by Anne, Meg
Clearing her throat, Skye said, “Guardians of the South, fierce and kind, we call on you to warm but never burn us.” Since her candle was already lit, Skye improvised, feeding the flame by holding her incantation up to it, mesmerized as the flames licked at the piece of paper, quickly turning it to ash.
With a nod of approval, Giles concluded, “Guardians of the West, calm and eternal, we call on you to fill us with your knowledge and perseverance.” Taking a small bottle out of his pocket, Giles poured a few drops onto the ground in front of him.
As soon as the first drop hit the floor, all four flames leapt high, tripling in size before settling back into place and a warm gust of air blew through the room.
James’ eyes were comically large. He looked like one soft breath would send him toppling over. Lizzie wasn’t much better, her eyes furtively scanning the room, her mouth having fallen open in shock.
Skye set her candle down on the table to her right, not trusting herself not to drop it as they continued.
“Are ye ready, lass?” Giles asked Lizzie.
She nodded, setting her own candle aside and wiping her palms on her legs.
“Repeat after me: Reveal and unveil…”
Giles spoke slowly, allowing Lizzie to speak the words mere seconds after he did until it felt as if they spoke in harmony.
“Show me that which I seek. Bring to light what you keep hidden. Drawn to me like a moth to a flame. Come to me…come to me…come to me…”
There was a ripple in the air, like a blanket being pulled from the bed. The candles blew out, and Skye barely contained her gasp of terror as a cold voice spoke into the darkness.
“Well, well, well, what have we here?”
Chapter 19
Skye
With a hiss, a small ball of light took shape in James’ hands, and he lifted the lighter to light the circle. A creepy glow washed over each of their faces, turning them into characters from some kind of horror story told around a campfire.
James stared intently at her from across the circle. The air between them undulated like the top of an otherwise smooth lake. It was the Druid’s spirit, nothing more than a transparent apparition. Even still, Skye’s body was frozen with fear, and she couldn’t quite find the courage to lift her eyes the fraction of an inch higher to determine whether or not the Druid was wearing his hood. James dipped his chin in a slow nod. Her cue to start speaking.
“Miss me already, Seer?”
She settled for staring just over the tip of his right shoulder, but it took three attempts for her to push the words past her lips. “Hardly. I thought you might be interested in hearing some information I’ve acquired.”
The Druid laughed, the sound slithering over her skin. The tiny hairs lifted on the back of her neck, and she clenched her hands into fists. Everything within her was screaming to flee, but she forced her body to remain still.
“You’ll have to do better than that, Skye. Or have you already forgotten how well we know each other now?” His voice was a seductive croon.
Stomach in knots, Skye lifted her shoulder in a careless shrug. “Suit yourself. I just thought you might want to know that I’ve Seen your future.”
Her eyes darted to the place where his face would have been, and she was relieved to find the outline of a hood obscuring it. At least she didn’t have to meet those horrible black eyes.
The Druid flickered. Skye hoped it was a sign of his agitation, but she did not let any hint of emotion cross her face. He needed to buy this charade, and she couldn’t afford to give anything away.
“I find that hard to believe since I just removed the only obstacle between me and immortality.”
Skye tilted her head, copying the movement he’d used on her countless times before. “Did you? Or did you make it so that immortality will be forever just out of reach? If I recall correctly, you had to kill the last remaining Druid in order to acquire his power. What good is he to you if he’s still alive while lost to the Wasteland?”
“Are you so eager for his death, Seer?”
She bared her teeth in the smallest imitation of a smile. “Not quite. I just couldn’t resist the urge to look you in the eyes when I got to tell you that you failed. You’re going to die. You went to all of this trouble, and you still haven’t won.”
“Bullshit.”
“Oh? Then explain the vision to me. You know what my gift is. I have to say, it was the first time a death vision ever brought me quite so much joy. I was smiling when I returned to the present.”
“It’s true,” Lizzie said, her chin tilted defiantly.
The Druid sneered. “I don’t believe you.”
“As if I care. It doesn’t change the future,” Skye said. “And now, I can rest a little easier knowing that you’ll be haunted by the idea of your death, never knowing when or where it will strike, only that it’s coming for you.”
Skye started to turn away—
“Wait.”
This time, she didn’t have to fake her grin. “What?”
“Tell me what you Saw.”
“No.”
“No? Then why call me here, Seer?”
“So I could watch you squirm, you pathetic piece of shit. You may have torn me apart piece by piece, both my body and my heart, but you will never win. Death will find you. And when it does, I am going to dance on your grave.”
“I can still make your life a living hell while I’m alive, Seer. Do you not realize our time apart has been a gift? I could easily come for you and slit your throat in your sleep. Have you forgotten the last time I visited your dreams?”
Icy sweat rolled down her back, but Skye clung tooth and nail to her rage. “I dare you to try.”
“Skye—” Lizzie warned, her voice low but obviously frightened.
“Listen to my granddaughter, little Seer.”
Skye grit her teeth. “You want the details, asshole? It’s going to cost you, and I’m willing to bet it’s a price you’re not going to want to pay.”
“Money is no object.”
“Who said anything about money? If I give this to you, I want it to hurt.”
“What do you want?” he asked, his voice an angry crack.
“Tell me how you got out of the Wasteland.”
He let out a bark of laughter. “That’s your price? What could you possibly do with that information?”
“Why don’t you leave that to me.”
“You’re a bigger fool than I thought if you think you can go after him.”
Skye shrugged. “I never said I was going to.”
“Then why?”
“You don’t need to know. That’s not our bargain, Druid.”
She could feel the weight of his gaze boring into her, but she didn’t flinch, even though her heart pounded inside its cage. Please buy it. Please buy it. Please, it begged with each thumping beat.
“Fine,” he growled. “But you tell me first—”
“No deal,” she said, cutting him off. “I don’t trust you to tell me after you get what you need.”
“And why should I trust you?”
“That’s not my problem. I’m just as happy watching you dangle like the worm you are.”
The crackle of James’ lighter and Giles’ shallow breaths were the only sounds in the room as the Druid considered her offer.
“The way out of the Wasteland is the same as the way in. Sacrifice. An equal exchange. The Wasteland will accept nothing less.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” James demanded.
“A soul price,” Giles whispered, understanding what none of the rest of them did.
The Druid ignored them. “I gave you what you wanted, Seer. Now, it’s your turn.”
“You were standing inside of a stone circle. The night was clear, starless. Three hooded figures stepped into the circle, one pulled a runed dagger from within the folds of their cloak. There was a blast of light, the figure fell, but the other two reached you. You fought. When all three had f
allen, you thought you won. You never saw the one that remained hidden. They struck while you were busy defiling the corpses of the others. I would tell you it was quick, but it wasn’t. Whoever’s going to kill you wants you to suffer.” Skye let her hatred shine as she started at his spirit form. “I hope they succeed, you miserable bastard. A quick death is far too kind for you.”
“Who were they?” the Druid demanded.
“I told you all I Saw. Rot in hell, asshole,” Skye sneered, turning and walking away from where he remained inside of their circle.
“Seer! Get back here, you stupid bitch.”
Skye kept walking even though her legs shook. She didn’t stop moving until she was out of the room and locked inside Lucas’ bedroom. Only then did she allow herself to slide to the floor and heave.
She was still trembling when James found her.
“You did so good, Skye. Lucas would be proud of you.”
Wiping a hand over her mouth, Skye looked up from where she was huddled on the floor. “Is he gone?”
James nodded.
Relief chased away some of the fear, but she was still too light-headed to stand. “Good.”
“Can I get you anything?”
“Water?” she asked.
“You got it.”
Before he walked out the door, Skye called to him. “James?”
“Yeah?” he asked, twisting back around to face her.
“What do you think a soul price is?”
James’ smile faltered, and he shook his head. “I’m not sure, but Giles seemed to know. When you’re feeling better, we will ask him. Just rest now, okay? You’ve done enough for today.”
“It’s not enough until we get him back,” she insisted.
“And we will. Let’s deal with one thing at a time, alright?”
Skye wanted to argue, but the emotional toll of the day had all but drained her, and she couldn’t ignore the wisdom of his words. It required more effort than it should just for her to remain sitting upright. She really had pushed herself. Skye cursed her weakness, but nodded in agreement.
James left, and Skye managed to crawl into the bed. She pulled the blankets that still smelled faintly of Lucas over her and then leaned back against the pillows, letting the softness of them absorb some of her tension.
After closing her eyes, she pictured Lucas, his cocky grin, and even the ridiculous unicorn tattoo on his ass.
With a smile of her own, Skye drifted off. We’re coming, Lucas.
Chapter 20
Lucas
“Lizzie, would you just back off already?” Lucas stared down the woman standing in front of him with her hands braced on her hips. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew it wasn’t actually his sister, but the part that recognized the difference between reality and the Wasteland’s tricks slipped away more each and every single day.
“I’m just saying, you aren’t going to find anything here.”
Lucas pressed his hands to his ears to drown out the sound of her incessant whining.
“Don’t waste your breath, Lizzie. You know what a stubborn ass he is,” Skye interjected from her post against the side of the cavern. She leaned against a rune-covered wall, inspecting her nails.
Ignoring them both, Lucas focused on the drawings he’d been studying. Part of him wanted to slide down to the ground, allow himself to forget that none of this was real, and simply accept his fate.
But the small piece of him that remembered his true family, the part of him who knew they were in danger, stubbornly refused to let him give up.
“Come on, baby.” Skye left her post and pressed up against him. “Don’t you want me? Don’t you want us to be together, just like old times?”
Closing his eyes, he pretended he couldn’t feel the heat of her body where it was molded against his. The way her breasts rose and fell with each breath as if she were actually alive.
Barely resisting, Lucas shook his head. “You aren’t real. My Skye is waiting for me.”
“Is she?” Skye pouted. “Because I’d be willing to bet she’s already in bed with the Druid. He is more powerful than you.”
White-hot rage shot through him, pulling him just far enough back from the edge of madness that he shoved her away and glared down at her. “If you aren’t going to leave me the fuck alone, then shut the hell up.”
Wasteland Skye sulked, her bottom lip in a full sexy pout, but Lucas couldn’t care less. He turned his attention back to the markings on the wall. They were all so familiar, and yet, his mind couldn’t grasp the meaning of any of them.
What was the fucking point of having power when you couldn’t use it? He’d drawn all of the symbols he knew, tried every single spell in his mind, and nothing had worked. He’d even used the sharp edge of one of the rocks to slice through his palm.
Not even his Druid blood sparked any power.
Since being here, he hadn’t been able to call up a single flicker of actual magic. Unless he counted what he could still feel beating against his veins like an overflowing dam about to burst. Which reiterated his initial question: what was the point?
How the hell had that bastard escaped the Wasteland? What spell—or combination of spells—had he used to get back? Was it possible someone found a way to pull him from this place?
What if it had been Giles? And now, he was working with Lizzie and Skye!
Lucas closed his eyes as images of his real sister and a bloody and broken Skye popped into his mind.
“No, no, no. Not Giles. He’s been helping us,” Lucas said.
“Has he though?” Lizzie asked.
Lucas slapped himself, one sharp crack against his cheek. The stinging pain worked to snap himself back to reality. Well, if not actual reality, it at least helped remind him what was true.
“I can do that for you,” Skye offered. “If you’re into it.”
Lucas glared at her until she put up both her hands and took a couple of shuffling steps back. With a sigh, he turned back to the wall. Treat it like a crime scene, MacConnell. The problem was, he already had. He’d combed every single inch of the cave and found nothing other than the blade made from rock, and these fucking runes.
“The Druid escaped from here,” Lizzie reminded him.
“Well, he’s more powerful than you’ll ever be,” Wasteland Skye taunted.
Both of the mirage women laughed.
“Too bad you weren’t man enough to save me,” Skye added, twisting the verbal dagger she’d just gutted him with.
Lucas spun, pinning Skye to the wall. Her eyes stuck him with a steely gaze, so unlike the warm, loving woman he’d known.
“Are we finally doing this then?” She ran her hand over his bicep, and his traitorous body shivered at her touch.
“I’ll give you two some privacy.” Lizzie disappeared with a knowing grin.
Skye arched up against him, her breasts pressing into the arm across her throat. “What are you waiting for, Detective?”
Breaking his number one rule of the Wasteland, Lucas leaned down and crushed his mouth to hers. The kiss was bruising and mean. He poured every ounce of his frustration into the kiss, hoping to punish Skye for fucking with his mind. Even the illusion of passion was enough to have his cock hardening in anticipation, and it was no longer clear exactly who Lucas was punishing.
He slanted his mouth over hers to deepen the kiss, his hips pressing into her welcoming body in an attempt to alleviate the ache. Hands tangling in her hair, Lucas lost himself in the kiss.
A familiar copper tang filled his mouth, and he jerked away, coughing and spitting up blood.
Skye grinned at him, looking like some kind of demented vampire with crimson smears on her lips and chin. “Poor Detective. Can’t handle it, can you?” Skye wiped the back of her hand against her mouth, taking the blood with it.
Lucas gasped for air, fighting the urge to vomit. There was nothing in his stomach, and he knew from experience it would only lead to a day of dry heaving.
“Can you imagine what he did to me?” Skye asked, her amber eyes wild. “All because you weren’t man enough to save me!”
Lucas covered his ears. Pain, raw and fresh, ripped through his body, dropping him to his knees.
“Lizzie, you can come back now,” Skye sang, a satisfied smirk on her once again pristine face.
“Fuck!” Lucas roared, slamming his fist into the wall. “Son of a bitch!” He yanked his hand back, studying the split and bloody knuckles.
“Great, now you fucking broke it, dumbass,” Lizzie scolded him.
“Leave me alone!” Lucas screamed. “Get the fuck out of my head!” Lucas clutched his throbbing—probably broken—hand, cradling it against his chest.
“We’re coming, Lucas.”
The words were spoken softly, lovingly, which was not even remotely fitting for the mirages he’d been living with. Lucas whipped around to stare down the impostor Skye.
“What the hell did you just say?”
She threw Lizzie an amused grin and then turned back to him. “Hearing voices now, are you? Sounds like you might just be losing your mind…”
“How fun,” Lizzie said, giggling.
Lucas shook his head. He’d heard the words. They’d been as clear as if they’d been spoken directly into his ear. He slapped himself again, something he was having to do more frequently than he cared to admit. It was the only way to keep his thoughts straight.
“Wow, he really is a goner,” Lizzie commented.
Using some of his blood, he drew the symbol for healing on his injured hand. Knowing it was futile, he uttered the activation word.
The blood and pain remained. Lucas swallowed back a groan.
“We’re coming, Lucas.” The words radiated through his mind, giving him hope.
Even if they weren’t true, even if the promise had been just another trick of his mind, Lucas got to his feet. The real Skye, Lizzie, and Matthews were waiting back in Scotland, and they were counting on him.
“This won’t last long,” Skye commented.
