Curse of Shadows and Light (13 page)

“
Yeah, I know she won’t be thrilled, but we don’t have a choice. I’ll need you to talk to her about it. They’re special; as far as I know, they only have active demonic powers in Thiberoux as Hellhounds. But here they are more human. At least, that’s how Vincent explained it to me.”

I frown. “If they have no powers then what good are they?”

“
Well, here they have
passive
powers, which aren’t the same thing. Strictly defensive, and off any supernatural radar.” He shrugs. “I’ll let them explain it to you. It’s merely a precaution, really… a couple extra sets of eyes on you while I take a quick nap. And I guess they really need to talk with you about your experiences with Tristan and the other Light-angels.” He avoids my eyes when he mentions Tristan.

Great
. I was really hoping to never have to re-live that nightmare ever again.

“
What do they want to know?” I mumble.

He shrugs. “Just to find out what exactly happened. Anything you might know…”

“
Well, I guess they sound better than normal demons,” I say, trying to change the subject. “You know how they give me the creeps. Present company excluded, of course.” I give him a quick kiss on the mouth, and he arches an eyebrow.

“
Of course.”

Thirty minutes later I’m showered and changed. Kieron is sitting on the couch flipping through a magazine, and Corrine is out in the kitchen stirring something in a bowl and wearing a blue ruffled apron that looks like something from the fifties.

“
Hi, Liora! Nice to see everyone survived the night! You want pancakes?” She grins and pushes her glasses up, leaving a smudge of batter on her nose.

“
Sure.” I try not to laugh as I slide onto a barstool at the counter. The kitchen looks like a tornado blasted through it. There’s spilled milk on the counter, flour on the floor, and several broken eggs in the sink.

“
I know, I know. I’m not the neatest cook ever. But I’ll clean it all up, promise.”

I chuckle. “It’s fine, I’m not worried. Thanks for doing this. It’s really sweet of you.”

Corrine takes some oil and pours it into a hot skillet. “I’ve decided this is what I’m going to do… my way of contributing. You’ve done so much for me, so I’m going to do this for you. Breakfast, lunch, dinner… you name it. I was up half the night collecting recipes, and I was hoping to sit down with you guys, and you can tell me all the stuff you like and what you don’t—”

“
Whoa wait, no. Corrine, you really don’t have to do that. You don’t owe us anything! Get that out of your head now.”

“
Yeah,” Kieron chimes in from the couch. “Don’t you know that you’re the only thing around here that’s actually
normal
? Without you, we’d just be a house full of freaks. You keep us connected to reality. That’s a big enough contribution. You just being you.”

Corrine smirks at us, and then starts scooping out her batter onto the skillet. “Okay, well then I’ll put it to you this way—it’ll make me feel really good to be able to do this for you guys, and I really hope you’ll let me. I’ve always wanted to learn to bake and cook better, but I’ve never had enough food or supplies to work with. But now I do, and I’m really excited to try out a bunch of things. And it gives me something to do, and I feel useful. So if it’s okay with you guys, would you mind if I did all the cooking around here?”

Kieron and I look at each other, and I turn to Corrine with a smile. “Of course you may. And thank you. It’s a very sweet gesture.”

“
And most appreciated,” Kieron adds.

Corrine grins. “Cool. Okay, so what’s on the agenda for today?” She expertly flips the pancakes and wipes her hand on her apron.

“
Actually, I need to go talk with Anastasia in a bit. Do you wanna come with me? Check out the place?”

She scrunches her eyebrows and tilts the skillet so the pancakes slide off onto a plate. “Sure, but won’t I be interrupting your chit chat time?”

“
Well, I was thinking—thank you, that looks delicious—yeah, I need to talk with her about some things, and we’ll need some alone time. But there’s a chance we might need you to pass on some things to Lucky later. That is if you don’t mind.” I pick up the syrup bottle and start drizzling it over the short stack she’s just put in front of me.

Corrine’s face brightens. “Sure, of course I don’t mind. Anything I can do to help. Plus, I’m dying to see the inside of her place. I bet it’s amazing!”

“
You’ll have to tell me all about it,” Kieron says dryly, as he comes over to sit beside me. I know he doesn’t really care about seeing her fancy house, but I can’t help but wonder if her rejection of him doesn’t hurt his feelings, at least a little. Kieron cares for humans far more than most demions do. It’s one of the things that made me fall in love with him. And for Anastasia to reject him so callously without even knowing him at all has to sting.

We finish eating and Corrine and I clean the kitchen, then head on outside to visit Anastasia. Kieron was just going to relax and watch some TV and promised he wouldn’t fall asleep before we return.

It’s another perfect day, one that almost has me convinced that we really are in paradise, in a lucid dream-like fantasy. The air is crisp and clean, the sky the palest powder blue, and there isn’t a cloud in sight. Flowers splash their vibrant colors against acres of pristine green grass, and even the cobblestone walkway beneath our feet glistens as if covered with gold dust and crushed diamonds. The soothing lull of the ocean rhythmically crashing against the rocks completes the tranquil scene.

“
Doesn’t it seem like we’re in some sort of fairy tale here?” Corrine asks, as if reading my mind.

I chuckle. “Yeah, and we’re on our way to see the wicked witch now.”

She giggles and covers her mouth. “She’s not really that bad, is she?”

I know Corrine is more nervous then she lets on, so I shake my head. “Nah, she’s okay. She’s just not a fan of demons is all, but who can blame her? She likes humans just fine. You have nothing to worry about.”

“
But that thing she told you and Lucky about Tatiana dying… I mean, that was really messed up, yeah?”

“
Yeah, you could say that. But in retrospect I can sorta see why she did it.”

“
Hmmm.”

Anastasia meets us by the side garden, almost as if she was expecting us. “Good morning, ladies. It’s nice to see you on this lovely day.”

I blink. She seems so different from the cold, guarded woman from yesterday.

“
Hello, Mrs. Havish,” Corrine says and nervously adjusts her glasses.

“
Hello, my dear. Have you two eaten already?”

We both nod.

“
Well, then come along. Let’s give you the grand tour, shall we?”

Chapter 13. Liora

Almost an hour later I am convinced we’re in some sort of alternate universe. Anastasia’s mansion is far beyond anything I’ve ever seen in the movies, let alone in real life. And as far as I can tell she lives here all alone with only a few servants. It’s so strange… and a little sad.

“
If you don’t mind me asking, what did your late husband do?” I ask her. She’d already told us that she was widowed and childless.

“
Do?”

“
For money? How did he get so wealthy? Or was it his family’s money, like an inheritance?”

Anastasia gives an amused laugh. “Oh, no my dear. This house and the money is from my side of the family.”

I stare at her, puzzled. “
Your
side? But you and Tatiana are sisters. Twins. Why wouldn’t she…?” I don’t even finish my question before Anastasia silences me with a knowing look.

“
Do you really have to ask?” she says wryly.

I quietly shake my head. No. Tatiana would never want to live like this. But as I gape in awe at the splendor of the magnificent décor, I can’t help but wonder with a twinge of envy what it would’ve been like to be raised here… to have some of this obscene wealth.

But only for a second. I know beyond all doubt that I wouldn’t trade my upbringing with Tattie for all the luxurious seaside mansions in the world. I never wanted for anything growing up. I was loved, safe, nurtured. This grand estate feels like there hasn’t been any love here in years, if ever.

Such a lonely existence.

Corrine, for her part, has been observing everything pretty much in respectful silence. It’s been strange opening up so much of my life to her and seeing her witness aspects of my world that I’m so used to keeping private. But I know now how much I need her, as a friend and an ally. She is my link to the human world and to my demon sister. There are things I can’t tell Kieron. Not yet. Corrine is the perfect conduit, and I know I can trust her.

But right now I need to talk to Anastasia alone. “Corrine, do you mind if we have a moment?” I ask, turning to her.

“
Not at all. I’ll just be over at the bird sanctuary and the rose garden if you need me,” she says.

Anastasia nods. “There are some seeds in the bin next to the statue of the Three Fates if you want to toss some in the cages.”

“
Cool.” Corrine wanders off, and Anastasia and I head to the other side of the gardens, toward a small pond.

“
I was wondering something,” I begin a few moments later. “How do you and Tatiana communicate?”

Anastasia gives me a strange look.

“
I mean, she doesn’t have any sort of phone, and I’ve never seen her write a letter. And it’s not like she’ll ever use a computer in this life time. Do you guys have some sort of secret witchy way of talking, like telepathy or magic or something?”

Anastasia sighs and sits down on a marble bench. I hesitate for a moment, then take a seat beside her. “Truthfully, we don’t really communicate and haven’t for many years,” she admits. “I was stunned when she connected with me last week, and I haven’t stopped thinking of her since…” Her voice trails off.

“
How did she call you?” I press.

Anastasia looks at me and shakes her head. “It’s not like that. You want to talk to her, don’t you.”

Unexpected tears fill my eyes. I quickly look away and nod. “Yes. Very much.”

“
You miss her.”

Again I nod, and whisper, “Yes. Very much.”

“
Yes, I can feel your longing and your turmoil,” she replies quietly.

“
I just need to hear her voice… know that she’s okay.”

“
I can assure you that she is. Despite our great distance we share a solid psychic connection. If she were unwell or hurt, I would know instantly. It’s been that way our whole lives.”

I look up at her, surprised by the compassion I see in her face. “You’re sure? You’re not just saying that?”

She gives me an earnest grin and pats the top of my hand. “I promise you I am telling the truth.”

“
Okay.” I let out a long sigh. “It’s just, well, before we came out here she was seeming a little unnaturally run down, really tired all the time, and then with what you told me about her dying…”

Anastasia’s sapphire eyes narrow. “Are you going to continually bring that up? I will not explain myself or my actions to you again.”

“
I’m not saying anything. Just that I’m concerned about her is all.”

“
Well, you needn’t be. She’s fine. And quite strong, I assure you. In fact, she’s as strong as I’ve ever felt her. If she seemed tired before, perhaps she was conserving her energy because she knew she’d be needed in battle, or for a momentous task that required great magical skill. Sometimes—well, with her it’s almost always—she can sense it coming, even if she doesn’t see exactly
what
it is. Right now she’s in hiding from an army of Light-angels, correct?”