Free Seduced by Pain by Kimberly Kinrade

"It wasn't your
fault, honey. You didn't know. Your mom set you up."
    The knife in
my gut stabbed deeper, when that part of the story sunk in. My own mother had
set us all up. The Druids had never attacked, never hurt us. "Oh, God. Oh
my God. The puppies."
    I ran to the
bathroom and vomited up everything in my stomach. Then I dry heaved until it
hurt so bad I couldn't move. I lay with my head against the cool porcelain of
the toilet and realized that Derek had joined me and was holding my hair off my
face and rubbing a wet wash cloth on the back of my neck. Ocean stood at the
door crying.
    I wiped my
mouth with toilet paper and leaned against Derek's chest. "She killed the
puppies. How could she kill our puppies? And your cabin? Sandy? Was she
responsible for that too? What kind of evil bitch raised me?"
    Ocean left the
bathroom, and I heard her rummaging through the closets. "We're getting
out of here. We aren't staying on this property another minute. Agreed?"
    I nodded.
    Derek added
cold water to the cloth and wiped my face gently. "You can both come live
with us, but first, there's a place I want to take you. My dad knows some
people who might be able to help you control your powers. We can all go there
now, if you're willing."
    Hope, once
again, peeked its head through my tragedy. "And if I learn to control it,
I can save Dean and that girl? Are you sure?"
    He kissed the
worry line between my eyebrows, his lips tender. "That's what Dean said,
and I believe him."
    Ocean came
back in with a glass of water. "Drink this, brush your teeth, and let's
get the hell out of here."
    The cold water
soothed my sore throat as I emptied the glass and handed it back to her. "What
do we do about Jasmine? We can't just leave my little sister here, no matter
how bitchy she's been."
    "I'll go
find her." Ocean turned to Derek. "You help her pack. I'll follow you
two in my car when we leave. Jasmine can ride with me. Are you sure your family
will let us stay with them?"
    "Yes. But
to set your mind at ease, I'll call them right now."
    Holding me
with one arm, he used his free hand to pull his phone out. "Dad, hi. Yes,
we're going tonight. Yes, she said yes. Thank you. Yes, I will. Actually, I
wanted to ask you something."
    Derek
explained the situation and then hung up. "You're all welcome. My mother
and sister are prepping rooms for you as we speak, and my dad says welcome to
the family."
    Family. I was
his family, or I would be. Despite the horror of what I'd just discovered, a
lot of hope lingered there. I could free the souls I'd trapped, and I could
learn to control my powers, and I could even spend the life with the man I loved
and his amazing family.
    Even in my
darkest hour, light still found a way in.

F IFTEEN

 

This Hallowed House

 

R OSE

 

 
 
    Following
darkness like a dream,
    Now are frolic.
Not a mouse
    Shall disturb
this hallowed house.
    —William
Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

 
 
    JASMINE AND I stared each other down in my doorway as
Derek loaded the cars with as much of our belongings as we could pack in such a
hurry.
    She folded her
arms over her chest. "I can't believe you'd take the word of some guy you just
met over your family and coven. How could you even think these things of
Mother?"
    "Jasmine,
it's not just Derek's word. Ocean and I have found evidence that she's lying."
    Derek slammed
the trunks shut and leaned against his car, Ocean beside him. She tapped on an
imaginary watch, and I knew we had to leave before Mother found us, but I
couldn't abandon Jasmine.
    Ocean walked
over to me and faced my sister. "Jas, please come. We can sort it all out
later, but don't stay here. It's not safe."
    She huffed in
typical teenager fashion. "Now you think Mother would hurt me? You're the
insane one. I'm outa here."
    I reached for
her as she stormed off, but Ocean pulled me back. "We'll deal with her
later, but we can't force her to come. She's a minor, Rose. Even if she came
voluntarily we could be