Page 2

Neith

H is magic is even more impressive in strength up close. It’s so vast it’s astounding. I have worked with warlocks before when I worked with Dimitri, and before that as well and either they were all somehow managing to hide a good proportion of their magic from me, which they wouldn’t do unless they knew what I could do and no one knew what I could do, or they didn’t back then at least. Or, Ransom is incredibly strong.

The fact that all of these men are stronger than they should be, or rare, is curious to me. I’m a big believer that everything happens for a reason, and surely it can’t be a coincidence that all of these extremely powerful men found each other and developed the bond that they have. I don’t even know the entirety of what they are capable of, but I know that they are all unique in their own right.

I’m pulled away from thoughts of the guys and their power when Ransom must decide to up the strength that he’s using to pull on whatever it is that I can feel him tugging on. It starts to get quite uncomfortable, not painful, not yet, but my magic, and I’m guessing that must be what Ransom is trying to access to help with the ward, is very clearly not happy with the fact that someone is trying to get it, and it feels like it’s gearing up to do more than just resist. I’m just about to tell him to stop when the pressure releases, and everything just settles. Everything goes back to normal, and the voices start murmuring loudly like they have realized something, although they don’t deign to share it with me if they have.

The whole experience is over in only a couple of minutes, but it feels like it lasted for longer, and honestly, I’m a bit deflated when it’s over. I sort of hoped that I could at least contribute a small amount of power. At least I know that there is something there to contribute since it didn’t like Ransom trying to access it. It appears that my magic is just as stubborn as I am. Fantastic. I’m sure that will make it really easy to deal with whenever it decides to make an appearance.

The important thing is that the ward is back up and stronger than it was. Ransom can obviously sense my disappointment because he looks down at me and smiles gently, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on the back of my hand. I return his smile with one of my own and then pull my hand away so that we can face the others again. I don’t miss the slight frown that Ransom gives me before he wipes his expression as we face the guys.

Everyone is looking at us with worried looks and I know that they are concerned that the breach isn’t able to be fixed. If they could feel the amount of magic that Ransom put into it, then they wouldn’t be concerned at all. He was kicking off massive amounts of power and everyone that helped him wasn’t exactly weak either.

“Is it done?” Doc asks, looking concerned.

Ransom nods, “Yeah, I just need to tie up a couple of the spell ends, and then it’s done.”

I move away from Ransom and start to make my way over the rocks and tree roots back to Mael, while Ransom starts to explain exactly what he has done and the triggers and things that everyone has to know in order to walk through the ward, since he has added even more extra security.

I am clumsy, everyone knows that, but as I got to step over a tree root, I it gets higher. I’m not just imagining it; it lifts up and ensures that I trip over it. It’s not my imagination, and I am one hundred percent sure that the root lifted higher so that I would fall on my ass.

Not only did it lift, but it pushed me backward.

What the hell have I done to make the trees mad enough that they are now actively trying to push me and make me fall on my ass?

Doc

M y eyes dart back over to Neith as they do every few minutes whenever I am with her. I can’t help it. I’m just drawn to her in a way that I have never been drawn to anyone else in my life. The effect that she has on my magic is also something that I have never experienced. My magic is coming to me with such ease now that I find it shocking every time.

I am starting to get hungry, and I have taken the suppressor pill twice in a row so I can’t take it again without risking some nasty side effects, which means I need to hunt, and for something bigger than a snack.

I have never had a problem fulfilling my need for desire with sex, it’s the easiest and most enjoyable way to get my fill, and there is no risk to my partner so long as they are supernatural. Humans are a no-go for me. Not for all succubus or incubus, but specifically me. I’m too strong.

Something that wasn’t an issue until a certain silver-haired woman entered my life.

The problem is, I don’t want to fuck anyone. I really don’t like the idea of being with anyone else but her, even though I can’t be with her. At least not while she is still mostly human, and even then, her supernatural side may not be strong enough, and she may not be interested either.

I’m getting too hungry to push it any longer without becoming a risk to those around me, so I’m going to have to go out tomorrow night to one of the clubs that I own that specifically cater to my kind and everything in between. Drinks aren’t the only thing on the menu, we cater to a range of sexual needs and desires, and my manager runs an extremely tight ship. We are actually rated the best club in the city.

There will be enough desire and sex in the air that I will be able to get my fill without actually fucking anyone myself. I would hunt tonight while we are at Sully’s if we’re even still going, but I think I would struggle to get a big enough desire hit, and I’m worried about actively feeding near Neith.

Once again, my eyes dart toward her and then widen in alarm.

I watch as she trips over a branch, but instead of falling forward as the laws of physics say that she should, she somehow manages to fall backward straight toward the ward that Ransom still has open and hasn’t been closed off, so it’s safe for humans.

River calls out, and we all shift forward, moving to help her.

It’s like everything suddenly switches to slow motion. There is no way that even as fast as we are that we are going to get to her in time to stop her from hitting the ward. Ransom starts to mutter, and his hands begin to move, a sign that he’s trying to stop it or shut the ward down. Before he can activate the spell though, he trips over a different fucking tree root and hits the floor hard.

My eyes move to Neith, as I pray to every fucking thing that may be listening that she is going to be okay. Everything is still moving really slowly, and movement behind Neith catches my attention. What I see seems so out of place that I stop my forward trajectory as I watch. There is a fucking person standing out there, and he is looking at me. He’s got a big dark beard, bright blue eyes, and dark hair shot through with silver. He’s dressed in jeans and a plaid and definitely shouldn’t be in the woods.

He smiles and winks at me, and I am suddenly very certain that he doesn’t mean any of us any harm despite the fact that he definitely shouldn’t be in the woods watching us and wasn’t there before when we arrived or when we were fixing the ward. Before I can do anything about him, time seems to speed up again, and I watch as Neith lands on her ass right in the middle of the ward. Everyone makes some sort of sound of distress.

I watch in fascination as an absolutely colossal boom of power releases from Neith. The power is so fucking strong that for a moment, I can actually see the ward as it glows gold, and Neith’s power rushes through it.

The ward settles and is invisible once again, and everyone stays silent, all of us in shock, just staring at Neith.

“What the fuck was that?” she finally asks as she picks herself up off the floor and looks to us for answers.

“I’ve got no fucking idea,” River is, of course, the first one to recover and practically runs over to her, taking her hands in his and turning her in a circle, “Are you okay? You fell pretty fucking hard, are you hurt?”

Neith chuckles, “I’m okay. It’s just bruised my ego.”

“Are you sure?” Raiden adds, picking his way closer to her.

“I’m sure. Nothing is broken. I’m not even hurt. I am curious about what the fuck that was with the ward though?” she asks.

I relax now that we know she’s not hurt and is okay but my brow furrows, that burst of power definitely came from Neith. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind about that, but how? Her supernatural side is still hidden, so how was she able to give the ward that much magic?

Glancing behind me, I realize that all of the creatures are gone except for the spirit guides and the kelpies. I have to admit that I’m glad the kelpies haven’t disappeared, it would be a long fucking walk back to the house without them.

“Winston, do you know what just happened?” I ask, and then add because it has only just occurred to me and it shouldn’t have, “Is Neith going to be okay?”

Winston nods and walks closer to where we are all gathered around Neith, “Yes. That was Neith’s magic, it would appear that even though her supernatural side is just starting to emerge, it is strong enough to be able to lend its power to the ward in a big way.”

“What?” Neith exclaims, “That big light show was my magic? I mean that seems silly to ask because I felt it, at least while it did its little light show thing I did, but still, what!”

Neith’s rambling is a sure sign that she is beginning to freak the fuck out, and frankly, that’s understandable. And adorable.

God, I am so fucking gone for this woman.

“Did you manage to put any of her power in when you tried to?” Reed asks Ransom.

Ransom shakes his head, “No, I thought I could feel something, but it kept slipping from my grasp, and I figured that it was because her supernatural side wasn’t completely out yet.”

Neith smirks, “Yeah, I could feel what you were trying to do. I don’t think my magic likes being told what to do.”

“What a shock,” Evander teases, and I chuckle as Neith flips him off.

“Check the ward,” Winston suggests, looking at Ransom with a knowing smile on his face.

Ransom knows better than to try to argue with the masked trash panda, and simply nods. His eyes do the swirly thing that they do when he uses a lot of magic, or gets particularly riled up and a couple of seconds later his eyes are widening and he is staring at Neith in shocked awe.

“What?” Neith asks nervously. “Did my magic fuck it up? My magic, that’s a really weird thing to say,” her eyes widen, “holy shit balls, guys, I have fucking magic, that was undeniable proof I’m not fucking human.”

River smiles and pulls her under his arm since he’s still standing next to her and says, “Nope, you’re not.”

“That was fucking awesome,” Raiden adds, smiling widely and earning himself one in return.

“Ransom?” Griff asks, trying to get the conversation back on track since Neith has a habit of derailing conversations, and we need to know if the ward is going to hold up. “Do we need to get the other creatures back and do it again?”

Ransom shakes his head, “Er, no.”

“Dude, come on, spit it out. What’s going on with the ward?” Evander asks, getting fed up with not knowing what is going on.

Ransom clears his throat, “Shit, sorry, it’s just that she’s made it so much fucking stronger. As in, impossibly stronger, nothing will be able to get through it.”

My eyes widen as my eyebrows hit my hairline, “Seriously?”

Ransom nods and then turns to look at Reed excitedly, “Send a blast of your full power at the ward.”

“What!” Raiden exclaims, looking at Ransom like he has lost his damn mind.

Ransom just waves his hand in his direction like it’s no big deal. It really is though, Reed has only let his magic out completely once since I have known him and that was in the clearing when Neith died. For Ransom to ask him to release it now is a pretty big deal. I think it says a lot about how much Neith is changing us when Reed doesn’t immediately shoot Ransom’s idea down like he would have done before she arrived and instead studies Ransom closely.

I think he is probably as curious as the rest of us.

“Are you sure about this?” Raiden asks.

Ransom nods, “Yeah. I will put a ward up around us that will protect us.” He looks back at Reed, “What do you say?”

Reed hesitates, but I think curiosity, and I would imagine a need to set his magic free again, ultimately makes the decision for him.

“Okay. Everyone get behind Ransom,” Reed orders.

We all move to do as he has asked. The kelpies and the spirit animals doing the same although only Winston and Wallace are remaining now, and I have no idea when the rest of them disappeared and to be honest it’s not at the top of my list of priorities right now to figure it out.

None of us argue or comment as we move behind Ransom so he can put the ward up to protect us. We all know what a big deal this is for Reed. Neith must realize too, because she stops by Reed on her way to Ransom, and puts her hand on his chest, I’m not sure what she says but it has Reed chuckling, and his shoulders becoming slightly less tense as he nods and then gently pushes her toward the rest of us.

As soon as we are behind Ransom, he does his thing, and although I can’t see anything, I can feel it, and I know that we are now all inside a very strong ward of magic. In theory, it should protect us if there is any blowback from Reed’s power. The truth of it is that Reed is strong as fuck, and I don’t think even he is aware of how powerful he really is.

Ransom calls out to him, “Everyone is safe.”

“Okay, how big of a blast are we talking?” Reed asks him.

Ransom smirks, “Give it everything you have got. Wings out, glamor fully dropped, and blast the fuck out of the ward. I can fix it if it breaks, but if I am right, then it’s not going to break.”

“If you are right?” Griff asks, his eyebrow raised.

“Yeah,” Ransom replies, with a twinkle in his eye that has Neith grinning.

I am starting to release that Neith is a bit of an adrenaline junkie. She loves danger.

“Are you sure about this?” Reed asks, looking nervous.

Ransom nods, and Reed glances at Neith.

Neith smirks, “Hey, you know I think you’re super sexy with your wings out.”

Reed chuckles, his eyes heating briefly before he nods. “Okay, I’m really sorry if you guys end up smooshed to the floor. I will try to keep the blast focused ahead of me.”

“No worries,” Evander replies, “I think we’re all curious to see what Ransom thinks is going to happen.”

Reed nods but doesn’t say anything as he turns back to face the ward. His glamor drops, immediately freeing his magic, and even with Ransom’s ward around us, we all drop one knee to the floor apart from Neith. At least we are still upright and can see what is going on. Ransom’s magic is absorbing most of Reed’s.

“So, fucking cool,” Neith whispers.

Reed looks absolutely formidable when he truly lets himself and his magic be who he is. It makes me sad that he can’t do it all the time, and I have actually been trying to work on something in the lab that could lessen the effect that he has on other people and mean that he could be himself without having to remain in such tight control of it all of the time. Unfortunately, I’m not getting the results I want, and until I have something promising to tell him I won’t be telling him that it’s something that I’m working on.

“Ready?” he asks.

“Yes,” Ransom replies, “remember, give it everything that you’ve got.”

Reed’s back is to us, but he nods once to signify that he’s heard us.

His magic builds and grows, and just when I think that he’s reached his maximum, he somehow pushes it even further as he manifests his magic into a glowing ball of pure power in front of him. He doesn’t look like he’s straining to do it at all, and if anything, I think he is more relaxed than I have ever seen him. It’s fucking impressive, and not for the first time, am I glad that Reed is the kind of person that he is and that he is on our side.

The more that it grows, the more worried I become that we are just asking for trouble and that whatever Ransom thinks is going to happen isn’t going to. It’s too late for me to voice my concerns though as Reed suddenly releases the ball of pure magic and sends it soaring toward the ward.

I brace myself.

I figure that it is either going to pierce straight through the ward, creating another hole that we are going to need to mend, or it’s going to destroy the ward completely, and Ransom is going to have to spend hours recreating the complex spells that are built into it, and we’re going to be vulnerable while it’s down. Either way, it will most likely damage the forest beyond the ward. Fortunately for us, we own it, we have the ward set up a few miles inside our boundary line just so that we have a buffer between us and the next property owners.

Reed’s blast hits the ward and stays suspended where it is as it gets surrounded by another glow of magic. I watch in astonishment as Reed’s magical blast is absorbed by the ward.

“Whoa,” Reed mutters as he turns around to face us, his glamor falling back into place as he turns so that when he is actually facing us, he is back to the Reed that we are used to seeing.

“Damn it,” Neith mutters, a slight pout on her face, which I’m assuming is because Reed doesn’t have his wings out anymore. She continues, “Okay, so what does that mean?”

“It means that you definitely have magic, and a lot of it,” Ransom starts to explain with a proud smile. “Your magic absorbed Reed’s and then distributed it into the ward to make it even stronger.”

“Seriously?” River asks.

Ransom nods, “Yeah, we are now more protected than we have ever been. We are protected against pretty much everything.”

“Wow,” Neith mutters. “I am entirely unsure how I’m supposed to react to that.”