Take These Broken Wings: A novel of the Paramortals (Destiny Paramortals Book 5)

by Livia Quinn

  “Phineas, lay off of Tempe. Things could be worse. You could be dead.” Thank you, Inez, for pointing out the obvious.

  That stopped him in his tracks. “What are you up to, Inez?” he asked.

  “I’m just trying to… how does the younger generation put it?” Her eyes narrowed in thought then her eyebrows hiked. “Oh, yes. I’m getting outside the box. But don’t you fear, dear. I’ll be back on the saddle in no time.”

  I nearly choked on my next words as I tried not to picture these two doing any, um, riding.

  Mr. Jackson turned toward me, obviously frustrated, but his hands no longer shook and when he spoke, his voice was stronger and deeper than his eighty plus years suggested, also more contrite, “Did you decide to help us then, Ms. Tempe?”

  Inez answered, “No, Phineas, Tempe turned me down. Now go on home, I’ve got work to do.”

  Mr. Jackson looked so distressed I said, “Inez has her own”—kooky, foolish, cockamamie—“um, unique plan, Mr. Jackson, but I’m am working on the problem. Don’t give up.” Even so, he deflated a bit as if I’d been his only hope. In truth, I was. I didn’t give this sex casting thing of Inez’ much hope. I added, “Who knows, her plan might work?”

  He squinted down at Inez. “What are you up to, little one?”

  “Phineas Jackson, finding my soul mate this late in life was meant to be, so I have to believe we’ll figure this out. Now, give me a hug, you big lug.”

  He wasn’t big but next to her, he was a giant. He wrapped his arms around her and picked her up off the floor squeezing her gently. He said, “I miss you, sweet pea,” and two tears escaped her lashes to spill down her cheeks. He set her down and released her reluctantly. “Promise you’ll call me tonight when you get between the sheets.”

  “I will, Phin. Just think, we’ll finally get a chance to have phone sex.”

  That little episode ran us late and the classroom was jumping when we got there. Montana and Kat had saved us two seats. Unfortunately, that put Inez next to Jane Fortune who’d managed to grab seats for herself, and Dickhead, front and center where they could get the most attention from the instructor. Dick and I didn’t exchange pleasantries since our interactions usually escalated into unpleasantries, the last time resulting in Jack “suggesting” Dick get a drawer at the mail center.

  Jane was brimming with all the latest gossip. But this time, I was rapt. “Well, the sheriff finally got revenge on Mrs. Karrakas for you, Tempe.”

  “What do you mean? Revenge?”

  “Oh, come on, even I know that woman’s been out to get you fired for months. And now that she’s dead—”

  I jumped up and ran to the hallway to call Jack. He didn’t answer so I called the station. Ryan was filling out the paperwork and simply said they’d confronted her and she had attacked Jack. Things escalated and finally, he admitted Conor had taken the woman out, burned her to a crisp. So Ryan now knew about Jack and Conor.

  I went back to my seat and turned to Montana. “So you knew about this?”

  “Yes.” Montana shrugged. “I was about to suggest a trip to the bathroom to fill you in but Spydo the psycho gossip beat me to it. Jack’s fine. Conor’s fine. Mrs. K’s not.” She grinned that feral warlike smile that said Mrs. Karrakas got what was coming to her.

  “Come on, enjoy the class. Jack will fill you in as soon as he’s finished with cleanup, I’m sure.” She made a face directing my attention behind me. “Look,” she snickered. “Jane brought her wicker baskets. Get it? Wicker? I swear between her and Dick they’ve probably set a new record for the lowest couples’ IQ.”

  “No question. Montana, while we have a few minutes before class,” I lowered my voice, “I need to know more about Fierce Winds Isle. More of what Conor told you about it … anything you can tell me that won’t get you in trouble with Conor.”

  While the class assistant hauled out materials and set up the slide projector, she filled me in on some of the Isle’s features, history, and a little about its magic. When she was finished excitement bubbled up inside me. A seed of an idea had been forming. Now to just set it in motion.

  Jordie and Aurora slipped in to the row behind me and Montana. “Hi, Tempe.” Jordie was fairly jittering with excitement. “I brought my tarot cards,” she said holding up a pack with an elf’s image on the box.

  I sighed, “I forgot mine at the house, but the tarot portion probably won’t be covered until later in the course.”

  Aurora said, “Shannon won’t be here. She’s transferred away from Destiny. We’ll be getting a new parish librarian.”

  Katerina said, “I’m sorry to hear that. I was looking forward to getting to know her better. I went by Bons Amis to pick up Bailey but she couldn’t leave. I told her we’d see her after class as usual.” Bailey Duplessis was our resident chameleon, who always leant some fun to our get togethers. Blonde moments were apparently a species trait.

  “I can’t go. I, uh, have a thing, after class,” I told Kat.

  “What kind of a thing?” Kat looked at Montana who shrugged. “How come I didn’t know about it?” Zeus, this was strange, good strange but still, Katerina had totally flipped a switch into include me mode.

  I said in a hushed tone, “There’s a problem with Harmony. I’m meeting Elvis and Dylan there tonight after class to kick out some bad spirit.”

  Kat’s eyes went green, like chartreuse neon green. Shades of Unc’s krakens! “Katerina, please don’t be mad. I had to have someone with a personal connection to River.”

  Kat visibly relaxed and shook her shoulders out. “I’m not.” She looked around, “This is all so new, you know, with Dylan…”

  “You didn’t mention any of this to me, Tempe,” Aurora said, her voice full of concern.

  “I didn’t want to bother you. Besides Elvis just happened to show up on my route yesterday and offered to get rid of whatever it is. The house hasn’t been the same since Chaos but especially after River came by a few days ago.” Aurora didn’t like my answer so I changed the subject. “Which reminds me, I haven’t heard from Dutch and Phoebe in days, do you know where they are?”

  “No, and don’t think changing the subject is going to end this. I’m glad Dylan will be there, but you call me at the first hint of trouble.”

  Jane turned toward Kat, her arm snugged tight against Dick’s massive fleshy arm. “Did I hear right—that hunky investigator is back? Where’s he been?”

  “Timbuktu,” Montana said. Zeus, she was quick. I stifled a laugh, but the green was back in Kat’s eyes as she stared at Jane.

  “Is that anywhere near Chile?” Jane asked frowning.

  Montana just gaped at Jane. “Just down the interstate, why?”

  “They had a huge volcanic eruption there last night. Don’t watch the news much, huh?” Jane snarked then aimed it at Katerina, “And don’t get your trench coat in a twist, Katerina, I have my own hunk.” Dick smiled down at her affectionately. There was definitely something in the water. Jane looked at Inez. “Who’s your friend here?”

  Inez introduced herself. “I’m here to study witchcraft and tarot. But mainly I want to know how to cast a spell to up my sex drive.”

  Jane’s wasn’t the only jaw to drop. Dick turned in his chair, took one look at Inez and dismissed her claim as dementia. Jane shrieked, “Witchcraft, I thought it was about baskets.” She rose quickly, gathering her spools of raffia and her unfinished project. “I’ll be back in a minute, don’t let them start class without me.” She spun back to Inez, “This will be a breeze. I’m a wiz at tarot.”

  After she’d left the room, Inez said, “That woman is a dozen cards short of a deck.”

  Laughter burst out of Montana, “You’ve got her nailed, Inez. Don’t let her read your future.”

  Inez said somberly, “I already know my future is with Phineas. I just need to figure out how to keep up so I don’t lose him.”

  The admin assistant passed around a sign-in sheet then introduced our instructor. “He’
s a renowned professor of anthropology with a PhD in cultural studies and ancient religions. He’s traveled the globe for most of his life and we’re lucky he’s in the area and could spare a few nights to teach our class. Please welcome Dr. Alejandro Obejoyo.”

  Montana’s head snapped up and her eyes locked on the door. “What is it?” I asked, but she stood suddenly as erect as a Valkyrie statue, her eyes going deep cobalt.

  Chapter 36

  “Are we going to dance sky-clad under the full moon?”

  Jack

  Mystiq interrupted my thoughts, “Let’s get back to the antidote theory. Now that Dylan has shed his old Finrir and has a new form, I can’t say for sure, but this may be a maturation process.”

  “You’re saying all we can do is wait?” I could hear Conor now. Maybe he’d known all of this.

  Mystiq smiled and one brow arched delicately. “It plays a big part. You may be big and powerful and strong, but it’s deceiving, because in supernatural terms, you’re a newborn.”

  Well, that was deflating. Here I was thinking I was about to get there. I was silent as I took her meaning to heart.

  “But…” she said. I could tell this was a big but. “Just because it’s a maturation process doesn’t mean it won’t or can’t be accelerated by any number of factors, like putting a piece of coal under pressure to create a diamond. Like what happened with Tempe. Conor contacted me last night and I shared my findings with him.” That sneaky dragon…what was he up to?

  She tapped her fingers on the book and studied me. “Now, tell me the main reason you came to see me.”

  An image of Conor and Montana as they’d been earlier flashed across my mind. He’d looped his arm around the intimidating woman’s neck and pulled her to him. She’d responded instantly, and let him kiss her thoroughly with everyone watching. If anyone including me was uncomfortable, they didn’t give a damn.

  Conor didn’t hide how he felt about Montana. And it didn’t diminish anything about his skill, his power or his intimidation factor. I couldn’t say Conor had changed since arriving in Destiny but Montana had. They took every opportunity to touch physically. There was one way Conor had changed since he arrived. He was happier; even I could see it had everything to do with Montana. I wanted to express my feelings through actions and words that weren’t tainted by my past baggage, to be as open with my feelings toward Tempe as I was with Jordie. No holds barred. Could I do it?

  If Montana, a nearly four-hundred-year-old Dinnshencha with serious anti-relationship tendencies could do it, I could. I suddenly felt impatient to get to back to Destiny.

  I put the questions about my parents aside since my most pressing concern was about Tempe’s little plan. I took a deep breath and let it out. “I don’t know, maybe I’m…” jealous, a voice whispered “…reading too much into this. Tempe says there’s something wrong with Harmony, like it’s possessed or something. It happened after River came to visit. She’s convinced he’s in trouble and she’s got this guy, Elvis—”

  “Elvis! What’s he got to do with it?”

  Okay, so I was right to be concerned. “He’s got her and Dylan performing some kind of cleansing ritual at her house tonight. She mentioned a spell and their connection to River.”

  “Jack, you need to put a stop to it. Conor asked me about River as well. He and Dutch are very concerned about his negative energy. I know about that house Elvis traded for. There’s some old powerful magic that’s never been exorcised from it. Some spirits known as the Shameful Hour have possessed it since the turn of the century. They are vengeful spirits with mercenary black hearts who prey on the greed and guilt of men.”

  There was that word again, mercenary. “What can I do to stop it?” I asked, a new sense of urgency making me wish I could fly back to town.

  “You’ll know what to do. Remember this—light always defeats darkness. If the light is pure enough, it will search out and destroy and hidden seed of evil. Sit back down and let me teach you a couple incantations. Then you must go.”

  For the next few minutes I concentrated on committing strange new phrases to memory. Finally, I rose to leave, checking my watch. “Their class should be letting out soon, I have to hurry.”

  “Go. Stop this however you can. Elvis is not the problem, merely a tool the Shameful Hour is using to usurp power and gain control over River and Tempe. I’ll meet you there later and we’ll cleanse her place properly.” She reached for my forearm. “Be careful, this may have something to do with the others in the shadows… hunters.”

  I thanked her and since I was in a hurry, didn’t tell her the warning was a little late. Tempe didn’t know what she was getting into. My stomach was in knots. I sped down the narrow lake road and prayed I wouldn’t be too late. I’d made up my mind, I was not going to waste another minute looking back or whining about my life. If she would forgive me I’d promise her anything.

  Tempe

  “Oh, my!” Inez exclaimed as Montana seemed to grow in stature before our eyes. She was awesome. Inez’ eyes glowed with excitement. “Is she some kind of superhero? Look at her muscles.” She sighed and rubbed her wrinkly bicep wistfully, “I always wanted muscles.”

  I cast an amused glance back at Aurora then to Kat who raised her brow. Montana’s eyes flared as a slender bookish Indiana Jones type padded quietly to the makeshift lectern. His eyes went directly to her as if he’d sensed her focus, but how could that be? Had they met before? Did they know each other?

  Montana’s aura was sparking and undulating as if she were close to going full Dinnshencha but I wasn’t getting any bad vibes off the professor. He certainly didn’t look threatening. His brown shoulder length hair was split down the center and pulled back neatly at his nape. He had black-rimmed glasses, a loose white shirt that buttoned up the front and brown leather pants tied with a long piece of braid. There was a medallion with a strange symbol hanging from a cord around his neck. He seemed so familiar.

  Seemingly oblivious to the tension, Jordie said, “Wow, our instructor is Johnny Depp? That’s the bomb.”

  The frozen warrior woman beside me continued to shimmer with restrained power. Then Dr. Obejoyo bowed slightly in her direction and turned back to the rest of the class, effectively dismissing her potential for violence. That brought our group to attention but amazingly, Montana relaxed.

  “Good evening.” His calm voice didn’t sound anything like the actor’s, but like the deepest of wind chimes, low and resonant. After acknowledging the chorus of greetings he smiled, “Please don’t worry about titles or formalities. Just call me Alej.” He pronounced it, ‘Alec’. “I’m just a humble historian who eagerly accepts any invitation to share my love of ancient cultures. Now, if you don’t have any specific questions…”

  Jane’s hand shot up. “Professor. Are we going to dance sky-clad under the full moon? If so, we need to get organized because it’s tomorrow night.”

  To his credit, with only a slight hesitation Alej simply explained that he would go into traditions in a future class and no, the class would not include field trips. “Hera’s holey panties, thanks for small favors!” I muttered while Montana struggled to keep a straight face. “The human body is a beautiful thing, some more than others, but forgive me if I skip the field trip where Dick and Jane get naked under the moon.” I glanced at Dick and squeezed my eyes shut to banish the image.

  Due to Jane’s constant bid for attention, the class stumbled into disarray despite Alej’s competent leadership. After class we brainstormed a way to get Jane out of town before the next class. I apologized to Inez for bringing her.

  “Tempe, that woman is a loon. I haven’t had this much fun in a long time. I would like to come back and hear what that lovely young man has to say, and I still haven’t learned how to cast that spell. I guess I’ll have to settle for phone sex tonight.”

  Everyone within earshot was envious. I know I was.

  I asked Aurora to drop Jordie off since I was running late to meet Elvis and
Dylan. Montana and I were going have a heart to heart the next day. She was keeping something from me, I could see it in her aura.

  I’d no sooner unlocked the front door at Harmony than Elvis rushed in behind me sprinkling some kind of crushed substance in every corner. I followed him around asking him to explain what he was doing because it just looked like he was spreading dirt. And the more he put out the worse it smelled. I noticed he’d confiscated the tarot cards he’d given me. When I asked him about it, he said it was an important part of the ritual.

  There was a tap on the storm door and Dylan let himself in, his tall frame filling the opening. “What the hell is that smell?”

  “Something Elvis is tossing around. Come on, I’m not sure I trust him around my stuff.”

  “Or the knives,” said Dylan. He followed me as we toured the rooms searching for the impersonator. But he’d disappeared. “Elvis!” I called. “He must be upstairs.”

  Dylan took the stairs three at a time while I trailed behind but once on the upper landing he stopped, listening. “Wait here,” Dylan said and shifted. Right, I was just supposed to stay there while he searched my house for intruders, but he moved so swiftly down the hall I had to duck into several rooms before I found him… growling, in front of a black ball of sentient smoke that filled half of River’s bedroom.

  Chapter 37

  “That’s lame, Lang. Can’t you shift…”

  Tempe

  “What is that thing?” Dylan had shifted back. He must have realized that claws and teeth weren’t going to do any good against it. The presence in front of us was thick with malice, growing into the shape of a tall ghostly specter shaped like one of Elvis’ witchy singers, only way less fun. The sound it made was like wind coming across a field on a brutally cold night. Dangerous, deadly. It was a spirit but a fae spirit, I thought, not a ghost.

  He grabbed my arm. “Do something,” he demanded.

  “Like what? I’m willing to try wind, but I have a feeling neither water nor fire are going to touch that. Its aura is almost completely black. We need to get out of here. I turned, started forward with Dylan but the door slammed shut, cutting off our exit.