Fateful Attractions

by Lucretia Stanhope

  He smiled. “I did. I have what I need at my shop, I just need a second to go pick things up.”

  “What are you making?”

  “Blessed charms for the kids. I may need one myself. You’d have to bless it. Mom taught me that much, can’t bless yourself.” He laughed. “Heck, maybe I should have my buddy send them. Seems we need all the protection we can get.”

  “Maybe you should have it overnighted.” Gwen sighed and smiled. “We’ll get through this.”

  “I’ve no doubt.” He reached over and took her hand, feeling glad the day was almost over. Another talk with Sergei was in order. The day had been eye opening.

  Vampires were not the only thing he had to worry about now. The feeling he got from Lewis rattled him.

  In town, she drove every street, looking for the patrol car or the crime scene. Shane continued to call his phone every so often.

  After reaching the abandoned campgrounds on the other edge of town, Gwen breathed out loudly. “He’s gone.”

  “We’ll find him.” Shane looked out the window. “It’ll be dark soon.”

  Frustrated, she started back toward the house. They were almost out of daylight and she had to go before Sergei woke. When they pulled into Sebastian’s drive, Shane looked at her and opened his mouth.

  “Please. If I let the sun go it’s out of my hands. Yardley is trustworthy. I have no doubts, not like Lewis, I promise you that.”

  “Kung-fu butler it is, on one condition.” He reached in his pocket and handed her the charm. “Just in case.”

  She nodded and took the charm. “I’ll be fine.” Her fingers tapped on the steering wheel. “Don’t mention Lewis to them, Yardley or Sebastian. I don’t want them to worry or overreact.”

  “Of course. Unless they ask, Sebastian scares me.” Shane mocked a smile and looked toward the house.

  “Sebastian? Stop it, he is the gentlest creature you will meet. Ever.”

  “Creature?” One of his eyebrows cocked up, asking the question.

  “Just stay inside until Sebastian wakes up.” She reached for her door handle, but the sound Shane made stopped her, and she waited impatiently, while he walked around to get her door.

  “Yes, my love, I will stay inside.” Shane dialed Dillon one more time before they walked to the door, wishing he could get an answer.

  He listened as Gwen explained briefly to Yardley what was going on. In spite of what he thought was sage advice from the butler about waiting for Sebastian to be available, Gwen’s mind was made up.

  She thanked Yardley, kissed Shane, took her stone in hand, and stepped into a shadow in the hall.

  “Can Sebastian track her?” Shane asked as soon as she vanished.

  “Yes. He will the instant he wakes to be sure.” Yardley frowned and looked from the shadow to Shane.

  Shane looked the older man over, not getting any sort of emotion from him. “Can you track her?”

  “Yes.” The look on his face said that he was contemplating it.

  “Go, do it. I’ll stay here.”

  Yardley sighed. “Leaving Sebastian is not something I am prepared to do.” He looked to the clock.

  Shane’s eyes followed his. “How long?”

  “Hour at most.”

  “I can watch over him. Is he bolted in somewhere?” Shane looked at Yardley more closely. There was something about him, but he didn’t feel like a witch. “What is he?”

  Yardley rolled his eyes. “Come with me.”

  Shane followed him into a room that had several chairs and a few small tables. Once inside, he looked to him for a clue as to what they were going to do. He raised both brows in a way that asked the question without a word.

  “No, you wait. Would you like coffee, food?”

  “Coffee.” Shane paced when Yardley walked out. He felt safe enough there, but he couldn’t help to be worried about Gwen. She’d gone wherever it was Lewis showed her. What could happen between then and when Sebastian and Sergei rose could be bad, very bad.

  “Coffee, sir.” Yardley handed Shane the cup and started to leave.

  “Wait, what am I supposed to do, just sit here and twiddle my thumbs?” He looked at the cup in his hands. He didn’t want coffee, he wanted to go. “Can you tell me how to go, wherever?”

  Yardley took a long breath in through his nose. “Sip your coffee. Miss Hensley made her wishes for you clear.”

  “Right, but she is in danger.”

  “Coffee. Will you require anything else?”

  Shane shook his head and sat his cup down on the table. He watched Yardley leave and then started pacing again. For a distraction while he waited, he called his shop and arranged to have the stones overnighted. It didn’t pass much time, and it felt like days passed before Sebastian came in.

  “Thank god, can we go now?” Shane walked toward Sebastian.

  “Yes, now.” Sebastian snatched his hand and dragged him to the hall.

  Chapter Eighteen

  G wen stepped out of the shadow into deep woods. A hand raised to shield her eyes from the bright light that pierced the tree canopy. In front of her was a small wooden shack, that from the outside looked like it might have one small room in total. The air carried no scent, not from the trees, the earth under her, or the rotting vegetation she stepped on. It wasn’t cool or damp as she would have expected from looking around. It felt like nothing against her skin.

  She took a few steps toward the house and stopped, looking around her. Things were too still, quiet, no birds chirped, no animals scurried in the undergrowth. There was nothing. No one. The stillness and silence, mixed with a lack of scents made it hard to stay focused and grounded. She felt like she was nowhere and her thoughts started spiraling.

  The light seemed too bright, fake, altered. It didn’t match the tree cover, adding to the feeling she wasn’t anywhere real. She looked up, breaking a thought about her first car to realize she’d lost time, she was lost to herself.

  No sooner did she realize she was getting lost in her thoughts than they started to veer off again, tugging her away from the task at hand.

  A deep breath centered her as much as she could and she refocused.

  Josephine, she was here to kill the witch. Her concentration began drifting immediately. Was this some magical place, or spell she’d stepped into?

  Her steps were slow and deliberate as she walked toward the shack. Nothing crunched under her feet. Even though she felt like moving was an effort, she still couldn’t feel the air against her skin. After crossing the porch, which was just a few boards laying on the earth, she pushed opened the door that had been left cracked. Even if it had been shut, it didn’t have any sort of lock.

  The loose boards shifted under her feet as she stepped into the single room. The layer of earth on the floor, and the buildup of roots and weeds growing between the boards, indicated nothing or no one had been there in a very long time.

  Perhaps.

  She did notice that as she moved no dirt shifted. No dust filled the air or danced in the light that filled the room unnaturally as it had outside. It was as if her steps had no effect. Her presence went unnoticed by the inanimate things around her.

  There was no furniture. No candles. No sign of life. No Dillon. No magic lingered in the air. If a ritual had been done there, it had been cleared.

  Was Lewis trying to get her to leave Shane? She didn’t want to immediately think the worst, and paced the room, looking for anything. There must have been a reason he sent her there. Something that could help her.

  As she thought, she walked the room again, reaching out with her presence as she did, but not feeling anything. A board creaking was the only sound. It was a sound though in an otherwise eerie silence, and that drew her from the helpless cycle of questions playing in her mind. She made another pass of the room and the board no longer creaked.

  Her attention focused on the floor, eyes scanning for anything out of place. They landed on one board, one board that was free of wee
ds and dirt. Was it like that before? Since it was the only thing in the whole place that showed signs of activity, she wondered how she missed it earlier.

  After getting on her hands and knees she pried at the board, which easily came up. Underneath, laying on the earth below, she found a small, red, silk bag. Without hesitation, she opened the drawstring and spilled the contents of the bag onto the floor.

  There was a bundle of smooth black hair, one black feather, which she assumed was from Lewis, some sort of dried plant bundled with a black ribbon, and a vial that held a dark, sludgy liquid.

  She glanced at it all, eyes flicking from one thing to another, wondering what it was for and who it belonged to. The feather wasn’t so much a mystery, and led her to believe the rest might belong to Fannie. The only thing she wasn’t sure about was the plant, but Sebastian would probably know what it was and why it was significant. Again, she was lost in thought and time started to slip away.

  When her focus came back she let out a small curse. Why was she getting so easily off task? That wasn’t like her. Since night would be falling soon she shoved it all back in the bag, careful not to break up the dried plants, and made two more slow circles of the room.

  Her eyes scanned everything. The board she’d pulled the bag from under was back in place, dirt and weeds growing around it like she’d never moved it. It no longer stood out, and if she couldn’t feel the bag in her hand, she would have doubted what happened actually occurred.

  Still puzzled, she crossed the room and walked through the door.

  “Lewis?” She stood just outside, watching the woods.

  Her hand went in her pocket as she remembered the charm. Her fingers rubbed it while she contemplated tossing it aside so she could call to him again. Time was not on her side. Sergei would be awake by now and on the way. Or would he? In spite of how close night was when she left, and the time she felt like she spent there, it was still light.

  Their talk at dinner replayed in her mind. He had warned her off using water against Josephine. He was helping, wasn’t he? What was this place? Was he helping her? He specifically said he wouldn’t hurt her, not her. He’d asked if she held the feathers. Had he been there when Steven was killed? It felt like he wanted to take Shane. Could he have some mixed allegiances? The more she thought about the brief visit with him, the more questions she had. She needed answers. Needed to find Josephine, now, especially if she had Dillon.

  She tossed the charm in the dirt. It made no sound when it landed and no dirt wafted in the air. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the ground and shuffled the toe of her shoe against the soil. No line was made, no matter the effort she used.

  There was a black flash. Wings flapped. The sound fell flat, not carrying on the still air.

  “Lewis?” Her eyes searched the sky for him.

  “Why did you come?” He looked from her to the ground, lingering on the gris-gris with a frown on his face, before looking back to her again.

  “You gave me this image to come, where are we?” She looked around, still feeling like the place was wrong.

  “I can’t help you in the way you want.”

  “Can’t? Why can’t?” She watched him looking at her, trying to place what she felt from him. “Help me in what way?”

  He walked inside the little house and she followed him.

  “Lewis in what way? What is this place?”

  “A place where things don’t linger. Nothing imprints. What we do here, stays here. Everything stays here.” He reached out and touched her face. “I wanted to help. I had to bring you here. You will figure this out. I left you something, it was the best I can do.”

  She followed his gaze to the no longer disturbed floorboard. “I found it. What is it?”

  “To help you. Later. You don’t need help with Josephine. Darker things are coming.” He looked her up and down. “You shouldn’t be having children. Why did he let this happen? He said he would protect and keep you.”

  She knew he was referring to Sebastian. “Why? Fannie, you are afraid of her?”

  He reached out and touched her face. “There are darker things than Fannie. She has a role. We all had roles, but not you, your role should have ended with you.”

  Gwen took a few steps back. “What does that mean? Am I fated to die? Why are you being so cryptic?”

  The purse of his lip and way his eyes flicked away said yes. “Children who should never be. No fate to rule over who or what they become. It’s a danger to everyone. Things want to control them, and you, others want you gone before the worst can happen.”

  “Lewis, what are you saying?” She turned his head back to her. “My kids will be monsters?”

  “No one can know that. They should never be. It’s not your fate.” His hand remained on her face as his thumb rubbed her skin. There was a gentleness to his touch, but it felt insincere.

  She felt dizzy and brushed his hand away. “What’s, what’s my fate? Was I right? Do I die? Should I be dead already? Tell me, Lewis, if you know, what is my fate?”

  “Not this. Listen to me carefully. If you overcome this.” He looked around the room. “Do what you need with Josephine, leave Fannie. Please. You tracking her will trigger things, bad things.” His nostrils flared. “It might be too late, but if it is not, just stay away.”

  “She wants to kill me, take my children. How can you suggest I walk away?”

  “I know you won’t, but I had to try. You understand?” He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. His words whispered against her. “I’m sorry for my part. I never wanted to hurt you in any way. You’ll find the way. I love you, my witch.”

  “Wait, where’s Dillon? Where’s Josephine?”

  “Sergei will take you.”

  “Sergei? How do you know about him?”

  His hands laced around her, and he held her pressed against him. “You have more pain to go. Be strong, my witch.”

  She pushed at him. “Pain? I don’t care about pain. I’ve become immune to it now. Help me save Shane and Dillon. Whatever you have done, I will forgive you. Sebastian will help you. I promise, Lewis.”

  “So much loss and heartache. I’m sorry.” He kissed her once more, this time with a deep passion that made her uncomfortable. “If you stay, I will come, keep you company.”

  “Wait, stay? Please, don’t just go. Help me. Take me to her, let me stop this.” She wrapped her hand around his wrist. “At least show me where they are.”

  He looked down at her hand and then kissed her forehead before he took a few steps, walking outside with her following. “I know you won’t leave this no matter what I say. You never did listen, but it’s different this time. I understand that. When the time comes, you do what is needed.” He sighed and kissed her again. “Think of this place if you must.” His eyes drifted to the ground. “Pick that ward up before you leave.”

  “You, you are, what have you done?” She shook her head and tears came to her eyes. “Whatever it is, I forgive you. There doesn’t have to be darkness between us. I love you.” She stepped away from him and watched as he looked at her with a shame washing over him.

  “I’m sorry.” He shifted before he flew into the still air and vanished above her into the trees.

  After he left, she took a few steps and bent down, picking up the gris-gris, and putting it in her pocket. No matter what happened, she couldn’t discount that he had not hurt her and whatever he left her in the bag, might be helpful in the future. Perhaps they were totems she could use against Fannie.

  She sighed against the eerie silence that still hung over her and wondered what he meant about doing what was needed. The only logical way to read it was to think he meant she might need to fight him. Could she? Witches couldn’t hurt familiars. Even if they could, she wasn’t even able to bring herself to practice attacking Sebastian.

  She refocused, now it was about Dillon and Shane. With the bag in hand she had all she needed from there. It was time to go before Sergei woke. Why was it still
light? she wondered and looked around.

  Whatever shadow she’d appeared from was gone. Her breath drew in sharply. “Lewis, what have you done?”

  She took a few steps toward the rickety shack, thinking there must be shadows in there.

  The few moments it took her to get there moved as slow as she did. When she stepped inside, it seemed almost brightly lit.

  “Lewis!” Tears came to her eyes, but she didn’t sit and sob. She started back outside again. She was in the woods and reasoned if she walked in deep enough, there would be shadows.

  While she walked, she made a concerted effort not to think about Sebastian. She didn’t want to risk summoning him into the daylight in a panic. Was the lingering daylight part of some magical trap? She was trapped. Was that what he apologized for? His part? Trapping her, so Shane and Dillon would be vulnerable.

  “No, please.” She took the ward from her pocket and looked at it, considering summoning him again. “Lewis, what have you done?” She told him she would forgive him, but if he trapped her here and something happened to Dillon or Shane, or even Sebastian as a result, that forgiveness would be hard to find.

  She walked until her calves burned and her feet ached. Every few minutes she would end up in the clearing with the little shack. It was as if the place was just a small repeat of the same area, and when she hit the edge, it just started her over. No matter how she changed her path the results were the same, and there were no shadows.

  With an intense concentration she started to draw up magic, testing to see what was available there. If she thought about it, she knew she could come up with something to make a shadow.

  “S ergei, sir.” Yardley greeted Sebastian and Shane in the hall, before they had a chance to leave.

  Sebastian held his hand in the shadow where Gwen left earlier. “The trail is muddled. It barely even feels like her. Magic.” He nodded to Sergei and loosened his grip on Shane.