He laughed. “We have time, little witch.”
“Good, because if you leave me again I will kick your arse.”
Drake laughed and kissed her again.
Charlie woke to cracks of light creeping through the tents closed flat. She glanced over Drake, relieved to see sleep had done him some good now he had more colour back in his cheeks and hoped he’d be healed soon. When she tried to roll over, an arm snaked around her. “Where are you going?”
“Getting up. We’re still got a long way to go before we reach Kyral.”
“We can stay here a little longer.” His lips travelled down her neck, making her giggle.
“As fun as that would be, you’re hurt and the others can hear us,” she whispered. “Speaking of healing, how long before you’re fully healed?”
“A few days, perhaps less. Lochlyn took a lot of energy.”
Charlie leaned up on one elbow. “Do you feed on energy? I saw you drain that guard, and Lochlyn, of power.”
“Not feed in the way Denais do. I can take power but I only did it because I’ve lost so much my own energy.”
“What happens when we reach Kyral?” Charlie asked. “I have a bad feeling things are gonna change.”
“Indeed they will. I don’t know how Daron will react to my presence.”
“He must’ve called you back for a reason.”
Drake reached up and kissed her tenderly.
She opened her mouth to speak but Drake cut her off by putting a finger to her lips. “I’m not going back to Setara,” he said.
She scowled. “I still think it’d be safer for all of us, but okay. If anyone tries to hurt you, they’ll have to go through me first.”
He chuckled. “I do love it when you go all warrior.”
The sound made her smile, making her heart skip a beat. She wrapped her arms around him, reached up to kiss him.
Drake hissed in pain. “As much as I want you, I suggest we wait.”
“Sorry.” Charlie bit her lip as she pulled away. “Are you sure you’re okay? I mean you can talk to me about what happened.”
He shook his head. “I know and I don’t need to. The torture hurt, but I didn’t notice much of it when it happened.”
She knew he’d been trained to withstand torture, but no amount of training could protect the mind from everything. “Repressing emotions isn’t good idea either,” she pointed out. “You taught me that.” She sat up, ran her fingers through her hair, muttered. “I look a bloody mess!”
“You look perfect, little witch.”
“You’re just being nice now.”
“I’d never lie to you, Charlotte. Not again. I promise you that.”
“I’ll hold you to that.” She gave him a nice quick kiss. “Even though you look like crap, you’re still hot.” Charlie grabbed some clean clothes from her pack.
“Charlie?”
She glanced back.
“You kept me alive there. My only concern was for you.”
“Well, you better take care of my demon from now on.” She wondered when she’d started to think of him as “her demon” but decided it didn’t matter.
After a quick breakfast and checking Drake’s wounds, they set on the road again, seeing nothing but rolling hills of golden sand stretching out before them.
“After we got turned away from that town last night, what can we expect by way of a welcome in Kyral?” asked Nigel.
Drake leaned back against his seat. “I say we should come up with a good cover story,” he remarked. “Don’t tell anyone you’re enforcers.”
Charlie snorted as the car bumped over the uneven ground, ignoring Kaz and Nigel as they started bickering in the front of the car. “We look like enforcers. The guy in the pub last night spotted it straight away.”
“Pretend to be bounty hunters then. I’ll be your captive. Whatever you do, don’t mention you’re my mate.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why not?”
“I’m the Akaran. Anyone associated with me will be seen as weakness, especially my mate. You’re still mortal, little witch and we are not bonded,” he said. “They’d see you as an easy target.”
Charlie laughed. “Then I’ll give them a shock.”
“Please, Charlotte.” He clutched her hand.
The look in his eyes made her heart ache. “Fine.” She folded her arms. That doesn’t mean I have to like it.
It’s not forever. Drake kissed her hand. I don’t know who I can trust there. I need to know who my enemies are.
I still say we should do something about the bond thing. But you’re stuck with me anyway now. She grinned. Try to get away and I’ll just follow you.
Likewise, little witch.
The day passed in a blur of desert sand and seeing the occasional cactus.
“You sure you programmed this thing right, Charlie?” Kaz grumbled, who’d now taken over the driving. “We should have seen that other town by now.”
Charlie leaned over the seat and touched the screen. “We’re going the right way. The town should be close by.”
“What maps were you using?” Drake asked, peering at the screen.
“Ones from your office, plus Phil got me updated ones. Carry on heading east, Kaz.” Charlie settled back in her seat as a chill ran over her senses. Unsure what it meant, she cast her senses out further.
“What’s wrong?” Drake frowned.
She shook her head. “I feel – something.” She observed the surrounding desert again. Miles of sand surrounded them with no sign of any building in sight. “Kaz, turn the shield on.”
Kaz and Nigel glanced at each other. “It’s not fully recharged yet,” Kaz pointed out.
“Do it!” Blue light shimmered out from Charlie’s bag. Damn, she’d forgotten to send the Srimtar back to its hiding place after looking at it the night before.
A burst of blue light bounced off the shield. The engine stuttered as the car stopped, dead.
Kaz and Nigel raised their weapons.
“I don’t see or smell anything,” said Nigel, rolling up his window.
Charlie pulled the orb from her backpack, drawing magic as she tried to open a portal to the spirit realm. Light flashed then faded with no portal forming. “What the…”
Blasts of blue lightning came at them from every direction, battering against the shield.
“I can’t sense anything,” Nigel said. “Where are they?”
Charlie scanned, saw only brief flashes of light.
Drake sat up, wincing. “I sense something too.”
A face appeared next to Charlie’s window.
“Kaz, hit the gas!” Nigel yelled.
“I can’t, the engine is dead.”
The face blurred into a figure that passed straight through the car, its hands made a grab for Charlie’s glowing pack.
Nigel fired a shot, a bullet ripped through the air, pinging off the car.
Charlie yanked the orb out, clutching it to her chest. “You’re not taking this.” More figures appeared, hands reaching in through the car. Nigel’s body blurred as someone yanked him through the door, dragging him onto the ground. More hands grabbed Kaz and Drake, pulling them from the car. “Charlie, what do we do?” Kaz cried.
Charlie glanced around, bewildered. She’d never seen any Magickind who could pass through solid matter – except herself. How could she fight them? They weren’t spirits, that much she could tell.
She drew in a breath, fazed, shot out the car, about to fling the orb back into the spirit realm, then stopped. What if these strange things could pass into the spirit realm too?
Drake hurled a fireball at his assailants, Kaz fired both kinetic blasts and gunshots. Nigel shifted into his black panther form, snarling at them and trying to attack the invaders.
Another glowing figure came at Charlie. She dodged it, raised her hand to force a portal open. She felt her magic tearing through the fabric of the world’s as a glowing portal formed. She shoved the orb inside, letting out a b
reath as it vanished.
It didn’t stop their attackers.
Drake, do something! she cried as hands locked around her.
I can’t, I can’t grab onto them long enough, he replied.
She fazed again and kicked one in the stomach, surprised when the figure fell backwards, becoming the solid form of a man with blue tattoos covering half his face and most of his arms and upper torso. His eyes widened in shock.
“What are you?” Charlie demanded. “Tell Myles he’s not getting my orb.”
Both the man and the glowing figures all vanished in a blur of light.
Chapter 7
Drake scrambled back into the car, wincing from his aching wounds.
“What the fuck were they?” Nigel asked after he shifted back into human form.
“God only knows,” Kaz muttered. “Why couldn’t you scent what they are?” She grumbled, glaring at Nigel. “Oh, forgot you’re a lousy shifter.”
Nigel shook his head. “I couldn’t smell anything from them – which is weird. All Magickind have a particular kind of scent.”
Drake felt something wet and saw blood seeping through his shirt. “Ah, damn!”
“I thought you were healing?” Charlie wrapped an arm around him.
“The fall must’ve reopened my wounds.” He slumped into the backseat, wincing from the throbbing pain. Seeing the pulse at Charlie’s throat, he felt the magic flowing through her veins, making him want to take it. Gods, he hadn’t needed to feed on magic since he was a lad. After he’d become the Akaran, he’d had no need for it. Had Lochlyn drained him that much?
Kaz and Nigel got to work on the car whilst Charlie re-bandaged his wounds. “Do you know what those things were?” Charlie asked, pulling out another bandage.
Drake frowned. They reminded him of something, but it was impossible. He’d wiped out that race off the face of the earth. “They reminded me of another Demonkind but they’re extinct,” he told her.
“Their powers seemed like mine. I’ve never met anyone he could faze before.” Charlie covered over the wound, making sure it stuck and stemmed the flow of blood. “Do you think they’re like me?”
Drake shook his head. “No, I’m not sure what they were.”
“It’s weird, I don’t think they were trying to hurt us,” Nigel said, his head peering underneath the bonnet.
“Yeah, right!” Kaz snorted. “Can you fix this?”
“Let me work, woman,” Nigel muttered. “I didn’t smell anger.”
“You didn’t smell anything because you are lousy shifter,” Kaz replied.
“They came for the orb. Goodridge won’t stop until he gets it. Too bad Charlie is the only one who seems to have any effect on them.” Kaz pulled her rifle out of the boot.
“That guy looked just as surprised as I was,” Charlie said, closing the med-kit. “Can you fix the car?”
“Working on it,” Nigel grunted.
“I’ll scout around, make sure there’s no one else stalking us.” Kaz hooked her automatic over her shoulder.
Charlie settled on seat beside Drake. “Goddess, I hope they can’t get into the spirit realm.” She’d never met any other Magickind who could enter the spirit realm as she could and it worried her.
“They won’t, it’s your domain, little witch.”
“Are you okay?” She touched his cheek. “I’m not used to you being like this.”
“I’ll be fine.” It would take more than a few stab wounds to kill him. He clutched her hand and felt the call of her power grow stronger. Everything in him demanded he make her his, say the vows, make her his mate. Instead he pulled her to him, capturing her mouth in a long, searing kiss.
Her eyes widened but she returned the kiss.
“Argh, I’m not going to have to put up with that, am I?” Nigel grumbled.
“You’re just jealous,” Kaz muttered. “Because no one wants you.”
Drake and Charlie pulled apart, both laughing.
Sure you don’t want to seal our bond yet? she asked.
Drake brushed her hair off her face. Yes, he wanted that more than anything. His heart swelled just looking at her with something he hadn’t felt in almost seven millennia.
Love.
The shock of that made him stumble out of the car.
“What’s wrong?” Charlie said, alarmed.
He shook his head. “Nothing. Nigel, stand aside. Let me look at the engine.”
Realisation dawned on him. He felt his heart starting to beat harder, faster. He hadn’t truly loved anyone since he’d lost his family. He had Jason’s friendship and that of the McCray family, but this went so much deeper than that. Drake forced the feeling aside as he stared at the engine. He muttered something and it sputtered to life.
“How did you do that?” Nigel arched an eyebrow.
He shrugged. “It’s my vehicle. Come, the village is close. We should rest there for the night. We’ve only got a couple of hours left before it gets dark.”
The village contained nothing but a half dozen houses with tiled roofs, a small shop and a pub which also served as an inn. The innkeeper did nothing to refuse them and Drake ordered three rooms for the group.
Drake slumped onto the bed, after yanking off his jeans while Charlie had a shower. He couldn’t decide whether it made it easier or harder having her close but she’d refused to share a room with Kaz.
He pulled his brother’s message out. It still said the same words: Come home. Now.
Nothing else.
Drake still couldn’t understand why Daron would call him home. But he had to go there and find out the truth for himself.
Charlie came out wearing nothing but shorts and vest with her long hair loose around her shoulders. Drake forced his gaze away from her luscious curves. “I’ve been thinking of a cover story. You and the others could pose as bounty hunters,” he mused. “You liked having me in chains as I recall.” He remembered their trip to Setara years earlier before the revolution where he’d acted as her prisoner.
Charlie giggled as she slipped into bed beside him. “That sounds like fun.” She rested her head against his shoulder. “I still think we should seal our bond soon.”
“Why so eager, little witch?” He ran his fingers through her hair, playing with the silky strands. “You’ve been dead set against bonding since the day I formed our connection.”
“It’s different now, I know you. I care about you a lot.” She leaned up on one elbow. “Don’t you care about me?”
“You know I do.”
“Show me,” she challenged. “Don’t you remember the dreams we shared?” She brushed her lips over his. “What we did?”
He remembered every detail and it made him want her even more. “It’s not nice to tease an injured man, little witch,”
“You wouldn’t be injured if you’d just say the damn joining vows.”
“The ascension – I’m too weak to help you through it. It could kill us both.”
Charlie rolled her eyes. “You really know how to kill the mood, Vlad.” She sighed, turned away from him. “But you’re right. We can’t.”
Drake brushed the hair off her neck. “I never said I didn’t want you.” But he knew if he gave in, he’d never be able to let her go. His lips trailed down her neck, one hand roaming down her stomach until he found her wetness.
Charlie’s breath caught as he stroked her. “Who’s teasing who now?”
“I want you,” Drake growled. “Never doubt that.”
The vein on her neck throbbed, begging him to bite down in and take her power. Oh how he wanted to.
“Drake,” she gasped, thrusting her hips against his fingers.
He continued to stroke, harder, faster, feeling her close to climax. She cried out his name as she went over the edge.
Drake turned her over, crushed his mouth against hers. Charlie pulled him closer, wrapping her legs around his waist.
She tugged at his shirt and a searing pain burned across his chest. H
e bared his teeth, fangs coming out as he muttered a curse.
“Goddess, I’m so sorry.” Charlie pulled away. “I shouldn’t have—”
“I’m alright.” He moved away from her, clutching his stomach.
“You don’t look alright, you’re turning white.” She touched his face. He rolled away from her, breathing hard. “I’ll see if the landlord has a healer or knows one.” Charlie rose, pulling her clothes back into place.
“No, no healers. They won’t do me any good.” He caught hold of her wrist. “I can’t risk anyone finding out what I am. Do you remember that box I asked you to get from my safe?”
Charlie nodded. “Yeah.” She reached into her bag, pulled out small wooden box.
“Open it.”
Charlie pulled the lid to open it. Inside lay a large ring made from black gold with a huge amethyst stone. “Wow, it’s beautiful. You’re not…”
Drake chuckled. “No, I’m not proposing – if I were I’d give you something much nicer. Besides, demons don’t wear wedding rings.”
She looked almost disappointed. “What is it?”
“One of my few weaknesses. With that ring, you can control me. It’s a safeguard of sorts in case I — or any other Akaran — lost themselves to our darkness then that can stop us,” he explained.
Charlie’s brow creased. “Why are you giving it to me?”
“Because there is no one in this world I trust more.” He winced as he sat up. “I spent eight thousand years holding this power inside me. If I ever lose control, you must promise me you’ll use it.” He took her hand. “No matter what.”
“No, I wouldn’t control you. You can’t ask me to do that.” She shoved the box shut.
“Charlotte, you know how demons can lose themselves. You have to promise.”
“You want me to promise to kill you after everything we’ve been through?” Her brown eyes flashed an icy blue. “No! I won’t do it.” She threw the box on the floor. “Is that why you won’t bond with me? Because you’re afraid something might happen to you?”
Drake suppressed a groan. Damn, this girl knew him better than he’d imagined. “It’s possible, yes.”
Shadow Spy_Urban fantasy romance Page 5
