“Magic can be used to see your future. She did a spell for me.”
“Did you see the future?”
“No. I started having the dreams.”
“Oh.” She paled slightly. “Did you think it was Vanessa in them? I mean we do look alike.”
“Yes. I did at first. I knew it wasn’t exactly her, but I thought it was just my subconscious changing it a little.”
“Did you tell her about the dreams?”
“Yes, although I didn’t mention it wasn’t exactly her. Just that it was a red head. I let her draw her own conclusions.”
“I see.”
“Don’t judge me. I thought it was her at first, or at least that it wasn’t another real person. I really did. We moved here because she’d heard about a powerful coven who could help us find out more. I’d discovered the last of the Dires in Asia had been killed, and I was more determined than ever to find an end.”
“And is that when you realized she wasn’t as great as you thought?”
“They changed her. They took a sweet, eager to learn witch and made her something different. Everything was different. I confronted her about it, and she blamed me. She said I didn’t really want her anymore, I wanted the girl in my dreams.”
“And was that true?”
“I’d started having the dreams every night, and I realized they weren’t of Vanessa. You’d started talking to me more and more, and I discovered you were human. I also realized the connection between us was stronger than anything I could ever have with someone else. And the sex. Well, I won’t go into those details now.”
“Do you think that’s why she became the way she was? Because she was jealous of a dream?”
“No. The dreams were just a side part. She became obsessed with the other witches and started spending more and more time there. Eventually she just left. By that time I was glad. We’d had a close call, and they agreed to cloak us. It seemed like a worthwhile deal.”
“And you didn’t hand Gage over because I looked like the girl from the dream? You thought you’d found her?”
“I knew I’d found her.” I was more sure each second I spent with Mary Anne.
“How? You thought Vanessa was the girl. How do you know you aren’t wrong again?”
“Because of how you make me feel. And you proved me right last night.”
“How?”
“You asked me to call you Firefly in the dreams. And I know you like that name.” I ran a hand through her hair.
“Ok, let’s pretend I am the girl from the dreams, although I still don’t think I am. What does that matter?”
“Because you’re the key. You said so yourself.”
“But I don’t know anything about any of this.”
“That’s what you used to say in the dreams.”
“Used to?”
“You told me there was only one way to make sure you learned everything you needed to know.”
“Something tells me I don’t want to know.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. You do want to know.” I grinned.
“I don’t want to have sex with you, Hunter.”
“How’d you guess?”
“You’re grinning like a mad man. What else would it be?”
I laughed. “Very perceptive.”
Chapter Eight
Gage
There was no way I was leaving without paying a certain group of bitchy witches a visit. I'd probably cringe every time I saw a dog collar for the rest of my life—even if I saw it on a dog. The animal in me was even more sickened by it.
Remembering the pain the witches inflicted on me pissed me off, but that was nothing compared to my hatred of them for nearly letting Mary Anne freeze to death. Such blatant disregard for life disgusted me. And the fact that they thought they could get away with doing that to Mary Anne? Forget it. There was no way I could just sit around with them that close. My body shuddered ready to shift as I tried to fall asleep on the couch in Marni’s place.
She was sitting on a chair watching me. All her talk about trust only went so far. “Gage? What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing.” I stared up at the ceiling. I needed to calm down.
“Stop bullshitting me.”
I didn’t need to look to know she’d walked toward me.
“I’m not going to put up with it. Be straight with me.”
“It’s not her.”
“Then what is it?” she asked impatiently. “I can tell you’re angry.”
“Yes. I'm angry. I have plenty to be angry about.”
She groaned. “Oh no, what are you planning?”
I reluctantly looked at her. She wasn’t going to walk away until I did. “Who says I’m planning anything?”