In Shadows of Magic

by Alison F. Prince

  "Oh, yes! Of course I want that. I just don't know how I'm going to get her alone. She doesn't trust me, anymore. I can't take down both Jared and Brianna."

  "Hmm, you have a point. Is there anyone else that Brianna is close to? Someone weak and defenseless that you could easily overtake?"

  "Yes! Her sister, Mandy. Completely vulnerable. No powers whatsoever. Not to mention she deserves a lesson of her own. I've been putting it off for too long now," Valerie said.

  "Good thinking. Killing two birds with one stone," Licinia said, and burst into laughter. "Tomorrow, you abduct Mandy and bring her to a secluded location. At dusk, I will take care of the rest."

  Chapter Fifty

  Brianna and Jared forgot their worries for the rest of the night. Good music, excellent company, and the overall excitement and energy of the crowd was infectious. They found themselves, dancing, singing, and having a wonderful time.

  When the show ended, the crowd dispersed. After saying goodbye to Emily and Alise, the couple waited by the stage. A stocky man with arms covered in tattoos approached them. A yellow tag that read Security hung from a lanyard around his thick neck. "Follow me," he said.

  The man held open a heavy door alongside the stage. Jared and Brianna followed him through a narrow hallway, down a staircase, and into a small, dim room.

  Adam Payne stood five steps away from Brianna. It was a dream come true. The vampire and the reborn greeted each other with a handshake.

  "Hey, good to see you!" Adam said.

  "Definitely. This is Brianna."

  "Hey, nice to meet you." Adam Payne was speaking. To her. It was unreal. A moment later, Brianna was shaking hands with her favorite musician. She hoped he didn't notice that she was trembling.

  "This way, guys." Adam directed them out the back door and into a black stretch limo. Guitarist Eddie, bassist Carley, and drummer Rich were already inside the luxury vehicle. The limo sped off as Adam introduced his guests to his band mates. Brianna was surprised by how natural the conversation flowed as she joked and laughed with the musicians.

  Ten minutes later, the limo arrived at their destination. The group walked down a dark concrete staircase, through a metal door, and into an underground club. Red light illuminated the crowded room. While the rest of their group ordered drinks at the bar, Brianna, Jared, and Adam found seats on a black velvet couch.

  In the loud club, the supernaturals could speak candidly.

  "Licinia is nuts, man! I dated her for a few months. I have no idea what I was thinking. Now she's turning totally obsessive and insane on me," Jared said.

  "I always sensed she was a few cards short of a full deck," Adam said. "It's dangerous. A volatile individual with such immense power…"

  "She's a real loon. They won't even let her into Supertopia. She may be a lot stronger than me, but I'm not letting her get anywhere near Brianna. Enough about her. How are things going for you man? How the rock star life treating you?"

  "I can't even describe it. I waited so long for this."

  "So does the reality lives up to the dream?"

  "Yes, and more. I know a lot of vampires aren't happy with my decision, but I had to do it for me. I'm willing to go into seclusion for a hundred years. Sometimes living your dreams means making sacrifices. Do you guys have dreams?"

  "My dream, now, is to become a doctor," Jared said. "I want to use my abilities, both natural and supernatural, to help people."

  Adam nodded. "That's a great goal. What about you, Bri?"

  "I'm a guitarist in a band. I would love it if we could get a record deal someday. We're not good right now, but we have a lot of heart."

  "That's all you need. And lots and lots of practice."

  "We're trying so hard. But when I hear what you can do, it just blows me away. Tonight, your guitar solo…it gave me chills."

  "Don't give me too much credit. I've had five hundred years to practice. But never, not once, have I used my vampiric powers on stage or in the studio. I wouldn't even consider it."

  "Wow. Pure natural ability. That's impressive," Jared said.

  Adam's expression was solemn. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Being authentic is important to me."

  The rest of Red Rapture joined them. "Hey, guys!" Eddie said. "Why are you sitting around? I thought we came out to get our groove on!" He wiggled his hips back and forth in an exaggerated fashion. Brianna burst out laughing.

  "Do you want to dance?" Eddie reached for her hand.

  "Sure!"

  "Hey, Jared, I'm going to steal your girl if you don't get up off the couch!" Eddie said.

  "Well, I'm not letting that happen," Jared said, and smiled when Brianna offered him her other hand.

  Brianna spent the rest of the night laughing, dancing, chatting, and taking pictures with the talented musicians and her handsome date. Before long, it was time to say goodbye. On the sidewalk, Brianna took one last picture with each member of the band. Still waving, she stepped inside the yellow taxi.

  "That was so amazing. Thank you so much." Brianna lost her train of thought in Jared's blue-gray gaze.

  "I'm glad you had fun. We'll go to lots more concerts together." He nuzzled and kissed her neck. A few minutes later, the cab pulled in front of Brent's modern glass-paneled building.

  "My lady," Jared said in a mock British accent as he held open the car door for his date. The twosome breezed past security and through the massive lobby, and entered the silver elevator. Jared pressed Brianna against the wall for a marathon of passionate kisses.

  "Mm-mm, you are magic," he murmured. The elevator doors slid open, and Jared held Brianna's hand tightly as he led the way to his apartment door.

  "Wow," she murmured. Tall ceilings allowed for a loft that overlooked the spacious living room. Jared took a seat on his dark blue suede couch and patted the cushion next to him. Brianna leaped onto his lap and kissed him. "Aren't you in college? How can you afford this place?"

  "Brent provides me with this apartment rent-free. I also have a dorm room at college. I stay there sometimes. Brent prefers I sleep here. It's safer and obviously much more comfortable."

  She kissed him again. He pointed to the glass coffee table. "If you wake up before me, there's the television, DVD, and video game controllers. I also have DVDs and books." She eyed the large plasma screen and the full DVD rack. A tall bookshelf covered the entire right wall. "My computer is up on the loft."

  "Thank you." Streams of sunlight slipped through the glass walls and lingered on Jared's shining black hair. His blue, silver-rimmed eyes glinted like sunlight on a clear lake. He was absolutely radiant. "I can't believe it's six a.m.! We are going to be sleeping all day."

  Jared wrapped his arms tighter around her and kissed the top of her head. "My little creature of the night. Let's get to bed." He took her hand and led her down the hallway.

  Inside Jared's bedroom, Brianna leaped onto the king-sized mattress framed by dark mahogany wood.

  "Would you like something comfortable to sleep in?" he offered, opening the top drawer of his antique chest.

  "Sure."

  A perfect gentleman, Jared waited in the hallway while she changed into his Yankees T-shirt and shorts. Brianna called to him in as she crawled underneath the cobalt blue silk comforter. He climbed into bed and curled his arms around her, holding her close in the spooning position.

  "This is perfect," he breathed.

  Brianna agreed.

  Within minutes, they were asleep.

  Chapter Fifty-One

  After a fitful night's sleep, Mandy woke up early Sunday morning, feeling uneasy. A vampire witch? The phone rang, and she nearly jumped across the room.

  "Good morning."

  "Hey, cutie. I miss you already." Logan's warm voice brought a smile to her face.

  "I miss you, too."

  "So what do you want to do tonight? I was thinking we could go bowling, then go to Burger Bop with a few friends."

  "Hmm." Mandy considered. It sounded lik
e a lot of fun, but the memory of Brianna's severe tone told her not to take any chances. "How about we just hang out at my place tonight? We could rent a movie and cuddle."

  "That sounds awesome."

  Mandy brushed aside a pale pink curtain to reveal a bright, sunny sky. "I'm going to head out for a run. Call me before you come over. How's eight sound?"

  "Sounds great. I'll talk to you then."

  She slipped into sweats and headed out the front door, the sound of music Emily had downloaded for her filling her ears. She jogged down the S-shaped driveway and onto the back roads.

  Running was a different experience than it had been before. Rather than flying effortlessly, Mandy exerted herself with each step. She gasped for breath as she pushed herself to keep up her pace. Her muscles ached, and her lungs burned, but it felt good to know that she was the powerhouse propelling herself.

  Mandy was startled by the feel of icy cold fingers sliding down her back. The electric guitars in her headphones were replaced by an evil, echoing cackle. She twirled around. Five feet away, Valerie's green eyes glowed. Her auburn hair danced on the wind. A wicked smile was plastered on her face.

  "You're not going to get away this time."

  Blasted by a frigid gale so strong that it knocked her off her feet, Mandy dropped to the pavement. How is she doing this? Mandy's vision started to blur, turning fuzzy and gray and clouding with charcoal spots. Then, her world was black and silent.

  Sometime later, when she awoke, her body was crammed in a small, dark space. Her knees were pressed against her chin, her wrists bound behind her back. When she tried to move her legs, rough rope chafed the skin on her ankles. A gag was jammed down her throat so far that Mandy felt like she was choking.

  Panicking, she thrashed around in the cramped space. Pain shot through her kneecaps as they hit metal. She lifted her head and her temple smacked against the same hard surface. Terrified and claustrophobic, Mandy screamed, but all that came out was a muffled hum. Frantic thoughts raced through her mind. She was going to die. She was going to be murdered. She was trapped.

  Take a deep breath, a calmer inner voice intervened. Relax. I am alive. There is still a chance to get out of this mess.

  All of a sudden her body flew up, slammed against metal, and dropped again. What was that? Now that the voices in her head had quieted, she could hear tires spinning on pavement and the low hum of an engine. Mandy realized that she had been stuffed into the trunk of a car.

  A few moments later, the car slowed and then came to a stop. Her heart thundered as the car door open and shut. "Hey, Licinia! Great to see you!" Valerie's voice was sweet and pleasant.

  Wasn't that the name of the vampire witch that Brianna had warned her about? Oh no. She was in even deeper trouble than she'd thought.

  "Great job on your first abduction, by the way! So where are we headed?"

  "We can take her to Rocky Ridge Mountain. The park closes at dusk. Besides, no human would dare to hike that trail after dark. We can do whatever we want to these losers, and no one will ever see."

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Early that morning, Brianna jolted awake after just a few short hours of sleep. Without warning, she had felt her internal temperature drop. An icy wind—not in the bedroom, but inside her—had raced underneath her skin. Goose bumps sprouted on every inch of her skin. Right then, she knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong. She called her sister multiple times, but there was no response. In a panic, she woke Jared up.

  Black rings and worry lines encircled their sleepy eyes, but Jared and Brianna spent all day scouring all of Montmorrow in search of Mandy. Due to their lack of success, they decided it was time to seek help from their friends.

  Night had fallen when they returned to New York City to meet with Renee and Gavin. Jared filled in his friends while Brianna paced back and forth in the hallway. She dialed her twin's cell phone for the umpteenth time. Still no answer. Brianna padded into Jared's living room and sat next to him on the blue suede couch. She was jittery, restless, and unable to stop her legs from bouncing.

  Renee and Gavin were quiet, digesting everything that they had just heard. After a few moments of silence, Renee spoke. "I feel responsible. I gave her the information on evulsion. I sold her the book. I didn't think it could be done by a human. Not even by most witches."

  "It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known," Brianna assured her.

  "That isn't even the worst of our problems. I'm sure we can handle a makeshift witch. A centuries-old wampire might be a bit more trouble," Jared said.

  Brianna's cell phone played her favorite rock song. "Hello?"

  "Hello. This is Licinia. You'd better listen closely. That is, if you want your sister to survive."

  "What have you done with her?" Brianna trembled with anger and fear.

  "She's just enjoying a little ride in the trunk."

  Brianna could hear snickering in the background. Her power ran boiling-hot through her veins. Actual steam vaporized off her skin.

  Licinia cackled. "Poor Mandy. So utterly defenseless. That wasn't a nice thing you did to your sister. If you ever want to see her again, you will do what I say."

  "What do I have to do?"

  "Come meet us. Alone. If you bring anyone with you, I will sense it and Mandy will die. We are on our way to the top of Rocky Ridge Mountain. I'll be waiting."

  The call disconnected. Brianna jumped up. "It's what I thought. Licinia and Valerie have taken Mandy. I have to go now."

  Jared stood next to her. "I'm going with you."

  "No. Licinia said I have to go alone."

  "She's going to kill you!"

  "And if you come with me then we're both dead!"

  "Stop it, both of you." Even in a crisis situation, Renee's soft voice had a way of calming everyone, stopping them in their tracks. "We need to think of a plan. I'm going too."

  Brianna's mouth gaped open. "Absolutely not! I will not let you put your life in jeopardy."

  "I'm going. Let's stop wasting time. Licinia is way more powerful than the four of us. We are going to need help. Call whoever you can."

  Gavin and Jared were already on the mission, dialing their phones.

  Brianna approached her friend. "Renee, please. I appreciate your help, but you don't have to do this. I don't want anything to happen to you."

  "I'm coming. I owe it to your mother."

  "My mother?" Brianna did not understand.

  "When I was a little girl, my parents and I were in a terrible car accident. I was on the brink of death in my hospital bed when Sabrina McKinney used her powers to save my life."

  "It was you," Brianna breathed, realization dawning on her.

  "Yes. I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to think that was the only reason I wanted to be your friend. There was more than that. When I met you, I felt a connection. Like we were meant to be friends."

  Brianna nodded. "I felt it, too."

  At the same time, the girls wound their arms around each other. Brianna's whole body shook in Renee's embrace. "I'm so scared. My twin is at the mercy of that psycho."

  Renee released her friend, reached into her tan backpack, and removed several thick spell books. "I came prepared. Help me find the spell for becoming undetectable."

  "What does that mean?" Brianna asked.

  "Licinia is able to utilize an extra cognizance and her acute sense of smell to detect humans and supernatural phenomena. She would know if any witch, reborn, or vampire was within a twenty-mile radius. I know there is a spell that will make us undetectable as long as we remain ten feet away from her. It will allow us to get close without her being aware of our presence. That way, we can take her by surprise."

  "Okay, great. Thank you so much." Brianna started flipping through one of the volumes.

  Jared held his cell phone against his ear. "Hi, Adam. Sorry to bother you, but do you happen to still be in New York? Oh, you are? That's great."

  ****

  A sh
ort while later, Adam, Maeve, and Charlotte arrived at Jared's apartment. Renee took charge of developing a plan. "Maeve and I will perform the spell that makes us undetectable. It only works for witches, not vamps or reborns. While the rest of you are a safe twenty miles away, Maeve and I will try to remove Mandy from the situation."

  "You two are not going alone! How are you going to get Mandy out of there without being seen? I'm sure Licinia is guarding her like a hawk," Brianna said.

  Gavin objected as well. "Twenty miles away? Even flying, it would take us a few minutes to get there. Licinia could kill you in a second."

  "Yes, that's why we need some kind of distraction. I'm still working on that part," Renee said.

  "We all need to show up at the same time," Adam said. "Let's band together and use all of our power against her at once. That's our best shot."

  "How can we all show up at once? If Licinia senses anyone but me, she will kill Mandy immediately!" Brianna choked out the words, and Jared wrapped his arms around her.

  "I can teleport twenty miles. I can bring someone with me, as well," Adam said.

  "That's two. Plus Maeve and I will be undetectable. That's four," Renee said.

  "I can teleport twenty miles, too. I'm not sure if I can bring someone. I've never tried," Charlotte said.

  "Okay." Renee's countenance was thoughtful. "Will five of us be able to hold her back while we wait for the others?"

  Brianna's phone rang. Everyone was silent as she answered the call.

  "Where are you?" At the sound of Licinia's voice, Brianna's head was filled with a barrage of starling images. She saw deep, dark red blood dripping in thick lines down creamy skin. Mandy's pink lips opened and a long, shrill scream escaped. Brianna shook her head, unsure if the visions were caused by her own anxiety or if Licinia had gotten inside her head.

  "I'm coming. I'm on my way." Brianna wiped the sweat from her palms onto her jeans.

  "Well, you'd better hurry if you ever want to see your sister alive again." The line went dead.