by Ciara Graves
I held the amulet in my palm, cringing at the dark magic pulsing against my skin.
“You going to be alright?” Mercy asked, holding the amulet in her hand like it didn’t bother her at all. Her magic should’ve reacted with the dark, but her eyes remained blue, clear of her inner fire.
“Yeah, perfect,” I muttered.
“I have more for you both.” Onyx removed a bag from under her cloak. “Clothes to help you fit in better. Invitations to the conference. The itinerary that gets mailed out ahead of time. Directions to the hotel. There’s an opening ceremony you’ll be expected to attend. The Elders of all the covens will be there. But don’t worry, it’s not an RSVP event so your names won’t be missing from some list. There’s a lot of witches and warlocks who show up at the last minute from all across the country.”
To say I was impressed wouldn’t be good enough.
“You thought of everything,” Mercy told her, looking equally shocked at everything Onyx provided for us. “Thanks.”
“There is one more thing. Someone at some point might want you to use magic. Can you do that? I know you’re a mage or something.”
Mercy blinked a few times, then nodded. “Of course I can. Won’t be a problem.”
I shot her a look.
She ignored me. “You’re putting yourself at risk by doing all of this. Are you sure you should be at the conference, too?”
“It’s my fault they got to Gigi. I want you to find her and bring her back home.”
“Onyx, if we pull this off, you should come with us. Gigi would want you to. You could live with her, and she could teach you everything you could ever want to know.”
She shook her head, giving a disgusted look I sensed was meant for herself. “I don’t deserve to be a good witch. Just find her for me.”
Mercy pulled Onyx into a hug. “We will, I promise. I won’t leave Sector 13 without her.”
“Good. And you’ll be careful, right? Whoever this person is that’s coming, they’ve beefed up security, big time.” She wrung her hands as she backed away from Mercy. “There’s a tiny chance the charms won’t work, but the less you wear them, the longer the effect will stay intact.”
“Got it, don’t wear them unless we have to.”
Onyx nodded to Mercy then glanced to me. “Watch out for her.”
Mercy didn’t look my way, but her shoulders tensed all the same.
“Always do,” I replied.
Onyx dragged her hood back up. “I’ll be at the conference, but I won’t recognize you. It’d be a good idea if you didn’t act like you knew me, too.” The look in her eyes said she doubted we’d be successful, and this would be the last time she’d see us alive.
I didn’t argue with her since I had no idea how much of a shit show we were going to walk into.
“Remember, the twenty-third, midnight. Don’t be late. They always remember the late ones.” She left and then it was just me and Mercy.
“Here, think these are for you.” She pulled out all black clothes and a cloak. “Shit, is that a dress?”
“You’ve gone undercover in a dress before.” I smirked at her raised lip and clenched jaw.
I took the clothes she offered, remembering damned well how she looked at the reapers’ ball. The first time she kissed me, too. I seized up. This was not like old times and could never be again.
“Yeah, well, I’ll have to find a way to hide my weapons somehow.”
“I’m sure you’ll manage.” I rolled the clothes up and tucked them under my arm, shoving the amulet in my pocket. “You sure you’re up for this?”
“Why? Because of what we found out?”
“No, your magic. You told her if someone asks you can show you have it. Can you?”
“Let me worry about that, alright? We have to get ready for this rescue mission.”
“I’m going to worry about it.” I grabbed the bag from her so she could stop using it as a distraction. “Are you sure you can do this?”
The doubt was right there, clear enough to see, but she squared her shoulders and stood to her full height. “I can. I’m not backing down, and I’m not leaving Gigi to suffer at the hands of these assholes. We’ll meet at the transport at eleven on the twenty-third. Are you sure you’re up for this?”
“I am, but if Shuval does end up being there, you’re not at your full strength.”
“It might not be her. Onyx never caught a name or description. With any luck, it’s just some witch.”
“And if not?”
She took the bag back and slung it over her shoulder. “You best hope we find Gigi fast and get the hell out of there before someone asks me to use my magic. Good night, Rafael. Don’t be late.”
I held onto the clothes as she left. The door barely closed when it opened again. I half-hoped it was her, but it was just Shep. “Yeah?”
“Where are you two going?”
“Sector 13. Dark witch coven conference. Starts on the twenty-third.” There was no reason not to tell him. Someone should know where we were, in case we didn’t come back.
“You best not come back without her, Fed.”
“You think I would?” I snapped.
He shrugged.
“What happened between me and Mercy is between me and Mercy, got it?”
“Is that right? Damian went easy on you.”
“Damian is still recovering from being attacked by gargoyles.”
Shep rolled his shoulders and his eyes glowed yellow. “I’m not. I should teach you a lesson about pointing guns at people based on what they are. You have no idea what she’s gone through—what any of them have—and you’re going to threaten her? Blame her? Perhaps you didn’t hear me the first time. You’re a fool.”
“She lied to me, and she’s not the only one. How did you expect me to react?”
“Everyone lies,” Shep said, as if it was indeed the norm. “The question is why did she lie?”
“To trick me.”
“And deep down you know that’s a bunch of horseshit. She was scared to tell you the truth, scared to mess up your perfect world of rules.” His lip lifted as he snarled. “Scared of you turning your back on her.”
I chucked the rolled-up clothes on the couch and took a step closer. “You know what she is. What was I supposed to do?”
“Trust her as she trusts you.”
“But she doesn’t!”
Shep’s eye twitched. He made no move to attack me, though his muscles were bunched as if he was ready to at any second. “The question you really need to ask yourself is who are you pissed off at more? Mercy, for lying to protect herself and every dragonborn in hiding? Or yourself for being such a dick once you learned the truth? Who are you mad at really, Rafael?”
“What are you, a shrink?”
Shep didn’t budge an inch. “You bring her home, or I best not see your face ever again.”
He made for the door, but I called him back.
“Damian and Nor. Do you know anything about them working together?”
Shep started walking again as he called over his shoulder, “I’m just a bartender.”
Shep’s question repeating itself over in my head, I grabbed up the clothes and walked home. I was pissed at Mercy. That’s what I should’ve said. Pissed that she didn’t trust me. That she lied to me since the first day I met her. But as the night wore on, my agitation grew, and I sulked around my apartment. The rage that clawed at me since we lost all those agents abated and I saw the situation clearly. Mercy lied because it’s what she’d been trained to do all her life to keep herself safe. Then when she learned the truth about herself, Shuval, and the others, she kept lying to keep those she cared for safe. Keep innocents alive and out of the hands of the Feds and Shuval. Both wanted the dragonborn found, and neither would be nice when they finally got their hands on those left behind.
As the sun came up, I stood at the back windows, knowing I messed up.
Mercy wouldn’t forgive me easily, and there wa
s a small nagging part of me that said I might’ve overreacted, but how could I trust her fully ever again?
Chapter 5
Mercy
The time between Onyx giving us the disguises and the invitations to when I had to meet Rafael at the transport was not long enough. I’d spent every waking minute back in Damian’s place focusing on my magic. I’d meditated and cleared my head. I’d worked at getting myself pissed off and even went so far as to climb on top of the building where Damian’s office was. I stepped right up to the edge then held one foot out over nothing.
If I’d jumped, I was pretty sure I would’ve broken my legs or killed myself.
With barely an hour to go until I had to meet Rafael at the transport, I glared at my reflection.
“Just one spark. All you need is one spark.”
I shut my eyes and held up my right hand. After a few deep breaths, I cleared my mind and found quiet and stillness. I didn’t move, hardly breathed, and waited for my magic to fill me like it used to do. But instead, my mind drifted, and I sifted through memories of me with Rafael. His laughter as we bantered and joked around with each other at his place. Having his arms wrapped around me as he held me close, protectively. That intense look of worry in his eyes when I was getting myself into trouble. Seeing how much he truly cared for me each time I’d been hurt. The night he pulled the gun on me faded away, outweighed by so many other memories. Were we really going to let one night define what we were to each other? He hurt me, yeah, but as much as I wanted to sit there and say I could get over him and move on, I knew I couldn’t.
Rafael and I were far from done with each other. We were just too stupid to see it. Too scared to admit it. The longer my eyes stayed closed, the more I heard his voice as if he was standing right behind me. Then a weight fell on my shoulder, comforting, and he whispered my name.
As I opened my eyes, there was no sign of Rafael. But in my palm was a single white and gold flame. The light was back in my eyes, too.
I sighed.
He was the key. Putting aside my anger and pain was the only way back to my magic. Fantastic.
At half-past eleven, I changed into the clothes Onyx brought me, grimacing at the snug fitting black dress with a corset top. It was not even close to anything I’d wear. The sleeves were too much, draping and hanging alongside the skirt of the dress. My boots, at least, were hidden, and I tucked my two daggers in the sides. My gun was another story. There was no place to put it where it wouldn’t be obvious I was packing. I took it with me anyway so Rafael could have two guns on him, if nothing else. I kept the amulet off, for now, not wanting to use too much of its power until we arrived. Once I was as ready as I could be, I picked up my small bag with extra clothes, closed Damian’s office, and walked to the transport. Several men I passed catcalled and whistled. I glared at them all and made sure to turn so they could see the scar on my face. One by one, they fell silent, and I eventually made it to the transport. Rafael was already there with his own bit of luggage for our not so fun trip away from Sector 21.
He turned around when I called his name, and I had to focus hard on keeping my eyes on his face and not on checking him out.
Then I saw his eyes give me a quick once over, so I gave in. The black button-down shirt with long sleeves fit him perfectly, highlighting the muscles underneath. The pants were black leather, and though I never imagined seeing him in leather, it looked damned good on him. He held the cloak in his hand, but there was no sign of his gun.
“You look incredible,” he spoke first, the words coming out rough.
“Thanks, not so bad yourself there, killer.” I frowned as I took him in again. “No holster?”
“No. Had nowhere to put it.”
“You have no weapons?”
“Didn’t say that.” He turned around and lifted the back of his shirt. His gun was tucked at the small of his back, the shirt billowing just enough to hide it. Once he put the cloak on, no one would notice.
“You have room for one more? This dress is too tight. Couldn’t find a place to hide it.” We both glanced around, but there wasn’t anyone nearby. I handed him my gun and holster, and after putting on his cloak, he carefully tucked them both in an inside pocket. “Guess that’ll do.”
“Better than going in with nothing. Are you ready?”
I held up my amulet in answer. “Yeah, let’s go find Gigi.”
“Mercy, your magic… Well, are you sure you want to do this?” he asked, holding my hand, preventing me from putting on the necklace with the amulet.
“I told you before. I can. We’re wasting time. Onyx said not to be late.” I pulled my hand free and slipped the amulet on, then gasped at the rush of magic washing over me.
Rafael followed my lead, cursing as his body shook.
“I can’t tell if it worked. You look the same.”
“She said we would to each other.” He frowned then pulled out his cell.
“What are you doing?”
“Just hold still and smile.”
“What?” I asked as he stepped around behind me then took a picture. “Did you just take a selfie of us?”
“Not of us.” He tilted his phone so I could see the screen. “Of Roger and Maggie.”
The two people in the picture were certainly dressed like us, but the man was not a demon, and the woman had no visible scar on her face. “Holy shit, they work.”
“Yeah, they do. I’ve never seen myself without horns.”
“Don’t really care for it,” I remarked.
He eyed me as he tucked away his cell.
“Just my personal opinion. You ready now?” I put on my black cloak, and together we stepped into the transport. I typed in our location and waited to be taken to Sector 13, the last place I ever wanted to return to after the last time.
When we stepped out, I adjusted my cloak, slipped my arm around Rafael’s, and we started toward the hotel where the conference was being held. According to the papers Onyx gave us, Roger and Maggie were from a coven in Montana. Very small, very quaint, and the only state where no other witches for this conference had come from for the last decade. She had texted me yesterday to go over all the details one last time and told me she triple-checked. No one should know of or have met any witches from Montana. The hotel was a few blocks from the transport, but the sidewalks were far from empty. Quickly, we found ourselves surrounded by other witches and warlocks arriving in groups and all making for the hotel. The dark magic emanating from them set my teeth on edge. It was pretty much like someone was constantly dragging nails down a chalkboard. My hand squeezed Rafael’s arm harder, and he leaned in closer.
“You alright?”
“Yeah, just didn’t realize it’d be this bad.” I winced when my scar gave a twinge, nearly pulling Rafael to a stop, but he kept me walking.
“Maggie?” he asked, using my fake name.
My mind went completely blank for a few seconds as to what his fake name was until it came back to me. “I’m alright, Roger, just very excited,” I said loudly, with the best smile I could muster. I was not alright, not even close. That wasn’t just dark magic I sensed pushing in around us. Hybrids. They were here and not just one or two. More. A hell of a lot more. I dug my nails into Rafael’s arm until he grunted. “Sorry,” I whispered.
He took a firm hold of my hand, but it was too damned risky to tell him anything. It’d have to wait. I squeezed back and offered up another smile his frown said he didn’t buy.
We walked with the rest of the crowd to the hotel. Once at the front doors, we held out our invitations. The warlock checking people into the conference barely glanced at them as he waved us into the lobby, telling all new arrivals to check in at the front desk to get room assignments. Onyx also told me we’d be sharing a room. I would’ve preferred my own, but she said it would look odd. Most witches bunked with their friends and families. If we came together but didn’t stay together, some would find it strange and the last thing we wanted was attention of
any kind. The desk clerk was kind enough, and after we gave our fake names, he handed over two room keys.
“You’ll be on the sixth floor, room 613. The attendant here will take your bags for you,” he said cheerfully. We handed over our bags and watched the man head for the elevator. “And here’s the itinerary for the conference, there have been some minor time adjustments to the ones sent to you prior to the event. The opening greeting will start in the next hour. The auditorium is right through those doors behind you.”
“Thanks,” Rafael said with an easy smile as he took the key cards and paper.
“Montana, huh. I don’t think we’ve ever had anyone from that state. At least, not in a long time.”
“Yes, coven leaders felt it was time for us to branch out, so to speak,” Rafael explained. “There’s not very many of us either. So when two leave, well, it’s a good part of the coven.”
The clerk laughed politely with Rafael. “I can understand that. You’ll have a great time here.”
“Thanks.” Rafael turned away with me attached to his hip for the moment. “You need to sit down?” He leaned in, his lips brushing against my ear as he spoke.
Brief glimpses of other times spent together flashed through my mind, but now wasn’t the time to think about Rafael and me. That time was over. Finished.
“Maggie?”
“No, I’m fine. Like I said, just very excited.”
As he glanced at me, I purposely shifted my gaze around the room aimed at those I sensed were the strongest.
His gaze narrowed enough to let me know he picked up on part of the message. “Yes, me too.”
I wasn’t sure if that meant he sensed it too or if he’d keep an eye on them.
We stood in the lobby observing everyone who entered through the front doors. It was just like old times until Rafael grunted and suddenly pulled away from me, mumbling about grabbing a glass of champagne. He didn’t even ask if I wanted any. Guess all that friendliness since we got here was just for show. He wasn’t worried about me, not anymore.
