Sorcerer: Betrayal: Power of Air (Book 4) (2 page)

Wednesday, June 8
^th
, 2016, 1:42 PM

I took a sip of my refilled coffee, and then stared at the
cup accusingly.  I was tired, and coffee wasn’t really helping.  I felt totally
betrayed by the blessed liquid.  Whatever it was this morning, it had taken a
lot out of me.  I was much calmer though, and thinking a little more clearly.

Elemental air, outside of commanding the physical air, healing,
and speed was the power of knowledge, intellect, and the mind.  Raw
information.  It occurred to me that I might have jumped to a conclusion.  It
made no sense that my jump in air power had anything to do with my visions this
morning, since what had been added to my vision was the emotional content of
the target’s life, what was being felt in other words.

Still a price for power, but perhaps not in the way I
believed.

Strong passionate emotions like fear, anger, love, and hate
were the influence of the fire element.  Could it be, the change was actually
gaining power in the area of fire?  Maybe this new type of vision was unique to
me, and somehow the fire was getting mixed up in the vision from air?  I’d have
to make figuring it out a priority, which I knew wouldn’t be easy.  Normally my
visions were immediate, and came at the whim of the element, not by conscious
thought.

On the other hand, I saw farther into the future, and was
able to absorb a whole lifetime of memories instantly through the vision’s
connection to Christina.  That was without a doubt, the increase in air
elemental power.  In short, it was both elements increasing that influenced
what happened this morning.  Even if I did have a mentor or guide to help me
learn this stuff, they wouldn’t be able to help me with this.  I was hoping the
better I got at controlling emotions with fire, that the less of an impact
there would be.

A beautiful woman walked into my office, familiar gray eyes,
gorgeous flowing blue black hair, and an athletic body that was in perfect
shape.  It was someone I hadn’t seen in a while and really didn’t know all that
well personally.  Caroline.  The vampire I’d saved out in the forest from her
insane master, I’d also explained some things to her, made sure she took her
son home to his father, and got her in touch with Diana.

She looked a little nervous and unsure, and was fidgeting
with a pair of sunglasses in her hands.  I gave her a light welcoming smile but
I was too tired to tell if it reached my eyes or not.

“Take a seat, how have you been Caroline?”

Caroline sat fast, even as a vampire baby she was very
quick.

“Uh, hi,” she turned around to make sure no one was behind
her and then faced forward again.

“I just.  There’s a lot of talk, and I am still thankful to
you for rescuing me, and telling me the rules.  I kept my mouth shut, they have
no idea I took my son like I did.  I feel like I owe you.”

I nodded.  I couldn’t blame her for taking off with her son,
she hadn’t known better at the time, and she kind of had no choice.  The bastard
that made her a vampire had threatened her son’s life if she ever tried to
escape him.

“You don’t have to pay me back.  I was actually there to
rescue your son.  But what brings you here?”

She shook her head, “There’s a lot of talk going on in the
coven.  About how you killed an old and very powerful fire sorcerer?”

I nodded again, patiently, to get her to continue, she was
obviously very nervous.

Caroline said, “Anyway, a lot of them think the council will
try to kill you very soon.  The consensus among the coven is they are just
using you until your power starts to become a threat.  That they don’t like
sorcerers in this town.  Something about them being in charge of all vampires
everywhere, and they can’t be seen as submissive to anyone else inside their
own home city.

“Between the fire sorcerer, and allying with the local pack
and the most powerful sole witch practitioner they’ve ever met, everyone thinks
you’re growing too powerful to be tolerated and used as a tool.”

“And you came to warn me?” my smile was a bit more genuine. 
I was a little shocked at the risk she was taking on my behalf.

She nodded, “You should be wary, or leave the city
altogether.  I shouldn’t stay, if anyone finds out I talked to you…”

“I’ve been aware, they’ve been wary of me for a while now
and your probably right.  Your welcome here by the way, but if you have to go I
understand.  I do appreciate you giving me a heads up.”

She stood, “Be careful,” and her voice actually sounded
concerned.

I watched as she left in a hurry, putting her sunglasses on
as she turned to go down the hall to the outside door.  I wasn’t sure what to
do about it, I was aware they’d betray me at some point, with about as much
guilt as stepping on a roach.  My triple shield, fire surrounded by two shields
of air wrapped around the contours of my body, was second nature to me now and
was always active, and should protect me.

Even during a shower, or at home in Sierra’s and my room, I
had a shield up.  Granted, in those cases the shield wasn’t directly around my
body, it was around the entire room.  Otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to
touch or be touched by anyone, which was no way to live.  The council moved to
fast for me to perceive unless I was speeding up my body and perceptions with
air magic, which was exhausting and impractical to keep up for long.  So
really, it was the only way to protect myself.

One day they would attack, but I would wait until they did. 
If I killed them simply because I thought they were a threat, well I’d be exactly
like them.  Of course, self-defense was another story, when they attacked me I
would have no compunctions about ending them.  I took another sip of my coffee
and sighed, I wanted to take a nap but I still felt like there was more left to
do in the office today.

I smiled as Aiya walked in.  She had on a gray cotton skirt,
white blouse, and a blazer that almost hid her gun, but not quite.  She also
had her badge clipped to her skirt.  She looked good, and as I realized the
reason she was here, I shivered.  I was mostly over this morning’s vision, but
the echo of the intense feelings of helpless rage and shame lingered.  It was
muted of course, because the vision changed, but I still remembered it.

I did my best to maintain a smile, “Hey, grab a coffee, have
a seat.”

Aiya tilted her head, “Are you okay?  Things went well, we
got those two idiots locked up.”

I nodded, “Good.  So what can I do for the jewel of
Chicago’s missing person’s department.”

She snorted, and went over to pour a cup of coffee, “Now I
know something is wrong.”

I shook my head, “Just the vision, nothing anyone can do,
I’ll get passed it.  Besides, can’t I compliment the prettiest cop in the
city?”

She sat across from me, her eyes wise beyond her years from
all the crap she’s seen in her job.

“I don’t actually need anything, just swung by to say hi,
and thanks for the tip.  The girl was knocked out in the back of the van, but is
recovering just fine at the local hospital.  This was kind of new you know,
usually we save them after they’ve been kidnapped, not forewarned and saving
them during the kidnapping.  Are you sure everything is okay?”

I sighed, “It will be, seriously.  Just my… ability to see
visions, just got upgraded.  Visions two point oh.  It was rather disturbing
and took a lot out of me.  Mostly I’m just tired.  And it was a very good thing
we saved her at the beginning, you’ll understand when you go through their
place.  So, how are things going with Todd?”

She gave me a pointed look for my sad attempt to manipulate
a change of subject, but then allowed it anyway.

“Wonderful actually.  We’re going out on another date
tonight.  No, I still don’t know what he is, but I don’t care either, he’s a
good man.  Plus… kind of hot.”

I nodded, “He is, a good man I mean, I’ll let you be the
judge for the hot part.”

Her eyes were laughing at me, “Glad I have your approval,”
she said sarcastically, but at the same time I could tell she actually did mean
it. 

I could see the thread of fire magic that connected us, a
representation of our friendship.  A magical connection only a fire sorcerer
could read, generated just because of our emotional connection to each other.  It
was so obvious that I wondered how I ever missed seeing it before, or that I’d had
to struggle to find it just four days ago.

I sipped my coffee, “He’s a lucky man.”

She replied, “Thanks, and I wanted to mention you might have
the press come by again.  Some of the officers Mike and I brought along
couldn’t shut up about how we got a tip for something as random as exactly
where the white van would pick up the girl.  You know how it is, they’re in awe
of you, except when they’re giving me crap for associating with a psychic.”

“Wait, you have a date tonight?  I was hoping you’d be my
backup at Mike’s.”

She shook her head, “Coward.  You know I’m only five foot
two, and very small.  I’m staying out of it after you threw me under the bus
last week.  I’ll come to the next one, and maybe bring Todd with me.”

I sighed, “What does your size have to do with it?”

She laughed, “I thought it would shame you, trying to hide
behind little old me.”

Damn.  That was tough love.

“Fine, I’ll pull on my big boy pants.  That, or I’ll hide
behind Sierra.”

I figured if I couldn’t beat her, I’d join her and take
shots at myself.

She took pity on me, “I think it will be fine.  I do see him
every day you know; you could have just asked me.  He’s still a little freaked
out, but you know how Jenna can be, and she’s been bullying him about it.”

“Thanks.  That’s good to know.  So… awkward, changing
friendship, but not ending.  I think I can handle that.”

We talked a bit longer, and then she left to go do cop
things.  My power told me no one else was coming today, so I gathered the power
of air around me, and went back to the house.  I really did need a nap, I still
felt drained, so I passed out on the bed.

Wednesday, June 8
^th
, 2016, 5:36 PM

“Wake up lazy,” I half heard, but it was Sierra’s soft lips
on my neck, and her hands on my body that woke me up.

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her down to claimed
a kiss.

She pushed against my chest with a teasing laugh, “Later,
right now you need to take a shower so we can get over to Mike’s.”

I felt a bit better, I wondered if the new type of visions,
and having more power was having some kind of effect on my physical body that
would account for the drained and worn out feeling.  This had never happened
before when I’d gained power and I wondered why it was an issue this time.  I
felt like I should already know, and was struck with guilt as I remembered just
how I gained more power in fire.  Not that Jaben hadn’t deserved it, but maybe
I hadn’t been ready?

Perhaps there was a physical component involved.  All it
took for more power was understanding, but that understanding should come with
time and experience, which I bypassed for the first time.  The only other
possible option that occurred to me was the human body wasn’t meant to house
two elemental powers, and I was only fine until I started increasing my power
of elemental fire.

I really hoped that wasn’t it, because the first could be
dealt with by time and practice, the latter theory meant… I was screwed.

I asked innocently, “So we need to take a shower?”

She laughed and gave me a soft kiss that was entirely too
short.

“Not we,
you
need to take a shower.  We can’t be
late, and we will be if I join you…”

She jumped up and walked toward our door, and turned her
head back to look at me.

“And you’re going to explain to me what’s going on with
you,” she said firmly, and I could see the wolf in her eyes.  She wasn’t mad at
me exactly, I could feel that she was just worried, and feeling extremely
protective.  I felt a surge of love, lust, and affection, she was an absolutely
stunning and powerful woman.  She was also mine, which made me a very lucky
man.

I nodded calmly, “I’d planned to, it only happened a few
hours ago.”

When she left I blew out a breath and rolled out of bed, and
then took that shower…

Sierra was silent as we walked towards Mike’s house holding
hands.  She hadn’t spoken since I’d gotten done telling her what happened, and I
also told her my theories.  I squeezed her hand lightly.

She shook her head, “I have a third theory, or at least, an
expansion to the first.”

“You do?” I asked with surprise.

She gave me a look, “What, can’t I have ideas?”

Being a master of information and emotions, I immediately
caught the warning signs.

“Of course you can, I just… didn’t expect it.  What do you
think?” I asked, truly curious.

She sighed, “I think you let your guilt guide your thoughts,
what happens when you speed up your body for an extended period of time?”

I frowned, “I feel exhausted and pass out…” my words cut off
as the obvious hit me in the face.

Well, now I felt like an idiot.

She said, “Exactly, your visions involve pouring pictures
directly into your mind, which is still a part of your body.  I’d say these new
intense ones, with a lot more data if you will, that seem longer as well, at
least subjectively, is the cause.”

I frowned, “But what can I do about it then, I can control
when I enhance my body, but not when I have visions.  And why does reaching for
information not have the same effect?”

She shrugged, “You already told me earlier, you need to
learn enough control to keep the fire magic out of it when you have a vision. 
Either that, or learn to like naps.  I’d guess plain information takes a lot
less magic to pass to your mind.”

I snorted a laugh, “Like naps huh?  Alright, I concede the
point.  My feelings of guilt on what I did to Jaben were coloring my logic, and
your theory fits the best.  Or do I just want it to be true?”

She squeezed my hand, “Or, you’re just afraid it’s not
true.”

When we were close to the door she added, “So tell me, do
you understand women better now, or what?”

I shuddered, “I’ve been trying not to think about it, there
are just some things that are meant to be mysteries in this universe.”

She smirked at me as she opened the door and we went in.

I took a deep breath through the nose, we were having pasta
tonight, either baked ziti or some kind of lasagna.  I bet Sierra knew for sure
with the werewolf nose, but I’d find out soon.  Mike was just across the room
and had a sick smile on his face, like he was trying but ultimately failing to
be cheery.

Sierra let go of my hand and headed for the kitchen. 
Coward.

Mike asked, “Beer?”

I nodded, and he tossed the one he had in his left hand
over.  I tapped the top a few times, then cracked it open.

“So, what’s new?” I asked inanely

I cringed internally.  Mike and I hadn’t been this awkward
since the first time we met and he thought I was a con artist working some
hidden angle. 

Mike took a long drink from his beer, so I followed his
example.

“It’s not you, or what you are that I’m having trouble with,”
Mike said.

I had the absurd thought he was breaking up with me, I was
getting the it’s not you, it’s me speech.

Mike shook his head, apparently reading it in my eyes, “No,
what I mean is it isn’t what you told me, or what I know.  It’s what I don’t
know.”

I took another sip, considering that, “I don’t know
everything.  Sure, I have a handle what’s around here, but I’m sure there’s
more supernatural stuff out there that I don’t have a clue about.  At least,
not yet.”

He shrugged, “It’s complicated.  Of course there’s stuff we
won’t know about.  But I know that there’s supernatural creatures out on the
streets of Chicago, but I don’t know what they are.  That makes it different,
knowing what I don’t know.  I do know there are creatures that can take my
memories, you’ve told me that, so now I look back at all my unsolved cases and
wonder what really happened.  How many times have I run across the supernatural
in my job and have been made to forget it?”

I sighed, “I get that, I can’t tell you though because I
don’t know.”

I was starting to worry less about losing him as a friend,
than the idea my friend might actually lose his sanity.

I turned my head at the blur out of the corner of my eye,
and suddenly had my arms full of Jenna, who was hugging me tight and whispering
thank you again and again.  The difference in reactions in my best friends, my
chosen second family, couldn’t have been farther apart.  I saw Sierra standing
by the kitchen door looking at me with amusement and a tender look.

I hugged Jenna tightly for a moment, “You’re welcome,” and
released her.

Well, being thanked for healing her without permission was
about the best result I could hope for.

Jenna glanced at her husband with a mixture of exasperation
and worry on her face, and then looked back at me with confidence.  I
understood the message immediately.  Fix it.  But how could I?  I could take
his memories of course, but no one here really wanted that.  Unless I broke all
connections between us it would only be temporary only, until the next time he
got suspicious.

“Dinner is almost ready, Lasagna and Texas toast.”

She was like a little whirlwind as she turned and headed
back into the kitchen.

“So you really don’t mind I’m a sorcerer of the elemental of
air?  It’s all about what you don’t know?”

He nodded, “Exactly.”

A glimmer of an idea took hold, and after another quick sip
I put down the beer and pulled out my phone.  I frowned, I hadn’t heard from
Diana since I’d cut the connection I’d forged between us.  I wound up texting
my idea directly to Ceara, might as well get the answer straight from the
source.  Diana wasn’t happy with me, and it might be best to let her work it
out, and let her contact me first.  Or, it was possible I was just a coward.

Mike asked, “What’s that about?”

“I’ll tell you later, when I know for sure.”

His eyes narrowed a little, but he let it pass.  Jenna and
Sierra came out of the kitchen, Sierra carrying a big lasagna pan that could
probably feed twenty, and Jenna with a large bowl of tasty looking Texas
toast. 

Mike and I gravitated to the table like flies on honey, and
took our seats.  Jenna’s lasagna should be classified as a national treasure.  My
phone vibrated and I peeked at it under the table, drawing a frown from Jenna. 
Texting at dinner was rude as hell, but it might be important.  It was Ceara,
and she’d actually gone for my idea.  Now all I had to do was sell it.

Something felt odd, and I realized it was because this was
my first dinner with Mike and Jenna where no one was set up on a blind date in
like a year.  It was a bit quiet as we all filled our plates up and dug in.

“So, after talking with Mike I had an idea,” I threw out
there, and took a bite of my lasagna.

Jenna asked, “What?”

“Well, I got permission to tell Mike everything I know, but
there’s a catch.”

Mike asked suspiciously, “What catch?”

I looked right at him and laid it out, “I’ll tell you
everything, but only if you agree to be mesmerized so you can’t talk about it
to anyone else, ever.  Unless they already know.”

Mike nodded, “So… how it is now, mind voodoo, or mind
erasure?”

Jenna asked cheerily, “Can I take that deal, I’m curious.”

I shrugged, “I don’t see why not.  It might even be better
that way, since you’d be able to talk to each other about it.”

Sierra asked, “Was that Diana on the phone then?”

I shook my head, “Ceara.  Apparently that’s a standard
practice they just didn’t bother telling me about.”

Sierra looked annoyed at that, and to tell the truth I was
right there with her.  They’d warned me not to tell anyone, ever, and then I
find out they bring humans in on the secret often enough to have a standard
practice for it?  Of course, they wanted me as ignorant as possible, a way to
handle me and make use of me until I grew too dangerous.  So I shouldn’t be all
that surprised.

Mike said, “Let me think about it,” and started back in on
his plate.

The rest of the meal was fairly quiet, and passed with a
little small talk and a lot of eating.  I was pretty stuffed by the time I’d
cleared my second plateful.

Mike frowned, “What happens if you tell me and I…”

“Can’t handle it?  I can take the new memories away, or all
of them.  But honestly, I think you’ll be fine.  It’s not that horrific or
anything.”

He grunted, and Jenna squirmed in her chair, it was obvious
she wanted to know now.  I think that’s what finally pushed Mike to go for it.

“Fine, tell me.”

I went through it all.  Werewolves, other shifter species
like werecats which I knew nothing about, vampires, what was myth and fact,
although I didn’t know everything about them I shared all I knew.  I actually knew
more about werewolves than vampires, but I doubted I knew it all.  Then I went
over witches, dark and light, and covens.  Lastly I covered elementals, but
just revealed their existence and no other knowledge.  Truth was, I didn’t know
all that much more about them myself.

He seemed a bit shell shocked, “That it?”

I nodded, “That’s all I know.  But like I said earlier, I’m
sure I don’t know about every supernatural race.  I’m pretty sure the fae don’t
exist, no dragons either.”

He snorted, “How can you be sure?”

I shrugged, “I can’t find any knowledge of them, they could
be there but too powerful for me to grasp the knowledge.  I just don’t know. 
Truth is though, even if they do exist there aren’t any flying around the
city.  You’re likely to meet a werewolf, witch, or vampire in Chicago, but
that’s about it.”

Then I did what I had to, the cost of the knowledge I’d
given.  I mesmerized my best friends, and told them they could only discuss it with
each other, or with another supernatural being.  Mike seemed okay, so I guessed
I’d have to wait and see if it was a wasted effort, or what he needed to deal. 
We spent a little more time talking, Jenna seemed to have endless questions,
and then we went home.