Lost Secrets (BWWM)

Chapter Nine

Her gaze is sharp, biting. The second I walked through her door her eyes sliced straight through me – unrelenting and unapologetic. She and I know what she's done, that much is clear from the tears in my eyes and the lack of remorse in hers.

"You," my voice fails me as I finally try to speak, the quivering in my tone shaking away any chance of finishing my sentence.

She regards me for only a moment before shaking her head, continuing to pack her things. Her disregard for my presence makes the feelings she refuses to speak known.

"You got what you paid for."

The realization that the deaths of two people are on my hands hits me even harder than it did last night. I can't breathe. Every inhale reminds me that I paid to take that away from someone else, making the air burn like acid.

I didn't think it would work. I don't even know if it's what I really wanted. But as she walks past me to pack yet another bag, ignoring my presence, I realize it doesn't matter. Whether I thought it would work or if I only did it out of anger doesn't matter. Two people who were alive yesterday are dead today – because of me. There are penalties for this kind of magic and I don't know if it's a price I can pay.

**~**

The last time I saw her is running on replay in my mind and the anxiety I felt in that moment is rising inside. I'm so close to reaching my boiling point my entire body is on fire. My chest is heavy and tight and every time I try to speak I run out of oxygen and have to stop.

"You've got to calm down Andrea. Breathe," Warin says as we walk into the house.

My breathing is so ragged and loud I can barely hear anything he's saying. I ignore him and continue pacing the floor until he grabs my arms and stares into my eyes.

"Stop it. Follow my breathing," he demands, his voice is stern and commands my attention.

I take deep breaths along with him until I've calmed enough to speak in complete sentences.

"Good," he coaches, pushing my hair over my shoulder so he can rest his hand against my neck, "Now who is this she you keep muttering about? Is she why we had to leave the restaurant? Did you see her?"

"The woman I saw," I pause, taking another shaky breath, "she's the woman who killed my parents. She went by the name Marion Laveau when I met her last. My God...she looks exactly the same. That was almost ten years ago and she hasn't aged a day."

I go from talking to Warin to talking to myself before I realize it, the idea that Marion could be here right now driving me crazy. My eyes are slowly blurring with tears and my breathing is escalating again as memories of that terrible time in my life flood my mind.

Warin doesn't speak, instead he pulls me into his arms and holds me as we sink down onto the floor. I can feel my entire body shivering so he holds me tighter.

"I thought she was gone for good," I wail, my eyes form tears but I hold my head back so they can't fall. "God only knows how many other families she's done this to. I just don't know how she looks like she hasn't aged a day."

"So she's somehow immortal?" Warin asks, his eyes widening.

Shaking my head, an annoyed expression grips my face, "No. No one is immortal outside of the dead ones and even they have ways they can be killed."

"Okay," Warin replies slowly, "If she's back we need to figure out what she wants right? It can't be a good thing that she's here. Let's take this one step at a time. Where can we go for some supernatural support?"