From This Day Forward (14 page)

“
Mystic Springs was founded because of the fresh-water spring my ancestors discovered here. There’s great magickal power in the water.” April didn’t tell them of the life force that dwelled within the waters or the connection she had to her. Certainly power existed in that spot. A great deal of it.

Too much to harness
, in fact.

“
Then that’s where she’ll be with them.”

“
What does she want?” April asked.

“
I don’t know.” Morgana fingered a small stone in her hand.

“
It’s Noah’s hoard stone she wants.” Mick uttered the words quietly. “She’s the hoard thief.”

“
Hoard thief?” Morgana said. “Why would she do that?”

“
Power.” Mick crossed his arms and glared at Morgana. “She’s been at it for at least a year. And you expect me to believe you didn’t know? Isn’t there some special twin Spidey sense you get? You should have known how far she’d go for power.” He scowled at her, his brows drawn low over his hazel eyes. “You did know. That’s why your family took the actions they did and erased her existence.”

Morgana scoffed
. “No. We had no idea. You’re crazy to think we could know. We’re not oracles. We can’t see the future. No matter what you might think.” Her anger poked through, harsh and blustery. “We parted badly, that’s all. After her break-up.”

“
Break-up?” April asked.

“
Yes, her marriage ended badly. Severing ties with her soul mate nearly killed her. Warped her in some weird way. That’s why our family moved on. It’s just not done . . . separating from your soul mate.” Morgana seemed hesitant to share more. “It’s not my story to tell.”

“
Come on. Turned bad by love gone wrong? So clichéd. She’s evil because a bad man turned her bad?”

“
No. She’s bad because of a good man. Too good. I think she’s goading him. Trying to get him to come after her.”

“
Who?”

Morgana paused. Then, she pursed her lips. She nodded. It
looked like she’d decided something important. “David Pearson.”

You could have driven a truck through the huge gap the shocked silence created in the room with that bombshell.

“Shit,” Mick said and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“
Oh, my God,” April gasped. “David? No. That can’t be right.
The
David Pearson? Leader of the North American Dragon Consortium?”

Morgana nodded in affirmation.

“
Noah doesn’t know. Noah thinks David’s never been married. How is that possible?”

“
Theirs was an ill-fated love.” Morgana sighed. “His family is the very best of the Dragon Wyng. Ours. Not so much.” Her tone had gone soft and gravelly. “Iona wants David. Period. He refused to compromise years ago, so they lived a life estranged. Destined to love no one else. She wants it to end one way or another. Either let her go, or
let her go
.”

The finality of those last words floated heavy in the air.

“There is no letting go of the soul mate bond.” April paced between Mick and Morgana. “It’s exclusive. Like wolves and swans.”

“
I know.” Morgana worried the stone she held, rolling it between her fingers.

“
Death is the only way.” Mick shoved his hands in his pockets. “It just isn’t done.”

“
This is not the first time Iona has gone rogue and pushed the Dragon Wyng boundaries. If she is this hoard thief you mention, she’s proven what lengths she’ll go to get what she wants. No matter who else she harms. She will have David or peace. No in between.”

“
There is no in between. There’s only death for one of them.” Mick picked up the pestle, studied it, and then replaced it on the workbench. “So where is she? Is she at the spring? We can’t waste any more time.”

April stared at the ceiling. Where was a fucking sign when she needed one
? Her cell buzzed in her pocket.

She fished it out of her back pocket. Yana.

“Yana?” she said.

“
She’s here, girl. Come quick.”

Thank God for Yana.

“
I’m going into the wellspring cottage,” Yana said.

“
No. Wait.” Panic made April’s voice shrill. Banshee much?

“
Can’t, sweetie. Conrad women do not go it alone. Those girls need me until you get here.”

There was no stopping a Conrad woman on a mission, April should know. She’d been on a warpath just the day before.
“Be safe, Yana.”

“
Love you, girl.” The phone went dead.

“
Let’s go. You’re driving.” April grabbed her car keys from her front pocket and threw them at Mick as she headed toward the front of the shop to the street where her car was parked. She keyed Noah’s number. The phone went straight to message. “Noah, she’s got the girls at the spring house.” She disconnected. No time for anything else. She hoped to hell he checked his messages. Soon.

They ran for the car.

“Wait. You’re not going without me.” Morgana pursued them out of the shop, hot on their heels.

“
Come or stay, I don’t care. Just don’t get in my way,” April said over her shoulder as she jumped into the passenger seat of the SUV parked at the curb and jammed the seatbelt into place. “I’ll take your sister down, with or without your help.”

Morgana climbed in the back seat.
“With. Definitely with my help.”

April just hoped it wasn’t already too late to stop the inevitable destruction Morgana’s sister had set into
motion, like a line of dominoes tumbling one after the other in quick succession, to take down her family, the dragon mage race, and everything she loved with it.

Chapter Thirteen: Signs of the Future

“They’re at the spring house.” Noah headed to his vehicle parked out front. Grayson Cooper followed close behind. “Let’s go.”

“
Let me call David and tell him to meet us there. He’ll want to be there to take this woman down once and for all.”

“
Go ahead, call him. I’ll drive.” Noah jumped into his SUV.

Grayson climbed in a moment later.
“David’s in town. He’ll meet us there.”

“
Did you warn him?”

“
About what?”

“
About the spring.”

“
What about the wellspring?” Grayson leaned against the door and watched Noah. Not judgmental, but just skeptical enough to question.

“
There’s a magickal apex at the wellspring, especially on the old Conrad homestead. April has always been sensitive to it.”

“
In what sense?”

“
Whatever gift you possess, it’s more powerful there. April’s signs are magnified there. She not only reads objects, but entire scenes play out before her there at the well. It doesn’t happen anywhere else.”

“
What about you?”

“
I’m more sensitive to the psyche. Can read someone’s mind, delve in easier without barriers. Wrestle control if needed. And my dragon skills are heightened. The ice mist is more potent, and it releases easier.”

“
Like you’ve got a hair-trigger finger?”

“
No. I have precise control. The spring allows you to control your skills and magickal talents easier, with less issues and effort and more precision.”

“
That’s a little scary. Kind of like a conduit for magick?”

Noah thought about it a moment.
“Yeah. Exactly like the spring is a huge conductor.”

“
So what does the spring get out of it?”

“
I’m not sure.”

“
If there’s something there, there’s something there,” Grayson warned.

“
What do you mean?”

“
What I mean, is if there is a force there manipulating powers and events, then what does it want? And why does it amplify someone’s talent? Does it gain strength from magickals, like a parasite?”

Noah thought about it.
“Possibly. April has had contact with some kind of life force when she’s been at the spring over the years. She often refers to it as feminine.”

“
Then the question is, is that force benevolent? Or not?” Grayson rubbed his forehead.

“
She’s always been benevolent in the past. But that could be because magickals who have visited have always been good at their core, unlike The Fox. Who, for some reason is bent on destroying the dragon race. Or at least cutting off their personal power sources by stealing their hoard stones and their hoards.”

“
So if The Fox is at the spring, what does that mean?” Grayson said.

“
It means her capacity for evil might be magnified. And her ability to throw fiery balls of energy around like grenades is going to be bigger and better. If we’re lucky, she won’t know it. However, she’s a bit of a psyche sneak, too.”

“
Aren’t all dragon mages?” Grayson laughed. “Is there one of us who can’t in some way enter another’s mind to suggest thoughts, converse, or wrest control?”

Noah accelerated around the curve, heading into town. The Conrad homestead
sat only a mile away. “Yes, that is sometimes a latent skill we don’t teach young dragon mages, isn’t it? Is it because it’s no longer politically correct, even in dragon culture, to invade someone’s privacy by poking around in their minds or manipulate another person’s free will?”

“
Could be. I’ll have to look into getting someone skilled to teach the younger and recently turned adult dragons to spar psychically and gain mental control in dangerous situations. Might be something you want to think about. We could use someone like you at the academy. I really want you to think about it.”

Noah glanced at Grayson.
“I’ll give it serious consideration.”

Grayson considered him and shrugged.
“Good. Dragons need to be able to protect themselves and those they love, but not abuse their power. That’s what Derkesthai Academy tries to teach.”

“
A respectable goal.”

“
I’d like to think so.”

They paused in silence as Noah
came to a screeching stop and jammed the transmission into park outside the spring house. They paused a moment to assess the situation.

“
Unfortunately the power apex at the wellspring will make her a living weapon.”

“
The wellspring makes every magickal a living weapon, whether they know it or not.”

“
Let’s hope The Fox doesn’t know it.”

“
Let’s hope not, because if she does, it could be deadly for all of us as well as the town of Mystic Springs.”

“
It’s show time.”

“
That it is.”

“
Will there be room inside to shift if we need to? Or will we rip the house apart?” Grayson asked.

“
There’s room. The spring room housing the well and hallway leading through the mudroom both were built with cathedral ceilings for some reason.”

“
The Conrads have been around Mystic Springs for a long time. They’re smart.”

“
Yes, and their magickal chronicles detail dragon mages here at the town’s foundation. I’d guess someone knew or allowed dragon mages to visit the wellspring here even four centuries ago.”

“
I’d love to see those chronicles sometime.”

“
If we survive this, I’ll see if April will let you spend some time with them.”

“
I look forward to that day.”

“
Let’s rock-and-roll.”

April stood inside the cavernous wellspring room, studying the scene before her. She’d come in gun drawn. Mick and Morgana were in the adjacent hallway, waiting for her cue to enter. They thought it best for April to appear at first so she could assess the situation. Iona would expect a parent to come running. She might not expect her sister, Morgana, or Mick.

April
focused the barrel of the gun on Iona LeFay, The Fox, but she was afraid to take another step. Afraid that the crazy woman holding all the power would harm her daughters and her grandmother.

Iona
also held a gun trained on the three girls and Yana.

They were at a stand off.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the lovely wife of Captain Easton.” Iona LeFay stood near the silvery pool of spring water at the edge of the low wall. April’s daughters Samantha, Caeden, and Abigail each sat on an odd looking padded stadium-type seat with metal backing. The girls looked scared. They were frozen. None of them twitched. It didn’t even look like they breathed. Only their eyes darted back and forth with a frantic, panicked energy. “You are one lucky woman. You’ve got one yummy husband. I should know. I’ve tasted him.”

“
Bitch.”

“
Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Young ears.” She indicated the girls by twitching the barrel of the gun. “I’ve been called worse. Much worse.” Iona shrugged. “I wouldn’t move if I were you. And I’d put that gun down. Now. They are rigged. Each one of them with 100-cc’s of explosive. They’re sitting on pressure plates. One wrong move and they’ll be dead.”

Fear paralyzed April
, then she quickly knelt on the hard-packed dirt floor to lay the gun down. She wouldn’t risk the lives of her daughters. For anything.

“
Kick it out of the way.” When April had done what she’d said, Iona smiled. “That’s better.”

“
It’s all right girls, I promise. Mommy is going to take care of everything.” She hedged a step toward the spring and her family. “Let them go. They’ve done nothing to you.”

“
Ah, but that would ruin my fun, wouldn’t it? Besides I have a bit of revenge to exact on your Noah for rejecting me so soundly.” She tucked her gun into the waistband at the back of her leather pants.

So Noah hadn’t lied about being faithful to her. Hmmm. Interesting. Maybe April had seen the signs for another reason
—to identify The Fox, and to come into her own power by rescuing her daughters. Maybe the oracle gift wasn’t quite the curse she’d once feared.

“
Stay where you are. Don’t get any closer,” Iona warned. “Back up, against the wall.” She waved a small electronic remote she’d pulled from her pocket. “One wrong move and KABOOM.”

April stepped back until she bumped into the stone wall. She crossed her arms and leaned her shoulder blades against the rough surface.

Iona stared, hands propped on her hips. Bold. Indomitable. She shook her black hair over her shoulders. “I cannot release them. Not yet.”

“
What do you want?” April needed this woman to tell her exactly what she wanted. She’d do anything to make sure her daughters were safe.

I
ona laughed. “What don’t I want? I want your husband. I want his hoard and his power. I want him dead. I want you and your daughters dead. Because once I remove his hoard stone and strip him of his power, you will die. Loss of that kind of protection is devastating. I should know. Most do not survive it. I plan to take down the dragon high council and, therefore, the whole dragon mage race. One dragon family at a time.”

“
Why?” April couldn’t understand that kind of evil. She didn’t even try. But she was curious what motivated this woman. “Why are you stealing hoards?”

Iona tilted her head to study April.
“You’re truly interested?”

“
Yes. I am.”

“
You are a unique woman.”

“
Not so unique. It’s the way I was brought up. Every person matters. Their story matters. My family has chronicled magickals for centuries. It’s why I opened the Tea Cozy. I love people. I love interacting with them, hearing their stories. The Tea Cozy is like a local watering hole for both mundanes and magickals.”

“
You are magickal, then? I should have guessed. Although dragon mages have branched out to other magickals beyond dragons to find their soul mates, they have yet to stray to total nulls like mundanes to look for marriage material. I’m sure that’s coming next. I was married to a dragon mage once.”

Ah, here it came. The real reason. David Pearson.

But Iona didn’t go there yet. So April nudged her verbally.

“
Once?” She crossed her ankles. “My understanding is that the soul mate bond is forever.
To have and to hold, from this day forward, until death do us part
. Isn’t that the dragon mage sacred vow?”

“
Apparently I’m not a
keeper
. You know bad girl from the wrong side of the tracks marries the wealthy do-gooder. What’s he to do when the bad girl stays bad? When the good life isn’t enough to change her? All is lost when the love of a good man can’t turn a bad woman around.”

Iona’s sadness
edged out her sarcasm to sneak past April’s fear and anger to find her ooey, gooey center of compassion. Shit. She hated when this happened. When she understood at a heart level. Iona only wanted to be worthy of love—this wounded woman, this female dragon mage—she was crying out for unconditional love. “Is that what happened? You think all is lost because you disappointed the man you love?”

“
In a way. I couldn’t live up to his high expectations or the consortium dictates. Once a bad seed, always a bad seed. Right? Bad blood will out, and all that rot.”

“
No. I don’t believe you’re destined to continue to do bad things. I believe in human potential. You don’t have to do this. Really. Let the girls go. You can change your future today. It’s never too late.”

“
No can do. It’s too late for me. He won’t forgive me.” She hung her head, the fall of her hair obscuring her face. Then she looked up, right into April’s eyes. “So what’s your magickal talent?”

“
I’m an oracle.”

“
Wow. Really? How do you live with that kind of power? Knowing the future. Doesn’t it suck?”

“
Sometimes. But sometimes signs are just signs. Symbols representing the state of things right now. Not necessarily the truth or a fait accompli, not an indicator of what they’ll always be. The human spirit is amazingly resilient. We can achieve and overcome tremendous odds. You can receive forgiveness, Iona. There is redemption.”

Iona paced back and forth between April and the girls
, her eyes trained on the floor, as she appeared to think over April’s words. She gripped the remote tight in her right hand. She finally looked up at her. “Not for me.”