"Sorry. It's just…" He searched for words. "I'm a big boy now. You don't have watch out for me all the time."
"Yeah, I do. Every time I turn around, you're getting beat up by a vampire or werewolf or something."
They shared a laugh, and the tension was gone. At least for the moment.
"Okay then, big boy," she said. "You want to talk? About Leese?"
He shook his head.
"No. I really am just getting away. I used up all the vacation I had left."
"You rent a cabin in the woods or something?"
"Not exactly."
She narrowed his gaze.
"You're not going to tell me, are you? There's something else going on. Are you…moving out?"
"Yeah, Kristin. I'm moving out in a rental car, leaving everything behind in the basement."
She rubbed her own temples as she closed her eyes.
"God," she said. "Why are you such an ass?"
"This is why I was trying to sneak out before you even woke up. You just worry too much."
"Or maybe you don't worry enough. You're freaking me out. You don't have to run away just because you lost a girlfriend."
"I'm not running away—"
He cut himself short, not wanting to argue. She watched him gather the rest of his clothes. Without a word, he filled his suitcase once again and shoved it in the back seat. He loved his sister, but there were times he wanted to strangle her.
There was the roar of an engine, an odd sound for the early hour in their neighborhood. Kristin stood up, looking past the houses. The sound grew louder as Kevin realized the car was turning onto their street. It was barely visible as it moved in between the homes. Kevin wasn't sure how he felt when he recognized it. He glared at his sister as he slammed the car door shut.
"Did you call her?"
Kristin matched his glare.
"How could I? I just woke up five minutes ago. It's good, though. If you won't talk to me, maybe she can talk some sense into you."
The Porsche made its way up the driveway. Kevin slowly approached as it came to a stop. Kristin continued to stand in her robe, not caring at all that the fourteen-year-old boy next door was gawking from his bedroom window.
The driver's side door opened, and one pale leg stepped out, followed by another. Victoria emerged, and the wind picked up, almost like it was expecting her. Her red hair billowed behind her, and Kevin thought any moment the photographers would show up for the photo shoot. Victoria didn't bother hiding her elegance, not with those she was close with. She moved with grace, wearing a blue skirt and short-sleeved blouse. Kevin glanced at the neighbor boy to see his mouth hanging open, his eyes darting back and forth, not sure whether to stare at the blonde or the redhead.
Victoria smiled, revealing her bright, white teeth. She held her arms out and embraced Kevin. Despite the awkward conversation he knew was coming, he smiled as he hugged her back. The first night they met, she broke his neck and buried him in the graveyard not even five minutes away. Now, they thought of each other as family.
Kristin approached for her own hug. Victoria easily lifted the only human present off the ground, spinning her in a circle. Kristin's robe flew open like an umbrella.
"Victoria," Kristin greeted. "God, it's been too long."
"Yeah. I'm so sorry. I've been busy lately." Victoria sighed as she regarded their home, where she herself stayed for a while. "Is it treating you okay?"
"Except for a leaky faucet in the upstairs bathroom, perfect."
"I'll call someone—"
"No, no," Kristin said. "I'm not saying that to get your help. I can fix a leak."
Victoria smiled and nodded.
"Just call if you need me." She wrapped an arm around Kevin. "Hey, do you mind if I talk to your little brother a minute?"
"Please, do." She turned toward the house. "See if you can figure out what's going on in that head of his."
"Oh, I'm not sure if all the magic in the world could help me there."
Kristen went into the house. Victoria was quiet, leaning against the car, not saying a word until Kristin shut the door behind her. Her smile faded when she looked at Kevin.
"Alex and I went back to the farm," she said. "You guys did a good job of scaring the shit out of them. They left everything there, not even taking their gear with them. I think they've quit the witch-hunting business. The few people left behind that could talk, Alex…relocated."
Kevin nodded. He knew what that meant.
"So, that group won't come after you again." She sighed and crossed her arms. "We wanted you to come along, but for a witch that works with technology, you're suddenly hard to get a hold of."
"Yeah, I know. I've been laying low. Not really checking my phone."
Victoria laughed at what was an understatement.
"Let's see. Zoey's been calling. Leese, of course. Tiffany almost shut down a cell tower. Even Jack."
Kevin looked up, surprised.
"Really? Jack's been trying to call?"
Her expression changed.
"Well, no. But he said he's been thinking about it. For him, we have to count that."
He smiled and shook his head. Victoria nodded toward the rental car.
"Going to leave without saying goodbye?"
"I'll be back," he said, irritated. Victoria sounded like a more subdued version of Kristin. "I just need to get away."
She lifted her chin, regarding him.
"I thought we were past the whole no confidence thing."
He nearly snarled. Whether it was her intention to make him angry or not, she was doing a good job.
"This has nothing to do with confidence," he said. "I can break anyone that comes after me. But…."
"What is it?" she asked, gently squeezing his hand.
"They're not just coming after me, Victoria. They're going after Kristin, Leese. Shit, a group even went after Tiffany!"
Victoria raised a finger.
"Don't take the blame for that. That was Jack's mess, not yours."
"Yeah, but I was the one watching her. Can you imagine what Jack would do to me if Tiffany was hurt? He would kill me, Victoria. He would say Screw the curse, and kill me. I told him I'd come up with some ways to protect her, and I'm not doing a good job."
She was quiet a moment, thinking.
"Hmm. Yeah, Jack would be mad. But if you cut Tiffany out of your life, her new big brother, and made her cry. What would Jack do then?"
He wanted to laugh, but it wouldn't come.
"No one's safe with me around. Even other vampires tried to get at you. Alex said some things—"
"Did he?" Victoria was genuinely surprised for the first time in the conversation. "What did he say?"
"It doesn't matter. Did you talk to Leese?"
"I did, last night."
"What did she say?"
"She said you'd been acting distant for the past week, ever since she got out of the hospital. Barely talking, barely visiting. Then you broke up with her. She didn't really go into too many details."
He hung his head. It wasn't one of his prouder moments, but it needed to be done.
"I told her my ex Rachel was back in town. That I still had some feelings for her."
"Ah. So, you lied to her."
"Yup."
"You haven't thought any of this through, have you?"
"You're wrong. That's all I've been doing. Thinking. I'm going to disappear for a while. Tiffany, Zoey, Kristin, you…people won't come after you anymore because of me. And Leese, she needs to find a human boyfriend."
"What if you're wrong?" Victoria asked. "What if you are exactly what she needs?"
"So, you don't agree? I'm doing the wrong thing here?"
She threw her hands up.
"Hey, don't ask me. I don't know."
"Victoria, you're four hundred years old—"
"That doesn't mean I can tell you what to do. Maybe you're right. The hunters out there—and not just the witch-hunters—they're
changing. Werewolf-hunters are using bigger bullets, vampire-hunters are getting smarter. Humans evolve, like everything else, and maybe our kind isn't meant to—" She searched for the word. "Cohabit with them much."
"Then, you think—"
"Or…maybe the reason our group is still alive is because we've found each other. Humans included."
He held his head in his hands.
"You're not helping at all."
She hugged him.
"I know. I'm sorry. Maybe going away is a good thing. You can relax, clear your head. There's nothing wrong with a little vacation. I take them all the time."
"Yeah," he said, smiling. "Like to Oregon?"
"Let's just call that a working vacation."
He didn't push any further. Victoria was always working on something, usually secretive. She knew she could count on him, but she was more than capable of solving her own problems.
Kevin gestured toward the house.
"Would you keep an eye on her for me? Kris gets a little crazy when I'm not around."
"I will. Don't worry. Where are you going, anyway?"
He waved his finger at her.
"I can have some secrets, too."
She rolled her eyes.
"Fine, fine. If you want to unplug, that's fine, too. I won't call or text. But I will have your stone with me."
He tried to hide a frown at the thought of his stone. The most unusual, and heartbreaking, moment of his breakup with Leese was when she handed over her magical rock, like it was a rejected engagement ring. Her eyes welled up with tears, and it took everything he had not to cry with her.
He forced her from his thoughts. It was painful to leave her, agonizing to cause her pain. But the right thing to do was seldom easy. Despite Victoria's version of advice, he felt he was doing the right thing.
"Well, I guess I'd better let you go." She glanced toward the house. "Kristin! You can come out now."
Kristin opened the front door, letting Oscar run ahead of her. She'd dressed, wearing sweatpants and a hooded jacket. Kevin looked at his sister, confused about her reaction time.
"She's been waiting in the living room," Victoria explained. "By the stairs."
He merely sighed as he scooped Oscar into his arms. He wouldn't go anywhere without his cat. Every witch needed a cat.
"So?" Kristin said. "Did you talk to the little shit?"
"I did. And he'll be fine."
Kristin threw her hands up, accepting defeat.
"Will you at least call when you get to wherever the hell you're going?"
"Yeah. I promise. And don't rent out the basement."
"That would be hard to do with all the garbage you have down there. Give me a hug."
Kevin embraced Kristin, and that's when it truly struck home. He was leaving. He didn't know for how long. There were still details he needed to work out.
But he knew, if he was around, his loved ones could be in danger at any time.
He hugged Victoria and set Oscar in the front seat. Waving out the window, he managed to drive around the corner before the emotions took over. The tears started, but not enough to keep him from driving.
His thoughts drifted to Leese, and how he broke her heart. Hopefully, one day, after she'd moved on and met someone else, he could be honest with her. He'd tell her he didn't mean to hurt her. He only wanted to protect her. Strangely, he could only do that from a distance.
Oscar mewed from the passenger's seat. He jumped to the back and curled into a ball before falling asleep.
"You got the right idea," Kevin said, scratching Oscar's ears. "I need a nap."
*****
The drive took an hour longer than he thought. Some unexpected traffic, a stop for breakfast, along with a missed exit that required a U-turn. Kevin left the confines of Maryland and dipped into Virginia. Oscar slept nearly the entire trip. Finally, he saw signs for the friendly, sleepy town of Sanders, and knew the drive was almost over. The interstate turned into a highway, which turned into a one-lane street. He waved at the few people on the sidewalk, going about their morning routines. He passed the library where he learned some of his first real magic. A few more turns, and the local shops turned into quaint houses.
She was sitting on the front porch waiting for him. Kevin didn't know why that surprised him. She smiled and stood as he parked the car. She almost danced with excitement, and he thought she would run down the sidewalk to greet him. Thankfully, she merely waved.
"Kevin!" she called. "I was getting worried. You get lost on the way?"
Kevin climbed out and stretched his legs. Oscar had just enough energy to take in his surroundings before curling up and falling back asleep.
"Hi, Martha."
CHAPTER 6
Kevin's mentor couldn't contain herself any longer, and met him halfway. She hugged him tightly, nearly squeezing the life from him. Kevin wasn't in the mood to laugh. Dealing with more witch-hunters, the breakup with Leese, leaving home. His smiles had been few over the past week. But Martha's energy was contagious. The silver-haired half witch laughed as she held him at arm's length and looked him up and down.
"Kevin," she said. "How long has it been?"
"Too long," he admitted. They kept in touch with email, but it had been some time since they'd seen each other face to face. "I'm sorry I haven't come over more often."
She waved off his concern.
"Don't worry about it. You're young, out there doing young things. Besides, you couldn't keep up with me, anyway."
Kevin agreed with her on that point.
"Thanks for letting me stay. I really appreciate it. You're helping me out."
"If we don't look out for each other, who will? It'll be nice to have some company. Is everything okay? You were really quiet on the phone."
"I'm okay." She didn't look convinced. "Seriously. Just need to escape for a bit."
"You didn't get any ladies out there pregnant, did you?"
The question caught him by surprise, but he thought about who he was talking to. Martha had the outward appearance of the stereotypical little old lady, but nothing could be further from the truth. She was a wild one.
"Uh, no. No pregnant ladies."
"Speaking of ladies, where is yours? Where's Rachel? You didn't bring her with you?"
Kevin frowned. It wasn't from the mention of an ex-girlfriend, but how out-of-date Martha was. He had to make it a point to update her on his social life.
"We broke up. Actually, since Rachel, I had another girlfriend, and we just broke up, too."
"Wow, Kevin. You are quite the lady-killer."
"Yeah. That's me."
A thought crossed his mind as he retrieved Oscar from the car.
"Martha," he said. "Why would I bring a girlfriend to crash at your place?"
"I don't know," she said, shrugging. "But I wouldn't say no to you. In my mind, I had this crazy thought you got her pregnant and were running from your families. I bought a set of earplugs in case you two wanted to…you know."
He shook his head, not sure if he was ready for what he was getting into. Martha's eyes lit up at the sight of Kevin's cat.
"Aww! Hi, Oscar!"
"You remembered."
"Of course! He's adorable. The witch's familiar." She reached out to pet him while Kevin glanced around. Why did everyone he know feel so comfortable speaking about what they were in public?
Oscar purred and snuggled in Kevin's arm as he gave him affection. Leese always teased him about how he treated his cat, then would say and do the same things when he turned his back.
"Is he going to chase my cat through the house? I remember when he was younger."
Kevin was at a loss for words. He'd forgotten all about Martha's own familiar, Sebastian.
"No," he said slowly. "Oscar wouldn't do that."
Martha wasn't convinced.
"Um hmm. We'll see." Her smile returned. "Let's get inside. We'll unload your stuff later. No reason for the neighbors to gossip about how
I'm seeing a younger man. Did you eat breakfast yet?"
"I ate on the way over."
"Well, eat again. I've got pancakes, eggs, bacon."
Kevin's stomach growled. He could go for a second breakfast.
He leaned close to Oscar as he followed Martha to the door.
"Behave," he whispered.
Martha's living room was just as he remembered. Small, clean, almost bare, as if she didn't use it. She still didn't have a television. There were pictures along the fireplace and walls. He recognized his birth parents. They posed playfully for the camera, with his father pretending to chase his mother in front of a swing. There were also families and couples he didn't recognize. Some photos were in black and white, others in color. He wondered how many were witches.
Oscar stiffened in his arms, and Kevin froze in place. He looked at the couch to see Sebastian, eyeing the newcomers carefully. Slowly, he lowered his cat to the ground. He wondered if his stay with Martha would be shorter than he thought.
The witches' familiars approached each other. It had been a while. Just because they'd got along before didn't mean it was a guarantee now.
"You want to bet?" Martha asked. "Sebastian would win. Hands down."
Kevin smiled as the felines touched noses. They engaged in some strange dance where Oscar would back up a step. They'd touch noses again, then Sebastian would be the one to back up. Finally, Sebastian assumed his position on the couch once again, curling up to relax. Kevin thought Oscar would explore the house, but was surprised to see his cat jump up and snuggle with Sebastian. The two fell fast asleep. Martha laughed, and Kevin managed a small smile, but felt guilty. Did Oscar need a companion? Was he lonely when Kevin wasn't home?
"Would you look at that?" Martha said.
The tension eased from Kevin's shoulders. He tried to plan as much as he could, but if their cats didn't get along, and he had to leave, he didn't exactly have another place to stay lined up.
"Okay, breakfast," Martha announced. "Leave most of the bacon for me."
The smell touched his nose when they stepped into the kitchen. Kevin was proud of his cooking skills, but Martha might have had him beat. He followed her lead as they moved through the kitchen, buffet style, dropping food on their plates. Martha hummed a song to herself.
Damned and Cursed (Book 8): Witch Trial Page 7