Mom was already back and watching me as I turned away from where Sebastian had stood. Her eyes twinkled, a naughty look on her face as she closed the kitchen door behind her.Damn flushing reflex. He'd just told me we couldn't be together, hadn't he? And I was still all fangirl gooey over him.Mom had the decency not to say anything, just crossed the room and hugged me."I thought you had a meeting?" I didn't mean to be grumpy. She let me go, retrieved her wine."I rescheduled," she said. Shocking. "Not often my daughter and grandson come to visit."I felt Gabriel twitch in his sleep, disturbed a little. Probably gas. Then, he sighed and settled again."He's still passed out," I say by way of a hint.Mom's pout flashed across her face so fast I giggled.We sat again, she at the end of the table with her wine, me picking at the cheese tray as we talked. Funny, I wasn't ready to go home yet, just enjoying my mother's company.Until I had to open my big mouth and ask about the on
Why is everything all black and fuzzy? Numbness pulls at me, hums to me to return to the dark and be still. I almost do, want to, for some reason. There is great comfort in it, in the embrace of the black and the haziness of the nothing.Have I fallen into my sorcery? Into a gaping hole made for travel from the hungry black of my power, only to be lost?No, that can't be right. I can hear voices, can't I? Familiar voices, ones I know very well. They make me want to focus, to listen and understand why I am here, floating in the dark.Even as I do, my soul flinches. Cries out. Tries to retreat. Something isn't right. A fundamental something, tied to the center of who I am.But what? And do I really want to know?Light assaults me, bright and terrible, and only then do I realize I'm blinking. Looking up into Lula's face while she talks from very far away. Not to me.To Mom. Who hovers over me, face lined in strain, hands clenched tight to her chest.Why are they upset?And should
They pulled me back at last, finally jerking me from the black to face it. To face my loss, a loss so deep it smothered the sadness I felt for Liam. Devoured any caring for my own personal safety. Destroyed any hope I had to ever, ever be happy again.Never again.My son was dead.Crib death, Lula called it. Which only rarely happened to witch babies, for obvious reasons. Because their mothers took care of them, didn't they? Used power to protect them, guard over them, keep them breathing and alive and beautiful.What the hell kind of mother was I?Trill lay down next to me, resting her head on my pillow, hand under her cheek on my shoulder. "Please don't run again," she whispered. "I almost didn't find you this time."I wished she hadn't. Stared at the canopy above me and willed myself to die.Just die already.A giant face appeared at the foot of my bed, topping broad shoulders, scaled skin, diamond eyes. Max. My hate raged."You brought me back." Spit flew from my lips. "Yo
Maybe I should have feared her. What she might have become. The last time I saw Alison, she'd attacked me, tried to steal my crystal from Demetrius.Was blown apart by the power.Instead, the boiling hate woke in full force as I grasped her by the front of her shirt-part of me remembering she was corporeal at the last minute-and shook her.And shook her.And shook her. Until my arms ached. Until I was sobbing for air, pouring all of my rage and bile over her, dumping the shreds of my guilt and fury and shattered remains of my heart.Alison simply sat there.And took it.Which made it worse. I jerked her toward me, pressed my nose into hers as I screamed at her my final shred of need in this world."Show me my baby!"Alison finally reacted, twitched."You gather echoes. Where is he?" I pushed away from her, stood, spun to face her, power crackling as the girls woke. Finally, something to do, to focus on. Someone to punish.Someone else.Her tears, her sadness, cracked me d
I gaped at her for a long, long time. It felt like forever as the tiny hope I'd fought bloomed like a rose, flared and woke inside me while my soul leaped up and shouted in joy.Gabriel.Not his bones.My egos freaked out, shouting, buzzing with power, so violently I had to hold myself very still for fear I'd fly apart. We reached out for him, found nothing, not a trace, a sniff.If he was alive, if I could let myself believe... where was he?Alison continued to watch me, concern on her face, breathing heavily as she, too, must have fought her emotions.I finally felt my egos still a little, reined them in.Listen, I snarled.And they did."Whose bones are they?" Teeth clenched, throat tight, barely able to force the words out.I managed.Alison shrugged. "I don't know," she said. "Usually bones carry an imprint of the person who lived in them." Shiver. "But these felt blank. Black."Empty.Sharp pain wrenched at my insides as truth woke and punched me in the gut.Alison
I could see the tension in Varity's face as she performed her necromancy.And nothing happened.A frown pulled at her lips, lining her already wrinkled face with surprise and frustration."He was young," Lula said softly. "Have you raised a baby before?"Varity shook her head, deeply troubled as her power swirled around the skull. "I haven't," she said. "But he should have an echo.""He was Sidhe," Mom said, bringing up the argument I feared the most. "They don't have echoes. It could be he simply doesn't have one to show."But Alison was already shaking her head, her nerves gone, face determined as she held out her hands to Varity. For the skull. As though it were some special gift."Please," she said. "Let me."Varity met my eyes, but Quaid spoke before I could."Just give it to her," he said, voice rough, gruff and graveled. With grief? I didn't know. But his power around me never wavered and I sent silent thanks to him for his continued support.For his belief in me.I n
I had already taken a step toward the door, reaching for the veil.Power rippling in waves of near-uncontrolled vitriol.Mom's hand on my arm, her magic touching mine, broke enough of the hold hate had on me to stop me from going after Ameline right then and there.Barely."Syd." She pulled me back, face calm, though I knew it was a mask. That she was trying to keep me from tearing off.Good luck with that."We need to form a plan," Mom said, slowly. Steadily. Like she was talking to my son and not to me, as if I were the child."No." I staggered, feeling my physical weakness, reaching for strength to hold me up. Found it as Enforcer power slipped in beside me and supported me as it did only moments before. I looked up at Quaid who lifted one hand, pressed it between my shoulder blades, feeding me energy and healing magic."You need to eat," he said, chocolate eyes soft around the edges though his lips pulled tight in concern. "Get some rest. You've been gone from us for so lon
I was going to go alone. But there was no way my posse would allow me to leave them behind.Lula was called away before Gram and her bully pack made themselves very clear."You're taking us," she said, linking arms with Shenka even as Charlotte crossed her arms over her chest, scowling at me. Sassafras appeared through the kitchen door, leaping up on the table, tail thrashing in agreement.Made me happy, despite my one-woman crusade addiction. Filled me with a kind of brilliant joy, as though I'd swallowed the sun. Had to take a second to keep the lump rising in my throat from emerging completely.Nodded.Reached for the veil.We formed a magical daisy chain, my friends and family following behind me as I stepped through and into Ahbi's welcoming embrace. Sassafras leaped at the last minute, landing in my outstretched arms, first through with me as my demon grandmother released us and allowed me to take over.My maji power sought Maurice-and my son all over again. Though I knew
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