by Michelle Fox
“Don’t take too long.” And before she could say goodbye, static cut them off.
Marion shook her head and hung up the phone. Fear for her friend made her hands tremble. Her eyes wide, she asked, “What do we do next?”
“Go back to town. We’ll focus on Raven while Dougal deals with Eric.”
“I’ll get my things,” she said already halfway to the door.
“I’ll call Dougal while you get ready.” Not waiting for her response, he began to dial.
Marion threw on some clothes as fast as she could, aware that every second counted. By the time she packed her bag and emerged from her room, Aidan was dressed and ready as well. She followed him down the hall to the kitchen where he grabbed his wallet and car keys. With a short, “Let’s go,” he headed out the door.
Marion watched the cabin recede as Aidan backed his car down the driveway and swung it onto the road. As concerned as she was for Raven, there was still a part of her that was sorry to go. It had been an idyllic retreat, one Marion would never forget.
Turning to Aidan, who was focused on the road in front of him, his jaw clenched, she asked, “What are we going to do?”
“Find Raven. Get rid of Eric.”
“Sounds great. Do we have a plan?”
The dimple in his cheek flexed and his hands tightened on the wheel.”Not yet.”
“How are we going to find Raven?”
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t you have some elf thing you can do to find her?”
He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. “Some elf thing?”
“You know, like those charms you gave Dougal? Or scrying or something?”
Aidan shook his head. “No. Do you have some witch thing you can do?
“I’ve done some scrying before on my own, but I’m not so great at it. I’m more wannabe than witch. Human magic doesn’t come easy.” She slumped in her seat.
“Magic isn’t always easy in Fairy either. We’ll have to do it the old fashion way. We’ll call the police.”
“Unless,” Marion said, thinking fast. “You and I might not be able to scry, but I know someone who can.” She pulled out her cell phone and began dialing.
Chapter Thirteen
They picked up Dougal at Marion’s apartment. The large elf had assumed his natural form, a mistake because it added a good nine inches to his height. The small backseat forced the shifter to hunch over to keep his head from hitting the roof. Marion gave them directions to the university and the building where Professor Snooks' office was. The shadows of dusk had chased the light away and the building was deserted when they arrived.
Marion led the way, opening the door and navigating the dark hallways to the stairwell that led up to the professor’s office on the fourth floor. Professor Snooks must have heard them coming because when Marion opened the door, she was standing in the hallway, an expectant look on her face. Startled at the professor’s sudden appearance Marion jumped, causing Aidan to sweep her behind him protectively and scan the hallway for danger.
“Who are you?" he demanded, glaring at the professor.
Marion peered out from behind Aidan’s solid form. “It’s okay. That’s my professor, the one who’s going to help us.”
“Marion, is that you?” Professor Snooks tried to look around Aidan.
Marion pushed past Aidan. “Yes, it’s me. Thanks for meeting with us.”
“I could hardly say no. Not after you explained what was happening.” She looked at Aidan, noticing the protective way he hovered over Marion. “I see you’ve been working on your love potion.”
Marion blushed. “Are you ready for us?”
Professor Snooks nodded. “Yes. I have everything set up.” She turned and trudged down the hallway to her office door, the soles of her sensible shoes squeaking on the polished linoleum floor. “Follow me.”
They filed after her into the small office. The professor had cleared off the towering mounds of paper usually found on her desk, replacing them with a black velvet cloth and a clear glass bowl filled with water. Candles surrounded the bowl, flames flickering as the professor moved to stand behind her desk.
Pushing her spectacles up, she said, “You have the items I requested?”
Dougal handed her a small plastic grocery bag. “In here.” To Aidan and Marion he said, “I got some of Raven’s hair from a brush I found in her room.”
The professor took the bag and opened it, extracting a few pieces of hair which she threw into the water. “We begin. Be silent until I am done.”
They watched as the professor moved her hands over the bowl muttering words under her breath. A subtle ripple went through the water and the candle flames jumped in time to the rhythm of her voice. The hair on the back of Marion’s neck prickled as the magic tension built, peaking several minutes later when Professor Snooks fell silent and went still, staring into the now churning water, her brow furrowed.
After several minutes she shook her head and looked up at them. “I see...”
“What?” Marion prompted.
“Nothing. I see nothing. He is truly a powerful mage.” With that she crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
Marion ran to Professor Snooks’ side and checked for a pulse. “Her heart is beating.” She bent down and put her cheek by the professor’s face. “But I don’t think she’s breathing.”
Aidan came to kneel next to her and confirmed Marion’s observation. “I don’t see her chest moving.”
“Do you know how to do CPR?”
“No. Elves don’t learn human first aid, we don’t die like you do.”
Marion rolled the professor onto her back and began to improvise what she remembered of CPR. In between huffing air into Professor Snook’s mouth she said, “Call an ambulance.”
Dougal pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and relayed the address that Marion shouted to him as she continued to perform CPR.
Minutes later, the paramedics burst into the room and took over. Quickly placing the professor on a gurney, they began to force air into her lungs with a bag. Marion, Aidan and Dougal trailed after them as they wheeled the unconscious woman down the hallway to the freight elevator. Out in the parking lot, they loaded the gurney into the back of the ambulance.
“What hospital are you going to?” Marion asked.
“Saint Vincent’s,” answered one of the paramedics checking the straps holding the professor down. “One of you can ride with us. The doctors will want someone to explain what happened.”
“I’ll go,” Marion said.
Aidan nodded. “We’ll follow in the car.”
The paramedic offered Marion a hand up and she took it, climbing into the back of the ambulance. Without further conversation, the paramedic hopped inside and slammed the door shut after him.
“Okay. Move out,” he shouted to the driver.
The ambulance took off, sirens blaring and tires squealing.
“How far are we from the hospital?” Marion asked, looking out the back window to see if Aidan and Dougal were behind them. The silver car was just turning out of the driveway.
“I don’t care,” the paramedic said.
Frowning, Marion turned to look at him, and gasped as the paramedic’s face shimmered, changing into someone she had hoped to never see again. “Eric.”
Goddess help her, he'd found her.
“Marion.” He smiled, his blond good looks giving no hint of the monster within. “I’ve been looking for you.” He banged on the wall, “Okay boys, stop and let us out.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“You will if you want her to live, “ Eric waved his hand and the monitors the paramedics had attached to the professor began to beep and wail.
“No. Stop it.” Marion lunged for Eric, but he sidestepped her.
“Come with me, Marion, or she dies, along with your friend Raven.”
The ambulance lurched to a stop and Eric opened the door and jumped out. Holding out a hand to
Marion he said, “Last chance.”
Knowing she had no choice, Marion followed him. Instantly the alarms stopped and the professor took a deep, unassisted breath. That was all Marion had time to see before Eric shut the door and dragged her down a narrow alleyway where a motorcycle sat. He gave her a helmet, “Here, put this on. I don’t want anyone or anything to hurt you before I can.” The smile he gave her as he spoke was soulless.
Marion shivered, but took the leather jacket he offered her next without a word. Eric donned his helmet and a matching jacket. Swinging a leg over the bike, he said, “Get on, and before you get brave, remember I still hold Raven’s life in my hands.”
Resigned to her fate, Marion climbed on the bike as he turned the ignition. The bike growled underneath them as it roared down the alleyway and into the street. Eric took the turn so sharply the bike wobbled for a second before he found his center of gravity again. Zig-zagging through a dizzying array of side streets, he navigated the bike through the back roads of Vegas with a deft hand. Marion held on and tried, in vain, to spot Aidan or think of some way to save herself and Raven.
An hour later, Eric pulled into a parking garage attached to a high rise apartment building on the outskirts of the city. He parked the bike and got off, yanking Marion after him. Cruelly twisting her arm behind her back, he said, ”I’ve been waiting for a long time to get my hands on you. I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you again.”
“Well that makes one of us,” Marion said through gritted teeth. Eric rewarded her statement by twisting her arm even harder and eliciting a high-pitched yelp from her.
“Let’s take our reunion to someplace more private, shall we?” He nuzzled her neck and planted a wet kiss there that Marion immediately wiped away with her free hand.
Eric didn’t notice, or didn’t care about her reaction and continued to guide her in front of him. He took her through the garage and down a dank stairwell to the basement level. Opening a heavy steel door, he shoved her into a carpeted hallway. At the end of the hall, Eric stopped in front of a door numbered 01. Fumbling with his keys, he unlocked the door and swung it open, revealing an almost empty apartment.
He couldn’t have been there for very long, Marion thought, noticing the bare walls, paper plates and plastic ware. He’d always been fastidious about his living space. When they’d dated, his apartment had been a well-coordinated bachelor pad filled with black leather furniture and glass tables. He’d lowered his standards since then, or hadn’t had time to do anything other than provide for the basic necessities.
A recliner sat in front of a small screen TV and a card table with a few folding chairs filled the dining nook. Beyond that, there was nothing. No pictures, nothing that would signal this apartment was a home. It reminded Marion more of police stakeouts she’d seen in movies. Not that she had much time to look it over as Eric shoved her into a bedroom and slammed the door shut.
Marion staggered with the force of Eric’s shove, landing on the bare mattress in the center of the room. Behind her, she heard a lock click home. She was alone.
She got off the bed and, rubbing her sore arm, went to test the door just to be sure. The knob didn’t move. Definitely locked. She turned, back against the door, and looked at the room. Aside from the mattress it was empty, but there was a window. It was certainly large enough for her to fit through, but when she reached to open it, a painful shock went through her arm. She sprang back with a hiss of pain. Eric had warded the windows to prevent escape.
She sat on the bed, cradling her arm, and stared at the window. If she'd been a mage, she would’ve been able to break the ward. But as a witch, and worse, as a student witch, she didn’t have the skills or tools to meet Eric’s power on equal footing.
Marion sighed and hopelessness washed over her until tears dripped down her cheeks. He was going to kill her. The first attack had been an impulse of rage, interrupted by a passerby who had called the police. He had clearly made more careful plans this time. She doubted anyone would hear her scream in the apartment. If he’d warded the windows, he could easily make it so no sound escaped.
What was she going to do?
A rustling sound caught her attention and she turned, searching for the source. Spotting a closet she hadn’t noticed before, she went to it and opened the door. Something, or someone, large and heavy tackled her, throwing her to the floor.
Marion screamed and put her hands up to protect her face, squirming to break free of whatever had knocked her down.
“Mar, is that you?”
“Raven?” Marion lowered her hands and looked up at her attacker. Raven’s familiar heart-shaped face loomed over hers.
Raven rolled off Marion.“Mind untying me?” She held up her hands, which had been bound in front of her with a scarf. “Bastard found the cell phone and tied me up.”
“You scared the crap out of me,” Marion said as she tugged the knot loose on the scarf.
“Sorry, I thought you were him,” Raven said, voice going flat at the mention of Eric.
Marion threw her arms around her roommate and hugged her close. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Not for long if we don’t find a way out of here.” She disengaged herself from Marion and went for the window so fast there was no time to warn her. The wards zapped her and she jumped back with a yelp. “What the hell?”
“It’s warded. I don’t know how you were able to call me. I don’t think anything gets in or out unless Eric wants it to. You were lucky with the phone.”
Raven gave a harsh laugh. “I bet it wasn’t luck.”
“You mean...” Marion trailed off as the truth struck her.
“Eric used me to flush you out is what I think.” Raven smacked the window with both hands, hissing in pain as she did so. The wards held and the window remained intact. Raven growled in frustration. “I’m not going down without a fight.”
“What are we going to do? I don’t know any defensive magic and you’re an herbalist.” Tears gathered in her eyes again.
Raven shook her head. “There’s no magic that protects a man from a knee to the groin.” She came to stand next to Marion and put her arm around her. “You can’t give up, Mar. Aidan will be looking for us, right?”
Marion nodded.
“We just have to give them as much time as possible to find us. If it has to be a knock-down, drag-out fight, so be it, but Eric won’t find us willing. Right?”
“Right.” Marion nodded and threw back her shoulders, trying to feel brave.
“Good. Now, come on, we’ve got weapons to make.”
“Weapons? From what?”
“Hangers.” Raven went to the closet and began throwing wire hangers on the bed. At Marion’s doubtful expression, she said, “Just trust me. I’ve been staring at them for a while now, and I’ve got an idea.”
Marion raised an eyebrow, but went to assist Raven. Without any magic, beggars couldn’t be choosers and if all they had to fight with were bits of wire—well, it was better than nothing.
Chapter Fourteen
Eric the mage was a dead man. Aidan would see to that personally if it was the last thing he did. Marion's ex had tricked them for the last time. He couldn't believe he hadn't seen it coming, hadn't sensed the magic somehow. He'd failed Marion and if he didn't make things right, she would die.
Swearing under his breath, he smacked the heel of his hand against the steering wheel. The second they'd realized what had happened, they'd gone back to the university parking lot and zig-zagged in a grid from street to street, looking for a clue. But they'd been driving for over an hour now and there was no sign of Marion. It was as if she’d never existed.
"Come on. There's got to be something we're missing." Aidan hit the brakes at a stop sign and then floored the accelerator through the intersection.
Beside him, Dougal sighed. “I don’t know what else we can do, Aidan. It’s beyond our abilities.”
Aidan gave a curt nod of agreement. “You're right, bu
t I think I have an idea. Something Eric can't hide from.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Call in reinforcements. If Eric wants an obsession, I’ll give him one.”
***
Serena smiled as she opened the door to her hotel suite, which was large as a house and decorated in a mix of marble, silver and turquoise. Catching sight of Dougal her smile widened. “Hello, boys. You called?”
“Thanks for seeing us, Serena,” Aidan said. She looked the same as when they’d met. Lush with round curves and not a day over sixteen, even if she was pushing a hundred.
“Who’s big, tall, and hulking over here? “ She brushed past Aidan and sashayed over to where Dougal stood.
“My friend, Dougal.”
She stood on tip-toe as she cupped the big man's cheek in her hand. “Hello, Dougal.”
Dougal moved his mouth in an attempt to talk, but nothing came out except gibberish. He flushed and tried again with the same result.
Serena laughed, a melodic scale of sound that raised goose bumps on Aidan’s skin. “Don’t worry. There’s no need for words between us.”
“Stop it, Serena,” Aidan said, his voice a warning rumble. “Save your energy for my favor.”
She removed her hand from Dougal’s cheek and looked at Aidan, blue eyes wide and innocent. “I can’t help my natural charms, you know.”
“Yes, you can. Come on, we know each other too well for this.”
She narrowed her eyes and stared at him for a moment, then gave a curt nod. “Very well.”
Instantly the temperature in the room cooled and Dougal shook his head and rubbed his eyes. “What the hell just happened?” he asked.
“Serena’s a siren. We grew up together.” Aidan knew Dougal hadn't grown up around water. He'd probably never seen a siren before, which explained why he was so susceptible to her allure.
“You have some interesting and dangerous friends.”
Aidan smiled. “So far, it’s worked to my advantage.”
“I like that about you, Aidan. Always on the edge. Are there any more women like Serena in your past and how soon can they get here?” Dougal looked the siren over with open interest as he spoke and gave her his version of a flirty smile. With his wide mouth and broad features, the gesture quickly turned into a leer.