The doorbell rang again, and Callie set her drink down to answer it for me.
“I’ve got it,” she said.
Kace took a big swig of his drink, and then made his way to my side. A small smile turned up the corners of his lips. “It’s okay. You can drink it. Adam’s right.”
“Those are two words I never thought anyone would ever say about him,” I said, attempting to loosen up some.
If Kace was going to be honestly okay with what I’d told him in the attic, then I could be too. I glanced at him, watching as he took another swig of his drink. He truly seemed as though nothing had happened between us, like I’d never told him at all. I tipped my glass to my lips, and let the spiced taste of rum and Coke trickle down my throat.
“Funny, Avery, funny,” Adam said sarcastically in response to my little jab.
Adam’s mom was the first to walk into the kitchen. She held a large casserole dish between her hands and had a few grocery bags hanging from her wrists.
“Adam, you could help me carry this stuff in,” Della scolded.
Adam took another swig of his drink before he set the glass on the counter and walked over to help his mother.
“What did you make?” he asked as he took the casserole dish from her. He lifted the Saran Wrap, which had been clouded over from the condensation, to get a peek. “I’ve been waiting all day for some of your potato salad. Please tell me you made it.”
“Every year,” she said. She set the grocery bags she’d been holding on the counter.
“This isn’t potato salad,” Adam said, scrunching his face in disappointment as he set the casserole dish down.
“I made some, Adam. Don’t worry,” Della assured him.
“Is there anything else in the car?” Kace asked.
Della glanced at Kace over her shoulder as she began to empty the bags she’d set down. Her dark hair swept across her forehead and covered her bright green eyes as she glared at him. “Of course there is; you know this isn’t all I brought.”
Adam and Kace left to go help bring in more stuff. Taking another small sip from my drink, I crossed the kitchen to help Della empty the grocery bags.
“Does this need to be in the fridge or should we warm it up in the oven a little?” Callie asked as she scooped the casserole dish off the counter.
“It’s homemade macaroni. I think if you put the oven on the lowest heat and shove that in there for a minute or two it will be just fine,” Della answered.
I pulled out some pickles and different types of olives from one grocery bag and set the stuff on the counter.
“Are you making a tray for all of this? I think I saw one in the cabinet beside the stove,” I said.
“I was,” Della said. “You think you can handle it while I finish up with the dessert?”
“No problem.” I took another sip of my drink and prayed his mother thought it was just plain Coke. Who was I kidding? Everyone would be able to smell the alcohol on our breaths regardless of how small our sips were, because Adam had poured them strong.
Callie brought over the tray I’d been talking about, and she set it on the counter in front of me. She picked up her drink, took a sip, and then mouthed the word “strong” to me. I nodded and flashed her a grin. I was opening a can of black olives while Callie laid out a handful of baby dill pickles on the tray when Kace and Adam walked back in the kitchen with everyone else behind them.
I spotted Susan and noticed Callie visibly stiffen beside me. Thoughts of the spell she had done flashed through my mind, and I wondered if Susan even knew. She came over to where we stood, and set a grocery bag filled with different types of cubed cheeses on the counter along with a large container of what I presumed to be, the potato salad Adam had been looking for.
“Need any help?” Susan asked, after clearing her throat.
The awkward tension in the air between us was palpable.
“Nope, we’ve got it,” Callie answered quickly. “Do you want something to drink?”
“Sure, I’ll take some tea. I think Della made some,” Susan said.
“I’ll get it.” Callie reached for a glass in the cabinet by the sink, and then went to the fridge for the tea.
“Thanks, sweetie,” Susan said.
A hopeful smile lingered on her face for a moment. I wondered if it was because she thought Callie had forgiven her for what she’d done to me.
“Addison, I really am sorry for everything. I’ve thought an awful lot about what you said, how I don’t get to choose whether you leave or stay, and I respect that, but I still wish you would reconsider. There’s still time,” she said in a low voice, her blue eyes meeting directly with mine.
I placed a few more little pickles on the tray. “I know, but I’ve made up my mind.”
Picking up my glass, I took another sip. Yep, this drink was definitely going to help me get through tonight.
Callie slid between us with a glass of sweet tea and handed it to Susan.
“Thank you, sweetie.” Susan beamed at her. She scooped up the potato salad and headed toward the fridge. “I should put this away.”
Callie slid something into her front pocket. I caught sight of the same bottle I’d seen her fill in the attic, and my heart began to pound. She’d gone through with it—the spell she’d created was in the tea she just handed her mother.
“She won’t interfere with the initiation now. She’ll be happy and compliant about the whole thing,” Callie whispered, her voice cracking slightly.
Part of me wanted to stop Susan from drinking it, but that part was small. A larger part inside of me was thanking Callie for going through with it, because now I would be rid of this tether for good and without any interruptions.
“Damn, that chicken smells good!” Adam said from somewhere.
Shifting around to glance at him, I realized Admer was standing off to the side with Kace, talking. I wondered what the two of them could possibly have to talk about. Admer took a sip of whatever was in the plastic bottle he held in his hand, and his eyes met with mine. They were so intense—almost to the point of being frightening—that I glanced away quickly.
Hands found my hips a few moments later, causing me to jump even though I felt the warmth of my magick greeting his, and I knew it was Kace instantly. This whole evening had me on edge.
“Hey, sexy,” he whispered in my ear. “How’s that drink Adam made for you? You need a refill yet?”
“It’s good,” I said. “Still half full.”
“Good,” he muttered. “You need any help with anything?”
“Umm, if you could get me a knife from over there, so I can slice up this salami, that would be great,” I said.
Kace released his grip on my hips and went to the drawer I’d pointed to near the fridge. I turned to glance over my shoulder at him, but caught sight of Admer once more. He was still staring at me with that odd gleam in his eyes and an even stranger smile. I couldn’t tell if he was amused by something or excited. Either way, he freaked me out.
“Here you go,” Kace said. He laid the knife I’d asked him to get for me on the counter.
“Thanks.” I opened the salami. Callie picked up the trash and walked away. I took that small opportunity to shift my full attention to Kace. “What were you and Admer talking about a minute ago?”
Kace popped a pickle in his mouth. “He was just asking how you were doing and if I thought you were ready for tonight.”
“That’s weird,” I muttered, wondering why he would even care enough to ask that.
Admer already knew how ready I was for this, because he knew about the tether. His weirdness never ceased to amaze me.
“It was a little bit awkward,” Kace admitted. He smiled as he popped a cheese cube into his mouth.
I continued cutting the salami into thin slices, wishing this night had a remote so I could fast forward to this time tomorrow, because by then, the initiation would be over with, and the tether would be gone.
After dinner—
which was the most spectacular barbecue chicken I’d ever eaten—I was on my second rum and Coke and standing in the backyard, tucked under Kace’s arm. The sun had set some time ago, leaving the ocean air with a bit of a chill to it. We all stood out back, talking. Turns out Kace’s dad could be pretty funny.
“And that was the first time we ever attempted to use our magick,” Charles said as he finished his story.
I took another sip of my drink and felt Kace’s fingers slide around on my shoulder in lazy movements, sending flickers of warmth to the surface of my skin there. The sound of the national anthem rang out, blaring from someone’s speakers somewhere down on the beach, and everyone hushed to listen.
“Are you sure we’ll be able to see the fireworks from here?” I asked once the song ended. Applauding and whistles erupted from down on the beach.
“Positive,” Kace assured me.
I snuggled closer to him at the first big blast of a firework, and waited for the bright lights to burst in the air above me. A big, cheesy smile broke out on my face at the anticipation. Or maybe it was a mixture of the alcohol as well. Either way, I was determined to enjoy this moment for what it was—amazing!
Bright blues, reds, and whites filled the sky as they started out the show with colors from the American flag. Cheers from the beach and those around me filled my ears, causing me to smile even wider. More loud booms sounded in the distance. Soon that fuzzy/crackling noise of fireworks raining down from above filled the salty night air, and I couldn’t help thinking how this had to be the best Fourth of July I’d ever had.
Nothing could top fireworks at the beach.
I continued to stare up, mesmerized by the array of colors bursting above me, while waiting for my favorite type of firework to be lit. Kace shifted to stand behind me and wrapped both of his arms around my shoulders, pulling me into him a little more.
“Which is your favorite?” he asked. His lips brushed against my earlobe as he spoke.
“The ones that look like little bees or fireflies flying around,” I answered without taking my eyes off the sky. “You?”
“The big ones that change through a few colors before fading out,” he answered. His warm breath tickled my ear.
The show seemed to last forever, but I wasn’t complaining. I wanted it to continue; the longer it was, the more time I had to build myself up for what was to take place in just a few short hours—the initiation.
A few of the fireworks I loved most shot through the sky and Kace squeezed me tighter.
“Those ones?” he asked.
I nodded and watched as they danced through the dark sky, captivated by their beauty. The fireworks were coming in rapid succession now.
“It’s the grand finale!” Adam shouted out like a little kid.
We all watched with amazement as the sky lit up doubly with rainbows of colors, finally ending with the three they started with and one that resembled an American flag. Loud cheers and whistling filled the night again, and then it was over.
“That was beautiful. Anybody want some coffee while we wait?” Della asked as she started toward my back door. “You have a coffee machine, right, honey?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I do.”
“Do you care if I head inside and make a pot?” she asked.
“No, not at all,” I said with a smile. “There might be some coffee left in the pantry from when my friend was here.”
“I brought a freshly ground bag with me.” Della winked.
Smiling, I glanced up at the sky, hoping to catch a glimpse of a stray firework, but saw none. My favorite holiday was over with a snap of my fingers, and all I could think about now was how I was that much closer to becoming initiated.
“Oh!” Callie suddenly shouted. Her eyes grew wide with excitement. “I almost forget I bought some of those extra-large sparklers!”
“I forgot about them too!” I said, eager to get my hands on one.
Finishing off the last of my rum and Coke, I set the glass on my back porch while Callie ran inside to retrieve them. She came back a moment later with the whole box tucked under her arm and a single one in her hand she was already preparing to light.
“Who wants one?” she asked.
Reaching out for the first one just as it was lit, I gazed at the brightness of my own personal firework I now held. Looked like my Fourth of July wasn’t over just yet after all.
I stepped into the flowing red dress from my shopping trip with Callie. Standing in front of the antique mirror in my bedroom, I stared at my reflection and smoothed out the fabric around my stomach, wishing it were that easy to smooth away my nerves taking up residence there. Red was definitely my color, regardless if I was talking about how it corresponded with my element or how it looked against my skin tone.
A tight feeling centered itself in the pit of my stomach as I trailed my eyes over every detail of my reflection once more. I’d left my hair down like the others had told me; it flowed down my back and cascaded over my shoulders in loose waves.
Taking in a deep breath, I mentally reviewed all of the reasons that had brought me to this point, all of the reasons this had become my last resort. A soft knock sounded on my bedroom door, pulling me from my near mental breakdown.
“Are you okay? How does the dress fit?” Callie’s soft voice fluttered through the solid door.
“Yeah, come on in,” I said. Swallowing hard, I forced a smile into place just as the door opened. “I’m fine and the dress fits great. How about yours?”
She closed the door behind her and spun to face me. “Perfect. We got so lucky. I can’t believe we forgot to try them on!”
Callie looked stunning. The pale blue dress did exactly what I’d thought it would paired with her dark skin and bright blue eyes. Just like mine, her dress brushed against the tops of her bare feet in a waterfall of ripples, and gracefully moved about her when she walked.
I chuckled. “I know.”
“Wow, you look amazing, Addison. Kace is going to flip when he sees you!” she gushed.
I placed my hand on my stomach and forced another smile. “Thanks. Adam will think the same about you.”
“Are you nervous?” she asked as she carefully positioned herself on my bed.
“Yeah,” I admitted.
Nervous wasn’t the word I would use to describe what I felt, though—sick to my stomach would be. I’d long passed nervous a while ago and pulled right into I’m-going-to-barf-any-minute territory at a breakneck speed.
“There’s only about an hour before midnight. We should probably head downstairs and meet up with everyone. There’s a tea you’ll have to drink to purify you,” Callie said.
“Was that what Adam was talking about? The cleansing?”
“Yeah.”
I nodded, but didn’t speak. Saying the word “cleansing” made me think of Theo and the bath we’d taken together to cleanse ourselves of the tether.
Theo.
His name pounded through my mind, becoming attached to my heartbeat and throwing me slightly off balance.
Callie interlaced her fingers with mine, obviously noticing my sudden shift in balance, and we started downstairs. I stopped to gather my dress in my hands at the top of the stairs, and then descended, with my heart racing and Callie right behind me.
Everyone stood waiting in the living room. They all turned to stare at us as we entered the room together.
“Wow, sweetie, you look beautiful,” Susan said to Callie. Her hand flew to her mouth as though Callie had taken her breath away.
“Look at you,” Kace said from my right. Shifting to look at him, I felt my cheeks heat to match my dress as I took him in.
He was dressed in silver. Thinking of what he wore as a dress seemed wrong, but it wasn’t a robe either. Whatever it was Kace wore was solid, shimmering silver and covered him from his neck to the tops of his feet. It was wide and had long sleeves where our dresses were sleeveless. There was a near ravenous gleam in his eyes as he took me in, and I felt
the heat from my cheeks spread to my neck.
“You’re gorgeous in that,” he breathed. He started toward me.
“Thank you.” I smiled, noticing the closer he got, the more vibrant the silver made his icy eyes seem.
I needed to make a mental note to remind him to wear more silver after tonight.
“Lookin’ good, Avery,” Adam called from the couch, where he sat with Callie perched in his lap.
He was dressed in an identical outfit as Kace’s; the only exception was his was a vibrant green.
“Not so bad yourself,” I said.
“It’s time to begin the cleansing,” Admer said as he entered the room, carrying a sliver tray with four steaming mugs. “Each of you drink this.”
He passed a mug to each of us, handing me mine last. I took the piping hot tea from his grasp and locked eyes with him.
“You look elegant tonight, Addison,” he said. “Just like your mother.”
“Thank you,” I said softly.
“Absolutely bewitching,” he added.
His eyes flashed with an odd sense of excitement, reminding me of a kid in a candy store, causing the sensation of nerves fluttering in my stomach to explode at the sight.
Admer walked to the center of the room with the tray still clasped in his hands, and glanced down at his watch.
“This has to be timed perfectly. When I say drink, the four of you must drink,” he said. His voice rang loudly and with authority through the living room.
Prickles of uncertainty slid through me as I remembered Susan’s words from earlier—there’s still time. They repeated through my mind in Susan’s soft voice while I waited for Admer to tell me to drink, until all at once they shifted and became Theo speaking them to me instead.
You don’t have to do this. Something is brewing. I can feel it. The tether will be broken soon, regardless.
I nearly dropped my mug as his words slithered through my mind in that velvety smooth voice of his. How close was Theo for me to be able to hear him so clearly? I couldn’t feel him. Glancing around, I searched my living room for any sign of the waving ripple that always signified his use of a glamour, but saw nothing.
Confined (A Tethered Novel, Book 3) Page 7
