Irresistible Magic (38 page)

I slammed my hand down on my desk and let out a cry of frustration. A minute later, I sank to the floor, tears streaming as my body rocked with sobs.

Tal had left me.

Chapter 29

My chest ached and my eyes burned from too many shed tears. Every part of me felt hollow as I walked into the Arcane building, preparing for the night’s testing.

“Willow?” My aunt Maude emerged from behind security. She frowned and linked her arm through mine. “What happened?”

I sucked in a breath. “Tal left. Went home to California.”

“Oh, sweetie. I’m sorry. When will you get to see him again?”

“When I go home for Christmas I guess. Maybe. If he wants to see me.” My tone came out flat, almost as if I didn’t care.

“Of course he’ll want to see you.” Maude ran a hand down my arm. “He’s not going to forget about you just because he was transferred back to California.”

“Transferred?”

“Yeah. Didn’t he tell you? About his Void agreement?”

I shook my head. “No.” What Void agreement? He was a healer. Not a Void agent. Is that the real reason he’d left? Did he think a long-distance relationship was too much to handle?

“Oh.” She led me through security, bypassing the magic neutralizer. I needed to have all my skills for the testing.

“Maude? What agreement?”

She shook her head. “You’ll find out soon enough, anyway. He’s going to make his drug for the Void. It’s going to be tested first, but it will likely be highly controlled. Even more so than Orange Influence.”

I didn’t like the idea of Tal working for the Void. Not one bit. But I was more focused on the fact that the only thing he had to do was make his drug. He could do that from anywhere. He hadn’t needed to go home. The emptiness filling me intensified. The only thing that stopped me from hopping on a plane and dragging him back was the contract I had with the Void. For the next two months, I was chained to them. It was hard to fight for someone when they wouldn’t even answer their phone. Tal had made his choices. Now I had to live with them.

We stopped outside a sterile white door. “Is David already here?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yes, but he’s being sun tested tonight. You should see the tan he’s gotten in just two hours under the rays.”

That actually made me smile. He’d already been testing his sun limitations. That’s why he’d been sunburned. But a drink of Asher had cured him. How long could he last in full sun? Hours? Days?

“What am I doing while he’s tanning?” The image of him lying in a tanning bed with eye protection made me giggle. I got a little warm imagining his chiseled body. Then guilt took over. If Talisen knew what I was thinking, it would only confirm his suspicions. But admiring David’s body wasn’t the same as being in love with him. Not even close.

“I think they brought in another vampire.”

“Crap.” That meant I was going to be in a world of pain.

She grimaced. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. I already feel like shit. This is the perfect end to a terrible day.”

She squeezed my hand. “You’ll be okay?”

“I’ll live.” I took a deep breath and went into my evening torture chamber.

I spent the next three and a half hours hooked up to electrodes while the tech measured my responses to the vamp’s proximity.

A buzzing sounded, indicating the use of an intercom. “Ms. Rhoswen, we need to start the physical portion of the testing. Are you up for that tonight? Or would you prefer to start another day?”

I glanced at the clock. Twenty-seven more minutes. I could leave, but then I’d only have to endure whatever they had in store for me the next night. “It’s fine to continue.”

“Good. Cox, please move closer.”

The vampire positioned himself next to me, his heavy vampire aura keeping me rooted to the floor. Whatever he did, I was going to be completely helpless.

“Now, start with her hand and work your way up her arm. Let’s see what kind of reading we can get.”

Cox sent me a reassuring smile. What did that mean? That he wouldn’t be sucking my blood any time soon? That I was reasonably safe with him? I almost laughed at that last thought. Because being beaten and battered by a vamp was really safe.

It didn’t take long for Cox to realize his touch was leaving me black and blue. In fact, he noticed the dark bruises instantly and pulled back holding his palms upright.

“Mr. Cox,” the researcher chided. “Do not stop until you are instructed to.”

The vampire stared at me, his brow wrinkled in what appeared to be concern.

I shrugged. The sooner he got on with it, the sooner we could be done. The Void wasn’t going to go easy on me. Not that I was being punished, necessarily. They just wanted their research to be as thorough as possible. And it wasn’t as if I had a choice. “Just do as they say,” I told him in as strong a voice as I could muster.

“Run your hands from the nape of her neck and down her spine,” the administrator ordered.

I sucked in a shallow breath. Yeah, that wouldn’t hurt at all. I tensed but turned to give him access.

His touch on my neck caused lightbulbs to pop behind my eyes. Soon enough, darkness began to close in from the constant contact. I pressed my hands to the wall, trying to hold myself up, but when he was ordered to place both hands on the side of my head, my knees buckled and I lost the battle.

I floated in a dream state for what seemed like an eternity. And honestly, I was glad to be there. Whatever they had Cox doing, I couldn’t feel it. But all too soon, voices crept into my awareness. My body ached with dull pain from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. I tried to sit up but couldn’t. I was trapped against something rock solid.

“Relax. I’ve got you now.” David’s voice penetrated my haze.

I stirred unsuccessfully and blinked rapidly, trying to focus. The harsh fluorescent light made my eyes water.

“David?” I whispered.

“Yeah?”

“What happened to the testing?”

“It’s over for the evening. I’m taking you home.”

My vision finally cleared. I stared up into his concerned face, realizing he was carrying me through the Arcane building. “Thank you.”

He gave me a reassuring smile. “There’s nothing to thank me for.”

A few moments later, we were at my Jeep. He deposited me in the passenger’s side and then pulled out his phone. “What’s Talisen’s number?”

I frowned. “Why?”

He raised both eyebrows. “You need a healer.”

“Oh.” I slumped down into the seat, wrapping my arms around myself. “Tal went home to California. But don’t worry about a healer. All I really need is my oak tree and some anti-inflammatory herbs.”

He frowned. “You definitely need a healer.”

“No, David.” I heard the panic starting to rise in my voice and did my best to tamp it down. I probably did need one, but I still wasn’t up for another healer touching me the way Tal would. “I’ll be fine. If I’m not better in the morning, I’ll go to a clinic.”

He stood on the street, appearing to debate with himself. I got tired of waiting and shut the door.

After a moment, he took out his phone, sent a quick text, and then climbed into the car. “Will you really?”

“What? Go to a clinic in the morning?”

“Yeah.”

I let out a small laugh. “Probably not.”

He started the car and carefully pulled away from the curb. “That’s what I thought.”

Ten minutes later, David parked in front of my house and before I could raise my arm to grab the handle, he’d already made it to my side of the car and was pulling the door open.

“Thank you,” I said again and let him wrap a strong arm around me.

“There’s no need to thank me every time I do something for you,” he said softly.

“Okay.” Muscles I never knew existed complained with each step and as hard as I tried not to wince, I couldn’t stop the reflex. David moved slowly, not rushing me, but when we got to the porch and it became obvious I wasn’t going to be making it up the stairs without some serious help, he pulled me into his arms again.

“David, let me down. I can do this.” I swatted at his arm.

“In a minute.” He strode onto the porch, deftly opened the door, and had me upstairs before I could protest further. Once inside my room, he gently lowered me to my feet, but I had the suspicion he’d only done that because my bed was too high off the ground for him to put me in it himself. He ran his thumb ever so lightly over my cheek.

I averted my eyes. He was being so gentle. So caring. It was what I expected from Tal…who wasn’t here. The loss of him made my breath hitch.

“Wil?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re going to be okay.” He gave me a gentle kiss on the top of my head and turned to go.

A yelp, followed by a high-pitched whine, came from across the room. I clutched the edge of my bed and spotted Link under the window, the drapery cords caught around his cone. “Oh my God, Link. How did you do that?” I fluttered toward him, but David beat me to it.

Link started growling and snapping, but with his cone, he couldn’t reach David.

“Calm down, boy. I’m going to get you free. That’s it. Almost there.” David methodically untangled the cord, working Link free of this makeshift noose. Holy cow. How long had he been mixed up in that mess? I shuddered, terrified of what could’ve happened to him.

As soon as David had him free, Link scurried over to the edge of the bed and leaped onto the old-fashioned elevator I’d gotten just for him. It creaked and groaned. I still needed to oil that darn thing. When it stopped, he jumped and stumbled due to the unwieldy nature of the cone, tumbling with an ungraceful flop onto the edge of the bed. I thrust my wings and settled beside him, scooping him into a tight hug.

“Thanks,” I said, my heart beating with gratitude.

“Don’t mention it.” He turned to leave.

“David?”

He paused inside the doorway and glanced back at me. “You’re not going to thank me again, are you?” A smile tugged at his lips.

I smiled back. “No. I just wondered how you’re going to get home since your car is at the Arcane building.”

“Harrison is picking me up. Now get into bed and let the oak work its magic.” His boots hitting the wood stairs echoed through the silent house.

The emptiness in my heart intensified. It’s not that I wanted David to stay…okay, maybe I did, a tiny bit. But the truth was I craved Talisen. In the short time he’d been in New Orleans, I’d come to rely on his easy friendship and the fact that he’d always been by my side…except now he wasn’t. And it hurt more than I’d ever dreamed. It’s exactly what I’d been afraid of when we’d decided to start dating. Not only had I lost my boyfriend, but I’d lost my best friend as well.

Downstairs the door creaked open, and light footsteps sounded on the stairs again. My heart beat faster, praying it was Tal. That he’d changed his mind. But deep down, I knew it must be Phoebe. I sighed, scooted against the trunk of the oak, and closed my eyes, grateful for the trickle of life slowly fortifying my body.

The footsteps stopped near my door. “Phoebs, if you love me at all, you’ll get me a cup of hot tea.”

“How about some healing balm?”

My eyes flew open. “Mom?”

“Hi, baby.” She fluttered her ice-blue wings and landed softly on the edge of the bed, holding a white plastic jar.

I reached over and hugged her fiercely, the heartache consuming me fading a tiny bit. “What are you doing here?”

“Taking care of you.” She unscrewed the lid of the jar. With two fingers she scooped out some gel and started smearing it on my bruised arm.

Sweet relief rushed through me. “How did you—”

“David texted me. He didn’t want you to be alone.”

Whoa. That was thoughtful. But then he always had been, except when he was dumping me to turn vamp. Would I ever get over that? It’s not like he didn’t have a good reason.

“I’m sorry about Talisen,” Mom said softly. “I heard he went home today.”

I only nodded. What was there to say?

Mom squeezed my hand. “He’ll come around.”