I smiled. Laughter was good for me right now. Relaxed me.
Charlotte stood before me in the center of the central circle. With the spell that Jessa had placed on my eyes, I could see her wolf in iridescent pink on her chest, like a truck-stop T-shirt.
Nash brought me a cordless wood burner and a picture of the symbol that I needed to burn over her mark. I’d made it very clear that I was not going to have that evil book anywhere near this spell work.
“A wood burner?” I asked as I touched the smoldering tip of the pen-sized tool. It burned a hole into my pointer finger but the black dot disappeared quickly with my healing.
“Better than what he did it with the first time,” Charlotte said as she pulled up her shirt and turned around.
Her mark was planted at the base of her spine, just above the waistband of her almost indecently short shorts.
“Do you want to sit down?”
“Guess it would be better than you kneeling to look at my butt.”
Charlotte sat cross-legged on the ground and I sat behind her, tucking the paper under my toe.
“If this doesn’t work—” I started.
Charlotte turned her head to sweep her long dark hair out of the way. “If this doesn’t work, you tried. More than he ever did for us.”
I took in a deep breath and focused on the dark mark. It seemed to swirl under her skin, like a life force of its own, the black not just ink undulating under the surface, but evil locked under her skin.
“Think about something nice. This is going to hurt.”
I steadied my hand on her back and let out a breath. This was just like drawing on someone, only it would smell like barbeque.
When I made the first line across the swirling black mass, it burned with a white light.
Charlotte cried out and her energy spiked around her, her power pulling at mine. It took everything I had to keep behind my shield, not to reach out to her. This was working, but at what cost?
“You okay?”
“Friggin’ peachy.”
If she had said anything else. If she would have said fine, I would have stopped right there and tried something else, but the defiance in her voice pushed me forward. She was one of mine and she could do this.
I made the second and the third marks and she cried out again, her nails digging into the ground at her side. With each stroke, a fine white line settled over the Demon Lock.
And the Demon Lock was fighting back. The strands that connected her to the demon were red and angry as they swirled around on the mark, tendrils of red-hot energy reaching out. Her life force and the demon’s were fighting each other in the circle mark on her back.
“Last one.”
Charlotte nodded and, even though I couldn’t see her tears, I could feel them running down her cheeks.
As the wood burner drew one last line across the mark, I heard the pop when the spell was completed, when the mark was broken.
Charlotte gasped as I watched the darkness fade from her mark as a tendril of hot energy shot out and across the field like an angry arrow. Take that, you lousy piece of demon.
I looked down at the mark and saw the part of Charlotte that needed healing. Light, wispy fingers reached out like a scared child and looked like an exposed nerve as its tendrils waved outstretched, searching.
I scurried back on the ground but I knew that I couldn’t be far enough away. She needed to heal herself. “Charlotte, focus. The symbol will help you, but you have to focus.”
Her shaking shoulders and her clenched jaw told me she was, but it wasn’t enough and I couldn’t risk sending my power to her to make her stronger.
A golden strand jutted out at me. I flinched and held my hand up, like I could have caught it.
When I opened my eyes, the tendril was stopped, still lunging out at me but like a dog at the end of its chain. I was stopping it. I was preventing it from touching me by my sheer will.
And if I could stop it, maybe I could turn it back to Charlotte.
I had to try. Use that big brain of yours, Vi. Every thing else was a visual. The brick tower that kept my power safe. The curio cabinet of my pack members that kept them protected in my head.
I thought of my hand like a mirror and pushed forward. Slowly, the tendril backed off.
On my knees, I crawled across the ground back to Charlotte. The tendril darted a few times, but I caught it again and pressed forward until my hand hovered right over Charlotte’s exposed power.
“Can you feel that?”
Charlotte nodded.
“Take it. Just reach out for it and take it. It’s already yours.”
With one deep breath, Charlotte expanded her power around her and the tendril was absorbed into her.
Charlotte collapsed and I waved for Nash to bring bandages. He pressed the bandage against the fresh mark and carefully ran the tape around the edges to make it stick.
I shook Charlotte’s shoulder. “Talk to me, Charlotte.”
She pushed herself up from the grass and turned to look at me with a little wince. She looked around, and I could see the wolf still emblazed across her chest. Brighter. Stronger.
“I think . . .” she started. “I’m good.” She nodded. “Yeah. I’m good.”
I resisted the urge to do a happy dance. It was all too easy. But then again, no one had ever tried before. Except for crazy Violet.
Nash however, did not resist showing his excitement. “Ready for another?”
I DIDN’T HAVE the energy for another big speech that night. Only half of the pack stayed and I saw the other half of them off with brief instructions: Don’t do anything stupid; you’ll know if something happens and you’ll have to choose.
The Fang sisters went back to their kids. The Rosario brothers went back to the restaurant. Hannah and Evan went back to their burrow with instructions to recreate the white stones that I’d put around Iris’s house. Gator took Remy home with instructions to tell his girlfriend Twila that the Prima wanted to meet with their Coven leader, but I was sure that he’d already texted her something to that effect.
But I kept Jane for another night. She slept for the better portion of the evening and barely ate her dinner, her hands still shaking. Her mark took a little longer and fought me a little bit more, but eventually, it broke. It was the first time I’d seen her smile.
Iris was quiet. I brought her tea on the porch as the sun went down.
“Tucker and the boys offered to fortify the barn.”
I smiled. I hadn’t even asked Iris if I could get married there. This place was more like home than any I’d ever found. Guess if I was going to start with the Plan A stuff about keeping everyone in the loop, I might as well start here.
“Chaz and I want to get married in the barn.”
Iris didn’t react except for the single tear that squeezed out of her eye that she quickly caught with her knobby knuckle.
“And I supposed since you’re the closest thing he’s got to family, I should probably make sure it’s okay with you we’re getting married.”
“You’re two grown adults. You don’t need my permission.”
“But we’d still like to have your blessing.”
Iris looked over at me. “I don’t know that I can give it.”
It wasn’t like a stab to the chest; it was an actual stab to the chest. “Iris,” I winced.
“There was a reason that I never married, Violet. Wasn’t because there wasn’t opportunity.”
Iris put down her tea and turned toward me. “You know that I hate preaching and you know that you’re already doing a better job of this than I ever did, but a Prima has to stand alone. The ultimate decisions have to be yours.”
“Why?”
Iris almost jumped at the question.
“Where does it say that I can’t have a Primo? That I can’t share?”
Iris shook her head. “You just don’t know.”
“Then tell me, Iris. Help me learn.”
Iris’s j
aw clenched and her hands clasped on the arms of the rocker. “I was the reason Dallas fell. I was the reason Haverty wormed his way in. My weakness, my mistakes alone.”
“Just because you took the blame doesn’t mean the others were blameless.”
“But they could sleep well at night when it was my fault.”
The truth of it trickled down my skin and bumps. “You gave them peace.”
“Until Haverty turned to that demon for more power.”
“It was still peace, Iris. And, not to get too epic about it all, but you’ve done good by me, by this pack.”
Iris looked out across the backyard as the night darkened.
“Given me some peace. Hell, Iris, you’ve been Chaz’s family.”
“I’m just trying to say that the hard decisions have to be yours, as the Prima. You will always have the biggest sacrifice. The buck stops with you.”
I nodded. I knew this. And I told her.
Her blue eyes shone in the moonlight. “Chaz can’t be that sacrifice.”
“Never, Iris. I want him to be in on that big decision. I want him to share everything.”
Iris nodded and her eyes went back out to the field. “I just hope that’s enough.”
“Think of how much stronger the two of us would be.”
The screen door opened and the man of the hour walked out and our conversation stopped. “How are my girls?”
“So you want to get married in the barn?” Iris said.
Chaz grinned as he knelt between us. “You always said I was raised in one, so it seems fitting.”
“Have you figured out what rings you’re going to use?”
I looked down at Chaz. “Haven’t really talked about it.”
Chaz winked up at me. “Doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about it. I figure since you’ve got my mom’s rings, I might wear your dad’s.”
“Not sure we should have so much heirloom silver out there.”
Chaz stopped smiling.
“I’ve got my parents’,” Iris said, still gazing at the backyard, as if she was actively trying to hide the tears in her eyes. “Not like I’ve got anyone to pass them down to. It’s gold, so it won’t kill you.”
“That’s a bonus.”
Iris pulled herself up from her rocking chair. “I think I’ll go to bed. See if you can keep the howling to a minimum tonight.”
“Yes, ma’am,” we answered in tandem as we watched her toddle into the kitchen.
Chaz got up and pulled her rocking chair closer and reached out to take my hand.
“So you’re really going to unite Dallas?”
“That’s Plan A.”
“What do you want me to do?” Chaz looked across the field. “I need my marching orders like everyone else.”
“Thought we covered that this morning. Right next to mine when I kill that bastard.”
Chaz faked a shiver. “You know l like it when you talk all tyranty.”
“Maybe that psychic was right all those months ago. Maybe you just need to protect me.”
Chaz nodded. “Check. Protect the girl. Done.”
“Which means that you have to stay really close to me. Like all the time.”
“Should probably shower with you just to be sure no water demons try to attack you.”
I laughed. “That’s a good start.”
I rested my head against the rocking chair and listened to the quiet. I was exhausted. The hand that Chaz held still ached from this afternoon, but it was a good ache. It was the ache of a good day’s work.
“I’m okay with Dad, you know.”
I looked over at my golden fiancé.
Chaz looked at me. His fingers tightened around mine and there was glassiness to his eyes. “I mean, I get it. He was fighting the good fight. Just wished that he would have thought about me for a second before he did it.”
“I think he was. He was trying to make Dallas safer for you. So you could grow up.”
“I was already grown up and working my own sacred destiny.”
“Doesn’t mean he didn’t still see you as his little boy.”
Chaz sniffed and looked over at me with a small smile. “How did you get all-knowing about family? I thought we were orphans together.”
“I think Waylon reminded me. He’s got this image of me in his head as this chubby teenager. I think he always will, despite the fact that I can kick his ass across the county without breaking a sweat.” I pulled at his hand. “And you’re not an orphan, Chaz. You’ve got Iris. And you’ve got me. And a niece and even a cousin, if you’ll have him despite the bad timing with his prophetic visions. And that’s not even the pack, the boys.”
“Please don’t harp about the pack, Violet.”
“Okay. I won’t harp. Besides, I’ve got the rest of our life to harp on it. And now that I’ve given up my job for you, I’ve got a lot more time on my hands.”
CHAZ STOPPED BY the coffee shop, or I made him stop at the coffee shop before we even went home the next evening. The shop looked good with the lights back on against the dark street and Bastian looked even better behind the bar. He smiled and tossed the steaming towel on the espresso maker as I walked across the floor.
“Miss Jordan,” he greeted.
“Don’t you even start.” I leaned forward on the counter and looked around at the life ebbing from the place.
“Caramel macchiato?” Bastian asked.
“Extra whipped cream.”
I followed Bastian down the bar.
“How did you do it, Violet? I’ve watched you pay for coffee in handfuls of pennies before.”
“Someone died,” I answered honestly.
“Oh my God, I’m sorry.” Bastian’s eyes went all puppy dog.
“Everything’s fine. Did you get all the paperwork sent in?”
“Yeah. Your lawyer is a shark though.”
I laughed. “You have no idea.”
We paused our conversation as he steamed the milk.
“I can’t thank you enough, Violet.”
And here we got to the part that I’d been practicing in the car ride home. The reason that I really made Chaz stop here. “It’s not completely altruistic. I will unfortunately need to exert some powers of ownership.”
A furrow formed between Bastian’s sandy brows. “Like what?”
“Like I’m going to make some modifications to the back room and I might ask you to hire a few people. Close up early on occasion. But the coffee making is all up to you.”
Bastian nodded. “Whatever you need, Violet.”
I smiled. “Might be nice to have a permanent parking spot out front.”
Bastian laughed and it echoed off the espresso-soaked floors and the arts-and-craft-covered walls and surrounded me with a warmth that made me feel like this was all going to work out just fine.
I bathed in that glow for exactly the time it took for Bastian to finish up my coffee and for me to walk to Chaz’s car parked out front.
My cell phone began to ring. I fumbled for it in my purse and finally found it.
“Hannah?” I answered. She was supposed to be at work. That’s why she had to get back early from the full moon.
“Is that this freak’s name?” The venom carried through the line could have melted the phone in my hand.
My power went out to Hannah and Evan. As I sorted out the power strands to find them, I asked calmly, “Who is this?”
“You know who I am.”
I did. I could practically smell it as I made the connection with Hannah and Evan, scared but together. I wasn’t scared of Kandice’s boyfriend. I was scared because they hadn’t called out to me.
“Tighty whities. I do remember you.”
I got into the car with Chaz and carefully set my coffee in the holder. He knew something was wrong.
I held out my hand. “Drive,” I mouthed.
“What do you want?” I asked TW as Chaz took my hand. His power filled the car and he got the location: the Uptown townhouse.<
br />
“I want Kandice to pay for what she did,” TW hissed.
“What? Wise up and get a decent boyfriend?”
“What?”
Oh, guess he hadn’t heard about that. “If I get there and a single curly hair is out of place on their heads, I won’t just chase you down the street naked. Tonight, I’m feeling hungry.”
Chapter Nineteen
CHAZ STOPPED AT the darkened end of the street.
There was what looked like a tailgate party outside of the townhouse. Five trucks surrounded the front of the house. It looked out of place on the narrow street filled with Smart Cars and Mini Coopers.
I slipped out of the car. The smell of alcohol wafted down the street. Who actually tailgates at a lynch mob? At least they’ll have ice to nurse their wounds.
“They’ve got Hannah and Evan.”
Chaz shook his head. “How did they even find them?”
“I will never underestimate the power of stupid again.”
He went to his trunk and opened it.
I walked around to join him, using the open trunk to hide us. As if that bunch was smart enough to be on the defensive. “I can’t kill them, Chaz. But I don’t know another way to stop it. Just scaring the wits out of them didn’t go as planned.”
He pulled out a small dart gun and a baseball bat.
“How long have you wanted to use that?” I pointed to the gun.
“Only like three months.” Chaz tucked the gun into the back of his pants. His hip holster already held his everyday gun. “But how are you going to do this, Vi? If intimidation didn’t work the last time?”
“I really will just have to eat him.” It was worth the look in Chaz’s eyes and the laugh that bubbled out of my throat. “I don’t know, Chaz. They took my people. I’m not playing with them this time.”
“And frankly, I don’t want you burping redneck all the way home.”
I snorted. “I love you.”
I stared down at the street and thought. These guys were smart enough to find them, but stupid enough to actually think that they could take on a Prima.
Of course, they didn’t exactly know I was a Prima. I wondered what tighty whities had told them happened that night in order to get them roused enough to mob it up.
Nine Lives of an Urban Panther Page 22
