Page 18 of The Aether

“How do you always remain so positive?” Vivian shook her head and gave her sister a rueful look.

With a single-shoulder shrug, Soleil smiled. “I’m just blessed, I guess.”

“Have you never seen her lose her shit over a wilting orchid, Viv?” After rolling her eyes hard enough to see her brain, Taryn snuffed out the candles and collected them.

Laughter came unbidden, and Vivian was surprised she could feel anything after such a heart-wrenching and emotionally draining day. “I honestly don’t know what I’d do without the two of you.”

“It’s a good thing you’ll never have to find out.” Soleil followed up with a squeeze of Vivian’s hand. “Would you like me to call him?”

“As tempting as it is, no. I’m the one who made a mess of this. I’ll be the one to fix it.”

“Sabrina will understand, sister. And if I know my niece, she’ll pester Damian to death until he relents.”

“Lei has a point, Viv.” Taryn grinned. “Your kid is a force to be reckoned with. Like her awesome mom.”

“Yeah, I only have to keep the faith. Easier said than done. But we need to discover why Josie betrayed us the way she did.”

With a snort, Taryn led the way down the stairs from the attic. “It isn’t enough that she’s a tramp?”

“Don’t slut shame,” Viv scolded absently. Taryn had sexual appetites like any of them, but her excessive dislike of what she believed were Josie’s “loose ways” always triggered her scorn. “If it was a guy pulling the same crap, would you feel that way about him?”

Her sister stopped short and turned around, jutting her chin in the air. “Yes! Because it isn’t about scratching an itch. Josie always has to push boundaries, and she doesn’t care whose partner she’s sleeping with, male or female. It’s like she’s got a vendetta against happiness, hers or anyone else’s.”

Frowning, Viv considered Taryn’s reply. She glanced back at Soleil, who simply raised her dark brows. “You agree?”

“I do. You weren’t always here, but for the last three and a half years, possibly longer, she’s been determined to sabotage people’s relationships. She slept with Taryn’s—”

“Lei!”

“I’m sorry, T, but she did, and Viv should know the truth.” Soleil passed Vivian on the steps and hugged their youngest sister. “You cared about Morgan. She had no right to do that to you, and I get why you’re constantly angry with her.”

“Oh, Taryn!” Vivian felt sick to her stomach that she’d missed her sister’s pain because she was too wrapped up in her own. “I’m so sorry.”

“It was nothing, Viv. Morgan wasn’t worth the heartache. Not if he could be so easily swayed by a pretty face and a hot-as-fuck body.”

“Have you seen yourself?” Scoffing, Soleil shook her head. “You’ve got it all over Josie, sister. She doesn’t hold a candle to your looks. None of us do.”

When Taryn opened her mouth to object, Vivian cut her off. “It’s true. You’re the true smoking-hot Stephens sister. The rest of us are attractive, but you… Girlfriend, you’re the shit!”

After her initial shock wore off, Taryn laughed. “Shut up. Let’s go find Josie. We’ll tie her up in the attic if we have to, but I want to know what her drastic change is all about.”

“You don’t think it’s magical in nature, do you?”

Thoughtful expressions crossed her sisters’ faces. Finally, Soleil answered. “It would make the most sense, unless someone broke her heart and she’s allowed her bitterness to fester. But you know, Josie, she keeps her cards close to her chest.”

“Then we definitely need to discover the root cause. Despite what she’s done, we need to help her if we can.”

“Good luck,” Taryn muttered.

CHAPTER7

As Josie paced the bell tower chamber just below the belfry, she allowed her frustration to take hold. Once again, she’d failed in seducing the Aether to her side. This time, with drastic results. Vivian had somehow seen through her act to the truth, or rather enough of the truth to know Josie had designs on Damian.

She shuddered.

Not by choice.

The Aether scared the ever-loving hell out of her. Yet she needed his amped-up abilities to block the evil stalking her.

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