Spell of Shattering
Page 23
Derek and Jessa enfolded her in a quick embrace, and it felt like no time had passed since they’d been a mini real estate army. Though, Derek wouldn’t go back in time for anything. No matter how much pain he’d gone through or how much he’d caused, it had brought him to Jessa in the end, and that alone made all the missteps worth it.
“Before you go,” Jessa said. “We need your help.”
“Anything. Just ask. “
“I want to talk to my sister,” Jessa said. “Is she here?”
Rebecca didn’t even need to check. “Yes.”
Jessa wilted in relief. “Jolie,” she said, raising her voice. “Jolie, we can never repay you for the help you gave us, but you have to move on. You have to cross over. You deserve better. And you know I can handle it. If I can handle turning off your life support, I can handle this. That’s how much I love you.”
Derek had no doubt she could conquer anything. And when she needed him, he’d be there to shore her up. Always.
“She says she’ll love you forever,” Rebecca translated. “And she forgives you. She’s adamant about that.” She smirked at the ceiling. “She wants you to take it to heart—you didn’t do anything wrong.”
And then Rebecca turned concerned eyes onto what appeared to be a blank wall. “It doesn’t hurt,” she said softly. “Holden’s grams passed over, and I know she found peace. You can too.” A pause. “You’ll be surrounded by family that has gone before. From what I’ve heard, it’s like going home.” Another pause stretched into unmanageable silence.
“Is she okay?” Jessa exclaimed.
Rebecca couldn’t look her in the eye. “She’s gone. But she wanted you to know she loves you.”
Jessa sucked in a breath, and then Derek wrapped her tenderly in his arms. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“My sister’s finally free,” she smiled through a veil of tears. “I can let her rest in peace, knowing she’s not alone anymore.”
“Be good to each other,” Rebecca said, opening the door. “And I expect to see you both at my wedding.” With a final wave, she slipped out.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Derek whispered. It must feel like losing Jolie all over again.
“I’ll be alright,” she assured. “But I’m worried about you.”
He flinched. “Me?”
“Yes.” She put him at arm’s length, making him feel slightly off-balance. “You’re not a necromancer anymore.”
It was amazing how quickly he’d adjusted to normal life. “I don’t miss it a bit,” he swore. “In fact, I feel a lot safer without the possibility of going dark hanging over my head.”
Her brow creased, and he fought an overwhelming desire to kiss the lines away. “Are you sure?”
He stopped fighting, and pulled her flush to his chest. “Yes.” He kissed her brow, her cheek, and the tip of her nose.
“Do you miss it?”
She giggled. “Not even a little bit.” Her hands climbed up the sides of his throat, and he closed his eyes for a fraction of a second, breathing her in deep. He’d never grow tired of this.
With a groan of appreciation, he lifted her off her feet and slammed her against the front door. She squeaked in surprise, and then her legs locked around his waist.
“I love you,” he said in between kisses. “And I’m going show you how much.”
Chapter Nineteen
Two weeks later
The violinists put bows to strings, and the slow and stately wedding march began. Derek and Jessa turned in unison to watch Rebecca Powell walk down the petal-strewn aisle with her father by her side.
“She looks radiant,” Jessa said in awe, her bare arm brushing the sleeve of his new suit.
Smiling, Derek bent to whisper in her ear. “She doesn’t hold a candle to your light, my love.”
Blushing pink, she gave him a playful shove.
Somewhere to his right Rebecca was meeting Holden at the foot of the altar, but Derek wasn’t paying attention. He couldn’t tear his gaze from the remarkable woman at his side.
He didn’t deserve her. But, as his gaze drank in her sparkling green eyes and the alluring line of her profile, he was going to work like hell to be worthy of her.
As the reverend began the service and all the guests mechanically sat, he slipped his arm around her shoulders.
“You’re missing it,” she teased, flashing flirtatious eyes.
He didn’t care. “I love you,” he said. “More than you’ll ever know.”
Her brows drew together, and her soft hand brushed his cheek. “I love you too.”
Perhaps it was the couple at the altar making vows to each other that inspired him to make a few of his own. “Your faith in me,” he said, brushing his lips against her palm, “gave me the strength to be a better person. Your love—”
“Derek…”
“—saved me.”
“Oh, sweetheart.” She blinked rapidly. “You did that all on your own.”
He shook his head. He would never believe that. Without Jessa, he may well have ended up returning to Paul’s side and leading the charge to open the Chaos Gate.
He pressed a sweet kiss upon her lips.
The service ended, and once the new Mr. and Mrs. Clark exited hand in hand, the other guests shuffled out of the chapel.
“Think they’ll have a decent meal?” Derek asked, massaging his stomach. “I’m starved.”
“I talked to Rebecca on Wednesday at the candlelight vigil,” Jessa said.
Some of the local coven, especially those who’d known Paul personally, had attended the event held for Auburn’s missing mayor. Despite pleas in the media for any information on his whereabouts, the coven had all agreed it was best to keep Paul’s final moments a mystery. Derek hadn’t shown up to the vigil, but he was finding his own ways to put Paul’s memory to rest. Jessa, most importantly, showed him a brighter future than he’d ever hoped for himself.
“Sparky’s is catering,” Jessa added, “so lots of patty melts and seasoned fries.”
“Doesn’t sound too bad. Maybe they’ll have chocolate malts.”
Jessa giggled as they entered the huge white tent and headed straight for the bar.
“Champagne, please,” she said to the bartender.
“Make that two.” Derek accepted the glasses and handed one to Jessa.
“To Esmeralda,” Jessa said, raising her glass.
Derek smiled sadly. Jessa hadn’t forgiven herself for her roommate’s murder, but her kind-hearted soul was one of the many reasons he adored her.
“To Esmeralda.”
“Can we get in on that?” David sauntered up, Daniela at his side. The bartender poured them each a flute of champagne.
“To Esmeralda,” Daniela said, raising her glass.
“She didn’t deserve what happened to her,” David added.
They all clinked glasses and then sipped the fizzy alcohol.
“Thank you,” Jessa said, nodding at each of them. “I miss her a lot.”
“The Raleigh coven won’t forget her sacrifice,” Daniela assured. “And thanks to your boyfriend, she’s been avenged.”
Jessa leaned her head on Derek’s shoulder, and he slid an arm around her. He still wasn’t used to being called anyone’s boyfriend, but he’d take it.
“On a lighter note,” David said, loosening his tie, “what are you two up to this weekend?”
“We’ll be getting out of these clothes as quickly as possible,” Derek began.
“You don’t mess around,” Daniela teased. “But that sounds like a private story I don’t need to hear.”
Derek rolled his eyes at Jessa, who hid her blush in the lapel of his coat. “Funny. But I meant change into work clothes. We’re building a cabin outside Wilmington.”
“I thought you were building a big house,” David said, “not a cabin.”
“We’re building both, actually.” Derek took another sip. “The contractors don’t break ground for another month. Jessa a
nd I are going to build a cabin at the back of the property. Something small.”
“Something cozy,” Jessa amended. “Derek left a house just like it back in Alaska. This is my way of helping him recreate it.”
She smiled sweetly up at him, and Derek kissed her. She was helping him in so many ways, hammering some two-by-fours together was the least of it.
“Is Wilmington where your new office is, Jessa?” Daniela inquired.
Jessa wiped a smudge of lipstick from his lower lip before answering. “Yes. It’s a bigger market. I already have two homes listed, and I hope to find buyers soon.”
“That’s great,” Daniela said. “Congratulations.”
David cleared his throat suspiciously loudly, and Derek remembered his cue.
“Oh,” he said, giving Jessa a squeeze. “So, David, do you have any plans?”
David winked before catching Daniela by the shoulders. “Actually, I do.” Tapping a stray salad fork against his champagne flute, he raised his voice. “May I have everyone’s attention?” Wedding guests turned at the sound of his voice. “I have something important to ask.” He passed Derek the drink, produced a velvet jewelry box from inside his suit jacket, and sank onto one knee. “Daniela Ferraro?” The little black box creaked open, revealing a sparkling diamond ring. “Would you do me the honor of marrying me?”
Daniela clapped both hands over her mouth in shock. “Are you kidding?”
He chuckled, reaching for her hands. “I love you. I want to be your husband. I want us to be a family.”
“Yes,” she exclaimed. “Oh, my God, David, of course!” She threw her arms around his neck, nearly knocking him over. “I love you.”
The crowd of wedding guests exploded into a standing ovation dotted with lilting noises of approval.
David stood, and then there was kissing. Too much kissing to comfortably watch. Derek spun Jessa toward the dance floor where a bright eyed Holden and Rebecca led a small army of friends and family in the Macarena.
Not up to making a fool of himself just yet, he steered Jessa in a private slow dance at the edge of the tent. “That’s going to be us some day,” he whispered, one hand spreading to the small of her back. He had no doubts.
She stood on tiptoe to kiss him, and with her fingers in his hair and his thigh wedged between hers, he felt as if anything was possible. Even second chances.
THE END
An Excerpt From My YA Zombie Romance
Elixir (Red Plague #1)
I did what I’d been doing the last two weeks or so after school, as part of my dad’s safety checklist. I stripped to my underwear in the laundry room and immediately took a hot shower in the hall bathroom. Only then did I change into comfy pants and a tank top and inspected our new panic room.
The crew had done a good job. It looked solid. Impenetrable, even. Our old pantry was now a metal cell with a heavy swinging door that sealed from the inside with a wheel crank. I crossed the square of extra soft carpeting and decided I could live there for a few days. As long as my dad was with me.
Speaking of, I texted him again. “Panic room is done. Looks sturdy.”
While I waited for him to reply I made myself a sandwich and turned on the TV.
More bad news. Most of New York City was black and offline.
“The president has declared the entire city of New York a disaster zone,” the reporter said. “The National Guard is on the ground as we speak doing all they can to quarantine plague sufferers and evacuate survivors.” A video flashed on of a giant tank driving down a street choked with cars and people.
I didn’t feel particularly optimistic about the military response. The threat to the city was a microscopic virus, not anything that could be shot or detained.
Done with my snack I followed my dad’s directions. He’d been busy the last few weeks, even busier than I realized. Locked in our garage lay cases of drinking water and canned food, a first-aid kit, a tub of survival gear, and two narrow cots. I spent the afternoon sweeping up after the workers and moving and organizing the supplies into the old pantry.
“If you have a fever,” the news anchor announced, “go immediately to the nearest emergency room.”
I pressed the back of my hand to my forehead. So far so good.
“The best hope we have is to contain the virus,” the reporter continued. “Once infected, though, you can spot a ‘Red,’ as some folks are calling them, by the red color of their eyes. We now have Dr. LaVay from the CDC to tell us more about why and how 212R affects the color of our irises. Doctor?”
I turned off the TV and texted Dad, “Lasagna for dinner? I’ll start at 5.”
While I waited to hear from him I collected my guitar from my room and strummed a song I had written the year before called “Red Shoelaces.”
When the tray of frozen vegetable lasagna was hot and ready at six I served myself and ate in front of the television. Every five minutes or so I checked my cell to see if my dad texted anything and I had missed the beep, but nothing came in.
“Many of the services we take for granted,” the reporter said, “will no longer be available as early as tomorrow morning along the entire eastern seaboard. 212R has spread so quickly, incapacitating so many people, there may not be enough qualified people to run power, water, and sanitation services.”
I set my dinner in the trash and double-checked that all the doors and windows were locked tight and then turned on my phone. No new messages.
“We here at the news desk will keep reporting,” she added, “as long as we can to get you the information you need to stay safe. If the power in your area goes out, don’t panic. Scrolling on the screen right now are the radio channels broadcasting emergency information in your area. So, if you have a battery powered radio in your survival kit get it out and test the batteries.”
Something that sounded like a firecracker popped outside the front door. Then twice more.
Gunfire? I couldn’t be around gunfire. It reminded me of Mason and my mom and the horrible, awful thing that happened two years ago.
I ran to the window, but the street was deserted.
My cell screen was blank. No new messages, no new texts, no missed calls.
“Dad,” I whispered at my phone. “Where are you?”
The power blinked off, draping the house in quiet, purplish dusk.
“Lights went out,” I texted Dad. “What do I do?”
Somebody outside screamed. The living room window shattered. Someone or something in the yard growled like a pissed off panther.
I snatched my guitar, my song diary, and my iPad.
The front door crashed open, and I ran for it, slamming the bunker’s door closed with a resounding clank.
Purchase Elixir (Dark Caster #1) on Amazon today!
About the Author
Anna Abner lived in a haunted house for three years and grew up talking to imaginary friends. In her professional life, she’s been a Realtor, a childcare provider, and a teacher. Now, she writes edge-of-your-seat paranormal romances and blogs from her home in coastal North Carolina about everything supernatural. Connect with Anna at www.annaabner.com.
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Other Works by Anna Abner
Novels
Spell of Summoning (Dark Caster Series Book One)
Spell of Binding (Dark Caster Series Book Two)
Spell of Vanishing (Dark Caster Series Book Three)
Spell of Shattering (Dark Caster Series Book Four)
Elixir (Red Plague Trilogy Book One)
Antidote (Red Plague Trilogy Book Two)
Panacea (Red Plague Trilogy Book Three)
The Red Plague Boxed Set
Remedy (A Red Plague Novella)
Shopgirl’s Prophecy (Beasts of Vegas Series Book One)
Short Stories
The Night Trevor’s Soul Came Loose
Shadow Cells
Table of Contents
/> Spell of Shattering
Praise for The Dark Caster Series
Other Works by Anna Abner
Acknowledgements
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
An Excerpt From My YA Zombie Romance
About the Author
Other Works by Anna Abner