Will shook his head. “Don’t know. They want something, though. Bad.”
James nodded and looked down at the map. Then he looked again. “Shit.”
“What?”
“I know that place. I've been there. It's down the street.”
Trina edged closer and looked over his shoulder. “Our high priestess, Rowena, lives there. The coven will be performing their Samhain ritual and she's not going to want anyone around—not daemon or human.”
James pulled a face. “All evidence to the contrary.”
Trina scoffed. “Rowena's a bitch, don't get me wrong, but she's spent her life plotting revenge against daemon-kind in retaliation for the Clearances and hiding the coven from the cowen.”
Ghost's brows furrowed. “What's cowen?”
“Non-Magical humans.” She turned back to James. “You won't have to worry about the humans. The coven will take care of them and any daemons who wander into their territory won't be wandering back out.”
“I need in there.”
Trina shook her head. “The coven will decimate you. You can't be thinking to go over there.”
Chapter 36
“Blessed be. It's good to have you back.”
Lilith pasted on a smile. “Blessed be.”
“We're already outside.” Rowena led her through the house and out into the back yard where the coven had erected a stone circle.
A beautiful night, the full moon highlighted everything in silvery hues. Quiet, too. The only sounds that of the Snoqualmie River sprawling behind the property and the snapping of a bonfire.
Her coven sisters had already prepared for the ritual and taken their spots in front of each of the stone pillars. The same spots they'd been assigned as children.
She took a deep breath and waved to the coven.
No one returned her greeting. In fact, none of the women even glanced her way. Had something changed?
“Now that you've regained your Magic, it's the utmost privilege we bestow upon you tonight. Your ancestors will be proud to see you join their ranks as one of the greatest, most powerful witches in history. Did you bring your gift for the Watchers?”
She handed Rowena Aimee's summoning jar, but her attention remained on the scene before her. For a heartbeat, everything looked as she expected it to, but a shiver still raised the hair at her nape. All the women from the coven wore their Sabbath robes and the altar had been prepared for the ritual. A bonfire burned off to the side, lighting up enough of the area for her to see the flames reflected in the Snoqualmie River and shadows dance on the base of the Cascade foothills just beyond.
Rowena's athame lay on the stone altar at the head of the ceremonial grounds, along with several summoning jars meant as offerings. Candles decorated the base of the altar and incense infused the air.
“Is something amiss, dear?”
She couldn't quite drag her gaze from the scene. Everything seemed as it should, nothing appeared to be out of place. She saw no sign of danger, but her gut had gone queasy and heat flushed her face.
Something wasn't right.
She scanned the faces of each of her coven sisters. Everyone seemed sedate. Happy. Calm. When her gaze reached Kat, she froze. Kat didn't move, but she wore an expression of warning. Her wide eyes stared back and after a second or two, Lilith realized she was screaming, trying to shout out, but couldn't.
Dear gods, they had her Magically bound.
Her gaze snapped to Rowena. “What have you done?”
Rowena shrugged. “What I needed to do to protect my coven.”
Lilith backed away a step. Then another. And came up against an immovable obstacle. She turned, half expecting to discover James had followed her.
The silvery eyes staring back at her belonged to Julius Crowley.
Lilith took another step back, her gaze sought Rowena's, and the malevolent intent held her immobile for several heart beats.
Crowley chuckled. “I think she's on to you, Madam High Priestess.”
Lilith fisted her hands. “Go. Away.”
He laughed. “You don’t live here.”
Why wasn't the coven doing anything about his presence? She ran.
“Bring her back,” Crowley shouted.
Lilith stopped as the women in the coven started toward her. Oh, gods, he had them all under his control. “Don't touch me!” The heel of her boot caught on the uneven ground, and she fell.
Claire, Gina, and Meredith raced toward her.
Lilith held her hands out, palms facing them. Pulling energy from the Earth, she allowed it to flow through her body and out of her palms. The burst of energy forced the women back.
“Lilith,” Rowena said. “Stop before you get hurt. This is for your own good. You're special.”
Lilith backed away. “You're crazy.” She tried to raise her arms to cast a shield, but couldn't move her arms, as if heavy, weighted rope encircled her. She glanced down, but there was nothing to see, no physical tethers to attempt to unfurl. “No!” A binding spell. She thrashed against her invisible restraints.
Crowley waved the other witches away and came to stand next to her. “Don't fight me, little witch.” He spoke low enough no one else could hear, his breath brushing her ear. “We wouldn't want anyone to get hurt.”
Out of the darkness surrounding the circle, four male daemons strode closer. Each put a blade to the throat of one of the witches.
Lilith stilled. “What do you want?”
“You'll see soon enough.” Crowley strode closer to the altar. “First things first, Madam High Priestess, induct Miss Caldwell into your ranks, if you will.”
Rowena's green eyes narrowed. “This wasn't part of the deal. I never said I'd allow you within our circle while we worked Magic. You never said any other daemons would be here.”
“And yet, that is exactly what's going to happen.” He pointed toward Kat. “Or your daughter will be tonight's first sacrifice.”
Rowena's gaze bounced from hostage to hostage and when she came to Kat something crossed her features, something like fear. Casting the circle would protect Kat. No harm could come to those within the circle's confines.
Rowena's lips trembled and she pressed them into a thin line. “Fine.” She took her place before a small altar, tucking Aimee's jar into the pocket of her Sabbath robe before starting the rite.
“Great Watchers all, you are welcome. Join us.” Rowena picked up her athame, a long, wicked dagger, and lifted it over her head. “I cast this circle for our protection. Let no harm come to us within its boundaries.” She pointed her athame out as she rotated, the razor-sharp point of the knife marking the circle in the air.
Violet called the first corner, inviting the Watchers to join their ceremony. “Hail to the watchtower of the East, Watcher of Air. I command thee, join us in this rite; grant us knowledge over the elements. Hail and welcome.”
Meredith, Fiona, and Debbie called the remaining corners.
The protective shield closed around them, but each of the candles remained unlit. Odd, the candles usually lit as the Watchers sent their powers to the coven for their ritual.
Rowena didn't seem to notice. She focused her attention on Crowley. “Now the circle has been cast and Lilith’s presence during our rite makes her one of us.” She came around the altar and faced Crowley. “You may as well have your men step away. You can't harm us in this circle.”
Crowley smiled, nodding to the male who had his knife at Kat's throat. The red-headed male lifted his blade toward Kat’s neck. Crowley shouted, “No!”
Lilith stared at him. What the hell?
His face contorted and a shudder ran though him. Crowley’s gaze narrowed. Then, he stilled. “Do it.”
The male holding Kat drew the blade closer, but when a finger’s width from Kat's skin, his hand began to shake. His lips pressed into a thin line as he struggled. Finally, he looked up and shook his head at Crowley.
Crowley's smile faded. His attention jerked toward Rowena.
“If we can't harm you, then the opposite must also be true.” He stepped closer to Rowena. “You can't harm us.”
She shrugged. “It seems we are at an impasse, Mr. Crowley.”
“Are we?”
Rowena's lips curved.
“Eventually, you'll need to leave this space.” He walked a tight circle around Rowena. “You'll need to eat. Drink. Rest.” When he stood behind her, he leaned over her shoulder. “How angry do you want me to be when that time comes? I can wait for all eternity, madam, and I'll be as strong as I am in this moment.”
Rowena's gaze locked with Lilith's. She seemed to be pleading with her, but for what she didn't know. She couldn't do anything while bound.
“Summon him.” Julius leaned forward and handed Rowena a slip of paper. “Here's the name.”
“Why?” Rowena opened the paper, her glance shooting up to meet Lilith's. “Why is this necessary?”
“I need her cooperation tonight. You're going to ensure I get it.”
Rowena spread out the slip of paper Crowley gave her on the altar. For a heartbeat or two, her gaze met Lilith's, her expression one of regret. Then she spoke. “Samael James Pasquino—”
Lilith's stomach bottomed out. “No.” This wouldn't be the gentle summons of a child calling her future mate. This summons would leach his power and make him slave to his summoner.
“—I summon thee. To obey all commands made by me. For this we ask or something more, so mote it be, we do implore.”
“Don't do this.” Lilith struggled against her restraints. How did Crowley know his name? Had he been watching that night as James stood out on the porch begging entrance? Is that how he knew his full name?
Oh, gods, this was all her fault.
The coven joined in, chanting. “Samael James Pasquino, I summon thee. To obey all commands made by me. For this we ask or something more, so mote it be, we do implore.”
Crowley approached her. “What's wrong, little witch?”
“Don't do this.” Lilith struggled against her invisible bonds. “You don't need him. I'll do what you want.”
He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. “Your mate, he has no faith. He’ll blame you for this, I think. How much do you want to bet that when he arrives all you'll see in his eyes is hatred?”
Lilith lifted her chin. “Then I guess it's a good thing I have faith enough for both of us.”
Her words sounded strong and true, but inside she feared Crowley was right.
Chapter 37
James checked his watch. Still fifteen minutes to go before Trina would head to Rowena's. She'd finally agreed to allow them to come.
Trina folded her arms over her chest. “You boys need to stay away from the coven. Concentrate on the humans.”
Ghost scoffed. “Come on, how tough can a few witches be?”
For a moment, James stared. Then he realized that none of these guys had ever seen a witch in action. He glanced at Trina. “Show them.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I'm not a parlor trick.”
“And I don't want them freaked out in the middle of a fight.”
“Fine.” Trina propped her hand on her hip and regarded the others. “What do you want me to show them?”
“Whatever you did with the house the other night.” That should earn the coven some healthy respect. “You know, minus actually trying to kill us.”
Trina motioned them closer. “Keep away from the walls.”
They all gathered around the table.
Trina closed her eyes and the hair on James’ arms stood at attention.
All at once, the house folded inward. Studs and pipes pierced through the plaster, their jagged edges coming within a hair’s breadth of the vampires.
Ghost jumped. “Fuck me.”
Samael. . . .
James shook his head. She didn't leave them any space to move around, the shards and spikes of Haven House's infrastructure mere inches from the vampires. His team looked ready to start climbing on the table . . . until they looked up and realized the ceiling was in the same condition.
“Make it stop,” Walker said. “We get the goddamn point.”
James chuckled, putting a hand to his head to alleviate a growing pain behind his eyes.
Samael James Pasquino. . . .
Trina let out a little laugh and the house returned to how it had been.
“How do you do that?” Shadow motioned to the wall. “Holy shit, that was intense.”
“I work chaos Magic. I can manipulate things at the atomic level.” She shrugged. “Most of us have niches. Lilith has elemental Magic. Brenda, precognition; Kat, healing Magic; Abby; ice.“
“And Rowena?” James stretched his neck to the side.
Samael James Pasquino. . . .
Trina propped her fist on her hip. “Rowena is the high priestess. As long as she remains such, she has a bit of everyone's Magic—she can do it all. My advice would be to stay the hell out of her way and focus on the daemon. Let the coven deal with Rowena.”
James nodded. Christ, he felt like shit all of the sudden. He turned his attention back to the map app on Will's phone, blinking hard to clear his vision, and made the picture larger. “The Snoqualmie River runs behind the property and next to it is a campground. I doubt anybody will be using it this time of year. Across the street and down a ways is a farm.” He slid his finger to the right. “This here is an access road on the other side of the campground.”
“What about the other side of the river?” Ghost asked.
“Foothills,” Trina said. “Steep ones. Don't get yourselves cornered on that side of the river, you'll have nowhere to go.”
“All right.” James shook his head, blinking hard. “Let's head out.”
Will stopped him. “You all right?”
Samael James Pasquino . . .
“Yeah.” The whole room spun.
Will grabbed him before he fell on his ass, lowering him into a chair. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I don't . . . .” Will's image wavered in front of him, blending with a vision of trees and a bonfire. James rubbed his eyes.
Samael James Pasquino, we summon thee.
The words thrummed through his mind. “They're summoning—!“ He shouted as his whole body seized up and he fell to the floor. “They're . . . .” He couldn't get the words out. He stared up at the concerned faces of Trina, Will, and his team, and he couldn't tell them what was happening. His vision flickered again, and for a split-second he saw Lilith. Saw a bunch of women in dark, hooded robes. The bonfire made their shadows stretch into unnatural shapes across the pentacle carved into the ground.
Then Trina came back into focus. “Don't fight, James. It'll make it worse.”
He didn't think it could get a whole lot worse. All his muscles locked tight, his teeth clenched so hard his jaw felt ready to snap.
“We're coming. Do you hear me? We're on our way.” She pushed at the males. “We gotta move. They're summoning him. Something must've gone wrong.”
Her voice grew distant. The room around him faded and then he was there, trapped within the pentacle, staring at Lilith.
James' mind spun.
This couldn't be right.
It couldn't.
Before you get what you truly want, I curse you to destruction.
He shook his head. He refused to give Nan's memory any power over him. He never believed in her curse, he'd be damned if he started now. But was it possible he'd finally found absolution, discovered paradise—his paradise—only for the person who embodied those things to also be his downfall? He'd known Lilith had the capabilities, the powers to destroy them all, but it never occurred to him she might do just that.
After everything he'd risked for her . . . .
James lifted his head and met her gaze. She stared back at him through puffy eyes, and though she didn't speak, he could see the truth written in her expression. She hadn't done this.
Crowley.
James scanned the area
, searching for the son of a bitch. He felt like he was encased in Jell-O and it took every ounce of energy to move his head. There. The smug bastard grinned.
Come a little closer, Crowley. It didn't matter that he was stuck in this pentacle. If he got half a chance, he had every intention of ashing the fucker.
Crowley strode over to Rowena. “Now make your offerings to the Great Ones.”
James' breath stalled in his lungs. Offerings. Christ, they meant to kill him.
“No.” Lilith struggled, making him realize they'd bound her. “Rowena, don't do this. Don't listen to him.”
“Fight me fair.” James tried to shout the demand, but it came out soft as a whisper.
Still, Crowley heard. The corner of his mouth kicked up and he shook his head. “You know too much.” He looked at Rowena. “Perform the offerings.”
Lilith shouted a denial.
James swallowed hard. This was not how he intended to go out of this world. He was stuck. Lilith was trapped within a binding spell, the rest of the coven appeared to be either in league with Rowena or mesmerized by Crowley.
Trina was on her way.
But how long would she take to get here?
***
Everything was spinning out of control.
Rowena performed the offering ceremony, but nothing happened. The glass jars should have shattered as they went up in flames. Lilith’s mate should have burned alive. But nothing happened. This was just like the night she’d made the offering to Hekate. And just like that night, Julius Crowley was here. He was doing something. Preventing the Watchers from hearing her. Maybe from seeing her.
But how?
“The Watchers are displeased,” Lilith shouted. “They're refusing your offerings.”
Rowena shook her head. “No, I've displeased the Watchers before. They let me know; they didn't ignore me. This is almost as if they can't see us.” Her gaze narrowed on Crowley. “What have you done?”
He shrugged. “I suppose I cast a larger shadow than I realized.”
A shadow? Vampires didn't cast shadows.
Watchers did.
Dear gods. Was he possessed by a Watcher? He couldn’t be, the Great Ones were invisible, stripped of their flesh. Her gaze shot to the side, searching the shadows for the RI men who’d be coming for him. This wasn’t good. Not at all.
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