Four Centuries (Damned and Cursed Book 7) (30 page)

"Victoria," he said, pulling out a picture.
 
"We're good?
 
You don't need me?"

She
really
wanted to scold him.
 
She could tell just from the way Kevin and Zoey interacted that they at least talked.
 
What did he say?
 
What mess did he create?
 
How many secrets did he give up?

But she couldn't.
 
For one thing, she lacked the energy.
 
Kevin also, like he always did, came through when she needed him.

Still, part of her wanted to smack around two of her inner circle, Kevin and Jack.

"We're good," she said.
 
"Thank you."

He nodded and slapped the picture against the wall, like he would slap an old pal on the back.
 
The portal came into being, revealing Leese's bedroom.
 
Leese was lying in bed, covered up to her neck with a blanket, watching television.
 
It didn't take Jack's powers of perception to know she was patiently waiting to resume whatever activities they were engaged in earlier, most likely with no clothes on under her blanket.

"It was nice seeing you again, Kevin," Zoey said.

Kevin smiled at Victoria and Zoey before stepping through the portal.
 
Leese smiled as well, happy her boyfriend was home.
 
He stepped into Leese's bedroom and closed the portal behind him.

"That's the third time I've seen that," Zoey said, more to herself than anyone else.
 
"And it freaks the shit out of me."

Victoria spun to see Olivia watching in awe.
 
She wasn't too concerned with Olivia witnessing magic.
 
In her confused state, Victoria could spin any tale she wanted.

"Zoey, would you mind helping Olivia to the shower?
 
She can borrow some of my clothes."

"Yeah, sure.
 
Whatever."
 
The venom wasn't hard to detect.
 
Zoey eyed her with narrow, angry eyes.
 
"Me and you, we have to talk."

Victoria arched an eyebrow, matching Zoey's contempt with a touch of her own.

"And we will.
 
But would you mind if we talk after we help the poor woman who's standing naked in my driveway, covered in blood?"

Zoey let out what almost sounded like a growl, but walked over to Olivia.
 
She took her hand and guided her toward the house.

Just like that, Victoria was alone.
 
Only the insects and squirrels leaping from tree to tree kept her company.

She headed for the front door.
 
Each step felt like she was dragging a pair of anchors.
 
Walking straight for the refrigerator in the kitchen, she nearly downed a cold, delicious bottle in two gulps.
 
She gripped the counter and leaned forward, trying to gather herself.

"I haven't seen you drink like that in a while."

Turning in place, she saw Jack leaning in the doorway.
 
There was no orange juice, so he'd fetched a cold bottle of water from the second kitchen.

"You might want to put a shirt on."

"Maybe you shouldn't have ripped mine off.
 
Besides, it's my house.
 
If I want to walk around naked, that's what I'll do."

He laughed.
 
"Always a girl scout.
 
That woman, Olivia, I would have let her die."

"Yeah, well, I couldn't.
 
It's just not in me."

"I know.
 
That's why I've always been drawn to you."

The rare, honest compliment took her by surprise.

"We both have so much darkness," he went on.
 
"But you don't let it rule you."
 
He let out a happy smile.
 
"Me, not so much."

"You're not as bad as you think, Jack.
 
I've seen you with Tiffany."

"You're right.
 
I'm not bad.
 
I'm worse."

Victoria laughed quietly, but turned solemn when Zoey stepped into the kitchen.

"How is Olivia?" Victoria asked.

Zoey sighed.
 
"A little scared.
 
Crying.
 
She doesn't remember anything about what happened.
 
She's in the shower, and I got some clothes for her."

"Good, good."

"Were you ever going to tell me?"
 
Zoey's eyes were angry.
 
"About Kevin, about magic?"

"Oooh," Jack said.
 
"The rookie comes out swinging, connects with a solid left.
 
How will the aged, cagey veteran respond?"

Victoria eyed Jack with disdain.
 
"Do you mind?"

"Not at all.
 
I'll just be sitting at the table here, filming everything.
 
You're already in your bra, so we're halfway there on the cat-fight."

"Goodnight, Jack."

He nodded with a smile as he left the kitchen.

"What happened to my wall?" Victoria asked, gesturing to the dents next to her.

"It was an accident," Zoey said.
 
"I thought Kevin was robbing the place.
 
Your fault, really."

"Mine?"

"Yeah.
 
If you would have told me you knew a guy that could make
portals
, I wouldn't have smacked him."

"What else did he tell you?"

"He told me everything.
 
He told me you can walk in the sunlight, because of a magic potion he made."

Victoria huffed and lowered her eyes.
 
She loved Kevin dearly.
 
However, she made a mental note to resist strangling him the next time she saw him.

Still, she laughed to herself over Zoey's concept of
everything
.
 
If she knew what else Kevin was capable of she would probably be in catatonic shock.

But Victoria kept Kevin's secrets for a reason, and was angry he didn't always feel the same way.

"Is it true?" she said.
 
"I just want to hear you say it.
 
While I've been locked in that basement, have you been bouncing up here in the sun?"

Victoria kept her composure, but didn't like the fact that their conversation was turning more into an interrogation.

"Locked in the basement?" she said.
 
"Does the basement feel like a prison?
 
Does it lack the comforts of where you were before?"

"You know what I'm trying to say.
 
Don't turn this around.
 
Were you going to tell me?"

"I believe so, eventually.
 
I told you before, this is all new to me, too."

"When?
 
In, like, one-hundred years?
 
Two-hundred?"

Victoria didn't mean for the laugh to come out.
 
Just the ridiculousness of the situation overwhelmed her.
 
One day, Zoey was going to be an old, wise woman.
 
But at the moment, Victoria was still arguing with a teenager, even if she was one that would never age.

"You don't even know how to properly drink from a mortal, but you think you're ready for the greatest gift of our kind?"

"Ah, nice.
 
How long how are you going to hold Shawn against me?"

"I'm not holding anything against you.
 
But you're not ready yet.
 
It's that simple.
 
You haven't paid your dues."

"Paid my dues?
 
What is this, a college sorority?
 
I have to go through a little hazing first?"

"I'm trying to use words you'll understand."

"Well, stop.
 
Stop trying to connect with me, to relate.
 
You're not my mother.
 
I thought we were friends, but I guess I was wrong there, too."

"We
are
friends.
 
But my friends don't know
all
my secrets."

"It wasn't really
your
secret, not all of it.
 
Kevin just does whatever you say?
 
Do you think you're his master?
 
Do you think you're
my
master?
 
Why don't you give me a command, then?"

"You want a command?
 
Get Olivia, and take her to the hospital.
 
Take any car but the Porsche.
 
Don't sign in or answer any questions, just drop her off.
 
I don't think that's too much to ask, considering I've taken you in, fed you, tried to make you as comfortable as possible."

Zoey's expression turned from angry to hurt.
 
Her mouth opened as her eyes teared over.
 
She turned and left without another word.

Victoria wanted to call out and apologize before Zoey was even ten feet away, but she couldn't manage the words.

"Shit," she said, finishing off her blood.

She felt terrible.
 
Four centuries old, and she let a teenager push her to the point of losing her temper.
 
What was the definition of
immature
for such an old being?

Grabbing another bottle of blood, she slipped on a shirt and went back outside to check the condition of her car.
 
She was surprised to see Jack sitting on the front step, in the middle of a Skype video call on his phone.
 
Peering over his shoulder, she saw Tiffany with her eyes half open.
 
Her hair was a mess.

"I miss you," she said.
 
"When are you coming home?"

"I'll be there soon.
 
Are you getting along with the babysitter?"

"She's not a babysitter, because I'm not a
baby
.
 
But everything's okay.
 
I like Naomi.
 
How much money did you have to spend to make her stay overnight?"

"Don't worry about that."

"Is that Aunt Victoria behind you?
 
Hi, Aunt Victoria!"

"Hey, sweetie," Victoria said, waving and sitting next to Jack.

"When can I come down and see Aunt Victoria?"

"We'll talk about that later.
 
You'd better get back to bed.
 
You have school soon.
 
You should be asleep."

"Jack, I
was
asleep.
 
You called and woke me up."

"Oh, that's right, I did.
 
Well, sleep is overrated.
 
Actually, no it isn't.
 
Forget I said that."

Tiffany giggled and rolled her eyes.
 
"I'm going to hang up now."

"Okay.
 
Good night, Tiff.
 
Love you."

"Love you, too."

"I thought you'd be gone," Victoria said as he shoved his phone away.

"Not before checking on you.
 
You alright?
 
Did you kick that stray brat right in her private parts?"

"No, no.
 
We're just having a disagreement.
 
She thinks I should have told her about magic."

"You should have."

She looked at him, surprised.
 
"What?"

"Well, why didn't you?"

"Because she isn't ready.
 
She hasn't learned to respect yet what she is.
 
If I have Kevin take away her biggest weakness, and she goes out and murders someone in broad daylight, then that's on me.
 
I'm responsible for her."

"Actually, she's responsible for her own actions.
 
That would be like me blaming Glinda for every nightmare I've had since he gave me that magical watch.
 
And, believe me, I've had a few.
 
Mostly about
Frozen
."

"You're way off base, Jack."

"Am I?
 
I don't remember Glinda asking permission to use magic on you, or me, for that matter.
 
But you want him to clear everything with you first regarding Stray?
 
That sounds like a control thing to me.
 
And if that's the relationship you have with Stray, hey, fine by me."

"That's not our relationship."

"Lesbian, vampire sex then?
 
You know, we could
really
make some money—"

"Shut up," she said, but laughed.
 
"Look, there's a lot of things I didn't tell Zoey.
 
I didn't tell her the vampire politics that are out there, or demons.
 
But I
was
, just not after a few weeks."

"Sounds like you're trying to convince yourself more than me."

"Stop it with that psychoanalyzing bullshit.
 
I'm going to prepare Zoey for the world in any way I have to.
 
She hates me right now, I'm sure.
 
But we'll get through it."

The garage door opened, and a Jeep Wrangler slowly pulled out.
 
Zoey was behind the wheel, with Olivia in the passenger's seat.
 
Olivia wore one of Victoria's old sweaters.
 
She was leaning back with her eyes closed, fast asleep.
 
Zoey gave a small wave as she dabbed at her eyes.
 
Victoria felt her heart breaking as she waved back.
 
She didn't mean to make Zoey cry.

But the truth was Victoria didn't have to explain herself.
 
She knew what she was doing.
 
She didn't have to justify her actions to Zoey.
 
Not even to Jack, despite the bond between them.