The Oath, Book 2 of The Coven Series

Chapter Twenty Five

~ Sebastian's Truth ~

Xavier grabbed me before I took two steps. His eyes were wild. "Remember what we talked about, Rose. Remember the choice you have to make. Don't do this. Don't make the wrong choice."

"They did this to me, Xavier. To me. They cast the same spell they used on Jenny. I almost died!"

"I didn't let that happen, did I?" he asked. "What they did to you is beside the point, Melinda Rose. Do you know what you did while you were under their spell? That's the big picture."

"You understood what I said?" I asked.He nodded. "I told you there were events you couldn't stop, that would happen even if you tried to stop them. One of those events occurred tonight with your help."

"What?" What the hell did they make me do?

"You opened a doorway, Melinda, a doorway to a very dark evil that has been sealed off for eons. It's out now, and it's going to hunt you all down one by one, until you're dead. If you make the wrong decision tonight, you'll never be able to fix what they made you do. Innocent people will die, people who need to be a part of your circle to stop all this."

"I started it?" I whispered and sank back down on the bed. "I started everything?"

"It wasn't your fault, Rose." He sank down in front of me. "That spell was ancient, one that only the Angels know. No one could have fought that spell off, not even your new Coven Mistress. You might have stood a chance together, but not alone. The circle the two of you have to build is going to be made up of the strongest witches ever born. You were all created for this purpose. If you kill those kids, then all the hope we have for stopping this war dies with that choice. Please, Rose, don't do this."

"I won't kill them," I said, a plan forming in my mind, "but I won't let them hurt anyone else either, Xavier."

"I can live with that, can let you live with that. You just can't take their lives."

"You were wrong about Sebastian," I told him softly. "They put him under a spell before they did me. They made him do this, Xavier. He's as innocent as Jenny was. They admitted he had no idea he helped to kill her. He loved my sister, and he deserves to know the truth, what they did, how they used him to do it."

"Call him," Gran said, her face a mask of fury. "I'll prepare another potion."

"I don't have his number," I said. "I don't even know where my phone or my clothes are."

"No need," Xavier said, his head cocked. "I hear him walking up the steps."

When I tried to get up, Xavier pushed me back down and made me get under the covers. "You're still shaking from cold, Melinda. Stay warm. I'll bring him up here."

When Xavier left, I tried to get my anger under control. He was right. I started this, and I had to be there to finish it. If I killed them, then I wouldn't be able to stop the things I'd put into motion. I can't believe how easily that little group of wannabes put me down. That burned worse than anything. I was a damned good witch. No one had ever gotten the drop on me before. Dad taught me well, training me to be a Dark Hunter like him. He'd be so embarrassed right now. I had to take care of this before he got here. Gran had mentioned on the way out of my room that his flight had been delayed in Chicago because of a storm. At least I had a little more time than I thought, maybe until tomorrow morning to deal with the wannabes.

I heard them before I saw them. Sebastian sounded panicked. His eyes were wide and dilated when he came in. His whole body relaxed when he saw me. He was also covered in blood. Not a lot, but enough to notice. It was on his face, his hands, and his clothes.