by Ruby Raine
He shook his head. “We’re not leaving the Isle, Eva. We’re taking over.”
Eva’s eyes widened. This was the first she’d heard her father say this.
Staying? Taking over?
It was supposed to be a one-off ruin the Howard’s lives and move the fuck on. What the hell was her father talking about?
“My darling daughter. We are going to destroy the Howard Witches just like they destroyed us. When we are through, the name Howard will be like poison, and The Demon Isle will belong to us.”
MELINDA DRIED HER EYES, having had a good cry after arguing with Michael. She’d expected it to happen, but it still hurt. She trusted Riley. She needed everyone else to. Still, little doubt seeds couldn’t help but sprout into her thoughts. He’d been acting strange all day. Perhaps he was already growing tired of keeping up his charade. Maybe he was just using her to get to the power source. To get to them...
“No,” she sniffled. “I don’t believe it for a minute.” She washed her face and despised herself instantly upon looking into the mirror. “Wouldn’t be the first time someone’s tried it. To hurt the Howards by befriending them. Am I really that gullible?”
The Deanes could have thought it a perfect plan. Befriend. And betray. Just as their ancestors did. It would almost be too easy. A replay of history. Who would really expect it? Other than all of us...
Still, she fought for him. And Lucas and Lizzy. They were not evil.
However, it would be too easy to come here and act innocent. Like they knew nothing about magic. To pretend they were just here to live in peace and harmony. To help. To make up for past wrongs.
“To make me fall in love so I’d think there was no way in hell it could be true.” Melinda sighed. “I am that gullible.”
She plunked down on her bed, no tears left.
“Look at my track record. I’m a terrible judge of character. No matter what anyone else says.” No one knew about Jerkwad. She’d never told anyone about the ass-hat. And it wasn’t like she hadn’t consented to having sex with him. She had, she just wished to hell she hadn’t. The way he treated her when they were done. Like he’d done her some favor by sticking his dick in her.
“Shit.” She closed her eyes, forcing down the bile rising in her throat. “I am the perfect target.” Gullible. Naïve. Stupid. Always fall for the wrong guy. Or vampire...
She was The Demon Isle’s weird girl. The freak that had wacky visions of people about to die. That spent four years locked in her house. That only had bad dates, and worse dates. Never good dates. Never even a repeat date.
And she was supposed to believe that a hot guy on a motorcycle had met her and instantly fell head over heels in love with her? And that guy happened to be a Deane on top of that?
Melinda lifted her head and swung her feet off the side of the bed. She grabbed her phone, determined to confront him, but chickened out.
Until today, Riley really had been perfect.
Attentive to her every need.
Patient, considering the circumstances they were in.
Understanding, and in agreement, to the fact that they should slow everything down and get to know each other. Allow their families to adjust to them dating.
That Riley had to be real.
Was real.
She could not be so wrong about this.
And if she was, she deserved any punishment she got. Her brothers and William could say they told her so for the rest of her damn life.
She was a Howard. She should know better.
The Riley she was with today, there was something wrong. Something different.
She just couldn’t be this bad a judge of character. Could she?
She let out a groan.
Was nothing easy? Or certain?
“For the sake of argument, let’s say Riley is a good guy. Then what? He’s just a moody jealous asshole?”
Perhaps something more had happened during the Feyk attack? They’d checked out Riley’s head for injuries, but what if the Feyk did something else? Something a doctor wouldn’t notice in an x-ray, or exam.
“Like what?” she mumbled, shaking her head. “And that’s just another excuse. He was acting weird and jealous before the attack,” she argued with herself.
“You need to face that he might be...” she couldn’t say evil. She just couldn’t. Melinda pounded her fists onto the edge of her bed.
“I. AM. SO. PATHETIC!” She sat up straight and ran her hands through her hair, pushing out a ragged breath.
“This is stupid. I’m just gonna call him. Confront him.”
She picked up and dialed, startled when someone answered that was not Riley.
“Lucas?”
“Melinda. Oh, weird. I was just about to call you.”
“Me, why?”
“I was hoping you might know where my brother is.”
“Um, no. I was actually calling to see how he was doing. To see if he was feeling better.” She lost all nerve the moment Lucas had started talking. Confront Riley? Why did she need to do that? Coward...
“Oh. Well in that case, Melinda, sorry, my brother is not here.”
“You sound worried.”
Lucas groaned. “We got in a fight. He lost it. Just went off, spouting a bunch of bullshit that made no sense and stormed out of the house. Lizzy and I tried to talk some sense into him, and looked for him, but we haven’t found him yet. His motorcycle’s gone and he left his phone at the manor. I’m sure he’s just out cooling off, but...”
“But what?” Melinda coaxed.
“He just seemed, off. Like earlier when he sort of exploded over nothing.”
“So he’s not normally like that?” she asked instead, needing confirmation of this again.
“No. I’ve never seen my brother like he was today. I’ve never seen him be the jealous type. But today,” he let out a ragged breath. “He just went off the deep end. Like he was possessed or something.”
Melinda gulped hard, her confidence in her and Riley returning, but with a huge side of unease taking its place. She was driving herself mad with all the doubting. It needed to stop.
She trusted Riley and Lucas. And Lizzy.
End of story. No more wavering.
“Do you have any idea where he might go, Melinda?” Lucas asked her, desperation heavy.
“I don’t have any idea, Lucas. I wish I did. But the Isle is only so big, he can’t go far. And it’s getting late, I’m sure he’ll come home soon.” She said these things to comfort Lucas, but she didn’t think it eased him anymore than it did her.
“To be honest Melinda, I’m starting to doubt my choice to move to the Isle. Looks like it was a bad idea. I had to talk him into coming, he didn’t want to.”
“Yeah, he kind of told me that,” Melinda admitted. “But I think he’s okay with it now. At least before today I thought so.”
Melinda was surprised at how easily she was talking to Lucas. Maybe both brothers had serious mood issues. Maybe it ran in the family. Maybe Lucas was right and being on the Isle was bad for them. She kept that thought to herself. First smart choice she’d made all day that involved words and her mouth.
“One thing I know for sure,” Lucas said, “is that my brother is crazy about you, Melinda. I’ve never seen him fall for someone like he has for you. Whatever this is, it’s not natural. Not like him at all.”
She choked up. Again, berating herself for doubting. “Well, um, tell him to call me when he does get home, okay?”
“Yeah. And listen, don’t worry about him. Like I said, he’s probably just cooling off. Probably hear his motorcycle drive up any minute.”
“Okay. Well, night, Lucas. And thanks for your help today. I really did appreciate it. Craziness and all.”
“I hope your brothers didn’t give you too hard a time about it.”
“All good,” she lied.
“Okay. If you need help again, just holler. We’d be glad to help.”
“Thanks, Lucas. Night.” She hung up.
<
br /> Melinda fell onto her bed, exhausted. She hoped Riley would be okay. It gave her some relief to know that he didn’t normally behave like he had today. Of course, this was coming from Lucas, his brother.
“No,” she snapped angrily. “I’m not doubting him again. I’m not gullible enough, no matter what anyone thinks.”
She grabbed a glass of water and climbed into bed, forcing her eyes to close. Sleep evaded her though. She tossed and turned, her brain fighting her need for rest. Finally, hours later, she dozed off.
A dream slammed into her mind, hard, vivid, and lifelike. Almost as if it had been waiting impatiently for her to fall asleep so it could tell her something. There was something different about this dream, and yet Melinda knew with certainty it was prophetic.
Rather than watching like an onlooker, as she usually did, she was watching from inside her own body. Through her own eyes. Wait a minute... oh my God. I’m having a dream about myself. I’m still watching like an observer, just from inside my own head as my body acts it out. This is really... she didn’t know what to think. It had never happened before. Her dream subjects had always been others.
There were the William dreams, which she had yet to discover were prophetic in any way. But this was different from those as well. This was almost like she was a silent passenger inside her own body.
Not just participating in the dream, like with William. She sighed. They must just be steamy dreams. Not prophetic. She was herself in those dreams, not watching like an observer. She felt awake and aware at times, but always present and in the moment. Not watching from afar. It saddened her a little, to think they were just dreams and nothing more.
And definitely not like this dream. Her thoughts were her own, but her body moved of its own volition. The second realization hit hard and fast.
The people I dream about always die.
Oh my God. Am I about to watch my own death?
Even stuck in a dream, imprisoned in her own mind, a panic attack threatened to surface.
I don’t want to watch this. Why would I be forced to see my own death?
To stop it of course.
But... But... Oh my God.
Her head lifted peering into the night sky. It was dark. Ink dark and starless. Waves crashed somewhere close. She could not see them. Wait, no, maybe not waves, but running water that was sloshing around. A river maybe. Or stream.
She shivered, her arms wrapping around her body. Wet. I am wet? And cold, suddenly so cold her teeth chattered.
Something bright and fiery whizzed past her. She jumped back, shocked to see Lizzy Deane pop into her dream from nowhere, only to slump to the ground just a few feet away. She’d been hit square in her mid-section with a fiery magical orb.
“Lizzy!” Melinda called out. Her voice. Movements. Thoughts. All there and all hers, but belonging to the dream her. She could do nothing but watch and relive what was about to happen.
Melinda called out to Lizzy, but there was no reply. No movement.
“She’s dead. Lizzy is dead. Oh my God!” the dream her cried out.
The silent observer Melinda needed to know who killed her, and why? She also wanted to know why this vision was so different. Lizzy had just died. She thought she was about to watch her own demise. Her concerns were cut off.
A shadow emerged from the darkness. The dream Melinda stared back in horror.
“Riley,” her voice trembled. “Please don’t do this.”
He was standing near Lizzy, a revolting grin on his face, a spiteful glimmer in his eyes. A fiery orb formed in the palm of his hand.
The observer Melinda wanted to shout and ask what was happening, but her voice would not obey. She was stuck in her thoughts, her actions on auto play.
Riley ignored the dream Melinda’s plea. Or it might have been he was not listening to her.
Another body ran by Melinda, blocking the path between Riley and his next target. It was Lucas blocking the path, and he turned and told Melinda to stay where she was.
“Riley,” Lucas spoke desperately. “Don’t do this. This isn’t you. The Feyk cast a spell. What you’re seeing isn’t real.”
Riley didn’t reply. He took the fully formed orb and aimed it directly at his brother. “Get out of my way, Lucas. You’re not a part of this.”
“Riley, you’ve already killed Lizzy! And Michael. And...”
“What?” cried the dream Melinda. She turned and turned looking for her brother’s body. She didn’t see him. She didn’t see Charlie either. Or William, or Emily. Were they all dead? Were they on their way? Charlie couldn’t die, he had the ring. And William was hard to kill. So where were they? Why were they not here?
Stuck inside her own mind, observer Melinda wondered why the dream her, did not know these things either. What the hell was happening? Lucas said something about the Feyk... they cast a spell.
Her gaze followed Lucas. He and Riley approached each other slowly. Cautiously.
“You’ll be next if you don’t move,” Riley warned his brother.
“I’m not moving,” Lucas told him. “I won’t allow you to kill anyone else.” He held out his own palm, a magical orb starting to form. “Please, Riley. Don’t make me use magic. Don’t make me hurt you. Don’t make me kill,” his voice refused to utter the rest. “You’re my brother, Riley. I’ve always looked out for you, but I won’t let you do this.”
Dream Melinda searched behind Lucas, for the cause of Riley’s anger. The real target he was aiming for. It was so dark. Why was it so dark? She shivered again. The cold seeping into her bones like it might settle in permanently. Her eyes searched the darkness for the target of Riley’s wrath.
A shadow. Not too far away and yet nearly impossible to make out. Her feet stepped closer to get a better look. Her feet stopped moving, refusing to work correctly. Her gaze frozen on what was just a few feet in front of her.
A pyre. Unlit. But stacked and ready to burn.
A groan.
A stake.
A body...
Terrified, dream Melinda looked upward.
Observer Melinda didn’t want to see. But she was stuck in a body that would not obey. Watching the horror unravel, unable to change anything. Unable to ask questions or fully understand what was happening. Just focus and find out what’s... her thoughts vanished.
Dream Melinda’s knees buckled. Her breath forsaking her. She fell to the ground unable to keep standing. She attempted to crawl closer, but felt frozen to the spot. There was no air. She couldn’t breathe.
Observer Melinda no longer had any voice. It was almost like it had been frightened out of her. She was still aware, but so terrified she could not think. This was so much worse than watching her own death.
“William,” the dream her got out coarsely. It was barely audible, her voice strained. Was he even still alive? She’d heard a groan. Movement, was that movement? Part of her wished she had not. Wished that he was... God, don’t say it. He can’t die. Not like this. I have to save him.
Observer Melinda’s inner voice returned.
We can change this. This isn’t going to happen.
This is what I’m supposed to see. And stop.
Riley is under some kind of spell and goes on a rampage and kills everyone, and tortures... oh God, William.
The dream her crawled toward the pyre, legs still not cooperating. She tried to push herself off the ground, onto her feet. Her eyes fell into the vampire’s gaze. Was it really him? She knew it was, the defining tell, the one thing still him, his emerald eyes... filled with dread.
Not over his own anguish. But that she was there. His mouth opened to speak but nothing came out. How could it? His throat was probably as charred as the rest of him.
Oh. Shit. Melinda thought she was going to be sick. The observer her and the dream her.
In the background Lucas was still pleading with Riley.
“None of this is real. It’s all in your head.”
“The bloodsucker dies,” Ri
ley spat back ferociously.
How had Riley overpowered William? Why couldn’t he escape his bonds? It should have been easy for a vampire to do this. And yet there he was, tied up, barely standing, injured severely. Skin blistered. Peeling.
It looked like Riley had been using him for target practice.
“He needs blood,” the dream her whimpered. William needed blood. With enough blood, he could recover. She started to climb the pyre. She had to save him. If everyone else was dead, she needed William to live. And she couldn’t let him suffer alone.
The real her, the silent observer, tried like hell to focus on the dream.
The Feyk had caused this, turned Riley into this monster. He really was hurt, not just acting strange because he was a Deane. He had not betrayed her.
But he was seriously messed up! And killing people without remorse.
What kind of spell does such a horrific thing?
The dream her was almost at the top of the pyre. She didn’t care if Riley was under some sort of spell, or not. William wasn’t going to die because of it.
Observer Melinda shuddered, her voice disappearing again. With a gasp, she slipped into dream Melinda’s place. Still acting out the scene with no control over it. It would unravel however it pleased. But she was now participating in her own body, as herself. No longer just an observer in her own mind.
She was participating in the dream just like she did in the steamy William dreams. This didn’t matter. She needed to save him.
Melinda reached him. Bile high in her throat but she pushed it back down. She could not fathom the level of suffering. She reached out to him but pulled her hand back, unsure where she could touch that would not add to his pain.
William needed to feed, and she was the only available human. If she could get him strong enough he could get free of his bonds and get off the pyre. He was too heavy for her to lift. But she’d drag him to safety if she had to.
Everywhere she looked he’d been hit by one of Riley’s fiery orbs, and it had left William’s skin raw and scorched.
“Please don’t die,” she whimpered. “You can’t die. You can’t leave me.” She held her forearm to his mouth, his lips rough with burnt, flaking skin. “Drink. Please, William,” she begged.