by Ruby Raine
"My brother, Michael. My mate, Lizzy. My sister and some others are not here at the moment, but it's nice to meet you, Annie. Would you like to come inside?"
"We just happen to have a supply of your favorite beverage," Lizzy joked darkly. It did little to ease the tension though.
"Warmed animal blood?" guessed Annie. "My favorite."
They kept glancing back at William.
Was it possible for a vampire to have a nervous breakdown? Or just check the fuck out? And what exactly had happened that she wasn't clued into yet?
But the answer swung back into view a second later.
Courtney returned wearing a look of determination, mixed with, let's just get this over with... she'd had a rough night, but she needed to get this out in the open and get it done.
"Figured it out yet?" she asked William.
"How?" it was the only word that processed out of the dead zone.
"We were fighting. I bit you. You killed me. I came back. Pretty much how all vampires are made."
Annie's mouth fell open. She swung to her sire, a vampire already on the verge of breaking completely. Of all the things to happen right now? Why did it have to be this?
"You didn't mean to do it," Courtney told William. "And I didn't know I was fighting for someone who didn't deserve my help. I fucked up. You fucked up. But we're stuck with each other now." She approached him thoughtfully.
Accidental turning all over again. Annie thought this was the worst possible nightmare ever.
Courtney made it to William.
"Don't check out on me, vampire. Because—I need you to help me. It might not have been the plan I had for my life, but this is what I am now. And you owe me your help."
"I—" William's voice faltered.
Was he still stuck in the nightmare?
Had he not actually awakened?
Was he still lying in the basement of his home in Sorcier?
This tragedy was hitting him and bouncing right off and not sinking in. This was the last possible thing he'd feared facing when he arrived home. He'd been so wrapped up with Melinda, and detoxing, and his future...
He forced his emerald gaze to meet Courtney's. The torment of the reality slowly sinking in.
"I'm sorry," he muttered so low it wasn't heard by any human ear. He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry this happened," he spoke with as much strength as he could muster. But he let his head hang in shame. "Sorry, is such a useless word."
"Then fuck being sorry. We both messed up. I jumped into a situation I didn't understand, and you were under the influence of bloodlust and torture." A simplified but true enough explanation of it. She leaned closer. "But this is how it is now. So, help me live with it. I was so angry at you after it happened. But... I also believe in fate. In some form or another. And if this happened, I've come to the conclusion it was for a reason." Hopefully, to get revenge on her murdered coven, to start.
William's gaze wandered and found Annie's.
Two young women stolen of their humanity, by him.
And as difficult as it was to accept, something had changed inside of him. As the initial shock and horror began to wear off, and he truly saw into Courtney's eyes, her true soul, he believed her words. And while regret would surely follow him, he straightened himself, and accepted his responsibility in what he'd done.
"I will not abandon you."
Courtney nodded, and having said her piece, vanished again.
And for reasons perhaps only fate understood, Annie found herself with hope on the horizon. As terrible as this turn of events was, it might be the one thing to shake him out of this silly notion of ending his life. Because he had a new life to take care of. And he was a man of his word, he'd not abandon Courtney.
William wondered now more than ever, how Melinda was capable of still loving him. She'd known about what he'd done to Courtney before she'd been dragged into his nightmarish trip down memory lane. And it hadn't scared her away. It hadn't changed her view of him.
And somehow, because of this knowledge, it changed everything—for him. Broke through an invisible ceiling he'd never even come close to reaching before.
When someone saw you at your lowest, at your scariest, at your most vulnerable, and at your darkest... and still loved you, it left a mark that couldn’t be washed off. Like a protective shell that encased his dead heart. Claiming, no matter what happened, ever in this life, this one thing would never change.
True unconditional love.
And for reasons even his logical vampire mind could not express, it made this new tragedy survivable. It didn't lessen the pain of it. Or lessen the importance of it. But for the first time in more years than he could recall, it didn't feel like a weight that would bury him.
Charlie came over and patted William on the shoulder.
"I'd like to say, welcome home, but..."
William lifted an eyebrow in reply, and let it drop. "I have few words to offer in reply to that."
Charlie nodded. "I realize what happened has knocked the wind out of you, but... I'm glad you're back. We missed you. And there's some crazy ass shit about to go down." But wasn't there always?
William replied with a fleeting smile.
Lizzy strode over and gave the vampire a quick hug. "What my mate's trying to say is that life on the Isle hasn't changed much in your absence. But we are very glad that you're home." Her meaning, this was still his home.
"Mate?" he eyed the two of them, only now realizing the closeness he'd missed before.
"We have a lot to catch you up on," said Charlie with a blush covering his cheeks. "And we're about to having a meeting if you'd like to sit in. I haven't even had the chance to completely explain what Mathew and I saw at the Power Source. But, you know, if you need some time..."
Seeing as William had no idea who Mathew was, and had a terrible feeling about crazy ass things happening... well, what was new? And how would time change anything?
Welcome home indeed...
MELINDA WIPED HER EYES and blew out her nerves, wishing they'd fly away with the wind. She didn't want to show up to Mathew and Lucas with swollen eyes and sniffles. She ordered herself to keep it under control and made her way back to the Power Source where she stopped for a moment, shocked to see Lucas and Mathew sitting side by side, laughing about something, but clearly something between them had mended.
It had been a rough go of things. But it did seem like the universe was giving them all the tiniest of breaks. The ability to mend things. To grow and have the daring to fight for the lives they wanted. It was a small win, but there was a general sense that at least not all things were lost.
But seeing the two of them giving each other genuine smiles brightened her mood.
She stepped down over the bank with a wave and smile as they looked her way. They climbed to their feet to greet her.
"Hi guys." She chose not to mention what she saw, and just let them enjoy whatever moment of peace they'd found. She smiled at Lucas. "Your brother is home."
"What! Are you serious?"
"Yeah. I, um, saw him just a bit ago." When she couldn't quite meet Lucas' gaze he guessed it hadn't gone well. "He's at the manor if you want to see him." She hadn’t even warned Riley he had company staying there—Emily and her Aunt Lucy.
"You all right?" Lucas asked her.
She caught his eye and shrugged. Speaking the words, we broke up, just wasn't going to happen without another slew of tears. He nodded, not pressing her. But it was hard to hold back the relieved smile that his brother had come home.
He eyed Mathew.
"Go already. Geez. You don't need to stay."
"I'll keep Mathew company," offered Melinda. She needed time alone to speak to him anyway.
But before Lucas left, though, he wrapped an arm around Mathew and pulled him in for a kiss. Lucas had a lost puppy dog look on his face. But Mathew pushed a bit of hair back away from his face and smiled.
"I will have to leave for a short time to speak
to my elders. But I'll be back. Promise."
Lucas nodded. That was the best he could hope for today. And at least now he understood why Mathew would leave, which made it a hell of a lot easier. He gave Melinda a quick nod goodbye and tore off with a smile on his face to go find Riley.
It was a nice change to the constant broody frown, thought Melinda with a sigh.
Mathew let out one of his own and she had to hold back a laugh as he dreamily watched the man walk away. He realized he was caught and a rush of color hit his cheeks. But as he took a good look at Melinda, his blush morphed into curious.
"You've been on quite the journey, haven't you?"
"How much do you know? And how do you know?"
Mathew chuckled. "I know very little. And it's just that your aura has changed. Your energy. You have this sudden fiery determination about you. But also, some sadness."
"Considering I just broke up with a man I might regret breaking up with, that does not surprise me." She took a long, cleansing breath, because crying wasn't going to change anything. "You're right on both counts, Mathew," she pushed out. "These last weeks have been quite eye-opening for me. But last night, like, crazy so. I'd say with all things considered, I'm doing pretty darn good, because I have never been so certain about what I want."
"Sounds like last night was pretty darn powerful. A lot of healing and growing going on." And that couldn't have made Mathew any happier. "But I am sorry things didn't work out between you and Riley. It's always bittersweet."
"The bittersweetest," she agreed. "I have to tell you, Mathew, I originally wasn't coming out here to tell Lucas his brother was home. That just sort of happened. I actually needed to talk to you."
"I'm all ears. Shoot."
She straightened herself and gathered up that fiery determination.
"Have you, in all your lifetimes, ever heard of any such thing as a cure for vampirism?" Nothing like just shoving her crazy notion right out there.
Mathew thought about that for a moment and shook his head.
"I'm afraid I have not. Why do you ask?"
"Because I want to find a cure. I want to find a way for a vampire to get back their humanity."
"That's a pretty impressive task."
"And a possibly foolish one. But I have to try."
"Let me think on it. Dig around." His mind was already delving into his potions, sifting together ingredients. It would be a massive undertaking, and an equally massive achievement to create such a cure. "Give me some time," he told Melinda.
And she smiled, relieved.
"Thank you."
"You thought I was going to say it was an insane idea?" he assumed.
"It had crossed my mind."
"One of the perks of my job, I never have to turn down an opportunity. Especially one that has the potential to change lives. I can't give any hope at all that we'll succeed. But I can guarantee you I will give it my best effort."
"And that is all I can ask. I hold little hope of success. But I need to try."
"Then try we will."
Melinda felt lighter in her own skin than she had in recent memory. Mathew hadn't laughed in her face and turned her away. Which gave her hope that they might prove the impossible, possible. It was truly an odd thing, to have chaos surrounding you, but also feel a new breath of hope lifting you upwards.
EMILY SAT IN SILENCE until her Aunt Lucy returned with some hot tea and a sweater to stave off the early morning chill. They'd run into Riley right after Melinda had left, and he'd been shocked to see them in his home, but friendly and welcoming regardless. Then Lucas had come home not long after and the two of them had disappeared to catch up.
"Good thing I grabbed all your things... well, your mom grabbed all your things." Seeing as Lucy had been knocked out by the mojitos, and Lily had possessed her and driven her to the Isle.
"I guess that was smart of her," agreed Emily. "Must've been quite the shocker to wake up in the car though."
Lucy took a seat nearby. "Shit, yeah. I spent about ten minutes just trying to get my wits about me. And then you—that Bree gal—explained. Disappeared right after. But yeah. Jarring. It was lovely of Lizzy to offer up this place, though."
"She's kind like that. All the Deane's are really. And Lucas has done an incredible job fixing up this place. I'm sure you'll get to know the Deane's a little if we stick around."
"You're not sure if you want to?" Lucy prodded.
Emily set down her tea and got up and paced restlessly.
"I'm not sure what I want. But, it's a bit insane, isn't it? I mean, I got possessed, and the one place on this entire vast planet the woman needed to go was The Demon Isle."
"It is something to ponder."
"I still have so much to learn, Aunt Lucy. And I wasn't in the head space to come back here yet. But here I am."
"I can stay on for a while, if you'd like. We can train here too. My house will be waiting for me when I get home."
"You'd do that?"
"Of course. I'd love to get to know your friends. And Michael... when you're ready."
Emily nodded. It was so hard not to run to him, especially knowing he was so close and probably hurting by the fact she'd made no effort to see him. And it wasn't that she didn't want to, it was just the inevitable questions about them and their future she wasn't ready to deal with yet. But for some reason that made no sense, her gift had brought her back here. And even with the uncertainty, her gut was telling her to stay.
She breathed out and let the acceptance reach her tongue.
"Welcome to The Demon Isle, Aunt Lucy."
WICKED GOOD WITCHES BOOK 12
Guardians of The Demon Slayer
Supernatural Protectors: A Legacy of Magic
AN INTENSE WEIGHT BLANKETED The Demon Isle in an unforgiving gloom. Like a storm building and threatening to let loose a torrential force that might forever change the landscape. Or perhaps it was just the area surrounding White Pines and the Power Source, and the people currently guarding it.
Nerves were prickly and on high alert as the Source continued to be in some apparent form of labor—to what end, none of them had any damn clue. Not even Mathew after returning from conferring with his Elder Guardians.
Stress etched across his features over the fact that the Guardians were worried too. And this fact only ratcheted up everyone's nerves even more, because if Guardians and aged vampires, like William, had no idea what phenomena was happening, this situation did not bode well for any of them. They were walking in virgin territory and that was a frightening thing.
And to confound them even more, Charlie had seen a human hand inside the cocoon-like shell, and they'd seen it a few more times since then, too. But nothing else, just a hand, or sometimes two hands, pressed upwards.
They guessed just one person, not more. But other than a person, they had no clue what was inside the magical cocoon. A normal human? A magical person? Male? Female? Good? Evil? What was their purpose? And why now?
Riley Deane hadn't more than gotten settled in after returning to the Isle from Sorcier, and spent a few hours getting caught up with his brother, Lucas, before his magical gift—feeling—had gotten downright demanding of his presence at the Source that very same day.
He was inside with it now, pacing, sensing this unseen inner clock counting down. But like everyone else, he had no idea to what end, either. Only that he had to be here.
He hoped that like in Sorcier, his gift was going to kick in and show him what his purpose was when the time came. Because him needing to be here made no sense. There were many others far more gifted than him. And far more involved with the Power Source. Hell, it was Howard territory really. Always had been. Protecting this thing had been their duty. And shit, his own ancestors had tried to take control of it and started a war.
So why him? Why a Deane?
The irony wasn't lost on any of them, however, none of them were going to argue with magical gifts, and Riley's needed him here. So he was. And
the Howards accepted it without question. It was a testament of just how far they'd come really.
But to top off the crazy pile, tonight was the full moon. Which meant Lizzy Deane's first shift and becoming a werewolf—and to say Charlie was a nervous wreck only gave new meaning to the words.
Even the typically cool-minded Lizzy was showing signs of strain. Her own nerves starting to get the best of her, which only got Charlie worked up even more. And there wasn't any hiding it from each other as their new mating bond was getting stronger with each passing day. Partial mating bond, in reality. As Lizzy hadn't yet bitten and claimed Charlie, which she could not do until after she'd shifted at least once and accepted the wolf as part of who she was.
But what it all came down to on this particular evening, was that Charlie was piling his own freaking out on top of Lizzy's, and if he ground his jaw any harder he was going to crack his damn teeth or break his jaw.
The timing of her first shift was tough, but not impossible to deal with—more like, couldn't be impossible because Lizzy's shift was going to happen whether they wanted it to, or not. But it meant Lizzy and Charlie locked up in the safety of the basement cell in the Howard Mansion, and not helping keep watch at the Source.
Not being with his family to protect the Source went against everything in Charlie's very being. It was his duty, his heritage—his damn job—to protect the Source and The Demon Isle.
But Lizzy was his mate, the love of his life, and the future mother of his children—and therefore, the future of the witch bloodline and future protectors. And he needed to protect and guide her through her first shift, and make sure she didn't hurt anyone during her first time.
And then there was the last part of the mating—where she had to bite him to complete their mating bond. This part, he was looking forward to immensely. And so was Lizzy by the frisky growl she pushed into his mind every time his thoughts wandered to the idea. If she had her way, they'd get a head start on that and practice now.
But too fast reality would slide on home and remind them they were not just two wolves about to go through the final stages of mating, but also had a duty as witches to fulfill as well. Mostly, that came from everyone else around them in the form of rolling eyes, clearing throats, and annoyed, go-get-a-room smirks.
