Bruja

by Aileen Erin

  I started walking again, but he grabbed my arm and spun me toward him. “I didn’t travel all this way to get blown off.”

  “And again, I didn’t ask you to come.” I gripped my hands in fists as I tried to get control of my frustration with the douchebag. Time had taught me that reacting in anger did no good. Especially with him.

  He narrowed his gaze as he jerked me toward him. The weight of my backpack threw me off balance and I collapsed against him. “You’re mine. If you’re think you’re traipsing off to God only knows where doing God only knows what without someone to make sure you don’t do anything stupid, then you’re not as smart as I thought you were. From here on out, I’ll be your shadow.”

  He’d lost his mind. He’d been overbearing before, but this was controlling to an extreme. I pushed him away, freeing myself from his grasp. I stumbled a few steps as I tried to balance the backpack. “What I’m doing here has nothing to do with you.”

  “Everything you do includes me.”

  He was insane. Had I not been clear enough with him? “We’re not married. Not bound to each other. You don’t get to—”

  “Not yet. But we will be married. You’d better think how you want the rest of your life to go.” He spat the last.

  Toe the line, and you’ll have a future with me. Or don’t and see what happens. He hadn’t said the words, but they hung there in the silence between us all the same.

  I clunked into the wall behind me. Without my realizing it, he’d cornered me.

  “¿Está bien, señorita?” A voice called from down the hall. I peeked over at the janitor, and he started for us, ready to rescue a lady. He spoke quietly into his walkie-talkie.

  “That man is coming over here, and he’s bringing help. If you don’t let me go, you’re going to cause a scene.” Thank goodness. If there was one thing that Matt hated, it was being caught doing something “improper.”

  Matt’s face turned red with barely contained anger. His hands shook as he took a step back. “I’ll see you in the morning.” With that lingering threat, he started back down the hall.

  I slouched against the wall in relief as he finally disappeared around the corner.

  “¿Señorita?” The man said, coming closer.

  I took a few deep breaths, and nodded at the janitor. “Estoy bien. Gracias por su ayuda.”

  “De nada.” The man left, and I was alone in the hall. At last.

  I opened the envelope to actually look at the room number. I had to get to my room and call Teresa. Warn them about the spy. I wished I could be there to help. If I’d brought someone into St. Ailbe’s who could harm her… I’d done enough to her already.

  I rushed down the corridor, hoping it wasn’t too late to get word to her before real damage was done.

  ***

  It took me way too long to figure out how to call internationally. I felt a little dumb by the end of it, but a quick question to the lovely lady at the front desk, and the phone was ringing.

  “Hello?” Teresa’s voice was clear.

  “It’s Claudia.”

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah. I’m fine. I think.” I shook my head. “That’s not why I’m calling. You remember the guy I’m engaged to?”

  She snickered. “The douchebag you told off the other night. Yeah, I remember. Why?”

  Why she thought it was so funny when I said that word, I’ll never know. “He’s here.”

  “He’s what?” Her voice shifted from calm and relaxed to stressed in a split second. “Please, tell me that’s a coincidence.”

  “I’m sorry. Luciana told him I was coming, and he managed to beat me all the way from New York.”

  “More direct flights,” Teresa muttered. “Okay. So, what do you think? Is it a wash? Should you come home? We can figure something else out. Do some more digging in the library. I’m sure if we put our heads together we’ll find something that can save Raphael. Maybe we should’ve tried harder before shipping you off, but it seemed like the easiest way to save him…”

  This was the easy way? “No. Muraco’s right. I’ve never learned a thing about fighting demons and I grew up with la Aquelarre. It’s been my life forever. Maybe Luciana has something in her spell room, but—”

  “No one is going in there. Never ever.”

  It wasn’t safe, which was why I hadn’t suggested it. Teresa was the last person who’d snooped in there, and she’d ended up stripped of her powers and almost killed. “I’d never ask that of you. But I could—”

  “No. We both know she’s after your powers. She managed to strip me of mine, and now that you’ve left, she wants yours just as bad. You can’t go anywhere near her.” She was quiet for a second. “I don’t like the sound of this douchebag being in Peru with you.”

  “I know. But we all agreed. This is the best chance we have to save Raphael and stop Luciana.”

  “Right. Well, stay away from him.”

  “Thanks. I’ll be okay. I’ve protected myself from Matt for years, but his being here isn’t a good sign. I wanted to warn you. I’m not sure who is spying on us, but…” I hated to admit it was a possibility, but Teresa needed to know. “Maybe look into Beth, Tiffany, and Yvonne.”

  “Yeah, I had the same thought. But Dastien and Mr. Dawson talked to them when they showed up. If they were anything but genuine, one of them would’ve smelled a lie.”

  That both made sense and was a huge relief.

  “There are a few wolves who aren’t acting right. They should be following Mr. Dawson’s orders, but they’re being shifty.”

  I laughed. “They are shifters.”

  “Yeah. Yeah. Bad use of the word.” The sound of her sigh came through the receiver. “I don’t want you to worry, but Raphael—”

  “He didn’t… He’s not…” My heart stopped as I waited for her to answer the question that I couldn’t ask.

  “No. He’s still alive.”

  I let out a heavy breath. “Thank God.”

  “He’s hanging in, but he’s looking a lot worse tonight than he was this morning. You just do your best, and then come home fast. I’ve got a feeling if you’re not back soon, well… I’m not sure what you’ll come back to.”

  I leaned back against the pillows. “I know. I’m going to move as fast as I can.”

  “The thing is… He’s fading faster than Dr. Gonzales expected. I’m wondering if it might make sense to get him to you. That way by the time you find his cure, he’s there. She says we can’t put him on a plane—he’s not stable enough for that—but I can get a few wolves and maybe a couple of your brujos to drive him down to Peru. It’ll take a few days, but could work out timing-wise. Then, once he’s okay, you all fly back together.”

  That made sense. “Who’s going to drive him down?”

  “Adrian and Shane for sure. And then I was thinking maybe Beth, and one or two more wolves. I have to see who else might be up for it. Who we can spare right now.”

  “Okay. I agree. Drive him down and I’ll move as quickly as I can.”

  “Just stay safe, Claudia. You can do this. I know you can. Call me if you need anything.”

  “Same to you. I’ll be in touch as soon as I have more information. Call me if anything changes with Raphael.”

  “Of course.”

  “Bye.”

  I relaxed back on the bed made with a mix of colorfully patterned pillows and blankets. The air in here was better—no so thin. I flipped on the TV, and as I lay there, with my head throbbing, I thought of everything I wanted to change in my life. I was making steps. And yet, my past always managed to catch up with me.

  Matt being here meant that I had to be careful. I was pretty sure he wasn’t here to spy for Luciana. They weren’t close enough for that. Still, he might tell her what I was doing if she checked in with him. So, I had to watch what I said or else I’d fail this mission before it started. And, on a more personal level, I had to make sure that he didn’t think that I was in any way open to be
ing with him. I wasn’t with Luciana or her coven anymore. I didn’t have to honor the agreement that she’d made, and I wasn’t going to let him suck me in with his games. I didn’t have to listen to him. Ignoring him was my best plan.

  Okay. So it was a passive aggressive plan, but things changed. I had changed, and now he needed to change, too.

  I called in an order for food, and then grudgingly switched it for the broth and tea Lucas had recommended. My head was pounding. The altitude was definitely affecting me. Broth then straight to bed. Something told me I’d need every ounce of energy I could muster to keep up with Lucas.

  Lucas. Every time my mind wandered back to him, my heart raced. I needed to admit that I wanted him, and then move on. I couldn’t have him. He was a wolf. He lived in Peru. I had a whole heap of problems—including one douchebag ex-fiancé.

  But none of that kept me from wanting him.

  God. I was twenty years old. Too old for a stupid crush.

  My cheeks heated at that thought. He was probably annoyed he’d have to babysit me these next few days, but I’d done something to make him suspicious or he would’ve left me to Andrés.

  Well, I just had to figure out where these mages were, get what I needed from them, and then get back to Texas in time save my brother and stop Luciana from destroying the world. No time for romance. Especially since it was most definitely one-sided.

  The knock on my door pulled me from my reverie. One step at a time. I’d get this done. Broth. Then bed. I’d deal with tomorrow, and all of its challenges, in the morning.

  Chapter Ten

  I didn’t feel so dizzy or lightheaded when I woke up. The broth had been good. The full night’s sleep…that had been infinitely better.

  Well, not totally full. But only a little nightmare. Faint. Distant. I hadn’t woken up sweating. That was a first for me since I’d left the coven’s grounds.

  I took all of that as a sign that I was on the right track. I’d fix this. Teresa had texted an hour ago that the boys were already on the road, and I was determined I’d find an answer by the time they arrived.

  I could do this. I had no other choice.

  After a shower, I felt re-energized. I put on a pair of my khaki hiking pants, a black tank top, and hoodie. As I laced up my running shoes, I felt like a new me. A fresh start. The day was filled with possibilities. I grabbed my little cross-body purse. Mom had sent it to me from Mexico. It was handmade and covered with embroidered flowers. I dumped out the contents, and put almost everything back in—my wallet, passport, Purell, tissues, lipgloss, aspirin, and Band-Aids. Just a little bit of everything. I wasn’t sure what I’d come across and wanted to be prepared.

  Now all I needed was a good meal to start the day off right. The menu book said that a complimentary breakfast was served in the lobby, but I could order in, too, for a price. I chewed on my lip for a moment. Avoiding the lobby was my first instinct. Matt could be there. But I didn’t want to spend too much of Mr. Reyes’ money—whoever he was.

  The thing was that he already knew that I was here. So the damage was done. Just because I went to the lobby to eat breakfast, didn’t mean that I couldn’t still ignore him.

  I braided my semi-dry hair and tied off the end.

  Time to face the day.

  It was nice to feel confident. I didn’t usually. Luciana had taken that away from me. I knew that now, but it had taken time for me to realize it.

  I strolled into the lobby where a buffet was laid out on the marble-topped table. The flower arrangement had been moved to the side of the front desk to be replaced by a selection of hot and cold items. People milled around the table, while others sat in small groups around the lobby. A few sat alone, reading newspapers.

  But no Matt. That gray and pink aura was nowhere to be seen.

  Good. Now I can enjoy my breakfast in peace. I grabbed a plate and started picking through the offerings.

  Cold cuts? For breakfast? No. Staying at St. Ailbe’s had definitely spoiled me. Those omelets… I’d be back there soon enough.

  Someone came down the hallway toward the table, and I caught his aura out of the corner of my eye. Matt.

  Fantastic. I made it a whole five minutes in the lobby before he showed up. I barely suppressed the groan that was dying to break free. It was too early to deal with him. I did my best to avoid him as I rounded the table again, but I felt his presence like a tangible weight on my shoulders. He approached me and I did my very best to ignore him.

  “Did you come to your senses?” He asked as he fell in behind me.

  I pressed my lips together as I fought the urge to tell him off. Letting his arrogance grate on me wouldn’t do me any good. “My senses? If you mean leaving with you, then no.”

  One point to me.

  “What are your plans today?” His tone was haughty—which annoyed me—but I didn’t dare turn around. I’d already given enough by responding to his first question.

  “That’s absolutely none of your business,” I said in my most confident voice as I moved around the table.

  “Look. If you need help with something, I’m happy to help.”

  Oh, so now he was going to play nice? I just bet he was happy to help. He wanted control over my ability to enhance magical powers, and even if he acknowledged that Luciana no longer held sway over me, he wasn’t above making a new deal to get what he wanted. But there was no way I was taking his bait. “I already have a plan.”

  He leaned in close to whisper. “I know the local coven. I can get you in to see them. That’s why you’re here right? To find some sort of magic?”

  I tried to stay calm as I looked around the lobby. Everyone else was happily enjoying breakfast. Not paying attention to our conversation or seeing the horror that must’ve been plain on my face.

  There really was a spy. For a moment, my vision swam. Only Teresa’s friends and the Seven knew my reasons for coming here.

  I looked back at Matt and then focused on the food again. “What do you know about it?”

  “Only that you’re mad at Luciana and here to find something to break your oath. Just take an oath to me, and yours will be overridden.”

  What a joke. “You think you’re stronger than her?” I wasn’t sure if he was arrogant or just stupid.

  “Of course I am. I’m a man.”

  Oh, that was rich. Typical arrogant douchebag talk. But I wasn’t here just because of the oath. I was here for Raphael. There was nothing Matt could offer me that would help me save my brother.

  “Look. I save you from an oath you don’t want and you come to my coven and help me. I say it’s a fair deal.” When I didn’t answer him, he kept on with his yammering. “Whatever the wolves have been telling you, you’re misinformed. What do they know about magic? Nothing.”

  The thing about Matt was that he had the uncanny ability to see a person’s biggest fear, and bring it to light. That was the very thing I’d been worried about, but Muraco had been so confident that I’d listened to him. But what did he really know about magic?

  He’d had such a good story about witches and wolves living together… But even if he remembered a different way, he wasn’t a mage. He didn’t practice. Did he really know what he was saying?

  I resisted the temptation to fall into Matt’s trap. I wouldn’t let him take my confidence. I couldn’t let him win. “As I said before, you shouldn’t have come. And no, I don’t need your help.” My voice was clear and steady.

  “Well, I’ll be here when you change your mind.” He grabbed a cup of coffee and went to sit at a table.

  Did that actually work?

  I thought on what he’d said for a second. When I changed my mind. Not if I changed my mind. He had no idea what I was up to, but he already assumed I’d fail. I wanted to walk over and bash my tray on his pompous head. Instead, I carefully placed a pastry on my plate. Then I thought about the calories and put it back.

  What I wouldn’t give for the metabolism of a Were…

 
I found hard-boiled eggs, some sort of potato pancake, and half a grapefruit. Good enough. I searched for a place to sit. The only open spot was across from Matt.

  Why is this my life?

  I circled the buffet as I searched the room again. Please. Someone get up. Finally, a couple left their spots. It was right next to Matt’s table, but I didn’t care.

  I pushed their dirty dishes aside and sat down with my back to him.

  “You’re being a child.”

  Ignoring him. That had been my plan last night. I’d faltered just now, but I wouldn’t keep doing it.

  I carefully de-shelled my eggs. Cut them up. Put salt and pepper on them. All the while ignoring Matt. Only it wasn’t helping. He wasn’t stopping. He just got louder.

  “This is stupid. You’re being ridiculous. Whatever Luciana did, I’m sure it’s gotten blown way out of proportion.”

  I took a sip of my orange juice and he somehow took that as a signal to get up and sit across from me.

  “You’re acting like a child.” His tone was loud and harsh as if I hadn’t heard him the first time.

  It was really rich coming from him. He was the one throwing a temper tantrum.

  “Your behavior today has been incredibly rude. And I’m your fiancé. I think that should afford me a measure of respect.”

  A measure of respect?

  A measure of respect?!

  What about respect for me? He was older than me by ten years, but sometimes he acted so immature. So selfish.

  The more I thought about him and how I’d been cornered into agreeing to our engagement, the sicker I got. I was just a kid at the time, but he—he was an adult. At least, he was supposed to be.

  “Say something,” he shouted, and a piece of spittle hit my face.

  Disgusting.

  I picked up my napkin and wiped off my cheek. “You’re the one who’s yelling and causing a scene. When you calm down, maybe I’ll talk to you.” I was doing okay, but this whole situation was miserable. My hands shook with anger and frustration, but I was sticking to my plan. God had made me stubborn, if nothing else.

  Reacting to him won’t help me at all.

  The sound of a chair being dragged across the room finally shut him up. I looked up to see Lucas’ light golden aura. It was so nice and refreshing, like standing in warm sunlight.