Revelations

By Isabelle Arocho

Evie Cortez was used to being the girl hidden in the shadows. Working with the SCF was changing all of that, there were enemies she didn’t know the first thing about fighting. A twisted group of witches want to bring back Madam Lilura, a powerful witch responsible for killing thousands of her own kind. Evie has to learn quick how to battle against dark forces and creatures of the Underworld.

Caleb refuses to leave her side, no matter how awkward it is with his revelations of love and desire for Celestin’s resident witch. Added to the mix is Michael, Evie’s once great love. The vampire has been in the dark too long and he’s searching for answers.

The clock is ticking to keep an ancient evil at bay and for Evie to make a decision once and for all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Isabelle Arocho
• Release date: Mar 11, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311495440

Isabelle Arocho

Hello everyone, as a self-published author I like to talk to you in my own words so here we go, here's my story:I used to avoid everything pertaining to reading and writing in school because it was never my strong suit. But then something happened when I was fourteen years old, and I found I had a deep passion for telling stories. As far back as I can remember, I would always create stories in my head and call them my made up movies. These are the movies I make into books today.I shied away from telling anyone about my passion for telling stories and kept it to myself for a long time. I learned from reading book after book how to write a proper novel and found the confidence to share my work, first on online communities and now with the world.In 2012 I have decided to take the leap into self-publishing. I write and edit all my work myself, no excuses, but if you see any mistakes I apologize.A little bit more about me...My name is Isabelle Arocho, I’m of Hispanic descent. I grew up in Perth Amboy NJ and now live somewhere in the sticks of FL. I am a woman, sister, daughter. I have a passion for rock music, tons of TV shows, and of course reading when I’m not trying to create my own masterpiece.I write all types of genres including mystery, fantasy, suspense, romance, paranormal, and cop procedurals. I'm always striving to get better and I hope you enjoy my work enough to stick with me on this journey. I have hundreds of characters in my head always in a scene crawling to get free onto paper. I'm grateful for writing because without it I'd just be a crazy nut who talks to herself.I have a few books out now in both Ebook and paperback format. I’m working on several different of ideas to be released soon in all those genres I mentioned above. Visit my personal website, isabellearocho.com, for more information.PS: Don't forget to review and let me know what you thought about the book you read. I love hearing from you and it helps to know what you think.

Book preview

REVELATIONS

By

Isabelle Arocho

www.isabellearocho.com

Copyright © 2014 ISABELLE AROCHO

All rights reserved. Smashwords Edition.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s mind and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organization, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

License Notes

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or edited in anyway. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

CHAPTER 1

It felt like a kick in the teeth, how easily I could find myself in such a situation with no control and no escape. I tried not to seem too embarrassed while I thanked Rebecca for all her help. She saw a lot of dark parts of my memories, secrets too, many of which I never wanted known. Worse were the memories of my time with amnesia. I sure made a fool out of myself. Such a fool, that I couldn’t look at Caleb for even a split second without my heart racing wildly.

I needed to get out of there. I needed to get home and process the last few days, but Bess wasn’t letting me off the hook that quick.

Wearing a polite smile, Rebecca made her exit out of the office, leaving me with one less buffer between me and Caleb. Bess asked, What’s your next move? I want to be kept in the loop every step of the way. I was standing in front of her desk. With her eyes paying attention to mine, I glanced back at Caleb with a question she understood. Caleb is temporarily working with the SCF to help close the file on the Martin witches. You’re going to be partnered for the extent of the investigation.

I kept my mouth shut and didn’t curse like I wanted to. My body gave me away instead. My shoulders tensed and my back turned into a taut wire pole. Thomas is my partner.

Thomas is good at what he does but he’s also human and I don’t want any more of my team being taken advantage of.

Caleb’s shoes moved with no sound on the carpet, stopping closer to where I stood. I wouldn’t have noticed if I didn’t know the feel of his shadow encroaching, covering my senses until I felt only him. Ethan managed to find out the Martins have a spell they use to control humans and lower level supernatural races. We suspect they tried to use it on Evangeline, and instead wiped her memory clean as a result.

Bess sighed. That just further proves my point. Evie, we can’t have any more mishaps and you need a partner those witches can’t manipulate.

I started to panic. Just hours ago I told Caleb truths that should’ve never been uttered. I kissed him too. The SCF is made up of people the witches don’t stand a chance against. I didn’t like to second guess her, I didn’t like to appear desperate either.

Jake is working his own case, Zoe is throwing herself deep into her work at the CPD, Rebecca has to catch up at her firm, and I’m stuck here.

What about Matthew? Bess’ boss, Matthew Stevens, was a scary guy but even he was better than Caleb; the alpha wolf I threw myself at just hours ago. Just a fool, yup, that was me.

He’s in Washington. You and Caleb work well together, you trusted him to keep you safe throughout this ordeal and that’s exactly what I want him to keep doing. The decision has been made. What I need from you are constant updates; on this case and any others you work in the future. Tell me from the beginning how the Martin witches came into play. Bess sat down behind her desk, crossing her hands over one another, and waiting.

I agreed to all of this when I took her deal. I knew I couldn’t bail because it got too messy with Caleb in the mix. Bess knew it too. I sank my butt into one of the visitor’s chairs. I had to stop pouting and remember I still decided now my destiny would end.

Nothing I admitted to Caleb had to change anything, I could feign stupidity and weasel myself out of my errors. Except, that wouldn’t be the truth. With no memory and nowhere to turn, I clung to Caleb like a lifeline because my heart knew to trust him. Scared and alone, there was nothing more I wanted than to stay with him. The scary part was that I had my magic and my memories back, I wasn’t helpless anymore, and I still wanted to stay wrapped up in only him.

Crap.

Sighing, I tried to put my focus on Alexandra Martin. There isn’t much more than what we figured out. Thomas and I checked out the magic shop when Terri Kenneth filed her complaint about the misuse of black magic. I knew something wasn’t right the second I walked in there. We asked the routine questions and didn’t find anything out of the ordinary but I couldn’t shake the feeling.

Bess nodded, she knew these parts of the story already. And you went back on your own with no official backup. She was only a couple of years older than me, yet she had an amazing way of making me feel like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Thomas and I have both taught you better. Demons are....nasty pieces of work and you could’ve been killed. Her eyes darkened in memory at the recent runs she and her family had with demons. A moment of silence passed in the memory of Gavin Stevens.

I’m sorry. I thought it was a strictly magical thing and that I could handle it. It won’t happen again. Now we have a bigger problem to focus on. The Martin’s aren’t going to stop coming at me until they get what they want. I remembered their faraway attacks, the way my skin ripped open at their command. They were going to regret it.

Caleb came closer to sit in the vacant chair next to me. You remember what it is?

I kept my focus on one thing only. I was able to ignore what the simple sound of Caleb’s voice conjured throughout my body. It’s an artifact they need for a very dangerous spell. When I went back to the shop without Thomas, Alexandra was there alone and we fought. I took the thing and fled.

Bess asked, Where is it now?

I’m scared to say. I don’t know what other spells they’ve cast to keep an eye on me. I haven’t mentioned it out loud yet and since they keep coming at me, they haven’t found it yet. I tried not to think about its location either.

Ok. Bess tapped her pen rhythmically on the table while considering what came next. Is there any way to gain the upper hand?

Yeah, I need to cleanse out any residual magic left over from their spells. Bess’ pen stopped tapping and her brows went up in question. She’s made it clear in the past her knowledge of magic was slim. It’s exactly as it sounds, I’ll do a spell that will locate if there’s anything still clinging to me.

How will you do it? Bess asked.

With some help from an old friend. After that’s out of the way, we can discuss our next move without worrying about eavesdropping.

Tomorrow morning we’ll all meet back here and take it from there. Be careful, and if you run into any trouble call me.

You got it, boss. I got up and left the office with Caleb following my every step. I wanted so badly to ditch him but I made a promise to Bess that I wasn’t going to break anymore rules. I hated when someone exercised control over my life, although I’ve come to accept it was different with Bess. She was my boss and she had a right to be involved, she was my friend too and I owed her more than a night full of stress. She got enough of that with every other aspect of her life.

I pushed open the SCF double doors and smiled at the fresh air smacking me in the face. It felt nice to be back in my right mind, with all my memories intact, even the ugly and complicated ones. Speaking of complicated....I sucked it up and turned to Caleb. There’s something we have to talk about before we go any farther.

If it’s about the last few days—

It’s not. It’s about where we’re going next and who we’re going to see. I started toward the car knowing he’d follow. I know we found that letter my sister sent about escaping The Coven on her own. Well, that was sent just in case someone came looking. We stopped at his car and I glanced toward his direction.

His dark blue eyes narrowed in concentration. I don’t understand.

Let’s get out of here before I say anymore.

Caleb unlocked the car and climbed into the driver’s seat without any questions. We’re supposed to meet back up with Ethan later.

This spell shouldn’t take too long. I rattled off the address of where we had to go. I need you to hold off on any questions until it’s over and then I’ll explain everything. I can’t risk the Martin’s and their evil companion knowing this.

Caleb’s features grew hard set from the guidelines he didn’t like very much. He was a warrior who liked to know something about the battlefield before stepping onto it. I’m not going to like this, am I?

I don’t know. I wasn’t the best liar and right there I couldn’t think of anything to placate his curiosity. He was just going to have to wait. It would all make sense in the end.

CHAPTER 2

It took us an hour to leave the busy downtown streets and booming nightlife. We pulled up to a long dirt road; I got out and lead the way to a cabin long forgotten by the residents of the city. That was exactly why I picked it in the first place. There was no such thing as too much seclusion.

Remember, hold back on the questions. I glanced at Caleb without waiting long enough for him to meet my stare. Looking into his eyes was nowhere near safe for my heart. I took a steadying breath and knocked on the worn out door.

My younger sister, Elissa, opened up. Her young innocent face was lit up with relief. When you didn’t show up last week I was going crazy wondering and then—

I’ll tell you everything but first we need to do a surrender spell. Some shady witches might be listening in. I wasn’t worried about them tracking the cabin because they’d never find it or be able to break my level of skill. I had the dirt road and the entire cabin warded to remain invisible to the naked eye.

Elissa nodded and turned toward a wall chest located in the kitchen. Why is it so hard for you to stay out of trouble?

I was doing my job and it comes with risks.

You need a new job.

I like this one. When I first agreed to Bess’ terms and joined up with the SCF, I had a lot of reservations but I came to like the aspect of police work. I could use my magic for good and I no longer had to hide in the shadows from fear of exposure. I couldn’t be a hostess forever, forever was a long time for an immortal. Do you have what we need?

Yes, nag.

I groaned and suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. It was crazy and amazing how sometimes it was like no time passed between us, she was still my annoying little sister I wouldn’t trade for anyone else in the world. I sank into the dusty old couch and motioned for Caleb to take his own seat. I took note of his eyes glancing around for clues. Obviously by now he figured out I did help my sister escape The Coven and I was hiding her out in the cabin.

Elissa returned to the living room with several bottles in her hands. You remember how to do this?

I’m going to pretend you didn’t just ask me that. I didn’t turn into an idiot. I made a face and took the bottles. I poured out the contents over the smooth surface of the coffee table, the pinks, blues, and yellows all swirled together under the command of my words I muttered softly. When the multicolored gels formed one new color, I placed both my hands into the puddle and chanted another command in a language created by The Coven’s superiors many years ago. It was unique to our people and grimoires.

The liquid ran up my arms and through the rest of my body until coming back down to the coffee table in a new puddle; taking any spells cast upon me with it. It was one of the first spells created by The Coven a hundred years ago after a rival witch tried to learn the secrets of the inner workings the Elders chose to live by. The spell was created and it worked, but it didn’t stop that witch from being burned to death. Witches burning witches, it was a cruel oxymoron.

I opened my eyes and looked to my sister. Good?

Elissa touched her hands to my wrists. I’m not reading anything. No matter how hard they covered the spell, it’s gone now. Our magic was strong and we never forgot it. We saw the ugly that came with such power from a very young age.

Good. Caleb piped up. Now you can explain to me what is going on.

A promise was a promise, no matter how much I didn’t anticipate his reaction. Elissa and I came up with a ruse to keep the Elders from charging me with her disappearance. I’m sure they suspect me and even had someone check in on my whereabouts.

"You called it