Hidden Conduit- The Complete Series

by J. N. Colon

  “OMG, Angel.” Melissa Nasar, a girl from our class, sidled up to me, a wide smile over her heart-shaped face. “I’ve heard some juicy things about you.” Her navy eyes flared with way too much excitement, and I already knew where this conversation was headed.

  “Hey, Mel,” I said, waiting on the inevitable.

  She flicked her golden-blonde hair behind her shoulder, biting her glossy pink lips. “Are you seriously dating Étienne Benoit?”

  “She sure is.” A heavy arm unexpectedly rested on my shoulders, and I caught sight of that familiar cheeky grin. “My little brother loves him some angel food cake.” He winked.

  My cheeks heated. “What are you doing here, Bastien?”

  He ignored me, turning his attention to Melissa, Lana, and Riley. “Hey, girls.”

  They just about fell out. I was surprised they didn’t drop to the floor and beg the oldest Benoit to ravage them right then and there. The little twinkle in Melissa’s eye told me she was seriously considering it.

  I nudged Bastien. “Did Etie send you here to check on me?”

  “Can you blame him?” He motioned his hand down my body. I was dressed in a jean miniskirt and a teal blouse. My long hair was in tousled waves falling around my shoulders and down my back. “You’re looking too hot tonight, cher.” His eyes narrowed in Lucas’s direction. “Too many guys are looking at something they ain’t ever going to touch.”

  Riley giggled beside me, and I swear she was about to sprout wings and fly like she was pumped full of Red Bull.

  Feeling Bastien’s dark gaze on him, Lucas excused himself from Jake and headed in our direction.

  Oh great. Bastien was going to cause an even bigger scene than he already had.

  Lucas stuck out his hand, seemingly unbothered by the bokor’s presence. “I’m Lucas. You must be Bastien.”

  Bastien waited a beat before he finally grabbed Lucas’s hand, gripping it hard. A menacing smile curled his lips. “Nice to meet you.”

  Lucas nodded all the while gritting through the pain. “Likewise.”

  I kicked Bastien’s shin, and he finally released Lucas. “Don’t be a jerk.”

  “It’s a guy thing.” He gave a noncommittal shrug. “I’ll play nice from now on. We just had to get that awkward meeting out of the way.”

  A dry laugh escaped Lucas as he shook his hand. “Right. I think I may need some ice. That’s one hell of a grip you got there, Benoit.”

  Melissa, Lana, and Riley traded furtive glances, silently giggling over the entire situation while I was dying of embarrassment.

  Bastien looked at each of the girls. “Which one of you lovely ladies can point me in the direction of a drink?”

  “I can!” Riley piped up the same time Melissa grabbed his arm.

  “Over here.” The perky blonde began to lead him away.

  Riley looked like she was ready to tear Melissa’s head off—until Bastien’s fingers wrapped around her wrist.

  “You can come to, Red.” He flashed her a crooked smile.

  The look of evil had been replaced by one of pure delight. “Sure, okay.”

  He glanced back at Lana. “You coming too, cher? The more, the merrier.”

  She shrugged. “Why not? I can referee the impending wrestling match between Riley and Melissa.”

  “That’s what I’m talking about.” Bastien looked like a kid in a candy store.

  I shook my head, watching the four of them walk away. If Etie had sent Bastien here to watch over me, he was going to be disappointed. He should have known better. His big brother had the attention span of a five-year-old when girls were around.

  Lucas chuckled under his breath. “He wasn’t exactly what I expected.”

  I chewed on the rim of the plastic cup, shifting back and forth. “He’s a little less brooding than the other Benoit.” Seeing Bastien had only made the ache for his brother that much stronger. Maybe I should have dropped by the Leroux house earlier. Seeing him for just a minute—breathing in that familiar, intoxicating scent—would have prolonged the inevitable anxiety his absence caused.

  My fingers fumbled with the ends of my hair, twisting and pulling them. Was Etie feeling this uneasy right now?

  “What’s wrong?” Lucas’s gaze lingered over me, lines creasing his forehead. “Your energy seems off.”

  “I haven’t seen Etie all day.” I sounded like a pathetic, dependent girlfriend who couldn’t get out of bed without talking to her significant other first.

  “The soulbind?” Lucas pointed at the tattoo above my collarbone.

  I rubbed the swirling symbol branded into my skin. “The longer we’re apart, the worse it gets.”

  He twisted the cup in his hand, staring absentmindedly into the living room. A group of girls was dancing, but he didn’t seem the least bit interested. He was somewhere else.

  When he finally turned back to me, a shadow crossed his face and turned his usually clear eyes dark. “If there had been another choice, would you have made the same decision?”

  My brow puckered. “What do you mean?”

  “If there had been some other way to save you from the voodoo king that didn’t involve Etie binding your souls together, would you have chosen it?”

  I’d never really thought about it because it was pointless. There was no other way, not one that didn’t involve trading Marisol to Baron Samedi.

  If we weren’t bound, I wouldn’t have this twitchy anxiety rolling through my insides, though. I also wouldn’t have an overbearing, overprotective voodoo caster breathing down my neck. I wouldn’t wake up to his unconscious body hogging most of my bed. His scent wouldn’t be left on my clothes and in my room. His laughter wouldn’t be stuck in my head like a song on repeat. And the taste of him wouldn’t be seared into my memory.

  Would I miss all those things or relish the peace?

  A hot zing sped down my spine, and I knew Lucas would never get my answer. A tall, looming figure in vivid color appeared among the suddenly dull sea of bodies.

  My stomach did cartwheels as Etie closed the distance between us, his eyes scorching me. Like a magnet, my body was pulled toward his. The room faded, and he was all that remained. When there was barely an inch between us, his fingers softly trailed up my arm.

  The instant he touched me, the anxiety melted away. I could finally breathe without a two-ton weight on my chest.

  “What are you doing here?” The question was barely more than a breathy whisper.

  His eyes slowly raked over me, burning my skin hotter than lava. “Had I known you were looking so good, I’d have come sooner.”

  I swallowed hard, and my knees shook from his mere presence. His warmth soaked into me. Why did I ever want to be without him?

  “You brought him?” Etie’s sour tone snapped me back to reality, and the living room came into focus again. His hard gaze was fixed on Lucas awkwardly standing a few feet away.

  And there it was. His flip-flopping mood swings were one of the reasons I needed several breaks from the pouvior bokor.

  “He doesn’t know anyone but my family, and I doubt hanging around my mother and Abuela is fun.” I gave a shrug and sipped my drink, wincing at the bitter taste. “My grandmother insisted.”

  “I bet she did,” he growled.

  I rolled my eyes. “If you have a problem, then you can just—”

  My words were cut off as Etie snatched the cup from my hand, placing it on a table. “Come on. Let’s dance.”

  “You dance?” I stuttered as he dragged me to a group of gyrating bodies. People took notice of the youngest Benoit and whispers started to ignite. It was one thing for rumors to be circulating about Etie and me, but it was a different story seeing this odd coupling in action.

  Etie spun me around, a sinful grin curling those lush, pillowy lips. “Of course I know how to dance, cher.” Trouble flashed through those burning, mismatched irises.

  He was declaring me his in front of my friends, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could
do about it unless I wanted to make an even bigger scene.

  Etie yanked me closer, his hands falling to my hips. “I missed you today.” His sweet breath ghosted across my cheeks as he moved us to the slow beat of the music. “I was going out of my mind.”

  I knew the feeling. “I’m sure Trisha kept you busy.”

  He winced. “She’s worse than a mosquito stuck in the house.”

  I lifted one shoulder. “A pretty mosquito.”

  A low grumble crawled up Etie’s throat. “Trust me, you are the only thing I want to be looking at.” His body pressed against mine, covering me with his wild herbal scent.

  I breathed him in, getting lost in the sensations flowing between us as we danced. Electric tingles mixed with heat spread over my skin. My heart crashed against my ribs, tapping out a frantic beat that matched Etie’s. This wasn’t exactly a display of PDA, but it might have been worse. This voodoo caster had moves, and by the half smile working over his flushed face, he knew it. A fine sheen of sweat began to form over me. I was surprised the lights weren’t flickering.

  Etie leaned in. “You’re mine, Angeline. You can’t deny that anymore.” His words tickled down my neck, making me shiver. Goosebumps popped along my flesh.

  I licked my lips. “That was your plan, wasn’t it?”

  A deep chuckle rumbled through his chest. “Of course.”

  It was hard to be mad at him when he was undoing me so perfectly. My brain was too fuzzy, and I couldn’t focus on anything other than his intoxicating presence. My fingers tangled in the silky hair at his nape, watching his lids lower.

  “Keep doing things like that, cher, and we’ll need to go somewhere a little more private.” That gravelly voice sent swirls of heat through my belly.

  I wouldn’t mind going somewhere without all of the prying eyes.

  He blinked at something over my shoulder, a line forming between his brows. After another few beats stretched, laughter curled from his mouth.

  I followed his line of vision, and even in my hazy state, I noticed the erratic itching Lucas was exhibiting. His scratching was almost like a dance—his left shoulder, down his right leg, then his stomach, and around to his back. “Why is he…?”

  Etie’s body was shaking so hard with laughter, we’d stopped dancing.

  And then it hit me. I glowered at him. “What did you do?”

  He shook his head and jerked his chin toward the left. “Not me. My brother hexed him.”

  Bastien and Etie were sharing a conspiratorial grin.

  My jaw clenched, and I shoved Etie’s chest. He didn’t even budge. “Make him stop.”

  “I can’t.” He could barely speak over his own laughter. “I don’t know exactly what he did.”

  I slipped away from Etie, heading straight for his older brother. When Bastien caught sight of me, he darted away, getting lost in the crowd of girls surrounding him. Ugh! That jerkface.

  Lucas appeared beside me, frantically scratching his chest. “I’m pretty sure he did something to me.”

  I winced. “Yeah, sorry.”

  “You’ll be fine after a shower.” A heavy weight rested on my shoulders, and Etie pulled me into his body. “He was only kidding. It was a joke, no?”

  Lucas gave a dry laugh. “Funny.” His soft, velvety eyes shifted to mine. “I better go.”

  “I’ll go with you.” When I tried to move, Etie’s grip tightened.

  “That’s okay.” Lucas shook his head. “I can find your place.” He flashed a gentle smile before disappearing out of the living room.

  My stomach ached. This was my fault.

  No. Correction: it was this pouvior bokor’s fault.

  I smacked Etie’s chest.

  “Ouch! What was that for, cher?”

  “Don’t cher me.” I marched off, looking for anywhere to escape the crazy Cajun.

  Too soon, a warm hand encircled mine, and I was hauled back around. “So maybe I convinced Bastien to hex the witch. It was just a joke.”

  My eyes narrowed. “Do I look like I’m laughing?”

  Those mismatched eyes warmed, the blue and green irises turning to liquid. “I’m sorry. I just get jealous,” he admitted. “He gets to spend all this time with you while I’m off wondering if he’s made a move on you yet.”

  I scoffed. “He’s not interested in me like that.” An image of Lucas standing a little too close flashed through my mind. I’d simply misread the situation. He hadn’t really been about to kiss me, right?

  It was Etie’s turn to scoff. “You’re not a guy, Angeline. I am, and I know what they think about; even your polite, serene teacher.” His gaze flickered toward my mouth. “He’s not such a nice guy all the time.”

  Lucas would never do anything inappropriate like Etie was suggesting. He knew I wasn’t available. “You’re being ridiculous.”

  Etie tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. “I wish I was,” he murmured. “He’s not as innocent as you think.”

  I swallowed hard, choking down Etie’s words. I trusted him, but he was wrong about Lucas. He’d spent all of five minutes with the brujo. How could he know his motives better than me?

  Chapter 14

  Etie’s footsteps creaked on the stairs, and we both froze in the dark foyer of my house. I bit my bottom lip, listening for any movement. It was past midnight, and my mother should be asleep. But Abuela? There was no telling with her.

  “I can just go through the window,” Etie whispered, his warm breath dusting down my nape. “It’s no big deal.”

  I shook my head. “It’s fine. Lets—”

  The lights switched on, and after I blinked through the blindness, Abuela’s figure emerged in the center of the foyer, a hard expression on her face.

  “What exactly do you think you’re doing, Evangeline?” Icicles would have been warmer and less sharp than her voice. “It’s nearly one in the morning.”

  A sigh drifted out, and I descended the stairs, Etie on my heels. “I was going to my room.” She knew Etie had spent the night before.

  Her deadly gaze turned to the tall figure behind me. “And Étienne? What were you doing? Walking Evangeline to her room?”

  “No. I was going to stay the night.”

  Her jaw hit her chest. “Excuse me?”

  He shrugged. “What’s the point in lying, Milagro? You already know.”

  She crossed her arms against her chest, bunching up her blue terrycloth robe. “I also know what Bastien did to Lucas.” She clucked her teeth, shaking her head. “That was immature and reckless.”

  It was my turn to do a jaw drop. “Etie didn’t do it.”

  One of her dark brows arched. “I’m sure Bastien had a little nudge to hex Lucas. It’s not in Bastien’s nature to be so petty.”

  My back heated as anger simmered through the bokor behind me. “Lucas was looking at Angeline too much.”

  My grandmother momentarily averted her gaze to the dark night outside the windows. “He’s only trying to help her. They’re the same—witches. And you’re voodoo.”

  A pang sliced through my chest and it took me a moment to realize it had come from Etie. Her words stung him. He was already feeling insecure over the amount of time I was spending with the brujo, and now my grandmother wanted to make the difference between Etie and me that much more tangible.

  As much as he ticked me off, I didn’t like the hurt swirling through him.

  “Go to my room, Etie,” I said. “I’ll meet you there in a minute.”

  Abuela’s eyes widened. “Excuse me, young lady? That’s not happening.” She turned to Etie. “You should go home.”

  “No. Stay.” It wasn’t like me to go against my grandmother. Hell, a few weeks ago, I would have been cowering under that glare. Now, after facing the voodoo king, her stern expression lacked the usual intimidation.

  “I-uh…” Etie rubbed the tattoo on his neck as his gaze flicked between us battling it out. “I’ll be upstairs.” He gave my grandmother a shrug. “The gwo-bon lye
n.”

  “As if I needed reminding about that,” she mumbled under her breath. When Etie disappeared, she turned her hard expression on me. “He’s not staying, young lady.”

  “I’m eighteen,” I snapped, my blood beginning to boil. “And this is your doing, or did you forget that?”

  Her nostrils flared. “I did what I had to—”

  “You forced Etie and me together,” I interrupted. “You made sure he cared about me enough to sink into voodoo again despite what it would do to him.” She had no idea what fighting the balance was like for him. I’d only had a little taste of it.

  Abuela glanced at her feet covered in white fuzzy slippers. “I only wanted to save you.”

  “And he did save me.”

  She met my eyes, pain swirling in hers. “I never meant for him to bind your souls.” She stepped forward, her hand lifting to my cheek.

  I backed away. “It was the only thing he could do to save me, and now you don’t want me to have anything to do with him.”

  “That’s not it.” She sighed and dragged her fingers through her hair. “Having Etie’s powers and yours mixed like this…” She shook her head, looking tired. “It’s dangerous.”

  Everything in my life was dangerous. If I ran away from it all, I might as well have given myself over on my eighteenth birthday. “It doesn’t matter. What’s done is done, or would you rather Etie have broken the deal instead and let Baron Samedi take Marisol?”

  Color drained from her face. “Of course not. That’s not what I meant.”

  “Get used to him being around.” I touched my toujou. “This isn’t going anywhere, and neither is he.”

  She rubbed her temples, grumbling Spanish under her breath. “You can’t let him get in the way of practicing with Lucas.”

  I tossed my hands up. “He’s not. In fact, he’s the one who told me to quit my job to spend more time focusing on my powers.”

  She made a humming sound, not entirely convinced. “I don’t want him spending every night here, Evangeline.”

  As if she could really stop him.

  “Fine.” I turned and headed for the stairs, ignoring her steely gaze burning on my back.