by Angie Sandro
“She also seemed unnaturally strong when she was beating Estrada with the pipe.” Dena grins. “It makes sense for Estrada to return to the hospital for his test subject. She was his insurance policy.”
“Then why did Victor take Eva?” I ask. It never made sense for him kidnap her. “What if it’s not Gabriella, but my niece?”
A cloud of dust kicks up at the end of the road. As it gets closer, I see the white transport van we’d abandoned in the bayou. It pulls to a stop in front of us.
“LT.” Deputy Kyle leans an elbow against the windowsill. “Need a ride?”
A surge of relief flows through my body, and I grin. Tears prick my eyes. “You’re alive.”
“I’m pretty damn hard to kill.” He nods to the rest of the group. “The doctor?”
“He didn’t have your resilience. A tree fell on him in the woods. I’ll give you the location of his body for retrieval.” I don’t have to call shotgun. Everyone else piles inside the back. “How many?”
His hands clench, then relax around the steering wheel. “We got lucky, LT. Only Sergeant Ross sustained major injuries. Those people shot us with tranquilizers and disabled our vehicles. We came to hours later in the hospital. The first responders said they’d found us piled up on the side of the road. We found their vehicles and yours, but couldn’t find any sign of them. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. It’s my fault you were in this position. I didn’t know they’d…” I let out a deep breath. “I need your help.”
CHAPTER 14
Ferdinand
Strange Gifts
I wiggle up the side of the drainage ditch, wait for the dust to clear, and then focus the binoculars on the small farmhouse sitting in the middle of a large field. Sugarcane should be growing at this time of the year, but this whole area has been slated for construction. The ground has already been leveled and blocked into individual parcels. Pipes are being laid in some areas. It’s the worst sort of battleground, with no cover to hide our approach until we reach the front yard.
The land itself is overgrown from years of neglect. Large trees and bushes dot the yard. A metal swing set with a broken wooden seat sits in knee-high grass behind a rotten picket fence. One of the hinges has fallen off the gate, leaving the end resting on the ground. On the west side of the house, a rusting tractor sprouts weeds. Random tires dot the yard. It’s a death trap of a maze to navigate, but we don’t have a choice. Jasmine confirmed Mala and Eva are inside that house, and we’re going in after them.
Once we think of a plan that won’t get everyone killed.
I lower my binoculars with a sigh and speak into a short-range walkie-talkie instead of the police-band radio, in case Victor has a scanner. “Four men guard the perimeter. They’re using the trees as cover.”
Anders’s voice comes through the mike. “One’s on the roof behind the chimney.”
“That’s five in addition to Victor, who Ms. Jasmine said is inside.”
Bess has set up at the back of the property. Her voice sounds strained over the static. “The steps leading up to the back porch have been demolished and the door’s boarded up. The only way inside is through the front.”
“Shit!” Anders mutters, summing up our situation pretty well. “We’re screwed. We didn’t plan for the extra men.”
“They’ve had plenty of time to rig the area with booby traps,” I say. “We have Jasmine inside, but she can’t affect things in the real world. If we manage a big enough distraction, maybe someone can sneak inside during the chaos.”
Bess’s voice comes over the radio. “We’ll adapt. Let’s meet and confer at the staging area. We’ll come up with a plan with an actual chance of working. Worst-case scenario, I’ll call in the SWAT team to negotiate the release of the hostages.”
“Copy that.” Anders signs off.
I crawl back down the side of the empty ditch, then sprint for the partially constructed ranch-style home we’re using as the staging area. The rest of our ragtag team waits for news in the garage. It doesn’t have a door, but it provides shade. I pause at the bottom of the driveway, trying to figure out how to explain my fear that we’ve been outmaneuvered, especially to Landry. I’m shocked he listened to Bessie and didn’t charge in to rescue Mala alone. As it is, he paces. Puffs of dust fill the air with each step. Not even Ms. Jasmine can get a word out of him that isn’t a snarl. George rests against a piece of broken concrete, still cleaning his gun. He’s been at it for half an hour.
Deputy Kyle dropped Bess and George off at the hospital, while the rest of us headed over to the sheriff’s office and loaded up on extra bullets and weapons for the raid. George returned with clean bandages and pain medication. Estrada had done a good job doctoring his wound. As long as George doesn’t get too rowdy, he’ll heal. I don’t hold high hopes about the not-getting-rowdy part of the equation. He told us in no uncertain terms he’d be joining us. Said he’d follow on his own if we tried to leave him behind.
My gaze shifts to his side, and I sigh. Ivy watches George’s every move through narrowed eyes, as if he’s a puzzle she’s trying to solve. I thought her mom would’ve sent Bastian to drag her home by now. Yet my son hasn’t made an appearance.
Like George, Ivy refused to be left out of the fight. Her mother will rip out my guts and use them in a spell if our daughter gets hurt. Parenting from guilt never works, but I can’t seem to stop spoiling her. If I’d been more involved in her upbringing instead of a weekend dad, she’d be more obedient.
“Not hardly, old man,” Ivy calls out, reading my mind. George starts to stand, but she pats him on the head, ignoring his scowl. “I need to talk to him in private.”
Landry spares us a grimace, but seeing we’re not actually planning anything but a father-daughter chat, he resumes his pacing.
Ivy sashays down the driveway and kicks the curb with the heel of her combat boot. “I know you want to protect me, but I’ve been running my own operations for more than a year.”
“Doesn’t mean I like it.”
“No, I suppose you wouldn’t. You’re a good father.” She raises a hand to halt my protest. “The fact that you think you aren’t shows how amazing you really are. You have no idea how much I respect you. I love you, Papa.” She gives me a hug that almost breaks my ribs, reminding me of her strength. She grins at my wuff and leans back. “’Sides, I’m your daughter. Do you really think I’d leave you to fight Ivanov’s pet alone? We both know Victor’s reputation. Two magic users are better than one.” Pride deepens her tone, and her eyes shine. “We proved we’re a good team when we fought the witch.”
I guess she remembers our fight against the assassin differently than I do. But she has a point about us being stronger together. “Did you speak to your mom?”
Ivy steps back, crossing her arms. “Yes. She’s not happy about this mission going sideways.” Her voice lowers. “All you were ordered to do was capture Dena and Anders dead or alive. How did things go so off the rails?”
“You’ve met them. Do you honestly think I could follow through with those orders?”
Ivy pinches her lower lip and shrugs. “I admit neither of them are what I expected. I’m glad you’re a softy. But Mom’s not. This war is too important to lose over sentimentality. We need Anders either dead or on our side. Even better would be if our queen pulled her head out of her ass and took control of the organization. A lot of deaths could be avoided.”
“We have to rescue our queen first, but I can’t disagree. To be fair, Mala doesn’t know about the part she played in starting the war. Nor has either side approached her about ending it.”
Ivy’s eyes widen. “Really? Seriously, it can’t be this easy?”
“Few things are.”
The various factions within our organization splintered after Magnolia died. I’d told Mala about the Second and Third going to war to gain control over the organization, but I never told her about the Fourth, her cousin, Permelia.
As Magnolia’
s private security, I protected her from danger and sat in on her board meetings, but didn’t care about the business side. Permelia is a different animal. She’s ruthless. Having grown up in the shadow of her LaCroix cousins, first Jasmine and, later, Mala, Permelia always considered herself not good enough to be Magnolia’s heir, because that’s what Magnolia always told her. She pushed herself to be better, pushed her children.
Permelia may be even worse than having Magnolia in control of the organization.
Ivy’s eyes drift to George. Again. “I sense something strange about that one.”
“Define ‘strange?’”
She rubs her arms. “I don’t know yet. He feels different.”
“Different from any guy you’ve ever known?” I fake a gasp and singsong. “You like him?”
Ivy rolls her eyes, but she still laughs. “Grow up, Dad.”
“You do.” Her gaze refuses to meet mine. “Seriously? You like George. Like him, like him?”
“Oh my God, now you sound like a tween.” Ivy laughs, but her eyes shift to George again. She’s silent for a long beat, then confesses as if I’m pulling out her fingernails with pliers. “He has pretty hair.” A vulnerability I rarely see softens her face. “And a nice smile.”
My heart grows heavy. It’s the first time she’s ever shown interest in a guy. Homeschooled and sheltered within Magnolia’s mansion, she didn’t have a normal childhood. No prom or movie dates for Ivy. Socially, she’s younger than her age and very naive. I don’t want to see her get hurt.
Ivy smiles sadly. “Don’t worry so much. It’ll give you wrinkles. I know the deal. Promise you won’t mention this to Mama and Bastian.”
I nod. Her mother would kill George if he tried to date our daughter; then she’d turn him into a zombie. And not the supersoldier kind like Victor, but the rotting, brain-dead, need-a-headshot-to-kill-it kind. I tug the end of Ivy’s ponytail. “You’re making the right decision. He wouldn’t last in our world.”
“Yeah, but…” She shakes her head. “Doesn’t matter. Mom and Bastian are in Paradise Pointe. They’re coming to back our play against Ivanov.”
I hiss. “And you wait until now to tell me?”
Ivy laughs. “I didn’t want to give you to opportunity to run away. I know Mama’s terrifying, but she and Bessie have to meet someday. Aren’t you curious? Two strong women teaming up to fight evil. Oh, man, this is going to be so much fun.” She rubs her hands together. My child has a twisted sense of humor if she finds anything amusing about the clash of wills about to go down. Unfortunately, Bess doesn’t have magic to back her up, just sniper training and a loaded gun.
“I need to go warn Bess.” I start forward, then freeze. She hasn’t made it back to the staging area. “Shit. Where is she?”
Anders and Dena sprint from around the corner of the house, slowing their speed from a blur to a normal pace. Anders skids to a halt in front of me. “We’ve got a problem—”
“Bess hasn’t returned,” I interrupt.
“No. He means that!” Dena points to a black Hummer turning onto our street. The lights on the lead vehicle flash, and I realize we’re standing in the middle of the road in full view. “Get everyone under cover,” I yell, running for the garage.
Dena and Landry sprint for the door leading into the house. George takes a position beside the garage entrance, while Anders and I kneel down on the other side. My daughter peeks toward the vehicles over George’s shoulder, once again right by his side, as if drawn to him by a magnetic pull.
“Ivy, can you get a read on them? Is it the witch?”
Ivy’s eyes flicker. She chants under her breath. “Oh, dear. It’s a witch, all right.” She steps out from behind George. “Just not the one I’d like to blast to kingdom come. It’s Mama.”
My stomach clenches, and I step out of the shadows. The mother of my children climbs from the vehicle, followed by Ivy’s twin, Sebastian. At six four, my son’s only a couple of inches shorter than me, but I doubt he’s reached his full height. Genetics pulled a magic trick, giving him blond hair and a honey skin tone that’s the same shade as his eyes. He’s got my eye shape, cheekbones, and nose, like his sister. He’s as handsome as Ivy’s beautiful. Smart, too. Permelia and I did well by our children in that respect.
Permelia still looks no older than twenty. As vain as her mother, she uses the same glamour Sophia did to make herself appear youthful. I’ve got to give it to her, though. With her long black hair and hazel eyes, she’s beautiful—if you’re into a she-devil who’d gut you without a second thought. I imagine she looks a lot like Magnolia did when young.
Magnolia cast a spell on us when we were barely out of high school. The old witch wanted our progeny, because we both had the magic spark to pass to our offspring. She made us think we loved each other when, in reality, we were chattel, bred for our master’s pleasure. It still makes me sick to my stomach to think about that night.
Even after the spell wore off, I still thought what Magnolia made me feel is what love should feel like. I didn’t know the power of the real thing until I met Bess.
I let out a sigh. “Everyone stand down. It’s our backup.”
Ivy runs down the driveway, heading straight for her brother. “It’s about time you arrived. You’ve been missing all of the fun. I could’ve used your help against a sorceress.”
“Oh, someone stronger than you?” Bastian wraps his arm around his sister’s neck in a headlock.
George takes a step forward, but I hold him back with a hand on his shoulder. “Watch,” I say, right as Ivy jams her elbow in his gut. She twists her body, like her bones are elastic, and yanks his arm behind him in an arm-bar lock. Bastian laughs and twists out of the control hold. “He’s her brother.”
George nods. “I’m sitting down. My shoulder is killing me. Let me know when we’re done with your family reunion and doing something about rescuing my sister.”
My jaw clenches. I know exactly how he feels. I’m not looking forward to this meeting either. Bess hasn’t returned yet. I have a bad feeling…I step forward and bow. “Lady, I appreciate your assistance. We have a situation—”
Permelia’s eyebrows rise. “My, how formal.” She gifts me with a smile and plants a kiss on each cheek like she’s royalty. “Ivy updated me. I’m here to help.”
God, I hate being beholden to this woman. I’m shocked Permelia is willing to help rescue her cousin. Letting her die is a sure way for her to gain the power she craves. As long as Mala remains alive, the blood bond won’t shift to Permelia. I’ll do anything to keep from being magically tied to this woman’s whims.
Her smile doesn’t reach her eyes. “I’m afraid your problems are mine. You’ve botched your mission, but I think we can still come out ahead.” She nods toward Dena and Anders. “The avatar and his soul mage?”
“Ivy told you that as well?”
“I sense the raw power of the other side radiating from the doorway. The fact that it’s contained in a human vessel warrants further study, don’t you think? It’s better if he’s an ally than an enemy. If he comes to believe in our cause, he could be a powerful weapon.”
“He’s a person, not a thing for you to use.”
Permelia shrugs. “All things are for me to use if it suits my purpose.”
Disgust sours my stomach. “When did you lose your soul?”
Permelia’s eyes flash. “The day my mother and father sacrificed themselves to rid the world of Magnolia, it became my responsibility to protect our people. Tell me that the other entities that crossed the veil won’t make a play for Magnolia’s spot. Or that others won’t attempt to cross through while the door remains open. Tell me the world isn’t in danger, and I’ll call you a fool.”
I flick a grimace toward Anders. “The avatar controls the portal.”
“And we’ll control the avatar.” She lays her fingers across my lips to stop my words, and I twist my head aside. I’m wasting my breath arguing with her. Bess should be back by no
w.
“Fine,” I grit from between clenched teeth. I need mouthwash to remove the foul taste on my tongue. “We’ll continue this conversation later.”
Permelia’s smug smile acts like a knife jabbed in my gut. “Just don’t forget your place. You may be the father of my children, but you’re not indispensable.” She turns to her bodyguards and claps her hands. One runs to the back of the Hummer and returns with a plastic tub. Permelia shines her smile over everyone and gestures them closer.
She waits until Landry and George reach the edge of the driveway. Her smile sours when George gravitates to Ivy’s side and our daughter leans in to him. Darkness flickers behind her eyes and my heart skips a beat. Damn, I should’ve warned him to keep his distance. Too late now.
Permelia arches an eyebrow. “I brought you all a present. I think it will be very helpful in your negation with Victor.” She nods to me. “Ferdinand, would you do the honor of opening it?”
Pretentious witch.
I squat beside the tub and crack the lid. The overpowering stench of decay hits my nose, and I stagger back. The lid drops to the ground.
Dena screams.
Landry steps forward, then gags. “Is that a human head?”
Ivy presses her face into George’s shoulder. He wraps his arm around her waist but reaches for his gun with the other. Anders already has his gun pointed at Permelia’s bodyguards. Tension ratchets up to unbearable levels. One itchy finger and we’re in the middle of a shootout.
I step in front of Permelia and raise my hands. “Guns down. Everyone chill.”
Permelia’s eyes narrow on George’s hand. Any minute, she’ll do something stupid. It’s in her nature. Thank God Bess hasn’t gotten here yet. I’d never get her to back down without taking this woman into custody. “We need their help. You willing to risk being unable to save Mala for this guy?” I wave at the head. “Who is this, anyway? And how will he help us with Victor?”
