Date: 2000-01-01 05:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Fantasy; Paranormal; Young Adult; Witches; Paranormal Romance; Romance; Supernatural; Suspense; Horror; Fiction
Description: Avery never dreamed she’d have to leave her dad and friends behind to spend the summer with a mother she barely knows. Just when she thinks it can’t get any worse, the discovery she belongs to a coven of teenaged witches changes everything. Avery soon learns most of her life was built on a lie. Though she doesn’t want to believe what the coven reveals, she can’t deny the power growing inside her. With little choice but to embrace her new life, Avery finds herself sinking into a world of magic and mystery. The deeper she goes, the more her feelings develop for Reid, another member of the coven.

NIGHTMARES

Erica Stevens

Copyright © 2017 Erica Stevens

All rights reserved.

Distributed by Smashwords

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ALSO FROM THE AUTHOR

Books written under the penname Erica Stevens

The Captive Series

Captured (Book 1)

Renegade (Book 2)

Refugee (Book 3)

Salvation (Book 4)

Redemption (Book 5)

Broken (The Captive Series prequel)

Vengeance (Book 6)

Unbound (Book 7)

The Coven Series

Nightmares (Book 1)

The Maze (Book 2) Coming in 2019

Dream Walker (Book 3) Coming in 2019

The Fire & Ice Series

Frost Burn (Book 1)

Arctic Fire (Book 2)

Scorched Ice (Book 3)

The Kindred Series

Kindred (Book 1)

Ashes (Book 2)

Kindled (Book 3)

Inferno (Book 4)

Phoenix Rising (Book 5)

The Ravening Series

Ravenous (Book 1)

Taken Over (Book 2)

Reclamation (Book 3)

The Survivor Chronicles

Book 1: The Upheaval

Book 2: The Divide

Book 3: The Forsaken

Book 4: The Risen

Books written under the penname Brenda K. Davies

The Alliance Series

Eternally Bound (Book 1)

Bound by Vengeance (Book 2)

Bound by Darkness (Book 3)

Bound by Passion (Book 4) Releasing 2019

Hell on Earth Series

Hell on Earth (Book 1)

Into the Abyss (Book 2)

Kiss of Death (Book 3) Releasing 2019

The Road to Hell Series

Good Intentions (Book 1)

Carved (Book 2)

The Road (Book 3)

Into Hell (Book 4)

The Vampire Awakenings Series

Awakened (Book 1)

Destined (Book 2)

Untamed (Book 3)

Enraptured (Book 4)

Undone (Book 5)

Fractured (Book 6)

Ravaged (Book 7)

Consumed (Book 8)

Unforeseen (Book 9) Coming 2019

Historical Romance

A Stolen Heart

This book is dedicated to all the dreamers out there.

CONTENTS

Books by the author

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Excerpt from Book 2, The Maze

Where to find the author

About the author

PROLOGUE

A dazzling flash of lightning split the night and streaked across the sky. An angry red and orange color, the bolt was anything but natural as it raced toward the beach and the people gathered there.

Standing on the jetty of rocks protruding into the ocean, Mitch screamed and flung himself toward the waves as the bolt came straight at him, but he didn’t move fast enough to avoid it. A searing wave of heat scorched across his shoulder; it blistered his flesh with a crackling pop that resonated in his ears.

The screams of his friends echoed around him before the water engulfed him. For a minute, he allowed himself to sink into the depths of the blissfully cool ocean. When his lungs started to burn, he kicked and used his good arm to propel himself toward the surface. Breaking free, he inhaled greedy gulps of air and sea as water sluiced down his face from his drenched hair.

Waves crashed over and around him as he turned in the water, searching for the shoreline. Finally, he spotted the flames of the bonfire he and his friends had been gathered around and started toward it. His injured arm hindered the process as Mitch steadily made his way toward the shore.

Relief filled him when his feet hit bottom. He pulled himself from the sea and collapsed onto the sand where he coughed ocean water from his lungs. His friends gathered around him and knelt at his side.

Over the salty tang of the ocean air, he detected the stench of burnt flesh and hair. Lifting his head, he weakly surveyed the group surrounding him. They all bore the mark of a burn somewhere on their bodies too. Yet, the strange bolt of lightning hadn’t hurt them in any other way.

He’d never been struck by lightning before, but he didn’t think it was possible they would all remain standing and mostly the same afterward if it had hit them all. They should be knocked out or injured in more ways than the burns on their bodies. They should not be standing there looking completely normal.

Well, not completely normal.

All their hair stood on end, and some of the girls had strands sticking up in a way that would have made Einstein proud. More than that, they all looked strangely different. Their skin and eyes glowed with a new, inner radiance beneath the rays of the full moon. When he turned his right wrist over, the birthmark there—the one they all possessed—was glowing like it had been branded onto him.

Over his pain, he realized he also felt strange differences in himself and the world around him. The air was more charged than ever before. The ground beneath him hummed with raw energy. He was beginning to suspect he should be locked away—or perhaps he’d been killed by the lightning, and this was limbo, but the energy flowing through the sand strengthened him.

Oddly, though the sensations were unfamiliar and a little frightening, he felt whole in a way he never had before. A missing piece had been restored to him, but he’d never known it was missing until now.

He didn’t know what had happened to them, but he was suddenly certain their futures had changed. And no matter how amazing this feeling was, he felt a growing certainty that what happened wasn’t entirely good. There would be a price to pay for this.

It would be years before he learned how right he was.

CHAPTER 1

“Avery’s not like us. She’s not one of us.” Her dad’s words replayed in Avery’s mind as she stared out the window.

“She is, Mitch, and you know it. You’ve seen what she can do,” her mother had argued back and the crestfallen look on her father’s face had seemed so out of place when he bowed his head and nodded.

Avery leaned her head against the passenger window as the argument she’d overheard between her parents played on a loop in her mind. Her parents had been talking about her; however, she had no idea what they were talking about, or why.

Casting a sideways glance at the woman sitting beside her, Avery tried to figure her out, but it was impossible. The woman driving the car was a mystery to her, a stranger, and that complete stranger was her mother.

With a sigh, Avery turned away from the woman as she fought back her anger. Trying to think of anything but the woman who’d abandoned her, she focused her attention on her parents’ bizarre argument. Avery didn’t know what her dad had meant with his words. Of course she was like them; she was their daughter after all.

Wasn’t she?

Maybe she was adopted. She’d once asked her dad if she was. She resembled her parents, but there were also big differences in their appearance. Her dad had laughed at the question and slapped her on the shoulder.

“No such luck for you, kid,” he’d told her. “You are definitely my child.”

And Avery believed him. That’s what made their argument so confusing, and the more she tried to figure it out, the more it made her head throb. She already felt betrayed by her dad for making her spend time with her mother. She didn’t want to know what he might be hiding from her.

She wanted to go back to Newport, spend the summer with her friends and her dad, the parent who did love her. Yet, for some awful reason she didn’t understand, both her parents suddenly insisted she spend July with this woman. Not only had they forced this entire farce onto her, but her dad had just told her about it last night.

He’d been adamant she spend a month with the woman she hadn’t seen in three years. Avery had been perfectly content never to see her mother again. The arrangement worked for her mother as well.

Once he told her the plan, Avery had argued, begged, and pleaded to get out of it. She’d hated herself for doing it. Avery rarely fought with her dad, never whined, and the last time she cried in front of him was when she fell off her bike and broke her arm at fourteen. That was also the last time she saw this stranger.

Ever since she was a baby, it had been her and her dad against the world. She’d always tried not to put extra stress on him, but when he wouldn’t back down from sending her with her mother, she’d cried—not manipulative tears but full-on tears of misery at having to do this. Still, her dad refused to budge.

Something strange was going on, but she didn’t know what, and she was entirely too depressed, and mad, to figure it out.

Avery focused her attention on the passing scenery to ease her melancholy. She’d never been to Cape Cod, and she found herself awed by the beauty of it as they passed the ocean, rolling dunes, and cranberry bogs. Large rhododendrons, an endless variety of colorful wildflowers, tall grasses, and plentiful blueberry patches dotted the landscape. Numerous water channels ran beneath the roads in a twisting array of the glittering blue ocean. Small boats made their way through the channels, while swimming children and people fishing ignored the passing cars.

The tranquil life of the people here fascinated her. However, she would never let this woman know she was awed by it, and she kept her face impassive as they drove past each new sight. Her mother turned onto a small country road winding through a forest and more blueberry patches. Old Cape houses, barns, and trees flashed past. They traversed a narrow, wooden bridge crossing a channel and onto an island.

A small sign announced they had arrived in the town of Ferndale, founded in 1802, population 774. Avery gaped at the sign. She’d mistakenly thought there weren’t any small towns left around here. This woman would have found the one to live in, and Avery was trapped on this small island with her.

Tears threatened to choke her as they entered the quaint town. The weathered storefronts and the people strolling by could have stepped out of a postcard. They passed an old church with its barn doors open to the public, a few antique stores, a deli, and a used bookstore. A pack of children running down the sidewalk dodged an elderly couple before racing into a candy store.

Her mother turned onto a road winding through more beautiful countryside before driving onto another street and up a steep hill. “This is the road I live on,” her mother said with false cheeriness in her voice.

They passed large, stunning homes that looked like they were built when the town was founded before pulling into the driveway of one. Avery barely managed to stop herself from gawking at the gorgeous, baby blue Victorian with flowers overflowing the slate walkway and climbing the railings of the wraparound porch. The flowers were a myriad of colors, and in such array it was almost impossible to decipher one variety from another.

The large tower jutting from the top of the house reminded her of an old castle, and she could almost hear someone calling for Rapunzel to let down her hair. Odd lights shimmered from the windows encircling the tower and danced across the porch roof. From the back of the house, she heard waves crashing onto the shore before rolling away again. Avery spotted the top of a wooden stairway behind the house; beach grass surrounded it.

It’s beautiful, she realized with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She’d hoped the house would be a monstrosity so she could hate it, but she couldn’t.

“Do you like it?” her mother asked anxiously.

Avery glanced at her over the roof of the car. “It’s nice.”

It was more than nice, but Avery wasn’t going to admit that to her. She could barely bring herself to look at the woman who had all but abandoned her.

Turning, Avery opened the back door of the car and removed her suitcases. Her mother grasped her duffel bag before Avery could, and she gritted her teeth to resist the childish impulse to yank it back.

Avery closed the door and reluctantly followed the stranger up the walkway to the porch. She kept her attention focused on the beautiful garden while her mother searched her purse for her keys. Bees buzzed lazily around some purple flowers, and a monarch butterfly hovered over a yellow rose.

“Are you coming?” her mother asked.

Avery blinked and turned to find the front door open. She stepped into the house and onto a worn, blue oriental rug covering the wood floor of the hallway. Her mother was already climbing the large staircase on her left.

Trailing behind, Avery scanned the paintings of the ocean, island, and boats lining the stairwell. Her mother never looked back as she reached the top and strode down a narrow hall. Avery paused to survey the hallway and more paintings. She wasn’t an antique expert, but she was sure more than a few of them were a couple of hundred years old, if not more. She itched to touch them and learn more, but she didn’t want this woman to know about her interest in them.

Her mother stopped before another door and turned to stare at her. Avery strode forward as her mother swung the door open and turned on the light. Avery’s eyes widened when she saw the set of old, rickety stairs.

Her mother started climbing but paused to glance over her shoulder when Avery didn’t immediately follow. Taking a deep breath, Avery tentatively tested the first step with her foot. Convinced this stranger was trying to kill her, she crept cautiously up the creaking stairs.

Her mother shoved another door open and stepped into a large, circular room. Following her, Avery froze when she saw the sunlight from the numerous windows spilling across the pale wood floor of the tower room. Covered by a cobalt blue quilt, a large bed jutted into the middle of the room.

Two old trunks were placed against the right wall with their lids open. The room was a pale blue, and fluffy white curtains framed the windows. Crystals hung in all the windows, and Avery realized they were what she’d seen sparkling from the tower outside. When she tilted her head back, she noticed the wooden beams crossing the roof also had dozens of crystals hanging from them.

“What are they for?” Avery inquired, nodding at the colorful stones. She knew some people believed crystals had powers; she hoped this woman wasn’t one of them.

“For many different things, but most of them bring good luck, offer protection, and will help you sleep better.”

Of course they do. Avery rolled her eyes, and her suitcases landed with a thud when she dropped them. With everything that had gone wrong recently, she shouldn’t be surprised to learn her mother was a fruitcake. Avery would take the stones down later; their sparkling would drive her nuts if she had to deal with it for a month.

“You can unpack and join me downstairs,” her mother said. “I’ll make you some tea.”

“I don’t like tea.”

“Oh, okay, well then, unpack and join me when you like.”

Seeming as eager to flee as Avery was to see her go, her mother rushed from the room.

CHAPTER 2

Standing in front of the full-length mirror, Avery fumbled with her long, raven black hair before releasing the thick mass to let it tumble down to the middle of her back. It was resisting going into a ponytail, but it didn’t matter, she was only going to the beach and delaying the inevitable of seeing her mother again.

Stop being a coward, Avery Miller, she scolded herself as she turned away from the mirror and left the room. Using the railing to support most of her weight, she crept down the rickety stairs. If she were going to survive a month with these stairs, she would have to take it as easy on them as possible.

When she made it to the bottom, the air left her lungs in a giant whoosh. She glanced back, and her stomach somersaulted at the thought of ascending them again. With a shudder, she tore her attention away from the steps and strode down the hall. She ignored the paintings as she hurried to the first floor.

She found her mother in the kitchen sipping tea. She’d pulled her hair into a loose bun, and a few golden pieces hung down to frame her perfect, oval face. Her unnaturally vivid blue eyes were guarded when they met Avery’s. For a moment, her mother’s beauty astounded as well as dismayed Avery.

She couldn’t understand why her parents were both so good looking, while she was so… well, not ugly, not even average. She was confident enough to know she was pretty, but she certainly didn’t possess the almost inhuman vitality her parents oozed.

Her mother gave her a strained smile that Avery refused to return as she inspected the kitchen. The walls were a warm, creamy yellow. The rays of the sun and color from the crystals in every window shone off the green, marble counters. The plants, flowers, and herbs hanging from every nook and cranny overflowed their pots. Hanging heavily on the air, the scent of the numerous herbs was pleasant, but it was impossible to distinguish one from another.

“I’m going for a walk on the beach,” Avery said.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t like some tea? It’s a special herbal mix that will help you relax.”

“I told you, I don’t like tea.” Avery crossed the room to the French doors and threw them open. She inhaled the fresh, sea-tinted air. “I’ll be back soon.”

She shut the doors behind her and stalked across the large porch to the stairs leading down to the beach. In her eagerness to be on the shore, Avery ran down them, away from the house and her mother. The flow of the ocean called to the marrow of her bones and drew her onward. Knowing it would soothe some of the tension in her, she craved being near the water.

When she got to the bottom of the stairs, she broke into a sprint. Sand filled her sneakers, but she kept going until her legs ached, sweat coated her body, and her lungs labored for breath. She was glad she’d put on shorts and a tank top this morning as she ran until it became impossible for her to continue.

Pausing at the edge of the water, she bent over and rested her hands on her knees as she inhaled fresh air into her tortured lungs. When she could breathe again, she pulled off her sand-laden sneakers and socks before tossing them aside and wading into the sea. The cool water felt wonderful against her heated skin as it lapped around her ankles and calves.

Walking through the surf, she avoided the shells and rocks littering the ocean floor. Seaweed coiled around her legs and tickled her skin, but she ignored it as the water eased her anxiety over being there. Her fingers skimmed over the water as she stopped to stare at the distant horizon while the life within the water pulsed around her.

Beneath the ocean’s unfathomable depths, she sensed the numerous creatures swimming through it. The ebb and flow of the sea hummed through her bloodstream and weaved its way into her soul until she felt connected to the water and all the life it harbored. Over the years, she’d experienced a similar sensation when she was in the ocean but nothing as strong as this.

A breaking wave sprayed water into her face, and she sputtered as the salt burned her eyes and broke the connection. You’re being stupid, she scolded herself. Your mother, with her crystals and herbal tea, has rattled your brain.

Licking her lips, she tasted the familiar salt on them before tearing her gaze away from the distant horizon and continuing down the beach. From around the end of a rock jetty, she watched as a group of teenagers materialized. Their movements were graceful, and their laughter floated on the summer air. Two of the guys pushed each other playfully back and forth.

They looked so comfortable with each other that panic seized her and a clammy sweat covered her body. She wouldn’t consider herself shy, but she wasn’t outgoing either. Her friends had been the same core group for years, and she liked it that way.

Turning in the water, she focused on the horizon as she pretended she hadn’t seen them. A wave of homesickness tore through her as she thought of Lila, Tina, and Karen, the friends she’d been forced to leave at home. She blinked against the tears filling her eyes before closing them and praying this group would walk past her. Her ears strained to hear them, but their conversation had died.

Where are they? Why are they so quiet?

“Hey, you!” a boy called out. “What are you doing here?”

CHAPTER 3

Avery’s heart slammed against her ribs. They hadn’t walked by, and now she had to face them. Even worse, she had to talk to them!

Swallowing heavily, she inhaled a deep breath for courage before turning toward them. The group had stopped only ten feet away from her. One boy stood slightly in front of the others, and she assumed he was the one who called to her.

“I was… ah… I was taking a walk,” she replied, wiping her sweaty palms on her cutoff shorts.

“This is a private beach,” a tall, graceful girl with golden hair replied crisply.

“I know.” Avery raised her hand and pointed at her mother’s distant Victorian. “My mother lives there.”

Their gazes followed her finger before they turned back to her. Like her parents, they all had bright eyes and luminescent skin. Was everyone born on this island naturally radiant? Did the island itself have something to do with their almost inhuman vitality?

What is in the water around here?

“Really?” a short, voluptuous girl asked as she bounced on her toes.

“Yes,” Avery replied.

One of the guys glanced at the house, and a smile played across his full mouth. “Julie did her part.”

His words caused Avery to do a double take as confusion spun through her. What part did my mother do?

“Would you like to join us?” the short girl asked.

Avery stared at her in disbelief. Was she really asking her to join them? Yes, the girl was, and she expected an answer. “Sure,” Avery said, astounding herself with the response.

She had planned to say no, but for some reason, the agreement popped out of her mouth. There was something about this group, something she couldn’t quite place that drew her to them. It was too late to take her agreement back. Unwilling to look like an idiot, Avery waded through the water to the shore.

Their inquisitive gazes caused her self-consciousness to grow. She worried they would realize she wasn’t beautiful, confident, and graceful, and would change their minds about hanging out with her.

“I’m Rosie,” the short girl said.

Avery raised her head to meet Rosie’s large, sky blue eyes. With her chubby cheeks, button nose, and a smattering of reddish freckles, Rosie was cute and possessed an aura of warmth. Avery got the impression Rosie rarely stood still as she hopped from foot to foot and her short, strawberry blonde hair bounced against her shoulders.

“Avery,” she replied shyly.

“It’s nice to meet you, Avery. This is Alex.” Rosie waved a hand at the tall boy who first called out to her.

Avery had only meant to glance at him, but shock kept her eyes riveted on him. He was the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen. He smiled as he nodded at her. At six-foot-tall, Alex was lean in build, and his almost white-blond hair was a striking contrast to his onyx eyes. His features looked as if someone had taken a piece of marble and carved the perfect man.

“This is Sandra,” Rosie said.

Tall and slender, Sandra had golden blonde hair flowing to her waist and emerald green eyes that surveyed Avery with arrogant disdain. Her features, from her high cheekbones to her slender nose and full lips, were beautiful.

“This is Isla,” Rosie continued.

Isla was about four inches shorter than Avery’s five-six height. She had a dancer’s build and pixie-like features. She wasn’t beautiful like Sandra but pretty in an exotic way as her coffee-colored hair fell in thick waves to her knees, and her impossibly golden eyes held a provocative slant.

“This is Mario,” Rosie continued.

Mario met Avery’s inquisitive gaze with laughter in his forest green eyes. Tall and slender, Mario’s dark, wavy brown hair hung around his handsome, olive-skinned face. His features lacked Alex’s perfection, but he was attractive in a good-natured, cheerful way. Avery couldn’t resist his charming smile and smiled shyly in return.

“This is Eric.”

Avery moved her gaze over to a boy of average height with curly, fiery red hair. His lips curved into a smile that lit his reddish-brown eyes. The colors swirled together in a combination the likes of which she’d never seen before. Good-looking, there was something open and appealing about him.

“This is Shawn,” Rosie said, waving at the final member of the group.

Gold flecks broke the deep brown of Shawn’s eyes as he frowned at her. The gold in his eyes matched the streaks of natural, blond highlights in his brown hair. He had the muscular build of a quarterback and was handsome in what many would consider the classic, all-American sense.

“Landon and Reid are waiting for us,” Rosie said. “I know they’ll love to meet you!”

“Of course they will,” Sandra drawled as she studied Avery with a raised eyebrow and contemptuous smile.

“How old are you?” Isla asked.

Avery lifted her head to look at them again. “Seventeen.”

They nodded in unison as they seemed to confirm something silently. “So are we,” Rosie said.

“All of you?” Avery blurted. They appeared so much older and self-assured than she felt.

“All of us,” Rosie confirmed. “Come on, we’ll introduce you to Landon and Reid. You’ll love them.”

CHAPTER 4

Sitting on the beach, Avery watched as the others settled around her. Smiling warmly at everyone, Landon stood at the head of the circle they’d formed. She didn’t have Sandra’s perfect beauty, but she possessed a natural, delicate loveliness that would turn heads.

Landon’s deep auburn hair hung to the middle of her back, and the luminous blue-green of her eyes reminded Avery of the sea on a sunny day. Tall and lithe, Landon carried herself with effortless grace.

Standing next to her, Reid was focused on Landon. Rosie had informed her they were twins. A few inches over six feet, Reid was lean in build, but his well-defined muscles flexed beneath his form-fitting, black T-shirt. His chestnut hair was more brown than red, and his silver eyes reflected the flames of the fire. His masculine good looks weren’t as perfect as Alex’s, but they were every bit as mesmerizing.

When he turned his impossibly silver eyes to Avery, a strange jolt ran through her. She blushed when she realized he’d caught her staring at him. His eyes crinkled as he smiled at her, and his handsome face lit up.

Feeling silly and stupid, she fiddled with the shoelaces of the sneakers she’d retrieved before walking with the others to this area of the beach. A protective wall of boulders partially encircled them, and Landon and Reid had been sitting on two of the rocks, waiting for the others when they arrived. Behind Avery, the ocean lapped against the shore as the sun sank beneath the horizon.

With the easy way they all interacted with each other, it was clear they’d all been friends for a long time. Avery felt out of place amongst them, but she was grateful for their company. Plus, they gave her an excuse to avoid her mother.

“Everyone,” Landon said, drawing her attention. “Let’s welcome Avery to our group.”

Avery jumped when nine pairs of inhumanly bright eyes swung toward her.

“We’re finally complete,” Eric said.

“This is going to be a great year!” Mario declared.

“When did you move here?” Rosie asked her.

Avery frowned at her; she had no idea what they were talking about. “I didn’t move here.”

They all exchanged confused glances before Alex spoke. “Didn’t Julie Miller bring you here?”

So, her mother had kept her dad’s last name after they divorced; Avery hadn’t known that until now. “Yes, but I’m only here for July. Then, I’m going home.”

“You didn’t move in with your mom?” Reid inquired.

“No,” Avery answered. “I was forced to come and stay with her.”

They glanced at one another again.

“Why didn’t you come before now?” Isla demanded.

Avery didn’t know why it changed, but the air about the group was beginning to feel vaguely hostile. Avery cursed herself for being too much of a wimp to deal with her mother; she never should have come here. She didn’t know these people.

Sure, they were her age, but that didn’t mean anything. For all she knew, they were all a part of some crazy teen cult her parents had decided to sacrifice her to. It sounded ridiculous, but a chill tiptoed across her spine at the possibility.

“My mother didn’t want to see me until now,” she answered. Even if it was the truth, she hated the words as they came out of her mouth. She’d spent years trying to pretend her mother’s abandonment didn’t bother her, but it did. “And I have no idea why she suddenly wants to see me now.”

“You don’t know,” Landon whispered.

“Know what?” Avery asked.

“I knew she wasn’t one of us!” Sandra declared.

“Of course she is,” Reid said, glaring at Sandra. “Look at who her parents are. She is definitely one of us, but for some reason, her parents never told her the truth.”

“Told me the truth about what?” Avery demanded. “What are you talking about?”

“She’s of no help to us,” Shawn stated, somehow looking bored while the others appeared increasingly annoyed. “It’s a good thing we didn’t tell her anything.”

Landon studied Avery before speaking. “She is one of us. She drew you to her today.”

“She did not,” Sandra said, folding her arms over her chest.

Landon turned to Sandra. “Then why did you take the long way here today? You never do.”

Sandra stared defiantly back. “We felt like it.”

“No,” Alex interjected. “Rosie suggested walking around the cove instead of coming straight down the road because she felt there was something we should see, and we all agreed. You can’t deny that, Sandra.”

“It doesn’t matter what Rosie might or might not have felt. She’s leaving in a month; we can’t accomplish anything in a month,” Sandra said.

“Maybe she’ll stay,” Rosie said hopefully. “Once she realizes everything.”

Avery’s neck ached from all the bouncing her head was doing between them. Confused and disoriented by their conversation, she hated that they were discussing her as if she wasn’t there.

“Um, hello,” she said, cutting into their debate about her life. “I don’t plan on staying any longer than a month. You may know my mother, but I don’t, and you don’t know my dad. You have no idea what that woman has done to us, so whatever you’re talking about, forget it because I’m leaving this island as soon as I can. Actually, I’m leaving now.”

Avery launched to her feet and strode away from them without looking back. When she felt their inhuman eyes boring into her back, she realized she might have made a mistake; predators tended to spring when their prey was in motion. Convinced one of them might pounce on her back like a velociraptor if she did, she resisted breaking into a run.

“Wait!” Landon called after her. “Let us explain!”

Avery ignored her as she stalked down the beach, picking up speed with every step. When a hand grasped her arm, Avery cried out and spun to smack it away.

“Easy,” Reid soothed as his fingers rubbed her bare flesh.

She didn’t want to be anywhere near them anymore, but his touch caused a tingle to race over her flesh. Avery struggled to breathe as her heart raced with anticipation, but she had no idea what she was anticipating. She should be terrified of him; instead, she found her eyes briefly dropping to his mouth.

“I won’t hurt you.” He released her and stepped away. “None of us will.”

She wrapped her arms around herself and surreptitiously rubbed the place where his hand had been while the rest of the group approached to stand behind Reid. Their eyes shone like cat’s eyes in the night surrounding them.

“We understand you don’t know what’s going on here, and we didn’t mean to scare you. You should talk to your mother,” Landon said.

Avery edged away from them as she lifted her chin. “I don’t talk to my mother. We have nothing to say to each other.”

Reid and Landon exchanged a worried glance; Sandra smirked.

CHAPTER 5

“I told you!” Sandra declared. “She isn’t one of us!”

Reid stepped closer to Avery as he leveled Sandra with a withering glare. “That’s enough,” he said in a tone that could have frozen fire.

When Sandra strode toward her, Reid stepped further in front of Avery. “What are you doing?” he asked.

“It’s easy enough to solve this,” Sandra said. “If she has the birthmark, then she’s one of us. If not, she’s an outsider.”

Avery resisted shoving her hands into her armpits to keep them hidden, but she was afraid the move might give her away. A birthmark. She had one of those, as did her dad. Hers was in a different location than her dad’s and was on her left wrist, her dominant hand, whereas his was on his right wrist, but they were nearly identical. She believed it was something she’d inherited from him. Unlike her dad though, she had another mark on her left hip whereas her dad only had the one.

How did these strange-ass freaks know anything about her birthmarks?

“Let me see your wrist,” Sandra demanded.

“Let me see your wrist!” Avery snapped.

Sandra snorted and tossed back her golden hair before thrusting out her right wrist. Avery barely managed to keep her mouth closed when she spotted the birthmark there. A deep brown color, it looked more like a tattoo than a birthmark, but she knew what it was. She’d seen it on her dad’s wrist, and her own, numerous times over the years.

Her mind spun as she tried to process what was happening. She might live another hundred years and still not fully grasp everything she was seeing and hearing tonight.

“What is that?” Avery asked, knowing full well it was a birthmark as it was nearly identical to both of hers.

It was Reid who replied as he turned his right wrist over and held it before her. In the middle of his wrist, and about an inch in diameter, was a circle with eight lines leading toward an intricate knot in the center. “The circle with the spokes is the Wheel of the Year. The wheel indicates that the calendar doesn’t stop, then start up again, but moves from day to day without end.

“This,” he said, pointing at the knot in the center of the wheel, “is the triquetra. It’s an ancient Celtic symbol used to symbolize the maiden, mother, and crone. It also symbolizes the infinite cycle of life and is known as a rune of protection.”

For seventeen years, she’d assumed her birthmarks were just that, two random marks on her and one on her father. She’d never imagined the designs might mean something or that other people might share them, but how did they all have the same birthmarks as her and her dad?

“Okay, so what does that mean?” she asked.

“We all have one,” Landon said, holding out her right wrist to reveal the same mark.

Avery had only eaten toast for breakfast, and bile now twisted in her empty gut. “So, you all have matching tattoos.” She refused to let them see how much their revelation had rattled her.

“They’re not tattoos.” Reid touched her arm, and though their revelations had her feeling like she should put on her snow parka, heat flooded her system. Still, she moved her arm away from him. “We were all born with them as were our parents. Of course, our parents didn’t know what they are—”

“What they are?” Avery interrupted.

“If you don’t know that story, it’s better if they tell you,” Landon said. “But we were all born with these birthmarks on our right wrists.”

“Good for you,” she said, edging further away from them.

“Do you have it?” Sandra demanded.

Avery held out her right wrist to reveal her unblemished skin. “Nope. Now, it’s time for me to go. Julie is probably looking for me.”

“Told you she wasn’t one of us,” Sandra sneered.

“Why are you so smug about this?” Mario demanded.

“We don’t need her,” Sandra said. “We’re strong enough without her.”

“And we’ll be stronger with her,” Rosie interjected.

“But she doesn’t have the mark!” Isla snapped. “Which means she’s not one of us.”

“She has to be,” Landon murmured. “With who her parents are, she can’t be anything else. Maybe we’re not all marked.”

“She hasn’t been awakened yet. That didn’t make a difference for us, but maybe it will for her,” Alex said.

Awakened to what? What the hell are they talking about? Avery was getting whiplash from trying to follow their conversation, and the more they talked, the more creeped out she felt.

“It’s better if she tucks tail and runs now, like her father, than to have her stick around before deciding to leave,” Sandra said.

The anger Sandra’s words aroused freed Avery’s trapped voice. “Don’t talk about my dad like that! You don’t even know him!”

“I know of him,” Sandra hissed. “And I wish I didn’t.”

Avery’s eyes narrowed. Sandra unnerved her, but she wouldn’t tolerate anyone talking about her dad that way. “He wouldn’t want to meet you either,” she retorted.

Sandra gave her a haughty stare, but grudging respect bloomed in the emerald depths of her eyes.

“You should talk to your mother,” Isla said.

“Julie left us when I was a baby, but my dad has always been there for me. I want nothing to do with her.” Taking a deep breath, Avery paused to calm herself. This conversation was reopening wounds she’d prefer these lunatics didn’t see. “My mother has always come and gone as she pleased. I can’t trust her, and I don’t want to talk to her.”

“It’s okay,” Landon said. “We understand.”

“No, we don’t.” Sandra snorted.

Avery edged further away. She wanted to get as far away from these people as she could. “I have to go. Julie will be looking for me.”

“Meet us here tomorrow,” Reid said. The tenderness in his silver eyes didn’t calm her uneasiness. “Talk to your mother. It will help you understand.”

“I have plans for tomorrow,” she lied.

“Be here,” Shawn said. “Or we’ll come to get you.”

Avery didn’t reply before spinning on her heel and hurrying down the beach. She resisted the impulse to run with every step she took. When Avery knew she was far enough away from them, she lifted her left wrist and gazed at the birthmark there. She searched for differences between theirs and hers; Reid’s was a little larger than hers, and there were probably other subtle differences, but for the most part, they were nearly identical.

Lowering her hand, she rested her fingers against the mark on her left hip that was identical to the one on her wrist. More questions swam through her mind, but the last thing she wanted was to talk to those kids again or her mother.

• • •

Avery opened one of the glass doors and stepped into the empty kitchen. Grateful her mother wasn’t present, her shoulders relaxed as she shut the door and a wave of exhaustion swept over her.

The second the door locked into place, Julie appeared in the doorway. “Did you have fun?” Julie asked with far too much cheer.

“No,” Avery replied.

Her mother chewed on her bottom lip as she stepped into the kitchen. “Didn’t you meet the kids?”

“The kids?”

“Yeah, the ones who live around here. They’re my neighbors.”

Avery wouldn’t describe them as kids, but she knew this woman was talking about the teens on the beach. “Oh, yeah, I met them. They’re a little weird or crazy. Either way, I hope never to see them again.”

“I know you’ve had a lot thrown at you recently, but don’t be angry.”

Avery leaned against the glass door. She longed to crawl into bed and forget this whole awful day, but it seemed her mother had other plans. “Of course I’m angry, Julie. I was forced to come to a place I don’t know and stay with someone I don’t know; I want to be with my friends, in my home, where I belong.”

Her mother flinched when Avery called her Julie, but she edged further into the kitchen. “You belong here, Avery. There’s something I have to tell you.”

The anger and confusion Avery felt on the beach came back to replace her exhaustion. She knew her hostility was upsetting her mother, but she didn’t care. This woman had hurt her time and again with all her broken promises, missed visits, missed birthdays, and all the months that passed without so much as a phone call.

Over the years, she’d spent a lot of time wondering what she’d done wrong to make her mother avoid her. She’d spent a lot of time questioning what was so wrong with her that Julie didn’t love her?

It had taken her years to realize there was something wrong with her mother, and not her. When she’d finally come to terms with that, Julie strolled back into her life. The unfairness of it all made her want to scream in frustration.

“Why don’t you sit down?” Julie suggested.

“I’d prefer to stand.”

Julie slid onto one of the old, wooden chairs. “Those kids are special.”

“They’re certifiable,” Avery said. “There’s something seriously wrong with them.”

Sadness flickered over her mother’s beautiful features. “No, there’s not. You don’t realize it yet, but you belong with them. They have so much power it’s scary, yet they need you to complete them.”

CHAPTER 6

Staring at the kook in front of her, Avery’s confusion mounted by the second. She had no idea what her mother was talking about, and she didn’t want to know. She just wanted a bed and her home.

“It’s time you learn what you are and what you can do,” Julie continued. “That’s why your dad and I decided it was time you came home.”

“I didn’t think it was because you wanted to see me,” Avery replied bitterly.

“But I do!” Julie cried. “I love you, and I’m proud of the woman you’ve become. However, you resent me so much that it’s difficult for me to be around you.”

“What did you expect? You abandoned my dad and me, and you never tried to keep in touch with me!”

“Let me tell you this first, then maybe you won’t judge my actions so harshly.”

Avery couldn’t respond to her; she was afraid if she tried, she would end up screaming or crying in frustration.

Julie twisted her hands nervously in her lap. “We all grew up on this island. Our parents also grew up here, and their parents, and so on for many generations. This island was once full of families who lived together for many centuries in this country and Ireland, but now all those families reside on this street. Over time, outsiders moved to the island, and as the town grew, the original families became smaller.

“After coming to this country, the original families settled on this island after they were accused of witchcraft and driven out of Plymouth. As you know, witchcraft was a serious charge in the early eighteen hundreds. Sixteen families settled in this place, and with all of their children, a hundred and eleven people originally lived here.”

Avery couldn’t help it; she found herself oddly fascinated by this story and wondering where it would lead.

“Over time, the original families grew smaller until there was only a handful of them left,” Julie continued. “Some members moved away over the years, but most stayed here where they were accepted, welcomed, and protected. The original families didn’t intentionally keep away from outsiders, but it was natural for them to fall in love and marry one another until many became related in some way.”

“Are you saying the kids I met on the beach are all related?” Avery blurted.

“In one way or another, yes.”

“Am I related to any of them?”

“You’ve never met your Aunt Becky, who is my sister. She is married to your uncle Dom and Sandra is their daughter.”

Avery gaped at her. Out of everyone she’d met today, the last person she wanted to be related to was Sandra. The girl had been nothing but hostile to her, even though Sandra had to know they were related.

“Sandra is my cousin?” she choked out.

“I know she can be a little abrasive—”

“A little! She’s a downright bitch!”

“Language, Avery,” her mother scolded.

“Don’t pretend to be my parent now, Julie.”

Her mother clasped her hands in her lap as she gazed out the window. “Not all cousins get along.”

“It doesn’t help that I never knew she existed,” Avery replied, “or that I have an aunt and uncle. I’m guessing Sandra knows about me though, and our relation didn’t warm her to me at all. Do I have any other family you should tell me about?”

“No. All of our parents are dead.”

Avery knew her dad’s parents passed in a car accident before she was born, but she hadn’t known about her mother’s parents. “All of them?”

“Mine, your dad’s, and most of the other grandparents are dead. Most of them died in their fifties or sixties from one thing or another, but Mario and Eric still have grandmothers who live in Florida, and Isla’s granddad lives with them.”

“I see,” Avery murmured. “The family tree on this island does have branches, doesn’t it? We’re not all inbred or something, are we?”

“Of course not!” Julie cried. “None of the original families were related, and this is the closest everyone has ever been related.”

“That’s good to know. Okay, so what does any of this have to do with me?”

Her mother inhaled deeply before rising and walking over to the sink. She stared out the window before turning to face Avery.

“The original accusations of witchcraft were true,” Julie stated.

Avery blinked at her but didn’t reply. She’d hopped on this spiraling descent into madness when she’d asked the question; she might as well ride this insanity all the way to the end.

“The founding families were descendants of the ancient druids,” her mother continued. “They fled persecution in Ireland and came to the new world with the hope of finding peace, but that wasn’t to be. Not at first anyway.

“The original families used their powers for good, but people are scared of what they don’t understand, and the families often moved to avoid being hunted. When they came to this island, they felt safer; there was no one here to bother them, and they used their magic more often. As they practiced more, and the bloodlines grew closer, their strength increased with every generation. Eventually, more people moved onto the island, but they mostly ignored what they believed to be the eccentricities of the founding families.

“When I was younger, there were eighteen of us, not including our parents, and we are all descendants from the druids. However, we didn’t know we were witches, and neither did our parents, grandparents, or our great-grandparents. For a hundred years, the power lay dormant within the descendants, and the great-great-grandparents who did know about it, buried it. Then, one night, twenty-two years ago, everything changed.

“We were having a party on the beach. I was sixteen, your dad was eighteen, and some of the others were a little younger than me, but most were older. Your dad was on a jetty, jumping between the rocks, acting like a complete fool. The night was crystal clear, every star in the sky was visible, but out of nowhere, a bolt of lightning erupted from the sky.”

Avery felt like she should tell her she was crazy, or at the very least walk out of this room, but she couldn’t get her feet to move or ask Julie to stop. She didn’t want to hear this, but she couldn’t stop listening.

“When it raced straight at your dad, he screamed and threw himself into the water. We all ran to help him, but then the bolt split apart and came at us. A piece of it seared across my arm, leaving it blistered and raw. It touched every one of us, and when it did, it awakened powers we never knew we possessed.”

Avery stared incredulously at her mother as she tried not to laugh. She waited for the punchline, but Julie merely stared at her. It couldn’t be true, but as improbable as it was, Avery sensed the truth in this stranger’s words. Still, she couldn’t swallow the story this woman was feeding her hook, line, and sinker.

“That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. Lightning doesn’t come out of the sky and attack people,” Avery said.

A sad smile flitted across Julie’s face. “It wasn’t lightning. It was something else, something magical.”

Julie pushed up her sleeve to reveal the puckered scar marring the pale skin of her upper arm. The uneasiness in Avery’s stomach grew when she saw it looked very similar to the scar she’d seen on her dad’s shoulder.

“We will always have the scars,” her mother whispered.

Avery didn’t want to show any interest in this, but she had to ask. “What’s the story about the birthmarks those freaks on the beach showed me?”

When Julie’s gaze dropped to Avery’s left wrist, Avery forced herself not to shove her hand behind her back. Of course, her mother would know about her birthmarks, but Avery wasn’t going to acknowledge them to her.

“Every member of the original families has had a mark for as far back as their line goes. They are a mark of power.”

“I see,” Avery murmured. “So what happened after the lightning chased you down?”

“Our powers, which had lain dormant, were awakened, but we didn’t know how to use them or what they were. At first, it was fun to have them, yet strange and frightening as many of us didn’t have much control over our abilities. As we got older, married, and had children, we decided to put the magic aside to raise our children the way we were raised.”

Her mother took a deep breath as she stared into the distance. “However, we all passed our powers onto our children, and they are far stronger than us. From what we’ve learned in our readings, they’re stronger than any previous generation. They’re also more excited to learn about their powers, and far more eager to use them than we were.

“When you were a baby, your dad and I decided we wanted a normal life for you, so we took you away until you were old enough to understand what you are. After we left, I became desperately homesick. This island and these people are all I’ve ever known. They’ve been my best friends and family since I was born. At the time, my parents were still alive, and my sister is still here. After a few months, I realized I couldn’t make it on the outside, and your dad refused to return, so we split up.

“I agreed he should keep you and give you a normal life. I never dreamed it would be so hard for me to stay close to you after I left. I didn’t want you to come here until you were an adult, but I hate leaving the island. It’s my fault we’re so distant, and I’m sorry about that.”

Avery wasn’t sure what to say. Did this woman have mental health issues? Was that the real reason she’d always stayed away and didn’t like leaving this island? Was she agoraphobic? But she’d had no problem picking Avery up today, so that couldn’t be the issue.

Then she realized that it didn’t matter. None of what her mother had said mattered. She planned to return to her blessedly normal life and never set foot on this island again.

“So I was born here and not Newport?” Avery asked, uncertain as to why it mattered.

“Yes.”

“My entire life has been a lie,” Avery muttered.

The sympathetic look her mother gave her set Avery’s teeth on edge. “No, it hasn’t,” Julie said.

“I don’t believe anything you’ve said. You’ve done nothing but lie and disappoint me for my entire life. I’m sorry you have these delusions of witches and powers, but I want nothing to do with any of it.”

“You have to believe me, Avery. It’s time for your powers to awaken.”

Avery’s mouth fell open; her mother really believed she was a witch, with powers, and that the kids from the beach were also witches. Then she realized those kids suffered from the same crazy fantasies. It would explain their behavior, and why they were disappointed she didn’t share their insanity.

She was glad she hadn’t drunk any of the water since arriving here as images of pod people and aliens danced through her head. Had everyone on this street been body snatched or placed under some form of mind control? She had to get out of this place before the lunatics decided she was a liability who was better off dead.

“I want to go home,” she finally said.

“Avery—”

“I want to go home.” Her eyes returned to her mother. “Tomorrow.”

“Those kids need you!”

“What do they need me for?”

Julie absently twirled a stray tendril of hair around her index finger. “Your power will complete their coven.”

“What is a coven?” Avery demanded.

“That’s what a group of witches is called, and you belong in their coven.”

“No, I don’t.”

“There is something evil out there, and it’s coming. Without you to complete them, those kids don’t stand a chance against it. And don’t think you’ll be safe if you return home; when it finishes with them, it will come for you.”

The hair on Avery’s nape rose as a small voice whispered in her mind. Listen to her. Something is coming.

No! I will not be a part of this insanity.

Her anger at Julie made it almost impossible for Avery to do anything her mother asked of her willingly. The fact the woman was going on about freaky lightning, witches, and evil things only made it easier to tell her to get lost. Sane people knew Julie was spouting nonsense.

Then why did Avery still feel as if something sinister was breathing down her neck? Because the shared delusions of the people on this island are terrifying.

“You have to help them defend themselves against what is coming,” Julie whispered.

“And just what is coming?”

Julie opened her mouth before closing it and opening it again. “I, ah… I’m not sure.”

Avery got the distinct impression this woman knew more than what she was saying, but she didn’t understand why she’d keep this bit of information from her after all the other crap she’d spewed.

“I have no powers—” Avery started to say.

“But you do! And those kids will help you bring them out.”

“I won’t be a part of this insanity!” Avery yelled as her composure crumpled. Closing her eyes, she gathered her unraveling emotions before speaking again. “I want to go home.”

Her mother rose from the chair and stepped toward Avery, but she froze when Avery edged away from her. “Those kids are a part of you; you can’t abandon them.”

“You’re a part of me, but you abandoned me,” Avery replied with a calmness she didn’t feel. “I’m going back to my life, my dad who cares about me, and people who aren’t crazy.”

Tears shimmered in her mother’s eyes. “Fine. Run away from your family and fears.”

“Like mother, like daughter.”

CHAPTER 7

Avery stretched her legs out as she leaned back in the lounge chair and tilted her face to the warm, July sun. Her best friends Lila Colston, Tina Gayle, and Karen Tucker were sitting on chairs around her and rabidly listened as she regaled them with the story of her short visit to her mother’s house. The four of them had met and become friends in elementary school and been as thick as thieves ever since.

With dramatic inflections in her tone, Avery told them about the kids on the beach but left out their unearthly radiance and her weird experience with them. She’d been home for two days, but this was the first chance she’d had to see her friends since returning.

“I can’t believe you left. Those guys sound hot, especially that Reid!” Lila clasped her hands together and fluttered her lashes.

The mention of Reid caused a small tug at Avery’s heart, but she ignored it. It didn’t matter that she agreed about his hotness and had kind of liked the guy; she was never going to see any of them again.

“They were strange,” Avery murmured. “Besides, I missed you guys, and being with my mother was awkward and, well… awful.”

Karen placed a comforting hand on Avery’s arm. Karen’s smile lit her warm, hazel eyes. She wore her sandy blonde hair in a loose ponytail that emphasized her round face, small nose, thin pink lips, and slender neck.

“It must have been uncomfortable for you to be with her. I would have left too,” Karen said.

Avery smiled as she squeezed Karen’s hand. How could Julie expect me to leave such good friends for a bunch of strangers and a stupid lie?

It is not a lie! an inner voice suddenly screamed at her. It was the same voice that whispered to her the other night, but now it was stronger. It’s the truth, and you know it. The scar on your mother’s arm, on your dad’s shoulder, the birthmarks, the way those kids look, the way your parents look! There is something different about all of them.

Avery shoved the voice aside. She would never see them again, and she doubted her mother would try to have anything to do with her anymore. The sadness that realization brought with it surprised her. She’d mistakenly believed herself past the grief Julie inflicted on her over the years, but seeing her again had proven her wrong.

“Avery!”

Avery jumped and spun to face Tina. Tina’s slender nose scrunched in disapproval, and her pointed chin jutted out as her brown eyes met Avery’s. Her caramel-colored hair dangled in a braid over her shoulder to the top of her bathing suit.

“Where did you go?” Tina asked her. “I’ve said your name like ten times.”

“I was thinking,” Avery said.

“About what?”

“Nothing,” she replied absently.

Tina opened her mouth to reply, but Lila launched to her feet and started speaking before Tina could. “Let’s go swimming.”

Lila dropped her towel on the deck as she walked toward her pool with long, graceful strides. A member of the dive and swimming team, Lila’s parents upgraded their pool years ago when Lila started winning competitions. Now, she was one of the top-ranked divers in New England with colleges scouting her and offering her scholarships.

A nagging feeling gripped Avery as Lila’s lean body climbed the ladder to the high board and she strode toward the end of it. The tips of her chocolate-colored hair bounced against her shoulders as she walked.

Drawn forth by a sense of something wrong, Avery rose and walked toward the diving board.

“I invented a new dive!” Lila called to them.

“I’m sure you didn’t invent it,” Tina retorted as she lathered sunscreen onto her arms.

Lila gave her the finger as she turned so her back faced the water.

Don’t let her do it! the voice inside Avery screamed.

“Lila, please don’t,” she called out.

Lila’s doe brown eyes blazed with determination when they met Avery’s. “Don’t think I can?”

“I know you can,” Avery assured her, “but please don’t.”

Lila scowled before lifting her hands over her head. Avery’s breath froze, and the board twanged as Lila launched herself off it. When Lila twisted through the air with her usual athletic grace, it would have been mesmerizing, but Avery had watched Lila dive enough to know something was wrong.

She watched helplessly as Lila unfolded, but it was too late, and there was nothing she could do to help her best friend. A gurgled scream erupted from Avery when Lila smashed into the water with her body and neck twisted at an unnatural angle.

When Lila sank into its clear depths, Avery dove into the water and, seizing Lila’s arms, she kicked as she pulled Lila to the surface. Her arms and legs ached, her lungs burned as water bubbles trailed out her nose, but she gripped Lila tighter and pulled her onward.

Bursting free of the water, Avery ignored the exhaustion in her legs and burning lungs as she kicked toward the stairs. Tina met her halfway and, grasping Lila’s other arm, helped Avery haul Lila toward the stairs and out of the pool. They laid Lila carefully on the ground as Karen rattled off Lila’s address into her phone.

Avery ignored the pain the motion caused when she fell to her knees at her best friend’s side. Lila’s head and limbs flopped to the side as water trickled out of her open mouth. A sick feeling settled in the pit of Avery’s stomach while she shoved Lila’s wet hair aside and frantically searched for a pulse.

“She’s alive,” she whispered as tears slid down her cheeks.

• • •

“She’s going to be okay,” Lila’s dad said.

Lila’s parents had just returned to the ICU waiting room after speaking with the doctor. They only stood a few feet away, but Avery felt as if she were seeing them through a dull haze of unreality.

“There is a lot of swelling along her spine, and she did fracture a vertebrae, but though they think she’ll require physical therapy, the doctors are confident she’ll walk again,” Lila’s dad continued.

Avery breathed a sigh of relief and closed her eyes against the tears threatening to fall.

“The doctor said we can see her now, but only for a few minutes. She won’t be able to have any other visitors today, but I’ll talk to them about the three of you seeing her tomorrow,” he said to them. “She’s going to need you to help her get through this.”

“We’ll be here,” Tina said.

“We know you will,” Lila’s mother said before they turned and left the room.

Avery wiped her nose before rising and following them out of the waiting room positioned outside the steel doors of the locked ICU. Footsteps from the other end of the hall drew her attention, and she turned to see her dad walking toward her. When he was only a couple of feet away, Avery threw herself into his warm embrace. She sobbed as he hugged her and offered comforting words of reassurance.

“Let’s get you home,” he said as he ran his hand over her hair.

Avery stepped away from him and wiped away her tears. Still in her bathing suit, she’d thrown on her black cover-up after the paramedics left with Lila. Karen had called Lila’s parents while Tina called her older brother to drive them to the hospital, but he’d left for work after dropping them off. All three of them were wet, disheveled, and shaken from what had happened.

“Can you take us too?” Tina asked weakly.

He nodded, and they followed him out to the car. No one spoke until they were inside and her dad started the vehicle.

“I can’t believe it,” Karen said.

“She’ll be fine,” Tina replied firmly. “You heard what her dad said.”

“Yeah, but being laid up for any amount of time will drive Lila crazy, and what will happen to her scholarships if she can’t dive again for a while?”

“She’ll get through it, and we’ll be there for her,” Avery said.

“She should have listened to you, Avery. She would be all right if she had,” Karen murmured as she stared out the window.

Her dad cast her a questioning glance, but Avery ignored it.

“She’s Lila; she’ll be fine,” Tina said again.

CHAPTER 8

“But I knew!” Avery cried as she paced in front of her dad. “I knew something terrible would happen, and it did.”

Her dad’s leaf green eyes studied her warily. “You couldn’t have stopped it.”

Helplessness filled her as she threw her hands in the air. “What if I could have stopped it from happening?”

He pushed his black hair back from his handsome face as he sat forward on the couch. When Avery noted the stubble lining his square jaw, she stopped pacing. Always meticulous about his appearance, she’d never seen him in need of a shave, not even while they were on vacation.

“You can’t stop what is meant to be. Lila’s accident was part of fate, Avery,” he said.

Avery did a double take as, for the first time in her life, she felt as if she didn’t know her dad. She’d never heard him talk about such things before. “Since when do you believe in fate?”

“I’ve always believed in it, but I never talked to you about it. There’s a lot you don’t know, and a lot you don’t believe, but you should.”

Unsure of how to respond, Avery fell back on the only thing that made sense in the real world. “Have you lost your mind like my mother?”

He gave her a tired smile as he rose. “Your mother isn’t crazy, Avery, and neither am I.”

“Are you telling me that her nutty story is true?”

“I understand this is difficult for you to understand, and that’s my fault as well as your mother’s. We chose this life for you. We thought we were doing what was best for you at the time, but we might have been wrong. I never thought you’d reject the truth once you learned it.”

Her dad had always been her rock, and now he sounded as crazy as her mother. However, if he was telling her these things, could it be true? Could he have lied to her for the past seventeen years?

She’d never felt so betrayed, and she had no idea how to react or what was expected of her in this strange new reality she’d plunged into.

“I don’t have magical powers.” At least this much she knew to be true. She’d never done anything fantastical in her life, and other than the strange voice telling her not to let Lila dive into the pool, she’d never experienced déjà vu or anything like it. “And I don’t belong on that island with those people.”

“Yes, you do, Avery.”

Unable to listen to this anymore, Avery spun away from him and stalked toward the front door. She needed out of the house and some time alone to think. She removed her dad’s car keys from where they hung on a peg beside the front door.

“I’m taking the car,” she muttered.

“Where are you going?” he demanded.

“I need to be alone.”

She flung the door open and sprinted to the car.

• • •

Over an hour later, Avery stared in dismay at the freshly painted, gray exterior of the large, Cape-style house. The inside lights spilling onto the front walkway gave the home a warm, inviting air. The potted plants hanging from the beams of the porch swayed in the summer breeze that carried the briny scent of the ocean. There were no cars in the driveway, but someone was home.

Avery couldn’t believe she was here, of all places, but something had propelled her here. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she’d been helpless to resist the incessant pull she felt to this island. The name on the mailbox read Davis, and she knew who lived here, or at least she was pretty sure who lived here, because she’d done some hunting on Facebook after returning home.

She wouldn’t call it stalking; she’d merely been easing some of her curiosity. She’d also learned the names of the others were Alex Ford, Eric and Isla Larsen, Mario and Rosie Adams, Sandra Beckett, and Shawn Olson. Landon and Reid were the only two siblings, so she assumed the others who shared a last name were cousins.

She almost put the car into reverse and left, but she had to get everything straightened out, and she suspected they might have answers for her. Climbing out of the car, she closed the door, shoved her hands in her pockets, and strolled up the cobbled walkway. The porch steps groaned beneath her weight, but the wood didn’t bend as she walked toward the door with the dread of a death row inmate going to the chair.

Run. Go home. Pretend none of this happened and return to your life.

But she couldn’t. No matter how badly she didn’t want it to be true, she knew nothing could ever be the same again. Her parents had made sure of that. Even if she returned home and stuck her head in the sand, she would always question if what they’d said was true, and she couldn’t live the rest of her life without answers.

Taking a fortifying breath, she knocked on the white door before she lost her courage and scampered away. The soft chirrup of crickets and the creaking of the plants filled the silence after her knock. Then she heard footsteps pounding down the stairs.

Even though she heard someone coming, she still wasn’t prepared when the door opened and she found herself staring into Reid’s silver eyes. He looked like she’d punched him in the gut as he stared at her, and then he smiled. That smile turned her insides to goo, and despite everything that had happened, she smiled back at him.

“Who is it?” Landon asked as she came down the stairs behind him.

Landon’s eyes widened when she spotted Avery, and she froze before breaking into a welcoming smile. She rushed down the rest of the stairs and shouldered Reid out of the way until she stood beside him in the door. “Don’t just stand there; come in.”

Despite Landon’s welcoming words, Avery remained on the porch. “I have a question.”

“What is it?” Reid inquired.

Before knocking, she hadn’t known what she expected from these two, but she did now. “Is it true?”

Landon and Reid exchanged a communicative look before Landon responded. “Yes, it’s true.”

Avery closed her eyes and gulped; for some reason, hearing it from them made it real. A part of her didn’t want to believe it, but another part, a part she didn’t understand, had always thought it.

“Why do you need me?” she croaked.

“You’re a part of us,” Reid answered.

She opened her eyes, and her breath left her when she saw the compassion in his gaze. For the first time since coming to this island, she felt as if she might have a friend in this. “I have no power. I have nothing to offer you,” she said.

“You do, but you haven’t awakened your power yet. We understand why you prefer not to stay with your mom, but we are all connected,” Landon told her.

Avery gulped as she swung her gaze from Reid to Landon. The understanding in Landon’s blue-green eyes made Avery think she might have two friends. “Connected?” she asked.

“We’re connected by our heritage, our powers, everything. You’re a part of us.”

Avery had no idea what to make of that. “I won’t leave my dad.”

“You don’t have to,” Reid assured her.

“I like my life the way it is.”

“Your life has already changed; you have to accept that.” The words were firm, but Landon’s eyes remained kind.

“What if this isn’t my destiny?” Avery asked.

“You’ll never know if you keep denying it.”

“What do I have to do?” she asked.

“First, you should come in.”

Reid stepped aside, and when Avery entered, her arm brushed his. A jolt went through her, and she stopped walking. Her breath caught when his eyes deepened to the color of molten lead. She didn’t know why her body reacted to him the way it did, but gazing at him, she realized he felt it too.

CHAPTER 9

Avery pulled her feet up on the wooden trunk and hugged her knees to her chest as she gazed around Landon’s room. The crystals hanging over the windows sparkled, and more of them cluttered Landon’s oak bureau. Instead of sneering at the crystals, Avery focused her attention on the cozy room decorated in shades of lavender and dove gray. A mural of the ocean was painted over Landon’s sleigh bed, and the birds and ships in it adorned the horizon in a spectacular array of colors.

Reid stood by one of the windows with his eyes focused on the far wall and a pensive look on his face. Despite the fact he stood ten feet away from her, Avery felt his presence as acutely as if he was beside her.

Landon returned and glided across the room to stand before Avery. She smiled as she handed a steaming cup to Avery. “Drink this,” Landon said.

“What is it?” Avery asked.

“Tea.”

Avery waved the cup away. “I don’t like tea.”

“You’ll like this,” Landon insisted. “And if you want answers, you have to drink it.”

Being told what to do irritated her, but Avery took the cup; she’d sought them out after all. The delicate white cup warmed her hands while she sipped the crisp, minty tea. She had to admit it was delicious as it warmed her to the tips of her toes.

“Who painted the mural?” she asked.

Landon’s face lit up. “Do you like it?”

“It’s beautiful.”

“Alex did it for me.”

“He’s really talented.”

Landon’s face shone with pride as she nodded. “He is.”

Avery sipped the tea again as she focused on her sneakers.

“Your powers are hidden inside of you,” Reid said when the silence stretched. “You have to open your heart and mind to let them out.”

And just how was she supposed to do that? She wasn’t a closed-minded individual, or at least she didn’t consider herself one. She listened to all sides of an argument before forming an opinion, and she admitted when she was wrong. She’d been wrong when she confronted Willy Joates because she’d believed he started the rumor they’d hooked up under the bleachers during the homecoming game. It turned out it wasn’t Willy but some girl trying to start trouble. Avery had apologized to him a few times after, but Willy still disliked her, and she didn’t blame him.

But how did she open her mind to go searching inside herself for something she wasn’t sure existed?

“Do you like the tea?” Landon asked. “It’s an herbal mixture that will relax you, and it’s the first step in awakening your powers.”

“It’s good,” Avery admitted.

Landon sat on the bed across from her and rested her hands on her knees. “I know you belong with us; I feel it, but the missing birthmark is so strange. It’s marked every witch around here for generations.”

Feeling like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar, Avery shifted her hold on the cup and held out her left wrist to reveal her birthmark. Landon blinked at it, and Reid stepped closer to inspect the mark over his sister’s shoulder. They stared at the mark before looking at her.

“It’s on your left wrist and not your right,” Landon said.

Avery shrugged and dropped her hand. “I’m a lefty, so maybe that has something to do with it.”

“It must,” Landon murmured.

“I have an identical one on my left hip too.”

Landon and Reid’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re double marked?” Reid asked.

“Ah… I’m not sure what that means, but I guess,” Avery said.

“It’s nothing bad,” Landon said quickly. “We’ve just never heard of it happening before. Do you mind if I see the other mark?”

“No.” Avery finished her tea and rose to pull down the edge of her jean shorts. She revealed the second birthmark on the bone of her left hip.

Landon and Reid both stared at it before glancing at each other. Avery tugged her shorts back into place and sat on the trunk again. Then Landon started to chuckle.

“What’s so funny?” Reid inquired.

“That is going to piss Sandra off,” Landon said and laughed harder. “She was convinced Avery didn’t belong in the coven because she lacked the mark, and it turns out she has two.”

Reid chuckled too. “It is going to piss her off.”

Avery couldn’t help but smile along with them as she thought of this revelation wiping away some of Sandra’s smug superiority. Landon leaned back on her bed and wiped the tears from her eyes.

“What time is it?” Avery asked.

Landon glanced at her watch. “Almost nine.”

“Oh!” Avery lurched to her feet. “I have to go. My dad is probably worried about me, and I forgot my phone when I left home.” Normally, she never went anywhere without it, but she’d been so desperate to flee from everything that she’d forgotten it in her rush.

“You should stay here tonight,” Landon said. “We still have to awaken your powers.”

Avery placed the cup on Landon’s nightstand. “My dad needs the car for work tomorrow.”

“We’ll come with you then.”

Avery bit her lip as she glanced between the two of them. “I don’t know about that.”

“Your dad won’t mind,” Landon said.

Avery glanced between them as she tried to decide what to do. She was afraid of everything going on and the changes rapidly happening in her life, but she’d come this far, and she couldn’t back down now.

“All right,” she said. “He’d probably like to meet you anyway.”

• • •

By the time Avery pulled into the driveway and turned the car off, it was after ten o’clock. Her dad was usually in bed by now, but all the lights in the living room were on. She opened the door and stepped into the cooling night.

In the distance, the ocean crashed against the shore, and the sea breeze tickled her cheeks as she waited for Landon and Reid to join her. They walked with her to the front steps and climbed onto the porch behind her.

She was about to open the door when her dad flung it wide. With a vein throbbing in his forehead, he looked ready to launch into a tirade, but then his eyes darted past her, and his anger ebbed. He glanced at her before stepping aside to allow them entrance.

Avery led the way into the living room and settled onto her favorite, overstuffed armchair. She stifled a yawn as Landon and Reid remained standing near her dad. On the ride there, the twins had explained everything that would occur if she allowed it, but she’d been too tired and scared to understand everything they said.

“You didn’t take your phone,” her dad said to her.

“I know, I’m sorry,” she murmured, and this time she couldn’t stifle a yawn as she placed a hand over her mouth.

“Hmm,” he grunted before turning his attention to Landon and Reid. “Hello.”

“Hi,” Reid and Landon said at the same time.

“I’m Reid.”

“And I’m Landon.”

Her dad’s grin warmed Avery’s heart. She couldn’t recall the last he’d smiled like that. It was then she realized everything he left behind when he moved off the island, but why hadn’t he at least kept in touch with his friends there?

If this was all true, she could understand him wanting to give her a normal life, but she didn’t understand the lack of communication with his friends. Why go to such lengths for this so-called normal life?

Her mind was too exhausted to try to wade through this puzzle.

“You’re Tom and Deborah’s children,” her dad said.

“Yes,” Landon replied. “They’ve told us a lot about you.”

His smile deepened, but a wealth of sadness lingered in his eyes. “How are they doing?”

“They’re really good.”

“Tell them I said hello.”

“We will,” Reid assured him.

When her dad’s gaze settled on Avery, the smile slid from his lips. “I’ll leave you alone now.”

Hesitating, he looked about to say more, but he turned away instead. Avery hated the sorrow she’d seen in his eyes before he left, but she had no idea how to ease it or what caused it. When she felt Landon and Reid’s gazes on her, she resisted the urge to call her dad back and turned to face them.

“I think we should get started,” Reid said; his eyes were tender and caring when they met hers.

Time to plunge into insanity, she decided. “What do I have to do?”

CHAPTER 10

Landon walked over and clasped Avery’s hands in her warm ones. “Listen to your heart. It will tell you what to do.”

“Close your eyes,” Reid instructed. “The herbs in the tea have enabled your natural defenses to weaken. If you dig deep within yourself, your power will come forward on its own.”

She stared skeptically at them before closing her eyes and trying to relax. It was easier said than done with two people standing over her, but as Landon’s hands warmed hers, Avery’s shoulders gradually relaxed.

She pushed aside all her reservations while she searched for the voice that had tried to warn her about Lila. Instinctively, she sensed the voice was a part of her that would help her get through this. Warmth spread through her limbs, and her body felt lighter than ever before as her mind drifted away from it. She wondered if the herbs had a hallucinogenic property, and then found she didn’t care.

Here, the voice suddenly called into the abyss surrounding her.

Instead of shoving it aside as she’d done earlier, Avery drifted toward it until she felt as if she were joining with something. She experienced a second of panic and tried to fight the strange pull, but it was too late.

A powerful tide was already sweeping her away, and though it was frightening and impossible to resist, it somehow felt right as a hole inside her filled. A tingle swept her spine, along with an odd feeling of anticipation as words swarmed her mind. They came so fast she couldn’t grasp them and didn’t understand them, but they felt as right as the endless tide.

Then the room lurched back into sudden stillness, and she was thrust into her body again. She once again felt the warmth of Landon’s hands and the solidness of the cushions beneath her. Avery’s heart raced as her body tensed in anticipation and excitement. She had no idea what had happened, but all her doubts were suddenly put to rest.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes to find Reid and Landon kneeling before her. “Are you okay?” Reid asked.

“Yes,” she said in a stronger voice than she’d expected.

Avery released her grip on Landon and unfolded her legs to stand. When she went to rise, her legs wobbled, and she almost face-planted. Reid caught her before she squished her nose into her face, and he guided her back down. A blush burned her face; there was nothing like nearly requiring a nose job to impress the hot guy.

When his hand slid to the bare flesh of her forearm, electricity ran through her, and she searched his face for some sign he’d felt the same thing. The black fringe of lashes framing his eyes made them more silver as he gazed at her in awe. Avery fought the urge to stroke his cheek and run her fingers through his thick hair.

“Take a minute to get reoriented,” he said in a thick voice as his fingers caressed her skin. “How do you feel?”

The sensations his fingers stirred to life within her made it difficult to respond at first, but she managed to take stock of her body. She felt slightly dizzy but good. She also felt whole and complete, and… powerful?

Yes! She suddenly felt powerful and alive in a way she’d never believed possible. The more Avery searched herself for how she felt, the more she realized everything around her sizzled with an energy she’d never experienced before.

“A little confused, but great,” she admitted.

“Anything else?”

Avery frowned as she pondered his question. She felt self-conscious telling them about the power she sensed in herself and emanating from the things around her. She barely knew them. Would they think her crazy and strange?

“I feel whole,” she reluctantly admitted. “I know that sounds weird, but—”

“No, it doesn’t,” Landon assured her. “That’s the way you’re supposed to feel. Anything else?”

“I feel… powerful.”

The twins grinned at each other.

“Now you have to use that power,” Reid said to Avery.

Doubt rose to replace her newfound sense of rightness. “What? How?”

“Come on.”

Keeping hold of her forearm, he helped her to her feet. Avery was so busy trying to puzzle out what had happened to her that she didn’t notice he’d led her outside until the air tickled her cheeks. In front of them, Landon was descending the stairs to the beach.

The air felt tangible as she strolled through it, and every atom seemed separate and alive. The particles swirled out of the way before coming back together to swallow the holes their passing created.

Stretching out her hand, Avery tried to touch the particles, but though she saw them in a whole new way, they drifted away from her fingers. Landon stopped at the edge of the ocean as water rolled onto the shore before slipping back into the sea as if it had never been there. Halting beside his sister, Reid kept hold of Avery when her legs threatened to give out again.

Gazing across the tranquil sea and listening to the gentle ebb and flow of it against the sand, Avery knew it was the same ocean she’d grown up with, but the energy rippling off it caressed her skin. Beneath her sneakers, the ground vibrated as its life force seeped into her body. She’d always appreciated nature, and especially the ocean, but she felt as if she’d been sleeping her entire life and was just now experiencing it. Something was building inside her, but she had no idea what it was or what would happen if she released it.

“Close your eyes and say the first words that come into your mind,” Reid instructed her.

Taking a deep breath, Avery closed her eyes and searched for the words from earlier. At first, they came too fast for her to grasp, but finally they slowed enough for her to understand some of them. When she opened her eyes, words spilled from her mouth.

“Fire and air, earth and water, I call upon thee to welcome me.” She’d never uttered anything like it before, but the words felt right to her.

When she finished speaking, the pressure building inside her broke free. Her heart raced as the previously tranquil sea churned up a froth of white-capped waves five feet away from shore. The small cluster of waves rolled over the top of each other as they crashed onto the beach.

Whereas before the sea hadn’t reached her feet, now the water spilled over her sneakers and seeped inside them. She didn’t feel its cold; instead, warmth spread through her as she realized the sea was welcoming her in some strange way. Then as quickly as the churned-up water surfaced, it vanished, and the ocean resumed its previously tranquil state.

Feeling alive with the unfamiliar power crackling through her, Avery opened her mouth to say more of the words racing through her mind, but before she could speak, Reid did.

“I think that’s enough,” Reid said. “You can’t tire your powers out already.”

Avery had never felt more alive, and she didn’t want to stop now, but the look in Reid and Landon’s eyes silenced her before she could protest. They knew more about this than she did. Maybe if she did too much too fast, she would exhaust whatever this was inside her, and it would never return. Avery bit back her protests as the possibility of losing this chilled her more than her yearly polar plunge into the ocean on New Year’s Day. She’d just found whatever this was, and she would not chance losing it.

A twinge on her left wrist had her turning it over to look. Her mouth dropped when she saw her mark was glowing an orange-red color that made it look as if it were on fire. “That’s normal,” Reid said, “and it will fade soon.”

Avery continued to stare at her wrist before lowering her arm and tugging the edge of her shorts down. The mark on her hip was also glowing, but as she watched, the color from it faded. “What causes it?” she asked.

“We’re not sure,” Landon said. “It happened to our parents too, but there’s no record of it happening to any covens before them.”

“Interesting,” she murmured. “What now?”

Reid’s eyes were a silver beacon in the night as he smiled at her. “Now, you’ve been awakened.”

“That’s all there is to it?” she asked.

“For now,” Landon confirmed. “There is more, but that can wait until tomorrow. And for the most important step, we need the rest of the coven.”

Avery wasn’t exactly thrilled about the idea of seeing some of them again, but she’d deal with that when the time came. “I feel so alive,” she whispered.

When Reid squeezed her hand, he drew her attention back to him. A shiver ran through her as she studied his handsome countenance. Not only was he breathtaking, but something about him strangely affected her. She’d never felt such an intense attraction to someone before, and it scared her as much as it captivated her.

“Come on,” Landon murmured. “I’m exhausted.”

Avery had to agree. This had been the longest, most confusing, terrifying, sad, and exhilarating day of her life. She needed some rest and time alone to try and get her emotions under control.

“So am I,” she admitted.

They released her hands, and Avery walked beside them to her house and up the steps. She’d let out some of it, but the humming tension persisting inside her ached to be released. For some reason, she couldn’t rid herself of the feeling she’d just embraced her destiny with these people.

They crossed the porch and stopped outside the sliding door. When Avery glanced up, her gaze landed on her reflection in the glass, and she gawked at herself. Her eyes, which had always been pretty but an ordinary dark blue, now shone with the same odd radiance her parents and the twins possessed. The blue of them was more brilliant than any sapphire, and when her fingers touched the corner of one eye in the glass, she realized her reflection wasn’t playing some strange trick on her.

They may not look like her eyes, but they were.

CHAPTER 11

Avery flung her sheet aside, set her feet on the floor, and shoved herself out of bed. The sunlight spilling through the windows played across the cream carpet as she walked into her bathroom.

She emerged twenty minutes later feeling more revitalized from her shower, but what she needed was coffee. Plodding over to her bureau, she wondered if last night had been a dream. She didn’t feel as energized as she recalled being last night.

When she finished dressing, she walked over to the mirror hanging on her wall to brush her hair. The mirror in her bathroom had broken a few months ago when she dropped it while taking it down to paint the wall behind it. Every morning, when she stared at the bare spot over her bathroom sink while brushing her teeth, she reminded herself to go into town to buy a new mirror, and every day she forgot to do it.

Now, she could only stand and gawk at the girl before her as she got her first chance to see her reflection. This girl’s eyes were alive and electrifying. Her pale skin possessed a luminescence that made her almost ethereal. Her normally dull black hair shone with new life and had somehow picked up soft blue highlights that glistened in the sunlight. Maybe those blue undertones had always been there but not like this.

Avery couldn’t comprehend it was really her. Yet when she leaned closer to inspect herself more critically in the mirror, she realized she hadn’t changed that much. She shone more, but her overall appearance remained the same. Those were her round cheeks, and that was her slender nose with the slight ski-slope tilt at the end. She pursed her full lips, then stuck her tongue out to make sure the mirror reflected her actions correctly.

“Well, damn,” she murmured as she turned from one side to the other to examine her body.

At five six and a hundred and twenty-five pounds, she was slender and comfortable with herself. She didn’t have the greatest butt or jaw-dropping breasts, but she liked her body and to hell with anyone who didn’t. She was pleased to realize the small changes mostly centered on her eyes, hair, and skin. Feeling more than a little unnerved, she brushed her hair, grabbed an elastic, and pulled her wet hair into a loose ponytail.

Glancing around her room, she looked to make sure everything was as she remembered it and she wasn’t dreaming or hallucinating all of this. But those were her bookshelves, and when she wandered closer to them, she saw all the titles—mostly fantasy and sci-fi sprinkled with some poetry, Steinbeck, romance, horror, and other classics—were in alphabetical order as she’d left them.

All the books were in pristine condition even though she’d read many of them more than once. Reading was her passion, and she treated her books with tender care. After graduation, she planned to major in English while at college. She hadn’t decided if she would be a teacher, editor, or maybe a librarian, but she had plenty of time to figure it out.

All the snow globes she’d collected from her trips with her dad were also on the shelves. When she lifted the Grand Canyon globe, it was solid beneath her fingers and bits of sand instead of snow fell around the glass when she shook it. She examined Niagara Falls and London before feeling confident all of this wasn’t some mirage and she was awake.

Taking a deep breath, she gathered her composure before leaving her room and descending the stairs. The smell of frying bacon and voices lured her to the kitchen, and she poked her head around the doorway. Her dad and Reid sat at the island while Landon fried bacon and scrambled eggs on the stove.

Avery fiddled with a strand of hair that had slipped free as she watched them talking and laughing with each other. What if she only imagined the girl in the mirror and was wrong about everything?

Landon turned and her eyes locked on Avery’s. “Look who finally woke up! How do you feel?” Landon inquired.

Avery smiled tremulously at her as she entered the kitchen. “Fine.”

Reid’s eyes sparkled as he smiled at her. Her heart rate accelerated, and she tore her gaze away from his when a blush crept up her neck and into her cheeks.

“I have to go to the hospital; I promised Tina and Karen I’d meet them there at nine,” she said.

“I’ll come with you,” Reid offered.

“You don’t have to do that!” she blurted. “You probably won’t be allowed in the ICU; I don’t know if we’ll be allowed in.”

“That’s all right; I’ll keep you company if you’re not allowed in.”

“I guess,” she relented, but she was grateful for the company.

“I’m going to stay here. I promised your dad I’d help him charge the rest of these crystals.” Landon waved a hand at the crystals scattered across the island and countertop.

Avery’s eyes widened when she noticed the stones for the first time. Her dad had never shown any interest in crystals before, but judging by the amount scattered across the counter, it was apparent he hadn’t just bought them.

Avery couldn’t stop the resentment and sense of betrayal swelling inside her when she realized he’d purposely kept a large part of his life from her. It boggled her mind that her dad had kept everything such a secret when he seemed so eager to dive back into his old life. She could have grown up in Newport and had a normal life, but still known about his heritage, and hers.

“I went into the attic and dug them out this morning,” her dad explained.

“Oh.” Avery didn’t know how else to respond.

She felt torn between plunging into this new world and fleeing from it. Her mother, Lila, her dad’s secrets, and the strange reflection staring back at her in the mirror this morning was all too much to handle.

“We should go,” Reid said as he rose from his stool.

Avery tore her gaze away from her dad to follow Reid’s graceful movements as he glided toward her. The compassion in his eyes was nearly her undoing. He could never understand the betrayal twisting in her gut, but she didn’t try to jerk away from him when he rested his hand on her elbow. Despite her confusion, his touch comforted her, and she found some of her anxiety easing.

“Be back by ten thirty,” her dad instructed. “I have to meet with a client at eleven.”

“We will be,” she promised.

“I love you, Avery.”

Hating the nervous look in his eyes, she gave him a tremulous smile. “Love you too, Dad.”

Reid released her arm as she led the way back through the house. She removed the keys from their peg by the door and strode outside with Reid beside her.

“So,” Reid said when they settled inside the car, “do you feel any different?”

Her fingers trembled as Avery clicked on her seat belt. Trying to get her spiral of emotions under control, she gripped the wheel and took a deep breath. “Yes,” she answered.

“That’s normal, and we all experienced it, so you’re not alone in this.”

“That’s good to know because I’ve been feeling very alone.”

When he rested his hand over hers on the wheel, she turned toward him. “I will help you get through this; we all will,” he said.

He smiled at her, and his fingers caressed hers before he took his hand away. It took Avery a couple of seconds to regain her composure and to get her mind working beyond wanting to lean across the space separating them to kiss him. Gulping, she forced herself to focus on what she’d been doing before he rattled her brain with his sincere words and tender touch.

“You also look different,” he said.

Avery’s eyes flicked to him before she shifted the car into gear and pulled out of the driveway. “When I look in the mirror, I can’t believe it’s me.”

“Why not?”

Avery shrugged as she drove out of her neighborhood and weaved through the traffic of the busier streets as she headed toward the hospital. “I don’t know. Before, I blended into a crowd and I liked it that way. I’m not so sure I could now.”

“I don’t think you could have blended in before either. Now you’re drawing on the life all around you and power radiates from you, but you were always beautiful.”

Avery started at his words and glanced at him before focusing on the road again. He found her beautiful? She wasn’t above admitting she was pretty, luminous skin and eyes or not, but beautiful? And Reid thought it? Reid, who made her feel all kinds of odd sensations whenever he was around.

She was afraid her brain might overload and fry out like a robot on systems overload if she had to endure one more shock any time soon.

Avery pulled into the hospital parking lot and turned off the car. Her hand shook when she pulled the keys from the ignition and shoved them in her pocket. Unable to address what he’d said, she decided to change the subject.

“I should get inside,” she said.

They climbed out of the car and fell into step beside each other as they walked toward the formidable hospital building. The sliding doors opened with a whoosh, and the air conditioning cooled the sweat beading on her skin from their short walk.

Avery led the way to the elevator and up to the third floor where they stepped into the hallway of the ICU. The hall was quiet, but when she poked her head into the waiting room, she spotted Karen and Tina standing by the windows.

“Hi,” Avery greeted.

“It’s about time!” Tina snapped as she turned to look at her. “We’ve been…” Tina’s voice trailed off when she spotted Avery, and her eyes widened as they ran over Avery’s face.

“I’m sorry; I overslept,” Avery apologized.

“Lila would have been on time for you,” Tina scolded.

Avery shifted and tried not to hang her head like a chastised child. Tina handled stress by becoming one of the most abrasive people Avery had ever encountered, but she was a loyal friend with a heart of gold. Still, Avery disliked being around her when she was like this.

Reid stepped forward and rested his hands on Avery’s shoulders. The supportive gesture surprised her, but something about it felt natural. Tina’s gaze traveled to Reid, and her mouth became nearly unhinged when she took him in.

When Tina turned back to Avery, some of her anger had been replaced with astonishment as she all but gawked at the two of them. Karen shifted as she cast an apologetic smile at Avery.

Then Tina threw back her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Lila’s parents cleared it so we could go in for a little bit, so let’s go.”

Without thinking, Avery touched Reid’s hand, and his fingers entwined with hers. She took strength in his presence before releasing him and stepping away. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be,” she said.

“Take your time,” he said as he wandered over to the windows and removed his phone from his pocket.

Leaving the waiting room behind, she followed Tina and Karen into the brightly lit, sterile hall where Tina hit a button outside the metal doors of the ICU. A minute later, a nurse arrived and ushered them into the room next to the doors.

After the harsh fluorescence of the hall, it took Avery’s eyes a few seconds to adjust to the dimness of the room. Lila was lying on the hospital bed with tubes and wires running from her arms to the myriad of machines beside her. Seeing her best friend lying in the middle of all this stuff was like a punch to her gut.

“Hi,” Lila whispered.

Tearing her gaze away from all the equipment, Avery was stunned to realize her friend was awake. She hurried forward to stand beside Lila. Careful of the needle embedded in the back of Lila’s hand, Avery clasped it within hers.

“Hi,” she whispered back.

Lila’s doe brown eyes scanned Avery’s face before her mouth parted on a breath. A blush crept through Avery’s cheeks as she tried not to squirm under Lila’s scrutiny.

“How are you feeling?” Avery asked, brushing the chocolate-colored strands of Lila’s hair back from her face in an attempt to divert Lila’s attention.

Tears filled Lila’s eyes before she blinked them away again. “It’s going to be a rocky road, but I will be fine. The doctors say that once the swelling comes down, I’ll regain feeling in my legs and after physical therapy, I’ll walk again, but…”

“But?” Tina asked when Lila’s voice trailed off and her eyes focused on the ceiling.

“But what if I can’t dive again? Or what if it takes me so long to return to what I was that the scholarship offers are rescinded?”

Avery wiped away the tear that slid down Lila’s cheek. “That’s not going to happen,” Avery assured her. “You’re one of the strongest people I know.”

“Yes, you are,” Karen said firmly. “You will get through this, and we will be there to help you through it.”

“Yeah,” Lila muttered and tore her attention away from the ceiling. “So, enough depressing stuff. What have you guys been up to?”

“Well, Karen and I haven’t been up to much, but Avery brought one helluva hottie with her today.” Judging by her smile, Tina was trying to sound cheerful, but worry made her voice come out strangled.

“Really?” Lila inquired, and a mischievous smile curved her mouth.

“He’s a friend,” Avery said to head off any embarrassing questions.

“Looked like he might want to be more to me,” Karen teased.

Avery’s heart leapt, and she had to bite her lip to keep from asking, really? But she had no idea what was going on between her and Reid. He might just be a friendly guy who was trying to help her through all of this witch stuff; she didn’t want to get her hopes up for something more.

“Oh, I must see him!” Lila said and winced when she shifted her arm on the bed. “Bring him in. You guys are a good distraction, but you’re not my type.”

“Are you sure you’re up to more company?” Avery asked.

“Definitely,” Lila said, her pale face lit with her dazzling smile.

Unable to refuse her friend, Avery released Lila’s hand. “I’ll bring him in then.”

She poked her head out the door to make sure no nurses were around before glancing over at Tina and Karen. “You’ll have to let me back in.”

“We will,” Karen said.

Avery slid from the room and hit the button to exit the ICU. She somehow kept her shoulders back and her tears at bay as she left and stepped into the waiting room. Reid stood against the wall with his head turned toward the window overlooking the parking lot.

For a second, Avery’s step faltered as the sight of him caused her breath to hitch. Something more than his striking good looks drew her to him like a magnet to metal. It made no sense, but she wanted to step into his arms, rest her head on his chest, and shut out all the chaos of these past few days as she hugged him close.

And somehow, she knew Reid could help her do that. Unfortunately, she couldn’t lose herself in him. No matter how chaotic and uncertain her situation was, Lila’s was worse, and she was waiting for them. Reid’s head turned toward her.

“Lila would like to meet you,” she told him.

His lean muscles rippled beneath his blue T-shirt as he stepped toward her. “How is she?”

Tears stung Avery’s eyes as she swallowed the thick lump in her throat. “She’s all right, but…”

Unable to continue, she could only stare helplessly at him. Reid closed the distance between them and cupped her cheek tenderly in his palm. What was becoming an increasingly familiar electrical sensation came alive in her as he stroked her face. His eyes teemed with confusion while they ran over her face, but a smile curved his lips.

“She’ll be okay,” he said.

It took all her willpower to move away from his touch, and the loss of contact left her feeling oddly bereft. “Come on.”

CHAPTER 12

Lila’s eyes tracked Reid’s every move as Avery led him to her bedside. She glanced over at Avery before focusing on him again.

“Hi,” he greeted. “My name’s Reid.”

“So, you’re the Reid Avery told us about,” Lila murmured.

And now Avery’s cheeks were on fire as she blushed and looked anywhere but at Reid and Lila.

“Only good things, I hope,” he replied.

Lila’s laugh warmed Avery’s heart. “Only good,” Lila assured him. “I’m Lila.”

Avery took her place at Lila’s side and reclaimed her hand, which seemed as delicate as a butterfly’s wings. Avery couldn’t remember a time when Lila wasn’t laughing, playing, or doing something mischievous, but now she looked so frail.

Lila was her best friend, the one she loved and trusted the most. The one who had stood by her side and shared all her secrets since second grade. Now, Avery had a huge secret she desperately wanted to tell her, but this wasn’t the right time. She wasn’t even sure she was supposed to tell Lila, but she would.

Lila squeezed Avery’s hand. “Do you remember how we became friends?” she asked.

“How could I forget? You beat up Guy Chance in second grade because he threw your fruit juice in my hair,” Avery said.

“And you started to cry.”

“I was scared,” Avery protested. “I thought you were going to beat me up too!”

Lila laughed then winced; Avery tensed beside her. “Guy still won’t talk to me,” Lila said with a chuckle. “But it was strawberry juice, and he wasted it.”

“I thought you did it for me,” Avery said.

“That’s what I told you to make you feel better, but I was really just pissed about the juice.”

Avery laughed, but she had to struggle to suppress the tears beginning to clog her eyes and throat. When a hand ran over her hair, Avery looked up at Reid standing beside her. She’d never had a boy try to offer her comfort before, but then she’d never met anyone like Reid. He was so different than the boys she knew; she couldn’t consider him a boy.

“When I get out of here, we are going to throw a party,” Lila said.

“Yes, we are,” Avery promised and kissed Lila’s cheek. “I have to return my dad’s car to him, but I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Lila squeezed her hand before looking at Reid again. “It was nice to meet you.”

Reid rested his fingers on Lila’s hand. “I’ll come to see you again.”

“I’d like that,” she said.

“I’ll see you guys later,” Avery said to Tina and Karen.

Tina still looked like she wanted to hit something, but she nodded. When Avery went to walk by her, Karen touched her arm. “We’ll see you later,” Karen said.

Avery smiled at her and squeezed Karen’s hand before leaving the room. Stepping out behind her, Reid shut the door. A sense of strength suffused her when he rested his hand on her shoulder.

Lila would be okay; she was one of the strongest people Avery knew, and she was a fighter. Still, she felt helpless and lost as she trudged out of the hospital with Reid. The warm rays of the sun did nothing to dissolve the cold in her heart.

“Want me to drive?” Reid inquired when they reached the car.

Avery handed him the keys. “Yes.”

She slid numbly into the passenger seat and her gaze settled on the clock, it was only nine thirty. They still had some time, and she wasn’t ready to go home yet.

“They’re good friends,” she said. “Tina’s a little on edge because of everything that’s happened. Lila’s been my best friend since second grade.”

“I heard,” he said with a chuckle. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Do you mind just driving for a little while?”

“Not at all. Where to?”

She turned to look out the window and noted they were close to Maple Ave. “Turn here,” she instructed.

Reid followed her directions as she led him through a series of turns that ended in a dirt road. The patches of sunshine filtering through the thick canopy of trees overhead cast bursts of light over the car as Reid eased it over the ruts and bumps. Then the car broke free of the trees and into an open clearing.

Avery waited for Reid to park before she jumped out and strode to the edge of the cliff. Fifty feet below, the ocean crashed against the rocky cliff face in a spray of white foam. She inhaled a deep breath of fresh, briny air before licking the salt from her lips. The ocean had always held a special place in her heart, but after last night, she felt a deeper connection to the life thriving within it.

Maybe she imagined this connection, but she didn’t think so. When a massive wave broke against the cliff, the spray shot up so high that white specks of it floated in front of her eyes before falling back to the sea. The world had always been infinitely fascinating to her, but now she saw and felt more of it than she ever had before; it was exciting, overwhelming, and immensely empowering.

She didn’t see the particles of air as she had last night, but she felt them grazing her skin and the flow of life within the atoms around her. Beneath her feet, the earth pulsed with a vitality that rose from her feet to spread throughout her body.

When Reid came to stand beside her, his arm brushed hers and prickles of electricity swept her skin. Touching him was more invigorating than the strength of the sea, the caress of the air, and the pulse of life beneath her sneakers. The hair on her arms stood on end as his flesh warmed hers.

They did nothing more than stand like that, yet she felt as connected to him as she did everything around her. After a few minutes passed, Avery spoke. “My dad kept a big part of his life, and mine, a secret from me. I believed we shared everything, but I was wrong.”

She didn’t realize how bad that hurt, until now.

“I don’t know why he did that,” Reid said.

When she looked at him, the sun streaming over him turned his eyes to liquid mercury and brought out the red in his chestnut hair. Her fingers twitched as she restrained herself from pushing back a strand of hair falling into the corner of his eye.

“Did you and the others always know I existed?” she asked.

“We knew Julie had a child who lived with her father.”

“What did my mom tell you about why I wasn’t around?”

“She didn’t tell us anything. My parents once told us that your parents couldn’t work it out after your dad pursued a life in the outside world.”

“The outside world?”

“We don’t often leave the island,” he said. “Our parents went to college, and I guess we will too, but things are different for us, and we have to be careful. People may not burn witches at the stake anymore, but they would still fear us if they knew we existed, and scared humans are dangerous ones, so we don’t travel far.”

Avery thought of all the places she’d seen over the years. She’d loved all those trips because she got to learn and experience new things; she couldn’t imagine being scared to do so. And for the first time, she understood a little more about why her dad had taken her away, though she was sure there was more to it than her parents had revealed.

“Don’t you go to school?” she asked.

“We do,” he said with a smile. “And for the most part, we blend in with the students there, but it’s an environment we’re comfortable in. There have been some incidents over the years as sometimes when we’re stressed or provoked, we can lose control of our powers, but for the most part, we’re hidden in our town.”

“Where do you want to go to college?”

“Probably somewhere close to home; though, Mario and Eric have been talking about California. Our parents went to college, and they got through it fine.”

“And after college?”

“We’ll probably all return to the island, but I’d like to do some traveling first. I want to see and photograph the world before returning home.”

“Photograph it?”

His smile lit his entire face and stole her breath. “It’s what I love to do and what I want to study at college. I’ll show you some of my photos sometime if you’d like.”

She was grinning like a fool, but she couldn’t get herself to stop as she replied, “I’d like that.”

They lapsed into a comfortable silence again. “What if you meet your wife at college and she wants to live somewhere else?” Avery asked after a few minutes.

“I’ve never considered that, but if it happens, I’ll deal with it then.”

“And what if your wife isn’t a witch, what will you tell her?” For some reason, she didn’t like the idea of him marrying some phantom woman, but she was curious about how it all worked with them.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “For the most part, our families have stayed pretty interwoven throughout the generations, but aside from Landon and Alex, no one in our coven has any romantic interest in each other.”

Avery inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. She really didn’t like the idea of him with one of the girls she’d met on the beach, especially Sandra.

“There are other covens out there,” he continued. “We’ve had little contact with them over the years, but we know they exist, and perhaps we could meet our spouses there. Some of our ancestors married outsiders and moved away over the years, so it’s a possibility that some of us will too.”

“What about girlfriends? Did you tell them what you are?” Avery held her breath after asking this; she wasn’t sure she wanted the answer.

“I’ve only had a couple girlfriends, and we were never together long enough for me to tell them anything. It’s difficult to build a relationship with someone when you can’t reveal who you are to them.”

“True,” she agreed. “So you’ve never revealed you’re a witch to anyone?”

“We’re not supposed to.”

Avery thought of keeping such a big secret from her friends; she didn’t know if she could do it. “Do you think those witches who married people outside their coven told them?”

“I would think so, but I don’t know. That’s all future things to figure out; I think senior year is going to be enough to worry about, don’t you?”

He bumped her hip playfully with his, and she grinned at him. “I do.”

Before she knew what was happening, he draped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his side. His natural, sandalwood scent filled her nose as she instinctively turned into him. Her heart thudded with excitement as his hand ran over her bare arm; when she didn’t pull away, he draped his other arm around her and held her against his chest.

She’d never been held by a guy like this before, but it felt natural to be in Reid’s arms. When she lifted her head to look at him, they stared at each other before he bent his head and his lips grazed hers. The feel of his mouth on hers caused her toes to curl. For the first time all day, she felt as if everything was going to be all right and she had the irrational belief she’d found where she belonged.

When his tongue prodded her lips, she opened her mouth to him. She’d been kissed before; once on a dare, twice during spin the bottle, and other times by a few overeager boys who’d fumbled through the motions. One had been so enthusiastic he’d shoved his tongue down her throat; she’d nearly bitten it off when she started gagging. That had been her last and worst kiss and was only a few months ago.

She’d never been kissed like this though. There was no hesitance in Reid, no blundering, and no gagging as his tongue teased hers until she met it with more confidence. He deepened the kiss until all she felt and thought about was him and the way he made her body come alive.

She wasn’t sure how long they stood entwined before he pulled away. A sense of loss enveloped her when the kiss ended, and she searched his eyes while confusion and astonishment swirled through her. When she saw that he appeared as dumbfounded by the intensity of the kiss as her, she couldn’t help but smile.

Then he kissed her again.

CHAPTER 13

Landon held the crystal loosely between her thumb and forefinger as she dipped it into an herbal mixture she’d made before lifting it again. Avery watched in amazement as the crystal sparked and cast a ray of purple light over the counters and cabinets before returning to normal.

Avery had wanted nothing to do with the crystals, but this strange ritual and the way the stones reacted to Landon fascinated her. Landon whispered a couple of words to the stone that Avery couldn’t make out. Slipping it onto a chain, Landon clasped the crystal around her neck. When it touched her skin, it glowed before dimming once more.

“What are you doing to them?” Avery asked.

Landon smiled as she lifted another crystal from the counter. “I’m cleansing and charging them.”

Avery frowned at her. “You’re what and why?”

“Charging them. It helps to enhance their inherent powers, makes them easier to work with, and dispels negative energy. I’m using salt water, lavender, and the sun to do it.” She waved her hand at the sun streaming through the kitchen window and onto the white bowl with the mixture inside. “We’ll teach you how to do it later.”

“Okay,” Avery said, but she wasn’t so sure.

“Throughout the centuries, all our families have collected and handed down stones, crystals, and gems, and it’s important to cleanse them often. Each of us has our special stone that helps enhance our abilities; this one is mine.” Landon grasped the stone on her necklace before waving at the assortment of crystals spread across the counter on a velvety, black cloth. “Those all belong to your family and you. They’ve been locked away for years; I told your dad I’d get them ready for you to use.”

Avery rested her hip against the counter and gazed at the assortment of stones. They were beautiful with their various colors, but seeing them caused some of her resentment to return. There had been so many secrets in her family.

“How do you know which crystal is yours?” Avery asked.

“The crystal finds us, and yours will find you too.”

Avery resisted rolling her eyes as she pointed at Landon’s necklace. “What kind of crystal is that?”

Landon touched the purple stone. “This is an amethyst. It helps ward off evil sorcery and calms its wearer. Would you like to know what the other crystals and stones are?”

Avery glanced at the array spread out before them. It was a little daunting, but she supposed she had to start somewhere, and she couldn’t say no when Landon looked so excited about the prospect of teaching her.

“Okay,” she answered.

Landon beamed at her before walking over to touch a deep blue gemstone hanging in the window. “This is a sapphire. It exudes gentleness, peace, and helps clear your mind. This one”—she touched a pink crystal—“is rose quartz. It helps bring love to your heart and keep it near.”

Landon lifted a milky white stone next. “This is a moonstone. It brings the moon closer, protects its wearer, and inspires love.” Reaching over, she touched a cluster of orange crystals. “These are calcite. They amplify any magical vibrations they come in contact with.”

Avery tried to memorize what Landon was saying, but she had a feeling she’d be asking what they all were numerous times before it all sank in. She’d have to get a book on them; she’d always learned better when she could read and absorb the knowledge for herself.

Landon stopped in front of a crystal the same blue as Avery’s eyes. The stone was clear, unmarred, and about the size of a baby carrot. It hung from a delicate silver chain, tarnished with age. Landon’s face filled with wonder as her fingers grazed the beautiful stone.

“This is the crystal of rarity. It’s the only one in existence; I didn’t even know such a thing existed until your dad brought it out. He said it’s been in your family for generations, and that it helps get people through times of trouble. It also brings forth all of the elements—”

“Elements?” Avery interrupted.

“The four elements are earth, air, wind, and fire,” Landon said. “They are essential to life, used in spells, and we draw strength from them. They are always to be respected and used wisely.”

“Understood,” Avery said when Landon gave her a pointed look.

“We’ll teach you more about them and how to use them as your powers and knowledge grows,” Landon said.

“Okay,” Avery said. “What exactly do you do with your powers?”

“Mostly small things,” Reid said.

“And only good things,” Landon said. “Abusing your powers can have consequences.”

“Such as?” Avery asked.

“If you do dark things with them your soul becomes blacker. The deeper you spiral into that darkness the more it eats away your soul until you’re left with nothing.”

Avery gulped at this.

“We don’t use our powers to gain things for ourselves,” Landon continued. “I mean, I’ve used them to find my car keys and to escape an annoying conversation, but not to pass a history test or win the lotto. Those kinds of selfish gains are different and have consequences.”

“The coven tries to do good,” Reid said. “We once saved a pod of beached dolphins. We have a strong affinity with nature and try to do a lot with it, but we don’t use our powers often.”

“Why not?” Avery asked.

“We don’t want to be discovered,” Landon said. “We don’t know what would happen if we were.”

“I see,” Avery murmured.

Landon rested her hand on Avery’s shoulder and squeezed it. “I promise, we’re not evil and we don’t use our powers to summon the dark lord or anything like that.”

“I didn’t think you were,” Avery assured her.

Landon released her shoulder and focused on Avery’s crystal again. “The crystal of rarity also helps call upon the dead and open portals between worlds.”

Avery was so focused on the stone that it took a minute for Landon’s words to penetrate. “Worlds?” she blurted.

Landon gave her a kind smile. “There are many different levels of existence, such as physical and spiritual.”

“Are you saying there are ghosts?” Avery asked.

“There are spirits,” Landon said. “And we can communicate with them. Though it’s tricky and often the dead prefer to be left alone.”

“So do the living,” Reid muttered, and Avery cast a look at him over her shoulder.

“So do the living,” Landon agreed.

“And these spirits reside on other worlds?” Avery asked.

“Some of them do,” Landon said. “It might make it easier if you think of them as planes instead of worlds. There are thousands of other planes existing alongside ours. As the living, we can enter some of them, and sometimes the occupants of them can enter our world too, but for the most part, they never cross.

“However, nothing ever truly dies, and the souls of those who have passed on need somewhere to go when their bodies fail; those worlds are where they reside. Witches have especially powerful planes as they often take some of their magic with them when they perish.”

Avery gawked at her. She’d received too much information in the past couple of days to make it easy for her to absorb this. “I see,” she mumbled, not knowing what else to say.

Landon gave her a sympathetic smile as she patted Avery’s hand. “I know this is all overwhelming right now, but it will get easier, and we’ll help you get through it.”

When Reid came to stand beside her, his chest pressed against Avery’s shoulder. “Beautiful color,” he said as he touched the crystal of rarity before his eyes met hers. “It might help Lila.”

When he dangled the crystal before her, Avery couldn’t tear her eyes away from it. Entranced by its brilliant color and swirling depths, she reached out to touch it. Before her fingers connected with it, the crystal sparked and swayed toward her. Avery jumped back and collided with Reid.

He rested his hand on the small of her back as he steadied her. “It’s okay. Try again,” he encouraged.

Avery cast him a doubtful look, but she stretched a shaky hand toward the crystal once more. It swayed toward her and sparked again. Without thinking, her hand clenched around it and warmth flooded her palm. The crystal’s blue light oozed from between her closed fingers to dance across her face.

“Can I see it?” Landon asked.

Avery almost jerked the crystal away from her, but she managed to restrain herself from doing so. She nodded, but Landon still had to ease it from Avery’s fist. The crystal remained normal in Landon’s grasp, but when she moved it toward Avery, it sparked and swung toward her again.

“Your crystal has found you,” Landon told her.

Feeling like a chipmunk hoarding all its nuts, Avery reclaimed her crystal and hunched over it as she cradled it in her palms. It pulsed in her hands as its power oozed from her palms, down her arms, and out through her chest. She finally understood the draw of crystals as her heartbeat fell into rhythm with the pulsing stone.

“I want to give it to Lila,” she whispered. She’d prefer never to let it go again, but she would do anything to help her friend.

“But it’s the only one in existence, and it’s yours,” Landon protested. “All of us have our favorite crystals to work with, but if they’re lost we can replace them; you can never replace that.”

“Lila could use it,” Avery insisted.

Landon looked longingly at Reid, but when he didn’t say anything, her shoulders slumped in resignation. “Okay, but you will need it back; your crystal is a part of you. We’ll charge it before you take it to her.”

Landon led her back to the mixture. Following Landon’s instructions, Avery dipped the crystal into the bowl and allowed it to sit in the sunshine. The heat flaring up her hand grew until it permeated the marrow of her bones. The intensity of it startled her, but it wasn’t an unpleasant sensation.

When the heat lessened, she removed the crystal and whispered the incantation Landon told her to say. The crystal glowed brighter than before and more vividly than the amethyst Landon had worked on.

“It’s very powerful,” Landon murmured. “Make sure she keeps it safe.”

“She will,” Avery said before turning to Reid. “It’s only a twenty-minute walk. Would you like to go back to the hospital with me?”

“Yes. I’ll be back soon,” he said to Landon.

“Okay. I’ve already called Rosie and Sandra to let them know about Avery; I told them to pass the news of her awakening and birthmarks on to the others.”

“Good,” Reid said.

“What did Sandra say?” Avery asked.

Landon smiled at her. “Not much. For the first time in all the years I’ve known her, Sandra was almost speechless.”

Avery grinned back at her before saying goodbye and turning to leave. Reid’s calluses rubbed against her palm when he took her hand as they walked outside and down the street. She’d never held hands with a boy before, but her fingers fit seamlessly in between his strong ones.

• • •

“It’s beautiful,” Lila said as she gazed at the crystal of rarity. “It’s the same color as your eyes.”

“Hmm,” Avery murmured as she finished clasping the chain around Lila’s neck. She took a step back and slid onto the chair next to the bed. Lila glanced at Reid when he moved to stand behind Avery.

“I thought you might be a witch,” Lila whispered as she clasped the crystal and lifted it off her chest.

Avery bolted upright in the chair. “What? How?”

Lila smiled shyly and lowered the crystal. “When I was little, my mom told me stories about witches living on Cape Cod. I knew your dad had lived there and your mother still did. From the second I met him, it was impossible not to notice the vitality your dad radiated. I didn’t want to sound like an idiot, and I really believed it was a story, so I never said anything to you about it.

“When we were eleven, your mother came for a visit, and it was impossible not to notice the way she seemed to glow too. I’d always thought my mom made up the witch stories to put me to sleep, but after I met your parents, I wondered if they were true. Then the years passed, and I forgot about it, but after seeing you and Reid today, and now this crystal, I’m convinced the stories were true.”

Lila’s eyes filled with tears. “Are you going to leave us now?”

At first, Avery was too astonished by Lila’s revelation to respond. She merely stared at her before finally touching her shoulder. “I’ll never leave you,” she promised.

Lila smiled weakly, but her eyes were filled with doubt when they traveled to Reid. “I suppose you want to take her from us.”

Reid stepped around the chair and clasped Lila’s hand. “Not at all,” he assured her. “You accept this; you accept us?”

“What choice do I have?” Lila asked.

“You could reject us, hate us, or fear us. It’s happened in the past,” he said. “Or you could tell people about us. Many wouldn’t believe you, but some would, and there are those who would love to get their hands on us so they could use us for their own means.”

Avery’s skin crawled at his words; she couldn’t lose Lila, and she didn’t want to end up in some laboratory. Besides, she doubted she could do anything that would be worthwhile for anyone else, but she wasn’t willing to take the chance someone might disagree with her. She believed most people were good, but there were enough bad ones out there to make what Reid said a possibility.

Lila paled as she gazed at Reid. “I could never do any of those things to Avery!” she protested. “She’s my best friend; I would never hurt her.”

Avery’s shoulders sagged as tension seeped out of her, and her hand tightened on Lila’s shoulder.

“Then I think we’ll be good friends too,” Reid said.

“Me too,” Lila whispered.

“But you can’t ever tell anyone about us.”

Lila folded her thumb and pinky together and held up her other three fingers. “Girl Scout promise,” she said solemnly.

“That’s very serious,” Avery said to Reid. “We went through three years of Girl Scouts together and have never broken a vow.”

Reid looked doubtful as he gazed between the two of them; it probably didn’t help they were both trying not to laugh. “And I thought Girl Scouts were all about the cookies,” he said.

Avery and Lila laughed. “Those cookies are amazing,” Avery said.

“Yeah, they are,” he agreed.

Lila stifled a yawn before turning to Avery. “Tina thinks you bought contacts.”

“No contacts.”

“Why are your eyes so different?” Lila asked.

“Her powers have been awakened,” Reid said.

This time, Lila couldn’t stop herself from yawning loudly. “Amazing.”

“We had better go; you should rest,” Avery said when Lila yawned again. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”

CHAPTER 14

Avery let the sand run through her fingers as she half-heartedly listened to Landon talking about her impending induction ceremony. She should pay more attention, it did concern her after all, but the tiny bits of crystal and rock in the sand fascinated her. She’d never truly noticed how many there were before.

Beside her, Reid’s hand brushed against the one she’d planted on the beach. His touch was comforting and exhilarating; without thinking, she slid her hand over until their fingers entwined.

After returning from the hospital, Avery agreed to come back to Cape Cod with them to be inducted into their coven. Landon had informed her that if they didn’t have the ceremony during the full moon tonight, she would have to wait another month. Avery still wasn’t entirely sure what it all meant, but she figured the best way to learn was to plunge in.

And so, for the first time in her life, she was plunging into the unknown without thinking it through first. Usually, the idea of doing such a thing would have panicked her, but this decision felt right, and she decided to trust her new witchy instincts.

“Well,” Sandra said from where she sat on a large group of boulders. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m bored. I say we induct our new member now.”

“We have to wait until the moon is up,” Landon replied impatiently.

Sitting next to Sandra, Shawn yawned loudly. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m also tired of all this talk,” he said.

Avery frowned as she glanced at the group sitting on the boulders. Mario and Eric were flipping through the pages of a magazine; they pointed at pictures as they snickered to each other. Phones were barred from the ceremony; otherwise, Avery was sure they’d be on those instead. Isla sat on the other side of Sandra with her knees against her chest.

Landon threw up her hands before walking over to sit next to Alex. “Forget it,” she said.

Avery turned to look at Reid. His eyes were darker than usual as he stared at his sister with disapproval. Smiling smugly, Sandra buffed her nails on her shirt before inspecting them.

Leaning closer to Reid, Avery whispered, “What’s going on?”

His mouth almost touched her ear when he replied. “Sandra doesn’t think Landon should be in charge of the coven, but a leader won’t officially be elected until we’re all eighteen, and no one else wants to do it.”

“And what do you think?” Avery asked.

“Landon takes the rituals, history, and rites far more seriously than Sandra or any of us. Sandra doesn’t want to oversee all that stuff; she just doesn’t want anyone else telling her what to do, especially Landon. They love each other, but they’re exact opposites and have always butted heads.”

Avery sat back to examine her cousin on the boulders. No, Sandra definitely wouldn’t want anyone else in charge of her.

“Do you think Sandra will try to be the leader when the time comes?” Avery asked.

“No, but I think she’ll try to make Landon’s life as difficult as possible.”

And she could see Sandra doing that too.

When the setting sun sent an array of brilliant colors across the twilight sky, Reid laid down and propped his hands behind his head while he gazed at the sky. Avery stared at him before steadying herself with a fortifying breath and rising.

She hesitated before walking over to the group gathered on the rocks. They eyed her warily as she approached. Then Mario shifted over and smiled as she settled between him and Eric. Avery ignored Landon and Reid’s questioning stares. If she were going to be a member of this coven, she would be friends with everyone, no matter how much she didn’t trust or like some of the ones sitting on the boulders.

“Do you like dirt bikes?” Eric asked.

“I’ve never really thought about them before,” she admitted.

“They’re so much fun,” Mario said enthusiastically. “I want this bad boy.”

He pointed to a picture of a dirt bike in the magazine he held. Avery forgot all about the battle lines between Sandra and Landon as Mario and Eric regaled her with stories about their bikes and the death-defying rides they’d taken on them.

They both offered to take her out for a ride, but after listening to them, Avery thought she might be safer jumping out of a plane without a parachute. She couldn’t help but smile and laugh with them as they were both easygoing, and their enthusiasm was contagious.

“All right,” Sandra drawled when the full moon rose to hang over the white-capped sea. “Let’s get this initiation over with so we can party.”

As Landon rose, her blue-green eyes fixed on Avery. Avery smiled at her as she hopped off the rocks. Reid glided across the sand to her and clasped her arm; his reassuring touch helped calm her anxiety over what was to come. Her feet slipped in the sand as he led her forward before squeezing her arm, releasing her, and striding away.

Avery stood in the center of a circle, surrounded by people who suddenly appeared as cold as ice. She realized she still didn’t know them well and glanced at the beach as she considered fleeing. However, Avery remained where she was, mostly from the look of concern in Reid’s eyes. He was the only one who didn’t look distant while he gazed at her, and she concentrated on him to help her get through this.

“Begin,” Landon said.

When Sandra stepped forward and tossed something at her, Avery started and almost fell over until she saw the red dust glittering in the moonlight while it floated around her. After Sandra, each member of the coven took a turn at tossing different colored dust at her. Impossibly, the dust remained floating on air in a circle around her.

Orange, green, yellow, pink, white, silvery black, purple, and gold combined with the red dust to float around her in the night. The dust tickled her skin; she almost laughed and tried to catch it, but the severe faces surrounding her stopped her from doing so. The dust wafted on the air for another minute before settling into a perfect circle around her feet.

“Do you vow to keep everything you learn about the coven a secret, including its members and what we are?” Landon asked.

Avery lifted her head from the sparkling dust to study Landon’s inscrutable countenance. They’d all been informed Lila already knew of their existence and how she’d figured it out; none of them had been happy about it, especially not Sandra, but there was nothing any of them could do about it. The idea of keeping secrets from Tina and Karen didn’t sit well with Avery. However, she had little choice if she was going to see this through.

“Yes,” she managed to say.

“Do you vow to be loyal to this coven, even if it means giving your life for it?” Sandra asked.

Avery gulped. My life? Why would I have to risk my life?

With a shrug, Avery decided she wouldn’t, and it was just part of the vows they all recited when inducted into the coven. Vows their ancestors had recited for centuries because, at one point in time, witches were hunted and the vows were more practical then.

“Yes,” Avery said.

“Do you vow to respect our spells and the powers we possess?” Alex asked.

“Yes.”

“Do you vow never to use your powers to harm anyone, especially a member of this coven?” Isla inquired.

“Yes.”

Landon pulled an ornate, black-handled knife from the leather holster at her side. Before they came to the beach, she’d told Avery it was called an athame and was a ceremonial knife used in many of their rituals. Avery watched in amazement as Landon slid the double-edged blade unflinchingly across her palm before handing the knife to Reid, who deftly repeated the action.

As the knife made its way around the circle, none of the others flinched or made a sound when they sliced their palms. Avery hoped she could handle it as stalwartly as they all did. However, she worried she might start cursing and jumping around like when she stubbed her toe.

Landon reclaimed the athame from Alex and stepped toward her. Avery eyed the knife like it might come to life and bite her when Landon offered it to her. When she claimed it, the blood of the others glistened on the knife, and she was glad she wasn’t a germaphobe as she brought the blade to her palm.

Biting her lip, Avery braced herself for the pain. Before she could chicken out, she drew the blade across her palm. She barely felt the slice as blood welled up and slid over her skin.

When Landon clasped Avery’s hand, Avery couldn’t stop herself from gasping when their blood mingled together. She felt every beat of Landon’s heart against her hand as Landon’s power streamed between them.

“The joining of our blood is the joining of us,” Landon said solemnly. “We are connected forever.”

Avery experienced a strange void when Landon released her to rejoin the circle. Reid stepped forward next, clasped her hand, and repeated Landon’s words. Her hand tingled as his power raced up her arm. He smiled at her, squeezed her hand, and stepped away.

Avery turned as each member of the coven came forward, took her hand, and repeated the words. Their blood mingled with hers, slipped into her body, and connected with her soul. Sandra came last; a small smile curved the corners of her mouth as she clasped Avery’s hand.

The same blood already flowed through their veins, but Avery couldn’t fully believe it as Sandra’s eyes glittered with devilish amusement. Would Sandra uphold these vows if push came to shove, or would she abandon the coven to save her ass? Avery didn’t know the answer to that question, and she didn’t want to test Sandra’s loyalty to find out.

Despite her obvious amusement, Sandra faithfully repeated the words and stepped away without incident. Avery’s gaze traveled back to Landon; was it over? Relief flowed through her when she found the coldness in Landon’s face was gone and the familiar warmth was back in place.

“You’re one of us now,” Landon said.

Avery had to suppress a chill as the words reminded her of some B horror movie about pod people. She’d taken this step willingly, but she had a life beyond this island and this coven that she was not going to give up.

Each member of the coven smiled at her as they came forward to embrace her.

“Welcome to the group, little cousin,” Sandra whispered in her ear when she hugged her.

“Thanks,” Avery muttered as stepped from her embrace.

“I’m so glad you decided to join us,” Landon said as she hugged her next. “This is where you belong.” Avery smiled, grateful for the easy friendship Landon gave.

Rosie bounded forward next and threw her arms around Avery. “I knew you were special!” she bubbled before letting her go.

Reid’s eyes shone in the moonlight as he hugged her last and she melted into his comforting embrace. Against her ear, his heart raced in his chest while his hands ran over her back. Stepping back, he continued to hold her when they turned to face the group. Wood was brought from behind the boulders, and a bonfire was started as the party began.

CHAPTER 15

Avery pushed herself up on the bed and gazed at the cream-colored walls and ocean paintings. At first, her strange surroundings confused her, and it took a few moments to recall she was in the guest room of Reid and Landon’s house. Then the events of last night rushed back to her, and she smiled as she hopped out of bed to stretch her back.

She dug clothes and her travel kit out of the backpack she’d brought with her, entered the small bathroom, and took a shower before dressing. When she finished, she poked her head out of the guest room and smiled when she spotted Reid exiting the room across from hers. Even with eyes still swollen from sleep, he was breathtakingly handsome.

He grinned when he saw her and stretched his hand across the hall to her. Avery clasped it, and he leaned down to kiss her; she had to rest her hand on his hip to steady herself as his kiss made her legs go weak. He pulled away from her and brushed a strand of wet hair behind her ear.

“Hungry?” he asked.

“Starved,” she replied as her stomach rumbled.

Reid led her downstairs and into the kitchen where his dad sat at the table with the morning paper in front of him. He lowered his glasses on his nose as he peered at them. “Well, hello, did you have fun last night?” he greeted.

“Yes,” they answered in unison.

He laughed as he neatly folded the paper. “Join me,” he said to Avery and gestured at the empty chair across from him. “Reid can make us breakfast. My name is Tom.”

Avery smiled shyly at him as she slid onto the chair. “I’m Avery.”

“Yes, I know.”

Avery shifted self-consciously and tried not to fidget while he studied her. Reid looked a lot like his dad who had light brown hair, and piercing eyes that were more gray than silver. Reid put a towel in the center of the table before setting a pot of coffee, a carton of orange juice, some glasses, and coffee cups on it.

Tom poured himself some coffee while Avery occupied herself with the orange juice. “How is your dad?” Tom inquired.

“He’s good.” Avery sipped her juice to wet her parched throat.

“Is he keeping busy?”

“Yes.”

Tom leaned back in his chair. “You look a lot like him.”

Avery managed a weak smile as her gaze fell to the tabletop, but before she could respond, humming issued from the hallway. A beautiful woman with auburn hair strolled into the kitchen. When her gaze landed on Avery, she smiled, and her blue-green eyes glittered with warmth.

“You must be Avery!” she exclaimed. “Reid and Landon have told us all about you.”

Avery blushed as she glanced at Reid. He smiled at her before turning back to the pancake batter he was stirring in a mixing bowl.

“My name is Deborah,” the woman said.

Avery ducked her head before replying. “Nice to meet you.”

Deborah kissed her husband’s head before returning her attention to Avery. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, thank you,” Avery said.

Deborah beamed at her. “Good. Reid, sit down, and I’ll finish making breakfast.”

Deborah shooed Reid away from the counter before picking up the bowl of batter. A knot of longing filled Avery’s stomach while she watched Reid’s mother. Deborah hummed as she poured some mixture into a frying pan, and Reid sat at the table. Watching Deborah, Avery could see why Reid and Landon were so open and warm. This woman would never abandon her children or her husband.

Avery’s gaze traveled to the window; she could see her mother’s Victorian higher on the hill. Why couldn’t Julie have been more loving? Why couldn’t she have cared more about her? Why couldn’t she have taken the time to cook Avery one breakfast in her lifetime?

When anger and grief coiled in her stomach, Avery looked away from her mother’s house. Being so close to Julie was making her long for things she’d given up hoping for years ago.

“How is your dad?” Deborah’s question tore Avery away from her morose thoughts.

“He’s fine,” she answered.

“That’s good. We miss him around here. It’s not the same without him, is it, Tom?”

“No, it’s not,” Tom agreed.

“What is your dad doing now?” Deborah asked.

“He owns a very successful law practice,” Avery said.

Deborah flipped a pancake, and the sweet smell of them filled the room as they sizzled in the pan. “That must keep him busy.”

“It does,” Avery said.

“Have you talked to your mom lately?”

Avery stiffened when the conversation took a turn she didn’t like. “No.”

“I was going to pay her a visit today; would you like to join me?”

The idea of seeing her mother sounded as pleasant to her as a Brazilian wax, but she somehow managed to keep her face impassive. “I have to go home soon. In fact—” Avery glanced at her phone. “—I should go now. I promised my friend I’d visit her in the hospital.”

“I’m sure she can wait. I know your mom would love to see you.”

“Mom,” Reid interjected, “Avery really has to see her friend.”

Deborah glanced out the window and sighed as she flipped another pancake. “Maybe next time. Won’t you eat some breakfast before you go?”

“No, thank you,” Avery said.

She was hungry, but she was desperate to flee this place of domestic bliss and all its reminders of everything she could have had if her mother were different. Oh well, there is no changing the past.

“I’ll take you home,” Reid said.

Reid climbed to his feet and stretched his hand out to her. Avery glanced nervously at his parents, but Deborah was focused on cooking, and Tom was engrossed in the paper again. Avery clasped Reid’s hand and followed him from the kitchen. She had a feeling his parents weren’t as unaware as they pretended to be, but she couldn’t resist touching him again.

“I’m sorry for that,” he apologized when they were in the hallway.

“Don’t be.”

“My mom means well, but….” His voice trailed off as he stopped by the front door.

“She’s friends with Julie.”

“Yes, and she likes to fix things.”

“Understandable.”

He studied her before releasing her hand. “I need to see if Landon’s gotten her lazy ass out of bed before we go.”

“Okay. I need to get my backpack.”

“I’ll grab it for you.”

Avery watched as he bounded up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Her pulse picked up at the way his jeans fit his lean, athletic build and long legs. When he turned at the top of the stairs and vanished, Avery focused her attention on the window next to the front door.

Thick black clouds had rolled in to block out the sun and towered ominously in the air. Suddenly, the gut-wrenching feeling the clouds signaled the approach of something more than a thunderstorm on the horizon hit her.

As if a vacuum had been turned on inside her, any happiness she’d been experiencing over Reid and her transition into this world of magic was sucked away. The hair on her nape rose; she felt eyes boring into her neck, but when she turned her head, no one stood in the hallway behind her.

Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that eyes were watching her from the shadows of the hall, and she couldn’t help but recall what Landon revealed about other worlds. She had the insane notion that if she stretched her hand forward, she could touch one of those worlds or feel some creature watching her from one of them.

It took everything she had not to back away from the hall, but she refused to retreat from shadows. As a kid, she’d never been one for the boogeyman, afraid of the dark, or certain that monsters lurked beneath her bed or in her closet. But now, she was almost an adult and convinced something hovered nearby.

This witch stuff is scrambling your brain. She tried to believe that, but her instincts screamed at her something was there and she should run, but run where? How could she possibly escape something she couldn’t see?

CHAPTER 16

A pounding drew her attention away from the hall as Reid left the stairs to stride toward her. “Landon’s still asleep. I swear she would sleep all day if we let her. Are you ready?” he asked as he handed her backpack over to her.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” she replied in a much lighter tone than reflected her mood.

Reid clasped her elbow before opening the door for her. They stepped into the gloomy day as the first rumble of thunder shook the ground. The thick, ozone scent of rain hung heavy in the air as birds soared away from the clouds.

Even the birds are fleeing something.

Don’t be ridiculous, Avery scolded herself as she climbed into the passenger seat of Reid’s Jeep.

“Did you have fun last night?” he inquired when he’d settled behind the wheel and turned on the Jeep.

“I did. Do your parties always go so late?”

The party lasted until nearly two, and everyone had been more at ease with each other. For the first time, Avery felt accepted by everyone as even Sandra wasn’t as hostile and abrasive toward her. It was also the first party she’d been to that wasn’t a girls’ slumber party or a friend’s birthday, and she’d enjoyed it.

“No, but last night was a special occasion. Our coven is finally complete,” Reid said as he pulled out of the driveway.

A loud clap of thunder rattled the Jeep as they drove away from the approaching storm. Avery gazed into the side mirror as the eerie feeling something was wrong settled back over her.

Hadn’t her mother said there was something evil out there and the coven needed her because of it? Had Julie been wrong, and now that the coven was complete, was something coming for them? Had they been better off without her?

No, none of that made any sense. Her mother must have been wrong about there being something evil out there. Someone in the coven would have told her if they believed they were in danger. She was being ridiculous; there was nothing out there waiting for them.

Julie said that because she was trying to scare Avery into joining the coven. Besides, if something threatening were out there, her dad never would have allowed her to do any of this. He wouldn’t have let Reid and Landon into their house.

She could ask Reid about it, but she didn’t want to sound like an idiot by talking about strange feelings and the sense of being watched. The coven would know more than her if something was wrong. She was a newbie compared to all of them, and she’d let her mother get to her.

Determined to ignore the uneasiness growing in her, she focused on a different question. “What was that dust stuff all of you used last night?”

The sky burst open, and a deluge of rain battered the windshield. Unable to stop herself, Avery jumped when the torrent enshrouded them. Reid turned on the wipers and headlights, but they did little to combat the rain, and he slowed to avoid hitting anything.

“As you know, each of us has our own crystal, but we also have our own color which comes from grinding our crystals to create the dust you saw. We use our crystals, dust, and colors to aid us in spells and ceremonies.”

Avery concentrated on Reid’s words as the howling wind drowned out the rhythmic thump of the wipers. “What crystal and color does each person have and what do they all mean?”

“My stone is hematite which is a silvery black color. It’s used as a grounder for excess energy and helps build self-confidence. My color, silver, represents moon magic, a peaceful state of mind, and helps reduce turmoil in a person. Landon’s stone is the amethyst, which she told you about. Her color is purple; it represents ambition and strengthens willpower. Rosie’s crystal is the rose quartz, and her color is pink, which helps overcome evil and represents love, honor, and friendship.”

Avery remembered what Landon told her about the rose quartz and thought it suited Rosie perfectly.

“Alex’s crystal is citrine, which can be used for creativity, inspiration, and relief from nightmares. His color, yellow, helps instill confidence, increases attraction, and aids in healing. Sandra’s stone is the ruby, which has the properties of love, passion, power, and courage. The color red represents love, strength, and physical vigor.”

Reid paused to take a breath before continuing. “Mario’s stone is the green fluorite, which is also known as the students’ stone. It helps enhance mental concentration and knowledge retention. His color, green, is used for spells of luck, financial success, and cooperation. Shawn’s stone is the orange calcite, which Landon also told you about.”

“I remember,” Avery murmured as she tried to retain all this new knowledge.

“The color orange is used for encouragement and adaptability,” Reid continued. “Eric’s stone is gold. It helps attract spirits and strengthens independence. The color gold represents attraction and makes people feel more secure. The moonstone belongs to Isla. Her color is white, which adds to spiritual strength, breaks curses, and represents faith and purity.”

Avery also recalled what Landon had told her about the moonstone. “I see.”

“Because they’re so expensive, Eric, Sandra, and Landon don’t use their stones to create their dust. There is no way we could afford to grind up amethysts, rubies, and gold on a regular basis, so Eric replaces his with fool’s gold, Sandra uses bloodstone, and Landon works with purple fluorite instead.”

“So my color would be blue then?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“What does blue represent?”

“Sapphire blue, like your crystal and your eyes, has great power in resisting black magic and is used in psychic activation. We’ll have to find you a different stone to make your dust with too. We also use other crystals and stones when it’s necessary for spells and rituals, but those are our primary ones.”

Avery took a deep breath as she massaged her throbbing temples. “I’m never going to remember all of this.”

He squeezed her hand before returning his to the wheel. “You’ll do fine; it just takes time.”

Avery nodded, but doubt ate her alive as she lowered her hands to stare out the window. “How did you find out you’re a witch—or are you a warlock?”

“Witch is fine,” he said. “When we were thirteen, our parents told us the history of the founding families and gave us the Books of Shadows that belonged to our family.”

“What are Books of Shadows?” Avery inquired.

“They’re books that witches write spells, the properties of herbs, stones, and important rituals in. They also write down their experiences, family heritage, moon charts, and day-to-day lives. There’s a lot of history in them; most of it’s boring, but some of it’s interesting. I’m sure your mom and dad will give you their family Books soon too.”

“Wouldn’t Sandra have the ones from Julie’s side?” Avery inwardly cringed at the idea of having to ask Sandra to see them.

“No. In cases like that, duplicates were made so each member of the coven could have their own Books to study. Landon and I each have our own set.”

“Good.”

He smiled at her before focusing on the road again. “Landon and I are the oldest in the coven, so we were awakened first. Unless… when is your birthday?”

“I’ll be eighteen on April thirtieth.”

“So, we’re still the oldest, or at least I am by five minutes,” he said. “We turn eighteen on September sixth. As the oldest, we received our Books first, read through them, and found the ritual used to awaken our powers. We went down to the beach and helped each other do it.

“When every other member of the coven turned thirteen, their parents gave them their Books, and everyone who was already thirteen would go to the beach with them to help awaken their powers. Mario was the last one, as his birthday is June twelfth. After everyone was awakened, we held a large initiation ceremony, and the rest is history.”

“You were thirteen?” she squeaked.

“We’ll help you learn everything you need to know.”

She was grateful for his reassurance, but she didn’t think she’d ever catch up to them. There was too much to learn, and she was sure there wouldn’t be enough time for her to do it.

CHAPTER 17

Two weeks later, Avery folded her legs beneath her as she leaned forward to stare at the thick Book of Shadows in her lap. The scrawled writing was difficult to read and beginning to give her a headache. It took all her concentration to decipher the words in it. Every member of the coven had three to six Books; she’d received four from her dad and two from her mother. She, Landon, Rosie, Isla, and Sandra were going through the Books her dad gave her.

So far, the only thing interesting in the Book was a family tree. She’d studied the names of her ancestors and their birth and death dates. Her great-great-great-grandmother Lisabeth wasn’t a member of the coven that existed a hundred years ago, but her older sister, Celia, was.

Unfortunately, Celia died at seventeen. A shiver ran down Avery’s spine as she realized her great-great-great-aunt was her age when she died. She knew people didn’t live as long back then, but she couldn’t shake the sense of foreboding creeping through her as she stared at Celia’s name.

Celia’s coven was the last one entered in the Book and the tree until her dad penned his name with her mother’s and hers into it. Avery studied the lines and bold print connecting Celia to the nine other members of her coven; they were all the distant ancestors of the coven Avery belonged to.

Why did the magic suddenly die with them? Until Celia’s coven, all members of the original families were inducted into their coven at the age of thirteen, and the covens were separated by generations, so parents and children were members of different ones.

Her grandmother was eleven when her sister died, and the coven seemed to have collapsed afterward as her grandmother was never inducted. For a hundred years, none of the following generations possessed any power. The Books were stashed in attics until Landon and Reid’s mother felt drawn to a trunk at her parents’ house.

Deborah was the first to uncover her Books again, and the rest of her coven went in search of theirs afterward. Otherwise, they never would have known about the existence of the Books. However, the Books did not explain the loss of magic or its sudden, inexplicable return. According to Landon, no one knew what happened to the powers the families possessed until Celia’s death and their parents’ strange awakening.

Flipping through the yellowed pages of her Book, Avery stopped at a section where pages had been torn from the leather binding. It was another mystery no one had an answer for, and all of their Books had missing pages.

The members of her coven all thought nothing of it, but Avery was certain the missing pages and the end of the magic a hundred years ago, were connected. For some reason, she was convinced it wasn’t a good connection.

Her strange feeling of impending doom hadn’t eased over the past two weeks. Instead, it had grown into a persistent niggle at the back of her mind. These odd little mysteries didn’t help it either.

“These Books aren’t much different than ours,” Sandra said.

Avery lifted her head to look at her cousin. Sprawled across her bed on her stomach, Sandra kicked her feet in the air. Her golden hair was pulled into a French twist that showed off the perfection of her features.

Sandra’s room was done in mostly white from the carpet to the pristine bedspread and furniture. The gossamer fabric hanging from the four-poster bed was red. Candles, perfume, makeup, nail polish, and hair clips cluttered her white bureau. The red stones dangling from the top of the large picture window overlooking the ocean cast beams of light across the cream-colored walls. A large TV hung on the wall across from the bed.

“Of course they’re not,” Rosie muttered around the pen in her mouth. “They’re from the same time periods, and all the families were very close. They all pretty much experienced the same things.”

“Why aren’t the guys helping us with this?” Isla inquired.

“Do you want to be in the same room with Mario and Eric if they have to sit and read?” Rosie asked.

Isla’s tiny nose scrunched. “No, I don’t.”

“I think we could all use a little break,” Avery said.

“I think a break is a good idea,” Rosie declared. “I know I could use something to eat.”

The door burst open and bounced off the wall with a loud thud.

“Be careful!” Sandra snapped.

Mario and Eric deftly ignored Sandra’s scowl as they entered the room. Shawn strolled in behind them, his permanent look of bored disdain fixed on his face. “What are you guys doing?” Eric asked.

“Do we look like guys?” Isla retorted.

“Not at all,” Alex said as he sauntered into the room and stopped to kiss Landon’s cheek.

Arms swept around Avery’s waist, causing her to cry out as she was lifted and spun around. Her laughter trailed away when Reid kissed her. For a second, she forgot all about the rest of the coven as his lips moved over hers in a slow, claiming caress.

She spent her days at the hospital with Lila, Karen, and Tina, but she’d spent nearly every night of the past two weeks with Reid either at her house or his. Usually, the rest of the coven was with them, but they’d gone to the movies a couple of times and spent a night alone at the beach where she sat between his legs, and he held her in his arms.

They hadn’t discussed their relationship or what was happening between them, but it was the closest she’d ever come to having a boyfriend, and the more she got to know him, the more she liked him.

She enjoyed listening to him talk about photography and had gone with him to take pictures of the sun setting behind some cranberry bogs. During the day, he worked construction with Shawn at the company Shawn’s dad owned. They’d started working there the summer they turned sixteen and also worked there Saturdays during the school year and on school breaks.

She’d finally worked up the nerve to ask him if he thought something dangerous might be out there and revealed what her mom told her. “Our parents have never mentioned anything like that to us,” he’d said. “I’m sure if they believed we were in danger, they would warn us. I don’t know why your mom said that, but we’re safe.”

“She was probably trying to scare me into joining the coven,” Avery had replied.

That had to be the reason if Reid and the others all believed they were safe, but it didn’t feel right. However, not much had felt right since her powers were awakened. While she felt as if her awakening had given her a missing part of herself, she also felt like she’d climbed onto a raging bull and was barely holding on to the pieces of her life.

When Reid broke the kiss, Avery laughed as he set her on her feet.

“Ugh!” Mario stuck his finger in his mouth. “You two make me sick!”

“You and me both,” Eric said.

Avery stuck her tongue out at them as she leaned against Reid’s solid chest and he wrapped his arms around her. “Bite me,” Reid said.

“Bend over and I will,” Mario replied with a grin. He laughed when Reid gave him the finger.

“What are you ladies up to?” Shawn asked as he leaned against the wall.

“Going over these Books,” Isla replied.

“It sounds as if we came at the right time then,” Mario said as he draped his arm around Isla’s shoulders. She shoved him away. “What?” he asked innocently, and Isla rolled her eyes.

Last week, curious as to how they handled the whole witch/nonwitch thing, Avery had asked the others if they dated. Rosie told her they dated outsiders on a regular basis. Avery still found it odd they referred to any noncoven member as an outsider, but that was the way they saw the world.

To them, there was the coven, and then there was everyone else. They may associate with people outside the coven, but they never completely opened up to them. Avery wondered if they would ever marry or have children, but she didn’t ask them about it.

“What are you guys up to?” Rosie asked the others.

“Not much,” Alex answered. “We thought you might like a break.”

“You read our minds,” Isla said.

“Good,” Reid said. “We brought some pizzas; they’re downstairs.”

“Great!” Rosie cried and bounced out the door.

“Don’t you dare eat all my pizza!” Mario yelled as he chased after her.

Avery laughed as Reid took her hand and they followed the others downstairs. The tantalizing aroma of pizza hit her as soon as they reached the bottom of the steps. Mario and Rosie were already fighting over the pizza with everything. Standing off to the side, Sandra was shaking her head in disgust.

“Come on, Rosie. I’m a growing boy!” Mario yelled as Rosie slid three pieces onto her plate. “You’re killing me.”

“I’m a growing girl,” Rosie retorted and turned so he couldn’t snatch a slice from her.

“The only things growing on you are those!” Mario cried as he pointed at Rosie’s voluptuous chest.

Rosie glowered at him. “What’s the matter? Upset you’ll never get to see them?”

“Hardly.” Mario snatched up the box and strolled over to the chair in the corner with a smug smile on his face.

Avery couldn’t help but laugh as she claimed a slice of cheese pizza. It was times like these when she enjoyed being a part of the coven. The easy camaraderie and teasing reminded her of a large, tight-knit family, but she could already see the two sides forming.

“We still need to finish going through Avery’s Books,” Landon said as she blotted the grease from her pizza with a napkin.

“Landon, we’re trying to eat here,” Isla griped. “Can’t you ever just relax?”

“No one, except for me, wants to be responsible for the ceremonies, rituals, and Books. You all run and hide whenever the subject comes up,” Landon said. “You want the power but none of the responsibility that comes with it.”

“We can work on the Books tomorrow,” Rosie said.

“I have to go home tonight,” Avery reminded her. “And I can’t come back tomorrow.” And there was no way she was leaving her Books behind for them to study without her. They weren’t the most exciting things to read, but they were hers.

Reid’s eyes were slate gray with anger when they met hers, but they returned to their pure silver color while he gazed at her. “All right, we’ll work on them over the weekend then,” he said.

“Fine,” Landon relented.

With that resolved, Avery tried to relax, but she found it difficult to do. Over the past couple of weeks, she’d learned more about crystals, herbs, special holidays like Samhain, and rituals, but she’d only used her power a couple of times since she was awakened and just for small things like charging crystals and once to find her lost sneaker. It simmered inside her like a pot waiting to boil over, but as much as she welcomed it, it also frightened her.

“Do you guys find it odd we’re all so close in age?” She’d been meaning to ask the question for a while but kept forgetting.

“Nope,” Mario answered around a mouthful of pizza.

“You’re disgusting,” Isla told him.

He grinned at her as he took another big bite that left cheese hanging from his mouth. Isla rolled her eyes but didn’t comment.

“You don’t find it odd at all?” Avery asked in disbelief.

They glanced at each other before shrugging. “All our parents are only a couple years apart in age, and they were all married on the same day,” Landon said.

Avery sat upright as Landon revealed this. “They were?”

“Yeah, they had a big wedding on the beach. Didn’t your dad ever tell you about it?” Reid asked.

“No,” she said. “He never talked about when he lived here or said much about my mother.”

“Why does that not surprise me?” Sandra muttered.

“Enough, Sandra,” Reid warned. To her amazement, Sandra shut her mouth.

“Within the next year of the wedding, all of us were born,” Rosie said.

Avery’s brow furrowed as she studied them. “Do any of you have siblings?”

“No,” Alex answered.

Avery was growing more perplexed and agitated by their impassive faces. She understood why her parents never had more children, but why hadn’t theirs? And why didn’t they question any of this?

“Why not?” she asked.

“We’re not asking our parents about their sex lives,” Isla huffed.

“Gross,” Mario groaned.

“I’m trying to eat here!” Eric protested.

“But don’t you find it strange that none of them had any more children?” Avery asked.

“I’m sure they had their reasons,” Alex said.

As the newest and least experienced person in the coven, she’d kept most of her questions to herself, but Avery was growing impatient with them and all the unknowns they’d never bothered to question.

“Don’t you think it’s strange there are ten of us, and there were ten witches in the last coven that existed?” she asked.

“Coincidence,” Shawn replied; it was the first time he’d shown any interest in a conversation. He usually stood impassively by, not speaking to anyone unless they talked to him first.

“Never really thought about it,” Mario said.

Avery restrained herself from asking if they ever thought or questioned anything. She had no business prying, but so many things were odd to her; the missing Book pages, the fact the magic abruptly ended a hundred years ago, that none of their parents had any other children and the bizarre way their parents’ powers were awakened all added up to questions she wanted answers to. However, they hadn’t considered any of it.

Maybe they were right and none of it mattered. They’d been doing this longer than her, but she felt it did matter. She couldn’t ask her dad about it. The last time she tried, he gave her the same answers they had. He didn’t know, and he’d never questioned it either.

She was being ridiculous, she decided as she took another bite of pizza. There were many unanswered questions in this world, and some things were just the coincidences Shawn said they were.

CHAPTER 18

“What are you doing?” Lila demanded.

Avery poked her head into Lila’s living room and grinned at her. Lila had spent a month in the hospital, one in which she endured a couple of setbacks, endless tests, exams, and physical therapy. She still wasn’t walking on her own and relied on a wheelchair to get around, but she was making progress, and the doctors finally released her yesterday.

“You’re the one who wanted a party when you got out,” Avery reminded her.

“I did,” Lila agreed with a smile.

Landon strolled past Avery with a bowl of popcorn in each hand. Alex followed with a case of soda and some water bottles. Standing by the TV, Rosie clicked through the horror movie selection as she bit her bottom lip and tapped her foot. She finally settled on a movie about ghosts before plopping onto the love seat.

“Come on, everyone,” Avery called into the kitchen. “We’re all set.”

She waited for Reid, Tina, and Karen to finish pouring the rest of the snacks into some bowls before strolling into the living room. She settled onto the floor with her back against the couch where Lila lay.

Reid sat beside her and leaned over to kiss her; he slid his arm around her waist and drew her against his side. Avery caressed the contours of his face and the faint stubble lining his chin before resting her head against his chest. Beneath her ear, the solid beat of his heart made her smile as his sandalwood scent filled her nose.

She’d only known him a month, and they still hadn’t discussed their relationship, but she didn’t think they had to. They were together; he was hers, and she hoped he knew she was his too, because she was starting to fall for him.

No, she’d already fallen. Never had she felt about anyone the way she felt about him; just seeing him brightened her whole day. The days they didn’t see each other, they still talked for at least an hour.

Avery glanced at the people gathered in the room. She’d invited the entire coven to Lila’s welcome-home party, but only Reid, Landon, Alex, and Rosie accepted. The others gave excuses why they couldn’t be here, but Avery sensed an underlying hostility in them. They didn’t like that she had close friends outside the coven, but that was too damn bad as she wasn’t giving them up.

The rest of the coven had been more open to her friends and they’d all hung out a few times. They’d even gone to visit Lila in the hospital a couple of times. Tina and Karen were still a little uncertain about Avery suddenly bringing in a new group of people, but they all got along well, and they especially seemed to like Rosie.

Alex turned off the lights when the movie started. Avery tried to relax against Reid, but a current of tension raced through her. She didn’t know why, but she’d been edgy all day. Nothing about the clear, beautiful day was upsetting, but the foreboding feeling gnawing at her all month had intensified today.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. Her heart swelled when Reid stroked her hair, and some of her tension ebbed as she lost herself to his gentle embrace. His scent and warmth lulled her until she was drifting between sleep and wakefulness.

Panic suddenly squeezed the air from her lungs. Bolting upright, she glanced around the room. She was sure something was watching her, but like that day in Reid’s house, she saw nothing in the shadows of the room. She wished Landon had never told her about the existence of other worlds.

“What’s wrong?” Reid whispered as he rested his hand on her shoulder.

Avery inhaled a shaky breath as her heart pounded and adrenaline coursed through her body. The hair on her neck and arms rose, and she twisted to see if someone was behind her, but she saw no sign of the menace her body was braced for.

“Are you okay?” Lila asked.

“Yes,” she whispered in a strangled voice.

Reid frowned at her. Feeling like a fool, she turned away from his scrutiny and sat back. Everyone was staring at her, but eventually, they turned their attention back to the movie. When Avery clasped Reid’s hand, his reassuring strength calmed her. The fingers of his free hand traced her cheek as he pushed a strand of hair behind her ear before leaning over to kiss her cheek.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he whispered in her ear.

Not trusting herself to speak, Avery smiled tremulously at him. His fingers lingered on her face as his silver eyes burned into hers. Unable to stop herself, Avery kissed him again. He cradled her cheek in his hand before pulling away to kiss the tip of her nose.

Avery smiled at him before settling against his side again. The movie went by in a blur that wasn’t fast enough for her liking as she continued to search the corners of the room for something watching them. She was grateful when Rosie hopped up and turned on the lights.

“What’s next?” Rosie inquired.

“Board game,” Karen suggested.

“Poker,” Alex said.

“How about a séance?” Lila asked.

“That sounds like fun,” Tina said. “We’ll need candles.”

“There are some in the kitchen,” Lila said.

“I’ll get them.” Avery jumped to her feet and hurried from the room.

She searched the kitchen before discovering four teacup candles and a box of matches in the drawer beside the sink. Avery tried to ignore the tremor in her hand as she worked, but she dropped the matches on the floor when she pulled them from the drawer with the candles.

She shut the drawer with a bang, and everything inside it rattled. Get it together, she scolded herself. You’re being a neurotic idiot over nothing!

“Did you find them?”

Avery jumped at the question and spun to find Reid leaning against the doorframe. He looked so handsome and relaxed while she felt like she’d grabbed a live electrical wire.

“Ye-yes,” she stammered and held the candles up. “Is a séance going to work?”

He came forward to claim the two red and two white candles from her. “All white would have been better, but it might. Are you sure you’re okay? You seem a little jumpy.”

“Fine,” she murmured as she bent to snatch the matches from the floor.

When she rose again, he set the candles on the counter and planted his hands on either side of her hips. Instinctively, her hands rose to his chest before slipping around his neck. He leaned into her as he nibbled her bottom lip before slipping his tongue into her mouth to kiss her.

Avery’s muscles turned to mush, and he kept her standing with a knee between her legs. Laughter from the other room pulled them apart; a keen sense of loss shot through her when their connection broke.

He cupped her cheeks in his palms, and she saw herself reflected in his eyes while he searched her gaze. “I’m falling for you, Avery Miller,” he said.

Avery’s heart lurched, but this time it wasn’t with inexplicable dread as she beamed at him. “I’m falling for you too, Reid Davis.”

He was gorgeous no matter what, but when he smiled, it lit up his entire face and radiated from his eyes. His arms swept around her waist, and he lifted her off the ground to hug her close. Avery buried her face in the warmth of his neck as her fingers dug in to the lean muscles of his back.

“Did you find them?” Lila called from the other room.

Avery lifted her head from his shoulder to reply. “Yes!”

Reid reluctantly set her down and stepped away, but his hand lingered on her hip. Avery fixed her T-shirt, which had bunched up when he lifted her. Taking her hand, Reid led her back into the living room where they discovered the coffee table cleared of the drinks and snacks and pushed against the couch so Lila could participate.

Reid placed the candles in the center of the table, and Avery struck a match before bending to light them. Try as she might, she couldn’t stop herself from glancing at the shadows on the far side of the room as she placed the match to each wick.

When the candles were lit, Avery blew out the match, and Reid switched off the lights. For the first time in her life, Avery found herself afraid of the dark as sweat beaded her forehead and a trickle slid down her nape. She almost shouted at him to turn the lights back on, but Lila was tapping the table.

“Sit,” Lila said.

Avery couldn’t refuse her. Lila had been through so much, and all of it was real; she was turning into an emotional basket case for no reason at all.

“Does anyone know how to do this?” Karen asked.

“I’ve been to a séance before,” Landon said as she knelt across from Avery at the table. The candlelight cast shadows across her beautiful face and reflected in her blue-green eyes. “Everyone join hands. No matter what happens, keep holding hands or the circle will break.”

“What happens then?” Tina whispered.

“If we contact a spirit and we break the circle, then that spirit will be able to escape their realm.”

Tina and Karen giggled, but Avery knew Landon was telling the truth. That trickle of sweat was turning into a river as Avery’s shirt stuck to her back. She resisted the impulse to look behind her when she clasped Lila and Reid’s hands. She hoped her palms weren’t as sweaty as she thought they were.

“Who do we concentrate on contacting?” Lila asked.

“How about Elvis?” Rosie suggested. “Let’s see if he really is dead. Plus, that hip shaking thing was hot.”

“How old are you?” Alex asked.

Rosie chuckled. “My grandma was a big fan, and I’ve always liked a guy with moves.”

“We’ll just concentrate on trying to speak with any spirit,” Landon said.

“Should we be doing this?” Avery couldn’t stop herself from asking.

“It will be fun!” Lila said.

Avery didn’t have the heart to refuse her.

“Everyone close your eyes and concentrate on reaching out to a spirit from one of the other realms,” Landon said.

With a sigh of resignation, Avery closed her eyes. After a few minutes, the warmth of Reid and Lila’s hands and the flickering candlelight dancing against her eyelids lulled her. She’d intended to keep her mind closed off, but she found herself opening to the swell of power in Reid’s fingertips.

She instinctively sought that power out and connected to it in a way she hadn’t since the night of her initiation. It flowed through her, and as it did so, she realized she also felt Rosie, Alex, and Landon. Though it had healed, the place where she cut her palm with the athame throbbed from the swell of their power.

She tried to inhale a deep breath, but the air felt as thick as glue when it slid past her lips. The hair on her body rose, and a chill cooled her sweat. With complete certainty, she knew they weren’t alone in the room. Something evil, deadly, and completely wrong had joined them.

Her eyes flew open; she almost ripped her hands free, but Lila and Reid held onto her. The sputtering candles nearly went out before bursting into torches that licked the ceiling while the flames roared. Avery recoiled from the searing heat as everyone’s eyes flew open.

“I don’t like this,” Rosie whispered.

Avery completely agreed, but she had no idea how to stop it. Karen tumbled back when a flame lashed out at her, nearly catching her in the face. Keeping a firm grip on her hands, Alex and Rosie pulled her back to the table.

“How do we stop it?” Avery demanded.

“We can’t,” Landon said, her face abnormally pale. “It’s too late for that.”

A gray mist began to waft up from the center of the candles to float insidiously in the air. Slowly, the mist took on the form of a man with pitch-black hair that lay in tangles across his broad shoulders. His clothes hung in tatters on his tall, looming body, and what remained of those clothes was from a long-ago era, possibly World War I.

The scars slashing his face cut across his piercingly cold, electric blue eyes. Twisted to the left, his ruined nose almost touched his high cheekbone. Avery couldn’t move as his striking gaze turned to her. She gulped before edging as far from the table as the grip on her hands would allow. A smile curved the man’s scarred lips as he floated closer to her.

If she’d been able to move her legs, she would have bolted from the room. However, her legs were locked down as effectively as if she were a lab specimen pinned and ready for dissection. Those vivid eyes burned into hers until they pierced her soul.

His smile faded as he floated closer and stretched a hand out to her. Avery stared at his elegant fingers while her stomach tumbled in violent somersaults. A ring encircled his right index finger, but she could only make out its golden band.

“Join me.” His voice was seductive and held a musical, hypnotic quality. “You can feel our connection. Join me.”

All eyes swung toward her, but she couldn’t move her head to acknowledge their curious gazes because she did feel a connection to him. Something about this man called to her, and she found her gaze locked on his. Those blue eyes became all she could see until she felt as if she were swimming in their electric depths.

She dimly realized Reid and Lila’s hands were slipping away from her; she knew if she lost them, she would be lost. Yet, entranced by the man in front of her, she couldn’t hold onto them. Their hands no longer warmed her chilled skin, and she didn’t feel the floor beneath her feet anymore. Was she floating?

“No!” Lila cried.

“Avery!” Landon yelled.

Their voices sounded like they were coming from miles away instead of the same room as her. The faces of her friends faded as the room spun. With a sudden lunge, the man turned his hand over and grasped her wrist. Her skin where he touched turned to ice, goose bumps broke out on her flesh, and her teeth chattered.

A scream caught in her throat as the room lurched back into focus. She was standing at the end of the table with her left wrist in his grasp. She had no idea how his misty hand could be holding her so forcefully, but when she tried to pull free, his deathly grip was tighter than any manacle.

Reid jumped to his feet and seizing her shoulders, he tried to pull her away, but the spirit didn’t release her. An eerie laugh echoed in her head, and somehow, she knew it was coming from the man although he didn’t open his mouth.

On the other side of the table, Alex lunged forward as if trying to tackle the spirit. All he succeeded in doing was falling through the ghost before rolling away. In the brief time they touched, Alex’s lips turned blue, and he was shivering.

Fighting against the cold, Avery swung her right hand up and slashed at the arm of the hand holding her. She instantly lost the feeling in her hand when it sank through the mist, dispersing his arm, but the spirit’s grip didn’t loosen.

How is this possible?

How is being a witch possible?

But she could wrap her mind around being a witch and having powers; she couldn’t wrap it around this thing holding her while the mist dispersed before coalescing back together. Yanked forward, strangled sounds squeaked from her. Reid’s hands scrambled for purchase on her shirt and back, but she was already falling away from him.

A scream echoed in her head as a hole opened before her, and the room vanished; she tumbled into a black void. The hand released her as currents of air battered her body and evil swallowed her whole.

CHAPTER 19

The pounding in her head made it impossible for Avery to fall back asleep. She tried to open her eyes, but her lids felt like they were weighed down, and she gave up. When her fingers dug into the thick fabric beneath her, she realized she was lying on a carpet.

With a loud groan, she finally opened her eyes and blinked at the darkness surrounding her. It took her some time to realize light was filtering beneath the crack of the closed door across from her. She reached for her phone in her pocket, only to discover it was gone. The scent of candle wax drifting to her teased memories into her foggy mind. She’d been at Lila’s; they’d watched a movie, and then… and then….

That was where her memories faded. Groaning again, she shoved her battered body into a sitting position. Why did she hurt so bad?

The answer eluded her, and she knew the only way to find out was to leave this room, but rising seemed an impossible feat right now. However, she couldn’t stay here forever. Fighting back a wave of nausea, she climbed to her feet. Standing with her arms out beside her, she braced herself as her legs wobbled like a newborn colt.

When she was sure she wouldn’t throw up or fall, Avery shuffled toward the door. She kept her arms outstretched as she blindly searched for furniture. Please lead to Lila’s living room. Please. Please. The desperate plea became a mantra in her head, but she suspected she wouldn’t find her friends on the other side of this door.

Stopping in front of the door, her fingers brushed over the wood as she sought the knob. She groped lower until she found the cold metal and pulled the door open.

Feeling like a vampire exposed to sunlight, Avery threw up her hands to shield her eyes when light burst into them. Blinking rapidly, she tried to adjust to the influx of light as she kept her face averted from it. Eventually, she could see well enough to realize she stood inside a home she didn’t recognize.

Leaning out, she craned her head to see down the hallway. Dark wood paneling covered the walls, and a bloodred carpet lined the floor. Torches, hanging in golden sconces every few feet along the walls, illuminated the seemingly endless hall.

Gaping, Avery stared down the corridor as she tried to decipher where she was, but she didn’t have the faintest idea. Turning her head, she found a solid wall a few feet away from her. Well, at least there was only one way for her to go.

The plush carpet sank beneath her sneakers when she stepped from the room, and the door slammed shut behind her. Avery squeaked and jumped like a startled cat as she glanced over her shoulder.

With her heart thundering against her ribs, Avery’s breath came in pants as she crept down the hall. The flames of the white candles cast shadows across the carpet and walls. The air caressing her skin caused goose bumps to break out on her bare legs and arms. She wished she’d worn jeans and a long-sleeved shirt instead of her cutoffs and a black T-shirt, but it was August, and it had been a lot warmer earlier in the night.

Avery studied her surroundings in the hopes of finding something to help her figure out where she was, but there was only this hallway. Though the hall was innocuous and pretty, she sensed an underlying evil in the air.

After a couple of hundred feet, an arched doorway opened on her left. She peered cautiously around the corner to discover an old-fashioned sitting room. An antique, red velvet sofa with spindly legs sat against the left wall, and a gray stone fireplace took up the entire back wall. The fire crackling in the hearth cast shadows across the black and white marble floor.

The fire should have felt warm and inviting, but Avery’s bones remained encased in ice. The reflection of the flames danced across the surface of the gold coffee table in the middle of the room. Intricately carved designs etched the table’s legs and sides.

Avery craned her head to find a staircase on the right side of the room leading to a large balcony on the second floor. The ivy draped over the railing of the balcony fell in thick waves that blocked the back of the staircase.

With her eyes riveted on the golden railing of the stairs, Avery crept into the sitting room. The firelight glimmered across the snakes and dragons elaborately carved into the staircase railing. The dragon’s eyes were filled with rubies while the snake’s eyes sparkled with emeralds.

Where am I? The question screamed through Avery’s head, but she had no answer for it. This has to be a dream.

When she clasped the railing, the gold was cool and solid beneath her palm. She gawked at it; if this were a dream, then the banister wouldn’t feel so real, would it?

She hesitantly climbed a step as she studied the hall running along the balcony; more closed doors lined it. She took a few more steps as she craned her head to see if there was something more beyond where the balcony vanished into another hallway.

“I wouldn’t go up there if I were you.”

Avery whirled so fast her feet slipped on the step. She fumbled precariously but somehow managed to catch herself before plummeting to the marble floor. Her heart pounded so fast that every beat rang in her head.

Taking a calming breath, she turned, and her memory of what happened returned when her gaze landed on the man from the séance. He appeared completely different, but she would recognize those striking eyes and the aura of power he exuded anywhere.

Standing before the stairs, he looked elegant and poised as he smiled smugly at her. The shocking color of his electric blue eyes, and the iciness within them, rattled her; yet she felt the same pull toward him that she experienced during the séance.

His midnight-black hair framed his sculpted face as it hung to his shoulders in thick strands that were no longer a tangled mess. With his high cheekbones, full red lips, and black stubble lining his square jaw, he could have graced the pages of any magazine or made a fortune in Hollywood.

Unable to fight the irresistible attraction pulling her toward him, Avery stepped down, closing the distance between them. His smile widened, and when he stretched his hand out to her, a flash of blue caught her attention; she looked down to see what caused it. A signet ring, with a large blue stone set in it, circled his right index finger. Two entwined snakes, with their mouths open to devour the stone, created the gold band.

Her mind screamed at her to run, but her legs refused to move. “Where am I?” She’d meant to sound demanding, but her words came out choked and tiny.

“You’re in my home.”

“Where is your home?”

“In my world,” he replied with a sly smile that made her heart plummet into her toes.

“Your world?” she croaked.

He quirked an eyebrow at her. “Yes, my world. You will soon find out what that entails.”

Avery had no idea what he meant, and she didn’t want to know. “Why am I here?”

His negligent shrug caused his lean muscles to flex beneath his clothing. The frayed clothes from the séance had been replaced by a simple white shirt and a pair of black pants that somehow made him look elegant instead of plain.

“Because I wanted you here,” he replied.

“Why?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

“Take me home!” she declared with more strength than she felt.

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because you belong to me.”

Her burgeoning rage was a welcome reprieve from her terror. “I don’t belong to anyone!”

His eyes sparkled with amusement. “Yes, you do, and soon you’ll realize that we belong together.”

“No. We. Do. Not!” She tried to lift her feet, but it felt as if the wood had melted beneath them and reformed around her ankles.

Move you, idiot!

She remained where she was as his eyes locked onto hers, seared into her soul, and grasped her mind. They were so beautiful. He was so beautiful. She cursed her legs as traitors as the strange connection pulsating between them ensnared her. She itched to run her fingers through his midnight hair and feel his lips against hers so she could taste him.

He took another step forward, and her lips parted in anticipation. When he clutched her hand, she nearly jumped out of her skin as a bolt of electricity shot through her. Someone else had made her feel like that too, but who…?

Try as she might, she couldn’t recall who it was as he rubbed her palm with his thumb and eased the tension from her.

This is wrong!

However, her whole body ached for more of his touch. When he pulled her toward him, all her chaotic thoughts evaporated as his lips descended on hers. She couldn’t recall why, but she knew this was wrong, yet she felt engulfed by him as his lips moved over hers and his power weaving around her ensnared her within its depths.

Despite the strength vibrating from him, she couldn’t shake the niggling doubt tickling the back of her mind. There was something she should remember. Someone whose kiss didn’t make her feel completely helpless. Someone who—

“Stop!”

CHAPTER 20

The shouted word caused Avery to jerk backward as the odd spell trapping her was broken. Malice flashed through the brilliant blue eyes hovering centimeters above hers. With the connection broken, she could think again, and she realized what she’d been doing.

With her back against the banister, she staggered to the side to get away from the man. Her foot caught on the next step; flailing wildly, she couldn’t stop herself from falling on her butt with a loud thump. The man turned to gaze down at her, and though everything about him petrified her, she lifted her chin to glower back at him.

When he turned his attention away from her, Avery shifted to peer through the golden rails of the banister. Before the ivy blocking the back of the staircase stood Reid, Landon, Rosie, Alex, Tina, Karen, and Lila. Their stance was defensive, and their eyes were narrowed on the man before her.

Awe filled Avery when she saw Lila standing on her own for the first time in a month. Whatever this world was, it didn’t play by the same rules as hers.

It’s them I have to remember, she realized. And Reid. How could I have forgotten them? How could I have forgotten him?

Shame crashed over her; she’d let this man, this stranger, kiss her. She couldn’t meet Reid’s gaze as a blush burned her cheeks. He would never forgive her for this, and she couldn’t blame him for it because she would never forgive herself.

She wanted to tell Reid that what he’d seen was wrong, but the words clogged in her throat. Not so long ago, he told her he was falling for her, and she’d said the same to him. Then she’d ended up kissing some asshat a short time later. Or at least she believed it was only a short time later, she had no idea how much time had passed since the séance.

She’d never considered herself fickle or insensitive, but that’s exactly what she’d been, and she hated herself for it. If she could, if Reid would let her, she would make it up to him somehow.

The man rested his hands on the railing and smiled in a way that reminded her of a shark before its jaws clamped shut on a seal. Avery realized the vast power he emanated was more than the rest of them had combined.

“You’re in my world now,” he said to the others. “I control you.”

Avery’s heart sank as she realized this was what he’d intended, but why? What did he want with them?

“We know how this works. We came willingly. We leave willingly,” Reid replied coldly, and his eyes flickered toward her.

Avery winced involuntarily when the man pointed at her. “She is mine. I brought her here, and she will not be leaving.”

“Who are you?” Landon demanded.

The man’s gaze remained fixed on her friends as he stepped down. A pit of despair formed in Avery’s stomach. Somehow, a primal part of her already knew who he was before he spoke. She had to resist clapping her hands and shouting like a two-year-old throwing a tantrum to block out the words he was about to utter.

“I’ve gone by many names over the course of my vast life, but you can call me Regan,” he said.

Avery cringed at the name, and she realized he was what her mother had been talking about when she warned of impending evil. Maybe her mother hadn’t exactly known what was coming for them, but it had arrived.

“Well, Regan,” Landon said the name as if it amused her, “we don’t know what you want with Avery, but you can’t have her. She doesn’t belong in this world, and if she stays here, it will destroy her.”

Oh crap. Avery wanted to believe this day couldn’t possibly get any worse, but she had a feeling it was about to take a sharp decline.

“I’d be willing to give her back if you do something for me first,” Regan replied slyly. “Otherwise, I might just keep her and screw the consequences. It does get awful lonely here.”

“What would you want us to do?” Rosie asked.

Regan leaned his hip against the banister. Though his posture was relaxed, Avery felt the malicious glee running through him.

“You’d just have to play a simple game,” Regan said. “And if you make it through, you can have her back.”

“What kind of game?” Reid demanded.

“Hide-and-seek,” Regan replied.

Her friends exchanged a quick look. Then their gazes landed on her, and she realized she was just sitting here while her life and the lives of her friends was being discussed. Placing her hands on the railing, Avery pulled herself to her feet.

“Why can’t I leave?” she demanded.

Avery’s hackles rose when Regan smiled at her like she was a recalcitrant child. “This is my world, and I brought you here, which means only I can open a portal to send you back. Unless your friends agree to play my game, I’ll keep you here, and because this isn’t a mortal realm, it will eventually destroy you,” he said.

Avery struggled to process what he was telling her. One minute he’d been kissing her, and now he was telling her that he would destroy her unless her friends agreed to play whatever twisted version of hide-and-seek he planned for them. And it would be warped, she did not doubt that.

“Can they leave?” she asked.

“They came here willingly and through their own portal. They can leave through their portal if they choose, but you cannot. I can do whatever I want with you.”

She gawked at him. “The hell you can!”

“Avery,” Landon said in a warning tone of voice.

Avery kept her attention focused on the grinning stranger, who oddly enough, wasn’t a stranger. Somehow, she knew him. “Where are we? What is this place?” she asked.

“I told you, it’s my world,” Regan replied.

“It’s a spiritual plane,” Landon said.

“And you’re a spirit?” Avery asked Regan.

“I am what I need to be, when I need to be it,” he replied flippantly.

Something about the vagueness of his answer was terrifying. “But—”

“There are no buts,” Regan interrupted. “You can’t leave if they don’t play my game, and win.”

“There will be no game!” she declared.

Gathering her courage, Avery released the railing and skirted around Regan. She despised everything about him, but she didn’t dare touch him again, she had no idea what would happen if she did. She almost flew down the last two steps and across the hall to her friends, but she wouldn’t give Regan the satisfaction of seeing her bolt like a rabbit.

Instead, she kept her head high and her shoulders squared as she strode forward with a confidence she didn’t feel. Regan’s cold laugh sent a shiver down her spine, but she ignored it as she reached her friends.

“How did you get here?” she demanded of them.

“They can leave, but you can’t,” Regan reiterated.

Avery gritted her teeth against giving him the finger; pissing off the powerful spirit claiming to hold her captive didn’t seem like the wisest of ideas. When Reid met her gaze, the distress and anger blazing from his eyes revealed the truth; she was trapped here.

“What are the rules?” Reid asked with his eyes still fixed on Avery.

“No!” Avery cried. “I can’t let you do this!”

“The rules,” Regan said, ignoring her protest, “will be explained as soon as everyone agrees to play.”

“I agree,” Reid replied.

“Same here,” Landon said.

“I’ll play,” Lila volunteered.

“Me too,” Karen said.

“I agree,” Tina said.

Avery doubted her friends knew what they’d agreed to. She was sure Landon and the others had explained something to them after Avery vanished, but it wouldn’t have been enough to prepare Tina, Karen, and Lila for what was to come.

“Count me in,” Alex said.

“I’m all in,” Rosie said.

Avery’s heart sank into her toes as Rosie uttered the last agreement. Slowly, she turned to look at Regan as he rubbed his hands together like a praying mantis getting ready to feast. Avery stepped closer to Reid.

“I can’t let you guys do this,” she said to her friends. “You know his game will be twisted and unfair.”

Reid grasped her hands and squeezed them. “This is the only way we can get you out of here, and we are not leaving you.”

She couldn’t believe he was willing to touch her after what he’d witnessed. Avery clung to him as the heat of his body finally melted the last of the ice from hers.

“There must be another way,” she whispered.

“There’s not, but it will be okay,” he assured her.

“The rules are simple,” Regan said. “You hide, and Avery seeks.”

“Wait—”

Avery’s protest became a startled gasp when a rush of cold air replaced Reid’s hands. In the blink of an eye, her friends all vanished as if they’d never been there. She spun in a circle as she desperately tried to locate them, but they were gone.

She turned on Regan, as he stepped onto the marble floor once more and studied her with unnerving intensity. “Bring them back!” she yelled.

“Only you can bring them back. The game has begun, Avery, and it is for you to locate and save your friends. Before you start, there is one more rule you should know. You cannot leave the house, at all. Do not even attempt it, but they’re all still in here. Good luck; you’re going to need it.”

He vanished as suddenly as her friends, and she found herself alone and slack-jawed in the large sitting room. The crack and pop of the fire sounded like gunshots in the silence hanging over the place. The power Regan possessed was terrifying and more than she would have imagined possible, but what was he trying to accomplish here?

She didn’t have time to stand here and try to figure it out; she needed to find her friends and get them out of here.

Wherever here was.

CHAPTER 21

Avery’s eyes darted toward the stairway. Regan had told her not to go up there, and she had no intention of doing so unless there was no other choice. There had been plenty of rooms to search along the hallway; she would start there.

Striding out of the sitting room, she headed back to the hall she’d entered after waking. Dismay filled her as she stared at the seemingly endless doors stretching out to either side of her.

Take it one room at a time.

It was all she could do as otherwise it would be too overwhelming. Turning to her left, she grabbed the knob and shoved open a door. She poked her head into a small, dimly lit den with an antique mahogany desk against the far wall. A large leather chair sat before the desk, bookshelves lined the walls, but there were no books on them, and there was nowhere someone could be hiding in the room.

She closed the door and gazed down the hallway. “Who is Regan, and why is he doing this?”

No one responded to her, but the tiny voice that whispered to her the night of her awakening reared back to life inside her head. The answer niggled at the back of her mind and tugged at her soul, but she couldn’t quite grasp it.

Shoving the voice aside, she squared her shoulders and moved on to search the next rooms. She came across a library, a study, two bedchambers, a room resembling an art museum, and a nursery that officially creeped her out as there was a baby doll lying in the antique crib. When she leaned over to look at it, the toy squeaked, Mama. Avery nearly lost control of her bladder before she fled the nursery.

All the rooms she searched were empty of her friends, and she became more desperate and forlorn with every one she went through. Had Regan lied about her friends being in the house?

Nearing the end of the hall, she shoved open another door and froze when she saw the large, hideous trophy room. Heads of elephants, wolves, bears, and tigers lined one wall; their dull black eyes stared lifelessly at her.

In the corners of the room were a full-sized tiger, bear, and wolf posed in different attack positions. Their open mouths revealed their large, lethal teeth. Those teeth gleamed wickedly in the flames of the white candles set in the brass holders lining the red velvet walls.

But no matter how disturbing and destructive they looked, they were nothing compared to the other creatures in the room. One of them stood about three feet high; it was purple with green spots dotting its mangy coat. Another was five feet tall with two snake-like heads rising from its footlong neck; each of those heads had six yellow eyes bulging from them.

However, those things weren’t the worst. No, the worst was the dozens of small critters that looked like a cross between a rat and a scaly, foot-high dinosaur. Standing on their hind legs, their foot-long arms had three-inch claws at the ends of their skeletal fingers and their razor-sharp teeth made a piranha’s look friendly. Brown tufts of hair stuck to their leathery skin, and she swore their beady black eyes followed her when she stepped into the room.

Making sure to leave the door open for a quick escape, Avery kept her back to the wall and her eyes on the room as she tiptoed toward a large closet. She couldn’t shake the unreasonable feeling that if she made a sound, they would all pounce on her.

Arriving at the closet, she edged open one of the doors and chanced taking her eyes off the room to glance inside. So afraid of the creatures in the room, she looked away again before her mind registered what she’d seen. Avery’s head shot back to the closet.

Rosie’s sky-blue eyes met hers as she cried out against the gag in her mouth. She lay in a ball on the floor of the empty closet. Forgetting all about the room, Avery flung both doors open and fell on her knees in front of Rosie.

“Are you okay?” she demanded as she pulled the gag from Rosie’s swollen lips.

“Yes.” Rosie’s voice cracked. “Are you?”

“I’m fine.”

“Have you found anyone else?”

“No.”

Rosie turned in the closet to reveal the hands tied behind her back. Avery leaned forward to undo the knots.

“Did he have any more rules?” Rosie asked as she rubbed her wrists together while Avery started to untie the rope binding Rosie’s ankles.

“I can’t leave the house, but he said everyone is in here.”

“Good,” Rosie said.

“What happened to you guys? One minute you were there and the next you were gone.”

“I don’t know. It was so strange,” Rosie replied dazedly. “I went from being with the rest of you to waking in this closet. Whatever Regan is, he has a lot of power.”

“Too much,” Avery mumbled. “And I don’t understand what he wants or is trying to do with us.”

“Unfortunately, I think we’re going to find out. What’s outside of these doors anyway?”

In her excitement over finding Rosie, Avery had forgotten about the room. She glanced back to make sure nothing was stalking closer, but all the critters remained in place. “A trophy room,” she said.

“With animals?” Rosie squeaked.

“Yes.” Or at least some of them are animals.

“I hate trophy rooms,” Rosie whispered morosely.

“Who doesn’t?”

Rosie brushed back the strawberry-colored hair clinging to her face with a trembling hand. “I mean, I really hate them. When I was five or six, we were having dinner at the house of one of my dad’s clients and he had a trophy room. I went into it and immediately started to cry. For years after, I had nightmares about being trapped in that room and the animals came alive to attack me.”

Foreboding crept over Avery’s skin, but she shoved it aside. The room was creepy but harmless. The things inside it were not going to come alive. She repeatedly told herself this, but she found herself listening for claws clicking against the hardwood floor.

Rising to her feet, Avery took Rosie’s hand and helped her rise. “Don’t worry. It’s awful in here, but they’re all dead.” She tried to sound reassuring, but the words sounded false even to her.

Rosie cast her a wary glance before exiting the closet. “What are those?” she cried and pointed at the little creatures Avery disliked so much.

“I don’t know.”

Eager to escape the room, Avery started pushing Rosie toward the door. Before they reached it, the door swung shut with a bang that reverberated off the walls. Avery jumped before lurching forward to grasp the knob. She jerked and twisted the knob before placing her foot against the wall and using all her strength to try yanking open the door, but it refused to budge.

“Hey!” she yelled as she dropped her foot and started pounding on the solid oak door. “Let us out of here!”

“Avery,” Rosie whispered. “Something’s happening.”

Scrape. Tick. Scrape. Tick. Tick. Tick.

Avery’s breath froze in her lungs; a cold sweat coated her body as she realized the tick, tick, tick was claws on wood. She couldn’t move as more scraping, ticking, and creaking came from behind her. Then a low growl broke her paralysis and she spun to face the room.

She flattened herself against the door when she discovered the animals had come to life. The eyes in the heads on the walls swiveled as gurgled cries erupted from their mangled throats. The wolf stepped off its stand and stretched leisurely before yawning to reveal all its teeth.

Why, Granny, what big teeth you have.

All the better to eat you with, my dear!

Once Little Red Riding Hood popped into her head, it was all she could think of while the wolf licked its muzzle before baring its fangs at them. Its vivid blue eyes focused on Rosie and Avery as bloodlust emanated from it.

With chattering cries, the small, ugly creatures leapt off their mounts. They edged forward with their furry heads undulating on their necks while they hopped up and down. Their long, scaly tails thudded on the floor while their claws ticked against the wood. The double snake-headed monster, and the purple polka-dotted one moved off their stands. The snakes hissed, and their red tongues flickered in and out.

Rosie plastered herself against the wall, and her hand clenched on Avery’s arm as the creatures all edged closer. All the color had drained from Rosie’s face and lips. Avery wrenched her arm free of Rosie’s death grip and spun back to the door.

“Help!” she screamed as she pounded on the door. “Let us out! This is not part of the game, Regan!”

“Yes, it is,” Rosie whispered.

She grasped Avery’s arm again and yanked it away from the door. Her nails dug into Avery’s flesh as she pulled her closer. “This is the game, Avery. You didn’t think he would make it easy for us, did you?”

No, she hadn’t expected it to be easy, but searching through endless rooms wasn’t exactly simple, and something like this had never crossed her mind. “I didn’t expect to be eaten,” she retorted.

“Neither did I,” Rosie whimpered.

“I… I can end this by agreeing to go with him,” Avery whispered in a choked voice.

“Don’t even think it, Avery. I mean it. This is bad, but if he wins, something far worse will come of it. I know it will.”

Stay calm, Avery told herself, but it was almost impossible not to freak out with the horrifying creatures closing in on them. Rosie shook violently against Avery’s side, and her nostrils flared with her every inhalation.

The bear’s claws scratched the floor as it sauntered to the front of the pack. Those claws could eviscerate her with one swipe. The string of drool hanging from its massive jaws plopped onto the ground in front of a paw the size of her head.

“How do we get out of here without becoming dinner?” Avery asked.

“I think we have to get to that door,” Rosie said and thrust out a finger.

Avery followed Rosie’s hand to a door on the other side of the room. It hadn’t been there when she first entered, but everything was changing around them. A surge of hope swelled in her; the door had to be the answer. But as fast as it came, her hope deflated.

Between them and the door stood a zoo of animals and creatures that would gladly use their bodies to fill their bellies.

The small creatures released a rattling, high-pitched screech. Avery longed to clap her hands over her ears to block it out, but the movement might encourage an attack. Leaning forward, the creatures opened their mouths and released another screech that caused the tufts of their hair to shake before all the tiny abominations raced toward them.

CHAPTER 22

Avery staggered back, but the wall blocked any escape from the scaly bodies and beady black eyes coming at them. She’d never been much for soccer, but instinctively, she kicked out and connected with a tiny body that was more solid and heavier than she’d expected.

Adrenaline fueled her, and when she drove her foot into its chest, the thing screeched as it flew across the room and bounced off the back wall. It slid down the wall and landed on its head where it lay for a minute before scampering to its feet.

She panted for air and kicked a few more away while Rosie did the same. For some reason, the other animals hung back, and Avery suspected it was to block them from getting to the other door. Rosie’s grip became bone crushing as she clung to Avery.

“Come on!” Avery shouted over the increasing cacophony quaking the walls and floor.

Unwilling to have her back exposed, Avery kept it to the wall as she pulled Rosie with her. The animals turned with them as they edged toward the door.

“Why aren’t they attacking?” Rosie whispered.

“I don’t know.”

The bear, wolf, and tiger moved to the front of the group. Their powerful muscles quivered with anticipation and hunger as they prepared to launch themselves. The bear released a loud roar as it barreled toward them with a grace Avery hadn’t believed the three-hundred-pound animal could possess.

Rosie screamed and released Avery as the bear closed the distance between them in three bounds. Avery seized Rosie’s arm and jerked her to the side when it rose up on its hind legs and released a roar that blew the hair back from her face.

Avery lurched toward the ground, pulling Rosie with her as a paw arched through the air and sliced into the wall where Rosie’s head was only seconds before. Avery’s elbow thwacked off the floor when she hit it, and Rosie fell across her legs. The bear bellowed and spun toward them.

“Move!” she screamed as she pulled her legs out from under Rosie and scampered to her feet.

Avery ran forward in a half crouch with Rosie behind her. A dozen clicking feet echoed throughout the room, and Avery realized the little creatures were charging again. When a tiny weight hit the back of her calf, it knocked her off balance and shoved her into the wall.

She glanced down to see one of the small monsters clinging to her bare leg. When it hissed at her, it revealed all its teeth and small, pink tongue that reminded her of a bird’s. Stumbling onward, Avery shook her leg while she tried to cast it away. It shrieked as it slid down her leg with its claws raking her skin.

“Avery, stop!” Rosie yelled.

Avery froze and a second later the tiger crashed into the wall inches in front of her. Paneling cracked and rained down before it slumped to the floor. She’d been so focused on ridding herself of the Hell creature that she hadn’t noticed the tiger preparing to attack.

“Go!” Rosie shouted.

Avery leapt over the tiger and nearly fell as the weight of the thing on her leg threw her off balance. Behind her, Rosie’s heavy breaths were loud as she stayed on Avery’s heels. They were only ten feet away from the door now; it was so close…

Nine feet…

Seven…

Four…

A ferocious growl came from her right. She caught a brief glimpse of the wolf’s powerful haunches rippling as it sprang forward, intent on killing Rosie.

“Rosie!” Avery screamed.

Rosie spun to face the deadly creature flying at her. Then her eyes narrowed into a killing glare. Avery gawked as the wolf, frozen in midleap, hung motionless in the air with its claws extended toward them.

Its blue eyes rolled in its head, and its mouth hung open as it snarled at them. Then Rosie flicked her fingers and it flew backward to crash into the far wall. It landed with a loud thud before returning to its original, inanimate state.

“Come on!” Rosie shouted and grabbed Avery’s arm to pull her onward.

Avery didn’t dare look back as they ran toward the door together. Rosie arrived at it first and twisted the knob. Relief filled Avery when it opened; Rosie plunged heedlessly through it. Avery didn’t pause to consider where the door might lead before she dove after her. Anything was better than the trophy room.

Her momentum carried her forward until she crashed into a wall. Her battered body screamed in protest, but her mind propelled her to spin and face anything that might follow them through the door.

Nothing emerged from the trophy room before the door banged shut. Avery slumped against the wall as blissful silence descended. Taking deep breaths, she tried to calm her racing heart and trembling hands.

When she could breathe normally again, and she was confident her heart wouldn’t explode, she lifted her head to survey the hallway. At first, she assumed it was the same one she’d been in before; then she realized it was a lot darker than the original hall and red candles instead of white illuminated the way. In this hall, there was only one way for them to go, to the left.

“Maybe you should get rid of that,” Rosie said.

Avery followed where Rosie pointed and blinked when she spotted the creature cleaving to her sneaker. Its teeth were buried into the toes as it stood ramrod straight out from her foot. When Avery bent and gripped it, its ribs poked through its scaly skin as she ripped it off. Brown tufts of hair pricked her palms when she turned it over to study its grotesque features before tossing the thing aside.

“Thanks,” she mumbled.

Avery wiped her palms on her jeans and studied the scratches the creature had left on her leg. Blood trickled down her skin, but the gashes didn’t look too deep, and she’d mostly stopped bleeding. She wiped away some of her blood before rising to survey the hall.

The candles only illuminated thirty feet of the thick red rug, wood walls, and four closed doors, before a barrier of blackness cut across the hall. It looked as if they would be stepping into a whole different world once they walked into that blackness, and she had no doubt Regan would ensure they entered it. What awaited them in the shadows?

“I guess we start searching,” Rosie murmured.

“How did you do that to the wolf?” Avery asked as they started down the hall.

Shrugging, Rosie stopped at the next door and pushed it open. For someone who’d just faced her worst fear, she looked remarkably composed. Color had returned to her face and she kept her chin thrust forward. But then, this probably seemed easy to her after surviving her worst nightmare.

“I used the powers we all possess,” Rosie said. “You have to concentrate on what you want to happen, imagine it happening, and let the power build up inside you. When you’re ready, you release the power, and most of the time, what you pictured happening does. You’ll learn how to do it; it just takes time.”

Avery peered into the empty room Rosie had revealed. “It would probably help if I could do it now,” she muttered.

Rosie rested her hand on Avery’s arm and smiled wanly. “We’ll get through this.”

“What about Lila, Tina, and Karen? They don’t have any powers. Will they be okay?”

“We’ll protect them, Avery. I promise.”

Avery chewed her bottom lip and braced herself before they stepped into the blackness enshrouding the hall. Instead of being sucked into a different dimension or pounced on by monsters, they discovered only another section of hall. This one stretched thirty feet before disappearing into blackness again.

She released a small breath of relief that faded when her thoughts returned to her best friends. What had she gotten them into?

“What is Regan?” she asked to distract herself before panic for them consumed her.

“I’m not sure. He’s a spirit for sure, but he’s more powerful than any spirit I’ve ever encountered.”

“You’ve encountered spirits?” Avery squeaked.

Rosie cast her a sheepish look. “Only a couple, and they were random ghosts I passed on the street after I was awakened. They never acknowledged me, and I didn’t feel any power from them, but….”

“But Regan radiates it,” Avery said when Rosie’s voice trailed off.

“Yeah.” Rosie shuddered and rubbed her arms. “He’s something more than a spirit. He might be a demon.”

Avery stopped in the middle of the hall. “You’re joking?”

Rosie couldn’t look more serious. “I wish I was. However, everything I’ve read about demons says they’re corporeal, and he’s not, or at least he’s not on our plane, but demons have come to our world before. They like to stir things up and wreak havoc on their victims, but they can’t stay long as our world drains and eventually kills them.”

“How long is not too long?”

“A week—sometimes less, rarely more.”

“Demons are real,” Avery muttered as she pondered this revelation.

“Yes. Some say the Salem witch trials, Spanish Inquisition, French Revolution, and other such events were started by demons trying to stir things up and turn humans against humans. They thrive on misery and death.”

“This place is pretty miserable,” Avery said; she refused to acknowledge the death part of Rosie’s words.

“But as I said, demons are supposed to be corporeal on our plane and Regan’s not, so I’m not entirely sure what he is or what he’s capable of doing.”

“He’s capable of anything.”

“I think you’re right.”

“Why is he doing this?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe he gets his rocks off by doing this, or maybe there’s something else to all of it, but until we know—if we ever do—all we can do is keep moving forward.”

“Very true,” Avery agreed.

They continued down the hall, and every time they stepped into the darkness, they discovered more of the hallway unraveling before them. Most of the rooms they opened were empty, but they came across another den, a gym, and four more bedrooms. The hall continued to unravel before them, but when they stepped through another patch of black, Avery finally saw the end of it.

They explored the remaining rooms before finally reaching the last door.

“Someone has to be in there,” Rosie said.

Without taking the time to think about it, Avery shoved open the door.

CHAPTER 23

Avery gasped when she saw the room. Cavernous with white, concrete walls and large fluorescent lights hanging from the steel beams running across the ceiling thirty feet over her head, it was completely unexpected. The lights reflected off the floor and sparkled in the clear water of the Olympic-sized swimming pool in the center of the room.

“Wow,” Rosie breathed as she turned to examine the room. “This is amazing!”

When Avery released the knob, she jumped when the door slammed shut behind her. The sound of it echoed off the walls and sent ripples across the pristine water. She glanced back, and her shoulders slumped when she discovered a white wall in place of the door.

“Guess we start looking.” Although she’d whispered, her words reverberated through the room until she heard herself saying them fifty more times.

Rosie’s awe faded as she gazed around the room with growing dread. “Yeah.”

A set of blue doors were set into the wall at the shallow end of the pool. Behind those doors was the only place a person could be in the room. Their feet slapped against the concrete floor and rebounded off the ceiling as they walked around the pool toward the doors.

“Who do you think it is?” Rosie asked.

“Lila.”

“Makes sense.”

Avery threw open the blue doors to reveal pool equipment filling its thirty-by-thirty-foot room. Hoses slithered across the ground, and nets leaned against the walls. Rafts, floats, and beach balls littered the floor. Barrels of chlorine were lined against the back wall and stacked all the way to the ceiling.

Avery and Rosie exchanged a resigned look before they stepped forward to start going through the mess. They tossed things out the doors as they carved their way through the chaos. They’d almost cleared the room when Avery lifted a deflated orange raft and came face to face with Alex. She blinked at him in surprise and then broke into a smile; he wasn’t the person she’d expected to find, but it was good to see him.

“It’s Alex,” she breathed.

Alex made a muffled cry against his gag and tried to sit up, but his bound appendages made it difficult for him to move. Rosie arrived at her side as Avery pulled the cloth from his mouth.

“Thanks,” he croaked. “I feel like I’ve been in here for days.”

“I think it’s only been hours,” Rosie said. She bent to untie the ropes binding his ankles as Avery worked at the knots on his wrists.

“Who else have you found?” he asked.

“Just Rosie.”

Alex sighed when the ropes around his wrists gave way. He rubbed his freed hands together as Rosie pulled the rope away from his ankles. When he climbed to his feet, he teetered on unsteady legs. Avery clasped his arm to steady him until he regained his balance.

“Thanks,” he muttered.

She smiled as she released his arm. “No problem.”

“Are there any more rules?” he inquired.

“Avery can’t leave the house, but everyone is supposed to be in here,” Rosie said.

“Then we will find them,” he said. “Whatever this place is, it’s his world. He can do anything he wants to this house and to us.”

“That we know,” Rosie said and proceeded to fill him in on what happened in the trophy room.

When she finished speaking, Alex glanced around the room. “Is there a pool out there?”

“Yes,” Avery answered.

“That’s what I thought,” he muttered.

“It looks pretty harmless,” Rosie assured him.

Alex laughed, but it was a bitter sound. “It won’t be for long.”

A knot lodged in Avery’s stomach. “Why not?”

He ran a hand through his white-blond hair. “Let’s just say that I’ve always had a vivid imagination about the drainage hole.”

“What about the drainage hole?” Rosie asked.

Alex looked helplessly at her. “That all kinds of weird and awful things will come out of it.”

Rosie groaned as she rolled her eyes. “Great.”

“We’ll stay away from the pool.” Avery tried to sound hopeful, but she failed.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to avoid it,” Rosie said.

Avery didn’t think so either, but she kept that to herself as they made their way out of the room and back into the room with the pool. She studied the concrete walls, but everything remained the same as it had before they found Alex. If something was going to change, it should have happened by now.

“Where’s the door?” she asked.

“What does it look like?” Alex asked.

“Like a door,” Rosie replied impatiently.

“Well, that looks like a door to me,” Alex said.

Avery looked where Alex was pointing, and her heart sank when she saw the door wavering beneath the clear water at the deep end… right next to the drainage hole.

“Wonderful,” Rosie muttered.

“Come on.” Alex gazed at the pool like it was the enemy he would conquer. “We have to face it.”

“We? This is your fear, pal.” Rosie grinned as she punched Alex lightly on the arm. “I’ll wait here.”

“Be my guest. Stay here and get eaten by whatever emerges; I’m sure it will find you delicious.”

“You would leave me here, wouldn’t you?” Rosie demanded.

Alex swung his arm around her shoulders, and they started toward the pool together. “Of course I would.”

Despite her growing apprehension, Avery couldn’t help but smile over their banter.

“Jerk,” Rosie said.

“Hag,” Alex retorted.

The two of them descended the stairs into the pool while they spoke, obviously trying to distract themselves from what they were about to encounter. Following them, Avery’s smile faded when their teasing trailed off and the water rose to her thighs. The water was cool against her skin and so clear she found it impossible to imagine anything terrible happening, but she was sure it would, and soon.

The chlorine stung the scratches on her calf, but she ignored the discomfort as she continued. She lifted her hands out of the water to have them ready for an attack when it reached her waist and climbed toward her chest. The clothes adhering to her skin made moving more difficult, and her sneakers started to feel like lead weights around her feet.

Beside her, Rosie and Alex walked with their hands raised while they stared into the water. Avery battled the urge to turn and flee while she still could, but she suspected they’d either be stuck in this room forever or whatever was about to happen would follow them out of the water. Out of the two options, she’d put money on the horror following them onto land.

Remain calm, she told herself. Just remain calm.

She was so focused on putting one foot in front of another that when the water shifted and blurred, she wasn’t sure if she’d actually seen something or imagined it. The seconds ticked endlessly by as the air grew thicker and the scent of burnt rubber filled it.

“That can’t be a good sign,” Alex said.

Then, as if it were a sewer pipe exploding and releasing its sludge all over the streets, a gush of black erupted from the drainage hole. Avery froze as the rush of black separated itself into dozens of creatures flowing out through the pool. Some of them looked like octopuses with their tentacles streaming behind them, while others resembled jellyfish blobs, and some had crab-like pinchers.

When Alex stumbled back, Avery grasped his arm to halt his flight. “We have to do this; you have to face this. It’s the only way he’ll let us out of here,” she said.

His eyes rolled, and for a second, she thought he might still try to flee, but then he focused on her and straightened his shoulders. Avery released him and, together with Rosie, they waded deeper into the pool as the creatures spread out around them.

Something slimy brushed her leg, and she bit her lip to keep from screaming. She forced herself to keep going as a black, swarming mass that squirmed throughout the pool replaced the crystal blue water.

Even if they wanted to flee, they couldn’t as thick black tentacles with suckers the size of dinner plates encircled the railing of the stairs. The black blob attached to those tentacles pulled itself onto the stairs, and its body pulsated while it lay there. They could try swimming to the edges and pulling themselves out, but she doubted they’d be able to free themselves from the water before something pulled them back in again.

She hadn’t believed it possible, but this was worse than the trophy room. At least there, she’d seen their attackers coming; she had no idea what these things were plotting or doing beneath the water.

Alex stood three feet away from her; his eyes were wild and his face taut as he stared into the swirling depths. “Alex,” she said in the hopes of drawing his attention. “Alex.” Finally, he looked at her. “Keep moving; we’ll get through this.”

“Where’s the door?” Rosie cried.

Avery tore her gaze away from Alex, and her eyes narrowed. She strained to see through the black mass, but it had become impossible to see more than five inches in front of her, let alone the door.

“What do we do now?” Alex panted.

Something slimy enclosed on Avery’s leg and slithered toward her waist. She reached into the water and grasped the tentacle clinging to her. Clawing at its slick, rigid skin, she couldn’t get a firm hold on it before the thing jerked downward.

“Help!” she cried.

When it jerked again, it ripped her off balance and pulled her down. Water plunged over her head and rushed into her mouth before she clamped it closed. She kicked to break free of the titanic grasp, but its grip didn’t ease.

Her lungs started burning, and when the creature drug her deeper into the water, stars exploded behind her closed eyelids. It took everything she had to keep her mouth closed against the impulse to inhale, but if she didn’t get air soon, she would start breathing in water.

Avery’s arms flailed as she tried to claw her way toward the surface, but it was useless. She was going to breathe, and when she did, she would die.

When hands seized hers, she enclosed her fingers around them as someone tugged her toward the surface, but the monster holding her wouldn’t let go. Caught between them, the creature and hands pulled at her like she was a wishbone until, with a jerk, the hands tore her free and hauled her to the surface. She burst free, and air surged into her tortured lungs as she coughed and spat out the water she’d swallowed.

“Are you okay?” Alex demanded as he grasped her arms.

Still inhaling like she’d never had air before, Avery lifted her head to stare into Alex’s onyx eyes. Rosie stood beside him; her face pinched with apprehension as she gazed at Avery.

“Avery?” Rosie asked.

“I’m fine,” Avery managed to choke out. “Thank you.”

“Anytime,” Alex said.

Avery lifted her arms out of the water and froze at the sight of the dozens of black, squirmy things cleaving to her skin. Three inches long, their tails wiggled as they tried to burrow beneath her flesh. When one of them turned toward her, she saw its mouth was an oval filled with hundreds of tiny teeth.

A scream rose in her throat and came out as a strangled gurgle when bile filled her mouth. Somehow, she managed to keep from upchucking onto Alex and Rosie, but she couldn’t move to get them off herself, and the idea of touching one made her stomach churn.

Alex went to grab one but froze when he saw the leeches covering him. Now that she wasn’t quite as panicked, she spotted a couple on his neck too. More bile rose in her throat as one of the bigger things brushed her leg again.

Rosie cried out, and water splashed into Avery’s face when Rosie vanished into the murky depths.

“Rosie!” Avery cried.

She forgot about the leeches as she half swam, half ran in the direction her friend had vanished. Spitting out water, Rosie bobbed up again before plummeting under once more. Avery dove forward to grasp Rosie’s wrist, but something tangled around her leg and tore her backward.

“Alex! Do something!” Avery shrieked.

The water slapped her in the face when she was pulled under again. Kicking at the creature, she somehow managed to free herself and broke out of the water in time to see Rosie reemerging. Alex’s eyes narrowed in concentration before she was pulled below once more.

CHAPTER 24

Avery kicked against the thing holding her, but this time, it wouldn’t let go. Fisting her hands together, she lifted them and battered the thick tentacle, but it was as effective as a baby’s punch against a shark.

Her release came so suddenly it took her a second to realize she was free. When she did, she shoved off the bottom of the pool and swam toward the surface. Bursting free, she spit out the water clogging her mouth and nose; she treaded water as she wiped the stringy, wet hair from her eyes. Rosie’s loud coughing echoed through the room.

“Are you guys all right?” Alex demanded.

“Just dandy,” Rosie muttered before pulling a dead leech from her arm; her nose wrinkled as she held it away from her. Whatever Alex had done to save them had also killed the leeches.

Trying not to acknowledge what they were, Avery brushed the lifeless leeches from her arms. Sucker marks and blood indicated the places where they’d been. She gritted her teeth to keep from screaming when she tugged out one that had started to burrow beneath her skin; she flung it away.

“Took you long enough,” Rosie said to Alex.

“Stuff it, Rosie,” Alex replied. “Come on, let’s get out of here before those things come back.”

Peering into the pool, Avery spotted the door with the mass of black monsters swirling ten feet away from it as Alex held them back. She didn’t know how long Alex could keep them away, and she didn’t want to stick around to find out.

They dove into the water and swam for the bottom. Alex made it to the door first and thrust it open. A sucking whirlwind pulled them out of the pool.

• • •

Avery hadn’t known what she expected, but it certainly wasn’t to land in the middle of what felt a little bit like Heaven to her battered body. She stared at the hole in the ceiling as Alex and Rosie landed beside her with a grunt. She waited for water to cascade over them, but the hole closed before a horde of pool creatures could escape.

Sure nothing was going to come through the ceiling, Avery rolled to the side and sat up to take in her surroundings. When she realized she was sitting on a bed the size of her living room, she scurried to the edge of it and shoved herself off. Her sore and battered legs nearly gave out, but she didn’t care as she staggered away from the bed before spinning to face it.

Rosie and Alex were exiting the other side of the four-poster bed taking up almost a quarter of the massive room. Its bloodred comforter was pulled back to reveal its numerous pillows and red silk sheets. She resisted crawling back to the bed and climbing onto the downy mattress to get off her feet for a few minutes, but she had the uneasy notion this was Regan’s room, and she didn’t want to be anywhere near his bed.

Feeling like a drowned rat in her clinging T-shirt and shorts, she took inventory of her injuries. Her left leg had a large welt around her thigh and calf. The suckers of the pool creature had left red circles in the middle of the welt and her right leg still bore claw marks from the monster in the trophy room. She scanned the rest of her body for remaining leeches, but she didn’t see any. Still, she couldn’t rid herself of the feeling they were on her.

“Are they gone?” she asked as she pulled her shirt up and turned so Rosie and Alex could inspect her back. She didn’t care if they saw the black bra she wore; they were beyond modesty in this place.

“Yes,” Alex answered.

She tugged her shirt down again. “I can feel them everywhere.”

“So can I,” Rosie said.

Gazing around the rest of the room, Avery took in the thick red drapes covering the windows, white walls, and sconces with tapered red candles in them. A minivan-sized armoire was across the way, and a large, teak desk sat in the corner. Spread out across the desk was a roll of parchment, and a quill stuck out of an inkwell next to it. Whatever Regan was, he was caught in days gone by, or maybe all spiritual planes lacked modern comforts like electricity and pens.

Knowing they should get the hell out of here, Avery still couldn’t resist creeping closer to the desk. Her legs throbbed with every step she took, but she steeled her resolve and kept going. On her tiptoes, she held her breath as she leaned over the desk to see what was written on the parchment; disappointment filled her when she saw it was blank.

Dropping down, she turned to find Alex and Rosie’s gazes locked questioningly on her; she shook her head, and their shoulders slumped. Avery tried to run a hand through her wet hair, but her fingers caught on the tangles.

“We should check the armoire,” Rosie said.

Avery walked across the room to the armoire and pulled open the doors. Hanging inside was an assortment of button-down shirts ironed to perfection. All the reds were with the reds, the whites with the whites, and so on. Dress pants and jeans also hung within as well as sports coats and a couple of tuxedos that she bet looked amazing on Regan.

As soon as she thought it, she hated herself for it. They may not know what Regan was, but he was evil, she felt that all the way to the marrow of her bones. Strange pull or not, she had to stay away from him.

Reid.

She conjured the image of his face in her mind. Warmth spread through her extremities as she recalled the familiar crinkle around his eyes and the way his lips turned up more on the right when he smiled at her. Her palms warmed as if his calloused hands were holding hers, and her lips tingled as she remembered the sweetness of his kiss.

Regan possessed some power over her mind, but Reid held a place in her heart, and she had to recall that the next time she saw Regan. And she would see him sooner rather than later.

“There’s no one here,” Avery said as she closed the doors and turned back to Alex and Rosie. Her sneakers sloshed with every step she took toward them.

“No one but us witches.”

Avery stumbled over her feet and almost fell when she whirled toward the bed. Regan lay on it with his back propped against the pillows and his hands clasped in his lap. He looked like an elegant, indolent panther as he gazed at them with laughter in his electric eyes.

Avery hurried to join Rosie and Alex by the door as Regan climbed off the bed and rose to his full, imposing height. When he stepped toward them, they all stepped back. He smiled lazily as he pinned Avery with his penetrating eyes.

Despite her best intentions, his graceful beauty fascinated her. His power could scorch the life from them if they got too close, but her fingers itched to touch him and feel it flowing over her again.

The passion blazing to life in his eyes turned them a deeper blue as he perused her with a look that left her feeling boneless. “How do you like the game so far?” he asked.

They remained silent as they stared at him in amazement.

“I hope my friends didn’t hurt you.” His voice was a melodic purr as he glanced at her legs.

“No.” Avery was surprised, and pleased, her voice didn’t waver. “They didn’t.”

It was a lie, and judging by his smirk, he knew it.

“They were told not to harm you, but they got the wrong person.” His eyes slid pointedly to Alex before returning to her. “I care about what happens to you, but if a few are lost during the game, then so be it.”

Avery started to protest, but Regan vanished as quickly as he’d appeared. She gaped at the space where he’d stood. How much power does he have?

“How does he do that?” she breathed.

“This is his world; he can manipulate it to do anything he chooses,” Rosie answered.

“What is his fascination with me?”

“I don’t know, but he is not going to win,” Alex said. “And you are not going to give in to him.”

“He said you could leave the way you came, and I think you should,” Avery said.

Shock registered on their faces, and she knew they would refuse to go before they spoke. “We are not leaving,” Alex said. “I don’t know what he is, but he has no idea the amount of power we possess too. We’ll find the others and put that evil bastard in his place.”

“As long as we’re together, we’ll make it through this,” Rosie said. “He’s not that strong.”

Avery refrained from commenting. They all knew he was that strong, maybe even stronger than they believed, but her protests wouldn’t do any good. This was their choice to make, and they’d made it. They weren’t going to leave her. She should have found comfort in that realization; she didn’t. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to be hurt because of her.

“I think we should find one more person and then send one of us back for the rest of the coven,” Rosie said. “We need their help.”

“Or they could help him!” Alex retorted.

“They wouldn’t do that,” Rosie protested.

“You don’t know that,” Alex said.

“Why would they do that?” Avery asked.

“They’ve always craved having more power, and they want to use their power more freely than we do. The rest of us fear being locked in a lab, used as a weapon, or killed because people hate the unknown.”

Avery shuddered at the possibility. “Not even Sandra would be so reckless as to risk that.”

“I hope not,” Alex said at the same time Rosie said, “No, she wouldn’t.”

“This place is full of black magic and could be tempting to them,” Alex said.

Rosie gave him an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. “You need to have more faith in them.”

“Maybe you should have a little less,” he replied.

Avery gazed around her as she recalled the trophy room, the pool, and Regan’s strange hold over her. From the very beginning she’d sensed malevolence around this place, and now she knew what it was—black magic. However, no matter how difficult, rude, or downright bitchy the other members of the coven could be, she’d never sensed anything evil about them.

“The rest of the coven wouldn’t turn against us for him!” Rosie snapped.

“I think we should wait and see what happens before deciding,” Avery said. “Besides, if we do bring them here, Regan could decide to hide them too, and that would only make things worse.”

“That would be horrible,” Rosie said.

“We should get moving,” Alex said. “The others are waiting for us to find them.”

Rosie opened the door and left the room. Avery turned to follow her, but Alex grasped her arm, halting her. “Bringing the others here could be a big mistake.”

“Alex—”

“No, Avery, we’ll be safer and more likely to survive on our own. I’ve known them since I was a baby. I know if the temptation is great enough, and the power is greater, they might help him.”

“If you distrust them so much, then why are they part of the coven?”

“They belong with us and are a part of us, but they have darker sides.”

Just how dark are these sides? Avery had a sudden flash of Sandra’s smug smile and realized she didn’t want Sandra anywhere near Regan.

“We’ll see,” she muttered, unsure of what else to say.

CHAPTER 25

The door swung shut behind them with an ominous thud. Avery exchanged glances with Alex and Rosie. “Someone’s in here,” Avery said.

“It’s about time,” Alex grumbled. “We’ve been searching for hours.”

“It just seems like hours because this sucks so bad,” Rosie replied.

Avery had to agree with that statement. She was exhausted, thirsty, and her stomach rumbled noisily. Her feet ached, and the constant wetness of her sneakers had rubbed them so raw her blisters had blisters. They’d spent at least forty-five minutes going through another hallway, and yet again, the last door was the right one.

“What is this?” Rosie demanded. “There’s no one in here!”

Frustration and exhaustion warred incessantly inside Avery as she took another look at the room. All she saw was four white walls. No new doors materialized, and she didn’t see anywhere someone could hide. Avery spun and grasped the handle which twisted easily in her hand.

“We must have missed them,” Alex muttered.

“That’s impossible!” Rosie protested.

Avery flung the door open and recoiled when she saw what lay on the other side. “What the…?”

“It’s a freaking jungle!” Alex blurted.

It took a few seconds, but Avery finally managed to close her mouth and keep it that way. Everywhere she looked giant plants, flowers, and vines sprouted from the earth and rose to the ceiling. An assortment of vivid greens, oranges, reds, hot pinks, purples, baby blues, and shining golds made up the flowers, but their striking colors were where their beauty ended.

Each flower was at least two feet wide, and some were larger. Seeds, like a sunflower, formed the middle of the flowers, but these seeds were all bloodred and looked more like a mouth than the innocent center of a flower.

Vines filled the space not occupied by flowers. Black and brown, the vines twisted across the floor and climbed the walls. Green leaves, easily twice the size of her wrist, covered the vines as they spilled from the ceiling to dangle in the middle of the room.

The vines and flowers were so thick it took Avery a second to realize that glass made up the walls and ceiling. Only slivers of glass showed through the plants, and it was impossible to see what was outside the panes. Though the plant-life blocked out any natural light, the heat lamps hanging from the ceiling illuminated the space. Some of the vines had coiled around the lamps, but they hadn’t choked out the light.

“It’s a greenhouse,” Rosie whispered.

“We have to go in,” Alex said.

And then they’re going to come alive and eat us. Avery was certain of it, but they had no other choice; they had to find whoever was in here. She released the knob and stepped forward with Rosie and Alex following her. The door swung shut with a click before vanishing. From out of nowhere, a breeze rippled the leaves and flowers and stirred the vines.

The vines swaying over her head reminded her of the chains in a slaughterhouse. She’d seen too many horror movies not to expect them to come alive, impale them, and rip off their skin. Avery gulped, her feet freezing in place as the flowing breeze created a melody through the vines and flowers that would have been pretty if she didn’t know what awaited them.

She crept over the thick vines, careful not to step on one as she was convinced it would come to life and eat her if she did. Brown and black hairs jutted from the vines; the tips of those hairs glistened as if they had something oozing from them.

Avery peered through the thick foliage in search of whoever was hidden within. The greenhouse was only about forty feet long and thirty feet wide, but it seemed as endless as the Congo. The humidity made breathing difficult, and before she made it ten feet, sweat stuck her clothes to her skin. She wiped her arm across her forehead when sweat trickled into her eyes, but it did little good as more rolled free.

“It’s a sauna in here,” Alex muttered as he tugged at the collar of his T-shirt.

Winding her way through a group of hanging vines, Avery stopped short when she emerged from them. She released a strangled cry of joy and forgot to avoid stepping on the vines when she rushed to Tina’s side, but thankfully none of them tried to eat her.

Tina’s mahogany eyes followed her as she struggled against the vines wrapped around her arms, chest, and legs. Avery slid to a stop before her and tore the gag from Tina’s mouth.

“Are you all right?” she demanded.

“Yes,” Tina croaked. “Get these things off; they hurt, and they’re… they’re… horrible.”

Avery had never heard Tina sound so morose or terrified. “I’ll get them off,” Avery promised as guilt clawed at her chest.

The coven being here was one thing; she didn’t like it, but at least they knew about the existence of other worlds, spirits, demons, and possessed abilities to help them fight Regan. But her friends did not belong here, had never known such a place could exist, and no matter what it took, Avery would make sure they survived.

Avery tore frantically at the vines encompassing Tina’s chest and arms. She ignored the burns and abrasions the vines created on her palms and didn’t notice the breaking of one of her fingernails until she spotted the blood trickling down her finger.

Alex and Rosie arrived to help her yank the rest of the vines away. Tina stumbled forward and teetered on wobbly legs; Avery caught her when Tina’s legs gave out. Bracing her legs apart, Avery kept herself from going down beneath Tina’s weight.

“It’s okay,” Avery said as she blinked away the tears filling her eyes.

“What… is going… on?” Tina demanded in a shaky voice.

“You’re about to find out,” Alex said.

Avery shot him a look over Tina’s shoulder. She didn’t have to ask what Tina feared; she’d imagined it since they entered this place.

“Tina, it’s going to get worse,” Avery said; she didn’t have much time to prepare her friend. “If your fear is them coming alive, then that is going to happen. But we’ll get you through this, I promise.”

When Tina pulled back, Avery found herself gazing up into Tina’s wild eyes. The humidity of the room had soaked Tina’s shorts and T-shirt to her slender frame, and her brown hair adhered to her flushed face.

“Avery?” she whispered tremulously.

Avery clasped Tina’s hands. “We will get you through this. Trust me.”

Tina nodded, but she still had the look of a rabbit facing a coyote. Out of them all, Tina had always been the most sensible and practical. Avery hoped those traits persevered through what was coming; if Tina freaked out, they could lose her.

“Where’s the door out of here?” Rosie demanded.

Avery turned away from Tina to search through the tangled jungle as a rustling started. Goose bumps broke out on her sweat-coated flesh. A startled cry caused Avery to spin as a vine slithered around Tina’s waist and pulled her backward. Avery lunged for her, and her fingers touched Tina’s before a vine snaked up Avery’s leg.

Yanked off her feet, she cried out when the floor rushed up to meet her. Avery flung her hands out to soften the impact, but it never came as she was pulled into the air. Dangling over the ground, the blood rushing into her head made her dizzy. Avery caught a glimpse of Alex and Rosie as they were pulled into the air.

“Avery!” Tina screamed.

Avery twisted around as Tina was pulled into the air by her ankle and hauled toward one of the flowers. With its petals turned toward Tina, the flower’s teeth clacked as the red mouth in the middle opened and closed.

“Tina!” she shouted.

Tina screeched as she swung herself upward and grabbed the vine. She kicked her foot free of its grasp before scurrying up the vine like it was a rope. Scuttling and rustling noises drew Avery’s attention to the vines and flowers slithering across the floor, and then one of the flowers shot up at her. Its open mouth revealed the seeds that had turned into hundreds of tiny, pointed teeth that could devour her.

Avery flung herself outward, and the flower snapped at the air where she’d been. Unable to stop her momentum, she swung back toward the flower and twisted herself up to grab the vine. The flower snagged her shirt as her fingers encircled the thick vine. The vine’s bristly, ugly hairs pricked her palms and stung them, but she didn’t let go as the flower yanked on her clothes.

The bottom of her shirt gave way with a wrenching tear that almost caused her to lose her grip as the vine released its grip on her. Ignoring the bristly hairs moving beneath her hands, Avery used her feet and hands to climb the vine. Her arms ached, and her legs trembled, but terror gave her a strength she’d never known she possessed. She was almost to the ceiling when a scream rent the air.

Rosie and Alex had managed to swing themselves up to climb the vines too, but one of the flowers had caught Rosie. Its teeth were sunk into Rosie’s arm as it pulled down while she clung to the vine with her other hand. Rosie’s red blood was a vivid splash against the neon orange flower petals.

“Rosie!” Alex yelled and swung his vine toward her.

“Do something!” Rosie shrieked. “Alex, do something!”

Alex grabbed for her vine, but his hand grasped only air before momentum swung him away from her. Another vine shot out and, circling his chest, it ripped him off the one he clutched. Avery’s mind spun with confusion and dismay as another flower lunged at Tina who turned to the side to evade it.

The vine holding Alex pulled him back. His breath exploded from him; his arms and legs flew outward when he crashed into the wall, and the vine pinned him there. More vines enveloped his legs as he thrashed uselessly against them.

The flower attacking Rosie fell away, but another rose to grasp the bottom of her shirt. When Avery looked down, she realized the flowers had fallen away from her and were rushing toward Rosie.

“Rosie, can you take care of this?” Alex yelled in a strangled voice as the vines twining around his forehead pinned his head to the glass.

Rosie’s eyes narrowed in determination as the flower tore a chunk out of the back of her shirt. Then her shoulders slumped. “No,” she answered and scurried further up the vine. Blood flowed freely down her arm, but Rosie seemed not to notice as she made it to the ceiling. “I’m still burnt out from the trophy room. Can you?”

“No—” Alex’s voice choked off when vines encircled his throat; his eyes bulged, and his face turned red.

The speed with which he was disappearing beneath the plants terrified Avery. If this continued, they would kill him, and she saw no signs of mercy in the vines still shooting through the air toward him.

CHAPTER 26

“Avery!” Rosie screamed and dodged a flower. “Avery, you have to stop them!”

“I don’t know how!” Avery cried.

“Concentrate on them dying or whatever you want them to do,” Rosie said. “Then let the power build up inside you until you’re ready to set it free. You can do this.”

“What is she talking about?” Tina demanded.

“Come on, Avery,” Rosie pleaded. “I know you can do it.”

Avery watched in horror as Alex’s struggles grew weaker. It was only a matter of minutes, maybe seconds, before he ceased moving. She had to do this, or Alex would die. However, Avery wasn’t sure she could concentrate on anything over the terror quaking her bones. When another flower shot up toward Rosie; she yelped and twisted to avoid its lethal teeth. Avery closed her eyes against the horror pulsating the room.

Other than the night of her awakening, she’d barely used her abilities. However, if she didn’t try to do something, then none of her friends would make it out of here alive. Behind her lids, a clear picture of the plants wilting and dying formed while her body tingled with the same anticipation she’d experienced the night she awakened her powers.

It demanded to be released as it swelled within her, and she imagined her ability shooting out of her with enough force to rip apart the plants. The hair on her body rose as the air crackled with electricity. She drew on the currents of life the air flowing over her skin provided to fuel the power growing within her.

When her eyes flew open, the power burst free of her and, riding the currents of air she’d used to fuel it, tore through the room. The rush of the release was both startling and exhilarating, and she grinned as the flowers hissed and recoiled before their petals withered and crumpled to the ground. Then the vines wilted and broke apart.

Avery cried out when the vine she clutched suddenly snapped and she plummeted downward. Arms and legs flailing in a useless attempt to slow her fall, Avery discovered that though she could kill plants, she still wasn’t a bird. The air rushing around her tore at her hair and clothes before she hit the ground.

She got one foot under her while her knee smacked against the floor. Her ankle twisted to the side and dumped her onto her hip. Agony screamed through every inch of her body as she lay stunned and breathless. Unable to move, she could only stare at the vines and flowers falling around her. Despite the awfulness of this room, the brilliant colors floating down were eerily beautiful.

Finally managing to inhale a shuddery breath, Avery pushed herself up and winced when she put weight on her battered ankle. Bits of vines and flowers fell off her, and she wiped away the petals clinging to her skin. Shaking back the waves of dizziness that threatened to drag her into unconsciousness, Avery wheezed in a breath before looking around.

Rosie sat, dazed and panting, a few feet away from her. The remains of vines and flowers lay scattered around her as blood seeped down her arm. Slumped against the wall, Alex panted for air as he held a hand to his red throat with the clear mark of a vine still evident on it. She turned to find Tina gawking at her.

“Are you okay?” Avery managed to choke out.

“Yes,” Tina said, but her eyes remained somewhat dazed.

“You did it,” Alex panted. “You did it.”

Unable to believe she really had done it, Avery gazed at the remains as the power continued to course through her. If she’d been able to draw a full breath, she would have yelled triumphantly from the exhilaration still racing through her.

Instead, she limped over to Rosie and knelt at her side to gently clasped her wounded arm. Rosie winced when Avery gingerly touched the torn flesh. The bites were ugly, but not as deep as Avery initially believed.

“Are you okay?” Avery asked.

“I’m fine,” Rosie mumbled as she climbed to her feet.

Tina and Alex walked over to join them. “I didn’t know you were scared of plants,” Avery said to Tina.

Tina’s lip curled as she glared at the dead plants surrounding them. “Not many people do.”

“Why are you afraid of them?”

“When I was four, I went with my mom to a greenhouse so she could get some flowers for the spring. While she was comparing prices, I wandered off and ended up getting locked into a side room by myself. I couldn’t get out, and you know how a kid’s imagination runs away from them. By the time an employee found me, I was huddled in a ball, crying, and convinced the plants were going to eat me. I had nightmares about it for years. I never thought…” Tina’s voice broke off as she hitched in a breath. “I never thought I’d actually experience it.”

“I’m sorry,” Avery said, knowing how inadequate the words were.

Tina glanced warily around the room before throwing back her shoulders and meeting Avery’s gaze again. Though exhaustion and distress lingered in Tina’s eyes, she exuded strength and determination when she spoke. “Will you please tell me what is going on?”

“I think we should get out of here first,” Alex croaked.

“That sounds like a plan,” Rosie said, “but where is the door?”

Avery glanced around her, but she didn’t see one nearby. “This way,” Alex said.

Creeping around the dead plants, they searched for a door and found it in the back wall. It was partly concealed by the remnants of vines still sticking to the glass. Avery’s lip curled in disgust as she pulled the vines away from the door and tossed them aside.

“There’s nothing out there,” Tina whispered.

Avery threw the last vine aside and turned to where Tina was peering out the glass. She stepped to the side of the door to see what her friend was talking about. Dread curdled like sour milk in her stomach when she saw the vast, barren landscape beyond the panes of glass. The sky was a murky gray, with no sun, moon, or anything else to break the dull color. A rusty color, the ground stretched on until the sky and earth met.

“Is that real?” Avery asked in a choked whisper and looked to Rosie and Alex who were peering through the glass on the other side of the door.

They rose away from the glass and turned to her. “I think so,” Alex answered.

“What would happen if we went out there?” Tina inquired.

“I don’t want to know,” Alex said.

Avery eyed the door that appeared to open into that wasteland. Was this a trap? Would the door lead them into that harsh environment?

“We have to open it,” Rosie whispered, obviously sensing Avery’s hesitance to do so. “It’s our only option.”

Avery closed her eyes as she gathered her courage. She grasped the handle and, opening her eyes, wrenched the door open before she could think about the consequences of where it led. Instead of revealing the wasteland, an endless, black hole greeted them.

“Can we go in there?” Tina asked.

Avery glanced back at the greenhouse, but the door they’d come through was gone. This was their only exit. “We have to,” she said.

When Tina shoved a hand into the void, it looked as if her arm ended at the wrist. With a startled cry, Tina ripped her hand back and wiggled her fingers as she turned it over before her.

“We’ll go together,” Avery said. “On the count of three.”

“No!” Tina cried. “I’m not going into that. I’d rather stay here.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” Alex told her. “He won’t let us stay here without punishing us in some way.”

“We don’t know what that is; it could be worse!” Tina protested.

“We have to find everyone else,” Avery said. “We can’t leave them out there.”

Tina’s shoulders sagged. “Okay, but we should hold on to each other when we go through.”

“Good idea,” Rosie said.

Avery clasped Tina’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Tina gave her a wan smile before she took Alex’s hand, and he grasped Rosie’s.

“On the count of three,” Avery said.

“One,” Rosie whispered.

“Two,” Alex counted.

“Three!” Tina yelled.

They stepped into the void.

CHAPTER 27

Avery felt as if she’d entered a giant vacuum cleaner. The air rushing around her pushed, pulled, and sucked at her body. Her damp clothes plastered to her skin, and her tangled hair whipped against her face and arms. When she tried to scream, the air was ripped from her lungs the second she opened her mouth.

Her mind whirled with panic as she spun through the endless void. She tried to cling to Tina’s hand, but her friend’s fingers slipped away from her. Scrambling to hold on to her, Avery searched for Tina with her other hand but came up with only empty air, and she couldn’t see her through the darkness.

Fumbling blindly, Avery desperately searched for her friends, but she felt nothing. Her lungs burned, and her eyes watered as she strained to breathe, to see, and to keep her sanity.

I’m going to die. I don’t want to die!

Those last five words became the only coherent thought she could manage while she swung around, desperate to connect with anything solid. When the pain in her eyes and chest became unbearable, she was sure they were both going to explode. Then the horrifying image of her eyes bursting out of her head filled her mind and her panic intensified.

Just when she was certain she couldn’t take anymore, her plunge slowed, light filtered in, and the air didn’t beat against her as severely. Avery stared in disbelief as she was lowered to the ground. Upon landing, her knees buckled, her fingers hit the ground, and her wounded ankle throbbed.

She took a deep breath of blessedly fresh air and held it in her tortured lungs while she surveyed her surroundings. Beautiful, stained-glass windows with geometric designs in them encompassed the wall across from her. The light filtering through the windows cast dancing patterns of color across the blue and white rug.

Where is that light coming from? Avery pondered as she rose to examine it.

What would happen if she did try to walk out of this house of nightmares? Would she find herself in a world full of light, in that barren wasteland, or maybe even somewhere else?

For some reason, Avery doubted she’d find any of those things and believed it more likely she’d be eaten by a giant sandworm if she stepped outside this place. The light was probably another one of Regan’s tricks.

Turning away from the windows, she searched the empty room for her friends but didn’t see them anywhere. “No,” she whimpered and staggered toward the door fifty feet away from her.

A voice halted her before she reached the door. “They’re safe.”

Avery whirled to find Regan standing by the windows. The light filtering over him cast mysterious shadows across the sculpted angles of his face. He’d changed into casual black pants and a blue dress shirt that hugged his broad shoulders and enhanced the color of his eyes. Despite her growing hatred for this man, something inside her reacted to him, and her pulse raced.

“Where are my friends?” she demanded.

“They’re safe.”

“Where?”

“Don’t worry about them.” His voice was a caress against her skin. “There is something more important right now.”

“Not to me.”

“Really?” He purred as he strolled closer to her. “I’m not more important than them?”

“No.”

“Ah, but I think I am,” he said as he stopped before her.

Avery tilted her head back to glare at him. “I don’t care what you think.”

When his sensual lips parted, and he gave her a cocky smile, the impulse to kiss him again tore through her. Avery quivered with dread and a yearning she despised as she fought to restrain the clamoring urges of her body.

Just one more kiss.

Before she knew what was happening, his arms wrapped around her, and he was enveloping her within a cocoon of power.

What are you doing? He’s evil! What about Reid?

Reid, she thought, but her feet refused to move as Regan lowered his head.

Remember Reid. Hold on to him. Remember… remember…

But a cloud had descended over her mind, and no matter how she strove to remember someone… No, it was something important she had to remember, wasn’t it? Then it all slipped away from her.

Shivers of longing raced over her flesh when Regan’s hands ran up her back, and his lips brushed hers in a butterfly caress that seared her to her toes. She moaned as she forgot everything except this man and his effect on her body and soul. The deepening kiss swept Avery up in a tidal wave of emotion as lava coursed through her body. Her knees turned to Jell-O, and she slumped in his embrace.

When he pulled away, a sense of overwhelming loss crashed over Avery. Whimpers issued from her throat, and she could scarcely believe they came from her. A part of her knew she should be ashamed by her behavior; the other part didn’t care.

The desperate need in Regan’s eyes rattled her, but she didn’t know if that need was for her or something else. But what else can it be for? And what am I doing here?

With the kiss broken, some of her senses came back to her and Avery tried to recall why she was here, but she felt like she was trying to swim through quicksand. His hands tracing her spine weren’t helping her. She tried to ignore the desire his touch awakened so she could think, but it was so difficult.

She was missing something, forgetting something…

The image of black leeches, tiny monsters, and hideous flowers floated through her mind. Then a pair of beautiful silver eyes filled her vision, and she recalled the pleasure the touch of another gave her. That pleasure wasn’t as all-consuming as this one, but it wouldn’t destroy her as she knew this touch eventually would. No, that touch would lift her up and make her stronger instead of trying to make her forget everything that mattered to her.

Reid!

She wrenched free of Regan’s arms and stumbled into the wall, almost knocking herself over. “No!” she cried. “I’m with Reid. I want him, not you!”

Regan’s face hardened, and smug superiority lit his eyes. “You don’t kiss like it’s him you want.”

A wave of shame washed through her as she remembered her awful behavior. What was this control he had over her and why? There had to be some way for her to break it, but she was scared she’d never be able to free herself from him.

“That kiss meant nothing!” she spat.

“You didn’t feel anything from it?”

“No.”

“You’re lying; I can see it in your eyes and feel it in the way you respond to me. I can give you whatever you want, Avery, and take you wherever you ask to go. I can show you all the wonders of the world and make all your dreams come true. Do you like jewels? I can give you any jewel you desire.”

He held his hand out to her, and an array of glittering jewels materialized in his palm. It had to be another one of his tricks, but they all looked so real. Avery’s mind spun as his voice wove around her, seeming to drape her like a warm cloak. He was doing something to her again as those eyes and that voice worked their way inside her.

Remember Reid and the others! Remember what he’s done to you.

“And what do you want from me in return?” she managed to choke out as she put more of her weight on her wounded ankle. The pain lancing up her calf helped to keep her grounded enough to recall the horrible things he’d put them through since arriving here.

“I only want to be with you, Avery.”

It couldn’t be that simple, not with him. He wanted something more, but he’d never tell her until it was too late. By then, she would have sold her soul to the devil, and she’d never escape him. He would destroy her; she was sure of it.

“I don’t want to be with you,” she said.

“You can deny it, but we both know the truth; you want me too. It’s only a matter of time before you come to me. I can wait until then.”

“That will never happen.” The hypnotizing effect he had over her eased when he moved away from her. “Where are my friends?”

“They’re around.”

He smiled cruelly before vanishing with a flick of his elegant fingers. “Regan!” she shouted as she spun in a circle. “You can’t hide them again!”

She received no answer from him. “I will never be with you!” she bellowed.

Knowing she would get no response, Avery stalked over to the door and flung it open; it bounced off the wall with a resounding bang. In the hallway, Alex, Rosie, and Tina jumped and braced themselves as if they were about to be attacked. Avery gawked at them before racing over and flinging her arms out to embrace them.

“I’m so happy to see you!” she cried.

“We thought he took you,” Tina gushed. “I was so scared, Avery. Don’t disappear like that again.”

“I’ll try not to,” Avery vowed, but she had no idea what Regan had in store for any of them, and she didn’t expect it to get any easier now that she’d denied him.

CHAPTER 28

“We should start searching,” Alex said.

Avery released them and stepped back. “Are you going to explain what is going on?” Tina asked.

Avery didn’t get a chance to respond before Alex opened the first door and they all leaned forward to peer into the large game room. Pool tables, pinball machines, foosball tables, arcade games, a giant chessboard, dartboards, and five large trunks packed the room. The red and black checkered squares that made up the floor shone under the glare of the overhead lights.

They exchanged wary glances before stepping into the cluttered space. When Rosie entered last, the door slammed shut behind her with a thunderous crash. Avery jumped and then sighed. She should be used to it by now, but her nerves were completely frayed.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her escalating dread. She could handle this. She could handle anything after having to deal with Regan again. Avery wished she could erase her memory of Regan’s touch, but she couldn’t bury her guilt over letting that monster kiss her again. At least this time she’d been able to come to her senses on her own, but that didn’t make her feel any better.

“Why did the door do that?” Tina asked.

“Someone’s in here,” Avery replied.

“This doesn’t look too bad,” Rosie said.

“Neither did the pool,” Avery reminded her.

“Good point.”

They spread out to search the room. When Avery flung open one of the trunks, a pile of games spilled around her feet. She kicked aside the checkers, marbles, dice, game pieces, and cards before peering into the space beyond.

“Here!” Rosie cried.

Avery turned to find Rosie tearing a large closet apart. Seven-foot-tall, marble chess pieces toppled out and bounced against the floor. Through the jumble of pieces, Landon emerged. Her beautiful hair was in disarray, and her aqua eyes sparkled as, behind her gag, she smiled. Rosie tore the gag from her mouth to reveal a smear of blood at the corners of Landon’s mouth.

“I thought you guys would never find me,” Landon said, her voice dry from the cloth.

Alex ran over to help Rosie untie her as Tina and Avery walked over to watch while they freed Landon. When Landon stepped from the closet, they all embraced with a desperation bordering on frantic.

Rosie pulled away and wiped the tears from her face. “Landon, you have to tell us what your worst fear is.”

“What?” Landon asked.

Avery filled her in on what had happened, minus the details of the blue room; she wasn’t ready to let anyone know that shameful secret. Landon’s eyes roved around the room, and her face grew ashen as she listened.

“Well,” Landon said, “any second now the games in this room are going to come alive.”

“That’s your fear?” Tina asked.

“Yes,” Landon said. “When I was little, I used to think that when we left the room, our games and toys would come alive and play by themselves.”

Landon had just finished speaking when something clattered behind Avery. She had to turn and see what was happening, but she was so tired of this constant battle. When Rosie yelped, Avery spun to find a black knight looming over her with its razor-sharp teeth on full display.

“Watch out!” Alex shouted as a pawn clattered toward Landon.

The pawn rotated on its round base faster than Avery would have considered possible as it bore down on Landon. Alex snagged Landon’s arm and shoved her behind him while a white queen rushed forward.

The marble body of the queen shoved past Avery to go after Rosie. Rosie dodged to the side, tripped over a board game, and sprawled across the floor. Tina raced for the door they had entered through, but the knob disappeared the second her hand touched it. She spun back around and flattened herself against the wall as she gazed around the chaotic room.

These monstrosities were no more frightening than anything else they’d faced, but Avery found the commotion in the room nerve-racking and confusing. The ping-pong table had come to life; two paddles, suspended by unseen hands, hung in the air as they bounced balls across the green surface.

The loud clack of pool balls filled the air. The pinball machines and arcade games had become a spectacle of flashing lights and earsplitting dings. The feathered missiles of the darts flew with uncanny aim as one pierced the back of Rosie’s leg. Rosie screamed as she rolled over to rip the dart from her calf.

Avery didn’t know where to look first or where to go as she tried to get her bearings amidst the turmoil. So focused on the chess pieces closing in on her, Avery didn’t see the rubber ball that hit her in the stomach until it knocked the wind from her and tossed her to the ground. She rolled across the floor as the black king homed in on her with its man-eating teeth bared.

When it leaned over her, Avery was confident it would fall over and splat her like a bug, but it managed to keep its balance as it grabbed her shirt and plucked her off the ground. Pain lanced down her hands and arms as she beat against the marble while the king shook her back and forth like a dog with a rag doll.

Rearing its head back, the king tossed her across the room. Air whistled around her before she crashed into a wall and the breath wheezed out of her lungs. She slid to the floor and, unable to move, sat with her palms up beside her. She had to keep fighting, but she was so battered and tired that for a moment, she had no fight left in her.

She thought the king was going to come for her, but a savage gleam filled its blue eyes before it turned and clattered toward Landon. “No!” Avery yelled as adrenaline and terror for her friends renewed her fight.

She pushed herself to her feet and, dodging a dart that would have taken out an eye, ran toward Landon and Alex. Landon flung her arms up as the king seized her shirt and lifted her. Alex lunged for Landon while Avery launched herself onto the king’s back.

Landon’s eyes rolled as she pounded her fists against the marble until her hands bled. Avery wrapped her arms around its neck and jerked back. When the king teetered toward her, Avery’s heart stopped as she waited for it to fall over and crush her, but the piece righted itself and flung Landon away. Landon’s head hit the wall with a sickening thud, her body slid limply to the ground, and her chin dropped to rest on her chest.

“Landon!” Tina yelled as she ran toward Landon’s motionless side.

The king reared again, and Avery lost her precarious hold on it. She fell to the floor and scrambled to get out of the way when it spun on her. Avery crawled backward before getting onto her hands and knees; she scurried forward only to be cut off by a pawn.

Avery staggered to her feet and dashed around the king when it moved to block her. The noise in the room was deafening; she could barely think past the pounding in her ears and head, but through the chaos, she spotted something amazing.

“Tina, Rosie!” she shouted. “The door is over there!”

Avery ducked a bishop before rolling around the back of a rook. Tina and Rosie appeared in front of her, and Tina gripped her arms when Avery stumbled and nearly fell. Alex stood beside Rosie with Landon’s limp body cradled in his arms. Panic gripped Avery when she spotted the blood trickling from behind Landon’s ear.

“Is she all right?” Avery yelled over the deafening cacophony of the room.

“Yes,” Alex said, but unease filled his onyx eyes. A tennis ball crashed into his cheek and knocked his head to the side. “Ow!” Alex’s face contorted as a red welt emerged on his face.

Rosie reeled back when a knight closed in on her; she knocked Tina and Alex off balance, and they fell into a wall. Avery leapt toward them and instinctively positioned herself between the others and the knight. Regan had said he didn’t want to hurt her; she’d been beaten up since then, but would they come through her if she used her body as a shield?

Eerily grinning, black and white monsters circled them and clattered steadily closer. Avery gulped; would they attack her to get at them? However, none of them tried to grab her shirt again, not even the king who’d flung her across the room.

“What do we do?” Tina grasped Avery’s arm as a dart careened past them.

“Landon, wake up!” Alex yelled and tapped her cheeks.

Landon groaned but didn’t wake.

“Get up!” Rosie yelled and tugged on Landon’s arm. “We need your powers!”

Avery lost sight of the door as more chess pieces swarmed them. “Rosie,” Avery said, “it’s been a while since you used your powers, are they stronger now?”

“Get away!” Tina screamed as she ducked a pawn swiping at her.

A ball hurtled past Avery and smashed into the wall, cracking the plaster; it would have indented her face if it had hit her. “Rosie?” she yelped.

“I’m trying!”

Avery’s heart sank when the pawn made another lunge toward Tina; eventually, these things would get past her. Avery spun on the pawn, and her eyes narrowed on the monstrosity; she was desperate to stop them from injuring anyone else.

“Please, leave me alone,” Tina pleaded.

That wretched plea broke something inside Avery, and before she knew what was happening, the power flowing through her flashed up and burst free of her. The force of it tore some game pieces in half, others shattered on impact, and the rest fell over with resounding bangs. The ping-pong paddles clattered to the table as the balls rolled off and bounced onto the marble. The darts fell as the arcade games and pinball machines shut off.

The silence filling the room was almost as unnerving as the roaring clamor that had filled it. Rosie gawked at her as she inspected Avery like she was an invader from Mars.

“All right, Rosie!” Alex shouted triumphantly.

“I didn’t do it,” Rosie whispered.

“What do you mean…?” Alex’s words trailed off as his gaze traveled to Avery.

Avery shrank away from their suspicious stares. She didn’t know why, but she felt like she’d done something wrong. “It just happened,” she said defensively.

“We’ll figure it out later,” Alex said.

Avery’s brow furrowed. “Figure what out?”

Alex and Rosie exchanged a troubled glance. “Later,” Tina said. “I think we should go now.”

Avery had to agree. Turning away from them, she stepped over the scattered chess pieces and skirted the board games as she headed for the door.

CHAPTER 29

“I don’t believe it,” Avery whispered as she took in her surroundings.

They were back in the elegant sitting room where they first encountered Regan. Her gaze landed on a circle of whirling colors beneath the staircase; she hadn’t noticed it before as the ivy mostly blocked it.

“What is that?” she asked and pointed at the circle.

Rosie stepped next to her; her hair hung in tangled strands around her chin and a large bruise marred her round cheek. Shadows surrounded her bloodshot, sky-colored eyes. “That’s what we came through to get here.”

Avery picked out the colors of silver, pink, purple, and yellow among the mass. The coven had used their dust to open a portal into Regan’s world, and they could use that portal to leave. “You should all go back; I’ll find the others,” she told them.

“I’m not leaving you here,” Tina said from where she leaned against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest.

Alex set Landon gently on the floor and knelt beside her. He rested his hand on her shoulder as his fingers caressed her cheek.

“Regan won’t hurt me,” Avery said. Their eyebrows shot up at this statement, and their gazes ran over her battered body. “Okay, he’ll inflict some damage, but he won’t kill me. He said he cares about what happens to me, but he’s willing to lose a few to the game. I don’t know why things are different for me, and right now I don’t care because it means you can get to safety while I stay.”

She hated the idea of being alone in here again, but she far preferred for them to be somewhere safe. No matter what it took, she would find the others and get them out of here too.

“No,” Rosie said. “I’m not leaving you here.”

“Landon has to see a doctor,” Avery said. “You especially need to go back, Tina; you’re the most vulnerable one here.”

“We made a vow to stand by the members of this coven and to risk our lives for each other. I will not break it,” Alex said.

“Coven?” Tina inquired, but Avery didn’t have time to fill her in.

“What about Landon?” Avery pressed.

“Tina can take her back,” Alex said.

Tina glowered at Alex. “I’m not leaving!”

“You are the most vulnerable,” Rosie told her.

“I don’t care,” Tina said. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but Avery was my friend years before she was yours, and I’m not leaving her here.”

“Tina—” Avery started.

“No!” she cried. “I’ll take Landon through, but I’m coming right back.”

“We can’t leave Landon alone over there if she has a concussion or something,” Rosie protested. “One of us has to stay with her.”

They glanced at each other before focusing on Tina again.

“Our powers could be necessary here, and we have a better idea of what is going on,” Alex said to her.

If looks could kill, Tina would have stabbed him more times than Michael Myers stabbed people on Halloween. “That’s only because you haven’t told me what’s going on here,” Tina said. “But between coven and powers, I’m starting to put it together, though I’m not sure how any of this is possible.”

“I’m not sure either,” Avery admitted, “but it is best if you go back and stay with her.”

Tina opened her mouth to protest further before closing it and biting her bottom lip as she surveyed them. “Fine, I’ll stay with Landon,” she relented. “Maybe she’ll explain everything to me when she wakes up.”

“I’m sure she will,” Avery said.

“I don’t like this. And if she”—Tina trust a finger at Landon—“doesn’t tell me what’s going on, you better do it when you get out of here.”

“I will,” Avery promised.

When Rosie gave her a look, Avery glared back at her. They weren’t supposed to reveal what they were to people outside the coven, but she wouldn’t keep it from Tina after all she’d gone through in here. She would also tell Karen everything when they found her.

Tina turned to Alex. “Will you carry her through?”

He gently lifted Landon and walked toward the circle. Tina stopped to embrace Avery, and Avery leaned against her friend as they hugged. She didn’t want to let Tina go, but at the same time, she was tempted to shove her through the circle and to safety.

“Be safe,” Tina whispered.

“I will,” Avery said.

“I will see you soon.”

Tears filled Avery’s eyes as Tina reluctantly pulled away and followed Alex into the spinning circle. She watched them walk for a few feet before they disappeared as if they’d never been there. Avery blinked her tears away as relief filled her; at least Tina and Landon were safe.

“I’m telling them,” she said to Rosie.

“I know,” Rosie said.

“I don’t care if it breaks a vow.”

Rosie touched her arm, and Avery looked down into her caring eyes. “Neither do I. I didn’t mean it to seem like I did care; it’s just that we’ve never told any outsiders about us before Lila, and she figured it out. There have always been rumors about us in town and at school, but nobody has ever confirmed those rumors, and my first reaction to you telling more of your friends was fear, but”—her eyes returned to the swirling circle—“I have a feeling your friends can handle it and won’t betray us.”

“I trust them with my life,” Avery assured her.

“That’s good enough for me,” Rosie said with a small smile.

Avery turned her attention back to the circle as she waited for Alex to return. “Where does it go?”

“Lila’s bedroom.”

“How did you know where I was?”

“It was obvious Regan was a spirit, so we knew he took you to a spiritual plane. Lila had your crystal, and the bond you have with it, and us, was strong enough for us to find you. Before we located you, we cast a spell to open the walls between the spiritual planes and our world. We had to make sure to put up plenty of protection to keep any unwanted spirits from entering our realm, and when we finished, we let your crystal lead us to you. The spell is part of the reason our powers are so drained.”

They were all here because of her, were staying for her, and she had betrayed them by allowing Regan to kiss her again. Avery had never hated herself more. She didn’t deserve such loyalty, but she was going to do everything she could to earn it throughout the rest of this ordeal.

The next time Regan came around, she would remember them and everything they’d sacrificed for her. She didn’t know how he did it, but she couldn’t let him affect her again.

“You cast this spell in front of Tina and Karen?” Avery asked.

“Yes.”

“So they already know about us?”

“They know we’re not normal, but that’s about it. We didn’t have time to explain everything to them. Although, I’m sure they’re aware magic and spirits exist now.”

Avery snorted with laughter. “I’m surprised you let them come through with you.”

“We didn’t have time to argue with them, and Tina can be pretty stubborn. All your friends can be.”

“That they can,” Avery agreed before focusing on the spinning circle again. “What would happen if I tried to go through that?”

“I honestly don’t know. You weren’t present on the other side, so you had no part in opening it. You could end up getting ripped to shreds, you could find yourself on a completely different plane, but more than likely you wouldn’t be allowed to travel into it.”

Avery shuddered at the possibility of being ripped to shreds and looked at Rosie. “What happens if Regan decides not to let me leave?”

Before Rosie glanced away, Avery caught the apprehension in her eyes. Avery’s heart sank; she tried not to think about the possibility that even if they won this, Regan might decide not to let her go. She might lose her freaking mind if she thought about it too long.

“What do you know about these spiritual planes?” she asked.

“We don’t know much about them or how they work,” Rosie said. “The only reason we knew they existed was because of some entries in the Books of Shadows, and they only told us that spirits and other creatures inhabit these planes.”

“Creatures such as demons?”

“Such as demons,” Rosie confirmed.

Only a month ago she hadn’t believed in witches, herbs, crystals, or magic. Now, she was on a completely different plane of existence with some asshole spirit who enjoyed torturing them. Her life really had taken an abrupt turn.

“How many spiritual planes are there?” she asked.

“No one knows for sure,” Rosie said. “One of my Books had names for some of them, but the Book also stated there could be an infinite number of planes.”

Infinite!

“I think we’re on the Nightmare plane,” Rosie said.

“Nightmare?” Avery squeaked.

“Out of all the names in my Book, it makes the most sense. Nightmares come to us when we’re asleep; they invade our minds and are beyond our control. During our waking hours we usually don’t think about them, but sometimes they haunt us while we’re awake. Because it can enter our lives when we’re asleep, the nightmare realm is the one most closely linked to ours. It would be the easiest plane for Regan to use to cross into ours, and think about it, we’ve had to face our worst fears or our worst nightmares here.”

Avery wanted to deny it, but deep inside, she knew Rosie was right. “Wonderful,” Avery muttered. “I’ve had some awful nightmares.”

“I bet none of them were worse than this.”

“No, they weren’t. You said it would be the easiest plane for Regan to use; can the spirits move between the different planes?”

“The strongest ones can, and Regan is definitely strong.”

“That he is. Are you sure the Nightmare realm is where we are?”

“Pretty sure. It would explain why Lila can stand on her own here; in her dreams, she’s probably as capable as she used to be. That would transfer to this world. Also, you know what they say, if you die in your sleep—”

“You’re not saying…!” Avery couldn’t finish her sentence.

“Yes, I am. We’re not sporting imaginary wounds, Avery. Whatever happens to us here stays with us. If we die here, we die.”

A chill raced down Avery’s spine. “Go back.”

“That’s never going to happen. We’ll make it through this. Plus, I don’t think Regan wants us dead; otherwise, one of us would already be toe up by now. There have been many times something could have devoured or crushed us, but though they’re enjoying tormenting and beating us, the things we’ve encountered have held back. Regan’s playing with us for some reason; I wish I knew why,” Rosie said as her eyes took on a distant look.

Avery suspected Rosie was right about that, but there was still a chance someone could die here.

CHAPTER 30

Her attention returned to the circle when Alex started to emerge. Streaks of purple, silver, yellow, and pink highlighted his white-blond hair and danced in his onyx eyes. “Tina’s going to take Landon to a doctor,” he said, “but her pulse is steady, and she’s showing signs of waking.”

“Good,” Rosie replied.

“Where do we look now?” Alex asked.

“I’ve already searched down here,” Avery told them.

“Upstairs then,” Rosie said.

Uneasiness filled Avery as she gazed at the elegant stairwell and balcony; Regan had cautioned her against going up there, but it was the only place left to look. Still, she had a feeling that what awaited them up there would be worse than what they’d already encountered.

Her legs felt like lead weights as she followed Rosie and Alex to the stairs and trudged up them. “If using our abilities drains us, then why was I able to use my powers twice and so close together?” she asked.

When Rosie and Alex exchanged a look, Avery realized they were keeping something from her. “I don’t know,” Rosie finally said.

“Your powers are so new that you shouldn’t have been able to use them again so fast or so strongly,” Alex said.

They arrived at the landing, and Avery stopped moving. Apprehension clawed at her insides as the voice started clamoring in her head again. If she let it, the voice would answer all her questions. However, Avery shoved the voice aside; a part of her instinctively knew the knowledge it possessed could destroy her.

“Are you okay?” Rosie asked.

“Yes,” Avery croaked out through the lump of terror clogging her throat. What was so different about her that Regan, a being more evil than any she’d ever encountered or imagined meeting, wanted her for himself?

“Don’t worry about it now,” Rosie said. “We’ll figure it out later.”

Avery tore her gaze away from Rosie; she couldn’t look at her while a growing sense of unease built inside her.

“Come on,” Alex said. “Let’s find the others.”

Avery focused her attention on the dimly lit hall. The white candles, flickering in their golden holders, cast shadows over the red carpet and paneled walls. Gazing back and forth, Avery saw no end to the hall in either direction.

Reid and the others had to be here somewhere, but it could be days before they found them. A fierce yearning swept her when her thoughts turned to Reid. She needed to see him and hold him; his touch would help wash away the remnants of Regan’s malicious cruelty.

Turning to the right, they made their way down the hall and searched through the rooms. Halfway down, Avery opened the door to reveal a pink bedroom. A twin-size, pink canopy bed was set off to the side with its ruffles dangling to the floor. The closed lids of the toy chests against the far wall revealed teddy bears and blocks with letters painted on them.

Rows of shelves lined the walls surrounding them, and at least a hundred clown dolls crammed every inch of those shelves. Grins were hand-painted onto most of the porcelain faces, but a couple dozen sad clowns were mixed in with the others. The multiple colors of the dolls’ clothes glittered in the light from the bedside lamp and danced across the pink carpet. A creepy, glazed look filled their black, green, brown, and blue eyes.

A sense of impending doom descended over Avery as she plummeted into her past. For a second, she was caught between the now and then as she gazed at the familiar room and creepy dolls. Girlish laughter from the past filled her ears, and she could almost see herself and her friends playing in this room.

“It’s a small world after all,” Alex muttered.

“‘It’s a Small World is regular dolls,” Rosie breathed. “This is clown doll hell.”

“Either way it’s freaky,” Alex said. “Let’s get out of here.”

“We can’t,” Avery whispered. “Karen’s in here.”

“How do you know that?” Alex demanded.

Avery gulped; she’d always hated this room and been happy when Karen finally got rid of all the clowns. “This is what her room looked like when we were ten. Fair warning, when we find her, those dolls are going to come alive.”

“Was there ever any doubt?” Rosie muttered.

Avery edged into the room, and Alex and Rosie stepped in behind her. The door swung shut with a click that was somehow more ominous than the bangs of the others had been. Avery eyed the dolls as she walked over to one of the toy chests; they all stared silently back at her, their grins seeming to mock her every step.

Reaching the chest, Avery bent and threw open the lid. Karen’s sandy blonde hair clung to her sweaty face in damp tangles as her eyes widened on Avery. Dried blood dotted the corners of her mouth as she lunged forward and cried out against the gag. Avery knelt to pull the cloth from Karen’s swollen mouth.

“Thank you,” Karen whispered hoarsely as tears coursed down her face. “I thought I was going to die in here.”

Avery went to work on untying the ropes around her ankles. When she finished, she helped Karen to her feet and they embraced. Karen released her and when she saw the room, she swayed slightly. Avery helped steady her before she fell while Alex came over to untie the bindings on Karen’s wrists.

“It’s my old room,” Karen breathed. “I hated those dolls!”

“We know,” Alex said as the ropes fell away from Karen’s wrists.

“Huh?” Karen asked dully, but no one answered her. With her eyes glued to the dolls, trepidation and revulsion etched Karen’s face as she brought her wrists forward to rub them together. “How is this possible? How can we be standing in my old room?”

Avery didn’t have time to fill her in on all of that, and she wished she didn’t have to tell Karen what was about to happen, but she would find out soon enough. “The dolls are going to come alive,” Avery said.

Karen swayed again, and her eyes darted to Avery. “No.”

As soon as the word left Karen’s mouth, a rustling filled the air. Avery prepared herself for what she knew was happening before she turned to accept their fate. Still, when one of the clowns climbed stiffly to its feet, and its wire joints creaked from the movement, her bladder clenched.

The doll’s once dull blue eyes now glistened with hunger as its wicked smile revealed dozens of pointed, tiny, white teeth. A forked tongue slithered between its parted lips and flicked as it tasted the air.

Bile rose in Avery’s throat; she’d known this was going to be bad, but she’d never imagined this kind of demon doll. The paint on the doll’s face cracked before peeling away to reveal the gleaming, porcelain skull beneath. And running through that porcelain skull were throbbing black veins that made it seem as if this thing was pulsing sludge or something fouler through its body.

“Oh, no,” Karen moaned.

When more dolls climbed to their feet, their bodies cracked as they hopped off the shelves with the grace of a ballerina. Noisy chatter issued from them while they bobbed and weaved forward. As they moved, they left a trail of paint chips that turned the carpet multiple shades of white, pink, and red. The rustles and creaks sounding behind Avery caused her to spin and face the monsters there.

“Rosie, can you use your powers?” Avery asked as she edged away from the encroaching monstrosities. They may only be a foot tall, but they unnerved Avery more than a ten-foot alligator. Avery held her breath as she waited for Rosie to do something to the monstrosities.

Rosie heaved a defeated sigh. “I’m still drained.”

The dolls released an earsplitting shriek before rushing them in a maddened frenzy of chattering teeth, dazzling colors, and flickering tongues. Karen screamed and reeled backward. The backs of her knees caught the edge of the trunk and buckled on impact. When she toppled over, she crashed into everyone else and knocked them over like dominoes.

Avery’s breath rushed out of her when she landed on her ass beneath Rosie. Avery had only a second to draw a breath before the dolls pounced. The tiny Satans screamed with bloodlust as they attacked their prey. Avery clawed at the carpet as she tried to pull herself out from under Rosie, but the weight of the clown horde kept Rosie on top of her. Alex managed to scramble out from under Karen and staggered to his feet.

The dolls leapt onto him, clutching his clothes while they tore at his skin. When his blood spilled free to roll down his chest, the dolls’ screams became more frenzied. Alex seized one of the tiny beasts, ripped it off his neck, and heaved it across the room where it shattered against the back wall.

The weight of the monsters shoved Rosie to the side, and Avery used the opportunity to squirm free and stumble to her feet. As soon as she stood, one of the dolls launched itself onto her back; the force of its impact caused her knees to give out. Her left hand hit the floor as she struggled to stay upright.

If this thing managed to get her down, it would never let her up again. Self-preservation and terror for her friends gave her a strength she never knew she possessed as she shoved herself to her feet again.

The doll clawing at her neck ripped out handfuls of her hair. Her skull screamed in agony as stars burst across her eyes. When its teeth sank into her nape, Avery shrieked as she batted at the tiny demon.

Finally, she managed to capture its head and rip it over her shoulder. The clown looked anything but funny as its hands flailed in her face and its face contorted in rage. All the paint had peeled away to reveal its white skull and black veins.

When its small body squiggled in her grasp, the wires winding through it pricked her palms. Its black eyes rolled in its head, and those hideous, piranha-like teeth snapped at her as it tried to break free of her grasp. With a cry of disgust, Avery heaved the doll across the room. It slammed into the back wall where it shattered into dozens of satisfying pieces.

“I can’t… I’m still burnt out,” Alex panted as he batted away the dolls leaping at him from their shelves.

“Avery!” Rosie screamed. “Try your powers!”

Avery turned back to her friends to discover they were being buried beneath a tidal wave of frenzied clowns. Rosie’s shout alerted the remaining clowns to Avery’s presence, and they spun toward her.

She was thankful Regan claimed he didn’t want her harmed. Otherwise, she was sure the dolls would have buried her like they had her friends. However, they must have realized she might be a risk to them as, with a loud screech, the clowns rushed at her.

“Avery!” Karen screamed. “Help me!”

The desperation in her voice touched something inside Avery. She would not allow Regan to hurt and torment her friends. As she glowered at the attacking dolls, the power swelling within her electrified the air. It pulsed and crackled around her until her hair waved around her face. Like the night she was awakened, she saw every separate particle of air floating around her, and she drew on the power within each of them.

Lifting her hands to her chest, she shouted as she flung her hands toward the monsters. Released on a wave of fury and terror, her power streamed out of her in a flash of brilliant white light that stunned her. She’d never seen anything like that happen with anyone else in the coven before. Almost as incredible was the force with which the light hit the clowns and hurtled them through the air. They pelted the walls, breaking the plaster, and shattering the dolls.

Avery almost sank to her knees as she gazed at the broken wreckage. She had no idea what had happened, and though it destroyed their enemies and felt amazing, she wasn’t sure it was a good thing. Her hands continued to tingle with the unleashed power coursing through her.

“Wow,” Karen breathed as she rose to take in the carnage; her soft voice was oddly loud in the unnerving quiet following the destruction. “How did you do that?”

When Rosie and Alex rose, their eyes were distrustful when they met Avery’s.

“How did you do that?” Karen demanded again, planting her hands on her hips. Blood trickled from the gashes marring her legs and arms. A claw mark sliced her cheek, but Karen was oblivious to it as she stared at Avery.

Avery couldn’t speak as she concentrated on trying to understand what was happening with her.

“We’re witches,” Rosie finally said.

“What?” Karen gasped.

“It’s true,” Avery said in a strangled whisper. “We’re witches, and we have powers. I didn’t know until I visited my mother; she told me. I thought she was crazy, but she’s not.”

Karen’s eyes traveled questioningly over the room before settling on Avery. “Well, that explains a lot of recent events. I guess you didn’t get contacts?”

“No.” Avery stared at her feet, but even if she couldn’t see them, she still felt Alex’s and Rosie’s eyes burrowing into her.

“Let’s get out of here,” Rosie muttered.

Avery lifted her head and spotted the door behind Karen. “Come on,” she said. She clasped Karen’s arm as she studiously ignored Rosie and Alex.

“Where does the door go?” Karen inquired while they walked toward it.

“No idea,” Alex replied. “That’s part of the fun.”

Karen was unfazed by this piece of information as she threw back her shoulders and marched forward. “Who else do we have to find?”

“Reid and Lila,” Avery answered.

“We’ll do it,” she said with a decisive nod. “You can fill me in on everything when we get out of here.” Karen kicked aside some of the broken clown remains. “After seeing Poltergeist, I made my mom get rid of them.”

Avery remembered when that happened. They’d snuck the movie from Tina’s older brother and watched it during a sleepover at Tina’s house. When the movie finished, Karen had burst into tears and went from loving clowns to despising them. She begged her mother to get rid of the dolls she’d spent years amassing, refusing to enter her room until they were gone.

As Avery stared at her shy friend, she marveled at the inner strength she hadn’t known Karen possessed.

CHAPTER 31

“Amazing,” Karen said when they finished filling her in on everything.

Avery focused on the wounds on her legs as she worked to clean them. They’d just left Karen’s room behind and had stopped to sit while they attempted to take care of their injuries. Rosie had two gashes near the bruise on her right cheek, and another one along with the welt on her leg; she also had dozens of claw marks oozing blood. The wound on her arm had stopped bleeding, but it was red and sore looking.

Alex’s neck and face bore at least five scratches and a few bites. More scratches and bites marred his arms and legs.

Blood smeared her torn clothing as Avery used the edge of her shirt to dab ineffectively at her cuts. She didn’t bother with the bite on her neck as it had stopped bleeding.

“You’re taking this well,” Alex said to Karen.

“Well, if I wasn’t stuck here with you and recently attacked by psycho clowns, I might not believe you. However—” Karen waved a hand at the empty hall. “—it’s impossible to doubt anything you say when I’m standing here with you. I could freak out, but what good would that do any of us?”

“None,” Rosie said.

“Exactly,” Karen said. “Who is this Regan guy anyway?”

“We don’t know,” Alex answered.

“I’m not sure I want to know,” Rosie mumbled.

Avery had to agree but still refused to look at Alex or Rosie. Their intense stares hadn’t lessened over the past ten minutes, and she was growing more uncomfortable by the second.

“How are you feeling, Avery?” Rosie asked. “Are you burnt out yet?”

Avery knew she should lie and say yes, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. They would only distrust her more if she lied and they found out, which they would if she were forced to use her powers again. “No,” she admitted. “If anything, I feel stronger.”

Rosie frowned and looked at Alex; they seemed to share some silent communication with each other. Instead of feeling like she’d done something wrong again, Avery felt her irritation with them mounting.

“What does that mean?” Karen demanded.

“We don’t know,” Alex said. “None of us have ever been able to use our powers so often, or so strongly. And since Avery is still new to them, she should have burnt out already.”

“Well, isn’t it a good thing that she’s not burnt out?” Karen asked. “It sure helped us with the deranged circus freaks back there.”

“I guess,” Rosie said, but doubt clouded her voice.

“Come on,” Avery said as she pushed herself up the wall. Her battered feet wailed in protest of having weight on them again, but Avery couldn’t handle the suspicion from Rosie and Alex anymore. “Sitting here isn’t helping anyone.”

Rosie and Alex exchanged one more look and rose too. Avery stretched her legs before continuing down the hall. Her stomach rumbled loudly, and she tried not to think about how much she would love some food as she walked. When she got out of here, she was going to have a feast, drink copious amounts of water, and take the longest bath in history.

She threw open the first door she came to, revealing another barren room. “This is ridiculous!” Rosie snapped.

Avery didn’t bother to shut the door before continuing down the hall. Thrusting open another door, Avery froze when she spotted the large, cedar trunk in the middle of the entirely white, sterile room. She hadn’t come across anything like this yet.

Inching into the room, her gaze darted over the walls and vents lining the ceiling. She didn’t know why the vents were there, but she had a feeling it wasn’t good. Everyone filed into the room behind her and glanced anxiously around when the door closed.

They stood immobile before Alex strode across the floor and threw open the trunk lid. For almost a few seconds nothing happened, and then Avery let out a delighted cry when Reid’s head popped up and his silver eyes landed on her.

“Reid!” She raced across the room and ignored the thudding of her knees against the tile floor when she dropped beside him and removed the gag from his swollen mouth.

“Avery,” he breathed.

Smiling at her, he leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers. She inhaled the scent of him mingled with sweat as the heat of his body warmed her. Then he kissed her nose before his mouth fell on hers. Unlike Regan’s overwhelming kiss, this one didn’t make her feel like it was stripping away everything she was and turning her into something else, something mindless. Instead, Reid’s kiss made her feel stronger and capable of doing anything.

“Reid,” she breathed when the kiss ended.

Her fingers curled into his nape; holding him helped to erase the lingering evil of Regan’s touch, but her guilt flared back to life. She would tell Reid about what happened in the blue room; she couldn’t live with herself if she kept it from him. She didn’t want to lose him, but that was his choice to make, and she would bear the consequences of her actions.

“I’m glad to see you,” he said before sitting back to look at the others. “All of you. Though you look horrible.”

“You’re not looking so great yourself,” Alex said. “And it’s about to get worse.”

When they helped Reid to his feet, his knees popped from the hours he’d spent crammed in the trunk. “How could it get worse?” he asked as he eyed the room. “And how long have I been asleep?”

“You were asleep?” Avery asked as he wiggled around so Avery and Alex could untie him.

“Yeah, or at least I assume I was. The last thing I remember was standing with all of you by the stairs, and then Alex was opening this trunk. That’s when I woke up.”

Avery glanced at the others. “Were all of you asleep until you were found?”

“I wish,” Alex said.

“Me too,” Karen said. “It was hot as hell in that chest.”

“I recall the closet clearly,” Rosie said.

So why had Regan put Reid to sleep and not the others?

Avery glanced around the room again as Reid’s ropes fell away. When he turned back around, Avery flung herself into his arms and sighed when he hugged her against his chest. Her tension eased as she clung to him.

“It’s okay,” he whispered as he stroked her tangled hair while hugging her.

“I hate to break this up, but what are you afraid of, Reid?” Rosie asked nervously.

“Why?” he asked as he pulled slightly away from her.

“Because it’s about to burst into this room,” Alex said. “And we’re all going to have to deal with it.”

Reid focused on the vents, and Avery’s heart sank when she spotted a darkness gathering behind them. “I hope you guys can handle being buried alive and bugs,” Reid said.

“Buried alive?” Karen croaked.

“Yes.”

“Why?” Rosie moaned.

“The Hearse Song creeped me out as a kid and got me thinking about things I probably shouldn’t have thought about. I had nightmares for years afterward about being buried and eaten alive by insects after hearing it.”

“What’s The Hearse Song?” Avery asked.

“You know the song where the worms crawl in, the worms crawl out, the worms play pinochle on your snout. They eat your eyes, they eat your nose, they eat the jelly between your toes?”

“Yeah,” Avery said.

“That’s The Hearse Song.”

“Crap,” Alex said.

“That’s why Regan put you to sleep,” Avery realized. “Otherwise, you would have gone insane locked in the trunk, and it wouldn’t be any fun for him unless we all got to experience your nightmare.”

“We’ve escaped the others by using our abilities,” Rosie said. “When it starts, you can fight this one off, Reid.”

Reid nodded, and though he hid it from the others, Avery felt the tremor that ran up his spine before he stepped from the trunk. Reid kept his arms around her as he led her over to the others. When they arrived at Rosie’s side, Reid released her.

Avery had only a second to squeeze his hand before the darkness behind the vents spilled free in a tidal wave of dirt. Mixed in with the soil was a swirling mass of insects so thick and intertwined, it was almost impossible to differentiate one species from another.

The bugs squished and clicked as they poured onto the floor in a swarm of slippery bodies. Avery gaped as spiders, cockroaches, slugs, earwigs, worms, ants, flies, maggots, and so many other insects separated themselves from each other. The bugs rolled over the top of one another as they skittered away from the rising dirt.

Nausea swept through Avery, and her gaze traveled to Reid, who stood frozen beside her. When Avery opened her mouth to tell him to use his powers, the vent above her burst open. Her teeth clicked together, and she bit her tongue when she snapped her mouth closed against the dirt and bugs pouring over her.

She slapped frantically at her arms, but as soon as she brushed some away, more rose up to replace them. Bugs squirmed into her hair, slipped down her shirt, wiggled inside her shorts, and into her sneakers as dirt rose to encase her ankles. Avery tried to ignore the bugs oozing and squishing against her when she beat at herself.

The bugs tried to crawl into Avery’s ears and up her nose as the dirt piled up to midcalf. She longed to scream, but if one made it into her mouth, she would lose her mind. She took shallow breaths through her nose as she wiped frantically at it to keep it clear.

The insects left a slimy trail over her skin while their wings beat against her. She tried to block out the sensation of the tarantula’s scratchy legs, the thousands of squirming bodies, and the rising dirt encasing her knees.

Her heart pounded against her ribs, and any moment now, she would start screaming. The second she opened her mouth and the bugs crawled in, she would lose all hope for maintaining her sanity. She pushed aside her rising terror as she tried to draw on her powers. It would be better if Reid handled this himself, but she couldn’t take much more.

Before she could conjure an image of destroying the bugs and stopping the dirt, a strong gust of wind caused her to sway, but her feet remained locked in the earth. The wind did knock the bugs off her, but although they were gone, she still felt their bodies squirming all over her.

Their remaining slimy ooze adhered her clothes to her skin, and she couldn’t stop slapping at herself. Her skin crawled as she dared to crack open an eye. Scattered all around her were thousands of dead insects. Bile rose in her throat, but she gulped it down as she opened her other eye.

“Sorry that took so long,” Reid said.

“Nice job,” Rosie muttered as she wiped at her skin. “But couldn’t you have done it a little sooner? That was disgusting! There aren’t enough showers in the world to rid me of the feel of those things.”

Karen leaned to the side, doubled over, and vomited. Avery’s stomach heaved in response to Karen’s retching.

“I’m sorry,” Karen whispered when she finished and wiped her mouth with the back of her arm.

“Don’t be,” Alex said.

“We know how you feel,” Avery assured her, and Karen smiled bashfully.

Reid inhaled a shaky breath as he wiped at his clothes and skin. Bug guts matted his hair to his face and a slimy trail coated his clothes. “I’m glad it’s over.”

“Not yet.” Avery clasped his hand and squeezed it. “We still have to find Lila.”

“We will,” he assured her before he scanned the group. “What about Landon and Tina?”

“Landon was injured, so Tina took her back,” Rosie answered.

Reid’s eyes darkened with fury. “Is she all right?”

“She’ll be fine,” Alex assured him.

“Are you all right?” Avery asked him.

“That took a lot out of me, and my powers are drained, but I’m good,” Reid said.

“Then it is a good thing we have Avery with us!” Karen declared.

Avery stiffened when Alex and Rosie once again turned wary eyes on her. Though she still hated their looks, she found they didn’t bother her as much with Reid standing by her side.

Reid’s brow furrowed as he studied her. “What is she talking about?”

Avery met his questioning eyes before averting her gaze. If he started looking at her like Rosie and Alex, she would lose her calm. “We’ll fill you in while we search for Lila,” she told him. “Let’s get out of here before these things come back to life or we’re buried in here.”

“I agree,” Alex said.

Avery ignored the countless dead bodies of the insects as she bent to dig her way out of the dirt entrapping her while the others did the same. Once they were free, they made their way over to the door on the other side of the room.

When Rosie shoved the door open, they fled what would have been their tomb.

CHAPTER 32

Reid leaned against the wall with one leg bent behind him and his arms crossed over his chest while he stared at Avery. They’d just finished filling him in on everything that happened while he was in the trunk. She shifted beneath his scrutiny and gazed down at her feet; she was tired of staring at her battered sneakers.

“Do you feel burnt out now?” Reid asked her.

“No,” Avery said. “I still feel powerful, maybe more so.”

She chanced a sideways glance at Rosie, Reid, and Alex as they telegraphed silent messages to each other. That was it! Anger flashed through her as they continued to treat her like an oddity while keeping secrets about what they knew. She already had Regan playing games and keeping things from her; she didn’t need it from them too.

“I don’t know what is going on here, but I’m really tired of you keeping things from me,” she said. “If you have something to say about me, then say it.”

Reid lowered his leg and stepped away from the wall. “I’m sorry, Avery, but I don’t know what to make of this.”

“Neither do I,” Alex said, and Rosie nodded.

“Make of what?” Avery demanded.

When they exchanged another look, it took all her willpower not to throttle them as her nails dug into her palms.

“Our powers are stronger than our parents, but none of us have ever been able to use our powers so often or as strongly so early in our learning,” Reid said. “And I’ve never heard of a light coming out of someone before.”

“What are you trying to say?” Avery asked. “And I swear if you guys exchange one more look, I’m going to strangle all of you!”

Reid smiled, but the sadness in his eyes frightened her. “I don’t know what it means, Avery. I’ve never heard of a witch being as strong as you are. Maybe if you’d embraced black magic and turned evil—”

“I have not!” Avery blurted. That damn annoying voice started clamoring in her head again, but this time it screamed to be heard.

“Avery isn’t evil!” Karen slipped her arm through Avery’s and pulled her close as she glared at the others. “And screw all of you for thinking it could be possible!”

Avery was grateful for Karen’s fervent belief in her, but an impending sense of doom gripped her as the voice whispered to her again. A part of her wanted to acknowledge the voice, but the other part preferred to bury it forever. In the end, the denial part won out as she shoved the voice aside again.

Lifting her chin, she gazed defiantly at them. “I am not evil. How could you think that?”

“No, you’re not evil, and I don’t think it,” Reid said. “Witches who embrace darker magic tend to be more powerful than most, but the members of our coven are still a level above them. We are stronger natural witches than any of the others we’ve ever heard about. The strength of our powers could almost be considered evil, but none of us practice black magic.”

“Why are your powers so strong?” Karen asked.

“Because our families have been witches for generations and can trace our ancestry to the ancient druids. However, no matter how strong our power is, we do burn out if we use it too much, as we have now. Avery has used her power more than any of us today, yet she feels stronger.”

Avery’s eyes narrowed on him. “So what does that mean?”

“We don’t know, Avery. That’s the problem,” Rosie said. “We have no idea why you’re as strong as you are.”

“Well, I’m glad she’s not like you,” Karen said. “If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t have made it this far. So, why don’t we take this as a blessing and find Lila, so we can get out of here.”

“I agree,” Alex said.

When Reid embraced Avery, Karen released her arm. She ignored the drying bug guts sticking to them as she buried her face in his neck.

“We’ll figure it out, Avery, I promise,” he whispered in her ear. “It will be all right.”

She nodded her agreement, but something inside told her it wasn’t going to be all right.

• • •

Avery pushed open the last door and froze. Beneath a single light bulb, Lila sat in the middle of the room with her hands and feet bound to a small, battered wheelchair. The chair, with its spiked back and thin metal railings, resembled one of the wheelchairs from old asylums she’d seen in countless horror movies over the years.

Lila’s chair sat in the middle of five identical others. Her head was slumped forward, and the curtain of her chocolate-colored hair hid her face. “Lila,” Avery breathed when her friend didn’t move.

Breaking free of her paralysis, Avery raced across the room and bit back a cry of pain when she landed on her knees before Lila. Her hand fell on Lila’s shoulder, and she shook her roughly. Lila’s eyes opened, and she lifted her head to stare blankly at Avery. Then she jerked forward with a strangled cry of relief. Avery pulled the gag away as Reid hurried over to help her untie Lila.

“Thank you!” Lila cried and threw herself into Avery’s arms once she was free.

“Don’t thank me,” Avery whispered. “Lila, what are you scared of?”

Lila strained to stand up, but her legs wouldn’t work, and she fell heavily into Avery’s arms. Her tear-filled eyes clashed with Avery’s when she replied. “Being paralyzed and unable to defend myself should something attack me.”

Reid helped Avery ease Lila back into the wheelchair. Avery brushed Lila’s tangled hair away from her forehead as she sought to comfort her friend. “We’re going to get through this,” Avery promised her.

“I know,” Lila said with a tremulous smile.

“I think we have to sit in the chairs for this to start,” Alex said.

Avery warily studied the empty chairs. She did not want to sit in them. The minute they did, she knew something would attack them, but they had no choice.

Sighing in resignation, Avery rose and sat in the chair next to Lila’s. The second her ass hit the seat and her hands gripped the armrests, her legs locked down. Terror spurted through her when she tried to lift them, but they didn’t respond to any commands she gave them. When the others settled into the remaining chairs, panic flashed over their faces as their legs locked down too.

“I don’t like this,” Karen whispered.

Shuffling noises and the clicking of claws on the wood floor filled the room from behind a red curtain Avery hadn’t noticed until now. A clawed hand wrapped around the curtain before it pulled back to reveal the six hideous monsters on the other side. Standing over six feet tall, these monstrosities were the much taller versions of the horrible little creatures from the trophy room.

Tufts of brown hair coated their scaly bodies, and their tails thumped against the floor. Their muzzles were long, and their yellow fangs jutted over the bottom of their distorted lower jaw. Gleaming black and blue eyes stared malevolently at them as the monsters crept closer.

“Oh!” Lila gasped. “I never pictured anything that horrible. What are they?”

Avery’s mind screamed at her to run, but her leaden legs refused to cooperate. She gulped as her fingers dug into the metal arms of the chair. One of the creatures separated itself from the others. Its fur glinted in the light as its scales took on a slimy sheen. Leering at them, its head bobbed up and down while it led the way with the others following it. Inhuman growls rumbled from their throats.

“Avery!” Rosie shouted. “Do something!”

Oh, now they want me to do something, she thought as she eyed the creatures. The only problem was, she didn’t know if she wanted to do anything. Whatever was different about her was scary, and so was the growing strength of her powers. If she continued to use them, and they continued to grow, would she be the one controlling them, or would they end up controlling her?

The possibility was as terrifying to her as these monsters.

Before Avery could sort out the tumult of her emotions, the creatures rushed at them and screams erupted around the room. When Karen threw her upper body sideways, her chair rocked before toppling over. Free of the chair, she dragged her legs across the floor as she crawled backward.

The monsters were on top of them before Avery could blink. When a large muzzle loomed in front of her, the putrid breath filling her nose made her gag. Fur pricked her palm when she gripped its muzzle to keep it from getting any closer. Paws larger than her head landed on her shoulders, and claws dug into her flesh. Avery screamed when they pierced her skin.

CHAPTER 33

From the corner of her eye, she saw one of them lift Reid and toss him away. Karen’s crawling halted when one of the creatures threw itself onto her. Lila screeched as the weight of the monster on her propelled her backward while Alex and Rosie beat at the ones on top of them.

“Avery!” Karen screamed.

Avery’s fingers dug into the thick skin of the creature before her. The drool rolling from its mouth splattered her legs and soaked her shorts. She tried to remain calm and gather her chaotic thoughts, but it was difficult in the violence shaking the room. Rosie shrieked when one of the beasts sank its fangs into her shoulder.

“No!” Avery screeched.

Her instincts reacted before her mind could comprehend what she intended, and her adrenaline-fueled power surged out of her in a brilliant flash of deep blue light. When the light ensnared the creatures in a giant lasso, it bound them together and dragged them into the center of the chairs before cinching tighter and tearing them in half.

Neon orange blood splattered the room, and them, as pieces of the monsters were thrown into the far wall. Avery wiped away the smear of orange blood covering her face and blurring her vision. She gazed at it for a second before her legs were released and she slumped forward.

“Wow,” Lila breathed.

“I have never seen anything like that,” Alex said.

Avery lifted her head to meet their astonished gazes. Karen climbed to her feet and hugged herself as she stepped toward them. Reid moved to stand beside Karen while he stared at Avery in disbelief. Avery diverted her gaze from his as she climbed onto unsteady legs. Resting her hand on the back of the wheelchair, she used it to steady herself. The power still coursing through her made her feel stronger than before.

And it terrified her.

“Rosie, are you okay?” she inquired tremulously.

“Yes,” Rosie said. The blood soaking her pink shirt had turned it a deep red. Rosie whimpered when Alex slid his shirt off and pressed it against her jagged wound.

“Do you feel drained yet?” Reid asked her.

Avery wished she could lie to him, but she couldn’t. “No.”

Confusion turned his silver eyes the color of molten lead. “Do you feel stronger?”

“Yes.”

“I’m so glad you became a witch!” Lila cried as threw her arms around Avery.

“You knew?” Karen asked.

Lila grinned. “I figured it out.”

“How?”

“We can explain that later,” Avery said. “But first, let’s get out of this place. We’ve found everyone; it’s time to go home.”

And hopefully Regan would let her leave. Avery shut the possibility of being trapped here down; on top of everything else, it might unhinge her.

The only door in the room was the one they’d entered through. Avery sidestepped puddles of orange blood as she walked across the room, pulled the door open, and stepped through it. She found herself back in the old-fashioned sitting room, standing near the intricately carved staircase. The circle beneath the stairwell swirled beckoningly to her as it promised freedom from this world.

“We did it,” Reid said as he clasped her hand.

When Avery looked at him, she hated the unease in his eyes, but she also saw strength and, she believed, love shining there. Would that love remain after she told him everything that happened in this place?

Maybe she really was evil; would a good person allow Regan to get as close to them as she had?

“Let’s go,” Reid said.

She smiled tremulously at him and squeezed his hand as they strode toward the circle.

“Not so fast.”

Avery froze when Regan materialized before them, effectively blocking their exit. His sly grin and beautiful eyes made her hackles rise as she braced herself for whatever he’d planned for them. Avery stepped closer to Reid, and the muscles of his forearm bunched beneath her palm when she gripped it with her free hand.

“The game is over,” she said with more confidence than she felt. “I’ve found everyone, and they’ve all faced their fears. We are leaving.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” he said as he wagged his index finger at her. “Not everyone has faced their fears, Avery.”

Avery felt like he’d driven a sledgehammer into her gut. “That wasn’t part of the game.”

“Oh, darling,” he purred. “I made the game, so I make the rules. If you’re going to get out, then you have to play.”

“You’re going to hide me?”

“No, this can be done right here. Lila, be a dear and pull that unusual little crystal out of your pocket.”

Lila glanced at Avery before dipping a hand into her pocket to remove Avery’s crystal. Dangling from Lila’s fingertips by its chain, Avery’s crystal’s clear depths reflected the colors of the circle across the marble floor. Hope swelled in her chest when she recalled Landon’s words about her crystal being able to help open portals between the worlds.

“It won’t help you escape here,” Regan said.

Avery’s eyes flew to him as he seemed to guess at her thoughts.

“It can help open portals from the human realm into other worlds, but not from those worlds into the human realm,” Regan continued. “If you’d used your crystal to come here, you would be able to leave through the portal you created, but since you didn’t, you cannot use it to escape.”

“I wasn’t thinking about using it to escape,” she lied.

He chuckled as he brushed an imaginary piece of lint from his shirt. “Yes, you were. You wear your thoughts as plainly as you wear your clothes, darling.”

I hate you! Avery bit back the words as she glared at Regan; they would only amuse him.

“It may not help you escape, but that crystal is as rare and unusual as its owner,” Regan murmured while his gaze ran appreciatively over Avery’s body.

Reid released a growl that sounded more animal than human. His silver eyes blazed with rage as he glared at Regan who smirked back at him.

“You’re out of your league here, boy, with her and most certainly with me,” Regan drawled.

“I’ll show you out of your league, specter,” Reid snarled.

Avery held Reid back when he stepped toward Regan. If Reid went after him, Regan would make him suffer—if he didn’t kill him outright. When a wave of power seeped out of Regan, Avery felt its oily blackness creeping into her soul. There was so much of it, and it was so corrupt, yet it was only a fraction of what he truly possessed. As it wove its way deeper into her, she had the overwhelming urge to vomit his power out before he reeled it back in.

When she looked at Reid again, his face was ashen, but his chin remained high. The others looked as if they’d swallowed something foul, and she imagined that’s what she looked like too.

“Take the crystal, Avery,” Regan ordered as his voice took on the hypnotic tone she recalled.

“Why?” she demanded.

Regan’s magnificent face was almost angelic as a smile played across his full lips. “So you can face your fear.”

“I don’t have any!” she snapped, knowing she lied.

He wiggled a finger at her. “Yes, you do. Just ask that little voice in your head.”

Avery took an involuntary step back as all eyes spun toward her. “How do you know about that?” she demanded.

Regan’s smile became smug as he took a predatory step forward. “I know you better than you do, and certainly better than lover boy here.”

His electric eyes flashed as they swung toward Reid when Reid pushed Avery back and stepped in front of her. Reid’s shoulders straightened as he glowered at Regan. Avery gripped his arm when she realized they were close to fighting. If it had been a fight between two humans, Reid would win, but Regan wouldn’t fight fair.

“You don’t know me!” Avery cried.

“Oh, but I do,” Regan replied. “Take the crystal, Avery; otherwise, you’ll stay here until you die.”

“Go on, take it,” Reid encouraged. “We’re all here for you.”

Lila’s hand trembled as she held the crystal out to Avery. “We’ll always be here for you,” she whispered.

When Lila moved the crystal closer to her, it sparked, and Avery seized it before she could lose her courage. The power rushing up her arm warmed her palm and turned her bones to liquid. From out of nowhere, a whirlwind swept up to enclose her in its murky depths.

She lost sight of everyone when the wind tearing at her hair and clothes swept her from the hall. The crystal became her only source of illumination in the vortex as she plummeted into oblivion.

CHAPTER 34

Avery stumbled and teetered before she lost her battle against gravity and fell on her hands and knees in the damp sand with the crystal in her fist. The ocean lapped against the shore on her right, and the salty air coated her skin and lips. A breeze blew strands of hair into her face, and she absently brushed them away from her eyes before lifting her head to take in her surroundings.

She wasn’t surprised to find her friends weren’t on the beach with her. Looking to make this as difficult as possible, Regan wouldn’t allow her the support and strength their presence would provide her.

Turning away from the beach, she studied the dunes rolling across the sand. Twinkling stars covered the tapestry of the night. A large house sat on the cliffs above the dunes, and a flickering flame lit its window.

There was something familiar about her surroundings and the house…

She gasped when she realized she was gazing at her mother’s house. Except this house was gray and not blue, and lamps instead of electricity lit the windows. Instead of Julie’s large porch, a set of steep stairs descended to the beach. The smoke lazily coiling from the chimney carried the scent of burning wood.

She clutched her crystal tighter as her gaze followed the road to the other houses. There were fewer houses than she recalled on the street, and they were all slightly different, but she recognized Reid and Landon’s home, as well as Mario’s and Isla’s.

Behind another set of dunes, she made out the glow of a fire flickering in the dark. The crystal in her hand vibrated when she focused on those flames; it was drawn to the fire, and she decided to trust it.

Climbing to her feet, Avery made her way through the shifting sand. The blisters on her feet screamed in agony as she walked, but as she approached the fire, the crystal grew brighter until it illuminated the sand and shells before her.

When voices drifted to her from behind a set of boulders, she paused, uncertain of what to do. This was Regan’s world after all; those voices could belong to anyone or anything, but the crystal drew her onward.

Avery draped the crystal around her neck and placed her hands on the cool rocks to lift herself onto them. She picked her way carefully over the moss-covered, slippery boulders until she hoisted herself on top of them.

Astonishment froze the breath in her lungs when she spotted the nine people below. They were all gathered around a fire swirling with colors from crystal dust. Though their clothes were outdated, she at first assumed they were her coven dressed up for Halloween or something, but when she looked closer, she realized they were different than her coven. Avery couldn’t keep her mouth closed as she started picking out differences between these people and the ones she knew.

This Landon’s hair was a vibrant, deep red, and her eyes were a brilliant emerald green. Standing beside her, Reid’s hair was the same shade as Landon’s and his eyes were a vibrant blue. Standing near Landon and Reid, Rosie’s hair was a golden blonde that hung to her hips, and Alex’s was a shocking orange. Besides their eyes and hair color, there were also differences in their features, heights, and mannerisms. However, the similarities were striking enough for Avery to believe she was looking at the ancestors of her coven.

Standing off to the side, what she took to be Sandra, Isla, Eric, Shawn, and Mario’s ancestors talked amongst themselves. An ache filled Avery as she watched them; she yearned for her friends and her coven. They would probably understand what was happening here.

As Avery inched forward, she caught bits and pieces of their conversation. She stopped at the edge of the rocks and settled into the shadows to watch.

“What are you doing here?” the one who resembled Landon demanded.

Avery almost fell off the boulders before she realized Landon’s relative wasn’t speaking to her; she was gazing into the shadows across from her as another girl stepped into the circle. The girl’s raven hair tumbled to her hips and swayed with her steps. Her violet eyes reflected the colors of the fire as she smiled coldly at the group.

Staring at the girl, Avery found herself touching her face; though there were differences between them, the girl looked enough like her to be a relative. Avery didn’t possess the hostility in that girl’s eyes, and the girl’s slightly larger nose tilted to the right. Her cheekbones were more pronounced, but the resemblance between them was unnerving.

Avery’s gaze traveled lower, and she almost keeled over when she saw the sparkling blue crystal hanging at the girl’s throat. It was her crystal, she was sure of it. When her hand enclosed on the one dangling against her chest, the warmth blazing from it comforted her.

“I’ve come to see you, Beatrix,” the girl replied. “You are my best friend, after all.”

“You aren’t my friend anymore, Celia,” Beatrix said.

Avery’s hand flew to her mouth when she realized she was related to the newest arrival; Celia was her great-great-great-aunt and the last member of Avery’s family to possess magic until her parents. At least now she knew why this woman had her crystal. If it was handed down through Avery’s family, then it must have belonged to Celia during her lifetime.

Celia laughed and stepped closer to the fire.

“You’re not welcome here,” the person who looked like Reid stated.

Celia’s eyes flashed with amusement. “Is that any way to greet your old love, Adrian?”

When Adrian’s hands clenched, Beatrix touched his arm. “Don’t remind me!” he spat.

Celia threw her head back and emitted a bark of laughter. “You wound me!”

“What do you want?” Rosie’s ancestor demanded.

“I simply came to say hello to my friends, Adele,” Celia replied.

Avery’s head bounced back and forth as she tried to follow the conversation while the hostility in the group mounted. An air of apprehension and melancholy hung over everyone but Celia as the coven grouped together and further away from Celia.

Celia turned to the shadows, and a smile lit her face. “It’s so good to see you, Lover.”

When a man emerged from the shadows and sauntered toward her, Avery recognized him as Regan. Except, unlike the others, this Regan was identical to the one she knew. He smiled at Celia and his hand entwined with hers as they faced the group together.

What is going on here? Avery wondered.

“You’re not welcome here,” Adrian stated.

“But we should be,” Regan replied. “We were all meant to be together.”

“We will never be with you, Regan!” Adele vowed.

“But it’s so much fun!” Celia cried. “You can’t imagine the power you could possess!”

“We don’t want that kind of power,” the one who looked like Alex replied.

“Yes, you do, Archie,” Celia said to him. “You’re aching to possess the power Regan and I wield. Together, we can all rule the world. I’ve known you since you were born, and I know you’re not happy with the pathetic amount of power you have.”

“I’m very happy with it,” Archie said.

“Sure you are,” Celia sneered.

“Leave now before we force you away from here!” Beatrix ordered.

“Do you think you could?” Celia inquired. “My powers were stronger than yours before I joined Regan; you can’t begin to imagine what I’m capable of now.”

“I don’t want to know what you’re capable of,” Beatrix said. “What you’ve become saddens me.”

“That’s jealousy, Beatrix, not sadness.”

“We can make you leave. There are nine of us and only two of you,” Adrian snarled.

“Are you sure there are only two of us?” Regan taunted.

Alarm flashed across Adrian’s face as he surveyed the people surrounding him before gazing defiantly at Regan. “You’ll get no more of us!” he declared.

“But I already have,” Regan replied, and his eyes landed on Sandra’s ancestor whose dark brown hair hung in thick waves to her knees. He extended his hand to her. “What do you think, Marjorie?”

Marjorie smiled as she stepped away from the group and sauntered across the sand to join Celia and Regan. She slipped her hand into Regan’s and turned to face the coven she’d abandoned.

“No!” Beatrix cried. Adrian pulled her back when she stepped forward.

Marjorie tossed back her hair, and her brown eyes flashed as she gazed at the coven. “I’m sorry, but I’m tired of parlor tricks. I want real power.”

“How could you?” the one Mario looked like yelled.

“It’s only a matter of time before you all join me, why fight the inevitable?” Regan inquired.

“Get out of here,” Adrian growled.

When Regan threw his head back, his laughter rang across the beach. “With pleasure. Come, my love.” He lifted Celia’s hand to his mouth and placed a kiss on the back of it. She beamed at him as they turned and strolled into the shadows.

“We’ll see you soon!” Celia called back.

The flash of power that shot out of Celia was similar to the one Avery released earlier. Only the light Celia released was pitch black instead of blue, and it radiated evil as it smashed into the fire and sent sparks and flames shooting everywhere. Their laughter trailed through the air until the three of them vanished into the night.

Avery turned back to the remaining group; she was grateful for the distraction they provided as she tried not to think about the implications of what she’d seen.

“We have to do something,” Mario’s ancestor said.

“We will, Wallace,” Adrian assured him, but sorrow etched his handsome face.

“I’m sorry,” Beatrix said to Adrian. “I know how much you love her.”

“Loved her,” Adrian corrected before turning to Shawn’s ancestor. “Did you know that Marjorie joined him, Clarence?”

Clarence tossed back his shaggy blond hair. “No,” he replied gruffly.

“Kate?” Adrian asked the one who resembled Isla only her hair was a light red and her eyes blue.

Kate’s mouth pursed as she gazed at the beach. “No, I didn’t know.”

“Elmer?”

There were many differences between Elmer and Eric, but there were enough similarities that Avery could tell he was Eric’s ancestor. “No,” Elmer said.

Adrian turned, and his gaze landed on Avery. She worried he could see her, but he showed no reaction to her. “Come on, let’s go home,” he said, and she heard the defeat in his voice.

CHAPTER 35

Avery waited until they vanished before rising and wiping away the wet sand clinging to her shorts and legs. When she finished, she looked helplessly around. What was she supposed to do now?

“Enjoying the show?” Regan asked from behind her.

When Avery whirled around, her feet skidded out from under her, and she toppled backward. Regan’s hand snaked out to grab her arm before she plummeted off the rocks. Quickly righting herself, Avery’s breath came in rapid pants as her gaze landed on him. She tried not to let her fear of him show, but he smiled smugly, and knowledge danced in his eyes.

Avery scowled at him and ripped her arm free of his grasp. “I am not Celia!”

Leaning against the rocks, Regan sprawled out like an indolent cat as he clasped his hands on his chest. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

He lifted a black eyebrow as his eyes traveled leisurely over her. Though she didn’t want to give him any indication he unnerved her, she couldn’t stop herself from taking a step down the rocks.

“You’re wrong,” he purred. “Celia is a big part of you, and the rest of your miserable group is also a part of them.” He waved a hand elegantly at the empty beach, but his eyes never left hers.

“I am not evil,” Avery retorted.

“There is such a fine line between good and evil, and nothing is as clear as it seems.”

When Regan rose from the rocks in one fluid motion, Avery clamped her mouth shut to keep from gawking at him. She knew he wasn’t human, but seeing him move like that only hammered home the point. This creature held her life in his hands. She wanted to bolt, but he wouldn’t let her get far, and she had to face this if she were going to win this game.

“Are you sure there isn’t some evil in you?” he inquired.

“Yes!”

“I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you.”

His voice became that lulling, hypnotic tone she despised as it worked its way into her mind. She struggled to fight it, but it dug in deeper until it brushed against her soul.

“Celia was a formidable witch before she joined me. Embracing what I offered her more than tripled her power, and you possess more power than she ever did. The strength of your powers does not belong to someone who is good but rather someone who is evil.”

“No.” Avery’s throat clogged as his voice danced in her head. “No.”

He moved closer until he blocked out the full moon and became all she could see. “Like me, you relish the strength of your ability and all it enables you to do. Your soul soars when you draw from the elements and the power swells within you. I alone know how you feel when you release it, and the temptation you feel to use it until it becomes so strong no one can stop you. Think about how much power you’ll have when you join me and everything we will do together and everything you will have.”

Entranced by his voice and the lure of his words, she didn’t pull away when he stroked her hair. His elegant fingers stroking the black strands mesmerized her. Her mind briefly recalled all his promises in the blue room, and excitement shot through her. Then she remembered her vows to herself and the coven.

Shaking her head, Avery broke free of his spell. “I am not her!”

“Then why do you have her crystal and her birthmarks?”

Avery blinked in surprise; she hadn’t expected such a strange question. “That crystal belongs to my family and birthmarks are just that… birthmarks.”

“It may have been handed down through your family for centuries, but Celia is the only other witch who ever claimed and controlled the crystal of rarity as hers. She’s also the only other witch who was ever double marked, though hers were on her right side. Those two marks are a sign of how powerful you are compared to any other witch.”

“How do you know that?” Avery demanded.

He smiled as his hand enclosed on her hair, and he gave it a small tug to draw her closer to him. Avery contemplated ripping her hair away from him, but she didn’t dare touch him.

“I know many, many things, Avery, and your family has been special to me for thousands of years.”

Thousands of years! How old was this monster, and how could they possibly fight something so ancient and seemingly omnipotent?

Avery almost wept as a crushing sense of defeat descended over her, but she refused to give in to it. They could beat him, and if it were the last thing she did, she would find a way to destroy him. She just had to escape this first.

“Why is my family so special to you?” she asked.

“From the very start your line has always been the strongest, and you’ve always had ancestors who embraced the power black magic brings them. Over the centuries, they’ve passed that strength and craving for more power throughout their line. You may not be Celia’s direct descendant, but there is darkness in your lineage, and you inherited so much of it.”

“That’s not true,” she said. “The coven would have told me if that were true. They would have been scared of me and stayed away.”

“Who says they knew about it?”

Was he right? Was there something inherently evil about her line and had it been kept from the coven? She recalled the missing pages in the coven’s Books; there was something on those pages no one wanted them to see. Whether their parents or some other generation tore them out, she didn’t know, but they’d been removed on purpose.

She didn’t want to be evil; she honestly didn’t think she was evil, but if what he said was true…?

That was it though; she didn’t know if what he said was true or not. She didn’t doubt he would lie to her to get what he wanted. Many mysteries surrounded their Books and their parents, but if she allowed herself to fall into that rabbit hole, she’d never get out of this.

“I am not Celia!” she hissed through her teeth.

He released a husky laugh and let go of her hair. “You’re right; you are so much more than Celia. I’ve been waiting for you for millennia, Avery, and I will have you. Come now, there is more for you to see.”

The world shifted suddenly, and the rocks under her feet melted into a black void.

• • •

When Avery landed on her hands and knees, her fingers dug reflexively into the cold, wet sand. She lifted her head to gaze at the beach and sea spread out before her. Regan, Celia, and Marjorie stood ten feet away from her, near the ocean rolling onto the shore.

“That was great!” Marjorie threw her arms wide as she spun in circles. “Did you see the looks on their faces?”

Celia laughed as she stroked Regan’s cheek. “Truly delightful, my love,” she said to him, and Avery rolled her eyes when Regan pulled her into his embrace to kiss her.

“What do we do now?” Marjorie asked.

“You are going home,” Regan said.

“But I feel too alive and powerful; we have to do something,” Marjorie whined.

“Not tonight,” Regan replied. “Our time will come, and until then, you are to lay low.”

As Celia wrapped her arms around Regan’s neck, she smiled sweetly at Marjorie. “This is a private party,” Celia murmured as she kissed Regan’s neck.

Marjorie’s face fell, and anger flashed in her eyes. “I’ll go,” she relented.

She stalked down the beach before disappearing in a shimmering mist. Avery stared at the place where she’d vanished before hugging herself in a weak attempt to ease the chill encasing her.

Are these people ghosts? Is any of this real? What is Regan doing to me?

“I never knew what love was until I met you,” Celia said sweetly.

“Adrian can’t compete?” Regan asked.

“Never.”

“I told you we were meant to be together and how good it would feel once we joined.”

“You were right. My soul, my heart, my mind, and my body all belong to you,” Celia vowed.

“For now and always?”

“For eternity.”

The passionate tone of Celia’s voice and the word sent a shiver of revulsion through Avery. Celia didn’t care that she’d hurt Adrian or appear to be under any spell from Regan as her eyes shone with her love and her words spoke of it.

Please don’t let this be real, Avery pleaded. Please let this be something Regan made up.

“Eternity was right.”

Avery twisted to find Regan standing behind her. When she glanced back at the beach, she discovered Regan and Celia were gone. “Maybe for her, but not for me,” she managed to say.

When he walked forward to kneel before her, his blue signet ring flashed in the moonlight as he placed an elegant finger beneath her chin to lift it. “Even more for you.” His voice was velvet seduction. “I know you feel the connection between us, and I am the only one who can truly understand you and the power you possess. The others fear what you can do, but I don’t. We were created for each other.”

Avery longed to remove her chin from his grasp, but his electric blue eyes enchanted her. Fight this. Fight him!

His finger stroked the tender skin beneath her chin as he once again weaved his way into her soul. “Let yourself feel it, Avery. Open your heart to acknowledge what is within you.”

He’s right, a voice inside her whispered. You are meant for each other. The others are afraid of you; he’s the only one who can truly understand you!

When her gaze fell to his lips, she trembled in excitement.

“You feel the bond between us,” he whispered.

“Yes.” She didn’t know where the word came from, but it sprang to her lips and slipped free before she recalled thinking it. Then, out of nowhere, it came again. “Yes.”

Leaning closer, his lips brushed hers, and a dozen vibrant sensations erupted through her. The power flowing between them enveloped her in a velvet cocoon of warmth and desire.

This is right! Her mind screamed. This is what you’ve been waiting for and missing! This is what Reid—

CHAPTER 36

Remembrance knocked away the hypnotizing effect Regan had over her. She reeled backward in the sand as she wiped frantically at her mouth to rid herself of the feel of him.

“No!” she cried. “I don’t want this or you! I want my friends and Reid.”

When rage blazed out of Regan, Avery recoiled from the fury that blistered against her skin and battered her body until she was overwhelmed by the certainty he would kill her. She tried to draw on her power to defend herself, but even as she was pulling on the energy around her, his wrath was battering it down again.

“You’ll see,” he snarled. “I’ll show you what loyalty to your friends will bring you.”

A scream ripped from her as the world lurched away and she plunged into a vortex of hate and battering wind that would have taken any house to Oz. Was Regan incensed enough to kill her? Was that what this vortex was designed to do?

The rage filling the maelstrom beat at her soul, tore clothes, and yanked her hair until tears stung her eyes. Constricting beneath the pressure, her ribs felt like they would crush her heart as her breath was squeezed from her. He was going to kill her; she was sure of it.

Then it abruptly ended, and she was thrown free of the chaos. Her abrupt landing jarred her spine, and blood flowed into her mouth when she chomped on her tongue. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she lifted her head to look around.

It took her a moment to realize she was still on the beach, but this time she was at the entrance of a cave she’d never seen before. The swirling colors radiating from within the cave’s murky depths cast light onto the beach and across her hands.

Curiosity about those colors enabled her to rise and stumble toward the entrance. Voices drifted to her, and she placed her hand on the wall for support as her battered body protested each of her steps. The moisture-laden air danced over her flesh as it lent her the strength of its currents.

While she walked, her fingers trailed over the different rock formations, and she drew strength from the earth. The more power she pulled from it, the better her body felt until she could walk without limping or worrying her legs would give out.

After a few hundred feet, the cave opened into a large cavern that was alight with a myriad of colors dancing in a fire, and Avery realized this coven had used their dust to help ignite the flames. The colors of the dust reflected in the pink and white crystallized stalactites hanging from the ceiling and the matching stalagmites rising from the floor.

The coven stood in the center of the cavern with their hands clasped as they formed a circle around Celia, Regan, and Marjorie. There were no stalagmites in the smooth area where they stood, but the large crystals formed a protective circle outside of them. There was no break overhead though, and the stalactites hung ominously above them.

“You can’t do this!” Celia screamed. “You don’t know what you’re doing!”

“Yes, we do,” Beatrix stated with a remorselessness that made Avery’s eyebrows rise.

“You’re relinquishing your powers too!” Marjorie yelled.

“So be it,” Archie replied.

Regan’s strides were brisk and determined as he stalked toward the coven, but before he could reach them, a wall of light shot up to block him. When he smashed his fists against it, the light wavered but held firm against his violent attack.

“You’ll pay for this!” he bellowed.

“We already have,” Adrian replied as he gazed at Celia.

“Begin, Elmer,” Beatrix commanded.

With his hands interlocked in Kate’s and Clarence’s, Elmer stepped forward. “I call upon the power of fire to scorch away your desires!” he yelled.

Avery hadn’t noticed the candle at Elmer’s feet until its flame surged up to combine with the wall keeping Regan restrained. The coven also had their crystals at their feet and piles of herbs. Some of the crystals were the same as the ones that belonged to the members of her coven, but others were different, and she couldn’t name them. She recognized some of the herbs like lavender, clove, mugwort, and sandalwood, but she didn’t know the others.

When Elmer moved back, Kate stepped forward. “I call upon the power of water to saturate your powers!”

Water rose from the bowl at Kate’s feet to mix with the light and fire until the liquid’s clear depths swirled beside the wall of flame.

Kate retook her place, and Clarence stepped toward the wall as he spoke. “I call upon the power of air to suffocate the evil you bear!”

The cold wind rushing past Avery pushed her against the wall as it raced to join the water and fire.

Wallace went next. “I call upon the power of the earth to bury the evil you bear!”

The sand and dirt covering the cave floor rose before him and coursed forth to join the other elements.

Archie followed Wallace. “I call upon the power of fire to sear away the power you bear!” he cried.

The fire before Archie poured forth and circled the wall entrapping Regan, Celia, and Marjorie.

Adele was the next to go. “I call upon the power of water to drown and quench all of your powers!” The water before her rolled forth and intertwined with the other elements.

Adrian went next; his shoulders were set, but his voice quivered when he cast his spell. “I call upon the power of air to smother the power you bear!”

More wind whipped past Avery to join the circle.

“How could you?” Celia shrieked. “You said you loved me, Adrian! How could you destroy me like this?”

Adrian’s eyes fell to the cavern floor as he edged away, and Beatrix stepped forward. “I call upon the power of the earth to bury your powers in the dirt!”

More sand rose up to join the rising crescendo of light now quaking the walls beneath Avery’s fingers. She eyed the stalactites overhead when they started vibrating, and bits of dust rained down. The colorful dust and elements swirled together as power swelled within the cavern walls.

“We call upon earth, air, fire, and water to aid us in quenching this evil. In return, we offer our powers, and the power of our family, to bind theirs!” the coven chanted together as Regan’s face contorted in fury.

Avery staggered back when the earth rolled and buckled beneath her feet. The air in the cave became thicker and harder to breathe as electricity crackled the air. Regan’s scream bounced off the walls as the voices of the coven rose higher while they repeated the same binding words.

“One hundred years is all you’ll have!” Regan thundered. “You cannot bind me for longer, and I will set your descendants free!”

With a loud bang that made Avery’s ears pop, the wall of elements and light streamed forth to encircle Celia, Regan, and Marjorie. It encompassed their bodies and hugged them close while their screams echoed throughout the cavern.

Avery threw her hands over her ears in a failed attempt to block out the sounds of rage and pain as the first stalactite broke free and crashed to the ground ten feet away from the coven. Avery jumped, but they didn’t glance at it as they continued their binding ritual until the circle around Regan and the others vanished. The walls and earth stopped shaking as silence descended and Avery lowered her hands.

“One hundred years,” Regan said in a menacing voice. “You’ve only bought your families a hundred years of peace.”

The coven lifted their chins and glared at him. “That is one hundred years without your corruption wreaking havoc on this planet,” Beatrix said.

A rumbling filled the air, and the earth under Avery’s feet shifted as if a wave of water was cresting beneath it. Avery used the wall to balance herself when the ground heaved upward. The wall quaked beneath her hand as chunks of rock broke free of the ceiling and crashed to the floor. The coven danced back from the lethal stalactites raining down as broken stone scattered around their feet.

“We have to go!” Beatrix shouted.

Marjorie ran to Celia, but Avery couldn’t hear what they said to each other before Marjorie fled the cave. Instead of running for freedom, Adrian raced forward and seized Celia’s hand. She stared at him as if she didn’t know him when he tugged at her.

“Come with me, Celia!” Adrian yelled above the crashing rocks.

Even from her distance, Avery saw the sheen of tears in Celia’s eyes. “No!” she screamed and ripped away from him. “I’m not leaving Regan.”

“You’ll die in here!” Adrian yelled.

Celia threw herself into Regan’s arms. “Then I’ll die!”

Adrian reached for her again, but she evaded his grasp. “Please, Celia,” he pleaded.

“Adrian, we have to go!” Beatrix ran to him and gripped his arm.

“No!” He shook off Beatrix. “Celia, please come with me.”

“I’m not leaving,” she spat and buried her face against Regan’s chest.

Wallace, Archie, and Clarence rushed forward to grab Adrian’s arms. He kicked and jerked against their hold as they pulled him back a few feet. More stalactites crashed around them; Kate screamed when a large rock slammed into her shoulder and knocked her to her knees. Adele grasped her arm and tugged her to her feet.

Screams echoed throughout the cavern as the ghosts of the past rushed toward Avery, seeking the safety outside the cave. Adrian thrashed against the people holding him as they carried him toward Avery.

“Let her go!” Archie shouted over the thunderous booms of the collapsing ceiling. “It’s too late, Adrian!”

Adrian slumped in their grasp when the rocks crashing around Celia and Regan cut them off from the others. The ghosts never acknowledged her presence as they ran past her, carrying Adrian with them. Wallace’s arm should have touched hers; instead, it floated straight through.

They staggered out of the cave as the rubble buried Celia and Regan.

CHAPTER 37

When she found herself standing on the beach outside the cave again, Avery wasn’t sure how she got there, but she was glad to be free of the death within. The ghosts were gone, and she was alone on the vast expanse of sand and water. She closed her eyes and inhaled the briny, ocean air as she tried to steady her riotous emotions.

“They left you.”

Avery didn’t open her eyes or turn to face Regan when he spoke from in front of her.

“They left her,” she said.

“She is you.”

“I am me. Celia was someone else. I could never be her.”

“That’s good because I don’t want you to be her. You are something more; you are something better and stronger. You know that’s true because you can feel it.”

Avery finally opened her eyes and focused on the ocean as she drew strength from its presence. “No, I don’t.”

She stiffened when he used his index finger to lift her chin until she had to look at him. “Yes, you do,” he whispered.

“What are you?”

He laughed as his finger rubbed her chin. “I was wondering when you’d ask that. I’m something you can’t begin to comprehend. I’ve been around since the dawn of time and was created with the world as a way to balance the good in it, so to speak. This is my realm, but because this world is so closely connected to yours, I’ve always traveled freely back and forth between them. I’ve known all of your ancestors, Avery, every single one of them.”

Try as she might, Avery couldn’t tear her eyes away from his mesmerizing stare. “Are you a demon then?”

He shrugged negligently. “I suppose you could fit me into your definition of a demon. I could also be a god, goblin, a Djinn, ghost, the Boogeyman, Freddy Krueger, or whatever else you humans call the things that haunt you in the night. All of which is just me.”

Avery’s throat went dry as the implication of his words sank in. He was so ancient and so powerful and the source of what so many feared. “You are evil then?”

“Good, evil, does it matter?”

“Yes.”

“I embody the powers of evil. So do you.”

“No, I don’t!”

“Then where do you think the powers you possess come from?”

“They come from me!”

“No, my sweet, they come from Celia. You contain all the power Celia possessed after she joined me; plus, the strength of the powers you would have possessed on your own. Your family line has always been the strongest; even without Celia’s abilities, you were destined to be the strongest witch ever born because those powers have been combining, growing, and passing to you throughout the millennia.”

Oh, holy crap in a giant Hell handbasket, she had no idea how to deal with any of this. She was in so far over her head that she couldn’t even begin to see a way out of the mounds of crap he kept piling onto her.

“How was I able to keep Celia’s powers?” she asked.

“Because I made sure of it.”

“How?”

“It was the last spell I cast before that pathetic coven bound my powers on Earth for a hundred years. With the last of my power, I ensured one of Celia’s descendants would wield all the power she possessed. That descendant is you. I also made sure you would know you belonged to me when we met, just as she did.”

Though she despised herself for it, Avery couldn’t stop the tears of hopelessness filling her eyes. How could she fight against something bestowed on her before she was born? To her dismay, one of those tears slid free, and Regan wiped it away with his thumb.

She knocked his hand away and scrubbed at her cheeks while she glowered at him. “How did you manage to break free of your plane?”

The patronizing smile he gave her set her teeth on edge before he lowered his hand. “That coven only had enough power to bind me for a hundred years, love. When the hundred years was over, I broke free of my plane again. I am the one who awakened your parents and the others with a simple spell.”

“You created the lightning?”

“I was the lightning.”

Avery almost sank onto the sand, but she somehow managed to keep her legs braced under her and her face impassive. She would not give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he rattled her.

“After I awakened them, I returned to my plane to wait for my Celia to return. I didn’t know how long the wait would be, but imagine my delight when I recognized Celia’s strength the second you were awakened. Once freed, your powers pierced the veil between our worlds to beckon me. That’s how strong our bond is, how strong you are, and why we were meant to be together.”

“No, we weren’t.”

He stepped closer as his voice caressed her body. “Celia loved me so much she chose to die with me. That love lives inside you, Avery.”

“She was a fool!” Avery cried.

“No, she wasn’t. She loved me and belonged with me. You belong with me, and your power will set me free.”

Avery frowned. “Set you free?”

“With you by my side, I can leave my world, rejoin yours, and we can rule your world.”

A dawning knowledge descended over Avery. “Their binding spell is broken, but you still can’t leave your plane without me!”

Seeming to realize he’d slipped up, Regan’s face darkened, and she saw the malevolence slithering beneath his surface. It terrified her more than anything else she’d faced.

“Yes, I can,” he said. “But it would be easier on everyone, Avery, if you gave in. Do you want your friends to suffer any more than they have?”

No, she didn’t, but she had the overwhelming feeling he was lying to her and he couldn’t get free without her. “Why did you stay in that cave to die?” she asked.

His face relaxed. “Because my spirit cannot die, but my body would have been trapped on Earth, and I couldn’t stand to live in your world without my powers or Celia.”

“So, you sacrificed your mortal form to return to a land where you could still rule as a spirit,” she said. “But you no longer have a human body, only a spiritual one, and you believe I can help you get it back.”

The power washing out of him when he edged closer caused her skin to prickle. Even with everything she’d learned about him, she couldn’t suppress her desire for him when his chest brushed hers.

“You feel this need between us,” he whispered as his hand entwined in her hair.

“No,” she protested, but her body screamed something else.

He pulled her against him and his lips brushed her forehead. “Yes, you do.”

When his lips traveled down to hers, she found herself swept into his embrace. Electricity ripped through her as his searing heat encompassed her. His lips brushed hers while he spoke against her mouth. “Think of all the power you could have. This is only the beginning.”

His lips reclaimed hers with a desperation that turned her bones to mush and had her on the verge of collapsing. Avery forgot why she was resisting him as he became her entire world while his mind prodded against the edges of hers. The power welling between them was a drug she couldn’t say no to as it entwined around them.

When his tongue touched hers, an explosion of images burst into her head; she saw Regan and everything he was. He stood in the cave, clutching Celia against him. “We will come back. Then we can do everything we planned. Think of all the destruction we can create then, my Celia.”

“I cannot wait, my love,” Celia whispered.

When more pictures of Regan swept through Avery’s mind, they revealed him standing proudly on a battlefield, soaked in the blood of the dead littering the ground at his feet. Next, she saw him with an executioner’s ax as he held it above a man’s head. His enthusiasm was palpable as he swung the ax down, and she tasted the copper of the man’s blood on her tongue. Then he was at a hanging with his hand on the lever that would kill the dozens of people on the gallows.

More scenes flashed through her mind until all she heard and tasted was the screams of the dying, their fear, and their blood. Everywhere she saw him, blood, death, and destruction followed.

Avery wheeled backward as she tore herself away from him. “You’re disgusting! How could you kill all those people?”

Shock and disbelief twisted his features, and she realized he hadn’t meant for her to see any of what she’d witnessed. But somehow, she’d slipped past his defenses and embedded herself in his mind like he did to her. She’d gotten the best of him and discovered the truth of what he would do with her at his side. Triumph swelled inside her as she realized she was more powerful than even he knew.

Her triumph faded when fury blazed in his eyes, and she once again saw the malevolence slithering beneath his perfect exterior.

“Yes,” he hissed. “And you are going to help me do more.”

“No, I’m not. I know what you are, and I’ve seen what you’ve done. I know the evil you possess and experienced the joy you take in killing people. I will not help you hurt anyone else. Take me back to my friends. Take me back now!”

His power scorched her skin until it felt as if a sandblaster were scrubbing the skin from her bones. Then he vanished and a gust of wind ripped her off her feet. She opened her mouth to scream, but the air in her lungs was torn away from her.

A whirling tunnel of hate and rage whipped around her as she was spun into oblivion.

CHAPTER 38

She was thrown unceremoniously out of the hole that had swallowed her. Agony flared through her bruised hip and elbow; she grunted as she tried to push herself into a sitting position so she could see if anything was coming at her. When hands grasped her arms, she screamed and beat at them.

“Avery, stop! It’s all right. It’s me!”

She froze when the voice finally sank in, and she spun to fling herself into Reid’s arms. He cradled her against his chest and rocked her while the tears she’d been holding back spilled free.

“It was awful!” she sobbed into his shoulder.

“I know,” he whispered as he ran a hand soothingly over her tangled hair. “But it’s over now; you won.”

“It’s not over,” Regan growled.

Avery’s tears froze as she braced herself for battle and lifted her head from Reid’s shoulder. She realized she was back in the sitting room when she spotted Regan standing on the stairwell. His hand rested elegantly on the banister while he stared disdainfully down at them.

“I faced my fear,” she choked out.

Rising, Reid helped her to stand. “We are leaving here, and we are taking Avery with us,” he declared.

Regan’s eyes bore into Avery as he spoke. “You’re all free to leave, but I’m not done. I will have you, Avery.”

“No, you won’t.” Reid’s arm tightened around her waist. “I think she’s proven she’s not as weak as Celia.”

Horror filled Avery as she turned to face him. “You knew about Celia?”

“We saw everything you did. We all saw,” Reid said, waving a hand toward the circle beneath the stairwell.

Avery gasped when she spotted Landon, Sandra, Mario, Shawn, Isla, Eric, and Tina standing by the circle with their eyes focused on her. When someone shifted behind her, she turned to discover Rosie, Alex, Lila, and Karen standing there, scowling at Regan.

“Saw?” Avery squeaked.

“Yes,” Landon said gently. “We saw everything you saw, and we felt everything you felt.”

Shame ripped through her, and she lowered her gaze to the marble floor. They were all so good, caring, and understanding. And she was… well she didn’t know what she was after everything Regan revealed. She didn’t think she was evil, but she couldn’t deny the strength of her powers had come from a place of evil.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“There is nothing to be sorry for,” Reid replied. “You did nothing wrong.”

“You were with us through our nightmares,” Rosie said, “and we were with you, but he didn’t let you know that. We understand everything that happened, Avery, because we know how he compelled you to feel.”

She didn’t deserve their love and understanding, and she especially didn’t deserve Reid. How could he stand here and hold her after watching her kiss Regan?

When Avery lifted her gaze to Regan, she knew she would never falter again. She would prove she deserved their faith in her, and now she knew she had the strength to withstand him. She would show them all, and herself, that the only things she had in common with Celia was her power and heritage.

“We are leaving,” Avery said with her eyes locked on Regan’s.

“Yes, you are,” Regan said. “But you won’t get far, and I won’t leave any of you alone. I will hunt you until you beg Avery to give herself to me.”

Avery’s mouth went dry, and her fingers curled into Reid’s chest. After seeing what Regan could do, she had no doubt he’d make their lives a living Hell.

“How are you, Sandra?” Regan inquired.

Sandra smiled slyly at him; her red nails flashed as she flicked a strand of golden hair over her shoulder. Avery’s stomach somersaulted while she stared at her beautiful cousin. She wanted to reach out and stop her when Sandra stepped closer to Regan, but she couldn’t. Sandra’s loyalties were about to be tested, and they had to know where she stood.

“I can feel the power in you,” Regan continued. “You are very strong.”

“I am, but it didn’t come from you or Marjorie.” Sandra turned dismissively away from him to focus on Avery. “Are you ready, cousin?”

For the first time, Avery felt a family connection between them. “Yes,” she replied, grinning at Sandra.

Regan may have taken over their ancestors, but he wouldn’t take them. Reid squeezed Avery’s waist and led her over to the others. When they circled her protectively, their love enveloped her.

“Can I go through?” she asked as she eyed the circle.

“I have no intention of destroying you, Avery, so you are free to go,” Regan said.

The smug, secretive glint in his eyes froze her. They were missing something with him, but she didn’t know what it could be, and she didn’t want to linger here to figure it out. When Reid nudged her forward, Avery tore her gaze away from Regan and stepped forward.

“I’ll be seeing you,” Regan called after them.

Avery knew it was a promise and not a threat, but she didn’t look back as she walked into the circle.

• • •

Avery clutched a glass of ice water in her hand as she propped her feet on the railing. As the ocean rolled gracefully onto the shore, the outgoing tide left a trail of shells and seaweed in its wake. She tried to gather strength from the sea’s comforting presence, but the soreness of her body wouldn’t let her forget what they’d endured.

And she didn’t want to forget it as every bruise and cut reinforced her hatred for Regan. It felt like they’d been in his twisted house for days, but she’d been stunned to learn that only four hours had passed.

Voices drifted from the house, but no one came out to speak with her, and she was grateful for that. She needed to be alone to sort through the jumbled mess of her mind. She’d been sitting outside for a while now, and she would have to face them eventually, but she couldn’t find the courage to do it yet.

So they all tended each other’s injuries while she remained out here. From what she’d gathered before leaving Lila’s house to return to her home, Landon had woken shortly after Alex carried her through the circle. Instead of seeking a doctor, she’d called the rest of the coven to come help them. She was doing okay and showed no signs of a concussion.

The ice clinked against Avery’s glass as she absently swirled it while the setting sun streaked the sky with a variety of oranges, reds, pinks, and yellows. A car door slammed nearby, but she didn’t look up when footsteps thudded across the porch toward her.

“Hey, sweetie, what are you up to?”

Avery looked up as her dad leaned against the railing before her gaze returned to the sea. She didn’t know what to say to him or anyone else anymore.

“Avery, what happened to you?”

She hadn’t bothered to change or brush her hair after they returned to her house. She didn’t have the energy for it, and she didn’t care what she looked like.

Her dad sat in the chair next to her and leaned forward. “Is that blood?” he demanded as he touched a stain on her shirt and then the scratches on her leg. “What happened?” Avery still couldn’t bring herself to answer him. “Avery, talk to me. Why are you out here while everyone else is inside?”

“I wanted time alone,” she finally said.

His hand rested on her arm. “What happened? You know you can tell me anything.”

“Have you ever heard of someone named Regan?”

When he inhaled sharply, Avery whirled to face him. “You have!”

“Stay away from him.”

“It’s too late for that!” she cried. “He’s already here, and he’s coming for us.”

“No,” he breathed.

“Yes!” she snapped. “Did you know Regan was the one who awakened your powers?”

He clasped his hands before him. “Avery—”

“You did!”

She hadn’t believed anything could hurt her anymore, but she’d been wrong. When she discovered he’d kept the witchcraft from her, she could understand it was because he wanted a normal life for her, but this was different. This secret had nearly destroyed her and her friends. If he’d told her, she would have been better prepared and could have defended herself better.

“How could you not tell us?” she asked.

Stark pain radiated from his eyes when they met hers, but it didn’t ease the disgust and distrust she felt toward him.

“At the time, we didn’t know Regan was the one who awakened our powers,” he said. “We were teenagers, and we had no idea what happened to us. It wasn’t until we discovered and read through the Books of Shadows our ancestors stored away, that we realized our powers weren’t some miraculous fluke. We learned Regan was the reason for the loss of magic and believed he was the reason for the return. We knew there would be a price to pay for our abilities being returned to us.”

“Why didn’t my coven know about this?”

He had the grace to look ashamed as he lowered his gaze from hers. “We took all the pages about him out of the Books.”

CHAPTER 39

“Why would you do that?” she demanded.

“All of you children were already born when we discovered this information about Regan, and we saw the vast amount of power you all possessed. Your powers nearly matched ours, even in infancy, but you were the strongest of all. When you wanted something, all you had to do was look at it, and it was in your hand.” His eyes took on a distant look as he shuddered.

“You were afraid of me,” she whispered.

“It was astonishing, Avery, and all of us found it a little unsettling,” he admitted. “No baby should be that strong, and to have all of you displaying such unusual abilities was unnatural.”

Her dad’s obvious fear of her was almost more than she could take; she almost wept, but she held back her tears. There would be time to shed them later.

“We also recognized the similarities between your coven, and the coven that bound Regan,” he said. “There were the same number of people, and through our reading, we learned they’d also been more powerful than any other coven to exist before them. It didn’t take us long to realize all of you children were as powerful, if not more so, than them. Plus, with your double birthmarks so similar to Celia’s, we knew if Regan was going to come for anyone, it would be you.”

Avery rubbed at the mark on her left wrist as she gazed at him. “Regan said my powers are stronger than Celia’s, and that I possess them because of a spell he cast before he died; he believes we belong together.”

Her dad blanched. “That may be true, but even if it is, we are each our own person, Avery, and this is your life to live and your choices to make. You are one of the kindest, most generous souls I know, and no matter what he says, you do not belong with him. Maybe he thinks you belong with him, but I think you are meant to destroy him.”

Avery almost threw herself into his arms as he uttered those last words with genuine conviction, but she was still too upset to hug him now.

“How come none of us knew about our powers until we were older if we were showing signs of them at birth?” she asked.

He clasped his hands before him. “While you were still infants, we bound all of your powers until you were old enough to control them better. The other parents believed their children would be ready at thirteen, but your mother and I decided it was best to wait until you were older.”

“That’s why our birthmarks, and yours, glowed after we were awakened; they did it because of the sudden influx of power we all had after the binding was destroyed and our powers were freed,” Avery said. “That’s why there are no other similar experiences written in any of the Books.”

“Most likely,” her father agreed.

“Why didn’t you keep in touch with any of your friends on the island after you left?”

“Because I didn’t want to take the chance of you overhearing something or learning something before I believed you were ready to return. That’s why I kept everything hidden from you; it was safer that way.”

Avery considered his words as she gazed into his troubled eyes, and then she realized something. “This is also why none of you ever had any more children! You worried about what those children would be like and that Regan might go for them too.”

Her dad nodded, and Avery placed her glass down before she shattered it. “This is too much,” she whispered. “I can’t handle this.”

He squeezed her arm. “Yes, you can. You are a strong, beautiful soul, Avery, and you can do whatever is necessary to destroy Regan.”

“And what if I don’t want to fight this battle?”

He moved his hand away. “You don’t have a choice.”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” she muttered. “Why did you allow me to go with my mother this summer? Weren’t you worried about what would happen to me?”

“Of course I was, but you had to go back; it was time for you to learn what you are and to gain your powers so that you could protect yourself and them. Even if you didn’t know it, I sensed your powers growing stronger every year. It was only a matter of time before they broke through the binding spell, and then things would have been more traumatic for you without the coven around to help you through it. You also had to go back because they needed you. The ten of you are a force to be reckoned with and, without you, the nine of them would have been more vulnerable to an attack from Regan.”

Avery laughed bitterly. “They would have been safer if I’d never gone to them. When they awakened my powers, they alerted Regan to my presence. That is why he came back.”

Her dad gaped at her before regaining his composure. “I didn’t know, but your powers were much too strong to remain bound forever, and your coven needed you to complete them.”

“Maybe my powers would have remained bound.”

“That would never have happened, Avery. The binding spell wasn’t meant to last past your eighteenth birthday. None of us were strong enough to make it last longer. And when your powers finally broke free, Regan would have found you anyway. Your powers had to be awakened so you could all defend yourselves.”

Avery wasn’t sure if he was telling the truth or trying to convince himself they’d done the right thing by allowing the coven to awaken her abilities. Either way, it didn’t matter. “If my powers needed to be awakened, then why did you allow me to come back here without it happening?”

He chuckled as he touched her arm again. “I know you better than anyone, and I knew I couldn’t make you accept something before you were ready. You had to come around to it in your own time and your own way; I had faith you would.”

Avery moved her arm away from him as she turned to look at the ocean again. “You should have warned me about Regan.”

“Yes, I realize that now, but I was hoping we were wrong and it wouldn’t be you and your coven that he came for. None of us knew what to do about him.”

“So you left us at his mercy with no warning? That was better?”

“Avery, I’m sorry.”

Rage and frustration boiled through her as her hands clamped on the chair. “We were completely unprepared for him. I didn’t know how to use my powers, or how much I possessed. Not only did he almost kill us, but he almost turned me evil. He used my ignorance against me, and all along you could have told me about his existence!” She thrust a finger at the house. “Their parents could have told them. You’re all cowards!”

Looking as if she’d slapped him, he recoiled in the chair. “You never would have gone with him; you are not Celia.”

Avery rose to her feet. “Regan made sure her powers lived within me, and he connected me to him when he did so. I hate him, yet there is an undeniable bond between us.”

“Avery—”

“Did you know that, unlike the others, I don’t drain and my power only becomes stronger?”

“That’s not possible,” he whispered.

“It is possible,” Reid said.

Avery hadn’t heard the glass doors slide open, but she turned to discover that everyone had come outside to stand on the porch. “How long have you been there?” she asked.

“Long enough to know the truth,” Landon answered.

“You all knew about Regan?” Alex asked Avery’s dad.

“Yes,” he answered tiredly. “We all knew.”

Rosie planted her hands on her hips as she glowered at him. “How could you not tell us?”

“We made a mistake,” her dad whispered. “We thought we had more time. We never expected him to come for you while you were still so young, but we were starting to prepare you for him; that’s part of the reason your mother was taking you for the summer, Avery. We planned to give you the missing pages once you were all eighteen, but we wanted all of you to enjoy as much of your childhood as you could before having to shoulder this burden.”

“That’s not good enough!” Reid spat. “He could have killed us.”

Her dad lowered his head into his hands as he slumped forward. A flicker of sympathy went through Avery before she buried it; he, along with the rest of their parents, had betrayed them all.

“How do we stop him?” Avery didn’t recognize the steely tone of her voice.

“I don’t know,” her dad said.

“Do you know anything?” Sandra asked.

“Not much, not about Regan.”

“There’s the binding spell,” Rosie said. “We saw how it’s done, and we can perform it again if we can draw his spirit forth.”

“Then we lose our powers too,” Mario said.

“It’s worth it.”

“No, it’s not,” Avery interjected. “The spell would only last another hundred years, and he would come back. What if he wins next time?”

“He could still win now,” Karen murmured.

“No, he can’t,” Sandra stated. “There are ten of us against him. Plus, we have Avery who’s like ten witches in one. We’re much stronger than that coven was; we can beat him.”

Avery had never expected Sandra to side with her, but Sandra’s emerald eyes shone with resolve when they met Avery’s. “Thank you,” Avery said.

Sandra tossed back her hair. “I am not going to lose my powers because of that creep.”

Avery grinned at her before turning to the others. They already looked beaten, and they still had a big battle ahead of them.

“So, what do we do?” Isla asked.

“There has to be a way to bind his powers without losing ours,” Shawn said.

“We’ve got the Books of Shadows at our houses. Something in one of them could help us. Although, it would have been nice if someone had given us the pages about Regan.” Landon’s pointed gaze landed on Avery’s dad.

“I have the missing pages from Avery’s Books here; your parents will have the rest,” he said.

“We’ll start with those pages,” Reid said. “And we’ll go get the rest from our parents.”

“We’re coming with you,” Tina said.

Tina’s eyes shone with determination when they met Avery’s. Avery had kept her promise and informed her of everything. Tina wasn’t surprised by the revelation, but after everything she’d witnessed, Avery didn’t think anything could surprise her anymore.

“I think it would be better if you stayed here,” Avery told her.

Tina’s hands fisted. “You made me leave that nightmare place, but I’m not leaving you again.”

Lila and Karen looked just as determined. “Fine,” Avery relented, “but we should leave soon.”

CHAPTER 40

Sitting on Landon’s window seat, Avery stared at the pages before her. Her vision was blurry, and her head ached from hours of reading, but she refused to give in until they found something useful.

They’d retrieved all the missing pages from their parents, and though they’d all been as sorry as her father, there had been more angry words than forgiving ones. Forgiveness would come with time, she knew, but their wounds, terror, and sense of betrayal were still too fresh for it to happen now.

She lifted her head from the small, cramped writing and rubbed her eyes while she gazed at the others. Rosie, Eric, Mario, Shawn, Tina, Lila, Karen, Isla, and Alex were sound asleep on the blankets and sleeping bags scattered across the floor. Tina and Mario’s soft snores and the turning of the pages were the only sounds in the room.

If anything good had come from their encounter with Regan, it was that he’d made them all closer and she no longer had to keep any secrets from her friends. There were no lines between the coven members anymore; it was them versus him now.

Avery turned her attention back to the missing pages from the Books of Shadows laid out before her. Yellowed with age, the pungent odor of mildew rose from the paper. Every page mentioned Regan or a man who could only have been Regan.

Over the centuries recorded in the Books, Regan had shown up at least every fifty to seventy-five years to wreak havoc on their ancestors. After what he told her about knowing all her ancestors, Avery was sure he’d been around more often too and from the very beginning.

Every time he arrived, he managed to turn at least one member of the coven, if not more, to his side; the majority of them came from her side of the family. However, every member of the coven could count at least five relatives that Regan turned.

“Our powers are passed through our blood?” Avery asked as she traced a line on her family tree.

“Yeah,” Landon answered around a yawn.

“It’s like Regan was manipulating the others over the years into creating Celia and that coven.”

“I think he was,” Reid said, “and we’ve become their duplicates—except we’re stronger than they were.”

“Which means he’ll want us even more,” Sandra said.

They were both right, and the more they went through the missing pages, the clearer it became there might be nothing they could do to stop him. The notations about Regan revealed little; even the ones from Celia’s coven told them almost nothing. They hadn’t known what he was, or where he came from. He simply appeared on the night of Celia’s eighteenth birthday.

It wasn’t until a week later, when she joined him, that the coven realized he was evil. They had no time to research who or what he was before Marjorie went with him too. At that point, they became more concerned about stopping him than trying to uncover where he came from or what he was.

None of their other ancestors knew much about him either. Those earlier covens had done nothing to get rid of Regan; he’d just vanished, and Avery assumed it was after he accomplished his mission with them. And she suspected that mission was to turn them to black magic, make them stronger, and have them pass that strength on to their children until he created Celia… and now her.

“He’s mentioned here,” Landon said.

“What does it say?” Reid asked from where he sat beside Avery.

Landon’s gaze locked on Avery. “It’s about another one of your ancestors.”

A knot formed in Avery’s stomach. It usually is. “Let’s hear it.”

“It says Brenna has joined the man who came from the night.”

“That’s all it says?” Avery demanded.

Landon’s eyes scanned the pages as she flipped through them. “No. Five months later, Brenna had a son with her husband Peter, who was another member of the coven. Peter wasn’t turned, and shortly after their child’s birth, they both died from influenza. Brenna’s sister raised the child. There is no mention of Regan after he turned Brenna.”

“Why would he do all of this?” Avery asked.

“I don’t know,” Landon said. “Only Regan would know the answer to that, but I think he planned to use Celia’s coven and now ours to help him take over this world. He’s not happy with his Nightmare realm and wants more.”

The room became so quiet that the tick of the clock on the wall sounded like gunshots.

“He did it to my family the most,” Avery said after a few minutes and glanced at Sandra. Although they were cousins, the taint of Regan was mostly on Avery’s dad’s side of the family. Swallowing nervously, Avery asked the question she’d been dreading. “Does this mean I’m evil?”

“No,” Landon said. “From what we’ve read, your family line has always been the strongest, and it seems Regan wanted the extra power they would possess when he turned them.”

“Whatever happened to turn them was Regan’s doing, not theirs,” Sandra said.

Avery gave them a grateful smile, but she wasn’t so sure. She wasn’t the same as the others, and they all knew it. No matter what reassurances they offered, they had to harbor doubts about her. How could they not?

“Regan used his power to try to get me to join him, why didn’t he do it to other members of the coven while he had us in that place?” Avery asked.

“Because he needs you the most,” Reid said. “As powerful as he is, he’s not all-powerful. Otherwise he wouldn’t need you to help him return to Earth. Even if it doesn’t seem like it, he’s probably weakening himself every time he uses his power on you. If he started using it on other members of the coven too, it would only weaken him further, and it still wouldn’t get him what he wanted.”

“Me,” Avery said.

“Exactly. Regan threatened to keep you there so you would play the game, but he’d never allow you to die.”

“If we don’t find a way to stop him, things are going to get so much worse,” Avery said.

“While he remains a spirit, we’ll be safe on our plane,” Landon said.

“No more séances,” Sandra said, “or anything else that could allow him to cross over to our world or us into his.”

“If he’s a spirit now, and trapped in his realm, how could I possibly help him to have a mortal form again?” Avery asked.

“There are many… mysteries in this world,” Landon said around a yawn, “but I’m sure Regan knows a way. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have let his mortal form perish in that cave-in. He would have despised living powerless on Earth, but he would have done it if he hadn’t known there was a way for him to reclaim his corporeal form.”

Avery dropped her head into her hands and rubbed at her temples. He may not have been able to get her to join him as he’d anticipated, but if he started maiming or killing her friends, she would have no choice—unless they found another way to stop him, which wasn’t happening.

“This is useless,” Sandra said as she set some of the torn pages aside.

“No, it’s not,” Landon said.

“Can we make a spell to stop him?” Avery inquired.

Landon sighed. “We can try, but we’ll have to do more research to figure out everything we’ll need. We can’t risk anything going wrong.”

Avery rubbed at her blurry eyes before she looked at the ornate wooden clock on Landon’s wall; it was five thirty in the morning. She hadn’t slept in over a day, and she was too tired to do this anymore.

“We should get some sleep,” she said.

“I agree,” Reid said.

He stood and stretched his back before turning to face her with his hand extended. When she clasped it, he helped her rise. Sitting for so long had stiffened her muscles, and she stifled a groan as she leaned against Reid’s side. He supported her with an arm around her waist.

“Good night, ladies,” Reid said before leading her around the sleepers.

Mario snorted and rolled over. Avery stifled a laugh as he mumbled something and buried his head beneath his blanket.

“Have fun,” Sandra purred.

Avery paused at the door and turned to look at her cousin. “Sandra—”

“You’re not Celia, and I’m not Marjorie,” Sandra said.

Avery smiled; her cousin had read her mind. “No, we’re not,” she agreed before following Reid down the hall to his room.

He opened the door and waited for her to enter before stepping inside, closing the door, and clicking on the light switch. Avery gazed at the gray walls covered in photos of the ocean, lighthouses, birds, the beach, Reid’s family, and the coven. Stunning, most of the images were in black and white, which made the colored ones mixed in with them stand out even more.

Against the far wall was an oak dresser, and a small gray chair sat beside the large bed. To her left, an open doorway revealed a small bathroom. Three cameras hung from a coat rack next to the door, and two more sat on top of Reid’s dresser.

“Did you take all these pictures?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said as he tossed clothes from the bed to the chair.

“They’re amazing,” she said as she walked around the room, feeling completely out of place. She’d never been alone in a boy’s room before, never mind Reid’s room.

“Thank you.”

“What about your parents?” she asked as she continued to examine the photos. “I’m sure they wouldn’t want me in here.”

“I’ll deal with them if it becomes an issue, but they’re sleeping now.”

She turned to find him staring at her with a look that made her toes curl. “Reid—”

“I just want to hold you,” he said as he walked toward her. “I almost lost you today, and I need to know you’re here, with me.”

A lump formed in her throat as tears burned her eyes. “Oh, Reid, you say that now, but you don’t know everything I did.”

He froze when he was only a few feet away from her. Before he could speak, Avery blurted out the whole horrible incident in the blue room with Regan. Shame colored her face, and she ducked her head.

“I don’t understand his hold over me, but I can’t deny he has this way of getting in my head…” Her voice trailed off as she recalled Regan’s hideous effect on her. “It doesn’t matter because I did those things; I reacted to him and allowed him to get close to me even after I swore I wouldn’t.”

She wanted to look at him, but she couldn’t. She hadn’t realized he moved until his hand cupped her cheek and he lifted her head. His silver eyes swirled with doubt when they met hers, but the understanding in them caused her tears to fall.

“What I did was horrible. I forgot about you, the coven, my friends, and—”

“Avery, stop,” he said as his thumb traced her bottom lip and his eyes held hers. “If Regan hadn’t been using his powers on you, would you have done those things?”

“No!” she cried. “I hate him and the way he manipulates me. I hate that he’s able to wield so much power over me. I want to be with you; I care about you, yet he makes me forget that.”

Reid smiled at her before kissing her forehead. “I care about you too,” he whispered. “You’re blaming yourself, but it’s Regan who’s creating this uncertainty in you and making you do things you normally wouldn’t.”

“Can you…” Her voice broke, and it took her a few seconds to speak again. “Can you forgive me?”

“I already have; you need to forgive yourself.”

She lifted her head to gaze at him. His image wavered through the tears in her eyes, but her heart swelled with what she realized was love for him. Even with all of Regan’s manipulations, he could never make her feel the way Reid did, and he could never compete with the goodness inside this man.

Though she’d taken a shower and changed before leaving her house, she still felt dirty from Regan’s touch, but she didn’t stop Reid from drawing her into his arms.

“We’re going to beat him, Avery,” he promised as his lips ran over her temple.

She turned her face into his neck and inhaled his intoxicating scent. Lifting her head, she rested her palm against his stubble-roughened cheek before bringing his mouth down to hers. When their lips touched, his kiss sent waves of heat and love crashing through her.

However, this heat was different than what Regan aroused in her. Regan’s was a burning flash that threatened to scorch her bones and burn away her soul. Being with Reid was so right that his touch lit her from the inside, strengthened her, and made her whole.

A mesmerizing voice and hypnotic eyes didn’t coerce this kiss; love and a desperation to be closer to him fueled this one. Reid didn’t want to destroy, possess, or use her for his twisted purposes. In his arms, she didn’t feel any confusion as she knew where she belonged.

When his tongue teased her lips, her mouth opened to his, and he kissed her until her knees went weak. Power built within her and slipped out to encase them in a warm cocoon. When his power melded with hers, flashes of his life filled her mind. She saw him as a boy, holding a small kitten. Saw him and Landon as children with their hands locked together as they laughed and danced in circles. Then he was a young teen with the coven surrounding him and their hands entwined as they performed the initiation ritual.

Finally, she saw Reid when he looked at her. In his eyes, she was vibrant, strong, beautiful, and good. Then she felt his love for her and more tears rolled down her cheeks as the images of Reid burned away the lingering horror of what she’d witnessed with Regan.

Feeling dazed, Avery pulled reluctantly away from him. “I saw—”

“I know,” he whispered. “I saw it too. I felt it too.”

She didn’t deserve this kind of love; she’d betrayed him, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave the shelter of his embrace. “I love you,” she whispered.

His hand clenched on her hair as he hugged her tighter. “I love you too.”

“How could you, after what I did?”

“Shh,” he soothed.

Before she could protest further, he claimed her mouth in a kiss that swept her away once more.

CHAPTER 41

Avery woke slowly the next day. Her eyes were heavy with sleep, and she felt like someone had taken a meat tenderizer to her body, but she was also strangely peaceful. The reason for her peace was because she was lying against Reid’s chest with her head propped on his shoulder and his arm around her waist.

“Good afternoon,” he said as he nuzzled her hair with his lips.

She lifted her head and smiled into his sleepy eyes. His tousled hair made him more handsome. His jeans were still on, but he’d taken his shirt off to reveal the lean muscles of his chest and abdomen.

“Good afternoon.” She kissed him as she trailed her fingers down his chest. “What time is it?”

“One thirty.”

Seven hours of sleep hadn’t been enough to revive her completely, but they had work to do. “We should get back to the Books.”

“They can wait ten more minutes.”

She grinned before leaning down to kiss him again. He clasped the back of her head and pulled her against him. She was beginning to lose herself to him when the door flew open and bounced off the wall. They broke apart, and Avery prepared to blast away whatever threat came at them when she realized Landon was standing there, bouncing on her toes and grinning.

“We’ve got it!” she yelled.

“Don’t you knock?” Reid grumbled.

“Didn’t you hear me? I said we’ve got it! We can make a spell that will bind him. We’ve got him!”

Avery’s dismay over the interruption vanished when Landon’s words finally penetrated. She flung the blankets aside and jumped to her feet.

• • •

“How are we going to get something that belonged to him?” Tina asked.

Avery chewed her bottom lip as she paced Landon’s room while pondering this. “The cave!” she cried and spun to face everyone. “Celia and Regan are buried in that cave!”

They stared at her before they began to grin.

“Yes!” Eric cried.

“We just have to find him,” Reid said.

• • •

Avery gripped the flashlight so tightly she was sure the indents of the handle were permanently imprinted on her palm. The handle of the shovel dug into her shoulder, but she ignored it. Ahead of her, Reid’s feet crunched on the rocks covering the cave floor.

Avery shoved back a strand of damp hair that had worked its way free of the knot on top of her head. She squinted to see through the shadows dancing outside the flashlight beams of the others while her hand trailed the rocky wall for support.

The clouds of dust their passing kicked up clogged her mouth and nose and clung to the sweat coating her. The rocks shifting beneath her feet threatened to re-twist her already abused ankle. She wasn’t claustrophobic, but the dank air, darkness, and purpose of their mission gave her the creeps.

“I hope this place is safe,” Tina whispered, her voice echoing around them.

Avery hoped the same thing as they crept over rocks that were once the ceiling of the cave. Now the ceiling was only two inches above her, and Shawn, Alex, Mario, Eric, Reid, Landon, and Sandra stooped to avoid hitting their heads on the jagged rocks.

Reid’s flashlight suddenly illuminated a large room as he stepped forward into the central part of the cave. No new crystal stalactites had formed over the years. Instead, the rocks overhead looked like a layer of coal dust coated them, or perhaps Regan’s evil had permeated and ruined them.

When Avery played her flashlight over the cavern, her heart sank at the amount of rubble covering the floor. It had to be at least ten feet deep, if not more. The happiness and hope she felt earlier vanished. It would take them forever to dig through this mess.

“Wonderful,” Mario groaned.

“Well, we know they were in the middle, so let’s start there,” Karen said, refusing to lose hope.

Avery balanced herself carefully on the loose rocks covering the floor as she made her way forward. Her ankle twisted when a stone rolled over, and she bit back a cry. Placing her flashlight and shovel on the ground, she bent to rub her tortured ankle. A violent jolt swept through her fingers when they touched the ground, and a wave of evil washed through her. Her teeth chattered as nausea twisted her stomach.

“Here!” she choked out. “They’re here!”

Avery threw her arm up to shield her eyes when the others swung their beams onto her before their lights fell to her feet. “Are you sure?” Eric asked.

“Yes,” she said.

Picking up her shovel, Avery positioned her flashlight so its beam pointed at where she started digging. Within minutes, her back ached, her arms throbbed, and she was utterly exhausted, but she continued. The sounds of discarded dirt, rocks, and heavy breathing were the only noises within the cave as they worked. The only one who hadn’t come with them was Lila as she couldn’t make the journey into the cave; she remained in Landon’s room.

“Can’t you guys magic these rocks out of the way?” Tina asked as she paused to wipe the sweat from her forehead. She left a streak of dirt behind.

“We have to conserve as much of our power as possible for the ritual, even Avery,” Landon said. “She hasn’t burnt out yet, but we can’t push our luck when we’re going to need her power the most.”

“Good point,” Tina said and returned to digging.

The going was slow and arduous; Avery felt like they’d been working for hours, but she didn’t know how much time passed. Karen, Rosie, and Tina gave up their shovels and started tossing rocks aside with their hands. When Avery plowed her shovel into the rocks again, a wave of evil burst over her.

“Do… you… feel that?” she panted through her chattering teeth.

“He can’t hurt you now,” Reid said.

He was right, but she couldn’t stop the tremors rocking her.

“I’ve got something!” Alex yelled.

His triumphant shout snapped Avery out of her paralysis. She threw her shovel aside as Alex pulled a skull from the ground. He brushed the dirt away before lifting it over his head to reveal the white bone and empty eye sockets. Some of its teeth had been knocked out, small cracks raced across the delicate cheekbones, and a large chunk was missing from the top of it.

“Gross,” Isla griped.

Avery agreed, but she had to touch it and make sure it was Regan’s. “Let me see it,” she said.

Alex strode over and handed it out to her. Avery wiped her hands on her shorts before taking it from him. Her fingers slid over the smooth bone as she examined the cracks while turning it in her hands. The remnants of power issuing from the skull pulled at her.

Unable to resist, she found herself floating into someone else’s mind as memories unfolded like scenes from a movie inside her mind. Only, these memories weren’t Regan’s; they were… Celia’s.

She watched as Celia and Adrian strolled the beach together with their hands entwined and the moon shining down on them. Their heads were bent close together while they talked. Love radiated between them as their laughter floated on the air.

The memory changed to Celia standing on the beach with her gaze on the ocean while she waited for Adrian to join her. They were to be married soon, and Celia was excited to discuss the ceremony with him.

From out of nowhere, a shadowy mist materialized behind her and crept forward. Avery tried to scream a warning as Regan began to take form, but no sound escaped her. She was a bystander in the past, with no way to change it or save those who needed saving.

No, she inwardly moaned when Celia turned and spotted Regan. A sly smile curved his lips when Celia’s hand flew to her throat. Regan seized Celia’s hand, and his words enveloped her mind while his eyes blazed into hers. Avery felt his power slipping into Celia’s mind and overwhelming her.

Like a mole burrowing through the earth, he dug deeper into Celia’s mind and twisted her love for Adrian until it became Regan she loved. Celia stood, unable to break away from him as he bent her mind to his.

Avery let out a startled cry and released the skull. It clattered against the rocks before rolling away. She stumbled back and crashed into Shawn, who grasped her arms to steady her. Small, wild cries filled the air; it took her a moment to realize they were coming from her.

“Are you all right?” Reid demanded as he pulled her away from Shawn and embraced her against his chest.

“That’s not his skull,” Avery gasped. “It’s Celia’s!”

“Oh,” Alex said, his face falling in disappointment.

“She didn’t… She didn’t join him willingly,” Avery stammered as tears spilled down her cheeks. “She loved Adrian, and they were going to be married. Regan went to her, forced himself into her mind, and took it over until he made her think it was him she loved.”

“Shh,” Reid whispered as he stroked her nape. “It’s all right.”

“He’s caused so much suffering, and I almost went to him.”

“He used that same power on you.”

“I should have been able to fight him better!” Avery cried. “Instead, I felt a connection to him.”

“There is no connection, Avery. It’s only his power and his lies making you think there is. He’s the most powerful being we’ve ever encountered; you were lucky you resisted him at all.”

“He’s inflicted so much damage over the years,” she whimpered.

“And we’re going to end it now!” Mario declared.

Avery turned as he lifted a second skull into the air.

• • •

Avery glanced around the circle and then up at the starlit sky. The full moon shining onto the beach illuminated the night and lit a pathway across the ocean. The warm air carried the scent of the sea as it crashed against the shore. Her gaze traveled back to the coven; the faces surrounding her were taut with tension.

It had been two days since they discovered Regan’s skull. Two days in which they waited for the full moon while gathering all the ingredients necessary for this spell. Everyone had been on edge, snippy with each other, exhausted, and eager to get on with the binding.

However, they were also scared to death. Without any set spell for Regan, the coven had pieced together a spell they believed would work; she could only hope it did, because if it didn’t, they had no idea what to do next.

Regan’s skull sat in the center of the circle surrounded by their dust, herbs, and crystals. Avery had used blue agate in place of her crystal to make her dust. Landon, Rosie, Isla, Shawn, and Mario had gathered the herbs and spent a day charging the vertivert, mandrake root, bay leaves, frankincense, sacred root, garlic, dragon’s blood, and bloodroot so their protective qualities would be stronger.

Calcite, carnelian, coral, jasper, jade, clear quartz, topaz, and turquoise crystals created an outer circle around the herbs. Sandra, Reid, Eric, Alex, and Avery had gathered and charged them. They’d barely gotten everything done in time for the full moon.

“It’s midnight; time to start,” Landon said before stepping forward and pulling the athame from the holster at her side. Lifting the knife over her head, Landon took a deep breath and turned to point the athame east. “I call upon the watchtowers of the east, the power of air to protect us!”

A blast of air whipped past Avery, and its current raced to join the circle of protection they’d created around the skull. The wind added an extra barrier between them and the skull.

Landon turned to face south. “I call upon the watchtowers of the south, the power of fire to protect us!”

The flames of the candles sitting before all of their feet surged like a blowtorch and flowed forth to join the circle of air.

Landon faced west before continuing. “I call upon the watchtower of the west, the power of water to protect us!”

Ocean water rose from the bowls before them and added another barrier of protection.

“I call upon the Watchtower of the North, the power of the earth to protect us!” Landon cried after she turned north.

The earth beneath Avery’s feet trembled before sand rose up to complete the barrier. Once the sand locked into place, their dust, crystals, and herbs also rose to join the swirling elements until a wall of color and light barricaded them from the skull. A wave of déjà vu swept Avery as she watched the swirling elements encasing the skull. It looked almost identical to the one her ancestors used to bind Regan and Celia.

Landon lowered the athame and rejoined the circle. She returned the knife to its holster and linked hands with Alex and Sandra.

“Go on, Avery,” Rosie urged.

Avery took a deep breath before giving herself over to fate.

CHAPTER 42

“We call forth the spirit that belongs to this skull!” Avery declared, she was pleased her voice sounded so confident. “We call forth the spirit of Regan to join us.”

A smoky, gray haze began to ooze out of the skull’s eye sockets and mouth; it wove sensuously on the air while it rose higher. When more mist spilled free, Regan took shape above the skull and solidified.

His eyes were the same electric blue, but his features were disfigured again. This time, she knew his disfigurement came from the damage his body sustained during the cave-in. His tattered clothes drifted around him in the breeze created by the barrier encompassing him.

His eyes locked on hers and a smile played across his sensual lips. When he glided to the edge of the barrier, Avery felt his mind prodding at hers and whispering promises of power and love until his eyes became the only source of light in a world of darkness.

“You are mine, Avery,” he whispered, and his words clouded everything she knew. “Deep inside, you know that. Our hearts beat as one. Come to me, Avery. Join me and let us be one.”

When his elegant hand beckoned to her, his ring flashed in the light. He needed her, and she needed him, but there were others who needed her too—others who she loved…

Others…

Her friends, the coven… Reid!

Avery tore herself free of the magic digging into her brain as the warmth of Rosie and Reid’s hands returned. Furious that he’d almost gotten to her again, Avery lifted her chin and glowered at Regan before she started reciting the words Landon had her memorize.

“We call upon the spirits of the past to guide us and strengthen us in our time of need. We call upon the spirits of the past to come forth and join us. We call upon the spirits of the past to lend us your power.”

Regan laughed, but malice filled his eyes. “You can’t destroy me,” he taunted.

“We call upon the spirits of the past to join us and lend us your strength!” The rest of the coven joined in her chant until their voices rang across the beach.

The world in front of Avery blurred when a smoky haze rose up from the beach only a foot in front of her. Avery stared in amazement as the mist took shape. She’d known this was supposed to happen, but she still couldn’t believe she was staring at the transparent back of Celia. When Celia turned her head to look over her shoulder at Avery, she smiled. They gazed at each other for a minute before Celia faced Regan again.

“Let these spirits join with ours! Let our powers be as one!” the coven yelled in unison.

The ghosts of the old coven floated backward until their transparent bodies lightly touched each member of the coven. Goose bumps broke out on Avery’s flesh as Celia’s essence chilled her skin, but their joining also created a burst of power unlike anything Avery had ever experienced.

Avery steadied herself and focused on Regan as she yelled, “Let this connection be unbroken!”

Something seemed to snap into place as the ghosts joined hands and the current of power intensified.

“With this connection, we as one, will the darkness to be done,” the coven chanted together. “With this connection, we as one, will this spirit to be bound. With this connection, we as one, bind Regan to this skull. With this connection, we as one, bind Regan to this skull.”

Regan screamed with rage when the crackling voices of the ghosts rose to join the coven in repeating the last sentence over and over again. His hatred lashed out of him in a wave of malevolent black light that bounced off the protective circle, before slamming into him and flinging him to the ground.

They continued the chant as Regan rose to his feet in one fluid motion. His screams of fury echoed through the night as he clawed at the barrier, but they couldn’t drown out the twenty voices determined to end him.

Exhaustion crept into Avery’s bones as his wrath and strength sapped her power. The voices of the others weakened in volume but never faltered from their words.

Black oozed out of Regan again, but instead of trying to attack the barrier, the blackness engulfed him. Avery was barely aware of the words still spilling from her mouth as Regan’s wails reverberated in her head. She yearned to cover her ears and block out the sounds, but she couldn’t break her connection with the others.

An explosion of black light smashed into the barrier, and an eerie howl filled the night as Regan’s skull sucked his spirit into it like a genie returning to its bottle. Black sparks shot into the sky before the black ooze and wall of elements flowed into the skull after him. Bright light and the colors of their dust spilled out of the eye sockets and mouth when the skull lit up like a firework. It glowed for almost a minute before going dark.

After all the noise, the sudden quiet and dark was unnerving. It took Avery a minute for the crashing ocean to reach her deafened ears and for the realization it was over to sink in.

Regan was gone.

“Is it over?” Isla breathed.

“Yes,” Celia replied and turned to face Avery. “It’s finally over. He is bound within the skull.”

“What do we do with it?” Avery asked in a choked voice.

“You must bury the skull in sacred ground,” Beatrix answered. “You’ll know the place when you find it.”

When Celia extended a misty hand toward Avery, the wisp of an icy caress brushed Avery’s face. “Your powers originally come from evil, but they are not evil, Avery,” Celia said. “When my coven bound Regan, the spell he’d cast over me and Marjorie broke. What he didn’t allow you to see when he showed you the cave-in was that I gave her my crystal before she fled.”

Celia’s hand traced the crystal at Avery’s neck, and it sparked in acknowledgment of its previous owner. A wistful smile played over Celia’s mouth as her gaze returned to Avery’s.

“Before I gave Marjorie my crystal, I used all of my power to ensure that the next person who became the rightful owner of it would also get the strength of my powers as I knew its next owner would be the one Regan wanted for himself. By sacrificing myself, I sealed the spell and ensured that when you arrived, you would have all my power, plus what you were born with. You are a part of me, but my sacrifice came from a place of good, Avery, and that is why your powers are so strong.”

“Why did he want us?” she asked.

“To use our powers, and the coven, to help him destroy the world or conquer it.”

Avery’s hands tightened on Reid’s and Rosie’s. “Is it cursed or evil?”

“No, it’s a blessing only the strongest of us can handle, and that strength is what attracts Regan to its owner.”

A huge weight lifted from Avery’s chest as she smiled tremulously. “I’m proud you’re a part of me.”

“Me too,” Celia whispered.

Adrian rested a transparent hand on Celia’s shoulder. The look of love they exchanged warmed Avery’s heart. “We have to go now,” he said.

“Will we ever see you again?” Avery asked.

“Our part in this is done,” Celia said. “We can rest peacefully now.”

An odd sense of loss filled Avery. “Will you be together?”

“Yes,” they both said.

Avery breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at them. “Goodbye, Celia.”

She rested her cold hand against Avery’s cheek. “Goodbye, Avery.”

They vanished in a wave of shimmering mist. Once they were gone, Avery became aware of her exhaustion. She slumped against Reid, and he encircled his arm around her waist. Alex strode forward and carefully lifted the skull.

He eyed it as if it were going to come alive and bite him before placing it into the metal box of protective herbs and crystals they’d brought with them. He slid the lid down and locked it before lifting the box and turning to face them. Fatigue etched his face, but his eyes shone with happiness.

“Let’s go home,” he said as he walked over to join them.

They turned as one and walked down the beach with their arms entwined around each other. Avery rested her head on Reid’s shoulder, and Rosie leaned against her side.

We are one, Avery thought. “We won,” she whispered.

Reid kissed her forehead.

“We kicked his ass!” Sandra declared, and they all chuckled.

They helped each other climb over a dune and stopped when they discovered Tina, Karen, Lila, and their parents waiting for them on the street below. Joy lit their loved ones’ faces as they rushed forward to embrace them.

Her dad’s arms swept around her, and he lifted her off the ground to hug her before setting her down and stepping back to grin at her. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“I will be,” she said and hugged him again. She still didn’t like that he’d kept so much from her, but she understood why, and she loved him too much to stay mad at him.

Her mother looked hopeful when she stepped beside Avery and her dad. Avery felt the familiar twinge of anger toward Julie, but past hurts had no place here, not anymore and Julie had been the only who tried to warn them about Regan. Now, they were embracing a bright new future. When her mother opened her arms, Avery stepped into them and hugged her.

CHAPTER 43

The ocean, dunes, cranberry bogs, and quaint houses passed by the window in a blur that wasn’t fast enough for her liking. It had been over a month since Avery last saw the Cape, and she couldn’t wait to see her family and friends again.

Her dad hadn’t been happy about her going off with Reid, but Avery knew she had to be the one to bury the skull, and Reid refused to let her go alone. Her dad finally relented to her leaving when Rosie offered to join them, but if he’d been able to take time off work, he would have come with them too. Rosie wasn’t much of a chaperone as she’d spent a lot of time flirting and going out with the boys she met as they traveled, but she’d been a lot of fun to have with them.

Avery had assured her dad that he didn’t have anything to worry about, and she’d meant it. She loved Reid, but she wasn’t ready to progress her relationship with him. She’d had enough changes thrown at her this summer without adding the complication of sex into the mix.

It had taken them almost a month to find the sacred ground Beatrix spoke of after they bound Regan. After driving and searching for weeks, she’d felt a strange pull to an island she saw on a map of Canada while they were at a rest area.

They’d driven over a bridge to the small island off the coast of Canada. Avery knew they were in the right place the second she stepped foot on the island. The ocean circled the land protectively, the air crackled with energy, and the earth vibrated with energy.

The island was inhabited, but it would keep the skull safe, and the earth’s protective qualities would deter people from the burial area. They’d all agreed they were in the right place and felt safe leaving the skull behind.

Now, two days later, they were finally home.

Home, Avery thought wistfully. Three weeks ago, her dad told her that he’d decided to move back into his childhood home. It had stood vacant since his parents’ died, and he felt it was time to return to it. She didn’t know what the house looked like, but he’d sold their home and completed the move last week.

At first, she’d been against leaving the only home, school, and friends she’d ever known. However, after some time to think about it and adjust, Avery realized it was for the best. Her dad would be happier back with his friends, and she would be closer to the coven and Reid.

She smiled as she turned to face Reid. It didn’t matter where she lived; she’d found her home in his arms. She would miss her old house, but she would adjust, and she’d see Lila, Tina, and Karen as often as possible.

“We’re home!” Rosie declared. She bounced in the back seat as Reid turned onto the street with coven’s houses.

Reid drove up the road and pulled into the driveway of a large, Cape-style house that loomed over the ocean behind it. He parked behind her dad’s car. The shutters of the house were a weathered blue, but the farmer’s porch and shingles were a peeling, dove gray in desperate need of paint. The remnants of an old garden spilled onto the slate walkway, but with some tender care, Avery imagined it could be beautiful again.

Although the house required some cosmetic work, her dad had already hung plants, wind chimes, sun catchers, and crystals from the beams of the porch. They lent the place a cozier atmosphere, but the sight of them surprised her; her dad had never been one to decorate.

Reid turned off the Jeep, climbed out, and walked around to help her down from the vehicle. He smiled at her when she hesitated in the seat. “It will be all right,” he promised as Rosie leapt out the other side.

“I know,” Avery said, but she was still nervous about seeing her new home.

“I love you.”

Avery beamed at him as she climbed out of the vehicle and stood on her toes to kiss him. “I love you too.”

Fidgeting with the edge of her T-shirt, she held his hand while she walked with him and Rosie to the porch. Avery didn’t breathe as Reid opened the door and led her inside. Avery’s eyes widened when she took in the large colonial living room and the people gathered within.

Landon, Alex, Sandra, Mario, Shawn, Isla, Eric, Tina, Karen, Lila, her parents, Reid’s parents, and Rosie’s parents all stood inside. Hanging from the dark wood beams running across the ceiling was a large banner with the words WELCOME HOME painted in red.

“Surprise!” they all yelled.

“Oh!” Avery cried as she raced forward to embrace everyone. “Lila, you’re walking!”

Lila grinned at her as she leaned on her crutches. “I still have to use a wheelchair sometimes, but with the help of these—” She thumped a crutch against the floor. “—I’m getting there.”

Avery beamed as she hugged her; it was the best present she’d ever received.

• • •

“Do you think you’ll be happy here?” Lila asked.

Avery looked at Lila as the moon rose on the horizon. The day had passed in a rush of hugs, laughter, celebratory dancing, and details about their trip. Avery was exhausted, but she wasn’t ready to leave Lila, Tina, and Karen to go to bed yet.

“I hope so, but I’m going to miss you guys,” Avery answered.

“Ah, hell,” Tina said briskly, “we’ll visit you all the time.”

“And I’ll visit you all the time,” Avery said.

“Damn right you will,” Lila said.

“Plus, we’re staying with you for the next week,” Karen added.

“Well, you guys are staying,” Lila corrected. “I have to return home for more tests and therapy in two days.”

“We’re still going to have a lot of fun before you go,” Karen said.

“Yes, we will,” Avery agreed.

“It’s a beautiful house,” Lila said.

Avery didn’t miss Lila’s change in conversation. “It really is,” she agreed.

She’d fallen in love with the rambling Cape and its warm, old-fashioned rooms. Her room was airy with a spectacular view of the ocean, but some of the doorways were so low that her father had to stoop to pass through them. There was still a lot of work to be done on the house, and unpacking to do, but it already felt like home.

She also felt more comfortable with her powers and her place in the coven. When she first met them, they’d terrified her, but now they’d become a family to her. The coven had proven they would stand by her no matter what, and for that, she loved them all and would do anything for them. It seemed odd to her that just two short months ago, she’d had no idea they existed or what she was, but now they were as integral a part of her life as the powers she was learning to control more and more every day.

The sliding glass doors to the elevated back porch slid open, and Reid stepped out. He strolled across the deck and, stopping behind her, rested his hands on her shoulders before bending to kiss her head. Leaning into him, Avery absorbed his warmth as she inhaled his fresh scent.

“I’m so glad everything is going to be okay,” Karen said.

Avery stiffened when a chill ripped through her, and she was gripped by the terrifying certainty everything was not going to be okay. She had no reason to believe something nefarious waited for them, but her instincts were screaming at her, and she’d learned to trust her instincts while fighting Regan.

They’d bound Regan, but something more waited out there for them; she was sure of it.

THE END

Book 2, The Maze, is now available for pre-order!

Read on for an exclusive excerpt from The Maze.

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Excerpt from Book 2, The Maze

CHAPTER 1

The sand shifted beneath her feet and filtered into her shoes as Avery strode down the beach. Huddling deeper into her windbreaker, she tried to fight off the wind whipping her black hair behind her. The ocean lapping against the shore was the only sound in the night. Overhead, the growing clouds blocked out the stars and drifted across the remaining sliver of moon. The ozone scent of impending rain hung heavily in the air.

Avery berated herself for taking the beach home when a fat raindrop hit her nose. She’d wanted to be closer to the ocean so she could feel its power and the relaxing comfort it gave her. However, she thought she’d beat the storm home. She’d been wrong.

So focused on beating the impending storm, Avery jumped when a shell cracked underfoot. The noise caused an unreasonable sense of unease to grip her, and she glanced at the dunes leading toward her mother’s house; the welcoming lights illuminating the kitchen windows offered no comfort.

She debated climbing the dunes and walking the road home, but she refused to be spooked for no reason. She had nothing to be afraid of, but no matter how often she told herself this, she couldn’t get rid of the sensation of eyes boring into the back of her head.

The last time she felt like someone was watching her like this was right before they held the séance at Lila’s house. Then, Regan had been watching her from the shadows of his nightmare realm while waiting for her to do something that would allow him to seize his opportunity to capture her.

But Regan was gone, the coven had bound him to his skull and buried it in sacred ground; he could never escape. So then why did she feel like she was the prey about to be snapped up into some carnivorous jaws? Avery cast a glance over her shoulder, but the beach remained empty.

Regan’s gone. No matter how often she told herself this, she found it increasingly difficult to breathe as her instincts screamed danger at her. Don’t run. Don’t be a coward. But her heart thundered, and her skin prickled as sweat slid down her nape.

When she passed Isla’s house, the lights spilling from her back porch cast a pathway across the sand. Avery bent her head and speed walked faster as rain pattered the sand and slid over her skin. Following the light from Isla’s house, she veered toward the road on the other side of the dunes. She hated giving in to her irrational fear, but she would feel better once she was on the street.

She was almost to the top of the dune when the hair on her arms and neck rose. She almost bolted over top of the dune and raced for the road, but she feared her panicked flight would draw forth whatever lurked in the shadows. Regan may be gone, but during her time with the coven, she’d learned there were many different spiritual planes; was something from one of them stalking her?

She searched the dunes for a hint of the danger palpitating the air, but the shadows hid anything that might be lurking within them. Cupping one hand over the other to shelter it from the rain, Avery berated herself for allowing her imagination to run away from her as she whispered the word, “Ignite.”

A blue flame sparked to life and hovered an inch above her palm. The light calmed her as she lowered her other hand and despite the rain pelting her, the fire didn’t go out. She savored the warmth of it against her cheeks and hand. It only illuminated a ten-foot circular area around her, but it was enough to reveal the shells, seagrass, and crystals in the grains of sand. Tilting her head to the side, she listened for any footsteps, but all she heard was the rain and the sigh of the sea.

She didn’t see or hear anything stalking her, but that didn’t reassure her. Something was wrong. She could feel it in the marrow of her bones.

“You’re being ridiculous.”

Her whispered words didn’t reassure her; instead, they were abnormally loud in the hushed night. She tugged her jacket closer around her neck in the hope it would warm her, but it was useless as the air wasn’t cold. This chill came from deep inside her, and she feared it would never ease.

A flash of movement in her peripheral vision caused her to whirl toward whatever it was, but there was nothing there. Then a warm breath caressed her neck, and her stomach plunged as she felt the heat of her hunter against her back. Stiffly, Avery turned to face whatever stood there. She expected it to pounce on her and tear her apart, but she turned all the way without being eaten alive.

Her hand trembled as she lifted her fire higher to reveal the man standing before her. Avery gasped when the flame reflected in a pair of the most stunning, electric blue eyes she’d ever seen as Regan’s ethereal, inhuman beauty filled her vision. Hanging to his shoulders, his black hair emphasized the sculpted perfection of his face.

“Boo,” he whispered as his thick, red lips curled into a smile.

This can’t be happening! He’s gone! This isn’t real! We bound him to his skull and buried it!

“I’m coming for you, Avery,” he whispered.

His hypnotic voice reached into her mind and jolted her out of the paralysis gripping her.

“No!” she screamed as her flame sputtered out.

Now available for pre-order!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Erica Stevens is the author of the Captive Series, Coven Series, Kindred Series, Fire & Ice Series, Ravening Series, and the Survivor Chronicles. She enjoys writing young adult and new adult romance, horror, and science fiction. She also writes adult paranormal romance and historical romance under the pen name, Brenda K. Davies. When not out with friends and family, she is at home with her husband, son, dog, cat, and horse.

Table of Contents

- Books by the author
- Dedication
- Prologue
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 9
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 11
- Chapter 12
- Chapter 13
- Chapter 14
- Chapter 15
- Chapter 16
- Chapter 17
- Chapter 18
- Chapter 19
- Chapter 20
- Chapter 21
- Chapter 22
- Chapter 23
- Chapter 24
- Chapter 25
- Chapter 26
- Chapter 27
- Chapter 28
- Chapter 29
- Chapter 30
- Chapter 31
- Chapter 32
- Chapter 33
- Chapter 34
- Chapter 35
- Chapter 36
- Chapter 37
- Chapter 38
- Chapter 39
- Chapter 40
- Chapter 41
- Chapter 42
- Chapter 43
- Excerpt from Book 2, The Maze
- Where to find the author
- About the author