A Witch's Fury (19 page)

He shrugged, “You are not going to listen to
me about not going. I need you alive for several reasons, and Bear
would make my life difficult if something happened to you.”

I broke my glare off to check traffic backing
out of the driveway.

We drove in silence for a while before Logan
finally asked, and I knew it was coming, “So Bear, huh?” Who I
fucked was none of his business.

If I had to go meet with the banshee from
hell, it wasn’t a bad way to power up.

“Demon whore, Logan, don’t tell me you forgot
already.”

Logan shifted in his seat, apparently not
enjoying the reminder of how he had referred to me.

“That was before.”

“Before what?” I asked, worry gnawing at me.
Finding no use in this conversation, I took out my frustrations on
my fingernail.

“Before you fought for a place by my
side.”

I laughed, I couldn’t help it.

“Logan you do realize my help is temporary,
right? That once you and Lorraine are married I will never sit
beside you again in that capacity?”

He fidgeted again. “Yeah, about the
wedding—Hey, do you know where you are going?” he asked as I made a
sharp turn.

“Yes.”

“You’ve been here before?” he asked,
shocked.

I cast him a sidelong glance before flexing
my shoulders back. “Yeah, part of being named lead Executioner is
meeting and surviving The Oracle.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“I’m not surprised,” I snipped back. Shit, I
didn’t need to take my irritation out on Logan. I needed to get
Jerry back to be sure he and Mark had a chance at happiness. My
thoughts flittered to Blake and pain constricted my chest. Someone
should get to be happy. I stomped the accelerator. They would be
happy.

“We’ll find him, although I think being
drained by a vampire would be a safer alternative.”

“It would be,” I agreed, “but it won’t work.
I’m not connected to Jerry in the same way I was to your
grandfather.”

He nodded, digesting that as he turned to
look out the window.

…

Old magic coated the small clearing in front
of the sheer rock wall. Logan pulled off his shirt, tucking it into
his waistband. I had my bag open, pulling on jeans and a teal
shirt.

“You can’t come with me,” I announced,
closing the back doors firmly.

“Bullshit.”

“No, I’m serious, Logan.” My gaze remained
riveted to the gray rock laced with ribbons of pale purples and
subtle blues.

He moved in front of me, clamping my forearms
in his oversized paws. I forced my gaze to his caramel depths.

“Make me,” the fucker taunted me.

I blinked at him. “Who are you, and what have
you done with Logan the asshole?”

He shrugged, turning back to the wall.

“Change is in the air, Olie.”

I eyed him warily as I shook out my arms.
Sonny’s advice about not pushing my body too hard was well
warranted now. Blowing out a breath, I focused on the handholds in
front of us, and began the long and painful ascent.

Logan grunted, his foot slipping. “I’m
surprised this place isn’t coveted by rock climbers.”

“It’s the magic. It hides itself from anyone
who hasn’t been here before.”

“That’s different.”

“It’s old, The Oracle is old magic.”

“Unstable magic.”

“That too,” I agreed, “but for a price you
can have all the answers you seek.”

“What is the price?”

“Last time it was a memory.”

“Of what?”

“I don’t know anymore.”

“Oh.”

Surprisingly, I felt I should elaborate,
should try to communicate with him. Maybe this really was a
shifting in our relationship. “The Oracle is bound to the stone.
Legend claims it was an Indian mystic who overstepped her power;
others claim the stone came from overseas until it grew to this.
Whatever the origins, it bores easily so with the memories it takes
as payment, it finds entertainment. If you give too many of your
memories, you never remember how to leave, until you are just a
voice in the stone.”

“Enchanting.”

I wheezed, my foot slipping, a stone digging
into my hip before I readjusted.

“You good?” he asked, breathing harder.

“Yeah.”

My hands ached, tiny slices numbed my
fingers, and an ache spread across my shoulders.

Logan passed an anchor with a bolt sticking
out.

“Why aren’t there more of these? This is a
shitty climb.”

“The Oracle doesn’t like metal marring her
face, plus I think she likes to see us struggle.”

“I’m not looking forward to the return
trip.”

I groaned, “Agreed.”

Pain was making my forearms shake so I tried
to use my legs more, which only had my quads equally unstable.

“Almost there,” I groaned, taking a risky
handhold a little too far.

With a final groan, I slipped my hand over
the flat entrance.

“Come on, big man,” I grunted. After sliding
my body over the edge, I turned around on my stomach, offering him
a hand. With our hands clasped, I wiggled backwards on the dusty
surface, bringing Logan with me.

He lay there on his stomach next to me,
panting, okay actually we both were panting. “No wonder she doesn’t
get many visitors.”

Huffing in agreement, I rolled to my back,
flexing my fingers and staring up at the ceiling. I sighed when a
face appeared, winked, and quickly disappeared.

Logan shifted his head, moving closer to me.
“I saw a face in the wall,” he whispered uncertainly.

“Me too, everything we say is now being
listened to.”

The rock around us rumbled in warning, “Best
not keep The Oracle waiting.” I rolled to my side before forcing
myself to stand.

“I’d kill for a backrub,” Logan grunted,
using his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face.

I tried not to be distracted by his tan,
muscular stomach. I was fairly unsuccessful, slamming my shoulder
into the rock outcropping.

“Easy there, wandering eyes,” he teased.

Scowling at him, I rubbed my shoulder as we
moved deeper into the caves. Exterior daylight was nonexistent as
we made our way by the artic glow given off by the rock, its power
humming with excitement.

Down a twisted corridor we moved through the
stone passage, more faces appearing and disappearing as we walked
cautiously through.

“Can they harm us?” Logan asked quietly, his
broad shoulder almost brushing the pitted rock face.

“They didn’t last time I was here.”

“Oh goody,” an excited, high-pitched voice
called from up ahead. “A repeat customer.”

Logan growled, moving closer to my shoulder.
I welcomed his warmth in this soul sucking cold as I fought back a
shiver. “Here we go.” Pushing my shoulders back, I straightened my
spine, bracing myself to confront the insanity I knew was
coming.

“Oh how sweet, you brought a pet, can I keep
him?” a woman made of stone inquired, the jagged edges of her form
rippling as she sat up from her fainting couch, also made of
stone.

Logan pushed closer to me, pressing his
shoulder into my back.

“We have come to ask a question, Oracle.”

The stone woman crossed her arms. “Right to
business. But I’m lonely,” she pouted in a childlike voice.
Standing, she moved toward Logan.

Moving him behind me, I blocked her path.

The stone face crumbled into a glower, The
Oracle hissing, “Protect the pet, protect the change, protect the
future.”

That made no sense. Ignoring it, I kept my
face impassive. She turned her head at impossible angles, watching
me closely.

“FINE!” she screamed, the voices of many
blending together, shaking the rock walls.

“What do you want?” She resumed her leisurely
sprawl on the couch, feigning boredom.

“I need to know where to find a mage named
Jerry and what date and time will be best to obtain him from said
location.”

The stone woman narrowed her eyes. “You’ve
gotten smarter since last time.”

I chose to ignore the comment. I didn’t need
to piss her off more.

“I want a memory from him,” she pouted, stone
sliding like water as she pointed an arm at Logan.

“I will give you the memory of his kiss,” I
offered softly, remembering Logan’s lips on mine in the seedy strip
club.

She sighed dejectedly. “Only his kiss? You
offer nothing more? I want the feeling of his body against mine, of
penetration, and of hearing his cries of bliss.”

“I do not have those memories.”

“I accept, payment first.”

She reached forward and pulled me down next
to her onto the cold stone. I felt the loss of heat from Logan,
shivering as her stone arms surrounded me, freezing me to my core.
Locking my eyes on Logan, I felt the memory pulled from my
grasp.

Adrenaline spiked my blood as my body fought
her pull, but she was powerful and I no match for her. Biting on my
lip, I clenched my eyes closed against the cold pain in my brain
while she extracted her price.

Memories flooded my mind: Logan’s lips
against mine, his total abandonment as he worked those twin lush
mounds against my own, dragging his tongue across mine before
pulling back. I remembered the sear of his warm hands pressing into
my back before he lowered one to grab the firm flesh my ass, barely
concealed in my stripper attire. My body remembered the feeling of
his other hand nesting on the back of my neck, his fingers tangled
in my hair.

The fleeting images vanished. “It’s okay,
Olivia,” Logan comforted me. Opening my eyes, I found him kneeling
in front of me. I wanted to touch him, wanted him to hold me. I
wanted the comfort he offered.

The memory sucked me in again: his erection
pressing against me, my body responding in kind, liquid heat
pooling between my legs.

The stone bitch dropped her head onto my neck
and a scream was forced out from my lips.

She chuckled, “That will do nicely.”

“Here is your information.” Her voice echoed
in my rattled skull, grating against my nerve endings.

Jerry was bound and gagged, his usually clean
white shirt dirty and wrinkled, his eyes wild as he watched someone
I couldn’t see. The scene shifted until I was seeing a street
corner, Main and Becker. Another flash, and a calendar moved to the
forefront: two days’ time.

With a jolt I was back in control of my body.
Logan dragged me away from the stone bitch. I let him, needing his
heat desperately.

“Did you get it?” he asked, holding me
closely.

I nodded.

“Don’t you want to know about your reign as
Alpha? Who you will mate? What your children shall be named?” The
cold bitch crooned, “I can answer all.”

“Are we done?” Logan asked me, staring coldly
at The Oracle. I nodded and he helped me down the same twisting
hallway.

“You have to rest before we go down.”

I shook my head, “Two days, we have to get to
Jerry in two days.”

Logan held me close. “You won’t be going
anywhere if you fall.”

I huffed out a laugh. “Too bad you can’t
fly.” I grinned, my teeth chattering.

Idly he stoked my hair, thinking, drawing the
same conclusion I was, probably.

“If I fall, don’t catch me, just get to
Jerry.”

Logan’s arms tightened around me but I pushed
him away. While I longed to stay there in a faux sense of safety, I
had a job to do and one rogue mage that needed saving.

“Let’s go,” I said, pushing myself away. I
flexed my sore and shaking hands as I pulled my focus internally,
not allowing anything but the task at hand to dominate my
thoughts.

Since when did I think Logan’s arms were
safe? Seriously, The Oracle must have done more of a number on me
than I realized.

Sitting down on the cold stone ledge, I
pulled in another breath before flopping over to my stomach,
trusting my foot to find traction. Beside me, Logan did the same,
watching me closely.

I wanted to ask what memory she took, but I
didn’t need the distraction and I didn’t care, I told myself. Yeah,
I didn’t believe that, either.

My left foot found purchase that felt secure
under my boot.

“Here goes nothing.”

Keeping my stance narrow I settled my right
foot below my left, sliding my torso off the security of the cool
stone. My shirt bunched with my movement, the cool breeze slicing
through my skin, threatening to set off my shakes even further.

I gritted my teeth and forced my left foot
down again. The pain was bearable, for now.

Logan moved his bulky form smoothly to my
left, his descent quicker than my own. My fingers ached, the small
cuts from earlier growing as the sharp stones shredded my
flesh.

The wind buffeted us as we descended. My left
hand gripped an easy hold as I went to move my foot farther down.
My toe just nudged another, smaller hold. Pebbles dropping from my
left hand had me ripping my attention back up, watching my handhold
being pulled back into the stone.

“Motherfucker,” I hissed. “Hurry up, Logan!
Our time here has run out!”

We were only halfway down; a fall from here
would still kill me. Possibly not the shifter, but I didn’t want to
test that theory.

Logan sent me a glance as I shifted my left
hand, willing speed into my movements.

“What’s happening?” he asked.

“My holds are disappearing, are yours?”

“No.”

“Fucking Oracle, playing favorites. “

Another ten feet and I was braiding pain
down, no time to rest, no time to recuperate. I could only gasp,
grunt, and hurry as my handholds and footholds disappeared.

Logan had disappeared from my view and I
chanced a look down, finding him almost directly beneath me.

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

“Saving your ass.”

“What the fuck did I tell you?”

“You aren’t the only one who has issues
taking orders.”