"Of course, I remember." I didn't roll my eyes, out of respect for my father, but I'd heard this a thousand times. "The Druid's once used human sacrifice and blood magic to enhance their powers. Our ancestors destroyed all records of those before us, and passed down those histories orally as they worked to create a magic that would free us from those early times."
He nodded. "That's right. We have that power now, and we have to be careful how we use it, lest we return to the ways of old and destroy ourselves, and others, in the process."
My father took his role as leader seriously, and it was for that reason, because of that solemnness, that I knew I could never lead in his place. I had to leave as soon as we'd found a way to cure Dean. I'd let my brother challenge me and win, then I'd leave and never come home. It was the only way to keep my family safe.
SEVEN
Sin From Thy Lips
ROSE
Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
Give me my sin again.
— William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
Dear Diary,
What can I say about Seattle that you haven't already seen in movies? It has a flavor to it that's distinct from all other cities. In New York, you have a fast-paced energy, a frenetic heartbeat that makes the New York minute seem much shorter than any other.
In San Francisco, there's an artistic haze of searching and not finding, as if all the lost, brilliant pieces of life have come together in a mosaic that is full of color and friction.
But in Seattle, you get an earthy rightness with the wonder of art and city life. Imagine a fishing village, perched on the waters that give it sustenance, combined with culture of art-loving free thinkers, and then add a dash of the wild outdoors, where jeans replace dress pants and hiking boots replace heels, and you get a sense of what Seattle is about.
We have the World's Largest Ferris Wheel, the Seattle Space Needle, The Pacific Science Center and Seattle's Best Coffee.
And we have fish and seafood and nightlife and camping, and tall buildings lit up at night like lighthouses that lost their way.
Seattle is for people who love culture, but refuse to sacrifice their wild nature to attain it.
"I CAN'T GO. It's too risky." I yanked off the ridiculously high heels Ocean had shoved my feet into and flopped back on the bed. "I have to focus on protecting the coven. And I want to find out more about these Druids. They have to have a motive, some end game other than just terrorizing us. Maybe if I can figure out what it is, it'll help us defeat them."
"News flash: Going on a date with a hot guy is not going to put anyone at risk. Put your shoes back on, he'll be here in a minute." She handed me the evil torture devices covered in red satin, and I slipped them on my already sore feet.
"I'm not going to be able to walk in these, you know." I looked down at them suspiciously. "Falling on your ass isn't sexy on dates, I've heard."
She flipped her hair over her shoulders. "Nonsense. It'll give him a chance to rescue you. Men like to rescue damsels in distress."
"I'm not a damsel and I don't need rescuing." I lifted my foot as evidence. "But I am in distress, that part is true." Still, I surrendered and allowed her to apply another coat of mascara to my already black eyelashes. "Besides, what's the point? I can't touch him, or kiss him, or… you know…. "
"Do him?" She wagged her eyebrows and laughed. "Who says? You didn't lose control of your powers the other night, you used them to protect your mother."
"But when I was six—"
"—When you were six, you were six! Get it? A kid. Kids aren't known for self-control, but guess what? You're not a kid anymore. You don't have to be ruled by fear of your own abilities, and it's time you saw that for yourself." She used another tool in her bag to curl my eyelashes, then she applied another coat of red lipstick to my lips and declared me fit for dating.
I stood carefully and hobbled to my full-length mirror to review the extent of the damage she had inflicted on me. I sucked in my breath when I saw myself. I looked…
"Beautiful. You are stunning!" Ocean smiled and took a bow. "Though, I really can't claim much credit, it's all you, I just helped you bring it out."
I tugged on the too short red dress and messed with my hair. She slapped my hands away. "Don't touch, you'll ruin the perfection."
"What if he's dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, I'll look stupid." I wish he'd told me where he was taking me, so I'd know if I was overdressed. Of course, I could've asked, if I'd been thinking clearly.
"A woman can never be overdressed. You'll be fine." She checked her watch. "He'll be here any minute, let's go. We don't want tongues wagging. I'll drive you to the front gate and wait with you until he comes."