Incubus Awakened by Kitty Thomas
Epilogue
The people of Golatha Falls never knew exactly what had happened at the house on Cranberry Lane, or for that matter what had happened to Anna Worthington and all her money. Luc spent weeks systematically going through the town erasing memories. But people kept talking, as people are prone to do.
Bits of legend built up about the strange happenings at the house. Still, most remembered what they had witnessed as dreams. And if it was weird that everyone in the town seemed to have had the same dreams, no one was talking about that part. Denial is a strong survival skill.
Bitsy and Mimi were the only two people in town who didn’t seem able to be enthralled. If anyone could resist the mind control of a formerly evil incubus it was those two stubborn old biddies. The old women spent a couple of weeks talking about being camped out on Anna’s front lawn with flashlights waiting to rescue her from the devil. Luckily, most of the people in town decided that the Baker sisters had finally hit senility, and they were shipped off to a retirement community in Florida.
The people at the bank were probably the most confused by what had happened. They seemed to remember Anna coming in a few days before the house burned down and withdrawing all her money, but that sort of thing usually took more time. There was paperwork to go through. Paperwork which didn’t exist. But it couldn’t be denied that the money was gone, and there were no signs of a robbery.
Anna’s anger at the harem had dissipated now that they no longer posed a threat. In hindsight, her jealousy made more sense in light of her previous life as Beatrice.
The harem continued to work with Tam on the business. They opened a candle and occult shop next to Sally’s. The town was really freaking out over the occult part.
Anna had a hard time maintaining anger at anyone, since her stupid spell had been the thing that started everything in the first place. Karma was seriously a bitch, and she wasn’t going to forget that lesson in the foreseeable future.
She transferred a large sum of money to Sara Johnson. The girl was confused by the sudden increase in her account when she got out of the institution, but the letter left for her in a safe deposit box explained things. Well, most things.
Anna had wanted to visit Cecelia Townsend, the one constant and close friend in both lives, but she’d been afraid the shock would kill the poor woman, and Cece, being who she was, would just haunt her forever. So, like a coward, she left a letter instead, watching outside the window as the woman read.
Cece would never see the inside of the house she’d spent that one evening in, but she deserved to know the truth. In the letter, Anna apologized for the spell that started it all, and heard Cecelia forgive her.
There was one person she did have to see. Tam was going to be pissed that she’d waited so long to come by. But she’d had things to take care of. Plus there was that whole avoidance thing she was still doing.
“Oh my God, Anna. I thought you were dead!” Tam said when she opened the door.
Anna had momentarily let go of Luc’s hand, and Tam went through her when they tried to hug. “Well, I sort of am.” She grabbed hold of Luc so she could hug her friend properly.
Tam pulled back and glared at her. “You know what I mean. I mourned you. And you’re not gone.”
“I could leave,” Anna said, only half serious.
“Get in this house.”
Anna and Luc went inside and spent the next two hours telling Tam the entire story. Tam burst out laughing at the end.
“Whatever you do, don’t tell me about it,” she said in a high voice, mocking Anna’s response to witchcraft.
Anna rolled her eyes. “What about you and your, the death card doesn’t always mean death?”
“It doesn’t. I was just in denial that time. The rest of the spread really did look pretty good. And I knew you’d get together with Luc. But you said you didn’t want to know . . . so I didn’t say anything.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“No problem.” Tam got serious then. “I guess I won’t be seeing you anymore.”
“I have to keep a low profile, and all, since people think I’m dead or at the very least a missing person, but it’s not like I’m banned from the planet or anything. We’re probably going to Europe for awhile, and then there are other dimensions to check out. But we’ll visit.”
“You better.”
Cain had disappeared soon after making Anna set the house on fire. She had mixed feelings about that. Sure, he was evil and couldn’t seem to stop betraying people, but if not for him she wouldn’t have Luc. And really . . . it was her spell. Still, she wished he could be punished.
Luc wasn’t any happier about it, but what could you do? Cain was the first incubus and their leader. The buck kind of stopped with him. And she knew no god would be intervening.
Her karma had caught up with her. Someday, so would Cain’s.
I hopeyou enjoyed INCUBUS AWAKENED. Turn the page for the first chapter of book 3 of Fated Mates, HUNTED.