Chapter 14

My glamour was gone, and now nothing shielded my real identity, the monster I was, from the people in this town I’d terrorized. Abby was right, but perhaps there was something I could do to atone.

Thoughts began to coalesce as I ran with a quickening pace. Along fractured sidewalks and mud-stained paths, I hurried until I'd almost broken out in a full sprint. Only, when I stopped it was not in front of the massive, white-walled house with the wide verandah. No, it was in front of Abagail's home.

My idea would require magic, and a good deal of it. And while she was barely a newborn when it came to the craft, she was the very person, likely the only one, who could help me with this.

I sprinted up the steps to her front door and pounded on it. It swung open immediately.

“The Lemon Balm Café,” I blurted out, pressing a hand to my stomach.

Her dark eyes narrowed. “What about it?”

“I want to rebuild it,” I said, still breathless. “The whole thing, restore it to what it was before. Exactly like before.”

She studied me for a time, her eyes roaming over me with a level of suspicion. “How altruistic,” she scoffed. “But that’s not possible. And even if it was, unless you had access to some sort of time machine, it would never be exactly the same.”

I breathed out a sigh and gulped in deep breaths. In the time I’d been here, she hadn't tried to stab me or poison me or even have me arrested yet, so I considered that progress and pressed on, despite the deadly rage growing in her eyes.

“I know. And I know it won’t bring back Neil or anyone else harmed by my actions. But it will bring back a piece of my heritage.”

Her jaw fell open, and I could tell she had scathing words on the tip of her tongue ready to whip at me, but instead she cocked her head to the side, her eyes pointed.

“So, is this about making amends, or because you suddenly want to stake some twisted claim over a family treasure?”

I chewed my lower lip, debating which answer would bring the best result. “Can it not be both?”

She rolled her eyes and shoved the door closed. It would have slammed shut if I hadn't stuck my foot inside.

“Wait, wait. Okay. I do want to see it restored because it belonged to my grandmother. And no, I didn't know her and never will. That part isn't my fault. But there are these... feelings swirling inside me, and I don’t know how to make them stop or what to do with them. All I know is I have this need to see it rebuilt. And I have no idea how to make that happen in this world. And you...” I paused, looking her over. In truth, I didn’t know what level of magic she possessed. Were I able to access my own, I might have been able to feel her power. But I couldn’t.

I sighed. “Perhaps this was another massive mistake. I shouldn't have come. It was foolish. Sorry.” I backed up two steps, then turned and jogged down the stairs back to the path.

“Hold up,” she called out as she stepped onto the porch, clutching her sweater tighter. “Look, I may not like you, but I dislike this new-and-improved version of you less than the original.” She shrugged. “And I do like Lorelei and Vivienne. So how could I say no to helping their family’s landmark get rebuilt?”

I sighed inwardly and turned back to face her. “Thank you. I need access to someone with powers to make this happen quickly.” I waved my hand casually. “Cash flow, permits, manipulating the minds of contractors and builders and such.”

“No worries. It’s good.” She smiled. “I’ll help. We can start with the contractor, then maybe the bank manager. I have some power of persuasion spells I’d like to try out.” Her eyes sparked with excitement.

She was being nice. Too nice. Candy sweet nice. And it made me wonder if she really wanted to help me, of if she was just trying to feed me sweets to fatten me up so she could toss me into the fire and roast me. Like in those children’s tales where the old lady is actually the witch. Of course, I was more accustomed to being the witch.

“Why are you being nice to me?”

Her eyes widened. “What?”

“Nice. You. You're being sweet. And you're helping me, and you're offering me ways to get what I want... and I ‘m asking why. You should hate me. You do hate me.”

“Yeah... I kinda do,” she said after a moment of reflection. “But if any of what you've said is true, and you actually are my best friend's twin sister and you want to help her family—” She looked away and took a long, deep breath, “—then I have to at least try to find some way to forgive you.”

“Hm. Okay. Fair enough.”

“But make no mistake. My niceness and my willingness to help you are for Lorelei's sake, not yours. It most definitely does not mean I like you.”

I rolled my eyes and turned away. “Either way, I appreciate the help, since apparently I'm as helpless as in infant in this world without my powers. But, here I am, because I need answers, and this is the only way I can get them.”

“Answers. Not revenge or more blood lust, right?”

I puffed out a sigh. “I've given my word a hundred times. Must we make it a hundred and one?”

“Humor me.”

“All right, fine. I solemnly swear I am not up to no good.” I winked at her.

She muttered under her breath, but that seemed to appease her for now. “Good enough. Let's talk tomorrow.”

With a brief smile, I headed back toward my original destination, the field behind the school.

"Venus?"

I paused without looking back.

“It sucks that you missed out on growing up with your mother and sister. But they missed out, too. What was done to you was horrible, but it was done to all of you," she said. "It's not Vivienne’s fault. And it’s not Lorelei’s fault either. You should keep that in mind."

My shoulders stiffened a little, but I managed a nod before I jogged back into the shadows.

Abby caught up. “Where you headed?” she asked.

“The school. I need some... space.” I frowned as she kept pace next to me. “Where are you going?”

“I’ll walk you there.” She shrugged, then tugged on my arm. “Key word walk.”

I’d rather be alone, but it seemed bad form to say no to her, after what she was doing for me. The school was only a couple of blocks away, and fortunately, Abby and I walked most of the way in relative silence.

Wide open spaces had always felt more comfortable to me than enclosed ones. Houses, dwellings, castles—it didn’t matter the size, they were all stifling, and I felt suffocated and trapped inside walls, regardless of how vast. The chorus of guilt playing non-stop in my head needed more space than Vivienne’s house offered. So the field was perfect. Vast. Quiet. Empty. It was just what I needed to—

“Ninety-eight, ninety-nine, a hundred,” a voice filled the night.

I frowned. Okay. Not so empty.

I searched the semi-darkness, moving closer to the heaving breathing.

A boy. A human boy. He was exercising and showing off some of the most defined abdominal muscles I had ever seen on either side of the veil.

His eyes met mine, while he was doing something that looked like a cross between a push-up and a crouch. He eventually hopped to his feet after finishing a series of exercises that made his leg and arm muscles flex in the most mesmerizing way.

He had almost blue-black hair, long, and pulled back into a bun. His skin was the color of cashews, and his eyes were so dark and vivid I could see them from where I stood.

Grabbing a white shirt from the ground, he tugged it over his head. Then he picked up a bottle of water, tipped back his head, and squeezed a long stream of it into his mouth.

Oh, that mouth... Focus Venus. I gave my head a shake. This isn’t the Nevermore. No time for human toys. I turned to walk away and said to Abby, “Guess I’ll walk you back to your house.”

“Abby, that you?” he called out. “Thought you were pretty much married to your microscope. What brings you out of the science lab?”

“A healthy work/life balance. Unlike some of us who have an unhealthy obsession with inanimate objects.” She pointed to the football resting a few feet from him.

I tugged her arm to keep walking as pretty-boy jogged over.

“Hey.”

“Hey yourself,” I answered, not able to resist looking back at him. But Abby heaved a sigh and stopped walking.

He was tall, about Abby’s age, and surprisingly beautiful. Odd. Humans typically rated average on the attractive scale. This one was most certainly not average.

Dessert-for-the-eyes moved closer.

“What's this?” He eyed me up and down.

Abby pulled a face. “It's called a girl. I'm sure you've seen one before. Perhaps you've noticed us. We share the ground you walk on and look nothing like your darling football?”

He ignored Abby and walked toward me.

She rolled her eyes. “Here's a human experience for you. Unfortunately, they can't all be pleasant,” she said as she headed back toward her house. “Have fun.”

I watched the footballer saunter toward me. Here we go. I suppose this was all part of the human experience. However, courting, flirting, and all of its relatives were standard in the Nevermore, only with higher stakes.

“So, you're new here.”

Humans so loved stating the obvious.

“And you have the most amazing eyes.”

“Right on both counts.” I glanced back at Abby. Maybe my time would be better spent going with her and searching for more ways to rebuild the Lemon Balm.

“They're way too green. Like, toxic-biohazard-waste green.”

My gaze snapped back to the boy, and I cocked my head. “Bet you say that to all the girls.”

He beamed. “Or spring's-first-blades-of-grass green. Startling and beautiful. I could stare at them for days.”

“The grass?”

“Yes. And you.”

Ego and arrogance all wrapped up in one, albeit rather enticing, package. This boy was too much. And yet, there was something charming about him. “What's your name Football?”

“Lucifer.”

I smirked. So, you're the devil. Seems I've met my match.

“But call me Luc.”

“Your parents have a dark sense of humor. I like them already.” I started walking, but Luc quickly caught up to me, still grinning like a lunatic.

“What’s your name? Or should I call you Red?” He leaned in. “Or maybe Green.”

“It's non-of-your-business, which you could call me if I wanted you to call me anything at all.”

He smiled as he shoved a hand through his damp hair, tugging it loose. In fact, he was damp all over. Drenched in sweat from the athletics that had him out here after dark, poaching my little piece of solitude.

He moved closer. Slowly. The way humans tended to. Some part of them must have sensed the predator in me. But whatever that part was, it was malfunctioning, because he was now standing so close to me that I could feel the warmth of his breath. Maybe he thought he was the predator. How adorable would that be?

“Listen, as much as I would love to stay and flirt with your already over-inflated ego, I have other, better things to do. Excuse me.”

“Ouch.” He clutched his chest then lifted the corner of his damp t-shirt to wipe his forehead. Giving an up-close view of the well-toned muscles underneath was purely accidental, no doubt.

His eyes narrowed a bit. “You look familiar. Do I know you?”

I ran the tip of my fingernail across my eyelid and puffed out a sigh. Didn’t matter which side of the veil we were on, the most arrogant were always the hardest to get rid of.

“I am positive you do not,” I replied. “You and I are complete and total strangers.”

His full lips tipped up at the corners. “Shouldn’t you be afraid of strangers?”

“Afraid?” Of a strange, but lovely human boy, exercising in a field? I started to laugh. “What on earth for?”

“I don't know, because they could be serial killers.” He came a little closer still.

“Well, now I’m terrified.” I mimicked a shiver. “Are you one? One of those serial killers?” I looked him up and down, half-certain I could overpower him even without magic, if I needed to—but fully certain I wouldn’t need to.

“Nah,” he laughed, “but you're lucky I'm not. It’s probably not safe to be out here all alone. Especially with all of the crazy crap that’s been happening.”

I exhaled a sigh, cocking my head. Okay, I’ll bite. “Crazy crap?” I repeated the meaningless words back to him.

“You know, like the wildfires.”

Now the pretty-boy had my attention. “Fires...” I blinked my lashes.

“The Lemon Balm Café burned to the ground. They say it was arson. Set intentionally.”

My mouth went dry. I tried to swallow. “I see.”

“And the forest fire, too. Took out a chuck of the area we used to hang out in. Also intentional.”

“Hm. You don’t say.” I shifted my weight to my other hip, my limbs suddenly stiff.

Taking a measured step closer, he tugged his hair back and knotted it behind his head in a perfect man-bun. “Then there’s the abductions, disappearances... Just not all that safe to be wandering around empty fields all alone.”

“I'm pretty sure I can handle myself, but thanks for the cautionary tales.” I walked away from him, but heard his steps follow behind me. I guess he was certain I was not a serial killer either.

He fell into step next to me. “You’re not from around here...” He leaned forward to study my face. “Nah, I've lived here forever, and I would know if you lived here.”

Was that meant to be a compliment? “Aren’t you observant? I'm not from around here.”

Time to check human flirtations off my list and move on. “Listen, handsome, this has been entertaining, but I have things to do."

“What kind of things?” He wasn’t letting up.

“None of your business kind of things. Things that don't involve nosy arrogant human boys.”

He cocked a brow. “Human boys. Never been called that before. Are you trying to tell me you're an alien?”

“Yes, Lucifer. That's exactly what I'm telling you. So, unless you want to be probed in very uncomfortable places...”

“No, I get it. You have to jet. What about Saturday night?”

“What about it?"

“The party. Are you going?”

“You ask a lot of questions.”

“I’m a curious guy by nature.” He waited for a more specific answer, until it was clear he wasn’t going to get one.

Parties. Weren’t those one of the rites of passage I had missed out on? Dating and dancing and parties with football players. Human parties. I rolled my eyes, bored already at the thought. “I'm not going,” I finally answered.

“Of course not, because you were waiting for me to ask. Your hero to the rescue, and now I’m asking.”

He was persistent, and he didn't back down. Which gave me a better plan than scaring him away. I looked him over once more, before floating my idea past him. “So, you say you've lived here a while?”

“Forever.”

“Then you must know where everything is.”

He choked on a laugh and rubbed his hand over his head. “Everything like what? There ain’t much here other than a whole lotta nothing.”

“Oh, there has to be something.” I took one step closer to him. “I want to see and do everything, and I could use... a guide.”

His eyes narrowed. “A guide?”

I twisted a lock of hair around my finger. “I've only been here once before. Last time I was preoccupied with... well, other matters. This time is all about fun. Normal, high school, teenage fun.” I beamed a bright smile, a smile I hoped would make him say yes.

I only had a short time in their world, and Abby had already made it clear she was only interested in her amateur undercover detective work. I wanted to make the most of my experience here as a human.

He laughed a little. “And you think that Drearyton Cove has a lot to offer, do you? It has a population of, like, fifty. Most of them you've already met. Nothing interesting here. Where are you from anyway?”

“Oh, it’s a little place, just beyond the veil.” I smirked.

He frowned a little. “Is that near Portsmouth?”

I shook my head, running the tips of my fingers across the waist-high grass. “No, it’s nowhere near Portsmouth.” Who named these places? I shrugged my shoulders. “You wouldn’t know it. It’s somewhere far more fascinating... but this is exactly what I need right now. A good strong dose of nothing interesting. Because I have to try it for myself. At least once.”

Beautiful boy studied me for a long moment then he frowned, his head starting to nod. “Oh man,” he gasped, “you're sick, aren't you? It’s cancer and you’re dying, right? That’s why you want to see crap that doesn’t matter. Like the girl in that book about the faulty stars or whatever.” His nod turned to a headshake as he tried to deny his own truth. “Wow. That really sucks. Sorry.”

I blew out a sigh of impatience. “I'm not dying.” Been there, done that. “And I don't have an incurable illness.” I held my arms out to the sides and tilted my head. “Do I look like someone who's dying?”

His hazel eyes skimmed over me. “Not really,” he said with a half grin.

“Good. Then what do you say? You interested?”

“I'm in. Let's go do a whole lot of nothing.” He fake-cheered, pumping his fists in the air. “Good times.”

I laughed, then looped my arm through his. He looked startled, but who cares if I got the customs right or wrong? It didn't matter. I wasn’t going to be here long enough for anyone else to discover the reason.

“Now tell me, what do you people do exactly? For fun?”

“Fun. Not much. But there is that party tomorrow night. We could go if you want.”

“Brilliant. Where is it being held? A ballroom or something more intimate?”

He laughed out loud. “You are strange, aren't you? No. It’s a house party. You know, in someone's house. A guy named Davin, captain of the basketball team, and—”

“Davin’s house?” I flashed a smile. “Yes. That’s perfect.”

If Davin was there, Abigail would not be far behind. And with a bit of coaxing, I might be able to convince her to help me with the rest of my playing-human plan. There would be nowhere for her to run. And if I was going to rebuild the Lemon Balm Café in two weeks, we needed to get on it. Undoing this misdeed was a lot of work.

Nice-abs—pretty-boy—man-bun said, “Guess if we're going to be hanging out for a while, I should know your name.”

His brows arched perfectly. So good-looking for a human. “It’s Isobel.”

He gave a sly grin. “Suites you. I’ll let you in on a secret. Technically, my full name is Lucienne. I just think Lucifer sounds cooler.”

“Hmm,” I said aloud, “That’s not much better. Luc sounds like the boy you turn to if your car breaks down. Lucienne still sounds like the devil’s offspring.” I pointed a finger at him. “Names matter, Lucas. You ought to keep that in mind.”

“You’re like the girl next door, with a dark side. I like it. Let me guess, your full name is Isobella, and your close friends call you Bella.”

“Not unless they want to swallow their own tongues, they don’t.” I smiled, but it faded when I considered the question. I didn’t know what my friends would call me because I’d never actually had any before.

His eyes sparkled with amusement as they roamed over me. “Why don’t you give me your number, in case you change your mind and don't want to go?”

Not very confident for such a pretty boy. I blinked at the phone he handed me, then took it, smiling to myself as he instructed me to enter my phone number. “Where should I pick you up?”

"I’m staying with Vivienne Alundra.” I didn’t have to ask if he knew where that was.

Luc whistled through his teeth. “Livin’ large with the rich and famous. Nice. How you’d swing that?”

“You could say we’re distantly related.”

He studied me a while longer. Was he looking for a resemblance to Lorelei? He had to know her; everyone knew everyone in this backwater town. But if he picked up on any similarities, he didn’t mention them. All he said was, “Cool. Guess I’ll see you at school tomorrow?”

I didn’t see the purpose for school, but the social opportunities made it worth enduring for a few days more. Another chance to be someone else. Another chance to forget my past. Another chance to live the life that was stolen from me.

“Yes, you definitely will, Lucas. And don’t worry—” I handed the phone back to him and smiled, “—I’m not the type that changes her mind. I know what I want. And Davin Blake’s house party is exactly the sort of distraction I need.”