Chapter 12

 

Parris sat on the stairs inside her condo, drained of energy. She was too tired to go upstairs to bed, too tired to stay down. Ty and Derek sat on the couch in her living room. Dragon sat between them. All three stared at her.

“I’m working for The Council now.” Parris stated.

“That’s about the size of it.” Ty responded, rubbing Dragon’s ears.

“And they’ll leave my grandmother alone.”

Derek nodded. “That’s the agreement. You train and work to find the other side of your family tree, your grandmother stays safe. I’ll pull a few protection cards on her too.”

“The three of us are tasked to find a secret coven of witches who happen to be related to me. Then we are to destroy them.” Parris looked at the men on her off-white couch. In a living room she’d designed to be homey. A place to read and relax, drink a glass of wine maybe watch a few old movies. The room she’d decorated to be in a design magazine, not headquarters to Witch Hunt, International.

“Yep.” This time both men answered.

“This secret coven killed my parents, thinking they’d killed me too.”

“You said she wouldn’t take this well.” Derek grinned at Ty. “Seems to me she’s on board.”

Parris glanced around the condo. Around the world she’d built. The world would never be the same. Not after she said yes. Hell, not after she said no. She wouldn’t be able to pretend ever again. Her world had changed over the course of forty-eight hours. If she was truthful with herself, she’d always known this day would come.

Energy flowed into her body. This was to avenge her parents. She stood. “I’m going to take a shower and change. After that, we can get started.”

* * * *

Ty watched her leave the room, speaking to Derek. “This isn’t going to be easy. We have to keep her safe.”

“I know.”

Ty’s cellphone vibrated. He glanced at the caller id. Work. “How’s Mrs. Winters?”

Alex’s voice came loud over the speaker. “She’s fine. Getting ready for a dinner date. The security team is in place so she’s told me I can go. Do you need anything else from me tonight?”

“Nope, good job. Go home. I’ll see you Monday.” Ty pressed the end call button.

* * * *

Down the street from the condo, Alex dialed a second number. He kept watching the shapes of the men sitting on the couch through the front window. He couldn’t see the girl. He hadn’t seen her since the trio walked through the door an hour ago.

“They’re still at her place. I could finish them here.”

Alex frowned hearing the response. “Are you sure? I can kill the men without even going in the building.” He absently touched the high powered scoped rifle on his lap.

“No, your orders are to observe them.” The voice reverberated in his ear.

Alex laid the cellphone on the dashboard, settling into his seat. He’d be here a while. At least until the trio moved. Might as well get comfortable.

“Watch and learn.”

Those were his orders now. But soon. Soon he’d be able to kill the half-breed who was his cousin. Parris McCall would die. This time, she’d stay dead.