“How did you find out what she really was?” Emmett asked. “Half fairy, half vampire.”
“When did that other fairy come looking for her? What was it, 10, maybe 20 years later?” Nicholas questioned Lucas.
“Sounds about right. It was at least a decade,” Lucas said. “Senara had stolen souls from him. Apparently she was a huge con artist. She was only supposed to be brokering the deals at the crossroads. Instead, she was stealing the souls for herself.”
“She screwed this other fairy over; took the souls he had collected, and made it look like he was the one keeping all of the souls for himself,” Nicholas explained.
“Who was supposed to get them? The devil?” I asked nervously. “That doesn’t sound like someone you’d want to have on your bad side.”
Nicholas shrugged. “I guess they were supposed to go to whoever was ruling Hell at the time. I try to stay out of matters involving that place. It’s full of politics, just like Earth.”
“The fairy didn’t know Senara had been turned, and up until then, we didn’t know she was half-fairy,” Lucas said. “Once we realized the full extent of her powers, we tried to find her. But nobody we knew back then had seen or heard from her in years.”
“Senara isn’t the kind of woman you’d expect to stay quiet for long,” Nicholas continued. “I wasn’t surprised to hear her name tonight, to be honest. I can’t believe she’s waited until now to make a power move.”
“I really thought she was dead,” Lucas added. “When it became mandatory for all non-humans to register, get logged into the database, I looked for her. They didn’t even have a record that she had ever existed.”
“I did the same thing,” Nicholas said. “Hell, I even searched for half fairy/half vampire, thinking they made her register but she managed to do it under a fake name. Nada. Zip. Zilch.”
“So to sum this up, she’s one of a kind, insane, and has tons of power from the souls she’s taken?” Emmett asked warily.
“Yep. I doubt a normal stake would even kill her,” Lucas said. “I’m not sure what would. Sounds like this prophet thinks you’re going to get a spectacular power.” Lucas looked at me, his eyes filled with worry.
“I wonder if Senara knows about me?” I asked. “Or even about Tobias? They’re obviously both planning to take over and rule Hell on Earth.”
“She can’t know about the prophet’s prediction,” Nicholas said. “Otherwise she’d try to kill you first, before you develop your powers.”
“I need to go home and think about all of this,” Emmett said.
“I’ll take you,” Nicholas offered.
“No, no.” Emmett held us his hand. “It’s too long of a way. Just drop me off in the nearest town, and I’ll take a taxi from there.”
“You sure?” Nicholas asked. “I really don’t mind.”
“I’m sure.”
“You guys staying here?” Nicholas turned to Lucas and me.
“I can’t go home,” I replied. “My parents think I’m spending the night at a friend’s house.”
“Just crash here tonight,” Nicholas offered. “Lucas and I will flip a coin to see who has to take one of those annoying sunlight pills, and the loser will drive you back in the morning.”
Lucas laughed. “You know I’ll do it. It’s no problem. And besides, you’ve already done so much for us.”
“It’s actually been fun,” Nicholas said. “A good excuse to take a break from hunting and see my oldest and dearest friend.”
“When I asked to go home, I meant now,” Emmett interjected.
“Sorry, man,” Nicholas grabbed the car keys. “Be back in a few,” he called over his shoulder.
Chapter 10
Now that I was alone with Lucas, I was at a loss for words.
“What are you thinking?” Lucas asked me.
“Just trying to understand what’s going on,” I said honestly. “This night has been surreal.”
“I’m just so happy that you’re safe. Even with Nicholas there, if something had gone wrong, you two would have been outnumbered. It was a hell of a risk. One I don’t think I’m willing to take again,” Lucas said.
“You think there will be another meeting?” I asked nervously.
“At some point,” Lucas said grimly. “If Matthews tells Tobias that your power is ready, he’ll probably call one. Or, he might try to get a hold of you individually. Depends on timing and if he’s still ‘conditioning’ his army, as you said.”
“Yuck. He was more disgusting than I pictured.” I laughed. “I feel like I’m in a bad dream. I seriously can’t believe this evening.”
“And Henry isn’t mad at you?”
Why did you have to bring him up?
“He’s fine,” I said lightly.
I didn’t have to elaborate. Nicholas was back.
“That was quick,” Lucas commented.
Nicholas shook his head. He looked bemused. “Do you think that Emmett dude is going to be okay?” he asked. “Intense guy.”
“He and I don’t always get along so well,” I admitted. “I think I annoy him.”
“Everything annoys him,” Lucas said. “But I’m not bashing the guy,” he quickly added. “Most of what we know is because of him.”
“Things cool with you and your pal Henry?” Nicholas asked me.
Ugh! Why did everyone keep bringing him up?
“Uh-huh,” I mumbled.
“Alright, well, I’m going to get some sleep. There’s two bedrooms. You guys can take those and I’ll take the couch,” Nicholas said.
“No way,” Lucas protested. “You two can have the bedrooms. I’m not tired anyway. Too much on my mind.”
“I’ll probably just hang out with Lucas, unless he wants to be alone.” I shot a glance at him.
“I’d love the company,” Lucas replied.
“Alright well, see you two tomorrow. It’s been real.” Nicholas headed to the back.
Lucas and I sat on the couch, not speaking at first. But it was a comfortable silence. I wanted to ask him more about Senara, like how long they were together, but I didn’t dare. Not like I had a right to know, or that it even mattered.
“She didn’t mean anything, you know.” I looked over at Lucas. He was studying my face.
“The past is just that. I’m not going to press you about it,” I told him. “It caught me off guard, that’s all.”
“It scares the hell out of me knowing she’s still out there, and if she gets wind of you being destined to kill her she’s going to come for you,” Lucas said.
“Yeah, I wasn’t too thrilled about that part either,” I admitted. “But if I ever get my mysterious power, I’ll just have to take her out first.” I was only half joking.
Lucas shook his head. “I don’t care what that prophet said; you’re not going after Senara. I’ll kill her, if that’s what it takes to ensure your safety.”
“No offense, but you haven’t even been able to get rid of Thomas and Bartholomew on your own, and they’re normal vampires.”
“I know I sound crazy, Rory,” Lucas said. He didn’t sound crazy. He sounded desperate. “I just can’t let anything happen to you!”
“Well, we’re not going to find a solution tonight,” I said lightly. “Let’s hope after Emmett gets some shuteye he knows more. Then, the four of us can come up with a plan.”
Lucas forced a smile. “I’m going to lie down on one of the couches. I am tired but I wasn’t going to let Nic sleep out here.”
“You can have the other bedroom. I’m too wired to relax, and I lie in a bed staring at my ceiling every night at home. At least here I don’t have to pretend I go to sleep.”
“Or we could both take the bedroom,” Lucas said. He was flirting with me again. Thank God he was starting to sound normal now.
“Hmm, let me think about it,” I said, pretending to ponder the decision. But I was already standing up and walking towards the back of the cabin.
Lucas placed his hand on
the small of my back and led me down the left side of the hall. The bedroom was at the end. “You know I didn’t mean anything other than just lying here together, right?” Lucas said, opening the door.
“Of course.” I had been hoping he did mean more, but I wasn’t surprised. Lucas had made it perfectly clear that although he was attracted to me, he couldn’t act on it, risk losing control.
Lucas lied down on the bed on his back and motioned for me to join him. I cuddled up next to him, resting my head in the crook of his shoulder and draping my arm over his chest. It felt so wonderful to be with him. So safe and secure.
In just a few minutes, I could tell by his breathing that Lucas was asleep. I took the opportunity to look up at him, to study his chiseled face.
“Yes?” Lucas asked, opening one eye to peer at me quizzically.
“I, um, thought you were asleep,” I stuttered. “Didn’t mean to disturb you.”
“I learned to be a light sleeper. Safer that way. Why were you looking at me?”
“I like looking at you, and I don’t get a lot of opportunities,” I said bluntly. With all the lies coming out of my mouth these days, I was surprised I was still actually capable of telling the truth.
Lucas laughed. “That wasn’t the answer I was expecting. For what it’s worth, I like looking at you, too.”
“Don’t mock me,” I said.
“I’m not at all. I’m just teasing you, Rory. You know how I feel about you.”
I didn’t answer. We’d had this conversation once before; no need to repeat it.
“You should get some sleep,” I said. I ran my hand over his chest, feeling the outline of his shredded abs. “There, now that I got that out of the way, I really won’t disturb you again.”
Lucas caressed my head with the arm I wasn’t lying on. “You never bother me, Aurora,” he whispered.
I pressed myself closer into his body and pushed all thoughts of everything out of my mind.
I would enjoy the moment while it lasted, and worry about the shit hitting the fan tomorrow.
Chapter 11
The Sunday before school started back had always been the most depressing day of the year. Not because I hated school, but because I hated what it stood for. The end of summer, which was my favorite season. Soon it would be too cold to go swimming and the outdoor pools would shut down until next year.
No more freedom to stay up all night and sleep all day. No going to see a movie with friends at 10 pm on a Tuesday night just because you felt like it.
Now all of that seemed so trivial, so unimportant. No, this Sunday, I didn’t think at all about those things. My mind was reeling from everything we’d found out last night. Was it possible I already had my secret power but just didn’t know how to activate it? Surely I’d feel it if something was different than from when I first returned?
The only thing I knew for certain was that I couldn’t go to another one of Tobias’ meetings. I hadn’t let myself think it at the time, but with the night behind me, I could see what a risk we had taken by going there.
Lucas brought me home that Sunday morning, as he had promised. We didn’t speak much during the car ride back. I could tell he was deep in thought, probably mulling over all the same questions as me.
He dropped me off a block from my house and turned to me. “So tomorrow is the big day. Back to normal life,” Lucas said lightly.
“I guess,” I muttered. “I’d rather work with you and Emmett and Nicholas. Stopping Tobias and Senara seems more important right now than graphing parabolas.”
Lucas had a funny expression on his face.
“A parabola is a,” I started, but Lucas cut me off.
“I’m aware of what a parabola is,” he said with a slight chuckle. “I just didn’t peg you as a math nerd.”
“So what nerd were you in school?” I shot back. “Or were you too busy playing sports?”
“Believe it or not, I loved science,” Lucas said seriously. “You’d better go before someone notices us,” he said, changing the subject. “And I’d like to get going as well. Much as I love your company I’d prefer it not be in the blazing sun.”
“I really do appreciate you bringing me back here. And, uh, having Nicholas there to protect me last night. It’s not until the light of the day that it’s hit me how dangerous that was.”
“Why do you think I was so worried when I first got you from the party?” Lucas asked.
I nodded and reached over to squeeze Lucas’ hand. “You had me terrified. I had never seen you so frenzied. Thanks again for everything.”
“Anytime. Now go! I’ll touch base with you in a few days; hopefully by then I’ll know more from my own research, or maybe Emmett will have something. In the meantime…take care of yourself. Stay in groups of people. Don’t walk around alone. That kind of thing. You know, what I tell you every time we part ways.” Lucas grinned, but it looked a little forced.
He must be worried about Senara. Or Tobias. Or both…
“I’ll be surrounded by my classmates for over half the day. What do you think could happen?” I hopped out before I could hear Lucas’ answer. I didn’t stop watching his car until he had turned off the road.
Now what? I supposed I needed to talk to Henry. The last text I had sent him said I would call him today, that I had some shopping to do to get ready for classes on Monday.
I had just reached the block my house was on when a truck screeched to a halt beside me. Emmett!
“Blast, I was trying to catch you and Lucas before he dropped you off,” Emmett said.
“You could have called one of us,” I said. “We would have arranged a time to meet and –“
“No, no, no,” Emmett interrupted, shaking his head vigorously. “I hate using the phone. It’s probably more dangerous now than ever. I figured that Lucas was taking you back home and I could talk to you both then.”
“What’s going on?” I asked in exasperation. “You’re always so paranoid about everything!”
“Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not after you,” Emmett said. There was something ominous in his tone. I quickly looked from left to right to see if anyone was around, watching us.
“Get in the car. You can’t stand there all day!” Emmett was saying.
I hopped into the passenger seat and Emmett started driving. “After I got home last night, I fell into the strangest sleep. I didn’t dream. It was almost like I was drugged, knocked out. But when I woke up this morning I had clarity on several mysteries of your situation.”
“Really?” I asked excitedly. “Emmett, that’s wonderful news!”
“Yes and no. Where to start?” Emmett paused, considering his next words. “Remember when you called and told me that Henry had visited you in the middle of the night? You wondered if his father put him under a spell.”
“Yeah, it was creepy as hell. He was definitely not himself.”
“You’re right – he actually wasn’t himself. The creature who came to visit you was a shape shifter who had taken on Henry’s appearance.”
“Is Henry in danger?” I asked shrilly.
“No, nothing like that. You’re famous amongst the non-humans – the living dead girl, they call you. And even though Tobias has successfully staged two top secret meetings, there are rumors, rumblings, about an impending war.” Emmett paused and let out a long sigh.
“That shape shifter came to you as Henry to find out what you know about the war. They think you tell Henry everything, and they obviously know that I’m helping you. That’s why the shape shifter specifically asked if you’d talked to me recently,” Emmett continued.
“Oh, no!” I wailed. “That means you’re in danger, too.” Emmett and I had our differences, but I could never forgive myself if he was injured, or worse – killed – because of me.
Emmett nodded grimly. “This is why I didn’t call. Maybe Lucas knows how to secure our phone lines, but I do not. We have to be extremely careful about how we co
mmunicate.”
“But there is a bright side to this,” Emmett continued. “It’s not really my area of expertise, but I began researching how to keep a shape shifter from taking on your form. There’s some items to gather and a spell – a ceremony or ritual, if you will, where the person gets anointed with holy water and no shape shifters will be able to look like him or her again.”
“That sounds promising,” I said. “And you already seem like an expert on the subject! Maybe you can arrange it all?” I asked.
“I’m afraid not. There is one small catch I haven’t mentioned yet,” Emmett said. He shot me a nervous look out of the corner of his eye.
“Is it bad?” I whispered. “Like do we have to hurt people or animals to get the stuff for the spell?”
“No, no, nothing like that.”
“Good.” I leaned back in the passenger seat and forced my rigid body to relax. I had been holding my entire frame tense from the second I got into Emmett’s truck. I looked over at Emmett. He was still staring straight ahead with a pained expression on his face.
“If we don’t have to hurt anyone innocent, then why are you so pale? What’s the catch?” I asked.
Emmett didn’t immediately speak. I could tell he was weighing his next words carefully. “Well, the spell has to be performed by a warlock.”
“Mr. Matthews?!” I asked incredulously.
“God, no, I would never suggest that. But you’re on the right track,” he added grimly.
“Surely you don’t mean…?”
“Yes, I’m afraid I do mean Henry.”
Chapter 12
“How could you say something so completely stupid?” I asked angrily. “Henry doesn’t practice magic! He’s not a warlock. I thought you said it had to be performed by a warlock?”
“He’s coming in to the same magic abilities as his father; he just hasn’t had any guidance on how to use them yet. And I know you don’t want to hear this, but he may not even need training. I have a feeling he’s a natural.”
“So what, we just hand him a book and tell him to read some shit? And you think he’ll do it, no questions asked?” I demanded.
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