PROLOGUE:

RENEE'S POV

I drove cautiously down the street from where I had visited a half a year ago, minding the non existent stop signs that were torn down by kids. The houses on each side of the street were run down, giving the feeling that I was back in Los Angeles where I had worked previously, but this was worse...much worse.

I shuddered at scenery before me. I could feel magic coursing through the streets. Whatever woke in me since Bella moved away to Forks has been an unavoidable annoyance, a dread that has filled my being. I felt within my pocket my small hunting knife and pepper spray that were ready to be used if needed.

I found the house I was looking for and parked alongside the curb directly in front. I wanted to be close to my car in the event I needed to leave sooner. This fortune teller, 'seer' as she called herself...frightened me. Mia Hernandez was someone who was referenced to me by a member of a book club I belonged to.

As soon as I walked up the door steps, a voice called out to me. "Come in, child! I was just making some tea for the both of us!" I slowed my walk, taken by surprise, but I should have known. I had not told her I was coming to see her. "Come, take a seat! I am almost finished." her voice was old, high strung almost.

I sat at the table. It was set up neatly, tea cups, place mats, sugar, milk, spoons. I looked around her dining room. It was filled with little trinkets, shelves filled with books on the supernatural, spells, etc. Books that were probably older than myself.

There were taxidermy of small animals and birds hanging from the ceiling, one looked as if it were staring at me. It was such an eerie feeling. I shook my head at the absurdity of it all, but I was scared. I don't know what possessed me to come here today. I felt the urge as soon as I had woken.

Mia hobbled in with her tea kettle, placing it on the table. She sat down across from me. She was extremely old. Her eyes and the top of her head were covered with a tattered scarf. She had a frailty about her, but I had reason to believe she was still very powerful.

She poured the tea into the cups and motioned for me to drink. I looked at the liquid warily. "There are no side effects, this time. It is Lipton tea." she said, smiling in amusement. I shuddered, wishing she hadn't smiled. Her teeth were rotten, giving the illusion that she was already dead. Reluctantly, I sipped.

"You felt the call to see me. You hoped my visions changed." she said. "I don't want this life for my son. My daughter...I have no hope of seeing her again." I said, quietly. "You should know, your sacrifices will not go unnoticed. You also know that you and your husband's times on this earth is very limited. You feel that in your heart. Do not deny this." she said.

I felt my throat tighten. Tears welled up. "I don't want my husband to die..." I whispered. "And yourself?" she asked, her voice was a softer, but flat tone. "I don't care about myself. I only care that my family..." I felt heavy with grief at the thought of not seeing my son grow up, never having the closure to see Bella or Charlie again. My husband Phil, I couldn't imagine life without him.

"Things are set in motion, things that cannot be undone." I looked down at my tea cup. "Will Jimmy be like my daughter?" I asked. Mia scoffed and laughed humorlessly. "I should hope not!" she said bitterly. Surprised, I glared at her. "Why? Who's side are you on?" I asked, my tone taking on a sharpness. "I am on my own side, woman! I see things! I know things!" she yelled.

My instincts and red flags screamed at me that I was nothing more than a pawn in her plans I had no idea of. I stood abruptly. "Sit down, Renee, and finish your tea." she ordered. "I don't think so. It was a mistake to come here. I don't know what kind of gift lives within me, but something tells me, you are nothing good. I regret ever meeting you." I said fiercely.

I turned to walk towards the door, but it shut on it's own. I gasped, but steeled myself for more onslaught. I turned towards her and glared, she smiled an evil smile. "Let me go." I said calmly. "I have no plans to let you go now. You see too much into me, child. You should have never come, as you said." she said, her voice filled with an amusement that took delight in the misfortunes of others.

I looked around the dining room, and my sight landed on the bird that stared at me. For a split second, it blinked. I glanced at the old lady, then at the bird. Without a second thought, I jumped onto the chair in front of me, then onto the table, knocking over the tea kettle and cups and grabbed the bird by it's short neck.

I took my pepper spray and used it, dousing the eyes of the bird. The old lady yelled obscenities at me, wringing her hands. I squeezed the birds neck, cutting her screams, I dropped the pepper spray and broke the bird in half, severing the head. I jumped down from the table and dropped the pieces.

I was shaking so hard, shocked at my own actions. I let out a cry when the old lady in front of me appeared dead. I looked at the bird's body that I had dropped, the severed head nearby. There was no blood shed, of course there wasn't. I was slightly relieved, but my nerves were so frazzled. With shaking hands, I picked up both pieces of the bird and placed them in my handbag. I dug out my cell phone from my back pocket. I knew I wasn't physically responsible for this old lady's death, but I couldn't leave her like this either.

I dialed 911.

HOURS LATER

"Looks like she died of a heart attack." the EMT muttered to himself. They had wheeled Mia's covered body into an ambulance as I looked on. I had given my rehearsed statement to the police. 'I was having tea. We had an argument, she became agitated, then stopped talking. When I asked her if she was ok, she didn't respond. I dialed 911.'

"Did she try to charge you more than what she advertised?" the police officer asked, looking down at his notepad. "Yes. Much higher. I realize now that this whole tea leaves or tarot card reading was a scam, but I never meant for her to become ill like this..." I said. My voice sounded hollow. "She's still in shock. Have her checked over." Another EMT ordered. I was led to the firetruck and given a short exam, but I was cleared. After giving my contact phone number to the police, I was allowed to go home.

LATER THAT EVENING...

I sat in my rocking chair, holding my sleeping son as events from this afternoon replayed like a bad dream over and over again. Phil had come home when I had not answered my cell phone or texts. I was in my back yard, burning the pieces of the bird. He glanced at the barbecue pit warily when I tossed the head of the bird in. He was concerned with my mental and physical well being. At one point, I didn't care anymore if he put me in a mental hospital. I calmed down enough and told him I was just having a bad afternoon. Depression was not kind to me today, I explained to Phil.

He stayed home with me for the rest of the day and took the rest of the week off. I was still shaky from everything that had happened. I hoped that whatever I had done, would not come looking for my family as payback, but it was only a fool's hope.

BACK AT MIA HERNANDEZ'S HOUSE:

Heavy footsteps sounded as a burly man set foot into the house where Mama Hernandez was declared dead. The man walked through the dining room, circling the area where she conducted her business most days. Everyone that knew Mama swore she was the real deal. She made money telling people what their lives would be like in the future. She never lied, but she also only told partial truths. The man continued looking around the living room, searching for something. "Where is that damned bird?" he muttered. "You piece of shit. Stop hiding from me!" he muttered. He looked up, the noticed that the bird was forced away from it's place. "So someone figured out your sight." he laughed a little to himself. "I ain't sad 'bout this, but you's good as dead. At least you're with your son now. The pack will not be happy. This is war."

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Hey, Hi. I'm still coming up with ideas for a sequel, but this little ditty smacked me in the head on my way home from work. I'm still working on the paragraph structures on the current chapters and also writing a new story centered around Caius and Bella to get my creative juices flowing. I hope you all have a great start to the new year. Be safe, everyone.