Strega (Strega Series) (20 page)

"Oh my god! Rena! What are you doing?" I asked, not knowing how many more jolts I could handle. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Just a minute or two," she squealed. "I'm sorry! I just didn't want to interrupt you again."

"I'm done. What is it?" I asked, unable to hide my irritation.

"I just wanted to ask you...When was the last time you were at Gram's?" She pushed the door open the rest of the way. "Have you gone without me recently?"

"Um, no," I lied, sure that my nervous tone would incriminate me this time.
Why is she asking? What did she see?

"Oh my god," she started. "When I walked in, I was so freaked out. I wanted to call you."

I started to sweat. She stared at me as if I knew what she was about to say. I imagined the remnants she must have seen from the night before and I panicked.

"The first thing I found
—a broken vase on the floor. Then, a picture that had fallen off the wall in the living room. There was glass everywhere!"

I gulped. She knew.

"I thought someone broke in."

How is she so calm about this
?

"Turns out, it was a four-legged fur ball that destroyed the place! Apparently she moved in since the last time we were there. She was curled up around my leg the whole time. Don't worry, I cleaned up. The picture needs new glass, and I had to toss the vase. It was in a gazillion pieces."

"Oh jeez," I said, faking surprise. If only she knew what really happened. "Thanks for cleaning up."

"I gave kitty some stale crackers. She didn't seem to mind
—she was probably starving. Not sure how she made it in, but I let her back out when I left."

I nodded and smiled as I tried to conceal my shaking hands.

"We're leaving at three thirty!" Rena shouted on her way out. It was already three. I looked with dread at the dress hanging on the closet door. I had no time to find another. I tore through my closet, but found nothing remotely wedding-appropriate. Especially not for this wedding. I kept telling myself that the dress must be Mom's, or an old one of Gram's. Anything to make it easier to put on.

Rena gave me the express version of her hair and make-up treatment, and I finally gave in to my fate. I slipped into the jeweled dress. For a moment, I felt like a goddess. The luxurious fabric slid softly across my body. Its silver and amber accents sparkled in the afternoon sunlight. I felt beautiful in it. But I couldn't shake the haunting feeling that I was slipping into my doom. In my dream, I died in that dress.

"Champagne?"

Three men with trays of the bubbling golden beverage circulated past us as soon as the ceremony ended. Guests wandered the grounds or congregated in small groups, while the wedding party disappeared down the path to the beach to have photos taken.

Rena's cousin had married the young heir to a large fortune. The Calbot family's grand estate spread across twenty-five acres on the oceanfront. Inside, elegant furnishings were abound. High ceilings dripped with the most extravagant lighting. Rich, colorful fabrics adorned giant windows and billowed with the salty breeze. Shiny heels clicked against sparkling hardwoods in the grand ballroom, where tables were iced with the finest linens, glistening dinnerware, and beacons of towering glass that erupted with lush, vibrant flowers.

We circulated through the estate, mingling with hundreds of guests and struggling through conversations with strangers. Before dinner, I'd met most of Rena's extended family. Even the ones she couldn't stand. They were easy to identify. Conceited and self-important, they flocked around Mr. and Mrs. Calbot, desperate to exchange even the smallest word with them so they could boast the amusing and insightful exchanges they'd shared. Like swarms of flies, they circled close to their target, engaging in empty conversation with each other while they waited for their opportunity.

On the far end of the ballroom, there was a wine bar, a martini bar, and a draft beer bar. The tolerable guests congregated at the beer bar, where they'd already begun their effort to drain every last keg. From across the ballroom, we could hear them howling. Rena finally dragged me in that direction.

Dinner went on for eight long courses. I had no appetite and struggled to eat at least a few bites from each dish before it disappeared. After the last course landed on our tables, people began abandoning their plates for the dance floor.

"Come on!" Rena shouted, grabbing my hand and moving determinedly toward the growing crowd.

"Go ahead. I'll meet you out there. I just have to run to the bathroom." I hated lying to Rena, but it was becoming a full-time job whether I liked it or not. I needed some fresh air. I didn't want to be there. I didn't want to be anywhere, really. And nowhere felt safe.

Rena ran for the dance floor with someone from our table that she didn't know. I scrolled through my phone for Ruth's number. I was dreading it, but I really needed to call her.

I walked through the French doors and onto the wooden deck overlooking the manicured grounds. The cobblestone path that cut through lush bushes and sandy cliffs to the ocean was enticing. The music faded as the door closed behind me, and the crashing waves beyond the cliffs replaced it. I relished a quick, peaceful moment alone with the lulling rhythm of the tide. The salty breeze was refreshing on that cool, late summer night. I took in a deep breath and let out a loud sigh.

"You too?" a voice uttered from behind me.

I spun around to see a tall man standing by the door with his hands in his pockets.

"Oops!" I yelped awkwardly. "I didn't realize anybody else was out here!"

"I'm sorry—did I startle you?"

I waved my hand and shook my head.

"Oh no, I'm fine."

He sauntered over to me in his glossy black suit, and looked down at the fancy nautical watch wrapped around his wrist.

"Is it over yet?" he asked with a charming smile. His teeth glistened.

I slipped my phone back into my purse. I couldn't have an audience for the conversation I needed to have with Ruth.

"So, bride or groom?" he asked, delivering the obligatory question with a smirk.

"Actually, I'm rescuing my best friend from her family."

"How noble of you," he said through those perfectly white teeth. He was charming, and very attractive, and it was clear that he was interested in continuing our conversation. A wedding certainly provided a perfect romantic backdrop, but his advances were wasted on me. I was a disaster area. I already had a boyfriend that I couldn't even manage to dump properly, not to mention the fact that demons were after me and I was marked for death. My life was falling apart at the seams. I smiled at him and excused myself.

I walked to the edge of the deck and stared out over the cliffs into the night sky. I needed to get away from everyone and everything. But a moment later, he was standing next to me again.

Without a word, I descended the steps off the deck and tossed my shoes in the grass, and then made my way down the cobblestone path to the beach. Brilliant stars were scattered across the open sky. Waves rolled in, deep and commanding, and then crashed in a grand display along the shore. I was surprised to find that no other guests had wandered down to the water, but I was thrilled to finally be alone. I lifted my dress and pranced across the sand toward the waves, longing for the cold ocean water to cascade over my toes. Deep breaths of salty air revived me, giving me a bit of strength to face whatever lay ahead. This moment alone was over as soon as it began.

"Beautiful down here, isn't it?" The dapper man I'd left on the deck appeared behind me out of nowhere.

"Oh my god!" I exclaimed, clutching my chest.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I've scared you again."

"No, I'm fine," I said curtly. I hoped his persistence meant he just couldn't take a hint. He seemed like a nice guy, possibly just clueless. But he'd officially creeped me out. I nodded, and turned to walk away.

"You know, you really shouldn't be down here alone." His tone was strange. And his choice of words was troubling. I turned to him with budding fright, sensing that my decision to come down to the water was a really stupid one. His eyes were cold. His skin was strikingly pale. The warm, handsome face I'd seen just moments before now stared me down like prey.

I was becoming an adrenaline junkie. It surged through my veins as I realized I'd walked straight into a trap. I started to run. My toes rooted into the sand and pushed me forward as best they could. If I didn't make it back to the path, I hoped I could scream loud enough for someone to hear me.

"My lovely Jay," his deepening voice whispered. "You're not going anywhere."

He was right behind me. I felt his breath on my neck and instantly I began to lose my balance. He wrapped his arms around me and held me firmly. Though I struggled at first, soon I couldn't fight him. I was paralyzed. Drugged. His embrace was gentle, almost seductive, and his warm breath continued to intoxicate me. He kissed my neck and my vision began to blur.

"Did you really think we wouldn't find you?" he whispered as his lips grazed my ear.

He held me in his arms and we began to move. Fuzzy outlines of houses transformed into streaks of night color as we moved with unnatural speed. I struggled to breathe as I slipped into unconsciousness. I was afraid to think it, to admit what he was, as if denial could protect me from the truth. My mind whispered it anyway, as if a soft acknowledgment would make it less terrifying.
Demon
.

My dreams always terrified me. But all previous fears paled in comparison to my new bizarre reality. My mind lingered on the vision of Gram's body, ravaged and torn, her blood spilling profusely onto her clothing, the floor, me. What she must have seen, what Mom and Dad must have seen, and Mr. Whitmore. I was about to see it too, and all I could do was hope that my death was quick.

We continued on for what seemed like an eternity in my delirium. Then suddenly a bright blue light tore across the beach. It was so blinding I couldn't open my eyes. I knew this light. And the thunderous clamor that accompanied it. I saw it, heard it the night before, at Gram's house just before I escaped.

We came to a screeching halt. I felt a jolt, and suddenly I was torn from the unbreakable arms that held me. My body sailed through the air like a ragdoll, limp and weightless. Gravity soon reclaimed me and I began to fall. The last thing I saw was the hard, wet sand below. Then I felt my body thump against it before I blacked out.

What happened after that was a mystery. I do not know how long I was unconscious, but when I came to, I saw the light again. The same blinding blue light accompanied by roaring thunder. When it finally stopped, everything went black again. Silent, but for the crashing waves. I couldn't move. I just lay there as the cold salt water lapped against my back. I was helpless. Trapped inside myself like a tiny insect beneath a mountain. I pushed with all my might to come back to life. To open my eyes. To call for help. But I was powerless.

Heavy footsteps pushed through the sand, getting closer to me with each long stride. When they stopped, I knew my killer was standing over me. My death would not be quick. He was killing me slowly, tossing me around like he did with everyone else he killed before he tore their throats open and left them to bleed out. I was defenseless. I was going to die and all I could do was wait for it to happen.

His large hand slid under my head with unexpected gentleness, and his unnaturally strong arms scooped up my body. I was already halfway dead. I wished that he would just finish the job. I felt every step he took as he trudged through the sand along the beach. His rhythmic movements lulled my semiconscious brain into a meditative trance. The cool darkness of night faded and a warm glowing light surrounded me. It was heavenly. It sunk into my skin and almost took my pain away. I was sure I was slipping into death. But then he pulled my body closer as he cradled me in his arms, and his warm, tender voice softly whispered in my ear.

"You are safe now. Nobody is going to hurt you."

His words struck me like a bolt of lightning. I felt my chest rise as I pulled in a sharp breath, and there in the arms of a stranger, suddenly I was somewhere else.

Gentle winds rustled the branches of towering trees. I opened my eyes to find myself encircled by tall oaks in a forest clearing. Behind me was a stone altar. I recognized it immediately. It was a familiar place. Safe. Peaceful. Protected. I knew it well. I'd been there before, in my dreams.

A man stood before me with adoring eyes. He pulled me close and wrapped me in warm, golden light. We held each other in a loving embrace, both of us wishing it would never end.

Beside a blazing fire, he began to sing a song so hauntingly relevant to our torment. And in his arms, my whole body hummed with deepest sorrow. His enchanting voice recited bittersweet words that seemed meant for us alone. But they belonged to so many lovers before us, torn from each other by the fates and kept apart by eternity. Rivers of tears poured from my eyes as I clung to him, hardening like stone around his body as if it would keep us together. But nothing did.

"I love you, Velia," he whispered. He kissed my lips so tenderly, and in an instant he was gone. In that forest clearing, I was alone again. Devastated. Empty. Longing for an end to this heartbreaking curse that inevitably pulled us apart.