“I’ll call him right now.” Xan pulled out her phone and called the dark fae she was betrothed to, but not before noticing a missed call from Zora.
“Hey, see if you have a voice mail from Z,” Jane whispered as the line connected.
Jane checked her phone and busied herself listening to Zora’s message.
A fact that Xan was grateful for. She didn’t want Jane seeing her get hot and bothered by Casimir. Especially if he and his family were up to some underhanded demonic dealings.
“Hello, Xan. I was hoping you’d call.” Casimir’s rich baritone was silky smooth to Xan’s ears. It sounded so good, she had to stifle a tiny shiver threatening to climb up her spine.
“I was hoping we could meet. A friend and I have done some homework on the Ellis family and we have some serious questions. Are you free?”
Xan could hear the smile in Casimir’s voice as he answered. “Absolutely. Name the time and place.”
Xan snapped her fingers to get Jane’s attention and mouthed the words “your place” to her. Jane nodded. “Now and I’ll text you the address.” Xan ended the call, grabbed Jane’s hand and shimmered them both to her front door while sending Casimir the address.
Jane grabbed the exterior wall for support. “Fuck, Xan. A little warning would have been nice.”
“Ooh, I’m so sorry. I should have shielded you. Your magic would do it normally.”
“But I’m a little short in the magical department at the moment. Wait a second.” Jane looked at her building, the street, the sky, then at Xan. “Why the fuck is it daylight?”
Xan failed to mention that the sidhe operates on its own timescale. “You’ll be fine. It’s only ten in the morning. You’re not even late for work.”
“Xandrie! That’s hardly the point.”
“Sshhh. I can feel him coming.”
15
Zora
“Wake up sleepyhead, you still have a bunch of pages to type,” Zora grunted as Kaori nudged her elbow.
“Whaa..? What time is it?” Zora wiped the slobber from her chin and squinted at her laptop.
“It’s ten. You told me to wake you early if you didn’t finish. And judging by the last line of all E’s, I’m guessing you fell asleep mid-sentence.
Zora rubbed her eyes, trying to clear the morning haze and fog brain. “I guess I must have,” she said and deleted the extra E’s in her manuscript.
“Want some coffee?” Kaori asked as she handed Zora the mug.
“Thanks,” she said absently, attention drawn to the blinking notification on her control bar.
“What’s that?” Kaori asked from over Zora’s shoulder.
“It’s an email from the publishing house.” Zora opened it, skimmed the message, and closed it, hopefully before Kaori could read it.
“I’m really sorry,” Kaori said quietly.
Zora got up from the armchair, paced a few steps, then sat back down. “She warned me they might do that,” Zora said.
“What are you going to do?”
Zora shrugged. “Not a lot I can do, is there? I’ve been let out of my contract.”
“Whoa, Zora, keep it together,” Kaori said, backing away from her friend.
Zora gave her an odd look. “I am. I don’t feel... and then it hit her. A wall of heat so strong it knocked the wind out of both women in the condo. “What the hell was that?” Zora said when she caught her breath again.
“It’s YOU, get your emotions in check! Screw the book, screw the publisher, it doesn’t matter. Get yourself together.”
Zora couldn’t believe the heat that hit her like opening an oven door had come from her. She looked down at her lap, put her hands on the armrests and watched as the flames danced around her skin, scorching the fabric of her chair. “Oh fuck. No, no! I’m not setting my place on fire!” Zora reached in her pocket and chucked her phone at Kaori. “Call Eric. Tell him to get here NOW!”
16
Xandrie
Casimir Ellis appeared before Jane’s crappy basement studio in a three piece suit.
Figures. He looks even hotter in a suit, Xan thought.
Jane opened the door and let both fae into her apartment. Xan stood as far away from Casimir as possible and tried telling Jane with her eyes that she should take the lead. Because there was no way she could ask intelligent, to the point questions of such a beautiful man.
Just no way.
“So, Xan and I want to know why you and your family have such strong ties to demon summoning,” Jane said matter-of-factly and without preamble.
Casimir smiled, and to Xan’s amazement, Jane seemed utterly unaffected by it. “I understand. It’s a disconcerting topic. And brave of you to ask me so directly.”
“Don’t give me that, asshole. I invented the butter you’re trying to slather on me. Just tell me the truth.”
Casimir smiled at Jane again, this time a small laugh escaped with it. “Your witch friend is very shrewd, Xan. I’d keep her around if I were you.”
“I intend to,” Xan said, surprising herself with how much her voice didn’t sound like it was going to break. “Now, please answer her question, Casimir.”
“Of course. It’s quite simple, really. The Unseelie Court has always had dealings with the demon realm. We’ve garnered trade agreements and non-aggression pacts over the centuries and one of my duties as the Crowned Prince is to function as a liaison to the demon realm. That’s all. Nothing nefarious whatsoever.”
Xan looked at Jane. Asking a question with her eyes. Is he telling the truth?
Jane nodded. Xan didn’t care how Jane knew, but she trusted it, especially since she couldn’t trust herself to gauge him correctly.
“I believe you’re telling the truth, “ Jane said. “But I also think you’re hiding something. How do we know that’s the extent of your family’s dealings with the hell realm? How can I trust anything you say when you’re hiding behind such a thick glamor? I could smell it on you before you got here.”
“I can make no assurances. Trust is something that can only be earned, this I know. But I will lower my glamor if that will make you more comfortable.”
“It will,” Jane said.
With a shower of golden sparkles, Prince Casimir of the Unseelie Court lowered his glamor.
And Xandrine Kovak of the Seelie Court almost had a heart attack.
“Holy fuck.” Jane said.”
“Jesus,” Xan said when she’d caught her breath and her heart returned to normal. She couldn’t bear to look at him for more than a moment.
“Your glamor dulled your beauty?” Jane said, who was now blushed at the Prince’s unearthly face.
He nodded. “It’s a lot for most to take. But I’d hoped, Xan, that in time you could come to see me as I truly am.”
Xan met Casimir’s eyes for the first time since his glamor came down. The once blue-black eyes were now liquid pools of deep blue sapphires. Every bone and angle in his face, perfectly symmetrical and balanced. His hair, black as a raven’s wing, skin, glowing with life and magic. Xandrie couldn’t help feeling overwhelmed at the sight of the perfect man in front of her.
The perfect man she was supposed to marry. And probably make babies with. And rule two fae kingdoms with.
“For fuck's sake, put your glamor back up before Xan turns into Gumby over there.”
Casimir did as Jane asked and Xan was finally back in her right mind again. She straightened her postured, fixed the stupid look she could feel plastered on her face and nodded at Jane to continue.
She felt better, but she still wasn’t a hundred percent.
“So, what did that prove? Nothing except that you’re incredibly good looking. Lots of good looking people do very bad things. Things with demons. So how about this? How about you help us as a way to prove yourself? How does that sound?”
“Whatever you need, if it’s within my power, I’ll do my utmost to provide.”
“That’s the spirit. Now, what do you know about wolv
es?”
17
Zora
Zora?
“Eric? Where are you? Get here now?”
“He’s not here yet,” Kaori said as she hit the burning gypsy with another blast from the fire extinguisher.
Zora, I’m around the corner. I need you to calm down.
I WAS calm, and then I started burning. What the fuck is going on?
I’m not sure, but I need you to listen to my voice, OK? That’s what you need to focus on right now.
Eric’s voice was calm and soothing, but it was no match for the inferno Zora made of her living room. She sat glued to the armchair, afraid that one false move or one errant emotion would set the whole condo ablaze. Or worse, hurt Kaori.
As it was now, Zora had managed to keep her burning rage contained to her person and her chair. But she wasn’t sure how long she could hold out.
“K, you’ve got to get out of here.”
“I can’t leave you like this. I’ll wait until Eric gets here.”
“No!” A tendril of flames reached out from Zora’s core, whipping around the room in response to her anger.
“Get it together, Zora!”
I’m here, I’m here. Which floor?
Fifth.
I’ll be right there.
Zora breathed and focused. She thought about the forest and how peaceful she found it there. She thought about the bar, and how unexpectedly happy it made her. She thought about her friends, and how much they meant to her.
But all the emotion she raised, regardless how nice it felt, wasn’t helping. It wasn’t the same frustrated anger that started the inferno, but it was still strong emotions, and that was exactly what she needed to rid herself of.
Sex magic was such a fickle thing. Transmuting into kinetic energy if it wasn’t released properly, Zora sat in the middle of her own personal Armageddon.
I thought we fixed this. Eric said to her mind as he entered the condo.
Zora couldn’t manage anything but a shrug.
“You’re going to have to help me out a little bit. I can’t even get to you while you’re all fire-goddess-y.”
“Figure it out. I’m doing my best not to blow up the whole damn block!”
Eric shared a look with Kaori. “We don’t have this in Japan. We bury our feeling properly and never let it interfere with magic.”
Zora, I’m going to get in your head and move some things around.
Do it.
You’re not going to like it.
Just do it before I go nuclear!
Eric ducked as more flames bellowed out from Zora’s midsection, just barely missing his shirt.
And then they vanished. The flames that only moments ago consumed Zora’s body, were now only puffs of smoke leaving the thick smell of ash in the air.
Zora looked down at her unharmed body, then to her blackened chair.
“Hm. It’s Cajun-style now,” she said dryly.
Kaori stared at her. “Are you OK?”
Zora nodded. She felt a little off, like her head wasn’t connected or something, but she seemed to be OK.
“I, uh, I’m really sorry I had to do that,” Eric said.
“Do what? I feel fine. Actually,” Zora looked down again. “I don’t feel much of anything.”
“So you’re not in any pain?” Kaori asked.
“That’s not what I mean. I’m not in pain, but I’m trying to say I don’t feel anything, like, anything at all. Everything is just, fine.” Zora’s icy eyes had lost the light behind them, and her natural husky voice sounded monotonous and droning.
Kaori looked at Eric. “What did you do?”
“I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I disconnected Zora from her emotions.”
“That’s fine. It was a smart idea,” Zora said flatly.
“It is NOT fine! Reconnect them! Zora is who she is because she feels everything so extremely, because she’s so passionate. Set her right, now, Eric!”
“I’m afraid if I do she’ll combust again.”
Kaori’s almond shaped eyes bounced from Zora to Eric at least a dozen times before she spoke again.
“She can’t live like that,” Kaori gestured to Zora’s vacant stare and statue pose. “How are you going to fix it?”
“Carefully.” Eric sat on the floor in front of Zora’s feet and took her hands.
That tickles, Zora said as she felt Eric gently rearranging pathways in her brain.
Does that bother you?
I don’t think so.
How about this?
Zora gasped, snatching her hands away and clawing at her throat. “What is that? Make it stop, please! Whatever it is, make it stop!”
Zora was suffocating in her own emotions, her own power.
Eric shook his head and put the block back in place.
“You’d better fix it,” Kaori hissed at him.
“I don’t know how!” Eric yelled back.
Zora sat staring but not seeing, unmoving, unaffected.
“What if you left me like this,” Zora said, emotionless voice a shell of what it was.
“Absolutely not,” Eric and Kaori said in unison. They agreed on that much.
“It’s not so bad. I’m still here. I just have all the sharp edges filed away.”
“Z, we like your edges. Just give us some time to figure it out,” Kaori said.
Zora watched as her friend dragged Eric into the kitchen. She watched them argue, watched Eric’s face grow red with what could only be anger. Zora saw all of it but she didn’t care.
Eric had severed the connection to her emotional center, and all Zora could think was how much lighter she felt. How much easier things were without her head getting foggy from anger
18
Jane
The Prince of where ever was quite knowledgeable on not only wolves but also demons.
After bleeding him dry of all the information she could, Jane told Zora about the items Casimir mention they needed to bring to be granted a meeting with the wolves. Then she, as politely as she could, kicked the fae out of her apartment and crashed like, well, like she’d had no sleep.
She woke hours later, late for her closing shift at the coffee shop and Bryan wasn’t happy about it.
“I’m so sorry, Bryan. I haven’t slept since,” Jane couldn’t figure when she slept last, not with the weird sidhe time hop. “I ... I’ll make it up to you.”
Jane rushed to the back, grabbed an apron, and helped Bryan barrel through the twenty-five drink orders that had piled up in her absence.
About midway through the shift Bryan got over Jane’s tardiness and was his bubbly, charming self. After that, he was cracking jokes and telling stories to the now thinned out customers and before Jane knew it, the shift was over.
“Thanks for all your help today, Bryan. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“No prob, Jane. You know you can count on me. Even when you’re late.”
Jane sent Bryan home early, with pay as recompense for dealing with the horde of coffee addicts without her. She closed the shop by herself, counted the money, checked the stock for the next day, all before locking up and heading home.
Jane had been dreading the walk home the entire shift.
In between customers, she tried to think of any way she could meet the wolf pack in her magically depleted state.
Even after getting some sleep, she was still only minimally powered. She couldn’t cast a spell in her condition, and there was no way in hell she’d put herself in front of a wolf pack without at least minimal of protection.
There was only one solution that she could think of. And she’d been dreading it all day.
Jane raised her metaphysical wall and reached out to the demon she housed.
I’m sorry.
I’ve no use for your apologies, witch.
Jane knew she couldn’t lie to the demon, not while her wall wasn’t active. She couldn’t tell her anything but exactly the truth, or the demon would know.
So she didn’t try.
I doubt you would have done different if the situation were reversed, Jane thought to the demon. It was true, Jane knew it like she knew her own name.
The demon said nothing. Jane took it as a good thing.
Because of what we did to Droshin, The Garrison levied a punishment—
Save your words, I know your thoughts, Jane Moretti. You need me. You’re weak and you’re scared of the big bad wolves.
Jane felt the sneer in the demon’s tone, and the disgust in her voice. How terrible it was to be trapped in such a weak, mortal creature as a witch.
Yes, demon. I am weak. I do need your help. And if you decide not to help me, just remember, if I die, you die. So think long and hard about how much you want to poke fun at the situation we’ve found ourselves in. A situation, may I remind you, that neither of us chose. So shut you smart-ass face and tell me I can use your energy.
The demon laughed in Jane’s mind. A rattling, hissing noise that drove Jane crazy. Ah, witch. You are such a breath of fresh air sometimes. You truly are.
Thanks. Can I use your power?
Do you remember how?
Of course.
Then, by all means, take your fill. You’ve done well keeping me sated. Take what you need to defeat these wolves.
“Thank you,” Jane whispered aloud. She closed her eyes and touched the demon’s magic.
It was strong and powerful, more so than anything Jane housed naturally. The power now running through Jane’s chi raised goosebumps on her arms and made her heartbeat feel a little stronger.
It made Jane feel strong. And that’s just what she hoped for.
She didn’t bother stopping by her studio. Once full and high on demon juice, she ran through The Circle and into the outskirts of Warren Forest were Xan and Zora would meet her.
“Did you run here?” asked Xan.
Jane nodded.
“I take it you’re back to full bars then?”
“You could say that.” Jane didn’t elaborate, instead moving the conversation to Zora. “Did you get the things we needed?”
“Yes. Blood, bone, and magic all right here,” Zora’s flat tone threw Jane, but she didn’t remark on it. Instead, she shared a look with Xan who shrugged.
The Garrison (The Circle Series Book 3) Page 6