by Jamie Magee
Which Reveca called bullshit on. She’d seen fate fuck up just as many times as it had hit the nail on the head. If there was a way to avoid catastrophe it should be had.
Evanthe had also told Reveca once before it was best to not taunt the beast of knowledge, and she cautioned impatience was a tortuous demon to live with.
But then again, Evanthe liked Jade. Reveca was even sure she asked this mysterious woman for help with honing her own gift of sight, which was ridiculous to Reveca. The thought of asking a soothsaying witch who was at least a millennia younger to advise on the craft was asinine.
Reveca was sure the battles fought over the last seventy years could have been avoided if Jade had bothered to open her fucking mouth.
But no.
The woman had no allegiance to anyone or anything.
The irony of it all was every time Reveca sought to do away with Jade, the balance of karma would stop her. Either it would bode ill on her part to do so, allowing karma to threaten what she held dear—or worse, she would be forced to vow a stay out of loyalty.
The vow had happened twice before. Once Evanthe asked for it, Reveca aimed to strike Jade because she’d been made aware Jade was in possession of a dangerous grimoire—Evanthe offered Reveca a different book, one which had the power to override most spells in the one Jade owned. Reluctantly, out of allegiance, Reveca agreed—mainly because the book offered to her was one written by her dear friend Winsome, whom she still missed dreadfully.
Years later, it was Finley who asked for a vow, asked Reveca to allow Jade to become her business partner—setup shop in the Cauldron, a building Reveca still owned. It was the only offering Finley would accept when the Club asked her to raise the orphan returned to them, Adair Vallet.
Now, Reveca was sure wherever Finley was in the great cosmos, she was regretting her request. Jade had been hell on Adair; so harsh that there was a time or two over the last five years Reveca had to, at a distance of course, override a hex Jade had put in place. Beyond those scarce times, Reveca somewhat questioned if Jade was only toying with Adair to strengthen her—a back-ass-wards way of honing Adair’s craft. Or, more likely, doing so to aggravate the piss out of Reveca.
Clearly, Jade had finally lost her fucking mind—because only a lunatic would invade Reveca’s Boneyard, invade and attack.
And now as Reveca glared down at Jade Carrey, she wasn’t sure if her actions—what she forced King to do—was a blessing or a curse. No one knew, Adair was still out cold, lying across her bed.
When Reveca left her side Judge was leaning against the wall in the shadows watching her sleep, blatantly passing glares to Dagen who was perched in the rafters above her and then to Scorpio who was pacing before her door.
Jade, along with a little witchling named Miriam, were in the study of Evanthe’s home. She knew Talon would perceive it as an insult if she held this ‘questioning’ in the garage, but since both cages the Club had mystically enforced were now occupied, this was Reveca’s only option, and it burned.
The last place she wanted either of these witches was in her new lair.
Each time she saw Jade glance up, her gaze drift around to the nothing in the air, and then grin politely, she wanted to throttle her.
Reveca was starting to waver toward King’s opinion on the matter of the haunt in this home. He was sure it was Evanthe—he said if it wasn’t it would be in ashes at this point. It was a matter they both hoped Cashton could clear up now that he was back. The night before King had pulled him directly out of the Veil, instead of Cashton pushing through like he always did. So hopefully the mystery would be solved shortly since Cashton wasn’t nearly as drained as he always was in the past.
But then again, Jade’s slight grin was always how she addressed Evanthe.
Beyond the glances and the barely noticeable nods, Jade, as always, was looking rather bored as she sat in a high-back chair, only the rings on her fingers, the ones she was slowly turning, held her rapt attention.
Miriam was next to her in a matching chair. Her red hair was frazzled, half in her face. Her skirt was marked with mud along with her legs. What makeup she had on was washed down her face in black rivulets. She’d apparently struggled with Jade long before the Sons tracked them both down.
Miriam was gazing at thin air, too, but she wasn’t smiling. If anything she was flinching as if in fear, even though her energy only vaguely revealed such an emotion.
Reveca was drawn to feel sorry for the girl, but tamped down her thought as quickly as it came. Reveca had no idea what coven Miriam came from either, but clearly she knew Jade well, leading Reveca to believe they were cut from the same cloth, in a manner of speaking.
They both knew how to block their minds from the likes of Judge or any other seer Reveca sent their way—which made them flat out bitches as far as Reveca was concerned.
King’s arms were crossed as he leaned against the wall next to the hearth and coolly stared them each down. Reveca burned to ask him what he perceived, if he had found answers that had escaped her for years. The knowing glint in his stare told her he knew something.
Reveca’s legs were crossed as she sat upon the table in the center of the room and leaned back, looking like the biker Queen the entire parish thought she was. The witch side of her was gleaming in her striking gray eyes.
At once heavy foot-falls were heard echoing across the stone floor, broaching closer and closer. Slowly Jade lifted her head, a shadow of a smile whispered across her lips—and no matter the current circumstances, it lit Reveca with jealously.
A moment later, Talon entered the room as if it was his, had always been so—carrying his ever so commanding authority with him.
Miriam’s gaze lifted in appreciation, her tongue slowly slid across her bottom lip and it took all Reveca had to not strangle the hussy where she stood. There was something about that girl, some sense Reveca had that was making her want to rip her throat out and haul her ass out of her Boneyard, more so than Jade—which was abnormal, to say the least.
Talon’s gaze leered across Reveca’s outstretched body, then Miriam, finally settling his stare on Jade. “I see the witches have descended.” He strode to the chair just behind the table Reveca was perched on and sat down like a ruler at his throne, completely ignoring King’s existence.
With a cold glint in his eye, he lustily drug his gaze down Reveca once more. “What did you do, sweet? Land your house on her—ruffle the bounds of her broomstick?”
Reveca nearly grinned. He’d often called Jade the wicked witch of the East; he did so to smooth and humor Reveca, and to in some way, at least in Reveca’s opinion, charm Jade.
Jade’s ice stare flicked to King just behind Talon, noted his marked protectiveness, the reach of his energy around Reveca, and his tantalizing calm before she met Talon’s gaze. “He jests. I see your humor has not wavered since our last meeting.”
Reveca didn’t bother to change her expression or let curiosity trickle to the surface. She had no idea when Talon had seen her last, or why he held her at arm’s length. He’d done so for nearly the last seven decades and never once bothered to say why, out of all the witches about, he tolerated her more so.
“Did you lose my number, Jade?” Talon asked, roughly.
A faint look of bewilderment met her gaze, which was typical and never lasted long.
“Telephone,” Talon grated.
“Ah, no, I feel I still have it somewhere.”
A slow grin came to Talon. “You’ve irritated Reveca. Therefore you have irritated me. Now tell me why the all-knowing soothsayer broached this attack.”
“Attack?”
“You crossed my boundary,” Reveca said coldly. A fucking sin—disrespectful, bitch.
“Ah, is that why you are trifling me, dear. Honestly, I vaguely noticed—perhaps more effort is needed on your part in the future.” She smiled coolly. “Would you like my assistance with your magic?”
A rush of hot, erotic, humming energy slam
med into the core of Reveca, in effect rendering her utterly still, imprisoned—and for a moment, the furthest from angry.
Damn you King, my fight, Reveca’s thoughts grated, not daring to look over her shoulder at him, to give anyone the impression she needed his foresight before she spoke her Creator given mind.
Instead, she leaned forward. “Next time I’ll ensure it slays mortals and immortals alike.”
Jade offered a careless shrug, “Might be a tad bit bad for business, but do as you wish. It is your pit to waller in.”
It was Talon who reached forward then, his hand resting atop of Reveca’s, not in a forceful way—from all outward appearances it almost seemed casual.
“Why?” Talon asked.
With a flick of her gaze to Miriam, Jade answered. “Property was stolen from me. I’d like for it to be returned.”
“And how did your all-knowing ass not know it would be taken in the first place?”
Jade smirked, as she often did when Talon goaded the gift she never boasted to own.
“Call me curious,” she finally answered, looking up. No one followed her gaze but King, and when he did he drew his brow together then focused on Jade once more.
“Why did you curse Adair?” Talon’s tone was anything but jesting or calm—it was virulent.
“Let’s just say I wanted to speed things up a bit.”
“Meaning?” Talon pressed.
The redhead piped up. “That she wanted you to hurry up and kill Adair so she can steal her business.”
“Who’s this, then?” Talon asked, leaning back. His beast deep within was growling, and not in a good way. This was the last fucking place on the planet he wanted to be.
Reveca’s scent was all but drowned by King’s, and these other two—he didn’t care to deal with them, not when fucking mayhem was erupting all around him.
“Adair’s BFF,” Reveca said dismissively. She’d seen the girl around Adair before and knew all of the outgoing calls Adair had were to her and no one else.
“Why did one of my boys tell me you have been cursing Adair on the regular?” Talon asked, shifting his cold gaze back to Jade who wasn’t paying attention to him but to thin the air once more.
“Your boys? Which do you mean? The dead wolf who lurks. Or perhaps the seeing Devourer who rides by my shop, aimlessly looking longingly at Adair.” She grinned. “Or perhaps you mean the flaming bird of death whose arms I found her in. I would assume it would be the latter of course. They do know of all things dark in most cases.”
Talon only marginally narrowed his gaze on her. “Why?”
“Why? Why do your men break out into brawls only to share a beer or a woman in the next breath?” She lifted her chin slightly, shifting her glance to Reveca. “It’s our way. One witch flexing the strength of another.”
“You made strides to hinder her from ever believing in anything unorthodox, much less paranormal,” Reveca bit out.
She’d clearly seen the residue of the spell left upon Adair when she tended to her before. Jade nearly made the girl a nun, more innocent than any blushing virgin could hope to be—and King’s override had no choice but to instill the absolute opposite knowledge and surges within Adair. When Adair woke she’d not only be managing an overload of knowledge but also an overload of hormones.
At her words Miriam had lifted a brow.
Jade huffed. “So I have a sense of humor. Hand my grimoire over, and I will be sure to leave directly.”
“No,” Reveca said, somewhat pleased the very book Evanthe had asked her to allow Jade to keep was now back at the Boneyard.
“You vowed,” Jade said with a lifted point to her brow.
“I vowed I would not take it from you.” She tilted her head slightly. “I bound it to Adair. If she deems it necessary for you to have it once more she’ll release it to you.”
“Barter,” Jade responded, looking rather bored with the topic.
“You have nothing I would want.”
“Knowledge. As always.”
“Not once have you aided me,” Reveca snapped.
Jade’s stare drifted to Talon.
“What knowledge?” he rasped.
“The grimoire.”
Talon glanced up at Reveca.
“No. The book is bound, at best I could seek to compel Adair to surrender it, but she’d have to be lucid to do so.”
Jade relaxed into her seat. “I suppose it’s a gift we are all in good company then, whilst we wait for the babe to awaken.”
“I’d like to go,” Miriam said with a shaking voice, clearly trembling and looking out of place, too young and innocent to be where she was. “I was only trying to help Adair.”
“On her suicide mission,” Reveca said shortly.
Miriam looked down, “Yeah…I said as much, that’s just how she is. She’s good with being a loner, but not with being in the dark—ever.”
“Very fiery,” Jade agreed smugly.
Talon drew his head back slightly. “And you wish to abandon her, the one face she knows, after the tragic night she endured—without knowing how she will respond to being hexed, twice over?”
Miriam nodded shyly, then looked up at him with sad eyes, full of a plea.
“One less witch to track,” Talon grated. He didn’t like this girl and was good with her being far from Adair and his Boneyard.
Not waiting for him to clarify, Miriam stood and began to make her way to the door.
Jade whispered her name, and when she did, against her will, Miriam turned.
Reveca sat up not sure if she wanted to defend Miriam or not, Talon tensed, and King’s curiosity grew evermore.
“Before you go, I’ll be asking for you to return your borrowed words,” Jade said sweetly.
As she spoke a gray energy emerged from thin air and slowly snaked around Miriam, and as it did the illusion of a hologram appeared around her.
Talon reached the palm of his hand for his mouth and slowly lowered it as the curse words flew through his mind. What the fuck has Judge done to piss off the bitch of karma?
Talon was very aware of Judge’s ‘tempests’, the women who emerged every few weeks and taunted him, more so than Reveca. Talon had watched each closely making sure whomever they were, Judge could handle it. And in some way, he wanted to know how far Judge would take his sexual endeavors—if his claim was weak and they had all given up Adair for no reason. More times than not Judge sent whatever girl packing, but he’d given in, in some way, in the past, too.
Every. Single. Image flashing over the innocent little redhead was one Judge had been ‘tempted’ by. Who were, by all accounts, Adair’s closest friends.
“You bitch,” Reveca said, seething at the sight of the girl, now understanding why she had a vibe about her—she was protective of her boys and always watched the women who hunted them. These girls Miriam had played stood out, mainly because they left the Boneyard the moment Reveca returned—because they hunted the grieving Son.
Jade stood slowly as if the night had waned on her. “It’s been pleasant, we should do this more often,” she said, as she began to pass Miriam who was shell shocked and looking even more fragile than before, drenched with fear and shame.
“No barter?” Reveca bit out.
“It’s done. I gave you knowledge, and now I have spelled my own grimoire.”
“You did what?” Talon asked with a dazed stare. It was growing impossible to keep up with the witchery around him.
Jade winked at him. “Adair will read those spells only when her power—and her intent—are perfectly inline with the fates.” Her grin grew as she moved her gaze to Reveca. “That is our way.” She went to move past Miriam but halted. “Oh, and I anchored Miriam here to your Boneyard. You know, so Adair can have a play date of sorts…if not her, surely someone will entertain her.”
Jade glided out the door as if she were a frequent guest and diligently comfortable.
Reveca rose from her seat and stalked closer to Miriam, ci
rcling her like prey. Neither King nor Talon lifted a finger to stop her.
“She knows,” Miriam’s broken voice said.
“Who? What?” Reveca asked as her energy reached out and flexed around Miriam, stealing her breath away, making each that followed precious.
“Adair. She figured it out—I was sure Jade had told her.”
“When?”
“Last night.”
Reveca’s smile was cold. “I’m assuming this was before her suicide mission. I wonder why she was eager to grasp a Hail Mary after her discovery.”
“It’s not like that.”
“What’s not like that?”
“She didn’t seem to care.”
Yeah right, Reveca thought. “Why did you aim your sights on him, only Judge? Over and over. For years.”
Miriam glanced away.
“Answer me.”
“Because he always passed the shop—I thought he wanted me. I was only testing him at first, wondering what kind of man he was. Later…I just thought he wanted me.”
Talon and Reveca shared a glance, both unaware how closely Judge had crossed Adair in these vacant years. They assumed he’d never looked her way; he surely made it a point not to mention her—and strike those who did.
Miriam sucked in air before she spoke again. “Adair did have a crush on him, but when he would only glare at her, she got over it.”
Talon’s gaze filled with disgust. “How can you hail yourself a friend to her?”
Miriam didn’t offer an answer.
Reveca tightened her hold around Miriam and at her ear she spoke. “If you go near him again I will strangle you to the point of death, draw you back to life and do so again.”
Miriam gasped out breaths. “I didn’t spell him, only me.”
Reveca smiled cruelly as she squeezed Miriam all the tighter. She glared at Talon. “No, dear. You knew—any witch could have sensed the connection between Judge and Adair. You fucked with a taken man. Making you a whore.” Tighter. “You better hope Adair is a better woman than me—for I’d kill you both if I were in her place.”
She let go abruptly and Miriam collapsed to the floor.