by L W Rogers
I can see Blaine’s mouth move, but I can’t hear what he’s saying, not that I care. My head flips upwards towards the sky as I let out the most guttural, rage induced scream.
Then silence.
The wind stops, the clouds dissipate and I am left unable to move or speak. Someone’s arms are around me. But Blaine is on the floor in front of me, unconscious. Then I recognise the familiarity of the gesture. Nicky. He has embraced me and bound me magically. I collapse into his arms.
***
When I wake, I am not where I expect to be. I’m in a bed, not my own and in clothes that I do not recognise. A baggy sweatshirt replaces the gown I was previously wearing. I squint, trying to get my bearings. My head throbs and I feel drained in every way a person can be.
“’Bout time you woke up.” I hear a familiar voice yell. I climb out of the bed, exiting the bedroom. Nicky is at the kitchen counter pouring what I can only hope is a strong coffee.
“You’ve decorated since I was last here,” I tell him as I grab the drink he hands to me. It’s a gorgeous cup of black coffee. It’s the small things in life.
“It’s been a while since you’ve been to my place, Cadence. If I remember, the last time you were here you made quite a bit of mess. Of course, I had to decorate.” He smiles at me causing me to blush a little. It has been several years since me and Nicky ‘scratched each other’s back’ if you get the meaning. He definitely knew how to take care of a girl’s needs.
“You’ve got some serious explaining to do, Cadence.” He nods to me and I’m not entirely sure what he’s getting at. “The marks?”
I gulp. Oh crap! Has the spell worn off? I rush to the mirror in his hallway.
“In case you’re wondering, yes I can see them. I could see them at the ball. Warlock remember? There are certain things you can’t hide from one you’ve slept with before, Cadence.”
Ugh! I forgot about that unfortunate downside to sleeping with a supernatural, it makes them immune to spells.
“Look, I have a lot of shit to deal with and I don’t need a lecture from you right now,” I snap at him as I take a seat on his couch.
He takes a seat on the coffee table, directly opposite me.
“Cadence, those marks are serious. What have you been meddling in?”
“I haven’t.” I cast him a glare to convey my lack of appreciation for his comment. “It wasn’t on purpose, trust me. I’ve just had so much shit going on.”
“I understand that.” He places a hand on mine. It is the smallest gesture of friendship. It feels nothing like when Blaine touches me. No sense of warmth or connection. Then I remember the last I saw of him.
“Blaine!” I say just above a whisper.
“Who? Do you mean that douche that was sniffing your hair? The one who passed out in the courtyard? He left not long after he came around.”
“The athame?” I question Nicky.
“I didn’t see anything like that.”
“Fuck!” I stand and begin pacing. I may be drained, but I can feel my stress and angst bringing my powers back.
“Calm down Cadence, before you set your powers off again.” He grabs me with both arms holding my shoulders, forcing me to stop and face him. “What is going on with your powers? I have never seen you lose control like that or have that amount of power before,” he states, concern lining his face.
“Well my mum didn’t just pass away Nicky, she was murdered.” I pull away from his grasp and sit back down, grabbing my coffee. He stands, speechless for some time, processing what I’ve just told him.
“How?” he finally asks as he takes a seat next to me, pulling me in to his chest for comfort. For the first time in a long time I allow someone to comfort me, and I let the tears flow.
“Valeria,” I finally manage between the sobs. He squeezes me tighter.
“I don’t know what to say, Cadence. The coven will punish her heavily.”
I pull my head from his chest, wiping the tears and snot (I know gross) and look at him angrily.
“The coven? The fucking coven is useless. I will be dealing with this myself.”
“Cadence, you can’t. You don’t know what you’re saying,” he pleads with me.
“It’s not up for discussion, Nicky.” I hear my phone and scramble around looking for my purse, glad for the interruption.
“It’s on the hallway coat hook,” Nicky shouts to me as I continue to rummage in the wrong place. I grab it, see Jessie’s number and quickly answer.
“Jessie?”
“Cadence, about time. I’ve been trying to get hold of you for the past two days.”
Two days? How long was I out?
“Fuck, sorry Jessie. A lot of shit has happened here. Have you had any luck?” I ask, trying my best to be cryptic. I don’t want Nicky knowing what I am asking of my friend.
“Yes. But I can’t tell you over the phone. Can we meet?”
“Of course. Where?”
“Usual spot.”
“No problem. I’ll be there tomorrow. I’ll text when I have all the details.”
“Ok. Cadence?”
“Yea?”
“Be careful!” Before I can ask more the phone goes dead. I return it to my purse and go back to the living room where Nicky is waiting for me.
“I’ve got to go. Something’s come up,” I tell him as I grab my clothes and shoes. “Can I borrow some bottoms?” I ask as I head back to his room, hunting for something to wear before he even gives an answer.
I can sense he’s behind me. His frustration and worry are palpable in the air.
“We need to finish talking,” he tells me sternly.
“And we will. I promise,” I lie, as I slip into a pair of his comfy joggers. “I just really need to be somewhere.” I am about to slide past him in the doorway when he grabs my arm. I look at him and can see he’s worried. I reach up and plant a kiss on his cheek.
“I’ll be ok. I’ll call you when I get back.”
“Where are you going?
“To meet a friend.” I skip around the topic.
“That’s not enough, Cadence.” His tone is changing. I have to be careful not to piss him off too much, he is a warlock after all, and a powerful one at that.
“I’m heading to England for a couple of days. We’ll catch up when I get back.”
I give him a further kiss to the forehead, grab my belongings, and head out the door before he can protest further. I manage to grab a cab quickly and head back to my apartment.
I am lucky to be able to get a plane this afternoon. It still spins me out that I have lost two days. Two days where Blaine has a head start on hiding. Once I have met with Jessie, I will make a visit to Valeria, deal with her and then I will hunt for Blaine.
I shower before the flight. When I’ve finished I catch a glimpse of myself in the cubicle doors. Nervousness runs through me as I realise the consequences of my loss of control on the night of the ball. Dark tendrils have made their way completely down to my toes, wrapping around my ankles and waist. This is not good at all. I shudder. I really have to learn to rein in these new found powers or I am heading to a dark place I will not come back from.
I push the thoughts aside. I need to concentrate on one problem at a time and this one will have to wait. Jessie has more answers and hopefully has made contact with my mum. That is my priority.
***
I get to Stonehenge with ease. I have met Jessie here many times. When he and his family were relocated, the coven felt it best for them to go overseas. I was angry with my mum and the coven for a long time after that. Despite my protests and even with me owning up to my part they felt me and Jessie mixing was a volatile and unhealthy friendship. Pfft! What the fuck do they know of friendships? They hide in their own bubbles and retreat from humanity, only appearing when absolutely necessary. That will change. The coven will be restored to how it was years before even my mum’s reign; Powerful.
The sun is now setting and with it comes a chill i
n the air. We always met after dark. Especially seeing as it is forbidden to actually enter the stones. They have been fenced off from visitors for many years. People come from all over the world to marvel at its stature and power. Many a witch or wannabe comes here. The power that the stones emit is amazing. I’m not going to lie, it gives my weary, power-drained body a huge boost of energy. I can feel Mother Nature working her magic within me and I inhale her awesome power. The energy surges throughout this area. As I draw closer to the stones, I can feel the vibrations pulsating out towards me, giving me a pick me up with each wave that hits me. I can feel my entire body sizzle from the magic here. This is just what I need. Some time with Mother Nature and a friend, even if it brings some bad news.
Visiting hours have been and gone and it is just me and the stones. Hopefully Jessie will be here shortly if he isn’t here already.
I climb through the barrier surrounding the monument and make my way nearer. A sense of calm and serenity washes over me as I pass between two of the large stones. I haven’t felt this relaxed and at peace in a long while. I can see a figure that looks like Jessie at the stone opposite me. He’s sat against it, no doubt drawing from its energy.
As I get closer, I see his head relaxed on his knees and his arms down by his side. Definitely drawing on the energy. I smile as I get closer. I think I’ll do the same.
As I come within a few metres of him, I realise something is horribly wrong with this picture. His body is slumped in an unnatural way. My heart begins to race and I pray to the Goddess that my eyes are wrong.
“Jessie?” No answer. Please Goddess, don’t do this to me. “Jessie.”
As I fall down beside him and lift his head, I see a large gash right across his throat, his blood seeping into his clothes and forming a pool under him.
“No, Goddess, no.” I grab him and cradle him in my arms. “WHY????” I yell out to her.
“This is not fair. Jessie, come back to me. Come back. If anyone can it’s you.” Tears pour down my face as I plead, still rocking him in my arms. I sob uncontrollably, trying to bargain with the Goddess but she doesn’t answer. A momentary thought of bargaining with the devil himself comes to mind, but I push it aside. Neither Jessie nor my mum would ever forgive me for that, so I just hold my friend and cry.
“Cadence?” I hear a familiar voice call out in the dark. I flick my head round quickly, unprepared for anyone else, my heart thudding and shock taking over from who is standing above me.
“Blaine?”
Chapter 24
Blaine
I was barely conscious and bleeding when Cadence abandoned me. Now I’m a litany of aches and pains and fried brains.
Following a diabolical journey on a somewhat turbulent flight, I find my powers are somewhat hindered by this human form. Most of them work (I tested them after getting the hell out of the courtyard), but some don’t which is problematic because it puts me at a definite disadvantage against the enigma that is now sitting before me. There is no way a solitary witch can hold the levels of power that she displayed upon our previous meeting. So that leaves only one question, what the hell is she?
Hang on. Who’s that with her?
Is that a dead body?
Surely not? My jet-lagged eyes must be deceiving me. Because that really looks like a dead body. What the hell has she done?
I find myself unable to respond to the sound of my own name due to the sight that lies before me, although I’m quietly pleased that my night vision has remained with me. Even if it is to observe such a hopeless scene. Death at a sacred site? Shocking.
Cadence’s eyes are a startling blue when rimmed with the red of her lids like this. Her hair flicks at the sky, mocking moon rays with the beauty of its pale strands. She looks devastated, which makes me wonder if she is the offender or a victim in this scenario. If she is the antagonist of this situation, at least she has the fact that she looks remorseful on her side. But if she is a victim, it must mean she knows the person who lies empty beside her. Either way, what the fuck happened here in the last day or so?
I approach her cautiously, more aware now than ever of the limitations of the shell I inhabit. I need to be careful with this body. I have no way of replacing it right now. I searched for Valeria upon my arrival and she was nowhere to be found. No surprise there really, as there is definitely something off with this ‘gift’ she has given me. It makes perfect sense that she would disappear when I need her most. For now, I need to put this all aside and concentrate on helping Cadence. It doesn’t bother me if she’s responsible for whatever went down here. I’m a daemon. I’ve seen and done much worse. What matters is that I make her understand that it’s okay. That I understand. That these things happen. She needs to remove herself from here. But, for now, I’ll comfort her.
I take the last few steps towards her bloodstained form. She places the body gently on the grass and rises to meet me after softly pressing a kiss to its forehead. I open my arms and she falls into them, her head pressed into my chest, her tears staining my shirt. I soothe her with my arms, with my breath, without words. There simply aren’t any that will help at this stage.
It seems like an age before I step back and take her face in both hands, wiping the remnants of her tears from her already drying face. I whisper a kiss across each smeared trail, and she manages the smallest glimmer of a smile. I need to know what happened so I can make it all better for her. So I can make it all go away. In this moment, the mission is not my priority – she is. With this in mind, I finally break my silence.
“Did you kill him, Cadence? Tell me what happened. Whatever it is, I’ll understand. I’ll fix it for you -”
She thrusts me away, her eyes widening and jaw clenching in anger. There’s a roar of thunder, accompanied by a bolt of lightning that ricochets from the ancient stones around us, and the sky becomes wrath red.
It’s in this moment that I know I have fucked up royally...
Chapter 25
Cadence
“What did you just say?” I yell at him as the wind whips around us with a ferociousness that takes my breath away. The sky has turned a fiery red with dark clouds gathering. Thunder booms overhead. I can feel the all too familiar power I conjured only a few days ago re-emerging. Blaine takes several steps back. It’s a wise move as he’s well aware of what I am capable of. I can see him become guarded, his hands gesturing for me to calm down.
“How dare you! He was my friend. Something you clearly know nothing about,” I scream above the roar of thunder and wind, tears threatening. He grimaces at the comment. Clearly, I’ve hit a nerve. I don’t care. It can’t be a coincidence that he is here and my friend is dead. I know he’s not human, I can sense it, but I know not what he is. It’s like there’s a shield formed around him that not even my powers can penetrate.
I storm towards him, closing the gap between us and he stumbles, falling flat against the cold grass. I’m on him in a flash, my hand squeezing his throat. A familiar warmth travels up my arm and across my chest. It flows through me, causing every nerve-ending to tingle. This is getting ridiculous. I can’t even slap the stupid out of him without my body craving more than a touch. I pull myself off him quickly, shaking the sensation as best I can, whilst shuddering in disgust at my reaction to him.
Blaine climbs to his feet, rubbing his throat.
“I’m sorry Cadence. I just assumed…”
I release a small fire ball at him, his body flying several feet in the air before landing with an almighty thud. It’s not enough to injure him, but is just enough to let him know I have had enough of his shit.
“So, you want to play dirty, do you?” He smirks as he returns my fire with fire before he’s even got to his feet. He catches me completely off guard. I crash into the stones, causing a small amount of these ancient relics to crumble to the floor beside me. My stomach aches so badly. I’m not gonna lie, that has pissed me off. He clearly has more power than I anticipated. That’s my mistake. It won’t happe
n again.
I stay low, my nails embedded in the ground, drawing from Mother Nature’s almighty power. I start an incantation, my eyes seeking Blaine, but in the fast fading light it is difficult to see him. As the power surges through me it becomes intoxicating. Like an addict, I want so much more than the Earth can give. There’s a movement to my left, but I’m night-blind and unable to distinguish what it is. Logically I know it’s him and that he is planning to attack. This time I will be more prepared.
I cast a fire ball to the sky so I can see where my enemy is. I don’t get chance to adjust as from nowhere he pins me against the cold stone, my arms raised and held in one hand and my mouth covered with the other. I’ll give it to him, he’s stronger and quicker than he looks. He is also really fucking me off.
“I’ll take my hands away from you only if you stop squirming and don’t cast any spells from that pretty mouth of yours.” he growls in my ear. I swallow hard, trying to calm my heart from racing at his closeness. He pulls back, his face millimetres from mine. His eyes are a sea of darkness and I’m drowning. I nod my assent and he removes his hand from my mouth. I wish he would stop touching me. It is such a distraction.
“What are you?” he questions, his eyes still on mine, searching for an answer.
“Me? I could ask you the same thing, Blaine!” I snap at him. I am extremely aroused at his proximity, yet feel a fire of hatred burning in the pit of my stomach. I don’t know how I should react to this man in front of me.
“Ah!Ah!Ah!” he waves his finger at me like I’m a naughty child, “I asked first.” I try to wriggle free to no avail. He is using his body to restrain me. I haven’t forgotten about the last time I kissed him, even if it was only to get what I wanted. What do I want now? The longer he rubs against me the more my powers relax. The sky is calming and the wind is now a breeze against our skin.
Before I can take control of my faculties, Blaine’s lips slam against mine. His tongue invades my mouth, and I respond in kind, mine stroking his in such a rhythm that it piques my arousal. My mind is whirling. What the fuck is he doing to me? I have to stop! I can feel the pressure against my wrists disappear as his hands roam my body, sending tingles to my core. This is my chance, just a couple more seconds to enjoy his tongue against mine. What can it hurt?