by Vella Day
Before Randy could answer, the curtain parted. It was Missy. “Kip?”
He jumped up from his seat. “Hey, thanks for coming by.”
Her smile looked like she was having a hard time staying positive. Her auburn hair was pulled back in a ponytail, but many strands had come loose. She nodded, rushed over to Randy, and then set her flowered bag on the bed. “How are you feeling?”
Randy glanced up at him. They were all Wendayans and aware of each other’s powers. “I’m going to tell her everything. Missy might be able to shed some light on the situation.” Kip nodded. Randy went on to explain what happened, leaving out no details.
“Do you think your powers were transferred to them when they hit you or when they stabbed you?”
Kip hadn’t thought of that possibility.
“I was thinking when I was stabbed, but I’m not sure it matters. My magic is gone. What I want to know is if they took something as valuable as my ability to control electricity, why not use that power against me right away? By all rights, I should be dead. Not that I can identify them, but I will hunt them down when I’m able.”
His brother’s face was red, and some blood had already seeped through the bandage. “Hey, you need to rest. I’ll do the looking.”
“Fine, but take Connor and Jackson with you. Those men meant business.”
Connor McKinnon and Jackson Murdoch also worked at the private investigation firm with him. Connor had taken over as head when his father retired. The fourth member, Devon McKinnon, mostly ran the branch office. As much as Kip wanted Missy to start her healing ways, he had to find out about Teagan. He faced her. “Does Teagan know what happened to Randy?”
Missy glanced away. “Yes.”
That wasn’t good. He wasn’t one to beg, but he needed to find out why she hadn’t come. Teagan was one of the most caring women in the world, and yet she’d turned from being wonderful to standoffish in a flash. Something had to have happened, but she refused to tell him what. “Did she say if she would stop by?”
“No.”
He needed to speak with Teagan. “Do you know why she won’t return my calls?”
Missy pulled out a small burlap sack from her bag. “I’ve asked, but she won’t say.”
Now wasn’t the time to interrogate Missy—not when his brother needed her help. “Thanks. I appreciate all you can do.” Maybe she could pull a miracle out of her bag and bring back his powers.
She placed the special sack under Randy’s head. “Close your eyes.”
Her calm and caring manner was similar to how Teagan had been until the night of their big fight.
Kip vowed that as soon as he found the men who stole his brother’s magic and had brought them both to justice, he’d win over Teagan Pompley—no matter what it took.
Chapter Two
‡
Teagan waited until five, and when her aunt didn’t return, she locked up then headed to the grocery store to stock up on at least a week’s worth of food. She wasn’t sure what her plans were or how long she wanted to stay holed up in her house, but one thing she did know, was that she had to stay away from those she loved or take a chance on them being injured.
Maybe with time, the evil chasing her would disappear, and she could once more focus on the positive events that were happening around her.
Even though she ran into a few people while cruising the aisles, she kept the conversation brief to prevent having to answer questions about how she and Kip were doing.
After she checked out, she drove home to the Cove, and as soon as her yellow house came into view, some of her anxiety flew away. Her home might be square and small, but it had everything she needed. While she could use more counter space in the open concept kitchen, the high ceilings and abundance of natural light made her home feel peaceful and cozy. It had become her emotional safe haven.
As she set her groceries on the counter, she glanced over to the chair where Kip liked to sit, and an ache pressed in on her chest. Kip Landon was perfect in every way—tall, broad shouldered, smart, and best of all, super protective. The fact he adored her—most of the time—had made it even harder to leave him, but she was willing to sacrifice her own happiness for his safety. Not telling him her motives had hurt him, but she felt the pain just as much.
She sighed. Even when she’d moved a book with her mind, which almost hit him in the head, he said he wasn’t jealous of her talent. She wasn’t totally convinced, however, since men as virile as Kip always wanted to be the one in control—especially when it came to their bedroom antics.
Kip. She sighed as she remembered how excited and giddy she’d been when they first met. While eleven years wasn’t a huge gap in age, he was so mature, more confident, and much more capable than she was. She’d seen him around town when he worked at the law office, but it was only after he joined forces with McKinnon and Associates that she’d finally spoken to him.
Teagan smiled. She could still picture that meeting. Someone had broken into the Crystal Winds Spa and stolen about three hundred dollars from the cash register—okay that wasn’t anything to smile about, but what happened next was. The police had investigated, but when they came up empty handed, Uncle Len had contacted Cameron McKinnon, who was Alpha of the bear and wolf Clan at the time. He sent his son, Connor, along with Kip to investigate. Not that it was love at first sight, but Kip’s tanned skin, short-cropped beard, and long dark hair tied back had turned her insides to mush. And those nearly black eyes. Oh, my. They could pull a girl in and make her never want to look away.
Stop it.
Reminiscing about Kip wouldn’t help. Something bad was going to happen to him, and the more she focused on him, the higher the probability that it would occur.
As strange as it may sound, staying away from him was her only option to keep him safe. Teagan unpacked her groceries, putting away the refrigerated foods first and then filling up the cabinets with the dried goods. Even though she had bought ingredients to make many of her favorite meals, she suddenly wasn’t hungry anymore.
Knowing she had to eat something or chance a headache, she grabbed two hard-boiled eggs that she had made the other day and peeled them. As she reached for the salt, her cell rang, and her heart skipped a beat. It was Kip’s ring.
Don’t answer it.
As much as she wanted to hear his soothing voice, she might cave and tell him everything. Her voicemail kicked in and she suspected he’d leave a message, but she didn’t want to listen to it. To do so would only weaken her resolve.
Taking her eggs into the living room, she clicked on the TV. No sooner had she finished one egg than someone rang her doorbell. Her pulse soared at the intrusion.
The curtains on her front window were still open. Damn. Whoever was there could easily check that she was home, plus the fact that her car was in the driveway also implied it.
The doorbell chimed again, followed by a knock. “Teagan, it’s me, Izzy. I need to speak with you. I know you’re in there.”
Relief washed over her that it wasn’t Kip. Izzy had recently struggled with losing some of her magic, so she of all the people would best understand Teagan’s dilemma, though most likely, she was here to chastise her. “Coming,” she called out.
Teagan clicked off the TV set and opened up the door. From Izzy’s firm lips and rigid stance she appeared ready to pound some sense into her. Given she had on a black pencil skirt, a white blouse and sensible shoes, she hadn’t even gone home to change after teaching school.
“May I come in?” her cousin asked.
“If I say no, I don’t suppose you’ll turn around and go home?”
Izzy lowered her chin and shook her head. “No. I still have the ability to blow down your door by the way. Missy told me about what happened. I know you want to stick your head in the sand, but that won’t accomplish anything.”
Great. Another lecture. Teagan knew when she was defeated though. “Can I get you something to drink?”
Izzy smiled. “W
hy, yes. I’d love some wine if you have any.”
This would prolong the visit, but it couldn’t be helped. In truth, Teagan needed someone to confide in anyway. If she called her parents—who were away on a two-year teaching gig in Florida—her mom would say that Teagan was being foolish, and a witch’s powers were often a curse. Teagan would have to deal with the fallout. Sometimes, it was a bitch having a powerful witch for a mother.
Teagan poured a California Merlot for her cousin and a Pinot Noir for herself then handed Izzy her drink. They both moved back to the living room where the seating was more comfortable.
Izzy sipped her wine then rested the glass on her thigh. “You want to tell me about this vision, and why you didn’t visit Randy in the hospital?”
This friendly chat was heading downhill fast. “If you know about my vision, then surely you understand why I have to keep away from Kip.” Her cousin’s brows pinched as her cousin studied Teagan. Feeling a bit self-conscious, she brushed her out-of-control hair from her face. “What?”
“I don’t understand any of your actions, but I’m trying to. Missy told me you had a vision in which you and Kip were standing next to each other. For starters, visions aren’t always accurate. Secondly, you might have confused Kip with his twin brother.”
“I thought about that but then dismissed it. I would have sensed it wasn’t Kip.”
“Sensed him? Are you two mated or something?”
“No.” Two Wendayans weren’t mated in the same way that two Weres are, but once their blue orbs have encompassed each other, then they would be in tune for life.
Izzy brought the glass to her lips again but didn’t drink. “Then you can’t be sure what’s really going to happen.”
“Nothing is for sure.”
Izzy nodded. “I came to tell you that Missy spoke with Randy at the hospital, and he told her everything.”
Teagan’s heart pounded. She hadn’t wanted to know exactly what had occurred because then she might be forced to change her mind about not visiting him. She was already in enough emotional turmoil. Without thinking, she rubbed her left arm. “What did she say?” Izzy smiled. “What?”
“Did you know that Randy was stabbed in his left arm? The same arm you’re rubbing?”
“No.” Her stomach churned, and she lowered her hand. Had she made a mistake in thinking the vision was about Kip and her, when in reality it might have been about Randy all along?
“Your first vision of you being with Kip could have been because he’s always on your mind. I know how miserable you’ve been without him.”
Izzy always did seem to have a sixth sense about her. “I’ll admit I miss him, a lot.” Along with the great sex, but she didn’t need to share those thoughts right now.
“Fine, we’ll table that discussion until later. You told Missy that you saw Kip swimming in a pool of blood. Could that person have been Randy?”
Teagan dragged a palm down her face, confusion swamping her. “Perhaps, since I was so upset that Kip might have been injured, it never occurred to me that it could have been his twin instead.”
Izzy sniffed the wine, sipped it, and then set it down on the coffee table between them. “Let’s suppose your vision was about Randy. That would mean this tragedy has already come to pass, so there is no reason for you to not be with Kip.”
Teagan shook her head and took a long drink of her wine, the sweet aroma and the relaxing warmth helped to soothe her troubled soul. “If what you say is true, Kip might have escaped this time, but what about the next occurrence? It seems that my visions are targeting those closest to me.”
“It isn’t making them happen—only foreshadowing what may come to pass.” Izzy leaned back and looked to the right then the left. “Do you remember Aunt Agnes?”
Izzy’s mom and her dad were brother and sister to Agnes. “Kind of. She wasn’t around much.”
“Do you know why?”
Izzy was trying to trick her. “No.”
Her cousin waved her glass. “I’m sure your parents told you that Aunt Agnes had premonitions like you.”
Teagan had been told she probably took after her aunt. “So?”
“She used to live in the Cove and was engaged to Rupert Smith. One day, she had a vision that was as strong as the one you just experienced. She saw Rupert being held at gunpoint at his job.”
Teagan only vaguely remembered the story because she couldn’t have been more than eight at the time. “Didn’t he work at a bank?”
“He did. Believing he was in trouble, Aunt Agnes called the sheriff’s department. They didn’t really believe a warning based on a premonition, but the Pompley’s were a well-respected family, so they dispatched a deputy to the bank. Good thing they did, because when they arrived, they found Rupert had been shot. Unfortunately, the robbers had just escaped.”
“That brings me some comfort knowing I’m not alone but didn’t she leave town shortly thereafter?” Teagan had thought that odd.
Izzy nodded. “Like you, she felt that her presence was bringing danger to those she loved.”
Teagan’s head swam with confusion. “How do you know this? You’re only two years older than I am.”
“Mom told me. Ask your father. He’ll tell you the same thing.” Izzy held up a hand. “Because Rupert was injured, and Aunt Agnes didn’t want anything else to happen to him, she moved away. She knew that if she wasn’t in contact with him, her visions would disappear.”
“I can relate.”
Izzy waved a finger at her. “What you don’t seem to understand is that bad things will happen regardless of your visions. I believe these premonitions are to help the people you love. You saved me, remember?”
Teagan closed her eyes for a moment and blew out a breath. “Yes. I’m just so confused.”
Izzy studied her for a bit, as if she wanted to see if Teagan would fall apart. “I’ll give you proof that visions are a good thing.” Teagan snorted and Izzy held up a hand to stop her from further commenting. “The story continues. Rupert recovered from his gunshot wound, but according to Mom, he wrote Agnes off.” She held up a hand. “Mind you, that was after many attempts to contact her. He had no clue why she had turned away and left after he had been injured. He spent a long time waiting and hoping she would come back to him, but eventually he accepted the reality that she’d left, and he moved on with life.”
Her heart pinched. Teagan was aware that Kip might become so disgusted with her antics that he’d write her off too. While that would be devastating, losing Kip would be far worse. “That’s so sad.”
“She did it to herself. Rupert was understandably upset that his own fiancée turned her back on him when he was injured. She only visited him in the hospital one time.”
Teagan didn’t like the direction of this conversation. There were similarities, but their situations weren’t the same. “I see your point, but Kip wasn’t injured. If he had been, I would have been by his side.”
“I hope so, but I bet Kip considers Randy an extension of himself. Has Kip called you?”
“Yes, but I haven’t answered,” she mumbled. The guilt caused her stomach to nearly revolt. “Do you think I should visit Randy?”
“That’s up to you, but let me finish the story. I want to drive home this point. About six months after our aunt moved away, Rupert was drinking at the bar with his buddies. Sources tell us he was still pining over Aunt Agnes. Apparently, he’d had too much to drink but drove home anyway. He ran off the road, crashed into a telephone pole, and died.”
Her pulse pounded, and she sucked in a needed breath. “I remember that now!”
Izzy shrugged. “Here’s what you don’t know. Aunt Agnes didn’t have a premonition about the incident because she had distanced herself from him.”
“Are you saying that if she’d stayed, she might have known something bad would have happened and offered to drive him home?” With a clearer picture in her mind now, Teagan polished off her wine.
Izzy di
d the same, and then placed her empty glass on the table. “If she’d stayed, he might not have been drowning his sorrows at all. But yes, she could have warned him.”
“I need time to think about this.”
“Take all the time you need, but if you two are destined for each other, don’t make him wait too long. Remember, being a Wendayan isn’t easy. It comes with a lot of responsibility. The gods gave you powers, which means you need to learn to deal with them. You can’t be so afraid that you lose sight of who you really are.”
What Izzy said made sense, but she wasn’t ready to rush back to Kip yet. “It’s not easy changing one’s beliefs.”
A voice in the back of her head told her that what Izzy was saying about her powers and deciding to stay away from those she loved might be true, but Teagan was too scared right now to change. The internal guidance system that had always told her what to do was wavering far off course.
A small smile lifted Izzy’s lips, and the sparkle indicated victory. “I agree. On a different note, how are you progressing with your telekinesis?”
Teagan was relieved that the previous conversation was over. “I haven’t been practicing much. I have enough on my plate right now. Even you have to admit my abilities seem to be more of a liability than anything else. The telekinesis works all too well when I’m extremely angry or scared. It’s trying to move something while I’m calm that I’m having a hard time with.”
Izzy’s mouth opened. “Missy said you accidentally pushed the table into the counter and knocked over the crystals, and one fell and broke. That’s not what happened, is it?”
Teagan’s whole world seemed to be crashing down on her and she wasn’t sure how to right it. “No.”
Izzy leaned forward, her elbows on her knees. “I know you are confused.”
“Confused? I’m drowning.”
“That’s why I’m here. To suggest you meet with Rosa Rivera. You’ve met her, right?”
She was an old witch who also had premonitions. “Yes, a few times.”
“I think she might be able to help you figure out how to handle these visions.”