Four Centuries (Damned and Cursed Book 7) (14 page)

As she rounded the corner to the bathrooms she risked a quick glance.
 
The vampires paid her no mind.
 
Evelyn was deep into one of her own stories, enthralling the men around her.

Victoria pushed open the bathroom door and sniffed the air quickly.
 
Satisfied she was alone, she took the extra precaution of turning on the sink faucet for extra noise.

She reached into her purse and grabbed the magical artifact Kevin had given her.
 
It was capable of voice communication anywhere in the world.
 
It didn't operate on land lines or cell towers, but on magical power only a witch could tap into.

A rock.

"Kevin?" she said.
 
"I'm in the middle of dinner with some very important people."

The voice almost echoed in the bathroom.

"The hotel.
 
I need some help."

Victoria didn't need to ask any questions.
 
Kevin was a dear friend, and would never use his magic to contact her for a broken washing machine.
 
He was in trouble.

"Okay.
 
Give me two minutes."

She left the bathroom and crossed the lobby.
 
She stopped for three seconds at the front door to look across the restaurant at Patrick and the others.
 
Their conversation, and whatever was possibly waiting for her with the sexy Irishman, would have to be put on hold.
 
Her inner circle was far more important than any of them.

The air was still warm, despite the late hour.
 
She walked slowly, calmly, even smiling at a couple enjoying a late night stroll before she turned down a dark alley.

It was only in the comfort of the shadows did she quicken her pace.

She pulled her heels off and ran.
 
Her sense of direction wasn't great, but she paid enough attention during their evening jaunts the past few weeks to know the general direction of the hotel.
 
The dress she wore made sprinting difficult, but she managed.
 
As she ran in her bare feet she struggled to pull the phone out of her purse.

She moved with blinding speed.
 
Through the darkness, leaping over garbage cans and a fence that got in her way.
 
She crossed a nearly empty street, an uncomfortable blur to the human eye.
 
With her night vision, she could see a dead-end approaching in the next alley, a building blocking her path.
 
She nimbly ran along the wall to her left, just enough to gain height, before jumping onto the building to her right.
 
All the while she held the phone to her ear, listening to it ring.

Finally, a tired and slow voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Amit?"
 
She walked on the roof of a laundromat, studying her surroundings.
 
"I need you.
 
I know it's late.
 
I'm so sorry."

"Victoria?
 
Just…give me a second."
 
There was a muffled conversation with a woman, assuredly his wife.
 
When his voice returned he was a little more awake.
 
"What can I do for you?"

"I just left some of my…colleagues at a restaurant.
 
It's an emergency, and I had to leave."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes.
 
But…it was definitely
rude
.
 
I'll do more later, but I need you to go apologize to them for me.
 
I know it's a lot to ask."

"Of course."

She breathed a sigh of relief.
 
She thanked Amit as she continued to run.
 
Talking and running were difficult tasks to do simultaneously for a mortal, but for a vampire they were trivial.
 
She continued through the alleys and rooftops of New Delhi.

Two minutes might have been a tall promise, but she wasn't far off.

Victoria quickly slipped into the lobby bathroom after entering the hotel.
 
She looked over her appearance in the mirror, making sure she was still presentable.
 
There were still vampires in the hotel, and she didn't want to raise any questions.
 
Her bare feet had a cut or two, and her right calf had a nasty scratch from a bad landing, but she would heal quickly.
 
At least she didn't tear her dress.

Slipping back into her heels, she made her way to her room, nearly forgetting she didn't like elevators.
 
Kevin had made no other contact, and she fought panic.
 
He was a full-blooded witch, and could certainly handle himself with anyone or anything meaning to do him harm.
 
But he was also young, and she was a bit of an overprotective den mother.

She barely had the door open to her room when she pulled out her magical rock.

"Kevin?" she said.
 
"I'm ready.
 
Is everything okay?"

"Shhh!"
 
His voice was a whisper.
 
"Keep your voice down.
 
Just give me a second."

A second turned into thirty seconds.
 
Thirty seconds turned into a minute.
 
And the minutes stretched.

Victoria folded her arms and paced.
 
She continued to glance at the bare wall she'd taken a picture of on her first day in New Delhi.
 
The photo was meant as a possible escape route for her, with Kevin's assistance.
 
She never dreamed he would need it.
 
But now she waited.
 
And waited.
 
Several times, she lifted the magical rock to her mouth, ready to say something.
 
She just wanted confirmation Kevin was okay.
 
But he told her to be quiet, so that was what she would do.

Kevin was babysitting for Tiffany.
 
Her father, Jack, was in Montana, investigating the murder of his ex-girlfriend.
 
Did Jack involve Kevin in more of his insanity?
 
Her mind raced as the minutes felt like hours.
 
Jack wouldn't willingly put Kevin in danger.
 
Jack was more protective of Kevin than anyone.
 
The witch was the only one who could possibly lift the curse that plagued Jack for two centuries.

At long last, there was a low hum.
 
A roughly-drawn circle appeared on the wall, and then it vanished.
 
The witch's portal came into being.
 
She peered through into another part of the world.

She wasn't sure what she'd see, or what delayed Kevin, but was certainly surprised to see Tiffany.

The nine-year-old girl stood a step behind Kevin, covering her mouth with her palm.
 
Her eyes were saucers.
 
Victoria noticed her wrists were red, sore.
 
She'd been bound somehow.
 
It took everything Victoria had to keep her rage and fangs in place.

Kevin was unharmed, but looked exhausted.
 
He wore the long coat she'd bought for him, to house the disgusting potions and trinkets he created.
 
He smiled and looked her up and down.
 
Not out of lust, but more curiosity.
 
He'd never seen her in a dress and heels.

Fifty feet behind him were rough-looking mortal men.
 
They were in a warehouse of some kind, and in various degrees of disorientation.
 
Some were on their knees, while another leaned against a shelf.
 
They all rubbed their eyes, and she recognized the signs of temporary blindness.
 
A rather easy task for a witch.
 
Her nose twitched as the scent of a burning vehicle reached her through the portal.
 
Was Kevin in the middle of a war?

She stepped forward, just shy of the portal.

"What's going on?"

Tiffany's eyes lit up with joy.

"Aunt Victoria!"

Victoria smiled at the young one.
 
She'd been through so much in her short life, and apparently was still going through so much.
 
Yet she had a spirit that couldn't be contained.
 
That same spirit also brought a spark of life into the darkest soul Victoria had ever known.

"Hey, sweetie.
 
Is everything okay?"

Tiffany was only more than happy to catch Victoria up to date.

"Some guys kidnapped me!
 
But now Kevin's here and smacking them all around.
 
He's like a magician or something!
 
How did you get here?
 
This is weird—"

Kevin cut off the rambling child with a wave of his hand.

"Just take Tiffany."

She didn't hesitate in reaching through the portal and grabbing her
niece
.
 
The child wrapped her arms around her aunt, squeezing her tight.
 
Victoria lowered Tiffany beside her and gave Kevin her attention.

"Do you need help?"

A swelling sense of pride washed over her at his reaction.
 
Kevin simply shook his head.
 
His expression was calm, completely in control.
 
There wasn't an ounce of arrogance in him.
 
The worst thing he ever did was make potions for college students, which Victoria could handle.
 
He was growing into a fine young man, and respected the powers he wielded.
 
She wanted to believe she had something to do with that.

"Nope.
 
It's just five guys."

Her eyes grew wide as one of the men behind him regained his vision.
 
He held up a rifle that almost looked too big for him.

"Kevin!" she shouted, pointing over his shoulder.

He turned and frowned, more annoyed than afraid.

"Oh, come on—"

The shot rang out, hurting Victoria's sensitive ears.
 
Kevin fell, but there was no blood.
 
Only a quick intake of air as he clenched his eyes in discomfort.
 
The slug fell at his feet after striking his magical barrier.

Victoria was a second away from stepping through the portal to assist.
 
But Tiffany needed her more than Kevin did.

"I'll see you guys soon."

He reached up and placed his hand near the edge of the portal.
 
It followed his touch, slowly collapsing on itself.

"Be careful, Kevin!" Tiffany shouted.

Kevin was gone.
 
Victoria and Tiffany both stared at a blank wall.
 
It took a moment for Victoria to realize she was trembling.

"Where are we?" Tiffany asked, her eyes moving all about the room.
 
"This place is awesome!
 
Is that a hot tub?
 
Where did Kevin go?
 
How did he do that?"

Victoria blinked twice, trying to pull herself together.
 
The scent of a raging fire was still in her nose.
 
Kevin was half a world away, fighting a battle without her.
 
She had to get used to that.
 
She wouldn't always be there.

Her focus now needed to be on Tiffany.

Kicking her heels off, she dropped to her knees and brushed a strand of hair away from Tiffany's face.

"Aunt Victoria," Tiffany said.
 
"You're beautiful."

The simple compliment nearly brought her to tears.
 
Jack had once said that Tiffany was the strongest person he'd ever met.
 
Victoria had to agree.

"Tiffany…about what you just saw—"

"Don't worry.
 
I won't tell anyone."

Victoria just smiled, and waited for the girl to continue.

"I know who you are," she said, lowering her voice for a confidential discussion.
 
"You're a hero, just like Dad.
 
And Alex, and Kevin.
 
Kevin is the young one.
 
He's the sidekick."

"The sidekick," Victoria repeated, laughing.
 
"I'll bet he loves that."

"I haven't told Dad I know.
 
I probably won't.
 
I don't want him to worry."

Sadness gripped Victoria.
 
Jack and her had a few challenges ahead.

"What happened back there?
 
Why did those men take you?"

"I don't know.
 
I wasn't worried, though.
 
I knew Kevin would come."
 
Her face scrunched up.
 
"Oh, wow.
 
If Kevin doesn't beat them up, think about what Jack will do."

A terrifying thought, indeed.

Victoria kissed her on the forehead and scooped up her heels with two fingers.

"What do you say we watch some TV?
 
Maybe get some—"

She froze when she saw movement near the door.
 
Her eyes narrowed in anger and frustration.
 
She didn't smell him, didn't even hear him come in.
 
Even a vampire could be distracted, especially while staring into a magical portal.
 
Only now, looking at him, did she pick up his scent and heartbeat.

"Amit."

His knees shook as he stood still with his mouth hanging open.
 
His eyes moved back and forth between Victoria and Tiffany.
 
He held a single red rose between his fingers, keeping it close to his chest.

"Come on in," she said.
 
Her tone hovered between sweet and furious.
 
"We need to talk."
 
She patted Tiffany on the shoulder.
 
"Go ahead and turn on the TV.
 
I'll be over in a minute."