“Yeah,” I admitted. “She’s one hell of a social climber.”
“This isn’t funny,” Kendall said in a tone just above a whisper.
I should have been more sympathetic. Instead, I ended up acting callously. It’s just that Alexis’s meltdown had taken plenty out of Celestina, and I needed a break from walking on eggshells, only to find myself in a similar situation with my best friend. “I’m sorry.”
Kendall sighed, made a tent of her hands, and placed them over her eyes and nose. She had a difficult time breathing and allowed herself to sit on the ground.
Brandon immediately went to her side, pulling her hands from her face, only to find tears streaming out of her eyes. “I though it was you!” he said in a sincere tone. “I’m sorry, but I thought it was you.”
Kendall wouldn’t meet his eyes.
“I don’t know how she tricked me,” he continued, “but please trust me, Kendall. I never would have ever done that if I’d known it was anyone but you.”
His genuine heartfelt emotion made her look up at him in wonder.
Knowing he’d gotten through to her, Brandon released a half-smile. He took her hand in his with such gentility it seemed he feared doing otherwise might hurt her. “You were right, Kendall.” He looked at her palm, tracing his hand over the lines there. “You were so right about all the…”
“Women,” she said.
He nodded. “I’ve been looking for something that’s been right in front of me this whole time. And I’m sorry.” He tried to swallow, but there must have been a lump in his throat because he swallowed once more. “I’m so sorry about that. I wanted excitement and adventure and…”
“I wasn’t any of that,” Kendall said.
“No,” he said, looking up and meeting her gaze. “No, that’s not it at all. What I’m trying to say is…you are that for me.”
She pursed her lips, calling bullshit while shaking her head in doubt.
He grasped both of her arms and shook them once. “Will you just listen to me? For once, get over your cynicism and just listen?”
Kendall drew her head back at the depth of feeling in his voice, shocked at so much conviction, so much certainty.
“I’m trying to say that you are adventurous. You’re the one who excites me.” A second later, when he realized I stood only a few feet away, he slanted his head to the side to meet my eyes. “I realize this is your house, but can you give us a minute?”
I smiled because, like Kendall, I sensed this moment would change their lives, and I was fortunate to share it with them…if only from a distance. I nodded and turned to leave.
“No!” Kendall said without removing her gaze from Brandon. “She needs to be here.”
Feeling like an intruder in my own home, but captured by the emotion between my two best friends, I didn’t know what to do.
“She doesn’t believe in us,” Kendall said. “She needs to hear the truth.” She leaned closer to Brandon with a vulnerable expression. “You are telling the truth, aren’t you?”
“Hell, yes, I’m telling the truth! I just…I don’t wanna lose you.”
“But you never had me.”
He cocked his head to the side. “And that’s why I couldn’t lose you.” Acknowledging her puzzled expression, he said, “Maybe it’s a guy thing? All I can tell you is…I’m all in. There’s no hesitation, no uncertainty. I want this. I want you.”
His adamant statement told me that from now on, I’d never need to question their relationship. Though a player in the past, Brandon had left that behavior behind. From this point forward, he would remain faithful to Kendall, and for the first time since I’d known them, Brandon was finally on the same level with Kendall when it came to romance.
The front door opened. Nolan stood in the doorway. “We’ve got a big problem!” At his feet, Lulu barked once as though confirming his statement. Nolan led her and Celestina into the front room, giving Kendall and Brandon a strange look for a moment before hitting me with a severe look. “The Book of Souls is—”
“In my house,” Celestina finished for him as she appeared on the doorstep, only to follow Nolan into the house. “I put it under my bed and used a cloaking spell so no one could find it.”
Because her magical aptitude far exceeded mine, I was astonished at her naiveté when it came to being sneaky. “Your mother and Zephora were kids once, too.”
Her eyebrows drew inwards, uncertain what I alluded to in order to avoid embarrassing her.
“They most likely hid things under their bed.” Seeing her about to interject, I added, “They know you’re awesome at magic, so they might have suspected you’d use a cloaking spell.”
The pride in her expression crumbled as anxiety made her lips quiver. “We can’t let Zephora or…” Her self-satisfaction vanished as though sucked up through a vacuum.
Celestina’s concern didn’t originate from losing the possibility of learning new incantations, since she’d used a spell to remember every page from the book, but from the possibility that both Zephora and Alexis might use the book for malicious intent.
I didn’t look forward to the mission Celestina expected us to undertake. “They’re not going to let us into your house.”
She looked to Nolan, a newfound look of trust touching her expression. “Go ahead, tell them.”
The severe look on Nolan’s face didn’t abate. “I sent them to the other side of the city.”
“You sent them?” asked Kendall with a hint of confusion in her tone. “What does that mean?”
“It means,” I said, unable to hide my concern, “Nolan can teleport people.”
Brandon shrugged. “So can Zephora. Remember? She did it at The Antique Boutique. So she could probably just teleport herself and Alexis back to your sister’s house.”
“Which means,” I said, drowning in dread. “They’re probably there now, looking for The Book of Souls.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“I can take each of us over there,” Nolan said.
“You mean teleport us?” I asked. “Because we don’t even know if Zephora and Alexis survived the trip. For all we know, she could be hanging upside down in a tree right now.”
“Why can’t you trust me?” he asked in a frustrated tone. He put both hands on his hips and bit his lower lip to prevent him from saying another word as he stared at me, waiting for a response.
“Can you guarantee that Zephora or Alexis aren’t dead?”
“No. But why is there always so much doubt with you? Why can’t you just take a chance?” He gritted his teeth, setting his firm jawline.
“Guys,” Brandon said, trying to catch our attention.
I waved him off. “I’m not going to put Celestina’s life in jeopardy without—”
“In jeopardy? Are you kidding me? Do I have a history of trying to hurt your family and friends?” He looked at Kendall. “You bit Brandon.” He turned to Celestina. “You pinned your Aunt Serena to the wall. Then you shoved Kendall and Brandon almost ten feet through the air.” He turned to me with a grimace. “What about me? What have I done? I’ve saved your life, Serena. And for some reason that isn’t enough for you. What am I missing here?”
I glanced at Kendall and Celestina, both of whom appeared unwilling to meet my gaze. I faced Nolan once more and realized that, until now, he’d never before lost his composure. It was the first time, he hadn’t seemed so easy-going, so in control. And I had to admit, I liked his fiery passion.
“Hey, guys?” Brandon asked, once more trying to butt in.
“Well?” Nolan asked me, disregarding him.
Looking into those piercing eyes, demanding answers, I noticed my mouth had gone dry. I closed it and moistened my tongue, which made me think of the kiss we shared after I’d vanquished Darius and Nolan had saved my life. “I’m…”
“What?” he asked. “Just say it. Don’t think about it. Just say it.”
“I’m scared, okay? I’ve never liked anyone like I...” I
became aware that everyone stood by, watching me about to broadcast my innermost feelings and although I hated it, I sensed that if I didn’t explain how I felt right now, Nolan would leave and I’d never see him again.
He slanted his head to the side with a quirked eyebrow, waiting for me to continue.
“I’ve never liked anyone…” I repeated, my nerves digging into my skin, hating the vulnerability, rattling me to the core. “I’ve known you for a few days, and I’ve never liked anyone this much before. And I’m scared, all right? It scares me.”
“Liking someone?” he asked, his eyebrows knitting together with uncertainty. “Come on, you’ve liked guys before.”
“Yeah, but not like I like you. It was immediate and intense and—”
“Scary.”
“Exactly. Grams told me that people with supernatural abilities are drawn towards each other like magnets.”
“And you’re not sure if it’s that,” he said, lowering his voice as comprehension replaced the uncertainty crossing his face, “or if it’s something deeper.”
“Yes.” I kept my gaze on his, relieved that he understood I wasn’t distrusting, just uncertain and looking for more evidence that our relationship went beyond a magical bond.
“All right,” Nolan said, nodding with acceptance. “That makes sense.”
I’d feared that he wouldn’t accept my feelings, that he’d prefer to return to the uncomplicated women who adored him from beyond the stage, rather than someone who couldn’t quite make sense of her feelings. Yet he peered into my eyes with such understanding and charismatic flair that my knees felt weak.
“Now that we got that settled,” Brandon said, stepping beside us, unwilling to let anyone continue to neglect him. “Why don’t we call Celestina’s house? If Zephora or Alexis answer, we’ll know they made it back there.”
Nolan nodded with a half-grin. “That’s a damn good idea.” He pulled the cell phone out of his front pocket.
“That doesn’t prove anything unless they admit they appeared there without any pit stops. And do you think they’ll stay on the phone to tell us?”
“Only one way to find out.” Nolan directed his attention to Celestina. “What’s your phone number?”
“We don’t have a landline,” she said, but her voice carried a lilt of optimism.
It didn’t surprise me that, no matter how horribly Alexis had treated her daughter, Celestina still wanted to hear from her mother. She probably hoped Alexis had cooled down and regretted verbal abusing her, but I knew better. I’d seen my sister spew hatred without hesitation before, and when that happened, she meant everything she said. I presumed by that time, her thoughts had solidified and wouldn’t change. It was only when she spoke deliberately that you couldn’t trust her because she hadn’t yet made up her mind.
“I could call her,” Celestina continued. She went over to the couch to get her purse.
“Not a good idea,” Kendall said. “If you call, she’ll want you to come over. She’ll want to know where you put The Book of Souls.”
“Exactly,” I said, “if she hasn’t already found it, that is. If that’s the case, she’ll apologize and be nicer than she ever was before.”
Celestina beamed. “That’s great!” Her breath quickened as she opened her purse and pulled out her phone.
I hurried over, grabbed her hand, and prevented her from placing the call. “But anything she says won’t be truthful.”
Celestina stared at me with a condescending stare. “Come on, Aunt Serena. Mom made a mistake.”
“No,” I said, “she didn’t. Your mother meant every word she said.”
Her cocky expression crumbled as though I’d crushed her dreams. Her eyes became moist with tears.
“I’m sorry,” I said, releasing her wrist. I hated that I needed to take such a tough stance on this issue. I just didn’t want her to open herself up to the potentiality of getting hurt again. I needed Celestina to realize that a mother who loved her child would never say the words that Alexis allowed to cross her lips. Given how much Celestina relied on her mother for support, advice, guidance, and her self-esteem, I understood why she had difficulty acknowledging the truth.
It would take her a long time, maybe even years, to move on without allowing Alexis’s failure as a parent to undermine her self-esteem. There was only one way for Celestina to come to grips with how her mother treated her. She had to see Alexis again and face the truth.
“Okay,” I said to my niece. “We don’t want to call and tip them off. It’ll give Zephora time to plan how to deal with me and Nolan. Our best bet is to go there unexpectedly.”
* * *
A short time later, Celestina, Nolan, and I stood on Alexis’s porch. Under different circumstances, I’d have loved Kendall and Brandon to join us, but I had an idea that would hopefully allow us to leave the house with The Book of Souls, as long as Zephora or Alexis hadn’t already found it, all the while doing so without detection.
Before we headed over to her house, Celestina performed an incantation that blocked my soul signature from anyone with supernatural abilities. She told me we didn’t need to worry about doing likewise with Nolan, although when I questioned her, she hesitated to answer, looked uneasy, and finally managed to change the subject. Her reluctance to answer left me feeling confident my niece knew something about Nolan that she’d rather not admit, probably for my own good. How she knew that, however, mystified and concerned me. I could only hope whatever she’d preferred to keep private wasn’t negative.
Nolan and I got in position around the corner of the house and watched Celestina knock on the door. I tried to ignore the fact that Nolan stood behind me, and I could almost feel the warmth flowing off him the same way his woodsy scent mixed with winter fresh drifted to my nose.
Around the corner, a hiss sounded as the spring door opened. “Hi, honey,” Alexis said, with a chipper tone.
“Um,” Celestina said. “Um…”
I shifted in place to face the front door. Unfortunately, I stepped on a branch that cracked in half.
“Did you hear that?” said Alexis.
“Probably just a squirrel,” said my niece with surprising nonchalance.
Springs popped, as Alexis most likely opened the screen door wide, probably to look my way. After a few seconds, she snorted, obviously accepting her daughter’s assertion. “Why did you knock? You have a key.”
I let out a quiet sigh, relief coming over me now that Alexis had disregarded the noise I’d made. However, my suspicions were confirmed when Alexis had pretended she hadn’t lashed out at her daughter at the park less than two hours ago. I dug my fingernails into my palms to maintain an even keel.
“You’re…” Celestina started, “not mad at me?”
“No, of course not. How did you get here? Did Aunt Serena drive you?”
“I took a cab.”
Alexis snickered. “Of course. Well, what are you waiting for? An invitation? This is your house, too.”
The springs groaned as the door stretched open a bit more before the hissing started, which meant it began to close.
I crept out from around the corner and checked the porch.
Alexis stood in between the heavy door and spring door, scanning the premises, in all likelihood, for me.
I swerved back around the corner until I couldn’t see my sister. She headed back inside, the spring door closed, and the heavy door shut. I’d figured Alexis would doubt Celestina’s statement that she’d taken a cab. Given my predilection for wanting to spend time with my niece and knowing I wouldn’t let her leave on her own if I could drive her anywhere, Alexis would want to ensure I hadn’t trailed Celestina to her home.
A cautious person would now find it acceptable to make her way to the front door. On the flip side, a paranoid person would hang back a little longer. While I wouldn’t consider myself paranoid, I suspected Zephora had to be neurotic. Getting burnt at the stake, only to return to Earth three more times…all
just to die each time? She probably looked over her shoulder at all times.
When I risked a glance, I didn’t see Zephora open the door. Instead, she’d pushed aside the curtains and peered through the plate glass window, scanning left and right.
Once more, I stepped behind the side of the house.
“Damn,” Nolan said at their disposition for such drastic measures. “I mean…damn!”
I cracked a smile. Thankfully, I’d prepared for their heightened security. I even considered it a compliment. After all, if the most powerful witch in our line considered a newbie witch as a threat, I had to believe they thought I was capable of taking them by surprise.
When I glanced up at the window, Zephora had abandoned the area. I scurried out from behind the house, sensing Nolan on my heels, and darted up the concrete steps. When we reached the porch, I opened the screen door. Earlier, I’d mentioned to Celestina that if she noticed her mother or Zephora lock either door, she should unlock it in whichever way provoked the least bit of suspicion.
I pressed my ear to the wooden door, listening for voices. Not hearing any, I opened the screen door a little to allow Nolan to step closer to it. I tried the knob, opened it an inch, and hoped the wood wouldn’t groan against the doorway. It didn’t. Once more, I listened for any voices or sounds that might divulge the identity of anyone in the vicinity.
“I’m so glad you’re home,” Alexis said about seven feet away in a bubbly voice that seemed to promise rainbows and homemade chocolate chip cookies.
I nearly lost my breath at her close proximity. I’d figured she and the others had retreated to the heart of most homes: the kitchen. Food often encouraged conversation, so it seemed the most logical place to chat. It seemed I’d misjudged their behavior. It was a costly error I hoped didn’t conclude with her discovering me behind the door.
Ever so slightly, I closed the door until it fit in the threshold. I didn’t let up on the doorknob, however, because if Zephora or Alexis heard me, I could wait until they closed in on the door and then open it quickly in an attempt to bash them in the head with it. It might give me and Nolan enough time to catch them off balance.
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