”Thanks Uncle, but you have to admit it was a heck of a fight, and if it wasn’t for this damn mist, we would have had them all.”
Charles put his arm around him, and smiled broadly.
“Yes, we could have.”
“Phillip, my mother? I don’t see her here in your kill.” I looked again at the two on the ground.
“No, she’s still with him. But we’ll get her.”
Charles and I looked at each other. Even though I couldn’t read his thoughts, I knew he felt as torn as I did.
“Okay,” he said. “Let’s get these bodies burned.”
Home
Phillip was angry. He gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles as he drove out of the Baton Rouge airport.
“Phillip, “ I said. “This isn’t helping. I’m going home, and that’s all there is to it. ”
“You need to be in New Orleans!”
“Well, I’m not going there. I know my mother will come here and we have to keep her away from Millie.”
“Alixia, you could be causing more problems.”
“I’m not. Come on now, we already talked about this on the plane. I will be the bait to lure them away from New Orleans to here.”
“But what if…”
“ Were not discussing this anymore.”
“ Fine. But what if you let your Mother go?”
“I told you I wouldn’t let that happen again. Just stop with this whole conversation, okay? I don’t want to talk anymore.”
I looked out the side window, fingering my necklace with the blackbird pendant. I let my mind wander back to a conversation that had taken place on the plane. It was weird hearing Madame Cecilia tell me that, besides my Ambrosine legacy, I had the Pure Ones’ blood in me, too. My grandfather William, who was married to Madame Cecilia, had been a Pure One.
Madame Cecilia told me that she hadn’t changed until she was thirty-two. She said that, as a young child, she always knew what her destiny would be. But she went on living a normal mortal’s life, getting married and having a child, until the dreams brought on her immortality.
She said that when my mother was born, she never even thought of the child carrying her father’s legacy. That was because she never bore the mark, as he did.
Marguerite was the one who had put it all together, once she saw that I was unaffected by most of their rituals. Except for the gray mist. I smiled to myself. Maybe I didn’t have enough of their blood in me for that one…
“Alixia,” I looked over at Phillip.
“So, you’re talking to me now?” I asked.
He smiled crookedly.
“Yes,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about Marcus. If he makes it, he will be the first Dark One to ever come into the light. “
“That’s what Marguerite said. Why?”
“I know you tell me that he wouldn’t prey on anyone in the Family. But now that he has lost his own Family, do you think he will, for revenge?”
“No, he promised me. I trust him.”
“Well, I hope you’re right.”
“Phillip, are you trying to get me mad again.”
“I’m just saying… Oh, forget it.”
We pulled up in front of my house. Phillip got out and came to my side, opening the car door for me. I stepped out, smelling May’s full bouquet wafting over from the orchard. I closed my eyes for a few seconds, breathing deeply and feeling thankful that I was home. I hoped I would never have to leave again.
The screen door opened.
“Alixia!” Anna came down the steps, giving me a huge hug. ”I’m so glad your home.”
“Me, too,” I said hugging her back.
We walked up the steps and Phillip moved ahead, opening the screen door.
“After you, ladies.”
As we walked in, the phone rang.
“It’s probably Libby,” Anna said. “She’s been calling every day, wondering when you were going to return.”
She went over and picked up the phone.
“Hello? Yes, she’s here now Libby. Just a minute.”
“You told her I went on a trip?” I whispered.
“Yes, I told her that you and Madame Cecilia went up north to check on colleges for next fall.”
“Good thinking, Anna!”
I took the phone.
“Hey, Libby.”
“Alixia, you’re finally home! How was it? Did you find a college?”
“Kind of. There are a couple of them that I like.”
“That’s good. Hey I know you just got back and all, but I really need your help with this wedding. You know how Claire is.”
“Yes, I do. So, when do you want to get together?”
Phillip was shaking his head at me and putting his hands up. I turned my back on him, trying to concentrate on Libby.
“Sorry, Libby, can you say that again?”
She hesitated. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine, I just got a little distracted.”
“Alright then, just be at my home tomorrow around ten in the morning, and we’ll go over the wedding plans. I’ll call Claire and let her know.”
“Okay, sounds good. See you tomorrow.”
“Will do, bye”
“Bye.” I hung up and turned to Phillip.
“What was all that gesturing about?”
“Alixia, have you lost your mind? Why are you involving yourself with those Outsiders?”
“Because they’re my friends! And I’m not ready to give them up yet, so just deal with it.”
I started walking toward the staircase.
“Well, you’re being stupid!” he yelled. I kept walking, but his words hurt. Going into my bedroom, I slammed the door behind me.
“I’m not stupid. You’re stupid,” I yelled.
Then I sat on the bed with my face in my hands and rocked back and forth. I knew it would be dangerous to have the girls anywhere close to me, but they were all I had left from the world of my childhood. I needed to hold on to them for a little while longer.
“Alixia.” I heard Phillip at my door and opened it.
I sat on my bed, and he joined me.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“It’s okay. I know what you are saying makes sense. I’m just not ready to give up so much yet.”
“I understand.” He put his arm around me. We sat there for a moment in silence. Then he tenderly kissed the top of my head.
“I’ll help you keep them safe.”
“Thank you.” I looked up into his dark blue eyes. He leaned over, kissing me passionately. We lay back on the bed and for a moment I was caught up in our embrace, which surprised me.
I put my hand on his chest.
“No, Phillip. Let me up.”
He looked down at me, smiling.
“I’ve decided that I ‘m not going to give you up that easily.”
He kissed me again, and then let me up. I brushed my hair back with my hand, trying to regain my composure.
“Phillip, why are you doing this?”
He brushed my lips with his, hushing me.
“Phillip, stop it! “ I pushed him away.
“Okay,” he said, getting off the bed and standing up. “But I think I gave you up too easily. He’s going to have to fight me for you.”
“Really?” I said trying not to laugh. “You want Marcus to fight you for me? Well that’s not going to happen.” I brushed my hair and straightened my clothes, and the moment passed.
“Come on,” he said, resignedly. “Let’s go to your parents’ graves and see if you can pick up on anything.”
We entered the orchard and walked down the path, a sense of evil growing more acrid the closer we got to the graves.
I stopped.
“What is it, Alixia?”
“They were here. They were on this path.”
My mother’s grave had been dug up. Dried out rose bushes lay in a ring around the hole.
I went to my knees, picking up a handful o
f dirt. Holding it, I tried to get an image of them again. It didn’t take long: it was as if they were still here. He was holding her, and promising something. I couldn’t make out most of the words, but I did hear him mention Marcus and say that something would happen.
And then he kissed her.
I threw the dirt into her empty grave and stood up, furious.
“Let’s get out of here!“
“What did you see?”
“Nothing.”
I wiped the rest of the dirt off my hands, and started walking back to the house.
“Alixia?”
“They were here. There’s nothing else, except for the mention of Marcus, whom we know he’s after anyway.”
“So, why are you upset?”
“I’m not.”
He got into my thoughts and I didn’t block him in time.
“I’m sorry, Alixia.”
I stopped at the garden gate, frustrated.
“Why is she letting him get close to her? I just can’t believe she’s involved with him.”
“She’s not involved with him, Alixia. He controls her, and she can’t fight him. Remember, your Mother has no free will to stop him doing what he wants, and if he wants her, he will have her.”
He opened the gate for me. Walking on through, I saw that her favorite red rose bushes had been chopped up.
“Oh, Phillip, look at Mother’s roses. Now, who could have done that?”
“Me,” Anna said, coming toward us.
“Why?”
“She’s evil now. I had to perform a ritual to keep her away.”
“Is that why there are dead roses on my mother’s grave?”
“Yes, and I will replace them with fresh, when she’s back there.”
I put my arm around her, looking at Phillip.
“Hopefully, that will be soon.”
Libby
Going up to Libby’s front door, Phillip took me in his arms.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Just kiss me. They’re looking out the window.”
“Phillip…”
He took me in his arms and kissed me passionately. Then he smiled with pleasure.
“Remember,” he said. “We’re dating.”
“Oh, yeah I forgot.” I said, getting my focus back. To be honest, my knees were a little weak. “You could have just held my hand, you know?”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
I elbowed him. “Behave!”
“Hi, guys come on in.” Libby stood in the doorway with Claire. Phillip flashed them a smile.
“Sorry, I’m not staying. Just dropping Alixia off.”
The girls looked him up and down as if he were sweet candy. He turned to me, taking my hand.
“So, I’ll be back to pick you up in a couple of hours.“
“You’d better make it three,” Claire said, rolling her eyes. “Knowing Libby, we’ll be going through every detail twice.”
“Claire,” Libby thumped her lightly.
“Okay, three.” He smiled and kissed me, getting into my head.
Have a good time. I’ll be close by if you need me.
Good.
“Okay girls,” I said aloud. “Let’s get started.”
They didn’t even hear me.
They watched as he got into the car and waved as he drove off. Then they both sighed.
“Really, you two!” I said. “You’re getting married, remember?”
“Oh, Alixia, there’s no harm in looking.”
Claire wrapped her arm around me and we went into the living room.
“Where are your mothers?” I asked, making myself comfortable on the couch. ”Aren’t they going to be here?”
“ No,” Libby said. “They’re just leaving it up to us. They both said they’re tired of our bickering. Anyway, let just get started.” She picked up a folder from an end table, opening it.
“We need your opinion on the music, Alixia.”
“Yeah,” Claire said. ”She wants everything old fashioned and square.”
“It’s not old fashioned. It’s traditional.”
“Yeah, that’s what I mean!”
I put my hand up.
“Okay, stop. Claire, you don’t want the traditional wedding songs?”
“No.” She glared at Libby.
“And I’m not walking down the aisle to ‘Born to Be Wild’ either, Claire!”
“Hey, it’s a cool song.” I laughed out loud, picturing that. “Claire, you really wanted that song?”
“No,” she smiled, seeing the humor in it, too. “I just told Libby that, because she’s so uptight about everything. She drives me crazy.”
“I’m not uptight,” Libby said.
“Okay, take a break, girls. Claire, what song did you want?”
“Something soulful like, ‘At Last’ by Etta James.”
“Well, that’s not bad. Libby, that’s a cool love song, why don’t you like that?”
She rolled her eyes.
“I didn’t say I didn’t like it. I just think it’s more appropriate for the reception than the wedding.”
“See, what did I tell you?” Claire said in frustration. I looked at both of them, knowing that I didn’t dare choose one over the other.
“Okay, I have an idea. Maybe you both should walk down the aisle separately, to your own music.” They sat there for a moment, quietly. I could have gone into their thoughts, but I decided to wait for the answers, knowing they would both tell me without any hesitation exactly what they thought. Libby spoke first.
“Yes, I think that’s a good idea.”
“Me, too!”
“Really?” I said, surprised. “Okay, then. Libby, you will have a traditional wedding march. And Claire, you can have your soulful, cool wedding song. “
“But not so cool that you go barefoot, Claire.”
“We’ll see.”
The phone rang and Libby left to answer it.
“She sucks the fun out of everything,” Claire leaned back on the couch, groaning. “But I love her.”
“Me, too,” I said, shifting on the couch to face her better. I was ready to take a break from their wedding arguments.
”The last time I saw you, Robert was a little upset.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“You mean irate, maybe? Or, totally cheesed off?”
“I suppose you could put it that way. Is he still mad at me?”
“ No, I don’t think so. But, what was that all about anyway? All he told me was that you and he got into a fight over his brother.”
I shrugged.
“Yes, it was just stupid. We had a difference of opinion, that’s all.”
She frowned.
“Was it because you and Phillip are dating?”
“No, it wasn’t about that,” I said, shaking my head. “In fact, when it comes to Phillip and I, we’re more friends than anything else.”
She burst into laughter.
“Yeah, I could tell that when he was kissing you on the porch. You have a real platonic relationship, Alixia.”
“What so funny?” Libby asked, coming back to the room.
“Alixia’s trying to deny she has a thing for Phillip!”
“I‘m not denying it. I’m just saying…”
They both had big smirks on their faces. It was obvious that they would pounce on me if I tried to defend myself any more.
“Never mind. Let’s just get back to the wedding plans, okay?”
We went through flower arrangements, dresses and the guest list. Each issue involved an argument about how they wanted it. After the final go-around, we went outside to Libby’s beautiful garden.
This is where the wedding arch will be,” Libby said.
“And over here,” Claire said excitedly, “will be the tent for the reception. And right there we will have a wooden dance floor, and the band will be over there.”
Libby put her arm around Claire’s shoulders.
�
��So, what do you think?”
“I think it’s going to be beautiful,” I said, smiling sadly. I was thinking of the short time that we had left before I would disappear from their lives.
“Alixia, are you alright?” Libby asked.
“Yes. It’s just that everything is changing. Claire’s going to Europe, and you…”
“Alixia,” Libby interrupted. “Were going to Europe, too. Davis got drafted. As soon as he’s done with boot camp, we’ll be leaving, too.”
“Oh. I’m going to miss you both terribly.”
“I know. We’ll miss you, too.”
We shared a group hug.
“Why don’t you marry Phillip and come with us?” Claire said, wistfully.
“Hi, girls!” Phillip said, opening the garden gate and joining us.
Save me, Phillip!
You’ve had enough wedding talk today?
Yes, if you only knew.
What do you want me to do?
I don’t know, just be charming.
He put his arm around me.
“So, did you ladies get everything done?”
“Just about,” Libby said, hanging on to Claire’s arm and blushing.
“All we have left is to decide,” Claire said, “is what music to play at the reception.”
”I have some songs on my cassette player that you might like,” he said. “Hang on a minute.” He walked out to his car.
“Do you think that is a good place for the dance floor?” Libby asked me, gazing at the lawn.
“I wouldn’t change a thing,” I smiled at her.
As usual, she looked a little undecided.
“It’s good, believe me. Right, Claire?” And Claire caught on immediately.
“ Oh, yes. This is the best spot.”
Libby rubbed her chin, contemplating options.
“Okay, she said.”
Claire and I smiled at each other in relief.
”Wait, the cake! Alixia, is you mother going to be back soon? I want her to do the cake.”
I had to lie skillfully, so that they wouldn’t doubt me.
I lowered my head.
“What is it, Alixia?” Libby asked.
“My mother won’t be here for the wedding.”
“Why not?”
“She’s dating someone in Paris. It sounds quite serious. She told me that she wouldn’t be coming home for a while.”
“Oh, Alixia, you poor thing,” Libby said, putting her arm around me. ”I can’t believe your mother would do that to you. Maybe she is just going through a phase. I have heard women do that, and your mother has been through a lot, what with your Dad dying, and moving house and all.”
The Legacy (Ambrosine Book 2) Page 25
