by Erin R Flynn
“The barrier?” Walter asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Bringing a dozen or more elders from different species to one location is dangerous and pretty stupid,” I explained. “I have a spell that encompasses the two large city blocks I own, and once I activate it, no one with any ill will can enter the area. Hell, someone could drop a bomb on the area and everything in the barrier will still be standing.” I snorted when he gave me a look that was a bit much. “I’ve not tested it with a nuke, but yeah, regular bombs are fine.”
“So it’s also a rare chance for them to all come together and actually be safe,” he added, rolling his eyes as he was old enough to know how elders loved to get together and stroke each other’s egos… And sometimes more as power loved power. “How do you manage this?”
I snorted again, clearly saying I didn’t handle it, and gestured to Helen, Jerome, Keegan, Tommy, and the people they relied on.
“There is an event at The Resort until Monday brunch,” Helen informed me as she pulled up something on her tablet, probably the calendar. “And then it’s clear until the week after. I say we use it as the main area and bring them here for the trial. It will cut back on past problems.”
“Elders are prying,” I explained to those who didn’t understand. “We’ve caught their people trying to break into PI, as there’s a company who thinks they’re our competition and were trying to get our secrets. They’re not, they’re a cute little private investigation firm.”
“And they’ve broken into the warehouse and the stores and everywhere trying to get your spell books,” Jerome drawled. “It’s caused problems, and while they’d punish you if you tried that at their estates—”
“No they wouldn’t,” I argued, rubbing my hand over my neck. “That’s the problem. None of us are willing to start a fight over what they tend to see as ‘fair game’ when invited. But I agree, use The Resort. Invite them all.”
“Them all? All who?” Helen asked, giving me a frown before her eyes went wide. “You mean all the elders we speak with? You want to invite them all? Normally we invite a dozen.”
“Yes, and the others throw a fit that we pick favorites,” I sighed as I worked on a knot in my shoulder. “Invite them all. We’ll have the room at The Resort.” I gave her a look when she went to argue. “Our elders have started shit I retaliated against in a very public way. Now we’ve got problems with the American government even if they don’t know it. CPD won’t be the only one to make a move against SPU, as others will try if a liberal area does.
“We need to be unified more than ever, and Colin pulling this hawk world domination shit in an area that openly hunts us is just stupid instead of trying for either a coordinated effort or diplomacy. Now is the time to remind them just how good of friends we are to have, as some of their group leaders have been getting feisty with Jerome and pushing like they own us and not we purchase from them.
“So we need to invite them all and do it big and better than they can to make it fucking clear what they risk by fucking with us or not standing with us. I’m talking lavish gift baskets in the rooms with our products and gift bags better than whatever they give at the Oscars. We call whoever we need to cater and have the best of everything. I want some big name giving performances at night and just—go fucking nuts.”
“Got it, boss,” she agreed, most of them taking down notes and ideas. “What else are you thinking?”
“That I’m inviting the fucking angel that appeared and wants my help to be my date because that is a loud and very strong message to have.”
“Will he do it?”
I smirked at her. “I’m the Enchantress, Helen. I’ll make it happen.”
“Of course you will,” she chuckled, shaking her head as a few others laughed.
Glad they had such faith because I put up a confident front, but I had no idea what to expect with the angel, especially with all the other shit we had going on.
6
“Will I be taking a swim in the Atlantic again today?” Brax asked after I appeared on the roof with Hunt, Helen, and Walter.
“Are you going to be kissing me without asking or pulling any more sneaky shit?” I threw right back, giving him an amused look.
He shrugged his large shoulders. “I don’t plan to, but you’ve got something up your sleeve, so who knows?”
I nodded, seeing no reason to deny it. “You want to protect me, and I want you to be my date to an elder event coming up so it’s made clear in front of those who might take interest in what I did to that demon that they maybe shouldn’t.”
He moved closer, studying me carefully. “And help you with other things.”
“Yes, which still keeps me safe.”
“But you’re ready to offer something else; I can see it in your eyes.”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“Answer me first and I’ll still offer it,” I countered, wanting to know how worried he was for my safety and several other things that his answer would tell me.
“What will be worn to this event?”
I knew what he meant, but I went with what he’d want to hear more. “I don’t wear all that much, the gowns are always very revealing and a lot showing.”
He cleared his throat and nodded. “I meant if it’s formal, but yes, I will attend as your date.”
“Wonderful.” I nodded to Helen who took over.
“With the help of Kate the psychic who gave these circles to Soraya, Paranormal Investigations has already started putting out feelers we’re hiring people with those sorts of gifts. Our goal is two-fold—”
“Three-fold,” I corrected, glad when she nodded.
“Three-fold,” she agreed. “One, it will hopefully lead to more help for Kate and Soraya as they can send back those who were called here and are now trapped or those they can give peace to when there’s no way to do what they want. However, if I understand the situation well—”
“There are too many not moving on and not finding peace,” Brax confirmed, giving a slow nod. “Or they are pulled back by family and unable to have peace. Yes.”
“That is something they can help with, as most just want a message delivered or contact made. Most psychics won’t do that and rely on family contacting them, but might do it if they don’t have to worry about getting flack for doing it and we would pay them to do it instead. Two, it gives protection to those who might be vulnerable as Kate was or demons are trying for a safe place, as the coven would protect them.”
“And three?” he asked.
“To find frauds,” I answered. “Most con artists can’t resist trying to pull a fast one on someone most can’t and their egos make them think they have a real chance to do it. And a lot of psychics can’t tell if someone else is faking or not, so most assume they’ll get away with it even if I’m not just a psychic.”
“Plus, most wouldn’t ever risk the backlash of calling in a fake whereas Soraya wouldn’t ever not report someone and get their license revoked,” Helen added.
I shrugged. “I felt guilty turning down their offer to have me on the license board, but they were playing politics from the start, and I won’t be associated with people who might let someone slide by because they were charismatic. I don’t give a flying fuck if a candidate is pretty or good on camera. They either can do it or not, and if they can’t, they’re fucking with shit they shouldn’t, and I don’t deal with that well.”
He smirked at me. “So I’ve heard. That psychic who was calling souls and knew he was leaving them stranded here paid a good amount to undo all the damage through a reputable psychic and then just dropped of a heart attack.”
“How unfortunate,” I chuckled, not feeling the littlest bit guilty for that. Killing people was a crime.
Damning innocent people to a horrible afterlife was unforgiveable.
I blinked, and Brax’s appearance changed, his aura dialed down and even his height shrunk. I glanced over my shoulder to see Kate stepping out of the roof ac
cess with Tommy and several other security.
“Humans have a hard time seeing our true form,” he explained. “Supes can take it, but very young infected shifters can get a bit star struck if they’re not warned or haven’t seen us before.”
“Interesting,” I muttered, staring at him. He was still handsome, gorgeous even, but blander, almost like you could tell something was missing. It was cool but a bit disconcerting as well.
“Sorry, I didn’t know there was a time we were doing this,” Kate apologized as she hurried over to me. “I was working with the PR people about the statement I’m giving before my parents tell their lies.”
I gave her an easy smile. “We didn’t have a set time, and it’s fine. No one will yell or hurt you, Kate. If they do… They won’t. They know what my wrath would be, and the coven is all good people who haven’t had it easy either, okay? I know this is all hard, but just keep putting one foot in front of the other and we’ll make progress. You will.”
Helen gave me a funny look that I was giving emotional advice and being patient, but I just shrugged. I had been a lot more like Kate centuries ago than I’d ever admit to anyone, but I’d been a prisoner of my own family too.
Some days I felt as if I still was and wouldn’t ever be free of it all until my father was dead, but right then we had enough problems, so that was for another month or year.
“Do you know how to call someone only if they’re already here?” I asked Kate, smiling when she shook her head. “It’s the same, but you have to think of it as using the microwave at half power. You’re not calling them to you, but sending up the signal for them, and if they’re on this plane, they’ll feel it. It’s their choice to come check it out or not.”
I waited until she nodded and told the guys to get into place to set the barrier again. Once it was up, I took off my necklace, tossing it over to Tommy.
I gasped as I realized I wouldn’t have to call anyone as Hunt’s sister—the woman I’d seen from his memories—was standing right next to him.
“Never mind, she’s already here. Can you speak to her please? She and Hunt need the closure I promised before we send her back.” I growled when Mina basically shouted at me. “Hey, you have no idea what it’s like on this end. I’m sorry I didn’t hear you among the hundreds who were shouting at me that day on that case.”
I caught the necklace when Tommy tossed it, knowing this wasn’t something I could handle right then. Kate took over as I put back on my protection. Hunt went over to Kate after glancing at me a moment, and I focused on the banishing circle, adjusting it to send fifty this time. It was double what I had been doing, but I’d managed twenty-five several times before getting sick.
My current plan was to up the amount I sent, getting used to it each time, and at twice a day it would help the numbers of those trapped.
“Boss, she won’t leave until she talks to you again,” Kate called over after several minutes.
I went to argue, but I finally paid attention to them and saw Hunt looking destroyed and a bit relieved at the same time. I sighed and went over there, taking back off the necklace and tossing it to Tommy. I sighed again when I was hit with what she wanted.
“No, I won’t forgive him. I get he did it for you, but he still hurt a lot of us. I won’t trade your peace for mine.” I narrowed my eyes at her spirit. “And you shouldn’t want someone near him like that anyways. You should love him enough to make sure no one just gives him a pass and…” I growled when I felt her joy at what I was saying and why she was so happy.
“Wow, a soul playing matchmaker,” Kate chuckled nervously. “That’s a new one for me.”
“I’d like to say it was for me too, but I’ve been alive a lot longer than you,” I drawled, scrubbing my hands over my face. “Fine, go find peace thinking he could ever have some shot at being Mr. Soraya Devil. May you find peace and none disturb you again.” I growled when she yelled at me even if it wasn’t a real yell as souls didn’t speak. “No, I won’t promise that. I will promise I won’t kill him or let anyone else kill him over this.”
That appeased her, and she asked for several other things.
“Holy fuck, is she demanding,” Kate whispered, her eyes wide.
“She was always the fiercest person I’d ever met until Soraya,” Hunt chuckled, wiping his eyes and sniffling. “What does she want?”
“I will try,” I answered Mina instead. “I cannot promise that, as it’s been years and I don’t know what I’m dealing with, but if I can, I will. That’s the best I can give you, as I have a lot on my plate and people who count on me too.” I huffed when she didn’t like my answer. “It hurts me to fuck with that kind of stuff, child. I don’t just snap my fingers and erase pictures or change video, and the longer it’s out there, the harder it is to do.”
“She wants Soraya to make all the remaining porn she was in go away,” Kate explained to Hunt. “She says it kills you to know it’s out there and you spend way too much time searching for it, which so isn’t healthy, dude.”
It wasn’t, and I agreed with Mina it was warping Hunt even when she showed me how he reacted to it, but it wasn’t an easy request. “But the rest, yes. I can find those doctors and people who poisoned you and let Hunt eat them. That’s easy, and they were going to die anyways.” She tried for something for Hunt again, and I narrowed my eyes at her. “Don’t push your luck because I still want to push him off this building for what he did.”
She could tell I was being truthful and finally backed off, accepting what I was willing to give and let Kate take back over.
“She says to let her go and that she’s sorry losing her and how it happened ruined your life, but to seriously move on and enjoy the life you have because she’s going to find peace and some hot souls on the other side and be happy,” Kate told Hunt. He nodded, and she went over to the circle to send them.
“Please do it,” Hunt rasped, looking at me. “Please, I know I have no right to ask, but I know you will do it so she’ll make it, and I don’t understand all of this, and I know Kate’s awesome but she’s the novice and—”
“It’s fine, I get it,” I cut in, unable to hear anymore and way too tired for it being so early in the day. I moved over to the circle that had fifty souls in it waiting on me. “If anyone wants to tell us anything, now is the time and we’ll get you next time.” Four stepped out and Mina took one of their places, nodding she was ready. I looked to Hunt. “Last chance. Anything else?”
“No, she knows I love her, and I get she’s okay. Thank you.”
I nodded and knelt down, slapping my hand on the circle and thrusting my power into it to send them all. Maybe it was callous to move things along like that, but really, long goodbyes weren’t any easier than short ones, and there was never enough time.
Once they were all gone, I fell to the roof, part of me feeling like I launched with them.
“Don’t touch her!” someone bellowed, and while I appreciated that, the volume was a bit much.
“Shit, that will take some getting used to,” I panted as I rolled onto my back and rubbed my face. “You know how when you’re new to teleporting and that first time you’re seriously too tired to have done it you feel a bit like not all of you made it and it’s disorienting?” I waited until several people murmured they knew the feeling. “Yeah, it’s like that but you weren’t trying to go but your energy snaps back sort of.”
“She’s gone, she made it,” Kate assured Hunt, and I couldn’t even get upset because I did sound like I hadn’t maybe had it work right.
I said it for him just to make sure he knew. “Shut it down. We’ll get the next group before dinner, but you guys don’t need to hold the barrier. I’m done for a while.”
Someone helped me sit up, and I realized it was Hunt and he was slipping on my necklace he’d gotten from Tommy. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” I muttered, not wanting to deal with him and his emotions right then.
He didn’t believe me th
ough, lifting me into his arms protectively and carrying me off the roof. He set me on my feet once we were in the stairwell, waving back the others… Who wouldn’t listen to him.
“Please?” he asked me quietly.
I nodded, Tommy and everyone else giving us some space. I raised an eyebrow when Hunt and I were alone.
“Two things I wanted to check with you,” he started, staring into my eyes. “I accept all of this, I… I don’t know what I’m even feeling, but I want to help. I wanted to know if I can help with your calories and if you can make it so I can teleport on my own.”
I blinked at him a moment and then rolled my eyes. “Right, so you can just teleport and run away. I could still bring you back.”
He growled softly as he moved closer. “I don’t want to run and certainly not from you. I’m asking so I can teleport down to the cafeteria and get you more coffee or Gatorade as you’re dehydrated. Or more protein smoothies. If I can teleport to Helen when something is going on that would take something off your plate. I’m trying to figure out how to help more. I can eat a lot more if it would help you.”
I stared into his eyes that were pleading with me and found myself jumbled. “How far are you willing to go, Remy?”
He sucked in a harsh breath at hearing me say his name. “All the way, Soraya. I’m all in for whatever you need.”
“It’s not what I need,” I admitted. “It’s a matter of you fully understanding. How much do you want to know? Are you scared to see what’s behind the curtain?”
“Everything. I want to know everything and understand as much as I can,” he swore, his aura showing the same.
“So be it,” I muttered, touching the collar. “You want to see what I really go through? You’ll experience it all with me but will cut off before you reach a dangerous limit.”
“No, all the way.”
“No, because you can’t go as far as I can,” I told him firmly. “I’ve never done this with someone, and I promised your sister I wouldn’t kill you. I won’t leave you a vegetable or something just as bad. I’ll let you teleport to the front desk, the cafeteria, Jerome, Helen, Keegan, Tommy, or back to me. That’s it.” I pushed him away from me. “I give you until the end of the day before you beg me to make it stop.”