Love Spell: Book 2 of The Grimm Laws

by Youngblood, Jennifer

  Wisteria let out a ragged gasp when she saw Rushton and Cinderella, huddled together, and being forced to the edge of a pit. The ear-splitting screech of a dragon rent the air as fiery flames burst up from the pit. She jumped to her feet. “This was a ruse! A ruse meant to distract me while my son is being killed!” Rage boiled over her face.

  “Nay,” Merek said in a mild tone. “’Tis no ruse, but rather, an opportunity to save thy son.” He made a motion, and the bubble popped, disappearing.

  “I will destroy this castle, and every living soul in it,” she thundered. Her fingers drew into claws as she readied herself to thrust them in Aalexander’s direction.

  Merek made a swiping motion that caused her hands to fall down to her sides. She tried to lift them, but they were tightly bound. Tears of rage gathered in her eyes. “How could you?” she screamed at Aalexander. “I loved you … trusted you!”

  “Please, Wisteria, open thine ears and heart. We are being given a great opportunity. Join with me. Join with me so that Rushton will live,” Aalexander pleaded.

  Everything hung in the balance as she locked eyes with Merek. “Give me thy word that my son’s life will be spared.”

  “If you join with Aalexander and open the door to the new realm, I give thee my word … thy son’s life will be spared.”

  “So be it! I will comply with thy demands.” Venom dripped from her voice as she looked at Aalexander. “I would join with the devil himself if necessary to save my son!”

  Aalexander clasped his hands together. “Splendid!” he said jubilantly. “Let us now enact the plan!”

  Chapter Thirty

  Realization

  Elle knocked and then paused, listening for any sound coming from within the room. “Rush, it’s me.”

  No answer.

  She rapped her knuckles against the door, more insistently this time. “Rush, open the door. It’s me … Elle.” She fleetingly wondered if he were going to refuse to let her in, but finally, she heard the sound of a lock turning, and then the door opened. He looked rough … really rough. There was a faint line of stubble along his jawbone, and his eyes were bloodshot.

  She forced a smile. “Hey.”

  “Hey.” He stepped back, letting her enter.

  She glanced around the room. At first, she couldn’t see much because it was dark, but gradually, her eyes began to adjust. Alarm pulsed through her. Had Rush been sitting here in the dark all day? She watched him grab an armful of clothes from the love seat that was resting catty-cornered from his bed. “Have a seat.” He walked over and dumped the clothes onto the floor. Then he sat down beside her.

  She figured that she’d been in his room before her memory loss, but this was the first time she remembered being here. Unlike the white walls in the rest of the house, his were painted a deep grey-blue. Two guitars were mounted to one wall, and there was a plain black desk pushed against the other wall. Scattered across the desk were an array of sheets of music, books, and a laptop.

  She’d been planning on chewing him out for leaving her the note and then going to the station to confess, but seeing how broken he was made her change her mind. She took a deep breath, dreading the question she had to ask. “How did it go today?”

  He shrugged. “About like I expected. The accident is still under investigation.” He paused. “Meaning that they’re waiting to see how Jack fairs. If he lives, then they’ll go easier on me. If not, then I’ll most likely be charged with vehicular homicide, either a second or third degree felony. In my case, it will most likely be second degree since I have a prior conviction.”

  Tears filled her eyes as she listened to him prattle on about the possible fines and jail time. His voice was flat and devoid of emotion like he was giving a report in school. He was the strongest person she knew, but even he had a breaking point. She touched his arm. “I’m so sorry.”

  His jaw went hard. “Don’t worry about me, it’s Jack that we should be worried about. Lying there, fighting for his life.” His voice broke, and he gulped to hide the emotion.

  “My dad was going to get a lawyer for me, I’ll see if he will get that lawyer for you.”

  He nodded, but she could tell from the dead look in his eyes that he’d lost all hope. He’d spiraled down so quickly. She had to find a way to lift him up. She reached for his hand and linked her fingers through his. “Look at me,” she commanded. “Look at me!” His eyes met hers, and she cringed inwardly at the raw pain emanating from them. “Don’t give up! Please. Don’t give up!” Tears rolled down her cheeks as she pressed her forehead to his. “I need you,” she said fiercely, clutching his arms. He let out a sigh, and she felt his breath on her face. She closed her eyes, inhaling the scent of him. Then she pulled back, searching his face. “Promise me! Promise me that you’ll fight this!”

  His expression softened. “I promise,” he said quietly. His finger traced the curve of her jaw. “I love you,” he uttered, the moment before his lips touched hers in a passionate kiss that left her breathless and disoriented to the point where she didn’t hear her phone buzzing at first. When the persistent buzzing continued, she retrieved it from her pocket. It was a text from Rae. Her blood quickened as she looked at Rush. “Jack’s awake … and asking for us.”

  He jumped up, and she thought she caught a flicker of hope in his expression. “Let’s go,” he said. “I’ll get my mom to drive us.”

  * * *

  Rush clutched Elle’s hand for all it was worth as they entered Jack’s room. Neither of them had voiced it on the drive over, but they were both hoping against hope that Jack would be normal and not mentally impaired from the injury. When Jack saw them, he gave them a weak smile. “Hey guys, come on in.”

  Rush let go of her hand and stepped up to the bed. “Hey, man. How are you feeling?”

  Jack chuckled. “Like I’ve been run over by a bus … or thrown headfirst off a bike.”

  Elle went over to stand by Rae. “Hey, how are you holding up?” She did a quick assessment of her closest friend. Her hair was raked back in a ponytail, and there were sunken circles around her eyes. Her skin was paler than normal, but relief was evident on her face.

  “I’m just so grateful that he’s out of the woods,” she said motioning at Jack.

  Catching the tail end of their conversation, Jack turned. “Aw, don’t let Red fool ya, she’s just glad she won’t have to go looking for another drummer for the band.”

  “Well, it wouldn’t be too hard to replace the likes of you,” she said tartly, rolling her eyes, but a look of affection passed between her and Jack.

  A wave of relief covered Elle. Jack seemed normal—no permanent brain damage from what she could tell. Furthermore, seeing Rae and Jack needling each other was a welcome sign that maybe things could somehow get back to normal. Elle looked at Rush and smiled. He returned the gesture with a slight smile, but she could tell from the tense way he was holding his shoulders that he was nervous about talking to Jack.

  Rush cleared his throat and looked Jack in the eye. “I want you to know how sorry I am about the accident,” he said, a quiver in his voice. “If you hadn’t pulled through …” He shook his head, unable to continue.

  A lump formed in Elle’s throat as she looked at Jack who was still hooked up to the monitors. There was a bandage wound around his head, and his leg was in a cast.

  “Yeah … about that.” Jack’s voice grew serious as he motioned. “Close the door, would ya?”

  A look of surprise came over Rush as he nodded and complied with the request. When he returned to the side of the bed, Jack drew in a deep breath. “I don’t know what that thing was that attacked us.”

  Rush’s eyes went wide. “You remember that?”

  Jack grunted. “Of course I remember. I’ll never forget it.” He suppressed a shiver. “I think I may’ve felt the whisper of it before … when I was alone in my room. But never like that. That thing was wicked.”

  “Demented,” Rush agreed.

  �
�It’s called a shadow crawler,” Elle inserted.

  Jack made a face. “A shadow crawler? How do you know that?”

  Elle looked at Rush who gave her a nod to continue. “Because Edward and I were attacked by one in the canyon.” She felt Rae shudder beside her. “Are you okay?”

  Rae gave her a curt nod. “I just don’t understand what’s happening to us,” she uttered, a stricken look on her face.

  “Neither do we,” Elle said. “Not completely,” she amended. “But I know someone who does … my aunt Adele.”

  “I saw things when I was in that coma.” Jack’s eyes took on a far-a-way look.

  “What things?” Rae prompted.

  “Strange things from another land.”

  Elle’s heart began to pound. “You mean, like a castle?”

  “Yeah,” Jack said, his eyes meeting hers. “That and a few other things.”

  Rae shook her head. “Are you talking about those pictures you’re always drawing?”

  “Yes,” Jack admitted.

  “Well, maybe you dreamt about those things because they were in your subconscious mind and you were already fixated on them.”

  Goosebumps rose over Elle’s arms. Adele had asked her to take a look at Jack’s pictures. She’d forgotten all about it until this very moment.

  Jack shook his head slowly. “No, Red, the dreams are more like memories. Vivid memories of another life.” He gave her a wry smile. “And you were something to behold—the fearless warrior with the long, flaming hair.”

  She balked. “I hate long hair.”

  He smiled. “I know, but that’s how you were in this world.” He looked at Rush. “And you …” He shook his head. “I met you in a dungeon.”

  “A dungeon,” Rush said, scratching his head.

  Jack laughed. “Yeah, you were a bit of a pill at first, but you turned out okay in the end. Of course, you were still as much in love with Elle in that world as you are now. In fact, she was the very reason you were in the dungeon to begin with.”

  Heat crept up Elle’s neck. She did not like the sound of this! Not one bit!

  Rush let out an uneasy laugh. “I know you have a head injury, man, but even you have to admit this is a little far fetched.”

  “Exactly!” Rae said, giving Elle a worried look. “He’s been rambling on about this other world ever since he woke up,” she whispered.

  “I heard you,” Jack said. “I may be injured, but I’m not deaf!”

  “Well, you need to stop talking crazy, or they’ll cart you off to a mental institution,” Rae said, worry etching her face.

  Jack gave her a tender look. He held out his hand. “Hey, Red, don’t worry, I’m not losing my mind. I’m just trying to make sense of what happened, that’s all.”

  She sniffed. “I’ve heard of people having crazy dreams while in a drug-induced coma. I’m sure that’s what this is.”

  The space seemed to close in around Elle, and she could hear her pulse, pounding in her ears. It was the moment of truth—time to bring everything out in the open—time to come to terms with what was really happening. “No, it’s not,” she said firmly, eyeing them. “Jack is not delusional. Strange things have been happening to me too.” She looked at Rush. “And when I ran over to you, right after the accident, you were going on about some dragon.” She gave him a sharp look. “Don’t deny it.”

  Jack’s eyes lit up. “Is that true, man?”

  Rush looked like he might deny it, but then his shoulders sagged. “Yeah, it’s true.”

  “Adele can do some pretty amazing things,” Elle added, “like starting a fire with the flick of a finger. And her truffles can make you remember or forget things.”

  A look of disgust twisted over Rae’s face. “Have you guys all lost your minds? Quit talking about crazy stuff that makes no sense.” Then she stopped and cocked her head as if she’d just thought of something. “Wait a minute! You made a reference to the chocolate making you remember or forget things. You and Adele were talking about your birthday cake on the day of Jack’s accident. Remember? I asked you about it, and you said it was a family joke.”

  “Yes,” Elle said. “I wasn’t trying to leave you out, but I knew there was nothing I could say to make you understand, so I just dubbed it a family joke,” she finished, her fingers making quotes in the air. There was more that she needed to say, but she had to force the words from her throat. “On the day of the accident, I felt this impending doom, like something terrible was going to happen. Adele felt it too. That’s why she sent me outside to wait for the two of you.”

  “Yes,” Rae said, a perplexed look on her face, “she did. And she also pulled you aside and whispered things that upset you. I saw it on your face.”

  “What did she say to you?” Rush said, frowning.

  “She said a storm was coming, and she told me to be brave. That I was stronger than I realized.” She looked at Jack. “She also told me once that I should talk to you about your drawings.”

  A stunned silence went through the room until finally Jack spoke. “The four of us are connected … in a way I don’t understand.” He looked around the room. “We’ve all felt it.” His eyes settled on Rae. “Haven’t we?”

  “Yes,” she admitted, hugging her arms tightly. “I’ve felt it too.”

  Elle looked at Rush who gave her a tiny smile. A feeling of warmth settled over her, and for one small moment, she felt whole. A sense of déjà vu flooded over her, and she had the feeling of having loved Rush multiple lifetimes. “We’ve all felt it,” she said with certainty.

  Jack relaxed against the pillow. “Good, recognition is the first step. As soon as I get out of this get-up, we’re going to have a nice, long talk with Adele to see what this hocus-pocus is all about.”

  “Agreed,” Rae said, thrusting out her jaw.

  Jack reached for Rae’s hand. “Red got me up to speed on the whole legal mess this accident has caused.”

  Rush’s jaw tensed as he nodded.

  “The accident wasn’t your fault, man. I know that as well as I know that I’m lying in this bed, breathing in and out.” He flashed a smile. “Don’t worry, I took care of the whole thing.”

  A crease formed between Rush’s brows. “What do you mean?”

  “Before you got here, I called the police station and told them the accident was my fault.”

  “What?” Rush staggered slightly, his face registering shock.

  “Yep.” Jack chuckled. “You can imagine the reaction I got from the officer investigating the accident. After muttering a few choice words which I don’t care to repeat in front of the ladies, he told me that I was the third person who’d claimed responsibility for the accident. We had a nice chat, and thanks to my outstanding interpersonal skills, I convinced him that the two of you—” he looked at Rush and Elle “—were merely covering for your poor old friend who was laid up in the hospital with a brain injury, cracked ribs, and a broken leg. To make a long story short, I feel sure that after all is said and done, no charges will be filed.”

  The relief that flooded through Elle was so swift it left her feeling dizzy. She looked at Rush, thinking what this meant for him. She uttered a silent prayer of thanks. Then she thought of something. “But your dad was going to file a civil suit.”

  “Over my dead body!” Jack said, his eyes growing hard. “My old man’s not going to do anything!”

  The vehemence in his voice seemed incongruent with his fragile state, making Elle wonder what type of sordid history Jack had with his father. A shiver ran down her spine as she thought about how hostile the man was in this very hospital room. No wonder he and Jack had bad blood between them. It hit her then that while Jack was all jokes and smiles on the outside, inwardly, he was much more complex than he let on.

  Rush raked his hands through his hair. “I don’t know how to thank you.” His eyes went moist. “Thanks, man.”

  Jack nodded, swallowing back the emotion. “Anytime, man. Anytime.”

&
nbsp; “I guess I’ll owe you big time for this,” Rush said.

  “Oh, no.” Rae rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell him that, you’ll never hear the end of it.”

  Amusement danced in Jack’s eyes as he tugged on Rae’s hand, causing her to fall on the bed where she landed partially on top of him. Her face went as scarlet as her hair as she tried to stand up.

  “Jack!” she protested, horrified.

  Jack chuckled and caught her around the waist, holding her so that she couldn’t escape. When she started twisting, he winced. “Careful, you’ll hurt the ribs!”

  “If you don’t want to get hurt then stop manhandling me!”

  “You know, Red, as feisty as you are here, you were a bit of a tiger in that other world. I can’t decide which way I like you best.” She looked like she wanted to faint from embarrassment, but he wasn’t through. He gave her a devilish smile. “Whatta ya say we pick up where we left off before these two came into the room?” He gave her a big smack on the lips.

  Elle and Rush looked at each other in amusement as Rae cursed under her breath and extricated herself from his grasp. She began smoothing down her sweater “Of all the lowdown nasty things to do, Jack Swift!” She shot him a blistering look. “We were not kissing before they came in,” she said self-consciously.

  A playful smile tugged at Jack’s lips. “Really? And what exactly do you call it?”

  “Well, it’s not the way you’re telling it,” she fired back, trying to regain a trace of dignity. “You make me sound like some hoochie coochie mama. It’s no secret why you haven’t had many girlfriends in your lifetime.”

  A mischievous glint came into his eyes. “Oh, I had my share of girlfriends in the other world, but I only have eyes for you, Red. Only you. It has always been you,” he said dreamily.

  Rush looked at Elle and winked. “All right. Let’s go, so the two of them can resume their—” he chuckled “—whatever it is you call it.”

  Rae looked like she might die right then and there from embarrassment. Her face was now redder than her hair. “Really!” she said sourly, her eyes shooting daggers at Rush.