Page 39 of Hallows End
My stomach clenches at the thought of watching her grow old without me. Of watching her die while I’m stuck in this hell for more centuries to come.
“That’s not going to happen,” she says softly, and rather than getting out of the car, she reaches over to take my hand.
“We don’t know that,” I reply, and after giving her hand a squeeze, I get out of the car and walk around to open her door for her. Nera joins us as we walk wearily up the steps to her door, worn out both physically and spiritually from the night’s events. “We should try to catch a few hours of sleep.”
“You don’t have to go to Hallows End?”
I shake my head and take her hand as I lead them both up to the bedroom. “No. No one is expecting me for anything. Let’s rest.”
Nera immediately lies on his bed, and once Lucy and I shed our clothes, we climb into her bed together.
But rather than settling in for sleep, she turns to me and presses her lips to my ear.
“I need you,” she breathes.
And, without any more words, we make love in the silence.
Lucy’s aunts live in a beautiful little stone cottage in the woods, not far from the ocean. With ivy and roses climbing the side of the building, and the established gardens, not much has changed here in the past few hundred years.
This used to be my good friend Samuel’s home. It didn’t look all that different back then.
The house was obviously sturdily built.
Before I can knock on the door, it opens, and both Astrid and Hilda smile out at me.
“Welcome,” Hilda says kindly. “We’re so happy you could join us.”
“Thank you for the invitation,” I reply and, upon their gesture, walk into the cottage. To my surprise, another woman is standing in the living room.
She looks just like Lucy.
“I’m sorry, we haven’t met.”
The two aunts share a look, and then Astrid lays her hand on my shoulder. “I didn’t realize you were a medium, Jonas.”
I frown down at her and then look back at the third woman, who’s now smiling at me. “I’m not.”
“Fascinating,” Hilda says. “Well, that’s Agatha, Lucy’s late mother. And I’d say that it’s because of her intense love for her daughter and her curiosity aboutyouthat she’s showing herself to you.”
“She doesn’t look like a ghost to me.”
All three of them laugh, and I’m surprised by just how human Agatha looks. I certainly can’t see through her. She’s as real as I am.
“Come.” Astrid gestures for me to follow them into the kitchen, where the table is already set for dinner. “I hope you like lobster rolls and coleslaw.”
“I can’t say I’ve ever tried it, so this is a day of new things.” I smile as I sit in the chair. Before long, our plates are full, and we’re talking as though we’re old friends.
Agatha also sits at the table, watching me with shrewd green eyes.
“You all have the same eyes,” I say without thinking. “All six of you. It must be a strong family trait.”
“All the daughters throughout the centuries have them,” Astrid confirms. “It’s a piece of our magic.”
“They’re beautiful.”
“You’re so charming,” Hilda replies with a coy smile. “And I can see why you’ve taken a shine to our Luciana. She’s quite lovely and smart. Her business is flourishing, and with no magical help from us.”
“No, she wouldn’t need the help of magic for that,” I agree. “I was struck by how wonderful her shop was the first time I went in. I’m a healer, and I hadn’t seen the likes of the tinctures and salves she has in a very long time. It was refreshing.”