Shadow Magic (29 page)
Authors: Cheyenne McCray
“Uh-huh.” Mackenzie wound more of her magical rope around the warrior. “Sure. So escape D'Anu magic, why don't you?”
“I will search for my mate and Hannah,” Keir said before he spread his wings, lifted off, and disappeared from human sight.
Thanks to Alyssa's powers, the ache in Jake's arm numbed despite the arrowhead buried inside it. He surveyed the battle scene and the wounded being attended to by the D'Danann and his officers.
Fury made the pain in his arm lessen to where he was barely conscious of it. It looked like two of his officers hadn't made it. Most of the Drow had been killed, their bodies vanishing into sparkles, as had more than a few of the D'Danann.
“Goddamnit, we didn't need this.” Jake took his bloody left hand away from his arm, gestured to his officers, and instructed them on what areas to scan for signs of Hannah and Rhiannon.
Two of the D'Danann forced the Drow leader to his feet, his arms still completely bound from his shoulders to his fingertips. They shoved him forward and guided him in the direction of the warehouse entrance. He limped due to the bullet he'd taken in the thigh from Jake's gunshot.
Five other Drow had survived and were being taken to be caged, as well. Once they were in the containment cells, the D'Anu would be able to drop their magic ropes.
As he again held his palm to his bleeding arm, Jake scanned the darkness for Hannah and Rhiannon. Where the hell were they?
“I have found them.” Keir's shout came from behind Jake.
He stopped and turned as did several others and relief flooded him when he saw Hannah and Rhiannon rushing forward with Keir. The warrior had a furious expression, his harsh features even harder as he had his arm around his wife's shoulders. Rhiannon was trying to push him off, but he was obviously not letting go.
Hannah hurried ahead of them and from her heavy breathing it sounded like she'd been running. When she reached Jake she didn't look like the same unflappable woman that he'd come to know over the course of the battles they'd been in together.
“Is everyone okay?” She scanned those who remained outside. “Where's Garran? Is he still out cold?”
“Not for long.” Keir scowled as he held Rhiannon tight to him. “I will kill him in his sleep for this.”
“No you won't.” Hannah parked herself in front of Keir and Rhiannon, bringing them to a full stop. Her eyes were hard, her mouth set in a determined line.
“Do you not see what he has done?” Keir nearly shouted.
Rhiannon finally managed to jerk herself away from Keir and stood a few feet from him and braced her hands on her hips. Jake could see the Fomorii scars on her cheek whiten in the low glow of the outside lights.
“The guy who led this whole thing did it on his own,” Rhiannon said. “He's a traitor to his own people. He's pissed at Garran or something.”
“Even the leaders, the Directorate, didn't know anything about it,” Hannah said.
Keir narrowed his eyes. “We will discuss this further. Inside.”
“You bet we will.” Rhiannon marched ahead of him to the entrance of the warehouse.
Loss of blood was beginning to make Jake lightheaded.
“We've got to take care of that,” the ever intuitive Alyssa said.
Jake just nodded. His adrenaline rush was fading, taking some of his strength with it. Not to mention how tired his
muscles were from his workout. D'Anu magic could only do so much for bad wounds, and this was a doozy. Damn near took that arrow right in the heart, so he wasn't about to complain.
muscles were from his workout. D'Anu magic could only do so much for bad wounds, and this was a doozy. Damn near took that arrow right in the heart, so he wasn't about to complain.
The sky was graying, a sign that dawn wasn't far behind, and these Dark Elves would be toast if they weren't taken inside and put in cells where they could be kept from the daylight. Light was also a good sign that no other Drow would be attacking.
Although Garran was able to tolerate lightâhe'd said the Great Guardian had given him that temporary gift. He and he alone. What if that was bullshit, and other Drow could handle sunlight?
Wouldn't that be fucking great
.
.
Several of the D'Danann took the prisoners to the cages while his officers helped carry in the wounded and dead. Jake stumbled a bit as he watched them and his vision blurred before clearing.
Alyssa and the other witches rushed him into the kitchen and he let out a sigh of relief as he dropped into a chair by the table.
The women exclaimed over Hannah and Rhiannon, wanting to know where the two of them had been, and Keir growled his anger.
Both Hannah and Rhiannon seated themselves at the table and looked at each other before Hannah turned to Jake and said, “Take care of Jake first.”
“Already on it.” Alyssa was digging through the cabinets, pulling out bottles and jars for whatever magical potions and herbs the witches used.
Cassia reached Jake's side almost as soon as he sat down. He wasn't around the half-Elvin witch often, but when he was, he always got a strange sensation that sent vibrations to his gut.
She looked at him with her turquoise eyes and through his blurring vision her features seemed more Elvish than before. At least what he imagined Elvin features would be like.
Cassia's hair looked like gentle gold waves and her skin was so smooth, perfect.
Cassia's hair looked like gentle gold waves and her skin was so smooth, perfect.
Perfect
â¦
â¦
While she helped him out of his Kevlar vest, he was certain he was hallucinating as he imagined himself holding her, kissing her â¦
His mind spun and he knew he was definitely losing it.
Images of Kat drifted through his mind and he found himself comparing her to Cassia. Kat was all hard edges, direct, and as black and white as you could get.
Cassia was soft, like blurred lines instead of rough corners. She was intuitive, mysterious. If he tried, what kind of mysteries would he uncover when it came to the half-Elvin witch?
As the rambling questions traveled through his mind, his head felt as if it were floating from his body.
He blinked at his strange thoughts and concentrated on not passing out as Cassia examined the wound. Her touch sent odd electrical feelings through his arm. He wondered if anyone else had felt the same thing when she touched them.
“Hold this lodestone,” Cassia said as she pressed a bumpy odd-shaped stone into his hand. It gave him a little instant relief. Not a second later, rays of electricity traveled through his arm again when Cassia touched him, this time even more powerful.
When he met her eyes, her expression seemed to reflect something like wonder, maybe even fear, before changing back to neutral. “I think you're going to want to be asleep for this,” she said. This time her voice had a husky quality to it that he'd never noticed before.
Jake nodded. He wasn't an idiot. That arrowhead was buried so deep in muscle it was going to be a bitch to get out.
“Hit me with your best shot,” he said, sounding and feeling almost drunk from pain and loss of blood.
Alyssa arrived at his other side. The strong scents of herbs swept over him as she held up a small dark vial. “Open your mouth.”
He obeyed and she tipped the bottle and put a couple of drops on his tongue. He grimaced when he closed his mouth. Nasty crap.
His whole body instantly relaxed, every muscle going limp. Voices in the room faded and his arm went numb. The spinning in his head slowed until he slipped into darkness.
DARKWOLF HAD TO GIVE Elizabeth-Junga one thing. Despite the power he now commanded, she didn't cower before him. She maintained her proud, former Queen of the Fomorii demeanor, even in the face of possible death at his hands.
The urge to kill was nearly overwhelming. He imagined wrapping his hands around her throat, snapping it with one quick twist.
Once again Elizabeth's gaze traveled over his now seven-foot height and she pursed her lips as she studied his muscles that had bulged so tightly his old shirt and jeans had shredded. Like the fucking Incredible Hulk, without the green skin. And he still looked damned good.
After having taken advantage of his new power to travel to a big and tall men's clothing store, they had used transference again to take them to an empty President's suite at the Hilton. Screw Balor finding him now. Darkwolf would use the power of the former eye anytime he wanted to.
Elizabeth tilted her head at a regal angle as she studied his chestâas if she could see the eye's power now encompassing his heart. “What do you plan to do now?”
“Find Ceithlenn.” His voice had developed into a low, coarse growl. “After I fuck you.”
Her eyes widened and her pupils dilated as her gaze dropped to the massive erection outlined by his jeans. His cock had grown as big around as his fist and double the
length. Not to mention he was so horny he could take on a roomful of women.
length. Not to mention he was so horny he could take on a roomful of women.
Maybe he would.
Darkwolf reached up and grasped the collar of her T-shirt with his large hands and shredded it with one small movement. It took little strength for something so small as this. Elizabeth gasped as he forced her down on the floor. Her jeans went next, the thick material tearing like silk.
His thoughts twisted and churned, his vision going from gray to red to Technicolor, but the pain in his head was gone. For the first time in longer than he could remember, he felt no pain. Just power. Pure power.
Right now all he cared about was rutting inside a woman, any woman, and this one would do. For as long as he let her live.
Taking care not to ruin his own clothing, Darkwolf unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. Elizabeth's eyes grew wider when she saw the size of his erect cock up close and personal. Without giving her time to speak, he gripped her throat at the same time he forced his broad hips between her thighs and drove his cock inside her pussy.
She tried to cry out from the pain of his penetration, but his hand on her throat kept her from making a sound. Despite the blind power ripping through him so hard he felt like his skin would split, he didn't truly want to kill her.
Just hurt her.
As Darkwolf drove in and out of Elizabeth, he imagined taking Ceithlenn down the same way and repaying her for what she'd done to him. Only he'd kill
her.
her.
The mere thought of taking his revenge on Ceithlenn almost made him tighten his grip around Elizabeth's throat.
Shit, it felt incredible fucking her so hard and fast, her pussy tight around his cock. She whimpered, but it only drove him on until his vision began to redden, almost as red as the eye had been when it swung from the chain at his throat.
But he was free of that now and the power was his.
Despite his hold on her throat, Elizabeth climaxed first,
her body convulsing, the contractions in her core clamping down on him harder than they ever had before.
her body convulsing, the contractions in her core clamping down on him harder than they ever had before.
The intensity he felt in his groin and from his oncoming orgasm made stars flash before his eyes. He thrust several times more before he climaxed.
When he came he shouted, his baritone reverberating off the walls. He released Elizabeth's neck and braced his hands to either side of her tiny waist as he pressed his groin against hers. Pulse after pulse of his cock and the doubled, tripled, quadrupled pleasure he felt made him almost blind.
He felt something over his heart, digging into his flesh, and Elizabeth came into view, her arm outstretched and her hand transformed into her Fomorii claws.
The shock of feeling her jagged nails in his flesh made his vision clear.
“I could have killed you.” No fear was in her eyes as she slid her claws from his flesh. “Your heart would have been in my palm and I could have eaten it before you realized what had happened. Then the power would have been mine.”
His mind still spun and he glanced down to see tears in his bloody flesh healing through the rips in the T-shirt.
When his stunned gaze met hers she smiled. “Don't think for a moment that Ceithlenn won't find a weakness in you, too.”
The fact that Elizabeth could have killed him so easily was like ice in his veins.
Better now, though, to find out he had weaknesses, that he wasn't as entirely invincible as he'd felt. It also told him that the god and goddess surely had weaknesses that would make them easy kills. Once he knew what those weaknesses were.
The feel of Elizabeth's nails scraping down his chest through his T-shirt brought his attention back to her. Why hadn't she killed him? What made her allow him to live?
She met his gaze, her eyes dark with desire. “Now fuck me again.”
“WE WILL CHOOSE A date.” Ceithlenn brushed back the short, punk-red hair she wore in her human formâthat of the warlock Sara, whom Ceithlenn had shoved to the very back of her consciousness. “Every Fomorii will meet at the piers where the human tourists gather in large numbers.”
Since she'd had martial law lifted by the demons she had placed in the government and military, the city would again pick up its pace, giving her and her demons greater numbers of humans to slaughter.
Tryok, the demon who served as the leader over all her legions, prostrated himself on the floor of the apartment, bowing to her greatness. “As you will it, my goddess.” The demon's voice sounded odd coming from the body of the great general he currently inhabited. She almost laughed at the balding, wellfed, highly decorated general practically lying on his belly.
Ceithlenn picked up a figurine of what her human host called a Swarovski ballerina. A stupid statue, really. A statue of a weak, insipid creatureâas all humans were.
Ceithlenn clenched her fist around the crystal and it shattered in her powerful grip, pieces flying and tinkling as they scattered across the burgundy carpeting. Broken crystal sliced her human palm. She held back a wince and a growl from the burning pain and opened her hand. It healed at once, small shards of crystal purging from her flesh and onto her palm where only traces of blood remained.
She brushed the crystal and blood from her hand onto the thigh of her leather catsuit, her mind turning to important matters.
Her gaze scraped the demon-man still on the floor. “Rise, Tryok.”
“Yes, my goddess.” The demon obeyed at once, scooping up his general's cap as he rose. He positioned the hat on his head, his jowls wobbling like gelatin with his motions.
Too bad she had chosen the body of such a fat, ugly human for Tryok. Right now she could use a good fuck. With Balor missing and Darkwolf gone, she hadn't had sex in far too long. She would have to take two or three of the better-looking men inhabited by demons and screw them all, one after another.
At least until she was reunited with Balor.
A scowl twisted her features as her thoughts turned to Darkwolf. Where was the bastard?
She needed to attempt scrying again, a skill of the warlock, Sara.
“Inform all of our legion members that we will attack two nights from now.” Crystal crunched under her boots as she walked up to Tryok, who trembled in her presence. “Arrange for the demons to hide in the waters off the shore until my arrival and my signal.”
The smell of human fear and sweat met her as Tryok bowed. His general's cap slipped off but he caught it before the cap landed on the floor. “Yes, my goddess.”
“Leave.” She watched as he backed up, turned and strode toward the apartment door, his polished shoes making soft sounds on the carpeting as he followed her instructions.
When he had closed the door behind him, she headed toward the kitchen. No more sickening odors of human cooking hung on the air. She'd had her demons clean out every piece of human food and dispose of it.
Her stomach grumbled at the thought of food. The demonmen and -women she had stationed in various parts of the apartment would need to bring more humans to dine on, giving her additional souls to absorb.
Ignoring the rumbling in her belly, she searched the cabinets in the kitchen until she came across a large metal bowl. It wasn't a cauldron or other bewitched container, but with her powers it would do.
After filling it with tap water, she set the bowl on the glass-topped table in the kitchen nook. Sunlight filtered through the flimsy sheer curtains, muted light gleaming on the table's surface.
Ceithlenn braced her hands on the glass to either side of the bowl and looked into the bowl's depths. The warlock's, Sara's, reflection stared back, her human eyes ever shifting from blue to green to brown to gray. Her short punk-red hair fell across her cheeks, and Ceithlenn pushed it behind both ears.
Gradually she slipped into a state of neither-here-northere and she felt as if she barely held on to the human body by a thread. Her eyes were unfocused. Images began to play out on the surface of the water and her human heart thumped against her breastbone. She dug her long fingernails into the glass to either side of the bowl. Sharp cracking sounds met her ears as her nails penetrated the glass tabletop.
Darkwolf. Balor's eye infusing him with such great power that his body glowed with it. The eye had apparently buried itself in his skin, becoming part of his heart. The muscles of his already fit body bulged with strength and his mind expanded with mastery over the weak, human part of himself. He now nearly had the strength of a god. The strength of Balor.
“No!” Ceithlenn screamed and slapped the side of the bowl with such vicious intensity that it flew across the room and shattered a window. The bowl continued through the break and sailed outside.
Water had splattered over the table's surface and on her face. “No!” she screamed again.
She lifted the glass table and slammed it against the wall, causing shards to explode across the kitchen and slice into her cheeks and the bared parts of her breasts.
This time when she shrieked she erupted into her goddess form, her fangs dropping, her hands lengthening into claws, her hair aflame and her wings spreading wide. She slammed her fist into what was left of the window, obliterating it before she pushed her way out and took to the skies.
Ceithlenn didn't give a fuck if humans saw her in the daylight. Darkwolf had taken the power of the eye for himself. She would find the bastard and rip his heart from his chest.
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