Chapter 26 — One problem down

Kell:

I’m glad everything is more settled between us. Tiffany avoids us now. Every time I see her, she runs in the opposite direction. People still treat her like crap. It would be almost sad if it wasn’t for the fact that she tried to get between my beauty queen and me. Unfortunately for her, that’s not something I can take lightly.

Right now, I’m waiting for my beauty queen to finish practicing for her pageant. Her mother gives me a sideways look every time she sees me, but she doesn’t make any comments. That doesn’t mean that I won’t tread carefully around her.

I worry about Amara now more than ever. She’s not sleeping well because she’s worried about her visions. On the one hand, she’s scared of getting a vision, and on the other, she worries that someone might be dying because she’s not having any. Fortunately, Mathias contacted us and told us of a woman who can help Amara control her visions. I plan on taking Amara to meet her tonight.

Once practice is over, Amara meets me outside. She looks exhausted. “Hey, beauty queen,” I lay a kiss on her head and pull her into my embrace.

“Hey.” She mumbles wearily.

Taking her hand, I usher her to the passenger seat of my car and make my way to the driver’s seat. Amara rests her head back in the seat and closes her eyes with a sigh. My beauty queen is working herself raw, and it worries me.

Taking her hand in mine, I whisper, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just tired. I can’t wait for this pageant to be over so I can move on with my life.”

I lay a soft kiss on her hand and start the ignition. “I know you’re doing this because you want your mother off your back and because they’ll pay for your photo equipment, but I don’t want you to run yourself into the ground. I want you to take it easy, and if it gets to be too much, let me know.”

She sighs with relief and gives me a bright smile. “I know. I will. What time are we meeting the woman Mathias told you about?”

I tighten my hand around the steering wheel as I steer down the road. “Her name is Kira Serapova. We’re scheduled to go to her house at seven. Apparently, she’s some kind of seer. She’s not a Breija because her power doesn’t come from mirrors. But according to Mathias, she’s a seasoned seer who can help you control your powers.”

Amara gives me a hopeful look. “I hope that she can help me. I don’t know if I can handle it if another girl dies when I could have done something about it.”

Her voice trembles making me angry that she feels so pressured by something she can’t control.

“You’ll be fine, babe. Remember, you have me.” I try to lighten the mood by giving her my cockiest smile and flexing the muscles on my arm. She rolls her eyes and slides her finger over my arm with an exaggerated sigh. “Ooh, you’re right.” She says softly. “I have my big strong man to protect poor little old me.”

I narrow my eyes at her condescending tone but let it go. “You bet your sweet little ass, beauty queen. I love you, and anyone who tries to take you from me will suffer.”

At my comment, she shakes her head and leans back in her seat with a sexy smile. “I love you too.”

Her words go straight to my heart. But I don’t let her see how much she affects me. Instead, I say deadpanned. “I know, babe. I mean, who can resist all of this?” I say, gesturing to my hard body.

Amara quirks her brown and snickers. “You are such a humble soul. Kell. I don’t know how you do it.”

We both chuckle and sigh as some of the tension eases.

The drive to Kira Serpova’s house is short. Amara and I look on in surprise as we pull up in front of a Victorian-style house near a secluded forest. The house is foreboding with its dark and somber veneer. It doesn’t help matters that there are no street lights or bright lights on in the house, which creates a sinister aura.

However, I can see candles lit from within. I look over to Amara, who gives me an uneasy look. Taking her hand, I kiss the palm and mutter, “It’ll be fine, beauty queen.”

Squeezing my hand, she takes a deep breath and opens the car door. The night is mostly quiet, with only the sounds of the wind and cicadas off in the distance. As we make our day to the door, I pull Amara protectively behind me and lead the way to the creaky front steps.

I gaze around the grounds appraisingly with every step. The front porch is unkempt, with peeling gray paint and weeds growing on the floor and around the windows. And the porch swing lets out a loud squeak every time the wind pushes it. The swing is old and rusted with faded green pillows, there’s a dirty window box holding wilted flowers, and the front door’s white paint is peeling. I look around for a doorbell but find none. Amara shrugs, confused, and gestures for me to knock.

To our surprise, the door opens, revealing none other than Taylor Mathews. His eyes widen in understanding when they settle on Amara. “Amara?”

Amara’s eyes widen with surprise. “Hey…hey, Taylor…um, do you live here?”

He nods his head. “Yeah, I live here with my aunt. Are you…are you the Breija that my aunt’s waiting for?”

I nod my head. “Yeah, we’re here to see Kira Serapova.”

He nods his head disappointedly and opens the door wider. “Well then, come on in.” He says, turning around and leading us inside.

Taking Amara’s damp hand, I lead her into the long and dark hallway. The place has a homie feel to it, with its bright red carpet and blue damask wallpaper lining all of the walls.

A cold draft rushes through the hallways, making us tremble with a chill. Unfortunately, Amara’s not ready for the chill of the room. She’s wearing blue jeans and some kind of frilly white top that shows off her tanned shoulders. I take off my leather jacket and place it over her shoulder. “Here, babe, this will warm you.” She gives me a grateful smile and slips her hands inside the sleeves.

Thankfully, I wore my burgundy Henley and black jeans, so I’m warm. Just then, an older woman steps into the room. However, after some inspection, she doesn’t look that old. It’s just something about her that tells me that she’s older than she looks. Her hair is long and white, and her skin is nearly translucent. She’s wearing a long blue and white paisley dress, and her arms are loaded with bangles, and several big rings decorate her fingers. She’s completely expressionless as she roams her eyes over Amara and me. After a moment, she begins to talk with a thick Russian accent, “You must be the Breija and you…” She says, gesturing to me with an interested expression. “You are the Breija’s Nephilim mate. How odd a pairing.”

Taylor gasps in surprise. “You’re a Nephilim? And Amara is a Breija? Holy crap!”

I give him a haughty glare and say defensively, “What are you?” Taylor shakes his head. “Me, I’m nothing, man. My aunt is a seer. But don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.” His aunt’s eyes look at us in question. “How do you know each other, darling?”

Taylor gives her a wan smile. “Actually, we all go to school together, Aunt Kira.” She clucks her tongue and nods her head. “Ah, of course. Taylor is right. He does not carry the gift. Only the women in the Serapova line carry it. Taylor is my brother’s child. He’s very much human.”

Noticing that we’re still standing in the hallway, Kira gestures to her living room. “Well, come and let’s have a seat. Taylor darling, why don’t you get us something to drink. Some hot tea, perhaps?” She asks Amara and me, waiting for confirmation.

Amara nods, but I don’t. “I’m okay, thanks.” Kira turns to Taylor and gestures with her ringed hand towards the kitchen. “Very well then, one tea for me and the Breija.” Taylor nods in agreement and rushes out of the room.

Amara is speechless as she gazes at the woman. Seeing that Amara is too overwhelmed to talk, I step closer to her and address Kira. “Thank you for seeing us at such short notice, Ms. Serapova. We really appreciate this.”

She waves my thanks away and points to an empty seat. “Please, have a seat. You can call me Kira.” She says, maintaining a blank face.

It’s eerie how her words don’t match her expression. Not even her hair moves with her movements. Amara takes a seat on an old brown couch surrounded by various colored scarves. The room is large with a brick fireplace, thick red draperies, and antique dark cherry wood furniture. The sofas look like those old antique sofas you find in Victorian times. There’s even a fainting couch and tables holding lamps with half-naked people in various forms of embrace.

As I sit, I can't help but feel worried that I might break the chair.

Taylor walks in a moment later, bearing a small tray with a genuine porcelain tea set. It has pink flowers painted on it and everything. I’ve never seen a Royal Dalton tea set up close, and I am glad I didn’t partake because I might feel bad if I chipped the dainty cup.

Kira serves Amara tea and some for herself. The smell of mint and honey permeates the air creating a pleasant scent. Amara takes the delicate teacup in her hands and takes a sip. It seems absurd somehow to sit here and watch my mate drink tea with a powerful Seer. After taking a few sips, Kira sets down her cup and folds her hands over her knee. “Well, what can I do for you, Breija?”

Amara lays her own cup down and gives me a nervous smile. I guess it’s not every day that you get to meet a powerful witch. Not knowing what else to do, I take her hand and give her an encouraging smile.

She must take this as a go-ahead because she turns back to Kira and starts talking. “I…I just recently found out that I was a Breija. Over the past couple of years, every time I’ve looked in a mirror, I’ve had a vision. At first, the visions were vague and fractured, but over time, they became more vivid.”

Amara stops talking and nervously rubs her other palm across her thigh.

Kira leans forward with a quirked brow, her head tilted in interest. “What did you see?”

Amara’s breathing becomes rapid and harsh.

“Shhh, it’s okay, beauty queen….” My thumb makes circles around her hand in a gentle caress.

Amara closes her eyes and takes another deep breath. “The clearest visions were the most recent ones. Those…” She stops talking and gulps loudly. “I saw two girls die in a ritualistic murder. Over the past couple of months, there have been reports of girls getting murdered during a ritual. I dreamt of two of those girls. I saw Leslie Johnson and Sophie Chandler die. They were taken to a church, and someone stabbed them.”

Her body shudders as she places her hands over her ears and whispers brokenly. “I could hear chanting and see someone with red eyes before they tied the girls to a pew and sacrificed them.”

Kira stiffens on her chair and tilts her head to the side. “Did you see who killed them?”

Amara shakes her head and sniffles. “No, I couldn’t see who it was. But I know one of them was a woman. The visions have become stronger over the past few months. Before the last two girls, I only saw bits and pieces that made no sense.”

Kira remains still for a moment then says, “You must understand that I am not a Breija. You have a special ability. However, I do know that Breijas experience extreme drops in body temperature whenever the person they envision is on the cusp of dying or dead. Have you had such experiences?”

Amara nods her head. “Yes, I’ve gotten so cold that I thought I was going to die. If it wasn’t for Kell finding me a few weeks ago, I might have died.”

I nod my head in confirmation. “Yeah, she was nearly blue and lifeless. It was seriously scary.”

Kira nods her head. “Yes, that happens. Unfortunately, many Breijas have died that way. That’s why you’re so rare. I can help you control that. Now, have you had any more visions since?”

Amara shakes her head then nods. “I have. But they’ve only happened by mistake. I’ve avoided looking into the mirror since.”

She clucks her tongue. “Niet darling, you can't do that. You can’t avoid looking in the mirrors. Because when you do, the visions become uncontrollable. That’s why they are so strong and make you so cold. You have to expose yourself to the vision. Let it take you. It will be hard the first few times, but eventually, you will be able to control it. It’s like not eating for a long time, then eating something and becoming very sick. You understand?”

Amara nods her head. “Yeah. But how do I keep it from overtaking me?”

Kira replies, “I suggest you take over the vision. Think of it as a dream where you can change something. Instead of letting the nightmare overtake you, imagine fighting back. Try to concentrate on what’s important. Focus on what is going on, not what is happening to the victim directly. Think of it as you would feel as if you’re watching a movie. It will make it easier for you to see the vision.”

Her words make sense, but I can tell that Amara is still very nervous. “Is there anything you can give her to help her with the visions?”

Kira shakes her head. “Niet, there is nothing. I suggest you be there when she has visions. Keep her from falling into them and make sure she stays safe. It will get better over time. You just have to take control of the visions. Eventually, your powers will grow, and you will be able to control them. Have you experienced any other powers?”

Amara shakes her head forlornly. “No, I haven’t. What kind of other powers would I get?”

Kira simply shrugs. “I don’t know. From what I know about Breijas, they develop several other powers over time. But do not despair, Breija. It will get better.”

I can tell that Amara is curious but also still too fragile to continue her line of thought. Feeling emotionally and physically drained, we thank Kira for her help and head to my house. I don’t know why, but somehow I feel that Amara and I are on the cusp of some epic change, and it scares me.

That night, Amara and I meet up with Haley and Carrick to see a movie. Amara remains stiff throughout the night. I can tell that the talk with Kira really got to her. Once the movie finishes and everyone disperses, I take Amara to my bedroom and lead her to my bed. She takes a seat in the corner of the bed and rests her hands on her thighs. Her distress saddens me. Squatting down in front of her, I lay my hands on her knees. “You need to stop worrying, beauty queen. We’ll figure it out, I promise.”

“What should I do, Kell?” Her brow furrows in consternation.

I don’t know what to tell her, but I know that I have to find some way to make this okay. “Maybe we should practice… now.”

I rise up and gesture toward my dresser’s mirror. “You can take a quick look, and I’ll stand with you to make sure that everything is okay.”

She looks at the mirror nervously then rises from her chair. At first, she takes a few hesitant steps. Then, after a moment, she lifts her hand to mine for support. My hand reaches for hers and connect them. As gently as I can, I lead her to the mirror and say, “Close your eyes, babe.” She nods her head and takes a couple of deep breaths before she closes her eyes and steps in front of me.

Her body trembles as I move her closer to the mirror and place my hands on her shoulders. I look at the mirror to see our reflections.

Amara’s eyes are closed, and her chest is heaving slightly as if she has run several miles. Placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, I take my own deep breath and whisper in her ear. “Okay, beauty queen, open your eyes but remember it’s just a vision. It’s not real. I’ll be with you.”

At first, her eyelashes flutter. It happens gradually at first. Her eyes gaze into the reflection, then sharpen into points. Her pupils dilate, and she loses focus. It’s as if she’s staring off into the distance. Her body shakes slightly and begins to sway. Before she can fall, I wrap my arms around her waist and make soothing noises. When her breathing begins to heighten, I become a bit concerned, but I don’t let it overwhelm me. My arms tighten around her protectively as her chest begins to huff and puff, and her face loses color. Her face becomes paler as the vision begins to overtake her. As gently as I can, I pull her close and whisper, “Remember, babe, it’s just a vision. Try to control it.”

I have to tighten my fists to keep myself from snapping her out of her vision, especially when she doesn’t blink or gives me an indication that she can hear my words.

All I can do is stand there and hope that she will make it out of this vision without issue.