Recipe for Disaster

by Theda Vallee

  “Dolce?”

  I whipped around at the sound of my aunt’s voice. She stood in the door, her hand buried in the bag of stones Gia had given her before I ever came to this place. Her hair was wild, the purple streak in front a shock of frizz. She stood there, staring as my hand tightened around Marigold’s neck.

  “Get out of here. Tell everyone to get out of the building,” I said, the flames on my body fanning out around me in warning.

  Aunt Sophia stood there for a moment, her mouth moving as she muttered to herself. I growled, prompting her to make a decision. She took off running, disappearing down the hall. The part of me that was still Etta wanted to laugh as she broke into a full sprint. I’d never seen my Aunt run, and watching her stout legs try to propel her forward was comical. Stella reared her head in anger, pushing the moment of weakness down. We had a job to do. These people needed to be shown what it meant to cross paths with this strega.

  “Where were we?” I said, shaking Marigold. “Oh, yes. You refused to tell me anything. So be it.”

  The flames rushed off of me, scorching the skin around her neck. Her pale flesh charred quickly as the fire washed over her. Her gurgling sobs were music to my ears. “That was for using my daughter against me,” I said, wanting her to hear every infraction she’d committed since we met. “And this is for the humans you killed, because someone should mourn them.” I let the flames trickle down her collarbone, leaving a path of destruction in their wake.

  “Etta, my girl, what have you done?” Nonna’s soothing voice whispered across the room. “Please, dolce, look at me.”

  “You need to leave. This doesn’t concern you,” I said, the room shaking with the resonance of my voice. Damn my Aunt. She must have run straight to my grandmother and brought her here. It didn’t matter. I wouldn’t change what I had to do.

  “Anything to do with you is my concern,” she said, slowly inching into the room.

  “Stop!” Another crack raced up the wall as I glared at Nonna. “Get out.”

  “No. I will not leave you like this,” she said inching closer.

  Three of the windows closest to me exploded out, sending chunks of glass raining onto the grass outside as my power surged through the room. “You don’t have a choice.”

  “This is not who you are. My Violetta would never torture a person such as this.”

  “No. Your Violetta was a coward. Where did that get us? Hunted. Abused. Betrayed. As long as they believe they can control us, they will never stop.”

  “It is us then? You’ve let Stella do as she pleases?” Nonna asked. She stood next to me, having inched her way over to me as we spoke.

  I nodded as Marigold squirmed in my grip, her hands frantically beating at me. The flames had faltered as Nonna spoke, but they flared back to life as we watched Marigold’s eyes bulge in fear.

  “Stella,” Nonna said. “Where will you go if she dies? If you walk out of here today, this will only make things worse. Everyone will have a reason to fear you. Everyone will have a reason to stop you. The Osservatori. The Benandanti. Whoever these people work for. They will not let you live with this much power.”

  “Then we’ll die today.”

  “So, you have survived all these hundreds of years, moving from host to host for what? To have a tantrum and die. That seems stupido, no?”

  “No. I don’t know,” I said, confusion beginning to cloud my purpose.

  A small hand reached up, stroking my cheek gently. “It’s okay, dolce, you don’t need Stella to be strong.”

  The smell of flour, anise, and lemon verbena made me close my eyes and inhale. I’d spent my life wrapped in that scent. When I was little, I used to fit under her chin perfectly, my cheek resting on her chest, listening to the steady beat of her heart, with that scent enveloping me.

  “Let her go, dolce, you don’t need to do this. Stella, let her go. Let her come back to us. Both of you can walk out of here, and we can figure this out another way.”

  Stella pulled back, her indecision halting the steady flow of magic that had been refilling our reservoir. Everything around me fell out of focus as the damage from channeling so much magic hit me. Pain replaced power, and I screamed in agony. Stella retreated, pulling back the last remnants of magic before tucking herself away inside me. The world swayed, my breathing becoming shallow as I fell to the floor. I watched in frustration as Marigold took off running.

  “We can’t let her escape,” I croaked out.

  “Someone will stop her. You need not worry about it right now.” Nonna sat down next to me, drawing my head up to her lap. “It’s okay now, vita mia, I will not let you go.”

  Kaz ran into the room, a sheen of sweat covering him. “What happened? Is she okay?”

  “It’s fine. She’s better now. Are the Osservatori almost here? You should leave before they find you here,” Nonna said, patting his hand.

  “She needs a doctor. I can take her and get her treated,” he protested.

  “You’ve done more than enough, mio caro. She has to be here when they come, but she will make it for a few more minutes. Now go.”

  Kaz hesitated for a moment longer, nodded, then sprinted out of the room. I closed my eyes, letting Nonna’s scent envelope me as tears streaked down my face.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  The first sip of coffee is always the best. I savored the undertone of chocolate as the magic liquid danced on my tongue. Wrapping my hands around the cup, I let the warmth seep into me. Despite the summer heat, I was always cold lately. It stymied the doctors, but I had my suspicions. No one had told my medical team what really happened at the asylum. Only a few people knew that Stella had been in control of me at the end, channeling magic through our body at the speed of light. I had a feeling all that magic had caused some internal damage that was taking its sweet time to heal, despite the phoenix blood.

  The rest of my body was faring slightly better. My bruises were fading to a putrid greenish-yellow. Though Marigold had sent in healers from time to time, their work had been shoddy. My wrist had been broken and reset improperly four times during my stay in hell. It had taken an eight-hour surgery to rectify the damage. The fae refused to let me have access to their medical facilities. Their official reason was that they were on lockdown after finding one of their own was responsible for the Tarantella. I had a feeling word had gotten around that I knew about their little hate group. They were closing ranks, and I was now an enemy. Kaz could heal me, but there would be no way to explain where I’d gotten the help. Without access to the hard-hitting magical cures, I was stuck mending the old-fashioned way.

  Easton, on the other hand, hadn’t faired so well in the aftermath. They had found him dead in his cell two days ago. He’d left a suicide note behind outlining his sincere regret for all the murders he’d committed. The Osservatori refused to investigate. To them, it was an open and shut case. I suppose suicide was possible, but Kaz suspected it was murder. I agreed with him. I’d had the displeasure of hearing Easton ramble on about his beliefs. There was no way he’d reconsidered his whole life’s mission in a few days. That prick believed humans were inferior. He was proud of the work he’d done. It seemed more likely that the people higher up the ladder in his little group made sure he couldn’t talk. The lie detectors had already been sicced on him once. He’d spilled his guts within minutes, claiming responsibility for the Tarantella attacks and my kidnapping. It was only a matter of time before he turned on the people above him.

  Marigold and the other fae had disappeared by the time Luc came charging in with a slew of agents. I tried not to think about her being out there in the world somewhere. It was only a matter of time before whoever had orchestrated my kidnapping sent someone after me again. Nonna told me to let my body heal before worrying about things I had no control over. That was easier said than done. We weren’t safe. They could snatch everything from us in an instant, and we had no way of protecting ourselves. The future was looking pretty damn bleak.
/>   “I said do you have an eight?” Nerina asked, snapping her fingers in my face. “Are you done playing?”

  I fanned out my cards, looking for an eight. “Go fish. And I told you I didn’t want to play anymore. We’ve been playing for hours. I want to lie down.”

  “Sorry, no naps. I promised Brady I’d keep you awake this time. You’ve been asleep the last three times he was here,” Nerina said.

  I hadn’t been asleep. I’d been hiding. When I thought about Brady, all I could see was blood. The gaping wound on his leg, and how pale he’d become. I knew it wasn’t my fault. Marigold had given me a choice, stab him or watch him die. They’d killed eight people before him, so I knew it wasn’t a bluff. There was no real choice, but it left me disgusted with myself regardless. I’d gone in to rescue him and failed miserably. People had died because of my failure. I had thought I was smarter than a group of fae who had spent their whole lives grasping for power. Who the hell did I think I was? I should have let Luc take charge after we broke the spell. I wasn’t a leader. I was just a scared girl trying to swim in shark-infested waters.

  “Can we try a different game?” I asked.

  “You’re in no shape to try anything more exciting than this.”

  “It’s cards, not a marathon.”

  “Dolce, listen to your sister. She is caring for you,” Nonna said from where she stood kneading the dough.

  With a sigh, I shoved back from the table. They’d been hovering over me like I was a piece of glass that would shatter if I wasn’t handled properly. I got it. No one trusted me. As far as they were concerned, I was unstable, especially since Stella had been given free rein. They weren’t wrong to worry. I hadn’t told them, but Stella wasn’t thrilled about handing control back to me. I could feel the venomous edge to her as she swirled around inside me. Marigold was out there somewhere, and my magic wanted to hunt her down. If we were ever face to face with our torturer again, I wouldn’t be able to control what happened.

  “I’m going outside. I need to warm up,” I said, shuffling towards the back door.

  “I’ll come with you,” Nerina said, jumping up.

  “No, I’m going to sit in the sun. You can watch me from here.” I heard her dramatic sigh as I made my way outside.

  Stepping into our small courtyard, I turned my face up to soak in the sun’s heat. Vee was draped over a patio chair, groaning furiously at her phone. She’d come out here to answer a call, and from the looks of it, it wasn’t going well. Just like my family, she’d been hovering since I got home. Unlike my family, she wasn’t on my last nerve. She never went into detail about her past, but she had told me I was her first best friend. I felt honored that the aloof water sprite had chosen me. She was officially a ride or die, even if she didn’t know what that meant.

  I sat on a small bench quietly, so Vee could finish her call. Pulling out my phone, I saw I had yet another text message from Kaz. He was text happy since he got his cell phone.

  “Do you like the flowers? Be honest.”

  Ordinary people sent a bouquet, but not Kaz. He’d sent huge clay pots brimming with flowers. There were four of them so far, each bursting with different blooms. They made me smile, even if they were a little over the top.

  “They’re beautiful and extra just like you.”

  “Can’t you ever just say thank you? Wait . . . you think I’m beautiful?”

  “We both know you’re pretty, but you’ll need to let a little air out of your ego to get through the door next time you visit.”

  “Fun fact I learned this week. Hellcats spit venom. Seems your nickname becomes more and more fitting as the days go by.”

  “Lol lol lol, it’s not my fault. You make it so easy. Thank you for the flowers, they’re stunning. Now go do Prince shit and stop texting me.”

  “Fine. I’ll stop being concerned for your well-being and do other princely things. I bid you adieu until we text again.”

  I smiled as he sent a final text with a string of random emojis. Beneath his smarmy exterior, there seemed to be a pretty decent guy. It could be an act, but time would tell. I was bound to him until I finished our deal. If I was honest, I liked Kaz. Being around him was easy, and he was fun. Whatever his agenda was, I hoped he didn’t make me hate him one day.

  “Are you done playing the fishing game?” Vee asked.

  “I’m so done with that fishing game,” I laughed. “I don’t want to play it again for a very long time.”

  “Do you want to watch Finding Nemo again?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

  “How about after dinner? I just want to soak up some sunshine,” I said. It was a good movie, but she watched it way too much. I’d tried to convince her to watch the sequel, but she was confident it wouldn’t do the original justice. She was wrong, but there was no changing her mind.

  “There’s my broken kitty girl!” Brady hollered as he came through the back gate. “Can I hug you? I really want to hug you.”

  I stood to greet him, bracing myself as he wrapped me in a bear hug. “Be gentle.”

  “Sorry. I forgot you’re squishy. Did I hurt you?”

  I kissed his cheek, smiling despite the panic attack swirling inside me. “No. I’m fine.”

  Brady held me at arm’s length for a moment, his twinkling eyes scrutinizing me with a rare intensity. “You don’t seem fine. My friend Etta usually has an epic resting bitch face that would frighten off even the cockiest bastard. You look like someone took the last piece of cake, fucked your boyfriend, and then stole your cat while you stood there watching.”

  “Don’t make me laugh, it hurts,” I said, without a hint of laughter in my voice. I stood there, my shoulders slumped in defeat, unsure how he could find humor in what had happened. “I don’t know how to look at you after what I did.”

  My mind replayed everything over and over whether I was awake or asleep. With each replay, my role as the villain became larger and larger in my head. “I’m sorry for everything. I don’t expect you to forgive me, just know I’m sorry.”

  Brady grabbed my face, gently forcing me to look at him. “Did you forget I was there? I know what they did to you, what they did to us. You don’t owe me an apology. You’re a fucking badass, who got us through some really dark days. We lived because of you. A knife in my leg ain’t shit compared to what they did to you. I will never blame you. You will always be my girl, you understand me?”

  I nodded, trying my best not to burst into tears. He pulled me against him again, stroking my hair as I choked out a barely audible, “Thank you.”

  “In a few weeks, when you’re feeling better, we’ll hold a memorial for the others. I remember their names. It’s important, it will help us both. Okay, kitten?”

  The tears I’d been fighting off trickled down my cheek at the mention of the people I ‘d seen murdered. Leontyne had debriefed me at the hospital, and I’d begged her to find out who they were. Their families deserved to know. She wasn’t thrilled about the idea but had promised to try. Whether she found their families or not, Brady was right; a memorial needed to be held.

  “I hate to ask this, while you’re crying into my chest, but have you showered lately?”

  I smacked his arm, feigning indignation before wiping at my soggy face. “I shower every day, despite multiple news articles telling me it’s damaging to my skin.”

  “Well, maybe you need some deep conditioner for that nest on your head,” he said, trying to smooth down my mass of curls. “Where’s your Auntie? I bought her a new massager. One that hasn’t been used to jiggle someone’s lady bits. I helped Gia steal her vibrator back the other day, and Sophia has been mourning its loss. I figured I’d save your poor cousin.”

  “It grossed you out that bad?”

  His face contorted like he’d just tasted spoiled milk. “It had been on a vagina. Gross.”

  “She’s upstairs, cleaning the living room,” I said.

  “All right, be right back. Don’t go anywhere.” />
  Vee stood up, bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement. “I want to come. I love massage time.”

  The two of them bounded towards the house, their happiness seeming so out of place. I knew Brady wasn’t one to show the world he was suffering, but I’d expected at least a little more of a somber air. I’d been roaming the halls of my house like a wraith, and he was out buying vibrators. We all deal with things differently, but it was hard to understand how he could just move on. How could he just forgive me that easily?

  “Etta, can we talk?” I turned to find Luc standing forlornly at the back gate. He was another person I’d been hiding from. There were so many things left unsaid between us. I knew that he’d been under a spell when he attacked me, but it didn’t change the fact that he now had a starring role in some of my nightmares. It was hard to reconcile his behavior when we still had no answers about how the spells got on him or why.

  Despite the feeling of dread that settled over me, I waved him over. He was my boyfriend. My family thought dealing with the trauma of my kidnapping and torture was a perfect excuse for a break-up. They were over Luc DeFiero. I’d been avoiding the topic, unable to explain to them why I couldn’t do it. Whatever their thoughts were, Luc had come through when I needed him. He lied to the Osservatori because I asked him to. The story on record about how I was kidnapped was a complete fabrication. All the supposed facts were supported by Luc’s corroboration. If he hadn’t stepped in and lied for us, we’d all be in prison cells right now.

  “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to stop this from happening,” he said, standing a few inches from me.

  “It’s not your fault,” I said lamely as he put his arms around me, pulling me against his chest in an embrace. My heart skipped a beat as I limply hugged him back.

  “I’ve missed you.”

  I pulled back, looking between us, before looking up to give him a confused look. “Where’s our magic?”

  The normal flow of magic that was always present between us was gone. There wasn’t even the slightest tinge. We were just like all the other normal couples, without a hint of magic sparking between us.