Witch Hunter Olivia (22 page)

“So, are you absolutely sure we can’t convince you to rejoin the Guild?” Conrad asks. “You could prove to be a great asset, Olivia.”

I laugh and surprise all the Elders sitting in front of me. “I guess I wasn’t clear enough with my previous answer. Let me put it in a way you’ll understand … no.”

“Well, this is quite disappointing,” he says with a sigh.

“Sorry to disappoint, but I’ve got no plans to return.”

“Such a pity,” Conrad states.

“This has been great fun, and I’m glad I could help stop a war and save a few lives, but if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a new life to get back to,” I say, moving toward the door.

The guard goes to stand in my way as I try to exit, but he’s waved aside by Conrad. “Down, boy,” I comment, walking past the guard with a smirk.

I finally feel like I’ve put the Guild behind me after leaving the room and shutting the door. They extended an offer to rejoin them and I turned them down. I’m freed from the shackles of my old life, and am looking forward to a life hopefully full of some kind of normalcy.

“Liv,” my brother calls out, rising from one of several seats lined up against the wall in the hallway outside the room I left. He walks toward me with a sense of apprehension since our last few meet-ups were less than stellar in the brother-and-sister department. “I’m sorry for not believing you about all this.” I try to walk past him, but he moves to stand in my way, and I take a step back to put distance between us. “Liv, don’t shut me out.”

“What, like you did to me?”

“I’m sorry. I feel horrible for how I treated you, and even worse after how much you sacrificed to save my life.”

“Well, you should.”

“I know there’s not much I can say, but it’s you who I want to thank. I’m able to stand here in front of you because of what you did.”

“Even though you weren’t exactly my favorite person in the world these past few days, we’re family, and I love you. I’d hope you’d do the same thing for me,” I say. “Do you remember doing anything while Tobias had his hold on you?”

He shakes his head. “I remember pieces and chunks here and there when I was in control, but then the majority of this past week has been a giant blur to me. Like I was asleep for most of it. I only remember seeing you at the bar when you first told me about what happened at that party and then when we had our little fight at the tattoo parlor. I remember seeing Topher when I told him about letting you go, but nothing after or in between those three times. It’s scary to think of what I could’ve done during all that time, or what I could’ve become. But then you stopped me.”

“Yeah, on more than one occasion,” I laugh. “And I’d do it over and over again if I had to because you’re my brother.”

He releases a heavy sigh coupled with a slight smile. “I appreciate that, really. Hey, what you told me before about Tara? I honestly had no idea about that. I know how much she meant to you, so I guess I can’t blame you for what you did. Hell, if it would’ve been me, I might’ve even left the Guild too,” he mentions, which causes me to breathe an internal sigh of relief.

“Thank you for saying that, Malcolm.”

Before I know it, I’m wrapped up in my brother’s arms and he’s squeezing me like I’ll disappear if he lets go. A feeling of happiness fills me to the brim since I’ve been waiting for this moment for a while now. Truth be told, I thought it would come much later down the line.

Malcolm lets me go and backs away. “I’ll always be here for you, Guild code or no Guild code. And I can’t express how sorry I am for not being a very good brother to you.” His eyes show the guilt he’s expressing with his words.

I release a relieved sigh. “Well, I haven’t been the best sister either.”

“Let’s put this all behind us now, okay?” he says with a soft smile. “Oh, and Dad will come around, don’t worry. Mom and I will keep working on him until he does.”

The moment he says that, movement over his shoulder catches my eye. I see two people walking toward us. One of them is my mom … and the other is my father. He’s dressed in his official Guild uniform of black pants, shirt, and jacket with the emblem of the Witch Hunters Guild stitched into the breast pocket. He looks like a handsome secret agent as he approaches us with his wavy dark brown hair combed into a hairstyle fit for a politician. A stony expression is on his face when he reaches us. He stands there, staring at me, not saying a word.

I’m thinking I should walk past him and save myself the heartbreak of the disappointment I’m sure is going to come from this interaction. He clears his throat, but still doesn’t say anything. He continues to look at me, seeming unsure of what to do.

“Dad?” I ask, waiting for him to say something.

He sighs, and my mother gives him a little nudge in the side with her elbow. “Olivia, you know I love you, right?” I nod, but my stomach sinks at the thought of what he’s going to say next. “And I’m sure you’re aware of how I’ve felt about this whole issue from your secret conversations with your mother?” I nod again, but honestly, I just want to leave. My dad is always like this. He goes through acting like everything’s fine, and then he throws in a “but” followed by the disappointed parental stare. “But … you’re my daughter first and foremost, and I love you. So none of that other stuff matters at the end of the day.” His cold expression breaks into a smile as he extends his arms, waiting for me to embrace him in a hug.

I’m hesitant at first, wondering if I heard him right. Then I realize he’s being one hundred percent genuine. I take him up on that offer and snuggle up against his chest, feeling his long, strong arms wrap around my frame, pulling me in close. This simple gesture of my father hugging me inside Guild headquarters while wearing his uniform is his way of saying he forgives me. I’ve been waiting for this moment ever since the day I stepped away from all this. I finally have my family back.

Who says when you start over you can’t incorporate parts of your past by forging new and fresh relationships with the ones you loved before, now, and forever?

I lay in my room, staring at Tara’s empty bed that I left unmade just to feel like she’s been here. It’s been a week since she left, but it feels like a year after everything I’ve been through. I’m beyond exhausted. The lack of sleep, the immense amount of worry, and the anxiety that’s been building finally came to a head. Today feels like one big exhale, but with a slight reservation and hope that I’ll see Tara again … someday.

I feel Heath shift next to me in bed. He’s been my rock and a much-needed distraction from life in general. He’s more than that though … much more.

Turning to face him, I watch his chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm. The light hair dusting his chest shows in the sunlight coming through the blinds, and I admire each and every ab muscle as my eyes trail down his perfectly sculpted midsection. I trace each of his tattoos with my eyes, taking in every beautiful inch on his body that’s visible outside the sheets.

When I move to grab my nighttime shirt draped over the chair sitting next to my desk, I feel him stir again. He rolls onto his side, facing the wall, and reveals the stunningly deep black tattoos gracing his back. I had asked him earlier how his tattoos stay so dark even after being exposed to the sun, and he replied simply with, “It’s magic.” I laugh to myself, thinking back to that conversation and his warlock humor.

Tugging on the shirt to hide the girls, I slip from under the covers, trying not to wake Heath in the process. He needs to sleep just as much as I do. It warmed my heart to hear he had risked imprisonment in order to testify on my behalf. It’s a shame I didn’t get to see him in action. He risked being thrown in the holding cell right along with me if they thought for a second he was lying, or helping me cover up Tobias’s death. He put his neck out there for me, and I still don’t know why he’s into me, but like my mom always says, “Men are complicatedly simple, and women are simply complicated,” which would most likely explain my confusion on this topic.

The bottom of my shirt settles below my knees when I climb out of the bed and touch down on the floor. The shower’s calling my name, so I gather up the essentials and begin to make my way toward the bathroom.

“Damn,” Heath curses as he sits up in bed. His loud voice startles me as I’m trying to sneak around the room. “I completely forgot today’s my day to open the parlor. My dad’s going to kill me.”

He leaps from the bed and tries his best to throw on his clothes in only his snug boxer briefs that accentuate two of my favorite Heath parts. He stumbles while pulling on his pants, and it causes me to giggle. I set all the items in my hands down by the sink and approach him while he’s putting on his shoes. Before I have a chance to say anything to him, he stands up, wraps his arms around me, and plants a kiss right on my lips.

“Oh, I’m liking Heath-in-a-hurry mode,” I comment against his mouth.

He smiles before locking lips with me again. “I’m sorry I have to jet, but the instant we close shop today, you’re all mine. No questions asked,” he says, which causes me to reciprocate his smile with one of my own.

“No questions asked,” I repeat. He gives me one last peck on the cheek before hurrying out the door.

I groan while gathering up the items I had placed on the sink before heading into the bathroom. Setting everything in the shower, I realize I forgot to grab a new bar of soap and retrace my steps back to the sink outside to get it.

A sudden knock at the door has me switching my focus.

“Couldn’t stay away, huh, Heath?” I ask with a laugh, opening the door without looking through the peephole. My eyes grow wide with surprise. Standing there in front of me is the one person I’ve wanted to see every time I’ve opened the door this past week. Tara’s somber eyes stare up at me. I want to wrap her up in my arms, but she looks like she needs her space.

“Can I come in?” she asks.

“Of course. It’s your room too, you know.” I move to the side to let her by. “Tara, I’m so sorry—”

“You were right,” she interjects, but doesn’t turn around to face me.

“What?”

“About my father. You were right,” she replies, and I hear the tears in her voice.

“Tara, I—”

“I went back to my house and found all the answers I needed,” she mentions. I move closer to her when she still won’t face me. “My father was a very bad man, Liv. You were right in turning him in.” With that, Tara finally turns to look at me. “Memories flooded my mind the moment I stepped foot back in that house. It was like a wave of truth washing over me, and it hurt like a bitch.” She pauses when she gets choked up. “I remembered my father had a secret compartment in his desk that you had to open several of the other drawers in a specific order before it would unlock. My sister and I used to hide in his office closet and watch him work at his desk, since we rarely saw him due to his job. We saw him open that compartment many times.” She looks to be lost in reminiscing as her face shows a shadow of a smile. “When you told me about what happened to him, I had no recollection of anything like that, but I did when I went into that house. I knew if there was any truth to what you said, it’d be in there.”

“I’m sorry about everything,” I say again, because I truly feel I haven’t gotten my point across.

“The house was so dark and cold. Like no one ever lived there. All those happy memories from my childhood are now just dust collecting on the abandoned furniture.”

 
“You don’t have to explain this to me if you don’t want to, Tara,” I say, reaching out my hand to rest on her shoulder.

She shies away and turns her back to me again. “Yes, I do. You’re the only one I can talk about this with, and I need to talk about it.”

“Okay.”

She nods, but still doesn’t face me. “The drawer was full of files detailing Tobias’s and my father’s plan to start a war between the light witches and the Guild of Witch Hunters. Everything was in there. My father was planning on killing himself and using something called a possession amulet to allow him to control another person’s body in order to finish some kind of ritual. It reminded me of what was happening to your brother, so that’s why I had to come tell you. I think that’s what’s happening to your brother, Livie.”

“Oh … you don’t know, do you?” I ask, realizing she still thinks my brother’s in danger.

“What don’t I know?”

“It’s all over, Tara. My brother’s safe, and so is Angelica. We removed the possession amulet from around Malcolm’s neck at the bonfire. Tobias is gone, and the amulet’s in the possession of the Guild.”

“Did you destroy it?” she asks immediately.

I shake my head. “Not yet, but the Elders said they’d see that it was disposed of properly.”

“Good,” she says with a sigh.

“Now you understand why I did all this, right?”

“Yes.”

I step closer to her, wanting to give her a hug, but she backs away while throwing up her hands. “I’m sorry, Livie, but I’m not here to reconcile. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, probably too much, and it’s too soon for me to forgive and forget. I’m going to need more time.”

I put my arms down to my sides and feel the weight of her words press down onto my chest. “So, you just came back here to tell me about my brother?” She nods and tears form in her eyes. “Do you need space? I can move to another dorm room, and you can stay here.”

“No, that’s not what I want to happen. You stay. I’m going to leave for a while, clear my head, and get to a better place, you know?”

“Where are you gonna go?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. Anywhere but here. This town is full of memories now, and I can’t handle them.”

“I don’t want to lose you again, Tara.”

“Liv, I know you didn’t do it on purpose, but your actions got my entire family killed, and me nearly as well. You have to understand that’s not something you just get over. It takes a while, if ever, and that’s what I need … a while … alone.”

“Are you sure there’s nothing else I can do to make you stay?”

She shakes her head. “I have to do this for me.”

I’m trying to be strong for her and not burst into tears, but it’s becoming harder and harder as the seconds tick by. I sniffle and brush the stray tears from under my eyes, attempting to keep it together. “Then I won’t stop you. If this is what you need to do, then you need to do it. Just know that when you find yourself and you come to terms with all this, I’ll be here waiting for you to return. Always.”

“I know you will,” she says, but moves past me with no body contact. As she opens the door, she turns back to look at me. “I want you to know that you’re still the only person I have in my life, and I will miss you. You’re my best friend. I won’t forget that.”

“Good, I’d hope not.” She smiles at my response and goes to leave. “Wait, what about your stuff? Your cell phone?”

“I’m going to live off the grid for a little while, and I’ve got everything I need back at the house. Besides, this isn’t goodbye, Livie, it’s just see you later.”

She shuts the door after sending me a tired half-smile, leaving me standing in a pool of emotion. I’m at a total loss. I feel the tears rolling down my cheeks, but my mind is having a hard time wrapping around what just happened. Even though she said this isn’t goodbye, it certainly seems that way. The hole that was in my heart when she left a week ago seems to have grown exponentially.

I go to grab the bar of soap when another knock echoes through the room. This time, I check through the peephole so there are no surprises, though I’m hoping to see Tara standing there with a change of heart.

It’s Angelica. I peer over at the clock on my desk and it shows nine in the morning, exactly thirty minutes before her first morning class. I open the door and her face lights up, but then falters once she has a chance to see mine.

“What happened?” she asks.

“Long story. Don’t really want to get into it.”

“Okay, now I know something’s wrong. You didn’t come back at me with a sarcastic retort,” she states with a laugh.

I gesture for her to come in instead of answering her right out. “Seriously, it’s nothing to concern yourself with.”

“I highly disagree. We’re practically besties now, so if you’re down in the dumps, then I’m down in the dumps. And we can’t function if we’re both down in the dumps,” she explains, taking a seat in the chair next to my desk.

I send her a withering stare before caving. “Tara left,” I finally admit.

“Oh. Didn’t that happen a week ago? Not to sound insensitive or anything.”

“Well, that was insensitive, thanks.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way.”

“I know you didn’t. She actually returned just before you came over, then left for good … or at least for a while, anyway.”

“Oh … I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.”

 
“What did she say before she left? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“She needed some time to figure things out and get to the point she could forgive me, which I understand, but it doesn’t make hearing it any easier.”

“Did she say she’d ever be back?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, there you go. We’re at a time in our lives where we have to make the hard decisions and grow into the adults we want to be. You’ve both been through a lot … well, we all have, but what I mean is that maybe you two have spent so much time together that you need this time apart to see who you are. Find yourself. Then come back together better people. I don’t know, just something I thought off the top of my head.”

I look at her in disbelief. This is the first time Angelica hasn’t sounded like your stereotypical sorority girl. The best part was that she was searching for something in her leopard print tote bag with her sorority’s Greek letters stitched onto it the whole time she was talking. I guess anyone has the potential to surprise you.

“Maybe you’re right, but it’s not going to be the same without her here, you know?”

She nods and goes silent for a moment before perking up. “Oh, so I totes forgot about this until right now, and I know it’s probably not the right time to mention this, but—”

“Then don’t,” I say dryly, moving to lean up against the sink.

“It might cheer you up,” she says, her voice reaching a high pitch.