Intended Series Collection: Books 1-6 by Abigail Grant (best summer books .txt) 📗

smile falls slightly, saddening. “No, baby girl. It’s not that. It’s remarkable that you ended up in this particular home.” She touches my cheek. “I didn’t think it’d still look the same after all these years.”

My eyes go wide. “You lived here? That’s so cool!”

She chuckles softly. “Actually, I only saw the place once. This house was a wedding gift from your father to your mother.” She points past my stunned face to the center of the room. “That spot right there is the exact place he knelt and proposed to my sweet friend.”

I spin around and stare at the hardwood flooring in between the tattered old couch and wooden coffee table. My parents were right there, at my age, falling in love. The room takes on a new life as I imagine them here and more stupid tears sting my eyes. I’m seriously losing it.

“Wow,” Neo says next to me. “I mean, I’ve hearda fate a lot growin’ up around other Seers, but that’s just insane.”

Aunt Mags lifts a single shoulder and winks at Neo. “Fate is the very reason your race exists. It brings each of you together and makes you stronger than ever.”

I take a deep settling breath and look into Aunt Mag’s emerald eyes. Her normally black and gray speckled hair has been dyed darker than it was the last time I saw her, but small bits of gray are already growing in at the roots. “So, you’re a Wicca?” I ask her simply.

She nods tenderly, unsure. “I am.”

“And you have been protecting me since I was born?” I ask.

“Yes, I have,” she states with an apologetic half smile. “And I can’t tell you everything you need to know, darling.” She reaches into the black bag hanging from her shoulder and pulls out a pink journal with the name Selene sprawled across the front. “But, I can show you the answers in here.”

I take the journal from her and flip to a random page with the jumble of words written in sloppy handwriting.

April 28th, 1998

Dear Loved One,

I’m terrified, and this time it’s not the falling in love kind. This is the chilling, completely  body numbing kind of fear. I need to get to work but my body won’t move, and I can’t face Joseph just yet. The thing I have been fearing since my childhood has finally come to pass. The demon who killed my father finally found me.

I gasp and snap my head up to Aunt Mags who watches me with drooping eyebrows and thin lips. “My mom. This is hers?”

She nods at me. “Yes. Your mom kept a regular journal at the time she came to Granbury, and she wanted me to give it to you when you started seeing the demon in your dreams like she had. Of course, I didn’t know you’d been seeing him, or I would’ve come to you sooner.”

She flips to the last page of the diary, where it says “Dear My Sweet Aella” and taps her red painted fingernail on the paper.

“Sweetie, this is why your mom wanted you to have this. Right here she tells you to not run from your loved ones, but to fight back with all that you have, together with the people you cherish.” She places her warm hand on my cheek again and looks directly into my eyes. “Now I’m here, and we are going to damn well fight.”

Chapter 10

“Trick-or-treat!” The cute kids at Morgan’s door grin and hold out their orange pumpkin shaped buckets for candy. I toss in a handful for each of them and they run off, tails, hats, face paint and all.

I miss being that little and carefree. I definitely never expected to be standing in my Wicca aunt’s house with my Wicca mom, Seer friend and young Wicca cousin, while being taunted by a demon. Oh, boy. Life has changed.

My heart aches more than usual tonight, even though I made sure to take my daily dose of coleus the minute I woke up this morning. I feel like if I keep this up too much longer then I’ll be permanently separated from Gavin. I can’t let that happen.

I rub the spot above the dull ache in my chest. Aunt Mags comes to my side and wraps a long arm around my shoulders and I lean into it.

“Hon, why do you look so sad? We’re having a party… sort of.” She chuckles at the last minute party she and Morgan threw together.

I lay my head on her shoulder and watch out the window for more trick-or-treaters. “It’s a beautiful party, Aunt Mags. I’m so glad to be here with you all.”

She tightens her hold on me. “But, you wish other people were here too?” she asks, reading my mind.

I groan. “You know me too well.” I tilt my head back and move away from her slightly. “I just can’t imagine that everyone will forgive me for leaving like I did.”

She tilts her head to the side and throws an eyebrow up. “Dear, those kids absolutely love you. You’re not losing them anytime soon.”

“Well, I guess I’ll have to give them a call if I’m going to try and build my little army. I just hope they’re willing to join me.”

I imagine asking Gavin and his family to help me fight Barron, but the thought of asking for help after ditching them and actually stealing from Grams makes my heart only hurt worse.

I turn away from the door and walk up to Neo, who stands in the kitchen with Luna. They’re leaning against the kitchen island and get quiet as soon as I walk into the room.

“What? Are you guys gossiping?” I ask them both with a side-eye.

Neo straightens up and gives me a crooked smile and a wink. “Yup. We’re basically a couple gossip girls over here.”

I shake my head at him. “Well, I have a question for you both.”

Luna hops up and down, always so chipper. “Anything, cousin!” Her smirk is intoxicating and