Spellbound Murder Complete Trilogy (Spellbound Murder Box Set Book 1)

by Amanda Booloodian

  Chapter 18

  When the door to the kitchen opened, Mira didn't look around.

  "I'll go with you," Gabriel offered.

  "No," Mira said. "You all should work on the case and keep an eye—"

  A knock on the door startled Mira, who had been concentrating hard on her gloves so she wouldn't look at Gabriel. She opened the door to Emmit. Besides the snow whipping around him, he seemed untouched by the weather.

  "I can't believe you got here in this mess," Mira said, ushering him inside.

  "I was under the impression there was an emergency," Emmit said. "Although, had I known this would turn into a sleepover, I might not have left."

  Mira wasn't sure how to take that until she turned and saw that his eyes were narrowed at Gabriel.

  Gabriel's face was hard and his fists were clenched. Seeing how he had just accused Emmit of causing all this, Mira was in a hurry to separate the two.

  "Let's go back over to my apartment," Mira said. "I'll explain things."

  "No," Gabriel said with more force than necessary.

  "What?" Mira snapped.

  "I mean," Gabriel said, looking unflustered by Mira's anger, "he should see Barney first. We can tell him what happened here. There's no reason to stand around your workshop, not knowing what might happen with him in the room."

  Having Emmit check over Barney wasn't a bad idea, but Mira wasn't about to say so. Instead, she started peeling off layers of insulation.

  Gabriel started the story, keeping things brief until he spoke of Barney walking into the center of the room.

  "When he reached the center of the circle, it was almost as though it wasn't really Barney anymore," Mira said. "He was creepy."

  They led Emmit into the other room and Gabriel told him the rest of the story. At one point, Emmit asked Mira to drop her protection in order to inspect Barney while Gabriel continued. Ian filled in a few blanks.

  "At least it appears that this is Barney now," Emmit said.

  His expression was downcast and made Mira uncomfortable.

  "Is he going to be okay?" Mira asked.

  "Until he wakes up, it's hard to say for certain," Emmit said. "Mira, would you take me to your workshop?"

  "I can take you," Gabriel said.

  "No," Mira overrode him.

  Gabriel blew out a frustrated breath.

  "Mira, would you give me a moment with Gabriel?" Emmit asked.

  Mira frowned at both of them before shaking her head. "Whatever. I'll get my coat."

  Gabriel started in on Emmit before she was out of earshot. "You know I don't trust you."

  "For good reason, I'm sure," Emmit said, keeping his voice level. "But, will I be of any harm to her?"

  Fuming, Mira went down the hall and started the whole process of dressing for the short trek across the driveway. They were talking about her instead of to her. She needed to nip that in the bud, but had no idea how to do that.

  Deciding she would meet Emmit at her house, she opened the door and stepped outside. Before she could close the door, however, Emmit was there.

  Instead of saying anything, she turned and started to blaze a new path through the snow.

  "It looks as if it's stopped snowing," Emmit said.

  The flurry of precipitation swirled around them, though it did seem lighter. She supposed it could be blown snow now, but she wasn't interested enough to comment. The only thing she wanted was to get out of the cold.

  Maybe to yell at someone, but she had no idea who.

  The garage was almost as cold as outside, but the lack of frigid wind made it a hundred times more tolerable.

  She hurriedly led Emmit to her workshop before she could say something stupid. When she unlocked the door, the warmth hit her, but she was still hesitant to enter the room.

  "You can wait here if you'd like," Emmit said.

  "No," Mira said, forcing herself to move on, "it's fine."

  "Barney started from the door and went to the center of your circle?" Emmit asked.

  "Yeah, I think he was having a vision. The Ether moved in, like it normally would around him, but then he kept walking and it stayed with him."

  "I'm not familiar enough with seers to know if they typically move around while in a vision."

  "I've never known him to. It wasn't until he reached the spot you were at when I cast the Balance spell that he stopped seeming like Barney." Mira took a deep breath and plunged on despite her fear. "I think it's related to the spell."

  "Gabriel certainly thinks so," Emmit said. He didn't look at her while he walked around the room, staying as far away from the circle as he could.

  "I didn't tell him," Mira said quickly, trying to reassure Emmit. "I mean, I did tell him. At least I guess I did. But it wasn't—"

  "It's alright," Emmit said smoothly, "I understand."

  But did he? Mira wondered. "I didn't mean—"

  "Gabriel explained. Not in detail, but he is honorable enough to take the blame for what he did."

  "It's not like he meant to," Mira said. When the words were out, she wondered how she’d ended up defending Gabriel.

  "I assure you I understand," Emmit said. "Gabriel has a lot to process before he can truly take control of himself."

  "Yeah," Mira said, "I think you're right. Did I mess something up with the spell?"

  She hadn't meant to put it so bluntly, but it flew out of her mouth before she could stop it.

  Emmit looked up at her for the first time since he’d come into the room. "This is not your fault."

  "What can I do to make sure it doesn't happen again?"

  He crouched down and stared at the empty space. “The path between this world and the Ether is thin here. Barney being in contact made it thinner."

  "Can I seal it up?" Mira started wringing her hands. The Ether being closer was not an appealing thought.

  "I don't know of a way for it to be sealed from this side," he said, more to himself than to Mira. "It is probably thin where you and Gabriel left the world last week, and where you entered."

  "It's thin at Barney's house, too," Mira said. "I felt it while I was there. What can we do to put it back to normal? I don't much like the idea of living above a place that the Ether can slip through."

  Emmit gave her a forced smile. "You won't have to worry about that."

  Her brow furrowed. "There's a way to fix it? What can I do?"

  He stood smoothly and walked to her with an almost exaggerated slowness. "I can see that you are uncomfortable here. Would you invite me upstairs?"

  Mira smiled, despite the situation. "Of course."

  She led the way, feeling good about putting some distance between herself and the circle.

  "I had the most wonderful plan for us tomorrow, but I'm afraid that we'll have to forgo the day," Emmit said.

  "Yeah," Mira said. "The weather is impossible for anyone to get out." Realizing what she’d said, she turned to him at the top of the stairs. "How did you get here?"

  "I wasn't far," Emmit said as way of explanation.

  "I'm sorry we dragged you here in this mess. For nothing."

  "I'm glad I came. This is... unsettling."

  The words should have sounded ominous, but he had moved closer to Mira. The way he stared at her made her heart beat faster.

  "What did you have planned for tomorrow?" Mira asked.

  Emmit smiled. "A couple of excursions. One perfect day out of all the madness around us."

  "What type of excursions?" Mira asked, feeling genuinely curious about what Emmit Harker planned to do on a date.

  "Just a few things around the city you might enjoy, or that we might enjoy together."

  "What part do you think I would have enjoyed the most?" Mira asked.

  His smile broadened. "There is a curator at the museum that collects occult antiquities from around the world. I arranged a meeting with him behind the scenes so that you could inspect the items."

  "I didn't know they had anything like that," Mi
ra said.

  "It's not on display."

  The thought of exploring the museum’s hidden treasures—especially the occult artifacts—made Mira itch to find a spell strong enough to melt the snow. There wasn't one, but for what Emmit had planned, she felt it was worth looking, just in case.

  "What part were you most looking forward to?" Mira asked.

  His smile softened and his face with it. Emmit put his arms around her, drawing himself close, and kissed her. It was long and tender, quite unlike their first kiss.

  Somehow, the effect was the same—Mira felt a fire ignite inside her.

  It lasted forever, yet ended far too soon.

  "That would have been a good part of the day," Mira mused when his gaze roved over her.

  He cupped her face. "I quite agree."

  She didn't say anything, and practically held her breath in anticipation of another kiss, another connection with him.

  This time, however, he pulled her close and held her tight.

  "But," he said, "the universe has conspired against us once again."

  It was corny, but Mira loved it.

  After a few moments, he sighed and tried to draw away. She tugged him back and enjoyed seeing the laughter that crossed his face.

  "If you do that," he said, "it makes it more difficult to leave."

  Mira bit her lip and nodded her head. "Yeah, I think that's the point."

  "I'm afraid this new... development… in your shop might lead me away."

  Mira tensed for a moment, guilt and confusion vying to take hold. "What do you mean?"

  "I think if I... go away, it might clear up some difficulties."

  "You think you being here caused this?" she asked, trying to make it clear how ridiculous that sounded.

  "No, but if I go away, it's possible at least part of it could be fixed."

  Mira wasn't exactly sure how she felt about that, but at the moment, she didn't want to think. "Stay for the night." She felt her face grow red at the suggestion, but she didn't care.

  He stared down at her and Mira could see in his eyes that he warred with himself.

  She wasn't sure what the result might be. Knowing Emmit, he'd be the gentleman and leave. Trying to end his battle of conscience, she kissed him. When he tensed for a moment, she gently tugged his body closer so they were pressed tightly against one another—tight enough for her to know what he wanted. Since it was exactly what she wanted—a night, at least one night, of forgetting the rest of the world existed—she didn't let go.

  He relented, and they lost themselves in one another.

  ***

  Mira woke to the unaccustomed warmth of someone sharing her bed and she treasured the moment. Emmit breathed softly next to her. She stretched and slipped out of bed, wearing exactly what she had fallen asleep in—nothing.

  She wanted to hurry out of the room, grab a glass of water, and get back to Emmit. If she found a breath mint along the way, so much the better. At the door to her room, she hesitated, remembering that Gabriel, Ian, and Barney were only a house away. Her cheeks flared red at the thought of Gabriel showing up unexpectedly.

  The thought of what Gabriel would say, seeing her and Emmit together, bothered her more than it should.

  She switched gears and grabbed her jeans off the floor and a t-shirt from her dresser.

  "Are you leaving?" Emmit asked quietly.

  She couldn't place the tone of his voice, but she smiled at the sound. "Not a chance." She sat back down on the bed and leaned over, then kissed him in a way that indicated she wasn't about to run off. "I didn't mean to wake you. I'm only going to the kitchen."

  He made a contented noise. "I'm glad you woke me. I'm pretty sure we have a few more hours of the night left together."

  The reminder that it may only be a night made her smile not quite as bright as it should have been. "I'll hurry back then."

  Maybe there’s a way to get him to stay, she thought as she went through the living room. He seemed intent on leaving, but would he after tonight?

  Pondering her future, she poured a glass of water and leaned against the counter.

  Could she ask him to stay? Did she want to ask him?

  Thoughts of Gabriel snuck in and she shook her head, trying to force the angel out of her mind.

  A noise downstairs made Mira jump, and all thoughts of the men in her life were overrun with visions of monsters from the Ether clawing their way out of her circle. Her breath caught in her throat as she backed away from the basement door. She wanted to call for Emmit, but couldn't form the words.

  A loud thump and a curse sounded out.

  Gabriel.

  Mira let out a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart. When she heard him on the stairs, she gripped her glass, ready to give the man a tongue lashing for scaring her.

  A hand clamped over her mouth. She froze.

  The hand dragged her back and held her tightly against a heavily breathing man.

  Mira dropped her glass and tried to pull away. The door to the basement opened at the same time Emmit arrived in the entrance to the kitchen.

  A knife appeared at Mira's throat and she squeezed her eyes shut. She had forgotten what Gabriel showing up might mean, and now it was too late.

  John gripped one of her arms, and Mira gasped as he painfully twisted it behind her. Never once did he move the blade.

  "What is it with you two?" John snarled. "You weren't supposed to be here. I didn't see you here."

  Mira tried not to swallow too hard, worried that the knife might break through skin. Emmit stood there in nothing but jeans, wearing a steely look, his focus solely on John. And there was Gabriel, who appeared to be analyzing the situation, trying to figure out what would stop the madness.

  "You two make my life hell, you know that?" John didn't wait for a response. "Doesn't matter. The witch is with me. We've got things to do."

  "You're not—"

  "Shut up, Harker," John said, "and get out of my way."

  Gabriel took a few steps away from the door to the stairway and stopped.

  "You have to know, you can't win here," John said, watching Emmit.

  Emmit took a step forward.

  "Don't!" Gabriel moved closer to Emmit.

  John twisted Mira's arm farther up her back. She tried to stifle the screech of pain.

  "The bastard is right," John mocked. "Don't."

  Emmit moved again.

  Gabriel darted forward and, arm outstretched, blocked Emmit's approach. "You're going to get her killed."

  "I already have," Emmit growled, shoving Gabriel aside. "You're too late."

  John backed up a few paces. "You're going to make me do this the hard way, aren't you?"

  "We're ending this here," Emmit said.

  Emmit stalked forward. Mira tried to catch his eye, to catch a glimpse of some sort of plan, but he wouldn't look at her.

  Mira felt the metal glide across her skin. Her eyes closed hard, expecting the accompanying pain, but it didn't come. She opened her eyes in time to see John take the blade away and wipe his hand across his neck. The discomfort that followed told her the cut wasn't deep. Still, his hand came away red.

  Gabriel stopped Emmit's progress a second time.

  "She's too valuable to kill here," John said. "But with a witch, there's always a way out."

  The atmosphere began to feel thin, and the hairs on the back of Mira's neck rose.

  Her eyes widened as the feel of the Ether approached. For a moment, Mira felt one foot in the Ether and the other in the real world. Emmit's only focus was John, so Mira turned to Gabriel. His face was pale, and his fear mirrored her own.

  He lurched forward, seeming to forget that he had stopped Emmit from doing the same. Unlike Emmit, though, Gabriel's focus was only on Mira.

  In a heartbeat, he was gone.

  Chapter 19

  Darkness spread out before Mira, while John gripped her arm painfully.

  "Christ," John spat. "Those assholes a
re a pain."

  Mira tried to look around the darkness. In her head, a little voice began screaming. The rest of her wasn't ready to admit where she was.

  "Come on," John snarled, towing her into the darkness.

  Her breathing trembled and her chest tightened.

  "Home sweet home," John chuckled as he strode through the dark shadow that her apartment cast in the Ether. He opened the door and shoved Mira out.

  She gripped the handrail and took in the strange glow that came from nowhere, yet covered everything.

  Shit! Mira's skin went cold and clammy. He had taken her into the Ether. An unmistakable haze hung in the air. Looking toward the big house, she saw there were no windows, only stretches of dirty wood that sided Della's home.

  John grabbed her arm again. "Come on, princess. I think it's time for you and Tyler to catch up."

  Mira clung to the name. "You have him here?" Her voice trembled, and it was all she could do to stay on her feet while John dragged her down the stairs.

  "Not me," John said. "I've been out in the real world. In fact," he stopped almost at the bottom of the stairs, "I'm pretty pissed off for having to come back."

  Mira only had the increased pressure on her arm as warning. John, using more strength than she would have expected, threw her down the last few steps. Pain lanced up Mira's side as she struck the ground and she cried out before having a chance to suppress the urge. She didn't want John to have the satisfaction of knowing he’d hurt her.

  John laughed, proving she’d failed.

  The landscape struck fear that bore straight to the bone. It wasn't just the windows missing. She knew from experience that there would be no mirrors or even water. A reflection had gotten her home last time.

  She had destroyed that shard of mirror.