Catch Me When I Fall (25 page)

I looked at her again. Her bottom lip trembled, and I held my hand out to her. “Come here.” When she took my hand, I pulled her into my lap and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Don’t take the blame for this. You cannot help that you’re the center of this warlock’s attention. You didn’t ask for it, and you certainly didn’t encourage him. Besides, we’re not just harboring you, love.”

She shrugged and leaned against me to rest her head on my shoulder. I rubbed her arm with the side of my thumb. For minutes, we sat in silence, then Seth stirred, and we both jumped off the chair. I raced to my friend’s bedside before turning to Kayla. “Go find Bartholomew. Tell him Seth’s waking.”

Kayla nodded and sprinted from the room.

Seth’s eyes fluttered open. They were no longer the color of coal, like they had been at the club, but instead their normal shade of dark brown.

“Where am I? This isn’t another trick, is it?” He tried to sit up, but his breathing labored.

“Calm down.” I pressed my hands to his chest, pushing him down on the mattress. “You’re in one of Bartholomew’s hospital rooms.”

“Where’s Kayla? Tell me you didn’t take her to Paris.”

“Why would Daniel take me to Paris?” Kayla asked.

I closed my eyes.
Damn, she was quick.

“You didn’t tell her?” Seth asked.

Bartholomew stood on the other side of the bed when I opened my eyes, watching me and anticipating my answer.

“Didn’t tell me what?” Kayla asked.

I swallowed. “Seth wasn’t just attacked by the warlock. He was possessed. The warlock gave me an ultimatum. Hand you over to him, or he would make everyone I know suffer.”

Bartholomew scowled then started gathering medical supplies. But when I turned to look at Kayla, her face was ashen, and her hazel eyes glared at me. She stormed from the room before I had a chance to speak.

fter I’d made sure Seth would be okay, I knocked on Kayla’s door. When she didn’t answer, nervousness bit at me. She wouldn’t have tried to get to Paris on her own, would she? I pictured her in my mind and evaporated to wherever she was, sighing with relief when I stood in her room.

Kayla threw a book, catching me square in the face.

“Ow! God, Kayla. What the hell?”

“You lied to me!”

I touched my cheek where the corner of the book had hit. My fingertips were coated with blood. Grabbing a washcloth out of her bathroom, I held the rag to my face. “I didn’t lie to you. Seth
was
attacked.”

“Yeah, and
possessed
because of me! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t want this reaction.” My voice was louder than I expected. Kayla shrunk back on her bed. I sighed and dropped my hand. “I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant.”

Her bottom lip quivered. “You think I’m some porcelain doll, but I’m not. I’d hoped, by now, you’d see that. You should’ve told me.”

“I know. And I know you can take care of yourself.” I pointed to my split cheekbone.

Seconds passed, and we just stared at each other. Then Kayla slid off her bed and walked to me. She reached up to where I still held the cloth to my cheek and gently removed it from my face.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” she said.

“I know.”

“At least you won’t need stitches.”

“Always a plus.”

“Daniel—”

I stepped back from her. “Please don’t make me take you to Paris. I won’t do it.”

Kayla frowned. “That’s not what I was going to say. I was going to ask you to train me tomorrow. I want to make that bastard pay.” Her lips tightened, and her hands balled into fists at her sides. I’d never seen such a reaction from her, and, if I was being honest, I was a little terrified.

Stepping toward her, I placed a hand on each shoulder. “I promise, Kayla. We will make him pay.”

She nodded and wrapped her arms around my neck, then her lips met mine. My breath caught when she pressed her body against mine and slipped her tongue into my mouth. I eased away. I couldn’t do this right now, not after watching my enemy speak through the mouth of my best mate, and definitely not after just agreeing to train my girlfriend to fight the most powerful warlock in existence—to the death.

“What’s wrong?” Her eyes searched my face.

I pressed my forehead to hers. “I don’t think I can do this tonight.”

Kayla looked at me like a mother assessing if her child was sick. Then she nodded. “Will you at least stay with me? We don’t have to do anything. Just sleep.”

I forced a smile. “Of course.”

I fell asleep that night with Kayla in my arms.

A knock woke me the next morning. I tugged my arm out from under Kayla and slipped trousers on over my boxers before answering the door. An African-American girl stood on the other side, the same one who’d crouched under Bartholomew’s table while Alex went bonkers.

“Um, I’m supposed to pick up Kayla. I thought I had the right room.” She spoke in a very quiet voice.

My cheeks warmed. The last thing this girl needed to see was me answering Kayla’s door. Shirtless. “You do. She’s still asleep. I’ll wake her. Where is she supposed to meet you?”

“Bartholomew’s office. Trishna’s come to train us today.”

“Thank you. Margaret, right?”

She nodded and looked at her feet.

“Okay. Thank you, Margaret. She should be there soon.” I closed the door as Margaret disappeared down the hall and leaned against it, sucking in a deep breath. At least I’d remembered to put on trousers.

“Blushing again?” Kayla asked. She was propped up on one elbow, looking at me with a smirk on her face.

“Yeah, yeah. Get up. You’re wanted in Bartholomew’s office.”

“I heard. Come with me?”

I was supposed to train my team this morning, but if they split into teams like they did yesterday, I could spend the first half of the day watching the Magus practice. It’d be good to know what they were capable of anyway.

I nodded. “I’ll meet you down there.” Crossing the room, I kissed her forehead before leaving to change and attend to my Catchers.

When I arrived in Bartholomew’s office, Alex, Margaret and Kayla had formed a half-circle in front of Trishna. Her black hair was braided down her back, and she wore a black vest over her blouse and jeans. With their eyes closed, the three Magus stood with their hands out, palms facing up. Trishna walked back and forth in front of them.

“Do you feel the energy inside you?” she asked in her thick, Indian accent.

The three nodded. I grabbed a seat on the far side of the room, next to Bartholomew, and watched.

“Good. Now draw it to you, like you’re trying to roll it into a ball. Condense it.”

I remembered the way Kayla’s energy had felt the day she lit her mother’s boyfriend on fire—like her entire body had been asleep and was waking up. Controlling that intense tingling energy had to be awkward.

“Now, when you’re ready,” Trishna continued, “I want you to open your eyes. Focus your energy on me. Turn your palms to face me, and then push the energy from your body. This vest will protect me, and I have a shield up, so hit me with everything you’ve got.”

Margaret was the first to let her energy fly. Water spouted from her hands into Trishna’s shield. The invisible force field swallowed the water like a sponge. My eyebrows rose.

“Good. You favor water. Very powerful,” Trishna said. “Alex, you next.”

Alex followed Margaret with a burst of air. Except, instead of hitting Trishna’s shield, Bartholomew’s papers flew around the room. Apparently his ability to move objects didn’t mean he’d be able to control his energy.

“Okay. That was a good try. Seems like air will be your strongest element. Start over and see what you can produce. Kayla, your turn.”

Kayla’s eyes had remained closed while the other two took their turns. But now, she opened them and pointed her palms at Trishna. A circle of gold formed around her pupils, then a sharp
crack,
like the sound of a whip, filled the room as Kayla let go of her energy. Bartholomew and I jumped out of our chairs as a ball of fire hit Trishna’s shield so hard, she flew into the desk.

Kayla’s face whitened. She stepped back, placing a hand over her heart. Both Alex and Margaret slunk away from her as Bartholomew ran to Trishna.

Kayla’s chest rose and fell rapidly, and her eyes filled with tears. “Is she hurt? Oh god, I didn’t mean to hurt her.”

“I’m okay, Kayla,” Trishna said as Bartholomew helped her up from the floor.

I sighed in relief. The last thing Kayla needed was for Trishna to be injured on account of her.

“I’m so sorry,” Kayla said.

Trishna smiled and nodded. “I know. Was not expecting that, or I would’ve put up a stronger shield. Fire it is, then. You are powerful. Now please, let’s try again. And, this time, I will be prepared.” She winked at Kayla.

The blood returned to Kayla’s cheeks, and her posture relaxed. Sitting down again, I observed as Trishna had the three of them go through the same exercise again and again until each was comfortable enough to produce the element they wanted—even the ones that weren’t instinctive. After hours, Trishna let them break.

“Well done. I must return to my coven now, but if Giovanni approves, I would like to see you again tomorrow.”