The Immortals Return: Secretly Supernatural Series, #3

By Adeline Cousins

Paige's life changed forever when her best friend Alyssa bought a book of spells to school. Thrown into a world of magic, Paige has suffered many losses, watched her friends change, and fallen in love with a centuries-old warlock, Jesse. However, Jesse has been keeping a secret; a secret that has the power to upend the Supernatural Council and change the course of the entire world. 

Following his arrest, a heartbroken Paige must do all that she can to save Jesse. With the help of Alyssa and Martha, Paige must put aside her own heartbreak in order to do what is right: save the man she loves, protect her family and stop the world from ascending into darkness. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Adeline Cousins
• Release date: Feb 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386242376

Book preview

ALSO BY

ADELINE COUSINS

SECRETLY SUPERNATURAL SERIES

Magic in Forstford

Trial by Night

The Immortals Return

Chapter one

Paige couldn’t shake the image of that high polished casket from her mind. She tossed and turned in her sleep, waking every twenty minutes with a gasp. The coffin. Every time she neared the edge of sleep, the memory of that coffin and Jesse’s grim expression would return. He’d broken the council’s primary law. He’d prolonged the life of a mortal and now he would have to pay the ultimate price with his life. She raked a hand along the back of her neck, slick with sweat, and kicked off the sheets. It was four in the morning. Though she was exhausted, clearly her mind had no intention of resting. Slipping from the bed, Paige pushed open the curtains. The moon was waning, but there was still enough light to give shape to the objects in her room.

You’re awake? Alyssa’s voice sounded distant, even though she was only on the other side of the bed.

Paige stretched, the joints in her shoulders popping. I can’t sleep. I just keep replaying it all; thinking that we should have done something. We should have stopped them, or at least tried.

Alyssa signed and came up into a sitting position. Sleeping at night was no longer the norm for her. Not since Ethan, Jesse’s rival, had turned her into a vampire. Though she was trying to maintain the ordinary human rhythm of being awake during the day and asleep at night, this was no longer in alignment with her new natural tendencies. Now, she lay awake and restless during the night and walked around bleary-eyed during the day. What happened is not your fault, she said patiently for the millionth time. Jesse knew it was against council law to suspend the life of a human and he did it anyway.

For love. Paige’s heart seemed to weaken and harden at the same time. A love he never told me about. He’s been moving her body around for four hundred years. Renewed anger rippled up her spine. That’s a long time to hold on to someone. To a memory.

You have every right to be mad. Alyssa peeled herself off her makeshift bed. A snore broke through the wall and both girls paused as they heard the springs in Lauren’s bed pop as Paige’s mother rolled over in bed. Though Lauren’s temper had cooled, though she had agreed that her daughter could once again spend time with her best friend, Paige knew her mother would not approve of this particular sleepover.

I can’t stand not knowing what is going on, Paige said. Shouldn’t we be doing something? Hatching out some kind of a plan?

We will, Alyssa flopped down on the twisted sheets of Paige’s bed, but you heard Martha. We’ve all been running on nothing but adrenaline for days. If we can’t even keep our eyes open, how will we be able to help Jesse?

Paige glare out onto the empty street. Even the leaves weren’t moving. At least they’re getting some rest. She could imagine Jesse’s Aunt Martha at home in her renaissance inspired bedroom, rolling from side to side, also unable to fall asleep. Without her conscious decision to do so, Paige pushed open her bedroom window. Let’s go.

PAIGE WAS RIGHT. THE light in Jesse’s living room was on which meant that Martha was awake. Paige mounted the front steps, Alyssa in tow, and knocked quietly on the door. There was a soft muffling inside, followed by the gentle padding of feet. When Martha opened the door, she didn’t even look surprised. Good morning, Paige, her eyes moved from the short brunette to the tall blonde. Alyssa.

Morning, they said in unison as though their arrival at this early hour was perfectly normal.

I thought I told you to get some rest? She said, stepping back and gesturing for them to come in. But clearly I’m not the only one who can’t sleep. Come on, I’ve just made some coffee.

Paige sunk into her usual seat on the living room couch while Alyssa sat on the sofa opposite. When Martha returned a moment later, three coffees in hand, Paige wrapped her hands around the warm mug willingly. Alyssa seemed to be the only one who looked genuinely awake and happy about it.

So, what’s the plan? Paige asked taking her first sip of the bitter brew.

Martha held her mug close, though she didn’t seem all that interested in drinking it. "I’m not sure there is all that much to do. Jesse broke one of the council’s primary laws. They will not be forgiving. I haven’t heard of another person breaking it since, well, maybe the 12th century? They will want to make an example of him."

A thought suddenly struck Paige. How was it you escaped arrest? The coffin was in your house. You gave the key to the guard. Had it really only been yesterday that Paige had stood in front of that locked door, wondering what secrets were hidden behind it?

Jesse told them that I didn’t know. That he had wanted to protect me in case he was ever found out, that his breaking of the law was a decision he had made of his one volition and that they should leave me out of it.

As if Paige’s feelings about Jesse weren’t conflicting enough. She smoothed down the flicker of admiration regarding his protective nature and remembered that he’d been lying since the moment she’d met him. Her anger returned.

Good.

Anger was fuel.

So, what happens now that the council has arrested him? Alyssa asked, placing her empty cup on the coffee table.

They will have a trial. Because most Supernaturals were once human, our justice system is very similar to your own here. There will be lawyers, a judge, and jury. Martha answered.

Who would testify? Paige asked.

Jesse will take the stand, naturally. Of course, I’ll be there too as a character witness. He’s had plenty of friends over the years, some for centuries, the trick though is to find the ones that will cast you in a positive light.

And if the jury finds him guilty, what happens then? The image of an ancient, slimy prison rose up in Paige’s mind. Jesse shackled against a brick wall, his face no longer clean-shaven and his hair long and limp. She shook her head and the image disappeared.

Martha slid her still full mug onto the coffee table and hesitated.

What? Alyssa asked.

He’ll be executed, Martha replied quietly, unable to look either girl in the eye. 

We have to stop the trial then, Paige said. Jesse had saved her life on more than one occasion, he’d risked his own neck to free Alyssa from Ethan’s spell and protected his Aunt against prosecution. He shouldn’t have lied, promising her his heart when it already belonged to another, but Paige couldn’t let him die because of that.

We could bust him out, Alyssa offered optimistically. Break into the council jail and free him.

The corners of Martha’s lips turned down. It’s beautiful that you both want to help, she reached out and touched Paige’s knee tenderly. I’m sure that’s not an easy thing for you to do, given the circumstances, her eyes tightened, meaningfully. But the council is very secure, especially when it comes to prisoners. You must understand, Jesse has broken the most serious law in our world, he is not some low-grade prisoner. He will be heavily guarded, and his punishment will be severe, Martha took a steadying breath. And if you were captured in the process of trying to free him, your punishment would be equally severe.

Paige stiffened, You mean...we’d be executed too?

Martha shrugged, Alyssa would be. However, because you’re mortal, you would most likely be spared, though your entire memory would be erased.

Though Paige had, at times, longer for her previously dull and predictable life, the idea of having her memories tampered with cause her resolve to harden. The council had already threatened to remove her memories once before. Later, Ethan had. It was an experience Paige hadn’t cared for. Who did the council think they were? Messing with people’s lives this way just become of some ancient feud thousands of years ago? What other choice do we have? We can’t just let Jesse die? You said it yourself, they will try and make an example of him. Even if you gave a stellar character reference, they’ll still kill him, though Paige felt some small dark pleasure in that, she whisked the feeling away.

Martha’s breath was unsteady, and Paige could tell she was fighting a silent battle within herself; fighting against what she wanted to say and what she should say. Jesse’s lived a long life, longer than most. He’s loved and been loved, had friends and traveled. He’s so lucky to have found friend’s like you, people who are so willing to risk their lives for his. But your life is just beginning. Her eyes flicked from Alyssa to Paige. You are both so young, there is so much you have yet to experience. You cannot risk your own life on someone who should have died many years ago.

A strength Paige didn’t even know she had coursed through her with sudden ferocity and she understood how a mother could lift a car off an infant. It’s our lives, and we can do with them what we like. She glanced at Alyssa, realizing she’d just spoken for the both of them, but the tall blonde nodded in agreement.

If Paige is in, then so am I.

Martha’s hand and face relaxed slightly, though the troubled line on her forehead remained. "Very well, then. If you’re going to do this, then you’d better come up with a solid plan. You can’t just burst into the council chambers and winging it. That would be a sure way to get you both killed."

Paige took an involuntary gulp and nodded. What do we need to do?

The sun was just breaking as Paige made her way home, her head filled with maps, warnings and a detailed plan. If she hadn’t been able to sleep before, she had little chance of doing so now. They had all agree to head home and to try and get some rest. Though Paige wondered if Martha was just stalling, hoping the two teenage girls would come to their senses. For Paige, quitting wasn’t an option, and Alyssa was rather excited by the prospect of breaking into the council. Since she’d become a vampire, Alyssa seemed happier and calmer whenever something was happening.

Paige’s hand paused on the latch of her front gate as her mouth popped open. Ethan was leaning by her front door, biting his nails though she knew he was far from self-conscious.

What are you doing here? She filled the question with as much vile as possible.

She hadn’t seen Ethan since the night he’d stuck a knife into the heart of her best friend, and she was thankful that Alyssa had decided to go to her own home. The longer they could stall Ethan from finding out that the vampire was still alive, the better. The golden light of morning suddenly dimmed as the sun sunk beneath a cloud.

I heard about your boy, he sneered.

Your boy. Paige’s heart tightened.

Prolonging the life of a mortal, that’s a gutsy move. So, how do you think they’ll do it? On his knees, gun to his forehead execution style, or do you think they’ll go more old school and have him swinging from a rope or his head on a cutting block? Maybe a guillotine? I hear the judge is French, he raised an eyebrow, and we all know how the French love their guillotines.

I’m tired, I don’t have time for your gloating. Though his appearance at her front door was unsettling, Ethan’s attempts at terrorization paled in comparison to the current ― and very real ― threat to Jesse’s life. She didn’t know why Ethan was still in town or why he’d decided to show up at her door, but right now she didn’t care. She had more important things to do like sleep. Or at least, try to sleep.

I heard that it was his bird in the casket, that they got hitched sometime in the sixteenth century only she’d never wanted to turn.

Jesus! How do you know all that? Paige had promised herself she wouldn’t engage, but this was how Ethan