Dark Secrets (Dark Heritage #1)

  *****

  Annie had me jump right back into my training. From the moment I met her in the morgue, she had me practicing to raise one animal at a time. After I told her about raising the two dogs that allowed Finn and I to escape, she said that I should have no problems raising just one at a time now.

  And she was right.

  After only an hour in the morgue, I was able to raise anything that Annie threw at me. A dove, a bird, or a rat, it didn’t really matter. Two Socks watched the reanimated rats with interest, but he didn’t leave his spot on the table between me and Annie. When he started to rub against her arm, I finally remembered to ask her something.

  “Annie, why do cats always follow me? Is that a necromancer thing? Or am I just a freak?”

  She smiled and scratched behind Two Socks’ ear. “It is partly a necromancer thing. Most people don’t know this, but cats sometimes represent death. Of all the creatures on this planet, only cats and ravens can see the dead. They are drawn to us because of our shared affinity for death.”

  “So do they also follow you around?”

  She nodded. “A few of them. Not as many as you have, though. I’ve seen them following you down to the cafeteria and back. The more powerful the necromancer, the more cats they have around them. When you were with Andrew, did you notice any cats following him around?”

  I thought back to my short time with Andrew. The only time I was really with him was when we had tea and biscuits, and when we were in the library together. I didn’t remember seeing any cats around the place. “No, I don’t think he has any.”

  She didn’t look surprised. “Well, I should have suspected that. Cats are incredibly intelligent when it comes to death and power. They’ll know that Andrew is unstable and power-hungry. They tend to stay away from those kinds of people.”

  “Annie, why is this so much easier for me now? Before Andrew took me, I could never have raised just one at a time. Now all of a sudden I’m great at it. What gives?”

  “I think being in that near-death situation might have jumpstarted your control. Deadly experiences tend to do that to us. Now that you have your questions out of the way, I sense something else is still bothering you. What is it, Ronnie? You can tell me anything.”

  I sighed and looked down. “You promise not to tell anyone? Because I’m not sure if this is something I really feel, or if it’s just because of the things that have happened lately.”

  “Ah, I see,” she said, sitting back and smiling. “This is about Finn.”

  I winced. “Yeah, it is. I think I have feelings for him,” I said with a quiet sigh. “I don’t understand how it happened. He was so mean to me when we first met; I honestly thought he might have been a serial killer or something–” Annie laughed. “and it’s not healthy to like someone like that. And he hasn’t really done anything to change my mind since then.

  “He’s been rude to me, and kept me at arm’s length. He even said something really cruel to me just because he thought I might like him. What kind of person does that to someone? I thought he was so angry and so mean and so unlikable. But now I’m not so sure.”

  “What made you change your mind?”

  I paused, thinking about his strong arms around me, and how he could have left me with Andrew’s goon and saved himself. But he hadn’t. He’d gotten shot during my rescue, and he’d still staggered on with me, losing blood along the way.

  “He saved me. He was shot in the process, but he saved me, when nobody else even tried. And after patching him up, he and I spent some time talking. He started to tell me about his life before he came here, and I told him about mine, and I thought we were starting to bond. But I guess I was wrong.”

  “And how do you feel about that?”

  I shrugged. “I’m not really sure. Finn is so strong, and brave, and handsome, and I think he could be a caring person. But he’s so cold and standoffish. Plus he’s been with so many girls that it actually sickens me a little. Tanya told me that once werewolves find the one, they settle down and stop sleeping with anything that has a pulse, but I don’t know if I could believe that.

  “I don’t think Finn could change who he is or how he is with women. I’ve tried to sever my feelings for Finn, but it just doesn’t work. And that was before he saved my life and kept me safe.” I looked at Annie. “I don’t wanna like Finn, but I do, and I don’t think I can stop feeling the way I do.”

  “Guys can suck, Ronnie,” Annie said with a smile. “Nobody is perfect, but you just have to find one that’s worth dealing with all the negative stuff. He’s far from perfect, but Finn has a lot of admirable qualities, some you haven’t even begun to see yet. Just give it some time. If your feelings continue to grow, then maybe it’s a sign that the two of you are meant for something more.

  “If your feelings begin to fade, then you’ll know it’s just a crush. While we’re asking questions, is there anything else you’d like to know?”

  “Actually, yes,” I said. “In the Council room, I was surprised by Kevin’s hostility towards me. I know I’m a threat to his way of life, but the others didn’t treat me the way he did. What gives?”

  She smiled thinly. “Ronnie, think about it. He’s a vampire. He survives by feeding on the blood of the others, but his body is technically dead. And you have control over the dead.”

  “I could control vampires like I could control an army of the undead?”

  Annie nodded her head. “Yes. We were gifted with power over the dead, and that’s exactly what a vampire is. You could make him do anything, like attack someone in broad daylight, or starve himself, or even stake himself. Think about that. If someone had total control of your body, wouldn’t you be a little bit freaked out? Seriously, think about it. For now, let’s get back to work. You still have a lot to learn, like how to banish a soul permanently. If we’re going to defeat Andrew, you’ll have to know how to do this.”

  “Why can’t you just do it?”

  “It’ll be safer if both of us can do it. That way if something happens to one of us, we’re not left completely defenseless.”

  I looked at her. “Is something going to happen to one of us?”

  Annie sighed, running her hands nervously through her hair. “Something may very well happen. Ronnie, you have to be prepared for that. It might come down to a fight, and if it does, there’s a very good chance that not everyone you know will survive. I could die. So could Finn, or Tanya, or even you. Just be ready for whatever happens.”

  I thought of something I had to ask her, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know the answer. I took a deep breath, readying myself. “Is this all happening because of me? Will Andrew attack and kill these people to get to me? Do they blame me?”

  “It could have been any necromancer, Ronnie. They know that. Some of us have powers we simply can’t control. Fairies and witches aren’t born knowing how to use their magic; they’re taught by their parents. You didn’t have any of that. Things might be different had your mother been around to share her wisdom, but without her, you’ve had to start at the beginning.”

  “I don’t want anyone to die for me,” I said, looking away from her. “I’m not worth it.”

  “Nobody ever thinks they are,” she said with a smile. “Alright, enough talking for now. Let’s get started on banishing.”