by J. E. Taylor
The punch to her kidney pulled a scream from her, and she arched away from the pain. The grip on her hair released, and then the sting of a backhand sent her onto the ground again. She caught herself with her broken arm and cried out at the sharp pain radiating all the way to her shoulder. She fell face first into the tile.
Sobbing, she was making an attempt to get to her hands and knees when a foot connected with her side, spinning her onto her back. White spots filled her vision and a hand clasped her neck, lifting her off the ground before tossing her on the bed. She landed on her stomach across it, but even the soft mattress couldn’t absorb the pain of impact.
“Have at her, boys,” Hunter growled.
Hands rolled her onto her back and clawed at the hospital gown wrapped around her. Her attempts to wiggle away were futile. The ripping of fabric was shadowed by the slam of the door against the wall. All movement stopped as two figures stood side by side, backlit by the hall light.
Paige blinked at them and Austin beyond them along with the panicked night nurse.
“Let her go,” the voice in the doorway commanded.
Hunter laughed and his form materialized in the room. “You can’t stop us.”
Paige got a good look at the two men when they stepped closer. The door slammed behind them, but neither Tom nor the man next to him reacted.
“Hold that thought,” the man next to Tom said as he turned his gaze from Hunter to Paige.
White flared around her and she closed her eyes against the brightness while screams filled her ears. She curled onto her side and tried to cover both ears, but her broken arm would not cooperate. When the light faded along with the screams, she blinked her eyes open.
Both Tom and the stranger were engaged in a staring contest with Hunter as he rattled off some ancient hex.
It wasn’t until the man next to Tom smirked that recognition set in. CJ Ryan, the famous singer, was standing in her hospital room. He glanced in her direction as the thought barreled through her mind before he returned all his attention to the now solid form of Hunter Garrett.
Every last sharp object in the room rose from the floor and aimed in Paige’s direction. Hunter smiled in satisfaction as he snapped his fingers and they launched at her. Austin screamed in the background, but neither Tom nor CJ moved.
Paige covered her head, and the flair of white light engulfed the room. The heat from it brushed her skin, and Hunter’s angry bellow followed. She squinted into the light and swallowed hard at the sight of the white fire engulfing the ghost. Hunter fought it, but it overwhelmed him until nothing was left but dust. As the light faded, the dust blew in a small swirl before it disappeared altogether.
The door burst open, and Austin was across the room in seconds. Paige met his gaze as tears tumbled from her eyes, leaving hot streaks that pooled in her ears.
The nurse marched into the room and tried to move Austin away, but the glare he leveled in her direction made her hesitate.
“We’ll be taking her out of here,” CJ said as both he and Tom approached the bed. “For her safety,” he added when the nurse sent her sharp stare in his direction.
Paige focused on him and the way he stared down the nurse.
“You saw the assailant get away and had both Miss Turner and Mr. Shelton moved for their safety,” he whispered.
When the nurse blinked, nodded, and shuffled out of the room, CJ turned towards Paige. “Tom, you’ll need to carry her. I don’t think your friend is in any condition to do that.” He turned and walked out of the room.
Tom scooped her into his arms as gently as possible, and she leaned into his solid but soft frame, feeling safe for the first time since they had left home.
Austin smoothed her hair out of her face and glanced up at Tom. “Where are we going?”
“Back to the apartment,” CJ said from the doorway. “My wife is a doctor.”
Paige closed her eyes, grinding her teeth against the pain. Every step jostled her into the world of agony, and she pressed her lips against the sobs that begged to escape.
When Tom set her down in the car, the pain overwhelmed her and she let a whine escape. He offered her a sad smile and his eyes reflected the apology without words. Austin slid into the seat next to her. The slam of the trunk shook the car, and then CJ slid behind the wheel.
“You’re going to be okay,” Austin said as he pulled her against him.
“I’m not so sure,” Paige managed to whisper.
“They promised me you’d be okay,” he whispered in her ear. “And after what I just witnessed, I think they can make good on that promise.”
She glanced at him, but he was staring at the driver with such reverence that she smiled, despite the pain that caused in her cheeks.
Black Magick Chapter 15
“Jesus, Chris, what the hell were you thinking?” Her voice pierced the cracked door. “We don’t even know these people.”
“Look, Sarah’s brother brought him here, figuring we might be able to help.” Steve Williams argued with CJ Ryan’s wife in the hallway outside the room.
“I told you it was only a matter of time before this demon spirit came back for them. He was stronger than anything I’ve felt since...” Raven’s Irish brogue trailed off. “Angel fire was our only option to save that girl.”
“How many people saw what Chris did?” CJ’s wife spat back.
Austin traded a glance with Paige. Her eyes reflected that dull look of extreme pain, and he just wanted it to go away. The discomfort he felt was nothing in comparison, and he forced himself to his feet and crossed to the door, opening it.
“Just the night nurse, Mrs. Ryan,” Austin answered, echoing what CJ had just said. “Paige needs help,” he added, staring at CJ’s wife. “Can you help her or not?”
She studied him and sighed, her eyes softening. “Yes. I can help her,” she said with a nod. “You aren’t doing too well yourself,” she added.
“I’ll live,” he said and stepped aside, waving her into the room.
Valerie Ryan tucked her hair behind her ears and stepped into the room. She crossed and took a seat on the edge of the bed.
“Who are you people?” Paige whispered.
Valerie smiled at her and glanced over at Austin with a sigh. “This might hurt a bit,” she said and leaned forward, placing a simple kiss on Paige’s forehead.
Austin stared as Paige gasped, her body arching in the type of pain one only sees in the dying while trying to cling to life. Her eyes rolled back and she slumped back onto the bed. Austin moved towards her side but before he reached the bed, sparks surrounded Paige. He stopped a few steps from the bed and stared as the light encompassed her. It seeped into her skin, illuminating her entire form. The bruises stood out against the translucent light until they faded.
Her broken arm moved, bone scraping and resetting. The bloody welt from the torn I.V. line mended until nothing was left. As the light faded, he stared dumbfounded at Paige. Not a mark was left on her skin.
His gaze bounced to CJ’s wife. “Who are you?” he whispered, echoing Paige’s last question.
She smiled and stood, crossing to him. “We are made from the blood of angels,” she whispered and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Blinding pain ripped through his chest and back, and he stumbled, catching himself on the side of the bed. He sank to his knees, clinging to consciousness by the barest of threads as the welts in his back thatched together. The pain of being whipped was minor in comparison to the magic flowing through his body, and he panted against the need to drop into the black.
After a few moments, his breathing slowed and the sharp pain subsided to a dull tingle. He glanced at the crowd gathered in the doorway and then up at Valerie Ryan as he pushed himself to his feet.
“After what I saw, I guess that’s as believable as anything else,” he said.
“I give you props. Usually that renders folks unconscious,” Steve said from the doorway.
Austin chuckled and shrugged, swiping the swe
at from his forehead and wiping it on the cloth of his hospital gown. He blinked at his attire.
“You wouldn’t happen...”
“To have clothes that might fit?” Steve finished.
“Yeah, I’m afraid there isn’t much to salvage from my suitcase.” He waved toward the small suitcase in the corner of the room.
“Hang on.”
Steve came back a few seconds later with sweats, socks, and a Brooksfield University t-shirt, along with an unopened bag of boxers.
“My wife picked those up last week, and I hadn’t gotten around to opening them yet,” he said, handing the clothing over and taking leave so Austin could get dressed in peace.
Austin didn’t second guess the sizes. He took his new bounty into the adjoining bathroom and untied the hospital gown. When it dropped to the floor, he stared at the bandage on his upper left chest. He peeled the gauze away from his skin and blinked. Not even the slightest of scars was visible. His fingers grazed the spot, and a phantom twinge hit, like the injury was there, somewhere, aching to remind him of the horrors he’d endured.
He turned and stared at the pattern of bandages splayed across his back. With what felt like a contortionist’s movements, he peeled each one away to display flawless skin. He dropped everything in the garbage before stepping into the shower to wash away all remnants of his scars. Then he wandered into the quiet living room and stared out over the city.
“Kind of tough to absorb, isn’t it?”
He turned and met Steve Williams’s gaze.
“Where is everyone?”
“They headed back to the concert now that the danger is gone.” He offered a shrug. “Care for a drink?” he asked, waving toward the corner bar.
Austin let out a little laugh and nodded. “The stronger the better.”
Steve poured two scotches and handed one to Austin. He knocked it back like a shot and closed his eyes as the warmth spread through his center. He handed the glass back.
“Brooksfield U?” he asked, pointing to his shirt.
“Yeah, that’s where I met my wife.” He took a seat. “I’m sure you have more pertinent questions than that,” he added.
Austin looked away from the incredible view. “I don’t even know where to begin.”
Steve huffed a laugh and leaned back.
“Ghosts, psychics, witchcraft, and now blood of angels? All I can say is what the fuck?”
Steve’s huffed laugh caught on and turned into a belted guffaw. Austin felt his lips twitch into a smile in response.
“She will buy it more readily than I.” Austin pointed toward the hallway before taking a seat on the plush couch. His hand absently swiped the spot where the knife had cut into his skin. “And I have no idea how...” he started and trailed off before meeting Steve’s gaze.
Steve leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he placed his glass on the table.
“I want to stress how important it is not to let any of this get into the public’s hands.”
Austin tilted his head. “You think...”
Steve’s hand came up in the universal symbol for stop. “I don’t know, but I’ve been protecting those two boys since they were kids and I’m not stopping now.” His gaze hardened a little.
“Look, I’ve witnessed a ghost kill a fraternity full of guys. That same ghost decided I was his best bet for getting his girlfriend back and tricked me into letting him possess my sorry ass. And that seems almost believable in comparison to this. Who the hell am I going to tell about this shit without ending up in a padded cell?”
Steve leaned back in his seat, his features relaxing before he raised his glass and took a healthy sip of scotch.
Austin’s gaze moved back to the city skyline. “Why us?” He shifted in his seat when his gaze returned to Steve, he noted the tilt of his head.
“Tom said you had a good heart,” he finally said.
It was Austin’s turn to huff. “I don’t think so.”
“Where are we?” Paige’s soft voice pulled his attention to the hallway where she stood. She had the shredded hospital gown wrapped around herself.
Austin stood and crossed to her. “We’re still in Manhattan,” he said, and her eyes widened, filling with fear faster than he could blink.
“It’s okay, he’s gone.”
Paige’s blue eyes caught his, and her blinking increased as Austin’s words settled. “I must have been dreaming...”
He slowly shook his head. “It was all real,” he said and tucked a stray hair behind her ear.
“Raven left some clothes that might fit her,” Steve said.
Paige stiffened, her gaze shooting from Austin to where Steve sat in the shadows.
“Come on. Let’s get you dressed, and then I’ll fill you in,” he said and led Paige back to the bedroom. “You might want a shower before you dress,” he said, his gaze finding the traces of blood still smeared on her skin.
Paige followed his gaze and stared at the bloodstained skin of her arm before her head snapped up to stare at him. She turned and stepped into the brightly lit bathroom and stepped in front of the mirror, ripping the cloth off her body. She stared, much as he had, at her perfectly unblemished skin.
Austin leaned against the doorjamb, waiting for her to meet his gaze. She even turned around to find the whip welts, but there was nothing but soft, smooth skin. She turned towards him with wide eyes and spread her arms, asking the question without words.
He offered her a ghost of a smile and a shrug. “I seem to have made the right kind of friends,” he said.
She let out a hysterical, high-pitched laugh before her chin began to tremble.
Austin stepped into the room and pulled her into his arms.
“It’s like it never happened,” she sobbed. “But I know it did. I know I was beaten and raped by the monster.”
He smoothed her hair and whispered, “Shhh” into her ear while she shook in his arms. He kept his eyes open, because if he closed them, all he would see was her flying across the hospital room screaming for him while he remained locked out and helpless. His eyes stung and he blinked, tightening his grip on her so he wouldn’t start shaking right along with her.
She pulled away, looking up at him. Her teary eyes widened and her soft hand cupped his cheek, her thumb wiping the hot trails away.
“I couldn’t do a damned thing,” he said, his voice shaking in a way he hated. But he was as helpless to stop the aftershock as he was of stopping Hunter’s ghost.
“But you did. You called in the cavalry.”
He huffed and shrugged at the same time.
“I’d just like to know if what I think I saw was real.”
“You saw an angel, didn’t you?” he asked, because what he saw happen in that room couldn’t have been real unless she saw the same thing.
She laughed and blushed a little. “I thought I saw that famous singer that I love, but yeah, he looked like an angel, with wings and all.”
“Take a shower. I’ll bring the clothes in here, and then we can talk with Mr. Williams.” He stepped out of the bathroom, crossed to the pile of clothing on the bureau, and brought it back into the bathroom while Paige rinsed in the shower.
She stepped out a few minutes later and dried off before slipping on the clothing he handed her. As each article was pulled on, another perfectly smooth, unblemished part of her body was covered.
While she didn’t sport any injuries on the surface, inside she was as damaged as he was.
She wrung out her hair and then hand-combed it before meeting his gaze. In her vibrant blue irises, he saw the soul crushing pain, and he offered what he hoped was a smile, took her hand, and lead her into the living room where Steve still sat. There were now three glasses on the coffee table, each filled halfway with golden scotch.
“I figured you would need a drink.” He nodded toward the glasses.
Austin took both glasses and handed one to Paige as they sat on the couch together.
After
they each took a sip, Steve leaned forward, extending his hand. “I’m Steve,” he said.
Paige shook his hand. “Steve... Williams?” she asked, tilting her head like she did when she was thinking.
He nodded.
“Special Agent Williams?” she asked as her eyes rounded wide.
“Former. Yes.” He leaned back in the seat.
Austin glanced at Paige, and she met his gaze. Pure awe cascaded down her face until her mouth popped open, and he knew he was missing something significant.
“You don’t remember the news stories?” she whispered.
Austin shrugged, but before he could try to answer, the front door opened and the rest of the family poured into the apartment.
Paige’s eyes widened farther at the first one into the room.
“Oh, my god. I wasn’t dreaming,” Paige said, and her head whipped back towards Austin. “That’s CJ Ryan!” She pointed and her hand shook as much of the rest of her, but it wasn’t based on fear. Instead it was more of the fan girl he knew she was at heart.
Austin grinned and stood.
“I never did get a chance to thank you,” he said and stuck out his hand.
“Anytime. It’s what we do,” CJ said, and clasped Austin’s hand in a solid hand shake.
Austin glanced behind him. “And thank you as well. I don’t know what kind of magic you spun, but it saved her life, so you will always have my gratitude.”
“As my husband said, it’s what we do, so my pleasure,” Valerie said in a soft voice and held a key out to Austin. “We got you a room at the Plaza.”
“I...uh...,” Austin said, staring at the key.
“And some new clothes,” Raven said from behind the group, stepping into the line of sight with Tom.
Tom pulled out a card and handed it to Austin before signing.
“He said we should give them a call if we run into trouble or if either of us needs to talk. They’ve all been where we are, so...” Austin translated and then looked at the card. The logo for a paranormal research firm stood out in stark contrast to the handwritten phone number beside the office number.
“Thank you,” Paige said, finding her voice.