Chapter Nine
I headed up the stairs, my hand trailing along the old oak bannister. The door immediately to my right was Dane’s and mine was the next one. I walked down to my door, unused to using it since I always stayed in Dane’s room. Gloria knew, but never mentioned it. Our rooms were separated by a Jack and Jill bath so it wasn’t as if we couldn’t slip into each other’s rooms unnoticed anyway.
This time I did go into my room, looking for clothes I’d left from previous trips so I could wear something that fit a little better. I stripped down and went to the closet to find a few shorts and tops I’d left. They were actually baggy on me, even after gorging myself the last two days on food.
“It’s going to take time to put the weight back on.” He said from the bathroom door.
“Playing at being a peeping Tom?”
He laughed and wrapped his arms around me from behind.
“Is it being a peeping Tom if I’ve already seen it all before? With permission?” I elbowed him and he grunted, but didn’t loosen his hold. “Well? Is it?”
“I don’t know. But I’ll say yes. Anytime you watch a woman without her knowledge is being a peeping Tom.”
“But what if I see a beautiful woman standing across the room and can’t tear my eyes away?” He spun me around, our eyes almost level, but I still had to glance up at him. “A woman so stunning she takes my breath away?”
“Then perhaps you should clear your throat so she knows you’re there.” I ran my fingers through the thick hair at his neck. “And you should probably not accuse her of being too skinny while you’re at it.”
His eyes softened as he said, “I missed this.”
“What sneaking into my room to take a peek at me?” I joked, knowing it wasn’t what he meant at all.
“Us. This. Holding you. Talking to you. Everything that is us I missed.” He held my gaze, his green eyes serious as his words told me how hard the past year had been on him as well.
“I missed it too, but we don’t ever have to miss it again.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” I took a deep breath. “But right now, I need to figure out how to do whatever it is I do.”
“Teleport.” Dane replied immediately to my surprise. “I’ve been thinking about it and while I’ve never heard of a witch being able to teleport, that’s what you’re doing. I mean the whole myth that witches can fly....”
“Wait, they can’t?” I interrupted. “That’s kind of a bummer.”
“Really? You can teleport. That’s way better than flying.”
“Yeah, if I could teleport to anywhere. So far, I’m a boomerang and you’re the one that threw me.”
He gazed at me steadily, not even blinking at my rant, and then bust out laughing.
“Boomerang? That’s the best analogy you could come up with?”
“Don’t laugh. What if that’s it for me? I can only teleport to you? And I bring danger with me? Hmmm?”
“One, I seriously doubt it. Yes, that’s what’s happened so far but you were reacting. Not actively trying to move yourself. Two, you’re supposed to be with me. Danger or no danger. My sole reason for existing is to protect you.”
His words had a ring of truth to them, an acknowledgement of our relationship and the bond we’d always shared.
“May I amend that statement?” He raised his eyebrows and I smiled. “Your sole reason for existing is to love me.”
“That does have a better ring to it.” He acknowledged, swaying me side to side. “How do you feel about everything?”
“You know what bothers me the most?” He shook his head, brow furrowed. “That Quinn Montgomery was a lie, and Quinn Davis was a lost baby girl. So, who am I?”
“Mine.” He answered simply, rolling his shoulders. “My Quinn.” He brushed my hair from my face. “Hopefully one day soon Quinn Holt.” I smiled, remembering how often I’d scribbled our names together. Dane and Quinn Holt.
“It does sound good together.” He reminded me, backing us toward the bed. He plopped down, holding me between his knees as he gazed up at me. “Will you marry me, Quinn?”
“Now, you ask me?”
“I should have asked you a year ago.” He replied, his hands resting on my hips. “I should have done a lot of things differently and I didn’t, but I learned something. Life makes no promises and today is all that matters. We belong together like peanut butter and chocolate.”
“I’m the chocolate, right?”
“Of course.” He gave me a little shake for interrupting his speech, but gave me that lopsided grin that said he forgave me anyway. “The point I was trying to make before I was so rudely interrupted though, was this. We are it for each other. Have been since the moment we met. And I don’t care that I’m nineteen and you’re eighteen. I want to know when this is all said and done, my ring goes on your finger.”
“Agreed, so long as my ring goes on your finger too.”
“Oh, making demands, are we?”
“Hell yeah. Can’t let you think you’re in charge. You’ll get a big head.”
“Well, it is big.” He leered at me and I busted out laughing.
“You crude man.” I told him, looping my hands around his neck. “In spite of the fact that I know you’re crude, I accept your proposal.” He held his hand over his heart in mock shock.
“Me, crude?” He gave me a hurt look. “I’m shocked you would think that.”
“But not shocked I accepted your proposal?”
“Well, no. I knew that was in the bag.” He ran his fingers along my ribs, tickling me. “You can’t resist me.” He twisted me around, pinning me to the bed with one hand as he tickled me relentlessly. “You also can’t escape me.”
“Stop…please.” I cried out between gasps of laughter, but he just kept torturing me as I twisted.
“What’s the magic word?”
I gasped, unable to get anything out as I laughed helplessly and he continued to tickle, demanding the word.
“Please?” I finally said, after unsuccessfully trying to buck off his two-hundred-pound weight. He pretended to consider it, easing up on the tickling, and then said, “Nope.”
I groaned as he renewed his attack and I struggled, knowing I was safe with him, but desperately wanting to win our battle of strength. I wanted to escape him without resorting to the magic word. I was so distracted by the tickling it took me a second to recognize the pins and needles racing over my skin. Once I did, I wiggled in excitement.
“It’s happening.” I shouted, and Dane stopped in shock as a blue glow emanated from me and I was gone.
“QUINN!”
I heard the shout thunder through the house as I reappeared, this time standing in Dane’s room. His panic was unmistakable and I knew he thought I’d gone somewhere he couldn’t find me.
“In here.” I called out and a second later the door flew open and he charged in. He came to a stop at seeing me standing there perfectly fine. Then he stormed over and lifted me up, swinging me around in a huge hug.
“You did it!”
“I did!” I said excitedly. “I still don’t know how, but I can move myself even if it’s away from you.”
“Good girl. You escaped, no magic words necessary.” He gave me a proud smile and I leaned down to kiss him, still cradled in his arms, feet dangling. He responded quickly, his mouth opening against mine as I tangled my fingers in his hair. Things might have gotten out of hand except we heard a car coming down the gravel road and broke apart.
“Mom?” He questioned and I shrugged. I didn’t know who else it would be. He glanced out the window and nodded, answering his own question. It was her car. He set me down, but kept hold of my hand as we ran down the stairs. Both of us were relieved to see her coming. My heart beat faster as we burst through the door, barely missing Gloria coming from the back.
“My, you two are eager to see her.” She called after us as we came to a stop on the porch.
The car slowed as i
t came to the house, rolling to a stop next to Dane’s truck. We waited eagerly, but it wasn’t Margaret who got out. Dane dropped my hand as he saw his sister stumble from the car and raced toward her. Gloria and I were steps behind him as we watched her collapse in the gravel.
“Tori!”
“Victoria.” Dane skidded to a stop next to her, lifting her head gently onto his lap.
“Tori, talk to me. Tori.” She looked exhausted, lines creased her mouth making her appear much older than seventeen. Blood soaked part of her shirt and I eased it up to see if she’d been hurt.
“She’s dead.”
“NO, no, no, no. Tori.” Dane shook his head violently, rejecting the thought and my eyes met Gloria’s as she lifted her hand to her mouth, tears springing to her eyes. We knew it was true. Margaret was dead and the blood on Tori’s shirt didn’t belong to her, but to their mother.
“What happened?” Gloria demanded, jerking Tori’s face around to hers.
“Stop,” Dane ordered, trying to break Gloria’s grip on his sister. “Stop, she’s been through enough. It can wait.”
Gloria turned on him. “No, it can’t. Not unless you want it to be Quinn next.” He jerked back at her vicious tone, but she didn’t stop. “They are coming for her and anyone that stands in their way will be killed and thrown aside like yesterday’s garbage. Do you understand? We have no time. We must know and we must be prepared.”
“Two men.” The monotone words stopped their argument as we glanced back at Tori. “They knocked on the door, said they were cops investigating the Montgomery’s death. I didn’t know better. I let them in.” Tori’s eyes were haunted as she recited the events leading up to her mother’s death. “Mom knew. She knew before they said a word. They’d triggered one of her wards, the one she was teaching me to do. The one that warns of evil intents. It was too late though. They figured out she was a witch and me too. One of them cast a spell at me, but Mom jumped in front of me. It hit her instead. She activated the protection spell she’d started, and it forced them out of the house. But it was too late for her.” She started to sob, her hands shaking as she held them up for us to see the blood. “I tried to stop the bleeding, but it was too much. She told me to come here, that you had stronger protection spells in place, that she’d been wrong to try and send me away. That we were at our strongest together and only together would we survive.”
“Did they follow you, Tori?” She didn’t respond, her eyes unfocused and Gloria shook her. I winced in sympathy as Dane’s hands hovered over his sister’s shoulders, wanting to stop his grandmother, but needing to keep me safe more. “Sweetie, I know this is hard and you’ve been so brave, but this is important. Did they follow you?”
Finally, she shook her head, her eyes coming back into focus as she gazed at her grandmother.
“No, I was careful. I backed straight through the garage door, drove to the police station, then to the parking garage at the mall, you know the one we always get lost in?”
“I do. You were smart.” Tori nodded, acknowledging her Gloria’s words.
“I cast a quick spell to make it difficult to track me, the one you taught me so Dane couldn’t find me when we played Hide and Seek.”
“Hey! No fair using magic against someone who doesn’t have any.” Dane protested lightly, trying for normal, but his eyes said a different story. Somehow, we had both known this was coming, but the reality was heartbreaking. I’d lost my own parents forty-eight hours before and now his mom. I gripped Tori’s calf in my hand, praying there wouldn’t be any more family members lost in this fight. Three was already too many.
Tori’s mouth flicked up, a ghost of a smile trying to appear, but it was gone a second later.
“Why?” She asked desperately, grabbing one of the hands that held her. “Why did they kill her? Me? Why did they come after us?”
“I don’t know.” Gloria replied slowly, squeezing the hand that gripped her gently. “I don’t know how they knew about your mother and you, or why they came to the house. Maybe they thought you knew where Quinn was.”
“Quinn?” Tori looked over at me then as if seeing me for the first time. “Quinn. You’re back? Of course you are. Your parents are dead. I’m so sorry.” She broke down then, the sobs racking her body and Dane rocked her.
“Well, I guess Margaret didn’t tell her what was going on or why she was sending her to Vermont.” Gloria muttered, her face hard.
“Why wouldn’t she?” I asked, attempting to distract her from her own pain. I could see it skating under the surface. She was fighting to keep it together, knowing we couldn’t afford to lose her to her grief now.
“Probably because she knew she wouldn’t go if she knew the truth of it. Tori came by her stubborn streak honestly.” Gloria pushed herself up from the gravel drive, each movement to stand tall seeming to be harder than the last. “Up, Quinn. We have to get you ready.” I got up and Dane stood, still cradling his sobbing sister. “Sleep, child.” Gloria murmured something and Tori’s sobs quieted and her face smoothed out as she slept.
“Dane, put her in Quinn’s room. I doubt Quinn will be sleeping there and I have stuff scattered in Tori’s room.”
After Dane put Tori to bed, we sat back down in the kitchen.
“I’ve called Cecily to come help. There are a couple of spells we can use to try and locate your sisters, but we’ll need the power of a coven to do it. I’ve worked with Cecily for years and trust her.”
“Can I help?” I asked, knowing I had power over magic, but not really certain what to do with it.
“Yeah, me too.” Dane included himself, eager to do what we could to stop Mitchell.
“I’m sorry, but neither of you have a clue what you’re doing. At the moment, you aren’t much help. You don’t know spells or how to channel your gifts.” Gloria gave me a sympathetic, but firm look. “You are powerful, but it’s raw magic. Without the proper guidance, I’m almost afraid to use your magic. We will need you to locate your sisters, your blood being the best chance we have to find them, but having you participate in the spell could be a disaster. Right now, I need you to focus on figuring out how to control your disappearances. It might be the one thing that saves you.”
She turned back to Dane then and asked him, “Do you know anyone, warlock or witch, that would be willing to help? We need more to help protect Quinn. With your mother gone….” She took a deep breath before pushing on. “The coven is weakened. Another body will help.”
“I think I know someone, but what about Vincent?”
“I hate to ask since he asked to be left out of magical affairs. He turned his back on the coven after Brady broke it off with him. He’s bitter about magic.” Gloria admitted, her concern that his bitterness would be the wrong type of energy for our present crisis apparent.
“I’ll talk to him. Maybe he’ll help if he understands why. I met a guy in one of my classes at the college, Peter. He’s a warlock. I don’t think he has a lot of magic, but anything will help.”
“Good, go talk to them.” Dane pushed back from the table and Gloria added, “On the phone.”
“I know. I’m not leaving Quinn. Or you.” He tacked the last on sheepishly and she waved.
“Oh, trust me. I know who’s important in this little tribe and it ain’t me.”
After he left, I turned to Gloria.
“What can I do to help? I’m responsible for all of this. There has to be something I can do.”
“Let me stop you right there. You are not responsible for any of this. Mitchell Davis is and mark my words, he will pay for the sins he’s committed.” The hard glint in her eyes had me nodding respectfully. I wouldn’t want to be Mitchell Davis right now. Gloria went on, her desire to use me apparent. “If you can control your magic then maybe you can help, but it takes years for a witch to learn the spells and herbs to help focus her magic, and even then we’re not talking abilities anywhere near the level of yours.”
“But I don’t use a spell w
hen I teleport.” I told her, using the word Dane had used for my apparent gift.
“Teleport. Huh, appropriate.” Gloria commented, buying time as she thought about what I said. She seemed to come to a decision as she said, “To use magic, you need to understand it.”
Our eyes met and I nodded, ready to learn and help save us anyway I could.
“Think of it as light, everywhere touching everything. It surrounds us, but we can’t necessarily see it.” I nodded, trying to follow. She shook her head as she tapped her finger against her mouth. “Perhaps not the right analogy. Magic is everywhere, flowing around everything, but let’s think of it more like electricity. Like a current that needs to be tapped into to use it. Not just anyone can tap into the current, at least not without getting zapped. That’s what witches can do, tap the current, however we can only use so much before growing tired. We need conduits, a way of channeling the magic and focusing it to do what we want. That’s why we use spells, symbols, herbs, and such. To help us channel the magic. A coven can, of course, channel more and therefore do more because there are multiple witches working together toward a common goal.”
Everything she said made sense but didn’t explain why I didn’t need to do those things to channel magic and neither did Dane for that matter. When I asked, she looked a little less certain.
“I’m going out on a limb here, okay? I’ve never seen anyone do what you can do or how you do it. You’re one of the trinity, no one living has ever seen anything like you. But, my best guess would be you are a conduit and you act as a conduit for Dane as well.”
I blinked, uncertain I knew what she meant.
“You don’t need spells, or herbs, or a certain moon cycle to use magic, to shape it to your will. All you need to do is call it.”
“You make it sound so simple, call magic. Like there’s a 1 800 number or something.” She chuckled at my outburst, but I didn’t think it was funny. I’d yet to intentionally use magic. Everything so far had been necessity, except for Dane. He’d wanted to heal me and he had, completely unconsciously the first time, but the second had been intentional. But how did he know what to do?
The Trinity Sisters Page 41
