Spring Rain

by Lizzy Ford

  “Dawn, you’ll risk the baby if you don’t get help!” Noah shouted in frustration.

  The woman struggled to stand with Troy’s help.

  Biji glanced at Decker, whose movement had stilled. His eyes were on Dawn as well, fury and worry on his face. A flicker of hope went through her that he wasn’t going to kill Dawn’s baby to get to Bartholomew. With the others occupied, Biji inched closer to Decker and waved to get his attention.

  “How can I help?” she mouthed the words to him.

  He gazed at her for a moment before responding. Finally, he shook his head and replied. I won’t risk you getting hurt.

  “Omigod!” Biji muttered. She planted her hands on her hips. “Tell me now or I scream!”

  Amusement flickered across Decker’s face. He glanced towards Dawn and those trying to figure out what was wrong before motioning Biji closer. She paused a foot away. He waved her closer still. A little scared, Biji realized he was asking her to step into the cave filled with Darkness. With a deep breath, she did it.

  Coldness ripped through her, and she gasped.

  “You’re okay.” Decker rested a hand on her forearm, and his fire flew through her to push the frigid cold away.

  The cave was silent, the Dark restless and shifting around Decker.

  “Leave her alone,” he growled to the shadows reaching out to her. They obeyed and retreated, waiting.

  Biji shuddered, horrified by the idea of being sucked into the Dark even with Decker beside her.

  “I came here looking for more patches of Dark to dispel and walked straight into the trap. Obviously, I can’t get out,” he started in a furious tone. “But at least they can’t hurt you either.”

  “Yeah, because this is better,” she said and motioned to the Dark.

  He flashed a smile. “Better to be standing beside the devil than in the hands of his crazy minions.”

  “You’re not the devil.”

  “You know what I mean.” His focus was on outside the cave. “Dawn’s hurting.”

  “Yeah.” Biji followed his gaze. “She’s bleeding. Bartholomew’s in control, though.”

  “She can’t have that baby with him in control.”

  “There may not be much of a choice if you’re trapped. How do we get you out?” Biji asked.

  “I have a feeling Beck’s the only one who can.”

  “So you’re just waiting around for him?”

  “Yep.”

  Biji looked at Noah again. He was focused on his sister. “I hope Beck comes soon.”

  “He will.”

  She wanted to tell Noah to join her, but suspected he was going to stick by Dawn, for the baby if not her.

  “Noah’s a good guy,” Decker said and nudged her.

  “I don’t want him to get hurt.”

  “We’ll be out of here soon.”

  I really, really hope so.

  “You’re air. Can you sense the magick behind the barrier?”

  Biji approached the invisible wall. She placed a hand on it and closed her eyes. Familiar, cool, aloof magick made her fingertips tingle. “It’s air. But there’s something else mixed in with it.”

  “Bartholomew and Dawn.”

  Biji tested it without being able to break through the barrier. She lowered her hands.

  “We need some help then,” Decker said and began to pace.

  Biji nodded, her mind on Noah. She couldn’t help thinking he was in more danger out there than she was surrounded by Darkness.

  Chapter Twenty Two

  Beck stopped at the edge of the Light, gaze on the storm. It felt … wrong. He couldn’t explain the sense except it was another of the Master of Light instincts. He hadn’t found anything else when the Light whispered a warning and begrudgingly wished it had waited another hour so he could make love to Morgan again.

  His body flared with heat just thinking about her. He smelled her, tasted her, breathed her in even though she hadn’t accompanied him. Any tease his brother had made about fire in bed paled in comparison to what happened last night. Morgan’s unfettered magick had torched him, pushed his passion and need to heights he didn’t know existed. She had scorched her brand into him from the inside out, and he’d claimed her with possessiveness that bordered on feral.

  He touched his goatee to bring his focus once more out of his head. Light and magick glowed around him, and he felt … charged. Energized to the point his earth magick couldn’t quite dampen the effects of Morgan’s lingering fire magick and the Light.

  Something was wrong. He just didn’t know what. Crouching, he touched the ground in the hopes that direct contact could help him clarify what was going on. The earth revealed nothing but its concern, and he checked his phone next.

  Decker hadn’t responded to his text. “Summer, did you get him?” he asked, twisting to face the Master of Dark’s counterbalance.

  Her features were drawn, her gaze on a point in the distance in the direction opposite the incoming storm. “No,” she said so quietly he barely heard her. “I can’t feel him either.”

  Beck rose at the worried note in her voice and sensed Decker’s other half was about to leave to look for him. He took her arm and waited for her to meet his gaze. “Stay here, Summer. No matter what.”

  “As long as he’s not in danger,” she replied, her stubborn streak subtler than Morgan’s sparks and fire, but still a threat to her safety.

  “Even then. He can take care of himself, and he’ll kill me if something happens to you,” he replied and forced a smile. “Whatever this is, it can’t hurt him but it can hurt you.”

  She nodded, intimately familiar with Decker’s magick and abilities. “Biji left with Noah,” she said and glanced at her phone.

  “Tell her to come back. I had Amber send out a warning to any Light witchlings in the vicinity to either leave or seek refuge here.” Beck’s eyes went to the sky and the billowing black clouds moving in their direction.

  “What is it?”

  “I have no idea,” he replied ruefully. “But it’s bad.”

  “Dawn?”

  “Or Bartholomew.” He didn’t want to think of Dawn being behind this or worse, of her being completely lost like Sam said. It was less his concern for her and more about his daughter. He was no closer to a solution. If Dawn or Bartholomew had chosen now to confront the Light …

  He didn’t know what to do.

  Summer took his hand and squeezed it, her earth magick helping calm his.

  “Beck?” Amber called, approaching from the direction of the administrative building. Her air magick was swirling around her in agitation, no doubt feeling what he did.

  “Amber, keep everyone in the Square or the buildings,” he said and turned. “No one leaves campus.”

  Amber studied him, concerned, before nodding. “Summer,” she motioned for the air-earth witchling beside him to go with her.

  Summer gave Beck a look that said she wasn’t happy being lumped in with the rest. He smiled and nudged her forward. She went without objecting.

  Beck watched them go into the log building nearest him and strode out to the edge of the Light, pulling and pushing at the magick to reassure himself it was not only responsive, but strong. Two men were waiting in a van in the parking area near campus. The Dark students were forbidden from stepping foot on campus and had created a makeshift parking lot to the side of the road leading to the school where they met with Light. There was often a car or two there, so he gave the van no thought, his mind on Morgan instead.

  She couldn’t be on campus when the storm hit. His insides were twisting with the challenges of his position he hadn’t yet figured out. He whipped out his phone and texted her. Hey, can you and Connor come to the school immediately? The keys to my car are on the top drawer of my dresser in my room. He pocketed the cell and paced, eyes falling to the strangers again.

  They weren’t Light witchlings; this much he knew. But he didn’t recognize them either. The three men were older, closer to his
father’s age. There were a lot of visitors in town for the equinox. It was possible they were there waiting for someone.

  Or … they were part of whatever this storm was. More Dark witchlings taking the opportunity to attack the school.

  Beck strode out of the ring of Light and towards those waiting, wanting to determine who they were and what they were doing so close to the school.

  “Hey,” he called as he approached. “You all waiting for someone?”

  “Yeah.” One man stepped forward. He had the size and thick build of a bouncer and hair that was mostly grey. His eyes were sharp and a familiar shade of pine green, his unfriendly growl accompanied by him crossing his arms. “You got a problem with that?”

  “Depends on who you’re waiting for.” Beck tried to keep his tone even and friendly, not intimidated, the way the man appeared to want him to be. “There’s a storm coming. Might be a good time to be inside.”

  The gruff character, a Dark water witchling, glanced at the sky. “We’re fine here. Go back to class, kid.”

  “Actually, it’s Beck.” He moved closer and held out his hand. “Beck Turner.”

  “Turner. Interesting.” The man shook his hand without moving. “Gordon McCloud.”

  A flicker of anger fluttered to life inside Beck. No relation of Morgan’s was bound to be there for a good reason.

  “Morgan and Connor’s … father?” Beck guessed.

  “Uncle.”

  Not good. “Can I ask what you’re doing here?”

  “None of your business, kid. Piss off back to football or whatever you do here.”

  “Actually, it is my business.” Lightening sprang to life in Beck’s hands more out of instinct than will. “You’re here because I haven’t asked you to leave yet.”

  Gordon McCloud appeared amused. “I’m here for something that belongs to me.”

  “Something or someone?”

  “Same thing.” Gordon stabbed a finger into his chest. “So back off, kid, before you piss me off.”

  It was rare when Beck didn’t like someone or didn’t try to make excuses for the flaws of his fellow witchlings. But at the moment, he hated Gordon. The intimidating man clearly didn’t know any boundaries but his own, and he had the size and build to hurt men his size and girls like Morgan. He could see this man hurting her, even if she’d never directly spoken to him about what happened to her and who did it.

  Gordon wasn’t just Dark. He was bad.

  Beck flashed a smile but didn’t leave. “I’ll take my chances,” he replied. “Especially now that I know Morgan is involved.”

  “The girl’s damaged goods, Beck Turner, but she’s my damaged goods, and she’s got something I want. You do not want to get between us.”

  In his mind, Beck was beating the shit out of Gordon and loving it. The initial fury he had experienced upon learning Morgan had been hurt by someone in her family was bubbling, and his earth magick was struggling to contain the emotions.

  No one hurt the woman he loved. He understood Decker’s blind dedication to protecting Summer and the nature of what it meant to lose it merely at the thought of someone threatening someone he loved.

  “Did Dawn send you for the stone?” Beck asked.

  “None of your damn business.” But the answer was clear on the man’s face.

  “You aren’t welcome here, Gordon,” Beck said softly, dangerously. He stepped away from Gordon and those with him to the center of the driveway. “I suggest you leave before I make you.”

  Gordon laughed. “Whatever, kid.”

  I’m the Master of Light, asshole. Beck said nothing. Gordon was intent on ignoring him, and Beck summoned his lightening to throw the man as far from the school as possible when the crunch of gravel beneath car tires drew his attention away.

  Connor and Morgan were headed up the driveway in his car, Connor driving while Morgan appeared to be texting. His eyes fell to her brilliant hair and radiant features – and stuck. She was even more beautiful with the glow of their lovemaking on her features than before. Morgan McCloud was a stunner in every way, from the fiery looks that knocked the air out of his lungs to her passion. His blood quickened in anticipation of hearing her soft voice and smelling her skin.

  “Now I see,” Gordon said from his van. “You’re in love with the little whore.”

  Lightning crackled around Beck. His earth magick roared to keep him from exploding, and he drew a deep breath. “I am,” he replied. “And that should scare you, Gordon.”

  Gordon chuckled instead.

  Connor halted the car a short distance from Beck, looking quizzically at him from behind the steering wheel. Beck was about to signal him to leave when the water witchling caught sight of the men on the side of the road. His look of shock was followed by the same fury churning in Beck’s body.

  Shit. Beck had hoped to turn them back before either of the siblings saw Gordon.

  Connor whipped off his seatbelt and shoved the door open, eyes pinned to his uncle.

  Beck moved to intersect Connor.

  “Connor?” Morgan watched him and scrambled out of the car.

  “Stop,” Beck ordered, body blocking Connor.

  “He does not get to be here!” Connor snarled and shoved Beck.

  Morgan’s brother was ready to unleash the moves that earned him one of his black belts. Beck forced earth magick into the water witchling to calm his emotions and Light to snap him out of the infuriated daze. The temporary slap of magick immobilized Connor long enough for Beck to twist his arm and shove him onto the hood of the car.

  “Stop, Connor!” Beck said more quietly.

  “Morgan’s been through too much!” Connor was struggling.

  “Connor! It’s my responsibility to take care of her now.”

  Connor strained, eyes blazing and magick fighting Beck to be free and drown the man who hurt his sister.

  “Trust me. I can do a lot more damage than you without risking my soul,” Beck added.

  Connor said nothing, his eyes going to Morgan with a look of anguish.

  Beck risked a look up, and his heart broke for Morgan.

  She was staring at Gordon, her spark and glow vanished, replaced by a mask covering her fear. Clearly accustomed to being forcefully subdued, she stared at the ground at his feet, not even a whisper of her magick present.

  “You disobeyed me, girl,” Gordon said and approached her.

  Morgan was silent. She didn’t try to move away or run or even protest.

  “Stop, Connor!” Beck suppressed the wriggling water witchling, frustrated by trying to control Connor while he needed to be with Morgan.

  “I’m here to make it right,” Gordon continued. He snatched her arm. “Where is it, Morgan?”

  She shook her head.

  “What?” He shook her. “Let’s try that again. Give me the stone, Morgan.”

  “No.”

  “Let me handle this, Connor,” Beck whispered urgently. “This is my battle to fight. Not yours anymore.”

  Connor began to calm, fear for his sister replacing his anger.

  “I won’t let you hurt him,” Morgan said almost too quietly to hear.

  “Him,” Gordon repeated.

  “The heart of the Light. It’s not a place. It’s … ” She risked a glance at Beck. “But I won’t do it anyway.”

  Beck released Connor, uncertain what they were talking about, but not about to let Morgan face her abuser alone.

  “I brought a couple friends who might help me convince you,” Gordon said and motioned to the two large men with him. “Told them you’re a good little whore.”

  Morgan’s face was completely blank, but Beck saw the spark of fire in one of her hands.

  “You have nothing to fear, Morgan,” he said and circled the car.

  “She has a whole lot to fear, kid,” Gordon snapped. “We’re the least of her worries.”

  Sensitive to Morgan’s fire, Beck sensed the surge of magick warning she was about to react and probab
ly take out everyone around her in the process. If she used her magick with the intention of harming someone, there was a chance her hard won Light status would turn Dark.

  “Don’t touch her, Gordon,” Connor snapped, his magick rising.

  “Go inside, Connor,” Beck ordered him.

  The situation was ripe for igniting, and Morgan’s magick was hard enough for her to control without acting out of fear.

  Connor didn’t leave, but fell silent and kept his distance.

  Gordon reached for one of Morgan’s pockets. She wrenched away, and he raised his hand to slap her.

  Something within Beck snapped. He reacted faster than any of them could see. Lightning ripped through the air and struck Gordon in the chest, driving him back while Morgan yanked out of his grip. She backpedaled into Beck, and he gripped her arms to steady her. She was breathing hard and trembling, her magick frantic within her. He calmed her the best he could before stepping in front of her, between her and Gordon. He gripped her wrist, the direct contact giving him better access to calming her magick.

  “This ends now, Gordon,” he said firmly. “You will never –”

  Gordon started towards him, cursing. Beck slammed him back against a tree, along with the other two with him.

  “You will never come anywhere close to Morgan again,” Beck finished with calmness he didn’t feel. “And if you do, the Master of Dark will be the least of your worries.” He released the magick, and the three dropped to the ground.

  Gordon was looking at him anew, as if he, too, was surprised the Master of Light had any sort of power. Grimly, Beck realized it had been too long since there was someone in his position, long enough that the Dark witchlings had grown bolder. Maybe Decker is right to kill so quickly. He had the urge to sic his brother on Gordon and his henchmen and an even deeper need to protect Morgan and finish them off himself.

  Recalling Sam’s warning and the trembling woman behind him who was already traumatized, Beck drew a deep breath. “Leave now.” He pointed to their van.

  There was a brief pause where he thought he might get to fulfill the protective instinct before Gordon moved towards the van. The other two followed. Moments later, they rolled down the driveway.