by C. M. Owens
Drackus doesn't release his power, making Dray take a step back. The darkness he had to tap into in order to do this was apparently more than it took to face Castine.
Everyone begins gasping for air, except for Gage and me. Kane and Zee fall to the ground, and I uncoil from Gage's grasp to fall to my ex-night stalker's side, shielding him with my own energy, while Gage goes to help Zee.
"Drackus," I whisper, trying to slowly bring him back to reality without startling him.
Surprisingly, that's all it takes. His eyes meet mine, and instantly he calms, dropping the suffocating veil of darkness surrounding us.
I'm almost astonished at how easy that was. Kane breathes in heavily, still resting on his hands and knees beside Zee who is choking on air. Dray seems to be less affected, but I can tell it still got to him somewhat.
"Alyssa, I'm so sorry," Drackus says as he walks over to me, pulling me up from Kane's side and wrapping his arms around me.
"It's fine. You didn't hurt anyone... too much. What did that show us?" I ask, drawing back from the awkward embrace.
He clears his throat, pushing his emotions back into hiding as he points to the stains of an aura left behind on Thad's bed... My bed.
"Stains of witchcraft, but this was a setup. Someone wanted us to think this was your night stalker."
"What?" Kane asks as he stands up.
"I thought so," Gage murmurs, coming to stand behind me, but refraining from drawing me in his arms.
"What the hell?" Zee gripes, prompting someone to explain a little better.
Then Gage continues with the explanation. "They left behind your scent. Allegra, a lycan from Thad's crew, said she caught whiff of you specifically. Obviously she can't smell the night stalker in you, but since Heath's brutal murder, you've been on the watch list. You were here, and whoever did this wanted to kill Alyssa. They also wanted to set you up again."
Kane looks at me, his eyes showing a spiraling conundrum of emotions.
"They're trying to make me kill him," Drackus growls, and Dray steps to be between him and Kane before he gets any crazy ideas.
"They've got an issue with Alyssa as well. Whoever did this chose Heath - a mortal who couldn't stop harassing her - therefore linking her and Kane to that murder. Then they chose Thad, who was supposed to be her. They've made more than one common enemy it seems."
"What else is there in here that can help us?" I ask, trying to distract Drackus's attention from Kane.
"There should be quite a bit. A ritual such as this served some sort of purpose," Dray answers.
"A ritual like Isolis was performing?" I ask, turning to Gage.
"You know about Isolis?" Drackus asks, his eyes narrowing at my dark user.
Shit.
"Yeah, he's a bad guy in my old town. I learned a lot there. "
Gage lets out a trapped breath. My dad would flip the hell out if he knew I played bait in Gage's trap that went terribly wrong.
"Isolis didn't use a ritual like this," Gage says quickly, moving on with the facts. "This is something to evoke a spirit. The blood is a gift offering. The thing is none of our kind is stupid enough to call forth a spirit. You have to offer them your body as a host to seek their help. Rarely ever do they turn loose of your body after they're in control. To be eternally lost inside your own mind is a grave risk."
"You lose your mind?" I ask, sounding distracted as I quietly mourn my friend.
"Not at first. It starts slow. You lose control little by little on a daily basis until the possession drives your mind into hiding. Eventually, you're in the backseat of your own body, watching as someone owns you."
I shiver at the creepy thought, and decide then and there I need some tattoos like Gage has.
"If we're going against spirits, then-"
"I'll get you one as soon as we leave," he murmurs softly, apparently thinking the same thing.
"Get her one what?" Drackus asks, his eyes narrowing again.
"Protection from possession. She'll need it."
Before Drackus can interrogate further, Kane pipes in. "I suppose we all will need such a thing because I'm finding out who's so desperate to frame me."
My eyes are drawn to the bed as they all stand around discussing various other anomalies around the room, or which spirit they might be getting summoned. I've found something that makes me so confused I can't possibly begin to fathom what's going on.
I bend down, finding out I'm right about what I thought I saw.
"Alyssa?" Gage says while kneeling beside me. "You shouldn't be so close to-"
His voice trails off as he looks away, not wanting to finish that sentence. Tears keep slipping out at random, but I manage to hold it together.
"Look."
His eyes fall on the symbol that had barely been peeking out, hidden under the bed, and he slides the bed to the side, using his magic, so we can all gauge it better.
"A pentagram? So it is a witch?" Zee asks, showing how new he really is.
"Don't be foolish. Neither witches nor warlocks use such things. That's just old rumors and myths," Drackus says distastefully.
"Actually, Zee's right," Dray says while walking over to examine the symbol that had been drawn by hand and then stained in blood - Thad's blood.
"We don't use pentagrams," I grumble in frustration, agreeing with Drackus. "It can't be one of us."
"You're right," Dray says, completely contradicting himself.
"Huh?" I finally ask, since no one else will.
He studies it closely, and then he looks up to meet my eyes. "Immortal witches and warlocks don't use such things, but mortal ones do. They view this symbol as one of power. Magic is a tricky thing. We've known of mortals collecting power before. This one views this symbol as powerful; therefore it is because he or she has harnessed our magic."
"Preposterous," Drackus rebuffs. "Thad was the strongest changer I've ever known. He couldn't have been brought down by a human playing with power beyond their control. Any human that has ever touched magic never had enough to do anything like this."
While they argue, I stand up and walk over to Thad. He looks too terrible, and I can't stand to see it anymore. With a wave of my hand, the blood disappears from his body, leaving his blond hair soft and clean. The clothes lose their stains of death, leaving his wounds the only visible proof of his morbid death.
Gage joins me on the bed that I've also cleaned with my touch, and he stares at the man who never deserved a death like this.
"We'll find whoever did this, Alyssa."
I turn to look at him, feeling my aura burn furiously with ravaging, relentless anger.
"I know, and I'll make them pay."
Chapter 15
Too Many Bodies
"How's the new place?" Frankie asks, his voice meek.
He got a lot closer to Thad than I realized during the time they were searching for my mother.
"It's fine, crowded, but fine."
"Crowded?"
I look over to see Zee and Kane eating at the bar with Gage as he casually ignores their presence. Deke and Sierra have fortunately elected to stay home with Amy since I refuse to let her in my house. Dray is sitting on the couch, reading a book that should be too old to be handled.
This isn't exactly an ideal living arrangement, but everyone's trying to catch the human who is after us. A human. Of all the living, breathing, crazy-ass creatures out there, we're teaming up to fight a human.
It's been three days, and we're no closer than we were. We'll find this person though.
"Long story. How're things on your end? Mom isn't talking to me. What's going on?"
"It's been chaotic here. I'll explain soon. Right now, stay sharp. If this human took down Thad, they're much stronger than they're supposed to be. Watch your back, kiddo."
"Will do."
I hang up and head over to join Gage. I'm still shocked Drackus told him to stay, but he's the one he trusts the most out of this group. He doesn't trust anyone else out of his own fol
lowers to stay with me without supervision.
"Hey," Gage murmurs softly, kissing my head when I come to wrap my arms around him. "How's the new tat?"
Kane gets up and walks away, acting as though we're making him sick. He joins Dray on the couch, and I notice his shaking hand. He's denied my attempt to help him, refusing to take my blood with the spell I found in one of the books I read in Drackus's library.
Sierra's potions never work that well, but my solution will end his pain. I don't know why he's being so stubborn.
"It's fine. It stings a little, but I'm still mortal. That's to be expected."
He smiles as he brings his lips to mine. "Good. I like it on you."
I curl into him, and he picks me up and sits me on the counter while sliding in between my legs.
"I have to go meet with the Somage. I've already cleared Kane of the charges and informed them of the magic-meddling human, but they want to know about any list of mutual enemies the two of you might share. Anything you can offer me?"
I wish. If I had an inkling of who this could be, I would have already taken them out myself.
"Kane and I weren't together that long. It's not like there was even any time to make enemies."
Kane walks up, obviously eavesdropping, and he adds, "Alyssa only ever made one person mad the entire time we were a couple. Amy. Obviously, she's lycan, not human - which is what we know this person is. We've already determined that based on the aura stains left behind at the scene, so that ends that lead."
"Not to mention, Amy wouldn't have the skill to pull off a spell," I snark.
Kane smiles lightly, but I look away from him and back to Gage.
"This is crazy. A human should be the last creature on this earth we have to fear," I grouse, crossing my arms to emphasize my exasperation.
"True, but right now that's our most likely suspect. Walk me out?"
My lips pucker as I tighten my legs around his waist, and Kane disappears once again.
"I didn't realize you meant you had to meet up with them right now."
He smiles, enjoying my clingy hold. I really don't want to be here with Kane if Gage isn't here. I don't trust myself, and that makes me feel dirtier than I've ever felt before.
"Sorry, pretty girl, but I have to. I've called Drackus, and he knows Dray is here watching after you. Good news is he wants me to hurry back."
"That's a big change," I murmur with a touch of surprise.
"Your safety outweighs his personal grievances. I'll be back soon."
My heart sinks as dread and worry cloak me.
"Please be careful. I don't want to-"
His lips find mine before I can finish that sentence, and he pulls me away from the counter to start carrying me with my legs strapped around his waist. I smile when he playfully nips at my lips and drops me to my feet just outside the house.
"Call me if you need anything," he says before softly kissing me one last time.
I nod and wave at him as he climbs in his car. He gives me a quick wink as he drives off, revving the engine to prove how very male he is.
Walking back inside the house, I shut the door before pulling up my shirt to examine the protective tattoo on my side. It had better work. If some crazy spirit jumps into my body, I'll find a way to haunt Gage's ass for giving me the wrong design.
With my head down, I slam into something hard, and arms quickly wrap around me before I can fall. I almost hold my breath when I smell the incredible scent of the man I've needed Gage to keep me away from.
"Sorry," I grumble while trying to ignore the tingling sensations burning against me from the feel of Kane's touch.
I thought the breaking of the bond was supposed to rid me of all this... confusion.
"It's not like you meant to run over me," he says while releasing me and walking on by.
I stare for a fraction of a second too long, and then I shake free of the unwanted distraction while moving over to the kitchen to join him. His hand shakes and he closes his eyes as he strains to steady it. It's taking longer and longer.
"My blood is too strong, Kane," I murmur softly while sliding in behind the bar. "You have to let me help you. There's no sense in you going through this."
He shakes his head while grabbing a pack of blood from my fridge, and then he grabs a glass from the cabinet. In all my life, I would have never thought it to be so natural to have blood in my refrigerator. After being around Thad, Zee, and Kane so much, it'd be odd not to see the red packets in there.
"I'll be fine, Alyssa. I've tasted your blood before, and I didn't go crazy."
I laugh, finding his attempt to convince me ridiculous. "You had a taste, not a feed. The two are different and you damn well know it. The small taste gave you a high, possibly aroused you as much as it did me. The feeding... It fed an addiction like you never thought possible. If you're telling the truth, and I'm the only witch, then it's going to be even worse. You don't realize how bad this can get. Let me help you before it hurts more than you can bear."
He stares at the glass of blood in front of him, studying the red, and then he takes a long sip. It doesn't even make me cringe anymore. How twisted am I?
He lowers the glass and swallows easily, finally answering me. "I can't. I won't take your blood for any reason. That dungeon... It wasn't even necessary."
I've spent a while reconciling that act. To admit it wasn't necessary is to say I fucked him solely because I still wanted him as much as ever. I can't let that be true.
"It was necessary. Drackus's power would have killed you instantly in your already weakened state. Be glad you had enough strength to hold out until I could cloak you. My blood saved your life, now let me save you from my blood."
The doorbell rings, temporarily halting our conversation. The stubbornness in Kane's eyes leads me to believe I wasn't getting anywhere, so it's not like this is really an interruption.
I open the door to a devilishly divine creature. His dark hair is tousled like bedroom messy hair, his hazel eyes are breathtaking, and his bad boy, black leather attire is... Well, to be honest, it's comical.
He's hot, but he's got on way too much leather.
Leather boots, leather pants, leather jacket, and leather belt. The only thing not leather is the tight black shirt he's wearing. His metal chains dangle from his neck to add to the bad boy look, and there's another chain hooked to his belt and looped to his back pocket. That raises a few question marks.
He has three lip rings, all of them looking sexy on him, just as Gage's one ring does on him. Other than that, I don't see any more piercings.
A wide smile spreads over his face as he looks me up and down like an unwrapped present he's ready to tear open. I keep myself safely tucked behind the magical barrier.
"Can I help you?" I prompt to the drooling fool.
"Yes you can. I'll take all the help you can give me," he murmurs, sex oozing from his lips.
"Dice," Dray says in an irritated huff. "Drackus said you'd be here tomorrow."
Dice?
The new deadly beauty keeps his eyes on me as he responds. "I decided to come early. Best decision I've made in a while."
Rolling my eyes, I wave my hand. "Fine. Dice can come in," I say to open the barrier to him.
He steps in, his greedy eyes still appraising me, and I cross my arms over my chest to show my obvious distaste for his gawking.
"You guys have it made out here. I'm glad I got invited to the party."
"Who is he?" Kane asks, not seeming thrilled with our new arrival as he comes to stand at my side. That makes two of us.
Dray answers, seeming equally unimpressed. "This is Dice Michaels. He's here to help us out, give us an extra set of hands, and some extra skills as well. His abilities could come in handy later, should we find a good lead."
I take him in, trying to study his aura, but he has his magic very well shielded. Just as all fey do.
"What are you?" I ask, growing more wary of the dark stranger with each pa
ssing second.
Then I feel it. His magic seeps out, sweeps through me, and intoxicates me. I've felt this before, but not to this extent. It's targeting me, drawing me in, and almost suffocating me with lust.
Before I know what I'm doing, I've jerked Kane to me, my lips attacking his, and he grips me tightly as he drinks me in. My tongue dances with his as he lifts me up, but then he suddenly releases me when Dice lets out a disgruntled remark.
"What the hell? That wasn't supposed to push her to you."
"Incubus," Kane murmurs with such agitation as he shakily releases me. "Put that shit away before I do it for you."
He clings to me lightly as I sway before him, drunk on a high I can't seem to come down from. He restrains me when I try to go back for more, desperate to feel him. As quickly as the lusty sensation came, it leaves me. A chill follows the immediate abandonment, and I shiver against the internal draft.
I turn to glare at the incubus who seems to be studying me a little differently now.
"Use your magic on me again, and I'll use mine on you. I can assure you it won't be something you enjoy either."
Dray swats away my threat as if it's unnecessary.
"Dice is harmless, Alyssa. Besides, if he does anything too extreme, I'm sure Drackus has threatened much worse."
Dice tilts his head, a wry smirk cocking up.
"That's why I came early. I was eager to see Drackus's new concubine."
I charge at him, ready to strangle the air out of his lungs, but Kane catches me midair, restraining me.
"You can't touch an incubus when you're pissed. Not while you're still mortal. Your energy provokes their defensive mechanisms, and believe me you don't want to go there," Dray warns.
"Right now, I'd risk it."
Dray laughs, covering his mouth as I try my best to slip out of Kane's locked-on grip. The smug smirk on Dice's face only fuels my anger.
Kane grumbles, agreeing with Dray when he says, "He's right, Alyssa. Touching him would either lead you to a lust-driven death, or-"
"The bedroom where I'd show you things you only thought you could imagine," Dice finishes, a darker, more seductive edge filling his hazel eyes.