Dreamlike State (The Magic of Black Forest Book 1) (15 page)

“Centuries, did I have gifts in those lives?”

“In some. You have enough to process for now. Read. I’m going to take a nap. I sure do miss the forest. I loved sleeping out on the porch.”
He trotted into the other room. I thought about what he said. He was right. I have more than enough to process. My head was going to combust into ashes from the overload.

I grabbed the book and let out a long
whew
at the size of it. I headed to the family room, plopping myself down comfortably on the plush loveseat. Out of nowhere, I thought about what she had said and wondered who the vampire was and who the shape-shifters were. What is she talking about? Everything I had ever read about vampires lead me to believe that they didn’t exist, mythical like the unicorn.

Shape-shifters, some Native Indians, believed their warriors were able to change shapes to protect the tribe. Claiming some of their tribesman turned into wolves or even bears… bears, the answer is on the tip of my tongue. What is it about bears? It’ll come to me, I’m sure but until then it’ll bug me. It would be really neat to be able to change into a wolf. Wolves have always been very spiritual to me. Love 'em. Maybe tomorrow I’ll Google vampires. I couldn’t think about it now, my main priority is the Book of Shadows.

I spent the remainder of the day reading. It was as if it was written in a different language, making it very difficult for me to read. My parents took a lot of time writing about the magic they performed, going into great detail to ensure I understood the purpose and the consequences.

The hairs on the back of my neck rose as I read:
Black magic is very powerful but has a high price. It commands the forces of the night: demons and the undead. The undead… vampires. Black magic worshipers will do anything to feel the power, no matter what the cost or whom they hurt. We never perform black magic.

Chapter 11

Two days had passed and I still haven’t heard from my aunt. Even though she told me not to tell anyone, I told Melissa. I trusted her completely. It was too much for one person and a dog to digest. There are only three things I hadn’t told Melissa about: vampires, shape-shifters, and Seager. She knows everything else. Whenever I saw Aunt Susie again, I’d let her know I told Melissa about my newly inherited gifts.

To take a break from reading, I called Colleen, but she wasn’t home so I tried Jesse.

“Hello, Natalia, how have you been?” Again, Bradley answered the phone. Why does he keep doing that? I mean really, he left me. Even after I practically begged him to stay, he left. It’s not even his phone. “Boy, his voice does sound good…” I unintentionally murmured aloud.

“I miss hearing your voice too. I’ve been here waiting for you to call so that I could apologize.” He paused and I was about to hang up when he said, “Please don’t hang up. I know I promised not to bother you again but I am too selfish and cannot stop myself. I miss you.”

“Natalia, I’m concerned. I know it had to be hard going home after all you’ve lost. Please tell me, how are you, really?” There was so much I wanted to tell him, about my aunt and the lawyer, so much more had changed since I came back here but I couldn’t tell him. He was not my white knight anymore.

“I’m okay, Bradley.” I heard a sigh of excitement when I said his name. It was the same way I felt. But again, he made this choice for us and the pain is too much to bear…knowing he’s so close and yet I’ll never be able to touch him again.

“Is Jesse there?”

“Yes, he just needs a minute. Would you mind talking to me until he’s able to come to the phone?” His voice was so hopeful. I couldn’t bear to say no.

“I guess. So you’re not traveling in New York, what happened?” If he’d been at Jesse’s since I left, then he either lied about going on the road or he cancelled the trip. If he lied, I wanted to know the truth.

“No, Dave and I cancelled the trip. We played one gig and well, let’s just say neither of us wants to do that again. We decided that playing locally, to our kind of people is safer for us.” He laughed quietly. “It didn’t work out, it wasn’t meant to be.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. I know how much you enjoy being on stage and how much Dave enjoys his groupies. I guess you’ll just have to deal with the regulars.” The words slipped out before I could stop myself. I sounded like a jealous girlfriend.

Of course, he confirmed it by his smiling response, “You’re right about everything except that
I’m
not into groupies. I would have hoped you knew that about me. I only have eyes for you, Natalia. As for Dave, he was a little disappointed but got over it quickly.” There was a long pause before he said, “Natalia, will you be coming back to visit?”

Why does that matter to him? Does he want me to come back? Does he think it was a mistake that he broke it off?

Disappointed I say, “Not anytime soon. With everything that’s happening here, it’s not a good time to leave. Actually I’ve been advised…” I was about to tell him everything when it hit me, it is not me he’s concerned about its Anthony. “…I just remembered my aunt is coming over today. I should really go. Could you please tell Jesse to call me tomorrow?”

“Sure. Natalia, if you ever need anything please call. One more thing, since you won’t answer my calls, happy birthday. I hope all your wishes come true and hope to hear from you soon.”

“Well thanks, Brad, unfortunately I had only one wish and you’ve made it perfectly clear that that was a mistake. So, I’ll be making no more wishes. Please tell Colleen and Jesse I said hello and to call me.” I paused for a moment thinking, all he had to do is tell me to come back, that it wasn’t a mistake and I’d be there, in a heartbeat.

“Natalia…” were the last words I heard him say when I hung up the phone. It was the second time I hung up on him, not letting him finish.

The wound in my heart, still freshly aching, caused me to drop to the ground clutching my chest. I thought it would get easier as time went by but it was only getting harder. I forced myself to get up and focus on my reading. My aunt didn’t call or stop by.

Later, in the evening, Jesse called me back. He told me about a place that was for sale just outside Black Forest, “It’s perfect for you and Seager. Natalia, it’s a great deal. How about I email you some information on the house?”

“Okay, you have my email address. Jesse, I have a lot going on here and I’m not sure I’ll be able to leave…”

“Just read over the information. If you’re interested, I can help you make the purchase, and you can move in whenever you’re ready to. Colleen and I can take care of things until then.”

“Jesse, why are you so eager for me to move up there?”

“You belong here with us. Nat, you’re like the little sister I never had. You’re family and family should be together. Are you saying you don’t feel the same way about me? Because since the first day we met I got that sibling vibe from you.” He laughed teasingly knowing he was right and I wouldn’t be able to argue with him. “Well?”

“I know exactly what you mean. Okay, I’ll look over the information. How about you call me back in a couple of days?” I didn’t want to call him just in case Bradley answered. That was when I requested, “Jesse, please don’t tell Bradley about this. If I do come back, well I don’t want him to know.”

“Fine, and for the time being I won’t say anything to him. Nat, I think it’s about time I return the favor to you…” He paused for a moment. “…he messed up. You two belong together, why can’t you just give him another chance? He was here, all this time, waiting for your call, never leaving. He just wanted to explain why he did what he did and to apologize, to tell you he loves you. You won’t even let him try. You just hang up on him.”

Before he could say another word, I angrily replied, “He could have said anything at anytime but he didn’t Jesse, instead he made casual conversation. Do you know how hard it is for me to hear his voice? My heart is broken because of him. I can’t even bear to say his name without pain shooting through my chest. And with time it’s not getting better, it’s getting worse.” I wanted to stop myself from all this ranting, but it felt good to finally tell someone what I’d been going through, and just how hard it had been.

“I still dream about him, night and day. He’s the last person I see before I fall asleep and the first when I wake in the morning. I’ve never fallen so hard or fast for someone. Jesse, he said that
we
were a
mistake
. It would have been less painful had he just literally ripped my heart out. The things we did… the things I told him.

“And now I have all this crap happening here, my birthday coming up that will apparently change my entire life. My life will never be the same in a few days and because of him I’m doing it all on my own.” Spoken like a true women scorned, I’m blaming him. I’m really not on my own but the point was I didn’t have him to be my “Knight in Shining Armor”, to help me get through this.

I heard Jesse laughing hysterically. “So you do still love him. That is very obvious.” He cleared his throat. “Since you’re still angry with Brad, why don’t you tell your brother what’s going on, maybe I can help.”

Suddenly serious he asked, “Natalia, are you in any trouble? If need be, I’ll leave right now. We’ll leave right now and come get you.”

“No! Don’t come here please. It’s not a good time. Bradley knows about most of it, so it would have been easier for me to tell him and he’d understand. I’ll be okay. Anyway, I don’t want you forcing Bradley to come see me. I know how he likes to play the white knight role. I’m not looking for an actor.”

“Man, Nat, you are so blind. You had the gall to say I was blind? He’s not role-playing. This is not a game to him. Look I have to go, read over the paperwork. Give me a call in a few days. We miss you.”

“Good night, Jess.” As soon as I hung up, I realized that I'd be calling him. By then he’ll have plenty of time to tell Bradley everything. He’ll be waiting for my call. Well, he’ll be waiting a while ‘cause I’m not calling.

Intrigued, I went to my computer to check my email. Honestly, there was nothing more I’d like than to live up there. I’d always wanted to have a place of my own that was on acres and acres of rural land. Now that I was in the position to do such a thing, why should I let anyone stop me? The email was there waiting for me. Jesse pleaded with me to purchase this house. It was a great deal. They also wished me a happy birthday. The second I read the address, I knew it was a sign. I knew what path I’d have to take. I needed to purchase this house. The address was 1 Seeger Way. It was in Lockhaven, which wasn’t far from Black Forest.

It was a two-story house with four bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a living room and dining room, fireplace, huge kitchen and a porch that wrapped around the front and left side of the house. On the opposite side of the house was an attached two car heated garage. All appliances included. Most important, it was on thirty-five acres of rural land.

The house was a little bigger than we needed, but the price was right. I immediately replied to Jesse, requesting that he take a look at the place, and if it was as it had been described, to tell his friend that I was interested and to give him my number, because I’d like to purchase it. I knew it was a good deal because I could
feel
it. This was definitely going to happen.

I immediately emailed the information to Harvey, informing him that I would like to purchase the house so that I could move there. I also requested that he call me to discuss the finances and other details. Before I sent the email, I paused realizing that I could never sell my parents’ house. What was I going to do with it? I couldn’t take care of it from Lockhaven and it’s too much to travel back and forth.

I called Melissa to tell her everything about the house and about my intention to buy it.

“It’s meant to be, Meliss. The only issue I have is this house, I can’t sell it.” That’s when a brilliant idea popped in my head. It was as if someone whispered it in my ear. “So, I was wondering if you’d like to rent it from me for just a few hundred a month. Of course, you’d have to take care of the utilities and all. What do you think?”

“Are you serious? I would love to. I was just telling my parents I was going to look for an apartment, that I needed a place of my own. Deal, when can I move in?” Like me, she loved the idea.

Laughing, I replied, “I’m not sure when I’ll be moving, probably in a few months. Can you wait that long?”

“I can wait for a year if you want. What about the furniture and appliances?”

“I’ll be taking some of the furniture but leaving all the appliances. After I see the place, I’ll let you know what else I’m leaving. Actually, Meliss, how about you and I take a trip in two weeks to go see it? Well, assuming that I own it by then. I’m pretty sure it’ll be mine next week, but I have been known to be wrong a time or two. Could you get a Friday or Monday off?”

“I’ll put in the request tomorrow for both, for in two weeks. If you don’t own it by then I’ll just change the dates. How exciting, Natalia!”

“I’ll have Harvey, my lawyer, prepare the paperwork to make it official.”

“Your lawyer. Unbelievable. Who would have thought you’d be saying something like that… your lawyer. That’s a good idea though. Thanks.”

“Okay, I’ll call you tomorrow.” Before sending the email to Harvey, I added a request for him to draw up some paperwork to rent my parents' house to Melissa. I told him I already made a verbal agreement with her.

So I didn’t miss any important calls, I decided to hook up the answer machine that I unplugged when my parents died and I set up my voicemail for my cell phone. I’m not fond of all this technology but I was feeling somewhat thankful for it. It was getting a little late, but I couldn’t wait for Jesse to casually check his email. I’d have to call him. The phone rang like six times before someone finally answered.

“Natalia, Jesse is not here. His answering machine is broken. The only reason I answered the phone at all was because you were calling and it’s late.” I was so happy to be moving there I couldn’t help but laugh at Bradley’s long-winded greeting.

“Well I’m glad you answered then. Could you please tell Jesse it’s very important that he check his email as soon as possible and to call me tomorrow?”

“Sure, no problem, I’ll leave him a note. Natalia, before you hang up on me again,” – was he being a wise ass? – “I wanted you to know that
we
were never a
mistake
and that I am truly sorry I hurt you. From the very moment those words were spoken, I’ve wished that I’d never said them or that I could take it all back. You are my soul mate... my true love. Have only sweet dreams.” Then he hung up on me. Luckily, I was standing in front of a chair because his words made me automatically want to sit. Those were the words I’d been waiting to hear and after he’d finally said them, he hung up on me?

I was just about to call him back, to give him a piece of my mind for doing that when I realized it was probably all Jesse’s doing. He was trying to return the favor.

Instead, I went to bed.

I woke to the sound of the phone ringing. I blindly reached over and searched the nightstand.

“Hello?” I said, still half asleep.