Authors: Charlotte Abel
“Magic.” Vince unlocked the door. “You can believe it or not, but you better believe you and your wife are in serious danger.”
“He’s right, Dad. Promise me you’ll take Liz somewhere and disappear for awhile.”
“How long?”
Josh’s body sagged with relief. “Until I tell you it’s safe.”
~***~
Josh had just unlocked his car in the hospital parking lot when his phone buzzed with a text alert. He tossed his keys to Vince. “You’re driving. I don’t text and drive.”
“I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.” Vince spoke over the roof of the car then slid behind the wheel.
Josh pulled out his phone then hopped into the passenger’s seat. He gasped when he saw the tiny photo icon of Channie attached to the
“I <3 U”
message. He tapped it to enlarge the photo but could barely see it through his suddenly blurry eyes.
Vince put the car back in park and laid a hand on Josh’s shoulder. “Is everything all right?”
Josh couldn’t speak, so he nodded and shifted his phone to the left. He didn’t want to take his eyes off the screen even for the few seconds it would take to show Vince Channie’s photo. “It’s Hunter’s number. It looks like he found Channie!”
Instead of twisting his features into what passed for a smile, Vince growled like a wild beast and tried to snatch Josh’s phone.
Josh jerked it out of his reach and twisted to the side, shielding his phone with his body so he could return the call.
A wave of calm, so strong it made him dizzy, washed over Josh. He slumped against the seat. “What the hell, Vince?”
Vince plucked the phone out of Josh’s limp hand, turned it off then shook it at him. “This could be a trap.”
Even under the effects of a very potent be-calm spell, Josh’s stomach twisted into a knot. He hadn’t even considered that. “Do you think she’s okay?”
Vince pulled a disposable phone out of an inner pocket of his trench coat. “Call Hunter and find out.”
It went straight to voice mail. “Hunter, this Josh. Call me as soon as you get this message. You won’t recognize the number on caller ID. I’m using Vengeance Vey—”
Vince snatched his phone back, slammed it shut then threw it out the window. “What is wrong with you? Don’t ever leave sensitive information on someone’s voice mail. Especially not my name!”
“Hey. I’m not used to all this super-spy crap. Cut me some slack.”
“Cutting you slack could get everyone you care about killed. Stop thinking with your dick and get your head in the game.”
Josh blinked, stunned by Vince's crude remark. “I’m not thinking with my—”
“The fact that Hunter didn’t pick up right after he sent you that photo is a huge warning flag. You can’t afford to make stupid mistakes like that.”
A red glow pulsed out of Josh’s stomach. He wanted to tell Vince to take his little rebellion and shove it. But he needed to be sure Channie was safe first. “It’s obvious I’m not cut out for this. Maybe you need to find someone else to help you recruit people for your army.”
Vince stared straight ahead. “You’re eighteen, married and soon to be a father. Act like it.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“To go find your wife.” Vince shot him a sideways glance. “And introduce you to your clan.”
“No.”
“What do you mean, no?” Vince's eyes darted to the side.
“I’ve already told you that Channie is my first priority. If playing king of the magical hill is in her best interest then yeah, I’ll do it. But I’m not getting involved in some bloody civil war just because you tell me to.” Those things never turned out well.
“Have you always been this stubborn?”
Josh shrugged. “Take it or leave it.”
Vince sighed. “Fine.”
“Fine? That’s it? You’re giving up?”
“Hardly. I’m counting on your wife to talk some sense into you.”
“How are we going to find her? You threw your phone out the window and refuse to let me use mine. I need to call Hunter.”
“You have a heart-bond. Use it.”
Josh had been feeling an ache in his chest and a constant tug to go east since he’d woken up but each day the tug had gotten weaker while the ache had gotten stronger. “I’m pretty sure she’s in Arkansas.”
Josh’s phone buzzed.
He was still sluggish from the be-calm spell, so Vince grabbed the phone before he’d even managed to lift his hand.
He glanced at the display then handed the phone to Josh. “It’s Hunter. Don’t tell him anything. You ask all the questions.”
Josh nodded then accepted the call. “Hey, Hunter. Is everything okay?”
“Yes and no.”
Josh’s heart jumped into his throat. “What do you mean?”
“I saw Channie. She’s doing all right, all things considered.”
“Did she send me the text?”
“Yeah. I took the photograph, but she’s the one that typed in that mushy stuff.”
“That’s the good news.” Josh steeled himself. “What’s the bad?”
“It’s my family.”
Hunter’s voice cracked.
Josh wanted to give Hunter time to recover, but he doubted that Vince would let him talk for more than a few minutes. “Where are you?”
“Do you remember where you and Channie stayed after y’all were married?”
Hunter must be worried about security, too. “No. I haven’t recovered my memories. But I remember where you said we stayed.”
“That’s where we’re staying.”
“Let me talk to Channie.” Josh’s heart felt like it was going to jump out of his chest. He had no idea what he’d say, but he longed to hear her voice.
“She ain’t here.”
“What do you mean she’s not there? Where is she? No. Wait. Don’t tell me.” The last thing Josh wanted was to put her in even more danger. “Is she in a safe place?”
“If something happens to me before we meet up. Just follow your heart-bond. You’ll find her.”
“Are you in danger?”
“We all are.”
Hunter sighed.
“Just get here as soon as you can.”
“We’re on our way.”
“We? Who’s with you? You better not be dragging Kassie into this mess.”
“I’m not. I’ll explain everything when we get there. Be careful, Hunter.”
“You, too.”
He hung up without saying good-bye.
They’d just passed through Limon when Josh’s phone rang. “It’s my dad.”
“Ignore it.” Vince's hands tightened around the steering wheel, stretching the backs of his leather gloves.
“He wouldn’t call unless it’s important.” Josh slid his finger across the screen, accepting the call. “Hey, Dad.”
“Where are you?”
“On my way to go get Channie.”
“In Arkansas?”
“It’s safer if you don’t know.”
Dead silence. Tension filled the car. Dad’s labored breathing was the only sign he was still on the phone. “Dad?”
“Is Vincent with you?”
Josh closed his eyes and cringed. “Yeah.”
“Put him on the phone.”
“He’s driving, so I’m putting you on speaker.”
Vince nodded his approval. “Hello, Mr. Abrim.”
“Where are you?”
“Joshua has already explained why we can’t tell you.”
“Is he in danger?”
“Not imminently, but extended telephone conversations over unsecured lines could change that.”
“I’m calling the police.”
“No Dad!” Josh leaned towards the phone. “You can’t do that.”
“The hell I can’t. If you know who attacked Liz, you need to report it. The sooner they’re in custody, the safer you’ll be.”
“I don’t know who did it. But even if I did, the cops wouldn’t be able to help. We’re trying to keep a low profile. A police report will only make it easier for other trackers to find us.”
“You’re in the middle of the semester. You can’t afford to miss any more school.”
Vince's face twitched. His scars limited his facial expressions, but Josh was getting better at reading them. This one was either surprise or annoyance or, maybe, a little of both.
“Your wife was nearly killed by a mage. You’ve seen my scars. I can’t believe you’re worried about Joshua’s school work when your entire family is in danger.”
“Josh?”
Josh gave Vince his are-you-crazy scowl then muted the phone. “That’s not helping!”
He unmuted the phone but took it off speaker then angled his body away from Vince. “Mom and Elijah are staying with Aunt Mary and Kassie but you should probably take everyone on an extended cruise, just to be safe.”
“If you aren’t back in five days, I’m calling the police.”
Vince frowned, but didn’t argue.
“It might take a little longer.”
“Five days, Josh. That should be plenty of time.”
They were headed into mage country. The closer they got to Arkansas, the more likely they’d run into serious trouble. Josh’s voice trembled. “I love you, Dad.”
“Josh!”
He disconnected the call then silenced his phone. It started vibrating immediately. “He’s not going to give up.”
“Will he go into hiding?”
“I doubt it. He’ll probably take a couple of days to get Liz, Mom and Elijah settled in our vacation cabin in Breckenridge.” Josh rubbed his forehead, but the headache brewing behind his eyes continued to worsen. “He’s a workaholic. He’ll be back in his office or a court room before the week is over.”
Vince tapped the steering wheel with his thumbs for a few seconds, twisting his mouth from one side to the other. “We’ll go get Channie and then come back and convince Ezra to take the rest of your family on that cruise. That was a brilliant suggestion, by the way.”
A flicker of pleasure warmed the center of Josh’s chest. Finally, he’d done something right.
~***~
They stopped for food and fuel in Colby, Kansas; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Siloam Springs, Arkansas. The amount of magic in Siloam Springs made the hair on the back of Josh’s neck stand on end. Vince kept watch while Josh went inside to pay.
The ache in Josh’s chest grew stronger as the light dimmed. The pulsing golden flashes were nothing more than a faint glow. The closer they got, the harder it became to tell which direction they should go. “I don’t know what’s wrong with my heart-bond thing.”
“What do you mean?”
Josh handed Vince a wad of cash—change from filling up the car and buying more junk food—then slid behind the wheel. “It’s not glowing as bright as it was a few days ago, but it’s more painful.”
Vince crawled into the passenger’s side. “When was the last time you strengthened it?”
“I didn’t know I was supposed to. How do you strengthen a heart-bond?”
Vince chuckled and shook his head. “Hunter didn’t tell you?”
Josh sighed. “If he had, I wouldn’t need to ask you.”
“Sex.”
“What?”
“You strengthen a heart-bond with sex. You and Channie are going to need a little alone-time. And soon.”
Josh’s ears flamed with heat. He knew that he and Channie must have had sex, they were married, after all. But he couldn’t remember it. And he wasn’t getting any sexual flashbacks either. For all intents and purposes, he was a virgin.
Vince raised his eyebrows. “You’re nervous.”
“I don’t remember anything about our relationship.” The thought of having sex with Channie shot a wave of heat through Josh’s body and a chill down his spine. It was equally thrilling and terrifying. “I don’t know what she’s going to expect. Or what she likes.”
“She knows you’ve had your memory wiped. Just treat it like any other sexual experience. She obviously liked your style enough to marry you. Unless…were you a virgin?”
Josh groaned. He wanted to close his eyes, but he was driving so he kept his gaze locked on the empty road. Could this get any more embarrassing?
Vince smiled and patted Josh’s knee. “Be gentle and let her take the lead. You’ll figure it out when it’s time.”
“First, we need to find her. Hunter said to meet him at the shack where Channie and I lived after we were married. But I have no idea where that is.” Josh pointed at Vince's phone in the cup holder. “I need to call him.”
Vince made the call then put the phone on speaker. “Keep it short.”
There was so much static when Hunter answered that Josh had a hard time understanding him. All he got was ‘Lucky Dog Saloon’ and ‘Whistler’s Gulch.’
Whistler’s Gulch wasn’t even on the map they’d bought. They headed east on Highway 412 and stopped at every mom and pop shop and gas station until they finally found someone that knew where Whistler’s Gulch was. Josh’s palms were so slick with sweat he could hardly grip the steering wheel. His mouth was dry as cotton.
Vince patted Josh’s shoulder. “Pull over. I’ll drive the rest of the way.”
They’d been switching off every three hours. Josh still had another two to go on his shift. “Aren’t you tired?”
“I’m fine. But your hands are shaking.”
Josh didn’t argue. By the time they passed the rusted sign announcing ‘Whistler’s Gulch, population 1,387’ he’d rubbed stains into the thighs of his jeans with his sweaty palms. “I need to clean up before I see Channie.”
“Let’s see what Hunter has to say.” Vince parked next to a beat-up old truck. The wooden sign over the double doors of the Lucky Dog Saloon looked like it was barely hanging on. “Why don’t you stay in the car while I go check things out. It’d be a shame to get this far and fall into a tracker’s trap.”
Josh wasn’t about to hide in the car like a frightened child. He raised his shield, but before he could open his door, Vince smacked the back of his head.
“Ow! What was that for?”
“Lower your shield.”
“If there’re trackers in there, I want to be prepared.”
“Be alert, yes. But you only raise your shield when you or someone you care about are under attack. It’s like walking into a bar wearing kevlar body armor. Every mage in the vicinity will assume you’re looking for trouble.”
“You raised your shield at my race yesterday.”
“You were bristling with hostile energy.”