Warlocks & Warfare_A Grimmer Legacy novel

by Eleanor Rousseau

  “Still hurts,” I murmured.

  “Head wounds are tricky.” He brought my hand to his lips.

  “The dizziness is gone.” I took his hand and brought it to my eye level, studying his fingers.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “There’s aren’t sharp enough to inflict the wounds I saw on Wes.”

  He huffed softly, “My glamour... when I saw him hit you I couldn’t hold it back, I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize, he had it coming and I don’t think seeing your Demon form would bother me as much as you seem to think it would.”

  His expression darkened, “I don’t ever wish for you to see me that way. I don’t want you to see me as a monster.” He cupped my cheek, eyes pleading with me to understand.

  I signed softly, “I grow scales, we’ve all got our issues.”

  He smiled a little, “I like your scales.”

  “I’m sure I’d like whatever feathery form you’re hiding beneath there.” I ran my fingers lightly through his hair.

  He paled, eyes going wide. “How-”

  “Hey, it’s not- I just assumed, because your father had... he had feathers in his hair and it didn’t look like a fashion choice.”

  He relaxed but he still looked a little pale, “This is the only face I ever want you to know me by.”

  “Okay.” Part of me wanted to see that part of him, to know every part of him but it was clearly important to him so I wouldn’t push it.

  “I called Radien and told him what happened, so he knows to steer the twins away from the shop while I’m working.”

  “Cutting off their fast food supply is the least they deserve, although nearly gutting one of them may have been overkill.”

  He growled, “He laid a hand on you, intended or not they were careless and put you in danger. They may attack me if they wish but I will not forgive them for hurting you.”

  “They may not attack you,” I growled right back. “They want to hurt you they’ll have to go through me.”

  “You’re adorable,” he murmured.

  “I’m not adorable, I’m fearsome,” I informed him.

  He kissed me, tilting my head back as he claimed my mouth “My fearsome little witch.”

  “You’re saying that as if it means the same thing as adorable.”

  He smirked, the evil man times like this his Demon half really showed, as did his dimple. “Huh, how about that.” He kissed me again, making me forget the adorable comment, well either forget it or believe it.

  “I’m starting to understand why the twins tried to throttle you.”

  I huffed and Avon growled at the interruption.

  Amy stood in the doorway, arms crossed, expression disapproving, as usual. My oldest sister and I had never really gotten on, growing up I’d always just thought that it was down to the fact that we had nothing in common because she was so much older than me. However, I’d come to realizing that her subtle digs didn’t have the playful quality of sibling banter. She genuinely seemed to dislike me.

  I started to push myself up.

  “Take it slow,” ordered Avon, his expression turning from slightly hungry to concerned in the blink of an eye.

  I nodded, giving him a faint smile. I sat up, rubbing a hand against the back of my head. My fingers touched something damp and brought my hand back round to stare uncomprehendingly at the red smudges.

  “I closed the wound, the bleeding has stopped,” Avon assured me softly.

  I stared at the blood. Wes had done that to me. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t meant too, they would have done worse to Avon if given the chance. I’d always considered the office to be a safe place, where no one with bad intentions could get to me.

  “Kia?” Amy’s judgemental look had been replaced by one of concern.

  I glanced at Avon, “Would you drive me home?” As Amy and I didn’t usually see eye to eye, she wasn’t someone I was willing to divulge my innermost thoughts and secrets to.

  “Of course, little one.” I started to stand and he wrapped an arm around my waist, even though I didn’t think I needed the help.

  “Kia... you know the twins would never try to hurt you, instinct takes over, they get overprotective,” said Amy quickly, trying to make me forgive them.

  I bit my lip and cast my eyes down so she couldn’t see my anger. That excuse might have worked if they were young teens fresh from their first shift but it sure as hell wouldn’t work now. “Defend their instincts when they nearly get you killed,” I murmured harshly before moving past her.

  We were halfway across the main reception when she said, “Isn’t that a bit dramatic?”

  Anger snapped inside me, I reached to touch the metal desk at my side. With a single thought, the whole thing melted into a pile of goo and the computer equipment smashed to the ground.

  It was petty but I was in a petty mood. “Consider this my resignation,” I growled, walking quickly to the lift. There, how was that for dramatic?

  The lift doors closed at out back and I took a deep breath.

  “You just quit,” said Avon, looking slightly stunned.

  I nodded.

  “Can you do that, just quit?”

  “I just did. I can’t work with those people.” Not if I didn’t feel like they trusted me anymore. Every time I went out on a job with them we put our lives in each other’s hands, I trusted them to have my back and I backed their calls without question. Why the hell was it too much to ask that they do the same, just this once.

  “I can’t help feeling like this is partially my fault,” the Daemon commented.

  I smiled a little, “No it’s not, all I had to say was ‘no’ but I didn’t want to and it was my office, the only person who had business coming in unannounced was Tia.” Because we shared the office. And I didn’t want to have to always be walking on eggshells around my own family, I couldn’t live like that.

  “It was a tad impulsive,” he said gently as he led me out to his car.

  “I know. She pissed me off and the twins hurt me, they needed to know that’s not okay.”

  “Does this mean you’re going to be a stay-at-home wife who caters to my every need,” he asked softly, teasing.

  I huffed a laugh, “Not a chance.”

  “I could buy you pretty dresses and when I invite the boys from work home you can make us snacks and bring us beer.” He held me against his side as we walked down the street.

  “Keep dreaming, moron,”

  He laughed and squeezed my hip, where his hand rested, as we reached his car. I took a deep breath and pulled away from him.

  “It’s okay. Everythings going to be okay... right?”

  Chapter Twenty-four

  “Are you sure you can do this, Kia?” asked Amber. She must have heard about my dramatic exit from the office but she hadn’t said a word about it. I’d known that my quitting wouldn’t affect the trial or her willingness to help, after all, we were family.

  “Of course.” The weight of Avon’s ring on my finger was comforting and with it, I somehow felt more like myself.

  “That’s an interesting metal, do you know the compound?”

  It took me a moment to realize she was talking about the ring, Damn, I should have guessed she’d notice. “Some sort of alloy probably.”

  “Enchanted?”

  I hesitated, technically it was and she’d probably sense it but I couldn’t tell her what the enchantment was. “Your average short-term luck spell,” I lied.

  “Good thinking.”

  It would have been good thinking, I really should have cast one but I was confident I could get through this without luck on my side, fairly confident. We reached the main hall and I took a deep breath, raising my chin before walking through the doors.

  “Daughter, how wonderful to see you again.” Misha stood before the coven but had turned at my entrance, he looked exactly the same as when I had last seen him. He wore an expensive suit and appeared perfectly composed.


  His eyes studied me, no doubt looking for signs of my glamour, I was happy to disappoint. “Warlock,” I said coolly, walking forward until I too stood before the Coven, a good distance still separating me from Misha.

  The five Coven members sat before us, made up of the eldest and most powerful Witches and Warlocks in the country.

  Misha smiled at me, “You look well, I was concerned after hearing about the injury your brother had inflicted.”

  And just how the hell had he heard about that? “Their transgressions are not the ones we are here to discuss,” I said pointedly, tampering down my rage at his knowledge.

  “Of course, of course, you’ll have to pardon me for staring, you’re practically glowing.” He was staring, with something akin to awe. It made my skin crawl.

  Shit, was part of my glamour showing? “You are a weird little man,” I growled.

  He smiled, “How is your Daemon?”

  “He’ll be a lot better when he doesn’t have to worry about a crazy old Warlock kidnapping me.”

  He chuckled. The ass.

  “Now, now. Kia, you have accused Misha of various crimes against you, these are serious claims are you sure you wish to proceed?” asked one of the to Warlocks of the coven, Marx.

  “I’m certain, sir.”

  He nodded, “Very well, please step into the circle.”

  I stepped into the circle that had been drawn on the floor in front of me and felt the spell wash over me. An honesty spell, not an issue. I didn’t typically lie to get my way, as much as I might exaggerate or bend the truth on occasion.

  Misha stepped into an identical circle.

  “By your account, Kia, Misha has kidnapped you multiple times and even performed experimental Magic procedures on you without your consent,” the oldest Witch, Xena said, frowning at the idea.

  I nodded, “That’s correct.”

  “You have proof of this?” she asked.

  I raised an eyebrow, “Is my word not enough?”

  “For now.” She smiled a little.

  “Misha, what do you have to say in your defense?” asked Marx.

  “My actions were done with the best intentions,” he assured them. “I think you’ll find that if you ask her you’ll find she’s quite thankful for my intervention.” He looked smug.

  My smile was sharp, he had no idea what he was talking about. The fucker was clueless.

  Xena glanced at me, “Is this true?”

  “Not at all, I hate my father for what he’s done to me, It has caused me pain that the likes of Misha could never comprehend.” It was true, to discover that dragons had existed, to know of a bond I should share with an extinct race, it hurt. When in my glamour it felt like I was missing a limb.

  Misha frowned, “I gave you a great gift.”

  “Did it never occur to you that something lost should stay lost? You shouldn’t mess with things you have no understanding of,” I growled.

  His eyes narrowed and for the first time, he seemed unsure of himself.

  The younger Witch, Matilda, raised an eyebrow, “What gift would this be?”

  “I evolved her into a greater being,” claimed Misha.

  “You brought to life something that should have stayed dead!”

  “Kia,” said Xena, her voice surprisingly gently. “Show us,” she ordered.

  “I fear that if you see it you won't understand the depth of the pain it has caused me,” I said quietly.

  “Nevertheless,” she said firmly.

  Pushing my body to Glamour while my mind rebelled was hard and I ended up on my knee, gasping for breath.

  “Kia,” gasped Amber.

  “You’re magnificent,” murmured Misha.

  I bared my teeth at him, “I’m broken.”

  He moved to step towards me but I snarled and Amber stepped between us.

  “You, stay away from my niece,” growled Amber. Then she smiled at Xena, though the expression was strained, “If we could please move on from this. It’s clear that Misha’s acts were a violation of Kia’s basic rights.”

  “The scars he left on my hands can’t even be healed by magical means,” I added, showing them my palms.

  “It was a necessary evil, one I took no pleasure in,” claimed Misha.

  His circle must have been broken because there was nothing necessary about it. Xena frowned and shot a glare at Misha, “You permanently mutilated the girl and for what? Something that anyone could do with a cloaking spell?”

  Technically not anyone could do a cloaking spells, all Witches and Warlocks could, given they were taught it but only the most powerful mages could conjure one. But since she was defending me I sure as hell wasn’t going to say anything.

  “I assure you the effects are far more beneficial than that,” said Misha, so sure of himself.

  “Are they?” I asked, my tone filled with both surprise and disbelief. Sure it gave me thick skin and minor hypnotic powers but I didn’t need to mention that, not unless asked directly.

  He scowled at me, “Of course, all glamours give the person additional capabilities.”

  “Uh huh, and how many Witch glamours have you seen?”

  He eyed me, his expression flat, apparently, he didn’t appreciate my condescending look. “One.”

  “Ah, clearly you’re-” the magic caught me and my throat tightened briefly. “Not an expert. Sorry, I was going for sarcasm but this whole honesty thing completely ruins the effect.”

  “Kai,” Xena frowned.

  “Sorry,” I said sheepishly.

  “Tell us about the kidnappings,” she said in a soft but firm voice.

  I nodded, “Of course. The first time I was five-ish, he kidnapped me and put me in an iron cage, fortunately, I was able to escape with relative ease.”

  “I had just discovered the existence of a child belonging to me, my actions may have been rash but I wanted to know the girl with my blood in her veins. Her mother would not let me near her, I did what I did as a concerned father,” Misha tried to justify.

  “Next time, maybe try buying a girl some ice cream,” I snarled.

  He smiled, “Are you aware that in that form your eyes have an almost unsettling effect?”

  They did? Shit, I’d slept with Avon in this form, had he felt unsettled? Well, that was not an appropriate line of thought, given my present circumstances. “First you have to give me this form now you gotta go making me self-conscious about it too.” I concentrated and pushed down that side of me. Turning off glamour made me instantly feel weaker, I had to flex my muscles a little before I could feel normal again but the sense of intense longing disappeared.

  “I didn’t say it wasn’t a good thing,” he added.

  “Yeah, but you saying it’s a good thing pretty much just reassures me that it’s a bad thing.”

  “Kia-” said Xena.

  “I’ll get back on track,” I promised.

  She nodded with a small smile.

  “That first time I was shaken up considerably but ultimately unharmed. The second time he tricked me by using a cloaking spell to disguise himself and hired me, pretending to need a bodyguard. Then he trapped me in a glass cage. At the time I was not in a mentally fit state and due to his actions I ended up causing myself harm.”

  “You weren’t in a mentally fit state?” probed Xena.

  I bit my lip, “Due to an unrelated matter.”

  She gestured me closer, “Let me look at you, child.”

  I glanced at the circle at my feet before walking over to her. I knew what was causing and I’d rather stay in the circle.

  She placed both hands on either side of my head and closed her eyes. “You poor thing, they did do a number on you, didn’t they?”

  “They mostly being him,” I murmured.

  She nodded sadly. Telepathy can be a real pain in the ass. “The third time?”

  I nodded and stepped back into the circle, “Yes, because twice apparently wasn’t enough trauma for one girl. I awoke strapp
ed to a chair, with gashes carved into my flesh and a mage telling me how special I was because this jerk brainwashed her.”

  “She works for me willingly and I pay her well, I have no need to stoop to brainwashing,” stated Misha.

  “Well that's-” magic zapped me. Damn sarcasm. Comforting, I’d been going for comforting.

  Xena raised an eyebrow at me.

  “Sorry,” I murmured.

  “And what form of retribution do you request?” asked Jed, speaking up for the first time.

  I smiled “Banishment.”

  Misha frowned, “You would banish your own father?” His surprise was almost laughable.

  “I’d do a lot worse, given the chance,” I growled.

  “Banishment seems a little excessive,” said Matilda. My father smiled at her and heat rose in her cheeks. Urgh. Apparently, mages weren’t the only ones vulnerable to his charms.

  “It’s no more than what he has done for all other Warlocks who once resided in the city.” It was true, the only full-blooded Wiccans who still resided in the city where my mother and I. The males all had some Wiccan powers but they were only half Warlock.

  “I challenged each of those Warlocks and won, fair and square,” stated Misha.

  “Ah, so you’d accept a challenge?” I asked. I was more than happy to kick his ass. I may not have been a match for him magically but he’d be held back by the fact he didn’t actually want to see me dead. I had no such hangups.

  He was tempted, I could tell, but then he gave me a look I couldn’t decipher. “No, not at this time.”

  What the hell did that mean? Would he try to challenge me later?

  The trial went on for a while longer but it was mostly just dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. They pretty much unanimously agreed that the punishment fit the crime. In reality, I could have asked them to do a lot worse, after all when you had magic you can get really creative with punishments.

  I was relieved when things started wrapping up. I was ready to go home and it felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

  Satisfaction warmed me as I headed towards the doors but I paused as Misha spoke up, “One last thing, precious daughter.”

  I reluctantly turned to face him.