29. Drawing the Darkness
29
DRAWING THE DARKNESS
JADE
I smile to myself when I feel the gaze of all four of my guys on me as I sit in the cafe window, using my computer to check on my accounts and sales.
No surprise that my sales have slumped a bit, but not as bad as it could be since I’m not around to promote them. I resist the urge to pop onto social media and see what the latest situation in the book world is.
I take the last bite of my pastry and mouth-gasm from the treat. We’ve been living off some bland meals lately and I’m looking forward to stocking up on some groceries today.
I check my emails and find a few from fellow authors who noticed my absence. My virtual assistant, who creates graphics and promotes book releases, has inquired about the book I was supposed to release in a couple of weeks.
I’m definitely missing that deadline. I can’t reach out to her right now, though because it could give away my location if someone is watching our interactions.
Damn, I swear there are nine flipping million emails in my inbox. I need to unsubscribe to the businesses that blast me every single day. It didn’t feel that overwhelming before since I checked my email several times a day in my old, regular non-magical life.
My blood runs ice cold when I see a newer message from Rob. Sent right after his failed attempt to cast his hypnosis spell and abduct me from Maxum’s lake house.
My cursor hovers over the email, debating if I should open the email with the subject:
RE: This is your last chance to choose me or…
Like we had a real relationship, and he’s giving me some ultimatum.
I doubt he will know if I read his email, so I click on it.
“You’ve had your fun, but you know you belong to me. Come back before it’s too late. You wouldn’t want to see how much it costs your lovers if you remain with them.”
I’ll give it to the bastard. He didn’t technically threaten them, but he did.
I turn off the computer and pack my crap up. Fuck him and his click bait. Taking a deep breath, I shrug off his threat. He wants to get me riled up, and I can’t let him win yet again.
Remembering how he hurt me on so many levels, I force myself to take another deep breath to calm down.
I give Maxum a wide, unbothered smile as I saunter toward the door to join him.
A shout comes from behind me. Which is odd. There aren’t kids in the cafe and it’s been fairly quiet this whole time.
I spin to see what’s going on and find a strange glow coming from the restroom hallway. A man flies from the corridor and slides along the tile floor.
Then someone else emerges—the attacker—and he’s storming straight for me.
Fucking Rob.
Survival instincts kick in and I whirl around to run from my predator.
Maxum tugs on the glass door handles, which only warp from the force of his pull. The glass glimmers with magic, likely some sort of force field to keep my guys out.
Magic that feels like a giant fist slams me in the back and I fall on my face, knocking the wind out of me. I lay prone on the floor when something wraps around my ankles and yanks me, dragging me quickly toward Rob.
He begins to chant his spell to hypnotize me.
I throw up my mental shields to prevent him from controlling my mind.
Once I’m at his feet, I come to an abrupt stop.
Rob takes a handful of my hair, roughly lifting me up by it.
I scream from the pain in my scalp and try to hold on to his hand so it won’t pull so much.
Once the shock subsides, I twist in his hold and swing my heavy computer case at his gut.
Rob grunts with the impact as I hear his ribs crack. I shove at his chest to break away and run.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t let go of my hair. He swings his fist at me, aiming for my face.
Dumb move. Hitting someone in the head isn’t easy on the knuckles. Maybe he thinks I’ll have a glass jaw.
Guess again, sucker.
His hand collides with my cheekbone, and he screams as his hand shatters—my newly enhanced stone bones saving the day.
Just as Rob releases me to baby his broken hand, glass shoots across the coffee shop in an explosion. Thankfully, the few customers and employees inside have already sought shelter behind the counter.
Rob’s eyes widen when he sees Maxum and Flint charging up behind me like they are going to kick his ass.
For a moment, I worry about Arran and Calder, but Osen assures me, “They will have held back to surround anyone trying to flank you.”
Using my bond, I sense Arran is alive, and he’s freaking out. But it doesn’t seem he’s in danger.
Maxum rushes ahead of me, grabs Rob by the collar, and opens a portal below Flint, Rob, himself, and me.
We fall through the floor and a scream catches in my throat.
Rob screeches as we free fall.
I glance down and see we’re a thousand feet in the sky, falling fast.
Flint swoops under me. A gust of air leaves my lungs as I land in his arms and his wings completely unfurl to slow our descent. I glance back at the portal above us and see a dark feathered mass fly through.
Calder.
I panic. Where is Arran? Did they leave him behind?
The portal snaps shut.
Calder is diving toward us, tucking in his wings. When he gets close enough, I can see Arran in his arms. Relief washes over me.
Full demon version Maxum soars next to us with his wings out. He still has a solid grip on Rob’s collar, whose head wobbles, his eyes closed.
I wonder if my ex is dead, but he jerks back to consciousness only to scream like a baby and pass out again.
“It’s clear now that the only way this wimpy piece of crap could make you fall for him is to put a spell on you,” Maxum shouts over the wind.
“I’m going to rip his body to shreds for violating you like that,” Flint growls.
“Get in line,” Maxum growls back.
Is it wrong I’m getting warm, tingling feelings?
It’s easy for me to forget when they are so sweet to me, but this display of pure murderous rage keenly reminds me again that my guys are dangerous monsters. Thank goddess, they’re on my side.
Calder and Arran catch up to us and Maxum nods to where he plans to land.
Maxum drops Rob to the ground about ten feet up and my ex grunts as he rolls to a stop.
Flint lands but doesn’t let me out of his arms.
A half-shifted Arran jumps from Calder’s hold before the phoenix lands and rushes over. Werewolf ripples over his skin. He still has on his sweatpants, but his shirt has been torn to shreds. His clawed hands clasp my face as he checks me for injury. “He bruised you,” he snarls.
“He’s done much worse than that to me,” I say almost flippantly. I don’t mention the missing chunk of hair from when he just yanked on it.
“If we weren’t going to kill him before, he’s definitely going to die painfully now,” Calder grits out with barely restrained fury as he steps to where Rob has collapsed, opposite Maxum.
They both stare at the jerk warlock with a fiery glow in their eyes, their fists clenching at their sides, waiting for him to wake up.
I shift to get out of Flint’s hold, but he grips me tighter.
“Sweetheart, this is my chance to use my power,” I say, giving his firm chest a soothing rub. “I have to see if I can get Osen’s magic back before you all kill him.”
Reluctantly, Flint loosens his hold, and I slide down to my feet. I drop my computer case, because yeah, I held onto that mofo. I wasn’t going to let this dickhead make me lose my stories.
Flint and Arran flank me as we all stare at the bane of my existence. Well, one of them. It sounds like Galiana might be the one who has ruined my life and everyone I care about.
But with Rob, it’s personal. This asshole took advantage of my good nature, my body, my mind, and my powers. He invaded my home and made me feel like crap. He wanted me to feel worthless so he could do any horrible thing to me and I’d beg for another scrap of his attention.
But Calder is right. I was strong enough to push him away. I broke up with him, even when he had the power of his magic over me. In a way, that makes me a badass.
“You ready?” Osen asks me.
“Not really. You?” I feel the heavy weight of this moment on my shoulders.
“I’m excited and terrified,” he admits.
I nod, feeling the same. I take a moment to center myself. The last few minutes have been bonkers, and my guys’ aggressive energy is distracting.
I go inward so I can unleash my power.
After the feeling of calm washes over me, I open my eyes and focus my magic on Rob. I reach out with my psychic senses and feel energy writhing under his skin.
“I feel shadows,” I announce. “I’m pretty sure it’s Osen’s incubus magic.”
“It is,” Osen confirms, moving forward inside our body to work with me, guiding me with the extraction spell.
“What if I mess this up?” I express to Osen in my mind. “I don’t want to rush this and ruin your chances.”
“No matter what, I don’t want him to have my power,” Osen says. “If we cannot bring me back, we’ll deal with that later. I’d never blame you.”
Reassured by his words, all of my magic wells inside of me—fae, demon, and witch. I sense these parts make this ability possible. Like I’m the magical equivalent of a perfect cocktail that looks innocent but knocks you on your ass.
I reach out with my mind and dive into Rob’s chest, feeling the angry lashing of Osen’s shadowtendrils. Osen whispers the spell that I must recite.
I struggle with concentrating on both the words and the action, as I’m still new to wielding magic.
When the chant is done, there’s a release of some sort. It’s subtle, but there. I gently tug on Osen’s shadows, his power, and it slowly leaks out of Rob.
It’s working! Excitement fills me.
It also wakes Rob, and he cries out as he witnesses the shadows being taken back.
He chants to regain his hold on Osen’s magic, but Maxum kicks him in the teeth, shutting him up.
Rob sways and falls on to his back again. “Bitch,” he mutters.
Flint charges forward and places his foot over Rob’s mouth, pinning his head down and applying more than a little pressure.
Rob squirms and flails.
“I wouldn’t recommend insulting our mate,” Flint growls, and the ground shakes with his anger.
I remember to focus on my task, coaxing and drawing out Osen’s shadow magic.
It slinks across the ground and winds up my legs, finally sliding down my throat.
I panic as I sense the shadows taking over.
I can’t move.
My mind goes blank, and I sink into darkness.