Bewitching the Beast

by Tamara Hughes

  “Did you take these pictures?” she asked, glancing at him over her shoulder.

  “Yes.” His gaze passed from one picture to the next, a series of crime scenes and disasters captured on film. He both loved and hated his job. Searching for those moments not obvious to the casual observer, those glimmers of true humanity—one person helping another—that was what he loved. While the constant reminder of his own destructive effect on human life killed him, one frame at a time.

  “They’re very good. Amazing really. This one with the blazing hotel fire and the firemen in the foreground, I’ve seen this somewhere.”

  “Time magazine.” A young girl died in the fire, and three firemen were injured.

  “Yes, that’s right.”

  Ethan walked to a desk pushed up against the wall. Pulling open a drawer, he retrieved a large file and set it on top.

  “Time magazine. That’s something.” Tess crossed the room toward him, her movements naturally graceful. She tipped her head to the side, listening, then smiled. “Ahh, that explains the police scanner. Are you on duty?”

  His throat went dry as he watched her approach, her hips swaying with each step. “I’m paid by the picture. I’m always on duty.”

  “You must be paid well.” She surveyed the room. “No hand-me-down furniture.”

  “I do all right.” Turning away, he clenched his gloved hand, willing himself to remember what he was, and the question that nagged him tumbled free. “How do you know I’m not the beast you need to fight?”

  “Where did that come from?” She cocked an eyebrow. “Gram warned me of a good beast and an evil one.”

  What if her assumption was wrong? “What if I’m the evil one?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Somehow I’ve always felt like there was something wrong with me, something that’s kept people away.”

  She sent him a questioning look. “There’s nothing wrong with you. You’ve been protecting me. The beast I have to fight has to be the guy who attacked you. If we can find him—”

  “Find him and do what?” Ethan studied her delicate features, those soft gray eyes. So naïve. “You’re not prepared to fight him.”

  “I will be, at some point. Wouldn’t it be the wisest course to find out as much about him as I can before we go head-to-head? I don’t even know what he looks like.” Her brow wrinkled. “I could be sitting next to him in church, offering him the handshake of peace, and wouldn’t know he was the devil incarnate.”

  He opened the middle drawer of his desk and grasped the business card he’d studied a thousand times. “I’ve already tried searching for him. The only thing I had to go on was this. I found it in the alley where I was attacked.” He handed her the card. “I don’t know if it even belonged to him. The name listed on its front isn’t him.”

  “Mike Bertrand. JP Morgan Chase bond trader. Did you call the number?”

  “Better, I went in to see him at the address. It wasn’t him.” A sudden urge to put this discussion to rest snaked through him.

  “Did you ask him about the man you saw?”

  Ethan plucked the card from her hand and dropped it into the drawer. “No, I can’t remember much about him.”

  “It doesn’t hurt to ask.”

  He slid the drawer shut. “Yes, very useful. Have you seen a tall man with short dark hair, wearing a suit and a trench coat? He’d probably point out most of the guys in his office.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Hello, he has the image of a dragon on his hand. Pretty standout to me.”

  “Somehow I doubt he shows it to anyone.” Ethan picked up the file from his desk and stepped away. Issue closed.

  “But—”

  “No.” The word was a snarl on his lips. His heart jackhammered in his chest as he fought the voice that raged inside his head. No more talk of another beast. Tess was his, and his alone. Stop! He stretched his neck from side to side and forced those thoughts away.

  Tess eyed him like he’d gone off the deep end.

  Ethan took a seat. “I have someone else I’d like to contact first.”

  She followed him to the sofa. “All right. Who?”

  “Give me a minute or two.” He opened the file.

  Tess sat next to him and set her soda can on a side table. She picked up her grandmother’s book and flipped it open.

  Settling in, he laid the file on the coffee table and leafed through the stack of paper, searching for the news article he’d found months ago. He skimmed page after page, his concentration broken by Tess’s every movement.

  “How old are you?” she asked, staring at him as if the answer had significance.

  “Twenty-seven. Why?”

  “I’m testing out a truth spell I found in the book.”

  Ethan gave her a sideways glance. “How do you know I’m telling the truth if you don’t know the correct answer?”

  Her lips curved with an impish grin. “Touché. Give me your driver’s license.”

  Resisting the urge to scowl, he retrieved his wallet from his back pocket and tossed it to her, then refocused his attention on the pages before him, studying each one. He clamped his jaw tight when Tess laughed, interrupting him again.

  “Nice picture. Looks like a mug shot. Then again, why do most people smile? When you’re pulled over and asked for your license, you won’t be smiling. Why not match your picture to the occasion?”

  Ethan accepted the wallet she handed him and tucked it into his pocket. He skimmed another page and flipped to the next. Leonard Meade. Was this the archeologist he remembered?

  Tess swept her arms out and raised them high.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m casting another spell on you.”

  He glared at her, an annoyed response on his lips, when his gaze caught and locked on the exposed skin of her midriff. “What’s the spell this time?”

  “You will tell me those things you would normally hide,” she sang and dropped her arms. In an instant, her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Tell me why you wear the glove.”

  Ethan stiffened.

  “Come on. Was your hand burned? Fluke fishing accident? Fungus?”

  He turned back to his stack of papers. Focus, dammit.

  “You’re not going to tell me, are you?” She scrunched up her face. “All right, different question. What do you think of me, really think of me?”

  He flipped through more pages in the pile. “Right now, I think you’re becoming a pain in the ass.”

  When she didn’t respond, he glanced over. Tess thrust out her lower lip in a playful pout.

  He huffed out a laugh. Dammit. Why did she have to be so sweet? “You’re a beautiful pain in the ass?”

  Tess grinned. “I think the spell worked.”

  “Great. Now if you don’t mind.”

  “How about one more? Here’s one for relaxation. You look like you need to relax a little.”

  Ethan held up a hand. “Let’s skip that one. In fact, don’t practice on me, not right now.”

  “I’m only trying to help. You’re always so serious.”

  He stared down at the article he’d found, not seeing the words on the page. “If you had a beast living inside you, you’d be serious too.”

  “I suppose you’re right.” She rested her fingertips lightly on his arm. “I’m sorry.”

  The scales beneath her touch tingled. He fought the desire to nestle into her palm and feel more of her touch. He moved his arm away. “No need to apologize. There’s nothing wrong with working through your grandmother’s book. I’m just not in the mood right now for games.”

  “Fair enough.” She set the book aside. “What’s in the file?”

  “Research I thought would be wasted, un
til I met you.”

  Tess slid closer and peered at the pages. “May I?”

  He nodded. When they both went for the paper at the same time, they knocked heads, and pain flashed through his skull.

  She rubbed her forehead and grimaced. “Sorry.”

  “No worries.”

  Holding up her hand to warn him not to go for it again, she reached out to pick a paper from the stack. He closed his eyes for an instant, catching the subtle scent of vanilla from her hair.

  She stared at the paper in her hand. “Egyptian symbols?”

  “The ankh is the one I’d been searching for.” He pointed out the cross with a loop for the top bar.

  “Why?”

  He flipped his hand palm side up for her inspection. “If you look closely, there’s an ankh on the dragon’s flank.”

  After switching on a lamp, she grasped his hand and turned the image toward the light. “What does the symbol mean?” In the lamplight, her hair gleamed in golden hues.

  Ethan forced his gaze to his hand. “To ancient Egyptians, the ankh represented rebirth.”

  She released him, and he breathed easier.

  “When I discovered it was an Egyptian sign, I started focusing my research on Egyptian legends, news articles, fables, anything that might help me figure out what this beast is.”

  “What did you find?”

  “There are several Egyptian legends about dragons. The most popular one involved a water dragon who fought the sun god Ra.” He leaned against the leather sofa cushions. “I’d almost given up, when I found an old book at the library that had a short story about a farmer protecting his village.”

  Ethan looked toward the ceiling, trying to remember the tale. “One year, the crops failed to grow, and the villagers relied on their animals for food. Nearby was a dragon, called Kneph. Kneph stole their animals, one by one, until the village was near starvation. Desperate, a farmer named Amon searched out and killed the dragon, but the dragon’s spirit possessed him, and he turned into a horrible beast. Isis, the goddess of magic, took pity on him. She killed him and banished all dragons to a magical realm.”

  “What a happy ending.”

  Ethan pointed toward the pages he’d set aside from the rest. Leonard Meade. “This man, this archeologist found bones in a cave a few miles outside of Thebes. He insists they’re proof dragons once existed on earth.”

  “Ethan, he sounds like a quack.”

  “Maybe. He also found human bones dating to the same time period.”

  Tess slid closer a few more inches. “You think this is related to the legend?”

  Her thigh brushed his, and he inhaled a slow breath. “I don’t know.”

  “Have you contacted him?”

  “What would have been the point? In the story, a magical goddess defeated the dragon. Until I met you, I didn’t think there was any truth to the legend.”

  Tess snickered. “You think I’m a magical goddess?”

  “I think there’s a chance you can defeat this thing.” His gaze dropped to her hands resting on her lap. “Back at the club, you used a power in your fingertips to break The Beast’s control over us. It didn’t last long, but I know I felt it. Could you do it again?”

  “I have no idea.” Tess shook her head. “I told you, I didn’t do it on purpose.”

  “Right. And it hasn’t happened since that night.”

  Disappointment shadowed her features. Taking the paper from the table, she held it up to her face. “What is he holding in the picture?”

  “I don’t know. It’s an artifact of some kind.”

  “It says here, it’s an ancient Egyptian mirror found in the cave next to the human bones.” She lowered the paper. “They had mirrors back then?”

  “It was probably made of shiny metal of some kind.”

  “What was it doing there? One last swipe of lipstick before you die?”

  “Good question.”

  Her back straightened, and her eyes glittered with excitement. “It’s possible the mirror was used as a weapon. If The Beast is somehow related to this dragon, maybe . . . Does The Beast have any weaknesses?”

  A low growl within him commanded his silence, and his senses sprang to life, acute and centered solely on Tess—the feminine scent of her skin, the whisper of her breaths. The blood drained from his brain and headed straight for his groin.

  “Ethan?” A few wisps of hair hung in her eyes. His fingers itched to sweep those strands aside.

  He willed himself back on track. “The Beast has only one weakness I know of. When he’s low on positive energy, bad fortune hits him like everyone else.”

  “Well, that’s something.”

  “Not really. If you’re in the room with him when it happens, he’ll control you and take yours.”

  “Great.” Her face paled, and a trace of fear shadowed her eyes.

  Not what he wanted. He needed his feisty girl back. “Look, obviously there’s a way to defeat this thing.”

  “Yeah, if you’re a magical goddess.”

  Ethan grasped her cold hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He ached to wrap his arm around her shoulders and gather her close. Stay away from her, idiot. “We’ll find a way. I’ll be your test subject. You can practice on me.” The Beast snarled in his head and a pulse of desire ripped through him. He stood, fighting to control the demands of his body. When he would have let go, Tess gripped his hand, concern etching small lines between her brows.

  “Are you okay?”

  He nodded.

  Although she didn’t appear convinced, she released her hold. “If this magic stuff does work and I get past The Beast’s defenses, I could hurt you.”

  “I’ll take the risk.” He paced the room. “Who knows? You might be the one to free me.”

  “If I screw up, I could kill you.”

  “At this point, death might be a blessing.” He studied the seared skin on his palm, The Beast’s brand, an intricate drawing of a dragon, complete with horns and wings. The image became more vivid with each victim he touched. “I’ve killed people, Tess. Because of me, they’re dead. You don’t know how it feels. There’s an emptiness inside me, a black hole eating away who I used to be.” Tightening his hand into a fist, he hid the reminder of what he’d become. “And it’s not going to stop. Not until there’s nothing left.”

  “How many people have you . . .?” Tess asked, her voice barely a whisper.

  He rubbed his neck. “Too many.”

  Tess frowned. “How soon before The Beast attacks again?”

  “Depends. The more energy I use up, the sooner it will be.”

  “So after last night?”

  Their eyes locked. “Soon.”

  Her gaze searched his. “Ethan, you aren’t attacking these people—it’s The Beast.”

  “It sure as hell feels like me.” While the fire in his blood cooled a degree, the ache in his chest remained.

  She picked up the Book of Shadows and set it on her lap. “I’ll do what I can to help you, but I can’t promise anything.”

  “All I ask is that you try.”

  Tess leafed through pages. “Okay, what if you wear a positive energy pendant like mine to keep The Beast in check? He could feed off the energy from the amulet, so he won’t need to go after anyone again.”

  Ethan returned to his desk. “I’ve already tried that.” He yanked open a deep drawer. “Let’s see. I’ve got horseshoes, rabbits’ feet, clovers, the whole gamut in here.”

  “You don’t know if those things work for anyone. They’re based on made-up superstitions, aren’t they?”

  He pointed a finger at the pendant around her neck. From across the room, he felt power radiating from the stone. “What about your grandmother’s neckla
ce? Even the best charms don’t have enough pull to attract The Beast, or he would have taken yours.”

  “Then how about a rosary or holy water? You say this beast is evil.”

  Shaking his head, he closed the drawer. “I’ve tried those too. I’ve prayed until my knees were sore. Once I even ran to church when I felt The Beast’s need coming on, only to steal the aura of a priest preparing to receive confession.”

  She cringed. “All right. How about a binding spell? If I can figure out how to get one to work, I could bind the behavior of sucking people dry.”

  His arm itched. He hated the feeling. Usually it meant more scales would appear. “Listen to me. I need this thing out. It’s slowly killing me.” He couldn’t hide the misery in his voice.

  Tess stood and walked toward him. “Ethan.”

  He moved away. “The Beast is getting stronger. At some point I won’t be in control anymore.”

  “What do you mean it’s getting stronger?”

  He rubbed his forehead with the heel of his palm, then drew it away and stared at his hands, hands that had done so much damage in the last year. “I can hear him in my head, feel him under my skin. Every day my body feels hotter. I used to only sense him when he needed energy, now . . .” He couldn’t bring himself to show her what lay beneath the glove, to see the horror in her eyes. “He’s taking over.” Ethan studied Tess’s face. Her eyelids were still swollen from crying earlier today. “We need all the help we can get. Call your mother.”

  “No.” Tess returned to the sofa and plopped down on the cushions.

  “Your mother has years of experience you can draw on. Hell, maybe her coven can help. That’s a lot of power at your disposal.”

  “I need to read Gram’s book, that’s all. She knew about The Beast. Maybe she left me instructions on what to do.”

  “Tess, you can’t fight this thing alone.” And you shouldn’t be alone with me.