AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Have I reinforced a door to a supernatural prison holding back a wraith with my very first girlfriend who doesn’t quite remember me?” Devin says with a half smile. “Can’t say I have.” His dark eyes linger on me, and for a second, I see the boy I used to know. He’s all grown up now, that’s for sure, and the stubble covering his jaw hides the baby face that was familiar all those years ago.
“Hah. Didn’t think so. I meant create a pocket dimension.”
“That I have. There were no demons, of course, and my dimension might not have been more than a closet—a large closet. Dimensions and circle castings are, at their core, about energy. And that’s my specialty.”
“I’m guessing creating pocket dimensions isn’t something witches or warlocks do regularly.”
“Not at all, and they’re supposed to be regulated. It would be easy to get mad at someone and stick them in a pocket dimension. And by easy, I mean perform an incredibly complicated and advanced spell that requires multiple participants.”
I laugh. “I can see why they should be regulated, though. All these rules…it’s kinda crazy to me.”
“The Grand Coven doesn’t have too many. Basically, don’t be an asshole and use black magic. Keep the location to your Covenstead a secret. Don’t have a relationship with a vampire. That sort of thing. What your aunt did to you is wrong, but not technically illegal by the Grand Coven’s standards. High Priestess Greystone wouldn’t stand for it, I’m sure.”
“She said she didn’t know.” I shake my head. “I’m starting to remember a lot more, actually.”
“Like how I was the perfect boyfriend at ten years old?”
“Hah. I’m sure we had a romance-novel worthy relationship as fourth graders.” I start to relax, thankful Devin is trying to make me laugh. I’m all jittery, trying not to think about what could go wrong.
“Question,” Devin starts. “This hunter that accused you of the murders.”
“Yeah?”
“You trap the wraith and stop it from killing anyone else, but it doesn’t prove your innocence. Are you hoping she’ll take your word for it when you say the demon responsible for killing the others is behind supernatural bars?”
“Kind of,” I admit. “I haven’t gotten that far ahead in my planning yet. Making sure the wraith doesn’t hurt anyone else is step number one. Prove my innocence is step two.” I slow at a stop sign, waiting to pull onto a busier road. I can feel Devin’s eyes on me and I know he’s trying to put this all together but is missing key pieces. He’s semi-familiar now that my memories are coming back and seems like a good guy. That doesn’t mean I need to involve him more than I already have.
“I don’t mean to pry,” he says apologetically. “But accusing you of murder-by-witchcraft only packs a punch when the people receiving such accusation believe in magic. This hunter is part of the Order of the Mystic Realm, isn’t she?”
“She is.”
“Damn. Those hunters are hardcore. How the hell did you get mixed up with them?”
Keeping my eyes on the road as I merge, I grip the wheel a little tighter. “My boyfriend is an Order member.”
“Fuck.”
“I know.” I steal a glance at him, noticing he looks more entertained than concerned. “It’s obviously complicated, but we’re good, I swear.”
“I will take your word for it.” Devin opens the book he brought from his office, reading the part about creating a hole in the fabric of our plane of existence in order to make the entrance to the pocket dimension. It sounds complicated as fuck, and to be honest, I still don’t understand it when we get to my road.
“Think of it like casting a circle, but in reverse. Instead of directing energy to go outward into a specific place, you’re drawing it in.”
“That makes more sense.”
“Whoa, you having a party?” Devin asks when we pull down my driveway. Ethan’s Jeep is parked near the house, Sam’s truck is behind it, and Harrison’s rental car is down a bit further, closer to the barn. There’s another car, one I don’t recognize right away.
And then I do.
“Oh, shit.” Looking in the rearview mirror, I meet Hunter’s eyes and he lets me know that yes, this is the car that drove by slowly last night. I hurriedly park, forgetting to undo my seatbelt at first in my haste to get inside. I gulp as it catches and it makes me stop for a second. I take a deep breath, release the seatbelt and try to prepare myself for anything.
Hunter bounds ahead and Devin keeps pace behind me as I rush up the front porch steps, using magic to throw open the door. Everyone is gathered in the library…everyone including Stephanie.
“What the hell?” Devin stops short, eyes going wide when he sees Stephanie tied to a chair. Her dark hair is in her face and her cheeks are red.
