deserve compensation of some sort.”
I shook my head. “It feels too much like blood money.”
“Kales,” Addie said, “don’t be stupid. This goes back to before any blood was spilled. It’s money they took from your family. And maybe it’ll lead to forgiveness.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t.”
“Think of Aurelia and Gabe.”
“We’ll be fine. I said I can’t take it.” I shoved the envelope against Tase’s chest. He finally took it back.
“It’s okay,” he said with a smirk. “The bank note’s already been paid off, and you can’t give that back.”
He turned and walked off, sauntering back to his truck as another drove up the driveway. My body immediately sensed Xandru.
“Jerk,” I muttered as I watched Tase’s retreating body.
“He’s trying to make amends.”
“Feeling guilty on his deathbed?” As soon as the words came out, I regretted them. Addie’s face looked crestfallen. “I’m sorry. That was mean. Are you holding up okay?”
She shrugged. “As best as I can. Saundra’s been trying for years to come up with a way to counter the strigoi transformation. I’ve been spending every waking minute researching. I’ll find a way. I can’t lose him, Kales.”
I watched as Xandru poured out of his truck and strode toward us, sexy as ever. “I know what you mean.” I turned and gave her a hug. “I believe in you, Bratty Addie. Just, you know, don’t squander away the time you do have with him.”
She nodded against my shoulder before pulling away. “Now you go have a song-worthy time.” She winked before traipsing off the porch.
My eyes fixated on Xandru as his large, powerful body climbed the steps, his breath-taking gaze traveling from my head to my feet and very slowly back up, pausing at places that immediately heated. “Mmm . . . you make me want to skip the dinner date part and dive straight into dessert.”
“Alexandru Roca,” I said with my best Southern drawl picked up from my time in Atlanta, “what kind of lady do you think I am?”
He wrapped one strong arm around me and pulled me up against him. His breath tickled my ear. “You’re mine. That’s what kind.”
I couldn’t argue with that. But I did have an addition. “And you’re mine.”
“Never to be forgotten.”
“Never,” I breathed before his mouth claimed mine.
We hope you enjoyed this story in the Havenwood Falls series of novellas featuring a variety of supernatural creatures. The series is a collaborative effort by multiple authors. Each book is generally a stand-alone, so you can read them in any order, although some authors will be writing sequels to their own stories. Please be aware when you choose your next read.
Other books in the main Havenwood Falls series:
Fate, Love & Loyalty by E.J. Fechenda
Old Wounds by Susan Burdorf
Covetousness by Randi Cooley Wilson
Coming soon are books by Lila Felix, R.K. Ryals, Belinda Boring, Heather Hildenbrand, Stacey Rourke, and more.
Watch for Havenwood Falls High, a Young Adult series launching in October 2017.
Immerse yourself in the world of Havenwood Falls and stay up to date on news and announcements at www.HavenwoodFalls.com. Join our reader group, Havenwood Falls Book Club, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/HavenwoodFallsBookClub/
About the Author
Kristie Cook is a lifelong, award-winning writer in various genres, primarily New Adult paranormal romance and contemporary fantasy. Her internationally bestselling Soul Savers Series includes seven books, as well as several companion novellas. Over 1.2 million Soul Savers books have been downloaded, hitting Amazon’s, B&N.com’s, and Apple’s Top 100 Paid lists.
She has also written The Book of Phoenix trilogy, a New Adult paranormal romance series that includes The Space Between, The Space Beyond, and The Space Within. The full trilogy is available now.
Besides writing, Kristie enjoys reading, cooking, traveling, getting her hippie on, and feeding her addictions to coffee, chocolate, cheese, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, and Supernatural. She has lived in ten states, but currently calls Florida home.
Email: [email protected]
Author's Website & Blog: http://www.KristieCook.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristieCook
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Acknowledgments
Thank you to my Maker who stayed with me always, even when my faith wobbled and wavered.
Thank you to my sons, Zakary, Austin, and Nathan, for all that you have taught me about unconditional love and family bonds.
And a very special thank you to all of you who never gave up on me—my parents, my aunt, my writer friends, my readers—even when nobody would blame you if you did.
This collaborative world started as a flicker in my mind several years ago, and finally grew into something more over the last several months. I didn’t know exactly what it would become—and I still don’t—but I believe wholeheartedly in the idea and its purpose. It could not have happened without the help and support of my aunt and uncle, and the insight and wisdom of Meredith Frank Mendez, the intellectual property attorney who took the time to understand what I wanted to accomplish and created a contract that could make that happen. I also give a shout-out to my Dynamis sisters, Kallie Ross, Morgan Wylie, and Lila Felix, for giving me feedback and cheering me on when I began throwing out this crazy idea. Also to Rick & Amy Miles and their Red Coat PR team, who have been great supporters of me as a writer, as a friend, and as a publisher. And to my betas, Julie Bromley and Stacey Nixon; to Randi Cooley Wilson for the critique; and to Liz Ferry at Per Se Editing for making my words shine.
Finally, I thank the creative souls so far involved in this constantly growing and evolving project. Regina Wamba, Art Director, and the authors who’ve created the characters and settings of Havenwood Falls: Susan Burdorf, E.J. Fechenda, Randi Cooley Wilson,
Kallie Ross, Morgan Wylie, Kristen Yard, T.V. Hahn, Amy Hale, Lila Felix, R.K. Ryals, Michele G. Miller, Belinda Boring, and Stacey Rourke. You’ve made this project everything I dreamed it would be and so much more. I can’t wait to see what happens next!