Wait for the Wind (9 page)

“She’s getting a little clingy and not taking the hint. I tried to break things off with her, but she’s stubborn.”

“I wouldn’t have hired her if you’d told me I’d be hosting a soap opera.”

“She’ll get over it.”

Rhiannon picked up a potato out of a strainer in the sink and began to wash the skin. “Is it so easy for you to toss your lover aside, Skye?”

“Some of them, yes. The right one, if I ever find her, I’ll never let go.” Skye brushed a long red curl away from Rhia’s face and tucked it behind her ear. She blushed and moved aside.

“Well, then. What’s the story with Ryan and Kate?”

“They were lovers once and since Ryan’s wearing the same clothes he had on when I left Ma’s last night, I’d guess they’re together again. We’ll be planning a wedding soon I’m sure.”

“She told me my father doesn’t have long. He’s dying of cancer. Just like that, straightforward and honest.”

“I’m sorry, Rhiannon. I didn’t know.”

“It’s why I spend so much time here. I’m trying to give Ma all the time I can to say goodbye.” She grabbed the edge of the sink until her knuckles turned white, and leaned forward until her curls shielded her face.

Skye watched her shoulders tremble. He’d wondered when she’d break, not completely, not yet, but her emotions swamped him with grief. He uncurled her fingers and took her in his arms, pressing her head to his shoulder. “There now. Lean on me.”

“I’m sorry. I never cry, especially not in front of anyone.”

“Don’t be. You can’t hide your emotions from me anyway.”

Her laugh was watery. “I forgot, the mighty empath. I have to get back to work.” Rhiannon pushed gently at his chest and pulled away. “Thanks for the shoulder.”

He watched her walk back into the dining room and wondered why his arms felt so empty.

Chapter 10

She just had to run in and get one thing. Kate opened the door into chaos. Shards of glass brushed past her sneakers, threatening to slice the thick canvas and cut into her feet as she stepped haphazardly through the rubble of her office. She’d given those bastards what little savings she had, and they’d still trashed her clinic.

Kate picked up a photograph of Allie and her grandmother off the floor and pulled it out of the broken frame. Her daughter would be home any time now. She shouldn’t have to come home to wreckage. Not like she had, countless times during her childhood.

She felt Ryan’s hand on her shoulder. “Everything is destroyed. Even the exam rooms are trashed. I should have had more time. We can’t take this kind of loss, Ryan. I’ve poured everything I own except the house in this clinic. We need this clinic.” Her cellphone lay underneath the desk, busted all to pieces.

“It’s going to be okay. I’ll take care of this mess. Check on Allie. Make sure she’s all right. This can wait.”

“She’s with Devin. She’s supposed to be with Devin.”

“Make sure.”

She watched Ryan grab a broom out of the corner closet and start sweeping up glass. Allie was the most important thing.

* * * *

“You’ve got it! Concentrate, Allaina.”

“I’m trying, which is very hard when you’re talking.”

Devin grinned. His star pupil had surpassed any other he’d seen use earth magic. She could now affect plants and the directions they grew, or change the shape of a rock. If she managed to bring the dead leaf she was staring a hole through back to health, he had promised to show her a small fire spell. Allaina wasn’t going to be satisfied with a passive gift like her father possessed. She wanted active magic. He hoped she never needed to use it.

“Better get that spell ready.”

“I’m waiting to see if you can really bring that leaf back to health.” As he watched, the young girl closed her eyes and sighed over the brown crunchy leaf, which uncurled into a bright green summer wonder.

“Beautiful. You really think you’re ready to try something out of your element?”

“Puleez, I rock. I can handle it.”

“All right then. Go ahead and try to conjure a small flame. The trick is to get the temperature right. You want warmth, not raging burns on the palms of your hands.”

“What’s the spell?”

“It’s an unspoken chain of thought and different for everyone. You need to find your trigger first. Anger, zest, hate. Whatever outlet you channel, it must be a powerful emotion. Fire is destructive. You must always remember to respect its power and only use it when absolutely necessary. Never invoke what you can’t control.”

“Ah, that’s easy, Devin. Watch.”

And he did. In amazement. Allie’s hands began to glow around a ball of soft white light until she was lost in the brightness of it. Her long black hair whipped around in the wind, making her giggle. The wind began to die down and the light faded.

“Well?”

“Star pupil as always. What did you use for your trigger?”

“Love. Isn’t it funny how you can know somebody for like ever and never really love them, but then you meet someone for the first time and know you’ll love them the rest of your life?”

“You mean your dad.”

“Yes. Maybe it’s because I’m different than other kids. I feel like I’ve always known him. I’m glad he finally stopped being a donkey’s behind and came home. I know Mom’s happy, too.”

“You never fail to amaze me.” He ruffled her hair.

“Know what else?”

“Hmm.”

“I’m going to have a baby brother and my mom and dad are getting married.”

Devin watched Allie’s face and found a sincere truth in it. “Did they tell you this? He just came back yesterday. You can’t expect them to repair years of hurt in two days.”

“No, they didn’t say anything, but I spent the night with Grams and Dad took Mom home. I listened for him, but he didn’t come back. I just
know
.”

He wondered if Kate had talked to her daughter about her infertility. “You do know your mom can’t have any more kids, right? The healing didn’t work. She needed more than I could give.”

“She will, at least one more anyway. I’ll tell you a little secret.”

“I’m dying to know how you
just know
.”

“Mom’s pregnant, but she hasn’t figured it out yet. I can feel her energy shift when something strongly affects her. Her aura is pale yellow, like Aunt Liv’s, but instead of pink–that would be the baby’s aura–mom has blue rippling through hers. It’s still faint, so she doesn’t know yet.”

He’d thought he was the only one who could see and understand the meaning of those energies. Then again, he hadn’t seen Kate since the day Ryan had come home. Allie could be telling the truth and if so, he had very little left to teach her, except swordsmanship. He didn’t think her mother would go for that.

“Tell you what. We’ll make a bet. If you’re right, I’ll buy us both ice cream sundaes. I hope you are, pumpkin. She deserves to be happy.”

* * * *

Jack closed the lid on his laptop and looked over at Liv. Worry colored his eyes. She hated seeing that emotion in them. It was so much worse to know she’d caused it.

“Are you all right? You look a little green.”

“I’m all right.” Except she felt like keeling over.

“Want me to call Kate and have her come check you out?”

“No. I’m just going to lie down for a bit. It’s unusually hot. I’m just not used to it.” It wasn’t though, not really. The thermometer hovered at seventy degrees.

“Can I do anything for you?”

Liv laid a hand on his shoulder as she passed the sofa. He took it and kissed her skin.

“No. Not a thing. Get back to work, handsome. Well, maybe wake me in about an hour if I fall asleep?”

“Okay.”

She heard the familiar mad clicking of keys and knew he would all but tune her out. Liv shuffled to the fridge, poured a glass of ginger ale and put the bottle back on the shelf. Pressing the glass to her forehead, she let the condensation cool her heated skin. She’d never felt so bad in her life. She’d tied her long hair up in a knot on her head to stave off the heat, but it wasn’t helping the nausea.

Horrendous pain sliced through her belly, crumpling her knees. Her legs went weak and gave out. The glass slipped out of her hand and shattered as it struck the hard tile. Collapsing on the kitchen floor, she cried out for help. “Jack!” Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. Too early. Oh God, her baby. Hot, wet liquid gushed from her body, soaking her clothes. No. No. No. She looked down at her feet. The tile floor was covered with bright red blood.

* * * *

Jack was on his feet in a heartbeat. His laptop flew off his lap and landed upside down on the floor. Liv cried out so loud her voice echoed in his mind. He ran to the kitchen and found his wife lying on the floor covered in her blood.

“Baby. Oh God.” Jack was already reaching for the telephone.

“Kate. Need her to hurry.”

He cradled Liv in his lap and tried to block out the images that flashed through his mind. Serena lying in that alley covered in blood and full of secrets. Would he always see that image in the back of his mind? Would this be another scene permanently imprinted on his memory?

Brushing back the hair from her sweaty face, Jack dialed Kate’s number and waited. Busy. He tried the cell. Voicemail. Called the beeper and Ryan’s cell. Nothing. Where the hell was she?

“No answer.” He dialed Molly. She picked up on the second ring.

“Hello?”

“Come quick. Liv’s bleeding out and I can’t get Kate at the clinic or on her cell. I can’t move her or leave.”

“Oh God. I’ll be there in five minutes.”

“Bring help.”

* * * *

The sound of Liv’s screams split Devin’s mind in two as their agony rolled through his psyche. Allaina went pale across from him. The child was still linked to his mind and he knew she had heard her aunt crying in pain.

“Aunt Liv! She’s hurting. We have to help her.” Allaina took off running in the general direction of Liv’s house before Devin could stop her.

He tried to calm himself so the magic would obey, and popped out of air in front of her. She ran full force into his chest.

“Allie cat, I know you’re scared and you want to help, but what Liv needs is your mom. I can’t get her there if I’m chasing you. Calm down and take my hand.”

Allaina took his hand and closed her eyes. “Okay. Okay. Hurry.”

A thought was all he needed to flash into Kate’s clinic. What he found was chaos.

Chapter 11

“Take my hand. Liv needs you. Now. She doesn’t have much time.”

Kate screamed as Devin popped up in front of her face.

“Sorry, I usually have better accuracy. Take my hand. Let’s go.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Aunt Liv is screaming. She’s hurting. Something’s wrong, Mom, we have to go.” Allaina tugged at her lab coat.

“How do you know that? Did you get a call from her?”

“Her screams are splitting my head.” Devin grabbed her hand. “Got a bag?”

Her daughter had come home safe, but hadn’t they noticed how trashed the clinic was? “No.” Was he blind? “Stay here, Allie.”

“I’m going.”

“Your dad’s in my office cleaning up the mess. Stay and help him find supplies.”

“I can’t transport you both, Allie.”

“Fine. I’m sorry about your clinic, Mom.”

Kate knew her daughter would be right behind her, one way or another.

“Close your eyes, Kate.”

She obeyed. When she opened them again, she was standing in Liv’s kitchen. Jack held Liv’s head in his lap. His face was wet with tears, his expression worried.

Molly clung to her daughter’s hand and bathed her pale face with a washcloth. “Kate. The clinic line didn’t ring and your cellphone went to voice mail. I think she passed out from the pain.”