It will devastate Ana to learn her sister is beyond saving. The darkness has her now.
Chapter 6
Anastasia
I’m not letting them leave again.
Holding the tiny photo in the light, I stare at it like it can answer all my questions swimming in my mind. Like the sonogram photo of my baby is going to show me who my baby will be. If it is a he or she. If the baby will look like me or one of the guys.
The main question smacking against my mind...will I be a good mother? Am I a bad mother already because I’m bringing this baby into a world where it is not safe?
All these questions I somehow wish the scan photo could answer for me, but no matter how long I stare at it, not a single thought pops into my mind other than an instant love for a tiny little almost-baby-looking black and white image. Someone knocks the door of the cabin, and I jolt, climbing up off the window cushion and nearly tripping over Shadow on the floor behind me. He slowly wakes up and stretches before following me to the door as I open it up. Mum smiles at me, the wind blowing her loose hair all over her face as she tries to push it away and fails.
“A group of helicopters have been spotted very close. They will be landing on the beach, and I thought I could drive you there,” she says, and I look over her shoulder to see dad standing by the car. In the last day, I’ve mostly spent my time alone inside of the cabin after I saw the doctor, who confirmed the baby was strong. The scan was mainly to put my mind at ease and to find out how far along I am. Smiling, I slip my shoes on as fast as I can and give Shadow one single look that says everything. He will follow the car, just in case.
“Thank you for getting me,” I tell my mum as I close the door behind me and follow her down the deck. We get to the car and dad smiles at me, but they both look almost nervous. I wonder if they are scared of Phoebe’s reaction. The baby they left, who does not remember them even a little bit like I do. I climb into the back seat and do my seatbelt up as my parents climb in the car.
“How did you sleep?” mum asks me. “Are you getting morning sickness? Ginger tea used to help me when I was pregnant.”
“I do feel sick in the mornings, to the point it wakes me up early, but I haven’t actually been sick. Thank you though,” I say, looking at her blonde hair and remembering how I loved to brush it when I was little.
“Please don’t take this offensively, but you look ever so tired. Are you not sleeping?”
“More like I fear sleeping. My dreams can be—”
“Daunting,” dad answers. “That, I’m afraid, you get from me. The future is not a dream we ever choose. I am glad one of my children has developed the gift.”
“You get dreams as well?” I question him, leaning closer. “I started getting them when I turned into a familiar. First I thought they were nothing more than vivid dreams, but then I saw things in the past, things I shouldn’t have been able to see. Now the ones that haven’t happened yet...I fear.”
“As you should,” is all dad says. Mum looks at him, and after a pause, she sighs and looks away. Whatever that was, clearly I’m not a part of it. I settle back into my seat and bite down on my lip as we get to the forest. The drive is uncomfortably silent, and all I can think of is seeing my guys again. And Raine, Skye and Phoebe. Okay, well, I worry more about Phoebe and how she is going to take all of this. I trust that Alex would have been as supportive as he could be...but she needs her sister. She needs both her sisters, but one is on the crazy train to take-over-the-world-ville, so she is stuck with me. Even then, I’m not sure I’m one hundred percent in the sane category.
I hear the helicopter’s engines before we come out of the forest and onto the sand. I rush, taking off my seatbelt as I stare at the dozen helicopters lining the beach, one much closer than the others are. The door slides open, and Estelle climbs out, a tiny baby in her arms, which must be one of the twins. Alex climbs out next, reaching up and helping Skye out. She sees me first as I get close and runs my way, wrapping her arms around my stomach. I hug her back as Alex helps Phoebe out. Phoebe looks past me, rubbing her tiny hands together as she sees our parents for the first time. Her gaze snaps as Mason climbs out next, another one of the twins in his arms in a strange carrier. Seeing him with the tiny baby does something to my heart, making it pound harder as I try not to give away how I am feeling.
“Ana,” Mason sighs, walking right to me as Liam climbs out behind him. Skye lets go of me so I can hug Mason around the baby who seems happily sleeping on his chest. Liam and Alex look over at me and nod once to Mason. “Raine needs you. Hugh was killed by Bethany.”
I freeze at his words as I watch as Raine climbs out of the helicopter, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stands back. I rush to her, and she bursts into sobs, heartbreaking sobs, on my shoulder. Over her shoulder, I see Alex and Liam carrying a body covered in coats out of the helicopter and onto the sand.
“The children should be taken out of here—” mum starts to say, and Phoebe screams. I
