Chapter 245

Tessa’s POV

My heart was racing rapidly against my ribcage and my entire body was trembling as we sat back on the couch in my father’s living room. My mind was whirling from what had happened and I didn’t have the strength to speak.

My father said he remembered stuff from the past and I was terrified about what he was going to say. I wasn’t sure I could handle any more bombshells; I was emotionally and physically exhausted and I found myself leaning against Joseph for support.

Literally.

His body was supporting mine and keeping me from falling over onto the couch and falling asleep.

Esme finally broke through the silence, bringing us all out of our thoughts.

“You did the right thing,” she said to my father gently, giving him a nod of approval.

He nodded, but then he sighed, and his shoulders slumped as if they were carrying the weight of the world.

“I know,” he finally said softly. “I’m not sure why I remember everything so vividly now… but it all came rushing back to me so quickly just before Lucias got here…” he paused for a moment as he lifted his gaze and met Esme’s. “Alison would have been so upset with me…”

“All she ever wanted was for her family to be safe, Rick,” Esme said, shaking her head with sadness clear on her face. “You can only do so much with the information you have. But it’s not too late to do the right thing and you did do the right thing by revoking access to Tessa just now.”

“Can someone please tell me what’s going on?” I finally asked, my voice cracking as I spoke. I needed to know what was happening before I lost my mind. I was sick of all these secrets. I was sick of feeling lied to.

I couldn’t handle it anymore.

Tears poured out of my eyes before I could stop them, and I bit my lower lip to keep from sobbing but that didn’t stop my body from trembling violently as I struggled to hold myself together.

Joseph wrapped me in his arms and my body shuddered against him as he ran his hands up and down my back, trying to soothe me.

Esmeralda looked at me and then leaned forward, placing her hands on her lap as she took me in.

“We should probably start from the beginning,” Esme said in a soft and comforting voice. “This coven wasn’t always bad. Your mother and I were a part of this coven for most of our lives,” she started to explain. “Her grandmother was Constance, the coven leader at the time. Constance was incredibly powerful, and it was no surprise that her granddaughter would be just as powerful if not more so. But your mother was one of the most powerful witches to exist. So much so that the Grand Council wanted her to be a part of the council. But your mother’s only wish was to take over the coven once her grandmother passed on.”

My heart ached hearing this and it ached even more knowing that my mother died before she could fulfill that goal.

“Constance was a prophet,” Esme continued. “She had a prophecy many years prior about her own granddaughter, Alison, your mother. It was about her firstborn child…” She paused, and her eyes met mine.

“Me?” I asked in barely a whisper.

Esme nodded and reached out to grab my hands, holding them tightly as she continued.

“Alison’s firstborn child was said to have the ‘The Heavenly Heart’.”

“Tessa’s the Heavenly Heart?” Joseph asked. “So, it’s true then?”

“Yes,” Esmeralda answered. “It’s true.”

“What exactly is the Heavenly Heart?” I found myself asking.

“A strengthen of powers that come from your heart, gifted by the moon goddess,” she answered. “Your powers are said to be the strongest in the world. A powerful weapon that ties together evil and good. You're meant to bring the world together in harmony and be the protector and healer of all kinds. But the fact that we don’t specifically know your powers and what you can do, also makes you dangerous.”

I could hardly breathe. I stared down at my hands in disbelief. Joseph took hold of my hands to steady them because of how badly they were trembling.

I was meant to be the protector and healer of all kinds? Me? Tessa?

I lifted my gaze and met my father’s eyes; they were misty, and he looked so sad.

“And you knew about this?” I asked, my voice hoarse.

He sighed.

“Yes, but also no,” he told me. “Your mother didn’t want me to remember. She made me and everyone else forget. Just the knowledge of it was dangerous.”

“The knowledge?” I asked breathlessly.

“Your mother didn’t want anyone to know about this,” my father explained. “Even in the very beginning. I didn’t know about any of this until she got pregnant with you. Then she told me what she was and about the coven and about what you were going to be… she told me about everything including the Heavenly Heart and that it needed to be kept a secret because if others knew about it…” his voice trailed off as the memories slammed into him and he stared down at his hands again.

Esmeralda cleared her throat.

“Word had gotten out about Constance’s prophet, and many wanted to father that child. The father wasn’t clear when Constance first prophesied, and they wanted the chance to be the father of such a weapon…” Esmeralda explained. “That’s what started Lucias’ obsession with Alison.”

I cringed at her words.

“He was obsessed with her?” I asked.

Esme nodded; her face grim.

“Very much so, yes,” Esmeralda answered. “It scared Constance, that’s why she sent Alison away to a human college. She lived in a dorm room and everything.”

I looked at my father again.

“That’s when she met you,” I said to him; it wasn’t a question, but he nodded anyway.

“And they fell in love,” Esmeralda said thoughtfully. “I was the only one who knew about it. Alison kept it a secret because she knew it was against the rules. But also, because she knew that it would put him in danger if word got out about it. They fell in love, and she got pregnant fast. It was toward the end of their graduation and Rick had proposed to her.”

I looked at my father again and a tear escaped his eye, running down his cheek and dripping off his chin.

“You still married her after knowing the truth?” I asked in wonder.

He nodded, meeting my eyes.

“I loved her.”

My heart swelled from his admittance as I looked back at Esmeralda.

“Then what happened?” I asked, fully invested now.

“Your father and mother married; it was a small courthouse marriage, but Constance and I were invited, and your mother was so happy and in love. They bought a farm near the coven, so Alison could be close to her grandmother. Alison enchanted the house so witches outside of her bloodline couldn’t enter without permission. Even I couldn’t enter. It was a safe haven; a place where they felt the safest. Word had gotten out about her pregnancy though and even more word got out about the prophet. It wasn’t just witches who knew about it…”

“Vampires knew about it too…” Joseph said, finishing Esmeralda’s thought as if he was just remembering something.

Esmeralda looked at him and nodded.

I looked at Joseph just as my father scowled at him. Esme looked at my father with a strange look before looking back at Joseph.

“Do you remember what happened?” Esme asked.

He shook his head.

“Not much,” Joseph confessed.

“Alison was kidnapped by a vampire elder,” Esme continued, causing me to gasp loudly at her words. “She was about 9 months pregnant, and he was going to deliver the child himself and take her… take you…” She said that last part while looking at me.

My heart shattered in my chest.

“What?” I was hardly able to get out.

Esmeralda looked at Joseph, narrowing her eyes she asked, “Do you remember Elder Benjamine Rowan?”

I looked up at Joseph and saw that recognition had flashed through his eyes.

“Benji…” he said with his voice low and filled with malice. I couldn’t help the shiver that crept up my spine. “He was the elder of the very first tribe I belonged to. He was the overseer at the time before he was killed. Bernard became the next overseer and the rest of us were appointed Elders after we reached our next age milestone shortly afterwards.”

Esme nodded.

“Benji wasn’t a good guy,” she said grimly. “He was greedy and only wanted one thing… power. He would have stopped at nothing to get that power. Even if it meant kidnapping a newborn baby.”

I touched Joseph's leg, feeling a wave of warmth around the palm of my hand and expanding to him as I met his eyes.

“Can you remember what happened with Benji and my mother?” I asked. “Were you there?”

Joseph’s eyes locked onto mine and they widened. His pupils dialed and soon I could see realization dawning on him as he blinked a few times.

“Interesting…” Esme whispered, staring between the two of us. “It seems you have the power to make them remember. I thought it was odd when it happened with your father, but now my suspicions were just confirmed.”

“What?” I asked, looking at her in surprise. “You think I could make them remember?”

Esmeralda didn’t answer me; instead, she looked at Joseph as if expecting he could answer instead.

He touched my hand gently, drawing my attention to him.

“I didn’t remember until you looked into my eyes and asked me to remember,” he confessed. “And now, the memory is slowly creeping into my brain like a movie.”

“That was how it happened with me too,” my father admitted. “I couldn’t remember anything until you asked me to remember. You somehow broke the memory spell that was placed on us, Tess.”

I gasped at their words, unsure of what to say or how to take any of this. But thankfully, Esmeralda spoke next.

“Joseph, tell us what you remember. What happened with Benji?”

“For some reason, Benji trusted me. He trusted me with his plan and Esme was right… he wasn’t a good man. He was greedy and he only wanted power. When he heard about the Heavenly heart… he wanted it for himself regardless of the risks…” Joseph’s words trailed off as he thought more about it, and then he lifted his gaze and met my eyes.

“What did he do?” I found myself asking in a whisper.

“He kidnapped her…” he answered, taking hold of my hand and squeezing it tightly and I felt the warmth shooting up my arms and wrapping around me from his touch alone.

“Who?” I asked, closing my eyes as the palm of his hand cupped the side of my face so his thumb could wipe the stray tears that ran down my cheeks.

In a whisper, he answered, “Your mother.”