by Kim Faulks
“Not at all. I was just talking to the Mother.” She cast a quick glance at the men at my side. “I see you’ve brought some visitors. Come closer, have a little care for an old woman’s fading sight.”
She lifted a hand from her black robe and waved them forward. I felt their hesitation, and, for a second, I wanted to tighten my hold, to clutch them close in the face of someone so powerful.
“I won’t hurt you,” she urged.
Slick fingers lost their hold as Titus took a step forward, moving slowly across the dome floor. “Titus Banks, ma’am. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Titus…hmmm,” she whispered, and in one swoop took hold of his hand. “Nice strong name…lovely.”
“Hellhound,” she whispered as Rival moved close, and took his hand.
Pale light shone from the backs of his mammoth wings as Gabriel followed.
Raven smiled into Rival’s dark eyes, drawing soft flames into the belly of midnight pupils. “Oh my,” she murmured, and then lifted her gaze to the archangel and couldn’t help but smile. “Gabriel, you are a sight for an old woman.”
He leaned forward, bowing deep and true. “You aren’t that old, Raven DarkMoon, and still as enigmatic as always.”
I could’ve sworn the Night Witch blushed. Her lively gaze turned to me. “You’ve changed since the last time I saw you.”
There was an element of wariness in her tone as she dropped her gaze to my palm. “He’s marked you, and you’ve marked them, in kind. The archangel. Is he yours, too?”
Gabriel shifted from one foot to another and gently cleared his throat. But the old woman’s gaze never moved from mine. I tried to think of the consequences to either answer. “He hasn’t made up his mind.”
There was a hint of a smile as she gently shook her head. “You speak as though there was a choice in the matter. There’s no choice, not when it comes to matters of the heart.”
“We didn’t come—”
“I know why you came, Lorn,” she cut in and held my gaze.
Something had changed in her. Gone was the welcoming Night Priestess, this witch was hard, and cold…it seemed only to me.
“You came for Jeremy,” she answered. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
She turned then, sweeping the darkness with her midnight cloak, and headed from the dome. Titus, Rival, and Gabriel glanced toward me. I gave a shrug and stepped closer.
They followed, paving the way as we followed Raven out of the glass structure and into a tunnel. I’d seen the walkway years before when Redemption had brought me here the first time, but we’d never ventured further. I glanced at the thick iron grille that sat hard against the wall.
The entrance had been barred to me before, but not tonight. Stones lit up under her feet, marking the way toward the old house with the faint illuminating glow.
I lengthened my stride as the lightning severed the sky. I wanted answers…wanted to know why I was here. Heat raced along my palm, cutting across the sigil, as I crossed the barrier of the walkway and stepped into the open door of the old house.
I’d seen the rundown house from outside for years. Peeling paint and overgrown gardens were all that filled my memory, but, as I stepped across the threshold, I knew that the outside hid a gem.
The place screamed old. Antique furniture and intricate blood-red ornamental rugs led us deeper into the belly of the house. I glanced into the rooms, finding black candles alight and dancing with the gusts of the wind. From somewhere else in the house, the faint sound of chanting echoed.
I craned my neck, catching muffled words, and knew the storm above was because of them.
It was a circle of power…a cornucopia of energy syphoned from the night sky. They were calling someone, using someone…the hungry power of the Priestess of the Crossroads, Hecate? Or maybe the shape-shifting Celtic Goddess of War, Morrigan?
Rival slowed, turned his head, and muttered, “If I start leaking blood from my eyeballs, I’m going to come back and haunt you so damn hard.”
“If you start leaking blood, then we’re all pretty well fucked. So haunt away, I reckon,” Titus countered.
The faint smell of white sage filtered through an open door as Raven turned, stepping through what looked like an altar room, and headed down the stairs.
There was a whisper of power that circled this old house. It hunkered in the corners, watching us as we passed. A shiver took hold. My steps slowed as Raven gripped a single door and shoved, and the dank, cold breath of a hundred years billowed out.
“Really?” Rival hissed. “The cellar? I’m not going down there, no siree. This hound is staying right—”
“Jeremy’s suffered an allergic reaction to sunlight,” Raven murmured. “So this is the darkest place we have. Even then, he suffers immeasurable amounts of pain. It’s why you haven’t been able to find him. He came to us screaming and howling in agony, pleading for us to end his life. So we’re trying to heal him, instead.”
She gave one small wave of her hand. “The steps are illuminated, although more softly. But you’ll find what you’re looking for down there.” The old woman lifted her head, meeting my gaze. “I must retire for the night, but there are sisters around to serve you, if you need.”
Raven gave one last look at the cellar before she turned and walked slowly away.
The guys waited for a heartbeat before they all turned to me. “What are you thinking…feeling?” Titus murmured.
I took one last look at the cellar door and answered. “I think it’s probably safer if you stay up here.”
“Agreed,” Rival muttered. “One hundred and tennnn…”
Titus jerked a savage glare at the hellhound. “And just let Lorn go down there on her own?”
There was silence before Gabriel cut in. “Closed spaces…under the earth…”
I narrowed my gaze in on him, seeing the terror in his eyes. Feathers rustled like autumn leaves as he shuddered. He was a man made to spread his wings in the open sky…not down there in the dank earth. “Gabriel,” I murmured and moved close.
He was so cold…so bitterly cold. I ran my hands along his powerful arms, finding goosebumps along his skin. His dark eyes were wide and haunted. He stared at that open door like Hell itself waited down there. “I need someone to wait up here, anyway. Just in case something goes wrong.”
He jerked his gaze toward mine. “Really?”
“I’m not expecting anything to happen. But it’s best one of us stays up here. If we can bring him in now, we might need transport for Jeremy, especially if he needs spatial transport.”
“I can organize that up here,” he murmured, and glanced to the others.
There was a second, a breath, before Rival answered. “Yeah, you’re better doing that. My people skills aren’t the greatest, and you seem like the best man for the job on that one.”
“Really,” Gabriel murmured, and straightened his spine. “I am…I really am.”
“All good, brother,” the hellhound clapped Gabriel on the shoulder and moved toward the cellar door.
I reached for Gabriel’s hand, giving him one quick squeeze before I followed. “Be back in ten.”
A creak tore through the space. I reached for Rival’s hand, moving in close before I murmured, “I know what you did…and thank you.”
Shadows shifted as he stilled at the open doorway and whispered, “Gratitude is accepted in many forms, and I’m not opposed to sexual bribery.”
I couldn’t hide the smile as I jerked my head toward the cellar. “Get this over and I’ll do whatever you want.”
“Now that sounds like something worth risking my damn life for,” he growled as orange flames came alive in his midnight eyes before he took a step.
The air brightened as a howl came from below the stairs. I followed, listening for Titus’ steps behind me as we descended.
A whisper of old raced as Rival gripped the bannister and called, “Jeremy? You here?”
The dark space opened up t
o a massive room, the edges glowing softly with spelled stones. I stared into the blackness and felt something wrong. “Jeremy? We’re here to talk.”
There was no answer in the space. I lifted my hand and moved forward. A faint speck of light shimmered in my open palm. “I don’t want to hurt you with the light, so if you can let me know where you are, that’d help.”
A whimper cut through the air. I tried to narrow in on the sound and moved forward. The light in my palm brightened as Rival drew in a hard breath and lifted his hand, pointing into nothing.
I shuffled forward and skimmed my fingers through the inky space, catching the edge of a heavy fabric. “It’s a curtain.”
Titus reached for his holster and drew his firearm free. He was quiet, a little too quiet. One nod of his head, and I swept the fabric aside and moved in.
Jeremy was there, alright. Staked spread-eagle against the floor, wearing nothing more than a black shroud over his head. Bare skin shimmered in the soft candlelight. He twitched with the sound of our footsteps. “Please, no more. I can’t take it. Kill me. Just kill me. I’m begging you.”
Candles shimmered, casting a faint yellow hue around the open space.
“Jesus Christ,” Rival muttered. “What the fuck?”
The wolf whimpered, yanking frantically against his bonds as we stepped closer. Thin leather straps bound his wrists and ankles to the wooden stakes embedded in the ground. “It’s a trap.”
One glance at the curtain, and I lunged. The black curtain dropped out of nowhere as my boot hit the ground. “Gabriel!
I cocked a fist and lashed out, aiming for the opening, and hit a brick wall.
Knuckles crunched, buckling under the force. Momentum took me as I hit hard, and then stumbled backwards.
Strong hands caught me as Rival growled “What the fuck?”
Titus moved fast, sweeping the drape aside to stare at the brick. He probed the edges, running his fingers along the top and down the sides. “There has to be a catch.” He jerked his gaze to Rival. “Look over there. There’s got to be a catch, or a lever.”
“There’s no use,” the wolf whimpered. “You can’t get out of here. It’s all spelled. The entire place. They’ll come for you now. Strip you like they did me. They’ll use you…use you to get to him.”
“Gabriel!” I screamed, and turned to the wall. “Gabriel! Get us out of here!” I lifted a fist and pounded the bricks.
The dull thud…thud…thud echoed and then fell silent as I turned to the wolf strapped to the floor. I tried not to look at his bare body, giving him at least some semblance of dignity.
Titus reached into his trouser pocket and dragged his phone free. The screen lit up the dark. He lifted his hand and moved around the room. “Surprise…surprise, no reception.”
Jeremy flinched as I neared. “I’m not going to hurt you,” I murmured, and knelt beside his arm.
Heat raced along the leather as I yanked the ends. There was no give in the smooth binding. It was as though it were made of steel. “Rival, can you see if you can break this?”
There was a shuffle of boots and then he was beside me, eyes alight with flames. He gripped the binding and yanked, still the thin leather straps held tight.
He tried again and again, crunching to use the power in his thighs. He grunted, yanked, swore, and then tried again as Titus searched the wall and back again.
“Goddamnit!” The hellhound barked, sweat beading along his brow with the effort.
“Put your back into it,” I growled, staring as his grip slipped once more.
He jerked his head up, glaring at me, and cocked his brow. “Not helping, you know.”
Fire lashed across my palm and the wolf strapped to the ground whimpered. “It’s happening again.”
The heat lashed from the sigil on my palm and along my veins. “What’s happening?”
Muscles strained, bowing his body. Teeth gnashed under the cowl over his head. I snatched the cover, tearing the black hood free, and stared into wide, panic-stricken eyes. “The Lord of Hell sees me. He’s coming…he’s coming.”
I stilled with his words, as a thousand unseen ants crawled along my spine. A mark pulsed in the middle of his forehead. I glanced into his eyes and whispered, “It’s the drug, sigil.”
“Yessssss…” he snarled, white fangs growing long with the seizure.
I shoved up from the floor. “We have to get out of here.”
“No shit, Sherlock,” Rival snarled. “If you have any suggestions, I’m all fucking ears.”
I stared into the emptiness and all I found were stony walls. Think…come on…I closed my eyes, clawing hold of anything I could remember…illuminated stones…fireflies, swirling and swirling.
Darkened rooms, power circling…crouching in corners. “It’s the house…the dome…the circle of power.”
And for a second, I swore I heard the faint crack of thunder.
“The witch-storm.” I opened my eyes. “It’s this place, these witches. They want a circle of power…so I’ll give them one.”
“They said you’d come,” Jeremy whispered. “Said they’d keep you locked away. Wanted to use me to get to Lucifer and draw you away from Wicked.”
“Lorn…no,” Rival’s whisper was filled with fear.
But my mind had already caught the thread. I was unraveling, unspooling, pulling frantic thoughts from the inside out. “They trapped us in here. Bound us with these brick walls, all because they wanted to keep me from knowing the truth.”
And as I voiced the words, I knew they were real. That was the power, the feral animal I felt lurking in the corners. It was a powerful binding spell, drawing me down here…deeper into the abyss, and keeping me here.
And if that was true, then Redemption was in on the entire thing.
I shoved up from the ground. Images of torn limbs and broken bones filled my head. I couldn’t lose control, not like that…not ever again.
But I wouldn’t be manipulated. I wouldn’t be locked away. I wouldn’t be treated like a child.
I lashed out in that warehouse. I weilded my power like a laser. But what if I took the witches’ spell and made it my own? What if, instead of pushing out, I drew it down?
“You trust me, right?” I murmured, and took a step backwards.
“Famous last fucking words,” Rival snapped, and rose from a crouch. “Don’t do this, Lorn. We can’t protect you from yourself.”
But the more I thought of it, the more it made sense. “Like you said, if you have any other suggestions…”
But he didn’t, and neither did anyone else. I took another step, moving as far away from them as possible. If the place came down around me, I needed to make sure they were safe.
“I don’t like this,” Titus snarled, and stepped toward me. “I don’t like you using yourself like that.”
“Only one way to test my strength, don’t you think?” I muttered, and tried to tear myself away from the ache in his gaze. “Ready?”
There was a slight shake to his head.
“Me, neither,” I murmured, and slowly unfurled the fist inside.
Fire lashed as black flames erupted from the center of my palm. The heat was good…really, really good, like a caress…and a breath.
Like warm welcoming arms.
And the faintest whisper of a father’s love.
A love I never knew…
I opened myself to the rush of power and stumbled under the weight. My knees trembled, threatening to take me down, as far above my power mingled with the witches’ words to swirl like a tempest. “Get ready,” I murmured. “Get ready to get Jeremy out of here.”
Titus moved closer and, as the dark energy swelled inside me, I felt that power reach through the air toward him.
There was a touch, a testing of energy…and a mark…ours, whispered that power and it danced across his skin.
There was no heat, no rage…not for him.
“Ah, Lorn,” Rival murmured, and stared at the walls.
I closed my eyes, and power ripped through the house as I drew the witch-storm down.
Lie to me…
Manipulate me…
Keep me down here…
Keep me from Gabriel.
And in my mind’s eye I saw him. Panic filled his gaze. He pounded on the cellar door, tearing and ripping the wood, only for it to return to normal once more.
My energy rushed, and as it swept over the tips of his white feathers, I whispered, “No, don’t hurt him.”
With the words, the energy skimmed his body and moved through the house, hunting…aching for something to control. I left the power there, spearing up through walls and stones to reach into the air.
A black cloak surrounded this house, spelled with midnight stars and the bitter cold of early morning. I clawed that cloak, gathering the edges, and yanked…
The cloak’s power stuck to the edges, determined to stay strong, but no matter how many witches chanted…it was nothing…nothing I couldn’t tear down.
The walls shuddered beside me, cracks tore along the seams as I gathered and gathered, drawing it down, and inside me that ravenous energy swirled…like a hurricane.
“Jesus,” Rival screamed and slapped his hands over his ears.
The screech of a million thorns filled the room. It was if we were back there standing underneath the dome of glass, but, instead of fireflies, I wielded the power of my father.
The wall rumbled and then collapsed. Sunlight poured in through the gaps…bright, unmerciful sunlight.
Titus blinked and raised his hand to cover his eyes as thunder tore through the wall from the other side.
Pure, heavenly light exploded into the room, tearing the remnants of the heavy black curtain free. And then Gabriel was there, moving like a locomotive, sweeping me off my feet and lunging for the gaping hole in the shattered wall.
I blinked, and stared up into the dark, bruised clouds and the thunderous sky. Gabriel’s wings closed around us, blocking my view of the decrepit house. Where was the night? Where was the darkness with diamond stars and cold, bitter air?
Inside you, child…
The deep masculine voice whispered inside my mind, and as I closed my eyes, I sought the truth.
