"Speaking of threats," Dre called from one of the trees to the west, her voice carrying that particular tone that made my stomach clench. "We've got a problem. Someone's been watching this place."
I watched her reach up and pull down what looked like a high-tech camera, complete with a listening device that probably cost more than my car. The kind of equipment that screamed ‘professional operation’, not ‘curious neighbor’.
Margaret's face went three shades paler, which was impressive considering she'd already looked like she'd seen a ghost. Which, technically, she had. "There have been researchers looking into local families that go way back," she said, wrappingher arms around herself. "They asked to photograph the property."
"When was the last time someone asked questions like that?" Kota pressed, and I could practically see the gears turning in his head.
Sarah's voice came out barely above a whisper. "Yesterday. There was a man with a university ID. He seemed really interested in Mom's stories about great-grandmother's gardening techniques."
A chill ran down my spine that had nothing to do with the evening air. "Margaret, we need to get you and Sarah somewhere safe. Now. If they were probing your defenses yesterday, this attack today was a test run."
"But this is our home," Margaret protested, and I could hear the desperation creeping into her voice. "We're staying."
I didn't have time to sugarcoat this. "You can if you want to watch your daughter get harvested by an ancient entity that feeds on magical bloodlines." Margaret flinched like I'd slapped her, but sometimes the truth was the only thing that cut through denial fast enough to save lives.
"Look," Dre said, her voice gentler than mine but no less urgent, "we know this is difficult to understand. These creatures have been systematically killing people who can stop their master, the Collector, from escaping his prison. It's best if you pack whatever you can't live without. We need to take you somewhere with better defenses than even your amazing garden can provide."
Sarah stepped closer to her mother, and I could see the fear warring with determination in her eyes. "Where would we go?"
"Willowberry Plantation," I replied. "My sisters and I own it. There are distant relatives of yours already there. Of course, you don't know you're related because your ancestors did a damn good job of hiding themselves a long time ago."
Lia nodded, adding, "You can learn more about the family history later. The point is that we can protect you while we figure out how to stop this thing once and for all."
Margaret looked between us, her skepticism written all over her face. "This is insane. You're asking me to abandon everything based on some wild story about ancient collectors and magical bloodlines." She gestured at the camera in Dre's hands. "For all I know, you planted that thing yourselves."
"Mom," Sarah started, but Margaret held up a hand.
"No, honey. I've lived in this house for thirty years. My grandmother lived here before me, and her grandmother before her. We don't just pack up and leave because some strangers tell us scary stories." I felt my temper flare, but before I could say something that would definitely not help the situation, Sarah stepped forward.
"What about the things that attacked us, Mom? What about the fact that I somehow knew exactly how to fight them off?" Sarah's voice cracked slightly. "What about the fact that I can still feel this... this energy humming under my skin like I'm plugged into some kind of power source I never knew existed?"
Margaret's expression softened as she looked at her daughter. "Sarah..."
"I don't understand any of this either," Sarah continued, "but I know what I felt. I know what I did. And if these people are right about there being more of those things coming..." She shuddered. "I can't protect us, Mom. Not yet. Maybe not ever."
"I don't like this," Margaret said, her voice tight with fear and frustration. "This is asking me to trust complete strangers with my daughter's life based on some story about ancient monsters." But I could see the conflict in her eyes—the way she kept glancing at Sarah, at the evidence of what had just happened.
"I wouldn't even consider it," she continued slowly, "if your story didn't match the ones passed down through the family.The ones my grandmother made me swear never to tell anyone. Stories about things that weren't supposed to exist."
"Are you kidding, Mom?" Sarah blurted out, and I had to hide a smile at the exasperation in her voice. "We were just attacked by some kind of magical creatures, and I stopped them with powers I never knew I had. That's enough evidence for me to get the hell out of here."
Margaret snorted—a sound that was half laugh, half sob—and started toward the house. "Fine. But I'm bringing my grandmother's recipe box, and if this plantation of yours doesn't have a decent kitchen, we're going to have problems."
"Deal," I said, relief flooding through me as Margaret hurried up the stairs to gather essentials.
CHAPTER 13
DAHLIA
Ipeeled out of the Willowberry parking lot like the hounds of hell were on my tail. Considering recent events, that wasn't too far from the truth. Margaret and Sarah stood huddled next to Cami with their hastily packed bags looking pitifully small against the enormity of what they'd just escaped. Sarah's face was tear-streaked but determined. Margaret kept glancing over her shoulder like she expected harvesters to materialize from the Spanish moss.
"You'll be safe here," I called through my rolled-down window. The words felt hollow. Nowhere felt safe anymore.
Cami gave me a tight nod. "I've got them. Go do what you need to do."
I gunned it toward the plantation's exit. My knuckles were white against the steering wheel. The image of those harvesters materializing out of thin air kept replaying in my mind. "Those bastards knew exactly where to find them," I said, breaking the heavy silence as we hit the main road.
"They knew theexactlocation," I continued. “Someone's been feeding the Collector intel. And that someone has access to information that should've died with the original Guardians.Until a couple of hours ago, we had no idea their family was even still alive."
