“Your old house? I didn’t know you guys still owned it.”
There were so many good memories I had hanging out with Logan at that home growing up. But it was huge and old, and I didn’t want it to be a distraction.
“Isn’t it a little over the top for us?” I asked.
“Probably, but it’s available and there’s no hiccups. My mom offered it up. I didn’t know the renters had moved out, or I would have told you about it a while ago.”
He was right. The least of things we needed to waste time on was house hunting.
“Is there still the original occupant?” I asked.
He started laughing a deep rolling laugh that I hadn’t heard for far too long, even if it was at my expense.
“Well, I didn’t believe in fairies either and look how wrong I was,” I said, smiling.
“No. The ghost stories I told you were purely stories, nothing more.” His smile lit up the room.
“God. I’m going to miss…” he broke off and looked away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.”
I felt the same way too and more so everyday.
“You don’t have to apologize,” I whispered, squeezing his hand. “Anyway, that sounds like a great idea. That’s really nice of Ellsy.”
The front door opened, and the beautiful melody of my mom’s voice entered the home. It was so good to have her back in the house she belonged in. I hopped off the couch and ran to greet her and my aunt. My aunt stood with a tray full of Starbucks drinks in her hand.
“Are you doing all right?” my mom asked, hugging me. “You sounded so tired on the phone so we brought some caffeine. We heard what Maddie did to Logan. I’m so sorry. We both explained to Maddie his loyalty. I don’t know what got into her.”
“Dace and Bakula gave me a quick highlight reel about you and her. It opened up my eyes a little,” I said, letting go of my mom.
I took a step back to take my mom in. She looked really good. The spark was back in her eyes. Her coloring was normal, flush and all. Plus, she was smiling, genuinely smiling. And here I was about to tell her something that would probably crush her world again.
“Snow is definitely in the air,” my mom said, shivering. “Think I’ll keep my coat on. I know you like iced drinks sometimes, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.”
“Thanks.”
“So what was the big hurry to get us over here? Did Vieta spill the beans about when I was moving back in?” my mom asked, scowling at her sister.
My aunt closed the closet door and caught my glance. Her lips pinched into a fine line. I gave her a slight nod and she returned one.
Logan came up behind me and slid his arm around my waist. “Actually, Veronica, that’s one of the reasons we called you over. Let’s go have a seat in the kitchen.”
I gently tugged my drink out of the tray and immediately began sipping on it while Vieta and my mom got situated around the table. My mom dipped into her purse and pulled out a bag of treats.
“I’ve been baking up a storm at Vieta’s and thought I’d bring some to share. I must say her kitchen is not nearly as wonderful as mine,” my mom teased. “I’m really looking forward to coming back home.”
I tore open the bag to reveal apricot bars and lemon tarts. My mom really was close to her old self again, which only made this next proclamation that much more difficult.
“So, Logan, what’s so earth-shattering that we had to sit down?” my mom asked, scanning the both of us as she sat back in the kitchen chair.
“There are some developments surrounding Triss and her abilities,” Logan stopped when my mom shot up in her chair.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, reaching for my hand.
“Nothing,” I lied.
“She’s got some special abilities,” Aunt Vieta said, surprising us both. We knew how my mom would react if she thought my aunt had been hiding things from her, so we were surprised that my aunt said anything.
My mom’s eyes grew wide and she began shaking her head.
“A Trifecta?” she whispered. “The flames…”
“Partially,” I whispered.
My mom relaxed a little. “Oh, honey. It’s okay. I turned out not to have those abilities either. It’s completely overrated. I think the only ones disappointed in that was Dace and Bakula. And your father.”
I took a deep breath in and pushed away the apricot bar that no longer looked enticing. “Actually, I am a Trifecta.”
The room fell silent as the energy quickly shifted.
“And I can see the future—”
“That’s impossible,” my mom interrupted, shaking her head frantically. She looked at my aunt and then to me.
“I’m a Divinus,” I continued, “and it’s really complicating things.”
My mom shot up from her chair and walked over to the pantry. “Who all knows?” she shouted behind her. Her tone was off. Things were being shuffled in the pantry.
“Very few,” I replied.
My mom came back out with her hands full of colored vials I didn’t recognize.
“What are those? Those weren’t on the shelves,” I said, puzzled.
She spread the purple, yellow, and red vials on the table and sat back down in a daze. “No, they weren’t. I kept them in the electrical box.”
“Why’s that?” I questioned, my abdomen tightening.
She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. Her hands were trembling as she folded them in front of her. “Because what is inside each of the vials is toxic to most witches.”
“Then why do you have them?” I asked, glancing at Logan who looked as concerned as I was.
“Because for the right witch it can offer protection,” my aunt interjected. “Veronica, I had no idea you still had these.” She turned her attention to my mom.
“You knew about these?” I asked my aunt.
“Believe it or not the fairies were certain your mother was…well… what you are,” my aunt replied. “They guessed wrong and then they guessed right. Anyhow, they were so certain that your mom was in danger they gave her those vials to use in case she was targeted. Once they realized your mom wasn’t what they thought she was, they demanded the potions back.”
My heart fell. Why haven’t they given me anything like this? I’d say I was in danger.
“But I told them I destroyed them,” my mom finished.
“There’s no way they believed you,” I said, knowing Dace and Bakula far too well. They wouldn’t fall for something like that.
“I doubt they did, but they didn’t press me about it. I don’t know why I kept them for all these years.”
“What do they do?” Logan asked.
“They each have a different use. The one in the purple vial is for the gravest of wounds. The one in the yellow vial is for the most broken of hearts. And the one in the red vial is for the most shattered of souls.”
I trembled slightly with the last phrase. It sounded as if the vials were setting someone up for immortality in the least corrosive manner — an eternal life that would be full of health, without love, and without any recollection of what they were missing.
“The perfect amnesia for the damned,” I whispered.
“What do you mean the damned?” my mom asked confused, her head turning to the side. “You have a great gift and if that can be expanded to eternity I can’t even imagine.”
“That’s right you can’t imagine. It sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?” I asked, glancing at Logan. “First, there’s no guarantee we can find the key to immortality. We aren’t the only ones looking for it. Second, being condemned to a life that spans the centuries without the ones I love is nothing but cruel. I’d rather die young.”
My mom and aunt gasped as Logan held my hand.
“Don’t say that,” my mom whispered.
“I know I seem to be the only one who’s not a fan of immortality around here, but I think that’s because I’m the only one with an actual shot of achieving it. And I can tell yo
u from this vantage point it has more cons than pros.”
“We’ve got company,” Logan said, pointing to our backyard where Dace and Bakula were hovering by the window. Logan hopped up and let them in. I’m sure they could have let themselves in, but they always tried to abide by our social conventions or at least attempt to follow them enough to throw us off balance.
“Talk some sense into my daughter, Bakula,” my mom said, her voice wavering.
“The very reason she doesn’t want it is the very reason she should be the one to have it. But we can’t force it on someone,” Bakula said quietly, landing on the table with Dace right behind her.
I took a sip of my latte and watched Dace and Bakula as they reacted to the vials on the table. “Are you offering it?”
“Veronica, my dear, I thought you’d destroyed these decades ago,” Bakula said, ignoring my question and crossing her tiny arms.
“You knew she didn’t,” I said, tilting my head as I looked at Bakula carefully.
“I don’t understand you humans, and I’m sure I never will,” Bakula said. “Nonetheless, they very well may come in handy.”
There wasn’t going to be a good time to bring up what we’d found at the warehouse so I decided to just tell them.
“Bakula, we went to the address that the bounty hunter was given,” I said, capturing Bakula and Dace’s attention.
“Bounty hunter?” my mom choked on her coffee.
“Yeah. It’s complicated. I don’t think I’m the only target.”
“You were the target?” my mom asked, her face ashen.
I nodded. “There have been a lot of developments that we didn’t want to burden you with.”
“I’m begging to be burdened with them. Please, Triss, don’t keep anything more from me. I can handle it.” My mom’s expression was agonized. I looked at my aunt as she wrapped her arm around my mom’s shoulder and squeezed her.
“I’ll fill you in on everything I can think of,” my aunt said softly. “We needed to make sure the time was right, and I’d say it is now.”
“You were saying?” Dace asked, his eyes darkening.
“I don’t know how to say this, but the address led to a biotech company, some pharmaceutical company. They were unloading a shipment.” I shifted in my chair and looked over at Logan for support. “We were able to sneak inside and take a look at what the shipment contained.”
Bakula put her hand up. “Say no more, my dear.”
She looked away and Dace stepped forward. His eyes moist from my confirmation of what they already knew.
“We’ve been hopeful that our suspicions wouldn’t be realized. Captures and disappearances have been reported around the world. Your grandfather left an impression among the organization that he knew the ingredient needed for immortality.” Dace’s voice was gruff. I could tell he was trying to hold back tears. “And he obviously didn’t, but that hasn’t stopped the members from trying everything. No matter the devastation. There’s a lot of money on the line.”
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered. “How long have you known?”
“The kidnappings have been happening over the last several weeks. We were hopeful we’d find them alive, but I guess that won’t be happening.”
A shiver of disgust crept up my spine as I thought back to the image that would haunt me for the rest of my life. Those poor fairies did nothing wrong. These witches would stop at nothing, and the threat is only deepening.
“I just wanted to tell you. I was pretty sure you knew, but —”
“We appreciate it, my dear,” Bakula said quietly, her eyes still glistening as she turned to look at me. Her gaze fell to the ring on my pinky before she looked away. Something more was bothering her, but she had no intention of telling me. Instead she began speaking to my mom. “We’ve been trying to persuade your daughter to go into hiding.”
“I’m not going anywhere. There’s a lot that needs to be done. Obviously,” I said.
“I’ve already spoken with my mom, and she has offered to let us to stay in the rental home,” Logan spoke with ease and certainty.
“Ellsy offered that, did she,” my mom replied. She looked at me and then at Logan.
“I want you to be able to come back to your home, but I’m a target right now. I’ve been thinking about it, and I think the best thing for me to do is to move out with Logan.”
“No, the best thing for you to do is to go in hiding,” Dace chided.
I pushed my chair back and got up. The coffee wasn’t doing it. My head was pounding. I put some water on the stove and grabbed chamomile tea and peppermint oil.
“That isn’t going to happen so we can just stop wasting time discussing it. Mom, we wanted to let you know that I’ll be moving out of the house. It’s nothing personal. It’s become a necessity.”
“You certainly have grown-up in these last few months,” my mom said, smiling. “I trust your decisions. You have more on your plate than most.”
“Logan says the same thing,” I replied, pouring the boiling water over the tea and returning to the table. “We can’t let this destruction continue.”
“You mentioned a bounty hunter?” my mom questioned.
This was the mom I was used to. Strong, commanding, and no-nonsense, mix in a bit of batty and that’s who I grew up with. I was thankful she was in my life once more.
“Trevor took him away and put him with the others,” Logan confirmed.
“Others?” My mom’s brows shot up. “There are a lot of things I’m not aware of, aren’t there?”
I nodded. “Yeah. There’s a lot. Anyway, it sounds like covens are being infiltrated in many ways. Trevor’s been putting the word out, and task forces have started going literally from home to home to check on families. Then the plan is to start going from business to business. And that’s just at our coven. He’s trying to initiate this across the country.”
“And beyond, really,” Logan said.
“True,” I confirmed. Turning my attention back to my mom, I decided to bring up the man who appeared in my visions. “Can I ask you something, mom?”
“Of course.”
“There’s a man who my father said I needed to be aware of, but I don’t know his significance or who he is.”
“Okay?”
“If I send you an image of what he looks like, do you think you might be able to help place him?”
“I’ll certainly try,” she replied.
I reached across the table and grabbed her hand. I locked my fingers through hers and closed my eyes. I conjured the vision of the man and allowed his figure to grow inside my mind. His presence grew stronger as I allowed my mind to focus on his features and mannerisms; the sense of his being flowed through my body and into my mom’s. As our minds locked, I felt the energy shift between us. The process wasn’t as dramatic as at the shop earlier, but it did provide a gateway. Just as Dace and Bakula mentioned, the emotions can come back my way. My mom’s concern, anxiety, and sadness washed over me as I continued transferring the images of the man. I began hardening my heart as I pushed the last of the images into my mom’s mind, not allowing any connections to her as a person at all. Treating her like a machine I was plugging into versus the mother who knew everything about me, I felt the connection begin to disappear. The sensations from my mother began dissipating and relief spread with the realization that I had figured out how to stop the transference from being a two-way street. When the images finished transferring, I brought my hand away from hers and opened my eyes to see my mom staring back at me, frightened.
***
“I do know who that man was. He betrayed your father, in many ways,” she sighed and looked at Logan. “He’s very evil. More so than I initially realized, actually.”
My mom continued to look at Logan as she began again. “He was instrumental in your father’s death.”
The air in the room stilled. The fairies froze, and Logan stiffened.
“I thought my dad…” I whispered,
looking at Logan’s reaction out of the corner of my eye. There was none.
My mom leaned back in the chair, and cautiously looked over at Vieta.
“We learned a lot about things while we were at your father’s compound. It wasn’t until recently that some of the things started to surface again. It’s taken a lot longer for me to come out of the fog than I would have expected.”
I nodded and placed my hand on Logan’s knee, which was constantly bobbing up and down at this latest revelation.
“They were best friends growing up. All three of them.” My mom’s expression was torn. “There aren’t any excuses that will make what your father did excusable. And I’m not trying to provide any. But he was severely misled and under the impression that his life was in danger. The person providing the false information was Ethan. It seemed plausible to your father, Triss, because Logan’s dad had shunned your father since he left us. They’d been best friends all through school, so I think your father felt betrayed by his lack of loyalty. What your father failed to recognize, until it was too late, was that Logan’s father was the most loyal of all and saw through the darkness.”
“It makes me sick. I don’t understand how my father could have been so weak, so easily swayed,” I whispered, looking at Logan. His expression remained unchanged. His eyes darkened, but that was the only giveaway that any of this was resonating.
“To make matters worse, Ethan broke off from the Praedivinus Order almost immediately after the murder. Your father realized he had been misled and an innocent life taken. His best friend had been murdered, and he did nothing to stop it,” she said, looking at me.
“Your father was murdered because he was the biggest threat out of the three,” Vieta said softly to Logan.
“It’s true,” Bakula agreed. She walked over to Logan and sat down in front of him on the table.
“Threat?” I asked.
“He was attempting to stop the Praedivinus from expanding,” Dace answered.
“Was my mom aware of this? That he was murdered?” Logan finally spoke. His hand began tapping on the table, and the nectunt was burning between us.
“No. Not really,” Vieta spoke. “I think she had her suspicions, but the autopsy came back as a heart attack, and she could find no evidence to the contrary.”
Witch Avenue Series (The Complete Set) Page 74
