The Fire Witch (The Coven: Elemental Magic Book 7)

by Chandelle LaVaun

  I wasn’t sure what she’d said to my cousins to actually get them to leave with her – without a fight – but I definitely had to thank her for it later. In seconds, Emersyn and I were alone together in the treehouse. And she still hadn’t spoken.

  “Em?” I leaned in closer to her and brushed my fingers along her hand. “Talk to me?”

  She closed her eyes and sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m just panicking a bit.”

  “I can tell, but why?”

  I nodded and squeezed her hand tight. “Hey, listen…you don’t have to come home with me this time.”

  Her eyes flew open. She looked at me like I had three heads. “But you told your mom you were bringing your girlfriend.”

  I shrugged. “How you feel is more important to me, Buttercup.”

  She blushed a bright, rosy pink. “Okay…”

  “Okay —”

  “Let’s go then.”

  My eyes widened. “Wait, really? I thought you just said—”

  She smirked. “That I’m panicking? Yeah, I am. But delaying this only means I panic for longer. I’d rather get it over with. So, let’s go meet your parents.”

  I grinned and kissed her knuckles. “Thank you, Em. This means a lot to me.”

  The smile she gave me back made my heart soar. “You mean a lot to me.”

  I love you. I thought it, but I didn’t say it. She wasn’t ready for that, I knew it. And that was okay. We’d get there one day and I could wait.

  Chapter Five

  EMERSYN

  “Em, are you okay?”

  “Mmmhhmmm…” I stared in front of me and my heart sank. This shouldn’t have been such a big deal. This shouldn’t have felt like I was about jump out of an airplane.

  “Emersyn?” Tegan wrapped her arm around my shoulders. “I’ve been talking to you for a minute or so, my dear twin. Why are you standing in your closet staring at the wall?”

  “I just…it’s just…”

  “Emmmm…”

  “What am I supposed to pack?” I waved my arms around the closet. “What do I wear? What do I bring?”

  “OH. Um. Right.” Tegan stepped away from me and gazed over the selection of both of our clothing hanging in the closet. She turned to me with pursed lips, then she made a weird face and held her hands up. “We need reinforcements.”

  “Okay.” I frowned. “Wait, what?”

  But she was already out of the closet and stomping across the room. Our bedroom door opened and the wooden floor creaked, then Tegan yelled, “MOM!” A moment later Tegan reappeared beside me in the closet.

  A few seconds later my mother’s hurried footsteps grew louder and louder until she ran into our room. “Yes? Girls? Where are you? What’s wrong?”

  “In here, Mom,” Tegan shouted. “Closet. We’re alive.”

  “In the closet?” Mom stepped into the doorway and narrowed her eyes. “What’s going on?”

  I opened my mouth then shut it again. I shrugged. “Help.”

  “Em is trying to pack for New York…” Tegan gestured toward our clothes, “and she doesn’t know what to bring. And unless they like Star Wars then this is way out of my league.”

  “Oh. Deacon’s parents. Right.” Our mother joined us in the closet then crossed her arms over her chest. “When I met your father’s parents for the first time I already knew they hated me…so…well…I may have antagonized them through my wardrobe for that weekend.”

  My eyes widened. “Mom.”

  Tegan threw her head back and cackled. “That is the best thing I’ve heard in a long time,” she said between laughs.

  “Wait, do you think Deacon’s parents hate me?” My stomach did flips. “Is that why you said that?”

  But mom was already shaking her head. “Sweetheart, no. I was merely saying I have vindictive tendencies.”

  Tegan sighed and leaned against mom’s shoulder. “Y’all really took the wrong kid when you separated us.”

  “Or did we?” Mom laughed and kissed Tegan’s forehead. She stepped away and walked up to the clothes hanging on my side. “Let’s help you get packed so you can be on your way. They’re going to love you.”

  “Yeah, don’t worry, twin.” Tegan gave me a thumbs up. “Did you hear his mother earlier? She didn’t even know he had a girlfriend which means she can’t hate you yet, since she doesn’t know who you are. So there’s no need to worry.”

  I groaned. “Easy for you to say, your soulmate’s parent is your Uncle.”

  Tegan narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. “Yeaaaaaa…it’s weird when you say it like that.”

  I stomped out of the closet then threw myself on my bed. I stared up at my ceiling and moaned. “What am I supposed to wear to meet these people? Look at my clothes!”

  Never in my life had I questioned my wardrobe until this very moment. Deacon had money. Lots of money. His parents bought him a Porsche over the phone, as in, without seeing it first. They lived in Manhattan. All of Deacon’s clothes had fancy foreign names on the labels. I didn’t even own shoes that weren’t cowgirl boots or little girly, casual sneakers – usually with glitter. All of my clothes were light colored and bright. Everything was lacey, frilly, or silky. Or all three. I didn’t even know if rich people wore sequins and glitter.

  “Nothing I owned said expensive or classy. Nothing serious.” I sat up and tugged on my hair. “My style is casual, flirty, and girly. What the hell do I bring?”

  Tegan frowned and cocked her head to the side. “Maybe she should bring some of mine?”

  I growled. “Everything you own is black.”

  “New Yorkers love black,” Mom said softly. She reached out and plucked a shirt off Tegan’s side of the closet. It was a black. “You should definitely bring some black. Okay, we can do this.”

  “You don’t sound so positive, Mom…” I grumbled.

  Tegan nodded. “Yeah, you dress so nice, Mom. I expected you to know exactly what to pack.”

  Mom bit her lip and shrugged. “I have a personal stylist I pay to pick out all of my clothes. And outfits. Including shoes and jewelry. Because I suck at it.”

  My jaw dropped.

  Tegan’s eyes widened. “My life would’ve made so much more sense if you raised me.”

  “Helloooooo!” Royce’s voice rang through the house a moment before he popped into my bedroom doorway. “Well hello, beautiful. You rang?”

  I frowned and shook my head. “I did?”

  Henley slipped under his arm and walked into the room. She rolled her sapphire eyes. “No, but the curious kitten did.”

  Tegan jumped out of the closet and clapped. “Royce! Henley! Perfect timing! None of us have any idea what Em should pack to bring to New York. And you’re both fashionable and his cousin…”

  Royce wagged his eyebrows and cracked his knuckles. “Step aside, sparkle pants, I’ve got this.”

  “Em, just chillax. Breathe.” Henley winked and followed Royce into the closet. “We’ve got this.”

  I knew I should’ve joined the four of them in the closet as they packed my suitcase. But my body was locked in place. Instead I sat there concentrating on taking big, deep breaths as they tossed clothes onto the bed. This is okay. It’s just Deacon’s parents. It’ll be fine. I’m a nice, respectable, respectful lady. Aren’t I? Why would they not like me? How bad could they be? Deacon is great. He’s kind, and sweet, and loving, and warm, and…standing in my doorway.

  I gasped and sat up straight. “Deacon. Hi. Hello. How long have you been standing there?”

  He frowned and walked into my room. “Just got here. You okay?”

  “Yup. Yeah. Totally. Perfectly cool as a cucumber.”

  He arched one eyebrow and it made my heart flutter. “Alright, well I just came to say my parents sent the plane our way—”

  “Plane?” I shrieked. “We’re flying there?”

  Chapter Six

  DEACON

  “Is that a trick question?”

  The color drained from E
m’s face. “We’re flying there. In a plane. Like normal, Sapien plane.”

  I had no idea where she was going with this or why it was such a big deal, but she definitely looked spooked about it. I strolled farther into her room just as Tegan, Devon, and my two cousins came out of the closet. “Um...yea? We’ve flown since the crash so I didn’t think you were afraid to fly...?”

  She stared at the ground and chewed on her bottom lip. “It’s not...that...”

  I frowned. “Then what is it?”

  No way, dude. Tegan said into my mind. No flying.

  I glanced over my shoulder and found Tegan leaning against the closet door with little white tennis shoes in her hand. She pretended to brush them off then carried them over to the bed. I wanted to strangle our High Priestess sometimes with her telepathy. Sure, it was cool for her but not for everyone else who couldn’t do it back. So I shoved my hands in my pockets and waited for someone to say something. Emersyn was still chewing on her bottom lip, staring at the ground, and twirling her hair around her finger. I was afraid to say anything else.

  She’s nervous, dude. She will have panic attack on a two-hour flight. Portal. Get it over with, rip that band-aid off.

  When my mother had told me she was sending the plane to pick us up I’d almost stopped her. I’d gotten so used to Tegan’s ability to portal us, and I knew she’d do it. But then I remembered how terrified I was to meet her parents. It had all happened so fast. I remembered wishing I had more time to prepare myself. It was somehow more nerve-wracking to meet your soulmate’s parents than just a regular girlfriend. That was why I’d agreed to the plane. I thought it might be better for Em if she had time on the flight up there to mentally and emotionally prepare herself.

  But Tegan knew her twin. Hell, Tegan just knew. Like everything. It was the gift of the High Priestess, she was just in tune. So if she said it would be better for Emersyn if we portaled to New York then I had to trust her. Besides, I’d do anything to get this look of terror off my soulmate’s face. I looked over to Tegan and met her stare, then I raised my eyebrows and nodded toward the closet. She smiled and herded the others back into the small space.

  I took a deep breath then sat down on the bed beside Emersyn. My leg brushed against hers and it made my pulse skip. I leaned down and bumped my shoulder into hers. “Are you nervous?” I whispered.

  She nodded but didn’t look at me.

  “I get it. I freaked out right before I met your parents.”

  She gasped and looked up at me with wide golden eyes. “Really?”

  “Oh yeah. Really.” I chuckled, recalling the ridiculousness of that day. “And you hated me back then, so I was going in blind and solo. I was so nervous. They of course didn’t know what I was to you, but I wanted them to be able to look back at my first impression with good thoughts.”

  Her face fell. She groaned then leaned over and kissed my shoulder. “I didn’t hate you. I was scared. Of everything. You were just…too much. I felt too much. I didn’t hate you, though. God, I hate that you thought that and it’s all my fault. I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s okay, Em. I was never mad at you for that.” I tipped her chin up so her eyes met mine. “Besides, that’s in the past. We’re all good now. We don’t have to fly there, if you don’t want. I’m sure Tegan wouldn’t mind portaling us if you’d prefer.”

  She smiled and a little color rushed back to her cheeks. “Really? You’d portal instead?”

  I shrugged. “I want you to be happy.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Okay, portal it is then.” I kissed her forehead then stood. “Tegan?”

  She poked her head out of the closet. Her pale green eyes sparkled. “Yeah?”

  “Would you mind bringing us to New York?”

  She grinned. “Ready when you are.” She gave us a thumbs-up then slipped back in the closet.

  I chuckled. “Alright. I’ll go get my bag then we can go.” I walked to the bedroom doorway and turned the handle.

  “Deacon?”

  I paused and glanced over my shoulder to where Em still sat on the bed. “Yeah?”

  “I want you to be happy, too.”

  Warmth filled my chest and my heart fluttered. “I already am, Buttercup.”

  Chapter Seven

  EMERSYN

  “Everyone keep your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the portal at all times…”

  I rolled my eyes. “Tegan, you’re such a dork.”

  She grinned and wagged her eyebrows. “That’s why I’m so awesome. Duh.”

  The front door swung open and the living room filled with bright golden sunlight. A tall silhouette cut through the light and walked down the hall toward us. I didn’t need to ask who it was. Tennessee had a certain level of swag to his stroll that I’d recognize anywhere. Not that I even needed to see him to know he was coming, the power radiating off of him at all times sent my own magic into alert whenever he was near. Not that I was afraid of him anymore, it was just a natural response. Okay, maybe I was a little bit afraid of him still. But who wouldn’t be.

  Besides, the silly wide grin on my sister’s face and the sparkle in her eyes told me he was near.

  The wood floors creaked under Tenn’s weight as he walked toward us. He flicked his left wrist and the front door slammed shut behind him. Show off. I expected him to go right up to my twin and embrace in a little too much PDA than anyone wanted to see – they were only now allowed to do it, so I totally understood. And seeing as Cooper hadn’t gotten back from hanging with Saffie yet, I assumed they’d take advantage of the opportunity.

  But he didn’t even go to her. He looked like a wild jungle cat prowling over to us. His mismatched eyes were wild and bright, and his long black wavy hair was a royal hot mess. He nodded at me and Deacon then stopped in front of us.

  Deacon frowned. “You alright, Tenn?”

  Tennessee shook his head. “I just talked to Constance. Apparently they’ve been inundated with reports from Majors and Aces about demon activity.”

  Majors? Aces? Why do I feel like I’ll never know everything about this world?

  Deacon stood straight. “And from the Majors in Manhattan?”

  Tennessee shook his head. “Your parents have not reached out to The Coven as of yet.”

  My father scoffed. “The day they ask for help…”

  “Hun, the Knights of New York are the top of the Swords Suit.” My mom arched one eyebrow at him. “That’s where all Swords want to get hired.”

  “She’s not wrong about that, my brother.” Uncle Kessler took a sip of whatever was in his cup. “Outside of Eden and The Coven, Manhattan is second best protected.”

  “Protected…wait…” I held my hand in the air. “Sorry, I’m distracted. What are you trying to tell us, Tenn?”

  “We let in thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands, of demons into the world last night.” Tennessee shrugged. “I’m asking you to not let your guard down for even a second. You may find some demons up there waiting for you. I wanted to warn you. None of us want to lose anyone else, so be careful.”

  Deacon held his hand out to our Emperor. “Thanks, man. I appreciate the heads up. I promise we’ll be on the lookout.”

  Tenn shook Deacon’s hand and nodded. “Don’t hesitate to call for backup if you need it.”

  “You got it, boss.” Deacon smiled then tugged on my hand, pulling me closer to him.

  Tenn turned his mismatched gaze to me. He smiled and raised his hand up. “Good luck, firecracker. Give ‘em hell.”

  I grinned and gave him a high-five. “Thanks.”

  My dad walked up and gave me a hug. “Just be yourself, sweetheart. They’ll love you.”

  “And if they don’t,” my mom leaned closer and whispered, “good riddance.”

  “Hey!” Deacon said with a laugh. He shook his head. “Alright, you ready, Buttercup?”

  The laughter vanished and those damned anxious butterflies danced around in my stomach again.

>   Damn, woman. You act like you’re headed to the stockades. It’s his parents. And you wield fire – wait, try not to burn his house down, Tegan said into my mind.

  I cleared my throat and smiled up at my soulmate. “I’m ready.” Then I stuck my tongue out at my sister.

  As she laughed the white portal box opened up behind her. She held her hands out. “Take my hands, lovies. Deacon, picture where you want us to go and let’s fly.”

  I opened my mouth to say something but then bright white light flashed by me. The world spun and I wobbled on my feet, but Deacon held me upright. I blinked and looked around – and my jaw dropped. My sister was getting scary good at portals. One second we’d been standing in my cozy living room with suede sofas and fuzzy area rugs…the next we were in some kind of palace.

  It was a hallway of sorts. The walls were a soft white and hung breathtaking paintings of New York City in various seasons. The floors were a light sand-colored hardwood but they were so shiny they looked like glass. A chandelier taller than me hung from the ceiling. This thing was a piece of art in its own right. It looked like an ice sculpture with golden light twinkling from within.

  We are not in Kansas anymore, Toto.

  “You know, your sister is so sneaky it’s actually creepy.” Deacon chuckled.

  “Deacon…where are we?”

  He smiled and sighed. “Home.”

  My eyes widened. “This is your house?”

  He nodded, smile spreading. “Well, this is the grand foyer. The elevator there takes us up to the actual apartment.”

  I followed his point to the other side of the hall where shiny golden elevator doors sat glistening under the chandelier’s light. My stomach dropped. “This is just the entrance?” Oh my God. Who are these people?

  “Ah, Master Deacon, you have arrived.”

  I jumped and spun at the sound of a man’s voice. “Who said that?” I hissed.

  “Our butler, Stedman.” Deacon chuckled.

  “You have a butler?” I whispered. Though I wasn’t sure why this surprised me so much, given that they had their own plane and a special entrance waiting room.