Eternally Devoted (Frostbite 4)

“Good.” I sighed, releasing my firm hold on her arms.

The last thing I needed was for Dane’s wife to suffer some horrible depression because she thought she was the spawn of Satan. Dane had helped me, even if it took me a while to realize it, and I owed him for that.

If it meant I had to ease his wife’s guilt, then so be it. Even if a small part of me wanted to still break her nose for putting this worry about Kipp in my mind, and the unknown if I had saved him, Dane’s assistance couldn’t be forgotten. “Besides, you knocking me out is what sent me into the Netherworld, and might have saved Kipp.”

“You are not going to thank her,” Zach practically growled.

“Well…” Even I saw the insanity in it all, but what wasn’t insane in my life? “Yes, I am. Thank you.”

Amelia gave a small smile, yet said nothing. I could understand that, too. I suspected she didn’t want to be thanked. Just as I sympathized with her motives to help her father, I thanked her for my own well-being.

How odd to thank the very people who, when I first arrived at the Animus, I thought were out to get me? But there it was, deep down, I did feel grateful. And that made me strangely content.

No matter what I continued to go through, I was still me.

Chapter Fifteen

Without another word to me, Amelia strode after the others toward the swamp, until she faded into the dark night. I didn’t glance at Zach, since I suspected I’d get a grumpy look from him, considering his deep breaths sounded edged with frustration.

Nor did I bother with Eddie, who I assumed would be equally as annoyed at me for being so kind to Amelia. I simply hurried after her into the darkness that, for the first time, I didn’t fear something scary within it awaited me.

As I drew closer to the swamp, I heard Gretchen say something I couldn’t make out, and then I squinted to peer through the black night. Only a few seconds passed before I spotted Gretchen lighting a candle. That’s when I noticed she had placed enough candles to form a circle.

After she lit each one, she took out a few sticks of incense out of her bag, and once she had them burning, the scent of sage was filling the air around me. Then she grabbed a wooden bowl and a wooden spoon, adding water from the swamp and a dash of salt into it.

Luckily, the swamp was far enough from the house, I didn’t think any of the cops would take notice to what we were doing or see the candles. And the other cops outside were on the far side of the large yard, scoping out the edge of the forest.

I turned to Gretchen again and watched her work, thinking she was insane for calling this spell not complicated, when to me, all it looked like was complicated. She stirred the water and closed her eyes, and then she murmured soft words I didn’t care to hear. But, from reading the spell, I knew that she imagined a bright light surrounding her.

The swamp lay still, and the bullfrog who had first greeted me when I’d first come here was silent. No breeze swept through the yard and the quiet—which once frightened me—was entirely welcomed.

A rustle along the grass grabbed my attention. When I looked at Gretchen again, she stood with sad eyes. “It’s time.”

Alexander nodded slowly, and misery that I’d never seen cross Caley’s face flashed there for only a second before he controlled it. His gaze swept to his daughter and he smiled at her, then he looked to Dane. “Keep the members together. Be a safe haven for those who need us.”

Dane inclined his head, tears welling in his eyes. “Of course.” He stepped forward and hugged his father-in-law.

It looked slightly ridiculous to see Dane embrace Caley in such a loving away, but I didn’t get long to consider that oddity since Alexander returned to his daughter. Things got very dismal.

With his arms around her, while she cried, he whispered something in her ear that I couldn’t hear, but her sobbing gave away he said goodbye to her. When he leaned away from Amelia, tears trailed over Caley’s face.

Alexander released his arms around Amelia and her legs gave out. Before she could fall to the grass below, Dane hugged his wife. My eyes burned with tears, and I shut them as a lump formed in my throat. This hurt to witness. Seconds passed before the feeling of being watched forced my eyes open. I discovered Alexander standing in front of me.

He smiled warmly, taking my hands. Even his touch didn’t feel like Caley’s, more gentle and just…different. “Thank you for all you’ve done for me.” He squeezed his fingers around mine. “You are a special woman, Tess. I hope everything works out for you and Kipp.”

Funny enough that before, I might have snorted to myself how special kind of sounded like crazy. But hell, my gifts did make me special. Perhaps now, after all I’d been through, I felt a bit better about my abilities and myself.

Wayde had used his gifts in terrible ways and did terrible things to others, but I fought for the greater good. That made me feel good about me.

It did strike me that if I had met Alexander when he was alive, I would’ve liked him…a lot. As much as we’d gone through together, I didn’t really know much about him. But I’d learned enough to see the world had lost a great man. I squeezed his hands in return. “Cross in peace, Alexander.”

His smile softened even further, and then, as he released my hands, he turned to Gretchen. Seeing her crying made me want to run to her. This was the first time Gretchen had ever showed outright sadness. Perhaps she’d been trying to be strong for Alexander…and maybe for me, too. When Alexander hugged her, she sank so deep into his hold and I heard her whimper.

A hand wrapped around mine, and I glanced up to find Zach, not looking at me, but at Gretchen. Maybe he knew how much it hurt for me to see her like this…and perhaps he hated seeing Gretchen so upset, too. I wrapped my hand tight with Zach’s as tears rushed down my cheeks.

Now, I finally got it.

It became all too clear why Gretchen had walked away from being a more active member of the Animus, exactly as I wanted to stay well away from the organization, too.