“We need the Jaws of Life to get him off her,” Donovan yelled.
Lucian disagreed, “Right now, he is the jaws of the life.”
Frightened beyond words, Jovan had seen enough. She would not stand idly by and bear witness to her husband about to become a cold-blooded murderer. She grabbed Donovan’s gun and took aim. “I’m so sorry, Bebé.” Jovan squeezed the trigger on the gun.
Thunderous popping sounds echoed as garlic and Holy H2O bubbles peppered André. He jumped, shocked when he saw the woman responsible for sautéing him.
“Jovan? Son of a—! This stuff burns.” André stripped his clothes off in a matter of seconds, with the sole exception of his black silk boxers.
Jovan stepped toward Olivia to check on her, but André covered the distance, placing his body between his wife and Olivia’s.
Welts formed from the close range shots. He yelled, “You are not helping that crone. I mean it, Jovan.”
André followed the path of where Jovan rested her eyes.
Destination south, his black silky boxers with a subtle rise he couldn’t contain.
Yes! It still works! Happy dance later.
He realized she was staring at him and somewhere in the midst of his trying to murder a woman and then getting almost naked, the two of them got excited.
Or he did.
“A little help please? Aunt Serina’s a little top heavy,” Savanah squeaked as she turned an aneurism shade of red. Veins in her neck jutted out like weight lifter’s trying to pick up a car with one hand tied behind his back.
Duncan bound up the stairs and snatched Serina midair. “Well here’s something you don’t see around here every day, even with the talented lot we’ve got. Bottom’s up, Doc! Literally. Savvy, nice job levitating, but you could have lowered her.” Duncan set Serina down next to her mother.
“I haven’t learned that yet, Duncan.” Savanah fanned her face. “I pick things up, just can’t put them down without breaking something.” She gave him a small, lopsided grin.
André slid away from Olivia, but Julian continued to hold the stun gun aimed at her heart. André pointed down the stairs to the front door. “I want you out of my home. Out of my life. Out of my families’ lives. Now.” He straightened his stance, turned to Julian hearing his voice.
His eyebrows arched and aimed, Julian said, “She’s not walking out of here on her own accord. Furthermore, she’s not walking out of here breathing. I’m not playing this time.” With his finger shaking in André’s face he said, “Notice I didn’t try to stop you from strangling the wench.”
André pushed the barrel of the gun down. “Okay, everyone out of what’s left of my room. No one will kill Olivia today. Sorry, Grimmy, not even you. Tomorrow? We’ll see. I want Payton and Jonah out of here too. Donovan, if you’d be so kind as to keep your distance from my sister until her men come around I’d appreciate it.” Glancing at the carnage of his room, André broke out in manic laughter like someone on the verge of leaping from the ledge into a bottomless pit. Quite possibly he already had.
“André?” Lucian’s concern weighted his words. He stepped toward him.
“I’m fine, Luce. Why wouldn’t I be? A few days ago we met a shifter, Ethan Kitt, who said Xanti and Xier Sinclair were back in town. He told us Raven had Xavier’s and Xanti’s child. Thank God this isn’t the case, but nonetheless Ethan’s out doing the blue light special for a baby. Then Donovan pops up out of the last century and takes a whopping chunk out of me. We send Ethan to the pound, but he never makes it there and I wake up a few hours ago, feeling like death warmed over. Found out I’d died three days ago, came back as a vamp, attacked my wife, you, and anyone else in close proximity. And the icing on this stale, fruit cake? I find out the one person on this planet I never wanted near my family is not only inside this house, but inside my wife doing only God knows what to her. You guys now know that she was the one responsible for my alternate life with you and our parents, and that she killed Jovan, Julian and Jonah’s mom. Nice lady. Everyone should have a mum like her. Not! Serina almost takes a dive down stairs and if weren’t for my Savvy doing that freeze-frame thing on her, she’d have broken her neck and died as well. It just doesn’t get any better than this!” André never came up for air.
Olivia got up slowly, and rubbed her neck. “Savanah, thank you for helping my daughter.” Olivia went to shake Savanah’s hand, but Julian wrapped his arms around his niece and held her, hostage-like.
“You don’t touch her, ever. Did you not hear her father?”
Olivia gave a sullen nod.
“Olivia, since my dear brother-in-law won’t allow your death, I have an alternate plan everyone can live with. Unfortunately, even you. Jovan, please bring me the Bound Grimoire? Olivia, Serina, Lucian, Savanah and I will be in the library waiting.”
Jovan shook her head a fast no. “Jules, you can’t be serious. Not the book.”
“Jovan, the woman just admitted killing our mother. Why would you seek to protect her now?”
“Because, dear brother, my babies and I would not be here this very instant if it weren’t for her. I owe her nothing, but to kill her would be pure evil, and I’m not inclined to believe that you or anyone else in this family could kill with complete disregard for someone’s life. An eye for an eye isn’t always the answer. What is it you’re planning?”
“We’ll talk downstairs.” Julian did a one-eighty and disappeared.
When the last person filed out of their room, André slammed the door shut and twisted the old skeleton key, locking the door to their bedchambers. Noting the hole in the wall, he wondered why he’d even bothered. He ripped the bed cover from their mattress and hung it to cover the hole. He turned, then crossed to Jovan, and knelt before her. He reached his arms around her, leaned his head on her abdomen, hugged her close and wept. Jovan’s dress became saturated with tears of blood.
Chapter Eight
Lucian made his way into the library and noticed Savanah and his wife hogging the leather couch so he plopped down between them. “Where’s Lizzy?” he asked, as he nuzzled his chin into Serina’s neck.
Serina’s eyes widened. “Her name is Elyza! Molly and Duncan stole her. Where are André and Jovan?”
“Hiding in plain sight.”
“Savanah, do you know where your Mum keeps the book?” Julian interrupted.
“I thought you were waiting for my parents.”
Julian whispered, “They seem to be taking more than the three minutes my mind allotted them.”
Savanah slapped his arm in passing as she got up to get the coveted white book of charms.
Olivia began to follow her when Julian took two steps toward her. “Nope. Don’t even think about it. You and I will finish this here and now, Olivia. This is payback for all the misery you’ve put our families through.”
Olivia snapped, “Stop with all the drama, Julian. You tried to kill me once and you see where that got you. What are you planning?”
Julian strode with heavy steps toward her. Leaning over her petite frame, he got in her face. “No drama, queen of darkness. This is the ultimate reality show. And you’re the witch no one wants on their island. You’re about to get cast off.”
André walked in with Jovan at his side. “Cherié, please go take a seat by Serina. Where’s Savanah?”
Savanah answered, “Right here, Papa. I just grabbed the book.”
Julian extended his hands, his fingers wiggling impatiently.
Eyebrows raised and head cocked, André asked, “All right, Grimmy, what have you got us all corralled for?”
“Olivia, I’d like you the center of attention. Make a hexagon around her, please.”
Closing the odd-shaped circle around her, Olivia spun and took in each and every person that surrounded her, shoulder-to-shoulder, fingertips touching, palms prone. She wiped her sweaty palms down her legs.
“Why aren’t you fighting this? Why aren’t you trying to scurry under some rock?” André as
ked.
“Because I want to be a part of my granddaughter’s life. I told you I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make amends.”
“Shame you never felt that way for me,” Serina whispered. Lucian squeezed her fingers tighter.
“Enough!” Impatient, Julian opened the book to a blank page. “Give me your dominant hand.”
Olivia’s glare never wavered as she placed her right hand in his. In a flash, he produced a rusted scalpel. Olivia never winced as the corroded metal separated the layers of her derma. Blood ran from her wrist and dripped onto the page. The fluid soaked into the parchment like a dry sponge painting the page.
“She whom is compelled by one of the cardinal sins never wins. For your avarice, you now must pay the price. You are a bad seed, driven by greed to perform hurt-filled deeds. Allow me to be precise, not once nor twice, here, today, you shall pay.”
Julian pulled a feather from his pocket and dragged it through the droplets of blood across the paper. A single word appeared, Mortal.
Olivia shrieked, “Noooo!” in one long hollow inflection.
“The gifts bestowed upon you, beseech you now. You are—mortal, I beshrew you. No more powers, no more spells, only time will tell, where you will spend eternal Hell.” Julian slammed the book shut and walked to the window. He rested his forehead on the cool glass.
Olivia swayed back and forth. “Bathroom!”
Never made it.
She vomited on the floor, a thick green puddle. Holding her chest and retching toe-curling sounds, she vomited again.
“Tell me we didn’t just revoke her powers as a witch. Tell me we didn’t just make her a human.” Serina didn’t feel so good. “She’ll age and die.”
“I said I wouldn’t kill her today!” When he turned back, Julian’s sinister grin resembled Damien Thorne’s in The Omen. “Tomorrow? Those were your words right, Ands?”
Seeing Olivia reach up to touch her, Serina backed away, scared the spell would leach over to her as well.
Olivia tried to speak, yet nothing audible came out. She covered her ears with both hands and screamed until she passed out.
Molly and Duncan walked into the library carrying Elyza. Molly asked, “What happened this time? We walk out of a room for two minutes and all hell breaks out.”
“One of Hell’s outstanding members just had a meltdown, and we didn’t even have to toss water on her. I no longer have a witch of a mother-in-law.” Lucian tossed his hands in the air.
“Now what do we do with her?” Duncan asked.
“Send her back to Oliver,” André added.
Jonah wobbled in holding his ass, and uttered, “Ewh,” seeing Olivia. “Who finally got her? Jules or Ands? Oh, Ethan’s outside by the stables. He’s sound asleep in the last stall. He’s a lousy shifter. He never heard or scented me when I came in.”
Savanah’s ears perked up.
“Me either,” Payton added, coming in behind Jonah. “Where’s Donovan?”
Lucian shrugged his shoulders as Julian walked out. “Jules?”
“I’ll be right back. I’m going to speak to Ethan.”
About to follow, Savanah stopped fast when Julian spun on her.
“You—stay put.”
“But—”
“But nothing!” he shouted then noting the sad look in her eyes he offered, “I’m sorry, Peanut. It’s not you.” He turned again and left.
“Donovan disappeared into thin air with all the commotion. Time will tell Ethan’s fate,” Lucian told Payton. He held out his arms, giving Molly his biggest pout. “Mine!” He winked playfully as Molly handed the little turquoise-eyed beauty over to him. Lucian sat in a chair beside Olivia, and held the baby at arm’s length from her grandmother as she came around. “You may hold her now, but only for a moment. Your help here has been noted. When you leave my home you will not return unless you are invited.”
“Highly unlikely,” Julian mumbled as he walked back in.
Olivia sniffled and took her granddaughter from Lucian. “Thank you.” She tried to squeeze out a smile, but it never materialized. Holding Elyza close, Olivia pressed her lips to the baby’s forehead. “My precious, you are as beautiful as your mother was when she was a babe. I am only a thought away if you ever need me.” Olivia turned to Serina. “I hope you can live with what you’ve done to me. At some point, you’ll need me and when you do, you’ll give me back my powers, my life.” Olivia gave Elyza back to Lucian and wobbled unsteadily away.
Jovan’s voice followed her out the front door. “Thank you.”
Julian chided, “Don’t play into her bleeding heart, Blossom. She’s looking for someone to side with her and your heart’s way too generous. She killed our mother.” To Savanah, he said, “Ethan is staying with us. We need info, and he’s the one that can give it to us. Nor does it hurt that he’s completely infatuated with you.”
Savanah babbled, “Nofreakingway! I’m not playing monkey in the middle to help that mutt. He’s not marking me as his property. Three days ago you were ready to plant him in the back yard. You toss out the woman who just saved your sister yet allow the man that brought such travesty to our home in it? You make no sense, Jules.”
“I’m not asking you to have sex with the guy, Savvy. Although from what I’ve been told it’s pretty much a given. Just remember you’re not a praying mantis and try not to bite his head off in the meantime. I want to do that!”
“What the hell do you mean, pretty much a given?” Savanah gave her uncle a cold glare. “I’m not a loaner, like some used car he gets to take for a test drive.” She stomped out of the library.
Just as André opened his mouth to speak up, Duncan beat him to it, carrying all of André’s thoughts. “Julian, I didn’t think I’d ever live to see the day you’d piss off the one person on this planet that worships the ground you walk on, ever! Actually, the only person!” Duncan looked around at his family. Gesturing with his hands, he asked, “Am I right?”
Each one of them mumbled a collective, “Yes.”
“That woman loves you, you giant ass. Don’t you dare place her in a position she feels she has to do something against her morals or beliefs to get information for us.”
“Couldn’t have said it better myself, Duncan.” André added.
Duncan smirked. “That would be why I spoke up.”
“I’ll spay the bloody mutt if he so much as sniffs in her general direction,” Jovan bit out. “I don’t trust him.”
“Neither do I,” Julian added as he sat on the floor, his legs crossed. Looking up at all the members in his family, he finished, “Savanah likes Ethan. She won’t come right out and say it, but she does, and Jovan, if you’d taken the time to talk to her you’d know.”
Hands on her hips, Jovan answered, “Been a bit preoccupied, Jules. Took an extended three-day holiday that I hadn’t planned. Remember any of this? Been to hell and back.” She kicked her brother’s thigh.
“I’m sorry. You’re right, of course. Trust me? If things work out between our peanut and Mr. Kitt, then we’ll have insider info and forgive me for what I’m about to say, even though you’re all thinking it, and none brave or stupid enough to say it, another person to donate to our new vamp. André, I’m sorry. I mean it from the bottom of my heart. But it’s true, we’re running low on donors around here.”
“You are a giant ass.” André stormed out after his daughter.
“You can be so incredibly callous, Jules.” Jovan swatted the back of her brother’s head, turned a quick heel and left.
Jonah squatted in front of Julian. “You know how to clear a room, don’t ya, Bro. I’m not following your thinking. If you don’t trust the guy, why allow him near Savvy?”
“We’re giving the kid shelter. Who here hasn’t seen the painting Jovan did?” Julian waved his hand in the air like a kid in school trying to get the teacher to pick him. “Serina, do a quick scan of the two of them and see what you come up with. See if Jovan’s scrying is on the money. Be
t ya the next ten dirty diapers I’m right.” Julian’s smirk quickly washed away when Savanah came back into the room with Ethan on her heels and her father one heart beat from him.
Serina looked into Ethan’s soul and then her niece’s and found an unequaled match. “Julian, oh how I hate admitting when you’re right.” Serina slumped against Lucian.
Savanah entered into the center of the room. “Would you look what the cat dragged in.” The second she said it she knew she’d left herself wide open. Turning quickly, she placed her finger to Ethan’s lips, to shush him before he had the opportunity to swallow his foot, which she somehow knew without a doubt, he would do.
“Are you saying you’re my little pussy, Savanah?”
She picked off her lime green flip-flop and clobbered him. “Get away from me you giant hound.”
“You started it. I never would have finished that if you didn’t…” Ethan held his arms wide open, unprotected, to which Savanah took full advantage of, punching him in the stomach. Her fist hit solid muscle that didn’t give. Ethan smirked adding, “Two hundred sit-ups a morning.”
“Two hundred sit-ups a morning,” she mouthed back sarcastically.
In that moment, Ethan professed, “You are irresistible. The way your blue eyes blaze, and the way that little turned-up nose twitches, makes me want to kiss it, but more so, you should unleash the smile you fight to keep hidden.”
She couldn’t continue to look at Ethan. He was beautifully dangerous and a romantic at heart and having him this close drove her to the brink of madness. “You’re a giant sap!” She turned her attentions to her uncle Julian. “And you, you’re a giant ogre. You owe me an apology.”
“What is with you and apologies?” Ethan playfully asked.
Savanah went to say something to him, but bit her lip instead. Mad or not, he found a way to bring out a smile in her and make her crazy at the same time.
Julian offered, “Someday, Peanut, you’ll thank me.”
“That was so not an apology. That was your smugness talking out your a—”
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