CHAPTER SEVEN

“Who is the letter from?” Mom asked, her eyes widening as she looked up at the ceiling, as if she were expecting to find a mail slot there.

“Artemis.”

“Artemis? My sister?” Mom repeated, shaking her head.

“Yep.”

Mom looked at me with concern in her eyes. “How is that possible when she’s dead?”

I blinked, realizing that in the course of my explanation of how I’d become a Daughter of the Moon, I’d forgotten to mention the part about all the letters I’d received from very-dead-and-gone Artemis. “Right—so… Artemis sends me letters from the grave whenever I need help.”

Mom furrowed her brow, clearly puzzled. “How can she write a letter from a casket?” she asked, shaking her head like the idea was completely absurd. “It’s got to be seriously cramped, not to mention, dark in there!”

“Mom,” I sighed, breathing in deeply as I counted to five and tried to conserve my temper. Then I counted to ten. “I’m not going to respond to such moronic questions.”

Ignoring her huff of annoyance, I focused on the letter in my hands. It was addressed to me as all of them were. I broke the wax seal and ripped it open as quickly as I could, recognizing Artemis’s distinctive handwriting immediately .

At the sound of someone clearing their throat, I looked up at the same time Mom did, but neither of us could see anyone.

“Dear Catherine,” the voice called out and it took me another second or so to realize Artemis was actually reading the letter to me this time, even though I couldn’t see her. I figured it was the letter itself, that was offering up the narrative.

“That sounds like… Artemis,” Mom said, frowning at me like she couldn’t understand how that was possible.

I nodded. “That’s because it is.”

“By now,” Artemis continued as Mom started searching the kitchen—looking for any sign of her sister, “you’ve no doubt realized that your mother also has a touch of magic.”

“Oh, God,” I started, shaking my head.

“Nothing in comparison to yours or mine, of course,” Artemis continued, “but yes, she has some magical abilities, herself.”

Mom then hobbled around the island and began lifting the lids off the various jars on the counter, like she thought she might find her sister’s soul inside one—maybe preventing the weevils from eating the flour. After searching each drawer and cupboard, opening the microwave, the oven, and the fridge, she started for the pantry. But after not finding any ghosts there, she turned to face me with a shake of her head as she plopped her hands on her hips and appeared crestfallen.

“She must be a ghost that is now invisible to the living!” she concluded, throwing up her hands as if to say she had no other explanation.

I didn’t comment, instead, I just kept listening as Artemis told me that Mom was gifted with some of the same abilities that ran in our bloodline. But watching Mom now as she busily looked inside the top of the blender, I found that a little bit difficult to believe.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Yes,” Artemis answered. “Your mother’s abilities developed… let’s just say— later in life.” Artemis cleared her throat. “Much, much later.”

“I’m sixty-five, Artemis!” Mom called out, frowning at nothing and everything.

“Seventy-five,” Artemis corrected her. “Regardless, your mother has… well, her own abilities.”

Mom wheeled around then and faced me with an exuberant expression. “I knew it!” she called out triumphantly as she began nodding in swift succession. “I always knew I was special. ”

“Then why did you tell me the magic had skipped Mom?” I asked aloud.

“Because I hadn’t been certain what the Moon would decide with regard to whether or not your mother would be blessed with magic,” Artemis responded.

“The Moon knew I was special,” Mom said with a big smile, but soon the smile faded and was replaced with an expression of confusion. “How did the Moon know I was special again?”

“Apparently, this was the Moon’s doing, yes,” Artemis responded, and her tone was cool—like she hadn’t seen this coming any more than I had. “It seemed the Moon did gift your mother with some level of magic which I should assume means the Moon wants her to help you in some way, Catherine.”

“Great. Just what I wanted to hear,” I muttered, shaking my head. “How is she supposed to help me?”

The letter responded in real time, scrawling out a response as Artemis’s voice narrated. “The answers to those questions will come in time. For now, it’s just important to know that your mother is part and parcel of the grand plan, Catherine.”

“Why does she keep calling you Catherine?” Mom whispered to me before she started scanning the kitchen again, as if she were expecting Artemis to pop out of the toaster and give her an answer.

I shrugged. “Probably the same reason you keep calling Luke ‘Lou-Lou’.”

Mom frowned. “Isn’t that his name?”

I shook my head then breathed in deeply. “Anyway...”

“Your mother is part of your destiny, Catherine,” Artemis continued.

“Destiny,” Mom mused, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “I always knew I was destined for something big, Katie. For something spectacular!”

“I’m sure you did,” I grumbled.

Mom started nodding on fast forward again. “That’s just another one of the reasons why I had to call it quits with Ken. He was just too… ordinary—too normal for a cosmically special gal like me.”

Ken was Mom’s ex-boyfriend who’d always struck me as a pretty nice guy—ordinary, sure, but that’s exactly what I’d thought Mom needed—someone a little ordinary to mitigate her complete lunacy.

“Anyway, there was this one time when we were living in Boca Raton. And I came across an alligator that had crawled up our embankment—you know the house that backed onto the waterway?”

“You only had one house in Boca Raton.”

“Right—that one. Well, that alligator crawled out of the water and motored on—right up to me, like he was intent on eating me. But do you know what happened, Katie?”

“I admit I don’t.”

“I locked eyes with that awful, toothy beast. I stared him down and in my head, I said: No, mister, you are not going to eat me today. So, you just take those short, little, stumpy legs of yours and you turn yourself around and go back to where you came from . And, Katie, that alligator… well, he turned himself right around and he crawled over to Mrs. Sherwood’s house, probably because he decided he was going to eat her instead, and you know what? I watched him the whole way.”

“How neighborly of you.”

She nodded. “I convinced that awful thing that I wanted nothing to do with it and he listened to me, Katie.” She took a deep breath like she was preparing to recite the National Anthem. “And that was when I realized I did possess something extraterrestrial. ”

“This isn’t about aliens, Mom.”

“Whatever,” she said and waved me away with an unconcerned hand. “And not only did I realize I possessed magic, Katie, but I was set on this earth to serve a much bigger calling.”

“And here you are.”

“And here I am,” she repeated, a wistful expression overcoming her face. “Not today, Satan.”

But maybe tomorrow.

I didn’t respond, and didn’t bother telling her she didn’t possess Beast Sense or whatever the hell Luke had called it. Hmm, maybe she possessed Beastiality Sense instead…

I couldn’t help snickering at my own joke.

“What’s so funny?” Mom asked, eyeing me narrowly.

“Nothing, nothing,” I answered, and it was my turn to wave her concern away. Then I focused on the letter as I continued reading the scrawl that bled through the parchment as Artemis’s voice started narrating once more.

“Your next lesson involves the card of The Star, Catherine,” she said.

With that, the ceiling above began to shimmer with a subtle, otherworldly glow once more. From this luminous portal, the card of The Star suddenly appeared and then began to descend, just as slowly and gracefully as the letter had.

The card floated downward, its movement almost magical in its fluidity. It glided through the air, twirling gently as if carried by an unseen breeze. The card itself was a work of art, featuring a serene, celestial scene comprised of vivid, enchanting colors. At the center of the card, a beautiful figure knelt beside a tranquil pool, pouring water from two vessels—one into the pool of water and the other onto the land. Above her, a large, radiant star shone brightly, surrounded by smaller stars, all twinkling with a soft, enchanting light.

As The Star card continued its descent, the air in the room seemed to hum with a gentle, harmonious energy. Finally, the card drifted into my open hand, just like the letter had—as if it had been coaxed there by the hands of fate. Strangely, the card felt warm and alive, almost like it was infused with the magic and promise of the star it depicted.

“What in the world is that?” Mom asked, squinting at the card.

“It’s my next adventure. ”

“The tarot card of The Star represents hope and healing,” Artemis’s voice continued. “And it is connected to the persona of Strength. The Star lights the path to healing by pouring the light of the cosmos onto the earth.”

I looked up at the ceiling with a frown. “What the fuck does that mean?”

“If you’d stop interrupting, I’d tell you,” Artemis’s voice snapped back, and she sounded a little ticked off. “The card of the Star represents the unconscious. It also represents hope, a renewal of faith, inspiration, and creativity from a divine source.”

“That still isn’t helping me.”

“It lifts your spirits after a time of violent transformation.” Well, I’d say my ass had gone through a violent transformation—seeing as how I’d gone from a size zero to a size twelve in like two minutes. “The Star offers healing from the past and makes you feel hopeful for the future. It teaches you to act on your creative impulses.”

I tried to wrap my head around what Artemis was saying, but it all just sounded so abstract and confusing, I couldn’t really make heads or tails of it. But I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to get reprimanded again.

“So, leaving that super easy to understand explanation for the time being,” I muttered, rubbing my temples, “what am I supposed to do about Gray, er, Valerian?”

“Is that the homeless vampire you kidnapped?” Mom asked and I nodded. “The one wearing your robe?” She double-checked, as if we had a plethora of homeless, kidnapped vampires in the house.

“Yeah.”

“Catherine,” Artemis’s voice interjected, “I meant to congratulate you on a job well done.”

Okay, that was surprising. I mean, it wasn’t every day that Artemis congratulated me on anything. In fact, I was pretty sure this was the first time. “Oh, really?”

“Yes,” she answered. “You did very well when you not only discovered Valerian’s whereabouts, but you also fully understood the lesson of The Hanged Man.”

“Yeah, I guess I did,” I answered and allowed myself a proud moment.

“You were right in your beliefs,” Artemis continued. “I hid Valerian away from the world in order to allow him time to repent and become a changed man. ”

“So, why isn’t Luke on board with your plan then?”

There was a slight pause. “Sometimes you will find that men do not possess the same lucidity that women do,” Artemis answered.

“Amen to that, sister,” Mom replied under her breath.

“I don’t know what that means,” I admitted.

“It means that Luke will come around in time,” Artemis responded. “And you must show him the way.”

“I’ve tried to show him the way and he hasn’t come around. In fact, he’s basically been a stubborn ass about the whole thing.”

“Keep trying.”

I rolled my eyes, because that was easy for her to say. “Anyway… back to Valerian—I get that you walled him up in the castle dungeon for a few decades in order to change him, but is he actually a changed man now?”

“That you must decide for yourself.”

I frowned. “How am I supposed to figure that out when he doesn’t even know who he is?”

“Right,” Artemis said and then she paused again. “I forgot about that little point.”

“A not so little point to forget,” I mused .

“It is time for Luke to return Valerian’s memories to him,” Artemis responded.

“Hmm.” I wasn’t sure what to make of that and scratched my head as I further pondered it. “Is that like easily done or something? And will Luke even know how to do it?”

“No, it’s not easily done, but, yes, Luke will know how to do it,” Artemis replied.

“Are you sure?” I looked over at my mom and shook my head. “Because he was pretty useless when it came to taking Mom’s memories away.”

“Hey,” Mom said with a frown. “Is that what he was doing? Trying to take my memories away?”

“Yep.”

“Well! Of all the no-good, slimy—”

“—your mother’s memories couldn’t be tampered with, owing to her own magic.”

“Hmm,” I answered.

“See—I’m too advanced for extraterrestrial magic to work on me,” Mom said proudly.

“You’re too something,” I agreed.

“And once Valerian’s memories are returned to him,” Artemis continued, “and he fully understands who he once was, he will be the one who must make the choice regarding just who he becomes moving forward. ”

I held up a hand because that didn’t exactly sound good. “Wait, so Valerian, er Gray, won’t automatically be good after he gets his memories back?”

“No, that’s not how free will works, Catherine.”

“Free will?” I repeated as I threw my hands up in the air because now I was annoyed. “What does that have to do with it?”

“Free will has everything to do with everything,” Artemis answered, very unhelpfully.

“That’s why we live in America, Katie,” Mom added.

“Free will had nothing to do with me becoming a Daughter of the Moon,” I argued, essentially with the air.

“You were never forced into this calling,” Artemis replied. “You made the choice to become a Daughter.”

Well, that wasn’t exactly how things went down, but I also didn’t want to rehash old injuries—no point in bringing up the past and all that stuff mental health professionals like to say. “Well, that’s all fine and good, but what if Gray chooses to like… go back to being a dickhead? What happens then? ”

Artemis gave me a little chuckle, no doubt because she liked the idea of calling Valerian a ‘dickhead.’

“Then you’ll have to deal with him.”

“Deal with him? What does that mean?”

“Artemis, are the two ana-nazis attempting to impregnate us?” Mom called out, looking like she was addressing the fridge.

“I don’t even know how to respond to that,” Artemis replied.

“Just ignore her,” I offered

“Anyway,” Artemis continued. “As far as Valerian goes and whether or not he’s been restored to his old self… well, that’s for you to figure out, Catherine,” Artemis said and paused. “So, stop trying to push the subject, because I don’t have an answer for you.”

“Well, excuse the hell out of me for having some concerns about giving Voldemort his memories back so he could potentially become Voldemort 2.0!”

“Kate, you’re causing a scene,” Mom whispered.

“Valerian will have to choose between the man he was,” Artemis continued, “and the man he wants to be. And that’s all there is to be said about it. The choice is and must remain his and his alone. ”

I frowned. “So, there’s still a chance he could choose the dark side?”

“Yes, there is.”

“Fantastic,” I muttered, rolling my eyes as something else occurred to me. “So, if there was a chance that Valerian might have remained bad, why didn’t you just kill him? Especially if he was as bad as Luke makes him out to be?”

“Because it was foretold that Valerian would become a necessary component to the fight ahead,” Artemis explained.

“Wait,” I said, just to make sure I had it right. “The fight with the Dark Coven and Ezra?”

“Catherine, there are many battles to be fought,” Artemis replied cryptically. I squinted down at the words on the letter, frustration bubbling inside me because everything having to do with this Daughter of the Moon stuff was always so cryptic. I was never fully sure what in the hell any of it ever meant.

I looked back up at the ceiling. Why? I had no idea. “If it’s foretold that Valerian is going to fight the Dark Coven, then wouldn’t it follow that he has to be good now?” I asked, hoping for some reassurance on that topic .

“The choice is for him to make and him only.”

“Ugh.”

Mom clapped her hands excitedly. “Look at the bright side, Katie.”

“What is the bright side?”

“That all of this is like a supernatural soap opera!” I didn’t see how that could be a bright side. In fact, I would have preferred to tune in to Big Brother if I wanted more drama. “I can’t wait to see how it all plays out! Will the kidnapped and homeless vampire seek revenge, or won’t he?”

“Chin up, Catherine,” Artemis encouraged. “You’ve come so far already, and you’re more than capable of handling whatever challenges lie ahead. Just remember: follow your instincts, trust your allies, and never lose sight of the light within you.”

“Thanks, Yoda,” I responded, shaking my head as I thought about the path ahead, and in thinking about it, I groaned, running a hand through my hair. This whole thing felt like one big puzzle with constantly shifting pieces. Before I could voice my concerns though, Mom piped up beside me.

“Artemis, can you hear me? This is your sister. ”

“Yes, I can hear you, Nancy, and I know who you are.” Then there was a groan that was followed by a muttered, “Jesus.”

“Right, very good!” Mom said.

As far as I could tell from her flat tone of voice, Artemis wasn’t exactly happy to hear from her sister. And that seemed only right, considering Artemis had been the black sheep of the family.

“Hi, Artemis.”

“Hello, Nancy.”

“So, am I now a Daughter of the Moon also?” Mom asked with a big, hopeful grin.

“No.”

“Oh.” The grin fell off her face, to be replaced by a frown. “Am I a Mother of the Moon then?” She sounded hopeful again.

“There’s no such thing,” Artemis answered and then she sighed like she wasn’t a stranger to these sorts of inane conversations.

“A Lover of the Moon?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Okay, then what am I?”

“You are a helper to Catherine. You will aid her with your own magic, when the time comes.”

“Oh,” Mom answered and seemed disappointed .

“Looks like your magic is just sidekick magic, Mom,” I said with a shrug to which Artemis heartily laughed—like louder and longer than I’d ever heard.

“If that’s it for now, I’d like to get back to my forever after,” Artemis then said tersely. If that wasn’t a loaded sentence, I didn’t know what was. As far as I understood, neither Artemis nor my mother had ever gotten closure where the other was concerned.

“Just for the record, Artemis, it wasn’t the family who turned our backs on you,” Mom started, and I felt my stomach drop because this definitely wasn’t a conversation I wanted to witness at the moment.

There was nothing but silence for exactly three tense seconds. “It certainly was!”

Mom cocked her hip to one side and stared up at the ceiling. “And how do you figure that?”

“Because I wasn’t invited to Thanksgiving in 2001!”

Mom cocked her hip to the other side. “Because we invited you the year before and you not only never showed up, but you also never even RSVP’d.”

“Well, once I heard it was going to be held in your home at the nudist colony , I decided not to attend. The last thing I wanted to deal with was seeing our family naked—Uncle Fred was disturbing enough in full clothing.”

“Just because it was held in the clubhouse doesn’t mean everyone attending was naked and Uncle Fred was already dead by then anyway.”

“No, he wasn’t.”

Mom crossed her arms against her ridiculous chest. “Yes, he absolutely was. He died in 1999.”

A moment of silence. “Did he?”

“He did.”

“Can we get back to the point please?” I interrupted.

Mom nodded and then looked up at the ceiling once more. “Artemis, since the Moon saw to it that Katie now has a very shapely behind, can you ask if the moon could do the same for me?” Then she glanced down at her butt. “I could use a little more junk in my trunk.”