Demon's Touch: A Reverse Harem Tale (Mountain Magic Book 2)

by Dakota Brown

  I hopped up on the running board and grabbed his seatbelt. "Need to strap in. I'll show you this time."

  I leaned across the mage and slid the buckle into the slot. "You release it by pushing this button here."

  He looked down and touched the button. "Thank you."

  "Sure." I hopped off the running board and shut his door for him and then climbed in the back.

  Nikolai looked like he was trying to stare at everything as Doc drove down the narrow dirt driveway.

  My phone chimed, and I pulled it out.

  Victoria: Girl! How's it going with all those hot guys?

  I couldn't help myself. I giggled as I replied.

  Sofia: Picked up another hot guy.

  Victoria: What!

  Sofia: LOL. Long story short…actually, I don't think I can explain over text. I'll tell you tonight. Not dating him or anything.

  Victoria: You'd better.

  Sofia: We're actually headed to town if you want to join us.

  Victoria: Naw, catch you tonight. Working on a paper.

  Sofia: Later.

  Victoria responded with a thumbs up icon.

  Nikolai had twisted around and was watching me, but he didn't ask what I was doing. He had so much to learn about.

  "Hey, Nikolai, can you do the language transfer thingy with other knowledge?"

  "Thingy?" He drew the word out as if trying to figure out what it meant. After a moment, I thought he gave up. "Yes."

  "Do you want to, you know, just grab a bunch of my memories and see if that helps you get up to speed with the world as it currently is?"

  "Ah. I believe I will be able to manage on my own."

  "Okay, cool." I wasn't as convinced as he sounded, but he could always ask me later if he changed his mind.

  "I'll teach him to use the internet," Doc said.

  Nikolai was again glued to the window as we pulled into town. Doc drove through the downtown touristy area and headed toward the outlet shops. Before long, he parked, and Doc and I got out. Nikolai managed his seatbelt, but he couldn't figure out the door. I tried not to laugh, it really wasn't funny, and opened the door for him. "Here's the latch for next time." I demonstrated, and Nikolai nodded stiffly.

  Fortunately, the store wasn't very busy. It was very interesting to watch Nikolai's reactions to everything. He had literally never seen or even imagined most everything he was experiencing. He walked nearly on top of me, tense, but not saying anything.

  Finally, after a quick glance at Doc, I took Nikolai's hand, uncurled his fingers, and slid my hand into his. Doc nodded his approval and went back to throwing things our Russian friend might need into a cart he pushed.

  "I'm glad you're basically my size," Doc mused. "We don't have to try anything on."

  As we worked our way through the store, Nikolai relaxed a little, though only so that he wasn't crushing my hand in his grip. He certainly wasn't comfortable.

  I eyed a lavender flannel shirt that matched my magic. Doc noticed and grinned at me, tossing it in the cart with everything else.

  It took a little time to work our way through the various outlets, but by the time Doc was done, Nikolai had clothes for the season, a couple of different jackets, a pair of hiking boots and a pair of winter snow boots, gloves, and a hat.

  "Hungry?" Doc asked after putting the bags in the truck.

  I hadn't been until he mentioned it, but then I was ravenous. "Yeah."

  Nikolai didn't answer, but he had to be hungry.

  "What do you want, Sofia?"

  "Um," I glanced at Nikolai. He looked stressed. "Let's just grab fast food, hit the college, and get back."

  Doc followed my glance to Nikolai and nodded. "Drive through it is."

  Nikolai clutched my hand so hard, I thought my fingers might be turning blue.

  "You have another boyfriend?"

  I yelped at a very familiar and unwelcome voice and spun around. Doc was already in front of me, and I stepped in front of Nikolai, though he was probably more than capable of defending all of us. Alex stood a few feet away from us, arms crossed, glaring at me.

  We had the truck at our backs, but I hoped Alex wasn't going to start something. I couldn't help the tremors of fear as my heart started racing. Seeing Alex reminded me too much of being kidnapped. Nikolai put his hands on my shoulders as I pressed him into Doc's truck with my back.

  "No, why?" I managed to stammer.

  "You were holding his hand."

  "Some cultures hold hands with friends, Alex," I growled. "Nik is an old friend." Pitching my voice low and switching to Russian, I whispered, "Don't talk if you can avoid it." Doc still blocked most of Alex's view of me, so he probably didn't notice.

  Nikolai squeezed my shoulders in agreement.

  "You're looking pretty good for someone who got stabbed a week ago." I managed to get my voice back under control, and it came out sounding strong and pissed. I certainly was pissed.

  "Fortunately, I wasn't alone." He glanced around. "You look good for someone who's sleeping with a vampire. Not anemic?"

  Doc growled.

  "Can I roast him," Nikolai whispered in Russian.

  "I wish."

  Alex, his warning delivered, smiled and left. The reminder that he, and the others, knew our secrets, sent chills down my spine and made my heart race in fear.

  Nikolai held me against him while we watched Alex get into his red Mustang and drive off.

  Doc finally took a breath and turned toward us. He didn't even seem upset that Nikolai was holding me while I shook.

  "Fuck," I growled after a minute.

  "Why did we not attack him, if he is so dangerous?"

  "Unfortunately, in these days, if we got caught, it could really land us in trouble. Like, jail or dead." I hugged myself.

  Doc nodded. "We need to solve this particular problem before it blows up for all of us. Unfortunately, I don't know how." He clenched his fists and glared in the direction Alex had driven.

  "Yeah, well, not going to happen on an empty stomach. Let's go."

  Doc opened the door for Nikolai, and the mage climbed in a bit more gracefully this time.

  I got in the back, and Doc got in the driver's seat.

  Nikolai turned to look at me once the diesel was running. "Who was that?"

  I sighed. "Someone I'm really glad I didn't end up dating."

  The mage laughed. "Yes, he seems disagreeable."

  "Very."

  Doc and I filled Nikolai in on that part of the story while we got food and parked in a valley overlook to eat.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Doc left us alone in the truck while he ran inside the admin building. It was Sunday afternoon, but he thought he could at least get a guest pass for Nikolai for the next couple of days.

  "There is something I cannot figure out," Nikolai said, switching to Russian. The language caressed my ears.

  "Only one thing?" I answered slowly, testing the words, enjoying my ability to speak the new language.

  "Ah. Yes, many things. But one question for now, I suppose. You and Doc are married, yes?"

  The question took me by surprise, leaving me speechless for a moment. "Well, we're together, anyway." Marriage hadn't even crossed my mind yet. How on earth would we handle something like that? If we even decided to go there. That was a conversation we needed to have sometime in the future.

  "Ed and Allan? They…" He trailed off as if unsure how to continue. He waved his hand around for a minute before sighing.

  "I'm with all of them."

  "Married to all of them?"

  I thought about letting him flounder for a while, but his life was hard enough right now. Those questions were a little personal, though I supposed he was living with us, so he needed to know our dynamic. "No, just together. Like I said, one happy wolf pack."

  "Ah. Werewolves and their packs. I see. Though I am surprised Doc went along with it. The supernatural community does treat such things a bit different than regular humans. I
suppose that hasn't changed much."

  "He's been part of their pack longer than they have known me."

  Nikolai nodded. "I see. You truly are untrained?"

  "My birth parents died about the time I was born. Somehow, I was adopted into a non-magical family. Apparently, my parents actually tried to find someone to teach me, but couldn't."

  Nikolai nodded. "Mages can be particular about who they train, when they have the luxury."

  "And you won't teach me?" I didn't want to push, but I needed to know his reasons.

  "Sofia, to teach you properly, I will have to spend a great deal of time with you. Our magic resonates. It will draw us together. Even if we decided we hate each other, if we continue to work magic together, it will bring us closer. I can teach you basics without risking that, but not more. I do not wish to incur the wrath of your pack. Nor would I wish to cause any difficulties. The time we will have to spend together for you to learn the basics will probably push their limits as it is." He looked sad. "Also, I'm not so certain I'm ready for another student. The last one nearly killed me."

  "What if our magic didn't resonate?"

  "Finding someone who resonates with you happens now and again. It's not terribly rare, but it's also not so common that it is to be taken lightly. If it did not, I would be able to teach you the basics and maybe a touch more, but that would be it. Families typically have resonance, which is why you are usually trained by family. When mages search for their own mate, they typically look for someone who has resonance with them. Resonance means that we cast magic in similar ways. If we did not resonate with each other, sharing languages would have been more difficult, not impossible, but not as easy, and I would have waited until I had recovered more to attempt it." He shrugged.

  "Not everyone casts magic the same?"

  "Yes and no. Magic is basically the same for all mages. However, the small details of how a mage shapes spells varies. It may have something to do with bloodlines. I don't truly know."

  "Okay. Well, will you teach me some of the basics at least?"

  "Though I'd rather refuse, I do not believe I can. You are all doing quite a bit for me. I will try."

  Notes of fear entered his voice again, but before we could talk anymore, Doc returned.

  "Guest pass acquired. You can shadow one of us for the week, and I'll work on seeing what we can do about the rest of the semester." Doc started the diesel, and we headed back to the cabin.

  It might have made sense for me to stay on campus, since it was late in the day and they would have to bring me back down in a few hours anyway, but I wasn't ready to go back to the dorm and Doc didn't suggest it.

  The trip back to the cabin was quiet. Doc was lost in thought, and Nikolai was probably overwhelmed. I didn't have anything left to say.

  Ed and Allan came out of the woods to meet us when we arrived. Ed practically pulled me out of the truck, a big grin on his handsome face. He swung me around before setting me on the ground and putting his arm around my waist.

  Allan helped Doc grab the bags, and Nikolai, still looking a little lost, followed after them.

  Once inside, I collapsed onto the couch.

  Ed sat next to me, and I pulled my feet up and set my head in his lap. He ran his fingers through my hair.

  "How'd the day go?"

  "We ran into Alex. It was okay until then."

  Ed growled.

  "Pretty much. He happened to remind us that he knows our secrets. We know his, so it might be an empty threat, but it's hard to tell."

  "Asshole."

  "Yeah."

  Ed continued to play with my hair, soothing me.

  Allan came back and gently lifted my legs, sliding under them so my calves were lying across his lap. "Doc and Nikolai told me what happened with Alex," he grumbled. His soothing touches joined Ed's.

  I sighed.

  "It'll be okay, Sofia. We'll figure something out," Allan tried to reassure me.

  They had lulled me to a half drowsy state by the time Doc and Nikolai joined us. They sat on the loveseat. Doc was showing Nikolai how to use a tablet and explaining the internet.

  "I have so much to catch up on." Nikolai sounded a bit overwhelmed.

  "You can stay with us as long as you need to," Doc offered again. "Of course, you may be better off somewhere else. I suspect things with the Andersons are going to get worse before we figure out how to resolve the issue."

  Nikolai waved his hand dismissively while he stared at the tablet. "I am battle mage. Yes? I may as well fight. Besides, Alex is a…" He hesitated, muttered something in Russian that must have been slang because while I understood the word, I didn't know what he meant. "I will learn the modern equivalent. He is not as powerful as he believes he is." Nikolai looked up, eyes scanning all of us. "I suspect much was lost in the Renaissance. I am…" He hesitated again. "I used to use magic constantly. It makes a large difference." He focused on me, seeming to ponder before shrugging. "It is problem that you cannot. It will keep you from reaching your full potential."

  I didn't reply, certain he was right. Though really, my short-term goal was simply not to get turned into a host for a greater demon.

  Chapter 6

  Sofia

  "So, spill," Victoria ordered when I returned to my dorm room that evening. She had already changed into pajamas. She had a towel wrapped around her head, covering her fro, and a light-colored face mask contrasted with her dark skin.

  "You gotta try this." She tossed a bottle at me.

  I studied the ingredients. Lavender featured prominently.

  "It's supposed to help reduce anxiety." She beamed at me.

  "Do you have anxiety?"

  "No, but I figured you might have a little extra stress in your life right now, so I got it for us to try."

  "Aww, thanks." I returned her grin. "I showered at the cabin."

  Her grin widened.

  "So, I can try it after I change," I continued, trying to ignore her expression or the blush that spread across my face.

  "Great. Who's the new guy?"

  I laughed, dropped my bag onto my bed, and pulled my sleeping clothes out of the dresser. Our room had a divider down the middle where the two desks were, and the closets sat back to back. The beds were on the outside walls, and we each had a window. We had a corner room, so I had an extra window since I was on the outside wall. Our room was protected by wards that Doc, using borrowed magic, had placed for us, and it was reasonably secure, so I felt comfortable talking.

  Victoria sat in my office chair and turned her back to give me a bit of privacy while I changed.

  "So, do you remember that knife I, uh, stole from the Andersons?"

  "Yeah."

  "I was poking at the knife with my magic and somehow triggered a release or a key or something, and suddenly we had a nearly dead Russian mage on our floor."

  Victoria cursed. "And he was trapped in the knife? How?"

  "Turns out back in like, fourteen fifty-five or something, one of Nikolai's students—he's the new guy—decided she wanted his position. So, she made a magical trap with the knife as a trigger. Then she stabbed Nikolai in the back. Literally. She also poisoned him, just in case the rest wasn't good enough. Fortunately, the magic put him in some sort of stasis."

  "You're shitting me." She stared, incredulous.

  "No, I'm totally not. Doc helped guide my magic, and I managed to heal him." Victoria didn't know that Doc was a half-vampire, and it was safer if she didn't find out. Not that we didn't trust her, but some secrets were pretty important to guard. Vampires in general were one of the most dangerous of the supernatural community. They tended to avoid humans except for food and dealt with discovery with lethal finality. Doc had started life as a vampire hunter with his father, and likely wouldn't be popular with a full vampire regardless, but the fewer people who knew, the better. It was bad enough that the Andersons knew.

  Somehow, Doc had come to an agreement several years ago that the Andersons, who ran the
local branch of the magical black market, would leave him, Ed, and Allan alone. Until I came along and disrupted all of that, the truce had held. He hadn't told me what he'd done to get them to agree, but I knew the older Andersons were afraid of him. Alex didn't seem to share that fear. Unfortunately.

  "Anyway, he's grateful we saved him. Seems pretty nice. And has a lot of catching up to do. We took him shopping today. He handled it well, but it was pretty stressful for him."

  "That's insane."

  "Yeah." I flopped down on my bed and opened the face mask bottle. "Oh, this smells good."

  "Try it."

  I did, and soon we were both laying on my bed, enjoying the lavender aroma.

  "Okay, so I have to ask. Is he hot?"

  "Nikolai?"

  "He's the only new he, right? We already know the other three are hot." Victoria giggled.

  "You are terrible."

  "Well?"

  "Yeah, he's pretty hot. Shoulder length dark brown hair. Dark brown eyes. A bit more muscular than Doc, but leaner than Ed and Allan. His hands are interesting. They're long and slender but also calloused. He told us he fought in a lot of wars, so I imagine they're like sword callouses or something."

  Victoria turned her head and looked at me. "Girl…"

  "What?"

  "That's a level of detail I was not expecting."

  "Um, well, you asked. I was holding his hand for a large bit of today. He was pretty nervous."

  Victoria laughed.

  "Anyway, he's half Russian, half Tartar."

  "Interesting. Think the guys will adopt him into the pack or just keep him around long enough that he can function on his own?"

  "It's going to take a while to get him on his feet. If he doesn't want to stay with us, we may have to find someone else to help."

  "Well, I'm looking forward to meeting him. Wait, if he's from fourteen fifty-five Russia, how are you talking to him?"

  "Oh, good question." I laughed. "He traded me languages. Apparently, there's a spell where you can do that. I speak his version of Russian now. Badly. Apparently, fully being able to speak the language takes a while."