Heroines and Hellions: a Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection

by Margo Bond Collins

  “I’m not sure what the fuck you’re on, but I had nothing to do with bringing your father here,” he said, his hands still held up in defense, as if I were holding him at gunpoint. He knew I was working on my powers recently, and I could almost feel the fear pulsing through his veins. His heart clearly increased its rapid thumping the angrier I got. “And I was only cautious when you came home, not nervous, because I wasn’t sure how you’d react to me having Lila here,” he added with his head nodding in the direction of the lilac ghost.

  The fact her name was Lila made me laugh… to the point where my chuckles made Calder cock a brow at me in question.

  “You’re seriously on something,” he mumbled.

  I finally broke my harsh stance, my body bending at the waist and my shoulders shaking with laughter. It was just what I needed to forget how pissed I was… momentarily anyway.

  Her name was Lila and she had a lilac-colored aura. I couldn’t have made it up if I’d tried. As quickly as the laughter-fit started, it ended, the realization my roomie was still guilty of fucking with my wards… and my heart… came back to the surface.

  I took a few deep breaths, composing myself and the few lingering chuckles that still rumbled in my chest. At that point, I didn’t know what to say. Lila still stared at me, her ghostly glow dimming by the second.

  She was clearly running out of time in her solid state, either that, or I was ruining the whole reason she was here in the first place.

  Clearly, I was losing my mind, because the latter always made the former true too.

  Without another word, I turned and swiftly stormed out of Calder’s room, ignoring the fact that he was calling my name.

  15

  I didn’t hesitate to ask Calder to move out. Well, it was more of a demand than a request. I didn’t give him a choice. If I was going to protect myself, I didn’t need a loose cannon like a necromancer under my roof.

  Now the only challenge was figuring out how to afford the damn mortgage on my own.

  Yes, the pub was booming. We had a successful business on our hands. But splitting the profits between five siblings didn’t exactly bring home a hefty paycheck.

  I continued to think about my situation, brainstorming how to make it on my own without the additional rent money coming in, when Branton sauntered in at six in the evening, on the dot.

  Now, normal women would get butterflies at the sight of the man they were seeing… or dating? Were we dating? I couldn’t peg exactly what the hell we were doing. But, aside from labeling our relationship, I should’ve reacted like any typical woman at the sight of him.

  Instead, all I felt was annoyance.

  Annoyance that he suddenly started showing up every-single-fucking-night at the bar. Annoyance that he seemed to be hiding something. Annoyance at how flighty I seemed to become around him. And annoyance that I still had zero answers about why the Ranta family was being pursued. Now, anyone would argue that Branton had nothing to do with the last bit of annoying facts, but all current events pointed toward me being a googly-eyed airhead instead of focused on what was important… my family and myself.

  Veli was working the bar with me that night, and I wasn’t subtle when I indicated I wanted him to serve Branton.

  I simply needed a break.

  That was, until I saw someone touching him.

  I was never one to be the jealous type. Jealousy didn’t seem to make sense to me. At least, not until I saw her arm hook into his. Her teeth were way too damn bright as she smiled at him, laughing even.

  Curses. It wasn’t like he was all that funny.

  The jealous side of me wanted to go over there and stake my claim. However, the stubborn side of me, which usually dominated, knew just how that would look. Jealousy was a weakness I wasn’t ready to admit to. Not now, not ever.

  I glanced around, looking for Veli, needing him to handle that end of the bar. The bastard was nowhere to be found. We had a full bar and he seemed to disappear when I needed him the most.

  Deciding I was in no rush, I walked past all the patrons saddled up to the bar and checked on them, making sure they were topped off and happy.

  I filled one drink for a woman, a regular who had an affinity for sex on the beach—the drink, not the act, though I didn’t know if that was entirely true, just assumed.

  Finally, I reached the one section I was avoiding like the plague, and it didn’t take long for Branton’s eyes to meet mine—brown to blue. As soon as he looked my way, my annoyance faded. How I could get so worked up over nothing was beyond my comprehension when he looked at me like he was in that moment.

  I smiled warmly, putting on my most professional face, and greeted them.

  “Evening, Branton. Sorry I’ve been so busy tonight,” I said, glancing between the two and wondering why the hell the female hadn’t let go of him yet. “Need another?” I asked, pointing to his empty beer bottle on the bar top.

  “Please,” he said with a bob of his head. “And what would you like, Sarah?” The way he addressed her, never introducing her to me, made my skin crawl with new annoyance. My usual cold blood began to boil. If I wasn’t so naturally chill, I was sure he’d see the flush under my cheeks.

  “I’ll have what Mr. B is having,” she said in a cheerful chirp.

  Mr. B?

  I cocked an eyebrow, looking at him questioningly. I was sure my face gave away my amusement. It was clear now—this was one of his students.

  A laugh escaped my lips as I asked her for identification. She was pretty and all, and looked to be over twenty-one, but I couldn’t resist the chance to poke fun at him now. Needless to say, my annoyance completely melted into what I could only describe as pure entertainment—at his expense, of course.

  I was also a little miffed at myself for being even the least bit jealous. Shame was more like it.

  “Well, Sarah. It’s nice to meet you,” I said, extending my hand. “I’m the owner, so if there’s ever anything you need, please don’t hesitate to find me.”

  With that, I winked at Mr. B and went to get two beers. I couldn’t seem to wipe the smile off my face. Clearly, the whole scenario had made my night.

  Only a few minutes went by before I saw Dean walk in, his shoulders slumped like someone had kicked his puppy. A few seconds later, Calder made his presence known at the bar.

  So now, I had Branton, one of his sheep, Dean, and Calder, all sitting at the same bar staring at me expectantly.

  What did I do wrong in my life for the gods to punish me? Dean I didn’t mind, other than the fact he was still throwing a hissy because I’d lost the bracelet ward he’d made me. But Calder was someone I really didn’t have the energy to deal with right now. When I told him today that he had to pack his shit and go, well, let’s just say he didn’t take it well.

  Thankfully, Dean and Branton had never met. So as long as I didn’t give anything away, they wouldn’t know who the other one was. But Calder… well, he knew them both.

  When I didn’t approach any of them, Calder looked on either side of him and noticed both Dean and Branton, a wicked smile spreading on his face once he read the expression of desperation on mine. I was subconsciously begging him to keep his trap shut. Dean didn’t like the fact I was letting another witch help me hone my powers, and Branton didn’t like how weak and careless Dean’s charms were. They honestly didn’t need to be in the same room together. The pissing contest that would ensue wasn’t something I had time for.

  Calder didn’t move, instead just staring me down and crooking his finger for me to come to him.

  He was going to use my discomfort to his advantage—I could already tell.

  Bastard.

  “I’m not moving out,” he said in a low, sinister voice as soon as I got close enough, his eyes never moving from mine.

  “Well, hello,” I responded, loud enough for everyone around us to hear. “Taking a break from packing?”

  “Just long enough to tell you I’m not moving,” he responded. T
his time, his voice was louder than before.

  “Wait, what?” Dean interjected. “You’re moving out?” he asked Calder.

  “No, Kirsi here is trying to kick me out, but I’m not budging,” Calder said while side-eyeing me as if to say, try me.

  Dean looked at me, clearly wanting me to explain. He was my best friend—other than my sisters—and he knew just how badly I needed the rent money.

  When I didn’t bother responding, instead busying myself with getting their usual drinks, Calder decided to make the situation even more tense. “Hey, Dean. Have you met Kirsi’s boyfriend?”

  Double bastard.

  Well, my past and my present clashing together was bound to happen at some point. I just didn’t expect it to be because my roommate was a vindictive little twerp.

  I watched Dean shake Branton’s hand from the corner of my eye as I served another patron, only turning my back to put the order in the computer. I doubted Branton would’ve been able to hold his tongue with what he thought of Dean’s flimsy witchcraft. At least, that was what he referred to it as once, forcing me to change the subject and avoid any topic that had Dean’s name in it.

  “Well, are we, Kirsi?” I heard Branton ask, forcing my attention back to them even though I was trying to avoid the clusterfuck at all costs.

  I snapped my head in their direction, the wiping I was doing to kill the minutes stopping abruptly in front of me.

  “What?”

  Branton laughed right along with Calder. They both knew they were making me uncomfortable. I never liked to be the center of attention. To be the topic of their conversation made me itch with discomfort.

  They weren’t going to get the satisfaction of knowing they were affecting me in any sort of way, so with poise and an expression of boredom, I sauntered over into their direction.

  “What are you boys blabbering about?” I asked, secretly wishing I didn’t have to know.

  “Dean was just asking if you were my girlfriend,” Branton said, a smile nearly splitting his face in two. I was sure he was fully aware of how unprepared I was to answer such a question.

  “All of you are so damn childish,” I said, glaring at Calder for starting such a fiasco and turning my back once more. Veli was there to save the day, not caring one way or the other if he played a brick wall in my life, protecting me whenever I needed it.

  I wouldn’t really call this protection for me, but more for my so-called friends who were dead set on making me uncomfortable.

  Without another word, I worked on filling the storage coolers with beer for the next day, carrying them from the storage room in preparation. Yeah, Veli could’ve done it, but I damn sure wanted to steer clear of all the men cackling like hens at the bar.

  I half expected Branton to break away and come see me. Even though we hadn’t done anything more than kiss, it became a bit of a tradition over the past few weeks that I’d continually hope he would come maul me in the dark.

  So when I rounded the corner into the hallway, headed back to get another case, I wasn’t at all startled to see a figure standing in the shadows… until I noticed it was definitely not Branton.

  What was that sheep’s name again? Sheeba? Serena?

  “It’s Sarah, you dimwit,” she said, her voice still clear as a bell and chiming in my ears, almost like she was trying to charm me.

  Curses, she’s a charmer.

  A charmer was a special brand of faerie—their skills much more powerful than the normal fae that wandered the streets of Relic. Most fae were turned, similar to the way vampires were, their blood tainted to make them something otherworldly. But charmers… they were purebred—with untouched faerie blood flowing through their veins. No matter how wicked they were, how dark their magic was, they could charm the living pants off anyone, both mortali and sancti alike.

  I had to keep her powers in mind as I engaged in conversation with her, regardless of how charming she was.

  And it was clear she knew that, when we came head to head, she had the upper hand. She knew, I knew… there was no denying a charmer had me dead to rights.

  “What do you want?” I asked, speaking out loud, even though she could clearly read every thought passing through my mind.

  “You already know what I want.” Her stance mirrored mine—arms crossed over our chests, feet bolted to the floor. She knew just what would intimidate me.

  Of course she did. What charmer wouldn’t? I had to keep telling myself she had glimmering powers… she was ugly on the inside—evil—dark—no matter what her outward appearance portrayed.

  I decided to play her game, think about what all the different evil beings were after, and make sure she knew how utterly lost I was in their pursuit.

  “You honestly don’t know what you carry around your neck?” she asked, her hands finally falling to her sides and her eyes turning black—the near opposite of the illuminating green they were just moments before.

  I immediately grasped the snowflake charm that hung heavy on my chest, the feel of my fingers wrapping around it tugging at the back of my neck and pulling the few hairs I had resting there.

  The female fae laughed, a cackle I’d only expect from witches written in books.

  “You sincerely don’t realize what you’re carrying!” she exclaimed, making me feel inferior. That was completely out of the ordinary for a charmer. Normally, they made you feel good about yourself, sprinkling you with a false sense of worth. But this woman… she was completely different from any charming, glimmering fae I’d run across in my lifetime. The uncertainty unnerved me.

  Regardless of the lessons I’d had with Branton in the past, I felt utterly helpless facing a demon fae with my glasses still poised on the bridge of my nose. Without another thought, I slowly brought my hand up to my temple, wrapped my fingers around the delicate arm of the frames, and removed them from my face. It only took a second for me to fling them to the floor, the glass of the lenses shattering against the concrete and causing quite a loud clatter in the small space of the hallway.

  There was no way in hell this malus was getting the necklace my father gave me. No way in hell. This evil chick would have to pry it from my cold, dead hands.

  “With pleasure,” she sneered, just before she lunged toward me, making my world go dark.

  16

  My head was pounding and my ears ringing, like I’d been struck with a goddamn baseball bat repeatedly. It wasn’t until I smelled the musty stench of dirt that I realized I was no longer in the pub. I wasn’t home either.

  Something was fishy.

  Hell, it smelled fishy too.

  Cracking an eye open, I tried to assess my surroundings. Damn, my head hurt.

  Not only did my head hurt, but my eyelids were heavy, exhausted even.

  What the fuck did they drug me with? My muscles were like lead. I could tell without even moving that they were weighed down by something otherworldly.

  Still, I fought the weight in my eyes and peeked, trying to assess my surroundings as best I could.

  There wasn’t much to be seen in the darkness… but I was definitely near water. That, I could tell. The humidity here was more intense than in the heart of the city, and I could smell the moisture in the air.

  While I could move, with effort of course, I chose not to. I didn’t want my movement to give away that I was conscious, just in case that charmer was still around.

  Well hell, Kirsi. If she’s within earshot, she can obviously read your every thought, you dimwit.

  Nevertheless, I kept still, using my senses to feel more than see where I was. Without hesitation, I allowed my mental barriers to widen, feeling my way through the moisture in the air like a slithering snake in an attempt to feel out the essence of anyone around me. As soon as I heard voices, I snapped my awareness back to me, the feel of it making my head throb even worse than before.

  “She’s still a threat,” a female voice said in the distance. “We need to get rid of her, so she no longer gets in the
way.”

  “Nah, she’s useless without The Relic. Trust me. I know her well,” an eerily familiar male voice responded. “Just leave her.”

  I kept my breathing minimal and closed my eyes as I listened to their feet shuffle around, but what they were doing wasn’t clear to me.

  “Wait,” the male voice interjected, their footfalls stopping abruptly. “Did you actually hurt her?”

  The female scoffed, her impatience obvious in her tone. “Nah, though I wanted to beat her ass after all the thoughts she had about me. I just stuck a black tourmaline crystal laced with Nerium in her jacket pocket. That’s honestly all I did… for now,” she added with a chuckle.

  I’d heard of tourmaline before. My sister, Pinja, was fascinated with crystals and stones. The gods knew I didn’t understand a single one of them though. But Nerium? That was something I’d never heard of before.

  I couldn’t quite understand what the male said in response to the female’s admission. He only mumbled his words and I suddenly wished I had the superpower of hearing. Regardless of the male’s response, I became excited with the fact that I now recognized the female’s voice—Sarah. I’d say excited wasn’t exactly the correct term… maybe motivated would’ve been better to describe my elation.

  Well, that answered one question I had about charming fae—they could only read minds when they focused on a specific person. Clearly, she wasn’t reading me right now or she’d know how close I was getting to layering her up with ice.

  I needed to do something though, had to figure out what the hell she was digging in my mind for and who the hell the man was. He said he knew me?

  He sure as hell sounded familiar, but I couldn’t peg exactly who he was.