by Lauren Dane
She tossed herself on the couch next to Nell. “You need to go home.”
“William is coming to pick me up. Gage has my car. Anyway, I need to talk to you. Are you all right?”
Finally, after everyone had gone it was finally safe to let it go so she just turned and buried her face in her hands and let it go. Nell rubbed a hand up and down her back, not saying anything, just letting Meriel get all the tears out.
She cried until she got the hiccups and then slowly pulled herself back together again.
“She knows he’s alive. I think we should be expecting a call very soon.” Meriel tapped her knee. “But the good news is, she’s weak. Her magic is hollow, brittle in places. I don’t know how she’s made it this far. But I will make sure she doesn’t do it again.”
“We’ll make sure. Leave the hunting to the hunter please. And don’t assume she’s the only turned witch working with these mages either. You’re what they call a high-value target, Meriel, don’t forget that. You’re like the big bank job or whatever.”
“Pfft. She tried to take him from me. She tried to take his will.”
“We’ll get her.”
“He thinks he was weak because of what happened. But he was so strong. What she did would have taken over a weak man inside ten minutes. From what I can tell it had been cast at least two hours and all it had really done was make him aggressive. His defensive magick was working even though he had no idea. I’m the one who was weak. I didn’t even think about possession. It’s my job and I failed.”
“Really? Well, forgive me for thinking you saved him. I’m sorry you seem to think you need to be omniscient. Even Edwina isn’t all knowing, sister.”
“It’s my job to know.”
“You did your job. You can’t possibly think of every single outcome of every single thing. Even you can’t do it. No one can. Anyway, are you going to let this low-rent bitch ruffle you? Girl, you beat her. Over and over.”
This made her feel infinitely better, as she knew would happen when she laid it all out for Nell. “I have her taste now. I know Gloria Ochoa. That was a big mistake on her part. Now I can find her easier and remove this problem for good.”
“She’s gonna be calling you. You know that, right?”
“Looking forward to it. My best guess is she’ll be on my phone at work bright and early. And I’ll be waiting.”
“Good. There’s my girl.” Nell’s grin was vicious. “Calls will ring in here like we talked about. I talked to Simon. He told me you were amazing with Dom, said your skills were off the charts. You used the Latin exorcism rites? That’s pretty Hollywood.”
“Once I got inside him I could see what it was. It just came to me to try it. Seemed to me that sometimes holy men and women are shamans in a sense, their rites and rituals have meaning too, so I gave them intent. Worked out.” She let out a long breath.
She could do this. She would do this.
William showed up at the door. He gave Meriel a hug and went to Nell. “I’m here to collect my wife.”
Nell smiled up at him. “Hello there.”
He shook his head. “Is everything all right?”
“It is. I was just giving Meriel an update. Dominic is sleeping. He’ll be fine. No lasting effects. In fact he’ll come out of this stronger, Meriel’s mother said.”
William helped Nell into her coat and they headed out. “I’ll be back tomorrow morning. First thing. You can work from here, I get that. But I want to be here if she calls.”
“Fine. Just please rest. If she calls before you get here, you’re only a few minutes away.”
DOMINIC woke feeling better than he had in a few days. Refreshed even.
Her side of the bed was still warm and the scent of coffee filled the air. Meriel was there and awake. He rolled to stand and stretch and when he turned, she was standing in the doorway, smiling.
“How are you feeling this morning?”
“Better now.” He pulled her into a hug. “Damn, you feel good.”
She tipped her head up to look him in the face. “Coffee and some breakfast can be had if you’re up to it.”
“I figured I’d have to scrub the goop off. But it’s gone.”
“Gage’s mom said it would soak into the skin. You smell good. Clean and fresh.”
“Well, that’s a plus to having your friend’s mom rubbing goo all over you. Don’t know that I’ll be looking her in the eye anytime soon.”
She laughed. “Come on out then. I’ll make you something to eat.”
“Meriel?” He caught her hand in his.
“Mm?”
“I love you.”
Her smile widened. “I love you too.”
He followed her out and settled in at the table. “So tell me. Fill me in.”
“You sure you want that first thing? Before you even eat?”
“I can do both. Do you mean to tell me you went to bed right when I did and only woke up five minutes ago?” He looked toward the spare room where she’d set up her office.
“My body clock wakes me up at five. No matter how much I try to sleep in. She’s going to call today. I want to be ready.” She began to pull a breakfast together and he watched, content to have her there.
“Nell will be by in about half an hour so you’ll need pants or she might die from how sexy you look with no shirt and those snug boxer briefs hugging your butt and your package.”
“I’m flattered that you think she’d notice any man but William.”
“Puhleeze. He’s handsome and sexy and all that. But he’s no Dominic Bright. Also, a girl can look. Doesn’t mean she’s gonna touch.”
“You’d break her fingers if she did.”
Her smile brightened as she put some toast and eggs in front of him. “Yes, and other parts of you if I thought you enjoyed it.”
“Come sit with me, my pretty, vicious witch.”
She kissed him before putting the Tabasco out and sitting with him.
“I’m going to work from here today. My phone will be forwarded here. Nell has the hardware already set up so when the call comes in a trace will start. She’s also got that spell to break through any confusion spells Gloria tries to use.” She looked at her watch. “And once we’ve got that, Nell will plan to bring her in. She’s a possible way into this group of mages here in Seattle. Let’s hope she’s a weak enough link to lead us straight to them. We’ve got her in my hallway and in the same cities where witches have disappeared. She’s with them, I know it.”
“I want to say up front that even before last night I knew Gloria was too far gone. It’s not just what she did to me, it’s the way you were risked too. Don’t think I didn’t hear your mother ask you all those questions.”
Edwina had interrogated Meriel while searching her for any signs of damage. Plunging into someone’s magick while they were being possessed was dangerous in and of itself.
“Then you heard her say I was just fine.”
“No. I heard her say she was proud of you and that she thought you showed cunning and skill.”
Meriel blushed. “Yeah. That part was cool.” She hugged her cup and then looked to him. “I will always risk everything to save you.”
He let out a long breath. “Yeah. Right back atcha.”
He took a shower and did some of his own work. Nell showed up and gave him an impromptu magick lesson, which he appreciated. And, he had to admit, it made him feel totally that he was all right. Nell wouldn’t have trusted him to learn anything from her if she thought he was weak or tainted in some way.
So much pent-up energy was the impetus to working out at home. He usually liked to go to the gym, just to get away, but he didn’t want to miss it when Gloria called.
MOUTH suddenly dry, Meriel sat at the desk, body turned sideways so she could watch Dominic do pull-ups in the door frame across the hall. Wide, muscular shoulders gleaming with sweat, muscles trembling with exertion. His tattoo looked nearly alive as he moved.
She’d work f
rom home a lot more often if this was what her view would be.
And then it came in.
Nell walked in calmly, talking to Gage back at the office. Dominic, moved to her side, pulling a T-shirt on and sitting on the corner of the desk. When Nell gave Meriel the thumbs-up, she answered.
“Meriel Owen.”
“Ah, my daughter-in-law.” Which answered the question as to whether or not Gloria knew about Dominic.
She knew her lip curled at the sound of Gloria’s voice. “Cut the shit.” Meriel wanted to punch this woman’s face.
“Oh, the manners on young people today. Is my son around?”
“You should know the answer to that after your ass was handed to you last night.”
“I’d say I didn’t know what you were talking about, but now you understand I’m not to be trifled with.”
“Fuck you, lady. I’m going to explain this to you once. And I’m only giving you this because you’re responsible for making the man I love and he’s the best thing you’ll ever do. I know who you are. I know what you do. And I will end you.”
“And what does my son think about this?”
“You don’t get to talk about him as if you had anything more to do with his existence than gestating him. Lucky for him he was raised far away from the likes of you.”
Dominic put his hand on her knee and she calmed a little.
“I can easily move my business elsewhere. Given some incentive of course, because moving costs money. So, here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to be sure to deposit two hundred thousand dollars into my account by midnight tonight. And then you’ll be sure I receive the same sum quarterly. And you’ll give me access to your font.”
She laughed, but there was no mirth there. “Even if I wanted to do that, it wouldn’t work. The font wouldn’t recognize an abomination like you. You’re not a witch anymore. You’re cut off from your gifts. You can’t tap the font. Are you really so stupid you never knew this?”
Silence from the other end as Gloria thought. Of course it occurred to Meriel she’d just given them information they hadn’t had. Then again, it would solve at least the problem of them thinking they could take the font over.
Nell rolled her eyes, but made the keep-it-going motion with her hand.
“How can I trust what you’re saying is true? If you let us access the font, we’d have to … supplement our diet far less.”
“The font only recognizes a connection from a witch, dumbass. And you’re not. You’ve been turned for a long time. As for how you know I’m not lying? Well, first, I’m not you.”
“Fine. Then make it three hundred thousand a quarter.”
“No. I don’t pay the trash to be taken out. I take it out myself.”
“You can pay me to keep my mouth shut. Or, you can take your chances and hope I’m not feeling talkative and find the need to go to the press to tell them about this world you’ve all been hiding for so very long.”
“If you think you’d make it long enough to do that, go on ahead.”
Nell looked up, holding out three fingers. Just keep her on longer.
“Or maybe I’ll come to visit my son. See about mending some fences. Boys need a mother. I can’t imagine why you’d try to keep us apart. Does he know this about you? You’re very jealous. He’s handsome, my boy. Without the bond, would he even have looked at you twice?”
Dominic’s gaze narrowed, his handsome face hardening. He shook his head and reached for the phone but she patted his hand and shook her head right back. As if she’d believe that crap anyway.
Meriel laughed because she couldn’t help it. “You’re dialing the wrong number. And it doesn’t matter anyway. I’d protect him no matter what. He’s everything to me. My people are everything to me. You can’t have them, or Dominic. It’s your biggest mistake that you tried. All you’re going to get from me and my clan is misery. You declared war on us last night when you played with dark forces and used them on one of my witches. You clearly have a lot to learn about clans. I’m going to enjoy teaching you.”
“You sound almost strong enough to do it. But I’ve been around the block a few times.”
“I bet. But this isn’t a contest to see who aged worse, is it?”
“Oh, you think you’re so clever. We’ll see how clever you are when I drain you. When your magick keeps my belly full. With my son at my side, imagine the feast I’ll have. I’ll destroy your precious clan witch by witch. You’ll keep me fed for a long time.”
She was making such a mistake to peg Meriel as an easy mark. But fine, that would only serve Meriel in the end.
“Being turned makes you crazy too, I see. You have nothing. You are no one. You don’t scare me. I know you, Gloria. Do you know what that means? Last night I saw into the heart of your power and you are a shell. Empty. You work with stolen power. Stolen power won’t ever be stronger than what I’ve got in my belly. I tasted what you’re made of. I’m not impressed.”
Dominic sighed and raised a brow at her.
“You and your precious font and your clan. What do you know about struggling? About working for anything?”
“Focus, Gloria. Why is it you’re mad again?”
“We’ll see how smug you are when I go to the press and expose you.”
Dominic leaned forward. “And how will your friends the human-only separatists feel when they know you’re a paranormal too? If you do that, you only expose yourself … Gloria.”
His voice was wrapped with so much violence it sent a shiver through her. They hadn’t known for absolute sure Gloria was working with the humans. Simply taunting Gloria into revealing all her plans seemed too easy, but Gloria wasn’t working on all cylinders and had already given them more information than Meriel had thought she’d expose.
Nell held out five fingers. Just a bit more to go.
But she didn’t deny it. Which answered that question. “Oh, is that you, Eduardo? My baby boy.”
“I’m not your baby boy. And my name is Dominic. My father gave it to me. He says hey.”
“I don’t think he can.”
Meriel felt sick. Gloria meant Felix, who she obviously knew was dead. Because she’d helped kill him. Not that he’d been anything less than a villain by that point too.
Dominic laughed and it made the hair on the back of Meriel’s neck stand up.
“I said my father gave it to me. Not my biological donor. The man who raised me. But back to your threat about going public and your buddies the human separatists. I’m not sure who’s worse, but I know they’d get a fairer shake in the court of public opinion than an old, shot-out hag of a turned witch with no power and a giant drug habit. You think you can control them when this gets out?”
“They’re stupid, but useful.”
Nell’s gaze darkened, her mouth hardened. Gloria had just admitted she was part of this plan.
Meriel decided to poke at her some more. “I imagine they’d be more useful if you had a plan instead of just rolling into town draining a few witches and going away.”
Nell nodded, giving her the keep going with that motion of her hand.
“You don’t know who you’re dealing with. Until a few years ago, they were uselessly attacking Others. The odd hunting and killing of a Were. Vampire stakings. And then there was a story about how one of these silly groups had caught themselves a witch and wanted to kill her. I was nearby and stopped in.”
The phone was silent for a few moments and Meriel wondered if she’d hung up. But no, she came back on the line. Talkative woman, Gloria Ochoa. Meriel would be pleased to use that against her.
“Sorry about that interruption. I’ll tell you more when we meet. Then I can teach you my lovely ritual and introduce you to some mages who’d love to play with you awhile. Some of them even have bounties on the heads of clans. I’ll be sure to point them in your direction. You can’t win. I’m too powerful.”
She would eat this bitch for breakfast. And she’d smile as she did it.
“First I’ll kill your mother. She’s the icing on the cake. Oh, I’ll be so powerful after that. Then I’ll let them drain you partially, but I have better plans for you. A ritual I’ve found to be very effective.”
“Oh, I’d pay money to see that.” Meriel laughed. “Not in a million years are you half the powerhouse my mother is. But I’d love to see her rip you to shreds and then curl her lip at the mess on her shoes. But I’m growing super bored with this back-and-forth smack talk. I have a job, so if you’re done?”
“I’ll drain you slow. Feast on your fear and pain. And then I’ll kill you. Afterward, I’ll take Dominic. Maybe I’ll keep him around if he’s useful. Pretty bait for witches I’d wager.”
She also didn’t seem to understand just what a bond was. Which was good too.
Nell gave her the thumbs-up that they’d unraveled the confusion spell and had traced the call. They knew where she was.
“You’ve been warned, Gloria Ochoa. There is a warrant for your death in all our territories. You can’t have Dominic.”
Meriel hung up.
Chapter 26
NELL had left and Meriel came back inside to find Dominic hanging up the phone. “We can move into the new place at the beginning of the month.”
They’d chosen the apartment open in this building. Ron had already volunteered to help with the warding, not just of the apartment but of the hallways too.
“But I turned it down.”
“What? Why?”
“I think we need a house. I want a house. I like it here in downtown, but being at Tom’s reminded me how much I like living near water. I want to buy a house with you. I don’t want to worry about how loud I’m being and I don’t want to hear people walking above me all the time.”
“You want roots? With me?”
He moved to her and swept her up into his arms. “Yes. I want to build a life here with you. In our house where we’ll raise our family. What do you think?”
“I think I can manage to like that. I think I can suffer through waking up next to you for the next six decades or so.”