Stealing Summer, Hunter

by Lexi Blake

  Before she’d had her powers drained by a crazy witch coven. They’d used Liv’s magic and hadn’t expected she would survive the experience. “I thought she was getting better.”

  Sarah sighed. “Physically she is. Emotionally, not so much. I can’t imagine what it’s like for her. My magic has always been inside me. To have it stripped away, I can’t even think of how it must feel. Like she’s lost her identity.”

  “They drained her. Can’t she rebuild it?” I’ll be honest I didn’t completely understand the problem.

  “In theory she should. That’s not what’s happening. She can’t even do a simple spell, one that a skilled human could do. It’s like they left a void inside her,” Sarah explained. “I’m worried she’ll do something dangerous to try to get it back.”

  Olivia Carey had always been one of the most sensible people I’d ever met. “Why would you say that?”

  “I say it because I would,” Sarah replied. “We never know how far we’ll go until it happens, but I try to be honest with myself. I could see me doing some pretty dangerous shit to get my power back. I know what the world is like when you don’t have it. I can’t let my family be vulnerable. Any of us, and that’s why we have to figure out what that man is doing.”

  “Do we risk talking to the coven about it?” I had kept my circle tight on this one.

  Sarah shook her head. “Absolutely not. You have to understand that most of the witches on this plane grew up idolizing the idea of the man. He has groupies, Z. It’s weird and creepy. No. I think there’s only one real way to figure out what’s going on.”

  “Hit me.” I needed something to do. Anything. I had to hope if I solved this problem, I got my husband back. Maybe even both of them. If I could prove to Daniel that Myrddin was up to no good, perhaps I could bridge the chasm that had opened between us.

  She leaned forward slightly, and her voice went to a whisper. “I need access to his grimoire.”

  A chill went through me and then a flare of excitement. A grimoire is a witch’s or wizard’s personal book of spells. It’s more than mere words, though. It’s the sum of a witch’s magical life. It’s everything she or he has learned.

  Myrddin’s grimoire would be the most important magic text in existence. At least on this plane.

  “It’s here?”

  Sarah nodded. “When I get close to his apartment, I can feel it. He’s definitely got it warded because it’s nothing more than a shiver that goes up my spine, but something that powerful leaves a trace even when it’s warded. It’s why I need you to sneak me in. I would ask you to steal the sucker for me, but he would find it. It can’t be completely hidden.”

  Except according to my father it could. My father had given me a gift at my coronation. One I’d never really thought about using. It was a bag of holding. Yes, roleplaying was invented by supes and they use a whole lot of our vernacular. This particular bag of holding was a medium-sized sack that looked an awful lot like a shopping tote, until the owner puts something magical in it and closes the top. The bag then disappears. It swallows up the magical item one wants to hide and holds it in a small pocket universe contained in the bag. Therefore no matter how powerful the object was, it couldn’t be detected because it wasn’t actually on the Earth plane.

  “I think I might have a way to get you that book.”

  There was a pleasant chiming through the speakers and Sarah stood. “That must be the academics. I’ll go let them in. And seriously, you can’t steal it. Don’t even start thinking that way.”

  But I already was. My father had given me the bag in private. He’d taken me aside while everyone at the coronation party had been drinking and dancing and playing around with all those crowns. My dad took me aside and made me promise I would hide it from everyone.

  You might need this one day. I know you love those boys of yours, but they’re not exactly normal men. This life you’re leading, it’s going to be dangerous. Always. You can’t wear that crown and expect a quiet life. So this bag is only for you. In case you ever need to hide something. Even from Danny and Devinshea. Don’t tell anyone. Keep one secret just for yourself. You could need it one day.

  It looked like I would need it today.

  * * * *

  Kelsey

  I could feel myself being pulled into that void. I couldn’t stop it. I tried shoving the sword I held in the ground to use it as leverage, but it didn’t work. The force dragging me toward that darkness was far stronger than I was.

  I ended up on my ass, digging the heels of my boots into the soft forest ground. I watched in horror as Kor completely disappeared, as if he had never been there. I was about to go the same way. I could see the tear starting to close, but it wouldn’t be enough, and I didn’t want to find out what would happen if I only went part of the way through.

  A thick vine wound around my waist and suddenly grass shot up all around me. One minute I was being dragged across the dirt and the next I was mummified by all that green stuff. I will admit to some claustrophobia. Normally having my entire body wrapped in foliage would make me cranky, but those blades of grass and vibrant vines were strong, far stronger than the sword had proven to be.

  “Can you hold her?”

  I heard Marcus shout the question as I felt the green stuff tighten around my body. I figured this was probably what it felt like to be swallowed by a really big snake, except without all the digestive enzymes. Still, I was grateful because it felt like I wasn’t going anywhere.

  “Yes,” Devinshea replied, though it was really Bris’s voice. I get confused with the whole ascended god thing. “I can hold her until the veil closes, but I don’t know if I can save you, too. Stay where you are. If you get even an inch closer, I worry the void will try to take you.”

  “Kelsey, dear, stay calm,” Marcus said. “It’s already beginning to close. When it’s safe, Bris will free you.”

  I would have said something but my mouth was covered in cool ivy. God, I hoped it wasn’t poison ivy. I could feel the gravity that tried to pull me toward the darkness, feel Bris tightening his hold. I was in a tug of war between a Green Man and Nothingness. I was going to do everything I could to ensure the Green Dude won. Even if I could barely breathe.

  I heard a loud popping sound and then it was like the whole world relaxed.

  “Are you all right?” Marcus was at my side as the grass and ivy receded, and I could see and breathe again.

  I nodded and let him help me up. When he pulled me into a hug, I went gratefully. I breathed him in because Marcus might not be my lover anymore, but he was still safety and comfort to me. He was still my dearest friend, and I wouldn’t be alive without his good counsel.

  “I found you,” I whispered.

  I felt him chuckle. “And luckily you also knew how to get my attention. How long have you been here? I did not see you fall. Devinshea and I have tried to stay close to the doorway the painting opened.”

  I stepped back and looked to Dev. “I fell into the field a couple of minutes ago, so apparently the doorway shifts around. That sucks. Your wife is scared as hell, Your Grace.”

  Dev frowned, his eyes back to normal. “It looked like my wife was here. Who was that?”

  I shrugged. “I was hoping to get all that information as soon as I kicked some butt. We didn’t really have time to chat. I hit the ground and then there was a small army after us. Her, really. I’m surprised she ran.”

  “This is a trick.” Dev put his hands on his hips and stared out into the forest. “Didn’t Grayson say something about a trick and a trap in one of his prophesies? Sending some creature who can turn into my wife is definitely a trick, but I don’t intend to be trapped here. If she’s the reason we’re here, she can be the reason we get home.”

  I didn’t think she was bad. She’d tried to protect me. When she’d had the first chance to run, she hadn’t taken it. It had only been after Marcus and Dev showed up that she seemed to get really scared. Though I wasn’t sure about what
had happened. I’d been fighting at the time. “I think the painting itself was the trick and the trap.”

  My shoulder ached as it started to heal.

  “No. It’s too coincidental that we arrive here and a clone of my wife is waiting for me, and now she’s managed to get us involved in something dangerous,” Dev said.

  “I agree that this is a dangerous situation.” Marcus had taken off his jacket and was rolling up his sleeve. “Come, Kelsey. I know you’re a married woman, but I also know your husbands wouldn’t want you in pain. We need you at your best if we are going to make our way back home.”

  He was right on both counts. When he bit into his wrist and offered it to me, I didn’t hesitate. There was nothing at all sexual about it now. Nope. Not one bit. I wasn’t going to think about how we used to end these sessions with Marcus throwing me down and doing all sorts of dirty stuff to me.

  Okay, it was completely awkward and the minute I could feel the hole in my shoulder starting to heal, I let go of his vein.

  Dev was staring at both of us. “Don’t feel bad about it, Kelsey. If we’re here long enough I might have to take his vein. Now that will be truly discomforting. We’re on a foreign plane. His blood is one of our major resources.”

  Marcus frowned his way as he rebuttoned his dress shirt. “And to think I wanted to be loved for my mind. Devinshea is right, however. We have to find a way back. We need to talk to the young woman who is wearing the queen’s face. She’s the key.”

  “Yes, I want to know more about her,” Dev said, his voice going low and on the predatory side.

  “She resisted my suggestions,” Marcus admitted. “I was able to get inside her head, but it had no effect on her. I know she heard me, but all I felt was her fear. I did not sense ill will toward any of us.”

  Dev nodded as though Marcus had confirmed his worst suspicions. “And what human or Fae can resist your persuasion? She’s some kind of shapeshifter or a witch. I’ve heard there are hags that can take on different faces. She took on the wrong face. I won’t allow anyone to use my goddess against me.”

  “I think first we should figure out what we’re dealing with.” The guys seemed super excited to go after the pseudo-Zoey. It was time for me to be the voice of reason. We had a couple of handy prisoners who might be able to give us a hint of where we were and how to survive. “Can we ask the soldiers a couple of questions first? I can find our friend. She’s got a distinct scent.”

  “She smells like sunshine and honey.” Marcus was staring off into the forest the way Summer had run. “I’m beginning to believe Devinshea. She might be the trap. But I believe she’s a trap for me. I’m going after her. You two stay and talk to the soldiers. I’ll bring her back and we’ll figure out what’s happening.”

  Marcus stalked into the forest. He’d left his jacket behind and he seemed far more primal than the elegant man I’d gotten to know. There was a light in his eyes that wasn’t about joy. It was all about the hunt.

  I didn’t like the idea of Marcus going off on his own. I started to open my mouth to stop him, but Dev put a hand on my arm.

  “Let him,” Dev said, his voice low. “He needs this.”

  I watched Marcus take off into the woods. “Needs what? Needs to run around a faery forest?”

  “He needs to feel like he’s in control of something.” Dev walked back to where our prisoners were still wrapped up in their green prisons. “You weren’t the only one who felt the pull of that exchange, but you are the only one who gets to return to two lovers who will take care of you. Marcus is alone.”

  My heart hurt when I thought of him being alone. I knew how much he hated it. He was almost two thousand years old and he’d never met his soul’s mate. He’d had companions over the years, but not one who matched his soul. Including me. “All right. As far as I could see, she didn’t have any supernatural power. She seemed to be holding her own with a sword, though. I would bet she’s been well trained.”

  “Marcus can handle her.” Dev stood over the first soldier and frowned.

  “I’m happy you didn’t kill each other. I’m afraid that’s what I kind of thought when I realized the two of you were gone.”

  Dev held a hand over the cocoon he’d wrapped his prisoner in and it started to retreat. “I don’t hate Marcus. I simply don’t get along with him the way Daniel and Zoey do. There are many people who think their world would be better had Marcus formed the third tip to our triangle.”

  If I’d been drinking something, I would have coughed it all up. “That’s ridiculous. Marcus…Marcus wouldn’t take care of the king the way you do.”

  “Yes, I believe that’s the point.” Dev’s shoulders slumped as he stared down at the soldier he’d caught. “He’s dead. I’m going to suspect the other one is as well. It looks like a spell of some kind. I wouldn’t want to be in this man’s army.”

  Sure enough, the second soldier was dead, too. He had some kind of symbol branded on his cheek that likely had also been spelled to ensure that the soldiers couldn’t be taken captive.

  “So this Summer chick is our only lead.” I better hope Marcus could find her.

  Dev had gone pale. “Did you say Summer? Her name was Summer?”

  “Yes. That’s what she told me.” I groaned. Sometimes it takes me a while to put shit together. “Summer is almost here. Gray was talking about this chick, not the season. That’s really shitty. Prophecy is already hard as it is. Who thought it would be awesome to give a girl a name that could be confused with a season?”

  Dev seemed to come back to life. “Daniel. Daniel gave her that name. Oh, goddess, I can’t let her get away.”

  He turned and ran into the forest.

  I sighed and started to follow. It looked like it was going to be a long day.

  Chapter Six

  Summer

  I ran through the forest, my footing sure on the dirt and loam. I knew these woods like the back of my hand. Of all the planes I’d visited, this was the one I’d spent the most time on. Mostly because there were no centralized authorities here, no one native to the plane that I had to hide from. At one point it had been used as a refuge for Fae fleeing a plane called Tír na nÓg. Tír na nÓg was where the original Fae from the Earth plane had settled when it became obvious the humans would take over that plane. There had been a battle for the throne and once the Finns had won back their rightful crowns, the Fae had left this place. So there were structures here, and no one who might put in a call to a warlord who wanted to take me as his bride.

  I could see the lake in the distance. It was roughly half a day’s walk once I got around the lake. I could camp out, but it would be better if I made it to our deserted village before nightfall.

  I took a long breath and hoped Kelsey had made it out of the fight.

  The ground seemed to shake around me and I cursed because I knew what was happening. Well, I didn’t know exactly what it was, but I did know the episodes were getting worse. I knew when the ground began to shake beneath my feet that reality would warp and the planes would mesh. One minute I was standing in the forest on the Refugee plane and the next I could see the grand white marbled columns of the palace in Tír na nÓg. It wasn’t always Tír na nÓg. Sometimes I found myself momentarily on the Vampire plane or knee-deep in the snow of the plane where the great wolf packs ruled. There were times when I didn’t even know what plane I found myself morphing on to. I only knew that something was wrong and it was getting worse.

  Some people blamed me.

  Perhaps that was why I always felt the deep need to pull off my charm and use my magic to fix whatever was happening. Something inside me whispered that I could correct the problem if I would only open myself to it.

  I ignored those impulses.

  I closed my eyes and stayed as still as possible. It would be over soon and the veil would be closed again. I had to hope so. I wasn’t sure what would happen if it didn’t close and we were left walking in and out of differing realities.

>   Never once had I found myself on the Earth plane. If I had, I might have tried to find a way to stay on that side of the veil. Not that it would work. Nothing I’d tried so far had worked, and Erna was of the mind that I should stay out of this issue completely.

  What I didn’t tell her, never told anyone, was that in these episodes, I could hear a voice. It was the same voice that whispered to me sometimes.

  Come home, Summer. Find him and come home.

  The only trouble was, I didn’t have a home and I wasn’t sure who he was. At times I thought this was the longing deep inside of me to believe that I belonged somewhere.

  I jumped as there was an audible pop that signaled the end of the episode. I took a deep breath and started walking toward the lake. Why was someone pretending to be Devinshea Quinn? It made little sense to me. If someone wanted to manipulate me, it made more sense to come as my mother or father. Devinshea had been my mother’s friend, but they hadn’t known each other well. He’d been kind to me when that horrible witch had betrayed my mother and attempted to take me from her. It’s hard to remember sometimes. I was newly born and yet even then I knew I was different. It was precisely why my parents had sent me away. They’d given me over to a group of faeries, the same ones my magic had destroyed.

  The Destroyer. I hated the name. I never meant to hurt anyone. I’d been born of love and desire. That deep love was still in my soul, the center of my being, but something had gone wrong with the magic that created me and now I couldn’t help but leave destruction in my path.

  At least I’d avoided Turi again. I had done the job I’d needed to do and had the prize in my bag. I had to count it as a win.

  A chiming broke through the quiet of the forest and I felt the bag against my side vibrate. I reached in and pulled out the tablet I kept from my time on the Vampire plane. Vampires are incredibly invested in technology. They have no real magic of their own, but vamps are super competitive and found a way to make magic through their many inventions. I found the small tablet to be helpful when it came to talking to Erna and Dean. Even with my magic bound, I could use a mirror to communicate with them, but you would be surprised how little that works. First of all it can take a while to find a mirror. They’re not exactly hanging off trees or laying around in fields. I could carry one with me, but I get into a lot of fights and mirrors are pretty fragile. I’ve used them as knives more often than I could actually get them to work for communications purposes. Even if I did manage to keep a mirror on me and keep it whole, Erna or Dean would have to be hanging out around a mirror, and neither of them is all that vain.