Magical Redemption

by Jaliza A. Burwell

  I looked him over more slowly. His energy was a constant buzz around him. He had white blond hair cut short, exposing his scalp. There was an earring in his left ear. A tattoo curled up his jaw and disappeared behind his ear into his hairline. He wore a t-shirt under a jacket and dark jeans with black boots. I liked him.

  “You’re an empath?” I asked.

  He nodded. “I can get some emotions, not much, but some. It helps when I’m trying to match someone with a house.” He motioned toward his vehicle. “I have some listings I’d like to show you and then we can head out from there.”

  The next half hour was spent in the cold, a bitter wind turning my feet and fingertips numb as he talked. For short notice, Lyton was prepared. He had about seven listings ready to see, but after we talked about locations, we narrowed it down. Elliot didn’t hide anything, coming right out and telling him about my history with foster homes. When I told him which areas I’d lived in, especially the ones I wanted to avoid at all costs, there really weren’t that many options left. Lyton pulled up an app on a tablet with a map of the city, and whenever I mentioned an area, he blacked it out.

  It was a sad, pathetic map once we were done. I’d lucked out with my last place and that had taken a couple of months to find.

  “Sorry,” Lyton said when I blew on my hands. “I normally meet with people at my office, but by the time I got the request and all the information, I figured you were already out here. My office is in the opposite direction.”

  “It’s fine,” I said, waving him off. “I’ll get used to it.”

  Elliot sent me a warning look, knowing where my thoughts were. If I could, I’d do a little magic to warm up the air around us so the cold wasn’t so cold. By Elliot’s expression, he’d snitch on me if I did. It was light magic and shouldn’t affect me, but one thing I’d learned these last few weeks was that my men were great at nagging.

  “Okay, I’ll see you at the next location,” Lyton said as he handed over a piece of paper with the addresses written down. There were only two more houses to see today, and if I didn’t like either of them, we were going to regroup to get a better idea of what I wanted.

  “Looks like I’ll be living on the outskirts,” I said to Elliot as we followed Lyton’s silver car through traffic.

  “The outskirts aren’t too bad. Definitely a lot of privacy out there,” he said as he tapped the steering wheel.

  “Do you live out there?” I asked, realizing I didn’t know where he lived.

  “I do camping trips through a program at Rhett’s recreational center. We teach survival skills. Alijah or Venni sometimes tag along to teach some of the more predatory beings how to hunt. A lot of those kids don’t have the family foundation they need to learn that stuff. They don’t have anyone, so we created this program to make sure they learned what they needed to.”

  “Oh, wow,” I said. “That’s amazing.”

  “There’s a chunk of land Lombardi owns that he turned into a kind of reservation, and he lets us stay there.”

  “Oh, does he help out? Does he go out there and let the kiddies hunt him?” I asked, turning to face him in my seat.

  Elliot laughed. “Definitely not. He came a couple of times to help, but it usually turned into him hunting them.”

  I tried to picture Dwight playing with a bunch of kids and went into a laughing fit. I could totally see him hunting those poor children, probably scaring the crap out of them.

  “Oh my Goddess,” I said, taking in a shaking breath, my stomach aching from laughing so much. “I can imagine it. Those poor kids.”

  Elliot chuckled. “Agreed. We now do specialized trips so he doesn’t scare them to death. We do a trip about once a month and some of the older kids like to help. And they get the freedom to shift and run around, bond with their other form.”

  “That’s wonderful,” I said wistfully. It was good there was something like that for the kids. No doubt, they bonded over the experiences and were building a support network. They needed it. Life could be brutal without company.

  While the city was diverse, the biggest factions of supernaturals managed to claim their own areas. Like the mages had the Academy to the east, the vampires, witches, and shifters had their own area. We drove northwest, between the vampires to the north and the witches to the west.

  Living near the witches wasn’t bad. They had also managed to take over one of the biggest ley lines, so the magic was thick in the area. If I wasn’t careful, I’d get high off of all the magic floating around, tempted to use it.

  Maybe living in the area wasn’t such a good idea after all.

  The first house we went to, I looked around and didn’t click with it. No matter how hard I tried to picture myself in the house, it just didn’t work. That place just wasn’t it.

  Luckily, the second house was in the same area, just two streets away. There were three other houses near the final house, but they weren’t right up against each other.

  “What do you think so far?” Elliot asked as we pulled up to a long driveway, while the realtor opened the gate. Each home had its own plot of land, separated by tree lines and shrubbery for privacy. The iron gate eventually turned into stone and wrapped around the property, weaving itself into the tree line so it wasn’t so noticeable.

  “Private,” I said. “The city is still close. The commute to work would be a bit long.”

  When I heard Elliot snort, I glared at him. “What?”

  “Really, the commute?” he asked. “You’ll just teleport.”

  “Would you like me to do that now?” I asked sweetly. “Or on the days I work too hard?”

  “Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up,” he mumbled and hopped out of the car before I could challenge him.

  I unbuckled my seatbelt, took in the three-story building, and then got out slowly.

  “What do you think?” Lyton asked when I joined them.

  “A strong possibility so far,” I said with a slow bob of my head.

  The realtor grinned and led the way inside. The house opened up into a nice foyer, not massive, but decent enough to give visitors the wow factor they expected from a place like this. We took the tour, starting with the living room. I eyed the white rug, practicality coming out to play when I thought about stains.

  “The rug is easily changeable. All throughout the house is hardwood flooring,” Lyton spoke up as if reading my mind.

  When I sent him a glare, he chuckled.

  “Emotions,” he said. “I learned long ago how to interpret them. While you felt annoyance, you frowned at the rug. I don’t blame you. It isn’t practical, and I can tell you’re a practical woman. You aren’t looking to show off your wealth or your house. You just need a place that works. This place will do it.”

  He brought us through to the kitchen, which was a nice size. Elliot was impressed with it. He eyed all the newly installed fixtures, loving the marble countertops and the island in the middle that had seating on one side.

  “Would you like to buy this place instead?” I teased.

  He snorted. “No, I wouldn’t be able to afford this.”

  “What are the most important areas for you?” asked Lyton when he realized I didn’t care about the kitchen.

  “Bedroom, bathroom, and somewhere I can set up my lab,” I said without thought.

  “I’ll show you the master bedroom first then.”

  We went up to the third floor and into a massive room with a canopy bed, tall windows, and even balcony doors. The bedroom was decorated conservatively and easily changeable. Smiling, I went into the bathroom and fell in love. There was a separate tub and shower. The tub itself was big enough to fit half my guys in there with me.

  That thought sent warmth through my body. If this house became mine, the first thing I was going to do was make some of the guys take care of me in that bathtub.

  Remembering that Lyton could read my emotions, I reigned them in. Lyton didn’t even bat an eyelash, and instead began listing all the
functions available in the bathroom. There was a hidden panel that allowed for extra, like a TV screen dropping down from the ceiling or music to be played. Another even lit up all the candles that were carefully placed around the space.

  I was going to have to take apart the panel to get a better understanding of how it worked.

  “Are you ready for the basement?” Lyton asked.

  “Is that where the lab will go?”

  “Yes. It’s a full basement, with only the stairs as a partition. It’s fully furnished since the previous owner decided to leave it all behind but can easily be changed to fit your needs.”

  We followed him down four flights of stairs into the basement. He wasn’t kidding—the space was perfect. I didn’t need to second guess myself. I turned to Lyton with a grin. “I’ll take it.”

  “Don’t you want to see more places, think about it?” Elliot asked.

  “No.” I shook my head. “I want my own place, with a lot of space, and this place gives it to me. I love that bathroom, and I like this basement. You obviously loved the kitchen. This will work. I’ll take it.”

  “Okay.” Lyton pulled out his phone. “I’ll get in touch with the owners right now. Are you offering listing price?”

  “Yes, and a ten percent bonus if they’re willing to resolve this quickly. I want to get out of Biomystic as soon as possible.”

  Lyton smiled big. “Excellent. Please excuse me.”

  He disappeared up the stairs with his cellphone to his ear. After another glance around, we went back to the first floor.

  “Are you sure?” Elliot.

  I turned to face him, grabbing onto his arms and pulling him close. Once we were chest to chest, I wrapped my arms around his waist.

  “I’m sure. I need out of Biomystic. I need to rebuild my lab. I need a place of my own. The person that I am won’t allow me to stay at BMS for much longer.”

  “Is this your pride talking?”

  I chuckled. “Maybe. Either way, I like this house, and I can afford it, so I’m going to buy it. Maybe I can finally have a place to call my own. Condos don’t really work out that well. But this.” I raised my hand and twirled it. “Only me to worry about. I’ll have the space I need.

  “Congratulations,” Lyton said, coming back inside with a broad smile. “The owners said yes. This house will be yours.”

  “That’s great.” I laughed as another stressor in my life disappeared. “Do you mind if I walk the property?”

  “Not at all. They said they’ll have paperwork to you by the middle of the week and we should be able to close the deal soon after.” He motioned toward the sliding door located in the kitchen. We stepped out into the backyard.

  “This is spacious enough if you ever decide on children. Plenty of room for a playground…” Lyton trailed off when he felt my emotions and saw my widened eyes.

  Children?

  The thought alone made my stomach twist and nausea build up inside of me.

  “Or pets,” he finished. “If you’d like a dog, there’s plenty of space for them to run around and they make for good security. As you can see this property butts up against the forest.”

  “Nice save,” Elliot muttered, and Lyton managed to look apologetic.

  Deciding I didn’t want to continue that topic, I took the three steps down onto the lawn and walked out toward the property line. The stone barrier was barely noticeable due to the trees and shrubs. Lyton stayed where he was while Elliot followed me around.

  He kept sending me curious glances, and I knew he had a question on the tip of his tongue. I just didn’t want to hear it. After a few minutes, realizing I wasn’t going to bring up that topic, he sighed.

  “Thoughts?” he asked.

  “I can create a garden. Even a small greenhouse,” I said, picturing it all.

  “No dog?” He tried to make the question humorous. When I sent him a warning glare, he snapped his mouth shut.

  We walked in silence, but my brain wouldn’t shut off. I didn’t want kids. Foster care had quickly squashed any dream of having them. And my relationship with the guys. How would children even fit into that?

  Elliot’s arm brushed mine, and I looked at him. He was giving a tree a strange look. It was a mixture of want and resolve. Following his gaze, I noted the towering tree. It stood off to the side of the house, but still well within the boundaries.

  “What are you thinking?” I finally caved and asked.

  “I’m not so sure you want to hear it,” he answered, voice distant.

  “Just tell me.”

  “Treehouse.”

  I looked at the tree again, at the thick branches. Using my magic, I reached out, feeling the strength of the tree, its life force a steady pulse.

  “You want kids.”

  “Are you asking?”

  I sighed and ran my hand through my hair, pushing the strands out of my face. I was going to have to get a haircut soon. My hair had grown to the middle of my back. Maybe Ami was onto something when she got her pixie haircut.

  “I don’t need to ask. It’s all over your expression.”

  “You don’t want any. That’s all over your expression too.”

  I glanced down at the grass, blinking as something twisted in my chest. “Is that a deal breaker?” My question came out softly, fear of the answer pounding in my ears, as if I could hear my heartbeat, ready to hear the moment it broke.

  “No, Laila, no.” Elliot turned to me and grabbed my hand, giving it a squeeze. “That isn’t anything you have to worry about.”

  “I don’t want kids.”

  “And I respect that. I really do.”

  “But you’ll want them.”

  He shook his head. “It’s always been a dream for me,” he said. “Not one I must fulfill. If I do have kids, that would be amazing, but I’m realistic. My life is dangerous and I’m not always around. A kid would feel that, my absence. And it isn’t fair, to have a kid and not be there when they grow up. I love my job. I love what I do, and I need what my job gives me.” He pulled me into a hug. “Let’s not talk about this.”

  I nodded into his chest and wrapped my arms around his waist, loving the way he fit against me. All the other men were tall, but Elliot was closer to my size, and there was something intimate about being hugged or kissed by a man I could look into the eyes of without hurting my neck.

  “So you’re really doing this? Buying this house?”

  “Yes. I can work with this. I’ll miss the view of my condo and being close to Biomystic, but out here, I’ll have privacy and I’ll be able to create stronger wards.”

  “Then congratulations, Dr. Laila Porter. You’re buying a house.”

  I smiled, as the excitement grew. I was going to have a house. My own place. Until I saw this house and decided to buy it, I hadn’t even realized I needed this. I thought the condo was enough. The security was great, and I’d had two floors to myself, one for my home, and another for a lab.

  Glancing around the enormous yard, I thought about the greenhouse I could have, the garden. I looked up at the tree. Maybe even a tree house. The little girl inside of me loved the idea of having someplace high to relax.

  Chapter Five

  I recognized the guard as one of the ones who was locked in with us. He focused on the tablet in his hand as he walked down the hallway. His short brown hair had grown out a little from the professional cut he had when I last saw him. Focusing on whatever had his attention on the screen, he didn’t notice my approach.

  “Logan Seghers!” At the abrupt sound of his name, he jumped and turned, light brown eyes wide until he saw me. His gaze moved up and down my body, and I raised an eyebrow at him. I wasn’t wearing anything special, just jeans and a t-shirt, but somehow his stare made me feel like I was dressed to go out on a Saturday night.

  “Dr. Laila Porter, haven’t seen you around lately. It’s been quiet.” A silence filled the space for a moment as we both got lost in the memories of the break-in.

&nbs
p; I cleared my throat, and he blinked.

  “What’s up?” His smile was sincere, even if his eyes were filled with sorrow. Everyone there had a similar look in their eyes and would for a while still.

  “Have you seen Ami?”

  Smile slipping, Logan nodded. When he didn’t say anything, I motioned for him to give me more, waving my hands.

  Sighing, his expression slipped into a pitying look. “She’s training.”

  “Where?”

  “B2.”

  “Thanks,” I said and took off, something not sitting well. I hadn’t seen much of Ami, and if he was looking like that, I was scared to see how she was doing. Her situation was heartbreaking. She had loved Henzie without even knowing it until he was dead. And to make matters worse, he had loved her too. An incubus and a witch. That would have been a strong combination if they had ever had a chance to be anything.

  Floor B2 was the main hub for the meatheads. There was the main security room with the wall of monitors, a couple of offices, a workout room, break room, and a locker room. People were in and out all the time. I slipped inside, going directly to the workout room. The space took up half the floor, most of it filled with machines and weights. There was an area in the back covered in mats. As I approached, someone grunted and it was quickly followed by the slap of something on par of with a massive truck hitting the mat

  I scanned the room until I found my target. Ami and another meathead sparred hard, and I paused to watch, having never seen Ami in a real fight before. At least not like this, where the sole focus was physical, with no weapons, no magic. She was fast, harsh, and angry. Her dark expression showed no signs of the Ami I was used to seeing.

  I winced when she took the man almost twice her size and flipped him over. She jumped on top of him, pinning him down with her knees. She didn’t hesitate, throwing punches, not even stopping when his nose cracked. She had broken it and kept on swinging.

  “Ami,” I snapped, and she froze, chest heaving, arms poised for another punch. The man underneath her moaned but didn’t move. “Get off of him,” I said.