by Nikki Dean
"You're doing it again," he said. "Using my magic."
"No, I'm not," she shot back. They looked like they were filing into the room in slow motion.
"Yeah, you are." He held his phone up and hit the record button. Alec stepped forward and caught her, exhaling with a little oof.
"See?" Nico turned the phone back around and hit play. She didn't see anything at first, except maybe some flickering. Then Alec stepped up and suddenly she was there, in his arms. Like she'd popped out of nowhere.
Or she was moving too quickly to be seen beforehand.
"But it doesn't feel any different," she protested. "Shouldn't I know if I'm using your magic?"
"You used mine in there, too," Alec said. "I should have been able to take the sigil from you without any issues, but you copied my magic to keep it."
"Why is this thing so important to you, Mallory?" Everett asked. He was still beside the door. "Do you know what's in there?"
She shook her head. "I never cared about it before today. I just kept it because of Paul, you know? I almost lost him, but he survived. I survived. Maybe I kept the sigil as a good luck charm or something. I kept it hidden that night, instead of giving it to the cops. I have no idea why, but it felt like the right thing to do."
"Did it tell you to keep it safe?" Everett asked.
"No. I had no idea anything was in there until today. I never tried to use my magic on it. I thought it was just a rock."
"Then why didn't you turn it over as evidence?" Everett demanded. "Especially if your brother was stabbed over it."
"I told you, I thought it was just some dumb sigil that one of the rich kids had dropped at the club. A raccoon brought it to me, for fuck's sake. Why would it be evidence?" she shot back.
Alec picked her up, holding her aloft so that her back was to Everett. "Never mind that. You didn't know. I want to know how you're copying our magic, and if you can do it on command."
Mallory squirmed. "You know I could make my magic copy yours and kick you in the stomach right now. Holding people up in the air isn't a good move unless you wanna get hurt."
He grinned. "Prove it."
"No."
"Aww, is the little bunny all talk and no kick? You act brave, but all you want to do is run and hide?" he taunted.
She narrowed her eyes. He rolled his. Nico started recording again on his phone.
Mallory pulled her web in, forcing its magic to suffuse through her arms and legs. She made sure to cover her belly and everything else this time, not wanting to risk another injury like that stupid move in the woods.
"I guess you're just going to hang out for a while then, because I'm not gonna put you - hunghhh!" He lost his breath with a whoosh as she tapped his sternum with her toes. The motion sent her flying away from him, straight into Nico's arms.
Alec, on the other hand, fell backward so hard that he made a dent in the opposite wall.
She hadn't even kicked him that hard, really.
Alec got up laughing. Mal breathed a sigh of relief, unaware that she had been holding it in.
"That was amazing!" Alec declared. "Finally, someone can do something!"
"Has he lost his mind?" Mallory asked Damon.
"Maybe. You better be ready for what this means," Damon muttered. "He's not just my problem anymore."
"Excuse me?"
Damon didn't have time to respond as Alec got up and raced at them again, whooping out a battle cry. Matt stepped in front of him, trying to stop him.
Mallory saw what was happening, but before it happened. If that made any sense. A part of her brain just knew that Alec was going to run over him unless she blocked him, and that they would crash into one of the beds if she directed him correctly. If she didn't, then they would crush their friends, or put a giant hole through the wall.
It was a no-brainer.
She ran, blinking when Alec seemed to slow down to a crawl. I'm using Nico's speed magic again, she realized. It makes everyone else seem like they're going super slow, but the world is still normal for me. Like I feel like I'm just jogging along. Weird. Maybe I don't have to let him run into stuff down here, if I can just pick him up like Nico does and take him outside. But he's so damn big, and heavy.
Stepping into Alec's path, she reached out and grabbed him by the waist.
"It's okay to grab Alec like that, but with the rest you have to kind of baby them," Nico said from beside her.
She jumped with a scream.
"Sorry. We're both going so fast that we're moving at the same speed now, so we can talk if we want to," he explained. He came over and braced Alec with his shoulder, then lifted his friend up. "He's lighter when I'm using my magic. Like my momentum overrides his weight, so it's easy to carry him. You can pick Matt up too, but make sure you hold his head in the same position so he doesn't get whiplash when you release the magic. Remember that one little touch can have a lot of repercussions with speed."
Mallory nodded and grabbed Matt around the waist and shoulders. He stayed oddly stiff, but light, like a cardboard cutout instead of a real person. She made sure to hold his head up, too as she followed Nico and Alec outside into the woods.
He set Alec on his feet. She put Matt down, too.
"Get back in front of him if you want to block him, but remember to reactivate the strength magic. Or however it works. Don't get run over, basically. Or you could just let him hit a tree, it won't really matter," Nico said with a grin.
"You've totally moved him so that he's run into trees before, haven't you?" Mallory accused.
He just grinned even more. "Sometimes he deserves it."
"Why, Nico, that's positively primeval," she said as she gave him a quick kiss. "I love it. How do we stop the magic and get out of this weird time bubble?"
"Easy. Just stand still and let go."
She made sure that at least part of her web was still copying Alec's super strength, then did as Nico suggested. He was right, and everything snapped back to normal.
Including Alec's dive tackle.
Mallory caught him in mid-air, pushing him backwards again. He flew through the air and she switched back to Nico's speed, running to catch Alec before he hit the ground.
Nico clapped as Alec landed in her arms and she caught him easily, instead of being buried beneath his mountains of muscle. Alec rolled in her grasp and hugged her tightly, for once not worrying about his strength.
The relief that radiated out from his light on her web made her cringe inside. He hasn't been able to hug anyone since his magic manifested, she realized. He's always been afraid of hurting people. But he doesn't have to be anymore.
She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and squeezed back. Alec lifted her up and buried his face against her neck, savoring the moment. Cherishing the feel of hugging a woman, and being able to feel her hug him back.
The moment stretched on and Mallory raised one hand to the back of his head, stroking his long hair. It was falling from his usual bun, tangling around her fingers. Tiny tendrils of shadow reached out from her hand, latching onto him as though to say she wouldn't let go.
"You okay, big guy?" she asked as Damon and Everett came charging out of the door. They both stopped in their tracks as they saw the way Alec's muscles were bulging, strained under the amount of force he held her with.
And yet, her magic withstood it. She was fine. More than fine, actually.
He nodded and bent down until her feet touched the ground. He still didn't let her go, though, and she figured out why when he pressed his damp cheek against hers.
"Oh, Alec. Everything is okay now," she murmured. "You don't have to be afraid of hurting me. Just give me a little warning and we can roughhouse all you want." She lifted a hand to his other cheek and rubbed away the tears.
"We have a lot of work to do," Damon said.
Chapter 17
They pushed her hard after classes over the next week, demanding that she practice with each of their powers until it was second nature.
Damon, in particular, enjoyed throwing new obstacles in her way.
Everett showed up, but mostly brooded in the corner, his irritation flaring on her web. Mallory learned to ignore him.
The sigil remained quiet. She held it at night sometimes, wedged in between Matt and Nico, wondering what was inside. It never woke up again the way it had that first evening, but she still wondered. She wasn't stupid enough to try feeding it more magic.
The haunted basement started to feel a little more like home after the first day or two. It was nice having space to walk around, space to cook in. True to his word, Nico had cleaned the bathroom until it shone, and challenged her to a race cleaning the bedroom. He won, of course.
Alec and Damon even showed up on Wednesday with a brand new set of queen-size beds, which they latched together to make one giant sleeping area. No one answered when she tried to ask where they came from.
The only dark spot in her otherwise great week, regardless of the insane training schedule after hours, was that Janae was officially missing. She hadn't returned any of Mal's texts, calls or emails, and her desk was conspicuously empty during MacKenna's class. He'd even asked her where Janae was, as though he knew they were close.
But she didn't. Mallory couldn't even find her on her web, which was concerning. But still, time went on, drawing ever closer to their road trip to see Paul.
"You got everything you need?" Matt asked Friday afternoon as he zipped up his duffel bag. "I'm all packed."
"With what?" Mal asked, lying on her back on the bed. "Have you been sneaking clothes over here from your apartment?"
"Nah, Nico spotted me some and I gave him money to buy me more."
"That Nico, always saving the day," Mal teased as she nudged the speedster in question with her toes. He grabbed her foot and hauled her close enough to start rubbing her arch. She moaned and flopped back onto the bed.
"So yeah, you ready?" Matt asked again.
"I guess," Mallory replied with her eyes closed. She wiggled closer and stuck her other foot into Nico's lap as well. "But only if Nico sits in the back with me and keeps doing this. Who's driving anyway?"
"Alec has an SUV," Matt said. He stood and set his duffel down by the door, then jumped onto the bed with them.
"Doesn't that only have five seats?" Mallory asked warily. "It's going to be really cramped."
"What's wrong, Bunny, you don't want to see how fast you can run alongside us?" Matt teased. "Nico did it once for an hour."
She sat up and looked at him in surprise. "Did you really? That's like, forever. How far did you go? And how fast?"
"I'm a lot faster than you think," he said mysteriously. "And you will be too, if you work on it. I've just had a lot longer to practice."
She narrowed her eyes, fully aware that he wasn't giving her any details.
"You gotta wear a skirt or something though," Matt chimed in. "Nico once ran so fast that his shorts burst into flames."
He shrugged, not bothering to deny it and she cackled at him.
"I'll keep that in mind," she finally said after she calmed down.
Alec stuck his head into the bedroom door without bothering to knock. "Hey, it's time. Your stuff all out here?"
Mallory pointed at the backpack sitting beside Matt's duffel. "It's just two nights," she muttered when they all looked at her. "So like three sets of clothes, tops, and some bathroom stuff and a collar and leash for Dice. Why are you all looking at me like that?"
"She travels light," Alec said with a grin. "My kind of girl. Your bag can stay in the back then, but the rest of the crap goes on top. Someone's gonna have to sit in the very back, behind the seats with Dice."
"Yeah. Me," Damon said. "Now come on."
Mallory sighed and pulled her foot from Nico's grip, then put on her socks and shoes. They all went outside and took a short hike to an overgrown parking lot, where a dirty green SUV sat. Everett was already waiting in the passenger seat, and Damon popped the hatch to get in the back. Dice followed him in and settled between his outstretched legs with a flick of his tail.
"That's a good boy, Dice," Mal crooned as she rubbed his head. He flopped over, trapping the back of her hand against Damon's crotch for a moment. "Whoops, sorry," she muttered as she yanked it away. Dice glared in annoyance. Damon didn't say anything.
Nico had the bags tied up top in an instant, and the rest of them got into the backseat.
"No fucking around back there," Everett ordered.
Mallory rolled her eyes. "Hello to you too, Everett."
"You just saw me yesterday. Don't make it weird."
"You're the one bringing up fucking around in the backseat."
"Did you bring the sigil?" he demanded.
She took it out of her pocket and showed him. His very presence recoiled. "Why are you so interested in it, yet you clearly hate it so much?"
"Stay out of my head. And don't mess around with that thing. It's dangerous."
Alec started driving.
"Do you guys really think there's an amaroq in it?"
They didn't say anything, like they collectively refused to talk about what might be inside.
"Maybe your brother can tell us," Nico said. "Even if he didn't steal it, he admitted to knowing one of the previous owners, and that it was stolen. So there has to be more to the story, even if you don't want to hear it."
She glared at him, but allowed him to gently close her hand around it and tuck it into her lap. Matt reached between her legs and grabbed one, hooking her knee over his. He absently rubbed little circles on her thigh as he stared out the window, watching Helston thin out until they were surrounded by untouched land.
Mallory leaned her head against Nico's shoulder and did the same.
* * *
"Mallory? Holy shit, it is you!" Paul cried out as he threw the door open and wrapped her up in a hug. "You should have called!"
Nico and Matt exchanged looks behind her.
"Clearly. Maybe you would have showered," she retorted. "Or at least brushed your hair."
Paul grinned and rubbed his head against her like a cat.
"Gross, stop it!" she protested. "You stink!"
"Serves you right for not calling beforehand," Paul muttered. "Who are all of these guys?"
"Let go and I'll introduce you," she ordered. She felt his unspoken question. "Yeah, some of them are my boyfriends."
"Shit, for real? I thought you were just kidding," Paul said. He blushed a little as he ran a hand through his unruly curls. His hair was darker than Mallory's, but his curls were much tighter, whereas she had ended up with waves.
"Paul, this is Nico. My first boyfriend," she said with a sweeping gesture. Nico stuck out his hand to shake Paul's. "Nico, my brother Paul. And this is Matt, my second boyfriend. Matt, meet Paul."
"So who's the half-boyfriend?" Paul asked. "Or were you just talking shit because you were drunk?"
"That's me," Alec said, lifting his hand. "Alec."
"Okay." Paul drew the word out a little, casting a sidelong glance at Mal to see if they were just fucking with him. "How are you half a boyfriend? Actually, never mind. I don't want to know."
"She hasn't agreed to date me yet," Alec replied. "But I'm working on it."
"No, you're not," Damon and Everett said at nearly the same time. Paul's eyebrows went up in surprise.
"And those assholes are Damon and Everett," Mallory said with a sigh. "They grow on you. Like fungus."
"I somehow doubt that," Paul whispered back. "What are they, the gatekeepers of your harem?"
"I mean, kind of. But I have one more person to introduce you too, but you have to promise not to freak out," Mallory said. "First, is there anyone else here with you? Do you have any roommates right now?"
"Nah, Isaac just moved out, and Jerome did last month," Paul said. "So I have the place to myself for once. You came at the perfect time."
Mal nodded. She knew both of the guys he was talking about, since they'd all grown up together
in Winn. It was kind of surprising that both still lived there, though, and were willing to move all the way out to the sticks where Paul had bought a house.
Situated on a large plot of land, Paul owned at least a dozen acres. His was the only house on them, so he could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. It was exactly how he liked it.
"Stay there. And remember, don't freak out," she said as she walked back to the SUV. She popped the back open and grabbed her backpack, then slipped the new collar over Dice's head. He huffed at her once, instinctively trying to avoid it, but she calmed him with her mind. Leaning forward, she pressed her forehead against his and let him smell her.
Once he was calm, she clipped the leash on and made him hop down. The guys had parted so that Paul had a clear view and his jaw dropped when he saw the jaguar she was leading up to his door.
"What the actual fuck, Mallory?" he hissed. "Where did you get a fucking jaguar? Is that even safe?"
She laughed. "Of course he's safe. He's a rescue, but I'm not really supposed to have him. So you can't tell anyone."
"A rescue?" Paul repeated doubtfully.
"Yeah. Like you rescued that sigil back in college," she said, testing him. Guilt flashed over his face and through his mind. "Paul Serra, you did steal it! You lied to me!"
Chapter 18
"Does that mean you stole a fucking jaguar? Who even keeps something like that lying around?"
"I prefer to think of it as a rescue, not stealing him. He was being used for very bad things. Illegal things," Mallory replied with a steely look. "So I liberated him. He knows he's safe now."
Paul gave her a doubtful look at Dice growled. "What the fuck, Mal?"
"He's tied to me. Linked through my magic, but times about a thousand since I saved him. Clearly, I had help, but he's very in tune with me, so I suggest not pissing me off. He's really sweet otherwise. He'll probably even let you pet him after I introduce you."
"No, thanks. Is he going to be staying with you the entire time?"