Blue Ruin (The Phoenix Series Book 1) Read online

  Liam curled his fingers into his palm to keep from reaching out to ease her sudden nerves. Focus, he thought to himself. He stepped back. “What's wrong?”

  She jumped at his voice and then relaxed. “Put a Shield around us,” she said, remaining turned away from him. “I want to show you something.”

  He refrained from pressing her mind and conjured the spell. Translucent turquoise enveloped them with a deep slurp.

  Maura reached through the stinging matter to position a Shield over the mirror. Black vortexes swirled around the silver frame and bound to the threads of magic that coated the glass. Once cemented in place, she released the Seal spell over the mirror.

  A shrilling scream from beyond the glass tore through the room. Liam cringed.

  “That's the real me,” she said.

  A wispy figure materialized from spindles of black magic. Its gray complexion and wrinkly skin looked fragile and thin, like paper. Its bare body exposed each rib and every ripple in its lungs when it took a breath. Patches of coarse, gray hair fell around its bony, prominent shoulders. The hollow sockets of its eyes burned black. It clawed its long fingernails against the protective barrier. In a flash, it bared its jagged black fangs and scraped them along the glass, hissing.

  The reflection sang to him. Liam, it begged.

  Behind the creature, Maura appeared in the distance. Her red hair blew in a slight breeze off the ocean. A turquoise gown flowed like liquid around her bare feet. Her image phased in and out, nearing closer to the glass. Her voice, a mix of heaven and hell, washed over him in calming waves.

  Liam.

  Her image solidified, her hand pressed against the glass. The creature gone.

  Liam.

  His fingers twitched at his side.

  “Liam,” Maura said, tugging on his arm.

  He jerked back. The fantasy in the reflection disappeared, replaced with the creature again.

  “Did you hear me?” she asked. “I said we need the Shield. Otherwise you'd hear lyrics, instruments, music. You’d hear an entire symphony. It's called the Siren’s Song.”

  Liam gulped. “You need a stronger Shield.” He kept his eyes from locking with the creature’s and strengthened Maura’s Shield.

  “Thanks.” She shot him a side-glance. “Like I was saying, since Cerridwyn's soul includes Circe's and Lyssa's, she can use their powers. If I took that Shield off of the mirror, that's what you would hear.” Maura pointed to the bursts of magic against the Shield where the Siren's Song looked to punch a hole. She placed a Seal charm on the mirror. The reflection of the room returned, and Liam released his Shield. The remnant whispers of the Siren's Song faded in the air.

  “This mirror is a charmed portal,” Maura said. “It keeps whatever is locked inside within the reflection of the room. When I killed my father, I absorbed his power. I couldn't control the energy like he had. The hate I had for Adrian, the sorrow I felt at my family's death, made the power stronger. I feared it would turn on me. So the church authorized a cleansing of my soul and placed the products of the ritual into this mirror.”

  Liam stroked its silver edges. Magic prickled his skin. “Can it ever become a part of you again?”

  When Maura didn't answer, Liam turned to her. She stared into the mirror, transfixed on something he couldn't see. Her eyes widened, lips parted.

  He placed a hand over hers to find it cold. Her skin was soft, tingling with her dark magic. He squeezed, and she flinched.

  “Yes.” Maura cleared her throat, turning from the mirror. “Yes, it can escape.” She sighed and walked to the bed. She sat, her hands between her knees. “Cerridwyn cursed my father's soul. When I killed him that curse was passed along to me. I tried an exorcism and it went horribly wrong. Cerridwyn claimed half of my soul, and I took half of hers. There's a piece of me in that portal. And a piece of her in me.”

  Liam sat beside her, cautious of being too near. Her Siren’s aura pulled at him to close the space between them. That’s what he told himself. Not that she was attractive independent of her Siren charm. Not that he found her interesting, intriguing, an undiscovered galaxy of mystery. No, her dark magic made him feel this way. Focus, he reminded himself.

  “With her soul came three gifts,” Maura said. “The power of resurrection, the power of clairvoyance, and the power to manipulate fate.” She clasped a hand over Liam's, nails digging into his thumb.

  He clenched his fist against her hardening grip. “Maura?”

  She doubled over. “The mirror.”

  The mirror rattled between the corners of the wall. The turquoise Seal melted off of it like mercury.

  “Cover it,” Maura croaked.

  Liam reformed the Shield and placed a thick black quilt over its face. He returned to kneel at her feet, eyes wide with concern.

  “Whenever I use one of those powers, I'm summoning one of the Goddesses, therefore providing them with the opportunity to enter our world.” Maura fell limp into his arms.

  His breath caught. She relaxed against him, her breathing steady. He didn't move.

  Liam stroked her hair. Cautiously. Gently. Afraid she’d disappear. His world narrowed to one thing. Keeping her here. He’d never felt such an innate desire before, uncertain where it stemmed from. He moved to her back and closed his eyes. She smelled of lavender. He breathed her in deeper, pulled her closer.

  “In essence, I'm pulling them from beyond the portal and into our world,” Maura said. “Each time I do that, I create a crack in the portal. Too many cracks and the portal shatters, allowing everything behind it to spill out.”

  His fingers froze when she pulled away and straightened.

  “That's what Adrian wants,” she said. “Once he finds me, he intends to summon Cerridwyn through me and claim what he feels is his to have. He wants to resurrect Abysm.”

  A shadow darkened the room.

  Maura pulled away. They turned to the window where another set of shadows flickered against the closed blinds.

  “Did you lock the front door?” Maura asked.

  Liam angled himself in front of her. “Yes.”

  Hushed voices echoed on the balcony.

  A simple charm – used to reinforce locks – streamed from her fingertips and bound the bedroom door.

  Locks disengaged. The chime of the loose door knob turning echoed through the living room.

  Liam moved to the door with his arms outstretched. He drew his hands along the surface. The air rippled with his magic and dissolved the door particle by particle.

  “Can they see us?”

  “No.” Liam held the spell steady as they looked out into the living room.

  Two females filed into the apartment, speaking in Spanish. The younger of the two, her hair in a braid, her eyes tired, nodded as the older woman spoke.

  “Fuck.” Maura ran to the suitcases, evaporating them into the dimensional charm in her bag where she could retrieve them later.

  “Who are they?”

  “My landlord.”

  “At midnight?”

  “She's wondering why I haven't paid.” She jerked a hatch above the closet open. “Let’s go.” She smiled, making a run for it as the bedroom door creaked open.

  Chapter Fifteen: The Dealer

  Maura held out her hand for Liam’s car keys. “I have one more errand to run.”

  “You have to appreciate a car like this to drive it.” He rubbed his hand along the roof, dropping over the window and to the hood where its warmth reddened his fingers. “Its sleek physique. Its engine power. Its mere existence.”

  She snorted and kicked at the grill. “It’s a piece of metal with four wheels.”

  He pointed an accusatory finger. “That’s why you shouldn’t be driving.” With one last stroke, he tossed her the keys. “Don’t worry, she didn’t mean it.”

  Maura swung into the driver’s seat, Liam into the passenger’s seat. She pressed on the brake, twisting the ignition on. The car rumbled to life. Putting the car in gear, she
grinned toward Liam. “Ready?”

  Tires squealed. Rubber burned. White smoke encased the side of the car. Their bodies pressed hard into the rounded seats. Liam held onto the handle above the door, his foot slamming for the brake. “You know, just because the car can go fast doesn’t mean you should go fast.” He angled himself against the door.

  “Don’t be a baby.”

  Street lights smeared into yellow lines and red taillights dotted the blanket of night. Reflective strips on the road guided them along as the traffic died off behind them. The car rolled over potholes with a slight grumble and growled when she pressed harder on the accelerator.

  A smile stretched from ear to ear.

  They twisted with the bends of the road, Liam holding his breath until they skidded into a convenience store parking lot. The place was empty except for a small blue Prius at the other end.

  Maura unbuckled. “If you haven’t shit your pants, you can come with me.” Kicking the door shut, she walked into the store.

  An automated bell rang overhead. The clerk at the counter peeked through the plastic box he sat behind. Another employee sat in the back corner beneath a circular mirror. His eyes followed hers.

  She traced stacks of beef jerky and corn chips. Her stomach growled for real food: a nice hot plate of spaghetti with meatballs, and a glass of wine to top off the meal.

  She flipped her vision. Faint trails where Mystics had played with items and left their prints on glass doors remained. She lingered at the fridge. Beer labels danced in her vision. Her mouth watered, wanting a sip to take the edge off tonight. But she resisted and shuffled to the front where the cigarettes were.

  Another ring came from the bell.

  Liam waved over the shelves while Maura fished for a wad of singles. He pointed at the purchase. “You drove like that for cigarettes?”

  “I never said I didn’t have a problem.”

  They went outside, and Maura sat on the hood of the car. Her heel dug into its paint, leaving a scratch on its face. She lit the fresh cigarette, savoring its taste and feel.

  Liam stood, shrugging.

  “What? You want me to putrefy the leather interior?” She mocked with a laugh. “I’m waiting for someone.”

  “Who?”

  Another drag sent a warm shiver down her back. “Henry.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Who’s Henry?”

  “My dealer.” She flicked the cigarette butt on the ground. “I need a few things. Adrian wants me to come to Viper tomorrow night.”

  “What are you going to do?” His jaw tightened.

  “I’ll see what the fucker wants.”

  The next few minutes passed in silence. Liam paced the front of the store while Maura finished off three cigarettes. Stumbling teenagers crossed the street, bumping shoulders and knocking each other into bushes. Their howling laughter muffled when they went into the small store.

  Liam dug his hands into his jacket pockets and sat. “How do you know he’ll show?”

  Maura scanned the vacant area. Every now and then a car puttered by or someone came off the bus down the block. Otherwise everyone slept, leaving the night crawlers to their world. “It’s his business hours.”

  Half an hour later, a short man exited the bus. His baseball cap hid his face. His bulky blue jacket made the annoying sound of plastic rubbing against plastic.

  “DVD. DVD,” he mumbled.

  Maura rolled her eyes when he continued down the street. “Henry,” she called after him, revealing her old Illusion.

  Henry spun on his heels, a smile lighting his face. “I haven’t seen you around in years.”

  “And I see you’re still playing the bootlegger façade.”

  He rested his bag on the car. “I get in less trouble. Cops are willing to buy DVD’s more than drugs.”

  Maura gestured toward Liam. “This is my friend.”

  They nodded at each other before shaking hands.

  She unlocked the doors and motioned for him to hop in. “I need a few things.”

  Liam stayed outside to keep watch.

  “What do you need, girly?” Henry unzipped his bag.

  To Mundane eyes, the knapsack overflowed with DVDs. Maura saw past The Veil. Vials clinked together when he shifted. The aura of certain potions leaked beyond their bottles and swirled in the confines of the bag. Scents of apples and oranges wafted in the air. Pink, purple, and white sparkles scattered to the car floor.

  “I need an antidote.”

  “Antidote?” His fingers curled around the lips of the open bag. “What kind of antidote are we talking about?”

  “There’s only one antidote out there. I need it.”

  He gave a hard laugh. “I don’t have that kind of stuff on me.”

  “Tell me where I can get it.”

  Unwilling to reveal to Adrian how powerful she was, Maura needed to rely on herbal magic to get her through tomorrow.

  “Here.” He passed over a business card. The shiny, silver lettering glowed in the dark. His address and out of state cell number disappeared in the absence of her touch. “I have a house in New York. I keep everything there. You can swing by tomorrow morning after nine.”

  “How much?”

  The harsh fluorescent lights in the parking lot threw an unattractive glow to Henry’s gaunt face when she turned to him.

  “It depends if you want a completed antidote or just snippets.”

  “I need the whole thing.”

  The antidote would only shave a layer off the amount of effort she’d have to use tomorrow. Everything else came down to her ability to keep herself sane and collected. She'd have to be all coy smiles if she wanted to keep her head. Literally. She would need to play Adrian’s little game.

  “Going after someone big, eh?” Henry said.

  “It’s the other way around.”

  He cleared his throat. “Three grand.” He parted with a grave look. “And Beth,” he hesitated outside the door. “Be careful, okay?”

  Her slow nod took the place of words.

  Liam jumped into the car. “Did you get everything?” He slammed the door closed.

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “He didn’t have what I needed.”

  “What did you need?”

  “Antidote. I’m not strong enough to repel an Allurement spell. The antidote will help.”

  Liam placed a hand over hers. A tickle, like snow kissing her skin, erased all tension. She sighed and pulled away.

  “I’m going with you tomorrow,” he said.

  “You must be out of your mind.”

  “I am.” He smiled. “But you aren't the only one looking for Adrian.”

  “And I'm not the only one he's looking for,” she said, glaring.

  Liam took her hand into his again, his voice sweeter and lower. “I’m coming with you, Maura.”

  ***

  Maura set her mirror and luggage in Liam’s guest bedroom, a small room with two windows and white walls.

  Liam threw sheets onto the bed while Maura moved in front of her mirror. Instant regret. Her makeup had smeared and left her with raccoon eyes. The dabs of blush had faded and her hair had lost its spunk. Her blazer was torn at the shoulder. She mumbled and cursed the Vampire and his damn acidic venom.

  She looked like she’d gotten fucked. And hard.

  “Do you dance?” Liam asked, hand outstretched as he watched her, smiling.

  Maura turned from the mirror. “Dance?”

  “Yes, dance.” His smile widened. “Decades ago, it's what we did on dates.”

  “I wouldn't consider this a date. You blackmailed me into coming.”

  “Into coming. Not staying.” Liam slipped his fingers through hers, placed them on his shoulders, and led them into open space. “You stayed.”

  She curled her fingers into her palms, looked to the small window and tried to create enough space between them. “There's no music.”

  Liam hummed a soft tune that ac
tivated a radio from a room away.

  Maura cleared her throat and averted his gaze. “Is this how you charm girls into bed?”

  He chuckled and ran the back of his hand down the edges of her neck, producing goosebumps at the ghostly trail left behind. His fingers continued along her collarbone, rolling over the slight raise and circling around her shoulder. “Does it work?” he asked.

  She gulped down the pleasurable shiver that slithered down her back toward her limbs. “No.”

  He moved his fingers down her arms and explored the contours at the small of her back. He arched her into a spin and then pulled her to his chest. His intoxicating aura flooded her system. The rhythm of his heart played a soothing tune that synchronized their bodies to move as one.

  “You’re a natural,” he said, a smile in his voice. “For someone who doesn't know what dancing is.”

  Maura controlled the blush that threatened to brighten her skin.

  As the music faded into an end, Liam brushed his finger along her lips. She shuddered, lost in his gaze. Lost in the feeling he gave her. The feeling of belonging. He dropped his touch to her hand and kissed her skin.

  “What time were you looking to head out tomorrow?” Liam asked, as Maura pulled away. “Seven?”

  “I can go on my own to pick up the antidote.” She took a step back.

  “I'm the one with the car.” Liam smiled tiredly, voice low and deep. “Night, Maura.”

  The door shut behind him. “Night,” she whispered. Her body still tingled with his touch, made the hair on the back of her neck stand. His warm kiss stained the top of her hand. She sighed and shook her head. There's no room for romance.

  Sitting cross-legged in front of the mirror, she tore off the blazer. She drew her fingers over the raw skin. The bright red patch stung and throbbed to the beat of her heart.

  With the balled blazer clenched in her teeth, she skimmed the wound with her glowing fingertip. Silver peeled the reddened edges back. Threads of new skin wove in and out of the raw center. She bit into the jacket as each layer tied together to smooth the injury. Searing pain traveled down her arm. When the wound turned pink and flushed pale, she pulled herself into bed.