Gena Showalter - Intertwined 02 (28 page)

“It's no big deal,” Aden told him, trying not to waver on his feet. “I had things under control.” For the most part.

“Are you all right?” Mary Ann asked. “You look like you've been in a boxing ring. While playing with knives.”

For the first time, Victoria raked her gaze over him. She frowned. “She's right. Your clothes are torn and your skin is eaten up with bites and you…you smell divine.” Her voice lowered, husky with desire. “Shall I give you some of my blood to heal you?”

“No, thank you.” He didn't want to see the world through her eyes. Not that he minded. He actually liked it—when he wasn't seeing through Dmitri's eyes, too—but for the next couple of days, he needed to be in control of himself. “Were you able to get the tattooing equipment?”

She nodded, forcibly jerking her attention from him. Then she motioned to the vanity. There were tubes, vials and needles scattered along its surface.

“If you don't mind,” she said, prim now, “Riley is going to do the tattooing. It's going to hurt, and well, I don't want to hurt you.”

They shared a smile as Aden sank into the chair in front of the vanity. “I don't mind.” He wouldn't want to hurt her, either.

“Does it speak poorly of my character that I'm looking forward to this?” Riley strode to him and pulled a second chair in front of him. He busied himself with the equipment, asking, “How many wards do you want?”

“How many do I need?”

“As many as you can handle. Were the situation reversed, I'd cover myself in them. But these are permanent, you know? With vampires, they fade as their skin heals from the
je la nune
we have to prep the needles with to leave marks on them at all. Not so with humans. And no, I won't be using any of the
je la nune
on you.”

“Is the ink magical or something?” Aden asked.

“No. The designs themselves are spells. Well, anti-spells. You'll see swirling lines, but the lines are actually a series of words.”

Cool.

“Anyway, choose carefully, because you'll be stuck.”

He pondered his options. “We don't have a lot of time, so I'll give you two hours. How's that? Give me as many as you can in that time frame.”

“Six. I can give you six.”

“That seems like a lot for such a short amount of time.”

“I've been doing this for, like, a century. I'm very good. So. What do you want to be protected against? Mind control? Ugliness? Pain? Death? Anything you can think of, they can cast a spell for. Impotence. Love. Hate. Rage. Oh, and we'll have to give you a ward to protect your wards, so that they can't be tampered with, well, unless they…never mind, that's not important right now, but anyway, I guess that means we only have time for five others.”

“Wait. Go back to that
never mind,
” Aden said.

Riley sighed. “Wards can be closed with more ink, which negates their power.”

Aden arched a brow. Why would someone want to
negate
one? “Is there a ward that will keep me alive forever?”

“Yes and no. That's a weird one, and one we don't really have time to discuss. What I can do is give you a ward that will protect you from a death spell.” Riley's self-recriminating tone lingered long after the words were spoken.

“Can you protect Mary Ann and Victoria with such a ward?” Victoria had already told him the answer to that, but it couldn't hurt to get a second opinion.

“No. I could tattoo the ward on them, but the moment I finished, that ward would crackle and burn
away, rendering it useless since they've already been bespelled.”

Too bad. “Okay, then, I'll give you an hour to work on me, which means I get three wards. Then I want you to ward Mary Ann against some stuff.”

“Tattoos? I don't know about that,” Mary Ann said, nervously shaking her head. “My dad would kill me.”

No one pointed out the obvious. You had to be alive to be killed.

Riley nodded again, for Aden's benefit. She needed to be warded, therefore she would be warded. End of story. It would be one less worry for all of them. She'd realize that and cave, Aden was sure of it.

Riley held up a silver gunlike device. “So. Besides the ward to protect your wards, what two would you like, Majesty?”

“One against a death spell, like you said.” No question. And he was tempted to ward himself against hate. What if they bespelled him, and he thought he hated these friends of his? What if they cast a rage spell, and he injured his friends in a fit of violence? But in the end, he said, “Protect my mind.”

“Good. We'll start with that one. So far, the witches have wanted you alive. If they were to capture you, they'd probably try to scrub your head for information. This way, they won't be able to do anything like that. Now, take off your shirt.”

With a quick look to Victoria—she was watching him—Aden obeyed. Riley raised the device to his chest and got to work.

There was a constant sting, but nothing Aden couldn't handle. In fact, he could have taken a nap. And did. He closed his eyes, mind drifting, until he heard Riley curse under his breath.

Aden blinked his eyes open, suddenly noting the burning in his chest and the scent of sizzling flesh that saturated the air. He looked down. There was a tattoo on his chest, but lightning snapped over its surface, wiping away the color, causing steam to rise.

“You've already been cursed,” Riley said gravely. “Why the hell didn't you tell me?”

What? “I haven't. Believe me, I would remember something like that.”

“Well, the only other thing that would cause this kind of reaction is if you have a ward that
prevents
me from warding you.”

“I think I'd remember that, too.” But there was a niggling sense in the back of his mind, a sea of darkness, of static. “Maybe I'm having memory problems, though. I mean, I was thinking that I'd encountered static in Dr. Hennessy's mind yesterday, yet I can't recall even trying to enter his head.”

“Memory problems, huh?” Riley frowned, set the
equipment aside and stood. “Take off your clothes. All of them.”

He choked on his own breath. “Excuse me?” A shirt was one thing.
Everything
was another.

“You heard me. Strip. I'm going to check you for wards.”

We are
not
giving everyone a peep show,
Julian sputtered.

Nothing wrong with showing a little skin,
Caleb said.

“I think I would have noticed—”

Riley's severe head shake cut him off. “Not always.”

Still he persisted. “The girls—”

“Will turn their backs. Stop stalling. You don't have anything I haven't seen before, you big baby.”

Aden glanced over at the girls, and sure enough, they'd turned their backs. So, with a sigh and flushed skin, Aden stripped. Riley looked him over. Frowned again. Growled low in his throat.

“Damn,” he said as Aden hastily dressed. “No wards.”

“Did you check
everywhere?
” Victoria asked.

Meaning his family jewels? Aden's cheeks flamed.

“Yeah, I checked there. There are a few more places I need to look, though.” Riley checked behind his ears, in his hairline, under his arms. Still nothing.

With a push to his shoulders, Aden flopped back into the seat. Riley sat and lifted one of his feet, then the
other. Bingo, Aden thought, because Riley was shaking his head and studying both as if they held the secrets of the universe.

“How?” Aden demanded. “I would have known afterward, even if I wasn't aware during.” Wouldn't he? “Walking would have hurt.”

“No. You were warded twice, and one of them prevents foot pain. After you woke up, you never would have felt a thing.”

Dear God. There really
was
a ward for everything. “You mentioned foot pain. What's the other ward for?”

“Preventing you from being warded
against
mind manipulation. Which means whoever warded you wanted your mind malleable. Wanted to control you. Probably
has
controlled you. And if you're having memory issues related to your doctor, chances are good that he's the one who did the warding.”

Shock swept through him. Shock and fury. How would Hennessy have known to ward him? What's more… “Why would he do such a thing? What would he have wanted me to do?”

“We'll pay him a visit tomorrow and find out.”

If they were still alive, he didn't add, but they were all thinking it.

“As for now, I'm going to negate the mind manipulation ward by smearing the words. Then I'll give you
another antimanipulation ward.
Then
I'll give you a ward protecting your wards. That way, he can't negate ours like we're doing to his. Warning, though. Not many people want the ward protecting ward because it makes any wards you get now, as well as any you get later, permanent. And if another ward is ever added without your consent… Anyway, with you, with our circumstances, it's worth the risk.”

“Thank you.” Aden was still numb with that shock, still on fire from the fury. The dual sensations created havoc inside his head, the souls now equally numb and upset, demanding answers. “Will there still be time for the death-prevention ward?”

“We'll make time. Anyway, I'll leave the anti-foot-pain ward alone. You're gonna need it.” With that, Riley got back to work.

T
UCKER HAD NEWS TO SHARE
. News he knew Vlad would hate, but share he would. He had to. His blood vibrated with a need he couldn't fight.

Why are you doing this? Stop,
his mind screamed.

Truly, he couldn't. The need was too strong. He flew across the manicured vampire lawn, bypassing bonsai trees, skirting around black rose bushes. In the center of the property was a wide ring of cement poured in swirls to create an intricate design. Almost like a crop circle he'd once seen on the news. A strange electrical pulse rose from it, and birds and insects stayed as far away as possible.
Like I want to do.

As he had done a thousand times before, he stood in the center of the ring, unnoticed by the few vampires working around him, pulling weeds and digging in the dirt. They saw only the golden sunshine around him because that's the image he projected at them.

Perhaps they smelled him, though, because every single one of them straightened and sniffed the air.

Hurry
. Tucker planted his feet inside two grooves of cement. When his heels hit the back of those grooves, the swirls around him began to move. Whirling, inter-locking, separating, twisting. He continued to project sunlight, glaring bright…brighter…until the vampires looked away.

The center he stood upon began to descend, slowly, slowly, lowering him into the earth, into the darkness. No one would see the opening he left behind; he made sure of it. For a moment, as the sunlight illuminated the yawning pit below, he saw what awaited him.

Dead bodies littered the hard ground. In fact, when the metal finished lowering, one of those bodies was crunched, bones snapping. The smell…metallic, as if blood had sprayed. Rotten, as if the bodies were already decomposing.

He wanted to vomit. Was this the fate that awaited him?

Probably. That didn't stop him from stepping inside. Without his weight, the platform rose, higher and higher, finally closing the circle above. Darkness swathed him. Such darkness. He reminded himself that when he was ready to return, he had only to flatten his palms in the grooves on the wall, and the ring would open again. Until then…

“Who are these people?” he whispered.

Vlad, always awake, never sleeping, heard him. “They were unimportant slaves who outlived their usefulness, and you will dispose of them.” His voice was stronger, far less raspy than it had been during their other meetings. “The sight of them offends me.”

“Of course.” Tucker didn't even think about refusing.

“And you will bring me more.”

“Yes.” How was he supposed to do that?
You'll find a way. You want to please this man. You
have
to please this man.

“Now why are you here? I didn't summon you yet.”

Don't do this
. There was his other side, fighting, wanting to live a better, sweeter life, thinking things could be different, pretending he hadn't used his power of illusion to terrify an innocent family last night, letting them think they were covered in spiders and grinning while they screamed.

That had always been his favorite trick.

“Well?”

“I—I have news.” He told Vlad what he'd seen when he'd used his illusions to sneak inside the mansion. Vampires attacking Aden. Horrible monsters rising from those vampires, protecting Aden. Aden, petting those monsters, cooing to them. Asking them to return to their hosts, watching them obey.

“How did he not die before the beasts showed themselves?” Vlad asked, and as usual, his mild tone was somehow mind-numbingly frightening.

Tucker gulped. “He sprayed some kind of liquid on their faces.”

There was a rustle of clothing. “Liquid? From a ring?”

No longer pretending at calm, Vlad had sounded furious. “Y-yes.”

“And how did he win the loyalty of the beasts?”

“I don't know. No one knew.”

Before the last word left Tucker's mouth, Vlad was screaming. He must have been stomping around, ripping up stones and tossing them into the walls, because Tucker heard the grind of rock against rock, felt the rumble of the earth as everything around him shook and cracked.

He clutched at his ears, but it was too late. Warm blood leaked, that high-pitched scream having busted his eardrums. Sharp pain exploded through his head before lancing through the rest of him.

For once, the desire to flee outweighed his desire to please and he stumbled to the wall, feeling for the grooves. But a strong hand clamped on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.

 

T
HIS MIGHT JUST BE
her last day on earth, Mary Ann thought, then chided herself for such a morbid outlook.
Now that she'd fed from the witch, she felt better, stronger than ever before. No way she'd simply drop dead. She hoped. But she felt guilty, too, as she remembered how the witch had cursed and screamed at her, then wilted, silent.

How could I have done that to her?

And how could she return to the cabin? But she was returning, as soon as Riley finished tattooing her. Aden planned to possess the girl's body and try to time-travel into her past. Maybe…maybe Mary Ann would remain outside during the attempt. That way, she wouldn't take anything else from the poor girl.

Yes. Yes, that's exactly what she'd do, she decided. Victoria would simply assume Mary Ann was a coward, afraid to face so powerful a creature even though she had been warded.

The wards. Ugh. Mary Ann frowned. Unlike Aden, she hadn't wanted her tattoos on her chest. She hadn't wanted to see them every day, to know they were permanent, a part of her forever.

So, she'd removed her shirt—blushing like crazy and thankful she'd worn a pretty bra, even if Riley had seen it the night before—and given Riley her back. And dear God, getting them
hurt
. Like having fire poured straight into her bloodstream.

“All done,” Riley finally said. He sounded pleased.

She pushed to her feet, grabbed her shirt and strode to
the full-length mirror in the corner. Twisting, she saw two beautifully elaborate tattoos. One would protect her from mind manipulation, just as Aden had chosen, and one would protect her from mortal wounds. At least physical ones.

That second one wouldn't help if, say, her heart suddenly stopped because of the death spell, but Riley had insisted on that one, so that one she had picked. And it hadn't sizzled and disappeared, so obviously physical harm—like a stabbing—wasn't the way the death spell would kill her.

Apparently, for wards of that magnitude, the tattoo had to be
bigger,
so the second ward stretched from one shoulder blade to the other. God, her dad was going to
die.
After he murdered her, of course.

She pulled the tee over her head, wincing against the sharp sting as the material rubbed her sensitive skin.

“Ready?” Victoria held out one delicate hand.

She nodded and twined their fingers. A second later, the vampire had her teleported to the outside of the cabin. Victoria disappeared without a word, returned a few seconds later with Aden, disappeared again, then returned a few seconds later with Riley. She was getting better at the teleporting thing.

“Let's do this,” Aden said, his urgency catching like a virus. Everyone but Mary Ann pounded up the stairs.

“I'm staying out here,” she announced.

They stopped, looked at her.

Mary Ann studied Aden, and she couldn't help but wonder if this would be one of the last times she saw him.
You have to stop thinking like that
. He was such a beautiful boy. He was a natural blond, but he dyed his hair black. His eyes were multicolored, blue, green, gray and brown, each representing a soul, as well as Aden himself, and when those colors blended, his eyes looked completely black.

He was as tall as Riley and just as muscled. Where Riley was ruggedly appealing, dangerous, Aden was model handsome. His lashes were long and cast spiky shadows over his cheeks. His lips were perfectly pink and soft-looking.

“Everything okay?” he asked her, frowning with concern.

She loved him like a brother, and when she left this group, she was going to miss him terribly. “I just think it's better if I stay out here,” she said as Riley said, “Mary Ann's not feeling well.”

They shared a smile, though neither of them was amused. Last night, after he'd realized beyond any doubt that she was a Drainer, he had fallen silent. He had held her while she absorbed the witch's power, strengthening, and then, after Victoria returned them to his room, he had gotten back into bed with her. Still without saying a word. She hadn't spoken, either, though.

She doubted either of them had slept. They'd simply lain in each other's arms, knowing their time together would one day end.

With a sigh, she returned her attention to Aden. She stepped up, reached out and clasped his hand. His skin was warm, callused. “Good luck,” she said, “and be careful.”

He squeezed her fingers. “Always.”

“You were feeling fine a moment ago,” Victoria said with a frown of her own. “Are you…afraid? You shouldn't be. You're protected now.”

“Only against certain things.”

“Oh.” Victoria shook her head, long dark hair waving around her arms. She was a beautiful girl, the perfect match to perfect Aden. Pale, flawless skin, lips of the deepest scarlet. Eyes of sapphire blue. No wonder Aden had fallen for her so quickly and so hard. “I see,” she said.

But she didn't. Her expression had
coward
written all over it, just as Mary Ann had known it would. That was okay, though. This was better than Victoria knowing the truth—and trying to kill her.

So many death threats, she thought. And that she wasn't running, screaming for help, proved just how far she'd come.

Victoria and Aden turned and strode into the cabin.
Riley remained with her for a few seconds, watching as the pair disappeared.

“I'll be fine,” she assured him.

“I know.”

It was the first time he'd spoken directly to her today, and she relished the sound of his voice.

“Are you nervous?” he asked. “About tomorrow?”

She opted not to lie to him. “Yes. It just doesn't feel real, though. You know? I'm fine. I feel fine. How can I die?”

“I know,” he said again. “I regret that we weren't…together last night.”

Just then, so did she. She regretted so many things. She should have spent more time with her dad. Should have forgiven him sooner for how he'd lied about her mother. He wouldn't recover if he lost Mary Ann, too. He would be alone, no one there to look out for him.

She couldn't leave him like that. He might blame himself, tormented by thoughts that he could have done something to save her.

“I was trying to do the right thing,” Riley said, bringing her back to the present. “For you.”

“I know,” she was the one to say this time. “We've had a wild few weeks, haven't we?”

“We certainly have.”

“And I'm sorry, I really am. You wouldn't be in this situation if it weren't for me.” If she hadn't met Aden,
she wouldn't have met Riley, and if she hadn't met Riley, she wouldn't have spent every spare moment of her time with him, binding them closer and closer together, changing the course of his life.

“Hey. Don't talk like that. The one thing I don't regret is meeting you,” he said gruffly. “Never that.”

To be honest, she didn't either. He was one of the best things to have ever happened to her. No matter how this thing ended, she couldn't regret meeting him.

From inside the cabin, the witch cursed. At least she'd recovered from Mary Ann's draining enough to do so.

Riley sighed wearily. “I better get in there.”

“Okay. I'll be here.”

He leaned down and pressed a swift kiss to her lips, then strode up the rest of the steps and into the cabin, leaving her alone. Suddenly feeling just as weary as he'd sounded, she settled on the bottom step, elbows resting on her knees, chin resting on her upraised palms.

The sun was bright, throwing orange-gold spots in her line of vision, and the air warmer than it had been in weeks. She—her thoughts skidded to a halt as, in the distance, limbs rubbed together and brittle leaves crunched. She straightened, gaze homing in. Soon, a familiar face and form came into view. A boy. A football player. Tucker, her ex. He lifted a hand in a brief wave.

Mary Ann was on her feet before she realized she'd moved, mouth opening and closing, heart pounding.
She raced to him, praying he wouldn't bolt. The closer she came to him, the more clearly she saw him. He was so pallid she could see the blue tracery of veins beneath his skin. When they'd dated, he'd been beautifully tanned. Now his face was gaunt, as if he'd lost weight. His sandy hair was matted to his head, and his clothes were wrinkled and stained, ill-fitting. Torn, as if he'd recently been in a fight.

The moment she was within touching distance, she saw the scars. Small, round, side by side. Punctures. From vampires. They'd healed quickly—too quickly—no longer scabs, as they should have been, since very little time had passed since he'd been served up as an hors d'oeuvre at the Vampire Ball, but already scars. On his neck, his arms, even his face. No, wait. There was a fresh pair of punctures on his neck, beads of blood still leaking.

Not so long ago, she'd hated this boy for cheating on her. Then she'd seen him strapped to a table, near death. Her hate had drained, pity and fear taking their place. Just then, that pity and fear intensified.

“Tucker,” she said. “How did you find us? And what are you doing here? You should be in a hospital right now.”

“No. No, I have to warn you.” He grabbed her by the wrist and jerked her deep into the forest, so deep the trees hid them from cabin onlookers. He whirled on her, mouth opening to speak. He stilled, closed his
eyes, pressed his lips together. A smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “Peace. I had forgotten how wonderful I would feel, being this close to you again.”