Lose You Not

by Kristie Cook

  Another laugh burst out of me as I imagined his smug face sniffing, trying to figure out the smell. “Did he know it was you?”

  “He’s an asshat, but he’s not dumb. He figured it out almost right away and said, ‘Very mature, Adelaide.’” She mocked his arrogant, uppity voice perfectly. “But then, for the next week, every time I put on clean socks, I stepped in a wet spot. I’m positive he cursed me back.”

  “So that’s why not even Saundra Beaumont messes with Roman Bishop?” I mused.

  “Oh, no. He’d kill you in a heartbeat,” Addie deadpanned. “But usually worse.”

  “Worse than murder?”

  “He’ll make your life a living hell, so you’d want to die. And I’m not talking about wet socks your whole life. I’m talking about making a loved one go barking mad with a twist of his hand. Delivering the name of someone you love to the sirens. Seizing all your business assets and bankrupting your entire family with a phone call. He’s powerful in many ways, and won’t hesitate to use that power if it benefits or protects him, his family, or his business interests.”

  “He’s done all those things?”

  She tipped her head. “The worst part is that nobody can ever prove it was him. He’s always one step ahead, which makes him even more dangerous.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” I glanced at my phone screen for the time. “I’d better get home.”

  I texted Gabe as I crossed the square on my way back to the inn, ordering his butt home right after school. As soon as he walked in, I snatched his backpack off his shoulders before he could put up a fight.

  “Hey! What are you doing?” he demanded, trying to grab it back.

  “As your guardian, it’s my job to check up on you,” I said, walking around the front desk. “To make sure you’re doing your homework and handing it in … keeping your work organized and taking care of your books … and, you know, not carrying around weapons or biting classmates.”

  I’d unzipped the large pocket while I spoke, and I looked up to see Gabe had frozen in place. Xandru had walked in, and he paused next to my brother as I dumped the backpack contents onto the desk.

  “And apparently I do need to check on you more.” I stared at the pile in shock. There were two textbooks, a few spiral notebooks, wadded up papers, pens and pencils, and … three wrappers and two unopened packages with the Circle J logo on them. I held them up. “Are these what I think they are?” His face told me everything. “Gabe, how could you?”

  “You never told her?” Xandru asked.

  My eyes widened with another punch in the gut. “You knew?”

  “I kept meaning to,” Gabe said, “but you’re always busy, Michaela.”

  Oh, my god. Was this my fault? Had I been too wrapped up with the inn and Xandru to know what was going on with my own brother? Made myself too unavailable for him? I suddenly didn’t know with whom I was more upset—Gabe, Xandru, or myself.

  This parenting gig sucked.

  “We’ll talk about this later.” I gathered the wrappers and edibles. “Come clean up the rest of your stuff, sit in the parlor and do your homework, and no video games or friends.” I looked at Xandru. “Can I talk to you?”

  I didn’t wait for an answer, but turned and walked to the back offices, to my private one in the corner. I dumped the incriminating evidence on my desk and spun around to face him.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I was giving him the chance to tell you himself. To do the right thing. I thought he would have by now. That was the deal.”

  “How long have you known?”

  He stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets and rocked back on his heels. “Since Thanksgiving.”

  “That was almost two weeks ago! What happened to telling each other everything?”

  He stepped up to me and wrapped his hands around my upper arms, gently holding them. “I’d given him a week, but the time got away from me. I really thought he would have told you. I’m sorry.”

  I shook my head. “Would you have told your parents without being forced to? Wait. Never mind. Your parents wouldn’t have cared. But I do care. Why is he eating edibles? Does he really have control issues?”

  I leaned my forehead against his chest.

  “He did. He went to Tase—”

  “Tase?” I let out a harsh laugh. “He went to Tase before me or Sindi or you?”

  “I know. It’s a little scary. But look at it from his perspective. If he was feeling a loss of control, he may have seen Tase as someone who’d best understand.” Xandru lifted my chin with his finger, dropping his voice. “He didn’t want to disappoint you. He cares about what you think. That’s not a bad thing.”

  “It is if it means he won’t talk to me about the important stuff.” I sighed, stepping away. “Kasun’s men are going to be here any minute to question Gabe in Heidi’s disappearance. And then they’re going after Tase.”

  “Tase has an alibi. Trust me—I already questioned him. Gabe does, too, remember? We were all at the ball when you found out about Heidi.”

  My brows scrunched together as I leaned my head back to look up at him. “That’s right. So why— They’re just harassing us.” And then another thought occurred to me. “Roman knew about the edibles. He was the one who told me to check Gabe’s backpack.”

  Xandru’s forehead wrinkled as his brows rose high. “Well, that’s no good. He’s up to something.”

  “When is he not?” I muttered, but as I thought about it, the idea that he’d go this far as vengeance for my vote over a month ago seemed ridiculous. There had to have been another reason. Something he wanted? I stepped back from Xandru’s embrace. “Did Tase ever tell you who the witch was who paid him to turn me?”

  He shook his head.

  “Could it have been Roman?”

  “He referred to her as a female. Didn’t the Court investigate?”

  I gnawed on my lip. “Yeah, but the suspect left town. They haven’t been able to trace her anywhere, like she vanished off the face of the earth. They think she could be dead. But now I wonder if she had ties to Roman. Addie said he’d brought her before the Luna Coven, but nobody wanted her in. He could have covered for her with the Court, and he seems to have it out for me. For my family.”

  Xandru cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. “I’ll talk to Tase.”

  Sheriff Kasun, his deputy son Conall, who was basically a younger version of Kasun but meaner, and Roman showed up a few minutes later, giving me just enough time to warn Gabe and prep him. I hadn’t actually expected Roman to come for something so mundane, which only furthered my suspicions that he was targeting me and my family. I took Gabe’s trembling hand and led them all into our small meeting room.

  “Mind if I look around?” Roman asked as he leaned against the doorway. “I haven’t been here since the renovations. I’d like to see Graysin’s work.”

  Peering at him, I wondered what his interest in Graysin’s work was. Sure, he’d been married to her sister, but I didn’t think they had any kind of relationship. I was about to say I minded very much when Sheriff Kasun spoke up.

  “Roman, go do what you need to do,” Ric said.

  “I’ll give him the tour,” Xandru volunteered from out in the hall. Thank god. He wouldn’t let Roman out of his sight.

  I turned to Ric. “What does Roman need to do?”

  He shrugged. “He said he needed to do an energy reading for traces of unknown magic. We’re here to talk to Gabe, but Roman thought it … what did he say?” He looked at Conall.

  “Sagacious.” Conall rolled his eyes.

  “Yes, that was the word.” Ric nodded. “Roman thought it sagacious that he ensures there are no unregistered guests staying here.”

  I pulled back. Unregistered meant supernatural visitors who hadn’t informed the Court they were in town, which was required within twenty-four hours of arrival. “Don’t you think I’d say something if there were?”

  “Some types—like that skinwa
lker you had last spring—not even my nose can detect, but magic may be able to.” He gestured toward Gabe and me and then to the seats as he took one for himself. “So, Gabe, how have you been?”

  Gabe answered their questions in the short and direct way I’d advised him to, not adding any extra information. Since Roman had known about the edibles, I told him to come clean on those, but I lied through my teeth when I said I’d known about them.

  “That’s why I was surprised that you mentioned he was having problems,” I said. “We’re doing everything we can to manage the urges.”

  Ric nodded, but Conall only glared at me.

  “We don’t normally condone giving kids marijuana,” Ric said, “but we know this is an unusual situation. The real addiction to blood is much more dangerous than any side effects of the cannabis. But we do have rules, Michaela. This should have been reported to both the Court and the school.”

  I nodded. “The school I understand. But why does the Court need to know every detail about our lives?”

  “In this case, it’s to ensure that if we find him in a suspicious situation, we know the full background. We’d know why he’d be exhibiting certain types of behavior. As is everything with the Court, which you should know by now, our rules are for the best interest of all of our residents. Including Gabe.”

  Roman sauntered in at that moment.

  “I assume you found that our guests are what they say they are,” I said, after Ric nodded for him to join us.

  He stayed just inside the door, slightly behind me. “I did. Are you aware there’s a trace of black magic in the conservatory?”

  I stood and faced him, crossing my arms. “I am. Addie felt it, but said it’s old. Whatever it was is long gone.”

  He lifted his chin. “Gone, yes, but not too long ago. Only in the last six months or so. I noticed the flooring is new. Were any unusual objects found buried under the old floor? Old family heirlooms?”

  His question caught me off guard. Why would he ask that? Did he know something about the Eye of Valerian? Did he know where my father would have hidden it? Or was he referring to something else?

  “I assume you’re knowledgeable about the Eye of Valerian, since it was part of your required reading for your Court seat,” Roman said, answering my silent question. A thick tension suddenly filled the air at the mention of the trinket. “The last known whereabouts was in your father’s possession. He hid it, for very good reason. The timepiece wasn’t found, was it?”

  Gabe gasped behind me. “Does it have black magic?”

  I looked over my shoulder to find his eyes wide. “Gabe, do you know where it is?”

  He’d shown me the plain, old watch I’d already known about, but it really was plain—no moonstone inlays—and only “old” to a twelve-year-old. Probably not even as old as I was, a replica of the old-style pocket watches.

  Gabe blinked, slowly, then shook his head.

  “Are you being honest, young man?” Roman asked.

  I wanted to snap at him for calling my brother a liar, but it wouldn’t have been the first time Gabe had lied to me recently.

  “I … I don’t know where it is. Honest.” He hesitated as he looked around the room before his gaze eventually fell on me. “But I found that leather brace, remember? With the place for a timepiece? Are … are they connected?”

  I had no idea, so I looked to Roman, who seemed to know more than anyone.

  “I know nothing about a bracelet,” he said haughtily. His hard gaze narrowed in on Gabe. “The Eye of Valerian is a very powerful piece. If it is found, it must be handled with care. In the wrong hands, especially unprotected, it can be extremely dangerous. Even deadly.”

  “And I assume yours are the right hands?” I dared to ask.

  He turned those deep blue eyes on me and smirked. “You know what they say when you assume, Ms. Petran.”

  With that, he strode out of the room and a few seconds later, out of the inn, leaving me to figure out that riddle. I mean, I knew he meant the word assume “makes an ass out of u and me,” but which part was he saying I assumed inaccurately? That he wanted the piece, or that his hands were the right ones?

  I’d practically forgotten Sheriff Kasun and Conall were still in the room, until I turned back to face Gabe.

  “Are we done here?” I asked them.

  They both stood.

  “For the time being,” Sheriff Kasun said. “If you know anything about Ms. Bennett’s disappearance, please don’t hesitate to call me.” He paused and looked over my head for a moment. When his gaze dropped back to mine, his eyes were softer than I’d ever seen them. “As far as the Eye of Valerian goes, let’s just hope your father hid it well. But if you do find it, hide it again, Michaela. While it probably has uses for good, it’s too dangerous. In anybody’s hands.”

  “It has that much power? Do you know anything about it?”

  Kasun’s eyes returned to their normal hardness when he dealt with vampires. “Only that your father hid it for good reason.”

  He nodded at Conall, and they both vacated the room. Gabe and I followed them out, then I turned in a circle, surveying the lobby and front parlor.

  “What happened to Xandru?” I wondered aloud.

  “No idea, but I’m going to the cottage,” Gabe said as he grabbed his backpack from behind the front desk. Something sounded off in his voice.

  “Are you okay? Don’t let Roman get to you.”

  He shook his head. “It’s not that. I’m just really tired and want to get my homework done.”

  I grimaced. “Do you need a cookie or brownie?”

  “No.” He rolled his eyes. “That would make me even more tired. I just didn’t sleep well last night. Bad dreams.”

  I knew what those were like.

  I followed him to the back of the inn, but while he exited through a set of French doors in the dining room, I checked out the conservatory, and then every other room on the first floor. I came back to the bar, where Sindi was preparing for the evening dinner crowd.

  “Have you seen Xandru?”

  She looked up from the golden napkins she was folding into pretty Christmas stars. “He was on the phone when he left Tall, Dark, and Handsome in the lobby, and then he hightailed it out of here.”

  “Huh.” Frowning, I watched her go back to work.

  She paused again. “Don’t think for one minute I’m enjoying folding fabric into cutesy shapes. This shows how much I love my job and what I would do for you.”

  “Don’t worry. Your reputation is safe with me.”

  She smirked before her hands started flying again.

  “And Sindi?” She looked up at me again. “Thank you for everything.”

  Now she offered a real smile. “No worries. But if you want to do something for me, you can introduce me to Tall, Dark, and Handsome.”

  “Since when did you need to be introduced to a guy? Oh, and absolutely not! Anyone but Roman, Sindi.”

  She made a face, then smiled again. “Okay, fine. Adrian it is, then.”

  I groaned. “Out of all the men in this town, those are your two picks?”

  “Oh, I still have my eyes open, but only because you insist on no Rocas.”

  “Well, any Roca is better than Roman Bishop.”

  “I might have to test that theory,” she teased. She stopped folding again and pulled the collar away from her neck, displaying a new tattoo, another Celtic design, with an edge. “My early Christmas gift to myself. What do you think?”

  “I like it. Honoring your Irish heritage even more. Did you talk Addie into doing it?”

  She pouted. “No. But I decided to give that Gwen girl at Tragic Ink a try. She does great work, but she’s an odd duck, isn’t she?”

  I snickered. “She’s all right, though. Just not a people person.”

  “I can’t blame her, if all her customers are like the bitch who was leaving when I turned into the alley, ranting and raving … I thought Gwen was going to close up shop
and cancel my appointment.”

  “Who was it?” I asked, curiosity piqued. Sindi described the brunette woman who looked like she came out of old-time Hollywood. “Must have been Ada Daryn. Huh. I wonder what kind of tattoo Ada would be getting and where.” I shuddered at the thought—the rumor that she practiced black magic wasn’t the only nasty one floating around about the old witch. “Never mind. I don’t want to know.”

  Sindi shrugged. “All I can say is if that hag treated me the way she was treating the guy with her, she would have been my dinner. Except … she probably tastes like a used jockstrap.”

  “Ew! And yes, probably.” Wrinkling my nose and giggling at the same time, I turned and headed back to the front of the lobby so she could get back to work and I could call Xandru.

  “Sorry, babe, had to find Tase ASAP,” he answered.

  “Oh, everything okay?”

  Silence.

  “Xandru?”

  “Uh, yeah, of course. Just wanted to get to Tase before Kasun did. Talk later?”

  “Yeah, sure. Love you.”

  “Love you, too, babe.”

  Chapter 16

  Xandru

  “You’d better be up here,” I muttered as I ended the call with Michaela and continued the hike up Mt. Sousa behind our family home, the sun setting behind me.

  I’d already checked the ski resort and the Dirty Knuckle, but nobody had seen Tase for hours. I drove by his place before coming to the family home, but he was at neither. I even checked the workshop. I hadn’t been able to reach him by phone, which wasn’t unusual considering our unreliable service, but Michaela’s call came through, which told me Tase was likely ignoring me.

  I’d caught his scent behind the workshop and followed it up the rocky climb toward an old hunting shack Dad had built back before he had money, as a place of escape from the town’s bullshit. Or Mom’s temper, depending on the day. The scent grew stronger as I approached the one-room, dilapidated log cabin that was no bigger than our smallest bedroom at home.

  “This must be important for you to track me here,” Tase said from the doorway, and I stopped about twenty-five yards away. “I already know Kasun’s looking for me.” He shrugged. “I have an alibi, remember?”