Sean glared at Trent. “They simply want to talk.”
Trent scowled.
I stepped forward so I was once again standing next to Trent rather than behind him. He wrapped a protective arm around my waist. Jax eyed me, something sinister brewing in his expression. I shuddered.
“You must be Chloe.”
A woman stepped forward. She wore dark green leggings with a deep gray tunic. Silver hoop earrings hung from her earlobes, and a matching silver necklace with a rose hung around her neck.
“I’m Ivy, leader of the Rose Coven.” She extended her hand.
I stared at her for a long moment, then hesitantly reached out to take her hand. Trent’s hold tightened, and he growled.
I shook Ivy’s hand. “Hello.”
“May we speak for a moment?” she asked.
Did I really have a choice in the matter? I nodded.
Her gaze darted around the room. “Alone?”
“Absolutely not.” Trent guided me behind him.
“I see,” Ivy said with an air of authority that sent a chill through me.
“It’s okay, Trent.” I slid my hand into his, lacing our fingers.
He glanced down at me, his features relaxing.
“She just wants to talk,” I said, surprised at how level my voice sounded.
“I give you my word. We are not here to harm Chloe,” Ivy said. “Why don’t the rest of you go out onto the porch so we can speak privately in here? Consider it your assurance that we won’t attempt to kidnap her.”
Trent, Jax, Sean, and the twins all turned to look at me, silently asking what I wanted to do.
I nodded. “It’s okay.” My tone was a lot more self-assured than I felt.
Trent clutched my face and kissed me with so much desperation I whimpered. And then everyone was gone, and it was just me and Ivy. I wiped my sweaty palms on my dress and took a deep breath. Nervous energy crackled in the air around me.
“Let’s sit.” Ivy nodded toward the couch.
I sat at the opposite end.
“You look very lovely. Celebrating something special?” she asked.
“My birthday.”
She smiled, sat, crossed her legs, and then chanted something in a language I didn’t understand.
My ears rang with deafening silence. “What did you just do?” I asked.
“I soundproofed the house. Those vampires and their enhanced abilities. We don’t need them eavesdropping, do we?” She folded her hands on her knee. “Do you know why we’re here, Chloe?”
“Yes, ma’am.” I shifted on the couch. Why did this suddenly feel like it was going to be an interrogation?
“So, then, you must know who you are and who we are.” She raised a brow, waiting for an answer to a question she never asked.
“Yes, ma’am.” I cleared my throat.
“You know of Samara as well?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“Hmm.” She adjusted her tunic as if stalling for time. Why, I had no idea. “There’s a natural order to everything, Chloe. The universe is built on the yin and yang, good and evil, light and dark… for every death, there’s a new birth.”
“Okay,” I said slowly, drawing out the word. Why was she telling me this?
“When that balance is upset, it causes a ripple effect. Do you understand?”
I nodded, though I wasn’t completely sure what she was talking about.
“When Rector cursed the Halsteads, he used an immense amount of dark magic. He drew upon sources that should never be touched, and he upset the natural balance of things. It has severely weakened every coven in the eastern hemisphere,” Ivy explained. “Ours most of all.”
I sat straighter, my body tense and ready to run if needed. Though I doubted I’d get very far, especially in these stupid heels. When I’d tried to run from Isach, he’d shouted one word and I’d been rendered immobile. I suspected Ivy and her coven could do the same. Or worse.
“We’ve lost much needed resources and several sisters in our quest to restore the balance,” she said.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
And I truly was. Death wasn’t easy, neither was the constant grief. At least when I finally died, I’d find peace from the pain of loss. That was a relief Trent would never have. I momentarily closed my eyes and inhaled deeply.
“You know how important you are.” Ivy moved closer, and her hand rested over mine. “Will you help us restore the balance and end this ridiculous feud?”
This was it—time to make a choice. Too bad I still didn’t have any of that strength I’d wished for.
“You do know that to break the curse I have to become a vampire, right?” I asked.
Ivy nodded. “Yes, that is a rather unfortunate consequence, but considering you’re in love with one of them, I don’t see the problem.”
I laughed. She didn’t see a problem. Of course, she didn’t. I shook my head and stood. “What if I say no?” I asked as I moved around to the opposite side of the room, needing some distance from her.
“That’s really not in your best interest.” Ivy stood, too, and we faced off across the coffee table. She was a petite wisp of a woman, but she radiated intense power.
I wasn’t going to provoke her, but I needed a little more time.
“We know that Samara sought you out when you were a young child. At the time, we didn’t know it was you, but we knew she was close to figuring out a way to break the curse. Then she disappeared, and we spent years searching for her, for answers as to what happened.” Ivy’s voice was soothing; it was easy to get lost in her words.
“He won’t change me unless I ask him to,” I said.
“Then ask him.”
“I don’t want to,” I whispered.
I didn’t want to lose Trent, but I didn’t want to be a vampire, either. It was so completely and totally selfish, but I couldn’t help the way I felt. God, I wished my mom was here to talk to me, to help me work through all of this. Though, knowing she’d willingly agreed to my father leaving so they could protect me, she’d probably tell me to stay as far away from Trent as possible.
“There may be another option,” she said.
Hope exploded in my chest. “There is? What?”
“May we sit again?” She nodded at the couch.
Reluctantly, I returned to my seat, my gaze never leaving her. Was there really another way to break the curse, or was she lying to me? But what would she have to gain by lying? It didn’t make sense.
“You said you’re aware of your lineage?” She raised a brow and sat.
“Yes.”
Would she get to the point already? Seriously, did she just like to hear herself talk? We’d already been over this.
“Then you know you have Zoya blood running in your veins.”
I opened my mouth to say something, then snapped it shut. I’d never once put that piece into place before, but she was right. My family was borne from the union of Zoya and Lewis, and the Zoya were very powerful witches. My breath hitched. Why had I not realized that before?
“Chloe.” Ivy inched toward the edge of her seat and placed her hands atop mine. “You have the potential to become a very powerful witch. With your lineage and our training…” Her eyes danced with excitement. “You’d be unstoppable.”
I leaned back, my mind racing. Me—a witch? That was laughable. More so than me becoming a vampire. “How will that help break the curse?” I asked.
“Once you’re strong enough, you can use your power to undo the curse.”
I stared at her like she’d sprouted a second head. There was only one way to break the curse, and it didn’t involve magic or spells. Surely, she must know that.
I narrowed my eyes. “And how long will it take me to become strong enough?”
“That depends on how quickly you learn.” Ivy smiled. “But with the level of motivation I know you have to end this curse…” She shrugged. “A couple of years.”
“A couple of years?” I
laughed bitterly. “And what? I’m just supposed to go back to high school, act like everything’s normal, but I’ll spend my nights learning to be a witch?” I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”
Her easy, friendly expression turned dark. “What do you want, Chloe? If you could have anything in the world, what would it be?”
Her question made me pause. Was she going to try to tempt me with making my wishes come true? Well, let’s see how far she was willing to go.
“For my mother to still be alive, and for Trent to be human.” The words were out of my mouth before I could filter them.
Eyes wide, I gasped. Did I really want Trent to be human? Where had that come from? But as the thought settled into my consciousness, I realized that’s exactly what I wanted. If he were human, we could be together until death, and I could have the life I’d always dreamed of.
“And what would you do to get those things?” she pressed.
“Anything.”
“Then join our coven.” She clutched my hands again. “Let us train you to harness the power inside of you, and then you can have anything you want.”
I slipped my hands from her grasp. “No one can bring people back from the dead. Not you. Definitely not me. And last I knew, there was no way to turn a vampire back into a human.”
Electricity crackled around her, sizzling in the air, and I half expected a bolt of lightning to strike me dead. I jumped to my feet and took a cautionary step back.
Trent had been right—this wasn’t a good idea, and Ivy had been lying. There was no other option. She simply wanted more power for her coven, the power only a Zoya possessed. I swallowed hard, my gaze darting around the room as I searched for an exit.
She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. Then she smoothed her hands down her hips. “Our hosts are growing impatient.” She sighed. “As I said before, we don’t want to harm you. We need you, Chloe. We want to work together so everyone gets what they want.” Ivy smiled sweetly.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek, shifting nervously on my feet. “I’m not going to change my mind,” I said stubbornly.
“Let’s not make any hasty decisions.” Her smile went from sweet to something more sinister. “This has been a lot of information to digest, and you have a lot to think about. We’re not unreasonable.” She stood straighter. “We will give you two days to make a decision, and then we’ll be back.”
“Two days?” My voice was a mixture of disbelief, fear, and anger. I curled my hands into fists and clenched my jaw.
“Yes. Two days. That’s more than fair, don’t you think?” She clasped her hands in front of her and waited for me to respond.
No, it wasn’t fair, and I wanted to scream at her.
“And don’t try to run or hide. We will find you, and next time, we won’t be so… accommodating for you or your friends out there.” Ivy inclined her head toward the porch where Trent and his family waited. “Understand?” She lifted her eyebrows, her warning crystal clear.
I swallowed hard, ready to agree to her terms, but before I could, Trent barged back inside.
He stalked toward me, his entire presence predatory. “Are you okay?”
I nodded. “Yes.” But my entire body was numb, and I couldn’t form a coherent thought.
“Chloe.” Ivy nodded in my direction. “We’ll talk again soon.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE:
Eternal Choice
ALL AT ONCE, THERE WAS A cacophony of voices around me. Everyone shouted questions at the same time, making it impossible to make sense of anything anyone said. I rubbed my temples and squeezed my eyes shut.
“Stop,” I said.
But no one stopped. So, I repeated myself, louder and more forcefully. I opened my eyes and looked around. Finally, the room quieted, and all eyes were on me.
“Chloe?” Trent’s voice was full of concern. “What happened?”
“What did she say to you?” Whitney asked.
“Why did they just leave like that?” Jax asked, his tone venomous.
“Did she hurt you?” Trent asked.
I took a deep breath, willing everyone to shut up for five seconds so I could think. “She didn’t hurt me. I’m fine.”
Trent’s shoulders relaxed with relief. “Then, what happened?”
“We couldn’t hear anything,” Sean said with a frown.
“Yeah, I couldn’t get into her head, either.” Whitney pouted.
“She chanted something and soundproofed the house. She didn’t want you guys to hear,” I explained. “She said there might be another option for breaking the curse, one that doesn’t involve me becoming a vampire.”
Trent’s eyes widened, and it was in that split-second when I realized what I’d done. My stomach sank, and I could feel the color draining from my face. Oh, God. I leaned against the back of the couch for support.
“What?” Sean asked. “Why would you becoming a vampire break the curse?”
I swallowed against the bitter bile rising in my throat. My head spun. I looked helplessly to Trent, but his face was expressionless. What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t lie my way out of this one—it was time to come clean.
“Because I’m the only one who can. I’m the last living, female descendant of Rector Zoya and Annmarie Lewis.” I spoke as if on autopilot, not really hearing the words I was saying. “That’s why they’ve been coming after me. They want me to break the curse and restore the magical balance.”
I risked a glance at Sean. His face was twisted with emotions I couldn’t begin to name. My gaze slid over to Jax, who glared at me with the fury of a million burning suns. Icy fear coated my veins.
Everyone knew the truth now, but what would they do about it? Would Sean and Jax demand that I change? Trent swore to me he’d protect me, that he’d never let anyone take this choice from me, and I believed him. But now that I knew how desperately he wanted me to change… I wasn’t so sure he wouldn’t at least try, again, to convince me.
“How is this possible?” Sean asked. “I’ve spent decades trying to break this curse. There’s no way I missed this.” He shook his head. “Are you positive about this, Chloe?”
“I can prove it.” I ran upstairs, grateful for a moment of privacy, and grabbed my backpack from the closet. When I spun around, I rammed into Trent’s chest.
He gripped my shoulders, steadying me. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“I don’t have a choice.” My throat constricted with impending tears.
“Yes, you do. You can tell them you were wrong. Tell them Ivy told you all of that, but you don’t know if it’s true.” He searched my face.
Even now, he was putting me first, trying to save me. But there was nothing he could do. I needed to unburden myself from all of this.
My shoulders sagged. “She’s coming back in two days.” My lips trembled. “I need to make a decision by then, and I can’t do this alone, Trent. Not anymore.” I looked up at him through teary eyes.
He nodded and dragged his hands down my arms. “Okay, if this is what you want to do.” He took the backpack from me, laced our fingers, and led me downstairs.
“All the proof you need is in that bag,” I said, nodding at the backpack Trent held.
He handed it to Sean, who took it to the table and unzipped it. I looked away, unable to handle the glee I saw in his eyes. He’d been searching for decades, and I’d just handed him everything he always wanted.
“You said Ivy mentioned another way to break the curse?” Whitney asked. She stood next to me, her hand on my arm.
I nodded. “She said because I have Zoya blood, I could become a witch, that she’d teach me, and with time, I’d be strong enough to reverse the curse.”
From his spot at the table, Sean snorted, but he didn’t say anything. He didn’t even bother to look up.
“And you believe her?” Trent asked.
I shrugged. “I don’t know, but if there’s any chance she’s telling the truth…”
&nbs
p; “You can’t become a witch, Chloe.” The hurt in Trent’s voice mirrored the hurt in my heart.
“I know,” I whispered.
“I don’t like this.” Trent rubbed the back of his neck. “If there was any other way to break the curse, Sean would have found it.”
“There is no other way,” Jax finally spoke. He stood in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, arms crossed. His tone was hard and cold. “She was lying to you, Chloe.”
“Why would she do that? She has nothing to gain.” I shook my head.
“Sure she does.” Jax pushed off the counter and stalked into the living room.
“What?” I glared at him defiantly.
“Your trust.” He raised a brow, daring me to disagree. “She gives you this story about how to break the curse, a story that gives you everything you want… You jump at it, and then she has you. A little too good to be true, isn’t it?” He stopped in front of me, eyes black and brooding.
I stood my ground. “I’m not stupid, Jax. But she doesn’t have me, and even if she did, so what? It’s not like she can change me. There’s only three people who can do that, so the day she gets me, she’s getting one of you guys, too.” My face heated with anger, and I gritted my teeth.
“That’s not going to happen,” Trent said, positioning himself between me and Jax. “No one is going to change her unless she gives permission.” He glared at Sean for several long moments before turning his attention to Jax. “And I mean no one.” He crossed his arms.
I drew in a shaky breath. Here was the moment of truth. I’d been thrust into my worst nightmare. Either Jax and Sean would agree to Trent’s demand, or they’d disagree and force me to change.
“Does she want to change?” Jax asked coolly.
“No,” Trent said at the same time I said, “I don’t know.”
“Interesting,” Jax said.
“Shut up,” Trent snarled at his brother.
“Oh, my God.” I groaned. “Can you please just stop? Ivy is coming back in two days, and I need to have an answer for her.” Frustration and panic laced my words.
Didn’t anyone else realize how serious this was? I had two days to make a choice that would change my life. It was, quite literally, an eternal choice.
Eternal Choice: (The Cursed Series, Book 2) Page 34