Ink (45 page)

Her graceful dress gave her a magical look. Her fingers one by one twitched, as if she was playing a pretend piano. Was she doing magic? Casting a spell as we exchanged words in the ladies restroom? I didn’t know, but I was dying to find out.

“
What is going on?” I asked. I was confused. It wasn’t by chance Lucy was in the same restaurant as all of us. “Did Slade send you here?”

Lucy crossed her arms. She slowly nodded, making me hang around for her next reply.

“
I don’t understand. I really don’t understand any of this,” I admitted. She was the only person who was on my side of the fence. If anyone could make me feel even a smidgen better, I knew that Lucy was capable of doing just that.

“
Give me a second.” Lucy looked away from me, her eyes clouding over as she was ripped back into that moment. I knew what
she was about to tell me, that she was going to paint me a vivid picture of that day. The most important day of her life, which should have been her death.

“
Years ago, life was good for all of us. We had an excellent thing going on, me and Oz’s dad. Slade and Erica’s parents were part of our family. We were doing really well for ourselves.” Her eyes welled up with tears, but she pushed through.

“
We traveled all across the states, playing music, enjoying our children. It was possibly the greatest moment in any of our lives. But all of that changed really fast.”

I felt her sorrow. It resonated from her soul. It darkened her, casting a ghostly shadow, turning her into a broken woman and not the sweet Lucy I was familiar with. Her pain was exposed, something she probably wasn’t used to. She was letting me in, and I felt privileged.

“
When you had the accident on the bus?” I asked. I was trying to make it easier for her to retell the moment. The moment life was supposed to be over for her.

“
We were heading all the way through California. No plans for staying longer than a few gigs, and then we would be on our way like usual. But Slade’s dad was drained. We all were really, but Slade’s mom was the only one willing to stick it out and drive us to the next stop. The very last thing I remember was looking at the boys as they sat at the back of the bus writing down song lyrics.”

I moved forward, gripped by Lucy’s story, until I was standing next to her. I put my arm around her. “You don’t have to do this.”

She shook her head. Her hair swaying side to side as she proved how strong she was. “This needs to be said. Slade wants you to know and I always do what my kids want. Slade may not be mine, but I took over after his parent’s…” She trailed off. And I was okay with that.

I wasn’t confident I wanted to listen to the sad parts of Slade’s upbringing. How his parents were no longer around for him and Erica. I knew it would make me feel just as terrible as I did for myself when I thought about my own family unit.

“
The smoke is what woke me up. My lungs were on fire, and that’s when I became aware I was trapped. I panicked, trying to get up so I could run, but I couldn’t move. The bus had flipped and I was staring at the ceiling, not the floor. I didn’t know what was happening. All I knew was that I didn’t want to die, and I didn’t want my kid to die.

“
So I begged and I pleaded, trying to get somebody to wake up, to hear me, to do something. And that’s when Slade managed to climb back to me. He gave his word he would do whatever he could to get us help.” Lucy exhaled, her body going weak. It took all she had in her to continue telling me about the terrible accident.

“
That’s when Slade took off. I didn’t think he was coming back. I thought I was going to die. I thought the car was going to explode and I would burn alive. But it was just smoke, thank God it was just smoke. When Slade came back he brought two men with him. Two dark men with frightening eyes and long black robes. We both saw they were no good, it was written all over them. But I was too terrified and frantic to think clearly
and I pleaded to Slade to do whatever they wanted.”

I tried to envision being in her shoes. Trapped in a van, restrained, with no means of breaking out. In pain and shock and scared that all my loved ones were dead or close to dying. Who would want to just roll over and die? I knew I wouldn’t.

“
So then what happened?”

“
The scarier of the two men, if that was even possible, stroked my forehead, whispering languages that made no sense into my ear. And just when I couldn’t take it any longer, he turned to Slade and told him he was part of an ancient coven and that if Slade agreed to all he wanted he would get us out of this. He would protect each and every one of us and restore our bodies. All we had to do was offer him something in exchange.”

I bit my lip, scared to hear her next words.

“
He made it seem so effortless. He said he wanted our souls, an eternal bond, if we joined his coven and became what he called the
Dark One
, he would allow us to live to see another day. Slade said no, but this man informed him he was powerful enough to end him for refusal.

“
That’s when I screamed, pleading with Slade to just do what he asked. I told him if he ever wanted to see his parents and Erica again he would just do it. That there were more important things than our souls. But that wasn’t enough for this man, he wanted Slade, he saw something in him. And he knew who else would.”

My heart sank. “Ezra?”

“
Yes. He guaranteed Slade a very gracious gift for his agreement. Told him he wouldn’t be disappointed. And he followed through with his promise. He breathed new life into all of us, and we were thankful. We were back together as a family, we were alive.” Lucy ran a hand through my hair. She squeezed my arm, trying to make me understand.

“
Ezra Buckland was a young, beautiful girl. Eyes like saucers, they peered into your soul. The fairest skin, and the sweetest lips. She turned heads just with a blink of her eye. But she was dark and evil. And a very cunning witch. Born from an ancestry of practicing wiccans. They treated her like a supernatural princess and Ezra knew everything she sought after could be hers. And her father, the man who saved us, Aubrey Buckland, he was willing to give her anything she wanted. He wanted her to become the most commanding and deadly of their kind, so it was easy to give in when you wanted to make such a monster.”

I shuddered at the thought of it. I saw her with my own eyes, and knowing her background didn’t make me feel any safer.

“
But now she is angry because of me. Dead and angry.”

“
Evil never wins, and Ezra lost. She thought she could have Slade and she was sadly mistaken. Nobody divides our family, even if we are tied to that coven. Slade didn’t deserve to be tormented for trying to do the right thing.” Lucy’s eye overflowed with anger as she spoke about Ezra.

“
But what can any of us possibly do? Slade can’t get rid of her, and he can’t defend me any longer. My dad won’t let him anywhere near me.”

“
Slade loves you. He wants to be free of her now more than ever. And we know a means to do that. It will work, Hope,” Lucy said with a look of confidence that I wished I could feel.

“
But why now? What makes a difference now? She is dangerous and evil. Why is it so easy now to fix this?” I said, bombarding Lucy with questions.

Lucy stroked my hair, admiring me. She took my chin, tilting my head to the mirror. “Because, deep down, love is stronger than any magic. And love from time to time is a very unique kind of magic. And you are a very unique young lady.” Lucy’s fingers unexpectedly sent coolness all the way through me. I pulled away.

“
I’m not unique. I’m just a girl with a very sad life and a dysfunctional family. I think you’re mistaken.” I looked away.

“
You’re a whole lot more than that. You’re the girl that removed the darkness from Slade’s life. You made him feel like a real person again. Ever since that crash Slade has loathed himself for what he became, the choices he made, and all the outcomes from then on. But not anymore. You showed him there are people out there that care. And now he understands what it’s like to feel again.”

“
I don’t understand, Lucy. I’m trying to, but it’s really hard. If I understood maybe it wouldn’t be so difficult. And I’m sick. Today is not the day. Maybe tomorrow I can find a way to get to Henry Park and talk this out.” I clutched my stomach as pain seared inside of me.

“
Ezra is here now. She is using you. This thing you’re feeling, it’s not a bug. It’s her existence. She wants what you have because, to her, it was hers already. I need you to do exactly what I say. And if you do, we can fix everything.” Lucy clutched my arms. Her eyes locked on mine. Panic kicked in as I stared at her. I wasn’t so sure I wanted to be a part of anything.

“
My dad knows I am in here. He knows that I am sick. Any minute now he will be banging on this door,” I warned her.

“
No, he won’t. Take a look outside, Hope,” Lucy coaxed.

I unlocked the door, tugging it open. “How did you do that?” I asked, dumbfounded. Every single person in the restaurant was motionless. Posed in abnormal ways—some holding forks or knives, some biting into sandwiches or frozen mid-conversation. It was as if she had pushed pause on life.

Dad’s arm rested on Lynette’s shoulder and their faces held blissful smiles while Tucker’s gaze was stuck on the pathway to the restroom. Too concerned about where I was to eat the crab legs in front of him.

“
You don’t have to answer that. I already know how you did what you did. What do you want me to do?”

Lucy turned me away from the door. I released my hold, allowing it close with a bang.

“
We only need for you to trust us. And to come back to Henry Park one last time. If you want to get rid of a Buckland witch, you have to play under their conditions. ”

I disagreed instantly. “I am not going to be a sacrifice. I can’t do that. Why would Slade want me to do that?”

“
No, we don’t want you to be. This is different. Do you trust me, Hope?”

I didn’t reply. I didn’t know who to trust. But I did want to help Slade. I truly cared about him.

“
Okay. But I really don’t think tonight will work. But I doubt I will make it until tomorrow.” Waiting another night probably wasn’t going to work. If Ezra was making me ill, then she most likely was going to finish me off before the morning sunbeams hit my window. I didn’t know what I would do.

“
Tucker. Stay with Tucker. It’s only for the night. I need you to get to Henry Park before the sun rises. Can you do that?”

I shook my head, baffled. “Yes. But I’m afraid to stay with Tucker. He sort of freaks me out,” I tried reasoning with her. Hanging out with Tucker was the one part of this plan I did not want to join in on.

“
We will not let anything happen to you. Tucker’s family, for some bizarre reason, is loved by the whole town. And it’s evident by your father and Lynette’s little charade out there that this is your only way of getting out of your dad’s sight long enough to make it to us so we can do what we need to do, Hope.” Lucy patted my shoulder, suddenly seeming rushed. “This spell only lasts for so long. I will see you at sunrise.” The door opened allowing me to see that everything returned to how it once was.

“
But don’t you think I should be worried? I was attacked on the beach when I was around Tucker and his family. Respected or not, Lucy, they give me the creeps. This seems really stupid.” I sighed, feeling out of options. Why couldn’t everything just be normal?

“
Do you think Slade or any of us would ever let them hurt you?” Lucy squeezed the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes.

Something deep inside my mind was screaming for me to trust her. To just allow nature to take its course. Maybe this wasn’t nature, but we would never know the outcome to everything that happened in our lives. I wanted to help Slade. I wanted to help myself. I wanted to free him of this curse, this wickedness. And then we could be together. Even if my dad thought it was immoral. I felt it was right. I wanted to make it right.

“
I’ll do it for Slade,” I told her, letting out a sigh of relief.

She shot me a pleased smile. “I’m happy to hear it.” She winked at me. “You’re a great girl, and both of you deserve to be happy.”

Once she was gone I turned back to the sinks and splashed water against my face. Pushing past the pain and the nagging concern that I was getting into something I might not get back out of.

I sauntered back to the table, trying to play it cool, to act as if nothing bizarre had just occurred, to end this lunch as soon as possible so we could get our plan started.

“
There she is,” Dad said, relief flooding his face.

“
Yeah, here I am. Feeling better even.” I took a seat, giving everyone a smile.

Tucker fiddled with his napkin, not saying much at all.

“
We didn’t know what you wanted, so we ordered you some chicken alfredo. Your dad said you’re not too into seafood,” Lynette told me, eyeing my food.

I stared down at my plate. “This is okay. Thanks.”

I quickly ate. Doing more rearranging of my food than truly eating it. I had no desire for food, but if I was going to get my dad to let me hang out with Tucker some more, I needed to act healthy.

“
So, any big plans after this?” I asked them. Their expressions proved they were surprised by my change of disposition. But Dad respectfully smiled and answered my question without missing a beat.