Eye of the Storm (The Charmed) by Dianne Nutting Page A

Chase drew himself to a sitting position and drew his knees to his chest. His breathing wasn’t coming back but the pain was all over. A picture of Lyla came flooding into his head. She was in pain. The realization of what was happening hit him. Lyla was being tortured so he would come back. Tom knew. Tom knew he was free of the hold and he was using Lyla to get him to come back. Chase looked at his watch. It was July fifth. Where had all those weeks gone? Chase stood and walked across the stream. He braced himself to resist the spell but it never hit. Tom must have known it wouldn’t now that Chase was aware. The biggest mistake Tom had made was not doing the work at the safe house himself. He had Chase do all the chopping and gathering, all the labor. Free will always trumped a spell or charm. Chase strode up the mountain determined to kill Tom.

    Harley had tried to bring Brendan over before but it always ended badly. Either her father was ashamed of what he’d become or he would curse at Brendan in a drunken stupor. Harley stopped at the front door. The two-story run down house had stucco removed in various spots, ivy ran up one side and the other was dirt worn. The yard was so overgrown that you couldn’t tell a wrought-iron fence was in front of the property. Harley looked at the oval shaped door. It had rusted hinges and various pieces of wood were peeling off in strips.
    “Are you sure?” She hesitated.
    Brendan placed his hands on Harley’s shoulders and turned her toward him. “It’s time to start, from here on out no more being ashamed, no more hiding. We are who we are, we’re the people we are because of who raised us. You became strong, and I love you for that. I don’t know where I would have been all these years without you by my side. I love you and always will. But it’s time to face some demons and the first one is behind this door. I’ll be right next to you. I won’t leave no matter what he says.”
    Harley turned her head into his chest, and held back tears as she pulled away, looked up and said, “Okay, let’s go.” She turned around and opened the door. A loud blast threw the two back into the overgrown yard. They both rolled over onto their knees coughing. Harley looked back and her house was engulfed in flames. “I didn’t smell fire! Brendan, I didn’t smell anything! My Dad! Where is he?”
    Brendan stood up and raced into the house flames and all.
    “Brendan!” Harley screamed. A moment later he came through the front door holding Mr. McGillicuddy. They hesitated slightly just over the threshold of the door but Brendan held on and pulled him through. His arm was draped over Brendan’s, he was limping and had a large gash over his left eye that was bleeding profusely. They walked to the car carefully through the thick brush. Smoke emitted from the small two-story, neighbors came out to stare at them but stayed at a careful pace away. In the distance a fire engine was revving around the corner. Harley held onto Brendan and watched her house go up in flames. The firefighters arrived pushing everyone across the street out of harm’s way. Windows were broken, large hoses were forced through the front. No matter how quick they got there, the fire burned too hot and too quick, the house was burned to the ground in minutes.
    “Sir, is this your home?” A fireman approached Harley’s father.
    “Yes.” Mr. McGillicuddy sat down on the curb. A paramedic began tending to the cut on his face, giving him an oxygen mask and taking vitals.
    “Any idea, sir, how the fire started?”
    “No.” He looked down. The fireman dropped the questioning, Harley looked at her father, something didn’t add up.
    Once the firemen and paramedics left, it was too dark to go into the burned structure. Brendan ushered them into his truck and they drove to Jaden’s house.
    Harley rang the bell. Kayla answered laughing. “Hi! Wow. What happened to you guys? You smell like smoke!”
    “Can we come