Chapter Twenty Two: A Message at My Door

Lorraine was first to pick up the envelope, when she held it between her hands, she could feel its heaviness in her hand. She went inside while Aiden scanned the area outside, trying to figure out if someone was there. Lorraine opened the envelope, careful not to touch the dried blood smeared on it. She found a paper folded inside along with a thumb drive. She took the paper out first and opened it; her heart drummed in her ears, and her stomach ached with anxiety. Her cold fingertips unfolded the paper, *“Midnight, the old cemetery, bring the grimoire.”* Aiden was standing behind her, looking at the note from over her shoulder. “What grimoire?”

She gazed at him with wide teary eyes and shook her head, “I have no idea, but I know this is about my mom.” Her tears fell, and she dropped the envelope to the floow, “Oh my God! That’s… It’s her blood… it’s her blood Aiden!” Her shoulders trembled, her heartbeats skyrocketed, and her breathing quickened. She was terrified, all the dark thoughts bombarding her mind consumed her. Her hand flew to her chest, and she held her shirt in a tight grip. Her legs couldn’t and wouldn’t carry her any longer, and she descended to her knees on the floor, barely feeling Aiden’s arms trying to hold her.

He knew she needed to let it out, so he let her cry. Aiden noticed how she had been keeping it together for so long, how she tried to stay strong. Out of the blue, everything she had ever known changed. He knew it couldn’t be easy and in his opinion those tears were long-time coming. Aiden held her as she cried, he didn’t know how long they stayed on the floor, but finally her cries died down and he pulled away to look at her. Lorraine swallowed, and wiped her tear stained face with her hand. Looking at Aiden with a determined face, “There’s a thumb drive in the envelope, we have to see what it has. Maybe it will help us understand what they’re talking about.”

“I think we should call Bates. Lorraine, we don’t even know if this is about your mother.” Although he said that, Aiden didn’t believe them for a second. Lorraine went to her room to freshen up and change, while Aiden called Bates. “I’m at Lorraine’s, and you need to come too, Bates. It’s bad.” When his eyes drifted to the envelope and the note next to it, he wondered what they would do exactly.

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Bates arrived at Lorraine’s house with Cedric, who was staying at his place. Aiden guided them to the living room, and Lorraine arrived only a second later with her laptop in hand. Aiden updated them, but she busied herself with the thumb drive putting it in the laptop. She didn’t want to say anything, Lorraine felt if she opened her mouth she’d end up crying again. “The grimoire?” Cedric asked, “Which grimoire?”

Lorraine ignored him, opening the folder, she only found one file, an audio file. She opened it, and the first few seconds had nothing but the loud sound of breathing. She was waiting with bated breath until she heard Suzan's voice. “Honey, I’m okay. “It’s okay. I’m fine. Stay safe and…” Suzan’s words were interrupted, and they heard the sound of a smack and something hitting the ground. Lorraine’s hand flew to cover her mouth, feeling a sob about to escape her mouth. She heard a man’s voice ordering her mother, “Stick to what we told you!” Lorraine was shocked at how cruel the man sounded. She could hear her mother’s sobbing softly before she said, “Give them what they asked for, and they will let me go.” The man’s voice came again, “The Vancsura grimoire, at the cemetery, we will be waiting.”

“At least we know which grimoire they’re after.” Cedric said in a factual tone, his eyes weren't looking anywhere in particular, but there was a hint of something in them; it led Lorraine to believe that he knew more than he let on.

“So, this guy also thinks I’m a Vancsura and that’s why he took my mom. He wants me to give them the grimoire, which I don’t have, or they would kill her.” Lorraine turned to Cedric, “Do you know something we don’t? Because it seems that way to me.”

He shrugged his shoulders, “If you’re insinuating that I know where it is, then you’re wrong.” He raised an eyebrow, “My trusted source confirmed that you’re a Vancsura, so maybe your mom is one. Magic doesn’t skip generations, and most of the Vancsura were witches, not many warlocks.”

“Now you’re saying mom is a witch?” She turned to Bates, “Is he serious?” When Bates didn’t say anything, she scoffed, shook her head, and crossed her arms over her chest.” It was quiet for a second, but Lorraine had an idea. She turned to Bates with wide hopeful eyes, “You said there’s a rumor about me being a Vancsura, and being in Secret Valley. Maybe whoever started it is the one behind what’s going on here.”

The other three shared contemplating looks, before Bates started, “But we don’t know who they could be. And Lorraine, we don’t have much time.”

She rubbed her temple in frustration, “All right, okay. Then tell me, who told you I am a Vancsura?”

“A trusted witch; she can’t be behind any of this.”

“What’s her name, Bates? It’s not like I'm going to kick her ass or anything.” When she saw his reluctance, and worried looks towards Cedric and Aiden, she added, “Just humor me.”

“Victoria, her name is Victoria Delvaux.”

No sooner had the name left his mouth, than both Cedric and Aiden's eyes widened in shock, Aiden being more obvious in his shock and recognition of the name. “That’s the same witch who reached out to me.” He turned to Bates, “She is the one I saw in Williamsburg.”

Lorraine turned to Cedric, who wasn’t as quick to share what he knows, so she urged him with her eyes, more like challenged him. “Okay, okay. That’s the same witch who reached out to me and told me about you.”

“And she was in Williamsburg.” Lorraine started, her mind was already connecting the dots. “And John Jonas was in Thomas Nelson, which is also in Williamsburg.”

There was a moment of silence, the four of them processing her conclusion. Aiden was the first to speak, “This cannot be a coincidence.”

“So, which of them is the perpetrator? John or Victoria?” Lorraine asked in a grave tone.