Fugitive of Magic (Dragon's Gift: The Protector Book 1)

by Linsey Hall

  “Don’t!” The woman cried, her voice strangled from Ares’s hand about her throat. “Do not breathe a word!”

  The man’s tortured gaze met hers.

  “We’ll kill her.” I made my voice hard as stone. “My friend is a vampire and would be happy to drain her dry. Why did you attack?”

  The man shot one last glance at the woman. His mouth twisted. For a moment, I thought it was with regret.

  Then I realized that he’d done something I’d only ever seen in the movies. He’d used his tongue to prod at one of his teeth and released a pill of some kind. A cyanide capsule in the human world.

  Whatever it was, as soon as he crunched down on it, his eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed.

  “Shit!” I jumped back, then whirled to Ares.

  In his arm, the woman collapsed as well. She, too, had eaten her cyanide capsule.

  “Damn it.” Frantic, I looked between the two of them. “What now?”

  Regret sliced Ares’s face. He hoisted the woman into his arms and put her body in the alley. “Let the Order of Secret Stealers deal with them. I’ll call a couple of my men here to ask questions if necessary and get any details off the bodies.”

  I nodded. This sucked. He may have given them info. And I hated that they’d died. I hadn’t wanted to kill the man who’d thrown fireballs at me, but he’d been on the offensive seeking to kill me back.

  This guy had technically been my prisoner. I didn’t want him to die.

  Ares returned and picked up the man as if he weighed nothing.

  But the body began to disintegrate. It turned to dust, like some mummy in an old movie.

  Ares jumped back, dropping the body. In the alley, the woman turned to dust as well. I glanced behind me, seeking the man in the coat who’d thrown fireballs at me.

  Horrified, I pointed. “He’s dusting too.”

  “All of them are. What the hell is it?”

  “A spell. Something so that they leave no evidence.” All trace of them was already gone. Damn it.

  “Let’s get out of here.” Ares held out a hand. “We’ll figure this out elsewhere. It’s not safe here.”

  I was with him on that. I reached out a hand and grasped his. The ether sucked us in, transporting us to a busy city street that was definitely not Magic’s Bend. The buildings were bigger and older and much more ornate.

  “Where are we?” I let go of his hand.

  “My place in Paris. Come on.” Ares led me toward the entrance of the building.

  Again, there was a doorman, but this one looked more like a bodyguard than anything else. He was huge, with shoulders like a mountain and a scrunched-up face.

  He nodded to Ares and pulled open the door.

  “Thank you, Phillipe,” Ares said.

  I followed him into an ornate lobby—this one done in ruby and dark wood—and up an ancient elevator.

  “You sure have a lot of houses,” I said.

  “Only four. And this is the closest one to the Cathar castle.”

  The elevator stopped, and he led me out, toward a door about ten feet down the hall. He pressed his palm to the wood and magic sparked, then he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

  I followed, stepping into a large living room with old windows overlooking the Eiffel Tower. It was decorated differently than his place at Magic’s Bend, with heavy furniture done in creams and blue.

  “What the hell was that all about?” I asked.

  “No idea. They weren’t after me. I just settled my last real issue of that nature.”

  “Then they were after me.” Chills raced over my skin. I wanted to take a seat, but forced myself to toughen up.

  “Any reason in particular?”

  “Marin’s murder. That’s the only weird thing I’ve got going now.” The Monster from our past used to hunt us, but that was over.

  “Then Marin’s murder is more complicated than we thought,” Ares said.

  I walked to the window. “Yeah. Which means they’re a group, not just one guy who killed Marin. And they’re keeping themselves mighty secret with that dusting power.”

  “No evidence, that’s for sure. Of anything.”

  I tried calling on my dragon sense, asking it to lead me to wherever our attackers had come from, but as expected, it didn’t work.

  Total shot in the dark anyway. Not enough info to go on.

  “But how did they find us?”

  He joined me at the window, looking out over the view of Paris’s most famous landmark. “They’re tracking you, or they knew you might go to the Order of Secret Stealers for information. They want to frame you.”

  Surprise flashed through me. I hadn’t expected him to tell me that. His honesty—and trust?—warmed something inside of me.

  “I know,” I said. “I heard you talking last night in the hotel. Was it to the Vampire Court?”

  His green gaze met mine, annoyed. “You eavesdropped?”

  I pointed to the collar around my neck. “My life is at stake here. Of course I eavesdropped.”

  He nodded. “Fine. I’d do the same. And yes. Someone is trying to frame you. The Vampire Court is looking to find the murderer quickly, and you’re their best bet. And the false accusations don’t help.”

  “But you’re one third of the Vampire Court!” I said. “Can’t you get me off if you know I’m innocent?”

  “I’m an equal third. But with the other two against me, I’m outnumbered.” He propped his hands on the windowsill and leaned against it. “There’s no camaraderie between myself and the other members of the Vampire Court. Magisteria and Doyen don’t like each other any more than they like me. In a way, it helps. We each uphold our part of the government. It keeps us honest and truthful.”

  “There’s never an attempt to overthrow the others?” I asked.

  “I’m the only one strong enough to attempt it, and I have no interest in ruling alone. That would change the whole structure of our government. Now, I have freedom. If I overthrow Magisteria and Doyen, I become King.”

  “That’s kinda cool.”

  His skeptical gaze met mine. “Hardly. Just because I have the strength to overthrow the government, doesn’t mean I want to. I’d have to live in the Vampire Realm full-time, ruling my subjects.” He straightened. “Frankly, I’d rather take a stake to the heart.”

  “Stakes are a myth.” I sighed. Plenty of things could kill vampires. “But I get your point.”

  He wasn’t going to give up his whole life for me. He might believe I hadn’t committed the murder, but he wasn’t going to sacrifice everything. I didn’t like it, but I couldn’t blame him. I wouldn’t do the same for him.

  “Where’s your bathroom?” I asked.

  “To the left, down the hall.”

  “Thanks.” I hurried away, shutting myself inside the small guest bathroom that was fancier than everything in my apartment combined. Besides my trove, obviously.

  I leaned against the wall.

  Shit. This was bad. I drew in a ragged breath and called upon my dragon sense, begging it to find me Marin’s killer. But I had nothing more than a shadowy figure in the dark to go on. Even my desire to find the murderer and save my own life didn’t do the trick.

  I needed more info.

  If anything, it felt like my dragon sense tugged me south. An image of a castle flashed in my mind. The Cathar castle. That was where my dragon sense was sending me.

  I didn’t get it, but I had to follow. There would be answers there. I had to trust that.

  I pushed away from the wall and washed my face, avoiding looking into the mirror to see how rough I looked after a day of fighting and scrambling through ancient corridors.

  Refreshed, I pressed my fingertips to the comms charm at my neck. “Cass? Del?”

  “Yeah? Any luck?” Cass answered.

  “We’re headed to a Cathar castle in southern France, looking for answers. But will you guys do whatever research you can on a breed of supernaturals cal
led Informas?”

  “Sure thing,” Del said. “Who’s an Informa?”

  “Marin Olerafort, the victim. And this is more than just a murder. There’s something bigger at stake.”

  “Not bigger than your life,” Cass said.

  I smiled. It was good to have them at my back. “Thanks.”

  “Well, we’re on it,” Del said. “Call us if you need any more help.”

  “I will. Thanks, guys.”

  “Anytime,” Cass said.

  “Stay safe!” Del added.

  “Will do.” I cut the connection, then sucked in a deep breath and left the bathroom to rejoin Ares.

  He turned from the window to face me.

  “We need to get to this Cathar castle,” I said. “I think we’re close. That secret is tied up in all of this.”

  “I agree. We can go now if you’re ready.”

  “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

  Ares unfolded the paper that the Master of Secrets had given him and studied it.

  “What’s it say?”

  “It’s coordinates.”

  “You can navigate the ether using that?”

  He shrugged. “Shouldn’t be too hard.”

  “Good.” I held out my hand. “Let’s go.”

  His strong hand gripped my own, and he pulled me closer to him. My breath caught. I should be used to his nearness by now, but I wasn’t. He smelled good and looked better, especially up close.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  Was his voice slightly rougher?

  Nah. Crazy.

  I nodded.

  Magic sparked on the air, and the ether dragged us across the country. We appeared in southern France, at the base of a mountain topped by a castle.

  I stepped back and craned my head to look up. “Whoa. They live up there?”

  The mountain was steep, with dark green scrub brush along the sides.

  “How the hell did they build that castle up there?” Ares asked.

  “No idea. But I guess if you had to protect yourself from a crusade, you’re going to build up high.”

  Ares nodded. “It would be easy to defend.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of.” I sighed. “Any chance you can transport us to the top?”

  “I can try.”

  I reached for his hand, holding tight. The ether pulled at us, sucking us in again. My heart leapt. This might work! I opened my eyes.

  We were a couple hundred yards up the mountain, but no farther. Dang.

  “Their protective magic won’t let me go any farther,” Ares said.

  “Then let’s get started. That mountain isn’t going to climb itself.”

  We began the hike, scrambling over the scrub brush and eventually finding a worn path. The mountain wasn’t super tall, but it was steep. One side of the path rose sharply upward toward the castle; the other plummeted down to a ravine.

  I estimated an hour’s climb if we got lucky.

  I sure hoped we got lucky. The sun was turning the sky pink as it neared the horizon. Darkness wouldn’t help our cause.

  As we trekked upward and my breathing became rough, I vowed to lay off the cheese and hit the gym.

  I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped.

  “What are you laughing about?” Ares asked.

  “Um, nothing interesting.” Just my long-lived affair with cheddar.

  Magic sparked on the air, and the ground rumbled, distracting him.

  “Something is coming,” he said.

  I glanced around. A half second later, a trio of large rocks tumbled down the mountain toward us. Gravel slid alongside.

  “Rockfall!” I cried.

  We sprinted forward as the rocks tumbled onto the path. Dust flew up behind me, creating a haze that clouded the air. I kept close to Ares’s heels, sprinting with everything I had.

  A glance upward revealed a massive boulder about to land right on us. There was a tall, shallow cave to our left, right in the mountainside. It was more of an indention in the rock wall, but it was the only shelter around, and our only hope.

  “Ares!” I cried, then hurled myself into him with the last of my strength, pushing him toward the cave.

  We slammed against the back wall of the shallow cave just as the boulder slammed onto the path where we’d been standing.

  It trapped us inside, leaving just a sliver of space at the edge where light could filter in.

  “Holy hell.” Ares’s wide gaze was on the boulder. “You saved us.”

  I panted, my body pressed hard to his. Adrenaline surged through me. My limbs shook, and my heart raced.

  I glanced up at him, painfully aware of how close we were. How good he felt, pressed against me. I was selective about the guys I dated—which meant I dated mostly fictional dudes in my head.

  This was the first time in ages I’d been so close to a guy in a dark—um, room?—and Ares… Well, he was the hottest, strongest guy I’d ever met.

  It was hard not to like that. A lot. Even when I knew it was stupid, I liked it.

  His green gaze met mine. A slash of light cut across his face, making his eyes glitter.

  I’d have bet anything that there was hunger in his gaze. When his hand pressed against my lower back, cementing me to him, I knew it. Definitely hunger.

  For me.

  I drew in an unsteady breath, goosebumps prickling my skin as warmth welled inside me. My gaze dropped to his lips, which looked so full and kissable I could lose my mind any second.

  “Nix.” His voice was rough. Wanting.

  Oh my fates, he was going to kiss me. Right on the lips.

  It snapped me out of my trance.

  I didn’t have time for this. Literally did not have time for it if I wanted to keep on living.

  I cleared my throat and pulled away. I could only step back a foot before I collided with the boulder that trapped us.

  But the space was enough to clear my head. It seemed to clear his as well, because he straightened and his businesslike mask fell back over his face. “I’ll get us out of here.”

  “Yeah.” My voice was an embarrassing croak. “Good idea.”

  I squeezed myself into the corner so he had room to work.

  He pressed his hands against the rock. The thing had to weigh several tons at least. But he pushed it like it was a feather. He didn’t even grimace. Just…shoved.

  The boulder disappeared down the mountain. From what I could hear, it crushed anything in its path, and I was sure glad it wasn’t me.

  I eyed him appreciatively. “So that’s what vampire strength is.”

  “Yes.” He leaned out of the cave and looked both directions. “The rockfall has settled down.”

  “If I were a hiker, I’d have headed back in the other direction.”

  “Same.”

  “Onward?”

  He nodded. “Onward.”

  We continued to climb. Despite the chill air, sweat began to dampen my skin. The sky turned a darker orange as the sun dipped below the horizon.

  “Halfway there,” Ares said.

  I wanted to answer, but I was too busy trying not to breathe like a couch potato forced to run a 10K.

  A whistling noise cut through the air.

  My brain registered the threat—arrow!—just as Ares grabbed me around the waist and threw me to the ground. His body landed on top of mine, protecting me.

  He grunted, a sound of obvious pain.

  I called upon my magic, conjuring a long shield.

  “Come on, get behind this!” I said.

  We scrambled behind the shield, crouching low as arrows thudded against it. An arrow was stuck in Ares’s arm, fully piercing the muscle of his bicep.

  I winced. “Ouch.”

  “No kidding.” He grimaced, then snapped the feathers off the arrow and pulled it through the hole in his arm. After that initial grimace, he didn’t even flinch.

  Yikes. I wondered what pain he’d felt in the past that made it so he didn’t flinch when an arr
ow went straight through his arm.

  It must not be easy being the vampire Enforcer.

  I peeked around the side of the shield, getting the briefest glimpse of arrows flying out of the narrow windows in the castle’s three towers.

  “Hey!” Ares grabbed my shoulder and yanked me back. “You need to be more careful.”

  I scowled at him.

  “Come on,” he said. “You have to admit that sticking your head out when arrows are flying at us is dumb.”

  “Fine. It is. But I wanted to know where they are coming from.”

  “The towers, right?”

  “Yes. But I saw a man, too, standing at the top of one of the towers.”

  “That is useful.” His brow furrowed. “Could you conjure a white flag that he could see?”

  “Think they’d get it?” I asked. “Is that a universal sign of surrender or just something in movies?”

  “Can’t hurt to try.”

  “Yeah, okay.” I hadn’t done too much conjuring today, so I had a good store of power saved up.

  As the arrows thudded against our shield, I conjured a white cloth. Ares tied it to a stick, then hoisted it in the air. We waited, breath held.

  Chapter Twelve

  Finally, the arrows stopped.

  A voice echoed down the mountain. It took me a moment to recognize it as French, though a strange older version. “Who are you?”

  “Not Crusaders!” I yelled back in his language.

  Ares glanced at me, brow raised.

  I shrugged. “That’s who they’re scared of.”

  “You speak French?”

  “I’m pretty good at languages. Lots of study time behind the desk at Ancient Magic. Do you understand him?”

  “Yes. Though my French is very rusty. Let’s leave the talking to you.”

  “Approach!” the voice shouted.

  “That’s only somewhat promising,” Ares said. “They could still drop boiling oil on our heads as soon as we get to the gate.”

  “These guys may have been the ones to kill Marin, so I’d say it’s more probable than possible.”

  “It’s our only option, though. Let’s take the shield and see what they have up their sleeve. My instinct is that they didn’t murder Marin, so we’d be better off with a truce.”

  “Okay. I just hope you’re right.”