by India Kells
At that moment, Sera remembered her mind whirling a mile a minute. So many spells and enchantments came to her, but she had to find one that wouldn’t affect the two men nearby. It took all she had to calm her frantic brain and remember something called the Inner Flame spell. It was a spell she had read about but never experimented, which called on her to concentrate her magic into a single point in her chest and intensifying it until it burst into outer energy.
As she was alive now, it seemed that it had worked. Where was she? It didn’t smell like Sanctuary. Pulling inside herself, she perceived the golden glowing energy of Ian on the bed over the covers. Just the knowledge that he was nearby, safe and asleep, calmed her. Close by, about six feet in front of her was a slightly bluish aura. Hunter.
It surprised her that she hadn’t noticed it earlier, because normally, humans had perfectly white ones without any color. Of course, in extreme emotional situations, the outer edge of them took a hue, but never its center. Hunter’s entire aura was a light blue. She didn’t feel the specificities of a shifter, vampire or fae in him. What was he?
More and more uncomfortable, she moved, and it was enough for Ian to groan and jump to his feet, totally awake, quickly followed by Hunter who she heard stumbling at the sudden movement.
“Sera, you’re awake! Are you okay?”
At last she could throw the many blankets away from her fully clothed body. She was almost surprised not to find herself sleeping in her winter coat.
“Yeah, I seem to be okay. Some water would be nice, I’m parched.”
“I’m on it.” Hunter left the room and she heard a fridge door opening.
“Where are we, Ian?”
“Hunter’s place.”
Sera nodded at first until she realized the implication of his words. “Ian, he had been with me earlier, he saw me...”
“Turning the giant icicle man into slush, I did see that. As I’ve seen Fluffy here turn into a man.”
Ian groaned. “You better stop with that name, it annoys me.”
Hunter took her wrist and put the cold water bottle in her hand. Reeling with this information, Sera drank in silence. It was always the worst idea to unveil their identity to humans; either they wouldn’t believe you, be afraid of what you were or use you for profit, putting your existence in danger. She remembered talking to Valeria about that issue. Her friend had been an Enforcer, underworld cops, before they came under investigation for treason. And she had told Sera about events where witches had to blank the minds of humans who had become knowledgeable of their very existence. However, she remembered the fact that he hadn’t reacted as normal humans usually did when magically pushed. His mind was stronger, less malleable than others.
“Hunter, you were never meant to discover our existence. If ever someone finds out you know, it could have dire consequences for you. Even though... I...”
The human cop shifted and came closer in front of her. Ian touched her back, as both a warning and possessive gesture. She would need to have another talk with the wolf about distance and them not being an item.
“I thought I had seen it all in Chicago, the good, the bad and the impossible, but it seemed that Easthallows kicked me in the butt on that. I’m not going to go find a journalist or blabber on the Internet. I was just... it was just... I don’t know how to put it in words. It was as if every movie I’ve seen, every book I’ve read on the subject is just right and wrong all at the same time. My mind is kind of fried right now. What I know for sure is that even if I haven’t known you for long, Sera, I see that you’re a good person. That’s the cop talking. I can’t be fooled about that. And good people need to be protected. That’s my sworn duty as a policeman.”
Ian snorted behind her. “I doubt you could protect her with your measly weapon. None of us is so easy to kill. You don’t have our physical strength either.”
She tapped Ian on his thigh. “I don’t have your physical strength, Ian.”
“I know, Sera, but you have your magic. That’s your power.”
“Maybe...” She then turned her attention to Hunter again. “I’m in a jam right now. You’ve experienced it firsthand. It’s not a good idea to be around me. I’d get this big oaf of a wolf to leave too, but he’s stubborn.”
“As if you could be rid of me.” Ian’s voice was smiling.
“I may be a mere human, but I can defend myself. What was that ice monster, by the way?”
Knowing that both men were most probably looking at her for an answer, Sera shrugged. “I don’t know. Did he have a face? Any feature at all or only a big giant block of ice with arms?”
Hunter seemed to think on it for a moment. “Only ice with arms. The light was dim, but I didn’t see any face.”
Ian nodded. “I concur, I see well in the dark, and despite the snow, there was only ice and arms.”
“Well, I guess it could be some sort of spell. The sudden intensity of the storm would confirm it, as it disguised the monster from the humans.”
“Is it a common spell?” Hunter seemed both intrigued and interested. Sera supposed that the cop was lurking closer to the surface.
“I don’t know. I’m only making assumptions here. I would need to dig some more. Which makes me ask, why aren’t we at Sanctuary?”
Ian shrugged, his hand slipping from her back. “The storm made it impossible to leave the area. When you freed yourself from the ice monster, Hunter and I decided that his apartment was the closest shelter. We transported you back here. We couldn’t wake you up, it was like you were comatose.”
Sera nodded. “Yes. That spell was new to me. I didn’t know how to weave it correctly, and I think I went overboard. It drained me completely.”
Ian started to stroke her back. “It didn’t seem too overboard, as it didn’t thaw the monster completely, but it shattered it to pieces, which is fine with me. Do you think it will attack the town? Should measures be taken?”
Sera thought about on it. “That thing came after me. Directly. I doubt it would make itself known in town. It took the extra steps of disguising itself inside a snow storm.”
“Who’s after you, Sera?”
And there was the cop mind again. And an increasing unease was building on Ian’s side of the bed. She had to remind herself that he may appear a man, but his first instinct was wolf, protective and wary of humans, and she had to tread carefully. More and more she noticed how Ian inched closer to her, touching her, growling low at Hunter if he came close. Sera may have told him not to establish a claim on her, but it appeared that she would have to work harder to convince his wolf.
One hand on Ian’s arm behind her, she shook her head. “It’s a really bad idea. I know you’re a good guy, but as I’ve told you, the more you know, the more danger will come to you.”
“If you think I’m gonna let it go, you’re wrong.”
Before she could reply, a loud bang resonated through the entire apartment.
“What was that?” Sera wanted to stand up, but as she didn’t know the lay of the land, thus being a bit hazardous.
Ian moved fast, and she supposed both men stood by a window. “Is there still a storm?”
“Yes, but as it’s daylight, it’s stark white outside. I had a call earlier from my captain and he said not to move as the streets were closed. No trouble so far, everybody in town safely tucked away. A miracle.”
Standing up, Sera carefully shuffled her feet on the floor and lifted her hands to detect any object or wall. Soon, her hand found Ian’s who pulled her close.
“You’re on the second floor of a three-apartment building. You’re in a one-bedroom apartment. The door is directly to your left and nothing is blocking your way. Through the door is the living room with a kitchen on the right. An ugly sofa is blocking a direct line to the exit door.”
Sera’s heart swelled at his words. He wasn’t dismissing her, but instead gave her clues she could work with. In acknowledgment, she squeezed his hand.
The building shook
again. “I can’t see anything through this snow.” Frustration seeped into Ian’s voice.
“I’ll go take a look.”
Sera gasped at Hunter’s words. “Are you out of your mind? It’s not some sort of weird criminal that’s after me. Well, we don’t know what’s after me, but it’s not something you can take down with a gun, that’s for sure!”
But as men could be, he ignored her. “There are two shotguns in my bedroom closet if you need them. There’s a fire escape through the living room window.”
“Hunter, don’t!”
“Sera! There’s something dangerous downstairs, I know. I’m just going to take a look, nothing more. But I prefer you to stay with your... werewolf. I’m just cannon fodder, and he can better protect you if it turns sour.”
And before she could answer, he was gone.
Chapter Ten
Damn humans! Sera clenched her jaw as the building shook once more. Now closer to the window, she could hear growling and shouts. But the male voice wasn’t Hunter’s, although it was familiar.
Another ripple, another shake, and Sera was done waiting.
“Ian, open the window.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Even if we open the window, we can’t see a bloody thing. The falling snow is too thick, whiteout.”
Sera didn’t want to argue. “Then, stand aside and let me do the work, although I would have liked your sight for a thing or two.”
She tried to push past him to get to where she thought was the window, but instead he sighed, and put his hand on her shoulder.
“If you want to get to the window, you better make a quarter of a turn to the right, darling.”
Well, that was embarrassing, she thought when he steered her in the right direction. The window pane was frosted from the inside, but the window was still easy to slide up. The wind felt like a punch in the face and was surprisingly violent. Too violent to be natural. Noise intensified, and there appeared to be a fight down below.
Standing back a little, she summoned her powers and tried to focus on where the window was. To make sure of it, she took a few steps forward until her hands were almost outside. Ian must have thought she was about to jump because his hands went to her hips in a grip that was anything but sensual. She was freaking him out.
Ignoring everything else, she let her power loose, summoning a gust of wind that increased until no snow entered the apartment anymore.
The way the storm pushed against her confirmed that something or someone with power was controlling the weather. And that wasn’t a small feat. As a witch, she could summon specific and localized weather phenomenon, but rarely to the scale that threatened an entire town with such violence over this length of time.
Bashing against the invisible enemy, Sera felt it rescind a little against her own powers. “Do you see anything down there, Ian?”
The wolf let go of her and leaned toward the window, careful to avoid her magical tornado. “There seems to be two... no three icicle giants. Similar to last night... and I see a man.”
“Hunter?”
“No, this one has a beanie on his head. And he’s not human. He’s fighting them.”
“And Hunter?”
“He seemed to be protecting an animal. Looks like a bear, but I can’t be sure. It seems familiar... Wait! It’s Patricia!”
Sera tried to ignore the panic seizing her heart. “Okay, I’ll try something. Stand aside please.”
“What are you going to do?”
Time was of the essence, and, instead of answering, she focused on the words and symbols in her head until her hands felt like molten iron.
“Ian, you need to tell me where the monsters are. I need to be accurate.”
He moved to stand beside her and hissed when he tried to touch her hands.
“They’re burning!”
“I know, that’s the goal. Stand behind me and place your hands on my shoulders, aim for me. Quickly, I won’t be able to sustain both spells for long.”
Following her instructions, he moved behind her and used his body to position her.
“Tell me when.”
“Now, Sera.”
Power surged inside her through her fingers, making her arms tingle with energy. It was only a short burst, but she was encouraged by the crack she heard.
“Great! One of them lost its arms.”
“Let’s do another one.”
Surge after surge, with Ian acting as her eyes, they dismembered the ice monsters until they crumbled. Sera knew she had to let go of the spell soon, as she was starting to waver. Summoning one last burst, she rammed into the storm until her magic waned and she had to let go. The wind seemed to scream for a moment before it subsided some more. Sera suspected that, after such a long time, the person wielding this kind of magic was about to collapse.
Her head pounded for a while and she leaned against Ian. Naturally, his strong arms circled her body, the heat of his naked skin, offering comfort and waiting for her cue. How strange. All her life, she had been told unspeakable things about shifters, especially to stay away from them as they were only beasts and savages. Of course, their animal instinct was strong and sometimes uncontrollable, but it was never based on lie and deceit.
There was a purity about it, and Sera believed shifters were worthy of living and being protected in this world too. But as to mix with witches... that was another matter. Not that she wouldn’t want to, but it would bring too much pain to a werewolf she had come too...
Shaking her head of that thought about to bloom, she summoned the shreds of her powers to clothe Ian and pushed herself away from him.
“Go! Go to them, see if they need help.”
“You sure you’re alright?”
Sera nodded. “Yes, I’m gonna sit on the bed and wait for you. Go!”
Ian seemed to hesitate for a moment before dashing out.
Waiting, Sera made her way to the bed and sat. Her body felt battered, but it wasn’t surprising. She wasn’t used to being drained of her magic. She was far from a battle witch. And as she had passed out yesterday, her inner battery hadn’t had time to recharge yet.
Commotion from outside the apartment made her stand up again. Remembering Ian’s words about the layout, she found the door leading to the living room. That’s when the front door burst open and the outside commotion walked right in! It took her by surprise and she took two steps back, about to weave a protective spell, before the vibe she got reassured her. Four people came in and she recognized all of them in an instant. The golden and light blue were a given. The emerald green confirmed Patricia’s presence and a deep silvery crimson was Finn, the vampire rescued by her friend, Valeria, whom had become a part of her little group of misfits at Sanctuary.
She didn’t know what was going on, but Finn seemed to grunt under a strenuous effort.
“Where do I put her?”
“Go to my bedroom, through the door there.”
More shuffling and the bed creaked under the weight.
Finn sighed. “Sorry for the blood, man.”
“I don’t give a fuck about the blood. I just want to make it stop.”
Sera came closer. “It’s Patricia, she’s hurt? She’s still in bear form?”
Ian came beside her. “Yeah, it’s her head. She kept attacking the monsters and was thrown repeatedly against the building. And now she’s unconscious.”
The wind roared outside making Sera shiver. “Well, I don’t know what it is, but I’m just glad that it can’t come in.”
Ian helped her to get to Patricia as Finn and Hunter stayed close.
“I’ll go check the two other apartments. I have the keys. The neighbors are currently in Florida, so I need to make sure everything is locked.”
Finn came closer. “Give me the keys. You’re human, if the monsters get in, you don’t stand a chance.”
Ian moved too. “I’ll go with you. Hunter, stay with Sera. Make sure she’s safe.”
Sera sighed. “Unless the monsters regenerate and start to jump, I doubt they’ll reach the second-floor window.”
“Nonetheless, don’t do anything dangerous, okay?”
Sera waved at him to get out and started running her hands through Patricia’s soft fur, feeling her way up to her head. “Hunter, apart from her head, did you see any other injury on her?”
Hunter moved around, as if going up on the bed. “No. Well, trying to staunch the flow on her head was my focus, besides not freaking out being so close to a bear.”
“Well, I’m impressed by the way you’re taking it all. Others would have gone mad or fainted.”
Hunter snorted. “Well, being a cop helps me with the fainting thing.”
Sera climbed on the bed, sliding her hands until her fingers became wet with blood. Gently, as Hunter moved the rag, she felt the wound with her fingertips.
“I can stop the bleeding, but with the attack, my magic level is low. I can’t check for anything internal, not yet.”
Hunter sighed. “Well, at least, try to stop the bleeding. I’ll go get some cloths and water to wash her up.”
Sera was glad that Hunter could handle himself in the middle of this insanity. Magic whirled, and she slowly willed the wound to heal. Treading a very fine line, and not wanting to faint again, she only used the absolute minimum.
When Hunter came back, the slushing of water stopped just beside her. He made sure she could grab a clean cloth and, when she put her hand in the water, she froze. There was a power in it. It was light, but it was there. And unless she was starting to lose it, Sera hadn’t used magic on it.
“What’s wrong, Sera? Is the water too hot?”
How could she describe it to him? Instead, following her instinct, she wrung the cloth.
“Hunter, I want you to check where the wound is. I’ve closed it and I want you to see what it looks like.”
The cop put the bowl down and climbed onto the bed again.
“It’s closed, but it looks raw. Why?”
“Wait.”
Sera applied the damp cloth on the wound and waited. As she expected, there was a definite healing power in the water, it crawled over her hand and even partially boosted her up. After a moment, she lifted the cloth and asked Hunter to look again.