Stolen Magic

by Char Webster

  StoleN

  magic

  Mystic Magic, Book One

  USA Today Bestselling Author

  Char Webster

  Stolen Magic © May 2019 by Char Webster

  Copyright notice: All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Dedication

  To Karen, no matter how far away you are, you will always be my best friend forever.

  Books By Char Webster

  The Gifted Series

  Discovery, Book One

  Exploration, Book Two

  Transformation, Book Three

  Acceptance, Book Four

  Experiments, A Gifted Series Prequel

  Havenwood Falls

  Saving Tannor, part of Havenwood Falls Holiday Anthology

  Changing Fate, Havenwood Falls Legends

  Mystic Universe

  Forgotten Magic, Book One

  Stolen Magic, Book One

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  300 years ago

  “Stop! I can’t do this,” Damian rasped as he backed away from the shocked faces of his beloved bride and the village’s mystic high priestess. He took a second to stare at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and knew he was breaking her heart. “I’m sorry. I can’t.” He was crushing his heart as well.

  Damian spun around and escaped up the flower strewn aisle, fleeing from the only woman he would ever love. He couldn’t look at the stunned faces of their families and friends. He needed to get away from there before he changed his mind and begged her for forgiveness.

  After passing the last row of benches in the clearing, he veered off toward the line of thick trees where a tall cloaked figure stood in the shadows. The hatred he felt for that mystic made Damian shake with rage.

  “What have you done?”

  “You can’t have her magic, Pravus.” Damian’s hands were fisted so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

  “You owe me. If you would have combined your life force with hers, the magic in both of you would have increased tenfold.” Pravus stepped closer. “I could siphon magic from you and never worry about running out again.

  “Not her.” Damian felt like a knife was twisting in his gut at the thought of this evil creature getting close to his Aria.

  “Need I remind you that your brother owed me a blood debt that now falls to you?”

  Damian gritted his teeth and refused to answer.

  Pravus heaved his shoulders and exhaled in fury. “You have until the next full moon.”

  Damian closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath before he nodded stiffly. When he opened them, Pravus was gone, and so was his only chance at happiness. Taking off running through the trees, he tried to escape the agony settling into his chest, but it was too late. He’d lost everything.

  ~*~*~

  Present

  “Damian!”

  The repeated sound of his name brought Damian back to the present.

  “Damian. D!” Aedan called out, clearly annoyed.

  “Sorry,” Damian mumbled picking at the seeded bread on his favorite sandwich, a Jersey Mike’s Original Italian Hoagie.

  Aedan threw a jalapeño kettle potato chip at his friend, hitting him in the forehead. He figured that would get Damian’s attention.

  The chip bounced off and landed on the table in between them. Damian didn’t seem to notice that something hit him. Normally, he would have retaliated and an all-out food fight would have commenced. Aedan was a little disappointed at Damian’s lack of response.

  “What’s with you? You’ve been spacing out all week.”

  Damian didn’t tilt his face up but just continued to tear at his roll.

  “D! Seriously, man, what’s up with you?” This was not the jokester Aedan was used to seeing.

  “Nothing. I’m fine. We’ve been hitting it hard lately. I just need some rest.”

  Aedan regarded him in disbelief. “You never get tired. You’re the one who’s always pushing to track down a few more rogue supernaturals.”

  Damian shrugged. “Everyone gets tired at some point. Come on, let’s get out of here.”

  “No way. I just got my food, and I’ve only taken one bite. You might want to pick at your lunch, but I’m eating mine.” To prove his point, he took a huge bite of his roast beef hoagie and had trouble closing his mouth to chew it.

  Damian chuckled as he watched the lettuce fall out of Aedan’s open mouth. He picked up his own hoagie and took a bite.

  ~*~*~

  300 years ago

  Stunned into complete immobility, Aria could only stare at the retreating figure that was the love of her life. Blood pounded in her veins, and her heart thundered in her chest as her world fell apart around her. Standing alone on the dais at the head of the assembly, she had a clear view of the shocked faces of the entire village. All of the people she knew witnessed her groom leave her at the altar.

  The guests began to yell and talk all at once, turning the tranquil meadow into chaotic turmoil, but Aria didn’t hear a word. Her ears were filled with the last words Damian had uttered. I can’t do this. I’m sorry.

  Unshed tears threatened to spill over her long lashes, but she was determined to hold them back. She wouldn’t cry in front of everyone. She would wait until she was alone to fall apart.

  Aria watched her mother stand up so abruptly that she almost tripped on her skirts as they twisted around her ankles. She raced over to Aria with her hands on her hips and a wicked expression.

  “What have you done? You’ve embarrassed me and your entire family!” That was the only thing Aria heard before she tuned her out completely. Her mother was more concerned with her social status than with her only daughter.

  Aria jumped off the dais and took off in the opposite direction that Damian had gone. She needed to put as much space between her ruined wedding and the shocked guests… and her broken heart.

  She heard someone running up behind her, but she knew who it was without looking. Aria could always count on her brother Markos to come after her. Ever since they were little, he would take care of her and this time was no different.

&nbs
p; “Aria, wait!” Markos was reaching for her, but she managed to evade him, causing him to grin mischievously. They had played this game for years. He would chase her, and she would try to get away. He had taught her lots of tricks that she would gladly turn back on him.

  They only had one rule. No magic was allowed. It would be too easy for them to have an all-out magical brawl. Markos insisted that she learn to use other skills that could save her life if for some reason she couldn’t use magic.

  Aria ran all the way to the lake as her long strawberry blond hair flew out behind her and collapsed on the grassy bank with a sigh.

  “You’re getting better. I only came close to grabbing you twice.” Markos flopped down next to her and put his arm behind his head. “Want to talk about it?”

  “No.” Aria glanced over at him and noticed that he had already pulled his blond hair out of the leather strap that had been holding it. He had ditched his formal cape too. She wished she could have gotten rid of her fancy gown.

  “I didn’t think so.” He stared up at the clouds that were rolling by. “He wouldn’t have done that without a good reason.”

  “I don’t want to hear it.” Aria pulled a couple of blades of grass and rolled them between her fingers.

  Markos leaned up on one elbow to face her. “He loves you.”

  “I said I don’t want to talk about it.” Aria got up and stalked off toward the other side of the lake. The tears were threatening to fall, and she didn’t want anyone to see them, not even her brother.

  ~*~*~

  Present

  “Aria!” Her friend Julie brought her attention back to the park they were in today.

  “Hey, girl! You seemed a million miles away,” Julie commented as she slid onto the park bench, bumping her friend.

  Aria gave her a small smile. “Just thinking.”

  “You have that look. You know, the one you get this time of year.”

  “What? I don’t get a look.” Aria kicked at the dirt under the bench. They were facing the children’s play area that was full of squeals and laughter.

  Julie narrowed her gaze. “You know what I’m talking about. I’ve only been your best friend for almost three centuries. I know you. You get all sulky and cranky just before May.”

  “I don’t know. I never noticed.”

  “Uh huh. Right.”

  “Whatever. Let’s get something to eat. I’m starved.” Aria pulled her friend up from the bench and tugged her down the path that led closer to the trees and some cover.

  “Where are we going?” Julie asked but she already knew. Aria had been complaining for the past month they had been stationed in South Carolina. She wanted a hoagie and not “the junk they called a sandwich in the south.”

  Aria made sure no one was watching, pulled out a thin magical blade, and made a portal to the alley behind Jersey Mikes in Manahawkin, New Jersey. She loved how easy it was to use magic to do what she wanted, like travelling long distances in an instant.

  Julie went first and peeked her head into the alley to make sure no one was around. Humans couldn’t see portals, but they could see the two girls appearing out of nowhere. They made their way around the building.

  “You love the subs here. What’s the appeal?” Julie asked.

  “It’s everything. The seeded rolls, the thin meat, the pickles and hot peppers. It all just works.” Aria could just taste the awesomeness.

  Aria also loved how close they were to Long Beach Island. It was one of her favorite beaches in New Jersey, and it was the location of their next assignment. How lucky could one girl get?

  Julie opened the door and stopped short, causing Aria who was not paying attention to walk into the back of her.

  “What the heck, Juls.” Aria almost fell backwards, having bounced off her friend. “Go in. Why’d you stop?”

  “Ummmm. I think we should go somewhere else. Yeah. Somewhere else sounds like a brilliant plan.” Julie took a step backward, but Aria put her hands up to her back to stop her.

  “What are you doing?” Aria tried to push Julie out of the way, but she wouldn’t budge.

  “Aria, you really don’t want to go in there. Trust me.” Julie needed to steer her in a different direction.

  “Who’s in there, Juls?”

  The panicked expression in Julie’s eyes was enough to tell Aria exactly who was in the restaurant. “I’m not leaving just because he’s in there.”

  Julie avoided Aria’s gaze. “I didn’t see him. I saw his friend, Aedan MacDuff.”

  Aria perked up. “Maybe he’s not here. Let’s go. I’m starved, and I’ve waited too long for a good hoagie to leave now. You don’t want to see how grumpy I’ll get if I miss out on my sandwich.”

  Julie laughed. “Oh, I know how bad you get. We’ll go in, but no fighting with him.”

  Aria tossed a saucy look back at her friend. “I won’t unless he starts something.”

  “Great,” Julie muttered to herself but loud enough for Aria to hear her.

  Aria walked into the small restaurant that had two rows of booths and a counter where they made the sandwiches to order. They strode past a few patrons enjoying their lunches and one guy who had his back to the door. He was sitting alone, but there was another drink on the table and a crumpled white hoagie wrapper on the other side. He was clearly with someone else.

  As Aria walked by, she expected him to glance up at her, but he was busy eating a bag of spicy potato chips. Aria noticed that the table already held three other empty snack bags. Someone must love chips.

  Julie and Aria made their way to the end of the counter and placed their orders. Julie wanted a turkey hoagie and Aria decided on a number two, which had ham, provolone, and cappacuolo on it. She asked them to add lots of pickles and jalapeños.

  Julie leaned close to Aria whispering. “Aedan’s really cute. I never noticed before. Maybe he’s been working out or something.” She openly gaped at him, scrutinizing his entire appearance. “No, I think he grew his hair out a little. He seemed nerdy with that buzz cut he used to have.”

  “Shhh. He’s not cute. He’s friends with the demon spawn.”

  “Who’s a demon spawn?”

  Aria stiffened. She knew that deep, sexy voice. Even though she tried to forget everything about the jerk, she would always recognize it, no matter where she was.

  Aria tried to calm her nerves and adopt a bored expression. She turned to face him. “It’s rude to eavesdrop on private conversations, Damian. But then again, you wouldn’t know manners if they smacked you in the head.”

  She hated the reaction she always had to him. Even 300 years couldn’t erase the flutter she always felt when she saw him with his dark wavy hair that he kept windblown and messy or his intense grey eyes that seemed to borrow into her soul.

  “Aria, as charming as always.” Damian’s stomach dropped the second he walked out of the men’s room and saw the long, thick curls of reddish blond hair on the petite and curvy girl who had haunted his dreams for centuries. Her hair was lighter than usual, and the red wasn’t as pronounced meaning she’s spent considerable time outside recently. He hated that he remembered how she’d always complain when it got too dark red.

  “Don’t you have something better to do than stand there gawking at me?” Aria wanted to squirm under his scrutiny, but she held herself motionless.

  Damian’s smirk turned evil. “Just thinking that your hair looked a lot redder than the last few times I’ve had the misfortune to run into you.” He knew she would worry about it for the rest of the afternoon. He should have felt vindicated, but his stomach turned sour. Damn, he thought.

  Aria wanted to touch her hair as soon as he said that, but she forced her hand to stay by her side. She was planning to spend a lot of time on the beach anyway in the next few weeks. That should bleach the red out. “I see the scar over your eye still hasn’t lightened any. You would think it would after all these years.” As soon as those words left her mouth, she wanted to take them back.
Why did he bring out the horribleness in her?

  His eyes bore into her with such intensity that she felt herself leaning back into the rack of chips under the counter behind her.

  “I would lie and say it was a pleasure to see you, but clearly, it wasn’t.” Damian turned slightly to acknowledge Julie with a curt nod of his head.

  Aria watched him as he strode out the door, not even stopping at his friend’s table. She saw Aedan was confused for a second but scanned the restaurant before locking onto her. Recognition flashed on his face, and he glanced down at his nearly finished lunch. He gathered everything off the table and dumped it all in the trash before following after his friend.

  Julie was watching everything in disbelief. She wanted to confront her friend, but their hoagies were finished being made, and the girl behind the counter was waiting to be paid. She pulled out her debit card, swiped it through the machine, and gathered up their lunches. Aria remained in the exact same position she had been in when Damian stormed out.

  “Ar! Come on.” Julie walked away from her and dumped their stuff on the first available table. Aria shuffled over and flopped down in her seat, still out of it.

  Julie huffed and grabbed both of their empty cups to fill them at the beverage station. As soon as she was back at the table, she was going to get some answers. Julie banged down the drinks in front of her friend, but thankfully they both were covered with a lid so the iced teas didn’t spill all over.

  “Aria, you need to tell me what’s going on with you and Damian. I’m not taking the usual story you try to tell me and everyone else. You can’t just say, ‘We’ve always hated each other.’ You’re one of the nicest and sweetest girls I know, but when you’re around him, you turn into someone else who’s nasty, bitter, and vindictive.”

  Julie was just getting started. “I know there is always a rivalry between magical guardians and enforcers, but you two take things too far.” They all worked for Legacy, an organization that oversees the magical community. Damian and Aedan were magic enforcers, and Aria and Julie were guardians. There were also spectators who observe from afar, but they never interacted with anyone.