by K. F. Breene
I was so relieved that I wanted to rush over there and give them a bear hug.
“Okay, Jameson, work with Tim and get this place surrounded. I’ll take the magic users and see if we need to knock down any spells.”
Jameson nodded and stalked off to the side. Tim stepped up to me, his eyes serious and intense. “Don’t sacrifice yourself tonight. Don’t do something that will get you killed needlessly. I don’t know Stefan that well, but if he was anything like me, he would want you safe. He wouldn’t want you killing yourself for him.”
I stared into those brown eyes and saw something I hadn’t noticed before. My stomach swirled with butterflies. “Okay.”
He held my gaze for a second longer before glancing at my lips and walking away.
“A bit gooey for friendship…” Charles nudged my arm.
“Don’t tell Stefan,” I murmured, heading toward the magic users. “He would think it was more than it is and it will make it that much harder for the two to get along.”
“Oh, he already knows. A guy looks out for that kind of stuff.”
“Great.” I wouldn’t think about that now. I put on my bitch face and stalked over to the magic users, motioning for the witches to join us.
“More magic users! Wow!” Harry, who had become my shadow, smiled at the witches. Who ignored him.
“So they got the Boss, huh?” Birdie gave an acknowledging nod to the group.
“Yes. Thanks for coming.” I gave her a shaky smile, trying to bottle up the emotions threatening to break loose and pour out through my eyes.
“Well, what’s next? My ankles are killing me from standing around all night.” Birdie pursed her lips and stared off at the building.
“There is a spell around it,” Delilah noted quietly. “It’s the same sort of thing we saw at that park, and then with that demon. Probably the same guy. He’s pretty good, but not great.”
“If you ever get to meet Cato, you will just sit in an open-mouthed gape at what he can do.” I shook my head as I inhaled. “What does that spell do? Did you check it out?”
“It alerts those inside of someone entering the building, I think. Pretty basic premise with a few embellishes to make unraveling it a little more difficult.” Delilah chewed her lip.
“My, my, you’ve been paying attention in magic class.” I smiled at her, unable to keep the pride from showing on my face.
I turned to the clan magic people. “Zeke, link with Delilah and go take down that spell. You remember the pitfalls of linking with human magic, right? You have to keep it balanced for best effect.”
“Yes.” Zeke’s eyes hit Delilah. “C’mon.”
Her shy smile competed with a business-like furrowed brow. Apparently she thought Mr. Zeke was attractive. All these people were attractive.
I addressed the rest of the group. “As soon as that spell comes down, I’ll give Tim and Jameson the signal. I’ll send four of you in with their front line to combat any magical attacks. The rest will hang back with me until the way is cleared. Then we are going to bust in there and find Stefan. Okay? Pretty simple.”
“Pretty simple until shit goes sideways,” Olivia said, a middle-aged woman with curly red hair and aggressive attack spells. She always went in first, and apparently, killed on sight. She was not one to mess with.
My elements around me shifted and swayed, the magic from the large spell unraveling and rushing back into nature around us. I gestured the first team forward as I signaled the warriors. Tim and Jameson both turned to get their people ready.
I jogged forward behind a wave of leather-clad people. A mountain lion—Ann—gracefully loped over, accompanied by a huge jackal—I had no idea who that was, but they were my protection unit.
“Hey guys,” I whispered.
“Oh wow.” Harry nodded in appreciation. “I haven’t seen shifters fighting in battle.”
One of the twins—Jen possibly, but it was hard to tell—reached out to pet Ann. Apparently she’d forgotten for a moment that A, that was a person, and B, we were about to go into battle.
“Damn it, my head is scattered to hell.” I massaged my temple.
“Focus on the small things,” Jonas said quietly. “There go the first wave. Empty your mind and let your instincts take over. Let your muscle memory lead you. Take your head out of it.”
Okay. No problem. I could do this.
I wonder if Stefan knows we’re here… I wonder if he’s okay.
I shook my head. And tried to do as Jonas said.
The night caressed me; young and just beginning, it covered the scene in a velvety blanket. The stars twinkled merrily above us, accenting a half-moon climbing the sky. I felt the elements all around me, joyous and blissful, always within immediate reach. The magic of the witches rose and swept me up; unity and togetherness, not linked but still inclusive. It lightened my heart and sang through my blood.
“Okay, battle time.” I pushed forward, a group of warriors parting to wrap me in their folds. Jonas and Charles joined them easily, all members of the Watch, used to fighting and working together. Used to protecting their key asset.
They were officially part of my team. And damn that felt good.
Yelling broke out. A growl tore through the serenity of the night.
“Here we go!” I jogged forward as our warriors pushed into the building, swords flashing.
“Did we bring any guns?” I asked a muscular arm next to my face. I couldn’t see who it belonged to.
“Guns don’t kill magic. Magic kills magic.” Sounded like José, a guy on the younger side that took everything way too seriously. He wasn’t telling a joke just then.
Which made me chuckle.
“No, we didn’t bring any. Should’ve, though.” Charles’ voice had lost all humor. Fighting time was drawing near.
A loud bang sounded to our right; someone breaking the lock on a door. Three people pushed in, not meeting resistance of any kind.
“Through there!” José pointed.
As one, our unit changed course, aiming for the door. A blast of red shot out—a spell missing its mark. I threw up a shield and pushed past the muscles to the front, Charles next to me immediately.
“Let me go first,” he yelled over a loud, ground-shaking roar. Tim had changed.
“I have a shield up. No one is going to be able to—” I cut off as a stream of light black smacked into my shield. My teeth chattered. My feet stopped moving. I stared at my spell in front of me, slightly singed where the attacking spell had hit. It wasn’t as strong as mine, but it was exactly the same type of magic. And the same color.
“No fucking way.” I glanced up with wide eyes. A woman stood opposite us at the back of a room teamed with fighting and swords. Magic flew around her, all different colors, hitting off her shield, leaving her completely unharmed. A smug smile twisted her face as she stared at me; probably mid-thirties and gorgeous.
“She has black.” My voice sounded distant. The Watch around me had begun fighting, keeping me safe in a protective bubble. The magic users waited impatiently, needing to know what to do next. But I needed a moment to stare.
She started laughing at me—she wasn’t surprised that I existed. But I was sure shocked as hell to see her.
“They’ve got one of their own!” I bleated.
“Surprise!” Charles stepped forward with this sword to take out someone rushing at us while yelling.
“Damn it! And she’s pretty, too. What a bitch!”
“What does her being pretty have to do with anything?” Harry asked.
“I’m just sick of beautiful competition. C’mon, let’s beat her up!”
I shot a spell at her. Like acid dribbling down her shield, it ate away her power. I mixed the elements just right, and flicked another spell her way, so easy and effortless now that the magic hovered around me. Now that I didn’t have to fight the rush anymore.
That stupid smile melted off her face.
“What’s up, lady love? Not use
d to someone who you can dance with?” I shouted.
An expression of hatred stole her beauty. She fired away more spells. They were all fairly simple with no real flair, and certainly no intricacy. It was obvious Toa was a much better teacher than whoever had trained this girl. I blocked easily, my mind honing in. I was learning and seeing her construction. I noted the different spells and how she worked them. They were simple, yes, but she had a better handle on the principles of magic. She was not as strong as me, but more knowledgeable. She had the theory, but just lacked the application.
“What are you doing?” Jonas shouted, a splatter of blood making his face gruesome. “The Boss is somewhere in this hellhole. We don’t have time to stare.”
Damn it! I wanted to cry in frustration. I needed this woman. I needed her on my side. I needed her to train with me, and learn with me. She could pick up things from words where I couldn’t, and I could show her how to work it better. We’d be a great team.
But she was the enemy, and judging by her absolute aggression, loyal to the cause. I worked the elements and fired them out at her. She tried to unravel, but it was too complex. The first layer of the spell, intended to distract, fell away. The second layer eroded her shield in slashes. The third and most brutal bashed her, knocking her back and exploding in a system of shocks against her skin.
The scream wrenched the air, high-pitched and terrible.
“Cut off her magic and get her out of here!” I yelled at my magic users. “Use as many as you have to. I want her alive.”
“She’s dangerous,” Zeke yelled. “We can’t risk her getting loose.”
“We can talk to her—see if she’ll come around. She’s valuable, damn it!” I swung my most commanding stare Zeke’s way. “She might not know she’s on the wrong side. She might think she’s a good guy. Keep her knocked out if you have to, but keep her alive.”
Zeke grudgingly nodded and directed a few people to retrieve her body while the mayhem went on all around us.
“Hard to think you’re a good guy when you are killing people to make demons.” Jonas directed me forward as our people pushed in.
He had a point, but still. She might not be a bad person—maybe she was just misinformed.
Steel rang around us. Arms and bodies swung out. Teeth and claws tore through flesh. Our side had more bodies and better fighters, both. We pushed the enemy back. We forced through the melee, deeper into the building, following people yelling, “This way!” Or “Mage, through here!”
Jonas or Charles always had a hand on me, monitoring my position with touch. They’d trade off, one stepping forward to cleave someone out of the way, or the other doing it, but one always hanging back with me. The rest of the Watch clustered around the magic users, a shield of bodies, pushing us toward the end zone like a bunch of linebackers.
“Almost there,” Jonas said in an elevated voice so he’d be heard.
We pushed into a huge space, the windows all covered with black material. Gym floor, slick with blood, glistened beneath our feet. I slipped and was immediately steadied by Charles’ strong hand before I could hit the ground.
“Get him out of there before it kills him!” we heard.
My blood ran cold. Images of the masticated bodies I’d seen lying in circles flashed through my head. Stefan’s face imposed on those twisted limbs set my heart to throbbing painfully.
Without another thought, I sprinted, stumbling through bodies and sliding on the slippery gym floor. I shot sparklers into the sky and an explosion off to the right, getting people looking in different directions. I used the distraction to slide between huge warriors of both sides, bloodied and deadly. Near the front I heard it: the high-pitched squeal of what could only be a demon.
Panting and half-terrified, I pushed a wolf out of my way and got the first glimpse of the scene.
Stefan, head lolling, sat tethered to a chair in the middle of a circle. Blood dripped down his hands and onto the floor. His chest and arms were covered in wounds and more blood. One pair of bindings were broken at the base of the legs, but a fresh set put on. At least five stab wounds pumped blood out of his body; some superficial, but at least two fairly deep.
Andris stood at the top of the circle, ignoring the mayhem around him, working on calling something into that circle. Something to take Stefan’s offered soul.
I shot an exploding spell at Andris, only to hit off an intensely strong shield. He was linking with everyone around him; he must be.
Fine.
“Link up. Everyone link up!” I ordered, running forward. My Watch kept up as best they could, fighting around the cluster of magic workers clinging on to each other to stay together.
“Get them out of the battle zone!” Jonas roared. “Get the magic workers out of here. They don’t need to see what they’re doing to use magic.”
“I can’t link with them, Jonas.” I grabbed onto Zeke. “You have to stay with me. Be the focus point. I’ll tell you where to direct the spells and how.”
“I’m sure if you linked with all of us, we could sustain it,” Zeke yelled back, trying to be heard above the roaring of the wind. A small but rampant demon battled a group of shifters off to the right. The fighting thrashed all around us.
“You don’t understand. I have an endless supply of magic. It never runs out. I never have to strive to pull in more. It’d fill you up and keep looking for more.”
“Then why do you need us?”
“I need the energy. I need to link for energy.”
Zeke shook his head, frustration raiding the determination on his face. “Okay. Then let’s get to work.”
I pointed at Andris. “Work on that shield. Get me in there.”
I glanced at the demon to the right as a huge green sword swung into my vision. I didn’t even have time to open my mouth in surprise before it slashed down. Charles leaped in, faster than thought, stabbing the man in the arm and wrenching his hand. The trajectory of the sword altered at the last second, slicing across my upper arm.
I cried out, slapping my palm to the wound. Pain radiated outwards, burning my skin and searing down my arm. I pushed the pain away as I focused on the demon at large. It was small in comparison to what was coming, easy to knock out. But knocking that out would take at least half of my energy, and I’d need everything I had with my only linking partner all but unconscious.
“Shit, my magic sucks! C’mon Zeke, knock it out.” I grabbed his arm and led him forward, trusting the guys around me to keep us safe. It was a lot of trust—the enemy knew who we were. Knew that we could tear this all down. We were target number one.
A flash of white blasted to the side, smacking into a wolf. I strained behind us, looking for the source, and connected eyes with the freaking caped crusader. “Trek’s here. Damn.”
I blocked his next spell and hurled a spinning razor ball at him. Some unfortunate shmuck got in the way, though, taking the pain. I fired off another, lobbing this one over everyone’s heads. He saw it coming and threw up a shield, the blast knocking him back. Some spell got through, but not much. I was stronger, but not by all that much.
“In the air!” Charles pointed next to my face. I had to take my eyes off of Trek for a moment to look at that circle.
The air sliced in half near Stefan, slowly, the fabric of air ripping apart. It was the demon’s big entrance.
“No!” A spell blasted us. My legs went gumby and spilled me onto the ground. I couldn’t see to shoot one back, so I threw up a shield to work out how to disentangle that spell.
“Get Delilah on that spell!” I yelled at Zeke. “This is taking too long. He doesn’t have any more time.”
Jonas hoisted me up and held me. I zipped another spell off, but that coward was playing hide-and-seek behind anybody he could. It didn’t matter if it was his enemy or not, if he didn’t get hit, he was happy. What a jackass.
“She’s working on it,” Zeke muttered, his voice lost in strain. “Just… trying to keep… the link balance
d.”
“Wake up, baby. We need you,” I begged Stefan.
The slice in the air got bigger. Wind whirlpooled around the gym. Another blast hit my shield, weakening it. Too many. There were just too many elements to this battle. I couldn’t do all this alone.
“C’mon, baby, wake up,” I begged, another blast from Trek hitting me. Soon I wouldn’t be able to keep the shield over everyone. “Would someone just kill that fucking idiot!”
“On it!” Harry hollered.
Oh, great. The one that couldn’t fight.
The slice in the air became a hole. My fingers dug into Zeke’s arm, begging them to work faster. “Do you need more people to link with?”
“Can barely… hold this one.” Sweat drenched Zeke’s pale face. His body flagged.
I swore under my breath as something nearly invisible stepped into the circle.
“Oh God, no. Please, please no.” I wrung my hands. My heart thumped in my chest. The dust creature, seven feet high and packing so much damn power it prickled my skin, looked down at Stefan.
Chapter 15
“We need a miracle. Right now we need a miracle. Please,” I begged, tears clouding my eyes. “Please don’t take him. Please, please don’t take him from me.”
“Got it!” Zeke panted. The shield winked out. Andris tore his eyes away from the circle. From the nearly invisible creature stepping toward Stefan.
A blast of white hit my shield, knocking me forward. I zipped a spell at the guy right behind Andris—a really nasty one. It hit the center of his chest and exploded. The force slammed into Andris’ back, knocking him forward.
I was running a second later. Arm burning but forgotten, feet tingly from Trek’s spell, I didn’t care. I stumbled and slid nearer, Charles and Jonas racing to catch up. Andris stumbled past the blood line into the circle. The reaching claws of the demon stopped. Its head snapped up.
