“Yeah,” Cassi whispered. “I’m good with that. Things have gone downhill surprisingly fast.”
“Which way?”
Cassi’s exhale had an odd little shudder to it. “I think…that way?”
“You think?” Andi glanced at her sister. “I thought you knew.”
“I did. Until we landed and everything closed in. Now I’m not so sure.”
Andi rubbed at her temple. “This isn’t good.”
“How did we get so turned around?” Cassi looked in the opposite direction. “Maybe that way?”
“I don’t think so. I think we need to go back there.” Andi pointed. “That feels right to me.”
Cassi sighed. “I honestly don’t know, but I guess we could pick a direction and—hey, what about GPS? On our phones.”
“Oh, good thinking.” Andi shifted the bakery box to dig her phone out of her pocket, while Cassi did the same thing.
Almost simultaneously, they groaned.
Andi shook her head. “No signal.”
“Me either.” Cassi took the bakery box from Andi, opened it, and took out another cookie. “We should have done a Hansel and Gretel and left ourselves a trail of crumbs.”
“In this place? Those crumbs probably would have gotten eaten. But good thought.”
Cassi swallowed the bite of cookie she’d taken. “I got us into this. I’m really sorry. I just wanted to try living life your way for once.”
“Which technically means I got us into this.”
Cassi laughed softly. “Let’s share the blame.”
Andi helped herself to a cupcake. “At least we won’t starve. Hey, what time is it anyway?”
They both looked at their phones again, then at each other, eyes wide.
Cassi’s smile was gone. “How is it possible we’ve been in here for three hours? That’s not right.”
Andi tried to put on an optimistic front. “In a magical forest, I imagine it’s easy to lose track of time, but we’re going to get out of here now, so it’s all good.”
“How?”
Andi tried to think. Then she tipped her head up. There was no visible sky. But looking up like that meant she could see the tips of her wings. She smiled. Having her wings back was wonderful. Especially because they were about to save her one last time. “We just have to find a break in the canopy. Then we’re going straight up and straight out.”
Chapter Twenty-eight
“This is an utter waste of time,” Constantin groused. “She’s not even coming. That’s how much she cares. I told you. All women are the same—”
“Will you shut up?” Valentino glared at him. “She’ll be here. She’s probably just—”
“She’s here,” Beckett called up to where Constantin and Valentino were tucked away on the library’s second floor.
The rack of books made an excellent hiding place, but with a few volumes carefully spaced, it was also perfect for viewing the spell Amelia was about to perform below. With the second-floor lights off, Constantin and his brother were virtually invisible.
None of that mattered to Constantin, though. He already knew what would happen. Andi would chicken out at the last moment. There was no way she would sacrifice her wings for the chance that he might love her again.
And if she did go through with it, the more fool her. Nothing was going to change his mind. Nothing.
Andi walked in with another young woman behind her. Both of them sported shimmery, translucent wings. Constantin was surprised by how delicate and beautiful they were. Then he frowned at himself for being distracted by such an insignificant detail.
Valentino leaned in, his voice barely audible. “That’s her sister, Cassiopeia.”
Constantin cut his eyes at his brother. “Obviously.”
Then he went back to watching the woman who’d broken his heart. A sharp pain pierced his chest. The remnants of his hangover, he told himself. That was all. Nothing more. But pain was good. It sharpened his senses. Helped him remember that he was done with love.
Such a stupid, foolish emotion. Almost equal to sorrow, which he no longer chose to feel either.
Andi and her sister looked a bit disheveled. They had leaves in their hair, a few rips in their clothing, and smudges of dirt and streaks of green on their skin. Oddly, none of that did anything to diminish Andromeda’s beauty.
He frowned. What the devil had they been doing?
Andi approached Amelia, who was sitting by the fireplace. Every room of her home seemed to have one. “I’m sorry we’re late. We got lost in the enchanted forest.”
Amelia made a face. “What on earth were you doing there?”
Cassiopeia stepped forward. “It was my fault, ma’am. I wanted to look for the book that takes people’s curses away.”
Amelia frowned. “Why? Are you cursed?”
“Not particularly.” Cassi glanced at her sister. “I just wanted to have an adventure, Andromeda-style.”
Amelia’s puzzled expression remained. “What does that mean?”
Cassi smiled at her sister. “Of the two of us, Andi has always lived her life wide open. Not necessarily the best thing for every occasion, but her ability to take risks without fear is something I’ve envied for a long time. I wanted to see what that was like. Oddly enough, she tried to talk me out of going to the forest several times, but I had my mind set on seeing it.”
Andi nodded. “Con told me it was dangerous.”
Amelia lifted her head. “And you listened to him? Why, if you’re such an adventurous sort?”
“Because I knew he had my best interests at heart.” Andi shrugged, staring at her hands. “People who care about you don’t warn you for no reason. They want to keep you safe.” She glanced at her sister. “Cassi’s done that for me my whole life, and I never once listened to her. But Con helped me understand that when someone wants to protect you, it’s an expression of love. Funny how things work, huh?”
“Yes,” Amelia said. “Funny.”
“Anyway,” Cassi went on, “we’re late because of me. I’m very sorry. Please don’t punish Andi.”
Amelia rose. “No one’s getting punished for anything. We’re not that fickle. Things happen in Shadowvale. One learns to adapt.”
Cassi nodded and stepped back, a quiet, “Thank you,” her only other words.
Constantin leaned closer to the rack of books as Amelia walked up to Andi.
The witch stared at the young woman. “Do you still wish to proceed as we discussed?”
Andi straightened and took a breath. Then she clasped her hands solemnly in front of her. “I do.”
“You understand that your wings will be required of you as a sacrifice for the spell.”
Before Andi could answer, Cassi let out a small sob and shook her head. “Are you sure about this?”
Andi’s gaze seemed to grow liquid as she looked at her sister. “Yes.”
“Think about what you’re giving up,” Cassi said. “Your wings saved your life today.”
Constantin frowned. What exactly had happened in that forest?
Andi raised her chin, a resolute determination shining in her eyes. Her wings expanded slightly, pulsing gently with her breathing. “And for that I’m grateful. I’m really glad I got to fly one last time, too. But I have to do this. I have to give myself this chance.” Her voice faltered for a second, then she whispered, “I love him.”
The pain in Constantin’s chest returned, and he could feel the weight of his brother’s stare on him. He glared at Val.
Val frowned and shook his head. “How can you not be moved?”
“Because I know how capricious a woman’s heart is. How moods swing and tears dry up. You’ll see.”
Val’s eyes tapered in disbelief. “You’re a fool.”
“No, I was a fool. No longer.” Constantin ignored his brother and turned his attention back to the scene below.
Amelia asked again, “Then you still wish to proceed as we discussed?”
An
di nodded. “I do and I’m ready.”
“Then let the spell work begin.” Amelia removed a scarlet cloth that covered a low table in the middle of the room.
A shallow copper bowl sat in the center of a chalked circle. A few votive candles dotted the chalk, and the bowl held a few items. Herbs or dust or something. He couldn’t make out what it was exactly, but it didn’t matter, they were just the random elements of the spell.
Witchcraft held little interest for him. Unless it was a book of spells he could turn over for a tidy sum.
He snorted softly. That was who he was now. A buyer and seller of books. They were all he cared to protect, outside of Chloe and his family. He shot a look at his brother. And even some of them were questionable.
Amelia spoke low and soft as she lit the candles, her words indecipherable to Con, but again, he didn’t really care.
He yawned, making no attempt to hide his boredom from his brother.
As suspected, the move earned him another look of chastisement.
He rolled his eyes and went back to watching.
All the candles were lit now. Amelia waved her hands over the bowl, and gentle flames erupted. More words were spoken. Latin, he thought. A single curl of pale green smoke rose from the bowl.
Amelia held out her hand to Andi. “I need your wings.”
Even Constantin had to concede that Andi’s smile was brave. She didn’t falter, didn’t hesitate, just took something from her pocket—a vial, he could see now—and removed the top.
She took one breath, one glance up, then whispered, “Wings away.”
Like a stream of liquid glass, the gossamer pair spun off of Andi’s body and funneled into the vial. In a few seconds, they were contained.
Andi replaced the top and held the vial out to Amelia. “Here you are.” But then she pulled the vial back toward her body. “I…I’m not sure I can do this.”
It was all too much for Constantin. All too precious and pointless. Especially when he’d been right. He vaulted over the top of the bookshelf, over the second-floor balcony railing, and came to land on the first floor, mere feet from where Andi stood. “I knew it.”
She and her sister both gasped. Amelia seemed unmoved.
He stared Andi down. “This won’t change anything. Nothing will.”
“Con,” she murmured. “Have you been here this whole time?”
“Yes, not that it matters. None of this matters. It’s foolishness. You can’t change my heart. What you did is done. There is no going back, no erasing it. Not even with magic. But I want to say again that I knew you would back out when it came time to give up your precious wings.”
Andi shook her head slowly. “That’s not why I said I couldn’t go through with this.”
He snorted. “What other reason could there possibly be?”
“Because this spell was going to erase your memories of me and make it possible for us to meet for the first time all over again. And the idea of doing that without your agreement has been bothering me. It seems…unfair, I guess.”
He leaned closer, knowing his eyes must be aglow with the storm of emotion inside him. “What a kind, gentle creature you are,” he mocked. “Is that really all that’s holding you back? My permission?”
Her eyes filled with hurt and sorrow. “Yes, Con. Even if it means I have to learn to live without you, that I have to walk away from a chance at real happiness, I can’t bring myself to do this to you without you being a willing party.”
He straightened, pulling himself up to his full height. “That is terribly convenient, isn’t it? And so very noble of you to put my best interests first, even if the result is you get to keep your precious wings.”
The hurt and sorrow in her eyes vanished, replaced by angry sparks of indignation. “You have really let your past get the best of you, you know that? I don’t care what you think, but my decision has nothing to do with my wings. But keep talking.” A tear slipped down her cheek, and more tears thickened her voice. “Every word out of your mouth makes it easier for me to walk away.”
He sneered in utter disgust at the display most likely meant to soften his heart. “You know what? You have my permission.” He waved a hand at Amelia. “Go ahead and cast your spell, witch. I give my full consent. In fact, I’d be happy to have every thought of this sprite wiped from my memory.”
Andi’s expression went blank for a moment, then she was overcome with determination. She held out the vial to Amelia again. “Take it. Now. Cast the spell before he changes his mind.”
Amelia took the vial. “As you wish.”
She held it over the smoldering flames in the copper bowl. “With this sacrifice, complete this spell. Erase all memory. Turn back all thought. Wipe clean the heart’s slate.”
She dropped the vial into the bowl. Fire and sparks erupted.
Then everything went black.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Constantin had only opened the shop fifteen minutes ago, and yet his brother was already here. Constantin paused on his way to the history section to cast a skeptical gaze toward Valentino, who was sitting in one of the reading areas of the Gilded Page, poring over a book on jazz in the 1940s.
At least he’d had the forethought to bring coffee.
Valentino glanced up. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Constantin’s brow wrinkled, and he tucked the books in his hand under one arm. “For one thing, you’re up remarkably early.”
“I actually haven’t been to bed yet.”
“That makes more sense.”
Valentino offered him a curious expression. “Was there a second thing?”
“Yes. Don’t you already know everything there is to know about jazz? Why did you need that book immediately? What kind of jazz emergency could there be?”
Valentino frowned. “There’s a singer I’m trying to get for the club. Her influences are some of the lesser-known artists, and I wanted to brush up on my facts before I talk to her. I want to make a good impression.”
Constantin shrugged. “One of these days, you’re going to bring in someone who causes a problem, and Amelia’s going to regret the special privileges you’ve been granted when it comes to the gate.”
He braced himself for his brother’s argument.
Valentino paused as if he was thinking. “I believe the gate would keep that person from entering in the first place, but I do worry about that myself.”
The shock of his brother’s admission almost knocked Constantin over. “You do?”
“Sure, every time I invite a new artist. It’s why I only bring in the supernatural ones, but even then I run the risk of something happening.” He sighed. “It’s a tough spot. Isabelle’s great and has a loyal audience, but if I don’t bring in new blood once in a while to keep things interesting, people could lose interest in the club. But I run the risk of having to deal with them if they suddenly decide they want to tell the world about Shadowvale.”
Constantin had had no idea his brother had actually thought it through. Or even gave such things consideration. “What would you do?”
“I don’t really know.” Valentino’s mouth bent pensively. “I make them sign a nondisclosure, but people still talk.”
“It’s true, people will talk if they really want to, but breaking a signed contract would certainly give them a bad reputation. And the Thibodeaux name carries some weight in the supernatural world. I doubt anyone would be dumb enough to break a contract with you, knowing the possible repercussions.”
Valentino snorted. “Maybe. I think Amelia’s the one they’re more afraid of. Which I’m fine with.”
“Having a healthy fear of her is only smart.”
“That, it is.” With a little smirk, Valentino went back to reading.
Constantin slipped into the stacks to shelve a few books, but stood where he could still see Valentino and watched him a moment longer. For someone who claimed to need the information the book was offering, he certainly kept looking
at the door a lot.
Whatever his brother was up to was his business. Constantin shelved the books in his hands, then left Fletcher to watch the floor and went back to his office.
On his way, he heard the front door chimes announce a customer, but Con didn’t stop. Fletcher could get him if he was needed.
Fletcher’s greeting rang out. “Good morning. Welcome to the Gilded Page.”
“Thank you,” a woman answered. “What a lovely store you have.”
The voice zipped through him like an electric current. Constantin stilled, his hand on the doorknob and the door to his office halfway open. His gut tightened, his nerves sparked with anticipation (of what, he didn’t know), and he was pinned to the spot. By a voice. How was that possible?
Maybe it was the light, melodious quality of the tone. Almost as if it held the brightness of sunshine. Or the way his spirit had responded in some sort of inexplicable Pavlovian way, as if it knew that voice meant good things. But how could that be? Had he met this woman before? No. He’d remember that, wouldn’t he? Then what was it? Why had a few simple words caused him to feel alive again?
What a curious thing for a vampire to feel.
But even as he thought that, he realized he’d turned his head toward the shop floor to hear her better.
Odd to be so fascinated by something that ordinarily would have been ignored. He stood there, vacillating between going into his office and returning to the shop floor. But that indecision lasted only another second before he turned around and walked back toward the register.
He didn’t go quite that far, choosing to stay at the end of the hallway. There, he leaned against the far wall to see who Fletcher was talking to. A petite honey-blonde with a smattering of freckles across her nose and smiley lilac eyes. She was human, by the scent of her blood, and therefore, not his type. Even so, she was captivating.
Strange that he should feel this way now when he hadn’t felt remotely interested in a woman since his heart had been metaphorically flayed from his chest by his ex.
The female customer and Fletcher were engaged in an animated conversation when another customer, Reston Bellwether, came in.
The Vampire's Cursed Kiss (Shadowvale Book 2) Page 20