Witchling Read online

Page 24

 

  As Delilah jumped to obey, Morio motioned me to Chase's side. "I think he'll be okay, but he's not going to be hiking around the woods today, that much I can tell you. What should we do?"

  I sighed. "Leave him here to watch Wisteria. Secure him with some sort of cover. Morio, aren't your kind good at illusionary magic?"

  He nodded. "Mekuramashi. The illusion-maker. I can fix it so Chase appears to be a pile of clothes. That way he can sit on the sofa and rest while we're out hunting. "

  "Good. Get him up there, then. I know where to look for Tom Lane, but I think he's in trouble and needs our help. We have to get to him as fast as possible. " I helped Morio gather Chase up and gently transfer him to the sofa. Chase was trying to hold on to his dignity. He glanced up at me, and I gave him a tentative smile.

  "Just sit here and rest. Everything will be okay. I've gagged Wisteria again. Apparently, floraeds are a lot like the sirens. Not a good thing when you're a human. " I fixed a pillow behind his head as Delilah joined me, taking Chase's hands in hers. I discreetly withdrew, leaving them to speak in private.

  I joined Morio, who was sitting at the table. "I guess we're about ready," I said. "What do you need for this spell of yours?"

  He shook his head and said in a low voice, "I just need my skull familiar, but I don't want her seeing it. What she doesn't know, she can't use against me. Can you blindfold her?"

  "Not a problem. " I sighed. "She's far more dangerous than I suspected. I had no idea floraeds wielded this much power. "

  "She's definitely not your typical wood sprite," he said. "There's more to this one than meets the eye. I tell you, Camille, we'd be better off if we killed her. This is a war, and she's on the side of the enemy. I think she can cause a lot worse havoc than this, and I don't want to see it play out. "

  I bit my lip. He was right. I knew he was and yet… she wasn't a demon or a rogue vampire or a harpy. She was one of the Faerie. Evil, yes, but it was hard for me to raise my hand against my own kind.

  But then again—was she really one of my own? She hated me for my human side, that much was obvious, but even had I been full-blood Sidhe, she'd find a reason to stand against me. Perhaps it was that I didn't know just how much more violence I could stomach. After seeing the skinwalker attack Trillian, I was running on empty.

  "I know you're right and yet… I don't know if I can do it. "

  "I can," he said, and I knew it was an offer.

  I bit my lip, wavering. But I was a member of the OIA and my father's daughter. If we decided to kill the floraed, it would be my responsibility to carry out the deed. I shook my head. "Let me think for a bit. We still may be able to learn more about the demons' plans from her. If we wrap her in iron cuffs and gag her, then she won't be able to do anything. "

  "If you try to wrap her in iron, you'll only be hurting yourself. " He was frustrated, that much was obvious, but then he shrugged. "Okay. We'll figure out what to do with her when we come back from looking for this Lane dude. Deal?"

  "Deal," I said, relieved that I'd bought a little more time to make up my mind. I blindfolded Wisteria. Morio focused on Chase, creating an illusion that the detective was a pile of clean clothes. Even with my Sight, I couldn't tell just what lay under the illusion.

  "You're good," I said, glancing at Morio.

  He cocked his head to the side, contemplating the illusion. "Not bad if I say so myself. " And then a sly smile stole across his face. "I'm good in other ways, too, if you're ever inclined to find out. Very good. You know, Svartans don't hold the trophy when it comes to passion. "

  Before I could say a word, he motioned to Delilah and headed for the door. Wondering if he'd meant what I heard, and wondering if I had the guts to find out, I followed.

  We set off in the direction that I'd been shown. Delilah glanced back at the house, a worried look on her face.

  "Do you think Chase will be okay?" Raindrops streaked her face, and she'd pulled up the hood on her jacket. Not only did she avoid lakes, ponds, and oceans, but she wasn't all that fond of rain, either.

  "I hope so," I muttered, gliding through the copse. "If he leaves Wisteria alone, and if nobody shows up at the house, he should be fine. Morio's illusion was pretty damned good. "

  The undergrowth was so thick that even with our advantages, it took us time to wade our way through. I wasn't too thrilled about leading the way, but since I was the one who knew where we were going, it didn't exactly take a genius to figure out that I was the best choice.

  "Morio, you've lived Earthside all of your life. How have you managed to keep your nature hidden from humans?" I asked, pushing between a huckleberry bush and a large fern. Water splashed in my eyes as a frond smacked me in the face, but with the pouring rain I barely noticed.

  "I was born in a small village—there are still villages in Japan—and lived there most of my life. My grandfather taught me at home, and I recently got my degree from an online accredited university. "

  "Are you out, now that the Sidhe have shown up from Otherworld?" In a way, our appearance had made things easier for the earthbound Fae and other Cryptos. It allowed them to come forward. It was exotic to be different now, and humans all over the world were suddenly in search of mysterious ancestors who might have originally come from Otherworld. Of course, the vampires and undead hadn't found the same acceptance yet, but that was understandable.

  He shrugged. "To some, but I don't announce it to the world. "

  "Are you sorry we showed up?" I asked.

  Close behind me, he answered, "That's a double-edged question. No, I'm not, because it was time we let humans in on our existence. And yes, I am, because it's turned all that is magical and mystical into a consumer circus. "

  I snorted. "Like it wasn't before? People have been longing for magic since the beginning of time. I think there's a universal memory that remembers the days when Otherworld was just a step away and before Avalon traveled into the mists. Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter… all of these books I've been reading tell me that my mother's people need us. They need to rediscover their sense of wonder about the world and to develop their own innate powers that all mortals possess. And perhaps we need humans to remind us of what it means to be frail, to be vulnerable. "

  "I think we can learn a lot from FBHs. Compassion is more of a human trait than one belonging to the Sidhe. Surely you would acknowledge that," Delilah broke in.

  I thought about what she said. Our mother had been fiery and quick-tempered, but she had a heart of gold. Our father was unusual among the Court and Crown in that he shared the latter quality. . "You may be right, little sister. "

  Just then, we broke through the thicket into an open meadow. Surrounded on all sides by a ring of cedar trees, it bore the markings of magic. A clearing, and one specifically dedicated to some deity or being, at that. I felt like I was trespassing as we entered the ring of trees. Toadstools formed an inner circle, and a mound of grass rose slightly in the center.

  "A barrow?" Delilah asked, frowning. "I didn't think the barrows were used much anymore, and I had no idea they were found on this continent. "

  "As far as I've read, most of them were abandoned during the Great Divide. But this—this one has the energy of a portal. Not an OW portal, though. Where are we? And what is this place?" I slowly advanced on the slope of grass, looking for any sign of an entrance. "I can almost hear argentine pipes. "

  And listening, I realized that I actually did hear music. There—whispering on the wind—a trilling melody so wrapped in magic that each note quavered in the air, alive and vibrant, bidding me to dance. My feet urged me to shed shoes and jacket and go skipping across the lea. I sucked in a deep breath and threw back my head, laughing, suddenly lighthearted and fancy-free.

  As I turned, Delilah leapt in the air and shifted into her golden tabby form. She began racing around the meadow, chasing after raindrops and imaginary mice. I vaguely felt that
I should stop her for some reason, but the music was so compelling that I turned back to the barrow. If only I could find the entrance, I could find out just who was playing those pipes.

  "Camille—Camille! Can you hear me?" Morio was at my side, a feral look on his face. I gave him the once-over. He was looking pretty good, that was for sure, and I became aware of a tingling that was focused somewhere below my belly button. In fact, my entire body was buzzing, and I realized that the only thing that would stop the itch was… I licked my lips and held out my hand.

  "I need you. Right now, right here. " I reached for him, my breath quickening as my pulse began to beat a staccato of desire that reverberated through my breasts, my stomach, my thighs. His dark hair and haunting eyes drew me in, and I wanted to throw him to the ground and climb aboard.

  Morio let out a low growl, and he took a step toward me. "Be careful what you ask for," he said in a husky voice. "Because I'll give it to you. I don't play games. You want me, you've got me, but there's no stopping once we begin. "

  I could smell his musky scent. He was primed and ready; I didn't have to see him naked to know that. The thought of him bearing down on me made me shiver with anticipation. My mind sputtered, asking me what the hell I was doing, but my body egged me on. I decided my brain could use a breather and shoved any last reservations aside. Not that there were many to begin with.

  "I don't want gentle. Take me here. Now. Forwards, backwards, any way you want," I whispered. Ready to explode, I shivered as his eyes glinted with a primal hunger.

  "Let's see how far you're willing to go," he said, and he was on me, grabbing my wrist as he fastened his mouth on mine. I fell into his kiss, melting in the raging fire that roared to life between us. He braced my shoulders, encircled my waist to pull me tight against him.

  I struggled with my dress, but Morio slapped my hand away and pushed me to the ground, shoving my skirt up as he yanked down his zipper. He tore open my shirt and sought my breasts, covering me with love bites that only fueled my need. As his dark eyes slanted dangerously, I felt myself being swept under by the wave of passion rolling through the meadow.

  And then Morio was ready, and I opened myself to him, sinking into the rich loam of the earth as he drove deep within me, thrusting with long, powerful strokes. I yielded to him, to the music, to my own need. All the pretense and reserve of the fox demon disappeared then, and his eyes gleamed as he threw back his head and let out a yip of victory.

  The music grew louder, and Morio smiled then, his teeth sharp and needlelike as his fingernails extended into claws. He nipped at my shoulder, and a glimmer of fear raced through me as it filtered through my sex-addled brain as to just how alien he was. Fae? In a sense, but earthbound and connected to the primal energy that permeated the world.

  Suddenly frantic and wondering what had gotten into me, I began to struggle, but the more I squirmed, the harder he got. As I fought to free myself, a backlash of energy hit me, and I surrendered, soaring higher than Trillian had ever taken me. I hovered, unable to breathe, wondering just who and what I was, and the scent of rain-drenched roses washed over me as I slowly sank back into my body, touching down with a sense of power that I hadn't felt in a long time. Immediately, I wanted more. Morio must have felt the increased desire, too, because he panted raggedly in my ear.

  "Stop," he said, his voice cracking. "We have to stop now—this is a glamour, and it's a dangerous one. " He forced himself to roll away, struggling to keep his hands off me. "Get away from the mound, get out of the ring of toadstools. "

  Startled by his angry bark, I scrambled to my feet.

  He leapt up, eyes blazing. "I said run—now!"

  And I ran. I raced toward the ring of cedars. The moment my feet passed the edge of the toadstool circle I felt as though I'd ripped myself out of some hedonistic womb. Stumbling to a halt, I dropped to my knees, my head pounding like somebody had taken a sledgehammer to it. My body had taken a pounding, too, but of quite another kind. As the world swirled around me, I sucked in several ragged, deep breaths, and reality slowly fell back into place.

  "What the hell?" I mumbled.

  From where I was, I could see Morio chasing Delilah. He suddenly vanished, and a mouse appeared where he'd been standing. Delilah flicked her tail and began stalking the rodent, paws slowly inching forward, whiskers twitching. As she pounced, the illusion broke, and Morio appeared, grabbing her by the scruff of the neck. He jogged back to my side.

  The moment he crossed the toadstool ring, Delilah began to shimmer, and he set her on the ground a few feet away, toward the cedar grove. As she shifted back, the surprise on her face made me want to laugh. Almost. Whoever had put up this barrier had done a damned good job of it.

  "Okay, what just happened?" Still flushed, I accepted Morio's hand, and he pulled me to my feet. As his fingers met mine, we sparked, and I realized that we had managed to tangle ourselves together all too tightly. We'd play havoc trying to unknot this web, that much was certain. Especially since we'd been attracted to each other to begin with.

  Morio held my gaze for a moment, then glanced back at the mound. "Sidhe magic, but different from yours. How many Sidhe stayed Earthside when Otherworld broke away and went into the mists?"

  I shook my head. "It was so long ago, no one knows. There are a lot of nature spirits here, and a lot of Cryptos were left behind—or chose to stay. We're related, but it's been a long time since the initial divide. Do you think this is where Wisteria makes her home?"