As Bud came off the stairs, Hannah stepped to the stool and kicked it over. Nails showered across the floor, and the bucket clanged on the pavement in a cacophony of ear-drumming chaos.
Officer Bud instantly shined his flashlight at the offending spot and fired.
The bullet ricocheted off the wall, and whizzed by Hannah’s ear. She fell to the ground, cursing herself for a fool. What the hell did you think he was going to do, use harsh language?
A second light scanned the back wall of the basement. “Why don’t you put your gun away?” the detective stated.
“But I heard—”
“Put it away, Bud.” This time there was no doubt of the commanding tone in the detective’s voice. Bud’s mutter was too far away to understand, but he holstered his weapon without further complaint.
The sound of footsteps came closer, as the beams of light continued to float across the various building materials.
Hannah crawled to the side of the room, and flattened herself against the wall. The invisibility potion made her transparent for certain, but she could still be touched and heard. Some of the greatest witches in history had made the mistake of overlooking those two facts, and Hannah considered herself the kind of person who learned from other’s mistakes.
The detective had to have been in his mid-to-late thirties. As he approached, it became apparent there was no gray in his hair, but his hard features spoke of experience that only came from years on the job. He wore a white button-up shirt, which was tucked into a pair of worn blue jeans, and black cowboy boots. His hand rested on his holstered gun while the other shined the flashlight around. “See, Bud. Nothin’ to worry about.”
“I’m tellin’ ya I heard something moving around back here,” Bud said defensively.
“I’m not sayin’ you didn’t.” The detective pointed his light on the ground where all the nails were scattered. “Probably a cat.”
There was a commotion at the top of the stairs, and then Miranda called down, “Is everything all right? I thought I heard a gunshot.”
“Everything’s fine, Ms. Baris. Just a little misunderstanding is all,” the detective answered, as he started back toward the stairs.
Hannah sighed in relief, then immediately slapped a hand over her mouth. So much for learning from other’s mistakes, she chided herself.
If the officers noticed, they didn’t do anything about it. The pair continued walking away.
Hannah glanced at Monica, and saw that the redhead had fully disappeared. She leaned her head against the concrete wall. That was close.
Dominic slipped on the last of his clothes, his body still somewhat transparent. He couldn’t believe that such a thing was possible, even after experiencing it first hand. The fact that witches and magic truly existed, opened a door in his mind that could never be closed. The possibilities of what Hannah could do were far too great to fathom, and the thought of what other fairytale creatures might be out there was almost too fearful to comprehend. A shiver went down his spine as he stood and asked, “Everyone okay?”
Nathan had already finished putting his clothes on, and was currently helping Nancy dress Monica. Neither of them had said anything since taking the potion. They just moved about like drones, not making eye contact with anyone, even each other. Nathan nodded at Dominic, but Nancy ignored his question completely, busying herself with Monica’s shirt.
Rhea grunted an acknowledgement, and Hannah came over to him, pulling her shirt down over her slightly transparent belly. She looked up at him. “Yeah. You?”
“I’m good.” He glanced over at his crew. “We should probably talk.”
“Yeah, I figured,” Hannah agreed. She took his hand and squeezed it. “We need to clear the air, for everyone.”
He nodded and returned the squeeze. “I’m with you on that.”
Once Monica was fully dressed, Nathan smoothed back her hair and gently patted her cheek. “C’mon, Trouble. Wake up.”
She moaned and blinked her eyes open. “What happened?”
Rhea stepped over to them with the jug of water she’d brought down with the other stuff they’d used to make the potion. She offered it to Monica and said, “Sorry about that.” She gestured to the growing bruise on Monica’s chin. “There was no time to argue.”
The redhead squinted at Rhea for a moment, and then her eyes widened in recognition. “Oh, shit.” Her panicked gaze darted around the room and landed on Nathan. “All that stuff was real?!”
Nathan chuckled. “Yeah, and you flipped out.”
Monica looked on the verge of hopping up and sprinting for the stairs again.
“The police are gone, and everything is okay,” Dominic said hastily. “We need to talk about what just happened and get some answers. You game for that?”
Monica’s breathing settled a bit, and the panic in her eyes lessened. She gulped as if swallowing her fear, and nodded.
“Good. Let’s go upstairs.” Dominic helped Nathan pull the rattled woman to her feet.
As out of character as Monica seemed at the moment, her reaction was only natural. Over time, she would be able to come to terms with what she’d seen, but whether that would be denial or acceptance no one could say. In any case, it wasn’t the redhead Dominic was truly concerned about. He glanced over at Nancy. “You good?”
Her eyes were still red-rimmed and swollen from all of the crying. Nancy’s usual bubbly nature was absent, as if crushed under the weight of Kevin’s death and the discovery that magic was real. Her gaze was distant, but she gave a quick nod.
Dominic feared that Nancy had been pushed over the edge. Some might consider her sudden withdrawal to be as natural a reaction as Monica’s had been, but something was different. Something had changed, and he wouldn’t know what until she resurfaced from the safety of her mind. For now, he would have to be thankful for her calm demeanor, and hope for the best.
The door to the basement opened as they climbed the stairs. Alix, the tattooed girl, poked her head through the doorway. “Did anyone get hurt? Was anyone shot?”
“No,” Hannah replied. “We’re okay.”
Alix sighed in relief. “That’s good. I was sure somebody got blasted.”
“No blasting,” Hannah said, as she walked by Alix and patted her on the shoulder. “But it was close.”
They all filed back into the living room they’d started in. The outside of the mansion had impressed Dominic, but, after getting a glimpse of the architecture and furnishings on the inside, he was downright flabbergasted. The place was a warehouse filled with antiquities. Ancient vases, paintings from centuries ago, and ironworks that looked older than civilization itself hung from the walls. And, in the middle of it all, stood the woman he had fallen for, and she’d turned out to be a witch. Why are you even surprised?
Hannah put her dark hair into a ponytail as she crossed the room to stand by her patron, or whatever Miranda was. Her friend, Rhea, went to stand next to them while Nathan, Monica and Nancy clustered by Dominic near the hearth. Alix plopped down on the sofa between the two groups like she was about to watch the main event of a heavyweight boxing match.
Dominic was about to start the Q&A when Troy came in from the kitchen with a huge tray of veggies and a smile. “You guys hungry?”
An uncomfortable silence dragged out as everyone slowly turned to look at the stocky ginger.
Troy’s brows rose sheepishly. “I guess not.” He quickly shuffled around the couch, and took a seat by Alix. “Sorry.”
Dominic would have laughed, but his sense of humor was pretty much tapped out from all the stress. Instead, he walked over, grabbed a slice of cucumber and popped it into his mouth. He gave Troy a nod. “Thanks.”
“Sure.”
“So, the police were satisfied?” Dominic asked the trio of witches. He wasn’t sure how to begin a conversation about mystical forces, so the mundane seemed a good alternative to break the ice.
Rhea and Hannah glanced at Miranda. Their leader nodded.
“Yes, for now.”
Dominic was relieved about that, at least. His crew would be able to get out of here, if this woman allowed them to do so. As far as himself, well, he had other plans. He wanted to be with Hannah; he just hadn’t figured out how that was going to happen. Problems for later, he thought. “This isn’t the easiest situation, I know, but I feel there are some things we need to talk about.” He walked back over to his crew. “I’d like to know if we’re safe.”
Miranda narrowed her eyes slightly. “From us, you mean?”
“Yeah,” Dominic replied. “The things you guys can do... It’s obviously not normal. I’m just reaching here, but I assume you want to keep that quiet.”
“Your assumption would be correct,” Miranda answered.
“Is there any way we can prove to you that we can do that?” Dominic had been thinking about how to approach this subject since everyone had turned invisible in the basement. Every angle seemed like a no-win scenario. There was no way to guarantee that everyone would be silent about what had happened. His hope was that this Miranda woman would be willing to accept the fact that no one in their right mind would believe anything he and his group might say about magic being real, and, also, that she possessed a lot more of the compassion she’d already shown them.
“That’s the question, isn’t it?” Miranda walked around the sofa and took a seat. “Can you keep our secret?”
“I could say yes, but I’m not sure you’d believe me.”
“Again, you are correct.” Miranda crossed her hands over a knee.
Hannah shifted, a look of agitation on her face. Rhea stood impassive, her feet shoulder-width apart and hands behind her back like a soldier.
“I only have one thing to offer that could possibly give you assurance,” Dominic said. Of all the reasons that had gone through his mind for Miranda to trust him, nothing would provide the proof she needed. Nothing would stand up against the argument for her to force silence upon them. Nothing, but perhaps his innermost feelings.
The room charged with even more tension as Dominic debated with himself about what to say. Miranda sat patiently, while everyone else could have been sitting on a bed of needles with all their fidgeting.
Dominic didn’t look at Miranda when he finally spoke. He focused on the dark-haired beauty standing behind her. “I love Hannah. And I’ll do everything in my power to keep her safe.”
“I knew it!” Alix blurted, then slapped a hand over her mouth.
Hannah gawked at Dominic. “You just said that out loud, in front of everybody.”
He smiled. “Do you believe me now?” He certainly hoped she did. “Because I don’t know what else to say…” He glanced at the well dressed woman on the sofa. “To either of you.”
Miranda remained silent, studying him. What she thought of his feelings for Hannah, Dominic couldn’t say, but the woman’s measured scrutiny was a bit unnerving.
“I believe you,” Hannah said, coming to his rescue. She looked at Miranda. “I believe him. They won’t betray us. Not willingly, at least.”
Miranda sighed. “I need time to think on this mess.”
“What is there to think about?” Nancy asked. She bristled up, ready for a fight.
“Easy, Nancy,” Dominic said. “I’m sure there are options.”
“On how to kill us?!”
“No,” Miranda said. “That was never an option. Let me make it clear that you will not be harmed.”
It felt as if a two-ton brick fell off of Dominic’s shoulders. He had no idea what these witches could do to make he and his crew not say anything, but he knew for damn sure they could kill, which had seemed to be the most likely solution.
“And we’re just supposed to take your word on that?” Nancy scoffed.
Dominic rubbed his eyes. It was like a complete role reversal between Nancy and Monica.
“Chill, Nancy,” Nathan said. “They hid us from the police, remember?”
“Why?” Nancy retorted as she rounded on Nathan. “Why would they do that? Jesus, a nice pair of tits and some lipstick, and you’re all on board, no questions asked. Did it ever occur to you that they may want us for themselves? To eat or something?”
“Gross!” Alix glared at Miranda. “You guys don’t do that, do you?”
Miranda slowly shook her head. “No, we don’t eat people.”
“Nancy,” Hannah said, as she came around the couch. She had a “I’m approaching a wild animal” stance. “We’ve had a lot happen to us today. I think a good night’s sleep would do us all some good.”
Nancy eyed her skeptically, and then looked at Dominic. It was a cold look, truly detached.
“I think it will be okay.” Dominic reached out and took her by the shoulder. “I think Hannah is right. We all need some rest.” He hadn’t thought that Nancy’s expression could become any more lifeless, but, at hearing his words, she appeared utterly defeated.
“Fine,” Nancy replied, pulling away from him. “You might as well get the rest of us killed.”
That stung. Dominic frowned, but he let it go. She needed someone to blame for Kevin’s death, and she wasn’t far off the mark to be honest. He never should have let them stay.
“I can show you guys to some really nice rooms,” Alix chimed in. “This place is pretty posh.” The tattooed girl hopped off the sofa, and pulled Troy to his feet. She headed toward the grand staircase at the entrance. “C’mon. They’re upstairs.”
Nathan and Monica leaned on each other as the followed Alix. Nancy trailed behind them without a word.
Dominic moved to follow, but Hannah caught his arm.
“Let’s talk,” she whispered.
He didn’t resist as she led him from the great room. He did, however, spare a glance at the two women left behind. Miranda held no malice in her expression as she watched them go, though Rhea appeared a bit put out. He wasn’t sure what that was about, but, at this point, it didn’t matter. He needed to focus on getting things straight with Hannah.
They walked through the sunroom at the back of the house, and out into the warm night air. It must have been about midnight, even though it felt like three in the morning. To say it had been a long day would be an understatement.
“I’m sorry about Kevin,” Hannah said as they walked.
“Me too,” Dominic said. “If only I could go back in time.” A thought occurred to him suddenly. “Can you do that?”
Hannah chuckled. “Turn back time?”
“Yeah.”
“Not that I know of,” she answered. “That would be pretty dangerous if we could, though.”
Dominic sighed. “Yeah, I suppose so.”
“Try not to blame yourself,” Hannah started. “Ugh, I’m such a hypocrite. I’m feeling serious guilt for killing those men that were chasing us. I’m the last person to be giving advice.”
“It’s not a bad thing that you’re feeling some regret. It proves you’re still human.” Dominic had seen several of his friends spiral out of control from the loss of their humanity, and currently feared that Nancy was next. The thought of something similar happening to Hannah made him feel sick inside. “You saved us all. I’m sorry you had to take lives to do it, but I’m grateful nonetheless.”
They walked in silence after that. The smooth carpet of grass gave way to the forest that surrounded the estate. Tall shadows played along the trunks of massive trees as the pair continued down the low-lit trail.
“So, why didn’t you tell me what you do from the start?” Hannah finally asked.
Dominic gently kicked at some pebbles, and said, “I was afraid you’d walk away without giving me a chance.”
“Me too,” Hannah replied, then quickly added, “With the whole witch thing, I mean.”
Dominic laughed. “I guess we have a few insecurities in common.”
“And good reasons for those insecurities.”
“Yep.” Dominic definitely couldn’t argue with that.
Hannah was on the verge of say
ing something more but hesitated. She lapsed into silence again, and continued to walk along the path.
“I want to be with you, Hannah,” he said, stopping her.
She turned to face him. “Even though I’m a witch?”
“Even though I’m a thief.”
Hannah smiled, unshed tears in her eyes. “Smooth,” she whispered.
Dominic took her into his arms and kissed her.
All self-doubt banished with the hungry touch of her soft lips. His hands moved of their own accord, sliding under her shirt and down the back of her pants. Skin, warm and smooth, pimpled at the brush of his fingertips as if exposed to a cool breeze.
Her nails dug into his back, and she moaned as she pressed her lips, hard, against his. She pushed away suddenly and breathed, “Take me.” She pulled off her shirt, exposing her sexy stomach and heaving breasts. “In the forest.” With the flick of her wrist, she flung the shirt over Dominic’s head. “If you can!”
The chase was on.
Hannah had professed that she wasn’t a dedicated runner, but the woman could move, no doubt about it. By the time Dominic had pulled the shirt from his face, she was already off the path and into the tree line. He darted after her, stripping clothes as he went. She wasn’t so far ahead that he couldn’t see her, but she was pulling away, melding into the shadows of the forest. His arousal had grown to such intensity that chasing her was becoming a problem, but he was determined.
Dominic ripped off the last of his clothes, releasing his hardness. He sprinted through the trees, free of restraint, desperate to catch the nymph of a woman. Her laughter and the littered pieces of clothing she left in her wake provided an easy enough trail for him to follow. He started gaining on her, dodging trees and underbrush like a wild animal pursuing a female that had just gone into heat.
Closer and closer, he came. Her naked hips swayed in the shadows as she ran from him playfully. Where she was leading him, he hadn’t a clue, or a care, just as long as he caught her. That was all that mattered.
Hannah (The Coven's Grove Chronicles #2) Page 12
