The Lightning Prophecy (The Lightning Witch Trilogy Book 1) (16 page)

Shit
. I tried to calm my tone with my next question. “When we first met you were shocked the Coven hired me to look into this, why?”

She honestly looked taken off-guard with the question. “Two reasons.” She held up two fingers. “One, the Coven tends to handle their own issues. I have never known them to look outside the Coven to solve an issue. I guess this one was so big they needed help. And two, they have never once cared about unregistered witches. Why would they start now?”

Shit. Those fucking bastards. They knew
. I threw the files nearest me across the room. They made me sick to even look at. Delaney got up and walked over to me. She reached out to stroke my cheek, but before she could touch me I grabbed her hand and kissed her fingers.

“Reid?” she said in a concerned voice. “Are you planning on enlightening me?”

“Delaney, the Coven knew not only about the prophecy, but they knew the information had to have come from inside the Coven itself. They knew all of this, yet did not tell me any of it.”

Delaney plopped down next to me.

“Do you think they thought the prophecy had nothing to do with this? Maybe that’s why they didn’t tell you?” Even her tone said she didn’t believe that. I gave her a look that told her what I really thought of that question.

“Yeah, I didn’t think so either.” She grabbed my hand and laced our fingers together.

The gesture was strangely intimate. I had not held a woman’s hand since Beth. It felt right. Like I was where I was supposed to be.

“What now?”

“We go see your aunt. Then I think I need a meeting with the Coven.”

Delaney’s brow furrowed and I could tell she didn’t like my last comment. This female had so much fight in her it’s no wonder she had control over lightning. She was so much like her element. She looked as though she was gearing up for a fight so, before she had a chance, I claimed her mouth with mine.

I was jolted out of my fogged brain by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Clearly, I was deafened by my pounding heartbeat because I did not hear the door open.

“Sorry, did I interrupt? Because I could have sworn we had a job to do,” Mitch said in a clearly annoyed tone. Wait, not just annoyed, he looked pissed. His tone riled the wolf in me.
Calm down, big guy. He wants to catch the guy as much as you.

“Sorry, you’re right. You ready to go, Delaney?”

She stood up eye both of us and nodded.

The drive to Delaney’s aunt’s house took about an hour. The whole way, she looked restless. She couldn’t sit still to save her life and it was driving me insane.

“What is wrong with you?” The question came out with more bite that I anticipated.

“Oh, sorry, I just feel funny. Like a disturbance in the force. I can’t really explain it. Just ignore me,” she said, continuing to shift around in her seat. “Hey, why didn’t we drive in the same car? I mean, you and Mitch never seem to drive in the same car. That’s weird.”

“Because of you. Two unmated males in the same space with an unmated female can make us a little testy and make the situation dodgy.”

“What does it mean to be mated?” she asked, not meeting my eyes.

I explained all about what it means to be mated and claimed. She seemed to only become more agitated at my words. Her eyes were becoming incandescent and her scent, which was normally gardenias and ozone, was sharpening with more ozone than normal.

“Please pull over,” she whispered. I couldn’t understand what was going on with her so I did as she asked.

As I pulled off the road I looked at her more fully. She had beads of sweat on her brow and rolling down the side of her face. Her eyes were pinched closed and her fists were clenched in tight balls. I had no idea what she was going through, thus I had no idea how to help her. I reached out to put my hand on her cheek when her head snapped to me and her eyes popped open. Gone was the happy, spunky girl. All that was behind her eyes was lightning.

I HAVE NEVER
had this happen before. From the moment we started this drive, my power had felt so uneasy. I didn’t know what was happening, but I couldn’t control it. Reid reached out to touch me; I could sense it and did not want to hurt him.

“Reid, I need to get out of the car for a moment. Can you please click my seatbelt and come open the door? I don’t want to hurt you.” I had to manage my breathing because my voice was shaking.

“Can you tell me what’s going on?” His own voice was steady, as though he were talking to a skittish deer. He leaned over and I tensed
. Please don’t touch me
. I braced myself for his reaction to me when I heard a click and felt the release of the seatbelt.

“I-I-I don’t know what’s wrong. I don’t have control of the lightning. I need to get out and find a way to control it or fry everything around me.” I met his gaze around squinted eyes. My vision was going black and white, just like it did after the attack. I saw his nod, reluctant as it was, and squeezed my eyes shut. The slam of the door made me jump and I almost lost it.
What the hell is going on with me?
Something was wrong; I just didn’t know what it was. I felt the door to my right open and I eased outside without opening my eyes.

“Please give me a few seconds.” I opened my eyes and walked about fifty feet away and laid on the ground. Distantly I heard Mitch’s door open and heard their voices, but couldn’t make out what they said.
Okay, let’s get this shit together.

I focused on my core and tried desperately to pull my power toward it. The lightning wanted out, and it wanted out now. I sat up and looked around until I found a tree. I stood up and sprinted the hundred or so feet to the small oak tree, kicking up dust and rocks as I ran. I was so desperate to get this power settled. It felt like something was calling the lightning out of me. My heart was about to beat out of my chest. When I got to the tree I placed my hand on its broad truck and said through clenched teeth, “I’m sorry.” I closed my eyes and let go of the control I held on the lightning.

The power left me in a rush, leaving me feeling dizzy and lightheaded. I heard a loud snapping noise and several popping noises. My nose was flooded by the scent of burning wood.
Oh shit! Did I start a fire?
I opened my eyes to see that I had someone how split the tree in half and the trunk was charred black in the center. I staggered back a number of steps and plopped down on my ass
. At least my power feels a little more settled, but man I still felt unsettled.
I had to see Mil. This was not normal.

I made my way back over to the car and just before I got there I heard the crash of the tree. I winced at the sound. Not just because of the loud noise, but because I had to kill a tree. I sent up a silent prayer and a vow to replace the tree as soon as I could.

“Doing some gardening?” Mitch’s voice rang over the snaps of the tree.

I got to the door and Reid opened it. “Yeah, something like that,” I replied in a clipped tone. I had no reason to be annoyed with him so before the door shut I yelled, “Sorry, let’s just get there.”

About twenty minutes later, we pulled up to Mil’s house and I knew something wasn’t right. I looked over to Reid, who just looked back with a questioning expression on his face. Without saying it, he was asking me what was wrong. How did I tell him something was wrong without seeming like a moron?

“I am just uneasy. Let’s go in,” I said, unbuckling my seatbelt.
Stop being crazy, Delaney! Calm your shit down and get a flipping backbone.

The three of us walked up to the door and Mitch knocked. I was between Mitch and Reid
. Talk about a beefcake sandwich
. The thought made me chuckle. Mil didn’t come to the door. Mitch knocked again. My stomach sank to my feet and I had an awful feeling.

“Mitch, open the door. Something’s wrong. If it’s not open I know where the extra key...” I was frantic.

My heart was trying its best to beat right out of my chest. The door was open. She NEVER left the door unlocked.
Please, God, not Mil
. Tears were already filling my eyes. Mitch took a hesitant step in, and when I went to push past him Reid grabbed my arm. I felt his grip tighten and shudder. Clearly I had zapped him.

“Delaney, please wait. Let Mitch go first,” he said, clearly concerned. Yeah, fuck that mess. I eased up for a moment until Reid’s grip on me loosened. Then I bolted out of his hold and ran into the house.

“Damnit! Delaney!” I heard Reid bellow behind me. Honestly, I didn’t care what he said. I just knew I needed to find Mil. And I needed to find her now. My eyes were darting every direction at once. I ran to the two small bedrooms.
Nothing, damnit; where are you, Mil?
I knew how wild I looked running through this house, because I felt just like the lightning within me, wild and out of control. I didn’t know if I saved the kitchen for last because I knew she would be in there and I was delaying the inevitable or if I hoped what my power and body had been telling me was not true.

Mitch was standing in the doorway of the kitchen. He had a look of pity and horror plastered on his face. I couldn’t see into the small room with him blocking my view.

“Get outta my way! MIL!” I punched him on the chest yet he remained. Tears were stinging my eyes and my throat began to tighten. I looked up to meet Mitch’s gaze. His eyes were red and slightly puffy. With tears streaking down my cheeks I said, “Mitch I will blast you into next Sunday if you do not get out of my way.” I meant every word of what I said. I began to pull energy from my core when he reached up with his thumb and wiped a tear from my cheek. He stepped aside and I staggered inside.

Mil lay on the floor in a small heap. I ran to her, tripping in my hurry. Tears were blurring my view of her. I had to find out what was wrong and fix it. That’s right. I could fix this. All I needed to do was find out what was broken. I wiped at my eyes to clear my vision. There was no blood.
Did she have a heart attack?
I dismissed that thought as soon as it entered my head.

I brushed her soft silver hair from her neck and face and that’s when I saw the purple and red bruises around her neck.
Shit!
I placed two fingers next on her carotid artery, waiting for a faint bump-bump. I felt only cool soft skin beneath me. I needed to start her heart.
Shit! How? I don’t have a defibrillator. Holy fuck, you moron, you are a defibrillator!
I placed my hands on her chest just over her heart. I closed my eyes and took a small breath to steady my concentration. I pulled slightly on my core, sending my power out in a sharp quick pulse. I placed my fingers back on her neck and felt nothing.
Again!
I had to fix her! She was all that I had left.

Time stood still. I was deaf and blind to everything around me. It was just me. Time was of little consequence when my life was falling down around me. All I could do was scramble to pick up the pieces and hope none of the rubble consumed me. I honestly didn’t know how long I sat there. I stopped because I could no longer pull from my core. My power was nothing more than a static spark.
I failed. What use am I to anyone?

I plunged my face in her silver, lifeless hair and sobbed, falling apart completely. I cried what seemed like every tear I was born with. I cried until every part of me burned. I cried until all I could do was gasp for air. I lay on the floor next to the woman who was my mother after mine died. Maybe this was my punishment. My punishment for killing my parents. That had to be it. I didn’t get tell her I loved her. I lay there on the cool laminate floor, praying for the pain to end. It hurt so much, this emptiness.

I felt a warm, strong hand slip beneath my head and one beneath my knees. He lifted me up to his warm chest. I tried to protest, but had nothing else to give.
I need to be here with Mil! I need to stay with her. What if she woke up?
 I couldn’t fight the man holding me. But, I refused to seek comfort from him. I didn’t deserve it. I laid my head on his chest and felt first the steady bump-bump, bump-bump, bump-bump of his heart next to my ear. Then, sound began to penetrate my bubble. Now I could hear the steady beat of his heart.

“Delaney, can you hear me?” It was Reid’s voice that reached me. I didn’t respond. I didn’t know how to form words without losing myself to the darkness that was growing inside me. I had this gaping hole forming where my heart should be.
Maybe I don’t have a heart?

“Delaney can you hear me? Are you okay?” Reid’s voice again pierced the rushing noise taking over my hearing. Am I okay? What kind of question was that? Okay. What did that word even mean? I was breathing, Mil wasn’t, nothing about that was okay. I tried countless times to open my eyes. Finally, after what seemed like an hour of trying, I did. I was looking up at the roof of Reid’s jeep. I bolted up.
Where am I?
Had I been so out of it that he forced me to leave?

“Delaney, whoa, hold on, babe. Lay back down.” Reid’s voice sounded distant.

My head was spinning and my lips and eyelids felt swollen. I realized Reid was beneath me, my head on his lap. “Are we,” I tried to speak, but the words came out as nothing more than breath. Reid brushed a few loose strands of hair away from my face. The heat from his fingers against my forehead left my skin tingling. I pinched my eyes shut then opened them. I tried six times to swallow the lump in my throat, but couldn't seem to manage it. I gave up and pushed my voice out in a rasp, “Are we still at Mil’s?”

Reid met my eyes and his were full of such pain I felt a stab in my heart. Had he been hurt? He nodded in the affirmative. Good, I couldn’t leave Mil. What if she woke up?

“What do I do now? I mean, how do I go on? Reid, I don’t know if I can.” I felt yet more tears roll down my cheeks.

Reid’s thumb traced the path of my tears, drying the damp skin. “Delaney, I know you're in pain and, God, that hurts me more than you know, but we need to get this guy. I need you to hold it together, honey.”

Hold it together. I wanted to laugh in his face. How? I was surprised I could remember to breathe. I couldn’t help it. I started laughing. I was hysterical. I mean, whose life was I living? Hopefully not mine, because if it were, that would mean I was in such deep shit. Between whoops of laughter and gasps for breath I said, “Hold it together?” Yeah, okay.

“Delaney, Mitch has called the Coven to report her death. They will likely send someone to come collect her.” He studied my face as the laughter died abruptly. The Coven was coming here? Why would they?
Shit
. She was in the inner circle before me.

I looked up to find green wolf eyes peering straight through to my bones. They should have scared me. They should have made me pee my pants and go running screaming to the hills. But, they grounded me. Like a slap in the face to bring me back to reality. “We need to get out of here,” I said as calmly as I could.

I had to come to terms with the reality that Mil was gone. My world was sitting in piles of rubble at my feet. Now, I had to work on stumbling through the mess to what lay beyond it. I moved to the front seat of the car and Reid shifted to the driver’s seat.

He started the car and pulled out of the driveway. “Reid,” I said in a soft tone.

“Hmm?”

“Why is this happening?” I choked on the last word. My eyes began to burn with the need to spill tears.
God, get it together!

“I-I don't know Delaney. I wish it weren't, but we will get this guy. I swear it.”

The rest of the ride was spent in silence. What could I say? What could he say? The pain I had seen in his eyes was a very real pain. It was pain for me. Seeing me hurt had caused him pain. My stomach did a little flip-flop as the seed of a thought bloomed in my brain. I looked over at Reid, who just parked in my lot. His face had become a sight chiseled out of stone. I raised my hand and placed it on his cheek. At that moment I knew he was feeling powerless to help me, and Reid Jamison did not do powerless well. However, the effect of my touch was evident as his features softened. 

“Come up with me?” It wasn’t just a question, it was a plea. I needed him to come up to my apartment. I needed it for me, to get from one breath to the next. I would not beg him, but I needed him to know how much I needed him.
Oh God, I love him.
I knew I loved him as surely as I could feel my heart beating. The realization made me a little light-headed with the merit of emotions I had crashing over me.