by Dana Davis
Daisy! Damnit! Let me out of this trussing! She opened her mind and sent out her thoughts to Kali but the woman didn’t respond. A trussing spell only lasted about fifteen or twenty minutes with no witch around to renew it, but they could be long gone by then. And where’s the mutt? Daisy would be devastated if anything happened to Perky. Bridgette tried to scream at them to come back but it only came out in a series of grunts.
She watched with rising anxiety as her cousin followed the rest down the hall. The medium still lay on the office floor, bare feet sticking out into the hallway. She thought she saw Scarlet’s foot twitch. The medium didn’t get up so she decided she must have imagined it. Daisy uttered something to the medium – Probably an apology, knowing Daisy – then moved out of Bridgette’s sightline. The only feet she saw now belonged to Scarlet. Kali! she screamed at the top of her mental voice. Get away! He’s a siren! She still got no thoughts from anyone.
Moments later, the front door slammed shut.
Bridgette grunted, trying her hardest to fight against the trussing spell, but all she got was sweaty. I fucking hate this. She simply had to wait for it to wear off. The minutes felt like hours as she stared down the hallway, especially with the pain from where her head had smacked the tile, but at least she had that much of a view. Would’ve been worse if I’d fallen inside the closet and couldn’t see a damn thing.
To pass the time, she came up with some very imaginative paybacks she planned to deliver on Simon and whoever the hell that woman was she’d seen leaving with him. Vengeful thoughts helped stay her panic and kept her mind occupied for the final minutes. Scarlet should be up by now. Why isn’t she up?
At last, when she was able to move, she pulled to her feet. Her muscles ached and her head hurt. It had been a very long time since she’d been on the receiving end of a trussing spell. She and Daisy had practiced on each other as kids, one of the first spells young witches learned to protect themselves. And I hated trussings back then too.
Jay began to stir and she helped him up. He rubbed at his left wrist then studied her head. “You’re bleeding.”
She put fingers to her forehead and came away with a smear of red. “I’ll live.”
She stumbled down the hallway, ignoring the prone medium for the moment. Her trussing should’ve worn off by now. But Bridgette had other things to worry about. She turned into the family room and picked up speed as she moved through the kitchen and front room to the door. She flung it back, causing it to bounce off the door stop and hit her heel as she pushed the security screen open. Neither had been locked. She ran into the driveway with Jay behind her just as a red SUV pulled into the driveway next to Scarlet’s car.
“Did you see them?” Bridgette called as she looked up and down the empty street.
Fay eyed her from the driver’s seat. “Who?”
“They took Daisy, Noah and Kali. Didn’t you see a car pass you as you came in?”
“We passed a couple of cars.” Fay climbed out of the SUV. “Who took them, Bridgette?”
“Simon and some woman. Damnit! You guys go inside. Check on Scarlet. We’re gonna see if we can catch up to them.”
“Wait. You’re hurt. Let me do a healing spell.”
“Later, Fay.”
“Bridgette’s hurt?” Her mother that time.
“I’ll be fine, Mom.” They’ve got one hell of a head start. Bridgette shushed her inner critic, desperate to do something productive. Maybe they’ll hit a lot of red lights. She reached into her pocket as Jay followed her to the convertible before realizing she’d left her keys in the ignition. I do love a safe neighborhood.
After she and Jay buckled their seatbelts, she made a U-turn and sped up the street. Her mother’s mental calls followed after her.
They headed out of Daisy’s neighborhood but saw only one car on the road this late. Bridgette pulled up beside it at the next intersection and a low vibration rattled her bones from the music. A couple of teenagers out joy-riding.
“Not them,” Jay said. He fumbled through her storage compartment and pulled out some tissues.
“You do have a way of stating the obvious.”
“Hey, don’t get cranky with me. I’m not the bad guy.” He pressed a tissue to her head to staunch the bleeding.
“Ow. Sorry. No, you’re not.” She wondered if Jay had seen Simon kiss her earlobe but she wouldn’t listen in on his thoughts now. Instead, she focused on homes around her as she drove on.
Most were muted from sleeping individuals. In one house they passed, a couple was having sex. In another, a child was afraid to go to sleep. A couple homes had wide-awake teenagers, texting to friends. In yet another, two teens were having sex and trying not to wake her parents.
Damn kids. Go to sleep so I can focus on the grown-ups.
When Bridgette reached the main intersection, the light was red and she had no idea which way to go. Straight, right, left. “They could be anywhere. I don’t even know what kind of fucking car they’re driving.”
“Then let’s get back. Mom might be able to get something.” Fay’s psychic abilities hadn’t helped much at the cemetery but Bridgette didn’t point that out. “And maybe you can do another spell. The house is full of Daisy’s stuff.”
She glanced at Jay and a surge of lust pulsed through her, despite her throbbing head. He looked yummy in his jeans and tee-shirt. Designer jeans, of course, and probably ironed, but they hugged his firm body in all the right places. Holy shit, Bridgette! Half your family’s been abducted and you’re thinking about jumping your boyfriend. Probably remnants of Simon’s touch, she realized. That made it easier to shove the feelings away. For now.
“Yeah, you’re right. I can’t find them this way.” She did a U-turn and sped back toward Daisy’s house, trying her best not to feel defeated and useless.
A few minutes later, she parked her convertible in front of the house and she and Jay climbed out. This time she took the keys with her.
Fay walked out to greet them. “Anything?”
Bridgette shook her head. “No. They’re gone.”
“Where were they parked? I’m not getting anything inside the house. Yet, anyway.”
“I don’t know. When we got here there wasn’t a car in front of the house. Just Scarlet’s. And that’s still in the driveway.” Bridgette flipped a hand to the cul de sac across the street, where several community mailboxes stood. “They probably parked in there so we wouldn’t notice them.”
“Why didn’t you stop them?” Bridgette’s mom. She was standing inside the house, looking out the security screen.
Bridgette went inside and waited for Jay and Fay before closing the door. “Daisy put a trussing spell on me.”
“What? Why?” Her mother looked appalled.
“I’m guessing someone forced her to.” Probably by threatening Noah. “I saw one witch, but there had to be at least one more because Jay and Scarlet were trussed too. I didn’t see anyone else, though. Or sense them.” Why the hell not? So many things about this just don’t add up.
“You’re hurt. Stand still.” Her mother balanced herself on her crutches and took the bloody tissue from Bridgette’s head. She cupped one hand over the wound and uttered a healing spell.
Her forehead tingled and headache retreated almost immediately. “Thanks, Mom. Feels better now.” She grunted. “Why didn’t I sense those other witches? Unless they were both telepathic and had me blocked. But that would only block their thoughts, not my sensing them.”
“What other witches?”
She studied her mother’s tired face. “Three of us were trussed but we’re short one witch.” Why the hell would Simon leave me here? He could’ve carried me out with him and I wouldn’t have been able to do a damn thing to stop him. That witch told him to leave me. But why? She gave an accusatory look to her mother. “What the hell took you so long to get here anyway?”
“There was an accident just before Cactus Road. Happened right in front of us and we couldn’t get
around it. Fay had to take a detour.”
“You’re pretty calm about all this, Mom.”
“Then you don’t know me as well as you think, baby. Come sit down so we can figure out what to do.”
Bridgette bit back her anger and followed her mother toward the kitchen. It’s not her fault Daisy’s missing. “How’s Scarlet?” She hurried past her mother through the kitchen and into the family room, where Scarlet now lay on Daisy’s couch. The medium looked pissed.
Fay stepped close. “Still not able to move, Scarlet dear? Shouldn’t be long now.” She threw a look to Bridgette’s mom. “Marge, why don’t you sit down? You can’t hobble around on those crutches all night.” Healing spells only started a broken bone mending. The bone would be weak and fragile and still needed to heal the final few days on its own.
Surprisingly, Bridgette’s mom didn’t argue and flopped into the overstuffed chair next to the couch, the one Bridgette favored when she visited here.
When Scarlet moaned and tried to sit up, Jay put himself behind her on the couch and supported her weight. “Careful,” he said.
Oddly enough, this tender side of her new boyfriend made Bridgette want him. Well, shit. I must be getting soft.
Scarlet grunted. “I’m going to officially say that I hate trussing spells.” Those dark eyes found Bridgette. “Where’s Daisy? Did you find her?”
That comment pulled her thoughts back to the situation in a rush. “No, damnit. Time to try something else.” She started to suggest a spell when Scarlet let out a string of curses in both English and Spanish. Impressive. Bridgette studied her as the woman struggled to her feet with Jay’s assistance. “You okay?” When Scarlet staggered off, she said, “Where’re you going?” She and the rest followed the medium into Daisy’s bedroom. “Scarlet? Where the hell are you going? They’re not here.”
“To get help.” The short woman flung the sheet off the dresser mirror, leaned her hands on the dresser, and stared into the glass for several seconds, muttering something. A moment or two later, she started giving orders to someone Bridgette couldn’t see. After a few seconds of one-sided conversation with the invisible person or persons, she said, “Good. Find Daisy. Then report back here.”
“Just like that?”
The medium turned dark eyes on Bridgette and a small smile lifted the corners of her pink mouth. “If there’s one thing ghosts don’t like, it’s losing a guaranteed connection to the living. Daisy’s a medium now. Whether she admits it or not. That makes her extremely valuable to them.”
Well, how do you like that? Daisy’s got her own fucking ghost posse.
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* * * *
Chapter 15
Superhero
Daisy sat in the backseat between Noah and the tall woman as Simon drove. Kali sat in the front passenger seat, obviously under Simon’s thrall. The necro couldn’t take her eyes off him. Daisy studied Noah and pinched her lips together to keep from cursing or saying something stupid that she’d regret. She certainly didn’t want to make matters worse.
With as little movement as possible, she caressed Noah’s leg. But he kept his gaze looking past her to the tall woman sitting on the other side. At least I’m between the two. With the way Noah acted towards the female siren, Daisy didn’t dare cast a spell just now. Under a siren’s thrall, her husband would do whatever the woman told him to do. He’ll never forgive himself if he hurts me or cheats on me, even under thrall. I’ll never forgive myself if he gets hurt. And I’ll be damned if I’m gonna let some idiot siren force him to cheat on me. I have to be smart about this.
As long as she stayed outwardly calm and pliant, Kali wouldn’t use her reverse empath abilities again. Daisy had been so frightened back at the house that she’d almost wet herself, and she had no desire to experience that kind of fear again. Especially since I can’t function worth shit if I’m in a fetal position. She took in a long, slow breath to calm her nerves as the car leaned into a turn.
The tall woman smelled like a combination of cinnamon and musk. Oh, she’s definitely a siren. So, the more I know about her, the faster I can help Noah break from her thrall. Daisy studied the woman and tried very hard to keep her voice calm, non-threatening, as she said, “If you’re going to kidnap us, could we at least know your name?” Half-mast eyes turned on her. Oh yeah, she’s a siren all right. And dangerous. She offered the woman an innocent gaze.
“You can call me Cleo.” The voice that came out of those pouty lips was heavy, sultry, like a vintage movie star doing a passionate scene.
“Cleo,” Noah said in a dreamy tone. “That’s a beautiful name.”
He started to reach across to the siren, but Daisy shifted her body to distract him and he pulled his hand back. Down, boy. Oh, this is going to be fun. “Cleo the siren. Has a nice ring to it.” She studied Noah to see if he would react but he didn’t. Great. Come on, Noah. She’s a siren. You can break free from her. Just listen to what I’m saying. “Though it’s not quite as catchy as Simon the siren.” Nothing from Kali, either. Come on, you guys. You both have paranormal blood in you. Use it to pull free. I know you can do this.
Cleo’s eyes grew dangerous as she flipped dark curls over her shoulder. “Quiet, witch.”
Daisy clamped her mouth shut. She might be a siren but she’s not stupid. One word from Cleo and Simon will make Kali use her powers again. If I’m whimpering like a baby, I’ll be completely useless. Simon defers to Cleo. Wonder what their relationship is? Other than the dark hair, they don’t look alike. Sirens were also impervious to another’s call and the males sterile. According to legend, females required a lot of coaxing and bribes from their male counterparts for sexual favors, so she doubted they were bed partners. Besides, Simon didn’t seem the type to work for sex, not when he could put just about any woman under his thrall.
Daisy thought about Bridgette and how it had taken the redhead several weeks to realize Simon was a siren. By then he’d had a tight hold on her and she struggled just to get away. Bridgette ended up going to Canada and hiding out until he found another victim. Like with any paranormal, once that happened, he could no longer put her under his thrall again. And since Daisy knew what Simon looked like and had met him, he couldn’t put her under, either. Kali, however…
Bridge is gonna kill me for casting a trussing spell on her. But it was the safest thing to do to keep her out of this, especially since she didn’t leave after I mentally screamed at her to. And I know she had her senses open. No way would she come in after me without using her telepathy. Those trussing spells would’ve worn off by now, so Bridgette will be looking for us. That Daisy had been able cast three trussing spells in succession had shocked her. I shouldn’t be able to do that. No witch can keep two trussing spells active, much less three. What the hell has happened to me? She eyed the female siren again. Fat lot of good it does me now. She can hurt Noah faster than I can cast a spell and Kali will have me cowering again. I still don’t know what they did with Perky. I just hope he’s okay. She didn’t think Simon would hurt an animal but she wouldn’t put it past Cleo.
She sent out a silent cry for help, along with their location, but Bridgette would have to be in range hear her. And we have a hell of a head start.
She studied Simon, who turned at the next light. He still has the hots for Bridge. Simon might not be able to put her cousin under his siren thrall, but he was still a man. Flesh and blood and bone. Even a paranormal can turn into a psycho stalker. Maybe that’s why he came back. But Kali got in his way.
If I can get Noah and Kali’s attention, maybe I can help them break free. Anyone with paranormal blood could sever binds to a siren. Eventually. But they have to realize what they’re dealing with. Once broken, that particular siren couldn’t put them under again. Which was the only reason Daisy or Bridgette weren’t under Simon’s control right now.
Kali could take the sirens down long enough for me to truss them. She focused on the Asian woman, whose gaze never left Simon.
I know it hurts her to use her telepathy but maybe, just maybe she’s got them open. Kali, can you hear me? Kali! Simon’s a siren. You’re under his thrall. Damnit, Kali.
Cleo eyed her and she smoothed her face, not wanting to let the siren know she was up to something. Then she thought of something important. I don’t think Kali told them about her necromancer abilities, or else we wouldn’t be here right now. No paranormal with half a brain messes with someone who can make your life miserable after you die. And Simon hasn’t ordered her to use her telepathy, so I’m pretty sure he doesn’t know about that either. Fat lot of good that does us now. Daisy didn’t hold her breath that she’d gotten through.
She stared daggers at Simon’s back as he drove. When we get out of this, I swear, Simon, I’m gonna neuter you and send your sorry ass back to your island for good. Though she had no idea just how to neuter a siren. Or if it was even possible. They’d been around since before the time of the ancient Greeks. Well, their bloodline anyway. Simon was a year older than Bridgette, but his paranormal blood kept him looking much like a man in his early thirties. Cleo didn’t look much older.
Panic stuck in her chest when she realized where they were headed. The freeway.
Shit. I have to stop them. Think, Daisy, think. You’re the only one in this car who’s not a siren or under a siren’s thrall. I can’t cast any spells. Cleo’s too close. She’ll hear me, even if I whisper. Think, you dumb witch, think!
* * * *
“Now what?” Bridgette said, letting irritation color her voice.
Scarlet didn’t answer. She seemed to be concentrating on something. After talking to Daisy’s bedroom mirror, the medium had stormed into the family room, where everyone now gathered, and started mumbling to herself. Or maybe to some unseen spook. With Scarlet, who knew?