by S. E. Babin
“Yes, I know," I sighed, then shoved more chocolate pudding in my mouth. "I just want to go back to my normal life."
Mike frowned. "But do you really? What about the magic?"
I barked out a laugh. "It hasn't done anything for me. It's just sitting inside my body, making me feel weird."
He ran a hand through his dark hair, making it stick up in all directions. "I have this aunt…" he began.
When he was finished, I was shaking my head. "Your aunt is a coven leader in the city?" I had to laugh. "This week just keeps getting weirder and weirder."
He shrugged. "I told you I was open to believing a lot of things."
"And you think she can help me?"
"I think there's the potential for helping you. I don't know, Eve. I try to stay away from the woo-woo part of the job, but it's this damn city. I can't seem to get away from it at all."
Standing, he gathered his hat and bag. He rummaged through and handed me a card. "When you're recovered, if you want to meet her, call me. I'll set it up."
He reached over and squeezed my hand. "I hope I talk to you soon."
I opened the door to my apartment slowly. My heart pounded in sick dread, both at what I'd find and possibly walk in on. I could hear no sounds within my home, so I pushed the door open farther and stepped in. Leaving it open, I slowly walked around, pushing all the doors in the apartment wide open. I must have looked like a crazy person, but I didn't care. Never did I want to experience what I'd just gone through again.
The hospital hadn't wanted to release me. I suspected it was because they were gunning for a psych eval. Even a nitwit could tell I wasn't telling the entire story. When the police visited me later, they told me the house they entered was empty and had been empty for some time. I’d never forget the way they looked at me. I sighed. I knew they didn't believe me either, but they couldn't quite explain how I'd been so thoroughly bound even if they’d suspected I'd done it myself.
After that visit, I insisted I be released from the hospital as soon as possible. They dragged their feet, so I removed my own IV and walked out wearing nothing but a frown and a hospital gown.
I was glad to be back home for lots of reasons, but comfortable clothes were the main one. Once I cleared my apartment and made sure no one was lying in wait for me, I exhaled deeply and walked back to the master bedroom. Rummaging through the drawer, I pulled out a comfortable pair of yoga pants and an old tank. I ripped off the hospital gown, cringing as I crumbled it up and disposed of it, dressed, tied my long hair back in a ponytail, and flopped down on the couch, staring at the ceiling and wondering what my next move should be.
Nothing.
My next move should be nothing.
I wanted to believe that so bad. Crawling right back into my comfortable life had never sounded so good, but there was a green-eyed, sexy man who would not get out of my thoughts. I liked him a lot. Way more than I should have the right to. He'd saved my life. Granted, he saved it after saying some pretty horrible things, but after having some time to think on it in the hospital, I knew he'd said them to blunt my importance to Isha.
It worked, but he sacrificed himself in the same breath. I had no idea where he was or what was happening to him.
I blew out a breath and crossed my arms over my stomach. The crunch of cardboard had me digging into my pocket. Out came Mike's card. If I called him, he could put me in touch with his aunt, and she might be able to teach me what I needed to know. If I knew some magic, maybe I could find Hermes.
I laid the card down on the table and shut my eyes for a moment. I'd call him tomorrow.
I woke up with a stiff neck and a backache that wouldn’t quit. My couch had never been the most comfortable thing, and now I knew for sure it wasn't a great place to sleep. I pushed myself up with a wince and a groan.
Coffee.
This woman needed coffee.
After finally getting a cup and washing some of the liquid down with two aspirin, I began to feel more human. Nothing had happened during the night. I'd been sleeping hard enough for a rock band to come in and play a concert without disturbing me. Nothing looked out of place or disturbed.
I'd call Mike today.
And then I'd find Hermes. I had some things to say to him.
11
Hermes
It had been three days.
Three days since Eve had looked at me with those alien green eyes full of hurt and betrayal.
Three days since Isha had so cleverly snared me with the net of Hephaestus.
And three days since I'd spoken a word to her.
Granted, Isha was clever in her ministrations. Enough to bring wrenching pain. Never enough to knock me unconscious. So long as she kept this net snared around me, I would be a captive. I swung from the ceiling, the net holding me snug. I was in a room devoid of magic. Whatever she had done in here had rendered my powers unusable. I snarled in annoyance. Every time I lifted my hands to form a spell, they would spark, giving me a tiny flicker of hope, then sputter and die.
I could do nothing. See nothing. Use no magic.
I was as helpless as a babe.
I could no longer sense Eve either. Whatever warding was on this room was ancient and powerful. I'd been relegated to the senses of a human. Never had I been so angry. Or scared.
The gods were omnipotent and all-powerful. They used their magic with impunity, destroyed their enemies with barely a flick of their finger, and ruled worlds. I was one of the more benevolent of them, content to deliver messages within the realm and happy not to have the power or fame it brought.
This was what became my downfall.
I was unimportant enough; my disappearance would do nothing more than raise an eyebrow. Eventually, my father would come searching for me, but it wouldn't be for a while. He had many other things to worry about.
Isha had also not bothered to feed me.
I needed little sustenance to sustain me, and even less sleep, but I did enjoy the act of eating and drinking. I had been deprived of all of it as I swung slightly back and forth in the net. She'd come in with her bag of tools and magic and slowly torture me. The cuts on my chest and back oozed, and I could feel them tightening and swelling as infection began to sink in. I would not die, but I would suffer a poor existence at her hands if something didn't give soon.
The only thoughts that soothed me were the ones of Eve. Her dark hair spilling into my hands. Her eyes cloudy with passion. Her bright wit and curvy body.
I rested my head against the net. I would see her again. Eventually.
Isha came back into the room, the slight self-satisfied smile she so rarely dropped in full force. "Ready for another round?" she asked me.
I offered no words and a dull glare.
Opening the small bag she carried, she pulled out a razor that winked in the bright light.
"I'm going to kill you," I whispered.
"Child, you're going to do nothing so long as you hang in that net."
I gritted my teeth as she came closer.
I was. I was going to kill Isha one day.
12
Eve
It had been fourteen days since I stumbled out of the home, bound and hysterical. Only seven days had passed since I'd first met Mike's Aunt Rainie. She was a petite thing, fair of face with fiery red hair and a penchant for broom skirts and tank tops. She wore heavy gemstone jewelry, and every day I saw her, she'd point to one of the stones and ask me what its properties were.
At first, it felt ridiculous and I had trouble forming words to describe how emeralds brought money or moonstones brought peace. It was so far from what I was used to. Books taught you a lot of things, but magic was something I'd never truly believed in. Until recently.
The last few days had been a little different, though. We'd been working on opening and closing circles, calling in benevolent gods, and doing basic spells. When I'd finally approached her to do a locator spell, she'd readily agreed. I didn't think Mike had told her who I w
as looking for, so I was surprised by it. But I suspected she knew exactly how much Mike liked me, so I thought maybe she was trying to stay in my good graces—or as much as she could being my teacher and all.
We sat in a small circle of salt, our hands clasped, facing each other with our knees touching. Rainie told me to close my eyes and steady my breathing. These actions were basically the cornerstones to performing magic. That and the ritual bath and meditation before any magic.
I'd taken to wearing loose fitting pants and snug tank tops because Rainie's style of teaching ended up with a lot of movement. It was strange we were sitting down, but I did as she asked.
"I want you to think of this person's name and bring his face into your field of vision. Make sure to keep your eyes closed."
I brought up Hermes' face and couldn't help but smile. Lordy, he was handsome.
"Good," Rainie said. "Now, concentrate on this person and open yourself to any messages they have to send you."
I slowed my breathing even further and allowed myself to be receptive.
The first hint the spell was working came when I felt a dull tug at my senses. My brow narrowed and I honed in on it. Golden magic flowed over me, and a room slowly came into focus.
I gasped. Rainie tightened her grip on my hands. "Concentrate," she whispered.
I couldn't see much yet, except white walls and something hanging in the center of the room.
"Eve?" The voice was perplexed and awed.
Hermes.
"Where are you?" I whispered urgently.
The blurry form of Hermes shook his head. "I don't know. Why can't I see you?"
"New magic. I'm still learning. You look...blurry."
"Powerful warding around the room, possibly the house. I can't use any magic."
Rainie's voice came through. "You need to let go and back away. Use your vision to focus outward. Look at the outside of the building. The kind of cars. Any gas stations or landmarks."
"I have to go," I whispered.
"Eve," Hermes whispered. "I never meant—"
"I know," I interrupted. "I'll be back."
My vision backed away from the room and into the interior of the house. It was well-furnished and clean. The paint on the walls was neutral, except one room. It was painted with dark purple walls and stars. I sensed...something in that room, so I headed into it.
Rainie squeezed my hands. "Powerful magic exists there. Be careful."
I paused to consider her words as my vision hovered right outside the door. I had to know what was in there. With a deep breath, I allowed my vision to take me inside.
Isha sat on the floor cross-legged, holding a black novena candle in one hand and a bloody knife in the other. I gasped in horror. Upon the altar in front of her lay a dead chicken. Its throat was cut, its lifeblood pouring into a chalice on the floor.
Voodoo at its darkest, I thought.
I couldn't hear her whispered prayers, nor did I want to.
“Leave, child," Rainie whispered. "This one is powerful and will soon sense you."
I nodded and allowed my vision to travel outside the house into the street area.
Tears came to my eyes. I knew exactly where she was.
And I recognized the people she was with.
We had been betrayed.
Several minutes later, I opened my eyes and blinked a few times to get the grit out of them. Rainie wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt and gave me a considering look.
"Perhaps I do not want to know who you were looking for."
I shook my head. "Better for everyone if you don't."
Rainie's mouth tightened. "My nephew likes you," she started.
I nodded.
"But I don't know if I want him getting tied up with you."
I laughed at her honesty.
"Three weeks ago, we would have been perfect for each other." And it was true. Three weeks ago, I'd been merely Eve the Librarian—the researcher who worked in a dusty office and never had anything interesting happen. But that was before Hermes and New Orleans voodoo came into my life.
"Do you still want me to teach you?" Rainie asked, her face somber.
"I would," I said honestly. "But I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
She reached over and patted my hand. "How about you take care of whatever it is that haunts you and come back to me when you're ready? Voodoo isn't bad, but it can be depending on how it's practiced. All religions are like that," she added. "Good when good people who have faith practice. Bad when those with evil intentions get a hold of it." She stared into my eyes. "And that woman in there, whoever she may be....she's as evil as they come. A black heart like a lump of coal. She has a goal, and she will kill anyone who stands in the way of it. See that you are careful when messing around with the likes of her, you hear?"
I nodded.
Rainie sighed. "You know you aren't ready to take on the likes of her magic, don't you?"
I nodded again.
"The gods only know why I'm teaching you this. It's way beyond your skill level right now," she muttered, then pulled me up from the ground and maneuvered me to face her. "Close your eyes," she commanded.
I did as she asked.
"Imagine a deep red light surrounding you. It's full of protection. Nothing can harm you when this light surrounds you. Nothing can penetrate your shield. No magic can seep its way in. Make sure no holes or cracks exist."
I imagined the red underneath my feet, all around me, like I was in a big bowl of jelly. I didn't tell Rainie that, though, because I felt silly. I didn't want her to feel like I was making fun of magic.
"Jelly is good," Rainie said, laughter in her voice.
"How did you know?"
"It's what most new witches do when they start out. It's good to follow your instincts. Keep going."
Two hours later, I was able to form and drop my shield at will. It wasn't an offensive fighting move, but it should help me while I tried to break in and grab Hermes. Magic would bounce harmlessly off the shield as evidenced by Rainie throwing spells at me. The first few times, I'd panicked and dropped the shield around me. After getting several reprimands from her, I could hold it even under immense magical pressure. Of course, I didn't think Rainie was actively trying to kill me, so I wasn't sure how it would work out when someone was.
"Good," she said after she threw a final spell at me and I held the shield strong. "Drop it," she demanded.
I did as she asked, only to squeal and throw it right back up as Rainie threw another spell at me.
She grinned. "Good!" she yelled as the spell slid harmlessly off the shield and dispersed into the ground.
"Cheater," I grumbled.
"The bad guys always cheat," she reminded me. "Now, be careful. I would help you, but I made a vow a long time ago never to get tied up in the voodoo community. This is all on you, Eve."
I nodded. I had no idea what I was going to do now knowing the information I had, but I had to do something with it. Hermes was effectively trapped. With no magic and no way out, I was the only one who might be able to help him.
I left Rainie's with a hug and a slight ache in my heart over Mike. She would have been a great new Aunt to have. I had no family left, so this one hurt a little bit more than usual. There was only one man I wanted. Even if I couldn't have him. The odds were pretty high I'd die anyway, but I still had to try.
I could never go back to simply being Eve the Librarian. Even if Hermes spurned me later.
13
Hermes
What the hell had just happened? My mind reeled with the implications of the magic Eve had used to reach me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she found me, but how in the world had she broken through the wards Isha placed in the room? I was too weak to keep trying to use magic. The last bout with Isha had left me bleeding profusely. I only had a few more days before I broke. She wanted to know where the fountain was. I wanted to survive. But if I gave up the location, I would be betraying my brethren and th
rowing the world into chaos. I would die before that happened.
All my hopes rested on a mortal woman who didn't know how to use her powers. All I could do was send a prayer up to the Great Father and hope he would send some assistance down to my dark-haired beauty. But could he even hear me through this magic dampening spell?
I didn't know, but still tried.
Eve
Books had always been my life. Tales of handsome heroes and fierce heroines, of magical swords and loyal kingdoms, of clashes and battles, and wars fought for love. But they'd taught me a lot of practical things too. How to start a fire with flint and wood, how to stay alive in the wilderness, how to deal with bullies, and how to dress myself for success.
Never had I encountered a book on how to walk into a house full of powerful voodoo priestesses and rescue an ancient Greek god.
I thumped my head down on the table a few times.
How was I going to do this and not die? I didn't think there was a way. I had very little magic I could use, and even less know-how. I had a defensive spell and the knowledge on how to do a locator spell. I knew where Hermes was, I knew who he was with, and I knew how incredibly powerful they were.
I was one mortal woman going up against powers I couldn't even comprehend.
I lifted my head from the table as an idea began to form. I didn't have to comprehend them. Sometimes when faced with something that seemed unfaceable, the most successful solution was the most mundane.
And I was very, very good at being mundane. I was, after all, mostly human.
I stood, grinning as I rushed over to the junk drawer to grab a notepad and pen.
I needed a list. Shit was going down, and I needed to go to the store.
If I was ever convicted of murder, this grocery store trip was going to haunt me. Hopefully, once I managed to get Hermes out of the net, he'd clean up the mess for me. Provided he still had the strength to do anything. I'd gone to several hardware stores and several self-defense stores. I had good credit, no criminal background, and a whole lot of cash in my savings account. If anyone batted an eye, they clamped their lips shut once they had cash shoved at them and didn't say another word.