by Dana Davis
“Your great-great-grandfather, the bastard, had an affair with my grandmother.”
“What?” Daisy had never heard any such thing. Gran had never mentioned anything about that part of the family history. And she wasn’t one to keep secrets just because they might be uncomfortable. Ah, this must be the family secret Uncle Ian told us would come out soon. Too bad he didn’t see a Wil-demon trap us in a cave. That would be a hell of a lot more helpful right now. I’m going to give him a good tongue lashing when I see him again, the old spook. If I see him again.
“I think he even had his wife fooled,” Wil said. “But I knew. I saw them together when I was little. They didn’t see me, of course. And my powers hadn’t developed, yet, so I couldn’t do anything about it. I refused to tell Gramps but he found out anyway. Broke his heart. Grandma apologized and swore she’d stay away from that adulterous leech. They stayed married but Gramps was never the same after that. He’d lost his love. Been betrayed. Then Owen, the old bastard, crashed the market, destroying my grandfather completely.”
Had Grandpa Owen caused the market crash as revenge on Wil’s grandmother for not leaving her husband? Probably not. He loved money more than any woman, even his own wife. And money had motivated him in just about everything. People were just collateral damage.
Thanks a lot, Grandpa Owen. Daisy studied the Wil-demon and forced herself not to flinch from that horrid face. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t want your pity, bitch. I want your soul.”
Keep calm, she ordered her panicking self. She felt lightheaded. The room started to pitch. Oh, shit. I can’t pass out. Not now.
Noah started for the old man and she grabbed onto him and held him back, shaking her head. He seemed to get her message and backed off. Wil didn’t seem to notice him. And she hoped to keep things that way. She studied the figure in front of her.
A demon would say anything to get a rise, using Wil’s anger and hurt to fuel its own power. That’s how demons worked, taunting a person into destroying themselves with stupidity and blind rage. Then they pounced. But who controlled whom here? Wil had brought the demon into this world. He’d as much as admitted that. But how long before he lost control? How would she separate the two and send the demon back to the underworld, where it belonged? Would the same spell for separating a hitchhiker work? Was there a spell for that? Her mind began to slip again and she uttered another clarification spell. Better.
Yes, there was a spell to separate a hitchhiker from its host. But it took several witches.
She looked over and Bridgette gave her a half grimace. Great. Just fucking great. We never should’ve come out here. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Daisy wanted to smack herself in the forehead. Instead, she tried reason. “Wil, we need to find the skinwalker.”
He didn’t seem to care. He had never cared. He squirmed inside his new demon body, getting his corporeal legs inch by inch. Soon to be step by step. Daisy felt lightheaded again.
Perhaps if they’d just stayed close to home and climbed McDowell Mountain, they could’ve done the spells from there. They had the Kachina. Well, what amounted to it anyway. Paul Manny did say those mountains held power too. All mountains had power. Even before she finished the thought, she knew better. There wasn’t enough power in the McDowells to defeat an ancient skinwalker, no matter how much she wished it. A shiver danced up her spine. Her skinwalker was looking better and better each time she gazed at Wil, and she wished she was facing it right now instead of this monster.
Could Daisy and Bridgette manage another type of separation spell without killing the old man? No matter what he’d done, she couldn’t justify killing him. He was insane.
She took in a breath and said, “Grandpa Owen’s been dead a long time.”
“The dead have ears. He’ll know it was me who exacted revenge on him.” That wicked smile appeared again and she saw the madness there. And the power.
She started to move away again.
“You’re not going anyplace, witch. It’ll take you a while to blast through that rock back there. And I have no intentions of letting you do that.”
The Wil-demon arched and swelled for an instant until a fully corporeal being stood in front of them. Quite human looking now, legs and all, a young Wil with tanned skin and cut muscles. Handsome. All traces of the ugly face gone.
“Look a bit different than that old man you know, don’t I,” he said in a youthful voice. “You can thank my ancestors.” He chuckled and Daisy wanted to puke when he took a step forward. “Though one of my grandfather’s was Norse, I also come from the Peralta family line, you know. That’s how I knew about this mine here. Pretty ain’t she?”
No, not really, you old bastard.
She remembered his speech in the Jeep about the Peralta legend and the family’s connection to the mines here. The Peralta family had dug up a gold fortune in these mountains. But that was during the old west when the area was ripe with Apaches. Really pissed off Apaches, seeking revenge for what the government had done to them and plowing down every white man or woman who got in their path. Who could blame them?
Apparently, during an Apache attack, the Peralta family hid their treasure somewhere in these mountains before they fled. According to legend, no one had ever returned to claim the treasure. People had been searching for the mine ever since.
That’s why Wil treated us like tourists. He wanted to make sure we knew his history. Two times his family lost their wealth. No wonder he’s pissed off. Bridgette’s head gave a slight nod in agreement with Daisy’s thoughts. She glanced around. But where’s the gold?
“Oh, but that’s only half the story,” Wil said. “My great-grandmother was part Dineh, married into the Peralta line. A very hush-hush marriage.” A sick smile formed on his youthful face, giving him a menacing visage that turned Daisy’s stomach.
Daisy’s mouth dropped and her heart hammered as full realization hit her gut like a boulder. Oh, fuck! She’d been so very, very stupid!
“Ah, now you’re getting it. The little witch has a brain after all.”
This was no demon channeled for a last minute revenge scenario. “You’re the skinwalker.” Her mouth was so dry she barely got the words out. Sweat trickled down her back and she swallowed hard. The Norse and the Navajo both had skinwalkers in their history. Their knowledge combined in a crazy son of a bitch paranormal like Wil here, who’d been holding a grudge against Daisy’s family since boyhood, made her blood run cold.
“Took me several years and a helluva lot of ancestral grave tampering but they didn’t let me down, did they?” He twisted and twitched, growing thighs and knees that were as solid as Daisy’s. And much more muscular. He threw his arms wide and took awkward step forward.
He’s insane. He had to be to tamper with such ancestral forces.
Daisy, Bridgette and Noah stepped back together, Noah putting himself between the skinwalker and the women. Had this been a more benign threat, Daisy would have allowed Noah to act as protector. But he was no match for this beast and she pulled him back until he stood beside her. He seemed to take it as a gesture of her fear.
Wil seemed not to notice and he said, “When you came looking for information about your attacker, I had to force myself not to laugh. I’m not surprised Owen sent you to me, actually. He was quite the braggart in his day. Talked all about how powerful his family line was. Probably thought I wouldn’t care what happened in my Gramps’ day. I’m sure he never suspected I’d have the power or the balls to summon an ancient skinwalker. Guess he’s as stupid as you are.”
We’re in a whole shitload of trouble. “But you ransacked my home. Why? Just to throw me off your trail? Or were you trying to kill me?”
“No. Not yet. I was just looking for something.”
“What?” You old bastard.
A smile danced on his lips. “This.”
He pulled a bolo tie from beneath his shirt. Daisy immediately recognized the silver bull’s head that hung on the frayed leather
cord. It had once belonged to Grandpa Owen. She kept it in the attic library with several other heirlooms.
“This isn’t Owen’s,” Wil said as though he’d read her mind. “He stole it from my Gramps after he fucked my grandmother. I’d like to thank you for getting it back to me, where it belongs.”
He ransacked my house for that? “I would’ve given it to you if you’d told me.”
“What? And risk you finding out about my little accomplishment?” He held his arms wide. “I’m not that stupid, witch.”
And I didn’t figure it out. I’m the stupid one.
He focused on Bridgette. “Too bad I didn’t have pleasure with you too. I like my women feisty.”
Daisy blanched as the full implication of what he’d done slammed into her. She fought bile as the mine walls threatened to close in on her. If she passed out, she’d wake up dead for sure. Well, that makes a hell of a lot of sense.
“You sonofabitch!” Noah said. It took both Daisy and Bridgette to hold him back.
“No, Noah.” Her hardhat fell to the ground but she ignored it. “Please. He’ll kill you.” She no longer felt like passing out. Thank the universe for that. But how the hell do we get out of this with our skin in tact?
“Better do as your wife says, boy. She’s right about the killing thing. Why do you think I brought you here, witch? I knew you couldn’t resist coming here to confront your attacker. And that hitchhiker—couldn’t let it get loose on the entire valley. I knew that face I created on your kitchen floor would make you think you’d let a hitchhiker through. Throw you off my scent long enough for me to do what I needed to.” A hearty laugh. “Inherents are so predictable.” He grew sober again. “I almost had you too. Especially after that first night when I used your husband’s image. That took a lot of strength from me but it was damn worth it.” He licked his lips in a sensual manner.
Daisy had to hold Noah back again. She wanted to retch as she stared down her rapist.
Wil ignored Noah and said, “I didn’t think you’d thwart me so fast.” He gave a menacing look to Bridgette, who held his gaze with one of her own.
If not for her, he might have overpowered me. Maybe weakened me enough to….She couldn’t think that way.
But he looked like he wanted to skin Bridgette alive.
“Course,” he said, eyes lingering on Bridgette before coming back to Daisy, “I had to change my strategy after that. Keep my distance awhile. Give you a chance to get sloppy again.”
Daisy doubted that. Her Rowan charm had worked on him at first. She was sure of it. He was too powerful for a charm now.
“I need you, Daisy,” Wil said. “Together, you and I will be the most powerful paranormal this world has seen in a long time.”
“By together, you mean losing my soul to a damn skinwalker.”
“The power here. It’s amazing.”
He was corporeal and he intended to have her powers to stay that way. And to keep her powers, he needed her soul. Shit. With each encounter, he’d taken a smidgen of power from her. At first, anyway. She’d bested him the last couple of times.
Daisy inched back and sent thoughts of escape to Bridgette, hoping the woman was still listening in. No doubt the skinwalker would dominate Bridgette’s soul too, killing her in the process. Maybe even go after Noah. Or did he not know about Noah’s paranormal ancestry? They hadn’t told him. Either way, he wouldn’t let any of them leave. Daisy would rather go down trying to escape than stand here like a noontime meal with a hungry skinwalker a few feet from her.
Her pack felt heavy, a burden now. The Kachina! Could it help her? Would the ashes have retained any of it’s protective powers? She had to try. Bridgette caught her thoughts.
While her cousin talked to distract Wil, Daisy slipped the backpack from her shoulders as nonchalantly as she could manage and reached in for the jar with the Kachina ashes.
“Ah, ah, ah,” Wil said in a singsong voice. He muttered something and the jar flew from Daisy’s hand. It shattered against rock, ashes and glass flying everywhere.
Damnit. She didn’t have to ask if Wil had caused the Kachina to disintegrate. That was a given. She backpedaled and started to pull a spell book from her pack. At this point, she’d try anything they brought.
“That’s not very nice.” Wil muttered some sort of spell, in Navajo or Apache from the sound of it. All backpacks flew out of reach. He cast what sounded like another spell, a nasty one from the intonation.
Daisy grabbed onto Noah and Bridgette and started to bolt. The ground shook. She cried out and screamed a protection spell to put an invisible bubble around the three of them as rock and debris slammed on top of them. Bridgette’s voice chanted along with her own. With Bridgette’s help, the bubble lasted long enough to keep them from more than the few scratches they’d attained from the first of the debris. None of them wore their hardhats now and Daisy didn’t bother to look for them.
Wil was laughing. “You’re a good lay, witch. A perk for an old man like me, I must say. Maybe I’ll keep you around awhile before I take you completely. But no more fists to my balls, young lady.”
Her blood grew hot. Noah took a step toward Wil.
“But I don’t need your weak husband. Now, do I?”
Noah suddenly gasped and fell to his knees, hands clawing at his throat as though he fought off an invisible strangler. The protection spell had shattered at Wil’s words.
“Stop it!” Daisy cried. “Stop!” He was killing Noah. “Please. You can keep me here. Just let them go.” Am I nuts? She wanted to bolt but she stood in place, daring this evil bastard to take her up on the offer.
Noah fell forward on his hands but he seemed to be breathing now, free of whatever Wil had done to him. Daisy helped him to his feet and purposely drew him a few steps back, careful not to trip on the debris that had fallen earlier. Bridgette came with her.
If they could distract Wil long enough, they could start some blasting spells, get the entrance clear and get out before this mine collapsed. It probably wouldn’t take too many more spells like his last one for the whole place to come crashing down. They’d both need to chant to get through and protect themselves at the same time. It wouldn’t be easy. But could they do it before Wil killed them? Their spells didn’t seem to work on him. Daisy caught Bridgette’s nod and signaled her to start while she tried a distraction.
“Please, Wil. It’s me you want. I’m Owen’s descendent. Let them go.”
“You think I’m stupid? I want you, yes. But Brigitte is also related to that bastard. And Noah, well, boy, you should’ve married better.”
Daisy took a step back again. She gave Bridgette a quick look and thought as hard as she could, Get Noah out of here. Get to Fay and bring help.
Bridgette narrowed her eyes as she continued to utter the blasting spell but Daisy knew she’d picked up the thoughts.
I’ll be fine. I’m not going to let him get my soul. She hoped. A slight shake of her cousin’s head told her the woman wouldn’t leave her. Noah would protest too. But an inherent witch like Bridgette could coerce him to leave. Damn it, Bridge.
The skinwalker advanced and Daisy tried another trussing spell. No luck. He was too strong for that. Whatever power Wil had called upon wouldn’t be hampered by such a simple spell. She uttered a wind spell but all she managed to do was blow dirt in her eyes. Where was the fucking power she was promised? Damnit, there had to be a way for a witch to get to it.
After several blinks, she was able to see again. Wil stood closer to her now. The air around her grew static and she began chanting with Bridgette.
Without warning, her cousin fell to the ground, arms and legs fighting off an invisible attacker. The spell was broken. They would have to begin again.
Damnit!
Bridgette’s shirt ripped open, exposing a lacy bra. Daisy’s blood heated and she took a step toward Wil. Noah gasped and doubled over.
“Stay where you are, bitch. Or I’ll crush him.”
“Please. Leave them alone. I’ll do whatever you want.” She fought tears now as hatred and terror filled her, both emotions fighting for command.
“You’ll do what I want anyway.”
Bridgette moaned.
I can’t let him do this. I can’t. Think, dammit, think! She pushed through the mental mud caused by terror and delved into her mind for something, anything that might work against this bastard. Her thoughts brought up pages of the book that had called to her, tickled her senses. One spell stood out. One she vowed she would never use. And she remembered it.
She began reciting. Her Irish Gaelic came out in strong tones. Wil studied her, still distracted with Noah and Bridgette. Daisy kept the recitation going. He was refocusing on her now. Noah and Bridgette stumbled to their feet. Her cousin utter a barrier spell. Wil fought against it with ease but struggled against Daisy’s more powerful spell.
She kept up the chant. Her head grew light. Her knees buckled and she fell hard onto the packed dirt. Nothing mattered. Nothing but the ancient words. Wil’s power slam against her body and senses in protest, enough to knock her wind out. She kept her concentration, barely.
Bridgette went down again. Then Noah.
Daisy struggled to remain upright, hands gripping the dirt, and shouted the spell at Wil, hoping to finish before he killed her family.
She uttered the last Gaelic words, waiting for the skinwalker to drop, but he simply smiled. He had her spell blocked.
I’m dead. We’re all dead. She faced Noah, who struggled for breath beside her. “I’m so sorry.”
Chapter 21
Blood and Earth