Pretty When They Collide: A Novella in the Pretty When She Dies Universe (Volume 4)

by Rhiannon Frater

The limousine slid through the gate that led to the private hangers. Frank’s jet sat like a white swan spreading its wings on the tarmac. They wouldn’t be home by sunrise, but the jet was specifically designed to carry Frank about without fear of the sun.

  “You know what I despise about these trips?” Frank’s words were clipped short by his irritation.

  “No, what?” Aimee asked.

  “It reminds me how many enemies I have,” Frank answered, staring out the window.

  Aimee became aware of the four figures moving out of the darkness toward the limousine seconds before Frank grabbed her and tumbled to the floor of the car.

  The black magic spell hit like a tidal wave, washing over the vehicle and sending it spinning on its wheels. Aimee’s protection spell held, but the black magic tore at it like a savage beast. The putrid acidity of the magic made her cringe, but she poured her white power into her personal shields and snagged her magic bag from the overnight case she had left on the floor.

  “My guards? The pilot?” Frank cowered next to the seat, listening to the savage clawing of the spell ripping at the car.

  Aimee closed her eyes, cast out a quick net of her power, then shook her head. “Dead. All of them. Suffocation spell.”

  “Glenn can fly it,” Frank said briskly, motioning to one of the guards in the front seat. “What about the second car?”

  Directing the net behind the limousine, she found the SUV with the four guards within. Her protection spell held there, too, but the guards were panicking. The black magic spell was feeding off their fear and would break through that vehicle more speedily.

  “The black witch got them, too. They’re freaking out, but should be safe for a few more minutes unless one of them opens a door.” Aimee took a quick peek out the window. The four attackers were shrouded in thick misty cocoons that hid their bodies and faces. The shadowy miasma cackled with dark power. The obfuscation spell masked the black witch. The other three people could be humans, ghouls, or demons. Aimee fought the sliver of fear that tried to wrap around her mind. Fear would work against her, feed the spell, and make it harder to do her job.

  “They’re not firing at us, so that’s a good sign,” Aimee said.

  “Bullet proofing stopped their last assassination attempt,” Frank pointed out. “They’re not going to try that again.”

  “Which of your many enemies is trying to kill you this time?” Sifting through her magic bag, Aimee wished that Frank wasn’t such an asshole. Most of the spells she had carefully prepared before they had departed on their trip had been used already.

  Frank shrugged. “Does it matter? Just get rid of the black witch, so we can get out of here.”

  Jerking out three protection spells, she handed one to Frank before scrambling to where the divider was lowering. Glenn and Ivan, Frank’s favorite escort guards, knew the drill. Aimee shoved the spell bags at the two men.

  “Crush them if the spell gets through. They’ll hold for a few minutes,” she said.

  “We can try to cover you,” Glenn offered, his pistol in his hand.

  “You won’t survive stepping out of the car. You’re human. I’m not.” Aimee checked on the four people waiting for the black magic spell to eat through the car’s defenses so they could start their final attack. “I can take them.”

  Crushing the last spell and tucking it into her cleavage, she inhaled deeply. The fragrance of sage and rosemary rushed through her sinuses, clearing her head. She might expend every last bit of her power, but she could handle the four things outside the car. The black magic spell was lethal to humans, but basic. It was a good sign that she wasn’t dealing with a black magic witch/demon hybrid. Otherwise, things could get tricky.

  Crawling over Frank, she gave him a stern look.

  “Stay down,” she ordered.

  “Kill them,” Frank answered. “Just fucking kill them.”

  Aimee shoved the back door open and ducked into the cool desert air to crouch behind the car, out of the sight of the black witch. The black magic attempted to slither into the car, but the protection spell she had crushed kept it at bay while she slammed the door shut, cutting it off. It flailed at her, an icy tentacle trying to grip her wrist, but the protection spell held and it jerked away in pain.

  The wind caught her hair, whipping it around her shoulders. She dug into her bag and pulled out her last two spells.

  “Stupid Frank,” she muttered.

  The blood bond between them compelled her to protect him at all costs even though a part of her screamed to be free. If Frank died, she could run away and create a life for herself far away from vampires, black magic witches, and other monsters. Yet the bond that tied her to him twisted inside of her, forcing her to defend him. The thought of him dying terrified and thrilled her at the same time.

  “Dammit.”

  Again she cast out a net of her power and sensed that the four assassins were on the move. They were attempting to circle the car and surprise her.

  Aimee’s lips spread into a ruthless smile. She crushed the first spell and tossed it into the air. It soundlessly exploded into a huge bubble, encapsulating the limousine, jet and attackers. It was a glamour spell. It captured the scene at the second it activated and reflected that image back at the world, hiding what was truly going on within its radius. Juggling the second spell, Aimee waited for the four people to draw just a little closer.

  The first one was just rounding the front end of the limousine when Aimee hurled the spell into the air. It burst in a flash of hot white light. The four beings screamed, instantly blinded.

  Aimee sprang to her feet and rushed the first attacker. Without any more spells, she had to pull on her internal well of power. She would have to act fast before she was drained.

  Flinging one hand at the attacker, she cast out a ball of concentrated magic. It hit the shadowy casing surrounding the attacker and burst into flame. In a split second it ate through the spell and engulfed the being inside. An ear-splitting wail filled the air, echoing around Aimee when it hit the barrier spell. The creature fell to the ground, burning to ashes in seconds.

  A vampire.

  The black magic witch was still alive.

  Limbs burning with the heat of her magic, Aimee sped around the front of the car and caught the second attacker just as it was about to toss another spell. Hurling an orb of energy at it, she willed the magic to expand and encompass the attacker. The sparkling white magic wrapped around the figure, dissolving the obfuscating spell.

  Aimee hesitated, realizing it was a demon. Tethered to the black magic witch, it was corporeal, and therefore vulnerable, but it would be difficult to abolish. Again Aimee cursed the stupid dress and the fancy jewelry she had been forced to wear. Her amulets would be a great help right now, but she was without them.

  The demon was a humanoid shape made of darkness that seemed to suck in the light around it, creating an aura of grasping blackness along its form. Glowing red eyes rested on Aimee seconds before it attacked. Long, spindly fingers tipped with obsidian claws slashed at the witch as the demon flew at her. Ducking under its attack, Aimee tripped over her long dress and fell onto the tarmac. Twisting around, she swung her arm out, sending an arc of white light at the demon. Though the creature dove to one side to avoid the attack, the dagger of light struck its side. Oozing yellow ichor flowed from the wound and the smell of rotten eggs wafted on the desert wind.

  Pushing herself up with her hands, Aimee sent a wave of magic at another attacker trying to sneak up behind her. It smashed into the shrouded entity, flinging the attacker into the side of the limousine. Shrieking in agony, the assailant writhed in the tentacle of the black magic spell.

  “Human,” Aimee breathed, then sent another bolt at the demon.

  The inky blot in the shape of a human bolted to one side, avoiding the magical barrage while the suffocating human thrashed against the car. The heavy body armor rang against the metal and glass. Aimee ignored the dying mortal and concentrated
on avoiding the demon’s next attack. It darted at her, slashing with its claws. She cast another wave of magic at it, the diamonds in her bracelet flashing in the headlights of the SUV idling behind the limousine.

  “Of course,” she whispered.

  A black magic spell hurtled into her and knocked her off her feet. Her flip-flops skittered across the asphalt and vanished under the car. The spell slid over her skin like icy water. It tried to sink through her protection spell, but was thwarted when Aimee pumped more power into her shield. She was draining herself too fast and she knew it. Whip-like tendrils of black magic lashed at her face and chest. The purple and black magic again tried to burrow into her protection spell. Aimee worried that the demon was about to spring and she had no idea where the black magic witch was hiding. Gripping the aggressive spell in both hands, she jerked it away from her body, holding the squirming mass in a tight grip. Again, she cursed Frank’s ridiculous fashion standards. She had a bracelet with just the amulet for this type of aggressive spell. Instead she had to take a big risk in order to save all of them.

  Rolling onto her knees, Aimee observed the demon retreating to the other side of the car. The dark magic spell viciously attacking the limousine was almost through her protection spell. The witch and demon had distracted her in order to get closer to Frank. Now she was about to make things even worse.

  “Dammit!”

  Encapsulating the writhing tendrils in a thin sheen of white magic, she hurled the black magic spell at the limousine. It splashed into the other spell, its tentacles whipping out to grip onto the bigger mass before sinking into it. Even bigger and stronger than before, the black magic spell jerked at the limousine like a predator ripping into flesh.

  “You’re stupider than I thought,” a male voice called out, amused.

  Ripping the diamond bracelet off her wrist, Aimee whispered under her breath. The demon added its power to the assaulting spell. Another blast of black magic hurtled towards her. She leaped out of the way and sent a countering wave in the general direction of the attack.

  “Blood calls to death!” she shouted, and hurled the diamond bracelet at the car.

  The demon’s glowing red eyes gleamed brightly just as the diamond bracelet clipped the car and bounced into its face. It howled in agony as the banishment spell Aimee had infused the bracelet with gripped it and dragged it into the depths of the sparkling diamonds, entrapping it. The reek of sulfur filled the air as the black magic spell ripping at the limousine vanished instantly. Somewhere nearby a man screamed in pain and terror.

  “That’s the problem with black magic witches,” Aimee called out. “Once the demon you’ve made a deal with is vanquished, you’re a powerless piece of shit.”

  Retreating footsteps pounded into the darkness. The doors to the limousine banged open and the two guards pursued the fleeing black witch. Aimee smiled triumphantly, swaying slightly on her feet. The adrenaline surge was the only thing keeping her standing. Weakened by the heavy expenditure of her magic, Aimee limped toward the car.

  Frank slid out of the backseat, his cellphone clutched in one hand. “Why didn’t you kill the witch?”

  “Fuck you, Frank,” Aimee answered.

  She was dimly aware of the vampire catching her when she fainted.

  Part Two:

  Home

  Chapter 7:

  Memories Lost

  Snagging the mail out of the battered mailbox, Cassandra headed up the walkway to her mother’s small house tucked behind towering cedar trees on a quiet street in a small town in Texas. The light spring breeze brushed through the branches, ruffling leaves and shifting the sunlight that dappled the flagstones. The colorful oleanders bordering the porch needed to be cut back, and Cassandra used her overnight bag to shove the pretty flowers aside.

  Behind the screen door she could see the flicker of the TV and heard the voices of the morning talk show hosts chatting with the latest Hollywood rising star. The clink of dishes and the rushing sound of water indicated that breakfast was over and cleanup was underway. Knocking on the screen door, Cassandra quickly scanned her mother’s mail. It was a relief to see she hadn’t gone on any shopping network sprees.

  The shadowy form of her mother hurried down the short hall from the kitchen and into the gloomy living room. Cassandra smiled at her mother through the mesh as Galina fumbled with the lock.

  “Hey, Mom,” Cassandra said.

  “I’m so glad you’re home!” Galina exclaimed breathlessly. Pulling the door open, she wrapped Cassandra in her arms.

  Kissing her mother’s cheek, Cassandra snuggled against her. The scent of jasmine and baby powder filled her nostrils and she inhaled deeply. It was a comforting fragrance, and one she always associated with her mother. “Like I promised, I’m back safe and sound.”

  Drawing back, Galina studied her thoughtfully. “Something happened?”

  “Nothing to worry about,” Cassandra answered with a reassuring smile.

  Cassandra knew she strongly resembled her mother, but she didn’t think she was nearly as beautiful. Galina’s blue-green eyes flecked with gold were heavily fringed with dark lashes and her lush chestnut brown hair fell in silky waves to her mid-back. Where Cassandra had a much stronger nose, Galina’s was delicate, but they shared the same lush mouth and Slavic complexion. Being a dhamphir gave Cassandra a much younger appearance than her thirty-five years, while Galina looked like a youthful early forty-year-old and not her actual sixty-five years of age. Her mother’s years as a blood minion to vampires had kept her preternaturally youthful, but regular infusions of Cassandra’s blood maintained it. People always thought they were sisters, not mother and daughter.

  “You’re lying,” Galina said, her eyes narrowing.

  “No, really. Everything is fine,” Cassandra promised.

  She brushed past her mother and into the darkened living room. Her mother’s years living with vampires had instilled her with a healthy dislike of sunlight. The house was always dimly lit and the trees were rarely cut back. Cassandra wasn’t too fond of sunlight either. Her last girlfriend had always insisted on having the curtains open to let the sunlight stream in through the windows. Cassandra should have realized the relationship was doomed.

  “I had such terrible nightmares,” her mother said, her voice wavering. Pressing a hand to her forehead, she sank onto the overstuffed pillows decorating the shabby-chic couch.

  Cassandra tossed her bag on the floor and settled beside her mother. The look of confusion that often graced Galina’s features settled over her face. Another aftereffect from spending so much time with vampires was that her mother’s mind was quite fragile. Dr. Summerfield, the man who had helped Galina escape Austin and hide from Cassandra’s father, had explained that the vampires had often wiped her memories of their atrocities to keep her compliant and the end result was that it was difficult for her to retain memories or deal with unexpected events. Medicine didn’t help, but structure did. Galina lived quietly in the small house Cassandra had bought her and had a housekeeper who came to help her three times a week.

  “You were gone for so long,” Galina said, her bottom lip trembling.

  “I was gone for two days,” Cassandra reminded her.

  “Did Felicity go with you?”

  “Felicity broke up with me a month ago,” Cassandra answered. She gently took her mother’s hand and squeezed it. “Remember?”

  “Oh, that’s right.” Galina’s voice was doubtful, but she didn’t argue. “She didn’t like your traveling?”

  “She didn’t like me.” Cassandra shrugged, but the sting was still there. Felicity had left her for a woman she had met online. She supposed it was for the best. Felicity had been a very jealous and suspicious girlfriend. Cassandra couldn’t blame Felicity for being upset with her. Cassandra did keep secrets. They just weren’t the secrets Felicity thought they were. “She said I was keeping things from her and that she didn’t like being cheated on. So she cheated on me and moved to Phoenix.
”

  Shaking her head, Galina stared at the notepad on the coffee table that she usually kept close at hand. Picking it up, she pulled the pen she kept tucked into the spiral and made some notes. “I need to remember that I do not like Felicity.”

  Giggling, Cassandra lightly stroked her mother’s hair. She loved her so much, but she often felt their roles were reversed. It had been that way since she had been a child. Dr. Summerfield, a vampire hunter and paranormal investigator, had arranged for Galina to have full-time help when Cassandra was a child because Galina would simply forget to do simple things like feed her daughter. When Cassandra had become old enough, she had started watching over her mother. She didn’t mind it though. Her mother was everything to her.

  Galina finished her notes and underlined a few words, her brow scrunched. “I also put down a reminder that you were only gone for two days. I don’t know why I got so worried.”

  “Because you’re my mother.” Cassandra nudged her with her elbow before leaning her head on her mother’s shoulder.

  “I was dreaming about your father and he was trying to find you,” Galina said, changing the subject abruptly.

  “He doesn’t know about me,” Cassandra reminded her. “And he’s far away in Austin. Dr. Summerfield told me just last week that Cian’s dating some cute little blond human girl now and trying very hard to be human.”

  Galina’s eyes filled with tears and she tugged at the sash of her bathrobe. “He’s forgotten me.”

  “Mom,” Cassandra said in a gentle voice. “It’s just thirty years ago since he killed the cabal and sent you away. That’s like a blink of an eye for a vampire. I’m sure he remembers you.” Silently cursing herself for her insensitivity, she embraced her mother. “He loved you. He sent you away to keep you safe.”

  “But now he’s dating someone else.” Galina covered her face with her hands.

  “Mom, you were with him a very long time ago.” Cassandra struggled to think of a way to comfort her mother. Galina was still madly in love with Cian Lynch, Cassandra’s vampire father. She would probably love him until her last breath. A few times Galina had attempted to go to Austin to find Cian, but had been stopped in time. Vampire fathers killed their dhamphir offspring and it was the only solid argument that kept Galina from risking everything to find the vampire.