Burned

by Kensie King

  “Fuck it,” I said.

  I stepped outside and tipped my face to the sky. This was what my days used to be like. Traveling from one place to the next, stepping outside every morning with no clue what adventures were going to come my way.

  It was freedom, plain and simple.

  The shed wasn’t locked, and I opened the door wide to let the air and light in. It smelled musty, like it hadn’t been opened in a while. But I saw the furniture right away. There were a few metal pieces folded against the side of the shed, and I stepped inside to see what else I might find. I also saw a lamp and coffee table. Both old but in good shape.

  Something tickled my arm. I glanced over, expecting a spiderweb. Instead, a big fat spider sat there, making me yelp. I swiped at it and then stepped back outside into the sunshine with a half-laugh, half-grunt.

  There were vampires and ghosts in this town, but I was getting worked up over a spider?

  I gave another laugh. When I turned to go back into the shed, I ran into a hard wall of muscle.

  “Look what we have here,” Gage said.

  Faster than lightning, he grabbed me before I could run.

  Then his eyes darkened and locked on mine. “I think it’s about time we finish this.”

  CHAPTER 18

  “Get off of me,” I said through gritted teeth.

  But that only made Gage squeeze a tighter, enough that I could barely move but still breathe. “Now, Link,” he said softly, lips against my ear. “I thought I already made it clear I’m not going to hurt you.”

  Then why was he still holding me so tightly? I squirmed against him, trying to find a way to kick, hit, or punch.

  Then his dark eyes captured mine, making the world swirl around me. “Calm down,” he instructed in his smooth voice. “That’s right. You just need to calm down.”

  My body relaxed in an instant, slumping against him. He supported my weight with no effort. When his gaze flicked down to the necklace Savannah gave me, he grimaced.

  “There we go,” Gage said. “I’m going to let go of you now, but you have to promise not to run.”

  I felt so relaxed, I’d probably agree to anything. But I gave a slow nod.

  He released me. I moved back a few steps and sagged against the wood of the shed, my breathing heavy and mind just starting to clear from his influence.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  “I didn’t hear back from you, so I thought I’d check in and see where we’re at with things.”

  “Where we’re at?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Let’s see…I think we’re somewhere along the lines of screw you.”

  He laughed and nodded. “All right. Well. You know, I think you’re the only person I know who uses humor when they’re terrified. I like it.”

  “I’m happy for you. Now, please leave.”

  “Is that how you treat all your guests?” He gestured to the shed. “Why don’t we get out some of those chairs and we can sit and talk like normal people.”

  I swallowed, having no clue how I was going to get out of this situation. By now, with my racing heart, Dylan had to know something was going on.

  “Why are you here?” I asked, ignoring his comment about the chairs.

  “Would you believe that I came for a truce?”

  I frowned. “You said the same thing before. And no, I don’t.”

  He backed up, stepping into the sunshine, and tipped his face to the sky. And didn’t burst into flames. Dammit, that was one vampire myth I could use right now.

  “Come on, Link,” he said invitingly. “It’s a lovely day. No point in spending it hating me.”

  I glared at him. “I guess I’m just a glutton for punishment.”

  He scratched his cheek. “How about a gesture of good will?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I brought all your stuff back.” He backed up another few steps. “Want to take a look?”

  “My stuff?”

  He nodded. “Your phone, computer, clothes. Everything you had at my house. And your car. I even took the liberty of fixing your tires.”

  When it appeared his words still weren’t sinking in, he made a waving motion. “Come see.”

  He walked around the side of the house before I could respond and went through the gate to the front yard. And he was right, there was my car. Tires in perfect condition. I looked through the back window and saw all my belongings on the seat.

  Well, everything but my mother’s Book of Shadows.

  I glanced at Gage. “Why?”

  “Why what?”

  “Why did you bring all this?”

  He leaned against the car and folded his arms. When his brilliant blue eyes sparkled in the sun, my pulse raced again, and I had to look away. Fuck, he was beautiful.

  “You need it, don’t you?” he asked.

  Of course I did. But something in me said he wasn’t doing this out of the kindness of his heart. “What do you want, Gage?”

  “I already told you. I want a truce. I’ll give you some time to settle, unpack, or…” He shrugged. “Do whatever you need to do. And then…we work together. We end the curse.” He lifted his eyebrows when I straightened. “I’m going to give you a piece of advice.”

  “What?”

  “Say yes. This is a good deal for you. For both of us, actually. You and your friends stay safe, I get what I want, and no one is hurt.” He smiled gently. “Or kidnapped.”

  “I’m not sure how sound your advice is,” I told him, frowning again. “I mean, that spell was put into place for a reason and—”

  “And I have my reasons for wanting to break it.”

  “Like massacring half the town?” I snapped, feeling like I’d had enough of his bullshit. “Or maybe—”

  He rushed forward so quickly, I didn’t even see it until he was right in front of me, close enough I could feel his chest rising and falling with each measured breath. “You have no idea about any of my motives or just how important this is, so don’t you dare make light of it.”

  I swallowed but lifted my chin. “I’m not afraid of you. You won’t hurt me.”

  His eyes searched mine as I openly defied him. Then a flare of power surged from the necklace, making me wince and step back. Pain was etched into the corners of his mouth, but I could see he was trying to hide it.

  “It sucks, doesn’t it?” I asked. “When you don’t have control?”

  “You have no idea who you’re messing with.”

  “I think I have a perfectly good idea.”

  I focused my energy, reaching deep within for the flames. I was used to them now, and for a moment, I felt completely in control. I looked to the side of where Gage stood by the grass, pushed with my anger and frustration just like I had with the water in Dylan’s kitchen, and a flash of fire erupted.

  Gage jumped to the side, and I felt a burst of triumph.

  “You missed,” he said calmly.

  “No, I didn’t.”

  His gaze locked on mine, holding it for an impossibly long time, like he was trying to figure me out. Then, he said, “You’re getting better. More controlled. Which means it should be easy for you to do that spell for me.”

  I grimaced. That was the exact opposite outcome I was going for. But he was right. If I could channel my energy and do magic here, I might be able to do his spell.

  “I’ll give you a few days to settle in, but then I want to get to work,” Gage said.

  “Threatening me isn’t the best way to get what you want,” I reminded him.

  To my surprise, he strolled forward with a grin and caught my chin before I could make a move. “You think that was a threat?”

  I didn’t give him the satisfaction of squirming. “Let go.”

  “You need to stop thinking this is some sort of game.”

  “Gage. Stop it.”

  His grip loosened slightly but he still held my gaze. “I’ll give you two days. Then I expect you to be ready to help with
the spell.”

  “Go to hell.”

  His jaw flexed. “Wrong answer.”

  I expected another display of his strength, or maybe even another threat, but instead he only backed up.

  “Two days, Link,” he reminded me. “Then I’m coming for you—unless you come for me first.”

  I swallowed a flicker of fear. Two days wasn’t long enough to figure out what to do. And I wasn’t so sure now that he wouldn’t hurt the people I was starting to care about.

  He left on foot, vanishing around the corner before I saw a truck come screeching in my direction. Dylan.

  He parked haphazardly on the end of the drive, almost in the grass where a few blades were singed from my fire.

  “Where is he?” Dylan snapped, whipping off his glasses and scanning the property. “Lincoln—where?”

  “He’s already gone. Dylan—”

  “Dammit, Link, I’m going to kill you,” he said, jerking around to face me. “What the hell are you doing out here?”

  I sagged against the side of the car, guilt creeping up on me at the worry I saw in his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

  He dropped his chin, exhaling as he ran a hand along the back of his neck. “I swear you’re allergic to listening or something. Weren’t you supposed to stay inside where it’s safe?”

  I frowned but apologized again.

  He sighed once more and walked over to lean against the car next to me. “I guess there’s no point in going inside now. If he wanted to hurt you, he already would have done it.” Then he glanced behind him. “Where did this come from?”

  “Gage brought it.”

  “He brought your car back? Why?”

  “He brought all my other stuff, too,” I explained. “He said he wanted a truce.”

  Dylan squinted against the glare of the sun, apparently forgetting he still held his sunglasses in one hand. “What?”

  “Two days,” I told him.

  “Link, please just tell me what happened.”

  “Sorry. Gage said he’d give me two days to settle in and then he wants me to help him with the spell.”

  The muscles in his arm flexed when he ran one hand through his hair. “And what did you say?”

  I shrugged. “Pretty sure it was something along the lines of, ‘Go to hell.’”

  He choked out a laugh. “And he didn’t kill you?”

  “Not yet.”

  Dylan frowned at that. I shouldn’t have made the joke, but somewhere deep inside I was convinced Gage wouldn’t actually hurt me. I just wasn’t sure why.

  “That’s what we’re trying to avoid here, Link. Antagonizing the bad guy is probably not the smartest way to go about it. It would be awesome if you’d at least try to stay alive.”

  “Awesome,” I said, lips quirking.

  “Yes, awesome. Groovy, sweet, kick ass. Whatever you want to say. Most people, including sexy young witches, tend to find staying alive fairly attractive.”

  I blinked and then grinned. “I find you attractive. And that whole speech totally turned me on.”

  He blew out a breath of laughter and put his sunglasses back on. “Glad you approve.”

  “Come on, Dylan. I can’t stay inside forever. Besides, Gage needs me—he can’t hurt me.”

  “Maybe not right now. But eventually.”

  I followed behind him when he started toward the house. “What the hell else am I supposed to do then? Just keep hiding until he gives up?”

  He spun to face me on the porch, his face a mask of the same frustration I felt. “I have no idea, but what I do know that this whole thing is bigger than a spell.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, once you do that spell, more people besides just me, you, or Grace will be affected. Anyone out there with vampire, werewolf, or shapeshifting blood in their genes can come to Knob Creek and get their powers back. And it’s not just that. Vampires won’t just be born, they can be created. People can be transformed into werewolves. Everyone in Knob Creek will be in danger.”

  My stomach churned with worry. It was hard for me to believe Gage would do that, simply hurt people for the sake of it. But he hadn’t exactly approached this whole thing in a friendly way, and for all I knew, he was one of the nice ones.

  “All right,” I said, propping my hands on my hips and forcing some hard perspective. “I see where you’re coming from, but that still doesn’t fix the situation. I’m stuck here now, and I don’t think Gage is just going to get bored and give up.”

  Dylan looked out to the yard, keeping silent.

  “Dylan?” I said.

  He shook his head. “I don’t know. The only thing I know is that we have to stop Gage somehow.”

  Kill him. I didn’t know if it was Savannah again or my subconscious picking up on what Dylan was thinking.

  I swallowed and stared at Dylan. I could see it written all over his face, and it wasn’t an idea either of us relished.

  “Yeah,” Dylan said, blowing out a breath. “Kind of puts us in a bad position. And makes us just like him.”

  He ran a hand down my arm, softening. “So what’s the plan? Besides yelling at each other.”

  I gave a grim smile. He was right. We weren’t on the same page right now. Both of us were frustrated and that frustration wasn’t getting us anywhere.

  “I’m going to go to the library to talk with Grace, see if we can brainstorm any ideas. Especially some way to find my Book of Shadows,” I told him.

  He frowned but nodded. He was starting to see that hiding wasn’t getting us anywhere. “Be careful,” he said.

  “I will.”

  I found the keys to my car on the seat in front and my phone in my satchel. No important messages.

  “Hey,” I called to Dylan before he could get in his truck. “Have you tried calling my mom again?”

  He nodded, though it looked reluctant. “I did.”

  “Still no answer?”

  “No.”

  I swallowed and nodded. It wasn’t a problem, I had to remind myself. Not yet anyway. “Thanks.”

  But it might be soon. I needed answers, and my mom might be the only one who could give them to me.

  And, I realized as I pulled out of the driveway, I also just wanted to make sure she was okay.

  CHAPTER 19

  “Don’t tell anyone I said this,” I told Grace when I walked into the library, “but men are stubborn.”

  “You’ve got man troubles?” Grace grinned. “Please give me details.”

  I hitched a hip onto the corner of her desk and shoved my phone in my pocket.

  “Wait.” She stood. “I thought evil vampire took your phone. Wait—you didn’t go see him or something equally crazy, did you?”

  “No,” I told her firmly. “But that doesn’t mean he didn’t find me.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “What were you doing?”

  I frowned at her. “Nothing. I swear. I was looking at one of the houses Dylan flipped—he said I could rent it for a while—and Gage showed up.”

  “And I take it Dylan found out.”

  “He did. And he’s upset—which I get. But what else am I supposed to do? Hiding inside all day isn’t solving anything—and don’t give me that look. You know you’d feel the same way. Gage is going to be evil whether or not I hide inside the house so I might as well try to find some way to stop him.”

  “Did he do anything?” Grace asked.

  “He told me he’d give me two days and then I have to help him work on the spell. What the hell is he getting out of this anyway? He just wants to be a vampire so he and live forever or what?”

  She leaned against the wall and looked out the window with a sigh. “Who knows? People are motivated by all sorts of ridiculous things. Immortality is definitely one of them. But so is boredom.”

  I snorted. That was true. But it still didn’t help solve the problem. “I need your help with something,” I told Grace.

  “What’s that?”

  �
��A spell, I think. Or whatever I need to do to find my Book of Shadows.”

  “Your Book of Shadows.”

  I nodded.

  “I guess it makes sense that you’d have one,” she said with a nod. “I mean, all witches get one at a certain age—you just didn’t know you were a witch and you haven’t been in touch with your mom in a while, right?”

  “Right,” I said quietly. And she was still nowhere to be found. “But I had a dream and one of my ancestors said I have a Book of Shadows.”

  “Wow. A message from beyond. Well, you coming to Knob Creek has definitely made life a lot more interesting.”

  I met her eyes. “Are you mad?”

  “That you came here?”

  “Yes, and that I got stuck and this whole mess started because of me.”

  She played with the end of her hair. “I mean, yeah, I’m pissed that this is happening, but it’s not your fault. All of this—or something like this—was going to happen sooner or later. Now we’re forced to take care of the situation. And maybe we’ll learn something important in the meantime—maybe even how to stop all this from happening for good.” She smiled at me. “I think finding your Book of Shadows is a good start—especially because it’s yours, one for a Master of the Flame.”

  “So how do we do that?”

  She thought for a minute, then nodded. “A location spell.”

  “I have no clue what that is or how to do it.”

  She sat at her desk again and reached inside a lower drawer to pull out a stack of books. “Spell books,” she told me. “Hopefully they’ll help us come up with something. Once you have your Book of Shadows, that will give us a lot more information.”

  “I was hoping it would be easy—like, it’s at my mom’s house or something.”

  She grinned. “That would be great. But if not, we should try a spell. If Gage gave you two days, we don’t have much time.”

  “If my mom would answer her damn phone, that might help, too.”

  She gave me a sympathetic look. “I know.”

  We started paging through the books in search of a location spell. I’d talked with witches in the past and seen them perform spells. But nothing serious came from them—at least, nothing I could see happening right away.