Chapter 117: Unwelcome Guests
I took two minutes to change my clothes and spin my hair into a ponytail before pounding back down the stairs.
To find my grandmother standing next to Quaid in the dark kitchen.
"How did she escape?" I was about to lead her back to her room all the while thinking I did not have time for this drama right now, when she reached out for me and touched my hand.
It was like a light turned on in my body, power flushing through me. The feeling of it was infinitely familiar, a power I'd known my whole life. Not just because she was my grandmother, either. Her magic was connected to me in a way I couldn't begin to understand. I felt a rush of green magic under the blue, the touch of the Sidhe, and wondered as it spread out like a thin shield where it was coming from.
Even my demon fed on it. When Gram was done, I felt fantastic.
She sagged a little, Quaid catching her before she could fall. But she smiled at me, patting my cheek with her thin fingers.
"You have something for me," she whispered, "and I have something for you."
There wasn't time to ask questions or figure it out. "Thanks, Gram."
The peaceful moment snapped as her instant of lucidity was replaced by the private hell she lived in.
"You're ugly and you smell!" She smacked my shoulder and drooled as her tongue stuck out. "Half-assed! Poison! Blueberries!"
Okay. Warm fuzzy time over.
With Quaid's help I managed to manhandle her into her room. She fought us by sagging, her dead weight a literal drag. For such a tiny woman, she weighed a ton.
I ripped open a chocolate bar and left her on the end of her bed happily stuffing her face. I double sealed her wards, exploring the edges of the Sidhe power as I did. The house hummed, a power in its own right, warded and filled with family magic four times a year. But the energy Mom left behind in the door wards was gone. I realized then when I drained some of the buried energy from the house I accidentally took my magic back from her lock.
"We have to hurry," Quaid said.
I hated leaving Sassy again, so I refused to look back as we ran out the door. Quaid's bike fired up and we flew across town.
Same plan, I sent him.
Got it.
The side road was now familiar. So was the half-mile walk. Quaid guided me a little closer, but we were forced to run to reach the site.
For a moment, I caught a flicker of shadow to my right out of the corner of my eye, shadow infused with softly glowing white. Sebastian, had to be. But when I turned my head to look for him, the mirage vanished.
Imagined or not, I chose to believe he was here with us and it made me feel a little better.
As long as he could control whatever was happening to him. Otherwise we'd all end up dead. Lovely thought. I chose to vote for confidence and moved on.
I reached out to Quaid's mind to tell him what I saw when I heard someone laugh.
It sounded an awful lot like Alison.
What? Couldn't be. It was like three o'clock in the morning. On a school night. What would my friend... what would Alison be doing all the way out here? Not to mention the wards the family put on the site and perimeter should have kept anyone away.
Quaid and I slowed, eased toward the edge of the trees. There, just on the border between the woods and the site, were a group of familiar people. Talking and laughing and giggling in the dark.
Heading right for the clearing.
Oh crap. I reached out, felt around. That was when I understood. The wards were down, the protections gone. Somehow the Chosen and Nicholas figured out a way to collapse the magic that kept the site clear.
This was very, very bad.
I didn't stop to ask Quaid what he thought. I lunged forward and spun, planting myself in front of my ex-friends, forcing a smile on my face. I even waved a little. Yes, pathetic. Beth let out a meep of fright while Simon tripped over his own feet. The rest of them stopped, clearly shocked to find me there.
"Syd." Simon was bundled up inside a heavy jacket even though it was pretty nice outside. He almost sounded happy to see me. "What are you doing here?"
"That's a good question." Mia looked me up and down. "Well?"
"Just out for a stroll, you know." Sounded so lame. Quaid rescued me.
"Bike ride," he stepped up beside me. "Heard about this place, thought we'd check it out."
"At three o'clock in the morning?" Alison's sarcasm cut me.
But Quaid just rolled his shoulders in a shrug. "You're here, aren't you?"
Simon laughed. Even Beth giggled a little. Mia shrugged back while Alison scowled at him.
Benjamin just smiled right at me.
"The gang's all here," he said, turning to point at Blood who stood apart, just a few feet away, looking miserable and grumpy. "So great to have all of us together at last."
Whatever. "Um, how about we all go back to my house?" I could feel a stir in the air, a chill coming. The vampires, had to be. And I knew Erica couldn't be far behind. I didn't want my old friends to witness anything they'd have to be mind altered for, but we were about to run out of time. Still, it couldn't hurt to try. "Hot chocolate, popcorn. What do you say?"
Benjamin shook his head while Mia looked down her haughty little nose at me. I hadn't seen this side of her before. Or if I did, at the time I didn't mind.
Now I minded.
"We're here for a reason," Mia said. "Benjamin wanted a séance, to raise his dead mother." She gently patted his cheek. "Poor dear. Anyway, he said he knew this place, that it felt different. And he's right." She drew a deep breath, arms wide, drawing in the flavor of the family magic. I could feel a slender tendril of it making past whatever boundaries had been put up to block her power. "This place is perfect."
If she wanted to be killed. Or mind wiped.
I didn't have time to argue with her. "Look, you really need to go." I knew I sounded desperate and hoped they listened even while Mia pushed past me on her way to the center. "Please, listen to me."
Quaid made a grab for Simon and I felt his magic whisper out. The boy collapsed slowly to the ground.
"Simon!" Beth was beside him in a flash. Even Alison turned to see what happened.
Quaid met my eyes.
It's the only way.
He was right. I touched Alison's hand as she passed me on her way to Simon.
I pushed a little too hard. She hit the ground with a thud. Oops.
Meanwhile, Beth sighed herself into sleep. Mia rushed back, glaring at Quaid.
"What did you do to her?"
Quaid shrugged as Blood stepped up, still her defender. Quaid touched her cheek. "Just this," he said.
She folded like her knees were water. Blood tried to catch her, but Quaid was already touching him, too.
That left Benjamin. He was mine.
He didn't look surprised. Why? Didn't matter just then. His smile even survived me putting him to sleep.
We just finished dragging them all into a pile when I felt the first rush of power, heard the flutter of shadows. Quaid's energy surged out in a net and covered us from view. I knew the illusion wouldn't hold if someone was really looking but it was the best we could do.
Which meant his magic was now tied up in protecting the others.
I was on my own.
I crouched under Quaid's shield and watched the vampires materialize. Three of them landed, dumping a pale figure out onto the ground. I heard a soft groan, felt the familiar touch of the woman who slowly sat up. Ground my teeth against the fury overcoming me at the bruises on her beautiful face and the fresh blood trickling from small punctures in her neck and arms.
Those vampire bastards fed on my mother.
***
