Heart of Darkness

by Lauren Dane

  “Focus, Gloria. Why is it you’re mad again?”

  “We’ll see how smug you are when I go to the press and expose you.”

  Dominic leaned forward. “And how will your friends the human-only separatists feel when they know you’re a paranormal too? If you do that, you only expose yourself … Gloria.”

  His voice was wrapped with so much violence it sent a shiver through her. They hadn’t known for absolute sure Gloria was working with the humans. Simply taunting Gloria into revealing all her plans seemed too easy, but Gloria wasn’t working on all cylinders and had already given them more information than Meriel had thought she’d expose.

  Nell held out five fingers. Just a bit more to go.

  But she didn’t deny it. Which answered that question. “Oh, is that you, Eduardo? My baby boy.”

  “I’m not your baby boy. And my name is Dominic. My father gave it to me. He says hey.”

  “I don’t think he can.”

  Meriel felt sick. Gloria meant Felix, who she obviously knew was dead. Because she’d helped kill him. Not that he’d been anything less than a villain by that point too.

  Dominic laughed and it made the hair on the back of Meriel’s neck stand up.

  “I said my father gave it to me. Not my biological donor. The man who raised me. But back to your threat about going public and your buddies the human separatists. I’m not sure who’s worse, but I know they’d get a fairer shake in the court of public opinion than an old, shot-out hag of a turned witch with no power and a giant drug habit. You think you can control them when this gets out?”

  “They’re stupid, but useful.”

  Nell’s gaze darkened, her mouth hardened. Gloria had just admitted she was part of this plan.

  Meriel decided to poke at her some more. “I imagine they’d be more useful if you had a plan instead of just rolling into town draining a few witches and going away.”

  Nell nodded, giving her the keep going with that motion of her hand.

  “You don’t know who you’re dealing with. Until a few years ago, they were uselessly attacking Others. The odd hunting and killing of a Were. Vampire stakings. And then there was a story about how one of these silly groups had caught themselves a witch and wanted to kill her. I was nearby and stopped in.”

  The phone was silent for a few moments and Meriel wondered if she’d hung up. But no, she came back on the line. Talkative woman, Gloria Ochoa. Meriel would be pleased to use that against her.

  “Sorry about that interruption. I’ll tell you more when we meet. Then I can teach you my lovely ritual and introduce you to some mages who’d love to play with you awhile. Some of them even have bounties on the heads of clans. I’ll be sure to point them in your direction. You can’t win. I’m too powerful.”

  She would eat this bitch for breakfast. And she’d smile as she did it.

  “First I’ll kill your mother. She’s the icing on the cake. Oh, I’ll be so powerful after that. Then I’ll let them drain you partially, but I have better plans for you. A ritual I’ve found to be very effective.”

  “Oh, I’d pay money to see that.” Meriel laughed. “Not in a million years are you half the powerhouse my mother is. But I’d love to see her rip you to shreds and then curl her lip at the mess on her shoes. But I’m growing super bored with this back-and-forth smack talk. I have a job, so if you’re done?”

  “I’ll drain you slow. Feast on your fear and pain. And then I’ll kill you. Afterward, I’ll take Dominic. Maybe I’ll keep him around if he’s useful. Pretty bait for witches I’d wager.”

  She also didn’t seem to understand just what a bond was. Which was good too.

  Nell gave her the thumbs-up that they’d unraveled the confusion spell and had traced the call. They knew where she was.

  “You’ve been warned, Gloria Ochoa. There is a warrant for your death in all our territories. You can’t have Dominic.”

  Meriel hung up.

  Chapter 26

  NELL had left and Meriel came back inside to find Dominic hanging up the phone. “We can move into the new place at the beginning of the month.”

  They’d chosen the apartment open in this building. Ron had already volunteered to help with the warding, not just of the apartment but of the hallways too.

  “But I turned it down.”

  “What? Why?”

  “I think we need a house. I want a house. I like it here in downtown, but being at Tom’s reminded me how much I like living near water. I want to buy a house with you. I don’t want to worry about how loud I’m being and I don’t want to hear people walking above me all the time.”

  “You want roots? With me?”

  He moved to her and swept her up into his arms. “Yes. I want to build a life here with you. In our house where we’ll raise our family. What do you think?”

  “I think I can manage to like that. I think I can suffer through waking up next to you for the next six decades or so.”

  “When I’m with you like this, I can sort of see the appeal of a magick addiction. You make me drunk on your magick.” He breathed in deep at her neck and walked her backward until her back met the door.

  “Here I am again, Dominic, backed against a door while you have your way with me.”

  He kissed her just behind her jaw and if she hadn’t been pinned to the wall like a butterfly in a case, her knees would have buckled at the shocking pleasure of the heat of his tongue and the scrape of his teeth where her skin was so achingly sensitive.

  He was so good to her. Every touch telegraphed just how much he wanted her. Rough, yes. Hard, yes. But his touch never hurt, was never aimed to harm her in any way.

  He needed her so much she often saw the strain in how he held back. It filled her up in the best kind of way, this man.

  This man she wanted as much as he wanted her in return. She managed to break free and fall to her knees, looking up at him while she unzipped his jeans and pulled his cock out.

  Dominic groaned at the sight of her there, so raw and carnal, on her knees, a hand on his cock as she licked her lips.

  It was he who had to lean against the wall for a change as he placed his palms against the door and looked down at her. At this beauty who’d come into his life without warning and had turned everything he knew upside down.

  He groaned when she took him into her mouth and then was lost to her and the way she knew what he needed and how he needed it. There was no ugliness between them and what was around them they’d overcome.

  So close, she took him so close with the heat and wet of her mouth. He had other plans though, so he had to force himself to pull her back as he got so very close to the edge. “Couch. Bend over it. Panties down.”

  Her eyes widened and a flush rose up her neck. He couldn’t resist such a response and cupped the back of her neck to take her mouth again.

  Her hum of satisfaction was sweet and spicy all at once. But her squeal of surprise when he got them to the couch and spun her, bending her forward, shot through his system like a pinball. When she made those sounds, when she gave herself over to him and his pleasure the way she did, it undid him.

  His usually chic and elegant woman was bent over a couch. Bare-assed. Her normally tidy hairdo had come loose, freed to tousle around her face.

  Her beautiful face he caught glimpses of as he began to thrust. The curve of her cheek, or the pink of her lip caught against her teeth.

  This was no long, sensual lovemaking session. He needed her with an intense greed. Needed to reconnect with her on this level. His system screamed for more, faster, harder, more more more. And when he reached around her body to touch her clit and drive her toward climax, she squirmed back against him in entreaty.

  And he gave her what she wanted. And took what he needed as they both hurtled into climax.

  This was part of what they were together. Meriel made his blood sing, made his magick rise, made him hard and short of breath.

  This was everything.

  MERIE
L got into the office later that afternoon feeling remarkably relaxed despite three hours’ sleep, a harrowing experience with a turned witch and a lot of anger and heartache aimed in their general direction.

  And yet she was totally certain that she and Dominic would be all right.

  Her mother tapped on Meriel’s door an hour or so after she’d arrived. “I trust you’re well?”

  She nodded. “Dominic is good. He’s hanging out with Tom, who showed up on our doorstep about half an hour before I came here. Thank you. For last night. I appreciate that you came over and that you looked over our wards too. And I’m sorry for letting you down. I didn’t do my job.”

  Edwina came in and closed the door before sitting down. “What is it you mean?”

  “I should have known and been prepared for that possession. It was an amateur mistake. You expect better from me.”

  “I didn’t think of it either. It’s far outside the norm. You didn’t anticipate some sort of arcane dark arts. You’re not perfect.” Edwina raised a shoulder. “You’ve shown true leadership during this whole thing. You brought the issue of these mages to me. You brought the issue of sharing information between other groups of witches. You sensed a need and moved to fill it even before things became so much clearer. That’s leadership, Meriel. I won’t hear you denigrate my judgment. And as my judgment finds you worthy, you must do the same.”

  She sat back and pulled a flick of lint from her skirt and dared Meriel to argue.

  Edwina started to speak several times and then would fall silent again. Finally she took a deep breath. “I may not have been the best mother in the world, but what she did to him yesterday—what she’s done her whole life is not acceptable. We will take care of this because he’s our witch, and your man. But, I’d like to counsel you to let Dominic take the lead when it comes to dispatching her. He needs to do this to exorcise any doubts he might have that she could still get in.”

  Meriel twisted her bracelets as she thought on it. Her mother was right. Dominic was a guy used to handling his own business and Gloria wanted to destroy that.

  “He’s already told me this. But thank you for saying it. Aside from putting this ghost to rest, he’s a tough guy. This is his arena more than it’s mine.” She trusted his skills and she’d be there in the background if he needed the help or if there was some unforeseen problem. But it would be his to deal with.

  “Good. Nell briefed me on the call as well. Vile, vile woman. I heard the recording. Thank you for your defense of my skills.” Her mother smiled.

  “Well, really, did she think I’d let my boyfriend’s mom talk bad about you?”

  Edwina stood. “Yes. Well. If she comes at me and Dominic isn’t around, it will be my great pleasure to underline everything you said. This is our clan and you’re doing all you’re supposed to and more to protect it. I believe that. The quorum believes that. Your witches believe that. When you take over, you’ll do it with everyone knowing how powerful and capable you are.”

  She opened the door. “Keep me apprised. By the way, you are forbidden to hare off after this woman if she contacts you. She’s got mages with her and these humans too. You can best her magic, but a bullet can kill you either way. Don’t risk yourself. You have more important things in your future.”

  Well. Okay then.

  TOM answered the phone at the house when she called to check in on Dominic.

  She smiled though it was a phone call and he couldn’t see it anyway. “Hey there. You settling in all right?”

  “Yes, thanks. I’m making dinner. Pot roast okay with you?”

  “Is that a trick question?”

  He laughed. “Good to know you like it. If you’re looking for Dominic, he went over to Heart of Darkness to handle deliveries.”

  She frowned. “He was all right to do that?”

  “He’s a strong man, Meriel. A strong witch. He needs to do this. He’s been attacked twice in his business. That’s his ground. He has to claim it.”

  Boys.

  “All right. I have to run. I just wanted to check in. Do you need me to bring anything home? Does Ernie need food?” Tom brought the cat with him.

  “Nah, we’re good. I brought some along. I don’t know how long I’ll be here. It’s just … my gut said to come and after that call about Dominic last night, I knew it’s what I needed to do.”

  She breathed out. “I’m going to be a happy camper when this is over and I can go back to my normal level of insanity. I’ll see you in a while.”

  DOMINIC walked all over Heart of Darkness. Both floors of the human club, up and over the catwalk. Down and through the back. Behind the bar. Under tables, over the stage. Down the back hall and through his office and Simon’s. The walk-in coolers and the supply room. Even through the kitchen and out back on the loading dock and the lot back there.

  Everything was exactly the way it should have been. The place was locked down tight against any magick but his, Meriel’s and Nell’s. Nell had done some sort of limiting spell for other kinds of magick; apparently it was whatever this club in Las Vegas had done and from what Dominic could see, it would work just fine. Nell had explained it was the same sort of spell Arel and the people from Rodas used in their cells to keep the witches and mages they had in custody from using any magick or magic at all. Not to escape or try to harm anyone. A sort of nullification spell. She’d promised to show him how to use it when all this mess had ended.

  He set up in the center of the club. Placing everything he’d need carefully nearby so he’d get to it easily when he needed it. On his knees in the circle he’d invoked, he began the rite. Purification of soul and of heart. Purification of this place. He needed to make it his again. He’d gone through the archives available online and thanked the folks down in research for being so good at their jobs.

  The magick flowed through him as he worked and he felt each part of Heart of Darkness respond to him. This wasn’t just his place of business, this was his future and a big middle finger to his past. This was his place and no one was going to take it from him.

  When he stood and blew out the candle he felt a connection to the physical space around him that he hadn’t before. The magick of the club, all the energy it was filled with nightly was a sort of lifeblood and it responded to Dominic’s magick and his will.

  By the time he finished up and started home, he felt not only better but completely in charge again.

  Tom had of course cooked an amazing meal. The smell when he opened the front door made his stomach growl immediately.

  TOM peeked around the corner, a book in his hand. “It’s you. I was wondering who’d get home first.”

  “Meriel’s not back yet?” He looked at his watch.

  “She said she’d be home a little after six. Dinner’ll be ready at seven or so. I figured that’d give everyone a chance to get home and clean up.”

  “She’s a machine. I’ll call her.”

  She was all right. One of the things he liked best about the bond was that he could feel it when she was upset or very angry or scared. Right now things were calm. She got caught up in a meeting of one type or another, he was sure.

  He dialed her number.

  “I just stopped to pick up a bottle of wine. I’m on my way home right now,” she said as she answered. “I know. I know. I had to mediate something. It’s fine. I’ll see you in a few.”

  He smiled. Of course she knew he would call to check in on her.

  “Excuse me,” he heard her say. “Sir. Hey!”

  The phone hit the ground. Dominic heard the clatter and he was moving to the door before he’d even thought about it.

  “Meriel? Meriel?”

  “Let’s go.” Tom was next to him and they hurried out, the phone still pressed to Dominic’s ear.

  Dominic continued to listen, his heart pounding so hard he was light-headed.

  “I have a message from your mother-in-law.”

  “You should let go.”

  “Wit
ch, you have no power over me.”

  “You’re so wrong there.”

  “Ouch! Here, she wanted you to …” A snarl and a loud cry of alarm.

  “Yeah? Tell her that’s from me.” Meriel picked up her phone and spoke to Dominic again. “I’m here.”

  “What is going on?” he demanded.

  “Just a little messenger. I took care of it.”

  “Where are you?”

  “An alley at 2nd and Bell. I’m not that far. I’ll be back shortly. I’m all right.”

  He cursed the slow elevator and headed for the stairs instead, talking them three at a time. “Stay here, Tom. I’ll call if there’s a problem,” he called back over his shoulder.

  By the time he hit the sidewalk outside she was already making her way up the block.

  She waved to him like it was totally normal to scare the shit out of him on a daily basis.

  “I told you I’d be home soon.”

  Her skirt was dirty, an oily smudge along her thigh, and her blouse was ripped.

  Rage bubbled through him.

  “Who did this to you?”

  She looked up at him. “It was a friend of Gloria’s. A human one. He’s a lot more fragile than he thought he was. I punched him in the nose and my hand hurts. I hate punching. And I kicked him in the junk too.” She had the audacity to look proud of this.

  He started to move past her and she grabbed his arm. “No. He’s gone and I want to go home.”

  “Why are you smiling?” Annoyed, he turned away and escorted her home.

  “Because you’re ridiculously hot when you get protective.”

  “It’s not a joke.”

  “No, it isn’t. She sent a human, Dominic. She knew I’d flay her or any mages alive, so she sent him knowing I most likely wouldn’t kill him. But this messenger of hers told me she wanted to meet me and gave me a piece of paper with an address on it.”

  “He gave you something of himself?” If that was the case, he clearly knew nothing of witchcraft or he’d be shitting himself. A strong witch could use that paper to trace the item back to its owner.