Enemies Allied

by Serena Lindahl

  "That makes me wonder what will happen if we do have a traitor in our midst."

  "If we do, the Brownies are already aware. They'll reveal the information when the time is right."

  "I hope you're right," he said darkly.

  "Tell me where the gym is and go to sleep." She accompanied her demand with a kiss.

  "The estate is enchanted, Jenira. Think about kicking the ass out of some rubber dummies or throwing your pretty little daggers and the house will take you there."

  "Ah yes, the enchanted castle. That's how I was led to your room." She slid out of bed and started dressing, aware of Davin's heated gaze following every movement of her body.

  "Our room, Jenira. Try to find your own bed and it will lead you back to me." There was more than a little smug satisfaction in his voice. "Our parents could find us no matter where we were as children. We all hated it."

  She assumed he referred to himself as well as the twins. By the time she finished strapping on her daggers, he was already asleep. She stood a moment, looking down at him. Even with his impressive muscles and intimidating bulk, he looked vulnerable when he slept. At some point, she'd started to look at him as something more than a boss and a sex partner. At another point, she'd have to address those thoughts.

  Before the gym, she thought of her sister. Her feet led her to a door a short distance down the hall. After a knock on the door, Cat threw it open. She was still fully dressed, and Jenira stepped in to see she was in the process of setting up her computer. The room was drastically different than the one she'd just left. It looked more like an office with a twin bed off to the side. The insight into her sister reaffirmed how amazing the house was.

  "Isn't this awesome, Jen? The Brownie, Elle, told me all the rooms are protected from each other. The magic in the house won't affect my computer. They knew I was a techie without me saying anything."

  Now that Cat mentioned it, Jenira could sense the lack of magic in the room. It made her skin itch like she was back in the city. "Magical house," she mused again before she took a seat on Cat's small bed.

  "How are you doing, sis?"

  Cat grinned, leaning over the mass of wires that looked like a nightmare to Jenira. They'd both slept in the van, having become accustomed to sleeping whenever they could. Their life of running hadn't always provided the best beds or homes.

  "I'm doing okay. The excitement is helping me concentrate on the good things. I was enjoying the work at the Rialto, but now we know the real issue with Magitech. We can do so much here, and we'll find something to fight those creatures you encountered."

  “Davin mentioned something about you and Andrew working together to make weapons."

  Cat nodded absently, lost in her thoughts as usual. "Yes, that will be the focus if Eli already knows how to find the bad guy." She shivered, and Jenira wondered if she was remembering when she'd been abducted. Her sister still had bad dreams about it, although she tried to hide behind a strong front. Maybe the house could protect her from the nightmares.

  "We're going to take the fight to him, Cat. Most of you will stay here where you're safe. This should be nothing like the last battle."

  "That sounds good. I like the new girl, Eden. Mac and Alena are fiery like you, but Eden is just sweet. Alec is nothing like Davin, is he?"

  "No, he's not," Jenira chuckled. "He's a little more like Andrew."

  "But not quite," Cat amended, her cheeks reddening as they did every time she mentioned Andrew. His crush was obvious, but they hadn't grown up like normal teens. The idea of a relationship made Cat nervous. Jenira hoped being in a house full of people around their age would help her adjust a little bit at a time. "Alec is shy. Andrew can be intense sometimes - like his uncle, I suppose."

  Jenira hadn't given much thought to either of the other men, except to evaluate if they were a threat. Neither one had enough strength of will or body to appeal to her physically.

  "Are you okay working with Andrew?" She asked, aware she hadn't been watching Cat as carefully as she used to.

  "Of course, Jen. When we're working, he's completely on task. I love the way his mind works. He looks at things differently than I do, which is refreshing and necessary. But it is kind of weird, isn't it? We're practically living with them now."

  Jenira chuckled again, deciding not to mention she and Davin were sharing a room. After she'd recovered from Marcus's attack, she and her sister had moved into the suite Davin loaned them. She'd joined Davin in the penthouse when she was horny, and Cat had been remarkably easygoing about it.

  "The castle is a little like a hotel, to be honest. You could go weeks without running into anyone else if you wanted. I'm right down the hall."

  Cat nodded. "Yeah, I looked for your room right away. I'm okay with being here. It will take some adjusting, but I just need to work. We have a goal now." They were similar in that way. The brilliant techie buried her insecurities and fears in her computers, research, and inventions while the warrior sank her energy and simmering anger into her fighting, and recently, into Davin.

  Jenira rose and hugged her sister. "One more piece of advice. We're uncertain about Elliott's loyalty. If he stops by the lab, don't give away anything too critical."

  "But he's a mage. Why would he be in the lab?"

  "He's a mage but born to techies. He's always wanted to be a techie."

  "Noted." They'd encountered enough people that were irritated with their lot in life. Both of them had experienced the lengths a desperate person would go to get what they wanted.

  "Everyone else appears trustworthy, although Eli is an unknown," Jenira continued, determined to give her sister the particulars Cat never noticed when she was eye-deep in tech. She hoped her sister could form a closer relationship with someone in the house, man or woman, to help her to adjust. If she left to fight the Magitech and never returned, Jenira needed to know she'd be okay.

  "I'm going to find the gym. You'll be okay?"

  Cat inhaled deeply and offered a shaky smile. "Yes. This place is overwhelming, but it's also comforting. I'm safe here, Jen." Her brown eyes softened, and Jenira smiled the smile she reserved for her sister - the one without malice, distrust, or loathing. It was nothing but love.

  "Good. No matter where I am in the house, think of me and the magic will lead you there. Even if I'm with Davin, you can always find me."

  "Okay, sis."

  After another hug, Jenira stepped from her sister's room. Imagining a grueling workout, she followed where the magic led her.

  Chapter Four

  Eden

  When Eden woke, the morning sun streamed through her windows and her stomach rumbled with hunger. She stretched as she remembered she didn't have any clothes. Just how magical was the house? Feeling silly but hopeful, she opened one of her dresser drawers. They had one central pull that was easy to open with one hand, and they were each filled with clothes.

  The closet greeted her with a similar surprise. Dresses and dressier shirts dazzled the eye, in brighter colors and finer textures than she'd ever been able to afford as a mundane. She picked a flowery summer dress, a flattering shade of yellow with little blue flowers. The shelf bra inside was easier to wear than a regular bra, and she thanked the house for considering her needs.

  The room and adjoining bathroom provided everything else she needed. The thoughtfulness filled her with immeasurable pleasure. She pulled a cardigan over her shoulders and brushed the snarls from her hair, eager to explore the courtyard she could see from the window.

  Eden encountered no one and heard nothing as she traveled the winding passageways, surprising considering the number of people living in the place. Her feet led her to a large, arched wooden door with a rustic iron latch. When she pulled the lock, sunlight streamed in.

  The stones were warm already. She smiled as she tilted her face to the sun. The castle formed a square, and other windows looked out on the large courtyard. Paved paths led through, but the unpaved parts were filled with small trees, bus
hes, flowers, and fountains that burbled prettily. Statues also greeted her - one of a unicorn and one of a dragon. She stopped at each, her fingertips grazing the weathered marble.

  A small table waited in the center of the maze. She sat, thinking fondly of coffee. She blinked and laughed with delight. The bare surface now held a pot of coffee, a cup, and a small plate of pastries and fruit. She could get used to this.

  The sound of footsteps against the rock behind her heralded Alec's approach. He smiled shyly, the sun glinting off his dark hair. "May I join you?"

  Eden smiled, her expression still infused with the warmth of the sun and the bright, blue sky. She pointed at the mug that appeared the moment he had. "Please."

  He sat beside her, not touching her, but close enough that she couldn't help but be aware of his presence. Nerves jangled through her body. She and Alec were rarely alone together. When there were eight other people in the room, she had no difficulty resting up against him. Here, it seemed too intimate. But she did long to touch him. Her body wanted to reach out to him. Her abilities laid bare his emotions, something she was considering to be an unfair advantage. His content calm soothed her, though, and she greedily settled into his feelings.

  Eden glanced sideways at him, watching as he poured himself a cup of coffee and bit into a pastry. The sweets had reproduced the moment she looked away. The tight tee and jeans emphasized his lean muscles. "I don't know how you manage to stay so fit when you ate Bette's meals every day," she blurted.

  The fountains burbled and a family of sparrows tweeted in the corner of the courtyard, filling the quiet. His black hair was still damp from a shower, the front combed back in a way that suited him. Tonight, his smooth face would be shadowed with stubble and his hair would fall around his face to highlight his cheekbones.

  "I'm convinced that Brownie food doesn't make people fat," Alec replied. "We can all eat our fill and still want more. Alena and I have been overeating for years and not gained any weight. We're not lazy people, but eating food like this?" He shrugged, motioning to the sugar-laden pastry.

  The memory of him chopping wood shirtless made Eden's skin warm with pleasure. No, he wasn't lazy or fat. "Well, then, I won't worry about it anymore." She happily chose another pastry. "I do miss hiking, though. I've been lazy the last few days without my usual work and walks from the bus."

  "The last few days have been crazy for you, Eden. Your entire world was turned around. I'm certain the house has a gym as well. I can't imagine a man like Davin not having one."

  "I'm sure," she agreed, "he gets those muscles somehow."

  "Steroids." Alena's familiar voice rang out behind them. The woman sat across from them, her unbound, red hair shining like fire in the morning sunlight. She wore her typical black cargo pants and a green tank top that matched her eyes.

  "You don't think they're natural?" Eden asked in surprise. There were so many things she didn't even consider possible in terms of magic.

  "I'm not sure, but they seem a little overboard." Alena shrugged, and her eyes met Eden's. "The house Brownie has great taste in clothes for you. You look beautiful."

  Eden blushed. She didn't know if she would ever get used to hearing compliments. Sensing the emotions behind them and acknowledging them as truthful was even more difficult. She couldn't dismiss them like she was accustomed to doing.

  Alec’s eyes sparkled. "I agree, Eden. You do look beautiful." His honest admission made Eden's cheeks redden further. She twisted her hand in the delicate fabric of her dress.

  Tension stretched between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable. The acknowledged attraction and the acceptance that Alena and Alec easily shared it in each other's presence was reassuring. Eden forced herself to take a deep breath. She refused to let her insecurities ruin the perfect morning.

  "Calories or not, I've never tasted food this good," she joked lightly. “I couldn't afford sweets and meats on my factory wages so I will enjoy every bite of this Brownie-provided food." She paused as a thought occurred to her. "Do you think they mind being called Brownies?"

  "If they're anything like Bette, they'll make their preference known," Alena said with a grin as she selected her own sugar-laden confection. "How are you feeling? We haven't had much time to talk about everything that's happened. We released your magic, moved you out of the safehouse, and you gained a brother..."

  "It's all crazy," Eden admitted. "My old life is just gone. I don't feel so bad about my previous job; they've probably already replaced me. I do hope Izzy isn't freaking out with the message I left for her, though."

  "We can talk to Davin about how to check in on her without anyone being the wiser," Alec suggested.

  "That would be wonderful," she replied with a small smile. His answering grin made her stomach flutter with desire. "As for my powers and my brother..." Eden considered her words. "The magic feels right. It feels like I've always had it and it's just found a home. The tech thing - well, that's weird sometimes. It keeps surprising me in strange ways. When I looked out my window this morning, I knew how large the courtyard was in square feet. I know the names of all the bushes and flowers out here." She shivered, still unsettled by the changes.

  "You've never been trained or educated in the techie sciences, so I think it's going to come to you in odd spurts like that. Most of it will be fairly useless." Alec chuckled. "It will probably feel like your head is full of information you don't want. You might find hanging out with Cat or Andrew restful; it might ease your tech side enough to calm it during your other moments. They both seem nice."

  Eden glanced at him. He made her feel restful - not people she barely knew. Scrunching her nose, she considered how to say that. "Everything they do is daunting. I would just ignore my techie side if I didn't think it would unbalance me." And she loved the connection to Alec that they built through their tech abilities. "I'm getting used to my magic. The house seems to buffer me. It muffles the emotions and magical energy so I don't feel battered every moment. The safehouse did the same, to a lesser degree." And Alena helped balance her magic. Eli had been right. She needed them both.

  "As for Eli, that's a little trickier. He's my brother, but I know he hasn't told me everything. His life has been difficult. I can feel his pain and not just the physical pain from his scars." It wasn't her secret to tell, but the knowledge ate her up inside.

  "Blood mages do not lead easy lives," Alena murmured. The sunlight played on her hair, appearing as if fire danced in the soft waves. "They can perform almost any magic in the world, but it costs them dearly. Their visions are painful and not as easy as a dreamwalker's to control."

  "There's so much about the mage world I don't know," Eden sighed. Her life as a mundane hadn't prepared her properly.

  Alena reached for her hand. Eden squeezed back to signal her touch was welcome. Magic hummed pleasantly against her skin, the mage's bright green aura flaring briefly in the warm sunlight.

  "I think that's the fate of any mage raised in the Eastern Territory," Alena said. "Jenira knows a lot, but I don’t think she was raised here."

  "How about you? Were you raised in the East?" Eden knew very little about their pasts.

  Alena nodded, her thumb making small trails over her knuckles. Eden wanted to reach out to Alec. Disappointment surged through her when she realized she couldn't. Feeling bold, she scooted her butt closer to his on the bench. Intense pleasure colored his emotions briefly before he closed the gap between them, his thigh resting against hers. His large hand entwined with theirs. Their touch filled her with heat that wasn't due to the morning sun streaming down upon them. Her heart beat faster.

  "I did grow up in the East," the mage said after a moment, reminding Eden they were still having a conversation. "Twenty years ago, life was even harder for mages in the Eastern Territory. My parents were members of an underground smuggling ring. They smuggled mages out of the East to the West, much like I do these days. It was more dangerous then, though. When I went with them, we'd encounter patrol
s sent out by the Eastern government." Her eyes darkened with memories. "The mages we worked with accepted every mage, regardless of age or ability. I don't think all the mages in the West are that altruistic."

  "Where are your parents now?" Eden was almost afraid to ask; it seemed like everyone had horror stories of their families.

  Alena smiled brightly. "Living the easy life in the Western Territory. When I took over, they retired. We still keep in touch, but it's been a while since we’ve spoken.”

  The women shared a smile before Eden glanced at Alec. "What about you?"

  He shrugged a broad shoulder. He was so close, Eden could see the darker ring of blue around his bright blue eyes. "Pretty boring. My family members are all mid-level techies, and we lived a fairly normal life. I grew up in Brenville in a techie neighborhood. I attended techie school and got sent to the university. That's where I met Davin and got involved with a couple activist groups on campus about equal rights for mages and techies in both territories and integration pushers. My mom was upset, to say the least, but that woman is upset about everything." He grinned crookedly.

  "I met Alena right after I graduated when someone I knew was outed as a mage. I helped the mage hide until Alena stormed in to save her." Eden laughed, imagining a younger Alena full of fire and righteous determination. Not much had changed. "She needed help with the accounts at the safe house. I wanted to get away from all the boring techies so I followed along. The rest is pretty much history. That was about four years ago."

  Four years of history between them - history she didn't have a part in. Eden didn't want to release them, but she needed another drink of coffee. She smiled ruefully. "That's the problem with only having one hand. I can't hold hands and do anything else at the same time."

  "You've had a hard time since you lost your arm, haven't you?" Alena asked with her characteristic boldness.

  Eden leaned into Alec, subconsciously drawing comfort from him. Her arm was always a sore subject. "Yes. Dating was practically impossible. A couple of people handled it well, but many more were just nervous or weird about it. In hindsight, I think I might have been broken in other ways - not just my magic. Maybe it wasn't all about my arm, but it took most of the blame."