by Theda Vallee
I sat in the dark, watching his chest move up and down, my lips moving in silent prayer. If any of the saints could hear me, I needed some fucking divine intervention.
“You’re looking a little peaked, dear,” Marigold said, holding a bottle of water out to me.
I took it from her, gulping the contents down greedily. My stomach lurched in protest. They had been good about giving us water the last few days, ever since I stabbed Brady, but I was still endlessly thirsty. I wiped my mouth on the back of my hand, before handing the bottle back to her. “Thank you.”
It had taken over a week, but I’d finally learned to mind my manners when addressing Marigold. Her temper was fierce. Violence was always close to the surface with her. A small nod of my head could send her into a frenzy that would leave my body in a crumpled heap. She always sent someone to heal me, but only after I suffered through the pain for hours first.
Marigold stroked my hair, caressing me like a beloved pet. “I’m so proud of you. You’ve come so far. We have a way to go yet, but you’re doing so good. Today, we will start working on your magic; now that we know you’ll follow orders.”
She nodded to Easton, and he took my right arm. Producing a key, he unlocked the bracelet that had been dampening my magic, letting it drop to the floor with a clatter. A weak pulse of power sprung to life, flooding my body within seconds. I could feel Stella, drifting through the sludge that was tamping down our abilities, but she was there. It had never occurred to me I would miss her yet, feeling the soft flutters as she brushed against me, I almost sobbed in relief. We were one, whether I liked it or not. Being cut off from her had felt like losing a limb.
“It feels good, doesn’t it?” Marigold asked, smiling at me. “You’re to focus on controlling your power today, but I have a gift for you first. While I can’t give you the full reward just yet, I thought a little taste was in order.” She reached into her back pocket, producing a small photo. “Here, take it.”
I took the photo, staring at it in disbelief. A young child smiled brightly, her copper hair neatly braided off her face. Her eyes were the color of the Caribbean Sea. It could be any kid, a stock image pulled off the internet. But no, I knew those eyes. The curve of her lip as she boldly posed for the camera and the fearless gaze were little nods to the DNA she carried. This child was a Massoni. My Carina.
“Can I keep this?” I asked, not wanting to look up from the image.
“Of course, it’s my gift. Keep up the good work, and you’ll get to see her in person soon.”
I smiled, letting Marigold know I was grateful for her kindness. She was someone who wanted to feel appreciated even when she was beating the shit out of you. I tucked the picture into my jeans, ready to do whatever was required of me today. I still didn’t fully believe they had my daughter, but this picture was newer. The chubby cheeks of infancy were no longer present on her face.
Easton brought a petite woman into the room. It was hard to tell what color her hair was through the layers of dirt caked to her. They seemed to have an endless supply of humans. I wondered where they came from. Did they have families and friends that were searching for them? Were they from the fringes of society, bodies no one would notice missing?
The woman held her head up regally as Easton dragged her towards me. All the other victims had cowered, trembling in fear as they were beaten and murdered. This woman held my gaze, refusing to look away.
“What’s your name?” I asked, ready to file it away with the others that had lost their lives.
“Reina, what’s it to you?”
I nodded, knowing that her look of defiance would haunt me until the day I died.
“Electrocute her,” Marigold demanded.
I pulled on the magic, weakly percolating in my veins, determined to gather enough to do what they told me to do. Reina stared at me, almost daring me to do something. I could see in her eyes, she didn’t believe I could do it or maybe she didn’t think I would.
The energy crackled in my hand, and I let it build. When I had enough, I made it flow from my body, watching as her body sizzled. Reina begged for mercy as I watched myself become a monster in her eyes.
Chapter Twenty-Six
I walked behind Easton silently, trying to keep calm. Easton had given me a gift, but I was terrified he’d realize his mistake at any moment. The bracelet had fallen under the couch when he removed it. A few more feet, and I’d be locked in my cell with a little magic at my disposal. The door clanged open, and I was shoved into the darkness with Brady.
I listened for Easton’s footsteps to fade into the distance. As soon as I knew he was gone, I concentrated on my mark, calling to Kaz. I could feel the ancient magic stir, a soft flicker of heat warming my skin, and then nothing. Maybe I wasn’t getting enough juice to make it work.
“I’m thinking about making a roast tonight. What do you think?” Brady asked, wheezing with the effort.
“Can we have mashed potatoes with it?” I asked, sitting down next to him.
Brady chuckled. “Anything for you. How was today’s session? Worse? Better?”
I snuggled against his body, careful not bump his leg. I didn’t want to tell him about today. Reina’s screams were still echoing in my head. She’d been alive when I left, but the damage I’d done had been catastrophic.
“What will I do if we get rescued? How am I supposed to live with the things I’ve done?” I asked him, my voice cracking as I thought of Reina’s charred flesh.
“You will live with the darkness because that is what allowed you to survive, my little hellcat,” Kaz answered, stepping out of a dark corner. “I’ve been searching for you.”
“I never thought I’d be glad to see you, but right now, I’m so happy I could kiss you,” I said not caring that snot was pouring out of my nose.
“I’m sure there’s a compliment in there somewhere,” he said, kneeling down next to me. “They’ve made a mess of you. I can’t pull enough magic to heal you with these concrete walls. It will have to wait until we get out of here.”
“I didn’t think there was enough magic to reach you.”
He wiped at my tears gently, his eyes roving over me as he continued to assess the damage. “I felt a spark an hour ago, but it was weak. Then just a few moments ago, I felt you call. It was faint, but once I caught the trail, I was able to find you. Everyone has been on alert, waiting for this moment. I need to scout the building, so I can relay your location. Wait here while I go see what we’re up against.”
“I don’t want you to go,” I whispered.
“You can make it a few more minutes. I promise I will not leave you behind. You have my word.”
I nodded, watching as he disappeared into the shadows again.
Brady grabbed my hand, squeezing with what little strength he had. “I told you. I knew someone would find us. We just had to hang in there.”
I squeezed his hand back, unable to share in his excitement. I was trying. I should feel relieved that this was finally over. Instead, I was pissed. I’d been angry plenty of times in my life. I had a temper, Leontyne could attest to that. This was different. This was a rage born of fear. I’d been helpless, unable to save myself or the people who had been murdered here.
Now that Kaz was here, everything was supposed to be okay. The problem was it wouldn’t be okay. We could arrest every person in this building, but Marigold’s boss would just find me again. They had gone through a lot of trouble to set this up. To create this hell for me. They were determined to turn me into their magical lap dog. We would walk away today, but eventually, they’d come for me.
“There are fifteen people,” Kaz said, popping back into the room. “We’ve got more than enough to handle them before the Osservatori gets here. Are either of you in fighting shape?”
“I’m ready. These assholes are going to jail for a long time for this shit,” Brady answered, as he struggled to stand.
“Simmer down, tiger, I think you may need to sit this one out.
Etta, perhaps you should wait with him. You don’t look well, either.”
I held out the wrist that still had the bracelet on it. “Can you get this off of me?”
Kaz examined it for a moment before reaching into his pants pocket and producing a key. “I knew these skeleton keys would come in handy. This should do the trick.”
The key slid into the tiny hole with ease. The bracelet unlocked and fell to the floor with a thud. Rubbing my wrists, magic flooded my body faster than I’d ever felt before. Stella loomed in my bowels her fury pulsing through me in waves.
“I need to find a spot to unload everyone, this cell isn’t ideal as the concrete will dampen their magic,” Kaz said. “We’ll secure the building, so the Osservatori can ride in and rescue you. Just sit tight.”
I nodded, leaning back against the wall. My head throbbed as Stella pushed more and more magic into me. I should stop her, but I didn’t want to. I’d failed over and over again as a strega and in life. I’d kept my magic squelched, afraid of letting it out. When that backfired, I’d tried working with her. I wanted to partner with Stella, the two of us working as a team. That led me to this cell. Perhaps it was time to try the one thing I’d been avoiding my entire life.
Maybe it was time to let Stella take charge.
With a little nudge, I handed her the reins. It was easier than I thought. The magic flooded my body, pouring into every cell like a flash flood. Heat radiated off of my skin as the crackle of energy danced on the surface.
“Etta?” Brady asked his voice tight with concern. “Kitten, what’s going on? You’re starting to look like a heatwave in the South.”
Renewed energy animated my limbs, allowing me to stand with ease. I ignored Brady, my ability to speak momentarily lost in the rush of power. Stella was in the driver’s seat, but we both wanted the same thing. We wanted everyone to pay for what they’d done to us. More importantly, we wanted to make sure their boss thought twice before coming after us.
I walked over to the door, annoyed that it stood in my way. With nothing but a thought, the metal crumpled like a piece of paper. Stella wielded our magic with ease. She knew exactly how to focus our intent and make the world bend to our will.
Stepping into the hallway, I walked out with my head held high. There was no reason for me to slink through the corridor in fear. Brady’s voice faded into the background as the roar of power filled my ears. The steady thrum created a siren song that gave me peace. It was easy to let myself be swept along in the current, allowing Stella’s rage to propel my body.
This was what freedom felt like. All my life I’d been afraid of this, but now it was hard to remember why. The memories seemed to evaporate the moment I came close to them, phantoms that danced away when they were in reach.
I stopped in front of the iron bars at the end of the hall. These had been an insurmountable problem just a few hours ago. I touched them, watching as they melted like candle wax. Within moments, the iron was a pool of liquid on the ground.
The guard who had kept me locked behind the now-defunct bars, stood a few feet from me, his mouth gaping. He stepped backward, his feet tangling as he tried to get away from me. He tumbled to the ground, and I laughed gleefully. Watching the fear pulsate off of him felt right. For days, I’d cringed under his gaze. My heart had thudded in terror as he’d laughed with Easton over my fate. Not now. Now, he knew exactly what I was. Now, he knew to fear me.
Bending down, I leaned over him, enjoying the tang of urine as he wet his pants. “Run. Run and tell them I’m coming.”
He scooted back from me, getting to his feet with trepidation. I stayed crouched, watching him with a grin plastered across my face. Finally, he turned and ran down the hall, his legs pumping frantically. I couldn’t wait to hunt him down later.
“Etta, what’s happening to you?”
I stood, turning to face Brady as he leaned on the doorframe panting. “Nothing is happening. This is me taking control of the situation.”
“Kitten, why don’t you come back to the room with me. We’ll wait for Kaz and get a doctor to look at you.”
“I don’t need a fucking doctor. Go back to the cell and wait. I’m done sitting around letting shit happen to me!” I spat out, letting him feel the venom in my words.
With a thrust of my hand, I sent him careening down the hall. I didn’t want anyone distracting me from my purpose. Prowling through the rooms, I didn’t bother hiding my presence. Let them come for me. Nothing could save them now.
Stepping into the dayroom, I found Easton sitting in an armchair, smiling at the phone in his hand. “Knock, knock.”
His head jerked up in surprise, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. “How’d you get out?”
“Somebody forgot to put my bracelet back on,” I answered, showing him my unencumbered wrists. He jumped up from the chair, bolting for the door. With a flick of my hand, I slammed the door shut. I watched him tug at the exit, but it wouldn’t budge until I was ready for it to open.
“Sit down, Easton, we need to have a little chat,” I said, my voice saccharine sweet.
He continued to bang on the door, wasting his precious energy. With another flick of my hand, Easton slid across the floor, his feet wheeling under him as he tried to resist. His body slammed back into an armchair, as I forced him to take a seat.
“Call Marigold and tell her to come down here,” I demanded.
“Look, Etta–”
My magic slammed into his face, snapping his head back. “You don’t get to call me that!”
“I’m sorry,” he whimpered, holding his hand over the purple welt that bloomed across his cheek. “What I was trying to say is I can’t call her. She’ll kill me.”
“And I won’t?”
“You’re not a killer.”
An arc of electricity flew from my hands, burrowing into his stomach. I watched as his body jerked and twisted in the chair, the skin on his arm sizzling before I stopped. “Tell me again, I’m not a killer.”
“My phone is over there,” he said his body slouched in the chair.
Snatching his phone off the chair, I handed it to him. “Don’t fuck around. If I sense you’re stalling or playing games, I will finish what I just started.”
With shaking hands, he dialed the phone. I could hear the ringing. She answered, her voice echoing out from the phone as she barked at Easton. “I need you to come down here. There’s a bit of a situation with the prisoner,” he said, looking up at me for approval.
Her muffled reply came through. Easton cringed as he waited for her to finish her tirade. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I need your help.” He listened to her berate him for a moment more before she abruptly hung up. “She’s on her way.
Snatching the phone from him, I tossed it over my shoulder. I opened the doors to the room, wanting her to have no reason to suspect I was here. Turning back to Easton, I looked around for a way to secure him. I needed to keep him alive for a little while longer. If Marigold wouldn’t give me what I wanted, Easton was my back-up. I spied an extension cord across the room. I floated it over, letting it wrap around his wrists. “Be a good fairy and stay out of this.”
I heard Marigold before I saw her. The thud of her boots tapped out an angry rhythm as she marched down the hall. The anticipation sent my magic surging to new heights. Stella pulled power from every direction, pushing more and more into me. By the time Marigold stepped into the room, magic radiated out of my pores, illuminating my skin like a goddess.
She stopped in her tracks, throwing up a shield as soon as she saw me. “Well, hello. It appears Easton has gotten himself into a pickle.”
I nodded, watching every movement she made, ready to send magic into her if she twitched wrong. “I have a bone to pick with you. A few, actually. I’m going to kill you, but you have a choice. I can make it quick and painless, or I can make you suffer. Personally, I’d like to see you suffer, but for the sake of expediency, I’m willing to bend. Tell me who your boss is and tell me wha
t I need to know to make sure this ends today. If you can do that, I’ll make sure you don’t suffer.”
“This won’t end, even if I tell you. There are too many things in motion that can’t be stopped. Besides, I don’t think you can handle knowing everything just yet. You’re still too weak.”
I sent a wave of magic crashing into her shield. Sparks flew in every direction as her barrier held. She smiled triumphantly. Despite the magic pouring out of me like a supernova, she thought I wouldn’t be able to penetrate her shield. Silly woman.
“Why don’t you let me decide how much I’m ready for?” I asked, walking towards her.
“Give yourself over to me. We can forget this little tantrum of yours ever happened. Say that you’ll do whatever I ask, and I’ll take you to your daughter as promised. We can also meet my boss. She is one of your biggest fans.”
Outrage burned in me as she tried once again to use my daughter as a ploy. She didn’t understand how empty we’d been without Carina. I wanted to make her feel the never-ending chasm inside of me that ached relentlessly. My hand lashed out, cutting through her shield with ease. I wrapped my hands around her throat before she could make a sound of protest. Pulling her towards me, I studied her face, wondering if she understood what was happening.
“I’m done with your games.” My magic turned to flames, burning tendrils of it lapping at her. “Tell me who’s in charge.”
My fingers tightened, and the flames responded, sliding across her skin, eliciting a strangled scream before I drew them back to me.
“You’ll have to kill me. I won’t tell you shit,” she whispered as my fingers continued to constrict her airway.
“Tell me, you bitch!” I screamed. The walls shook as my guttural wail echoed through the building. A crack appeared in the wall in front of me, racing from the floor towards the ceiling. The fixtures overhead swayed, and the windows trembled.
