Lost (The Allure Chronicles Book 3) (4 page)

“Don’t ever change.”

“I don’t plan on it.”

“Good.” I smiled. My little sister could be annoying, but she could also be awesome. And she was definitely closer to the awesome side at the moment. “Thanks for helping me with this.”

“Like I said, you’re my only brother. If I had more I might have to divide my time.”

“Glad Mom stopped with you then.”

She laughed. “Although I did always want a sister.”

“I wanted a brother, but it all works out in the end.”

“It does.” She stretched. “And you’ll pay me back after this is all over.”

“Will I?”

“Yes. You always find ways to help me out.”

“I thought my sage advice was enough,” I teased.

“It is. Sometimes. Although I’ve been the one dishing out the sage advice lately.”

“Isn’t that a bit frightening?” I laughed.

“Yes. It is. It means I’m getting older.”

“You can’t freak out about your age when you’re in your early twenties.”

“I’m not freaking out. I’m facing reality.”

“Ok, well let’s face this reality in Baton Rouge.” I headed out into the hallway ready to find Daisy.

“
Y
ou want to manipulate here
?” I tried to understand why the others had brought me to a cemetery in the middle of the night. I stopped right in front of the wrought-iron gate with a sign that clearly read ‘Closed at Dusk.’ “Everyone here is dead.”

“I specifically said we weren’t manipulating. Remember the amusement park?”

I thought back to the abandoned park they’d brought me to what felt like ages ago. Violet had been in a state of euphoria. She had talked about all of the mixed emotions running through the air. The happiness, the fear. The Allures seemed to nearly get high off the experience. “But this is a cemetery, won’t all the feelings be of mourning?”

Violet shook her head. “No. People come here to remember, to think about the happy times too. But even the sad emotions aren’t bad.”

“What are we waiting for then?” I was tired of the numbness. “Why are we standing out here?”

“Why don’t you lead the way?” Hugh smirked, which made me hesitate.

“What’s the catch?”

“What makes you think there’s a catch?” His eyes twinkled.

Now I knew there was a catch. “Why are you telling me to go first?”

“He wants you to have the experience alone for the first time.” Violet pointed to the gate.

“Hugh never does stuff like that. He wants entertainment, which means there’s something else going on.” I spoke calmly. I wasn’t upset by his actions and motivations because I couldn’t be.

“The first time can be a bit overwhelming. That’s all.” Roland walked to my side. “We can do it together.”

“Ok.” I was anxious to try it out. I needed to get rid of the numbness, and manipulating didn’t seem to be doing the trick. Maybe this would work better for me.

I climbed the wrought iron gate with Roland right beside me. We jumped down onto the manicured lawn on the other side.

My head swam with thousands of voices and thoughts. My chest tightened and felt like it might explode. I grabbed onto Roland for support.

Somewhere in the background I heard Hugh laughing, but that didn’t matter. I was too busy trying to zero in on individual emotions, trying to savor them.

Happiness swirled through me, and I could almost feel myself being swung around like a little girl by her father. It was dizzying, and it was wonderful. Tears of happiness spilled down my face. But then the happiness stopped and was replaced by a sadness. It felt like a hole in my heart had opened up and everything was being sucked inside. The dad was no longer swinging me. He was lying on a bed and he looked pale as a ghost. The happy tears turned to sad ones. The pain in my chest intensified, and it took everything I had to stay standing.

“Keep moving. The intensity will break you.” Roland’s voice sounded far away.

I let him lead me. I wanted to get away from the sadness that had me ready to fall to my knees.

Anger flooded through me. Then panic. Then another wave of extreme sadness. And then acceptance. I never knew acceptance had such a unique feel. The emotion didn’t get as much credit as it should have. I held onto it, wanting to keep it for myself, but it started to drift away.

And then a sweetness twisted with pain flooded me. It was so beautiful but so hard to handle. Two sets of lips kissing. Two people dancing. Two old wrinkled hands holding each other. My chest compressed; I struggled to breath. I felt two arms coming around me as my head spun. Memories came back to me in waves. A familiar set of lips. A different set of hands. Whispered words, and a movie on the lawn. I gasped for air, struggling to surface to a place I had believed was forever gone.

Owen’s voice echoed through my head. His laughter filled me, and my tears started again. This time for myself. I could taste his lips. I could feel his body pressed against mine and the passion we’d shared in the short time we were given. And then, just as suddenly, it was all gone.

I opened my eyes. I was lying on the grass, completely numb again.

“Daisy?” Violet kneeled next to me. “Are you okay?”

“Why did you stop it?” I sat up. “It was amazing. Why did you pull me away?” Anger surged through me. I didn’t know if it was my own emotion or not, but I felt it.

“You had a more intense reaction than most of us. But it was positive?” She wrinkled her brow.

“It was him.” Most of the experience was slipping away, but I struggled to hold onto what I could. The pure joy.

“You felt the Pteron?” Roland said with disgust. “That’s impossible.”

“Unless it isn’t.” Violet ran her hand over my forehead. “There’s something wrong. The transformation is messed up. We all know that.”

“It’s just delayed.” Roland shook his head. “It’s all going to work. We need to be patient.”

“We’ve been waiting weeks. It should have taken days.” Violet fell back into a sitting position next to me.

The feelings flitted away, and I accepted the numbness that replaced it. “What does this mean?”

“It means we’re going to have to go Louie.” Hugh sat down beside Violet. “We can’t have a half-baked Allure running around.”

“Half-baked?” Anger surged again. I latched on to it, letting it flow through my veins.

“Uh, Daisy. Calm down there.” Violet gave Hugh a look.

Then just as suddenly the anger disappeared.

“No more trips to graveyards until we figure this out.” Roland paced. “And I still think there is one easy solution.”

“She doesn’t want you, man.” Hugh returned to his feet. “Maybe she’ll want Louie now. If that’s the case you’re going to have to deal.”

“She’s not going to want Louie.” Roland gritted his teeth.

“For once I agree with you, Roland.” He was far too creepy for my taste.

“You haven’t seen him since your change, so you don’t actually know.” Hugh shrugged.

“My messed up change.”

“Maybe there was something else in that witch’s potion. Something that needs to be cleaned from her system.” Roland seemed to be talking to himself.

“And how do you suppose we clean it?” Violet asked.

“Wait. No one is cleaning anything from my system.” The thought brought all sorts of negative connotations with it.

“You’d feel better.” Violet looked into my eyes. “The numbness you complain about will be gone. You should be able to manipulate all emotions. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

“I liked my own feelings.” I wished I could feel the loss. I wanted to remember their significance.

“They aren’t your own. Or they shouldn’t be.”

“Why not?” I sat up.

“Oh no.” Violet looked up at the sky.

“What?”

“You’re trying to convince yourself you can turn back.”

“No I’m not.” My head was foggy, and all I wanted to do was go for a swim.

“He’s gone to you.” Violet scooted over and put her hands on either side of my face. “This process may be taking longer, but it’s happening. And you want it to.”

“Why?”

“Because if you don’t the Elders will kill you and the Pteron, and they won’t make the death pleasant.” Hugh cut right to the chase. I was learning to appreciate his bluntness.

“Hugh.” Violet frowned.

“It’s the truth and you know it. You like her, so let’s try to keep her alive.”

“Why would they kill me?”

“They will think you tricked them. You didn’t accept their option, so you had to take the consequences. To do anything but change would be to throw it in their face.”

“Louie might kill her too…” Roland stopped his pacing.

“Why? I have Taylor’s essence. I thought that meant he’d want me.”

“He would, but not if you’re not an Allure. Otherwise he’d try to get the essence out.”

“He wouldn’t kill her.” Hugh shook his head. “The essence wouldn’t survive it. He’d find a way to push the change.”

“We don’t know that for sure.” Violet moved to her knees.

Roland froze. “We have to keep this quiet. He won’t know if she doesn’t tell him.”

“He’s her maker, he’ll know.”

“We only know because we’re attuned to her. We can hide this. Especially if she stays with me. I can mask it.” Roland’s eyes gleamed.

“Or we can try to fix it before Louie shows up,” Violet suggested.

“And how do you suggest that? You keep shooting down the one plausible method.” Roland rolled his eyes.

“I’m going home.” I was bored listening to them argue. If I couldn’t go back to my old existence, I didn’t care. Whatever it was that was messed up was making it impossible to move on.

“You will eventually enjoy this life.” Violet linked arms with mine.

“So you say.”

“You were happy in the graveyard.”

“Because of my feelings that you say I have to lose.”

“No, you were happy before that. Your whole body absorbed the emotions. It was clear on your face.”

“Do you miss your old life?” Maybe focusing on Violet would help dull the numbness.

“Sometimes. The longer I’ve been an Allure, the harder it is to remember, but the more I notice it’s missing. But it’s all part of our existence. There are so many emotions out there to take.“

“Can we move on?” I asked as I slipped into the passenger seat of her car.

“To a new place?” Violet started the car.

“Yes. Somewhere different. Maybe a city.”

“You want more options to manipulate?”

“I want new scenery.” Something different to help pass the time.

“Where do you want to go?”

“Somewhere I’ve never been but with a history. I liked that graveyard thing.” It had been the rush I needed.

“I know the perfect place.” Violet smiled.

“Daisy, you have no idea what you just got yourself into.” Hugh laughed.

F
lying was different now
. The enjoyment I always found from being airborne was gone and replaced by a longing for Daisy. The adrenaline was missing. The sense of feeling alive had disappeared.

“You okay?” Hailey spoke softly as she flew beside me. “You look sick.”

“I’m fine.” I shrugged off her concern. I would be fine if I could get Daisy back.

“You’re not fine,” Hailey snapped. “You’re wishing you gave up your wings. You were the same way on our trip back to New Orleans.”

“I love her more than this.” Flying reminded me of the decision I wasn’t allowed to make for myself. A part of me was angry at her for not giving me the choice, but she’d done it out of love. When I remembered that, it was impossible to stay angry.

“But this is who you are. She made the right choice.” Hailey didn’t falter. She truly believed what she said, but I happened to disagree.

“You can’t know that. You aren’t me, and you aren’t her.” No one could know.

“If she let you trade in your wings, I’d doubt her love for you. Now I don’t.” There was a note of approval in Hailey’s voice. Her level of respect for Daisy had grown.

“Maybe I didn’t get through to her. I didn’t show her how strongly I felt.” I’d gone over every moment of our time together trying to find a reason for her decision beyond sacrifice.

“You’ve never been good at expressing your feelings, but I think you did it just fine with Daisy. I saw the way you looked at each other.” Hailey sped up to match Dad’s pace. I followed.

“I’m excited to meet this Daisy.” Dad met my gaze. “She seems like someone worthy of you.”

“She’s more than worthy of me.” She was everything. So much more than what I ever could have dreamed of. And maybe that’s why I lost her. I was never meant to have someone who could make me so happy.

“Snap out of it Owen.” Hailey punched my arm. “I can tell you’re being self-deprecating.”

“Don’t act like you know me better than you do.” I closed my eyes and savored the feeling of the wind on my face. For a split second I was able to forget about how much I’d lost.

“But I do know you that well. It’s not an act.” Her voice softened.

“I’m not being self-deprecating.” I opened my eyes and reality came crashing back.

“Then what were you thinking about?”

I flew away from Hailey, needing my space. “None of your business.”

“Because I’m right.”

“Nope.” I didn’t even glance over.

“Yes. I am right. Admit it.” Hailey followed me.

“Why do you care so much?” She was getting under my skin, and she knew it. That meant she wasn’t going to give up.

“Because you’re my brother. Remember? I’m beginning to think you don’t listen when I talk to you.”

“I’m fine. Stop worrying.”

“I’m having flashbacks to when you two were kids.” Dad laughed. “I’m not sure that I like it.”

“Did we really fight that much as kids?” Hailey asked.

“You don’t remember?” Dad chortled. “The two of you spent more time in your rooms than out of them for a while. Almost every time you got in trouble it was for fighting with each other.”

“It was always his fault.” Hailey laughed.

“Hardly, but not worth the argument.” I was too worried about Daisy to get into a stupid fight with Hailey.

“Now I know there is something wrong. You never give up an argument that easily,” she huffed.

“There’s a first time for everything.” I hoped that was enough to pacify her for the moment.

“We’re almost there.” Dad broke through our pointless argument.

“I still can’t believe he’s lived this close the whole time,” Hailey whined.

“We had our reasons.” Dad made it clear he wasn’t going to continue that particular line of conversation. He was a man of few words, so when he used them, you needed to listen.

“Where are we landing?” I asked the most imperative question.

“Right over there.” Dad went into a steep descent. I remembered him doing that when I was a kid. It was one of the games he’d play, making us keep up with him. I spent so little time with my father as an adult, that being with him now brought back a flood of memories.

“I thought Jim lived in Baton Rouge?” We were passing over the downtown.

“He's outside the city, but look who’s talking. Weren't you living like a hermit in some cabin in the mountains?” Dad landed in forested area.

I landed beside him. “Technically, yes.” I remained transformed for a moment while I surveyed the area.

“Just know your uncle isn't exactly used to company, so ignore anything strange he does.” Dad retracted his wings, and I followed his lead.

"Don't you love how Dad is telling us all this now?" Hailey nudged me.

"Is he going to be happy to see us?" I pulled on my t-shirt. I wasn’t about to meet someone without being fully dressed.

"You never know with him. Sometimes he is. Sometimes he isn't.” Dad started to walk through the woods.

"Wait, have you seen him since we were born?" Hailey matched Dad’s pace.

"Of course." Dad looked anywhere but at Hailey.

"Of course?" Hailey gasped. "What's ‘of course’ about it? You have never mentioned the man."

"Calm down.” Dad turned to look at her. “I told you your mother and I did what we thought was best."

“All right, whatever. I guess it doesn’t matter now anyway.” Hailey sped up and passed Dad.

I understood her frustration, but now wasn’t the time to get into a fight. I followed behind her. Dad passed us and led the way to a driveway that wound up toward a large Mid-Century Modern style house. “Nice house for a hermit.”

Dad turned to me. “He’s not a hermit.”

“Okay, sorry.” I held up my hands in defense. “For a loner.”

“He’s not a loner by choice.” Dad knocked on the door, and we waited.

Nothing happened, so Dad knocked again. I tried to quell my growing frustration that we might have wasted hours for nothing.

Finally we heard the sound of someone moving around the house.

The door flew open, and a man with dark hair and only the barest hint of grey stood in the doorway. He was younger than I expected and was wearing a pair of thick glasses. Pterons never needed glasses, so he must have been wearing them for purposes of style. His eyes scanned us. “I don’t remember ordering any delivery.” He held a black fedora hat in his hand as though he’d just taken it off or he was ready to put it on.

Dad shrugged. “Yeah well, sometimes you get something even when you don’t order it.”

Hailey and I exchanged looks. Dad seemed to think his brother’s reaction was normal, so we went with it.

Jim turned to us. “And these are the kids. Not much of kids now, huh?”

Dad smiled. “No. Not kids anymore.”

Jim nodded with a seriousness that seemed overstated for the situation. “I should probably update the pictures I have up.”

“You have pictures of us up?” Hailey raised an eyebrow.

Jim laughed. “Nice to finally meet you, Hailey.” He pulled her into a hug. “I’m your Uncle Jim.”

Hailey stiffened in his embrace. “Nice to meet you too.”

“And Owen?” Jim released Hailey and gave me the same hug. I was probably even more startled than Hailey. “Yeah, nice to meet you.”

He released me. “Well, come in.” He walked away from the door, and Dad gestured for us to follow him inside.

The walls of the entryway were covered in bright modern art, and the color continued throughout the large open main floor. The house itself might have been older, but the inside was recently updated. The only part that looked original were the hardwood floors.

“You finally decided to tell them about me?” Jim turned on the light, illuminating a large and modern kitchen.

Dad walked toward the expansive concrete countered island. “Yes.”

“Which one needs my help?” Jim pointed to where Hailey and I waited.

“How did you know we needed help?” Hailey walked toward him.

“Otherwise you wouldn’t be here.” Jim turned to me. “Finally quit The Society? I heard you were awfully high up.”

He knew about me, which was more than I could say about him. “I resigned with no set plans to return.”

He grinned. “I knew you’d see the light.”

“But that’s not why we’re here.” I straightened my shoulders. I was uptight.

“So this is about you?” Jim watched me.

“Yes.” No reason to put off the inevitable. We needed his help and, as always seemed to be the case, time was of the essence.

“It’s about a girl.” He rested his chin in his hand.

“How’d you know?” Hailey asked.

“Because when a man needs help it is usually with his profession or a woman. He already made it clear he isn’t here about his job.” His eyes twinkled. My uncle was enjoying our late night visit. I couldn’t say the same for myself.

“Very true assessment.” Dad smiled.

“I assume by the late hour and the fact that I am finally meeting these kids that this girl is pretty important.” Jim rested a hand on the counter top.

“Owen was willing to give up his wings for her,” Dad explained.

That description wasn’t enough. “She means the world to me.”

“But to give up your wings?” Jim walked around me. “Not to mention how could that even be an option? I assume she wasn’t asking you to cut them off?”

I winched at the thought. “No. It was the Elders, they are—”

“The Elders of Mount Majest?”

I nodded in surprise. “Yes, you know of them?”

“I absolutely know of them, but why would you be dealing with them?” Clearly he knew exactly who I was talking about.

“Because the girl I love was turned into an Allure.”

Jim’s eyes widened. “Oh shi—”

“Yes. He knows how bad the situation is.” Dad cut Jim off. He’d always gotten mad when people cursed in front of Hailey. He was way more protective of her than he was of me.

“How far gone is she?”

“She’s got to be fully turned by now. We went to the Elders for help, and they offered to assist us in exchange for my wings. She wouldn’t let me.” No matter how many times I said it, it never got easier.

Jim nodded in understanding. “Because she loved you.”

“I know that’s why she did it, but I would have gladly sacrificed them to save her.” I reached around and touched the spot on my back which hid one of my wings.

Jim sighed. “All right, I need all the details. The entire story.”

“You think you can help?” A wave of hope swelled through me.

“Possibly, but only if you are completely honest.”

“Where should I start?” I wasn’t going to waste a minute.

“How did you meet her? Who gave her half their essence, and why did she accept it?”

“Wait.” I froze. “You actually know about this stuff?”

“Of course I do.” A funny expression crossed his face, and then he smiled.

“What? What aren’t you saying?” He was holding something back, and generally that wasn’t good.

“Your dad didn’t tell you what I do, or why I’m here.” Jim made a statement. It wasn’t a question.

“No, he didn’t.” Hailey crossed her arms. “He told us nothing.”

“Well then maybe I should share my story first. It might help persuade you that it’s worth divulging the details.”

“Okay,” I quickly agreed.

“But let’s sit down for this.” He gestured to the two large couches in the adjoining family room. “Anyone want coffee? Tea?”

“We’re fine,” I took a seat on the couch. I wanted answers, and I didn’t want to wait.

“Ok, if you say so.” Jim sat down on the arm of the couch across from me. Hailey sat next to me, and Dad sat down by Jim.

“I still can’t believe you didn’t tell him.” Jim narrowed his eyes at my dad.

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted them to know.” Dad looked at the floor. He was regretting his decision to keep the truth from us. Eventually I’d have to talk to him about his reasoning, but it wasn’t the right time.

Jim stood and walked over to the other side of Dad. “They’re my niece and nephew. Of course I want them to know.” He took a seat.

“You should have told me that.” Dad stared at his lap.

“You didn’t trust them.” Jim looked at us even though he was talking to dad.

“Now I do. They’re adults.”

“And I’m done hiding out anyway. By what Owen’s told me already, I was right. Ignoring the truth isn’t going to help anyone.” Jim clenched his jaw.

“What does what I told you have to do with anything?” I asked.

“Everything. My whole life’s work.” He let out a slow deep breath as if trying to control his anger.

“And what’s your life’s work exactly?” That detail might help explain things.

“Technically I’m a professor at LSU.”

“And non-technically?” Hailey slumped down on the couch.

“I am an expert in extinct and rare paranormal and supernatural creatures.” Jim beamed, clearly proud of his true profession.

Hailey and I exchanged a look. That wasn’t a job either of us had heard of.

“How exactly did you get into that?” Pterons generally focused more on themselves. We weren’t interested in anyone else unless they threatened us, and most creatures lacked the strength and resources to do that.

“It was always a fascination of mine. It started with understanding the downfall of the Dire kings. The more I studied them, the more I discovered creatures that had lived with them but no longer exist.” Jim’s face became increasingly animated as he spoke.

“Including Allures?” There had to be a reason Dad brought us to Baton Rouge.

“Yes, including Allures.” Jim stood and crossed the room as if to get something or go somewhere, but then just as suddenly he sat down. “Have you met any? I mean besides the girl, although I assume you haven’t seen her since she fully changed.”

“Yes. Three full Allures.” Unfortunately. I wished I hadn’t had to meet any.

“And how was that experience?” He crossed his legs at the ankles.

“Hated two of them, one was tolerable.”

“And the tolerable one was female?” Jim raised an eyebrow.

I didn’t like his insinuation. “I’m only interested in Daisy.”

“Daisy, huh?” He raised an eyebrow.

“What does that matter?”

“I knew a Daisy once. Fiery little blonde with one heck of a personality. I met her during college, and I never quite forgot the experience.” He got a far off look on his face.