by K.N. Lee
Melody
Melody blinked to focus on Kyle’s words in the afterglow of their lovemaking. Birth control? Crap, a condom had been the last thing on her mind. “I don't have any diseases.”
He gave her a crooked smile. “Me neither. Another perk to being a dragon shifter. My concern was you getting pregnant. Something we didn't plan on.”
“Ah…” A baby? What were the odds of falling pregnant anyway? Surely, pretty slim chance. Damn, this was all she needed. But Kyle had been too delicious and she’d forgotten her head. No, everything would be all right. “You're right. Next time, we take precautions.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Next time? Like in five minutes?”
Her skin heated. “No.” Goddess what was wrong with her? A hunk of a guy just fucked her on her brother's kitchen counter and had made her orgasm twice, and she was playing hard to get now?
Focus on the plan. Get the location of the shadow fighting rings.
She patted his arm and scooted back, breaking their connection. The emptiness between them made her ache to crawl back into his embrace. “We better get started on your missing memories.”
As though shocked that a woman had pushed him away, his mouth hung open slightly. Pleasure rolled through her that she could surprise him. There's a lot more to me than you know.
She pushed her breasts back inside her bra, then hopped off the counter. Her pants and underwear were a tangled mess on the floor.
Dressed, she rummaged through her brother’s kitchen cabinets for supplies. When she looked over her shoulder, Kyle was still naked and shaking his head.
“You gonna put your clothes on and help me or what?” she asked.
He laughed so loud, it made her heart jump. “Sure. What do you need for a memory spell?”
A lot of luck, since she hadn't done one since high school. “Usual stuff. Candles, sage bundle, salt.”
He nodded and strolled over to his clothes. To keep herself from changing her mind and making love to him all day, she buried her head deeper into the pantry.
Spotting two gold candles on the top shelf, she stretched to reach them. Warm hands grasped her sides and lifted her effortlessly.
“Thanks,” she said.
Kyle nodded and sat her back on her feet. “Found the salt. It was on the counter beside us during sex.”
“Oh. Right.” And she'd totally missed it. “Now we just need the sage bundle.”
Knowing her brother, it would be in an herb drawer. It was in the drawer next to the fridge. “Got it. Let's go.”
She marched to Luke's private library and inhaled the scent of beeswax candles and ancient books, overflowing on the shelves that looked more like a jigsaw puzzle than anything else. She’d never had time to read all these tomes, but she would one day.
The hardwood floor was cool under her feet. She centered Kyle in the middle of the room, then drew a ring of salt around them nine feet across.
“A magic circle?” He cocked his head slightly.
“Yes. We don't want any nasties trying to possess you.” And it would keep her magic contained so it didn't do something crazy like ricochet. Like the time in college when she’d attempted to turn her roommate's hair from dirty blond to platinum blond. Not only had the magic missed her friend, but it had turned Melody’s dark hair a sickly green color and then hit everyone in the cafeteria and gym.
Next, she whispered a spell and lit the two golden candles, placing each on either side of Kyle. Lighting the sage bundle from the candle on his left, Melody wafted the smoke over him, then herself.
“This may take a while. I'm a bit rusty,” she said, setting the smoldering bundle down.
“I trust you.” He reached out and squeezed her hand.
She took a breath. “Okay, have a seat on the floor. It's not comfortable now, but in a few moments you won't feel it.”
Once he was situated in the middle of the circle, Melody closed her eyes and envisioned a sphere of purple energy surrounding them. In her third eye, it shot over their heads and continued underneath the floorboards.
Suddenly, sweat beaded across her skin as if she stood near a fire, and she no longer felt the breeze from the air conditioner. “Our circle is open. Don't cross the salt line until we're done.” She met his gaze and sat across from him. “Now place your palms over mine.” To show him, she laid her forearms on her thighs, her hand turned upward and her knuckles brushing his knees. Images of them together made liquid pool in her belly. Focus, Melody. If she could tap into his memories, she might glean information on Diego’s location.
Kyle copied her posture and laid his hands over hers.
“Close your eyes,” she said, following her own instruction. “Go back to the time when you realized your memories were missing.”
Kyle shifted and the cords in his neck tightened.
“For this to work,” she peeked at him and his dark stare gave her pause. Did he know what she was planning? She had to do this. Find the underground shadow fighting and shut it and Diego down. It was the only way to prove herself at the station and to ensure Kyle and his sister were safe. “You're going to have to trust me.”
“You scramble my brain in this process, and I'll recall you enough to come after you.”
A shiver ran through her. She straightened to cover up the eerie sensation. “Fair enough. Now close your eyes and concentrate.”
Kyle's breathing slowed and she matched his rhythm. Now to connect on the psychic plane.
“Imagine a screen with huge crimson curtains,” she said. “Picture sitting in the center seat. The show will start soon. It will run from the moment you lost your memories until recently, or whenever you became conscious and realized time had lapsed.”
His hands twitched over hers and he gave her a tight smile.
“Stay relaxed. The movie can't affect you. It is safe in the chair. If you like, picture me next to you.”
“Movie? Are you asking me out on a psychic date?” His teasing voice hinted at more than a movie and popcorn.
“Sure. Ever go out with a girl on the astral plane?”
He chuckled. “First time, but I'm glad it's with you.”
Her heart squeezed and she swallowed. Here he was expecting her to help him. Instead, she'd wormed her way into his subconscious to find the information she needed to catch Diego and bring down his underground fighting empire.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“Yeah.” She shook her head, thankful that he couldn't see her with his eyes closed. Shutting her eyes again, she said, “Keep your focus on the curtains. When I count back from five, they will slowly open. At zero, the missing memories will play.”
“I'm ready.”
“Five...four...three. The screen is almost uncovered. Two...one. The curtain is completely pulled back. Zero.” Melody focused mind and spirit forward, leaping through the astral and riding the physical connection of her hands touching Kyle's. She zipped along dark clouds until she was next to him and in a big recliner-like seat.
In front of them, a movie was playing with Kyle in the fighting ring and a lion shifter charging him. Her heart raced. This was it. The shadow ring. She leaned forward and scanned the crowd and arena for a clue of where it was.
Men and women filled the crowd. Even a group of teenagers downing beers were there, also participating in illegal gambling. Smoke permeated the air. Lion knocked Kyle’s legs from underneath him. Then he jammed something into the back of Kyle’s thigh.
What the hell? She squinted, trying to get closer. Lion shifted back to his human form, then put Kyle in a headlock. Did no one just see he cheated? Unbelievable. The entire crowd either booed or cheered. Wait, in the back was Diego, the ringleader of the illegal fighting. He gave a nod. Melody spun back to the fight in front of her. Helpless, she watched as Kyle's eyes rolled up.
“And the lion defeats the dragon!” the opposing fighter bellowed, and dropped Kyle.
She rushed to his side, even though there was nothi
ng she could do to help. Nothing that would change what had happened here.
Two muscular men came into the ring and carried Kyle out. They placed him on a gurney as murmurs spread among the crowd amid cheers for the winners.
Melody followed the men who were taking Kyle down a corridor. Fluorescent lights flickered overhead.
Thankfully, she could witness everything in Kyle’s mind despite him being unconscious when this had happened, because the subconscious part of the brain never sleeps.
In a room, the two men wheeled in Kyle away.
A chill swept through Melody and she frowned. Here in Kyle's memories, she shouldn't feel anything. Probably just her imagination.
The door inside the empty cement room opened with a creaking sound.
“Is this him?” an unfamiliar voice from beyond the door asked.
Diego walked inside, followed by a hooded man. “Yes. Stupid bastard tried to quit me two years ago. Then he waltzes in here like he only left for a lunch break.” Diego laughed.
Involuntarily, Melody squeezed her hands into fists. How dare the bastard insult Kyle! She took a step forward to punch him when his form passed through her as if she were a ghost.
“Funny thing is, I almost turned him down. I thought, let him keep scrubbing toilets for the rest of his life.”
“Now he has a greater purpose.” The hooded man trudged forward, then waved boney hands out over Kyle. “You will do our bidding without question and without remembrance for six days.”
Kyle's body twitched on the gurney. A vibrating hum grew louder and louder until Melody covered her ears to block out the sound. Magic prickled across her skin like a thousand hornet stings. Gathering up her magic inside her as though taking a breath to shout, she entombed herself in a force field of light. I've never experienced power this strong before.
What type of sorcerer was this guy? Inside the safety of her bubble, the magic bounced off her shield but left gouges in its wake. Too long of an attack, and her ward would be smashed through.
Sweat beaded across her brow as she strained to keep up her shield. The edge wavered and she ground her teeth to keep it from failing.
Finally, the hooded man clapped his hands and turned to leave.
Melody let out a gasp of relief and the man lifted his head at the door as if he had heard her.
That wasn't possible. This was the past, not happening now. He spun and the light illuminated his face. Gabriel. The first detective on the case, who had been supposedly killed in the line of duty. Had he been working for Diego all this time? This meant he was the reason no cop had gotten even close to finding any of the shadow fighting rings. Magic.
Gabriel raised his hand, pointed at her and made a fist and jerked his arm toward him. Her shield tore from her, along with her sense of Kyle. She careened through the astral. Flailing didn't help. Concentrate. Her body was in her brother's house. She was sitting next to Kyle. Safe. No, she could connect to anything. Her abilities were frozen as her spirit was flung into the abyss. Kyle had saved her life, only to have her lose it now. Tears filled her eyes. She'd tasted happiness and perfection with the dragon shifter and she'd never find it again.
Grief twisted a dagger into her heart. Only few could survive in the astral for too long. Eventually, her spirit would be shredded. Her body withered.
No, she would not give up. She would fight. Kyle! Goddess, please let him find me. If he could reach her, even a fraction, she could tether her soul to his and find her way back. She just hoped he wasn't locked in his memories so deeply that he couldn't hear her.
Kyle
Kyle grimaced as he came to. A blurry vision filled his mind and he blinked to clear his sight. He was laying on a gurney in a small furniture-less room. Fluorescent light flickered above him from a cement block ceiling. The sense of loss inside him caused him to grasp his chest as he sat up.
“Good. You're awake,” Diego said.
What was happening? Had he and Melody been captured during her little ritual?
“Where's Melody?”
“Now,” Diego handed him a piece of paper, “here's a list of your objectives for the day.”
“Enough bullshit! What have you done with Melody?” Kyle leapt off the gurney and snatched up Diego's throat, but his hands went right through the man.
“Don't let anything or anyone stop you.” Diego laughed and left the room.
Dread plummeted into Kyle's gut. He turned and saw himself sitting on the gurney staring at the paper. His steps felt heavy as he dragged his feet forward. Too many days were missing in his life and this was the key. The paper would tell him everything.
Dryness tightened his throat. He fisted his hands until his nails bit into his calloused palms. His past self sat on the gurney, staring at the paper.
Kyle peered over his shoulder and read the note.
Day one - Steal two million dollars to pay back what your family owes Diego - plus interest
Day two - Bring in Cofer and Johnny to Diego for joining a rival MMA ring and thinking they could go legal
Day three - Kill Antonio and bring back his head for stealing Diego’s ex-wife
Next, await the whistle. Once it sounds, kill your sister and then yourself.
No!
A heaviness pressed in on his chest. His sister was alive. He'd spoken with her yesterday. But what about the blood coating him when he'd woken in the alley? Did the fact he hadn't carried out the last orders mean that the spell was dormant and waiting for him? For the trigger? Had he awakened too soon and never killed Antonio? Either that or Kyle hadn't brought Diego the guy’s head. Otherwise, Kyle and Danielle would be dead. Wait! What if Diego went after her himself?
Kyle raced to the door to fling it open, but his hand went through the door knob. With sickening a drop in his stomach, he watched as his former self dropped the paper and marched past him with vacant eyes.
His heart pounding, he tore forward but bounced back at the threshold. His side hit the gurney and sent it rocketing toward the back cement wall.
Fucking great! He was trapped in a memory - and one that couldn’t help him any more. At the door, he punched the door frame. His knuckles bounced off an invisible force. He was a dragon shifter, not a magic user. Melody.
Where was she? Before, she'd been beside him, but then a weird buzzing had blasted into his head and he couldn’t see or hear anything until Diego had given his past self the note.
“Melody!” She could get him out of here. It was a ritual. Neither of them were really here. No answer. But she had to be close or he'd feel the emptiness pounding inside him like he had when she’d left him at Zack’s house. Checking inside himself for the tether between them that strengthened every hour, he traced it to the far corner of the room. Dead end.
He paced, running a hand through his hair. There must be some way to get out of this madness. He paused mid-step. Was the exit as simple as believing that he could walk through a wall? His body wasn't here, so why couldn’t he leave? Unless it had one way out, which wasn't the obvious one.
He squared his shoulders and ran forward, straight for the far corner. Reaching it, he braced for impact and closed his eyes. He brought up the image of his sister and how she needed help. And pictured himself across from Melody in the magical circle in her brother's library. The one person who might be able to help him.
Kyle landed with a thud inside his body. The weight of going from no matter to physical made every bone and muscle ache. This kind of pain he was used to. No doubt Melody was standing over him and tapping her foot waiting for him. But when he pushed up, she was sitting laying in a heap on the floor. Her body was locked and cold to the touch.
He dashed over to her and cupped her face. “Melody!” He didn't know how to help her. Hell, he didn't even know where her soul was, exactly. Last time he'd felt her presence had been just before hooded dude did some weird gesture with his hand, like he was yanking something off. Magic users. Had he done something with Melody? Kyle’s
heart crashed into his chest. He couldn’t breathe. It was like drowning all over again. He didn't have any magic to help her. He doubted Zack would know how to find her. Mages were more alchemy than spells.
Kyle knelt before Melody in her crossed leg posture. “Tell me what to do. Please, give me a sign.” He kissed her lips gently. The edge of one tasted salty. Had she been crying? “No matter what, I promise you I'll find you and bring you back.”
He stood and surveyed the room. Shelves of books, two burning candles, and a sage bundle. Nothing that could help him now. Wait. The magic circle anchored by the salt. What had Melody said? Don't cross the circle? But he couldn't just stand here and do nothing. He had to get Melody back. Have her break this lingering list of instructions and strangle Diego and the crazed hidden magician.
Kyle's guess was that she was stuck in the astral. Fastest way for a non-magic user like him to get there would be to do what he knew best. Rebel and kick ass. “Okay nasties, come and get me.” He smeared his foot across the salt barrier. A rush of wind knocked him backward. Smoke billowed inside the room, wrapping everything in grey. Kyle narrowed his eyes as a figure stepped forward. Melody! He rushed toward her, his relief made him happier than he'd ever been in his life. Glowing red eyes stared at him and Kyle skidded to a stop an arm's length from her. The devil possessing Melody tossed up a hand and Kyle sailed through the air and crashed into a bookshelf.
“A witch’s body,” the voice was scratchy and too low to belong to Melody. “This will do nicely.”
Kyle rose. “Get out of her, demon!” Rushing forward, he plowed into the monster.
Since the demonic creature was in Melody’s body, he couldn't fight a devil, but he could piss it off enough to get a ride back to the astral with it. He looped his arm around her throat, blocking off just enough air to subdue the creature.
“You think I need oxygen to survive?” It laughed, and Kyle tightened his hold.
Without straining or warning, the creature tossed Kyle over his shoulder, the wooden desk stopping his fall.
