Chapter 76

Amanda watched her friend as they walked toward Ruby's house. Vita and Gretchen were staying with Ruby since they both felt it would be more comfortable than staying in a house full of wolves. Deak and Colson seemed to agree with the idea as well.

Amanda could tell something was eating at Tabitha. She pulled her friend to a stop. "Okay, something's wrong? What's going on?" Amanda asked Tabitha.

Tabitha looked up at her friend with a surprised look. Was she that transparent?

Amanda smiled softly at Tabitha as she pointed to her head.

"I can sometimes hear what people are thinking about, especially if it's about me," Amanda confessed. She shrugged her shoulders at Tabitha, not knowing what else to say.

Tabitha bit down on her lower lip. She didn't want to cause trouble by telling Amanda what Tristan had said. But Tabitha felt Amanda had a right to know.

"It's okay," Amanda assured her.

Tabitha sucked in a deep breath before letting it out. "Marco and I had breakfast duty for the cellmates. Tristan wanted me to ask you something."

Amanda lifted her eyebrow at her friend, waiting to hear Tristan's question. She had a feeling she knew what the question was going to be.

"He asked me to see how you've been sleeping," Tabitha whispered. Tabitha clenched her eyes shut as she waited for her friend to react. When she opened her eyes, Amanda was no longer standing before her. Tabitha turned to look around for Amanda and saw her running for the prison cells.

"I knew I shouldn't have said anything. Me and my big mouth," she said out loud as she ran toward Ruby's house to warn the girls.

She also sent a mind-link to Hudson and Marco.

Tabitha: Be advised Amanda is running toward the cells to confront Tristan.

Marco: TABITHA!!

Tabitha: I know! I'm sorry!

Hudson: What's going on?

Tabitha: Ask Marco. I'm letting Vita and Gretchen know what's happening.

Tabitha burst into Ruby's house. The girls were laughing in the kitchen as Deak folded a blanket.

"Amanda's headed to the cells to confront Tristan!" Tabitha blurted out.

The room grew quiet quickly.

Deak was the first to ask, "Why would small girl do that?"

"I think he's been causing her to have bad dreams," Tabitha answered.

Vita walked into the living room with Gretchen following closely behind her. She looked at Deak and then at Tabitha. "Take me to the cells," Vita demanded.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Tristan might be doing all this to get you to see him. He knows you care about Amanda," Deak replied.

Vita looked up at Deak. She raised her hand to his cheek and cupped his face. "I won't let him hurt my friends or me."

Deak sighed. It was moot to try and change her mind. "Let's go then."

***

Amanda rushed down the steps and headed straight to the cell holding Tristan. With a swish of her hand, she pushed him against the farthest wall from the cell door.

"I see you got my message," Tristan said with a chuckle as he got back up from the floor.

"Why, why are you harassing me?" Amanda asked him.

Tristan started to laugh. "You still have something I want."

Amanda was tired of being toyed with. She lifted her hand, which forced Tristan to do the same, and pushed him into the farthest wall from the cell doors. "What do you want from me?" she asked him in a snarl. Willow was beginning to skirt on the surface. Willow didn't like how this witch was playing with their emotions.

Tristan chuckled. "You still don't know the kind of power that you hold. You have been gifted with so much more than just magic. Did you think a normal witch could force a faction to shift back into their human form or temporarily restrict a witch's magic? Oh no, you have something far more powerful running through you. Your power protects you. It's why no one can kill you for your power. For someone to get your power, you have to give it up freely."

A tremble of fear trickled through Amanda, but she didn't let any of it show that she was scared. She pulled her hand back a little and pushed it forward again. She was slamming Tristan against the wall harder. Tristan just laughed. Amanda's anger continued to grow; she needed to stay focused. Amanda didn't need to lose control. A small voice inside her told her to show Tristan just how magical they were. But Amanda was scared.

'Take a deep breath,' Willow told her. 'Nothing terrible is going to happen.'

Amanda continued to hit Tristan against the wall. "How do you know about the magic I have?" she asked him.

"There are legends, old wives' tales about a powerful sorcerous that used to live amongst the lands, with powers so strong that she could rid the world of the factions. She was deemed immortal, with the kind of power she wielded."

"What happened to her?" Amanda inquired.

Tristan shrugged. "Merga is coming," he whispered.

Amanda felt a shiver and sucked in her breath as she took in the scent of her mate.

"Amanda?" Hudson called out to her.

Amanda dropped her arm, and at that same time, Tristan fell to the ground. Tristan picked himself up and started wiping the dirt off his clothes.

Amanda turned into Hudson, and he wrapped his arms around her.

"Oh, young love," Tristan mocked. "Too bad it will never last."

Hudson growled at Tristan.

Amanda turned and squeezed her hand as if it were wrapped around Tristan's neck.

Tristan could feel his neck tighten, but he didn't care. "Does that make you mad, Amanda?" he taunted.

"Amanda, don't allow him to tempt you," Vita called out as she descended the stairs.

Amanda released Tristan the moment she heard Vita's voice. A calmness came over her as Hudson began to rub her arms, sending calming energy to his mate.

"Oh, the gangs all here. Just for little ol' me." Tristan stared at Vita. "Why don't you come and give me a kiss, for old times' sake?" he asked with a pouted lip.

A ferocious growl echoed through the cells as Deak stepped in front of Vita, blocking Tristan from looking at her.

Tristan's eyes narrowed at Deak. "I see she hasn't gotten rid of you yet."

Deak merely shrugged. "I guess she has good taste."

"Why are you messing with Amanda?" Gretchen asked.

Tristan turned to look at Gretchen; his face turned into disgust, and he said, "I don't talk to traitors."

Gretchen shrugged; she didn't care. Gretchen was happy to be out of that coven and no longer had to call him cousin.

Vita stepped out behind Deak. "Tell me. What did you say to Amanda?"

Tristan smiled devilishly at Vita and answered, "I told her Merga was coming."

Gretchen gasped as she covered her mouth.

"Who's Merga?" Amanda asked.

Vita quickly turned to make her way to the stairs and said, "We need to talk with Madeline right now."