by Aidy Award
Kady didn’t look convinced, but Black was glad there were other witches here to help her with understanding more about her magic and powers than he could.
Frost stepped beside his mate and extended his hand to Kady. “Sorry you had to get stuck with such a sorry excuse for a Star Ranger, miss.”
Black would take offense, but instead he felt the tiniest stab of jealousy when Frost winked at Kady. His bear didn’t like the teasing flirtation much either and he couldn’t help the low growl that rumbled up.
Both Frost and Titian stared and Black, and both were completely humored. Titian even laughed and shook his head.
Frost raised his hand, never actually touching Kady. Good.
“I will refrain from shaking your hand, pretty lady, but will introduce myself. I am Stark, and Topper and I belong to each other as you belong to the bear.”
Was it so obvious to everyone there that he and Kady were mates?
Titian tapped his communicator and stepped into the group. “I hate to break up your slumber party, ladies, but we’ve got incoming.”
Chapter
Fourteen: Soul Magic
Crapballs. They’d only arrived and Kady had dampened her magic as much as she could to be able to give Black time to fill in his team on what they’d learned about the spectral warriors.
Plus, she’d wanted to ask Lacey and Topper about a million questions about magic, including if they had to get down and dirty to access their powers too.
“Russet and Dun report that a squad of fifty human troops with – what the fuck - Spectral Warriors attached to them are headed inbound to our location. ETA less than one Earth hour.” The guy from Black’s team, who was too good looking for his own good, tapped on some sort of communication device. “You’d better fill us in on what you know, boss, and fast.”
“Yeah, like what’s a Spectral Warrior?” Lacey said.
Black nodded and became the soldier Kady had seen before. Calculating and ready for a fight. “Spectral Warriors are a hybrid of soldier, weapon, and souls stolen from beings all over the galaxy.”
Even the Star Ranger Frost’s eyes went wide at that description.
“They hide in the parts of the light spectrum most beings can’t see without specialized equipment, and attack without impunity. Their mission, as far as we know, is to steal the soul of anyone they encounter.”
“Steal their souls? That sounds mighty bad.” Topper shook her head.
“It is worse than death. A husk of the person is left, still alive, but unable to communicate, function beyond basic daily routines, and only if they are monitored and told or shown what to do. Basically, undead.”
Stark whistled, expressing with only a sound, how horrified they all were.
“My team, minus mine that were lost in the crash, has high-tech visors that has helped us them see them.” He indicated to goggles Titian had dangling around his neck.
“What’s your plan to defend ourselves if we can’t see them coming?” Frost asked.
Black glanced at Kady and nodded. “We can see them, thanks to Kady. There is something about her powers that make the spectrals visible to the naked eye, but it also attracts them.”
Frost did not look impressed by that bit of news.
“The Gunderson’s wards were a temporary wall, but they can be shattered under a concentrated attack.”
Titian threw his hands up in the air. “Why the fuck didn’t Passion send us to Frost and his mate when this whole shit storm started?”
Black wondered the same thing. Late in the night, between bouts of love making, he’d confided in her. He didn’t understand why his superior, Passion, was her name, had she waited until news that the spectrals were gathering on Earth to have them meet up with Frost.
Passion had seen what the magic bearers of Earth could do. She and another Star Ranger named Cole were the few in the force that did, until Black and his team had been briefed.
Margreth spoke up giving the other witches the information Black couldn’t. “It’s a simple no-entry protective ward. You witches can probably make stronger ones than I can.
“Yes, but how long do the wards last?” Lacey asked.
Black filled her in. “Depends on how many attack and how badly they want to get in. Spectrals will sacrifice themselves to break through to get to fresh souls.”
His words gave Lacey a visible shiver. “What do we do once they break through the wards?”
“Kady has also learned to injure them, more or less, but it’s temporary.”
Lacey frowned. “Is it a spell? We can replicate that.”
All eyes turned on her. Uh-oh. A few days ago, she was just a chubby geek girl hiding out in her tiny house in the woods. Hold up, though. She’d come a long way since then. She had some badass powers that could do amazing things. She pushed her glasses up her nose deciding it was time to get her butt in the game.
“I don’t really understand what it is. I’m new to the whole magic thing. I was hoping you could help me understand it better.”
Topper touched her arm. “Show us, Kady girl. We’ll figure it out from there.”
Kady glanced over at Black, who had a lusty look on his face. Thank goodness, they’d worked on this, so they didn’t have to make-out or get naked to get this part of her magic revved up anymore. Kady reached out and took Black’s hand. “See, uh, the first time we realized it was my magic that made them visible, we were…”
Black had a big ole shiteatin’ grin on his face. Just like a dude to be all proud that his dick had made the magic.
Swirls of light rose from her skin and drifted between the two of them.
Topper and Lacey exchanged glances, seeming to confirm something with each other.
“Then when we escaped the attack from the TFO and on the trip down here, I used my power both as the shield you saw and kind of like a bomb going off.” Kady continued to push the power she’d learned to harness out, first surrounding her and Black until they were inside her shield and they disappeared from the rest of the group’s view.
“Nice stealth, boss. You wanna let us in on that?”
Kady pushed the shield out further until it encompassed everyone. “I’ve only been able to do the explosion part when, well, ahem…” Kady could feel the heat bubbling under her skin like she’d had too many glasses of red wine.
Black continued for her. “I kissed, wait, what did you call it, mah wah? Ah, I remember. I kissed the bejeesus out of her and was getting into her pants to make her come.”
Kady turned purple. She had to remember to council Black on his use of earth vernacular, and about the privacy of their sex lives.
Topper nodded. “I see. I know where Kady’s magic comes from now.”
The rest of the group looked at her, waiting. This Aunt Topper had a flair for the dramatic and waited another minute before she let the rest of them in on the knowledge. “It’s Soul Magic.”
Lacey nodded, confirming what Topper said. “Few witches have access to its powers, notably those with shifter lineage. It has something to do with how and why you can shift between forms.”
Black tilted his head to the side. “Yes, when I was trying to help Kady use her power I explained it to her in the same way the shift was taught to me as a cub.”
Lacey tapped her lips, thinking. “I don’t think we have any other bear decedents in town, though.”
“But we do have soul mates.” Topper took Stark’s hand. “We may be able to use that to our advantage.”
“Can you show us the explosion?” Lacey’s mate asked.
Kady nodded. She closed her eyes, trying to pull up the feelings, the passion Black brought out in her. Something glimmered to the surface, but it was weak compared to before. Black squeezed her hand and rubbed his thumb across her wrist.
She tried again, and a small whoosh blew past the group. They all got a glazed over, I-need-a-cigarette look on their faces.
Frost was the first to recover. He pulled Lacey into hi
s arms and nuzzled her. Then he addressed Kady. “Interesting. There’s something in your magic I recognize. It’s very cold.”
Lacey cuddled into Frost’s arms. “Don’t say that, Frost. I kind of liked it. Besides, she’s putting her heart and literally her soul into this.”
Frost kissed Lacey on the top of the head. “I don’t mean she is unfeeling. There was a hell of a lot of emotion in that spell. But, I can feel the telltale power of Glacier in her magic. Whatever she’s yielding is near absolute zero. I don’t entirely understand it, but I think I can use it to our advantage when you call upon our souls for the same spell, my love.”
“I like it. Phooey on those spectrals, I’ll take that spell home and use it all night long.”
“Auntie.” Lacey used a chastising tone.
“What?”
Titian dropped to one knee and pulled a weapon from his boot. “You all can have fun with your sex spells later. Spectrals dead ahead.”
“We need to get into the canyon.” Frost pointed to the trailhead behind them. “There are defensible locations, caves. I suggest we pair off and work at the spells to hide and push them back. Gundersons you come with us.”
“Frost, wait. It won’t do us any good to hold them at bay. We could be doing that forever.” Lacey tugged at Frost’s arm.
“She’s right. There is one more thing I hadn’t gotten to yet.” Black’s voice had gone deep and dark.
The sound of it sent a chill through Kady that she hadn’t expected. For the first time, she saw the toll being a warrior had taken on him. Lines around his mouth and eyes she hadn’t seen before.
“There is a way to kill the spectrals.”
Titian rolled his eyes like he’d known Black was keeping something back. “Fuck, yeah. We’ve scoured the universe for that kind of intel. Why didn’t you tell us in the first place, boss?”
Muscles worked in Black’s jaw as if he were trying to hold in the words that could mean their safety. “Kill the body of the stolen soul.”
Titian lost his excitement and some of his color. “Fuck me,” he whispered.
Oh no. Black’s mother’s soul had been stolen. How many more family members had these brave warriors lost? How many might be lost today?
If he or any of them had to kill a loved one to fight these horrible monsters, the spectrals wouldn’t have any souls left to steal, because they would all be lost.
Kady hadn’t called upon the Universe to help her since she’d become more acquainted with her magic, but she did now.
Dear sweet Universe. Thank you for bringing Black into my life and helping me realize the power within me. Please help me keep him safe and help him find a way to defeat the enemy without losing his own soul.
Kady’s magic rose to the surface, swirling around her in a dance of light. Screeches wrenched through the air above them. She looked up into the sky and saw the forms of dozens of spectral warriors swarming like killer bees.
May all their souls be saved.
Chapter
Fifteen: Bring It On
“Incoming.” Titian called out and pointed toward the sky. The shadowy slippery figures of a dozen spectral warriors bore down on them. “Go, go, go. Into the canyon.”
Black grabbed Kady’s hand. “Can you push them back to give us time to get into defensible positions?”
She nodded. His fierce curvy warrior.
Their hands glowed where they touched and she drew the power, closed her eyes and pushed it out in a burst of light toward the spectrals.
Unlike all the other times Kady had used her magic the spectrals had dissipated before their eyes. Some had reformed, but were visibly weakened. But, this time, when she threw her burst of power at them, they swerved, bobbed, and weaved around the lights.
“They’ve learned.” Black shouted. He was surprised it had taken them this long. “We need to find a defensible position, where the witches can work together.”
A tide of soldiers, blank faced, but in battle gear, marching forward, weapons drawn, appeared on the dirt road.
Stark shouted, “We won’t make it without some help. Where’s a broom when you need one?”
They heard an engine rev behind them and the screech of tires coming up fast. Black glanced over his shoulder and saw Kady’s red and white vehicle break free from the restraints of the trailer it was tied down to and accelerate into the parking lot.
It took out three soldiers, knocking them to the ground and running right over them before racing across the road and pulling up in front of their group.
“Herbie?” Kady’s jaw dropped at the sight of her vehicle, engine running, ready to go.
It honked it’s horn for her.
“Well, hello, Herbie. Long time, no see.” Topper patted the side of the vehicle and jumped into the open bed of the back. “Come on, people. Don’t stand there, we’ve got a fight on our hands.”
Black pulled Kady into the cockpit while the others piled into the back. “He is yours, drive him into the canyon, see if you can find a covered position.”
She threw the vehicle’s gear control forward and grabbed the steering wheel. Her small spiky pet sat atop it.
“I’d be surprised you’re here, Percy, but I’m clean out of surprise. Nice to see you, little buddy.”
They sped down the road, but instead of following it, Kady steered them over the edge of a cliff.
“Hold on to your butts.” The Herbie accelerated and by the feel of it, hovered over the ground. They flew over rocks, past trees and into the canyon below.
Black pointed to the mouth of a cave. “There, quickly.”
Kady nodded and aimed them for the hole in the rock. “It’s too tight. We’re not going to fit.”
She wrinkled and wiggled her nose. Just as they were about to hit the rock wall, the Herbie transformed beneath them, tumbling all but Kady into the cave and the dirt.
Kady came to a soft landing sitting astride a broom. “Sorry. I was going for a big broom for everyone to ride on.”
Black would contemplate that bit of sorcery later. “Lacey, Topper, quickly, erect Margreth’s wards around the cave.”
The women, joined by Margreth, said a series of words, and drew symbols in the air. In a breath, a buzz and a short flash burst around them. Not a second too soon. The first wave of spectrals crashed into the protection the wards offered.
“With this many spectral warriors attacking, we don’t have much time before they break through the wards.” Margreth pointed to several spots that were already showing cracks.
“My magic didn’t work on them this time. We’re stuck in here.” Kady walked back and forth in the small space afforded by the cave, holding her broom and biting her lip.
Black took her free hand to stop her nervous pacing. “They’ve learned our attack strategy. So, we’ll have to change it up.”
Titian looked out the front of the cave and waved the rest of them over to see. “Look, the troops are gathering in expected areas. The way I see it, the best chance we have is to eliminate the soldiers and the spectrals attached to them.”
Which meant killing humans who were likely innocent. Black knew he, Titian, and Frost had taken lives before in the line of duty, but not innocents.
“Suggestions?” Titian was a crafty strategist, so if anyone could come up with a plan to get them out of this FUBAR, the fox could.
“If the witches can spread their magic like a directed scatter bomb, we could follow with our side arms to eliminate the humans.”
Frost nodded. “I don’t carry anymore, but I still have the power of Glacier. I’ll freeze the bastards in their tracks.”
“Stark, what have you got?” Titian asked.
“A few tricks up my sleeve, young pup.”
Black folded his arms and stared at each of the member of his impromptu team. “Good, then let’s make some magic. Kady, show ‘em how it’s done.”
Kady reached out, touching his arm and drew on the heat between them. “It comes fro
m deep inside, and I have to pull on the magic first, and then transform it into the shield. When it comes into contact with the spectrals they literally dissolve. I have to warn you, it hurts, especially the first time.”
She let her magic recede and stepped across the space to take Lacey and Topper’s hands. “I don’t know how else to show you, but to bring it up in the same way I do with Black.”
Kady closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Before she blew it out again her soft glow had encompassed both women.
“Oh, yeah. I got it,” Topper said.
Lacey laughed. “It’s a bit like foreplay.”
Lacey and Topper both took the hands of their mates. Lacey closed her eyes and soon a soft blue-white light glowed on her skin. Topper’s magic was a mix of blue and purple.
Black put his arms around Kady’s waist. Her golden light grew and overwhelmed the room. “Frost, Stark, it will help to strengthen the magic if you can, uh, show some affection to your ladies.”
“Lay one on me, Starky baby.” Topper pulled her mate down for a kiss.
Lacey took Frost’s hand and placed it over her belly. Her own light grew almost exponentially and matched Kady’s. If he had to guess, Black would say she was pulling on the power of three souls, not just the two.
“Do you feel how its surrounding you? Try changing its direction, pushing it out. That’s how I turn it into the shield, and a weapon.”
The other people in the room dissolved from view as Kady surrounded them in her magic.
“I think I’ve got it, but you two are the only ones who disappeared.” Lacey’s voice penetrated the shimmering translucence.
Kady lowered her shield and the rest of the people reappeared. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how else to help. I wish I knew more about how magic works.”
Topper tilted her head to the side, thinking. “I’ve been around magic a lot of years, and what I do know is everyone’s gifts are a bit different. We’ve got the basics of your spell, but I doubt either Lacey or I will get that disappearing part down. We can still fight the spooks off.”
“Once they break the wards, there’s no putting the same ones up or even reinforcing them. I suggest you all get ready, because here they come.” Margreth pointed to the mouth of the cave where three spectrals were all flying at a crack together.”