Vampire Interrupted (Wicked Good Witches Book 8)

by Starla Silver

  “What happened to you?” he’d asked Riley. “You’re keeping a low profile, right? We just landed a couple days ago and I do not want to stir up trouble.”

  “Yeah. Yeah. Low profile. Not bugging anyone.”

  “Then why the I just found heaven grin?”

  Riley got red and blotchy all over, but didn’t answer.

  Lucas worked it out fast. “You met a girl, didn’t you? Wow, that was fast work of it.” Lucas’ instant concern, she’d be just like the rest of his recent dates, or much worse, his last girlfriend. She’d cheated on him and played it off as no big thing. It had hurt Riley to the point that Lucas wasn’t sure his brother would even date again. And here he was, chick magnet…

  “I know what you’re worried about,” Riley told him after a bit. “It’s not like that. She’s not like that. We even talked a little about past relationships. It’s so weird, I don’t know this woman at all and yet I feel like I’ve known her for years. She’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met before. She’s been hurt too… I think. Actually, I’d bet my life on it. I can’t imagine the twat who’d have the heart to. She’s…” he had trailed off, that dumb grin returning.

  “Wow. Well… if it makes you less pissed at me for dragging you here.”

  Riley had laughed a little. Then got quiet.

  “What it is?” Lucas prodded, knowing there was something more.

  “My a, feeling, brought me to her. At least, that’s how I first ran into her and officially met her. And then earlier today it hit me again and I had to take this road and wouldn’t you know it, came across her again. She was upset. She didn’t fully explain why, family troubles. My God, though, she was about the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen, even upset.”

  Lucas had no reply to that. He’d always encouraged Riley to follow his gift, even though he despised the use of magic. The Demon Isle, the last place he expected to find himself. But Riley’s gift as a dating service? That was a new one.

  “Just um, you know, keep things on the down low a few more days, okay. I’ve got it in my mind to visit the Howard’s and introduce myself. Before they find out through the small town grapevine that we’re here.”

  “You think it will get ugly?”

  “Hope not. No way to know until it’s done. But this old manor is the only place we have left out of all the properties the family used to own. We have nowhere else to go, so as far as I see it, free country. We’re not breaking any laws.”

  “I don’t know as Howard Witches abide by normal government type laws, Lucas.”

  “Just be careful out there. We’ll be ourselves, show them we’re not here under any false pretenses. Stay out of their business. We should all get along. So when you seeing this gal again?”

  “Tomorrow. Lunch. I want to plan something special. I scoped out a private cavern on a beach, I think it’ll be perfect.”

  Lucas shook his head. Amused. Happy. But skeptical as well.

  This was a big move with big chances being taken.

  If they were super lucky, this woman Riley had met would be good for him. She’d already perked him up more than Lucas had seen in months.

  He’d take it as a good sign. Coming here was the right move.

  Wow.

  What an idiot he’d been thinking that!

  What damage one summer could do.

  What damage a few days could do.

  Hell, what a curse could do.

  Landing them in one of those unexpected, irreversible life-changing moments that would create a new normal. An unasked for, unwanted, change. Lucas groaned in the displeasure of it. They’d had enough new normals to last a lifetime already. There were so many in the last few years there wasn’t even enough time to adjust to one before another life altering change hit them, head on.

  Lucas looked up to catch Lizzy with her eyes closed, a contented grin on her face as she soaked up the salty moisture hitting her skin like it was going out of style. It brought a sluggish smile to his lips. She was stubborn and kind of a pain in the ass, but she grabbed onto life as if it might end at any moment. He guessed she had reason to after being cursed out of her body to spend hundreds of years existing as a ghast, forced to guard Deane family secrets.

  His bloodline really was cursed.

  Lucky me. Lucky Riley. Lucky Lizzy, he scoffed.

  What disastrous thing would happen next?

  A movement to his right snagged his attention. He flicked his head to the side, thinking he’d seen the shadow of someone running by, but there was nothing there but a foggy trail. No other people at all. It was midweek and the first early ferry of the morning, so it was nearly empty. Tourists would arrive in droves come later in the day, and week, though.

  His head flicked to the other side, his eyes pinching together. He swore he’d heard footsteps slapping along the wooden deck, but again, there was no one. He shook his head and blinked hard a few times. He definitely needed sleep. Coffee at the least, if sleep wasn’t going to be an option.

  He sucked in a startled inhale when a dark shape sprinted by him to the edge of the boat. A man wearing a black trench coat and oddly, bare feet. There was an intense determination on his scruffy-bearded face. Lucas’ eyes popped wide when the man threw a leg over the boat railing.

  “Hey,” Lucas called out. “You’d better be careful.” He got up, intending to stop the man.

  Lizzy turned around and gaped at him. “What do you mean?”

  “Not you. Him,” he pointed.

  “Who?” she asked.

  Lucas didn’t understand. “You can’t see that guy?”

  The man took another fleeting scan behind him, casting a forlorn gaze that cried a final farewell. Lucas gasped when the man threw his other leg over the side, and jumped. Lucas spun around unsure what to do. He opened his mouth to shout for help when suddenly there was a crowd screaming toward the railing calling out to the man.

  Where did all these people come from?

  Lucas spun around and around.

  And why is everyone dressed like it’s the 1950’s? I must’ve fallen asleep.

  A crewmember shouted ‘man overboard,’ and chaos took over as they searched the ocean waves for the man. Lucas darted through the crowd to the edge, but with the fog and crashing waves, and the wake left by the ferry, the man was nowhere to be seen. And not found.

  “Hey. Lucas. What’s going on?” Lizzy’s voice filtered into his mind as if she were speaking from a distance.

  Lucas blinked. Hard. His eyes darting side to side.

  He took a few steps back.

  The crowd was gone. The boat deck empty except for he and Lizzy.

  “Lucas?”

  He stared blankly in reply.

  “Um, hello?” she snapped her fingers in front of his face.

  “I… I guess I fell asleep on the bench. I thought someone tried to jump overboard.”

  “Been right here and it’s only us.”

  He shook his head. “I really need some sleep.”

  “You and me both.”

  Lucas took his seat on the bench again. What the hell just happened?

  Dozing off was the only explanation. He counted down the rest of the minutes until his head could hit a pillow.

  A memory popped into Lizzy’s mind. “You know, while I was a ghast, I remember hearing tourists and locals talk about a guy who jumped off the ferry. Killed himself as it turned out. Guess he’d found out he was sick or something, but it was a popular subject for weeks. He was from the Isle and everyone knew him. Damn, there was some controversy surrounding his death but for the life of me I can’t recall what it was now.”

  Lucas stared intently. “When did it happen?”

  “Hm, let’s see. If I remember correctly, I think it was around the mid-1950’s.”

  Lucas didn’t respond, his gaze narrowing in on the railing.

  “You okay, Lucas?” Lizzy asked him. “You’re looking a bit pale.”

  “Yeah. Wicked tired.” He blew off the
coincidence in what she’d just said, compared to what he’d just witnessed.

  “I might check in with the Howards at the hospital before I go home and crawl into bed,” Lizzy told him.

  “You might want to reconsider,” Lucas pointed out, aiming a finger upward at the sky.

  “Oh, right. Sun about to rise. Probably not awake yet. Although if I know Charlie, and I think I’m starting to, he probably never left his sister’s side unless he had to.”

  “And we’re back on the werewolf…” Lucas teased with a dry grin. Charlie kept coming up in conversation.

  Lizzy gave him a half shrug. “No reason to hide the fact I plan on marrying the wolf.”

  “Is he aware of this?” returned Lucas.

  “It was his idea…”

  Lucas lifted a brow.

  “Well, not marriage. Not yet… we have to, you know, go out on a date first.”

  Lucas shook his head, amused. Charlie Howard had no idea what he was getting himself into. “Regardless of who you actually wish to see, Lizzy, I don’t think visiting hours start this early at the hospital.”

  She conceded he was probably right, but cared nonetheless. Although thinking about it for a few minutes, she decided it did come across a little too eager. And easy. She did care about Melinda’s condition. And Emily’s. It wasn’t all about seeing Charlie. However, the idea of making him seek her out was suddenly much more appealing. It was equally appealing to toy with the idea of dragging him away from the hospital and back to her bed. That’d make quick business of it all. Lizzy had a sinking feeling that would not be happening anytime soon though. If she had to bet money, she’d put it all on the wolf overthinking things and regretting his proclamation.

  She hadn’t really talked to Charlie since the night he’d showed up at the manor and told her he’d fallen, hard, and fast. She’d only seen him for a few minutes at the hospital while checking in on things there, and letting him know Riley had left and they were going after him.

  Charlie hadn’t brought up the love subject and she’d left it alone. Something told her it wasn’t just the nature of the moment keeping him from doing so though… he was definitely overthinking things. It was obvious by the way he avoided real eye contact with her, and kept things light, almost professional and job-like. It would take some clever coaxing to make him give in, or get the man to stop worrying so damn much. She wondered if Charlie Howard was even capable of such a thing.

  The thought of him standing underneath the fire-worked skyline declaring his sudden love brought a smile to her face. It was a good match. A smart match. And she’d already glimpsed the goods. He was pure man. Rugged. Earthy. Ripped in all the right places. Big in all the right places. Adorable in all the right places. She moaned out a hungry exhale.

  It wasn’t just his manhood perfected that snagged her heart. It was all of him. She’d never seen a man so willing to demoralize himself if it meant saving the ones he loved. He was dedicated. Endlessly loyal. A blend of total confidence or complete self-doubt. And frankly, needed someone like her to kick him around a little and keep him in line. Then again, so did she. And Charlie Howard was just the wolf for the job.

  The ferry ride was almost over already. The Demon Isle coming into view as the sun rose and the fog lifted. It was almost like entering some time-shift that took them back many years.

  On the mainland, people went about their lives, working, playing, raising families… and here on the Isle, tourists came to immerse themselves in a nostalgic setting basked in fantasy and the supernatural. A world the locals knew was real. Frighteningly so, after the ordeal they’d all recently gone through. But this was her home and she never wanted to live anywhere else, even after all her years in captivity here.

  The Demon Isle rarely made steps forward when it came to modern things. On the mainland, there had been so many mind-boggling, attention-grabbing, bombastic-type gadgets, contraptions, and no-idea-what-the-hells, it had actually caused her to panic, all of it overwhelming the senses.

  Lizzy hoped the Isle never lost its old-fashioned charm. She’d take supernatural trouble over the entire world, any day. Magic made The Demon Isle a special place, unlike any other in the world.

  An electric tingle zapped through Lizzy. She was almost home.

  Lucas joined her by the railing, almost unwilling to step foot off the ferry and onto the Isle. This place was not home, and he was starting to believe it was his own personal hell.

  CHAPTER 3

  Nearly the entire town had come. The longtime locals at least.

  To pay their respects to Emily Morgan’s father. And say a final goodbye to Jack Howard. Who was now dead, for real this time, after coming back to life only to die days later.

  Michael drove the jeep into the driveway of the Howard Mansion. Emily was silent as they pulled in; didn’t even look at Michael. He wasn’t entirely sure she was aware they were home; her gaze distant, focused on nothing in particular.

  He sat quietly for a minute, getting up the gumption to get out and head inside. To say it had been a rough morning was an understatement. His attention had wanted to stay entirely on Emily, but there was a mass of emotions hovering over the entire graveyard like a vortex had opened up in the sky and tried to swallow him up in it. He was glad to be done with it, and glad to have his girlfriend at his side, all to himself, so he could take proper care of her. It had been one never-going-to-end week, since he’d brought Emily to live here.

  Melinda had come home from the hospital and she and Charlie had assisted in the planning of the funeral. Along with a final memorial for their father, and mother, seeing as they finally had closure and everyone wanted to say goodbye.

  Michael hadn’t left Emily’s side the entire day. She hadn’t cried, or spoken much as they buried her father. But it was done, she was home where she belonged, and he’d do whatever he needed to see her through this. Something had broken inside her, and it wasn’t getting fixed, easily.

  But it also wasn’t getting fixed unless she tried. Or at the least, talked to him. Neither of which she was doing. Mostly, she seemed to be suppressing her emotions around him. Probably for his benefit afraid she’d overwhelm him because of his gift of empathy… his Emily, always thinking of others, almost to fault.

  But the numbness creeping through her worried him. She needed to mourn and wasn’t letting herself. He also worried that when the floodgates opened it might be too much for him to handle. Being an empath had far too many drawbacks.

  He got out and made his way around the jeep, opening her door. She slid out and absentmindedly headed to the house. Charlie and Melinda had stayed behind to finish up at the funeral home.

  “Emily,” Michael called out gently.

  She stopped, waiting for him to catch up. He grasped her shoulders, Emily’s blank stare cutting through him.

  “Talk to me, please.”

  Her blank eyes honed in on his face, seeing him clearly. Her silence screaming a thousand things she’d like to say but none of them forming into actual words.

  “What do you need, Emily?”

  She shrugged and pinched her face inward.

  He sensed out for her emotional state but she was holding it in. Michael worried the bubble she was keeping around herself would burst at any moment, causing him to implode when it did.

  “Let me help you,” he told her for the thousandth time.

  “I don’t know how you can do that,” she whispered coarsely, wriggling out of his grasp, hastening into the mansion. She made it up a few stairs heading up to their bedroom when Michael got through the front door.

  “Emily, I’m grabbing a drink, would you like anything?”

  She stopped on the third stair and turned to see him. It took her a few seconds, but she finally replied and it was not a drink order.

  “I… I want to… I can’t seem to…” she pushed out a frustrated sigh.

  He met her on the bottom stair unwilling to let this moment pass if Emily was ready to open u
p to him. He waited, not wanting to push too hard and make her close down again.

  “I can’t feel anything, Michael. No, that’s not really it. How do I explain it?”

  “Take your time. I’m not going anywhere.”

  She swallowed uneasily.

  “It’s like, it’s all so much, that it’s somehow zeroed itself out.”

  Her emotions were still stuck inside, so he couldn’t sense what she meant. “How do you mean?” he asked her to clarify.

  “Like it’s stolen my ability to feel anything. Or care about anything. Replaced it with this, nothing. Like I don’t quite exist.”

  He reached out and lovingly stroked her hair. “I can guarantee you very much exist, Emily Morgan.”

  There was a shy, downward cast of her eyes. Similar to his Emily as she was normally. It was fleeting, but still more than he’d gotten in the last week.

  “I close my eyes and I see everything, Michael. I open them, and it’s all still there. Eva, killing my Dad. Riley torturing William. Melinda tied to that stake looking like death. Eva took over my body and I couldn’t stop her because Stricker stole my ring. Eva killed your father. Brutally.” She drew in a ragged breath. “It might as well have been me. She used me to kill your father. How can you even look at me?”

  Michael was getting the picture now. But he wasn’t positive how to prove to Emily that his father’s death had nothing at all to do with her. She was not at fault, simply a vessel used for an evil purpose. Something out of her control.

  “Emily, there’s nothing you could have done. If anything, it’s my fault for not seeing it soon enough. For not realizing you were not you. I was too late. Even Charlie didn’t see it. Eva was tricky. We thought she was dead. And when we found out she wasn’t, and was with us in that cave, we thought she’d shifted into you and had you stashed somewhere. The blame lies anywhere but on you, Emily.”