“I know where he’s going.” Shelly smiled at me. “And I know what artifact he’s after. But you’re going to have to let Vance continue to feed from another source—you’re going to need all the strength you can get.”
I stood in the dense, dark forest, feeling like I’d suddenly found myself sucked into a fairytale of some sort.
“Where’s the gumdrops, suckers and candy canes?” Vance’s voice broke the stillness next to me.
“What?” I said in complete confusion.
“It’s like the witch’s cottage in Hansel and Gretel,” Vance murmured over my shoulder as we stared through the heavy tree line toward the little house that lay in the clearing. “I feel like I’m in the twilight zone.”
I agreed with his description. “It does feel a little other-worldly,” I whispered, lifting my head to examine the towering trees above us, their thick branches intertwining to block out the dying light of the sun as dusk began to set in. I glanced at the ground around us too, almost obscured from sight by the overgrowth of vine maple twisting its way through the ancient forest.
“Did you bring any bread?” he said, and I looked up at him quizzically.
“Why?” I asked, wondering what brought about the change in subject.
“So we can lay the trail to get us out of here,” he replied, and a silly grin snuck over his face.
I had to stifle a giggle. Despite all we’d been through in the last few days, the fact that some of his “old Vance” humor managed to sneak to the forefront was endearing to me.
“Bread won’t help us,” I stated matter-of-factly. “Remember, all the birds came along behind Hansel and Gretel and ate it.”
Vance shrugged. “So, I’ll just kill all the birds,” he replied wryly, “demon Vance” making his appearance right back into the mix.
I sighed. “Hardly seems fair for the birds,” I said, continuing to look at him.
“Better them than us,” Vance replied, his gaze flitting over my form from my head to toe. “I’ll give Hex one thing, he sure does dress you well,” he added, changing the subject completely.
I glanced down at the spandex outfit and the utility belt around my waist.
“It’s more practicality than anything else,” I explained. “Good ease of movement.”
His eyes began to fill with shots of red. “I bet,” he said, stepping closer to me. He reached to stroke my hair, hooking his hand around my neck and pulling me near. “You and I have a lot of things we need to discuss,” he whispered as he focused down on my mouth.
I nodded, staring back and forth between his eyes and his lips which hovered so close to mine, wishing he would just close the gap and kiss me.
Our breath mingled together, and time stood still for a few moments. I could feel the yearning between us. I leaned in slightly, and he stepped away from me. I was unable to mask my hurt. Things hadn’t been good for us since we had been in Washington, D.C.
Shelly’s vision had led us to the west coast—Oregon, in fact. Her revelation had shown her Damien would be taking a flight back to Arkansas before journeying to a dark, old growth forest here, while he searched for a new key.
The area, although untouched by logging and such man-made manufacturing, had been mined for a while, leaving old mining shacks behind in the area. The Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center had actually taken over some of those old buildings, and used them for their headquarters to this date.
I stepped away from Vance, distancing myself. “Do you think this is an old mining shack?”
“Probably,” he replied, glancing back toward the cottage. “But with the protection wards I can feel around this place, I doubt anyone who isn’t of magical influence knows it’s here.”
“You’re probably right,” I said with a sigh. “Where do you think they’ll hide the key?”
The key we were looking for this time was an actual key, though it apparently was of the ancient variety. Shelly had drawn a picture of it so we could see what we were looking for. This had sent Hex and my grandmother combing through the internet and any ancient texts they could get their hands on to try and find out what Damien could possibly be after.
We left Washington, D.C. and relocated in Oregon. Vance and I had not traveled on the plane with the rest of the coven, since they were worried Damien may have the airport staked out. We used my jinn powers to evaporate to the next state over and caught a flight from there, meeting up with the others who secured a place for us to stay in Salem, Oregon.
Salem was roughly fifty miles or so away from our destination, but it was the largest city we could stay in and not stick out like a sore thumb, as we would have in some of the smaller rural routes along the way. If Damien were going to be close by we wanted to do everything we could to stay hidden. He might not seem the type to stay in a “no tell motel” but the guy had spent a significant part of his life living on archeological digs so he was definitely no stranger to roughing it. I’d learned my lesson the hard way—never underestimate the lengths he would go to, to get what he wanted.
We chose to settle into a low key three star hotel in Salem, versus one of the more opulent ones, for fear of Damien ending up there as well.
Vance, Hex, and I had suited up with fighting and light camping gear, evaporating our way to a location that was very near our intended target, but not too close. Hex insisted on joining us to help with any fighting that might occur, much to Vance’s dismay. Vance argued that we could just pop in and out of there quickly and accomplish our deed, but Hex was hearing none of it. He was determined to scope out the structure and lay out a plan. This caused us to delay the attack by a day, because due to Hex’s inability to evaporate that far of a distance, I used my magic to carry both he and Vance along with all of our belongings to the location.
While I assured them I would be fine, they both insisted I have time to recuperate to full strength before we initiated any kind of confrontation.
Vance immediately gave me some of his blood when we arrived to the area, which I gladly took, even though Hex grumbled extensively about it as he set up the camp.
He made it plain and clear he didn’t like Vance, and Vance completely reciprocated those emotions back to him. After about five minutes of us being together, I suggested Vance walk with me to check out the area, just to separate the two from each other. Hex admonished us not to try anything and stayed behind to continue setting up after we reassured him we would do nothing of the kind.
“I have no idea,” Vance answered my question pertaining to the key’s hiding place. “I guess we’ll find out when we get inside and look for it. Too bad Shelly’s visions couldn’t be just a little more forthcoming, huh?”
“Well, I’m thankful we have her new found ability, otherwise we’d be sitting completely in the dark.”
Vance didn’t reply, instead reaching to clasp me by the hand as we continued on our way, making a large circle around the property. He used his magic to feel out the wards so we could stay far enough away and not set them off.
We walked together in silence, watching for any signs of life but seeing nothing. There weren’t even any lights permeating the glass of the windows from the inside.
“I wonder if it’s been abandoned,” I said softly as the night began to set in, making the forest a place of still blackness.
“No. Someone’s in there,” he replied, motioning to the top of the chimney and the slight glow beginning to show there, as tendrils of smoke began to wisp their way out from it.
“Hmm, they must have the windows blacked out somehow since there’s no light showing through them.” I glanced over the entire house.
“It would appear so,” Vance agreed, pulling me toward the direction of our camp which was about a mile away from this location. “How are you feeling? Not too cold? Would you like my jacket?”
The early September air had gotten significantly cooler after sunset but felt good to me.
“No. I’m fine, thanks. You doing okay after feeding me?” I asked, concentrating on the warmth of his hand holding mine as he led me through the thick foliage.
He made a nonchalant grunting sound. “You didn’t drink enough to even deplete a fly, let alone cause me any problems.”
“I didn’t want you to be any weaker in case something surprised us,” I explained, reaching up to finger my amulet like I often did when I was nervous, only to remember it hadn’t been there since Catriona had removed it from me. I dropped my hand in frustration. “I’m harder to kill than you are right now.”
“Don’t remind me,” Vance griped, and I felt bad for upsetting him.
“About before,” I began, and he let a great sigh, pulling me over to a stand of trees and turning to face me. I could barely perceive the outline of his features in the darkness, but apparently he could see just fine.
“Say what you have to say,” he said, folding his arms in front of himself.
“I wanted to say I’m sorry,” I replied. “I know you would never hurt Shelly. I really was just tired and confused.”
He stood there for a moment in silence before he started speaking in a slow, low voice. “So answer me this, Portia. Do you think I would attack Brad?”
“No. Never,” I responded instantly, without even thinking about it.
“What about Hex?”
“In a heartbeat,” I answered firmly. The two of them had always been at each other’s throats.
“What about your grandma?”
I hesitated on this one for a moment, truly pondering. “I don’t think you would,” I finally spoke.
He didn’t answer me, and I wondered if my hesitation irritated him. After he didn’t reply for several long moments, nor dropped his mental barriers so I could read him, I finally broke the silence.
“So, did I pass your test, or did I make things worse between us?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
Vance stepped closer, his advancement causing me to lean into the tree behind me. He placed his arms to either side of my head and bent toward my face.
“Listen to me very carefully, Portia, and understand me when I tell you I would kill them all if it meant saving you. I would drink every drop of their blood with relish if it were to keep you from harm, witch or not.” His eyes began filling with red strands that started to glow. “Hex was right when he said I was only loyal to you. You’re my number one priority.”
“You would kill your friends—your family?” I gulped, my heart sinking. “Without thought or hesitation?”
“Yes. But only in order to save you. If your life isn’t contingent on their deaths, they’re safe from me.”
I realized I hadn’t truly understood what he was saying. “Then I hope that’s never the case, Vance, because I don’t think I could live with that.”
“I’m sure it would be difficult for you.”
“What about for you? Are you telling me it wouldn’t be hard for you as well?”
“That’s not what I’m saying,” he said, pushing away and turning from me. “I’m not completely without feeling. Except for Hex. I’d kill him right now if I didn’t think it would crush you,” he added with a frustrated growl.
“Well, please don’t because you’re right. It would crush me.” I stepped to wrap my arms around his broad shoulders. “I’m sorry you two don’t get along.”
He snorted in the darkness. “I have no doubt he’d attempt to kill me at the first available opportunity if you weren’t standing in the way.”
“You’re probably right about that,” I agreed, laying my head against his shoulder. “He doesn’t believe a demon can have any kind of control, let alone have real feelings or make conscious choices.”
“And what about you?” he asked, twisting in my arms and slipping his hands around my waist, pulling my body up against his. “Do you believe I’m capable of those things—of really feeling with my heart?”
“I know it without a doubt,” I stated emphatically. “I’ve seen it.”
“Then answer me this,” he continued. “What happens if you lose the Awakening and you become a demon? What will happen to our relationship? Will you be able to forgive me? Can you live that way?”
I sighed heavily. “Can’t we just cross that bridge when and if we come to it?” I asked, not really wanting to go there.
“No, Portia,” he said roughly. “I want to know if I’ll still have you. You’ve made it pretty plain in the past you have no desire to be a demon.”
“I don’t,” I replied honestly. “None at all. But events have already been set in motion that’ll take that choice from me, so why even bother?”
“Because if you’d rather die than live that way, I need to know.”
I dropped my arms, and pushed him away in complete shock.
“Are you offering to … to dispose of me?” I asked, barely able to speak the words.
“Not in the slightest,” he said, pulling me back up next to him. “After all I’ve been through to have you, what makes you think I’d give you up that easily?”
“I don’t know. It was just something in the way you spoke.”
“No, I’m asking because I would need to know if I should restrain you to keep you from hurting yourself if it happened,” he explained.
“Well, it doesn’t really matter anyway since I still have the Awakening,” I reminded him.
He shrugged his shoulders somewhat nonchalantly. “It was removed once before. I’m betting it can be removed again.”
Vance’s eyes flamed, and he walked me backward a few steps until I was pressed between his body and the tree.
“Do you want it removed?” I asked. “Do you want me to be a demon?”
“No,” he said, surprising me. “I happen to like you just the way you are. Besides, the Awakening is the only thing keeping you truly protected from my father at the moment. As long as he’s alive, you’re not safe, something which I can hardly tolerate.”
“We’ll beat him somehow,” I said, enjoying the feel of his body against mine.
“Let’s not talk about him right now.” He dipped his head to nuzzle at my neck.
“Okay,” I whispered. “What do you want to talk about?”
“I don’t want to talk at all,” he answered, and his lips found mine in the darkness.
“Wait,” I said, pushing him back before he could intensify the kiss.