Taken (33 page)

Josh rolled his eyes and shouldered past the girls to get to Channie. “Hey, babe. Are you okay?”

Someone sighed and said, “Ahhh. That’s so sweet.”

Channie laughed and said, “I’m fine. I was just telling the girls about our Vegas wedding.”

Snippets of conversation floated by too fast to tell who said what.
 

“That’s so romantic…”

“Just like a fairytale...”

“Or Romeo and Juliette…”

God, I hope not. That didn’t turn out so well.

A male voice cut through the chatter. “So. When’s the baby due?”
Eric.

Kassie said, “She’s not pregnant, dumb-ass.”
 

“Then why’d they get married?” Eric’s voice was full of derision and doubt.

“Because they’re in love. Duh.”

“I hope you don’t expect me to marry you.”

Kassie shoved several girls out of her way to get to Eric. She poked his chest with her index finger, punctuating her words. “I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man on Earth!” She shoved him away from her with both hands then stormed down the hall. Rebecca and Channie ran after her.

Kassie was still sobbing when the loud speaker crackled to life.
“Chastity Belks, please come to the office. Chastity Belks … Excuse me … Chastity Abrim, please come to the office. Chastity Abrim…”
 

Kassie hiccuped then giggled. “Sorry. I’m so used to calling you ‘Channie’ I forgot about ‘Chastity.’” She hiccuped again. “I’ll bet Josh didn’t have any trouble talking you into taking his name.”

Channie frowned, but not because of Kassie’s teasing. Why was she being paged? Probably something to do with all the classes she’d missed. Josh had used magic on her counselor but not each of her teachers. “Kassie? Are you okay? I should probably go see what they want before they come looking for me.”

“I’m fine.”
 

She didn’t look fine.

Rebecca handed Kassie a wet paper towel then turned towards Channie and smiled. “I’ve got it covered. Go on. We’ll see you at lunch.”

“Thanks Rebecca.”

“No problem. And you can call me ‘Bee’ if you want. Most of my friends do.”

A warm glow spread outward from Channie’s heart as she sensed the genuine affection in Bee’s energy field.

“Okay, Bee. Thanks.”
I have two friends now. At this rate, I’ll be downright popular by the end of the week.

Channie was completely wrapped up in her own thoughts, imagining shopping trips with Kassie and Bee. Slumber parties in the Abrim’s basement, no boys — or husbands — allowed. Josh wanted her to make friends. He wouldn’t mind, not if it were just one night. She’d be sure he was good and satisfied first. She could be a good wife, meet her husband’s needs and still have friends, right? She blushed as her thoughts turned to exactly
how
she was going to satisfy Josh.

If Channie had been paying the slightest bit of attention, she would have felt the pulse of power before opening the office door. But she wasn’t paying attention. She was thinking about Josh. A wave of calm hit her as soon as her hand touched the doorknob.

Momma.

~***~

Channie’s knees buckled from the force of Momma’s be-calm spell.
 

Momma said, “Easy there baby girl,” and slipped her arm around Channie’s waist, supporting her.

“No.” Channie’s vision blurred. Her tongue thickened as all the moisture left her mouth. “Don’t let her take ...”

Another spell, a modified no-speech, paralyzed Channie’s vocal chords, but didn’t take away her ability to breathe. It was complicated magic. Momma’s skills had improved.

The office assistant picked up the microphone and said, “would you like me to page her boyfriend … I mean her husband and have him help you get her to the car? She looks like she might pass out.”

“No. Don’t bother the boy. We can manage just fine. She just needs a little fresh air.”

Channie didn’t want Josh anywhere near Momma, so she stumbled along with wooden legs to the bullet riddled Lexus in the parking lot.
 

Momma said, “I have a surprise for you, baby girl,” then opened the passenger side door.

No!
Josh was in the back seat, sitting next to Diego who was pressing a long-bladed knife against his throat.
 

“Behave yourself or your
royal mage
will drown in his own blood.”
 

How did Momma know Josh was a royal mage? And how had she managed to catch him? Even if Josh couldn’t curse her, his shield should have protected him from her magic. And why was Diego helping her?

Channie’s throat tingled as Josh’s shield slipped under Momma’s no-speak spell.
 

Momma gasped and pulled all her magic back into herself, strengthening her own shield. She narrowed her eyes and glared at Josh. “How’d you do that?”

He glared back at her, but didn’t answer.
 

Channie’s throat was raw from Momma’s spell, but she managed to croak out a few words. “Diego, what are you doing?”

Tears streamed down his face as he shook his head. “I’m so sorry, but … she’s got Abby and the boys.”

Blood trickled down the side of Josh’s throat as he struggled against Diego.
 

Momma slid in behind the wheel and started the car.

Channie said, “Josh is already shielding us, protecting us from Momma’s magic. Let him go and we’ll help you find Abby and the trips. We’ll hire a tracker if we have to.”

A strangled sob broke from Diego’s throat, but he only tightened his grip on the knife.

Momma laughed and said, “No need to
find
anyone. Right Diego. You know exactly where your little family is.”

Channie trembled as a chill crept up her spine. “Momma? What have you done?”

“Only what I had to do.” Momma put the car in gear and drove out of the parking lot. She said, “Put your seatbelt on, baby girl. I can’t have you getting hurt before it’s time to perform the sacrifice, now can I?”

Josh kicked the back of Momma’s seat, digging the knife deeper into his throat. “If you harm so much as one hair on her head, I’ll hunt you down and tear you apart, limb from limb, if it takes the rest of my life.”

Channie’s heart pounded against her ribs as fear squeezed her chest. Her terror for him exceeded any sense of self-preservation. “Momma, let Josh go. I’ll do whatever you want.”

“Channie, No!” Josh squirmed again, but this time, Diego adjusted the knife, moving it to the side and down lower so it pressed against Josh’s shoulder. He’d still be able slit his throat, but it was less likely he’d do so accidentally.

Josh said, “Don’t you dare agree to anything. We’ll figure this out.” He shifted his gaze to the rearview mirror. “You’ll never get away with this.”

Momma laughed then said, “And who’s going to stop me? You can’t curse anything larger than a mouse.”

“How …” Channie bit her tongue to keep from giving Momma any more information, although it seemed she already knew everything about Josh.

“How do I know so much?” Momma laughed again then arched an eyebrow and smirked. “All I had to do was read your diary.”

Channie tasted bile in the back of her throat as she thought of everything she’d written in her journal … all the instructions and prophesies from the Book of the Dead, Josh’s true identity, their shared heart-bond, his inability to curse anyone. She slumped against the back of her seat as tears slid down her cheeks.
How could I have been so stupid?

~***~

Channie was surprised when Momma drove through the busted gate of Ezra’s neighborhood and pulled up in front of his house. But she was shocked by the blatant keep-out spells cast into the bushes hedging the driveway. There was nothing subtle about it. Anyone that tried to approach the house without Momma’s permission would feel as if they’d run into a brick wall.
 

Momma pushed the front door open then stepped to the side and nodded at Diego. “After you.” They all waited in the entryway while Momma slid the deadbolt into place. She pointed towards the basement stairs. “Do exactly as I say, or someone’s going to get hurt.”

Channie’s heart grew heavier with each step as she descended. She should have listened to Josh. If they’d taken the book to the bank in Denver like he’d wanted to instead of going to school, she’d have something to bargain with. She had no hope of surviving, but she could have talked Momma into letting Josh live in exchange for giving her the book.

Her chest ached as she tried to think of a way to save Josh. If she could get Diego’s knife, she’d plunge it into Momma’s heart and end this. Channie hastened her step until she was one step behind Diego. She hunched forward and whispered, “Diego, you don’t want to cooperate with Momma. You can’t trust her. When we get close enough, Josh will shield Abby and the boys.”

“Tell me when we’re close enough.”

Josh said, “I can feel them now. I’ll protect them.”

Diego lowered the knife with a sigh of relief.

Momma said, “I warned you.”

A muffled wail floated up the stairs. Diego cried out Abby’s name then grabbed Josh’s hair and jerked his head back, jamming the edge of the knife under his jaw. “You said you’d protect them!”

“I am. I don’t understand. They’re all shielded.”

Momma laughed and clapped her hands like an excited child. “Your shield doesn’t work on plants, stupid boy.”

Diego turned sideways on the stairs and looked up at Momma. “Please, don’t hurt them. I’ll kill him right now if you want, just … please …”

Momma laughed again and said, “Channie, open the door at the end of the hall. I want you to see what real power can do.”

When Channie edged past Josh, he whispered, “Crawl out the laundry room window. I’ll hold her off as long as I can.”

Channie reached up to stroke his cheek, but before she could touch him, another shriek made it past the sound-proof room at the end of the hall.

Diego pressed the knife harder against Josh’s throat. “Go. Now!”

Channie backed away from him, one hand still stretched towards Josh. “I’m going. Don’t hurt him, Diego. Please.”

“Just mind your Momma!”

Channie whirled around and ran past the laundry room, to the end of the hall. When she opened the door, a chorus of pitiable wails chilled her blood.
The trips!

“Momma? Is that you?” Abby’s voice trembled.

Channie flipped on the lights, but froze when she saw Abby, Courage, Zeal and Savvy bound together by the thorny vines of a potted bougainvillea … the Book of the Dead on the floor beside them.
 

They were scratched and bloodied, especially around their wrists and necks where the plant’s thorns had pricked them. But Coco looked liked he’d been attacked by badgers. Blood seeped from dozens of deep gouges.
 

Zeal and Savvy sobbed as tears streamed down their faces, but CoCo’s eyes were dry as he thrashed against the vines.
 

Abby cast a weak pain-away spell followed by an even weaker be-calm spell over the boys. It was obvious she was almost out of power. How long had they been trapped down here? And how many spells had Abby cast?
 

Zeal and Savvy’s cries settled into whimpers. Coco’s scowl relaxed, but he did not stop struggling, digging the thorns deeper into his tender flesh.

Channie ran to Abby then knelt in front of her and whispered, “Josh is shielding you. He can’t protect you from the thorns as long as Momma’s controlling the bougainvillea, but if you can distract her long enough to break the spell, Josh can kill the plant.”

Abby nodded and said, “Protect the boys.”
 

Josh stepped onto the landing at the bottom of the stairs; his irises encircled by a rim of white. “Channie, please. Get out of here.”

Diego’s gaze darted to Abby and the boys. An anguished cry burst from his throat. He slid the knife lower, onto Josh’s shoulder, but did not release him.

Momma entered the room, then closed and locked the door. “Diego, quit your sniveling and take
his Highness
over there.” She pointed to the south east corner of the room, where another bougainvillea plant buzzed with magic, its thorny vines reaching towards Josh. “Make sure he doesn’t interfere.”

Josh smashed his elbow into Diego’s gut and twisted away from him.
 

A scarlet stream of blood erupted from the base of Josh’s neck. His eyes flashed wider as he fell to his knees.
 

Diego dropped the knife and backed away from him.

Channie flew across the room and pressed her hand against Josh’s neck. Magic pulsed through their heart-bond. She had no power-name to guide her, but love was stronger than magic.
 

Josh’s shield grew weaker as Channie siphoned his magic and focused on healing him. She visualized the severed veins reconnecting, the cells knitting together, sealing the wound.
 

“Don’t.” Josh gasped and grabbed Channie’s hand, tugging on it, but he was too weak to pry it off his neck or stop her from taking his magic. “I can’t shield you if you drain my energy.”

“You can’t shield me if you’re dead either.”

The bleeding slowed, then stopped. Josh’s eyelids fluttered closed.

Momma pointed at Josh’s neck and said, “How did you do that?”

Channie said, “I’m not sure.”

The corners of Momma’s mouth curled up into a vicious sneer. “Impressive. But rather pointless.” She cast a powerful be-calm spell on Josh, then picked up the knife Diego had dropped and advanced towards Channie. “Now. Let’s get this over with, shall we?”

“Get what over with?” Channie’s voice shook, but she kept her gaze locked on Momma’s.

Momma pointed at the Book of the Dead with the bloody knife.

Channie said, “You don’t want to do this in front of the boys.”

Momma’s eyebrows arched as she gazed at Abby and the trips, as if she were surprised to see them. “You’re right. But how else can I insure your cooperation?”