Magic, New Mexico: Loving Phoenix (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Trinity Blacio

  “I knew they’d be on your tail, but do not worry; it will end here,” Darla said, taking a seat next to her after giving her a hug. “Nava, this is Sheriff Theo, who’s sitting next to Drake, and Sheriff Buchanan and his men are the ones moving around us. They like to help when things get a little difficult. Plus, your man there has at least five, maybe six men in here?” she asked, eyeing him.

  “They have already set up watches. We’ll know when they move, and your apartment is safe.”

  Darla frowned and looked around. “Topper, where are you?” Darla asked.

  Nava would have jumped if she wasn’t staring at the woman with the rainbow-colored hair, an older lady, that appeared next to them.

  “Sorry, I’m late. I keep telling my family to watch those two little troublemakers. Mrs. Fitzpatrick wants to kill them personally. I have no idea what is going on, but she has been causing all sorts of commotion for the last two nights.” Topper sat down on a seat that appeared out of nowhere.

  “I’ll go out and talk to her after this mess is taken care of. Did you happen to find out how big of a group we are dealing with?” Darla asked.

  Nava squirmed in her seat as Topper stared at her. “You know your hair would look great with more red in it, and yes. It’s not good. Over the years, this group has grown. We’re looking at, at least, three hundred staff alone in the buildings they own, and it’s heavily secured. We’re talking about over three acres of property alone, not to mention the idiots they have following your lady here. They have to have some trackers on her because they knew right where she was going.”

  “What? I got rid of everything I owned a long time ago.” Nava frowned.

  “Sweetie, did they ever knock you out or did you have any kind of surgery?” Drake asked.

  “What? Well, shit.” Nava thought she was going to be sick. All this time they had known where she was. “But why did they wait ten years to come after me?” She said. “And kill my parents?” Nava stared down at her arm where the small scar was.

  “Most likely your gifts didn’t develop fully ‘til you were older. Plus, they can’t breed you if you aren’t old enough,” Drake said, coming around to her seat and knelt before her. “Do you mind if I remove this?” he asked.

  “But what if there are more, somewhere I don’t know about?” Nava asked as a cold chill settled over her. She didn’t move. Something or someone was inside her. Nava shivered as the chill disappeared.

  “My granddaughter has two metal things in her. The one you will not go near. You are not her mate, and even him,” Calamity Jane herself appeared near Saxon. “I will be watching to make sure he doesn’t do anything funny until they are married or mated.” The woman held what looked like a shotgun pointed at Saxon.

  “I really wish you wouldn’t point that thing at him,” she snapped at the woman, knowing her eyes and hair had changed as tiny bits of smoke came out of her mouth.

  The lady standing next to Saxon laughed. “You are my granddaughter, that is for sure. You have the same fiery temper my father had, god rest his soul. Not to worry, granddaughter, I won’t harm your man if he behaves. I mean, I can’t have a man take advantage of you since you’re still a virgin,” the woman said as all eyes turned toward her.

  “Okay, let the ground open up and take me away,” she muttered, stuffing a bit of potato in her mouth before pointing her fork at the ghost lady. “You didn’t have to announce that to everyone here,” she grumbled. “That’s kind of private, you know?”

  “Why are you embarrassed; that is a good thing. I’m proud to call you family. In my day, I had no choice giving away something so special, raising my brothers and sisters,” Jane looked off to the side.

  “Um, can we get back to the issue at hand?” Saxon said, all the while his gaze never left Nava’s. Nava swore he was breathing heavier, too. “Where is said—” he stopped what he was going to say, frowning and looking at her distant relative. “Show me how we remove these devices, Drake,” he said, standing over Drake.

  “I’m sorry, little fire, this is going to hurt,” Drake said as his fingernail grew long, but Topper reached over and grabbed his hand. “That is totally barbaric, and there is no reason for her to suffer.” Topper opened her other hand, and there in her hand were two small transmitters. “Now, if we are going to free those children, we need to do something with those idiots out there, so they don’t hinder our mission and know we are planning an attack.” Topper reached over and popped one of the cheese balls into her mouth. “Love these things.”

  “You are not doing anything.” A man moved into the diner, scanning the room before he moved toward them. He was different, but Nava couldn’t figure out what it was. His ice blue eyes were stunning, and the tan skin, well if Saxon wasn’t her mate and he hadn’t been taken...

  “He’s alien and nephew to Topper,” Saxon whispered in her ear for her before placing a kiss on the side of her neck. “Stop drooling over him,” Saxon growled.

  Frost’s lip curled up a little as if he heard Saxon and nodded to him and Drake before turning to Topper. “Your family is all furious. Do you know how risky it was for you to go to that place and alone?”

  Nava glanced at Saxon and Drake, noticing the smiles on their faces, while Frost glared at the small woman who waved her hand. “Please, do you really think those peons could hurt us? But tell my family I’ll be there soon. Now, go back to your cold world while I show these men what I learned,” Topper said as she started pointing out things, as space was made available for a map that appeared on it.

  Nava leaned over, staring at the map. “They’ve added a lot, too, since I’ve been there. Here and here are all new buildings. Our dorm was here, the boys here,” Nava pointed out before leaning over and giving the crazy old lady a kiss on her cheek. “He’s right. You shouldn’t underestimate these men. Look, they slipped right through the Knockers.”

  Nava stopped, tilting her head to the side listening before turning her smile on Saxon. “Guess we’ve got more backup coming. The Knockers are here.” Nava got up and moved toward the door, but Drake and Saxon blocked her path.

  “You are staying right here while we make sure these men leave our town, young lady,” Drake said.

  “I am old enough here to decide what I do with my own life. These men helped me get here. I have to let them know I’m okay,” she said and tried to step around the men, but they didn’t budge. “Damn it, move,” she said, stomping her foot.

  “Not to worry, granddaughter,” Calamity Jane said, floating up next to her. “I’ll inform them you are here. Go eat your dinner before it goes to waste.” Her grandmother disappeared through the wall before she could stop her. “That might be a problem, folks. I don’t know if the Knockers know about others.” She looked behind her at the sheriff and then at Saxon.

  “Well then, they are in for a rude awaking because it looks like the twins are following this group of yours, too.” Topper moaned and disappeared from the room.

  “I so need to learn to do that,” Nava muttered.

  “No,” Drake and Saxon said together.

  She turned her full attention on the men in front of her, going to give them a piece of her mind.

  Chapter Five

  Saxon watched the fire enter her eyes, and he smiled. His woman was furious, but he wasn’t about to let her go walking outside with the threat out there, and it would seem he wasn’t the only one. Drake seemed to be taking the father role very seriously as he scooped up a shocked Nava and carried her back to her seat.

  “Sit and eat. Your friends will be here in few minutes, but you need to feed that grumbly stomach of yours,” Drake ordered.

  Nava opened her mouth then shut it. “Stubborn men,” she grumbled and put a bite of steak in her mouth. “I just don’t want to start trouble. You have no right to tell me what to do.”

  Drake leaned down, and Saxon swore his nose was touching hers. “Actually, I do. You see that woman sitting next to you?” he asked, pointing to his
wife, but didn’t wait for an answer. “She’s already marked you; you’re part of our family, my daughter.”

  “What exactly does this entail? Why would you do this?” She leaned over and stared at Darla, who sighed.

  “You reminded me so much of myself when we were going through the warehouse looking at the furniture, and then I saw...” Darla looked down at her hands. “I’m sorry. I usually don’t pry, but when I saw that group in your head and what they did to you, it brought up such bad memories, I couldn’t let you face it alone.” She lifted her head, a single blood tear rolled down her cheek. “I knew you were meant to be part of our family. I kind of, well I...”

  “What my wife is saying, she took a little bit of your blood and gave you hers.” Drake reached over and cupped his wife’s cheek. “My wife has wanted a daughter to share everything with, but with six boys, well you are her choice and mine.”

  “You gave me blood? Am I going to turn?” she squeaked, and Saxon laughed.

  “No, sweetie. The only way you can turn is if they suck you dry and replace your blood with theirs, but they don’t have to do that. You will live my life. My kind is immortal, but that wouldn’t even matter since we will live here in town where anyone who lives here is immortal.”

  “Immortal? Why do I get the feeling I fell down a well or something? So back to this bonding thing. I’m really connected to you?” she asked.

  “Yes, you are our daughter,” Drake said in her head.

  She twisted in her chair and looked up at Drake. “How did you do that? I had a friend who could talk in my head, but we... She did it, too?”

  “What are you talking about,” Darla asked. “Someone else took your blood?” She sounded worried, and even Saxon didn’t like that.

  “Who?” Saxon asked, taking his seat next to her.

  “Why are you so worried? If it weren’t for Elf, I wouldn’t be here.” She waved her fork in the air. “I tried to escape one night; they caught me,” she shivered. “They have what you would consider at a prison, the hole, but with this hole...”

  “It’s surrounded by your worst fears. Mine was snakes,” Darla said.

  “Mine was spiders, but what they didn’t count on was the fact there were a few that had actually bit me, and I happened to be allergic or had a bad reaction. If it weren’t for our bond, Elf’s and mine, well I would have been dead. She knew I was dying and got some of the staff we could trust to help get me out of the hole.” Nava looked down at her arm. “Maybe that is when they put the things in me, I was so out of it.”

  “Where is this Elf now? Did she escape with you?” Drake asked.

  Nava looked up at Drake, and Saxon knew at that minute it wasn’t good. Tears were in her eyes as she shook her head. “No, they caught her, shot her. I don’t know what happened to her. It’s the one thing I regret the most. She’s been with them all her life. Born there.”

  Needing to hold his mate, Saxon pushed Drake aside and lifted Nava, sitting in her seat with her on his lap. “I’m sorry for your friend, but maybe, she’s okay. If she is like Drake and Darla, a bullet won’t do too much damage. Have you tried to contact her through your link?” he asked, looking around the diner and noticed a number of the families had left, knowing something was going to happen. He would have to make sure Susanna was compensated for this disturbance in her business.

  He rubbed his chin on the top of her head when Nava tilted her head to the side. “How do I do that? She was the one that always contacted me?”

  Darla reached over, placing her hand on Nava’s arm. “Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and go back, search for that old link that you had with your friend. It’s there; all you have to do is find it. If she is living, you’ll be able to contact her if she is like us,” Darla said. “But, Nava, I’m not going to lie, I’m going to be listening. I want to make sure this woman is true to you and won’t hurt you.”

  Saxon felt Nava’s body tense up before she spoke. “But she wouldn’t do that?”

  “Little fire, sometimes under dire circumstances, people do things that they shouldn’t. As far as we see now, she saved you by your words, but if she survived, where do you think she’s been all these years? Remember their purpose, this group,” Saxon told her, rubbing her arms.

  Not saying a word, Saxon watched as Nava closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Darla nodded to him, letting him know she was with Nava as his little fire ball searched for her friend. For several minutes, there was nothing, but then, Nava gasped, tears started to roll down her cheeks.

  “I didn’t know, Elf,” Nava whispered, opening her eyes. “We have to help her. She’s still there. Three children, they took from her, they...”

  Drake growled and stood up, starting to pace when he stopped, turning to the door, where several of the bikers pushed open the door to the diner, stepping inside. “It seems you were wrong, Nava. Your friends are indeed like us.” Drake said, moving around the table as Saxon stood to put Nava back in her seat, going to join Drake and the sheriff, but Nava beat him to the door, running to one of the men.

  The guy in question caught Saxon’s mate, lifting her up, hugging her. “You are okay? They didn’t hurt you?” he asked, his gaze never leaving Drake’s.

  Saxon reached out and grabbed onto Nava, pulling her back into his arms, not liking the hold this man had on his mate.

  “Nava, are you okay?” the stranger asked, finally breaking his gaze to stare at Saxon’s woman.

  “I’m fine. Knock it off, Saxon. I told you they were friends. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be here, remember? You wouldn’t be holding your mate thing,” she said, rolling her eyes.

  He leaned down and nipped her nose. “Your friends are like us, little fire. If I’m not mistaken, this one here is like Drake?”

  Drake nodded but never took his eyes off the man in question. The man turned to glance at Drake, hissing. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t know.” The biker dude bowed his head to Drake.

  “Better, now introduce yourselves, please, quickly. We need to get this situation under control here before we can rescue my daughter’s friends,” Drake said, looking down at Nava.

  “Your daughter, well hell. I’m Landon Comey, President of Knockers. We had heard of this city but really didn’t believe in it ‘til Nava shared her knowledge with us. We had planned to come here, but when these people attacked our friend, killing him... He’d sworn to protect Nava and made us promise to keep her safe. He had seen her life and knew she needed to be here. Matter of fact, if I’m not mistaken, Flask should be here.”

  “What? Really? Grandma?” Nava called out, and Jane appeared next to them.

  “Yes, your friend is here,” Calamity Jane leaned down and whispered. “I have to admit this Flask is impressive. Him and the sheriff, but too bad the sheriff is taken by the widow. Didn’t know he was taken really,” Jane said.

  “Grandmother, what did you do?” Nava moaned.

  “Your grandmother is Calamity Jane?” Landon asked, distracting her.

  Nava smiled. “Seems so, I just found out about an hour ago.” Nava looked up at Drake. “I think we know why that woman was so mad. And, Flask, you better be nice to my grandma,” she said, earning snorts from Landon and his men.

  “We need to discuss this situation now. We have company coming,” Saxon said, lifting Nava up and moving to the back of the diner where Susanna and a few other females were. “I want you to stay here with Susanna and Darla,” Saxon said as Drake set Darla down next to his woman.

  Two men of Drake’s moved into the room, going to the outside door where the deliveries came in. “All of you stay here, and you two make sure no one gets through that door,” Drake ordered, earning a wave of her hand.

  “Go do all your warrior stuff while I speak with my daughter. But you might want to watch Jane, she’s itching to hurt some of those men, and we need at least one of them alive if we are going to get into that place.” Darla hooked her arm into Nava’s. “And yes, I’m going. The
women are going to need us, so don’t think about cutting me out of this.”

  “Behave,” was all Drake said as he turned, leaving the room.

  One more quick look at his woman, Saxon turned, but her small hand on his back had him stopping and looking back at her.

  “Be safe, Saxon. If this mate stuff is true, I can’t lose you.”

  “I’m going to have to show you how true it is later. You take care, little fire,” he said, leaning down and placing a quick kiss on her lips.

  With a few quick steps, he was back in the main room filled with men. His, the bikers, and others from the town, including the posse who floated around taking everything in. All eyes turned to him. “Kaylen, tell us where they’re at, and Ms. Jane, be careful,” he said, earning a snort from her.

  “Don’t worry about me, boy, I’ll be fine,” Jane rubbed her hand over her shotgun.

  “Yes, she’ll be fine,” a man appeared behind her, slapping what appeared to be handcuffs to her wrist. “Because she’s not going to do anything,” he growled, binding her arms. Members of the posse watched, smiling and nodding. It seemed his mate’s grandma had been busy after all.

  “Let me go. Just wait ‘til I get free, you overstuffed deputy,” she yelled, trying to get free as another man, who appeared to be wearing the vest of the Knockers, grabbed her shotgun.

  “Relax, little lady, we’ll take care of you when we’re done protecting your granddaughter. Take her to her room; we’ll deal with her later.” The man turned and stared at Saxon. “You will be good for our girl. I suggest we get moving. They’ve figured out Nava is in here; don’t ask me how. I have a feeling there is someone in this town that has contact with this group. Maybe even been here a while scooping out the town itself.”

  “Never!” Theo snarled, a small puff of smoke rising out of his nose. “I want everyone on alert. Keep their children close to home ‘til we find out what is going on,” the new sheriff ordered.