by D. F. Jones
Chapter 1
“Hannah,” her mother called from the bottom landing of the hardwood stairs. She was finally moving out, having found a place to call her own.
“Coming, Mamma.”
She left her bedroom, ran down the steps, and greeted her with a smile. “What is it?” Her smile faltered when she saw tears streaming down her mother’s face.
“Oh, my sweet girl.” She grabbed a ringlet of Hannah’s long red curls. “Joanie called. There’s been an accident—”
“What do you mean? Who?” She cut her off, heart shuddering in her chest—she already knew what she was going to say. Joanie was the mother of Hannah’s fiancé, Jeff. They’d bought a house in the older section of the Garden District to start their new lives together. It was their fixer-upper Antebellum, and they loved it.
“Maybe we should sit in the parlor and talk, sweetie.” Mamma’s red-rimmed green eyes reflected the shock of her own jade stare.
“No, Mamma. Please, just tell me now. I can’t take this. What happened?”
Her mother began pacing the length of the grand foyer, wringing her hands. “Jeff was on his way here when some semi-truck crossed lanes, hitting him head-on.” Mamma choked back a sob. “He’s in Tulane Hospital now, but they don’t expect him to make it. He’s on life support.”
Hannah stood there in shock, looking at her mother like this was some kind of nightmare—she just needed to wake up. “No. It’s not true! I don’t believe it, Mamma. It can’t be. I just talked to him this morning. I would have felt it if he was gone or hurt.” She glanced toward the Heavens for answers, but none came. “We have this connection… You don’t understand. No.” Hannah turned away from her in disbelief, but her heart was shattering into a million pieces. Could Jeff really be—? No!
“Oh, baby.” Mamma clutched Hannah’s shoulders, looking her in the eyes. “I know it’s hard, but you must believe me.” More tears rolled down her beautiful face, and Hannah knew. “He’s in bad shape, and—”
Hannah dropped to her knees on the floor, unable to breathe. Her eyes boiled over in tears as memories assaulted her—five years together. His short jet-black hair, crystal-blue eyes, and playful smile that always accentuated those gorgeous dimples, melting her heart each time he looked her way—would she ever see them again? They had their lives planned out—marriage, a family—gone in an instant. She dropped her face in her hands, and her shoulders heaved as her body racked with uncontrollable sobs. She couldn’t live without Jeff. She wouldn’t. No, she refused to accept it. There had to be another way.
“Mom.” She stood and wiped her tears. “We’re witches. There has to be something we can do. We can’t just let him die.”
“No, Hannah.” Mamma shook her head. “You and I both know it’s forbidden to mess with that kind of magic.” She placed her arm around Hannah’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, honey, but we have to accept his fate, whatever that might be.”
“No, we don’t,” Hannah declared through gritted teeth. “You do.” She jerked away, grabbed her keys from the foyer table, taking off out the front door without looking back. She could hear Mamma calling for her, but she refused to stop for her or anyone else. Jeff was going to live, and she was going to make sure of it.
Slamming the door to her blue Honda Civic, she dialed her friend, Abby. She would know what to do. After all, she’d helped bring their friend, Danielle Knight, back to the world of the living after she’d roamed the earth as a ghost for two years. Abby didn’t give two shits what the coven, or anyone else, thought. Taboo or not, Hannah knew she could count on Abby to help her.
Seeing her mamma running down the front steps, she tossed her phone into the passenger seat and threw the car in reverse, peeling out of the driveway as fast as her little car would go. Her mom could follow if she wanted, but Hannah was saving her man.
The phone was on speaker when Abby answered.
“Hello? Hannah?”
“Yeah, I have some bad news, and I need your help.” She started sobbing again. Dammit. She couldn’t cry and drive.
“You’re scaring me. What’s wrong?”
“Jeff was in a car accident and the doctors are saying he won’t make it. Mamma won’t do anything to help me.” Her voice broke. “I can’t let him die.”
“All right. First, you need to calm down and take a deep breath,” Abby said. “I take it you’re on the way to the hospital now?”
“Tulane Hospital. I’m sure Joanie’s there with him in ICU.”
“Okay, I’ll meet you there in fifteen. Just be careful.”
“I will. Thanks, Abby.”
Two Days Earlier
* * *
“It’s wonderful, Jeff.” Hannah smiled broadly as they walked through the front door of their new home.
They’d just closed on it the day before. The older couple she and Jeff had bought the three-story Antebellum from wanted to get rid of it right away, so they could move to Florida and retire. Jeff and Hannah had been shocked when their offer was accepted.
“It’ll be perfect for babies,” Jeff said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Hannah slapped him on the arm playfully as they crossed into the foyer. “We’re not even married yet, Mr. Landry, and you’re already talking about children?”
“Well, we have lots of time to practice.” He scooped her up in his arms and kissed her passionately. “I was supposed to carry you across the threshold. I’ll be doing that now.”
With a huge grin showcasing a dimple in each cheek, he walked back through the front door, carrying Hannah in his arms, and stood on the porch of their new home. He gazed into her eyes, and his were sparkling sapphire. “Are you ready, soon-to-be Mrs. Landry?”
“Why, yes, my soon-to-be darling husband.” She threw her arms around his neck, and he stepped across the threshold into what would be their brand-new life together.
Laughing, he set her down in the foyer and took her hands in his own. “I can’t wait to make you my wife. Why do we have to wait two more months? Let’s just have the wedding here?”
“You know my mom and Joanie will flip if they don’t get to plan the whole thing. They’ve been waiting for years.”
“Well, let them. Just call Evelyn and tell her we’re having it here—in our new home, then I’ll call my mom and tell her they have a week to plan—done.”
Hannah stared at Jeff’s expectant face. How could she say no to those baby blues, or to the man she’d loved for five years? “Okay. Let’s do it.” She wrapped herself in his arms. “We have a ton of cleaning to do, though. Look around.”
With a gleaming smile, he picked her up by the waist, her feet dangling above the floor, twirling her in a circle. “One more week and you’ll be all mine, Mrs. Landry.”
Her heart swelled at the thought. She’d been dreaming of their lives together since they’d met at a coven meeting all those years ago. Hannah’s friend, Abigail Blanque, had introduced them. Her boyfriend, Danny DuPont, had been friends with Jeff since they were kids. Hannah wasn’t sure how she’d never met him at one of their coven meetings. She’d most likely had her nose stuck in a book and not paid attention—those meetings always bored her to tears.
She’d known Jeff was “the one” from the moment Abby brought him over to her table. She’d been poring over a spell book, ignoring everyone as usual, when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. Hannah glanced up to see Abby standing there with a smirk on her face.
“What?” she asked, thinking Abby or Danielle were going to pull her into one of their pranks. She wasn’t in the mood that day.
Then Hannah peeked over Abby’s shoulder and saw blue eyes staring down at her beneath black lashes. A six-foot-three gorgeous man stood before her with full kissable lips and tousled jet-black hair. He wore a gray T-shirt that hid what appeared to be a muscular chest and dark jeans that hugged all the right places. Hannah’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water until she heard Abby giggle, snapping her out of her lust-fill
ed gaze.
“Hannah, this is Jeff Landry. Jeff, this is Hannah Guillory,” Abby said, taking a seat next to her with a satisfied smile.
Jeff extended his hand, looking straight into her eyes. She felt like she was gonna die. Her ivory-colored skin must’ve flushed scarlet—she felt the heat as it rushed to her face.
Jeff’s grin went wide, and Hannah knew she was right.
She was so getting Abby back for this. Hannah shook his hand. “Nice to meet you,” she muttered anxiously, then glanced to Abby who was grinning from ear to ear, leaning against the table on her elbows, seeming amused.
Jeff rubbed the back of his neck nervously, glanced down at his feet, and back to Hannah. “I was wondering if you’d like to go out for dinner later. Abby said you were single, and I’ve been meaning to ask you—this isn’t coming out right.” He shook his head. “Do you wanna go out sometime?”
Hannah smiled, feeling the awkwardness fade because he was just as nervous as she was. “I would love to go out with you, Jeff Landry.”
He exhaled a long breath, and before he could say anything else, Abby interrupted. “See, I told you she would say yes.”
Hannah cut her eyes at her.
“What?” Abby threw her arms out innocently. “I was trying to help you two. I already knew he wanted to ask you out, and you, Hannah, really need to let your hair down.”
“Can you be any more embarrassing?” she asked with wide eyes and clenched teeth. Jeff’s face was three shades of red, and she was sure hers matched his.
“Whatever. It worked, didn’t it?” Abby kissed her on the cheek. “You two have fun.” She rose from the table, waved goodbye, and walked away—still laughing.
What had started out as one of the most embarrassing days of Hannah’s life, ended up being the beginning of a whole new life for her, and she had Abby to thank for it.
Chapter 2
“I can’t wait until I’m Mrs. Hannah Landry.” She beamed, glancing around at their beautiful, sparsely furnished home.
“I’ll call Mom now and tell her to get started on planning something simple here,” Jeff said. “Unless you want bigger. We can have it any way you want.” He pulled her close to him again, towering over Hannah’s five-foot-five frame. They fit perfectly.
“Simple is fine. As long as I have you, nothing else matters.” She peered up at his perfect face, and he covered her mouth with a heart-stopping kiss. Even after five years, he still took her breath away.
Coming up for air, she couldn’t believe they were finally going to do it. She no longer had to wait. “I’m calling Mamma now. She’ll be mad, but she’ll get over it.” Hannah stepped into the large parlor situated to the left of the foyer.
Taking a seat on an old antique sofa, she dialed her mom and told her the news. To say she was displeased would’ve been an understatement, but she knew Jeff and Hannah were more than ready, especially now that they’d bought their first home. After some convincing that the wedding would still be beautiful there, her mother finally relented and told her she needed to go so she could call Joanie. Hannah laughed because those two were like sisters—they did everything together. She and Jeff should’ve just linked their calls.
Jeff came to sit next to her. “How did she take it?”
“She had to rush off the phone to call your mom.” Hannah laughed and leaned her head against his shoulder. “It’s a good thing I already have my dress.”
She glanced around the parlor at the aging satin wallpaper, Victorian-style, antique blue-and-white-striped sofa she definitely wanted to keep, and cherry wood side tables. There was a matching China cabinet situated in the far-right corner. An ornately carved, white-painted mantel sat atop a gorgeous fireplace along the back wall. This was Hannah’s favorite room. There were floor-to-ceiling windows behind the sofa opposite them, looking out into the front yard.
“Hey, how about we spend the night here?” Jeff stroked her hair. “They left a king-sized bed in the master bedroom. I’m sure we can clean it and grab some sheets from the store.”
She leaned further into the crook of his arm, snuggling close to his chest. “I think that sounds like a wonderful idea.”
They spent the entire day cleaning and airing out the big ole house.
The kitchen was the perfect size, with black granite countertops, gleaming white cabinets, and stainless-steel appliances—the one part of the house that had already been remodeled. They didn’t have a table for the dining room or kitchen but didn’t care. They’d stopped at the grocery store earlier to grab something simple to have for dinner, along with a bottle of wine for later.
It was nine p.m. when they finally settled in front of the fireplace with their glasses of Merlot. October nights were always so beautiful in New Orleans. Hannah opened the front windows to allow a cool breeze to flow through.
“To us, and our long, happy life together.” Jeff raised his glass, toasting to their forever.
She felt like she was living in a fairytale. “To us.” She smiled and sipped her wine.
Setting his wineglass on the coffee table, Jeff took her hand. She set her glass beside his when she saw the serious expression on his face.
“I love you, Hannah. Today couldn’t have been more perfect.” He clutched her face in his hands and covered her mouth with his own. It was one of those kisses never forgotten—forever ingrained in a memory—the kind from dreams that one believed would never come true, until it happened.
Jeff laid Hannah down on the plush white rug beneath them and began exploring her body with his hands. It felt as though he were touching her for the first time. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, and she couldn’t get enough. Just when Hannah’s clothes were about to come off, she sat straight up, bringing Jeff with her.
“How about we take this to our bedroom?” She rose a brow, pulling his hand.
He grinned wickedly. “Yes, ma’am. I thought you’d never ask.”
They walked through the house hand-in-hand on bare feet and up the hardwood steps, down the darkened hallway, to their room on the right. It was perfect. Jeff, to Hannah’s surprise, had decorated it with fresh flowers sitting atop the mantel, with white candles spread throughout the room. She went around the space, lighting each of them with her fingertip, smiling back at him. Their king-sized bed was now covered in a red-and-brown duvet with matching throw pillows.
Hannah felt strong arms pull her from behind, and her breath caught. This would be their first night together in their home. Jeff lowered his head, nuzzling her neck and began kissing along the most sensitive part. She felt a shiver of need run throughout her body—he knew exactly what to do. Pulling her top over her head, he tossed it to the side, unclasped her bra, and she turned toward him.
He was even sexier in the candlelit room. She wasted no time reciprocating, removing his T-shirt, and found herself taking her time, watching him watch her with want in his gaze. Giving him a sexy, come-hither stare, Hannah stepped out of her jeans and stood naked before him. It wasn’t long before Jeff scooped her up in his arms, then took her to the bed where his body hovered over her.
“You’re bad, Hannah.” He grinned and then devoured her mouth in a soul-searing kiss.
She was his—mind, body, and soul.
Darkness surrounded Hannah, and all she could feel was the icy fingers of death clawing at her spine. She had no idea where she was or how she’d gotten there. The only sound she could hear was the pounding of her heart as it thudded against her chest. She attempted to look around into the inky blackness of what seemed to be cave-like walls. She knelt to find sand and rock on the ground beneath her feet.
Where was she? Had she fallen into an alternate realm she didn’t know existed? Hannah inched forward, balancing her steps by leaning against the rock wall, searching for some kind of light ahead. Calling out, the only answer she received was the echo of her own voice.
Paralyzing fear gripped her. Where was Jeff? The last thing she remembered was making love to him
and falling asleep. This had to be some kind of dream. She just needed to find a way to wake up.
As she crept forward into the abyss of the unknown, a strange howling assaulted her ears. Hannah dropped to her knees and covered her head. Wolves? What else could it have been? She didn’t have time to think—all she could do was focus on her magic and produce a fireball in her hand for light. If Hannah was about to come head-to-head with wolves, she needed to be ready, dream or not.
Steeling her nerve, she traversed through the cave until she saw a stream of light in the distance. She picked up her pace—wolves be damned—and ran as fast as her legs would carry her until she could see a shimmer of light.
Hannah stood on the edge of a small cliff, overlooking a full moon—not just any moon, but a blood moon—a sign of trouble nearby. Her thoughts immediately rushed to Jeff. She had a bad feeling he might be in trouble. She knew she needed to find him—and fast.
She sat on her butt and slid down the small cliff to what appeared to be one of the covens’ sacred Hallows. But Hannah knew right away her ancestors weren’t there—she would’ve felt their presence otherwise. She stood, wiping the excess dirt and leaves from her clothing and glanced around. The howling became louder the further she walked into the clearing, but she couldn’t stop. She knew Jeff was out there somewhere and had to find him. What if he was hurt—or worse?
Hannah took off in a dead run, straight into the middle of the clearing where the moon shone the brightest. She shouted Jeff’s name, but only howling answered her. Suddenly, a bright yellow orb descended from the Heavens, taking on a human-like form. With wavy blonde hair whispering in the breeze and a long white robe, a woman—Hannah’s ancestor—hovered just in front of her, then spoke:
“Hannah, your life is about to change over the course of the next few days. Watch the moon, but I must caution you: choose your actions very carefully, or they will have dire consequences.”