Treasured Secrets (Coveted Saga #1) (The Coveted Saga) Read online

  Yep. I wish the blonde monster had just killed me.

  I felt like crawling under something... anything. I reached over and jerked my humiliating binding out of his hand. And then I found my self slinking down in my seat awkwardly. He chuckled at my expense, and my cheeks burned even hotter.

  My sketchbook now smelled like him though. I'd never forget the fact it was touching his body.

  "I have to admit, it was flattering to know how well you had my face memorized."

  His tone grew to be even more teasing, and my embarrassment swallowed me whole. I had to change the subject before my beaming red face gave him anymore amusement.

  "So, that's twice you've mentioned my grandmother's house and the story she told. I never saw you there during the big party." And I know I would have noticed you.

  I bit my lip, hoping he would just forget the sketch and answer the question.

  He smirked even more smugly.

  Then, with complete sarcasm, he responded, "Subtle."

  I stifled a laugh. He was definitely cute when he was teasing me. He laughed a little more, but he decided to answer my question.

  "I was curious as to why all the bodyguards were in town. They're hard to miss with all of their bulging muscles. I heard of at least thirty or forty witches coming into town, too. It was obvious that a young witch was soon to arrive, but I didn't know which coven they belonged to until the-"

  "The coffee shop," I interrupt, sick of talking about that day already. It's like he was reassuring me he had no idea who I was related to. What's the big deal?

  He chuckled and nodded,

  "I know the Bradbury story like the back of my hand. I just wish the Bradbury's knew the whole story. Once you told me who you were, I knew you had heard your grandmother's story."

  I swallowed hard, trying not to study him too intensely. My heart was thudding for new reasons as my eyes trailed the curve of his jaw to his soft lips.

  So not the time for these thoughts.

  Fortunately, Tallis didn't notice my wandering eyes and distracted train of thought, so he continued. "Less powerful bloodlines don't draw as much attention as the stronger bloodlines. Even though your essence is masked, it still screams for attention. It draws people in without them even realizing it.

  "I've felt drawn to you since the first day I saw you. I felt you that day at the mall. I never saw you, but when I met you later at the restaurant, I felt that same tug. I didn't realize the reason for such a strong pull until you told me of your bloodline. You've pretty much got a target painted on you. I'm glad I followed you after you ran out of the gym."

  I cringed very noticeably. I almost forgot about how Elaina humiliated me, given the more serious, life threatening events I just endured.

  Then I smiled at him in a slightly mischievous way. "So, you're like … stalking me in a protective manner?" I couldn't help but tease him a little for a change.

  He laughed harder. "No. I'm just trying to keep you alive. You have a knack for the whole 'wrong place, wrong time' scenario." I looked at him with a slight scowl. He smiled and shrugged at me playfully. "Just saying."

  The car veered right, pulling down a long paved driveway. It had symbols, too. They were more tribal than ours, and they looked just like his tattoo. My mind flashed back to the matching tattoos Ash and Jay shared. Those lying, shady jerks!

  My eyes fell and fixated on the tribal symbol Tallis had on his shoulder. He saw me staring at it.

  "That's my family crest." He touched his shoulder where his tattoo was. Then he continued. "My mother and father constructed it centuries ago."

  He reached over and unbuckled my seatbelt, though I wasn't sure why. I could have done that myself.

  He continued speaking while driving slower. "Whenever you become fully eternal, your coven crest - or your family crest - marks you. If you should change covens, your crest will change as well. It's magic's way of claiming its children."

  This driveway was massive, and gallant trees bounded in front of us, blocking all else. Everything was so lush and green here, like it was spring instead of fall.

  "So why didn't you come to the big welcome party?"

  Grandma Iris invited all kinds of beings from the magical world obviously, so I couldn't imagine why he wouldn't have been invited as well, or why he wouldn't have come.

  He seemed distracted, looking around as he gave me a very nonchalant, vague answer. "Oh, well, you know. Family stuff. Long story."

  He parked directly in front of a house that somehow managed to sneak up on me in my distracted frame of mind. It was so massive and contemporary. It was an A-frame type architecture - three or four stories high. It had amazing attention to detail. The stacking stones layered it, making it all the more breathtaking.

  As soon as the car quit rolling, my door flew open and Tallis was scooping me up, carrying me swiftly to the door. He was so fast. I guess that's why he unbuckled my seatbelt before we even stopped.

  I smiled at him, looking him directly in his breathtakingly mystifying eyes, as I spoke with a playful tone. "Show off."

  He smiled bigger than I'd seen him smile yet, as he carried me in and placed me on the couch that felt like voluptuous folds of sheer heaven. It was so soft and everything smelled so good, almost tropical. The whole house had such a peaceful and relaxing feel to it.

  I started to stand up as he walked out of the room, but he quickly rebuked my attempt.

  "What're you doing? Sit back down."

  He was back at my side in an instant, gently forcing me back down on the couch.

  My voice was nervous again from being in his home. I wasn't prepared for the nerves to hit me like they were.

  “I need to use your restroom."

  "Oh, no problem." Then he scooped me back up, treating me like an infant. My eyes widened.

  "You're so not carrying me in there. I'm good to walk."

  I could feel my face blushing deeply yet again. He smirked, now slightly blushing as well.

  He spoke in a softer, less worried tone. "Okay, but I'm walking you to the door."

  I stared at him, trying to figure out a way to sidestep the awkwardness. He noticed what I was thinking and spoke to me somewhat comically.

  "I'm not going to stand at the door and listen to you do your business."

  Oh this was so mortifying. "I just need a minute to compose myself before I meet the rest of your family." I started to finger-comb through my hair as I spoke. "I think it would be better if I didn't look like I was just drug through the woods."

  "Whatever you say. You look good, considering how much you were tossed around." He leaned forward and caressed my cheek softly. "You're going to be okay, you know. I'll make sure of it."

  He was so close to me. His body was discharging the most sensational heat I had ever felt before. It was like he had his own gravity field that pulled me in.

  He leaned over and I prepared myself for whatever he was about to do. I started to close my eyes as he opened the door to a bathroom behind me. “Here it is."

  I felt like a bit of a fool now.

  "Oh, yeah, thanks."

  He bit back a grin, but it was pointless. He finally walked away, laughing, and leaving me with my humiliation for thinking he was about to frigging kiss me.

  He enjoyed making me squirm. I was sort of enjoying it, too. I just wish I didn't sound like a babbling goof all the time.

  It suddenly hit me, and I grew incredibly nervous. I was about to meet his family. I'd never met any guy's family. Albeit this wasn't a date or anything. It was still gut-wrenching.

  I tried to reason with myself, lessen the severity of the situation.

  It's just a meeting with someone who's going to explain all the crazy to me. And it just happens to be his mother.

  Nope. No better.

  I fought off the panic attack that was begging to take hold of me. When I realized I was fighting a losing battle, I splashed cold water on my face. It was then I was thankful for Aster and
Ash's thoroughness with the waterproof makeup. I looked bad enough without also looking like a raccoon.

  I tamed down my hair that had been blown all over the place. I really regretted not changing out of my gym clothes at that moment.

  I walked out of the bathroom and turned off the light. I exhaled loudly before I started walking back into the living room, and there they all were. They were all sitting, waiting, and staring at me. I felt so incredibly uncomfortable as they studied me, making me feel on display.

  Tallis jumped up and walked over to me, snaking his arm around my waist to lead me to the smaller sofa, and then he sat down beside me. His arm slid across my shoulders, trying to help comfort me... I guessed. But it didn't help very much.

  The pretty girl I saw with him at the restaurant was here - his sister. She walked over to me, and I suddenly felt so peaceful and comforted. She smiled warmly at me as serenity filled my veins.

  Her hair was so blonde it was almost white. Her skin was flawlessly pale, but her cheeks were a perfect subtle light pink - an almost natural blush color. Her eyes were icy blue, the lightest blue I'd ever seen. Her slender body was cloaked with a white hooded cape. She wore a knee-length, white lacy dress under it.

  She pulled off her hood as she walked away, resuming her place beside her mother.

  Then a darker haired woman spoke in a very soft and warm sort of tone. "My name is Allaysia. I'm Tallis's mother, as I'm sure you've already guessed. Don't worry, you're safe here. They couldn't have tracked you. Tallis is good at spotting tails."

  Tallis looked at me and raised his eyebrows up and down in a cocky manner. He was proud of the confidence his mother had in him.

  Allaysia was amazingly beautiful. She didn't look old enough to be their mother. She looked maybe thirty-four, thirty-five. She had long black hair and midnight blue eyes. She wore an elegant knee-length, high-waist skirt, with a cashmere button-up blouse tucked into it. She had a beautiful pearl necklace and a pair of pearl earrings to complement the bracelet that was also made of pearls.

  "Tallis told us who you are and what happened today. There have been scouts coming in and out of here. They know a new witch has reached an age where the guardians can no longer mask her. They know you're here - they just don't know who you are... yet. We have to talk to your family and let them know what's going on."

  I didn't even know what was going on. Guardians? Reached what age? Of all the questions, there was one that plagued me the most. Why does she seem scared of facing my family? Why do they all seem apprehensive about it?

  "Okay," I murmured. "Let’s go. I'll call my grandma to let her know we're on our way."

  Tallis's brother was sitting beside Allaysia. He was incredibly stocky and seemed very displeased with my being there. He startled me when jumped up in protest to my response and its casualness.

  "No! I don't feel like fighting off an ambush from the Bradbury coven! They'll hang us up by our feet before they even let us speak! She shouldn't be here either. This is all outrageous."

  I was taken aback by his outburst. I wasn't expecting that.

  "Desmond!" Allaysia scolded, but he ignored her, his eyes intensely focused on me, silently willing me to disappear forever.

  I looked over at Tallis who was glaring at his brother. "Not necessary to yell at her, Des. She has no idea what's going on right now. Until today, she didn't even know what it meant to be a Bradbury. Not until some half-wit blazing scout was seeking her out. Do you mind telling me how she's guilty of anything but being oblivious to all the secrets of our world?"

  His tone was so strong and steady. He seemed to sound incredibly protective of me. It made me feel better just hearing such emotion from him. Although, I wasn't sure what anything he said meant, nor did I understand what Desmond had meant.

  Desmond responded to Tallis with a more callous and exaggeratedly dramatic tone than before. "She doesn't know because they shelter their witches - like their so coveted. I bet none of them can do what you do. Not even her. I bet none of them can do what I can, or what Ayla can either. They've probably never seen anything like our power. That's the real reason they hate us."

  "Hate you?" I questioned impulsively, not intending to. It just popped out of my mouth as unexpectedly as a random hiccup. I coiled myself into the protective arms of Tallis, in fear of another outburst from Desmond.

  He started to unleash a new wrath on me, but then I saw Ayla touch his cheek and he sat back down. His face seemed to return to a normal color instead of the bright crimson red that had taken over.

  He went from angry to peaceful within seconds. Then Ayla spoke. Her voice was soothing - as gentle as a cool breeze on a hot day. It seemed as if she was completely neutral.

  "They don't hate us. They don't yet even know we exist. They'll hate where we come from. They only know what they've been told. They haven't heard the whole story. No one has ever tried to tell them either. We've all worried they would reject our story and then the shred of hope for an alliance would be shattered.

  "We haven't given them the opportunity to make a decision - right or wrong. We can only assume the history between our families will cause them to judge too quickly. But, now we have a young Bradbury, which Tallis has saved, to vouch for us. She has seen who we are. This has been necessary for a long time, and she has given us a reason to do it."

  She returned to her mother's side and pulled her hood back over her head.

  Allaysia patted her daughter's leg. "Ayla's right. We haven't given them the benefit of the doubt. I think no matter what happens, it's time. I want you to hear first," she said, turning her attention to me. "They may listen a little more if one of their own understands. Tallis promises that you're a good person. His faith in you is enough for me."

  I looked up and smiled at Tallis. He looked down and grinned at me, making my stomach flutter. His arm got tighter around my body. It felt so warm and perfectly safe. His mother got a book from the shelf, similar to the one I had seen Iris read from before, only thicker. I leaned against Tallis, resting my head against his chest.

  He looked down and concern flashed across his face. "Are you okay? Are you hurting? Should I-"

  "Shh," I interrupted, and then I spoke in a whispered voice as I continued. "I'm fine. I just haven't gotten all my strength back yet."

  I leaned in a little more, and he held me tighter in response.

  The truth? I was plenty strong enough to sit up. I just wanted him to hold me closer. Pathetic, I know, but effective nonetheless.

  Despite the unbelievably disorienting day I'd dealt with, it was so nice to finally be next to him. His absolutely magnificent scent flooded me in the most exhilarating way. I couldn't help but nestle myself into his embrace even more. I could feel his chest rising and falling with each breath, and the fire consumed me as it always did when I felt his touch.

  Allaysia walked over and sat down in a small rocking chair in front of the fireplace. She cleared her throat slightly as she began to read aloud.

  Chapter 6

  Two Sides to Every Story

  It's much harder to hear the whole truth and not just the truth that is the easiest to accept.

  "In the beginning of magic, Isis Bradbury was granted the first gifts of magic and true immortality. She was the mother of all magic. However, there was another woman who was chosen as well. Women were natural conductors for magic in the beginning, before it evolved. The second woman chosen was Allora Selan. Her light was just as pure as the light of Isis.

  "Several centuries passed and magic evolved. Allora found her soul mate, Dramus Craymon. Allora never let Dramus or anyone else know of her true powers, which were the same as Isis's abilities. She could control every bit of magic she had come into contact with.

  "She claimed to only be a blinder, so she could stay back in the shadows and live her life without the high expectations that people had for Isis. Allora was a little more reserved and timid than Isis. She also did not bear the confidence Isis had. She enjoyed g
etting to hide in the shadows while Isis shined like a bright star.

  "Dramus was light at first, but then he started becoming different. A young witch who was close to transformation had tried luring Dramus away from Allora. Dramus was a powerful enforcer with a prestigious name, a pillar among magical community, so plotting girls had ulterior motives quite often.

  "He originally had no intention of leaving Allora; however, he was happy about how badly the young witch wanted him. His vanity knew no bounds.

  "Her essence was strong, so he pondered if she would make a better mate than Allora, his blinder. He knew soul mates were irreplaceable, and he could never truly love anyone else, but his most passionate desire was to be more powerful than Isis and Merlin.

  "He was in second place, and that wasn't good enough. Sometimes power in the wrong hands can cause one to be greedy. Sometimes, with someone who has malicious intentions, greed even outweighs love.

  "He kissed the mortal witch with the intentions of simply being promiscuous for a while, waiting to find out her true powers. He suddenly found himself inhaling her essence. He could feel himself getting stronger with each drawn breath.

  "He could see that he was killing the young witch, but he couldn't have cared less for her wellbeing. His light turned dark as he slowly killed the witch, the first one to ever do so. Magic had been tarnished and a new era began.

  "Soul mates were more connected than most people understood at the time. Allora, who had no intentions of ever stealing another's essence, suddenly found herself with the same dark light as her bonded mate. It was nothing she could control. She was weaker than Dramus because she had never laid full claim to her power.

  "Magic had evolved in an unexpected way. At the time, all lights were white and pure, just as magic had intended for them to be. At the time magic chose her soul mate, Dramus was light, like her. Nowadays, you never have soul mates on opposing sides - magic adapts.

  "Allora worked for decades trying to exercise the gifts she had left dormant. She practiced anytime Dramus was away. She just wanted to reserruct her light, her purity. She didn't want his tainted magic invading her. To break free and destroy him, she needed to be stronger.