Mandy recovered quickest. “What do you mean we can’t do anything?”
“Not that I don’t appreciate your offer,” I said, though my tone implied otherwise. “But nothing is going down.”
Yeah, another lie, but the whole intention of the plan Vaughn, Stone, Ling Mai, and I hatched last night was to minimize the risk, not have a free for all because Jaylene got heartburn and dreamed up some Four Musketeer scenario. As soon as I met with Vaughn I’d tell her about the vision, then we’d take steps to avoid having only the two of us face any threat. The fewer involved in the trap, the more likely to take out the spell caster. We’d discussed last night that none of other of the recruits were ready to fight magic. Not fight and live.
Jaylene and Mandy were shooting glances back and forth, Gatling gun style, but it was Kelly who spoke. “But you need their help.”
“I might,” I said, “If there was anything I was planning to do. But there isn’t. End of story.”
I shuffled the book I’d been reading, a primer on magic use I hoped gave me some insights into magic used by non-witches, as I straightened my shoulders. “Gotta go now. Been nice chatting with you.”
I was trying my damnedest to get rid of them. It was getting darker outside and I had things to do before I faced black magic.
If I thought that leaving was going to be the end of things, I was wrong. Chiquita and Amazon stuck with me like the Pit Bulls I’d thought they were following close but not too close as I headed toward the doors. I wanted to return to the dorm where I was supposed to meet Vaughn before we made final preparations for our trap.
I had two options: chase away my new shadows, or ignore them. I did the latter as I slammed through the door, talking to Kelly but meaning my words for everyone. “Why don’t you wait behind and I’ll join you in a few minutes?”
“Where are you going now?” she asked, hesitating but still dogging my footsteps.
“Putting my book away.”
Yup, that was me, all calm and cool, whistling in the dark against the bogeyman. And man was it dark. The overhead vapor lights seemed to be out or hadn’t flipped on yet, so walking the gravel trail was way harder than it should be. No moon showing, the crisp night air giving me goose bumps. Maybe I’d grab a warmer jacket when I met Vaughn.
I was so focused on ignoring my entourage that I almost missed the first wave of black magic washing over me. A subtle testing probe, as if someone had been waiting and wanted to make sure she had the right target.
Only I wasn’t alone. Not anymore.
I halted, fear licking up my spine, my throat dry as I turned to the three behind me, working hard to appear calm. I lowered my voice, hoping that kept the panic at bay. “Why don’t you guys go ahead; I forgot something in the canteen.”
“Liar,” Chiquita mumbled, then paused as if scenting the air. She lowered her voice before asking, “They’re here aren’t they?”
Last thing I wanted was the magic caster or casters, to know I was onto them. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go down. I didn’t have any of my tools and my protection bracelet wasn’t going to stop anyone serious about killing me. Or anyone around me.
“You need to leave,” I whispered, then increased my tone so anyone listening in could hear easily. “I know Stone’s looking for you. Instead of waiting for him here why don’t you meet him in the dorm?”
My message, as desperate as it was, was that back up could be just around the corner. As if Stone were the ultimate threat. To a human, oh yeah—to a non-human, particularly whoever was hiding in the shadows, not so much.
I stepped closer to Jaylene as I just realized something. “If Vaughn isn’t here, will your vision go down as you saw it?”
Jaylene glanced around then shook her head. “Can’t promise that.”
Then we needed help. I leaned toward Kelly. “Go get Vaughn. In the dorm. Tell her I need the materials. Now.”
Bless her, she didn’t hesitate. She actually helped as she said loudly, “I’ll grab jackets and be right back.” Then she scampered off as if everything were cool.
One less person to worry about.
“Look.” I kept my voice low and intense as I stepped closer to Jaylene and Mandy. I could barely make out their expressions even though one more step and I’d be in their faces. Their body language I could read loud and clear though. These two were or had been street fighters. They kept their bodies loose, arms relaxed at their sides, ready to advance or flee, depending on what was just around the corner. I gave them one more chance to do the latter.
“Someone’s using black magic and doesn’t care who they’re taking out.”
“You the target?” Mandy asked, zeroing in on my biggest hesitation. Not that I was about to die, but that I’d do so alone. If I told her the truth would she and Jaylene turn tail and run?
Most likely.
But that’d be for the best because I didn’t want any more senseless deaths. If I died, there’d be one less witch in the world, and maybe the assassin would be satisfied and leave. Worst case they wouldn’t be done, but Vaughn or Stone might find it easier to track them down with one more body as a starting place.
I looked at Mandy, willing her to do what I feared she would, hear my words and leave. “Yeah. I’m the target.”
She cut a quick glance at Jaylene then smiled, a warrior’s smile, before addressing me. “Then you’ll owe us if we stay.”
“Big time owe us,” Jaylene echoed, her grin just as daring.
Damn, they were even sneakier than I was.
I shrugged, knowing I’d been backed into a corner. But at least I wasn’t going to bleed out alone. “And if you die, you going to haunt me?”
Mandy looked like I’d slapped her, before she rocked forward on the balls of her feet with her in-my-face attitude back in her tone. “You better hope I don’t.”
Obviously I’d pushed a hot button for Mandy, but now wasn’t the time to find out why or exactly what abilities she brought to the game as the snap of someone moving in the nearby bushes grabbed our attention.
We swung as a half-circle, peering into the dark but could see nothing. Act as if we were just three chicks scared of our shadows and hope like hell Kelly found Vaughn and brought reinforcements?
“At last,” someone whispered, her voice so low it sounded like a hiss as a shape formed in the darkness.
Guess waiting wasn’t an option.
I leaned forward, then paused as I caught sight of my nemesis.
Brenda? The Iowa farm girl I’d barely noticed.
Anger that had been coiled low and deep within me since Ling Mai’s words last night erupted, replacing my fear so fast I was lightheaded. “What’d I ever do to you?” I demanded, my words echoing in the night.
“Nothing,” came her stone cold reply, one that doused ice on my fire. “But you killed my half-brother. For that you die.”
“The Were?” No way was she a Were herself. I wasn’t getting that vibe from her at all. “What are you?” I found myself asking. “If you’re going to kill me, it’s the least you can let me know.”
Her laugh sent trills of fear racing along my skin. She was actually enjoying the taunt before she did whatever she planned to do.
Her smile dared as she murmured, “And they told me you were so powerful. Not powerful enough to recognize a Doppelganger?”
I caught Mandy glancing at Jaylene as if for answers, so I spoke aloud. “So you’re a death omen in the shape of a human?” That’s about all I knew about Doppelgangers. They weren’t that common.
“So you do know a few things,” came the sarcastic response as a second person stepped next to her. Dyslexia. What was her name? Toni, that was it.
“You,” I murmured, then noticed something. Dyslexia hadn’t moved as a human, more like a zombie.
“What are you doing to her?” I glared at Brenda. “Afraid to fight your fights alone? Afraid to face me one on one?”
“Don’t be an idiot. Toni here is just to add spice. She’s an earth fae. Good in a fight but easily controlled by a little magic.”
“Black magic.” I felt the words burn my tongue.
Brenda shrugged. “If I’d realized how much fun wielding black magic was I’d have asked for the powers a long time ago.”
She must be damned powerful to control a person against her will and consider taking on three other people, one she knew to be a witch, two she didn’t know much about except that they had to have some abilities.
Then the importance of her words slammed against me.
Watch out farm girl; you just slipped and revealed too much. I’d heard Doppelgangers weren’t all that quick on the uptake and Brenda just proved that right.
Wielding was a world of difference from possessing. It usually meant they had to hold a power transmitter close to their bodies in order to use its black magic. Find and remove the instrument of power and they’d lose their abilities.
I squinted into the darkness, only too aware of Dyslexia shifting closer. My attention was on finding the transmitter; it could be anything: an amulet, a ring, a hair ornament.
But I couldn’t see that Brenda was wearing any of those items.
Jaylene and Mandy stepped away from me. Not fleeing as much as opening our wedge into a better defensive position with the change in numbers.
“Try not to hurt Toni; she’s being coerced,” I mumbled, keeping my focus on Brenda. “The Doppelganger is all mine.”
I made sure Brenda heard my dare, right before she flicked her wrist and a tsunami of black magic slapped against us, bringing all three of us to our knees.