Witches (Runes series Book 6) (18 page)

Hawk came back with Jared, who’d been our employee for years.

“Miss Raine, are you coming back to work? I told Celine the crazy customers probably scared you away.”

His wife was a sweet woman who’d decided I needed mothering after Mom had disappeared for months. Being Mortals, they didn’t know she’d been facing the Valkyrie Council in Asgard to get her position back.

“No one scares me away, Jared. I’ve just been busy with school and helping Mom take care of Dad.” Taking care of Dad was a good enough explanation for Mom’s absence these days. “Tell Celine that I’m fine.”

“I will. She’ll be happy to hear that.”

I disappeared into Hawk’s office. He closed the door and indicated a chair, then waited until I was seated before sitting. Now that I was here, I didn’t know where to begin.

“It’s okay,” Hawk said reassuringly, reading me. “Is this about money?”

The last time I came to see him, I’d wanted money to buy a prom dress. Then Mom returned and took complete control over my prom preparations. The way she talked on and on she must think I have zero fashion sense.

“No. Last night, I fought
Draugar
in Carson, California, with the Valkyries.”

He leaned forward. “
Wendigos
?”

 
I’d watched enough of the TV series
Supernatural
to know what a
Wendigo
was—a creature controlled by an evil spirit. “So
Draugar
and
Wendigo
is the same thing?”

“
Draugr
is one,
Draugar
means more than one. And yes, they’re the same thing.” He leaned closer, a strange light in his eyes. “Every culture has its own version of an evil spirit that devours humans, but it’s the same thing, an evil soul possessing a dead body. They even possess living people and make them go insane or corrupt their souls, so when the people die, they run from reapers and possess others too. It’s a vicious cycle To Mortals, these creatures have superhuman strength, speed, and are impossible to kill. It’s our job to hunt them down, and then hand over the souls to the reapers. I’ve worked with a few Grimnirs and Valkyries over the years and taken down quite a few. When and where did this happen? How many escaped?”

By the time I finished telling him, he was on my side of the desk. He looked visibly disappointed when I told him how I’d helped get rid of them.

“These
Draugar
sound like they were part
Golem
.”

“What’s that?”

“Creatures made of pure clay. I would have loved to see them. It takes powerful magic wielded by a powerful soul to use bones and clay to create a body. Most just find the nearest grave and crawl back into the fleshiest body they can find. I saw a pure
Golem
once, centuries ago. A rabbi created it using a different kind of power. It was completely under his control, doing his every wish.” He walked back to his side of the desk and sat, then leaned forward and steepled his fingers. “I’m happy you shared this with me, Ms. Lorraine. It seems like your team took care of them.”

“According to Torin, a couple of the souls were from the Immortals we defeated last week.”

Hawk straightened, his brow furrowing. “I see. So more will be coming?”

“No. I mean, I don’t know.” I couldn’t repeat what Torin’s father had told him about angry souls without revealing the source. “But it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.”

“No, it doesn’t. But between the Immortals and the Valkyries around here, we should be okay.”

“But that’s not the only reason I came to see you. The souls didn’t use bones from a nearby cemetery. They found some under the basketball court at the school. I think it is an ancient burial ground.”

“My people?” he asked, his features taut.

I explained what I’d seen.

He stood. “Show me.”

A bunch of guys were shooting hoops when we opened a portal. Staying inside the office while using the portal as a window, Hawk studied the surrounding area. After a few minutes, he closed the portal and faced me. Gratitude and something else was apparent in his eyes.

“Thank you, Ms. Lorraine. My people are no longer as powerful as they used to be, but a group of us, Native American Immortals, have worked tirelessly with them over the years to preserve part of our culture in any way we can. We’ll take care of this.”

My throat closed a bit listening to him. This was the most vulnerable I’d ever seen him, and the first time he’d mentioned anything personal. “What are you going to do?”

“We can declare the site to be sacred. The school or the basketball court
will
be rebuilt elsewhere.” He bowed briefly. “Thank you, Ms. Lorraine.”

“It’s Raine. All my friends call me that.”

He smiled briefly. By the time I closed the door, he was on the phone. Jared was talking to a customer and didn’t see me leave. As soon as I stepped out of the building, the same telltale chill I’d felt earlier skidded down my spine and I knew I wasn’t alone. Then I saw him, the Earl of Worthington standing by my car. My stomach dropped.

My first instinct was to engage my speed runes, turn around, and run into the building for Hawk. I didn’t have my dagger, just the artavus I carried to school to create portals. I was sure it was completely useless against a powerful Immortal. Still my hand closed around it. There were lots of trees and bushes nearby, and the earth at my disposal should he try something.

Tapping into my power, it burst and flooded me, bringing with it renewed confidence. I walked toward my car, my glowing eyes locked on him.

“There’s no need to reach for your dagger, Miss Cooper,” he said in a voice that sounded too much like Torin for my liking. Although his was colder, more menacing. The smile on his lips was condescending.

“I don’t carry my dagger,” I said, proud that I sounded calm. I wasn’t sure what to call him. He didn’t deserve the title of a Lord or the Earl of Worthington. “The world is my weapon.” A localized rumble rippled through the ground and shook nearby trees and shrubs.

He glanced around, his smile not changing. “Impressive.”

“What do you want?” I asked, wishing I could knock out his teeth and wipe that smirk off his face.

“Just to talk. Can we go to a nearby café for coffee or tea?”

Talk to him? I didn’t think so. I opened my mouth to tell him no, but the look in his eyes said he expected me to refuse him. I needed to prove to him that I wasn’t scared, even though I was.

“Sure. Why not?
 
My favorite Greek restaurant is just a few doors from our store. We should be able to talk there.” I was sure he could see the runes on the building and wouldn’t miss the ones inside Café Nikos. Torin tended to get carried away.

This time, I threw him a challenging look before turning and going back to The Mirage. The door dinged when he followed. Jared was still with a customer, and Hawk was probably still talking to his contacts in the office. I might refuse to be intimidated by Torin’s father, but I wasn’t an idiot either. If he wanted to kidnap me, he could do it and disappear through a portal before my runes could alert the protective ones etched on the building.

I went straight to the office, knocked, and pushed the door open. Hawk scowled, but his expression cleared when he saw me. “Could you come outside please?”

Something in my voice, or maybe it was my expression, had him standing up quickly and without asking why. I opened the door wider. He followed me into the store.

“I’d like you to meet the Earl of Worthington, Torin’s father,” I said, waving toward the evil Immortal.

Hawk studied the Earl without offering his hand, but his eyes grew darker. Ignoring the guy, he glanced at me. “What’s going on, Ms. Lorraine?”

“He was waiting for me when I left the store. He and I are going to Café Nikos for a drink, alone.”

Hawk nodded, indicating he understood he wasn’t supposed to interfere. “Of course, Ms. Lorraine.” Then his focus shifted to the Earl. “Warlock. Do not do anything you’ll regret. The young Norn is under our protection.”

The Earl chuckled. “I’m sure she is. Shall we?”

There he goes again, sounding like Torin.
I really, really wanted to wipe that smug smile off his face. My hand fisted, and I wasn’t surprised when the mirrors in the room rattled. Interesting. When angry, I used my powers without channeling it by words or thoughts. I would so like to do that when I practiced good magic too.

I led the way out of the store and even slowed down so we walked side by side. “So what’s next, Warlock Worthington?”

His lips tightened. I hoped he didn’t like being called a Warlock because that was his name from now on. Warlock Worthington or just the Warlock.

“Let’s sit down before you start interrogating me, young lady.”

The authoritative way he spoke had me clamming up and hating myself for doing it. Café Nikos was packed as usual. The owner, Nikolaus, saw us when we entered.

“Raine!
 
Koreetsi mou!
” He came around the counter and clasped my hands. “How are you doing? How’s your father?”

“I’m fine, and Dad is hanging in there.” He and Dad went way back to high school. His exuberance could sometimes be embarrassing. Like now. We had the attention of everyone in the room. “I’m here with a family friend who wants to try some of your famous pies.”

Nikolaus glanced at Warlock Worthington. “Lord Worthington. I didn’t know the family you were visiting was the Coopers. Any friend of Tristan’s is a friend of Nikolaus.”

Completely blindsided, I stared at the Warlock’s annoying smirk, but I recovered fast and exclaimed, “Uncle Warlock! You came here without me? You know how much I love Nikos’
baklava.
Was it last month when you excused yourself after dinner?” I glanced at Nikolaus, praying he gave me answers.

“No, no, it was last week in the afternoon with the twin boys from South…” His voice trailed off and I saw why. Warlock Worthington was glaring at him.

Twins? There was only one set of twins in Kayville last week—Alejandro and Matias Torres. Except the Norns had resorted to trickery once again and mimicked the Torres Witches and their cousin Bash to trick me.

“This way, Lord Worthington. Miss Raine.” His voice carried, and once again the customers looked up and stared at us. I didn’t care this time. Had Warlock Worthington met with the real twins or the Norns?

Once we were seated, he ordered a large slice of
baklava
and coffee. Black. Just like Torin. I mentally pinched myself. Just because the man looked like an older version of the guy I was crazy about and talked like him didn’t mean they were alike. He was evil personified. Torin wasn’t. I didn’t want to eat anything, but I ordered custard pie anyway.

“Is this together?” the waitress asked, deftly pouring water into two glasses.

“Yes,” Warlock Worthington said.

“No,” I said at the same time. “I’ll pay for mine.”

The bastard chuckled as though my show of independence amused him. We had barely sat down and he was already pushing my buttons. Hopefully, my anger wouldn’t get the better of me. I was likely to create a vortex under his seat and suck him into oblivion.

“You are a prickly little thing,” he said.

I objected to being called a thing, but I let it go. He looked disappointed when I just shrugged.

“You are also very powerful for one so young.”

I objected to being praised by him too, but this time, I couldn’t help myself. “And you are such an evil Warlock for someone so old. I always thought wisdom came with age.”

His lips pressed into a line. Score.

“The last time someone called me a Warlock, they died a painful death,” he said so calmly a chill crawled up my spine.

I tried to cover it with a chuckle and sipped some of my water. “The last person to call you a Warlock was Hawk and he’s very much alive.”

“Ah! That’s the name. I knew our paths had crossed before. As for his fate, that can be changed.”

I stopped smiling, anger coursing through me. With it came the power. The table started to lift. Dang it. I needed to calm down. Taking deep breaths, I pushed the magic back. “You touch him and I swear, I’ll forget you are Torin’s father.”

The smirk was back on his face. “Be careful, young
Völva
. Once you cross that line, there’s no going back.” He smiled at the waitress. “Thank you, luv.”

I nodded briefly at the waitress, and waited until she was gone before saying, “No, Warlock. I don’t kill. I change destinies. You touch Hawk or anyone I know, and I’ll change yours like that.” I snapped my fingers for emphasis and something flickered in the depth of his sapphire blue eyes. Anger? Surprise? Maybe fear? Wishful thinking. Somehow I doubted the man was afraid of anything or anyone.

“No matter how powerful you are, you’re not a Norn and therefore cannot change anything,” Worthington said. “The training doesn’t begin until you’re eighteen.”

I shrugged, ate a slice of my pie, and almost gagged. I was more nervous than I’d thought. Putting my fork down, I studied the Warlock. He’d already demolished his
baklava
. He must have really been hungry or he had a sweet tooth.

A prickly feeling told me we were being watched. My sixth sense, which seemed to have sharpened since my witch powers emerged, picked up signals faster than normal. I didn’t dare look around, so I wrapped my hands around my glass and let my gaze lock with the Warlock.

“So here we are,” I said.

“I’d like to reconcile with my son,” he said.

Wow, right to the point. “Then talk to him.”

“I can’t. He asked me to leave. I’m supposed to try in a century or two.”

Way to go, Torin. “That seems reasonable.”

“No, it’s not,” he snapped. “He was willing to listen until that idiotic Roman boy intervened.”

“That
idiotic
Roman boy has a name, Andris. He’s also a powerful Valkyrie, unlike you. He’s been with Torin for centuries and is like a brother. Family. So I’d be very careful how you talk about him, especially to Torin.”

He leaned forward. “I am his father. My blood flows through his veins.”

He made it sound like he was the wronged one. Like Torin owed him something. “Oh gee, you think you’d win Father of the Year award with that? Blood means nothing if you hurt the people who share it. You hurt Torin by what you did. If he wants time before he can forgive you, give it to him.”

He leaned back against his chair. “You’re an opinionated young woman, aren’t you?”

“You make it sound like it’s a bad thing,” I shot back. “Aren’t you here for my opinion? Isn’t that why you runed my car, stalked me to my shop, and invited me to this little meeting?”

“I thought the Roman was holding Torin back. That maybe they had a special relationship, but—”

“They do,” I shot back. “But no one holds Torin back.”

“It’s you,” he said like I hadn’t spoken. “I saw it last night. He’d do anything for you, and you string him along.”

“String him along? I would do anything for him too, including sit here,”—I looked around, noticed that we were drawing attention, and lowered my voice—“and share a drink with you. You want forgiveness? Show some humility. Some contrition. Prove that you’ve changed.”

His expression didn’t change, so I couldn’t tell whether I had hit a nerve or not. “Why should I change? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

 
Was he serious? “For starters, you,”—I glanced around again and lowered my voice even more—“sacrificed Seeresses, Immortals, and Witches for your crazy cause.”

“I didn’t twist their arms to join me or force anyone to go against me,” he said in that annoyingly calm voice.

“Wow. You are completely incapable of feeling any remorse.”

He sipped his drink and watched me like I was some lab rat he was about to dissect. I didn’t want my pie anymore. In fact, I didn’t want to be in the same room with him. I needed to get up and leave without destroying Nikos.

“I see why he loves you,” he said.

“I highly doubt it.”

“You don’t take crap from anyone, which is very surprising in one so young. You’ll make a fine Norn.” He leaned forward again. “You accuse me of being unfeeling, my dear. What about you? You’ll never give him what he seeks. You’re living on borrowed time because Norns don’t mate. When you turn eighteen, they will come for you to start your formal training. When you’re gone, what will become of Torin? The pain he’s feeling now will be nothing compared to what he’ll feel once you’re gone. So why not let him go now? I may not win the Father of the Year award as you so eloquently put it, but I’m not toying with his soul. You are. You will destroy him.”

I wanted to tell him to shut up. To just shut the eff up. If I could give up my magic to be with Torin, I would. Since I couldn’t, I planned to have it all—the ability to help people and Torin. I just didn’t know how yet.

I hoped my feelings weren’t transparent as I stared at his father. “That’s where you are wrong, Warlock. Torin and I will have our forever. I’ll make sure of it. And if you don’t change, you’ll never have a relationship with him. I’ll make sure of that too.” I stood, pulled out my cell phone, and removed a twenty-dollar bill from its case. I dropped it on the table, aware that he watched my every movement. “My treat.”

As I walked away from the Warlock I felt the table near the door watching me. I glanced over and my eyes met Femi’s. She was seated with three men that had wise eyes. Immortals.
 
My feet didn’t falter. I didn’t know how I made it to The Mirage, but I did. Hawk called out my name, or maybe it was Jared, but I kept walking. It wasn’t until I reached my car that I started to shake.

As I tried to calm myself down before driving home, Femi opened my door. “Scoot over, doll.”

~*~

We had barely left the parking lot when a warm draft filled the car and Torin appeared in the back seat. Who had contacted him? I didn’t want him to see me like this. I was still processing and needed to get my emotions under control.

“Are you okay? What happened?”