The Empaths (Book one in The Empaths series)

Chapter Thirteen

Lucy's stomach churned as they drove around the lake toward Tristan's house. Scarlett sat quietly next to her in the passenger seat, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She was still refusing to tell them what this was all about.

"You'll find out when we get there," she had said as she urged them out of the house.

Lucy could feel Jared's anxiety building as they drew closer to their destination, doubling her own. She was beginning to have trouble focusing on her driving.

Scarlett was telling her to take a left onto Lakeview Road.

"Drive to the end of the street," she said. "You can't miss it. It's number one hundred and eight."

Lucy looked across at Scarlett. "How do you..."

Scarlett cut her off with a wave. "You'll find out soon enough," she said again. She looked nervous.

Lucy drove to the end of the street and up to a large set of black, metal gates.

"Wow. How loaded are they?" Jared commented from the backseat, leaning over to get a better look.

"Jared. That's really rude," Scarlett scolded, but she, too, leaned forward to get a better look. "Nice to see it hasn't changed all that much," she muttered, mostly to herself.

Lucy risked another glance at her aunt.

Scarlett simply shook her head. "You'll need to pull up next to the box," she directed, pointing at the intercom jutting out from the bushes.

Lucy pulled up alongside it and wound down her window. She pushed the little red button.

A woman's voice spoke back. "Hello," she said brightly. "Just follow the driveway."

Scarlett chuckled, shaking her head.

"What? What's so funny?" Lucy asked.

"It's nothing," Scarlett replied. "Just, if your mother was here." She continued shaking her head.

Lucy wasn't sure what to think. She wanted to ask what her mother had to do with it, but the gates started to open, so she carefully drove through and followed the driveway to the house.

"Holy shit!" Jared exclaimed as they pulled up out the front of Tristan's house. "Are they kidding?" Jared flung the door open and jumped out.

Lucy shared her brother's sentiments, even if it wasn't exclaimed loudly and openly as she climbed out of the car. The house was huge. The front entryway, by itself, was so big they could have parked the car beneath it.

The garage was open and three very expensive looking vehicles were all nestled inside, one of which was Tristan's pick up.

"I should've known," Jared said. "That Ram Tristan drives looks like it's worth a fortune."

Tristan's big black and silver pick up was parked closest to the main wall of the house, dwarfing the shiny red sports car parked beside it, which Jared was now looking over with excitement.

"Jared, get over here and cut it out," Scarlett whispered, waving at him to follow them to the front door.

It didn't look as though anyone else had arrived yet. Lucy glanced around, but there were no other cars parked out on the driveway, just Lucy's jeep. Which she considered to be her prized possession, even if it wasn't even close to being as fancy as the vehicles in the garage.

As they were stepping up the wide, stone steps, the massive oak front door swung open and a beautiful brunette stood in the doorway.

"Hi Scarlett," she said, reaching out to hug her before stepping aside. "Come on in." She turned her gaze to the twins. "You must be Lucy and Jared."