by Liz Long
Michael gave her a disappointed look. “I think you’ll change your mind as soon as the knife breaks your skin, but I’m sure I’d be willing to reconsider. So, if you insist…”
He walked over to her and grabbed the scalpel. With a quick look to the killer on the floor, he put the scalpel over Ruby’s heart, hesitated for a second. Then he looked her right in the eye.
“You’re sure about this? You’d rather me cut out your heart than live a life with me?”
“I won’t help you hurt innocent people. I won’t let you use my power for that. You can’t control me, command me to use my magic against them.”
“You do realize when I take your heart tonight, it will make me the most powerful I’ve ever been, right?” He gave her a cocky smile, as though he couldn’t believe she didn’t get it. “I get your power times five. I think I’ll knock out the city’s lights for fun or make it storm tomorrow.”
Ruby hadn’t thought that far ahead and mentally kicked herself. She hadn’t really expected Michael to call her bluff. Since she felt pretty sure he’d still carry through with it if she didn’t cave, her chances of escape were dwindling to less than a percent.
Michael caught the hesitation and smiled. “All you have to do is say the word and you’ll be free.”
“Not quite,” Ruby said. She tried to pull at her ropes again, her upper lip curling in disgust.
Michael stopped to put the scalpel down and search on the surgical set up beside him. He rooted around for a second, looked at the tools, and selected a different sized knife.
Ruby spoke as fast as she could. “Fire, fire—”
She risked a look at Michael, who didn’t move. He stood and watched her with an amused expression.
“Fire, fire, blazing light
Goddess help me in this night
Set this evil man ablaze
Clear his mind of violent haze.”
She glared at Michael, who looked around as though curious to see what would happen. A second later, he grunted, held out his hand to find flames encasing his hand up to his elbow. They licked at his shoulders and threatened to overcome him. Ruby’s heart burst with hope and she waited for the rest of the fire to take him.
Then he chuckled, shook his hand off instead and the flames died out. Ruby’s heart, still full from the joy, seemed to deflate, nearly choked her with disappointment. His right shoulder went up in a half-apologetic shrug.
“I don’t blame you for trying,” he told her. “Don’t take it personal, you’re a great witch. That would’ve worked on anyone else, I’m sure. Too much dark magic on my side now.”
Panic set in, her brain drawing a blank on any other spell or possible escape. In any case, he would be more powerful than her. She couldn’t be with him though, couldn’t bear the idea of watching Cooper die or hurting other people with her magic. If she died now, maybe Cooper or someone else could still stop Michael. She made a split second decision.
“Do it then. Take my heart.”
Michael seemed more hurt than angry. He said nothing, only lifted the scalpel and pressed it into her chest. He sighed and applied slight pressure.
Ruby closed her eyes. A heartbeat later, she screamed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Ruby almost passed out from the pain that Michael carved into her. Her screams echoed around the room, mocked her as he dug the scalpel inch by inch into her chest. Why didn’t she tell Michael to go find another witch and then try to escape?
Because Michael would’ve killed another innocent person and you couldn’t stop him. Because Courtney died thanks to you, a voice whispered. She cursed herself and prayed for release. She turned her head away from him, the cold metal stinging her cheekbone. As Michael continued to cut, Ruby felt blood rush over her skin, drip down on to the metal table and concrete floor. Ruby felt a deeper weakness than the loss of blood. She suspected the heavy piece of silver on her chest was sapping her magic.
Though warm tears blurred her vision, she made out a shape in the darkness. A scent floated to Ruby’s nose, a familiar, spicy smell that she’d know anywhere. Ruby’s prayers were answered as the surgery halted; pain seared through her, threatened to make her pass out. She looked up at Michael in time to see his surprised face as he flew back into the surgical table, knocking it and all the tools over with an echoing clatter. Michael and the instruments fell to a heap, a scalpel marking a large cut in his hand. He yelped in pain, snatched his crossbow back up in his hand, knife in the other, as he stood to face the attacker.
“I’m not asking nicely,” Cooper said, stepping forward out of the shadows. His eyes met Ruby’s and flinched at her pain, but his voice was steady and furious. “Get away from her.”
“You shouldn’t have come here, Cooper.” Michael’s crossbow-wielding arm flexed as he shifted his weight.
“You shouldn’t have killed anyone, Michael,” Cooper threw back at him. Angry red splotches covered his face. “Especially my little sister. I’m going to kill you.”
Michael twitched at the statement. The corner of Cooper’s mouth slid upward as he waited for the next move. Ruby glared up at Michael, who looked back at her for a second and back to Cooper.
“You look a little concerned. That’s a good call, because you’re about to regret everything in a bad way,” Ruby hissed at him. The cold air on her wounds made her chest burn and she sucked in a breath through gritted teeth when she spoke.
Instead of seeming nervous, as Ruby had hoped, Michael stood taller, straightened up so his shoulders appeared even broader. A grin began to spread across his face, a smile that screamed he had an ace up his sleeve. His malicious expression made Ruby worry.
“It’s two-fold, you know,” Michael said.
Cooper frowned in confusion. “What the hell’s that mean?”
“You stole from me, you fool.”
“Oh god, we’ve been over this-,” Ruby tried in exasperation but Michael cut her off.
“No no, sweetheart. Like he could ever steal you from me.” He almost chuckled at the thought. “I mean Cooper stole my money. I worked hard for that and he’ll continue to pay in so many ways.”
Ruby popped her head up to look at him, ignored the pain in her neck as she gaped. A hysterical giggle escaped her. “What? No. You can’t possibly…”
“Oh, so he told you about his past? Then you know Cooper used to work for me. Consider me the president of our little club.” Michael grinned, waved his crossbow at the killer on the floor. “Xavier, he was VP. And he did everything I said, including send men to retrieve my money and punish the wrongdoers.”
Cooper’s face went pale as he put things together. “You…you killed Nate?”
A rage came over Michael and he almost shouted. “I told that little bastard not to cross me. You had no idea who you were messing with; why couldn’t you have stayed on the magic high and left everything to me? You took my two million dollars and left me with Gary and a psycho. You know I had to kill most of the others to maintain order? After you stole everything, they threatened me for their money. Something had to be done. Your friends, your sister, might still be alive.”
Michael took in a big breath and then exhaled, looking smug again. “And the whole time you never knew. You have no idea how fun it was to have such control over you without your knowledge.”
“Why didn’t you just kill me that night?” Cooper asked in anguish.
“I didn’t want to hurt my sweet Ruby,” Michael said with a loving glance to his ex-girlfriend on the surgery table. “I knew she’d be sad if you died, so I spared you. I also figured you might be able to find my money. Worked out well when you left town, though I suppose now I regret letting you live.”
Cooper’s arm muscles tensed. “And you sent that maniac after my little sister. You sick son of a bitch, I’m going to cut your heart out.”
Michael’s face grew serious. “I’d love to see you try. It’s been coming for a long time.”
“True. You’ve always b
een a controlling, selfish prick so I’ve wanted to kick your ass since we met,” Cooper said, his words laced with anger.
Michael snorted. “You think I never saw the way you looked at my Ruby? I’m not an idiot. You’ve always loved her. I hope you enjoyed your time with her, because it’s over. She and her power are mine.”
Cooper growled, a guttural noise deep in his chest. He rushed at Michael, who laughed at the approach. With a twist of Michael’s right hand, Cooper fell with a grunt, his upper body pinned to the ground. Michael walked over to Ruby and stroked the intact skin above her bloody bra; she jerked back, tried to keep him from touching her and pain shot through her upper body at the movement.
“She’s got the softest skin, doesn’t she? Like silk and butter, all at the same time,” Michael said with a dreamy tone, as though reliving the memories. “I know what she’s like - how beautiful she is naked, how incredible she is in bed.”
Ruby’s vision flooded with red, sheer anger making her shout at him. “Stop it! Stop! Why are you doing this?”
“Ruby, darling, we’ve been over this. With your heart, I’ll control anyone I want. Lucky for me Cooper’s already here. Saves me the trouble of having to break into your place. Again.”
“You left that note?”
“Oh no, that was my friend there,” Michael said, motioning again to X on the floor. “I like to pop in occasionally and visit, make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”
“You sick son of a bitch. You control freak piece of shit!” Ruby shouted at him. Red dots floated in front of her eyes as the memory of her organized kitchen cabinets came back to her. He’d done that. She should’ve realized it then!
“Sticks and stones, love.” Michael wandered over to X’s surgical station, grabbed a fresh scalpel from the corner. When he turned around and held the knife over her, Ruby looked at his face, tried to see any part of the man she’d once loved. No sign of him appeared and hope left her body, made her exhale in defeat. She turned her head to Cooper, still forced to the floor. His fearful eyes met hers.
“I love you,” she mouthed to Cooper, who screamed in his struggle to break through the magic barrier.
Michael chuckled at Cooper’s pain as he lowered the scalpel to Ruby’s chest; the silver’s rough surface rubbed against her skin as he sliced around it. The bite of the blade made her gag. Her eyelids fluttered, the edges of her vision going dark and she tried her hardest not to pass out. Ruby didn’t want to die, especially not at the hands of this British bastard. Panting with exertion, she hoped she might be able to at least give them a fighting chance.
She made a show of looking behind Michael to Killer X. She widened her eyes, stammered her words. “M-Michael, b-behind you…”
Michael spun around to face an attack and he looked at the slumped form in confusion. With his back turned, Ruby acted, lifted her stomach and torso up which tilted her to the right. Jerking her body, she shifted the silver symbol off her chest. She almost vomited as metal rubbed across her raw wounds. As Michael turned back to face her, the silver piece slid off her chest and fell to the floor.
Ruby heard the crack on its contact with the floor and something happened that she didn’t understand. Perhaps it was sheer age or it couldn’t contain all her magic; maybe it was even meant to be. When the silver collided with the concrete, the tool cracked. One small sliver was enough to destroy the entire thing. The silver glowed bright and a rush of magic left the ancient symbol. It jarred Ruby, as though hit with a wave of power. Within seconds, she felt stronger than she had in days, even with the blood loss. Had she hallucinated it? She craned her neck to look at the two men. Cooper didn’t appear affected, but Michael knew the moment it broke.
Whatever was supposed to happen with this ritual, the symbol breaking probably wasn’t it. No longer alive with magic, the silver dulled to a dirty, lifeless piece of metal. Michael howled, darted forward to grab it, to somehow magically glue it back together, but deep down Ruby knew it was too late. Whatever magic he’d hoped to gain was now with her and she hoped she could keep him from realizing it or he’d open her up like a horror movie surgeon.
Michael’s attention diverted, Cooper was able to escape his invisible confines. He ran at Michael, threw him to the ground in a tackle that would make a football couch proud. Michael barely had time to react before Cooper swung at his face, his fists making bloody contact with Michael’s now-broken nose and split lip.
Seconds later, Cooper went flying backwards; Michael got up, his arm out in front of him to block Cooper’s magic and keep him at bay.
“You haven’t won. I can still get what I need,” Michael panted. He bent down and picked up his scalpel from the floor, his eyes never leaving Cooper.
Cooper struggled against Michael’s magical force field, somehow managing to take two steps towards them. Michael’s power was waning, Ruby could see it from where he stood. The sweat on his forehead mixed with his blood, Michael’s gray eyes now showed a panic Ruby had never before seen. His disheveled appearance and murderous expression were enough to reinforce his insanity.
Ruby knew it was a slim chance and she risked angering him even more but options were limited. He met her eyes and she decided to play her last card, hoping the power wave she’d felt was enough to keep her alive. She forced herself to speak with regret and longing.
“Michael! Please, I have to tell you - I’m sorry, I panicked. I-I didn’t mean to hurt your ritual, but I don’t want to die. I realized it when he arrived. I want us to be together, for the rest of our lives.”
He froze for a second as he contemplated her offer. Ruby held her breath, braced herself for death. His face softened, but Ruby only had eyes for his scalpel. The moment his grip loosened an inch, she forced her eyes to meet his, locking in on his gaze. His left eyelid twitched when he spoke.
“You don’t mean it.”
She could tell he wanted to believe her. She tried to send out energy to overpower him; he stiffened, flinched as though to look away. The words spilled from Ruby’s lips as she struggled to keep him under her control.
“I do. You can’t die because I still love you. I was stupid to be so stubborn after all the times you apologized.”
Ruby continued to stare him down, knew Michael would revert back at the first sign of fear. The urge to vomit, however, made it a struggle to keep her voice even and clear. “We’re perfect together. I want to marry you and help make you a most powerful witch.”
“What about him?” Michael jerked his thumb to the right where Cooper still fought to break the magical shield.
She refused to look at Cooper, kept her sight on Michael’s glazed over expression. Her heart constricted as she spoke. “I never wanted Cooper. He was my way of getting back at you.”
“Lies.” Hope showed in his soft voice, in the way his gray eyes lit up.
She kept her tone low and gentle. “I was lonely and jealous you were with Rebecca. He helped pass the time until you let me back in your life. I wanted him gone since you kissed me yesterday. You were what I wanted.”
Michael’s eyes bore into hers, hypnotized. His voice came out thick, as though drunk, but still had a dangerous edge to it that frightened her. “Tell me I’m better than him.”
“Of course you’re better than him. You always have been, in every way possible.” Ruby felt him shift to her side before he knew it. Thanks to the silver’s magic boost, Michael was no longer immune to her mental suggestions. She had never controlled him before and could feel the struggle to hold on.
“I knew you still loved me.” Michael smiled, his brilliant white teeth standing out against the dirt and blood on his face.
“I’m sorry for not seeing it earlier. You were right, like always. You know what’s best for me.” Ruby swallowed hard as he watched her every move.
He ignored the blood dripping down his chin, shuffled towards her. “That’s all I wanted. You’re all I want. I’m so glad you saw the truth.”
He came cl
oser, looked down at the blood all over her, at the open wounds he’d given her. “I can fix that. You should know that it’s not all bad having dark magic inside you. You’ll learn things, more than just enhancing your gifts.”
He held a free hand out over her and Ruby watched in disbelief as her skin began to connect under his magic. As he healed her wounds, she couldn’t help but consider the fact he’d put them there. The loving expression on his face sickened her. His power was wasted; he wanted to control the world when he could be saving it.
“I’m sorry I had to hurt you,” he said in a hushed voice, “but I love you so much. We belong together, in life and in death.”
“What about your ritual?” Ruby asked with bated breath.
“I’ll find another witch.” He sounded almost cheerful, like the charming Brit she used to know.
“I’ll help you. We’ll find her together.”
Michael paused, broke his gaze to look over his shoulder; disappointment flared in her stomach. She’d said it too fast. She needed to keep eye contact. Instead he focused on Cooper, who still struggled to come forward.
“Tell you what.” Michael spoke slowly and deliberately. “Prove it.”
“What?”
“Prove you want to be with me forever. My friend Xavier - your pal X, I mean - took women because he loved them. Me, I don’t care as long as it’s a witch heart. Since we’re all here and it’s convenient, I say we use Cooper’s black heart.”
Cooper scoffed. “Come near me and give me a chance to put my hands around your throat.”
“Ruby, I’ll give you the honor. Why don’t you suggest Cooper take your spot on the table?” Michael gave her a sweet smile underneath the caked blood.
Michael was too busy glaring at Cooper to see Ruby flinch at his command. He was stronger than she thought; even with her amplified magic, he still thwarted her suggestions. Michael turned back to face her, his expression hard and cruel. “Well?”
She nodded, hoped he didn’t see the stray tear she felt slip down her cheek. Michael smiled at her, setting the crossbow down. He stood back up and untied her ropes. Ruby held her breath, knew she had to bide her time. She couldn’t risk losing their one opportunity.