The last piece of information elicited both gasps and murmurs from the assembled witches at the table. Naturally, all eyes landed on Serena and Jade. Serena seemed too stunned to say anything, but my sister, bless her, was not.
“Who was it? And when? Prudence, can you see them?” She leaned all the way forward in her seat, nearly knocking over a glass on the coffee table in the process. Sully, to his credit, dropped the hunk of bread he’d been hiding and looked around the room wildly, apparently trying to remember which of the fifteen women he had been introduced to could be Prudence.
“Jade! For heavens sake, control yourself!” That was my mom. I was willing to bet she wanted to hear the answer too, but decorum dictated that Jade mind her manners in front of her elders. Knowing my mom though, she would ferret an answer one way or another from Prudence when the time seemed right.
“Sorry.” Jade sounded contrite, but I knew she wasn’t sorry. Her life’s desire appeared to be to spend it with Sully. She would never make an apology for that.
Eden chose to ignore the outburst and returned to the subject matter regarding Christophe. “For now, we will protect ourselves in the same manner as before. We’ve extended spells of protection over the two houses.” She glanced directly at me. “Unfortunately, Logan, we don’t see how we can stretch it to your new place. Two rooms in the back of this house have been set aside for you and Skylar.” She slid her gaze toward Sully. “And Sullivan, we believe you would be safer if you would join us as our guest as well.”
Sully just nodded when she looked at him, mouth agape, his shock apparent.
“Fine, then. That’s settled. No one leaves the house unless they’re in groups of three or more.” Eden decreed, nodding with satisfaction.
Elizabeth waved her hand in the air. “What about the flower shop? I really hate the idea of closing it down.”
“I would agree,” Eden appeared to consider the request “At this time, let’s keep the shop open. After all, since there has already been one incident there, I doubt lightning is going to strike twice. Just never work there alone again.”
My mom and Elizabeth exchanged a glance and Mom shuddered. “Definitely not.”
We talked more about the logistics of what we might have to do and why Christophe had returned. With everyone giving their opinion, it became heated at times, but all agreed that the reason was probably unchanged from the first time, especially given that when Tabitha was attacked, there’d been such great interest in her blood. The general consensus was Christophe still pined after Serena’s special DNA. Only this time he had gone after her sister Tabitha’s as the next best thing.
After everyone had pretty much talked themselves out, and the coven sisters drifted off into the kitchen for coffee. Serena, Sully, Skylar, Jade and I went out to sit out back near the fire pit and talk some more.
My sister was eager to start it off, away from the prying ears of our elders. “Holy cow! Totally intense, right? All that talk of Christophe was so gloom and doom. And what about that bit about weddings and babies? Crazy, right?”
She wasn’t fooling anyone with that false lack of interest sound in her voice.
I glanced at Serena in time to see her suppress a smile. She was on to my sister as well. I looked over at Sully to see if he was hearing this, but he wasn’t even listening. He sat twisted, looking back at the patio door, which had opened. Gypsy stood in the doorway.
“Hi. Is this a private party, or can anyone join in?”
Sully shot up onto his feet way faster than I had ever seen him move before, even on the baseball field. He moved another patio chair into our circle and escorted her into it before I could even blink twice. I shot a glance at my sister. This would not go over well. I jumped in fast before it got ugly.
“Hey, Gypsy. Come on in and sit down. Sully, thanks for draggin’ that chair over. Serena, can we fit her in between us? Perfect. Skylar, you just need to scoot over a little, and everyone fits in fine. There!” I felt a little like a rambling idiot and noticed Serena in danger of completely losing it and laughing like a braying donkey, but otherwise I got everyone situated and managed to seat Gypsy as far away from Sully and Jade as I possibly could without being obvious about it. I hoped. I looked over at Skylar and begged him with my eyes to help. He did his best.
“So, Gypsy, pretty amazing display earlier with your powers with the lights and all.”
“Thank you. But my mom is the really amazing one. You know, she does the astral projection? Didn’t she train you how to do it, Serena?”
“She did. Of course, I’m not near as accomplished as she is.” Serena showed some of her characteristic modesty. I put my hand on her leg. I loved her so much. I remembered how her training in astral projection helped save my life. Remembered? I’d never forget it.
Sully snapped out of his trance and brought the conversation around to the real reason we had broken off and headed to the back patio in the first place.
“So, someone’s gotta tell me…how in the world did Christophe and his goons get back here? I mean, from everything I’ve heard, they’re supposed to have been crispy critters, right?” All I could do was nod. “So, what gives? How did he get out?”
“I don’t know. But maybe we’ll find out Wednesday night. Dave called and asked us to come for dinner. I intend to ask Tamera what’s been going on with the land where the barn used to be. Maybe that might tell us something.”
“That’s a good idea, Logan.” Jade said. “I read all the time about buildings being built on sacred Indian burial grounds and stuff like that. Maybe the earth just vomited him back up?”
“Oh, now, that’s a pleasant thought.” said Serena , wrinkling her nose in distaste.
“Man, Jade, where are you reading crap like that?” I felt ticked off. Mad, mostly that she had come up with the first plausible explanation I had heard. No one else had come close to being able to tell me why this nightmare could be happening all over again.
“I read, Logan. And I watch the news and get magazines and see documentaries and I just try and stay informed. Besides,” she said haughtily, with her hands on her hips, “do you have a better explanation?”
She had me there. I didn’t.
Serena interjected, as usual the voice of calm and reason. “Why don’t we wait and see what happens on Wednesday? We might discover something that will help us understand how he got out. But does that really matter? What we need to do is figure out a way to get him back in, don’t you think?” She glanced around us with pleading eyes.
Once again, the simplicity of her words struck me. She was right. The whys and wherefores didn’t really matter. What we were going to do to make this one a keeper was the big question.
Later on, as I said goodnight to everyone and went to bed in the big house in my new room, those same two questions ran through my mind. Why didn’t it work last time, and what would we do differently this time to make it stick?
Chapter Sixteen
SERENA
After everyone had left for their separate sleeping quarters, I took my time getting ready for bed. I needed to talk to Elizabeth. I hoped if I dawdled, I could catch her as she came up, and we could get a chance to talk without the whole house being involved in our conversation. Plus, I just felt uncomfortable. It wasn’t all the people in the house. It was just one. It felt strange knowing that Logan lay just one floor away, undressed, lying in a bed right below me.
I heard the stairs creak and hurried to peak outside my door. It was Elizabeth. I motioned for her to come inside and we sat down on my bed.
“Pretty crazy news about Christophe, huh?” I started.
“Yes, but you heard Eden. We should be on our guard the same way we were before. If we’re alert and aware, he can’t get to us. Not him, and not any of his followers.” Elizabeth scooted close to me and put her arm around my shoulder. “Don’t worry, Reeny. We can protect you, just like before.”
I nodded. “I know. I’m not so much afraid for me this t
ime as I am for everyone else. Especially Tabby. And Jade. And even Sully. I don’t know if they’re as equipped and ready for this as we are.”
Elizabeth sat back on the bed. “Serena, Jade and Tabitha have been training very hard. They are further along than I think you know. And Sully has never stopped being protected by Logan. I think Logan has been protecting Sully in one way or another since they were kids. Long before Logan even knew he had any powers at all. I don’t think you’re giving them enough credit.”
I knew she was right, but it still worried me about them. And then there was all that business about a wedding and a child, too. I asked Elizabeth what she thought about that.
“You know Prudence’s visions are subjective, Serena. On top of that, there has never been a timeline for them. She could have had a vision about an event that might be years in the future, for all we know.”
“I know that. I just wondered if you had any thoughts about who she might have been dreaming about.”
“Well, there are only a couple of contenders that we’re aware of at this time. You and Jade are the only ones any of us could think of right now. I mean, I could see the wedding part, but as far as the child….” Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at me, “…is there anything you want to tell me?”
“Elizabeth!” I couldn’t believe what she was asking me. “No! There is not!”
“Calm down. I knew there wasn’t, but I had to ask.” Elizabeth would not make eye contact with me, instead smoothing the blankets on the bed. I was annoyed.
“Whatever.”
“Don’t be upset, Serena.”
“I just can’t believe that you’d ask me that. For one thing, Logan and I are too smart to make a mistake like that. For another thing, I intend to wait until I’m married. I know how old fashioned that might sound, but that’s just something I decided a long time ago. And there’s something else.” I steeled myself to bring up the reason I wanted to talk to her.
“What is it?”
I took a deep breath. “Ever since I found out about my bloodline, I’ve been wondering. Do you think I should even consider ever having children at all?”
Elizabeth stared at me like I had punched her in the stomach. “What in the world are you saying, Serena? How can you be thinking such a thing? Don’t you want to have children with Logan some day?”
“Oh, Elizabeth, I do. It’s not that at all. I just don’t know if it would be fair to bring any children into the world if just by having them, I endanger their lives. Wouldn’t they be, you know, special like me?” I spread my hands out on my lap. Now I was the one afraid to meet her eyes.
Rather than answering me, Elizabeth leaned over and gathered me up in her arms. That simple act was all it took. My floodgates opened, and the tears flowed freely down my cheeks. I didn’t remember ever crying as hard as I cried right then. I hadn’t cried like this when Jade had been kidnapped. I’d had to be strong then so I could lead the coven sisters in the rescue efforts. I didn’t even cry this hard when the demon Christophe took me. I’m sure I had been in some kind of shock. I remember fat tears of joy and happiness covering my face when I realized I felt Logan’s arms and not Christophe’s any longer. And then again when I saw Jade and Sully safe as well. But not now. My tears fell freely, seeming without end. I didn’t hold them back. Elizabeth held me and rocked slowly side to side until finally she spoke.
“Wow. I guess you’ve been holding that one in for a while, huh?”
I sat back and wiped my eyes with the back of my arm. “I guess so. I didn’t even realize it until I started talking to you.”
“Had you been thinking about that for a long time? Having a family with Logan?”
I felt the familiar heat start flushing my cheeks. “No. But things are getting sort of, well, physical, with us, and I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought of it lately. It’s normal, right?”
Elizabeth smiled. “Perfectly. But it does make me happy to know you and Logan are being sensible about it.”
“We are.”
“Good. I knew you would, anyway.”
“I’m not so sure about Jade, though”
Elizabeth sat up abruptly. “Really?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Don’t you think she and Sully are being careful?”
“Maybe they are right now, but then again, I don’t know for sure. Having them here in the same house most of the time isn’t such a bad thing. At least you guys can keep a watchful eye on the both of them.”
“And now we certainly will. Sully won’t even be left alone with her for a minute!”
“Oh, you have it all wrong, Elizabeth. Sully isn’t the one to watch. It’s Jade.”
“Jade’s the aggressor?” Elizabeth was amazed.
“Totally. Sully does what he’s told, for the most part. Everything is her idea, all the time. Logan and I have even walked in on them before getting maybe a little too handsy and at least to me, it seems to be Jade going for it and Sully trying to peel her off of him.”
“Now that you mention it, that does sound like her. She is a little fireball, that one.” I remembered seeing the same kind of thing.
“I’ve tried mindjumping her, but she blocks me all the time.”
“Don’t do that, Serena. Why don’t you just ask her?”
“I don’t know if I could.”
Elizabeth got up and stretched. “You’ll have to find a way. Now, I have to find my way to bed. I’m exhausted. You should go to sleep too. It’s late.” She leaned over and kissed me and left my room.
I climbed into my bed, and was about to turn out the light when I heard a timid knock at my door. I thought it might be Elizabeth again, so it surprised me when I opened the door and saw Jade standing there.
“Hey, Serena. Got a minute?”
“Sure. Come on in.”
I thought I knew what Jade might want to talk about, but I let her start anyway.
“So, did you have any ideas about who Prudence could be talking about?”
“Judging by the way everyone stared at us, I think the implication was pretty clear. They were thinking of either you or me, I’m sure.”
“I know, right? Everyone always has to know our business!” Jade started walking around the room with her hands on both hips. Clearly, she thought her privacy had been invaded.
“I don’t think anyone is trying to be nosy, Jade. I think Eden and the others just have our best interests at heart. They just want to make sure we are making…” I chose my words carefully, not wanting to add fuel to Jade’s smoldering fire, “….smart choices.”
I looked over at Jade to see how my words were registering. She seemed to consider them for a minute, savor them, then swallow them whole, finding them not altogether distasteful. Then abruptly, she changed the subject.
“Serena, do you think he’s come back?”
I knew who she meant, but just couldn’t bring herself to say his name out loud. Maybe she felt too scared to utter it, for fear that simply hearing it would bring him back. She was that afraid of him, the dark demon who had once kidnapped her from a romantic picnic with the boy she loved, ripping her from the innocence of her life in the time it takes to blink. The one she dared not name.
Christophe.
“I think he has, Jade. Him, or someone like him. I’m sure of it.”
“So he really might be back?”
Jade came around and sat next to me on the bed. I put my arm around her and it seemed as though my touch opened the floodgates. For the second time tonight, tears were the order of the day. Jade, her tough exterior vanished, buried her face in my neck and sobbed, perhaps for the first time since she had been snatched up by Christophe’s evil trolls. I held her and allowed her to let it all out of her system. After a few minutes, Jade composed herself. She sniffled a little and sat up straighter, wiping her tears with the end of her sleeve. “Wow. Where did that come from, huh?”
I handed her a proper tissue. “From someplace you’ve been stuffing it is my
guess. Do you feel better?”
“You know what? I actually do!” Jade smiled and took a tissue. She blew her nose noisily. “No wonder my brother is nuts about you. You really are the best.” She stood up and headed for the door. “Thanks, Serena. I didn’t know I needed someone tonight, but I did. And I’m really glad it was you.” And with that, Jade left my room.
I sat on the bed for a few more minutes, not sure if anyone else might come to the door. My room acted like Grand Central tonight! When I felt sure I wasn’t going to have any more visitors, I finally climbed into my covers, left to my own thoughts. I was also afraid of Christophe. I remembered all too well how it felt when he swept across that barn floor dragging me by the hair, intent on taking me away forever from everything and everyone I loved, including Logan. I never wanted to feel that paralyzing fear again. The idea that he could be back terrified me. I knew Eden had been gathering the coven sisters again for another confrontation. I also knew that Logan and I were stronger than ever as well, having completed our sorcery training with the coven sisters in their individual disciplines of invisibility, astral projection, clairvoyance, mindjumping, shape-shifting, and many other witch/warlock skills. We had trained very hard. But, I couldn’t help but wonder….had Christophe been training too?
Chapter Seventeen
LOGAN
“What was the address again?” I asked Sully. He sat next to me in the passenger seat. Serena and Jade were in back, gabbing about who-knows-what. I drove. Today being Wednesday, we were finally going to the much-talked-about first dinner at Dave and Tamera’s. The four of us were stuffed into Serena’s tiny little go-cart of a car. Sully co-piloted and, as usual, did a lousy job with the directions.
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