whiskey witches 01 - whisky witches (45 page)

Leah.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Paige didn’t have the luxury to end up dead.

The passenger door opened. Jackie groaned under Lucius’ weight before the door slammed shut. “He has my brother.”

“Yeah.” She ran her thumb along the key. “I know. He’s powering the key with the souls of the guardian demons.”

“I have to get them back.”

“You go to Mike right now, without a plan, you’ll lose and your soul will be added to the key.”

“Do you have a plan?”

“No.” She started the car and put her in reverse. Staying in the parking lot wasn’t helping anyone. Moving was better than nothing.

Maybe.

She followed the directions Malika gave her and parked Jackie next to Mike’s silver sedan.

A dilapidated barn leaned against a tall bank of wild grass in the middle of nowhere. No one would hear anything unless there was an explosion. Screams for help would get her nowhere. Not that she was the kind of person who would scream for help. She was on her own with a demon who could set off the key, open the gate, and lose her everything.

What options did she have? She pulled her aching body out of the car.

Lucius appeared at her side, the sawed off shot gun in hand.

“Don’t let the gate open, Guardian. Okay?”

He nodded and gestured for her to lead.

She approached the barn as low to the ground as she could while walking. The grass was tall, not much of a cover, and there was no way Mike hadn’t heard Jackie. Being stealthy seemed silly, but instinct told her to stay as low as possible.

Mike opened the barn door, his arms wide. “I was just about to call you.”

Paige sighted down the barrel on him. “You sounded serious on the phone.”

“You brought the demon.”

“You asked so nicely.” What was she supposed to do? Shoot him? Would that even buy her time?

“Where’s the ruddy key?” Lucius demanded.

Mike tipped his head, his eyes narrowed.

“Let me repeat the question,” Paige said. “Where’s the key?”

“With me.” A smile slid into place onto his face. He leapt.

Paige pulled the trigger. The shot gun roared, kicking into the saddle of her shoulder.

Mike stumbled, red blooming on his chest.

Lucius growled, his arm outstretched.

Paige cocked the shotgun and re-sighted.

Lucius caught Mike by the throat, slamming him to the ground.

Mike gripped the demon’s large wrist. The other disappeared into his pocket.

Fucking shit, goddamnit! Paige advanced, not sure what else to do. “Lucius, he’s going after the key.”

Mike extricated it from his pocket, his lips moving.

The force of Lucius’ grip on his throat prevented his words from issuing forth.

Mike slammed the key onto Lucius’ shoulder. His mouth widened in a silent scream.

The world rocked. The wind kicked. Water slammed into her from out of nowhere. Fire leapt from cracks in the earth that hadn’t been there moments before. The world tore at itself.

Shit, shit, shit. But if the angel or the key or the demon or who the fuck ever was pulling on Earth magick, Paige could play. She focused on the wind, whispering to it, coaxing it to her will.

It turned on Mike, pummeling him, breaking his hold on Lucius.

The key tumbled to the grass.

Nothing changed.

Lucius released his hold on Mike and stumbled away, his hands covering his ears, his mouth open.

Goddamnit.

Mike lay on the ground and laughed, the sound of it barely audible over the screeching of the wind. The blaze of the fire sweeping around them singed her arm hair.

Not knowing what else to do, she grabbed Mike’s shirt, intent on beating the crap out of him with the butt of the shotgun.

His laughter stopped as his gaze captured hers. His palm landed solidly upon the scabbing wound on her chest.

Pain. Light. Blasting. Rending. Fear.

She latched onto his wrist with both hands, dropping the gun. She fought, trying to figure out what he planned on doing with her.

He picked himself off the ground, his face twisted in victory. His hand never left her chest.

Piercing, stabbing, shooting pain.

Rip. Burst. Raze. Rent.

The power ripped through her, tearing at her limbs, threatening to rip her into pieces.

She reached within herself and found her gift.

What was an angel but a different kind of demon?

Her fingers clawed, fighting the wind and the surge of power surrounding her. Her nails dug into his arms. Blood pooled and slowly dripped, running down her fingers, along her palm, to her wrist before falling, falling, falling to the rich earth below.

Mike stared at her, his eyes widening in horror.

She yanked. Hard and fierce, pushing him toward the gate he’d opened.

A single sound. A piercing scream.

And then absolute silence.

Paige fell to the ground. The bright blue sky greeted her, the slight breeze dancing upon her skin. Mike was gone. Where? She had no clue, nor did she really care.

Holy shit. She’d done it. She’d actually done it.

Holy shit.

P
AIGE LAY ON
the ground, spent. After all the worrying, all she’d had to do was send him back nearly the same way she would a demon. She really needed to get into magickal shape. She couldn’t afford to be taken so off guard again.

For now, though? She turned her head, scanning the grass. She should have the key.

Lucius picked himself off the ground, his arms out as he took stock of himself. With a frown, he stooped, retrieving something off the ground, and then stood. “The key.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. She really needed to get off the ground, but it felt good to lay there for a second. “Lucius, would you do me a favor?”

He met her gaze, his fingers folding around the knot work key.

All she wanted to do was close her eyes and fall asleep for a year. “Take Fanny back to town and make sure she’s safe.”

“I’m not a messenger and I’m not a delivery boy.”

“The way I see, I just saved your life from being sucked into that key.”

He opened his hand. “We have to find a way to get my brethren out of it.”

“If we can.” She swallowed, raising her palm. “Give it to me.”

He licked his lips.

She flicked her fingers, beckoning. “Give it to me and I’ll protect it, make sure it’s safe.”

“You’re not even able to stand, love. I don’t believe you’re quite capable yet.”

She released a breath, and then pushed herself to her feet, immediately wishing she’d gone slower as her stomach rolled, threatening to spill. “I’ll take it home.”

“To the Whiskey house?”

She nodded.

He released a breath and handed it over. “My brethren.”

“As soon as I figure out how, I will release them from the key.”

He spun on his heal, disappearing into the barn.

“Pea.”

She jerked. “Bal. Crap. You scared me.”

Balnore had appeared near Jackie’s shining hood. He surveyed the area. “Did we win?”

“Surprisingly? Yes.” She held up the key.

“Mike?”

She shrugged deeply. “Other side of the gate.”

“Interesting.”

“Thanks for the support.”

He gestured with his hands. “I have faith in you, Pea. It’s not blind, though.”

“Confidence.” She took a step toward Jackie and paused as her hip complained. Getting old sucked. How the hell had she hurt her hip? “How’s Dexx?”

“Not good.” Balnore shifted to the side, making room for her on the hood. “He’s not healing and he appears to be getting worse. Do you have everything taken care of here?”

“Lucius is taking care of Fanny. I have the key. It’s time to get out of here.”

“And the other demons?”

“I think once they realize I have the key, they’ll leave.”

“Problem solves itself.”

“Sometimes, the easiest solution is best.”

“It’s not my favorite.”

“Nor mine.” She opted not rest on the hood. If she did, she was afraid she wouldn’t get back up. “But I can’t deal with them. I’ve already gone through Lucius and Roxxie as shields. That leaves me with Xael, and I’m not ready for that.”

Balnore’s head bobbed up and down as he studied the barn. “Things are as buttoned up here as you can make it.”

“There’s still too many loose ends, but, Bal, I’m not leaving without Dexx.”

He leveled a hard look at her. “He may not make it home. He’s in critical condition. The doctors say he won’t survive the night.”

Paige stared up at the sun high overhead and let the information settle over her. She pressed the fingertips of her empty hand against one eyelid, her heart clenching. “Will you drive me to him? Please. I can’t. I need sleep.”

Balnore gripped her arm. “You do,” he said, his voice a quiet murmur. “Fine. You see him. You say your goodbyes, then we get you and that key to Highland Park and in that fortress Alma calls a home.”

“Agreed.”

Paige remembered getting in the car after placing the key in her pocket. The next thing she knew, the car was still and Balnore was nudging her awake. “We’re here, Peanut.”

She breathed, feeding oxygen into her brain, willing it to wake up. If she were really, really lucky, Sven wouldn’t try anything and the demon population in and around St. Francisville would disappear.

If only she were that lucky.

They exited the elevator on the third floor. Few people walked the wide, bright hall. A woman’s voice called over the intercom, paging a doctor to a room. Otherwise, she couldn’t see or hear anyone.

Balnore led the way to a glass enclosed room with a single bed.

Paige’s breath lodged in her throat. It was so cold. Dexx laid there, tubes and wires coming from his body. Machines beeped all around him, and a single fluorescent light shown on him from the wall above his headboard.

Balnore pressed his arm onto hers, giving her support or a nudge. “Are you ready for this?”

The thought of facing her future without Dexx in it? He’d become a partner she’d never realized she’d needed, a best friend she could tell almost anything to. She shook her head. “When he came here, he was fine.”

“He was.” Balnore released a breath and stepped closer to the bed. “He was talking one moment. I left the room—I was pushed out, actually, and then he flat lined. He’s been in a coma ever since.”

Paige couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact that Dexx might disappear from her life. For good. Forever.

“I’m—” Balnore paused, clasping his hands in front of him. “I’m going to give you some time.”

Paige didn’t hear him leave. He could have evaporated, traveling however demons did, or he could have simply stepped quietly out of the room. She didn’t know. Didn’t care.

Dexx was . . . gone.

She sat gingerly on the edge of the bed. She was afraid to touch him, though she didn’t know why. Nothing she could do would hurt him.

How was she supposed to say goodbye?

Easy. Just say it. Then walk away.

If only she didn’t care about him. What would it be like to wake up alone? Or to jump into another situation like this one without him as backup? She felt stronger, more confident, more capable with him in her life.

She ran the palm of her hand along his arm. “We never had that epic sex, you know. Seems like a cop out, you leaving like this.” She didn’t really feel the humor. She didn’t want to joke around. She wanted to bring him back. She wanted to talk to him, to touch him, to hear him laugh, to have him make fun of her.

Something caught her eye under the sleeve of his gown. Something white and stark. Raising the sleeve further, she saw a handprint.

Licking her lips, she touched it.

Sven. His name, his purpose swarmed over her.

Paige.

His voice echoed through her mind.

You received my message. I can bring him back.

Her heart paused in its beating.

For a price. Meet me in the courtyard.

Paige knew she shouldn’t consider any offer he might provide. Dexx wouldn’t appreciate knowing that she’d traded—what? Her soul? Her life? Her . . . what would she be willing to trade for one more moment with Dexx? Not her life. No. She liked him well enough, but her life? When she knew she had to live for Leah? No. She didn’t have that luxury.

She’d at least see what Sven wanted. What was the harm in listening?

A great deal, actually.

Paige took the main doors outside and walked around, looking for the courtyard. She found it. Or at least she thought she did. A group of young, flowering trees huddled within a concrete circle in the bay of three buildings.

“Sven?” she whispered. She wiped her damp palms on her jeans.

A shadow of a man headed toward her from the parking lot, his gait confident. He smiled as he grew closer. “I’m so glad you got my message.”

“Did you do something to him? Are you the reason he’s in a coma?”

“Gave him a virus.” Sven chuckled, well-pleased with himself. “A plague, if you will.”

“Why? What was the point of that?”

“Oh, if only you could see the big picture. You’re bloody brilliant, you know. You really are, but, I gotta say, you’re well off your game this time around.”