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I could feel my mother roll her eyes. Sorrel, you shouldn’t be using your gifts to heal mortals. Do you see now the danger you put yourself in?
It’s only dangerous if the Selene family has it. That seems unlikely, right?
I don’t know. Have you noticed anything different or unusual?
I was going to say no, but I would be lying. I wrapped my arms around myself. This sounds crazy, but I keep feeling like someone is watching me from the shadows. I immediately felt the sense of dread coming from my mother. What is it? Tell me.
Sorrel, the Selene family works in the dark.
I thought you told me you didn’t know what abilities they possessed.
I don’t exactly, but it makes sense given their powers come from the moon.
My eyes darted around my room. Was I being watched now? I’m scared. I need you.
It may be too late.
Don’t say that, I pleaded.
Sorrel, you must try to find your book. Or theirs before they destroy yours.
I won’t let you die for me.
Sorrel, we will both die if they destroy your book. You must find it.
I don’t even know how. Please, just let me come to you. Where are you? I’ll get on a plane now. We can die together if it’s not too late.
Mom paused and contemplated. I’m in Saint Augustine, she breathed out.
Florida? That means I’m only like five hundred miles away from you. I’m packing and leaving now. I couldn’t believe all this time we had been so close to each other. My heart leapt.
Find the book first, she begged and cried.
Why? What good will it do?
Sweetheart, if the Selene family took it, it means the curse is alive and well and can be broken. Do you not see that? You could be free.
I don’t want to live knowing you died for me. I just want to see you one more time if I can.
It might be too late.
Please, stop saying that. Just give me your address. I jumped off my bed and headed to my closet to change and grab a suitcase.
I’m going to regret this.
I’m sorry, Mom. I failed us.
Never. You lived the life your father wanted you to.
I miss him and you so much.
I know, darling. We’ll see you soon. She gave me her address, though I could tell she didn’t believe I would make it. I memorized it anyway.
I love you.
I love you more than life.
Was this truly the end of our lives? Such sadness filled me. There was so much I had wanted to do. I wanted love and babies. To help more people. And my friends? What would they think when I was gone? What would happen to my employees and Love Bites? Maybe when I got to Florida, I could set up some kind of trust or something. And what about Eric? Why was I even thinking about him? He obviously didn’t want me. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop my heart from aching for him.
No time to think of him. I haphazardly started ripping clothes off their hangers and throwing them into my large suitcase. When it was mostly full, I headed for my dresser and tossed more clothes in until it was bursting. I grabbed my emergency cash; glad I had listened to my mother about one thing.
“Sorrel.”
I grabbed my heart, which felt about ready to beat out of my chest and turned around to find Eric standing by my bed.
“Eric, how did you get in here?” I stammered.
A sneer filled his hardened face.
Fear coursed through me, and that’s when I realized it wasn’t Eric. This man’s eyes were too cold, and the way he cocked his hip while perusing me like I was his last meal wasn’t like Eric at all. Yet the man dressed in all black could pass for his twin, right down to the way the stubble painted his cheeks.
The man stepped closer, and I backed up against my dresser.
He looked around at my stripped bed and pulled-out drawers. “Missing something?” He licked his lips. Then he glanced at my suitcase. “You’re not leaving, are you?”
“Who are you?” I was shaking so bad, my voice trembled.
“Not Eric.”
“How did you get in here?”
The man inched closer. “I see you don’t know the ways of my family.”
“Your family?” I backed against the dresser so far I was practically sitting on it.
“Eric didn’t tell you, did he?”
I swallowed hard. “Tell me what?”
He took one giant step toward me.
I held my breath. He smelled like rancid vinegar and hard liquor.
He reached out and ran his scaly finger down my cheek. “You are beautiful.”
I turned my head away, yet the rest of my body was paralyzed.
“I see why my son wanted to keep you for himself.”
“Your son?” I eked out, not liking at all where this was going or what it meant.
“Eric is my son.”
“How can that be?”
