Heroes (Eirik Book 2)
Page 29
They stopped walking and turned on each other, punching and pounding without understanding their sudden rage. I sat back and watched until I realized that Lord Worthington was unaffected by my berserker’s rage.
Was he that powerful, or was something protecting him? Our eyes met amidst the chaos, and he smirked. One day, I would kill this man and enjoy it. Just not tonight. Tonight, I was taking Celestia to the Witches’ meeting and then to Eljudnir for the rest of the week because there was no way I was leaving her in this realm. I didn’t trust anyone to protect her.
CHAPTER 18. THE CALL
CELESTIA
“Can I ask you something?” Wes asked.
“Sure.”
“Would you like to attend one of our coven meetings?”
I should have seen that one coming. He had regaled me with stories about his coven for the last half hour while I finished making dinner. Even though his coven sounded like fun, I was okay with Hayden and Tammy.
“No,” I said it slowly. “Why?”
“You are an unaffiliated, powerful Witch. You could benefit from being a member of a coven. The elders know a lot of things they pass down to us.”
“I don’t know. My grandmother wasn’t a strong believer in covens, and she taught me a lot. I have a thick grimoire with instructions, spells, and recipes.”
“But she can’t protect you anymore. We would when you need it. You wouldn’t have to hide when you’re in danger or depend on these guys.”
I studied him and wondered how long he’d been feeling like this. Unless this desire to have me in his coven had something to do with his feelings.
“Wes, I like you, but…”
“You’re not into me,” he finished, a sheepish expression on his face. “I noticed. You like him.”
I winced. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. But that doesn’t change how I feel about you as a Witch. You would benefit from our coven.”
“Is your mother still the supreme?”
“Yes, but she didn’t send me. She doesn’t even know we’re close. I’ve been thinking about it for some time now. A coven is better than one guy. Just because he dresses like a Warlock and barks orders doesn’t mean he knows what he’s doing.”
So we were back to Eirik. “Look, Eirik says a lot of things, Wes. It doesn’t mean he’s right. We are going to that meeting whether he’s here or not.” I turned off the heat on the gravy and poured it into the bowl. “Okay. That’s the last one. I’ll call Hayden…”
I remembered she’d been kidnapped. My stomach dipped as thoughts about what she might be going through rushed back to taunt me. The sound of an engine and wheels on the driveway reached me. A quick look out the window confirmed Dad was home.
Wes jumped to his feet. He was staring outside at my father’s car.
“Relax. He’s cool.” My attempt to reassure him failed.
“He’s the chief and my dad’s boss.”
“At home he’s just my father, so don’t worry about a thing.” He still looked worried. It was almost seven. Maybe he’d hoped we’d be gone before Dad came home. Guys were so weird. The door opened and closed.
“Celestia?” Dad called out.
“I’m in the kitchen,” I called back. He entered the room, and he wasn’t alone. “Hey, Daddy. Officer Sullivan.”
The cop smiled. “Miss Celestia.”
“I thought you’d be at Tammy’s by now.” Dad pressed a kiss on my temple.
“I came home to collect my things and decided to make you one home cooked meal before I go. Your favorite of Grams’ recipes.” He grinned. I carried the gravy to the table and removed the rest of the dishes from the oven, where I’d set them to stay warm. “Food is ready, so clean up.”
“I still haven’t heard from Tammy.” He turned to study Wes as though trying to remember where he’d seen him. He should know him from department picnics and football games.
“I’ll make sure she calls you tonight.” I didn’t know how I was going to wing that. “We have a Guild meeting at school tonight, so we’re going there before I head to Tammy’s.” I wasn’t sure whether he’d heard me. He was still studying Wes.
“I remember now,” Dad said, slapping Wes on the back. “You are Lyons’ boy.”
“Yes, Chief… sir. Wes.”
“That’s right. You play for the Tigers with Zack.” He removed two cans of beer, and offered Sullivan one. He’d taken Sullivan under his wing, so this wasn’t the first time he’d brought the officer home. “Do you want one, Lyons?”
“No, sir.” Wes looked uncomfortable. “I’m only eighteen.”
“Right answer. If I catch you drinking around my daughter, I will forget that your father is one of the finest officers in the county.” He slapped Wes’ shoulder. “Okay, son. Go move your car to the side. You’re blocking my spot. Sullivan, wait for me in the den. We’ll serve ourselves, sweetheart.” Dad stayed in the kitchen while Sullivan continued into the den, and he waited until the front door closed behind Wes before saying, “Where are your Guild friends?”
“They’re around. Why?”
“Are you going to this meeting with them?”
“Yes. We’ll head to Tammy’s when it’s over. And I’ll make sure she calls you, so don’t worry.” I kissed his cheek. “I’ll see you on Sunday, but I’ll try to call every day.” He laughed, because he knew I wouldn’t. I’d spent long weekends at Hayden and Tammy’s without calling home. Even when I’d gone on shopping trips with them, I’d only call when I arrived and the day we left for home. “Okay, I’ll try. Bye, Officer Sullivan. Don’t let him work you too hard.”
A chuckle and “Yes, Miss Celestia” came from the den.
I touched Dad’s arm. “Bye, Dad.”
“Be careful, and call me if you need anything,” he said, following me as I walked away.
“I don’t need anything, Dad.”
“If Tammy decides you should join her, I need to know.”
“Yes, Dad.”
“And if you need extra money on your debit card, let me know.” He was still following me.
I stopped and turned around. This Witches mess really had him spooked. I went back and gave him a hug. He started to pat my back, then put his arms around me and squeezed. Tears rushed to my eyes. He must have been scared, because I couldn’t remember the last time he’d given me a real hug. A pat was all I ever got.
“You worry too much,” I said. “I’ll be fine.”
“I have every reason to worry. I don’t like what’s going on and somehow you always end up in the middle of something I can’t control. The Guild had better find out what’s going on because I’ve exhausted my leads. All the Witches I know are closing ranks.”
I felt a little guilty for having used the Guild as a cover for the Grimnirs because the organization hadn’t exactly been active in the Americas, unlike Europe and Australia. I didn’t know anything about the African or Asian branches. Still…
“They will,” I reassured Dad even though I knew I shouldn’t. “Can I go now? I think I have several bruised ribs.”
He chuckled. “I’m going to miss you, kiddo.”
“Not too much. I’ll be back before you know it.”
I hurried to my bedroom to get my cloak and shoved the items I’d washed into my sling bag. I almost forgot my lenses’ case and solution. I debated whether to take my glasses too. I rarely wore them anyway, except when I forgot to remove my lenses at night and my eyes became irritated. Eirik’s robe and sweatpants were exactly where he’d left them on my bed. I picked up the robe, brought it to my face, and inhaled. I sighed blissfully and smiled. I was so into that man it wasn’t funny. He was becoming an obsession. It was insane, but I didn’t care. He was going to be pissed I left the house after he told me to wait for him.
Hayden. I hoped Eirik found her. I wanted to help him search for his grandmother, but I wanted Hayden with us.
I put his robe down and grabbed my cloak from where I’d left it on the chai
r. Wes was waiting on the porch when I left the house, but there were no Grimnirs or weird men in suits around.
As soon as we left our compound, there was a sudden pulse of energy, and Rhys and Nara appeared in the back seat of the Jeep. I almost spoke to them but remembered Wes couldn’t see them. He looked back and frowned as though he’d felt their presence.
“There’s a squad car behind us,” he said, sounding worried.
The three of us looked back.
“Do you want us to take care of it?” Rhys asked.
“No.”
“What do you mean no?” Wes asked, assuming I’d spoken to him. Nara made a face at the confusion.
“I meant no, that’s not a regular squad car. That’s Officer Davies. Dad uses him to keep an eye on me.”
“Why are you going to the meeting when Eirik specifically told you to stay at home and wait for him, Celestia?” Nara asked. She always called me Little Witch.
I opened my mouth to answer her and stopped when she pointed at Wes and smirked.
“Would you like to know what we would be doing instead of babysitting you?”
Helping Eirik look for Hayden. If anyone could find her, it was Eirik. He was stubborn and unstoppable. And since finding Hayden and Tammy got him closer to finding his sister, he wasn’t going to let anything stand in his way.
“Watching a bunch of pompous Immortals kill each other,” Nara said. “We found your friend, and now your man has unleashed his berserker powers to punish the Immortals responsible for kidnapping her.”
Hayden was okay? Yes!
“Nara,” Rhys warned her.
“You know he’s right. They deserved it for what they put the orphans through, and Eirik understands that.”
“Revenge is pointless as our people learned centuries ago,” he retorted.
“Yet those who don’t learn from their mistakes are doomed to repeat them. I hope when he’s done with them, they’ll never terrorize anyone again.”
I didn’t care what Eirik did to the Immortals. Hayden was okay. What the heck were berserker powers? Eirik never mentioned powers.
We passed cars parked on the street way before we reached the school’s parking lot, which was tiny. Some people had double-parked while others used the grassy areas.
“Where are all these people from?” Wes asked as he continued to search for a place to park.
“You heard Mrs. Mouton. All across the country,” I mumbled. “Everyone is scared.”
We found a spot on the grass by an old truck, and we weren’t the only late arrivals. A woman stepped out of a van and walked to the back to roll out a wheelchair. Wes and I went to help her, but I dragged my feet and turned to ask the Grimnirs for more information about Hayden. Except, they’d disappeared. I searched the dark parking lot, but couldn’t see them, yet I knew they were close.
The two ladies introduced themselves as Joslyn Whitley and Charlene Montgomery from Tallahassee, Florida. From the energy coming from them, they were real Witches. I doubted if dabblers would be here tonight. Claiming to be a Witch was fun when it was all smoke and mirrors, but when Witches were being hunted, people were quick to distance themselves.
“We left home after lunch, and here we are,” Joslyn said with a southern lilt. She was the one in the wheelchair. “Where y’all from, dears?”
“Here,” I said, since Wes was busy pushing the wheelchair while Charlene lugged a heavy bag too similar to Tammy’s. Witches loved big bags. Joslyn also carried one on her lap.
“So you know her? The See-ress who saw the murders?” Joselyn asked. The way she pronounced the word Seeress was cute.
Wes grinned and looked at me. I shook my head.
“Yes,” he said, and I wanted to kick him.
“Then y’all heard she saw some more?” Joslyn asked. “These are dark times, children. Dark times. I’m happy the Guild decided to have this meetin’. Every Witch from mah town is here tonight. They carpooled, used Greyhound, and took the train, but Charlene didn’t want to on account of my wheelchair.” She glanced at the quiet Charlene and smiled. “And I’m happy you insisted. A five-hour drive with Mary Lou and Sara Lee would have driven me crazy.”
Man, the woman could talk.
“Did you say she saw more visions?” I asked.
“Oh yes. Five more killed, dear. They were holdin’ a séance too. Can you imagine how the poor child must be feelin’ burdened with such a gift? I’d hate to see visions of death.”
Wes glanced at me again. I shook my head.
“Joslyn, I told you not to repeat rumors,” Charlene snapped, her accent thicker than Joslyn’s. “We won’t know for sure what the girl saw until we hear from her tonight.” She glanced at me and smiled. “But for the first time in Lord knows how long, the Guild is holding a meetin’ and that’s good. I’m a reader, and my business is suffering.”
The meeting hadn’t started, and I could see the people through the glass doors as we got closer to the building. We reached the ramp to the school entrance, and Joslyn switched her wheelchair settings to power steering. The moment we entered the foyer, I inhaled and smiled. This much magical energy was exciting. Too bad the meeting was because of deaths.
I saw my cousin and waved. We said goodbye to the two women and went to join Zack. He was with a guy I didn’t recognize.
“You’re early,” I said.
“You’re late,” Zack retorted, frowning. “Is it true you saw more deaths?”
“Rumors. I swear people are just making things up and feeding everyone’s fears.” I glanced at the guy he was with. “I’m Celestia, Zack’s cousin.”
“Hutch. New guy at the dealership.”
And Zack wasn’t hiding his Witchiness from him? Wow. My cousin had definitely come out with a bang.
“They’re going inside,” Wes said.
“Get us seats, bro.” Zack grabbed my arm and detained me while Wes and Hutch walked ahead. “Anything on Hayden?”
“Nara said they found her.” I looked around, but the Grimnirs were missing again.
“Really? Where is she?”
“I don’t know, but she’s okay, Zack.”
“Call Eirik or his guards and ask him. I have to see her.”
“I haven’t seen Eirik with a phone, and Grimnirs don’t bother with technology.” And I still couldn’t see them. Where were they?
“Damn,” he muttered under his breath and pulled out his phone.
“You can’t call her. I have her phone.”
He cursed again. “She’d better be okay.”
A red aura hovered in my periphery as we started toward the entrance. I reached for Zack’s arm and tried to tell him I was about to have a vision, but it was too late. I was already going into a trance.
My astral image separated from my physical body, and I watched Zack lift me and move away from the entrance. The people turned to watch us, but Wes yelled something so they kept walking into the auditorium. I drifted out of the building and headed outside.
I floated across town, recognizing buildings and landmarks. Then I picked up speed and everything blurred, lights and darkness as I moved past towns and cities to farmlands and back to cities, again. There were smaller bodies of waters, more land and then an endless stretch of churning dark waters. I had crossed an ocean.
I slowed down when I reached a tree-lined hilltop, drawn by the scent of herbs and singing. Then I saw the five women dancing around a sacred circle. At the center was a large, round rock, burning incense, candles, and other paraphernalia I didn’t bother to confirm because my attention was back on the women. Their long white robes floated in the wind and frothed around their bare feet, their chants carrying into the darkness.
Where was I? I looked around, but couldn’t see any distinct landmarks. I did cross a large body of water, so I could be in Europe or South America. Why were they performing a ritual when some psycho was targeting Witches during one?
I settled by one of the trees and watched them. The flames fl
ickered on their faces, their words hard to understand. They were not using English. Maybe they hadn’t heard about the deaths. With the number of warnings on forums and message boards online, Witches around the world should know what was going on.
I moved closer and waved. “Hey! Sisters, stop.”
They continued to chant, completely oblivious of my presence. If this were Helheim, they’d see me or I would touch and move things.
“Stop it and go home!” I yelled, walking around and trying to touch them, but my hand slid right through them.
Shouldn’t they be going into a trance by now? If one of them did, they’d be able to see me. I danced around with them, not understanding what they were chanting, but hoping at least one would drop and trance. There had to be a reason I was here.
Suddenly, without warning, the Witches entered the sacred circle, dropped onto their knees, and started to rock sideways and back and forth, their eyes closed.
The older one with red hair was the first to trance. She still rocked, but her astral image lifted, turned, and faced me. She said something, but I didn’t understand the language.
“I don’t understand,” I said.
“Protect her, ja. The young goddess of destiny.” She spoke with a heavy Scandinavian accent.
“Who is she, and where do I find her?”
“I don’t know. She is a powerful young Witch. Find her. Go. They’ll come soon.” She looked over my shoulder, her eyes narrowing in defiance. I followed the direction of her gaze and saw why. A portal had opened, and angry energy poured from it. “They are here. GO! Find her and protect her.”
The woman’s astral image rejoined her body just as men in black outfits entered the area. Were these the people who’d been attacking Witches? With their ability to form portals, these guys were not Witches or Mortals. They were Immortals. Evil Immortals.
They surrounded the Witches and looked at the portal as though waiting for instructions. Two more people came through the portal—a woman and a man. The man stayed in the shadows while the woman stepped forward. She was pretty with dark hair. She could pass for someone in her mid-thirties.