In Mage We Trust (Of Mystics and Mayhem Book 1)

by Heidi Vanlandingham

  He moved me to the end of the bed and pushed me down into a sitting position before returning to mimicking a statue. A funny sensation filled my chest. He grinned at me and the feeling disappeared.

  “I felt it.”

  “What? What did you feel?”

  Niki's eyes seemed to bore through my forehead. I squirmed, my discomfort growing under his close perusal. A knot wriggled in my gut. Had I done something wrong?

  “Call the diary.”

  I gaped at him. The man could have sprouted two heads, and it wouldn’t have knocked me down like those three simple words. “I’m never going to get the hang of this, am I?” I moaned into my palms.

  Exhaustion beat at me. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept more than a couple of hours, which explained why thinking felt more like wading through a mire of quicksand.

  Niki knelt between my legs, leaning his heavy arms across my knees. “You’re too hard on yourself, imp. No one expects you to master in two days what takes most mages centuries to learn. You’re a natural. You also have a few other attributes in your favor. Stubbornness, creativity. Intelligence.” He tucked a wayward lock of hair behind my ear. “Most of all, you have a protective streak to rival a lioness’s. The magic will come with time. Don’t beat yourself up over it.” He grabbed my hands as he stood, pulling me up to stand eye-level with his chest. Yeah, like that wasn’t intimidating or overwhelming at all.

  I took a deep breath, and some of my doubt faded. Pasting a smile on my face, I walked through the door, opening up my mind to the beautiful metal protecting the diary. I knew Niki already believed in me. This, I needed to prove to myself. My life hadn’t been easy, and at the moment, all I could think about was the old adage—

  If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

  Since I’d arrived in Dark World, something inside of me had changed. Definitely for the better. I no longer had the ever-impending feeling of doom hanging over me. I had incredible magic. I helped stop my grandfather. I had strength and determination boiling inside of me.

  A precious feeling, like opening a Christmas present or the euphoria of a rollercoaster, unfurled inside my chest, tugging at my heart. The beautiful tone sounded muffled, as if wrapped in cotton, but the diary was somewhere near.

  I spun around and threw myself into Niki’s arms, thankful he was right behind me and had fantastic reflexes. Face-planting the ground at his feet wouldn’t have felt very good. My dignity was already in shambles, I didn’t need to help it along.

  “I found it—her. The diary. Who, by the way, is a girl.” I kissed him, one hard punch to the lips. “Thank you.”

  His eyes were riveted on my lips. “What did I do?”

  “You had my back and believed in me, and . . . for just being you.”

  He kissed me back, his lips so gentle it brought tears to my eyes. “Always, imp.”

  Malachi came up behind us, his face puzzled. “Why a girl?”

  I continued to stare into Niki’s very expressive eyes. “Who better to deal with the trials of the world? Most men don’t listen past ‘I have a problem.’”

  Malachi grunted as he edged past us in the hallway. “Not touching that one.”

  Niki’s smile grew wide. Gods, he was gorgeous. “To answer your question about the mirror, it’s a portal between realms. We cannot be seen because we are the magic creating it. It protects us. You are partially protected because of the essence of my soul inside of you. Unlike you, most species here aren’t mixed. I’m assuming that lack messes with the mirror’s visibility. As long as your human side . . . sorry, Erinys-slash-Mage sides, are living, you will be able to see your reflection.”

  I slid down his body, feeling every taut muscle, curve, and bump, loving how we fit together. His arms tightened around me for a moment then loosened. He leaned forward, his lips nibbling my ear, and whispered, “Any more questions?”

  My skin tingled and skittered over my bones, but in a good way. I loved the way he made me feel. With everything in my life so crazy, I hoped I was ready for him. “No more questions right now. I can’t guarantee something else won’t pop into my mind in a few minutes. Now, let’s go get a diary.”

  I laced my fingers through his strong grip. A euphoric sense of power surged through me as we moved together, side by side. I liked the rough texture of his skin and the increased temperature as it warmed my hand.

  We found Malachi as still as a statue among the tombstones. I stole a quick glance at Niki, who merely shrugged.

  “Malachi, what is it?” Even whispering, my voice seemed to echo as if we were inside an underground chamber and not an open graveyard.

  He stretched out his arms. Eyes closed, he tilted his head back. “This place.” He breathed deeply. “There’s a spirit here. A peace. I haven’t been this content since . . . well, in a very long time.” His voice held a trace of wonder tinged with melancholy. “Three hundred and eleven years, in fact.”

  A lump formed in my throat at the sadness flavoring his words. I couldn’t imagine how he must feel. To have been an angel and now a demon? My brain had a difficult enough time wrapping around the knowledge my world was nothing like I’d believed it to be.

  Niki gave Malachi's shoulder a quick squeeze before taking my hand and guiding me along the path. We turned left onto a smaller trail, and the tone’s volume increased. The path led us to two obsidian obelisks. I stepped between them and jerked to a stop.

  “What is this—a pet cemetery?” Almost every grave had a concrete animal for a headstone. Out of the twenty-five graves, only six had simple blocks of granite with names chiseled on them. I shuddered, my brain going to resurrected cats and little boys, leftover nightmares from a book I’d read when I was thirteen.

  “Did you feel that?” Niki asked.

  “What? Oh, sorry. I’m not past the Stephen King aversion yet.” I promptly shivered again. I loved yet hated the book, although it could have something to do with horror-overdose on a too-young, impressionable brain. I closed my eyes and refocused on the pureness of the diary’s lock, the tone so clear and beautiful . . .

  And close. I narrowed my trajectory, and with slow steps followed the music. It grew in volume the closer I got, until I couldn’t breathe. I stopped and stared at the simple silvery gray headstone. A name I knew well had been etched into the stone.

  Penny. My mother’s confidante and childhood friend. Penny the Pomeranian had been her favorite pet. Remembering the story my dad had told me about the dog’s overprotectiveness when it came to my mom, I had to smile. Penny would attack anyone she didn’t like, taking as many chunks out of the offending ankle as she could.

  I knelt at the end of the small grave, the lock’s music lifting my hair. My mother had chosen the perfect hiding place. I concentrated on only the diary, wanting it in my hands.

  “Very good, imp.”

  I stared at the small purple book lying across my palms with not a speck of dirt on it. Relieved, I hugged it to my chest.

  Malachi marched up next to me. “Amazing. Thought the same thing when you took it from Max. Kind of like telekinesis but with a twist.”

  “I’m not sure what it is. I just do it.” I plopped onto the thick carpet of grass, my legs crossed beneath me. “Now, we need to figure out Max’s very vague clue.”

  Niki sat on Penny’s headstone, and Malachi squatted beside him. “What are you thinking?” Niki asked.

  I tilted my head from side to side, stretching out the tight muscles in my neck. “I’m hoping it will help us figure out who’s behind the deaths as well as lead us to where my parents are. I don’t think it’s going to be enough information.” I scooted backward until I rested against another headstone. Arching my back was enough to temporarily ease the ache from my cramped muscles as I leaned against the cool stone.

 
Malachi popped his knuckles. “Refresh my memory on the clues.” His voice sounded tired.

  “Sure, big guy.” I smiled at Malachi, ignoring Niki's narrowed gaze. “Grandpops said—”

  “Grandpops?” Niki sputtered. He looked like he’d bitten into something sour.

  “I’m trying different names for the old guy. Everything sounds too formal. I kinda like grandpops the best so far. It’s catchy.”

  Niki pinched the bridge of his nose. “Johnna . . .”

  “He told me to ‘right the wrong and fix the lies.’ I don’t understand it. Who committed the wrong and what lies? Or, was he wronged and lied to?” Frustrated, I chewed on my lower lip as I fingered the diary.

  I definitely need to work on my patience.

  Niki cocked an eyebrow, watching me. “Hungry?”

  “Why?”

  “You’re chewing your lip like you’re famished.” He held out his hand. “Here, enjoy this for now. We’ll eat after figuring this out.”

  I looked at what he clutched in his outstretched fingers and groaned. I was falling in love with this man. Er, demon. Dropping the diary into my lap, I wrapped my hands around the Styrofoam coffee cup and raised it to my nose, closing my eyes and breathing in the warm, rich scent of white chocolate latté. I moaned through my first sip, the hot liquid burning down my throat. In mere seconds, I’d died and gone to heaven. I relished the warmth seeping into my palms as happiness settled deep inside my chest, all the way to my heart. Could coffee do that?

  “Mmm, so much better than sex,” I whispered, knowing full well I had no idea if it was true or not. It was just something everyone said.

  Malachi coughed. I cracked one eyelid and saw him grinning at Niki as he pushed his meaty fist against Niki’s shoulder.

  I glanced at the ground and found a small rock, smooth and perfect. I aimed it at Malachi's forehead, and the tiny missile hit him dead center between the eyes. I tried not to react at the startled expression on his face. He reached up and touched the spot, wincing slightly. Now it was Niki's turn to chuckle. The oppressiveness weighing on my shoulders lifted, just enough I could almost breathe normally again.

  “I have excellent aim and more rocks, Mr. Muscles. Don’t make me use them. And quit pretending it hurt. You’re a demon, for gods’ sakes.”

  Niki cleared his throat a couple of times. “Any more hidden talents?”

  “If I told you, they wouldn’t be hidden, now would they?” My casual, flippant response eased some of the pain in my heart from not knowing where my parents were.

  “She got you. One more point for Johnna.”

  Niki glared at his friend. “Yeah, but you’re the one with the bruise between your eyes.” He smirked. “And we’re not keeping track.”

  “Oh, will you two quit? We need to figure out our next move.” I popped open the lock and flipped through the pages but couldn’t understand the scribbles covering them. “Great. Mom wrote in code. I have no idea what to look for, much less how to read this.” I snapped the book shut again. “Do we go to your demon king and catch him up on recent events? Or, do we return to the Pits and get more answers?” I waited, sipping my wonderful coffee, and hoped they chose the Pits.

  Niki grimaced and stretched out his long legs, the sculpted muscles flexing and releasing in his effort to relax. “I need to report to Lucien, even more so since Gerard and Sabine have been taken. If he can’t help us, we’ll go back to the Shadow Realm.”

  “Shadow Realm?”

  “It’s where the Pits of Despair are.”

  Balancing the coffee cup, I tucked the diary in my jacket pocket and stood, brushing off the loose dirt and grass from my pants with my free hand. “Whatever we do will have to be fast. You heard what Max said. His magic isn’t going to last much longer against those stupid Shadows.” I moved between them and finished my coffee. The cup disappeared. “Handy. Beats trying to find a trashcan. Let’s go.”

  Malachi smiled. “What the lady wants, the lady gets.”

  I took Malachi’s hand. Niki wrapped his fingers around my other hand. Smiling, I tightened my grip, thankful I’d finished my coffee. The choice would have been a tough one: leave the coffee or hold hands with two gorgeous demons.

  Decisions, decisions . . .

  Chapter 12

  Johnna

  The room reeked of decadence, swathed in a rich wine-colored silk instead of walls. I really wanted to peek behind one of the larger-than-life curtains. The only piece of furniture in the stone-walled room was an army-sized wooden table, which looked as if somebody had taken a set of chains to it. Gouges and nicks marred the wavy surface as well as the massive tree-trunk legs. Surprisingly, the chairs placed around it weren’t nearly as scarred.

  Still looking at the table, I asked no one in particular, “Who used the table as a chew toy?”

  “Demons believe in breaking in our belongings—makes them more homey.”

  I jerked my head toward the deep, gravelly voice and exhaled. The person who met my gaze was the cream of eye candy.

  Lucien.

  Ohhh, a dark-haired Christian Bale with muscles . . . “Thick, drool-worthy muscles,” I whispered under my breath.

  From the way his brows rose and Niki's expression darkened, my whisper hadn’t been as quiet as I’d hoped. So, I did the only thing I could do. I hunched down into my chair and plopped my feet on the tabletop.

  The man held himself regally, like a king, as he sat across from me. Nobody said anything for so long, paranoia crept through my mind. Finally, Niki took the chair beside mine and leaned his arms on his thighs.

  “Gerard and Sabine are missing. We also haven’t been able to find out much more than we knew before they disappeared.” Niki's voice was heavy with worry.

  “Excuse me?” Lucien’s eyes bulged. Not attractive at all. Terrifying actually. I also think he went fangy, like a vampyre. Didn’t know it was a demon trait. I couldn’t wrap my brain around the sight of those two very pointy teeth. His anger flared over me like a wall of flame, and I pushed myself against the back of my chair as far as I could. The walls of the room actually pulsated. From the king’s reaction, we could definitely rule him off our suspect list. If we had such a list.

  Lucien regarded me, unmoving, for what seemed like an eternity. Just when things started to get boring, the room’s temperature soared about twenty degrees, and his eyes turned a brilliant red with a black ring surrounding his irises. Deep in their centers was a tiny blue flame.

  Niki dropped my hand and moved in front of me, facing Lucien and holding his hands out. “We will find Gerard, but you need to calm down.”

  The way Lucien fought for control, I was truly humbled by the depth of his feelings for my father. I had no knowledge about this side of Dad’s life. A sliver of resentment grew at the thought of all he’d kept secret from me. I kept going back to one question. Why?

  I leaned forward and twined my fingers through Niki’s. His only response was a small squeeze of my hand. “Lucien, Johnna talked to Max, and he gave her a riddle. We were hoping you would be able to tell us what it means.”

  Lucien glanced at Malachi who’d taken up a military stance by the door. I knew something unspoken had passed between the two from Malachi’s subtle nod. A second later, Malachi left the room, and the king’s attention turned back to us.

  “You are Gerard’s daughter.” It was a statement. No reply or other information seemed necessary, so I politely nodded. “I also see you’ve taken liberties with my best enforcer.”

  I didn’t move. I couldn’t. My body wouldn’t obey. My breath caught in my constricted throat as I tried to pull my hand from Niki’s. Power exuded from the king in waves, pouring over and through me. I knew without a doubt the being facing me could hurt me if he chose.

  I won’t let anyone hurt y
ou, imp. Niki's sexy voice thawed the chill freezing my mind.

  King Lucien’s obsidian orbs held my gaze. The metal he wore broadcast deep rolling notes around the room. A silver and gold serpentine earring pierced his left ear and a small garnet ring encircled his left pinky finger. The demon king was covered in metal, both over and under his clothes.

  Near his right boot I heard a lighter tone laced with what I could only describe as something sleek and precise. He had a silver knife tucked inside his boot. Next came a dangerous concoction of notes from behind him, not all of them metal. Part of it sounded almost muffled and the tones sang in quick bursts . . . like gunshots.

  He’s got a gun tucked into his back waistband.

  The deep tones coming from the ring and earring drew my attention back to them. Like the purity of the diary, their rich tones were regal, and I immediately liked them.

  I blinked, and he smiled. A slow, wicked smile, but it was a start.

  Why did I feel as if I had just been given a test? I raised my chin a bit higher. “Did I pass?”

  His dark eyebrows drew together. “What?”

  “Your test, or whatever you just did. Did I pass it?”

  Lucien chuckled and threw a quick glance toward Niki. “She’s good. I like her.”

  The tension released from Niki’s body, yet he hadn’t moved. His leg muscles, rock hard as they pressed against mine, did soften. I gently squeezed his fingers. My necklace hummed with the additional pull of power from the unsuspecting man across from me. I tightened my focus on his jewelry, applying a tiny push of power, and his expression turned to shock.

  “Impressive.” His face darkened, and all emotion disappeared.

  I stopped the smile as it tried to form on my lips. I liked the demon king. I recognized his cold, prickly exterior. Similar to my father’s, it was merely a front to keep people out. The invisible wall surrounding him, impenetrable, seemed like the twin to my own.