Chapter 14- Taz
DROPPING OUT OF spellcaster school ten years ago meant that I assumed I’d never be an agent of SPELL.
And yet, here I am, walking through a Utah farmland, fully intent on helping subdue the monster of the week.
The chief stated that this dark activity was larger in scope than usual, and that they’ve never had Other Side monster sightings in this area code—hence why he asked me to assist Luther, Necia, and Max.
When I swat away a fly, I catch my boyfriend’s gaze. He grins at me and says, “Suede boots aren’t exactly made for walking through the mud.”
Luther and I have been officially boyfriends for an entire week, a concept that still boggles my mind considering where we started.
We hang out, get meals, and sleep together most nights.
I’ve never felt this healthy in a relationship.
“Next time I’ll bring galoshes.” I loosen my collar and fan myself.
The late spring air is already warm in this part of America.
“Or better yet, I’ll stay home in the comfort of my air-conditioned room and let the actual agents of SPELL take care of the next bloody threat. ”
“Hey, you agreed,” he points out. Necia and Max give us funny looks before turning back around. They march a few feet in front of us between rows of tall grass.
“Yeah, well, you’re welcome.”
Luther snickers. “I’m grateful you’re here to help with any hexes. You know you’re a talented wizard.”
“Are my wizarding skills the only reason you’re grateful I’m here?”
He tries to hide his smile, and I resist the urge to take his hand. We’re on a mission, and I need to be cognizant of that. “There are…other reasons.”
“Aw,” Max says, shooting us an amused look.
“Get a room, you two,” Necia remarks. We laugh softly, and she points forward. “Or better yet, look alive.”
Before us is a small clearing leading to a woodsy area.
The dark cult has a pattern of operating in rural areas.
The four of us line up by the trees, preparing to make our move.
Luther opens his mouth to bark orders, but he’s interrupted by one tree swaying to the left.
There’s no wind, so it must be something arcane in nature.
A moment later, we’re overwhelmed by a wave of dark energy.
We all glance at each other in silence; it’s like a stench, the undeniable aura of an Other Side monster. Necia raises her hands to launch a revealing spell, and, in seconds, a figure appears on the tree.
It’s a nasty-looking beast, like a big dog, clinging to the tree, with six legs total. I also count six eyes, and when it spots us, it lets out a low growl.
“Max, you go right,” Luther says. With a nod, Max runs off, hands brimming with energy.
“I’ll flank the left,” Necia states. The three move like they’ve done this their whole lives, which I guess they have.
“What do I do?” I ask, lifting up my fists.
Luther summons an energy net, but the monster leaps to another tree. It bounds again, landing on the ground, and Max summons an energy twister. The monster growls and runs deeper into the woods, and Max gives chase.
Luther takes off, so I keep up. “Westbrook, what do I―”
“Set a perimeter of fog!” he hollers.
“What? Why?”
He stops and turns, fixing me with a serious look. “Stay here and set a perimeter, Devries.” His tone leaves little room for argument, but arguing is kind of our thing. “We can’t have mortals walking in.”
“But you need―”
“I need you to listen to the lead agent, that’s me.” I’m taken aback by his words filled with authority. “Look, there are three of us and no hexes, so please!” He points to my left. “Do as you’re told, and set the perimeter!”
I frown in irritation, but he doesn’t change his tune. Luther dashes off to do the actual work, and I’m stuck here with the boring, inconsequential task.
A sigh escapes my lips, alone, here at the edge of the forest. The sounds of the others fighting the monster fill my earpiece, and I try to ignore them.
Casually walking along the perimeter, I cast a simple fog barrier.
Not the best use of my magic, but it’s what Luther, the team leader, asked for, I suppose.
A few feet down the right, I spot something out of place.
A body is lying on its back, and my pulse picks up.
With a quick scan, I sense the scant trace of dark magic, and my breath catches.
When I get to the body, I grimace―blood and cuts are all over this bloke’s body.
Blood pools around his purple cloak. There’s no need to check his pulse; he’s obviously another cultist tossed by the wayside, a sacrifice to the warlocks.
Noticeably, however, his wrist is clean and untouched.
I pop in my earpiece and say, “Cleo.”
“Taz. What’s up?”
“While the others are wrestling demons, I think I found the source.”
“The source?”
“It appears to be another dead cultist. Cuts all over him. I suspect he used his piece of the gauntlet to get a monster here somehow.”
“Damn, another one?”
“Yeah. Once they’re done, send clean-up, because―”
My words are cut off by the sight before me. It’s a rift to the Other Side, a small break in reality, six-feet wide and floating in the air.
And it’s within arm’s reach. That dastardly dimension is visible; boulders and mountains preternaturally float in the orange void.
No one is around. I could easily step in.
Girish saw my future; my brother has to be there. All the other rifts are locked up by the Union, and I’m the only person here.
I reach my hand forward, heart pounding in anticipation. The dark cult has given me a gift, and it could go away at any time. Vikrum, are you there?
A part of me knows I should stop, but I’m compelled to explore what I’ve needed for so long. Slowly, I bring my hand closer and closer. Dark energy thrums into my palm. Almost…
“Taz!”
The voice jolts me back to reality. Luther runs up to me with a horrified look on his face. “What are you doing?!”
“I’m…I…” I turn back to the rift, then to Luther. The fear and disappointment in his eyes is almost too much to bear. When I turn back around, the small rift slowly sutures up.
Luther takes me by the shoulder, but I don’t even blink. The dark dimension slowly fades away as Luther pulls me back. In moments, the Other Side is gone.
A million thoughts swirl in my head. I’m not even lucid until Luther shakes my shoulders. “Taz…Taz, listen to me! Taz, come back!”
My eyes sting, but I nod. My boyfriend’s face comes into focus, and he wipes my cheek. I didn’t even realize I was crying. “Taz, what happened?”
“I…I…”
No other words can form, and Taz squeezes me tighter. The urge to bury myself in his arms is almost overwhelming. Before I can break down, Necia and Max arrive.
“What’s going on, guys?” Necia asks, gripping a binder’s jar. I guess the mission was a success.
“What happened―woah!” Max hops around, nearly stepping on the dead body. “Another cultist.”
“I…found him lying here,” I say with a raspy tone.
“Oh, Taz, I’m so sorry.” Necia touches my shoulder. “It’s never easy seeing a newly murdered body. Let’s get back to HQ to get rid of the monster we captured, okay?”
“Okay.” With a nod, I snap my fingers, and the foggy wall dissipates. The four of us walk away, but I don’t dare gaze into Luther’s eyes.
Hours later, Luther pulls up to my apartment.
A single streetlamp illuminates us when he puts the car in park.
The air is heavy between us, and I don’t reach for the passenger door immediately.
Usually, we’d have dinner and sleep together, but tonight, I’m not feeling very boyfriendly.
Judging by the concerned look on his face, Luther is on the same page.
“What happened today during the mission?” he asks, quietly.
I gulp and study my hand on the door. “Don’t ask questions you know the answers to, Lulu,” I say, voice barely above a whisper.
“Explain it to me like I’m na?ve.”
“I wanted to help take out the monster, but instead I was put on fog duty. Not exactly the best use of my time,” I say in a facetious tone.
“You know that’s not what I’m asking, Taz.”
I finally look at him; his brown eyes filled with concern make me want to crumble into bits. “Then what is it?”
“You saw an Other Side portal.” He pauses, and I have to resist the urge to dive into his arms. “It…enchanted you.”
“No, it didn’t.”
“You almost went in. Why else would you do that?”
“You know why!” I exclaim. After storming out of the car, I slam the door shut and power-walk toward the bookshop.
“Taz, get back here!” Luther gives chase, but I don’t stop.
“Why, so you can lecture me, Mr. Big-shot-lead-agent?” I spin around and walk backward. He strides up to me, intent in his eyes, and I’m glad no one’s around to listen to us hash this out.
“What do you mean? The Other Side pulled you in; it had to. You wouldn’t consciously do something so dangerous!”
“Oh, you know all about what I would and wouldn’t do, don’t you!” I throw up my arms. “I walked in of my own accord. But you bloody stopped me, so congratulations!” When I reach the door, I spin back around and fumble with my keys.
“Taz, would you talk to me!”
“There’s nothing to say.”
He spins me around, and I’m trapped, leaning against the shop door. “Taz, going into that dark dimension is a death wish!”
“And I knew that!” I shout in his face, touching his chest. “But you know I have to risk it!” I push Luther back and step forward. “You’re the only one I’ve told about my reasons! I thought you’d understand.”
“I understand that you think it holds what you need, but putting yourself in danger? That’s insanity! I can’t have you going near the Other Side!”
“What do you care?” I’m nearly shouting, standing in his space. “You’re afraid I’m going to make the Union look bad?”
“Of course I care, I don’t wanna lose you!”
His words, loud and unapologetic, echo through the night sky. While we both catch our breaths, I take a step back.
“Luther…my brother, he’s…”
“I know,” he replies, looking down at his hands.
“Taz, you told me you remember the moment your brother got sucked into a rift of his own making.” Where is he going with this?
I don’t even breathe as Luther continues, “I get now why it hurts to remember that. Because I felt the same way when I saw your hand reaching for that portal.”
My heart feels like it drops out of my chest. How could I have been so selfish? The last thing I want is for anyone else to go through that and be burdened with that memory. I love my brother, but does that mean Luther…
After a long pause, I step forward and gently take his chin so he’s looking at me. “Thank you, Luther. For talking me down from making a mistake.”
He smiles, and I press my mouth to his. It’s a slow kiss, no ramping up for sex, just the two of us, living in this difficult moment. This might be the sweetest kiss I’ve ever had, not that I’m willing to admit that yet.
Luther doesn’t want to break my heart, but he doesn’t want to lose me either. There are so many hurdles we have to face, but it’s possible I can trust Luther to get me through them. After all these years, he might be the one I can lean on, the type of man I need.