Page 18 of Cordelia Manor
I looked over toward Al who was deep in thought and wondered what to do about Evan while we called Chemeketa for help.
“Do you think Evan will be okay, or should we encourage him to stay away? I did tell him I’d fetch his luggage from the manor as soon as possible.”
“A quick grab and go with the luggage should be fine as long as we perform a cleansing spell on it before you take it to Evan. He should stay away for now, though. If he gives power to the entity, there’s no telling what could happen.”
“I can run over to the manor before it gets too late, then I’ll be back.”
Al gave an affirmative nod, but her mind was clearly on bigger things than clothing at the moment. “I’ve been wondering, you said Evan doesn’t have much money. Didn’t he inherit the place?”
I nodded. “Yeah, but the state signed it over to him. They didn’t actually fund anything. My impression is he’s in a bit of a land rich, cash poor situation.”
“Oh, well, that makes sense. The old place was about to fall apart last time I stayed in the hotel, and that was twenty yearsago. Christie, honey, can you come in here?” Al called over my shoulder.
Christie came in, and Al sighed before going to her. “Listen, Evan, the man who was just here. He’s important to the exorcism of Cordelia Manor. We need him, and he needs to be kept safe.”
Christie’s face fell. “So, I need to apologize and clean all this up?”
Al smiled at her wife. The two were opposites in many ways, but their love couldn’t be denied. “Yes, but not tonight, dearest. He needs time to calm down, and I’m afraid seeing you now will not help him do that.”
Christie sighed, then kissed Al. “Okay, my dearest, I’ll go charm him tomorrow.”
Al and I said no simultaneously, causing Christie to laugh out loud. “Oh, you two, I can charm without using my powers. You’re both such sticks in the mud,” she said, twisting on her heels and heading out of the room.
When she was gone, I looked at our coven leader and smirked. “She’s a lovely handful, that one!”
Al groaned. “You’ve no idea,” she replied, but I did. Everyone in our coven did. Hell, everyone on the southern Oregon coast who’d met her did.
In many ways, I envied what Al and Christie had. Not only having someone to share your life with, but someone who fully accepted and embraced all aspects of you, witch and all. I’d never had such a partner and, quite frankly, didn’t think I ever would. Despite our powers and abilities to cast spells, finding one’s true love match was a magic even the most powerful witch couldn’t wield. Such was in the hands of the Fates.
15
Evan
Itossed and turnedmost of the night. Whereas the night before, the fluffy mattress and over-the-top pink faux feather comforter were endearing and kitschy, tonight, they just felt like a burden. Just something else causing me problems.
I finally got up around five in the morning and decided to go for a run down by the beach. It was still so freaking cold, and from my research, that wouldn’t change much with the Pacific cooling the breezes that came off it.
Thankfully, Cary had dropped off my luggage late yesterday, and the front desk had called, telling me it was there. So, I had my clothes to bundle up in.
It was still dark out as I jogged toward the beach, although the first indications of light were peeking over the horizon. Birds were beginning their morning pursuit of food. The tide was still out, which meant I could run close to the water without getting wet, but far enough away not to get struck by a sneaker wave. I’d read about those, too, and didn’t fancy a roll in the surf this early in the morning.
I jogged until I came to an outcropping that, during high tide, would’ve been submerged. It was quiet, the waves lapping against the monolith rock behind the one I sat on. The wind was blocked by the massive structure, so even though it was far from warm, it wasn’t biting cold either.
I closed my eyes and let the sea fill my senses. The Pacific smelled different from the Atlantic. I knew that sounded ridiculous, but it was true. The Pacific smelled… wilder.
I knew I wasn’t dreaming, not this time, but in my mind’s eye, I could see as well as I had in the dreams, two young men playing in the surf.
The wave rolled up, catching both men in its spray, causing them to laugh wildly as they rushed toward the shore. A woman, the one I now knew was my great-grandmother, Inez, laughed as the two ran toward her.
“Look at you both. You’re going to catch your death of cold,” Inez said, but there wasn’t any heat in her comment. There was a baby stroller next to her, and I could see a little one wrapped tightly in white swaddling clothes.
“Grandma,” I whispered, and I had to fight the tears that threatened to fall.
Inez looked straight at me, and for the first time since I began having these dreams, or visions, whatever they were, she made eye contact.
The young men and the baby that was my grandma disappeared. “You can’t let them cast him away. You have to fight him, bind him if he won’t leave. He’s done so much to hurt our family.” She looked to her right, and the stroller was there again, and the baby lay in it. “You can overcome this. You can make it right. Don’t let the witch man and his coven stop what has to happen. What you’ve got to make happen.” She picked the baby up and held her, then looked up at me. “Go back to the manor. I’m there, and so is your great-uncle. We can helpprotect you, but you must be the one to end all of this. Only you can do so.”
A wave hit the monolith, spraying me and making me jump off the rock I’d been sitting on.
