It just never occurred to her that she’d already met him.
They held each other’s gaze, neither speaking. When she thought she could no longer stand the tension, she leaned in for their second kiss.
Phoenix chose that moment to peek his head around the door. “Uh, guys? I hate to interrupt, but we may have a problem.”
The muscles in Orano’s jaw ticked. He took a deep breath before answering his partner. “What is it?”
“Julian just called. He’s been studying the sun since our last conversation, and he says that the same activity that preceded the solar flare and CME that caused the California blackout is happening right now. He thinks we might be in for another big one, and soon.”
Chapter 13
Orano cursed under his breath at the lousy timing of Phoenix’s entrance. Telling Gracey the truth about his past lifted a burden he’d been carrying for a decade, and seeing that expectant look in her eyes—the same one she’d had at the river all those years ago—warmed his heart in a way he’d forgotten was possible.
If he hadn’t known better, he’d have thought the Armani poster-boy planned the interruption. Except he did know better and, regardless of the timing, they had a job to do.
“We need to get to Tori’s house,” Orano said.
“No. They won’t be there.” Gracey grabbed her bag and stood. “She has an herb shop at the beach with a back room for the coven. That’s where we all met to do the spell that caused the California blackout.”
Orano glanced at Phoenix who wore the same confused expression he felt sure dressed his own face. “You were a part of that? I thought you said you didn’t know what she was doing.”
“I didn’t!” Gracey straightened her shoulders and raised her chin. “We thought we were channeling celestial energy for the prophecy. Tori has this huge fire agate crystal that we funnel the energy into for storage. She said we would need every bit of power we could muster to help the mundanes when the time came.”
“And you never saw her do anything that didn’t jibe with that story?” Phoenix asked.
“No, but she and her inner circle kept the crystal separate from the rest of the coven during the channeling. It was for our safety, in case the agate couldn’t hold the power.” Gracey twisted her face into a grimace and blew out an exasperated breath. “All right. I get it. I’m an idiot. I should have questioned her instead of blindly following.”
Phoenix let loose a megawatt smile and clapped her on the back. “Pretty much, yeah. But we all make mistakes. Let’s go see if we can fix this one before things get out of hand.”
********
Laskin Road sat deserted at that time of night. The tourists and locals who filled the busy area during the day had long since gone, and the businesses were dark until morning. Tori’s shop showed no more activity than any of its neighbors, but Gracey knew that didn’t mean much.
The coven would be sequestered in the back, where the only window led onto the small alley running behind the building, and even that would be covered so as to hide the goings-on from passersby.
Orano placed his ear to the back door. “I don’t hear anything. Is the room soundproofed?”
“I don’t think so,” Gracey said. She reached into her bag and pulled out a small crystal with a key dangling from a looped chain. “Let’s go in and find out.”
“You have a key to the bad guy’s lair?” Phoenix raised his eyebrows.
“Duh. How do you think I got in last time? I’m not a cat burglar.”
Orano grabbed the key from her hand. “Stay behind us.” He and Phoenix stood on either side of the entrance. With a nod, Orano unlocked the door and pushed it open onto an empty room.
“Well, that was anticlimactic.” Phoenix made his way into the space, casually checking every dark corner for movement.
“Maybe it’s not happening tonight. Your computer genius could have been wrong,” Gracey said.
“Not likely,” both men answered in unison.
Gracey flipped on a light switch. “Okay then. Give me the key.” Orano handed it over and followed her to the table in the center of the room. “Grab that map and spread it open in front of me.” To her surprise, neither of her companions questioned the instructions, simply doing as she asked and awaiting further orders.
She wrapped the thin chain around her fingers and let the crystal dangle a few inches above the map. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and allowed her energy to join with the Earth’s. When she felt the connection strengthen, Gracey pushed her request out to the universe. Please help me locate my coven leader.
The crystal began to swing in a slow circle. After a few rotations, Gracey felt a slight tug and moved her hand in that direction. She followed the crystal’s pull across the map, until it stopped swinging and hung still.
“They’re in the woods off Highway 60, about four or five miles north of here. At least, that’s where Tori is.”
“What are you doing?” came a voice from behind them.
The unexpected interruption made Gracey’s heart skip a beat. The three of them spun around to find an older woman standing in the same doorway they’d used.
“Sarah. You scared me.” Gracey laughed nervously, gathering her wits enough to come up with a plausible excuse for their presence. “Tori asked us to pick up a few supplies. Why are you here?”
The woman opened her mouth to speak but immediately clamped her hand over it and ran to the bathroom. The sounds emanating from the space only a few feet away told Gracey why the woman ventured out in such a state.
Grabbing a bottle from one of the crowded shelves, Gracey waited patiently for Sarah to emerge. When she did, her eyes were red and watery, and she looked about ready to collapse.
“Here. I’m guessing this is what you came to get. It should help.” Gracey handed her the small bottle.
A weak smile spread across Sarah’s face. “Thanks. Can you tell Tori I’m sorry for not making it tonight? This stomach bug is worse than any I’ve ever had.”
“No problem. I’m sure she’ll understand. You okay to get home like this?”
“Yeah. The cab driver’s waiting outside. As long as I don’t ruin his upholstery, everything should be fine.”
Gracey put her arm around the woman and walked her outside to the taxi, giving the driver a sympathetic look. “Feel better,” she said before the car drove off.
“We ready to go?” Orano asked when she came back inside.
“Almost.” Gracey began filling her bag with bottles and pouches from the shelves. “I just need to grab a few things first.”
********
Tori held the fire agate crystal in both hands, marveling at its simplistic beauty. Although the brown translucent quartz appeared plain at first glance, the introduction of even a small amount of light brought it to life. The explosion of color—red, green, orange, blue, and yellow—danced at its heart, making it one of the most precious crystals in existence.
This particular one held more value than any other. Not only was it unusually large, almost the size of a grapefruit, but it had also been cut and polished to the exact specifications of the Mayan Kuhul Ajaw in 700 AD. It remained a focal point in the Temple of Chichen Itza for hundreds of years until being removed from the site in the early eighteenth century.
Who had gifted the crystal to their coven founder, and why, remained a mystery. Tori, like many of her predecessors, tried to uncover the truth behind the priceless artifact’s appearance in Virginia, but quickly realized the futility of her efforts. The original Grace Sherwood had been a master of secrecy.
Although crystals held no power of their own, they were frequently used to amplify and channel the powers of people with magic. Even a small crystal could magnify a witch’s strength a thousand fold. This enormous and ancient specimen increased that factor exponentially.
“Is everyone ready?” Tori asked the group of women eagerly awaiting her go-ahead. “Tonight we will be absorbing more power than ever
before, with more than two dozen covens around the world pouring their energy into our crystal. Our founder’s prophecy is nearing fruition and, if we are to save all mankind as she instructed, we must hold strong.”
Tori held the fire agate crystal high above her head and smiled as the women gasped at the bright colors swirling at its core even in the absence of light. “The power we stored during our last commune will be multiplied tonight. Although our crystal is strong, there is still the possibility it won’t be able to contain the energy. That is why I, along with two brave volunteers, will take it deeper into the woods. I need you all to stay here, for your own safety.”
A few discontented grumbles swept through the crowd, mostly from those desperate to be included in the inner circle. “You shouldn’t put yourself in danger like that, Tori,” one of the women said. “Let me take the risk for you.”
“That’s very sweet of you, Francine, but what kind of leader would I be if I did that? No. It’s my responsibility.” She made a mental note about the woman’s willingness to put herself in danger just to become part of the inner circle. Tori smiled sweetly at her followers before adding one last comment. “It is an honor to be your high priestess.” She worried that she might have layered it on a little too thick, but when she saw the women swell with pride at her statement, Tori knew they would follow her instructions with no further question.
Another woman stepped into the clearing just as Tori turned to leave. “Sarah. I didn’t think you were going to make it.”
********
Gracey joined the rest of the coven just as Tori finished her self-aggrandizing speech. Although the glamour spell made Gracey look like Sarah, it was their leader’s words that made her want to puke like the poor woman.
“I’m sorry I’m late. I had a bit of food poisoning, but I’m all right now. Except for my voice.” Gracey spoke in a low whisper as she couldn’t make her voice the same as Sarah’s. Faking a sore throat had been her only option. She hoped the others would be too busy preparing for the spell to pay close attention.
Tori did a fine job of hiding her annoyance at the interruption. She glanced at her watch before addressing the women again. “All of the covens will begin sending their power in less than five minutes. We need to hurry.”
Gracey watched their leader until she disappeared into the woods with her helpers. She knew Orano and Phoenix were out there somewhere, too, but the darkness made it impossible for her to see them. All she could do was follow the plan they’d thrown together in the car on the drive over.
As the other women arranged themselves in a large circle around the lit candles, Gracey doubled over with a loud groan, staggering a few steps forward. She clasped her hand over her mouth in the universal signal that someone was about to projectile vomit, and tried not to laugh when the coven members all but ran to the other side of the clearing.
Feigning a gut-wrenching heave, Gracey used her free hand to scatter the crushed ginger root, rosemary, and black pepper she’d held. She whispered with her mouth still covered, “Whatever powers come to us here, I cast you back. I have no fear. With the speed of wind and the dark of night, may incoming energy now take flight.”
Although she had neither the time nor the strength necessary to cast a spell that would entirely block the covens’ power, she hoped this would at least disrupt the connection long enough to give Orano and Phoenix a chance to destroy the crystal. In theory, its destruction would render Tori harmless, at least on a global scale.
“Sarah, we need to begin. Are you all right?” Nicole, the only member of Tori’s inner circle still in the clearing with the rest of the coven, helped her up.
“Thank you. Yes, I’m fine. False alarm. Sorry,” Gracey said.
The women once again formed a large circle. Gracey placed herself between two young witches she felt sure didn’t know either her or the real Sarah well enough to notice the differences. When the time came to hold hands, both of them paled slightly at the thought of touching the woman who’d nearly vomited.
“It’s almost time,” Nicole announced.
Just as the women bowed their heads to begin the channeling ritual, yet another interruption halted them.
“I’m sorry I’m late. Keep going.”
The air changed in an instant, as the real Sarah joined their circle. All eyes turned to Gracey.
“Is that you, Gracey?” Nicole asked with a sneer, sauntering over.
Her cover blown, Gracey dropped the glamour spell. She forced herself to stand tall, chin up, despite the fear bubbling up inside.
“Tori said you might show up tonight.” Nicole stood inches from Gracey’s face, opening her mouth to say something further, then changing her mind after glancing around at the other women watching intently.
Nicole’s facial expression morphed from anger to shock and horror before she continued, her volume rising enough to ensure her audience didn’t miss a single word. “So, you came here to attack us? Are we ever going to be safe from you, Gracey?”
Dumbfounded at the woman’s audacity, Gracey responded without thinking. “What? You’re the dangerous ones. You’ve got everybody here fooled. You’re trying to destroy the world and everyone in it!”
When her brain caught up to her mouth, Gracey fell silent. The triumphant grin on Nicole’s face lasted for only a second, just long enough for Gracey to realize her mistake. How easily she’d fallen into the trap, confirming to everyone present that she was not only crazy, but also a serious threat to their safety.
Someone called out, “It’s time.”
Gracey ran.
“Let her go,” Nicole yelled from the clearing. “You need to start the spell. Now. We’ll deal with her later.”
The relief Gracey felt at making her getaway quickly dwindled as her predicament became clear. Not only would Tori and her inner circle be after her, but they’d now be backed up by the entire Sherwood coven.
Chapter 14
Orano peered around the trunk of a large tree as Tori placed what must have been the crystal on the stump of a recently felled oak. She and her cohorts joined hands surrounding it and began to chant something that he couldn’t make out.
“Are you waiting for an invitation, big guy?” Phoenix taunted.
His jaw clenched, Orano fought off the urge to throttle his partner and instead focused on his target. The largest of the three women had positioned herself directly between him and the tree stump, unknowingly making herself a human shield. He would need to move away from his hiding spot in order to get a clear line of sight to the crystal.
“Could you maybe do this before they blackout another nuclear facility?” his partner continued.
Ignoring him as best he could, Orano moved. In a low crouch, he made his way to a smaller tree that stood less than ten feet away. Now, with the crystal easily visible between two women, he formed an energy ball and hurled it. To his shock, it stopped midway to his target, as though hitting an invisible wall, and fizzled to nothing.
Three pairs of angry eyes turned toward him. The women continued their chant as Orano pelted them with energy balls. None of them broke through their protective field.
He could see the crystal glowing on its perch. No longer a softball-sized, brown ball, it instead held every color of the rainbow swirling inside its mass. He could only imagine the amount of power being channeled through it.
The hair on Orano’s arms stood on end as electricity filled the air. At first, he thought Tori’s magic had diffused his expelled energy into the atmosphere, but he soon realized the spark emanated from the crystal. Whatever they were doing, it was working.
“Go get Gracey,” he yelled to Phoenix. “I need her help breaking through the protection spell.”
Orano’s mind raced. He needed to finish this, and quickly. As it stood, the women were locked into performing their ritual. Even after he’d bombarded them with firepower, they hadn’t missed a word of their chant. They obviously needed all of their powers focused on the
crystal.
On the bright side, it gave Orano some uninterrupted time on the offensive. The downside meant that, as soon as they were finished, he’d have an army of angry witches focused solely on him.
Gracey almost bowled him over as she ran to his side. Although she’d seen him throw an energy ball earlier, her jaw dropped as she watched him unleash one after another up close and personal.
“It’s not working. Can you weaken their protection?” he asked.
Phoenix handed over her bag, and she dumped its contents on the ground. Pushing aside everything but the items she’d picked up at the herb shop, Gracey grabbed a clay bowl, threw in what looked like herbs from several different jars, and crushed them like the old-time pharmacists used to do. When she finished, instead of performing some kind of spell, she just stood there.
“Now would be good,” Orano pleaded.
“Give me a second. I’m trying to rewrite my earlier spell to make it work.” She closed her eyes for an annoyingly long time, before breaking into a smile and stepping forward.
“Whatever protection spell is here, I cast it down. I have no fear. With the dark of night and the speed of wind, this protection spell will be rescind … ed.” Gracey scrunched her forehead as she said that last not-quite-rhyming word, then threw the freshly ground powder at Tori and her henchmen.
Orano rolled his eyes before manifesting another energy ball. He relished the horrified expression on Tori’s face as he pulled his arm back but, before he could throw it, Phoenix jumped in front of him.
“Move!” Orano shoved him to the side, only to have him scramble back up and stand in his way again. This time, he waved his arms and jumped left and right.
“Get out of my way, Phoenix,” Orano yelled, his temper rising.
His partner dove at him, wrapping his arms around Orano’s and nearly knocking them both to the ground. The spastic behavior seemed to come out of nowhere.
Chaos (Book 4) (The Omega Group) Page 10
