Bewitched on Bourbon Street (27 page)

“This is Aiken’s quarters and where I was held before the gathering. There’s only one more room. Unless Ezra has already figured out how to leave Hell, that’s where we’ll find them.”

Aiken’s place? Dammit. He could be in that other room, already recovered from my last blow. I’d only knocked him out. Chances were he’d have woken up by now. I sucked in a steadying breath, braced myself, and followed Kane through the doorway.

Sure enough, Aiken and Green Hair were standing in the middle of the room. Green Hair had Ezra in a chokehold, while Bianca was on her knees in front of Aiken, her head bowed.

“Release them,” Kane ordered.

Green Hair laughed. Aiken didn’t even acknowledge our presence.

“You’ve been disobedient,” he said to Bianca.

She nodded but didn’t look up at him.

“You cursed more than half a dozen of my followers.” His words were a statement rather than a question.

Bianca took a shuddering breath but didn’t respond.

“You disrespected me.”

I was half a second from cursing the demon myself, but Kane’s light squeeze and small shake of his head kept me from making a move just yet. What was he up to? I sent him a questioning glance, but he was focused on Ezra and Green Hair.

Green Hair had Kane’s dagger in his left hand and was holding it close to Ezra’s face. The fact that the demon could touch it told me Kane was low on energy and couldn’t activate its magic. Of course he was. I’d just used a torrent of his power back in the cave. If Kane’s magic had been strong, he would’ve been able to connect to the dagger and force the demon to drop it. Or at the very least cause a nasty burn on the demon’s hand.

“I just want to go home,” Bianca said to the floor.

“You are home!” Aiken pulled his arm back in a wind-up to strike a blow.

I didn’t even think before I reacted. A thick stream of magic burst from my palm and slashed Aiken’s raised arm.

Thick black blood gushed from his wrist while Bianca rolled away, her hands raised to protect herself against any incoming attacks.

But the demon had turned his attention to me, a murderous expression in his crimson eyes. “You will die for that, witch.”

“You first,” I said and sent another burst of hate-filled magic at him. The blast was so strong, so powerful, and fueled by so much bitterness that I was terrified I’d tapped that dark place inside me that could call up black magic. Only, as I watched my magic pour into the demon, it was nothing but brilliant white light.

Aiken stood with his mouth open in a shock of horror at my attack.

I heard a commotion behind me, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Kane and Bianca rushing Green Hair. But I didn’t have the luxury of paying attention to that fight. All my attention had to be focused on the old demon in front of me. If I could keep the magic going, I was certain I could obliterate him. Just a few more minutes and—

“Jade!” a familiar female voice said into my ear.

Without breaking my assault, I glanced over my shoulder. Limbs jabbed and kicked as Green Hair and Kane battled fist to fist, no dagger in sight. Ezra had dropped to his knees and was cowering behind an armchair. Bianca was on her feet chanting a binding spell, one meant to keep Green Hair anchored where he stood.

“Jade!” the familiar voice said again.

I squinted and finally spotted an outline of Lailah. Her transparent body floated near me. “Lailah? What’s going on?”

“Sorry it took us so long. The portal sealed, and we had a devil of a time making a connection to either you or Kane until we remembered the binding spell Jasper cast. He’s how we found you. We’re here to bring you home.” She pointed over my shoulder, indicating another transparent angel. Jonathon Goodwin, her mate.

My heart thundered against my chest. “Kane! Time to go.”

He issued a bone-crushing blow to Green Hair, spun, and produced the dagger, shooting a weak stream of magic past me. Aiken let out a cry of frustration, his magic zapped momentarily.

Son of a…crap on toast. While I’d been watching the fight behind me, Aiken had pushed back my magic so far that he’d been seconds from burning me with his black magic. Thank the gods for Kane and the small bit of magic he’d juiced from the dagger.

Bianca turned her attention to Aiken, and ropes of magic rose up from the stone floor around the old demon in an impressive display of power. Her pupils were dilated into huge black saucers, a frightening snarl claiming her twisted lips.

“Aiken!” Green Hair jumped up, rushing to help his would-be leader.

“Oh, hell no,” I spat and imitated Bianca’s chant, my own ropes of power coiling around Green Hair.

“Hurry,” Kane said. “We have to get out of here. I can feel more demons coming.”

Bianca narrowed her eyes and swung her hand in a circle, whipping her powerful rope around Aiken’s neck. “That’s for every demeaning word, every time you dared touch me, and for every single time you thought I belonged to you, you sick bastard.”

Aiken’s eyes bulged, and his face turned a sick color of grayish-green as he tried and failed to suck in a last gasp of air.

“Never again,” Bianca whispered, one lone tear trailing down her face.

Green Hair was on his knees, trapped in my magic. I didn’t have enough strength left to end him, but he was bound enough that we could make a break for it.

Kane held his hand out to me. I grabbed it and yelled, “Bianca, time to go.” The witch paused, hatred streaming from her as she stared at Aiken, trussed up and suffocating on her magic. “If we meet again, demon, it’ll be the end of you.” With her head held high, she turned her back on him and held her hand out to Kane.

With the three of us joined in a circle, I glanced at Lailah. “Take us home.”

Jonathon and Lailah each held a hand out. And then Lailah chanted something in Latin. Magic crackled around us. When it faded, they were each left with what appeared to be a pile of ash in their palms. Both of them raised their hands to their mouths and blew. The ash floated through the air and coated the three of us.

Warmth spread through my limbs as we were lifted off our feet. We hovered there in the room for a moment, and then we began to fade into the otherworld. Only while the other two disappeared, I stayed in limbo by myself, seeming to be stuck in transit.

Panic filled me. Darkness closed in, and nausea took over. “Lailah!” I cried.

Nothing.

“Kane!” My voice echoed into the emptiness. I took a deep breath and focused on Kane, our home, the connection we shared when he was dream walking, and I felt myself start the fade into the otherworld again, but I was somehow pulled back to Hell once more. What was happening?

Why couldn’t I transfer?

Clearing my mind, I forced every thought out except the coven circle, of the magic that must be there right then. It was the only way Lailah and Jonathon could’ve transcended into Hell the way they had. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t move. “You can’t leave me here!” Ezra’s voice rose up from the middle of the room. “We’re bound.”

“Ezra?” Righteous indignation made me scoff. He’d sold both Kane and me out and now he expected my help?

“We’re connected. You can’t leave without me,” the angel cried.

How was that possible? I had no idea. Maybe it was the curse that transferred from me to him. I peered down at him, panic seizing me. The magic Bianca and I had used to bind the demons had already faded into the ether, and Green Hair was on his feet, stumbling toward Ezra, while Aiken pulled himself up off the floor.

Gods, if I left Ezra there, he’d turn demon. It didn’t matter how I felt about him personally; I had to take him with me.

“Lailah!” I cried out, still floating high in the air. “Help!”

Green Hair jerked his head up. “You bitch. You’re going to pay for this.”

“Jade?” Lailah’s outline materialized beside me, both of us floating high in the air. “What happened?”

I pointed to Ezra. “We’re connected. I can’t leave without him.”

Understanding dawned in her expression. “Of course. Distract that pissed-off demon for a second.”

Lailah darted down toward Ezra, and I followed, hovering just over Green Hair. “Hey, asshole.”

He glanced once at Ezra, then leaped. Fire shot from his hand and singed the back of my arm as I rolled away, barely missing being crispy fried.

“Hurry,” I said to Lailah, who was blowing more ash on Ezra.

“Now!” she cried and disappeared. Static filled my ears, and I knew this time it was working. Ezra was across the room, his body fading into the ether just as I knew mine was. The outlines of my coven circle appeared in my field of vision.

Jasper stood in the middle, holding hands with Lailah and Jonathon. To their left were Kane and Bianca, winded from our battle.

All the minor details started to come into focus: a silver dragonfly comb in Lailah’s hair, the glint of Jonathon’s wrist watch, the hilt of Kane’s dagger.

“Jade!” Lailah cried.

I jerked my head up and met her frantic gaze.

“Her physical form won’t transfer,” I heard Bea call, only I couldn’t see her or any of the other coven members.

“What’s happening?” I asked, trying not to panic. I was here with Kane in the circle. Everything would be okay. It had to be,

Kane moved toward me, but when he reached out, his hand slid through me just as it had back in the room where time stood still.

“What the—”

“She’s still tied to Hell,” Jonathon said, cutting me off.

“Jasper!” Lailah gestured to him. “You’re her only shot. Do something.”

The young angel released Lailah’s hand, raised his arm and sent a thick stream of magic straight at my chest.

An electric shock reverberated through my system, holding me frozen in place. I felt nothing else as a sharp pain gutted me and darkness took over.

I floated in a haze of nothingness for what seemed like ages, only to open my eyes to a shrill cry of panic.

“She’s bleeding. Bea. Help her.”

A warm hand clutched mine, and I blinked. Dark, worried eyes met mine.

Kane.

“Don’t worry, love. You’re going to be just fine.”

“What…” I licked my lips. “What happened?”

He shook his head. “I’m not entirely sure. For some reason you were having trouble crossing.”

Images started flashing in my mind and everything clicked. “Ezra. I was still bound to him. I couldn’t leave while he was there.”

Kane frowned and looked around. “Where is he, then?”

“He didn’t make it back,” Lailah said sharply.

“What do you mean?” I asked, glancing around in confusion. “I saw him fading with us.”

“Jade?” Bea’s soothing voice reached me.

I turned my head to the side and noticed her kneeling beside me, her hands hovering over my abdomen. “I’ve already administered a numbing spell, but the spell I need to close this wound is going to hurt. So brace yourself.”

“What wound?” I tried to glance down at myself but was so weak I couldn’t even move.

“You came back with a tear in your abdomen, Jade. But Bea’s here. Don’t worry,” Kane said, squeezing my hand. “You’re going to be fine.”

I would’ve believed him if he hadn’t been touching me. My empath ability was still running strong, and although he was putting on an excellent front, worry was eating him alive. It was bad.

“Did a demon do this to you?” Kane asked, casting a quick glance down my body.

“No. It must’ve happened when I crossed over. But I don’t know why.”

Kane jerked his head up, staring hard at someone off to the left. “Was it that spell Jasper used to complete her crossing?”

“No,” Lailah said, tears in her voice. “Not exactly. Jasper’s spell was able to anchor her here because of the binding he cast on both of you. But in the process, her connection to Ezra was severed. That’s what caused the wound.”

Kane squeezed my hand and narrowed his eyes as he glanced around. “What happened to him? Ezra I mean.”

Lailah’s face went white. “It was the ash spell. It didn’t work on him. It only works on souls who are pure. Those souls who don’t deserve to be in Hell.”

She cut her gaze to me and stared me in the eye. “I can only guess that Ezra made too many deals with the demons, so once you both crossed the barrier back to the surface, the circle was trying to cast him back into Hell. And because you’re bound by the coven and the magic of seven other witches, the pair of you were trapped in limbo until Jasper’s spell broke whatever bond you shared with Ezra, leaving you here, gutted, and Ezra back in Hell.”

“That’s…awful,” I said weakly, still numb, still waiting for Bea.

Lailah frowned, and her usually white aura turned gray with distress. “That’s all you have to say?”

I nodded, too tired to care. Closing my eyes, I shut out everything until Bea’s magic reached in, scrambled my insides, and stabbed me with a thousand razor-sharp knives.

Chapter 28

Jade

I can’t remember much of what happened after Bea healed my wound other than Kane shadow walking me home. That was a week ago, and since then I’d spent much of my time in bed being waited on hand and foot by Kane, Pyper, and Lailah. They kept a steady rotation, making sure I didn’t go much farther than the connected bathroom.

But today I was up, showered, dressed, and ready to go, if not exactly moving fast. I hobbled into the kitchen, holding my abdomen. I wasn’t sure how extensive my wounds had been before Bea had magically mended me back together and, honestly, I didn’t want to know. A doctor had checked me out and said I’d suffered some major bruising, but after a couple of weeks’ rest, I’d be as good as new. Right now everything was just sore.

“I guess this means you’re determined to go to the hearing?” Lailah said from the kitchen bar.

“Yes.” I poured chai concentrate into my cup and sniffed it. Only spice and honey filled my senses. My taste for chai tea hadn’t diminished one bit, but I did think about the curse every time I fixed myself a cup.

“No one but me, Pyper, and Kane have been anywhere near your kitchen in days,” Lailah said. “Not even Kat.”

My best friend had been by a few times, and thankfully had brought greasy takeout food, the way a good friend was supposed to. “I was just checking.” Smiling, I shoved the cup into the microwave and hit the on button. “How is Zoe, anyway?”