Hidden Magic: A New Adult Urban Fantasy Novel (Touched By Magic: Dragon Book 1)

by Ashley Meira

  In person, his voice was even colder. It was calm, unbothered, and unbelievably cruel. “Excellent.”

  I shot out of bed, eyes darting around my bedroom.

  I was alone.

  Sweat drenched my body. I kicked away my sheets and wrenched off my shirt. The shadows of my bedroom reminded me of scorch marks. I wanted them gone. Before I could process it, my Fire flared, and a flame burst from my hand.

  It fluttered, docile and warm. Not destructive like it had always been. And certainly not like the inferno from my dream. “That’s new.”

  My brand ached like it was fresh. Carefully, I brought my hand near it. Nothing looked different, though I didn’t look at my brand if I could help it. The flame’s light made my skin look more gruesome than I remembered.

  I turned on my bedside lamp and closed my hand, watching the flame vanish. Touching my ears, I felt around for the holes that had been there since I could remember. Nothing. No earrings, no communication charm, no scary voice telling me to do horrible things.

  I let out a shaky exhale as my heartbeat threatened to crack my ribs like it had in my dream. No, my memory. The first I’d ever had.

  The familiar magic I tracked to the Pyrenees belonged to that girl. My mirror image. My partner? I didn’t know, but it confirmed the man who’d taken me and Fiona was behind the Heart’s theft.

  I couldn’t get his voice out of my head. He was the monster who’d taken me. But he hadn’t been cruel. Not right then, anyway. The fear I’d felt over disobeying told me he had been. Cruel enough to stop me from rebelling. I should’ve turned. At least then I’d know what he looked like. Part of me didn’t want to know.

  The flame died, and my back hit the headboard. I pulled the blankets over me. It felt like draping myself in a swamp, but I needed the comfort.

  He was training me. I wasn’t his slave, I was his student. Actually, I was probably both. What about Fiona? Was she a student too? And what was I being trained for? To kill? He said our magic would bathe the world in fire. The thought had bile bubbling up my throat.

  He’d taught me to hide my magic, but it wasn’t strong enough to fool Adam. Did that mean he hadn’t taught me everything, or had I forgotten? His magic had been even more disgusting in person — and it had been held back by more than natural means.

  Was that what he was going to teach me? Sighing, I wrapped my blanket around me and made my way downstairs. There was no way I was going back to sleep. My mind was reeling with all this new information. Infomercials flashed before my eyes as I replayed the dream over and over in my head.

  I couldn’t help feeling there was an important message in what I’d seen. I just couldn’t figure out what it was.

  Chapter Eighteen

  It was really hard to convince myself Adam wasn’t good for me when he showed up at Adrienne’s with coffee from Ollie’s cafe. Sure, I’d stopped by earlier and gotten my own cup, but it was the thought that counted. He even had one for Adrienne. Which she accepted with an overly charming smile.

  “Such a gentleman,” she crooned.

  Her voice was thick with sleep, and there was a heaviness to her movements. Adrienne always looked well put together, but she wasn’t any more of a morning person than I was. She said it was a nereid thing. They were more active at night.

  She frowned as she looked me over, her brows knitting together. “You look exhausted.”

  “I am,” I said as I finished my coffee. Adam handed me the cup he’d bought. “Couldn’t sleep last night.”

  “Did something happen?” Adam asked, concern shining in his eyes.

  “Sleeping on fancy jet-beds has ruined my mattress for me,” I said. “Thanks for that.”

  “Do you want a new bed?” he asked like it was normal — like people bought beds for each other on a daily basis.

  “I’m good.”

  “Do you want to sleep in mine?” he said with a grin.

  “Addi, how was your date?” I asked, desperate to change the subject before I could imagine how nice that would be.

  “It was lovely, thank you. Thomas took me on a moonlit boat ride.” She sighed happily. It must’ve been a great night — she didn’t even reprimand me for calling her Addi. Her perfectly manicured nails traced over a rose, one of two dozen resting in the vase on her main counter. “He bought me flowers too.”

  “They’re pretty.” I pressed against the counter, looking for the beads. “A few days ago, you had a shipment of nullifying beads come in. Do you still have them?”

  “Sure. Why?”

  Adam explained about the barrier on the Pyrenees.

  “I see,” she said, looking between us. “They’re in the back. Give me a minute.”

  “Thank you,” Adam called after her.

  We sipped our coffee in silence while we waited. Adrienne’s shop had an entire wall of shelves filled with items she had for sale. Some were artifacts with inert magic, harmless but rare. Others were enchanted items used for a variety of things, from perfumes that made you more attractive to the opposite sex to swords that came back to you with a wave of your finger. Enchanted items were hard to make, so Adrienne made a nice living with her business.

  I looked around for any interesting finds. Since I never used my magic, I liked to keep an eye on helpful enchantments. I spotted a pair of silver studs. They looked out of place between a sparkling sapphire necklace and marble vase, but the magic in them was valuable. Communication earrings. I shuddered, thinking back to my dream. Piercings made me think of how cattle were tagged. It reminded me of my brand and being owned. I’d always hated them, and now I knew why.

  Maybe Adrienne had a ring for my index finger. It was the only bare finger I had on my left hand. Would be nice to have something for it. Maybe something that blocked my magic from others, though I doubted something like that existed.

  “You’re awfully quiet,” Adam said.

  I grunted and sipped my coffee. Even Ollie’s magic wasn’t enough to perk me up.

  “Did I do something?”

  “No.”

  “Are you sure?” He stood in front of me. “Usually when you ignore me, there’s a reason.”

  I shook my head, eyes fixed on my cup. Confusion and exhaustion tugged at me, both vying for my attention.

  “You won’t even look at me.”

  I forced my head up. “I’m sorry I’m not giving you enough attention.”

  He frowned. “I don’t need the attention, though I don’t mind it. It’s being ignored that bothers me, especially when I don’t know why.”

  “I’m not mad at you.”

  “I didn’t say you were mad at me.”

  “You implied it.” I sighed and shook my head. He was concerned. Getting annoyed was uncalled for. “Sorry. I’m just really tired.”

  He nodded, putting a hand on my shoulder. I rested my head on it, too exhausted to pretend I didn’t want his touch. “You can sleep on the plane.”

  “What will you do?”

  “Is that an invitation?”

  Maybe. “No. But I’m already shit company. I feel guilty leaving you alone the entire flight.”

  “Really?” he said, brows raised.

  “Yep. I’m actually concerned,” I said. “There, you broke me.”

  “I don’t want to break you. I just want you to let me in.” He stroked my cheek. “And I appreciate it. I’ll do some paperwork. I’m still a CEO, remember?”

  “I didn’t actually. But now I have to stay awake.” I shuddered. “Paperwork sounds terrible. The ones I have to fill out for Guild jobs are killer.”

  “Paperwork is the real boogeyman.”

  No, I was.

  He pulled me against his chest in what felt like the best hug ever. “You’re sad again.”

  “I’m tired.” And sad.

  “Something about your past?”

  Was he psychic, or was I just easy to read?

  “You have that look in your eyes.”

  Easy to read. Damn it. �
�You said you wouldn’t pry.”

  “Fine.” He sighed. “You’re just tired. You know, my bed is still available—”

  “Sorry for the wait.” Adrienne came back holding a small wooden box. She paused when she noticed Adam holding me. “Am I interrupting?”

  “You just saved his life,” I said, prying his arms off me.

  “Oooh, she only tries to kill people she likes.”

  Adam grinned. “Really?”

  “No,” she said. “Sophia has a murder-on for most of the people she meets. Though to be fair most of the people she meets are targets from a guild job. Even Symeon at one point.”

  He quirked a brow. “Is that how you two met? He hired you?”

  “Yes and no. Someone hired me to get rid of him.”

  “I’d love to hear that story.”

  “Ask Symeon. He loves to tell it.”

  Adrienne cleared her throat again, her eyes narrowing. Nereids were used to being the center of attention, so feeling like a third wheel drove her up the wall.

  “Sorry,” Adam said. “Are those the beads?”

  She nodded and opened the box. A long strand of dark blue beads rested on a strip of crushed velvet. Huh. How plain. As long as they got the job done, I guess.

  “These just came in and are the only ones I have for sale. However, the barrier you described sounds extremely strong. You’ll need to fully power the beads with magic, and there’s still a chance they won’t be strong enough.”

  “If the barrier is weakened, I could probably blast through—”

  “Hell no,” I said, glaring at Adam. “I meant what I said about even looking at the barrier. The shockwave from your last blast caused an avalanche.”

  “A small avalanche.”

  “You almost died.” Actually, that was my fault. My mood plummeted further. Rock bottom had a basement, it seemed.

  “We almost died. But that’s not the point, ” he said, turning to Adrienne. “Please continue.”

  “I’ll need you to infuse your magic into the beads to power them, which will weaken you.”

  “How much of his magic will you need?” I asked.

  The concern on my face must have shown, because he said, “Don’t worry, I’ll be able to kick golem ass just fine.”

  “You just got your strength back.”

  “It’s been almost two days,” he said, his smile growing mischievous. “But if you don’t mind sharing the bed, I can always sleep on the plane — to recover, of course.”

  “I don’t recommend it.” Adrienne giggled. “You’ll need to be at full strength to handle getting into bed with Sophia. Even then, you might not survive.”

  “I will strangle you with those beads,” I said.

  “I’ll come back and haunt you,” she said, charming smile in place. “By the way, I don’t recommend using the beads to tie each other up. I do have rope if you like.”

  “Do you have a saddle?” he asked.

  I punched his arm. “Fuck.”

  “And an ice pack?”

  “Go to the Pyrenees by yourself. I’m going to bed,” I said, brushing past him.

  He took my hand and pulled me back. He whispered in my ear, “That sounds like a better idea. But I would much rather we wait until we had more time to ourselves.” He kissed the tip of my ear. “I’d like to romance you properly.”

  My heart felt like it was going to fly out of my chest. “That sounded so dumb.”

  “Kept you from walking out.”

  “You’re holding my hand.”

  He brought it up and kissed my knuckles.

  Adrienne fanned herself. “Ooh la la.”

  I wrenched my hand away. “Just do the damn ritual. And start sleeping with one eye open. Both of you.”

  “I wouldn’t call it a ritual,” she said. “Simply take the beads and send your magic in. They’ll do the rest. I’ll tell you when it’s enough.”

  Adam twisted the beads around his fingers and closed his eyes. The scent of pine filled the room. My fingers dug into my jacket, my Fire roiling restlessly. His magic was directed, not running free or toward me. But my Fire didn’t care. It remembered his magic and wanted another taste. My back hit the door, and I considered waiting outside. If he asked, I could say I had a call—

  “Stop,” Adrienne said, slipping the beads into a velvet sack. “That’s enough magic. Any more and the beads will shatter.”

  Adam pocketed the sack. “How do I use it?”

  “The beads will nullify any magic they touch, so keep them in the pouch until needed.” She rang up his total and took the credit card he gave her. “I recommend throwing them at the barrier — touching it won’t be fun.”

  “Tell me about it,” I muttered. “Thanks, Adrienne.”

  “Any time.” She waved goodbye as we exited. “And don’t worry, her bark is much worse than her bite!”

  Adam pulled me down the street before I could go back and strangle her. “She’s lying. I bite very hard.”

  “I hope so.” His grin was indecent. “Want to swing by your place and grab a few things before heading to the airfield?”

  I nodded. “Let me call Fiona to let her know. Oh, she’s calling me.” I activated my ring. “Hey, I’m—”

  Fiona’s panicked voice cut me off. “Damien’s gallery is under attack.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Damien’s gallery was less than a block away, but it felt like we’d run a mile. The door was busted in, and glass littered the street like snow. There was a giant hole in the window, jagged shards sticking out like fangs. Inside, figures were fighting, filling the air with the smell of magic.

  “Elemental grab bag,” Adam said. “And Fiona. Why is she here?”

  “Ask her when this is over.” I licked my lips. “They’re on Fairy Dew.”

  “Again? The Council really needs to regulate that stuff.”

  “Yes, they do. But I don’t think this is a coincidence.”

  He quirked a brow.

  “Later. Unless your brother plans on shifting into a dragon.”

  “He won’t. Doesn’t want to damage the gallery. Which means I won’t be shifting either.”

  Another loud crash came from within. How much more damage was there to do? His gallery, his rules, I supposed. As if to sass me, Adam released a blast of air and shattered the rest of the window. I jumped in and stabbed a mage through the chest. He wasn’t the only one who could make an entrance.

  Six mages swarmed Fiona, howling and snapping the air around her, hollering for Fairy Dew. I rolled my eyes. Fairy Dew didn’t come from actual fairies, but it’s become a popular catcall for the species over the years. It was super gross.

  Fiona agreed, if the giant Fairy Bolt she blasted them with was any indication. The mages flew back like bowling pins, but the impact didn’t register in their drug-addled minds. They hopped back up, howling for more. She threw her twin daggers at a pair of them before summoning the weapons back and launching them again.

  Damien smacked the remaining two away with an electric whip. He cracked it at the dozen or so mages left behind, looking almost bored. Jasmine and pine fought for dominance over the room as Adam joined him in the fray.

  Another group of six came barreling in, fire and ice swirling around their hands.

  “How many of these guys are there?” I asked.

  “Too many to be a random group,” Fiona said, twirling her daggers. “We took out ten before you got here. They stole something.”

  “It’s too early for this crap.”

  She shrugged. “It’s night somewhere in the world.”

  A fireball split us up, and we leapt back into the fight. Fiona was a pro, so I wasn’t worried about her. I focused on the tattooed girl before me. She threw a fireball. Sword in hand, I slid under the blast and stabbed her through the torso.

  A man with blue hair took her place. True to his appearance, he summoned an ice sword. Dream flashbacks hit me as we clashed. Thankfully, he wasn’t as skilled
as Dream Girl had been. His sword shattered, and I kicked him in the chest.

  Pain pierced my shoulder like a white hot flame. I clutched it, stumbling forward. When I pulled my hand back, it was covered in blood. Ducking to avoid another hit, I spun around and kicked out. The mage buckled and dropped his dagger, staining the floor with my blood.

  I grabbed his weapon and slashed his throat. Blue stood up, sights set on me. A dagger flew into his eye. He fell back, twitched once, then stopped moving. The dagger vanished, appearing back in Fiona’s hand.

  She holstered it and rushed to me. “Your shoulder—”

  “It’ll heal,” I said, using her to stand.

  “At least you waited until the end to get hit. There’s only a few enemies left. The boys are taking care of them.”

  I watched Adam and Damien fight off the stragglers. The way they moved together was beautiful — and terrifyingly deadly. “Remind me never to piss them off.”

  “Like you need me to do that.” Fiona’s skirt was singed, revealing her thigh. When she noticed I was staring, she said, “Relax. These guys aren’t tough enough for me to drop my glamour.”

  “Lucky you. I haven’t worn shorts since—”

  “Last night.” She scoffed. “The ducky PJs, remember?”

  “Yeah.” Oops. “I remembered something else too. A few somethings. I had a dream about my past.”

  Her eyes widened. “That’s great! Isn’t it? You don’t sound very happy about it.”

  When I finished telling her what I dreamt, she wasn’t happy either. Before she could say anything, however, the brothers came over.

  “Should’ve shifted.” Damien sighed, scanning the room. “Damage would have been the same.”

  “At least you have your health,” I said, feeling blood seep down my back.

  “I guess,” he said, turning back to us. “You ladies need healing?”

  “Yes, please,” Fiona said, flashing him a flirty grin.

  I rolled my eyes. She could be in a coma — if a guy showed up, she’d roll over and shave her legs.

  Damien smirked but held his hands up and nodded toward Adam.

  “What?” she crooned. “Afraid once you lay your hands on me, you won’t be able to let go?”