Magick (Immortals and Magick Book 2)

by Teresa Federici

  Once we broke through the top layer, the books started to be in better condition, the top layer of books having sheltered them from the worst. By the time we got halfway through the pile, Harley started to perk up, finding much loved books in decent condition.

  All the while I watched Damien watching her. Not once did she look up at him, not even when he would call out a title and the books condition. Yet I knew how she felt about him; it wasn’t something that she could hide easily from me, and since I was in much the same condition with Noah, I wanted her to be happy with her choice too.

  “I’m so glad this one made it. There’s a spell in there I’ve been wanting to work, and kept putting it off.” Harley said as she held up a book bound in leather with uncut pages. There were no markings on it, no title, so I didn’t know which one it was.

  “How do you do that?” I asked, picking up a half-sodden book and writing down the pertinent information. I chucked it at the big industrial garbage can sitting next to me, which earned me a frown from Harley.

  “Don’t disrespect the books. And how do I do what?”

  “The book is already damaged, Harley, I’m not going to hurt it anymore. How do you know without having a title or author what book that is?” I asked again, nodding toward the book in her hand.

  “You hurt the memory of the book…ok; I know I’m being silly. As to how I remember them, they are sacred to me, so I remember them all.” She looked down lovingly at the book, ran her hand lightly over the worn leather cover. I cast a glance at the guys, who were watching Harley with a mix of concern and wariness. I laughed, shaking my head.

  “This is normal for her men, don’t freak out.”

  At my words, Harley glanced up sharply, cocking an eyebrow at us.

  Damien and Noah turned their attention back to the pile, taking a sudden deeper interest in it than before.

  “What were you going on about earlier? About past life regression?” I prompted, grabbing another book.

  “I told you, it’s not fully developed yet. I want to work it out first.”

  “Well, you have us as a sounding board. Bounce your ideas off of us.” I made a motion with my arm, encompassing the guys, who looked up again. Noah was looking at Harley with interest.

  “It’s not exactly past life regression, but a hypothesis born from the idea.” Harley said, her whole attitude conveying that this was something she was not ready to discuss.

  “Ok, so what is it?” I prodded, but I got a quelling look from Damien, which surprised me.

  “She’ll tell us when she’s ready, not before.” Damien said, his voice soft.

  “Thank you Damien.” Harley gave him a regal head tilt, along with a small smile. He nodded and turned back to the book pile, and I had to keep my mouth from falling open. I shot a glance at Noah, and he just shrugged, shaking his head.

  I turned back to face Harley, but she had turned her attention back to the pile.

  It seemed as though they were a team now, and Damien’s obvious concern for Harley was touching. Why the sudden change in Harley, though?

  “Ok, I’ll let it go for now. But it was my visit that we’re talking about here, so if you have a clue, I would really appreciate a little light on the subject.”

  I sat back down, curling my legs under me, and dug back into the pile of books.

  We both lost ourselves in the sorting, and I barely registered Harley getting up and letting me know she was going out to run an errand. The guys got up to go downstairs for more supplies, and I just kept cataloging and sorting, until I heard thunder. I glanced up at the window and saw the rain coming down hard. Thinking it was odd that a storm had come up so suddenly, I got up to shut the window that had been left open to clear out the smoke smell. I didn’t want to leave it open and add to the damage in the room.

  I reached out to grab the window and that’s when she grabbed me. If I hadn’t been so short, she would’ve pulled me right out the window, but I hip-checked it and once I realized what was happening, threw myself backward with all my might.

  “So help me Goddess, you bitch, I’m going to kill you!” I screamed at Gemma, tugging hard on my arm. She was floating outside the window, as if she were using the storm wind to keep her in place.

  She pulled harder in response and I came a little farther out of the window. With a scream I pulled my arm back and gained a little ground. Gemma laughed.

  “Oh I like this game. Tug of war was always one of my favorites when I was a little girl. I’ll keep pulling until your arm tears from your body.”

  With a grimace I tried to pull back, but it wasn’t working. She was so much stronger than me. I had to think of something to do. I had no idea where the guys were and Harley had left the house altogether.

  “Come out and play little girl. Padraigan would like your audience. He won’t care if you’re missing an arm.” Gemma tugged a little harder, a smirk lifting the corners of her mouth. She was just playing with me, I realized. She could’ve already had me out the window. I had to do something before she got bored. Then the fact that she really was floating registered. If she was still in flux, she wouldn’t be able to float. She had gone full vampire.

  Still attempting to pull myself back in the window, I looked up at the clouds and focused, calling all the power at my disposal. It was hard, because I was trying to not die, but the clouds started to part, and sun started peeking through. Just not where it could hit Gemma. I had to try harder, but my focus was split between hanging out the window and trying not to be vampire chow and making the sun shine through strong.

  I heard shouts behind me and then steel bands were around me. I panicked at first until I realized it was Damien and Noah.

  “I’m stronger than both of you. I’ll have her.” Gemma cackled, and pulled me harder. Pain shot through my shoulder and stomach where one of the guys held me, but knowing they were there I was able to focus completely on the weather.

  I brought the sun.

  The first ray hit her and she hissed. Then the full light of the sun hit her and she was gone, just like that. Not disintegrated, but she flew backward and disappeared into the shadows of the forest.

  Without the pressure of her pulling on my arm, me and the guys went flying back into the room and landed in a tangle.

  “Are you alright?” Noah ran his hands over my shoulder and before I could tell him it hurt like a bitch, I could feel the heat from his healing penetrating the joint, soothing away the ache.

  “I am now. What the hell? How did she get past the wards? AGAIN?” I yelled, pushing up from the floor and shaking off the feel of her touch on my skin.

  “She didn’t. She couldn’t come inside.” Noah said and I almost smacked my forehead at my idiocy. Of course. That’s why I was still standing here, and not filling up a goblet with my blood at Padraigan’s hideout.

  “This can’t happen again. We need to get more organization for protection.” Damien finally spoke up, just as Harley came dashing up the steps.

  “What happened?” She asked, throwing bags down on the floor.

  I filled her in as she ran her hands over my shoulder as well, but seemed satisfied with Noah’s healing.

  “Wow, we really need to get more protection in place.” Harley exclaimed, throwing up her hands.

  “Which is what Damien just suggested.” Noah said with a nod in Damien’s direction. Harley and Damien shared a look that I couldn’t decipher.

  “Okay, then we make a rule that two people always have to be together at all times. Unless there’s a way to extend the wards?” I looked to Noah, who nodded.

  “I can put up perimeter wards that, no offense to the very capable witches in the room, will be stronger than what you currently have. No one will get through them unless we want them to.”

  “Why hasn’t this been done before?” Damien asked, and rightly so.

  “It’s a new situation for all of us, I think. No one here has ever been in this situation before. I hate the learning curve,
but…” Noah trailed off, not finishing his thought. None of us like the learning curve but we had to figure it out, and fast. I had no desire to hang out a window again any time soon.

  “I’m telling you that I can’t get past the wards. He is a much stronger sorcerer than I, and he has her protected!” The words whispered from parched lips, and were painfully delivered.

  Padraigan studied his fingernails, eyes intently focused, but the tortured man knew better. He watched through swollen eyes as the vampire straightened slowly from where he was leaning against a black wall, brushing a piece of imaginary lint from his Hugo Boss-clad arm.

  Padraigan narrowed black eyes in his direction, and the tortured man cringed, a whimper escaping from his scorched throat.

  “I came to you because you led me to believe that you were stronger than the Jacobs’ strongest sorcerer. Did you know that Noah was stronger than their strongest? Or was that just braggadocio on your part?” Padraigan asked, his tone conversational. He flicked a finger in the direction of the man dangling from the ceiling, and a short burst of lighting raced to its target. The man screamed, a high-pitched cry that no one would hear, as the bolt landed on his upper thigh, singeing away skin and leaving behind scorched muscle.

  “No, I really didn’t know he was so strong! I swear Sir, I swear! Please!”

  “You know Charles, I really don’t like this nasty business. I’m a pacifist, truly, but I just can’t seem to find good help. I’m constantly being let down in one form or fashion every time I turn around. I will give you one last chance Charles, because deep down I feel that your intentions are true. Now I have to tend to Gemma. That little bitch of a witch scarred my pet very badly.” Padraigan sauntered toward the hidden door, painted the same unrelieved black as the rest of the room.

  “Thank you Sir, than-” Charles’ words were cut off as another bolt of lightning flew out of the darkness and seared across his face.

  “Oh don’t thank me yet Charles. Let’s not be presumptuous.” Padraigan looked back at the hanging man, dangling from his wrists that were bloody from the sisal rope. He took a moment to look around the room, lit only by one bar of fluorescents 12 feet overhead. Something passed across his features, something that made Charles cringe despite his burnt and scarred body. Then his features cleared and he spun around, pushing through the door.

  I came awake with a small scream, startling Noah who had been sleepy soundly next to me.

  “What, what is it? Are you okay?” He asked as he turned to me, running his hands over my body, checking for injuries. I caught my breath, calming my racing heart.

  “Yeah, yeah I’m okay, just…had a bad dream, I guess.” I frowned, not sure that was correct. I was there- but not there. It had been like watching a movie, where I was the audience and Padraigan and Charles were the actors.

  Noah stopped his injury check, and sat up straight, looking at me speculatively.

  “Were you at Padraigan’s again?”

  “Not intentionally.” I answered, my tone suggesting what I thought of that idea.

  “Well, it’s not like I thought you went there on purpose. What happened?”

  I thought about the room, Charles hanging by a hook in the ceiling, barely able to touch the floor. Shivers raced through my body and goosebumps rose on my skin. He was a wreck of a man, driven to insanity by pain and torture.

  “Can we only do this when we’re all together? I’d rather only relive it once.”

  Noah reached out and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear, and laid his hand on my cheek. I leaned into the comforting touch, my eyes closing. Only his touch could erase the images of the dream from my mind.

  “Yes, we can discuss it with everyone in the morning. You know though that my curiosity is going to eat at me?”

  “Well yeah.” I replied, twisting my mouth wryly.

  “At least tell me this. Did he know you were there this time?”

  I thought back to how Padraigan paused before he left the room, his features assembling themselves into a vile sneer. He had looked in the general direction of where I would have been standing if I were in the room, but I didn’t think he saw me. I slowly shook my head.

  “No, I don’t think so.” I answered truthfully, although I had my doubts. I didn’t want to tell Noah that though. Not yet.

  “That’s a small favor to be thankful for.” He said, running a hand through his hair. I reached out and trailed a finger down his chest, stopping just above where the sheet lay pooled in his lap.

  “I know something else to be thankful for.” I purred coyly, looking up at him from under my lashes.

  With a growl, he pulled me to him, and rolled me under him. I laughed, the happy sound dispelling the tattered remnants of the eerie feeling the dream left on my psyche.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I was digging into another pile of water and smoke-logged books when I heard footsteps coming up the staircase to the second floor. I wasn’t expecting anyone, so I stood up quickly, sending out mental feelers to see who was there.

  I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized it was just the gang. I plopped back down and finished writing the name of the book I was about to throw out.

  “Don’t you throw that book!” Harley admonished as she came into the room, Noah and Damien trailing behind her. I paused, my hand in the air, arm cocked back.

  “I wasn’t going to throw it, per se. Just gently toss it.” I was obviously bullshitting. I was primed for an overhand throw, the free throw points and glory I had been imagining from an invisible crowd dwindling away. Harley arched an eyebrow, her foot tapping a beat on the scorched floorboards. I slowly lowered my arm.

  “I can get so much done when you’re not here.” I mumbled under my breath, but now low enough. She narrowed her eyes.

  “How many of these books have you ‘tossed’?” She asked, her tone exactly the one my mother would take when I had done something I knew I was going to get in trouble for.

  I tried to brave it out.

  “How old am I? I mean, really, Harley, they’re ruined. If I toss them on the pile, it’s not hurting them anymore than the fire did.”

  “I can’t believe I opened a bookstore with you. You have no respect for the written word.” She shook her head sadly and moved to the staircase leading up to our living quarters.

  I watched her go for a moment, completely at a loss. I turned back to Noah and Damien, a question in my eyes.

  “I don’t know. Don’t ask me.” Noah held up his hands in surrender. I switched my gaze to Damien.

  “She really loves her books?” came his puzzled reply.

  “Hold that thought, I’ll be right back.” I pointed a finger at them, then turned around and followed Harley up the stairs. I didn’t see her in the kitchen or living room, so I went down the hallway toward her bedroom.

  “Hey, what was that all about?” I asked as I came into the room to see her digging through her closet. She straightened up slowly, and I didn’t have to read her mind to know that she was crying.

  “Hey, hey, what’s going on?” I went to her and put my arm around her shoulders and moved her to the bed. We sat there for a moment, both of us quiet and studying our feet. I knew better than to press her when she was like this, so I waited patiently.

  After another minute or so, she straightened up and wiped off her cheeks with her fingers, and sighed.

  “Nothing is really WRONG, other than everything is wrong. I don’t know how to explain it better than that. And that is so very frustrating to me.” She grumbled, the frustration evident in her voice.

  I nodded my head slowly, getting the gist of what she meant. Our lives had changed dramatically in the past year, and not just because of the fire. We had gone from being solitary witches to belonging to a circle of friends, from having no problems other than paying bills to fighting off a douchebag vampire, and from being single and carefree to Noah and Damien. It was a mind-fuck, to be sure.

  “Look, this totally suc
ks. I mean, there isn’t any way to change it, and even though it does suck, we have to keep our heads up and deal with it. Make the most of the future and all that.” I said, even going so far as to raise my hand in a rah-type gesture like a cheerleader.

  Harley looked at me steadily for a moment, then burst out laughing. It hurt a little, honestly. That was my best-ever attempt at bolstering!

  “Teagan, you crack me up! Oh my goodness that was fantastic!” she laughed, holding on to her stomach. I sat next to her as she rolled on the bed in very un-typical Harley fashion, her laughter slowly subsiding into snorts and coughs.

  “Are you done?” I asked, slapping her leg lightly. She sat up, fresh tears rolling down her face, but at least they were happy tears.

  “Yes, and thank you. I needed that. Oh Goddess, it’s all just a big mess isn’t it?”

  “Yeah, but we’ll get through it. We’ll rebuild and make it better. Maybe put in a little café. Sell cappuccinos and shit.”

  She leaned toward me, bumping my shoulder with hers.

  “I don’t think ‘shit’ would look appetizing on a menu, but maybe croissants?” She suggested, her tone mock-sincere.

  “Yeah, you’re right. No ‘shit’, just coffee and pastries. Are you okay to go back down? I promise not to throw any more highly damaged and unreadable books.”

  She shot me a patented Harley sarcastic look, her mouth twisted wryly and an eyebrow raised. Then her face cleared, and became thoughtful.

  “No, you’re right.” She said, even though I hadn’t disagreed with her about anything. “You’re right in that the books are destroyed. I’m just hiding my emotions about the fire in what is left of them. You can make all the free throws that you want with them. Just don’t judge me if I wince when you do.”

  I nodded, thinking I probably would stop tossing them anyway. I knew how the books were her children, the love of them passed down from her father and one thing they bonded over when she was a kid. I should respect that, and honor his memory. Wow, I really had started to change, I thought to myself ruefully.