Unlike the living room, her bedroom colors were soft blues and purples with sea-foam-green walls. Pictures of mermaids and dolphins were hanging on the walls. Now, this was what he would expect of a water witch.
On her bedside table was a picture of two young girls smiling at him and a deck of tarot cards carefully wrapped in silk. He fingered the cards, feeling Ella’s energy covering the package. He slipped them into his pocket. Next, he picked up the picture and recognized a younger Gabriella. He assumed the other girl was her sister Brenna. He gazed at the picture while sadness swept over him. What happened to the young girl who looked so innocent in the picture? Why had she turned to blood magic? What was missing in her life that caused her to destroy it so readily?
He placed the picture back on the table and started opening drawers, rummaging through Gabriella’s things. He needed to find something to point him to where her sister might have gone. He could hear Damek looking through drawers in the small kitchen.
When he opened the drawer full of nightgowns, he fingered the lace while picturing Gabriella wearing them. A punch of lust went through him. She was so beautiful, and she was meant to be his.
Sighing, he pulled several things from the drawer and laid them on the bed. Gabriella would need something to wear. He would pack a bag full of clothes to take back to the house with him. Moving into the bathroom, he grabbed her toiletries and added them to the pile.
“Any luck?” Damek asked from the door as Garrett located a case to hold the items he had selected.
“No, you?”
“I found an address book, but her sister is listed at the apartment we raided last night,” Damek said. “There are several other names listed. I’ll bring the book with us, and we can do some background checks. Gabriella’s desk was a mess, things tossed here and there. I think someone beat us here. I’m not sure what they were after, but several bank statements were scattered about.”
“We’ll have to put a freeze on her finances. Maybe one of her friends will know where Brenna ran off to.”
“I’ll get Tolya and Haytham to interview the neighbors, find out if they saw or heard anything.”
“Elise should be finished looking into Brenna's financials. Let’s head over to headquarters and see what she found out.” Garrett added a pair of jeans and a couple of shirts to the case.
“You taking that stuff to Gabriella?” Damek asked, smirking.
“She’ll need clothes while she’s staying at my house,” Garrett said defensively.
“Oh, sure. Kill her with kindness, but don’t think she won’t run if you let her.”
“I’m hoping she will realize helping me is her only option.” Garrett led the way into the living room.
A key holder on the wall caught his attention. He put down the bag and flipped the tags identifying the keys until he saw one labeled “Basement.” Picking up the key, he showed the tag to Damek.
“Before we go, let’s check out the basement.”
§
The sound of the door opening made Gabriella jump with surprise. She had been dozing on the bed. She sat up as two girls with lavender eyes and blond hair walked in carrying a tray of food and a stack of books. Because they looked like the young girls in the photo with Garrett, Gabriella realized they were his twin sisters.
“We thought you might be hungry,” the girl holding the tray said cheerfully. “I’m Chelsea and this is my sister, Eileen. We had to come over to meet our brother’s Destined One.”
“We heard you were under house arrest, so we brought you some books to read,” Eileen added, putting the books on the table.
“Thank you for the food. I am hungry,” Gabriella admitted.
Chelsea hurried over to the table next to the bed and placed the tray within Gabriella’s reach before climbing onto the foot of the mattress. Eileen soon joined her.
“So what was it like meeting your Destined One?” Chelsea asked. “Did you know him right away? Did your heart beat fast? Did you want to kiss him?”
“Chelsea,” Eileen interrupted. “Give her a minute to answer before you ask any more questions.”
Gabriella looked from one twin to the other. Their faces were so bright and innocent, their expressions so welcoming. Her heart hurt to think of Brenna and who she had become. There was a time when she was just as innocent.
“Well, yes, I knew him at once. I had seen him in a vision that has been recurring. But even without the vision, there seemed to be a magnetic pull between us. I think Garrett felt it as much as I did.” Gabriella reached for half the sandwich on the tray.
“Wow! That is so romantic.” Chelsea rubbed her thumb over her magic-house tattoo.
“You have visions? Is that because you are a water witch?” Eileen asked.
Gabriella nodded as she swallowed her food. “Yes, visions are one of the gifts of the Ainsworth house.” She shuddered when she automatically reached for her magic and found it missing.
“Are you cold?” Chelsea asked, alarmed.
“It’s a reaction to my powers being nullified. As long as I don’t think about it, I’m okay. But when I reach for my magic, all I find is emptiness.”
“I’m sorry.” Chelsea patted Gabriella’s knee. “I’ll ask Dad to petition the council and make them give you back your powers. You weren’t doing blood magic.”
“I’m afraid it’s a little more complicated than that,” Gabriella murmured, her heart warming at Chelsea’s quick defense.
“It must be hard to have a sister who would do blood magic,” Eileen said.
“Yes, I love my sister. But I couldn’t stop her from ruining her life.”
“But it’s her life, not yours,” Eileen pointed out.
“Aren’t you ruining your life by trying to protect her?” Chelsea asked.
Gabriella stopped eating and looked at the girls. Is that what I’m doing? Ruining my life to protect my sister? Did Garrett send them in to wear her down?
“Does Garrett know you’re here?” Gabriella asked, trying to hide her sudden feelings of distrust.
“No. He’ll probably be mad when he finds out we came,” Chelsea said, frowning.
“We should go before he gets back. I don’t want to listen to him lecture us.” Eileen rose from the bed.
“It was nice meeting you, Gabriella. Welcome to the family.” Chelsea followed her sister to the door.
“Once you’re free from house arrest, come over and meet Papa.” Eileen knocked at the door.
The door opened, and a man looked in. Gabriella didn’t recognize him. He had soft blue eyes and brown hair. He looked slightly younger than her twenty-six years. She had to admit he was handsome. But she didn’t feel the kind of attraction she felt for Garrett. She assumed he was her guard.
“Hey, Calder, we’re ready to go,” Chelsea said.
He ushered the girls out before closing the door. The sound of the lock clicking into place echoed in the room.
Gabriella ran to the window and watched as the man escorted the girls outside. Each girl gave him a hug, as he ruffled her hair. The girls got into a small car and drove away while he waved.
Thinking quickly, Gabriella grabbed the silver tray from under the food dishes and flung it at the window. The sound of breaking glass shattered the calm. She pulled air into her lungs and screamed.
Gabriella pressed herself against the part of the wall that would be hidden when the door opened. After only a few moments, she heard someone running up the stairs and unlocking the door. The man ran into the room and, not seeing her, ran to the window. Gabriella crept from behind the door and into the hall. The man turned and, at the same moment, she shut and locked the door.
Not knowing what kind of magic the man had, she raced down the stairs and to the back of the house. He might be able to blow open the bedroom door. Finding a sliding glass door in the library, she quickly slipped outside and ran for the road. It wouldn’t be long until reinforcements were on the way.
§
T
here was only one way into the basement, and that was through a door on the outside of the building. Garrett started to open the lock, but after pulling the door slightly, it swung open with a loud squeak.
“Didn’t you tell me this door was locked last night?” Garrett asked, lifting his brow.
“Yes, I checked it myself before we left. I didn’t know where the key was so I couldn’t open it. You had put Ella to sleep so we couldn’t ask her, and we didn’t search her apartment.”
“I thought it was better that she slept rather than being hysterical.” Saying a quick spell for protection, Garrett stepped through the door.
“You know, if someone is hiding down here, they know we’re coming.” Damek pulled a rowan wand out of his sleeve and followed behind his cousin.
They moved quickly down the well-worn stairs and onto the dirt floor of the basement. The smell of rotting flesh washed over them. Garrett stumbled, and his stomach roiled. The earth beneath his feet seemed to moan in his head. A great weight rested on his chest, and he could hardly draw a breath.
“This is the place, the blood magic miasma is thick down here,” Garrett said, his voice coming out in a croak.
“Shield yourself before you make yourself sick.” Damek placed his hand on Garrett’s shoulder.
The touch seemed to help clear Garrett’s mind. He quickly envisioned a wall of white light surrounding him, which pushed back the effects of the dark magic. Damek recited a quick spell, and the tip of his wand began to glow. Garrett noticed a light on the ceiling and went over to pull the cord. In a moment, the space was illuminated.
They stood in a small area with a hall leading away from the street. Several doors indicated more chambers farther down.
“We’ll have to search each room.” Garrett pulled an oak wand from his sleeve and started down the hall.
“I was afraid you were going to say that,” Damek groaned.
Chapter Three
Gabriella ran down the street, panic threatening to immobilize her. All the houses sat back from the road. Alarm signs dotted lawns and front windows. Panting, she kept running, keeping an eye out for anyone following her. Where was she? Nothing looked familiar. Coming to a park, she ran through the gates and headed away from the road. Mothers pushing strollers lined the path. Teenagers gathered under the shade of trees. How ironic that life went on as if nothing had happened, while her whole world had turned inside out.
Finally, she came to the exit gate of the park. A metro sign stood on the far corner, and she sighed in relief. London. They must have ported from her pub in Newport.
Dashing across the street and down the stairs to the station, she prayed that she had some money on her. Putting her hand in her pocket, she felt paper. She pulled out several bills. The one on top was a five-pound note. At least, Garrett had left her with something.
After quickly buying a ticket, she hurried down to the platform. The train came rushing in and she raced inside. She stood in the doorway, looking back toward the stairs as the train headed down the tracks.
As the train entered a tunnel, Gabriella saw Calder running down the stairs. She sank down into the nearest seat, her knees suddenly wobbly. He was too late. She had done it. She had escaped the Guardians. Now, she needed to see a man about removing a bracelet.
§
Garrett and Damek walked slowly down the murky hallway. The light diminished with each step they took. When they got to the first door, Garrett opened it while Damek stood ready. The door swung open into darkness. Garrett recited a spell to illuminate the tip of his wand. The room was empty. Damek sighed. “This is kind of creepy. I keep expecting something to jump out at us.”
“You have an overactive imagination, Damek.” Garrett moved to the next door with the same results. They both looked into an empty room.
“Well, rather safe than sorry, if you don’t mind my saying so.” Damek stood ready at the next door.
Garrett opened it and shone his wand into an empty room. Nothing. “This doesn’t make sense. They had to do their rituals somewhere down here.”
“I guess that means door number four,” Damek said.
They both looked at each other, then walked to the final door. Garrett turned the handle, and the door swung open. The stench of rotting flesh flowed out of the room. Garrett covered his nose with his hand. Damek coughed and choked.
“This must be the place,” Damek said, clearing his throat.
Garrett nodded, not wanting to breathe in the wretched smell. Garrett shone his wand inside the dark room. They heard the scrambling of little feet coming from the back, indicating the place was infested with rats. A spray-painted red circle lay on the dirt floor. Several wooden cabinets stood along the back wall. The door on one of them stood open, showing black candles and books lining the shelves.
Garrett walked around the painted circle to look inside the cabinets. Damek stood by the door, while occasionally coughing and moving his head into the hallway to try to breathe. The books on the shelves appeared to be tomes on magic, but none stood out as unusual. Garrett moved closer to read the titles.
A sliver of sound came to his ears, a rustling of fabric. Garrett started to turn when something heavy hit his head. He swung around, his head ringing, and saw Damek struggling with two men. The rats were earth witches who had taken the shape of rodents.
Another man lifted a stool over Garrett’s head, and Garrett raised his arm to protect himself. The stool came crashing down, landing hard. Bones broke. The pain was excruciating. Garrett’s eyesight dimmed.
“Come on,” a voice hissed.
Garrett heard footsteps running down the hall. He tried to remain standing, but the room slowly spun around in a circle before everything went black.
§
Gabriella walked into the blacksmith shop, her chest heaving and her feet burning. The tube station closest to the shop was Morden, and she had had to walk the rest of the way to Epsom, where the shop was located.
Whispers in the witches’ community had suggested the Blacksmith would help those who were threatened by the Witches Council. The Blacksmith’s mother had her powers removed when he was a teenager. Unable to stand the loss, she had taken her own life.
Not everyone agreed with how the Witches Council handled the governance of its people. A small grassroots group had sprung up in protest. The Blacksmith was known to be one of its leaders. Gabriella figured she would see if the whispers were true.
“Hello?” Gabriella called out.
“Back here,” a voice drifted out from the rear of the shop.
She walked around the counter and through a double door. Heat blasted her as she came into the room. The man standing shirtless pounded on a piece of red-hot iron. His muscles bulged in his arms and chest with each strike of the hammer. Gabriella gulped and stood staring.
He plunged the metal into a bucket of water and steam hissed into the air. Turning, he put down the hammer and wiped his hands on the apron tied around his waist. His eyes glowed with red flames before changing to a warm chocolate brown. Gabriella realized she was in the presence of a Fire Master.
“What can I do for you?” he asked, looking her up and down.
Gabriella cleared her throat. “Um, I have a little problem, and I heard you might be able to help me.”
“Well, that would depend on the problem.” The Blacksmith ran his hand over his shorn head.
“I need you to take this off.” Gabriella extended her wrist toward the man.
He stepped forward, peering at the metal bracelet on her wrist. “May I?” he asked, reaching for her wrist. She gulped and nodded. He held her hand and turned the bracelet so the magic symbols could easily be seen in the light. Then, he looked from her to the bracelet and back.
“Why did they put this on you? Your aura is clear.”
“You can see my aura?”
“The aura is energy, and fire witches can control energy. Now, answer the question.”
“My sister is practicing b
lood magic. They want me to turn her in. When I refused, they put this on me.” That wasn’t exactly the way it happened. Garrett put the bracelet on her first and then asked her to turn in her sister.
“Damn hypocrites, cuffing an innocent and trying to force her to rat out her family. They tell us they are here to protect the innocent.” He shook his head. “Come over here. I’ll have to cut it off. Don’t worry. I mean the bracelet, not the hand.”
“Will it hurt?” Gabriella followed him over to a worktable.
“Not if we’re careful. You know that you have to run, right? You can’t stay here if the council is after you.”
Gabriella nodded. She wasn’t sure how she would manage it. But she knew she needed to put as much distance as possible between her and the Guardians.
“All right, hold still now.” The Blacksmith picked up a pair of large metal shears. “Too bad. This is going to ruin the bracelet. It looks like a fine piece. But after I put the metal in the fire, any remaining magic will go up in smoke.”
He muttered a spell under his breath as the metal shears cut through the bracelet. Sparks flew from the place where the metal was cut. But then the bracelet fell open and landed on the table. Gabriella shuddered as she felt her magic flow through her, igniting her blood and warming her.
“There, I bet you feel a lot better now.” The Blacksmith picked up a pair of metal tongs and grasped the pieces of the bracelet before walking over and putting them in a crucible. Next, he lifted the crucible and put it in the coals of the fire. Sparks flew from the bracelet as the metal began to melt and became liquid. “Now, no one will know that this liquid metal was formerly a nullifying bracelet. But you need to get out of here, in case someone followed you. Here, use the back door.”
Gabriella pulled the remaining pound notes out of her pocket and offered them to the man. He pushed her hand away.
“Keep them. No one should cuff an innocent. Goddess keep you.” He turned and picked up the iron rod from the bucket and put it back in the fire.
Destined Magic Page 3
