Denai Touch: Excalibar Investigations Series (19 page)

Oh, goddess,
she thought. One Deva was bad enough, but three was a nightmare. What could she do? Devas were immune to Denai magic. But she wasn’t just Denai, she reminded herself. She raised her hand to stop time again. Nothing happened.
Bloody magic!

Cate, go!
Jason told her.

No, I’m not leaving you.

They aren’t here for you, they’re here for me. They’re Ashrali Devas. You need to go before they kill you.

She hesitated. No, she wasn’t going to leave without him.
Come on, let’s go.

They’ll follow me.

The ground beneath her feet shook, as the Devas hurled kinetic blasts at Jason. Cate closed her eyes, ready to give into her power and fight back. She waited, expecting to feel the sudden rush of magic, to feel the Goddess in her emerge. Nothing happened.
Oh, for the love of Denai!
she thought and pulled out her gun.

There was a booming in her ears as the shots rang out. The lead Deva didn’t so much as flinch as the bullets sliced their way through flesh and bone, without leaving a mark. Well, it had been worth a try. The Deva turned his attention to her and raised his hand. Cate teleported out before the blast could hit her, but she wasn’t so lucky the second time. It knocked her to the ground, forcing the air out of her lungs.

Around her, fire, air, and lightning lit up the sky, as Jason use the elements to try and hold the Devas off.

Jason, let’s go. We’ll be safe at Niara’s.

Before she could blink, a Deva had her by the throat. “Silly witch, your powers are no use against us.”

“Wanna bet?” She grabbed his wrist and tried to drain him.

He only laughed and slapped her, hard. “I don’t need my powers to kill you, witch.”

When Cate felt a sudden flare of power, she gave into it. Kinetic energy rippled from her hand, as she used her full strength to force the Deva away. Her magic rippled uselessly against him.

She heard a cry and watched in horror as Jason fell to the ground, the elements beating madly around them. Cold fury burned through her. Raising her hands she drew in the furious energy of the storm. Her hair whipped around wildly and she looked down to see her fingers spark with static. She shot fire and lightning from her hands and then unleashed a tornado. All three Devas were sent flying.

Cate hurried over to Jason. Locking eyes with one Deva who was back on his feet, silver fire exploded around as she shielded them from the other two. She put a hand on Jason’s chest and teleported them away.

Cate hit the floor as they materialised. She felt drained and didn’t know where the silver fire had come from, but she had seen the surprise on the Deva’s faces. “Grandma?” she called. Looking down at Jason, she saw he was still unconscious.

“Niara isn’t here,” said a voice.

She looked up, stunned. There stood a woman with long, brown hair and blue eyes. She was beautiful, with an athletic body, and wearing jeans and a dark tunic, with boots. It was her mother, Ceri.

“Mum?” Cate gasped. “What the hell–?” She glanced around the unfamiliar room. “Where am I?”

“Safe. Are you hurt?”

“No, but I was aiming for Niara’s house. How did I get here?”

“I brought you. It’s safe, the Devas can’t follow you.”

“How did you – wait just a damn minute! You can’t just –”

Ceri moved over to look at Jason. Oh goddess, Jason! The shock at seeing her absent mother again had almost made her forget. “Is he hurt?” Cate asked, anxiously.

“No, just stunned by the look of it.” Ceri raised her hand and Jason vanished. “Don’t worry, he’s upstairs resting.”

Cate stared at her for a moment. “Is this a lame attempt to try and come back into my life?”

“You may not have seen me, but I have always been watching over you.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“No. I know nothing I do or say can make up for leaving you. But I want you to know that I’m here to help you through the ascension.”

“I’m managing just fine by myself.”

“We both know that’s not true. Your powers are unpredictable. They either fail you or you lose control completely.”

“Just show me where Jason is then I’m leaving. Sorry, but I really don’t have time for a tearful reunion.”

“I know, but won’t you at least let me explain?”

“No. I just need Jason and to go back to the crime scene.”

“He will be unconscious for a while, but I can help.”

“I don’t want or need your help. I already have a partner.”

“I can help you find Bethany.”

Cate turned to go and hesitated. Jason was unconscious and Jade was running out of time. She sighed. “Fine, but this doesn’t change anything.”

After leaving a written message for Jason, Cate and Ceri teleported back to the crime scene. Cate glanced around and braced herself, half expecting the Devas to still be there.

“They would have left the minute you did,” Ceri commented.

“Wish I could kill them,” she muttered.

“You can, or at least you should be able to when you learn to control your powers.”

“You mean that silver fire thing?”

“It’s called Phoenix fire. You get it from me. I’m half Phoenix.”

Cate‘s forehead creased. “You’re half bird?”

Ceri laughed. “No, not that kind of Phoenix. The Phoenix are one of the Elder Races. They are Elementals who control a special kind of fire.”

“Ian and Steve don’t have that power.”

“No, but they are very powerful in their own ways.”

Cate closed her eyes, but it was hard to concentrate with Ceri there. She felt movement and opened her eyes to see that her mother was now beside her. “Let me help,” Ceri held out her hand.

“How?”

“I’m a conduit. I can–”

“Use my powers? No way!”

“Your powers are unpredictable. I’m only going to help you focus them better. You need to learn more control after the ascension.”

“I suppose you can help with that too?”

“Indeed I can.”

“Where have you been for the last fifteen years then?” she demanded, eyes flashing.

“I didn’t stay away out of choice.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Cate asked. “Never mind. Let’s just get this over with.” She took Ceri’s hand, surprised when she didn’t feel a rush of thoughts and emotions.
I’m really feeling a strong power
. “Now what?”

“Concentrate.”

She closed her eyes and felt Ceri’s magic join with her own.

Suddenly, Cate found herself back in the past. Flames were everywhere; she could feel the heat of it and gagged at the acrid smell of burning flesh. She put a hand out in front of her, saw it move. “Are you doing this?” she asked Ceri.

“No, dear. This is all your power, I’m just helping you to focus and use it.”

She looked over to see herself rounding off with Freya. “I shouldn’t have killed her.”

“You were defending yourself. If you hadn’t stopped her she would have killed you.”

She saw a blur of red as the wolf charged after Bethany. “Jade?”

“She can't hear you. You are only witnessing the past. You know you’re not allowed to change it.”

Cate hurried after Jade and saw Bethany running away. Jade leapt, knocking the fleeing Denai to the ground. She struggled under the weight of the wolf’s body. “Get off me, you filthy beast!”

Jade’s teeth locked on Bethany’s wrist, making her scream. “Philip!” Bethany yelled.

The Deva appeared and tossed the syringe to Bethany. She grabbed it and plunged it into Jade’s side. Jade yelped and let go, her body starting to convulse.

Bethany scrambled up and shimmered away with the Deva.

Cate opened her eyes as the vision ended. “Where did they go?”

“Damn. It was clever of her to use the Deva. She knew it would make it harder for us to track her.”

“How did Bethany get him to work for her? I thought he was Raven’s Deva. And where the hell did Raven get the powers she gave to Bethany?”

“Probably took them from another Denai, like they used that poor girl’s blood to make Pandora,” said Ceri as she walked off towards the woods.

Cate followed her without saying anything, though her mind was racing with questions. They stopped when they came to the tree line, still seeing ash from the fire around them.

Cate spotted something on the ground and picked it up. It was the syringe used on Jade. “I don’t see what good this is going to do,” she said and gasped as a vision overwhelmed her.

She saw Jade lying strapped to a bed, writhing in pain before light exploded around her. Cate started to collapse, the syringe dropping from her hand as Ceri caught hold of her. “What did you see?” her mother asked.

“Jade, she – she died.” She felt tears prick her eyes.

“It’s going to be alright.” Ceri wrapped her arms around her.

Cate was surprised by the sudden embrace. She hadn’t known what it felt like to have a mother for a very long time. She returned the hug briefly, before pulling away. “I need to find Bethany.”

“Sit down, sweetheart.” Ceri motioned towards a fallen tree.

Cate took a deep breath and wiped the tears away. “I’m okay now,” she said. “I just don't know where to begin.”

“This was the last place Bethany was in your vision. It’s a good place to start,” Ceri said. “You’re the Grand Mistress now, and–”

“Second Grand Mistress. But what has that got to do with anything?” she asked. “Is that going to change now you’re back?”

“Not if Seline has anything to do with it. I doubt she told you this, but the Grand Mistress and her Second share the power. It allows the GM to sense our kind, no matter where they are.”

“But Bethany isn’t part of our coven.”

“No, but she is a child of Denai and all of those descendants are connected by the powers passed onto us by the goddess,” Ceri went on. “You have all of Denai’s powers and now you’re the Second, you should be able to sense any witch who possesses that magic.”

“But I’ve never used my power as the Second. Hell, I’ve tried not to even think about it. But if it will help save Jade, I’ll do whatever it takes.” She closed her eyes, reaching for her magic as she cast her senses out into the world. “Nothing’s happening.”

“That’s because you’re trying to use your powers as you normally do. You need to accept the fact that you
are
the Second and allow that power to flow freely. Resist and it won’t work.”

Cate sighed, closed her eyes again, and gritted her teeth, knowing she would finally have to accept her fate.

Picturing Bethany, she ordered her magic to find her. For a while nothing happened. Then she felt an unfamiliar power flowing through her, coming from her amulet; realising it wasn’t just a symbol of rank, she grabbed it. All at once, her senses expanded and she felt the presence of every Denai in the city and beyond, all glowing like dots of light. One burned brighter than the others and Cate knew it must be Seline, but as she watched Seline’s light seemed to become fainter. Not dwelling on what it might mean, she caught images from the lights, seeing each and every witch, but she paid little attention to them. Her focus was solely on Bethany.

Come on, Bethany. Where are you?
She thought and willed her power to show her. The lights vanished and Cate saw Bethany for the briefest second.

“I know where she is.” She opened her eyes. “But she keeps moving.”

Ceri took her hand and they teleported out.

They reappeared in what looked to be an empty hallway. The walls were a dark green, the paint peeling off in several places, and the wooden floor looked as if it had seen better days.

“Stay behind me. I have much more experience with Devas than you do,” said Ceri as she somehow managed to move silently across the creaking floorboards.

“You’re just supposed to be helping, remember? I’m in charge here,” she lowered her voice to avoid attracting the Deva’s attention.

“I’m still your mother and I’m not about to let you get yourself killed.”

So much for the tender moment they’d shared. “You haven’t been a mother to me for a very long time, so stop trying to act like it now.”

“Cate, this isn’t the time or place to be arguing about this.”

“You’re the one who started it!” Cate hissed.

A kinetic blast sent Cate hurtling through the wall behind her. She felt the wood and plaster break as she crashed into the next room. Pain exploded all over her body from her back to her neck. She was certain she’d broken something this time. There was a cry of alarm. She looked up to see Bethany standing there.

The other Denai backed away. “How did you find me?”

“I’m the Second Grand Mistress,” Cate tried not to wince as she got to her feet.

The smell of sulphur filled the air as the rest of the wall was incinerated in a flash of silver. It seemed Ceri could take care of the Deva, Cate realised, when she saw him being thrown into the room on the opposite side of the hall.

“You injected one of my team with your drug and now she’s dying.” She leant on a piece of protruding wood from the wall for support.

Bethany smiled. “You killed Freya and destroyed my lab. It was the least I could do.”

“I saw some of the things you did to her. I never imagined you were just as twisted as Raven,” she said in disgust.

Bethany gave a harsh laugh. “Freya was already half mad when Raven gave her to me. At least I made use of her.”

“You’re going to come with me, and give Jade an antidote.”

“I would
never
do that.”

“I wasn’t asking,” Cate said and her eyes burned with power. “Your Deva is busy, so that just leaves you and me.” She raised her hand, letting the full power of her compulsion pulse through the air.

“I’m protected by the power Raven gave me. You can’t make me to do anything.”

“I found you, didn’t I? There’s no Council or Covenant here to stop me.” Cate saw fear flicker in Bethany’s eyes. “You thought Freya was strong enough to stop me, but you were wrong. She was a powerful conduit, maybe nearly as powerful as my mum, but it didn’t save her. Stolen magic and being juiced up on that drug of yours won’t do you much good.”

Bethany straightened her back. “You might stop me, but you’ll never be able to save your friend. Pandora has to be taken in small doses. Its pure form kills and there’s no way to stop it.” She smiled as a fireball formed in her hand.

As the fireball came at her, Cate raised her hand to deflect it. “Do we really have to waste time doing this?” She dodged another one. “Ooh, looks like your drug is starting to wear off. Guess you shouldn’t have wasted it on Jade.” She blasted Bethany with her kinesis, slamming the other witch against the wall.

Cate held out her hand and Bethany flew into her grasp. The compulsion was instantaneous. “Tell me how to save Jade,” she commanded.

Bethany looked dazed and laughed. “You can’t. There
is
no cure. The drug burns away the immune system and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.”

She gripped Bethany tighter. “There has to be a way. You made it. You must have had a way to reverse its effects.”

“Why would I? It never mattered to me if the test subjects died.”

“You must have had an antidote for yourself.”

“No. I mastered it.”

Cate’s eyes flashed black and Bethany slumped to the floor unconscious. “Mum?” she called.

The battle between Ceri and the Deva was still raging as Cate staggered to the doorway. She quickly secured Bethany with cuffs and transported her somewhere secure.
Mum, let’s go.

You go. I’m busy.

Shaking her head, Cate teleported away.

“Where’s Cate?” asked Steve, looking over from his screens as Jason teleported in.

“I was about to ask you the same thing,” Jason replied. “She left me a note, saying she’d gone with Ceri to find Bethany.”

“What? How the hell did that happen?” he demanded.

“Bloody Devas came and attacked us when we went back to the compound. I was knocked out and woke up in what must be Ceri’s house.”

“Oh goddess, I knew this would happen!” Steve slammed his fist down on the console, making his screens blur. “Bugger it!”

“I know she’s your mother, but how do we know Ceri hasn’t got some kind of hidden agenda? She could be as ruthless as Seline when she needs to be.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Mum would never do anything to hurt Cate.” Ian came in.

“And of course you automatically jump to her defence,” Steve snapped.

“Mum is not like Gran. She loves Cate as much as we do. She’s just here to help.”

“She did save us from Raven’s Deva,” Jason admitted. “Ian is right. I don’t think she would do anything to hurt Cate, but where the hell are they?”

“If Cate is with mum, then she’s safe. Our main concern is Jade,” said Ian and glanced anxiously at the screen. “I’m doing my best, but she’s getting worse. We can’t let her die – she’s part of our family too.”

“Then let’s hope Cate can find Bethany,” said Steve.

“My powers aren’t slowing the drug down. I need more to work with.”

“Keep trying,” said Jason. “I’ll check on Jade.”

“I wouldn’t go in her room right now. She keeps shifting and she’ll attack anyone who tries to go near her,” Ian said. “I gave her a sedative strong enough to knock out a giant, but it’s not had much effect.”

“Need a hand?” Jason asked Steve.

“Two sets of eyes are better than one.” Ian left and Steve turned to Jason. “Are you safe here from the Devas?”