by Bethany Shaw
He grimaced. “You’d be correct, but I thought you rather enjoyed that part of my anatomy.”
“That’s the only reason I haven’t kneed you yet,” she teased with a laugh.
Good to know, he thought.
Cadence stared at him, wondering if he had any idea she was able to hear his thoughts right now.
Zak huffed and shook his head, clearly unamused. “Then what do you do after you knee me?”
“Once you release me, I’d... I’d punch you.” He stepped back and she balled her fist, mock-punching him in the jaw. “Then I’d run like hell.”
“Good plan,” he told her as he shoved her back into the tree trunk. “If I were human.” Zak wound his hand in her hair and tugged her head to the side almost hard enough to cause pain. “I’m a vampire.” His fangs dropped, and he stared at her with golden eyes. And your blood is amazing. Spidery veins crept out from the corners of his eyes, drawing a path to his temple. He inched forward and trailed his tongue over her pulse point. “I could drink from you, drain you dry right now if I wanted.”
Cadence closed her eyes. He was right. She did need to use her magic. Should they run into Malcolm again, she would need it. They’d been lucky so far, but luck only lasted so long.
Her ability to read his mind let her know magic was churning inside her. She needed to chase it down and harness it. She closed her eyes and focused on her ability to use telekinesis.
A surge of energy sparked within her. She followed the flow to her hand and fingers. Zak’s warmth left her, and a thud sounded several feet away. Her eyes popped open. Zak sat up, brushing dirt and grass from his tunic.
“Good!” He grinned at her. “Now, do it again.” His image blurred as he sped toward her.
Cadence squeaked as she tried to pinpoint where he was, knowing she had mere seconds to stop him. She held her hand up and pushed at the air. Zak materialized as he flew backwards. Cadence focused on him, gritting her teeth as she stopped his body from hitting the Earth. He hovered in the air at her mercy. That’s my girl, his voice whispered again. She set him down on the ground and fell back against the tree.
I did it! And I’m hearing his thoughts. Now if I could get the two to go hand in hand, I’d be a force to be reckoned with. She just hoped that doing magic would be less draining if she continued to practice.
Her chest heaved and sweat trickled down the back of her neck. She ran the back of her hand under her nose before glancing down at it. It came away clean. The magic had tired her, but hadn’t overexerted her.
Zak strode back over to her and cupped her cheeks with his hands, appraising her while turning her head from side to side. “Good job. Don’t be so nice to your opponents,” he said before pressing his lips to hers.
Cadence melted into him as her hands traveled the muscled planes of his back. His tongue dueled against hers. Heat bubbled up inside her as the ache started to build within her core. For the second time in a matter of minutes, her back was pressed against the tree trunk.
She wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him to her, wanting to feel him inside her, moving against her. Her hands went to his tunic trying to get it off. She seriously hated this seventeenth century clothing. It was much too hard to take off.
Biting his lip playfully, she put her foot behind his and shoved, knocking him to the ground. He looked up at her with wide eyes, which only made her smile as she straddled him. He let his guard down around her because on some small level he trusted her. Not that she could kill him, but she still felt good that he trusted her.
She frowned as his face changed to a scowl. He wiggled out from under her while yanking her to her feet, then dove into a protective stance in front of her. Cadence swallowed as she peered around him, wishing she could hear what he did.
We found them, Melanie’s jolly voice cried out in Cadence’s head.
She opened her mouth to tell Zak to stand down, but he spoke first. "It’s Harrison."
She couldn’t see them yet, but she squinted and took a step around Zak nonetheless.
“There.” He pointed to her right.
The black and green blur sped toward them until Harrison and Melanie came to an abrupt stop in front of them.
"Zak, Cadence. We have been looking all over for you," Harrison said, smiling at them before opening his arms and wrapping them around his brother.
"We are glad to see you safe," Melanie said as she hugged Cadence.
“It’s good to see you too,” Cadence mumbled into Melanie’s hair.
“How did you find us?” Zak asked as he pulled back. His eyes darted to the fields behind the pair.
“Father,” Harrison said, clapping Zak on the back. “We’ve been following Father up until two days ago. I’m just thankful we found you first.”
“He’s here? In Rome?” Cadence gasped, turning to Zak. They’d thought they were safe. It looked like they were wrong.
“No.” Harrison shook his head. “We found your trail by chance. Father was going north, away from the city.”
***
“What did the witch want?” Grace inquired as Oliver closed the front door to their mansion.
“To inform us Mother plans to annihilate us and that she has everything she needs to complete the spell,” Oliver said. He walked past his little sister and toward the winding staircase that led to the bedrooms.
“We already knew that,” Grace said. Her heels clicked on the marble floor as she followed behind him. “Anything else?”
“No. But Jamie doesn’t know that her sister witch is part of Mother’s plans. We could use that to our advantage,” he said, voicing his earlier thoughts about letting Jamie in on what was happening.
“We need to kill Maddie,” Grace said, making a face at him.
“Mother needs to kill her, too. But if we come clean first, maybe we can use that to our advantage. The witch is going to die. The question is by whose hand. We have an alternative to death that we can offer,” Oliver said as he lifted his brow.
“Vampirism? She’d never agree,” Grace said. “You’re insane if you think she would. Look at that pathetic boy Zak turned. What was his name? He wasn’t even a witch with active powers and he still whines about what he lost. Could you imagine a witch with power? She’ll never go for it.”
“It’s something to consider,” Oliver argued. “We are running out of time and options. The coven has the girl. We do not. She is heavily guarded. Even if we mounted an attack, it might not go in our favor.”
“Please.” Grace rolled her eyes.
“We have another matter to discuss first,” Eli announced as he opened the door to his office and motioned them to follow him inside.
Oliver shared a look with Grace. Eli was practical, and he wasn’t one to exaggerate. Whatever had come up couldn’t be good.
“What’s going on?” Oliver wondered as he followed his siblings into the office.
Eli shut the door behind him and walked to the bar in the far corner. Why his brother insisted on keeping it stocked was beyond Oliver. Vampires couldn’t get drunk. Even a buzz wore off quickly. Still, his brother insisted on having the best stock of liquor wherever they resided.
His brother pulled out three tumblers and poured brandy into each of them. He handed one to Grace and one to Oliver before picking up his own, smelling it, and downing the contents.
“I spoke with Damian,” Eli began as he poured himself another glass.
“And?” Grace asked, sipping her brandy.
Damian was in charge of the clan in Italy. He was a trusted member, and was nearly as old as Oliver and his family.
“Mother’s sent people there,” Eli said. “They’ve found Father – well, the part of him that’s there. They are having his arm excavated as we speak.”
“And the rest of him?” Grace asked as she eyed the amber liquid in her tumbler.
“Two teams are digging in Peru and Canada,” he replied as he gulped his brandy. “The other two places haven’t been to
uched — yet. I’m having those two pieces moved, but it is only a matter of time. Mother is undoubtedly using a locator spell. Once Father’s corpse is reassembled, he will reanimate and can be in the States within a day’s time.”
“Will he be here by the full moon?” Grace asked before pouring the entirety of her alcohol into her mouth.
“Of course he will,” Oliver answered. Their mother always had a plan. They’d just never realized how conniving and manipulative she was when they were human.
“Which brings me back to Oliver’s suggestion about the witch,” Eli concluded.
“You think we should tell her?” Grace whispered, setting her tumbler down on an end table and strutting forward.
“Yes,” Eli answered.
“I agree,” Oliver spoke up.
“You both are mad,” Grace said. “We could push Jamie away by confiding in her. We may need her to get Zak home. I won’t abandon our brother.”
“If we don’t obtain the young witch’s blood, it will not matter where Zak is,” Eli said.
“What if turning her doesn’t work? What if her blood is still toxic?” Grace asked.
“It’s a calculated risk,” Eli said. “Vampirism changes the components of the body. It freezes and preserves the person just as they are. The body is no longer alive — neither is the blood. It would stand to reason that her blood would be useless to use against us.”
“And we expect the witch, Maddie, to go along with this? To willingly become a vampire? Have you two lost your minds?” Grace asked, shifting her gaze between the pair of them.
“Like I said, it is a calculated risk. The witch is going to die one way or another. We can offer something Mother can’t,” Eli said.
“Vampirism?” Grace scoffed shaking her head. “It’s a curse, not a blessing. The three of us should know that more than anyone else.”
“It’s a better death than the one Mother will offer,” Oliver said. “Mother intends to sacrifice her. The witch’s death will be excruciating and drawn out during the spell. We can offer a quick, easy death with the opportunity for eternal life. I’m sure Jamie and Maddie will dislike both options, but when backed against the wall, it’s clear which option is the best.”
“What if this Maddie girl’s loyalty is to her coven and she doesn’t care that she will be slaughtered and offered as a sacrifice?” Grace protested.
“What is the first thing we learned as young witches?” Eli asked as he grasped Grace’s shoulders.
“It is a witch’s duty to maintain the balance of nature,” Grace mumbled. The mantra had been beaten into their heads as children. Even though none of them had really practiced magic much, their mother had ensured they knew the foundations.
Eli glanced to Oliver, then back to Grace. “Vampires have been integrated into the magical balance for centuries. It would disrupt the balance to kill all of us. If she follows the laws of magic, she should know that. The witch, Jamie, seems to observe this. It is logical to think her friend would, too. We need the girl. There is no other way for us to obtain her. She is heavily guarded at the coven’s mansion. Many lives will be lost if we try to take her. And we will lose Jamie’s assistance.”
“I don’t trust any of the witches,” Grace said.
Oliver chuckled. “We don’t have a choice, Sister. We need the witches.”
Grace shot him a deadly glare. “You’re just saying that because you have a hard-on for Jamie.”
Oliver smirked and nodded. Jamie was hot. There was no denying that. “If we don’t play our cards right, we could lose our most valuable asset.”
“Jaime’s not — ”
Oliver cut Grace off. “I’m talking about Cadence.”
“Cadence?” his siblings uttered at the same time.
“That girl is worthless. She has no active magic,” Grace said.
Oliver shook his head. His siblings had no idea. “No, she isn’t. She was sent with Zak on purpose. I’m sure of it.”
“That’s right,” Grace started, shrugging away from Eli and tilting her head to the side with a sneer. “She did compel you, didn’t she? What did she say, Oliver? Maybe it’s still having an effect on you after all these years.”
Oliver narrowed his eyes. Leave it to Grace to throw that in his face.
“I didn’t just run into them that one time when I was human,” he admitted. “I saw them again. Zak has bonded to Cadence.”
“You’re sure?” Eli asked before downing the remaining contents of his glass.
“When did you see them?” Grace asked.
“It doesn’t matter,” he told them. “I’ve never seen Zakariah like that before. I don’t believe the bond is complete, but it was started.” He inhaled, trying to determine how much he should tell them. “She was wearing Mother’s sapphire necklace, too.”
“How would she have gotten that?” Eli asked.
“Zak,” Oliver told them simply. “How he got his hands on it is beyond me. Mother never took that thing off when she was alive.”
“It doesn’t change the fact that she is worthless as an ally,” Grace argued.
“What if she isn’t worthless? What if she is powerful? Mother has been communicating with the coven for some time. What if she warned them and had them bind Cadence’s magic?” Oliver continued. Cadence was a valuable asset, one they needed to keep. That was why Maddie needed to be killed and turned before Zak and Cadence returned home. Then Zak wouldn’t be held responsible for the witch’s death.
“We must proceed with caution,” Eli said. “Invite the witch here, Oliver. She trusts you to an extent, but I think we should tell her about Maddie together.”
Oliver nodded. He prayed they were doing the right thing. They couldn’t afford to lose Cadence, Jamie, or Maddie. Their lives were in the hands of the witches.
Chapter Seven
“You’re up early,” Zak said, meeting his brother’s eyes as he eased back into the house. His eyes darted around the kitchen, but it didn’t appear anyone else was awake.
“I could say the same for you,” Harrison said, lifting his brow before returning to the pantry and pulling out a few staples for breakfast.
God love Zak’s brother, but he wasn’t taking full advantage of his immortality. The only person who needed actual food, besides their hosts, which he didn't care about, was Cadence. Surely Harrison wasn’t cooking for her.
Harrison explained without having to be asked. “Melanie enjoys eating. I’ll make enough for you and Cadence, too.”
“Thanks,” Zak said. His belly was full, having just fed on one of the stable workers. It was getting harder and harder to keep from biting Cadence. Her blood called to him. He needed to tell her about the bond, but how could he?
“I’m glad we were able to find you. I was worried for a bit that we wouldn’t. Father... he...” Harrison began, but stopped.
“We don’t need to speak of him,” Zak said as he held up his hand. No doubt his baby brother had seen things he wished he hadn’t.
Harrison nodded in agreement and changed the subject. “Cadence seems to be coming into her powers.”
“Indeed. I was going to ask you about that. A witch bound them. The spell she used is wearing off, according to Cadence. Can you help me teach her to control them?” he asked. If he knew the first thing about magic he wouldn’t bother asking, but he didn’t. Harrison had always been the strongest witch aside from their mother.
Harrison frowned and set down the items in his hands. “Zak, a binding spell doesn’t just wear off.”
“What do you mean? Her magic seems to be steadier. She had good control yesterday.” He frowned while leaning against the doorframe. Good didn’t describe what she’d done. Excellent was more like it.
“That’s not how it works. A binding spell should be unbreakable unless the witch who placed it lifts it.” Harrison picked up a loaf of bread to slice. “Seeing as how you’re not in the right time, that’s not possible.”
“I’ve seen her po
wers get stronger,” Zak said. He gritted his teeth as he recalled something Cadence told him. “She mentioned the witch rebinding her magic periodically. Why would the witch need to do that if the spell was unbreakable?”
Harrison dropped the bread in his hand and gaped. “If what you’re saying is true, then Cadence is more powerful than the witch binding her. She could be a very powerful witch. Why would they bind her magic? Why not teach her? It’s dangerous. She could lose control. The more magic a witch has, the more unstable it is unless they know how to use it,” Harrison blurted in one breath.
“Help me teach her.” She’d lost control once and still had guilt for the life she’d taken — even if the bastard deserved to die. He didn’t want her to hurt anyone else. If Harrison were correct, which he didn’t doubt, then Cadence would only grow stronger.
“What powers does she have?” Harrison inquired as he picked up the bread again, slicing the bread into thick, even pieces.
“Telekinesis and she can hear thoughts occasionally,” Zak replied. He gulped and scrubbed a hand over his face. He’d nearly forgotten her last ability. What if she heard him thinking about the bond? If she had, she hadn’t mentioned it, and he was certain that would raise questions. This was getting more and more complicated.
“Can she do anything else?” Harrison asked as he broke an egg and dropped the yolk into a bowl.
“When Father attacked us, she threw him across the room and his body caught fire.” That was more than just telekinesis.
“Caught fire?” Harrison turned back to him and swallowed. “Like he fell into a lantern and it fell over, or Cadence caught him on fire?”
“She caught him on fire,” Zak replied. The fire had come from her.
Harrison blinked and ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll be.”
“What?”
“She can control the elements,” he whispered.
“The elements,” Zak repeated. His brother was speaking riddles. He should’ve paid more attention as a boy when his mother spoke of magic. Who would think he’d need that knowledge hundreds of years later?
“Earth, air, water, and fire to put it simply. Only the most powerful witches have that magic, Zak.”