by Rae Rivers
They shared a long, silent look before Susan sighed and shook her head. “That wasn’t a kiss,” she said quietly, her shoulders sagging. “He wasn’t kissing me. He was feeding.”
****
Ethan stood on the rooftop of the tallest building he could find. Peering down at the city, he forced air into his lungs, reached for calm, perspective – any damn thing that would cool the rage.
He’d sensed that Jenna was up to something. Her tossing and turning had kept him awake. When she’d snuck out a while later, he’d dressed in record speed and followed her. But had never expected this. A goddamn Salubrious. Ties to Ameera.
And he’d suspected neither.
I’m on your side, Ethan. All the way. Just know that.
He did. Despite all the lies, omissions, or whatever the hell she called it, but dammit, how had he not known? And why the hell had The Circle kept the banishment of the Keepers a secret?
But Rose had figured it out.
He scanned the city, slowly coming to life with the daylight. A thin layer of smog hovered and the air smelt of smoke. The sun’s rays filtered through, touching broken buildings and abandoned streets. Two women argued from a nearby apartment, their voices amplified in the quiet.
A couple emerged from a makeshift cardboard house on the sidewalk, rumpled and sleepy. Without saying a word, they sat on the curb, heads lowered.
Jenna grew up here. In this shitty city of the doomed. She’d had a family, a life he knew nothing about. And would she have told him had he not forced her to?
His fists clenched as another wave of anger rolled through him. He wasn’t sure what irked him more – that Jenna was a Salubrious, from a family exiled to a prison world, or that she’d kept it from him.
The couple on the sidewalk sprang to their feet so fast that they unsettled an overturned bin they’d used for a table. A pot clashed to the floor but went ignored as they scrambled into their house.
Ethan searched the street, curious as to what had sparked their abrupt retreat. He stiffened when he saw why. Axel. Walking briskly in the middle of the street, like he owned it.
He was on a mission.
And Ethan needed a distraction.
Fuck yeah.
****
A feeder?
Jenna recalled the image of Axel leaning over the dying Keeper the night before. It made sense now. He’d been feeding.
“They feed on the energy of people like us,” Susan explained.
Similar to Scavengers, but they didn’t kill for their fix. Feeding on others strengthened them, but they weren’t able to absorb any powers.
Her gut clenched at the thought of their magic being used to fuel their enemies. Magic that was pure and treasured and meant for the greater good. “They know you’re a witch?”
Susan picked up a ball of dough, placed it on the counter, and began kneading it with her fists. “There’s more to me than that, but they don’t know it yet.”
“It’s a violation, Susan.”
“In Ameera, we have no choice. You of all people should know that.”
A wave of apprehension rolled through Jenna and she squared her shoulders, taking a step forward. “You said I shouldn’t have come back. To Ameera. Why would you say that? I never said I’d been here before.”
Susan dumped the bread onto a tray and shoved it into the oven. The oven rattled when she slammed the door. Wiping her hands on her apron, Susan turned around and met her gaze. “I was expecting you, Jenna.”
Jenna’s jaw went slack. “You know me?”
“I know who you are.”
“How?”
“I’m a Sage.”
No wonder the woman was so sketchy with the details of her magic. A Sage dabbled with simple spells but had the ability to see parts of the future, possessing knowledge of it that no one else had. A power Hazel would snatch up in a second.
“I see things differently to others,” Susan explained. “I have visions and lately you keep appearing in them. Last night, after meeting you, I had the most vivid one yet.”
Jenna’s breathe quickened. “Why would I be in your visions? That’s just creepy.” Footsteps echoed in the alley behind the bar and she shot Susan a worried look. “Expecting someone?”
Susan leaned over the stove to peer through the blind. Gasping, she quickly withdrew and took Jenna’s hand. “Hurry, we have to hide. They can’t see us together!”
Susan dropped to her knees, tugging Jenna with her, and crawled under the kitchen table. The handle turned as Susan whispered a chant. Jenna had no idea what the spell was for, but she’d heard enough of them to know when one was being cast.
Unease crawled through her and she was about to object, but the back door burst open and Rick stepped inside, Megan directly behind him.
Jenna jerked, but Susan grabbed her arm with both hands, shaking her head. When Rick’s gaze scoped the room, missing them beneath the table, Jenna understood what Susan had done.
A veiling spell.
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
She’d found Hazel’s hideout in Ameera.
What that meant evoked an avalanche of conflicting emotions for Jenna.
She drew in a few even breaths, trying to get a grip on the tension that riddled her. She welcomed the adrenaline rush; it sharpened her mind and instincts, needed considering she was about to enter a house full of warlocks and witches that would kill her in an instant.
But for now, they couldn’t see her.
Thanks to Susan’s veiling spell, tailing Megan and Rick through the streets of the city had been easy. A ghost that walked amongst the streets, weaving in and out of people who had no idea she was there. The spell had an eeriness to it that Jenna couldn’t shake – no matter how much she relied on the invisibility to save her ass.
Several hours later, they’d finally headed to the edge of the city. The terrain was overgrown and neglected, but greener and more spacious. A row of mansions overlooked the city, the backdrop of rolling hills behind them.
They were once homes for the wealthy. Now, most likely, homes for the powerful. But neither wealth nor power had saved them from Ameera. Many walls had toppled over, others covered in creepers. Windows were broken, staircases collapsed. Several roofs had blown off, leaving wide, gaping holes.
The dense overgrowth of bushes and trees had moulded the gardens together in one long, wide landscape.
Megan and Rick took the single row of stairs that led into a courtyard and went into the house. The water feature outside held no water, only an angel statue that missed both arms. Voices drifted from inside.
Jenna’s mind raced and her body pulsed with adrenaline and fear. Even with the veiling spell. Being here alone was dangerous. She knew that. But Ethan had walked away. After searching for so long, she’d finally traced Hazel. This might be her only chance at finding the portal spell. They could go home, close the portal, and seal Hazel inside Ameera for eternity.
Could you?
Jenna stilled, allowing the words to seep in. She bit her lower lip, more harshly than intended, tasting blood, loathing the voice that whispered inside her. It echoed her deepest longings, her deepest fears.
If she had the power to close the portal forever, to lock the door on her old home and the truth of what had happened to her parents, would she? Could she?
Her skin tingled as the truth gnawed for attention. A truth she refused to acknowledge. Because acknowledging it would clash with everything she believed in. Everything she’d sworn to defend. The fact that she’d even allowed that question to surface terrified her.
She shook her head, refusing to go there. Not now. Screw the voice. Screw her conscience.
Laughter burst out from within the house, spurring her forward, and she went inside. She debated a swift sweep of the house but the warrior in her urged caution. So she moved silently, her instincts and senses primed, her body on edge, coiled and ready to strike.
The open-plan living room and kitchen had been sparsely
furnished. Old, but neat. A grand piano stood in the corner of the room covered with a white sheet that had long since discoloured. Two spears decorated the wall above it.
A man stood at the doorway to the patio. Jenna’s heart skipped a beat when she recognised him. John, the Chinese warrior, as skilled at martial arts as Jenna. Maybe even better. They’d spent many hours mastering their techniques on each other. Their sessions had been harsh, often resulting in injuries.
When Megan and Rick walked up behind him, he gave a low whistle. “The mother ship has company and she’s in a mood, so approach at your own risk.”
But they didn’t. Instead, they hovered in the doorway and stared outside.
When Jenna saw why, her breath caught.
Hazel.
The dark witch caster stood beside a muddy pool, the backdrop of hills behind her, deep in conversation with Axel. She’d tied her black hair into a ponytail. It highlighted the bony tattoos across her neck and shoulders. Dark ink circled her eyes.
She looked like a living skeleton, her natural beauty eradicated by the artwork. Her nephew, Mason, wore similar markings, a masculine version of Hazel and just as creepy. Three grotesque cats paced around Hazel. They were massive, far larger than any other wild cat Jenna had ever seen. Big heads, square-shaped jaws, murky brown fur.
Domestic cats, spelled to be larger and fiercer. Mason’s trademark and a product of their dark magic. Most likely a ploy to intimidate the locals.
Axel eyed the cats circling them. His studded brows were drawn together in a tight frown. “We had a deal, Hazel. I want out of this hellhole.” The way he glared at her and everything about the way he stood, shoulders erect, feet planted firmly apart, made him seem fearless.
Stupid? Or a farce? Either way, Hazel would eat him alive if she wanted to.
“In time,” Hazel replied. “You’re not strong enough yet.”
“Don’t insult me.”
“You haven’t seen my opposition in the mortal world. You may be strong and forceful here, but back home the Bennett brothers and their witches would destroy you.”
Pride flared at the meaning of Hazel’s words. She saw them as opposition, powerful enough to make her wary. Ha, fancy that.
“I’d like to see them try.” Axel stepped up, his face close to hers. Hazel didn’t even flinch. “My people can only be satisfied for so long.”
“Oh please. If you haven’t learnt how to make them think they’re satisfied, perhaps you shouldn’t be leading them.”
He jabbed a finger at his watch. “You have until the Annex. Two days, Hazel. You better not back out of our deal.”
Her jaw of tattooed teeth curled into a half smile, devoid of humour. “I don’t take likely to threats, Axel.”
“Neither do I.”
“Considering I have the portal spell and I’m the one supplying you with Keepers –”
“We both know the only reason you’re bringing those Keepers to Ameera is to eliminate your competition in the mortal world. If anything, we’re doing you a favour by feeding on them daily.”
“I can always offer them elsewhere if you’d prefer. I’m sure the vamps –”
“Like hell. I’ve given you safe passage,” he waved his hand at the house, “a place to stay and I’ve agreed to help you fight your battle against the witches and their Keepers. You owe me.”
She laughed. “You really think I needed you for a safe passage?”
“You need alliances, otherwise you wouldn’t be here.” Backing up to the door, he held up two fingers. “Two days, Hazel. And up the supply of Keepers. There are many of us to feed and I hate scraps.”
“We’re working on it.”
Jenna’s heartbeat lurched when Axel passed her, missing her by inches. The heavy thud of his boots echoed in the room. Without a word, Rick followed him through the house.
No doubt, the portal would be Axel’s reward for helping Hazel. As for her? An alliance.
Shit. That’s why she was in Ameera. She was building herself a goddamn army.
Hazel’s attention turned to Megan. “Did you find Susan?”
“She wasn’t there.”
“Axel suspects she knows more than she’s letting on. If that’s the case, I want her found.” Striding to a nearby table, Hazel picked up a book and held it up. The light caught the scorpion bracelet on her wrist. “After all the waiting and you summon me this?”
Megan blinked. “It’s the Brogan Grimoire –”
“It’s empty!” Hazel snapped, her voice lined with a hysteria Jenna had seldom witnessed. “The stupid book is blank!”
Jenna jerked forward. Wait, what? The Brogan Grimoire?
“You were able to open it? I thought only Sienna could open it.” Megan shifted in the doorway, her movements slow and hesitant. Jenna couldn’t blame her. In fury mode, Hazel was terrifying.
“It’s my family Grimoire. Of course I can open it.” Hazel slammed a fist on the cover. “But apparently, being able to read the darn thing is more complicated.”
She tossed the book across the patio, sparking a low growl from the closest cat. The book slammed into Megan’s chest, but she caught it before it slid to the floor. Wide-eyed, lips parted in surprise, she smoothed a hand over the leather cover, and sent a wary glance at the cats. They circled Hazel, their lips parted to reveal sharp teeth. “It’s the right book, Hazel. Mason gave it to me himself. He said the Beckham witches veiled the pages.”
Whoa. Mason? What the hell?
A fresh spurt of alarm speared through Jenna. There were only two things able to set Mason free. Either Sienna retracting her spell or Kate’s blood.
No!
Breathless, Jenna fought the rush of panic that tightened her stomach. It couldn’t be. There was no way Sienna would free Mason and if something had happened to Kate, she’d have sensed it.
Even here, in Ameera?
Damn, what if her connection with Kate had been severed the moment she’d walked through the portal?
Sighing loudly, Hazel stomped forward, snatched the book from Megan and placed it on the table. She held up her hands and whispered a chant. She repeated the words, her muttered ramblings laced with irritation. When nothing happened, she tried again, this time louder and with more fervour.
Jenna felt the prickle of energy wash over her. Instinctively, she moved back, moulding her body against the wall.
“Hazel,” Megan said, hesitating, “only a Beckham witch can unspell it. Even Mason couldn’t –”
“Oh, please. Don’t insult me. I’m not just any witch. And my unveiling spell works like a charm.”
Several failed attempts later had turned Hazel’s cheeks red. With a cry of rage, she picked up the Grimoire and hurled it at Rick.
Apparently, even the all-powerful witch caster was no match for a Beckham spell.
Hazel jabbed a finger at him. “We need the Null. Her blood may be our only chance of breaking that damn spell!”
“She’s protected, Hazel,” Rick said, tucking the book under his arm, “and she’s stronger.”
“Find a way!” she screamed, turning around. But her breath caught and she stilled, surprise clouding her expression. She slowly tilted her head, her narrowed eyes flashing with amusement.
And looked straight at Jenna.
“Well, well, what have we here?” Hazel asked in a cool tone that sent a jolt of alarm through Jenna. Her jaw line of tattooed teeth cracked a wide smile.
Megan gasped.
Icy terror spread through Jenna. Oh, crap.
Hazel’s unveiling spell. She hadn’t been able to break the Beckham spell on the Grimoire but had broken Susan’s.
It had unveiled her.
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
Jenna straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin, reaching for a steely facade that would cover her fear.
She refused to give Hazel that satisfaction.
The silence was unnerving, marred by the faint rumbling of thunder that echoed in the distance
. They glared at each other, thick tension spicing the air. A culmination of years of hatred and violence, an unresolved rivalry.
Dark clouds had swept across the sky, casting a shadow over the city. It looked like a dome of fury about to engulf them.
“Nice of you to pay us a visit,” Hazel said, her voice far too cheerful for the occasion. She walked closer, her movements slow, meticulous, her gaze never wavering from Jenna’s. “A courage like yours is to be admired, Jenna.” Her skeletal teeth curled into a smirk. “But right now, right here, it’s just plain … stupid.”
A crack of thunder startled the cats. Growling, they paced. Restless, agitated, sizing up their prey.
Her.
“Where the hell did she come from?” Rick asked, his wide grin matching John’s. Their expressions reminded Jenna of kids on a Christmas morning.
A spurt of adrenaline flooded her veins as energy rolled through her. Energy that wasn’t hers. A darkness and strength so powerful that it took her breath away.
Hazel.
With a soft laugh, Hazel flung out her arm and Jenna soared through the air, smacking into the wall. Instead of sliding to the ground, she remained pinned. Trapped by an invisible grip.
An old trick of Hazel’s. One she’d often used when trying to prove a point.
Jenna tried to break free but an unbearable weight pressed against her chest, threatening to crush her.
The two men approached, grinning like idiots. Their excitement filled the air, their hunger for violence apparent in their wild eyes and restless movements. Megan hesitated in the doorway, her expression a mixture of fear and worry. The men stopped in front of Jenna, the woman who’d betrayed them and cost them a victory in a war they kept losing. Jenna knew what they were after.
Vengeance. And it wouldn’t be painless.
“Don’t harm her!” Hazel shouted above the noise of the thunder. “She’s mine!”
The crack of thunder was so loud and close that the cats jumped. They paced the patio, growling quietly. It began to rain, soft droplets that quickly gathered momentum. The hills were almost invisible from the grey clouds that covered the valley.
