Charmed & Deadly Read online

  After a few words to the investigators asking that they look after Garnout, I grabbed a taxi. I could have requested one of them give me a ride, but I didn’t really want anyone in my way. I lied and told them I had to run an errand. Cole was busy on the phone, so I didn’t have to explain anything to him.

  I snuck into Nox’s building, shielding myself from security, and made my way up the elevator. Then I used magic to break into his apartment. I know, I know, but this guy had most likely been the one to hurt Garnout, and as I’ve mentioned, all bets are off when you mess with my friends. There were several wards on his door, all of them easy to break. He hadn’t bothered to lock the door itself; I’m sure he thought the wards would be enough. In a matter of seconds, I was inside.

  The floors of the apartment were painted black concrete, the walls and furniture white. I’m sure it was trés chic, but it was boring. No personality at all.

  Luckily for me, he was still in bed. I love waking up evil warlocks.

  I stood at the end of his bed, which was on a short platform. Played his mind in fast-forward for clues. It didn’t take long. I saw flashes of him torturing women. I could have killed him for that alone, but there was so much more. He had conspired with demons many times. His goal was to take over the coven from his sister, and then Constantine’s coven. And he’d done whatever it took to make it happen.

  I could hear him talking to the person who tried to murder Garnout, but I couldn’t see the evil being. It had been smart enough to shield itself, but Nox had used the evil to go after my favorite wizard.

  I’d seen enough.

  “Wake up, asshole!” I yanked the white fur blanket off the bed and threw it on the floor. “Ewww. This is real. What did you do, kill a polar bear? That’s just sick.”

  He sat straight up in bed, hands flying out to throw something, but I stopped him.

  “Who the fuck are you?” He didn’t have any eyebrows or hair. But he did have a six-pack. Good waste of abs, if you ask me.

  I laughed. It felt good. “I’m the chick who is going to kick your ass.” I tossed him out of the bed with magical force up against the wall. Then I let go.

  “Bitch!”

  I snorted. “You have no idea just how big of a bitch I can be, but I’m totally anxious for you to find out.” I motioned to him to come toward me. “Okay, big, bad warlock.” I deepened my tone with my best sexy voice. “Come and get me.”

  The evil and anger surrounding him grew. His aura was almost black. The world wouldn’t miss this guy. Oh, his sister might, for a few moments, until she discovered the truth about her nasty brother. Even Lilyana had her limits. After watching her with Constantine, I knew she was basically a good witch, but she’d been steered down the wrong path by this jerk.

  “So when were you planning to kill your sister? Today? Tomorrow? Or were you waiting for her to get caught up in one of the street wars?”

  He watched me, but he didn’t move. “You are insane, witch. I love my sister.”

  “Oh, I seriously doubt you love anyone but yourself, Nox. I think you would use anyone to gain power, including your sister.”

  “Who are you?” He was still against the wall. Boring. I was ready for a good, old-fashioned battle.

  I rolled my eyes. “You already asked that, and it’s none of your damn business. I know about you conspiring with the demons and everything you did to poor Lilyana. I know everything, Nox.”

  He growled and jumped for me. Yippee.

  I ducked and threw a warty spell at him. Yes, it was a petty little spell, but it was fun watching his face as bulbous skin bumps popped out all over his body. This warlock clearly took great pride in his appearance and couldn’t stand imperfection.

  Then it dawned on me. “That’s why you wanted Lilyana dead. She’d consorted with the enemy. Tainted, she wasn’t fit to lead a coven. Right?”

  He sneered and then mumbled something. I threw up a shield, so whatever he tried to throw at me would bounce off and hit him.

  The spell must have been nasty. It put him flat on his back and turned him green. His body spazzed and twitched for a bit, then his mouth foamed. I heard him whisper a healing spell, but it was too late.

  Twitching, he raised a hand as if to throw something and then it fell to the ground. Dead.

  What an idiot. He’d just killed himself.

  “You killed him already?”

  Simone’s voice made me jump and I twirled around.

  The demon slayer stood in the doorway, her long hair pulled into a ponytail. The legs of her leather pants were in shreds and it looked like she’d been bathing in demon blood. Kind of smelled like it, too. A coppery scent flooded the room.

  She moved toward me. “Damn, Bron, I wanted to kill him. Rip him apart.”

  “Sorry, the idiot already killed himself by accident.” I told her what happened.

  That’s about the time Cole walked in.

  “Jesus, Bron, you could have told someone.” He bent down and looked at Nox, without touching him.

  “How’d you get here so fast?”

  He chuckled. “Had you followed. I was already on the way, once they told me you were outside this building.”

  “Did you know about Nox?”

  “Nah, but it explains a lot. So, he did this to himself?”

  “Yes, the idiot.” It’s awful but I wanted to kick Nox in the nads. I didn’t, but I really wanted to. “He ruined everything.”

  “We’ll clean it up. Why don’t you go back to the house and check on Garnout? Are you going to tell the sister?”

  Argh! Lilyana would have to know. It’s never easy telling someone about ultimate betrayal, but it had to be done. “Yep. I’ll tell her.”

  Monday

  9 a.m.

  What a night.

  When I came back, Lilyana had recovered from fainting earlier. I’d wondered if maybe we should feed her something before telling her the truth.

  I hadn’t absolved her of all guilt; it was under her leadership that the coven had broken the rules and attacked other covens. But I’d seen in Nox’s mind how he had manipulated her. She’d trusted the wrong man. I’ve done that more times than I care to remember.

  I checked on Garnout, hoping that since Nox was gone, the confusion spell would be banished. No such luck. I hate feeling helpless, but that’s exactly how I felt. I’m supposed to be one of the most powerful witches on the planet and I have no idea how to help one of my dearest friends.

  I called and ordered coffee and sandwiches from Zabar’s and had the food taken down to the basement. I watched. At first they tried to ignore the meal, but it didn’t take long. Lilyana wrapped her hands around a coffee mug and held it tight.

  I gave them another hour, and then I went downstairs.

  They hadn’t spoken a word while they ate, and Lilyana eyed me suspiciously. The investigators informed me that the couple had continued to argue once Lilyana woke up. Nothing had been settled.

  I sat down on the table between them. “Okay. You two still have things to work out, but there’s something you both need to know. I think the easiest way to do this is to show you what happened.” I shifted further back on the table and crossed my legs. I’d informed Cole, who had followed me into the room, of what I had planned to do.

  “I need you to move your chairs where you can each hold one of my hands. No funny stuff. I’m only showing you memories, and trust me, you both need to see this.”

  Constantine gave me a look that could have frozen a penguin on the spot. I sent him a mental message. “You need to be here for her.” He gave a slight nod and moved his chair in front of me.

  Lilyana followed him.

  I stretched out my arms. “Take my hands.” I wondered if perhaps I should give Lilyana some kind of warning of what she was about to see, but I decided I’d pull back as Nox threw that last spell.

  I grabbed their hands. Cole stood behind them both. We had no idea how either of them would react.

  Rewindin
g the memories I’d borrowed from Nox, I let them all play out. Lilyana gasped when she saw him talking with the demon who had attacked her, but she didn’t let go.

  Then she saw all of her brother’s manipulations roll out in front of her, one nasty deed after another. It made me physically ill to watch how he’d tortured witches and other women, so I could only imagine how she felt. At the end I began to pull away, but she held on, squeezing my hand tight.

  “No, show me.” She whispered the words. I could hear the sorrow.

  I didn’t want to do it, but I did.

  To her credit, she didn’t collapse. I think I would have, had I discovered the depth of a brother’s betrayal the way she did. I let go of both of their hands.

  Lilyana jumped up and ran for the corner. Leaning her hands against the wall she stood with her head down. It looked as though she was trying to catch her breath. I knew she was trying hard not to sob.

  “You’ve both been used. How you decide to move forward after this is up to you. But you will take your family feud off the streets of Manhattan, and you will find a way to heal my wizard.” My voice was calm, but firm.

  Constantine nodded. Then he walked to Lilyana and put his arms around her. “We will make it right.” She didn’t push him away.

  “Like I said, that’s up to you, but the violence stops today.” I scooted off the table.

  “Yes. It stops today.” Lilyana had obviously steadied her nerves. “How much longer will you keep us here?” She raised her head and faced me. “My coven will work to heal your wizard. Tell me what was done, exactly, and we will help make it right.”

  “We will work with them,” Constantine added.

  Lilyana held out a hand. “You have no reason to trust us. You can keep my powers bound if you wish. I will make a solemn oath to harm none. One punishable by death if I break it.”

  “Lil!” Constantine admonished her.

  She moved away from the comfort of his arms. “No. I will do this. Bind me, witch. I will do whatever you want.” I saw the contrition in her face and the need for redemption. Her brother’s crimes would weigh heavy on her for years to come.

  I knew it wasn’t necessary, but I did what she asked. More for her sake, than anything. She’d been corrupted by evil, and she knew it. The binding would work as a safeguard against hurting anyone else. The only time it wouldn’t kill her is if she were fighting back in self-defense.

  Constantine’s eyes narrowed as I said the spell, but he didn’t stop me. When we finished he took Lilyana’s hand.

  “Now bind the spell to me. If anything happens to her I have no reason to be here.” He bowed his head to her.

  “Con, no!” Lilyana cried. “You can’t do this. You know what my brother has done. Someone will have to pay for his crimes and it will be me.”

  “You don’t understand, Lil. The people who would want retribution are my family. If we bind ourselves, then the war ends today. They won’t risk killing you because it would also end my life.”

  She sobbed, and I have to admit it was pretty damn touching. But I had things to do and I needed to move this along.

  “Okay, Romeo and Juliet. Make up your minds. We’ve got a wizard to save.”

  Ten

  Tuesday

  London

  9 p.m.

  Totally weirded-out witches: 1

  Spells: 10

  S aving Garnout is going to be way tougher than I ever imagined. After Lilyana and Constantine made nice, they called in their covens to work on my wizard friend.

  We’d all gathered around Garnout’s bed. There were a ton of people in my parents’ bedroom: the most powerful members from both covens, Cole’s team, and even Simone and Caleb, who finally showed up a few hours before. Caleb hadn’t known I was in town until he’d heard about Nox’s death. I’d forgotten he was even in New York, but was happy to see he’d survived the coven wars.

  We chanted healing spells. I could see Garnout’s color was pinker and his breathing on track.

  Then all of a sudden a big wind hit in the middle of everything, like one of those West Texas dust devils. There was this crazy wind and papers flew everywhere, all of it taking place in the middle of the bed. At the time I thought maybe it was Garnout’s way of healing himself. Then someone shouted, “Come to me, darling!”

  Suddenly the wind went away, and so did Garnout. He just disappeared.

  Cole and his investigators are working on it, but it looks like some magical being whisked him up. I’ve tried every spell I know to find him, but nothing works.

  It’s so weird. I’ve failed him and I don’t even know what happened.

  On top of everything I had to make a quick trip to London to help the PM with some meetings. The world’s gone crazy and everyone wants to talk peace when that happens. The top dudes and dudettes of the world are setting up a series of minisummits to keep the conversations going.

  There’s also an enormous birthday party for Zane’s soon-to-be six-year-old niece, Zoë. She called me personally to invite me, and I couldn’t tell her no. The cute little moppet holds my heartstrings in her hands, and she knows it.

  Mom and Dad must have shown up right as I left. Cole called and said they didn’t seem surprised at all to find a load of strangers in their house. In fact, Mom is helping with the search for Garnout. They have become great friends over the last few years. She backed away from the craft years ago, but she still has amazing powers.

  After ridding Manhattan of its demon population, Simone is headed back to Los Angeles. Cole’s staying around to see if he can figure out what happened to Garnout, and to make certain the two feuding families keep the peace. There will also be legal and magical inquiries into the business dealings of the covens and the companies they run. Glad I’m not in the middle of that.

  I still haven’t heard from Sam. I’ve left a couple of voice mails and text messages and told him about everything that happened in New York. I even tried to send my mind out to him, but he has me blocked.

  I’m not worried, yet, though I am tempted to call Maridad. She’s Sheik Azir’s right-hand woman. When it comes to these rescue missions, she usually doesn’t know much more than I do, but she is good at keeping up with Azir. If I don’t hear from Sam tomorrow, I’ll definitely give her a call.

  I’ve been checking e-mail and catching up with the business side of life, paying bills and all that other fun stuff I haven’t been able to do for a while.

  I really miss Sam. You know how you have those crazy thoughts and wishes that are totally unreasonable, but you wish for them anyway? I wish Sam were here with a big tub of Cool Whip.

  Hmmmm.

  London

  4 a.m.

  My mother and father are insane. Mom just called and said Dad is on his way to Africa.

  “The camp where your brother’s been working was attacked by guerilla fighters and we think he’s been kidnapped.” (I think that’s what she said through the sobs.) She was genuinely scared and I felt bad for her.

  My brother can take care of himself, and I didn’t understand why my mother was in a sudden panic about him. I sent out my mind while we spoke, but my brother had me blocked. He was still on planet Earth, though. I might not be able to see him, but I could feel he was there.

  “Brett’s a big boy and he handles this kind of stuff all the time, Mom. Last time he was kidnapped they needed antibiotics, and the time before they held him for ransom so they could get money for a new hospital. It’s just the way they do business in that country.”

  Mom sniffled. “I’m telling you, this is serious. The nurse, Tiana, who works with him, says these rebels are vicious. I’m having one of my feelings again. This time I know I’m right. Something is terribly, terribly wrong.”

  It was too early in the morning for me to be my normally compassionate self, but I tried. “I can’t see him Mom, but I know he’s alive. He’s blocking me. If he were really in danger, he’d open up his shields and beg me to come save him.” As if. �
��But he hasn’t, so I know he’s okay.”

  “Do me a favor and keep tabs on your dad, too. I worry that I should have gone with him.”

  I yawned and stretched. I’d only been asleep for about an hour and a half when she called. I’d be knocking back the herbs today to stay awake. “I promise, I’ll check on Dad every few hours. He’ll be fine. Everybody loves him.”

  My dad has contacts everywhere, and I really wasn’t worried. If my brother was in trouble, he’d find him.

  11 a.m.

  I’d sell my cat, Casper, to the highest bidder for a Diet Coke right now. (Okay, the cat’s not worth much, but I really do need a Diet Coke.) I’ve been trying to stay away from the hard stuff, but I give up. I’m running on an hour and a half of sleep.

  This day has been beyond weird.

  When I’m home in Sweet, Kira and Margie play this game with me. Usually it’s after a few shots of tequila. It goes like this: one of us starts with the phrase “There was this one time when…” and then we tell some totally whacked but true story. After about an hour we are all on the floor laughing so hard we can barely breathe.

  I have a new story to add.

  There was this one time…when the prime minister walked in my room and I was naked.

  Argh! I’m not sure I’ve ever been more humiliated. Well, at least in the past twenty-four hours.

  Anyhoo, I was just about to step into the shower when I realized I’d forgotten my razor. I’d hit that point with the underarms where it simply had to be done, or else I might be mistaken for Joe the Gorilla’s new girlfriend. And the stubble on my legs could have been used to sandpaper off ten coats of varnish.

  I ran back out to my room just as the PM opened the door. I screamed—that girlie kind of “Oh!” that we do when someone surprises us naked.

  His hand flew to his eyes and he jerked his head back as if he’d seen something so horrible he might become ill. I mean it. Then he said, “Oh…oh, my,” and slammed the door.

  It kind of hurt my feelings. I mean on the one hand, gross—the British prime minister just saw me naked. Mondo embarrassing. But couldn’t he have at least ogled for a split-second?