I made contact with his eyes in the mirror. “The two shades are like your eyes then. Light blue until you start to transform, and then they become like honey.”
“I guess so.” His head bent as he gave my shoulder another quick kiss. “When you have really strong emotions, I’ll be able to find you no matter where you are. Unless you burn the whole place down before I can get to you.”
“Ha. Ha. Funny.” I turned to face him. “You’re attracted to me?”
His hands gripped me by my hips. “What kind of question is that? You know I am.”
“I’m just trying to figure this out.” Us out. “You’re attracted to me, you’re clearly worried about me leaving tonight, yet I could have sworn that earlier when you couldn’t finish your sentence, it was because you were having a hard time with the word ‘girlfriend.’”
He gave a little laugh. “So, that is what prompted the sparks of fire from the fingertips?” I must’ve been too mad to notice. He softly kissed my forehead, nose, and then my lips. “Charlie, you are so much more than that.”
His touch was possessive as one hand cradled the back of my neck. His lips met mine, and warm heat rippled through my body. The mark he gave me throbbed as his tongue intertwined with mine. When he finally released me, my breath was ragged, my chest rising and falling.
I was still trying to get my bearings as he walked over to my duffel bag, zipping it. He threw it over his shoulder. “I don’t want to let you go.” After that kiss, I was tempted to stay. “Come on. I’ll walk you to your car.”
I locked up the house and after getting in my car, I waved goodbye to him. As I drove to pick up Tandi, I thought about what was to come. Everything about Talon and this camp felt off. I had those feelings before, but now they were stronger. A ton of things with Talon didn’t add up. And maybe he did have the key. If so, I would gather as much information as possible, do some behind-the-scenes recon, and then give everything I knew about where it was located to Jamison. Even if I learned nothing new about my parents, this trip wouldn’t be a total waste of time if I garnered information about the key. My gut didn’t flinch when Ariana said I would be fine. What could possibly go wrong?
Chapter Twelve
We pulled up to the address around midnight. I was a nervous wreck. My gut was screaming run. If this was the path I was supposed to be on, then I sure as heck didn’t want to be on the wrong one. Jeez. It looked like we had landed ourselves on some B-rated movie scene for a generic cable channel. All our surroundings needed was some blonde chick attempting to run, but instead found herself tripping over leaves, while the killer in the ski mask stood perfectly still and yet somehow managed to catch up to her. This place was a dump. Trash littered the forest and a metal spray-painted sign warned trespassers they would be shot. We were literally in the middle of the swamp, where only the very poor or the very strong survived.
“You know,” Tandi said, “the term ‘ride or die’ is overused and not meant to be taken literally.” I parked the car in the woods. There was a small trail we would have to hike up to get where the flyer said the camp was located. “You know the part in the scary movie when you’re like ‘girl don't do it’ and then she does it? There is a narrator in my head right now saying, ‘and the girls decided to go into the creepy woods, even though their mothers raised them better.’ All we need is a guy with a chainsaw and some banjo music.”
“It is scary how we're thinking the exact same thing. I’ve got the same feeling. Dig deep, my friend. Find your lady balls and let’s get this night over with. Remember not to say anything to anyone.”
Tandi hooked her arm through mine as we walked the dark trail with no light other than what little my cellphone was providing. Finally, we saw a campfire. As branches snapped underneath our feet, everyone gathered outside quit talking and began to stare at us.
Talon met us in the open clearing. “Ladies. We’ve been partying a little. Prematurely celebrating your arrival. Would either of you care for a beer?” Tandi shook her head, and I declined as well. “There is plenty if either of you should change your mind. Come on. Let me introduce you both.”
He placed a hand on either of our backs and steered us around the campfire. All the boys leered, and the girls either acted snotty or indifferent. Some gave us body scans and the others turned their backs on us. Great group of kids. Their mothers must be super proud. The knot in my gut tightened. I looked at our surroundings, trying to get a lay of the land. Several shacks were scattered throughout the woods.
Talon caught me studying them. “This is where our witches in training live. Sort of like dorms.”
Dorms where? In a third world country? I seriously doubted there was electricity or running water. “But this isn’t where you are staying. If you would like, I can show you both where you will be living.”
Living? We were here for the night. His voice was a little slurred, and he reeked of beer, so I let the comment slide as my stomach churned with worry. My gut was telling me that danger hung in every corner and I needed to tread lightly. We took a different path leading us farther away from the campfire. I knew Tandi was apprehensive, and the truth was I was starting to doubt Ariana and my gut.
A man with caramel skin was walking towards us. His head was held high as if he was striding through a royal court not a snake-infested forest. “Hello, Talon. Is this her?”
Talon tried to stand taller. The man was someone he obviously wanted to impress. “I thought you would be in bed by now. I told her earlier she would have to wait to meet you tomorrow.”
“Nonsense,” the older man said. “She has come all this way. I don’t mind talking to her tonight.”
Talon shrugged. “Oh, okay. Well this is Tandi, and this is—”
The man who appeared to be in his forties cut Talon off. “I know who this is. The only other person I’ve ever met with violet eyes was Caro.”
“My mother,” I whispered.
He gave me a smile. “Come with me. I’m sure you have lots of questions.”
My gut flared with warnings as the three of us followed him to a cabin that was pretty luxurious compared to the shacks. There was a generator outside that gave his cabin light. We entered and were ushered to the living room. “My name is Juan, and I am the commander here. I was more than happy when Talon reported back to me about you. When I heard your last name, Galloway, I had my suspicions, but they were confirmed when he described you to me. You are a beauty just like your mother was. Shame what happened to her and your father. I take it you get your name from him?”
I looked over at Tandi briefly. She was taking all of this in, like showing up to a cabin in the woods and talking a stranger about the past, really well. The only sign she gave that she was nervous was one of her legs bouncing up and down.
“Um, yeah. My dad’s name was Charles. So they named me Charlize and over the years, my family and friends gave me the nickname Charlie.” Feeling a little impatient, I said, “What can you tell me about them?”
Juan sat in the chair opposite of the couch that Talon, Tandi, and I sat on. One finger tapped his chin. “I’m assuming you want to know about what they hid from you?” At my nod, he said, “Your mother was a very powerful witch. I’m not sure if you know this, but most witches usually have only one power they can wield, but thanks to her heritage, she had multiple elements she could control. Wind, fire, water, just to name a few.”
“Her heritage?”
Juan gave me a smile. “Sorry. I forget how little you know. Yes, Devon, your mother’s father—who would’ve been your grandfather—was the Warlock King. Upon his death, the crown fell to his only child, your mother; however, she never claimed it. It seemed that she had gone missing, and no witch or warlock could find her, though they valiantly tried. Now, we know she wasn’t missing, but she was hiding. The question is why? Why would she want to live amongst the humans when she could wear a crown?”
Talon patted me on the knee. “We think that either she didn’t want t
he responsibility of being Queen of Witches and Warlocks, or she had something to hide. Something like you.”
“Me?” I croaked. “Why would she want to hide me?”
Juan crossed his legs at the knees. “That’s the question we have been asking since we’ve found out about you. It has come to our attention that we know little about your father. We are unsure of exactly what he was. If we knew that, maybe it would shine some light on the situation.” Arrogance leaked out of his every pore. “If you stayed here at the training camp, we could monitor you and find the answers together. Also, you need to take into consideration that the crown has been in limbo with no one worthy to wear it, but with Caro’s long-lost daughter returned to the warlock and witch community, everyone expects you to claim the crown.”
Dread pooled deep in my stomach and I was two seconds from bugging out. These were not the pieces to the puzzle that I expected to find in coming here. You didn’t have to have the best intuition in the world to know that Juan was not an upstanding citizen. My gut was telling me to remain calm.
“You won’t be able to keep it for too long, though,” Talon said, “if your powers aren't substantial. The only way someone can take the crown is if they challenge royalty—you. And with fog being your only element that will be a fight you won’t win. You will lose the crown before you have a chance to wear it.”
My head was reeling in bewilderment. My grandfather was a ruler? My mother who loved to bake cookies on Sunday mornings was supposed to have been a queen? And now they want me to wear a crown… the family crown. A crown that is just a symbol of power. Power that I’m not able to control. I will wield this so-called power for whose gain? What was his angle?
“Whoa. I don’t want to fight anyone.” I didn’t want the crown if it meant that I would be in leagues with Juan and Talon. “All I want is some answers and to figure out how to control my ability.”
Tandi scooted closer to me on the couch, and Juan held up both hands. “I’m sorry. We’ve bombarded you with too much information at once. We really want you to stay. If you’re as powerful as we are hoping, then you will be an asset for the whole warlock and witch community in this upcoming—there I go again. Hitting you with too much at once. We don’t need to talk about everything right now. Get a good night’s rest and then let Talon show you and your friend around tomorrow. He can answer any questions you might have.”
I thought about one of the reasons I wanted to come here tonight. I straightened my spine and held my shoulders back. If they felt that I could possibly deserve to wear a crown, I needed to act like I thought I could, too. Maybe I would get more answers. My gut was saying that Juan was arrogant and needed to prove his worth. That whatever this camp really was it helped boost his ego, and he had no intention of letting anyone take that from him. So why was he shoving this crown off on me? It was time for a wow factor. A round of shock should do that and the only way that I knew how to do that was to show my hand. Well, not all of my cards. Just a few.
“Actually, I had a question right now. Would you know anything about a key?”
Juan glared at me for a few intense seconds before he and Talon shared a look. Juan’s frown line on his forehead deepened in thought. “I understood you knew nothing of the supernatural community?”
“That is true. However, a man came into town about the same time as Talon, and he has been giving me a little education on the keys and portals.”
Juan’s voice was harsh. “Who was this man?”
Tandi had gone deadly still beside me. I wasn’t the only one that had picked up on the charged atmosphere, but now we were getting somewhere. Juan’s false smile no longer resided on his face.
“His name is Jamison Bradford.”
“The Werewolf Prince?” Juan slammed a hand down on his armchair. “Talon, how could you not know this? Were you not following her?”
Following me? And here I thought he was just stalking.
“I actually did know. But I didn’t think it was important,” Talon said nervously.
“Of course, it’s important, you imbecile. This changes everything.” Juan stood up to pace the floors. “He wouldn’t have allowed her to come here if he knows what she could mean to us, to our cause, and with Jamison’s powers and connections, you can believe he knows. This is a trap. She comes in, asking about the key of all things.” He pointed a finger at Talon. “And you have led him right to our door.”
Juan was so mad he had spittle forming at the corners of his mouth. I grabbed Tandi’s hand.
Tandi held my fingers in a crushing grip. “Maybe we should just go,” she said, as her voice shook with fear.
I knew it was too late for that. Besides, something was calling me. My eyes darted around the room seeking but not finding.
Juan barked out a laugh. “Oh, that’s funny.” He strode for the door of the cabin. He called a couple of names in rapid succession and two beefy warlocks walked in. They looked as if they were prepared for anything, with all the ammo they had strapped to their chests. Things were definitely not going well. “They can no longer stay as guests, though. Show them where they will be sleeping while I try to do damage control.”
After Juan left, no one said anything for several minutes but with his departure came hope. Not to run. We couldn’t do that. Not when we were so close to getting what Jamison needed. I needed. The world needed us to find. The key.
“I think it’s best if we just head back home,” Tandi said in a hushed voice. “Yeah, I’ve just remembered that I have a ton of things that I have to do.”
Talon’s head dropped as he stared at the floor. His auburn hair fell lightly over one of his eyes. No one moved as we watched him come to some sort of decision. “My motto in life is if the ends justify the means then do it, but know that I really wish things didn’t have to be like this.”
I squeezed Tandi’s hand as the warlocks came to stand before us. One of the men blew some kind of powder into our faces, and that was the last thing I remembered before I collapsed onto Tandi.
Chapter Thirteen
I woke up as one of the warlocks jostled my head as he stepped over a fallen log while carrying me. The other warlock carried a limp Tandi over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Without letting the warlock know I was awake, I did my best to scan our surroundings in hopes that if the opportunity of escape should present itself, we would at least know the way out. To the right of me, I saw something slither into the water, and I knew we would not be fleeing by that route. Even if we didn’t get eaten by an alligator, there was no way I could swim the distance to the other side of the bank with an unconscious Tandi.
The men’s boots clamored along the path as they took us across a rope bridge and headed down a narrow trail. Fifteen minutes later, we finally came upon what looked to be an old hunting camp. It was far enough away from the other shacks to give me hope that we could escape. We entered the small building, which reeked of animal remains. My stomach rolled at the stench.
They dropped us both on the floor of the cabin. It took everything I had not to groan when I hit the hard floor. One warlock nudged my foot. “That was more than enough powder to keep the witch out for the rest of the night, but we still have been ordered to guard the door.”
Ha! Guess again, sucker.
The other one grumbled before they both left. I waited for what seemed like hours, but was just mere minutes, before I decide it was safe to move. There were two windows and a door. No bathroom and no electricity. The moon shone bright enough for me to see that Tandi lay unmoving beside me on the floor. I tried to wake her, but it was impossible. What if whatever we inhaled had a different effect on humans? My tears kept falling on her barely rising chest; this was my fault. I shouldn’t have brought her here. My gut was telling me there was danger all around us, and yet I let her walk into the swamp with me. For what? The key? So stupid!
My heart was racing. As I rocked Tandi in my arms, I thought about Jamison. Was I bait? I knew that he was hidi
ng something. What if this was it? Get me behind enemy lines but for what? Would he be using me as a distraction as he came for the key? If he was as powerful as Juan claimed, why did he need my help at all? What if he was just using me to isolate the key to create a distraction? If that was the case, then this could be a trap. He marked me, so he could find the key. The key, he had a feeling was right here in this camp. His mark could have nothing to do with my safety. I lay Tandi down as I felt my anger boiling. The last thing I needed was to set Tandi on fire. My gut clenched. No, none of that made sense. My brain was telling me that it was a huge possibility that I had trusted the wrong person but my gut was congratulating me.
I could control the elements. I wasn’t totally helpless. The mark on my shoulder itched. Oh, yes. I was totally capable of creating fire right now. I would burn down this whole cabin if it wouldn’t betray my secret. I couldn’t let these people know I could do more than fog.
After hours of planning, the morning light streamed through the window. There was a knock on my door.
Talon came in with a sheepish smile on his face. “Hey, I’m so sorry that it had to come to this.” He made a grand gesture with his arm, looking disgusted with the surroundings. “I really hate that you were pulled into the middle of this. But I promise—” Another knock on the door interrupted him. “Come in.”
A witch entered, carrying a long, white wedding dress. Talon’s face paled before he said, “Hang it on the windowsill and give us a moment.”
“What is that?”
“Juan thinks that we would be a good match. We’re both the same age. I am pretty powerful for such a young warlock, and I really do like you.” He gave a nervous laugh, and the pit in my stomach grew. “I mean, what’s not to like? I wish we had lots of time. Time for me to win you over. Convince you that I’m pretty likable, too. But that’s just not the case. Time is always ticking and if Juan is correct, there are people searching for you right now. We just received word that the Undertaker is looking for you. It is never good when Death comes calling. Plus, I'm sure Jamison is searching for you too. He has had this weird vendetta against my family since before I was born. Juan will be able to protect you, though, if you vow to be a part of our community. We can help you escape the Undertaker and the Prince of Wolves.”
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