chapter 68

As soon as I placed my hand in hers, she gasped, gripping my hand tightly, her eyes turned

white, she had this faraway look. Like she was seeing through me at something I couldn't see. I

ripped my hand from her grasp, alarmed. Watching as her eyes seemed to come back into focus

and the colour came back. Claire smiled softly, but she couldn't hide the worry in them. The driver's

side door opened, and Caroline hopped in the car, looking between us, as Claire just remained

calmly staring like she was trying to figure something out.

“What happened?” asked Caroline, looking as confused as I felt.

“I don't know?” I answered honestly. Claire remained silent but turned around in her seat,

looking out toward the front.

“We need to leave, now” she said, looking toward Caroline. Caroline hastily jammed the keys in

the ignition before taking off at a fast speed down the dirt driveway. Making dust and dirt spray

everywhere. Claire leant forward, grabbing something from between her legs. It was a black leather

backpack. Sitting in the middle seat, I watched as she rummaged around in her bag before pulling

out a necklace. The necklace seemed familiar it took a few seconds for me to figure out where I had

seen the intricate design before. Sitting forward slightly, I pulled the bracelet from my pocket.

It had the same design as the necklace Claire held in her hand, the same silver vines and leaves

wrapping around the bracelet to the pendant which had a lotus hanging from it, that was caged in

by the vines.

“What's that?" I asked her.

“It is a witch's talisman,” she said, her eyes darting to the bracelet I held in my hand to show

her.

“Turn back around,” Claire spoke when she saw the bracelet hanging from my fingertips.

“What, you just said we had to go?” Caroline said, I could hear the panic in her voice as she

looked at Claire. Caroline spun the car around anyway, heading back toward the house.

“What's going on?" I asked, suddenly worried. Claire grabbed the bracelet before dropping it

and hissing in pain.

“That's why I couldnt read you, why it looked like you had no future, where did you get that

bracelet?” she asked, as I grabbed the bracelet from where she dropped it on the carpet between

the seats.

“It was my mother’s, I found it in the shed" I told her. Claire shook her head.

“The fact that you can hold it proves that is not your mother’s. A witch can't hold another

witch's talisman.”

“What?” Nothing made sense. What she said never made sense, I'm not a witch. Caroline pulled

up out the front of the shed and I jumped out when Claire did, followed by Caroline.

“Why are we back here?” Caroline asked, looking around nervously.

If she has a talisman, I am willing to bet her family’s grimoires will be here as well.”

“Grimoires? Like spell books?” I asked. Claire nodded her head, pushing the roller door up and

walking inside.

“Look, I have been through that shed so many times. If my mother or father were a witch, I

would have found something resembling spell books by now” Claire paid me no attention and kept

walking towards the office in the back of the shed

When she opened the door, she gasped. “I knew it" She stated. I looked around trying to find

what it was she thinks she found. Claire walked over to my grandfather's table.

“Honestly Caroline, I am surprised you didn’t notice this when you were in here” she said

running her hand along the top of the table. Caroline looked at the table and I mean really looked

at it. Caroline walked over to the table running her fingers over the design carved in the top which

was five different circles. One on each side before a bigger one was in the middle. The same vine-

like structure joined the four outer circles before vines from each connected the middle circle to the

other four.

“It's an earth pentagram” Caroline whispered before knocking on the wood. The wood made a

hollow sound, like it had a compartment below the tabletop. I had never paid attention to the table

before believing the story my mother told me that my grandfather made it.

Claire ran her fingers along the table's edge before she stopped, obviously finding whatever it

was she was looking for. She bent down to look at what her fingers landed on underneath the table.

“Imogen, bring your bracelet here” I walked over to her and went to hand it to her. She shook

her head.

“I am not touching that thing, bloody burned my fingers damn near off. Place the pendant in

the lock,” she said. My eyebrows furrowed before I bent down to see this so-called imaginary lock.

Only to be surprised when I actually bent down and there was indeed a metal lock below the

tabletop. I wasted no time in placing the pendant inside, fitting it perfectly. The lotus shaped

pendant was actually a key of sorts. The wood groaned and sounded like it was cracking before we

heard something click. I stood up, thinking for sure the table was going to be split down the middle

by the sounds the wood made. Only it wasn't but I could tell the table was different the five circles

glowed florescent green.

It was like nothing I had ever seen before, Claire pushed on the lid and it sprang open revealing

a long compartment inside. There are dried herbs and some candles, along with four books, covered

in fabric cloth. I reached in and grabbed one, pulling the cloth off. Opening it, I found the book had

no writing in it just blank pages.

I turned to Claire to show her.

“That must be yours then. The others will be family members of different generations,

grimoires. Grab them we need to leave now” I quickly grabbed the other three books. For the first

time, 1 was getting a glimpse of my mother's secret life, I never knew about. Caroline quickly shut

the lid on the table, I heard the wood groan before the circle went back to their normal wood grain

look.

“How?” I asked, confused. Claire stopped and glanced at the table, “Someone spelled it” she

said before running out. I had to jog to keep up with them as they ran towards the car.

As soon as I shut the door Caroline took off again, making me fall back into the seat and nearly

dropping the books. I quickly placed them in the footwell and chucked my seat belt on.

“How long?” Caroline asked Claire.

“We have enough time” She answered. Claire was absent-mindedly playing with her necklace.

After a few minutes, she reached back inside her black bag and pulled two silver bangles.

“Put this on” she said, handing one to Caroline and one to me.

I grabbed the bracelet, not knowing what it was for, but I felt like I could trust Claire.

“What's it for?” I asked, curious why we were all getting blinged up.

“To stop your mates being able to track you through your bond, they won't be able to feel you.

You can still feel them but to Tobias Theo and Josiah they won't feel the pull towards you and be

able to find you.”

I looked at Caroline. I didn't know Vampires had mates; I was a little tripped out that Josiah and

Caroline were mates when they were both human to begin with. Caroline chuckled slightly, noticing

my gaze through the revision mirror.

“Vampires have bonds too, not like werewolf bonds, not like what you have with Tobias and

Theo, they aren't as strong but once we pick a life partner and spent a long time with them, we pick

up on each other, influence each other until eventually a bond is formed” She explained. I nodded,

still a little confused.

“What you have with Tobias and Theo is a little different, you are all pieces of whole if that

makes sense, like puzzle pieces, without the other ones, the pieces the picture can't be made,

together and joined you become a whole does that makes sense?” Claire said trying to explain.

“Yes, but where are we going?”

“I have a cabin out in the woods a few days’ drive from here” Claire said.

“We are going to Claire's until we come up with a plan. At least now we may be able to find out

something about your family, and what you are. The blood tests came back yesterday, and all we

found was that your father was a vampire.”

“My father was vampire?” I asked, stunned.

“Yes, we found trace amounts of vampire DNA in your system. It was very weak,” Caroline

explained.

“Well, we know one other thing, he mother’s side were witch's” Claire chimed in. I didn't know

how to feel about that, if they were witch? How did they hide it from me and why aren't I a witch?

As if reading my thoughts, Claire answered. “You don’t believe me?” she said before looking at

my bracelet around my wrist.

“That talisman holds your power or magic, as we like to call it. When we get to my place and

are safe, we can try to unlock that talisman let the magic find its way home.”

“But if I am witch, why do we have to run?” I asked, confused.

“Because you may not be forced to change from the council, but you are still technically

human. Tobias won't allow you die just to have a child Imogen, they will still change you,

regardless.”

Her saying that reminded me of what Theo said last night.

“Theo said my blood changed, that it reminded him of Tobias's" I told her. Caroline glanced at

me in the mirror.

“That means you're having a were-baby" Caroline said, confirming my assumptions.00