Burned

by Kensie King

  I found my voice. “Gage.”

  “I’m right here,” he murmured, his lips brushing mine again.

  I blinked and shook my head. No, wait. This wasn’t right. He was… He was doing something to me again. It was like a wall slammed down in my brain, and I jerked back.

  Gage still held me close, so I wedge my hands between us and shoved his chest. “Get off.”

  He only caught one wrist with a lazy smile. “I don’t think that’s what you really want.”

  Don’t meet his eyes! That was what it was. Looking into his eyes was taking away my will power. And he knew exactly what he was doing.

  “Get the hell off of me!” I pushed him as hard as I could.

  Though it wasn’t enough to make him budge, he stepped back, hands up again. “Lincoln,” he said calmly. “This will be a lot easier if you cooperate. We all have our parts to play. This is yours.”

  “And what the fuck is that?” I asked, flames licking at my fingertips. Now they come out to help me. What about before in the field when Gage was trying to get me back in his car? “My part is to—what? Let you take advantage of me? You tricked me into kissing you—”

  “I absolutely did not,” he said, sounding offended. He folded his arms, muscles bulging against his black t-shirt. “Not the first time or the second.”

  I ground my teeth. He was right. He hadn’t forced me to do anything. Even when he wasn’t trying to influence me in any way, I could feel the attraction between us.

  “Well, you’re doing something. You—your eyes,” I said, pointing.

  He nodded. “It’s part of who I am. And it’ll help if you come to terms with who you are, too.”

  “And who is that?”

  “A witch.” He said it simply enough, like he was talking about the weather.

  And that was the whole reason I was here, right? To get answers about who I was. To maybe even…explore it a little bit.

  He saw I was considering this stepped forward again. He caught one of my hands and traced his fingers across the knuckles. Fuck, he was persuasive. And I wasn’t even looking into his eyes. Even when I glanced at them, they were clear and reasonable.

  “Gage,” I warned, though my body wasn’t cooperating. “Just tell me why I’m here.”

  He looked down at our hands. “I need you to be here for the full moon. And then I need you to do a spell for me.”

  My mouth opened. That was more straightforward than I’d expected. And less… ominous? I guess I wasn’t sure what I’d been expecting. That he’d want to kill me for a sacrifice? That he’d want me to kill someone else? Like I said, I wasn’t sure, but this wasn’t it.

  “A spell,” I said, confused.

  “You’re a witch. You do a spell for me and…our kind gets to be who they were meant to be.” He gave a small smile that was remarkably sincere. “It’s as simple as that.”

  “I don’t even—” I frowned. “It’s not that simple. I don’t know how to do a spell or—”

  “We’ll figure it out,” he said with a nod. “I’ll help you. In the meantime, let me show you around.”

  I jerked my hand from his. “What the fuck? No. I’m not staying here.”

  He ignored the comment and nodded his head to the door. “I think you’ll like the house.”

  “You can’t—you won’t get away with this. All my stuff is at the motel. People are going to start looking for me.”

  “Doubtful. You’re supposed to check out tomorrow anyway. I’ll just pick up your stuff, deal with your car, and poof—they’ll think you checked out and left town just like you were planning.”

  The logic of it hit me hard. He was right. No one would notice I was missing, would they? Dylan. Yes, he would notice. But not if all my stuff was gone. He’d probably assume I left early like I’d promised.

  I crossed my arms. “How did you know I was planning on leaving tomorrow?”

  Gage turned back slightly and propped his hands on his hips.

  “You were hiding something from me. I saw you talking to him—Dylan—and figured it out. You’re trying to leave before the full moon. But I can’t let that happen, so I’ll just make it look like you left a little earlier. That’ll make them happy.”

  “Who?”

  “The others. Dylan and—” He gestured vaguely— “Everyone who actually wants you gone.”

  He meant Grace. Probably my mom. Maybe there were even others, all hoping I wasn’t here for the full moon so that whatever was going to happen didn’t happen.

  Gage held out his hand at the door. “Come on.”

  “Gage—”

  “No,” he snapped. “We’re not talking about this anymore. You’re staying here and that’s it.”

  I released a tight breath but stopped with the questions. I might be pissed off that he brought me here against my will but that didn’t mean I had to antagonize him and make this worse. I could get answers in the meantime. Learn more.

  And then figure out how the hell to get out of here.

  “All right,” I said calmly. “Show me your house.”

  His shoulders relaxed. “Good.”

  But I didn’t take his hand, just followed him down a hallway. He gestured to other bedrooms but didn’t spend time showing me much. Then he led us downstairs.

  On the main level, it surprised me how comfortable the house was. It felt old but lived in, antiques mixed in with contemporary pieces. The flooring was rich, with light paneling that was inviting and made me wonder who’d updated it.

  “This is your house?” I asked, certain he was lying to me.

  “My family’s house,” he answered. “Yes. But it’s just me here now. And—”

  He broke off and walked toward the front door. My heartbeat picked up. This was my way out. As long as I didn’t get caught.

  Which meant I had to play along for now. Until I could find my cell phone or escape. Do whatever I could to get out of here before the full moon.

  “And what?” I asked, following him to a room that was close to the front door.

  He stopped at the entryway to the other room and propped his shoulder against the door jamb. “It’s nothing.”

  I leaned against the wall as well and took a chance. “Family stuff?”

  He nodded. “Yes. Family stuff.” But he didn’t elaborate. Instead, he reached out and brushed the backs of his fingers on my cheek, catching me off guard. “I wish we could have met under different circumstances.”

  I almost said, “me, too” because I was actually really starting to like Gage. Until he went and kidnapped me.

  Before I could respond, he moved in, smooth and fast. His mouth was on mine in an instant, lips just a faint brush that made me want more. I couldn’t seem to help that instant yearning to be with someone else, the desire for physical contact I hadn’t let myself indulge for a long time. I was too afraid of hurting someone else.

  But for some reason, those flames didn’t seem to go crazy around Gage. The one person I truly needed them for, and they failed me. Was that because I was getting better at controlling them? Or was I just that hopeless around Gage—still attracted to him despite what he’d done to me?

  His breath touched my lips and I swore he was going to lean in for another, deeper kiss, but then he eased back. “I hope you’ll understand what all this is for soon. In the meantime…”

  He touched my back, encouraging me to step into the room. “It’s the library,” he said.

  I walked inside and then gaped. It wasn’t a small library by any means. It held shelf after shelf of books on polished wood. And higher, a second story held even more books that were stationed up a winding staircase.

  “I thought you might like it,” Gage said, smiling gently. He pointed. “Here’s fiction. Classics, mostly. And some of my favorites. But over here…” I followed him to the opposite side of the room past a long, wooden table. “We have history. Geography. Family books, like journals and notebooks. Information about our bloodline.”


  A vampire bloodline? How the hell had this not come up in my research of the town?

  “Is the rest of your family like you?” I asked him.

  His smile widened. “Heartbreakingly attractive?”

  “You know what I mean.”

  He strolled to the window and stared outside for a long moment, shoving his hands in his pockets. “We’re the oldest family in Knob Creek. Our bloodline goes back for over a century.” When he turned back, his eyes were black as onyx and full of conflict. “It goes back almost as long as the curse.”

  “Curse?” I asked, taking a step closer. This was what I needed to know. The information I was here for.

  “The curse you’re here to break,” Gage said.

  He met me in the middle of the room while I shook my head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. And I don’t think I can break a curse—”

  “You can and you will.” He reached up, fast as lightning, and gripped my chin between his thumb and forefinger. “I’ll bring you whatever you need and let you use your mother’s Book of Shadows. But, Link, you’re not leaving here until you break that curse.”

  CHAPTER 10

  I slumped at the table, letting myself indulge in a brief moment of hopelessness. I knew nothing about spells or curses. I hadn’t even known I was a witch that long. But Gage wanted me to work magic anyway.

  He left me with my mother’s Book of Shadows and a family journal he suggested I take a look at, and then closed the library door.

  What the fuck was I supposed to do with two books and a cursory knowledge of witchcraft? After all, there was a huge difference between being aware of it and actually practicing it.

  I walked to the window Gage had stood in front of and peered outside. The grounds were immaculate, stately, and welcoming. I loved it, which made me hate it. Because if Gage had invited me here like a normal person, I probably would have fallen in love at the drop of a hat.

  The place held so much history, and Gage himself probably did, too.

  The sun sank closer to the horizon, reminding me I had a little over a day to get the hell out of Knob Creek.

  My gaze wandered to the library door. I listened but hadn’t heard him lock anything. That meant he trusted me for now. And if I was quiet enough, maybe I could walk around and try to find a phone.

  Or simply walk out an unlocked door.

  But how quiet did you have to be to fool a vampire?

  I figured this was my chance to find out.

  Then, back at the table, the pages of the Book of Shadows started fluttering. I walked over quickly, eager to see what it was trying to tell me now. It stopped toward the back of the book, on a page that said, Commune Without Being Present.

  I read the words underneath. It gave brief instructions on how to contact or communicate with someone who wasn’t in the same room. Or building. Or even in the same state. Astral projection. I’d read about that in the past. People leaving their physical bodies to travel somewhere else with their incorporeal ones.

  It said the tools were relatively simple. As in, if you wanted to communicate with someone, all you had to do was have an item of theirs.

  Oh, and be a witch, too.

  Fortunately I was able to utilize both. I shoved my hand in my pocket and touched the chain of the necklace first. Then I felt paper against my fingers and pulled out the card Dylan gave to me.

  Footsteps sounded outside the door and I tucked the card in my hands behind my back. Fuck. I couldn’t give anything away. But the longer he kept me here, the more I knew he needed me. Which meant that what Grace and Dylan had been warning me about—the reason they were trying to chase me out of town—was real.

  And serious.

  I waited for Gage to come in, but nothing happened. Maybe he was leaving. Or…who knew? All I knew was that I didn’t have much time.

  The footsteps moved away, and I blew out a breath. Quick.

  I grabbed the Book of Shadows and darted to the door. I paused with my hand on the handle and listened. Nothing.

  It squeaked slightly when I opened it, making me wince. I was fully prepared for Gage to come running. If he had fast reflexes from being a vampire, that probably meant he had super hearing, right?

  And super smell?

  But again, nothing happened.

  I took slow steps in that direction, grateful I was in my Converse instead of the heavy boots I’d been wearing lately.

  My heart tried to beat out of my chest, but I forced myself to keep going. Just ten steps to the front door. Freedom.

  It got closer and closer, until I could reach out and touch the handle. Blood roared in my ears as my heart rate spiked.

  Then I twisted the handle. And nothing happened.

  Fuck!

  I yank harder, desperate, but still, nothing happened. I almost dropped the book, prepared to start yanking with both hands.

  “It’s bolted from the outside,” Gage said close to my ear.

  I yelped and whipped around. I held the Book of Shadows against my chest, almost like a shield. “Gage,” I reasoned. “You have to let me go. I’ll still do your spell, but—”

  “I thought we already figured this out. There isn’t any more time, it has to be done now. I’ve been waiting a long time to get the original four families in this town at once. And you’re a Master of the Flame. There’s no way I can let you go.”

  “I’ll still do the spell—”

  “Come on,” he snapped, gripping my arm.

  “Gage,” I tried again. Leaving the door was out of the question. It meant I’d never find an escape. “Let go.”

  “Link. Please cooperate.”

  I willed the flames to come out, but they stayed buried inside. So, with a sudden burst of adrenaline, I tugged my arm from him and swung the book at his head. He deflected it with his arm, and it slammed to the floor.

  But since he was distracted, I tried to dart past him. My shoes squeaked on the floor, giving me traction to shove by.

  Gage swiveled at the same time and looped an arm around my waist. With an expert swoop, he lifted me straight off my feet. He hauled me over his shoulder and locked his arm over my thighs to hold me there.

  “Gage!”

  Shit, he was strong. And, to my surprise, he didn’t bring me back to the library but instead started toward the same stairs we had walked down when he’d offered to show me the house.

  “Gage,” I said.

  He squeezed one of my thighs. “I understand this is disorienting, but I don’t have time for you to not cooperate. So I guess we’ll just do one thing at a time.”

  Fear unfurled in my gut. What was that supposed to mean? I was safe in the library. I was doing research and was surrounded by books. But up here, I had no clue what would happen.

  Gage didn’t even get winded. He just kept walking down the hall, bringing us back to the room I’d woken up in. He dropped me on the bed unceremoniously. When I started to get back up, he whipped around and glared down at me.

  “Lincoln,” he said firmly. “I need you to calm down. I don’t want to have to do this the hard way.”

  I slid to the edge of the bed, full of spite. “So what you’re saying was that kidnapping me was the easy way?”

  He shoved a hand through his hair and sighed, like he was losing patience with a child. “As much as I appreciate your smart-ass comments, I’d appreciate them more if you were working with me instead of against me.”

  “I’ll work with you,” I promised him. I had to or I’d never get out of here.

  He shook his head, clearly not believing me. Then he lifted his chin, as though he was listening to something.

  Was there someone outside? Or someone else here?

  I listened along with him but heard nothing.

  “I need to go,” Gage said. “Please stay here.”

  He walked to the door and shut it firmly behind him. This time I heard a lock slide into place.

  “Gage!” I thumped one fist against the
door. “Shit.”

  I could probably pick a lock—a regular one. But not one that was bolted from the outside.

  I cursed repeatedly as I listened to his footsteps fade away. But then they returned, and I backed up. Now what? I thought he was just going to leave me in here.

  The lock clicked again, and I didn’t even consider making a run for it when Gage walked back in with a syringe in his hand. “Please sit down,” he said.

  “Fuck, no.” I held up my hands to ward him off. “You don’t need to do this. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Link.” He bit off a curse. “I wish I could believe you. But you don’t know how important this is. I have to go to town, and I have to make sure you don’t try to escape. Besides, I think… For what you need to do, you’re going to need to rest.”

  What was I going to need to do? Just the spell, I thought. How much was it going to take out of me? If I could even do it.

  “Gage.” I spoke in my most reasonable tone. “I’m staying right here. You go—do what you need to do.”

  “Sorry, I don’t believe you. Just hold still—it’ll only take a minute.”

  He advanced on me and the only thing I could think to do was back to the bed and try to fight. I swatted at the syringe, but he caught my wrist. His movements were too fast for me to keep up with. He bent me back, catching both hands in an iron grip and pinning them above me on the bed.

  “Just relax,” he said. “It’ll hurt less.”

  “Fuck—Gage,” I said, breathless. “I don’t even know what’s going on.”

  Whatever it was in my words or my tone—probably the note of desperation or helplessness—made him pause. He clenched his jaw, making a muscle jump. “What do you mean?”

  “I have no clue about why I’m really here—or who I am. I don’t know anything about the full moon or what this means.”

  His grip didn’t loosen but he lowered the syringe. He sighed. “Your mom thought she was keeping you safe, but your history and who you are is something you need to know. I’ll help you learn it all.”

  For a moment, I thought he was going to ease up. But then he added, “Later.”

  The metal touched my arm, and all the strength in my body couldn’t get him to stop. He started to poke the needle into my skin and then flames erupted.