Book Sixteen: The Undying The sound of giggling witches filled my back yard. Giggling. And not young witches, either. The Lawrence twins twittered beside Talee Happern while Mary Gripper gossiped over her baby son, Alex, and how he was keeping her awake most nights.I did my best to plaster on a smile, hoping it didn't look like a grimace, wishing I was back at the gym. I'd doubled my efforts since the run-in with the Brotherhood, the twinge in my shoulder where Liander Belaisle shot me a reminder of just how serious things had become.Deadly serious. Like almost losing Charlotte serious. The weregirl kept her distance, watching from outside the party, eyes locked on me at all times. And though she was as protective as ever-worse, sometimes, it seemed-I sensed something was wrong with her. The way she flinched when I asked her a question or the way her blue eyes would fill with almost desperate anxiety.She'd been shot herself, at the doorway to death, only the wolf inside her c
I took a vacant seat and sipped at my water, just for something to occupy me. I felt the fine chain slide over my collarbone and I reached up to grasp the pentagram pendant Mom gave me as a gift years ago. I'd only taken to wearing it in the past few years, knowing now it held a part of her power in it. Power meant to protect me and bind me to the family. Even though she wasn't officially a Hayle witch anymore, the magic remained true to the coven.Thinking about Mom made me sad. We hadn't talked, not really, since my release from custody. I'd tried to see her a few times, but she refused. Any attempt to reach for her with power was firmly blocked. She'd made it very clear to me she couldn't be on my side anymore. The Council magic changed her, pushed her to the brink, forcing her to do its will instead of the other way around. Mom's deterioration was a clear indication, her premature aging and total change of personality frightening in its totality. I wished I could convince her to s
I gaped. For a long, awkward, uncomfortable moment that became more awkward and uncomfortable by the heartbeat. But I simply couldn't.Couldn't.Comprehend-Wedding?Damn it, girl, Gram's mind snapped in mine. You knew this.I looked up at her. What?Gram hesitated, face falling. Didn't you?Oh. My. Freaking. Swearword.Shenka's voice broke the stillness, though I didn't hear a word she said. Before I knew it, she pulled me to my feet, the happy, kind tone of her voice telling me she'd smoothed things over, though the shocked looks on the watching witch's faces had to reflect my own.Wedding?"Syd." Shenka pulled me behind one of the large trees on the border of our property and the park, one hand tight on my arm, a smile plastered on her face, a positive mask for the outside world while her magic wrapped me in a hug. "You didn't know?"Splutter. "What the hell?" Still trying to pull myself together over here. "What the freaking hell?""It's a really old law," Shenka said,
I left Gram in the kitchen, exiting into the driveway. I still missed seeing Mom's classic blue Mustang, her baby gone with her to Harvard. And I really needed to replace my own car Minnie, the electric blue Cooper a wreck thanks to explosives placed by the Dumont brothers.Did I have proof they blew up my car? Technically, no.Did I need it?Snort.Funny how the past flowed around me as I stood there, images of my old high-school boyfriend Brad and his big black truck, of Demetrius Strong when he was leader of the Chosen of the Light handing me pamphlets, explaining why I was evil and really had to die. Quaid on his motorcycle. I hugged myself, looked up into the gathering dark as the door eased shut behind me.I didn't have to turn around to know who stood there, unobtrusive, watching."What do you think, Charlotte?" I stayed where I was, making myself breathe, trying to keep the pressure of what I'd just learned from taking me to my knees. "Should I just cut and run?"I heard
Was it a bad thing I felt relief to leave the party behind as I tore open the veil and slipped through?Probably.Didn't keep me from diving into a possible adventure. In fact, as I exited the veil on the front lawn of the vampire mansion, I dutifully admitted I was happiest when I had a problem to solve. Not like it was a big shocker or anything. Quaid hit the nail on the head when he said I went looking for trouble.Well, not looking, exactly. But calm and peaceful didn't really do it for me anymore. And considering the fact every time I did fall into trouble there was an excellent reason for it with a so-far-so-good outcome, I wasn't complaining.Evasion Tactics Level: Expert.Seriously, though, I'd been very selfish letting this whole vampire silence thing ride. I loved Uncle Frank and Sunny, missed them with a pinch of regret so sharp when I thought about it I flinched. How had I let this go for so long without checking in?Life was complicated, but family was everything.A
Gram and Shenka were in the kitchen when I stormed into the house, magic weaving around the dishes, cleaning up the mess from the party. Sassafras hissed at me as I stomped past him, barely missing his tail with my toes. He leaped onto the table to glare at me as I came to a jarring halt."Sebastian isn't clan leader anymore." Blurting random troubles was apparently my specialty.Shenka seemed surprised, but Gram didn't. In fact, she looked a little guilty before her wrinkled face fell into a frown."Tell me you didn't keep this from me." Yeah, my anger button was on a hair trigger. Had been pushed. And pushed. And pushed-"I knew." At least she didn't try to deny it. Even so, I vibrated with the need to shake her."And you thought it was a good idea to keep this little tidbit to yourself." Cold, Syd. But, well, damn it."There's nothing you can do," Gram said, faded blue eyes empty and flat. "And you had enough on your plate. Still do."That kind of crap was not going to fly wi
Charlotte stayed close behind me as I bolted out of the kitchen, part way into the street before I tore a hole in the veil and leaped through. I had just enough presence of mind to shield the sight from the normals on my block, barely inside the rubber membrane long enough to feel the touch of my demon grandmother's soul hovering around me before I hurtled out of the other end and into the side door of town hall.Liam met me at the basement stairs, arms engulfing me as I panted to a halt. His deep, earthy scent mixed with fabric softener and the warmth of him helped to slow my heart a little, but his own panic came through loud and clear."Come on." He turned and bounded down the stairs, me on his heels, passing through the wards. It wasn't until I grabbed Charlotte's hand and guided her through the Sidhe protections I realized Liam wasn't alone.But it wasn't the giant black hound growling softly at the entrance to the Gate room or even the still missing Sonja O'Dane I sensed. I sh
No sweat. This would be no sweat whatsoever. I felt myself rise both in spirit and in confidence, my mind and magic flowing upwards toward the edge of the emptiness. Creation power hummed, ready for action. I'd never felt more powerful, more in control of my abilities as I reached out through the blankness, searching for Belaisle and the source of the power draw draining the Sidhe realm.And tumbled back, falling on my ass in the dying grass as answering magic rippled over the surface of the storm and threw me off.I stared up in surprise, head ringing, body tingling with the shock of the violent recoil. Charlotte's hands grasped my arms, her human form returned now that we stood in the Unseelie realm. The monarchs of the Unseelie had no power to spare to play dress up."Thanks." I brushed at the seat of my jeans, face so tight in a frown my cheeks ached. "Well, that hurt."Odhran stood mute, watching me. His disappointment looked to be about as powerful as mine.No way I was lett