Hexed by Fire

by Nola Robertson

  He got lucky when he noticed low-hanging branches with some of the ends broken. He spotted a pink scrap of cloth with torn edges caught in the underbrush. The smell of blood, burned flesh, and death hung in the damp, stale air. His stomach knotted, and his chest muscles tightened, constricting the air in his lungs.

  He pushed through the tall wall of foliage, the thorns scraping his jacket and biting into the skin on his hands. On the other side of the hedge, he found a small clearing. In the center, a woman’s body sprawled faceup as if she’d been carelessly discarded. The shredded fabric of her blood-soaked dress clung to the numerous gashes across her torso, and severe burns marred the soft flesh of her fingers and palms.

  Disgusted by the sight, Mason clenched his fists and fought the urge to howl his outrage . He recognized the woman from the case files. It was Gwen Montgomery, the first witch to disappear.

  Mason pulled out his phone and pressed the button for Redial. “We’ve got a problem.” He spoke before Drake could answer. “How soon can you get your team over here?”

  Chapter Four

  The rich aroma of brewed hazelnut coffee tugged at Alex’s senses, tempting her sleep-muddled brain to engage. With a groan, she forced her heavy eyelids open and came face-to-face with a wooden coffee table, and couldn’t believe she’d fallen asleep on the couch again.

  Her dreams, or rather nightmares, were haunted by memories of the creatures, their bloodred eyes lurking in the shadows. When she was finally able to slip into a restful sleep, she fantasized about a certain male with the most intense pair of dark cinnamon eyes.

  Last night, when she’d arrived at the apartment she shared with Paige, she’d been too wired to relax, let alone try to sleep. Her mind played back images of her run-in with the scary creatures. Their appearance in the park was too much of a coincidence, her instincts telling her there had to be a connection between them and the missing witches.

  Instead of going to bed, she’d pulled out her laptop and plopped down on the couch. She’d spent almost three hours visiting every preternatural website on the internet she was aware of for any information on the creatures and found nothing. Not a single one of them made even the slightest reference to the beasts she’d encountered.

  Alex knew she’d been lucky. If Mason hadn’t shown up when he did, would she have disappeared like the others? She wanted to believe he was a good guy and reasoned that if he was involved, he could have used the strength of his wolf to overpower her at any time.

  She also needed to consider the other students. Just because the campus administration had issued a warning to stay out of the park at night didn’t mean they’d listen any more than she had. She worried that someone else might decide to use the shortcut and inadvertently come across the creatures if they returned.

  At some point, she needed to tell Drake what had happened and explain the reason behind her presence in the park. She dreaded the lecture she was going to receive and how what she’d done was going to affect her future as a detective with her uncle’s firm.

  She decided to leave an anonymous message with campus security, reporting that she’d heard screams and wild animals. She justified her decision by telling herself that by the time he received the information and did an investigation, she’d have talked to her instructor, made arrangements to retake the test, and gotten her license. Once she was a certified private investigator, Drake would surely have to let her work the case.

  Footsteps coming from the hallway creaked against the hardwood floor, drawing Alex from her thoughts. She rolled on her back and stretched. The sore muscles in her neck and spine rebelled against the stiff cushions. Alex lifted her head and watched Paige cross the living room to the glass patio doors on the opposite wall.

  The pale blue blouse and designer jeans she wore meant she’d already showered and was ready to start her day. “Morning.” Paige beamed with an enthusiastic smile right before she opened the vertical blinds. Early morning rays spilled into the room, casting rows of bright light on the terra-cotta-colored walls and into Alex’s unprepared eyes.

  “Trying to sleep here.” She groaned and slung her arm across her face. Being more of a night person, she refused to ascend into the land of the living until she’d had her first cup of coffee. Paige was the opposite. She was a cheerful morning person who figured if she was up, everyone else should be too, which always included Alex. Damn, I wish I’d had the sense to make it to my room before I fell asleep.

  As if reading Alex’s thoughts, Paige glanced at the laptop and notepad sitting on the coffee table. “Rough night?” she asked as she walked around the island counter dividing the living room from the kitchen.

  “You might say that.” Alex sat up and leaned forward, propping her elbows on her legs, and cradling her head in her hands. A mild pain caused by lack of sleep pulsed along her temples.

  “How was the test?” Paige asked.

  “I didn’t get to take it.”

  Paige paused in the middle of pouring a cup of coffee, a frown creasing her brow. “Why, what happened?

  Alex stared at the floor. “I was late for class.” She hated to admit Paige had been right and braced for her I-told-you-so speech.

  “What did your instructor say?” Paige calmly finished pouring her cup.

  Alex lifted her head and stared at her friend as if an alien had cloned her roommate in the middle of the night. “He didn’t. They locked the building doors before I got there.”

  Alex hated keeping secrets from her friend. She didn’t want Paige to worry nor did she want to hear a lecture about the dangers of cutting through the park. Or the meltdown Paige would have when she found out about the creatures.

  “No wonder you look so awful.” Genuine empathy reflected in the depths of her ice-blue eyes.

  “Thanks,” Alex groaned and rubbed her temples.

  “You know what I mean.” Paige filled another cup, then walked into the living room and handed it to Alex. “What are you going to tell Drake?”

  Since telling my uncle the truth was out, she said, “I wasn’t planning on telling him anything, not before I’ve had a chance to talk to Professor Reynard.” She was prepared to convince her instructor to let her make up the test even if she had to beg. Knowing the man’s tendency to give her a hard time, it would probably be the case.

  Paige returned to the kitchen, opened a bag of bagels, and dropped two halves in the toaster.

  Alex clasped the cup between her hands, inhaled the delicious aroma, then blew on the hot brew before taking a sip. “Though I suppose I could always tell him I ran into a gorgeous guy on the way to class.” She smiled at the memories of Mason’s handsome appearance and the ripped muscles she’d felt when he pinned her to the ground. Warmth rippled through her, which she was certain had nothing to do with the coffee.

  “Did you really run into somebody, or is that the only excuse you could come up with?” Paige asked, a curious smile playing on her lips.

  “No, it’s not the only excuse and, yes, there really was a guy,” she said.

  “And…?” Paige placed a hand on her hip.

  Alex figured it was safer to have her friend assume she’d been delayed by a guy than have to tell her the truth, at least for now. “And, there’s not much to tell. His name is Mason, and he said he just transferred here.” For the past year, dating and boyfriends had been nonexistent—a fact Paige never let her forget.

  If a guy happened to last longer than a couple of dates, one meeting with her uncle was enough to ensure she never heard from him again. Not that she minded. Much. Who wanted to date a spineless guy who couldn’t withstand a little intimidation? Drake could be all kinds of intimidating when he wanted to be, which happened to be most of the time. Besides, Alex needed to focus on her career. It was easier and less painful to focus on becoming a detective when she didn’t have to deal with relationship entanglements.

  As soon as the toaster popped, Paige placed the bagels on a plate, then swiped them with butter. �
�Did this guy ask for your number or say anything about wanting to call you?”

  “No and no.” Alex took another sip of her coffee.

  “That’s too bad.” Paige gathered her plate and cup and went to sit at the kitchen table.

  Alex shrugged. “I guess.” She didn’t want to admit she’d been a little disappointed that Mason hadn’t asked. It was probably a good thing since she was convinced he was hiding something. What kind of shifter got lost in a park? They were naturally hard-wired with an acute sense of smell. She’d even met a couple who were excellent trackers and sometimes worked for the local police department.

  No, he’d definitely been there for a reason. She was certain of it. Her curiosity piqued, she contemplated having one of the guys at the office run a trace on his background. Too bad Chance and Aidan were even nosier than Paige was and would ask too many questions. Questions she couldn’t answer without exposing her previous night’s activities.

  Paige set the plate on the round kitchen table as she took a seat. After turning on her own laptop, she launched her fingers across the keyboard. “Let’s see what hot news the Techie Nexus has for us today.”

  The Nexus, the college’s social media group, was comprised of a handful of IT computer majors. They maintained a website that included daily reports on the latest gossip, up-to-date trends on campus, and news on issues around the city.

  Ever since Paige had taken some computer classes to help improve marketing for the Petite Broom, her mother’s apothecary and charms shop, she never missed any of their postings. She was like a junkie who couldn’t survive the day without a blog fix. Unfortunately, she made sure Alex didn’t miss one either.

  Paige’s concentration included biting her lower lip and running her fingers through her blonde hair, brushing the lengthy ends behind her shoulder. “It looks like they have several interesting stories today.” She took a bite of the bagel, focused on the screen.

  “According to techie sources, there’s a rumor that Dean Brandt will be increasing security and enforcing a campus curfew.”

  Alex leaned forward, heart racing, wondering if she’d waited too long to call in her anonymous tip. “Does the article say why?”

  “No.” Paige frowned and looked up from the screen. “Do you think this has anything to do with the missing women?”

  “I don’t know, maybe.” Though, after last night, Alex thought the extra security was a great idea. She got up, walked into the kitchen, and refilled her cup.

  Paige returned her attention to the screen, then a few seconds later dropped the remnants of the bagel on the plate. “Holy crap, did you know a student was attacked in the park last night?” Exhilaration drove Paige’s voice higher, startling Alex.

  She jerked her hand, the coffee sloshing over the rim and burning her skin before dripping on the floor. “Ouch.”

  Paige glanced in her direction. “You okay?”

  “Just clumsy,” Alex said and set the cup on the counter with her trembling hand. She grabbed a towel from a nearby rack, doused it with cold water, and dabbed the red spot on her skin.

  “Does the article mention who was attacked?” No one, not even Mason, knew about her encounter with the creatures. How did the techie guys find out? Had someone else been in the park and seen the scary monsters?

  If the network mentioned her by name, it wouldn’t take long for Drake to find out. He’d assign her a full-time bodyguard. Or worse, when she received her license, he’d force her to stay in the office and never let her do any fieldwork.

  She walked to the table and peered over Paige’s shoulder. A picture of Annabeth Reynolds, a campus freshman and one of the network’s popular people of interest, appeared on the screen. She shook her head and puffed out a relieved breath. “Annabeth wasn’t even…” She caught herself before blurting out the words in the park.

  Luckily, Paige didn’t seem to notice. She pointed at a paragraph below the picture. “Says here the Nexus team is going to have a live interview later this morning.”

  Alex walked back to the kitchen and drained the remainder of her coffee. “How much do you want to bet she had another fight with her boyfriend?”

  Paige snorted. “That would be a losing wager, since those two break up and get back together every other week.” She got up and squeezed past Alex to set her empty dishes in the sink. “Oh, before I forget, Mom and I are going up to Boston later today. She wants to buy some new herbs for the shop. Want to come with us? It will help get your mind off the test.”

  Fond memories of the summers she’d worked with Paige at the Westbrookes’ shop, popped into her mind. “Tell your mom thanks, but I can’t.” If she didn’t have to track down her instructor and return the items she’d borrowed from Aidan and Chance, she would have jumped on the opportunity to spend a day with Margaret. The sweet-natured woman was the closest thing she’d had to a mother since her parents died.

  “I will.” Paige grabbed her purse and the jacket draped on one of the kitchen chairs. Her blue gaze glinted with concern. “Promise me you’ll be careful and stay out of trouble. Or at least promise me you’ll try.”

  Alex frowned. There were days she wished her friend didn’t know her so well. “Okay, I promise I’ll try.”

  “I’m sure it’ll be late when we get back, so I’ll probably spend the night at my mom’s.”

  “Have fun, and give her a hug for me,” Alex said.

  “Will do. See you later.” Paige smiled and headed out the door.

  As she watched her friend leave, a feeling of dread marched along Alex’s spine like an army of miniature ice chips. She shivered and tried to push away the feeling, knowing she was being silly. Paige was going shopping with her mother. She couldn’t be safer, right?

  #

  When Alex arrived on campus, she chose to tackle the hardest thing on her list first—meeting with Professor Reynard. She could have easily called him to explain her situation, but had a feeling she’d get better results if she’d met with him in person.

  As she headed across the commons, she was surprised to see so many people loitering around this early on a chilly Saturday morning.

  The wall of trees bordering the park drew her gaze. Though daylight made everything appear normal, nothing out of place, no scary monsters, images of the creatures from the night before flashed through her mind and caused her to shudder. Even the beautiful array of orange and yellow leaves didn’t wipe away the memories or keep the chills from skittering across her skin.

  It would be easy to believe it had all been a dream. A dream ending with her being wrestled to the ground by a handsome stranger. Another detail she’d failed to mention to Paige and was feeling a little guilty about.

  Once she got her license and the missing witches were found, she wouldn’t have any reason to return to campus. And, dream or not, a small part of her wondered if she’d ever see Mason again.

  After she met with Professor Reynard, the next problem on her list was dealing with the plastic bottle containing glass fragments she’d tucked in her backpack. She needed to find out what kind of magic had attached itself to the shards. The only person she knew who could provide the information was Chance, the agency’s supernatural expert. He was great at his job, but there was no way Alex could trust him to keep something like this hidden from her uncle.

  She was halfway across the courtyard when she noticed three of the campus techies setting up their recording equipment. They were hovering around Annabeth, no doubt prepping her for the interview on her alleged attack. She found it hard to believe Annabeth had seen anything last night, let alone walked away from an encounter with the creatures. Chances were high that the younger woman had fabricated the story and hadn’t been anywhere near the park last night.

  Thanks to Paige’s early morning rousting, she’d arrived earlier than expected. Alex glanced at her watch. Not quite nine. Since her instructor usually worked in one of the spare offices in the administration building until noon, she figured she could
hang around for a few minutes to watch the interview just in case Annabeth really did have something important to say.

  She found a seat on a nearby bench, set her backpack on the ground near her feet, then sat down to enjoy the coffee she’d purchased on her way to the campus. Several minutes and a couple sips later, Trevor Mitchell, a teacher’s assistant who worked in the computer department and was also the organizer of the Techie Nexus, appeared in front of her.

  “Mornin’, Alex. You’re here early.” He didn’t wait for an invitation before plopping his overweight body down on the bench next to her, the wood creaking from the strain. The strong scent of musk cologne filled the air, and she tried not to breathe too deeply.

  “Hey, Trevor.”

  He gave her a lopsided grin. “I thought you only had night classes,” he said, his dark eyes inquisitive, almost challenging.

  “Things to do. The usual. You know.” She’d met him several months ago when Paige had taken a class on how to set up a business website. He was a nice enough guy, pleasant to visit with, but there’d been times, like now, when he made her uncomfortable.

  She couldn’t quite figure out why, but she always got the impression there was more to the guy than being a computer geek. It was as if a dangerous intelligence lurked behind his friendly demeanor.

  Alex suspected the mussed-up hair and baggy sweaters were camouflage, a way to convince people he was harmless. A way to charm them and coax information from them. Information that later found its way into a nexus article.

  “Sure.” Trevor folded his hands in his lap, dividing his attention between her and the guys talking to Annabeth.

  “I’m assuming you’re here with the group.” She tipped her head toward the techies.

  “Yeah, someone has to supervise and make sure everything goes smoothly.” She noted a cool indifference in his voice.

  “A story this big and you’re not doing the interview yourself?” Alex studied Trevor’s reaction. His careless attitude about the interview seemed strange. Normally he was full of enthusiasm, determined to take charge, to be in control.