Witchlock (19 page)

Lanna could do that. Evalle could only throw it or pull it across the room with her kinetics. Feenix kept trying to make it spin in the air and when it didn’t, his shoulders drooped.
 

The minute she got off the phone with Nicole, Evalle would play with him until she heard from Storm or Adrianna.
 

Then it would be go time.
 

“Evalle?” Nicole called out.
 

“I’m here. What’s up?”  
 

“The council of witches being formed is coming together, but I’m concerned about Adrianna.”
 

“Why? Everyone knows she’s a dark witch.”
 

“We would welcome her as a liaison between the Medb and us, but she won’t open a dialogue.”
 

“Adrianna wants nothing to do with the Medb. She’s pretty much her own person.”
 

“She’s not going to have the option very soon. The witches on this council are significant players and Rowan will head it up. As a sister-in-law to a Belador, Rowan will be the liaison between the council and the Beladors, but with the Medb leaders now able to enter the human realm
,
the chances for conflict between the Medb and Beladors increase. The council wants to insure fair representation for both groups to prevent
VIPER from interfering. Witches have not had to join the coalition and they want to keep it that way.”
 

“The Tribunal should come up with a plan for fixing all this since they’re responsible for bringing our worst enemy into the fold,” Evalle said so sharply that Feenix jumped. She covered the phone and said, “Sorry, baby. Everything is okay.”
 

He nodded and went back to picking at his toys, but not with the enthusiasm he’d had while Lanna was here.
 

Nicole said, “I understand, but you know better than to depend on the Tribunal for anything by now.”
 

“True.”
 

“The longer we delay in forming a plan of our own, the more agitated the witch community becomes and that’s never a good thing. Especially when we have a significant number of Medb in our midst and we have a rogue group of solitary witches being whipped into a fervor by a young, untrained one.”
 

“What’s that all about?”
 

“Just immaturity out of control. The rabble-rouser is a witch called Hermia. Rowan has to hold a hard line on all witches for any hope of this council working and preventing VIPER interference, and she’s facing having to take a stand and push Hermia’s group to fall into line. Rowan would rather Hermia recognize her lack of training, take responsibility and encourage her people to separate into reasonable size groups who can govern themselves, but Hermia is charismatic and smart enough to make the right noises and push the right buttons with the solitary witches, most of whom just want to be left alone. She’s not ready for coven leadership, but the call of power has gone to her head and she thinks she can take a shortcut by becoming their leader.”
 

Evalle finally calmed herself enough to hear the concern in Nicole’s voice. “Where will you land in this new mix?”
 

“Rowan knows I’m not a dark witch, but I’m not much for committees and politics either after the white witches turned their noses up to me as a child. I’ve agreed to be on Rowan’s advisory board, which was her way of bringing me in without making a statement by doing so.” Nicole sounded amused at Rowan’s maneuvering. “I’ll help Rowan because she’s the only one watching out for the best interests of everyone.”
 

Trey McCree was a Belador with unmatched telepathic power and usually the central call-in point for all Beladors during a crisis. He was also married to Sasha Armand, Rowan’s younger sister, who had erratic witch skills at best, based on what Evalle had heard.
 

Rowan, on the other hand, was the most powerful white witch that Evalle had ever met.
 

She’d hold a firm line when it came to gaining what she wanted to form this council, and right now, it sounded as though getting Adrianna on board was high on her priority list.
 

Adrianna did not need one more pressure at the moment.
 

In another day or two, none of this would matter if Adrianna, Evalle and Storm failed to stop Veronika and Witchlock.
 

Evalle considered telling Nicole about Veronika, then changed her mind. There was nothing to be gained, and Nicole would stress, or use her powers trying to help and potentially end up a victim to Witchlock if she drew Veronika’s attention.
 

They had to rescue Ragan.  Evalle wanted the specifics of the plan, and she wished Adrianna would call already. She told Nicole, “I’ll talk to Adrianna, but no promises.”
 

“I understand, but tell her that this council is serious. If she can’t meet them halfway, she’ll need to leave this area for her own safety. Once the council is formed, Rowan intends to inform VIPER that anyone outside of the council’s jurisdiction will fall to them.”
 

“I’m not seeing the problem or reason for Adrianna to leave, because she works for VIPER.”
 

“Think about it, Evalle. What will those Tribunal deities do if any witches become a problem at that point?”
 

It hit Evalle like a blast of cold water. “They’ll call in the Medb and make it the Medb’s problem since that will be the most powerful and organized dark force on the coalition.”
 

“Exactly. And at that point, the Medb will see Adrianna as an obstacle.  They will seize any opportunity to eliminate a powerful witch from another coven, especially one who works with VIPER.  Rowan and the others want to establish a power base—and their autonomy—before the Medb become entrenched in this region. Other areas of the country are forming similar councils, which will all send a representative once a year to a summit meeting.”
 

Nicole was different from other witches in that she had some unusual gifts that didn’t fall under traditional witchcraft, and her significant other was Red, a human woman who hated all this
woo-woo
, as Red termed it.  
 

Evalle asked, “Is Red good with all this?”
 

“She will be. I’ve explained that it will protect me to join with more of my kind.  Adrianna is going to need that protection, too.”  Nicole changed subjects without slowing down. “I have to go in a moment. Why do I
sense that you are unhappy?”
 

So hard to keep anything secret around a friend with Nicole’s abilities. Evalle said, “Hold on.”  Then she told Feenix, “I’ll be right back.”
 

He lifted a chubby, four-fingered hand in his okay sign, still intent on stacking the toys that Lanna had suggested Evalle buy for him. Lanna had realized he needed some way to practice motor skills and reasoning.
 

Evalle should have figured that out.
 

Just like she should know how to be Storm’s mate. She entered the bedroom, pushing the door shut and dropped on the bed. “I think I made a mistake, Nicole.”
 

“About what?”
 

“Storm moving in with me. He had a nice house that was above ground where he could come and go. I have to live underground, but he doesn’t. And I know he’s
willing
to do it, but that’s going to get old quickly.”  
Might have already
.
 

“Have you talked to him about it?”
 

“No. We haven’t had a minute alone since he brought me home that first night. If I ask him about it, you and I know he won’t complain. Then he’ll work even harder to hide how much he doesn’t like it here.”
 

“You might be wrong, Evalle.”
 

“Feenix ate half of Storm’s silver belt buckle. It had a jaguar head carved into it. The buckle also had two yellow diamonds in it, but thankfully those don’t taste good to Feenix. Still, it was a piece of art and worth a fortune, and most important, Storm’s dad had it made for him.”
 

“Oh, yeah that’s bad, but surely he understood that Feenix is like a child.”
 

“An insecure and very possessive gargoyle child,” Evalle clarified. “I have no skills for figuring any of this out. I can’t cook an edible meal. We live a nocturnal life because I can’t be in the sun. Storm is always understanding and accepting of everything in my life. What does he get from me?”
 

Nicole laughed.
 

Evalle said, “Besides
that
.”  
 

“I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think. Storm isn’t going to leave you over an apartment.”
 

“I didn’t say he would break up with me, but I don’t want him being miserable just so we can be together. You wouldn’t want that for Red.”
 

“No, I wouldn’t,” Nicole said in a solemn voice. “Talk to him so that he knows you realize what he’s giving up and figure it out together. The only two skills you need to make a relationship work are communication and
honesty.”
 

Evalle nibbled at her thumbnail, thinking on that.  Nicole was right. She’d talk to Storm and they’d figure it out, even if it meant him moving back to his own place.
 

She’d been over-the-moon happy about him moving in.
 

The idea of him not living here made her stomach hurt, but she could hide her disappointment from him if that was the best way for them to stay together.
 

She could do anything when it came to Storm.
 

Her phone beeped. Evalle said, “I’ve got a call coming through. I’ll talk to Adrianna and let you know.”
 

“Thanks.”
 

Clicking the buttons, she was glad to see it was Adrianna, who started in without a hello. “I’ve found a place for us to cross into the Jafnan Mir realm. It’s the new sports arena being constructed to replace Atlanta’s sports dome.”
 

Evalle pulled up a mental image of the construction right next door to the current Georgia Dome in downtown. “Storm is ... ” Evalle was not going to admit she had no idea where Storm was presently. “He’s at VIPER headquarters, but I’m expecting his call any time to let me know he’s on the way back. Where do you want to meet?”
 

“Sundown is in twenty minutes and I haven’t eaten all day. I’d like to grab dinner, formulate our plan and go to the site.”
 

“I’ll send him a text to tell him to meet us at
Six Feet Under
. It’s across the street from the Oakland Cemetery. Go ahead and order. We usually eat much later.”
 

“Got it. I’m on my way.”  
 

Evalle jumped up and changed into her riding gear. If she texted Storm before she left, he might ask her to wait for him to pick her up.
 

She needed her freedom as much as he did.
 

She’d text him
after
she got to the restaurant. Rushing out to the living room, she slid to a stop and Feenix stood up, gripping his favorite stuffed alligator in one hand.
 

He took in her clothes and his face lit up. “Go ride?”
 

“Not right now, baby. I have to meet someone for business.”
 

“Oh.”
 

Just kill me now.
That one word loaded her shoulders with guilt. “We’ll play with your blocks when I get home, okay?”
 

“Ith okay.” His eyes and mouth turned down.
 

She squatted down. “Come here.”
 

He trudged to her, dragging his alligator by the tail, and stepped into her arms with his wings tucked. Then he dropped his head on her shoulder and one horn nipped her neck.
 

She hugged him close and said, “You know I will never give you up, right?”
 

He pulled back and two little teeth poked down over his bottom lip when he smiled. “My Evalle.”
 

“Yes. And you’re my Feenix. I’ll be back soon, but I want you to promise me not to eat anything silver except the lug nuts.”
 

His gaze scooted away from hers and he sounded very innocent when he said, “Okay.”
 

She knew better. “Feenix?”
 

His sly gaze cut back at her. “Ye-eth?”
 

“Please don’t touch anything that is not mine or yours, especially not Storm’s.”
 

“Wath accthident.”
 

The little devil was sly enough to avoid giving his word. She said, “I need your promise.”
 

He tapped his little foot and finally said, “Promith.”
 

“Thank you. Storm is going to live with us and he will treat you nice. It would make me happy for you to be nice to him, too.”
 

Feenix made an exaggerated sighing sound. “I thaid promith.”
 

“Great. I’ll see you soon.”
 

“Where ith Lanna?”
 

“With her cousin, Quinn.”
 

“Come back?”
 

Evalle’s throat tightened. He was ripping her heart into little pieces with how lonely he sounded. “I’ll ask her when I see her.”
 

“Yeth.” Feenix nodded and grinned.
 

It took so little to make him happy.
I’m sucking at that, too.
 

Chapter 17
 

Evalle made the short trip to
Six Feet Under
, arriving as Atlanta calmed down for Sunday night. This late in the day in November, temps had dropped into the thirties, so riding over on her Suzuki Gixxer just before sunset in full-body Aerostich, deer skin gauntlet gloves and a completely enclosed dark helmet had actually been nice.