Striking Souls

by Erin R Flynn

  He growled against my mouth, sounding more wolf than man as he filled me with every drop he could give me. I came a second time while he was still finishing sounding almost pained, it was so strong.

  Our bodies shook when we were done, locked together and wrapped around each other.

  “Holy fuck, Soraya,” he panted, lowering his sweaty forehead to mine. “My gods, I’ve never felt a fraction of that before.”

  “Shut up,” I whispered, turning away. “It was just fucking.”

  But that was a lie and we both knew it. He didn’t push it though even if he didn’t get off me right away. Instead, he kissed along my neck and shoulder. He moved to the nipple he could reach and still be inside of me, teasing it until I let out a noise, unable to take anymore attention. “Promise me we can do this again.”

  “No.”

  “I could keep going. You said as I want.”

  “I said until you wear me out, and I’m worn out.”

  “I could fix that,” he muttered after a moment.

  “No, you couldn’t,” I mumbled, exhausted and all that swirling energy out of me. I knew nothing would hold off the crash that was coming now that it was gone, the exhaustion of using all the power finally hitting me instead of excess chi adrenaline or whatever it was that happened to me.

  “Please, Soraya?” he begged, kissing my neck again and that damn spot under my ear I loved.

  “No, you don’t deserve it.”

  “I know I don’t, but we both know it was more than fucking.”

  “I hate you,” I whispered as I drifted off, not hearing whatever his reply or argument was next.

  I woke naked with Hunt wrapped around me and his face buried in my neck, not to mention his hands somewhere indecent. Letting out a sigh, I wiggled out of his arms, shocked he was such a deep sleeper and he didn’t wake. Then again, I might have worn out the pup. I shook my head, trying not to focus on regretting the can of worms I’d opened last night by allowing him to touch me.

  I never said I was sane after all.

  Deciding to have some needed fun, I waited until I was done with my shower and ‘ported him to me. Still asleep.

  “What the fuck?” he bellowed, blocking the water from his face since I’d also turned it to pretty cold. I laughed so hard I almost fell over as I stepped out of the shower, his cussing continuing as I reached for a bath sheet. It finally stopped when I reached my room, waving my wrist to use my power to dry off and dress.

  And decided I wanted more fun. I needed more laughs.

  So I popped down to the lobby… Hunt coming with me.

  “Soraya!” he snarled, using his hands to cover his groin as water dripped off of him all over the lobby.

  “Um, what’s going on here?” Helen asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “She’s found a new game of teleporting me at the worst times,” Hunt drawled, rolling his eyes at me as I leaned over the front desk I was laughing so hard. I couldn’t even focus enough to fix it, any kiddies or anyone seeing his naked ass and whatever he wasn’t covering.

  “It is a fun new game,” I agreed, gasping for air and laughing all over again.

  Helen took pity on him and finished his shower and dressed him in something like what he normally wore, shaking her head at my antics.

  “Hey, I need to go to the roof, so I could have brought him there,” I defended.

  “I would have frozen solid,” he grumbled, shooting me a look like he was thinking about revenge.

  “You should shower faster,” I taunted.

  “I cleaned the mess from the bath before—” He started, but I cut him off by popping us up to the roof.

  “Watch it, dog,” I warned.

  “I haven’t had coffee yet,” he defended, both our mirth gone. We weren’t dating or lovers like that. “And I was disoriented from how I woke and then the lobby.”

  I shrugged. Fair enough.

  I blinked at Brax and the jars that were still going strong, not even half used. “Well, that turned out better than I’d have thought.”

  He nodded, crossing his arms over his wide chest. “The taking turns gives each jar time to almost completely recharge, but not quite, so it takes a while for them to decrease. If you added another six jars, you could do twenty at a time and draw out the length of the jars for much longer.”

  I didn’t even hide my shock. “You understand what those jars are, right?”

  He gave a firm nod, not looking at me. “It’s one thing for me to smite evil and another for me to torture, but I’m not the one doing it. We face desperate times, and honestly this makes such a small, small dent in the problem that I would much rather do this than risk you, as I saw how much sending fifty took out of you.” He did look at me then. “I would like to ask one of my siblings to watch over this so I might join you for the interviews.”

  “You’re worried demons or whoever will send people to take this out,” I surmised, sighing when he nodded. “Fine, but this is not going to become angel central especially since you said most want to force me to take out greater demons or whatever.”

  “Agreed. I have several siblings who are of the same opinion we are. I would ask them to rotate shifts and guard the circle. I also think keeping the numbers lower, no more than twenty at a time, will keep this off the radar best. Slow and steady wins the race and all of that.”

  “Or we could maybe set up another few slow circles if this is only making a small, small dent,” I muttered, bobbing my head. “It gives us a good start to fixing the veil while going after the cause of all of this.”

  He gave me an appraising look. “You are incredibly dedicated to a fight you would not choose a side on. I do not understand the change in heart.”

  I chuckled as I flipped my hair over my shoulder. “Darling, I don’t do anything half assed. If I commit to something, I’m all in. This is not the only huge issue on my plate, and pussyfooting around takes more energy and focus that I cannot spare at the moment. Ask who you need and at least introduce them to Tommy so there are no problems.”

  “I was going to have them stay cloaked.”

  I shook my head. “No, because I don’t keep secrets from my security and we need to be on the same page so nothing happens. They could come check and not know this sibling or not understand they’re on my team. I get you guys stay hidden and that’s best, but not on this. I might not be fully on your team, but we’re on the team of fixing the veil and keeping the planes strong, so time to introduce those playing with us.”

  “As you wish,” he agreed after a moment.

  I ‘ported to my workroom next, checking on both spells. I sent the hundreds of rubies to the correct storage drawer and the empty chi jar to where it would be used in the factory to hold some sort of cream but nothing with chi, as the energy could mess up from reusing them in that way. The diamond spell was still going, the jars not having as much juice left as the ones sending souls but at least several more hours.

  “Wow, they really are good fucking batteries,” I whispered, shaking my head at the pile of pink diamonds. “I might actually hire the ancients to help me with some other issues.”

  “It’s a slippery slope,” Hunt muttered, bobbing his head. “I was thinking about the cartel problem in Peru and how if you did the same with them, you could turn evil into pink diamonds to help the people there they hurt. But what is the line? One murder? Five? What deserves that sort of punishment?”

  I shrugged, not wanting to get into a morality debate with someone who betrayed supes and my coven specifically. It seemed a bit like banging my head against the wall, and I tried to do that as little as possible.

  Next came breakfast and discussing options about Peru while loading up on calories. I noted how much Hunt was ingesting as well and found myself wondering how much it helped to have him tied to me, not just for the extra chi and power, but grounding. I shook off the train of thought and focused on the conversation.

  Tommy found me when we were done, pulling me of
f to the side. I gave him the satchel of diamonds. “We still have the same contact buying?”

  “Yes, I will handle it,” he promised but then cleared his throat. “I didn’t mean to pry, but I caught some red tones to Helen’s aura. Is she with someone?”

  I shook my head, pinching the bridge of my nose as I swallowed a chuckle. “Oh, Tommy, you are the very best at your job, but you are about as oblivious as I am when it comes to just about everything else.”

  “She likes you,” Hunt explained for me when Tommy gave me a blank look. “I smelled it the first time you were both around me.”

  I nodded when Tommy raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, Tommy, you’re a bit dense on that.”

  He frowned, moving to block out Hunt from the conversation as if he wouldn’t still hear us. “So are you, boss. You always have been.”

  His meaning hit me like a punch to the stomach after all the other hits I’d had lately. “Tommy, I’m sorry, I don’t—”

  “I know,” he said sadly.

  “No, you don’t,” I argued, moving my hand to his arm and meeting his gaze. “You are a wonderful man, truly as close as a man can come to perfect. Any woman would be lucky to have you. It is not anything you are lacking, and I would be honored to have such a man as you stand at my side.” I hurried to continue when I saw hope in his eyes. “I still see the boy who used to burp to make me laugh when I was stressed when I look at you, Tommy.”

  “I haven’t been that boy in over a century, Soraya,” he grumbled.

  “I know, but I loved that boy like a nephew and watched him grow into one of the finest men I’ve ever met in all my years. I still love you like a nephew though. I’m sorry. You are truly the closest thing I have to family. You, Helen, Keegan, and Jerome are family to me if I could ever let you in fully. And that’s my failing, not yours. Please do not waste your love or heart on me when I’m so broken and see you as I do. Be happy, child.”

  “Okay,” he murmured, sounding like the little boy I’d rescued long ago instead of the confident man he’d become. He leaned down and kissed my cheek. “Be careful at this next shit and let Hunt cover your back. He might be a rat bastard, but he’s good and sharp, so trust that.”

  I nodded and watched him walk away, sighing at the big land mine I’d not even noted was there and worried I’d hurt him. Finally I shook it off and was glad at least when Hunt didn’t say anything, leaving it alone.

  Next came the meetings at PI, and I didn’t have much hope, as I tended to be a realist and after centuries of dealing with humans with powers, not many made me think well of them. Kate was the rare exception.

  The very rare exception.

  I saw a big name performing psychic standing in front of the others gathered, noting how impressive it was that Helen and her team had gathered them so fast. Hunt let out a whistle when no one seemed to notice or settle now that I had arrived. I ignored how he kept being useful and instead made my charged tablet appear and handed it to him.

  “Thank you for coming,” I greeted the gathered group. “I will explain why we’ve asked you here in more depth once we’ve sorted you as needed.”

  Trina Oliver, the “big name,” headed right for me and smiled brightly. “Some of us have important schedules to keep, so if we could prioritize, that would be helpful when we answered your ‘summons’ as if you have the right to summon us.”

  “It wasn’t mandatory,” I reminded, giving her a bored look. “But I am your elder.” I blinked at her and smirked. “Well, not your elder as you have no gift whatsoever.”

  She sighed heavily, putting on the dramatics I’d seen from the few snippets of her show I’d caught over the years. “It’s so sad when your heroes fall sort. I never thought the great Soraya Devil wouldn’t be sensitive to the gifts of others.”

  I gave her an evil grin, knowing full well it didn’t reach my eyes as I moved closer to her. “You can’t sense others, and neither can the other psychics, mediums, or casters here. I absolutely can, as I’m an enchanter, the Enchantress. And you don’t have a drop of anything, darling.” I nodded to the woman next to her. “But she does.” I glanced around for Helen, nodding when I saw her. “Revoke her license.”

  “You can’t do that,” Trina seethed, moving closer like she might start shit. Hunt was pushing me behind him before I could even blink.

  “Yes, she can, so watch yourself,” he warned her.

  “Who are you?” I asked the woman with power, glancing between them and seeing the same eyes. “Sister?”

  “Yes, Ms. Devil,” she muttered, rubbing her arm nervously. “Her younger sister.”

  “Why are you speaking?” Trina snapped, and I got pissed.

  “You don’t own her,” I sneered. “She’s your sister, for fuck’s sake.” I waved Kate over so they’d see her front and center now that her interview had played to the media and people knew she’d fled her abusive and controlling family instead of whatever lies they might tell. They nodded to each other, seeming to know each other. “You’ve met?”

  “Yes, we worked the same circuit so to speak,” Kate answered. “I didn’t know you had the gift though, Sara.”

  “Shut it,” Trina warned. “Remember where your loyalty is and who gave you everything.”

  “Oh, I think she gave you everything and you treat her like shit,” I drawled. “So you’ve got the flashy looks and the slick tongue to lie and play up the show to the cameras, but she has the gift. She has the power, and she has to suffer with it. She’s not even got a blocking charm. You call yourself family, and you don’t even give her that?”

  “I wear one because I have the power,” Trina argued, holding it up.

  “That’s a rock and we both know it.” I popped Trina across the lobby and focused on Sara. “Would you like a new life and a chance to be free of her?”

  “She owns everything,” Sara worried. “Everything is hers. I blinked, and this was just my life one day. I’m under a non-compete contract to work for her and everything.”

  “There are always ways around that,” Helen assured her. “Let us protect you as we did Kate. No strings. I’ll get your sister’s license pulled, and everything will fall. Let us get you clear of it.” She handed a charm like the one I wore to the young woman. “I bought several from the hive that made yours just in case.”

  “Of course you did because you’re always perfect, darling,” I praised.

  “Oh my word,” Sara rasped after she had the necklace on. “It’s all stopped. No soul is shouting at me or smashing into my energy. I don’t have to put every ounce into protecting myself and keeping them off of me.”

  “You poor thing,” I murmured, heading over and giving her a hug. “We know what that’s like. You’re safe now.” I turned Sara when I heard Trina shouting at us as she got closer. “I would get out of my sight before I do something bad that you will never recover from. You have been torturing your fucking sister for your own selfish…”

  I gave her a smile as I let go of Sara and Kate took my place.

  “You want power? Sure, why not?” I popped over to her and touched her forehead, chanting as I let my magic flare. “There, now you will understand. Now you will know what you’ve done and how you will burn in Hades for it when you die.” I ‘ported her and her entourage back home, winking at Sara when I turned around.

  “Giving her any sort of power isn’t smart,” she warned.

  “I didn’t,” I promised. “She won’t have any control. She’ll feel and experience what we do for a few days, and if it doesn’t drive her completely insane, maybe she’ll realize how horrid she is.”

  “Thank you, Enchantress,” she whispered, dipping her head to me. “Thank you.”

  “Not a problem. I love dishing it out.” I smirked around the building when I saw some people heading for the exits. “Oh no, you don’t get to slither your way out now that you realize you’re fucked.” I turned back to Sara. “For now we’re going to get you set up with Kate in her apartment. I’m goi
ng to add a few floors to our building—”

  “No, you’re not doing that again,” Hunt said under his breath.

  “I won’t go from the bottom,” I assured him. “I’ve been wanting to upgrade certain residences to better as they deserve, but they keep pushing me off, so now we need the room. I do think we need to redesign the guest floors to be larger suites as we keep bringing in groups.”

  “I’ll get the architect on it,” Helen sighed, knowing her apartment was one of the ones I was talking about. She deserved better than the two bedroom apartment she had. She was vice president of a major corporation and should be a bit spoiled for all she did. Heck, even pushing back allowing me to do it for years was enough to deserve it.

  One of Tommy’s guys arrived, and I waved him over. “Once Sara has a chance to rest, I want one of you to speak with her and get as many names as you can. This was the invite, but we both know it won’t work twice. From here we’re going to invite ourselves over.”

  “Got it, boss. So anyone you decide to help we’re interviewing?”

  “Yes, but we also need the ones who are frauds,” I muttered, rubbing my shoulder. “I don’t have access to the license database unless I’m on the licensing board.”

  “Oh, getting access isn’t a problem,” Helen assured me.

  I shook my head. “Of course it’s not. Okay, that makes this easier. Fine, we might need to figure a plan for those not licensed, hiding, or doing bad things.”

  “Didn’t you mention maybe hiring the ancients?” Hunt asked, and we all gave him confused looks. “Do you have those chi fizzies for a psychic? An enchanter can take them to a major city and let them run around and find them all. They were crazy fast and could cut the time.”

  “He’s not completely useless,” Helen muttered, bobbing her head. “Okay, sounds like a plan. I’ll get into it with Walter and we can test it out before we talk to the ancient nests.”