Eden's Charms

by Jaclyn Tracey

  Yes, I know. Time will tell, my love. If it is meant to be between Savanah and he, then he’s got some serious changes to make. And we must help him. I know this goes against my every instinct to put the kid to the curb and slap a free sticker on him.

  André you horde things. You’d never get rid of him. What of the two Ethan traveled with?

  That’s the other stop Jules and I are going to make. I’d hoped to sidestep this part of the conversation with you.

  I want to come.

  Jovan, you are pregnant with our child. Please, mon amour, stay put, just this once, for me? For our child?

  Children.

  Gasping, André asked aloud, “What—did-you—say?”

  I found out at the doctors yesterday. He had to give me the okay to fly home and he found two heartbeats instead of one.

  This is all the more reason for you to stay put and me to lock you up and throw away the key for the next five months.

  André, get a grip.

  Does Savanah know yet?

  No. I wanted to tell you first.

  Overflowing with pride and astonishment, André announced, “Julian, Jovan’s having twins.”

  That declaration left André alone outside. Julian disappeared into the house. Through the window he saw Julian pick up his sister and swing her in circles, both laughing.

  André sauntered into the kitchen. “Motion sickness ring any bells, Jules? Hates merry-go-rounds and roller-coasters!”

  “I’m sorry, Blossom.” Julian set Jovan down.

  Jovan looped her arm through her husband’s for balance until the room stopped spinning. “How long will you be out?”

  “As long as it takes to secure our family. I want Jonah and Payton to stay with you. I’ll take Donovan with me once we find him. We shouldn’t be long.”

  ****

  Awkward silence permeated the car like the aroma of burnt popcorn. It was there, stinkin’ up the ride. What do you say to someone who failed to protect your family? That knowingly put them in harm’s way? That you had no idea even existed? That was a vamp turned by your sister? “What ya been up to the past century?” sounded so trite. André was saved by the bell, literally. The cop car’s whistles and sirens added more colors to the sky than the Aurora Borealis and more noise than a kid band in the garage armed with a guitar and drums, a keyboard and no knowledge of how to play them. Flares along the side of the road burned a brilliant orange and blue. Further down the street, a cluster of ambulances, fire trucks and more cops blocked the road. A man wearing a fluorescent orange vest stood out better than a fully dressed man at a nudist colony as he swung a neon light and waved them down.

  “Dead end, boys,” he told them as he stuck his head in the window of their SUV. “Two cops transporting an intruder were just slaughtered. Another damned vamp attack.”

  André and Julian looked between themselves and then at the toppled van, the wheels still spinning. The doors to the back of the van lay in the road, the werewolf that occupied the van moments past, MIA.

  “We think the monsters are in that home. We got a call from the neighbors. Heard a lot of ruckus. I want these rogues eradicated.” The officer turned and headed back to his partner.

  Immediately, André contacted his wife. Jovan? Ethan’s escaped. The cops are dead. Vamps. Get everyone into the tunnels. Lock down now.

  Keep me informed and, André? Don’t try to be a hero. Your daughter, two babies and I need you.

  I thought I was one, a hero. You make me sad.

  Stop quoting Monty Python movies, you goof.

  Cherié, I’ll love you forever.

  You better!

  “Ands, I’m going to slip around the back side of that home and see who’s on first.” Julian vanished before André even had time to think about protesting.

  Donovan suggested, “I can dematerialize and enter the home. They’ll never know I’m there.”

  “Way too risky, Donovan. If you get caught the cops will think they’ve got their man and you’re tomorrow’s news. Do the perimeter only.”

  “My Prince, you need to stay put. You needn’t risk your life here and now. You have so much at stake at home. Julian and I are more than capable.”

  “Donovan, stop calling me that. I don’t need any attention.”

  “I’m sorry. Old habits die hard.”

  “Let’s make certain this old habit, me, doesn’t die hard. I’m going to walk up and casually butt in. I don’t believe you and I can read one another’s minds can we?”

  “No, but if you have need of me, contact Raven.”

  André rolled his eyes. “How long have you been able to read her?”

  “You might want to let her tell you.”

  Frustrated he bit, “I don’t have the luxury of time on my side. How long?”

  “Too long.”

  ****

  Crouched low to the ground a few homes over from where the cops were Julian found Ethan bundled not so nicely in roughly twenty pounds of silver chains. “Can you move?”

  “Not really. I don’t even know how I got this far. Behind you, Julian,” Ethan yelled a second too late.

  A blurry figure slashed through the night and cut Julian wide open. He took in what his eyes allotted before he inevitably viewed the backside of his eyelids. Ands, a young man with reddish-brown dreds just ripped into me. He has snake eyes. He’s carting a Kris. Got me good. Julian stumbled onto and then over a lounge chair and landed flat on his back.

  Jules? Where are you? I’m coming.

  No! Julian wanted his brother-in-law away from the danger. Being a werewolf he’d heal much faster than humans. Even though André had the benefits of longevity and speed being bound to his siblings, mortality still owned his ass, and Julian took a vow to protect it, from the day his sister took her vows and married him. Ands, I mean it, leave.

  Not without you. I just spoke to Raven. Donovan’s coming.

  There are three cops closing in on us as we speak. Guns are drawn, Ands. If it’s silver, Ethan and I are toast.

  Relax, Grimmy, I’m coming.

  Four rounds of gunshots reverberated through the air. Sickening, cracking noises exploded behind each blast. André slammed into the dirt hard, then his face met the dew covered grass with an abandoned thud. Pain radiated across his chest and wrapped around to his back. He wasn’t certain if Julian got shot or him. He didn’t know whose pain he was experiencing as he lay there bleeding.

  “Son of a bitch,” he muttered before the night went completely black.

  Chapter Five

  Without time to blink, darkness swarmed Savanah in the same fashion locust covered a cornfield, all-consuming. Jovan stumbled then collapsed, and Savanah caught her mother before she hit the floor. Savanah turned to say something to her aunt Raven, but instead watched helplessly as her aunt did a face plant with as much accuracy as a penny would hit the ground being dropped from the Empire State Building.

  “Holy shit!” she screamed. When no one told her to watch her mouth she began to cry.

  ****

  Donovan stumbled over Julian, curled up in fetal position covered in blood and crying like he’d never seen any man do.

  “He’s gone, Donovan,” Julian gasped. “God forgive me, I just got him killed. I just got my best friend killed.” Julian grabbed Donovan by his shirt and pulled his face to within an inch of his. “It should have been me.”

  “Who’s gone?” the tall, dark vamp asked.

  “André—I can’t feel him. I heard the shots. I felt them as if they hit me. Get me up.” Julian fell forward holding his stomach.

  “Julian, you’re watering the lawn with your blood. What the hell happened?” Donovan peeled off his coat then his shirt, and shredded it into strips. He jammed the material into Julian’s side to try and slow down his blood loss.

  “I’ll be fine. We have to get Ands.” Julian shoved Donovan off him in an attempt to get up. He went sideways and fell again.

  Behind Julian, Ethan wai
ted bound in silver, spiked chains. A sadistic razor sharp garrote decorated his neck and made his jugular veins bulge on both sides of the choker. “Get me out of this shit, and I can help.”

  “Eth, I’ll be right there,” Donovan assured him.

  “Julian, I’m putting you in the shed with Ethan until I find André.” Donovan helped Julian sit beside Ethan and then removed the metal noose from Ethan. “The two of you—don’t blink without my permission.”

  “I feel drained. Silver sucks.”

  “You’ll be fine in a minute, Eth. Hold tight.” With one seamless, fluid spin, Donovan disappeared into the night just as easily as he’d appeared into everyone’s lives a little earlier.

  Once he evanesced, he found the cops converged in a circle, all weapons drawn on André. Why—he didn’t understand. André wasn’t breathing. Donovan contacted Raven.

  ****

  In their Manhattan studio, Lucian set Elyza down in haste, with no good night kiss or lullaby. He turned to Serina and said one thing before becoming one with the floor.

  “Ouch!”

  Serina glanced around her penthouse and did the one thing she’d vowed to never do again.

  Panicked.

  Hated it when it happened because nothing good ever came from losing control of emotions, but this time she surrendered to the chaos.

  All of her family’s pain, frustrations, fears, and doubts, time’s infinity swallowed her whole. She now knew what it felt like to be inside a boa constrictor fighting to get out.

  Two hundred and forty pounds of dead weight lay sprawled out in front of her, bleeding and barely breathing. Lucian and Raven seemed to be sailing on the same ship, the Titanic and Serina didn’t fancy the ending to that particular tragedy.

  Whoever orchestrated this got their monies’ worth. Tenfold! Every single member of the St. James’ family were linked together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. With one missing piece, the puzzle didn’t work. The picture wasn’t complete. For one hundred years it’s how this family survived, all eleven of them. All for one and one for all.

  ****

  Jonah squeezed a wet cloth out across Raven’s face and neck to bring her out of her spell. Raven’s eyes ricocheted like a pinball being flipped around as she came to.

  Savanah sat hysterical with her mother wrapped in her arms. Once Raven had her equilibrium back she crawled to Savanah and held them both.

  Serrie? André’s been hurt. Donovan just contacted me. I can’t do this again.

  I know, Raven. Lucian’s face down on the floor too. I felt it as well, the second the bullets penetrated André.

  Serrie, Jovan’s down. She’s having twins. What the hell’s happening?

  It seems the devil came knocking on our door, and we stupidly let him in.

  The devil’s advocate, Serrie, and his name is Ethan.

  Serina screamed, “Damn you, Mum, for never teaching me how to evanesce. I could be up there by now helping everyone, but n-o-o-o! I’m stuck here. Some witch I am.”

  Serrie, Donovan told me he can bring André over. He said it’s the only way to save him. What will happen to Luce and Jovan and the babies if they feel him really gone from us?

  Keep talking to them, Raven. They can hear you. It will give them a bittersweet hope to cling to. Do it. Allow Donovan to do this.

  Serina? Do you need me? I heard some ungratuitous words related to my wellbeing roll from your lips.

  Oh, Mother, you brain beep me now? In the middle of trying to save the world and you are like Typhoid Mary spreading the plague. That was you, right? So if you’ve nothing constructive to offer other than criticisms…

  Serina, I’m in Saratoga. I followed the news trail, and I came looking for you. I want to meet my granddaughter. I know something’s happened. Tell me. I can help. I owe your family a great debt. Let me start to repay them.

  That stopped Serina in her tracks and without further hesitation Serina filled her mother in on the details and directions to the house.

  Serina, care for your husband. Place your child in his arms. Once he feels her presence his life will once again be on a forward path.

  She’s a baby. She doesn’t have the powers to heal yet.

  Never underestimate the eternal bond and love a parent feels for their child, Serina. She will heal his heart without medicines. He will feel her and realize if his brother does not survive, he will and he has the most important reason in the world too. Tell André’s daughter to hold closely to her mother until I am there. Tell her to not let go and continue talking to her parents. I am close by now, crossing the small bridge. Keep your mind open to me. Together we are of one mind, one goal. Life.

  Mother, don’t hurt them! Habit or fear, the words hit the airway. Would she always have a chunk of animosity reserved for her mother? Serina silently made the sign of the cross against her chest as she prayed. “Things really can’t get any worse, can they?”

  Savanah, don’t have a conniption fit when you hear this. I’m sending someone to help you until we can all be together. Reluctant to say the least, Serina didn’t want to tell Savanah her mother planned on riding in on a broomstick and saving the day.

  When my mother gets there…

  Excuse me? When who gets here? No freaking way, Aunt Serina. Have you lost your mind? I thought we made a pact to never let that woman in your life, let alone ours again.

  She’s the only chance we have at keeping your mother alive. Trust me?

  You, yes. Her? No. Hell no!

  Good. It’s agreed. We’re running out of time.

  Aloud Savanah screamed, “I must be certifiable. I can’t believe I’m going along with this. If my parents survive this night somebody’s going to bloody kill me come morning. What am I allowing here?”

  Hope.

  Hope my lily-white ass.

  Mouth, Peanut.

  ****

  Donovan returned to Julian and Ethan. “I’ve found André, and I’ve asked Raven permission to bring André over. He will die soon if he isn’t.”

  Drenched in blood and sweat Ethan crouched in the small shed surrounded by a lawn mower, a gas can, rakes, hoses and bicycles. Opposite him, Julian had already pretty much healed up.

  Without notice Julian grabbed Ethan’s arm, put his lips to Ethan’s wrist, and with a jerky motion bit off a clump of skin.

  “What the hell?” Ethan yelled trying to yank his hand away from Julian. “Sick bastard.”

  “There is a silver barb meshed into your wrist. If left in, you’d die from septicemia. Trust me… My tongue on you… I’d rather rip out your throat, but that doesn’t seem to be an option at this juncture.” Switching gears, he added, “Donovan, Ethan tells me that two vamps tore into the van. He only recognized Xanti. And Xanti called the other by the name, Junior.” Julian gave Donovan a weighted gaze. “Well then, Donovan, go kill our prince with kindness. I’d rather have one more mouth to feed than miss his ugly mug and ridiculous jokes. But once this deed is done you will release any power you have over my brother-in-law. He will not be your fiddle you string along, because by the Gods, if you don’t, I’ll be the last person you ever see, nightmares included.” Julian pushed his body from the floor, and loomed over Donovan.

  Donovan backed up. Julian followed, and pressed him against the wall. “Do we have an accord?” Julian asked.

  “What is it with you and that word, Uncle Jules?” Ethan asked.

  Julian leaned backwards and without missing a beat, dug his fingers into the area of flesh he’d just gnawed off Ethan.

  Ethan twisted trying to get out of Julian’s grasp.

  “The next time it shall be your balls I shred, young man. I’m not your uncle, and I’m not your flesh and blood, but it’ll be mine if I so choose.”

  Donovan bowed. “I mean André no harm, only to save him from a certain death.”

  “And you believe bringing him over to become one of the undead is saving him? It’s leading him to damnation if you ask me,” Ethan added astoni
shed at the turn the conversation took. “Have you people lost the meaning of life? You can’t continue to cheat death. At some point it will catch up to you. None of us were intended to live forever.”

  “Try telling that to the vampire community, Ethan.” With that Donovan vanished.

  Chapter Six

  Serina, I’m with your family. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen so many knives held at my throat at the same time. You did tell them I was coming, didn’t you?

  You mean warn them.

  Savanah gave the woman the once-over, disgust and distrust evident by the snarl on her lips. The woman looked just like her aunt except matured; weathered she’d decided and bonier—hardened, nothing soft or feminine about her. She’d only ever heard nightmares of this woman and now here she stood in front of her, about to spiritually enter her mother. “Hurt her, her unborn babies or anyone in my family, and I’ll read a charm to you from my prized possession, The Blackest Dreams.” Savanah watched Olivia’s eyes widen, but she wasn’t certain whether it was fear or curiosity. “Not what you expected? Yes, Olivia, I possess The Bound Grimoire as well. Both the light and the dark to our worlds. The books are as different as you and I.”

  “I see you have your mother’s and grandmother’s temper. Good, we’ll need a feisty one to get through this. Now allow me passage.” Olivia skirted around each person carefully until the pointed end of a dagger greeted her.

  Raven prodded, “Why now? You’ve had a hundred years to kiss and make up.”

  “I want to see my granddaughter, and I owe your family more than you know. This is wasting precious time.”

  “Ya think?” Raven turned away from Olivia and led her toward the stairs.

  ****

  Ethan suggested, “Donovan approach the cops and use your voice to draw their attention away from André. Julian and I will skirt behind the officers and get to André.” Ethan watched Donovan close. He should’ve been used to the creeped out feelings he always got in the Maestro’s presence, but now Donovan had the same slimy feel to him. Already he was second-guessing his entire life the past years with the vamp and his companions. Regardless of the circumstances around him, he saw things clearer, was able to think for himself again. Being on another continent helped. Falling for the woman of his dreams? Literally? Remained to be seen.