Magick (Immortals and Magick Book 2) (22 page)

“Now, is that any way to speak to your future sister-in-law? We’re not getting off on a very good foot.” She pouted coquettishly and it made me want to wipe the pout right off her lips.

“Stop with the bullshit. What do you want?” I demanded. I studied her, trying to get an idea of how to attack her. I had to be sure I could hit her.

She lost the pout and replaced it with a snarl.

“I’m the one with the leverage here. Don’t demand anything from me. I can kill your family in a blink of an eye, before you can even bring a hand up. Don’t think I won’t.” Her voice changed from menacing to matter of fact. “When you can kill your own father, what do two strangers mean?”

Her words punched right into my heart. I could hear our sounds of battle again, Amity screaming her husband’s name. Did they know yet? Had they found his body?

“If you’re just here to give me a message, give it to me and leave. My parents have nothing to do with any of this.” I flicked a look at my mom and dad, prone on their bed, hands and feet tied, mouth’s gagged. Seeing them there, all it did was feed my anger.

“I know. I just like seeing you squirm, seeing them there. Very well, the message.”

I could feel the fire building in my hands and I cupped my palms to hold it, shifting my hands as much as I could behind me. I had to take her by surprise.

“When I leave here, as I will in a moment, I’m taking your parents with me. When you all surrender yourselves to Padraigan…” Her voice was cut off as I hit her with twin balls of flame. Her words turned to screams as she flung herself backward out the window. I ran to the window but could see nothing. I stared as hard as I could into the darkness but there was nothing out there. No screams, no piles of burning ash, nothing.

“Fuck!” I cursed, then spun around to my parents. I practically flew to the bed and untied my father first, and as he reached up to untie his gag, I turned to my mother. I quickly untied her and she grabbed me in a death grip.

“What was that? Who was that? What did you do?” Their voices warred against each other as my mother held me and I held her.

“It’s ok, you’re ok now. She won’t be back anytime soon.” I assured them, sitting back on my heels and checking them over. My mother had a bite mark on her neck, likewise my father. That fucking bitch. Well, she was dead now, even if Helene wasn’t.

“Its fine, we’re all fine. I’m so sorry.” I got out before the tears hit me.

“Teagan, what is going on? Does this have to do with your witchcraft?” My mom asked, and I gave a watery laugh. Tied up, bitten by a vampire that she never knew existed, and yet she could rally enough to put on a mom tone. My strength came from her, definitely.

“I’ll explain everything. I promise. I have friends downstairs. We should go.” I crawled off the bed, suddenly and inexorably exhausted.

“Was that…was she a vampire?” My father asked as he helped my mom off the bed. I could tell by his voice that he couldn’t believe he was even asking the question.

I stopped at the door and turned back to them.

“Yes, she was a vampire. And you’re about to meet two sorcerers, another vampire, and a werewolf. It’s my life.” I shrugged my shoulders as they exchanged a shocked look. I turned back to the door and went through it, confident they’d follow me.

As I came downstairs, Noah was carrying in Amity, with Gareth coming in right behind him. He laid her down on the couch, placing her head in his lap. I moved over to him as my parents trailed into the living room behind me, giving Gareth a wide berth.

“He’s ok. He’s one of the good guys.” I said to them before I knelt next to Noah.

“How is she?” I asked Noah as I pressed a hand to Amity’s forehead. He just shook his head. His eyes were haunted, underscored by dark circles of pain. I leaned toward him, pressing his forehead against mine. We sat that way for a moment before I heard Damien come in.

“I’ve moved him to your house Noah.” Damien whispered and Noah just nodded slowly. Damien moved to take up guard by the front door and Gareth crossed over to the other side of the living room, where he kept watch by the doorway leading into the kitchen. My parents looked completely lost in their own home, at a loss as to what was going on and why supernatural creatures were in their house.

“Mom, Dad…let me take you somewhere safe, and I’ll explain everything. I can’t protect you here right now.” I turned to them, and they just gave a small nod.

“Noah, are you ok to head back to your place?” I asked gently. I didn’t want to rush him. He had been attacked by a sister he thought dead and lost his father. All for me. I pushed that thought away. I’d wallow in guilt later.

“Yeah.” He replied, throat clogged with tears, but he wouldn’t give in to them.

“Mom, can you get up?” He asked Amity and she didn’t reply, just stood up.

“This is a horrible thing to say to future in-laws but I just want to get away from your house.” Amity stated, and then followed Noah out the front door.

The light in Harley’s room was diffused and ethereal, completely generated by candle light. I sat by her bedside, finally, having left Anna in charge of the people downstairs. I needed the quiet, the solitude of the room. Too much had happened, too much to process. Noah’s dad, Noah’s sister. Harley in a coma. Possibly no way to bring her back out. No way to sustain her without hospitalization, which put her in harm’s way.

I sat forward and slipped my hand into her lax one, hating that there wasn’t a return grip.

“What am I going to do? How do we move on from here? We’ve had casualties this time. Noah’s dad, you…I just don’t know how this is going to play out. What happened to our nice sedate life that we had, running the bookstore?” I asked Harley, not expecting an answer.

“You met me. I turned your life upside down.” Anna spoke quietly from the door. I wearily turned my head in her direction, and gave her a wan smile.

“Not you, Anna. This isn’t your fault.”

She moved to the bed and stood looking down at Harley, a silent tear coursing down her cheek. It seemed all we did lately was cry. How much more could we take?

“I know, but I can’t help but think how everyone’s lives would be different if I hadn’t walked into Written that day. Harley wouldn’t be in a coma, Noah would still have his father. His mother wouldn’t be heartbroken.” She trailed off, staring down sightlessly.

“I wouldn’t have Noah, you wouldn’t have Gareth, and you might actually be dead. We wouldn’t know Damien. There’s bright sides to every bad side.”

Anna looked at me sharply, her mouth dropped into an O of surprise.

“Wait. Did I just hear a pep talk from Teagan? I think I need to sit down.” Which is what she did, sitting down gently on the side of the bed. She reached out and took my other hand.

“I can be positive. Even after all this. I need it after this. It helps to make sense of all the tragedy.”

“Gareth is beating himself up, I know it. I can feel him. He’s doing the manly thing and patrolling the property with Damien, giving Noah time with his mother and your parents, but he’s hurting.” Anna replied and I smiled at the irony of it all. Everyone was blaming themselves but none of us seemed to be blaming the one behind all this.

“Everyone needs to stop blaming themselves and place blame where it belongs, and that’s with Padraigan. None of us have done anything wrong. Not you for walking into our lives, not Gareth for failing to kill Noah’s sister, not Noah, not me, not Damien. We are blameless. We’ve made mistakes, like me not protecting my parents, but this mess is on Padraigan. And he will pay.” I said matter-of-factly and Anna smiled back at me.

“You’re right. You’re absolutely right. Shall I leave you? I want to go give Gareth your pep talk.” She stood to leave, and I squeezed her hand one last time.

“It’s going to be ok Anna. We’ll make it ok.”

She gave my hand and arm a little shake, her light jade eyes glowing in the darkness with unshed tears.

“I know it will.”

Damien relieved me an hour later and I came downstairs. Noah was passed out on the couch, his mother leaning up against him. I walked over to them and put a blanket over them, not wanting to disturb them. I followed the hushed tones of my parents into the kitchen, where they both stood at the kitchen counter, coffee mugs in hand. My father, tall and trim, had his arm around my mother’s shoulders. They both jumped a little when I came in.

“Teagan, please tell us what’s going on.” My father asked, although I noticed he didn’t come towards me. I guess I couldn’t blame him. It wasn’t every day that you watched your daughter shoot balls of flame from her hands.

“Well, there’s things about me that you didn’t know.”

“It’s the witchcraft, isn’t it?” My mother asked, her voice tremulous.

“Mom, Dad, let’s sit down and I’ll try to explain.” I motioned them over to the table in the solarium. They moved, a little warily. I felt a stress headache start to pound. Great.

I sat across from them and started to talk. I told them about being able to control the weather and read minds, how old I was when I realized it. I told them about Harley too. They never knew either one of us was gifted, and after their initial shock, they took it all surprisingly well. Tom and Brenda Callahan were resilient people.

“So, you’re telling us that you can control weather. Literally can make it rain or shine?” My dad asked, and I nodded. He looked thoughtful for a moment, then frowned.

“How many little league games did you rain out?”

I hung my head. Guilty.

“A lot. I also caused snow days. That’s neither here nor there though. The rest of the story involves the other people here tonight.”

“You said they were vampires?” My mother asked timidly, absently raising her hand to the wound on her neck.

“Yes, two of them are, but they’re good vampires. They don’t…feed on people. And you won’t be turned Mom. Unless she gave you blood?” I asked, panic almost breaking through. She shook her head quickly.

“Okay, you’re fine then. I’ll fix you both up, and you’ll heal faster.” She looked relieved at that, and the panic lessened.

“Who are the other people Teagan, and what happened tonight? We were at home, then the doorbell rang, and I opened the door, and those two women came in and tied us up. Why did they do that?” My father asked in quick succession, so I explained about Gareth and Padraigan and their past and how we were all connected together now, family.

“And the other people?” My dad prompted when I didn’t answer his first question.

“Well Damien, the tall green-eyed guy with the dark hair and aristocratic features? Yeah, he’s a werewolf.” I nodded at their shocked expressions. “He’s Harley’s…boyfriend. I guess. Not sure about that one.”

“And the other man? With the older woman? Are they fairies? Or something else?” My mom asked sarcastically, getting back some of her gumption. I was much like my mother in some ways.

“The woman is Amity Jacobs. She lost her husband tonight in the fight. She’s a very powerful sorcerer, from a long line of them. The man is her son Noah. He’s also my fiancé.” I said, then flung out my hand with Noah’s ring resting on the ring finger. There was an audible gasp.

“You’re engaged! And you’re just telling us now? I wondered what that woman was talking about when she walked away.” My mom exclaimed, grabbing my hand and looking at the ring. My dad and I exchanged knowing looks. She had just spent part of the evening tied up at the mercy of a creature she never knew existed but she was freaking out about me being engaged. Typical.

“Why is the first time we’re hearing about him? Were you going to get married and not tell us?” Her voice was climbing and I tried to quiet her.

“Mom, please. I don’t want Noah and Amity to wake up. Yes, I was going to tell you. We were planning on having you and his parents meet next week, but, well, tonight happened.”

She quieted down, and my father looked around the room we were in. I knew what he was thinking before he even asked.

“This Noah. He a sorcerer too?”

“Yes he is and no he worked for the house. He didn’t weave a spell.”

He had the good graces to look a little ashamed, but recovered quickly.

“Then he can provide for you. That’s good.”

I gave him a wry look. “I can actually provide for myself, Dad, but yes, Noah is an architect and general contractor. He makes a good living. Now, I am very tired as I’m sure you are too. I’ll walk you up to your room. The house is protected, so don’t worry about that. Tomorrow we’ll bring you back home and set up wards to protect you there.”

They peppered me with more questions, quietly, as we went upstairs and I got them settled. Then I came back down to check on Noah and Amity. Noah was sitting up, awake, looking down at his mom.

“She ok?” I whispered as I sat on the arm of the sofa next to him. He nodded and drew the blanket up around her shoulders. Then he turned wordlessly and laid his head in my lap. I ran my hand through his hair, offering comfort and strength as he let out his grief. I cried with him, silently, until I felt his shoulders relax.

He sat up then, and looked at me, ran his hand up to cup my cheek. I leaned into it, closing my eyes at the feel of his skin against mine. It seemed like forever ago that we had touched.

“Noah, I’m so sorry.”

He shook his head, and when he spoke, his voice was hoarse from tears and yelling. “No, don’t be sorry. This wasn’t your fault. My father was there to help, he knew the possible danger. We just weren’t counting on the threat being from within. I think the shock of seeing her there is what got him killed.” He choked a little on the word, but then he cleared his throat and straightened up.

“Mom wants to do the stasis spell on Harley tomorrow.”

I stared at him in shock. I had let go of any hope of that happening and I told him so.

“She’ll be ok. My mom is real strong. She’s grieving, but she’s wants to help. Let her Teagan. It’ll keep her mind occupied.” Noah said, and I nodded. Then frowned.

“She needed your father to help her. Wait. Noah, you can’t.” I jumped to the correct conclusion.

“I can. And I’m going to. I’m not going to argue Teagan.” His voice held a note of resolution. I was shaking my head before his sentence was finished.

“I’m not going to lose you too. I can’t lose you Noah. Your father said it was dangerous, that’s why they didn’t want us to do it, because we have a life together to build still. Please don’t put that in jeopardy.” I begged. Amity stirred at the sound of my voice.

She sat up and ran a hand through her hair. Her eyes held the same pain that Noah’s did, but I could see the strength there, the resolution. Just like her son. She looked at me and smiled. I couldn’t believe she could smile at a time like this.

“Teagan, Ben would’ve wanted this. I understand how you feel, but Noah is adamant. Let him do this. He’s at least as powerful as his father, and I have faith in those powers. You should too.”

I felt a little chastised but the panic I felt for Noah almost consumed me.

“Amity, I’m sorry about Ben, but I don’t want to lose Noah too.” I implored. She smiled gently and stood up from the couch and moved to stand in front of me. She stared down at me, taking my cheeks in her hands. She leaned down and kissed my forehead, and I started to cry again.

“Thank you for protecting my son. I know that you’ll spend the rest of your life with him and you’ll protect each other. I’ve seen this. You’re the perfect partner for him Teagan, and I couldn’t ask for a better daughter-in-law. It was Ben’s time to go. Sadly, being betrayed by family wasn’t the way it should have been, but we’ll move on. Now, I’m going up to get some rest before someone comes in and steals the last bedroom. Noah, in the morning.” She said as she moved toward the stairs, and he nodded.

I stared at Noah, speechless.

“She’s good like that, my mom. She’ll be ok. We’ll all be ok. C’mere.” He motioned to me, and I slid off the arm and landed with a thump next to him on the couch.

“I want to be like your mom when I grow up.” I mumbled, still totally gob smacked by her grace and acceptance. Noah gave a tired laugh and put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me up against him. I wrapped myself around him.

“I think we all do.” He replied. We sat that way for a little, watching the fire as it dwindled down. Anna came in at one point and stoked it, then slipped back out and still we sat, wrapped in each other, watching the fire.

“We should get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be busy. Mom and I are doing the spell in the morning, then we have to figure out what the next step is.”

“What is the next step? Where do we go from here?” I asked, my voice plaintive.

“We take care of Harley. Then we kick Padraigan’s ass once and for all.” He replied fiercely.

“This ends soon. It needs to.”

“Yes. We have a plan, remember?” Noah reminded me, then tipped my chin up and kissed away all my fears. The plan. We had something to look forward to, and that was killing Padraigan for good.