Witch’s Promise (Shadowguards #3.5)

10. Gabe

Chapter 10

Gabe

H e'd been aware of Sean's presence for the past hour, maybe longer. Honestly, stealth had never been Sean's strong suit. The guy moved like a bull in a china shop, all barely contained energy and restless motion. Some things, it seemed, never changed.

A part of Gabe wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Here he was being stalked by his ex-boyfriend like they were in some B-grade rom-com. If the situation weren't so fucked up, it might actually be funny.

But it wasn't funny. It was exhausting and confusing and more than a little infuriating. How the hell had Sean even known he was in Salem? And why now, after all these years of radio silence, was he suddenly playing amateur detective?

He should just turn around, confront Sean, and get this over with. But a part of him, the part that still ached when he thought about that last terrible fight, couldn't bring himself to make the first move. So he waited, tension coiling in his gut, for Sean to finally work up the courage to approach.

The crunch of gravel underfoot signaled Sean's arrival. Gabe didn't turn, keeping his eyes fixed on the distant skyline as Sean settled beside him on the low wall overlooking the river.

The familiar scent of leather and something uniquely Sean washed over him, bringing with it a flood of memories Gabe had thought long buried. Late nights studying, lazy Sunday mornings tangled in sheets, the warmth of Sean's smile and the safety of his embrace. All the things they'd lost, thrown away in a moment of fear and misunderstanding.

Gabe's eyes flicked to the side, taking in Sean's profile. He looked good, damn him. The years had been kind, adding a rugged edge to features that had once been almost pretty. The leather jacket stretched across broad shoulders, and a motorcycle helmet dangled from his left hand.

But there was something else, too. Fresh cuts and bruises marred Sean's face, telling a story of recent violence that made Gabe's chest tighten with a mixture of concern and frustration. Same old Sean, always rushing headlong into trouble.

The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words and years of hurt. Gabe knew he should say something, ask the questions that had been burning in his mind for years. But what came out instead was:

"What happened to your face?"

Sean's laugh was startled, a rough bark of sound that seemed to surprise even him. "Really? That's the first thing you ask? Not, 'Oh hey, how are you?'"

Gabe shrugged, fighting to keep his expression neutral. He was trying really hard not to snap at Sean, to maintain some semblance of control over this surreal situation. "Just making an observation."

Sean's smile faded, his hand coming up to touch the bruise blooming along his jawline. "It's nothing. Just got into a fight."

"A fight," Gabe repeated, his tone flat. He could feel his carefully constructed calm starting to crack. "Of course you did. Because that's what you do, right? Gets into fights and leaves without explanation."

The words came out sharper than he'd intended, years of pent-up hurt and anger bleeding into his voice. Sean flinched, and Gabe felt a twinge of satisfaction followed quickly by guilt. This wasn't how he'd wanted this to go.

"I deserved that," Sean said quietly, his eyes fixed on the water.

Gabe felt a twinge of guilt at the defeated tone in Sean's voice, but he pushed it aside. He'd spent too many years making excuses for Sean's behavior, trying to understand the incomprehensible. Not this time. This time, he needed answers.

"How did you even know I was in Salem?" Gabe asked, the words coming out more accusatory than he'd intended. He watched Sean's profile carefully, looking for any tell-tale signs of deception.

Sean shifted uncomfortably, his fingers drumming a restless rhythm against his thigh. "I, uh, saw you in the coffee shop. By accident."

The lie was so blatant it was almost insulting. Gabe felt a surge of frustration, bitter and familiar. Same old Sean, always hiding something, always keeping secrets.

"Right," Gabe said, not bothering to hide his skepticism. "You just happened to be in the same coffee shop, in a town you haven't lived in for years, and decided to follow me around like a cut-rate private eye."

Sean winced, clearly caught out. "Okay, so maybe it wasn't entirely accidental. But Gabe, I swear, I didn't come here to cause trouble. I just... I needed to see you."

Gabe sighed, suddenly feeling every one of his thirty-six years. He was too old for this shit, too tired to play games. "What do you want, Sean? Really. Because if you're here to rehash old arguments or try to drag me back into your world, you can save your breath."

For a long moment, Sean was quiet. Gabe could almost see the wheels turning in his head, weighing options, calculating risks. It was an expression he'd seen a thousand times before, usually right before Sean did something incredibly stupid or brave. Often both.

Finally, Sean spoke, his voice low and earnest. "I came here to see how you are. And to apologize. For everything."

"By following me around like a nutcase?" Gabe shot back, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice. "Great apology technique, Sean. Really top-notch."

Sean opened his mouth to reply, but before he could get a word out, Gabe's phone rang. The shrill tone cut through the night air, making them both jump.

Gabe fished the phone from his pocket, glancing at the screen. His mother's name flashed up at him, along with a photo of her smiling face. Shit. She never called this late unless it was important.

"Sorry, I have to take this," Gabe muttered, turning away from Sean as he answered the call. "Mom? What's up?"

His mother’s voice came through the speaker, tense and hurried. "Gabe, honey, I need you to come home. We've got a situation."

Gabe felt his Shadowguard instincts kick in, his mind immediately racing through possible scenarios. "What kind of situation? Are you okay? Is Dad-"

"We're fine," His mother cut him off. "But there's been a development. With the Wisteria girl. I can't say more over the phone. Just get here as soon as you can, okay?"

Gabe's stomach dropped. Jessy. Whatever was going on, it couldn't be good.

"I'll be right there," Gabe promised, already mentally calculating the fastest route home. "Give me twenty minutes."

He ended the call and turned back to Sean, who was watching him with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"Everything okay?" Sean asked, his brow furrowed.

Gabe hesitated. A part of him wanted to tell Sean everything, to fall back into the easy partnership they'd once shared. But too much had changed, too much water under the bridge. He couldn't trust Sean with Shadowguard business. Not yet, maybe not ever.

"Family emergency," Gabe said instead, keeping his voice neutral. "I've got to go."

Sean nodded, disappointment flashing across his face before he masked it with a wry smile. "Duty calls, huh? Some things never change."

The words stung more than they should have. Because Sean was right, wasn't he? Gabe was still the same workaholic, still putting everyone else's needs before his own. Still running away from difficult conversations and uncomfortable truths.

But maybe it didn't have to be like that. Maybe this time, things could be different.

Before he could talk himself out of it, Gabe made a decision. "Look, if you really want to talk, to explain, come to my dad's birthday party. This weekend."

Sean's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Your family's having me? After everything that happened?"

Gabe shrugged, aiming for nonchalance and probably missing by a mile. "You'll never know unless you show up."

He fished a scrap of paper and a pen from his pocket, scribbling down his address and phone number. As he handed it to Sean, their fingers brushed, sending a jolt of electricity up Gabe's arm. He pulled back quickly, trying to ignore the way his heart raced at the simple contact.

"Saturday evening,” Gabe said, taking a step back. "Don't be late. And Sean? If you come, I want the truth. All of it. No more lies, no more half-explanations. Understood?"

Sean nodded, clutching the paper like it was a lifeline. "Crystal clear. I'll be there, Gabe. I promise."

Gabe wanted to believe him. God, how he wanted to. But Sean Drake had made a lot of promises over the years, and broken most of them. Only time would tell if this one would be any different.

"Goodnight, Sean," Gabe said, turning to leave. He'd only taken a few steps when Sean's voice stopped him.

"Gabe?"

He turned back, raising an eyebrow in question.

Sean's face was a study in conflicting emotions - hope, fear, determination. "Thank you. For giving me a chance. I know I don't deserve it, but I swear, I'll make it right this time."

Gabe nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Because the truth was, a part of him wanted to believe Sean. Wanted to fall back into the easy rhythm they'd once shared, to pretend the last few years had never happened.

But he couldn't. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

As Gabe walked away, heading towards his car and whatever new crisis awaited him at home, he felt a curious mixture of heaviness and hope. On one hand, seeing Sean again had dredged up all the old hurt, all the anger and confusion he'd thought he'd put behind him.

But on the other there was a chance here. A chance for closure, for answers to questions that had haunted him for years. And maybe, just maybe, a chance to rebuild something from the ashes of what they'd once had.

Gabe shook his head, trying to clear it of such dangerous thoughts. He had more important things to worry about right now. Whatever was going on with Jessy Wisteria, whatever new threat was looming on the horizon, that had to be his focus.

As he slid behind the wheel of his car, Gabe took a deep breath, centering himself. He was Gabriel Reed, Shadowguard and protector of the magical world. He had a job to do, people counting on him. He couldn't afford to be distracted by ghosts from his past, no matter how compelling those ghosts might be.

But as he pulled away from the curb, Gabe couldn't help but glance in his rearview mirror. Sean still stood by the river, a solitary figure backlit by the city lights. For a moment, just a moment, Gabe allowed himself to remember. To feel the echo of what they'd once been, what they might have become if things had been different.

The drive home was a blur of streetlights and half-formed plans. By the time Gabe pulled into the driveway of their family home, his mind was racing with possibilities, each one more dire than the last. He barely remembered to put the car in park before he was out the door, taking the porch steps two at a time.

The house was eerily quiet as Gabe let himself in, the usual warmth and bustle replaced by a tense silence that set his teeth on edge. "Mom?" he called out, shrugging off his jacket. "Dad?"

"In here, honey," his mother’s voice drifted from the kitchen, strained in a way that made Gabe's stomach clench.

He found his mother at the kitchen table, her usually immaculate appearance disheveled, worry lines etched deep around her eyes. The sight of her like this, so far from her normal composed self, sent a fresh wave of anxiety through Gabe.

"What's wrong?" he asked, sliding into the chair across from her. "Your call said something about Jessy?"

His mother nodded, her hands wrapped tightly around a mug of what smelled like her special calming tea blend. "It's... it's not good, Gabe. We've tried everything we can think of, but nothing's working. She's getting worse by the hour, and we don't know what to do."

Gabe felt the familiar weight of responsibility settle onto his shoulders. This was what he did, wasn't it? Solve the unsolvable problems, save the day when no one else could. Even when a part of him just wanted to crawl into bed and pretend the world wasn't falling apart around him.

"Where is she?" he asked, already pushing back from the table.

"Guest room," his mother said, standing to lead the way. "Your father's with her now."

As they climbed the stairs, Gabe's mind whirled with possibilities. What could be affecting Jessy so severely that his parents, both powerful witches in their own right, couldn't handle it? And why bring her here instead of to a hospital or the Shadowguard headquarters?

The answer hit him just as they reached the guest room door. Whatever was wrong with Jessy, it was magical in nature. And given the tensions between the covens lately, his parents had probably thought it safer to keep things in-house.

His father looked up as Gabe entered the room, relief clear on his face. "Thank the stars you're here, son. We're out of our depth with this one."

Gabe's eyes were immediately drawn to the figure on the bed. Jessy Wisteria lay there, pale and still as death, sweat beading on her forehead. Her chest rose and fell in rapid, shallow breaths, and even from across the room, Gabe could feel the wrongness emanating from her.

"Shit," he muttered, moving to the bedside. "How long has she been like this?"

"It started a few hours ago," His dad explained, running a hand through his graying hair. "She was fine one minute, then suddenly she started screaming about shadows and darkness. We managed to calm her down, but she's been getting steadily worse since then."

Gabe nodded, his Shadowguard training kicking in. "Has anyone checked for magical interference? Curses, hexes, that sort of thing?"

His mother shook her head. "We tried, but it's like there's some kind of barrier. We can't get a read on her magic at all."

Well, that wasn't ominous at all. Gabe took a deep breath, centering himself. He could do this. He had to do this.

"Okay," he said, shrugging off his overshirt. "I'm going to try something, but I need you both to step back. If this is what I think it is, it could get messy."

His parents exchanged a worried glance but did as he asked, moving to the far corner of the room. Gabe placed his hand on Jessy's forehead, wincing at the heat radiating from her skin. Then, closing his eyes, he reached out with his magic.

The moment Gabe's power touched Jessy's aura, he knew they were dealing with something far beyond normal magical ailments. It was like plunging his hand into a vat of tar, thick and choking and wrong on a fundamental level.

"Fuck," Gabe hissed, his eyes snapping open. "This is bad. Really bad."

"What is it?" His mother asked, her voice tight with fear. "What's wrong with her?"

Gabe shook his head, trying to clear the lingering sensation of wrongness from his mind. "It's her magic. Something's eating it. Corrupting it from the inside out."

His dad cursed, a rare display of emotion from the usually stoic coven leader. "How is that possible? And more importantly, how do we stop it?"

Gabe ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing. This was beyond anything he'd dealt with before, even in his years with the Shadowguards. But he couldn't let that stop him. Jessy's life was on the line, and he'd be damned if he let her down.

"I need to call for backup," he said, already pulling out his phone. "This is going to take more than just me."

His fingers moved on autopilot, dialing a number he knew by heart. It rang twice before a familiar voice answered.

"Finn Sloane's house of healing and questionable life choices, how may I direct your crisis?"

Despite the gravity of the situation, Gabe felt a smile tug at his lips. Trust Finn to find humor even in the darkest moments.

"Finn, it's Gabe. I need your help. We've got a situation here with some seriously dark magic, and I'm in over my head."

Finn's tone immediately sobered. "Talk to me, Reed. What are we dealing with?"

As Gabe filled Finn in on the situation, he couldn't help but marvel at how quickly his friend switched into healer mode. By the time he finished explaining, Finn was already rattling off instructions.

"Okay, here's what you need to do," Finn said, his voice steady and confident. "You're going to have to use your magic to create a barrier between the corruption and Jessy's core. Think of it like... like building a dam to hold back a flood. Can you do that?"

Gabe swallowed hard, doubt creeping in. "I... I think so. But Finn, if I screw this up-"

"You won't," Finn cut him off. "You've got this, Gabe. I'll talk you through it, step by step. Just focus on my voice and trust your instincts."

Taking a deep breath, Gabe placed his hands on either side of Jessy's head. He could feel the corruption pulsing beneath her skin, a malevolent force trying to consume her from the inside out.

"Okay," he said, closing his eyes. "I'm ready."

What followed was the most intense magical working Gabe had ever attempted. With Finn's voice guiding him through the phone on speaker, he delved deep into Jessy's magical core. He fought against the darkness, pushing it back inch by excruciating inch, building walls of pure energy to contain the corruption.

Sweat poured down Gabe's face, his muscles trembling with the effort of maintaining the complex spellwork. More than once, he felt his concentration waver, the darkness surging forward to reclaim lost ground. But each time, Finn's steady voice pulled him back, offering encouragement and guidance in equal measure.

"You're doing great, Gabe," Finn said, his words a lifeline in the sea of magical chaos. "Just a little more."

And he was right. Slowly but surely, the corruption began to recede. Gabe could feel Jessy's natural magic reasserting itself, pushing back against the invading force with renewed strength.

With one final surge of power, Gabe sealed the last of the corruption behind a wall of pure, cleansing energy. The darkness gave one last, furious push before dissipating entirely, leaving behind only the warm, familiar glow of Jessy's magic.

Gabe slumped back, utterly drained. He was vaguely aware of his parents rushing to his side, of Finn's voice still coming through the phone, but it all seemed distant and unimportant. The only thing that mattered was Jessy, her color already improving as her magic flowed freely once more.

"You did it, son," His dad said, his voice thick with pride and relief. "You saved her."

Gabe managed a weak smile, exhaustion tugging at the edges of his consciousness. "We did it," he corrected, gesturing vaguely towards the phone. "Couldn't have done it without Finn."

As if on cue, Finn's voice piped up. "Damn straight you couldn't. Now get some rest. Doctor's orders."