by Martha Woods
Tessa’s eyes went over to Selena, who was finally standing from the ground. The witches had healed the bite on her neck, so the only evidence that it had ever happened was the lack of color in Selena’s face. Tessa suspected that it was more related to the shock of the attack, not the blood loss since she hadn’t drank that much. “Selena, I hope you know I truly hadn’t meant to… I’m so sorry. It won’t happen again, I swear on my life.”
Selena didn’t give any effort to smile, and couldn’t bring herself to look at Tessa. “It’s fine,” she tersely replied before heading into the house with the elders.
When they were inside, Jared finally let Tessa go. Guilt completely devoured Tessa. How in the hell had she slipped up again?! She didn’t want to hurt anyone, especially like that. It was so selfish, and she knew it was bound to be terrifying for the other person. Attacking humans for blood wasn’t who Tessa was at all, but she feared that the others would start to think that of her. Calla slowly approached Tessa, “Let’s get inside and get your burns treated.”
Tessa shook her head, “It can wait. Not like I’m going to die from it.” Since she was no longer in the moment, her skin no longer felt like it was boiling off, but just aching.
“There’s no need to suffer, though…” Calla tried to persuade.
“I’m fine,” Tessa muttered, moving over to the gazebo to be alone. She sat on the cushioned bench and stared up at the ceiling of the structure. How was it every step she went, she fucked up? Tessa had been doing so amazingly well with her lessons and being around the witches. Yet the moment they give her their trust to let her spar with them, she attacks them for blood. Jared told her it wasn’t her fault, but it sure felt like it was. Sure, in the moment Tessa hadn’t had control. However, she knew the dangers of not staying fed, and yet she allowed herself to stay so distracted with her thoughts that she forgot to eat. Hell, she bet that nothing would even come of Kristian and Veronica’s conversation and it would all boil down to Tessa being self-conscious and paranoid. That had possibly cost her the respect of the Firehavens as well as Jared. Bringing her knees up to her chest, she buried her face in them; she didn’t care one bit about the slight pain that came from having her knees pressed to the sensitive area.
She sat in complete silence for several minutes, an orchestra of crickets and frogs being the only noise to compete with the same woes and worries echoing through her head. Tessa heard the back door to the house open and close, but she had just assumed it was Charley wandering around as she usually did. When she felt a presence nearing her, Tessa finally looked up. Kristian was walking in her direction. Even though Tessa hadn’t thought her heart could plummet anymore, it somehow found the room to fall even more. She remained silent as he sauntered over to her and took a seat right next to her.
Kristian clasped his hands together on his lap, his emerald eyes studying Tessa. “Jared told me what happened,” he began quietly.
“Are they wanting to leave now?” she asked in a murmur, thinking perhaps Jared had been nice to her face but had told Kristian his true thoughts and feelings.
“No. He was a little upset, but he understood…” Kristian explained. “Why are you skipping meals?” he asked her rather straightforward.
Tessa looked away, looking to the large, open yard where fireflies twinkled here and there. “It’s not like I meant to.”
“Then what happened?”
“I… I was distracted,” Tessa mumbled.
“Damnit, Tessa. What’s going on? You need to talk to me. You’re missing meals, it doesn’t look like you’ve slept, and you feel a million miles away. Have I done something to upset you?” Kristian asked, finally breaking his polite silence on the way she was acting. He hadn’t wanted to corner her about her feelings, wanting her to come to him with her problems rather than him having to drag them out of her.
That same, anxious feeling filled Tessa when she even thought about Veronica. And despite how much she wanted to avoid it, she knew that she needed to face the problem already. It was looming over her and making her miserable. “I’ve got a bad feeling about what you have to say about the conversation that took place between you and Veronica,” she reluctantly admitted. “I don’t know why, but I can’t get rid of it. I wanted to talk to you before to get it over with, but every time I even think about it, I get so anxious that I would rather run away than deal with it. It’s consumed me so much that I really haven’t been able to think of anything else. The only thing that actually got my mind off it was sparring with Selena, but I fucked that up…”
Tessa hoped that he would chuckle at her, call her ridiculous for worrying so much and pull her into his arms and hug her tightly to assure her nothing was going on. Yet, the laughter nor the hug came. His posture actually stiffened and his eyes peeled away from her. “I see,” he responded, his voice hardly even a whisper.
“I don’t have a reason to be so worried… do I?” Tessa asked.
Kristian sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, “Not exactly… There were some things I need to talk to you about, though.”
Tessa’s throat tightened. So she had been worried for a reason? “What is it exactly you need to talk to me about?”
“There’s going to be some changes taking place, and they need my help,” Kristian explained.
“What… what do you mean?” Tessa asked.
Kristian nibbled his lip, “I’m not doing much of anything here, Tessa. While I love spending time with you, I’m not needed here. The witches have you completely occupied with magic, which isn’t a bad thing at all. Just… the family is in serious disrepair right now, and they could really use my help,” he explained. His eyes fell to the ground as he continued after a short pause, “We’ve tried brainstorming and thinking of any way to replenish our numbers. The only option we have now is changing humans to vampires. Veronica wants my help with it, knowing that I’ll be efficient and not endanger any lives. Most of our vampires aren’t as old as myself, Veronica, and Jared. They run a higher risk of leaving a body trail.”
“Does that mean Jared will be helping out too?” Tessa questioned. So far, she didn't understand what would be so upsetting to her. Tessa really didn’t see him during the night during her lessons, so if he wanted to go out and help the family, that didn’t bother her at all.
“Perhaps. Veronica still has to talk to him about it. With how ready he was to leave with Calla, I’m not so sure he would be willing to do what Veronica is planning.”
“Wait… what exactly is Veronica planning?” Tessa questioned, her worry growing again.
Kristian wrung his hands together, sighing before forcing himself to turn to face her. “The best thing we could do is go on the road and travel town to town to recruit just one person at a time. It’ll be the safest way to do so, that way there isn’t a concerning number of missing persons in one area. It’s what Ally did all those years ago, and how she happened into all of us. It’ll be time-consuming… But in the end, it will be worth it.”
Tessa frowned deeply, “How long would it take?”
“I’m not very sure… Could just be a couple of months, could be a year… maybe a little more.”
Tessa was on her feet and bug-eyed. “You’re telling me that you guys are trying to abandon Calla and I when the Calder could come to attack us at any moment? Jesus Christ, Veronica had been chastising us about that very fact when she came over.”
“I know… I know how it sounds,” Kristian began, standing to pace over to her. “Why do you think I was talking to her so long? I didn’t like the idea of it either at first, but the more we talked, the more it made sense. The Firehavens offered you their complete protection if you were to join them as their High Priestess, and that they would accept Calla back into the clan. While the Calder are ballsy, I haven’t heard any of the witches talk about the Calder attacking their home. We also hope to stay in the surrounding states, that way it won’t take as long and we can travel back if we are needed.” Kristian locked his a
rms around her and stared deeply into her chocolate eyes, “I swear to you, I will run back to you if anything were to happen. I’ll keep daylight drugs on me at all times, just in case I need it to make it to you. And I know that a possible year sounds like a long time to you, but it’s just a moment in the eternity we will spend together.”
As romantic as that sounded, it didn’t settle Tessa at all. “There’s only an eternity if we’re both alive, Kristian. You’re wanted by the Calder too… Being separated like that will make it easier for them to attack you…” Tessa tried to reason with him.
“We talked about that too, and we don’t think it will be a problem. Mind you, the Calder are handling a problem of their own right now. They lost a lot of lives as well. And while I know it’s wrong and sounds terrible, they are a lot more focused on you than they are us. They are bound to find out that you are with the Firehavens. While I’m sure they would never go through with an attack on the Firehaven home, they sure as hell will be trying to figure out how. That time it does will give the family enough time to repopulate.”
Tessa’s jaw dropped. “You’re just as crazy as your sister!” she exclaimed. “You’re putting an entire clan of witches in harms way just so you guys can hopefully recruit new vampires. You’re not thinking about my safety or Calla’s or the other witches. The only thought on yours and Veronica’s minds are of the family.”
“I just explained to you why you’d be safe, Tess. You can’t say I don’t think of your safety, it’s been my top concern since we met,” Kristian defended. “I know that this is by no means ideal, but it’s what needs to be done for the sake of the family. I know you don’t need reminding, but the family has protected you and helped us when they most certainly didn’t have to. The family is what provides all the money that makes it possible for us to live comfortably, even while on the run. I know you’re upset, and I’m sorry for have caused you such distress... But I have to do right by everyone, not just myself and you.”
Tessa shook her head rapidly, “I’m sorry, but you’re always making the wrong call. Nothing about this sounds right to me at all. I know that the family has done a lot for me, but it isn’t just one-sided. It isn’t like they know me and care about my safety. They want me safe for their own benefit. I’m not going to be guilt-tripped and put into a difficult situation because of the past. I’m sick of it being thrown in my face. And how can you even try and say that you wanted to talk to me about this, as though I had a say in it? It seems like you’ve already made up your mind.” She forced her way out of his hold and crossed her arms over his chest.
Kristian said nothing, because she was right. He had made up his mind. “I know this may seem like the wrong call—”
“Because it is the wrong call, and I’m sure everyone will see that but you and your sister,” Tessa pressed.
“You’re not being fair,” Kristian shot back, glaring at her.
“Because you’re being ludicrous. This will blow up in your face. That is, if it doesn’t blow up in mine first.”
“Tessa,” Kristian growled.
“Kristian,” Tessa bit back.
“You’re being a goddamn brat. A spoiled one at that.”
“Spoiled?”
“Yeah, spoiled. Only a spoiled brat couldn’t bend a bit to show some sort of appreciation for the people who have defended you with their lives—even if it wasn’t entirely one-sided. You have an entire clan willing to protect you, and all of eternity to spend with me, but you won’t sacrifice just a few months to perhaps a year for the sake of the family,” Kristian snarled.
Tessa couldn’t take anymore. She needed to get away from him and clear her head. Looking to the sky, she could see dawn approaching. Kristian would have to go back inside very soon. Taking the window of opportunity, Tessa ran as fast as she could toward the treeline.
“TESSA!” Kristian shouted after her, but Tessa was gone. Her feet carried her deep into the forest, weaving through the trees with minimal effort. It was childish, and she knew that, but she was past the point of caring. She was to the point where she felt like she couldn’t do anything right, and the last thing she needed right then was Kristian telling her she was a brat. Being in a house full of witches and sharing a room with Kristian wouldn’t allot her the space she needed to really think things through on her own. She was tired of distractions and giving into the temptation of confiding in those around her. This was something she needed to think out on her own.
She ran, and ran, and ran until exhaustion buckled her. Tessa fell to the ground. It wasn’t like she was winded, but her legs and arms were actually sore. It was probably from skipping those meals. She had no idea that skipping meals would affect her so much. If anything, she thought it would make her crabby. Maybe it had, and Tessa just felt like she was in the right. The fact that she couldn’t sort it out proved to her that she needed time alone.
Tessa’s hands gripped the ground beneath her, trying her best to pull herself together. The more she tried to convince herself that it was anything but a premonition, the more she was convinced that it was. Kristian had been acting like nothing was wrong and that what they had to talk about was very mild. To Tessa, the family going away for up to a year, wasn’t mild in the slightest. Had Kristian really thought she would be okay with it? When they talked about it, he had made it sound as though she was only upset because he could potentially be gone for a year. What if the feeling she had wasn’t about the conversation, but was about them leaving? It had to be the case.
After a while of sitting there, Tessa finally found the strength to stand again. She walked a little further, hearing water flowing somewhere nearby. Following the sound of it, Tessa walked through the trees until they thinned along a riverbank. The early morning sky reflected off the water, making the clear water shimmer. As she approached the bank, a sudden voice called to her, “Come here often?”
Tessa nearly jumped out of her skin from fright, whipping around to spot a woman sitting on a low-lying branch in a tree nearby. She was as white as snow, with hair that matched her complexion. She had to be Calder. And yet, she wasn’t old and ragged looking. In fact, she looked around Tessa’s age, maybe a few years older. Her eyes weren’t a soulless pitch black, but instead were a warm shade of brown. Despite she differences in appearance, she wore the same ankle length black dress that all Calder witches wore; only it wasn’t as drab looking on her, since she had youth in her favor. “Who… who are you?” Tessa questioned, stumbling back a bit.
“Don’t be afraid, Tessa,” the white-haired woman cooed. “I know what it must look like, a Calder witch showing up out of the blue… Know that I mean you no harm at all. In fact, I was hoping you would be okay with my asking if you are alright. You appear very distraught.”
Should Tessa run? It was her knee-jerk reaction whenever she came near a Calder witch. This one, however, really didn’t seem to mean her any harm. Any other Calder would have been attacking her by now. Besides, if she did, Tessa was hopeful that she could hold her own in a fight. Tessa ignored the witch’s question, “I asked who you were. I know you’re Calder, that’s obvious.”
“Fair enough,” the witch called as she hopped down from the tree branch. “Why don’t we sit together and talk?” she smiled, moving toward her.
Tessa took as many steps back as the witch took to come toward her, “How about you tell me from where you are, who you are.”
She sighed heavily, “Very well. My name is Bethany. I’m the daughter of Leticia, as well as Cedric. I’ve been waiting a very, very long time to meet my baby sister.” Her pale lips stretched into what appeared to be a genuine smile.
Tessa was taken back, her breath catching in her throat. “You can’t be serious…” she managed to get out. Why should she trust Bethany? She was the enemy, and could just be playing games to get into Tessa’s head.
“I most definitely am. What can I say, I suppose our father had a liking for strong, powerful women,” Bethany stated, chuckling light
ly.
“Why should I trust you? You could just be making that up.”
“Because no one else knows that you’re Cedric’s child, my sister,” Bethany explained.
Tessa scoffed. How dull did this witch think Tessa was? “The Calder caught Cedric and my mother together and killed them for it.”
“Precisely,” Bethany nodded. “That was after you were born and placed in a human home. The Calder thinks your father is Julian of the Wyrd clan, just as Firehaven does. They killed them both because of his betrayal to my mother.”
Well, Tessa supposed that made sense. It didn’t mean she believed Bethany completely, though. “I see,” she muttered, trying to wrap her head around the concept. “How did you find me here?” Tessa asked.
“I will have to admit some fault there. I was having my witches track the vampires’ movements. I have to admit, you and Kristian were very sneaky and were actually off our radar for a while. When someone reported back that Veronica had found you guys, I wanted to come meet you personally.”
“Why?” Tessa questioned. She never moved her gaze from Bethany, wanting to be able to predict any movements she could possibly make to attack her.
“Because it is finally time,” Bethany smiled brilliantly. “Time for you to join my side and lead the Calder with me.”
“Excuse me?” Tessa scoffed. “Do you really think I’m dumb enough to fall for that? The Calder have been trying to kill me for months—if not years without my knowledge.
Bethany shook her head, “If we wanted you dead, Tessa, you would be. I know everything leading up to this point may seem harsh, but it was only to work in your favor.” She paused and sat down on the bank, gesturing to the spot next to her for Tessa to sit. Reluctantly, Tessa moved over and sat next to her, but at a distance. “Everything we have done up to the point, was to put the necessary pressures on you to get you where you need to be. We needed you with the vampires so that they would eventually turn you. We allowed the Firehaven witches near you so that you could get an understanding of that half of your magic ability. That way you have all of the necessary training and strength before joining us.
