by Iris Abbott
One of the creatures stumbled forward and tripped over its own feet after a powerful and swift kick from Selena. It fell just two feet from the sisters, and they jumped out of the monster’s way. The action was enough to break the strained silence that lingered between them.
“Craig called Lucian. The Enigma Police Department headquarters and Lucian’s office aren’t that far from here. Guardians will be here soon, and Craig will be right behind them. This attack isn’t a common occurrence, and I’ve never seen anything like those creatures before. The council is going to want to investigate.”
Jillian moved her head back and forth, trying to follow all the action. Brittany, Selena, and Julie expertly battled their attackers. They were getting in plenty of kill blows, but the creatures refused to stay down. It was like a nightmare come to life. “They look and act like zombies I’ve seen in the movies and TV shows,” she frantically whispered.
Brianna was off to the side intently observing the creatures and their movements. “I’m afraid you’re on to something, Jillian.” She sounded worried. “It takes powerful black magic to create creatures such as this. I should be able to sense the magic, maybe even find a signature, but there’s nothing.”
Jessica stood in front of the sisters and Brianna in a fighting stance, guarding them in case one of the attackers got past the other three women.
“You shouldn’t be here, Jessica,” Brianna admonished the other witch. She crossed her fingers, quickly uttered a protection spell, blinked three times, and lifted her open arms to embrace the powers of the mystical universe.
“It’s too late,” the woman snapped back at Brianna as soon as the older witch was finished casting. “It’s not like I can leave now.”
Brianna shook her head. “Lucian would wreak unimaginable havoc if anything happened to you under normal circumstances, but not even me and the rest of the council combined would be able to stop him from flattening Enigma and everyone in it if something tragic happened to you and his child.”
There was a collective gasp in the air as all the women froze and glanced at Jessica. The distraction caused Julie to get clipped on the side. She went down hard, scraping her palms on the asphalt.
Only a few drops of blood were visible, but it was enough to send the zombie-like creatures into a frenzy. The two that were battling with Selena and Brittany abruptly turned and staggered toward Julie. She jumped to her feet into a fighting stance prepared to defend herself. Selena and Brittany ran past the monsters to stand by their friend, more than ready to continue the battle.
“That’s it!” Brianna snapped her fingers. “I think I know what they are now, and more importantly I know how to stop them!” She crossed her fingers and started casting. “To that which was created by evil. I speak to the creatures made for the express purpose of upheaval. Heed my summons to quench the bloodlust. In my power and magic, I ask that you trust. Forget the one who schemed and planned. Now you are under my command!” She blinked three times and raised her arms, opening them wide.
The other women watched the proceedings with rapt fascination. The three creatures snapped to attention and stared at Brianna, watching and waiting for her next words. “Don’t move for any reason,” the witch commanded in a no-nonsense voice.
Jillian watched in wide-eyed wonder as the zombie-like creatures seemed to turn to stone. Brittany dared to step up to the closest zombie and snap her fingers less than six inches from its face. The beast didn’t even blink, and the other two didn’t move either.
The impending sense of doom she’d been feeling since right before the attack faded until it was gone entirely. It was replaced with a comforting warmth that seemed to surround her. It reminded her of Dante’s embrace. “I feel Dante. He’s near,” she said loud enough for the other women to hear.
“Lucian is with him,” Jessica agreed.
“So is Phillip,” Selena confirmed that the guardians were indeed near.
A sleek and fast car screeched around the corner on two wheels and drove into the nearby alley. The three guardians exited the vehicle before it came to a complete stop. Jillian didn’t wait to see what anyone else was going to do. She took off running toward Dante. She jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist, holding on as tight as she could.
He held her so tight Jillian almost couldn’t breathe, but she didn’t mind. She wanted to be as close to him as she could get. Jillian buried her face against his neck. “I’ve never been so scared in all my life,” she whispered.
“That makes two of us.” His body shuddered.
Jillian looked up at him in surprise. “Really? I can’t imagine anything shaking you up, Dante, much less scaring you to death.”
“I could feel your terror even before Craig informed Lucian of the attack. I thought my heart was going to explode it beat so fast on the way over here. I’m never letting you out of my sight ever again.” He hugged her to him even tighter.
“That’s a little overkill, don’t you think?” But Jillian definitely wanted to relish the emotion behind his endearing statement.
“Not at all,” he frowned. “You and your sister aren’t equipped to deal with paranormal creatures like those yet. I’m more thankful than you’ll ever know that Brianna and the other ladies were still with you when the attack happened.”
Jillian wanted to tell him that she could take care of herself and so could Jenna, but she knew he spoke the truth. She gave him a tentative smile. “You should have seen Brittany, Selena, and Julie fighting them. Those ladies can kick butt.”
“So Lucian and Phillip were quick to tell me when I demanded that Lucian drive faster.”
He lifted her away from him and sat her on her feet. “I need to join the other guardians to take care of business. You stay with your sister, and don’t watch,” he warned. “They have to be destroyed properly. It might get gruesome.”
Craig’s SUV turned the corner, and Jillian watched her sister run to greet her anxious husband. Mindful of what Dante told her, she followed behind her sister at a much slower pace. She wanted to give Jenna and Craig a chance to connect with each other first before she intruded. Jillian noticed the other ladies had the same idea and all but Brianna walked with her toward Jenna and Craig.
She glanced over her shoulder. Dante and the other guardians conferred with Brianna, who talked and gestured toward the three creatures enthralled by her spell. Lucian nodded and said something to the other two men. The sudden appearance of three very wicked looking blades in the hands of the guardians had Jillian rapidly blinking her eyes. Lucian, Dante, and Phillip stalked toward the immobile creatures.
Jillian suddenly remembered something Dante had mentioned the night before about certain death and severed heads. She swallowed hard and quickly looked away. She stumbled the last few steps to join Craig and the other ladies. She noticed that Brittany, Selena, and Julie were the only ladies with enough guts to look at what the guardians were doing. Jessica and Jenna were turned away just as she was.
The strong-willed determination that had always resided deep inside her had her turning around to see the demise of their attackers. Fear, helplessness, rage, and relief all struggled inside her for control. The emotions swirled about, merging to become one powerful force that wanted out. Instinct made her fling a long delicate arm toward the dying zombies.
White-hot heat instantly transferred from her arm to the withering creatures on the ground. All that remained of them were three distinct piles of ashes. Everyone except for Brianna looked at Jillian in open-mouthed shock. The older witch chanted a few words, waved her hand, and a gust of wind blew hard enough that not even the ashes remained.
The guardians and Brianna quickly joined the others.
“I’m going to have to file an official report for the council,” Lucian said, quickly recovering from Jillian’s display of power. “Jessica and Brianna can give me the ladies’ statements at headquarters. The rest of you should stick close to home until we have a better idea o
f what kind of threat we’re facing and who is responsible for it.”
“Wait just one minute!” Jillian finally found the nerve to speak. “You’re going to have to excuse me because guardians, shifters, vampires, and witches are all new to me. But what the hell was that? I’ve never been able to do anything like that before, and I have no idea what those things were!” Jillian felt marginally better now that the creatures that attacked them no longer existed, but she needed answers. She glared at every single person there, waiting for someone to step up with an explanation.
Brianna did the honors. Everyone else appeared to be as confused as Jillian. Brianna gave Jillian a look of awe. “You’re a conduit!” Brittany, Selena, and Julie gasped, and a glimpse of admiration and respect flashed across their faces.
“I’ve never met one before, but the stories have been passed down from generation to generation. You are one of those rare witches born only every hundred years or so who can take in all the power and magic around you and magnify it for your own use. You have a unique connection with Dante, and his magic is strong. You called to the magic inside him, and it came to your aid.”
Brianna hugged her. “With a little tutoring and training, you will be able to embrace the magic in both of you. And when that happens, you will be the most powerful witch alive. Once you learn to cast spells, you’ll be almost undefeatable in battle, and that’s a damn good thing.” She glanced back to where the pile of ashes had been.
“Because there’s a powerful enemy on the loose in Enigma,” Lucian said. “And you just might be the secret weapon we need to win the war against evil.”
“Even if I am this conduit thingy, I don’t know how to help you. I don’t even know what those things were and I sure don’t have a clue as to how to stop them!”
“Zombies would be the easiest explanation for you to understand,” Lucian said.
“That’s right,” Brianna added. “Zombies are usually created when the use of black magic or the practice of voodoo reanimates a dead body. I didn’t feel an ounce of magic associated with the creatures who attacked, so it had me more than a little confused. I might not have figured out what they were in time if blood hadn’t been spilled.”
“Glad I could help,” Julie joked.
Lucian took over the explanation. “The creatures that attacked you were created by a vampire. The humans were drained of blood until they reached the brink of death. Then they were fed a sip of vampire blood. Not enough to heal the tremendous damage to cells, tissues, and organs, but Just enough of the life-giving source to turn them into parched zombies, suffering from bloodlust, and seeking any source of blood they can find.”
There were several gasps. Julie’s was the loudest. “I had no idea that was even possible! Alessandro has never mentioned it.”
“Only the older more powerful vampires have the ability to create zombies,” Lucian confirmed. “Alessandro has the power, but he’s not capable of such vileness. Why would he ever think to mention it?”
“Vampires aren’t social like shifters and guardians. All but the youngest of vampires pass through Enigma as fast as they can when they realize Alessandro lives here. He’s not going to like this at all!” Julie exclaimed.
Jillian glared at Dante and her sister. “Sorry, Julie, I know you’re married to one, but I knew vampires were bad news!”
Julie chuckled. “I thought the same thing myself when I first found out about Alessandro, but the majority of vampires are not evil, they’re just misunderstood,” she insisted.
“Alessandro is a good and just being,” Phillip added. “There are few others I would trust to have my back in battle.”
“I agree,” Lucian insisted. “I’m going to need him working with me on this, Julie. Please tell him I need to see him as soon as he rises this evening.”
“Definitely, if there’s a rogue vampire wreaking havoc, he’s going to insist on joining forces with you and the council. I know he will.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less from him,” Lucian agreed. “The council has a lot of work ahead of it. We have to find out who did this and put an end to them. We also need to know if the attack on the ladies was random or deliberate.”
The thought that they might have been targeted made Jillian even jumpier. She clung to Dante so tightly, he was going to have trouble peeling her off when it was time to leave.
He tightened his hold on her too. “I’m sure Craig is going to want to see Jenna home, go with them, and stay there until I come for you,” Dante whispered into Jillian’s ear.
She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Even though the danger seemed to be over, she was reluctant to leave Dante’s side, but the last thing she wanted was to come across as clingy. She stood on her tiptoes and brushed her lips across his. “I’ll be waiting. Come back to me as soon as you can.”
Dante wrapped a hand in her long dark hair and crushed his mouth down on hers. Jillian kissed him back with equal passion. She got lost in the feel of his body and the sensations that zinged through her. She forgot about everything but Dante until several clearing throats brought reality crashing down on them.
They sprang apart. Dante kept an arm wrapped around Jillian’s waist, guiding her to Jenna and Craig. “Keep her safe for me,” he said to the raptor shifter, “until I finish this meeting with Lucian. Also, make sure she doesn’t leave any windows cracked until we know the extent of what we’re dealing with here.”
Jenna and Craig gave each other confused looks. Jenna shrugged and glanced at Jillian with raised eyebrows.
“Dante found a slight security breach in your penthouse. I’ll tell you all about it on the way to your place,” Jillian promised.
She followed the couple to Craig’s SUV, climbed into the back passenger seat, and all but collapsed against the seat. The adrenaline rush was wearing off, and the frightening things she saw ran round and round inside her head. She shivered and wrapped her arms around her body to try and control the shakes. She felt as helpless as a kitten and wondered if it was related to the burst of power she used.
Craig started the vehicle, backed out of the alley, and drove away. Jillian twisted around in her seat until she could see Dante. He was talking to the other guardians, and a look of deep concentration was etched into his handsome features. She didn’t turn around until he completely disappeared from sight.
She was so worried about Dante her heart hurt. It wasn’t rational, but she couldn’t help the worry and fear that clogged her brain, made breathing hard, and scared her more than the zombies had. It didn’t matter that he was the deadliest being she knew and that he had powerful magic on his side. Jillian was going to be worried sick about Dante until he was safe and sound behind the walls of the penthouse apartment.
EIGHT
Time passed so slowly it might as well have been standing still. Jillian was anxious to be in Dante’s arms again, and she’d been waiting for over five hours. She jumped up from the sofa as soon as the front door opened. Craig walked in, and Dante was right on his heels. Jillian brushed past her brother-in-law and wrapped herself around Dante.
“I missed you,” she whispered into his neck. “I was starting to think that you weren’t coming back.”
She gave him a worried frown.
“Somehow, someway, I’ll always find my way back to you. That’s a promise, baby.” He leaned down and brushed a kiss across her lips. Much to Jillian’s disappointment, he pulled back before things became too heated.
Dante guided her to the loveseat, and Craig joined Jenna who was still seated on the sofa. He briskly ran a hand over his face and sighed. “Sorry it took so long, but I have news from Lucian, and it’s not good.”
Jenna reached out and grabbed Craig’s hand. The two sister’s looked at each other. They exchanged worried glances from across the room.
“I was afraid of that,” Craig said. “I want all the information you’ve got so I have some idea of how to handle security for Jenna and Jillian.”
&
nbsp; “I’m the one who will be taking care of Jillian from here on out. I will be handling her protection and security from now on.”
She laid her head on his shoulder and clasped his hand with hers. Hearing Dante claim her in front of her family made her nerves flutter with excitement. Knowing he followed her to Enigma was one thing, having him admit she was important to him out loud was something else.
Jenna frowned. “Jillian wants to stay in Enigma to spend time with the rest of our family and me. How are you going to be able to protect her all the way from Italy?”
Jillian tensed at the reminder that Dante lived and performed almost exclusively in Europe. Dante gave her hand a comforting squeeze, and she instantly relaxed. “If something bad is going to happen, I trust Dante to keep me safe. If that means I have to go back to Europe, I will.”
“That’s not going to happen. The persona of Dante the Elusive is about to fade into obscurity. I’m handing central Europe over to my second in command and relocating to Enigma. Keeping you safe is more important than anything else. Your family and friends can provide you with a much bigger safety net than I can on my own.”
She squeezed his hand so tight it hurt. For someone as confident and powerful as Dante to be speaking about safety nets, things must be about to get nasty. Evidently, Craig and Jenna thought so as well. Both of them started talking at once.
Dante held up a hand to silence them. “I’ll tell you what I know, which isn’t much. Some guardians and shifters who keep tabs on things for the council have heard a lot of chatter recently about an attack on the council.”
Craig vigorously shook his head back and forth. “Taking on the whole council and its allies, that’s a suicide mission.”
“Not if you attack where they’re most vulnerable,” Dante said.
