Looking for Lucy Jo

Looking for Lucy Jo

A Morgan Sisters novel

by Suzy Turner

Copyright Suzy Turner 2014

ISB
N
9789899835139

Amazon Edition

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

For more information about the author
and her upcoming books, please visit her website

www.suzyturner.com

First I’d like to thank one of my favourite authors and online pals, Melissa Pearl, for taking the time out to beta read for me. Melissa, you are truly an amazing YA and NA author – I’ve devoured practically every one of your books and I am in absolute awe of you. So to get your opinion on my own work, well, what can I say? I am so incredibly grateful. Thank you.

My other beta readers, as always, are amazing. I feel so lucky to have you in my writing life. Jill, Brittany, Debra, Mary and Jean. I heart you girls! Thank you for your hard work.

To my awesome editor, Andrea. You work so hard to help improve my writing in every way and I’m looking forward to working with you on lots more books in the future.

As always, I know I wouldn’t be in this fabulous position right now if it wasn’t for my wonderful readers. You keep me going with your words of encouragement and you make me want to be a better writer – something I hope I achieve in every book I complete. Thank you for purchasing my books, reviewing them and getting in touch. It really does mean the world to me.

My fellow authors and bloggers who have become real (virtual!) pals. I’d be lost without your words of wisdom and encouragement. I love that you are all so supportive of me. Thank you.

And finally, to the wonderful friends and family members who I’ve lost over the years. I’m not going to list you because, sadly, there are so many of you. But I know you’re all looking down and watching over me as I go through my writer’s journey. All of you inspired me to become the woman I am and I miss you terribly. Thank you for loving me just for me. This book is for you.

She knew something was eating at him. It had consumed him day and night. Correctly, she’d assumed revenge was his greatest desire, when she’d figured out he was trying to find a way to hurt them. Trying to come up with a plan to get his revenge on the Watchers. Ever since they’d thwarted his plot to acquire the Temporal Stone, he had become determined that they would pay.

From the darkness beyond the door, she stood listening to their conversation, careful to remain out of sight. Her fingers gently pressed against the wood, her ear straining to hear every last word, when his other wife had spotted a photograph in his collection. A photograph of a child.

‘What a beautiful little girl,’ she whispered into his ear. ‘I do miss my children.’

Their husband laughed and hugged her to him.

‘Perhaps it’s time to have another, my love.’

Her small beady brown eyes lit up, ‘Really, Sthen? We can have another?’

He picked up the photo and held it up to the light.

‘How would you lik
e
thi
s
little one?’

‘Really, Sthen? Really?’

She could just see Sthenelaus through the crack in the door, watching as he smiled wickedly before nodding. ‘Yes, my dear. We will have a daughter this time. But shush… let’s not tell Aria about this, not yet anyway.’

Gasping, she tiptoed away.

OoO

‘Stanley, we have to do this right,’ he banged his fists on the desk. ‘And that means everything, down to the tiniest detail,’ he coughed.

The sounds of his coughing began to fill the room.

The younger man ran to his side, slapping his back. Sthenelaus pushed him away violently.

‘Water,’ he croaked.

Nodding, the man ran out of the room, returning seconds later with a large glass.

He snatched it, spilling almost half on the carpet before slugging it down. His coughing slowed and he stood, trying to catch his breath.

‘Dad?’

He held up his hand and shook his head angrily.

‘Dad, you need to see a doctor.’

‘You think I haven’t seen every specialist in this damn country? Nobody knows what the problem is.’

‘Then we must take you elsewhere. To America? There must be better doctors there? What about the witches?’

‘What do you know about the medical profession? Not a damn thing. So keep your mouth shut. This has nothing to do with you, Stanley.’

The young man dropped his head and nodded. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Now, back to business. I’ve already organised the helicopter to get you to the island. Are you listening, boy?’

Turning his attention back to his father, the young man nodded. He could have sworn he saw something move, out by the window, but he didn’t dare go and look.

‘Yes, Dad. I’m being flown out to Andilyse so I can snatch this child,’ he said pointing to the little girl in the picture. ‘Before we fly out to the rig for a day and then, erm….’

‘Then you fly to Portugal to meet the woman.’

‘The woman?’

‘Do you not listen to a damn thing I say?’ he banged his fist on the desk again.

‘I…I’m sorry. It’s just a lot to take in. I’ve never kidnapped anyone before.’

Sthenelaus glared at his youngest son.

‘Well, nobody that young before, anyway,’ he said with his lip curled up slightly to one side.

‘Your immature actions of the past couple of years mean nothing to me. From now on, you do what I say, do you hear?’

Immediately sitting up straight, Stanley nodded aggressively.

‘That’s better. Now, back to the plan. I’ve got everything in place, except for the memory clan but we’re working on that.’

‘The memory clan?’

‘Yes, the memory clan. I told you about them earlier,’ he said, shaking his head in disbelief. ‘Do you not remember anything I tell you? Perhaps I should use the memory clan o
n
yo
u
,’ he laughed at his own joke. ‘The Portuguese family that have the power to change people’s memories.’

‘But what’s so impressive about that? There are loads of Skulls, witches—and even Watchers for that matter—who can do that.’

Suddenly he felt a sting on the back of his head where his father had slapped him so hard his eyes momentarily felt like they would pop out.

‘Ow.’

‘You think I don’t know that? The memory clan are the only ones that can do i
t
permanentl
y
.’

‘But why do you want to do it in the first place?’

Sthenelaus rolled his eyes. ‘Your mother wants that little girl. If she remembers her own life up until now, then she’s not going to settle in very well, is she? I can’t believe you’re my son, have you no brain at all?’

‘Why does Mother want another child? She’s old enough to be a grandmother.’

This time, Sthenelaus held back his laughter at the sight of his oldest wife in the doorway, carrying a tray with a teapot and two cups.

‘What did you just say?’ she said, calmly placing it on the desk, before turning her attention to her son.

‘Erm, nothing, Mum.’

Grabbing his ear, she pulled until he was forced to stand up. ‘I might be old enough to be a grandma, but I can still whip your ass, young man.’

The boom of Sthenelaus’ laugh made them both jump. ‘A child, a little girl, will certainly change the dynamics in this house.’

‘This house?’ the woman asked, dropping her son’s ear.

‘Erm, well, no. The new house.’

Her grin made her features even scarier than normal. Madge had married into the Sophocles family when she was just sixteen years old. The union had been planned since her birth, and Sthenelaus had been powerless to stop it; both of their fathers (now deceased) were the most powerful Skulls in Greece at that time and nobody said no to them, ever.

So he had simply taken a second wife, some twenty five years later, when he’d found the perfect beauty to balance Madge’s ugliness. Surprisingly, Madge had agreed to the marriage even though his younger bride initially had not.

‘The new house?’ asked their son.

‘Yes, the Canadian house.’

‘Oh yes, right. I almost forgot about that.’

‘How can you possibly forget about this?’ Madge said, opening the large cupboard behind the desk and pulling out a thick magazine full of images of the most stunning log mansion. ‘Our new home, our new life,’ she said with a sigh, as she flicked through the pages.

‘Not long now, my dear. We were just finalising the plans before you brought us tea. Where is Aria?

‘She’s out shopping. Don’t worry, I haven’t told her anything.’

‘Good, she doesn’t need to know about this. Not yet, anyway. Stanley, let’s continue.’

‘I shall leave you to it,’ Madge whispered as she walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. Leaning back against it, she listened to the faint sounds of their voices, before curling her lips upwards and walking away.

Leaning against the lounge window with her legs tucked under her bottom, Emma Jane Morgan sighed at the most beautiful sight beyond. Snow fell hard and fast from the sky above, leaving a vast blanket of white completely covering the garden. Over a year ago, she wouldn’t have even been able to look at it, let alone enjoy it.

Emma Jane had been terrified of storms – it didn’t matter whether they were rainstorms or snowstorms, her irrational fear rendered her unable to do anything but hide indoors until the worst was over. That was until her sixteenth birthday, when she discovered that she and her adopted sister, Lana Beth, were actually the daughters of an angel and a human male. Their entire lives changed in what seemed like an instant. Both girls grew strange tattoos that wound themselves around their bodies, finally settling at the base of their spines. The same stunning image of a winged eye, with different Latin words written beneath them, was just the start of a new life for them both. Lana had the words
,
Provehito in Altu
m
written on her back, whereas Emma’s tattoo sai
d
Lux In Tenebris Lucet.

Although Patrick and Audrey Morgan, their adoptive parents, were unaware of the truth, they had sent them to a unique academy in London where other young people in the same predicament were learning how to become Watchers. The girls were the happiest they’d ever been at the academy, even though their parents remained completely in the dark, believing that their daughters had simply been invited to attend one of the finest A level colleges in the city.

‘Come and give us a hand, Emma,’ said Patrick.

Turning away from the white blanket and pushing her dark hair behind her ear, Emma smiled. Wrapped from head to foot in fairy lights, her sister, Lana, giggled as Patrick carefully unwound her, meticulously placing each light on the Christmas tree.

‘How did you manage that?’ Emma laughed, climbing up from the floor as Audrey appeared from the kitchen with a tray of mugs full of hot chocolate.

‘Are those marshmallows?’ shrieked Lucy Jo, her eyes wide in anticipation as she scrambled up, leaving the sketch she’d been poring over to fall off the coffee table, only to be trampled on by Fred, who barked at all the excitement.

‘Shhhhh, Fred,’ Lucy Jo scolded.

‘Mmhm,’ smiled Audrey.

‘Yum.’

‘Where’s mine?’ asked Greg, who suddenly appeared from behind the huge Christmas tree with countless baubles hanging from his clothes and ears.

Laughing, Audrey shook her head and handed him the marshmallow-topped hot chocolate with a grin. ‘Maybe we should just forget the tree and stick you in the corner of the room instead. I think it’s time you had a haircut,’ she said, ruffling his slightly long hair.

‘Nah, all the kids are wearing their hair like this these days, Mum. I’m thirteen now, not eight. It’s cool.’

‘What’s wrong with being eight?’ Lucy Jo pouted and placed her hand on her hip.

‘Eight equals baby,’ he taunted.

‘Does not,’ she yelled right back.

‘Does too.’

‘Does not!’

‘Does too!’

‘Alright, alright, that’s enough. This is the time of year to be joyful, kids. Now, come and give me a hand, Greg. I’m ready for those baubles now.’

Finally free from the trail of fairy lights, Lana leaned her head on her mum’s shoulder with a grin. ‘Thanks for the yummy hot chocolate, Mum. You always spoil us, especially at Christmas.’

‘Well, that’s what Christmas is all about. I’m just glad you’re still able to enjoy it. I dread to think about when you leave home for good.’

Emma put her arms around both her sister and her mum at the same time. ‘You haven’t got to worry about that for a while yet, Mum.’

‘I suppose not,’ she sighed, as she peered outside for a moment, deep in thought.

‘Even when they do leave us, I’m sure they’ll be back for Christmas, love,’ Patrick reassured her, as he stopped to take a long drink of his hot chocolate. Putting his mug down, everyone laughed at his huge melted marshmallow moustache.

‘What? What? Have I got something on my face?’

‘Dad, will you ever grow up?’ laughed Lana.

Shaking his head, he licked off as much as he could before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. ‘I don’t think we should ever grow up, not really. We should always keep some semblance of our youth, don’t you agree, love?’

Audrey grinned and nodded as she leaned forward to peck him on the cheek. Fred seemed to agree too, as he jumped up and began to lick Patrick’s hand.

‘I guess he likes marshmallows, Dad,’ giggled Lucy Jo as she began to help her brother put baubles on the tree, resulting in yet another argument.

‘Muuuuuum, tell him.’

‘Greg, let your sister put some of them on the tree, sweetheart.’

‘But she keeps putting them all on the bottom and it looks stupid.’

A simple look from her made him back down. He looked to the floor and handed a few over to Lucy Jo. ‘Here you go, Lucy,’ he muttered.

Audrey and Patrick shared a smile, just as Fred started to bark again.

‘I guess they’ve arrived.’ Patrick grinned broadly.

‘Who’s here?’ asked Lana and Emma at exactly the same time.

oOo

‘Surprise!’ Declan and Saleena yelled. They carried several large, perfectly wrapped gifts as Patrick led them into the living room.

‘O-M-G!’ shouted Lana.

‘Declan, Saleena!’ yelled Emma. ‘What are you doing here?’

Hugging the girls, Declan grinned a cheeky, lop-sided smile, before shaking Greg’s hand and picking up Lucy Jo, twirling her around. She giggled contagiously.

‘Your parents invited us for Christmas,’ Saleena gushed, as she hugged the girls.

‘O-M-G,’ repeated Lana. ‘I can’t believe it. And you didn’t tell us?’

‘We wanted it to be a surprise,’ said Audrey. ‘Oh, you’re soaking wet. Come on, let me show you to your room so you can get out of those wet clothes.’

Patrick clapped Declan on the shoulder, grinning at the prospect of spending some quality time with his old pal and former work colleague. ‘I’m so glad you’re here, mate.’

Grinning, Declan nodded. ‘We’re gonna have a blast.’

Saleena rolled her eyes and laughed before she followed Audrey upstairs to the guest room. Declan followed right behind her, leaving the kids to happily finish off decorating the tree.

‘That was sneaky,’ Emma said as she plonked herself down onto the sofa next to Lana.

‘I know, but way cool, though. I wonder how long they’re staying?’

Emma shrugged. ‘Hopefully the whole school holidays.’ She grinned. Pulling out her mobile phone from her jeans pocket, she started texting.

‘Diarmuid?’

Without taking her eyes from her phone, Emma nodded. ‘Course.’

Lana shook her head before letting it fall on to the back of the sofa, her dark curls flopping over her eyes. After a couple of minutes, she put her hand in her pocket and pulled out her own mobile and started texting.

‘Barber?’ asked Emma.

‘Course,’ Lana said seriously.

After a couple of seconds, both girls began to chuckle.

oOo

Wearing dark, over-sized sunglasses, Lana pulled down her stylish hat so it covered her ears and shivered. Grinning, she watched as her oldest friend appeared from across the road. ‘Scott, you’re a bit early.’

He shrugged, careful not to skid on the icy street. ‘Where’s Emma?’

‘She’s just putting her boots on.’

‘Oh right,’ he rolled his eyes. ‘The same old goth boots?’

Lana nodded with a grin. ‘Way too many laces, takes forever.’

‘Do you mind?’ came a voice from the other side of the fence. The sound of crunching snow could be heard as Emma walked carefully over the thick white layer blanketing the ground. ‘Stop criticising my choice of footwear.’ She grinned the second she saw Scott.

‘You’ll never change, Ems,’ he laughed, as they all stood facing one another in the bright sunlight. Scott and Emma both squinted, and Lana shook her head.

‘You do know that sunglasses aren’t only for summer, right?’

Emma rolled her eyes as they began walking away from the house.

‘So, how’s it going?’ asked Scott.

‘Great. How about you?’ Lana linked arms with him.

‘Pretty good.’

‘How’s work?’

‘Not too bad. How’s the academy?’

‘Amazing,’ grinned Emma, as she linked his other arm through hers.

‘So, you ready to tell me what really goes on over there, then?’ he said cheekily.

‘Nope,’ Lana said, looking off into the distance.

‘What Lana means is that what really goes on there is a lot of studying, the occasional shopping trip into the city, hanging out with Barber and Diarmuid…’

‘Oh, you’re still together then?’

‘Of course. Aren’t you still with Lottie?’ asked Emma.

Scott shook his head sadly.

‘Oh man, I’m so sorry. What happened?’ Lana asked.

He shrugged, ‘Just didn’t work out. We’re better as pals.’

Lana pouted. ‘Really?’

He raised his eyebrows and nodded. ‘Really. She’s fun but that was about it, really. You know what I mean?’

‘I guess so,’ Emma sighed. ‘No-one else on the horizon?’

‘Nah… can’t be bothered with girls at the moment. Too much like trouble, if you ask me.’

‘Hey!’ Both girls unlinked arms with him and pushed him away; his feet skidded on the ice and before they knew it, he was sitting on his backside.

Lana burst out laughing, while Emma’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as she scrambled towards him, holding out her hand to help him up. ‘I’m so sorry. Are you alright?’

Lana continued to laugh, tears falling down her cheeks.

‘I can’t believe you just did that,’ Scott said, open mouthed.

‘I know, I’m sorry,’ Emma breathed as she helped him to his feet.

‘C’mon, let’s just leave her,’ Emma said, shaking her head as the two of them started to walk off, leaving Lana doubled over with laughter.

‘Will she ever change?’ Scott asked.

Emma shook her head. ‘Nope. Never.’

As they started walking away from her, a huge black jeep skidded around the corner. The bright morning sun glared off the windscreen and they couldn’t see the driver as the vehicle seemed to hop along the treacherous ice.

Emma dropped Scott’s arm and turned to look behind her, where Lana was still giggling with her hands on her hips, facing the opposite direction. She went to run towards her sister but her boots couldn’t gain traction on the slippery surface and she fell hard to the ground.

Scott watched in horror as the vehicle seemed to move in slow motion, getting closer and closer to Lana, who appeared to be oblivious to what was happening.

But, right at the last minute, she turned around, saw how close she was to being hit and ducked out of its way, throwing herself over a snow-covered hedge.

‘Lana!’ screeched Emma as she finally managed to stand up, her feet teetering. Scott grabbed her and they both just about managed to run across the road as the jeep continued on its way.

‘O-M-G!’ squealed a voice from the garden.

‘Are you okay?’ Scott shouted as he ran to the nearby gate, Emma in tow.

‘I…I think so,’ she winced, rubbing her back. ‘My bum and lower back took the brunt of the fall. I didn’t land the way I usually do.’

‘Huh?’

‘Oh nothing,’ she muttered, Emma pulling her to one side.

‘Seriously, are you alright? Why didn’t you land on your feet? You always land on your feet?’

‘I think it’s because it all happened so quickly. I didn’t have time to even think. I’m okay, though. Honest.’

Emma hugged her.

‘Was that a Hummer?’ Scott asked, still watching as the giant black jeep sped off into the distance.

‘I didn’t get a chance to look at it, Scott. I was too busy running for my life,’ Lana moaned.

‘I think it might have been,’ Emma replied. ‘We don’t get many of those on the island.’

‘Many? I’ve never even seen one here before. It looked so cool.’

Both girls glared at him.

‘Sorry. Point taken.’

OoO

‘I can’t believe he made you come down here,’ Stan snarled at his more attractive brother, who was sat beside him.

‘I’m just here to make sure you don’t do something stupid.’

‘Oh, so now I’m stupid, huh? Doesn’t he think I’m up to the job? All I have to do is snatch some snivelling little brat.’

‘I guess he thinks this is more important than usual. He wants to be sure everything goes smoothly.’

‘Smoothly? And he doesn’t think I can do that? What does he think I am? I’m not a kid anymore.’

‘Maybe he just wanted someone more mature to keep an eye on you, or something… Look out,’ yelled the other man, pulling the steering wheel away from the girl in the road.