Bruja (11 page)

“I’ll give it to you, I never thought you’d go against Luciana. You’re more ambitious than I thought.” The way he leered at me made me want to puke.

“I’m not asking Luciana’s permission for anything. Like I told you on the phone, I want nothing to do with her.”

He crossed his arms and stared at me down his long, straight nose. “Breaking from her is dangerous.”

I jiggled the backpack. “I know.” He didn’t have to remind me. I was on zero hours of sleep thanks to that stupid oath, and if I didn’t do something about it, I’d die. And if I didn’t find a way to fix my brother, he’d die too. She’s systematically destroyed my whole family. No one knew how dangerous she was better than me.

The lady at the front desk cleared her throat. “Your room is ready. Señor Reyes has arranged everything already.” I made a mental note to find out who that was and thank him as she slid a little envelope to me. “Room number is written inside.” She glanced to Mathieu and back to me quickly.

I could’ve kissed her. Matt didn’t need to know my room number. “Thank you.” I grabbed the envelope, holding it close to my chest, and turned to Matt. “I’m going to my room now. Good night. Safe travels back to New York.”
And please take a hint for once.

Unfortunately, Matt’s listening skills were as terrible as always. When I started down the hall, he did, too.
I couldn’t keep going on like this with him
. I took a deep breath before squaring my shoulders to face him. “Look, Matt. I know you’ve come a long way, and I’m sorry for that. I didn’t tell you I was coming, and I certainly don’t remember inviting you. I know I mentioned our sham of an engagement was off. So I have no idea why you’re here or what you want but I can’t give it to you and you can’t follow me around expecting me to change my mind. If that’s your plan, then you should go home now and save yourself a huge headache.” I was proud of myself. I was keeping calm and being mature. Not usually my first reaction when he was around.

“No. If you wanted away from Luciana before, then you could’ve said something. I could’ve helped you. Whatever’s going on with you, you’re acting irrationally, and I’m not leaving you unwatched.”

Unwatched?
How had I ever thought this guy was nice?

I kept walking in what I hoped was the opposite direction of my room. Leading him right to it would be a mistake I couldn’t afford. “Good-bye, Matt. I hope I don’t ever see you again.” I was exhausted and under so much pressure that I didn’t have the patience to placate him. And for once, I didn’t really care.

I started walking again, but he grabbed my arm and spun me toward him. “I didn’t travel all this way to get blown off.”

“And again, I didn’t ask you to come.” I gripped my hands in fists as I tried to get control of my frustration with the douchebag. Time had taught me that reacting in anger did no good. Especially with him.

He narrowed his gaze as he jerked me toward him. The weight of my backpack threw me off balance and I collapsed against him. “You’re mine. If you’re think you’re traipsing off to God only knows where doing God only knows what without someone to make sure you don’t do anything stupid, then you’re not as smart as I thought you were. From here on out, I’ll be your shadow.”

He’d lost his mind. He’d been overbearing before, but this was controlling to an extreme. I pushed him away, freeing myself from his grasp. I stumbled a few steps as I tried to balance the backpack. “What I’m doing here has nothing to do with you.”

“Everything you do includes me.”

He was insane. Had I not been clear enough with him? “We’re not married. Not bound to each other. You don’t get to—”

“Not yet. But we will be married. You’d better think how you want the rest of your life to go.” He spat the last.

Toe the line, and you’ll have a future with me. Or don’t and see what happens
. He hadn’t said the words, but they hung there in the silence between us all the same.

I clunked into the wall behind me. Without my realizing it, he’d cornered me.

“¿Está bien, señorita?”
A voice called from down the hall. I peeked over at the janitor, and he started for us, ready to rescue a lady. He spoke quietly into his walkie-talkie.

“That man is coming over here, and he’s bringing help. If you don’t let me go, you’re going to cause a scene.” Thank goodness. If there was one thing that Matt hated, it was being caught doing something “improper.”

Matt’s face turned red with barely contained anger. His hands shook as he took a step back. “I’ll see you in the morning.” With that lingering threat, he started back down the hall.

I slouched against the wall in relief as he finally disappeared around the corner.

“¿Señorita?”
The man said, coming closer.

I took a few deep breaths, and nodded at the janitor. “
Estoy bien. Gracias por su ayuda.
”

“
De nada
.” The man left, and I was alone in the hall. At last.

I opened the envelope to actually look at the room number. I had to get to my room and call Teresa. Warn them about the spy. I wished I could be there to help. If I’d brought someone into St. Ailbe’s who could harm her… I’d done enough to her already.

I rushed down the corridor, hoping it wasn’t too late to get word to her before real damage was done.

***

It took me way too long to figure out how to call internationally. I felt a little dumb by the end of it, but a quick question to the lovely lady at the front desk, and the phone was ringing.

“Hello?” Teresa’s voice was clear.

“It’s Claudia.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. I think.” I shook my head. “That’s not why I’m calling. You remember the guy I’m engaged to?”

She snickered. “The douchebag you told off the other night. Yeah, I remember. Why?”

Why she thought it was so funny when I said that word, I’ll never know. “He’s here.”

“He’s what?” Her voice shifted from calm and relaxed to stressed in a split second. “Please, tell me that’s a coincidence.”

“I’m sorry. Luciana told him I was coming, and he managed to beat me all the way from New York.”

“More direct flights,” Teresa muttered. “Okay. So, what do you think? Is it a wash? Should you come home? We can figure something else out. Do some more digging in the library. I’m sure if we put our heads together we’ll find something that can save Raphael. Maybe we should’ve tried harder before shipping you off, but it seemed like the easiest way to save him…”

This was the easy way?
“No. Muraco’s right. I’ve never learned a thing about fighting demons and I grew up with
la Aquelarre.
It’s been my life forever. Maybe Luciana has something in her spell room, but—”

“No one is going in there. Never ever.”

It wasn’t safe, which was why I hadn’t suggested it. Teresa was the last person who’d snooped in there, and she’d ended up stripped of her powers and almost killed. “I’d never ask that of you. But I could—”

“No. We both know she’s after your powers. She managed to strip me of mine, and now that you’ve left, she wants yours just as bad. You can’t go anywhere near her.” She was quiet for a second. “I don’t like the sound of this douchebag being in Peru with you.”

“I know. But we all agreed. This is the best chance we have to save Raphael and stop Luciana.”

“Right. Well, stay away from him.”

“Thanks. I’ll be okay. I’ve protected myself from Matt for years, but his being here isn’t a good sign. I wanted to warn you. I’m not sure who is spying on us, but…” I hated to admit it was a possibility, but Teresa needed to know. “Maybe look into Beth, Tiffany, and Yvonne.”

“Yeah, I had the same thought. But Dastien and Mr. Dawson talked to them when they showed up. If they were anything but genuine, one of them would’ve smelled a lie.”

That both made sense and was a huge relief.

“There are a few wolves who aren’t acting right. They should be following Mr. Dawson’s orders, but they’re being shifty.”

I laughed. “They are shifters.”

“Yeah. Yeah. Bad use of the word.” The sound of her sigh came through the receiver. “I don’t want you to worry, but Raphael—”

“He didn’t… He’s not…” My heart stopped as I waited for her to answer the question that I couldn’t ask.

“No. He’s still alive.”

I let out a heavy breath. “Thank God.”

“He’s hanging in, but he’s looking a lot worse tonight than he was this morning. You just do your best, and then come home fast. I’ve got a feeling if you’re not back soon, well… I’m not sure what you’ll come back to.”

I leaned back against the pillows. “I know. I’m going to move as fast as I can.”

“The thing is… He’s fading faster than Dr. Gonzales expected. I’m wondering if it might make sense to get him to you. That way by the time you find his cure, he’s there. She says we can’t put him on a plane—he’s not stable enough for that—but I can get a few wolves and maybe a couple of your
brujos
to drive him down to Peru. It’ll take a few days, but could work out timing-wise. Then, once he’s okay, you all fly back together.”

That made sense. “Who’s going to drive him down?”

“Adrian and Shane for sure. And then I was thinking maybe Beth, and one or two more wolves. I have to see who else might be up for it. Who we can spare right now.”

“Okay. I agree. Drive him down and I’ll move as quickly as I can.”

“Just stay safe, Claudia. You can do this. I know you can. Call me if you need anything.”

“Same to you. I’ll be in touch as soon as I have more information. Call me if anything changes with Raphael.”

“Of course.”

“Bye.”

I relaxed back on the bed made with a mix of colorfully patterned pillows and blankets. The air in here was better—no so thin. I flipped on the TV, and as I lay there, with my head throbbing, I thought of everything I wanted to change in my life. I was making steps. And yet, my past always managed to catch up with me.

Matt being here meant that I had to be careful. I was pretty sure he wasn’t here to spy for Luciana. They weren’t close enough for that. Still, he might tell her what I was doing if she checked in with him. So, I had to watch what I said or else I’d fail this mission before it started. And, on a more personal level, I had to make sure that he didn’t think that I was in any way open to being with him. I wasn’t with Luciana or her coven anymore. I didn’t have to honor the agreement that she’d made, and I wasn’t going to let him suck me in with his games. I didn’t have to listen to him. Ignoring him was my best plan.

Okay. So it was a passive aggressive plan, but things changed. I had changed, and now he needed to change, too.

I called in an order for food, and then grudgingly switched it for the broth and tea Lucas had recommended. My head was pounding. The altitude was definitely affecting me. Broth then straight to bed. Something told me I’d need every ounce of energy I could muster to keep up with Lucas.

Lucas
. Every time my mind wandered back to him, my heart raced. I needed to admit that I wanted him, and then move on. I couldn’t have him. He was a wolf. He lived in Peru. I had a whole heap of problems—including one douchebag ex-fiancé.

But none of that kept me from wanting him.

God. I was twenty years old. Too old for a stupid crush.

My cheeks heated at that thought. He was probably annoyed he’d have to babysit me these next few days, but I’d done something to make him suspicious or he would’ve left me to Andrés.

Well, I just had to figure out where these mages were, get what I needed from them, and then get back to Texas in time save my brother and stop Luciana from destroying the world. No time for romance. Especially since it was most definitely one-sided.

The knock on my door pulled me from my reverie. One step at a time. I’d get this done. Broth. Then bed. I’d deal with tomorrow, and all of its challenges, in the morning.

Chapter Ten

I didn’t feel so dizzy or lightheaded when I woke up. The broth had been good. The full night’s sleep…that had been infinitely better.

Well, not totally full. But only a little nightmare. Faint. Distant. I hadn’t woken up sweating. That was a first for me since I’d left the coven’s grounds.

I took all of that as a sign that I was on the right track. I’d fix this. Teresa had texted an hour ago that the boys were already on the road, and I was determined I’d find an answer by the time they arrived.

I could do this. I had no other choice.

After a shower, I felt re-energized. I put on a pair of my khaki hiking pants, a black tank top, and hoodie. As I laced up my running shoes, I felt like a new me. A fresh start. The day was filled with possibilities. I grabbed my little cross-body purse. Mom had sent it to me from Mexico. It was handmade and covered with embroidered flowers. I dumped out the contents, and put almost everything back in—my wallet, passport, Purell, tissues, lipgloss, aspirin, and Band-Aids. Just a little bit of everything. I wasn’t sure what I’d come across and wanted to be prepared.

Now all I needed was a good meal to start the day off right. The menu book said that a complimentary breakfast was served in the lobby, but I could order in, too, for a price. I chewed on my lip for a moment. Avoiding the lobby was my first instinct. Matt could be there. But I didn’t want to spend too much of Mr. Reyes’ money—whoever he was.

The thing was that he already knew that I was here. So the damage was done. Just because I went to the lobby to eat breakfast, didn’t mean that I couldn’t still ignore him.

I braided my semi-dry hair and tied off the end.

Time to face the day.

It was nice to feel confident. I didn’t usually. Luciana had taken that away from me. I knew that now, but it had taken time for me to realize it.

I strolled into the lobby where a buffet was laid out on the marble-topped table. The flower arrangement had been moved to the side of the front desk to be replaced by a selection of hot and cold items. People milled around the table, while others sat in small groups around the lobby. A few sat alone, reading newspapers.

But no Matt. That gray and pink aura was nowhere to be seen.