I blink back at him, unsure what to even say to something like that.
He swallows hard, taking a step away from me. “You were right. The day we buried my grandpa, I knew who I was talking to; it wasn’t just the groundkeeper.”
I stare at him, waiting for him to continue.
“I wish I could have told you then. I wish I could tell you more now, but you have to understand, we’re sworn to secrecy. There are laws and if—” he swallows hard, taking a step away from me.
“What is it?” I ask. “Just say it.”
He exhales, dropping his gaze to the ground. The lines on his forehead crease as he whispers, “He’s my dad.”
I cross my arms as an unsettling feeling washes over me. “So, your dad’s not really dead?”
Wade winces, tipping his head to the side. “It’s complicated.”
“Wade, we’re down to the wire here. Now’s not the time for half-truths,” I say with a little more venom than originally anticipated.
“I’m sorry, I know that. Look, there’s a lot to all of this and I promise, we can get into all of it later…but for now we need to focus on the task at hand. Long story short, I think my dad is the one Abigail was referring to.”
Shaking my head, I say, “What makes you think that?”
“Remember what we found in the Academy’s library? It said my dad was the main suspect, right? And there were symbols on the ground,” he says, his silver eyes pleading with me.
“I remember,” I say, nodding.
“I don’t think he was the one they were looking for. I think he was the one consecrating the cemetery,” he says.
“Okay?”
Wade clears his throat. “I can’t tell you why I know this yet. You’ll have to trust me, Dru. I would never do anything to put you in jeopardy. As soon as I can tell you, I will.”
Inhaling deeply, I tip my head in acknowledgement. “I’ll hold you to it.”
He nods. “Come on. First, we need to find my grandpa. My dad’s not going to want to help us, so it’ll give us some leverage.”
I bite back more of my questions as I pull my phone from my pocket. Dialing up Cat, I take a few steps away from him, waiting for her to pick up the line.
After a few rings, she finally answers. “Hey, Autumn. I was just thinking about—”
“Cat, I need your help,” I say, cutting her off.
“What is it? What do you need?” she asks, her voice suddenly serious.
“Can you and Colton get Dominic and meet me at my house? It’s important. I’ll explain everything when you’re here,” I say, clutching the phone tightly to my ear.
Without missing a beat, she says, “On it. We’ll be there in ten.”
She hangs up before I can even say thank you.
Turning to Wade, I extend my arm and hold a hand out to him. “Come on. Let’s see if we can find your grandpa.”
He takes my hand and we make our way up the stairs. When we reach the doorway to my bedroom, twilight is descending and darkness isn’t far off. A rush of adrenaline courses through my veins, and I can’t help but worry about what happens when darkness falls.
Will we be able to make this all happen? How will we find the one who’s been raising the dead?
There’s so much that needs to happen and I don’t even know if we’ll be able to make it all work.
By the time we reach the front door, Dominic’s car is already racing down the driveway. The loud, distinctive sports car exhaust on his Civic is hard to miss.
As I open the front door, Dominic pulls into the driveway’s loop, with Cat and Colton following immediately behind in their Ford Escape.
Dominic is the first one to hop out of his vehicle. “What’s up, Blackwood? Cat sounded pretty urgent. Everything okay?” His gaze darts to Wade, then back to me.
“Let’s wait for Cat and Colton,” I say, tipping my chin toward their vehicle.
Colton gets out first, his dark eyes sweeping between me and Wade before his lips tug downward. Cat hops out next, practically dashing around the front of the vehicle to stand before us.
“We’re here. What do you need?” Cat says, her ebony features hardening.
“Look guys, we need help finding Wade’s grandpa…” I say, looking over my shoulder at Wade.
His shoulders are pulled back and his expression is as hard as the stone angel in the center of the driveway’s circle.
“Wade’s grandpa?” Cat says, glancing around at the other two. “I thought he was dead. Didn’t you guys bury him?”
I nod. “It’s a long story, but he’s been brought back to life. Don’t ask me how, I don’t know the specifics just yet. But I’m working on it.”
“Holy shit,” she says, raising her hands to her mouth.
“He’s been turned into a revenant—a zombie. We need to find him so we can put him to rest,” I say, sweeping my gaze across the three of them.
Cat nods eagerly, Dominic shifts to one foot, looking a bit put out, but Colton turns away, shaking his head. This is the team. Wonderful.
Colton mumbles something under his breath and it sounds like, “Not gonna help him.”
I roll my eyes. “Look, guys. There’s more at stake here than just Wade’s grandpa. There are others, too, and they need to be laid to rest. If they don’t, people are going to die,” I say, trying to accentuate the last word for effect. “The revenants are getting more hostile.”
“That’s horrible,” Cat says, her eyes wide and jaw slacking open. “You’re not—I mean, it wasn’t you who brought these people back, was it?”
I shoot her a disgruntled look. “Of course not. Someone is trying to frame me for their resurrections. But it doesn’t make them any less my responsibility. Our responsibility. We know about it and I’ve been given information on how to stop them.”
The three of them exchange glances, but don’t say anything.
Wade leans in and whispers in my ear. “Tell them about the last time.”
Turning back to them, I nod. “This has happened before. Thirty years ago, the dead were coming back to life, and it took the efforts of all of our families. Ask your parents, if you want. But that’s why I called you all here. I don’t know what I’m doing, guys. I just know we’re better together.”
Colton snickers. “How’d you suss that one out?”
“I second that,” Cat says, nodding. “I don’t know anything about putting the dead to rest. That’s your family’s area of expertise. Now, if you want me to set ‘em on fire…”
I narrow my gaze and fire back, “None of you have to understand it right now. Abigail told me what needs to be done and as far as I’m concerned, she’s always been honest with me. Colton, Cat wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Abigail. I had never performed a resurrection. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing.” I jab a pointer finger toward Cat, who shrinks back sheepishly.
“Where you do want us to start?” Dominic says, taking a step toward us. It’s the first time he’s really said anything, but determination rolls off of him in waves.
Even if he doesn’t like Wade, it’s clear he believes me.
Relieved to have at least one of them on board, I turn to him. “Dominic, how good are your psychic abilities for locating people? Would you be able to home in on his grandpa?”
Dominic shrugs. “Your guess is as good as mine. I’ve never tried to locate a revenant before.”
“Try. Please,” I say, pleading with him.
He nods. “All right. But I need more to go on. Wade, do you mind?” Dominic holds out his hands, raising them up and flicking his fingertips at him.
Wade shoots me a sideways glance, but walks down the steps toward Dom.
Placing his hands on Wade’s temples, Dominic closes his eyes and bows his head. Silence settles between the five of us as Dominic concentrates. Colton shakes his head, placing his hands on the back of his neck, as he walks away in disgust. Cat follows after him, grabbing onto his arm and whispering something in hi
s ear. He stops, shooting daggers at Wade, before he nods at Cat and walks back.
“If I’m picking up on him correctly, he’s nearby. Out that direction,” Dominic says, dropping his hands from Wade’s head and pointing out into the woods.
“There’s nothing out that way but trees,” Colton snickers, clearly unimpressed.
“Look, man, I know you don’t wanna be here, and truth be told, I don’t want you here, either. But Autumn wanted you to help, so show some damn respect,” Wade says, stepping up into Colton’s space.
“Guys,” I warn, running up to get between the two of them. “This isn’t the time or the place.”
Colton glowers at us both but takes a step back.
“Who’s that?” Cat says, holding her hands above her eyebrows as she squints toward the other end of the driveway.
As if on cue, we each turn to follow her gaze. A black SUV comes barreling down the driveway with the headlights flashing brightly as it hits the various dips in the drive.
“I have no idea,” I say, shaking my head and watching, mesmerized, as the newcomers circle up to us.
I’ve never seen the vehicle before in my life. The windows are tinted to the point of being completely blacked out and I narrow my gaze, trying to make out who could be inside.
The passenger door opens up first, and out steps the international psychic, Diana. Her bright pink hair flaps haphazardly in the breeze and in this low light, she looks like she could be Dominic’s younger sister.
“Hey there, kiddos. Miss me?” she says, eyeing me and Wade. She shoots us both a genuine smile.
I glance over at Wade, who shrugs in return.
Colton and Cat exchange confused looks, but keep their mouth shut.
“Who’s—?” Dominic begins, but promptly clamps his mouth shut when the driver’s side door opens.
A guy in his mid-forties with black hair and a similar sense of style to Wade walks around the vehicle. His dark, discerning eyes scan each of us before landing back with Diana. Without a word, she nods at him.
The man’s lips press into a thin line and he tips his chin.
Then, he walks up to me, looks me straight in the eye, and says, “Autumn Blackwood, you’re under arrest for suspicion of criminal resurrection.”
Chapter 22
Unleashing Pandora
My mind is a whirling cyclone of jumbled thoughts as the federal agent pulls my arms around my back. His hands are surprisingly smooth as he places cuffs around my wrists. The cold metal, however, digs into my skin, putting things into sharp contrast.
“Arrest? She didn’t do anything wrong,” I hear Wade sputter, but his words are so far away. It’s like they’re completely separated from reality.
Arrest…
As we move toward the SUV, everything moves in slow motion. It’s as if I’ve managed to slow down everyone else while I’m moving super-quick. Only, I know better.
Instead, I’m trying desperately to cling to the moment because my future has just come crashing down around me.
I can’t go to prison. I can’t go to prison.
No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to focus on anyone or anything. It isn’t until my eyes land on Diana and a broad, goofy grin spreads across her face that I come crashing back to Earth. Her smile snaps everything back into focus as a deep pool of anger flares through my veins.
Just as I open my mouth to give her a piece of my mind, she winks at me. Like, actually winks. The gesture is so out of place in this situation, and while she doesn’t pull it off in the same suavity as Wade, it pulls me up short.
“Wait—” Colton says, stepping forward and holding his hands out in front of him. He takes a deep breath and exhales it slowly. “Wait.”
The agent stops moving us toward the black vehicle. “Step aside, kid.”
Colton shakes his head, getting between me and the vehicle. His eyes are wide and he shakes his head frantically. “No, you’ve gotta listen to me. It’s not her. You have the wrong person.”
“That’s ridiculous. All the evidence is pointing directly at her,” the federal agent says.
My heart catches in my throat and I hang my head in defeat.
“I have a hunch you should hear him out, Blake,” Diana says, smirking as she crosses her arms over her torso.
Blake doesn’t even bat an eye. As if there’s not even a question to her hunches, he turns back to Colton. “I’m listening.”
Colton runs his hand over his mouth, his dark-brown eyes pleading with me, but I don’t know what we’re bargaining for.
“What’s going on here?” Cat asks, her face full of concern as she steps up to Colton and reaches for his arm.
Colton swallows hard, glancing from her back to Blake. “It was me. I was the one who was summoning them. All of them.”
My mouth pops open.
“What?” Wade growls behind me. “All this time—it was you?”
Colton flicks his gaze to Wade, but ignores the comment. Instead, choosing to focus on the federal agent. “It started out harmless—really. All I wanted to do was get rid of…” his lips tighten and he stares at the ground. “I thought if I made it look like he was bad news, Autumn would break up with him.”
My anger bursts into flames. “It was you? The anonymous text? The video that went viral around the school? What in the hell, Colton?”
“I know—I never meant for you to get involved, Autumn. It was just supposed to be him. If I had known…” he says, his voice drifting off.
“I can’t believe this,” Wade says, taking a step back and running his hands through his hair. “You were trying to ruin my life—my reputation and relationship. Make me leave Windhaven. Who the hell do you think you are?”
“You don’t deserve her,” Colton spits, his face contorting with anguish. “She deserves better—she deserves…”
“You?” Wade snickers. “Come on, man. You think this is better? Or that this is what she wants…or what would impress her?” Wade moves toward Colton with clenched fists. “You clearly have no idea who Autumn really is.”
“Eh—that’s close enough, lover boy,” Diana says, holding her hands out and stopping Wade’s forward momentum. Her chin tips downward, making her pink hair ruffle in the cool breeze.
“But you heard him—” Wade says, through clenched teeth.
“I did. And so did everyone else here,” Diana says, pointedly.
Colton throws daggers at Wade with his eyes. “Whatever, man. You shouldn’t even be here. Dominic’s told me about you. Your kind shouldn’t even be anywhere near her.”
Dom’s eyes pop open and he raises his hands. “Hey now, don’t bring me into this.”
Wade takes a step back, rolling his eyes. “Again with the my kind bullshit.”
“But it’s true,” Colton says, frowning as he faces Dominic. “You said he’s forbidden—that he shouldn’t be anywhere near her, and if he was outta the picture, I’d have a chance with Autumn.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t mean this way,” Dominic says, shaking his head.
Colton eyes are glassed over and his words come out choked. “But what about the kiss?”
Wade’s head whips toward me. “Kiss?” The level of heartbreak evident in his eyes makes my soul ache.
Dammit—I should have told him sooner.
I shake my head. “It wasn’t—it’s not like that.”
Colton’s eyes narrow. “It’s exactly like that. We kissed, Autumn. You can’t erase that, even if you think you want to.”
“You kissed me, Colton,” I fire back. “I didn’t ask for it—and I certainly didn’t expect it.”
“But…” Colton says, his eyebrows tipping up in the middle.
“Wait—what?” Cat says, gawking. “When did this happen? How did I not know about it?”
“Looks like Autumn’s been keeping it from everyone,” Wade mutters, taking a step back.
Holding Wade’s gaze, I try to will to him my thoughts and feelings, but it’s no us
e. I can see him slipping away from me right before my eyes.
I look over to Cat, trying to ignore the thrumming of my heartbeat against my chest. “It was nothing. I’d written it off as a momentary lapse of reason. It’s why I didn’t tell you, Wade. It was nothing.”
Wade’s face is drained of all color and he looks as though he might be sick.
“When? Where was I?” Cat demands.
“It was after your accident. We had just gotten you back,” I say, exhaling all of my pent-up energy. I want to reach for Wade, to comfort him, but I can’t do anything with my damn hands behind my back. “I thought he was just relieved—and it was an accident. I didn’t think he really meant anything by it.”
“So, while my grandpa died, and his sister nearly did, he was making the moves on you?” Wade says, shaking his head and turning toward the house. “Unreal.”
“It didn’t mean anything,” I repeat warily.
Colton’s expression is a mangled mess of agony. “But I thought…” he mumbles.
“So, if I’m getting this right, Colton, you’re confessing to the summoning of the revenants?” Blake says, reaching for his handcuff keys.
Colton’s dark eyes dart to Blake, defeated. “Yes.”
“Is this at both the Windhaven and Mistwood Point cemeteries?” Blake continues.
“Yes.”
“All right.” Blake unlocks the cuffs, releasing my hands and walking over to Colton. “Mr. Gilbert, you’re under arrest for criminal resurrection. You’ll need to come with us.”
Colton nods his head, turning around and bringing his arms behind his back so Blake can put the cuffs on him.
“But—this doesn’t make any sense,” I say, shaking my head. “Colton, you’re an elemental witch. You can bend earth to your will. How could you summon people? I thought—?”
“As luck would have it, elemental witches who get their power from earth energies can resurrect bodies,” Diana says, eyeing her nails like they’re the most interesting thing about this afternoon. “But Gemini Twins—see, their power grows exponentially when they feel threatened.” She turns her discerning gaze to Cat and quirks an eyebrow.
Soul Legacy: A Supernatural Ghost Series (The Windhaven Witches Book 2) Page 16