Audra's Treaty Page 4

  I slide into bed wearing only my purple bed shorts, and I cuddle into my comforter. Life is about to get crazy and I can't wait to embrace it. As much as I’m freaking out, I crave change, a time when we don't have to hide anymore. I don’t have to worry about this heartlink being able to accept it; after only one date, Avery has wedged himself into a part of my heart that I didn’t think was ever going anywhere. Having this heartlink is making falling for someone happen faster than I’d expected it to happen. It also helps that Avery’s drop-dead gorgeous and deadset fuckable. Maybe if I sleep with him, this feeling won’t be so strong, I haven't gotten laid in a while; it could just be lust. Yep, let's go with that. I push my head farther into my pillow, getting comfortable. It's not long before the darkness takes me down the rabbit hole, the only place where I feel at peace. I welcome it happily.

  Time at work flies by. I don't know how many coffees I've sold today. Standing for eight hours in front of a coffee machine … thank the Goddess for supernatural genes. Otherwise, my back and feet would be killing me.

  “Hey girl, I’ll close up today. I honestly don't know how you're still standing. I've been here five hours and my feet are already killing. I can’t imagine how you’re feeling,” Sandy says, her voice soft and sweet. Sandy is the only one who hasn't come and gone here in the past couple of months. Everyone wants a job, but hardly anyone is willing to put in the effort to keep it.

  I wipe my hands on my black apron. “Are you sure? I've gotten used to doing it myself,” I say, walking around the counter. I haven't trusted any of the new employees to close up, at least not until Sandy. The owners, Mary and Jerry, are in their late 60s. They mostly travel, leaving someone in charge of the cafe. Before me, they took small trips, not knowing whether the cafe was being run properly while they were gone. They had to go away only once to know they could trust me to run it properly. They haven't been back for two months now. I’ve always tried to train someone to take over for me if I ever had to run. I couldn't let down Mary and Jerry, as they’ve been so good to me. They’re the closest thing to family I've had in a long time, even though I see them only once in a while. They call every other week to check in and make sure I'm doing okay.

  “That's the point. You have an amazing employee for once,” Sandy says, a massive grin stretching across her face. “Let me take some of the pressure off you. You never stop. No wonder you can’t get laid, girl.”

  I threw one of the tea towels at her. She quickly ducks, holding her stomach and laughing. “Hey! If you must know, I had a date last night.” I poke out my tongue at her. She doesn't need to know it was just for information. The thought of Avery causes a smile to spread across my lips. Damn, no. Veronica. Don't think about him. He’s just for information, nothing else. I can keep telling myself that, right?

  “What? Girl, I can't believe you didn't tell me. How was he in bed? Sandy asks, wiggling her eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

  I roll my eyes and shake my head. A chuckle leaves my lips. “Well, it didn't get that far. He’s a good kisser, though.” I blush at the thought of his lips on mine, and I bite my lips.

  “I guess it was only the first date, but you jump on that horse and ride it on the second.” She moves her arm around her head in a wrangler motion.

  I burst into laughter. “Are you sure you're not the one who needs to get laid?” I tease, dodging the tea towel she throws at me.

  “Alrighty, enough out of you. Now get. I don't need you in my way when I'm cleaning,” she says with a grin.

  “I'm going, I'm going. Just don't burn down the place.” Confusion shows on Sandys' face. “I don't know how you would do it, but just don't. I'm trusting you,” I warn. My lip rises slightly into a touch of a smirk. She knows I'm joking. Mostly joking, anyhow. I grab my bag from the back and push in the bar stools as I pass them.

  “I told you to go. Stop touching things.” Sandy taps my hand, then waves her finger from side to side.

  Laughing, I say good-bye and head out, the doorbells chiming as I leave. Crap, I forgot the leftovers for the pooches. I turn around to go back in and grab them. Sandy is already walking over and handing me the container. “Thank you. You know me too well.” I take the container.

  “I would have done it when I left, too, but I know you enjoy doing it.” I honestly couldn’t ask for a better employee. Every other employee would look at me like I’m crazy, feeding two strays. One’s a pit bull and the other reminds me of a cattle dog I've seen only in Australia on the TV. That one was a bluey colour, though, while this one is red. I'll have to google his breed.

  “Alright, babe. I'll see you tomorrow. Oh, and thank you. I haven't been able to trust anyone like I can you.” I give Sandy a tight hug. As usual, she smells of strawberries. I find this a bit funny, considering her red hair. She definitely looked like a strawberry patch doll when she was little.

  “It means a lot that you can trust me. I know how hard you work to keep this place up and running for Mary and Jerry,” she says, returning my hug.

  The bells chime as Sandy walks back in. Placing the food into two silver dog bowls, I let out a loud whistle so the pooches know their food is here. They run out of the alleyway across the street, knocking me over while giving me kisses.

  “Good boys. You have some extra hamburger patties today,” I tell them, patting the tops of their heads. “Go on, good boys.” I point to the food. They always wait until I tell them they can eat. For strays, they’re definitely timid. “Okay, boys, home time for me. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I give them each another pat before I walk home. Time to get ready for tonight. Hopefully, I get some answers about this stupid tattoo.

  Chapter SEVEN

  Pulling up to the clan’s home for our meeting with Tahliana, I gasp. We drive around a circular driveway and I stare out the window. In the center is a three-tier white marble fountain surrounded by bright red flowers. It's breathtaking. I get out of the car and pull down my sleeve to ensure the strange tattoo isn’t visible. I haven't told Annalise yet. It would make sense if I did, but I’ll keep it to myself for now. I hope to get some answers tonight. I'm not exactly sure how, but it has Tahliana’s name for a reason.

  I walk next to Annalise, taking in the sight of the house…or should I say castle.

  “It's huge,” Annalise says, leaning into my side, sounding utterly amazed. “I think this was meant to be my home. They just got the address mixed up.” She laughs at her comment.

  Avery comes up from behind, joining me. His laugh makes my heart speed up. Fuck this guy for having this effect on me. I narrow my eyes at him and shake my head.

  Avery stops laughing, going serious. “What did I do?” he asks, confusion lacing his voice.

  “Nothing, nothing at bloody all,” I huff, rolling my eyes and turning towards the castle. Stupid vampire, having this effect on me.

  The middle is the entrance. Red brick goes up two stories to a white pointed roof. Two large windows sit on each side of the massive dark oak double door. Stretching out on both sides, by the looks of it, is an extension of the original building. So, it wasn't always a castle. Instead of the red brick, it was built with pale grey bricks. Large oak trees line the side of the building.

  “I think you should have warned us you live in a frickin’ castle. Now we look underdressed.” I bite my lip nervously and look down at my faded skinny blue jeans, white long-sleeved top, brown leather jacket and white Converse low-cut shoes. Annalise is wearing a floral maxi dress. Her brown hair is tied up into a small bun on the top of her head, A few strands fall out. At least one of us looks suitable for a place so grand. I shrug my shoulders. “Well, she can’t expect too much from two fugitives,” I mutter, turning to face Avery.

  A frown shows across his lips. He steps forward, only inches from me. “You look perfect. Trust me, you'll fit right in. Just you wait and see.” His comment warms my cheeks. He places his hands on my shoulders, covering them with ease, then leans forward to kiss me on the forehead. I really shoul
dn't enjoy that as much as I do. “Now, let’s head in before you change your mind.” He places his arm around my shoulder. I swear his arm is bigger than my head. He gently turns me around to the house – or castle, to be exact.

  “Aw, how sweet, Avery,” Annalise mocks, rolling her eyes. She returns her attention to the house.

  “You look beautiful also, Annalise,” Avery says with a chuckle, making me laugh too.

  “Welcome, my dears,” A fruity voice comes from the supermodel-like woman walking out of the house. Yep, this must be Tahliana. She looks exactly like the women in my vision. Alright, now to find out what this stupid tattoo means.

  Tahliana looks exactly like she appeared in my vision, only she’s wearing bright pink tights, showing off her long, toned legs. She isn't wearing any shoes. Her black hoodie contains white writing across the front.

  Avery brings his lips down to my ear. “See, I said you had nothing to worry about.” His hot breath on my ear makes my nerves go crazy. I smile, not admitting he was right, I'm not so good at admitting when others are right. I swear I'm working on it, though.

  We make our way up the front steps. The house grows bigger as I ascend. Our old family home would be considered a mansion, but this is no mansion. It’s a castle and an intimidating one at that. I almost scoff at the thought that a bloody house intimidates me. I don't think I've ever felt intimidated.

  “Come in, come in,” Tahliana says opening the doors to the foyer. “You both look so much like your mother.” A sad smile crosses her face. I wonder how she knew our parents.

  Annalise looks just like I remember our mother looking. Once you get to 25 as a witch, you stop ageing. The last good memory I have of our parents was the night before the treaty. We all sat down for dinner.

  Our mother sat at the end of the table to my left. Her short brown hair was pinned back on one side, while the hair on the other side came to a point at the front. Pink blush covered her high cheekbones, and she wore red lipstick, making her green eyes stand out. She had worn a black strapless cocktail dress.

  Dad sat at the opposite end, and his dark blue eyes had looked at Mum with so much love. His black hair was combed back, showing the two grey streaks at the front. His glasses sat on the bridge of his nose, making him look like a businessman with his grey suit.

  Annalise sat across from me. Our perfect family. Nothing was meant to break us apart. I remember Dad being so excited about the treaty, saying it would be a new beginning for all of us. All the races together instead of against each other. If only the treaty had been successful, everything could have been so much different.

  I returned to reality. “Ah, thank you,” I say, not quite sure how to respond. I follow Avery into the foyer. “How exactly did you know our parents?” I ask turning to face Tahliana.

  The sweet smile never leaves her lips, only grows wider. “Just like your mother, straight to the point. I knew I was going to like you. I think we need some drinks before the question-and-answer session,” Tahliana says, giggling. Well, isn't she an odd vampire.

  I turn to see the foyer. A large round oak table is located in the centre of the room. Sitting on top of it is a bouquet of lilies in a vase. Two large marble staircases line the walls, going into a bend as they reach the bottom. A long hallway runs under the staircase. On each side of the foyer are two large double doors that lead elsewhere in the house.

  “I keep feeling more out of place the farther I move into the house,” I mutter to myself.

  “If you would excuse me, ladies, I’ll leave you to get acquainted,” Avery says. He gives me a sneaky kiss on the cheek before disappearing up the stairs.

  Tahliana shakes her head, chuckling. She has such a girly laugh. “He’s leaving only because his prank went south. Instead of getting Leo, he got one of the other vampires, Ace.”

  “Avery, you best keep running, pretty boy’,” a male’s voice shouts from upstairs. I swear I can feel his voice vibrate the house. By the sound of the pissed-off vampire, I'm guessing he’s Ace.

  “I swear, those boys will never grow up, no matter how many hundreds of years pass,” Tahliana huffs, putting her shaking head in her hand.

  Yep, no matter how many years pass, males will never grow up.

  “I think it’s best if we get out of the war path,” Tahliana says, opening the doors on the right side of the room.

  “Sounds like a good idea,” I say, hearing banging and crashing come from upstairs.

  We walk into a large room with four white leather chairs, two on each side and a table between each. They are in front of a grey marble fireplace. A small curved bar is tucked into the corner. A massive black rug covers most of the floor. This room is honestly bigger than our apartment.

  I don't want to sound rude, but I also want to get straight to the point. I look over at Annalise, who shakes her head slowly, knowing me too well. “So, Avery said you're protecting us. Why?” I ask. No point beating around the bush.

  Tahliana turns to face us, an amused look on her face. Good, doesn’t look like that rubbed her the wrong way. “I’ll need a drink to explain this. Please take a seat. Would you both like a drink, scotch?” Tahliana asks, making her way over to the bar.

  We both take a seat. “Yes, thank you. I think we all need one to get through this,” Annalise answers in her sweet voice, as politely as always. That’s something I'm still learning to do. Hey, at least I'm trying.

  Holy crap, this chair is comfortable. I feel myself relax a little, then a little more when Tahliana hands us our drinks and I take a sip. The flavors swirl around my mouth before I swallow. Mmmmm, heaven in a glass.

  Tahliana takes a seat on the other side, across from us. “Okay, so where do I begin?”

  Chapter EIGHT

  “You two girls are a very important part of this war,” Tahliana begins. She has already confirmed Annalise's vision, and I have a feeling this is only the beginning. “The treaty was more than just a treaty. The war isn't just between the vampires and the wolves. Your parents found that blood magic had been used in the war by one of the covens. I'm sure we can all guess which one that was.” She pauses, sighing before taking a sip from her glass.

  I look over at Annalise. Her eyebrows are knitted together and she’s looking at me. Yep, and that confirms the second theory. I hadn't thought it played a part in the treaty. I was so young and knew only a little, mostly from listening at the door of our parent's office.

  “The treaty was supposed to be the three races coming together to stop the Ehys coven. Only it turns out we had a snitch, Mildred found out and, well, we know what happened next.”

  Everything Tahliana says is the truth. She has dark lines through her aura, but so do I, so I can't judge her on that part. She hasn't explained how she survived, though. From what we knew, no one did. Before I can ask her about it, she continues.

  “Your parents, they had a plan if things didn't go right.” She stops, sighing again, a sad, soft smile showing on her lips. “Girls, you should know how your birth was stronger than that of most ordinary witches. You're both much stronger than you could ever imagine. Do you know what happens when a coven doesn't have a sacred place where the coven’s magic can form its blanket?”

  Annalise and I shake our heads. I honestly hadn't thought much about it.

  “It has to go somewhere. You see, it went into the only living members of the coven. You two.” Tahliana leans back in her chair, bringing up her legs and crossing them. She doesn't say anything else, just lets her words sink in.

  That couldn't be. If we had our covens, we would be a lot stronger. I mean, we’re stronger than most, but nothing crazy. If we were, I was pretty sure we wouldn't still be running.

  Tahliana gives us a few more moments, Annalise won't ask any questions yet. She always wants to get the whole story before she asks questions or passes judgement.

  Tahliana continues. “I was there. At the treaty, I was the head vampire, signing for the other vampires. Your parents…I think th
ey knew something was about to happen before it did. Before I could figure out what was going to happen, they had placed a ward around me and my coven. They didn't have time to protect anyone else. I’m sorry. I tried to get through to help. You don't know how hard I tried. The last words your mother said were to protect her daughters. She opened a portal directly to your home. You were already gone and I knew you were safe with the state of the house. Just to let you know, you girls aren't easy to keep up with. Every time I thought I’d found you…poof, gone.”

  “Okay…” I say, stretching it out. At the moment, I don't have anything else to say. Tahliana gets up and silently grabs the bottle of scotch, then fills our glasses. I gulp all mine down in one sip, then hold out my glass for a top up before Tahliana has finished filling my sister’s glass.

  Annalise speaks first. “Why would they trust you, though? I don't mean to sound rude, but how did they know your coven wasn’t the one with the snitch? Sorry,” she squeaks. My dear sister, always so worried about upsetting people.

  “Don't be sorry. You’re right to ask, I would have done the same thing if I was in your position. I've known your mother since she was born and the same again with your grandmother. Your mother and I had, let’s say, a complicated relationship. However, when push came to shove, we were always there for each other,”

  Tahliana looks into the fire. Emotions cross her face and I know that look all too well. Thinking of the past usually gives you that look.

  “I’m sorry I couldn't protect you all these years. Then you showed up here. Both of you had been through so much. I didn't want you to run. I did the only thing I could think of – protect you from a distance. Until that dumbass Avery broke the one rule. No one was to approach either of you.” Tahliana’s cheery face returned and she rolled her eyes. “I didn't expect you two to be linked.” Amusement tinges her voice.

  “Everything happens for a reason.” Annalise speaks quietly. “If only I’d waited a few more seconds, you would have found us in time and I wouldn't have put Veronica through all this.” Annalise leans on her elbows, her face in her hands. She holds so much guilt for the life we have lived. I could say it could all have been different, better, happier even if Tahliana had found us, but then I wouldn't be the person I am today. Surprisingly, I’m happy with whom I've become. Less killing would be nice, but then I wouldn't get to use my swords. I don't like the thought of my babies gathering dust.