The Séance
ILANA opened a path in the circle so the men could enter. Excess energy from the magical shield surged from the dining room, through the hallway then blew away the taint of dark magic lingering in the house.
Abbie ran into Luc’s arms welcoming arms, her midnight black hair tossed about by the muscular air currents. She swept his body with eyes and hands, checking for injuries.
“Baby, I’m fine.” He pulled her into his arms and just held her. “You know that, you were connected with me at all times.”
She leaned back and raised a brow. “And you’ve been known to hide things from me. So, I’ll just check you out for my peace of mind.”
Luc lowered his head until their foreheads touched. “You can check me out more thoroughly…later, in the privacy of our bed.”
“It’s a date.” She rubbed her cheek against his chest and let out a deep sigh. “He got away again. What do you think he’ll do next?”
“Don’t know.” He brushed a kiss over the top of her head. “But whatever it is, we’ll stop him. After this attack on a human residence, the witch Councils will have to place a bounty on the Madoc coven. They are a danger to humans and preternaturals equally.”
“What’s the difference between now and before? Madoc attacked humans just over a month ago right here in Austin. We had to resort to the human legal system to punish him. He attacked me over ten years ago—and they merely banished him to Wales.” Abbie was angry the Council had a double-standard when it came to punishing Madocs versus all other witches.
“Sweetheart, they rationalized those actions as the action of one Madoc—Mark.” Luc rubbed soothing circles over her back. “The Madoc patriarch convinced enough elders on both the Texas and Euro-Councils that Mark’s actions were not those of the rest of the Madoc clan, convinced the Euro-Council that the rumors of dark magic were baseless. Face it, the Madocs have been around as long as both our families and there are many who do not want to believe anything bad about the family.”
Abbie shook her head and hissed out a breath. “What about the women who disappeared? The fact they keep replenishing the family coven with male babies, but there are no women. Looks kind of suspicious to me—and that has to do with more than just Mark.”
“It’s called money under the table, Abbie-girl.” Her uncle had come into the room and stood to the side, listening. “They’ve bought off a lot of people to look the other way. But this time they have gone too far. I have sent the Texas Council a message and advised them of what happened here. Told them there was a human law officer as a witness. They are not happy. The Texas Elders will pull in the North American Council. We will issue the bounty on this side of the Atlantic since that is where the crime occurred. The European Council will now be forced to go along with what we do.”
“Good,” said Ilana. “We can sit down and discuss how we’ll assist the North American Council in pursuing the Madocs—later. We need to continue with our plan to reveal a killer.”
“The humans are ready.” Vidal smiled at Abbie. “Sally is champing at the bit. I didn’t place her under the stasis spell, so she heard all the shooting. Sam’s with her right now, giving her an edited version of what happened.”
Abbie groaned. “Sally has way too much interest in our world, but she’ll keep our confidences. She really needs a confession from the killer. She can’t make a case on the circumstantial and supernatural evidence we have now.”
“Let’s take our places.” Luc steered her toward the table. “We’ll sit with Gabby so she can use our magic to center her own. I think we may also need to feed power to Vidal and Ilana, holding those shields against the dark magic had to have drained them somewhat. We hadn’t planned on using defensive magic this evening.”
“They won’t ask, Luc. We’ll have to be sneaky about helping them.” She sat in the chair Luc pulled out for her next to Gabby. He took the chair on the other side of the half-fae.
Gabby leaned over to whisper. “Where’s Sam?” She turned worried eyes to Luc. “Is he okay?”
Luc smiled at Abbie over the girl’s head. Sam is toast.
Just wait until she comes into control of her power. She’ll be able to seduce him in his dreams—on purpose this time and not accidentally.
It’ll be nice not to have him flirting with you any longer. He’ll be too busy dealing with his own woman.
Luc finally addressed an increasingly worried Gabby’s concerns. “Sam is fine. He’s explaining things to the deputy prosecutor Abbie brought along to witness the séance.”
“Sally. I met her. She’s nice. She seemed to sense I was more like you guys than her.” Gabby frowned. “I didn’t confirm or deny.”
“That’s good.” Abbie patted the girl’s arm. “But you can trust Sally. Besides having relatives with power, she has a little extra-sensory perception of her own.”
“So, what do I need to do to help you with Vidal and Ilana?” Proving Gabby had heard their whispered conversation as they’d approached the table.
“Just sit and let us direct your power.”
“Wish I could direct it myself.”
Abbie took Gabby’s hand and squeezed it gently. “Some day. You are already picking up some skills just on instinct.”
Gabby’s attention diverted toward Sam as he entered the room and took the chair on the other side of Abbie.
Sam’s somber face lightened as he saw Gabby. “You okay, Gabby?”
“Yes. It’s been scary—and exciting. I could sense you as you moved outside. Your cougar spoke to me.”
His eyes widened. “You could? He did?”
Gabby nodded. “Yeah. Your cougar promised me he’d protect you.”
“Shit.” Sam groaned at the news.
Abbie caught Luc trying to hide his glee at Sam’s consternation. Then the humans entered the room, Vidal herding them like sheep. Sally peeked around the corner of the dining room door and waved. Daniel and Van took up sentry position just outside the dining room and would keep Sally and Randy’s bodyguards out until the séance was over or the killer confessed. The circle, once closed, would keep all others out.
Sam leaned over and addressed Luc. “They,” he nodded toward the Huntingdon brothers and Simmons, “thought only about ten minutes had passed since dinner.” He shook his head. “Vidal has some strange magic.”
“It’s not much stranger than a sprit journey, Sam.” Abbie noted Gabby’s solemn nod. The fact Gabby could read Sam’s movements through his cougar spirit meant the bond between the two was even more solid than Abbie had previously concluded. “After all, real time stands still while you commune with the spirit world.”
Sam frowned but remained silent. He really would have to get over being so sensitive about his shamanic power since his mate portended to be a very powerful Earth fae and psychic.
Everyone took a seat. The room went silent, superseded by an air of anticipation. All attention was centered on Vidal as Ilana slipped to the doorway and closed the circle with salt and a flash of fire only those with magic could see. Her mother then sat down next to Simmons, who barely glanced at her.
“Thank you for coming this evening.” Vidal’s voice pushed power into the room, relaxing all who sat within the charmed circle.
Even now the veil wavered between the real world and the plane of restless spirits seeking justice. Gabby gasped. Abbie looked to where the girl stared. She smiled. Several spirits hovered over the table, appearing as mere wisps in the air currents. Obviously, the house had a lurid history since there were more than just Al’s and Ari’s essences hanging around.
She leaned over and whispered in Gabby’s ear. “Don’t be scared. They are innocuous souls as far as we’re concerned. We did not harm them.”
Gabby nodded, but grasped both Abbie’s and Luc’s hands. Sam leaned around, a look of concern on his face. He stretched an arm behind Abbie to stroke Gabby’s back. Abbie felt Sam’s cougar reach to calm Gabby, the power-exchange between the two felt like static electricity traveling across Abbie’s back. Luc arched a brow, his eyes smiling at the reaction he too had sensed.
“Why did you ask us here?” Todd asked.
“We’re here to speak to your mother and father.” Vidal’s sober gaze encompassed both Randy and Todd. The Huntingdon brothers had been drinking steadily since before dinner. Abbie wasn’t sure they were even sober enough to realize what was happening. Simmons, however, was as sober as a judge. His narrowed stare moved from one person to the next in the room. And he was more than aware of Daniel and Van guarding the door, guns in hand. Randy’s guards from the police department, also armed, were in the library waiting to take him back to the safe house.
“Why is Detective Adams here?” Simmons cut to the chase. His glare at Sam was sharp enough to pierce steel.
Vidal smiled, a thin, grim twist of his lips. “He is here to arrest the killer.”
“But Rose did it…” Randy’s words were slurred “…she confessed. Simmons told us.” He looked at his older brother for confirmation. Todd nodded. “Rose tried to kill Lisa, ‘cause our baby sister saw her do it. Right?”
Todd turned away from his brother’s beseeching eyes. “Yes, Rose confessed then killed herself. Remorse, I suppose. So why this mockery?”
Simmons did not turn a hair as the brothers voiced their opinions. His icy hot, pale blue gaze studied Vidal and then each of the others in the room.
Vidal smiled. “Let’s ask your parents who killed them, who gave Lisa an overdose.” He closed his eyes, a theatrical maneuver for the benefit of the humans. His power was effortless and always under control, eyes closed or open. He touched the minds of the magical in the room. First, Abbie and Luc, who pulled in Gabby, then Sam, and finally Ilana joined in, closing the circle of power on the mental plane behind her.
The energy vibrated the length of the invisible magical conduit connecting them all. It was a strong and clean connection. Stronger for the fact that the other house spirits had added to the power from their side of the veil with the hopes that Vidal would see to their justice also. Abbie sensed rather than heard Vidal making the promise to aid the other restless ghosts haunting the Huntingdon dining room.
Above the table the previously invisible ectoplasm representing Ari and Al began to coalesce into two floating, corporeal forms. Ari wore the dress and jewels she had on at the time of her death; Al had on the clothing he’d worn on the day he perished.
“Mama? Dad?” Randy cried out, his drunken slur gone. The sight of his dead parents floating above the dining room table had sobered him and might have turned him off alcohol forever. He turned to Todd and latched onto his brother’s arm. “Do you see them Todd?”
Todd nodded. His face reddened. “What the fuck kind of charade is this, Vidal?” He stood and swept a hand at the pair above the table. His swing moved Al closer to Ari as if he wished to protect her. Todd looked at his hand. Shock leached the anger from his face. “I touched him. Dad is real.” He fell back into his chair, a stunned, sick look on his face. “They can’t be real.” He looked at Vidal. “Can they?”
“They are present for now,” Vidal replied. “They come to seek justice for themselves and the police officer also killed. Justice for Lisa—and justice for Rose.”
“I will seek my own justice.” Rose appeared next to Ari and Al.
“Well, hell.” Sam whistled. “Look who else we conjured.”
Simmons had stiffened when Ari and Al had appeared, but his face lost what little color it had when Rose appeared. His hand lying on the table trembled as Rose turned to Al and Ari and spoke to them. Her words did not carry. Abbie’s uncle heard them, though.
“Rose is asking your parents’ forgiveness for not protecting Lisa better.”
“Protect Lisa from whom?” Sam asked.
“From the killer, of course.” Vidal smiled like a Cheshire cat. “She didn’t commit suicide.”
“But why did she confess?” Randy looked and sounded confused. “Why didn’t she reveal the killer as soon as Lisa told her?”
“Rose protected the killer. She understood why he’d killed Ari and Al. But Rose loved Lisa more—and so the killer poisoned Rose also.”
Randy turned to his brother. “Todd? Did you kill them—hurt Lisa?”
“Jesus Christ on a crutch, Randy. No, I did not…couldn’t.” Todd looked hurt to his very soul. His pain radiated to all who could read it. “Don’t you know me better than that?”
“Sorry, don’t know what came over me. But if not you or me…” Randy looked at Simmons. “Then it had to be Simmons.
Simmons ignored the brothers’ conversation. His light eyes fixed on the figures floating ever closer to his seat at the table. His aura changed colors rapidly. Blood red for anger. Sickly green of hatred. And underlying it all, an ochre of fear. Not the fear of being caught, but the horror of child abandoned by its mother.
Abbie had no doubt Simmons was the killer, but he had to confess or all this was for nothing.
“They’re here for justice,” Vidal said. “They’ll travel onto their final plane of rest once they reveal the killer.”
Todd took a swallow of his drink, took a deep breath. “Can they speak?” His gaze sought the figures floating over the table.
“Yes…”
Vidal’s next words were cut off as Simmons shoved his way to his feet and lunged for Ari’s figure. “You, bitch. Can’t you stay dead? You ruined my life while you were alive…and are still doing it now.” Simmons’s voice was that of a small child. All his hurt, his fear of abandonment colored his tone.
Todd and Randy pushed away from the table, shock, bewilderment and anger on their faces.
“You killed our parents? Hurt Lisa?” Randy surged toward Simmons, who shoved him into Todd.
Simmons waved a knife he’d drawn from his jacket pocket. “Get back. Stay away from me.” His eyes were wild. His head moved from side to side in an attempt to keep everyone within his sight. “This is crazy shit. You are all crazy. Dead people do not speak. They sure as hell do not float above dining room tables. This is nuts. Nuts.”
“Why did you kill Al?” Ari spoke, proving one of his statements as false. Her eyes were filled with sorrow. She’d been coached by Vidal before they knew Rose would appear. Rose remained silent at Ari’s side, but her eyes were filled with the glow of hatred as she stared at Simmons. “He never hurt you.”
Simmons tightened his lips and began to pace the room, his knife jabbing at the air. “I didn’t kill Al. This is a trick. All a trick.”
“But you did…my son.” Ari’s eyes filled with tears. Her sepulchral sobbing seeped into the souls of everyone listening. “I’m sorry I gave you away, but Peter, I was just a girl. You were better off with the Simons.”
Simmons ran agitated fingers through his hair with his other hand. “How the fuck would you know? You abandoned me, you self-centered bitch. Then you married that old rich bastard and had other kids. Why…why keep them and not me?” His cry was that of a wounded animal. “Your brats…his brats…had it all…and they shit it away. Useless parasites. You…” he jabbed a finger at Ari, “…don’t have a fucking clue about what I went through in Bumfuck, Texas. There were days we had nothing to eat. I was hot in the summer and cold in the winter. We had nothing. My clothes came from the church closet—hand-me-downs from people almost as poor as we were.”
Ari sobbed and Al enclosed her within his arms then spoke to Simmons. “She didn’t know, Peter. And if I had known, I would’ve helped. Ari thought she’d done the right thing for you at the time.”
“Well, she was wrong. All she cared about was you.” He threw his hands in the air as he paced closer and closer to the side of the table where Vidal sat. Ilana stood as he passed and followed him. He didn’t even notice, he was too wrapped up in his diatribe. “Hell, she didn’t even care about your brats. You wanted children so she whelped them and then let poor old Rosie raise them.”
Rose nodded her agreement at Simmons’ words, but her furious stare never wavered from the man who had to have killed her to keep her quiet.
“Rose knew who you were, didn’t she?” Abbie wanted Simmons attention on her, not her uncle nor her mother.
Simmons glanced at her. A sneer twisted his lips. “Yeah. Rosie tried to mother me just as she tried to mother my half-siblings. She tried. She really did.”
“Rose saw you kill Ari. You injected her with poison as you refilled her brandy. You touched her back, your signet ring has a secret compartment. Lisa also saw you do it.” Gabby’s voice drew Simmons’ attention. She’d gotten up from the table and approached him as if in a trance. Her eyes blazed with power.
Sam cursed and began to go to her, but Abbie stayed him. “She’ll be fine. Watch.” He growled, his large body trembling with the need for action, but he remained where he was, his cougar near the surface, ready to spring.
Simmons was arrested by Gabby’s words—and scared. Ari’s bastard child was more afraid of Gabby than anyone else in the room. And why not? The half-fae glowed. Her auburn hair blew around her face, tossed by a non-existent wind. Her voice beguiled. Her movement mesmerized.
Gabby continued to approach Simmons until she was four or so feet away. She stopped, her glittering silver-blue gaze fixed on her quarry. “Rose told you Lisa had seen you kill Ari. You knew Lisa had drug problems. Knew if Lisa told her drug lord boyfriend, he would try to blackmail you. So, you tried to kill her. But why did you kill Rose? Rose would never have exposed you—you were like her very own child.”
The half-fae’s forehead creased in thought. It was as if she replayed a scene only she could see or hear. Her forehead smoothed, she nodded and then raised her eerily blue gaze to Simmons’ face once more. “Ahh, I see. Rose loved Lisa a lot, didn’t she? Rose would’ve covered for your killing of Ari and Al forever—but she could not condone you harming poor, disturbed Lisa.”
“Rose was supposed to love me more than Lisa. Protect me. But she didn’t. The bitch would’ve broken down under police questioning.”
“No-o-o!” Rose’s body floated to confront him. “I wouldn’t have. You didn’t even ask me what I was going to do. You just killed me.” She swung at him. Her fist swiped his face. He leaned away from her. “You hurt Lisa. You, horrid, evil boy. I loved you like my own. I loved you like my own!” She cried into her hands. Ari floated to her and pulled her into her arms, floating them away from Simmons and back to Al.
Gabby shook her head. “Rose would have lied for you.”
Simmons snarled. Drool dripped down his chin. He was turning into a ravening beast in front of their very eyes. “You’re lying. Rose would’ve sent me to the electric chair because she loved that junkie whore more than me! Lisa was a pathetic excuse for a human. I watched her let three guys fuck her. She was smoking heroin. It was so easy to inject her with the pure stuff. I knew Cabrera would be a suspect. I was home free until that bitch,” he gestured toward Abbie with his knife, “told Rose Lisa had not attempted suicide.”
He paced side to side like an animal trapped in a cage, his eyes wild with only images he could see. “I had to kill her, don’t you see? Rosie was supposed to be on my side.” With no advance warning, he leaped and closed the gap between him and Gabby. He thrust with the knife, but it went flying out of his hand as Ilana’s magic intercepted the weapon but not the man. Simmons recovered quickly and wrapped his hands around Gabby’s throat. “My side! Rosie loved me. Me! Not Lisa! Say it! Say it!”
Sam roared, the cougar and the man united in the sound. “Gabby!”
But it was Todd and Randy Huntingdon who tore Simmons off Gabby and began to beat the shit out of him. Sam reached Gabby, took her into his arms, kissed her hard then shook her lightly. “Stay.” He shoved her into Ilana’s arms. Gabby nodded, her eyes wide with shock and a hand to her bruised throat.
Sam turned and pulled the Huntingdon brothers off Simmons then proceeded to finish what they’d started. Luc and the other men surrounded the two men, but did nothing.
“This is ridiculous,” Abbie muttered. “Sam, stop it. Luc, stop him.”
Sally came to stand by her. Daniel and Van joined the crowd, egging Sam on in the fight. “Will I have anything left to prosecute, do you think?”
Abbie shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine, but I think Luc will stop Sam before he kills the man.” I hope. “Did you get enough to prosecute him for murder?”
“I can get him on his confession alone for the murder of Rose and the attempted murder of Lisa. The other murders are still circumstantial, but I like connecting dots.” Sally smiled evilly. “But he can only die once, right? He’ll get the death penalty for the murder of Rose alone. Will that do, do ya think?”
“Yes, that will do just fine.” Abbie smiled at her friend. The two turned to watch the fight.
“Sam! Stop it! Please. He’s not worth it. Sam…I need you.” Gabby’s strangled words mixed with sobs seemed to penetrate Sam’s rage. He stopped fighting, his breathing rapid and uneven. He spat several ugly words at Simmons then threw the man aside like so much garbage. He strode to Gabby and pulled her into his arms. He buried his face in her dark hair, his shoulders heaving with strong emotion.
Gabby stroked his sweaty hair. “I’m fine, sweetie. Just fine.” He shuddered and rocked her in his arms.
Luc moved to secure Simmons just as Abbie noticed a surging movement from the downed man. “Luc! Watch out!” She prepared to throw a shield around her man when her mother stomped on Simmons’ arm then enclosed him in a binding spell. “Way to go, Mom! Dad would be so proud.”
Jurnik glided to Ilana’s side and pulled her into his arms. Pride glowed within the depths of his dark eyes. “Good job, mon couer.”
Vidal smiled at his sister. “Nice move, Lana.”
“Yeah, thanks, Ilana.” Luc kicked at Simmons’ hand. He bent over and removed the signet ring. A needle projected from it. “I’m betting we’ll find the poison he used on Ari and Rose on that ring.” He turned to Sally Haines. “Did you hear enough?”
“Yes, I did. In fact, I recorded it—” at his start, she laughed. “Don’t worry. No video. The ghosts’ voices, amazingly enough, do not come through on the tapes. The recording sounds like Mr. Simmons there went nutso and confessed to the killings of Rose and the attempted murder of Lisa Huntingdon.” Sally Haines smiled. “The ring with the secret compartment and needle will help tie the murders of Ariana Huntingdon and Rose Connors together, making my job a hell of a lot easier.” She looked over at the space above the table. “Where did the ghosts go?
Vidal smiled. “They are beyond materialization now, Ms. Haines. But I sense enough psi ability in you that I could link you up with them through my mind. But I’d like to rest a while and recharge before we try. That is, if you really need to do so—for the case, of course.”
She shook her head and smiled. “Nah, just was curious. I have all I need to bring charges against Mr. Simmons.”
“Peter Simons.” Abbie corrected Sally. “He is really Peter Simons. Daniel and Van can share the evidence they uncovered.” Sally nodded.
A nervous cough had everyone in the room turn toward Randy and Todd Huntingdon. Both humans looked shocked, and were nursing bruised hands, but seemed to be holding their own. “I saw Simmons, or whoever he is, talking to Cabrera one time,” Randy said. “Money and a package exchanged hands. Could he have gotten the poison that killed my mom from…”
“As good a place to start as any.” Sam had placed Gabby in a chair and stationed himself behind it. “Abbie, Ilana, if you ladies would take care of Gabby. Ms. Haines, I’ll read Peter Simons his rights and arrest him for the murders of Al, Ari, Rose and the patrolman and the attempted murders of Lisa, Gabby and Luc.”
Sally grinned. “Sounds good, Detective.” She angled a head toward the Huntingdon brothers. “What about them? Can we trust them to keep quiet about how this went down tonight? They saw activities I’m not planning on putting into my report to the prosecutor when I document the excited utterance exception.”
Todd coughed. “We had dinner. Vidal conducted a séance when Simmons went crazy and attacked that young lady, then attempted to harm Mr. Knight. During his crazed actions, he confessed to the murder of Rose and the attempt on my sister. It seems likely that he killed mother and father also. He appears to be crazy, wouldn’t you say? So any mention of ghosts would be taken as such. After all, magic is not real, right, Randy?” His recitation had been calm and rational.
“Yes, that’s what I saw and heard also.” Randy sounded determined. “And I am sure that when we get Cabrera for loan-sharking and drug running, we will find evidence of his dealings with Simmons. I want that rat bastard out of my sister’s life.”
Sam moved toward Simmons. “Well, then, since that’s all settled—” he leaned down and pulled the groggy butler to a standing position, then shook him. “Peter Simons, I am placing you under arrest for the murders of Rose Connors…”
As Sam’s warning rumbled in the background, Luc pulled Abbie into his arms and kissed her hair. “Another case behind us, little witch.”
“Yes, we work well together, don’t we?”
“A well-oiled machine. Let’s make it forever,” he whispered against her forehead. “We’ll go ring-buying tomorrow.”
The End
Publisher’s Note
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About Monette Michaels
A Hoosier born and raised, Monette still lives in the heartland near Indianapolis, Indiana. Married to her college sweetheart and soul mate, she has one son.
After many years of practicing law, Monette found that all the clients, opposing counsel, and the problems she handled ignited the need to write fiction. So she started writing – first, romantic suspense/thrillers, then adding a touch of paranormal and scifi and, eventually, a sexier side (as Rae Morgan).
Monette (and Rae) loves to hear from her fans. E-mail her at monettemichaels@gmail.com.
Connect with Monette Michaels at:
Other Titles by Monette Michaels
Security Specialists International Series
Eye of the Storm
Stormy Weather Baby
Cold Day in Hell
Storm Front
Weather the Storm
Prime Chronicles Series
Prime Obsession
Prime Selection
Prime Imperative
Gooden and Knight Paranormal Mysteries
The Virtuous Vampire
The Deadly Séance
Single Titles
Vested Interests