I grumbled quietly. It still wouldn’t budge.
Logan continued talking, forcing my attention back to my surroundings.
“The magical barrier deters potential land seekers or hunters, and even if somebody did wander into this area, despite the sorcerer’s magic, they wouldn’t see any of our buildings or any of us, even if we were walking around in the middle of the day.”
“Is that witch magic?” I asked.
He nodded. “Combine the witches’ cloaking spells with the sorcerers’ deterrent and mind spells, and we have a perfectly hidden location in plain sight.”
“Would we see humans walking around here even though they couldn’t see us?” I glanced Logan’s way, taking in the hard edge of his jaw and his aquiline profile. I wish I could touch him. Sometimes, he was so beautiful, he took my breath away.
“Yeah, we would see them, if that were to happen, which it rarely does,” Logan replied.
“So what happens if a human does walk here?”
“We send out whichever sorcerer is on the clock at the time to deter them. That usually works like a charm.”
I smiled cheekily up at him. “No pun intended.”
Logan grinned, seeming to enjoy my newfound lightheartedness.
Brodie snickered. “Any encounter with a sorcerer completely messes with a human’s head. According to Douglas, the last time anyone made the poor choice to come near this facility, they had a headache for three days straight and had nightmares anytime they pondered returning to these foothills.”
“Sounds like it works pretty well.”
I pushed away from the window, and we carried on down the hall.
Logan and Brodie showed me the various areas of the Supernatural Forces headquarters. Most of the large facility consisted of huge training rooms, outdoor combat areas, shooting ranges in case they used human weapons, and living barracks. Logan informed me that the more top-secret information resided in the lower subterranean levels, and not surprisingly, I wasn’t allowed to go down there.
“So where will I be staying for the next few nights?” I asked, shielding my eyes from the setting sun.
We stood outside beside another intricate jungle of ropes, ladders, pits, and walls—all part of a normal day’s workout, according to Brodie. The sun’s last rays cut through the distant hills as the scent of pine needles carried on the wind.
Logan cocked his head. “In my apartment, of course.”
“But you know I can’t—” I lowered my voice, hoping Brodie wouldn’t hear. “That I can’t sleep near you,” I whispered.
I knew my embarrassment was silly since I had no control over the dark power, yet I felt inadequate, as if I were a brand-new witch in her infancy trying to learn her powers all over again. The last time I’d felt that inept was when I was ten years old. But try as I might, I still felt as embarrassed as hell.
Logan’s gaze didn’t waver. “I’ll sleep on the floor. Don’t worry.” He hooked a thumb back toward the main building. “Should we go find Wes?”
I nodded vigorously, and other than a curious tilt of his head, Brodie didn’t comment.
Dry wind cut through the trees when we headed back to the large building. Since the facility was so huge, it was strange to think that humans wouldn’t be able to see it. The square structure appeared simple yet intimidating. Windows dotted the two stories above ground, and everything else looked hard and concrete, except for the brick barracks behind us, but none of it seemed magical. Headquarters simply looked like a military training facility.
“What do humans see when they look at this?”
Brodie shrugged. “Just fields, grass, and trees. You know, boring stuff.”
Once inside, we headed to an elevator. Our feet tapped along the concrete as we traveled down another hallway.
“I need to go down to one of the subterranean levels to get Wes.” Logan checked his phone again. “I sent him a message to let him know we arrived, but I haven’t heard back yet. He must be caught up in something.” He turned toward me, hands on his hips. “Can you stay here and wait for me?” His expression turned apologetic. “I can’t take you down there.”
“Yeah, I know. I’ll stay here.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep her company.” Brodie waggled his eyebrows.
Logan hit the button on the elevator. “I won’t be long, and Brodie, try not to steal my girlfriend.”
“You know I don’t make promises I can’t keep.” A buzz sounded from Brodie’s pocket. He pulled out his cell phone, and a grin lit up his face. “Speaking of stealing your girlfriend away … looks like a few are heading out for the night to hit some of the downtown bars. Want to go? If Wes is busy, it may be a good way to pass time tonight. You can see him first thing tomorrow morning.”
My heart jumped into my throat at the thought of being in a crowded bar with intoxicated humans and supernaturals. If someone were to accidentally brush against me or startle me…
I twisted my hands. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
The elevator door dinged open just as Logan shook his head. “Not for us. You go on ahead.”
“Seriously?” Brodie’s dazzling blue eyes dimmed. “Not even one drink on your first night here?”
“Normally, I’d love to, but…” I wrung my hands more.
“Not tonight,” Logan said firmly. The pitch of his voice changed, eliciting goose bumps from me. I’d only heard that tone from him one other time, when I’d overheard Brodie talking about me in a less than flattering way outside Peter’s magic shop a few weeks earlier, before I knew Logan and his friends were werewolves.
Brodie immediately stepped back, his head dipping down. “Sure. No problem. I’ll catch you guys tomorrow. And, Daria, no running away.”
He turned on his heel and disappeared around one of the turns. I cocked my head just as Logan stepped into the elevator. “What just happened?”
He grinned. “Just asserted a little dominance in my tone. It comes in handy at times. Now, wait here, and don’t go anywhere, got it? Not even if you hear something weird. Stay put. I’ll be back in a minute.”
The elevator doors closed, leaving me in the empty hallway. Stunned, I leaned against the wall, shaking my head. I’d just learned another new thing about Logan. Apparently, he was a dominant werewolf. So what does that mean? Is he an alpha or something?
I pinched the bridge of my nose. I could add that to my list of growing questions.
As I waited and waited for Logan to return, I readjusted my backpack at least a dozen times and checked my phone twice that many. I had reception but no new messages from Logan.
When twenty minutes passed, I figured he got roped into something. Sighing, I leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. I pulled a book out of my bag and was about to crack it open when a faint yell reached my ears. I straightened.
“Help!”
My eyes widened. The scream was faint, but someone had definitely called for help.
“Please! Please help me!”
I hastily rose from the floor and sprinted in the direction that I’d heard the call.
“Help me!”
I rounded the corner, my feet slapping against the floor, and a twinge from my werewolf bite worked its way up my calf. Commotion sounded behind a pair of double doors at the end of the hall.
I didn’t think when I reached them, merely reacted. I wrenched the doors open and flew inside.
An explosion of fiery light assaulted me the second I stepped into the room. Bright, hot magic flowed over my skin and sucked my breath away. I yelped as pain from the magic burned my skin and burrowed into my chest.
Screaming, I sank to the floor, and in that second, when I expected the magic I’d been hit with to kill me, the dark power responded.
A rush of power burst to life inside me and flowed from every pore. The lethal magic I’d been hit with tried to burrow into my heart, but the dark power shielded me. The pain from the magic evaporated as it ricocheted off
the darkness, shooting from my chest across the room. Red light tore from my body.
Following that, someone screamed.
Chapter 12
“Phoenix?” a woman yelled. “No! Shit! Phoenix!”
My breath came out in a rush as my heart pounded. I rose from the floor, my movements sluggish from whatever the hell had just happened to me.
I stood in some kind of warehouse filled with obstacles and training equipment. The lights were dim, making it hard to see, but I watched, stunned, as five men and women rushed toward a fallen man.
All of them wore combat gear and goggles and carried some kind of weapon. One of the women dropped her strange-looking gun, fell to her knees, and cradled the injured man in her lap.
Blood poured from his side, and a deep pit formed in my stomach. Did I do that?
“Get help!” the woman screamed.
I backed against the wall just as two men and a woman ran past me and out the door, only one glancing my way on his way out.
My queasiness intensified as I remembered the red light that had shot from me. Blood continued to pour from the man. Once again, the dark power had rushed to my aid. What have I done?
“Where’s the medic?” the woman yelled. She tore her goggles and helmet off. Long brown hair cascaded down her back, hiding her face from view.
My healing instincts kicked into action. I pushed away from the wall and ran toward them.
Only the woman cradling the man and one other supernatural remained in the room. Both were trying to stop the bleeding coming from the injured man’s side, but a dark-red river of blood gushed out despite their best efforts.
I skidded to a stop next to them, quickly assessing the situation. The man lay listlessly, his complexion terrifyingly pale. He’s losing too much blood.
The woman’s head snapped in my direction. “Who the hell are you?” She protectively cradled the injured man to her, as if unsure if I would hurt him again. “Ray?”
The other man, a huge guy with ebony skin, kept one hand on the injured man’s side, but he lifted his other hand and muttered a spell. A swirling ball appeared from his palm, ready to strike.
I held up my hands in surrender. “I’m sorry. I’m Daria Gresham. I came through those doors when I heard a call for help. I shouldn’t have—” But I stopped talking. We were wasting time, and time was exactly what we didn’t have. If I didn’t act immediately, the man would die. “Help me get his shirt off.” I fell to my knees next to them.
The woman clutched the injured man tighter to her. “Daria Gresham?” She glanced at her comrade.
Ray dropped his hand, and the swirling spell disappeared. He resumed pressing both hands against the man’s side, trying to stop the blood again. “She’s that healing witch.”
“I can save him, but if we don’t act now, he will die!” The dark power and my healing light both rushed forward when I called upon my light. It took everything in me to control the dark power and not let it erupt. Sweat popped up on my brow.
The woman’s panicked eyes met mine. Maybe it was something in my tone, or maybe it was because nothing she was doing was saving the man, but she gave a curt nod and began removing his combat shirt.
“Let me.” Ray mumbled a few words under his breath. The injured man’s shirt vanished.
I saw the wound then, a large open gash. “What’s his name?” I asked tersely.
“Phoenix,” she replied.
Phoenix’s lips had already turned blue, and his skin was deathly pale. “Move back, and don’t say a word!”
They both scrambled away, letting Phoenix’s listless body loll on the floor. I hovered my hands over him and closed my eyes.
A part of me knew that I probably couldn’t heal him. The dark power could rush up again and finish what it had started, but if I did nothing, death was inevitable.
Please! Please work!
My palms grew hot as I called up my healing light. Pain sparked along my nerves. The dark power wanted to rise, too, but I pushed it down as hard as I could. It took everything in me to try to separate the powers. They both responded, both wanting to do what I asked of them. In a way, they felt like one, but at the moment I only needed my light.
Stay back! Stay down! I yelled at the dark power as if it were a poorly trained dog.
My light rushed forward again. More painful shocks from my light made me wince, but I ignored the pain and called upon all of the light I had. It shot down my arms into my hands, the dark power right on its tail. No! Stay back!
For a moment, the dark power retreated.
I seized my light while I could. Though I had no idea how long the dark power would stay back, from how eager it felt, I knew it wouldn’t be long.
I moved my hands directly over the gushing wound. Phoenix was completely unresponsive, his skin pure white, and a lightning-quick assessment told me that his heart was beating terrifyingly slowly.
“Stay with me, Phoenix.”
Heat rushed from my body as sweat erupted from every pore of my skin. I trembled with the amount of energy it took to call my healing light into full action. The dark power still fought me. It still wanted to take over, and I wrestled with it continuously to keep it from dominating my light.
Extract the injury, Daria. Take it out! Don’t let this man die. Don’t be responsible for taking another life!
I felt for Phoenix’s collapsed blood vessels then concentrated harder and slowly knit them back together. I pumped my life force into him. At first, his heart didn’t respond, but then a steady lub-dub resumed. His heart rate picked up as I used my energy to refuel the blood that he’d lost.
My arms trembled more, and sweat slid in a river past my ear. I could feel myself growing weaker. Trauma cases were something I rarely dealt with since they came suddenly, but they required an incredible amount of energy in a short time. The man was only the second actively bleeding victim I’d treated, and I’d certainly never had to contend with the dark power on top of it.
As my healing progressed, I grew weaker. Light poured from me into him as a heavy ache grew in my side at the exact same spot of Phoenix’s injury.
It’s working!
A groan came from Phoenix just as my vision began to blur. The dark power rushed forward.
I yelped and jumped back, moving my hands away from everyone just as red light shot from my fingertips.
A loud explosion came from the floor when the dark power hit it.
“What the hell is going on?” I vaguely registered Logan’s yell as footsteps pounded behind me.
Phoenix moaned as I fell back on the floor.
“Babe?” Logan crouched at my side.
But I couldn’t open my eyes. I was too tired, and the pain was too great.
“Logan,” I whispered. Another groan came from Phoenix just as I lost consciousness.
∞ ∞ ∞
I awoke to the feel of a soft sheet covering me. My eyelids fluttered open.
“Daria?” Logan lurched forward from his chair and hovered over me. Worry covered his face, etched so deeply in the groove between his eyes that it rivaled the Grand Canyon.
“Logan?” I licked my lips. “Where am I?”
“The healing center.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Shit, Dar. You scared the crap out of me.”
I tried to sit up from the narrow bed I lay on. I was in a small room, and the lone window revealed a nighttime sky outside, a thousand glittering stars above. “What happened?”
An older woman appeared beside Logan and gently pushed me down until I lay flat. A long flowing robe cascaded around her body, and her kind brown eyes met mine. “Ah, the young Gresham woman has awoken at last.” She shooed Logan aside. “I’m Rose and am assigned to your care.” She fluttered her fingers over me and murmured a spell.
A soothing feeling settled along my skin, lessening my anxiety. I shook my head. “What the heck is going on? Why am I here?”
“As Logan said, you’re in the healing center,” Ro
se replied in a soothing voice. “An event happened earlier in one of the training rooms. From what we can gather, you stopped Phoenix from dying after he shot a hex at you. He thought you were one of the holographic images produced in the training session, not realizing you were a live person.”
“An event? He thought I was a holographic image?” Then it all came crashing back—waiting by the elevators for Logan and Wes, hearing the cry for help, rushing through the double doors, and walking into some kind of magical battleground.
I brought a hand to my forehead. “But I heard someone calling for help. That’s why I responded! How was I to know they wouldn’t realize I was a live person?”
Logan laced his hands together, his expression haggard. “What you heard were illusionary victims in that training scenario. We all know they’re not real, so we ignore cries like that from those rooms. It’s why I told you to stay put and not go anywhere, no matter what you heard.” He rose abruptly, his chair squeaking back. “I should have warned you more clearly before I left. This is entirely my fault.” He paced a few steps before he sat back down.
“But what about Phoenix?” I frantically looked toward the closed door. “Where is he?”
“Phoenix is all right. He’s in another room, recovering.” Rose’s serene expression made it seem as if he were healing from a bad cold instead of a deadly magical battle. “It’s not the first time he’s been injured. He’ll be fine.” She cocked her head. “But if you hadn’t healed him as much as you did, I’m afraid it would be another story. You used your healing magic on him, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I knew if I didn’t, he would die.” I swallowed sharply. A memory of the dark power taking over during my healing session and how it caused Phoenix’s injury rose in my mind. I hung my head. “But if it wasn’t for me, he never would have been hurt in the first place. I never should have gone in there.”
Logan scowled. “That’s not your fault. It’s my fault for not warning you better, and it’s my fault for taking so long to get back to you.” He took a deep breath, the glow around his irises increasing. “It was the dark power that did that to Phoenix, wasn’t it?”
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