“But what do you want from us?”
“To help.”
“You girls have done your reading,” the demon said, bowing. “And the name is Raphael. Melena and I go way back.”
“So we’ve heard,” Josi said, narrowing her eyes. “And why would you want to help us?”
“To make your dreams come true,” Raphael said, holding out a vial. “You always did want to become a mermaid, didn’t you Jami?”
“I…”
“No, Jami, don’t listen to him!” Jordyn cried. “He’s a demon, remember? He doesn’t want to help us. He wants to help Melina!”
“How do you know?” Jami asked.
“Because I’ve been in the wasteland for a while now,” Jordyn told them. “I’ve heard the demons talk, and the thing they talk most about? Escaping from the wasteland. If he turns us into a mermaid, we’ll no longer be witches!”
“And he’ll be able to escape with Melina,” Jessi said, nodding. “Well, that’ not going to happen!”
“And just how are you going to stop me?” Raphael asked, disappearing, and reappearing behind them. He flung the vial toward them.
“No!”
Jordyn shouted, flinging her hands out. Crystals flung from her hands, the vial shattering across the floor.
“Ahh! My eyes! My eyes!” Raphael screamed as the crystals flung toward him, seeping into his body. His body glowing a bright purple, before bursting into a reign of light.
“Whoa! Jordyn, you have a power!” Jami cried, staring at Jordyn in surprise. “A really cool power! You can manipulate crystals!”
“Finally!” Jordyn cried, staring down at her hands. “You know, I was beginning to feel a little left out.”
“Well, you’re not the odd one out anymore,” Jami told her, flinging an arm around her shoulders, and staring at the potion that lay in a puddle on the ground. “You know, it would have been pretty cool to be a mermaid.”
“Yes, it would have,” Jordyn agreed. “But our family is more important. Come on. Let’s go find these mermaids!”
Chapter 36
“Alright, Mr. Book, let’s put you where you belong,” Jade said, as she placed the book on the podium in the attic, inside their house. She grazed her hand along the cover, tracing the star, and each one of the J’s. “I miss you,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes. “I promise, I’ll find you. One way or another.”
“Jade?”
“Up here!”
Running feet sounded on the stairs, and she turned, as Ashwin appeared through the doorway. “Is everything back to normal?” he asked, peering over her shoulder at the book.
“Yup. Everything’s back to normal,” Jade said, flipping through the book. “My ancestors are here. The spells are here. Even the potions, as are my powers.” She lifted her hand, a bolt of electricity slinging through the air, and hitting the couch. “Man did I miss them!”
“Too bad you couldn’t use them in the underworld,” Ashwin murmured.
“They have crystals all throughout the underworld, Ashwin, you know that. My powers are very minimal there.”
“I know.” Ashwin paused for a moment. “Jade, about what you said earlier. About your baby…”
“It’s not important right now, Ashwin,” Jade said, shoving his words away. “Nothing is, except getting my family back, we just have to figure out where they are.”
“And how are you going to do that?”
“Through some magic,” Jade said, grabbing the map and crystal
“You’re going to scry?” Elijah asked as he walked through the doorway.
“Why not? It’s the most basic of magics,” Micah said, as he followed behind him.
“I’m not so sure I like you,” Elijah muttered, glancing over his shoulder at Micah. “You slept with my wife.”
“And now, you know how we feel about you,” Jade said, as she gathered up the supplies. “Now come on. I need your help.”
“What? Why?” Elijah asked, raising a brow.
“Because my blood alone isn’t going to help find my family. I need yours too because we need to be looking everywhere for them. In the underworld. In the hidden city. The wasteland, and hopefully, with all of our magic combined we can pinpoint their location. Then we can bring them home.”
***
“I hate this damned witch,” Jasmine muttered, as she stomped along the gravel path, passing underneath one of the dozen waterfalls that lay in the green landscape, ducking underneath the branch. “All she ever does is cause trouble for us. First, it was sending us to those fairytales, then we had to go searching for her, and we all nearly died!”
“I don’t like her any more than you do,” Josslyn said, brushing another branch out of the way, and weaving through the trees. “And this time, if we get bitten by those damned Jellyfish, we don’t have Sky to come save us.”
“He wouldn’t hear us anyway, considering where we are,” Jasmine said, sighing. “Do you think he’s okay?”
“I’m sure he’s fine,” Jorja said, looping her arm through Jasmine’s. “He’s strong, Jasmine. One of the strongest people I have ever met, and I know he’ll find his way back to you. Love always finds a way.”
“Speaking of love, did either of you ever notice the spark between Jade and Ashwin?” Josslyn asked.
“You’re kidding, right?” Jasmine asked. “Jade would never go there. You remember the last time she dated a man, right?”
“Of course I do. He nearly killed us, twice!”
“You know, for three witches who are trying to search for me, you are pretty damned loud,” Melina said, as they walked through the bushes, glancing over her shoulder at them, as they walked into the meadow. She ran her fingers through the gray tentacles attached to her scalp. “It seems nothing ever changes.”
“Except, that we’re plus one now,” Josslyn said. “Have you met Jorja?”
“Why I haven’t had the chance yet,” Melena said, rising to her feet and walking forward. She stopped, pointing a finger. “Come here, Jorja.”
“No.”
“I said, come here!” Melena shouted, wind blasting from her lips, and Jorja winced, bracing herself against the blast.
“We’ll go with you,” Josslyn said, looping her arm through Jorja’s, and walking forward. “After all, she can’t take us all on.”
“Oh, look at you.” Melena let out a loud whistle, walking around the girls, stopping and cupping Jorja’s chin in her hand. “You’re are a raving beauty, and you definitely have his eyes.”
“Will you get your hands off of me!” Jorja snapped, jerking free from her grip. “Ouch!”
“And you certainly have my temper, “ Melena said, laughing.
“No. She gets that from us,” Jasmine told her. “You’re not the only one she’s related to, remember?”
“Wait. What?” Jorja swung her head around looking at Jasmine, then at Josslyn. “What the hell are you guys talking about?”
“Melena is Gary’s sister,” Joslyn told her. “And your aunt.”
“Wait. I’m related to… that?” Jorja asked, turning to stare at Melena again. “Are you kidding? Just look at her! She’s ugly as hell!”
“Jorja!”
“Well, it’s true!” Jorja cried. “Just look at her. The tentacles attached to her head, the chipped nail polish, even the wrinkles.” She shuddered. “Eww!”
“You dare to call me ugly!” Melina shouted, her eyes turning black as she stared at Jorja. She let out a yell, stomping her feet on the ground.
“Ahh!” Jorja, Jasmine, and Josslyn gasped, teetering, and falling on the ground.
“Gee, thanks Jorja!” Jasmine shouted, watching as Melena’s body rose high into the air, towering above them. “Just what we needed, to make her mad! Now how are we going to defeat her?”
Chapter 37
“Why isn’t any of this working?” Jade asked, letting out a shout, and slamming her fist onto the floor. “I have tried everything. I’ve tried teleporting. I’ve tried scrying, a
nd yet, nothing seems to work.”
“Do you even remember how to get to the hidden city?” Elijah asked, glancing over his shoulder at her from where he was standing at the window.
“Well, no,” Jade said, thinking.
“It wouldn’t matter anyways,” Micah told them, from where he was sitting on the couch. “The door would be closed since Liam no has the stone.”
“Right. The God who has turned evil,” Elijah chuckled. “Just how many times has this
“Twice,” Jade muttered.
“Uh huh.”
“Shut up, Elijah,” Ashwin muttered, looking at Jade. “What about a spell? Can you write a spell to help you get to the hidden city?”
“That won’t work either,” Micah said. “The hidden city’s path is only revealed, with the sapphire. There is no way in or out without the sapphire.”
“Well, do you have any better ideas?” Jade snapped, glaring at Micah. “Other than shooting down mine? I’m trying to find my family here! They’re my rock. The ones who are always there for me.”
“We know how important they are to you, Jade,” Elijah said, staring at the kids decked out in costumes, as they went from house to house. Something tugged at his heart, and he quickly shoved it away. “But I thought you were the rock of the family. You always seem to be the one in control of everything.”
“That’s because I like being in control,” Jade told him. “I don’t like change, and I like knowing what’s going to happen, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have my weak moments, Elijah.” She rose to her feet, walking to the window and staring out into the night. “I was wrong about you,” she whispered. “When Julie told me she loved you, I wouldn’t listen. I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to believe what she said about you. That you had good inside of you, but I’ve seen it the last few days. The way you helped me and Elijah…” She trailed off. “Wait a minute. Julie!”
“What about Julie?”
“She has a new power. She can propel herself into someone’s dream,” Jade said. “Oh my God! Why didn’t I think of that?” She smacked herself in the head, turning, and racing back to the book. She flipped through the pages, pointing “Look.
“A sleep spell?” Ashwin asked, looking over her shoulder. “But isn’t that kind of dangerous?”
“It’s the only thing I can think to do,” Jade said, glancing over at him. “If I fall asleep, maybe I can make contact with Julie. Then she can tell me where they are!”
Ashwin stared at her for a moment, then finally he nodded. “Okay. What is it you need us to do?”
“I need you to light these,” Jade said, nudging the box of purple candles toward him. “Place them in a circle around me and light them.” She leaned back, closing her eyes.
“Okay. They’re lit.”
“Good.”
Jade opened her eyes, staring up at the high ceiling. “As I close my eyes, the scent of lavender consumes me. White magic, come to me now and allow me to slumber. Slumber me, slumber deep, and allow me to see the one I seek.”
Her eyes drifted closed, and Ashwin leaned in close.
“Ashwin, stay back!” Micah cried, holding an arm out and blocking his path. “You can’t cross the candles. If you do, it’ll break the spell. You have to wait until she comes back to us.”
“I hate waiting.”
“So do I,” Elijah said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Which is why I’m not going to.”
“What do you mean? Where are you going?”
“Back to the underworld,” Elijah told him. “To get the Grimoire. One way or another, we’re going to need it.”
***
The whirl of the wind filled her ears. Sunlight washed down on her, a deep red, and the fog swirled around her.
Jade blinked, opening her eyes and rising to her feet, her feet seeping into the sand as she walked. “Julie? Are you there?”
Silence echoed around her, and she sighed, feeling defeated. Had she been stupid to cast the spell? What if she never woke up?
“Hello, Jade.”
She jumped, the dark voice sounding behind her, her eyes narrowing as the reptile stepped out from the shadows. “Tony?”
“Follow me,” Tony said, gesturing his scaly hand forward.
Jade eyed him. “I think I’m going to go on my own.” She walked past him, jumping when she spotted the spider demon to her left.
“You’re getting closer, Jade,” the spider demon said, nodding to her as she passed. “And to think I was this close to getting you to cross over to my side.”
“That would have never happened,” Jade said, the two demons disappearing from sight, and a glass cabinet appearing before her. She stepped forward, wrapping her finger around the edge, staring inside at Julie. “Jules?”
“You found me.”
The soft, feminine voice sounded behind her, and Jade turned.
“Julie?” She blinked, staring at her sister as she stood behind her, wearing a white dress, and holding an infant in her arms. “You had your baby?”
“I did, and look at him! He’s so beautiful!” Julie cried as she stared down at the infant. “My firstborn. Do you want to hold him?”
“I’d love to,” Jade said, walking forward and taking the infant from Julie. She stared down into her eyes, a lump forming in her throat, and glancing over at Julie. “How did you do it?” she whispered. “You had all this stuff going against you. Becoming evil. Marrying a demon. Giving birth to a demon’s child. How did you keep him from turning evil?”
“Because I’m not evil,” Julie told her. “Just like you’re not evil for having feelings for a vampire.”
“What?” Jade jerked her head up. “I didn’t ask that!”
“You didn’t have to,” Julie said. “It’s written all over your face. None of us are evil, Jade, not even in the slightest. We care too much for evil to take us over, and that’s what separates us from others in this world, so let me ask you this. Do you have feelings for Ashwin?”
“I…” Jade stared down at the baby, thinking about the last time she had let herself open up to a guy. Tony. Did she have feelings for Ashwin? Could she let herself go there? She shoved the thoughts away, shaking her head. “That’s not important right now,” she said. “What’s important is finding you. Where are you, Julie?”
“You know where I am,” Julie said. “You’ve always known.”
“The wasteland?”
Julie nodded. “Yes, but I don’ have much time. Liam…” She blinked, taking the baby from Jade. “He wants my baby. His blood will complete the potion he needs for his experiment, and the experiment will kill him. Please. You have to find us before it’s too late!” She disappeared from sight.
“Julie!”
Jade spun on her heel, racing back to the casket. The casket disappearing from sight. “No! Julie!”
“Jade!”
She jerked her eyes open, strong arms wrapping around her, shaking her, and she stared up into dark, familiar eyes. “Ashwin?”
“I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have broken the barrier to the spell, but you were screaming like you were in pain. I couldn’t just stand by and watch.”
“Even though I told him not to,” Micah said, rolling his eyes. “So, did you get what you needed?”
“Yes,” Jade said, sitting up and glancing at the two men. “They’re in the wasteland, and Liam is after Julie’s baby.”
“For his experiment, I’m guessing,” Ashwin said, wrapping his hand around hers. “The procedure will most likely kill the baby.”
“Which is why we need to get there before that happens!” Jade cried, turning to look at Ashwin. “You really didn’t like hearing me in pain?” she asked.
“Well, yeah.”
“That’s kind of… sweet,” Jade said, reaching up and stroking his cheek. “You know I’ve never met anyone like you before.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. All dark and brooding, but sweet at the same time.”
&nbs
p; “Agh. You two are making me sick,” Micah said, rolling his eyes. “Would you just give in to the temptation and make out already! Dang, your chemistry is blinding!”
Jade ignored him, instead, continued to stare into Ashwin’s eyes. “You know, there have only two men I have ever loved,” she whispered, reaching down and linking his fingers with her own. “Sean, my ex-husband, who liked to beat me, and Tony. The reptile demon who nearly killed us.”
“I would never hurt you, Jade.”
“Not intentionally, but you’re still a demon, Ashwin. What if you lost control?”
“I won’t,” Ashwin told her. “Besides, who’s asking you to fall in love? All I want is a chance. A chance to get to know you,” he said, pulling her to her feet and wrapping his hands around her waist. “I want to get to know you, like I want you to get to know me. To open yourself to what could be.” He dipped his head, brushing his lips over hers.
“Ashwin…” Jade sighed, closing her eyes, his warmth surrounding her, her fingers wrapping around his strong arms. Am I crazy? she wondered. Allowing myself to get involved with a vampire?
“Got it!”
The shout sounded behind them, and they both jumped, glancing behind them as Elijah appeared in the room.
“Whoops. Did I interrupt something?” Elijah asked, wiping a glob of goo from his cloak, as he stared at Jade and Ashwin. “My apologies, but I just nearly lost my head fighting off a lizard demon.”
“That’s what you get for going off on your own,” Ashwin told him. “So, did you get it?”
“Get what?”
“The Grimoire,” Elijah said, raising the black and red patterned book.
“But why?”
“Because it’s magic, and the power of your book, will help us get to the wasteland,” Ashwin told her.
“Oh. I see,” Jade whispered, a bit unsure that she wanted to combine the two magics. “Is that really necessary? What if something bad happens by combining the two magics?”
“There are always consequences to magic, Jade,” Elijah said, flipping through the pages of the book. “And you said you were willing to do anything to get your sisters back.”
Anarchy Rising Page 15
