“I’d like a drink,” I say simply. “Something strong, if you don’t mind.”
A mischievous smile flirts across his lips as he leans over the counter. He stares up at me from underneath a tuft of hair and laughs. “Those bottles are for show. That’s not the kind of business we do around here.”
I hold my expression steady, though my hands tremble under the table. “Oh,” I say quaintly, and he grins wider.
He leans back, studying me. “But you already knew that.”
This time I smile. “Maybe.”
He chuckles, throwing the rag over his shoulder, and then grabs a glass from underneath the table. He opens a bottle of bourbon and pours me a drink. “I’m Lyric,” he says. “This is my dad’s place, so don’t tell anyone I just lowered myself to serving a human.”
My voice catches in my throat. “Y-your father’s place?”
“Yeah.” He pushes the glass over to me. “He’s throwing some big, fancy party tonight, so I got stuck watching this dump.”
My face must have turned pale, because he begins to eye me warily. I quickly down the drink, letting the quick burst of alcohol flush my cheeks. “That means you must be a Cote too?”
His eyes widen in surprise, but now I know why this young man looks so familiar to me. He must be Julien’s half-brother. François’s other complication. “You know my father?” he asks under his breath.
I shake my head. “Julien,” I say. “And he is in danger.”
Lyric straightens his shoulders in defiance. “Julien is perfectly fine,” he grunts. “He’s right upstairs. I just saw him.”
“No,” I breathe. “François brought him here to kill him, just like they plan to do to you once they’re done.”
Lyric’s mouth gapes open, and I know he is convincing himself I am crazy and untrustworthy. He probably would have succeeded if not for the sound of scuffling that erupts above our heads. I jump off the bar stool, prepared to make a run for the staircase, but Lyric leaps over the bar and catches my arm. “Wait!”
“There is no time!” I say. “You don’t have to believe me, just let me go so I can save him!”
He releases my arm but darts in front of me up the stairs. I follow quickly, and once at the top, he bursts into the first room on the right. Lyric gasps as he stumbles to a stop. One of the men has Julien down on the ground, his arms behind his back, while the other prepares to give him a kick to the head. “Get out of here, kid,” one of the men grunts, but I push my way forward. With one flick of my wrist, the man flies against the wall.
“It’s the Innocent!” the other man calls out as Julien begins to struggle.
Lyric’s eyes dart over to me, and I smile weakly at him. The second man charges us but slows as he registers movement at the window. Glass shatters everywhere as Reid’s body comes through the window. Julien easily overpowers his abductor, while Reid takes a shard of glass to the heart of my pursuer. Lyric braces himself like a shield in front of me, and by the time I catch my bearings, the second man is as dead as the first. The room falls silent as everyone stands dazed and hazy with adrenaline.
Julien is the first to speak, though his voice is cracked with a mixture of pain and pleasure. “Wilhelmina!” He pushes himself up from the floor, wiping his bloody hands as he runs to me.
Lyric slides easily out of the way, his hands still shaking uncontrollably.
“What are you doing here?” Julien sounds angry, but his hands cup my face, and his lips meet mine. “I can’t believe you are actually here.” His breath comes out shaky as he nearly cries. “I thought I’d never see you again!”
“You should have known I would come for you.” I pull him into a bear hug.
He kisses me a thousand times in a thousand different places across my face. “I’d hoped that Reid could talk you out of it.”
Reid, who is trying his best to look anywhere but at me in Julien’s arms, frowns at him. “Say what?”
Julien tugs me into his side. “You shouldn’t have let her come for me.”
“They were going to kill you,” Reid says with thick irritation in his voice.
Julien glances briefly at me, taking a second to square his shoulders. “I know.”
This time it’s Lyric who speaks up. I’d completely forgotten about him. He sits against the wall with his arms around his knees as if he is about to puke. “You knew?” Lyric accuses with a shaky breath.
Julien’s face softens as he turns to look at his brother. “Everyone has been wrong about my father. His greatest love was never my mother. It was me. She died protecting me from him that day, and he’s spent my entire life waiting for me to come back so he could finally get his satisfaction.”
Lyric stumbles to his feet. “By your death and mine.”
Julien lets out a small sigh. “I didn’t know you even existed until earlier today when I figured out their plan to kill us both.”
“So you were just going to let me sacrifice myself for her?” He throws his hands out angrily, and I can’t blame him.
Julien’s hold on me grows tighter. “I’m sorry, Lyric, but I would do anything to protect Willa.”
Lyric rolls his eyes. “Figures. I wait half my life to finally meet you, growing up hearing stories about the great and magnificent Julien, only to find out he cares so little about me that he’d hand over my life for a girl.”
“It’s not like that, Lyric. This entire situation goes far beyond just us,” Julien tries, but Lyric has already shut him out.
“Forget it. And forget you.”
“Lyric!” Julien yells, but he stalks out of the room and slams the door in our faces. Julien looks frantically back and forth, unsure whether or not he should go after him.
“He’s probably going to need some time,” Reid says.
Julien sighs. “Time, I can offer. I just don’t want him getting killed.”
“You think he’d go to François?” I ask.
“Worse.” Julien walks over to open the door. “He’ll go to Roux.”
Reid and I gasp at the horror of it, and Julien quickly agrees.
“Come on,” he says. “I’ll explain on the way.”
Chapter 20
CONSQUENCES OF CURSES
I curse my heels before launching them into the darkness behind me. Then I sprint forward to catch up with Reid and Julien as they feverishly discuss what just happened. “My dad and Roux Bessette have been trading favors for years,” Julien says in a rush. “Roux has been biding his time until he found what he really wanted. He found Wilhelmina in California, and he used it to lure her mom out of Sanctuary. My dad’s guards killed her for him.”
Julien looks sadly over at me, but I only nod. “I know.”
“And I guess you also know your mother outsmarted him, and that’s the reason they are after you now.”
“Yes.” I glance at Reid, unsure whether I should mention Priscilla’s secret.
“Our best option is to kill Roux,” Reid says quickly, changing the subject. “Do you think your brother will lead us to him?”
Julien stops dead in the street and turns to look at Reid tilting his head to the side. “Our? Just because you helped Willa save my life doesn’t mean we are some kind of team now.”
Reid snarls at him. “Team? My entire family is at the ball making an assassination attempt on Roux right now, you arrogant—”
Julien’s eyes widen, and I nudge Reid’s elbow to cut him off.
“Why didn’t you tell me that?” Julien says. “We need to get Willa out of here. It isn’t safe.”
I know Reid will too easily agree to that plan. “Whoa. Stop right there.” I step between them. “Willa isn’t going anywhere, except to help her family.”
Julien’s mouth opens to object while his hand moves to restrain me, but I predict his action, jumping out of the way. I back up with my finger pointed directly at him in warning. “Don’t you dare.” My fingers clench, and I know he has to feel the pressure on his neck. “I might have saved
you, but if you take one more step, I will make you regret it.”
Reid sighs, knowing me all too well, but Julien looks genuinely upset by my defiance. Reid rolls his eyes and walks off, knowing the fight won’t be worth it. I wait until Julien turns to go after him before I trot off in pursuit. “Women and their damn tempers,” Reid mutters to Julien, throwing me a sideways look. “Prideful too, won’t even let anyone die for them.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” I say, but Reid only smirks at me. Julien is silent as we continue to walk the three blocks back to the hotel.
***
Chaos.
The street is a scene from a Godzilla movie. Smoke billows from the top level of the hotel, while guests shriek and run in all directions down the street. I hadn’t asked Reid about my family’s plan specifically, but apparently it doesn’t consist of stealth.
A scream erupts above the noise of the street, and my heart jumps in my chest. I bolt for the front entrance of the hotel. Reid and Julien follow as I shove between guests who trample their way out.
The entry is dark and clouded with smoke. I cover my mouth and dart through the open hall. Sharp fingernails claw at my shoulder. I jerk away, but my foot slips. I land hard on my back, a blurry figure in front me. Something grabs the tail end of my dress, and I start to slide across the floor. I grip at the smooth tile, scratching to stay in place.
Julien leaps over me, through the cloud around me, and I hear a loud thud. Reid instantly pulls me back to my feet. I grab my shoulder. It stings.
Blood paints the tips of my fingers. Reid rushes me through the smoke. We emerge just in time to see Julien’s eyes turn black. He breaks the man’s neck with a coy smirk on his lips.
Shit. Hyde is back.
Julien’s head jerks up. His smile spreads. Then, slowly, very slowly, my Julien takes back control, and that lovely ocean blue returns.
He grimaces when he realizes my shock. “I won’t let them kill you,” he says softly. “Even if it means you grow to fear me, or even hate me. I will make sure you survive.”
The tears are hot, almost fiery, as they run down my cheeks. Reid holds me steady as others shove past us, desperate to find the exit.
The ground rattles beneath our feet. Reid jerks me to the floor and covers my head. Debris falls around us, dust and cement from the stone ceilings. “That would be Abby,” Reid yells above the shrieks around us. “She’s pissed.”
“They can do that?” Julien asks with a gasp, glancing at me.
“Control nature?” Reid cautiously stands back up and helps me find my balance. “Hell, yeah. This one fancies lightning.”
My head whips around at the sight of him pointing to me. “What?”
He smiles. “Why do you think you shock me? You can conduct electricity. You just haven’t figured out how to control it yet. Especially around me.”
Julien makes a face.
I’m too angry to care. “You knew why that was happening?”
Julien starts walking down the hall, and Reid follows him without answering my question. I run to keep up and smack Reid’s shoulder. “I’m sick of you keeping secrets, Reid Thomas. Sick! What else haven’t you told me, huh?”
His face contorts. “Nothing.”
I punch him full force in the ribs as we run. “Liar.”
He grabs his chest, and I hear Julien chuckle. “Now isn’t the time,” he says, groaning.
“Oh, there will be a time,” I hiss back at him. “You just wait.”
“Shh!” Julien insists, and we duck behind some foliage at the entrance of the atrium. There is a fight in progress, but we can’t see who is involved.
“Stay here.” Julien shoves us down and sneaks out of sight. I’m prepared to defy him, but Reid catches me.
“Not yet. We need to keep your presence here a secret as long as possible.”
“But that could be—” I start, but he cuts me off.
“It isn’t them. Anders has his entire Charlotte crew on standby tonight. Trust me, we will know when we’ve found them.”
He leans over me to peer past the bush to see the young man I don’t recognize struggling to get on his feet.
I turn back. I don’t want to see the fight. I don’t want to see the light fade from Julien’s eyes. It makes it all too real. Reid pulls on my arm, and I realize he’s pulling me down the hall again.
That was quick.
I look past Julien, who stands with his hands in his hair, two dead bodies at his feet. Reid pushes me by him. I stop at the thought of leaving him behind.
“Go, Willa,” Julien says, darting his eyes away from me. “I’ll catch up.”
A few members of Zeke’s family follow us. Reid gives the boy a quick nod of acknowledgement.
“Zeke’s cousin,” he says in my ear. We stop in front of the gallery.
Most of the guests have cleared out now, and the long hallway of the gallery is deathly quiet. Julien walks up beside us, his eyes going not to the hallway, but Reid’s hands on my shoulders.
“It’s too quiet,” Reid says, and Julien looks up.
Blue eyes. Thank goodness.
“Someone is coming,” Julien says quietly. “C’mon. This way.”
We hide, but the footsteps grow louder in my mind. Then words begin to fill my head. Curse words, of all things. They flash like gunshots. Then I hear the voice. I gasp, leaping into a dead sprint.
“Sadie!” I run as quickly as my bare feet can take me.
I spot her at the end of the hallway. She’s scared. The bold fear captures her face as she runs toward me, away from the gang of guards that pursues her. “Sadie!” I scream again, and she almost stumbles when she sees me.
I grab her in my arms, throwing my hand over her shoulder. Shockwaves power down the hallway. The force of it sends three men flying backward. Half a dozen pieces of art crumble from the walls.
“Willa.” Sadie grabs me. Hugs me desperately. “It’s you. I thought they had me trapped.”
“You’re okay.” I brush her dark hair away from her face. Reid and Julien quickly join us.
Reid grabs Sadie by the shoulders, inspecting her to make sure she isn’t harmed. “What’s going on?” he asks, turning her from side to side.
“We bombarded the second floor,” she says through her labored pants. “It was more heavily guarded than we predicted, but nothing we couldn’t handle with the help of Anders and his people. They separated me from the rest of them, though, and I got lost down one of the halls and ended up back in the ballroom. I was trying to find my way out when Willa saved me.”
Bones crack behind me. I know it’s Julien making sure Sadie’s attackers are dead.
“Are the others still on the second floor?” Reid asks.
“I think so.” Sadie tries to catch her breath, but her hands still shake. I grab them, and she turns to me.
“I know I should tell you to leave,” she chokes out, “but—”
“You need me.”
“Exactly.”
“Come on,” Reid says over his shoulder toward Julien. “Let’s make sure we stick together.”
I step over the guards Julien has conveniently taken care of and head for the ballroom. I start to go inside, because I can hear voices echoing in the grand hall, but Julien stops me. “There is a back staircase that leads directly to the master suites. That is where Roux will go to hide.”
We follow Julien past the ballroom entrance and down another hallway until it opens to a large entryway with three sets of grand staircases. At the very top stands a figure staring down at us, and I hear Julien begin to scream. “Lyric! Stop!”
I catch the boy’s eyes just before he vanishes, and Julien curses under his breath. “He’s going to get himself killed!”
I dart up the stairs after him, but Lyric is gone. The building shakes again. I stumble into Reid as the aftershock trembles the floor beneath us. The source is near this time, which means Abby is close. No one speaks as we take off down the hallway, ou
r eyes darting in every direction for enemies or a glimpse of our family.
As the hallway opens up into a giant foyer, we are met with our first round of resistance. Julien grabs me around the waist and holds me back as Reid and Sadie run forward to help whoever is in front of us. Julien drags me behind a stone statue and pins me down. “I told you that you have my permission to hate me, but I will protect you at all cost.”
“Julien, I need to help them!”
“You need to stay alive,” he shoots back. “You are our only hope. If they kill you, Roux and my father will win. I’ve only talked to that man once, but I’d hate to see your powers fall into his family’s hands.”
“What?”
“That is what they want, Wilhelmina. They don’t want to just break the curse. Roux wants your power. His family has been hiding in the shadows for hundreds of years, waiting, trying to figure out a way to steal them from you.”
He knows. Julien already knows their secret.
I push against Julien’s chest. I’m not willing to give up that easily. If one of them dies trying to defend me, it will already feel as if Roux has won. I know what is at stake during this mission, and maybe I’m being selfish, but my family means more to me than the greater good. Julien holds me steady as he peeks around the statue and then looks back to me.
“If you won’t protect yourself for them, then do it for me,” he pleads. “I need you alive.”
His blue eyes swirl in that heavenly way that always sends my heart racing, but this time it manages to make it stop.
“I was prepared to never see you again. I was ready to have my life end without knowing the touch of your lips one last time, but Willa, I’m not prepared to watch you die.”
I try to speak, to yell at him for saying the one thing that would make me falter in my determination.
“I love you,” he whispers desperately. “It would kill me to know I failed you.”
Frog Hollow (Witches of Sanctuary Book 1) Page 22