out at night, how they managed their secrets, etc. She said they were a big, happy family … until we came to town.
'There have been threats, and we heard about attacks. The colony will fight for you if they have to,' she said, 'but they really don't want it to come to that. They like their lifestyle here. It's comfortable and laid back. The tourists aren't crazy drunks looking for trouble and attracting Daemoni attention. We want to keep it that way.'
'The Daemoni don't know we're here,' I said. 'We chose this place because it's safest for us and the people surrounding us.'
She tilted her head. 'You're like a catch-22. No one else can protect us better in these times … but, well, we probably wouldn't need your protection if you weren't here in the first place.'
'We'll keep them away from the colony,' Tristan promised. 'We want to call this place home, too.'
Blossom nodded, but she didn't seem entirely convinced. I couldn't blame her–if I were her, I wouldn't want me living nearby either, even when we were five miles from the colony. By the time she left, I didn't know if she still wanted to be friends, and I didn't check her thoughts to find out. If any friendship were to develop, I wasn't going to start it by being a snoop.
I had the same dream that night as I'd had every night since visiting Lisa, and the repetition began to annoy me. I'd always been a dreamer before the Ang'dora, and often my dreams were meaningful. It was part of being a writer, I'd always thought. But since the Ang'dora, I'd hardly dreamt at all, and when I did, they were random and vague. Now I dreamt every night about faeries, my pendant and Vanessa, endlessly chasing and searching but never quite grasping any of them. I woke up frustrated. The dreams meant something, and there was only one person who, supposedly, had the answers. If only I could get him to talk.
Chapter 15
I opened the door the next morning, wishing the furniture deliverymen waited on the other side, but I already knew Owen stood on the front steps.
'It's your mom,' he said as my new iPhone rang. The phone was an early anniversary gift from Tristan, who was playing with his own at this exact moment. I glanced at the number on the phone's screen.
'Are you psychic and not telling me?' That wasn't the first time he'd done that.
'No. I just got off the phone with my mom.' He walked past me to the kitchen. Apparently, he hadn't bought his own food yet.
'Hey, Mom,' I answered.
'Hi, honey. How's your new house?'
I glanced around. 'Pretty empty right now, but our furniture should be here any minute.'
'I won't keep you then. Did you happen to buy a bed for the guest room?'
Uh-oh. 'No. Why?'
'That's okay. I can sleep with Dorian or something. We'll work it out.'
'Are you coming here?' I tried to sound excited, but my emotions were mixed. I missed her, but I still had to wonder whose side she was on.
'Charlotte and I will be there next Friday. We have an investigation into a witch who's learned how to enhance breasts, and she might be planning to sell that as a service. We'll stay for the weekend. Char can stay with Owen, of course.'
So we'd both be buying guest beds.
'That's great, but Tristan and I might not be here. We're going … out of town.'
I couldn't tell her where or why; she'd disapprove and probably try to stop us. Tristan decided Owen's phone calls and investigations weren't enough–we'd be paying a personal visit to either the witch coven or the wolf pack. He just hadn't decided which one yet.
'Out of town? Do you really think that's a good idea?' Mom paused, and I should have known not to try to keep anything from her. 'Alexis, you need to get off this wild goose chase! Until the Daemoni settle down, you're endangering your lives every time you go out in the world.'
'They'll never settle down. You know that as well as I do. In the meantime, there's a girl out there … maybe our daughter–'
She cut me off. 'We'll talk about it when I get there. In fact, we have a lot to talk about. See you next week.'
'Love you, Mom,' I muttered, but the line went dead.
I sat next to Tristan on the living room floor and watched him download finance and stock-tracking apps onto his phone.
'Great timing on their part,' he said, referring to Mom and Charlotte.
'Yeah, I know.' I sighed.
'No, it is good timing. They can stay with Dorian, so Owen can come with us.'
'Sweet!' Owen called from the kitchen.
That improved things. Owen and his shield were always good to have along, but until now, we thought he'd have to stay home to protect Dorian.
'What do you think about Blossom?' Tristan asked, his head still bent over his phone.
'She's hot,' Owen chimed in.
I ignored him. 'She seems cool. Why?'
'I was wondering how much we can trust her. It wouldn't hurt to have a witch along with us.'
'That means telling her everything,' I pointed out.
'Not necessarily. I'll think about it more, but if she comes around, check her mind out.'
I made a face.
'For me? Please?' He grinned and winked. I must have nodded while the fog clouded my brain because he thanked me.
'If I do that, then you owe me,' I said when my head cleared.
'I don't have to owe you, because you can have whatever you want from me. Anything for you, my love.'
I rolled my eyes–I was pretty sure it wasn't going to be so easy. 'Then tell me what Lisa was talking about. About my pendant.'
He scowled. 'Except that. I told you, I have no idea.'
'I think you do, especially if you do a little digging.' When he didn't reply, I tapped my head with my finger. 'I can find out from you if I really wanted to.'
He narrowed his eyes. His voice came out low. 'You wouldn't.'
'I really don't want to, Tristan, but I feel like this might be important. You can't think of anything? What about what you were told? Surely, you remember that. You have a perfect memory.'
'It's irrelevant,' he growled. 'Just bullshit that we're not going to bother ourselves with.'
'So you do know.' It wasn't a question. He knew and refused to tell me. Usually, I'd let it go, not wanting him to relive any pain or guilt from his previous life, but unlike his other memories, it seemed as though this one had to do with us, not only him.
He jumped to his feet. 'Furniture's here.'
I heard the truck about a mile down the road.
'You said anything for me,' I pushed.
'Not this! It's not worth it, Alexis. Trust me.'
He strode toward the door, and I sprang up. 'You can't keep secrets from me, Tristan!'
He turned on me, his face hard. 'You'd really invade my private thoughts?'
'No! I meant we're married, that we're in this together. We can't survive with secrets. We need to trust each other.'
His face softened, and he wrapped his arms around me.
'I'm sorry.' He kissed the top of my head. 'But I do have secrets, my love, things you really don't want to
