by Meg Anne
Skye shouted ‘No’ before she heard the snap, and Lucas and James jumped to their feet.
“Lizzie!” James screamed as he dove across the counter toward her, but the Druid was faster. He slammed his palm down onto James’ chest, and Skye watched in horror as he burst into flames.
“Freeze!” Lucas yelled, aiming his weapon at the cloaked figure.
“I especially want you to watch this,” the Druid said directly to Skye. “His death is one I’m particularly looking forward to.” The Druid laughed and, using his magic, pulled Lucas to him.
“No! Please don’t hurt him!” Skye screamed. She tried to run to Lucas but her feet were frozen in place.
“We’re in my world now, Seer,” the Druid said, closing his fist around Lucas’ throat.
Lucas turned his gaze to her, finally realizing she was there. “Help,” he gasped.
Skye screamed just as his eyes began to roll back into his head.
Lucas barreled into her room, his gun drawn. He scanned her first and wordlessly checked the window, closet, and even beneath the bed, searching for whatever had caused her to start screaming. She sat up in bed, tears streaming down her face. Finding nothing, he holstered his weapon and took a seat on the edge of the bed.
“What is it? What happened? Did you See something?” He pulled her into his arms and rested his chin on the top of her head.
She shook her head, unable to speak as the tears flowed freely and she struggled to catch her breath. The nightmare had been so real, so incredibly detailed that she wasn’t sure it hadn’t been the Druid getting into her head somehow. He planned on killing them all. She shut her eyes tightly and held onto Lucas as if he might fade away.
He rubbed her back, and she reached back to stop him. That kind of contact, even from him, was entirely too similar to the way the Druid had touched her in the nightmare. His hand stilled, and he pulled her onto his lap.
“It’s okay, Skye,” he said softly.
She sat wrapped in his arms for a few minutes while she fought to regain her composure. Once she opened her eyes, she noticed for the first time that it was morning. A dim light shone in through the window, and she pulled away to wipe her eyes.
“Want to talk about it?”
“Coffee first.”
“You got it.” He set her to the side and stood. “Come out when you’re ready.”
She nodded, and he left the room, leaving the door open. Skye stood and walked to the mirror that hung over the dresser. Her eyes were swollen, her face tear-stained and red. Overall, she looked like shit, but who could blame her?
How many damn times am I going to have to watch my friends die? What the fuck did I do to deserve this?
She pulled her hair up into a messy bun and walked out into the living room, not caring that she only wore one of Lucas’ T-shirts.
He stood in front of the coffee pot, measuring the grounds before putting them into the filter. He was shirtless, something that on any other day would have had her blood pumping. While she appreciated the sight, she was still too wrapped up in the remnants of her nightmare to give the sight more than passing notice.
He turned to face her and smiled lightly when he saw her eyes travel back up his body. “I wanted to get your coffee started before I grabbed a shirt, but let me go get one on and then we can talk.”
She nodded and took a seat on the couch, pulling a throw over her bare legs. He returned a few moments later wearing a fitted blue T-shirt and sat next to her.
“So, what happened? Did you have another vision?”
“No.” Skye shook her head. “I don’t think so, anyway. It was like a lucid dream, but not.” She covered her face with her hands, groaning. “I know that doesn’t make any sense.”
“Why don’t you just tell me what happened?”
Skye recounted the nightmare from the very beginning, the words spilling out of her in a rush and bringing each horrifying moment back to life with them.
Lucas paced, his face furious by the time she was finished her recounting.
“This dickhead must have massive balls.”
“He’s cocky. He knows that we’re powerless to stop him, at least for now.” Skye paused, taking a deep, steadying breath. “Listen, I know you don’t want to admit it, Lucas, but you’re the only one who stands a chance against him, and unless you start coming to terms with what you are, we’re fucked. And not in the good way.”
Lucas continued pacing as if he hadn’t heard a word she said. Finally, he stopped and faced her, his face more serious than she had ever seen it. He sighed, looking equal parts resigned and determined. “Okay, so if I am a Druid, do I just start chanting or something?”
Chapter 24
Lucas
I’m a Druid, he told himself for the hundredth time. No matter how many times he repeated it, Lucas still couldn’t wrap his mind around the idea. Was it hard to accept magic existed in the first place? Absolutely.
But being forced to admit that he just so happened to be part of it was a much harder pill to swallow.
Lucas sat on the edge of his bed and stared down at Lucy, who was still peacefully asleep. How nice it must be to only have to worry about eating, sleeping, and crapping. He covered his face with his hands; he was a freaking Druid.
Had his dad known? Was this something that skipped a generation and he just so happened to draw the short straw? He’d have to make a point to call his grandfather and float the idea by him. Although, the thought of that conversation made his stomach roll. How the hell was he supposed to bring something like this up without sounding like an absolute lunatic? Especially when he’d barely spoken to the man in the last twenty years.
He sighed, forcing himself to face the truth. If that fucker hadn’t gotten to Skye last night, dream or not, he’d probably still be on the fence about the idea that he was somehow connected to all of this. But after seeing that terror on her face, and having to watch as a woman who seemed damn near fearless jump at shadows, he couldn’t allow himself the luxury of ignorance. If accepting a hard truth gave them the upper hand they needed to take this asshole down, then he’d do it.
He’d dealt with harder things in the past and survived. Wiggling his fingers and chanting some spells couldn’t be any worse.
The door to his apartment opened, and he heard Lizzie and Matthews greet Skye.
Great. He hadn’t even finished his coffee yet and now he was going to have to deal with Lizzie’s eye rolls and Mathews’ dickheadedness.
Leaving his partner to watch over his sister without giving him all the information wasn’t fair, he knew. But how the hell did you bring that up in casual conversation? Especially when he had hardly believed it himself? Shit, he still wasn’t a hundred percent behind the idea.
“Better get it over with,” he muttered. Lucas pushed to his feet and made his way into his living room, still in his sweats and a T-shirt.
“Well, look at you, sleeping beauty!” Matthews quipped as soon as Lucas came into view.
Lizzie just continued pouring herself a cup of coffee, not bothering to look back at him.
“Look, I’m sorry.” He hated the idea of his sister being mad at him. Even when they’d been kids, and he’d done something stupid and brotherly to piss her off, it had bothered him. It was worse now that she was the only real family he had left, dog and absentee grandfather not included. “Lizzie,” he pleaded.
She turned to face him, hands on her hips. “Fine,” she snapped.
“Fine? That’s it? I’m over here trying to apologize. I admit it, alright? I should have filled in dickhead over here earlier.”
“Oh, that’s really cute, Lucas. Look at you multitasking. An apology out of one side of your mouth and an insult out the other.” Lizzie rolled her eyes and tossed her hands in the air.
Lucas couldn’t help himself, he may have been mid-apology, but he watched his sister’s eye roll and thought, called it.
“If it’s any consolation, I accept your apolog
y, bitch.” Matthews grinned and slapped him on the arm.
“Men. Ugh! You guys are fucking ridiculous,” Lizzie said, her lips twitching on a smile.
“Who’s fucking ridiculous?” Skye asked as she made her way into the kitchen, looking like a million bucks.
How the hell does she manage that so early in the morning, he wondered as he appreciated her tight black leggings and the body-hugging dress that fell just below her thigh.
“Men!”
Skye’s eyes found his. “I completely agree,” she responded lightly, making him roll his eyes. Shit, it was contagious.
Skye and Lizzie fell into a deep conversation about how the male species was ridiculous, or whatever the hell it was they were talking about, giving him and his partner space to talk without being overheard.
“So, you good man?” Matthews asked.
“Yeah. Just trying to wrap my head around the fact that—”
“You’re a fucking wizard?”
Lucas laughed. “Skye hears you say that and she’ll have your balls.”
Matthews shrugged. “I bet your sister would have something to say about that.”
Lucas lost his smile and punched James hard in the arm. “Keep talking like that and it won’t be Skye you have to worry about.”
His partner laughed and held up his hands in surrender. “So, what’s the plan for today? Don’t really feel like making my way into the office like it’s just a normal morning.”
“Nah, definitely not. We need to get down and see the professor. I’m really hoping he dug something up last night. Then I’m going to take Skye over to her apartment and see if we can’t dig out some of her grandmother’s old journals.”
“Think there’s anything in there?”
“Honestly?” He ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t have a fucking clue. At this point, anything would be helpful.”
The loud shatter of ceramic caught Lucas’s attention.
His sister cried out, “Skye?”
The men turned to see Skye’s wide eyes staring vacantly at a spot on the wall, her pupils completely swallowing any trace of amber. Her face had drained of all color, and she swayed where she stood.
“Fuck, not again!” Lucas raced to the other side of the room. “Skye!” he shouted, hoping to pull her out of whatever hellhole she’d been drawn into.
But it was too late, she’d already gone down.
Chapter 25
Skye
“Skye.”
Skye opened her eyes to the sound of her name. She was standing in Professor Zane’s office, just inside the door where he’d first greeted them. This felt like a vision, but instead of the usual faded hues, everything around her was in vibrant, albeit blurred, color. Almost like she was looking at a reflection on the water.
“Skye,” Ben said again from his desk. He was sitting in his chair, looking down at a stack of papers, but not at her. “I hope this works, Seer,” he whispered. She saw the pain on his face, which was only eclipsed by the panic in his wide eyes.
A sense of dread filled her, making her stomach flip. What had he found?
The door behind her opened, and fear stabbed through her like a knife. She knew who it would be without looking.
“Been a long time, Benjamin,” the Druid said.
She expected him to see her, to look her in the eye and make some comment that would terrify her, but he never did. He continued staring at Ben, who, instead of acknowledging him, turned his eyes to where she stood.
“Skye, I hope you See this.” He spoke softly, and it was as if the Druid didn’t hear him even though he stood right in front of him. Finally addressing the Druid directly, Benjamin said, “It has been. Truth be told, I’d hoped it would be longer.”
“I’m sure you did. I can’t imagine you ever thought you’d see me again after you, my brother, and that Gypsy bitch sent me to the Wasteland.”
Skye’s eyes widened. So that’s why the professor recognized that spell!
“You were headed down a dark path and had to be stopped.”
The Druid was enraged by the professor’s answer, and he slammed a fist into the wall beside him. “You betrayed me! I taught you everything I knew, answered every question for your studies, and you used it against me!” he roared.
“You had to be s-stopped,” Ben stammered, his voice cracking as his courage wavered. “Ju-just like you d-do now.”
The Druid laughed. “You think they will stop me? I. Am. Unstoppable! My little vacation gave me a lot of time to think.” He took another step toward the desk and looked down at the papers stacked on top, lifting one up to inspect it. When he looked back up at Ben, he hissed. “So, you think to warn them?”
Ben got to his feet and nearly fell back over his chair.
The Druid pulled out a knife, and Skye lunged for him.
“No!” she screamed.
Ben’s eyes found hers, and he smiled slightly, but again, the Druid didn’t notice.
“You will be stopped,” Ben whispered just before the Druid drove the blade down into his chest.
“Ben!” Skye screamed, watching in horror as Ben slumped to the ground beneath his desk.
She expected to be pulled from the vision. She was ready to let Lucas and the others know what was going to happen and get the image of Ben’s impending death out of her head, but fate had more for her to See. Instead of leaving the vision, she stayed emerged in the scene. Confused, Skye continued to watch, tears streaming down her face.
The Druid gathered everything that had been on top of Ben’s desk and disappeared just as quickly as he’d come.
“Ben,” she whispered. There was no answer, but still she did not return to the present. Skye took a deep breath and stepped over to where he lay. “Ben?”
He was still alive, but just barely. He dipped his fingers into the wound and used his blood to write something on the bottom of his desk. What could be so important he’d use his last breaths to record it rather than call for help? This must be what he wanted her to See.
He was wasting time; the phone was just within reach if he’d only try.
“Ben, call for help!” she pleaded, but he couldn’t hear her now, if he ever could. “Please,” she begged as the front of his handmade sweater turned red from his own life force.
“Skye.” Her name was a whisper as his hand fell. “I hope—” His words were stopped short by a wet gurgle as his chest rose and fell one last time.
Professor Zane was gone.
Skye was ripped from the vision, her breaths coming out in shallow gasps as she tried to gain control. So much blood. This wasn’t even the worst of her visions, but the reality of it nearly killed her. What triggered it? I didn’t even touch him!
Why had he kept repeating her name over and over again? And why couldn’t the Druid see her this time?
Each unanswered question brought with it a new wave of panic.
“Skye!” Lucas shouted. She used the sound as a focus, shifting her attention to him. “There you are,” he said, relief heavy in his voice. He pulled her against his chest as the tears continued to spill down her cheeks.
“Ben, you have to call Ben!” she urged, and Lucas didn’t waste time questioning her. He pulled his phone out of the pocket of his sweatpants.
“No answer,” he said tightly a moment later, helping her onto the couch.
“You hit your head,” Lizzie informed her, her voice gentle. “I’m going to try and stop the bleeding.” She pressed a washcloth to her forehead, and Skye winced.
“Caught it right on the edge of the coffee table,” James explained, running his hand down her back in an effort to soothe her, but the gesture did nothing to calm her panic.
“We have to get over there now,” she insisted, knowing that she sounded hysterical. Hell, she was hysterical. Skye got to her feet. She swayed slightly but caught herself on the arm of the couch this time.
“We need to get you to a hospital for stitches,” Lucas corrected.
/> “No, I’ll be fine.”
“James, can you grab the first aid kit from the bathroom?” Lizzie asked as she guided Skye back down.
“On it.” He disappeared, but Skye barely noticed.
She couldn’t get the professor’s words out of her head. ‘Skye, I hope you can see this.’ What had he meant?
“Lucas, we have to go now! If I just had the vision, it might mean he isn’t dead yet,” she said adamantly.
He eyed her warily. “You can barely stand on your own. Besides, if we rush over there now, half-cocked, it’s not going to matter.”
“Got it!” James called, jogging back into the room and handing the first aid kit to Lizzie with a flourish.
“I’m going to go get dressed,” Lucas said.
She sat quietly while Lizzie cleaned and closed the cut with two butterfly strips.
“That should hold,” she said, getting to her feet.
“Thanks,” Skye said absentmindedly. Her mind was stuck replaying the scene from her vision. Why does this vision feel so different than the others?
“Okay, let’s go,” Lucas said, and she watched as he holstered his weapon beneath his arm.
She got to her feet.
“Wait, Skye, maybe you should stay put.”
She eyed him dangerously. “I’m going.” Her voice left no room for argument. He hadn’t seen what she had; he couldn’t possibly understand that she had to go.
“Skye—”
She put her hand up to stop him. “I’m not arguing with you. Either you take me, or I leave by myself after you do. Either way, I’m going.”
He let out a breath. “Fine.”
“I’ll take Lizzie into work,” James offered.
“Are we sure that’s such a good idea?” Lucas asked, his eyes shifting to Skye.
“Yes,” Lizzie said firmly. “It wasn’t me Skye saw this time, and I’m already opening a lot later than usual.”
“Fine,” Lucas said, throwing his hands in the air. “Apparently, no one wants to take my advice this morning.”