Hidden Conduit- The Complete Series

by J. N. Colon

  I grabbed my shirt off the floor and yanked it over my head. Reality slowly began to seep back in. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, swallowing around the sudden lump in my throat.

  Etie’s flesh disappeared behind his shirt. “You already said that.” He winked the blue eye.

  I shook my head. “I mean about last night—what my powers did to you.”

  His expression sobered, and he glanced out the window, staring at the thick curtain of rain. “It ain’t your fault, cher. I should have had better control.”

  “It is my fault, Etie.” I brushed the tangled hair from my face. “My powers touched your dark ones. Being connected to me makes your struggle with the balance of light and dark much harder than it already is.” I bit my lip to mask the trembling. “We’re probably the worst two people to be bound.”

  Lucas’s story about his arranged sort of fiancée replayed through my mind. He said the girl had chosen the worst person to be with. It looked like she and Etie had something in common.

  “No, cher.” Etie’s fingers gently gripped my chin, turning me toward him. “You are the best person for me.” He scooted closer, his wild herbal scent swirling around me. “You’re the only one in this entire world that can stand up to me. You’re the only one who can handle what and who I am.”

  “But I’m a conduit,” I muttered. “I’ll either keep strengthening your powers, making you fight harder to maintain the balance, or I’ll borrow them and lose control myself.”

  His other hand skimmed over my mark. “We’ll figure this out, Angeline. Our magic will work together. I promise.” His lips softly brushed over mine in a sweet, aching kiss. “You’re perfect for me, in every single way.”

  I kissed him back, leaning into him to borrow some of his strength. If Etie was so certain, maybe he was right. He’d lived in this world of magic a lot longer than me. I had to believe we could make it work. I needed to believe it.

  Chapter 24

  Etie’s fingers trailed down my spine, spawning shivers over my body. Or that might have been the things his tongue was doing to my mouth. Call it making up for lost time. But we probably shouldn’t have been kissing so passionately on my front porch in the early morning. I wouldn’t be surprised if Ms. Unrue drove by and a tawdry story about us ended up on the front page of the Carrefour newspaper.

  “I really don’t want to go, cher,” he murmured against my lips. His cherry-scented breath warmed my face. “I’d rather stay with you all day.” Those scorching eyes made my heart race. “Finding different ways to make you blush.”

  A languid sigh slipped out. “I’d prefer that too.”

  I’d spent the night at Etie’s. Neither of us had been willing to separate. When I woke up this morning—besides that delightful hum in my body—I also felt Etie’s balance had been restored. The darkness receded, and the light was shining again.

  It was a welcomed relief. He was back to being the annoying, overprotective Cajun Casanova I couldn’t get enough of.

  “Are you sure you have to go?” I asked.

  He glanced at the ceiling and groaned. “Yes, and you’re making it so much harder than it should be.”

  I snorted on a laugh.

  His head lowered, his eyes narrowing playfully. “I promised a friend in LaSalle Parish I’d help him. I can’t back out now.”

  “I know.” My fingers glided over the back of his neck, toying with his silken hair.

  “Hmm. That feels good.” His lids dropped, and he rolled his shoulders. “I’m going to finish the repairs on his restaurant today, even if I have to work all night. I should be back sometime in the early morning.”

  “Are you going to come straight here?” I continued to breathe him in, committing that wild scent to memory—as if it already wasn’t.

  One of his lids cracked open. “You inviting me?”

  I shrugged. “You’d still come anyway.”

  A half smile tugged at his lips. “True.” He sighed, his reluctance audible. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “Okay.” I did not want to let him go. It was ridiculous.

  His hands tightened on my hips, and he drew me closer, my body molding against his. “Angeline, I just want you to know…” He swallowed hard, and the vein in his neck throbbed erratically. “I want you to know that I lo—”

  The front door yanked open, cutting off the rest of his words.

  Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod… Was he about to tell me he loved me?

  I peered over my shoulder, shooting my mother an incredulous expression.

  “Come inside, Angel.” Her hazel eyes narrowed at the nonexistent space between Etie and me.

  This again? I thought she was over my relationship with Etie. My training with Lucas had appeased her until now.

  I turned back to my soul mate. “I’ll see you later.”

  His lips brushed over mine again. “I’ll hurry.”

  I watched him leave, staunching the urge to go after him and attach myself like a parasite.

  “Angel, come on.” My mother’s terse voice shattered the pleasant haze Etie’s kisses had created.

  I spun around and followed her inside. “Do you have to be so mean to him? Did you forget he saved me—more than once?”

  “We didn’t forget how lucky we are Etie helped you get out of your voodoo deal.” Abuela leaned off the banister, crossing her arms against her chest.

  Oh great. They were putting on a united front. I knew what was coming. I just wanted to avoid it.

  “Lucas filled us in on what happened last night.” My mother tucked a lock of auburn hair behind her ear, her wedding ring glinting in the sunlight from the windows. “While Etie may have saved you, he’s also putting you in more danger than ever.”

  I blanched. “You can’t be serious. You’re blaming this on him?”

  “You wouldn’t have gone to that club if he hadn’t been there,” Abuela said, descending the stairs. “If someone figured out what you were and told the wrong person, you could be attacked any day now.”

  I held my hand up. “You cannot blame this on Etie. I’m the one who went after him. I’m the one who stormed into that club and used my magic.” Heat swirled in my chest, and the lights began to flicker.

  My mother motioned toward the electrical malfunctions. “You were doing so well with Lucas, and now all that work seems to have gone down the drain because of Etie’s effect on you.”

  “Stop right there.” I took a deep breath, attempting to calm the storm brewing inside. “Etie’s not going anywhere. Nothing you do or say is going to change that.” I motioned toward the symbol seared into my skin. “This isn’t the only reason. I want to be with him. He makes me happy, and it’s about time you two stop blaming him for every terrible thing that’s happened to me.”

  I stomped past them, ignoring their protests. Why were they so dead set on keeping me away from Etie? What had Lucas told them about last night?

  He wasn’t in his room, so I took the back stairs to the attic. “Lucas? Are you in here?” A line creased my brow when I emerged into the space he’d cleared for us to practice magic. Marisol was passed out a few feet from the pentagram.

  I bolted over and crashed on my knees, shaking her. “Marisol! Marisol, wake up!”

  After a few long, panicked moments, she stirred. Her lids fluttered open, revealing hazy brown eyes. “Angel? What are you doing?”

  I motioned around us. “What are you doing? You were unconscious.”

  She sat up, lines creasing her forehead as she took in the attic. “What the hell? How did I get up here?”

  I shifted back, sitting on my butt and taking a deep breath. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

  Her face scrunched. “I was watching TV in my room and then…” she trailed off. “And then, you were waking me up.”

  That wasn’t normal. Not one bit.

  Her brows stretched up her forehead. “What if it’s my powers? What if the bind around them is beginning to break like you
rs?”

  I chewed on my lower lip. “I guess that’s possible.” Maybe all the magic Lucas and I had been doing was starting to affect her.

  Marisol grabbed my arm. “Don’t tell Mom or Abuela. They’ll just want to fix the binds.”

  That was exactly what they’d do. They only relented with me because containing my powers wasn’t an option anymore. My sister was crazy, but was it fair to stop her from being who she really was?

  “Okay, but if anything else weird happens, you need to tell me.” I shot her a stern look. “Promise me.”

  “I promise, Flaca.” She grinned and held up three fingers. “Witch’s honor.”

  I rolled my eyes. Marisol with magic was a disaster waiting to happen—if that was what this was. A lingering presence of power surrounded her. Tiny shimmers of it danced against my skin. What other explanation could there be?

  Lucas poked his head into my room, his eyes barely meeting mine. “Can I come in?”

  “Sure.” I closed the book I was reading, tossing it on my bed. I hadn’t seen him all day. Was he hiding from me? “Where have you been?”

  He slowly strode in, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I was out getting supplies for more lessons.” He shrugged, his eyes darkening. “I figured you were busy with Etie.”

  Was that anger creeping into his voice? Or jealousy perhaps?

  Oh man. Now I was being paranoid. “He had to go out of town.”

  “Are you okay?” Lucas asked. “Did you guys work everything out?”

  Was Lucas secretly hoping we hadn’t?

  Ugh. I needed to stop this. If I had doubts about his feelings or intentions, I should simply ask. “I’m fine.” I patted my bed for him to sit. “Are you?”

  Lines formed in his forehead as he slowly dropped to the edge of my bed, his body tense. “You’re not mad at me for telling your family what happened at the club?”

  My head drew back. “Of course not. It’s not your fault they’re blaming everything on Etie, right?”

  Lucas quickly shook his head. “I only told them your mark burned and you had to get to him. That’s all.”

  A sigh drifted out of my mouth, and I rubbed the spot between my eyes. “I just don’t understand why they’re so against him.”

  “It’s because of your powers.” Lucas averted his eyes to the bed as he absentmindedly traced a crease in the comforter with his finger. “They’d rather you be close to someone who compliments you instead of makes you stronger. Wilder.”

  “What? Someone like you?” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wanted to shove them back in. If life had a rewind button, I’d use it right now. The serious expression on Lucas’s face dropped a boulder-sized rock through my stomach.

  “Is that so crazy, Angel?”

  I swallowed hard and reached for the talisman that was no longer around my neck. “I haven’t really thought about it.” Unease prickled my skin. I wanted to bolt out of my room, but I needed to put my big girl pants on and face the truth. Maybe Etie had been right all along.

  Lucas scooted closer, eating up the already small distance separating us. “That’s not true. Don’t tell me you haven’t had one little stray thought about me.”

  Heat crept into my cheeks, and I was having a hard time denying it under his suddenly intense brown eyes. Images of him in just a towel flashed through my mind, water dripping down those taut muscles. I’d practically drooled right in front of him.

  Yes, Lucas was yummy in many ways. Any idiot could see that. But his taste wasn’t the one I craved.

  I shook the steamy pictures of him from my mind. “I’m very much taken.”

  “I didn’t ask if you were single.” Lucas’s voice had turned husky, a tone I’d never heard from him before.

  Oh hell. What happened to the guy who said he’d never come between a couple? I was pretty sure the heated look he was giving me was anything but platonic.

  I stiffened. “I’m with Etie. It doesn’t matter what I’ve thought of anyone else. He’s my soul mate.” Apprehension sank through my bloodstream. Even when I thought there was the tiniest chance Lucas had feelings for me, I didn’t expect him to corner me with a come-hither stare.

  “And if he wasn’t your soul mate?” Lucas’s warm breath dusted over my cheeks.

  My pulse spiked. When the hell had he gotten so close?

  A nervous laugh bubbled up. “I-um-think we should…” My eyes darted toward the door, pleading for an exit strategy. “I think I hear Marisol calling me. I should go—”

  My words were cut off as Lucas moved faster than I could track, pressing his lips against mine. A pop of electricity sizzled over our mouths as he kissed me.

  I was too stunned to react. He’d lured me in with that sweet, dimpled smile and caught me completely off guard. When my brain finally grasped what was happening, I shoved him off.

  “What the hell are you doing!” I stood, putting some much-needed distance between us.

  Lucas dragged his fingers through his hair, pulling on the roots. “I just wanted to see what it would feel like. I wanted to know…”

  “Know what?” I screeched.

  His eyes lifted, pinning me with those melting chocolate orbs. “To know if it felt as wonderful as I always dreamed it would be.”

  I shook my head, taking another step back. A pit of dread tore open inside me. “What are you talking about?” On second thought, I didn’t want to know. I spun around and headed for the door.

  Warm fingers clasped around my wrists, hauling me back. “Don’t tell me you didn’t feel anything.”

  I yanked out of his grasp. “I didn’t,” I lied. Maybe there had been a little spark. So what? That was only a fraction of what had always been between Etie and me. I didn’t feel that way about Lucas, and I never would.

  His lips thinned, and he shook his head. “Of course not. That voodoo caster consumes you. He washes everything else away.” Lucas reached for my hand again, catching it between his warm ones. “If you weren’t bound to him, you’d feel exactly what I do. You’d know—”

  A tidal wave of energy slammed into the house, shaking the foundation. I grabbed onto Lucas to keep from crashing to the ground.

  “What the hell was that?” I rasped, throwing up my barriers to protect me from the unexpected flood of magic.

  “I don’t know.” Lucas’s eyes were a vibrant purple, his nostrils flaring. “Stay close.”

  My heart shot to my throat. What if someone from the Le Revenant knew what I was and they decided to help themselves to my power? What if it was Mama CeCe? Etie was miles from Carrefour.

  I clutched Lucas’s hand as we cautiously peered into the hall. He’d just kissed me without my permission, but the threat of being abducted by psycho witches or voodoo casters topped my anger. Nothing was out there but the ancient painting of Uncle Ferdinand looking creepy as usual.

  “Be quiet,” Lucas murmured, pulling me down the soft carpet.

  When we reached the bottom landing of the stairs, voices echoed from the kitchen. No screams or terror emanated from my family. In fact, it sounded like joyous laughter.

  “Come on.” I dropped Lucas’s hand and tiptoed toward the kitchen. Abuela leaned against the counter, her eyes bright and cheeks wet with tears. My mother was crying in the arms of a tall, dark-haired man whose back was toward me.

  The attic door opened, and Marisol stepped out. Her face instantly washed of color when she caught sight of the man. “Daddy?”

  Chapter 25

  The man shifted, revealing his face. A familiar face. Every ounce of air was sucked from my lungs, and my knees buckled. I would have fallen if Lucas hadn’t caught me, keeping me upright in his strong arms.

  “Yeah, it’s me, Mar.” His voice was deep and warm, riddled with a slight Spanish accent. It was one I never thought I’d hear again.

  Tears flooded from my sister’s big brown eyes. “What’s going on?”

  “I’ll explain later.” He turned toward me. The same f
ace I waved to at the end of the hall every morning stared back at me. “Hi, Angel.”

  My father was alive.

  How was this even possible? He’d been gone for ten years. Ten years. And now he was standing in our kitchen.

  So many emotions ran through me, but the one I wanted to hold onto was going to shatter this happy moment.

  Betrayal.

  More secrets and lies had been unveiled. Finding out I was a witch was bad enough, but discovering my father’s death was all a part of this screwed up farce? “Tell us now.”

  He blinked. “What?”

  I shrugged out of Lucas’s grip, standing on my own. “Marisol asked what was going on. You said you’d explain later, but I think you need to explain now.”

  My dad shot me a placating smile. “I’m sure it can wait, hija. I just want to hold my family.”

  My eyes narrowed at my mother and Abuela. “Did you two know he was alive?”

  Guilt flashed over their expressions, and it was déjà vu all over again. The only difference was Lucas was here instead of Etie.

  “What?” Marisol hissed. “You let us think our father was dead for ten years?”

  My mother sighed. “Marisol, just wait.”

  She shook her head and made a wide berth around them until she was by my side. “Angel’s right. Someone better start talking. We’ve had enough of the bullshit.”

  Lucas quietly took a seat at the table. His magic permeated the air, trying to calm the situation—mostly me. My barriers were thin, and the lights were already beginning to flash.

  My father’s deep amber eyes lifted to the malfunctioning recessed lighting before falling back on me. “When we found out what you were, Angel, I made a deal with the coven. I was to get my family to safety. Then I would return as the coven leader.”

  I crossed my arms against my chest as if protecting my heart from more of my family’s treachery. “Why couldn’t you have stayed with us?”