Celeste Read online

  There was no way to make it better.

  And now after all this time, she was back.

  Would she forgive him? Or was it too late?

  Chapter 2

  Celeste drifted in a half dream state. The healing pool felt so good, she never wanted to leave. And maybe that was a possibility, because the special waters had a lot to work on. Her mental state was dismal, her physical health abysmal. And her emotional state—well, she might as well just live in here forever if she’d hoped to fix that. The pool knew her. Knew her body. Her soul. It was a homecoming she hadn’t expected, but now that she was in the waters’ graceful arms, she couldn’t get enough. She’d rolled to her belly and floated for hours, then rolled to her back and floated for more.

  The pool wasn’t done with her yet, or she’d have been offered a way out. That such a thing hadn’t been presented was her cue to not fight the process. She had a lot of stuff to work on. Even as the pool did its thing, she was supposed to do her thing.

  The three girls had spent days in here at times while growing. Broken hopes and dreams. Lost boy crushes and cruel kids. Growing up, there had always been hurtful things thrown at them, kids were mean and had been horrible to them. They’d hurt for themselves and each other, and had always ached for Granny, who’d been feared and therefore hated by everyone they knew.

  It had been a tough way to grow up. Now, she looked back and realized that Granny, at her advanced age when she’d taken the orphans in, hadn’t had the energy to deal with the outside influences like she might had done if she’d been stronger, younger. She’d needed all her strength to just raise three lively girls. And as soon as that job had been completed, they’d lost her.

  As if during the last two decades she’d been overdue somewhere else, she’d gone fast—overnight. One moment there, and the next gone. A loss so damn permanent.

  They should have been prepared. She’d been incredibly old. They knew she was hurting and spent days at the lower pools in the caves. Staying longer and longer each time. She’d needed more rest to be able to work so much less.

  She’d hung on as long as she could. Celeste remembered a conversation with Granny only weeks before her passing.

  “There’s so much I want to pass on to you girls. You have so many trials to come. They will make you stronger, but it will be hard. You need to hold on and work through the problems.”

  There’d been something about the men in their lives too. She’d made them all throw star charts of their own futures that they might see the world around them as it pertained to their life direction. See who their partners were.

  She’d smiled and said, “They’d have to work for happiness but once they’d climbed that mountain their world would spread out before them in all its glory.”

  Ironic that she’d used the term Glory, because, of course, that was the name of this planet.

  And so far, Celeste hadn’t seen much glory. She’d seen hatred, jealousy, anger and disdain, envy, and a sheer endless amount of pain and grief. But the glory part…yeah, that had been missing. So far.

  Celeste had always believed in the star charts. Supposedly, she was the best of the three at throwing them. But Genesis was, really. Celeste was the best at interpreting the charts. What that really meant was they needed to work together to see the truth of their worlds—and not have everything too easy in their lives. Granny had been happy to see the struggle and the conflict. The girls had been devastated by her attitude. They’d figured they’d had a horrible enough childhood as it was, and to think there was more ahead, well, that had been a betrayal, too.

  “No. You don’t appreciate what you don’t have to work for,” Granny had insisted. “And in this case, there is a tremendous amount of goodness out there waiting for you. But you must reach out for it as an equal, an adult, that you will be able to handle it all as you should and thus reap the benefits.” She’d shaken her head, adding, “Not like greedy children to enjoy, then destroy, and move on looking for more.”

  The reminder of Granny’s words brought grief to the surface once again. The waves from the healing pool washed over her in response. Tears burned her eyes. She missed her granny so much. And her sisters. Why had it taken her so long to come home? Why was she even now avoiding them? Especially now, when they had to know she’d arrived.

  Because she wasn’t ready, of course. She glanced down at her body, seeing the scratches and bruises of the last few weeks melting away under the ministrations of the water. She’d forgotten the power of this particular healing pool. So many of the pools accessible to the public didn’t have the same ability as Granny’s pool. This one, and those deep in the caves, were the stronger and most potent around. She’d been blessed.

  In many ways. She’d been given many gifts, and yet, did she do anything with these gifts? No, of course not.

  She’d run when the emotional overload had become too much. When she really should have stayed and worked things out. The water bounced gently under her sore, aching muscles, making her realize how much healing had occurred already. Not her emotional state yet—that would take more time. But already, she was feeling better. Like she’d live a little longer. She couldn’t see her future yet, nor sense any kind of star chart tingles inside that she used to feel when it was time to throw one, but she could hope that walking away hadn’t damaged that forever for her.

  And that fact had been a deeply buried fear, especially over this last year. Had she left her heritage behind, too? She sat up and splashed the water on her face, loving how the water eased the burning flood behind her eyelids. It could always see, always know, where she hurt the most. And her heart, well…the pools could try to heal that, but in truth, the only thing that was going to be able to heal that was time.

  After another hour, she slowly stood up, and smiled. Her spirit animals had sprawled around the small room. Many knew this cabin as home, so they would be almost as emotional as she had been on their return. It was a homecoming for all of them. They had the ability to come here on their own, and likely had many times over the last year, but it would have been empty with Granny gone. And that had to be difficult for them.

  She needed to get out for a little while. Check for food. She hadn’t eaten in hours. Glancing around, she could see that the towels were still stored in the same place. She stood and grabbed one, and as she dried off she had to smile at the silkiness of her skin. She’d forgotten the beauty-treatment benefits of the pool, on top of everything else. Wrapping the towel around her body and leaving the small pile of dirty clothes on the floor, she walked out to the kitchen. If nothing else, there should be tea in the cupboard. If there was actually food she knew that her life would improve to the point of being seriously happy.

  In the kitchen, she put on the tea kettle and searched the cupboards. Less-well-stocked than when Granny was alive, but there were cans and dried goods. She put more water on to boil in a pot and pulled a package of pasta out. It would fill her belly nicely. She hadn’t been starving during the last year—at least not all the time—but it had been bad enough that she no longer said anything caustic about people’s food choices. At least they had a choice. Hers had been few and far between. She’d learned a greater appreciation for what Granny had been through, trying to keep three young girls alive and growing in all ways when she herself had been long past the age of working. In fact, Celeste had no idea how Granny had kept the money flowing to feed them. And then there were the clothing requirements for three teenage girls. School had been hard enough, but always wearing older, secondhand clothes had made them a target of ridicule. When a life just being with Granny had done that on its own.

  People had missed out on knowing the most generous and caring person in this town—all because she scared them.

  Well, Celeste knew about fear herself now, and didn’t like it one bit.

  She glanced down at her leg. It looked better. It felt better. But was it?

  Given that the waves of the pool still called to her
, she’d take that as a no. Still, it improved tremendously. Another few hours in the water, and the injury would be a distant memory. She shivered. The pool’s euphoria was fading, and now, she was feeling tired and hungry. Healing was hard work.

  She needed to check her closets to see if her old clothes were still here. The pasta was finally done, so she served herself a bowl and added a few dried herbs for flavor, then took the bowl to her old bedroom. With the bowl and a fresh cup of herb tea, she stood in the doorway for a long moment, feeling once again the onslaught of emotions wash over her. Was there ever anything more powerful than a homecoming? She took the few steps inside and crawled up on her bed, still wrapped in her towel. She hoped there’d still be the few bits and pieces of clothing she’d left behind. She’d left with much more than she’d returned home with. It was an understatement to say that it hadn’t been an easy year. She’d expended a lot of energy to stay hidden. A whole lot more energy to find ‘herself’, and all for what?

  Time to deal with her grief? Her loss? Adjust to her life as it looked now. But did she do any of these things? She’d come home out of desperation for the healing pool, and that in itself said she hadn’t.

  Placing her empty bowl on the old rickety night table she’d hated all her teenage years, Celeste curled into a ball on the bed, tugged a blanket up over her shoulders, and slept.

  *

  Matt paced. Back and forth, and back across his office floor yet again. Damn it. He wanted to rush to Celeste. He knew she’d been hurt. Knew she’d come for the powerful healing pool. He was damn grateful that it existed, that she felt comfortable enough to return for that reason. He wished it was for something else, but he’d take what he could. At least she was back.

  Darbo murmured something in his ear. Matt tried to refocus. “She’s asleep?”

  Darbo nodded.

  “Ah, good. That’s what she needs. Rest.”

  So did he, but that wasn’t happening. He pulled the files toward him. Since that weird electrical storm involving Tori—almost permanently—Scott, another paranormal investigator and a damn good one, had shown up asking questions about it.

  Good questions. Questions Matt couldn’t answer. As to why that storm? What did it need? Want? And if it did claim people, why?

  Devon had been positive that the storm wanted Tori, and that Tori had been willing to sacrifice herself to it. Devon was sure that she’d have disappeared into the storm forever, if he hadn’t been there.

  Hence the current case file. How many people had disappeared without a trace in the last decade? There were frighteningly many, but only a few that fit the profile of an energy worker. Scott was making careful inquiries on behalf of Matt and the Center.

  But then Scott had an agenda of his own, and Matt suspected he’d lost someone and possibly to an energy storm. The man was cagey, private, and reserved. If he was here for personal reasons that was fine, as long as they gelled with Matt’s own needs.

  Matt had a deep suspicion of what was going on, but had no intention of sharing with anyone until he knew more. There’d been enough problems and unrest at this point. Stability was needed. He was already gearing up for an ugly court battle. Grandfather’s heirs had mounted a legal defense against the charges, and his sister, facing her own extortion and baby trafficking charges, was going through a health crisis. In order to avoid facing her own crimes? Some thought so.

  Matt figured it was more likely an awareness that she’d finally have to pay for her decades of criminal activity that was making her sick.

  The town was agog with the news, and while very little had been made public at this point, it was enough to divide the town. And that made the situation dangerous, too.

  Matt knew Celeste was needed here to make the sister’s case complete. You couldn’t have just two defendants in court and a third lost to the wind—not if you wanted to appear serious. Especially when the charges were astronomical.

  They had the proof, which helped, but he’d had to lock the Paranormal Center down and use extraordinary measures to keep the documents safe. He could hope for the employees’ willing compliance, but the issue was too big. Too much at stake to count on it.

  And of course, the big annual social event of the year was happening in a few days. He’d always expected to have Celeste at his side for the event. The affair might be social, but it was a power statement, too. He needed the others to see him as in charge and capable. The Center was his. Yet, he needed the support of the townsfolk. This was supposed to be a statement that all was well and he was the right man for the position. Of course, in the last year while he led the Center, things had gone to hell… Sigh.

  He stared down at his big hands, so capable in some ways, and yet, too capable of violence. He couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t just the three sisters going through a personal revelation period, but that he’d have his own personal shakeup happening, as well. His father had died young, trying to control his abilities. He’d slowly gone mad, trying to keep his forces locked down inside, in control. But he’d held a rigid control on them. Matt knew that had contributed to his father’s death. One had to use one’s given paranormal forces, or your life never reached its full potential, and like a flower bud that never opened, it dried up and died—usually taking the person with it.

  Unlike his father, Matt wasn’t afraid of his powers. But he was concerned. He was strong. Stronger than most people he’d ever met. Stronger than people knew. Not sure whom to trust, he’d hidden his abilities for a long time, and only let a few very select people in. Granny was one of them. She’d liked him. Had shared much with him. But she’d been wrong about some things, too—like Celeste.

  Or rather, his life with her hadn’t turned out the way Granny said it would. But maybe it still would? He’d watched his friends walk through fire for each other, and in their cases, it had all worked out.

  He knew Celeste was his, but that didn’t mean she’d want anything to do with him. Especially with this new problem and the electrical storm.

  She’d hate him if he turned out to be right.

  But he was pretty damn sure he was. Now the only thing left to do was to prove it. And then find a way to make the others forgive him for what he had to do. It had been for their sake, but no one ever liked to hear that.

  Chapter 3

  Waking to pain had to be the worst. Nudged awake by Silky, Celeste realized she was crying in her sleep, and that her leg was throbbing to the point she wasn’t sure she could make it to the pool. With Minkel’s help, she stumbled to the water’s edge, where she collapsed into the waiting coolness. Instantly, the water surged over her, enveloping her in its healing coolness. She cried out in joy as the pain eased. Still half asleep, she let the water work on her sore body and closed her eyes, willing sleep to claim her again.

  Only, now worry filled her mind. Why wasn’t her leg healing? What could be so wrong with it, that this healing pool couldn’t fix? She lifted her leg out of the water and studied the marks in her calf. A bite? If so, she had no idea when or how she’d received it. For it had to be from an animal and that made no sense. She had an affinity for those. They were all her friends and family. She knew of none that would—indeed could—bite her. Energetically, it wasn’t possible.

  She’d had a bad fall a week ago, one that had scraped her leg up badly, but that was minor and should have healed within a day or two. As she examined the wound critically she realized the pool had helped a lot. The swelling was gone, the poison appeared to have leached out, and although she could see a little damage, it was much better.

  Feeling better, she said, “Maybe it just requires more time to heal all the way.”

  Silky muttered in her ear.

  “I don’t remember ever drinking the pool water,” she said in response. Yet maybe the lemur was right. There shouldn’t be any reason not to. If the injury had such a poisonous effect on her, then in theory the poison could be swarming through her bloodstream right now. And internal ass
istance might be required. She studied the glowing effervescence of the water around her then dipped her head and took a big drink. An odd freshness filled her mouth. Hard to describe but seriously addictive—was that because she was badly in need of the water’s healing properties? Almost immediately, the tension inside eased back and the fear muted. She took a second drink and assessed her state. Better yet again.

  After a third, she figured she’d had enough. She floated peacefully, letting the water do its thing. She needed to be as strong as she could be. Things would go to hell soon enough.

  An hour later, more than a little worried, she contemplated her options. Even though the pain had eased dramatically, her leg still throbbed. She had to consider why it wasn’t a hundred percent better, and she realized there had to be a bigger issue at play. The pools could—and would—definitely help, but also chances were good that there was something inside her leg that was stopping it from healing completely. Maybe it was energy blockage of some kind. And that was scary. She didn’t deal with dark energy. Granny had always focused on positive energy. The girls had been the same.

  Everything else was blocked out. Acknowledged, but not more than that.

  One couldn’t walk in the light without knowing that dark existed. But she had no dealings with it, herself. Until now.

  She twisted in the water and pulled her leg up to take another closer look. The swelling on the calf had reduced to almost nothing, and the scrape nearly nonexistent, only… She peered intently.

  A number of tiny black spots—almost like tiny pebbles—appeared to be embedded deep inside. So maybe this was a physical problem, after all? Maybe they’d have to be dug out, and that was going to hurt like crazy. She was rather a baby when it came to pain.

  Someone else was going to have to do it. Minkel came over and laid a gentle paw on her calf, a tiny whimper escaping from his mouth.

  “It’s okay, I’ll be fine,” she said gently. Silky burst into loud, argumentative chatter.