by D L Blade
My stomach dropped to my knees. Someone did throw her over, but I couldn’t tell her what I knew.
“They aren’t going to investigate, either,” Shannon continued. “They say it’s a clear case of drinking, slipping, and falling. Mrs. Thompson wouldn’t let the investigators do a blood test for alcohol. They are just assuming. It’s bullshit. We saw her right before we got to the beach. She wasn’t drinking and she doesn’t do drugs.”
Riley opened his mouth to say something, but I stopped him with a discreet head shake. His mouth closed and he creased his brow. He knew my secrets, so he would need to know this one.
I knew I was going to regret this. “Maybe we don’t know her as well as we thought.” Shannon stared at me like I had just killed her dog. Riley shook his head at me and turned his head away.
I hated what I had just said, but she needed to leave this alone. I couldn’t risk her digging into her accident. If she did, whoever had hurt Cami could go after her.
“What are you trying to say?” Shannon asked me.
I could barely look at her. My eyes shifted over to Riley, who looked at her briefly and then back to me.
“Shannon, people hide secrets all the time,” he added and my heart shattered. I didn’t just tell Riley my secrets last night. He was now involved in this life. Shannon walked up to me, tears in her eyes, and let out a hard sob.
“She wasn’t on drugs. She wouldn’t do that.” She glared at both Riley and me for an uncomfortable ten seconds or so. “I’m out of here,” she said, choking back her tears.
My heart sank, and I couldn’t hold back my own tears any longer. She walked to the door, and forcefully slammed it behind her.
“Was it another witch?” Riley asked.
“We don’t know for sure,” I said, wiping my eyes. “But whoever it is, they are coming after me and I have to stop them.”
There was another knock. I scurried to the front door and looked through the peep hole. Caleb was standing there, running his hands through his hair, looking frustrated.
I cracked the door open and glared at him dramatically. “Caleb, there’s a reason I am not responding to your text.”
“Let me in, Mercy.” He slammed his hand on the door and I jumped back.
He wasn’t going to let this go.
“Fine.” I didn’t want a heated argument today. I was way too tired for this. “But you can say whatever it is in front of Riley. He knows everything.” I opened the door the rest of the way and Riley was standing there looking uncomfortable.
“I’ll explain tonight, but not here. Not in front of him.” He glanced over at Riley. “You really shouldn’t have told him. He’ll never accept this part of you. Besides, it’s dangerous to involve people who don’t have the powers we have.”
I looked over my shoulder and Riley had taken a seat on the couch, no longer looking our way.
“Okay, when?”
“Tonight. We’ll have dinner at my aunt’s house in Newport. That’s where I’ve been staying.”
I realized I had never asked him where he lived. I was curious now.
“Your aunt? I didn’t know you had family out here,” I said, surprised.
“You’ll like her.” He smiled, cutting through the tension in the room. “I’ll pick you up at six.”
So, his aunt was either a great aunt times ten, or she had done an immortal spell as well.
I’ll find out tonight. I’d better find out everything tonight.
I glanced at the clock. Caleb would be here any minute. I was wearing denim jeans and a red t-shirt with my hair in a ponytail. I wasn’t going to dress up for Caleb tonight. This was certainly not a date. The doorbell rang just as the minute hand struck twelve. Right on time.
I opened the door to see Caleb dressed in a black button-up shirt and gray slacks. His hair fell slightly over his eyes from the heavy wind outside. His messy hair only complemented his breathtaking eyes and gorgeous features.
Focus, Mercy. This isn’t a date.
A slight satisfaction hit me, knowing my casual attire would bother him.
“This isn’t a date,” I said.
“We can make it a date. I dressed up in my best and everything.” He flashed me his sexy smile and I rolled my eyes. He was hot, but oh so arrogant.
“Mercy, who is it?” Lily shouted from the family room.
“It’s Riley. We’re heading to a movie. I’ll call you when I’m on my way back,” I shouted back.
He smiled. “Good. She would never let you go with me.”
I hated lying to Lily, but it was true. She wouldn’t let me go anywhere with him, that was for sure.
He held out his hand. “Shall we?” I took his hand in mine and he escorted me out of the house to his car.
We drove across the bridge to Newport and past the mansions into a gated community. We hit a fork in the road and turned left through a beautiful garden trail that led up to a castle, which looked like something out of a fairytale. We took a right into a long driveway that was surrounded by tall trees hovering over the pathway. He parked and rushed over to my side to open the door for me.
“Thanks.” I grabbed his hand and stepped out. “What is this place? Is this her house?” I asked.
“This is the Sherwood Remington Castle. My aunt Abigail lives here with her housekeeper, Desiree.”
“Is she a great aunt? Or is she immortal too?”
He smiled. “She’s immortal.”
“So, I knew her?” I was now even more curious.
“Very well.” He smiled and gestured toward the massive house. “Shall we?”
I wasn’t sure why, but this excited me. I guess meeting those from my past was like me getting to know my original self and a life I was still trying to remember and understand.
I grasped his hand tightly as we entered the castle. I had never seen so many beautiful things all in one setting. Candles were lit on every corner of the house. Beautiful Celtic music was playing in the background and the windows were open to bring in a nice, cool breeze. The window curtains danced in the wind and the gaudy chandelier above the dining room table was dimly lit.
The walls were made of beautiful gold and red silk fabric that looked aged, but still in excellent condition. Beautiful, ornate designs were carved into the wooden posts in the corners of every room. Old furniture from different decades lined the walls. Sculptures, antique china, and rustic books covered the bookshelves that surrounded the foyer. A long, highly-polished oak table sat in the center of the front room with two place settings and wine glasses already set up for us.
Caleb pulled out a chair and gestured for me to sit. He took his seat right as double doors opened from across the room.
A woman dressed in a purple blouse and a black, long skirt entered the room. She looked as if she were in her mid-thirties and she was incredibly beautiful. She had bright blue eyes, flawless pale skin, and wavy blonde hair that fell right above her shoulders.
“Mercy. You look just like … yourself!” Her eyes widened as she scanned me head to toe. “My goodness. Aside from your hair color, you haven’t changed one bit.” The way she stared at me made me slightly uncomfortable, so I looked up at Caleb, who only smiled.
“I know you don’t have your memories, but we were very close when you were a child. Caleb hasn’t stopped talking about how excited he is to have you back.”
Caleb gave a shy smile, then chuckled under his breath. Abigail leaned in and gave me a warm, welcoming hug. Caleb moved in slightly as if to stop us and he looked nervous when Abigail touched me. I wondered what was wrong. She looked far from dangerous.
She must be a powerful witch.
“Are you okay, Caleb?” I asked.
“Yes, fine,” he assured me with a warm smile before I relaxed.
“It’s great to have you in my home, Mercy. You are welcome here any time.”
“Thanks.” I smiled at her and looked around the dining room again. “Is it just you and your housekeeper here?�
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“Desiree,” she asserted. We used to work for the man who built this place, Sherwood. He died a few years ago and left me this house as part of an inheritance.”
“Wow. That was generous. Well, I appreciate you letting us come here tonight. Whatever is cooking in that kitchen smells lovely.”
Lovely? I shuddered at how ridiculous I sounded. I never used words like “lovely”.
I noticed that nothing about Abigail looked out of place. She moved around the table to greet Caleb. Her movements were smooth, like she was gliding on ice. I had never met anyone who was so perfectly elegant.
“Your house is so lovely.”
I’d said it again. What was wrong with me?
I was starting to feel uncomfortable, so I gave Caleb a pleading look. I straightened up in the chair when Caleb finally spoke with a snicker in his voice.
“What’s for dinner tonight, Abigail?” Caleb asked.
I took a deep breath and finally started to relax into the chair.
“Well whatever it is, it smells totally awesome.” I said. This time, I made sure I sounded like a teenage delinquent.
Caleb, obviously aware of what I was doing, laughed under his breath.
“Desiree is preparing you two chicken parmesan pasta with a special ingredient of mine. And Caleb knows, I will never tell.” Abigail smiled as she grabbed the wine bottle off the table and poured me a glass. “Desiree and I have already eaten, so once dinner has been served, I’ll leave you to your date.”
“It’s not a date.” I corrected her. I looked up at Caleb who rolled his eyes at me, and Abigail simply smiled, topping off my glass. “Oh, I know I look older than I am, but I’m only seventeen.” I had always wanted to try some of Lily’s wine but was too afraid to ask. Taking a glass from Caleb’s aunt felt weird.
“It’s just for tonight. One glass won’t kill you.” She smiled and walked to Caleb’s side of the table with the bottle.
Again, I didn’t want to be rude, so I took a sip and shuddered as it went down. It tasted sweet but had a weird kick and aftertaste. This would take some getting used to.
“Abigail grows the grapes on her property and her staff makes it themselves.”
“Well, it’s delicious,” I lied. “Thank you.”
Abigail smiled at me. Then she just stared, causing my heartbeat to pick up.
“Do you remember anything, Mercy, about your life before this?” she asked as she filled up Caleb’s glass with the remaining wine in the bottle.
“Only a few memories have come back in visions.” I glared at Caleb sternly. He looked uncomfortable. Good. “Caleb is going to help me make sense of it. That’s why I’m here tonight.”
She smiled again and then turned toward the kitchen as Desiree entered through the entryway.
“Dinner is served. Tonight, we have chicken parmesan with pasta, garden salad, and whole wheat rolls, fresh out of the oven,” Desiree said. “Mercy, yours is made with soy protein and topped with our garden’s fresh basil.”
Abigail’s housekeeper was a young girl, maybe fifteen. She was short, with black, pixie-cut hair, a thin frame, pale complexion, and dark green eyes. She wore a white and blue striped sundress, with an off-white lacy apron.
“Hey, Caleb.” She then turned to me. “Wow, you sure are beautiful. I’m Desiree.”
“Nice to meet you, Desiree. I’m Mercy. Are you also family?”
“Not by blood, but we’re pretty much like brother and sister.” She playfully punched Caleb in the arm. He grinned and shook his head.
“I’m your waitress for the night. Caleb mentioned you liked pasta and don’t eat meat.” I looked over at Caleb, who smirked at me.
He was very observant. He had to have been following me for a while before he made his first approach near the park.
“Did I eat meat in my past life?” I asked Caleb.
“You did. You have picked up on new likes and dislikes and have formed quite a different personality, but you’re still you.”
Desiree smiled and took both our cloth napkins and placed them on our laps.
Caleb and I didn’t say much during dinner. I was too nervous about spilling my food on my elegant napkin. It looked more like something you would hang on a wall than something anyone would use to wipe food from their face.
Abigail had excused herself along with Desiree while he and I ate.
After dinner, Desiree cleared the table and Caleb grabbed my hand and lifted me up from the chair. “Dance with me?”
Caleb, acting like a gentleman, escorted me across the dining area and to the room behind us. As we entered through the double doors, I heard beautiful violin music playing over the speakers surrounding the room.
“You used to be a fantastic dancer.” He took a bow while gesturing toward me.
“Yeah, but in this life, I have zero rhythm,” I joked.
“You used to dance with me all the time.” He tenderly grabbed my hand and pulled me in closer to him and I tensed. As charming as he was right now, I knew what he was doing and I didn’t have time for it.
“I need answers, Caleb. You’re stalling.”
“I’m going to tell you everything, Mercy, but I miss this. One dance.” He closed the space between us, nuzzling his cheek next to mine. “Just one dance.”
He wanted us to be like we used to be. This wasn’t about dancing. This was about what we used to have over three hundred years ago.
He smiled and grabbed my arms, intertwining his left hand with my right and his right hand fell down and relaxed on my waist. His touch sent chills down my spine.
He kept a good distance between us as he positioned himself for the waltz.
“I know what you’re doing, Caleb.”
“Do you?”
I was done waiting. I released our stance, pulled him by the collar toward my body forcefully, and placed my lips on his. Sure, I was doing the very thing I blasted him across the driveway for doing, but this wasn’t about games or desire. This was about finding answers.
The kiss made my entire body melt and ache for his touch. The moment was short lived, as my mind then drew me into another vision, just as I suspected it would.
Caleb and I were standing over a woman who was lying on the floor. She was begging us to let her go. He grabbed a handful of her hair and dragged her as she was kicking and screaming for him to release her.
What was he doing?
“Caleb, let go of her. Let me talk to her!” I screamed at him in the vision.
He threw her onto a pile of bodies, lifted his hands, and flames appeared. He leaned down and touched their bodies, causing the flames to erupt around them. The screams were unlike anything I had ever heard.
I saw myself close my eyes and begin sobbing. It was clear I hadn’t wanted any of that to happen.
I ended the kiss abruptly and backed up, causing the memory to disappear.
“Shit,” he cursed. He must have seen the fear on my face. It was clear I had seen something bad. Something he didn’t want me to know about.
“Don’t move.” I held up my hands.
Just then, Abigail walked into the ballroom.
“Mercy, you should go now. Caleb don’t try and stop her.”
Caleb didn’t say another word but he breathed heavily, watching me back away from him.
I said nothing, either, as I turned and ran out of the ballroom, grabbed my purse hanging from my dining chair, and exited the castle. I opened my Driver app to request a ride home and stood at the end of the driveway waiting for them, shaking from the cold and more intensely, from my nerves. Tears flooded my face as I had trouble breathing.
I’m such a fool to have trusted him.
Were Abigail and Desiree safe? I turned around and contemplated heading back in the house, but she must have known what I was thinking. She was so quick to enter the room as if she knew I had discovered Caleb’s darkest secret and she was trying to protect me from a murderer. I thought at first, maybe it was me that was
the killer, but I was begging him to stop; I didn’t want the woman in the vision to die. He was trying to control me now, just like he had done back then. I was just a little soldier.
What didn’t make sense was that he had told me I was the coven leader. But if I were, then he would have listened to me when I told him to stop, but he didn’t. What did that woman do to deserve being burned alive? There were so many bodies burning from his own hands.
My driver arrived, and we headed toward my home. I cried the entire way and ignored my ringtone. It was slightly after ten before I got home and quietly snuck back into my room.
Aside from that horrible vision I had tonight, I was still nowhere near having the answers I needed. Tonight had not gone as I had planned.
I need to think of another way to get my memories back.
As I laid in bed last night, I thought a lot about what to do next. I didn’t trust Caleb enough to know if he was being completely truthful, and even as good looking as he was, I really didn’t want to kiss him every time I needed to see a glimpse of my past. I did some research online on the topic of paganism and witchcraft, and a witch shop in Providence popped up on the top search. It’s not exactly what I thought I’d be doing, but I didn’t know what else to do.
I looked up at Patricia’s Witch Shop, just north of Providence.
What am I doing?
“Good morning, darling. Welcome,” an older woman said as I entered. She was wearing a long blue dress, and her gray hair was wrapped in a yellow silk scarf. “Don’t be shy. Come on in.”
Seriously, what am I doing?
She stalked around me and picked up a globe sitting on a shelf next to the entrance. She smiled and walked to the back, disappearing behind a curtain. Several books lined a shelf along the side wall. I worked my way to the back and scanned over them. Most of the books were novels about witches and the supernatural, but a few were non-fiction books about the history of witchcraft.
“Is there something in particular you’re looking for?” she asked from behind me, startling me.
“Honestly, I don’t know.” I giggled softly to myself, turning my attention back to the books. “I don’t even know if you have what I need.”
