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  “Paul would never do that drunk or not. He grew up next door to me. We dated and he never pushed. Not even once.” My head shook and I swallowed down the knot in my throat. “That wasn’t Paul. Besides he said things to me, the same things the guy from the docks said. He called me little Anna. Paul has never called me by any other variance than Anna banana when we were kids. He said I still wasn’t strong enough. Just like at the docks. His freaking eyes were black as coal.” I took a slow breath. I wasn’t angry with Damien. I was just angry.

  “Why haven’t you told me what you know about him?” I looked up at the ceiling, too worried about the answer to look at him.

  “Honestly I did not know how. He is one of the Crossbreeds I told you about. Originally an Immortal, bit and turned by a Vampire. The combination is unstable and dangerously powerful. It’s not that we hate the challenge in our power but quite literally these individuals are very unstable. At least on the average. They have little control. They’re underlings that were created to follow orders and nothing more. The lure of more power they think is worth the possibility of losing their minds.” Damien shook his head in disgust.

  “This one is unstable but apparently he hasn’t completely lost himself to the change. He’s still strong. Apparently he can control people like puppets too. Which means any human you come into contact with may be used against you. We need to leave, Lianna. I have to get you away from him as soon as possible.”

  I listened to him explain things while staring at my ceiling. The truth of what he said was very plain. We wouldn’t come back unless this thing after me was dead. If it was as dangerous as Damien warned, it may be able to hurt him as well. I couldn’t risk that but there was still something I had to know. “Why is he after me?”

  Damien remained quiet a while pondering my question. “I honestly don’t know. There’s a chance someone’s using him to get to you. He may be using you to get to me. There are a lot of possibilities. I don’t know if he followed me here. If he was here before I arrived. Though if that were the case you’d probably already be dead.”

  My spine tightened with a cold chill that had nothing to do with the temperature in the room. “What about work? And Neesa?” I didn’t want to leave Neesa and I couldn’t justify totally abandoning Mike without warning. I’d already missed two days of work without notice.

  “You can’t be anywhere near a human who knows you, Anna. You’ve survived two attacks in under a week. I won’t risk you a third time.” He shook his head no in thought. “I can’t,” he mumbled more to himself than me.

  “Neesa’s not entirely human though... So doesn’t that mean she’s safe?” The idea came to me after thinking about the tarot reading she gave me.

  “What? How do you mean?” His brow rose as he turned to look at me.

  “Come on mind reader, you don’t know? She has magic, like she’s psychic and stuff. Her mom and her practice all sorts of crafts.” Obviously, I didn’t mean hobbies and decorations.

  “I just want someone to know I’m just taking off you know? If people think I just vanished then the cops will start looking into things. Paul’s brother is a cop so they wouldn’t just let it go. What if they link it to what happened at the diner? They will know you were involved.”

  “So she’s a Descendant. Huh, explains a lot,” he mumbled again, which meant he wasn’t really talking to me. He seemed irritated. With me? Himself? Neesa?

  “A Descendant? What’s that mean?” I was starting to feel stupid with all this stuff I didn’t understand.

  “Humans call them witches mostly. You’re right though. It is a good idea. Call her now. Keep it on speakerphone. Don’t mention me.” He kissed my temple before standing. A moment later, he slid my cell phone into my hand.

  When she answered the phone, she was balling her eyes out. “Anna?” She sobbed into the phone.

  “Neesa, what’s wrong?” Panic started to bubble

  up inside me. If something happened to her I wouldn’t have been able to handle it.

  “Anna, are you okay?” Oh shit. How much did she already know? Damien stared at me from across the room. We both worried of the same thing.

  “I’m sorry I haven’t been to work. I just keep having these horrible visions of you and I just couldn’t face you. Not after the tarot readings.” She sniffled every few seconds. Damien ran over to my desk and wrote on a small paper ‘ask her about them’.

  “It’s okay, Nees. Just tell me what you saw.”

  “I saw demons everywhere around you. Even people you already knew. They all had black eyes. And... I can’t say it. It was so horrible the things they did.” She was crying harder now.

  “It’s okay, Neesa. It’s gonna be okay.” Ah shit… I looked to Damien helplessly.

  “Anna, Damien was there too.” A long pause came while she controlled her half sobs. “They tried to kill him but he wouldn’t die. His eyes seeped blood.” She was sobbing again. “And- and he was screaming for you. They had this circle cast and it kept him from you. He watched you die.”

  “Neesa. This is Damien. I need you to come over to Anna’s apartment now. Tell no one and make sure you come alone.”

  “Damien?” Shock filtered through her voice. The silence was more than portentous. “I’m on my way.” Bitter resolve. The line went dead.

  “What did you mean that her being a Descendant explained a lot?” I couldn’t look at him. I just lay there staring at my phone.

  “I couldn’t read her clearly at all. She can shield herself. Descendants are often very paranoid about hiding themselves from not just humans but us as well. They take extreme measures in protecting themselves.”

  With Damien standing by the window, I lay just where I was waiting for Neesa. We didn’t speak again.

  She didn’t knock seeing as the door was busted in. Her voice quaked. Her hand that covered her mouth was trembling. “Oh my god, it’s already begun.” Ominous much?

  Damien stepped in front of her before she could see me. “She’s been through enough. Understand?” Neesa nodded to his warning.

  Neesa came over and sat on the bed next to me. All I could manage was a tired half smile and a wiggly fingered wave. “Hey, Nees.” I was beginning to really love those little pills.

  “Damn girl... I’m gonna have to put you in a bubble, aren’t I?” I shrugged. Her hand slid into my right and squeezed.

  “Maybe. If Damien doesn’t beat you to it.” Neesa looked up to Damien nervously. “He had nothing to do with it, Nees.”

  She nodded slightly. “I know but he needs to trust me if he wants my help and right now he doesn’t.”

  I twisted my head to look at Damien shrugging. “Told you she was psychic.”

  * * * * *

  Damien never gave up a word about what he was or what was going on. Neesa finally admitted it was for the best. However worried she was, she didn’t want pulled in.

  Neesa explained every one of her recent visions including the tarot readings in even more graphic detail than she had originally given me but she wasn’t talking to a friend. Now she was talking shop with Damien. She could distance herself from the emotion that way.

  Neesa had seen my death in a way that would cause Stephen King to tremble. Well, that or really inspire him.

  Damien explained he was going to get me out of town for a few days. We all knew I wasn’t coming back. Neesa helped me pack while Damien stood by the window watching the streets below. The sun was still bright in the sky. It was an absolutely beautiful day.

  Neesa was incredibly particular on what clothes she packed. I had a closet full but I don’t think I’d thrown any clothes away since I was fourteen. Of this, she lectured me on vehemently. She only packed what she deemed my finest attire. Favorite tank tops. Designer print tees. The stuff that was in fashion according to her basically. However, her true focus wandered between Damien and me. I pretended not to notice.

  “You know, momma could make a protection charm for you. Even bless the apartm
ent if you like. It may help enough you wouldn’t have to leave. There’s even this woman who’s been coming around the store who may be able to help. She’s totally powerful. Her name’s Neka. Isn’t that pretty? We could even do it at Riads when no-”

  Damien turned and looked at Neesa intently. She stuttered when their eyes locked. “O-okay or not I guess.”

  “Neesa, as far as you know you came over tonight and helped her pack for a trip to Europe. The how and why are up to you. All that matters is that this was her decision and she was happy and healthy. Have I made myself perfectly clear?” Damien held her gaze in the same way I had seen him look at Mike.

  Neesa shook her head slightly. “Don’t be so insulting. You can’t compel me, Damien. But I will stick to your story, for Anna’s sake.”

  Damien’s eyes narrowed. “Descendants are so frustrating.” He grumbled under his breath.

  “Yeah? Well so are supes. You think you’re all so high and mighty.” Neesa’s eyes rolled as she finished folding my jeans and tank tops to go in my bag. My eyes bugged out as my jaw dropped and I stared at Neesa dumb founded.

  “Oh come on, Anna. He called me a Descendant not a witch. Only supes call us that. You know supe, like superman or supernatural.” She stuck her tongue out at Damien as his back turned.

  “Okay sweetie, let’s get you in a bath. All your good clothes are packed except your favorite jeans and your favorite lacey black tank top.” She winked at me with a smaller sad version of her beautiful smile. “I’ll go get the water running.”

  Once she was gone, Damien came to sit beside me on the bed where I was still laying. His hand lay against my battered cheek gently as possible. His cool skin felt wonderful. “Don’t worry I’ve been focusing on her. She doesn’t know anything more. Neither about you or myself. She doesn’t want to know more. How do you feel?”

  “Like hell but I’ll live.” Mentally, physically and now emotionally.

  “We’ll leave soon.” He leaned down to kiss me tenderly just as Neesa cleared her throat from the door.

  “Water’s ready, Anna.” Damien slid his arms around me to help me stand up and walk me to where Neesa stood. “You can wait out here, Damien. We need girl time.”

  He looked at me uncomfortably for a moment before nodding and going back to the window. “I’ll be waiting.” He reminded us as Neesa shut the door. What he meant was that he would be listening.

  XIV

  “SPELL BOUND”

  “So all this time pushing against my beliefs and then you fall for a supe huh? Don’t worry I don’t want to know what. Just surprising is all.” She sat on the counter while I soaked in the tub. My bandaged left arm hung out of the tub. He wouldn’t unwrap that one.

  “We fit together.” I shrugged while carefully shaving my bad ankle. “Did you get my bathroom stuff? He doesn’t have any. And don’t forget my jewelry.” I didn’t have tons. None was intrinsically valuable outside of my grandmother’s necklace, which I had taken off for the bath and given to her for safekeeping. Even that wasn’t very expensive, but it was of great value to me.

  “It’s out on the counter. I’ll pack it when you’re done. Jewelry’s in the bag. I left some of your earrings with your hair stuff. And honey really, when it comes to Damien the less I know the better. Supe’s and Descendants don’t “fit” as you put it. Think of it as the rich vs. low class, while most humans are just considered garbage. Which is why it’s so surprising.”

  “Gee thanks.” I grumbled while meticulously shaving.

  “Oh come on, Descendants don’t think of humans that way. Give me your loofa I’ll wash your back.” Sliding off the counter she kneeled on the floor next to me taking the mushy sponge out of my hands. I kept shaving.

  “I know about what momma said you know. A few days ago? You have to understand, you’re human, Lianna... Humans should never know about us. She thought she was doing the right thing by protecting us. She told me about the dream. If you would give me one more chance maybe I can help.” Pleading without saying the words, ‘don’t leave’.

  “He’s just gonna say no, Nees. I’m lucky I got to see you before we took off as far as I see it.” Before that moment, I don’t think I realized how much I loved Neesa. She was the sister I’d never had.

  “It’s not goodbye forever, Anna. Besides, he knows I’m the only one who can help you with your broken bits. He’s bound to let me help with your injuries before you go.” Suddenly a cup of water dumped on my head making me sputter as she laughed.

  “Warning!” I laughed as I wiped the water from my eyes. “But what do you mean you can help with my injuries?”

  “It’s not like I could tell you before, but I got skills.” We both laughed. It was weak.

  “Momma specializes in readings and the astral stuff. My specialty is physical… I’m sure I can at least get you walking even if I can’t heal the bones all the way. I’m sure you’re tired of looking like a raccoon already, right? I can’t heal everything but I can get rid of the bruising and swelling I bet.”

  She washed my hair as she spoke. Which was odd, but still nice since I was an invalid for the time.

  “You get rid of the bruises then you can totally leave the bones. When Damien looks at me he cringes. Kind of a mood-ruiner you know?” I sighed as she laughed. So not funny.

  “Honey, he’s a supe. Damien is so far into you it makes Romeo and Juliet look like a one nightstand. If he felt any different, he wouldn’t be here. Let me help you understand something. How do I explain this? Hmm…”

  Her hands kept massaging shampoo through my tangles as she pondered. Rinsed. Condition. “Okay, when you live a really long time life gets sort of boring. So for them it’s like, half the time they have no emotion. Only when they do it’s magnified by a million compared to normal human emotions. Make sense?”

  “Um, sort of maybe.” It wasn’t that I didn’t get it. I just sort of found it hard to believe in the magnitude in which she meant me to.

  “Okay let’s put it this way. Someone hits you? You get mad and want to hit them back? Someone hits a supe? The other guy usually dies,” she sounded more annoyed than ominous. “When humans fall in love they question it. Every one of them does and you know that’s the truth.” I nodded understandingly.

  “When a supe falls in love, there are no questions. It’s a love so intense it swells throughout the whole universe. For them anyways. They’ll do anything to protect it. You get me now?” She dumped more water on my head but this time carefully so it didn’t pour soap into my eyes.

  “Yeah I think I get it now. Where do you fall in the middle of all this?”

  “Exactly there. In the middle of everything. People like me hardly belong anywhere but still sort of belong everywhere. We’re the grey that holds the black and white together is how I like to see it.”

  “Does Ryce know?” She stayed quiet. I could feel her hesitation as if it were a physical object. To me her hesitation only meant one thing. She was hiding something.

  What would she hide about Ryce that she didn’t feel comfortable saying? Of course. He wasn’t human either. Figures. “Your silence says it all, Nees.”

  “Good. Then we’ll keep it at that.” She stood up and grabbed a towel. I drained the tub as she held the towel out steadying me as I stood up instantly wrapping it around me.

  Neesa went to grab some clothes as I dried my hair with another towel, leaning into the counter to keep the weight off my ankle. Since my hair was wet, she directed me to sit on the toilet as she armed herself with a comb, leave in conditioner and a hair band.

  She stopped while brushing my hair away from my neck. She didn’t move for a long moment as if she were frozen.

  “Nees?” God tell me she isn’t having another vision of my ever so impending doom. I caught her face in the mirror. Her eyes narrowed angrily as she stared down at me.

  But she wasn’t staring at me. She stared down at the four tiny puncture marks on my neck. The only wound on me not bruised.
Her eyes caught mine in the mirror. Without a word, she continued combing through my hair and twisted each lock into a tight French braid.

  Once she was done, she left me so I could dress. She’d opted out of jeans and tanks and brought me a black and purple sports bra and a pair of my black and purple night shorts that tied. No point in arguing. It probably had something to do with her fixing the broken bits as she said. At least I looked good in them. Aside from the bruises of course.

  As I stepped out Neesa was pleading her case to Damien, who stood glaring out the window. Just as he had been most of the day now.

  “The shop closes at eight. I have a key. No one will be there I swear. She needs help, Damien. For god’s sake look at her! No matter where you go, people will notice. They will remember her. They’ll remember you being with her.”

  He looked up at me as I held onto the doorframe. Not an ounce of emotion showed on his face as he turned back to Neesa. “I don’t want her to leave the apartment and I will not leave her alone again.” It wasn’t a no.

  “You don’t have to come with me. I swear I won’t tell anyone what I’m doing. Not just because I can keep my mouth shut but because no one will be there. I swear. Mom has date night with dad. She’s probably already left for the day.”

  Neesa stood in front of Damien looking back and forth from him to me. “How far will you get before something else happens and she can’t even run?”

  I said nothing as I hobbled over to the bed and sat down. Taking one last look around my apartment contemplating what else I absolutely had to take. Bathroom stuff. Ready. Jewelry. Check. Even my ears were full of a mox-mix collection I’d compiled. As I suspected, there was a change of clothes laying on top my bag. So what else? Ahh, need my Red Bull.

  Nothing was irreplaceable to me here. I had a lot of artwork I had done on the walls but I would be giving it all to Neesa. She said she loved them all anyways.

  I didn’t have pictures. Not even a family album. Oh! Phone charger! I slid down to the floor. (Remember that Vicodin I mentioned before?) Crawled on knees and right hand to the bedside table and grabbed the charger. Wadded the cord up around the charging pad and tossed it up into my bag. Art stuff? Hmmm. I sat there for a moment completely lost in lala land. Before long, I