Blood (The Grimm Cases Book 3)

by Lyla Oweds

  Damen’s expression had fallen at Julian’s arrival, and he shrugged in response.

  “It makes sense,” he said. “Someone has got to deal with things there. Julian’s magic is focused on the essence of a person, their physical aspects and memories. You interact with the spirits bound to earth, or act as a bridge for them to transition to the next stage. And I deal with them when they’ve moved into that realm.”

  “But you can’t see ghosts,” I pointed out.

  “Only in the underworld,” Damen said. “A soul changes once it’s passed over. In this world, I can only see spirits if they manifest themselves or if my shikigami is present. My shikigami acts as a lens for that realm.”

  Did this mean that Damen was basically Hades? “What about Miles and Titus?”

  “Miles nurtures this realm. He prepares it for the growth of living beings and life. And Titus collects the souls of those who fall between the cracks.”

  “Shifters…” I tapped my chin. “Are they animal or human?”

  “They’re both,” Damen explained. “But the balance between the animal side and human side is delicate. It takes a bit more time to make right.”

  Make right?

  “So, to answer your question…” Damen waved his hand, moving on. “When a spirit has reached my realm, they’ve already reached their potential. There’s no more choices, no more growth. They are evil or good, or mostly, in between. But when a soul is born into the world, the possibilities are endless. It makes an interesting study to learn why someone would possibly choose to be evil. What could make them think it’s worth the risk? Or, is it as they say, that evil is subjective?”

  “Damen thinks humans are redeemable.” Julian leaned back, resting on his arms. “He believes that anyone can change. And that everyone can be good.”

  “Not everyone. Just most people,” Damen said, throwing a sharp look at Julian. “There are cases where evil is, and people are too far gone for redemption.” His attention return to me. “After someone has already died, if they remain on Earth, it’s rare for a spirit to change. A soul is stuck in a loop of the emotions that preceded them in death. Usually, they won’t change. It’s no use protecting them from the inevitable.”

  I had been protecting them? I didn’t see it that way.

  Then, something else he said stood out to me. “You think Bryce is redeemable?” As much as I hated him, I almost hoped he could be. He seemed like, once put into his place, he’d be a handy subordinate.

  And he’d be so much fun to torture.

  Damen’s mouth, which had opened to say something else, snapped shut.

  Julian chuckled before he pulled me closer to his side and kissed my forehead. “Good job,” he whispered. “That’ll get him thinking.”

  I glanced at Julian, but the doorbell rang and he stood up. “Brace yourself,” he called back to Damen, “and be nice. Bianca needs this.”

  Damen scowled but didn’t say anything. Once Julian left the room, he shifted until he’d moved to my side. His posture was tense, and there was a coldness to him that didn’t fit.

  “What’s wrong?” I poked his arm until his gaze met mine. “You seem angry.”

  His lips thinned. “I’m not happy with them being here. However, as Julian just reminded me, none of us know how to help you like they can.”

  It was true. I’d been trying to deny it, but Brayden would be a good teacher. But I didn’t want my quest for knowledge to come at Damen’s expense. Knowing that he was upset bothered me. Even more than the occasional brush of fear and anger that threatened to overtake Miles’s wards.

  Although the feelings weren’t mine and it was becoming easier to differentiate, it was hard not to let them build on my anxiety. If not kept in check, I’d be overwhelmed.

  But Damen was upset. Did Bryce really have to be part of the package?

  I was trying to stay positive. Damen wasn’t looking at the bright side. He could be thinking of all the ways we’d be able to torture Bryce. Instead, he was mulling.

  The longer I watched Damen, the worse I felt. In fact, my chest, already close to bursting, constricted in physical pain. I had to help him. “If it makes you uncomfortable, we don’t need them here. I can get over it. It’s not a big deal.”

  Damen, who’d been glaring at the entryway, turned his attention back to me. “Pardon?”

  “Bryce,” I clarified. “You don’t want him here. I only want him here to torture him. We could tell them to leave. It’s not the end of the world.”

  Guilt flickered across his expression, and he blinked rapidly. But instead of saying anything, he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me to his side, close enough to hear the shaky breath he took before he finally responded. “No, you shouldn’t have to get used to living in terror. I’ll just have to keep alert. You need training. And they need to know eventually, if they haven’t figured it out already. It’ll move faster than I wanted, but I’ll get over it.”

  I didn’t know I needed training. I thought this was just a helpful perk. “Why is it important that I have training now?”

  “You’ve been off your medication.” Damen’s voice was a rumble against my ear. “But you’ve been on them for a very long time. Your system is still flushing them out. You’re going to grow stronger. You need to learn how to cope with the abilities you have.”

  But I’d been fine. “But—”

  “And that’s not accounting for who you are,” Damen continued. “Memories can be overwhelming, and the weight of your responsibilities… I’m not that selfish. That’s why they exist. As much as it pains me to admit it, you need Bryce.”

  Oh man. I was about to deny needing Bryce to do anything, when the aforementioned man strode through the doorway.

  He was more casually dressed than I’d ever seen. Generally, he wore suits. But tonight, he’d had on artfully torn jeans and a white V-neck shirt. The difference was disturbing. Before I could get used to it, he sought me out.

  He wasted no time greeting me. “Hello, Miss Brosnan.”

  My thoughts slammed to a halt.

  What to do? I’d never addressed him as anything before. There was no way I could call him Mr. Dubois. It didn’t fit. And I wasn’t certain I could say his actual name to his face without sneering or earning a detention.

  Cue panic.

  The silence lengthened and the atmosphere grew awkward. I had to think of something, and quick. “Hey, you.”

  Bryce frowned, and there was an almost silent chuckle beside me. Thankfully, though, I was saved by Brayden’s entrance.

  Unlike Bryce, he was much more relaxed—wearing navy plaid bottoms and a black crew shirt. He, apparently, understood the meaning of ‘slumber party.’ “Hi, Bianca.” He grinned at me.

  “Hello, Brayden.” His enthusiasm was contagious. And look at that, he’d even brought my books. He put them near the overnight bags and monitors. What a nice person.

  This exchange seemed to lighten Damen’s spirits even more. After another nearly silent laugh, he pressed his lips against my hair while Bryce and Brayden put their bags aside.

  “Thank you,” he said, so low only I could hear.

  I wasn’t sure why he was thanking me. This was a disaster. I literally had no idea what to call Bryce. How long could this go on before everyone noticed?

  But whatever. It seemed to make Damen happy. “No problem.”

  Julian followed Brayden into the room, returning to my other side. Bryce moved to the couch nearby, while Brayden moved to sit across the circle from me. Between Damen and Julian, I was surrounded by muscle. It made me wonder if the setup was deliberate? Were they trying to intimidate Bryce and Brayden?

  Or perhaps they just wanted to sit next to me? I wasn’t sure, but all this testosterone was beginning to make me feel ill. Where was Maria? I had the sudden urge for some bosom-buddy time.

  Why were we sitting in a circle now though? I didn’t think we were doing anything yet.

  “What’s happening? Are we
doing an exorcism now, or doing medium stuff?” I asked, glancing at Brayden.

  “Mediums generally do not perform exorcisms, even though our presence is helpful,” Bryce responded, crossing his legs. “And it is not time to discuss training right now.”

  “We’re waiting for Miles and Titus.” Damen leaned back, watching Bryce even as he spoke to me. “We need two things to exorcise anyone. Brayden already gathered the required information. We’d also need an item that ties the spirit to this world. We’re not certain of what we could use for that yet. Meanwhile, it might help to know more about Lily. That is what Miles has been working on. And Titus is in the basement. He’s going to bring up the remains for Julian.”

  I glanced at Julian, and he read the question in my expression. “I’ll be doing a reading on Lily’s bones,” he explained, looking none too pleased. “I couldn’t get near them before now. It was a strong curse, and Miles had to use some force to break it. The action left the remains delicate. The memories that have stayed will be fragile.”

  My vision drifted back to Damen. “What was the curse?”

  “I’d like to know as well,” Bryce interjected, “since no one has told us anything. You said you’d fill us in.” He leveled an expectant glare at Damen.

  After a tense moment, Damen sighed. “I did, didn’t I? I suppose you’re in, temporarily.”

  “What a joy,” Bryce replied.

  “The curse was tied to the bones.” Damen ignored Bryce’s response. “At its core, it’s a tracking curse. It uses forbidden magic, which makes the process more complicated.”

  “Why?” I asked.

  “Earth-based magic is uncomplicated and a spell’s intentions are straightforward,” Julian explained. “Even the strongest spells are simple. The strength of the spell comes from the caster, not the magic itself. Therefore, cancelling out another’s magic takes skill. You’re intervening with another’s intentions, and the opposition’s willpower must overshadow the original’s.”

  “Curses and spells are the same, but different,” Damen interjected. “While spells are based on the person, curses are made stronger through a sacrifice. Any kind of sacrifice in practice is banned, but almost nothing is as powerful as a curse born from human sacrifice. In such cases, the curse is tied to the object that gave it strength. Unless the object is destroyed, or the spell counteracted, it is difficult to break a curse.”

  Chills shot down my spine. “Does this mean Lily was sacrificed?”

  “Most likely.” Damen grimly nodded. “What makes a curse powerful is the emotions of the victim. They are tied in to the creation of the curse. It’s hard to match that kind of terror.”

  Poor Lily… “So they used her remains after she died?”

  “During her death,” Damen corrected with a frown. “Spells are cast at key points, they must be completed before the victim dies.”

  “You seem to know a lot about this topic.” Bryce examined Damen critically.

  “You’ll find that I know many things,” Damen replied, not missing a beat. “In any case, because of their nature, spells serve one purpose. However, with advanced practitioners, multiple intentions can be interwoven into one casting. This was the case here—each part of the spell had to be unraveled. That was why Miles needed my help. For anyone else, this would have been unbreakable.”

  I knew that Miles was powerful, but to hear—

  “She doesn’t really know how this works, does she?” Brayden watched me curiously. “It’s as if she was raised in complete seclusion from our world. How is that possible?”

  My throat closed and my heart raced. I needed guidance, not judgment.

  Julian gripped my hand in response. “There are certain things she isn’t aware of, but we will approach things as they come up.”

  “So, what was the curse doing exactly?” Bryce asked Damen, ignoring this sub-topic. “He had to know before he could remove it.”

  Damen latched on to Bryce’s reprise. “There were three intentions to this curse. A draining curse, for one.”

  “A draining curse?” Brayden asked. “I’ve never heard of that before.”

  “You wouldn’t, because they are almost completely ineffective against your kind,” Damen explained. “There was also a seeking curse, meant to alert the owner if a person meeting specific criteria was nearby.”

  “How can that be, if the curse was tied to these remains?” Bryce asked. “I saw Brayden’s research. This Lily person died a long time ago. The witch involved would be dead by now.”

  “And that is the third intention.” Damen touched his glasses. “There’s an inheritance curse involved too. Someone of the same bloodline is involved. They’ve been aware of Bianca all this time. I’m not sure why they haven’t acted. But from what Miles assumes, there might be other locations where this ritual has been done. The castor might not know where the spell has been activated. But it’s only a matter of time until they figure it out.”

  “What is the point?” Bryce leaned back. “Why cast these spells, especially if you don’t know where the target is? What could they possibly gain from it?”

  “I’m not sure.” Damen stroked his chin. “That’s what we need to figure out.”

  “Alexander Cole is up to something.” Titus strode into the room, carrying a sheet-wrapped bundle. “I’ve got people on him. If he has any part in this, we’ll know soon. In the meantime, we will do what we can here.” He walked to the center of the circle, laying the package down. The bundle shifted as his arms no longer supported the sides, and my stomach churned.

  I had known Titus would bring up human remains, of course. But there was something disturbing about seeing physical evidence of Lily’s… well, Lily.

  “Can I sit next to you?” A shadow fell over me, and my focus tore from the sheet to Titus. He was standing over me, his face hopeful.

  Since the moment we’d shared in the car, I’d felt guilty. Especially since, as I admitted to Julian, I’d known he hadn’t been up to anything nefarious. But still… it was hard to move past old fears.

  The fact that he was asking, the way he seemed so unsure, made my heart pound. This back and forth relationship between us scared me. But he was reaching out again, so maybe I hadn’t messed up everything.

  “Of course.” I was suddenly shy, glancing between the guys beside me to see where he’d fit. Meanwhile, Damen and Julian were watching each other with wary gazes.

  “Here.” Damen sighed, sliding over with a dramatic flourish as he gestured to the now-empty space. “You can sit in between us, if you must.”

  “Oh my God.” Brayden drawled out the word as Titus slid to the ground beside me. “Could you lot be any more obvious?”

  Bryce, on the other hand, didn’t say a word. He watched the scene with a look of barely concealed curiosity.

  “Never mind.” Julian’s tone was almost bored. “When Miles finishes his preparation, I’ll get started.”

  “Yes, the bundle of bones.” Bryce’s strange look vanished. “Why are you doing a reading?”

  Damen nodded his head, as if he’d expected this question. “If we do this, we’re going to be questioned by the council. Especially as the Cole family is involved. They’re the ones behind the curse, and this is their history. They will try to question our methods in order to get the attention off them.”

  “What does that have to do with—” Bryce began.

  “We need more proof,” Damen interrupted. “We need names, dates, and events. And we need to know how Lily actually died. What the ritual was used for. Facts that they cannot charm their way out of, and a reason why we’ve had to break protocol.”

  “That’s also an excellent way to remove the spotlight from your actions.” Brayden tilted his head, studying Damen. “Especially since the elders will be all over the Cole family. The Coles won’t have time to retaliate. And the elders will be so busy, they’ll completely overlook Bianca and how much attention you’ve been paying her.”

  Chapter Ni
neteen

  Bianca

  Summon

  “You’re using them as a diversion. You don’t want the elders to notice you.” Bryce’s mouth thinned. “Miles broke the curse. If you continue this path to expose their crimes, they will get you first.” Bryce’s gaze flickered to me. “People have already died trying to go against them. People have died in this case. You’re going to risk her?”

  “My family is well aware of their sphere of influence.” Damen’s eyes burned with a hidden warning. “But she will not be one of their victims.”

  “There’s another option,” Brayden said, raising his hands in the air. “If the curse is broken and they haven’t figured out what triggered it, then no one will come after Bianca. She’s been marked, but why not just exorcise the spirits and be on your way?”

  But what about Lily? My heart raced as I glanced between the boys, trying to follow along.

  “First of all, we don’t know the motives behind their curse. Or if they’ve figured out Bianca triggered it. I don’t like leaving any loose ends. She’s still potentially a target for… whatever it is they had planned.” Damen’s tone was sharp. “Secondly, the only reason we’re doing this is because of Lily, not the other two. Bianca wants to help her.”

  “It’s not worth it.” Bryce leaned forward. “Maybe she’ll move on once the other two are gone. Maybe not. But in this situation, it’s best to let her be. She’s already fading, there’s not much more we can do before it’s too late. It’s sad, but you’re not going to be able to get justice for her. I’m sorry, but that is my decision.”

  He wanted to leave Lily? But we couldn’t! That was probably the exact opposite of everything mediums were supposed to do.

  An undercurrent of fear rippled through the air, and a sense of fury raced through me. She thought I’d leave her? Not after all this.

  I wouldn’t. This wasn’t his place.