Equinox: A Bloodlines Novel

By Rachel Wehrli

Homecoming night was supposed to be full of dancing, magic, and romance, but quickly ended in tragedy when the battle between Kane Sherwood and Warren Towers ended with Ellie Sherwood’s death. The truth of that night lays heavily on Warren and his friends as they navigate secrets, questions, and lies. Meanwhile, sisters Blair and Nora Ruiz are at odds with each other as they uncover clues to what happened that night, and what new schemes Kane might be plotting.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookRix
• Release date: Oct 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9783755454762

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Warren Towers sat unmoving in the passenger’s seat as his best friend Samuel Hemmings drove him from Ashby Preparatory Academy to the Towers estate. Absolutely and conclusively numb. Still reeling from all he had witnessed, from Kane finally purging the last shred of sanity he had left, to Ellie’s body sailing through the air and falling—dead. Every time he blinked, he saw her hit the building and violently cringed.

Two of his best friends, Sam and Jesse, and his mother, awaited him as he walked into the house. Eva Towers had instantly gone over to him to wrap her skin and bone arms around her son in the biggest, tightest hug she could muster. Warren hadn’t even been able to speak up to reassure her—numb vocal cords. No one wanted to be the first to break the standstill and ask him what had happened back at the school.

But someone had to.

Is Kane…?

Jesse let the question hang in the air, unfinished. Everyone in the room had their own ending—is Kane still crazy, is Kane still out there, is Kane dead?

Warren answered the latter. No, he’s not dead. He left.

He gave up? Jesse snorted. Wuss.

Sam asked the last question Warren wanted to answer. Where is Ellie?

Warren’s whole body flinched at hearing her name. He thought of everything he’d been through with her only to have it end so horrendously. Ellie and her adopted brother, Kane, had moved to San Catalin to find Warren and his friends for help. Kane suffered from the same supernatural powers and the same supernatural curse as them. Ellie had her own curse—clairvoyance—but her visions of the dark future didn’t suck the life out of her like their powers did to them. The curse had driven Kane insane, and he sought to kill Warren for his power to save his own life.

Ellie had never given up on her brother. She did everything to save him and Warren. Warren admired her for that. She had even gotten into the middle of their confrontation. Trying to get through to Kane one last time. And it had cost her a life.

Where is she, Warren? Sam asked again.

Did she go with Kane? Eva Towers, Warren’s mother, asked.

Warren flinched again, remembering how broken and deranged Kane had seemed when he realized he had killed his little sister. Warren had had no time to react before Kane had disappeared out of thin air, Ellie’s body gone with him.

No… Warren said, not really.

Not really? Jesse questioned. What does that mean?

This time, Warren’s mother spoke, guiding him to sink into their green couch and kneeled in front of him, her white silk robe pooling at her knees on the carpet. Darling, just tell us what happened. Please.

She’s dead, Warren spat.

Silence was the present villain the moment following Warren’s grim admission. The teenagers sat currently in a home they had grown up playing frivolously, but now it was the sight of a wake—pregnant with tension and sadness.

Eva reached up to hold both of his hands in hers. What happened?

He must have gotten electricity powers from his dad. He sent this ball of it meant for me. She jumped in front of me and took it. Kane took her away.

"She can’t be, just gone." Sam shook his head in disbelief.

Look, guys, Warren spoke quietly, in a stupor, as if he didn’t quite know what he was saying or trying to say. I—I need to be…

Alone? Jesse finished for him, scoffing angrily. No way.

Jesse, just go to the dorms, Sam admonished him. His meaning was clear—give Warren his space. We’ll see you tomorrow.

Jesse clenched his jaw, standing up quickly and marching towards the door.

Wait, Warren spoke up suddenly to stop him. I have something for you.

What? the blond asked harshly. He immediately regretted it before following him into the expansive kitchen.

Warren, with zombie-like slow motions, gathered the roots of lavender and chamomile tea bags Ellie had left out on the kitchen counter. He paused, almost unable to hand it over. Ellie had prepared these things to help her brother come back from the precipice of insanity, wanting nothing more than to save him. Warren had tried everything to protect her, caring about her more than anything. Silently, he held the objects out to the blond boy. Ellie got these. They’re relaxing, de-toxing or something. Grace told her about your mom, so she thought these could help.

She Jesse trailed off in awe, staring at the objects in his hands. He was in awe, always being the reckless, irresponsible one, not worth helping. His mother had been drinking herself into a hole since his father died. And it had always been up to him to take care of her around everything else he had to deal with. It was harder on him because whenever alcohol wet her tongue, she lashed out at him and tore down his father, his hero. It was a tough thing to handle alone. And Ellie, this brand-new person in their world, had been planning to help him. She thought of me and my mom when she was dealing with Kane?

She was just that kind of person. She helps—helped people, Warren corrected himself painfully, clearing his throat. Take them.

Jesse nodded, turning to leave. He stopped in the entryway and kept his back to Warren as he spoke, uncharacteristically gentle and kind. I’m sorry about Ellie. I really am.

Warren didn’t look at him as he answered. I know.

CHAPTER TWO

Jesse couldn’t get himself to stop thinking as he drove to the dorms. He silently walked up the stairs to the second floor instead of the third floor where his dorm was. He walked further, to another room not too much farther down the hall, and knocked once. He fidgeted on his feet as he waited for her to answer, but she didn’t. He briefly entertained the thought of turning around and going back to his own dorm. But he decided against it, knocking again, this time harder.

Again, there was no answer, and doubts set in. It was late; she was probably asleep or something. They had only made out in the halls during the Homecoming dance. That was standard for him. More might be too much to ask. But he was going to ask, anyway. He just wanted to lose himself. He couldn’t keep thinking about Ellie dying for their battle by her brother’s hands. She was selfless and good. Better than all of them combined. And she was simply gone now.

Again, he knocked, loudly, and kept knocking until he heard a feminine voice inside call out, What the fuck? The door opened, revealing the girl from homecoming, Kalila Appleby, in some short pjs and a thin tank top. Her hair was tumbling into her face from the knot of dark hair at the top of her head, covering her sleep ridden eyes. She rubbed the skin under her eyes as she looked at him. Everton? What the hell are you doing here?

You invited me, remember? He grinned in a way he hoped was sexy and disarming. He was too tired to put all the moves he had on her. He wanted to lose himself in her and then leave. That’s it. She had invited him up before, so that wasn’t too out of line, right?

Yeah, and you said you had to go hang with your friends, she responded, citing the lame excuse he gave her. She brushed her hair away from her face with a puff of air from her bottom lip, glaring at the brown tendrils as if they were evil.

Well, I’m done with that, he said, choosing not to think about how the night concluded. Does the offer still stand?

She looked at him with narrowed eyes for a moment, taking in his hat-in-hand form. Slowly, she let the side of her lips lift in what could be a smile if she’d had a bit more sleep and stepped aside. Come on in.

* * *

You really don’t have to still be here, Sammy. Warren reassured his best friend for what felt like the hundredth time. He was tempted to break into his mother’s liquor cabinet for something to drown himself in. But he couldn’t fall into a full glass in front of his friend.

I’m not letting you go through this alone, Sam argued, putting a hand on his friend’s shoulder in comfort. You know I’m here for you. The two had always been the closest, even when Sam had his twin sister, Jo. Sam wasn’t going to allow Warren to isolate himself.

I know, man, Warren said. But I need to be alone.

Sam didn’t agree. That’s the last thing you need. You need—

To be alone! Warren raised his voice, shrugging off his friend and standing up. He walked to the entryway into the rest of the house, not looking back. Just go home, Sam.

Warren! He called after him, but it fell on selectively deaf ears.

The only relief about the timing of everything—if good timing could exist now—was the free weekend to get their bearings before returning to classes. Jesse got to sleep in, his face digging into a yellow pillowcase. His eyes fluttered open and then immediately narrowed in confusion when he saw the yellow sheets under and wrapped around his body. He twisted his body around to look at his surroundings and smirked when he saw Kalila’s form next to him. Her back faced him as she curled her arms under her head and bent her knees towards the wall. For a moment, he thought she looked cute. But he shook that thought away.

She stirred in her sleep and turned over, slowly opening her eyes. Hey—you’re still here?

He sat up. Well, yeah, I just woke up.

She laughed briefly, stretching her arms to the ceiling. Oh. I heard you usually leave before the girl wakes up.

For some reason, however truthful that statement may be, that bothered him. Make me sound like a dick, why don’t you?

She didn’t take him seriously. No judgement. It was a fun little post-dance sleepover. I have to get going soon, though.

Taking the hint loud and clear, Jesse gathered his pants and blazer. He was slipping them on as a question occurred to him. Where’s your roommate? Did we kick her out?

Kalila scoffed. No. She’s barely here. Her boyfriend is in college and has his own room in the campus apartments. She’s always there on weekends.

Oh, okay, he stated. He had no idea what to say. He might have been still reeling from Ellie’s death and all those feelings whirling around inside him, and he didn’t get to lose all of himself the way he intended. He lost himself for a night. And here he was, being slapped in the face by reality, and it didn’t feel good. I’m gonna get going, then.

Kalila was gathering a toiletry bag as she responded noncommittally. Okay—see you around, Everton.

The door clicked softly behind him, and he thought maybe he had dreamed everything. He hadn’t quite got what he wanted, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He cursed when his phone started ringing loudly in his pocket, blaring some metal song, and he swiped to ignore the call out of sheer frustration. He cursed himself again when he saw the call was from the hospital. He could kick his own ass for forgetting one important thing—Jo was still in the hospital, in a coma from Kane’s curse.

He paid no mind to the traffic laws of San Catalin as he raced to the hospital. He couldn’t believe he had forgotten about her. She was his best friend. Practically his little sister. And all he could do last night was to be an ass to a mourning Warren and go hook up with a random girl.

When he got there, he didn’t care that he parked like a douche bag, half of his car’s ass hanging in the spot next to him. He got those glares older people give the rude new generation while he tapped his feet on the ground impatiently waiting for the elevator. He tapped the button for the floor he wanted about a dozen times when the elevator doors opened. He knew where her room was and saw white coats talking to her inside—awake and seemingly normal.

He slammed himself through the door. Jo? You’re awake?

She smiled sarcastically. Good morning to you too, Jesse.

I got a call, and I thought— he cut himself off, not really knowing what he had thought, he just didn’t think anything good. I thought something was wrong.

I’m fine, she told him carefully, not really understanding what had happened to her. The doctors were just saying that I can go home later today. Need you to call Sam and the ‘rents, though.

I’ve got it, he said, already pulling his phone and walking back out into the hall. Thank god. Kane obviously wasn’t dead, so he must have taken the curse off himself. Either he did it out of the goodness of his heart, decided he didn’t need her down for the count anymore, or he was too weak to keep the curse up any longer. Either way, Jesse was just glad Johanna ‘Biddy’ Hemmings was okay again.

CHAPTER THREE

Nora Ruiz and her older sister Blair were the other pair of new siblings that year at Ashby Preparatory Academy in San Catalin. They had also befriended Warren and his friends just as Kane and Ellie had, but had yet to reveal their supernatural origins. Blair was the secretive and domineering type. She bestowed orders on Nora to keep their powers and their knowledge to themselves as they tried to uncover Kane’s identity. But Nora shed her doormat personality at the height of the troubles, Homecoming night, and stood up for herself. Of course, not used to not being blindly followed, Blair regressed into hermit mode in her dorm room.

Blair? Nora called through her sister’s dorm room door tentatively, raising her hand to knock again. Blair, come on! I’m sorry!

The door opened to reveal a red-eyed Grace—Sam’s girlfriend, or ex-girlfriend, and Blair’s roommate—sniffing slightly. Blair isn’t here. She went out about an hour ago.

Nora took in Grace’s disheveled appearance. It was almost noon, and she was still in pajamas, without her hair or makeup done. That wouldn’t be so alarming on a Sunday if it wasn’t Grace Howard in front of her. Grace was always manicured and done up to look her best, whether she was attending class or hanging around the dorms. But this girl in front of her didn’t look anything like the girl Nora had come to know. Are—are you okay?

Grace sniffed and shook her head. I’m, I’m fine. I’m just tired out from the dance.

You didn’t go to the dance last night, Nora said as gently as she could. Sam was there with Jesse and Warren. Kane didn’t show up either. Sam said you guys had a fight.

Grace slouched into the doorway and nodded tearfully. I kissed somebody else. I told him yesterday, and we had a fight in the hospital. He just left and now he’s not answering his phone.

Call it self-centered, but for a moment, Nora only wondered if it was Kane that Grace had kissed. It would make sense. Kane and Ellie had been new transfer students, just like Nora and her sister Blair. Only Blair and Nora knew that the other pair of siblings were supernatural. As well as Warren, Sam, Jesse, and Jo. None of the others knew about her and her sister’s true nature, however. When they had moved here, Kane had taken an interest in Nora. But Grace had been flirting and hanging off Kane’s every word the whole time they’d known each other, all the while encouraging Nora to go for it. She could call it anything she wanted, but it was nothing short of shady. And Nora couldn’t help but wonder if Kane liked it—liked Grace—and that was the reason he didn’t show for the dance last night.

That’s awful, Nora feigned sympathy. I’m sorry.

Grace shook her head frantically. "This is all my fault. I did this. I wouldn’t blame him if he never wanted to see me again."

I’m sure that’s not true, Nora tried to assure the girl, even if she wasn’t invested in saving her relationship with Sam. I’m sure he’s mad, but you’ve guys have been together for a long time. He loves you. You just have to get his trust back.

How am I supposed to do that?

Nora shrugged. I don’t know.

* * *

Jo hugged her brother tightly when he got to the hospital. Where’s mom and dad?