Magic After Dark: A Collection of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance Novels

by Margo Bond Collins

  Chapter 24

  As we pull out of the campground, Colin brakes fast to avoid hitting two figures...Aunt Simza and Aunt Mirela. Their colorful, flowing skirts dance in the breeze; their jewelry gone.

  “This keeps getting better and better.” Brayden throws his arms up. “Let’s pick up every Rom from here to Timbuktu. I’m sure it wouldn’t attract any of the pack whatsoever.”

  “We don’t have time for this.” Colin stares at me.

  “We can help,” Aunt Simza says. “Your mother sent us.”

  Aunt Mirela glances at Aunt Simza.

  “Get in.” Colin waves them in.

  Kyle climbs in the back to make room for my aunts in the front.

  “Add in a few more people and we can officially say we’ve been in a clown car.” Brayden lets Kayla sit on his lap.

  “Put the address into my GPS.” Colin hands Kyle his phone.

  “Now, you want to help?” I say. “You couldn’t have given me a hand when I first arrived?” I glare at Aunt Mirela. “You’re the reason my father was taken. All these years, you’ve been helping them find us.”

  “I didn’t know about you. I swear it.” Aunt Mirela grabs Aunt Simza’s hand. “It was a mistake. One I deeply regret.”

  “Why did you do it? Why go after my father?”

  “She did it to keep Bo away from us.” Aunt Simza throws her hand up. “I’m here, aren’t I?” she says into the air. She sounds like she’s been bewitched.

  “Is anyone else following this?” Brayden asks.

  “Lyuba says hello and that you’re very beautiful and blah blah blah.” Aunt Simza sticks her tongue out. “Are you happy now?”

  “I’m lost,” Riley says.

  Colin squeezes my hand.

  Aunt Mirela closes her eyes. “A man came to me several years ago. He said he would tell Bo, our father, your grandfather, where we were unless I agreed to tell him where Harman was. Needless to say, it made me nervous. I didn’t know where he was and I didn’t care to know after your mother died. He ran off, probably as scared of Bo as we were. Anyway, Nadya has a gift. I used it to keep us safe.”

  “And to get money out of it.” Aunt Simza crosses her arms.

  “Simza found out a few months ago,” Aunt Mirela says. “She can hold a grudge.”

  “Fine!” Aunt Simza yells. “Lyuba says we are wasting time. She says they have Fonso, Nadya, and Harman in one room. She can lead us there, but we will need a distraction.”

  “This is better than a damn soap opera,” Riley says. “The Days of a Rom’s Life.”

  “If my mother is helping you, why didn’t you come to me sooner?” I ask. “You could have said something when I arrived.”

  “Simza has her own secrets,” Aunt Mirela says. “She never told me about your mother appearing to her, so we are even as far as that’s concerned.”

  “When Lyuba first appeared to me, it was the day you were born. That’s when I knew she had died. We knew nothing about you. I didn’t see her again until a couple of weeks ago.” Aunt Simza faces me. “At the beginning, she didn’t say anything. It’s hard for spirits to cross planes. It took some time for her to become verbal. Once she did, I couldn’t get her to shut up. That’s why I sent the note and called you in New Orleans.”

  “That was you.”

  “When I found out your father had kept you away all these years, and that Mirela was being paid to disclose his whereabouts. I became livid and cross. I blocked your mother out,” Aunt Simza says.

  “You blocked everyone out,” Aunt Mirela gripes.

  “Lyuba is as stubborn dead as she was alive. Ever since your arrival, she’s been pestering me. She even showed up in my damned shower.” Aunt Simza rolls her eyes.

  “But, you ignored her, and me?” I ask.

  “She wasn’t the only visitor I’ve been getting. I’ve had spirits from all over the world talk with me, in languages I couldn’t understand. It was overwhelming. I knew you were trouble right off the bat.” Aunt Simza leans back. “I wanted to leave. It’s the first time I’ve hated my gift.”

  “You didn’t tell me that,” Aunt Mirela says. “Why did that happen?”

  “Some warning about a storm,” Aunt Simza explains. “I couldn’t understand it half the time. I ignored them like I did Lyuba.”

  “How did my mother die?” I ask.

  “She says it wasn’t your fault.” Aunt Simza pauses. “There was an earthquake.”

  I shudder.

  “Something fell on her. A beam in the bedroom, I think.” Aunt Simza blinks, wiping her eyes. “She says it wasn’t your fault.”

  It was my fault. Large raindrops hit the windshield.

  “She’s gone,” Aunt Simza says. “She vanished.”

  “Now?” Colin asks. “Don’t we need a guide here? We’re almost there.”

  “There’s only two rooms they can be in and it’s on the south side,” Kyle says.

  “She’s back,” Aunt Simza says.

  “Weirdest family ever. And, here I thought shifting into a furry animal was weird.” Brayden says.

  “Fonso and Nadya are still in the room, surrounded by books,” Aunt Simza says.

  “The library,” Kyle says. “We have to go in the south entrance, on the ocean side. You’ll need to go down several blocks and turn around. We have to be able to get away and it’s a dead end.”

  “Where’s my father?” I ask.

  Aunt Simza shakes her head. “She didn’t see him. They must have taken him somewhere else.”

  Colin turns the truck around at the dead end. Kyle points to a spot on the side of the road and Colin parks.

  I’m nauseous. I glance out the window to see the waves churning and slashing against the shore.

  Colin rubs my thigh. “We’ll find him,” he whispers.

  Kyle points to a large colonial structure. “That’s the house.”

  “That’s a fucking mansion.” Kayla’s eyes widen. “On the friggin beach, too.”

  “I’m guessing we are the distraction?” Brayden asks.

  “I’ll go in the front and divert them.” Kyle scoots up on the edge of the seat, closer to us. “Keep them busy for a while. The wolves can go to the north side. Knock over garbage cans, but wait ten minutes. Throw rocks in the windows and run. There’s a stone garden near the service entrance. Seriously, get out as quickly as you can. They will chase you...with guns.”

  Riley looks at his watch. “Okay.”

  “Colin stays with me,” I say. He’s the only thing keeping my emotions from going all over the place and causing chaos.

  Kyle points to the beach access sign. “When you have them, go to the beach and head south. It’ll bring you back to a path that will lead you here. If I don’t come back, leave. I’ll be fine and I can distract them so you’ll get away.”

  “Thank you, Kyle.” He avoids eye contact. It hurts, but it’s to be expected.

  “You’re welcome. I’m sorry this happened. I didn’t know, and still don’t know why he would take your father. It doesn’t make sense.” Kyle shakes his head. “Anyway,” he looks at each person in the group, “are we clear on what everyone needs to do?”

  “Your mother will guide us to the room,” Aunt Simza says.

  “Right.” Kyle’s forehead creases. His hand brushes my shoulder. “Then, you get her out of town.”

  Kyle and Colin exchange stares for a moment too long.

  “I’ll get her out of town,” Colin says.

  We all climb out of the truck.

  “Ten minutes,” Kyle repeats and walks toward the house.

  “Kyle.” Colin jogs to him. They exchange words I can’t hear. Colin clenches his fists. He watches the ground. Then, returns to my side.

  “What was that about?” I ask.

  “He’s never going to forgive me.” I see the turmoil in his face, and it pains me knowing he’d regret what he had done for the rest of his life. He pushes past the moment and waves the others over. “Cross the street
and cut back on the opposite side of the house. Ten minutes.”

  “Why are we doing this again?” Kayla asks. “We don’t owe them anything. They’ve been nothing but trouble to us and if your father finds out, we’re dead.”

  “Have you felt his pull since we’ve been with them?” Riley asks.

  “No,” Brayden replies.

  “No,” Kayla says.

  “Me neither,” Riley says. “Maybe whatever is working on Colin is working on us when we’re around her.” Colin and the others stare at me. “Since the pack arrived, I’ve heard everything in their minds. But now, I can’t hear anything.”

  “What are you saying?” Colin asks.

  “Maybe that’s her gift. She’s detaching us somehow.” Riley pulls his fingers apart. “I don’t know how to phrase it.”

  “She’s our way out. Other than being exiled, she’s like a golden ticket to freedom,” Brayden says.

  “Sorry, but she’s not going to be your shield.” Aunt Mirela grabs my shoulders.

  “It’s time,” Aunt Simza says breaking into their conversation. “We need to go.”

  They don’t waste any time. Riley, Brayden, and Kayla run across the street. Kayla glances back at me. Her eyes light up. For once, it’s not hate I see in them, it’s hope.

  Colin grabs my hand and leads me up the sidewalk.

  We push through a hedge, following Aunt Simza. We duck down on a stone path. A small bush covers us. Glass doors line the front part of the house. It’s broken up in three sections...a north wing, a central section, and a south wing.

  Kyle must have gone in.

  My heart races.

  “Move.” Aunt Simza rises, walking down the path that leads to the south end of the house.

  Gray clouds loom overhead. Colin’s touch...his nearness soothes me, somehow. They may think I’m a buffer to their werewolf bond, but in reality it’s Colin who’s saving them all by helping me control my erratic gift.

  We near a side door surrounded by tall hedges. Aunt Simza tugs at it. “It’s locked,” she whispers to the hedge next to her. To anyone else, that would seem strange.

  Clashing sounds begin on the north side. Aunt Simza picks up a rock and knocks out a small glass square window on the door. She cuts her hand as she unlocks it from the inside.

  Hooting, hollering, and howling echo on the wind. Riley, Brayden, and Kayla are doing their parts, but I hope they start running like Kyle told them to.

  Colin stops Aunt Simza from entering first, and he takes the lead.

  He walks down a hall to where Aunt Simza directs him and points to a closed door. He eases it open. Glass doors line the east side, overlooking a kidney-shaped pool with the ocean beyond. Nadya and Fonso are in the center of the room, bound in chairs, their backs to each other. Fonso’s out cold. Kyle jumps up, pulling his gun. Recognition lines his face and he holsters it.

  “Hurry, we don’t have much time.” Kyle kneels by Nadya, undoing ropes.

  “Ma.” Nadya’s eyes widen. Tears fall down her cheeks. Aunt Mirela hugs her.

  Colin unties Fonso’s ropes. His head lulls to the side and he’s unresponsive to us.

  “Fonso?” I lean down next to him.

  “They keep him knocked out,” Nadya’s voice cracks.

  “Shh.” Aunt Mirela whispers and helps Kyle.

  “Ma, he’s got powers,” Nadya says “Big powers. They’re scared of him.”

  “Not now Nadya,” Aunt Simza peeks down the hallway.

  “How will we get him out?” I ask Colin.

  “We carry him.” Kyle finishes untying Nadya.

  Nadya jumps up, embracing Aunt Mirela.

  “We need to go.” Kyle helps Colin lift Fonso up. “This way.” Kyle nods toward the glass doors. “The beach.”

  I rush to the door to open it for them. Aunt Mirela, Nadya, and Aunt Simza follow them out. I take the rear. We walk around the south end of the pool, pass a cabana, and head toward the beach.

  Thunder rolls through the clouds.

  Nadya whimpers.

  “Wait.” Aunt Simza’s face turns white. “Something’s wrong.” She shakes her head. “I can’t make it out. Lyuba says we’re in trouble. We need to run.”

  A back door on the other side of the pool crashes open. The raven-haired bitch walks out, pointing a gun at us. She fires.

  The shot hits the cabana’s wooden boards.

  Nadya screams.

  We run.

  Another shot rings out, but doesn’t hit anywhere near us.

  I shake with fear. A howling wind swooshes in.

  I tumble forward, plunging into Aunt Simza, who has stopped on the beach.

  They’ve all stopped. Colin and Kyle sit Fonso down. Aunt Mirela blankets a shivering Nadya in her arms. All of them are looking in the same direction.

  I turn to see what stopped them. On the beach, 50 feet away, a man holds a gun to my kneeling father’s head.

  Chapter 25

  My dad’s eyes water when he sees me. His hands and feet are tied. He mouths one word to me. “No.”

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Kyle yells.

  “What am I doing?” Kyle’s dad asks. “You’re the traitor. Why are you helping them?” He waves the gun at us. He’s an older version of Kyle with less definition in his torso.

  “I knew it.” The raven-haired bitch Vadoma slinks around us, her gun raised. She shoves Kyle forward as she passes. “He’s not cut out to protect the innocent. He’s weak.”

  I glare at her. “You’re pathetic without your gun, if I remember correctly.”

  Colin grabs my arm.

  “That’s the girl he wanted, right?” Kyle’s dad motions to Vadoma. “Take her and get out of here.”

  A tall, brawny gray-haired man walks down the shore. “What’s going on? What are you doing?”

  Aunt Mirela gasps.

  “Bo, you dirty ass!” Aunt Simza exclaims. “Figures you’re behind this. Why didn’t you tell me?” Simza asks the wind. “You didn’t think we needed to know this!”

  “We found them.” Kyle’s dad points at me. “There’s the girl.”

  “You kidnapped them?” Bo asks.

  “Like you care how they do things.” Aunt Mirela spits.

  “By any means necessary,” Vadoma says. “That’s what you said.” She steps toward me. “Why you want her, I have no idea, Grandfather.”

  Aunt Mirela and Aunt Simza stare at each other.

  “You’ve used me all these years,” Aunt Mirela says. “And you’ve used this poor girl, too, haven’t you? What did he make you do for him?”

  “You said she died.” Aunt Simza tears up.

  Aunt Simza and Aunt Mirela position themselves in front of me, blocking me. Aunt Mirela pushes Nadya behind her to stand next to me. Nadya grips my hand.

  “You’re not going to use our children like you used us,” Aunt Mirela says.

  Riley, Brayden, and Kayla run up the south side of the beach. They slow when Vadoma points the gun in their direction.

  “Who the fuck are they?” Vadoma steps back.

  Kayla growls at her.

  “They’re fucking werewolves.” Vadoma’s eyebrows rise as she looks at Kyle. “You brought fucking werewolves with you?”

  “It’s not what you think, Mirela.” Bo holds his hand up. “Use your head for once and figure it out. When she was born, the earthquake killed Lyuba.”

  Vadoma trembles. Her face reddens.

  Kyle watches her, then turns his attention to his father.

  Kyle’s father squints, looking at Colin. Recognition dawns on his face. “It’s him.”

  Kyle’s father pushes Dad over in the sand. He raises his gun, stepping toward us. He points it at Colin and fires.

  “No!” I yell.

  Brayden pushes Colin, but he’s not quick enough. The bullet pierces his side. He falls.

  Kyle tackles his father, causing the gun to fire in the air.

  Heat rises inside me. Nadya snaps her han
d away, shaking it. Dark skies move in over the water. Howls erupt all around us. At least 50 wolves move in from all directions.

  “No, no.” Colin holds his side, watching the red eyes encircle us. He seizes Brayden. “Get them out of here. Save Elysia.”

  Brayden nods.

  “Colin?” I kneel. He takes my arm, gazing at me, then closes his eyes and falls limp.

  “No!” Fury boils within me.

  The wolves growl, moving closer. One howls.

  Brayden flinches. “He’s asking us to shift and kill you.”

  Kayla growls. Her clothes rip off as she transforms in front of us. She takes a fighting stance, but instead of attacking me, she faces the incoming wolves.

  “She’s resisting,” Riley says.

  “It’s working. They don’t know what to think.” Brayden rips his shirt off, joining Kayla. Riley follows suit.

  The other wolves step back. One whimpers.

  “Elysia!” Father calls to me. He’s the furthest away, struggling with his restraints. A wolf nears him.

  A lawn chair flies through the air, knocking the wolf away.

  Fonso is weary, but on his feet. He’s leaning on Aunt Simza; his arm swings in the air and hurls another chair at a gray wolf. Aunt Simza rushes to untie my dad’s legs. He stands. They back up to us, facing the wolves.

  “Elysia, calm down.” Dad’s words echo on the wind.

  “Calm down?” I ask. “No.”

  Aunt Simza grabs my arm, but quickly pulls away, the heat writhing through my veins is too much for her.

  Kyle’s father throws Kyle over his shoulder, reaching for his gun.

  The winds pick up, blowing sand in the air. The ocean water recedes further from the shoreline. Thunder booms.

  Fonso continues flinging any lose object he finds through the air, keeping the wolves at bay. Sweat drips down his forehead.

  Kyle’s father lifts the gun. “I will die today, but I’ll go out killing as many of them as possible.” He aims at Riley.

  Time slows for me. I feel the wind racing through the trees...the dark clouds loom over us, the vibration of the thunder battling above. A hundred waterspouts form in the ocean, dancing on the waves. I take it all in, becoming one with the storm. I allow it to breathe through me. My feet leave the sand, as the wind lifts me up.