Revelations (Evie Cortez Book 3)

Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

I stared into his blue eyes with a burning ache to look away, yet unable to. His eyes revealed the truth within his words, the vehemence in which he spoke them. Several times I opened my mouth and nothing came out. What the fuck was I supposed to say to that big revelation of his? My body kicked in where my words failed me. I stepped back from the alpha, one step and then another until I was racing down the street like a coward.

Caleb didn’t run after me.

I kept going until I reached my sister’s hideout. I possessed enough sense to know I needed to be careful. I couldn’t take on Alexandra without a proper plan and that meant I couldn’t go home.

I walked through the cabin and planted my ass on the couch with automatic movements. I felt numb with endless thoughts consuming me.

Caleb’s words scared me because I couldn’t deny them, not all of them anyway.

“Evie?”  Elissa stepped out of the hallway, tying her robe as she came closer with obvious signs of sleep across her face.

“Did I wake you? I’m sorry.” I didn’t factor in how late it was into the night.

“No worries. I wasn’t expecting you back so soon.”

“Yeah....well. I can’t go home yet and it was high time I got out of Caleb’s protective custody.” The mere mention of him sent my heart into a tizzy. I had no idea what I was going to do. My stomach twisted and turned with fear. He was right when he said I was scared.

Elissa sat to my right. “Do you want to talk about it? Whatever is bothering you?”

It wouldn’t help if I lied because she’d see right through it. She was my sister, my last remaining connection to my family. If I couldn’t confide in her, I was a lost cause. “There’s a million things going on in here,” I tapped the side of my head. “It’ll take a while to get it out.

“Good thing neither of us have somewhere to be in the morning.” She smiled.

“I guess you’re right.” I let out a long sigh and sat back. I might as well get comfortable. “When I left home I bounced around until I settled here in Celestin. I didn’t know it at the time but the city was calling to me, claming me as much as I claimed her. It wasn’t long after that I met Michael Winston. He’s a powerful vampire with familial ties to the master strain. We connected instantly and soon we were in love.” I could remember those times like they were yesterday and not actually more than a decade ago. “He was my first love, for years we were together every day and night.”

“You still love him.” My sister suspected.

“I never agreed with our breakup and I kept trying to make him see my side of it—up until recently.” There was some form of closure the last time I saw Michael. I knew a piece of my heart would always belong to him but I was learning everyday how to make that part hurt less.

“Until Caleb.”

I groaned. “Is it that obvious?”

“That there’s something between you? Yes. I saw first hand tonight how he cares about you and from what I heard; it isn’t easy to read the guy.” She and Jared had become friends over the last few weeks. I’m sure he filled her in about his alpha and the rest of life in Celestin.

“No, it’s not.” I agreed. “I’ve known Caleb for years and during that time he treated me like the gum on the bottom of his shoe. Things changed when he learned I was a witch with the ability to shift into his animal several months ago. That day Kevin sold me out to The Coven I used a lot of magic to escape.”

Elissa’s head dropped, her brown curls curtained her face. “I’m sorry there wasn’t more I could do.”

“It was my mess to get out of and my price to pay. I needed to get somewhere safe and I knew my house wasn’t it. I blindly went in search of Caleb.” At the time, I tried to factor my reasoning into something more generic. I knew better now.

“What happened?”

“I was angry and high off magic. It wasn’t a good combination and that’s how he found me. He tried to get me to calm down first with words and then with his position as an alpha. The minute we touched we were doomed.” The memories still felt surreal.

“You slept together? Oh boy.” My sister sounded like she sympathized. “That must make it awkward to be around the guy with such a mistake in the air.”

“That’s the strange thing. It is awkward and it isn’t at the same time. I regret that I couldn’t control my magic and I regret forcing us into that place, but the sex itself, I don’t regret that. Everything feels like a contradiction. I know I have feelings for him.” Talking it out added a layer of clarity I hadn’t faced before.

“But?”

“He’s an alpha and I’m a vampire marked witch with more issues than common sense.”

“Ah, now I get it. It’s not whether you’re in love with Caleb or not, or if you’re truly over Michael. It’s about the fact you don’t want to put Caleb at risk by forming a real relationship. You think keeping him at arm’s length saves him and his daughter from your enemies. Don’t you think that’s unfair?”

“How so?”

“You’re making the choice for him. If you want to be together, you should decide what does or doesn’t happen together.” Elissa knew she had a point. When she was a child she’d cross her arms to drive her point across. She crossed her arms now.

I was tempted to argue I wasn’t sure where Caleb stood, that I didn’t know what he wanted when that wasn’t true since he made it clear last night and tonight.

When you have all the pieces back and if you still want me, I’m all yours. It can’t be now.

I want you, Evangeline, and I should’ve been clear about that from the start.

“Evie?” She waited to continue until I was looking at her. “What happened that you came back all this way?”

I groaned. “Caleb accused me of being in love with him and I freaked. It wasn’t my brightest moment but what was I supposed to do?” the story came all the way back around as I sat there searching for some clean cut answer.

“Well, you already know you want to push him away, so push him away.”

“I tried. I told him I was still in love with Michael.” I winced at the memory of hurt across Caleb’s face.

“Is it true?”

“Partly. I’ll always love Michael but I’m not in love with him anymore. It took a pitifully long time for me to realize we’ll never pick up where we left off.” That hurt still stung and every time I saw Michael I was reminded of it. “This thing with Caleb has been consuming me for weeks, even when I lost my memories.” It felt nice to voice my concerns to someone I trusted, someone I knew was on my side. It also felt nice to finally sort through some of the chaos going on in my head and heart. After all these years I was finally able to put the final nail in the coffin I shared with Michael. I no longer mourned what could’ve been because what could’ve been was a pipe dream, always had been.

“Evie, if you weren’t scared and you both weren’t from different worlds, what would you want?”

I closed my eyes and let her question consume me. I thought about the kiss we shared just hours ago when I was still missing chucks of my memories. I was so angry when Caleb stopped us from going farther. Across his lap, alone in the cabin, I didn’t care about anything but touching him.

I opened my eyes and smiled faintly. “I’d give into this aching desire I can’t get rid of.” I placed my hand over my heart. “I can’t escape it.”

Clarity settled on her young expression. “You are in love with him.” She stated.

With a sigh, I sat back against the couch and said nothing more.