Curse Reversed Page 9
“His name was Brandon Weeks.”
Stefan yawned. “Thanks.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes. “Do you think I’m making a mistake? I mean he asked me to come surprise him. But I’m just showing up. He could have plans all day and night, work. Maybe I should have checked first.”
“If the guy told you to surprise him, he is anxiously waiting for you to do just that.” Stefan looked out the window. “And he teaches, right? He might have to work, but it won’t be all day. He’ll cancel whatever he has tonight. That’s what I would have done.”
Kim’s smile was bright. “Stefan took me out for the first time on my birthday.”
“Five years ago tomorrow.” He winked at her.
Their words dawned on Eleanor. “Wait, your birthday is tomorrow? What are you going to do?”
Kim shrugged. “Watch you. That’s what we’re doing these days. It’s just another birthday.”
Eleanor hated that idea. She sat forward. “I never stopped to think about this. You two are always on duty. When do you get any time?”
“Well, the idea is that in a few months we’ll hire two more people who will essentially work for us working for you. But we wanted to know you and really understand what we’re dealing with here before we share responsibility. We want to be the experts on you, so to speak, first.” Kim looked at Stefan several times when she spoke, but he stayed still, his gaze out the window.
She supposed that made sense. It was hard for Eleanor to think of herself as a full time babysitting job but that was certainly what she was. “Then there’s nothing to be done about it. Stefan is going to have to plan something for your birthday and just bring me along.” She shrugged. “Looks like I’m a third wheel on your night out for your birthday.”
Kim grinned at her. “What?”
“Take me along. Do something for your birthday. I’ll bring a book or something. You can celebrate, and I’ll try not to have an incident in the corner. Not that I have any control. But I’ll do my best.”
Stefan moved his gaze. “Sure. We’ll have a party. You’ll come. No books in the corner.”
Kim sat up straight. “Are you serious? A party? We’ve never had a party.”
“We’ve never been not Enforcers before. We can have a party. Even if Eleanor has an event, it won’t be the same as being thrown into a battle somewhere on the other side of the world. I’d like to throw you a party. Assuming you’re willing to stay on this coast with us one more night, El?”
She nodded. “Sure. I’ll get a hotel room, and I’ll figure out something to do.”
Kim leaned back in her chair. “Oh, I’m sure you will.” She winked at me. “Thanks, El. I’ve never had a party before.”
They were both calling her El. Mitchell called her Ellie. It was sort of nice to have nicknames. She looked out the window. The world flew by at fast speeds. Things had sure been different lately.
Even if ultimately they were always going to be the same. Basically.
With Kim standing next to her, she stared up at Mitchell’s apartment building. Kim glanced between her and the building. “He’s inside. It might be cheating for me to tell you, but he’s there. Just because I really like you, and I can feel your nervous energy buzzing around me. He’s apartment 4F.”
All right, if he was there, then she was going to just go knock on his door. The worst he could do was be busy, and then she’d find something to do in this part of the country. It wasn’t like she took that many vacations or anything. Or ever. Seeing existence from the windows of institutions didn’t count.
Kim disappeared next to her, popping out of sight. That would be a useful ability to have. Eleanor took the stairs two at a time before arriving at the door Kim indicated and knocking on it. There was movement inside and the door swung open. She opened her mouth to greet Mitchell, who wasn’t wearing a shirt, but she was pulled into a tight hug.
“You came.”
Eleanor spoke into his shoulder. “I did. Hope that’s okay.”
“Your timing is perfect. I had a class this morning and now I’m off. I just got back from a run. I must be sweaty. Oh, sorry.”
He let her go, which she hated immediately. He’d been a little sweaty, yes, but that had also been a lot sexy. Hell, she was obsessed. Okay, she might as well own it.
“You’re sure it’s a good time? I can come back or I can even be here tomorrow. I’m going to be in town for a couple of days. Kim’s having a birthday party. I’m going.”
He smiled at her slowly before he took her hand and brought her into the apartment. “Let me get showered and changed. Then we’ll have a whole day of me getting to see you. Oh, if you want, go see the board I put together in the third bedroom. I’m working on some things. So fun that you’re here.”
“Ah, okay. Sure.” She rubbed at her arms. It was cold here and now that she wasn’t nervous she was noticing the temperature drop. He closed the door and held up two fingers. “Two minutes. I’ll be fast. Eat and drink if you want. I’m so scattered. This is great. I asked you to do this and you did.”
He flew through the air and took off toward what must be the bathroom. She had one second to admire his tight behind in his shorts before he vanished. Eleanor stood there for a second. He’d given her all kinds of instructions, but she wasn’t hungry or thirsty. Instead, she tiptoed like she shouldn’t be wandering, even though he’d told her she could, until she found the board he’d mentioned.
The apartment was decorated in dark colors. The shades were all drawn. It felt almost… cave-like. Did he notice? Or prefer it this way?
The board floated in the center of the third bedroom. There was nothing holding it up. Mitchell’s magic was strong enough that he didn’t even have to be present for it to work. She walked toward it, goosebumps breaking out on her arms the closer she got. The entire board was devoted to her.
Everything she had ever told him about her condition was there. And then lots of notes he’d made on things she didn’t know about.
Mitchell appeared behind her. “See? No time. I’m fast.”
“You made a board about me.”
He pulled on the end of her hair. “That’s how I think. I worked several Rune Translations this way. Wrote my second dissertation with my second degree.”
She couldn’t deny he knew how to study. “The thing is this is a board all about me.”
“Right?” Mitchell stepped slight to the side and in front of her. “I’m not getting happy from you about this. What’s wrong with the board?”
“I guess nothing.” She closed her eyes.
Mitchell touched her cheek. “Look at me, Ellie, please. I need you to tell me what’s going on. I can’t read your mind. I wish I could. I… I can do some things psychically, but you’ve been keeping me from that doing that so…”
She opened her lids. “I don’t know how I’m doing that.”
“That’s not really the important part of this conversation. Or maybe it is. I mean, I don’t get to say what the important parts of conversations are. But why are you upset right now?”
Eleanor looked down at the floor. “Look, I just got off the train where I sat with two very nice people both being paid to watch me.”
“They were very good when you went into a spell. Stefan’s power is intense. He got you settled fast.”
She hated hearing about it. “That just illustrates my point. They’re very nice, but they’re not my friends. They are with me specifically because of my issues. The last time I saw you we spent the night together and now there’s that board. Maybe it doesn’t make sense, but I can’t tell you how sick of being everyone’s project or job I am. Isn’t there any part about me that could be interesting to someone that has nothing to do with what’s wrong with me?”
“Hey.” He tugged her against him. “I’m only interested in this because I want to help you. Because I care about you and because most of what I like about you has nothing to do with it. Does that make sense? I’ll
take down the board. You’re not my project. I’m hoping you’ll be my girlfriend soon. I’m… sorry. I’m not good at this.”
Eleanor shook her head. “See? Now I feel selfish and mean and…”
“Ellie, let’s leave it for now. I’m going to cover this up. I didn’t want you to come so I could figure out what’s going on with you. I thought you might like to see. There are other histories like yours. But no correlation I can find. I’m waiting on my friend to translate what you say when you’re under. I’m sorry. I didn’t stop to think how it would feel.”
She pulled back. “Even if you had, how could you possibly have anticipated that I’m so… weird?”
He cupped her face with his hands. “Weird is not the word I would use.”
He kissed her. That was really what she’d wanted since she came through the door. The feeling he still wanted her this way, despite that board. She returned his kiss, melting against him. Now that she could think again, she could feel how warm he was from the water, the clean fresh scent.
Mitchell stopped kissing her to brush her hair off her forehead. A second later he sucked in a long breath. “What the hell?”
“What?”
A flash appeared in the room before the man with the white hair who had attacked her stood in front of her. Next to him, a dark haired, equally as tall, individual stood. Terror pushed into her like she’d been shoved over. What was he doing here? She screamed out her terror as Mitchell pushed her behind him. Before he blocked her view, she had a second to notice the white haired assailant’s nostrils flare.
“Mitchell, stop. Don’t. We’re not here to hurt her.”
It must have been the other man who spoke. She didn’t recognize his voice. Two more pops sounded and Kim pulled her to her side. “I’ve got her.”
Stefan stood next to Mitchell. “Who are you gentleman? I don’t believe you’re welcome here.”
Mitchell breathed heavily. “He attacked her at Prestige. The one next to him is Sebastian Nadal. My friend who I consulted with about the things she says when she’s under. Or at least I thought he was my friend.”
“I’m your friend,” Sebastian answered him. “And this is Trident O’Shane. He isn’t here to hurt her. What happened at Prestige, it was a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding? He tried to crack open her head,” Mitchell shouted, and Stefan shifted slightly, rocking back on his feet.
It was the latter who spoke next. “Really? Well, we can’t have that at all.”
“I have to rid the world of the abominations.”
Eleanor sucked in her breath. She’d been called many things but never that. “So you just go around attacking all the half-witches?”
“Please,” Mitchell’s friend Sebastian pleaded. “Let’s all calm down, and I think I can finally get us all answers. Okay?”
Mitchell put a hand on her arm. “Anyone makes any moves toward her that I don’t like, I will split them open. Got it?”
Eleanor believed him. Mild-mannered Mitchell might very well split someone open. For her.
Chapter 8
They ended up sitting all over Mitchell’s living room. Well, almost everyone. Stefan never sat, and although Mitchell stayed seated next to her, his back was stiff, his leg muscles tense, and he was practically on top of her so that she could feel every jerk of his stiff bodyp as though it were her own.
The men she knew in the room were prepared to do battle on her behalf, but that was the last thing she wanted. What if they got hurt and it was her fault?
No one had spoken, not even Sebastian since they’d all sat down. She cleared her throat. “I… I’m not sure what’s going on but that’s not new since I’m, you know, crazy.” When in doubt, set the room at easy with her humor. “So…”
Stop that.
The words floated in front of her face. She blinked. No one else seemed to notice them. They faded. Mitchell must be doing it. But why couldn’t anyone else in the room see?
Because it’s just between you and me. He answered her unasked question. It’s a psychic link between us. You stopped blocking me. And no, I can’t read your mind. Your query was all over your face. If you spoke aloud anywhere, I could hear it through the link when I do this.
“I doubt very much that you are actually crazy,” Sebastian answered her. “And that’s not a word that I particularly care for.”
Mitchell squeezed her knee. “Get your own girlfriend and then you can comment on her word choices. Leave mine alone. She can say what she wants.”
Eleanor blinked. He’d used the word. Maybe it was just to make a statement. Stronger than saying friend or whatever and even though he agreed with Sebastian he’d taken her side. She’d deal with what all of this meant later.
“Isn’t that exactly why you went to him?” Trident rolled his eyes. “You wanted to know specifically about the words that she says.”
Mitchell nodded. “If I have to spell out the difference in the two things to you, whoever you are, you can get out now. I don’t have time for moronic conversation at the moment. You should be in jail anyway.”
“He still can be.” Kim’s gaze was hard. Eleanor had never seen her exactly as she was now. “So let’s get talking.”
Sebastian sighed. “I can see we should have approached this differently. Never just come in uninvited. I just thought it was pressing. I didn’t know she’d be here. I thought we were coming just to you, Mitchell. Yes, you were right. She is speaking ancient tongue. That class you and I took on the ancients before you specialized turned out to be fortuitous.”
Maybe he expected an answer but he didn’t get one. He side-eyed Trident, then continued speaking. “There are few of us who can speak it. Myself. Professor Whitty who you mentioned in your communication with me. And a small group that stays out of the way of modern society who still practices the ancient arts. Trident is part of that group.”
“Stays out of modern society and that is why he showed up at Prestige and hurt my girl? And how do you know him if they are so hidden?” Mitchell was fierce.
Sebastian cleared his throat. “My studies of the ancients has brought me to many people. But in this case, it opened my eyes, and I am not a member of their society.”
“I would think the years we spent in sociology studying cults would have helped to keep you from falling prey to that kind of thing.”
Trident jumped to his feet, but Sebastian put a hand on his arm. “After he sees what he will inevitably see he will not be such a doubter.”
“I do not like the implication.”
“What does Ellie say when she’s in that state?”
A muscle ticked in Trident’s jaw. “The end of the world. She is threatening the end of the world, and what’s worse is she knows the incantation to bring it on.”
Okay, Eleanor had heard enough. “I don’t know curses. With all due respect, I just graduated high school. I am only half-witch. I can’t even float. I am not bringing around the end of the world.”
Trident’s eyes softened. “No, you are not. But the being who is trying to take control of your body, she will.”
Mitchell snorted. It was such a strange sound for such a strained moment that Eleanor couldn’t help but laugh. A loud sound that seemed more to fall out of her than anything she controlled. She slapped a hand over her mouth. “Sorry.”
Mitchell got to his feet. “Don’t be sorry, Ellie.” He squeezed her shoulder. “This is too much. A being trying to take over her body? Like what? Those demons that the humans believe in? Take your hoo-hah nonsense back out of here and don’t darken my door with it again. Sebastian, we study this as points of historical interest and to see how what ancients believed shapes our existence. Not so we can fall for what we have naturally evolved from.”
Sebastian sighed. “I know how it sounds. But it is science. It is. Aren’t we really all just power? Energy and power. If you can’t get behind the idea that an ancient goddess wants her body can’t you possibly suspend your disbel
ief long enough to think that a truly powerful witch, the most powerful of her generation, of any generation for generations to come, could have thrown her spirit out of her dying body and sought a new body in which to inhabit?”
Eleanor expected Mitchell to explode with the answer no and yet he stayed very still. “Transference of not just power, but sentience?”
She jumped up. “I think I would know if there was some goddess inside of me. And why me?” She whirled around. “If I was a goddess, and I could pick anyone in the world, I’d choose someone like Kim. Yep, like Kim. Not me. I’m the last person she should pick.”
Trident took a step forward. “When you were a young child you were chosen. You’re actually the perfect person genetically for the choice. Back when she reigned it was very common for the powerful to marry the non-powered. The non-powered were as valued as the powerful. The offspring were said to be stronger, to enhance the powers of the family. Things like… I don’t know… empathic powers come from those joinings. Trace a family tree and you will find that if the family has that power in it, someone was half and half.”
“That is fascinating,” Stefan’s rough tone shot through the room. “But this ancient witch wants her body and wants to destroy the world. I’m afraid that changes things. That’s dangerous. For everyone. I’m going to be right back.” He pointed at Trident. “If you pull anything, my wife will turn you into dust. This so-called goddess you’re talking about? Yeah, she’s got nothing on Kim.”
Stefan popped from the room.
“Aren’t you all ancient worshipers or something? Don’t you want the woman back?” Eleanor was having a little bit of trouble breathing. How was it possible she could prefer the idea of just losing time and being wrong than this?
He shook his head. “Just the opposite. We don’t worship this ancient goddess. We worship she who would oppose her. Whose mark you hold on your wrist.”
She reached over to touch the ink there. Mitchell’s gaze flew down to it at the same time. “My mother gave it to me,” she informed the room.