Crossfire - a sizzling slow burn with supernatural powers

Weekend - under water

My thoughts churned after my training session like a tornado, picking up more and more debris. I hadn't seen Brandt all day and I missed him. Last night in the meadow was intimate to me. Brandt was a force of nature.

Tanya came to my room with a cup of chamomile tea with a teaspoon of honey.

"You need this," she said without making much eye contact. "And when you're done, Aunt Gemini has asked to see you in her office."

I thanked her and sipped my tea, wondering how much Tanya could pick up.

——

My knock on the office door was immediately answered with a call to enter. Inside Aunt Gemini was seated not behind her desk, but in an armchair in a seating arrangement across the room. Brandt was by the window, looking out. He barely moved or glanced my way when I entered. His guard was up. This felt like the Brandt in my kitchen or at the Duncan mansion.

"Join us, my dear," Aunt Gemini said, holding her hand out.

As I approached her, I saw a third person seated on the sofa.

"Levina?"

Levina smiled her greeting, politely and without feeling. My heart was immediately in my throat. I sat down in the other armchair.

"Let me fill you in, Harper. Levina is here as a missive for her father. I believe you've met Neil Duncan," Aunt Gemini paused and I nodded. I studied Brandt's stance at the window. He was so far away. "As you seen, Neil is a very determined man. He wants Brandt to come back and in return he won't harm or bother you. There is always a trade when Neil is involved."

The tension in the office was palpable like a heavy duvet making it impossible to move.

"Brandt has responsibilities that you can't imagine as a high school student." Levina added with a pout of superiority. Every one of us ignored her.

"As of right now, Neil doesn't know you are empowered. He will find out. You are welcome to stay here. Both of you, but you have to decide what to do." Aunt Gemini looked from me to Brandt. "Levina, let's leave them to figure this out for themselves."

Levina visually pouted, but left the room with Aunt Gemini.

I felt caught under water with no air left to breathe. From every side the pressure of the water kept me in place and silent. Setter Hill was an oasis, where I could breathe, even if what happened here left me breathless. The rush of air through my lungs was invigorating. The thought of leaving was like a band aid being pulled from my skin.

"We have to go back. I was a fool to think coming here was a solution," Brandt said to the landscape beyond the window.

"It was a leap forward. What does going back mean?" My voice was listless and dull.

"It means you are safe. He won't remove your memories and you can go back to your life."

"What if I don't want to go back to that reality?" Somewhere in the every core of my being, I knew Brandt was right. We had to go back. He to his father and me to my mother or an empty house. The fact that I was empowered didn't change that. The fact that I couldn't stand the thought of being away from Brandt didn't change that. We had been away for a weekend. It was just a few short days.

"What about you?" I added, addressing his back. Brandt turned and sent me a glance which made me cower. There he was, his father's son, the menace.

"Staying would be a declaration of war. We are going back."

I wanted to shake him until he spilled more words, but I also knew that I couldn't do that. Brandt's mind was set and he was just as determined as his father.

Brandt broke away and left the office. I heard him tell Levina our conclusion in the hallway and I heard her reply,

"Of course you are."

I wanted to scream and cry.

We left an hour later. Aunt Gemini gave me a heartfelt hug and as she embraced me, she said,

"Remember, you are a member of Setter Hill. You are always welcome." I nodded, holding back my tears. In a short couple of days, I felt more at home here than I did at home. I had been on the receiving end of more maternal care than I had in years at home. I had discovered a vital part of who I was and where I came from. I had seen Brandt in a new light.

Brandt was already behind the wheel of his Mustang Dark Horse, ready to go. He didn't say anything, but was expressive with every fiber of his being. His jaw was set, making his angles even harsher. He pulled away from Setter Hill and I settled in for an uncomfortable and awkwardly silent drive back.

————

No cliffhanger here, I'm afraid, only set backs.

I've told you before that I am a spontaneous writer, so I don't have the entire story or plot lined up, but right now I do have a cloudy picture of a few scenes in the immediate future. And there is something to look forward to.

Now, please remember to comment, vote, or put my story on a reading list. I appreciate any feedback. Thank you!