Holding Out For A Hero: SEALs, Soldiers, Spies, Cops, FBI Agents and Rangers (107 page)

Well, that was just fine. Because Mikaela Lansing was ready to kick some butt, magic or no magic.

* * *

Gideon looked around and looked around the flagstone arena the cultists had built along the lake. The area was obviously set up for some kind of worship. He’d been shocked the day before when he’d come out in search of a few sympathetic old friends, and seen the phallic shaped tower rising up over this pseudo-worship site. Apparently, the town’s assessment was right and this
was
a cult, in every sense.

Fortunately, it was a cult that realized its day was done. The people he’d talked to, including the huge dude who claimed to be in charge, had all been willing to work with him on the tournament deal. Unfortunately, nobody had seen fit to let him in on their most revered resident.

Tilda, the bad bitch.

“Have you been hiding out here all this time?” Gideon sneered at his ex-wife.

He gave a disgusted shake of his head before glancing at the large rock that seemed to serve as an altar. After checking to make sure it wasn’t gross with dried blood or anything, he hefted himself up to sit on it.

As he’d hoped, his act of disrespect combined with his nasty attitude was keeping Tilda distracted and off-balance. He’d considered an Uzi and a round or mortar fire, but after he’d got a look at the people, he realized that was serious overkill. His fight was with Tilda, and Tilda alone. There’d been enough collateral damage in that particular war already. Instead, he was settling for a little psychological warfare.

“Gideon, darling, I simply couldn’t stay away from you,” Tilda said in what he figured was supposed to be a seductive tone. He’d been immune to her wiles for so long, though, all he wanted to do was roll his eyes. But it was probably too soon to send her over the edge.

“Right. So after blowing our house to smithereens, you stormed out here where you’ve been living for the last six years?”

“Hardly. You know my power. I come and go as I please. But I do make a point to check up on you, of course.” She sidled over, looking up at him with a kittenish look at odds with her patrician features. “After all, we might be divorced, but you still have a great deal that I want.”

“I never had anything you wanted. That’s what I just can’t figure out. You were after something, I know that. But it wasn’t me. So what was it?”

“You sell yourself short, Gideon,” she said, her voice low as she trailed her hand over his thigh. She gave him a look under her lashes, then walked her fingers up toward his zipper. Gideon slapped his hand down over hers and shook his head.

“Does this crap actually work with other guys?”

Tilda’s eyes frosted over and she snapped her hand out from under his. He thought he actually heard her teeth grind.

“Look, let’s cut to the chase. What’s it going to take to get you to leave Rossdale alone? Completely alone. As in you’re gone, and the town is left to grow again without your interference.”

Apparently finished with the seduction act, Tilda sneered and rolled her eyes.

“After the horrible way they treated me,” she scoffed. “Why on earth would I let that town off scot-free?”

“Get over it, Tilda. That was over six years ago and you don’t give a damn about those people. Besides, we both know you want something else. You didn’t stick around all this time just to mess with a few people who pissed you off. You could have done that any time, so why now?”

“Because you had the nerve to bring that little witch here, to let her have access to my pool of power,” Tilda burst out, her words the most animation he’d ever seen from her.

Aha. There was the reason she’d stuck around. A pool of power? Could it have to do with Rosalee Wenton and her blessing to Rossdale? His mind raced. Had Miki’s arrival, her magic, somehow blunted Tilda’s powers?

“Any power here belongs to Rossdale,” Gideon said, trying to buy time to think. If Miki was a challenge to Tilda, was she in danger? Gideon swallowed to clear his suddenly dry throat and forced himself to ignore the worry climbing up his spine.

How far would Tilda go to eradicate a challenge? Had she done something already? He shouldn’t have ignored Miki’s calls, should have made sure she was safe. But he’d figured this was his mess so he’d rushed out to the lake to play hero.

He had to go. Had to make sure she was okay.

No longer caring about dragging the confrontation out to get information, he pulled a quarter out of his pocket and flicked it across the stones, a signal for the man waiting. The coin hopped across the rock, then landed in the lake with a loud popping sound.

“Trying to make a wish to save your silly little witch?” Tilda asked with a sneer.

He didn’t bother to answer as a loud clatter of shoes against the flagstone alerted her to company. Tilda drew herself up and flexed her fingers like a soldier gripped a gun when going into battle.

“Antonio,” she exclaimed, her gaze taking in the Fabio-looking beefcake. The guy was wearing linen pants, sandals, and a flowing shirt. The granola-style peace and love looks were at odds with his obvious antagonism. “You’re supposed to be out of town making arrangements. I told you things had to be taken care of this week.”

“I guess you’re not in charge of everything now, are you?” the beefcake sneered at her.

Gideon snickered. It wasn’t looking like Tilda’s night for getting much respect.

“I warned you not to try and screw me over. You obviously thought you’d move while I was gone this week. What was your plan, Tilda? Destroy the town, move the thorium, and collect the profit all for yourself before you disappeared with this boy toy here?”

Gideon knew the beefcake had used the term ‘boy toy’ to make Tilda think he was jealous, but he tried to look offended. But, damn, how many insults was a man supposed to take in order to save his town? Wasn’t it bad enough he’d had to sit on his ass all this time? Now this?

“Just exactly who do you think you are, taking that tone with me? You’re only here by my good graces, Antonio. I could have ended your sham anytime I wanted.”

Antonio gave her a look of disgust, then shook his head. “I told you before, my subjects are loyal to me. I’m done with this game.”

He clapped his hands and they were surrounded by people. Most, Gideon didn’t recognize. A few he’d spoken with the day before, then again this evening.

“My consort seems to have lost sight of her loyalties,” Antonio claimed in a booming voice. “Take her captive. I’ll let the nearby townspeople deal with her as they see fit.”

Antonio finally met his gaze, a look of satisfaction on the other man’s face. Gideon nodded, glad to see some good had come from the con man’s hold on the people. Things were all coming together the way they’d hoped. Gideon had been a little unsure, but the other man had convinced him he had a great deal of power himself, enough to handle Tilda’s magic. Not having a clue how to tell one way or the other, Gideon figured he didn’t have any choice and joined forces with the cult-leading con man.

A group of men advanced on her, but Tilda’s cold laugh froze everyone in his tracks. Gideon and Antonio both turned just in time to watch her send a spear of frozen ice shooting across the flagstone covered grounds at the building.

The stone wall burst, sending a shower of rocks everywhere as the huge rumble filled the air. People ducked the flying rubble, some hitting the ground with their hands over their heads. Only Tilda, Gideon, and Antonio ignored the destruction. “You stupid ass, do you really think you have the power to challenge me?”

“I am the Alchemist of the Lights of Atlantis,” Antonio assured her. “I’ve got the power to do any number of things.”

Gideon squinted. He sure hoped that wasn’t as stupid as it sounded.

Tilda gave an icy laugh and a haughty toss of her head.

“You’re nothing that I haven’t let you be,” she informed him. “You have no power and are no longer anything but an irritant to me.”

With a flick of her hand, light flashed. Gideon blinked, then blinked again. Antonio was gone, and in his place stood a peacock, feathers spread as it made a hideous cry.

Damn. The guy
had
been even stupider than Gideon had thought. What now?

His mind raced. He wasn’t letting Tilda win. He wasn’t sure how
he
was going to win yet, but he would.

To buy time, he figured he’d try to strike some kind of deal with Tilda. Even if it meant selling his soul, he’d make sure Miki and Rossdale were safe.

Before he could do anything, Tilda walked over to the peacock. With a nasty rip, she yanked out one of the peacock’s bright tail feathers and smoothed it down her face. The bird bawled in pain. With a tilt of her head, she faced the crowd and asked, “Now who wants to challenge me?”

Fear was tangible in the silence. Only the gentle lapping water sounded behind her triumphant cackle.

“I will.”

Miki, her black hair glinting in the moonlight and white tee shirt softly molding her curves, stepped up onto the dais.

Tilda hissed. Gideon stared in surprise. His heart clenching at the sight of her.

“What are you doing here?” he muttered, wanting her gone as much as he wanted to see her.

“Your mother told me I’d find you here,” she said with a wink and a rueful look.

“Ahem.”

Gideon winced at the familiar cough. He stared as his mother, Fred and Reba, and a few dozen more surrounded Miki, melding in with the cultists scattered around the flagstone patio.

Holy shit, half the town was there.

Gideon squared his shoulders and tamped down his worry for the people he loved.

“Listen to your mommy, Gideon. She obviously knows your little witch is as useless as that stupid doll she’s carrying.”

That’s when Gideon noticed the Spud Doll in Miki’s hand. He wanted to grin, knowing how much she’d mocked the figures, but its clear meaning made his heart warm.

Then Tilda’s words sank in.

Useless? His gaze shot from Miki’s too-calm expression to his mother’s glaring countenance. He glanced at Fred, whose jowls were shaking, he was so angry. Then at Reba, who looked like she was about to pass out from fear.

Something was wrong.

“I warned you, little girl,” Tilda was saying, her icy glare pinning Miki in place. “You should have left when you had the chance.”

“And you’d have left Rossdale alone?”

“Of course not,” Tilda scoffed. “Rossdale and its glorious power, as well as Gideon and his glorious body, are mine. I intend to keep them both.”

“I won’t let you,” Miki told her quietly.

“You have no choice. You are nothing, little girl. Even if you did have your powers, you’d be no match for me. But we both know you’re powerless, don’t we?”

Powerless? Anger surged through Gideon, making him want to howl in rage. Miki was in danger. He’d thought she’d be protected, be safe in her magic. But somehow, Tilda had taken that from her. The violation of it horrified him.

“What the hell did you do?” he growled. “Are you so insecure and scared that you have to steal other people’s power to make yourself feel good?”

“Not just other people,” Miki told him. “She’s tapping into the land as well. Rossdale sits on one of the strongest energy vortexes I’ve ever felt. She’s using your ancestor’s blessing to shore up her own magic.” Miki shot Tilda a derisive look. “Without it, I’m sure she’s got as much power as that peacock over there.”

Her almost silent growl was their only warning. Tilda raised her arm, her face clenched in rage. From her upraised hand, she released a bolt of ice at Miki. His heart racing, mind screaming to hurry, Gideon jumped forward to shove her out of the way. Rolling, he wrapped his arms wrapped around Miki to protect her as best he could, and they felt the ground shake as the ice hit the flagstone less than a foot from them. He hunched over Miki as shards of glass-like ice rained across the patio.

“So that’s your final choice, is it?” Tilda’s cackle dripped with ridicule. “Fine. You can both die together. I’ll rule this town and its powers anyway.”

The feel of Gideon’s strong arms enfolding her sent a welcoming warmth through Miki’s system. As if all her senses suddenly came to life, she shivered with pleasure, despite their dire situation.

“Are you okay?” he murmured against her hair.

She did a quick inventory. Other than what was promising to be a nasty bruise on her butt, she seemed to be fine.

Then it hit her. She felt fine. She also felt Gideon. The bubble had burst. His act of love must have broken Tilda’s spell.

Quick as lighting, ideas and plans flashed through her head. Miki considered and rejected until she settled on one.

She gave Gideon a warm smile and brushed a kiss over his cheek. She was gratified by Tilda’s annoyed hiss.

“I need you to piss her off,” she whispered in his ear. It was a dangerous game, especially since she couldn’t let him know she’d regained her powers. But she couldn’t risk Tilda getting a clue.

Without question or even a look to indicate he’d heard her, he got to his feet and helped her up.

Miki reveled in the feel of his arm, heavy on her shoulder as he pulled her close. The security of his embrace filled her with a sense of triumph. Who knew a mortal could hold so much magic? But for her, Gideon did. He’d given her a new appreciation for her own powers. Then, his love had returned those powers to her. Because nothing short of true love would have broken Tilda’s spell.

She stepped away from him and gave a little wave of her hand for him to get on with his irritating of Tilda. While he taunted and ragged his ex-wife, Miki ignored the flying insults and took a deep breath, centering herself.

With another breath, Miki opened herself to the power of the land. She drew in the strength of the looming mountain, the placid lake. She called on the gentle air to fill her with its energy and focused on the inner flame of magic. Energies surged, mixing and mingling with her own power. Miki’s senses sharpened and even her hair felt like it was tingling as the energy grew within her.