Chapter 202: Tables Turned
It wasn't until Mom physically had her hands on Uncle Frank I realized how much trouble we were in. He was screaming over and over, a high-pitched keening sound into the early morning light, his body burning slowly from one side to the other. I dove for him, Mom's movement breaking my freeze.
It seemed we all moved at once then, piling on top of him, the very weight of our presence smothering Odette's magic and freeing him from her grasp. The moment her shields collapsed, the lavender power dissolving away with a sigh, a black cloud of energy enveloped Uncle Frank, blocking his undead body from the sun.
I had no idea how much damage was done. He had stopped his unearthly shrieking at least, though I wondered if he still burned and smoldered inside the curtain of darkness.
Mom was sobbing, but in control of herself, as if her tears and her actions were completely unconnected. She carefully lifted the shrouded form of my uncle with her magic, floating him toward the parking lot and our minivan. Dad scrambled to open the back while Mom placed Uncle Frank carefully inside.
I looked away, unable to watch, unwilling to break down as she had. Well, at least not any further. When I did, my eyes met Ameline's and for the first time since we'd met, the ice girl finally showed emotion.
She was smiling, her eyes lit with it, her delight at our suffering so very clear to me it made me gasp a breath before my demon surged inside me, taking over.
Before I could do anything we'd all regret, Ameline bowed her head to me and turned away. I snarled, having to release at least some of the built up emotion, my gaze falling at last on Quaid.
He looked ill, as if he were only just holding onto the contents of his stomach and his eyes were full of grief.
Bit late for that, the jerk.
Mom returned to us, face sheathed in tears, but her expression as stoic as ever. "There has been a miscarriage of justice here today," she said with great poise. I still wished I knew how she did that. "My brother was almost killed, all because of lies told by this child." She pointed directly at Ameline whose expression had also returned to the flat, blank one she usually wore. "I demand satisfaction."
Tables suddenly flipped. And did it ever feel good.
Odette instantly attempted to do the slimy weasel and get out of it. "I'm sure there's been some misunderstanding," she said, an edge to her voice. "Simply a mistake."
"No mistake," Gram growled.
"A childish prank gone awry, then." Odette knew the moment she spoke she was only making things worse for herself. Her expression hardened, her anger finally emerging, if only for a moment. "I can not be held accountable for the actions of one girl."
And yet that was what she'd been demanding of my mother.
Shoe on the other foot kind of pinches, doesn't it?
"Ameline must be punished." Mom's calm was full to the brim with the power of the Hayle coven.
"She will be. Raoul." Odette gestured at her bodyguard. "Take Ameline inside."
It did the werewolf credit he glanced at Mom first.
"Do you really expect me to allow that?" My mother didn't move, but she was suddenly threatening. Even I felt it. "She comes with me."
I noticed Ameline's perfect calm crack. She glanced at Odette. Just a quick look, but it was enough. From a girl with a heart made of rock, that one look told me volumes.
She was afraid.
Awesomesauce.
Odette glared at Mom. "You can't compare the life of a witch to that of a vampire," she spluttered.
"She can." I stepped forward on impulse, meeting Mom's eyes. She simply watched me as I turned to Ameline. "But it's not her decision to make, is it? The honor of our coven wasn't challenged, but that of the Blood Clan DeWinter."
I felt the surge of Mom's approval even as Gram's anger slammed into me, both at exactly the same time. Good thing I had my demon and Shaylee holding me up or I would have wobbled my way to the ground.
"Agreed." I was shocked Celeste spoke up. I so sure she would back the Dumonts.
"Agreed," Erica said hastily. I saw her flush slightly, knew she was pissed she let Celeste speak first. Erica was Mom's second after all. The not-so-subtle shove Celeste just gave her had to sting.
More murmurs from our family. Odette ground her teeth, her smile still there but twisted and nasty. Gram stood in front of her, her own smile growing until she looked like one of the werewolves who guarded their Mistress.
"Very well." Odette backed down, gaze falling from Gram's. "I will obey the law. The girl will be judged by the blood clan and the vampire she has falsely accused."
"And you will abide by their decision," Gram said softly.
Odette snarled at her. "I will."
Ameline looked suddenly paler. And like she didn't agree with this plan even a little bit.
"Now," Odette said, "Raoul, take Ameline inside."
Gram laughed in her face, shaking with it. "You're a fool, Odette," she said. "And not half as clever as I thought." Gram threw me a wink. "Maybe Naudia was the brains of your outfit after all."
I've never seen anyone transform the way Odette did at the mention of her dead sister. It was as if she had her own demon inside, warping her expression. She went from angry to absolutely horrifying in the space of a heartbeat, as the magic holding her in her youthful state slipped and showed the real face behind the mask of power. Deep, sharp edged wrinkles dragged at her eyes and mouth, skin tinted a sickly green. Her teeth even seemed decayed, stained and jutting from her mouth like a demented picket fence. The vision only lasted a moment as she pulled herself together again, but it was enough for all of us to gasp as one in a collective of absolute disgust.
"You bitch," Odette hissed, voice deep and grating. "You dare."
"I do," Gram said. "And I always will."
Mom stepped forward, and part of me was relieved. Don't get me wrong, I was looking forward to watching Gram tear Odette apart, but there were more important things just yet. And though the woman slipped, showing her weakness, I knew the moment to take advantage of that had passed.
Gram looked disappointed to the point of rage, but backed off as Mom approached.
"We will take custody of Ameline," she said. "She will be returned here at dusk to face her fate."
Erica immediately surged forward, the Vegas with her, surrounding the girl in magic. She didn't fight them, her face back to its typical mask. But I knew now this was not part of Odette's plan and felt for once we had the upper hand.
As long as we could keep it that way. And there wasn't another disaster.
In my family, the latter was more likely to happen.
I watched Erica and the Vegas guide Ameline to Erica's car. They went with her while Mom spoke.
"She will be carefully guarded," Mom said softly, though the warning in her words was clear-a rescue attempt would be met with war. "We will see you when dark returns."
Mom brushed past Odette and headed for the minivan. I followed, eyes straight ahead, holding my family pride around me. We'd won for now. All we had to do was wait. I was sure Ameline wouldn't be put to death that night. Not because the vampires would spare her, but because there was no way Odette would let it happen.
Which gave us the day to prepare for the battle.
Gram didn't say a word the entire drive, glaring out the window next to me. Mom and Dad were both quiet, too. I kept looking back over my shoulder at Uncle Frank, or what I could see of him, his body wrapped in an opaque black cloud of magic. I reached out once, with my mind, trying to feel inside, but only managed to win a glare from Mom.
"Leave him," she snapped.
"Sorry." I was. The last thing I wanted was to make things worse.
"He'll be okay," Mom said, softer this time, as if in apology.
I hoped she wasn't lying to the both of us.
I spent the rest of the drive trying to figure out how best to help Mom with the coven. I knew she'd want me to link in with the rest of the family. The idea didn't bother me like it used to, but I was still pretty new to the whole control thing. One slip and I could ruin everything.
I was so wrapped up in my thoughts I missed the strange car in our driveway and the frantic man who waited for us. It wasn't until I heard him call out that I realized he was there.
"Mrs. Hayle?" He didn't look familiar. Tallish, heavy set, balding. Nice brown eyes that were very, very worried. "Are you Miriam Hayle?"
Mom paused, as lost as I was. "I am."
He lunged for her, making me suddenly nervous. Dad too, because he quickly put himself between the two of them, a menacing look on his face. But the man wasn't threatening Mom, not in the least.
He looked like someone had torn his heart out and handed it to him.
"I'm Jerry Hammond," he said. "Have you seen my wife and daughter?"
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