Courting the Darkness (15 page)
Read Courting the Darkness Online
Authors: Karen Fuller
“How do you feel about that?” Johnny poured him another shot.
He looked down at the table. “It really sucks, man.”
Johnny leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table, pretending to show concern. “Do you and your friend Mica fight over women much?”
“No, that’s the thing.” He swallowed hard, continuing, “He doesn’t normally go for humans.”
Johnny’s eyes rounded. “He doesn’t normally date humans? What else is there?”
Caleb drank another shot, grimacing. “Nope.” He gave his head an exaggerated shake. “Mica usually dates vampires.”
Johnny raised his eyebrows. “Why would he want to do that?”
“Because he’s a vampire too, of course.”
“Naturally,” Johnny remarked agreeably. “So, this woman you got out of a jam, she’s not a vampire? She’s a human?”
“No, she’s not a vampire, but I wouldn’t exactly call her a normal human either.”
“Well, if she’s not a vampire, and she’s not human, then what is she?”
He laughed, suddenly finding the conversation funny. He wiped the tears from his bleary eyes. “She’s a witch.”
“You don’t say.” Johnny poured him another drink.
“Yep! She’s a witch.” He downed the next shot, and then he studied Johnny. He had just noticed that he was drinking alone. “Hey, buddy, you’re not drinkin’ with me?”
“I’m just taking a little break.” Johnny put his elbow on the table, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. “Have you seen her practice magic?”
He nodded. “I saw her throw an energy ball at a guard.”
“That didn’t scare you?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “I’m not afraid of a witch.” Picking up the shot glass, he downed it.
“Why the hell not?”
“I’m not exactly a full-fledged human either.” He crooked his finger at Johnny for him to come closer. “I can turn into a panther,” he slurred in a loud whisper.
“Wow, a panther.”
Caleb bobbed his head in agreement, laughing again. “You should have seen the look on her face when I morphed back with no clothes.” He chuckled harder. “It was priceless.”
“You gave her a good shock.” Johnny chuckled. “I bet it would have been funny to see the look on her face.”
“Yeah, I thought we could’ve had a thing for each other…Then she saw Mica.”
“She likes Mica, then?”
He shrugged, staring at his empty shot glass. “I guess so.”
Johnny looked around the room, then leaned forward, whispering to Caleb, “Well, if Mica’s in the way, then get him out of the way.”
“He’s my buddy. I can’t kill him.” He threw out his hands. “Who would I party with then?”
“I don’t suggest that you try to kill your buddy.” Johnny leaned forward to speak privately with him again. “Just drive a wedge between him and the woman. She should be yours then.”
He blinked his eyes hard, trying to focus. “How would I do that?”
“Call one of his old girlfriends and arrange for her to show up. Women can’t stand competition. She’ll get mad and leave him, and then she’ll be all yours.”
A slow smile crept on his face. “You may have somethin’ there. It just might work.” He started patting his pockets.
“What are you looking for?”
“That danged cell phone.”
Johnny smiled. “Here, use mine.”
He reached for the phone. “Thanks, man. You’re a real friend.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Caleb dialed the number. It picked up after two rings. “Hello?”
“Hello, Denise?”
“Yes.”
“Hey, Denise, this is Caleb.”
“Caleb? What are you doing calling me? Where’s Mica? Is he in trouble again?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes, Mica’s in a little trouble.”
“What’s wrong with your voice? Are you drunk?”
He laughed. “I’ve had a couple.”
“What kind of trouble is he in?”
“Woman trouble.” Caleb snickered at his own resourcefulness. “I need you to run interference for me.”
“Caleb, Mica and I broke up ten years ago. He’s still angry with me. He doesn’t want me back. Besides, I’ve moved on.”
“Mica doesn’t have to know you moved on,” he remarked in frustration. “I just need you to show up and pretend you’re in love with him to break ‘em up.”
“Why do you care, Caleb?”
“She’s a human.”
“A human? But what’s he doing with a human?”
“Do you see now why I need you to run interference?”
“Okay, okay. Where are you?”
Caleb looked around, turning to whisper in the receiver. “We’re in the Forbidden Caverns in Sevierville.”
“You’re in Tennessee?”
“Yes, that’s right. We’re in Tennessee.”
“It’s already too late for me to head out tonight. I’ll be there in a couple of days. Tell me I’m not going to regret this.”
“You’re saving him from himself. You won’t regret this.”
“Okay, if you say so.”
“I do. We’ll see you in a couple of days. Bye.”
“Good-bye, Caleb.”
He snapped the cell phone shut and handed it back to Johnny. “Thanks buddy. You’re a life saver.”
Johnny smiled. “Don’t mention it.”
Caleb stood up, stretching. “I’m going to go sleep this off. I hope to see you around.”
“Goodnight, Caleb. It was nice meeting you.”
“Same here.”
Caleb walked up to the bar, throwing the bartender a $50 tip. “This place has great service. Thanks.”
“I’m glad you had a good time,” remarked the bartender. “Can I call you a cab?”
“No. I’m going to go sleep it off in the back of the Express Van. I promise I won’t drive like this.”
“Come back again.”
“I just might do that. Thanks.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The damp cave air chilled Desiree’s bare skin, wrenching her from her peaceful slumber. She opened her eyes, finding herself wrapped tightly in Mica’s arms. She looked up into his sleeping face. In slumber, he looked so innocent, more like a sleeping god than a vampire. She sighed contentedly, trying to snuggle closer to get warm.
She smiled, remembering the last couple of hours.
I wonder what he meant when he said that he was mine.
A thrill of hope coursed through her, and she suddenly felt fiercely possessive. She kissed him gently on the cheek. “Sleep, love,” she whispered softly.
She tried to disengage his arms so she could get up. His grip tightened. Looking up, she stared into his beautiful blue eyes.
“Are you trying to sneak away from me?” His voice held a tone of amusement.
She grinned. “It’s about time I started to work on that spell.”
“What if I’m not ready to let you go yet?”
She cocked an eyebrow, biting her bottom lip. “Are you teasing me? Or are you holding me captive?”
He laughed. “The thought of holding you captive does sound appealing.” She grinned. “But I am teasing you. Besides, we need to get up anyway. Caleb should return soon.”
She pushed away from him, scrambling to her knees. “I don’t want Caleb to find us like this.”
“He’s going to find out about us sooner or later.” He rested his arms behind his head, crossing his feet at the ankles.
Grabbing her pants, she slipped back into them. “That may be true.” She reached for her bra, slipped it on, and snapped it. “But I want to be fully dressed when he does find out.” Slipping into her flannel shirt, she fastened the buttons on the front. “First I couldn’t get you out of your clothes, and now I can’t get you back in them.” She smiled and put her hands on her hips. “Come on, Mica, get dressed. As much as I enjoy the view, I don’t want you to piss Caleb off.”
Picking up his pants, she tossed them to him. He caught them in midair, giving her a crooked grin. “Yes, ma’am.” He stood up and pulled on his pants so fast he was a blur.
She reached up, tenderly placing her hand on the side of his face. “Thank you.” She grinned.
He slipped his arms around her. “Just one more thing before I let you go…” She looked into his eyes expectantly. He brought his mouth down on hers in a fiercely demanding kiss. Her knees gave way and he had to hold her up. Pulling back, he looked into her eyes again. She looked thoroughly dazed. “I just wanted to remind you of your promise to me.”
“I made you a promise?”
He gazed deeply into her eyes. “Yes, you told me that you were mine.”
She smiled. “Yes, I did. And if I can remember the conversation correctly, you said the same to me.”
He grinned. “There’s nothing wrong with your memory.” He ran his hand down her back, squeezing her butt possessively. “Just remember I protect what is mine.”
Her heart skipped a couple of beats. “I protect what is mine as well, and on that note, I need to go work on that spell.”
He kissed her forehead and laughed. “You are persistent.”
* * *
Mica walked through the pitch-black cavern to check their security. It was completely dark outside and Caleb should have been back by now. He walked around to the side where they had been hiding the Express Van, and it was still gone. He surveyed the entire area. Everything appeared to be normal. He was on his way back when the ground trembled. There was a flash of bright white light that shone through the cave entrance with a thundering boom.
“Desiree,” he shouted in alarm, running back into the cave. He rounded the corner, coming to a screeching halt. Desiree stood in the middle of a circle with lit candles marking the parameter. The flames flickered in the wind. Her arms were stretched to the heavens with the wind whipping around her, and she was smiling.
She faced to the east, chanting. “Hail to the Lords to the Gates of the East. Lords of Spirit, hear me. Come to me, I summon thee.” She turned to face the south. “Hail to the Lords to the Gates of the South. Lords of Will, hear me. Come to me, I summon thee.” She turned to face the west. “Hail to the Lords to the Gates of the West. Lords of Death and Initiation, hear me. Come to me, I summon thee.” She turned to face the north. “Hail to the Lords of the Gates to the North. Lords and guardian of the Northern Portals, hear me. Come to me, I summon thee.”
Light flashed again, and the walls trembled. Rocks and boulders bounced on the rocky floor. Mica looked all around him in amazement.
She went down on her knees, grabbing the bat she had trapped in a small cage. Pinning it down, she cut off its head, sprinkling the blood all around her. “With this blood sacrifice, I ask that my will be done. Bless this Altar and place of power. Let this be a place of strong magic and protection.” The amulets she had in the center to bless levitated in the air and started to glow. “Earth, Air, Fire, Water, I call upon you now. Spirits hear me. In this circle rightly cast, hear me. Let this spell allow the bearers of these amulets permanent passage in the sun.” She threw a handful of powder she had concocted into the fire. The amulets glowed brighter, rotating in the air around her. “From this cave, I call upon you now. Spirits, hear me. This is my will, so mote it be!”
Mica walked into the room. Whipping her head around, looking him in the eyes, she held up her hand to stop him. “Stop, stay back, it is not safe for you. Leave me. I will be fine. I cannot leave the circle yet.”
“I will protect you.”
She laughed at the irony. “You cannot protect me from myself and the things I conjure. They are both magical and spiritual, and both are beyond brute strength. I will not put myself in any danger. I promise this to you.”
“You almost brought this cave down on top of yourself.”
She laughed again. “Mica, pick up a stone and throw it at me.” Giving her a strange look, he picked up a stone, and pulled his hand back to throw it. “You might want to duck after you throw it.” He threw the stone and it bounced forcefully back in the direction it had come from. He had to jump out of the way. “You see,” she remarked, raising her hands, “the circle protects me.”
“I’m just supposed to stand here and let these walls come crashing down on top of you, and do nothing about it?”
“If it is the Spirit’s will, even
you
couldn’t stop that,” she remarked seriously. “I come to this circle with an open heart and respect. The Spirits will not harm me.”
“Desiree…”
“Mica,” she whispered softly, “we can argue about this later. I must finish what I have started. The amulets are blessed, but I still need to respectfully close the circle.”
“I’m not leaving,” he remarked stubbornly.