Forever Changed (The Mystic Wolves) (14 page)

Something was wrong, very wrong.

I just couldn’t stay consci
ous long enough to stop it.

Chapter 14

Mason’s blurry face swam in my vision as I slowly opened my eyes. There was a momentary flash of panic as the room cleared. I wasn’t where I last remembered—at The Ink Bomb with everyone. Judging from the now familiar surroundings, we were back at Helena’s home, in the guest room she’d given us for our visit. That could only mean one thing.

The spell hadn’t worked. My powers had rejected the magic again.

Lifting my wrist, there was no denying it. The skin that once held the freshly inked Celtic knot was now bare.

“Damn,” I cursed under my breath, rubbing my finger over my unmarred skin. It was as if the marking had never existed, all of Chunk’s hard work gone. “Something tells me there’s no binding my powers.”

“I was thinking the same thing. Strike three and all that.” Mason leaned down beside me, resting his arm over my waist. Kissing my temple gently, I knew he was just as disappointed as I was. I hadn’t wanted to admit it, but this trip to Salem had felt like our last hope in keeping Julian away. The more I thought about it, the more there was only two options—run or fight.

“So, what do we do?” I whispered, snuggling into him to enjoy his warmth. He let out a heavy sigh, which wasn’t a good sign. When Mason acted like that, it meant the only thing he was sure of was that the answer wasn’t going to be easy.

“Let’s go meet up with everyone and discuss our next step. There has to be something else we can do.”

Neither of us moved. “How bad was the spell rejection?”

“Scary. You kind of convulsed on the floor, moaning. For a second I thought you were going to shift but the ink in your wrist started push
ing out through your skin. No one could approach you to try and comfort you. Once the tattoo was gone, you instantly calmed, falling into a healing sleep. When you didn’t wake up, we brought you back here so you would be comfortable.”

“How long have I been out?” I couldn’t imagine it being longer than a few hours.

“You’ve been dead to the world for about thirteen hours. I was starting to worry that something was wrong, but you finally stirred.” That would explain the fuzzy concerned look on his face when I opened my eyes, earlier.

I slowly sat up, Mason’s arm falling to the side. “We can’t waste any more time. Every minute we do, Julian is one step closer to finding me. We need to be prepared. I need to be more prepared. We can’t rely on silencing my magic, anymore. We need a new plan.”

“I agree. Now you’re up, let’s gather Devlin and Daniel and talk strategy.” Helping me stand, Mason wrapped his arms around me, again, brushing his lips over mine. “We’ll get through this. This was just one option. Try not to panic, okay?”

His comment made me laugh. “Reading my mind?”

“I don’t need to. I know you, sweetheart. You’re a worrier.”

“I love that it’s like that between us . . . that we know each other so well. It makes things so much easier.” Leaning my ear against his chest, I could hear his heart’s steady beating. “Thank you for loving me.”

“Always and forever, Darcy.”

There was a slight flutter within me, a stirring that reminded me my magic was still untethered. Not wanting another random flare, I focused on my breathing and squeezed Mason tighter before releasing him. “Time to get going.”

Grabbing his hand, we left the room, heading down to meet the others.

When one door closes, another one opens.
I thought, hoping whatever we next decided would reveal the answer.

The neighboring room’s door swung open as we passed, stopping me dead in my tracks.

This was definitely not what was I was expecting.

****

Using the front room as a makeshift office, I looked everywhere but at Devlin and Christina. Although I knew they had a close friendship and, at one time, there had been something between them, it hadn’t prepared me to actually see it with my own eyes. Passing by the room at the same time they were leaving together wasn’t what threw me.

It was seeing my best friend and uncle locked in a passionate embrace with someone—their kiss enough to turn me a million shades of red. Mason coughed, letting them know they had company. I’d wanted to hide. While I was excited to see that he wasn’t completely celibate, it was the first time I’d witnessed him acting on his desires.

Just the thought of how his hand was cupping Christina’s behind and his other hand fisting her hair heated my face again. Vampires were sexual creatures—it shouldn’t come as any shock—but for some reason, I still couldn’t look him in the eye.

Mason thought it was hilarious, teasing me through our connection. Christina stood awkwardly by the door, while Devlin didn’t even bother to hide the small smirk on his face. Only Daniel had no idea what had transpired, so it was his comment that broke the silence.

“Okay, ‘fess up. What’s the joke?” Glancing at everyone, he folded his arms across his chest, waiting. “Obviously I’ve missed out on something, so what happened?”

I knew I was being silly, but I didn’t answer. Instead, I sunk deeper into the plush couch, wishing it could swallow me whole.

“Darcy?”

“Nothing,” I squeaked.

“Mason?”

“We, ah, saw something that kind of . . .” He started laughing again, and I was tempted to throw the yellow brocaded pillow at his head.

Daniel frowned, clearly more confused than ever. “You saw what?”

Devlin let out an exasperated sigh. “She saw me kissing Christina.”

“And?”

“What do you mean ‘and’? Isn’t that enough?” I retorted.

“So, what? I don’t see what the big deal is.”

“Neither do I.” Devlin chuckled. “And, if it bothered you, you didn’t have to stop and watch.” He winked, mortifying me further.

“It didn’t bother me!” I said defensively. “And I sure as hell didn’t stop and watch.”

“Sweetheart, you sort of did,” Mason interrupted.

“Out of shock!”

“What’s so shocking about a little kissing?” Daniel teased. “Was he bad at it? I always thought Devlin might slobber.” Even though Christina had wisely stayed out of the conversation, she muffled her amusement behind her hand.

“I’ve received no complaints, thank you very much.”

“Maybe because you drown your dates in spit!” Daniel threw back.

“Enough!” I yelled. “Can we please change the subject before I throw up?”

“I’m just saying, Darcy. I don’t see what the issue is.” Daniel wasn’t going to let this go.

“Because he’s my uncle, that’s why. It’s just weird.”

“No weirder
than me watching my niece constantly making out.”

“I do not!” I fired back.

“Uh, honey. We do,” Mason confessed.

“You’re not helping.”

“None of this is helping.” Christina finally spoke up, crossing the room to stand beside me.

“Thank you.” It was good to have someone else try and redirect the conversation.

“You’re welcome. And, by the way, Devlin is one hell of a kisser . . . as well as other things.” She winked at Devlin who burst into laughter.

If there was any justice in the world, I prayed the floor would open up and help me disappear. “You guys are killing me.” That simple phrase was enough to sober everyone. All joking aside, it was a painful reminder that there were bigger problems than my squirminess over Devlin’s bedroom activities.

“Okay, now we’ve thoroughly embarrassed Darcy, we need to decide what our next step is.” Taking a seat on one of the couches, I sat beside Mason, resting my hand on his leg. The others followed suit, getting comfortable on their own leather chairs. “Does anyone have any ideas?”

“I talked with Helena and she’s baffled over why the tattoo didn’t work. She believed it was foolproof. Combining the ingredients, the coven’s magic, and the Celtic knot should’ve taken care of the problem,” Devlin answered.

“Does she have any other spells we can try?”

Devlin shook his head. “Nothing of that strength and caliber. She thinks the binding is impossible because Darcy’s magic is too strong. It was easier when she was younger, but now she’s an adult and it can’t be suppressed.”

“I thought the same thing. We may need to stop trying to control it and figure out a way to use it.” I chewed on my bottom lip, trying to find the words for the thought that was slowly forming. “I don’t think it’s wise for us to put all our eggs into one basket, so to speak. We’ve been trying to stop Julian sensing me, but let’s face it. If we haven’t done it by now, it’s too late. He’s on his way. It’s only a matter of when he chooses to strike. We’ve been practicing self-defense techniques, ways for me to fight back if it becomes physical, but I need to know how to use my magic—unpredictable as it is. The more I think about what you told me, Devlin, the more I’m worried he may just use his own abilities to control the situation. He’s this powerful witch. I need to be prepared for his magic.”

“He won’t hurt you, though. I’m sure of it. He needs you to complete his quest for immortality.”

“But he can hurt you all to get to me. I think just the same as training me to fight, I need to be trained to at least harness my powers.” I took turns looking at each of them. They couldn’t argue with my suggestion. It made too much sense to ignore.

“I agree,” Mason added. “I won’t lie, I was hoping we could simply hide you from him; but with this new turn of events, we’d be fools to ignore this opportunity. How difficult would it be for Darcy to learn to harness her gifts?”

“It would take more time than we currently have.” Devlin rubbed his forehead, thinking. “I talked with Vivien about it, as a possibility. Ideally, having Darcy in complete control would be perfect. We already suspect her magic rivals some of the strongest witches we know; but she hasn’t had the training needed to grow into her talents. We’re talking years here, not a few short days.”

“I can show her some basic spells,” Christina spoke up. “She doesn’t need to know the lore just yet. I can teach her the fundamentals and take it from there.”

I’d forgotten that Christina was also a witch and I nodded, liking the new plan. “I agree. Something is better than nothing.”

“Okay, so it’s agreed. Devlin and I will keep training you to fight and Christina will help with your magic.” Mason’s body relaxed, somewhat, beside me. He was a man of action. Sitting around clueless, waiting for an attack, wasn’t his style.

“What can I do to help?” Daniel asked.

“Target practice?” Devlin chuckled, cocking his eyebrow. Mason whistled low under his breath, waiting to see how his best friend retaliated.

“Whatever.” Flipping him off, Daniel rolled his eyes. “Maybe I can do more research, ask around. I agree that the chances of Julian already being on his way are high.”

“I wish we knew more about him. Like, is he working alone? Or will he be bringing others to do his dirty work?”

“What we need is more information,” Devlin agreed.

Suddenly I had an idea. I scolded myself for not thinking of it sooner.

“Honey, pass me your cell.” Holding out my hand, Mason pulled out his phone and dropped it onto my palm.

“What are you thinking?”

All eyes were on me as I began dialing a number. The person picked up after the third ring.

“Hey, Mom. I need a favor.”

Chapter 15

Staring down at the address my mom had texted to me hours earlier, I studied the wrought-iron fence in front of us. “This is where he lives. Mom said he would be expecting us.” I looked around for an intercom to alert the owner we were outside, but couldn’t find any electronic box.

“And she thinks he can help?” Mason asked, scanning up and down the perimeter.

After talking with my mom, we immediately packed and boarded Zane’s private jet and flew across the country, landing at a small, private airstrip in La Jolla, California. One look at the affluent coastal area of San Diego told me the residents here had more money than I’d seen my entire lifetime. What better place to hide a wealth of treasure than amongst the rich? I hadn’t met many dragons, but I didn’t doubt my mom’s message that this was where we would find Mikey.

“He told me he liked collecting gossip, stories, and information about people. If there’s anyone in the world who might know something about Julian, I’d bet money it’s him.” Spying a video camera, I waved and gave it my best smile.

“The nail guy from the wedding?” Daniel asked, full of doubt. It had surprised me as well when I’d met the young man and found out who he was. When Mikey had shared how the gods granted him the gift of flight, transforming his body from a simple koi fish to majestic beast as a reward for his persistence in wanting to fly, it had fueled my admiration. It wasn’t every day someone who embodied a legend sat across from me. With his easy-going manner and jovial personality, there was no doubt in my mind; my new dragon friend would be able to at least point us in the right direction.

“I should’ve thought of him.” Devlin nodded, spotting the device, as he stepped forward to peer into it. Our arrival had sparked the attention of someone because there was a soft click as the lock opened. Getting back in our rental car, the gates swung wide, allowing us to enter, before quickly closing behind us.

“Hopefully we’re not disturbing him. My mom said after the wedding, he came straight home. Something about his coming to help me that day as a special favor.” The driveway was long and windy, taking us further away from the street and deeper into the spacious property. The house hadn’t be visible from the road, a thick swathe of trees blocking the view and, even though we had gone some distance up the asphalt path, I still hadn’t caught even a glimpse of it. I understood the need for privacy, but as we continued driving, it seemed a little extreme.

“Wow, this driveway goes on forever,” Mason murmured, staring out the window. “Are you sure this is the right address?”

“We could be heading to our death. To the lair of a serial killer or something,” Daniel added from the front seat.

“Not helping, smart ass.” Devlin gripped the steering wheel, concentrating on finding the house. “Some people like the solitude. It shouldn’t be much longer; I can see a break in the trees coming up.”

Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. I’d only met Mikey once, and here I was about to ask for more help. My mom assured me that when she called him, he was more than happy to offer any assistance he could. Even when she mentioned I’d be coming with a small group, he’d simply replied the more the merrier.

“I have a good feeling about this, sweetheart,” Mason whispered in my ear, kissing my hair.

“I hope so.” The car finally broke through the heavy trees, revealing a small wooden house. At first glance, it couldn’t have been more than one or two bedrooms, a crooked chimney emitting smoke from the slanted rooftop. There was a large window in the front with tinier ones along the sides. I had a fleeting thought that one good wind would level the pitiful structure, and I burst out laughing. “Wow, talk about anti-climatic.”

Devlin quickly parked and we all piled out.

“You’ve got to be kidding me, right?” Daniel shook his head, not sure what to believe. “This is not what I expected a dragon’s home to look like.”

“Appearances can be deceiving.” An unknown voice caused us all to jump, Devlin and Christina instantly reaching for their weapons. “Stand down, Enforcers. My name is Sheldon, and I’ll be the one escorting you to meet Mikey.

Sheldon was an older, silver-haired gentleman, with a slight hunch to his body. He moved slowly and reminded me of the butlers I saw on television shows, loyal servants to their masters. “Again, appearances can be deceiving. Be careful how you judge, young one.” His eyes changed color, shining a brilliant gold that revealed he wasn’t human, but rather something else. Raising his hands in submission, he inclined his head out of respect. “No need to fear me. Your weapons won’t be needed.”

Turning to look at Devlin, I saw him cautiously sheathe his dagger.

“If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you the way.”

“Do we trust him?” I uttered from the corner of my mouth.

“We’ve come this far. He looks harmless enough,” Mason answered.

“My name’s Darcy
,” I greeted, staring at Sheldon.

“I know. Come with me.”

We entered the small home, the guys ducking to fit beneath the doorframe. It was just as I assumed, the front room was cramped with our large group, even though it was sparsely furnished. The decor was simple, reminding me of a ‘70s sitcom, and it baffled me. It definitely wasn’t what I expected from a dragon. Legends told of their obsession with riches, beautiful things, and treasures. Even with Mikey’s thirst for knowledge, this was surprising.

“Will he be joining us here?” I asked, noticing Sheldon didn’t stop but continued to walk toward an arched entryway across the room.

“Follow me.”

Mason held my hand tightly as we moved through the kitchen area and down a set of stairs located at the back of the house. I had no idea where they led. From all appearances, the rickety building looked to be only one level. At the bottom of the steps, Sheldon punched a string of digits into an alarm box, adding fuel to my already growing curiosity. I desperately tried not to envision scenes from Silence of the Lambs. There would be hell to pay if, behind the steel doors that were sliding open, we found a body suit made from skin.

“Almost there.” Sheldon didn’t wait for questions, he could obviously read minds, and, instead, hurried down a long corridor to the next set of doors—an elevator.

“Umm, before we go another step, you need to start explaining.” Mason placed himself in front of me, Devlin and Daniel flanking him.

This didn’t insult or intimidate the older gentleman. If anything, it amused him. “I did warn you about judging appearances. Are you wanting to talk with my master or not?” Having already pushed the button, there was a loud chime as the carriage reached our floor. Sheldon stepped in and to the side. “Are you coming?”

Fully committing, I entered the elevator, trusting my mother wouldn’t intentionally lead us into danger. As we began our descent, I tried to imagine what would be greeting us when we reached our destination. The above building was obviously a ruse, Mikey making his home not in the hills of La Jolla, but beneath them.

As the carriage began slowing down, Devlin whispered. “Be prepared for anything.”

When the doors slid open, a dazzling reflection danced in front of us, the surrounding lights playing off the shiny reddish-orange scales. In all his dragon glory, Mikey’s bright yellow eye
s blinked as he gave his best sharp-toothed grin.

“Welcome to my home, dear friends. It will be my pleasure to help you.”

****

There was an honest-to-goodness dragon in front of us.

“Mikey?” I asked timidly, even though I knew it was him. I’d recognized his voice.

“Yes. Sorry I have to greet you this way, but there was no avoiding it. Every few months, I must spend a week in my true form, hence the reason why I live below ground in these cave-like rooms. I actually should’ve made my transition sooner, but I couldn’t resist coming to your home and meeting you on your wedding day.” He winked at me, or at least that’s what I thought he did.

He was at least twice the size of the Hummer from Salem, his body completely dwarfing us and casting us into a shadow. I wanted to reach out and touch his scales, to see whether they were as cold as I expected. He was absolutely magnificent to look at and I had a hard time not staring.

“You won’t eat us, will you?” Daniel blurted out. Mason slapped him upside the back of the head, silently chastising him. “What? We’re all thinking it.”

Mikey’s laugh was deep and throaty with a slight growl at the end. “I’d forgotten you had a such a sense of humor, young wolf. By all means, relax. While you reside in my domain, you are completely safe. From both me and Sheldon.”

Everyone turned to look at the quiet man standing with his hands behind his back. “From Sheldon?” Daniel asked.

“He’s by far the more dangerous of the two of us.” The older man cocked his eyebrow and subtly nodded. It made me even more curious to know who, exactly, he was and why Mikey had him for his servant.

“So many questions, but not every one of them has an answer. Or, at least, an answer you are ready to hear. Maybe we should deal with the most pressing question?” Mikey lifted his heavy body and sat back on his hind legs.

“Yes, we wanted to talk to you about the person currently threatening Darcy,” Mason answered, his head tilting backward so he could continue to look into the dragon’s eyes.

“That is number two on the agenda. First, yes, you may touch, young one.” His comment was directed at me, letting me know he’d guessed my thoughts. “Don’t be shy.”

Hesitantly, I stretched out my hand and gently laid it over the shimmery scales. They were cool to the touch, but what captivated me was the incredible power I felt thrumming below my fingers. I hadn’t felt it when he was giving me a manicure, holding my hand in his. Mikey had been like any other person. But, seeing him here, in his true form, there was no denying the ancient magic he possessed. My own responded, testing his resistance, wanting to get a small taste of it. I expected my wolf to be on guard, but she was completely at ease. Obviously some kind of accord had been struck between the two beast natures, and she felt no threat. I took it as a positive sign that we were safe.

“You are so beautiful,” I murmured, impressed at the way each scale was unique with its own pattern and shade. Each plate was like miniature armor, yet surprisingly flexible. His skin rippled slowly as my hand brushed over his body. “I had no idea. Thank you.” I bowed my head with respect. It was one thing to be cheeky and joke around with Mikey when he was human, quite another when he was like this. He was so dignified—the polar opposite of the irreverent jokester from days ago.

“Very few are afforded such an honor, Darcy O’Connor. I sensed an incredible power within you when we first met. I’m glad to see my instincts didn’t fail me. Your mother explained the predicament you’re facing with this Julian Blackwell who hunts you. Whatever you need from me is yours. Consider it my gift. Sheldon can show you to my great libraries and assist you in finding the appropriate volumes of knowledge. You may also ask me any question you have, so long as you allow me to remain as you see me. Unfortunately once I shift, I must stay this way until the week is complete.”

“We don’t want to be an inconvenience to you. Truly,” I said, joining the group. “I’m just grateful you were willing to open your home to us. Anything that can help us deal with Julian is appreciated.”

“I knew I liked you for a reason. You have such good manners. Just like your mother.”

“If it’s okay, we’d like to get started; we’re not sure how much time we have,” Devlin spoke up.

“I think the best place to begin would be with my journals. I developed the habit, centuries ago, of recording everything I heard when interacting with people I met. His name seems familiar to me; maybe you’ll find your answers there.”

“Come this way, I’ll show you where the books are kept.” Sheldon came forward and gestured to an entrance on our right. From where I stood, I could see ceiling to floor bookcases. The reader in me desperately wanted to go explore, but Christina soon squelched that idea.

“If you don’t mind, maybe I can get started on Darcy’s magic lessons while you guys search.”

“Fabulous, I’ll accompany you, as well. Maybe something will spark a memory or something, ”Mikey added.

In agreement, we parted ways—the guys to the right and the rest of us to the left, into a large cavern that allowed Mikey room to move about without fear of destroying furniture. Just one glance removed my previous thoughts about the rickety building upstairs.

This was truly a dragon’s lair, exactly what I would imagine.

****

“Breathe, Darcy. Relax and focus. When you’re ready, try again.” Christina’s voice was calm; the opposite of my own frustrated one.

“I don’t see the point.” Staring hard at the candle in front of me, no matter how much I glared at it, the wick remained unlit. “Unless you want me to turn Julian into a human torch, shouldn’t I be learning something more useful?”

“Patience. There’s wisdom in the young Enforcer’s methods,” Mikey gently prompted. It had been like this for the past hour. Christina would encourage, I grew more discouraged, and Mikey added snippets he thought might help. After each failed attempt, I tried to steady my frazzled nerves and seek the peaceful center Devlin had shown me. My problem was that I was too impatient for my own good.