A few moments later, Daniel reemerged from the doorway. I felt my mouth drop open as he made his way towards us.
Bethani’s sweet voice chimed up behind me. “I must admit, you clean up quite nicely.”
He had cleaned the grit off his face, revealing his smooth, clean-shaven face. His dark hair was still a mess, but in a sexy sort of way. His ripped jeans hugged every muscle, while the buttons on his blue checkered flannel shirt struggled to stay in place.
“I believe you have a staring problem, miss.” He walked past me, brushing against me as he went by. I blushed and caught a look of amusement on Nicolai’s face, which confused me. If anything, I expected him to be jealous, not amused.
“Shall we be on our way?” he asked without turning around.
“Lead on,” my father called out behind him.
“How can he possibly know where Tristan is?” I whispered to Nicolai.
“Let’s just say he can see things others can’t,” he said.
“What does he see?”
Daniel’s deep voice boomed out from up ahead. “I see everything.”
“Alrighty then,” I nodded, “let’s go.”
Nicolai motioned for me to go ahead of him. “After you, beautiful.”
I had no idea where he was leading us, but I assumed it wasn’t going to be somewhere pleasant. My father and Nicolai trusted him, so I supposed I should too; after all, we needed him to help us find Tristan before anyone else ended up dead. Our secret lives had been tucked away, out of the minds of the townsfolk, and I had to do everything in my power to keep it that way.
Chapter 13
Beautiful Magic
Ctephanyi smiled and set down her cup of tea. The butterflies fluttered past her and landed gracefully on the flowers that ran along the edges of her garden. She drew in a deep breath in and let it out slowly. She had gotten used to this life—this…human life. It had been difficult and awkward at first, but after time she had begun to like it.
Human life was simple, pleasant, and well…simple. Her day consisted of tending to her flower bed and watching other humans pretend to like each other as they passed one another on the street. Occasionally Nicolai and Angelina would surprise her with a visit. They would have a pleasant conversation that generally ended with her in tears thanking Angelina once again for giving her a second chance at life.
She frowned and ran her finger delicately across the top of her cup. She had been such a terrible person before, filled with spite and hatred. Her soul had been ugly and unforgiving. She didn’t miss those feelings one bit and prayed every day that those feelings never returned. There was one thing she missed however. It was her husband, Elias. He had disappeared shortly after she had been turned human, and she hadn’t seen him since. Occasionally, she thought she felt his presence nearby, but dismissed it as the simple human emotion—hope.
Today, she had awoken with a new feeling. Her entire body tingled, and she couldn’t dismiss the overwhelming feeling that she was being watched. The cool breeze carried the familiar scent of lilac and lavender. It was the scent of her Goddess, Hecate. She turned around, and to her surprise, Hecate was standing behind her.
“Greetings, Ctephanyi.”
The small glass trembled under her fingertips. “Hecate, to what do I owe this honor?” she asked, trying to hide the nervousness in her voice.
Hecate smiled and walked towards her. Her white dress shimmered in the sun while her long, dark hair swayed freely across her bare back. “I’m here to restore your power,” she said.
Ctephanyi felt her face twist into a look of surprise. “You’re giving me back my power?”
“That is correct,” she answered. She nodded to the chair at the table. “May I?”
Ctephanyi nodded and cleared her throat. “I’m so sorry, where are my manners?” She pointed to the chair in front of her. “Please, have a seat.”
Hecate smiled. “Thank you.”
She pulled the chair out and sat down, revealing her bare feet as she crossed her long, slender legs. “It has come to my attention that one of my enemies has resurfaced and is going to attempt to take my daughter. This,” she glared at Ctephanyi with hatred in her eyes, “cannot happen.”
Ctephanyi stared at her in awe. “Why have you come to me? You’re by far more powerful than I am.”
Hecate raised a hand to silence her. “I am no longer allowed to help humans, but”—she smirked— “I can restore what was rightfully yours in the first place.”
A silent understanding crossed between the two of them.
“I see,” Ctephanyi said. She ran her finger around the brim of the cup again and frowned.
“You’re afraid your new human emotions will get in the way.”
She nodded and fought back the weakness that had begun to fill her eyes. “What if I fail you? What if I fail her?”
Hecate reached out and patted Ctephanyi’s arm tenderly. “You won’t allow yourself to fail me or her.”
A warm tear escaped down her cheek and she nodded. “What do I need to do?”
Hecate smiled and gently wiped away the tear from Ctephanyi’s face. “Find my daughter and keep her safe.”
“Who is this enemy, Hecate? Why has he come for her?”
Her face grew dark and sullen. “His name is Tristan, and he seeks revenge for the punishment I bestowed upon his family for breaking our most sacred law.”
Ctephanyi felt her eyes grow wide with fear. “Everyone knows of this story.”
“So, you can imagine his hatred for me then.”
She nodded. “That I can.”
“Angelina must not give in to him. If the Crimson Moon rises, the world as you know it will cease to exist.”
Ctephanyi knew if Tristan managed to get to Angelina, destruction would follow suit. She had been given a second chance at life, and if there was one way she could repay Angelina for that precious gift, then keeping her safe from Tristan was it.
Hecate lowered her voice and stared into Ctephanyi’s eyes. “I will warn you,” Hecate said, “he will try and tempt you with what you most desire.”
She felt her heart flutter. “Elias?” she assumed.
Hecate nodded. “Yes, you must be prepared, for your heart is now human and there is no greater emotion than that of love.”
She swallowed the knot that had begun to form in her throat. “I won’t fail you,” she promised.
“I know you won’t.” She smiled, smoothing the wrinkles from her dress as she stood up.
“My powers, will they…”
“Oh, yes!” Hecate chuckled, “I almost forgot.” She pointed to the cup of tea in front of Ctephanyi, “Drink up, I hear tea is good for the soul.” She walked away, her silky hair fluttering in the breeze behind her.
Ctephanyi stared at the cup in front of her. She knew what that tiny little teacup held inside. She picked it up and breathed in its leafy fragrance. “Well, here goes nothing.” She took a long drink and set the cup back down on the table. Hoping to feel something, she frowned in disappointment. She felt absolutely nothing. In fact, the tingling sensation she’d felt earlier had ceased completely. Maybe it was too late, maybe she had been human for too long, and her body had simply rejected her magic.
A silky black and tan butterfly drifted lazily towards her before setting down on the edge of her cup. She admired its beauty. Its large, delicate wings flapped back and forth while its antennae flicked in silence. She held out her finger and without hesitation the creature floated from the cup to her finger. Its wings spread open and its antennae stood erect. She felt something brush against the side of her face and turned to see another large butterfly rest on her shoulder. Before she knew it, she became engulfed in a swarm of beauty. Soft wings fluttered against her cheeks, while antennae tickled her face. Her power had returned and nature trusted her once again. Now she could do exactly what she had promised to do—protect Angelina and save the world.
Chapter 14
Apologies
My fathe
r put his strong hand on Daniel’s shoulder and laughed. “Those were the days, weren’t they?”
Daniel smirked and nodded. “Yeah, they sure were.”
“Aww, now don’t you act like you didn’t have fun back then, son.”
I watched Daniel’s smirk turn into a full-blown smile as he shrugged. “Yeah, I guess so.”
Nicolai walked beside them and laughed. “Hey, do you remember that time we were all…”
I rolled my eyes and tuned them out. “Men,” I grumbled.
“What’s the matter? Jealous?” Jeremiah snickered behind me.
“Why in the world would I be jealous?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. “I don’t care that they’re taking time out to walk down memory lane.”
He nudged me slightly and grinned. “Then why roll your eyes?”
I felt my cheeks flush in embarrassment. “I don’t know.” I shrugged. “Maybe because they seem to know him well, but I’ve never been introduced.”
“Is that the real reason or is it because of the tension between you and Nicolai?”
I let out a heavy sigh. “I just don’t know what his problem is lately.”
“Why not ask him then?”
I looked down thoughtfully. “I’ve been so focused on the task at hand, I haven’t…”
“I’m sorry,” Jeremiah interrupted.
I looked up at him confused. “For what? You haven’t done anything wrong.”
He stopped in his tracks. “Yes, I have.”
“Jeremiah…”
“Listen, Angelina. I killed Cole, and there’s nothing I can do to bring him back.”
“You didn’t know…”
“It doesn’t matter. His blood is on my hands and now karma has come full circle. A life for a life. Laurana for Cole.”
“Is that what you think? Jeremiah, every soul on Earth is here for a certain amount of time. Once that time has expired, and they have done the task that was put before them, they get called to a greater place.”
He stared at me thoughtfully, his beautiful blue eyes brimming with tears. “What was Laurana’s task, Angelina? To die because she fell in love with me?”
“No.” I gave him a sympathetic smile. “Her task was to simply love you when you needed love the most.”
He wrapped his strong arms around me. “Angelina, I miss her so much.”
I smiled and hugged him back. “I know.”
“Please”—he squeezed me tighter—“talk to Nicolai. Don’t let whatever is festering between the two of you get any worse.” He released his grip and pulled away. “Don’t take the time you have with him for granted. Before you know it, it will be gone.”
I noticed Nicolai had stopped talking to my father and was staring at Jeremiah and me. He had a jealous, but also curious, look on his face.
Daniel stopped and frowned. “Are you slackers coming or what?”
I gave him a dirty look. “I really don’t know why, but I don’t like that guy. He’s like an annoying brother that just won’t go away.”
Jeremiah chuckled. “Well he seems to like you.”
“Pshh, yeah right.” I punched him playfully in the arm.
His bright blue eyes twinkled while he acted as if the innocent hit was going to cause him to lose his balance. “Ouch!”
Bethani giggled as she walked past us. “She’s been working out.”
I laughed and tugged at his shirt. “Come on, slacker,” I replied, trying to mimic Daniel’s deep voice.
“Careful tugging on that shirt, you might just unleash some rippling muscles.”
I made a gagging noise and he playfully punched me back. It felt good to joke around with him again. Looking forward, I caught Daniel staring at me with an odd expression on his face. He turned away and began walking ahead of our group the moment our eyes met.
“That guy is just weird,” I muttered to myself.
“Before you judge him, maybe you should get to know him a little better,” Bethani said, without turning around.
I nodded, embarrassed by my actions. I had forgotten about Bethani’s keen sense of hearing. That girl could hear a mouse fart from three rooms away.
The Crimson Forest was only a short distance ahead of us. The summer breeze sifted through the trees, causing the leaves to flutter back and forth lazily. I looked down and admired the soft crimson moss as it snaked along the ground and up the tree trunks. How deceiving this place was, with its mask of beauty and serenity.
My attention to the forest was suddenly averted as a low rumble vibrated through the soles of my tennis shoes. Bending down on one knee, I placed my hand against the ground firmly. I held one finger up and motioned for my companions to be still.
“What are you doing?” Daniel asked, annoyed.
“Shh,” I brought my finger to my lips and hushed him. “Do you feel that?”
Bethani bent down and placed her hand next to mine. “She’s right, I feel it too.”
By the heavy look of concern on Bethani’s face, I knew something bad was about to happen. Nicolai rushed to my side protectively, while the others stared in silent anticipation.
Jeremiah’s jaw muscles twitched, and I knew he was preparing himself for a fight. “What should we do?” he asked.
The ground beneath us trembled ferociously. Tree branches could be heard snapping angrily nearby.
Bethani’s lavender eyes grew wide with fear. “We run!”
Suddenly hundreds of deer emerged from the edge of the forest. Their ears were tipped back, while a look of sheer terror could be seen in their big brown eyes. Their tails flicked anxiously as they bounded towards us.
“We won’t have time to outrun them,” I said. Letting the familiar electric current run throughout my body, I whispered, “Protection.” A bright, white current escaped from my fingertips and snaked across the ground like lightning would flash across a night sky. The energy joined together in a jagged circle around us. The frightened deer, sensing the strong forces, kept their distance from our group.
“I see she’s remembered her talents,” Daniel called out over the loud tramping.
“Yet, she doesn’t recall you,” my father joked.
“She will,” Daniel promised.
My eyes darted nervously to each of my companions. It was important to me that I kept them all safe. Nicolai’s eyes met mine and I could see from the frown on his face he was worried. Jeremiah was right; what if I hadn’t been able to keep them safe? I could’ve lost the one thing I had fought so hard to keep—love. My heart was suddenly full of regret.
A few more deer ran skittishly past us. Once I was sure we were out of harm’s way, I dismissed the protective energy around us.
“It looks like they’re en route to town,” my father noted, pointing to the buildings that lay in the direction the deer were heading.
“What could possibly scare a forest animal so much that they would take their chances in the human world?” Bethani asked.
The forest beckoned to me as I stared into it. “I don’t know, but we’re about to find out.” I took comfort in the familiar touch of Nicolai’s hand on my shoulder.
“Wait.” He wrapped his arms around my waist. His earthy scent sent butterflies to my stomach. “I’m sorry,” he said.
I put my finger against his cool lips and whispered, “I’m sorry too.” In one swift motion, he moved my finger away and pushed his lips against mine. The power ran through both of us and for a moment the world stood still. Our souls touched, reminding us that our love was special. It was meant to be.
A breathless, romantic sigh could be heard behind us. “Wow,” Bethani said. “This is just like one of those Hallmark movies you watch with me, Angelina.”
Stepping away from my special moment with Nicolai, I too let out my own breathless, romantic sigh. Wow was right! Nicolai pushed a stray strand of hair behind my ear lovingly. “I am yours and you are mine. I will love you forever.”
“Well, if you two teenagers are done making out, do you t
hink we can get going?” Daniel asked, emotionless.
Giving Daniel a dirty look, I pulled away from Nicolai and stared into the forest. I was really beginning to dislike this guy.
Nicolai nudged me gently. “Come on, don’t let him get to you. He’s harmless. You’ll see.”
“We’ll see.” The forest beckoned to me once again. Something terrible was happening deep within it. I could feel it deep in my soul. It desperately needed our help.
“It’s dying,” I said.
“What is?” Nicolai asked.
“The forest,” I replied, knowing we were the only ones that could save it.
Chapter 15
Triple Spiral
Ctephanyi rummaged through her top dresser drawer, in search of the small wooden box bound in dried deer leather. The box had arrived on her doorstep only a few days ago, and she knew the emblem that had been burnt into the dried leather well. It was their family crest, a triple spiral with the first letters of their name intertwined. When she saw the crest, it became apparent who the gift was from: her estranged husband, Elias. She had been afraid to open it. Their final memories together in the forest had been tragic. She still wasn’t quite ready to let those feelings of hurt and betrayal resurface, so she had hidden the box out of sight. As humans say, out of sight, out of mind, right?
Her fingers ran across something soft and smooth. Smiling, she pulled out the small wooden treasure and traced her finger along the edges of the triple spiral. This emblem represented the powers of maiden, mother, and crone. It was the symbol of her people and the power they possessed in growth and transition. Their family initials intertwined within the symbol brought love and light.
Suddenly the teacups that were decoratively displayed in an old, open hutch began to chatter noisily in the next room. She felt an odd tremble under her feet and slammed her dresser drawer shut. A dark, ominous feeling crept into her human soul. It was a new feeling for her, but it let her know something was very wrong.
Holding the wooden box close, she headed to the front of the house. She jumped as her teacups fell and shattered, one by one, onto the hardwood floor. She pulled open her front door and her body went numb from adrenaline. Her cold fingers loosened around the box and it slipped out of her hand. It tumbled softly down the front steps and landed on the grass a few feet away. With her hands trembling slightly, she stood in awe of the large whitetail deer that stood in front of her. She turned her head and saw hundreds more coming towards her.
Crimson Moon: The Crimson Chronicles Book 2 Page 5