“Everything will be as it should be, my love.” His voice sounded like a beautiful song in her mind.
“I’m not sure I believe in fate anymore.”
“You don’t have to, it just is.”
“Is there nothing I can do to ensure my children have a better fate than me?”
“Your fate hasn’t played out. You have so much beauty ahead.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I believe that.”
She felt a gentle hug and noticed that the night was starting to fade into the day. “I love you, Sebastian. I can’t stop loving you.”
“I will always love you, my witch.”
With the light peeking into the window, the connection was lost. She tugged off the shawl and tucked it in her nightstand drawer. Before she drifted off she snuggled closer to Shane and wrapped her arms around him. Thoughts of a family filled her mind. To have a real family had always been a fantasy, one she never imagined would be a reality.
After losing Lizzy without even knowing her, all of her past family vanished, with the exception of Curtis. The thought of him made her doubt the wisdom of children. When she realized Sebastian was her soulmate, she allowed the idea of children to vanish. They could never have that together and he would have been enough if he had wanted her too.
Now that she knew she was having children, something changed. They were now the most important thing she could think of.
She needed to see Josephine dead to save lives, but she also needed to see Fannie dead, because her children would have a mother, and she was not giving Fannie her first born for any reason. She wondered if her mother made the decision to only have one child because she knew Fannie would have to wait to take her. Maybe she was planning her own offensive.
Her thoughts were on family past and present when she drifted off.
When Shane woke up she had just fallen asleep, but since her night had been so long, him getting up didn’t disturb her.
Chapter Fifteen
“H ow’s she doing?” Dillon tossed a few things in the boat before he got in.
Shane shuffled the cooler out of his way and watched as Dillon untied them from the dock. “Good I guess, she slept pretty late. Stress I imagine. She’s better now, been playing in her craft room since she woke up.”
“That’s not good. That means she is thinking about something she can’t figure out.” Dillon started the engine and drove them to deeper water on the other side of the lake, where he’d had better luck the last few times he was there. It was strange to him to have someone with him. He wouldn’t be able to relax, but that really wasn’t why he was there. He wanted to know as much as he could from Shane, so he could make things easier on Gwen, and stop whatever witch was doing this before it turned on her.
“Oh, well, I’m sure she’ll figure it out.” Shane looked around when they stopped and started to bait his hook. “You ever catch anything out here?”
“Yes, I do. What do you know about this witch?” Dillon eyed his rod, not even sure he wanted to fish.
“Right, wow, what sort of size? We going to catch a lunch for her to cook up?” Shane popped a beer and handed one to Dillon.
Dillon looked at the can in his hand. “I can’t do this, here with you. Just pretend like we are out here having beers, enjoying each other. I’m here to talk about witches and vampires. I want to help Gwen. You don’t even care to try to get to know what she’s all about. The whole thing is disgusting.”
“Disgusting? Drink your beer and bait your hook. I wasn’t exactly given a choice. Sergei is mild-mannered compared to the thing I have to answer to. When I didn’t score on her vacation, that thing bit me and drank my blood.” Shane shook his head and shuddered as he thought back to that meeting. “There’ve been more than a few times I didn’t think I’d walk away from him.”
Dillon sat the can down and closed his eyes, counting to ten. “Score? If we are ever going to get past me wanting to drown you in this lake, you had better at least pretend to have some respect for her. She’s perfect. You don’t score with a woman like her. You thank your lucky stars she even looked at you.”
“Yeah, I get it, you love her.” Shane finished his drink, and put the can in the small trash bag they brought. “I’m sorry, this is as awful as it gets. I really am sorry, honestly. I didn’t ask to come in here and break up your, whatever you were working on. I can see that it was special, but that just doesn’t matter to them.”
Dillon tapped his fingers on the top of his can. “She’s not ready for anything right now. You can’t imagine what she’s been through. I was waiting. I was thinking of her. You can’t hurt her; you just don’t understand how hard it was to get her past losing everything.” He looked across the lake toward the gazebo. “She’s not past it. It haunts her.”
“I won’t hurt her.” Shane reeled in his line and tossed it out again. “I have to stay and make sure things happen. I can’t go unless she, well they want kids, that’s all I know. That aside, why would I leave? Look at this place.”
“So you will hang out because of ‘this place’?” Dillon sighed and again found himself talking down the anger that bubbled just under the surface. “She deserves so much more. You don’t even want her. You’ll never love her like I would.”
Shane shrugged. “Probably not, but that can’t happen, so you might as well just let that hot receptionist, with the long legs, make you feel better.”
Dillon momentarily lost all grip on his temper, balled his left hand and landed a hit on Shane’s nose.
Shane gripped the side of the boat with one hand and cupped his nose with the other, while the pain sent out a blinding flash. “Jesus Christ, that hurt. What the hell is wrong with you? None of this was my idea.” He rocked a little, waiting for the pain to ease. “That’s assault you know.”
Dillon rubbed his hand, watching as the knuckle bled a little. “You don’t get to look at long legs anymore. You are going to be exactly what Gwen needs. She’s going to be happier than she ever imagined.”
“Just drive the damn boat back. You’re lucky I’m not pressing charges.”
“I’m serious, Shane. I’ll help. You will be her perfect, whatever, or I’m going to make you wish the monsters came for you.”
“You are going to help me be what she wants?” He reeled in his line and sat the rod down. “Why?”
“Because she will be safe and happy that way. I can love her through you. I can make her happy. Don’t you get it? She loved me and I loved her. I appreciate you didn’t want to be here, but here we are. We may have to live with how awful this arrangement is, but she doesn’t.” He sighed. “She doesn’t. Please.”
“How about you just don’t hit me again, and we can start from there.”
“Make her happy, Shane.”
“Yeah, okay. I said I would stay.”
“Do more than stay.”
“On it. I’ll be everything she needs and everything they want.” Shane got a sad look in his eyes. “I had a life too. Don’t try to make me out to be the bad guy, because I am finding the positive spin on this. I’m allowed to enjoy the benefit of her wealth.”
“Yeah, fine, I get that. But every man she’s loved, hurt her so far, me included now. You can change that for her.” Dillon popped his beer. “Tell me what you know about this witch and what she can do. Let’s help each other.”
“Yeah, right, friends. Friends who hit each other. I owe you a pop, and when it happens, I don’t expect you to say a word. Not a damn word.”
Dillon took a long sip. “Not a word. You probably should tell her you fell on the dock. It might upset her to think I hit you.”
“Right, and your hand?” Shane laughed. “I guess you smashed that on the boat somehow? She’ll know as soon as she sees us. You are as crap at lying as she is.”
“Just tell me about the witch.” Dillon baited his hook and listened as Shane told him everything he knew about the witch. “And Gwen, our sweet Gwen can do that
too? This is her relative?”
“Gwen would never. Witches don’t hurt other witches, or people for that matter. Technically, Josephine would be shunned and called a warlock. I didn’t think it was my place to correct Gwen, and really, I don’t think she wants that title in her family, it’s an ugly thing.”
“She’s seen and had enough ugliness.” Dillon tapped his fingers on the side of the boat. “But Gwen can do things? Magic things? Can you?”
Shane laughed. “I know it’s a lot to think about. I’m supposed to be some witch on par with her, but I’ll be honest, I’m not. Frankly, I think they tagged the wrong guy. My mom was all new age and tarot card reading, but me, I’m just a guy. I can feel what people feel, people close to me, especially if I care about them, or if it is really a strong emotion, but that is the extent of my magic.”
Dillon studied him for all the ticks he was trained to spot. As far as he could tell, Shane at least believed what he was saying was true. “You make charms, in the little shop where she met you though, that’s magic? Real magic?”
“Nope, I repeat spells my mom taught me, sometimes. Most of the time it’s just pretty crystals sold to silly tourists.”
“Gwen is different? Have you seen her do things?”
“Yep, she is, and yes I have. She took me into a shadow and we stepped out in another state. She’s supposed to be able to call up pretty powerful magic. I haven’t seen that, but I have no reason to doubt it. I felt her take away bad feelings, wrap me in good feelings. She hums with peace. Even without magic you should feel some of that.” He shrugged and smiled. “I’m sure she’s wrapped you in stuff too, since she loves you.”
“I, yes, I guess I have felt it.” Dillon sighed and frowned. “These vampires, they will kill you if you say no?”
He snorted. “They will kill me Monday if she isn’t having a baby.”
“Monday?” Dillon almost spit out the sip he had in his mouth. “They gave you until Monday? Do they know what is happening? How can they expect her to want to, do that with dead bodies stacking up?”
“I don’t think they understand much about feelings. They certainly don’t seem to have them.”
“But you said that the one who you answer to, he cares for her?” Dillon reeled in his line and flung it out again.
“There’s something there. I wouldn’t say cares. I’ve seen evidence that he isn’t too tender with her, but he values her. Sergei regards her as something to be revered.” He narrowed his eyes and stared off across the lake. “I haven’t pieced it all together yet.”
Dillon’s eyes seemed to fill with anger. “Wait, it hurts her? The vampire? Bites her?”
Shane nodded and sipped his beer. “Sadly, there isn’t much anyone can do about that, or I bet Sebastian would. He knows about the set up, and I get the feeling he’d take off my head as soon as they look away.”
“It hurts her, that’s awful.” Dillon’s shoulders slumped and then he looked back up, puzzled. “Sebastian? The old guy next door?”
“That’s what I said.” Shane laughed. “He’s something magic, not exactly sure what, but he loves her. Loves her and hates me. Like you.”
“I thought he kept odd hours, he’s a vampire? He kills people? Sebastian?” Dillon glanced toward his side of the lake. He never had anything but good vibes from Sebastian, and he prided himself on being a good judge of character.
“I’m not sure. I don’t get that he is like them. He’s rude, but not, well not like them. He’s magic like her, but not exactly.”
Dillon closed his eyes. “This is a bit much. I mean seriously, Gwen is the sweetest person I have ever known, and she’s not even a person. Now you are telling me that with the exception of me, she surrounds herself with monsters?”
“That’s harsh. She’s as much a person as you or I. Witches aren’t monsters or genetic freaks. I don’t think she chooses to have monsters in her life.” Shane felt a strange bit of protectiveness for her. Like him, she didn’t ask for any of this.
“Monday huh? You nervous?” He paused briefly and then asked, “How will they even know?”
“I don’t know what to be more nervous about, the killer warlock or blood suckers. Oh and there is this sheriff that wants to drown me in a lake too.”
“Sorry I hit you. That’s not who I am. I just can’t stand how flippantly you talk about being with her. I think it would be easier for me, if you loved her.” Dillon had a hit on his line but he was distracted, and when he went to set it, the line went slack. “You can’t just have a family, not in a small town, people will talk. Her family is thought of highly here.” He balled his fist and squeezed. “Damn it, you can’t have a family with her, if you don’t love her. It’s not right.”
Shane regarded his fist, glad it stayed at his side. “I’ve thought about that. I guess I should ask her to marry me, soon.”
“You guess? You want knocked overboard?”
Shane put his hands up in mock defense. “Easy, killer. I’m sorry I don’t love her. I’m trying to do the right thing, as right as I can, and stay alive.”
Dillon closed his eyes and drew in a long breath. “It needs to mean something.”
“No, she needs to think it means something. That is the best I can do.” Shane looked toward the other side of the lake. “Maybe it will mean something, eventually.”
“We should head back. You need to be with her, if she is upset. I’ll make sandwiches and coffee.” Dillon wanted some distance between them. As much as he tried to understand Shane didn’t want to hurt her or them, it still made him angry to think she would be stuck with someone who didn’t really love her.
Shane could hear sadness in Dillon’s voice, but more than that he felt it envelope him. “Hey, once I get the monsters off my back, you can. Well, I don’t mind if you two. I’ll look the other way.”
“Stop. Just stop. I’m trying to like you, for her. She’s not like that, and I would never ask her to be.” As they neared the dock Dillon added. “And you won’t be like that either. Don’t you ever let me find out you’ve betrayed her.”
“W here’s the catches?” Gwen looked from Shane to Dillon and back to Shane again. She reached up and touched his face gently. “What happened?” She turned to Dillon with wide eyes. “What happened, Dillon?”
The accusation in her tone cut right through him. “He’s clumsy. The fish weren’t biting. You want me to make sandwiches?”
“Clumsy?” She looked at Dillon and frowned, when he looked away. “I’ll make lunch.”
Shane kissed her. “Let him, I want to talk to you.”
“No, he’s company. You two go hang out, I’ll just throw something together. Do you want some ice for your nose?” Her hand gently stroked his jaw and then she looked at Dillon again. “Or your fist?”
“We’re both fine, really.” Shane kissed her again. “Extra ‘maters on mine, baby.”
“Fine, no more of this.” She looked from one to the other. They both nodded and she walked out of the room. While she liked that she could keep an eye on them both, she couldn’t talk to Shane about the babies with Dillon there. As she made the sandwiches, she continued to think about how she was going to tell him.
“She doesn’t like being called baby.” Dillon sat down in the sunroom with Shane after she went to the kitchen.
Shane chuckled. “She’s never complained.”
“She wouldn’t. You have to watch her face. She’s awful at hiding it when someone or something annoys her.”
He slowly shook his head. “You study her that closely? What am I looking for?”
“Her nose wrinkles usually. Sometimes a small crease forms between her brows. Occasionally, when she is really put off, her eyes go wide. But the cutest is when one side of her lip starts to rise, or her mouth drops opened.” Dillon’s eyes started to light up as he thought about all of her cute tells.
“You’re smiling.”
Dillon let his smile drop. “Anyway, don’t call her baby.”
<
br /> “Got it, no more baby, and certainly not sweetestheart.” Shane started to smirk, but realized Dillon was not amused. “Sorry.”
“Lunch.” Gwen walked in with a tray that had three plates of sandwiches, two plates with cake, and one with pie. She sat it on a table in the center of the room and then relaxed in a chair.
They joined her at the table. Dillon took the pie and Shane took a sandwich.
Gwen watched them both, her eyes were still drawn to Shane’s busted nose and the beginnings of a black eye from it. She assumed if she really wanted to know he would tell her what happened later. Maybe, if he didn’t pack and go when she told him about the babies. After warning him about Fannie, that might be enough to send him running. Her eyes drifted over to catch Dillon staring at her. She raised a brow and took the plate with her sandwich.
Shane could feel worry coming from her and sadness coming from Dillon. The combined emotions were making him nauseous. He did his best to tune it out. “Delicious.” He started the second half of his sandwich.
Dillon finished his pie and started his sandwich. “No matter what she makes, it always is.” His eyes stayed trained on her. “You okay?”
She picked at her meat and chewed a bite slowly. “No, I have a lot on my mind.”
Shane reached over and rubbed her knee. “We’re here for you. You want to talk?”
“No.” She took a bigger bite and wrinkled her nose.
“Eat the cake.” Dillon pushed the plate of cake closer to her. He started to smile at her, but looked down when his phone buzzed. He chewed his bottom lip and tapped his finger on the phone. “Excuse me.”
Gwen watched him walk outside. Even though she could see him through the glass, he had his back to her and she couldn’t read his lips.
“What’s wrong? You worrying about Steven?” Shane watched her watching Dillon. “Eat something, sweetheart.”
She took a bite of cake and sighed as the sweet icing melted in her mouth. “I love cake.”
He laughed. “I love you. What’s bothering you?”
“I, Shane, there is so much and you’ve been so perfect. I really don’t even know what to say.” A few tears rolled down her face.
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