HotHardHexing

by Mari Freeman

  She’d slowed her crying by the time he was in the water and began splashing the cool water up to his chest. He’d eased in a few feet away, facing her. “So. You gonna tell me what’s going on here?”

  ”No reason not to now.” Her head fell back and she looked up to the cloudless sky above. “I was supposed to deliver that box to someone in Asheville by three.” She started to tear up again. “And now I can’t.”

  Ray sat on a nearby boulder in the creek and leaned forward, splashing water on his face, the crisp feel of it washing away some of the tiredness he was feeling from being up all night. “You owe them money?” Not that he could help her with that. The compulsion to do so took him by surprise. He wanted to help her. To right whatever had gone so wrong last night.

  She shook her head. “No. I don’t…but since I lost it, they’ll kill her for sure now.”

  His gut tightened. This was worse than he suspected. He didn’t want to get mixed up in a homicide call.

  “Yesterday, a ransom note was delivered to my house. They have my cousin, Kara. They want the box in exchange for her.” She looked over at him. “You know the rest. No cops. No Primes. Bring the box. Or else.”

  Ray nodded but didn’t say a word. He wanted to hear everything from her perspective, uninterrupted. It was an old interrogation technique.

  “My sister Nell and her boyfriend—who’s a Prime for the area—just brought that stupid box back from New Orleans.” She shook her head. “It’s not the box. It’s what’s inside that’s so valuable. It’s a Chiwa Talisman.” Ray recognized the name though he couldn’t remember any specific history. But if he knew the name, that meant it was a big deal. “They were supposed to turn it over to the Council tonight.” She splashed her face again and let out a disheartened laugh. “I actually thought if I used it for a minute, just one minute, I could boost my own pathetic power and use my visions to figure out where they were holding Kara.”

  “The Council is expecting that box?” He straightened. Getting bad again.

  “Yes. And so is the kidnapper.” She bit her bottom lip. “So, short story is that I’ve stolen a dangerous talisman from a Prime, done illegal magic with it and I don’t have any way to get Kara back.”

  Ray should’ve been concerned for his own hide at that moment. If the Council got wind that he had anything to do with the theft of something like this, he’d be toast. But even he wasn’t totally insensitive to her situation. He just didn’t have the first clue as to how to help the woman. She must be exhausted.

  A large spider trailing down its web directly above Sonja’s head caught his attention.

  “Um.” He didn’t really want to startle her. The creepy crawlies in the cave seemed to freak her out. “You might want to move.” He pointed up. “There’s a rather large spider heading your way and I know how you hate bugs.”

  “Where?” Her eyes got big.

  He waived her to the side. “Move to the left.”

  She moved before looking up. “Yuck. He’s huge.” She scrambled out of the water. “I’m not that bad with bugs if I can see them.”

  Her t-shirt clung to her body and she hugged herself. He saw her shiver and was unsure if she was cold from the water or if it was a response to the spider. “That’s right. The moths are okay.”

  She hugged herself then made a strange face that changed from disgust to surprise. “Dang. Ray. The moths.” She smiled. “The freaking moths!”

  “I’m sorry?” He stood, letting the water drain away from his heavy jeans.

  She held up both hands. “I can call the moths again. They’ll lead us right to the box!” She smacked her head. “Why didn’t I think of that before?”

  “I don’t know.” He wasn’t sure he was happy she’d thought about it now.

  * * * * *

  Against his better judgment, he helped her prepare the spell. They were back at the beginning. Back in the cave where he had first spotted Sonja and her faulty sacred circle. He still smelled of urine, would have loved to go take a bath. But the sun was getting high and time was running out for her cousin.

  He should just walk away. He had two strikes. Trent Nicolas, Prime, supernatural super cop, was sure to be looking for the talisman right this minute. Goddess knows what kind of help the Prime had enlisted.

  The situations Ray Burgess managed to find himself in boggled his brain. The last time there was someone in distress and blood magic around, he was the one left holding the bag. He was the one the Council called on the carpet. He was the one semi-banished.

  Turn her in and walk away. Maybe even get out of hot water with the Council for doing so. If they found the box and he turned her over to the Prime, she’d be okay. The Prime would go after the kidnapper and Ray would be out of trouble.

  “Let me help you.” He moved her candles to the correct directional points and placed his wand to the left of her cauldron. It was filled with an herbal mixture she’d brought from home. “Last time your circle was so off kilter I thought you might accidently conjure an ogre.”

  Sonja didn’t doubt it. And this time, she was tired and hungry. She lit a candle and within moments the smoke from her little cauldron dispersed and the herbal aroma filled the area. Frankincense masked the strong urine smell still wafting from both of them.

  He stepped from her circle. “All righty, then.” He pushed his shaggy hair out of his eyes. ”Good to go. Just be careful.”

  Sonja had explained to him how the moths were just a means to open the box, assuring him they had nothing to do with the blood magic of the Chiwa inside. The story seemed to have made him even queasier about the whole idea. She thought the plan was pretty brilliant.

  “If you feel the slightest bit of blood magic, especially if you feel it tainting your own power, stop.” He was looking her in the eye, waiting on a verbal response.

  She nodded, but if he thought she would give up when there was even a small chance…no way. She closed her eyes, bent forward and let the smoke from her cauldron cleanse her aura. She usually didn’t care that her magic primarily drove only visions. Her grandmother had taught her to focus that energy for a few minor spells. She’d put this one together herself using the frankincense and a powerful rose quartz she’d had since childhood. She’d half expected it to fail. But the magic had called the moths once and could do it again.

  She kept her voice as low as possible. Pulling energy from deep inside was the key. Her Dragon was not happy. It wanted out again and was agitated that she wasn’t calling it. She’d used more magic and been around more magic in the last twelve hours than she had been in years, and the Dragon wanted to stretch and breathe. It broke her heart. There was nothing she’d like more than to let it go. Not since childhood had she been able to let it go without the pain, but she had to concentrate and stifle that part of herself. She needed the moths instead.

  She felt them coming. They were fluttering and resentful of the daylight, but they came. She slowly opened her eyes as a small cloud of them crossed into the circle. She reached out her hand and a large one landed on her now scarred palm. Its black wings had the most amazing pattern of blue and silver she’d seen. She held it for a moment. It walked to the end of her fingertips and took off again.

  It was time to do this thing. Part of her feared what would come next. What would happen if she got the talisman to Asheville? Would they kill her and Kara? What if Kara was already dead? If only Ray could come with her. He probably wouldn’t, but he was a handy guy to have around with his guns and strong magic. She looked up to the swarm. Huge wings tumbled and turned, the moths crashing into one another, looking for a way out of the circle as she pulled the magic away.

  They headed back the way they had come when her spell was broken and the magic drifted from the circle. Ray was following them into the woods. As she stood, her legs quivered and stung. Her right foot was asleep and her left wasn’t far off. She hobbled after Ray and the moths as they headed in the direction of his house.

  She caugh
t up as Ray slowed. “You feel it?” he asked.

  They were both breathing hard from the chase, her pulse beat in her ears but when she opened herself to the energy of the universe, she felt the icky pull of the magic that she recognized as the Chiwa. She nodded.

  “There’s an old moonshine hut back in those trees.” She squinted and saw a bit of silvered wood through the thick kudzu that’d taken over most of what was still standing. “My bet? We’ve a few Gremlins in there with it.”

  Finally. “Blast ’em and let’s go. I’m out of time.” She felt hopeful for the first time since losing the box. She had just enough time to get to Asheville. She might be a little late, but she’d get there.

  He nodded but Sonja didn’t like the worried look on his face. He hesitated as if he were going to say something and then changed his mind. It was just an instant but it made Sonja nervous. She needed that box. But it was covered in gold, and very powerful. Ray may want it. May want to turn it in. She would have to do whatever was necessary to get that thing to Asheville.

  He reached for his wand as they neared the door to the one-room shack. She heard some scuffling in there. He took up a position on one side of the door. She took the other.

  He nodded and gave her the gesture to stay back. Sonja braced against the wall, understanding.

  Sudden, searing pain shot through her right ankle. Sonja screamed.

  “Shit!” He cursed and kicked the door.

  Sonja looked down. A grubby, moss-covered paw had reached her leg through a gaping crack in the weathered old wood planks and clamped down, claws digging into her skin.

  Loud squealing and screeching hurt her ears as Ray blasted inside. The Gremlin attached to her leg loosened his grip in the commotion and Sonja jerked away, hopping to a fallen log to inspect the damage. She’d lost a shoe in the process and her skin was cut in three places. Two fingers and a thumb had sliced her pretty good but she didn’t think she needed stitches. Had the little bastard’s claws been a little longer, she’d have been in trouble.

  She hobbled into the hut. Ray was squatting, looking at the box.

  “I think we should take this to the Prime, Sonja.” His eyes were stern. The rest of his features were hidden in his beard and shaggy hair but she knew what he wanted. Knew he’d been a cop at one point.

  She hated that he was going to fight her on this. Desperation started to overwhelm her. It was consuming. “Is the diamond still there?” she asked.

  The box was upside down. He would have to turn away from her to look.

  There was a loose board just by her hand, leaning on a busted old crate. When Ray turned his head, reaching to turn the box over, she grabbed the board, closed her eyes and arched it as far behind her as possible.

  Sonja swung.

  She opened her eyes just in time to see Ray turn to her, but it was too late, momentum was on her side. The board was headed right at his head. Sonja had been captain of the Terrible Tigers, state softball champs all four years she was in high school. And she was the home run queen.

  She pulled back slightly at the last minute, not wanting to kill the guy.

  Ray’s entire upper body pivoted from the force of the blow before he hit the ground.

  She got him good, but he’d live. Tomorrow would be a pain-filled day, though.

  Sonja had dropped the makeshift bat as soon as Ray hit the ground. Her fingers trembled as she checked his wound. Bleeding slightly, but not enough to be a serious issue. She snatched up the box, only now wondering why it was still golden. Why hadn’t the moths retreated when the box closed, as they always had before?

  Several scratches marred the top. She turned the box and saw a large ding in the side that made the two halves misalign by just a smidgen. Probably from the stupid bear trap.

  Holy cauldrons, she’d broken the box! And hit a cop. Goddess. Well, nothing she could do about either at the moment.

  She patted Ray’s shoulder lightly to console the unconscious man without waking him. “Sorry. Really sorry.” She headed for the door. “Better if you’re not involved anyway.” She ran out of the hut, ignoring the burn of her ankle. Racing back to her car to get to Asheville, to Kara…racing to ease her uncontrollable desperation.

  Chapter Six

  Ray tried to inspect the cut at the base of his skull. No matter what he tried, there was way too much hair in the way. He looked at himself in the steamy mirror and huffed. Too much hair everywhere. What exactly was he hiding from? The man in the mirror couldn’t hide behind a thick beard and a bad haircut. Nope. He had to live with the consequences of his decisions.

  He went to the drawer of his old desk and pulled out a pair of scissors. Art grunted as he passed the dog on his return to the bathroom. “I know. It’s about time.”

  Just above the cut, Ray hacked off a big hunk of curly hair. He’d hated those curls as a boy. Made him feel girly. Didn’t hate them so much anymore; for the last two years he’d been hiding behind them. He carefully cut away more hair then inspected the injury again. The gash in his head wasn’t so bad, but boy did that Halfling have a swing. He craned his neck to the side to stretch the soreness out then closed the ragged cut with a couple butterfly bandages. He tested the soreness of the bruising around the base of his skull. Now that was gonna hurt for a while. Sighing, he placed an open newspaper across his sink. Then he cut more hair.

  Finished, he ran his hand over the back of his head. His stylist skills were a bit rough, but it would do until he had time to get a proper haircut. One could have fashioned a couple of Gremlins from the pile of hair on the paper. He started on the beard next. He pulled out a fistful of strands, surprised he’d let it get so long, and snipped it close to his chin.

  After shaving and cleaning up the mess, Ray looked back at his reflection. He knew without really thinking about it that he was going after her. He had to stop Sonja Ambercroft’s good intentions from getting both her and her cousin killed. He had to get that box and get it to the Council before someone used it for the wrong reasons. He knew all about the kinds of characters who would kidnap an innocent for that talisman. And they weren’t likely the kind to just take their prize and let the two women go.

  He grabbed a black shirt from this closet, pulled it over his shoulders. He checked the ammo in his trusty 9mm then tucked it into a holster at his waistband. Shoved an extra magazine in his back pocket and his wand in the front.

  He may no longer be on the force, but he was still a cop. He knew where she was going from all that mumbling just before she’d regained consciousness last night. It hadn’t made sense at the time, something about a park and a grove. But now he knew her story. She’d mentioned Asheville, and a quick computer search told him what he needed to know.

  Finally ready, Ray went to look for his cell phone. Not on the stand by the door. Neither were his keys or his wallet.

  “Shit.” She must have stopped by here on her way out. Smart girl.

  No worries. His baby didn’t need keys to run. “His baby” being the classic Chevelle in the barn out back. A bright red car with black racing stripes up the hood may not be too inconspicuous, but it was a fast bitch. He’d catch up with Sonja in no time. He plopped his cowboy hat on his head. Ray Burgess may be a good guy, but it was time to go play bad boy. The wave of adrenaline was like a hug from a long-lost friend. Honest and welcomed.

  Lulu Girl whined as he dumped several days’ worth of food in the two bowls. They had access to water and a homemade doggy door. They were set. He’d have the neighbor check on them if he wasn’t back by tomorrow. “You two behave.”

  Art grunted and sauntered away.

  * * * * *

  Sonja sank into the tub in the swanky hotel room at the Grove Park Inn. The keys had been waiting for her at the desk, just as she’d been told. She’d been embarrassed by the disgusted look the desk clerk had given her disheveled state. She had a change of clothes in her bag but hadn’t dared waste time to stop and put them on. She’d just muttered something abo
ut horrible traffic, and it being one of those days, but knew there was no explaining away the urine smell. Thank the Goddess for hotel shampoo and soaps. Eucalyptus and orange scents wafted through the giant marble bathroom. The heat of the water did a fine job of relaxing her a bit. Though she was beat, she needed to stay awake. She had no clue how the kidnapper was going to contact her next. But her eyelids wanted so badly to creep closed…

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  He was nude. Feet straddling her legs as she sat on the blanket. The breeze now skirted over her skin, making the tiny hairs on her stomach quiver. Her nipples tightened. His cock jerked. She wanted to reach up and touch it. She could reach it. He was holding it right there, after all. He wouldn’t be all naked and standing over her in a field if he didn’t want her to touch it. Would he? Hell, she wanted to do more than touch it. She wanted to lick the beautiful thing. Run her tongue right along that vein that seemed to be pulsing, calling to her. Yup. That’s exactly what she wanted to do.

  He released his hold and his cock jerked again, bobbed a couple times as if to agree with her thought process. She licked her lips and heard him moan. Maybe he could hear her thoughts. She was naked and sans scars again, in the same field. Why not go for it?

  And why back here in this field, too? If this is her fantasy, dream, vision…whatever, why not have him tied up in a soft, comfy bed? She closed her eyes and willed it.

  Cynical laughter echoed off in the distance. Her eyes snapped open to see if someone had joined them in her little fantasy world. But before she could look anywhere, the point was rendered moot. Ray was splayed on the same type of big bed as the one in her hotel room, hands tied with green velvet ropes to the metal vines that twisted into a beautiful arch over the bed.

  Sonja reclining next to him. All she could do was study his wonderful cock.

  “Sonja.” She heard his voice in her head. It was strangely garbled, as if it weren’t him speaking. She let her gaze follow the line of his body, admiring his tight abs and strong chest as she made it to his face. His eyes were closed. His head tilted back.