“We can make our own promises, too,” Monica stated, matter-of-factly. Her red hair appeared even more disheveled now that it was styled, but she seemed more herself after getting a night’s sleep.
“True,” Nathan agreed. “We’ll keep our traps shut.”
Miranda accepted their promises with a nod, and then slowly looked over at Nancy. Everyone followed her gaze with an expectant air. Nancy looked back at them, fire in her eyes.
The hope Hannah felt ceased as the pit of her stomach tightened into knots. Oh, hell.
“Doesn’t anyone remember what happened yesterday?!” Nancy shouted.
Dominic leaned forward. “No one has forgotten anything, Nancy. We just—”
“Then what the hell are we doing?!” Nancy interrupted. She glared at Miranda, who stood silently watching the display. “Look, I could give two shits about your magic tricks, lady. If you need me to say I won’t tell anybody, fine, I won’t tell anybody. It’s not like anyone would believe me anyway. What I want is for us to take some action against those assholes who killed Kevin.”
“We need to get things straight between us,” Dominic said, gesturing to everyone. “We will take action. I want to go public with the information we’ve found.”
“And, what good is that?” Nancy retorted. “They killed Kevin!”
“I know!” Dominic came to his feet. “But blind vengeance isn’t going to help us get everyone responsible.”
Nancy looked at him with daggers. “It’ll help me.”
A sudden prickling sensation danced up Hannah’s arms and down her spine. As intense as Nancy was getting, that wasn’t what caused Hannah’s skin to crawl. Something had crossed onto Coven’s Grove land. Something that meant to do harm.
Hannah glanced at Miranda and Rhea. Based on the shocked expressions on their faces, they both had felt the ward go off as well. The grove wasn’t impenetrable by any means, but the three of them had taken precautions to make the property as protected as they could.
“We can resolve this later,” Miranda commanded. “There are intruders on the property. Everyone needs to go inside.”
“How do you know...?” Alix began, but then hesitated, working the answer out on her own. “Never mind.” She and Troy headed for the back door.
Nathan and Monica no longer doubted the witches’ abilities apparently, as they quickly followed Alix and Troy into the manor.
Nancy got to her feet and looked at Miranda. “Do you have any weapons?”
“Yes, now hurry.” Miranda didn’t wait for a reply as she turned on her heel to go inside.
Hannah took hold of Dominic’s hand. “C’mon. We need to lock the place down.”
Rhea stayed behind, stripping out of her clothes.
“What is she doing?” Dominic asked, puzzled.
“She can shape change,” Hannah said. They had been running for their lives at the time he might have seen Rhea do her thing, so, even if he had seen her change, it obviously hadn’t registered.
“Ah, I see,” Dominic replied.
“She’ll scout out the intruders.” Hannah just hoped Rhea would be safe. The woman tended to be a bit reckless when she was upset. She spared her friend a glance in hopes of making eye contact with the Native American beauty, but no reciprocating gesture was offered.
Hannah couldn’t spare any more time fretting over her friend’s hurt feelings. She had a job of her own to do. She dragged Dominic into the house and up the stairs. They went from room to room, locking shutters and barring doors that led to the second story veranda.
Alix came jogging up the stairs when they were about halfway finished locking the place down. “Let me tat you guys. I’ve already done everyone else.”
Hannah gave her a curious glance, but stopped what she was doing. “This should be interesting.” She’d never actually experienced Alix’s power.
“Yeah.” Alix smiled. “Haven’t done tats on you before. You shouldn’t feel anything, but then again, you’re a witch.” She gestured downstairs.“Miranda didn’t feel anything, though I’m not sure if all supernaturals are affected the same way.”
“Guess we’ll find out.” Hannah held out her arm, hoping for the best.
Alix gently touched her forearm, focusing her gaze intently.
Hannah squinted, and waited for something to happen. She had seen Alix use her power several times before without incident, but the story of Troy flying across a room after being subjected to the purple-haired girl’s ability kept popping into Hannah’s head. Any second, she’d be blown out one of the shuttered windows.
Not so much as a tingle prickled Hannah’s skin. No electrical shock. No excruciating pain. No explosion. Nothing. Just a beautiful emerald vine, coiling up and around her arm gave any indication that Alix was performing magic. Once finished, the detail of the tattoo was breathtakingly life-like with flaxen blooms and shaded leaves seeming to pop off of Hannah’s exposed skin.
“Whoa,” Dominic exclaimed as he came out of the Northern room. He strolled over and ran his fingers over the impressive tat. “That’s amazing.”
Alix blushed. “It’s the magic, really.”
Dominic shrugged. “Still cool.”
“Glad you think so,” Hannah interjected. “You’re next.”
When Alix did her thing to Dominic, the tat ended up being just as realistic as Hannah’s but different in form and design. Where hers was floral in theme, Dominic’s was of the earth. Overlapping plates of stone decorated his arms like a suit of armor. The coloring was subtle, blending nicely with the chocolate hues of his skin.
“Wow,” Alix said, as she took a step back to admire her work. “Never seen that before.”
Hannah frowned. “I thought you came up with the imagery in your head before you released it?”
“Sometimes.” Alix nodded. “But not always. With protection tats, I just think of its purpose, not what it looks like. The actual design reflects something about who I’m putting it on—their inner self maybe. I don’t know for sure.”
Dominic laughed as he rolled up his sleeves. “That is so cool. What does it do?”
“It should protect you from harm, temporarily at least,” Alix answered.
“Don’t go nuts, though,” Hannah said hastily. “I don’t want you getting yourself hurt, or...” She couldn’t finish the sentence.
“Hannah’s right,” Alix said, as she turned to go back downstairs. “Think of it as a bullet proof vest that can only take a couple of hits.”
“Will do,” Dominic replied. He looked over at Hannah with a meaningful gaze. “I’ll be careful, if you will.”
“As careful as I can be.”
Once in agreement to not act as fools, the pair finished securing the upstairs, and headed down to the main level. Hannah had expected to hear the bustle of others busy at work getting the place ready for an assault, but was surprised when not so much as a shuffle of feet touched her ears. She quietly peered around the great room, and down the two main hallways, from the foot of the stairs.
Not a single person was in sight.
Hannah was about to call out for Miranda when Dominic’s hand gently pressed against her mouth. He brought a finger to his lips in a quieting gesture, and then signaled for them to head back upstairs.
Fear gripped Hannah, threatening to seize the air from her lungs. Her legs trembled as she followed Dominic up the stairs. She moved as lightly as she could, though every step felt as if it sent thunder rumbling through the house.
What the hell do we do now? Hannah thought. If the intruders were already inside the manor, then her friends were in serious danger, not to mention she and Dominic. There was also the fact that they didn’t even know what they were facing. Shit, we’re totally caught off guard. Hannah needed to get outside near the trees to be truly effective, but everyone could still be in the house.
Dominic led her into one of the suites on the southern side of the manor. It had a beautiful four-poster bed, and a matching dresser on t
he opposite wall. It was one of Hannah’s favorite rooms, especially with the floor-to-ceiling French doors that led out onto the veranda. Not that those details mattered at the moment, but they were hard to pass by without a bit of notice.
“I should be outside,” Hannah whispered.
“I figured,” Dominic said, as he peeked out the wooden shutters. “We’ll be ducks in a barrel out there.”
“We could be that sitting in here,” Hannah pointed out.
“True enough,” Dominic agreed. “The tree line isn’t that far.”
“What about everyone else?” Hannah really did need to be outside, but worry for her friends was making it hard to leave. What if they needed her help, right now?
“I’m pretty sure they can take care of themselves for the moment.” Dominic glanced at her. “It’s not like we’re running away.”
“I know. I just...” Hannah hated situations like this. There were never any good answers. “Screw it. Let’s go.”
Dominic gave her a nod, and slowly opened one of the French doors. He stuck his head outside, looking back and forth along the second story veranda. “Looks clear,” he said over his shoulder. The floorboards creaked the tiniest bit under his feet as he stepped out onto balcony.
Hannah followed, her head whipping about like a squirrel in an open field.
There were four sets of stairs that led down to the ground level, one on each side of the manor. The one on this side wasn’t more that twenty feet away.
Dominic dashed for them, Hannah hot on his heels. Just as he set his foot on the first step, something with the force of a sledgehammer slammed into Hannah’s chest. She flew back, landing on her butt, and continued into a backward somersault. Her head smacked on the balcony floor as she came to a stop on her back.
Hannah wheezed in pain from the throbbing in her chest. I’ve been shot, she thought in panic. Sure enough, when she glanced down at her shirt, the remains of a bullet that looked like a tiny crushed tin can lay between her breasts.
Dominic leaped over the bannister, and rushed the jerk that was now peeking around the corner of the house. The camo-clad gunman stepped out, leveling a long rifle at Dominic. Two silent shots flared from the barrel before her lover closed on their attacker. He moved so quickly, Hannah had trouble following him.
Within seconds, the rifle lay twisted and bent on the floor, while the grappling pair progressed into a melee of kung-fu action. Camo-guy was good; there was no doubt about it, as he dodged and punched in rapid succession, but Dominic was just too quick and strong.
Her lover snagged one of camo-guy’s fists after it nearly clipped his jaw. Bones popped as Dominic squeezed. Camo-guy screamed in pain, desperately trying to free his crushed hand.
Then it was over.
Dominic punched the guy’s throat so hard spittle shot through his mask. The assassin crumpled to the floor in a mangled heap.
Hannah sat up, and gave camo-guy’s twitching body the finger. “Asshole!” she croaked. Her reservations about the death of those trying to kill her were starting to wear a little thin.
Dominic was by her side in a flash. “Are you okay?!”
She nodded, and whispered, “You?”
The tattooes that had covered Dominic’s body were gone, but there was no sign of blood on his clothes. “Yeah, I’m good.” He pulled Hannah to her feet. “Looks like Alix’s magic really works.”
“Thank God,” Hannah mumbled. The pain in her chest still throbbed, and the newly acquired headache wasn’t helping her already shitty mood. She glanced down at her arms to see that one of the floral tats was missing. “Glad she did what she did.”
“We need to move,” Dominic replied. He took hold of her hand, and led her down the stairs.
“Who was that guy?” Hannah rubbed her chest where the bullet had struck.
“I have no idea. We can figure that out later. Right now, we’ve got to find some cover.”
They were halfway to the trees when the sound of gunfire came from the other side of the house.
“Shit!” Hannah yelled as she skid to a halt. “I can’t leave them!” She turned around and sprinted back to the house.
“Hannah!” Dominic called after her.
She kept running. She knew Dominic would just try to stop her. He was right, of course. It was smarter to take cover until they could make a move when they had the advantage, but it could be too late by then, and she couldn’t leave Miranda and the others to fight alone.
Hannah sped past the back patio, and ran around the side of the house. The scene she came upon looked like something straight out of an action flick: guns blazing and people diving for cover. Alix and Troy ended up behind a short retaining wall, while Nathan and Monica were pinned down near a stone table. Nancy was the only one not taking cover as she returned fire. Miranda and Rhea were nowhere to be found.
Half a dozen men dressed in camo crept out from the tree line, firing their rifles.
“Die, you bastards!” the crazed Nancy screamed between shots. “I hope you all burn in h—” The back of her head exploded into a shower of blood as a bullet found her. She collapsed like a marionette cut from its strings.
“No!” Dominic roared. He ran past Hannah, as she took cover next to the house.
“Dominic, get down!” Hannah yelled.
It was his turn to not listen. He rushed out to Nancy’s body, and began dragging her to one of the stone flower boxes surrounding the house. Alix and Troy continued to fire back at the intruders. Dominic took a hit, and tumbled to the ground, just as he got Nancy behind the box.
“Dammit!” Hannah cursed. She reached out to the trees with her power.
The men in camo were still close to the forest, but edged ever farther away.
The branches of a giant oak creaked in response to Hannah’s call. She willed it into action to attack those who invaded her home and shot her lover. Without warning to those nearby, the massive tree lashed out, swatting everything in range with its whip-like limbs.
Two of the gunmen were cut in half at the waist in a gory display of blood and entrails. Another was sent flying through the air some twenty yards before he came to a bone-jarring halt on the stone pavers next to the pool. His body twitched for a few gruesome moments before going completely still.
The remaining three assassins jumped out of the way in disbelief. It was the opening Nathan and Monica needed. Though wounded, the pair stood and took aim on the distracted gunmen. Two the intruders fell almost instantly from well placed shots, while the third made a break for the woods, away from the raging oak. He didn’t make it far. Nathan tracked him with his gun and fired. Blood sprayed from the man’s head as he fell to the ground.
“Dominic!” Hannah rushed over to him.
“I’m okay,” he said. “The tattoo...”
Hannah breathed a sigh of relief, as she knelt beside both he and Nancy. She looked down at the woman, and knew there was no hope for her. “I’m so sorry, Dominic.”
He nodded, his dreads sliding over his shoulders. “Me too.”
Hannah looked up at Alix and Troy as they approached. “Where are the others?”
“They headed to the front of the house,” Alix answered. “I don’t know where they went from there.”
“I’ve got to see if they’re okay,” Hannah said, getting to her feet.
“I’ll go with you,” Troy replied.
“We’ll go with you,” Alix corrected.
Dominic closed Nancy’s eyes, and then stood. “Let’s go.”
Nathan and Monica stayed put, as the four of them made their way to the front of the manor.
“Let me check it out first,” Troy whispered as they came up to the corner of the house. “I can take a few shots if it comes down to that.”
Dominic glanced at the stout red head. “All yours.” He stepped aside to let Troy pass.
Troy peeked around the corner, and then stepped out. “Looks like Miranda and Rhea have things under control.”
Hannah came out from behind the house to see that things were indeed handled. Rhea was still a wolf, and stood over the body of another gunman. Miranda was kneeling beside yet another man, talking with him quietly.
As the group approached, Hannah could see that the gunman beside Rhea was dead, throat torn out. The other was injured badly with a pool of blood spreading out beneath him.
“Who are they?” Hannah asked.
Miranda looked up from the dying man. “They were contracted by an agency I’m not familiar with. Not that I would know anyone who does this kind of thing, but I have my suspicions who’s behind it.”
Hannah nodded. She had her suspicions as well. Witch hunters came to mind, but these guys didn’t seem the type to dabble in the arcane. Also, witch hunters liked to do the dirty work themselves, not hire out, which brought her thoughts to Dongle Gas & Oil. She couldn’t say for certain of course, but the mega corp had more than enough reason to come after them. Dominic had warned her of their intentions. This kind of “full on” assault was a bit surprising though. She had expected something a little subtler.
The gunman made a gurgling noise, shuddered, and then went still.
“So, what now?” Hannah asked, as she looked down at the dead man.
Miranda got to her feet. “We take these bodies to the grove and dispose of them.”
The thought of disposing of someone, even if they were already dead, made Hannah a bit sick to her stomach, but she didn’t object. These guys were killers, and they had come to end the lives of everyone here. There were consequences for that kind of thing, and explaining all of this to the police would be more than a little awkward. It was better to take care of this situation themselves if possible.
“What about Nancy?” Hannah asked suddenly. “We can’t just put her with these guys.” She turned to look at Dominic. “Doesn’t she have family?”
Dominic shook his head. “No. Not anyone she told us about, but you’re right. She needs a place of her own.”
Hannah put a hand on his shoulder. “We can find a nice spot on the grounds for her.”
“I appreciate that,” Dominic replied. “So will the others.”
“Good,” Miranda said. “Let’s get this place cleaned up.”
Hannah (The Coven's Grove Chronicles #2) Page 14
