Believe: The Complete Channie Series

by Charlotte Abel

  Sadness rolled off him in waves as he stared at her. “No. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “You should probably get back to Shep.”

  Hunter’s shoulders drooped as he nodded. “See ya around, Channie.”

  MAGIC MOMENTS

  JOSH’S SHIELD FADED AS HIS pulse returned to normal. Too bad he couldn’t just keep the thing on all night, but it required too much energy. He’d run out of magic before morning. He punched his pillow a couple of times. The faint scent of lavender tickled his nose. The pain in his chest spiked then settled into a dull ache. Channie.

  He buried his face in the pillow and drank in its scent sweet, floral scent. This is her pillow. “How can I miss her so much when I don’t even know her?”

  He clutched her pillow to his chest and drifted off. He was still dreaming of Channie when his phone alarm went off the next morning.

  After a quick shower and an even quicker breakfast, Josh took a tour of the back yard. He found footprints along the north side of the storage shed where the ground was still soft from the last snow storm, but he couldn’t tell whether they belonged to him or Dad or an intruder. The foreign energy was gone. Maybe he’d only imagined it.

  He set all the alarms on the house then pulled his car out of the garage and mounted his bike on the rooftop rack. He threw his racing gear in the back seat and headed for Greeley.

  Since he’d lost all his sponsors, Josh wasn’t wearing anything that might identify him. Lots of newbies showed up in baggy jeans and t-shirts. If no one recognized him, no one would give him any crap about ditching finals at Grands. He signed in as Valor Veyjivik, unsponsored amateur, and paid cash to race.

  With his missing memories, Josh felt as if he’d just raced the previous weekend, but in reality, it had been more than four months. He couldn’t help but wonder if his more muscular body would be faster or slower. Strength was important, but so was quick reflexes and that was definitely a “use it or lose it” kind of skill.

  Josh warmed up and took a few practice runs, gaining confidence with every lap. But when it was time for his first moto, his pulse sped up. His heart pounded in his chest as he pushed his bike up the ramp to the gates.

  “Okay riders, set ‘em up.”

  Josh clicked his feet into the pedals and stood up. A familiar sensation of tightness spread from the back of his wrists to his forearms as he rotated his hands forward on the grips.

  “On the gate.”

  He shifted his weight back, over the rear tire.

  “Riders ready.”

  His entire body tensed, coiled like a spring. A twinge of apprehension crept up Josh’s spine. But it had nothing to do with pre-race jitters. Foreign energy prodded his body. His shield automatically popped into place. Magic.

  “Watch the lights.”

  Josh scanned the crowd as the random cadence began. He couldn’t tell who was transmitting the energy, but it was coming from the far end of the track, near the finish line. Behind Mom and Elijah. What the hell were they doing there?

  Josh’s tongue stuck to the roof of his suddenly parched mouth. Dad must have talked to her last night and told her about Josh’s plans to race today. Panic squeezed his chest as another tingle of power prodded his shield. Was it the same person that had been snooping around Dad’s house last night? Are Mom and Elijah in danger? He doubted it was a coincidence that the mage was hiding behind his family. But why? For protection? Was he using Mom and Elijah as a shield? Or did he hope to lure Josh into a trap?

  The reason didn’t matter. Josh had to protect Mom and Elijah. The fastest way off the track was across the finish line. He exploded out of the gate when it hit the dirt with a metallic thud. Josh was the first one into the hole shot.

  After that, it was all instinct. He was barely aware of the other racers, falling even further behind, as he flew over the jumps. Faster. I need to go faster. He accelerated out of the second turn and powered through the rhythm section. The crowd was on their feet as he rocketed across the finish line.

  The announcer’s mic squawked. “It looks like we have a new track record. Valor Vey…jay…vick? Sorry for butchering your name, but congratulations, you’ve just broken the track’s record for best time, set just last year by ‘Josh the Jet’ Abrim…”

  Josh tuned him out, dropped his bike and tried to shove past the growing crowd of people pawing at him as if his success could somehow transfer to them through touch. “Excuse me! I need to get through.”

  Someone stage whispered, “Probably needs to avoid a drug test.”

  “I don’t have time for this. Get out of my way!” Red energy rolled out of Josh, knocking people over like palm trees in a tsunami.

  “Shit! I’m sorry.” Josh hadn’t meant to hurt anyone. A quick glance around didn’t reveal any life-threatening injuries, so he shifted his focus back to Mom and Elijah. And found them standing inside a bubble of shimmering, blue light…with a mage. Everyone else within a twenty foot perimeter was flat out on the ground. The stranger had protected Mom and Elijah. He was still protecting them. Who, or what, was he protecting them from?

  Josh’s ears burned when he realized that he was the threat. He helped people to their feet as he waded through them, resisting the urge to apologize.

  The mage stepped out from behind Mom, but he kept his chin down, hiding his face under a wide-brimmed, black hat. He was dressed all in black—jeans, long-sleeved shirt, boots and gloves. It had to be at least eighty degrees inside the arena. Why was he dressed for a blizzard? And why was he hiding his face?

  The mage waited until Josh was only an arm’s distance away then lifted his chin.

  Josh flinched when he saw the man’s disfigured face. It resembled a wax mask that had been left in a hot car too long. But it wasn’t the man’s scars that sent a chill down Josh’s back and raised the hair on his neck and arms. It was the intensity of his gaze and the color of his midnight-blue eyes. Eyes that looked just like his.

  “Hello, son.”

  Josh’s mind reeled. The ground seemed to tilt beneath his feet. “What are you doing here?”

  “That’s no way to greet your long lost father.”

  The man was a dangerous and powerful mage. Josh should be terrified, but all he felt was anger and a flood of emotional pain. Red light pulsed out of his stomach. “You, Vengeance Veyjivik, are not my father.”

  Vengeance’s gaze locked onto Josh’s. “I go by Vincent Javick now. But you may call me Vince.”

  Mom reached out and cupped Josh’s cheek with her palm. “Josh—”

  “No!” Josh ducked away from her. He pointed at Vince but leveled his gaze at Mom. “I don’t care if we share the same DNA, that man is not my father.”

  “Interesting denial—considering you registered to race as Valor Veyjivik.”

  “I wanted to race without drawing attention to myself. I didn’t want any drama.”

  Elijah made a point of looking all around at the people brushing the dirt off their clothes, then grinned at him. “No drama, huh?”

  Hunter had mentioned that Elijah knew about magic. Josh gave him his best ‘shut up or else’ glare then turned his attention back to Vince. “You never answered my question. What do you want?”

  Vince put a gloved hand on Josh’s shoulder. “We need to talk.”

  Josh twisted away from him. “So talk.”

  “Isn’t there someplace more private?” Vince lowered his shield. A sign of good faith? Or a trick?

  Mom slipped her arm around Josh’s waist. “I’m sorry, Vincent, but you can’t just drop in on us after nineteen years and expect us to trust you.”

  Vince lifted his hands, palms out and stepped back. “I understand your concern, but I promise you, I mean no harm.”

  Josh didn’t want to be alone with Vince. But it would get the man away from Mom and Elijah.

  Mom’s body trembled against Josh’s side, but she managed to speak with authority. “You nee
d to give us a little time to get over the shock of your sudden appearance. Call me tomorrow. If Josh wants to speak with you, we can arrange a meeting.”

  “This can’t wait until tomorrow. It’s important.”

  “It’s okay, Mom. I’ll talk to him.” Josh gave her his best impression of a reassuring smile then turned towards Vince. “My car’s in the parking lot.”

  Mom grabbed Josh’s hand. “You don’t have to do this.”

  He pulled her into a hug and whispered, “Yeah, I sort of do. It’ll be okay.”

  They were about halfway to Josh’s car when Vince sighed. He shoved his hands in his coat pockets. “The years have been kind to your mother. She’s just as lovely as I remember.”

  “You stay the hell away from my mother!”

  Vince took a deep breath through his lipless mouth. “I was merely being polite.”

  How in the world had this man seduced Mom? She’d claimed it was a one-night stand—a moment of weakness when she’d had too much to drink and a handsome stranger swept her off her feet—a stupid mistake with a happy ending. Whatever had scarred him must have happened after they met. “Did she even recognize you?”

  The corner of Vincent’s mouth quirked up. “You mean because of my scars?”

  That’s exactly what he meant, but Josh had spoken without thinking. He may not trust Vince, but that was no excuse to be cruel. “It’s been eighteen years since she’s seen you. And you were only together that one night.”

  “I was still recovering from my injuries when I met your mother. I used a glamour spell to hide my disfigurement.”

  “A glamour spell?” Josh picked an empty Coors can off the ground and tossed it into the recycling bin standing right next to it.

  “It doesn’t work on other mages. So, I’m forced to warm my bed with Empty women. Which, of course, is how you came to be.”

  A volatile cocktail of emotions clouded Josh’s mind as well as the air around him. “My mother is not a ‘bed warmer.’”

  “That was a rather unfortunate choice of words. I’m sorry.”

  “What did you do? Cast a come-hither spell on her? That’s worse than getting her drunk.”

  “I’ve never resorted to come-hither spells. And I only use the glamour spell to create the illusion of how I should look. I’ve adjusted it over the years, replicating the effects of aging.” He smiled and waved at a toddler in a stroller. The child grinned and laughed. Not the least bit put off by his appearance. “I’m not trying to trick anyone.”

  “Why haven’t you tried to meet me before?” Josh jerked the driver’s side door open. How many times had he fantasized about meeting his biological father? Of course that was before he’d learned he was a member of a dangerous clan of evil mages. “Why now?”

  Vince eased himself into Josh’s car, as if bending over was painful. If those scars covered the rest of his body, it probably was.

  “I didn’t know of your existence until a few months ago when Rider told me he’d made your acquaintance. I’ve been looking for you ever since.”

  Rider? The name sounds familiar…I wish I could remember everything Hunter and Diego told me.

  The sudden rush of information gave Josh a headache, but it wasn’t nearly as painful as the ones the flashbacks had given him. He still wouldn’t have been able to point Rider out in a crowd, but he remembered every word that Hunter and Diego had spoken since he woke up in the basement. With a little luck, he’d be able to fool Vince.

  “What did you just do?”

  When Josh opened his eyes, Vince was glaring at him.

  “Nothing for you to worry about.” Josh needed to be more careful. Vince was more aware of magical energy than he was. He didn’t want to appear weak by admitting he’d lost his memories. “I should have killed Rider when I had the chance.”

  “Why? He holds you in the highest regard.”

  “Then why’d he rat me out?”

  “Rat you out? You mean…to me?”

  “I’d already be dead if he’d told Dominance.” Josh couldn’t believe how easily the name rolled off his tongue. This total recall was amazing. Too bad it didn’t work on his lost memories.

  Vince's features were frozen by his scars, but his energy field bloomed with bright-red light when Josh mentioned the evil queen. It helped that Vince obviously hated their mutual enemy, but it wasn’t enough to make Josh trust him.

  “How did you find me?” Josh suspected Vince was last night’s intruder. He didn’t know how he felt about that. He’d rather it was Vince sneaking around than a tracker, but he didn’t like being spied on.

  “Rider told me you raced mountain bikes. He showed me the course you traversed during your escape. I must say, I’m very impressed with your skills. It’s hard to believe that you’re satisfied with this.” He nodded at the arena.

  “Hey!” Josh was sick of people comparing BMX to mountain biking. They were both legitimate sports.

  “I wasted a lot of time looking through biking propaganda for the wrong sport.” Vince opened his coat and pulled a magazine out of an inside pocket then handed it to Josh.

  He stifled a groan when he saw his face on the cover of BMX Today. The caption, Rising Star Falls to New Low, hit him like a fist. A sense of shame crept up the back of his neck, heating his cheeks and ears.

  Vince took the offensive magazine and slipped it back into his coat. “It was tucked behind the last copy of Mountain Bike International.”

  “Figures. They always bury the BMX stuff behind everything else.”

  “I couldn’t believe my luck. The article didn’t give your address, but it mentioned the tracks where you like to practice. I didn’t expect to find you so quickly. Some might call it fate.”

  “I don’t believe in fate and you make your own luck.”

  “You’re a bit cynical for such a young man.”

  “Look, I’m not trying to be a smart-ass, but I’d really like to know what it is you want from me.”

  “My mother…” Vince practically spat the word, “will destroy everything and everyone in her path. She wants to rule the entire world, not just ours. I need your help. We all do.”

  “How can I possibly help? I don’t know anything about how to fight a magical war.” Just because he’d been able to curse Eric, didn’t mean he’d stand a chance against another mage.

  “I don’t want you to fight. Our clan needs someone they can rally behind. They have a cause worth fighting for, but they have no hope. They need a leader that can inspire them.”

  “You’re next in line for the throne. You inspire them.”

  “If word gets out that I’m still alive, my mother will divert all her resources out of the field and hunt me down like a dog.”

  “And if I reveal myself, she’ll come after me. Is that what this is about? You want me to take the heat off you?”

  “For all I know, she’d welcome you with open arms and make you the crown prince. But I don’t recommend you try that tactic. She’s just as likely to execute you.”

  “Which is why I don’t want her to know I was ever born.”

  “She’ll find out eventually.”

  “How? Are you going to turn me in? Is Rider?”

  “Someone is spreading rumors about a Book of the Dead prophesy. They’re claiming an unknown, royal mage will reveal himself as the rightful heir to the throne and unite all the clans.” Vince turned to Josh. “I assume they’re talking about you.”

  Josh wiped the sweat off his brow. “What else are they saying?”

  “They’re predicting a decisive battle during the lunar eclipse on Solstice night.” Vince leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. “It’s very clever propaganda. Mages tend to be superstitious. Especially the uneducated hillbillies that make up ninety percent of our population.”

  “It’s not propaganda.” Josh slid down until his knees bumped against the underside of the dash. He closed his eyes and repeated the words from the Book of the Dead…

&n
bsp; “Son of Vengeance seeking light,

  Grasp the hilt and join the fight.”

  He rolled his head to the side, to gage Vince's reaction. “Sound familiar?”

  “Where did you hear that?” Vince pressed his lipless mouth shut and inhaled through his nose, making an eerie whistling noise.

  “From a book?”

  “You have a Book of the Dead! Where is it?”

  Josh’s shield popped into place, but it didn’t stop Vince from wrapping his claw-like fingers around Josh’s bicep.

  He leveled his gaze at the man. “I’ve already said too much.”

  “That’s a Book of the Dead prophecy and since it mentions me by name, I have the right to read it!” Vince's grip tightened.

  “Cut it out!” Josh jerked his arm out of Vince's grasp. “I don’t have the book anymore. Someone stole it.”

  “How could you let that happen?” A flash of red light shimmered in front of Vince for a moment. He crossed his arms and leaned away from Josh, sucking the light back into his body. He was obviously trying to control himself. “Was it the same mage that cursed you?”

  “What makes you think I’m cursed?” Josh lowered his voice. He didn’t know anything about him, but with Vengeance for a power-name, it wouldn’t be a good idea to piss him off.

  “There’s a barrier in your mind. And you didn’t put it there.”

  “You can read my mind?” Hunter had specifically said that mind reading wasn’t possible. Josh didn’t like the idea of someone else having access to his memories, especially when he didn’t.

  “You don’t know much about magic, do you?”

  Josh snorted then tried to cover it up with a cough. “Whatever I know is hidden behind that barrier. Can you remove it?”

  “I can’t read your mind and I can’t fight another mage’s magic. But you can.”

  “How’s that?”