Anne had promptly closed up shop and driven them both to the hospital. Ivy felt guilty the entire way there. Ezra and Ezekiel were in Monroe Springs looking for something to use to locate Lawrence. With everything that had happened, Ivy had forgotten the whole reason she had to make a deal with the Black Bird Coven in the first place. The locating spell. Which felt redundant now since Lawrence had found her. Not that Ivy could tell them that.
Now, Anne had to babysit her when there were way more important things to worry about.
Ivy stood off to the side, trying to be as quiet as possible. Paul was still scowling. He was only one twitch away from openly growling at her. Ivy scratched the back of her neck.
“Mom overreacted,” Betsy complained for the third time since she and Anne had gotten there.
Ivy didn’t need to be a shifter to know that was a lie. Betsy looked terrible. She had dropped weight. Her skin was colorless. Blue veins stood out under her eyes like she hadn’t slept at all.
“Elizabeth, you practically fainted getting up to go pee when the nurse was in here,” Mrs. Robbins argued while she fussed with Betsy’s hair.
Betsy’s mom was as small as her. They shared the same delicate bone structure too. Mrs. Robbins’ hair was beginning to grey, but otherwise she looked young.
Ivy could feel wild magic coming off of the other woman in steady waves. Unlike Betsy, Mrs. Robbins was a shifter. That would explain why Betsy’s mom looked closer to her daughter’s age.
“Better safe than sorry,” Grace said as she sat on Betsy’s bed.
“Please don’t be stupid like your brothers,” Anne begged. “Listen to your mom before we have to tie you to this bed.”
Betsy groaned, “I hate sitting on my ass.”
“That’s only because you’re a workaholic.” Grace started rummaging through drawers once she pet Betsy a few times.
“You must be going crazy,” Anne sat down where Grace had evacuated.
The entire time the girls talked, Paul stared. He hadn’t moved from his spot at Betsy’s side. That being said, neither had Ivy. She was still standing halfway between the door and the bed, feeling more and more uncomfortable.
The only person who noticed what was going on was Mrs. Robbins. She kept glancing between the two of them. Other than that, she didn’t say anything.
Ivy cracked a smile. “Is there anything you want from the gift shop? I thought I saw a crossword puzzle book when we walked past it.” Any reason to get out of this room.
Betsy sagged, “Yes, please. I would kill for something cold and fizzy.”
Ivy nodded. “How about I grab some snacks too?” She didn’t bother waiting for an answer. She turned and practically sprinted out of the room.
Paul had joined the “I hate Ivy” club. She wondered what had gotten to him. He hadn’t freaked out about her being a witch when they had met. He had even been cool after seeing her nullify that spell on Grace.
Ivy glanced around realizing that she needed to look for the gift shop. As she tried retracing her footsteps, she started to notice the looks. People stared at her as she walked through the hospital. A few people ducked into random rooms when they saw her. One woman flashed her teeth at Ivy. Ivy kept her eye on the lady until they were at opposite ends of the hall.
That’s how she noticed the woman following her.
Everything about her screamed “Administration”. She wore a stone-grey pantsuit. Just a hint of blue silk peeked out from the jacket. The pants ended just high enough to show off pointed toe black heels. Her blonde hair was pulled into a stylish bun. Her makeup was understated and impeccable.
Ivy noted that she was wearing one of Anne’s pietersite necklaces. Those were really popular. The woman growled.
Her body whipped forward. She started walking faster. The woman’s heels clicked right behind her. Her skin prickled.
Ivy abandoned trying to find the gift shop. She saw a nurse exiting a set of doors with huge signs at said “Badge Required”. Luckily, the man was walking just as quickly as she was so he didn’t see her slip in the open doors.
The hall was lined with thin green curtains. Almost all of them were open revealing empty beds. She didn’t break stride but checked each area as she moved towards a turn at the end of the hall. There was no one here. Instantly, Ivy felt relieved that she was alone.
Behind her, the lock on the automatic door engaged. She heard the hinges groan open. A single heel hit the tile. Lightening shot up her spine.
Ivy’s brain shut off. Adrenaline surged through her body. Her magic reacted. An explosion of undirected magic propelled her around the corner into a new hallway.
She hit a wall and dropped to the ground. She stumbled trying to stand up. Her ears were ringing. Somehow, she managed to get to het feet.
She felt warmth at her back. The presence. The one from the night before. Once again, it flowed around her in a way that made her think it was alive, sentient. It hugged her in a warm embrace taking away some of the ringing from her ears. Whatever it was, she was grateful for it.
“What the hell?” Lawrence McDowell yelled.
Ivy whipped around.
He was flat on his ass no more than ten feet away from her. He was wearing the same outfit from her bathroom. He looked like shit. His hair was greasy. It looked like he had lost a fight sometime in the last few days. He still looked angry. That was the same.
Ivy shook her head. She blinked a few times. Lawrence stayed where he was. She wasn’t hallucinating him.
“Hey, Lawrence,” Ivy wheezed, “welcome to the party.”
“What party?” He asked confused. He was spread out on the floor, unmoving.
Nails clicked on the tile. A grey wolf came around the corner. She was huge. Her lips were pulled back so far it looked like she was smiling. Her teeth glinted in the low lights. She saw Ivy and Lawrence and started to growl.
Ivy stared at Lawrence a second before groaning. She couldn’t leave him dazed and unaware on the floor. She grabbed him by the elbow and started pulling him towards the doors. If they wouldn’t open, she would blow them off the hinges.
Ivy started dragging Lawrence.
“What the hell?” He scrambled to his feet.
The wolf ignored Lawrence. She didn’t take her eyes off of Ivy. Ivy dropped Lawrence’s arm and ran.
Her feet slid at the speed change. She flung her arms out trying to stay upright. She straightened, arms pumping.
The slip cost her. A vicious weight hit her shoulders causing her to scream as the wolf crashed down on her. The floor rushed up to meet her, fast. Air left her lungs. She slammed into the hard ground. Her vision blinked in an out. She struggled to breathe.
She felt movement on her back. Ivy jolted into motion. She tried to get up.
The wolf jerked and writhed, trying to keep Ivy down. It snarled in her ear. She pulled away. She forced herself to get to her knees.
“Scacciáre!” Lawrence boomed.
The wolf yelped and went flying. Ivy felt the weight lift and scrambled away. She clawed her way to her feet, half crouched. She heard sneakers sliding at the same time she sensed something at her back. Lawrence flew over her, colliding with the wolf.
Ivy turned around. They were both grappling on the floor. Lawrence had the wolf wrapped in a bear hug. The animal writhed, desperate to get free. She threw her weight behind every lunge, biting the air.
Lawrence started dripping sweat. His arms strained with every twist the wolf made. He started to growl. Black claws grew out of his fingers.
He lifted them both off of the ground. Ivy watched in horror as he staggered to his feet. He stood to his full height, face red with strain. Then, he went limp. Lawrence drove the wolf, snout first, into the floor. Ivy flinched as she heard a crunch. The wolf cried out.
She bucked weakly against Lawrence. He grabbed an ear and slammed her head her into the ground again. Ivy gagged. The wolf didn’t give up. She snarled, biting the air. Foam dripped onto the ground.
The wolf pulled a leg free. Lawrence swore. “Do something!” He screamed.
That’s all the distraction the wolf needed. She burst out of Lawrence’s arms. She shot at Ivy like a bullet.
There wasn’t time to react. Ivy’s body recoiled backwards. Magic reared forwards.
“Dormire!” The word burst out of her mouth in a flash of green.
The wolf’s eyes went wide. She couldn’t dodge the magic. It hit her square in the chest. She dropped like a rock, body sliding across the floor.
Ivy jumped out of the way and sprinted towards Lawrence. He didn’t move. He sat on the floor, staring behind her.
Ivy barely slowed, grabbing his arm, “Let’s go.”
“Stop,” Lawrence wrenched his arm out of her hand. “Stop, she’s out.” He pointed.
Ivy finally looked behind her. The wolf was in a laying in a heap. She didn’t move. A constant buzz of doggy snores came from her open mouth.
“Huh?” Her legs gave out. She dropped on her ass. All of her energy was gone.
“Woah,” Lawrence reached over and kept her from going sideways. “That was a lot of magic you used. Not surprised you’re feeling it.” He gave her a wild smile.
She shook her head. “Sure, that’s what it is.”
Ivy thought her near death experience was finally catching up to her. That crazy bitch had tried to kill her. She looked at Lawrence, realizing that if he hadn’t shown up, she might have been eaten. “T-thank you,” her voice cracked. “I-I-,” that’s as far as she got. She started crying, too hard to speak.
Lawrence’s face softened. “Oh, it’s alright.” He threw an arm around her. “You’re safe. You did great. That spell knocked her on her ass.” He kept saying nice things until Ivy could only hiccup.
She wiped her eyes and took a few shaky breaths. She started to come back to reality. She was crying on her blackmailer’s shoulder. Great.
She could only blame shock. It wasn’t every day you nearly died. She wiggled to get out from under his arms. “Thanks,” she muttered.
It was hard to ignore the awkward tension. Lawrence’s arm dropped. He ran a tired hand through his hair. He lifted the bottom of his shirt and wiped the sweat from his face.
She sat on the cold floor and tried to calm down. Lawrence started looking himself over. He hissed when his hand grazed a claw mark on his forearm.
It was shallow. It was also eight inches long. There were spots where it still bled. Most of it was already closing over.
Ivy stared at it for a bit too long. She took a shaky breath. “I’m so glad you showed up. Thank you,” she said for the third time.
“Don’t thank me. Teach me the spell you used to transport me here and you can return the favor someday,” he laughed.
Ivy didn’t know what he was talking about. “I didn’t use a spell. I thought you transported yourself.”
He looked just as confused as she felt. “I was minding my own business when a literal blast of magic teleported me here. I had nothing to do with it.” He looked at her suspiciously. She watched his nose flare before he snorted gently. “I figured you had used the grimoire. Smells like Benandanti magic in here.” He gave her a pointed look.
“I don’t have the grimoire,” Ivy nearly shouted. “I haven’t even finished translating that damn diary.” Ivy stopped short. “Wait, Benandanti magic has a smell?”
“Yeah,” Lawrence answered off handedly before moving on. “I just heard you spit a four-hundred-year-old Italian spell at me. I feel confident saying that you found the grimoire. No point hiding it. We’re allies now so give it up.”
“I didn’t perform that spell. It just happened.” Which sounded lame even if it was the truth. His words finally caught up to her. “I am not your ally, asshole. You’re blackmailing me.”
“Yeah sorry about the blackmail. This is very important though.” Lawrence lifted his head. “The second you found the Benandanti grimoire you got upgraded to reluctant ally. Cause there’s no way in hell the Sacri will believe either of us if we tell them the truth.” He straightened, bones cracking as he stretched. “About time too. I’ve been getting my ass kicked all week.”
His shirt rode up showing off pale skin. Areas of his stomach were molted with bruises. There were a few just starting to color and others that were fading to yellow. Ivy could see more claw marks from the wolf. The sight made her flinch.
Suddenly, warmth settled around her. She started but quickly recognized that it was the presence again It wrapped around her forming a warm cocoon.
The warmth swirled around her heading towards Lawrence. She knew the instant it touched him. His eyes went wide. He jerked to the side. “What that hell?” His head whipped side to side.
Ivy’s mouth dropped open. The claw mark on Lawrence’s arm healed before her very eyes. Lawrence gasped, ripping his shirt up. The bruises along his torso turned a kaleidoscope of colors before fading away.
Without any warning, the presence was gone. The warmth disappeared. Ivy shivered under the hospital’s AC.
Lawrence looked up at her, his mouth hanging open. He didn’t make a move. He just stared at her. “What was that?” He whispered.
“Told you I didn’t perform that spell. Whatever that was, did.”
Lawrence didn’t move. He stood motionless for nearly a full minute before he slumped. “At least you aren’t playing completely stupid.” He sighed. “What the fuck is it?”
Ivy shrugged her shoulders. “I only noticed it a few days ago but I think it’s been around for a few weeks.” The longer she interacted with the presence, the more she wondered if it had been to blame for all her magic mess ups. She had felt it last night right before all of the crystals had disappeared. “Has it been using Benandanti magic this whole time?”
He pulled his sleeve back and touched the healed skin. He smelled his arm. “It felt just like my mom’s magic. Smells like it too. This is so weird.” He zeroed in on her. Nice Lawrence from earlier was gone. “I’m only asking this one more time. Do you have the grimoire?”
Ivy felt his magic cling to her. It felt like her clothes were suddenly soaked to her body. It made her skin crawl. “No! Now keep your hands to yourself.”
Lawrence didn’t remove his magic immediately. He looked her in the eyes for a moment longer. His head tilted with huff, “Fuck. How can this get more complicated?” He rubbed his eyes.
Lawrence started pacing. He absently scratched at his chin. He started talking to himself but it was too quiet for her to hear what he was saying.
While he was ignoring her, Ivy took a second to get herself together. She stared at the white floor taking deep breaths. Once she had compartmentalized Lawrence’s sudden one-eighty from blackmailer to “reluctant ally”, she started straightening her clothes.
Hopefully, she didn’t look like she had just gotten into a fight with a shifter. She would have to duck into a bathroom to fix her hair. It was probably a mess.
When Lawrence passed by her a third time he didn’t turn around. He kept walking until he was next to the sleeping wolf. Ivy was already standing when he started to crouch. “What are you doing?”
“I want to check something out.”
She stood over his shoulder as Lawrence pulled a silver chain from underneath his shirt. There was a small pendant at hanging from it. Ivy’s heart stopped.
“This was my grandmother’s lapis.” Lawrence reached behind his neck to undo the chain. “The Benandanti used it to ward against evil. Gran carved a warning charm into this one.” He set the pendant into his left hand. “It supposed to let you know if any Salici Sacri are around. Mom never charged the thing.”
Ivy leaned over his shoulder as he rolled the stone in his palm. On the back was a strange symbol. It was carved deeply into the lapis. Ivy didn’t recognize its curling shape. If she had to guess, it looked like some kin
d of rune but she didn’t know what it did.
“It hasn’t been used in decades. I hope it still works,” Lawrence muttered angrily. He rubbed his thumb over the carving. He stopped abruptly. “What was the spell? Suegliáre.” Lawrence rubbed the stone. Nothing happened. “Suegliáto.”
This time something happened. Red magic traced the carving. It flared once before going out. Lawrence held the lapis over the sleeping wolf. The rune glowed red. He nodded but didn’t look surprised.
He held up the lapis. “This reacts to Salici Sacri magic.” He pointed to the wolf. “This person has been around a Salici Coven member.”
Ivy was dumbfounded. “Wait, what? That woman is Salici Sacri? She tried to kill me!” She started shouting.
Lawrence gestured for her to be quiet. “That’s kind of their M.O. I’ve been telling you that this whole time.”
“I didn’t believe you. Not really,” she admitted, still in shock. The lapis had been enough to convince her that Lawrence had been telling the truth this whole time. It was too much of a coincidence after last night. The murder attempt was overkill. “They’re real. They’re really here,” she whispered.
“Yes,” Lawrence sounded exasperated. “They’ve always been real.”
Ivy gasped, “They’re going to kill everyone.”
Lawrence’s jaw dropped. He shook his head once. “You’re just getting that?”
Her heart raced. “We have to tell Ben. We have to warn everyone.” They needed time to prepare. They needed to start evacuating. She turned to leave.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” he kept her from rushing off, “are you forgetting the binding contract we made? You can’t tell anyone.”
She stopped short. “You’ve got to release me. We have to warn them.”
“They’re not going to believe you. You didn’t believe me and you already knew the Benandanti existed.”
“They’ll believe me,” Ivy argued. She wasn’t Lawrence. Ben trusted her.
“Ben might but do you think the rest of the Pack will?” He pointed out in a knowing tone.
She thought back to Paul’s angry stare. Paul had really liked her before today. Suddenly, she wasn’t so sure.
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