by Lizzy Ford
“The … the Darkness will protect you from me. This is the only way,” he repeated.
Every instinct in her body warned her otherwise. She didn’t understand how he’d fallen so far as to believe the world was better off without him, with the Darkness in his place. Autumn sagged against the railing of the bridge, head pounding.
She’d failed him.
“He didn’t hurt you did he?”
Beck’s soothing touch was on her arm. His magick eased her distress, and the panic that had seized her began to subside. She was shaking and crying, unaware she did either before his touch.
“N…no,” she said, looking up at him.
His features were torn between concern and anger. Autumn wanted to curl up in his warmth and sob. She needed her memories to help Decker. As much as she thought she’d mastered her mind, she wasn’t able to break through the barrier. If Decker truly did surrender to the Darkness, it was because she was too weak to help him.
Chapter Fifteen
“Decker, I warned you to stay away,” Beck said. His attention turned from the trembling girl to the unmoving form of his brother at one end of the bridge. He didn’t know what had happened between them that left the normally calm Autumn so distraught. Her mind was reeling too much for him to make sense of her thoughts.
Whatever passed between them, it hadn’t been good. He was too late, as usual. He had a good excuse this time; he’d been searching for Tanya. She hadn’t given off any warning that she was being threatened by magick, which made it nearly impossible for him to locate her, without help.
Fortunately, he had help. One of Dawn’s longtime friends had called him, concerned when a ranting Dawn stormed out of the dorm not an hour before. Beck was on his way to search for Tanya when his magick brought him to Autumn instead.
“I don’t need you to tell me what to do,” Decker growled.
“We made a deal.”
“And where did she stay last night?”
Beck gritted his teeth. “It’s not what you think. Look at her, Decker. You’re a train wreck. She’s shaking.”
“I’m fine,” Autumn said to him in a hushed voice. “He didn’t do anything.”
“It’s okay, Autumn.” Decker turned to face him. “My brother is right. I destroy everything good in the world, and I’d destroy you.”
“That’s not what I mean, Decker,” Beck said with a sigh. “You don’t mean to, but you will.”
“The great protector. Good luck with that.”
His face grew warm. “I might knock up girls, but I don’t knock them off cliffs.”
Anger flared in Decker’s eyes. He drew near, and Beck sensed the gathering of magick. Along with teaching him to travel as Decker did, their mother had showed him how to use his magick as a weapon. It made him sick. She hadn’t told him why she did it, but Beck suspected she’d felt Decker slipping. The bond between the former Dark Mistress and her son, the Dark Master, was strong.
Decker’s face flipped back and forth between him and the Darkness. He was almost gone.
Beck stepped up to Decker, toe-to-toe, willing to do whatever it took to protect the only person capable of saving them.
“I know you’re not challenging me, brother,” Decker hissed. “Is Autumn worth your life?”
“Absolutely,” Beck said without hesitation. “As lost as you almost are, you feel the same.”
Decker’s face shifted. It turned still enough to be a stone carving, and the black of his pupils swallowed his eyes. Cold fire shot through Beck. This magick was evil and powerful, Decker’s shadows multiplied several times over.
“Next time we meet, boy, will be the last.” This voice jarred Beck. The Darkness was talking just loudly enough for Beck to hear. “We’ll claim her, too.”
“Stop, please!” Autumn said, taking Beck’s arm. She reached up to Decker and touched his face.
Beck saw him shudder, and the presence disappeared, replaced by Decker again.
“Then take care of her,” Decker said, as if unaware of what the Darkness said. “I’ll be gone soon.” He turned and strode away.
Beck watched him, rattled by the strength of the Darkness and Decker’s acceptance of his fate. The few tools his mother taught him weren’t going to put a dent in what the Darkness would do, once released.
“No,” Autumn whispered, starting after Decker.
Taking her arm, Beck pulled her back. “Stay with me, Autumn.”
She faced him, her blue eyes tormented. Her body was tugging at his magick. He released it and hugged her hard, not wanting her to see his fear. He had no idea what to do when the Darkness came for her. She shook in his arms.
“It’ll be okay,” he said.
The air played with her hair. He smoothed it back down and rested his cheek against her head, thinking hard. She was struggling with her mind. The barrier his mother created was too strong for Autumn to break. Beck wanted desperately to remove it, so she’d remember.
He couldn’t protect her and he couldn’t reveal who she really was. When he made the promise to Sam, he never imagined how hard it would be to keep. Today was the first time he feared for his own soul.
“Cookies,” Autumn said.
Beck laughed. Did she hear the desperate note in his voice? He summoned his magick and took them away. Autumn wasn’t in any shape to deal with others.
His mother wasn’t in any shape to deal with Autumn or him. He winced as he recalled the texts she sent him the night before when she found Autumn in her house. Angry wasn’t the right word to describe her. Scared, maybe, like Beck now was.
He released Autumn when they reached the kitchen at the cabin. She’d stopped trembling, but her nose was bleeding. He stretched for a towel and handed it to her.
“You okay?” It was a dumb question, but he didn’t know what else to say.
“I don’t know.” She limped to the breakfast table and sat down. The empty look that settled across her features disturbed him.
Beck sat next to her. She was hurting physically; that he could help. He took her hand and squeezed, pushing his magick into her body. She sighed.
“I feel like I should do something. I don’t know what.”
“I don’t think there’s anything you can do for him.”
She met his gaze. “Nothing?”
“You’re killing me here,” he said, wiping the last of her tears away. “I think we have to look at the fact he may not be able to fight the Darkness.” The words were so hard for him to say. Beck cleared his throat.
Autumn smiled sadly.
“Sorry,” he said. “Not an easy truth.”
“No. I barely know him. I can’t imagine what you feel.” Confusion crossed her face. “But that’s not true. I do know him. I just don’t understand how.”
Beck said nothing. He watched her fight the secrets of her mind. She relented. He’d never felt as bad about keeping the truth from her as he did now.
“I wish I could help you, too.” She shook her head and looked at him again.
“You do. I’m not used to being able to talk to the girls I date.” Realizing what he said, he rushed on. “Or you know. Girls I’m not dating but might be interested in someday.”
“Every blond you run across?” she teased.
“Almost every blond.”
Her humor faded. He saw her thought before she voiced the words and braced himself.
“Beck, I belong with Decker. I don’t understand how or why.” She fought her mind again. “But I can’t be anything more than your friend.”
“And if the worst happens to Decker?”
“I don’t think I can ever be with anyone else. It sounds crazy, but ...I don’t know. It’s what I feel. I don’t understand it.”
He hadn’t expected the gentle rejection to hurt like it did. Surprised by what he felt, Beck wasn’t able to muster a smile. He knew how strong the bond was between Summer and Decker. He couldn’t help wishing he’d taken a chance on Summer months ago, instead of
trusting his heart to someone like Dawn instead.
Too late. As usual. And if Decker didn’t pull out of his freefall, Autumn was likely lost as well, if the Darkness followed through with its threat. Beck began to suspect her trial had something to do with Decker. At this moment, he couldn’t help believing she might not be passing it. He wasn’t going to lose them both. Autumn may have chosen Decker, but Beck chose to save her and the Light witchlings over his brother.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, searching his gaze.
“I think I always knew. If you’re okay, I’ll take you back.”
She nodded. He felt the pain his words caused but had to find a way to deal with his own issues. To fulfill his duties. To save her, even knowing she was making a choice that might cost him his soul.
He took her to the hallway outside her room. She squeezed his arm, and he managed to smile as she walked into her room. Rubbing his face, Beck sighed. His thoughts turned to Tanya, who allegedly hadn’t been snatched by Decker as he first thought. The little birdie ratting out Dawn had told him where to look.
Tanya was a distraction, both for him and for Decker. He wanted everyone to think they were dating. Part of him was drawn to her because of how similar she looked to Autumn. He hadn’t thought twice about pissing off Dawn; they weren’t supposed to talk to each other anyway.
He didn’t fully believe what Dawn’s friend Sonya told him. As crazy as his ex was, she wasn’t the type to hurt someone. She was manipulative and moody but not a killer.
When Tanya went missing, he’d promised her parents he’d do everything he could to bring her back to them. When Sonya’s tip turned out to be the latest of the pointless trips he’d taken, his next step was to involve his parents. His father had reach and resources capable of helping. If nothing else, his mother could tell him if Decker kidnapped the girl and if not, could interrogate people like no one else.
Beck’s magick took him to the north side of the lakes, close to the border with Canada, to an abandoned resort. It was boarded up years ago, and the roof of the decrepit building had collapsed under a previous snowfall. He stood outside it, not at all certain what he sought. The narrow road to the resort hadn’t been cleared, and he saw what appeared to be the wide tracks of a sports utility vehicle leading up to the building.
He crossed to them, ignoring the wind and snow. He had no idea how many sets of feet were in the mess around where the SUV stopped. More than a couple, he guessed and followed them to the building. They led to a side door that had long since rotted away. He pushed what remained of the door and entered the quiet, dark interior.
The side door led to what was once a conference room. A broken table was overturned in the center of the room and chairs were stacked in one corner. He saw nothing unusual in the large room and crossed it carefully, eyeing the creaking floor uneasily.
He opened a door into a hallway and picked a direction. He opened his magick, trying to identify if any witchlings were there. A faint whisper answered him. It was too soft to be a witchling or element, but it was some kind of magick. He switched directions and followed his senses through the bottom floor and up a crumbling set of stairs to the second floor.
Stepping over a fallen chandelier, he paused to listen then pushed open the door closest to him. The hotel room was free of furniture – except for a single chair with a slumped over figure tied to it. From the rear, Tanya’s long hair looked like Autumn’s, except that it was straight where Autumn’s was curly.
Sonya was right. Beck stood for a long moment. If the person was alive, he’d sense her. Heart quickening, he went to the blond girl and crouched beside her. She was dead. Her skin was pale, her clothing bloodied. She’d been stabbed multiple times, and her blood had soaked her clothing and pooled around the chair.
The magick he heard calling him came from her amulet and the soul trapped within. Beck stared at her, unable to move for a long minute. Finally, he reached out and took the necklace off her.
He’d never had to take a Light soul before. It was part of his duties, to collect the souls of those Light witchlings that died. He held up the amulet. It was dull, lifeless, like the witchling to whom it belonged.
Sadness filled him for more than one reason. Tanya died because of him. He’d been trying to throw Decker off his scent, so his twin didn’t pursue and hurt Autumn. Sonya said Dawn was furious at him for seeing someone when she wanted him to take responsibility for his new family. Beck used Tanya and put her innocent life in danger.
Would there be a day when he didn’t screw up?
Swallowing hard, he pulled out his cell phone and texted his mother.
I need you and dad where I am now, he told her. She’d know how to find him; she always did.
He took a few deep breaths to calm himself then clicked his newest contact and called.
“Hello?” Sonya’s voice was soft.
“You were right,” he said.
“Oh, god.”
“Yeah.” Beck studied Tanya’s face. He wanted to remember her every time in the future he endangered someone who didn’t deserve it.
“Beck, I think there’s more.”
He waited.
“Dawn was furious when she left a little while ago. I think she’s gonna hurt someone else. I don’t know, though. I never took anything like this seriously.” Sonya’s voice filled with tears. “She talks about a lot of stuff like this, and I thought she’s venting, that’s it. She doesn’t have it in her to hurt anyone. Alexa does, but …”
As he listened, he realized he’d have to do something about Dawn. He had no idea what, since she was probably carrying his kid. She deserved jail at the very least but the idea of his daughter being born in prison …
Beck cursed. “Please let me know if she says anything else, especially if it involves Autumn. Call me right away, no matter what time,” he said. “You did the right thing, Sonya.”
Sonya mumbled something through her tears. The warm-cool touch of his mother reached him.
“I’ll give you a call later. I’ve gotta take care of this.” He hung up and rose to face his parents.
His mother paced forward and bent, looking into the girl’s face. Always business-oriented, she turned to him.
“You have the amulet?”
Beck nodded and held it up.
“Claim it,” she ordered.
He placed it on the ground and crushed it with his heel. He had no idea what was supposed to happen. A trickle of warmth crept up his leg, and the room pulsed brightly for a few seconds. The light died. The soul was claimed. His mother nodded in approval.
“My first,” he said miserably. “My fault, too.”
“You didn’t do this, Beck,” his father said, clasping his shoulder.
“Dawn had something to do with this. I guess she got jealous.”
Michael’s face grew grave. “Are you certain?”
“Mostly.”
“She’s not the type to do her own dirty work,” his mother said from the window.
Beck turned to her with a frown.
“She’s come close to breaking the Laws but never has.” She shrugged. “Not much I could’ve done, until she crossed them.”
“You knew she was a bad egg?” Beck asked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“That’s not the way it works.”
“So it’s okay for me to knock up a crazy girl running around killing people because she’s jealous?” he demanded, anger rising.
“You know by now that you must let people choose their own paths. Even your family.”
Her calm words stung. Beck didn’t say what he wanted to, that he’d at least tried to protect those he loved. His mother’s gaze was steady. He began to realize just how different the Masters and Mistresses of Light and Dark really were.
“I’ll take care of this, Beck,” his father said. “The police will need helicopters to get up here.”
“What do I do?” Beck asked. “What can I do?”
“It’s o
ut of your hands,” his mother answered.
“I promised her parents I’d bring her back,” he whispered. “What do I do now?”
“You tell them you were wrong.”
He winced. His mother’s words were unusually gentle. Death was different to a Dark Mistress than it was to him. His father was on the phone already to organize a recovery effort while his mother’s gaze grew distant.
She was thinking of Decker. Beck almost saw it. It infuriated him. Here he stood, struggling with his duty and his guilt, while she was focused on Decker.
“You have a tomorrow, Beck,” she said, reading his thoughts as only she was able to. “Her parents are witchlings. They need to hear from the Master of Light what happened to their daughter. You owe it to them, and you alone can bring them any sort of comfort. It’s what you do.”
His anger faded. She was right.
“Okay. I’ll go,” he said. No part of him wanted to perform this part of his duty. “What about Dawn?”
“Let the police handle the investigation.”
Surprised by his mother’s response, he studied her. She was as likely as Decker to go off and kill someone.
“That baby’s probably mine,” he reminded her. “Don’t do anything, mom.”
“I’ve got enough on my plate for today. When you’re back, we’ll talk.”
That scared him. Beck glanced at his father, not envying the man who somehow managed to keep his mother from becoming some sort of homicidal maniac. Not wanting to provoke her, Beck took himself to the place he’d been earlier in the day.
The house of Tanya’s parents. He lingered at the front door of their Cape Cod style home in Georgia. His hands shook. He had no idea how to tell them what happened. Did he mention to them that it was his fault?
The door opened before he was ready. Tanya’s mother looked like her daughter with large, dark eyes and long blond hair. She was smiling as she opened the door, expecting good news.
He had no idea what to say. After a moment, the hope in her eyes faded.
