The Wizard King (25 page)

“Hecate, Lady of the Night,

Help this witch to put things right.

What evil this man has done

Let it now be undone.

By the law of three times three,

As I will so mote it be!”

The last phrase thundered in the air as Zach poured his will into the amulet and lashed out at Hugh Godwin as he once had Hugh’s father, just as Gen struck. Her fist shattered the altar, Daniel catching the victim before she could fall to the floor.

Darkness leapt from Hugh’s body into the shattered altar, becoming one with the evil miasma that surrounded it. The dagger shattered, melting as the released souls of multiple wizards took flight, forever free of the taint of the Rabisu.

Chris darted toward Zach, probably remembering that Zach had collapsed the last time they’d faced a Godwin like this and won.

Gareth continued to hold his spell as the dagger emptied itself, the white souls finally tapering off and dying away. Hugh’s body, covered now in shadows, twisted and writhed as the darkness within took hold, dragging the man’s soul down to the Pit as the demon fled the human realm. As Hugh fell over, dead, Gareth relaxed his hold on his wizards with a sigh of thanks.

It was finally over.

Gareth staggered toward Gen, the loss of that much power stunning him. It felt like he could finally hear after years of having his ears stuffed up, but the sensation would pass. It wasn’t his place to hold onto that power for longer than necessary. To do so would be to abuse it. He’d be no better than Hugh then, holding others in thrall for his own selfish gain.

“Goodbye, Hugh.” Gen shook her head, her expression full of regret, and a huge dose of sorrow. Gareth wanted to tell her the asshole wasn’t worth one moment of her pain, but it was her brother, family, and despite what he’d become he had been an innocent child once. Gareth prayed he’d adored his little sister, protected her from the things going on around her.

He doubted it, but for her sake, he hoped.

“Any idea if there are any other active spells on this place?” Chris huffed as he helped a sagging, exhausted Zach over to where they stood.

“I don’t think so, but we might want to send in a clean-up crew before anyone else lives here.” Gen shook in his arms, the power she’d held and the death of her brother hitting her harder than he’d realized. “There could be hidden dangers, things Hugh—hell, my father or Arthur—left behind when we were disowned.”

“We can worry about that once we’re home.” Gareth began helping Gen hobble away from the altar. “More importantly, how the fuck do we get out of here?”

Gen pointed with a shaking hand. “That way. There’s a stairway that leads up to the main part of the house. Since it’s the only other staircase into the basement, I’m thinking Hugh let it be. He wouldn’t have wanted to get hurt himself.”

“Then let’s get you out of here.” Gareth helped her hop toward the staircase, unsure if she’d accept his offer to carry her. His mate had one hell of an independent streak, but he had to ask. The pain on her face was killing him. “Can I carry you?”

She glared at him for a moment before sagging in defeat. “Please.”

He picked her up without another word, carrying her up the staircase and out of the house of horrors, determined she’d never again set foot in it. He’d have it burned to the ground, the earth magically cleansed and purified. If he had his way, no one would ever live here again. He’d have the place marked as tainted, one for all magics to avoid, put down signs with spells that would drive away any warlock who thought to follow Hugh’s path. The Rabisu might be gone, Hugh defeated, but that kind of thing lingered in a place, made it more susceptible to the kinds of power a demon-ridden warlock strove for.

No. This place would become nothing more than overgrown forest if he had to come here and plant the trees himself.

“We won, Gareth.” His mate’s soft touch to his cheek startled him out of his grim thoughts. He hadn’t realized he was scowling until she tried to brush it away.

“For now. I’m going to burn this place down.”

“I won’t stop you. Vivian might have something to say about it, though.”

He made a rude noise. “She can go fuck herself.”

“Considering how much she loves herself, I think she’s the only one she wants to do that with.”

Gareth smiled reluctantly. “You’re probably right, but I’m still burning this fucking place.”

She rested her head against his shoulder. “I wish it hadn’t come to this.”

“Was he a good kid?”

She chuckled wearily. “None of them were. Mama tried, she really did, but the boys listened to Davis more than her. He influenced them a great deal. Mama and I bore the brunt of that teaching.”

His jaw clenched. “Did they hurt you?”

She rubbed her wrist. “They hurt others worse.”

Gareth swore viciously all the way to where they’d parked the cars. “One more, sweetheart. One more, and this is over forever.”

“It’s never over forever. Not when you’re an Own.”

He kissed her forehead as he waited for Chris to open the back door of the car. “I know, sweetheart. I know.”

It was worth it when, despite her pain and loss, she smiled.

Chapter Sixteen

“Hey, Gareth.” Lana draped herself over his chair, her arms circling his neck. “Chris and I are headed home.”

Gareth winced. Damn it. He’d loved having them here, living in the hotel. It had been a month since Chris and Lana had come to help with Hugh. Hell, he’d even given them permanent rooms.

But it wasn’t Chris and Lana’s home, and he could see the restlessness in his brother to get back to his beloved forest. Kerry would probably be returning with them, despite Gareth’s protests and Daniel’s angry silence. His brother still refused to admit that Kerry was his mate.

Even their mother had noticed, and was beginning to give Daniel a hard time whenever the mate spell was brought up.

“Do you have to go? You’re leaving me alone with cranky pants?” Gareth gave Lana his best puppy-dog eyes.

“I resent that.” Gen hobbled over, still somewhat awkward in her leg cast. Gareth ruthlessly shoved down the urge to get up and help her. She’d tried to bite his head off more than once for that. She was soft-spoken, ladylike, and had a core of steel he was only now coming to appreciate.

God, he loved her.

Gen reached for Lana and pulled her into a hug. “Are you certain you have to go?”

Lana shrugged. “Chris needs to run.”

And that was that. Gareth could understand how his brother felt. Since moving to New York, he’d only allowed his wolf out twice. He was thinking of putting a private, rooftop garden in just so he’d have some green space for his wolf to roam.

It wasn’t like he could trot through Central Park, after all. He’d either wind up in the pound, or find his ass tranquilized and transported to Yosemite.

“When Arthur surfaces, we’ll call you. We’re going to need your help again.” Gen gave Lana one final squeeze before letting her go.

“We’ll be here.” Lana leaned over and gave Gareth a big, wet kiss on the cheek. “Listen, Daniel needs to do the mate spell.”

Gareth rolled his eyes. “No shit. We’ve only been giving him grief over it for weeks.”

“No, I mean he
needs
to.” She held up her palm, the one that had been forever branded with a wolf’s shadow when she’d saved Chris from death. The wolf in the center had informed her when both Zach and Gareth had been in trouble, and now it looked remarkably like Daniel in his fur. “Seriously.”

“Oh.” Gareth leaned forward and examined the wolf. “Any idea what’s going on?”

“No, but…” She sighed. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

Gareth slumped. Shit. A witch with bad feelings was, well, bad.
Lana
with bad feelings was ten times worse. Her instincts were eerily accurate. “Life or death bad? Or never get laid again bad?”

Gen fell into his lap. “Gareth.”

“What?” He hugged her to him, running his fingers smugly over the silky material that covered her hip. Jeans weren’t an option until the cast came off. Even her usual slacks didn’t make it over the bulky plaster, so she’d agreed to wear loose pajama pants for now.

At least he’d gotten her to wear something other than beige and gray. Today, her pajamas were the same hue as her eyes. “Sex and death are not on an equal footing. One is far worse than the other.”

“I know. For instance, I haven’t had sex in hours. That’s
bad
.”

Gen rolled her eyes, but didn’t try to climb off his lap. “Men.”

Lana laughed. “Worse. Beckett men.”

“Did I hear my name?” Chris wrapped his arms around his mate and nuzzled her neck. “And sex?”

“We were just discussing how you and your brothers are dogs.” Lana giggled as Chris tickled her.

Gen primly folded her hands in her lap. “
Canis lupus
, indeed.”

“We have to do something about Daniel.” Zach ran into the room, his face filled with laughter. “Jo is going to dangle him out the fifth floor conference room if we don’t.”

Gareth tilted his head, trying to remember the layout of the hotel. “The fifth floor conference room doesn’t have windows.”

Zach snorted. “She’s willing to fix that little problem free of charge.” He threw himself on the sofa with a big grin. “And I can’t say I’m not tempted to help her. He’s getting so growly even Mac threatened to smack him. Out of his hearing, of course.”

Whoa. If Mac was getting tired of Daniel’s attitude, then it was truly bad. “Lana?”

Lana held up her hand to show Zach, who whistled. “Damn.” The grin was gone, and Zach had his game face on. “Any idea what’s coming?”

“No, but it’s going to be bad in the murder-death-kill way.”

Zach glanced at Gareth and nodded his head slightly.

Gareth relaxed. Zach and Jo wouldn’t be going anywhere.

“I think we need to stay, Lana.” Chris put his hand over Lana’s mouth before the protest Gareth could see building in her eyes could be voiced. “I know you’re worried about my wolf, but I’m more worried about my brother. If Daniel’s life is in danger, we’re just going to wind up right back here, sooner rather than later.”

“You just don’t want to clean up Alasdair’s hairballs when we’re forced to move him again.”

Chris shrugged. “That, too.”

“Then let’s get Daniel in here and convince him to do the spell.” Gareth pulled his cell phone out and began dialing.

“What?”

God, Daniel sounded bitchy. He could see why Jo was thinking of punting him through a brick wall. “Get your ass down here, butt munch. We have to talk.”

Daniel was in the living room less than three minutes later. “I have things to do.”

Goddess, why hadn’t he seen it before? Daniel wasn’t upset over Kerry, or Chris leaving, or Zach, because gods knew he was always upset about Zach.

No. Daniel had left things too long, the Beckett curse pushing at his skin.

Daniel was about to go feral.

Gareth stood, careful to put Gen on her feet without pressure on her bad leg. “You’re doing the mate spell.”

“No.”

“Daniel.” Gareth used his king voice, the one that sent flickers of purple light dancing across his skin. He’d hoped it wouldn’t come to this. He’d prayed that Daniel would give in on his own. He’d never wanted to use this power on either Daniel or Chris, but to save his brother’s life, he would.

Daniel was far too stubborn for anything less, and Gareth should have remembered it. He just wished he understood why Daniel was fighting so hard.

“You
will
perform the Beckett mate spell, and you will do it tonight. I will not lose you to wolf-madness, do you hear me?”

“Yes, sire,” Daniel gritted out from between clenched teeth.

Gareth let his light die. “I love you, asshole, and you’re committing suicide by wolf.”

Daniel flinched. “You don’t understand.”

“Then enlighten me.”

“You’re afraid because she’s mundane.” Gen took a limping step toward Daniel, her expression soft, consoling. “You’re terrified she’ll be hurt in your war with the Godwins.”

Daniel turned his face away, but not before Gareth caught sight of the agony that briefly flickered across his face.

“You’d rather die alone than bring her any further into this.” Gen put her hand on Daniel’s arm, his brother starting violently at the soft touch. It was as if he’d disappeared into his own mind, no longer aware they were even in the room with him. “You can’t make that decision for her.”

“Watch me.”

Gen was holding out the Beckett ring. “I think this belongs to you now.”

Daniel closed his eyes. “Please don’t make me do this.” The look he shot Gareth was part pleading, part terrified. “Please, Gare.”

Sweet Goddess. Daniel hadn’t called him that since they were kids. “I can’t lose my brother, Danny.”

“I—Ow!” Daniel rubbed the back of his head and glared at Zach. “What the fuck was that for?”

“You seriously think we won’t protect your mate?” Zach put his hand to his chest. “I’m hurt, dude.”