Bound by Magick 4-in-1 Box Set (Pentacles of Magick) (13 page)

“What are you trying to say? You think our meeting was a
setup? For what? I think it's time you told me more about who you are and what
you’re running from.”

Her own unsettled emotions stared down at her in his gaze.
All the closeness they had discovered in each others arms was fading fast.

“Why don't you tell me, Cash? Why is Denn coming to get me
and take me away?”

“You listened in on my phone conversation with my brother?”

Her eyes rolled back. “It's a small apartment, Cash, there's
not a lot of privacy in here now, is there?”

He stormed over to the bar, every ridge of muscle in his
back and neck tightening and flexing as he moved. Anger radiated off of him in
waves like heat from a blacktop in the middle of a steamy southern summer. What
the hell did he have to be so angry about?

“You don't understand.”

“Uh huh. I've heard that excuse before. You've called for a
pick up, that sounds pretty straight forward to me.”

“Am I interrupting a lover's quarrel, Selene?” She whirled
at the all too familiar voicing snarling behind her.

She looked back at Cash “Not a setup, huh?” Not wanting him
to see through her anger to the searing pain now eating her from the inside out,
she faced away from him. “I guess you've caught me, Merc. You must be rather
satisfied to watch me fall for my betrayer again.” The truth settled in her
stomach like an acid pill, churning and burning.

 
“Are you
fucking kidding me? You think I’m in cahoots with this asshole?” Fury burned
through Cash at the idiocy of that statement. How could she leap to that
conclusion? Air whipped through the room, pulling at their clothing as he
stormed towards her. Looking at Merc he fumed, “How the hell did you get in?
You shouldn't have been able to get past my wards? Not without a lot of
magickal help.”

Merc smirked. “Well, as fun as this little lovers' spat is,
you're both wrong. Your new boyfriend obviously doesn't know about your role in
the organization.”

“What organization?”

Merc laughed. “Doesn't really surprise me much that you
didn't tell him. He wouldn't likely want to fuck the woman assigned to kill his
brother, huh?”

The shock of Merc's statement left him speechless as he
trained his gun from Selene to Cash, aiming dead center on his chest. Before he
or Selene could react the gun fired and, despite Selene's attempt to attack
Merc, the bullet slammed into Cash before anyone could stop it.

He watched the shock and horror bloom across her face. A
sudden burst of heat and flame in the room erupted around her as her attention
moved to Merc, who foolishly stood watching them both with only a gun for
protection. Cash labored for breath as he staggered to his knees. The burst of
air racing through the room died to an unnatural stillness as he put all his
effort into bolstering his strength.

He watched helplessly as Selene formed a fireball in her
hand, intent on killing Merc. His instincts screamed to save her, but the blood
pouring from his chest zapped his strength faster than he could recover.

“I wouldn't if I were you, Selene.” Merc twisted his body,
putting Selene next in the line of fire. “I just saved you the trouble of
dealing with a vengeful witch. You should thank me.”

With the lack of hesitation of a trained fighter, she flung
the lethal flame in the direction of the bastard's head, only for it to stop a
foot away, clinging to an invisible barrier. Damn. He'd definitely
underestimated the asshole's abilities. He'd sensed a witch, but hadn't
expected this much power.

“You stupid bitch. You really think I’d come in here
unprepared? Why the hell do you think I shot your boy-toy? You have no idea
what you have gotten yourself into this time. You should have returned when you
had the chance.” A keening cry sounded in the room as flames leapt higher
around Selene's body.

Cash had no choice, he had to help her. It was the least he
could do for her. It was too late for him anyway. He opened his mind and his
soul, reaching deep for the power within, clawing to get out. The darkest of
magick pushed through him, overpowering him, feeding on his anger and
frustration. Cash embraced the black magick, allowing it free reign to gather
strength. He used it to get himself off his knees and back onto his weak but
steady legs. Glancing towards Selene, he watched her continue to fling fiery
orbs at Merc. Before long the entire surface of his protective shield was an
entire wall of flame.

Fire licked at the ceiling as his own power began
gravitating towards it. Air, inexplicably drawn to fire. Negative energy
swirled in the room, a dark wild storm breaking free, a burst of heat so
palpable and strong as to be visible pushed out from Selene. It was aimed at
Merc, but strong enough that it encompassed him as well.

“Goddamn it, Selene, hold on. Find your center and use it
for control.”

She didn't even turn at his words, but the radiating heat
lessened and his heated skin began to cool.

Focused for now, Cash turned to the witch encased in
protection. His magick sought a way through the shield, pressing against it and
looking for that wisp of air, indicating a crack. It fanned a flame on Merc's
left side and his magick raced to it, forcing it bigger and larger, weakening
his protection. The fire hadn't yet burned through, but it was only a matter of
time before the heat would get through. Cash just couldn't wait that long. His
weakened body wouldn't last much longer, and Merc still held his gun in
Selene's direction. He pushed with all he had.

Finally in, Cash wove himself around Merc's legs, draining
his inner force. The shield wavered and small pieces of flame burst through.
The stench of burning flesh permeated the room as Cash stole his inner power
and Selene fought his outer shell.

“Now, Selene, now!” He didn't need to explain further. Her
hands raised in front of her, a crackling ball of blue fire forming. Merc
screamed just as she flung it, cutting his voice off when his body became an
inferno. With one last push of dark, Merc burst into millions of tiny pieces of
flame drifting in the air.

Cash quickly sucked the air from the room, extinguishing not
only the fire from Merc but the flames that surrounded Selene, too. With the
fires out, Cash filled the room with clean, sweet air from outside the
apartment. Reenergizing the balance in the area, despite the damage caused by
the flames.

Screwing his eyes shut, he gritted his teeth against the
onslaught of imminent death. He collapsed to the ground, pain forcing his
surrender. He’d used the last of his magick to save the woman he’d quickly
become obsessed with.

He turned his eyes to Selene, lying on the floor, drinking
in the sheer beauty she possessed, grateful that she’d be safe for now. Her
employer seemed hell bent on getting her back. He only hoped his brother would
arrive in time to protect her. Cash ached to learn more about her.
Unfortunately, it would be Denn who would receive her explanations.

Cash let his eyes slide shut, giving in to the pain and
weight pressing down on him. She would live. That's all that mattered.

Chapter
Four

Selene reached for Cash, her arms and legs as weak as a
newborn kitten. She'd been momentarily stunned from the fire and resulting
brief lack of air in the room. Her lungs still burned from the deprivation. But
all she could see was the amount of blood that covered his body and leaked onto
the floor, scaring the hell out of her. How he'd managed to stand and work
magick she didn't understand. Well, it wasn't as if she actually knew what it
took to wield his brand of magick. Her psychic powers always lay just below the
surface, waiting for her to use them, which was why it had taken her so many
years to gain control. At least, until the last couple of days.

Cold sweat broke out on her body as she crawled on her hands
and knees across the room to get to him. Not only was she weak from her psychic
ordeal with Merc, but the lingering dark power in Cash pierced through her like
the sharpest blade through her flesh. It tore through muscle and tendons
straight to her inner core. She gasped for breath with each painful stab.

Come on, Selene. You can do this. Cash is counting on you.

The stench of the black power nauseated her as she crawled
through the dense shroud of it around him. Despite her determination, her body
instinctively recoiled with each step. Finally reaching his side, she collapsed
next to him, spent and used up. Tears tracked down her cheeks at the sight of
his pale, stricken face turned toward her. The gurgle in his labored breathing
didn't sound good as she imagined his lungs collapsing. She worried she was too
late. She'd let Merc get the best of her and Cash had sacrificed himself for
her.

“Come on, Cash, don't die on me. Please don't do this.”

She reached for him and brushed the dark lock of hair that
had fallen across his eye, to the side of his face. She didn't care about the
pain that caused her. She needed to touch him, skin to skin, more than she
needed her next breath of air.

“What the hell happened here?”

Lost in her desperate thoughts of Cash, she hadn't even
heard anyone enter the apartment. Anger surged. She needed an ass kicking for
her continued loss of control. Practically since she’d left the shelter of the
lab she’d been unable to catch a break. Selene turned to the stranger with fire
at her fingertips, ready to defend him every which way possible. With a twist
of her body she blocked Cash from view, doing the best she could to protect
him.

“Whoa. Careful there, hon. I'm not here to hurt you, so
there's no call for that.” He raised his hands up in surrender, taking a couple
of steps backwards.

“What do you want? Why are you here? How did you get in?” He
glanced over her shoulder at Cash.

“Do we have time for the twenty questions? My brother over
there isn't looking so good. I'll admit that I'm impressed with your
protectiveness of him, but right now you need to let me get to him before it's
too late.”

She lowered her hand, extinguishing the flames. “You're the
brother he called for?” She watched him walk around to the other side of Cash.

“Yep. I'm Denn Scott.”

She knew exactly who he was, but she thought it wise not to
mention that right now. He was easy to recognize from the dossier she’d been
given on him. Not that a photograph had done him justice. The Scott family had
certainly been blessed in the looks department.

Denn knelt down on the floor next to his brother, checking
for a pulse. His lips pressed together tight in a grim look. “Pulse is
thready—barely there. How long has he been like this?”

“I'm—I'm not really sure. The fight seemed to go by
really fast, but time is irrelevant when fighting for your life. He
uh—got shot first and then pulled some seriously dark magick out to save
me.”

Denn glanced at her. “You know about his magick?” She
nodded. “Did he bother to tell you that using it destroys him piece by piece
every time he uses it?” He ripped away Cash's shirt to reveal his blood covered
chest and stomach. “Damn it, Cash, what were you thinking? You know better than
this.”

“What do you mean?”

“My dumb ass brother here knows damn well that unleashing
the black magick will destroy him. The more often you use, the faster the
deterioration. Apparently he has been using way too much.”

“But he's been shot. That's why he's like this, right?”

“Partially, Selene. It is Selene isn’t it?”

She nodded and watched as Denn pulled a black pouch from a
bag that he'd carried in. Opening the velvet cloth, he reached in and pulled
out a handful of what looked to be some dried herbs. Not having any experience
in natural healing, she couldn't really tell. He sprinkled them across the wound
before placing the bag on the ground next to his feet. He returned his hands
over his brother's abdomen and chanted something under his breath.

“What are you doing? We don’t have time for this. We need to
call the paramedics. Get him to a hospital.”

He looked up at her. “That won't be necessary. I can fix the
gunshot. But that's the least of his worries right now.”

“The black magick?”

“Yes.” He went back to chanting and moving his hands back
and forth across his brother's body. She felt the crackle of energy seconds
before she saw it flow from his palms. The power was tinged blue on the edges
and seeped into Cash's body. Worried for him, she grabbed at his hand to lend
support.

Their connection sizzled as the power surged forward from
Cash to her, whispering along her skin. Startled, she jerked her hand away,
looking up at Denn as she did.

“Can you feel that?” he asked.

“Yes, his body is fighting it. Trying to expel it.”

He shook his head and blew out a hard breath. “Black magick
is powerful, that's for sure.”

“Not to mention it tastes and smells disgusting.” She
scrunched up her nose as a fresh wave of the dark settled around Cash.

“You can smell it? And taste it?” He looked at her with a
strange puzzled expression.

“Of course. Can't you? It's overpowering.”

“No, I can't. I can sense it. Feel the weight of it but
that's it. Are you an empath?”

“Not exactly. I have developed some psychic ability. But
I've not ever felt anything like this before.” Cash's body jerked and stiffened
beside her. “What's happening? What are you doing? You're hurting him?” She
grabbed at Cash again. “The pain is excruciating.”

“The gunshot wound is healing. Unfortunately that gives way
to the stronger dark magick consuming him.”

She whimpered in response. The searing pain took her breath
away as she clutched at Cash.

“Selene, let go. It's hurting you. You're absorbing it, I
can feel the transfer.” He rushed over to where she sat, grabbing at her arm to
pull her away. “Shit!”

She knew the heat of her skin was too hot for him to hold on
to. She couldn't let go. Didn't want to. She had to help him. Save him.

Pain sliced through her as the dark aura ripped from Cash's
body and flooded into hers. His limbs jerked and spasmed while her own shook
from the intensity.

“Goddamn it, Selene. You are going to kill one or the both
of you if you don't stop. Cash wanted you safe. Away from the danger he
represents. He wouldn’t want this.”

She ignored his protests and shot up flames around her and
Cash to keep him out.

The agony in her body grew to unbearable levels as she let
loose a scream of anguish. Pulling on every ounce of discipline and strength
she ever had in her body, she held fast as the last of the magick left Cash for
her. It rumbled and roared through her like a violent storm. She wouldn't be
able to hold it for long.

She let go of Cash, and he fell limp to the floor next to
her. His pallor was even more deathly than before but his heart beat strong.

“Are their fire extinguishers in this apartment?” She looked
at Denn through the growing flames.

“Yes, why?”

“You need to get them now.” She pulled herself upright, fire
growing around her, and made her way to the door. She tried to form the excess
power into an object she could get rid of to no avail. It clung to her like a
second skin. With a last look at Denn, she walked out the door and back into
the townhouse garage.

Flames and power crawled across her skin, pulling her,
forcing her to expel it any way she could. With no control of it, she watched
the fire spread from her body throughout the concrete room, surrounding the gas
tank seconds before it exploded in a fiery burst. Once again the flames
engulfed her.

Cash
will
survive
.

Cash's eyes shot open and he was immediately blinded by the
harsh sunlight streaming in through the sheer white curtains billowing in the
breeze at the open window. He glanced around the room, unsure of where he was.
The walls were painted a pale orange that reminded him of the skin on a fresh
peach. Ornate moldings framed the room in exquisite craftsmanship. His gaze rested
on the open French doors, revealing a terrace just outside. The small space was
enclosed with black iron work forged in an old world style. Soft strands of
jazz filtered to him from outside on the street as well as the scents of Creole
spices. Realization dawned as he acknowledged his location.

New Orleans.

He lay there trying to remember what had happened. The last
he rememebered he’d been in Boston with Selene. Oh hell, Selene!

Before he could move the door swung open and his brother
sauntered in. “You're finally awake. About time. Thought I was going to have to
cast a spell to get your ass out of my bed.”

“What the hell happened?” His voice came out rough and
gravelly even to his own ears. “Where is Selene?” He gingerly lifted his head
and shoulders, trying to push himself into a sitting position.

“Slow down, Cash. You've just woken up after nearly two
weeks in a coma. Too much too soon and you'll find yourself right back where
you started.” Denn grabbed his shoulders and pushed him back down on the
mattress.

“I need to get up and check on Selene. Make sure she's all
right.”

“She's all right.” Lie still and follow my finger. His
brother raised his finger in front of his eyes moving it back and forth.

“How do you feel?” Denn asked.

“You mean other than feeling like I have been dragged to
hell and back?”

“Yeah, there is that. Although I don't know what you
expected, the way you’ve been using. You have a lot of explaining to do.”

Cash cringed at the admonishment in his brother's voice. He
closed his eyes, not wanting to see the anger there. Nor did he have any desire
to explain his actions.

“What happened, Denn? How did I survive? I felt the darkness
win.”

“You're right. There was nothing even I could do for you.”

“Then what the fuck happened?” He pushed past his brother's
hands and sat up in the bed.

“Selene did it, Cash. She saved you. It nearly killed her to
do it, though.”

“I need to see her. Now. Take me to her.” He swung his legs
over the side of the small bed, testing his strength with a little weight at a
time. He looked down at himself, realizing he only wore a pair of shorts.

“I'd like some clothes, too.” Finally he stood and stretched
his stiff limbs, feeling every pull and strain of his muscles. All considering,
he felt pretty damn good. He walked across the room and strode through the open
doorway, pausing for his brother on the landing. When Denn didn't follow him,
he poked his head back through the doorway.

“Let's go, brother.”

“We can't” The hesitation in his brother's voice struck fear
in his heart. He had to force the breath in and out as he imagined the worst.

“Why not?” He moved closer to Denn.

“Well, she isn't here.”

“What do you mean she isn't here?” He took a few heavy steps
closer.

“She left three days ago.”

“She did what? And you just fucking let her go? What the
hell happened to make her leave?” He stormed over to the open doors, gulping in
the fresh air. He couldn't look at his brother right now. Didn't want him to
see how he felt.

“Of course I didn't just let her go. Jeez, Cash. I think if
I had tried to stop her she would have blown my ass up. She’s quite the hard
ass, you know.”

Cash laughed at that image. Hard not to when he knew all too
well just how stubborn she was.

“Why did she leave? And where did she go?” His hands gripped
the wrought iron railing wrapped around the terrace, fingers and knuckles
turning white from the straining hold.

“She changed back in Boston, Cash. What she did to save you
somehow made her different. I don't know how to explain it because she wouldn't
talk to me when she recovered. But fear radiated off of her every time I saw
her.”

“What the hell did she have to do to save me?”

“She took on all the dark magick you carried around,
absorbing the remnants that always remain. Honestly, I don't know how she survived.
The explosion took out our entire garage with her in it. I found her
unconscious and buried under three feet of rubble.” Cash shuddered at the
thought of her small body taking on the weight and power of the magick he'd
been using. There would be a special place in Hell for him thanks to this.

“Don't suppose she mentioned where she was headed?” He
turned to his brother despite the desperation surely showing on his face.

“No, she took off in the middle of the night. Soon as she
knew you were going to be okay. She didn't even say goodbye, catch ya later,
nothing.”

“Damn it. I have to find her. You should have bound her
here.”

“I've already got one witch bound here, Cash. I don't think
I could hold two on my own. Not without more power. And we see where that got
you.”

He winced at the sarcastic tone of Denn's voice. He couldn't
really blame him. This mess was all his fault. The dark magick is what led the
witch to them in the first place. An easy trail for any elemental user to find.
He might as well have left her breadcrumbs.