Sisters Of The Craft: Heat Of The Moment Part 46

Owen had been reluctant to breathe for fear he'd miss a single exchange between Raye and the ghost of Becca. Not that he could hear anything but Raye's responses, but as long as she was making them he knew that Becca was here.

He'd certainly come a long way from thinking they were all nuts. If they were, he was too. While once that would have terrified him, now he almost embraced it. Without Becca he'd gladly consent to being locked away and medicated forever.

"Jump," Raye said, and Bobby reached for her, but an instant before his fingers touched her arm, she changed.

Not physically. Not really. But something in the air s.h.i.+fted, and then so did she.

Bobby s.n.a.t.c.hed back his hand, then rubbed his fingers along his jeans as if they'd been burned.

Raye stood differently, like Becca, though Owen wasn't sure exactly how Becca stood. Maybe he was just hoping for this to work so badly. Her hair stirred, and in the depths of the dark strands, streaks of red waved.

"Raye?" Bobby said, and his voice shook. He saw it too.

She glanced over her shoulder and everyone gasped. Her eyes were much lighter, hazel instead of brown.

"It's all right." The voice that came out of her mouth was an echo-two voices not one. She turned back. "I know what to do."

She placed her palm on Becca's wound and sparks flew, so many more than there'd ever been before. Thunder rumbled over the lake, and clouds billowed on the horizon.

Owen whispered the word that had become his personal chant. "Please."

Then Becca sat up with a gasp that was more like a shriek, and Raye collapsed like a marionette without strings.

One second I was in Raye-I was Raye, and she was me, I knew things about her, saw things that had happened, felt what she had felt, knew what she knew-the next I was myself.

It hurt. I hurt. The world spun. I saw Raye fall, and I wanted to go to her, but the instant I moved, I had to put my head between my knees or pa.s.s out. Coming back from the dead was a little harder than it looked.

"Becca?"

I kept my cheek on my knee so my head wouldn't fall off my neck. Owen hovered just out of reach. I held out my hand, and he took it.

"You okay?"

The dizziness faded. Raye sat up. Bobby held her hand too. The others stood between us, uncertain.

My s.h.i.+rt was open. Someone had tried to wash away all the blood. Some remained, but I could clearly see that where the athame had been only a thick pink scar was visible.

"Close enough." I allowed Owen to help me up. He hovered nearby, hands out to catch me if I fell. I knew he always would. But I was good. I was fine. I was better than fine. I was here.

I kissed him. I planned to keep on kissing him until someone made me stop. He kissed me back the same way.

Someone cleared their throat. I ignored it until they did it again. We parted. From the corner of my eye I could see Bobby and Raye parting too.

"Don't ever do that again," Owen said.

"No problem."

"I've called in help." Franklin shoved his cell phone into his pocket then gazed at the wolves still gathered around what had once been a police chief. "The rest of you should clear out. I'll wait for the cleanup crew."

"Cleanup crew?" I repeated.

"The Jger-Suchers have a whole division to make stuff like this go away," Ca.s.sandra said.

"What about Owen's mom?" Franklin asked.

"What about my mom?"

Everyone exchanged glances.

"He doesn't know?" I asked.

"Know?" Owen echoed.

I tightened my fingers around his. "Come with me."

Mary lay where she'd fallen, at the edge of the trees, the long, mossy gra.s.s all around. Considering what had been going on near the cliff, I understood why Owen hadn't seen her.

"I'm sorry."

He picked up the butcher knife that lay a few feet away from her outstretched hand.

"I think she was trying to save me. She was definitely trying to kill Deb."

Owen went to his knees and took her hand. "She never meant to kill a witch. She was after the witch hunters."

"I think so."

"She was on our side."

Our side. His. Mine. Us.

"Yes."

"Maybe she's finally at peace."

I hadn't seen her in that gloomy room. I'd like to believe she'd already gone into the light. Why wouldn't she? If Henry hadn't been there waiting for me, I would have.

"Raye?"

My sister, who had been whispering sweet nothings to her fiance, looked up.

I indicated Mary. "Is she ... around?"

Raye's gaze swept the clearing, then she shook her head. Owen's shoulders sagged, and I set my hand on one of them.

"Owen?" Franklin was there. "What do you want me to do about your mom?"

"What are my choices?"

"I could have her taken elsewhere and found, then you could move on from there with a service and burial."

"Or?"

"She could disappear."

Owen remained silent another moment, then he patted his mother's arm and stood. "Make her disappear."

"You're sure?" I asked. "What if you want a place to visit?"

"She wouldn't be there any more than she was here my whole life." He lifted a hand. "I know she couldn't help it. She was sick. But it'll be easier all around if she's just ... gone."

"Got it." Franklin returned to the others, who waited near Bobby's car.

There was one more person here than there should be-a man all in black, with his hand on the head of the sleek dark wolf.

I could see Henry.

I hurried over, Owen in my wake, just in time to hear Henry demand, "What did you do?"

"I summoned you," Raye said. "But Becca came too. She healed herself. All's well."

"Not exactly. Show me what you did."

Raye led him to the candles, spread her hands.

"What about the sage?" he asked.

Leaning down, Raye picked up the green stick that lay in the center of the star.

"You didn't light it."

Raye stilled. "s.h.i.+t."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"Burning the sage keeps evil spirits from getting out too," Henry answered.

I remembered Henry with his hands around Roland's neck, my hand around Henry's arm.

And Roland's smile.

"Where is Roland?" I asked.

"Wait a second." Raye glanced back and forth between Henry and me. "You can hear him?"

"See him too. Must have been when I was you and you were me and-" I flapped my hand. "More importantly, Roland. Where?"

Henry shook his head. "Haven't got a clue."

"How?" Raye asked. "He needed worthy believers."

"He had them," I said. "They chanted, skyclad, beneath the moon, which was freakishly up in the daylight."

"He didn't get out the last time."

"Last time there wasn't a sacrifice. You didn't die. I did."

"Are you sure he's out?" Raye asked.

From the direction of Three Harbors a siren wailed. Pru began to howl. We went to the edge of the cliff and peered west. There was one h.e.l.luva fire in town.

Henry, Raye, and I exchanged glances.

"He's out," I said.

Epilogue.

Edward's minions made it look like my clinic went up in flames because of a gas leak. The man has amazing minions. They came, they saw, they explained away every d.a.m.n thing.

We arrived in time to see that the fire had been started from a pile of wood around a single wooden stake. A pyre built just the way the Venatores Mali liked them.

Joaquin stood across the street, herding cats-literally. After canceling my appointments, he'd hung around in case we had any walk-ins. Luckily he'd smelled the fire, called it in, then opened the cages in the kennel and let all the residents out.

Though the building was a loss-Roland McHugh made a d.a.m.n good fire that burned hot and fast-the animals were saved. Joaquin was a hero. I gave him permission to dole out the poor homeless fur babies to several giggling girls who'd gathered around. From the admiring gazes cast his way, Joaquin wasn't going to go friendless, or dateless, much longer.

Owen, me, Reggie-as well as Grenade-slept that night at the cottages. So did Ca.s.sandra, Franklin, Raye, Bobby, and my parents. My birth parents.

Took some fancy talking by Franklin to get Kyle to agree to let Pru sleep inside. But he did. I'm sure the fed had to pay plenty. Kyle isn't the kind to care about a s.h.i.+ny FBI badge.

But we can't stay in Three Harbors. We have to go where no one knows us. Now that Roland's free, and he's discovered matches, no one and nothing is safe.

I spoke with my other parents. Told them I'd be leaving for a while. I hope that by the time I come back, I've figured out what to say to them. Maybe nothing beyond thank you. They might have lied, but they loved me; they protected me and accepted me. I always knew something was off, but only someone like me, with supernatural abilities, would have.

Though possessing Raye was weird for both of us, the exchange accomplished one important thing. I can see Henry and Raye can hear Pru. So far just them-no extra ghosts for me, no whispers from Fido for her. I kind of hope it stays that way. I have enough voices in my head already and so does she.

The morning after, I woke in Owen's arms. The sun slanting through the window told me we'd slept half the morning away. I wasn't surprised. After dying, rising, watching my livelihood burn, we'd come back here and proved we were alive the best way we knew how.

Reggie and Grenade lay on the couch all curled together. Neither one of them even lifted their heads as I sat up. The sun lit Owen's sleeping face, revealing every line that he'd earned. I drew back the sheet then placed my palm on the thin white line that still marred his thigh. One more dose ought to do it.

The spark woke him. He slapped his hand atop mine. "What are you doing?"