Running had always been one of the ways I’d coped with anger, sadness, fear—any strong emotion that threatened to cripple me. I wanted more than anything to feel the relief it had brought me in the past, but I wasn’t surprised when I got to the very end of the beach and found my anger still raging. My body trembled, ached, burned with it. The frustration of not knowing how to make it stop brought me to my hands and knees, digging my fingers into the sand as if they could find a solution below the rough surface. Hercules whined and licked my cheek, tasting my tears as they ran unchecked past my chin and dripped onto the sand between my hands. Sobs tore a hole in my gut, but I couldn’t heal myself. Herc whined in empathy.
My sneakers dropped to the sand beside me. “Are you going to kneel there and cry until things get worse or are you going to behave like the female I’ve trained?”
“Go… Go away.” I sniffled and rubbed my eyes with my arm, wishing my voice sounded steadier. “I told them I didn’t want to talk to you. Or see you. Or listen to you. Or…”
“I was not sent by the mysterious them. As you can see it is too late, little demon.”
“Don’t fucking call me that.”
“Why? Because your cheetah is napping and you can’t live without her? Because you’re too weak to deal with change? Because…”
I jumped to my feet and shoved Isaiah in the chest. He humored me and took a step back, but his arrogant smirk only made me angrier. “Shut up.”
“When has violence ever worked on me?” I slapped his face and he grabbed both of my hands. I hadn’t seen him move. “You’re acting like a child. Charlie went through this same stage during his training.”
“I’ve already trained with you…”
“And you appear to have forgotten everything I taught you about control.” Hercules was growling at Isaiah. “That tiny creature has more control in his tail than you have in your entire body.”
“He doesn’t have a tail.”
“Isaiah frowned and glanced at Herc’s butt. “Hmm. Do you have something against dogs with proper tails? Samson has a stub and this one…”
“Hercules.”
“Ah, of course. This one is completely tail-less.”
“I went to the animal shelter and he was the sweetest, friendliest little guy I’d ever seen. The vets were shocked because he’d been a grump around most people. He’d been there a while and the vets were going to have to put him down. I saved him.”
Isaiah smiled for the first time, opening his arms to me. “Of course you did.”
I stepped into them, needing the comfort, and he obliged by giving me a warm hug. I rested my head on his shoulder for a moment before stepping away. He handed me a handkerchief he’d conjured and I wiped my eyes. “You know, crying isn’t a sign of weakness.”
“I didn’t say it was. I meant to say it is a waste of our valuable time. I’m here to help and as you know, I can’t stick around interminably, ad infinitum, forever and ever, hallelujah, hallelujah, etcetera.”
A lone giggled escaped, but when his words about helping sunk in, I slumped. My voice was barely a whisper. “I can’t shift. And I can’t heal anyone, not even me.”
“You can certainly heal yourself, just not other people. The shifting thing is temporary.”
“You’re sure?” I perked right up.
“Open your mind.”
That had been a definite order, but instead of arguing as I might normally have done, I gave in. His sudden swearing was loud enough to be heard in the next state. “That bitch!” I began to retreat, but he held me firmly in place with both hands on my shoulders. “Stop wiggling.”
“Stop shouting. You’re hurting my ears.”
He pointed toward the icy patch on my chest. “May I rest my hand here? I won’t get frisky, I promise.”
“Yes, and see that you don’t,” I teased back.
Most females probably wouldn’t mind if Isaiah got frisky with them, he was after all, a gorgeous hunk of demonkind. But I had a concerned mate waiting back home for me, one who was more than a little pissed off right now. Plus Isaiah was my uncle. So yeah, it would be creepy.
“That bitch.” This time he hissed it out.
“You’re repeating yourself.” He growled and moved away, pacing down the beach twenty yards and back to me again, his irises a stark shade of tangerine. “Is it that bad?” I asked.
“It’s Naberia’s magic. I doubt she kidnapped you herself, but the spells are hers, which means she was there in the house. The amnesia spell is easy enough to pull off, but it would require blood given willingly.”
“I wouldn’t have agreed to that.” I wouldn’t have given that murderer the time of day.
“I’m only stating facts. The other spell, the one to block your shifter magic, is a spell beyond my expertise.” I covered my face and groaned, sinking to the sand. “You have so little faith?” I glanced up. “I will find out what has been done and I will find a way to reverse it.” I said nothing. This was Naberia we were discussing, a creature as ancient as Finvarra and Khent. Buuuut, she also happened to be Isaiah’s mom and as far as power went, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
“My instincts tell me that she blocked your cheetah for some reason of her own other than to cause you pain, but it will take me time to come up with a motive.” He sat beside me on the sand. “What do you remember?”
“Nothing.”
“That’s not true. ’Fess up.”
“I have flashes, but they aren’t real.”
“My guess is they are fairly accurate. You must write down everything you remember so we can get to the bottom of this. Can you tell me about any of these flashbacks?”
“Garrett, Liam and I walked through the house before it burned down. It was deserted except for dust-filled rooms and footprints that matched only my shoes. The rooms were bare of furniture and there weren’t any sign of people having lived there, but…”
Isaiah grasped my arm and in a flash we were standing at the site of the burned house. The debris had already been cleared away, so all that remained was a vacant lot next to a dirt road, surrounded by fields.
Isaiah paced. “Well, this isn’t helpful.”
I glanced around. “Don’t go into the field.”
“Why?” His formerly bored expression had sharpened.
I frowned. “I don’t know. Some kind of danger, I think.”
“Stay here.” He sniffed around the perimeter, poking at the ground in several spots. When nothing happened, he hefted a rusty wheelbarrow and threw it into the center of the field. Before it hit the ground, an enormous metal box sprung up, opening and then capturing the old farm tool. It was instantly pulled back into the ground.
Not a particularly nice way to meet one’s end, although, thankfully the wheelbarrow wouldn’t suffer.
Even Isaiah looked sick. “There are dead things in that field—people and animals that were trapped and died in their boxes. I’m going to reverse the spell and the traps will be sprung. It won’t be pleasant, you may not want to look, but if I leave it like this, others will be hurt.”
“I’ll watch. I might remember something.”
It was mostly woodland creatures: a deer, a dozen rabbits, a fox. Even a few crows. But there was also a young sorcerer and a young witch. The male was still alive, but barely. I didn’t recognize either of them.
Isaiah whisked him to the patio outside my house in Crescent City, contacting Garrett with the news of where we were and what we were doing here. Liam would know how to revive the young male if it was possible and Garrett was an expert interrogator if that were necessary. Isaiah reburied the female with a flick of his wrist, marking the spot in case anyone from her coven wished to take charge of her body. Later we’d contact the higher-ups in the California Assembly of Witches and tell them where her body was buried.
He left the animals for the carrion eaters. Gross, but they needed to eat too.
With a firm hand on my shoulder he turned me toward wh
ere the house once stood. “Do you remember where the front door was?”
I tried to think of where I’d stood when Garrett, Liam, Farrell and I watched the house burn. “I think maybe…maybe there.” I pointed.
“Good. Close your eyes and describe the front of the house.”
“Gray with white trim on the windows and on the railing of the porch which was on the right side. The door was white too.”
“Good. Continue.”
“It had a very slanted roof, but in different sections like they put different buildings together. One of those round second floor sections—a turret—was on the upper right. Four or five stairs got you to the front door or the side porch.”
“Tell me about the windows.”
“Narrow. Tall. Kind of fancy.”
“Open your eyes.”
Before me stood the façade of a house, very much like the one that had burned down. It was smaller, but it immediately brought something to mind. “I walked here.”
“Walked? Surely not the entire way.”
“I was in pain.” I glanced at my wrists. “Cuffed.” I touched my neck. “A torc.”
“What was that used for?”
“I don’t remember.”
Garrett appeared, sliding me away from Isaiah and draping a long arm over my shoulder in a very protective manner. He glared at Isaiah. “This activity is ill advised. She is not emotionally equipped for this sort of exercise after so brief a respite. She has barely been home a day.” When Garrett was annoyed his speech often turned more formal around people he didn’t particularly care for. He and Isaiah tolerated each other but were rarely friendly.
Isaiah smirked at Garrett. “Perhaps she is perfectly capable. Perhaps she will recall something of great importance. Perhaps you might wish to ruminate on the idea that I know what I’m doing. Will the young sorcerer survive?”
“He’s unconscious.”
Garrett took in a long slow breath and let it out through clenched teeth. He squeezed me closer. I might have a bruise later, but I didn’t mind. He was angry with Isaiah and me and concerned about my lack of control. An iron grip was to be expected, especially since I cut out on him and the others so suddenly.
“I’m sorry I left the way I did. I felt like I was being smothered. I needed to run.”
“Did it help?” I shook my head, scrunching up my face in an attempt to keep the tears at bay. Garrett glanced at the façade of the house then at Isaiah. He kissed my forehead. “Could work, if you have the strength to continue.”
“Will you stay?” I wasn’t sure how much of this I could handle without moral support.
“I do not intend to leave without you. In fact, I’m thinking seriously of chaining you to the bed while I rest.” He smiled his beautiful smile, “Maybe even when I’m not resting.” The corner of his mouth twitched as his eyes sparkled impishly.
“Until I get myself under control, I don’t think I should be left alone with anyone.”
He laughed the way guys do when they underestimate females. “You believe you could be a danger to me?”
If my demon abilities continued to grow, I might end up a loose cannon—a vicious one. “I don’t know, but Isaiah’s going to give me a refresher course in control, so that should help.”
Garrett twisted my body to face his, lowering his head so we were eye to eye. He enunciated each word clearly and spoke out loud so our companion could also hear. “I don’t object to you and Isaiah working together, but your training will absolutely not take place in the Demon Realm.”
Isaiah coughed to draw our attention, completely ignoring Garrett’s comment. “How interesting that you two lovebirds are still able to mindspeak, even without the cheetah. It bodes well for your full recovery, little demon.
“From your mouth,” I sighed.
“We should begin your training again as soon as you feel well enough.”
I groaned inwardly. Isaiah could be fun to hang out with, but when he’d trained me to use my demon magic in the past, he’d expected me to give one hundred and fifty percent. He became part drill sergeant, part boarding school headmaster and part meditation guru. He’d been demanding and sometimes even grumpy. The combo had been tough to live with. “I agree, but we’ll train at my house or in the gym at the vamp villa.”
“And in return?”
“C’mon. Your mom is the one causing all the trouble!”
“As you know, I am not a supporter of my mother’s methods. I suggest you keep in mind that the magic she used on you has nothing to do with me. I have agreed to help you with your memory problems pro bono, but I will not undertake your training again without getting something in return. This is the way of my people, as you are well aware.”
“Let’s not waste time. Spit it out. Jackie is already tired,” Garrett growled, shifting his body so he was partially blocking me.
“You make a valid point. The longer we wait the less she’ll remember. We’ll continue with our tour and will discuss the training arrangements back at your house later. Do you agree?”
“Yes.”
Isaiah smiled at me. “Please close your eyes.” I did as he asked. “You say you walked to the house. How far?”
“It seemed far.”
“And you were handcuffed and forced to wear a torc. Metal?”
“Yes.”
“Did someone walk with you?
“I…I don’t…” I grunted and scowled. “I can only recall being in pain. And being cold.” I touched my chest again.
“Don’t force the memory. You’re doing well, but we’ll move to something else for now. Clear your mind.”
“Okay.”
“Do you remember a room inside the house?”
“The cell in the basement.”
“Good. What were the walls like?” I described it as best I could. “What did it smell like?”
“Musty. Rotten. Like a nest of mice had died there or some other… A mouse. I keep remembering a mouse. Light brown.”
“Excellent. The mouse could be important. Do you recall being fed?”
“No.”
“Speaking to anyone?”
“No. But there had to be someone, right?”
“Was the cell locked?”
“Yes. I remember trying to open it.”
“It was unlocked when we found you, my love,” Garrett added.
“I remember it locked.” I was trembling now, rubbing my arms. “It’s always cold in the cell.”
“That’s enough for now. I’m taking her home.” Garrett gathered me in his arms.
“I’ll meet you there in fifteen minutes. I’m going to explore a little more.”
Garrett took me through the lines so I wouldn’t have to use my energy and then sat me at the table. “You still haven’t eaten. I’ll get you any kind of food you want. Please, my love. You’re growing weaker. Look at your hands.”
The trembling was more obvious. “I’ll have soup and some bread. Fruit and some herbal tea with honey.” I caressed his cheek. “Thank you for loving me, despite my craziness.”
He leaned closer, cupping my face and covered my mouth with his. Our tongues partnered in a loving dance, the mixture of his tenderness and passion as addictive as any drug. He pulled away and winked, making my tea first so the soothing benefits of chamomile and peppermint could work their magic.
Ten minutes later I was wolfing down a delicious meal. I’d been foolish not to have eaten earlier, and the way my body responded to the nourishment was an enormous relief. The tremors stopped and my foggy brain seemed to clear. Ironically, I was usually the one telling people they should eat to replenish their energy.
My beautiful vampire sipped his glass of wine and watched me finish every scrap. He didn’t need to speak. The darkening of his irises, the small lines between his eyebrows, even the stiff way he held his body, spoke of his concern.
“You’re worried. I shouldn’t have left you.”
“I can’t help you when you disappear
, which immediately drives my protective instincts crazy.” He raked his hair with both hands and huffed out an exasperated breath. “I’m going to end up bald.”
I giggled. “I’m sure you could pull off the bald look, but my fingers would miss playing with your hair.”
Garrett smiled, opening his arms and pushing back from the table but not rising. I scooted onto his lap. He kissed my forehead, the feel of his warm lips against my cool skin a delightful balm. “I promise you,” he whispered. “I will continue to do everything I can to connect to her, even when you sleep. She’s there, mon coeur. Don’t give up hope.” He stroked my hair, tugging on it so I’d snuggle closer. “Sasha told me of your plan. You should throw your energies into helping the females who need you and try not to worry. We’ll find the answer soon.”
“Where is Charlie?” I lifted my head from his shoulder so I could see his face.
“I sent him back to Faerie. Finvarra needs him and there’s nothing he can do here at the moment. He’ll visit in a few days.”
“I won’t leave again without telling you. I promise.”
“Thank you.” He winked at me, then took advantage of my proximity to nibble on my ear and speak softly. “I’ve already ordered the chains, just in case.”
Isaiah had popped in and caught Garrett’s last sentence. “You won’t need them with me. I promise to behave.” He sat himself at the end of the table, placing two items on the surface in front of him: a large mangled appliance of some kind and the remains of a microscope. “Come and have a look.”
I walked closer, a touch of fear slowing my steps. Garrett moved beside me, rubbing my back and sliding his hand down to my waist in support. “A microscope?” I asked.
Garrett examined the larger item. “Is this an autoclave?”
“Yes,” Isaiah said with a nod.
“So they had a lab. Perhaps they ran experiments?” Garrett surmised.
“Do either of them look familiar? Take your time.” Isaiah said.
“Not really. But maybe if I looked at microscopes or autoclaves in a laboratory setting. If they were being used in the house they didn’t look like this.” I indicated the scorched and melted instruments. We did an internet search and I skimmed through a dozen pictures, but none of them were helpful.
Blood Spelled Page 12
