by Ibanez, Dawn
James nodded as he looked at the dead people lying around them. “She killed everything,” he said in a whisper. His eyes quickly found Tsukiko. “The very nature around of this entire block is just gone.”
Victor slowly inhaled as he went to see about the Oracle. The Maxwells had no idea what they were in for. “I will say this, try not to take offense to it.” He looked at James for a moment. “You have no concept of the power Madison and Dylan can control. She killed everything on this block simply because she could. Now, she has the ability to vanish into thin air, with someone in tow. I fear that she is becoming the demon she always feared she was.”
“What makes you think she isn’t?” James countered. His eyes burned with the thought that his daughter could do something like this.
Victor knelt over Tsukiko’s body and gently closed her eyes. “The girl,” Victor stated. He looked at James with serious eyes. “If Madison had given over to the demon that resides in her, the girl would be dead as well.”
Chapter 8
Lily opened the door to the penthouse apartment and smiled as she entered. “Welcome to my sanctuary,” she said as she placed her key card on the table by the door. She turned and looked at Barry. When he didn’t say anything, she looked around the penthouse and tried to look at it from his point of view. The décor was modern and masculine. While the walls and trim were done in shades of white, the actual furniture was plush black leather. She swallowed as he stepped next to her. “Just after Dad and Luna died, I thought about changing the place around.”
“But you never got around to it,” Barry cut in. He looked into her eyes and knew she was nervous. She told him before that he was the first person she brought here. This was almost like a secret between them. He moved closer to her and brushed her hair behind her ear. “It’s fine,” he said softly.
She blushed as she moved away from him. There was no way she would be able to think with him in her personal space. “There’s a kitchenette to the left. As you see, the living room is straight ahead, and there are two spare rooms up the stairs with the master. My room is on this floor off to the right.”
Barry frowned. “You don’t sleep in the master?” he asked. When her blush deepened, he cleared his throat. “Don’t answer that,” he said quickly. A smirk crossed his face. “You probably had nightmares of Mathias and Luna going at it.”
Lily’s blush deepened even more. “I normally don’t talk about this,” she said with a shake of her head. She glanced at him and saw his curious expression. “The typical reaction to various sexual situations would be either disgust, or an overly eager desire to act on the thoughts, so I normally don’t say anything about what turns me on,” she said quickly.
He nodded as he stepped closer to her. He couldn’t stop himself from brushing his lips against the skin of her neck. “I’ll let you get away this time,” he whispered into her ear. When she moaned softly he smiled. “But I won’t let you hide from me forever.”
She frowned at him. “I’m not hiding,” she argued. When his smile widened, she laughed and leaned her head against his shoulder. “I think I had too many Dragon Elixirs,” she confessed.
Barry chuckled. “You only had two,” he reminded her.
“Not including the other two I had while you were with Diana,” she said softly.
He felt like an ass all over again. “I won’t do that to you again,” he whispered against her skin. When she nodded, he sighed. “And I think you may need to sleep this off before we start any real search for those seals.”
Lily looked into his eyes. He had the kind of eyes she could get lost in. A soft smile crossed her face. “Will you walk me to my door?” she questioned. When he nodded, she took his hand and led him to her bedroom door. “I had a nice time tonight Barry,” she told him.
His hand brushed against her cheek again. He couldn’t get enough of touching her. “I did too.” And it was surprising that he actually meant it. Barry leaned in close and gently pressed his lips against hers. A soft groan escaped him when her lips opened for him. This was supposed to be a simple kiss, but the feeling of her hands ghosting over his hair and around his shoulders struck him like a match to dry wood. Barry felt the smile on Lily’s face when he lifted her into his arms and pinned her against the wall. He inhaled through his nose when her legs locked around his waist. His hands were shaking as they tangled in her hair. The feeling of her tongue against his was a drug Barry found himself becoming addicted to.
Lily heard the faint ripping of fabric and ignored it. The feeling of Barry’s body against hers was not something she wanted to fight against. This was what she always thought of when it came to him. A kiss that was all consuming. Something that set her on fire. Her body came alive as she ground her pelvis against his. A low growl was her only warning before Barry returned her grind with a thrust of his own. She heard another rip of fabric and her hands came in contact with his skin. Lily ran her hands across his shoulders and chest as she bit down on his bottom lip. Being with him was more intoxicating than the four rum laced drinks she had at dinner.
Barry trailed kisses down the side of her neck. He didn’t know if Lily realized her legs became a vice around his waist, but he would gladly sacrifice his pelvis for her to keep moving. He smiled when her body trembled against his. She was close, and after everything that happened this evening, he couldn’t just leave her craving. Barry sank his teeth into the side of her neck as he thrust against her once more.
Lily cried out as she came. She couldn’t tell which way was up as Barry carried her. This had been the first time she actually came, without having to feed from someone. A soft smile crossed her face as she realized they were in her room. “You have to be more than just a Mage,” she whispered into his ear.
He chuckled as he carefully laid her back on the bed. “I’m sexy and I know it,” he said as he pulled away from her. He blinked as if realizing for the first time Lily had ripped his shirt to shreds. As she blushed, he removed his shirt and balled it up at his side. “Good night, Lily,” he said before covering her with the bed’s comforter. When she blinked at him dumbly, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “It’s our first date. I’m not going to sleep with you just yet,” he explained.
She blinked as he walked to the door of her room. Her emotions swung on a wild pendulum as she looked at the mocha colored skin of his back. “What if I want you to?” she asked quickly. When he turned to her, the blush on her face brightened.
His eyes darkened for a moment. “You said you’ve never had a real relationship. It’s been a real long time since I’ve had one myself,” he confessed. When she started to sit up, he smiled at her. “I want to treat you like the treasure you really are. So, if you wanted me to jump in that bed with you, I would have to say no. You deserve a lot better than that.” He saw the confusion in her eyes and smiled. “Goodnight, Lily,” he repeated before leaving her room.
As he pulled the door closed, he reached down and adjusted his pants. He was going to have to take a cold shower, and find a new shirt. A chuckle escaped him as he looked at the ruined shirt in his hands. If this was a glimpse of his future with Lily, he was going to have quite a few cold showers.
Barry headed for the stairs when his cell phone started to ring. He frowned when he saw his father’s name on the device. “Are you okay?” he questioned. His father never called him.
“I need you here,” James stated darkly. “Madison was just here. She killed everyone in a two-block radius and kidnapped your niece. Jimmy’s already on his way and I’m going to need you to sit on him while I deal with your mother.”
Barry’s blood went cold as he processed what his father just said. He rubbed his eyes as he turned back to Lily’s room. She was standing at the door of her room. “Text me the address. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” When he disconnected the call, he looked at her. “It’s bad,” he said simply.
Lily slowly nodded as she leaned against the door jam. “I figured.” She tried to look at a
nything except for him. It would be too selfish to demand that he stay with her. And she was in no condition to go with him. Lily cleared her throat and forced herself to look at him. “Daddy still has some clothes in the master, and I think Cord may have left some things in one of the guest rooms. You’re more than welcome to any of it,” she said before turning and going back into her room.
Barry sighed before going to the master bedroom. Things between him and Lily weren’t going as he planned, but he would have to wait to see if that was a good of a bad thing. He quickly found a shirt and put it on. His coat was still in his car. There was no reason for him to worry about her while he checked on his family, and he could also stop by his apartment and grab some of his own clothes.
Within minutes Barry was in front of Lily’s bedroom door. He knocked gently and smiled when she opened the door. “I’ll be back soon,” he said before kissing her.
Lily smiled as he stepped away from her. Neither one of them wanted to get carried away. Not with the serious situation surrounding them all. “Be careful.”
“I’m a Maxwell,” he chuckled as he made his way to the door. Before he left, he winked at her. “Never.”
* * * * *
James frowned as he spied his wife’s car. Over the past few months, he watched as she grew to cherish Madison. Even if this didn’t drive a wedge between them, it would put a massive strain on their relationship. He looked at Victor and motioned for where his wife was climbing out of her car. “I’ll try to handle this,” he said lowly.
Victor nodded silently as he caught sight of Casper’s car pulling up behind his. He turned his attention to the vampire that loved Madison. “Are you sure you want to see this?” he questioned mentally.
Casper frowned as he climbed out of his car. “What did she do?” Casper asked darkly. “Remember, Father, I was there when she was twenty one and slaughtered a pack of wildlings. I know how bad she can get.”
“Two blocks all around,” Victor said sharply. When Casper nodded slowly, Victor continued. “She stopped James from approaching her, and nearly crushed my mind when I tried to reach out to hers.” Victor’s eyes narrowed when Casper simply folded his arms over his chest. “You expected this?”
“You didn’t?” Casper countered.
The sound of a slap echoed on the empty street. Victor and Casper turned to see Tina glaring at James, who was holding his cheek.
“I have come too far with her. I will not have you calling her a monster,” Tina said with a growl.
Victor moved away from Casper and went to Tina’s side. “You must realize, the woman we are now dealing with is not our Madison,” he said diplomatically. His eyes locked with Tina’s. “Her magic is controlling her. Normally, the idea of killing an entire neighborhood would never enter her mind. It was a means to an end for her.”
“But what end?” Tina asked.
Victor pressed his lips together for a moment. “To take your granddaughter.” Victor glanced at James before turning back to Tina. “Madison was even prepared to kill your husband and myself.”
A tear escaped Tina’s eyes as she shook her head. “Why are you telling me this?” she asked. “After everything I’ve done to her, how could you say something like this?”
James stepped close to Tina and touched her hand. “She nearly stopped my heart Tina,” he said softly. “It wasn’t until the little girl said that she would go with her and they vanished that she let go of her hold on me.”
Tina shook her head as tears fell from her eyes. She already fought for Madison once. She even squared off against her daughter after she killed Mathias and Cord. Knowing that Madison was lost once again to darkness ripped her apart. Without a word, she walked over to her car and climbed in. Everyone in the Council knew she and James were a unit. She would leave him to take care of this situation, while she tried to figure out some way to help her girls.
Victor grabbed James’s arm and shook his head when he moved to go after his wife. “Let us handle one thing at a time. After we have everything contained here, then you can go after her.”
James watched his wife leave and his youngest son pull up. He took a slow breath when Barry’s car also came down the road. “This is going to be a long night,” he said to the pair at his side. “You think it will get any better?”
Casper snorted as he looked at both Victor and James. “This isn’t even the tip of the iceberg,” he said before going over to Jimmy.
* * * * *
Pan walked into his penthouse and frowned at the child sitting on the corner of the sofa. His eyes traveled the room before landing on Madison, who was once again looking through his research notes. “Madi, what is the meaning of this?” he questioned.
Madison looked at him with bored crimson eyes. “I need information,” she said simply. “I needed an Oracle, so I went to get one.”
Pan shook his head. “She is too young to be an Oracle,” he argued.
Madison turned her eyes to Dori and folded her arms over her chest. “Dori, tell him what you told me,” she ordered. When the girl wiped her eyes, Madison went to the kitchen area and grabbed a handful of napkins. She ignored Pan’s expression as she went over to her niece and wiped her eyes. “I’ve already explained to you, I won’t hurt you. But you need to tell me what you see.”
Dori looked at Madison for a moment and wiped her eyes. “I saw blood,” she said quietly. “I saw a building falling and you and Aunt Dylan fighting. I don’t know if her statue had broken.”
Pan frowned as he approached the pair. “Statue?” he questioned.
She looked at Madison and nodded. “My Grandfather used to tell me stories about you. He said the seals were each connected to what you would become.” She brought her knees up to her chest as tears continued to slip down her face. “Aunt Dylan’s Seal is a statue shaped like a dragon. He said a wise man never seeks War.” Dori looked at Madison with terror in her eyes. “I was told that I had to give it to my daddy before you got it.”
Madison gently touched the girl’s face. “And you gave it to your daddy?” she asked softly. When Dori nodded, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You’re a good girl,” Madison praised. She stood and turned back to the book of notes. “Did you know anything else about the seals?” she asked.
“I used to have dreams about a crown, the dragon, a cross and a coin. I didn’t tell my mommy or daddy. Grandfather said that too much would be changed if I did.”
Madison smiled at the girl. “Second door to the right. You can get a shower and try to sleep. I’ll make sure you stay safe,” she promised.
Pan frowned at the girl as she jumped to her feet and ran out of the main room. “What are you really doing Madison?” he asked.
She looked at him with a bored expression. “I have no army. No real allies except Siobhan. I need knowledge.” She picked up a small legal pad and pen and quickly wrote on it. “That little girl has more than her fair share of it.”
“So you’re going to gather information through her and then what? Kill her? Keep her as a pet?”
Madison swung her hand. She growled as her nails clawed into the side of his face. “Do not touch her,” she ordered. Her voice changed as she glared at the man her parents had entrusted her to so long ago. “Dori is scared, and under my protection.”
Pan held the side of his face as he pulled the life from the plants in the penthouse. He glared at Madison as his face started to knit together. “Are you forgetting your place, Madison?” Pan straightened to his full height as he slowly approached her. “Do you not realize that I am the one that taught you how to use your magic?”
Madison was expecting him to lash out. Her bored expression didn’t change as she blocked and countered his grab with a punch of her own. When he stumbled back, she frowned at him. “You’re forgetting your place, Gramps,” she said sharply. “I’m Death. Horseman of the Apocalypse trumps teacher any day. So if I say that child is under my protection, she is off limits.”
<
br /> Pan stood still as Madison snatched up her pad and pen. Just as she was about to turn, Siobhan walked into the penthouse. She looked from Madison to Pan and smiled. “Family argument?” she asked. When neither answered, her smile widened. “Does that mean I can watch?”
Madison turned to Siobhan. “I have a niece in my room. She’s not to be hurt. Gramps doesn’t want her here, and so I’m ignoring him.”
Siobhan nodded as she sat on the sofa. “Does she know anything useful?”
“Tons,” Madison said before sitting beside her fellow Horseman. “Her mother was the Himura Oracle. If that didn’t make her powerful enough, her father is my brother Jimmy. Our aunt was the Maxwell Oracle. If trained right, this little girl could learn to govern fate.”
Siobhan slowly nodded. “Or she could rip apart the very thing that holds the human race together.” She looked at Madison for a moment before smiling. “Either way, it’s win/win for us. I don’t see a problem with it.”
Madison nodded as she tapped her pen against her pad. If Jimmy had what was supposed to be Dylan’s seal, then there was almost no way she was going to be able to get to it. At least not yet. She frowned as she looked at the words written on her paper. From what Dori said, they would have to look for a statue and a cross. “In the morning, we’ll go looking for that cross,” she said before circling the word.
Pan frowned as Madison stood. “Why not go after the statue? You know your brother has it.”
Madison’s expression was cold as she shook her head. “You are such a disappointment, Gramps,” she said lowly. “We aren’t going after the statue because Jimmy would have given it to Dylan by now. To make sure it didn’t break and unleash War, she would reinforce it. If she couldn’t do that, she could transmute an indestructible box around it. If we want her seal, we’re going to have to push her to break it herself.”
Pan shook his head. “She would never do that.”
