Warlock Unbound: Heart's Desire, Book 4 (4 page)

Jo’s brows rose. “Huh.” She tapped her fingers on the table. “That makes sense. You can’t have the court doubting the king, and vice versa.”

Jo, as the future head of the Yashodar clan of witches and someone close to the prince and princess of the witches, had some insight into how a court functioned. If she was behind the council’s desire to stay one step away, then perhaps Daniel shouldn’t feel quite so pissed off at what he felt was a wishy-washy reaction to the Godwin threat.

“Thank you, Johra. If you have anything to add, please bring it to our attention.” Lillian stood as Gen entered the room. “Your majesty.”

Gen’s faint wince was soon replaced by a well-practiced smile. “Councilor Fletcher. I understand you wished to speak with me?”

“I believe the king and the chancellor can fill you in.” Lillian picked up her paperwork and tapped it on the table. “Do we have anything else we need to go over?”

The council shook their heads, muttering various versions of no.

“Then I declare this meeting adjourned.”

The council stood, some nodding to Gen and Gareth on the way out, some talking amongst themselves. Only Chris remained behind. “So. When are you guys leaving?”

“Leaving?” Gen glanced at the rest of them before focusing on Zach. “What’s going on?”

“We found Arthur.”

Gen glowed brilliantly green before her power settled around her. “I see.” She leaned against Gareth. “When
do
we leave?”

“As soon as possible.” Daniel wanted this done before Kerry showed up. “I’m thinking tomorrow at the latest.”

Gen checked her watch. “It’s still early. I say we go now.”

Daniel’s brows rose. “Gareth?”

Gareth nodded. “Get your asses out of here. Just bring my mate back in one piece, understand?”

Daniel laughed. “I think they’re the ones who will have to bring me back, remember?”

Gen patted Daniel on the shoulder, her soft touch barely felt through his T-shirt. Everything about Gen was soft until the Own in her came out. Then woe to whomever she’d focused her power on. They’d be dead before they hit the ground. “Don’t worry, Daniel. We won’t let anything happen to you.”

Zach nodded solemnly. “No way in hell do I want to face Kerry if your balls get chopped off.”

“She’s the least of your worries.” Jo wrapped her arms around Zach’s waist. “You.” She poked Zach in the chest. “No coming home bloody and/or unconscious, got it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Or you won’t get any booty, Captain Zachary.”

Zachary saluted, a salacious grin on his face. “Gotcha, Admiral Johra.”

Gareth pouted down at Genevieve. “How come we don’t play pirates?”

Gen’s brows lifted. “Because you’d lose.”

Daniel laughed at the look on Gareth’s face. His brother probably didn’t know whether or not to laugh or argue. “C’mon, guys. Let’s get out of here.”

“Aye aye!” Zach saluted him. “I’ll get the snacks.”

“It’s a three-hour drive,” Gen argued as she followed after him.

“But I’m
hungry
.”

Daniel followed the pair, wondering if his presence would even be needed.

Chapter Four

Kerry pulled away from the hospital, her hands shaking as she drove down the street. The director would email her the complaints, she was certain of that, but what was she supposed to do once she had them? She’d probably have to get a lawyer to fight the charges, but in doing so the news media might become alerted. And if it were proven that the charges were falsified, she’d wind up suing the hospital she’d loved.

Gah. What a mess. She pulled up to a red light, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel as her mind whirled with possibilities. While she didn’t want to tarnish the reputation of the hospital, she also didn’t want her own reputation to take a hit. The hospital might keep the complaints quiet if she tried to get a job elsewhere, but they could subtly let it be known that she wasn’t worth the risk of hiring. She could find herself blacklisted from nursing if she used them as a reference.

The light turned green, and Kerry started to go through the intersection. It wouldn’t take long to get to—

The blast of a horn interrupted her thought, and Kerry reacted instinctively. She swerved, turning down the side road and almost hitting a parked car as a delivery truck barreled through the red light and continued down the road. Her heart racing, she sat, stunned out of her mind.

If that truck had T-boned her, she’d be the patient rather than the nurse.

She waited for a moment for her heart to calm, but this was Philly. Sitting at the intersection for any length of time guaranteed she’d get hit. So she took her foot off the brake and headed down the road she was now on. She could easily get back to where she’d been with a few left turns, but she was extra cautious as she drove. She didn’t want her mind on anything but the road.

When she pulled up outside Annabelle’s her hands were still shaking but at least her heart rate was back under control. She parked not far from Annabelle’s front door and raced to the townhouse, eager to speak to the witch and figure out what the hell was going on.

A loose brick hit the pavement just in front of her, almost hitting her head. She glanced up to see a man on the roof, looking horrified. “You all right?”

Kerry nodded, but it was a lie. She was far from all right.

The man disappeared, and Kerry went up the steps to Annabelle’s home. She rang the bell, hoping she wouldn’t be electrocuted. There was definitely something wrong, and she was willing to bet her favorite scrubs it was one of the warlocks who’d targeted the Becketts.

The front door opened. Annabelle Evans took one look at Kerry and pulled her into the house. “Why didn’t you call me when all those protection amulets started glowing?”

Kerry glanced down, but the only one that was lit up was the Beckett charm. “I can’t see them.”

Annabelle shot her a sharp look and directed her into the kitchen. “Not good,” she muttered as she grabbed some Oreos and a huge glass of milk. It was her snack of choice when anyone came to her with a problem. “Tell me everything.”

“I got fired today, was almost run down by a delivery truck, and a brick tried to take my head off two steps from your front door.”

Annabelle leaned back, her expression worried. “Don’t choke on the milk.”

Kerry choked on a laugh. “I’ll try my best.”

“All right. Let me see your amulets.” Annabelle held out her hand, her tone even. If she was at all worried about Kerry she wasn’t showing it, but Annabelle rarely did. She kept her concerns to herself. She was a swirl of badass witch and loving grandmother, the two combining to make for a warm woman who took no one’s shit.

Kerry unclasped the charm necklace. She handed it over without a word, instead dipping her cookie in the milk and waiting for Annabelle to give her the prognosis.

“Welp.” Annabelle dropped the necklace on the table. “You’re screwed.”

Great. “The first one I noticed lighting up was the Beckett charm. Could Daniel’s spell have activated something?”

Annabelle’s expression became arrested. “Like a latent spell, triggered by the mate spell?” She stood and went to her kitchen cabinets again, pulling out a purple crystal. “Hold still.”

Annabelle ran the crystal over Kerry’s body, barely a half inch away from her skin. The crystal turned darker with each pass.

“I’d say you’re hexed, all right.” Annabelle sat back down, the crystal in her hand. “I can hamper the effects until you get to New York, but once you’re there my influence will wear off.”

“And by hamper, you mean I’ll still be in danger, right?”

“Be alert and careful. If possible, don’t be around other people.” Annabelle grimaced. “Or falling rocks.”

Kerry’s brows rose. Lana lived with Chris in a place where rocks sometimes fell onto the road. “Or guard rails?”

Annabelle nodded. “Or airports.”

“Or dogs.” If any canine—other than Daniel—bit her, she’d freak.

“Hmm.” Annabelle stood and gestured toward the basement, where Kerry knew the witch kept her workroom. She’d been there multiple times, working on the charms Annabelle had given her. There was something calm and warming about Annabelle’s workroom, something that drew Kerry in like little else did.

She’d felt a similar tug when in the workrooms of the Becketts, but it was different. She still didn’t understand it, and when she’d mentioned it to Annabelle, for once the witch had no idea what it could mean. They’d decided it was some sort of psychic ability that allowed Kerry to detect magical signatures, a rarity among non-magical people but not unheard of. It was that sense that had made her curious about Lana’s middle school charm bracelet, and that had led to Kerry’s discovery of the magical world via Annabelle. Since she was incapable of wielding magic, Annabelle had stuck with the very basics, just enough to let Kerry know that Lana was in no danger from the spells she cast.

That was enough for Kerry. Content that Annabelle would keep an eye on Lana, she’d pretty much ignored her friend’s unusual activities until Lana met Christopher Beckett and dragged Kerry along with her into the Beckett’s crazy, loveable family.

“Let’s get a better look at this.” Annabelle took the charms and placed them on her work table. She gathered some things that held little meaning for Kerry but were probably very important to whatever spell Annabelle was about to cast. She set the stuff down, rearranging things until they were to her liking.

Annabelle took down a box from the top shelf, handling it with reverence. When she opened it Kerry caught a whiff of dust and almost sneezed. “What is that?”

“Graveyard dust,” Annabelle muttered, obviously distracted as she took a pinch of the dust and placed it on one of the small dishes she had scattered on the work table.

“What the hell do you need that for?” Kerry wrinkled her nose.

Witches were
so
damn weird.

“The right dust can be used in a spell to uncover a hidden enemy.” Annabelle stepped back and placed the box back on the shelf. “This dust is from a friend of mine, a very powerful witch who excelled at protection spells.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.” Even if Annabelle’s dirt box was a bit creepy, she’d handled it with such care that Kerry knew the witch had cared deeply for her friend.

“Thank you. She’d want her dirt used this way, to help someone else.” Annabelle smiled, and picked up her wand. “I need you to do a few things for me. I’m going to cast a circle, but I need you to remain within it. You’ll be better protected, and I’m going to have you light the black candle. All right?”

Kerry shrugged. “Whatever you say.”

Annabelle shook her head. “Kids these days.”

Kerry laughed for what felt the first time in days. She would have argued that she was twenty-five, but Annabelle was Lana’s Grammy. To Annabelle, they were all kids. “Yup. Pains, every single one of us.”

Annabelle picked up her wand and began to cast her circle. She did it silently, pouring her will into the inlay of a pentacle on the floor until it glowed with a pale luminescence that reminded Kerry of moonlight.

Annabelle wasn’t casting a full circle, then. Kerry had learned enough about magic to notice the lack of elements, earth, air, fire and water missing from the four cardinal points of the circle. This was simply a spell, not a rite like the full-moon one Kerry had been invited to before.

Annabelle placed her wand on the table and picked up the charms. She glanced at Kerry, then spoke.

“By the ringing of this bell

Let the hex be dispelled.”

Annabelle rang the small bell resting on her altar, jumping in surprise when it cracked. “Huh.” She bit her lip. “All righty then.”

“I gather that’s bad?” Kerry watched as Annabelle glanced at the graveyard dirt.

“I didn’t think it would work, but the hex is…old. Older than I’d thought.” Annabelle glanced toward her, her expression thoughtful. “I think you’re right. This was keyed to when Daniel cast the spell, and it was probably put on you when you were taken the first time. It’s had time to grow, mature, and now it’s at full bloom.”

Well. Wasn’t that wonderful.
Fuck my life.
“So what do we do?”

Annabelle smiled, causing Kerry to shiver in apprehension. “We make a doll.”

Kerry bit her lip. The last thing she needed to do was question Annabelle’s sanity.

Annabelle took down a muslin doll without a face or clothing. It was a plain rag doll, nothing special about it at all. You could make them, or buy them at any craft store. “I don’t like using these, but I think it’s the best way to get you safely to New York.”

Interesting. Kerry had heard of something similar from late-night B-rated horror movies, but somehow she didn’t think this was the same thing. “So it’s a voodoo doll kind of thing? Lock of hair, fingernail clippings, and bam! Whatever happens to the doll happens to me?” Kerry had a vision of her body marching through the airport, totally on autopilot while her soul rested in the doll in the purse at her side.

“Ugh. Stop watching bad movies. No. The damage
you
would take gets transferred to the doll, or poppet, not the other way around. This is a protection doll, not a hex doll.” Annabelle took the athame off the table. “Now hold still.”

“Eep?” Kerry’s shoulders rose defensively as Annabelle reached toward her with the knife, taking a lock of her hair. “Now what?”

“Watch.” Annabelle stuffed the hair into the doll, using an opening Kerry hadn’t seen before. She then took a pinch of the graveyard dirt, a sliver of black tourmaline, and a cloth heart, placing them inside the doll as well. She sewed the side up, chanting as she did so.

“Kerry’s Gift, and Kerry’s Curse

Keep these things from getting worse.

Guard this child from adversity.

As I will so mote it be.”

She repeated the chant two times, then handed the doll to Kerry. “Say it.”

Kerry’s Gift? What the fuck did
that
mean? “Say what?”

Annabelle gestured toward her impatiently. “The chant.”

Kerry was startled. “I’m mundane, remember?”

Annabelle nodded. “But you’re the one under the effect of the hex. You need to tell the doll who you are and who it will be protecting.”

Yup. Witches were weirdos. “Okay, then.” She tried to remember what exactly Annabelle had said.

“Um. Kerry’s curse and Kerry’s plea

Guard me from adversity

By the laws of three times three

As I will so mote it be.”

The doll felt different in her hands as she repeated the chant two more times, like a part of her. She relaxed, smiling as she stared at the doll. “It needs hair. And clothes. Little Kerry shouldn’t travel naked.”

Annabelle grunted. “Strange, but all right. Let’s get your doll ready for your trip.”

“Annabelle? Is everything all right?”

For once, Annabelle’s serene expression was troubled. “You didn’t repeat my words, but it worked anyway.”

“Is that bad?”

Annabelle looked Kerry right in the eye, and all sense of relief fled at the expression on the witch’s face. “I have no idea.”