Demon's Touch: A Reverse Harem Tale (Mountain Magic Book 2)

by Dakota Brown

  He glanced at Allan, who looked surprised, but then shrugged and put his arms around Nikolai.

  Ed winked at Allan. Allan blushed.

  Sofia still breathed quietly, but otherwise, he really didn't feel like her body was doing anything but existing.

  He tightened his arms around her and tried to sink into their pack bond. He'd become quite practiced at it over the last couple of months, but this time, he couldn't get through. It was as if some invisible barrier kept him out. Maybe that was a good thing? Maybe Sofia was protecting herself? Whatever was going on, he knew he needed to reach her.

  He could sense Allan and tugged on their connection until he attracted his brother's attention. Allan joined him in whatever nebulous way that made sense in their pack bond.

  They pressed up against the barrier and pushed their awareness against it, looking for Sofia.

  Nothing.

  I think we need everyone, Ed conveyed to Allan.

  Allan's presence didn't so much fade as change when he pulled himself back to consciousness. Ed kept himself pressed against Sofia's mind. After a few moments, Nikolai, Allan, and then finally Doc, joined him. Doc's presence was a little more distant, as if he were still conscious but he was with them all the same.

  They needed to draw her back like she had for him. If she was there at all.

  He shied away from that thought.

  Nikolai drew them all together, seeming to know what to do. If anyone would know, it was him.

  Ed let himself be guided as Nikolai pressed them all against the barrier and then they took their love for her and used it to try and find their connection to Sofia.

  Nothing.

  Even semi-conscious like he was right now, Ed's chest constricted. His cheeks were wet. He needed Sofia. They all did. She couldn't leave them. Not like this. If she ever decided to walk away, that would be one thing. It wouldn't feel good, but it wouldn't kill him like this was. She was theirs. She wanted to be theirs. Damn the Andersons for taking her away from him.

  They all tried again.

  Ed didn't sense anything, but Nikolai perked up through their connection.

  Sofia, come back to us, they sent.

  Slowly, the barrier that kept them out of her mind softened. After a short time, it faded enough that they were able to slip in. Nikolai held them back for a moment, cautioned that they may not be able to get out if they couldn't actually reach Sofia, and then when all agreed it was worth the risk, pushed through the barrier.

  Sofia?

  Ed wasn't sure how long it took, but a small eternity later, they got the tiniest bit of a response. All of them followed that response to find Sofia's essence curled into a tight ball, buried in the shambles of her mental image of her magical grove. The trees were next to dead, the ground bare, and Sofia was nearly translucent.

  Sofia! Ed raced to her side and put his hands on her shoulders. They sunk in. She wasn't even solid.

  Allan joined him, and then the other two, and they poured energy into Sofia. They had to bring her back.

  Slowly, she solidified.

  Slowly now, Nikolai cautioned. Don't kill yourself in the process.

  Silently, Ed thought it would be worth it, but he also didn't want Sofia to have to deal with that, either. Still, the energy they did give her was enough. Though she didn't wake, this time, he felt like she would.

  Nikolai agreed, because he drew them out of her mind. Fortunately, the barrier recognized them this time, and let them out.

  Ed fell back into his own body and drifted off into the first real sleep he'd had in months.

  Chapter 30

  Sofia

  I blinked sand out of my eyes and tried to get them to focus. A heavy weight across my chest restricted my breathing, and I forced my eyes into focus. Ed's arm wrapped tight around me, pressing my back into his chest.

  Nikolai lay against my other side. Was this the first time I had woken up with him?

  I twined one of my legs around Ed's and took the hand I wasn't laying on and ran it across the mage's back.

  Ed's arm tightened around me possessively. "Sofia?"

  "In the flesh," I said. "Finally."

  He buried his face in my neck. My ribs creaked as he tightened his arm around me. I didn't complain.

  Nikolai sucked in a breath and rolled over, crushing me in a hug. I hadn't noticed Allan on the other side of him, but he blinked his eyes open and wrapped his arm around me, squishing Nikolai between us.

  "It worked," I finally managed to get out.

  "Yeah, you definitely almost died," Star grumbled from somewhere else in the room.

  "But I didn't."

  The guys reluctantly let me extract myself from their embrace and I sat up, looking for Doc.

  Doc sat in a chair he had leaned back on two legs against the door. His lips curled into a tired smile when I met his gaze.

  After I checked in with him, I glanced over at Star. She sat in the other bed, arms crossed and an angry scowl on her face. She alternated glaring at Doc, a hint of fear in her eyes, and glaring at me.

  Whatever was bothering her, and I could think of a number of things that might be, we would figure it out. I was just so happy to be back in control that I couldn't help the large smile that split my face.

  "Demons," she grumbled. "Werewolves, vampires, mages…you just went and found yourself one of everything, didn't you?"

  "I, uh…" I glanced back to Doc.

  He nodded, so I figured he'd done something that let her know what he was.

  "Yeah, I guess."

  Star shook her head. "I can't decide if I'm more pissed that you didn't tell me, or that you almost got killed."

  "I didn't want to talk to you about it over the phone." I flopped back onto the bed, and the guys curled around me again, Ed pressing into my back and Nikolai pulling me against his chest. Our legs tangled, and Allan reached back around Nikolai and held me, as well. "What time is it, anyway? Or maybe I should ask what day?"

  "It's Thanksgiving," Star answered. "And it's still pretty early in the morning. Your parents are probably freaking out. Maybe we could get back and reassure them that you aren't kidnapped and dead?"

  I groaned. Dealing with my parents wasn't high on my priority list. I had been in control of my body when Nikolai had shown up with Star and my werewolves, but my memories of the last few days were pretty sketchy. I seemed to recall someone calling him a communist and him throwing George on the ground.

  "Do you want to text them?"

  "Why don't you text them?"

  "I think my phone is back at the house."

  "What do you want me to tell them? And you'll have to tell your boyfriends to give me my phone back." She did not sound happy.

  Allan sat up and returned her phone. He didn't apologize, and I didn't expect him to. There was enough to worry about without Star making awkward phone calls.

  She started texting. "So, you're all right now?"

  "Yes." I tried to get up, but Nikolai and Ed refused to let me move, holding me sandwiched between them.

  "They want to know when we'll be back."

  "Guys?"

  "We can head back any time you want," Doc answered. "As long as Nikolai is recovered enough to cast some magic."

  "Yes. I should be fine."

  "Couple of hours then," Doc answered.

  "Great," Star muttered.

  "Can that couple of hours include getting some food?" Ed's stomach growled.

  I laughed.

  "Yes, please," Allan whined plaintively.

  "There will be plenty to eat at dinner," Star replied.

  "We'll have plenty of room for more," Allan explained. "We eat a lot."

  "Why don't we go out and see if we can find anything open. Sofia and Star probably need a minute to catch up." Doc stood and shoved the chair back against the wall.

  The guys let go of me this time when I tried to get up, and I scrambled off the bed. Doc caught me in a hug before I could move more than a few
steps toward him. I breathed in his clean leather scent and held him tight. After a minute, he released me and herded the others out of the room.

  Their absence left me hollow, and I had to reach for the pack bond to avoid running after them. I did not want to be alone, and while I loved Star as a sister, she was not one of my guys. Maybe I should have asked one of them to stay.

  "So…" Star prompted.

  "What don't you know?"

  "Why don't you start with how you're dating a vampire and he hasn't killed you. And then you can start at the beginning and fill me in." She turned to face me.

  I sank down onto the edge of the other bed and sighed. "He's like, half vampire."

  "Still drinks blood."

  "Well, yeah."

  "And vampires don't like humans as a general rule, except to eat them. Or so everyone's been told."

  "Uh, well, Doc isn't really like that. He doesn't exactly want people to know what he is, if he can avoid it. Nikolai has known quite a few from his time that weren't anything like what people tell us vampires are now."

  "No shit? I think you might have some competition from your Russian, though. He seems very fond of your fangy boyfriend."

  I couldn't read Star's expression, so I shrugged. "Yeah, him and Allan. No competition. I can share with them. I mean, they're sharing me. Seems fair. I kind of like it." I stared at my knees, blushing, not sure what she would think of me after that admission.

  When she didn't answer, I looked up and still couldn't read her expression.

  "I'm waiting for the rest of your story."

  Wow, she really was pissed. I didn't have the energy to respond with any emotion so I just flopped back on the bed and told her as much as I could about the last couple of months.

  "Yeah," she said when I was done. "You probably shouldn't have told me that over the phone."

  I stared at the ceiling.

  "If I had known even half of that, I would have been on an airplane to Denver."

  "I wouldn't want you in danger."

  "Well, if you don't stay here, you're going to be back in danger pretty quick."

  "Actually." I held up my hands and called my magic. The energy burned through me, more powerful than I had ever experienced. "I think it's the Andersons who are in over their head."

  Star stared at the swirl of lavender motes that circled my hand.

  "The demon, well, she stretched my abilities to the point where I think I can use magic like I've been practicing my whole life now. She also left me with a bunch of knowledge. I don't even know what all I know now."

  "She did something to your vampire. Saved him or something."

  I thought for a minute and managed to call up the memory. "Doc can't really deal with demon blood. Or, well, he couldn't. I think she fixed that."

  "He was willing to die to save you?"

  "Yeah, I guess so."

  "How do you manage to find four great guys, even if they aren't human, or even from our time, and I can't find anything but a lame ass beach bum."

  "You still dating the lame ass?"

  "No."

  "Well, that's good at least."

  She sighed. "Yeah. I guess. So…" Her eyes glinted. "How'd your dad take you dating more than one guy?"

  "Oh, I didn't mention that, he totally doesn't know. Well, I mean, he didn't. I'm not sure what they think now. I don't exactly remember everything."

  "Well, he really didn't like Nikolai being Russian. Wait, which one does he think you're dating?"

  "Doc. Like I told you over the phone."

  "Oh, how'd he take that? He's kind of…intolerant, if you had never noticed."

  "I hadn't actually noticed until recently." I sighed. "And he freaked out about it a little. I told him off, and he's mostly behaving now. Well, he was anyway."

  Star giggled. "Well, they're all hot. And werewolves? What's that like?"

  "Big dogs with no sense of personal space. They're great." I heard the diesel engine pull up outside our room, and I glanced toward the door, grinning.

  "Back, huh?"

  "How could you tell?"

  "Your face just lit up like it was Christmas." She smiled.

  I got up and peaked out the spy hole in the door before opening it. I knew it was them, but even so, I wasn't about to open the door without checking.

  Ed came in first, grabbed me around the waist and spun me around, before sitting on the end of the bed and pulling me onto his lap. I cuddled against him while the others hurried in out of the cold.

  "Nothing fancy, but the store was open," Allan said. "We got some toothpaste, too."

  Doc sat down next to Ed and put his arm around me so that I was pressed against both of them.

  Allan and Nikolai sorted through the bags and got out stuff for sandwiches. "Who's hungry?" Allan glanced at us.

  "Everyone." Ed laughed.

  Star nodded. I wasn't hungry, but I probably would be once I actually put something in my mouth.

  Doc squeezed my shoulder and got up. He headed for the bathroom, pulling off his shirt as he went. Pretty sure my heart skipped a couple of beats, and I didn't hide that I stared.

  Of course, Nikolai and Allan stared, too. I caught them looking when I finally wrenched my gaze away. They quickly went back to making sandwiches for everyone, and we all stuffed our faces and took turns in the bathroom. While none of us had clean clothing, showering and brushing my teeth felt amazing.

  Once we had all cycled through the shower and the werewolves had stuffed their faces, we piled back into Doc's truck and headed back to my house.

  I couldn't hide how nervous I was. I sat on Allan's lap this time, and Nikolai had claimed my legs. Everyone, maybe even Star, could hear my heart thudding in my chest.

  We hadn't discussed what to tell anyone, and I didn't know what to do. Facing my parents scared me more than facing the Andersons. At least I knew what to do about them. I rubbed at my wrists. The bindings had left scars around my wrists, except where my magical tattoo had protected my skin. They weren't bad, but the texture threw me off every time I touched it. The guys either hadn't noticed yet or had decided not to say anything until I did.

  All too soon, we pulled into the parking area at my parents' house. We all hesitated, partially not wanting to leave the warm truck and partially not wanting to deal with my parents. The storm had calmed, but it was cold enough that breathing the air hurt.

  "Well, I guess if it really comes down to it, I can practice my rusty mind control on everyone and make them forget it all happened." Doc sounded resigned.

  "Will that work on werewolves?" Nikolai asked.

  "Yeah."

  "Nikolai, I'm pretty sure you actually know more about vampires than I do, and I am one. Kind of. How could you not know that?"

  "Eh, usually we kill the werewolves. There is no need for mind control on dead wolves. I am not sure it ever came up."

  "Ah."

  "On that completely disturbing note, I'm going in the house." Star got out of the truck, and the rest of us reluctantly followed.

  We all piled into the house. Mom surprised me with a tight hug before she surprised me even more by hugging Nikolai.

  I glanced at Star. "You told her, didn't you?"

  She nodded, not looking at all apologetic. Made my life easier, so I wasn't going to be mad about it.

  Nikolai hugged my mom back and held her while she sobbed. He shot a desperate look at Doc, who shrugged, clearly not sure what to do, either. After a minute, she got a hold of herself and hugged Doc.

  "Thank you both for saving her," Mom got out around her tears.

  Star showed me her phone. The text she had sent stuck with our story that Doc was a mage.

  I was grateful that Mom didn't even bother to ask why we hadn't told her.

  Dad and the others stared at everyone, a little wide-eyed. Except George, who was glaring at Doc. His expression told me he really wanted to have it out with Doc and find out what he really was. That did not need to happen
. I wracked my brain for some idea of what I might be able to do with my new powers should he try and start something. Doc could hold his own, but it would be better if I distracted George from a fight.

  I glanced at Doc, who had noticed George's interest. No one else paid any attention to them for the moment, maybe Doc's doing. He straightened his posture, and his eyes darkened. He curled his lip just enough to flash fang and growled almost sub-audibly. The werewolves would be able to hear, and my senses were still tuned up from the demon's presence, so I also heard.

  George's eyes widened, and he blanched sheet white. I thought he was going to wet his pants. He dropped his gaze and hunched his shoulders, immediately completely submissive.

  I looked back at Doc, who continued to glare at George until the werewolf shifted his stance and bared his throat. I really hoped that was the last of George's issues with Doc. I also really hoped he didn't say anything to my dad.

  Doc looked away, completely ignoring George after that. At least outwardly. I doubted he actually took his attention away from the werewolf.

  Ed and Allan traded wide-eyed glances with each other. I guessed they probably weren't used to Doc behaving like that.

  I had lost track of everyone else, but Bobby ran into the room and threw his arms around Doc's waist, hiding behind him. Matt and Eric followed after, though they slowed when they saw everyone else in the room.

  George gauged Doc's reaction to the kid's attention, but all Doc did was put his hand on Bobby's shoulder and ask him what was wrong.

  The kid shook his head, though tears streaked his face.

  George sighed, grabbed both Matt and Eric by their arms, and dragged them back to their room. He wasn't their parent, but I suspected he was going to have a discussion with them they wouldn't forget any time soon.

  "We have enough food for everyone. We hope you'll stay for dinner," Mom babbled, not completely oblivious to George's actions, but ignoring them for now.

  Rick and Donna shared a worried look before they apparently decided that the kids deserved whatever George dished out and instead went to rescue Doc from Bobby.

  Dad hadn't said much in the chaos, and I hoped it stayed that way.

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