It was a waste of his time to have to stalk around to keep people in line. He gave them this place and they couldn’t just act like they had some sense?
“Why is it so hot in here? Fix that,” he barked at one of the servers, who scampered off to take care of it.
He slugged back a few drinks and then switched to water. His head hurt. He needed more sleep. But he wanted to be with Meriel when he could. There were always others who’d take up her time if he didn’t claim it. Always someone who couldn’t seem to do it themselves so Meriel had to do it. Like she was their mother. Stupid.
Dominic made a move to go back to his office but Simon hailed him with a wave.
“There a problem?”
“It’s hot. The DJ is fucking things up with this crap. I know I told him I didn’t want trance back here. Gets the vampires all worked up. Plus it annoys me. Don’t know why I have to say things a hundred times to get it taken care of.”
Simon looked at him closely. “Wards holding up?”
“Far as I can see. I used othersight and everything looks okay there too. We’ve got some pissed-off Weres near the bar, but I already told them they’d be barred if they didn’t keep it together. I can’t have all this fighting here. That’s worse than worrying over this mage bullshit. Last thing I need are bar fights back here.”
“You’re on edge. I trust that. Something doesn’t feel right.”
And then she walked in, scanning the room until she found him. Her smile made his head feel a little better. But he didn’t like the way men always looked at her.
“She’s a pretty woman, you know that? Fresh and lovely. Always smells good. That witchy—”
“Do you think I want to hear you wax rhapsodic about my woman’s smell?”
“Whatever. She smells good whether I tell you that or not.”
“Simon!” She approached and patted Simon’s arm. “I love that suit. You’re looking very handsome.”
“Me?”
Meriel turned to him. “You’re handsome too.”
He pulled her to his body and kissed her. He wanted everyone to see it and know she was spoken for.
Simon cocked his head. “Hey, I need to talk to you two. Office?”
Once the door was closed Simon turned, his arms crossed. “Someone is fucking with you.”
Meriel nodded. “I agree.”
“What?”
“You’re on edge. Prowling around like a shifter. You’re hyperaggressive. The magick is pouring off you.”
Dominic only felt rage. “What the fuck? You saying I’m so weak I’d be manipulated by some spell?”
Meriel looked him up and down. “I can feel it. Through the bond. It has to be outside the club because I’d feel it if it was happening in here. The wards would sound with that kind of spell.”
“You too?”
With an indignant sniff, she turned, kicked her shoes off and her hands began to dance as she spoke under her breath. Magick filled the room, made his own rise in response to join hers. That’s when it felt like she grabbed a string and unraveled him. His stomach went into freefall and he held back a gag.
And then things got really weird.
She raised her voice, this time speaking aloud as she wove the spell. She tapped the font and shoved it all into Dominic so that he gagged with it. He held a hand out but she didn’t stop. Instead she took it and squeezed.
Latin, yes, she was speaking Latin. He realized this as he warred to keep his consciousness and failed several times.
And then she was on her knees and his ears popped and he could hear clearly again.
He saw the red. “Blood?” He tried to stand, but dizziness made him stumble. Simon braced him and eased him into a chair.
“It’s not yours. It’s Meriel’s.”
His gaze shot to her and he found her pressing one of his handkerchiefs against her arm. “Did I hurt you?” He wanted to vomit.
Concern filled her eyes then and she came to him, kneeling and taking his hand. “No. Do you think you ever could? Really?”
“I don’t know. Baby, Christ, what happened?”
“It was a possession spell. Someone was riding in your consciousness and trying to affect your behavior.”
“Something was in me? And cut you?”
“I needed the blood to cast it out. It was ugly and powerful and not mage magic. It was darker than that.”
“You cut yourself for me? How could you do that? You are not to put yourself in danger like that.”
She waved it away. “I’ll do what I need to and you can’t stop me from protecting what’s mine. Anyway, it’s locked out. My blood mixed with the spell. The way is blocked.”
“How can this have happened? I thought my magick was locked, that you can’t be possessed … like demon possessed? Is that what the Latin was? Meriel, did you fucking exorcise me?” Sickness clawed at his insides.
“In a manner of speaking, yes. See what I mean about how we can learn from other kinds of practitioners?”
“Faith as magick?” Simon asked, handing her a bottle of water and then one to Dominic.
“Negative energy, no matter what you want to call it, can be affected by belief. The words hold power. I gave them intent.”
“But I can’t be demon possessed. I’ve done a lot of bad shit, but never dark magicks. Ever.”
Her face washed into a blank mask and he knew it before she even spoke. “If someone is of your blood, they can do it if they’re close enough. Siblings. Parents.”
“You’re telling me my mother just called a fucking demon into me? Like the guys who watch my front doors here?”
“No, not a demon. More precisely, I’m saying your mother was the bridge to let a very dark energy ride into you. It’s not like you think. Your head won’t go round three hundred and sixty degrees or anything. No levitating. But this dark chaos she let in can eat away at your foundations. At your boundaries and filters. Over time she could use you to be violent or other such things. She used her flesh-and-blood connection with you to let it in.”
“Get it out of me. Now. Or take me to the middle of the forest and leave me. I can’t be around you if I can’t trust myself.”
He felt unclean. What sort of people had he come from?
“Let’s go home. I’m going to ask Gage’s mother to come over. She’s a healer of sorts and can help you flush the darkness out.”
“No. Are you listening to me? Simon, take her to her parents’ house right now.”
“She can’t get in again.” Meriel got in his face, his shirt gripped in her hand. “Listen to me, Dominic. She
can’t.
Nothing and no one else can. I’m there now. I cut off that bond to her. I cut it off and cauterized it and then I put my own energy there. She can’t get in. You’re not going to go anywhere but home with me.”
“How do you know?” God, he couldn’t bear it, couldn’t bear to think on hurting her. How could she ever trust him again? Would she be scared of him forever?
“Because it’s my spell and your mother is a punk-ass bitch in the magick department. Oh, that’s right.” Meriel was pissed off, he realized. Not upset with him, not afraid of him at all. But murderously pissed off at Gloria Ochoa.
Simon eased back and sat on the corner of the desk as they settled in to watch Meriel.
“I got her number. She’s a fucking amateur wearing a costume of a powerful witch. She will not get in because you are mine and that is that. She can’t best me. Not ever. I am badass, Dominic. I know most people don’t know it, but you better believe it. I will tear her apart when I find her. You can bet on that. I. Am. Not. Having. This.”
He exhaled long and hard and took her in.
Magnificent.
Glorious.
Righteous.
“I am stupid in love with you.” He moved to her, putting his arms around her. Their magick flared and flowed into the room again. It felt good to be back in synch.
Her rage faded as she smiled sort of crookedly at him. “You love me?”
“Ah, I should go now.” Simon stood.
Startled into remembering Simon’s presence, she straightened. “We’re going to go home.” Meriel pulled her phone out and called Gage’s mother about coming over.
The way she gave orders was ruthlessly precise. She was putting a plan together. She might wear novelty socks and know all the words to
Grease
, but she did things with a purpose. Gloria had issued a challenge. And Meriel would answer that. But she’d do so only after she had considered every option and mapped out every single factor. His woman would understand and be prepared to beat every possible attack.
“You all right?” Simon asked.
“Yeah. I just … she made it okay. It was like I was far away and then she was there pulling me back to shore. Watching her right now, I’m just struck by how truly lucky I am.”
“She’s right, you know. Gloria can’t get in again. You were out of it for a while when Meriel was doing the spell. I’ve never seen magick like that. She reflected what your mother was putting out to keep the bridge open and then she stole it. Like yanked it out of her. Whipcrack. And it’s over. Epic witchery. I am impressed as hell.”
“I wish I’d have seen it. Nell’s going to ask me about it, so can I have her call you so you can describe what Meriel did?”
“Sure.”
Meriel approached and tucked her hand in his. “Come on. She’s on her way. Nell’s coming here. My mother will most likely also be at our apartment too.” She put her head on his shoulder.
“You need to go home. She’s right. I’m just fine here on my own. You’ve already been here most of the night.” He turned to Meriel. “Will you call me to check in once he’s settled?”
“Of course. Thanks for your help tonight.”
“Anytime, sweetheart. You were indeed badass. Now let’s get you to your car. I’ll feel better if I go with you. Unless you think there’s going to be a problem here?” He looked to Meriel again.
“The club’ll be fine. She didn’t break the wards; her magick came in another way. I was stupid to not have thought of it. But she can’t get in again. This is her way of testing to see if her hunch was true. If her son was alive, she’d be able to test that. One way or another she’d know. And now she does.”
“What a vicious bitch.” Simon walked them to the back where her car was waiting.
“Yes. Watch your back, Simon. Any hit at all on the wards and you go to safe mode.” They had contingencies for all kinds of potential problems. Safe mode would alert the security company. Only it was a special kind of security company made up of Others. Usually witches working with Weres. Nice to have the magick and the muscles.
Meriel got him up to their apartment. Gage’s mom was waiting, along with her parents and Gage. She nearly lost it when she saw them, but managed to hold it back.
“Let’s get him cleaned up first.” Gage’s mother got right to work, rolling up her sleeves. “I have some soap in my bag.” She thrust it at Meriel. “Use it on him from head to toe. I’ll get the bedroom ready.”
Her father smiled and patted Dominic on the back. “You look damned good. My girl protected you.” He kissed Meriel’s cheek. “You did well.”
“I’m going to go over these wards again,” Edwina called out. “Do you want Gage to take him in, Meriel? He’s got to be heavy. It won’t do if one of you slips and falls.”
Meriel choked back a sob and nodded quickly, clearing her throat. “I’m fine. He’s steady on his feet. I’ll yell if we need help.”
She pointed at the toilet where she’d just put the seat down. “Sit.”
A knock sounded on the door and Gage handed Dominic a mug of something. “Hold your nose and drink it fast. It’ll be over soon and you’ll feel better.”
“You speak from experience?” Dominic, amused, asked Gage.
“Enough to know how to keep from gagging on it. This is a system cleanse of sorts. It’s got all kinds of crap she grows and picks and then says spells over. It works, if that helps at all.”
Meriel had had that crap when she was in high school. They’d been in a car accident and the smoke had been horrible. They’d been relatively uninjured but the smoke from the car fire had blown in their faces as they’d waited for the cops and aid cars. That stuff had cleared the gunk out, but she felt every damned minute of it. Blech. But it did really work, she agreed with Gage.
He drank it and she caught the shudder.
“He didn’t lie.”
She laughed. It was brittle. She heard it herself. Quickly, she stripped him down and then herself and took him into the shower. The goop smelled good. Clean and right. She had to stretch to reach him all, but he bent and let her get his hair. She let go for the moment, just reveling in being able to touch him that way. The water pounded on him and she kneaded and caressed, scrubbed and stroked from head to toe. Her magick had softened and warmed. It flowed from her and around him. Healing. Loving. Connecting.
The block of fear she’d been choking on since she’d left Heart of Darkness and began to really think about how much they could have lost began to melt away. Helpless in the face of the love she felt for this man. She hadn’t told him she loved him back when they’d been at Heart of Darkness; the situation had shifted and it hadn’t felt like the right time with Simon there.