Secret Worlds (424 page)

Boaz leapt onto the horse’s back and pulled me up easily. My hands slid across his abdomen and locked tightly. Boaz didn’t have to kick the horse to get it go forward; it seemed to move on his own as if sensing Boaz’s thoughts, even knowing what direction to turn. Boaz gripped the horn with one hand, and his other hand he pressed into mine. A strength, intense and powerful, expanded around us, making my muscles tighten and then release. Every last one of them. I moaned from both pleasure and pain.

I threw my head back when an indescribable feeling of invisibility overwhelmed my entire being. It grew inside me like a noxious weed, snuffing out any gentleness, kindness, good thoughts. I let go of Boaz’s waist and stretched out my arms into the night, feeling that at any moment I might be thrown from the horse. I began to chuckle and then laugh. It escaped from deep inside me, from somewhere dark and cold. Boaz didn’t join in my laughter, but I knew from our connection that he was as intoxicated as I was.

Boaz continued to ride the horse hard and fast through the forest, maneuvering the large animal as if it were an extension of him. We rode faster than I thought possible, and I wondered if there was something supernatural about the horse, too, like Hunwald.

While the horse continued to race forward, Boaz, in a move faster than I could see, twisted and turned until he was riding the horse backwards, my legs suddenly wrapped around his waist. He took hold of my shoulders and stared into my eyes, his expression serious. I thought he was going to kiss me, but without warning, he leapt into the air, taking me with him. We seemed to float for a moment before we landed on the ground with me in his arms. I exhaled. The running horse disappeared around a bend and into the darkness.

“Where are we?” I asked. The overgrown woods were thick with vegetation and a thin layer of frost covered the ground.

“Quiet.” He placed a finger to my lips. “Follow me.” He crept through the woods like a panther, stealthy and agile. I tried to move as gracefully as he, but it was impossible. Thankfully, Boaz said nothing about my noisy footsteps.

“Over here.” He motioned to a tall and still leafy bush.

I glanced down to mind my footing, but when I looked up, Boaz was gone. I walked to the shrub. “Boaz?”

A hand shot out from beneath the branches and jerked my ankle. I threw out my arms to catch myself from falling, but came up empty handed. Just as I was about to smack my head against the ground, I was yanked underneath the bush. Boaz caught my head in his hand before it made contract with the earth, his face only inches from mine.

“Oh!” I cried. “We’re under a bush.”

“It’s the only safe place for you to be for what I’m about to show you.”

“There’s not much room under here, is there?” Turning over was a slow process. Branches poked at me, and the wet ground soaked through my cloak.

“It will be worth it, just wait,” Boaz said as if sensing my frustration.

Finally, I maneuvered myself onto my stomach and whispered, “Do vampires usually hide under bushes?”

“No. This is a first.” He peered into the darkness, scanning the forest. “He’s coming. Any second now.”

“I don’t see anything,” I hissed, craning my neck in each direction.

“You’ll smell him before you see him.”

Even before the words left his mouth, the pungent smell of decay and feces filled my nostrils. I moved my hand to cover my nose and mouth. The smell grew stronger and a rumbling destroyed the peace of the forest. Something rotten was moving toward us.

I spotted a shadow in the distance, sauntering between two trees. It was enormous. “What is it?”

Boaz didn’t answer.

The beast moved closer, grunting as it swatted a large paw against a fallen tree. It shoved its enormous head into a log, splitting it in two. And then I knew.

“A grizzly bear?” It was at least a head taller than me, with shoulders just as wide. “But how? I thought only black bears lived around here.”

“How he got here doesn’t matter. He goes where he pleases.”

The bear rose tall and clawed its massive paws into a tree. Moonlight shined on its back through the cracks of the forest canopy. The tips of its fur were blond, almost silver looking, and for just a moment, I thought it shimmered.

“Look at him, Eve,” Boaz said. “Watch how he moves with strength and power, while creatures around him cower in fear. The bear doesn’t waste time thinking about others. He cares only for his desires and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He who can show his might holds the greatest power.”

I held my breath, while his words sunk in. The bear dropped to all fours. I was beginning to understand what Boaz had been trying to teach me all along.

“You wanted me to see this,” I said aloud, not as a question, but more of a statement.

“Yes. The bear is the king of the forest, invincible.”

I turned my head to him. “Not invincible. We could kill it.”

A smile played at the corners of his mouth. “We could, couldn’t we?”

“Yes. But we won’t. He is like us.” Before I knew what I was doing, I wriggled free from beneath the bush.

“Eve!” he called in a hushed tone. I heard him scramble after me, but he stayed back. I didn’t doubt that he was as anxious as I was to see what the bear would do.

When my footsteps cracked a twig, the grizzly lifted its head and growled low. I closed the distance between us until we were maybe forty feet apart. The bear sniffed the air and snorted in my direction. We watched each other then, a silent assessment of one’s capabilities.

I reached out my hand. The motion caused the bear to charge. It stopped only a dozen feet in front of me, lifted onto its hind legs, and let out a monstrous roar that shook me to the core. As if waking from a dream, I quickly realized my dangerous predicament. My body froze, and I stopped breathing, afraid any movement might make him attack.

Boaz’s voice appeared in my mind. “Do something! Use your powers!”

“Get out of my head.” I pushed the thought back to Boaz and closed my mind. If there hadn’t been a bear standing over me with fangs bared, saliva dripping from razor sharp teeth, I might’ve been surprised that Boaz and I could suddenly communicate telepathically, but under the stressful situation, I could think of nothing else.

The bear crashed down on all four legs. It bounced its upper body up and down, threatening me, but I didn’t budge. Adrenaline coursed through my blood, and although I was frightened, I wanted to see what the bear would do next. I wouldn’t use magic just yet, even though it was racing through my blood as if searching for a release.

Off to my left, another growl filled the night. This throaty snarl was not as loud as the grizzly’s, but was just as menacing.
Hunwald.

Hunwald moved carefully toward the bear whose attention had now turned to the wolf. Hunwald circled behind the bear, turning it away from me. He continued to growl, and when the grizzly charged him, he darted away but quickly turned back to harass the bear again, nipping at its legs. He continued to this process several times, until the bear was no longer near me. I admit I was disappointed.

Boaz appeared at my side. “Why did you push it so far?”

“I was curious.”

“Curious to see how long it would take for a bear to rip your head off?”

I set my jaw, knowing I would’ve been just fine. After realizing the strength of my power earlier, I knew I didn’t have to worry about anyone or anything ever hurting me again.

“I can’t afford for you to be careless, Eve.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

His face softened, and he pulled me close. “I couldn’t bear it if anything were to happen to you.”

I searched his eyes. “You are a mystery, Boaz. One day, I might see the real you.”

“You already have, love.”

I tilted my head. “I don’t think so.”

Time passed quickly, and I anticipated every day like a child on Christmas Eve. I couldn’t get enough of my new life. Boaz showered me with gifts and opened doors to all kinds of new and exciting experiences. He took me to the opera, plays, parties, and political events. If anything of importance was happening, regardless of where, Boaz and I were present.

We traveled all of Europe. I enjoyed learning the many cultures and seeing how the landscape changed, but I especially liked Ireland and its lush green mountains and impressive coastlines. I could’ve stayed there for weeks, but Boaz was inexplicably anxious to leave.

In addition to traveling, Boaz introduced me to many important people. I was amazed to learn how many of them knew me simply because of my parents. My family name gave me instant respect, especially from other witches.

I grew to love the attention, so much so, that I used my last name as if it were my first. I would say, “I’m Ms. Segur, the daughter of Erik and Sable Segur.”

I loved to watch their eyes grow big and listen to the sound of their loud gulp.

Speaking of my parents, I saw them once from a distance at a political convention party. I didn’t know if they saw me back, nor did I care. Boaz never spoke of them, and neither did I. They didn’t exist in my new world.

What surprised me the most of my newfound life was discovering how many supernaturals held important positions in the governments of almost every country. They used their abilities to pass laws and change their countries into what they desired. The “dependents” (the word I’d given to naive humans) were easily manipulated, making it easy for our kind to take over. After seeing what others like me could do, how they could change the rules people lived by, I, too, was anxious to get into politics.

Every day I used magic a little more than the day before until, before I knew it, I used magic for almost everything. I’d catch myself using it for dumb things, like starting the bath water or combing my hair. At first, it scared me, and I vowed to cut back, but the alluring power proved too great.

The world, once full of light and joy, became dark and loathsome. I no longer took pleasure in simple things like nature or books. For me to experience even short-lived joy, I had to have more: more parties, more jewels, more experiences, and they had to be greater than before, or anger would swell within me and only strong magic could release it.

Boaz was the only thing in my life that brought satisfaction. He was the giver of everything I needed. Our relationship was a violent, passionate one, consumed by one another. But it wasn’t just his body I craved—it was the power within him I fed upon. Soon, I came to depend upon him like a flea on a rat, and the dependency quickly turned into what I thought was love, until one day I couldn’t imagine my life without him.

***

It was a cold winter evening. We had just returned from New York City, where Boaz had taken me to his most favorite place, the Metropolitan Opera House. I hoped I would enjoy the play, but instead found it dull and lifeless. Even the music left me feeling empty.

Afterwards, we met up with Liane and William again for a late dinner at an upscale restaurant. We were the only supernaturals in the whole restaurant surrounded by clueless humans. If they had any idea of our power, they’d run away in fear. I smiled, liking this thought very much.

“Let’s play a game,” Liane said after finishing up her lobster tail.

William shook his head. “Not another one of your games.”

“You’re such a bore, William,” she said. “What about you guys?”

I turned to Boaz. He was leaning back in his chair, looking past me as if deep in thought. Lately, he would do that: sit right next to me, yet be a million miles away. It was really starting to annoy me.

“Boaz?” I asked.

His gaze slowly met mine. “Hmmm?”

“We’re playing a game. Do you want to play?”

“Not if it involves magic. I don’t stand a chance of winning against you three.”

“Then you can watch,” Liane said. “The rules are simple. All you have to do is prank someone, and it’s got to be funny. Nothing as lame as making someone sneeze or something.” She looked pointedly at William.

William chuckled, a smile brightening his normally serious expression. “I can handle this. I’ll even go first.” He looked around the room, his gaze settling at the corner of the room. “See that man over there? The one in the black suit jacket?”

“The cute one with dark hair?” Liane asked.

“I guess,” he said. “Watch what he’s about to do.”

A few seconds later, the man raised his glass of wine and threw it into the face of the woman sitting across from him. The man’s eyes widened in horror while the woman shrieked.

I burst into laughter along with Liane. The corner of Boaz’s mouth turned up slightly.

“My turn,” I said just as the woman with the wine stained dress hurried by me. The man she was with was right behind her, apologizing profusely. I settled my gaze on an approaching waiter whose arm was up holding a full tray of food. Mentally, I pushed a paralyzing thought to the man. Literally. The man no longer believed he could walk. He fell face forward, food from the tray falling across the floor. Part of his cheek landed in a puddle of marinara sauce. I released my mental hold upon his mind, but it still took several seconds for the waiter to gather himself up.

Boaz chuckled at this one, making my heart swell.

“I can do better,” Liane said. “Be prepared to crown me queen.”

She glanced about the room. I wasn’t sure what she was going to do until a large woman sitting three tables over from us rose from her seat unexpectedly. I giggled when she attempted to climb onto the table, knocking over her glass and breaking her plate. The woman she was with attempted to stop her, but the large woman continued upward, awkwardly bending and moving until she was standing shakily upon the table. Two waiters rushed over, asking repeatedly for her to get down.

“It’s okay,” William said, but he was smiling.

“I’m not finished,” Liane replied. She kept her focus on the terrified woman whose eyes were darting about at all the people staring at her. A moment later, the overweight lady took off her light sweater jacket and proceeded to unbutton the top of her blouse.