Worlds Collide (Magitech Book 1)

by Serena Lindahl

  "Is she going to be ok?" She searched Davin's face; his expression was tender when he looked at her sister. She wasn’t afraid of him anymore, not when she saw him look at her sister like that. “What was that thing? What did it do to her?” Cat demanded. The device had detonated into tiny, unrecognizable pieces, shards littering the concrete floor. Davin's eyes hardened.

  “You tell me; we couldn't sense anything outside the barrier. I could only feel her pain.” He paused, his own distress evident in his voice. “You act like you know who he was.”

  Cat's eyes widened. She'd forgotten Davin wouldn't recognize Marcus on sight. “That was Marcus, the man we told you about. He said a Magitech promised him Jenira would come to him if he killed those mages.” A muscle jumped in Davin's jaw, but he didn't respond. He lifted Jenira in his arms as if she weighed nothing.

  “Let's go. I can't heal her here, and you can finish telling me everything when we return to the Rialto.” Cat stood shakily, still in a trance. Davin glanced sharply at her. “Are you hurt?”

  “No. My wrists are chafed; otherwise, I'm fine." She stretched her limbs, attempting to ease the residual numbness. A couple of the cuts on her wrists had opened, but they weren’t bad. She ignored them, wiping her hands on her pants. “He said he mentally coerced another tech to reach us.”

  A wordless interaction passed between Rock and Davin. Rock nodded searched the warehouse. A moment later, he gave a shout and dragged a body out from behind the crates. Cat stifled a sob.

  “Thomas,” she gasped. Blood matted his hair; his eyes were open but sightless. He’d probably been killed after he'd slipped the note into Cat’s folder. Davin's lips tightened, but he didn't look sorry for the young man Cat had just met.

  Jenira jerked in Davin's arms and inhaled deeply, her eyelids fluttering. “Cat?” she croaked. Cat grasped her hand.

  “I'm here, Jen, I'm fine. He's dead.” She reassured her sister with a catch in her voice. Jenira nodded but winced when the movement pained her.

  “He said there were others.” Jenira dug her fingernails into Davin's arm with the last of her strength. He stared at her, his eyes dark with emotion.

  “They won't show themselves now; they'll wait to play their hands. Rest, Jenira, your body and magic need to heal.”

  “Stop bossing me around,” Jenira forced the words from between teeth clenched in pain and promptly passed out again. Davin's lips tugged upwards.

  Cat followed but stopped short. “Wait! The necklace!” She sped back to Marcus's prone body, pushing aside her disgust and lingering fear. Avoiding looking at his glassy eyes and the gruesome slash across his neck, she hovered over him. She couldn't make herself reach into the blood to retrieve the necklace no matter how much she willed herself. Bile rose in her throat. Rock appeared at her elbow, and she pointed. “He wore a necklace that protected him.” Rock fumbled for the chain covered in blood, but he hissed and pulled back swiftly.

  “Damn,” he muttered. “Boss, the amulet he's wearing is enchanted. I can’t remove it.”

  “Tell Michaels to bring his body back to the office, Thomas's too. We'll remove it there. We need to get Jenira back to the apartment so I can heal her.” His voice was low and tight with impatience, and Cat knew he would leave them both behind if they didn't follow. Cat stepped away from Marcus and the shreds of the device he'd used to control Jenira.

  They were walking out of the warehouse when a loud crackling caused them all to turn in surprise. Cat groaned. Marcus's body burned, engulfed in flickering waves of blue mage fire.

  “Gaia be damned, there was an enchantment on him, most likely connected to the necklace,” Rock cursed, cleaning his hands of the dead man’s blood with a snow-white handkerchief. The heat of the fire blasted Cat's face, even though she stood several feet away. Marcus would be a pile of ash in seconds.

  “Tell Michaels to salvage what he can,” Davin directed Rock. Jenira whimpered, and Cat turned back to her sister. The strip of cloth around her arm was soaking through with blood. Her techie mind mourned the loss of the device that had debilitated her sister's magic. Disassembling and studying the necklace would have been her revenge. Love and worry for her sister trumped frustration, though, and she hurried after Davin.

  The destruction at the front door was impressive and frightening. The massive metal crates had exploded with the force of a wrecking ball. Small scraps of metal and wood were scattered twenty feet away, and the enormous iron door had crumpled like a piece of paper. Cat studied the chaos. Only remarkable strength or magic could have caused such damage.

  “What happened here?” She remembered the noise right before Davin shot Marcus, but had been too preoccupied to wonder about the reason. Davin stepped casually over piles of debris. Cat glanced at Rock, and the big man attempted to hide an unusually expressive smile.

  “The boss happened,” Rock murmured, earning an unreadable glance from Davin. She didn't comment further as they all climbed into a black sedan. Davin wouldn't relinquish Jenira. He cradled her in the back seat, and Cat sat in the passenger seat, sighing as her sore muscles relaxed into the soft seats and Rock drove them back to the Rialto.

  Cat's adrenaline dropped, and she shivered. When she'd entered the warehouse and encountered Marcus, she knew she'd walked into a trap. The cloudiness in her mind from the moment she’d read the note had been a suggestion planted by Marcus. The realization, resultant guilt, and resurfacing memories made her unable to fight Marcus as he tied her up. Today had almost been worse than the past. Nothing stopped Jenira. Seeing her brought to her knees, unable to use her strength or magic had frightened Cat more than anything she'd ever experienced.

  The image of Thomas's limp body also angered Cat. The poor man had been an unwilling accomplice in Marcus's evil scheme. She was familiar with the sensation of someone forcing her thoughts and violating her mind; it still haunted her dreams at night. Perhaps it was for the best that Thomas had died. He wouldn't have to live with the guilt of what he'd done. They arrived at the underground garage, and she stumbled from the car.

  Andrew paced in front of the elevator, both hands grasping his wavy hair. His eyes found them, and he collapsed against the wall. “Oh, thank science, you're all ok. Is she ok?” Andrew motioned to Jenira’s unconscious body.

  “She’ll be fine. We got out just in time, thanks to your uncle,” Cat told Andrew.

  “Your sister did most of it,” Davin protested. “I couldn't break the barrier by myself.” Cat's brows rose. She had thought Jenira couldn't access her magic. She had questions, but Davin shot both her and Andrew quelling looks. “Wait until we're past surveillance. You and Jenira are staying in my suite until she gets better.” His voice made it clear he wouldn't allow her to argue, but Cat rejoiced quietly. She didn't want to be alone with her sister's unconscious form, and Davin's plants would aid Jenira’s magic recovery. She didn’t know much about healing, despite what her mother had tried to teach her. They rode to the top of the Rialto in silence. Rock left them with a couple muttered words to Davin, but Andrew remained.

  Davin led Cat into his apartment, but Cat didn't possess the strength to study her surroundings. Profound fatigue settled in, the drain of adrenaline causing her to droop. “I'll put her in the room with the most plants and do what I can. I'd like to talk about what happened inside the warehouse.”

  “Uncle, she's exhausted.”

  “Tomorrow morning, then, we'll hold a briefing. Jenira might need more time to recover though. Her magic is still scattered from whatever Marcus did. I have several rooms.” He added the last to Cat with a sidelong glance.

  “No, I'll sleep with my sister.” Davin didn't argue and led them to a room she guessed was his. A giant bed dominated the room. The rest of the space crowded with plant life. He placed Jenira on the mattress, uncaring about her dirty, bloody form on his silk sheets. Cat thought she should clean her sister but sank down next to Jenira instead, her muscles uncooperative. As her conscious mind retreated, her subconsciou
s observed Davin's magic. The soft golden glow of his magic was streaked with veins of cobalt. The sight was so beautiful she wanted to watch but her eyes closed of their own volition. She barely felt Davin pull a blanket over them before she joined Jenira in oblivion.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Jenira

  Jenira woke to soft light filtering through tree leaves and palm fronds. She stretched, almost expecting to feel rich earth below her. She'd often slept in the forest as a child. Pleasant calm filled her when she lay under the trees and stared up at the sky.

  Awareness entered, bringing the caress of soft sheets and not tickling grass. She vaguely remembered waking a few times. Cat had helped her to the bathroom a couple times, and another time her sister was washing the blood off her. Recollection of the events with Marcus trickled back into her mind slowly.

  Her eyes roamed the room, noting the plants stacked and arranged before the windows. Vines dripped from shelves otherwise loaded with books and small antique statues or chunks of glittering crystal. Magic pooled in the room, strong and pure. This room belonged to a mage. Davin's techie half didn't live here. She knew it was his room because his scent filled the air, mingling with the rich odor of soil.

  Jenira groaned as she pushed herself to her elbows, assessing her physical self and magic. She was uninjured besides a lingering soreness where Marcus had sliced her arm. Her body argued the assessment though because her muscles and head still ached. She focused on her power and groaned with surprised irritation. During the battle or subsequent healing, Davin's magic had entwined with hers. His golden glow was minimal compared to her dark blue and silver, but it was there, and it looked like it was going to stay. Her magic didn't want to let the golden tendrils go. She sighed when she realized they would always be connected because of the merge.

  Because of their newfound link, Jenira sensed Davin's presence before she saw him. Her magic purred, causing her to huff with impatience. Many mages referred to their magic as a pet because unruly power always had a mind of its own and took on animalistic qualities. She didn’t think she could have prevented her magic from joining with Davin’s. It had panted for him since the moment they met.

  Davin stepped into the room, his towering form blocking out the hall light. Jenira stared at him, remembering the moment his magic combined with hers to break the barrier. The chest wound had been a perfect shot, and he'd let her deliver the killing blow, something she would always be grateful for. Blue and silver magic sparkled in his aura, confirming the merge was complete. She sighed.

  “What's the sigh for?”

  Jenira ignored his question, and he pulled a chair next to the bed. She remembered him sitting in the same spot, watching over her as she slept.

  “Thank you,” Jenira muttered.

  Davin frowned. “I couldn't reach you until I sensed your magic weakening the barrier and seeking mine. What happened? Cat told us what she saw but not what you experienced.”

  “How is Cat?” Jenira asked, sighing again. She pushed a hand into her lank hair and frowned. Cat may have washed most of the blood from her body, but her hair was a mess. She felt dirty, and she had to pee. She pushed the irritating urge aside to focus on Davin. She couldn’t help but notice how handsome he was. She had always thought so; she had just ignored it. Their battle against a mutual enemy had softened her cold heart.

  “She’s sleeping. I helped her relax because she wasn’t going to otherwise.”

  Jenira nodded. She’d often done calming spells for Cat. That she’d allowed Davin to do so said a lot about how much Cat’s trust in him had increased. She breathed in deeply. The scent of dirt and cinnamon calmed her lingering fear. She explained how the device fragmented her magic, making it impossible to command until she forced it from her. The tech Marcus had controlled sparked concern in Davin’s eyes. His techie side understood the potential danger.

  “I gave my power a new purpose and forced it out of range of the frequency. Even in danger, my magic wanted you, so I pushed it toward you. Neither of us could break that barrier alone, and I don't think it was Marcus's spell. He wasn’t talented enough to create such a strong protective spell. It took both of us to fracture it.”

  She shifted uncomfortably on the bed and Davin raised a questioning eyebrow. “I have to pee, and I feel dirty.” Light entered Davin’s eyes, a fire which swam slowly through her veins and trembled within her healing muscles.

  “I don’t feel comfortable about you showering on your own; you’re still healing. And Cat is going to sleep for hours still.”

  Jenira snorted. “I suppose you’re offering to help me?”

  Davin’s full lips lifted in the cocky grin she had so wanted to see when Marcus held her immobile under his tech spell. “If you’ll let me, yes.”

  Jenira sighed again. She was tired of fighting, to be honest. Davin had proven he could be trustworthy and she suspected this wasn’t over. They were going to have to work together to bring down the Magitech that had controlled Marcus and led him to Brenville. She threw off the covers, surprised to see she had been changed into an oversized t-shirt which smelled of Davin. Her legs were bare, and Davin’s eyes traveled the length of her calves and thighs with growing heat.

  “Well, you’re not going to help me pee,” she remarked and rose from the bed. Although her muscles still ached, she felt steady and stable. She probably didn’t need Davin’s help, but… She walked away from him toward the bathroom, her ass swaying in the t-shirt that reached the bottom of her butt. His magic sparked in anticipation, and it made her skin shiver. She shut the door and used the toilet, then stared into the mirror for a second. She looked horrible. Her hair was a mess, and there were still specks of blood on her neck. How Davin found her desirable at the moment escaped her.

  After another resigned study of the golden sparks in her magical aura, she cracked open the bathroom door and turned on the shower. Within two seconds, Davin’s muscular chest was pressed against her back and she restrained a smile. He must have been waiting outside the bathroom door. He took control of the shower, which Jenira actually appreciated because it had far more knobs and levers than she had ever seen in a shower before. When water spurted from several faucets around the marble enclosure at once, she sighed in appreciation. Cat might enjoy the food that came with money; she would enjoy the shower.

  After Davin tested the temperature of the water, he gently lifted the shirt from her body. His golden magic played along her skin like a second caress; tiny pinpricks of energy coasted along her most sensitive parts. Jenira shivered. There was another level to mage sex, but she’d never experienced sex with a man whose magic had already merged with hers. There was no awkwardness despite it being their first time, and their magic’s combined excitement aroused her further.

  Davin’s callused fingertips caressed her legs as he slid her panties down, and Jenira kicked them away before stepping into the shower. She turned and stared at him as he undressed. Her eyes stroked the hard planes of his chest and the corded masses of muscle that made up his biceps and forearms. Feeling bold, she released her magic and let it kiss his skin, twining about his nipples and tracing the waistband of his loose trousers. His large erection tented his pants, and he sucked in a breath when her magic dipped under the material like fingers.

  “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Jenira teased, stretching luxuriously under the spray of water so her breasts thrust out in front of her. His mouth curved and a spark of his magic tweaked her nipple. She gasped in surprise and pleasure. Of course he would learn fast.

  “Are you sure you’re ready?” he countered, and she rolled her eyes. Cocky bastard.

  He tore off his pants and joined her in the shower, his massive body taking up a lot of the space. His cock jutted between them and Jenira curled her hands into fists to resist grabbing him immediately.

  “Don’t steal all the water, you big oaf,” she muttered, her eyes fixated on his impressive length and girth. He chuckled low and pulled her a
gainst him, pressing all that hardness against her lower stomach and positioning them both beneath the spray.

  “I have every intention of making sure you’re wet,” he whispered in her ear. His lips trailed along her neck and his magic followed, shadowing his kisses like a blaze of fire. When his arms left her, she moaned in irritation, but they soon returned, his hands full of soap. He washed her, exploring every inch of her skin reverently, his magic tweaking and stroking in tandem with the smooth caress of his hands.

  Her pussy clenching with need, Jenira grasped his cock, pumping him quickly. Davin growled in her ear, his forehead on her shoulder. “You’re still recovering. If you continue that, I won’t be able to control myself.”

  Jenira smirked, her blue eyes sparkling as they met his amber ones. Water sluiced down both of them, slicking her movements as she rubbed her breasts against his chest. Her magic coiled around his thickness, squeezing as her hands stroked. His eyes rolled back in his head, and Jenira rejoiced in the controlled desire she felt within him.

  “If you don’t fuck me right now, Davin, I’ll never fuck you again.” She was lying, but he didn’t need to know that. Now that her magic had tasted him, it wasn’t going to be happy without him. She would deal with that complication later. Right now, she wanted him inside her. His eyes blazing, he pressed her back against the wall and wrapped her legs around his waist. His impressive strength held her there, his cock nudging her entrance as the water continued to run between their bodies and their magic sparked around them.

  “Liar,” he growled, and his magic rubbed her clit at the same time his lips found her nipple. Jenira leaned her head back against the shower wall, closing her eyes as his magic and tongue sparked desire along every inch of her skin and nearly tore her apart in his arms. Orgasms weren’t easy for her, but his magic urged her on. It knew what she wanted because her own magic whispered to it in words neither of them could hear. He tortured her with his lips, tongue, and teeth until she was mewling unabashedly in his arms and shaking with the force of her arousal.