Ancient Ways

by Patti Larsen

  Classy.

  Charlotte's snarl sent my suitor back a step, Quaid's looming anger sending him scurrying so fast he ran into his friend and knocked them both off balance.

  We really had to get away from the normals before someone did something to get us arrested.

  Demetrius took my hand as the light finally shifted and we crossed. I had a sudden understanding of what it would be like to be a mother with a bratty kid. He tugged at me, tried to wander off, poked at other people crossing in the opposite direction, giggling and dancing the whole way. I caught myself rolling my eyes as I met Quaid's and he grinned at me like it was funny.

  If we made it out of this, I was making Quaid hold Demetrius's hand on the way back.

  The building loomed over us, the entire city crushing down on me, the stars lost in the bright lights from the skyscrapers, the street lights. It felt like another plane, almost like I'd somehow crossed over the veil instead of sliding through it. I didn't mind cities, not really. I'd been to a few. But I'd never spent any amount of time in one on this plane, and now I realized I had no desire to. My magic wanted to go on overload, so many people to shield from. My demon snarled as a guy came close to bumping me, only to come in contact with Charlotte's shoulder.

  He scowled at her until she growled back.

  Yeah, I really had to get them off the street.

  The glass doors beckoned, the interior of the building brightly lit on the other side. I pushed against the heavy metal handle, feeling it give easily, the hiss of escaping air cold on my skin as the air-conditioned interior called me inside.

  The moment my feet passed the threshold, my power went dead. Out like a light. I knew it was coming, expected it. And it still drove a giant shard of "hell, no" through me. No demon, no vampire. No Shaylee. No family magic.

  The shocked look on Quaid's face, on Mia's, told me I wasn't the only one.

  “Deep breaths,” I said quietly. “It takes a second for the panic to wear off.”

  Quaid's chocolate eyes were almost completely black as his pupils flared in response to his anxiety. “This is. Syd. This is...”

  “I know.” I slid my hand into his while Demetrius, untouched by what was happening to the rest of us, pulled on my other one with little grunting noises. “You can leave. I'll be okay.”

  He shook his head, squeezing my fingers before letting my hand go, his jaw clenching. “I'm fine,” he said. Hugged Mia. “We have a job to do.”

  Mia shook so violently in his grip I thought she'd break down any second. Maybe explode. Or implode. Or something violent. But, as she stood there, she calmed, clinging to her brother until she nodded once, a sharp gesture, biting her lower lip so hard she had to be drawing blood.

  “I have to get my magic back.”

  One quick look at Sassafras shivering in Charlotte's arms and I knew he was still in.

  “So wrong,” he said. “Hurry up.”

  Right. I let Demetrius win, finally, looking up as we entered the large foyer, feeling my feet squeak over the polished floor. A bank of elevator doors stood on the right and another on the left while a bulky desk dominated the middle of the lobby. A man in uniform frowned at us as Demetrius bypassed him.

  “Hey,” he called out. “This isn't some tourist spot. You need an appointment.”

  Demetrius didn't even twitch. The man froze, sagged and sank back into his seat. I shivered as we passed, the vacant look on his face making me worry about him.

  But I couldn't worry. He wasn't my problem.

  We were almost to the elevators on the right when Quaid stopped me with a hand on my arm.

  “Is this the best choice?” He glanced at the shining steel doors. “We could get trapped in there.”

  He was right. But the idea of climbing all the way to the top... I groaned, my legs and butt still tender from the prison tower.

  Still.

  Demetrius grunted and shrugged, crossing to the back of the lobby and a wide, black painted entry with a stair symbol hanging over it. The door whispered open, a concrete staircase, metal railing leading upward, waiting on the other side.

  Climbing, then.

  I took the lead, foot taking the first step just as my hand closed reflexively over the crystal in my pocket.

  And everything shifted.

  They were back, my demon roaring her happiness, Shaylee babbling my name, my vampire hissing and reaching for me. The family magic swirled, wrapped around me while my sorcery opened its dark blossom at the base of everything. The tiny heart of the crystal sang to me as my maji power woke and brought us all together as one.

  Whole. I grinned at Quaid before taking the steps two at a time, letting the power I'd woken feed me.

  This was what it was supposed to be like.

  Time to kick some Brotherhood ass.

  ***

  Chapter Twenty Six

  The tiny pop of electricity preceded me and it wasn't until I noticed the small surveillance camera on the fifth floor landing, black smoke pouring out of its casing, I realized Demetrius was keeping the Brotherhood from tracking us.

  I'd seen enough cop movies to swear inside my head at myself for not thinking of it first.

  It was a long climb, but seemed to fly by, floor after floor disappearing beneath me. I'm absolutely positive if I didn't have access to my magic I would never have made the climb. Even with the boost I was a panting, sweating mess by the time we reached the top. Charlotte looked a little ruffled, as though she'd exerted herself in a brisk run. Her breathing returned to normal as she shook herself, setting Sassafras back on the ground. Demetrius, I decided, was completely tireless, as eager as he'd been all along, now pulling on me again as I stopped to catch my wind at the top of the stairs.

  Mia leaned heavily on Quaid who looked about as worn out as I was, probably because he'd been forced to carry his sister most of the way. I felt a pang of guilt. I hadn't even thought about them in my race to the top. A wash of power rectified the situation, though from Mia's wide stare and the sudden flash of anger on Quaid's face, it was too little, too late.

  “Nice of you to let us know you have your power back.” He eased Mia to the floor, dark eyes snapping with anger.

  Wince. I offered him more power, his body straightening, Mia's bright red face easing back to deathly pale. Not really an improvement.

  “The crystal.” I showed it to Quaid, took his hand, pressed it to the stone on impulse. His whole body jerked, magic flaring in his eyes before shutting down again. “I think this was the last piece I needed.”

  Quaid's anger faded as he nodded. “Makes sense,” he said. “All the exercises in the world won’t allow you to be full maji if you aren’t fully connected to all of your power sources.” He stepped back, shaking the hand I'd pressed to the crystal. “At least one of us won't be magickless.”

  “You and Sassafras stay here,” I said. “With Mia. When we've found the machine, we'll come back for you.”

  Mia shoved herself to her feet while Sassafras smacked my leg with one paw.

  “I'm coming with you,” Mia said as my silver Persian muttered something distinctly rude and unrepeatable.

  Quaid didn't have to talk. He just glared and I got the message.

  They were all as bad as I was when it came to leaping head first into trouble. And wouldn't I have fun rubbing Quaid's face in that fact when this was over?

  As long as we lived to talk about it.

  Demetrius's hand lifted, a small crystal of his own gripped in his fingers. He leaned into the steel door, pressing the stone to the keypad beside it. A release of air and the tang of ozone and the small silver box slagged, liquid metal pouring out from under the panel, the keys oozing in white plastic rivers. Something snicked and Demetrius grinned his maniacal happiness, scar pulling his face into creepy.

  “Ready?” He jerked on the handle, long before I could tell him that no, actually, as a matter of fact, I was nowhere near ready and could we just turn around and go home and think thi
s through again maybe? Instead, I found myself rushing forward, crystal firmly in hand, my power lashing out at the hulking, suited sorcerers guarding the other side of the door.

  We took them by surprise, oddly. I thought for sure they would have felt us coming. Either that, or these two were totally out of touch with reality. Luck was on our side as Demetrius, snarling and snapping like a vicious little animal, dove for the first one while I jerked on my whip of magic and pulled the second to his knees before lashing out with my foot, my heel impacting the side of his wide jaw.

  He didn't even get a chance to fight back. Eyes rolling into his head, the guard groaned softly and sagged to the left, collapsing onto his friend who Demetrius had just sent into his own oblivion.

  Quaid's raised eyebrows and little smirk told me he had no idea I'd been hitting the gym.

  Yeah, that's right, buddy. Look out.

  I wondered if he’d still be smiling if he met Sage.

  Snort.

  No time to be smug. Charlotte leap-frogged the two fallen guards, jacket discarded, jeans tearing as she shifted into half-wolf form. While I'd been patting myself on the back for one kick boosted with magic, she noticed the real danger.

  Two more guards lunged for us from across the narrow hallway. And Charlotte lunged back.

  Claws glistening in the dim fluorescents, she slashed the first across the throat with one hand while driving the other into the chest of the second. Blood gushed, pinpoints of moisture tagging my face and neck as the first man gurgled, wet sounds coming from the falling guard's gaping neck before I could gather a breath to scream. The other gasped, burbling, chest erupting with blood as Charlotte jerked her hand free and let him fall at her feet.

  “Charlotte!” It came out in a choking whisper, horror washing over me as my fingers touched the wetness on my skin. Came back smeared red.

  Her muzzle shrank slightly, but her half-wolf form remained.

  “You want me to let them kill you?” Her voice wasn't her voice any more, rough and unkempt, deep as an endless night, full of the howl of the wild. “It's time you understood how serious this is, Syd.”

  I'd never seen her kill before. Lived in this happy bubble of ignorance. Yes, people died around me. But never thanks to my side. Why did it shock me so much she was capable of such violence?

  Wow. Just. Wow.

  She lifted her face, wolf-muzzle returning. “This way,” she growled.

  I followed, Demetrius happily humming beside me, an abrupt and forced shift in thinking going on in my head. Charlotte was a killer. She just killed those two sorcerers. Yes, they'd killed witches. Yes, they'd burned them and crushed their bones.

  But Charlotte killed. And she did it for me.

  So innocent, so childish, Syd. And yet...

  Could I live with this?

  I shook myself as we passed under more dim lighting, night-time illumination casting the halls in shadow. The thick carpet under my feet turned to marble as we stepped out into a grand lobby, three large elevator doors on the left, another big desk on the right. But the place was silent, still. No guards, no more Brotherhood.

  “They knew we'd take the stairs.” I followed after Charlotte while Demetrius's song went quiet.

  “No,” he said. “They don't know we're coming.” His blue eyes glowed eerily in the low light. “Or we would never have made it past the lobby door.”

  Okay then.

  Happy thoughts.

  I glanced to the right, at the elaborate sign and logo hanging over the reception desk. Coterie Industries sprawled across the wall, a C and I interlaced with a globe.

  I'd have to dig out a dictionary later, but I was pretty sure "coterie" was just another way to say "brotherhood".

  As we passed through the lobby and down another hall, padding past elaborate office doors, a glass boardroom overlooking the city and the ocean, I realized just how clever the Brotherhood was. An international corporation would give them access to anything they needed. Unlike witches and most other magical races who kept to themselves as a protective measure, the sorcerer's league seemed to have taken advantage of the world of the normals.

  “They control massive amounts of technology,” Demetrius said, his lucidity with us again. “Bio-tech, weapons, software, genetic manipulation.”

  Quaid grunted, arm still around his sister. “I've heard of them,” he said. “They spearheaded a new genetically enhanced crop placement in Africa. Some kind of grain that thrives without much water.”

  Demetrius turned and stared up into Quaid's eyes as we all stopped, even Charlotte, while the little man's body vibrated in rage.

  “They have been positioning themselves for centuries,” he said. “This new age of technology has given them their first chance to take over everything.” His blue eyes met mine. “And they have, Sydlynn. They have taken everything.” He shuddered, giggled, physically pulled himself back under control. How much effort did it take him to come back to us? “The grain Quaid talks about will enslave everyone who eats it. Slowly, over time. They've already begun testing on normals on this continent, in Europe. But the crop they are sending to Africa will be their first real attempt to take over a population.”

  Un. Freaking. Believable. “The normals have no idea.”

  “How could they?” Demetrius quivered, lips wobbling, a hysterical whine escaping him as he finally lost control. “They already ate their souls!” He laughed out loud, so loud Charlotte pounced on him, one half-wolf hand firmly pressing over his mouth as he fought her, blue eyes full of the agony of one trapped in madness. He finally stilled and she released him. Demetrius crouched down, panting, shaking his head. “They will use them against us,” he whispered in a hoarse voice. “And we won't stand a chance.”

  Not if I had something to say about it.

  We moved on, Demetrius hugging himself, muttering under his breath. I needed him focused, but when I reached to touch his arm he jerked away from me with a snarl and bared teeth.

  Fine, I'd manage on my own. But he'd better snap the hell out of it when the time came.

  I glanced sideways at a large door, partially open, a gold plaque mounted at eye level. My eyes drifted away only to flash back as I stopped in my tracks to stare.

  Liander Belaisle.

  CEO.

  Oh. My. Swearword.

  The leader of the Brotherhood—the man I'd fought and defeated, who Trill, Owen and I chased off, was the CEO of the whole shebang. Not some petty lieutenant as I assumed, but the head honcho.

  I wondered if cutting off his head would kill this particular snake.

  My stomach flipped over slowly. As often as I joked with myself about killing, now that the blood of the enemy was on me, it didn't seem like such a great thing to joke about. Quaid had warned me, when I stood over Ameline in the cave, when she struggled with the three Sidhe souls inside her, actually killing someone would change me.

  I now had no doubt he was right.

  And yet. Liander Belaisle was the enemy. And had no qualms about killing.

  Which meant I had to get over my little princess fit and fast.

  The end of the corridor beckoned, a glowing red EXIT sign over a wooden door.

  Demetrius stopped in front of it, looked at me.

  “The roof,” he said. “The machine.”

  Bring it.

  ***

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  It wasn't like I expected a cake walk or anything. But it would have been nice if we could have just strolled through the exit door, climbed the short staircase to the roof, sauntered up to the machine of doom and broken it into a million pieces while kindly handing Mia's power back, safe and sound.

  Um hum. Dream time over in three, two, one—

  I might have done all right against a heavy bag Sage had me working with at the gym, but taking on giant sorcerers in expensive suits was another matter altogether. The second we passed through the roof door and into the narrow stairwell to the top, three of them rushed out, one f
alling with a cry as Demetrius, more prepared than I was, took him out at the knees with a slash of his crystal. I didn't think the stone itself did the damage. But whatever Demetrius's power did to the big guard, he crashed forward, almost taking out Quaid as he fell, a redwood crashing in the forest. Charlotte's claws liberated another of his life, more blood spraying outward in an arc of red as the sorcerer's throat opened in three deep slashes.

  Taking Demetrius's lead, I struck with my own crystal, my meager protective learning enough, thanks to the pressure of my other powers. My demon's fire, now tied to my sorcery, seared the guard's face, sending him stumbling back, hands raised in protection while Shaylee reached beneath me and buckled the floor. A long rattling ended in a screech as marble cracked, steel girders puncturing the heavy stone as the very floor crushed its way upward. Sharp metal teeth, jagged and smoking from the vast pressure the earth magic applied, split the door entry in two, the frame collapsing to one side, landing on Demetrius's victim with crushing results.

  So much blood.

  If I hadn't been deep in my magic, I know I would have puked.

  Demetrius didn't wait to see if more hulking bodies in suits waited for us, but rushed through, hopping over the wreck of the floor and the bleeding body of Charlotte's victim, disappearing up the stairs. I followed at a dead run, the whole world in sharp relief, everything brilliantly clear as adrenaline tightened my focus. I felt my heart beating, heard my breath. Caught the scent of the ocean again on the other side of the coppery smell of blood. Gasped at the rush of heat as Demetrius threw open the narrow, metal door at the top of the steps and vanished into the night.

  Cold air full of death reclaimed the space as the door thudded shut. I didn't hesitate, keeping myself tightly inside this new feeling of attention, silently thanking Quaid for the exercises I'd practiced, knowing this hyper-awareness came from the combination of adrenaline and confidence. Two leaps of two steps at a time and I jerked the door open, flying through it into the humid Miami night.