Secrets From My Mate

Chapter Three

The Grimoire

"How was the rest of your day?" Lane asked coldly when we met him at the car after our last class of the day.

Colt and I shared a look. "He's pissy because we left at the cafeteria," Colt guessed.

I nodded solemnly. "Maybe it's because after we left he got hit in the face with some loose corn."

Lane straightened from where he was leaning against the truck. "How do you know about that?"

I grinned. "Alijania told us. She was in our art class in fourth period."

Lane grumbled something to himself. I couldn't hear most of it but from the snippets that I caught it sounded like he was complaining about us. I couldn't possibly imagine what he had to complain about. Colt and I were absolute joys to be around.

"Are you two ready to go home?"

"Yes," I sighed eagerly. It seems Karen was also in our Trig class and I was force to endure an entire class sitting next to Colt and Jake as they glared at Derek and Karen as they made out. I had a migraine that was going on three hours and I just wanted to lie down on my bed and maybe video call one of my sisters. Probably Sage. She would have the most experience dealing with boys. Obviously nothing to this caliber but still, it'd be better than nothing.

Or I could call Lucy. She's more likely to listen without getting protective of me. I was so tired of having to calm down overprotective siblings. Plus, if I call Lucy I can check on Tessa. Her powers could show themselves any day now. Part of me still hopes they won't. She'll be eight in a month and a half. If her powers don't show by her birthday, then that means she's safe. She's normal, free of the Gift. It's a pipe-dream, I know. Tessa is the spitting image of Gran, of me. She has the tale-tell silver eyes, pale skin, and black curls. Still, even Gabe had shown the Gift well before his eight birthday. None of the rest of us had taken so long. I can't help but hope that if Tessa hasn't shown the gift yet, then maybe she won't at all. Maybe the signs will have been a fluke.

"You okay, Nikki?" Lane asked softly, concern coloring his face.

I forced a smile. "I'm good. Just ready to go home."

He nodded and we piled into the truck. I nodded along absentmindedly to the music from the radio as Lane drove home. Gran was waiting outside when we pulled up. I straightened in my seat. "Remember what we agreed," I whispered darkly. "No telling Gran about what happened."

"We know," Lane huffed as he got out. He still thought that I should tell Gran.

"He won't say anything, Kit," Colt assured me. "But maybe you should."

I looked out the window as Lane walked pass Gran and into the house. "I just can't deal with this right now, Colt. I'm sorry."

He gave me a sympathetic smile. "Okay. What do you need?"

"Just some time to myself," I sighed.

He nodded and we got out of the truck. "Hey Gran," Colt greeted, talking to her about our different classes and giving me a chance to slink off to my room.

I dragged myself up to the second floor of the house. My room was at the far end of the hallway, located at the back of the house. The second floor had six bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, and a recreation room. The first floor had two more bedrooms, not including the master bedroom, the kitchen, a small library, an office, a dining/family room and a sun room. The basement was the interesting part of the house. It had three bedroomed front and center to the stairs but behind those was a small room with three locks and a deadbolt on the door. That's the room with the Winters family Grimoire. It's been passed down from matriarch to matriarch for as long as my family's been around. It was the history of my family. It had every ritual, every spell, every piece of witchcraft ever known to us. Someday it would fall to me to protect it and that thought scared the crap out of me.