by Bonnie Vanak
Danica chanted in a low, lyrical voice, the notes pure and soothing, easing the panic in Ella’s chest. Darcy kept laying her hands over Nellie’s heart. They glowed white, and then red, and the blue tint began to fade from her mother’s skin.
A few minutes later, Danica stopped chanting. Her mother’s skin went from glacial blue to pale white. Relief flooded Ella. “She’s going to live. Now we have to warm her in the bathtub.”
Darcy shook her head. “No. The only way to break the spell is to use your Wylding powers to warm her slowly. If we attempt to heat her body the normal, human way, her heart will never beat again.”
Sinking back on her haunches, Danica dragged in a deep breath. “Dear goddess, that spell always drains me. May I have a glass of water?”
Kieran gave the woman a critical look. “Brandy would do better. For you too, Ella.”
He herded her toward the cabinet Nellie opened earlier, and fished out a decanter of amber liquid.
He came back with two small glasses, handing one first to Danica, who bolted it down and then gave it to her sister. She gasped. “Good stuff.”
Ella sniffed the liquor and sipped. It did warm her, burning her throat. As she went to sip again, Kieran took the glass from her.
“It’s not ordinary brandy.” He gave the snifter to Darcy. “It’s Elven cordial. Powerful, and it can be toxic to mortals. I would not risk drinking more until your first shift.”
Shift? Ella knew he wasn’t talking about her job, but something darker and more complex. She couldn’t take it in right now.
Worry tightened her chest as she studied Nellie, whose chest still did not move. “Is she going to live?”
“It buys her time, but not much.” Darcy rubbed her hands against her jeans. “A week, perhaps ten days, at the most.”
Ten days? “Please, we have to save her. She’s all I have.” Tears swam in Ella’s eyes. “I don’t know what is happening here, but I trust that all of you want to help. I can’t do anything!”
Kieran rubbed his chin and looked suddenly weary.
“There is a way to break the spell. I’m not supposed to do this.” He raised his head and called out in a loud voice. “Gideon! To me!”
A brilliant flash of red light manifested in the living room. Ella squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them, a handsome, tall blond man, the tips of his hair dipped in red, stood in her house. Dressed all in crimson, he had an air of danger. Power radiated from him, making her eyes water.
Darcy and Danica both bowed their heads. Kieran did not. Hands on hips, he faced the stranger bravely.
Men who appeared out of clouds. Creatures that struck down her poor mother with the threat of icy death. She struggled to maintain her grip on reality. And then deep inside, something calmed and soothed her. A sweet, feminine voice told her this was the new normal. She wasn’t losing her mind.
You are gaining your new identity.
Ella wasn’t certain how she knew this, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was saving her mother.
“Gideon, the Tornakt struck Nellie with an ice spell. You must save her,” Kieran told the blond man.
Whoever this Gideon was, Ella did not care as long as he had a way to restore Nellie. Though Darcy and Danica backed away, she lifted her chin and approached. “My mother is dying. I don’t know what or who you are, mister, but you must save her.”
Darcy and Danica heaved in a collective breath. An amused grin touched Kieran’s face.
“That’s my girl, Ella. No fear.”
Gideon held out a hand, and touched her skin. An electrical tingling shot up her arm, not unpleasant. And then she blinked and before her stood the blond man who’d shown up at the restaurant with Kieran, only wearing plain trousers and a wool shirt, his hair much shorter and ordinary.
“You’re the Gideon from the other night!” She rubbed her forehead. “What are you?”
“I am the Crimson Wizard, a member of the Brehon, the ruling council over Others. You are very important to our kind.”
Right. She felt as if she’d been immersed in some kind of weird video game where the worst things dredged from her mind came to life. She didn’t know how to eliminate them or what button to press to shut it off.
But at least Gideon’s voice was kind and gentle. Maybe he could help. She pointed to Nellie. “Please, break the spell. Kieran said you can.”
He sighed deeply. “I cannot.”
“What?” Kieran scowled. “Gideon, you can do anything.”
“Only you can save her, Ella, and break the ice spell. I am forbidden from aiding you.”
“You bastard. You’re refusing to help.” Kieran fisted his hands.
The wizard’s body tensed. “I cannot help, Kieran. I warned you that this assignment came with dangerous consequences. If I even attempt to heal Nellie, the energy I will pour into her body will shock her heart too quickly. She must be healed slowly, with lesser power.”
Like warming a person slowly with warm water. Too much heat could scald the skin. “Where can we find this magick?” she asked.
Red flaming in his eyes, Gideon looked directly at her. “The power will come from you when you accept your magick and your duties, Ella.”
“I have no power,” she cried out. “I’m an ordinary woman.”
“Now, you do not. But you are no ordinary woman.” Gideon touched her cheek and the tears on her skin dried. Warmth spread through her.
Gideon nodded. “You have tremendous courage and strength, Ella. Trust in yourself.”
He looked down at the dead Tornakt. “I will dispose of this carcass for you, before predators sense it. But you know what you must do, Kieran. Everyone stand back. Kieran, move Nellie into the other room.”
He donned his gloves and gently picked up her mother, placing her on the sofa.
She wasn’t certain how this Gideon would “dispose” of the dead body, but raced into the living room. Darcy and Danica had fled into the kitchen.
The wizard flicked out his hands. Huge red flames shot from his fingertips, the heat so intense it made her eyes water. In a minute, the Tornakt was gone, reduced to a pile of white ash.
“Better than an incinerator,” she murmured, awed by the power.
Gideon gave a brief smile. Then he narrowed his eyes as he regarded Kieran. Darcy and Danica returned to stand near Ella.
“I must leave you. Even now, the energy I expended is attracting other predators searching for you. Take Darcy with you. She is a good fighter in a tight spot.”
Darcy looked at the wizard. “The goddess wishes me to stay with Ella? I don’t have a new assignment?”
Something flickered in Gideon’s gaze. “Not yet. Go with them, Darcy. You can provide extra protection.”
Kieran growled low. “Thanks for nothing, friend.”
“I am your friend, Kieran,” Gideon said quietly. “I always will be, but there are limits to what I can do. Follow your heart and you will find the way.”
Stepping back, the wizard vanished. Ella stumbled backward, grief piercing her. “Thanks for nothing. This is terrific. Now what? How am I supposed to find this power he keeps insisting I have?”
“I’m here to help you.” Kieran touched her cheek, and even though she expected the leather covering his fingers to be warm, she was stunned it was ice cold.
No wonder he didn’t want her touching her mother. With this kind of powerful magick, she suddenly realized her mother was fortunate to be alive.
“First, we have to secure your mother in a safe place where nothing can touch her.”
“Or she can be touched by anyone.” Ella locked gazes with him. “I’m getting it now.”
“Good.” He smiled and then glanced at the sisters. “Suggestions?”
“The archives,” Danica told him. “It’s the only area that is under magick protection. I’ll make sure no one else gets inside. Meet us there. I’ll have to ward the library, get the Skins and Others out so you can move her there.”
The two sisters left on Danica’s motorcycle.
“Pack a suitcase,” Kieran told her. “You’ll need clothing and essentials for a week. Pack light clothing as well as what you usually wear here this time of year.”
“Where are we going?”
She didn’t like this, didn’t like the idea of running off and leaving her mother alone, but if this Gideon was right, she could find the power to cure Nellie.
“Florida. It’s where we can find the crystal you need. Hurry.”
Half an hour later, she’d stuffed clothing, and some personal objects into the battered suitcase that had belonged to her father. As an afterthought, she added a few of Darcy’s toys and some catnip.
When she went downstairs, he took the luggage from her. His nostrils flared and he gave an appreciative sniff.
“Catnip. Yum.”
Yum? She didn’t want to know. Instead, she sat on the armchair, watching her mother as he popped the trunk of his car and placed the case inside.
He returned, giving a worried glance at the Swiss cuckoo clock on the wall. “We must hurry, Ella. The longer we linger, the easier it will be to find you.”
With extreme care and wearing his leather gloves, Kieran lifted Nellie into his arms. Her mother looked so frail and thin, her arms and legs dangling as Kieran carried her outside. Ella ran out, opened the back door and Kieran carefully placed Nellie on the back seat.
They roared away from her house. Ella clung to the door handle as he raced down her street.
“Must you go so fast?” she muttered.
He flashed a smile. “Xavier and Gideon did not like my driving, either.”
But he got them to the library quickly. The parking lot was deserted. Kieran lifted her mother and carried her into the library as Ella opened the door. Darcy and Danica were inside, looking worried.
“You’d best hurry,” Danica told him as she escorted them to the elevator. “Darcy picked up traces of spectral magick in the air headed this way.”
“Which means, for lack of the explaining, that something wicked this way comes.” Darcy patted Ella’s arm. “Ray Bradbury. Great novel. You have a wonderful collection. While you were at work, I caught up on a lot of reading.”
Ella almost laughed at the image of her beloved cat reading a horror novel. Then again, her cat was not her cat. It was enough to make her start drinking. A lot.
She started to follow Kieran, but Darcy caught her arm. “No, honey. Say your goodbyes here. Danica has to ward the archives with a protective spell and we can’t be certain if it will have a bad effect on you.”
Tightness coiled in her stomach as she went to her mother, cradled in Kieran’s arms. Careful not to touch her, Ella leaned close.
“Goodbye mom. I love you. I’ll find a way to cure you. Please stay with us until I do,” she whispered.
She turned away and walked off as the elevator dinged. Ella headed for the reception desk.
I will not cry. I must be strong. That wizard said I have strength, I have to find it, somehow.
Darcy came up to her, hugged her. “It’s going to be okay, my friend. Remember all those times you thought you couldn’t go on without your dad? The times you talked to me? You made it. You can do this.”
Ella blinked against the hot flood of tears. “Yeah, but you were a cat.”
“Well, if that helps.” Darcy snapped her fingers and a black cat replaced the woman.
Ella picked her up, burying her nose into Darcy’s fur. A stray tear slipped down her cheek. Sniffling she placed Darcy on the counter. “Don’t get into trouble. Your sister will be pissed.”
Darcy meowed, and seemed to smile. Then the cat loped over to Danica’s IN box and began batting at the papers, shuffling them around.
A much-needed laugh fled her. Oh yeah, Danica would be quite upset. She was obsessive about neatness.
Laughter and anger, two emotions that were better than grief. Fisting her hands, she paced the library. Once this had been a refuge for her, a place of study and peace. Now it reminded her of a mausoleum. Soon it would become one, unless she found a way to cure Nellie.
Kieran emerged from the elevator. Darcy shifted back into a clothed woman and stood by the desk, waiting.
Kieran said nothing, only pulled Ella into his arms and held her. The hug felt soothing, as if she drew strength from him.
But he’d gotten her into his mess, she reasoned. All had been fine before he’d waltzed into her life. So she stepped out of his embrace, giving them distance. His expression became guarded.
“Now what?” she asked.
“Danica is below, still warding the archives. Let’s go. I bought us two plane tickets for Florida.”
“Florida?” Darcy made a face. “Please don’t tell me the west coast of South Florida. Please…”
Kieran blinked. “Why?”
“Because that’s where Adrian lives now.” She turned to Ella. “He’s an alpha wolf who is hot for me.”
“Sounds…complicated,” Ella said, struggling to adjust to the idea that her cat not only had a human form, but could have relationship with a wolf.
“If this Adrian is that interested in you, we could use his help. Check him out, where he lives and how large his pack is, but do not reveal why you are in Florida,” Kieran ordered.
A sigh came from Darcy. “Fine. I can be discreet.”
“Why Florida? Why not zap us to this magick land where this magick crystal is that will cure everything, Kieran?” Ella asked.
“Sarcasm will not help, Ella. I’ll tell you why when we are driving to Denver. It is not advisable for you to stay here long.”
When they were out on the parking lot, Darcy climbed onto her bike. She looked at Kieran. “Text me where you’re going and I’ll meet you there. I have stuff I need to wrap up at Ella’s house. Clean-up detail.”
“What clean-up?” Ella demanded.
Kieran wrapped a hand around her upper arm, but his attention focused on Darcy. “Use fairy fire.”
“What fire?” she cried out.
“I have to burn your house,” Darcy said.
“No! My home? What kind of crap is this? I never asked for it!”
“You did not, but you’re in the thick of it now, Ella-mine.” Kieran rubbed her arm, a soothing motion that did not calm her. Every nerve ending jangled.
Her home, which she and Nellie had fought to keep against the bank foreclosing, against hungry realtors sniffing for a bargain. Now, destined to become soot and ashes.
Ella yanked out of Kieran’s grasp. “It’s your home, too. You can’t do this,” she told Darcy.
Her home, too? She was talking to her cat. Her cat, who was now a woman. Ella pressed two fingers to her forehead, hoping she’d blink and all this would vanish and she’d find herself sitting at a table, studying the ancient texts.
Tried it. Nope. Kieran and Darcy still stood before her.
Darcy glanced at Kieran, who nodded. “I’m so sorry, Ella,” her cat told her, and she roared off.
She wanted to beat at someone, anything. “Why? Why are you doing this to me?”
He closed his eyes, long, black lashes nearly feathering his perfect cheeks. “I am sorry, Ella. Darcy will have the remainder of your clothing and your personal items couriered over to the library for storage. But everything else must go. The spectral trail of magick now in the house will bring in every nasty Other from here to Kentucky.”
“How do I know you’re not aligned with those things? Ever since you came into my life, everything has gone to hell!”
A muscle jumped in his taut jaw. Kieran fisted his hands and paced. “I am here to help you. You must trust me in this. Get in the car. Our plane leaves tonight.”
No way. She wasn’t going anywhere with him. “Answers first. Why are you here?”
The corner of his lip lifted in a snarl. “To help you! Get in the car and I will tell you everything.”
Cats turning into humans. Crazy things that turned her mother in
to a Popsicle. Wizards that could vaporize a body in a minute. She’d had enough. Her parents were right. There were no such things as good magick. All magick was bad.
Ella did a firm plant on the pavement. “No.”
“Dammit, Ella, will you get in the car and let me explain?”
“So you can kidnap me and turn me into something like that thing did to my mom?”
But Kieran wasn’t paying attention. He fixated on the entrance to the library, the curved drive leading up to the building. “It’s too late.”
He ran to her, pushed her aside. “Get behind me.”
More orders. She stepped aside as a late model sedan pulled up a short distance away. Oh. Him. But at least she knew this man. Although why he wanted to visit the library was beyond her. Always thought he was not the reading type.
Except for when it came to Playboy, perhaps.
The driver’s side opened, and Ed, her employer, climbed out. Oozed out, really. The man was big, fat, and walked like a drunken lumberjack cranked up on steroids.
“Ella. You bad girl. I should fire you.”
“Ed? How did you know I was here?”
Two eyes glinted as he stared past Kieran, directly at her. “I followed your stench.”
Ella’s nose twitched as she caught a foul smell coming from her employer. Not the thick, cloying cologne he wore, but something tainted and malevolent beneath it.
“You should have worked late. You’d be safe. Not in this mess with these bastards. Now you’ve forced me to hurt you. I didn’t want to hurt you.” He smiled and held up a hand. Claws emerged from his fingertips.
Kieran snarled, and then, dear gods, he changed.
If she’d thought the transformation of her cat into a human was enough to make her voluntarily commit herself to an insane asylum, this shift of handsome, sexy Kieran into a jaguar, with spots all over his fur, fangs exposed as his lips pulled back in a fierce roar….
Don’t faint. Ella pinched herself as the big cat rushed at Ed.
But that was nothing compared to the evil thing that took over her employer, for his skin stretched and split, revealing something green and slimy beneath. His mouth widened into a slit, and his nostrils became two oblong holes. Clothing ripped and split as his legs and arms widened and thickened.