The Moreau Witches Trilogy
Part One
The Legacy
by Julien Gregg
Copyright © 2025 by Julien Gregg
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permission requests, contact the author by email. The link is below.
The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.
Three
He spent his days with Pierre and Revanche. They ate a lot of meals at the diner and bowled a lot at the Family Fun Center. But Monday was coming and the date with the family to entomb his mother. Quinn wasn’t ready for it even though he’d had almost a week to get ready for it.
Charlie had arrived later on the evening of the first bowling match. He was safely ensconced on Pierre’s boat. He’d taken that they were witches with aplomb. Quinn was sure that he didn’t believe that they were magical witches, but he’d soon find out. First though there was the funeral that was tomorrow. They had to get through that and then Quinn would be confirmed as the new Heir to the Legacy.
He’d had supper in a many houses in Moonlight Bay. Always they invited Revanche and Charlie to dine with them. He’d met Wynn and Olivia Moreau and their son Percival the night that Charlie arrived. Then he’d dined with Josette and her husband Paul. They had no children. He’d met Garland and Alisa Moreau and their twin sons Amos and Andrew. And now he was ready for dinner at Angelique’s house.
He and Charlie were getting ready for dinner when Revanche said he wasn’t going. He was spending some time with his two best friends. Their names were Gage Morrow and Calvin Sparrow. Quinn had met both boys when they showed up to pick up Revanche. Now he was standing in the doorway with Charlie waiting for time to head to Angelique’s house.
They drove over in Quinn’s rental car. He was seriously thinking about just buying the car from he rental business. They talked about what was about to take place. He assured Charlie that no one would hurt him. Charlie said he hadn’t thought that anyone would hurt him. He told Quinn not to worry. But Quinn knew that Angelique would want another demonstration of his power.
They arrived at Angelique’s house and stepped into the blood-red entry way. Mildred, the house keeper led them to the dining room. Angelique was putting candles all over the room. He didn’t know what this was about but he said nothing. She smiled and her eyes crinkled with the smile.
“Charlie, pleasure to see you again,” she said when her eyes fell upon him.
“Thank you for inviting me to your wonderful home,” he said, making Quinn almost laugh out loud because he looked at him with a horror filled face in the entry room.
However this room was all right. Hard wood floors that were dark, off-white walls with wood panel at the bottom around the room, white lace curtains on her floor to ceiling windows, and a long dark wood table in the center of the room with ten chairs around it. He supposed with her acting as the heiress in his mother’s stead had brought many members of the family to her house for dinner.
“You’re very welcome, Dear,” she said. “I just hope that tonight’s display won’t change your mind about us.”
“I’m sure it won’t,” he said, though he didn’t know what she was talking about.
“Both of you have a seat,” she said. “Joseph and Josephine will be down shortly. Then we’ll have dinner before we do a little show and tell.”
It was just as Quinn had feared it would be. If she wanted a little show and tell then he’d be using his power and they’d likely be using theirs. He wasn’t sure that Charlie was ready for that. There was no backing out now. He chose a seat on one side of the table and Charlie sat beside him.
Just then Joseph came in with an attractive young woman with dark hair that lay in ringlets down her back. Her icy eyes looked Quinn over and then moved to Charlie. This had to be the as yet unmet Josephine Moreau. Quinn could see the resemblance between mother and daughter. Joseph must look like his father because he didn’t resemble either of them outside of his dark hair and icy blue eyes.
“Josephine, you’ve not yet met Quinn and his friend, Charlie,” Angelique said.
“No,” she agreed. “Quinn it’s nice to meet you. And hello, Charlie.”
“Josephine it’s very nice to meet you,” Quinn said. Charlie merely nodded at her.
Angelique sat at the head of the table and then Mildred came in with a tray of food. She served everyone prime rib with mashed potatoes and Au Jus gravy. And baby carrots in butter. They thanked her for serving them but he noticed that none of the people who lived in the house thanked her. She smiled at them just the same and then she was gone from the room.
“So, Charlie, tell us how it is that you came to know our Quinn,” Angelique said before any of them had taken a bite.
“Well, we were assigned to each other as room mates a year ago in college,” he said. “We’ve grown close over the year.”
“Are you planning to attend Ashdon as well?” she asked.
“The culinary department,” he replied.
“How exciting,” she said, smiling. “Let’s eat before it grows cold.”
That sounded like a command more than a suggestion to Quinn. It was like okay enough of this, shut up and eat. So he did just that. The food was superb and he rather enjoyed it. That did nothing to calm the fear that Charlie would be freaked out when he saw magic in use. He knew that it was coming and he did not know how to warn him.
As Mildred came back to clear their empty plates she slid saucers with cheesecake on them in front of each of them. They ate this in silence as well. Quinn noticed that Josephine hadn’t taken her eyes off him the entire meal. He began to feel uncomfortable and then he saw Joseph move slightly. Josephine jumped and then stared at her food. It was an odd interaction that Quinn didn’t really get.
“Well now that the food is all gone, Quinn, Joseph and Josephine would like to show you something,” Angelique said.
Just then the salt and pepper shakers slid across the table to land in front of him. He saw Joseph smile. Then the candles on the table suddenly became lit and Josephine smiled. Charlie was sitting there with open-mouthed shock. Then just as he feared she would Angelique asked Quinn to show the twins what he could do. He wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans and then looked at the brand new flowers in pots all over the room.
He looked at the one closest to him and did what he’d done the day he’d met with the council of witches. He imagined the stems growing longer, more leaves growing, and the bulbs opening as if to the sun. The effect was a bit more instantaneous this time but now Charlie was looking at him as if he’d never seen him before. Angelique smiled triumphantly. Could it be that she’d wanted Charlie to be scared off by this display?
“It’s beautiful,” said Josephine as she looked around at all of the over grown pots of flowers in the room.
That was when Quinn noticed that what he’d done had not just affected the pot he’d been focusing on. No it happened to every potted plant in the room. Even the ones that did not flower had been affected. He could actually feel them still growing. He had no idea when it would stop.
Seeming to finally notice Charlie’s expression, Angelique said, “Charlie, don’t be afraid. Nothing that was done here tonight could hurt you.”
“I knew that you were all witches, I mean Pierre told me you all practice witchcraft,” he babbled. “I just didn’t expect all of it to be real.”
“We’ve scared him,” she said. “I’m sorry.”
Quinn thought she wasn’t a bit sorry. She was still smiling that excited smile that she’d been wearing since she’d announced that the twins had wanted to show him something. He looked at Charlie and Charlie looked at him. He was dismayed to find that Charlie seemed to regard him with a tinge of fear.
“Charlie,” Quinn said as he looked at him.
“No,” Charlie said, putting up a hand. “Pierre told me that you all practice witchcraft but I don’t think I actually listened to him. You’re all witches. I see it now. This was what you were talking about when you told me that no one here would hurt me. I get it now.”
“Are you all right?” Quinn asked him.
“I think I’m going to be but right now I think I should excuse myself so that I might check my pants,” he said as he stood. He turned to Angelique and said, “You bathroom is where?”
“Down the hall to the left, first door from this room,” she said.
“Thank you,” he said and left the room.
“We’ve scared him,” Angelique said the twins.
“He wasn’t ready for tonight,” Quinn said a little testily.
“Well I didn’t intend to scare him,” Angelique said in her own defense. “I assumed that his being your friend made him aware of what you could do.”
“He had no idea,” Quinn replied. “I’ve spent my life hiding what I could do from everyone unless they were on the other end of the power.”
“Oh, Quinn,” she said, looking pained. “You’re among family now. There’s no need to hide what you can do from any of us.”
“Well as you remember me telling you, there’s a darker side to my power,” Quinn said evenly.
“Yes, but you don’t have to use that side of your power,” she protested. “No one in the family will hurt you.”
“I wasn’t expecting to use any part of my power tonight,” he said. “I’ve been to dinner at a few houses of family and they not once asked me to do magic. I had expected to have a meal with you and that be it.”
“Oh dear,” she said, pressing a hand to her chest. “I’m sorry, Quinn. The twins wanted to show you what they could do and I thought after that there was no harm in you showing them what you could do. I did not intend to scare Charlie.”
“You’re forgiven, Angelique,” he sighed. “I know it wasn’t your intention. Let’s just leave the magic alone for the rest of the evening.”
“We’ll do that,” she said, looking at her children. They both nodded.
Charlie came back to the room and sat in his seat. He purposefully did not look at Quinn. Angelique started to talk about what would happen after the funeral. She said that Lorette would take him to Santa Barbara to be confirmed as the heir and then a lot of things would happen. He’d be pressed to present a home in Moonlight Bay as his residence, he’d be asked to look over loan documents and decide on new loans from the Legacy. There was so much that he would be doing once he was confirmed as the heir to the legacy.
When they left, Charlie said nothing. Quinn let him have his silence. He just drove him to the pier and let him go to the boat on his own. Then he went back to Maria’s and pulled his rental car into a spot next to Revanche’s Jeep. He turned off the car and went inside. Maria was waiting for him.
“I would appreciate hearing about Revanche’s plans from now on,” she said coldly. “He left tonight and didn’t say a word to me.”
“Maria, he’s a sixteen year old boy,” Quinn said with another sigh. “He isn’t going to always tell you where he’s going and for what.”
“He will as long as he resides in my home,” she snapped.
“Do I have to remind you that this house belongs to the Legacy? That the heir or heiress has the right to call this home and that if I decide to call this home you will be moving out. Revanche will be staying put.”
“Smug, self righteous,” she said coldly. “I should slap that smug look off your face.”
“You touch me and you’ll regret the first kiss your mother gave your father,” he said. “Do you understand me?”
“Don’t threaten me,” she snapped. “You’re not the only one in this house with a power.”
“No but I’m the deadliest one in the house,” he said.
“If you think that I believe the nonsense you spouted out at Angelique’s,” she breathed. “She tells me you manipulate plants.”
“Does she?” he asked, letting his dark power touch her just slightly. Her eyes bulged and her hand went to her head. “You really shouldn’t pester the most dangerous person in the house, Maria.”
She stumbled backward as soon as he pulled he power back from her. Her face was a mask of fear and confusion. She stumbled away from him, grabbed her purse and fled the house. He sighed and shook his head. Then he went up to his room to get ready for bed.
Revanche came in a few minutes later and stopped by Quinn’s room to let him know he was home. Quinn gave him a rundown of the night’s events and Revanche sighed. Quinn sighed as well.
“Angelique is all about what the powers of each witch in the family are,” he said. “And I don’t blame you for putting Maria in her place.”
“Thanks, Rev,” Quinn said with a smile.
“Well, good night,” he said.
“Good night, Revanche,” Quinn replied.
He crawled into bed and let the day’s events wash through his mind like scalding water. He’d scared Charlie, then he’d scared Maria, and Revanche was on his side. It was maddening. He fell asleep with that thought.
Bright and early the next morning, Lorette came bursting through the door. She looked angry and Quinn sighed. What had he done now? He supposed he’d have to finish walking down the stairs to find out.
“Quinn, did you try to kill Maria?” she asked.
“No, I didn’t try to kill her,” he said calmly. “She threatened to slap me so I let her feel what I could really do. I only let the power touch her slightly. She was never in harm’s way.”
“That’s just not what she told us,” she sighed.
“She’s always on Quinn,” Revanche said from behind him. “She’s always on me, too. Telling me that I’m a bastard that doesn’t deserve the name Moreau. She told me that Quinn would see me for the bastard I am and not have a thing to do with me.”
“Revanche why didn’t you tell us that she was treating you this way?” Lorette asked.
“Because I was afraid you’d move me,” he said. “I wanted to be with my mother and now that she’s dead I want to be with Quinn.”
“Well you’ll be with Quinn,” she said. “As soon as he’s confirmed we’ll be switching your guardianship to Quinn. But Quinn you have to decide where you’re going to live. I have something to show you before we head to Santa Barbara.”
“All right,” he said. “The limo will be here in a few minutes. Would you like to ride with us?”
“I suppose I could,” she said. “I’ll never make it through the throng in my car.”
The statement about the throng is what bothered Quinn. He’d known that there would be many people at the funeral but he wasn’t expecting them to take over Moonlight Bay. He sighed as he thought of it. Then the limo pulled up and then they were getting inside. It was time to face the throng.
The limo took them around the back way to the funeral parlor. They pulled into the back of the parking lot. It was packed with cars. They got out and instructed the driver to wait for them. Then they made their way into the building. They were pulled through the throng of people by Lorette. They were taken to the family seats in the front of the room with their mother’s open coffin.
Revanche began to cry and Quinn held his hand. He turned and looked at the people and saw that Charlie was there with Pierre. At least he’d shown up. He turned to face the coffin again as a minister stepped up to the pulpit. At least Quinn thought he was a minister. His robe was different. He went on about how the circle had closed for Lisette and that she would be with the Goddess. He talked about how night overtakes the day and that Lisette now walked the spirit world. Then he untied a cord and wound it into a small green jar. He snuffed the candles one by one and everyone stood up.
Quinn and Revanche stood and walked up to the coffin. Quinn thought she looked so young. Her dark hair had been done up in ringlets that lay on her shoulders. Her make up was light and her dress was an expensive blue chiffon or something similar. She looked like she was simply asleep and if Revanche hadn’t been quietly sobbing beside him he’d have thought she was sleeping.
They made their way back to the limo and waited for Lorette. She came out a few minutes later and joined them in the limo. They left the funeral parlor and went to the mausoleum. That was further inland than the funeral parlor. They drove for a bit before they came to a cemetery and the open mausoleum. They waited in the limo for the body to arrive.
When it did there was a little more ceremony to get through before she was entombed. Revanche never let go of Quinn’s hand. They moved through the mausoleum and looked at the other stone name plates on the wall. They found Bart rather quickly. He was next to Lisette as Quinn thought it should be.
Then the limo took them away from there. They entered a place call Keller Village. The limo pulled up in front of a building that said The Keller Center. They got out and went into a banquet room that had a buffet set up for them already. They got plates and sat down at the first table.
Seconds later the others began to flood through the door. The buffet that could feed an army was put to the test as mourners arrived. Quinn’s hand was shook over and over again as members of the family from Florida, New Orleans, Chicago, and Paris introduced themselves. By the time he sat back down to his food the others had eaten. He was just finished with his food when Charlie and Pierre came to the table with food.
Quinn wanted to talk to Charlie but Charlie wasn’t looking at him. He felt like Charlie was deliberately avoiding his gaze. He went back to drinking coffee and chatting with Lorette about heading to Santa Barbara in the morning. He was ready for that. At least he thought he was. He had no idea what would happen in Santa Barbara but he imagined it couldn’t be worse than what had happened today.
They stayed at the center for most of the day. Lorette told him that Maria had said she didn’t feel safe in her own home. So it was decided that Quinn and Revanche would move in with Angelique. He didn’t care one way or another about that. He only cared about making sure that Maria didn’t berate or belittle Revanche ever again.
When they left they took Quinn and Revanche to Angelique’s house. Quinn found all of his things had been neatly put away in the chest of drawers and closet of one room upstairs. Mildred had told him which. Revanche was once again across the hall from him. He didn’t like that they’d packed for him and then unpacked but he wasn’t going to yell about it. Revanche didn’t seem to care so he decided he’d just go with it. He wondered what else he’d have to just go with.
He also wondered just what Lorette had to show him before taking him to Santa Barbara to the law offices of Moreau Legal. He hoped it wasn’t another relative. He’d met so many of them that he’d never remember who was who. He hoped it was a car lot or something along those lines.
“You going to bed?” Revanche asked him from his open door.
“Not just yet,” Quinn replied. “I just wanted to make sure that my stuff was all here.”
“They wouldn’t take anything,” Revanche said. “They’re paid very well.”
“I didn’t think that anyone would take anything,” he said. “It was more like if they had forgotten to pack something.”
“That doesn’t usually happen either,” laughed Revanche. “They’re very loyal and thorough.”
“Well I figured that out when I saw that all of my stuff was here and put away nicely,” he said. “What are you up to?”
“Not a whole lot,” said Revanche. “Angelique and the twins aren’t even back yet.”
“No,” he said. “Maybe we should wait up for them.”
“Maybe,” laughed Revanche. “Angelique will be thrilled that you’re under her roof.”
“I’ll just bet,” he said with a sigh.
“Come on,” said Revanche. “They’re a bit much but they’re all family.”
“Yes,” he said. “I met quite a lot of family tonight.”
“You’re the heir in waiting,” Revanche said. “Everyone wanted to meet you. You never know they might be coming to you for a loan or to settle a family dispute.”
“Great,” sighed Quinn.
“You can’t be tired of it already,” laughed Revanche.
“I’m dreading it actually,” he said.
“What’s to dread?” Revanche asked. “You’ll be the head of the family. What you say goes. Plus you’ll be filthy rich.”
“I’m already wealthy from my father’s estate,” he said. “I’m not sure about what I say going but everyone is making it sound like it’s going to be all loan applications and family disputes.”
“It won’t be all like that,” said Revanche. “You’ll have time to yourself. Several members of the family might seek you out to get to know you but that’s about all that will happen for a while. The loans are already extended. You might have to clean up after Angelique letting people slide with late payments and such. You’ll have the books to see what’s what soon enough.”
“Tomorrow if Lorette is correct,” he said.
“Yes, tomorrow,” said Revanche. “And then you’ll be my guardian.”
“You don’t really need a guardian,” he said. “From what I can see you have a good head on your shoulders.”
“That’s because I get it from all sides,” he said. “Maria was strict but I heard the ‘be a good boy’ routine from Angelique and Lorette all of the time. Josette just kept telling me how much I look like her older brother.”
“I have uncles?” Quinn asked, interested.
“Had,” said Revanche. “Philippe and Marcel both died young.”
“Well that sucks,” he said with a sigh.
“It’s all aunts now,” said Revanche.
“I’m seeing that now,” said Quinn. “Are Lorette, Josette, and Maria my only aunts?”
“Yes,” laughed Revanche.
“Lisette, Lorette, Josette,” he said, curious. “Why Maria?”
“Because her father was a traveling man,” he said. “Grandma had an affair with that traveling man and Maria was born. She was shunned by half the family for a long time because her father was not a Moreau.”
“So incest is a common thing among us Moreaus?” Quinn asked.
“Usually it’s so far removed that they aren’t actually related anymore,” said Revanche. “But there have been some cousins married that were closer than third cousins.”
“Angelique, I mean our grandmother,” Quinn said. “Was she married to her cousin?”
“Her fifth cousin,” Revanche said. “Our cousin Angeliqe was married to her sixth cousin but he died.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Quinn said.
“It is what it is,” said Revanche.
“But then you know that my father was our mother’s uncle,” Quinn said.
“Yes, but that isn’t all that uncommon,” said Revanche. “Love is love, man.”
“Well I don’t have to worry about that,” Quinn said dismissively.
“Why not?”
“Because I’m gay,” he said. “And I only have eyes for one man.”
“Charlie,” Revanche said quietly.
“Yes, I have a thing for Charlie,” Quinn admitted. “You don’t care that your big brother is gay?”
“Not something I have to get used to, Quinn,” said Revanche. “Pierre is my older brother and he’s gay.”
“I didn’t see that one coming,” Quinn admitted.
“Yeah, he’s subtle about it,” Revanche said. “Much like you seem to be.”
“I’m not hiding it but I’m not announcing it yet either,” Quinn said. “Is that going to be a problem for me? I mean with being the heir?”
“Not at all,” Revanche said. “They don’t care about sexuality. As long as the ring doesn’t burn your finger.”
“It’s been on since the day after my father’s funeral,” said Quinn, looking at the ruby ring on his finger.
Just then they heard Angelique and the twins come in. They were talking about members of the family that they hadn’t seen in years when they came into the hall way. Angelique looked up the staircase and could see Revanche and Quinn talking in the hall. She smiled when she saw them.
“Ah good,” she said. “You knew to come here. You’ll be more comfortable here I think.”
“Thank you for opening your home to us,” Quinn said.
“Oh think nothing of it,” she said, smiling wider. “You’re family after all.”
“Well I think I’m going to turn in,” Quinn said. “Lorette will be here early.”
“Yes, she will,” said Angelique with another thousand watt smile. “Have to get you confirmed.”
“Yes,” he said. “So good night.”
“Good night, Quinn,” she said. She looked at Revanche and said, “Aren’t you going with them?”
“Am I?” Revanche asked Quinn.
“I thought you were,” Quinn replied.
“Well then I better get to bed,” he said with a grin. “Night Quinn. Night Angelique.”
“Good night, Sweetie,” she said.
Quinn went in his room and closed the door. Then he put on sleep shorts and a t-shirt and crawled into bed. He was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow but he woke in the night because he though he heard his door close. He looked around the room but found nothing out of the ordinary. He went back to sleep and didn’t wake up until Revanche knocked on the door.
“Better get up,” he said when Quinn opened the door. “Lorette’s on her way.”
“I’ll just jump in the shower,” Quinn said half asleep.
He put his clothes out for the day and then went into his bathroom. He let the hot water wake him up. He washed, rinsed, dried, and dressed in record time. He was coming down the stairs as Angelique came out of the dining room with a cup of coffee. She handed it to him.
“Lorette just pulled up out front,” she said.
“Tell her to come in for coffee,” he said with a grin. “And thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she said, turning toward the door as Lorette rang the doorbell. “Come on in and have some coffee. Quinn is waking up.”
“Well good morning to you, too Angelique,” said Lorette.
“Oh, good morning,” she said. “I just woke the twins. They’ll be down in a moment.”
“It’ll be good to see Joseph and Josephine,” said Lorette.
Quinn went into the dining room and sat down. Mildred put a blueberry muffin in front of him. He quickly made that disappear. She placed another one in front of him and smiled at him. He thanked her as Lorette and Angelique came into the dining room followed by Revanche.
“I was just telling Revanche that I plan to take you to see Moreau Manor,” Lorette said to Quinn.
“Isn’t that where Maria lives?” Quinn asked in confusion.
“Heavens no,” said Angelique. “No one lives at Moreau Manor. It’s falling down.”
“Oh,” he said, deflated.
“It just needs some help,” Lorette said.
“You have been wanting someone to restore the manor for years, Lorette,” said Angelique. “Do you think you can talk Quinn into doing it?”
“I’m not sure but I want to show him the property,” she said. “After all as soon as he’s confirmed he’ll own it.”
“I will?” Quinn asked.
“Of course you will,” they said at the same time. Then they smiled at each other.
“The Manor is the property of the heir or heiress,” Lorette said. “No heir or heiress has wanted anything to do with it so far.”
“Well I’ll look at it and decide what to do about it,” Quinn said as he ate his second muffin.
“So what all are you doing today?” Angelique asked as Joseph and Josephine came into the dining room.
“Well we have to go to Santa Barbara as soon as I show Quinn the property,” said Lorette. “He’s going before all of the partners. We’ll show him all he needs to know and tell him all of his duties as the Heir to the Legacy. Then we’ll confirm him and take him over to the bank for signature cards and such. You know, the usual.”
“Yes,” said Angelique. “I just wondered if the process was different for the males.”
“It’s not,” said Lorette. “The meeting is the same for the heir as it is for the heiress.”
“Nice,” said Angelique. “You’ll be spending the night in Santa Barbara, right?”
“Yes,” said Lorette. She looked at Quinn. “I did mention that part didn’t I?”
“You did,” he said with a smile. “Our bags are by the door.”
“Good,” she said with a sigh. “I couldn’t remember if I’d told you or not.”
“Will we stay in a hotel?” Quinn asked.
“No,” she said with a smile. “I own a Condo there. It’s where I stay through the week when I’m at work at Moreau Legal.”
“Oh,” Quinn said. “I thought you worked in the offices at Keller Village.”
“Those aren’t finished yet,” she said. “I will work there when they finish the inside of the building.”
“Okay,” he said.
“Joseph, Josephine it’s good to see the two of you,” she said to the twins.
“Good morning,” they said at the same time.
“Well we should probably get going,” she said, standing.
“Have a safe trip,” Angelique said, smiling at them.
They walked out of the dining room, down the hall, stopped to pick up their bags, and then went out to Lorette’s SUV. They climbed inside and she drove off. They talked about the move from Maria’s to Angelique’s and how much more comfortable they were now. Lorette told them that Maria was in hot water with the family for the way she’d treated them.
She drove them down the highway a bit and then turned into an almost overgrown path that lead down a lane to a huge house. The house was obviously in disrepair. It was constructed of wood planks with a wooden roof and what looked like a circle drive before it. There was a fountain of some kind in the center of the circle
Lorette stopped and they all got out. Quinn looked the place over and thought about what it had looked like back in the days when people lived there. It was modestly built by house standards but he could change that. The structure was massive with wings and a solarium or at least what looked like one.
“Can we go inside at all?” he asked Lorette.
“No,” she said. “The floors are not stable at this time.”
“Well I can see that it will be a lot of work but I’d like to restore it and live here,” he said as he walked around the side of the house.
“That’s wonderful, Quinn,” she said, smiling. “The family would love it, too.”
“We’ll hire contractors and landscapers,” he said. “We’ll hire someone to get that fountain working again. I can see it as it could be.”
“That would be wonderful, Quinn,” she said. “I’m really excited about it.”
“So am I,” he admitted. “After I’m confirmed I’ll need to hire an assessor and then a contractor and buy supplies.”
“The building was put up with magical help,” she said. “It’s why the building is still there. Quinn that building was built when Abigail Moreau came here in exile before she was burned as a witch.”
“Well we’ll ask the family to cast spells for the help of the rebuild,” he said. “What kind of spells are we talking about?”
“Very powerful ones,” she said. “There’s a whole volume about the construction of the manor in the boxes of journals in Angelique’s attic.”
“She has journals in her attic?” Quinn asked. “From family past?”
“Yes,” she said. “Maria wanted them moved out of the house she lives in so Angelique took them. They’ve been in her attic for years.”
“Well I’d like to have them transcribed and turned into novels that I can display in the manor,” he said. “I’d like to read some of them. I’ll have my dad’s journals done, too. Then I’ll have them available for anyone who wants to read them.”
“That’s a great idea, Quinn,” she said. “You’re already doing more as the heir than anyone has done in a long time.”
“Well I see things that need done,” he said.
They got back in the SUV and headed off the property. They drove straight to Santa Barbara. They went to her condo and dropped off Revanche and the bags. Then she took Quinn to Moreau Legal where he met with Wynn, Garland, Franklin, and Lorette for the confirmation.
“You have a residence in Moonlight Bay?” Wynn asked.
“I will,” he said. “I’m having Moreau Manor restored and I plan to live there.”
“Your power?” Garland asked.
“I can kill with my mind,” he said, shocking them and making them look at each other. “I recently learned that I can do the same thing with plants, or I can make them grow.”
“You’ll likely discover more powers as powerful as you are,” said Franklin. “Each new heir or heiress has plans for what they’ll do when they are confirmed. Tell us about your plans.”
“I’d like to restore the manor, have the journals of the family transcribed into novels for everyone to read at their leisure, and give money to the college,” he said.
“All laudable ideas,” said Lorette.
“I say we confirm him and let him go,” said Franklin.
“We have a number of papers to go over with you and you will sign a lot of papers,” said Wynn. “Then we’ll take you over to the bank and transfer the Legacy accounts to you. You’ll sign signature cards and fill out paperwork for the bank.”
“All right,” he said.
Then they started to go over everything with him. He saw the loan documents and ledgers, the deeds for Moreau Legal, Medical, and Enterprises. He saw the deeds to the Family Fun Center and a store called The Flower Pot as well as a store called Moondance that he hadn’t yet seen.
They went over stocks, bonds, and everything that was monetary in the Legacy. He learned that the Legacy was still funded by places like Moondance and Family Fun Center. There were other holdings and businesses that funded the Legacy. The Legacy itself was worth billions of dollars. Quinn was overwhelmed just thinking about how much money was about to be at his fingertips.
He went to the bank with Lorette and Franklin. He signed so many papers that his hand hurt by the time he was done. His driver’s license was transferred to California, and his address was the address of the manor. It was unreal. By the time they were done it was dinner time.
Lorette took him back to her condo and made dinner. She made a batch of Chicken Alfredo with garlic bread and it was better than he’d ever had in a restaurant. Revanche had a million questions and he did his best to answer them. Yes, his guardianship had been transferred to Quinn, and yes, he was now the Heir to the Legacy.
He and Lorette talked about other things and projects he might want to get into with the Legacy. He told her that he’d met some relatives at the funeral that looked like they hadn’t had a decent meal in a long time. People who told them that they’d saved their money to come to the funeral. He wanted to help those members of the family get on their feet. They were Moreaus after all.
She loved that idea and told him that was really easy to implement. He told her he’d get back to her about what he wanted to do when he knew more about the needs of the family. She liked that answer and told him she’d await his decisions. He smiled at this and was quiet for a while.
“So has Pierre talked to you about private classes?” she asked.
“Not yet,” he said. “I’ve been avoiding going to the boat because of Charlie. We displayed our powers in front of him the night before the funeral. He was a bit scared of us after that.”
“Oh I’m sorry to hear that,” she said. “Angelique instigated this didn’t she?”
“Yes,” he said. “She told me that Joseph and Josephine would like to show me what they could do. I was impressed by what they could do but Charlie wasn’t impressed. He was terrified.”
“Maybe he’ll come around,” she said. “I know that you’re fond of him.”
“Am I that obvious?” he asked, blushing.
“No I didn’t mean it that way but now that you say that no you’re not,” she said.
“Good,” he said. “Charlie has his reasons for being afraid. I don’t need him to run off thinking bad thoughts about my sexuality.”
“Something tells me that he wouldn’t run off,” she said. “Charlie watches you the way that my husband watches me.”
“Who is your husband?” Quinn asked.
“Franklin,” she said. “You saw him today.”
“I didn’t know you were married to Franklin,” he said.
“Well now you know,” she said. “He and I spend as much time as we can together, but he’s a tax attorney and I’m a defense attorney. He lives here in this condo while I go back to the bay every chance I get. He’s planning to move back to the bay once the offices are finished at Moreau Legal in Keller Village.”
“Keller Village,” he said. “It’s still part of Moonlight Bay, right?”
“It’s a place completely owned by the Moreau family,” she said. “It was an Army Post back in the day. The Army shut it down and used it for storage for a while. Then Angelique Moreau, your grandmother bought the Post and changed it into small houses and apartments for the family. We’re opening businesses in there as fast as we can get the loans from the Legacy to open them.”
“Well I can help with that,” laughed Quinn.
“Oh it wasn’t a sales pitch,” she laughed. “You had asked about Keller Village.”
“It’s getting late,” he said as he looked at his watch.
“Yes,” she said and then yawned. “There are two bedrooms at the back of the hall. You and Revanche can use those. We’ll be getting up early for the last round of paperwork at Moreau Legal. Then we’ll head back to the bay where I’ll drop you guys off and come back here.”
“All right,” he said. “Sounds like a busy morning.”
“It will be, but when it’s done you’re free to do what you want,” she said.
“All right,” he looked at Revanche. “Hey sleeper, we can go to bed now.”
“Oh good,” said Revanche.
Quinn showed him where he could sleep and Revanche wasted no time getting down to his underwear and climbing into bed. Quinn did the same a few minutes later. His head was still swimming with all that had happened today but he surprised himself by going to sleep rather quickly.
His dreams were not filled with the Legacy as he had assumed they would be. Instead they were about his mother. He saw Lisette in a white gown sitting in a chair in what looked like a hospital. She wore the ruby around her neck but she sat motionless. He saw other patients with similar problems in the room but he only had eyes for Lisette. He heard her voice as if on the wind. She said, “Save me.”
He sat up and gasped. How could he save Lisette? She was dead. It made no sense to him. He got up and took his shower. He was dressed and ready as Lorette put breakfast on the tale. He sat down next to Revanche.
“Lorette, was Lisette ever in a hospital?” he asked.
“No,” she said. “She stayed there in the house she’d grown up in. She was never in a hospital or anything. Why do you ask?”
“Dreams,” he said, shaking his head. “She whispered to me in my dream. She said, ‘Save me.’ I heard it clearly.”
“There was nothing anyone could do for Lisette,” she said sadly. “She was catatonic for her own reasons.”
“It was just a dream,” he said. “It was just a powerful one. I could sense electricity all around me in the dream.”
“Lisette’s power was that she could communicate with the dead,” she said. “There’s no one in the family that manipulates or creates electricity that I know of.”
“It was just a dream,” he said sadly.
“Well it makes sense,” she said. “You didn’t get to meet your mother before she died. It makes perfect sense that you would dream about her.”
“She was so young in the dream,” he said. “I felt connected to her so completely.”
“Well I know that Lisette was never in a hospital,” she said. “She lived out her days in he house where Maria lives now.”
“Okay,” he said. “It was just a hard dream to ignore.”
“I get it,” she said. “Are you ready to head back to Moreau Legal?”
“Yeah,” he said.
They left the condo and headed for Moreau Legal. There he had more paperwork to get through. There were businesses in France that fed the Legacy. He had to learn all about them and how much money they brought in. There were loans that were in default and he had to decide what to do about them. He told them to send warnings that the Legacy was going to default the loans. That didn’t seem to shock them.
“You want to default the loans?” Franklin asked.
“I want to give them a chance to get flush again,” he said. “If they don’t then I’ll default the loans. They’ve been allowed to skate by for a while but once they see that I mean business they’ll play by the rules.”
“I for one was against letting them slide,” Franklin said. “I think you’re doing the right thing.”
“Thank you,” he said.
They went back to paperwork again. An assessor had been found for Moreau Manor and he was dispatched to give his assessment of the work that needed to be done to bring the building to code. They’d be looking for a contractor soon and Wynn mentioned the spells that were required for building. He said that there was a journal in Angelique’s attic that detailed those spells and how to cast them.
Quinn was all for that even though he’d never cast a spell in his life. He wanted to see that journal and read through how they had helped in building the manor with magic. He said as much. They all nodded at this and went on.
They were done by lunch time and Quinn was happy about it. He and Lorette left to drive back to the condo but a square brick building caught Quinn’s attention. He asked Lorette to stop there. She didn’t question him. She simply pulled into the lot and waited for what he’d do next.
“She’s here,” he said and got out of the car.
Lorette was surprised but followed him. The place was a sanitarium that much was clear. But who was Quinn talking about when he said she’s here? Lorette didn’t know but she followed Quinn inside.
“Quinn, who is here?” she asked.
“I’m not sure,” he said. “But it wasn’t Lisette I was dreaming about. I need to talk to the person in charge.”
They found that person in an office just off to the left of the entrance. They knocked on the door and went into the office. Lorette’s skin itched. It was a sign that spell work was involved here somehow. She rubbed her arms.
“We’re looking for a young woman with the last name of Moreau,” she said to the stiff baked woman with dark hair that was more than a little touched with gray. It was pulled back into a bun. She wore a charcoal business suit with a pink shirt underneath the blazer.
“You mean Giselle Moreau,” she said. “She’s on the second floor. She rarely gets visitors. She’ll be happy to see you.”
“Thank you,” Lorette said.
They walked out of the office and used the elevator get to the second floor. They got off the elevator and there she was. She as the picture of Lisette as a young woman. She even wore one of Lisette’s dresses!
“There she is,” Quinn said.
“I see her,” Lorette said. Then she pointed. “Quinn the ruby.”
“I see it,” he said and wondered if he wasn’t the true heir to the Legacy.
“Who is she?” she asked.
“I don’t know but somehow I know her,” he said. “And I feel the electricity in the air just like I did in my dream.”
“I feel it too,” she said. “But my skin itches like a spell is involved.”
They walked closer to her. The girl paid them no mind. She simply stared at the windows in stone silence. Quinn moved to stand in front of her. Her icy eyes looked into his and she looked as if she wanted to say something but no sound came from her mouth.
“What’s wrong with her?” he asked, looking up at Lorette.
“Catatonia it seems,” she said. “Just like Lisette.”
“Suspiciously like Lisette,” he said. “You said there was spell work here.”
“It’s all over her,” she said. “You’re about to see what I can do.”
She put a hand on Giselle’s shoulder and closed her eyes. She breathed in and out. Then Giselle gasped and leaned forward. She ripped the ruby necklace off her neck and threw it on the floor. She rubbed her neck that was bright red where the ruby had rested on her neck. She cried out and Quinn stepped back. An aide came running but Giselle stood up.
“Maria!” she cried. “She did this to me.”
“Giselle,” Quinn said, getting her attention.
“I know you,” she said. “I dream about you.”
“I’m your brother,” he said. “I think we’re twins.”
“Twins?” Lorette said shocked.
“It’s the only thing I can think of that would explain the connection I feel to her,” he said.
“Where is Maria?” she asked.
“She’s in Moonlight Bay,” he said. “I’m not going to let her hurt you anymore.”
“She has to pay for what she’s done,” Giselle said. “She put me here. She comes sometimes and hurts me.”
Quinn shut his eyes at this utterance. “She’ll pay but Giselle I need you to let go of the electricity.”
“There,” she said. The feeling of electricity left the air. “You will make her pay.”
“Yes, I will make her pay,” he said and took her hand. The moment they touched he felt it. She was his twin sister. How could this be? Why were they separated? Maria. That’s why.
“Lorette we have to get her out of here,” he said.
“We will,” she said and walked off.
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