Shattered Dimensions
Page 15
“Shut up, Ashwin!” Elijah shouted. “You know nothing about me! Not anymore!”
“Will both of you just shut up a moment!” Julie shouted, holding up a hand. “I’m trying to think.” She rubbed her temples, turning to look at Elijah. “I do love you, Elijah,” Julie whispered, tears filling her eyes. “How could I not? You’re one of the reasons I’m still alive, and you…” She glanced at her sisters. “I love you too. All of you. You’ve all done so much for me. Been a part of my life. The good. The bad. The ugly, I just…”
“You need to make a choice, Julie,” Josslyn said. “It’s either us or him, because you can’t have both.”
“She’s right, Julie,” Elijah said, softly. “You can’t have both. You have to choose. I just hope you choose me, because if there’s one thing I’ve told you that isn’t a lie, it’s that I love you. I love everything about you. The nights we spent talking. Dancing along the Rio. Your smile. Your laughter. You blow me away, Julie, and I want you in my life until the end of time.”
“Tell me you are not buying this, Julie!” Jade cried, seething as she stared at Elijah on the other side of the room. “You barely know him! I have been a part of your entire life. I have been there for you. Through everything. Don’t you dare choose him over us! I will never forgive you!”
“Jade— “Julie closed her eyes, the headache brewing getting louder and louder by the second.
“No. If you choose him, you are dead to me!”
Julie’s eyes snapped open, and she stared at Jade. “How dare you,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “Expecting me to choose between the man I love and my family. It’s not right!” She blew out a long breath, closing her eyes, and thinking. Her eyes back snapping open a moment later. “But I know what I have to do,” she said, striding forward and taking the potion from Ashwin. “Don’t worry, I know who you are, but this is something that I need to do.”
“Julie?”
“I’m sorry, Elijah,” Julie whispered, tears filling her eyes as she gazed into his eyes. “But they’re right. You have lied to me. Tricked me. Manipulated me, and I don’t think I will ever be able to trust you again, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you, because trust me, I do. Especially since I’m carrying your child.”
“What!”
“But I can’t have you in my life, either,” Julie said, ignoring the gasps behind her. “Which is why I have no choice.” She popped the cork on the potion.
“Julie! No!”
“Nah uh uh.” Ashwin stuck his hand out, blocking Elijah’s teleport. “You’re not running away this time, Elijah.”
“Elijah, I am so sorry,” Julie whispered, as her eyes locked with his. “I wish things could be different, but…” she trailed off, a sob rising in her throat and she closed her eyes. She tossed the potion across the room, a loud boom filling her ears and tears filled her eyes. She creaked her eyes open, staring at the empty spot where Elijah had been standing moments ago.
“I am so sorry,” she said, glancing over her shoulder at her sisters. “For making you guys go through all of this. I never wanted to hurt anyone!”
“We know, Julie,” Jasmine said, wrapping a hand around her shoulder and pulling her in for a hug. “But you’re back now. That’s all that matters.”
“That is the hardest thing I have ever had to do,” Julie whispered, laying her cheek on Jasmine’s shoulder. “I loved him.”
“I know, Julie,” Josslyn whispered, laying a hand on her shoulder. “I’ve been there. Hell, I have three daughters to prove it!”
“Where are they?”
“Home. Safe away from the madness,” Josslyn said. “Come home, Julie. It’s where you belong.”
Julie nodded. “I’d like that, plus, I really miss my bed!”
They all laughed, crowding in for a hug.
“And Ashwin, thank you,” Jade said, glancing over at Ashwin. “I guess some bad guys, can actually be good.”
“And don’t you forget it,” Ashwin said, winking at her. “Until next time.” And he disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.
“Where do you think he went?” Jorja asked.
“Who knows?” Sky asked. “But right now, I think we should all go home. Until the next crisis hits.”
“Sky!”
“Look at that. Everything is back to normal,” Jasmine said, glancing out the window at the clear blue skies above them. Lowering her eyes to look at the cars driving down the street. “It’s like all of that never even happened! The skies are blue. Demons are no longer running amok on the streets. The world is exactly the way it’s supposed to be.”
“It’s because of Julie,” Sky said walking up behind to her and wrapping his arms around her waist. “By choosing good over bad, she tipped the balance of power back to our side. Thank God! I thought we were going to lose her!”
“And now, we’ve got an even bigger family!” Jade cried, walking into the house with a large box in her arms, glancing over her shoulder. “Right, Josslyn?”
“Oh hell yes!” Josslyn cried, hefting the box in her arms. “But the girls are so excited! Not that I can blame them after living in that dump.” She wrinkled her nose.
“They’re not the only one who’s excited,” Jorja said, entering the house behind the two women. “I’m excited to get to know all of you!”
“And I think we’re going to need a bigger house,” Jade said, dropping the box to the floor. “Where are we going to put everyone?”
“That’s why we’re going to go house shopping tomorrow,” Josslyn said, throwing her arm over Jade’s shoulders. “And we’re going to start looking for Jorja’s daughter… together.”
“I like the sound of that!” Jorja cried. “So, where should I put my stuff?”
“In the basement!” Everyone cried.
Jorja laughed. “So I’m guessing we’re going to be bunking for a little while?”
“You got it!” Jade cried. “You’re going to bunk with Josslyn. I’m going to bunk with Josi. Jasmine’s going to share her room with Jessi, and Jami…”
“Can bunk with me and Jorja,” Josslyn said. “I think we should leave Julie alone for a little bit.”
“When are the girls going to be home?”
“In about an hour,” Josslyn said, glancing at her watch. “But Jami has cheerleading practice, so she won’t be home until later.”
“And I think Jessi said something about joining the debate team,” Jasmine told her.
“Right! And I think Josi had a date.” Jade put in.
“Argh. Don’t remind me,” Josslyn muttered. “I just met the girls, and I already have to worry about boys.”
“Are you sure it’s smart to leave Julie alone?” Jasmine asked, turning the topic back to their other sister. “I mean she has been through a lot.”
“I think she deserves a little alone time,” Jorja said. “After all, she did just kill the love of her life.”
“And is still carrying his baby,” Jade put in.
“Jade, you of all people know that not every child born by evil, will be evil,” Sky reminded her.
“I know, but shouldn’t we at least check on her?”
Jorja shook her head. “No. We should let her be. She’s been through a lot, and needs time to come to terms with it. When she’s ready to talk, she’ll talk.”
“I agree with Jorja,” Sky said. “Let’s just let her be.”
“Well I’m glad you said that!” Jorja cried, grinning. “So… is there any chance I can ask you to help with some of these boxes?”
“Why not? I mean I am the only guy in this house,” Sky said, rolling his eyes.
“Oh, don’t sound so disappointed, Sky,” Jasmine teased, laughing at him. “And remember, if what Jade saw in the future is correct, you won’t be alone for long.”
“Thank God!”
They all sound so happy, Julie thought, leaning against the door frame and listening to them talk downstairs. And they’re worried about me! Not that she should be sur
prised, after all it was what families did. Worry about one another, but she wasn’t ready to face them yet. What would she say? The truth?
No. She wasn’t ready for that.
She shoved away from the door and turned, trotting up the steps. She shoved the door to the attic open and walked inside. Striding across the room toward the book, grazing her fingers over the leather cover, and tracing her finger over the J’s. It’s been a while, book. I’m so sorry for all of this. For turning my back on my heritage.
She blew out a breath, flipping the book open. Flipping to Elijah’s page and staring into his handsome face.
“They can never know what I did,” she said, lifting her head to stare out the window into the distance. “They can never know that I couldn’t choose between you or them. They can never know that you’re still alive.”
Born and raised in the Midwest, Nicole Coverdale writes in several different genres: Mystery, suspense, romance, fantasy, and the paranormal. She is the writer of the urban fantasy series, The Wiccan Way, and the thriller/mystery series, The Randolph Saga.
With several books already mapped out, Nicole spends most of her days on the computer, letting the words flow, but when she's not writing she loves to shop, binge on Netflix or Hulu, cook, bake, and in the fall loves nothing more than a good football game. Go Pack Go!
Currently, Nicole lives in Sothern Minnesota with her boyfriend of four years, her black lab, Hunter, her gray and white tabby cat, Felix, and her calico tabby cat, Lucy.
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