Smoke on the Water (36 page)

Becca nodded but she stayed where she was. I took her hand. She seemed to need it. Together we joined Raye and set our items on the stone. The pentacle stopped glowing the instant I took it off.

“Shit,” I said. “Now what?”

Raye gestured at the necklace. “Put it back on.”

I did, and the glow returned. All three of us released a breath.

“Start the chant,” Raye ordered.

“Now?” I blurted. “We're alone.”

“So were the crones when they started, remember? We need a head start.”

“We need something,” Becca agreed.

“All we have is each other,” I said.

“Will it be enough?” She still seemed too pale.

“It has to be.”

“Good always triumphs over evil.” Raye's dark hair began to swirl in the chilly north wind. It blew toward Becca's red hair and the ends flowed together like they had before.

“You've been watching too many movies and not enough nighttime news.” Becca's hair waved toward mine, and fire flowed into the sun. Our elemental items rattled and the pentacle around my neck lifted, tugging in their direction.

“Let's do this,” Raye said. “Repeat the chant until we see him, then pick up the items and end him. Got it?”

Becca and I nodded.

“We join together the power of blood-linked elemental witches,” we said.

Then we said it again, again, again. The wind continued to swirl. It brought the sound of voices. We turned toward the trees as nearly a hundred minions stepped out.

“He comes?” Raye asked.

“Eventually,” I answered.

They caught sight of us and began to run across the grass in our direction. The lead minions flew sideways as if …

“Henry's here,” Raye said. “Which means the others will be soon. I should have shielded us, but I was out of rosemary. Either of you have any?”

Becca and I shook our heads and Raye cursed. “We'd have to have a buttload to do the job right anyway. We need to hurry.”

“Roland needs to hurry. If he doesn't come, then how can we make him go?”

“We could summon him again.” Becca frowned at the wall of minions that flowed in our direction.

“Because that worked so well last time,” Raye said. “They'll be on us before we get that spell done.”

“I don't think so.” Becca shot fire from her fingertips.

I held my breath, waiting for the shrieks of the dying. There were shrieks but more of surprise than anything else. A wall of fire went up all around them, trapping the minions in a flaming playpen.

“Nice,” I said.

“Thanks,” Becca said, but she was even paler. Shooting that much flame had drained her.

A movement at the edge of the forest drew my attention. Terrified the others had arrived ahead of Roland, I felt relief blossom at the sight of the demon himself.

“Showtime,” I said.

He started toward us at a leisurely pace, as if he hadn't a care in the world. The glance he threw at the trapped minions was disdainful. The one he threw at us was feral. I couldn't help it. A lightning bolt zapped down in front of him. He ignored it. The next one hit him in the head. He staggered, but he didn't fall.

“I hate this guy,” I muttered.

“Stop,” Raye said. “Save your juice for the spell.”

Roland pulled out a knife. The blade sparkled bright and shiny in the just-born sun. “Go ahead,” he said. “Your spell will not work.”

He levitated, flying ten feet into the air, then free-falling and smashing into the ground. A grunt was the only indication that he'd hit pretty hard. He stood up. He still held the knife.

“Should have brought a gun,” he said. “But I do so like the sound a knife makes when it goes in.”

Henry lifted him again. This time he kept the guy in the air. Unfortunately, he could still talk.

“If you allow me to kill you without any more fuss, your lovers can live. Keep this up and they die.” He waggled the knife. “They die ugly. The wolf too.”

He dipped as if the final sentence had shocked Henry enough to make him lose focus. I glanced at Raye, who was now as pale as Becca. Considering the numbness of my lips, I had a feeling I was too.

We'd come here alone to protect the ones we loved. If our deaths could guarantee that—

“We can't trust him,” Raye said. “He's a demon. If we're dead, so are they. Along with every witch in the world.”

“Which is nothing less than they deserve.” His fingers tightened on the hilt of the knife. “My wife died screaming. My child never drew breath. Because of a witch.”

“You're delusional,” Raye snapped. “My mother tried to help your wife, to save your child.”

“She did not. She used their deaths to give life to the three of you, and I will take those lives back.”

“Don't bother,” I said. “You can't reason with cuckoo.” That much I knew.

“What is your answer? Think, lassies. You cannot kill me, and you cannot send me back.”

“He wouldn't be making the deal if he truly believed the spell wouldn't work,” Becca said.

“It
won't
work. You're one witch short. The power of blood-linked
elemental
witches. There are four elements and only three of you. You be short an earth witch.”

I felt a chill. He was right. Except—

“There were only three crones.”

“Were there now?” Roland murmured.

I didn't know what that meant, but I didn't like his smirk, or his confidence, or his seeming knowledge of what I'd seen.

“Finish this,” Raye said.

“But—” Becca's gaze went to the tree line as Bobby, Owen, Sebastian, Franklin, Elise, and Pru emerged.

I could barely breathe. I didn't know what to do. If dying would save him, I would.

“If you try it,” Roland said, “you will be sorry.”

My sisters were as uncertain and terrified as I was. A tear trickled down Becca's cheek.

Reality shimmied, and in that teardrop, I saw the truth. Three crones, but not really. The one who had held the chalice and the pentacle was more than a crone. I suddenly understood what had been different about her.

“Do it,” I said.

Together we spoke. “Go back from whence you came. Banished. Now and forever.”

We picked up our items. As soon as we did, the pentacle around my neck lifted on its own. I leaned forward so we could touch the four of them together.

The next instant
zzzt
happened. Roland hovered in the air, but the entire world seemed to have paused—waiting, listening. The demon's gaze met mine. I smirked. His eyes widened. I gave him the finger an instant before he started screaming.

He flew backward through the air, clutching at nothing. Then he dropped to the ground with a solid thud. His fingernails drew furrows in the earth as he continued to pick up speed toward the edge of the cliff.

The three of us jumped up, ran after. The lake parted like the Red Sea, began to bubble and boil like a cauldron. Screaming, he dropped. The water closed over him, ending the sound, then flipped a single red-tinged wave up, smoothing out as if both Roland and the cauldron had never been.

“Wow,” Raye said. “That was—”

“Fricking fantastic,” I finished.

“He's really gone?” Becca asked.

“Yeah,” I said.

“You're sure?” Raye still looked worried.

“Definitely.”

“Why?” Raye said at the same time Becca said, “How?”

I took both their hands in mine, then drew them to my stomach. “Hello, my little earth witch.”

 

Chapter 26

Sebastian and the others arrived at the edge of the cliff just as the girls joined hands and touched Willow's stomach. Sebastian remembered what he'd forgotten the night before in a sudden burst of clarity, even before he heard her say, “Hello, my little earth witch.”

“Dude.” Owen slapped him on the back.

“Nice job.” Bobby shook his hand.

Willow spun, eyes wide. “Sorry.”

“I'm not.” Sebastian reached for her, and she came into his arms.

“I told you you'd be the one to save me, to save us all.”

“I thought you meant with my fists, my feet, a gun, my wits.”

“Penis works,” Owen said.

Sebastian shot him a glance, and Owen lifted his hands in surrender.

“We were missing an earth witch,” Willow continued. “You gave her to me. To us. And now we're safe.” She pressed her lips to the hollow of his throat and whispered, “Thank you.”

“My pleasure.”

“Would someone like to inform me just what is going on here?”

A very tall, thin, old, once-blond man stood between them and the still flaming ring of fire that hemmed in the minions. His German accent and plethora of guns and ammo revealed his identity even before Owen blurted, “Edward,” at the same time Nic straightened as if he'd been goosed and said, “Sir!”

“Where did he come from?” Sebastian asked.

“Germany,” Elise said.

“Today?”

“Today I came from New Orleans, but I was already on the ground when Elise called.”

He continued to peer at the people beyond the flames, who called out for help, even tried to reach out, only to snatch their hands back when they were singed.

“Who did this?” Edward asked.

Becca tentatively raised her hand. Owen drew it back down. “Do
not
tell him what else you can do.”

Considering the man was a werewolf hunter, probably a good idea.

“I will need you to put out the flames so I can deal with them.”

“How's he gonna deal with them?” Sebastian eyed the pistols on the old man's hips and the rifle in his hand.

“They're killers,” Bobby said. “Do you care?”

Sebastian released Willow from his embrace, but he kept his arm around her. “Roland whispered to them in their heads. That's kind of hard to ignore.”

“My mom heard him,” Owen said. “Maybe all her life.”

“Your mom stopped listening to him.” Becca took Owen's hand. “If she could do it they could too.”

“Maybe.” Sebastian lifted a shoulder. “Maybe not. Everyone's different.”

“They're different, all right,” Raye agreed.

Edward scowled at the minions. “I suppose that means I cannot kill them.”

“Yes,” Elise said. “That's exactly what it means. We've had this talk. You can't just go around shooting people.”

“I can, but it does cause so many more problems than it used to.”

“We'll take them to our compound and evaluate them.” Elise waved at the fire, which still burned hot, bright, and eight feet high. “You mind?”

“I—uh—” Becca bit her lip. “I know how to start a fire. No idea how to stop one.”

“That's because you're the fire witch.” Willow pointed at a stray cloud with one finger. “I'm the water witch.”

She fired her finger gun, and rain toppled from the sunny sky directly onto both the minions and the fire. A hiss rose as the fire died. As soon as the flames fell, those who'd been confined tried to run.

A line of people with guns materialized out of the trees. The
Venatores-Mali
froze without even being told.

“I also have minions,” Edward said. “Put them in the conveyance.”

“They're soaked,” shouted a petite blond woman with nearly as many guns as Edward. “And don't call me a minion.”

He sighed. “You'd think a water witch could control that better.”

“I could.” Willow's gaze settled on one particular minion. “I just didn't want to.”

Zoe saw Sebastian at the same time he saw her. “That's him,” she shouted. “He kidnapped a patient.”

“What patient would that be?” Edward asked.

“The one he's got his hands all over.”

Deux pushed his way to her side. “He should be in jail.”

“I should have tossed them farther,” Raye said.

“Much,” Becca agreed.

“I'm going to have to deal with this.” Sebastian sighed. “Technically they're right.”

“Not anymore,” Edward said. “As of yesterday, Willow was never a patient.”

“But I … was.”

“You were never crazy,” Edward continued. “You were magic. Therefore, no need to be a patient.”

“Just because it shouldn't have happened doesn't mean it didn't.” Sebastian rubbed Willow's back. He wanted to touch her stomach, like her sisters had, but it would have to wait. Maybe a long time if he wound up in jail.

“According to every record in the system, Willow Black not only didn't reside at the psychiatric facility, but she no longer exists. Once all this is settled, we'll give her a past that won't cause any problems.”

“My boss knows differently.” And Dr. Tronsted wasn't the type to let things go.

“You'd be surprised what people forget about when there's no evidence to support it.”

“What does that mean?”

“Your superior has been told by
her
superiors that the situation has been dealt with higher up. If she continues to push the issue, if she tries to prove what there's no longer any proof of…” Edward shifted one shoulder.

“She'll seem crazier than I was,” Willow said.

Sebastian pulled her closer. “You weren't crazy.”

“You know what I mean.”

“I broke a lot of rules.” Maybe all of them.

“The rules of a world without magic don't apply to those who live in a world full of it,” the old man said.

Edward sounded pretty certain of that. Sebastian wished that he could be. Perhaps it just took some getting used to.

“I have done this many, many times before,” Edward continued, “and it has worked every time. Those in authority actually follow orders with a lot less questions than you'd think.”