by B N Miles
“Meditation,” he said. “It wasn’t so bad because I was young and it was new. I didn’t have it all built up in me over the years yet, so it was quiet and didn’t last too long. Brian walked me through some meditation exercises that still help, and I was fine by dinner.” Jared smiled to himself, leaning back in his chair. “But man, you should’ve seen my dad’s face when he saw the car. He was so mad at first, until Brian explained what had happened. Then his face lit up and he hugged me. I think that might’ve been the first time he ever touched me like that.”
“That’s almost sad,” Cassie said, her voice somber. “But I can relate to that story a lot.”
“Really?”
“Oh, sure. Distant parents, the whole deal.”
“You don’t talk about your family much.”
“No,” she whispered. “I don’t.”
“You can, if you want to.” Jared hesitated. “I get the feeling it’s not a good topic.”
“It’s not,” she said. “But I’ll tell you about it one day. I promise. I’m not hiding it from you because I don’t want you to know, it’s just… it’s fresh and it’s painful.”
“Answer me one thing,” he said. “Are they the reason you’re here? And the reason you’re meant to go to Max?”
She took a deep breath and let it out. “Yes, sort of,” she said. “Yes. They are.”
“Okay,” Jared said. “I appreciate you telling me.”
“And I appreciate you telling me your story,” she said. “Were you horny as heck when the Need hit? I bet you were.”
“I was twelve,” he said, grinning.
“So that’s a big time yes.”
“I refuse to confirm or deny that.”
“Of course.” She let out a sigh. “I know you’re feeling it right now,” she said. “I promise I’ll take care of you later.”
“Thanks,” he said, already smiling. “I know you will.” He went to say something else, but his phone beeped. “Oh, Jessalene’s calling,” he said. “Hold on.”
He switched over to her call. “Hey, Jessa.”
“Jared. Something’s wrong. I think—”
He didn’t hear the rest of what she said.
In his mind, the trip wire snapped, and he could feel a Meta down by the other portion of the river.
He didn’t know who it was, or even what race of Meta they were, just that someone was there.
And that could only mean one thing.
“We have to go,” Jared said. “He’s there.”
“I was just trying to tell you. I got a call from my mom just now, she said the council warned her Ferric might make his move tonight.”
“The trip wire,” he said. “He’s there, Jessa. We have to move.”
“I’m on it.” The line went dead. He flipped to Cassie’s line.
“You with me?” he asked.
“Yes, I was just thinking of what I’d do to you tonight. I was thinking I could suck you until—”
“Cassie,” Jared said. “Trip wire snapped. He’s at the other location.”
“Shit,” she hissed.
“I’ll meet you there.”
He hung up the phone, started his engine, and peeled out.
28
Jared raced to the park where he’d left his trigger, cursing himself the entire way. He should’ve done more, used more magic to add some kind of trap mechanism. He never thought Ferric would use that spot, but of course it didn’t matter how crowded the place was during the day.
At night, it was empty.
He pulled into the parking lot just seconds before Jessalene came roaring in. She slammed on her brakes behind Jared and they both jumped from their cars. “Where is he?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Trigger only told me that a Meta’s here.”
“Wait, this could be some bored Were out for a walk?”
“Could be, but do you want to take that risk?”
As they argued, Cassie’s car came into the lot. She slammed on her brakes, skidded, and jumped out. “Where is he?”
“We don’t know,” Jessalene said. “Come on.”
She hurried down to the water. Jared followed close with Cassie just by his side. As they got closer they saw figures on the shore. Three of them were huddled close, while a fourth was out on a small boat floating in the middle of the slow moving river. It was strange, seeing the boat stay still while the river flowed all around it. Jared immediately knew magic was in play.
“That’s them,” he said as they ducked down behind a set of trees. Jared took out his service weapon, checked that it was loaded, and glanced at the girls. “Stay here.”
“Stay here?” Jessalene made a face. “They won’t hurt me.”
“You think so? You’re with me now,” Jared said. “I’m not risking you. Just stay—”
Before he could finish, she stood and strode toward the group.
“Shit,” he hissed.
“Sorry,” Cassie said, putting a hand on his shoulder. She smiled, then followed Jessalene.
Jared shook his head then caught up with them. They approached the group and Jared kept his weapon ready but level with the ground.
“Meta Marshal Service,” he called out as they approached. “Stop what you’re doing, put your hands on your heads, and—”
The three figured whirled toward them. They were Dryads, no doubt about it. Ferric wasn’t with them, but that meant Ferric had to be on the boat. Jessalene stepped forward, her hands in the air.
“Stop what you’re doing,” she said. “Don’t take this too far.”
“Jessa? What the fuck are you doing with them?” A thin man stepped forward. He wore black trousers and a heavy black sweatshirt.
“This has gone on too long, Bruce.”
The Dryad shook his head. “You’re a fucking traitor.”
“No, I’m not. I’m trying to save the clan from this madness. Please, come away from the water, we can work this out and—”
“Kill them,” Bruce said, pulling a weapon out from under his sweatshirt.
Jared brought his own gun up but didn’t fire. There were three of them and Jessalene was exposed. He threw himself at her, reaching for his memgram, the shattered mirror snapping together. His shield wrapped around the two of them, curving forward invisibly in the air to protect Cassie as the bullets slammed against it.
He grunted with the effort of keeping the priori flowing.
“Shit,” Jessalene said. “I didn’t think they’d shoot at me.”
“Well, they are,” Jared grunted. “Cassie?”
“I’m on it, boss.” She ripped off her shirt and pants, kicking them aside.
“Wait,” Jessalene said. “Wait, we don’t need to do this.”
Cassie stood there, beautiful and naked, frowning. She looked at Jared and he clenched his jaw. “Do it,” he said.
Cassie’s body began to twist and shift. Jared moved his attention away from her and back toward the three figures trying to kill them. One had stopped to reload, and Jared closed his eyes, reaching for another memgram—one he hadn’t used in a long time.
Darkness and then light, the burst of color and vision through black and void, then soot and ash and burning carbon. The stink of melted metal and steel, and a flame so hot skin begins to melt and twist.
The reloading Dryad screamed as his pants caught fire. Jared released the memgram, using just enough power to light the guy’s legs ablaze. The Dryad screamed again and threw himself on the ground, rolling back and forth, as an enormous fox creature leapt toward them in the night.
They turned their guns on Cassie, but it was too late. Jared dropped the shield in front of them and move it to encircle Cassie’s body. She slammed into the first gunner, ripping his weapon from his hands and taking a vicious chunk from his shoulder. The Dryad named Bruce stumbled back, away from Cassie, screaming something in a language Jared didn’t know.
Jessalene stepped forward, tears in her eyes. She reached out and gestured with her ha
nds toward Bruce. Vines growing along the riverbank leapt up and wrapped themselves around his legs, pulling tight to grab him and hold him in place. He stumbled and fell forward, his gun still gripped in his hand. Cassie pounced and tore the weapon away with her teeth, spitting it out into the river.
The burning Dryad managed to get the flames out and run. He sprinted off into the night and Jared let him go. He continued to hold the shield around Cassie for another few moments until he was sure there was no danger, then let it drop.
The Need flooded him, hot and sharp. He staggered, jaw clenched. Jessalene looked at him and walked to his side, putting her hands on him. “Are you okay?”
“Fine,” he growled, looking at her. She was beautiful, pouty lips, athletic body, dark thick hair. He wanted her, realized he’d wanted her from the moment he first saw her. He was so tempted to reach out and grab her hair, kiss her hard, taste her gorgeous tongue, but he held that instinct at bay. It was just the Need, screaming in his ear. “Go make sure they’re secure.”
She nodded and ran over to the downed men. Cassie stayed shifted, her fox form prowling the riverbank. Out on the water, the boat was still there, still unmoving. Jared could see a figure on it, watching them impassively.
He grabbed her clothes and walked over. The giant fox cocked its head at him. Her eyes were bright red in this form, her fur a mix of matted brown and reddish orange. She was almost more of a tiger than a fox, and Jared wondered if this animal existed anywhere in this world.
The creature began to twist and she formed back into his Cassie. Her naked body made his desire rage, and he had to toss her clothing over, his face turned away.
“It’s bad, huh?” she asked, voice soft.
“Yeah,” he said.
“Don’t worry.” She walked over and put a hand on his chest. She kissed his cheek and let her lips linger. “I’ll take care of you.”
He gave her a grateful smile and reached out without thinking. He put his hand on her lower back and pulled her against him, kissing her hard and deep.
“Uh, guys?”
Their kiss broke off. Cassie was looking up at him with stars in her eyes, blushing a deep crimson. He looked over at Jessalene. “Plenty more for you if you want to join,” he said.
“Much as I’d love to kiss Cassie too, Ferric’s still out there.”
Jared gathered himself as Cassie stepped away and pulled her clothes on. He took a deep breath and let it out. He walked over to the riverbank and cupped his hands around his mouth. “Ferric!” he shouted. “Come back to shore. There’s nowhere to run.”
The figure didn’t move. Jessalene joined him. “The other two are tied up,” she said.
“Dryad magic?” he asked.
“It’s useful sometimes. But we should watch them.”
He nodded and glanced back at the figures. They were tied up with vines, sitting slumped, their heads hanging. One was bleeding from his shoulder wound and the other looked dazed.
“Ferric!” Jessalene called out. “There’s no need for more blood. Come home with me.”
“Cousin,” Ferric shouted. His voice sounded louder somehow, like there was a resonant tone beneath his normal masculine timber. “Oh, Cousin. Look at you. Whore for the Magi.”
“Come in, Ferric,” she said, not taking the bait.
Cassie resumed prowling. She still looked animalistic, vaguely feline. Her face was hard and Jared could guess she was thinking about how fast she could swim out to that boat. He wondered what other animals she could shift into.
“I’m sorry, Cousin. I know this wasn’t your way. But it’s the only way the Magi scum understand.” He raised his arms and Jared felt it before it happened.
“Down,” he shouted, grabbing Jessalene and throwing her to the grass. His memgram leapt into his head, the glass reforming, and his shield crackled into life around them as shards of frozen river water smashed against it.
He grunted at the impact and his shield cracked. Another volley smashed against it, and he tried to rebuild the shattered pieces, but the priori wouldn’t flow. He cursed and grabbed Jessalene, pulling her up.
“No!” she screamed.
Jared pulled her away. “Come on,” he said, yanking her back toward the treeline. Cassie was already up there, hiding behind a wide oak, waving for them to run.
“Oh, pathetic, pathetic Magi,” Ferric’s voice said. “Come here, let me show you what your own magic feels like.” The figure on the lake raised up into the air and Jared could feel the energy tingling the air all around him, touching his skin, making his small hairs stand on end.
“Run,” he said to Jessalene and shoved her toward the trees. She began to stumble and move as he turned to face Ferric.
The figure rose high into the air and floated toward him. Jared tightened his hands into fists. He could feel the priori flowing off Ferric, and as he got closer, Jared could see that one single hand was covered in a thin white glove with red sigil writing glowing a faint blood red.
“Shit,” Jared said, just as Ferric held the gloved hand out and unleashed a jolt of magic. Jared got his shield up in time, but it shattered on impact and Jared stumbled backwards.
He reached for another memgram, the frozen land, and lashed out at Ferric. He tried to freeze the air in his lungs but managed only to ice Ferric’s clothing. The Dryad laughed, flexing his magic, breaking the ice away. He lashed back at Jared with fire, burning wide swathes of grass all around his feet.
Cassie came running to him as Jared threw up another shield, just barely taking the brunt of Ferric’s attack.
“We have to run,” she said.
“He’s right there,” Jared grunted. He held the shield up and reached for a second memgram, the priori flooding him so hot and fast that he couldn’t feel Cassie’s hands on him, tugging at him, trying to pull him away. It had been so long since Jared felt like this, the fear and the excitement, the Magi duel tearing so much priori into this realm that the air itself was ionized and smelled like ozone. The second memgram snapped into place and Ferric’s gloved hand iced over up to his arm.
The Dryad laughed as he broke the ice off, letting the shards shatter and drop like crystals into the river.
“Pathetic,” he said and laughed again. “If this is what Magi can do, it’s no wonder you rule the world. But now that I have this power, we will no longer cower in the dark.”
“Jared!” Cassie shouted, pulling him.
A bolt of electricity flashed from Ferric, smashing into a nearby tree. The tree splintered and exploded, sending shards of wood smashing against them. He didn’t have time to move his barrier and felt shards of it tear his skin. He grunted in pain and turned, covering Cassie the best he could with his body, taking the bulk of the wood.
When the dust settled, he pulled her up. “Are you okay?”
She stared at him and nodded. “Made of stronger stuff, remember?”
He nodded and pulled her away as Ferric laughed. Jessalene was hiding behind a tree nearby, her eyes wide and terrified.
“Jessa,” Jared said. He ran to her, dragging Cassie. He threw ice and fire at Ferric, but the Dryad easily batted them away. He returned the shots with more lightning. More trees exploded, but this time Jared was ready to wrap them all in a shield. He was sweating and dizzy with the exertion and knew he couldn’t keep this up much longer.
“We have to run,” he said.
“But... Ferric, he’s…”
“He has the artifact.” He took her face, made her look him in the eye. “You need to run with us, Jessa.”
She stared back, then nodded, dazed. Jared pulled her along as Cassie ran ahead. He summoned shields, ice-walls, fire columns, anything he could think of to keep Ferric off them as they reached the cars. He threw Jessa into the back seat of his sedan and Cassie jumped behind the wheel. Jared got into the back with Jessa and he closed his eyes, wrapping the whole car in a crackling air shield that made him want to puke.
Cassie peeled out, turned the c
ar around, and hit the road going way too fast. Ferric smashed one last pounding of lightning against Jared’s shield as Cassie sped them away.
29
“He’s not following,” Jared said with relief as he dropped the shield. He groaned as the Need came screaming into him like fire. He was sweating and exhausted, and now all he wanted was to touch the priori again. He wanted it so badly it hurt his pounding heart.
“How much did you just use?” Cassie asked.
“Too much,” Jared groaned.
“What’s happening?” Jessa asked.
“He used too much magic,” Cassie said. “I don’t know what’s happening to him.”
“Need,” Jared groaned. “Oh fuck.” It had been too long since he’d used that kind of magic. Years ago, he could’ve tapped twice that amount of power and not even felt it, but now that rush of energy was crackling in his body like fire.
“Help him,” Jessa said, panicking.
“I can’t.” Cassie’s voice was strained. “I’m driving. But you can.”
“No,” Jared grunted. “No, no, don’t. Don’t.”
Jessa’s eyes were wide. “What can I do?”
“Kiss him,” Cassie said. “Take off your clothes. He’ll do the rest.”
“Oh god no,” Jared moaned. “Please don’t. I can’t.”
“He says… he can’t.” She stared at Jared, then back to Cassie. “You want me to kiss him?”
“Do it,” she said.
“Please,” Jared said. “You’ll bond. You can’t. Please don’t.”
Jessa looked from Jared to Cassie. Jared was only half aware in the car, only half with it, but he didn’t want this. He didn’t want Jessa to sleep with him and bond without realizing what was happening.
“Bond?” she asked.
“I don’t know what that is,” Casie said. “But if you fuck him, you can help him release some of that magic.”
Jessa stared at him. Jared looked back, and god he wanted it, wanted her beautiful lips wrapped around his thick, throbbing cock, wanted to plunge himself between her legs, wanted to release himself inside her tight body and feel her shivering, shaking breath on his neck. But if he gave in to that, the magic might change her, and he didn’t want to risk it.
