“What is between us is not a coincidence, my dear. It is indeed a higher power.” The timbre of his voice had changed, deepened. Its familiarity, the silkiness of it, reminded her of a life long, long ago.
How can that be? There was an internal push against Ember’s ribs. It wasn’t painful, but it lingered there, encased in its own bonds, vying for escape. Her eyes fluttered and the room suddenly felt awash with heat.
The push was stronger now, and on impulse, she laid her fingers over his. It was as if her insides had been awakened and severed all at once.
“You taught me that.” His firm hand felt warm beneath hers.
Energy buzzed inside her; it was as if Ember had lost conscious control of herself entirely. She pulled her hand back and retracted into her pillows. A feeling shock and awe mixed with curiosity ran through her.
“No, it can’t be.” Ember could hear her own words, but they were not her own. Just like last week at the Kissing Bridge. But this was not a vision. This was … This was really happening. The knowledge of that both scared and excited Ember.
Derek shoved the coffee table aside with ease; the cards scattering with the movement. The look in his eyes burned with heated intensity as he kneeled before her, reaching for her hand.
Ember felt herself give it freely, but the motion wasn’t her own.
“But at last, my dear. It is me. It is me, Rose. It’s Deidrick.”
Chapter Sixteen
Ember felt like the entire world around her had crumbled and faded all at once.
“Derek …” Her voice caught in her throat and her heartbeat was louder than she could ever recall.
His free hand reached out and touched her face gently.
Ember pushed frantically against the confines of her own body, but Rose would not relent.
“I’ve waited an entire century for this, Rose. I started to think … I started to think you wouldn’t come back this time.” The emotion in his voice was prevalent.
Ember felt her body slide against his in a most intimate way, her blood pulsing and buzzing with unknown energy.
Magic. Her brain found the word, and Ember knew that was exactly what it was. The next realization hit her like a ton of bricks as it struck her very core.
Derek is a witch. Aren’t male witches called warlocks? Ember wasn’t sure but the semantics didn’t matter much. She had grown up in a psychic family, she’d heard about possession a dozen times, but she’d always thought, if she protected herself, it couldn’t possibly happen to her.
She’d taken every precaution: she burned sage, said blessings and prayers, wore the right crystals, charged and cleansed her cards …
Her cards.
She’d found them without even looking for them. Heard them and their stories in a way others couldn’t. She’d seen them in her dreams, and in the visions with Derek.
What if ...? Ember didn’t finish the thought because she already knew the answer.
How could I have been so selfish?
The only other person who knew she’d found the cards was Kacie. She should have known the dangers, but she’d let Ember touch them. She had let Ember connect with them. And in that connection lay Rose Hartford. Ember had been young and solitary -- the perfect vessel for possession. Rose had burrowed inside of her, lying in wait for this very moment.
The dreams she’d had all her life of Derek weren’t dreams at all. They were memories, Rose’s memories of her lover, Deidrick. Her eyes gazed up at him and she felt like the planets had finally aligned.
“How have you survived all these years, Deidrick?” She ran her fingers over his cheek.
“It doesn’t matter Rose. None of it matters because I’ve found a way we can finally be together. Forever.”
Ember felt Rose take over completely, controlling her body without her will. She didn’t hesitate when his lips crushed hers with the love of a lifetime. She pulled him into her, his weight pinning her to the solid couch behind them. Her fingers trailed their way down toned arms and thighs and a rush of lustful longing overcame her.
Derek’s lips caressed her neck with whispers of love and the heat of the moment finally gave Ember the chance to push Rose aside.
Chapter Seventeen
Ember had to admit, she didn’t mind kissing Derek. Or was it Deidrick, who inhabited Derek in the same way Rose inhabited her? Either way, no one had ever kissed her as he had just now, and the thought made her blush.
Pull yourself together Em! She pulled the raw, black tourmaline from her necklace in a hazy blur and shoved it against Derek’s chest. She’d never actually banished a spirit before but she’d seen her father do it numerous times.
She hoped it would work as the familiar words tumbled out of her mouth. She drove the tourmaline harder against his chest, and Derek’s eyes closed, his face contorting into an expression of pain and bewilderment.
The room felt hot and small and then …
The temperature subsided. The entire room felt like it had been sucked into a vacuum and spit back out. Ember gazed around the room, at the scattered tarot cards, the upturned coffee table, and the mess of pillows strewn about. Derek sat with his head in his hands, shaking.
Ember took a deep breath, pleased to find it was of her own will. “Derek …” She moved toward him slowly.
“Please, don’t touch me.” His voice shook.
Ember placed her hands gently around his and softly pulled them down. Derek’s face was awash in anguish, and she could see the horror reflected in his eyes.
Ember gazed at him with understanding. Softly, she asked him, “Is that what you mean by cursed?”
A knock broke their locked gaze.
“Just a second, Ava, we’re just finishing up.” Ember’s voice betrayed nothing.
Derek looked at the scene in front of them and slipped his hands out from under Ember’s. He stood and righted the upturned coffee table while Ember hurried to pick up the stray cards.
Ember grabbed her phone, which was among the debris. It read 9:25 pm. No wonder Ava was knocking. Readings usually only took fifteen minutes. Had they really been hosts of magical possession for twenty-five minutes? It seemed like only moments had passed. The thought made Ember nervous.
“Yes,” Derek finally answered, breaking the silence. “My sister and some other members of the family think it is just a ghost story. To them, it's just some old family legend, especially since they’ve never seen the book.” Derek adjusted the pillows around the coffee table anxiously.
“What book?” Ember picked up the remaining cards and placed them back in the deck.
“The story goes that after Deidrick moved to town and started the winery, strange things began to happen. Some of the townspeople said he was a witch, among other things. Deidrick denied this of course, just like he denied all the other rumors. But it was true. He wrote all his spells, hexes, and rituals down in his own Book of Shadows, including the curse.” Derek stood back and regarded their work.
Ember placed the tarot cards back in her bag, thoughtful as she considered the implications of what he was telling her.
Ava barged in this time, interrupting the chance for Ember to ask any questions. “Brittani is going to have my head. The strippers are waiting and the natives are restless.” Ava panned her gaze in Derek’s direction, a skeptical look on her face. “Can’t you two just meet up like normal people?”
Ember placed her hand on her hip.
Derek ignored Ava’s laser beam gaze. “I’ll handle Brittani. But I really would like it if you could stay for a drink? Maybe a bite to eat?”
“I’m sure you would.” Ava’s eyes narrowed at him before she looked back at Ember. “Hurry up,” she mouthed as she brought in her folded up podium and started to stash it in the bag.
Chapter Eighteen
The raucous sounds of laughter and hollering filled the air as Ava leaned against the wall by the grand foyer, sipping her rum and coke. “So, anything you want to tell me?”
“I think I’m possessed,” Ember stated plainly.
Ava nearly spat out her drink. “Come again?!”
“More accurately, I think we’re possessed,” Ember said in the same tone.
“How so?” Ava’s voice hitched.
“You know how possession works, right?” Ember leaned against the intricately carved beam separating them. She gathered her hair to one side in a bundle of waves as she regarded Ava.
“Spirit takes over a person’s body. Yeah, I’m familiar.” Ava took another swig from her glass.
“I think my cards have the original owner’s spirit attached to them - her name is Rose, by the way - and because I’m a psychic …”
“You can easily be possessed,” Ava finished.
“Exactly. When Derek walked into my tent that night, it was like she finally remembered, all the memories brought to the surface.” Ember watched as a group of girls stumbled past on high heels, sloshing their drinks in an upheaval of laughter.
Ava leaned closer to Ember. “And Derek?”
“Well he is a direct descendant of Deidrick, the real Mr. Blue Eyes, and I think he might have a talisman of sorts too,” Ember whispered.
“Like your cards?” Ava asked.
Ember nodded then whispered, “I think he has Deidrick’s Book of Shadows.”
“I’m worried about you, Em. Being possessed isn’t really a good thing. Especially where your business is concerned. It means you're susceptible to some dangerous things. And so are your clients. How are you going to protect them from this Rose woman?” Ava’s eyes were serious.
“I know it sounds crazy but I don’t think Rose is malevolent. I have to see this through, Ava. I think we’re on the verge of something big here.” Ember leaned back as a familiar, tall shadow made its way over.
Derek stopped in front of Ava and handed her an envelope.
“What’s this?” Ava questioned skeptically as she took it from his hands.
“A generous tip. Consider it a thank you.” He nodded.
Ava opened the envelope and sifted through it with her finger, periodically glaring up at Derek with suspicion. “Thanks. I think that just about covers it. Time for us to head on out of here anyway.” She set the glass down, still filled with a good portion of liquid.
“You go ahead, Ava. I think I’m going to stay for a while.” Ember’s voice sounded solid but internally she was waiting for Ava to blow a fuse.
“Em, are you sure …” Her eyebrows raised, her voice conveyed the hint of alarm.
“I’ll be fine. I promise.” She swallowed and focused her stern gaze on Ava, willing her to leave them alone.
“I swear to God, if you do anything to hurt her ...” Ava pointed her finger at Derek, her lips curled back in a frightening scowl. Derek attempted to speak but Ava cut him off. “I will make sure not even a psychic won’t be able to find your body. Do you understand me?” Her voice was stern and cold, carrying the threat with actual weight.
Ava might not have been psychically gifted but what she lacked spiritually she made up for in cunning and resourcefulness. Ava could be downright ruthless when she wanted to be, a trait Ember admired.
“How will you get home?” Ava pursed her lips.
“I promise you, she’s safe with me. I can give her a ride,” Derek said sincerely.
“Ava, I’m fine. If I need you, I’ll call. I promise.” Ember laid her hand on Ava’s leather-jacketed arm, her next words heavy with pleading. “Just trust me.”
Ava grabbed her rolling suitcases and absentmindedly shrugged. “Fine. Just be careful. Don’t do anything stupid, ok?”
The concern in her voice warmed Ember. For all of Ava’s bitterness and sarcasm, it was nothing but a mask; the real Ava was sentimental, caring, and above all things, unwaveringly loyal. She was more than a manager. She was the best friend anyone could ever ask for.
“I promise,” Ember said.
Chapter Nineteen
Ember watched as Ava disappeared out the door into the night, Derek’s words hanging in the air.
I promise you, she’s safe with me, he had said. Ember knew she trusted Derek, despite the fact that he was possessed by a somewhat untrustworthy spirit and that she had not known him for very long. Am I making the right decision? she wondered momentarily.
She turned toward Derek, hoping she wasn’t making a mistake.
“Not here,” he said, acknowledging her curiosity as he nodded in the direction of the courtyard.
Ember followed him down a candlelit corridor lined with wooden panels and supporting a bronzed antler chandelier. She couldn’t escape the feeling this wasn’t the first corridor she’d followed him down. That should have bothered her much more than it did.
Derek opened the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the patio, which was lit with more candles, tiki torches, and a generously sized fire pit surrounded by carved wooden armchairs padded with plush plaid cushioning. It was the coziest backyard Ember had seen, and it was more secluded than other areas of the property. Derek motioned for her to sit down.
The sound of the lake lapping gently against the shore mixed with the sound of the crackling fire, easing Ember in a most hypnotic way; under different circumstances, this would be a rather romantic first date.
This isn’t a date! Are you out of your mind?! her internal thoughts chastised.
She sat down in one of the chairs.
“What happened back there …” he started as he ran his hand over his face. “I never thought …”
Ember reached out for his hand and spoke calmly. “Just start at the beginning.
“Deidrick Rhyan was a witch, same as me.” Derek’s gaze fixated on the fire as if contemplating how to continue.
Ember waited patiently.
“There’s an actual ceremony and rituals one has to perform in order to ascend from apprentice to an actual practitioner. Witchcraft might have gained more acceptance recently but when Deidrick was alive just blinking the wrong way or saying the wrong thing could get you burned alive for witchcraft.” Derek stared into the fire.
“The Salem Witch Trials.” The words tumbled off her tongue and she felt a stirring inside of her. Despair, sadness, and guilt. So much guilt. She swallowed it in, calming herself.
Derek nodded. “He took an oath, all serious practitioners do; to never do harm to another being or creature. It is an oath many in my family took, long before me, and even before Deidrick. I suspect he never meant to break it, but he did.”
Ember’s thoughts wandered once more, falling into a fog of distant memories; the sound of screams and the scent of burning flesh were hard to ignore. She closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of the fire on her skin.
When she opened them, she was terrified by what lay before her.
Chapter Twenty
Rose’s heart raced at the sight of Deidrick being accosted. “Deidrick…” she called out to him, her heart in her throat.
The man pushed Deidrick up the wooden steps and Rose’s heart sank.
“What grounds do you have for this accusation?” She knew how shrill she sounded. She had to think fast, or she was going to lose him.
“That’s none of your concern.” The man sneered as he held Deidrick’s hands tightly behind his back, lacing the rope around him.
Why wasn’t he fighting back? She wondered. There was only one way to save him, and she took a deep breath settling her nerves. She knew what she had to do.
“I know this man is not a witch. Whatever proof you think you have, I can assure you it is not authentic.” Rose knew there was only one end to this. Deidrick wasn’t going to like it one bit but he would have to trust her.
She closed her eyes as she found her strength. “This man is not a witch, Your Honor. He’s just trying to protect me. I’m the one you want. I am the witch.” She opened her eyes resolutely, and the look on Deidrick’s face fell.
“Rose, no. Don’t do this! You don’t know what you’re doing.” He lurched forward, struggl
ing against his confines.
Rose quietly reached into her pockets, pulled out a black bag, and untied the shiny ribbons holding it together. The gasps behind her, curses and cries of ‘witch’, were nothing compared to the pain on her darling Deidrick’s face. She slid out one tarot card, her eyes fixated on the man who held the decision for life or death of her one true love.
“Let him go. I am the one you want,” she repeated with confidence. His gaze faltered and she could see he would follow the bait into her snare. She slid another card forth, sacred words escaping her mouth, words she had learned from a rather handsome and talented witch.
“Seize this witch!” the man’s voice hollered, and upon the onslaught of hands seizing her, Rose let the cards fall where they may. Despite Deidrick’s cries, she would not shed a tear.
As the men pushed her forward, the heat of the flames brought forth a boiling sweat; it took all the focus she could muster to push back a witch as strong as Deidrick. He rushed toward her, thwarting off the men as if they were no lighter than a sack of feathers, but he wouldn’t reach her in time. She’d seen it in the cards and she knew this was how it would end. She wasn’t meant to live forever, but she knew, as long as Deidrick Rhyan lived, her soul would find him again. Someday.
“I love you,” she whispered as she gave herself to the flames.
Ember’s breath came in short gasps as she clamped her hand over her mouth. She looked up at Derek with tears in her eyes. “What did he do, Derek?” Her voice cracked.
“He killed the man who burned her alive, damning his soul to an eternity of life without joy or happiness. Without love. Those of us who have the gift, the same gift Deidrick had, were outcast, bad luck...until some just stopped practicing or believing. We haven’t had a witch in the family in over a century, and we try to stay away from psychics, just as a precaution, because …” He broke off, sitting on the arm of the chair in front of her.
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