I pulled Josh closer so he could hear me. “Did you see what your brother did today?”
He stopped dancing, glanced in Ethan’s direction, and then returned to me. “Yeah, he said it was an archaic spell that Claudia taught him years ago.”
I stopped dancing and looked at Ethan, meeting his gaze. He smiled and I returned it before directing my attention back to Josh. “You don’t believe him?”
Shrugging, he sighed and ran his hand several times through his hair, curiosity and concern dulling his eyes. “Claudia said she did.” But he didn’t seem convinced. “I trust Ethan, I do. But I feel like he and Claudia are hiding something to protect me.”
Or just hiding something.
We had stopped pretending to dance and focused on Ethan. Maybe we were driven to our conspiracy theories because of all the secrets in the past, but the secrets were out, exposed for the otherworld to see. I couldn’t imagine anything more being out there, but I just couldn’t let go of that tinge that there was still something.
Logan never seemed bothered when we arrived at his home, and this time wasn’t an exception. The door opened before we could knock. Josh entered first and Logan gave him the same look of disinterest he usually gave him. Logan was drawn to pain, death, and chaos. It intrigued him, which might explain his obsession with Chris. She was all those things mixed with a side order of bitch.
The distinctive scent of cinnamon, mint, and oak met us at the door. It was the typical smell of his home, except there was also a strong scent of tannin and fresh blood that inundated the air. And the smile that settled on his face was far more deviant than usual. His eyes barely glanced in Sebastian’s direction, but the moment Ethan walked through the door, his gaze planted on him with interest. The odd art on his arms went spastic, and his eyes narrowed.
Stepping closer, Ethan put his arm out to stop him from getting any closer. He stood just a few inches from Ethan, his hand opening and closing with the anticipation of touching him. “May I?”
“No.”
But he was too distracted to care. He took another step closer, panting. His nostrils flared and his eyes glowed as he leaned in closer. “Remarkable,” he whispered as he tilted his head, examining Ethan.
“Get away from me,” Ethan growled, reaching the apex of his patience.
“We need to talk to you,” Sebastian said, stepping between them and trying to refocus the distracted Tre’ase.
Dragging his attention from Ethan he gave it to Sebastian. “Of course you do or you would not be here. You want me to find the Tre’ase that created Maya? Am I correct?”
Sebastian nodded and Logan turned to me for me to answer.
“Yes,” I confirmed. Something was off about him. He was unusually confident with a hint of malice and I couldn’t put my finger on the changes. I didn’t like it. I looked around the room to the door where we found the woman before.
“It’s empty, and if it weren’t I’m sure you’d just meddle again. It has to be rather exhausting to not only deal with your own problems—and from my understanding there are many—but with those of others.” His eyes flew to Ethan, a smirk played at his lips, and he kicked my annoyance level to ultra-high.
“Sorry, if we find your kinks disturbing,” I offered.
The smirk twisted into a coy smile. “No need to be judgmental. Some might think your little liaison with Quell … it is Quell? The Lost One? Is worthy of judgment, too.” He couldn’t seem to draw his attention from Ethan, which made Josh and me look at Ethan a little more, too. Sebastian was the only one able to fight the curiosity.
“Can you help us find Maya’s creator?” I asked, redirecting the Tre’ase, who would stare and touch Ethan all day if we’d let him.
“Of course. Have a seat.”
But before I could do it, my curiosity needed to be slaked. “Is Maya a Faerie?”
I held my breath, but I’m not sure why. And when he nodded and said, “Half. Her mother was a witch, but the combination didn’t decrease her strength significantly,” I didn’t realize it would still shock me. There was a large part of me that wanted to be wrong; but at least Emma, Maya’s mother, wasn’t a Faerie, just a witch. Just wasn’t appropriate for describing a witch. Marcia wasn’t just a witch, the Creed weren’t just witches, and London and Samuel weren’t just anything. Witches were powerful and could be dangerous, too. There wasn’t anything just about them.
The desire to get rid of her increased. The power didn’t appeal to me if I couldn’t control it. Not to mention the idea that I had to live my life constantly trying to keep her in check.
“What about Ravyn, Emmalesse, Leonel, are they still alive?”
“Alive is relative.” His gaze slipped toward Ethan, who returned the look with a glare.
“Are they spirit shades?”
“Emmalesse is dead; it was quite violent from the rumors.”
“What about the others?”
“Leonel is a spirit shade; Ravyn is still alive, but his whereabouts are unknown.”
“Does Leonel have a host?”
Logan moved in closer to me. “I think I’ve answered many of your questions without requesting anything in return. Would you like me to answer the others?” The patterns started to move, coiling around his fingers. Strong magic flowed from them when he extended his hands to take mine. My hand inched toward them. I was really desperate—too desperate—for answers and this was a strange place to be. Did I want to be indebted to him?
“What are you asking from me?” That wasn’t how it worked; I knew that but it was worth a try. Tre’ase were never specific in their requests. You were indebted to them and that is all that mattered. Just as I was about to touch his hand, logic gave me a quick kick in the butt. I yanked back. Being indebted to a Tre’ase was bad; being indebted to someone with Logan’s perversions was even worse. I had enough information to go on. I would have to find the rest out without his help.
Logan chortled when I moved several feet away making sure I didn’t accidentally touch him. He moved his hand in the direction of the table, inviting me to sit.
After he gathered some items, he took a seat across from me and placed a knife, a small bowl, and resins and a powder that I didn’t recognize on the table. He then went to a small box across the room and returned with an odd-looking candle that smelled like blood and honey.
Josh’s eyes widened with curiosity as he stepped closer to it. “How did you find one?”
“When I said I needed days to get what I needed, this is why. Would you like it when I’m done?”
Josh couldn’t get the yes out fast enough and that made me wonder what the hell was so special about the candle.
“It’s the strongest thing you can use to source someone without using their blood. And it can enhance any spell.” The way Josh looked at it went past longing, it was taking a one-way trip to creepy-ville. The were-animals had an addiction to violence whether they admitted it or not, but I was starting to think that Josh had an addiction to magic rather than a healthy curiosity.
“If you don’t need blood, why do you have a knife?” Blood was powerful and I didn’t want him to have mine. I didn’t trust that he wouldn’t keep some of it.
“It’s for me.” He poured the resin and powder in the bowl and then lit the candle before closing his hand around the knife. He was in a state of euphoria as the blade sliced across his hand. Only he could find pleasure in something like that.
He took hold of my hand with the uncut one. As soon as he said the invocation and placed a few droplets in the bowl, a foul odor drifted from the bowl, a rainbow of colors hovered over it, and a face appeared, very similar to the one sitting across from me and so was the home that was revealed. Then my face flashed and everything disappeared.
“We do not have time for your games!” Sebastian lashed out, the rage rolling off of him more potent than the magic that remained in the room.
Unaffected by Sebastian’s outburst, Logan simpered with the confidence o
f a man who felt he was untouchable. “Tsk. Tsk. We will have none of that.” He came to his feet and went to his cabinet. The he pulled out a cylindrical jar with a pink hunk of flesh the size of a fist emerged in water. An actual heart, still pumping at a steady rate.
“Meet Kalese, Maya’s creator.” He pulled back his lips in a foreboding grin and although he was still in human form, I could imagine the misshapen maw of his natural form twisting into a terrifying grin.
Ethan reacted, lunging at Logan and hoisting him against the wall by his neck. “What kind of games are you playing?”
Logan could barely speak, only a few words managed their way out as he struggled to breathe through a partially closed throat. “I … die … Skylar ... too.”
Ethan dropped him and Logan collapsed to the ground sucking in several breaths before he came to his feet. Panting, he said, “As long as I am alive, so is the heart.”
Regaining his composure, he stood up and smiled devilishly. First he directed his attention to Sebastian and then to Ethan, the confidence reasserting itself. “As long as I’m alive so is the heart. It’s probably more important than ever to keep me alive.” He turned to look at me, and his smile widened.
“Now, let’s get down to business. You all have something I want and something I need, let’s make a deal.”
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MESSAGE TO THE READER
Thank you for choosing Lunar Marked from the many titles available to you. My goal is to create an engaging world, compelling characters, and an interesting experience for you. I hope I’ve accomplished that. Reviews are very important to authors and help other readers discover our books. Please take a moment to leave a review. I’d love to know your thoughts about the book.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Once again, I am humbled by the people that are willing to help me with this process. I am truly thankful for my mother, Tiffany Dix, Sheryl Cox and Stacy McCright.
I would also would like to thank Luann Reed Siegel, editor, and Nicole Anderson, my patient and very talented, cover artist.
Last but definitely not least, I would like that thank my readers for giving me the opportunity to entertain you with my books and choosing to follow Skylar through her journey. I really hope you enjoyed it.
Lunar Marked (Sky Brooks Series Book 4) Page 33
