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I freeze as a mechanical beep echoes around me. The door swings inward, and the older couple I met in Santa Monica step inside. My parents.
Panic streaks through me. I’ve got to get out of here. If they sense my presence the way Helena Kirkwood did at the coven meeting, they’ll leave this motel. Check out and find a new hiding place. I may never find them again.
“I’ve got the rice, the egg rolls, and the cream cheese wontons,” Dad says as he sets a plastic bag with a Chinese restaurant’s logo emblazoned across it on the bed.
“I’ve got the chicken and beef,” Mom replies, setting her bag down beside the one he carried in.
They don’t seem to sense anything, so I close my eyes and focus. On my body. My bed. Jesse.
Dizziness overtakes me, and I start to drop. I reach out to brace myself as I hit the floor, but I seem to fall right through it, and when I do land, I’m back in my own room, on my bed, with Jesse’s arms still squeezed tightly around me.
He loosens his grip when I grunt and stretch, then helps me up into a sitting position. His eyes search mine as a slow smile spreads across my lips.
“I’ve got them. Let’s go.”
He scoots off the bed without a second’s delay, offering a hand to help me to my feet. “Where are they?”
“At a Motel Seven in West Hollywood. They showed up with food while I was there, and we can probably make it before they finish eating and leave again. Room one-twenty-three.”
“I’ll call for Leif, and we can go whenever you’re ready.”
I nod, and he presses a hard kiss to my mouth before striding from the room. I start to pull the necklace from my neck, then reconsider, letting it drop back to my chest. I don’t know why, exactly, I’d need it, but it feels right to have it with me when I confront Mom and Dad. If they did hide it at the Grundelier Village for me to find, maybe they can teach me more about it.
After we get all of their secrets out and into the open and all of my other questions answered, that is.
Rushing to the closet, I search for some fresh clothes. I end up choosing a light blue sundress with a white lacy sweater with white sandals. It’s silly, I know, but some part of me wants to look nice for this ambush. Once I’m changed, I head into the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. I brush out my hair and pull it up into a high ponytail, then I’m done.
“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” I murmur to my reflection, then flick off the light before heading from the room.
Jesse and Leif are waiting when I reach the bottom of the staircase. Taking my hand, Jesse pulls me to a stop when I start for the front door.
“Do you want to feed before we go? The extra strength won’t hurt.”
I’m shaking my head before he finishes. “I’m fine for now, and I don’t want to waste any time. If they leave before we get there…”
I let the words trail off, and he nods. I smile in return, and we head for the exit. Once outside, I see one of our black SUV’s parked right in front, the doors open and the engine running. I squeeze Jesse’s fingers before releasing him to climb into the second row, and he follows me inside while Leif moves around to climb in behind the wheel.
As we pull through the gates and out onto the street outside the manor, something clenches in my gut. I don’t know if it’s just nerves or if something is telling me this isn’t the right move, but nothing is going to stop me now.
I know where my parents are, and I’ll be damned if anything is going to keep me from finding out what in the hell is really going on.
The prophecy, the fake adoption and their supposed deaths, the hiding, the necklace and the visions, the warnings…all of it. Today is the day I get answers.
48
THE PROPHECY
Traffic sucks. I’ve learned to accept that fact and just go with it since I moved to L.A., but today? Today it’s really pissing me off.
My fingertips drum against my thigh as I wiggle impatiently in my seat. Every moment that passes is another opportunity for my parents to leave their room. What if they sensed my presence during the vision or astral projection or whatever it was and checked out of the motel? They could be long gone, and I may never be able to pinpoint their whereabouts again.
They could vanish, leaving me longing for answers I’ll never receive.
“We’ll get there in time,” Jesse murmurs, reaching over to squeeze my fingers and stop their incessant tapping.
I relax the tiniest bit at his touch, then offer him a small, grateful smile. Seeing my acceptance of his assistance, he pours his calming power through our connection, easing my anxiety within seconds.
I nod at him, and he mouths the words, “I love you.”
