Intoxicating Magic

by Deanna Chase

  “Hi.” I waved at her as I squatted and engulfed Beau Jr. in a giant hug. “Mind if I spend some time with the little guy?”

  She lay back down on the bed with a soft sigh. “Sure. I’m glad you’re here, actually. I need to sleep and I’ve been too afraid to take my eyes off him ever since the fire.”

  I stood, holding Beau’s hand. “Aw. Get some rest. We’ll come back and check on you a little later.”

  “Thanks, Wil.”

  “No problem. I’m glad you’re okay.”

  She nodded and closed her eyes.

  “Let’s go, little guy.” I tugged on Beau’s hand and together we slipped back into the hall.

  “Well done, Willow,” Meredith said. “Time to go.” She spun and took off down the stairs. Nicola, Beau, and I followed without complaint.

  We’d just hit the bottom of the stairs when I heard Talisen call, “Willow?”

  Grinning, I turned and waved. “Hey, Tal. How’d the treatments go?”

  His expression turned from one of confusion to complete outrage. “What’s going on?”

  “She’s mine now, Kavanagh,” Meredith said and placed a firm hand on my shoulder. “So is the boy.”

  “I don’t think so.” His green eyes turned the color of coal as fury radiated off him.

  “It’s okay, Tal. I’ve got Beau. Everything is going to be fine now.” I felt an odd sense of confusion filter through me. It felt right to follow Meredith’s lead, but now that Talisen was questioning what was going on, I hesitated. Why was he so upset? I knew the answer was buried somewhere in my memory, but I couldn’t find it.

  “She works for Asher!” Talisen ran down the stairs, headed straight for me. “She tried to kill you two days ago.”

  Meredith raised her palm once more and blew more mist in Tal’s direction.

  He stopped, his eyes wide with surprise. Then he scrambled over the banister, out of the way of the fog. “Shit.”

  “Laveaux, Allcot!” Talisen bellowed. “Security breach!”

  There was a commotion at the top of the stairs as footsteps pounded on the old floors.

  “Outside, now,” Meredith commanded us. Even though I didn’t want to go, my feet moved on their own as if I didn’t have a choice.

  Once I was on the porch, the bright sun hit me full in the face. Momentarily blinded, I squinted and rubbed at my eyes.

  “Auntie?” Beau tugged at my hand.

  I kneeled beside him. “Yes, love?”

  “Who are all those people?”

  “What?” I shielded my eyes just in time to see Harrison coming straight for me… No, not me—Beau. On instinct, I pulled his small body to me and wrapped an arm around him. “Harrison? What’s going on? Why is everyone outside?”

  “K.C. ordered it.” He jerked his head in the direction of the third guard. The power-hungry one. They both appeared to be completely healed. Talisen had wasted no time with his antidote.

  My memory snapped into place. The mole! He couldn’t be trusted. I snatched little Beau up in my arms, holding him against my side. He clung to my neck, his legs wrapped around my waist.

  “Auntie?” he said again, and this time fear radiated from him as he trembled.

  “Give him to me, Willow,” Harrison said.

  “No.” I stepped backward toward the house. “Tal!” I called, but he was nowhere to be found.

  “Stop, Willow,” Meredith commanded. “Give the boy to Harrison.”

  My arms encircled Beau tighter as I tried to fight off the compulsion to release my nephew.

  “Do it!” Meredith blew more gray mist at me. “Harrison will take care of him now.”

  A sense of calm settled over me. This was Harrison. He’d been a part of my security detail and had been guarding Carrie and Beau for months. Of course it was okay to hand Beau over to him. He’d be safe with him.

  As soon as Harrison reached for Beau, shouting started from behind me, followed by a small group of people materializing from the trees.

  “Willow, don’t!” David’s voice came from behind me, causing me to hesitate. I clutched at Beau as David launched himself at Harrison, tackling the guard.

  Meredith swore and ordered Nicola to neutralize David.

  I spotted Talia, Grace, and Vince stalking toward me from the trees. And right there between Grace and Vince was the vampire Asher himself.

  Compromised! The word flashed in my mind. Suddenly everything became clear again. I knew I was drugged to bend to Meredith’s will and that the only way to break the spell was to incapacitate her. But I had Beau Jr. in my arms. There was nothing I could do until he was safe.

  I had to give him to a vampire. They weren’t affected. Everyone else already was. It was the only explanation for Harrison’s behavior. Oh Goddess. That left Allcot or David. Pandora wasn’t a daywalker.

  But where was Allcot? I glanced around, seeing him nowhere.

  “Willow!” Tal called and bounded out the door.

  “Rhoswen,” Meredith ordered.

  But before she could finish, I clutched at Tal’s arm and pleaded, “Whatever happens, get us inside.”

  “Stop right there,” Meredith ordered. “Give me the child.”

  My feet stuck to the porch. Part of me ached to do as she said, but that little voice was keeping me immobile.

  Thank the gods, Talisen didn’t hesitate. He picked Beau and me up and hauled us both back inside. I still felt the urge to join Meredith outside, but I was able to fight it off.

  “It’s her spell,” I huffed out. “Compelled.”

  “I know.” Tal set me down and gently took Beau from my arms.

  My nephew started to whimper, his face scrunched up in panic.

  “I’ve got him,” my mom said and took Beau.

  “Stay as far away from the fae as you can,” Tal told her. “Go upstairs with Pandora. Whatever you have to do, but don’t leave her side.”

  Mom nodded and ran up the stairs two at a time.

  “Where’s Allcot?” I huffed out, trying to fight the urge to go back outside.

  “I don’t know.” A tingle of Tal’s magic zapped through me but did nothing to alter Meredith’s magic.

  I sighed, frustrated. I couldn’t focus.

  “You have to attack her,” Tal said.

  “Who?” My mind was full of static. No coherent thoughts. Just a buzzing that wouldn’t go away.

  “Meredith.”

  I stared at him blankly, not able to process what he meant.

  He let out a frustrated breath. “Never mind. Just stay right here. Don’t move.” Tal flung the front door open and disappeared out onto the porch.

  I stood there, totally helpless. The pull of what was waiting for me outside was too much. I had to get to Meredith. Reluctantly, I pulled the door open and once more stepped out onto the wide wraparound porch.

  Chaos greeted me. David was currently battling Harrison and the other two guards. They had him pinned and were struggling to put him into vampire cuffs.

  Tal was circling Meredith, doing whatever he could to avoid her mind-altering fog. Vince, Grace, and Talia had disappeared.

  But right there in the middle of the yard were Asher and Allcot in a one-on-one fight to the death. My eyes widened at the sight.

  I was transfixed, unable to look away… right up until Nicola started throwing spells in Allcot’s direction. Meredith must’ve ordered her to do it.

  Oh, crap on a cracker. He was going to be taken out by his sister-in-law. Nicola’s magic was slowly leeching Allcot’s energy, giving Asher the upper hand. With Allcot neutralized, Asher would plow right through the rest of us to get to Beau.

  I spun and focused on Meredith. She had to be taken down. I had to do whatever I could to help Tal. She was so focused on trying to bait Talisen with her magic that she didn’t notice I’d reappeared. Good. I needed the element of surprise, or I’d be right back where Nicola was, doing the bidding of my enemy.

  Tal glanced in my direction for a split mo
ment and to my horror, Meredith’s gaze followed. Our eyes met. This was it. She was going to order me to do something awful. Determined to stop her, I thrust my wings, heading straight for her.

  Her mouth opened and she got out something inaudible just as Talisen jumped her from behind, clasping his hand over her mouth. They went down in a heap of arms and legs. It was all I needed.

  A second later, I was on them and wrapping my hands around Meredith’s neck. It was a savage move, meant to keep her from speaking, but as soon as my hands touched her skin, I instinctively pulled on her life energy.

  My blood ran hot with horror from the reality of what I was doing. There was no help for it, though. If I allowed her to remain conscious, she’d continue to use Nicola and me against our loved ones.

  I stared down into Meredith’s face, dispassionately watching as her skin tone turned ashen. She’d tried to take Beau. It was all I could think about as her tainted life energy filled me up, nauseating me. My stomach was turning and my limbs vibrating when her eyes finally rolled into the back of her head and her body went limp.

  I knew she’d passed out, but still I didn’t move. I continued to stare into her unseeing eyes, wanting more than anything to end her.

  Then Tal was there, his gentle voice coaxing me back to myself. “Wil? It’s okay, you can let go now.”

  “She tried to take Beau,” I said. “She tried to make me give him up.” It was the horror of that realization that made me want to vomit more than anything else.

  “But you didn’t, love. You didn’t. Let go now.” Gently he pried my hands from Meredith’s limp body and tugged me to him. “You’re fine now.”

  I leaned into him, grateful for the physical support. My body was shaking from the fae’s energy still trapped inside me. “I have to let this out.”

  “Here.” He spun us and led me to a nearby tree. “Give it back to the earth.”

  I clutched at the bark and felt instant relief as it took everything I poured into it. The poor tree. It would be in a bit of shock for a few days, but the giant oak would recover faster than I would’ve had I kept Meredith’s poisonous energy.

  “Better?” Tal asked.

  I nodded.

  “Good, because we need you right now.” Tal turned me toward the battle in the middle of the yard. Nicola had retreated and was sprawled on the grass as if she’d collapsed there. Her eyes were open and she appeared aware, but I couldn’t be sure. She’d been using a lot of magic.

  David had somehow managed to knock out Harrison and the second guard and was currently grappling with K.C., the power-hungry one. It was clear he hadn’t needed to be spelled in order to fight on Asher’s side.

  That left Asher and Allcot, still going at each other’s throats. Asher appeared to have a slight advantage on Allcot, no doubt due to Nicola’s magic.

  “We should help him,” I said.

  “Who? Laveaux?” Tal asked.

  I glanced at David and shook my head. He was a little worn around the edges, but he’d take down the guard in no time. “No. Allcot.”

  Talisen focused on the epic battle of two vampire leaders. Neither seemed to be slowing down, each battering the other in blow after blow after blow. The only difference was Allcot had burns from Nicola’s magic that had to hurt like a bitch. Asher didn’t. Nicola had some damn fine aiming skills.

  “Shit,” Tal said.

  “Exactly.”

  His hand tightened around mine. I knew that was his way of asking me to stay out of it, but I didn’t think I could. If I got my hands on Asher, I’d weaken him and maybe even end this battle right then. I’d made up my mind to do just that when Asher twisted and got Allcot into a headlock.

  Before anyone could move, Asher’s fangs extended and he viciously tore into Allcot’s neck, sending blood gushing everywhere.

  Someone screamed. It might have been me.

  I stood there, horror consuming me. Blood sprayed in an arc. No one could survive that sort of epic blood loss for long, not even a vampire. If someone didn’t stop Asher soon, he’d drain Allcot dry and end him forever.

  But David was still battling the human guard. They were rolling around on the ground, each struggling just as much as the other. The guard had to be under the influence of Tal’s elixir in order to be holding his own with a vampire. There was no other explanation. And Nicola was passed out in the grass.

  I made a snap decision. “Tal, help David. Do whatever you have to in order to get the guard off him. He’s obviously hopped up on your drug. I’m going to stop Asher.”

  “Wil, no!” Tal grabbed both of my hands. “It’s too dangerous.”

  “It’s too dangerous if I don’t.”

  Our eyes met and Tal’s worry reflected back at me.

  I reached up, smoothing the wrinkle on his forehead. “We don’t have a choice if we want to keep Beau safe.”

  Tal’s shoulders slumped in defeat and he gave me one short nod. “Just get to him before he gets to you. Promise.”

  “Promise.” I gave him what I hoped was a reassuring smile and turned my attention to the master vampires. Asher had weakened his hold on Allcot, and Allcot was starting to slump against him. It was now or never.

  I chose now.

  Chapter 31

  With one thrust of my wings, I was high in the air. The only way this was going to work was if I caught Asher by surprise. Otherwise the vampire could break my neck before I even had a chance to register he’d caught me. I flew high above the pair, grateful Asher was too focused on Allcot to pay any attention to me.

  I was directly over him, ready to descend, when a shout came from the second story of the farmhouse.

  “Asher, look out!” It was Grace, standing on a small upper balcony, and to my extreme horror, she was holding Carrie upright by the neck. My friend had passed out… or worse.

  “Carrie!” I cried and switched course, intending to do whatever I could to help her. But then Talia appeared right behind them and sank her teeth into Grace’s pristine white neck. Carrie crumpled to the deck as Grace let out an inhuman howl and tried to buck Talia off.

  “Rhoswen!” Asher growled below me.

  Shit! My element of surprise was completely blown. Everything in me screamed to go after Carrie, to help her. I moved toward the balcony and blinked when Talisen appeared behind the two fighting vamps. He dropped to his knees and pulled Carrie to him. His eyes met mine for one agonizing second, and then he jerked his head, indicating I should go finish what I’d started.

  Asher. He was mine.

  I glanced down at the son of a bitch, and with cold determination, I flew right at him.

  It was a suicide mission. Asher was waiting for me, his expression full of bloodlust. He would kill me. It was written all over him. I only hoped I weakened him enough that someone else could take him down.

  My world narrowed to only Asher, taking in his nondescript features. He had a medium build, light-brown, short hair, a round face—no real distinguishable traits. There was nothing about him that said vampire lord or evil leader of a misguided cause. No wonder he’d flown under the radar for centuries. Nothing about him was memorable.

  But he’d messed with the wrong fae this time around. No one hurts my loved ones and gets away with it.

  “Yes. That’s it,” Asher said, inflecting false charm into his English accent. “Come to me, Willow Rhoswen. Meet the same fate as your misguided brother.” There was glee in his dull brown eyes.

  With those words, he confirmed what I’d known all along—he’d killed Beau, not Allcot.

  “Go to hell, Asher!” I cried and dove for him, my hands stretched out in front of me. All I needed was contact, and I’d do my worst. I was a about a foot from him when he leaped up, grabbing my ankle. Heat and fire shot through my leg, straight to my heart, and I lost all control and tumbled forward.

  “Stupid fa— Oomph!” A loud growl cut him off, just before Asher was tackled by my giant wolf.

  The three of us landed in
a pile in the middle of the yard, Link on top of Asher, savagely going after his neck. There was blood everywhere. Link’s muzzle was covered with it, his teeth flashing with more determination than I’d ever seen.

  I’d landed about a foot away and scrambled to my knees, my gut churning when Asher reached out and wrapped both hands around Link’s neck. It would only take a second before he crushed Link into pieces.

  “No!” I flung myself at them, both hands grabbing one of Asher’s arms. My world turned into a fiery inferno of pain. I welcomed it. Willfully I took in the red-hot agony of a thousand knives carving me up from the inside out. With every bit of vampire life I stole from Asher, I was one step closer to ending him forever.

  “Let go!” Asher demanded and tried to shake me off, but I dug my nails in, holding on harder.

  I kept my brother Beau, Beau Jr., Carrie, and Tal all in the forefront of my mind, clinging to their memories while I did what I had to for those I loved most. This was for them. For everyone else who’d ever suffered at the hands of the twisted, self-appointed savior of humans. He was no better than the gangbangers who killed for territory or rogue vampires who ate whomever they liked just because they could.

  Asher wanted to stop daywalkers because he believed there would be too much of a power shift and humans would suffer. But in my limited experience, daywalkers became more sympathetic to humans. Even Asher. Who was to say if they were all daywalkers, had a part of their humanity back, that there wouldn’t be less conflict, not more?

  It didn’t matter. Not to me. Not then. All I wanted to do was keep those around me safe.

  Asher’s energy flowed into me, raw and unbearable, but I shut my mind down. His death would be the beginning of a new chapter. One that didn’t include a war focused around my nephew. As long as Beau Jr. had the opportunity for a seminormal life, it would all be worth it. I’d give up any life I had for him. For my brother.

  “Willow! That’s enough.” I recognized the feminine voice but couldn’t place it. Couldn’t even move. My hands were locked around the vampire’s arm as if they’d melded there. I saw nothing but red, felt nothing but pulsing agony. My body was starting to shut down. Commands from my brain no longer worked, and I imagined myself slowly fading away into a world of darkness. It would be better there. Cool. Peaceful. A place to finally rest.