Eden's Charms (11 page)

“Try telling that to the vampire community, Ethan.” With that Donovan vanished.

Chapter Six

Serina, I’m with your family. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen so many knives held at my throat at the same time. You did tell them I was coming, didn’t you?

You mean warn them.

Savanah gave the woman the once-over, disgust and distrust evident by the snarl on her lips. The woman looked just like her aunt except matured; weathered she’d decided and bonier—hardened, nothing soft or feminine about her. She’d only ever heard nightmares of this woman and now here she stood in front of her, about to spiritually enter her mother. “Hurt her, her unborn babies or anyone in my family, and I’ll read a charm to you from my prized possession,
The Blackest Dreams
.” Savanah watched Olivia’s eyes widen, but she wasn’t certain whether it was fear or curiosity. “Not what you expected? Yes, Olivia, I possess
The Bound Grimoire
as well. Both the light and the dark to our worlds. The books are as different as you and I.”

“I see you have your mother’s and grandmother’s temper. Good, we’ll need a feisty one to get through this. Now allow me passage.” Olivia skirted around each person carefully until the pointed end of a dagger greeted her.

Raven prodded, “Why now? You’ve had a hundred years to kiss and make up.”

“I want to see my granddaughter, and I owe your family more than you know. This is wasting precious time.”

“Ya think?” Raven turned away from Olivia and led her toward the stairs.

****

Ethan suggested, “Donovan approach the cops and use your voice to draw their attention away from André. Julian and I will skirt behind the officers and get to André.” Ethan watched Donovan close. He should’ve been used to the creeped out feelings he always got in the Maestro’s presence, but now Donovan had the same slimy feel to him. Already he was second-guessing his entire life the past years with the vamp and his companions. Regardless of the circumstances around him, he saw things clearer, was able to think for himself again. Being on another continent helped. Falling for the woman of his dreams? Literally? Remained to be seen.

“Lock your safeties and holster your guns. You have never seen this man. The man that killed your brothers-in-arms has long since been dead. You cannot kill something twice. All right, maybe you can. Semantics. Your work here is done. Return to your precinct and tell of your bravery and triumph,” Donovan instructed the officers.

Ethan watched each man robotically lower his piece. The guns’ safeties clicked, they were holstered and the cops swayed in the light breeze while Donovan knelt beside André.

“Time’s up, my prince. Your destiny has yet to be decided. I can’t believe I’m the one doing this dirty deed,” Donovan whispered as he closed his mouth over André’s neck and drank his life away one devastating drop at a time. Dirty deed or not, Donovan’s groin became rock-hard.

“You’re fucking sick, Donovan. You got hard killing him.”

“Forgive me, Ethan. Did you forget I’m a vampire?”

Finished, Donovan placed André’s lifeless body in the back of the SUV. He walked off to the side of the vehicle and vomited almost every last drop of blood he’d just taken. “No blood bonds, Jules,” he professed before wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

Julian approached him. “You did what you had to do.”

“Is Ethan right? Did I just damn the man?”

“Donovan, do you honestly believe he wanted to die tonight? He just found out he’s having twins. You saved his family from an eternal hell. Thank you for saving my brother-in-law and my best friend.”

“Let us go.” Donovan got into the back seat of the car with André’s body. “What are we doing with Ethan? He can help you now that Xanti has shown his true colors. He’d be insane to go back there and stay with them.”

“He’s tied to Xier. He said it himself. He’s dog food. He’s on his own.”

“Oh—no I’m not. I’m coming with.” Ethan jumped in the front seat of the truck and locked the doors.

“Ethan, locking doors won’t keep the boogie man outside. They come in all shapes and sizes. Get out.”

“Nope. I am as good as dead if I go back to that house.”

“Then you risk all of our lives. Get out. Now!” Julian growled and showed a full set of canines. His grip pierced the steering wheel. Reddish brown fur rippled down the length of what used to be his arm and at the same time his nose elongated into a muzzle. His ears became perky—elf-like in shape and covered with fur.

Donovan suggested, “Ethan, if you have an ounce of self-preservation in your hide, get out of the car now. Julian will finish shifting in ’bout one minute and then you’ll be lying next to André. Allow the family time.” Donovan tapped Julian’s shoulder. “Julian, timing is everything and now sucks. Let’s just get away from here first? Then you can kill him if you must.”

Ethan exploded, “Thanks, Vonnie. Fine! I’m out. You’re on your own, all of you. Good luck warding off the Maestro.”

Ethan jumped from the car and before his feet hit the ground he’d shifted into his wolf. He disappeared between a row of arborvitaes that separated two homes. Looking around he knew he had to return to the Union Avenue home. His future lay beyond the walls. Just what his future held he had no clue, but he had no more control of his life than the planets did rotating around the sun. The woman hidden within the fortress ruled his very stars. The Maestro’s power paled in comparison to this strange tugging at his heart.

Sitting on the back gate of the Alabama training track, he called, “Savanah!” as a hawk soared above him. “What is it you’ve done to me?” Ethan found the track tranquil now, no horses running circles, no trainers snapping whips, just a quiet loneliness he couldn’t shake. Eyes closed he saw those long legs, thick black curls and huge bluish-black eyes and a smile he recognized as trouble when she looked at him. Oh, yes, he thought, we will get into some trouble together.

****

A chain reaction of events began the moment André’s heart stopped. Jovan’s heart followed the same path as her husband’s as did her unborn babies. Olivia was swift to shed her soul and energy and enter Jovan’s body. She set the pace for all three hearts. She’d come to weather the storm, and by the Gods, what a tempest.

Serina coached Savanah, telling her to follow her lead while she cared for Lucian.
Savanah, continue to monitor your parents. You can do it.

Auntie, I can’t feel either of my parents. Are they lost to me?
Savanah teetered on the hysterical precipice. Not only did she feel orphaned, but betrayed by a man she’d only just met. Despite undeniable feeling for the man, she no longer cared if Ethan lived to see another sunrise, nor would he if her parents didn’t survive. She would personally snuff his last breath.

No, Peanut. You will not lose either of them. My mother has no use for the word defeat.

As if everything that just happened to her wasn’t bad enough, Savanah heard Ethan call her just as clearly as if he’d stood beside her. And she thought she was shaken up a second ago. Savanah walked to the corner of the room, and rested her head on the cold brick wall. She contemplated the idea of banging her head against it to knock out Ethan’s soft, soothing voice. “Ethan, how can I hear you? What is it you’ve done to me?”

Running laps around the track, Ethan’s footing became four left paws, all going in opposite directions, taking him in one direction, down.

Savanah, you and I have no blood ties and yet we can hear each other? This can’t be good. Are you all right?

No, I’m not all right, you moron. My father’s been shot and ravaged by a vamp and my mother’s collapsed.

I’m sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen. If I could’ve helped you I would have.

You just so happen to be the very reason all this has happened. If you didn’t show up here with some asinine excuse none of this would have happened.

You’re right…

No shit, Sherlock. Please…just go away.
Savanah sighed.

I can’t.

Don’t stick around on my account. Whatever this thing between us is will fade out in time. It has to because I’m not having anything to do with you no matter…
Savanah clammed up. She found no need to inflate his ego and tell him how gorgeous he was or that he made her blood boil or that he made her feel things she’d never experienced just being in the same room with him. From everything she’d just witnessed, his ego had his own personal helium tank to pump him up whenever.

Savanah, you may not have said it, but you thought it. Thank you.

Go to hell, Ethan. Go find another child to kidnap.

Savanah, it’s not like that. I don’t know how to explain it to you to make you understand.

Ethan, I don’t want to understand anything you could possibly say or do. My parents are dying in front of me.

Savanah cut herself off from him, or at least she thought she did. She ignored the voice in her head telling her he was sorry. She ignored her own voice telling her this man had so much more to offer if she’d only give him the chance. Finally, she told herself to shut up.

****

In the tunnels far beneath the home, soft cries crept through the layers of earth and stone. Savanah’s heart fragmented as her uncle carried her father’s limp body into the cool, dimly lit room. This, the pain, consumed her. She’d never felt anything as horrific as seeing the one man she idolized, loved with every ounce of her soul, cherished his smiles, his laughter, his simple silliness, laid out before her, lifeless. No! Not lifeless. She almost bit her tongue for such a negative thought. Transposing, that worked. Three days. She had to keep it together three days. For her mother and her siblings, yet to be born. And deep in the back of her heart for the moron that created all this ruin.
Fuck you, Ethan.

Day one was about to turn into three days of ugliness Savanah wasn’t certain any of them could survive and come back whole.

****

After he placed André next to Jovan, Julian’s claws protracted. He pointed to a stranger amongst them. “Who are you? And what are you doing to my sister?” Julian looked to his brother, vengeance on the tip of his tongue. “Jonah?”

Jonah got between Olivia and Julian. “Jules—before you do or say another word, listen to me. This is Serina’s mother…”

Introduction over. Julian bent and plowed his shoulder into his brother and shoved him across the room to get within inches of the woman.

“I’d hoped I killed you the night Serina hung from the cross. Get away from Jovan and her babies, wicked hag.” Julian ripped Olivia from her chair and slammed her against the brick wall. Following her down to the ground, he found a resting spot on the hollow of Olivia’s throat, and he squeezed until his knuckles burned. Olivia lay there blue, listless.

Jonah and Donovan each grabbed a shoulder in a feeble attempt to pry Julian from her, but Julian heaved both of them aside.

“Uncle, no! Mum will die without her.” Savanah touched Julian’s shoulder.

Julian jerked and lost his footing. He stumbled backwards, and landed squarely on his butt.

Angry words bellowed across the room. “You won’t harm my sister, cowardly crone. I’m going to end your life here and now. I know you killed our mother.”

“No, Uncle! Think of the babies, and Mum, please? You’re like a madman right now.” In her uncle’s eyes, Savanah saw fear for the very first time. She’d never expected that, because he was the man villains always ran from in her nightmares. She knelt, cupped his cheeks and told him in a guarded tone, “I read her. She means no harm.”

Julian stared as Savanah helped him stand. “Are you certain?” He could barely speak. His eyes held moisture he refused to let go.

Savanah nodded. “I wouldn’t have allowed her in otherwise.”

Jonah lifted Olivia from the floor, and gave Julian a wide berth when he brought her back to Jovan’s side.

Olivia looked to Julian. “Am I going to meet yet another hard, immobile surface if I begin?”

Julian ushered out one last thing to her. “Your heart for hers!”

“Julian, you’re bleeding again,” Donovan motioned to Julian’s side.

“What’s a little blood-shed between friends?” he asked, mockery trampling his words.

“This is going to be the most tumultuous three days the lot of us have ever spent together,” Payton mumbled to no one in particular. “We’re going down like flies high on bug juice.”

“It’s my fault, Jonah.” Julian confessed, his voice sounded strange even to him. “If he didn’t come after me, if the stupid bastard had just listened and stay put, none of this would be happening right now.” Julian covered his face from everyone’s curious stare. “I’m so sorry.”

“Jules, if that little shifter Ethan hadn’t shown up here trying to kidnap a spawn of Sinclair, none of this would’ve happened. You take no responsibility for this.” Payton rested his arm around Julian’s shoulders. He looked directly at Olivia, and added, “We don’t call him Grimmy for nothing. You’ll be wise to remember that.

****

Refusing rest until her father rose, Savanah watched over her family. Somehow in the midst of all this, she found a smile, a small lopsided curl of her lips as she watched Molly, Jonah and Payton rest. The sight of them brought back memories of when she was a child. Her toy chest overflowing with dolls and stuffed animals melded into one large clump of tangled arms and legs and body parts just as these three were, oblivious to their surroundings.

Julian had made certain they were armed to the hilts with spear guns that launched wooden stakes at ten per second, crossbows that shot silver-tipped arrows, and Smith and Wessons loaded with both silver and lead, ready for anyone—shifter or not. Savanah eyed her uncle. His bloodshot eyes read better than any book. He too had sat a vigil vowing to protect everyone. His fingers caressed his favorite gun, his own version of a stun gun he’d amplified to the point of ridiculously illegal. He’d dipped two of his four darts in Sodium Pentothal and the remaining two in Versed. Both were anesthetics with different uses. The Pentothal worked as a truth serum. The Versed worked by giving the sucker a mild case of amnesia afterwards, no recollection whatsoever of having been tased, thus getting his ass out of knee-deep trouble. Savanah watched her stealthy uncle slide Donovan’s paintball gun from his grasp as he slept. It took talent to one-up a vamp. The fully automatic Dye DM7 gun was loaded with tiny baubles of concentrated garlic juice and holy water. The gun worked like a charm every time. It reduced snarling vampires to harmless, squashable mosquitoes. Julian aimed the sights of the gun on Olivia’s face, his finger trigger-happy.