Chapter Four
Ami
Ami watched the doorway for them. She’d waited a long time to find the book and if Wesley didn’t have it, she would have to find it herself. She pulled the hair tie from her hair and let it fall on her back. The time she’d spent as a vampire had made her hair thicker and more beautiful than it was when she was on the other side.
Wesley pushed the door open and met her gaze. He looked troubled, and Ami knew instantly he’d failed.
“It got away,” she said before taking a seat on her fourposter bed. The only remnant of her past and the life she’d once had.
“A witch has it and Cody,” he trailed off.
“Cody.” She snapped her head to take him in. “Why didn’t you kill him?”
“You know the rules,” Wesley said. He took a seat beside her and gently stroked her cheek. “He is nothing but a thorn. The book is all that matters.”
“Then why don’t we have it?” She pushed his hand away. “I’m tired. This burden is too much.”
“Then you should give it to me.” Wesley didn’t move.
“It doesn’t work that way. You know that.” She stood and walked to the chair on the other side of the room. She sat on it and stretched her legs. “I have to know what will happen.”
“I’ll find it and you’ll know soon enough.”
“I sent others to look during the day. It has to be found.”
“We know where it is if Cody intercepted it,” Wesley said. “We just can’t get into the Order of Fate.”
“Don’t worry about that. I have a friend on the inside.”
Wesley smiled. “You always do.”
“When Price gave this to me,” she faced Wesley and shook her head. “I didn’t realize what it was going to be like. This immortality thing isn’t a blessing and knowing you’re this… thing. It’s too much. I want out.”
“We’ll find the right one and transfer it soon.”
“We have to.”
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Chapter Five
Cassie
She made her way back to the Order of Fate, but instead of just going back to Lark’s room or her mom’s old one, she went straight for Cody’s office. He had a lot to explain to her. She threw open his door and stood in the doorway. Lark and Cody both looked at her and she raised her eyebrows.
“We need to talk.” Cassie crossed her arms and Lark’s gaze slid from her to Cody.
“Please, shut the door.” Cody said.
Cassie closed the door behind her and stood in front of it, arms crossed.
“What is it you need?” Cody said with annoyance in his voice.
She sighed and threw her hands up. “This book thing. You haven’t told me everything, have you?”
Cody swallowed hard. He was for sure hiding something. “The book chose you.”
“That much I got on my own. Why?”
“No one knows why it chooses who it does. It just does.” Cody motioned for her to take a seat beside Lark. “It hasn’t been seen in a really long time.”
“I don’t want it.” Cassie looked at the seat and hesitated, but took it anyway. The soft fabric instantly made her feel better. She leaned back in it and for a moment forgot about all the crap going on.
“I don’t know how it works. Not really, but I know Wes and Ami have been looking for it for a long time,” Cody said.
“And you couldn’t have said any of this before?” Cassie snapped.
“I didn’t think it would come up like this,” Cody said.
“That’s the problem.” Cassie shook her head. “What is it with the Vampires that you don’t go after them like you do the others?”
Cody crossed his arms. “It’s a long story.”
“We have nothing but time,” Cassie said.
He glanced from Lark to Cassie and shook his head. “A long time ago, I was expelled from the Order of Fate. I was living in the Desert of Arizona with my then girlfriend Maggie. One day, an old friend needed my help.”
“What happened?” Lark said. She obviously didn’t know about his past anymore than Cassie did.
“I helped him, but at a terrible cost.” He sat and swallowed hard. “My friend was Wesley.”
“So you were there when he turned into a vampire?” Cassie asked.
“We thought he could control it, but we were wrong.”
“Then why do you give him the leeway you do now?” Cassie said. “You know what he is. If he’s done this before, he’s bound to come at us again.”
“That’s why I pick the people I do. They’re stronger than just humans.” Cody didn’t look at Cassie.
“You think that witches can actually beat him?” Lark asked. “If you’ve been fighting him this long, then what makes you think it’s different now?”
“The Order of Fate has never been this strong before. We have a chance.”
“You mean now that I’m connected with the book?” Cassie jumped up and shook her head. “What is the big deal with it?”
“I told you. It shows the future. Whoever has it gets to know everything that will happen,” Cody said.
“But I haven’t seen anything except a weird wolf staring me down.”
“So, you did see something.” Cody seemed better with this change of subject. “Think. It’s important to know.”
“It… was more of a feeling and the smell of death. I don’t know anything else.”
“How can I when I don’t know if I can trust you?”
“This is the only place where there are people you can trust,” Lark chimed in.
“Why, because of our family history with the Order?” Cassie laughed. “Our mother died and I should have. Just because you feel like you need to be here doesn’t mean I do.” Cassie pulled open the door and walked from the room.
“You aren’t safe out there on your own,” Cody called behind her.
“Yeah, well, I’ll take my chances.” Cassie walked down the hallway past the others standing there watching the scenes play out and through the door.
“Cassie, they’ll kill you for it,” Cody said behind me. He seemed to not care that there were at least twenty pairs of eyes on him.
“And what about here?” Cassie shook her head. “How are we supposed to trust you when you leave half the story out?”
“I had to,” Cody said.
“No you didn’t. You chose to.” Cassie opened the door and walked into the street. If she was going to have to deal with any kind of lying sneaky thing, it would be the demons that wanted that book. She took a deep breath and smelled the sulfur. And by the smell and looks of it, there were more than a few itching to say hi.
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Chapter Six
Cody
He walked into his office and pulled out the last of the wooden stakes he’d hidden in the drawers. He didn’t need them usually, but once Wes and Ami figured out Cassie was on her own, they would be coming for her. He may not be able to kill them, but he could slow them down. Maybe.
“What is she talking about?” Lark said, closing the door behind her.
“Something personal,” he said, trying to make his way past her.
“I knew there was a past there, but I didn’t know it was that involved.” She locked eyes with him. “Did you know her?”
“I didn’t know her well, but I went with what Wesley said. I trusted him.” Cody shook his head.
“You formed a truce with them,: Lark said.
“I had no choice.”
“You always have a choice,” Lark said. “How long?”
“Longer than you’ve been alive.” He pushed past her and through the door. “She’s in more danger than you or I could know out there on her own.”
“She isn’t going to come back here now.”
“No, not willingly.” Cody didn’t turn back to Lark.
“So, you’re just going to force her back?”
“Sometimes we have to do things that are on the edge of what is right to keep everyone safe,” Cody said.
“This is Cassie. This is my sister. I won’t let you keep her as a prisoner.”
“You don’t have a choice.” Cody nodded at the two older men by the door. They stepped forward, and each took a hold of Lark’s arms. “I didn’t want to do this, but we have to keep the world safe. That’s what we were made for.”
“You can’t do this. The others won’t allow it.” Lark didn’t bother fighting back. She knew the two older men had more magick than she did. They’d been at the Order for a long time. Hand picked by Cody himself.
“They don’t have a choice.”
* * *
Arizona 1898
Cody pulled Maggie into a building at the edge of the small town they were in. The darkness of the night made everything seem that much more dangerous. Everything was quiet, but he knew something was wrong.
“They’re here somewhere,” he whispered. “We have to split up.”
Maggie nodded. “I’ll head to the other side of the street and sweep those houses.” She smiled and took his head in her hands. “We’ll find them and figure out what to do with Wesley after.”
He nodded, and she ran out of the building. It was a small town, and Wesley and Ami couldn’t be too far. Cody searched the building, but no one was there. It was odd considering the time of night it was. He walked out of the building slowly, but wasn’t prepared for what he saw.
Standing in the center of the dirt street was Wesley, holding Maggie by her throat. He didn’t move as Cody stepped towards him.
“Let her go,” he said without stopping. “You don’t want to do this.”
“Are you sure, Cody.” He sighed. “You act like you know me, but you don’t know anything about me and what I want.”
“I know you gave up everything for Ami,” he said. “You let her turn you so you could stay together.”
“What would you give up for Maggie?” Wesley said, giving her a yank. She let out a small whimper and Cody clenched his fists.
“What do you want?”
“I want you to leave me and Ami alone. The Order of Fate is gone. Let it go. Live your life with Maggie. Have babies and grow old. That’s what you want, isn’t it?” Wesley raised his eyebrow as he spoke.
“And if I say no?”
“Then you watch Maggie die and I won’t kill you right away. I’ll let you live with that, knowing you could have saved her. Until one day you beg for death,” Wesley said with a smile.
“You were my friend once.”
“That man is dead,” Wesley said. “Make your choice.”
Cody slid his gaze to Maggie, who was watching everything play out. She was innocent in all of this. While she was a part of the Order at one time, she had given it up to go with him and to help him. He had no right to ask any less of himself.
“I’ll give you a truce, but you have to stay away from here and you can’t kill any children ever.”
Wesley smiled and let Maggie go. “Deal.”
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Chapter Seven
Cassie
Cassie kept herself at the ready. She knew she was now a huge target for anyone that wanted the book, even though she’d kept that information to herself. Stupid Demons. They seemed to know things before anyone else. She turned the corner and stopped short. Her eyes met something she’d never seen in real life.
The creature stepped out of the shadows and cocked its head at her. Cassie took a deep breath at the sight of the light-haired wolf. It studied her with its golden eyes and then looked past her at the dark smoke forming at the edge of the block.
Cassie turned and shook her head. She didn’t want to be doing magick out in the open like this. Not when there were so many eyes on her. The wolf stepped up next to her before glancing her way and charging at the newly formed Demon. its red eyes and crooked smile were all Cassie saw before the Wolf was on top of it.
The Wolf bit through the Demon’s extended arm and threw it behind him, at Cassie’s feet. She kicked it and watched the scene play out in front of her.
The Demon didn’t have a chance to scream or thrash before the Wolf had its heart sitting on the pavement. Demons were once humans, so they still had what remained of their hearts. Even if they didn’t use them anymore. It and Magick were one of their only weaknesses.
The Wolf turned back to Cassie before turning to walk away.
“Wait, you’re the Wolf in my dreams. The one from the book,” she said, taking a step towards it.
The wolf turned and eyed her with his golden eyes. She tried to read them, to see what was behind it and why they were connected. All she saw was pain.
It turned and ran away and Cassie was stuck standing there waiting for something to happen, but nothing did.
Cassie turned and walked into the old shop she was trying to get to. It was familiar, even though she hadn’t been in it in years. The way the light shined through the windows and the faint hum of magick.
“Haven’t seen you in a long while,” a dark-haired, fair skinned woman popped her head up from behind the counter. There were odds and ends of magick all along it. Runes and crystals propped up at the back of it for display.
The store was what you would expect from a real witch. Not one of those new age weirdos that spouts peace and love. This was a place for those that knew what was really in the shadows and some of us who tried to stop it.
Cassie smiled as she closed the door behind her. “You saw me coming, huh?”
She laughed as Cassie spoke.
“Always. You know your mom is still looking out for you. Parents never let anything stop them from taking care of their kids. Not even death.”
Cassie dropped her gaze.
“You need a place to lie low.” She walked out from behind the counter and Cassie took her in. She’d aged some in the last five years. A silver streak had grown into her dark hair and she had gained a little weight, but it wasn’t anything too extreme. Cassie had no idea how old she really was. Her mom never spoke about it, but she was one of the wisest people Cassie knew.
“I don’t know who to trust. I can’t trust the Order of Fate, and I’ve burned all my contacts from work.” Cassie picked up a purple ball and rolled it in her hand.
“You are on a path separate from where you were before,” she said.
“I can’t do this right now, Peggy. I can’t get into my future.”
“You’re already there,” Peggy said.
“I don’t understand.”
“You are a key, an oracle of sorts now. It won’t change because you want it to,” Peggy said.
“I didn’t ask for this.”
“No one does.” Peggy waved towards the back of the store. “You can stay here for a while, but your path is going to take you to places you never thought you’d go.”
“Let’s just get through today before we talk about the future,” Cassie said, glancing back at the windows. She could almost feel all the eyes focused on her. If they knew where she was, they might not stop at Peggy’s wards, but she couldn’t think about that. She just needed rest and a minute to breathe.
Cassie followed Peggy towards the back. There was a bed and some other items set up to make it seem more homey. Further down the hallway were the stairs that went upstairs to Peggy’s apartment. She dropped her bag on the bed and sat beside it.
Peggy watched her and crossed her arms. Cassie caught her staring and shook her head. “Please don’t do that.”
“What?” scheme? said.
“Read me,” Cassie said without looking away.
“Pfft, I’m not doing that.” Peggy waved her hand at her.
“Right. You forget I’ve known you for a long time.”
“You think you know me?” She turned to walk away when Cassie stopped her.
“Peggy, did you see what was going to happen to my mom?”
She stopped in her tracks and glanced back. “Some things have destiny written all over them.”
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Chapter Eight
Peggy
New York 2005
Peggy paced her store, waiting for some kind of word about what happened with Kat and the girls. She’d told Kat what was going to happen today. The way her daughter died, but something felt off. Her visions were almost always right. And if she was right today, her best friend would come home with one less child.
She walked to the back of her store and watched her daughter sleeping in the little bed she’d set up back there. She was so small and if anything threatened her, Peggy knew she would do the same as Kat. She’d try to get her as far from it as possible.
The girl moved slightly, and a red curl fell over her face. She was so small, and Peggy would do anything for her.
She heard the door to the shop open and went back to the front. Gareld was standing there watching her. His dark eyes filled with sadness.
“What happened?” Peggy demanded.
He shook his head. “Your vision… she changed it.”
Peggy felt a wave of relief knowing Cassie was still alive, but Gareld’s face didn’t change.
“Peg, Kat’s gone.” He reached for her and pulled her into him. “She died saving Cassie.”
Peggy felt herself go numb. Everything she’d been trying to prevent had still happened. The Demon. The warehouse. Everything is down to the moment of death. The only thing that had changed was who died.
“The girls can stay with me,” Peggy said without hesitation.
“I’ll bring them tonight. You know Cody is going to fight you on this.”
Peggy pushed back from Gareld just enough to look into his eyes. “I don’t care. They need someone that is going to take care of them. Not someone that is going to make them soldiers.”
“Maybe that’s what they need,” Gerald said. “To learn to fight.”
Peggy stared at him for a moment. “How can you say that? They’re just children, only a few years older than Eli.”
“I would hope Eli learns to fight, too. There are so many dangers out there that want to kill them. You know that better than anyone.”
Peggy sighed. “At least give them time to grief. Then they can make their own choices.”
Gerald pulled her back to him and Peggy let him hold her while she grieved her best friend and prepared herself for how things would change.
“I’m never telling anyone my visions again,” she managed. “I will not be responsible for anyone else dying.”
“You aren’t the only one that knows what she is. There are others out there,” Gerald said.
“Are they going to keep coming after her?” Peggy asked, not moving away from him.
“I hope not.”
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Chapter Nine
Cassie
Cassie heard voices and laid still, listening to them. One was clearly Peggy talking and pacing the hallway. Cassie couldn’t make out the other right away. She rolled over and opened her eyes to see down the hallway towards Peggy’s stairs. Sitting on the bottom step was Lark. Cassie sighed. Of course, she would know this would be the place to find her.
Lark’s eyes met her, and she stood up. Cassie pulled herself to a sitting position on the bed and cocked her head.
“I knew you’d come here when you didn’t get help from Cody,” Lark said. “You know he means well.”
“It doesn’t take away what I know. He isn’t what you think he is.”
“I know what he is. He’s a witch and has lived for a very long time,” Lark said without a reaction.
“You knew?” Cassie said, shaking her head.
“Of course I knew. I didn’t know the details, but I knew he’s been at this for a long time.,” she said.
“Did you know he knew the Vampires?”
“They weren’t vampires then,” she said.
Cassie walked into the storefront. “I don’t care. Things change when your friends become evil.”
“Are you sure you understand everything?” Lark said, following her.
“What’s to understand? I don’t hang out with demons.”
“Mom, did.”
Cassie stared at her. “You’re lying.”
“Why would I?” Lark said. “When Dad left, she went down a dark path with her magick. She turned to the only teachers she could find that didn’t judge her for what she wanted to do.”
Cassie shook her head.
“She was getting ready to be removed from the Order of Fate when she died. You don’t remember any of this?” Lark took a step towards her and Cassie raised her hand.
“Stay back.” Cassie didn’t want anyone anywhere near her while she figured all of this out. She tried to remember, but she couldn’t. None of this made any sense.
“Look, I’m not interested in taking you back to the Order. I just want you to be safe. We can get out of the city and the Vampires will find something else to occupy them, but Cody will not stop looking for you. He thinks he needs to protect whatever that book says.”
“You want me to run?” Cassie was confused.
“I want you to live.”
“You realize I have been on my own for a while,” Cassie said again.
“Yeah, you keep reminding me. That doesn’t mean you’re safe now.”
She glanced past Lark to Peggy. “What happens if I die?”
“What?” Lark said, looking from Cassie to Peggy.
“Does this thing go back in the box?”
“Do you pass the sight back to the book? Yes, but that won’t be what happens.”
Cassie bit her lip. “So, what happens?”
“You know I can’t tell you that.”
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Chapter Ten
Cody
He closed the door and made his way across town. His old blue Mustang drove through downtown to the edge of the water. He knew Wesley would be waiting for him. He just didn’t know if he would greet him or kill him.
He slammed the gear into park and waited. The surrounding darkness gave an odd look to the water and around his car. He’d seen a lot in the time he’d been alive, but he still got the chills from certain places. This was one of them.
He glanced up and saw a figure standing against a lamppost on the dock. He couldn’t make them out, but knew it had to be Wesley. He palmed the wooden stake in his back pocket before opening his door and stepping out.
“You can’t protect her,” the figure said.
“I know, but I can keep you from killing her,” Cody said.
“You did such a great job with Maggie.” He raised his head and his eyes came into view.
Cody stopped and pulled his anger back. He wanted to keep a level head. “Cassie is off limits.”
“No one said we were going to kill her. We need her.” Wesley stepped into the light. His once young face looked aged. Which was odd for a vampire. Cody could see the restlessness in his eyes. “We’re tired.”
“You want to die?” Cody shook his head. “I don’t believe you.”
“You remember when this happened? Aren’t you tired of fighting? We could end it all for both of us. All we have to do is to see who they are.”
“I can’t let you give this to someone else,” Cody said.
“You can kill me, but Ami,” He sighed. “You know she won’t die. Would you rather have her as an enemy or a friend?”
“I can’t keep working with you two. Too many know about our past. Too many are going to want me to stop fighting.”
“So stop. Live your life and let me and Ami go,” Wesley said. “You know you want to stop. We all do.”
Cody swallowed hard. “Only if it ends for all of us.”
“Deal.”
* * *
New York 1903
Cody jumped out of the carriage and held out his hand. Maggie took it and stepped down. She still looked as beautiful as ever. She had decided since giving up the hunting to dress in clothing that didn’t get her as noticed. She had on a beautiful pale purple dress with matching gloves. Cody loved she wanted to look good for their new home. The city was more than he expected, but when the governor of New York wanted you to be his personal bodyguard, you answered. At least, that was what he figured.
“It’s different here,” Maggie said, “But I think we can still start our family in the city.” She put her hand on her stomach.
Cody smiled, and they walked into their new townhome. It was large for New York and for him. He’d only known the desert and the little towns that dotted it.
“I think it will be. There is a lot to this town,” Cody said. They had already set the furniture up in their new home and, for the first time, they had everything that made a home one.
“When do you work for the governor?” Maggie asked as she took a seat on the couch.
“Soon.” Cody looked through the large picture window in the sitting room. “I still don’t know how he heard about me.”
Maggie shrugged. “You have been helping the sheriff on Superstition Mountain a lot. Word travels.”
Cody said nothing. The truth was, he had no idea if that was why. He’d stopped hunting, but he did still help the locals with the occasional demon here and there. He wasn’t about to let them hurt people he could help, and there was no way Wesley was going to worry about it. He was off living his life with Ami.
“I have to go get some things. Are you going to be okay?” He asked.
Maggie smiled and raised an eyebrow. “You know you aren’t the only hunter that lives in this house?”
Cody turned and walked towards her. “I know, but it’s good to be cautious. This is a new place with new people.”
“I’ll be fine,” she said, and he nodded.
That was the last time Cody would see her alive.
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Chapter Eleven
Cassie
Cassie sat on the bed and shook her head. The voices of her sister and Peggy faded and she could hear her breathing in her ears. Her heart was beating hard in her chest. She closed her eyes and felt herself fall back.
The first thing she noticed was the soft grass tickling her ear. She let her eyes open and the sky above her took her by surprise. The surrounding air smelled of smoke and metal. She wasn’t sure why it was, but she covered her nose and sat up. She choked on the smoke before pulling herself to her feet and taking in her surroundings.
She wasn’t in the city, but she wasn’t in a completely bare area, either. There were buildings all around her and one road ahead of her. The building to the left of her had rolling smoke and bits of fire poking from the window.
Cassie heard yelling in the distance towards the other side and swung her head in that direction. There were people running past her and screaming. She watched as fighter jets flew overhead and made a face. When she lowered her gaze, that wolf was standing in front of her. She eyed it and it shook its head. She watched in horror as its body bent at odd angles and the beautiful fur fell onto the ground, leaving a naked man breathing hard, with his head down. His light hair fell in front of his face. He glanced up and Cassie recognized the only feature that didn’t change on a werewolf. His eyes.
“Why did you open the book?” He said, pushing himself to his feet.
Cassie looked away. “I didn’t realize what would happen.”
“You’re a Witch. Don’t they teach you about the book?”
Cassie snickered. “My teacher has a lot of secrets.”
“You don’t belong here,” he said.
“I don’t know how to control it,” Cassie said simply. “I just want to give it back.”
“That’s not how it works.” He circled her, still naked and not worried about it. She looked away, and he lowered his gaze. “You humans are so weird about nakedness.”
“Why do I keep seeing you?” Cassie said, without missing a beat.
“You haven’t figured that out?” He said.
She shook her head. “Of course. You’re connected to the book.” She made a face. “What am I supposed to do with you?”
“With me?” He asked, confused.
“Yeah, like how do I get you to go away?” She turned as she spoke and he was right there, so close she could feel the heat of his skin. She felt her breath catch and pushed it away.
“You can’t.” He stepped closer, and she took a step back. “Usually, it goes to a witch, Wolf Hybrid, but the universe thought it would do something weird this time, I guess.”
“Hybrid?” She sighed and shrugged. “Sorry to disappoint. Where am I?”
“The future. I mean what it is right now?” He said looking around.
“Are you really here?”
“In a way. I’ll still be alive when all this happens, it seems. At least right now,” he said.
“Wait, what does that mean?”
“I’m Carik, by the way. In case you wanted to know,” he said, holding out his hand. Cassie glanced at it before looking back at the chaos going on all around them.
“Do they not see us?”
“We’re in between. Ghosts of the past that have the privilege of seeing the future.”
“You think this is a privilege?” Cassie said. She shook her head. “I don’t want to know any of this.”
“But you have the chance to change it since you know what will happen. We were taught it’s a great honor.”
“You can take it back if you think it’s such a great honor,” Cassie said.
“That’s not how it works.”
“I don’t want it,” Cassie said, swinging her arms. “You hear me? I don’t want it.” She forced her eyes closed and shook her head. Everything spun around her. She felt dizzy and her stomach turned. When she opened her eyes, she was lying on the bed. Lark was sitting next to her, watching her.
“What did you see?” Peggy said from the other side of the room.
“Nothing really.” Cassie held her arms over her chest. She hadn’t processed what was going on, not really. She’d just started understanding everything that was going on with her and this book.
A knock at the shop door startled everyone. Peggy and Lark exchanged glances before she walked to the front, pulling the curtain closed behind her. Lark looked at Cassie and put her finger to her mouth, telling her to be quiet.
They could hear Peggy chatting with someone and then coming back through the curtain. She glanced at Cassie and crossed her arms. “It’s for you.”
Cassie stared at her. She didn’t have any friends that would come here. No one knew about Peggy except her family. Cassie stood and walked into the storefront, with Lark following behind.
As soon as she locked eyes with him, she knew who he was. Carik.
“What are you doing here?” Cassie said, crossing her arms.
He glanced behind her and gave them a wave. “I’m Carik.”
Lark didn’t say anything and Cassie smiled. Good luck getting her to like you.
“I told you, I’m a protector of the book.” He said.
“Then I’ll give it to you,” Cassie said, turning and walking back to the bed. She grabbed her bag and reached in to grab the book, but it was gone. Panic set in and she dug further.
Lark came up behind her. “Did you lose it?” she said.
“It’s gone. I know I had it.” Cassie sat on the bed and Carik came through the door into the little room. “You know, it’s rude to come into a girl’s bedroom uninvited.”
He raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms. “The book isn’t a physical thing anymore. It’s you. You’re the book.”
“No, I’m not. I’m just a witch that steals magical artifacts and causes trouble for my sister. I’m not this thing.” Cassie couldn’t move. She couldn’t think. There was no way she was this special thing. She’d never had this kind of responsibility and didn’t want it.
“Sorry, sis, but it sounds like you are,” Lark said. She turned to Carik. “What do we do now?”
“We have to get out of the city. Ami will be looking for her,” Carik said.
“Wait, who’s Ami?” Cassie shook her head. “Nevermind, I don’t want to know.”
He glanced at Cassie. “You can do this.”
She glanced at Peggy, who shrugged. “This is your path.”
“I don’t run from things like this. I want to fight,” Cassie said.
“You can’t. If you go against her, you won’t win,” Carik said.
“She’s just a Vampire. I’ve killed a lot of them.”
“Not like her. She has the blood of the first demon now. She can’t be killed.”
“I can’t run my whole life,” Cassie said.
“No, but you can leave and learn how to use the power you have now. You have the ability to see everything that is coming at you before it happens.”
Cassie stood. “And what happens to everyone here?” She liked to say she wasn’t interested in keeping them safe, but she loved her sister.
“We’ll get by. We can’t let Cody know where you are, either. Not until we know what will happen.” Lark put her hand on Cassie’s shoulder. “What have you seen?”
Cassie dropped her gaze. “Nothing good. Just a lot of war and I don’t know when it will happen.”
“Is it soon?”
Cassie glanced at Carik. “I don’t know.”
“That’s the kind of thing you need to learn,” Carik said.
“What about Peggy? She can see the future,” Cassie said, looking her way.
“It doesn’t work on a wide scale. I only see the future of those I’m close to.” Peggy shrugged as she spoke.
“You’re important now. You have to learn how to use this in combination with your own witch gifts. You have to,” Lark said. “I know I’m hard on you, but maybe mom knew in some way you would need to survive. Maybe that’s why she did what she did.”
Cassie stared at her sister. For the first time in a long time, she saw sadness and love at the same time. “What if she was wrong?”
“What if she wasn’t?” Larks said, grabbing her hand. “You won’t know unless you take this chance and do this. You have to. We have to know what to fight and how,” Lark said.
Cassie plopped on the bed and thought about everything. Her whole world was crashing down around her. All she wanted was to go back to her life.
“It’s your choice, but everyone who has used the book in the past has trained to use it. If you don’t, you will be at its whim instead of controlling when you see things and what you see,” Carik explained. “What do you want to do?”
“I’ll go, but we have to get the training done quickly.” She glanced at her sister. “I need to know about mom.”
“You will as soon as you get back. I’ll tell you everything.”
* * *
Cassie watched the city fly by them as they made their way south. Carik wasn’t saying much beyond telling her there was a pack where they were going and they’d be safe. Cassie thought about what wolves were to her. She’d never been around a pack before, only heard stories about them and how they’d been hunted down over the years. That was about all she knew.
“What’s your pack like?” She didn’t look at him as she spoke. “Should I be worried?”
“They’re rough. They’ve been through a lot over the years.” He glanced at her and then back to the road. “As far as being worried, not unless you intend to attack them.”
Cassie looked at him, confused.
“They know how to deflect magick.” He shrugged. “It comes from being interbred with witches at least once a generation.”
“So, werewolves and witches are a thing?”
“Sometimes.” He shrugged. “Mostly so we have someone that can handle the book. It was ours until someone stole it. This is the first time in centuries we’ve had it back in our hands.”
“I’m not the book,” Cassie snapped.
“You weren’t, but now you are one with it. So, technically, you are the book.”
Cassie looked out the window and watched the urban landscape turn slowly more rural. The trees became thicker, and the cars thinned out.
“It’s not much further now,” Carik said.
They’d been driving for a good part of the day, and Cassie was tired. She slowly felt herself drifting off until she opened her eyes and she was far from the car.
She watched as people were running around here. The ground was dry and dusty. She pulled herself together and watched as men in military uniforms motioned for a small group to follow. Cassie kept her eyes on a young woman and her daughter. The little girl wasn’t over ten, with curly light brown hair and dark eyes. She was holding a stuffed black and white cow. The woman, her mother, was in obvious distress as she ran with her daughter being pulled behind her.
Cassie followed them as they made their way to what looked like an old military bunker. It was crowded and as everyone tried to file in, the woman realized there wasn’t enough room. She glanced at the officer and handed her daughter to him. “Take care of her.”
The child started to scream for her mother as she pushed the doors closed. The remaining group pounded on the metal door as the mother backed away, tears in her eyes. She turned to leave when she ran into what should have been a man, but was a twisted version with dark eyes and blood-soaked fingers. He smiled, letting his light hair fall into his face before he grabbed her and bit her.
Cassie startled awake, and Carik snapped his gaze to her. “What did you see?”
“Fucking Vampires.”
* * *
Carik pulled the car into a garage on the left side of the road. By now, all the hints of the city were gone. They were in an area Cassie had never been before.
“What are we doing here?” She asked as he pulled the garage door down behind them. She could see the tools on the counter and an old mustang parked beside them. The back wheel was on a jack and the whole front of the once royal blue car was crushed. It had seen better days.
“This is my dad’s shop. He won’t mind us taking a break and getting some sleep.” Carik opened the door to the receptionist area and motioned for her to go inside. The entire room was glass, but the blinds were pulled so no one could see inside. She took a seat on the couch before glancing back at him.
“I can’t sleep. I’ll get nothing but those future dreams,” Cassie said with a shrug.
“It won’t always be like that. You’ll learn how to control it.”
“When?” Cassie sighed and shook her head. “I made all the wrong choices in my life. I got my mom killed.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“I was there. She died protecting me,” Cassie said.
“Then she made a choice.”
Cassie snapped her gaze to him. “What? No, she had to save me. She’s my mom.”
“Not every mom would die for their child.” He shook his head. “You should at least try to get some sleep. Maybe you won’t travel since you already did today.”
“I don’t know. I am tired, but it seems like the last 48 hrs. Have been nothing but seeing bits of a future I don’t want.”
“It will get easier.” He put his hand on hers. Cassie let herself feel the warmth of his hand. It was comforting and made her feel like all of this was just a dream and she was warm in her bed and her mother was in the next room waiting for her to wake up. “I promise.”
Cassie let herself smile and watched as Carik stood, his hand pulling away from her and all the safety going with it. She laid down and let herself relax.
Thankfully, there were no dreams, and she finally got some good sleep.
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Chapter Twelve
Carik
He stood at the garage door and watched her sleeping in the back of the car. She finally looked peaceful. He squared his jaw at the thought of her. He was not going to fall into the trap of caring for her. She was simply a part of his job.
He was the one to protect her and keep her safe, the one that was the book. The protector of the future. At least that was what the stories said.
She turned over, and he kept his eyes on her. He didn’t realize he was holding his breath until he looked back out of the window.
He couldn’t deny the way he’d felt when his eyes had met hers. The pull to protect her and keep her from any harm that might come her way.
And he hated it.
As the sun rose, he decided it was time to wake her up and finish getting to his home. He sighed as he walked to her and hit the side of the car.
“It’s time to go,” he said.
She startled awake, and he immediately felt a tinge of regret at being so pushy.
She sat up and rubbed her eyes and he tried to ignore the fact she was moving so slowly. He was there to protect her, not wait for her like a servant, even though he knew he’d do anything she asked.
“What’s going on?” She asked.
“You ask that a lot,” he said as he pulled the garage door open. “We still have a couple of hours to go.”
She slid out of the back of the car and stretched.
He stood by the driver’s door and watched her. Her light hair was messy and loose, even though she’d put it in a ponytail before she went to sleep. He caught himself thinking about pushing the strand that was falling in her face behind her ear.
“What are you smiling about?” she said.
He quickly dropped the smile and opened the door to the driver’s side and got in. She did the same on the passenger side and he fired up the car.
Once they were outside the garage, he got out and pulled the door down. The shop was in the middle of nowhere, but he wasn’t going to leave it open for everyone to go into.
Once he got back in the car, he glanced at Cassie. She had curled her legs up into her lap and was leaning on the door, clearly still tired.
“You can sleep on the way,” he said.
She glanced at him and rolled her eyes. “I realize that, but I might have one of those future things.”
“You mean where you see everything that’s coming?” He let a slight laugh slip out.
“It’s not funny. It’s scary,” she said and pulled her knees closer to her chest.
He sighed and nodded. “It is scary, but that’s why you see it, so you can change it.”
“Peggy says you can’t change things. They always happen.”
He shrugged, “maybe.”
“Wait, you’re in the visions, too. Do you remember what you see?”
He swallowed hard. He didn’t know how much he should tell her. “I remember everything I see when I’m with you.” He felt like that was simple, but also explained everything she needed to know.
“How come you’re there?”
“It’s part of the way the book works. The one meant to use it sees everything. The protector sees what she does,” he said. “It only works for you. You can control it.”
“I can’t,” she said.
“That’s why we’re going to my home. It’s where the book was made.”
“I don’t understand,” she said.
“My pack has been the protector of that book since we can remember.” He sighed. “When it was stolen from us, we searched for it, but we couldn’t find it. There was no signature, no protector until it was found and activated.”
“So, when I found it, you did too?”
He nodded. “I did, and I found you.”
They rode in silence until they came to the small town just north of the Georgia border. It was just as he remembered it. The streets were lined with parked cars and the houses looked like they always did. All but his old home. But they weren’t going there, thankfully.
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Chapter Thirteen
Lark
New York 2005
Lark walked through Peggy’s shop door, holding Cassie’s hand. She couldn’t think or breathe. She’d just watched her mother die and there was nothing she could do. Everything was upside down.
Peggy rushed to her and pulled her and Cassie into her arms. Lark melted into her and let everything go. She felt exhausted and confused and she didn’t want to do anything but lay down with her mother and never wake up. But that wasn’t an option. She had a sister to look out for and people that needed her. No matter what was happening with her.
“You both can stay here for as long as you want,” Peggy said.
Lark pulled back from Peggy. “I don’t want to stay here.”
Peggy looked at her, confused.
“I want to go back to the Order,” Lark said. “Cassie should stay. She needs someone.”
Peggy smiled. “Stay a few days and we will talk about it after.”
“No, I need to do this now,” Lark said. “Take me back to the Order.”
“You don’t want this. You’re hurting,” Peggy said.
“No, I have to learn everything I can, so this never happens to anyone I love again,” Lark said, fighting back tears. “That’s all that’s left for me now.”
“No, it’s not. We’re here for you and always will be,” Cassie said. Her little face was red from crying. She grabbed her sister’s hand and pulled her to her. Lark wanted to fight them and leave, but she didn’t. Her sister was right. They all had to look after each other now. No matter what.
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Chapter Fourteen
Cassie
“This is it, my home,” Carik said with a huge smile on his face. It was clear to Cassie he was happy about being back here, even if the circumstances weren’t great.
Cassie took in the small town around her. She hadn’t even realized they were close to anything. When Carik had woken her this morning, she thought they’d get something to eat or spend a little more time in the car, but less than four hours later they were parking in front of a large farmhouse with dogs running at the car barking.
She waited for Carik to get out first, and the smile on his face as he petted the two brown and white boxers that jumped at him told her everything. He might seem like the big bad wolf, but he was just like her and they were both in this mess together. That gave her a little comfort.
“Carik? What are you doing here?” A woman who looked to be about fifty said as she pushed the old screen door open. Cassie took her in and she was not what she expected. The woman looked normal, with dark blonde hair with wisps of silver throughout. She glanced back at Cassie. “Who’s this?”
“She’s someone that needs help,” Carik said.
“She’s not one of us,” she said.
“She’s bonded with the book, Shirley.”
Shirley slid her gaze to Cassie and shook her head. “How is that possible?”
Carik shrugged. “I don’t know, but it did.”
She sighed and motioned for them to follow her.
Cassie walked behind Shirley and Carik up the walkway onto the large wrap-around porch and through her front door. The living room was large, with an old couch sitting against the far wall. There was a small table on the other side. She motioned for Cassie to sit on the couch and Carik leaned on the wall in the corner. Shirley sat in the chair across from her.
“So, I’d really like to know how this happened. The way it goes is usually a hybrid of witch and wolf. You are clearly not a wolf.” She sat back and took Cassie in. “Why just a witch?”
Cassie shrugged. “I don’t know. I just picked it up and everything changed.”
“This is unusual. I’m guessing you want us to help her?” She glanced at Carik as she spoke.
“We don’t have much of a choice. She’s still got to navigate the future and help us figure out what is coming,” he said.
“It has to be big if this has happened,” she said.
“Not to put a kink in things, but how are you going to help me?” Cassie leaned back on the couch.
“If you haven’t noticed, wolves have a connection to the book.”
“Yeah, I have,” Cassie said.
“This is going to be a crash course,” Shirley said.
“Where do we start?”
* * *
“I don’t understand what we’re doing?” Cassie stood in the center of the room, watching the others.
“The idea is to start with something small. You need to control when you are connecting to the energy of the book. This way, you will be able to use it when you want to.”
“How is this helpful?”
“If you can see the future a few minutes ahead, then you’ll know what is going to happen and can shape it,” Carik said.
Cassie turned and shook her head. “It only happens when I fall asleep.”
“That’s what we want to change,” Shirley said. “Try connecting when you are awake. More of a meditation rather than actually being fully asleep.”
Carik grabbed her shoulders gently. “Close your eyes.”
She did as she was told.
“See yourself standing with the book.”
Cassie let her mind relax and the book was sitting in front of her in a dark room. There was no one there. No one asking her to do things or wondering about what her next move was. She was alone with a book that could tell her everything about the future. It was nice and peaceful.
She took a step towards it and put her hand on it. The heat coming from it spread through her body. It warmed as she connected with it. Her body felt like it was on fire and then she was standing there, in the middle of a burning building where the house once stood. She walked through the building to the other side of the door and down into the street. All the buildings were on fire. She covered her mouth to keep the ash from getting into her lungs. The smell of burning wood filled her nose. She tried to see when this was happening, but everything looked as though it had been through a war. While she’d connected differently, she was still too far in the future for what they wanted. At least she’d figured out how to connect without going to sleep. At least she hoped she had.
She closed her eyes and let herself drift to the darkroom. Her hand was still on the book and she pulled it back slowly, letting herself drift back to the present. Cassie opened her eyes, and she was still on her feet in the center of the room.
“What did you see?” Shirley asked as soon as her eyes were open.
Cassie swallowed hard. How do you tell someone their house is gone in the future? She sighed and smiled before she realized she just couldn’t. “The same old war stuff.”
Carik caught her gaze and knew there was more to it, but didn’t say anything. “Great, so you have that, at least.”
“Does that mean I can actually sleep without the interruptions?”
“I don’t know.”
“I thought you guys had done this before?” Cassie sat on the edge of the couch. Just that small session had been a lot for her.
“I haven’t,” Carik said. “The book has been lost for a long time. We are going off what we have been told.”
“That makes me feel better,” she said sarcastically.
“We will figure it out. It seems we are on the right track already,” Carik smiled as he spoke. “Soon you will be able to drop in and out of the future at a moment’s notice.”
Cassie smiled. She knew what they wanted, but she wasn’t sure she was going to be able to do it. It seemed so hard and there was no time. Lark and the others were still dealing with the Vampires and Demons that were now looking for her. She knew they wouldn’t be safe anywhere.
“Let’s go again,” she said.
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Chapter Fifteen
Ami
Ami pulled herself from the safety of her room and went into the main part of the building they were living in. It was old and falling in, but that never bothered her. It was the age of the building that she loved. The structure was built in the late 1800s and reminded her of when she was younger. When she actually knew what she was fighting for. She’d been the hero once, fighting for those that needed help, but evil never dies and she was now that evil living in the world with the humans. Things had changed so much. She knew that now more than anyone.
“What are you doing out here, my love?” Wesley said as he walked through the door. The noise of the city outside buzzed in her ears. Even though it was early morning, people were out doing their things and creating their lives. She was stuck in this coffin of sorts she couldn’t escape. The busy world was just too much for her.
“I can’t stay in that room any longer. Did you find the book?”
Wesley shook his head. “I don’t know what they did with it, but I’ll find it and we will figure out how to transfer this so you can be free. Did your informant know anything?”
“Just that the girl and the book left the Order of Fate.” She sighed.
“You will be free,” he said.
“We will be free,” she corrected.
The sound of the door opening caught her off guard and she snapped her head towards a demon walking into the room. Wesley turned and put his body in front of Ami and eyed the Demon.
“Relax, I have news,” the Demon leaned on the wall and crossed his arms.
“How would you know anything more than I do?” Wesley asked with a smile. He cocked his head and stared at him.
The Demon met his gaze and raised an eyebrow. “Okay, if you don’t want to believe me, then I could just leave.”
Ami stepped in front of Wesley and smiled. “Of course not. If you have news, please share it.”
The Demon glanced at Wesley and smiled before taking a step forward. “Cassie Storm is who you are looking for.”
Ami glanced at Wesley before looking back to the Demon. “Are you sure? That’s a very interesting name.”
Ami smiled, but didn’t let on. She already had that information. The less the others working for her knew, the better.
“Yep, talked to her myself,” The Demon said.
“You’re a water demon, right?” Ami smiled as she spoke. “Do you have a name?”
“Pycot,” he said without missing a beat..
“You’ve been around for a while, haven’t you?”
“Not as long as you, but yes,” he said.
“Why haven’t I worked with you before?”
“We stay to ourselves normally,” he said.
“But not you.”
“I’ve broken from my clan. We had a difference of opinion,” he said simply.
Ami walked closer to him and let her hand land on his chest. “I think we could work together to find her and to bring her here.” She let her fingers trace his collar and smiled. “Aren’t there two sisters in that family?”
“Yes, but she’s with the Order of Fate. There’s no way to get in there.”
“They have to leave the Order from time to time. Bring her to me and I’ll make sure you are rewarded more than you ever thought you could be without a clan.”
Pycot bit his lip before nodding and glancing at her hand. “Whatever you desire.”
Ami smiled and cocked her head. She’d seen the Demons that wondered the world and hunted them just like Cody and his Order. When it started, she’d been one of the first to join. The memories ran through her like ice water and she shook them away.
Pycot took this as his opportunity to bow and leave.
Wesley watched her. “Where were you just now?”
She glanced at him and forced a smile. “I remembered the past. You remember when we met?”
“Of course. You were an annoying girl who wanted to conquer the world. It was my job to protect you.”
“It was your job to teach me,” she corrected.
“I failed you then. I let Price turn you into what you are now. I should have stopped it.”
“You tried, but sometimes fate has other plans.”
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Chapter Sixteen
Cassie
Cassie found herself standing in the middle of the city. Everything was standing, and wood, it still had the same weird smells. The sound of traffic and yelling made her smile. Maybe this time she hadn’t gone so far ahead. She walked out into the street so she could see where she was.
She was less than a block from her home. She walked towards it and saw her apartment still standing at the top of the stairs. She climbed the steps and stopped outside of the door. It looked fine, but she wasn’t sure. She let her hand run down the wood, taking in the feeling of it.
Her wards weren’t up and it was cold. Her hand rested on the nod for a moment before she turned it and walked inside. The place looked totally different. The living room that she had kept her whole life in was clean, with wood floors and white walls. She took it in and bit her lip. It felt like she was breaking into someone’s house and spying on them. She kind of was, but didn’t want to think about that idea.
A young girl walked into the kitchen and sat at the table. She had light hair and wasn’t over ten years old. Her back was to Cassie, but the air had gotten thick with her presence. This girl was a witch.
Cassie stepped back and waited, but nothing happened and she felt herself falling again and knew she was coming out of the book. She opened her eyes and was sitting in her bed. The darkness was all around her.
The breeze flowed through the open window, blowing her hair from her face. She stood and walked to the window, unsure of what she would see. She hadn’t wasted any time getting herself in the bed and resting. It had been days since she’d been able to really have a moment to herself. It was all about training and learning how to go in and out of the future. One thing Cassie hadn’t tried was going into the past. A part of her wondered if she could and if she would see her mother. She leaned on the wall and peered down at the street. It was bare and there were very few people in this little place. Cassie thought about how peaceful it must have been growing up here and what she could have had if she hadn’t been in a different place if she wouldn’t have lived like she did. Maybe her mother would still be here.
Cassie pulled her sleep pants on and opened her door. She made her way towards the stairs and down to the kitchen. Voices made her stop in her tracks.
“Why did you bring her here?” Shirley’s voice carried through the small hallway.
“You know why?” Carik answered.
“She’s an outsider. Even if she can help us, why would she?”
“She’s part of the Order of Fate,” Carik said.
“All the more reason to get her out of here before anyone else realizes who she is,” Shirley said with a sigh. “Look, we’ve helped her kind before and it always blows up in our faces. The treaty is long over. They won’t accept her here.”
“They don’t have to. They just have to let me finish the training. Then we’re going back. I need her to be safe,” Carik said.
“What is it with you and her?”
“Nothing. I’m just fulfilling my duty,” Carik said before moving further away. She couldn’t hear what he said next. Cassie strained to listen, but all she heard was her own heart beating in her chest. What do they know that I don’t?
“You can come in now,” Shirley’s voice echoed up the hall.
Cassie bit her lip like she was a child that had gotten caught listening to her parents fight. She decided to show herself and find out what exactly they were talking about. “What are you talking about?”
“You, but something tells me you already know that,” Carik said with a half smile.
“Why am I such a threat?”
“We haven’t had a witch here for several generations. We used to be the largest pack in the northern United States. We made a deal with a witch to help keep our lines safe.” Shirley said.
“It went bad. The pack was almost destroyed,” Carik finished for her.
“When we rebuilt what we could, we made a deal not to have a witch here again. We have to protect our legacy,” Shirley said, taking a drink of her tea.
“I’m not here to do any harm to you or your people. I just came to learn,” Cassie said, without thinking. “I didn’t want to come, but I don’t know how I can beat someone who is so powerful.”
“The Vampire leader. She’s not like any other vampire we’ve seen,” Carik said.
“All the more reason to get this done with and get you out of here,” Shirley remarked.
“I agree. I’m trying to get to my family. I want to keep them safe. I can’t do that if I can’t see what’s coming.”
“You’re almost there,” Shirley said. She glanced at Carik.
“What aren’t you telling me?” Cassie said, without missing a beat.
“I’m going with you when you leave.” Carik said with a smile.
“But what about your family?”
“I don’t have one. I’ve been in the city for a long time.”
Cassie nodded her head. “Okay, but if you are coming with me, we need a few ground rules.”
“Can’t wait.” He stood. “Let’s get back to work.”
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Chapter Seventeen
Lark
Lark watched as Cody walked to the building through her window. She had a feeling there was something really wrong with what was going on. She hadn’t told him about where Cassie had gone and why, but she figured he would find out anyway at some point.
She watched his face as he looked like he was bothered by something. Had he already found out? She had to know. Lark walked down the stairs and met him in the hallway before his office. He looked worn and tired, like he’d done something he would regret.
“What happened?” She asked.
“I just went hunting.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Did you find your sister?”
“No,” she lied.
“That’s a shame. I was hoping she could give me some insight into how this all might end for all of us.” He walked past her and opened his office door. “What can we do?”
“I don’t know. She usually comes back when she feels like it. Sometimes that’s a day or two and other times that’s months before anything happens.”
“How long do you think it will be?”
“You seem awfully concerned about how long she’s going to be gone. Is there something else going on?” Lark followed him into his office and sat in the chair across from his desk.
He looked at her, his age finally showing in his eyes. She knew he was old, but until yesterday, she had no idea how old.
“I just want to get Ami and Wesley out of the city.”
“And Cassie can do that?” Lark asked.
“I know she can. She just has to give them the book.”
“I thought that wasn’t possible,” she said.
“There may be a way.” He looked down as he spoke. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t see her again after you and her spoke. What do you mean there might be a way? Will she be okay if the book is taken?”
“You mean after we had that fight?” He shook his head. “She doesn’t know what is at stake.” He sighed. “If what I’ve been told is true, then yes.”
“Is it that, or are you trying to make sure your past doesn’t come back to haunt you?”
He sat at his desk and Lark closed the door behind her. “Does anyone else know about your relationship with Wes and Ami?”
“No. Everyone is dead.”
“And yet you’re still alive. How is that possible?” Lark cocked her head and narrowed her eyes. She’d never dared to ask it, but if what she was thinking was right, her sister was in more danger than she’d ever been before.
“There are things you don’t know about. People have different ways of navigating this world.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
He watched her.
Lark didn’t move. She crossed her arms in front of her. This was important, and she had to protect her family.
“Tell me how you did it.”
“Did what?”
“Lived this long.”
He bit his lip. “A friend helped me.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Lark pressed.
“I have a lot of friends you don’t know about with powers that no one has seen before and probably never will again. My friend saved me from my own death. This was the consequence.”
“So, you’re immortal,”
“Not exactly.” Cody sighed and shook his head. “I was just given a longer life than most. It’s already wearing off. Before long, I’ll be dead and gone, and the Order of Fate will be left to someone else.
“Were you there when it started, the Order I mean?” Lark wasn’t going to stop asking questions now. She’d never been able to get him to open up like this before.
“No.” Cody didn’t go into detail, but Lark could see something in what wasn’t said.
“What do you need?”
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Blood Magick: The Order of Fate Two