Souls Unchained (Blood & Bone Book 2)

by C. C. Wood

  “Maybe,” Ava replied. “I agree that she wants to build her power base, but she doesn’t strike me as someone who wants to rule as a god. Her agenda seems to be strength and wealth. Everything she does makes her richer and more powerful, yet she doesn’t show her face. She doesn’t have the ego of a despot. If she did, she wouldn’t rely mostly on her minions to do her dirty work. She would want people to recognize her and fear her. I think she has different motives for gaining power.”

  “I think you’re right,” I interjected. “Her goal is to be stronger but she doesn’t want to be worshipped. She wants to be acknowledged and loved, but not by an entire population. She only wants the adulation of a certain person or persons. I could feel it when she was at the store. She’s angry and she’s hurt and she’s allowed those feelings to fester for hundreds, if not thousands of years.”

  “Great,” Ava replied. “We have a witch with anger management issues and a craving for power watching our every move. Nothing to worry about.”

  “At least we have a better understanding of what she wants,” I stated. “If we understand what she wants, then we can find a way to deal with her.”

  Ava sighed. “I miss the old days when we could take care of a witch by binding her when she misbehaved. Now you have to provide proof and ask special permission from the council of high priests and priestesses.”

  “We’ll deal with her,” I said. “Together.”

  “All right, well Margaret gave me some ideas of where to look if I wanted to know more about Rhiannon. Including the old myths because apparently the woman has been around long enough that they’re probably about her,” Ava stated. “Rhys, please thank Kerry for her help with this.”

  “I will,” Rhys agreed. “Surely there is something else we can do to help.”

  “There is, but I need more information before we discuss it. I’ll be in touch,” she promised.

  “Bye, Ava,” I said.

  “In the meantime, enjoy yourselves.” She gave a wicked laugh and hung up.

  My face hot, I looked up at Rhys. His pensive expression made me forget my embarrassment at Ava’s innuendo. “Hey, are you okay?”

  He nodded. “I’m fine.”

  I gestured to the pan of eggs that I’d made that were likely cold now. “Are you sure you don’t want some breakfast?”

  “Actually, I think I do,” he replied.

  As I put the eggs on plates and warmed them up, I tried not to worry about what the future might bring and enjoy the moment.

  When the time came, I would be glad that I did.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Rhys

  Savannah insisted on going to The Magic Bean when she discovered that Ava opened the store after all. When we arrived, I had the opportunity to see a different side of Savannah.

  She marched into the shop and right up to Ava. Then she lost her temper.

  “What were you thinking, coming here alone? I told you that I wanted to be here when you had the store open and you ignored me! I realize that you’re a powerful witch in your own right, but you are not invincible. If Rhiannon hunts supernatural creatures with enormous talent, you are in danger too. What in the hell were you thinking?”

  I’d never seen Savannah angry before but I found that I enjoyed the sight. Her cheeks were flushed and her dark eyes were bright. She looked vibrant and energy seemed to crackle around her.

  Ava looked toward me as though she were seeking my aid. I crossed my arms over my chest and shook my head. There was no way I was getting involved in this.

  “Savannah, there are wards on the shop, I’m just as safe here as I am at home,” Ava said, trying to soothe her.

  “Maybe, but what about your car? It’s not as if it’s a tank!” Savannah put her hands on her hips. “You should move in with me until all this is over. We’ll be safer all together.”

  Ava’s eyes widened and moved to me again. This time I did intervene because it was clear that the witch didn’t want to move in with us and I agreed that it was best if she didn’t. Now that I’d enjoyed Savannah’s body, I fully intended to do so on a regular basis. Having a houseguest would make that difficult.

  “Savannah, you know that Ava can take care of herself,” I pointed out.

  Savannah turned toward me and I saw the sparkle of tears on her lower lashes. “I know she can take care of herself, Rhys, but she’s one of the few people in this world I love and I want to know she’s safe.”

  “What if I moved into Rhys’ house?” Ava offered, her voice nearly desperate. I realized that the sight of Savannah’s tears affected her deeply. “I would be close and we could ride to work together. He’s staying with you so he won’t need it.” She looked toward me, her eyes begging me to agree.

  “I think that’s a good plan,” I agreed.

  Savannah narrowed her gaze and looked first at Ava then at me. “I guess that would work,” she relented before turning back toward Ava. “But don’t you ever do this again. Until things are settled or you find someone to help you, you don’t come in and open the shop alone.”

  It was the first time I’d seen Ava look the least bit cowed. She nodded silently.

  “Fine, then we should get to work,” Savannah said smartly, walking behind the counter and stowing her purse beneath it.

  As Savannah gathered her apron and pulled it over her head, Ava looked at me and I bit back a smile.

  “I’ve never seen her so angry,” Ava murmured.

  “Really?” I asked. “I thought you two had known each other for ten years or so.”

  “We have,” she admitted. “But I’ve never seen Savannah truly angry. She gets frustrated, disappointed, hurt, and sad, but never angry. It was a little scary.”

  I couldn’t hold back the chuckle that built up in my chest. “She loves you.”

  “I know,” Ava replied with a sigh. “And I love her.” She glanced at me, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “Speaking of love, you two look all loved up.”

  I shook my head at her and didn’t reply. I wasn’t about to discuss what happened the night before or this morning with Ava.

  “Fine,” she relented. “I won’t ask you anything else.”

  Though neither of the women mentioned it, I decided to stay for the rest of the day. I wanted to protect not only Savannah, but Ava as well. For the first time in centuries, I wished for my sword.

  When they fell out of fashion, I hadn’t thought I would want it back, but I ached for its familiar weight against my side. I felt naked without it even though it had been at least three hundred years since I carried it.

  I watched as Savannah made coffees and teas for customers. As the hours passed, I could see the toll her interactions with other people took on her. Her sparkling eyes became dull and her face grew pale.

  It brought her words this morning back to the forefront of my mind. She insisted that I would be helping her if I took her excess emotions and, as I watched her, I was beginning to believe it. She was greatly affected by the people she saw each day and it wore her down.

  After a few hours, the shop was empty and Savannah came over and sat next to me at the table.

  “Hey,” she greeted me, her voice subdued.

  “Are you well?” I asked.

  She rubbed her forehead with her fingertips. “Not really. I’m not used to working this many hours without a break. My head is beginning to ache and I have several readings to do this afternoon.”

  I could see the halo of red, brown, and black circling her head in her aura and I knew it was more than just a small pain.

  “Come with me,” I said, getting to my feet and holding out my hand.

  She laid her palm against mine and allowed me to pull her to her feet. I nodded to Ava as I led Savannah into the niche where she performed tarot readings and pulled the curtain shut.

  “What are you doing?” Savannah asked as I guided her into a chair.

  “I want to try something.” My gut twisted at the thought of what I
was about to do, but I could clearly see Savannah’s distress. I couldn’t sit by and allow her to suffer.

  “What?” she asked, her eyes wide. “Are you sure you’re okay? Your face is pale.”

  I took a slow, controlled breath, trying to focus. “Yes, I’m fine, but I can see that you’re not and I don’t like that you’re in pain.” She opened her mouth to speak, but I shook my head. “No, I want to try to help you the way you suggested this morning. I want to ease your pain if I can.”

  She stared at me in surprise for a long moment before she asked, “Are you sure?”

  I nodded and sat down next to her. “Now that I can see how people affect you, I want to do what I can to counteract that.” I reached out to take her hands. “I need you to close your eyes and trust me,” I said.

  “I do trust you,” she replied, her eyelids drifting shut.

  “That’s good because I trust you too,” I replied. “First, I need you to open your mind to me. It’s not necessary but it makes the process easier for both of us.”

  “Okay,” she whispered.

  Immediately, I could feel the barriers around her mind open and I could feel the churning emotions inside her, many of which weren’t her own. I closed my eyes and focused on Savannah. With great care, I looked through the pain, anger, sadness, humor, and joy that I saw within her and I realized that not all of the feelings she picked up were negative.

  “Do you still find it difficult to be around happy people?” I asked her, curious if I needed to remove those emotions as well.

  “They aren’t difficult to be around, but it does affect me. It makes me feel like I slammed a couple of shots of espresso and sometimes I can’t sleep because of it,” she answered.

  It was surprising how easy it was to remove the excess of emotions inside her with her mind opened to me. Much easier than it usually was. As precisely as possible, I slowly siphoned off the riot of pain, happiness, and grief that swirled around her heart. I could feel my own strength increasing with each moment. When I reached the feelings that belonged to Savannah alone, I gradually withdrew, watching for any sign of discomfort from her. She didn’t react at all, her breathing still even and her heartbeat steady.

  When I was done, I opened my eyes and saw that the reddish brown color around her head was gone, leaving behind only the multicolored prism that usually surrounded her.

  She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. I could see that the lively spark had returned to their dark brown depths.

  “How do you feel?” I asked, still clasping her hands loosely in mine.

  Savannah thought for a moment before she answered. “I feel good. Normal. And my headache is gone,” she replied with a smile. Leaning forward, she kissed me. “Thank you, Rhys. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to make it through today, but now I feel fine.”

  As I studied her face, I could see that she was telling the truth. She glowed once again.

  The curtain swished softly as Ava stuck her head behind it. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but your first client is here, Savannah.” Her eyes moved over Savannah’s face. “You look better.”

  “I am better,” Savannah replied as she got to her feet. She leaned over and kissed me one more time. “Thank you, Rhys.”

  She left the niche and I could hear her greeting her client. I rose from the chair, but Ava stepped in front of me before I could leave the room.

  “I’m glad you helped her, Rhys,” she whispered. “I was ready to fight her and send her home if necessary. I can’t stand to see her hurting like that.”

  “I couldn’t stand it either.”

  “You’ll probably have to do it again in a couple of hours, you realize that right?” she asked.

  I nodded. “I’ll do whatever is necessary.”

  Ava smiled and stepped back. “I’m really glad I offered you my rental home, Rhys Carey. I knew you would be good for Savannah in some way, even if I wasn’t expecting this.” As we moved aside to allow Savannah and her client into the reading room, Ava crossed her arms over her chest. “I hate to say it,” she muttered, “But I think I’m going to have to cut back hours for a while. School is out for the year and summers are slower, so I may go to half days during the week and a full day on Saturday.”

  “Will you be able to manage?” I asked, worried about her financial stability. I wanted to offer her help but I doubted she would accept it. When Cornelius died, I’d gained access to all his bank accounts. I had no idea how he’d accumulated such vast sums of money, but there was no way I could spend the contents of his bank accounts on just myself. I rarely bought anything other than food and the money just kept accruing interest. In the year since his death, the accounts had grown at an alarming rate, but I wasn’t sure what to do with it all.

  “Oh, I’ll be fine. I just didn’t want to close the shop because I was worried that Savannah might not be able to pay her bills without her income. She doesn’t have to work full-time because of the trust her grandmother left her, but it’s still a modest amount of money and I don’t want her to get in a bind. She won’t let me lend her money, so my only option was to keep the store open.” She turned toward me. “Want a glass of iced tea?” she asked.

  “Yes, please.”

  “Then come over here and let me show you how to make it.”

  I didn’t argue. Sitting at a table for the past few hours hadn’t been fun. I needed some activity to keep me busy.

  As she walked me through the process of making iced tea with agave nectar and lemon, Savannah emerged from the reading room with her client. The woman she was with looked familiar but I couldn’t place her. She walked the woman to the door and said good-bye, but didn’t escort her to her vehicle as she usually would.

  Though we hadn’t discussed it, I was glad to see that she gave a thought to her safety.

  “That was quick,” Ava commented.

  Savannah shrugged. “She got a call and had to leave suddenly.”

  “How’s she doing?”

  “Not well,” Savannah said, her eyes sad. “She misses her husband.”

  I understood then how I recognized the woman. She was the client who had lost her husband recently.

  Ava’s cell phone rang and she grimaced at the screen. “It’s one of the suppliers. I’m going to take this in my office because I don’t think our customers need to hear me cuss out someone on the phone.”

  She put the phone to her ear and disappeared through the door that led to the storeroom.

  “Do you want some tea?” I asked Savannah.

  She shook her head and came over to me. I stood perfectly still as she wrapped her arms around my waist, curling her body into mine. Hesitantly, I put my arms around her, unable to get a clear read of what she was feeling.

  “Is something wrong?” I asked her.

  “No,” she murmured, her cheek pressed against my chest.

  “Did your client say something that upset you?”

  Savannah pulled back a little and looked up at me. “Yes and no. She said something that made me think about life and how anything can happen. She told me that when she thinks of the day her husband died, what tortures her the most is that she didn’t tell him she loved him before he left the house. She was distracted and busy and she didn’t take the time to say it.” Her voice caught as she continued. “It’s heartbreaking to hear that.”

  I cupped her cheek. “I’m sorry, Savannah.”

  She stared up at me, her eyes shimmering with a thin sheen of tears. “I don’t want that kind of regret. The regret of things left unsaid or undone. When she said that to me, I realized that I’ve been living half a life, letting fear keep me from doing and saying the things I truly wanted.” Savannah took a deep breath, her gaze intent upon mine. “Last night, I realized that I love you, but I didn’t say it because I was afraid it was too soon or you wouldn’t reciprocate my feelings. But I also realized that none of that matters. Whether you feel the same way or not, it doesn’t diminish what I feel for you. I don�
��t want to wake up one day and wish that I’d said it because I no longer have the chance.”

  I lifted my other hand so that I held her face between my palms. “I told you that my heart beats for you, Savannah. Until I met you and loved you, I didn’t think I had a heart or a soul. Now they’re both yours. I love you and I never want you to believe that to be otherwise.”

  When I kissed her, I poured all the love I felt for her into the meeting of our lips. I wanted her to see into my heart.

  Because it now belonged solely to her.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Savannah

  My life had become pure bliss. Rhys and I were in love and living together. Every day, I learned something new about him. And every night, we explored each other’s bodies before falling asleep with our limbs tangled together.

  I felt as though all my dreams had come true.

  Rhys came to work with me every day. He seemed to enjoy it. I could tell that the restriction of staying close to the store or home was beginning to wear on Ava. There was also something else bothering her. Every day she seemed paler and more withdrawn. I’d tried talking to her, but she kept brushing me off, which wasn’t like her.

  Today, she seemed even more distracted, constantly checking her phone and unable to stand still. When she disappeared into the storeroom, I walked over to the table where Rhys sat reading a book and plopped down in his lap.

  “I need you to do something for me,” I told him.

  He smiled up at me. “Anything.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Anything? That’s a dangerous offer.”

  Rhys’ smile widened and his blue eyes sparkled with mischief. “Okay, almost anything.”

  “Will you go into the storeroom with Ava and see if you can get her to talk about what’s bugging her? She’s not herself and she won’t tell me.”

  “What makes you think she’ll talk to me about it if she won’t talk to you?” he asked.