Had they known one another before now? Something told her they hadn’t. After all, Jess had just introduced him to all her friends.
“First things first,” Xtina said, leaning forward and holding out her hands towards Tara. “If I may?” She motioned to her hands. Instantly, Tara knew what she was asking. After all, wasn’t this why she was here in the first place, to get answers?
Tara hesitated for a split second, then she reached out and laid her hands in Xtina’s.
The woman’s green eyes shifted, changed color, until they were almost glowing.
“You are… something,” Xtina said with a sigh and then quickly dropped Tara’s hands and leaned back. “Wow.” She shook her head. “I have never felt so much power.” Xtina’s eyes moved around the room. “Even with all of us”—her eyes landed on her again— “we don’t have a drop in the bucket compared to the amount you have.” She frowned. “I haven’t felt this much power since…”
“Power?” Tara asked, feeling her palms start to sweat.
“What are you?” Xtina asked as her eyes ran over her.
Tara glanced around the room and noticed that everyone, including Colt, was watching her.
“I…” She shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“Let me try,” Jess said easily, then she bent down, pulled out a book, and held her hands over the old leather binding. “I am Hecate, open,” Jess said loudly. A blinding white light shot from the book and then the pages opened up and glowed white.
“What the…” Colt jumped to his feet.
“Sorry,” Jess said, holding her hands up as if trying to calm a scared animal. “I should have… I’m a witch,” she said quickly, opening her palm as a small flame lit in her hand and just as quickly disappeared. “A good one,” she added with a smile. “Xtina’s… well, Xtina.” She chuckled. “She has the power of sight. Mike senses danger. My husband can control people when he locks eyes with them, as well as some other cool tricks.” She winked at Jacob, who was holding a sleepy Reed. “Brea can teleport, Ethan heals, Joe is speedy, Liz is an oracle, and Joleen is a demi-god and can control time and space. Oh, and…”—Jess snapped her fingers— “Mason is a super nerd.” Everyone chuckled.
“I believe the word you were looking for is super genius.” The man turned to her. “I’m a super genius,” he told Colt and Tara with a smile.
The room was silent for a moment. “You expect us to believe…” Colt waved his hands towards everyone.
Jess sighed and held out her hand. While they both watched, the pitcher of tea drifted into her hand, and she poured some more tea into her glass.
“Like Bewitched,” Colt said under his breath as he slowly sat back down.
“Yes.” Jess smiled at him. “I knew I’d like you.”
Tara sat there, silent, while Colt continued to ask questions of the group. Brea stood up, disappeared, and then came back out of the back door with a tray of crackers and cheese, acting as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
Then it was Joe’s turn. He stepped out the back door and disappeared in a streak and was back before she could blink, holding a case of beers in his hands. “They’re cold.” He held them up and stepped back inside.
Like Jess and Jacob, the rest of them had normal jobs. Mike and Ethan ran an online security business. Brea worked for the local paper, which is where all the stories Tara had read about the gang had come from. Joe owned and ran the local liquor store—hence, the beers. And Liz owned the veterinary clinic next door. Mason was a scientist and worked for an online college, while Joleen had recently become the manager for the local grocery store.
She listened while Colt explained that he also worked in security, like Mike and Ethan, but instead of cybersecurity, he was more of a private investigator. She didn’t know why, but that thought made her very uncomfortable.
Finally, Colt’s questions slowed down. Then he and everyone else in the room turned back to her.
“So, at this point, we just need to determine where you fit in to all this,” Xtina said, looking at both her and Colt.
She glanced over at the man whom she’d only seen twice before this meeting.
“I don’t know,” Colt answered with a shrug. “I don’t think I have any powers,” he said easily. “None that I know of, anyway.”
Xtina held out her hands for him, and Tara noticed him hesitate before laying his hands into hers.
She held her breath, waiting for Xtina’s assessment of the man. Somehow, it mattered to her what these people thought of him. She didn’t even know the man, yet she was invested. She felt a pull towards him.
When he sat next to her, it was as if she’d felt him near her before. As if she’d known him her entire life. She couldn’t quite put a finger on it, but she felt like she knew him.
“You have a good heart,” Xtina said after she dropped her hands. “Intelligent and loyal. Those hold power you’ll need in the coming weeks.” Then she slumped back in her chair.
“You okay?” Jess asked Xtina.
“Yes, just… tired. I think I’m going to take Harper upstairs, feed her, and enjoy a new mother’s nap with my little one.” Xtina stood up, gently took the baby from Mike’s hands, and walked out.
“It’s our turn,” Jess said to Tara. She pulled out the book again and glanced through the glowing pages.
“What is that?” Colt asked.
“My great-grandmother’s book,” Jess answered, without looking up. Suddenly, she set the book down on the table and glanced up at Tara. “I’ll need something from you.”
Tara frowned. “What?”
Jess smiled. “Nothing big, just a…” She leaned over and touched Tara’s braided hair. “One strand ought to do it.”
Her first inclination was to deny the request. After all, she’d just watched Jess hold fire in her hands and make things float about. But then she remembered that she’d sought them out. If she wanted answers, she was going to have to put herself out there. Reaching up, she took hold of her braid and pulled out the band holding back her thick hair. She handed over one of the strands of hairs that came loose.
Jess set the strand of hair in the book and then shut it.
“Is that it?” Tara asked.
“No, I won’t know anything until after the next full moon,” Jess said with a shrug. “Until then, you’ve got a job and, if you want, a place to park your van.” She motioned to the driveway. “Xtina and Mike even have electric and plumbing hookups by the barn.”
“You’re welcome to use them,” Mike chimed in. “That is, if you want to stick around.”
Tara glanced around the table at all the faces, then landed on Colt and felt her heart jump in her chest. Did she want to stick around? Something about the man felt dangerous, but familiar.
“You haven’t told us about you yet,” Liz said with a smile, interrupting the silence.
“Me?” Tara said, swallowing.
Instead of answering, Liz nodded, the slight movement almost a sigh, as if she was telling her to get on with it.