Amends: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Series (A Diana Hawthorne Supernatural Mystery Book 2)

by Carissa Andrews

  Thanks to Apollo, my life has altered its trajectory and that means making some adjustments across the board. I’m no longer able to sit by on the sidelines, using my gifts for parlor tricks and keeping old ladies happy.

  It’s time to play a bigger game.

  The only way to make it all happen seamlessly is by getting everyone on the same page.

  “Thank you all for coming this morning,” I say, exhaling my trepidation. “I’m sure you’d all like to be doing other things, but I think we need to clear the air. Detective Radovich was supposed to be here, too, but looks like he must have better things to do.”

  Blake snickers, but covers it up by rubbing at his nose. He’s never been a huge fan of the Helena PD, but I’d like to think that after the past few days, he can at least see Dan’s potential. Having someone inside the police department could be important down the road—and you don’t need to be psychic to see that.

  “Sorry I’m late,” Dan says, entering the back garden through the gate behind me. He tiptoes down the cobblestone walkway, rushing past me, and taking a seat beside Kyros. He tips his chin, casting his gaze around the table, before turning his attention in my direction.

  Kyros waves, his hand flapping around wildly.

  “As I was saying,” I say, quirking an eyebrow, “thank you for being here.”

  Dan smiles in apology. “Sorry, it’s been a helluva long night processing the newbies. I haven’t even been home yet. Turns out it’s a lot harder to keep the supernatural criminals in check. They’re slippery and seem to have innumerable resources. Turns out, it takes a lot just to keep them from posting bail and scattering.”

  “Have they been able—” I begin, suddenly concerned.

  Dan shakes his head. “No, not yet. But I suspect they’re not going to stop. We need to be prepared for a fight.”

  I nod. “And that’s why I called you all here. There’s no easy way to say it, but it needs to be said. Sentinel is going to be a problem—a big problem—in the future. I’ve seen things…” My words fade out as I think back to the insights that have been trickling in. Shuddering, I return my gaze to Blake, who nods in encouragement. “My mission is changing. I’m no longer going to be doing readings.”

  Ren gasps, fanning himself. “I knew it. I knew it. I’m out of a job. God help me.”

  I roll my eyes. “Oh, shut up. You’re not out of a job. If anything, you’re going to be more integral.”

  “Wait—what?” he says, his hand ceasing its movement as he leans forward.

  “She said you’ve still got your job,” Kyros says, raising his voice as if Ren was deaf.

  I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Yes, Ren, you still have a job. In fact, you’re being promoted to co-owner and manager.”

  “I’m sorry…” His eyelashes flutter. “Can you repeat that?”

  Maybe he is deaf.

  I clasp my hands into prayer position, hoping to bring in some god-essence to make it through this meeting without abandoning the whole thing and killing people instead.

  “Yes, with everything I see coming, I need you here to keep Inner Sanctum going. I know you’ll take good care of it, regardless of what I’m doing,” I say.

  “Are you leaving?” Ren asks, his voice squeaking.

  I shake my head. “No—nothing like that. But this thing with Sentinel…it’s going to trump everything else. And there are times when I know it will take me from here. I can’t ease into my new role if I’m constantly worried about the store. With you, I know it will be in good hands.”

  Renaldo beams, pressing his right palm across his heart. “Oh, my god. You aren’t the cold-hearted bitch we all thought you were. See, Mr. Tightpants is doing you some good already.”

  Blake snickers, shaking his head and not even looking over at Ren.

  “Kyros, you are going to be my go-between. You’re my eyes and ears and I’ll need you to be flexible in whatever comes our way,” I say.

  Goodness knows he comes in handy in his own way and for whatever reason, Apollo is hellbent on having him be a part of this mission. Gods help us all.

  Kyros puffs up his chest, standing up from his chair. In the motion, he bumps the table, causing it to practically tip over. His chair, on the other hand, gets stuck in a groove of cobblestone and he practically lands on top of Dan.

  “Whoa, easy there,” Dan mutters, holding out his arms and helping Kyros stay upright.

  Demetri just turns a flattened stare in my direction. “You sure know how to pick a team.”

  Blake huffs a laugh and jabs a thumb toward Demetri. “I’m with him.”

  I hang my head in defeat.

  We are so doomed.

  “So, what about me, then?” Demetri says. “I presume I’ll be using these new gifts to help out.”

  I glance up from under my eyebrows. “Yes.”

  He nods, smiling smugly as he extends his arms out wide, so they rest on the backs of Ren and Blake’s chairs.

  Blake leans forward, placing his elbows on his knees, waiting.

  Turning to Dan, I shoot him a sweet smile. “Detective, your role is going to be fairly obvious as well. We need a guy on the PD who can help us when things get sticky. And you know they will at times.”

  Dan nods. “I can see that.”

  “But you better damn well know that we won’t be following the same protocols you do,” Blake counters, shooting him a knowing look.

  Dan raises his hands. “Hey, as long as I know nothing, I…know…” he narrows his gaze, “nothing.”

  “That was profound. The Helena PD, everyone.” Demetri chuckles.

  “Regardless, I’m invested in this. Whatever this Sentinel group is up to, I want to make sure they don’t get their way. Any people or groups that are willing to kidnap kids to get what they want—yeah, we’re not friendly,” Dan says, ignoring the jab.

  “Here, here,” Kyros says, tapping his fingertips on the table like a drum roll.

  Ren rolls his eyes. “We really should have had drinks prepared for this talk. There’s too much crazy going on there to be sober. Next time we have a staff meeting, I’m in charge of the setup.”

  I laugh. “Fair enough.”

  “What about ‘Mr. Tightpants’ here,” Demetri says, quirking an eyebrow sardonically.

  The chatter ceases and the whole table goes silent.

  Blake’s head turns slowly toward Demetri as a low rumble escapes his chest. “It’s Blake.”

  “Gentlemen,” I warn, invoking a bit of my own dominance into this mix, “let’s stay on task here.”

  Blake sits up straighter, crossing his right ankle over his knee and exerting his dominance over his chair. Demetri gets the hint, pulling his arm back over to his side.

  “Blake’s here for the same reason Dan is—only he can do what the detective can’t. If shit goes sideways, he’s not afraid to do what it takes to get the job done. We need that. Plus, he’s bound to protect me, so…there’s that,” I say, shooting him a smirk.

  “And he’s also her reincarnated husband, Anastasios,” Kyros proudly proclaims, puffing up his chest.

  All four men turn slowly to face Kyros.

  “Say that again?” Demetri says, his gray eyes wide with surprise.

  “Well, that was another doozy I wasn’t aware of,” Ren says, his eyebrows practically in his hairline. “Is there any other little secrets we should be aware of? You’re not pregnant with his long-lost baby from god only knows how long ago, are you?”

  I shake my head, giving him a look like he just grew horns. “No.”

  “Sweet baby Jesus, thank the lord,” Ren counters. “I knew we needed drinks. Christ, we can’t have a simple conversation anymore. All I wanted to know is if the two of you have finally gotten down and dirty and this is what I get.” His face lightens up as a lightbulb goes off in his head. “So, if you were married to him before… Does that mean you—”

  “And on that note,” I say, cutting him off. I know exactly what trail his mi
nd is going down and I need to put the kibosh on that before he gets going off on one. “Are we all in agreement? We’re in this to take down Sentinel. Ren, your first task is going to be to rearrange the way we do business. Hire some new people if you need to. I’m sure we can get some other readers or aura photographers or something in here. Hell, start some classes if you want. Just fill up the space and keep the Inner Sanctum going. It will be my cover.”

  “On it,” he says, then stops with wide eyes. “Oh, god. Mrs. Kaminski.”

  Demetri chuckles. “Is that old hag hounding you guys, too? Haven’t you learned yet you can just tell her that her dead pet of the week is with her and that she wants her to get a new pet?”

  Ren turns to him looking scandalized. “What?”

  Demetri shrugs. “Yeah, she’s really just looking for permission to get a new critter. Her husband hates animals, but if she comes back saying her dead dog, cat, rabbit, robin—whatever—wants her to move on and get a new pet, after a while, he can’t fight it. He just gives in and you have some blissful quiet for a while.”

  Ren’s face goes distant. “Oh, I could even do that.”

  Demetri nods. “Right?”

  I chuckle under my breath. The only reason I kept seeing Mrs. Kaminski was to watch Ren get all riled up. It was often the high entertainment for the week. Well, when my life was full of never-ending monotony. Those days are long gone.

  “Well, is that us done then?” Demetri says, rubbing his hands together. “Because I could use something to eat. Who wants to come with me?”

  “Oh, I would,” Kyros says, raising his hand and trying to stand up.

  Demetri’s eyes wide and he sputters, “Anyone else?”

  “Oh, twist my arm,” Ren mutters, pushing his chair back and standing up. “I’ll go, too.”

  Demetri turns to look at Dan, who shakes his head. “Nah, I gotta head home for some rest. I’m not as young as I used to be. Pulling an all-nighter is not my idea of a good time. Thanks, though.”

  Dan pushes his chair out and walks over to me. “Diana, thanks for including me as part of your team. I don’t quite know what I’ve gotten myself into all of this, but I feel like I belong. So, thank you.”

  I shoot him a lopsided grin and pat him on the arm. “Anytime, Dan. Thank you for all of your help.”

  He tips his head, going back out of the garden the way he came.

  “And what about you two?” Demetri says, raising an eyebrow. “You gonna take one for the team?”

  “Actually, I think we’ll pass,” Blake says, extending a hand out to me.

  I pull up short, surprised. “We will?”

  At first, I can’t help but think this is some sort of male power play, but then I see the look on Blake’s face. His dimple shines triumphantly and my heart flutters in response. Whatever he wants to do, I’ll follow that smile anywhere.

  “Yeah. I think it’s time we finally get that date of ours. Don’t you?” he says, taking my hand in his.

  25

  Immortal

  “Where are you taking me?” I chuckle.

  We’ve been walking around the streets of Helena in circles, with seemingly no direction in mind.

  “You promise you’re not looking into my head?” Blake asks, smirking.

  I shake my head. “I try not to when it’s unnecessary. You know that.”

  His grin broadens. “Good, then close your eyes.”

  “What?” I snicker softly. “Why?”

  “Do you trust me? Or don’t you?” he chides. His entire demeanor radiates playfulness and I know that whatever he has planned will likely end up being fun. Or at the very least, exciting.

  My heart skips a few beats and I inhale deeply, closing my eyes. “Fine.”

  “Excellent. Keep them closed, okay?” he says, grabbing hold of my hand. With a gentle tug, he leads me forward. “I’ll let you know when we’re there.”

  “All right.” I have to actively work at not picking up on his plans because of our physical connection and the fact that it must be in the forefront of his mind.

  We walk in silence for a few moments, as I put all of my energy into making sure I don’t trip over my own two feet. The sidewalks of Helena aren’t known for their levelness, after all.

  “I must look ridiculous, you know,” I say, fighting the urge to open my eyes.

  “Since when do you care what others think of you?” Blake asks, his words resonating with a knowing well beyond this lifetime’s connection together. It goes straight to the heart of who we are together—to our bond.

  “Fair.” I nod, unable to challenge that one.

  “Don’t worry, your wait is almost over. We’re nearly there,” he says, laughing.

  Despite myself, my mind rolls through the different places he could be taking me in our small town. There’s only a couple of locations I can think of within walking distance. The small diner I go to practically every day, the park in the middle of town, the trails that lead down to the river, and the smattering of small shops. Beyond that, there isn’t much. We don’t even have a bowling alley or movie theater.

  Suddenly, we stop moving.

  Blake’s breath is hot against the skin of my neck as he whispers in my ear, “Okay, you can open your eyes.”

  Smiling to myself, my eyelids flutter open. Instantly, I feel like kicking myself.

  Of course, it would be here.

  “Ruby Moon Coffee Shop?” I say. It’s not a question, but it still comes out as one.

  Blake drops my hand, splaying his arms out wide. “Hey, I did promise to get a true date at the coffee shop. Did I not? And since all of our other plans have fallen through, I figured it must be a sign.”

  My eyebrows rise. “A sign, huh. Have I converted you into a believer, now, Mr. Wilson?”

  He grins broadly, his dimple casting a deep grooves beside his goatee. “I think I still need a little convincing.” His eyes twinkle mischievously as he tips his head toward the door.

  Stepping forward, he reaches out and opens it up. He stands aside, ushering me in first.

  Tipping my head, I step forward and walk into the coffee shop. Maxwell, the owner stands behind the bar, along with a teenage barista I’ve never seen before.

  Guilt rolls through me as I see him, because the last time I was here, I was kind of a bitch to Max.

  Sucking it up, I hold my head high and walk up to the counter, ready to place my order.

  Max shakes his head. “I’m not taking your order.”

  I pull up short, shooting him a look of annoyance. “Come on, Max. I know I was a bit abrupt last time—”

  He makes a face, shaking his hand, and warding me off from continuing, “I don’t give two shits about that. I just mean you’re already taken care of.”

  Confusion creeps through me and he raises his right hand, pointing behind me.

  I turn around, realizing there’s not a single person besides us in the coffee shop. Blake stands beside the booth we shared before, and an entire spread of goodies is laid out across the table.

  The teenage barista, waltzes over to the door, her brown ponytail bopping back and forth in the movement. With a flick of her wrist, she locks the door and flips the sign from open to closed.

  My eyebrows tug in and I take a tentative step toward Blake. “What’s all this?”

  “This,” Blake says, extending his hand toward the table, “is our official first date.”

  My heart flutters, reminding me that even after all the years of disappointment and heartache, it still beats. It’s still ready to be handed over to him.

  I tip my head, walking over to the booth and sliding into my seat. As soon as I’m in, he sits down beside me, shoving me over with his ass, and forcing me closer to the wall. The warmth of his leg pulses through my pant leg and I inhale sharply.

  Being together hasn’t been easy. From the very beginning, two millennia ago, it was hard. But even now that we have our lives back—it’s been incredibly difficult to ge
t two minutes alone.

  “So, how did you pull all of this off?” I ask, narrowing my gaze. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face. I pick up the cup of coffee with whip cream and tiny marshmallows on top—clearly it’s mine.

  Blake places his palm on my thigh, grinning. “I have my ways.” He grabs his cup of black coffee, and takes a sip.

  “Ren helped you, didn’t he?” I say, wiping the whipped cream from my face and grabbing a small scone.

  For a moment, a hint of panic flashes across his features. “I thought you said you’d stay out—”

  “No, it was just an educated guess.” I laugh, breaking off a bite from the scone and popping it into my mouth.

  “Ah,” he exhales, sinking back into his seat a bit. “Well, he had other things in mind, but I had to put the kibosh on that. He’s certainly…colorful. At least, with his date ideas.”

  “Do not take dating tips from Ren, please,” I say, trying to pull back the expression that gives away the absolute terror creeping through me.

  Blake snickers. “Duly noted.”

  I exhale, scooting another inch closer, and placing my head on his shoulder. “I want this to be about you and me rediscovering each other. As we are.”

  He turns to me, planting a kiss on the top of my head. His right hand extends out, brushing a chunk of my pink hair behind my ear. “Then it shall be done.”

  I sigh in complete and utter content. Even with all of the craziness—Sentinel, the drama, new missions… I wouldn’t want to be anywhere but here, right now. In this moment.

  Then, without warning, I’m pulled from the coffee shop and placed in the middle of a graveyard in a prophetic vision. Snow blows across the landscape, making me shiver.

  Transplanted somewhere in the future, I look around, trying to get my bearings. Off in the distance, a man and woman get out of a vehicle and walk over to the columbarium. I can’t make out a word they say, but it doesn’t matter.