Abducted by Magic

by Kelli McCracken

  It made sense. Maybe Samara chose me because she somehow knew I’d not only accept her world and the things that came along with it, but I’d also be fair and just in anything I faced. At least, I hoped that was what it meant.

  When Nona slid her hand toward the next card, I froze. The future card. It would foretell what was to come. At least I knew it wouldn’t be the card of chaos again. It crossed the first card. Still, it didn’t mean the card at my grandmother's fingertip would be pleasant.

  Once she flipped it over, I studied the card, puzzled at its meaning. A hand held a large cup as water flowed from its side. I’d never seen this card in any of my previous readings.

  “Oh…” My grandmother’s cheeks turned a shade of pink. “The Ace of Cups. Love is in your future, my dear.” She paused long enough to observe my guardians before she looked at me again. “Once you accept the changes in your life, you will find love.”

  Unlike her, I couldn’t face Quinn, Jax, or Roark. My cheeks were burning with an intensity I knew would turn them crimson. Was it possible that this card referred to the growing connection and bond between them and me?

  I tucked the thought aside and focused on the next card.

  My grandmother explained, “This card is all about you as you are now, where your life is. The Hanged Man shows you’re making a great sacrifice, but it has you suspended, awaiting the next move. We can’t always wait for Fate to show us how to proceed. Sometimes we have to trust the voice inside of us not to lead us down the wrong path.”

  “This is freakishly accurate, Nona.”

  “I know, child, and I don’t think the last few cards will change that. Your present environment card shows how others see you. Strength is not just about physical endurance and stamina. It’s about inner strength. Others see you as courageous, and what you’re going through will only increase that opinion.”

  “Okay, this is where I disagree with you. I don’t feel strong or courageous.”

  “Maybe not, but others see things in us we cannot see ourselves. Embrace it.” She motioned to the last two cards. “Your hopes and fears reveal how terrified you are of failing the journey ahead of you. It’s causing you much grief and anxiety. Let go of it, Katarina. Trust your instincts, because if you do,” she picked up the last card and offered it to me, “your life will change. It will be a new beginning for you.”

  I sat there, dumbfounded on how the cards seemed to form a story that correlated with much of what had happened in the last few days. Still, I wasn’t sure if it answered the questions I’d asked. As I placed the card back into the spread, I looked at her.

  “I don’t understand, Nona. What does it all mean?”

  Her hands folded over mine. “Your life is changing, because of someone’s betrayal that caused a tragedy. Though you’re afraid of what lies ahead of you, you’re stronger than you think and you have the courage to face what comes your way. Someone believed in you and trusted you would make fair and just decisions, and those decisions will bring you to a better life, along with love like you’d never imagine.”

  Well, hell. That was a whole lot to absorb. The cards seemed to guide me in the same direction that the bonds with my guardians led. Could I really embrace this life? A life obviously filled with those who would kill to get what they wanted.

  “Nona, thank you so much for doing this reading. I know I’ve been stubborn and abandoned all that you raised me to believe in. But my gift of clairvoyance was given to me for a reason. I may not have had the strength when I was a girl to appreciate it, but I am now. So what do I have to do to get it back?”

  She dropped her gaze to our joined hands before pulling away. “I can’t help you with that.”

  My shoulders slumped in defeat. This was what I deserved for taking the gift for granted. I severed my connections with the spirit world long ago. And just like a muscle has memory, so does clairvoyance.

  Her lips pressed into a firm line as she studied me. I knew I wouldn’t like whatever she was about to say next. “I said that I couldn’t help you, but there is someone who can.”

  I leaned forward in my chair and waited for her to continue.

  “Your Uncle Mathias.”

  My mouth fell open and I slumped back into the chair. Uncle Mathias, who did the best magic tricks and would cheat at cards every time we played. He wasn’t my uncle by blood, but might as well have been. He had been in my life for as long as I could remember.

  I shook my head and shifted in my seat. “How can Uncle Mathias help me?

  My grandmother pursed her lips and folded her hands in front of her. “Since you seem to be taking everything in stride, I’m hoping that you won’t panic when I tell you this.”

  Oh, Lord. This must be a doozy. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what she was about to dump on me.

  “Mathias is the son of Hades and Persephone.”

  I felt Roark shift behind me. Tension radiated through our bond. I stared at my grandmother, still trying to process the words that came out of her mouth. There was no way my uncle was a god. He was too... normal. Well, as normal as he could be. Didn’t gods wear togas and live on Mount Olympus? They didn’t take kids out for ice cream or teach a teenager how to drive a car.

  “You can’t be serious?” I laughed, waiting for my grandmother to join in. When she arched a brow in response, my laughter quickly faded.

  “He… I…”

  Sensing my distress, Jax rose from the couch. After closing the distance between us, he placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. I glanced up in confusion. His eyes narrowed when he asked, “Is your uncle Mathias Shade?”

  Since words still seemed to fail me, all I could do was nod.

  A sympathetic smile crossed his lips. “What happens when you take the S from the beginning of his name and move it to the end?”

  Holy hell, this was actually real. I swallowed the lump in my throat and croaked, “Hades.” It took me a few minutes to process, before I made the connection. My uncle was the prince of the underworld.

  “A shade is also a creature of the underworld,” Jax added. “They are the protectors, much like we are the guardians. They keep the chaos at bay amongst the dead.”

  It was in front of me the whole time and I’d never figured it out.

  I turned my attention back to my grandmother. “That’s why you had Uncle Mathias talk to me when I saw Lizzie. Who better to explain to me about death and the afterlife, than the god of death?”

  When I would talk to Lizzie, I always felt like he could see her too. He’d know exactly where to look when she appeared. Now I knew why.

  One day, he found me crying in my bedroom, huddled in the corner. It was after an especially harsh day of teasing at school. I told him I didn’t want my gift anymore, that it was a curse. He wrapped his arms around me, rocking me on the floor. I remembered feeling like a heavy weight bore down on my shoulders and then nothing. I thought I had just fallen asleep. That was the last time I saw Lizzie or any other spirit.

  He must have thought I was such a selfish child, not appreciating the gift that others would kill for. A tear slipped down my cheek. Before I could wipe it away, Jax captured it with his thumb. I grabbed his hand, holding it tight in mine. “Did he take away my gift?”

  My grandmother nodded. “He always hoped one day you would want it back. He understood it was a lot of responsibility for a child in our world. It was easy for him growing up, because he spent most of his life in the underworld.”

  I blew out a breath and rose from the chair. “Where is he now?”

  My grandmother glanced over my shoulder, focusing on Roark. Turning, I caught him rolling his eyes.

  He cleared his throat and opened the door. “I know where he is.”

  Interesting. So not only was Jax familiar with him, but Roark was, too.

  “So where are we headed?” I asked.

  Roark’s gaze skimmed me from head to toe. Warmth flooded me everywhere his eyes landed. “You’ll need to chan
ge. We’re going to his nightclub.”

  I glanced down at what I was wearing, which was definitely not club attire. I’d had to change into Samara’s clothes since mine were ruined. I guessed sweats made me a little underdressed. Luckily I had kept some clothes in my old room just in case.

  As I was leaving the room, my grandmother called out to me. “Katarina, there is one more thing. If you decide to accept your uncle’s help, it will come at a price.”

  A chill zipped up my spine as I glanced at each of my guardians. Their expressions were unreadable. Nothing in their world was free—I was learning that the hard way.

  Chapter 14

  ~Katarina~

  “Are you sure this is the right place?” Standing on the corner of a dimly lit street in an abandoned warehouse district, I stared at the building in front of me. Four stories high and not one light shone in any of the windows. There was no sign of life anywhere.

  Quinn tipped his head back, his eyes searching the darkened windows. “Yes. This is definitely the place. It’s warded against humans. They will feel the urge to bypass it if they venture by. No one besides us will be able to enter.”

  “But I’m human.”

  “You still have Samara’s powers and the ward will recognize that.”

  Suddenly finding it hard to breathe, I adjusted the black corset that was currently pushing my boobs up to my throat. The skin-tight leather pants were surprisingly comfortable. The rhinestone-encrusted black ankle boots were a different story.

  I had no idea how I let Roark talk me into this outfit. When I’d come downstairs in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, Roark insisted it wasn’t appropriate attire. Because everything at my grandmother’s was either jeans or yoga pants, we had to hit a boutique in the city.

  My body still burned from the way they’d all devoured me with their eyes when I stepped out of the dressing room. Then Roark shuttered his gaze, spun, and exited the store. Pretty much the same way as he was leaving us now. Without a word.

  Roark stalked toward the edge of the building without even a backward glance to see if we were following. He disappeared out of sight when he turned the corner.

  I hated not knowing what he was thinking, and the bond didn’t help. If I focused hard enough, his emotions became a turbulent whirlwind inside of me. Why couldn’t he embrace the calm waters of a lake? Why must he constantly be like a storm at sea?

  Jax laced his fingers with mine and began to follow Roark’s lead. A tingle spread through my hand at his touch. I was no longer surprised by his need to have contact with me. We’d only just met, but something had changed after our kiss. If I could even call it a kiss. It was so much more than pressing our lips together. Our bond seemed to grow stronger with each passing moment. It made intimate gestures, like holding hands, seem normal.

  I hated to admit that my grandmother might be right. Our connection went beyond that of ward and guardian. What if that’s why Samara’s powers had chosen me and also why they refused to let me go? If we couldn’t find a way to sever the bond, would I be able to give up my old life for this one?

  Did I even want to anymore?

  Quinn kept pace alongside me, his attention focused on our surroundings, to ensure that no one followed us. When we turned the corner, a flutter tickled my belly. I gasped, clutching my stomach.

  “Relax,” he said in a soothing voice. “You’re feeling the magical ward. It’s stirring the powers inside you. Humans wouldn’t feel that.”

  Roark waited for us at a dingy door, his arms crossed over his chest. When we stopped alongside him, I asked, “So is there some secret knock that only supernaturals know?”

  Roark grunted, then pounded his fist against the metal door.

  Guess not.

  The door swung open on well-oiled hinges, which was surprising since the door looked old and rusted. It must be another part of the ward.

  “Welcome to The Haven.”

  I gave myself credit for not flinching. The form in front of me flickered from a man to a shadow. His eyes glowed a burnt orange.

  “Business or pleasure?” he inquired.

  “Business,” Roark answered. There was something in his tone that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I didn’t miss the side eye the man gave to Roark. Had Roark been here before? For pleasure? Heat uncoiled in my chest, flooding my body. My hands fisted at my side. Quinn’s arm snaked around my waist. I didn’t realize I’d taken a step toward Roark until Quinn tugged me into his side.

  His breath was warm against my ear when he whispered, “Rein it in, love. We can’t afford to have you lose control here.”

  I blinked and shook my head. What the hell was wrong with me? Roark wasn’t mine. I had no right to be jealous. This damn bond wreaked havoc on my emotions. Sucking in a breath made my corset even tighter. I quickly released it and gave Quinn a slight nod.

  Drawing the attention of the bouncer, I said, “We’re here to see Mathias Shade.”

  “And who do I say would like to see him.”

  “His niece, Katarina.”

  The man arched a brow, his inquiring gaze penetrating. “Katarina?”

  I nodded.

  His eyes darted from my guardians back to me. “You are supposed to be human. Yet I sense an energy inside you. How is this possible?”

  Roark stepped in front of me, blocking me from the man’s view. I caught a quiver in his back where his wings prepared to break free. “That is a discussion only for Mathias.”

  The two stood in a silent battle. I stepped back, forcing Quinn to move with me. If Roark unleashed his massive wings, I didn’t want them slamming into me.

  “You may wait for him in the club,” the man finally said. “Someone will escort you to him shortly.”

  Roark held his position for a moment longer, then relaxed his posture. He turned and motioned for me to join him. His hands closed around my arms as he inclined his head toward me.

  “This is not like any club you have been to. There is no propriety here. Inhibitions do not exist. This is a place where supernaturals can release their pent-up energy without fear of detection from humans.” He paused and his brows pinched as if he searched for the right words. I wondered if he realized his thumb was brushing up and down my arm. “There are demons that feed on sexual energy. It is overflowing here. When you step inside, it will overwhelm you. Stay close to us and you’ll be fine.”

  Great. I was like a buffet of sexual energy, about to enter a room of sex-starved demons. No worries there. My palms began to sweat and I had nowhere to wipe them.

  Roark released me and glanced at Jax and Quinn before stepping into a corridor lit with glowing crystals. I wished I had time to examine the crystals more closely. They resembled the ones that my grandmother used, only hers never glowed.

  At the end of the hallway, Roark halted. A set of double wooden doors blocked our path. Just as we reached them, Quinn motioned his finger between Jax and himself.

  “Jax and I are going to see if we can find Mathias.” He glared at Roark before continuing, “I don’t trust the shade to not take his time letting him know we’re here.”

  So that’s what a shade looked like. I guessed Roark challenging him wasn’t a smart idea. He may not have feelings for me, but he was definitely protective.

  Roark turned his back on us, then pushed the doors open. Music swirled around me along with an energy that pulsed with the drumbeat. My body swayed to the rhythm as I entered the crowded room.

  Quinn and Jax peeled off, moving around the perimeter. Roark guided me in the opposite direction. With one glare, a space wide enough for both of us opened at the bar. As if summoned, the bartender appeared to take our order.

  “What can I get you?”

  I raised my voice to be heard over the music. “I’ll just have water.”

  Ready to people watch, I turned and pressed my back against the bar. Lights in varying colors of the rainbow streaked across the dance floor. Most of the people dancing looked human. H
ere and there I spotted some with wings and horns, but for the most part, this looked like any other club I’d been in.

  No sooner did I finish that thought than tingles swept across my exposed chest, then down my stomach to the apex of my thighs. They felt like invisible fingers trailing a path across my body. I swallowed a moan that, if released, would leave me mortified.

  I squeezed my eyes shut, focusing on anything but the warmth pooling between my thighs. Was this the sexual energy Roark had mentioned? Why did I seem to be the only one affected?

  Arms pressed around me, boxing me in. Roark’s breath was warm on my face. “Open your eyes, Kat. The effect is stronger for you. Most here have a tolerance for it. Breathe.”

  Hearing my shortened name spill from his lips had me pressing my body against his. I tipped my head back and licked my lips.

  “Kat,” he growled.

  I could feel a crack in the wall Roark erected between us. That small fissure gave me the courage to ask the question that had been burning inside me for days. “Why do you hate me?”

  He flinched as if I’d slapped him with my words. His gaze dropped to the floor and he rubbed his neck in frustration. When he met my eyes again, I didn’t need the bond to feel his pain.

  “I don’t hate you. This whole thing...” He shook his head. “It’s complicated.”

  “It doesn’t have to be.”

  Another sweep of heat caressed my body. I clutched Roark’s shirt. If I let go, I’d have fallen to the floor. I bit my lip as another wave of pleasure hit me. This was so not the place to have an orgasm.

  A woman next to me moaned. Stealing a glance, my eyes widened. The woman’s skirt was hiked up, with one leg wrapped around a man’s waist. I turned and buried my face in Roark’s chest. On second thought, I guessed this was the place for an orgasm.

  Roark pulled away, and his eyes searched mine. My stomach knotted. He was going to run again. Only he didn’t. His hand slid down my arm, his fingers threaded with mine. A familiar spark zipped through my body. Our bond tightened in response.