Page 87 of The Royal Street Witch
“Fine.”
“And Violetta and Rosemary cannot find out about the potion. They are the ones to worry about.”
I nod, my heartbeat quickening. The reality of it all, hitting me. My mother and Chantal know the truth and we’re planning to kill the Vampire King.
“Will we have to flee?”
“They know what they did. He killed his own kind. Hopefully there will be some mercy shown upon us. But Prague is lovely, and you could make a life there, with me.” Her eyes move from me to Chantal. “You will never be safe here as long as Franklin lives. We need to move quick, we can’t sit on this.”
“Killing the Vampire King…there will be repercussions,” Chantal says.
“Killing is not in our nature. We are healers. We are protectors. But what must be done, must be done. He won’t stop until he kills Aster, this is a certainty. This is Franklin Maltese. He stops at nothing.” My mother licks her lips and eyes me intensely.
“I’ll call the cousins,” Chantal says, rising and I grab her hand.
“You sure you want to be a part of this?”
“Girl, I was born a part of this. We are all one. Now, stop with the nonsense.”
“Only call Jade. Her mind reading will help us,” I say, and Chantal nods and disappears into her bedroom.
“Good decision,” Mother says and places her hand over mine. “You were born a capable witch. Look what you created. There’s forgiveness in youthful mistakes. I made mistakes, as have you. But please, understand, that if I stayed, I would have died. You would have died. I would have gotten us both killed. I’m sorry I couldn’t be the mother you needed. I did it to save the both of us. I did the wrong thing so many times in my life. But I’m doing the right thing now. I promise you. This is the right thing.”
It’s like there’s no fight left in me, not a single molecule of battle, so I just lie back on the couch and look to the ceiling. “Thank you, Mother. Thank you for coming.” And I mean it now, I really fucking mean it. Because what would I do if she weren’t here?
Every time I close my eyes, I see his aventurines, and all I want is him back. There’s no rest, there’s only a nightmare filled sleep, reminiscent of the dream I’ve had before. Blood on Bourbon. Pain pouring over me. I awaken to Jade walking through Chantal’s door, a bag of stakes across her chest.
“You’re not the first witch to get wrapped up in some vampire shit, you know?” It’s the first thing she says to me, and I let a small smile reach my lips.
“Did you tell Aunt Violetta about Franklin firing me?” I chew on my cheek and look Jade in the eye.
“No. I only told Chantal. I wanted to talk to you before I told anyone else. Oksana’s thoughts are so loud, that’s how I heard. I can hear her ten feet away.”
Relieved, I place my hand over hers and squeeze. “Thank you, Jade.”
For months I’ve been hiding, living my life in secret, terrified for Chantal, Jade and my mother to find out what I’d done. And when I’m broken and bowed, down on my knees, they are here for me. I was never as alone as I thought. I just didn’t see it.
Affection fills my chest like a hot air balloon, warm and soothing. I look to the women around me, my true coven.
“I’m sorry. Chantal, Jade, Mother. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have lied. I should have had more faith in you all. I was so scared. But I should have known better.”
“You should have,” Chantal says. I know I’ve hurt her the most and if I live through this night, I vow to make it up to her.
“Especially with you, I should have,” I nod.
“We got you.” Mother winks with a smile.
“Last night Franklin was at Caged, bragging that he’s taken Nightwalkers from Nicola and Cassius. That he’s the one in charge now,” Jade says with an arched eyebrow.
“Nicola would never agree to that,” I say, shaking my head.
“I don’t think she had much of a choice.” She pops her gum, crossing her legs so that the silver on her platform boots glint under the lights.
Mother rubs my back and quite calmly says, “All the more reason to smoke his ass.”
WE PREPARE AND PLAN FORthe battle ahead. I shower and dress as Mother and Chantal sharpen the wooden stakes while filling Jade in. The four corners, Earth, Air, Fire, Water is all we need to be our most powerful.
Our circle is formed when the clock strikes 8:00 p.m., one hour before Nightwalkers is open for business—clasping hands before we go, whispering a prayer to Mother Nature, to the ancestors watching over us, asking for protection. Allowing our powers to ignite and flow into each other, we focus on the task at hand. That Franklin Maltese dies for the crimes he committed against us, because a crime against one of us is a crime against all of us.
