Chapter Three

Kai’s security guard, Henry, was successful in leading us through a secret back door. I kicked myself for sneaking in through the front door and causing such a ruckus in the club upstairs. Luckily, we didn’t use any magic in front of anyone unknowing―just a couple of security guards incapacitated for a brief time. Hopefully, this would keep the Patrol off our trail for a few days while I figured out what to do next. Henry was driving us to a location secure enough for us to stay for a few days. It was another secret location owned by Kai. It figured. Getting away from him for my peace of mind would be impossible, because that would have been too easy.

It was dark, and I never got a good look at our chauffeur. I assumed Daniel and Madison had taken care of the probing before we got into the car with a stranger. As if sensing my insecurities, Daniel started questioning the driver.

“Why should we trust you?” Daniel asked. He stared him down from the passenger seat in the armored SUV Kai lent to get us away safely. I thought to get me out of his sight was closer to the truth. “You could be taking us to the Patrol station and turning us in.” He was measuring him up, calculating everything. While I was relatively untrusting by nature, Dan was even more so.

Henry turned to the side so his mouth was visible when he spoke. He kept his eyes on the road.

“You’ll just have to trust me,” Henry said with a grin spreading from ear-to-ear. “Little Miss bitchy-witch back there trusts me enough, although she was too caught up making goo-goo eyes at Malakai to worry about anything else.” I saw his gaze flash to mine in the rearview mirror. The evil glint I saw there told me all I needed to know. I peeled my glove back to find my tattoo. “Bitchy-witch? You have no idea.”

“Damn, guys. You didn’t check this bozo out before we left?” I asked, frustrated. Madison looked at Henry and answered quickly. “He checked out there, Sam.” She looked back at me. “I promise. I got nothing sketchy off him at the club.” I believed her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Henry chimed in. “I’m just doing what I’m told. You should probably put your seat belts on.” The laughter in his acidic voice made my skin crawl.

“Henry, I think you got your wires crossed,” I said as Daniel fastened and then tied Henry into the passenger seat before taking the driver’s seat himself. His tattoo was blazing brightly―his speed skill was in full use.

“I have a dirty feeling you are sympathetic to the Patrol.” I leaned into the front seat to look him in the eyes. “We aren’t fans, if you know what I mean.” I smiled menacingly. “I apologize in advance for any inconvenience this causes you.” My tattoo was already lit and ready. “Cold at the heart and mean with ease, lock him up in the deepest freeze.”

Henry’s body froze gradually. As the cast took hold, the crackling of ice echoed throughout the car, causing Madison to cover her ears and wince. Beads of sweat froze like peas on Henry’s forehead. A bitchy-witch, indeed, I mused while I reached into his ice-cold jacket pocket to find the cell phone I saw him put there earlier. I scrolled to find Malakai’s number and hit send. He had a lot of explaining to do.

Another armored SUV pulled up beside ours only a few minutes later. I was leaning against the side of the truck when Kai stepped out. I needed to see his face to ascertain whether he was involved in Henry’s agenda. His look of confusion and irritation gave him points. He didn’t know. I was sure of it. After years of trying to decipher the man, I could read the emotions on his face like my favorite book.

“He’s in the passenger seat,” I said. “I didn’t want to cast him, but he left us no choice. He was obviously sympathetic to the Patrol. I’m sure he was going to turn us in for a handsome reward,” I said dryly as I slung open the passenger side door so he could get a better look.

“He was headed for the Patrol station downtown,” Daniel said.

“Ice, Samantha? Ice?” Kai rushed over and touched Henry’s frozen cheek. I felt slightly guilty looking at Henry but banished it all the same.

“Well, what did you expect? I couldn’t douse him with rain inside the car. The asshole called me a bitch.” I looked to Madison for support as she was the kind, fair one. Even if she abhorred my cursing, she would err on the side of honesty.

“She’s telling the truth.” Madison walked over to stand next to me in a much-needed show of support. If anyone knew how difficult it was dealing with Kai and my insanely out of control emotions it was her—a cathartic magic user.

“He couldn’t be trusted,” she added, turning her gaze to Malakai to question his judgment of the frozen man.

“I never knew. I swear I had no clue he was working for or with the Patrol.” Kai took one more look at Henry’s face and decided to side with us. He slammed the SUV door.

“All of you get in. I’ll take you to the store myself.” He jerked his head toward his SUV.

“Keep Henry’s cell phone, so you can contact me.” He shook his head and got into the driver’s seat. “God only knows there will be nothing but problems from here on out.”

The drive was a silent one. Like three children afraid to aggravate their parent more than necessary, we stayed quiet. Daniel flashed through the radio stations as fast as the electronics would let him. Madison’s face held concern as she looked from me to Kai. I didn’t blame her, because I was concerned, too. I rolled my eyes at her. There was no way I could let her know how conflicted I was feeling. I was supposed to be the leader, the strong one; however, she knew better. She always did.

We pulled up to Griffin’s Antiquities and Books about fifteen awkwardly silent minutes later. The three-story building was made of old, red bricks. They were the same kind you might find at a fire station in a dusty, small town. The building was old but in good condition. The windows had bars and the front door looked as if it was made of steel. An ancient-looking ventriloquist doll sat propped up on several old, leather-bound books in the large storefront window. The upstairs windows looked newer, which led me to believe it was an apartment and not part of the store below. It suddenly dawned on me this was where Malakai lived. A hard lump formed in my throat at the thought of staying in such close proximity to him. Luckily, Daniel asked the burning question first.

“You live here? It doesn’t look very safe.” He grimaced at the dilapidated buildings neighboring the store. He pulled Madison closer to his side as if to shield her from the ugliness. He was always the gentleman, teetering on the fine line of rude. I jabbed my elbow into his side.

“I do. It’s a good cover. No one bothers me here. I spend my days in the store and my nights at the club.” Malakai looked embarrassed as he watched Daniel and Madison take in their surroundings. “Let’s get in before the Patrol comes by.” He rattled the keys from his pocket and headed for the front door. “Which they tend to do a lot,” he added as a warning.

“It looks fine for the night, guys. It’s not permanent, remember?” I said trying to convince my friends how lucky we were to even have Kai’s place. “It’s perfect for now,” I said for my own benefit. Nothing was ever permanent these days.

Daniel was still studying the building and its surroundings when he commented, “Perfect is not the adjective I had in mind, but I do thank you for your hospitality, Malakai.” I shot Dan a glare and headed for the front door. I peeked in the window just in time to see something or someone move.

“Someone’s in there,” I proclaimed loud enough for everyone to hear. Kai, ignoring me completely, swung the door open after unlocking three different dead bolts. Damn. I would need to find out which keys he used for each lock. I saw a smug, half-grin cross his face when he realized I was watching him. My cheeks heated under his gaze as I hastily looked back through the window.

Kai walked in undeterred by my warning and flicked on a few switches. When it was light enough, I stepped through the entrance into the most exquisite place I’d ever seen. Daniel and Madison walked through the door together right behind me. The movement in the window already forgotten, I turned in a small circle and tried to process everything. Books were stacked ceiling high. Stone statues taller than Malakai intermingled with hand carved, wooden chairs. The wall sconces came from Cadiza. I remembered them from training practices held in the cathedral.

More bookshelves lined the back walls with several titles I recognized from the bindings, they were Bruxa grimoires. He had quite the impressive collection. He knew how fond I was of books and antiquities, so I figured I’d find him watching me as I surveyed his obviously stately collection. When I chanced a look his way, his back was turned to me.

“It’s a cat,” Mad said as she reached down to scratch the gray tabby cat weaving around her feet. “You saw a cat moving, Sam. No one else is in here.” She sounded relieved as she scooped up the cat. “Right, Kai?”

“You are quite correct. Theo lives here. He’s the store’s official mascot. My employee Sara takes care of him, and he takes care of our rodents...and witches.” He smirked as he shuffled through several stacks of papers on an enormous, Victorian desk in the corner. He was doing a very convincing job of pretending I didn’t even exist. I needed to find out about the employee he mentioned. I wandered around the store, feeling lost and at home at the same time. I ran my finger over a pile of dusty grimoires, and it hit me all at once. Malakai shouldn’t have grimoires, especially in such a large quantity. The hairs on my neck stood up. I immediately felt threatened at the realization and needed time away to think clearly. I turned a corner to find my friends.

“Guys, are you tired?” I asked.

Dan and Mad looked up from a huge book they were sitting in front of on the floor. They both looked like they’d been caught red-handed. I didn’t even want to know what they were reading. “Yeah, let’s hit the hay. I’m bushed after a night on the town.” Dan smiled as he closed the book and stood more quickly than necessary.

“Kai, can you help us out of this book maze?” I didn’t want to compliment his store―not yet, at least. Not until I’d grilled him about the grimoires.

“We’re tired. Beds, please?” At the word “beds”, he finally looked at me. Men were so predictable. ”Maybe a shower, too?” I asked and watched his face.

“Of course. This way...follow me.” He led us to a false bookcase wall―of course―and slid out the fourth book from the right. The door opened. He took care to close it tightly as we walked past him to the stairwell. “The rooms up here never get used, so I’m not promising five-star accommodations; however, the sheets are clean, the showers are hot, and the Patrol will never look for you here.” Kai abruptly stopped in the middle of the staircase and turned to face us. “I do have one request while you’re here. No magic. No spells. No precocious, petty casts...” He looked directly at me. “Not only does it lure the Bruxa Patrol this way, but it makes me uncomfortable.” He looked directly at Dan, because he was the one always zooming around. I looked at Dan and Madison. We all agreed in unison.

“Unless our lives are in danger. There will be no magic unless our lives are in danger.” I couldn’t fully agree to his request without some sort of compromise. It’d be out of character, and he knew it. His face was stern. I could tell he was waiting for me to argue.

“Or if someone is trying to turn us in to the Patrol,” Dan added to the amendments of our agreement.

“What about―”

Kai cut me off with a brief hand wave. A look of guilt passed over his face as he calmly said, “Sara stays in the room at the end of the hall. Keep her off the Bruxa radar, please.” His employee lived there? With that low blow dealt, he turned around and started to the climb the stairs, again. “I called her and told her to expect guests,” he said over his shoulder, careful not to meet my gaze. “That’s all she knows. That’s all she’ll ever know.” Daniel was the first to call him on his blatant stupidity.

“What the hell are you doing with a human here? She’s an unknowing human at that. I could understand a part-time employee hanging at the cash register, but you have grimoires and fake walls in here. The Patrol is crawling all over. You could give our kind away with just a small slip of the tongue. You are too intermingled with our kind, now.” He was angry, and Kai knew it. “The threat is just as great of her finding out about our kind and blathering it to the wrong person. She might turn you in for hiding us…for hiding runaway Bruxas—one of whom is the most valuable asset to both mankind and witchkind. What do you think would piss off the government more?”

Malakai glared but knew Daniel was speaking the truth. He pursed his lips and his famous, laconic smile crossed his face. I knew whatever came out of his mouth next wouldn’t be pleasant.

“This is my attempt at a normal human life. You fail to realize I am human, too. I may have ties with the Bruxa every now and again, but as a whole, I try to distance myself as completely as possible from Cadiza. A life in the real world is actually possible for me.” He looked at me.

My stomach knotted as he threw my words back in my face. His glare intensified.

“It’s been working out just fine. The least you can do is help me keep it that way.” There was no arguing with that logic. He was helping us. Daniel was still fuming as Madison tried her best to calm him down as they entered the room Kai pointed to.

The hallway felt cold and sterile compared to the warm, cozy feeling downstairs. I shivered as I walked into a room across from Mad and Dan. In that moment, I wished Kai left and never returned. It wasn’t the time for an emotional breakdown. I definitely couldn’t let him see what his words had done. I stood in the middle of the plain room with a bed, a dresser, and a small door leading to a bathroom. My knees felt weak. I kept my head forward when I heard the door close behind me. I didn’t expect him to follow me in. I let out a long sigh and prepared myself for a conversation I didn’t want to have. He spoke first.

“You can’t pretend with me. I saw your face. I know you want to claw my eyes out, drown me in a monsoon, set fire to my wardrobe...or you want to throw yourself down on the bed and cry all night long.” He approached quietly as I wiped my eyes with the backs of my gloves. I stripped the gloves off and tossed them onto the bed.

“I’m thinking it’s the latter on my list.” His voice was louder now, so I knew he was close. I was finally composed enough to speak.

“Just stop. You don’t get to think anything about me, anymore. You don’t know me, anymore. You never knew me.” I tried my best to keep my voice level. I had to let him know he was wrong, even if he had me pegged from the word go. I knew if I fixed my eyes on a single point on the headboard, I could stop the tears. He expected me to get mad, to yell. I would show him. My finger itched to touch my tattoo and cast a spell on myself to turn the absurd emotion off. I turned to face him. Eyes poised like daggers at his, I told him exactly what he needed to hear.

“I’m happy that you have a real life. I am.” I took a much-needed step back and breathed in deeply. “I just wish you told me about your real life and your real girlfriend back at the office before you tried sucking face with me.” A little attitude would help me gain my edge back. “Sara would probably love to hear that.” I controlled my voice so precisely that it scared him.

“That’s not fair. You blasted into my office, literally, after three years of no contact. I thought about you constantly. I worried for you the entire time. There was never any closure for me.” The defeated look on his face only served to piss me off more.

“It’s closure you want? Fine. Here it is...close the fucking door on your way out. Get the hell out of my room. Now!” The air spell to blast him out of my room was on my lips, but even I had limits―especially after I’d just given him my word. I had one more thing to say to him on his way out. My only hope was it would cut as deep as I meant it to.

“I need my beauty rest. I’m meeting my match, tomorrow.” My words came out like ice. The hurt on his face was unhidden as he closed the door behind him without another word. I remained in the middle of the room while I listened to his hushed footsteps approach and open the door at the end of the hall―the door he pointed out earlier as Sara’s room. It was their door, not just hers.

My knees hit the hardwood floor with a light thump, and I broke down.