The dining room was massive like the rest of the house. We sat at one end of the table that could have seated at least twenty-five. Mrs. Morgan sat on the end while Alison and I were seated across from each other. There were so many forks and spoons and knives and even glasses I had no idea what I was doing.This was shaping up to be a disaster.But Mrs. Morgan was on the bottom of her second glass of wine by the time the appetizers arrived so she was in a much more forgiving state of mind. In fact, she actually smiled and laughed a little which helped me relax, but made Alison all the more tense for some reason.I sat there, eating course after course as Mrs. Morgan told me all about her life as first a beauty queen then a model, traveling all over Europe and the US before meeting Roger."He wasn't much to look at, I'll admit," Mrs. Morgan slurred slightly as she leaned toward me, her refreshed glass of red sloshing to the rim of her glass. "But I could tell he was going to be ric
Even powerless as I was, I could tell something huge was going on the moment I crossed the threshold and entered the kitchen. An immediate shudder traced down my back as I passed through an icy barrier, every hair on my body standing at abrupt attention. I rubbed my arms and caught my breath, stolen by the sudden pressure of so much magic.I guess I wasn't totally blocked off after all. Though the longer I stood there and struggled to get my anger back, the more the protective net in my mind tightened and the less I was affected by the weight of the collective coven.The basement. I saw candlelight shining from the crack under the door and headed right for it. I eased it open and listened. Mom was talking, her voice was so low I missed what she said. My feet made little sound on the steps, and soon I was standing behind the closed circle of family witches.The moment I touched down, I felt a thrill of something I'd felt before. And for a moment, the protective force around my magic
I refused to let it stand there. I think Dad knew it because he was waiting for me just on the other side of the door and reached for me too late. I felt his fingers slide over my arm as I stormed into the house.She wanted wild? I'd give her wild.I found Mom in the basement, naturally. She spun on me as I marched down the stairs and confronted her. "This is stupid," I said. "If you would up the search for Demetrius and the Chosen so I could get my demon back, I could just help you instead of being banished like some bad six year old.""We have been looking." The tightness around her eyes told me she was being honest, but still felt guilty. In other words she'd been looking, all right, just not with any amount of focus.I wanted to tear my hair out."It's been six weeks." I struggled to keep my temper and the bitterness from my voice. That kind of attitude only ever started a fight and I needed her on my side. "You're a powerful witch. It can't be that hard."Yeah, okay. So I
I stand before the court. I see my parents watching over the proceedings, neither willing to help me. Even my truest love, he whom I swore eternal faith, orders my death.And Cydia, raven hair flowing, glowing blue eyes the clarity of flawless crystal, stands with her finger pointed, her beautiful face flushed with fury and hate."Death!"My love, my darling Gwynn, he of the golden hair and emerald eyes, skin as smooth and perfect as any flower petal, he stares at me with that same look of hate as she who is my sister."Death!"Heart shattered into nothing, I allow it, allow him to descend on me, to use his bright, sharp blade, calling the strike of lightning through my heart to end my life.***It couldn't be a coincidence. Not the same dream twice. I shuddered under the covers, most of my quilt and top sheet on the floor in a puddle where I'd thrashed them off in my sleep. My dreaming self took her punishment, but my unconscious body clearly hadn't gone down so easily.I
I was so speechless I stood there for a minute like an idiot while Mom swept to her feet with a strained smile on her face. At first I was sure she'd told Pain everything and was grateful I wouldn't have to do it, only to realize her look and the slight shake of Mom's head meant she hadn't. In fact, was ordering me to keep my mouth shut.Fine. At least while she was in earshot."Thank you, Mrs. Hayle." Pain smiled at me a little, the tension in her face easing somewhat. "I've been getting headaches," she explained to me. "Your Mom gave me an herbal remedy. It seems to be doing the trick."Herbal my butt. More likely Mom used magic and gave her oregano out of the cupboard. But whatever worked."I'll leave you two to talk. Syd," Mom hugged me fast and hard, just long enough to whisper 'Don't' in my ear before vanishing with a swirl of her long skirt down the basement stairs.We'd just see about that."I'm sorry to just drop in like this." Pain shifted in her chair, as if uncomforta
I sighed and flipped over my English exam. Last one of the semester, thank goodness. And my least favorite. Ms. Fiat looked at me over the rim of her glasses as I stood up and walked the line of desks to her.Was that a smirk on her face when I handed in my paper? Likely. Which meant I'd not be receiving the best score from her. I was just happy to be done.When I arrived at school and again found no Pain in sight, my worry notched up another gazillion levels. Blood quickly assured me she was fine, however. Had a touch of the flu. Her exams were already over, so it wasn't like she had to be there anyway. But he did promise she said she'd be there for her party so that was something at least.The rest of us huddled, exam weary over our lunches. Simon looked particularly harried though I knew he'd have the highest marks in class of anyone."Quite the hurricane heading our way." He wiggled his nose, his glasses working their way back up the bridge only to slide down again when he stop
It wasn't long before I realized someone was crying. Not me for once, what a miracle. I followed the sound out my door and down the hall to Meira's room. We hadn't spent much time together since the whole demon thing went down. Like everyone else in the family, my little sister seemed to be avoiding me. Considering how close we'd always been, it hurt me almost as much as losing Quaid had.I knocked softly, hearing heavy snuffling from behind her door. "Meems? Are you okay?"Silence. No more crying at least. I hated being ignored."Meira, what's wrong?" I tried to turn the knob, but she'd either locked it or was using magic to keep me out."Go away!" Something soft but solid impacted the other side of the door. I'd thrown enough objects at my own door that it was easy to identify the sound of a pillow hitting its mark.Fine. Whatever. Be that way. I turned to go back to my room, temperature rising as my frustration turned to anger. She had no right to be mad at me. None. It wasn't
Their beautiful faces are masks of anger as Cydia points at me and declares, "Death.""Death," comes the echo."Death," my beloved says.The skies darken at once, the rage of the elements called down on me for the most hideous of crimes, the very one I did not commit."My love," I whisper as thunder rumbles, chasing giant forks of lightning across the sky."Befouled one," he snarls, no joy or happiness in his face, his love for me gone. "Death is too good for you."Of all of them, he is the last I would believe could order my death and yet there he stands, Cydia beside him now, her hatred twisting into a secret smile as she calls down the lightning, guiding his hand, my darling Gwynn, to deliver the killing blow.I feel it strike my body, the sudden rush of agony cut short as I rise above my body, my soul free of its substantial form. As I rise I hear them gasp, see their horror, his most of all. In my love, I see the understanding in his face, in his eyes, that I am innocent of
How was this for a happy ending?Bittersweet, this walk down the halls of the newly restored mansion. I'd been through this before, but I knew this time, I didn't have anything hanging over my head.I loved Liam. But I was finally marrying the man I was meant to be with.The pressure was off this time too, our battles won. I could enjoy my wedding without worrying about Fate or the Brotherhood or Ameline looming in the near future.Awesome.I even found Wilding Springs was fine without the influence of the Gate, just as Fergus said. That it still felt like magic. Probably a combination of the century or so of the Gate's influence deeply mired in the whole town. Not to mention the presence of the Wild Hunt still snoozing in my back yard.And the coven.I didn't worry we'd have to move anytime soon. Good thing. I kind of liked being in one place for once.Made me think of Sonja, of Liam again. His mother disappeared after the night she met Gabriel. I tried to look for her, feelin
Another mirror. Another dress. Totally different experience.I stood on what amounted to a pedestal as at least a dozen or so giggling vampires tugged, pushed and laced me into the biggest, heaviest mass of fabric and jewels I'd ever seen in my entire life. The thing weighed so much I had to have my alter egos help me carry it so it wouldn't drive me to my knees.This was the punishment I got for picking out my first wedding dress alone.This one was, at least, the pale ivory I'd requested. White would have felt disrespectful to Liam's memory. And Mom happily acquiesced before losing her freaking mind.And when I appealed to Sunny for assistance in my mother's sudden loss of sanity?Yeah.I was surrounded by vampires, wasn't I?Shenka hovered, her ball gown sparkling, covered in as many gems as could possibly be stuck to her. Again Mom went with the jewel tones. I guess she figured a good idea was a terrible thing to waste.And considering only a handful of people had seen the
I sat on the side of my bed, looking out the window into the quiet street, the buzzing streetlight below me oddly comforting. I'd tried to sleep after returning home, put Gabriel to bed with Charlotte who met me at the front door after Sass, Galleytrot and I strolled home in the sharpening night air. Her massive scowl told me I was in horrible trouble as she took my son from me.Okay, so I didn't exactly put him to bed.Snort.Galleytrot and Sassafras naturally abandoned me for her room, leaving me alone. Which was fine, it really was. I had a hot shower, pulled on my favorite robe. Had a little cry. Not much. Just a pathetic little spill of tears I held over from the Gate.From Liam.And felt my heart ease at last.Wrapped myself in the love in my house, the people sleeping there. Shenka and Charlotte, Galleytrot and Sass. Gram and Demetrius. All of us, happy just to be home.But sleep wouldn't come. My mind struggled with belief. That Ameline was really dead. That Gabriel was
I looked down into my son's sleeping face before sinking into the rocking chair beside his crib and releasing of the last of my stress. He was really too big for the thing now, but I needed to do some thinking about a bed and a room for him and just didn't have the energy to deal.A soft, furry body landed in my lap, Sassafras purring as he kneaded my leg a few times before turning in a circle and settling himself."Nice to see them together again," he said.I knew exactly who he meant. Mom and Dad wasted no time taking off for Harvard for some private time. I blushed at the thought of my parents and what they were probably doing right now.Shudder.Galleytrot groaned from the end of the crib, eyes flaring with red fire as he looked up."What about you, Syd?" His rumbling voice shifted my shudder to a shiver. "Have you thought about a new mate?"Not going there. "I've been thinking," I said, totally changing the subject. Yes, on purpose. No judging. "About Gabriel and his power.
Meira grinned at me like it was funny. And it was, in a way. She sat behind Dad's old desk-Ahbi's, too-and bounced a little in the chair."Comfy," she said. Winked.Oh. My. Swearword.Dad laughed, hugged me abruptly. "Meems, pumpkin," loved his pet name for her, though I liked cupcake better despite years of protest, "I'm sorry to do this to you.""You've already apologized, Dad," she said, looking quite pleased with herself. Hard to remember she was only fourteen with that evil grin, hands rubbing together in expectation. "I'm going to do some housecleaning first. Then the real fun will start."I shook my head, giggling. "Just leave a few of the planes standing."She shrugged, inspected her nails. "We'll see.""I take it the Node is fine?" It felt fine, Demonicon still intact at least."It was in balance long before Ahbi took up residence," Meira said. "She was only just hitchhiking anyway."I looked up at Dad who sighed deeply, lines of anxiety leaving his face."You're cra
The sparkling kneepads attached to my heavy leather pants caught the light of the triple suns overhead as I shifted for the millionth time, foot bobbing on the end of my crossed leg. Sassafras hissed at me. The bobbing stopped.For the moment. The longer we sat here, the more agitated I felt. Didn't help it took Pagomaris an age and a half to dress me while Meira was being man-handled in her bedroom."Your demon form would be so much easier to dress, Your Highness." Hopefulness lit the aide's eyes as she smiled and scrunched her shoulders like talking to me as if I were a child would endear her."Not." I scowled at her. "Work with this or nothing." I gestured down at my human form.And she sighed.Gestured for her minions to come forward.Left me to them as though I was no longer worth her effort, returning to my sister who grinned at me through the open door of her bedroom.Argh.I did concede to shifting my size, remembering how small I felt next to Meira when she was in demo
I glared at my reflection in the mirror. "I'm not going.""You are." Sassafras growled softly at me before sighing heavily. "And so am I, remember?""They're not going to make you wear a ridiculous outfit and parade around like you're their property." More glaring.I. Was. Not. Going.Sass hopped down from the bed and waddled to my side, tail quivering. "You can't let Meira down," he said, leaping into my lap. I stroked his fur absently. "It would be a terrible thing for her to have to sit through Harry's marriage alone.""So maybe he shouldn't get married." Whiny much? But there was the crux, wasn't it?Today was my father's wedding day.And the last place I wanted to be was Demonicon. In fact, a hole somewhere deep and far away would have been preferable. Anything other than having to endure my father marrying a demon.That would be the end for Mom and Dad. The real end. And I didn't think I could handle it."Harry has made his choice," Sassafras said, meeting my eyes in the
I was already turning and moving back inside by the time Mom began her little speech to wrap up the trial. I had no desire to listen, moving on from it though Celeste's foul stench remained on me. A quick push of magic cleared my nose, clothes and hair of the stink, even as I strode with ever-increasing speed toward the back of the now-emptying chamber and the hall beyond.A startled Enforcer was the lucky recipient of the bag of marshmallows, slapped against his chest on the way by.I seemed to have lost my appetite.Was so focused on my final target I almost ran right into Payten when she dodged out of the shadows of an archway and stepped in front of me.My first instinct was to hit her so hard with magic they wouldn't find her body.Ever.Second instinct was to flatten her into a Paytensquish and smear her all over the floor with my shoes.Yum.Third impulse won, partially because I was a sucker for a sobbing girl, Enforcer or not.Hated enemy or not.She radiated grief,
I'd sat here before, on a bench in the Council chamber, watching a trial unfold before me, Shenka at my side. But this one was far different. I had no regrets, no old grief-at least not for the creature about to stand before my mother.Any sorrow I felt around Celeste Oberman centered on the Hayle family members she'd killed. Martin and Louisa Vega, the darling couple who loved and cared about me when there were times no one else in the coven seemed to. Sandra Crossman, leaving her husband, James, alone to raise their daughter.Old wounds long since healed over, but never, ever forgotten.Worse, Gabriel wasn't with me. Antsy pants wriggled my butt in my velvet skirt as I fidgeted and held him tight with my magic while he laughed at something and ignored me.My own son, a traitor.Sigh.Shenka squeezed my hand, smiled a little. "He's fine," she said."I know," I whispered back. Not needing to. We weren't the only ones chattering. The gathering for Mia's burning-it seemed so long