Magic Rising (26 page)

Deirdre took a deep breath, knowing Tech was right about the Colinsters but still not believing anyone would try to start an institution like Stone House again. Times had changed and people were eager to call social services over anything these days. Never mind the high-powered help it would take to make people disappear into a system where everyone had a social security number.

When Deirdre had attended the school, Social Services had been called a few times from external events like the martial arts meets she’d attended. It never helped much except causing more work for the students and more death threats. Odds were Stone House had paid off a few social workers to keep things running smoothly. Maybe they could pull off another Stone House.

The folder sat on the table, her fingers touching it. She glanced around the library and saw Tech coming in with a square plastic-wrapped contraption. He’d done all this for her, so she had to look at it.

She skimmed the early pages, glancing over commendations from Scorpion’s superiors. Her mother had been amazing, going undercover and always coming out unscathed. Aidena had lived an exciting, wonderful life. Well, until she became pregnant with her curse and became Scorpion.

Deirdre knew something of her mother’s past, but at the moment, she had to know about her death. It would shed some light into Scorpion’s true feelings about her daughter. Maybe the FBI knew when her mother died and where. The body in the old bedroom was her mother, but then who did they burn on the funeral pyre? When did she return to Stone House? Who set the fire there?

Deirdre skipped through the jobs Scorpion had been on before the stint at Stone House, then she found the truth about her mother. The case was her last assignment and everything Deirdre had questioned fell into place.

My mom?

Her breath came hard and suddenly the large library felt claustrophobic. The books were too close, the air stale. It was too much like Stone House, surrounding her, trying to keep her. She ran by Tech, finding the exit beyond the pool and the cool night outside.

The edge of the wall came up and she ran along its side, wanting away from everything and everyone. She kept going, running to the furthest point on Mooney’s lot. She couldn’t cry now, not now, so she let the emotions go, waiting for blissful numbness to take their place.

Her mother had risked everything for her ungrateful daughter. The hard reality was on the paper, left for her soul to absorb the sin. Every minute of her mother’s pain in Stone House had been Deirdre’s fault. There was no way to deny the truth when even the dumb-ass government had it listed in black and white.

Deirdre hadn’t found the part about her mother’s death. It was bound to be lurking in the back pages, ready to come up and show Deirdre exactly what kind plague she’d caused in her mother’s life. For now, she’d already learned too much.

Aidena Flye had been assigned to go undercover at a school called Stone Gardens, House and Preparatory College. There she’d played her part, acting the good soldier, doing anything necessary to bring down something she’d considered immoral and illegal, until she got pregnant.

Aidena tried to escape but Deirdre ended up in the hospital. No details were given as to how Deirdre ended up in the hospital. Questions were raised as to the care Aidena had been giving Deirdre. When Aidena returned to the school, all charges were dropped.

The leaders there made her stay because of Deirdre, because they would kill Deirdre and her mother would’ve walked through hell to prevent that. Aidena went through hell trying to keep Deirdre safe.

The date from the last reports on Aidena and Stone House were given two months after Deirdre watched her mother die on the field. Scorpion had reported back to the FBI. Aidena Flye had regained her life.

Deirdre went to her knees, falling back to her butt and leaning against the rear wall. The autumn wind went by, filling her with the mixed scent of salt water and fading summer. With it came the feeling of darkness. Niam couldn’t be here, but she felt him, wickedness on the air.

She didn’t try reaching out with her senses. She was too tired. In fact, she tried to block out the building pressure around her. Niam wasn’t supposed to be able to reach her here.

Was it possible? The stories about his powers. The burning hand hadn’t been an exaggeration
.

She touched her stomach gingerly, the flesh beneath still tender. The salve she’d put on it didn’t help, not that she’d expected it to. Even the shallow cut on her chest ached, as if everywhere Niam touched became painful.

Ignoring the problem wouldn’t make it go away. She tapped into her inner resources. This wasn’t the time to be weak. She had to face this, lash out and destroy what tormented her.

Deirdre slowed her heartbeat, listened to her breathing. She reached, trying to pinpoint the rising evil on the air. She needed a location or at least a proximity to the house. When she reached, it felt as if Niam was all around her. She found no single source for the dark sensations but it seemed to be everywhere.

“Are you here?” she whispered, hoping the stories weren’t true. There was no such thing as magic, no soul stealers.

I am here.
He spoke through her thoughts, the sound not coming from her ears only her mind.
I have you in my gazing ball.

“Why are you hunting me?” She gripped the wall, feeling the cold rock in her hand, but something had changed. The wind no longer touched her skin and all the normal noises from the outside had diminished to a low muffled chirp of crickets.

I need the girl.

“You can tell Tamara that the girl isn’t going anywhere. She’s going to have a normal life, not some sick shit like at Stone House.”

My dear, I don’t work for Tamara Haas. I thought you did
.

“What?” She wasn’t prepared for that. “Get out of my head.”

You honestly aren’t hunting the girl for Tamara?

“I told you that I wasn’t.”

I wished I’d learned this earlier. Many things have changed then. Meet me at midnight, back at Stone House. Come to the basement
.

“No.”

She didn’t know how he could do this. The ceremonies weren’t real, only disguised murders. People didn’t have supernatural powers. None of this was real. That’s it. Deirdre decided that she’d finally lost her mind. The burning touch, the mind connection, none of it could happen. This was the real world with taxes, high gas prices, breakfast cereal, and cell phones. Magic had no place here, no hold. Niam and his kind never had any abilities.

“I’ve gone insane.”

Deirdre looked down at the surrounding dirt and found darkness, deeper than the night touching half of her body, and there the feeling of ice settled into her flesh in a half circle, as if darkness from a sphere enclosed part of the air. Above, the stars appeared hazy, barely visible through the dark fog that had crept over her. If this wasn’t real, it was damn close. That meant Niam wanted to fight her on his holy ground.

“I can’t go there again.”

Do it or I’ll send my men for Lora now
.
Meet me in the basement
.

The basement was where the ceremonies took place, the awful blood-spilling sacrifices. She didn’t want to go there, see the marks carved into the stone where so many had lost their lives.

“I never thought the gazing ball was real. Never believed in any of it.”

Meet me at midnight. Hurry. You don’t have much time. I promise no interference. My men will stand their ground and not open fire. You have my word.

Deirdre sat there while the feeling of ice vanished, leaving her skin tingling. Niam had broken the connection. The sky regained its earlier brightness and fresh wind blew through her hair. Sounds also returned and she heard rushed approaching footsteps. Coming toward her were Tech and Sabrine, leaving Gladys and Lora alone inside.

“What the hell are you two doing?” Deirdre stood up, hoping they hadn’t seen her out here talking to herself. “Both of you can’t be away from our clients at the same time.”

“It’s okay,” Sabrine said. “See?”

Sabrine pointed to the lanai where Deirdre could make out the outline of Gladys. Deirdre couldn’t see Lora clearly, but Gladys watched someone by the pool. It had to be Lora.

“Deirdre, are you going to tell us what’s going on?” Sabrine looked at her then touched her arm as if making sure she was real. “I looked outside but for a minute, you looked strange. Like a bad projection. Not real.”

There wasn’t an easy place to begin. Her childhood would be too much information but telling them to protect Lora without any background wouldn’t prepare them for what could come.

She took a deep breath, starting at the only place that she could, her training. It had become the overshadowing force in her life, although there wasn’t a way to make two people understand the severity of watching your mother stand next to a lever that would send down boiling oil.

“I grew up in a place called Stone House.” They took a seat in the grass across from her. “It was a cult and training camp disguised as a school. I was supposed to grow up to be one of their assassins. They even had my first kill set up.” Deirdre couldn’t look them in the eyes for this part. “One I didn’t perform. That mistake caused punishment and what I thought was my mother’s death.”

Deirdre skimmed the details as the first bits she shared caused shock and surprise to come over Tech and Sabrine. She didn’t blame them. Those were different times and the isolation Stone House maintained created a different environment. No one could understand unless they’d lived it and survived to find the rest of the world filled with sympathy, caring, and children who only dreaded a time out or spanking.

It took thirty minutes to explain Stone House and the survivor she’d never wanted to see again, Niam. She had to wonder how many others had lived through the inferno. Other people might hunt her down.

“This is the part I’m not sure about. It looks like Niam is trying to start his personal version of Stone House, while the original organizers are using their prodigal daughter, Tamara, to recreate the same institution I grew up in. I don’t know what this has to do with Lora, unless Tamara is ashamed of her. If that’s the case, I don’t know what Niam wants with her. He always preferred training younger children.” She looked up at the stars, happy to see them shining brightly. “The leaders at Stone House used to perform ceremonies. Maybe they want Lora for something like that. I don’t know.”

“I’ll check around and see what I come up with.”

“Niam wants me back. I don’t know why. I was never his best student but when Farmer went digging into my past, I showed up at Stone House. Niam followed me back. The thing is that he already knew about Tamara Haas and Lora.” Blissful numbness had finally settled inside her. She could do this. “Tech, you need to dig deep in this. They can’t take Lora. She can’t grow up like I did.”

Deirdre looked at Tech and Sabrine, knowing her secrets would be safe and also wishing that damned look of horror would leave their faces. It reminded her of a funeral where no one knew the right words to say. In effect, she guessed they were mourning her childhood.

She glanced down at her watch. It was nearly ten. She’d have to hurry or risk being late for her meeting with Niam. It wasn’t exactly a meeting, but maybe while they exchanged blows, he’d share a little information about Lora Shope.

“You two get back to work. Story time is over.”

“What about you?” Sabrine asked. The woman reached out as if she wanted to touch Deirdre, some small offering of friendship, then pulled her hand back before making contact.

“Niam…” She paused, not sure how to explain how Niam had contacted her. “He challenged me to a duel of sorts.” Deirdre leaned against the wall. “Listen, some of the guys from Stone House could do things. Unexplainable things.”

“Do things?” Tech asked.

“I don’t want to get into it, just be careful. Keep the doors locked and cell phones on. One of you should be awake at all times. Don’t trust anything, not even the shadows. Stay away from the windows. Try not to let anyone touch you.”

She stood, and started back toward the house to her car. Lora sat in the lanai, staring out at her. The lights from the house lit her small face and Deirdre wished she could hug her one more time.

No matter what, Lora would know movies, and dates, and proms. No one would control her life or show her murders as a way to teach her how to be strong or how to kill. Lora wouldn’t have a father either, but she would have a life. Gladys would make sure of that. There would be malls and friends. Lora wouldn’t have Deirdre’s hang ups.

“Stay safe, Lora. Please stay safe.”

Lora nodded and Deirdre felt emotions rising in her, horrible weak ones that should shame her, although all she wanted was to embrace them, experience them instead of the plastic bubble that she felt enclosed her.

Sabrine said something but Deirdre pretended not to hear. Things were better left like this. If Deirdre died tonight, then at least they had enough information to know why and who had done it. She’d said enough of a goodbye to Lora.

Deirdre walked around the house, to the driveway. Her cell phone rang. She didn’t need to look at the display to know it was Noah. He was pushing stalker qualities now. She was busy and he would wait.