by Lila Kane
“Sorry,” he says. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Wes called, said the shifter was causing a problem. What happened?”
“I don’t know. He told me to go in the diner to stay safe. I did for a bit, but he never came back.”
James turns in his seat, looking down the street. He looks both ways. “I don’t see anything.”
I slump in the seat, rubbing my hands over my face.
“Are you okay?”
“I…sure. Yeah. I’m fine.”
James faces me, eyes narrowed. “I don’t believe you.”
“Just worried, that’s all. Every time I try to go somewhere, something happens.”
He stares out the windshield. “Yeah.”
“And you’re not telling me the truth.”
James glances over, lifting his eyebrows. He’s silent a long moment, then he finally nods and repeats, “Yeah.”
“Then tell me.”
He shifts uncomfortably. “I…it’s not really my place. I just didn’t think all this was going to go down when I got here. I came because I wanted the spell reversed‒it’s a long story. But now…”
“You’re in deeper than you planned on being.”
He laughs, glancing over again. “Yeah, pretty much.”
“Are you going to tell Kane?”
“That you obviously know something is up?” He squeezes his hands on the wheel. “No. Doesn’t seem fair after all he’s done.”
I lick my lips and appeal to him again. “Tell me, James. I feel like I’m going crazy‒I don’t know what to believe.”
He grits his teeth, looking like he’s going to tell me no.
“Please,” I whisper. “We’re supposed to be on the same side.”
He draws in a slow breath and turns to me, compassion in his eyes. “Okay, Willow. But this is going to change everything.”
I swallow hard. “I know.”
“And we could both be in danger because of it.”
“I know,” I say again.
He dips his chin and tells me exactly what I know is true. “Kane influenced you.”
Chapter 19
“This is your house?” I ask Kane.
He steps out of the car onto the circle drive and breathes in deep. “More or less.”
I follow, gazing up at the familiar house. I’ve been here before. More than once. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, it belongs to my sister and my brother, too, though they don’t deserve it.” He lifts an eyebrow at me as if daring me to ask more questions.
I keep an innocent expression on my face when I ask, “Won’t it be dangerous to stay here, then?”
James elbows me hard in the side and I try not to stumble. I glare at him and he smirks. He’s less obvious about our secret than I am. I know what Kane’s up to, and I’m not planning on following along forever.
“Yes.” Kane starts toward the house. “Which is exactly why you and James are going to do a spell. There’s already a border that keeps out most paranormals, but we need to reinforce it and make sure vampires can’t get in either. No one but us.”
James faces the trees on the west side of the property. “I can feel it. But it could be stronger.”
“Then get to it,” Kane says, and strolls inside.
“He’s in a great mood today,” James says, heading to the trees.
“Maybe he’s not happy to be back here.”
“I don’t understand why we are.”
I frown. “He’s staking his territory, and trying to rub it in Logan’s face. Myra’s, too.” I shrug, pretending that doesn’t bother me. The more I learn, the more I realize how wrong I’ve been about the other team. “Besides, we need the space. There are already four of us. It sounds like there are more coming.”
He makes a noise of agreement and keeps walking.
I hurry to keep up with him. “Well?”
“Well, what?”
“Aren’t you going to tell me anything? Anything from those meetings you keep having?”
He sighs. “Don’t you think the less you know, the better? In case Kane tries to influence you‒or worse, tries to get the truth from you. If he suspects‒”
“He won’t suspect anything.”
“How do you know?”
“Because…” I stop in a clearing and set my hands on my hips. “Because I’m being compliant. Agreeable. I’m not giving him any reason to doubt me.”
“He’s not stupid, you know.”
I frown. “But you do agree he’s not doing the right thing, don’t you? I mean, once this spell is reversed…”
James runs a hand through his hair. “I know. It just…I’m still adjusting, okay? Kane came and told me I could have this old life back and‒he must have influenced me too because it sounded reasonable. No, it sounded possible. And I wanted it. Now…I’m starting to see that reversing the spell isn’t worth it. And even worse…”
I take a step closer to him. “What?”
“No spell is going to bring my old life back. It’s not going to fix what happened.”
We’re frozen in that space for a long moment before I can finally bring myself to say the words, “What happened?”
“I can’t.” He swallows and looks away. “I can’t talk about it.”
My mind is full of scenarios, but I can’t come up with anything that matches the anguish on his face. “I’m sorry, James. I didn’t‒”
I break off and step forward, putting my arms around him in a hug. He holds me close, releasing a long breath.
“It’s not your fault.” He looks down at me. “But I can’t stand to see Kane doing this to someone who doesn’t know what’s going on.”
“Doing what?”
“Breaking up love.”
I lean back, my stomach twisting. “What do you mean?”
He releases me and gives me space. “Maybe we should do the spell?”
“Tell me.”
“Willow‒”
“Come on, James. We’re on the same side, remember? The good side. Which means we can’t keep secrets from each other.”
“Yeah, but I’m not sure this is something you’re ready for.”
“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”
He peers around the forest like he thinks someone’s going to interrupt us. “How much do you remember?”
“From before Kane influenced me?”
He nods.
I pace from one tree to another. “I remember Cheyenne a little‒the werewolf who works at the library. I remember talking to my mom. I remember Myra and fire‒lots of fire. There are flashes of other things here and there. Nothing with Kane.”
“What about Logan?”
My cheeks flush. “What about him?”
He smiles. “You remember him, don’t you?”
“Vampire. Kane’s brother. Yeah, I remember him.”
“Do you remember what you were to him?”
I stop pacing. “James.”
“I’m serious, Willow. That night, when we came to your house, he was there.”
“At my house?”
“Yes. He was with you a lot, actually. Trying to protect you, I’m sure. But also…he was in love with you.”
Images of Logan flash through my mind. Images of him kissing me, of murmuring words of love. Of him holding me and reassuring me.
“How do you know?” I whisper.
“Because he was crushed. That night we took you, he was devastated. He‒”
“James.” I shake my head. “I don’t…I don’t remember him that well. I don’t remember him like that.”
“Do you feel anything when you see him?”
“I don’t know‒I’ve only seen him a few times. But just briefly, and once was when I projected myself to the library.”
He folds his arms. “You astral projected to the library?”
“I told you it worked.”
“Yeah, but you didn�
�t give me the details.”
“If you’re in this all the way, so am I.”
He nods. “I am. Details please.”
“I projected myself to the library. I was standing in the same room as them and they didn’t see me, but I saw them. I heard them.”
“How?”
“I don’t know. I’ve done it before, though. I thought about it, focused on it, and it happened.”
“You’ve done it before?”
“Before Kane came. I know it, I just can’t remember why.” I pace again. “Can you do the protection circle by yourself?”
His eyebrows furrow. “Yes. Why?”
“I want to try it again. I want to see if I can project myself there‒or somewhere nearby. But I want to see if…if they can see me this time.”
“You think that’s possible?”
I nod. “I think I remember it working before.”
He glances around. “What do you need?”
“Just a place to sit. To focus.” I plop down at the base of a tree. “This should work.”
He laughs. “Okay. I’ll just…I’ll do this spell.”
I hear him walk away as I close my eyes. He’s got to think I’m crazy. But he’s not stopping me. Even better, he’s keeping my secret. He’s on my side. Now, I just need to figure out if the rest of the group is as well.
I plan on transporting myself to the library, but at the last minute I think about Myra and the fire. Instead of landing in a sea of books, I’m projected to a large room. A store?
Voices make me turn around. It’s Myra and Ryan. They look like they’re in an argument. Myra’s hands are raised as she tries to explain something to Ryan. He shakes his head.
“You don’t understand,” Myra says.
“Myra.”
“No, listen to me‒”
“Myra, look.”
He takes her arm and turns her to face me. She gasps.
My eyes widen. I’m just as surprised. My feet are rooted to the ground.
“Willow,” she says.
“You can see me?”
“Of course I can!”
She bounds in my direction, ready to throw her arms around me. I step back, holding up a hand. “Wait. Just wait.”
Myra skids to a halt, confusion on her face. “How did you get here? Did Kane let you come?”
“No, I…no. I projected myself here.”
Myra glances at Ryan. “What?”
“Astral projection,” Ryan says. “She’s done it before.”
“I have,” I whisper. He knows it. Which means…he knows me better than I thought. Maybe we were friends.
Myra angles her head. “So you’re…ghost Willow?”
This makes me smile just slightly. “I guess.”
She catches me off guard by reaching out. Her fingers go straight through my arm.
Her lips part, but she smiles. “But still, you’re here.”
And it almost does me in because there’s joy on her face. And something shimmers in the corner of her eye.
“Tell me you’re here because you remember.”
I look at Ryan. He folds his arms, looking cautiously optimistic.
“I remember a little, but‒”
She jumps like a little kid, glancing at Ryan. “I knew it! Ryan, didn’t I tell you she’d remember? Willow, I knew you’d figure out a way to come back. And‒”
The door to the store opens and Logan walks through.
My heart jumps into my throat when his eyes meet mine.
“Willow.” He says it on an exhale. Like he can’t believe I’m here. No, like he won’t believe it. Because it’ll hurt too bad if it’s not true.
My heart twists in my chest, confusing me. Something in me wants to go to him, to see what’s there. What’s between us.
He doesn’t move.
Myra brightens, gesturing to me. “Look who came to visit.”
He opens his mouth to say something, but I shake my head and say, “I don’t remember a lot. But I know what Kane did.”
“You do?” Logan asks.
“I do.”
“Then come back,” Myra says. “Come back to us. Please.”
“I can’t. I‒”
Something pulls at me. A hand, a voice‒something that’s trying to get me to come back.
“I have to go,” I say.
This time, Logan does move. Straight in front of me with eyes that pierce my soul. “Don’t, please. We can help you. We‒”
“There’s no time. I have to get back. Be careful,” I tell them, looking at Ryan because he seems most likely to listen and understand where I’m coming from. “Kane is bringing in others. He’s at your house and he’s building an army.”
My body starts to fade. I can see right through my arms and legs.
Logan reaches out. “No, Willow‒”
But his hand doesn’t connect. And then I vanish.
“Willow?”
James shakes my shoulder and I open my eyes to the forest. I’m sitting on branches, leaning hard against the trunk of a tree. My breath whooshes out.
He leans down, peering into my face. “Did it work?”
I nod.
“Where did you go?”
“Into town. I saw Logan. And Kane’s sister and the other shapeshifter.”
He smiles. “Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I don’t know. I just…think about a place, focus on sending my body there, and then I go.”
He holds my gaze for a long moment. “You saw Logan.”
I swallow and start to get up. He holds out his hand to help me and I avert my gaze, brushing off my pants.
“Willow,” James says.
“What?”
“You saw him.”
“So?”
“So, did you feel anything? Do you remember anything else?”
“I…” I shrug. “I don’t know. I guess…I felt a spark or something.” I wave my hand. “Whatever. Should we get back?”
I start walking before he can answer. In a few long strides, he catches up to me. “What’s the problem then? He loves you.”
I glance over. “Is that what happened? Is that what you’re not telling me?”
“What?”
“You said something happened before you came here‒whatever it was that convinced you to work with Kane. And now you’re pushing me to talk to Logan, to deal with my feelings.” I swallow. “Love.”
He stops. Branches crunch under his feet. “Wait. Willow.”
I turn to face him, angling my head. “Yeah?”
“Okay, fine. You’re right. I…I lost someone. My girlfriend. And I‒yes, I loved her. I don’t want you to lose that, too.”
I nod. “I understand. I’m sorry.”
I want to ask more, like what he means by “lost,” but his expression is full of pain. I can’t bring myself to make him talk about it.
“I don’t know how I feel. I remember…some things about Logan. But there isn’t a lot. Yes, I feel something around him, but there aren’t any memories to back it up. Besides…” I shrug. “I’m just‒I need more time.”
We start walking. I was going to say, Besides, that just isn’t me. It isn’t. It isn’t like me to meet someone and fall for them so quickly. It isn’t like me to love that quickly‒maybe at all. After I lost my father, the last thing I wanted to do was find love and then lose it. Maybe it already happened, but I just don’t know since Kane took away that part of my memories.
But Logan remembers.
“James?”
He continues to walk next to me. “Yes?”
“Do you think I’ll get the rest of my memory back? Is that how it works?”
“I don’t know. But there’s another option.”
“What?”
He smiles. “Have another vampire influence you to remember what happened. To see through what Kane told you.”
We stop at the edge of the forest when we reach the driveway.
There are three more cars than were there before. A few people step out, eyeing the land, the house.
“Is that them?” I ask.
“Looks like,” he answers with a sigh. “The rest of Kane’s team.”
Chapter 20
There’s a dozen of us. Two witches, and the rest vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters. A lot of them look pretty rough, too. The kinds of people I’m surprised even Kane hangs out with, though I’ve seen a new side of him the last few days.
Earlier this week he returned to the house with a cut on his cheek, and hair ruffled like he’d gotten in a fight. It had healed quickly and he didn’t mention it, but I wondered if something had gone on with the other team.
This evening we gather outside in the garden as the sun sets. Kane’s brought out wine and beer and other liquor that the group goes through like they’re never going to have another drink.
It’s a meeting‒the first one I’ve been invited to.
I sip wine and sit with James on a stone bench near the rose bushes. The scent reaches my nose and I turn in my seat, a memory flashing through my mind. One of me and Logan. We’re laying on the grass, talking about something. And we’re happy. Then we’re kissing.
“Willow?”
I snap my attention to James, my cheeks heating. “What?”
“Another memory?”
Rubbing my hands over my face, I sigh. “Yes.”
He looks around to make sure no one is listening. “Can you do this?”
“Do what?”
He lowers his voice even further. “Be here‒even with everything you know.”
“Can you?”
James rolls his eyes, takes a swig of his beer. “Are you going to turn every question around on me?”
I smile. “I didn’t mean to.”
“I’m in this.” James scans the crowd, probably for Kane. “Where you go, I go.”
“I’m not planning on going anywhere right now.” I spot Kane walking from the house and straighten on the bench, trying to focus. “Not until we have a plan.”
“Good idea,” he murmurs.
Kane joins the group, carrying his own beer and looking relaxed. Excited even. It’s the first time we’ve had everyone together since they all arrived.
“Welcome to my home,” he says in a voice that carries.
The sun sinks behind the mountains and I’m surprised that his words irritate me. It’s not his home, it’s Logan’s and Myra’s, too. And if I feel like this…I must be well out from under Kane’s spell. He doesn’t have much influence over me anymore.
