"Sorry to interrupt, but we have a security issue." I continued to pull her out of the pantry.
"Damn, Bron, okay okay." She started to walk out and then turned back to the pantry. James stood there in a daze. She kissed him hard. Then said, "Call me," and stuck her card in his pocket.
I dragged her to the living room where I'd left Zane and the woman. They weren't there.
Made my way to the front door with Simone in tow.
"Have you seen Zane?" I asked the valet and handed him a twenty to get our limo.
"He left a few minutes ago with a blonde. Are you Bronwyn?"
"Yes."
"Yeah, he said he'd see you at home." The valet smiled and then took off in search of our limo.
Great. Fucking great.
Simone and I climbed in the limo and the driver pulled out on the narrow hillside road. I told her about what had happened with the demon.
"I think that's why they've been after me. A witch would be the perfect host for their demon seed. Whatever powers I have they would absorb. But I don't know if he was an Arnok or not. In human form it was hard to tell."
She grimaced. "You should have let me kill him. The bastard. I'm sorry you don't seem to be having much fun. Except for Sir David you've had a pretty crappy time."
"I know." I grunted. "But it honestly wouldn't have been much better at home. Sam's mad and I don't know if I can fix it. Still, I can't wait to get back to Sweet."
That's when everything gets fuzzy.
I'm not sure but I think they must have used something in the air-conditioning vents. Before I realized what was happening, I saw Simone pass out. I wasn't far behind.
When we woke up we were in the middle of a dungeon or a basement that looked like one. A basement in California is a rarity, but I didn't feel so lucky to have found myself in one.
"Two weeks of sipping raspberry margaritas and mojitos on the beach. No worries, just sun and fun." I shifted on the dirt floor. The smell of dead rats overwhelmed my senses. I couldn't face Simone. The chains binding us to the steel pole wouldn't allow much movement.
"I know." The demon slayer sighed.
"I'm taking time off and we'll do nothing but fun girly things. Spa days, tanning, a trip to the hair salon to see Sir David, he's a master with highlights." I bit my lip and looked up at the ceiling. Nothing there that would help us.
"He is." The chains rattled. "And you're beautiful. Your hair's never looked better."
I ignored the compliment. "Sleep as much as you want."
"Well, there was that first day." Her voice carried an edge.
"I was shot with a tranquilizer dart." I tried to grab the chain with my hand, but was bound too tight.
"Yes, but you slept like a baby for twenty-four hours." She had the nerve to giggle.
"Get away from all of your troubles at home and experience how the Hollywood set lives. See the sights, and hang with the real party crowd," I grumbled. I couldn't help it.
"We were at a great party before this happened, and that one guy totally wanted in your pants."
"Yes, a demon who wanted to impregnate me with slime-filled eggs." I knocked on the pole with my fist. "This so sucks."
"Yep."
The door burst open. "Who is the first to die?" the demon roared. Stupid creep was way too dramatic. That's Hollywood for you.
I guess it was time.
"I'll go. Anything is better than listening to her bitch." Simone slid halfway up the pole.
"Simone?"
"What?"
The demon unshackled her chains. He smelled like dog pee. I suppose that was his natural aroma. At the party his body odor hadn't been so offensive. But, he'd been masking as a human.
"If we get out of this, I'm going to kick your ass." No levity in my voice.
"You'll have to wait in line. And I'd like to remind you, the assholes waiting upstairs are after you."
I cleared my throat. Damn, I'd guessed they were warlocks. Simone's senses confirmed it. "True. I'm sorry. None of this is your fault." It really wasn't. I tend to get in a bad mood when doom is near. I couldn't keep the worry from my voice. "I didn't mean it, before. You know that, right?"
She half laughed. "I know, Bron. It's not your fault either."
"Enough talk. Come, demon slayer. The master waits." His big horned head motioned my way. "I'm going to enjoy watching you squirm, witch."
Can't believe I thought that jerk was cute at the party. He pulled Simone up the stairway and I smelled the smoke from the fire as he opened the door.
Man, I hate it when bad guys sacrifice my friends. And I especially hate the fact I'm next.
It didn't help that there were rats everywhere. I hate rodents. Really, really hate them.
A big fat gray one got way too close to the hem of my pants. I used the heel of my Jimmy Choo to impale him and then kicked him into his friends. The rats went into a screeching frenzy.
But they weren't loud enough to drown out Simone's screams. She never screams. I'd seen her with her arm nearly bitten off by a demon and she hadn't even whimpered.
The scream sent me into a panic. Those bastards were killing my friend.
I threw everything I had into my powers but nothing worked. They'd bound them tight.
I remembered what Garnout had said about calming myself. Then I whispered his name.
"Bronwyn." He came to me in a vision. "What's happened?"
I told him the short version.
"I'm in the middle of my own battle." Hence his distracted look. "I'm sending you strength, my dear. My strength should allow you to break the spell and use your powers. It may make you dizzy at first, but you must move fast, for it won't last long."
"Thanks." I shook my head. My stomach roiled and I tried to breathe. Closing my eyes, I listened as he whispered a chant.
The energy tingled within me. Then I saw it, the magic that bound me. I cut it with my mind using a metaphysical blade. I didn't know if it had been Garnout, or my own gifts. It didn't matter.
Using my new power, I shook the earth.
The idiots upstairs yelled, "Earthquake."
"No, it's something much, much worse." I gritted my teeth. The pole fell sideways and the chains slid off my body.
I heard more screams, but this time it wasn't Simone. It was a man.
Running up the stairs I hit the door with a fireball.
Power surged through me and I took the scene in. Five warlocks stood to the side over an altar. Simone was in the corner of the room doing her best to destroy that cute demon from the party. Good for her. The demon screamed. Simone's very good at her job.
Turning my attention to the warlocks I raised my arms. They didn't seem to care. They continued chanting. Over the altar I saw a wisp of energy rising. Whomever they were bringing forth I didn't want to meet.
I threw the first fireball at the one in the middle. It bounced off. They were protected by black magic.
But now I had mine and Garnout's powers to play with, and they didn't have a clue. I sent my mind into the one in the middle again. His orange eyes glowed bright and then he threw out his hands.
"You cannot harm us, witch. We bring forth our master. He protects us."
I stomped my foot and the earth shook again. The altar fell and one of the candles toppled onto the head of the warlock who spoke.
His master be damned, his cloak caught fire. The other warlocks were distracted trying to put the fire out on their comrade. They stopped chanting.
Simone had finished off the demon. The body stumbled around without a head and then fell to the floor. Can't say I was sorry to see him and those slimy eggs of his go.
"The two on the end are mine," she said under her breath. She was bleeding from her chest and wrists, but it didn't seem to bother her at the moment.
I concentrated first on the warlock who was on fire. Grabbing the altar knife they'd used on Simone, I used my mind to throw it directly into his heart.
He turned to ash.
Simone let out a war whoop and I saw her slicing with one of the knives she carried in back of her bustier. She started with his balls and slid the knife up.
A warlock, the one who had been next to ash boy, jumped on me. I hadn't been ready for that kind of physical attack. I jammed my knee up to his nads, but he caught it before I caused any harm.
Then I stuck my fingernails in his eyes. Totally messed up my manicure but it was worth it to hear him scream like a girl. I needed to remember to thank Simone for the self-defense lesson she'd given me years ago.
Before I could get up on my knees, the blinded warlock threw a pile of black sludge at me and I couldn't move in time. I felt it seep in to my bloodstream. But I refused to give in to it.
It sucks the energy out of you and makes you weak almost instantly, but I wouldn't let these assholes get the best of me. This was a fight to the death, and it wouldn't be me going to hell this time.
I threw a fireball. It landed to the right of him.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Simone rise up. She'd finished off one warlock. We only had two left. But I couldn't see the other one.
"Bronwyn, move," Simone yelled.
Problem was, I didn't know which way. I ducked, but not before I got a knife in the shoulder.
"Fuck," I yelled.
She flew across the room and kicked the warlock in the gut.
I concentrated on the one I'd blinded. He had to suffer.
"I hate this fucking black sludge." I slammed a fist into his face.
He grabbed his bloodied nose. Then the asshole had the nerve to spit at me. I moved before his nasty blood hit me, but it really pissed me off.
I grabbed the knife from my shoulder. I should have passed out from the pain, but I wouldn't give in.
I jammed the blade into his heart.
"I go to my master, but he'll come for you, witch," the warlock screamed out before he turned to ash.
"I can't wait," I said to the pile of dirt at my feet.
Turned around to find Simone with her arm around the neck of the warlock. She had one of his ears in her mouth. Spitting it out, she screamed at him. "Where the fuck are those demons?"
"Topanga," he whispered, just before she broke his neck.
"I fucking hate warlocks. They're such pussies." She stood up. A gaping hole the size of a small fist was in the middle of her chest, and blood poured out.
I sent a healing spell to her.
She grabbed my hand. "Come on, we've got to get out of here before we both pass out."
We found a sedan with the keys in it, in front of the large house where they'd taken us.
I don't know how we made it to Malibu but we did. That's where we found Zane tied to the bedposts.
* * *
Chapter Twenty-five
Tuesday, 11 P. M.
Sleepy witches: 1
The wards on the Malibu house had been broken. I knew as soon as we pulled up in the driveway.
By this time, neither Simone nor I were standing too well on our own. We half carried each other into the house.
I sent my mind to Zane and was relieved to see he was still alive. We found him in his bedroom, naked and tied to the bedposts.
His face was covered with tears, but he seemed unharmed. We ran to him, checking him over and untying the scarves that held his arms.
"Are you okay?" My voice was hoarse from all the screaming.
"Oh luvs, sit down. You both look like hell." He picked up the phone and dialed 911.
Simone grabbed the phone and turned it off. "No cops. There's no way we can explain what happened to Bron and me."
Zane rubbed his wrists where the scarves had been. "My God, what happened?"
"We'll tell you later, we don't have the energy for it now. What happened to you?"
Zane shook his head. "First, I need you to look in on Zoë and make sure she's okay."
Honestly, I wasn't sure I had the strength, but I had to. From the look in his eyes, something terrible had happened.
I grabbed his hand, and had him look in my eyes again.
"Zoë?"
She looked up. Standing by a window in her nightgown, she stared at me. "Bronwitch, is Uncle Zane okay?"
"Yes, honey." I turned so she could see him. "He's right here."
Her tiny body shivered with relief. "Oh, Uncle, I was so scared when I saw the bad lady with you."
"I'm okay, Poppet. She wasn't going to hurt me. She was only scared."
She cried, and the tears fell on Zane's face too. "Honey, you're coming to America."
She smiled through her tears. "Is the bad lady gone?"
"Yes, baby. She can't scare you anymore. I promise."
"Zane," I whispered, "I can't hold it much longer."
"Little luv, Uncle has to go but I'll see you tomorrow. I'm sending the plane for you right now."
"I love you."
"Love you too, baby."
I closed my eyes. I could feel the sludge sliding into my system.
"Tell me what happened, but make it fast. Where's the bad lady?"
He sighed. "She wasn't bad. And her name is Marni. She's Zoë's mom."
My eyes flew open, and I heard Simone's sharp intake of breath.
"She'd been trying to get Zoë back and she made a deal with some demon with a B name. I can't remember exactly what she said. He promised her baby back if she served him."
Probably Blaseus.
His body shook and a small sob escaped. He pushed the emotion back. Showing incredible strength, he continued.
"She planned all of this, to kill me in my own home. I don't know if she was directly responsible for the death of my brother, but she was involved.
"She lured me into bed. It wasn't hard. I was wasted. I noticed something strange about her eyes and at first I thought maybe she'd drugged me. It looked as though her eyes were on fire."
Oh, wow, that meant possession. The same as the warlocks.
"I was tied up before I realized she meant me real harm. She had the knife above her head ready to plunge it into me. Then she looked at me strangely. My amulet was glowing so bright it almost blinded me."
He pushed himself up on the headboard.
"Her whole body shook and then her eyes changed back to normal and she wailed. It was a horrible sound. That's when Zoë suddenly showed up over my shoulder. She yelled at the woman. She was so fierce. 'Get away, bad lady, go away. Or the Bronwitch will kill you.' That's when Marni really broke down.
"Marni's head dropped to her chest. 'Send her away, send her away, I won't hurt you.' She dropped the knife. And little Zoë disappeared. Oh, the name of the demon was Blackstock. The one she made the deal with. I remembered because I used to have a guitar player with that name. He left to start his own band. Wonder what happened to that guy?"
The name made me choke. "What did you say?"
"He left to start his own band."
I rolled my eyes and grunted. "No, the name. Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure that was it. He'd promised her that it she helped him, she would get her baby back. But seeing Zoë did something to her. She ran off right before you got here and I haven't seen her since."
That's when I realized Marni might still be in the house. I looked at Simone and we both pushed off the bed. She checked Zane's closet and I went into the bathroom.
That's where I found her. She couldn't have been more than twenty-five. My age. That meant she was a teen when Zoë was born.
At first I couldn't tell what happened, but she was prone on the floor, barely breathing. Her blond hair was a tangled mess, and she still wore the clothes she had on at the party. I motioned to Zane and Simone and they followed me in. I slid to the floor and took her hand. Her pulse was almost nonexistent.
"Tell Zoë, her mommy loves her." A tear slid down her cheek. "I'm so sorry." Then she stared at the ceiling, lifeless. I tried to throw my healing powers into her, everything I had. But it was useless. She wanted to die and she was
gone.
In her hand we found a handful of small green pills. I sniffed them. Belladonna. In small doses it helps you sleep, in larger amounts the sleep is more permanent. Her purse was open on the counter, and she'd gone through it quickly to find the herbs she wanted.
There was a large bang downstairs and I pulled myself up by the cabinet and stood ready. Saying a small prayer that it wasn't more demons and warlocks, I almost cried when the prime minister and Azir rounded the corner of the bathroom.
I smiled. "It's about time." And that's the last I remember. I woke up and looked at my watch and it's Tuesday. I've been out for two days.
Oh, Azir's coming to see me. I can feel him. Zane told me earlier that Azir's spent the last forty-eight hours looking after me. They called in Simone's shaman friend Roy to help detoxify my system from the black sludge.
I didn't know anything. I've been in a serious REM state the whole time.
Kind of hoped someone had told Sam, but if they did, he obviously didn't care enough to even call. Whatever.
Good, Azir is here. I need to thank him.
* * *
Chapter Twenty-six
Wednesday, 11 A. M.
Wards: 1
Spells: 3
Witches who are ready to go home: 1
Azir was nothing but sweet to me. A complete turnaround from the way he acted in New York. I was a little embarrassed when I found out he'd watched me sleep the last two days.
Dressed in jeans, an opened white button-down and sandals, he looked California chic. Kind of cool for a Middle Eastern sheik.
"You look much better this morning." He had a tray with him.
Now, let me take a moment and just settle this in my head. I'm in the world's most famous rock star's house, being served breakfast by one of the richest men in the world.
My life really isn't so bad.
"Thank you. But I think I could use a toothbrush and maybe a shower. You might want to stay by the door." I smiled.
He laughed and he didn't listen to my warning. "I'll take my chances." Setting the tray on my lap, he pulled a chair up next to the bed.
"We were anxious there for a few minutes. The shaman was worried we'd waited too long to treat you. Simone told him that if he let you die, he wouldn't have anything to worry about because he'd be dead. Let's just say he worked well under pressure." I'd forgotten how much I liked Azir's smile.
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