Chapter Two

 

A quick shower later and I settled in a deck chair next to the Hensley's pool, the last of the sun sinking into the ocean. As much as I sucked at surfing, I loved the West coast. I'd had to wrangle some concessions out of my vampire core, convincing her to allow me time in the sun. She'd finally caved somewhat, agreeing to most of the morning and from late afternoon on, though she just couldn't bear the heat and full sunlight of midday of the California summer.

Fair enough. I could compromise. Honest.

I even managed a little bit of a tan, amazing. Being part vampire had its uses, even better since I wasn't tied completely to the whole turn to ash in the sun lifestyle. But the thought of going through the rest of eternity without a tan actually made me a little weepy.

Vanity, thy name is Syd.

Sashenka sank into the deck chair beside me with a huge grin, her wet hair in a rough bun at the nape of her neck, dark skin shining in the sunset. “These past two weeks went by so fast.” She reached out and took my hand. “I had so much fun, Syd.”

Me too. “I can't believe you liked Wilding Springs,” I said. She'd come to my place first, spending time in the nuthouse. Willingly. Brave girl. “With a place like this to live?” I drew a deep breath. Yup, could get used to it.

Too bad I was tied to the Wild Hunt in my back yard and could never leave Wilding Springs, our coven magic linked to it until the end of days.

Way to bum yourself out, idiot.

Sashenka rolled her eyes. “Trust me, this place can get old fast.”

Right. The clubs and the parties and the food and the endless summer. Compared to humdrum, boring, oh my swearword we're going to die, yawnfest. And cold. I shivered in the sun at the memory of snow.

Just seemed like sacrilege to even consider going home.

Sashenka sighed and stared into the red horizon. “I was happy to have you here,” she said. “But even more so to see where you live.” She flashed her very white teeth in a smile. “Your family is so amazing. And it was nice to see Liam.” She flushed a little. “Not like that or anything.”

Oh dear.

“It's cool,” I said. “We're not together.” So why did saying it make my stomach clench into a knot of "hell no she couldn't have him"? “Remember?”

She nodded a little, biting her lower lip. “I still don't get it,” she sniffed. “He's so... you know. And Quaid is such a...” She thumped both hands down on the arms of her chair. I had, naturally, in a fit of poor me, told her everything that happened between Quaid and I between moment one and the present ignoring of each other.

“Yeah,” I said, thinking of his little friend Payten and her big rack and how I'd love to hurt her. Just a little. “Whatever.”

“On the other hand,” she cast me a wicked look, “how about that Sebastian? I know he's a vampire and all but, yowza. I was happy to lay my eyes on him again.”

I snorted, my turn to blush. Sashenka and I had both been present when he'd addressed the Council during Mom's trial, his deliciously sexy body covered, if you could call it that, in the barest of fabric scraps.

I still had naughty dreams about him.

Giggling like a little kid, I kicked her chair as she waggled her eyebrows at me.

“Stop,” I choked. “I can't breathe.”

She rolled sideways, smiling at me, hand under her cheek. “You just have so much cool stuff at home,” she said. Followed my eyes as they swept over the ocean stretched out before us. “Yes, I know,” she said. “I'm very lucky. But you have the Wild under your yard,” thanks for the reminder, “a hound, a demon cat,” true, very true, “a sweet younger sister who is half demon,” I missed Meira with a sudden pang of pain when Sashenka brought her up, “a Sidhe cavern full of amazing books,” not mine, but I got her point, “a vampire and witch family, the most amazing of all is your grandmother, Ethpeal.” Sigh. Gram. “A whole demon plane to explore when you decide to go back.” Not going to happen willingly, but whatever. “And,” she poked my foot with one finger, “a maji historical archive to dig around in.”

When she put it that way, I felt homesick. “Thanks,” I said. “You're right.”

She shrugged, looked away again, face falling from a smile to sadness. “I don't mean to be ungrateful either,” she said, volume of her voice dropping as she went on. “I guess I'm just restless.”

Hmmm. “What do you mean?” Was it wrong my mind went immediately to Gram and her insistence I find a second? She'd been badgering me lately, saying she wanted to pass on the family magic sooner rather than later, so she could have some kind of retirement. And don't get me wrong, she'd absolutely earned one. But even if I could bear the thought of not having her right there with me all the time, there was no one in my coven I felt comfortable having as a second.

And don't think Sashenka hadn't crossed my mind as a candidate once I realized I had to look outside the family. But she was already filling the role for her sister, Tallah. Off limits, in my opinion.

Nothing mattered more than family.

“I've never lived anywhere but here.” Sashenka spread her arms. “We've never had to leave, isn't that weird?”

I guess. I'd moved about a million times in my childhood thanks to some magical indiscretion forcing us to pack up and take off in the middle of the night. More for the protection of the normals around us than because of any risk to the family.

“California.” Sashenka grinned, the light coming back into her face. “Everybody is so into themselves here, no one notices a little weirdness.” She paused. “I wish I could go home with you.”

“Me too.” Though I really wished I could stay. But I had to go back, to prepare for school in a few weeks, but more so to get ready for Uncle Frank and Sunny's wedding. The vampire pair were so excited, and Sunny chose me as her maid of honor.

No way I was missing it.

“You could come back with me,” I said, but Sashenka shook her head even as I spoke.

“It's cool,” she said. “I'll see you at school anyway.”

“Are you having trouble with Tallah?” I didn't want to ask. It wasn't my business. And it could have been seen as interference in another coven. Big no-no. But Sashenka didn't take it the wrong way, like I knew she wouldn't.

“It's not that.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I would just like to get out there on my own for once. School's been a bad influence.” Sashenka squeezed my hand. “And so have you. I'm seeing there's more to life than being my sister's second.”

“You want to lead a coven?” I knew it happened, how some witches broke free of their families for various reasons to start their own little communities. But Sashenka's snort told me I was off base.

“Not,” she laughed. “But I don't know if I want to be in Tallah's shadow the rest of my life, either. Not when it feels like I'm her choice out of duty.”

Don't do it, Syd. Don't. Do. It.

Ah, crap.

“Speaking of which,” I said, all casual like. “Gram's been after me to choose a second of my own. In prep for her handing over the rest of the family magic.”

Sashenka met my eyes, hers full of questions. “Really,” she said.

“Yup.” I was going to hell. No way I could break up a happy family.

No way.

The glitter in Sashenka's eyes did amazing things to my resolve. And maybe we would have said or planned things we shouldn't have, if we'd been left to do so.

Fortunately—I think—we were interrupted. Tallah strode out into the cooling evening with a big smile, her power preceding her as she crashed our little party.

“You girls have fun?” Only a few years older, but already a force to be reckoned with, Tallah was my only real friend among the other coven leaders. Guilt drove me to my feet and to hug her.

“Had a great day,” I said, smiled as I pulled away. “And an amazing vacation. Thank you for having me.”

Her answering smile was open, honest. “Our pleasure, Syd,” she said, holding out her hand to Sashenka. My bestie took it, coming to stand next to her sister, head down, shoulders a little slumped. “Any time. Right, Shenka?” Tallah hugged her with one arm, apparently unaware of how Sashenka's mood shifted.

Then again, Sashenka always acted the same way around Tallah. So maybe the older Hensley had no idea. And I wasn’t in any position just yet to make a formal request. If Sashenka even considered joining my coven as a possibility.

Charlotte appeared over Tallah's shoulder, motioned for me.

Right. Time to go. I hugged both of my friends again and turned to pick up a bag. Which Charlotte immediately liberated. I reached for another, only to have it pulled from my grasp. Who were we, the Two Stooges? I rolled my eyes at her before hugging Sashenka again on impulse.

Whispered in her ear. “We'll talk at school.”

Her eyes lit up and she grinned like I'd given her a gift.

Definitely going to hell.

 

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