by Larissa Ladd
Jayden looked skeptical. “I didn’t notice. Really, Skyler, are you sure you aren’t imagining things? How can you be so sure about this? And what makes you think they’re going to be a danger to us, even if they are warlocks?”
“I don’t know for sure, but I’m not going to take that chance.” She sat down across from Jayden, pleading with her while the coffee brewed. “Don’t you remember trying to read him? You told me something was off and that you didn’t think his actions were due to my spell.” She waited for Jayden to recall before continuing. “I cast a strong spell, and you said you could sense it in the pen. With a spell like that, what mortal wouldn’t be affected by it?”
Visibly wavering, Jayden argued, “I didn’t say he wasn’t affected. I just said that I didn’t think the spell was the reason he was so sweet on you. I think that, of course, your spell had an effect, but I also think he was headed in that direction on his own, and you shoved it into high gear.” Skyler stared at her, and Jayden pursed her lips. “Skyler, he acted like a second grader, okay? He liked you so much that he treated you like crap, and when you didn’t shy away, he started hitting on you. That’s all. It wasn’t some sort of 180 caused by a realization that you are a witch.”
Determined to make Jayden admit the truth, Skyler wasn’t about to give up. “Okay, then, Jayden, how was the sex last night? Did Van fulfill your every need, your every wish, without you having to guide him? Was it perhaps the best sex you’ve ever had? Do you feel like you absolutely wouldn’t survive if you didn’t have sex with him again?”
Frowning deeply, Jayden replied, “Nothing you’ve said points to him being a warlock, Skyler. There are men that are just that good, and Van is likely one of them. I’m sure him and Chad sharing the same genes means they are both incredible lovers, and I get the impression that neither of them has had a shortage of opportunities to hone those skills to perfection. Why do you have to be so negative?”
Apparently, it was too late. Jayden was blinded either by her infatuation or by something more serious, something affected by Van’s powers. Closing her eyes and hoping to find the answer to her problems, Skyler spoke softly. “I wish I could say that was the problem. I really do. I was starting to fall in love with Chad. Now, I have to back away, and I might even need to find another job. Do you know what my career means to me?”
“I think you’re paranoid.” Jayden adamantly refused to believe her.
“Fine. Have it your way.” Skyler threw her hands up in the air and moved to pour the coffee for both of them. “See all you want of Van. Get caught up and get your heart broken. I don’t care. Just don’t come crying to me about it when you have to run away.” She passed a cup to Jayden. “I will ask you only one favor. Let me cast a protection spell over both of us, so at least I know he can’t get too deep inside you. If I do that, we may be able to keep them from finding out that we’re witches, if they don’t already know.”
“You really believe this, don’t you?” Jayden was honestly surprised. “If it’ll make you feel better, then I’ll let you cast the spell. But don’t you dare try to do anything to keep me away from him or to upset the balance of my life right now. At this point, I don’t care if Van is some sort of dragon shapeshifter; I want as much of that man as I can get before he flies away.”
Chapter 10
“The difference between you and me, brother, is that I don’t care.” As Van reached for the bottle of whiskey, Chad was across the room in less than a heartbeat, grabbing it and tossing it into the fireplace so it exploded into a pile of shards and the liquor spilled into the wood that sat there but never burned.
“That’s true, Van. It’s one difference. But the other is that you are reckless and have a death wish, whereas I like order to my chaos, and I have a lust for life. You used to have that same lust. Where did it go?”
Van laughed and waggled his eyebrows. “I spent all my lust last night. That girl is a fireball in bed. I’m telling you, I’ve never been so equally matched in bed. All I had to do was get in her head and pull out what she wanted from me, and she was insatiable.”
Chad clenched his teeth. “That’s fabulous, Van. I could say the same thing about Skyler, but that’s not my point. I want to know if you said or did anything that could have tipped either one of them off regarding what we are.”
Waving his hands dismissively, Van replied, “Doubtful. Really, Chad, for someone who claims to have such a ‘lust for life’ you seem to be looking for death in the cards. You should leave seriousness to me. You’re not the best at it these days.” When Chad just stood his ground, crossing his arms over his chest, Van rolled his eyes. “Would you calm down? These women are excellent playthings, and they’re both obviously smart, but there’s no way they know what we are. Who believes in warlocks these days? That threat to our existence ended at least a century ago.”
Chad paced over to the window, looking out at the broad sunlight. “People never truly forget, Van, and they never completely stop believing. There’s always a chance someone will know. And with the way Skyler acted last night, I am more than concerned she knows more than she is letting on.”
“My dear brother, who is so smitten he thinks that a woman who hasn’t called for twelve hours must be hiding something, some private knowledge of the truth behind the mystery that surrounds us.” Van laughed out loud. “It’s a bit generic and extremely melodramatic for you, Chad. It doesn’t fit your personality, so let it go.”
Chad started to speak, but Van’s face suddenly became quite serious. “I mean it, Chad. Let it go. Even if they were to find out what we are, they couldn’t do anything about it. They would be stupid to try. They can’t hurt us. And you were the reason I went out with this woman. I like Jayden, so stop your bellyaching and let me enjoy myself.” He nodded toward the wet bar. “Or I’ll find another way to ease my pain. There’s plenty more where that whiskey came from.”
Chad stood in front of his brother, getting in his face. “I’ll play this your way, but at the first sign of trouble, you walk away. Do you understand me?”
He saw the fire in his brother’s eyes as he responded, “You make yourself crystal clear with your threats and ultimatums, brother. You’ve always been quite apt at that.” They stared each other down for several minutes before Van backed away. “If you’ll excuse me, I would like to call Jayden and make sure she made it home alright. She refused a ride and told me she would simply take a cab back to the venue to pick up her car.”
Chad watched his brother’s back as he retreated, disbelief and suspicion at how easily he’d backed down. Van didn’t make anything that simple, especially confrontations. He was, however, fixated on Jayden. That could be a very good thing, or it could be dangerous. Van obsessed over things and people, and that’s why losing Leanne had been so hard for him. If he remained in a healthy place as he wrapped himself in the cocoon Jayden created for him, it could be his recovery, but if he went into possessive mode, he had the potential to hurt a lot of people, including Chad.
Unwilling to stand around and brood any longer, Chad made his way downstairs and out to his car. He checked his phone again and found nothing from Skyler, not a call or a text, and he cursed under his breath. He’d feel a lot better if he heard from her today, lose a lot of his paranoia. He wasn’t going to call her first; he wasn’t going to be that desperate man who craved contact so badly he went by her house to pop in for a visit either. He would wait, even if that meant entertaining himself somehow for the next several hours.
He drove his car toward his own house, for now, and told himself to have a little patience. Everything would work out fine in the end.
Chapter 11
“Are you satisfied?” Jayden flopped down on the bed, having changed into some of Skyler’s pajamas for comfort purposes and looking as drained from the spell as Skyler felt.
“Temporarily,” Skyler hedged. She wouldn’t be satisfied until she knew the spell worked. She’d be even more so when she’d managed to weas
el her way out of Chad’s life entirely.
“Good, because in exchange, you have to do me a favor.”
Skyler turned so fast at the unexpected words her head swam. “You must be kidding me right now. I just did you a favor with this spell. What else do you want from me?”
Sitting up, Jayden gave her a serious look. “You can’t end things with Chad yet, and you can’t leave your job. I need everything to stay like it is.”
“Have you lost your mind? Why would you ask me to do that? I’m trying to get you away from Van. I have no intention of being around Chad if I don’t have to.” This had to be some sick joke.
“Look, you’re the one who started this, and you’re the one who’s paranoid. You just worked a spell to protect yourself if Chad happens to be some sick, depraved warlock. It’s not like you’re going to get hurt or anything.” Skyler stared at her, incredulous of her gall at asking so much. “You know, Skyler, you could be wrong. It happened about this time last year. Maybe they’re perfectly safe. Are you really going to sabotage something with such potential to give me happiness on a hunch?”
“Go for it, Jayden. I won’t stop you. But what does this have to do with me?” Skyler really couldn’t believe her ears. She should have known better than to set her friend up, even though it hadn’t actually been her idea. Of course, the fact that Chad had offered up his brother only made her worry more.
“It would look really bad if you left Chad the moment Van showed up and we got together. Don’t you think they’d be suspicious if they actually were warlocks? Continuing on as if everything were exactly the same would just be protecting your own interests. And mine,” she added with a wink.
Ready to pull every last hair out of her head, Skyler leaned back against the wall and slid to the floor. Her friend was going to get them both in a world of trouble. But she had a point, and that sucked, especially since Skyler didn’t know if she could act normal around Chad anymore. But here she was, in a place with little choice in the matter. “I’ll try,” she told Jayden in a weak, hoarse voice. “But I can’t make any promises, okay? I’ll do my best.”
“That’s all I can ask.” Jayden suddenly seemed perky again, and Skyler was at least glad of that. She loved Jayden like a sister, and she wanted her to be happy. If it meant a sacrifice on her part, so be it.
The doorbell rang, and Skyler groaned. “I’d ask who it could be now, but there’s really only one possibility.” She was definitely not in the mood to entertain her mother. What had happened to being an adult and having free will? That’s what she wanted to know. Dragging herself up off the floor, she went to let Ava in, putting on the fake smile she reserved for these moments and welcoming her in.
“Darlings, I’m so glad you’re both here. I wanted to tell you how happy I was to see you both having such a wonderful time with very handsome men last night.” She walked and fluttered around the kitchen as she talked, and Skyler made a throat-slitting motion to Jayden behind her mother’s back, causing her friend to choke on a laugh. “I also wanted to see what you thought of the prank last night. It turned out even better than I thought.”
“From what I saw, it turned into a disaster.” Jayden raised an eyebrow. “How many people upchucked?”
“Actually, it was mostly just the wedding party that caught the smell and let it all come out. A couple of guests took off running to the bathroom when they gagged. It was epic. I came to find you, but none of you were anywhere to be seen.” She pulled a bunch of vegetables out of the fridge, grabbed a pan from under the counter, and began to fill it with water while she diced.
“We left,” Skyler told her, the words short and crisp. “I wasn’t feeling well.”
“Oh, honey, I’m aware you haven’t felt well. Why do you think I’m here? A mother knows when her daughter needs care.” She smiled across the room at her while she dumped all the veggies into the pot, adding spices and turning the stove on. “I’ve come to make a soup that will settle your stomach. I know you don’t think you feel ill anymore, but you’re just distracted by something more troubling. In a few hours, you’ll be sick again, and this concoction will make it better.”
Jayden and Skyler exchanged confused looks but said nothing about it. Instead, Jayden poured three cups of coffee while Skyler took a seat. When she handed one to Ava, the older woman said, “Thank you, darling. You should probably pour a fourth glass. After all, I’m not the last visitor that will be showing up this morning.”
Skyler’s heart pounded in her chest. “Who else is coming?” She’d be sick sooner than later if it was Chad.
“Oh, I don’t know that answer, sweetheart. I only know someone is coming. I can feel it.” She continued toiling, bending over and examining the remaining content of the fridge, as well as checking the freezer. She moved over to the pantry, and Jayden shrugged, pulling out another cup and filling it. Skyler rested her head in her hands, entirely overwhelmed.
Why couldn’t she live a normal, witchy life?
The thought almost made her laugh. “You did well last night, Mother. I’m proud of your accomplishments.” What else could she say as her mother stood in front of the stove, ministering to her the same way she would have done so many years ago, when Skyler was just a little more than a baby? She loved her mother dearly, and depending on who showed up at her door, she may need all the support and love she could get.
“Thank you, that’s high praise from you, my child.”
Jayden opened her mouth like she was going to weigh in on the conversation, but the doorbell rang. Skyler swallowed the bile that rose in her throat. Standing, she took a deep breath and headed toward the front door, Jayden following with a hand on her back for support. She threw open the door, expecting the worst, and she gasped in shock. “Creed!”
Her brother looked haunted, his eyes sunken and ringed with black as if he hadn’t slept in months. He was thinner than he had been the last time she’d seen him, and it made Skyler worry more than ever about him. He didn’t just show up like this. “Come in, Creed. Please.”
She reached out to her brother, enveloping him in a hug that Jayden joined. From the kitchen, they all heard Ava cry out and felt her as she threw herself against them, reaching out to hug her son. “My baby boy!” Her tears fell on Skyler’s shoulder, and Skyler realized she was crying too.
Creed laughed, a soft chuckle, as he pulled out of the group carefully. “It’s nice to feel welcome here.” He smiled at Skyler, but his eyes didn’t process it. She wondered why he’d come. Then, he turned to Ava. “I didn’t know you’d be here, Mom. I thought I’d come see Skyler, and we could surprise you together.”
Ava looked momentarily offended but smiled through it, and Skyler breathed her relief. Creed harbored a lot of blame against their mother, as if it had been her fault he had powers he couldn’t control. Even now, he likely felt what they felt and heard what they thought. He couldn’t find quiet in his life, and that’s why he didn’t sleep. Males weren’t supposed to get any of the powers from the bloodline, and he’d never been able to deal with them.
“You’re always welcome here, Creed,” Skyler told him, running a hand through his hair. “By all of us, any time.” She took him by the hand and led him to the kitchen, her thoughts of Chad completely obliterated by her brother’s presence. She sat him down while Jayden put the coffee in front of him. “To what do we owe this visit?”
Creed watched his mother for a moment as she returned to her duties at the stove, a meaningful expression on his face. “I missed family. I’m not staying long. I can’t.” He locked eyes with Skyler, and she knew he had something else to discuss, once they were alone without Ava. She was curious and could hardly wait for the moment when her mother went home.
“While you’re here, darling, you can share some of this soup I’m making for your sister. She’s been a little under the weather, and you’re in need of some nutrition. It’s the least I can do for my baby boy. I’ve missed you.” She glanced over at him, and Skyl
er saw love in his eyes, the first time she’d noticed any emotion in him toward Ava other than anger and resentment in years. It was refreshing.
“How long has it been now?” Jayden asked, changing the strain of the conversation. “A year? Two?”
Creed looked down at his hands, clasped on the table so tight that his knuckles were white. “Seventeen months, twelve days, give or take a few hours.”
Jayden whistled. “That’s a long time and a lot of walking.”
Creed shrugged. “You know me. I like to walk it out. But really, I’ve been in one place for the last several months. The monks actually helped. They taught me to meditate, and because they were so quiet, their thoughts so quiet and wrapped around only their beliefs and nothing else, it gave me a little peace for a while. You know, if everyone’s thoughts were that peaceful and that focused, the world would be a lot less chaotic.”
Skyler nodded and covered his hand with hers. “That’s true, but without chaos, Mother wouldn’t fit in anywhere.”
They all laughed as Ava shook her head and rolled her eyes, and Creed told her, “We wouldn’t want that, would we? Hey, can I get some grub? I haven’t eaten since yesterday afternoon, and I’m starving.”
“Of course!” Skyler got up and started putting together a sandwich, knowing her mother’s soup wouldn’t be ready for quite a while. “Still like everything and the kitchen sink?”
He nodded, and she heard Jayden ask, “I’m guessing that the flights home weren’t as peaceful.”
“No, definitely not. Travelers tend to be all kinds of amped up, and I couldn’t sleep or eat. I might have just broken down after so much time in silence if it weren’t for being able to meditate.” Skyler set the sandwich down in front of him, glad to see him smile enough that his eyes twinkled. “You know, Skyler, you’d be a lot calmer if you meditated too.”
“That’s great. The day I have time to meditate, I’ll let you know, and you can teach me.”