Spellbound Murder Complete Trilogy (Spellbound Murder Box Set Book 1)

by Amanda Booloodian

  "Locked," Gabriel said. He turned and tried the other side and found it locked. "Shit."

  "Wait," Mira said, "in our world I found a key in a frame next to the door. It seemed like a decoration."

  "Nothing like that here," Gabriel said.

  "No, but they left the key where anyone could use it. Maybe they did that here?"

  Gabriel grinned. "Makes sense. Then you can send anyone to check on whoever you have inside."

  Despite what Gabriel had said about the decoration, Mira checked the walls while Gabriel checked the doorframes. When neither found anything, they did the same down the rest of the hall until Gabriel found the key above the first door in the hallway.

  Hearts buoyed slightly, they hurried back and unlocked the first door. Gabriel thrust it open, shield up in front of him.

  Nothing happened.

  He lowered the shield and stared around. From the corner, someone burst into wailing and tears.

  It didn't sound like Tyler, so Mira peered around Gabriel.

  "What did you do?" she hissed at Gabriel, pushing him aside, going to the young girl in the corner. Mira approached, but didn't move too close. This was the Ether, after all.

  Besides, the girl—who Mira estimated was around six—cried louder when Mira got too close.

  Something thumped against the door across the hall, followed by an indistinct yell.

  Mira ignored it and spoke gently to the little girl in the corner. "It's okay. We're here to help you."

  "I didn't want to die," the girl sobbed.

  "Don't worry, we're going to get you out of here and back home," Mira said, trying to keep her voice soothing. "What can I call you?"

  Mira had assumed that the girl was a witch and that was why the spell had led her here. Asking a witch's name might not be the best idea in the circumstances. A witch's true name had power and Mira didn't want the girl to get the wrong idea.

  "Andrea," she said after a few uncertain moments.

  "My name is Miranda. Mira for short."

  Andrea sniffed and looked up at Mira with watery eyes. "Are you an angel, too?"

  Something slammed again against the other door.

  "What?" Mira asked, distracted. "Oh! No, I'm not an angel. I'm a witch."

  "Did you die, too?" the girl asked.

  "Die?"

  The little girl nodded at Gabriel, who appeared uncomfortable.

  "I see," Mira said, squatting down. "No, I'm not dead, and neither are you. He's not that kind of angel."

  "Does that mean—" Andrea hesitated, watching Mira closely.

  "That means we're going to help you get out of here," Mira said when the girl didn't continue.

  "And my brother?" Andrea asked.

  A voice behind the closed door started cursing. Mira couldn't make out the actual words, but the tone suggested swearing.

  "And your brother and anyone else we can help," Mira said. She approached the little girl again, but she cringed back into the corner and Mira stopped. "Gabriel, go let her brother out."

  "Maybe I shouldn't be the one," Gabriel said.

  When Mira gave him an appraising look, Gabriel seemed self-conscious. The sword and shield had disappeared and he had moved back out into the hallway. His wings were hunched down further than Mira had ever seen them.

  Mira squatted back down, facing Andrea once again, and lowered her voice as though telling a secret. "I'm going to go get your brother. That guy out there, his name is Gabriel." She lowered her voice even further, leaning in to the girl. "He's my guardian angel." Mira paused, giving an extra moment for that to sink in. "I'm going to ask him to watch out for you. Is that okay?"

  Andrea's eyes widened, and for the first time since Gabriel had opened the door, she looked hopeful.

  "What should I call your brother?" Mira asked.

  "Kevin," Andrea said, "Kevin Henderson."

  Mira tried to keep the same look of concern on her face. "I'll be right back."

  Out in the hall, Mira whispered to Gabriel, "How long have the Hendersons been missing?"

  "Three days," Gabriel said. "She didn't mention her parents."

  Mira swallowed hard and gave a nod before going across the hall.

  "Kevin, are you in there?" she called, trying not to be too loud. "I'm opening the door. Your sister wants to see you."

  There was no reply from inside.

  Mira fumbled with the key, but managed to get the door unlocked. She had worried about being rushed at by an angry little boy. Instead, she had a furious teenager standing in the middle of the floor, clenching and unclenching his fists, but also with tears shining in his eyes.

  Kevin said nothing, and Mira was at a complete loss for what to say. She opened the door wider and stepped aside, but the boy didn't move.

  "My name is Mira. Your sister wants to see you and then we need to get out of here."

  There was still nothing from Kevin.

  "She's okay," Mira said. "Only scared."

  "Are you with them?" Kevin asked with as much acid as a teenager could put into his voice.

  "I'm a witch," Mira said. "My friend and I are here to help."

  "You'll help him?" Kevin asked, the anger not abating.

  Mira glanced around the room, trying to figure out who 'him' was. Her eyes landed on the man on the floor, lying next to the bed.

  "Tyler?" Mira asked. Then she left the boy alone and rushed into the room. "Tyler!" He didn't stir at her voice, so she crouched down next to him, looking him over for injuries.

  Tyler appeared gaunt and frail. Mira put a hand to his neck to check for a pulse. Tyler's eyes popped open, and with more strength than Mira would have thought possible in his state, he punched out.

  The assault was easily fielded by Gabriel.

  "Mira?" Tyler asked, his voice hoarse. "Shit, they got you?"

  "Not exactly," Mira said.

  Gabriel dropped the hand when Tyler's strength faltered.

  "Are you injured?" Mira asked.

  Tyler let out a mirthless laugh that fell into a hacking cough.

  Mira glanced out the door to see Kevin and Andrea across the hall. Then she looked meaningfully at Gabriel.

  "I just had to make sure you were okay," Gabriel said. "I've got an eye on the kids."

  When Tyler's hacking subsided, Mira turned her attention back to him.

  "Do you think you can walk?" Mira asked.

  "To where?" Tyler asked. "Those things will tear you to pieces."

  "We're getting out of here," Mira said. "Come on, I'll help you up."

  "I don't think you understand—" Tyler started to protest, but it turned into a groan when Mira helped pull him to his feet. He leaned against her, panting, trying to catch his breath.

  To Mira, he felt dreadfully skinny. "How far do we have to go?" she asked Gabriel.

  The angel gave Mira a worried look. "Mira," he said, keeping his voice soft, "it's a long way."

  She watched Gabriel struggle and she was genuinely curious as to what he would say. After Emmit had given her up for dead, before she was even hurt, she felt the need to know what Gabriel would do now.

  "Let me search the rest of the rooms," Gabriel said. "I'm going to need you to watch him and the Hendersons until I get back."

  Gabriel called the kids over while Mira helped Tyler into a chair. Once they were all together, Gabriel pulled Mira aside.

  "I don't like the idea of shutting the door," Gabriel said, "but it may be safer to keep it closed. You have a way of stopping anything you need to, right?"

  "I burned this place down in our world," Mira said. "I have no problems burning it down here as well."

  Gabriel smiled. "I'll be back soon."

  Once the four were shut into the room, Mira listened intently at the door, trying to hear Gabriel make his way through the building, but any traces of noise he made died in a few moments. There was no way she would use her fire spell if there were any chance Gabriel could get caught in the flames.

  "Wh
o was that?" Tyler asked.

  "A friend," Mira said.

  "He's going to get us home," Andrea said.

  "I don't suppose he has any water in his bag?" Tyler asked.

  Mira frowned and looked closely at Tyler. "What do you mean?"

  "The white bag he has on his back," Tyler said.

  "Those are his wings," Andrea said knowingly. "Every guardian angel has to have wings."

  "Guardian angel, huh?" Tyler said, trying to smile at Andrea.

  "Yep, and he's come to take us home," Andrea said.

  Mira moved closer to Tyler and watched him carefully. He wasn't looking at Andrea, she realized. He was looking in her general direction.

  "Tyler," she said softly, "how did you know it was me?"

  He lost all semblance of a smile. "Your magic. That and you were close enough. I figured they'd be after you."

  "Why, though?" Mira asked. She kept her voice low and glanced at Andrea and Kevin. Both of them watched her closely, as though she may evaporate.

  "Water?" Tyler asked.

  "Sorry," Mira said, feeling crushed that she could help no one, "but we'll be out of here in a few hours."

  He lapsed into silence, closed his eyes, and slumped in the chair.

  She turned to the kids, but didn't have the heart to ask them any questions about what might be going on. Mira was afraid of how much they knew and didn't want to hear the answers from people so young.

  The door burst open and Mira jumped and stuck her hand in her pocket, ready to lash out with magic. When she saw a wide-eyed Gabriel, she glared at him.

  "A little warning would have been nice," Mira snapped.

  "Sorry," Gabriel said. "We need to get out of this place."

  "Did you find anyone else?" Mira asked.

  Gabriel glanced up and down the hall. "No, let's go."

  Even though Gabriel had all but crashed his way into the room, Tyler hadn't moved. Mira took hold of his arm, which caused Tyler to jerk awake and try to push her away. Once again, it took him a few moments to catch his bearings.

  "Mira?" he croaked.

  "We've got to go," Mira said, afraid to recognize that her friend might not have remembered the past thirty minutes.

  After Mira had helped him to his feet, she tugged his arm over her shoulder to help support him.

  Gabriel looked like he was doing some fast calculations, watching the two. "That's only going to work for so long." Before Mira could get upset, he continued. "We're going to need to trade off. Right now, you cover Tyler and set our pace. The quicker the better."

  His sense of urgency was infectious. "Is there something I should be looking for?" Mira asked as she maneuvered Tyler out of the room.

  "In this place?" Gabriel snorted. "Everything, as far as I can tell."

  "I meant," Mira said, agitated, "did you see anything lying in wait for us?"

  "No."

  Mira slowed at the front door. "Then why are you so freaked out?"

  "Being here is enough," Gabriel said.

  Mira's temper began to rise, but there wasn't much space for it around her fear. "Will you just—"

  "No!" Gabriel closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'd rather spare you the details," he said, his voice restrained.

  Her anxiety ratcheted up and she stood aside to let Gabriel get the door. When the angel had confirmed it was safe, Mira hobbled Tyler out as fast as she could manage.

  Despite feeling the eager need to move, her pace began to falter after a block or so. The party fanned out in the street, Gabriel on one side, her on the other, and the kids in the middle. Tyler's weight became heavier, but she worked hard to hide the fact from Gabriel.

  It was hard for her to admit the uneasiness she felt when she thought about letting Gabriel know the full extent of Tyler's condition. A mixture of resentment toward Emmit and fear of being left behind was at the root of it—none of which was Gabriel's fault. When Tyler slowed further yet, Mira pushed them another block before calling for a break.

  Once she helped Tyler down on some steps, she turned to Gabriel. "We need to talk." It came out more resolute than she’d intended, but Gabriel seemed not to notice. "Kevin and Andrea, can you two take care of Tyler for a few minutes?"

  Neither of them said anything, but they moved closer to Tyler in a show of agreement.

  Gabriel's scan of their surroundings never rested as they crossed the street, keeping the others in sight.

  "How's he holding up?" Gabriel asked.

  Mira bit her lip. "Not well."

  Gabriel's wings twitched and he looked down at her, dropping his vigilant search of their surroundings. "Are you okay?"

  "No, I'm not." She sniffed and gave him a semblance of a smile. "None of us are."

  Concern filled his face. "We're going to get out of here."

  Mira nodded and turned away, pretending to scan the street, but not really seeing anything. "Tyler's really bad off. Weak and nearly blind." She sniffed again, her eyes watering. "I wanted to make sure you knew."

  Gabriel pulled her into a hug, which startled her.

  She stiffened for a moment, but then fell into it, hugging him back and soaking up the comfort. She could feel the soft rustling feathers over her hands.

  "We'll get him back to our world and to the hospital," Gabriel said.

  "And say what?" Mira asked, trying not to break down completely. "We found him wandering the streets?"

  "We'll figure something out," Gabriel said. "Let's concentrate on getting out of here first."

  The outcry from the city punched out and the ground began to shake. Gabriel held Mira tightly and looked over her shoulder at the kids. Mira followed his gaze and the pair broke apart, but Mira kept a firm grip on Gabriel's hand as they ran across the street.

  Andrea had her hands over her ears and her eyes were shut tight. Kevin tried to remain stoic, but wasn't managing it well.

  Even Tyler seemed terrified. He didn't get up, but his eyes were wide and roving and his hands were clenched into fists.

  When the sound continued, Andrea's mouth dropped open into a cry that Mira couldn't hear. When the creature that lurked in the city stopped its screech, Andrea's sobs replaced the sound. When the ground stopped moving, Andrea threw her arms around her brother and wailed.

  Kevin hugged Andrea until his sister calmed down.

  Mira was at a loss as to how to comfort anyone. The only hope she could offer was getting the hell out of there.

  "How far away are we?" Mira asked.

  "Still a few hours," Gabriel said. "I'll help Tyler for a while."

  The group didn't spread out quite as far as they previously had. Gabriel and Mira kept on either side of Kevin and Andrea. Mira repeatedly patted her pocket, reassuring herself that her crystal holding the fire spell was still there.

  "Does this seem strange to you?" Mira asked after a while.

  "Yes," Gabriel said without thinking. "Which part in particular?"

  "The first time we were here we couldn't move more than a few steps without being attacked," Mira said. "Don't get me wrong, this time hasn't been a walk in the park—but it seems easier." She stopped when she realized that Gabriel had fallen behind.

  Tyler had stopped dead, forcing Gabriel to a standstill, and he stared in Mira's direction.

  "Are you telling me you're one of the ones that started this?" Tyler asked.

  Chapter 24

  Mira could feel Tyler's anger, even if he didn't have the energy to yell.

  "Started what?" Mira asked. "I still don't know what's going on."

  "How did you get here before?" Tyler asked.

  "It wasn't by choice," Mira said. "We were yanked over by whatever is living in John now. Well, they pulled me over—getting Gabriel with me was an accident."

  "You weren't with the witches that came here?" Tyler asked.

  Mira stared at Tyler in disbelief. "Witches don't come here." She glanced at the kids. "No one should even know how."

  Gabriel got Tyl
er moving again, taking advantage of Tyler's more energetic, if angry state.

  "Someone managed it," Tyler said.

  "John would know who," Mira said.

  "He's a psychic, not a witch," Tyler reminded her.

  "Actually, he's not even that now," Mira said. "He's dead. What's in his body isn't him anymore."

  "I don't know what you're talking about," Tyler said. His voice started to fade again.

  "Maybe it's best not to go over this here," Gabriel said. "We have enough in front of us."

  They all lapsed into silence. Mira's attention began to fade as they plodded across streets, through yards, and down alleys that Mira would have avoided back home.

  "Maybe they decided they couldn't fight us in this world," Gabriel suggested after a while.

  "What?" Mira asked, feeling groggy.

  "I mean," he continued, "the fight we had earlier took a lot of them out. Maybe they've decided it's too risky to attack here."

  "Maybe he's done with me." She didn't believe it, but it would be nice if it were true.

  "They're not done with any of the witches," Tyler's voice came out scratchy and dry.

  Mira wanted to ask more, but didn't want to make Tyler talk. She saw that he leaned much heavier on Gabriel than he had earlier.

  The houses began to grow larger, signaling they were getting closer to their destination.

  A flash of black disappeared around the corner, and Mira stopped, wondering if she had actually seen something. No one else seemed to notice, so she went on. She hadn't slept in what seemed like ages, and that little jolt of fear left her even more tired.

  She caught more movement out of the corner of her eye, but when she turned, she saw nothing.

  "Hold up," Mira said.

  "Just a little further," Gabriel said.

  "I don't think that's a good idea." Mira studied her surroundings, but still, she could see nothing out of place.

  Gabriel sighed heavily and moved Tyler to where he could lean against a wall. Tyler didn't last long there before Gabriel had to grab him and lower him to the ground. Kevin and Andrea went to sit with Tyler, Andrea laying her head on her brother's shoulder, looking almost as exhausted as Mira felt.

  "Lance's house is close," Gabriel said, pulling Mira aside. He seemed cross, but then it had been a long day for everyone. "We really should press on."