There was none. “I do, Sedona. It’s going to be extremely tricky, but we can do this together.” She smiled at me. An honest-to-goodness genuine smile. That was a miracle in and of itself.
“This,” Micah finally exclaimed, and they both went quiet as they leaned in. I could feel their warm breaths over the bottom of my left shoulder blade, tickling a little. “At first I thought it was a large freckle, but it kind of zapped me when I brushed my finger over it.”
Aunt Millicent released a soft mm-hmm. She gingerly scraped at it with her fingernail. “This might hurt, Sedona.”
With her palm placed firmly over the would-be freckle, I heard her whisper a short incantation seconds before an excruciating wave of pain blasted through me.
I dropped to my knees. I couldn’t keep standing, even if I wanted to. Crackling energy blistered beneath the spot, and I could feel it sizzling the nearby nerve endings.
“What. The. Hell?” My question came out through clenched teeth. There was no end to the pain—no light at the end of a very dark tunnel. My fingers clawed at the wooden flooring until finally the intensity lessened. “If that’s what happens just from touching the damn thing, how am I going to survive removing it?”
I hated how weak I sounded . . . how small my voice was.
Aunt Millicent was uncharacteristically quiet until she finally broke the silence. “I’ve never experienced this strength of magic before.”
Her confession terrified me.
“Never?” I croaked, my throat dry.
“It’s very old.” There was an undeniable fear in her tone that overshadowed the reverence she usually felt for power and magic. I almost wanted to ask her more questions, but then some hidden switch inside her flipped, and she was back to being the arrogant witch I knew. “But that won’t stop me from removing it.”
She touched the mark one more time, the gesture almost like a caress.
“What do you need?” Micah interrupted. “I can get it for you.”
My aunt looked about at the items that surrounded us. “I need something sharp to cut with.” Then, as if to clarify, she corrected herself. “An athame. It has to be imbued with power for it to work.”
That made my heart race quickly.
“Do I want to know?” I asked skeptically.
“There’s always a price when it comes to power and using your gifts. Sometimes it’s small, but in a case like this, a great sacrifice is needed.”
Blood. She meant blood would need to be spilled to fuel the spell. Blood magic was something I’d never practiced. In fact, everything about that branch terrified me. I’d rather willingly watch every scary horror movie ever produced . . . nonstop . . . in the dark . . . alone . . . than perform anything remotely connected to it.
Micah returned from the table that held my grandfather’s tools. Handing my aunt the athame our family’s patriarch used most, he lingered close just in case. We were still somewhat leery of her newfound sense of family and loyalty.
Twice bitten, twice shy.
“I’m going to cut my palm and then yours, Sedona.” She let go of one of my hands, careful not to let go of the other. “Just for a moment. When I’ve completed the task, we’ll hold hands again, and I’ll recite the incantation, then remove the mark from your body. The magic won’t like that we’re interfering with the spell’s intention, but this is the only way. You ready?”
Time was going so quickly that I didn’t have a moment to pause and argue. The pain was growing stronger and stronger, making it hard not to wince with each beat of my heart. The spirit inside was angry it’d been discovered.
“Yes.” I bit my bottom lip as she sliced across my palm.
“Now me.” She repeated the motion. Then she squeezed my fingers, and in a tone I rarely heard, she said, “I love you, Sedona. I’m sorry I wasn’t the aunt I should’ve been. I was wrong to push you so hard. I just hope that this will make up for my foolish pride.”
Her words stoked up fear. They sounded more like a goodbye than an apology.
“What do you mean?” I asked, feeling edgier by the second. I glanced over at Micah, who was staring at my aunt like he’d never seen her before.
That’s when it dawned on me.
She was saying goodbye.
As the words for the spell left her lips, I heard the truth—she was taking my place—welcoming the spirit to leave my body and enter hers.
“No!” I screamed, trying to let go of her so the connection would break. I didn’t care if the magic bounced back and hit me with all its might. I wasn’t even thinking that my reaction might kill me. All I could see was the peaceful face of my aunt as she accepted responsibility.
She clung to my hands, refusing to drop them.
I struggled to slip from her grasp and failed.
All the while, I watched in horror as I felt a malevolent energy push against my skin and then burst out of my body. A black form appeared beside us in the pentagram. At least, that’s what it looked like to me. Whatever it was, it wouldn’t be able to go far. It was trapped in here as long as the circle held true.
“Micah, go get Saundra.” She was in over her head and would need the high priestess to come help. “Find her and explain what happened. Tell her to come quickly.”
Indecision warred in his eyes. “I don’t want to leave you.”
I loved him for that.
“Trust. Isn’t that the foundation of a successful relationship?” I threw him the best smile I could muster.
“Doesn’t mean I like any of this.” His weary smile helped soothe my own exhaustion. I felt beat up.
“We’re going to be okay. Promise.” I looked nervously at my aunt, who had closed her eyes. I didn’t like how quiet she was. “Now go. Please.”
A deep, guttural sound erupted from my aunt’s mouth. “No. Wait.”
Her eyes flew open, and she stared vacantly, as though she was blind. I’d never seen her look like this before, and her voice . . . it wasn’t her own.
It belonged to the one responsible for this very ugly and nasty piece of magic.
“My work is done here. Consider this another warning. Get in the way again, and everyone you love will die.”
The message was directed to Micah as Aunt Millicent’s mouth moved effortlessly—her eyes blank.
“What are you?” I asked, needing to know who was threatening us. I grabbed my aunt tightly, tempted to shake her hard so the spirit would answer. “Who are you?”
My blood ran cold as I became its focus. “I am but a messenger. They are coming.”
Before either of us could speak, my aunt began to convulse. She was fighting against the spirit—and from the looks of it, she was losing.
“Micah, I need you!” I cried out. I was desperately trying to channel every ounce of energy I possessed, mentally sorting through all the magical lessons I’d received in the hope I could remember something—anything—that might help. I felt so unbelievably helpless, and for the first time ever, regretted my stubbornness in fighting against learning more.
Aunt Millicent had been right.
She said I would regret not exploring my powers. She’d warned me that the day would come when I’d be facing a challenge and lose.
I was in that situation now, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do.
Except break the connection.
If I ended the spell and stopped the flow of power, the spirit couldn’t stay inside her. He’d be cut off and too weakened to hold his position.
It was time to face the consequence.
If I survived, I would make sure I honored the legacy my family had passed down and not ignore it any more.
I took in a deep breath.
I looked to Micah.
“Go get Saundra Beaumont,” I repeated again. Without another word, he left the room, and I whispered after him, “I love you. Forever.”
Then I let go.
As I felt the electricity that had been part of the spell dissipate, I watched t
he residual energy from the mark be pulled out from my aunt, forming a grotesque mouth that opened wide in a ghoulish cry.
“They will come, and you will die. Praise be to the one I serve.”
Then in an explosion of black, the marking disappeared.
Aunt Millicent crumpled to the side.
A price had been paid—a sacrifice made.
She was dead.
Chapter 14
My aunt’s funeral was beautiful.
She would’ve been tickled pink by those who attended to pay her and our family respect. After the services, everyone had come to Shelf Indulgence for some light refreshments.
I walked around in a daze, numb with grief and denial.
She’d sacrificed herself for me. It had never been her intention to have me remove the threat. I could see that now. She’d opened herself up and taken on the mark herself. She’d wanted to spare me any further pain.
The mysterious attacker had killed her just for spite. I’d scoured the magical books I’d inherited to see what had happened, and the same answer kept coming back to me. The blood exchange shouldn’t have resulted in her death. The spell was messy, but solid. It would’ve provided one hell of a kick, but never to this extent.
No, the more I looked at it from different perspectives, the more I knew the truth.
Aunt Millicent didn’t deserve to die.
My head demanded justice.
My heart demanded vengeance.
I saw the side glances from those my aunt admired. They were members of the coven she had dedicated her life to. Even Roman Bishop had come to pay his respects.
“I’m sorry about your aunt, Sedona. She was a great woman.” His words were all polished and sophisticated. I had a feeling this was the façade he presented to the world and was nothing like who he truly was. I’d heard whisperings. In a town like Havenwood Falls, people talked, and he was definitely a favorite topic to gossip about.
Roman Bishop was a man you never wanted to cross or get on the bad side of, and I was pretty sure he didn’t care who Millicent Mathews was at all. This was all merely a formality—what you said at a funeral when you didn’t have anything real to say.
“Thank you, sir,” I answered respectfully.
He nodded brusquely and then walked away.
“People are starting to leave.” Micah placed his hand at my elbow, letting me know that he was there. “Then I’ll get you home.”
Home was now Micah’s house. I hadn’t felt safe enough to return to the apartment, and I didn’t have the heart to be upstairs. It was too soon. My feelings too raw. He and Holly had made sure to pack a few of my belongings and see that Lavender was brought over from my apartment.
Right now, all I wanted to do was curl up with my cat and sleep. Anything to avoid reality.
“I don’t want to be here anymore,” I whispered, after looking around at those who still remained. I didn’t have the heart to listen to any more apologies over my loss of another family member, or how much the person would miss my aunt.
They were empty words that wouldn’t bring her back.
“Breathe, sweetheart.”
I leaned into him. “What would I do without you?” It was hard not to feel lost. I was an orphan now—my family gone. The weight of that almost suffocated me. “I can’t stay. I need to go.”
Tears were already falling as I fled Shelf Indulgence.
If only I had the courage to keep going.
It was late when I arrived at the house. Lights were shining through one of the windows, showing at least someone was up.
My phone had blown up with texts and missed calls from Micah. I finally replied that I was okay, that I’d just needed to clear my head a bit.
The front door clicked closed behind me, and when I turned around to catch my breath, I was surprised to find not just Micah, but Holly and Maxwell sitting in the living room—all looking at me.
“Umm, hi?” I said with a small wave of my hand. It reminded me of an intervention I’d seen in a TV show. The way they studied my every move left me feeling nervous. Reading the atmosphere in the room, I could feel the love and concern they shared.
“Come in and talk with us,” Maxwell replied, the aged ghost floating behind the couch Holly was sitting on. The poor girl looked tired, and a pang of guilt went through me for not coming home sooner.
“I kinda lost track of time,” I continued, wanting to shake whatever this feeling was. Since seeing my aunt die before me, I’d been terrified to use any of my gifts. I hadn’t been good enough—strong enough—to keep us all safe. “So I’m sorry.”
“We understand, sweetheart.” Micah stood up and came to where I was standing. Wrapping me up in his arms, he held me tight against him. The spell was truly gone, and I was back to feeling like regular old me. “But we do need to discuss what happened.”
Tears filled my eyes again. Why would he want to rehash something that obviously hurt my heart?
“Please, it’s too soon.” I just couldn’t find the words to form the sentences needed. It was all too much.
He rubbed the sides of my arms. I felt little comfort. “I know, but it’s important. The magicked marking gave us a warning.”
And there it was. The real reason behind this discussion. It wasn’t so much about how I was reacting to the death, but more for the bomb he was about to level me with.
“Please don’t say it,” I cried. I was barely hanging on to my composure. If he uttered the words I knew were coming, it would completely break me.
His brows furrowed briefly. “I think we need to come up with a plan. Something is coming. Whether it’s this Collector Austin was working for, or something else, we need to come up with a plan for when it arrives.”
I hiccupped from the force of the sob that ripped from me. “You mean you’re not leaving Havenwood Falls?”
I frantically looked over to Holly and Maxwell for confirmation. Sadness was the only thing I could sense radiating from them.
“Do you think we should?” The sincerity in his eyes spoke volumes. That wasn’t what caught my attention, however.
“We?” I felt like I was stuck in a movie toward the end without a clue of what had happened beforehand. He’d said we—not just him and Holly.
“Do you really think I’d just leave you here?” Micah’s eyes grew round. “Didn’t you hear me say that I love you?”
I had heard it, but with everything in chaos, the sentiment had been shoved to the side. Wiping away my tears, I needed to tell him how I felt. “I love you, too. I also know how important it is to keep Holly safe, so I understand if you need to leave.”
“We’d better not be leaving Havenwood Falls,” came the indignant complaint from Micah’s younger charge. Holly stood up and came toward me. “I finally feel like I can have a home here. I can go to school and live like a normal teenager.” She folded her arms across her chest and defiantly glared at Micah. “So you can go, but I’m staying here with Sedona and Maxwell.”
He didn’t say a word for what seemed like a lifetime. “Do you feel the same way?” He’d directed his question to my ghostly friend.
I could tell Maxwell was chuffed about being included. “I haven’t always approved of the men in Sedona’s life, but you . . . you make her happy. Plus, I’ve developed a soft spot for a pretty young brunette with a voracious appetite for reading.”
Holly blushed at the compliment. “I’d say you’re outvoted, Uncle Micah.” We all knew they weren’t related, but she hadn’t given up the family endearment. “Three against one.”
“Count again.”
Even I had to look at him quizzically.
He grinned. “I mean it. It’s not three against one. I want the same thing. I thought I’d have to convince Sedona here.”
All eyes turned to me. I was so freaking happy right now, but there was still the bigger picture to consider. “But will you be safe if you stay?”
“Would we be safer if we left?” he countered, muc
h to my annoyance.
“I’m being serious here. I love you so much, Micah, and can’t imagine my life without you. But I won’t claim happiness for myself at someone else’s expense.” I turned to Holly. “All I want is for you to have a chance to be normal. Magic is a weighty responsibility.”
Holly came and hugged me. “And who better to help me learn my own powers than a badass empath who loves me?”
“This means you’ll need to let go of your aversion to exploring your gifts,” Maxwell chimed in, his eyebrow cocked as if to challenge me to disagree.
He was right. Things would definitely be different now. I’d already made the decision to follow my aunt’s counsel and not hide away.
“So you’ll stay in Havenwood Falls,” I stated.
“And you’ll live here with us,” added Holly. Micah grinned in response.
“I’ll continue helping out when I can,” Maxwell contributed.
Holly wore a huge smile. “And I’ll work at Shelf Indulgence after finishing school for the day. I can’t wait to attend Havenwood Falls High.”
That made Micah pause. “We still need to discuss that.”
As they bantered back and forth, a new sensation settled over me. It wasn’t replacing the grief I felt over what was lost or the apprehension I still had for the future. Threats still seemed to lurk around every corner, hiding in shadows.
It was contentment.
It was knowing that even when it felt like it, I wasn’t truly alone. My friends had become family as well, and they surrounded me with their love and support. I still had the Beaumonts, and more than ever, I felt the need to reach out and be better at communicating with them.
Micah was at the center of that.
My angel.
I’d learned a lot over the past few months.
I’d faced many challenges.
But one thing was for sure—falling in love could be deadly for an empath.
But—as my mother realized before me—it was worth the risk.
We hope you enjoyed this story in the Havenwood Falls series featuring a variety of supernatural creatures. The series is a collaborative effort by multiple authors.
Addicted to You Page 11
