“Quickly,” she pushed from between her clenched teeth. If Davin wasn't ready in ten minutes, she would leave without him. They rode the elevator to his office floor, the air vibrating with tension. Jenira's body shook with rage and fear, and her thoughts blazed a fire through her mind. She shouldn't have left her sister, and she shouldn't have trusted Davin. If they'd stayed in the bungalow, this wouldn't have happened.
Rock and Andrew waited in the office, each one of them with expectant faces. Davin slammed the door shut behind him and approached his nephew, anger in his eyes. “Andrew, who had access to Cat today?”
“C-cat?” Andrew stammered. “Just the team. She was in the office all day. The guards stayed outside, and a secretary from the 12th floor delivered lunch. Is she ok?” This was the Andrew Cat spoke of. Nothing but honesty and fear shone in his open expression. Whatever had happened, he hadn't been a part of it.
“Were the guards at her apartment door when you escorted her from work?”
“Yes. I dropped her off and went back down to my office. They nodded at me.”
Davin whirled on Rock. “Did anyone see Cat leaving the building?”
“No, Boss. I didn't receive any reports, and the men were told to alert me immediately if she exited the suite.”
“What's this about? Is Cat ok?” Andrew's frightened face swiveled between Davin and Jenira.
“My sister was lured away from the building with this.” She held up the note and studied the men's reactions. “She must have gotten it from someone she had contact with today.”
Andrew's brow furrowed. “It was only the team and the guards,” he protested. “Is this the same person that killed Martha?”
Davin's jaw clenched tightly. He was having difficulty restraining his magic. The surrounding air sparked with gold, and Jenira’s power reacted similarly. To her irritation, she noticed her magic wanted to join with Davin’s for comfort. “We think it’s the same person. This is an inside job. Someone in the building is either the killer or working with them.”
Andrew sucked in a breath. “What? How is that possible?”
“It doesn't matter,” Jenira interjected. “I need to go to my sister. Now.”
The desk phone rang, and Rock picked it up, listening to the short message before hanging up. “Stuckley’s and Case's bodies were found in an apartment down the hall from 210. Their throats were slit. No one saw Cat leave.”
“Is it possible she didn't leave?” Andrew asked.
Davin crossed the room to his computer. With several keystrokes, he pulled up the video feed from the afternoon. He scrolled through, searching for anything suspicious. Jenira peered over his shoulder, bouncing with impatience.
“There.” She pointed at the camera image when her sister poked her head out of the elevator in the lobby. They observed as Cat stepped out and crept closer to the guard, her face confused and scared. The two guards and the receptionist didn't twitch. Their vacant stares remained unseeing while Cat ran out the front doors. The feed outside Cat and Jenira’s apartment had been deleted.
“They're frozen.”
“Just like the victims.” Davin's fists clenched and the lights in the room flickered.
Jenira's memory flashed back to the house in the Mage Quarter. They hadn't moved as the throat of their loved one was opened right next to them. Dark blue and silver magic sparked in the air. Davin retrieved a gun from his desk drawer and checked for bullets before nodding to Jenira.
“Rock, question these guards and meet us at the warehouse. Bring Michaels. Do it quietly; we don't know who to trust. Andrew, you stay here.”
“No,” Andrew argued. “If Cat is in trouble, I want to help.” His uncle stared him down.
“No. You can't fight and you don't have magic. You'll only be at risk.”
“Maybe not magic,” Jenira breathed. “The visionary mage said the victims weren't killed by magic.” Davin cocked a brow.
“If it's tech, I can help.” Andrew persisted.
Davin sighed. “No, Andrew. If it's tech or magic, I'll take care of it. I can't worry about you and save Cat. Stay here. I'll bring Cat back.”
Andrew hung his head in defeat, but Jenira held Davin back when he started to leave the room. She waited until Rock and Andrew closed the door before ordering Davin to bring up the satellite feed of the Washington Quarter warehouses. He did as she asked without question. She directed him to zoom into the grainy image of a dark alley a block from the warehouse.
“Cloak your tech,” she commanded. Her hands gripped his biceps.
“You can phase with a picture?” Despite the situation, astonishment threaded his voice. She nodded and closed her eyes, pushing everything but her destination from her mind. Fixing the image in her head, she drew on a wisp of Davin's golden magic to carry them across the ether. With cold calculation, she forced her body towards the location in her head, dragging Davin with her. They materialized without difficulty, Davin's magic synchronizing perfectly with hers. She peeked around the corner to ensure they had landed in the right spot.
“You stay here. If the killer sees you, he might kill Cat right away.”
Davin’s jaw clenched, but he nodded. His hands grasped her upper arms, forcing her to meet his eyes. The anger and anguish glittering in his gaze equaled hers, but she still questioned if he was involved with her sister's abduction. Her distrust of others ran too deeply to ignore, but she hoped he was on her side.
He planted a firm, possessive kiss on her lips before releasing her. “I'll be right behind you,” he assured her. She turned away from him and sped toward the warehouse. The windowless building's door stood wide open, like the maw of a giant creature. The interior was a dead spot; she couldn't sense any magic.
Jenira pulled her daggers before entering. The inside was unnaturally dark. She blinked, adjusting her vision, and almost stumbled into a stack of crates which formed a second wall inside the space. A dim light shone between two towering boxes and Jenira squeezed through the slender opening. A wide area opened before her, a swinging lamp high on the ceiling casting a flickering glow. The large arena was circled by more mountains of debris, the corners of the space still shadowed in darkness.
Cat verged on the edge of her awareness. She slumped in a chair, tied at the ankles and wrists with a gag in her mouth. Jenira's keen eyes could barely make out the shallow rise and fall of her chest and her struggle against her bonds. She breathed a sigh of relief, overjoyed to see her sister alive and not paralyzed. When the protection spell broke, she had feared the worst. She forced her feet to remain frozen to her current spot, resisting the urge to run directly to her sister. Her eyes searched the pockets of darkness.
The scrape of metal assaulted her ears, and a click confirmed her suspicion. The warehouse door was now closed and probably locked. Magic trickled through her awareness as power flared around the building. Forming a viscous bubble, the magic ward enclosed the entire building in a dome-like structure. Davin would have to find a way through the magic to enter. She couldn't sense another presence, but she knew she wasn't alone. She crept forward, her blades held at the ready.
“How nice of you to join us.” The slippery voice slid down her spine with familiarity, and the person that appeared before her confirmed it. Marcus had changed little in the seven years since their last meeting. His greasy blond hair still parted down the middle. The sensation of bugs creeping over her skin as his eyes traveled her body was also the same. He stepped from the darkness, his broad smile tinged with madness. Though he resembled a normal man dressed in jeans and a dirty t-shirt, evil echoed around him. Jenira frowned as she examined him. He didn't feel like a mage anymore; he felt like nothing, an empty void instead of a person.
“Marcus,” she spat. “What have you done with my sister? What do you want?”
“Your precious sister is a little tied up at the moment, Jenira love. We were both waiting for you, of course. It was always just the three of us.” Jenira fought down nausea. Cat's e
yes sought hers. She was trying to warn Jenira with her gaze and struggled to speak around the gag. Marcus pressed the tip of a dagger to her throat, stilling her movements. Madness coated his voice with an oily sheen.
“What do you want, Marcus?” she repeated, calculating how to phase and slit his neck without hurting Cat.
“What have I always wanted, Jenira? Power. Your techie boyfriend won't be able to save you,” he chortled. “The building is magically protected. No one can get in.” Jenira forced her face into smoothness. He referred to the bubble surrounding them, but Marcus thought Davin was only a techie. He was unaware of his magic. It might provide Davin with an advantage, but she didn't know enough about his abilities.
A momentary spark of pleasure squeezed her chest when she realized Davin hadn't betrayed them. She didn't know how Marcus had infiltrated Rennert Industries, but she planned on strangling the details from him before she snuffed the light from his eyes. Her fingers twitched in anticipation.
“You think I can't take you alone?” Jenira taunted him. “I have before.”
Marcus's eyes narrowed. “It's a shame you didn't kill me then, Jenira darling. Also a shame about your face; you used to be so beautiful.”
Jenira ignored him, preparing to phase so they could end this farce of a reunion. She blinked, using her mind to propel her forward. They snapped open again when she didn't experience the tingling sensation of a successful phase. She hadn’t moved an inch. He laughed shrilly, the sound tinged with insanity. He had always been deranged, fed dreams of power and ruthlessness throughout his childhood. The years had not improved his mental state.
“Your expression, darling, it's precious. You can't phase. I control your magic.” He waved the hand that wasn't holding the dagger to her sister's neck. A glass device reflected the low light. “This is so much better than what your boyfriend and all his stupid techies are creating. Not only does it stop you from phasing, but it does so much more.”
He pushed a button, his grin widening impossibly. Jenira's magic exploded. It felt like she was being bombarded with interference from several electronic amplifiers at once. She staggered to the floor under the pain, and her magic danced away from her like a million bouncing fireflies, resisting her pathetic attempts to trap it. Each shard stung her skin as she tried to grasp it, the device's interference increasing her magic’s anger. Cat moaned at her obvious distress, and she felt the first stirrings of nervousness through the pain.
“Amazing what modern tech can create, isn't it? This device sends out an electronic pulse on a special frequency. It fragments your magic, breaking it apart, but it doesn't affect me. See this?” He pointed to the glittering round pendant around his neck, bouncing with excitement and pride. “This protects me. It neutralizes the interference. This is why you didn't sense any magic in the house of the people I killed. Nature believes there was no magic involved.”
“How do you paralyze them?” The tiny bites of her magical sparks weakened her. Frustrated, she attempted to focus on her physical body, but it wouldn't obey her either. Because she couldn't contain her magic, its agitation froze her muscles. She fell to her knees on the cold concrete floor, her legs giving out. Fear curdled in her veins, but she kept him talking. All magic and tech had limits. She needed to give it, or Davin, time.
“That is the beautiful thing, my dear. The device makes the host body reject its magic. A mage's physical body needs its magic, so the lack of it paralyzes their body while their minds are still aware. Most mages can't even twitch or speak, but then, you were always the strong one. You're even stronger now than you used to be.” His eyes glinted with greed. Sweat coated his upper lip, indicating the device affected him, although he denied it.
She focused on slipping her will around each piece of her magic, even for a mere second. She feared if her magic surrendered to the siren song of the device, she would be paralyzed. Cat remained motionless with fear, her eyes wide.
“Why?” Jenira gasped. Her bones ached with the agony of being separated from her power.
“Why? Oh, surely you could guess... The dirty techies can't continue their worthless attempts at Integration. They want to make us equals!” He laughed again. “We're not equals. Mages will always be superior to techies, and the mages I killed were traitors to their kind. They worked to create devices that would challenge the natural superiority of mages. Techies shouldn't have access to magic in any form.” His words dripped with disgust, but distress threaded his voice.
Jenira prayed to Gaia his strength waned. The barrier spell had to have been put in place earlier. She guessed Marcus couldn't use his own magic while he wore the necklace or he would have coerced Cat instead of tying her up. He also wasn't a Magitech, so his use of magic while holding the device could make it short circuit. That was why he appeared as a mundane, a void, to her.
“But you're using tech right now.”
“It's a means to an end, a temporary necessity. Once mages are in power, we'll destroy tech for good, and the Earth shall have her rightful rulers.”
“How did you get inside the Rialto? What techie gave you that device?” The effort of speaking was taking its toll. She sagged to the floor, trembling. An image of Davin formed in her mind, trapped outside, and she realized she would give anything to see the stubborn bastard right now. The yearning gave her an idea. She stopped trying to catch her power and forced it away from her, toward Davin. Her magic still belonged to her, and it still desired him. She almost smiled when it sprang away from her, traveling to a single point in the barrier. The tiny spears of magic battered against the spell so hard the wall shivered but didn't break. She ground her teeth in frustration.
Marcus continued his insane rant, oblivious to her attempts. “Sometimes sacrifices need to be made for the greater good. Did you know that Magitechs exist? Yes, my dear, Magitechs exist! There aren't many, but only one matters. He's on our side, and he promised me you would come if I did what he asked. After we use his inventions to bring the techies to their knees, he'll renounce technology and mages will rule.” Jenira wanted to laugh but didn't possess the strength. Insanity blinded Marcus. The Magitech was manipulating him into doing his dirty work and feeding him what his madness craved. The reference to her was disturbing though. It couldn't just be a strange coincidence that Marcus was behind the mage murders.
“Techie minds are so malleable. It was a simple matter to get the note to your sister and distract the guards while she followed my instructions. Cat might have been able to resist my mind coercion seven years ago, but I'm stronger now. A hint of suggestion in her mind sent her straight into my trap.”
Jenira listened with only half an ear, concentrating on Davin. She remembered the comforting thrill of his arms around her and the excitement of her magic whenever he was near. She used her memories to reinforce her magic's intention. It sparked with renewed determination and continued its assault against the barrier. Magic needed a purpose; hers was eager to reach him and escape the influence of the annoying device. Trusting her power, she refocused on her physical body. Her legs responded shakily. She stumbled a few feet before stopping. Her pained scream echoed through the cavernous space when Marcus mashed the button on the device. His eyes grew more feverish.
“Oh, no you don't; I own you. You will do exactly as I say.” He approached her, his steps slow and deliberate. Jenira's mage mind nearly splintered with the closeness of the frequency. Her magic wailed in response to her agony, pummeling against the barrier. Davin's familiar golden power glittered with recognition and joined the assault from the other side. Her body twitched, and her vision blackened as a wave of pain battered her mind
The booming crash didn't register until Marcus looked up, surprise on his face. His finger slipped from the button, and sweet relief slid over Jenira's body and mind like a soft blanket. She forced her shaking legs to move, stumbling the last two steps. Shadows crowded her eyes as she clumsily slapped his hand. The glass instrument shattered when it hit the concrete
floor, and Marcus swung his dagger with a howl of anger. Memory meshed with reality. The scar on her face burned as it relived the powerful bite of the blade and she couldn't react fast enough. Her body refused to obey. Pain sliced into her left arm.
A loud clap shook the warehouse, and Marcus's eyes widened in shock as a red flower bloomed on his chest. Jenira growled in pleasure and adrenaline brought her to her feet. Her dagger swept toward him for the same favor he had imparted to his victims. His neck parted under her enchanted blade, warm arterial blood spraying her face. Marcus dropped to his knees and was dead before he hit the ground.
Jenira fell backward, but strong arms caught her. Her magic returned to her, greeting her like a friend, sparkling where it mingled with Davin's. The blue and gold lights filled her vision, dancing in the air like happy children released for play. Davin's magic sunk into her skin and she relaxed into his embrace.
“Cat,” she whispered. Her head weighed a million pounds, but she lifted it to meet Cat's eyes. Her sister was alive. Jenira's lips curved into a smile as the darkness claimed her.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Cat
Cat struggled against the ropes binding her as Jenira collapsed into Davin's arms. She avoided looking at Marcus's bloody body after she'd assured herself he was dead and no longer posed a threat. Davin lowered Jenira gently to the floor, checking her pulse and running his hands over her limbs to assess her injuries. Assuring himself that was her only injury, he tore a strip of cloth off the bottom of his t-shirt to wrap her sliced arm. It didn’t look as bad as Cat initially feared.
Cat grunted against the gag. Warmth trickled over her hands as the coarse ropes rubbed her skin raw. Another shadow lurked out of the darkness, and Cat's heart fluttered in fear again before she recognized Rock's bulky frame.
“Rock, untie Cat.” Cat stopped struggling and waited for the large man to cut her bonds and remove the smelly rag from her mouth. She stood, rubbing her wrists before staggering over to her sister. She knelt at Davin's side, sighing in relief when she assured herself Jenira's pulse was strong and her breathing steady. Most of the blood coating her face and arms didn't appear to be hers.
Worlds Collide (Magitech Book 1) Page 21