Never Again

by Michele Bardsley

  “This isn’t her fault,” cried Lucy. “I’m going to look for her. Please, Gray, please come.”

  “I’m on my way. But wait for me.”

  “Ren’s in that area searching for Trent,” said Taylor. “He’ll get to her faster than we can.”

  “Trent’s here,” said Lucy. “He was walking toward town. He says he woke up in a ditch and—” Her head jerked up. “I see Ren!” She waved at someone, purportedly Ren, and then her eyes went wide. “Oh, my Goddess! Trent! Stop, please. No!”

  Gray’s heart nearly stopped. “Lucy!”

  The puddle went dark.

  All Gray could think about was getting to his wife. Panic clawed at him. Had Trent hurt her? Goddess! Lucy had his truck. Shitshitshit. He looked at Taylor, feeling raw and helpless.

  “I have a portal in my office, remember?” Taylor was already striding across the street. “And there’s another one near that tree. It’ll only take us a few seconds. C’mon.”

  Taylor insisted on going first, even though Guardian trumped sheriff. In this case, Taylor said, he was protecting the Guardian from his damn fool self, so Gray had let him go on ahead.

  Gray hadn’t been sure what to expect when the three of them arrived, but Trent holding a protection bubble made from sparkling black swirls around him and Ant wasn’t even on the list.

  Lucy and Ren were nowhere in sight.

  When Trent saw Gray, Taylor, and Ember, the kid looked relieved. He dropped his palms, muttered his thanks and a prayer, and the magic dissipated. Ant was propped against the tree, his eyes closed, one hand closed over a knobby root. Taylor squatted near his brother and put his hand on his shoulder.

  “Not yet,” muttered Ant. “Almost there.”

  “He’s been communing with that tree for the last couple of minutes,” said Trent.

  “Communing?” Taylor’s gaze jerked to his brother’s placid expression. “You’re not a magical.”

  “Ah yes,” said Ember. “Earth magic. I see it now.”

  Gray hadn’t. He’d never sensed that Ant was a magical, and certainly not Trent. All he really cared about was Lucy. He wanted badly to charge into a battle, any battle, to save his woman, but he knew doing so could endanger her further.

  “I’m a necro,” admitted Trent. “With some earth magic thrown in. It’s not something I advertise.”

  “I didn’t sense you at all,” said Gray. He looked at Ember, and she shook her head. She hadn’t known, either.

  “Mom and Dad taught me how to hide it. I don’t want my life defined by other people’s idea of what I am, okay?”

  “I don’t care if you’re magical or mundane,” said Gray impatiently. “Where’s Lucy?”

  “Ren took her.”

  Everyone stared at him, and Trent took a step back and lifted his hands in a don’t-kill-the-messenger gesture.

  “Why the hell would he take off with her and not take Ant with ’em?” asked Taylor.

  “Dude. You’re not listening. He took her. He whacked her across the temple with his gun and then tossed her into an SUV. He was gonna shoot us.”

  That was why Trent had enacted a protection spell for him and Ant. Even so, Gray couldn’t wrap his brain around what Trent was saying. Ren had kidnapped Lucy, and tried to kill two of his own friends?

  “He didn’t know you were magical, did he?”

  “No. He kinda freaked out. He dumped Lucinda in his truck then took off up Old Creek.” Trent sent an apologetic look to Gray. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t get to her.”

  “You did what you could. I appreciate it.”

  Trent nodded, but he still looked miserable. Gray felt the same, except a hundred times worse. Why had Ren taken Lucinda? And where?

  “Son of a bitch,” said Taylor. “He’s been under our noses the whole time.”

  Ant’s eyes popped open. “Ren killed Lennie. That’s what Tree says. He was waiting here, waiting for Lennie to come charging down the road. He’d been drinking, as usual, but it was Ren who made the car swerve into Tree. It hurt her.” He sighed, rubbing the trunk. “And so did my truck.”

  “You’re creeping me out.” Taylor stood up and backed away, eyeing the tree as if it might suddenly start talking. “Why would Ren kill Lennie?”

  Gray understood all too well. “He was the link to Marcy. She asked me how she could love someone who did awful things. She must’ve been talking about Ren. She wanted to protect the town, but she couldn’t bring herself to betray him. So she stole the demon’s eye and left town.”

  “Lennie was dumb as a rock and as big as a black bear,” added Trent. “He would’ve done anything Ren told him. They were tight.”

  “Lennie killed Marcy,” said Taylor. “I can’t believe it.” He kicked the tire of the wrecked truck. “What the hell does Ren need magical objects for?”

  “He has magic,” said Ant. “But it’s very weak. He uses objects to magnify his power. Tree says if he didn’t live in Nevermore, he wouldn’t have even discovered what little power he has.”

  “What does that mean?” asked Taylor.

  “Nevermore was built to protect a Goddess fountain,” said Ember softly. “Magic is amplified here.”

  “I thought Goddess fountains were a myth,” said Gray.

  “Better that they are thought of as myths than proven to be real,” said Ember. “Very few know the real locations. The Dragons who founded Nevermore knew the truth—they were sent by the Goddess to protect this place.”

  “The Goddess told you all that, did she?”

  “Yes, Gray. The Creator Mother told me. And She also say no more secrets! Not for dis town or for you.”

  “Message received.” Gray turned away and walked to the edge of the road. He couldn’t imagine what Lucy was feeling now. Scared. Alone. In fear for her life. As far as he was concerned, Ren’s life was forfeit. He’d hurt Lucy, and that was an unforgivable offense. He sucked in a steadying breath and then returned to his friends. All they could do was puzzle everything out and make a plan. He was filled with a razor-sharp sense of urgency. I’m coming, baby. Just hold on.

  “This doesn’t make sense,” said Taylor. “Why would Ren take Happy, and leave Ant alive . . . only to return to take Lucy and try to shoot Trent and Ant? He could’ve killed Ant easily after the accident.”

  “Tree says Ren didn’t cause my wreck. She says it was a man whose magic felt . . . ” He frowned. “I think she means sickness. The guy’s ill.”

  “Ren has a partner, then.” Taylor eyed the tree with something akin to respect. “Someone we may not know.”

  What Gray couldn’t figure out was how Lucy, and this girl Happy, fit in with Ren’s plans. Then an idea occurred that chilled his blood. “He wants to be a full magical.”

  “That’s impossible,” said Taylor. “You can’t just turn yourself into one.”

  “But you can bargain for such power,” said Ember, horror coating her words. “And you can sacrifice for it.”

  “Enough dillydallying,” barked Taylor. “Ember? Can you take Ant back to the tea shop and fix him up?”

  “Of course.”

  “Take Trent with you.” Taylor looked at Gray. “We’ll port to Ren’s farm and see if Harley knows where his son is.” He swore. “That’s how Ren got around so fast. He knows where all the portals are . . . and he’s got a key to ’em.”

  “I’m coming with you,” said Trent.

  “Kid, go home and let your uncle know you’re not dead.”

  “You don’t get it, do you? Ren was setting me up to take the fall for the café fire. He knocked me out somehow and tossed me in a ditch. He knew I’d wake up without a memory, and I wouldn’t have an alibi.”

  “Why would he—” Taylor’s eyes went wide. “He wasn’t sure if we’d buy the story that Cathleen torched it.”

  Gray nodded. “It makes sense. He told us that Trent woke him up to report the fire. He made sure Trent disappeared long enough to look suspicious.”

  “Bastard had a pl
an B ready.” Fury etched Taylor’s expression.

  “So I can go?”

  “Not a chance.”

  Trent opened his mouth—probably to argue—but Ember reached out and patted the boy’s arm. “This is not your journey to take, but you’ll be needed soon. Help me take Ant back to the shop.”

  Trent sighed, his shoulders sagging. “All right.”

  Ember took Gray aside, laid her hands on his shoulders, and looked him deeply in the eyes. “You must close the circle Ren opened with his avarice. Bring peace to Nevermore, and to yourself.”

  “I will.”

  “Good luck, Guardian.”

  Ember and Trent helped Ant to his feet. Then Ember opened the portal with a wave of her hand, and they all disappeared.

  “C’mon,” said Taylor. “Let’s go find us a traitor.”

  Chapter 14

  Lucinda woke up to the sounds of two men arguing. She immediately recognized one voice—she knew too well the cadence of Bernard’s fury. As her eyesight adjusted to the dim lighting, she realized she was in a barn—tied up and placed upright against a rough wood wall. The scent of manure was thick enough to stick in her lungs. She tried to breathe through her mouth to dampen the awful stench.

  A few feet away, she spotted Happy lying on a decrepit door that had been propped on two sawhorses. The girl was sweating, her body quivering. She wasn’t tied up, but Lucinda sensed the magic keeping her flat against the surface. Bernard was powerful—and he’d done something awful to her friend. She couldn’t let Bernard hurt Happy. She’d failed the girl’s mother, but she wouldn’t fail her. Think, Lucinda. Think!

  But her mind felt too foggy, and pain throbbed in her temple. Her head ached where the gun had impacted. She couldn’t believe Ren had hurt her. He’d seemed so nice. Everyone liked him, trusted him. And if betraying his friends and his hometown weren’t enough, he’d been in league with Bernard.

  “Gray will come for her. We have to summon Kahl.” He pointed to a rickety table where various items gleamed. “I have the eye, and the spell.”

  “But not the magic.” Bernard laughed, and a chill went through her. He got that kind of amused only right before he did something nasty.

  Apprehension flashed through Lucinda. Ren had made a deal with Kahl to take Gray? She had to stop them before they called the demon lord. She’d fight to her dying breath to protect her husband from suffering through all that again.

  “You shouldn’t have taken the girl.” Ren’s anger was tainted with alarm. Lucinda guessed that he’d figured out how dangerous Bernard was—but the realization was surely too late.

  “Can’t a father reunite with his daughter?” Bernard reached down and stroked Happy’s hair. “Now my daughter sustains Lucy’s curse, and I’m free to become Guardian of Nevermore.”

  Ren screamed, cocking his fist and aiming toward Bernard’s sneering visage. Bernard aimed his hand at Ren, palm out, and said, “Electrify.”

  The air went thick and hot. Goose bumps broke out on Lucinda’s flesh and she bit her lower lip to keep from crying out. Her heart pounded fiercely as the familiar beat of fear pulsed within her.

  Blue magic sizzled out from Bernard’s palm and hit Ren full in the chest. The man lifted off the ground and flew across the barn. It was too dark to see where he landed, but she heard the crash.

  Then nothing.

  Bernard turned toward her, smiling.

  Everything inside her went cold.

  “Well, my darling. Here we are. Together, at last.”

  Lucinda swallowed the knot clogging her throat. She wouldn’t show her terror even though it crawled inside her like a living thing. “What did you do to Happy?”

  “I’ve told you many times that my daughter is not your concern.” He walked toward her, his gaze fastened on her mouth. “You are still quite lovely. It’s too bad I have to kill you.” He paused and lifted one elegant shoulder. “Maybe I’ll just let my pain-in-the-ass kid die and keep you instead.”

  “No!” She wouldn’t let Happy die. “Tell me what you did!”

  “I can’t resist you,” mused Bernard. “It’s that delicious Rackmore charisma, I suppose. All right, then. I’ll indulge my little ice queen. Your curse requires feeding. Think of it like a vicious pet. Happy’s life force is its food. The thing is, it feeds on a bloodline—in this case, her mother’s. I was trying to figure out which of my children should help out Daddy when who do I discover? My missing daughter. And here you are, too, my missing lover. It’s been a very good day.”

  Lucinda sifted through the information. She’d never learned much about curses beyond the idea of “Curses are bad; don’t use them.” Then she understood. She felt sickened by Bernard’s selfishness. The man had no conscience. “It was feeding on your bloodline. Oh, Goddess. You transferred to Talia’s?”

  “Well, Talia was the only child of two only children, whose parents and grandparents are all dead. If Happy dies . . . so does your curse.”

  “And if I die?”

  “She lives.” He squatted next to her. “I’m surprised that I’m suffering from indecision. I’ve dreamed of killing you for so long. Slowly, of course. Just imagining your screams . . . mmm . . . delicious.” In his gaze swirled fury and lust and all those terrible emotions that made Bernard so powerful and so terrifying. He was going to hurt her, just like he’d hurt her all those times before. “You know, I didn’t think I would enjoy the countryside that much, but Nevermore has a certain . . . magic to it. Don’t you think?”

  “Gray will kill you.”

  “Doubtful.” Fury flashed in his gaze. “You ungrateful bitch. You married him—knowing that you belong to me.”

  He raised his hand and slapped her hard. Her head snapped back and she tasted blood. Anger spiked through the icy ghosts of her old fears. Lucinda thought of Gray, of how he made her feel, and she latched on to those emotions. Duty. Trust. Loyalty.

  She glared at Bernard. “I belong to him,” she said. “I belong to Gray.”

  He leaned back on his heels and studied her. “You’ve gotten some of your old spirit back.” His eyes went dark, and he licked his lips. “That was my favorite part, you know. Breaking you. At the end, when you used your power to save Talia, I was . . . enthralled by your rebellion. And rather looking forward to the challenge of breaking you all over again. Then you disappeared. And you kidnapped my own flesh and blood. It was arrogant and foolish.” He threaded his fingers through her hair, and she flinched. He grinned as he leaned forward, his lips angling toward hers. “You need to be punished.”

  “So do you.” Lucinda reared back and slammed her forehead into his. Stars burst behind her eyes, and her aching head imploded with agony. She sagged against the wall, trying to push down the nausea. Damn it. That hurt a helluva lot more than she thought it would.

  Bernard was knocked on his ass. Even though Lucinda’s vision was wonky from her head-butt, she snapped out her bound legs and managed to nail him in the crotch. With her ankles duct-taped together, the kick wasn’t hard enough to cause real damage, but the connection still hurt him. He rolled onto his side, roaring in pain. “Bitch,” he wheezed. “I’ll kill you.”

  Good. She wanted him to. Because then Happy would live. And Gray would conquer Bernard. She knew he would. Bernard didn’t know true power, didn’t understand it. She wished she’d be around to see Gray kick his ass. Soon, the Raven bastard wouldn’t hurt anyone else ever again.

  Taylor barely restrained Gray from blowing up the barn. When they saw the department’s decrepit SUV parked in front, they knew Ren had taken Lucy inside. The house was nearly a mile away, with a separate driveway accessed from the main road.

  Harley had been passed out drunk on the couch. They’d wasted precious time getting the old man upright and pouring coffee into him. Harley wouldn’t say anything against his son, but mentioned that Ren had been spending a lot of time at the abandoned barn at the edge of the property. They’d left Harley in the kitchen with orders to finish t
he whole pot.

  The doors were closed, but even so, there was a sliver of space between them. They paused there and heard voices—a man’s and a woman’s. They were too muffled for Taylor to understand the words, much less whom the voices belonged to.

  “Lucy,” whispered Gray fiercely. He lurched forward, his hands splaying out as magical fire licked his fingertips.

  “Hold it.” Taylor grabbed his friend by the shoulder and then yelped. “Shit. Why are you so hot?”

  “It’s my magic,” said Gray, but he frowned, and Taylor realized that Gray wasn’t sure why his skin was overheating. “I want my wife.”

  “If we burst in there without knowing what’s going on, we could get her killed. C’mon, man. Think.”

  Gray nodded. “You’re right.” He studied the building. “Look.”

  Taylor followed Gray’s line of sight. On the barn’s left corner, several boards had rotted away, leaving a huge gap. It was big enough for them to squeeze through. Hopefully there was a place to hide while they checked out the situation.

  Taylor was trying really hard not to think about Ren’s betrayal, or what might’ve already happened to Lucinda and Happy. And he couldn’t begin to figure out the identity of Ren’s partner—whoever it was, he owed him payback for what he’d done to Ant. Fury boiled inside him. He might be acting coolheaded, but it was an effort. Like Gray, he had the impulse to rush in and shoot someone.

  They picked their way through high grass and uneven ground. Taylor stepped through the jagged opening, trying to be as quiet as possible. Gray followed him. Luckily, a rusted tractor and moldering haystacks blocked the makeshift entrance. The dirt-packed floor concealed the sounds of their footsteps. They stayed close to the wall. The conversation between the man and the woman continued. The man’s tone was smarmy, and Lucy’s was constrained.

  They heard a low moan, then a ragged, pain-filled cough. They paused, staring at each other.

  This part of the barn was filled with shadows. Taylor’s eyes adjusted to the lack of light. He and Gray searched the hay-littered ground for the source of the noise.