by T. M. Cromer
Rylee’s eyes softened for a moment, but hardened back to cold jewel-like diamonds mere seconds later. “You’re a liar! You’ve always been a liar!” she spat. Hatred flared to life in her dark eyes. Ryanne could see the flame of insanity deep in their depths, and a chill swept over her.
“When I return, we are going to get you help. Whatever spell Victor’s cast over you, I intend to break, Rylee. Count on it.”
Rylee snorted her derision. “You think he won’t be able to tell you are posing as me the second you step into his office? You’re a fool.”
“Come away, Ryanne. You’re wasting your time here.” Nash stroked her back. “She’s not going to help you.”
“Yes, Ryanne. Run along. It’s time to dance to the Great Nash Thorne’s tune like the good little puppet you are.”
Fury unlike any she’d ever experienced, pounded against her temples and made her want to smack the ever-loving shit out of her sister. The only thing that stilled her hand was the oddity of the sudden anger. Where had it come from? It wasn’t like Rylee hadn’t taken verbal pot-shots at her before. This blinding rage was so far from normal, it gave Ryanne pause. Was this another side effect of her revived magic, like the fire flaring from her fingertips last night?
When she returned from retrieving the Red Scorpion, she intended to get to the bottom of this. She couldn’t go around raging at people or setting things on fire.
Because she refused to give in to hate, Ryanne leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her twin’s forehead. “I’m sorry, Leelee. For whatever wrongs you think I’ve done to you, whatever affection you feel I’ve withheld, I’m sorry. I do love you, despite what you may believe.”
Once again, Rylee’s eyes softened and tears welled up. Their gazes locked in a moment of unity, as they had when they were young children before potential parents would interview them at the group home. But in a blink, their connection was lost, and Rylee turned her head to stare at the wall.
“Don’t forget your fake journal, Rylee.” Rylee gave a harsh laugh. “Like Victor will fall for that one.”
Ryanne hurried away, unable to bear another second of the animosity. The very air around her sister was thick with hate and too stifling to breathe.
“You feel it too, don’t you?” Nash asked her quietly.
“Feel what?” she asked, irritation heavy in her tone.
“That. Right there.” He pointed. “The negative emotions bubbling up out of nowhere.”
“It’s been happening on and off since my sister showed up. I assumed it was my nerves getting the better of me.”
“I think it’s something else, although I’m not sure exactly what.”
“Do you think anyone else feels it?”
“If I had to take a guess, yes. Autumn was snarkier than normal earlier. Spring definitely felt the pull of stronger magic. She mentioned as much before she introduced herself, remember?”
“Yes, but at the time, I didn’t realize this…this…well, whatever this is, was what she was referring to.” She waved a hand around her chest and head when the proper words failed her.
Ryker approached them. “It will be dark within two hours. If we want to find Salinger’s compound, we need to get going.” He faced Nash. “Your father and I were discussing it. We think you should stay here.”
“No fucking way. Achoo!”
Alastair sauntered up, his clenched fist a clear indication he’d anticipated Nash’s reaction. “You are too volatile where your young woman is concerned, son. Ryker, Knox, and I have this handled.”
Ryanne looked at the tall blond man standing beside Alastair. He’d remained silent most of the day, only adding his two cents when asked directly. The guy was extraordinary in every way. His long hair begged females to run their fingers through the thick locks, while his intelligent blue eyes saw everything and made a woman feel overly warm if he spared them a glance. He was the perfect match for the breathtaking Spring, and appeared to only have eyes for her.
In his deep baritone, he now promised Nash he’d not let anything happen to Ryanne. “I owe you, man.”
“I…” Nash pressed his lips together and turned to stare down at her.
Ryanne understood his reticence. She would never say it aloud, but she wanted him to wait for her outside the perimeter of Victor’s reach, ready to step in should she need it. This man was highly capable when he set his mind to it. This new realization startled her, but she knew no one on the planet made her feel safer.
“Keep my sister out of trouble,” she finally said, making the decision for him.
With one last hard hug, she left.
Chapter 16
As they traveled the long, winding road toward Victor Salinger’s property, Alastair experienced misgivings. For certain, the overall energy of his office complex had been off, but he was at a loss as to understand why. He still wasn’t convinced Ryanne had been completely in the dark regarding her sister’s connection to Victor, but then again, Alastair had learned the hard way that loyalty meant different things to different people.
“My chances of getting out of Victor’s compound are low, aren’t they?” Ryanne asked from the backseat of Rylee’s sporty Jeep.
Alastair shared a grim look with Ryker. Both of them had been in the enemy camp and lived to tell about it, but they’d both lost friends, fellow witches and warlocks who hadn’t been so lucky.
He twisted in the seat to meet her steady gaze. She had courage, this mate to his son. And in that regard, he admired her. If Ryanne wasn’t playing them false, Alastair would do whatever was in his power to help her return to Nash.
“I don’t know, child. But what I can promise you, is that we will do whatever is necessary to get you out unharmed.”
She nodded and turned to stare at the passing scenery.
Alastair twisted slightly to look at Knox. Spring’s young man had been quiet since they commissioned his help earlier. “What’s bothering you, boy?”
“I’m not entirely certain. I do know there is something off about this whole thing.” He shot a glance at Ryanne. “I want to go in with her.”
“You can’t. We have to assume that Salinger has had us all under surveillance at one point or another. If that’s the case, he’d recognize you in a second.”
“I can glamour a disguise or cloak myself.”
“He’d detect the magic. No, I’m afraid Ryanne has to go by herself.”
“It goes against my nature to let her take all the risks. The Council won’t care how we obtain the necklace, as long as we do. Maybe we should scrap this idea and try to get a plan of the building. Hell, you’re skilled at picking locks. You could get us inside.”
Alastair smiled wryly. “Son, you would charge in where angels fear to tread. Maybe it’s the nature of your gift, but you’re going to have to trust me on this one.”
Knox’s troubled expression weighed on Alastair. The man’s instincts were sharper than any Alastair had ever seen, perhaps even his own. If Knox had a bad feeling about sending Ryanne inside to retrieve the necklace, chances were, he was right. Such had been the case when he and Spring went to Cartagena for the third magical artifact to revive Aurora. That trip hadn’t gone as planned.
“Turn the vehicle around, Ryker.” Three pair of eyes snapped in his direction. He smiled ruefully at the couple in the backseat. “We’ll find another way.”
“No. I promised Nash I’d get that necklace,” Ryanne protested.
“And you will, child, only not today. Not like this. I’ve learned to trust this young man’s feelings on certain things.” He tilted his head toward Knox. “You mean more to my son than a piece of jewelry.”
“A powerful piece of jewelry, Mr. Thorne. I couldn’t live with myself if something terrible happens because Victor has it.”
“He won’t have it long, Ryanne. Never fear.”
“If you continue to pace, cousin, you are going to wear a hole in the wood floor.”
Nash halted in front of Autum
n. The sardonic twist to her lips made him want to growl in response. “Why do you always have to be a sarcastic bitch?” He sneezed and balled his hand to forestall the onslaught of raccoons.
“Why do you always have to have a stick up your ass?”
“You—”
“Stop!” Spring commanded. The sharp edge was at direct odds with her usual melodic tone. “This is not like either of you.” She paused for a second. “Okay, maybe it’s somewhat like Autumn, but still.” She stood and moved closer to Rylee, tilting her head as she studied the other woman. “What are you hiding?”
“Not a damned thing,” Rylee snapped. “Who does a person have to kill around here to get a damned drink of water or to go to the bathroom?”
“Of course. You’ve been sitting for a while, haven’t you?” Spring said, not unkindly. “I’ll take you.”
As Spring lifted her arm and spoke the words to undo Alastair’s magical binds, a crafty, smug expression washed over Rylee’s face. All Nash’s nerve endings went on high alert.
“No, wait!”
In a stunningly swift move, Rylee was up and had the tip of a wicked-looking blade pressed to Spring’s jugular.
“I will fucking rip you apart if you hurt my sister,” Autumn snarled. “There won’t be a place on this earth where you can hide from me or mine.”
“I’m trembling in my stilettos, bitch,” Rylee sneered. “Spring, in my pants pocket is a necklace. Reach in and get it—carefully I might add. You don’t want to get stung by its tail.”
“I’ll get it,” Autumn quickly volunteered.
“Not you. It will sense your anger and kill you immediately. It has to be someone in control of their emotions.”
It was the only indication that Rylee didn’t really want to harm Spring. Nash tried to force back his instinctive desire the rip out that treacherous bitch’s throat as he channeled a calming energy. “I’ll do it.”
“No tricks, Nash. This blade is laced with poison lethal to witches. One nick and she’s a goner.”
“I get it, Rylee.” What he didn’t get was why none of them had thought to search her. For as smart as the Thorne family collective was, they tended to miscalculate the intelligence of others way too often. How she’d smuggled in a knife—and what Nash believed could very well be the Red Scorpion necklace—made him question his survival instincts. He sighed his disgust. “Which one?”
“Right.”
He glanced down at her flowing palazzo pants and could have sworn he saw movement of the pocket in question. The bulge was obvious now that he looked closer. How had Alastair missed it? His father saw everything. Perhaps he thought she’d pocketed her keys?
“Invisibility spell.”
His head whipped up to stare at her.
“It’s the reason you didn’t see it before now. Why none of you did. I’m assuming that’s what you’re thinking.”
“Yes. Clever trick. We all underestimated you.”
“People always do.” Her look and tone hardened. “Now get the necklace.”
Nash eased open the pocket of her pants. Again, there was movement inside. The sound of the shifting chain made the hair on the back of his neck stand at attention. Man, he so didn’t want to reach in and touch that damned thing. The evil amusement in Rylee’s mocking gaze made him doubly nervous.
“You don’t have to do this, Nash. Not for me.” Clear understanding shone in Spring’s face, and she gave him a brave half-smile.
Keeping his eyes locked on Spring’s, Nash asked, “What guarantee do I have that you won’t hurt her?”
“None,” Rylee snapped.
“Then why should he do as you ask?” Spring reasoned.
How the hell she could remain serene was beyond him, but Nash admired the hell out of her.
“Oh, fine. I’ll let her go as soon as I’m free. Happy?” Rylee sneered.
Mentally taking his balls in hand, he reached into the pocket and grabbed the chain. Slowly, he withdrew it until it dangled in the air between them. He’d seen images of the necklace, but they hadn’t done it justice. The piece was beautiful in a macabre way. The body was slender, fashioned of silver and rubies. One large stone made up the thorax; the deep red seemed to be illuminated from within, catching the light as it swung slightly. Miniature silver pinchers bit into the intricate silver chain. But it was the tail that drew the eye. Even as he watched, it stiffened and curled over the back as if to strike. The line of tiny rubies brightened to fire as the sharp barb whisked back and forth.
Goddess! He shouldn’t fear the thing as much as he did, but he’d read the legend. One sting from that tail, and they’d be entombing him in the family mausoleum.
“Put it on,” Rylee ordered.
“What?”
“I didn’t stutter.”
“You’re a stone-cold bitch, you know that?” Autumn snarled, trembling in her rage and inability to take action.
Nash opened the clasp and reattached the ends at the back of his neck. Once again, the scorpion shifted. He could feel the sharp tips of the eight legs as they dug through his Henley shirt. His skin crawled, and he wanted nothing more than to tear the creepy thing off and fling it across the room, as far away from him as it could possibly get.
“Open the collar of your shirt.”
Again, he did as Rylee commanded.
“Conpressi!”
He gasped and choked off a strangled scream as the necklace contracted around his neck and the scorpion dug into his skin. It was as if it wanted to burrow beneath his flesh. Unless Nash missed his guess, Rylee had sealed his fate.
“Now, my work here is done. Hand me that journal, and I’ll be on my way.”
On leaden feet, he walked to the table and lifted the leather-bound book. With a sense of fait accompli, he placed it in the outstretched hand across Spring’s shoulder. Nash eyed the knife and wondered if he could wrench it from her grasp before Rylee could cut his cousin.
“I wouldn’t try it, hero. Besides, you have enough problems of your own now.” Rylee backed toward the door, using Spring as her shield. “Victor sends his regards to your father. He said it was a life for a life. Your father murdered someone Victor cared about deeply. This is his revenge.” She paused by the door and eased the knife away from Spring’s throat. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry it had to be you, Nash. My sister seems to really care about you.”
With a hard shove to Spring’s back, Rylee dashed through the door.
Autumn pivoted to go after her, but Nash placed a hand on her arm.
“No. Let her go.”
“She took the journal, Nash! We need to get it back to get that thing off your neck!”
He reached up and parted the edges of his shirt. “It’s too late. She sealed it on and accelerated the rate it merges with the wearer’s body.”
Twin horrified gasps from his cousins told him exactly what he expected based on the pain in his upper chest. The Red Scorpion had burrowed deeper and was about to claim another victim.
Chapter 17
Ryanne and her three warlock escorts walked in on Autumn’s colorful tirade. From what little she’d heard, Ryanne could guess the anger was mainly directed at her missing sister. Spring’s mournful expression and the pained, sickly look on Nash’s face also spoke of the dire situation.
Knox took his wife aside and, in a low voice, asked, “What happened?”
Spring shot Ryanne an apologetic glance. “Rylee escaped, but not before sealing the cursed necklace around Nash’s neck.”
Ryanne slowly spun to look at Nash, who sat at Alastair’s desk, his head resting in his hands. As if he sensed her regard, he lifted his head. The bleakness in his eyes nearly destroyed her. Never once in the two years she’d known him had she seen that look on his face. Her heart plummeted, and she rushed across the room to his side. When she would have embraced him, he held up a hand.
“No. It’s alive. This necklace is somehow alive. I can’t take the risk that it will sting you,” he
said hoarsely.
“Oh, Nash,” she whispered, shoving down a sob. Even knowing her sister was responsible, she needed him to tell her it was a mistake. “Please tell me Rylee didn’t knowingly do this to you. Please.”
His grim look confirmed her worst fear.
“Why would she do such a thing?” she asked, dismayed.
Nash closed his eyes and pressed his lips together. One of his hands rose as if to touch his chest, but he balled it into a fist and slowly lowered it to his side.
She dropped her eyes to the base of his throat and blinked twice to clear her vision and to make sure what she saw was real. Even as she watched, the jeweled scorpion shifted and dug deeper into his skin.
“Ohmygod!”
Spring approached and laid a hand on Ryanne’s shoulder. “I was about to go back to my workshop and find him something for the pain.”
“Thank you,” Ryanne said tearfully. “I…” There were no words. Nothing she could say to take away the horror of her sister’s actions to one of the Thorne’s own. How could Rylee have done this? And Nash, oh, dear God, poor Nash. He was showing remarkable control now, but soon enough, he’d be writhing in pain.
She checked the top of the desk for the journal and saw nothing. “Where’s the journal? I’m almost positive I remember reading that there was a way to remove it from a person’s neck. Where’s the book?” Her tone had turned shrill, and she started opening and slamming drawers in her panic.
“Ryanne, stop.” Spring gripped her hands. “Rylee took the book, too. But it wouldn’t matter if she hadn’t. She cast a spell on the necklace to seal it in place and to accelerate its merging with his body.”
“I don’t understand. I can’t… I…” Sobs shook Ryanne, and she slid down the wall to sit on the floor.
“Leave us for a little bit, please.” Nash’s voice was coated in suffering, and yet he urged the others to go as he knelt beside her to offer comfort. “Babe, I need you to listen to me.” He sucked in a breath and groaned. It took several heartbeats before he could continue. “None of this is your fault.” His second long pause had Ryanne reaching for his hand. Although her fingers felt close to breaking under the pressure of his squeeze, she refused to make a sound. If he could endure the agony of the scorpion necklace, she could damned well tolerate his painful grip.
