Page 18 of Haunting Salem

They didn’t have a distinctive shape. “No more like a halo.” Like Jack had explained last night.

His gray eyes narrowed. “I’m not sure, to be honest. You’re the first person who’s ever said anything of the sort. Is it a bad thing?”

“No, not at all. I’ve never seen it before either,” I replied. “This place is so unusual though, wouldn’t you agree?”

Zane chuckled. The deep rich sound eased some of the anxious energy filling me. “This is Salem. Everything around here is a little unusual.”

He had a point. “Touché.” I sat back as our coffee and breakfast danishes were placed in front of us by the owner of the shop. “Looks amazing.” I couldn’t wait to dig in.

“Enjoy your breakfast,” the woman said then turned to walk back to the front counter.

I leaned forward, trying to keep my voice down so as not to draw attention. "Do you believe in witches and all the hauntings going on here?"

He took a sip of his coffee and considered my question. "I do. I believe there is a lot we don't know or can't see. I believe some have a second sight, like yourself, and I believe there are witches among other things in this world."

Other things? What other things? I had a feeling, sitting there, if I pressed him, he wouldn’t say, but then again, he might. “True. You have abilities don’t you?”

This time the corner of his mouth lifted in a rueful smirk. He ran the pad of his thumb back and forth along the lip of his mug. “Suppose I do. What do you think they are, Simone?”

Hmm... I didn’t know. He wasn’t Wiccan like Lucy. He also wasn’t a medium like Jack or me. Yet, he was something and I couldn’t put my finger on it. “I don’t know. A friend said you could see him last night. That just about everyone in Mass Hysteria could. No one has ever been able to do so before. Kael has to want you to see him before you can.”

“The guy at the bar who couldn’t take his eyes off of you?” Zane asked, before drinking his coffee. “He sticks out. He’s pretty powerful in his own right. Who’s he to you?”

I contemplated how to answer his question. Kael was powerful. If anyone found out what he was capable of, it might terrify them. “He’s my guardian.”

“Ah, makes sense.” Zane nodded. “He was projecting himself in a way none of us could ignore. Hence Cian’s initial disposition.”

“He’s worried.”

“He can speak for himself.” Kael appeared beside me. “My ears were ringing.”

“Zane, this is Kael. Kael, this is Zane.” I took a bite of my breakfast, impressed Zane didn’t appear surprised by Kael’s appearance. “We were discussing the area and why it’s so different.”

“That’s why you got up early,” Kael said. “Couldn’t shut off your brain. You’d have thought after last night you’d—”

“Okay,” I said. “Enough of that.” My cheeks burned with embarrassment. “Anyway, I went for a walk to grab everyone breakfast and Zane spotted me.”

“Not to be a dick or anything,” Zane said. “But, if I didn’t know any better, I’d swear you were alive.”

Kael got that a lot.

“Thanks. I’ve been perfecting it over the years.” Kael shrugged. “You’re not human either are you?”

Human either? I stared at Kael then Zane who didn’t appear upset by the comment. “Uh, what?”

Zane shook his head and snorted. “It’s nothing. Right, Kael? Just a joke. I mean, I’m sitting here with you, so I must be human.”

Kael lifted his hands. “Right. A joke. Come on, Simone, lighten up.”

Sure. Lighten up. I slid my gaze between both men. I didn't like being out of the loop, but it was Zane's secret and if he didn't want to talk about it, far be it from me, to press the issue. Not like we'd become besties or something. "Anyway, in respect to the energy you feel here, last year we had a major incident.” Zane pushed his dish away and straightened himself. “We don’t want anyone to know about it, because I have a feeling we haven’t captured all of the suspects.”

Not too ominous. “I understand. We won’t use this information for the show.”

"Thank you," Zane said. "Anyway, for several years we had boys and girls go missing. Their ages ranged anywhere from fifteen to twenty-six, with some of them being older still. They were all practicing witches."

I held up a hand. “You mean Wiccan?”

“Witches, Wiccan, same difference for us. But, here, we call them witches.”

---