“Yes,” Luke agreed from behind me, causing me to jolt. I hadn’t even heard him approach. That’s how discombobulated I was. “What pack are you?”
The question was directed at the dark-haired man and it nudged a sigh out of me. “Geez, Luke. Let’s tell them our names before we start grilling them.”
Rather than be offended, the man let out a hearty laugh. “It’s okay. Wolves like to sniff each other.” He extended his hand to Luke first, a sign of respect. “Aric Winters. We live in Michigan. We’re part of that pack but we don’t do much with the other members. We’re ... separate.”
“Really?” Luke shook Aric’s hand and appeared to relax, although only marginally.
“They don’t like my wife.” Aric’s smile was engaging as he slipped his arm around the blonde’s waist. “This is Zoe, and the one who won’t stop talking is our daughter Sami.”
“Hello.” Luke grinned at the girl, who immediately lost interest in her mother and aimed her laser eyes at him.
“Hello to you.” She practically purred the words, causing her father to roll his eyes.
“Don’t start, Sami,” Aric warned.
“I’m not doing anything,” Sami shot back, annoyance vibrating from her. “Give me a break.”
Zoe chuckled. “You’ll have to excuse our daughter. She’s discovered boys the past two years and she’s determined to put her father in an early grave.” She extended her hand to me. “I saw you earlier.”
“You did,” I agreed, shaking her hand. When our magic connected, there was a small burst of blowback, enough to make my hair flutter. “You were at the police station.”
“What was that?” Sami asked, dragging her eyes from Luke to her mother and me. “That was magic.”
“It was,” Zoe confirmed, releasing my hand. “There’s a lot of magic here, which you would’ve recognized if you weren’t so distracted trying to get me to buy you a new iPad.”
“Mine is old,” Sami argued. “The new ones are better.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it,” Zoe said dryly. “You’re stuck with that iPad for at least another year.”
Sami didn’t look happy with the pronouncement. Rather than push her mother, though, she turned her big eyes to her father and started batting her eyelashes. “Daddy, Mom is being mean.”
Aric heaved out a sigh. “Now I’m daddy. That’s not what you were calling me an hour ago. I believe I was a ‘big jerk.’”
“That’s because you embarrassed me in front of the boys at the hotel pool,” Sami said. “You can’t growl at random people. They don’t get it.”
“Oh, I think they got it just fine.”
For some reason, even though the woman and girl radiated power, I liked them. “Come sit down. There are a lot of people for you to meet.” I hesitated as I studied the angular planes of Zoe’s face. “It’s really nice to meet you.”
Zoe focused on me. “You don’t have to fear us.”
“I don’t fear you,” I countered hurriedly.
“You’re a little fearful. I can feel it. We’re not here to cause trouble.” She hesitated. “I’m curious about you. Pemberley only mentioned his cousins and how they were like him. You are clearly much more than that.”
“I told you it was a magical circus,” Pemberley argued, his arm slung around Nixie’s neck. “What did you think I meant?”
Zoe shrugged. “You’re prone to drama, just like Sami. That’s why you get along so well. I thought you were exaggerating.”
“Clearly I wasn’t.”
“Clearly.” Zoe’s smile was small but warm as it landed on me. “I think this is going to be an interesting evening.”
She wasn’t the only one.
AFTER A FEW MINUTES, EVERYBODY relaxed. Zoe pitched in to help, which was a great equalizer, and it didn’t take long for my comfort level with her to rise.
Raven was another story.
“What are you?” Raven demanded, keeping her distance from Zoe as we started carrying the plates to the table.
If Zoe was offended, she didn’t show it. “Mage,” she replied simply. “What are you?”
“Lamia.”
Zoe’s face was blank. “I don’t know what that is.”
“Psychic snake people,” Nellie volunteered from his spot at the table. He’d glommed onto Sami almost immediately, settling her between him and Luke. They were having a good time as they told stories and teased the teenager.
“Well, that sounds ... really weird.” Zoe looked Raven over with renewed interest. “Do you have a tail?”
The question clearly annoyed Raven. “Do you?”
“It depends on who you ask,” Zoe replied. “Aric says no, but Sami isn’t convinced.”
“She’s like a mangy cat,” Sami volunteered. “I have a dog at home and he’s always friendly and wags his tail. But cats swish their tails when they’re up to something. Mom has one of those tails. I’m sure of it.”
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “Well, that’s something to watch for as we eat.”
Sami shrugged. “You have mind magic.” It wasn’t a question. “The snake lady does too. You haven’t said what you are.”
I wasn’t certain how to answer. “Oh, well ... .”
“She doesn’t know,” Luke answered for me. “Her parents wanted her to hide what she could do and never told her anything. They died when she was a kid, so she’s been kind of learning blind ever since.”
“Oh, that sucks.” Sami looked legitimately sympathetic. “Mom is a pain, but at least I always knew what I was.”
“Yes, a big money suck,” Aric teased, winking at her as Zoe sat on the bench between him and Kade. “That’s your greatest talent.”
“Ha, ha.” Sami clearly had no problem expressing her opinion. “Can I please have a new iPad, Daddy? I’ll be good for a whole month if I can get one.”
Aric looked intrigued at the suggestion. “How good? Are we talking about you ignoring boys for a month or willingly spending the weekend with your grandparents so your mother and I can have some alone time?”
Sami’s glare was withering. “I’m not going to visit Grandma and Grandpa just so you guys can do it.”
I pressed my lips together at the girl’s outrage. She made me laugh. I couldn’t explain why, because her shrill voice should’ve bothered me, but she was genuinely funny.
“Then no iPad for you.” Aric was blasé as he studied the spread. “This looks great.”
I settled across from Kade because there were no open spots to either side, and when I sat, I found his gaze fixed on Zoe. He looked as if he was in a trance. “Are you okay?” I asked, nudging his foot with mine.
At first I didn’t think he was going to respond. When he finally did speak, his words were enough to send a chill through me. “She’s what I sensed.” His eyes finally connected with mine. “I told you I felt something earlier. It was her.”
Really, what was I supposed to say to that?
“You’re a mage too,” Zoe noted as she regarded him. “You’re different, though.”
He nodded dumbly. “My father was a mage. My mother was human.”
“You’re like me.” Sami’s smile was serene. “I’m half-and-half too.”
“Kind of the same,” Kade acknowledged, managing a smile for the girl’s benefit. “Why can I feel you?” he asked Zoe.
She shrugged. “Mage magic is weird. My understanding is that we can always recognize each other. My parents were both full mages. They left the order because they were in love and had me.”
“Are you more powerful than other mages?” I asked. “You feel more powerful than the other mages that I’ve come into contact with.”
Zoe shifted her eyes to Aric, something unsaid passing between them. “It’s complicated. I am more powerful, but it’s not all mage magic.”
I wanted to ask more but knew it wasn’t my place to grill her in front of people. “Well, I’m looking forward to exchanging notes.” I smiled, even though I
was bothered by the way Kade looked at Zoe. He appeared to be completely enamored with her.
We lapsed into comfortable conversation after that, Zoe and Aric telling stories about how they fell in love at a Michigan college that no longer existed. They also embarrassed Sami every chance they got. I enjoyed that immensely and understood what they were doing.
Sami Winters was powerful. She’d inherited her mother’s magical prowess and her father’s ability to shift. She could grow into something terrible or terrific. Her parents were trying to keep her humble to assure it was something terrific.
“Are you here all week?” Luke asked as he wiped his hands with a napkin.
“That’s the plan,” Aric confirmed.
“You should come to a show. We’ll do it up right for you.”
“Can we?” Sami pleaded. “I want to see them do it up right.”
Aric’s grin was charismatic. I could practically see the young man he’d been when he and Zoe met decades ago. “I don’t see why not. In fact ... .”
Before he could finish the sentence, a scream ripped through the pleasant evening air, causing everyone to snap their heads toward the river.
“It’s the same spot,” Raven said, jumping to her feet.
There was no question what had to happen. “Everybody get ready. We might be in for a fight.”
Zoe and Aric looked ready for battle too.
7
Seven
Aric, Luke and Cole took the lead, Aric shooting an order over his shoulder before he disappeared into the darkness.
“Sami, you do exactly what your mother tells you to do.”
It was only then that I realized the girl was with us, that she hadn’t stayed behind. When I risked a glance at Zoe, she was grim. She made no move to order her daughter back, though.
As if reading my mind, Zoe cocked her head. “She needs to learn. Aric and I won’t be around forever. It’s best she learn from us.”
I understood. Still, in her position, I figured I would be a nervous wreck. Zoe looked calm as we hit the rough spot of terrain. She easily picked her way through the rocks and uneven ground, and when we reached the spot where the body had been found earlier in the day, we saw the same group of robe-clad weirdos.
“Hello, jerks,” Zoe called out, her hands igniting. She didn’t look worried in the least about putting her magic on display. “Nice night, huh?” She slammed a powerful dose of magic into the two nearest individuals, causing them to split like bowling pins.
I was breathless as I watched her. The girl in the center of the group was naked, blood streaking her torso, and her staccato screams were of the blood-curdling variety.
At the front of our charge, Aric and Luke were already shifting. I noticed that Aric’s wolf was much larger than Luke’s wiry counterpart. I filed that away to think about later. For his part, Cole’s hands were aflame. Instead of aiming at the robed figures, he aimed at the ground surrounding the girl, creating a fiery barrier that would’ve burned her assailants if they tried to reclaim her.
My first instinct was that they weren’t magical. They were human killers bent on some ritual. That thought lasted only until a blast of something — not powerful but painful all the same — slammed into my shoulder, causing me to spin and careen into the ground.
“Poet!” Kade cut through the crowd and raced to me, his full attention on me rather than the fight.
“I’m okay,” I gritted out, doing my best to keep from favoring the shoulder despite the burning coursing through me. It would only cause him to worry more. “They caught me off guard. That’s all this is.”
Even as I said it, I watched in wonder as Sami stopped next to me. Her fingers erupted with blue fire as she reached for my injured shoulder. I wanted to tell her to stop — what was she doing anyway? — but the second her hand made contact the pain began to ebb.
“What the ... ?” I was dumbfounded as she pulled her hand back, a smug smile on her face.
“I’m getting much better at that,” Sami noted. “I didn’t set your clothes on fire or anything.”
“You could’ve set her on fire?” Kade was beside himself.
For the first time since she’d arrived, Sami showed hints of her mother. “It’s a joke. Besides, I’m not the one doling out the fire.” Her gaze landed on Cole. “He’s kind of hot.”
The statement, so out of place in the middle of a battle, made me laugh. Obviously her father was right about her being a walking hormone. “We have tons of hot guys for you to ogle later,” I said, struggling to my feet. “We have to get to that girl.”
The sobbing young woman was surrounded by fire now. Naida, perhaps reading my intentions, drew on her water magic and doused one side, creating an opening.
“Go!” the pixie ordered, her eyes full of determination as she focused on some of the scattering figures. “I’ll handle them.”
It appeared there was going to be a fight between the good guys to see who could get to the robe-clad figures first to dole out punishment. I put my head down and raced toward the girl.
I felt Sami next to me and briefly wondered if I should order her back. The likelihood of her following orders was slim, so I opted to keep on task. When I arrived in front of the young woman, she shrank in fear.
“Don’t hurt me.” Tears streamed down her cheeks, snot pooling under her nose. Her torso was a mess of carved runes and blood.
“I won’t hurt you,” I promised, wondering what to do. “Nixie,” I said more to myself than anyone else. “Nixie can fix this. At least I hope.”
Sami was blasé. “I can fix this.” She smiled at the girl through the horror in her eyes as she studied the wounds. “I’m going to touch you. It’ll be okay.”
The girl watched in wonder as Sami’s hands kindled for a second time.
My mouth dropped as Sami rested her hands on the girl’s shoulders, making sure not to touch any of the wounds. The half-mage child glowed blue as she poured a fountain of energy into the injured girl. I stared hard as the gaping wounds began closing up and healing. By the time Sami was done, there wasn’t a single mark on the formerly shuddering victim. Only the blood remained.
“That was pretty impressive,” I said.
“Yeah.” Sami was calm. “I couldn’t always do it. Well, actually I could. I didn’t know how to do it.”
“Oh?” I was desperate to keep the conversation going as I looked around for something to cover the girl.
Cole arrived and stripped off his shirt, handing it to me. “It’s the best I can do for now,” he said, his cheeks smudged with soot.
“Thank you.” I tentatively handed the shirt to the girl.
Sami was entranced by Cole’s cut torso. “He’s definitely hot,” she said.
“Something tells me your father wouldn’t want you to say that,” I said, an inappropriate laugh bubbling up.
The girl took the shirt and dutifully put it on. It wasn’t long enough to cover her bottom half and she was clearly uncomfortable being on display, but she was no longer completely bare. A pair of boxer shorts hit my head. Nellie had tossed them as he raced into the melee with his ax. He was late — the robed figures had scattered into the darkness — but he’d realized the immediate need.
“I don’t need them back,” he called out as he stomped into the darkness. “Come here, you cowards! I’ve got something I want to show you.”
I handed the boxers to the girl, who gladly shimmied into them. She hadn’t yet made a move to run. I figured she was in shock.
“Why does the little guy wear a dress?” Sami asked.
“He just likes them,” I replied. “He’s our bearded lady.”
Sami’s face screwed up in concentration. “Don’t you need a vagina to be a lady?”
It wasn’t the sort of question I wanted to answer given the circumstances, but I wasn’t doing anything else. “People like Nellie can’t be pigeonholed. He is what he is ... and he’s good at what he does.”
Sami nodded.
“Is it always like this? I thought I might want to be a marine biologist when I’m older, but now the circus sounds fun.”
My lips curved. “I very much doubt your father will enjoy the idea of you joining the circus.”
“He doesn’t get to decide.” Sami rocked back on her haunches and rested her hands on her knees. “There are a lot of hot guys in the circus. I’m just saying.” She scanned faces as things began to quiet. “Cole. Luke. Kade. That other guy that reminds me of a cat.”
“Seth,” said. “He’s a tiger shifter.”
“Cool.” Sami’s eyes lit with intrigue. “Why didn’t he shift?”
“Because we can’t explain the presence of a tiger as easily as we can wolves.”
“Right.” Sami said. “We can always say they were just big dogs.”
She caught on quickly. “Can you shift?” I asked.
“Yeah. My dad and I run under the full moon. Mom doesn’t go with us. She drinks wine and hangs out in the hot tub. She calls it her mental health time.”
Their family sounded delightful. “You’re of two worlds,” I noted. “You fit into both. That’s good.”
“The fit isn’t always comfortable,” Sami countered. “That’s what my mom says. We make it work.” I felt her eyes scanning me. “Do you really not know what you are?”
“I didn’t have parents like yours.”
“They’re gross. They keep getting caught by the other parents making out in public. It’s so embarrassing.”
“You’ll enjoy those memories when you’re an adult. Your parents clearly love each other.”
“They could love each other at home, behind locked doors. My dad is a show-off.”
“You’ll still enjoy those memories.” I meant it. “You’ll always know you came from a place of love.”
“I guess. I just wish I didn’t have to see it.”
“You’ll outgrow that.”
“I doubt it.”
“Trust me. Your parents are doing right by you.”
“If you say so.” Sami blew out a sigh. “What are we going to do with her?” She inclined her head toward the silently sobbing girl. “If she tells this story to the police, we’re all screwed.”
Mystic Caravan 11 - Freaky Mage Page 7