Read Denai Touch: Excalibar Investigations Series Online
Authors: Tiffany Shand
Denai Touch: Excalibar Investigations Series
Copyright © 2015 Tiffany Shand Kindle Edition,
All rights reserved. This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book was another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.
ISBN-13: 978-1-68063-005-3
ISBN-10: 1680630059
EDITOR: EAGLE EYE EDITORS
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COVER: MELODY SIMMONS
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Thank you to my editors Carlie and Maria for cleaning up my manuscript.
Thank you, Melody for my beautiful cover.
Thanks to my mum, I know that I got love of writing from you and you are my inspiration.
Nan and grandad, thank you for nagging me to get something published. Without you this novel would never have come to be.
Grandma, thanks for all your encouragement and support. I don’t know what I would do without you.
Bethany Turner knelt within the spell circle, the wind whipping her long, dark hair and making the flames from surrounding candles flicker wildly. Blood dripped from her palm onto the large pillar candle in front of her.
“Is it working?”
She glared at Colbane, her second-in-command. His nostrils flared at the scent of her blood.
Bethany didn’t like vampires, one of the few Magickind immune to the power of compulsion of a Denai witch. She couldn’t force him like the others in her coven, but he had proven his loyalty.
“Hush! I need to concentrate.”
“I don’t know why you bother. Even if they hear your call, we are nothing to the Covenant.”
“That’s why we need to get back in Raven’s favour again. Now be silent!”
She chanted again, calling her magic. She felt a static charge in the air and the candle flames rose higher as her spell began to take effect.
The wind suddenly picked up and started to roar around them like a tornado; she closed her eyes letting the darkness claim her.
The grounds around her compound faded as she appeared in another place. It took her eyes several moments to adjust to the blackness. “Mistress?” she called out. “It’s Bethany Turner of the Thorn, your loyal servant.”
“Why have you come here?” a cold voice demanded. “You must be desperate, witch.” A short, slim woman with the face of a weasel and short, red hair emerged from the shadows. It wasn’t Raven, the Covenant’s leader, but Tasha Phelps, her right hand.
Bethany hid her annoyance; she loathed Tasha, everyone did. But she dutifully bowed her head in respect, as if she were Raven herself. “I want to serve the Covenant again.”
“Why? You failed last time and Raven is not happy with you. I warned her that you’d outlived your usefulness, but she thought you would succeed. Of course, I was right.” Tasha smirked and her chin jutted out.
“If you would just let me talk to her, I can explain…” She reached forward with one hand.
Tasha glared down at her. “Raven doesn’t want to listen to you whine. You’re lucky you’re only projecting yourself here or I would hit you for your insolence.”
“But – but I’ve seen something. A vision…” Her hand unconsciously went up to touch her forehead.
“Your visions are weak, even for a Denai. You have no real active power.”
At least I have powers, unlike you, Null,
she thought.
Something moved in the shadows as a silhouette of smoke appeared. She instantly recognised the feel of another Denai witch.
No, surely this couldn’t be Raven?
She’d rarely seen the Mistress of the Covenant in person. How could the most powerful and darkest witch of all time have been reduced to this?
So there was some truth to the rumours after all.
“My lady.” She bowed down low, face touching the floor.
“You were once useful to me, Bethany.”
“I can be again, Dark One. Just give me a chance. Did I not spread plagues throughout the lands at your bidding?” she asked. “I have been loyal for two centuries.”
“Indeed, you once brought me many recruits, but those days have passed. The Covenant is diminishing – my followers are no longer faithful as they once were. Times are changing and the Enforcers do their best to thwart everything we do,” she said with a heavy sigh.
“That’s not true, Mistress. The Covenant can be great again. You will rule the Homelands and the Middle Kingdoms just as you did before.”
“Stop trying to suck up to her!” Tasha snarled. “Don’t listen to her, my love. She only seeks to make herself more powerful.”
The smoke began to take on a more solid form, revealing a woman wearing a long, black velvet dress that covered her from neck to foot. Bethany gasped; some of the hair on Raven’s scalp was burnt away and half her face was covered in hideous scar tissue.
“Look at me!” Raven cried. “I am weakened, my power wanes.”
“Who did this to you, Mistress?”
“Who do you think?” Tasha asked.
“The Goddess Marked? The witch the prophecy speaks of?” Bethany asked, brow furrowing in confusion.
“In the time of great need shall come the chosen one. A daughter of my blood will possess all my gifts and more, shall destroy the dark raven and all evils that threaten clan and coven,” Raven recited the prophecy foretold thousands of years before. “All will know her, for she shall bear my mark.”
“Just because the marked witch has been born and grown up doesn’t mean she will fulfil the prophecy,” Tasha said. “I don’t hold much faith in it.”
“She is powerful!”
“But she hasn’t reached her full power yet, not until she ascends.”
“We must kill her – she’s twenty-eight now. Her ascension draws near, I can sense it,” Raven snapped.
Bethany stood up. “I could...”
Tasha cackled with laughter. “You? Kill the Goddess Marked? Ha! You’re no match for her. She may be young, but she has power and is well protected. You’d never stand a chance.”
“But you
could
prove useful,” Raven said. “Tasha, why not let the Thorn serve by spreading your new experiment around the city?”
Tasha opened her mouth to protest just as Raven doubled over, clutching her head.
“What is it, my love?” she asked in concern. “Do you need to feed?”
“No. I see – Tasha, I see! My sight is not completely destroyed. The Goddess Marked…”
Images flashed before Raven’s eyes.
Bethany could only imagine what she was seeing. Tasha was right; she had no true active powers of her own. She wasn’t a seer, empath, telepath, healer, conduit or medium as other Denai witches were.
“I see the key to my salvation – the Goddess Marked.” Raven smiled triumphantly and her eyes sparkled. “She can restore me to my former self. Damn the prophecy! I want that witch brought to me. I can use her to find the book and through her I will be restored, then she shall die before she has the chance to ascend.”
“That doesn’t give us much time. If she’s started, we'll only have a few weeks before it takes place.” Tasha put an arm around her.
“Then gather the Covenant and spread the word among our allies. The Goddess Marked must not ascend!”
Shadows whirled around her. She saw her grandmother lying on the floor, a hand reaching out as energy exploded all around, engulfing her.
She stood there watching her gran vanish. A bright star of light rose from the vortex. She watched it, awestruck.
A shadow moved towards her; claw-like fingers wrapped around her throat and magic burned into her skin.
“Cate? Cate, wake up!”
Cate McCray thrashed and kicked, trying to get away from her assailant.
“Cate!”
There was sharp pain across her face and her eyes flew open.
“What the hell is going on?” Jade demanded.
Cate blinked and stared at her best friend and fellow Denai witch, Jade Fabre. “What?”
“You fell asleep and were muttering, flailing around as I tried to wake you.” Jade motioned to her bloodied lip.
“Oh goddess, did I do that?”
“No kidding, McCray. What’s up? Did you have a nightmare?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I think it might have been a vision.”
“Of what?” Jade wiped her lip on the sleeve of her jacket.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t…”
“I know – I’m used to your weirdness after all these years.”
“Are you saying I’m weird?”
“Hey, you’re the Goddess Marked, of course you are!”
She smiled and shook her head. “I’ve been having a lot of bad dreams lately. It’s disturbing my sleep.”
“Having kinky sex dreams about you and Talbot?”
“Funny. No, they’re not that kind of dream. I think I die in it.”
Jade’s smile faded. “What? How? When?”
“I don’t – hey look, we have movement.” She gazed through the car window and spotted several figures appear; switching to
Other Sight
she could easily see what was happening several metres away. Seven robed witches stood within a spell circle in the centre of the graveyard.
“I can hear them chanting,” Jade remarked. “About time! I wish we could just go in and arrest them.”
“On what grounds? Trespassing? That charge would never stick,” Cate replied. “We need to catch them doing something illegal, so we have some real evidence to make an arrest.”
“I hope they are linked to the Covenant, it will make this wasted night worthwhile,” Jade folded her arms across her chest.
The Covenant was a very old terrorist organisation which had existed in one form or another for 5000 years, and was led by an evil, dark Denai named Raven. They didn’t believe that all races should live as equals or work together in peace. Instead Raven used her magic to make others follow her will, and her will alone.
Once, all the races had fought against each other and amongst themselves until one of the McCray’s ancestors, Grand Mistress Lara McCray, had forced the leaders of the different races to band together and fight back against the Covenant, and thus led to the formation of the United Magickind Council. The Covenant had been weakened over the past few centuries, but Cate was certain they were trying to make a comeback. It made her all the more determined to bring them and their allies down.
“How did we get roped into this anyway? There are plenty of low-level Enforcers who could be doing this. We’re Excalibar and Denai, we might as well use the rank for something.”
“I asked for this assignment. If these witches are linked to the Covenant, I’m not sending in a low-level newbie who will no doubt get themselves killed. Now stop moaning, you sound just like Charlie.”
“I don’t moan!” A voice came from the back of the car.
Her senses tingled, telling her they were no longer alone. She turned to see her teenaged niece faze through the back seat from where she had been hiding in the boot.
“Goddess! Charlie!” she hissed. “What the bloody hell are you doing here?”
“I was bored, so I thought I’d see what you were up to.”
“You should be at home in bed. How many times have I told you not to follow me when I’m out on a case?”
“How else am I supposed to get experience?”
“You’re not an Enforcer and you’re only sixteen, so you’re too young to start your training yet. Now go home!”
“No way! I’m not waiting another year. I’m almost seventeen and I’m ready to start now.” Charlie folded her arms across her chest. “You said being a Denai is all about helping people and my powers only...”
“Shush! Or you’ll alert the coven to our presence,” Jade furiously interrupted.
Cate sighed. She was going to have to get her brother, Steve, to have a serious talk with his daughter. Charlie turning up whilst she was out on assignment was becoming a disturbing habit lately. The young Denai medium was lucky she hadn’t gotten herself hurt yet, or worse.
The sound of chanting made her look up and she felt power begin to rise within the witches’ circle. Then red flashes of lightning began to appear.
“What are they doing?” Jade whispered.
“They’re summoning the ghosts of people buried here.” She started to feel the stirring of spirits beneath the ground.
Charlie let out a squeal of excitement. “Awesome, my powers can...”
Cate gave her a warning glare and looked back as wispy silhouettes appeared within the circle.
Now was the time to act.
“You stay here in the car and keep out of sight,” she told Charlie. “Jade, let’s go.”
“But...” Charlie started to protest.
“Stay! Or I’ll make sure you never leave the house again.”
Pulling out her gun, she leapt from the car and headed towards the circle, Jade following close behind her. “Enforcers!” she called. “Stop right where you are.”
The stunned faces of the witches turned to stare at them in surprise.
The small seven pointed star around Cate’s neck showed she was a Denai witch. Denais were different to others; they were immortal witches. They had the power to read people’s thoughts and emotions. Some Denais chose to become Enforcers, the police of Magickind who enforced the laws of the United Magickind Council. It was their job to protect the innocent and punish the guilty, ensuring justice was always served.
The rogue coven’s High Priestess was a tall brunette with pitch black eyes that glowed red just before she raised a hand and hurled a fireball at them.
Crap!
Cate thought, raising her hand to deflect it using her kinetic powers. Gold light shimmered around Jade’s body as she shifted into a red wolf, and launched herself at the nearest witch, knocking her to the ground. Cate flung out her arm, using her energy to hurl all of them out of the circle. They were stunned for barely a few moments before starting to throw rounds of fireballs.
Double crap!
She raised her gun and sent out a stream of blue energy, stunning the nearest witch, who immediately slumped to the ground unconscious. There were loud booming noises as the fireballs exploded on earth and tombstones; the witches ducked for cover as their magic rebounded on them.
She knocked another rogue out with a wave of her hand and then used her gun to stun the next one, whilst Jade took hold of another, stunning her with her magic.
An unholy shriek suddenly pierced her ears as wispy cloaked figures moved towards the battle.
Shit! Mija!
This was the last thing they needed. Mija were one of the deadliest creatures; skeletal beings that hovered between life and death were extremely hard to kill, and survived by feeding on the powers of other Magickind.
“Damn,” Cate muttered as one lunged at her.
Sharp talons grazed her arm as the Mija made a grab for her; she ducked and rolled dropping her gun in the process. Not that it mattered since guns were useless against them. A witch screamed as one of the creatures wrapped its hands around her neck and drained her life force, killing her instantly.
Cate pulled the athame, a ceremonial dagger, from her belt, thrusting it into the being that hovered over her. It let out a piercing scream as she leapt up and grabbed it by the throat, feeling slimy cartilage and bone beneath her fingers. Her sapphire blue eyes turned black as she used her Touch – the deadliest of all Denai powers – dark magic that could kill with the slightest contact. Energy pulsed from her into the Mija, causing the creature to cry out as it was incinerated in a burst of silver sparks.
She heard another cry and watched in horror as Charlie staggered to the ground after getting out of the car and making an unsuccessful grab for one of the other Mija. Jade shifted back into human form and used her own weapon to stun the remaining witches where they stood.
Cate had to act quickly. Getting to her feet she reached for her magic; her eyes shone bright silver as power rose up from deep inside her. Raising her arms, energy rippled from her fingers, sending out waves of sparkling silver orbs that pulsed through the air.
Some Denais not only had the gifts of telepathy, empathy or power channelling, which were individual abilities, but most also had the power of compulsion. With it they could compel people not only to tell the truth, but to do virtually whatever the witch wanted.
“Stop,” she commanded, feeling the waves of compulsion pulse from her body and through the air.
Compulsion didn’t work on Mija the same way it did on people, but it could slow them down for a few seconds. They immediately stopped moving.
The remaining six witches stood there,
their eyes briefly glowed silver, leaving them looking dazed as they waited for her next command.
Cate could feel her energy begin to wane. She hadn’t meant to compel the witches, but with her gun now missing she used the only other way she had of stunning them into submission.
Cate’s eyes shimmered black as she reached for the dark side of her power once more.
Die,
she thought as she fixed her gaze on the remaining Mija. The wraiths shrieked as they exploded into oblivion.
She swayed as the shock waves of power reverberated through her, struggling to keep the witches under her control.
Cuffs,
she thought, and silver orbs sparked, forming around the wrists of each witch, rendering them powerless.
A wave of dizziness hit Cate as she released them from her grasp, her eyes returning to their normal shade of blue. Leaning against the tombstone, she took a few deep breaths to try and clear her head.
Jade ran over. “You okay, sweetie?”
“I’ll be alright. You?”
“I’m good. You know you needn’t have done that. We could have killed a few Mija between us.”
“That would have taken too long. Besides it worked, didn’t it?”
“Yeah, but I know how much using your powers like that drains you. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’ll be fine,” she insisted, but truthfully she felt ready to pass out.
“Hey, I’m fine too – thanks for asking,” Charlie appeared at her side.
“You shouldn’t have been here in the first place. You could have been killed! How would I have been able to explain that to your dad?”
“You can lecture me later.” Charlie inclined her head. “But what are we going to do about them?”
Looking over, Cate saw the wispy figures of spirits still shimmering within the circle and groaned. Despite her weakened state she could still feel the pain, anger, and desperation of the tortured souls yet to be set free.
Jade cursed. “What are we going to do with them?”
“I can send them back to where they came from,” Charlie’s face lit up with excitement. “See, told you my powers would come in handy.”
“You can’t, you–”
“You’re not exactly in a fit state to do it.”
Cate had to silently agree with that. “Fine, we’ll send them back to the spirit world together.”
“No way! You’ve used enough of your energy for one night. If you help you might end up in a coma.”
“Remember who has rank here.”
“You don’t have rank over me, only the Grand Mistress and her Second have rank over Denais.”
“Technically, I
am
the Second.”
“Whatever. Watch the medium and learn.” Charlie turned and approached the circle, raising her hands.
Cate felt the air charge and sizzle with energy as Charlie’s hands shimmered with white light. Her body wavered as if she were a ghost herself before the spirits vanished in a blinding flash.
The witches all sat in stunned silence, as Cate and Jade took them inside the Enforcers Tower. Most of them were crying; the one she thought to be the High Priestess and leading the circle appeared to be in shock. From what Cate could pick up from their emotions, none of them could believe or seem to understand why they had been arrested.
The prisoners were handed over to be booked in, where they would be identified and allowed to give statements.
Sigmund Carey, Chief of the Enforcers, entered. “You look ready to drop, McCray,” he commented.
Cate stared at him. It was no secret that Carey didn’t approve of her or her team. Despite her training as an Enforcer, he felt her rank as a Denai and her relation to the Grand Mistress was the only reason why her team were allowed to investigate as they did. But he was right about one thing, she was ready to drop. Using so much power always drained her, and since she didn’t have her Elemental partner’s energy to feed from, exhaustion would soon claim her.
