by Eliza Gayle
“Who's there?” A strong female voice sounded from the backroom.
“Raven.” She hesitated. “Raven St. Claire.”
The sound of glass crashing onto the ground and splintering into tiny tinkling pieces came from behind the counter, along with a string of curse words in a thick Cajun accent. More rustling before the tall, dark-skinned woman finally stepped through the walkway and stopped at the counter in front of Raven. Dressed in worn jeans and a red t-shirt, with no make up and a scarf covering her head, she didn’t really seem what a tourist might have expected. But Raven was no tourist, and she already knew exactly what Severina was capable of.
“I thought we agreed our business was taken care of, witch.” The last word was emphasized with a distinct flavor of distaste. Raven knew this wouldn’t be easy.
“Yes, you were correct. Unfortunately I have found myself in a bind with nowhere to turn.”
“You reap what you sow. Even you should know this. I warned you, it was only a matter of time before it would catch you. I take it you didn’t listen.” Severina looked at her sharply.
“Yes, of course you were right. I see that now.” Raven had to tread carefully here or she would find herself thrown out in the alley, alone.
“I can’t help you.”
Raven reached out and touched the woman on the arm, prepared to plead. When her cold hands touched the other woman’s warm skin, Severina’s eyes opened wide in alarm. She grabbed Raven’s hand with her free hand and leaned forward.
“What have you done to him?”
“Who? What are you talking about?”
Severina sniffed at her, moving from left to right. “Dennison—no, Noah—It is difficult to tell their magick apart.”
“I don’t know Noah.”
“Ahh, Dennison then. I told him his grey was coming but I had no idea—”
“I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about. Will you help me or not?”
“I will help Master Dennison. What do you need?”
Before Raven could respond a phone rang in the distance. The volume was loud and distracting. It rang several times yet Severina didn’t make a move to answer it. “Do you need to get that?” Raven asked.
“It’s not my phone that is ringing, Cherie, it’s yours.”
“Can’t be, I don’t have a phone.”
“Then why is your bag over there ringing?”
Raven swung her head to the duffel she’d left on the floor by the door and listened. The shrill sound did seem like it was coming from her bag. What the hell? She bolted toward it, grabbing it up and slamming the zipper down. Fumbling around inside, her hand wrapped around a small cell phone she’d never seen before. Flipping it open she lifted it to her ear. “Hello?”
“Raven my dear, it’s about time.” A cold chill snaked down her spine as she lowered her gaze from Severina.
“Scott?”
“I see you got your magick back. You can thank me in person shortly.”
“Thank you? You’re the one that broke the binding? But how?” Like she even needed to ask. The man had powers she couldn’t begin to fathom.
“Actually, Raven, I think I’m the one who should be asking the questions. You have a lot of explaining to do.” The dark tone of his statement was unmistakable. There would be hell to pay for her fucking up. Death or sacrifice, she wondered.
“I can—”
“Not now, Raven. That Voodoo bitch is listening and she’ll fuck everything up. Right now you need to head outside to the alley and meet my associates, who will bring you to me. So hang up the phone, say goodbye to dear Severina, and go outside.”
The tension in Scott's voice rose with each uttered syllable, and stark fear ran rampant through Raven. She couldn’t let Scott or his goons near her or she could forget it. She closed the phone and looked around the tiny shop. “Do you have a rear exit?”
“Yes, but what you need to do is call Denn and tell him what is going on. He can help you.”
“Severina, you’re wrong about that.”
“No, Cherie, Severina is never wrong. The Reverend will hurt you. Mark my words.”
Raven shook her head and rounded the corner. She didn’t have time for one woman’s superstition.
“Wait!” A hand grabbed her arm and stopped her escape.
Raven rounded on the woman prepared to fight her way free.
“Here take this, it belongs to Denn and I believe he is finally ready for it now.” She held up a rolled scroll of parchment paper sealed at the edges with a waxy looking substance. “Take it, Raven. You came to me for help, now trust me. This is the help you and Denn need. Now get out the backdoor and make sure this gets to your man.”
Her man. Raven wanted to laugh but she didn’t have time for this.
When she reached for the paper, Severina grabbed her hand and locked gazes with her. “Stop being afraid of what you are to him. It is meant to be, it is what you were created for. Trust in him. Trust in them both.”
Raven stared at her dumbfounded. Despite her own abilities and the many things she had seen, she would never understand the gift of sight and how eerily accurate it could be.
“Go now, Raven, Go!”
Raven stuffed the parchment into her back pocket and ran behind the curtain separating the back from the front. Through the dingy back room filled with beads, herbs, doll parts and an altar that took up an entire wall, She burst through the metal door marked Fire Exit Only.
Swiveling her head left, she saw one of the Rev’s “associates,” and in his dark tee, black jeans, and shit kickers he did not look friendly. She took off in a dead run in the opposite direction, raising her magick as she went. She listened to the pounding feet of her pursuer not far behind, knowing she didn’t have much time.
Wait. What am I doing? Why am I running from them? She whirled on the balls of her feet, casting her arm out at the same time, releasing the power she’d called. The hired muscle had just enough time to throw up a partial shield, blocking some of her magick. The rest knocked him back several steps and doubled him over. When he stood and howled in pain—or maybe frustration, she couldn’t be sure—she ran toward him, launching herself onto his wide back. His body was hot and smoke came from his hands.
Damn. Fire witch. Fire and water. They sure as hell weren’t going to get very far in a fight.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, wrenching with all her strength, trying to choke him. He staggered backward, slamming against the wall of the building with her in between. The force squelched the air from her lungs, loosening her arms from their grip, giving him the opportunity to drive his elbow into her ribs. Pain erupted in her body, her vision wavering, and she vaguely saw reinforcements surrounding her. With sheer will she fought to regain her strength and magick despite a new and unfamiliar magick wrapping around her and pinning her to the wall.
She frantically looked around for another idea or weapon as whatever was cloaking her was also dampening her power. The air shimmered around her as she sensed a solid blast of earth magick coming their way. Lucky for her it provided enough of a distraction that the power coursing through her chest broke free from their bindings. With no time to waste she ran again, straight into Denn. Momentarily stunned, he grabbed her hand and pulled her away from Scott’s men.
They only needed to make it to the end of the alley and they would be back on busy Bourbon Street where she was certain they could get lost in the crowd. About to turn the corner to freedom, or at least a better chance at it, a black SUV screeched to a halt, flinging its back door wide.
Denn pushed her with his solid strength. “Raven, get in. Now!”
Knowing at least with Denn she wouldn’t become a human sacrifice stripped of her power, she jumped inside, sliding along the bench seat.
“Go, Jake, go!” Denn yelled into the front of the vehicle as Raven lay sprawled across the floorboard, her breath sawing in and out of her heaving lungs. The car surged forward, pressing her back against the ridge
of the seat. She closed her eyes, focusing on controlling her breathing. This isn’t what I wanted.
She wasn’t anymore ready to face these two men, as she’d been ready to beg for her life from Scott. How the hell had her life fallen apart so quickly? In love with two men who only wanted to use her to fulfill a prophecy, and a sick and twisted man who’d been like family in a weird and demented way would now just as soon steal her power as listen to her beg for forgiveness.
Tears welled in her eyes as she screwed them shut tighter, willing her emotions under control.
“Raven, are you okay? Are you hurt?”
Denn’s was so close that she could feel the heat of his breath on her skin. His magick reached out for hers, threading around her and entwining with her own power. “Stop, Denn. I’m fine. Those bastards were rough but I’m okay. You need to give me some space.”
“What’s wrong? Denn, is she hurt?” Jake asked from the driver's seat.
Denn settled back on his seat. “She’s fine. She just needs a minute to catch her breath. We can bandage her up as soon as we get home. Although, if she had thought about what the hell she was doing, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”
Unwilling to rise to the bait she didn’t make a move or a sound until he started rustling around the small space. She cracked open an eye, looking to see what he was up to. When he flipped open his phone she wondered who the hell he needed to call in the middle of all this.
“Charlie, our ETA is ten minutes, be ready.”
Denn closed his phone and eased his head back against the seat, his anger simmering just below the surface. There was so much to process and not enough time to do it. Once back at the house he suspected all hell would be breaking loose. Between the magickal reinforcements he had called in to the fact that both Jake and Raven had some seriously explaining to do…
The acid in his stomach churned. He looked into the rearview mirror and caught Jake watching him. Fear shone there. Definitely not a good sign.
When the magick that had been used against his allowed Raven to escape the house, he’d been powerless to stop her from leaving. Not a good feeling when he knew there’d be people after her. But when Jake had come to him confessing to know how to find her, he’d had that “Oh shit, here it comes” feeling. When he demanded to know the details of Jake’s unusual, he’d only gotten a “We don’t have time to get into this right now, you have to trust me” answer.
Now he had half a mind to drop them both off at the corner and walk away. Lies and secrets were not his way, and the two of them needed to learn that lesson and learn it right now. Not that he could really turn his back on them and allow Scott to do his worst. He’d seen some of his uncle’s worst and it still gave him nightmares sometimes. The man had a knack for torture if that’s what it took to get what he wanted. No… He glanced first at Raven and then at Jake. His two errant lovers first had some explaining to do before he could decide on a fitting punishment. If he survived the news.
Chapter Seven
Exhausted, Denn walked into his living room to find Raven huddled on one corner of the couch, looking down with her knees tucked under her chin. Jake stood at the window watching the storm rage outside. Denn wondered how much of this storm had to do with Raven and her dark mood. Even in her injured state she’d helped the team replace the wards on the house, making the protection even stronger than before. Whatever had gotten through before wouldn’t have it so easy next time. And Denn knew in his gut that there would be a next time, and probably sooner than he’d like. In the meantime, he wanted answers.
“The two of you can’t keep hiding from me. It’s past time to tell me what is going on here.” He walked into the center of the room and waited. “Jake? Are you going to tell me how you knew how to find Raven as soon as she disappeared?”
Raven’s head shot up, looking first at Jake and then settling on Denn.
“What are you talking about?” She stood and walked to the window. “You knew where to find me? But that’s not possible, I wasn’t followed at all, unless… No!” Her eyes widened. “There is only one other way.”
On a long sigh, Jake turned his back on the window, straightening his shoulders and looking Denn straight in the eye. “I work for Scott Cunningham. Have for months now.”
The silence in the room was deafening as Denn processed not only what Jake said but what it meant. Fury coursed through him as his magick rose and fell with his attempts to control his anger. Surprisingly there was a lot of power left over from the casting he’d done earlier. Tired of always holding back and doing the right thing, he unleashed it.
Fuck it.
The glass vase on the mantel flew across the room, crashing against the wall next to him, and wind blew through the room. Energy crackled along his skin, raising the fine hairs on his body as he recited a familiar chant.
“Denn, stop, if you hurt him we won't get any answers. I work for Scott too and that didn’t stop you from fucking me.” The anger he saw in her eyes only fueled his emotions.
“As if you’re any better.” He turned on her, transferring some of his rage her way. “You high-tailed it out of here as soon as you got your magick back. Do you have a death wish or are you just stupid?” Raven’s mouth dropped in surprise, and she took a step back from Denn and his trembling magick. He already regretted attacking her like that, but damn, he was surrounded by betrayal and these two were directly responsible.
“Denn, will you listen to me? I can’t take back what I’ve done, but I can at least tell you why and then I’ll leave. You deserve that much.” He looked into Jake’s eyes and saw pain and anguish there. Jake looked how he felt. He turned away from them both, reigning in his power once again and taking a few minutes to regain control. He really didn’t want to listen, didn’t want any excuses, but the question of why would linger if he didn’t get to ask.
“I didn’t have a choice.”
He whirled at Jake’s voice. “Don’t give me that, there is always a choice.”
“He has my sister. I think he is stealing her magick.” The silence in the room was deafening.
“You have a sister?” Why that information struck him so hard he wasn’t sure. But he could remember many nights when they talked about their families and not once had Jake mentioned a sister.
“Half-sister, actually. Same mother, different fathers. Mother was a witch.”
“But you aren’t magickal. You don’t have the gift.” He was confused how his sister could be magickal and he wasn’t. Magick was always the dominant trait in offspring.
“Well, thanks. I think I know that. In fact, I've have been reminded of that all my life.” Jake walked over to the couch, sinking down into the smooth leather seat. “I know keeping this from you was wrong, but I didn’t know what else to do. The Reverend is pure evil and his tactics for getting what he wants are ruthless. I don’t imagine what all she is enduring in his captivity but my cooperation at least keeps her alive until I can figure out what to do.”
“Sister or not, you betrayed me. You could have come to me. Told me the truth. When have you ever not seen me help someone in trouble?”
Jake shook his head. “You underestimate what he is capable of, Denn.”
“He’s my fucking uncle, you think I don’t know what he’s capable of?” He dragged his fingers through his hair roughly. “This is getting us nowhere. Arguing about it doesn’t change a damn thing.” He turned to stalk from the room, slamming the door on his way out. “I’ve had enough for one day?”
“The last time I didn’t do what I was told, I had to watch an innocent woman be drained to her death,” Jake whispered.
Raven watched Jake slump against the couch as Denn left them behind. Her heart wrenched for them both. She knew exactly how Jake felt, a prisoner to a sick and twisted man. She’d put most of her free energy into avoiding the man herself. But there were times when no amount of magick or desperate attempts to hide could save her from him. Now she had to help Jake and Denn. Th
ey’d saved her. She doubted either one of them knew just how much. Scott had grown weary of her insubordination and his final warnings to her had been clear. Stop fucking off or she would be sacrificed. And he sure as hell didn’t mean he’d kill her in some quick and painless way either.
“I’ll talk to him, Jake. Hopefully he’s a little less pissed off at me right now to listen.”
“No, let him go. He’s right, you know. Despite the consequences I should have told him the truth before now.”
“No, Jake, you had every right to fear Scott and what he’d do. I of all people understand exactly what that man is capable of. I’ve seen it. I’ve felt it.”
Jake looked up at her, clear questions in his eyes. “What did he do to you, Raven?”
“It doesn’t matter now. What matters now is making Denn understand and then figuring out a way to get your sister back.”
“Tell me what Scott did to you.” His quiet demand unnerved her.
She brought her legs up on the couch and curled herself into a familiar ball. She didn’t want to talk about it. Hell, she wasn’t even sure she could but her mouth opened and somehow the words tumbled out anyway.
“I used to be far more powerful. The coven I belong to took me from my parents when I was only three years old and worked with me to learn and hone my craft. When I was a teenager, I went through a rebellious stage, I even ran away from the coven. I hooked up with a couple of kids my age and started using my magick on my own. Long story short, I got into some trouble with the law and that’s when Scott found me. I thought he was a really nice man when I first met him and I believed every word he said when he told me that I was special. He wanted me to become the most powerful witch of my generation he said. So he returned me to the coven with strict instructions about my training.”