“I don’t think Finn could change who he is or how he is with women. I’ve tried to sever my feelings for Finn, but it just doesn’t work. And that was before he saved my life and kept me safe.” I looked at Annie. “I don’t wanna like Finn, but I do, and I don’t think I can stop feeling the way I do.”
“Guys can suck, Ronnie,” Annie said with a smile. “Nobody is perfect, but you just have to find one that’s worth dealing with all the negative stuff. He’s far from perfect, but Finn has a lot of admirable qualities, some you haven’t even begun to see yet. Just give it some time. If your feelings continue to grow, then maybe it’s a sign that the two of you are meant for something more.
“If your feelings begin to fade, then you’ll know it’s just a crush. While we’re asking questions, is there anything else you’d like to know?”
“Actually, yes,” I said. “In the Council room, I was surprised by Kevin’s hostility towards me. I know I’m a threat to his way of life, but the others didn’t treat me the way he did. What gives?”
She smiled thinly. “Ronnie, think about it. He’s a vampire. He survives by feeding on the blood of the others, but his body is technically dead. And you have control over the dead.”
“I could control vampires like I could control an army of the undead?”
Annie nodded her head. “Yes. We were gifted with power over the dead, and that’s exactly what a vampire is. You could make him do anything, like attack someone in broad daylight, or starve himself, or even stake himself. Think about that. If someone had total control of your body, wouldn’t you be a little bit freaked out? Seriously, think about it. For now, let’s get back to work. You still have a lot to learn, like how to banish a soul permanently. If we’re going to defeat Andrew, you’ll have to know how to do this.”
“Why can’t you just do it?”
“It’ll be safer if both of us can do it. That way if something happens to one of us, we’re not left completely defenseless.”
I looked at her. “Is something going to happen to one of us?”
Annie sighed, running her hands nervously through her hair. “Something may very well happen. Ronnie, you have to be prepared for that. It might come down to a fight, and if it does, there’s a very good chance that not everyone you know will survive. I could die. So could Finn, or Tanya, or even you. Just be ready for whatever happens.”
I thought of something I had to ask her, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know the answer. I took a deep breath, readying myself. “Is this all happening because of me? Will Andrew attack and kill these people to get to me? Do they blame me?”
“It could have been any necromancer, Ronnie. They know that. Some of us have powers we simply can’t control. Fairies and witches aren’t born knowing how to use their magic; they’re taught by their parents. You didn’t have any of that. Things might be different had your mother been around to share her wisdom, but without her, you’ve had to start at the beginning.”
“I don’t want anyone to die for me,” I said, looking away from her. “I’m not worth it.”
“Nobody ever thinks they are,” she said with a smile. “Alright, enough talking for now. Let’s get started on banishing.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
The graveyard looked the exact same as it did the last time I was there. Except this time there were multiple fresh graves, which Finn and Annie had dug to rebury the dead animals I’d raised on my last visit. I tried not to look at them, or at the several bodyguards that accompanied me, Finn, and Annie to the center of the graveyard. Not one of the many guards looked happy to be near me, and I couldn’t say I blamed them, since it was pretty much all my fault that they were in danger and at risk of being killed sometime in the near future.
Finn walked a few steps behind me at all times, and Annie remained by my side. Both of them looked vigilant and ready for anything that might show its face during our lesson in the graveyard. I wasn’t worried about an attack. It would be foolish for Andrew to try again so soon. The Council had bumped up security, and only a madman would attempt to break in now.
Andrew is a madman. But even he’s not stupid or desperate enough to try something now. Finn just savagely threw him down a flight of stairs two days ago and several of his hired guns were injured during our escape. He doesn’t stand a chance of getting near me anytime soon. I glanced back at Finn, and was unsurprised when he refused to look at me.
It had been almost a full day since the Council meeting, and Finn hadn’t made eye contact or spoken to me since then. Apparently trying to talk him out of doing something stupid and anger related did not win me points with him, and he was even angrier than he’d been when he thought I might have feelings for him.
Thinking about my feelings for Finn had me blushing furiously, and I ducked my head so nobody would see. The last thing I needed right now was for everyone to think I was some love struck child not worth protecting. Without the guards the Council assigned, I wouldn’t last twenty-four hours. Andrew would find me, and he would use me for his sick plans, and the world would end.
So I had to keep my head in the game and stop focusing on Finn so much, even though it was becoming increasingly hard to do. It seemed like every time I turned around he was there, watching me, protecting me. I just couldn’t escape his gaze. I dreamed of him when I slept, and I got the distinct impression that he checked in on me at night, making sure that I was still in one piece.
Even though I knew that it had nothing to do with personal feelings and everything to do with orders from the Council, I still appreciated everything that he did for me. Not every young woman had a boy willing to do so much for her…
Annie stopped at the exact center of the graveyard, and the additional bodyguards fanned out, taking places behind headstones. They looked like a clichéd version of presidential bodyguards, and I almost smiled at the sight of their black sunglasses, ear pieces, and handguns. They were all rather large and powerful looking, so I figured they were probably werewolves.
“Most of them are vampires,” Finn said quietly as Annie took her place across from me. “They were just tall as humans, and look more powerful because they’re immortal. The rest are half-demons.” I looked at him and frowned. “You’ve been staring at them for almost an entire minute; I figured you were wondering what they were.”
“Thanks for telling me.”
“Alright, Ronnie, listen up. Tonight, I want you to focus, and tell me which of these five graves are the freshest. Their souls are still lingering in this graveyard, and after you’ve identified them, you’ll release their souls and banish them. Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt them, and it’ll be what they want. Help them cross over.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, readying myself to use the power waiting inside. I found it instantly, and it began to pulse and glow in response to my call. It filled me with intense power from head to toe, and I inhaled sharply, breathing in the scent of death and decay. It would have disgusted me before Andrew abducted me, but now that I’d begun to embrace my powers, it actually calmed me.
I took another few deep, quiet breaths, and began searching for the freshest graves. The first one was three away from where Annie was standing. It was a recently deceased gerbil, and I briefly wondered why it even needed a grave. Some parent paid hard-earned money to bury their child’s pet when a simple shoebox in the backyard could have sufficed.
The soul of the gerbil eagerly greeted me, sensing that I could help it. It was still a little strange to feel the presence of a spirit I couldn’t talk to. The animals just floated nearby, resting until I decided what to do with them. The human spirits tended to shout and called out for assistance, and it freaked me out a little. Talking to a person you knew was dead took some getting used to.
I set my feet in the dirt, and began the slow process of banishing the gerbil’s soul. I can see it clearly in my mind’s eye. It flickered and pulsed with a silvery color, and after a few minutes of intense focus, the spirit bega
n to fade from view. It got more transparent and it gave one final burst of silvery light before vanishing from view. Without opening my eyes, I searched the entire graveyard for signs of the gerbil’s spirit, and came up empty-handed.
“It’s gone,” Annie assured me. “Move on to the next one. See if you can do it faster now that you know how it works. Just close your eyes and focus. You’ve got four more to go. The sooner you get them done, the sooner we can return to the compound.”
I looked around at the impatient bodyguards, and then back at Finn, who looked bored out of his mind. I was still looking at Finn when I saw his entire body go rigid with anger, and he quickly began searching the graveyard for something, or someone. His reaction set off the other guards, who all began shouting orders and closing ranks. They immediately rushed for me, but not before the sound of a single shot popped off.
Suddenly Annie was screaming for me, and the other guards were racing for the trees nearby. All I could do was stand in the center of the graveyard with my hands over my stomach, trying to block out the odd pressure in my gut. When something warm began to seep through my fingers, I looked down, and was surprised to see scarlet blood dripping to the ground beneath me.
In just seconds, the entire lower half of my shirt was soaked, and the pressure turned into a searing pain that left me crying and gasping for air. The pain burned through my stomach, causing cramping and an odd throbbing that felt like a dagger of heat every time my heart beat. Putting pressure on my stomach just made the pain flare up, and I gasped again.
Finn sniffed the air and he turned. When his eyes found my bloodstained shirt he rushed to my side. “What happened?”
Annie was sobbing. “What the hell do you think happened? She was shot you moron! Get her back to the compound, now!”
Finn hoisted me up in his arms for the second time in less than forty-eight hours, and he ran.
*****
The field was full of vivid, beautiful wildflowers. Splashes of red, blue, purple, and yellow passed by as I ran. I twirled to a stop, inhaling the unbelievably amazing scent the flowers all gave off. The breeze rustled my hair and dress, and I fell softly to the ground, using the wildflowers as a cushion. For a minute, I just lay there in the grass and flowers, enjoying the feeling of being free with no cares in the world.
“Veronica.”
That voice. I knew who it was the second she spoke, but I couldn’t bring myself to open my eyes. I was afraid that if I did, she wouldn’t be there, and I would be all alone after hearing the love and compassion in her voice. I took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of lilac and vanilla–her perfume–and it gave me the courage to open my eyes.
She was just like I remembered her.
Her long raven-colored hair fell nearly to the bottom of her ribcage in straight strands, and her bangs nearly obscured her dark green eyes. What I could see of them was bright with unshed tears. Her dimples were entirely noticeable, even though what she was doing was far from smiling, and her nose was small and curved, much like my own.
This woman was me in fifteen years.
“Veronica, you can’t be here.”
What she was saying cut through my happy inner-ramblings like a knife. She didn’t want me here? After all these years apart, she wanted me gone? What kind of mother didn’t want to see her child if given the chance again after so many years?
“Oh, Veronica, of course I want to see you.” She opened her arms, and without hesitation, I ran forward and threw myself against her. She wrapped her arms around me as I buried my face in her shoulder. “I’ve missed you so much, but you can’t be here yet. It’s not your time,” she said, almost regretfully.
I looked up into her eyes that were nearly identical to my own, and I felt the urge to cry building up. I’d been hoping and praying for another chance to see my mother, and now that I had it, I wasn’t sure what to do or say.
“You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want too,” she said soothingly.
“Can you read my mind?” I asked stupidly. The first chance I had to say something to my mother after years and that was the best I could come up with.
She smiled softly and titled my head up so our eyes met. “Yes, here I can read your mind. Honey, I have missed you so much. You really have no idea. I hated not being around to help you through everything in your life. Your father abandoning you, foster care, coming into your powers, all of it. And now you’re stuck with the Council until they decide to let you go.”
“It’s not so bad,” I said. “There are nice people there to keep me company, like Tanya, or my teacher, Annie.”
“Don’t forget the werewolf,” she said dryly.
“How did you–”
“I’ve been keeping watch over you since the accident. When others would have moved on, I stayed behind to make sure you were taken care of. I’ve been waiting until the day you were powerful enough to see me. I was going to appear to you and tell you some things you need to know to survive.”
“What kind of things?” I asked, looking around. “And where are we?”
“We’re nowhere right now. We’re in the area of your mind between life and death. When you die, you’ll move on to the Outer Planes, before passing on to the Other Side, where your soul will be at peace for all of eternity.”
“So I’m not dead?”
She frowned. “No, but you seem to be intent on giving it your best shot. Veronica, you have to be more careful. Not only do you have a very powerful enemy, but you need to be smarter about who you trust. Consorting with werewolves is not a good idea. They’re angry, volatile, and downright dangerous.”
“Finn saved my life when the Council wouldn’t,” I said tightly. “He’s a good guy; he just doesn’t act like it all the time.”
She sighed heavily, rubbing her temples with her fingertips. “Veronica, I have something I have to tell you, and I’m not quite sure how to say it, so I’m just going to do it. Terry Parker is not your father. I took this secret to my grave, but now I have to share the truth with you. I saw your exchange with Andrew, and I was afraid he would guess the truth. Andrew is your father.”
Her words echoed in my brain and all I could do was stand there and stare at her like she’d just grown a second head. Andrew was my father? “It’s not possible, Mom. I was born almost a full year after you left Andrew, right? Unless you were still sleeping with Andrew,” I said bitterly, “I don’t see how I could possibly be his child.”
“You are, and I wasn’t. Veronica, I lied about your birth. You won’t be turning sixteen in a couple of days. You’ll be turning seventeen. When I found out I was pregnant with you, I fled as far away from Andrew as I possibly could, and I found a man that I’d known for years. He’d been in love with me all through our school years, and when I told him that Andrew was an abusive monster, he offered me a place to stay, and we eventually fell in love. He pretended to be your father, and we lied about your age to anyone who asked.
“After a time, we moved back here to our hometown, after Andrew had married and moved on to another state. I thought we were safe, until recently. I could feel Andrew’s presence from the afterlife–that’s how powerful he is, Veronica. He’s one of the most powerful necromancer’s I’ve ever met, but he’s not powerful enough to finish his plans. He needs you for that. After he’s done raising his army, Andrew plans on creating the next generation of super-charged necromancers…with you.”
I gagged. “But he doesn’t know I’m his daughter? So all I have to do is tell him, and he’ll stop, right? I mean, he wouldn’t actually consider having children with one of his own children, would he?”
She sighed. “I’m not sure, Veronica. Andrew is angry and power-hungry. That is not a good combination. Just be careful and stay vigilant. As much as I dislike werewolves, I can admit that yours is probably your best chance for survival.”
“Mom, he’s not mine,” I said, feeling oddly uncomfortable talking about Finn with my dead mother.
She
shook her head, almost like she didn’t believe me. Then she smiled tenderly, looking so much like the loving woman I knew that it hurt. “Honey, it’s time for you to wake up.”
“What? No! I don’t wanna go!”
She and the field both began to fade away, and I reached out for her, dying for just one last touch. My hand went through hers, and she vanished without a trace, leaving me alone in the middle of nowhere, with no idea of how to get back. Before I could even take a single step, searing red-hot pain exploded in my stomach, and I gasped, before everything went dark.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“How long do you think she’ll be out?” Tanya asked worriedly.
“Annie said she lost a lot of blood at the cemetery.” That was Holly, and she sounded bored as usual, but also slightly annoyed. “How come you couldn’t get her here sooner, Finn? She was bleeding to death in your arms, and it took you forever. Did you stop for dinner first?”
“I ran as fast as I could,” Finn ground out tightly. “It wasn’t my fault she got shot. Maybe if she paid a little more attention to her surroundings she would have seen Diego and his rifle before he shot her, not after. And besides, I didn’t see you out there helping guard her. You’re a vampire and more powerful than she is. If you’re so concerned for her safety, why don’t you do something about it?” he snapped.
Holly hissed. “I was busy. What were you doing, scoping out the cemetery for your next fuck buddy?”
“Will you guys both shut up?” I asked quietly, opening my eyes a bit. The lights above my eyes were harsh and I blinked rapidly to keep from crying. I tried to sit up, but Tanya rushed to my side, wings fluttering anxiously behind her.
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