Chapter 5

Groggy, Jared opened his eyes to see a crow peering at him through the windshield. Momentarily disoriented, he blinked. What the hell? Then memories of the night before came rushing back. The crow cawed sharply and flew away.

Jared rubbed the sleep from his eyes and squinted at the digital clock. It was nearly eleven. “Damn.” By now Kendra would be out of her mind with worry. He picked up his mirror. “Show Kendra to me.” When the glass revealed her tear-streaked face, Jared cursed. Knowing she couldn’t hear him, still he whispered, “Baby, I’m so sorry. I love you, and I promise I’ll make this up to you.”

He popped the Porsche into gear. He’d find gas, food, and coffee, then he’d call her. He had to make her understand his need to go on and his certainty that if he didn’t find Philippe soon, his brother would die at the hands of a crazy man with a mysterious grudge.

****

A few miles down the road, Jared sat parked at a gas station, a cup of steaming coffee in the cup holder and two donuts in a bag on the seat next to him. He picked up his cell, took a deep breath, and hit the call button.

“Kendra, baby, it’s me,” he said when she answered.

“Oh, thank the Goddess you’re all right. Jared, I’ve been worried something had happened to you. What are you doing in Georgia?”

The anguish he heard in her voice tore at his heart. How could he tell her the wedding had to be postponed? The first time he’d laid eyes on her he’d known she was the one for him. Now he was about to hurt her, and there wasn’t anything he could do about it. He swallowed hard before whispering, “Kendra, I’m so sorry.”

“Sorry about what? Jared you’re really scaring me. What’s going on?”

He steeled himself for what was about to come. “Philippe has gotten himself into serious trouble, and I have to help him. Kendra, I love you and I’m so sorry, but I’m not going to make it back in time for the wedding. Please try to understand.”

Kendra was silent for so long, Jared assumed he’d lost the connection. Then she spoke in a quiet voice Jared knew meant trouble. “I saw Philippe in Loren’s crystal ball, and he seemed fine. So, I’ll ask again, what’s going on?”

Jared silently cursed. He should have cast a blocking charm on Philippe. He didn’t want her to see what kind of violence Adam was capable of. “Kendra, what do you mean?”

“When we saw him, Philippe looked as if he were either sleeping or passed out in the backseat of some car.”

“He wasn’t asleep, he was drugged.”

“Drugged? Are you telling me you might miss our wedding because Philippe is doing drugs again? I don’t mean to sound unfeeling, but we’ve been down this road before. Tell him to get his ass in rehab, and you get on a plane and come home. We’ll figure out how to get your car afterward.”

Jared knew she had every right to be angry, but what was he to do? “Kendra, I’m as upset as you are, but there’s more to this than I can explain. I promise we’ll get married the minute I get home.”

Kendra’s volume rose with each word she spoke. “You’re saying you won’t be back for our wedding, but you won’t tell me why?”

Jared knew she was right. He had to tell her about Adam, but he also had to keep her from following after him. He had no doubt Adam would prove to be a powerful adversary. If Kendra was there, Jared would be focused on keeping her safe thus giving Adam the upper hand.

“All right, listen to me. There’s this deranged witch who has some kind of vendetta against my family. He’s kidnapped Philippe and threatened to kill him if I don’t come and get him.”

“What? What are you talking about? What vendetta? Jared, who is this witch?”

“I’ve told you what I know. All I can do is keep following them.” He hesitated. Should he tell her Adam had also threatened her life if he were to marry her? He knew Kendra well enough to know her reaction would be to thumb her nose at Adam and dare him to try and stop them from getting married. He had no idea how dangerous Adam was and wasn’t about to take a chance with Kendra’s life.

Jared’s phone crackled. “Jared? Are you still there?” Kendra asked.

“I’m here.” Before he could say more, a glow coming from the pentagonal mirror on the dash caught his attention. A sign welcoming visitors to North Carolina shimmered in the glass. Damn. He hadn’t slept for that long. How could they be so far ahead of him?

“Kendra, hang on.”

When Adam’s laughing face appeared, Jared dropped his phone in his lap and picked up the mirror. In a deadly, calm voice he said, “Show me Philippe.” The image changed to reveal Philippe slouched against the back seat, his hands bound and blood trickling from his nose and mouth.

Heart pounding, Jared gritted his teeth. “You bastard, he’d better still be alive.”

Adam’s smug face reappeared. “For now. But you’re running out of time, Dupre. Your brother continues to fight, but he’s no challenge for me. Killing him, though necessary, will bring me no pleasure. It’s you I want to see die.”

“Then stay where you are, and we’ll finish this. Or are you only tough when protected by those you control?”

Adam’s eyes blazed. “I need no protection. I’m the Chosen One. My power is superior to all.”

Jared snorted. “Yeah, you’re powerful all right. Powerful when it comes to torturing the weak to do your will.”

“In order to be superior, the submission of others is necessary. After I’m finished with you, the beautiful Kendra will learn this.”

Jared’s stomach clenched and his hands shook. “You stay the fuck away from Kendra. She’s not a Dupre.”

“At least you heeded my words and kept her out of this. I would have hated to kill such a lovely young woman. Although I would have had her first. No, Dupre, I don’t plan on harming her. I want her for my own.”

“Over my dead body, you son-of-a-bitch.”

“That’s my plan.”

Adam’s insane laughter filled the car as the mirror went blank.

Deep blue energy pulsated from Jared. His adrenalin pumping, he pulled back onto the interstate and punched the gas. A beeping tone from his phone alerted him he had a text, reminding him of his interrupted call with Kendra. “Damn it.” He must have lost the signal. He felt around until he came up with his cell and read, “Call me!”

He decided to take the coward’s way out and let her calm down before calling her back.

A grin slowly spread across Adam Montief’s face. Dupre was reacting exactly as he’d expected. Patience and timing were all that were required. For over two hundred years, Augustus Montief had waited for his revenge. Soon Adam would fulfill the task bestowed upon him.

He glanced at the man behind the wheel of the van. Daman Montief was both his uncle and his mentor—and the one man Adam trusted. On Adam’s eighteenth birthday, Daman had shown him the scrying mirror belonging to Augustus Montief. When Adam looked into the mirror and saw Augustus’ face, Daman cried with joy. No other descendant was able to see the Powerful One’s image. Thus Adam was the Chosen One, and it was his duty to avenge Augustus’ death.

Daman had insisted Adam accompany him to his teaching compound on Black Island where he would learn the true arts of black magic and prepare for his task. Adam’s gentle parents had emphatically opposed him leaving their Wiccan coven to follow Augustus’s evil path. They’d pleaded with him not to go. Already feeling the power of the mirror, Adam had ignored them. Now, fulfilling his dark destiny was within reach.

“It will be quite a while until we arrive at the compound,” Adam said. “Do you want me to drive for a bit?”

Even in the van’s dim interior light, Adam saw the scowl on Daman’s face. “I might be almost eighty and have one hand, but I’m still capable of driving. Besides, we’ll be there in plenty of time to prepare for Dupre’s arrival.”

Adam nodded. “As you wish. Just let me know if you get tired.” A groan from the back seat made him turn to see if his passenger was awake.

“Not much longer, Philippe, and your brother will be joining us.” His lips curved with satisfaction as Philippe feebly struggled to release his hands. “I would have thought, considering the severity of your wounds, you’d have learned your minuscule power is useless against me.”

“You drugged me, you bastard,” Philippe slurred. “When Jared gets here, he’ll kill you both.”

“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong. Your brother may think he’s capable of destroying me, but his temper and arrogance will be his downfall.”

“Arrogance.” Philippe smiled around his crusted split lip. “You’ve got a lot of room to talk. My brother’s magic is as strong as yours. After he kills you, he’ll release all the others you have under your sick control.”

Adam’s eyes blazed as he reined in his anger. He could have easily killed Jared down in New Orleans, but Augustus had insisted Jared Dupre’s demise occur on Montief land. Now, instead of eliminating one Dupre, he had to put up with this pathetic weakling while crossing half the country. He knew that to assure this fight would be on his terms, he must keep Philippe alive.

“You forget, Philippe, I’m the Chosen One. Your brother’s magic is like that of a child compared to mine. And you aren’t without blame. Your curiosity about our teachings made it easier to guide him into our trap.”

Philippe strained against the bonds that held him. “I’ll kill you myself, you motherfucker.”

Adam laughed at Philippe’s attempt to free himself.

“Perhaps it would hurry Dupre along if he were to watch as I sear off one of your arms.” A familiar rush of excitement shot through Adam’s veins at the stark terror in Philippe’s eyes.

“Leave him.” Daman commanded. “Dupre is coming. Injuring the boy will serve no purpose.”

With reluctance, Adam turned away from Philippe and faced front.

“You must keep your head at all times,” Daman said. “Philippe is of no consequence. If you lose focus, Dupre will get the upper hand, and all will be lost.”

Adam gave Daman a curt nod and stared out the passenger window. He knew Daman was right, but his authoritative attitude was becoming tiresome. In the beginning, Adam had found Daman’s guidance invaluable, but it was he, Adam, the Powerful One had chosen to honor the Montief curse. He must succeed in killing the man who shared his blood and whose power could match his own. Then he’d be worthy of taking Daman’s place as master of the compound’s coven and ready to take a wife.

Kendra’s face passed through his mind and he smiled. When he’d first seen her with Jared, he’d decided to make his revenge complete by taking Kendra as his. No matter what he had to do, she would eventually be under his control. The satisfaction of knowing he’d soon conquer his enemy, and win the heart of his enemy’s love, gave him such an adrenalin rush that blood-red energy visibly pulsed from his body. It was really too bad he couldn’t keep Jared alive long enough to see Kendra’s will broken and watch her give herself unreservedly to Adam. His smile widened. He’d make sure, before Dupre died, he knew exactly what would happen to her.