Of Shadows and Ash

by Dana Marie Bell

  “Let me see.” He gently pried her hands away from her throat. “Shit. There are finger marks around your throat.” He stroked her neck gently, but his light touch sent pain through her like a jolt of electricity. “Let me call Greer to see if he can help.”

  “No.” She glanced at the clock. Sure enough, it was three-twelve in the morning. “It’s late, and he’s probably sleeping.”

  “Selena—”

  “No.” She ignored the anger in his tone, sitting up carefully to assess the damage. She pulled off the covers and looked at her ankles. No marks there, thank the gods. “Let him sleep. I can tell its superficial damage.” Her throat was starting to feel a little worse, but she doubted there was any permanent damage. She could breathe just fine. “We need to call Gideon first thing in the morning, though.”

  “Why?”

  He was so cute when he pouted. “Because what attacked me didn’t look like a ghost or a Lost One. It looked...” She bit her lip. She didn’t want to say the word demon, not when he was already so close to freaking out, but that was what she suspected had attacked her. A static death-curse wouldn’t act the way this seemed to be doing. There was thought and purpose, and malice—tangible malice. It wanted her dead.

  A demon. In Maggie’s Grove. The protections were supposed to keep such things out, but somehow one had gotten in. If she was right, and it was a demonic presence in her home, then it meant one of two things. It had either piggy-backed its way in on one of the people they’d rescued, or it had somehow attached itself to her, possibly during her time in the Van Helsing camp.

  If it was the first, then it was possible it had decided to take over her home. It wasn’t unheard of for a demon to take the home of a witch. Their houses were reservoirs of power. The demon would be able to feed not only on the fear of the witch, but on the house itself. It could force her to leave, using the home as its own residence, keeping any others from moving in on a permanent basis.

  If the entity was connected to her, on the other hand, it wouldn’t matter where she went. It would follow, feeding off her connection to the spirit world. A witch doctor was supposed to be able to resist such a haunting, but her powers were weakened. Add in the stuff she’d been pumped full of while in the hands of the Van Helsings, and who knew what the truth was. For all she knew it was demon blood they’d given her, forcing her powers to turn away from the purity of the spirit world toward a much darker place. That would reinforce any demonic haunting, making it nearly impossible to get rid of.

  Not something Ash needed to hear right now, when he was already feeling upset. No, she needed outside confirmation of her suspicions, and the only way to get it was to invite a powerful witch or medium to check out her house without her in it. “We need him to check this out as soon as possible, make sure that what’s going on won’t escalate further. I’d do it myself, but I don’t trust my powers.” Especially if what she suspected was true.

  “How early is too early to call him?” Ash was practically vibrating with rage as his fingers ghosted over her throat once more.

  “Any time before nine a.m. Let the man get his coffee at least.” Gideon was not a happy camper pre-caffeine.

  Ash nodded and pulled her against his chest. “This is really beginning to scare me, little witch.”

  “I’m not exactly doing the polka myself. And don’t call me that.” She glared up at him, her cheeks heating at the pet name. She was never going to tell him how much she liked that he called her that. It was way too embarrassing.

  He pressed her face into his neck, but not before she saw the small smile that crossed his face. “Yes, dear.”

  “Asshole.”

  He rubbed his chin against the top of her head. “When I talked to Dragos last night, he suggested we bring over Greg and or Brian to check things out.”

  It was a good idea, but Greg was still recovering from his own wounds. “Let’s wait and see what Gideon says. He’s more than capable of protecting himself, and I don’t want to expose Greg to anything that could potentially harm him.” She didn’t want to risk him, or Brian.

  “Are you sure? I’m certain they’d both be willing to help.” Ash’s arms trembled slightly as he held her tight.

  “I’m sure. I think Gideon will have some interesting suggestions on how to find out exactly what we’re dealing with.” She wouldn’t be at all surprised if he suggested a séance, in which case Brian would definitely be invited.

  Normally, she’d take the lead and call the spirit to them. It was one of her jobs as the witch doctor, given her normal resistances to possession. Of course, that might no longer be the case if what she thought had happened in the Van Helsing compound turned out to be true. When she’d been in the hospital recovering they’d run some blood tests, but the results still hadn’t come back. She’d insisted that Iva get priority, or anyone else who’d been held by the Van Helsings for more than a day or two. Since she’d only been held for about twenty-four hours, she fell far down the list. And she’d been unconscious the entire time she’d been in the compound. She only knew what had happened second-hand, so she wasn’t positive that what she suspected had actually happened.

  If she was right, the experiments they’d run on her had more to do with possession than how to kill her. If they could corrupt her power, she’d be a link between the demon realm and the mortal world, a portal through which other demons could come through. That was something she’d fight to the death to prevent.

  But so far, other than the haunting, she had no proof that any of what she feared was actually going on. If anything strange had turned up in any of the blood tests of the other captives she hadn’t heard about it, but she might not. None of the people taken were her kin, so the information she received was sketchy at best.

  Mina would know Iva’s status before anyone else was told. While Iva might be Noah’s mate, the alpha had yet to claim her. That made Mina next of kin. She’d tell Noah whatever she found out, and since Mina had yet to tell them anything, Selena had to assume the queen hadn’t heard anything yet.

  “I don’t like this. I started worrying last night that the ghost could hurt you, and it seems I was right.” Ash shook his head. “I should have pulled you from the house this morning.”

  “I wouldn’t have gone, not yet. Not until we know it’s safe to take me out of here.”

  “What do you mean?” Ash stiffened in her grasp. “You think the haunting is attached to you.”

  It was a statement, not a question, as if the thought had also crossed his mind. “It’s a distinct possibility. If it’s me, it will follow me wherever I go, including the Throne. If it’s the house, it will stay here, and taking me to the Throne should be safe. Until we know for sure, I’ll stay here.” She stroked his back, hoping to soothe him. “I won’t risk your sisters and brother, Ash. Not yet. Not while Iva can’t fight back.”

  He deflated. “And Greer is beginning to pine.”

  “Oh?” She blinked. “Oh shit. Mollie.”

  He nodded, once more rubbing his chin across the top of her head. “I don’t know why she refuses to speak to him, or why she continues to date Carter, but it is literally killing my brother.”

  “Does she know?” Mollie could be stubborn, but Selena sincerely doubted she’d actively wish Greer harm. In fact, she’d seen the way Mollie looked at Greer. The fire elemental wanted that man badly, but she refused to do anything about it.

  “I have no idea. Greer’s ordered us to let him deal with Mollie, but he’s not. He’s suffering, and there’s nothing I can do to fix it.”

  No wonder he was so determined to keep her safe. He was feeling helpless about two of his siblings, and all of that was now landing on her. She was the only one he could help, the only one he could keep safe, and he was determined to do so no matter what she said. “Well, I didn’t promise Greer a damn thing.” She’d figure out some way to pull Mollie’s head out of her ass before it was too late.

  But that would have to wait for anot
her day—she needed some more sleep. She yawned against his neck, snuggling closer. His warmth chased away the lingering chill in her bones. “We need to get some rest. I have to go grocery shopping tomorrow.” It would get her out of the house while Gideon checked it over, looking for signs of a simple haunting as opposed to a possessive one. Her presence could be detrimental to his investigation, so she might as well kill two birds with one stone.

  “No fucking way.”

  She blinked. “Excuse me?”

  “You aren’t leaving the house alone, Selena.”

  “Someone needs to be here to help Gideon. You’ve seen what’s been happening first-hand, and if I’m here my out of whack powers could mess things up. He could get false readings. And I should be safe at the grocery store. I won’t be alone, and I’m not picking up too much, just enough to get us through a couple of days.” She doubted he’d let her stay in her home for longer than that. She’d find herself in the Throne or a hotel before much longer, so buying more groceries would be a waste of money.

  “I don’t like it.”

  “You don’t have to, but it needs to be done.” She bit her lip. “I’ll leave when Gideon arrives, and call when I’m on my way back. Will that help?”

  He sighed. “I’m sorry. Those marks on your throat...” He rolled onto his back, bringing her with him. She wound up with her head against his chest, her leg thrown over his. “I can’t stand the thought that it hurt you and I was right here.”

  “I tried to wake you but nothing happened. I’ve heard of spirits who have the ability to do that, keep one partner unconscious while assaulting the other.” And none of them had exactly been friendly ghosts.

  “Damn it. What’s the point of me being here if I can’t protect you?”

  “And here we go with the self-flagellation.” Before he could respond, she kissed his chest, shocking him into silence. “Look. You were asleep, and it took advantage of that. We both need rest, Ash. You can’t be awake twenty-four seven.”

  He grumbled under his breath.

  “Now you’re being silly.”

  “No, I’m not. I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to shove red-hot ectoplasm up its ass.” His smile was damn near feral. Noah would have been impressed. “Then we’ll see how it likes feeling helpless.”

  She huffed out a laugh. “Go back to sleep. I don’t think anything else will happen tonight.”

  “Are you sure?”

  She couldn’t blame him for being dubious. “It’s no longer three-twelve.”

  He glanced at the clock and swore. “You first.”

  She snuggled in close to him. “You bet.” Ash was awake now, and suddenly she was beyond tired. “G’night, Ash.”

  “Good night, little witch. Sleep tight.”

  “Hate that nickname.” But she was already nodding off, too tired to put any emphasis on her words. And really, it was a lie of epic proportions.

  Selena drifted off, secure in the knowledge that Ash would more than likely stay awake the rest of the night, guarding her from that which went bump in the night.

  * * *

  “Are you sure you’ll be all right?” Ash watched as Selena got ready to go. She’d dressed in a plain black tank top that showed off far too much of her assets, tiny denim shorts that, in his opinion, barely covered her curvy behind, and a pair of barely-there sandals that showcased her pink painted toes. A black silk scarf around her throat hid the finger marks the ghost had left behind.

  The heat had pegged almost ninety that morning, and was only going to get worse as the day wore on. She really needed to stay indoors, with the air conditioning.

  Preferably naked.

  “I told you last night, you need to talk to Gideon and have him check the house without me here. If it’s me that’s the problem, my being here could interfere with Gideon’s assessment of what is going on.” She picked up her purse with a smile. “If it’s not me, I’ll be back soon and Gideon can fill me in on what we need to do to fix things. If it is me...” She shrugged. “We’ll deal.”

  He didn’t like it, not one little bit. He was going to check with Gideon to find out if what she’d told him was the truth. For all he knew, she simply didn’t want to see the head of the Maggie’s Grove coven. Something must have shown in his face, because Selena’s smile slipped. “Trust me, Ash.”

  He did. He just had every intention of learning everything he could about magic as quickly as possible.

  Amara would help him and give him an outsider’s perspective on what it was like to live with a witch in the process. He’d never fully understand the forces that drove his mate, but he would be damned if he didn’t at least try to. “The supermarket, then right back, Selena.”

  She nodded. “With you staying here for a few days I definitely needed more groceries anyway.” She glanced down at the list and shook her head. “You’d think a dryad would stick with natural foods.”

  “Shut up.” Ash could feel his cheeks flushing. Everyone had their vices, didn’t they?

  “Whole grains, lean meats, fresh veggies.”

  “Selena.” He crossed his arms over his chest, hoping she’d get the hint.

  “You must be the only dryad I know who thinks cream filled, processed cupcakes are a food group.”

  Nope. He should have known better. “Just get the damn things.”

  She saluted. “Yes, sir.”

  He pointed toward her, knowing what he was about to say would get him in big trouble but unable to resist. “Remember that. Practice it. You’ll be saying it a lot.”

  He moved behind the couch when she glared at him. He wasn’t that stupid. Those tiny little sandals might barely cover her toes, but he’d known enough women to be certain they’d still hurt like hell when they connected with his bits and pieces.

  “Mmm-hmm.” Selena sauntered toward the door, the apparent winner. The urge to rip those tiny denim shorts off of her only intensified at the sight of her beautiful ass. “Care to repeat that?”

  “No, dear,” he replied absently. Those shorts should be in his naughty toy drawer, only to be broken out when he wanted to watch his mate sashay in Daisy Dukes and nothing else.

  Selena laughed, distracting him from how badly he wanted to bend her over the couch and ease her shorts down around her ankles. “Good boy.”

  This time he was the one who glared. “I’m no boy.”

  She froze, then looked him slowly up and down. “No, you’re not.”

  For the first time Ash got to feel the unfettered desire his mate had for him. He took a step forward, ready to forego food and drink for the chance to take his mate.

  The doorbell rang, and Ash wanted to curse up a blue streak. “Hold on to that thought.” He strode past Selena and opened the door.

  Gideon Brantley stood on the front step. His pale gray eyes and blond hair would have looked bland on a lesser man, but Gideon only made them seem viciously icy. The black witch had proven to Mina, and thus to Ash, that he was not only a force to be reckoned with but had the best interests of Maggie’s Grove in his heart.

  “Gideon.” Ash held out his hand, smiling at the strong grip of the coven leader. The man didn’t try and out-dick him. Gideon knew exactly how strong he was and felt no need to prove himself. It only made Ash respect the man more.

  “Ashton.” Gideon’s gaze went to Selena, eyeing Ash’s mate appreciatively. “You’re looking lovely, Selena.”

  Selena grinned cheekily up at the coven leader. “It’s supermarket chic at its finest.”

  Gideon patted her on the head. “Get going. I’ll check out the house and let you know what I find.”

  Ash couldn’t resist asking Gideon the same question he’d asked Selena. “So you agree that she needs to be out of the house?”

  “Yes. Her magic is still out of whack, I can sense that from here. She’ll taint whatever I do.” Gideon’s answer was firm as he entered the house. “But we’ll deal with that once we know whether or not the house is also tainted.”<
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  “Right.” Ash turned to Selena and pulled her into his arms. “Stay out of trouble, little witch.”

  “It’s not like I’m going across town, Ash. The market is, like, two minutes away by car. I’ll be fine. Besides, everything so far has been confined to the house. If anyone’s in danger, it’s you and Gideon.”

  “Doesn’t matter.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I’ll always worry about you.”

  “Aw.” She patted his head. “You’re so cute.”

  “I mean it, little witch. Be careful out there.”

  Her brows arched, her expression challenging him. “You two, little stick.”

  Ash growled, ignoring Gideon’s muffled laughter. “When you’re ready I’ll prove how wrong you are.”

  “Ditto. I am anything but little.”

  Oh, so his little witch didn’t like being called little. He’d try to remember that. He cupped her ass in both hands, enjoying the way her eyes went wide with outrage. “Sorry, but pleasant handful witch just doesn’t roll off the tongue the same way.” He edged the tips of his fingers under the bottoms of her shorts, skimming the curve of her ass. “But I’m willing to negotiate on pet names.”

  When she struggled free he let go, aware he’d made his point. “You... You...” She huffed and puffed before poking him in the chest. “We are so getting into this when I get back.”

  “Bring it on, little witch.”

  She was so cute when she puffed up like that. “Oh, I will. See if I bring you back cupcakes, asshole.” She stomped out the door, slamming it behind her. Two seconds later, it opened again and she popped her head back in. “I’m getting you bran muffins!”

  The door slammed shut.

  “Wow. Nice to see your mating is going well.” Gideon flopped onto Selena’s sofa. “It makes me want to get right out there and find mine.”

  “She’s feisty.” And that was all Ash was willing to give Gideon on that subject.

  Gideon held up his hands. “Hey, I’m not the one who won’t get to taste cupcakes later.”

  “Could you check out the house, please? Before Selena gets back with my bran muffins?” He had no doubt his little witch would carry through on that threat, either.