She shifted her gaze to her lover. The Vanessa must be tucked away in his pocket with the holy water and the turquoise rosary Daniel had given him, items that were masking its presence, keeping Zinna from discovering it.
Fallon slipped the fake amulet over her head, calling to all of the evil forces in the museum, asking them to join her and Zinna.
But nothing happened.
She spun around and glared at Allie. Zinna's voice screeched out of her. "What have you done?" Fallon lunged forward, putting her hands around Allie's neck. "What's wrong with the amulet? Why isn't it working?"
Allie struggled to breathe, gasping for air. Fallon was choking her.
Before she lost consciousness, Allie focused on the positive energy in the museum, trying to summon help. She looked at Fallon's wrists and thought of Lugh, the God Fallon had defied. Her bracelets were a lie. She wasn't practicing Celtic Wicca. She'd used it as a cover, pretending to be connected to her heritage. But she'd spurned the Celtic deities when she'd allowed Zinna to adopt her, to make her into an Apache witch.
Allie's vision blurred. She knew she wouldn't be able to stay lucid much longer. Fallon continued to choke her. She tried to fight back, but she was too weak, too affected by Zinna's poison.
And then someone appeared. A young, strong, radiant man with golden hair.
No, not a man.
A Celtic God.
Lugh.
Fallon snarled at him, and he shoved her aside. He was beautiful, Allie thought. As bright as the sun and carrying a spear of victory.
She could hear his voice in her mind. He was associated with ravens. After he'd become a God, the black birds had warned him about a race of demonic monsters, creatures he'd eventually defeated in battle.
The way she was destined to defeat Zinna.
He reached for Allie's hand, and she stood up. Zinna's poison was no longer sluicing through her veins. The scratches were gone.
Lugh smiled and disappeared.
Allie charged Fallon, slamming straight into her.
Daniel climbed to his feet. The poison was leaving his body, too, the scratches fading. Raven was the only one still suffering from Zinna's venom, still slumped on the floor. But at least he had the amulet. Zinna couldn't kill him while it was in his possession.
Allie battled with Fallon. Daniel joined the fight, blocking Fallon's kicks and blows, maneuvers that were coming from Zinna, from her superior strength.
Fallon caught Allie off guard, punching her in the ribs. In defense, she cracked the blonde in the face, making her head snap back. But even so, she realized this wasn't the answer. A physical fight wouldn't destroy Zinna or break the curse. Only the amulet could do that, with Allie using it as a talisman.
She had to trust herself, to remove it from Raven's pocket. While Daniel pounded his fists into Fallon, keeping the battle raging, Allie slipped away.
She knelt in front of Raven, and he watched her, his eyes feverish. She took the amulet.
And then disaster struck.
Fallon pushed Daniel out of the way and removed her gun from its holster, aiming it at Allie.
Daniel bounced back and tried to stop Fallon. She fired the weapon. He took the bullet that was meant for Allie, collapsing on the floor.
Oh, God. Dear God. Allie's knees nearly buckled.
Daniel's shirt was stained with blood, with the sacrifice he'd made for her. And at that soul-wrenching moment, she knew that she loved him. That somewhere along the way, he'd caged her heart.
She wanted to run to him, to help him, but she couldn't. Fallon was aiming the gun at her again.
She took a chance and flashed the amulet at Fallon, saying a prayer, drawing on the necklace's energy.
The amulet lit up, yanking Zinna's spirit out of the young woman's body. Fallon stumbled, and the weapon fell from her hand and slid across the floor.
Zinna solidified, becoming a human-size owl once again. Allie kept praying, using her power. She could see Daniel. The stain on his shirt was getting deeper.
The dead witch screeched, clawing the air. The talisman was weakening what was left of her magic.
Allie said another prayer, and the amulet started shooting sparks, piercing Zinna with electrified arrows.
The fourth arrow went straight into her heart, destroying her, the way the Apache boy in the creation story had slain the dragon.
The Owl Lady turned to ash.
Raven stood up, strong and steady. The curse was broken, and he was still very much alive. The amulet flew away from Allie and slipped itself around Raven's neck.
Fallon tried to grab her gun, to escape, but Raven charged her, knocking her down and seizing the weapon.
Allie ran to Daniel, dropping to her knees, putting pressure on the wound, her hands shaking, her heart pounding in fear.
Daniel looked up at her, then his eyes drifted closed.
Suddenly Rory came skidding around the corner. The museum curator was no longer injured. The claw marks on his body were gone. Everyone was safe.
Except Daniel.
The man in danger of dying.
* * *
Allie sat in the waiting room in the hospital with Raven by her side. Rory was there, too. He'd explained to the police how Daniel had gotten in the line of fire, and they'd arrested Fallon for armed robbery and attempted murder. Rory didn't tell the authorities that Allie, Raven and Daniel had been trying to steal The Vanessa, as well. He'd cooked up a clever story, claiming that they were his after-hours guests, doing a dress rehearsal for a museum promotion about the Goth culture he intended to host.
Rory had taken care of everything, passing off the fake necklace as the real one, letting the police think it was the prize Fallon was after. Raven was wearing the genuine amulet under his shirt, hidden from view. His makeup was gone. He'd removed it in the hospital restroom. So had Allie, needing to rid herself of the gloomy look.
She glanced at the clock on the wall. Daniel was in recovery after a twelve-hour surgery, and his condition was critical. She wasn't permitted to see him, and neither were his other friends. Only immediate family members were allowed, so Daniel's father was with him.
Kyle and Joyce had come and gone. The Warrior Society had been there, too. But Allie insisted on staying at the hospital.
When an announcement came that visiting hours were over, Rory stood up, realizing they couldn't keep vigil any longer.
"I'm sorry that it turned out this way," he said to Allie. "I should have given you the amulet to begin with."
"This isn't your fault." She refused to let him blame himself. She was the one Daniel had taken a bullet for. It was her life he'd saved. If anyone deserved to feel guilty, it was her. And by God, she did. She hurt so much, she could barely breathe.
Rory glanced at Raven, and they exchanged a grave look.
Allie knew that they were afraid that Daniel wasn't going to pull through. She struggled with the same fear.
Rory walked away, and she and Raven remained in the waiting room, with its dull-colored furniture and outdated magazines.
Raven shifted in his chair. "They won't let us stay here," he said.
"I know." She fought the tears that burned her eyes. "But I don't want to leave Daniel alone." Even if she couldn't see him, even if she wasn't allowed to sit by his side.
Raven reached for her hand. "The doctors and nurses will take care of him."
She agreed to go home, but she left her heart behind.
When she and Raven entered the loft, they lit some candles and sage, then sat in the flickering light with the herb burning between them.
He watched the smoke curl. "You're in love with him."
Her chest constricted. "I tried not to be." But she couldn't deny it any longer. "I tried to think of him as just as friend. But he's more than that. So much more."
Raven turned to look at her, a frown creasing his brow. "I wish I could take his place. That it was me in the hospital."
She met his troubled gaze.
"Don't say that."
"But it's how I feel. If I were near death, I would want Usen to take me so I could be with my wife. Deep down, I'd hoped to die a peaceful death after the curse was broken."
Allie's eyes watered. "I'm sorry that you can't be with Vanessa."
"And I'm sorry that the man you love is fighting for his life."
He left his chair and came over to the sofa where she sat. Then he took the spot next to her. She leaned her head against his shoulder. There was nothing left to say. They'd both spoken what was in their hearts.
He put his arm around her, and they stayed like that until the candles melted down to their wicks and the sage quit burning.
Finally he got up and reached for an afghan, covering her with it. She fell asleep, praying for Daniel, knowing that Raven was praying, too.
As dawn seeped into the living room, Allie awakened to the sound of someone opening the front door. She leaped off the couch. Raven jumped up, too. He'd been asleep on a nearby chair.
Olivia and West walked into the loft, and everyone gazed at each other.
Silent, Olivia ran her hands through her short, spiky hair. She was tall and trim, dressed in snug-fitting jeans and a tight red T-shirt. West wore a dark suit and a narrow tie. His eyes were a stunning shade of gray.
Allie's sister and West didn't appear to have a clue what was going on. They studied Raven, clearly wondering who he was.
And then Olivia started.
"You destroyed Zinna," she said to Allie, her clairvoyance kicking in. "And he's the cursed warrior."
Allie moved forward. "He isn't cursed anymore."
"Then what's wrong?" Olivia divided her gaze between Raven and Allie. "You're both so sad."
Allie recited all of the details, starting from the day Raven had appeared, to the night Daniel had been shot.
"Fearless is in the hospital?" Olivia asked.
"Yes." Allie wasn't surprised that her sister knew his nickname. Olivia used to date Kyle. She was probably familiar with all of the men in the Warrior Society.
"Allie is in love with Daniel," Raven said.
"You are?" Olivia reached for her hand, then added, "You are." It wasn't a question anymore. She could feel Allie's emotions.
"I'm sorry we weren't around to help," West said.
"I'm glad you're here now," Raven responded, turning to the special agent. They stood the same height with a similar build. Of course, up until last night, Raven had been borrowing the other man's clothes. "Allie needs her sister."
"I'm sure she needs you, too," West said, speaking quietly to Raven.
The phone rang, screaming like a siren through the loft.
Allie dashed to answer it. Kyle was on the other end. Daniel's father had just called him.
Fearless was in a coma.
* * *
Allie arrived at the hospital and talked to Daniel's father outside of the Intensive Care Unit. Ernie Deer Runner was a tall, slightly overweight man, with graying hair and a gentle nature. He'd asked the ICU staff to allow Allie to visit his son. He believed that Daniel would "sense" that she was there, even though he'd slipped into a post-surgery coma.
"This means a lot to me," Allie said.
Ernie cleared his throat. His voice was raspy from lack of sleep and paternal emotion. "Daniel told me about you."
"He did?" Her voice was raspy, too.
The older man nodded. "You're as pretty as he said you were."
She managed a shaky smile, then released a painful breath, remembering the moment Daniel had fallen to the museum floor. "He took that bullet for me."
"I know. But I think you would have done the same thing for him."
Her eyes misted. "In a heartbeat."
"Then there's no need to feel guilty. Daniel wouldn't want you to."
"Thank you," she said, wishing she could turn back time, wishing she could change what had happened.
From there, she entered the ICU, where silence hung in the air, where various tubes and monitors were attached to patients, including Daniel.
He seemed out of place in the stillness. He looked like a stranger. His skin was pale and his glasses were gone.
Allie took his hand and held it, whispering his name, telling him that she was waiting for him to get well.
He didn't react to her words, no movement, not even the slightest flutter, nothing to indicate that he could hear her.
She told him that she loved him. But once again, he didn't react. His comatose state was much too apparent, much too real.
The curse wasn't supposed to end this way.
She touched his cheek, struggling with the guilt his father had warned her not to feel.
Her visit was brief, as designated by the hospital. But at least she was permitted to return. She was considered part of Daniel's immediate family now.
After she left his side, she spoke with his father again, then went straight home.
Olivia nabbed her the moment she walked in the door. "We need to talk."
She gazed at her sister, troubled by her urgency. "What's wrong?"
"The curse isn't over."
"You mean Zinna can come back?"
"No. But Raven could still die."
Allie's heart clenched. She was already overwhelmed with grief. "How can you be sure?"
Olivia gave her an I'm-psychic look, then said, "While you were gone, West replaced the closet door in my room. After that, something showed up in the new mirror."
"Something?" Allie squinted. "What was it?"
"Come with me and see. It's still there."
She followed Olivia to her sister's bedroom. The image in the glass wasn't dark or gloomy. Instead it shined brightly, where an inviting meadow, cottonwood trees and a stream of water flourished.
"It's the Chiricahua underworld," Allie said.
Olivia nodded. "The door to death. To Raven's heaven."
"So all he has to do is step through to the other side?"
"Yes, but the door won't be open forever. That's what I meant by the curse isn't over. It hasn't officially ended."
Suddenly, Allie understood. "It will end on the exact day he was cursed. When the hundred years is up."
"That's right." Olivia glanced at the mirror. "The door will only be open for four more days."
"So Raven has the choice whether he lives or dies?"
"Yes."
"Did you tell him?"
Her sister nodded. "He knows. But he's upset by it. You need to talk to him. You need to help him through this."
Allie didn't say anything. But she knew that Raven wanted to die. He'd admitted it yesterday, before he'd known it was an option.
She found him in the studio, gazing up at the rafters, at the nest he used to sleep in. Then he turned to look at her.
"How is Daniel?" he asked.
"The same."
His breath hitched. "He gave me everything he'd brought to the museum for protection. If he'd kept the holy water or the rosary—"
"He gave you those things because he wanted to." She walked over to him. "The way he wanted to save me from the bullet." She looked into Raven's eyes. "Daniel's father told me not to feel guilty, so you can't feel guilty, either."
He didn't respond, and they both fell silent.
Finally she said, "Olivia showed me the underworld in the mirror. She explained what's going on."
"I don't want this to be my decision." He frowned at her. "I don't want to make the choice."
"But you have to."
"I can't leave you, Allie. Not while Daniel is ill."
"If he were well, you would go?"
"Yes." He stepped closer. "I want to be with my wife again."
"Then that's what you should do, even if Daniel doesn't recover."
"That isn't fair to you." He touched her cheek, the way she'd touched Daniel's cheek at the hospital. "You'd be all alone, with no one to look after you."
"I love Daniel, and I want to explore a relationship with him. But that doesn't
mean I need someone to look after me."
"You'll miss him if he doesn't survive."
"Terribly. But that isn't a reason for you to stay."
He contemplated her words. They both knew that she was a warrior, a shaman, a woman who'd found her place in the world.
"I'll wait until the last day," he said. "Maybe Daniel will be better by then. Maybe I'll get to say goodbye to him, too."
"I hope so." She reached for Raven, and they embraced as friends, as former lovers, as people who were destined to care about each other.
* * *
The fourth day arrived, but Daniel hadn't recovered. He was still in a coma. Allie had been visiting him daily, asking the Creator to make him well.
But her prayers weren't working.
So here she was, on the verge of losing Raven. She kept warning herself not to cry, to make this moment more difficult.
He'd already said his goodbyes to Olivia and West. He'd snuggled with Samantha, too, telling the cat to be good. And now he was alone with Allie.
"This isn't easy," he said. "I'm going to miss you."
"Me, too." She thought about the day they'd met. "I still have the feather Samantha took from you."
"You do?"
She nodded, then glanced at the mirror, where the underworld waited.
He leaned forward to kiss her, to brush his lips across hers, and she tasted the peppermint flavor of the toothpaste he'd used. He was so big and strong and tangible, and soon he would be gone.
He moved back. "Once I step through the glass, I'll become a ghost. I won't ever get to see you again."
Because he would be in the underworld, she thought. Where he would remain. Only restless Apache ghosts roamed the earth, and he and Vanessa would be at peace.
"You deserve to rest, Raven."
"Maybe so, but I'll try to find a way to protect Daniel. And you, too."
Unable to stop her tears, she swiped her eyes. "Thank you."
"I should be thanking you. I wouldn't be free if it weren't for you, Allie." He touched the amulet around his neck. It was the talisman, the magic that would take him through the mirror. "You gave me back my soul."
She dabbed her eyes again. Raven was dressed in his original clothes, the frayed shirt and trousers he'd been wearing when Zinna had cursed him.
"Look how beautiful the underworld is," he said. "Look where I'm going."
Never Look Back Page 18
