Incubus of Bourbon Street (24 page)

“What the hell?” Kane said and gripped my arm, pulling me to his side.

My eyes widened with disbelief. The woman’s skin rippled as her body straightened. Then out of nowhere, a billowing burst of black smoke consumed her. And when it cleared, I stared straight into the eyes of the Lesser Goddess, Genesis.

Chapter 24

“Genesis,” Kane barked. “What have you done?”

She laughed, that high-pitched giggle of hers grating on my nerves. “Only what I should’ve done years ago.”

“Steal the life force from an innocent woman?” My voice shook with anger and magic clung to my fingertips, ready to be unleashed.

“Innocent?” Genesis raised her eyebrows and gave us an incredulous look. “There’s not much of anything innocent about that girl. Not anymore. Not after what she’s done for me the last few weeks.”

I glance at Zoe, wondering what that meant, but then quickly discarded anything the Goddess had to say. If Zoe had been forced into anything, it didn’t matter what she’d done. Genesis was the one using black magic to make herself appear young again by stealing Zoe’s essence. I hadn’t felt anything sinister from Zoe before. Whatever Genesis was referring to didn’t make her evil.

“You’re lying,” Kane said and flashed his dagger.

Genesis hissed. “You can’t hurt me with that blade, incubus. I know the rules.”

She was right. The dagger given to Kane was to be used only when fighting demons…or in self defense when he was magically attacked. “You’re mistaken,” I lied, taunting her. “Black magic is fair game. One flick of his wrist and you’ll be history.”

It was a gamble. Kane wouldn’t use his dagger unless she attacked him first. But as a white witch, I didn’t live by such rules. As soon as she stepped away from Zoe, I’d take her down.

Fear flashed through Genesis’s eyes. But she blinked it away and raised her arms, the black tendrils of magic curling from her fingers and around her wrists. “Prove it.”

The dark energy shot from her hands straight at Kane. The bolt was so fast, I didn’t even have time to react. But Kane did. Instead of attacking Genesis with his dagger, he held it up and reflected the black magic using the large stone in the hilt. If she’d been a demon, he would’ve sent it straight back to her, but instead he aimed it off in the distance away from Zoe and the Goddess.

Genesis stumbled a few feet to the right, trying to break Kane’s hold. It was enough that Zoe was out of the line of fire. My white witch magic curled up from my depths and instead of battling the magic she was unleashing on Kane, I focused on her and whispered, “Bind her.”

Six separate streams of magic shot from my fingers, each latching on to a different part of Genesis’s body.

“What the—” she started as she tried to jerk backward.

But a rope of power wrapped around her mouth, effectively gagging her, while four of the others clasped around her wrists and ankles.

The black magic streaming from her hands started to fade to just barely a whisper of power.

“More, Jade. Cut her off,” Kane said, steel in his tone.

Genesis bucked against my magical bindings. Her eyes turned jet-black as she glared in my direction. Then a tendril of her dark magic slipped under the band that was gagging her. The stream shattered and she sucked in a hard breath. “You stupid bitch!” She opened her mouth, and a torrent of evil escaped from the depths of her soul.

Shadow after shadow of broken spirits flowed from her, each of them screaming a high-pitched cry of agony. All the ones she’d fed off of over the years. I recoiled in horror, unable to even fathom such a terrible existence.

They flew around Genesis in a whirlwind of energy until finally Genesis broke free of my hold. My magic slammed back at me. A sharp pain hit me right in the gut and I cried out as I doubled over, gasping for air.

“Get back!” Kane stepped in front of me and raised his dagger, using the stone to shield us from the spirits.

I fell to my knees, unable to stay upright, and peered at the spectacle in front of us. Zoe wasn’t moving from her shackled position behind Genesis. I wasn’t even sure she was still alive after the Goddess had stolen her essence. God, what if she didn’t make it? That would be three people we’d lost in a matter of days.

My heart got caught in my throat. But then anger took over. The world was too full of selfish, power-hungry beings. And immortals like Genesis were the worst kind of awful. She literally had the world at her feet, and it wasn’t enough. I couldn’t stand by and let her sacrifice one more innocent.

I leaped to my feet in front of Kane, ignoring the pain in my gut, and shot bolt after bolt of magic at the spirits shielding Genesis. One by one they each slowed and faded away into the shadows, leaving nothing between me and the Goddess.

If anyone had ever asked me if I thought I could take a Goddess down, I’d say no every time. But right then, the conviction filling my heart said otherwise. I wouldn’t let her go after one more person. Wouldn’t let her get a chance to take Pyper again. Was willing to die before I’d let Pyper’s spirit turn into one of the creatures controlled by the Goddess.

With the broken spirits out of the way, I tapped into all the fear and rage and horror of the last few days and focused my energy on targeting the Goddess. “Genesis,” I called.

Her head snapped up and her big black eyes stared right at me.

“Eat this.” White-hot magic burst from me and flowed straight at her head.

The Goddess did as I commanded and opened her giant mouth, sucking down everything I had to give. I stood there, feeding her all my power, every last bit of strength I had until my muscles started to give out. I fell to one knee and gritted my teeth, calling up the remaining power from the depths of my soul.

One last bubble of magic left my fingertips, and I fell forward onto my hands, utterly empty.

“Jade!” Kane called and lifted me up by my shoulders. He held me, both of us watching Genesis’s body glow bright with my magic. Her eyes shifted from black to white and then back to black as she howled in obvious pain.

“I have to finish what I started,” I gasped out.

“No, Jade. You’ve done enough,” Kane said into my ear.

I shook my head. “No. She’ll never stop. Please. Let me go.”

“I can’t. You’ve used too much.”

I glanced up at him, desperately pleading with him. “I have to. I can do this. Trust me.”

His worried gaze glanced from me to her and back again. “Here,” he said and placed my hand on his heart. “Take what you need.”

“Are you sure?” My breath came in short, desperate gasps.

“I’m sure.”

My fingers dug into his flesh as I concentrated on his energy engulfing me. I knew him so well, had been in tune with him for so long, it was second nature to meld into his emotional energy. Except that wasn’t what he was telling me to do. No, I was to take some of his power.

“You got this,” Kane said.

I wasn’t so sure, but when I glanced back at Genesis, my white magic was just starting to fade. If I didn’t act now, I’d lose my chance, and everything I’d done would be all for nothing.

“Take it!” Kane demanded.

And with his words, I felt the first twinge of his power merge with mine. It was enough. Kane’s power flowed effortlessly into me and churned in that place just below my heart, mixing with mine. My power jolted and suddenly I was alive with it. With one hand on Kane and the other outstretched in front of me, I called, “
Finis!
”

Nothing seemed to happen for a moment. Then my body bowed and everything left me in a whoosh. In the next second, the Goddess’s mouth dropped open as she gagged. Her hand came up to her neck, her eyes bugging out and she choked on nothing.

That’s it, die, Goddess
, I thought with vengeance.
Die!

A disturbance filled the air in the form of an ominous rumble, followed by light shooting from her center, her eyes, her mouth, until she literally exploded apart and vanished into nothing.

Sparkles of light floated down around us as I slumped against Kane.

“You did it,” he said softly. “She’s gone.”

I nodded, so tired I wasn’t even able to speak.

Kane brushed his fingers over my forehead. “You did good, love.”

I sighed into him just as my eyes landed on Zoe. “Oh, God.” I let go of Kane and moved toward her.

“Wait,” Kane said.

I paused and glanced back at him, swaying on my feet. “Why?”

“We don’t know what kind of condition she’s in.”

“There’s only one way to find out.” I held my hand out to him and together we made our way over to the fallen girl. “Her shackles are gone,” I said as I stared down at her. “How?”

“It was probably Genesis’s magic. You demolished her and any of her lingering magic.”

“Good.” I kneeled. “Zoe?”

The girl didn’t move. She was very pale and her skin was clammy.

I glanced up at Kane in panic. “We need to get her out of here.”

He bent and picked her up.

“Is she breathing?” I asked.

“Barely. Let’s go.” Kane and I clasped hands and a second later we were standing outside of Bea’s compound. We were on the sidewalk outside the main gates. Her house was the carriage house behind a larger family home in the garden district. Because we had Zoe with us, we couldn’t shadow walk right to the front of her cottage due to her wards. No one who hadn’t already been granted access could get that close. Which was why her place was one of the safest in the city.

I waved my hand in front of her locked gate, and it opened immediately. Her security was set to let certain people in at all times. I was one of the lucky few.

By the time we rounded the corner to Bea’s cottage, she was already standing on her front porch. She ran to us. “What happened?”

“Jade destroyed the Goddess,” Kane said matter-of-factly.

Bea raised a curious eyebrow. “All by yourself?”

I shook my head. “Kane helped.”

“No, I didn’t.” Kane strode up the steps and waited for Bea to open the door. “Zoe’s in bad shape.”

Bea nodded. “I can tell. Take her straight up to the guest room. I’ll be up in a second with healing herbs.”

After my impressive display of magic, my body was barely cooperating. As soon as I crossed the threshold, I shuffled to the sunflower couch and collapsed.

“Your power’s getting stronger,” Bea said as she opened one of her living room cabinets.

“Hmm?” I curled into myself, my eyelids suddenly very heavy.

“Destroying a Goddess isn’t something you could’ve done on your own a few months ago.”

“I told you, Kane helped.” I yawned and snuggled into the cushion.

“Well, whatever happened, I’m proud of you.”

I met her kind eyes and felt warmth spread in my chest. “Take care of her,” I said as I closed my eyes. “Bring Zoe back.”

“I’ll do my best, Jade.”

I nodded, barely registering the words. Sleep was already claiming me.

Chapter 25

I woke the next morning with a start and bolted upright, blinking in the bright light.

Kane rolled over and placed a hand on my thigh. “What is it?” he asked sleepily.

The familiar red hibiscus bedspread came into focus. My shoulders relaxed as I slumped against our headboard. We were at home in our own bed. Glancing down at myself, I took in the green silk nighty and frowned. “Kane?”

“Hmm.” He tugged me back down and slipped an arm around me. “What is it?”

“How did we get here? And how did I end up wearing this?” I tugged the hem of my lingerie.

One of his eyes popped open. He flicked his gaze to the clock and groaned. “It’s not even seven yet.”

“Kane.” I pushed on his shoulder. “Wake up. What happened with Zoe? Is she okay?”

He pressed a hand to his head and then turned his gaze on me. “Bea’s taking care of her. You passed out hard, so I decided to not wake you up. A cab brought us home, and I carried you inside. That was…” He paused and looked at the clock again. “Hmm, less than four hours ago.”

Goodness. I must’ve been dead to the world. “I don’t remember any of that.”

His eyes closed again and his arm tightened around me. “I’m sure you don’t. After you fell asleep on Bea’s couch, you were restless and seemed upset. So Bea cast a spell to really put you out.”

“What?” I bolted upright again. “And you let her?”

He peered at me. “You don’t trust Bea?”

“It’s not that I don’t trust her, it’s just that… Crap.” I slid out of the bed and stood in the middle of the room, my hands on my hips. “What if something else had happened? What then?”

Kane heaved himself up on a sigh. “Then I imagine she would’ve cast another spell to wake you up. But really, love, what do you think was going to happen while you were at her house?”

“I don’t know.” I stomped into the bathroom and shut the door. He knew how much I loathed being spelled. Hell, it had taken months for me to even come around to the idea of taking Bea’s healing herbs. But to be put under by a spell after everything that had happened? It was unconscionable.

The floor tiles were cool under my feet as I stepped into the shower and adjusted the water to scalding. But instead of going through my morning routine, I just stood there, seething.

After a few minutes, the shower door opened, and Kane poked his head in. “Is it okay if I join you?”

The fact that he was asking meant he knew just how upset I was. On any other day, he would’ve just slipped in and wrapped his arms around me.

The apprehensive look on his face softened me and the anger slowly started to fade. “It’s fine.”

The door shut softly as Kane stepped up behind me. Without saying a word, he grabbed the shampoo and went to work on washing my hair. He took his time massaging my scalp and by the time he was done, I was putty in his hands.

“I’m sorry, pretty witch,” he said softly as he brushed his lips over my shoulder. “I was worried about you and wanted you to get some rest. It’s been a rough few days.”

I turned in his arms and gazed up at him. Those wise chocolate-brown eyes were full of so much love, my heart melted all over again. “I know you were just trying to take care of me.”