A Touch of Flame

  Several expletives rolled like fire off his tongue. Around him, the Landing wolves battled the remainder of Gammet’s squad.

  In a sequence of split-seconds, his thoughts jumped hurdles. How did Gammet go invisible? Where did he go? Were his men in danger?

  In the end, his final awareness was a grenade exploding in his head.

  Gammet was after Maeve.

  Every instinct he possessed, wolf or witch, told him Maeve was in danger.

  Braden levitated, arced in the air, then flew faster than he ever had before in Maeve’s direction. She was leaning over a stretcher on the back of the Jeep. Alfonso was tending the injured wolf.

  Maeve. Fire up your killing power. We’ve got incoming.

  When he was within ten feet of her, his shoulder collided with the invisible enemy. The collision knocked Braden to the ground.

  He rolled several times, but levitated swiftly to his feet and raced toward Maeve.

  Her eyes were bright. She seemed to understand and she was ready. He moved in behind her and held her tight.

  He chose to continue telepathically. Can you see Gammet? Sense him? If not, just fire into the air. He’s out there.

  Maeve lifted her arm. Thank God for a touch of emerald flame because I can see him. His face is bloody and he’s having a hard time holding his levitation. The combination of the invisibility spell, and a beating I’m guessing you gave him, is having an effect. When I looked up at your warning, he was lifting his arm to fire at me, then you rushed him. You just saved my life, wolf.

  Good. But if you’ve got a bead on him, Maeve, take him out.

  He felt her hesitation. All right. Wound him, then. I’ll finish him off. But remember, he’s what stands between us and the rescue of Kiara.

  Mentioning her friend was all the encouragement she needed. Her killing power was already wound up so she simply swept her arm in a quick circle. The spray of golden sparks traveled the distance between. Gammet cried out then became fully visible, his spell annihilated. He was twenty-five feet in the air when he fell. Even at that distance, Braden knew he would recover from the fall.

  But Gammet landed on a pile of construction debris and was impaled on a pipe.

  “Oh, God.” Maeve pressed her hands to her face for a few seconds, then began to fly in the warlock’s direction. Braden levitated beside her, whipping over the broken-up concrete, rocks, dirt and cactus.

  When they reached him, Maeve turned toward Braden and buried her face in his chest.

  Braden slid his arms around Maeve, reminding himself she wasn’t used to battle. He stared at Gammet’s body, eyes open and glazed. He’d fallen on some sharp plastic tubing, pierced through the stomach.

  Maeve’s voice entered his mind. I’m not sorry he’s dead. He tried to kill you and who knows how many others have died by his hands or by his magic.

  He rubbed her back then turned her away from Gammet. He gestured to his foot. “Hop on.”

  She didn’t hesitate as she planted both feet on his boot. He swept his arm around her waist and pulled her tight to hold her steady. He levitated slowly not toward the Jeep, but to the battlefield where the Landing wolves had finished off the rest of Gammet’s squad.

  He didn’t get too close, though. By the whoops his wolves made, he knew the results of the battle. There would be gore Maeve didn’t need to see. “Don’t look.”

  “I’m not going to, though I’ve seen everything before. Out here, where there are so many dead or dying bodies discarded nightly, most were maimed or tortured. Like you were. But I’m still not used to it. Never will be.”

  Greg levitated in their direction. He inclined his head slowly to them both. He had blood on his hands, along his arms and spattered on his neck and face. The battle had gotten up close and personal. His eyes were bright and glowed with golden rings around the irises.

  “How did we do?”

  “Dispatched. All of them. Except those who ran, but they won’t be back.” He ground his teeth. He glanced at Maeve then back to Braden. He was curbing his speech.

  Braden took in the rest of the team. They remained at a distance, but they were still revved up. He shifted his gaze to Greg. “You ready to finish our mission?”

  Greg dipped his chin. “Let’s go get Kiara.”

  He felt a hit of adrenaline shoot through Maeve’s body. She levitated off Braden’s foot and turned toward the east, no doubt in the direction of Veyda’s compound.

  Braden flung his arm up and waved it in a circle. “Follow the witch.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Maeve took off. Now that the battle with Gammet was over, she turned all her witch senses toward Kiara. With the potion working in her veins. She could sense that the strong woman lay whimpering and begging for death.

  To Braden, she telepathed, They’re burning her. She won’t last much longer.

  She flew faster. Braden tracked with her. The wolves kept pace.

  Because they were moving into the denser part of Elegance, the wolves trailed behind her single file.

  When she reached the familiar intersection, she formed the group telepathy the way Braden had. The spell begins at the corner. Follow me. Stick together. She took a few seconds to strengthen her connection to each wolf and felt them respond by moving physically closer to her.

  She flew above the cars and hovered at the usual corner. The night traffic honked loudly. There were a lot of sex clubs in this part of Elegance. She could hardly be surprised that Veyda’s compound would be in the middle of things.

  When she approached the spelled area, what struck her first was the lack of confusion. Braden, stand next to me.

  The wolf moved forward. What’s going on?

  Tell me what you’re experiencing here. Any disorientation?

  I’m feeling a profound need to turn around. Only your presence is keeping me in place. Same with the team.

  I’m not feeling anything like that.

  That’s great. The potion?

  Absolutely. She felt more confident than she had in a long time. She’d avoided using emerald flame but now that she had she was kicking herself. Hard. Maybe she could have gotten Kiara out sooner. On the other hand, there was a strong possibility Braden’s support had made this possible.

  She took a deep breath and approached the gate. The usual purple and back spell-clouds were fainter than ever. She pushed the wood gate open and began to move swiftly down the path to the side of the compound. A block wall formed the boundary between the property and the sidewalk beyond. The spell also blocked the city noises so that the grounds were very quiet.

  As she walked, this time the spell gave way with a bare lifting of her hand.

  You with me? She called back to Braden and realized he wasn’t there.

  Whipping around, she could see her team but they were stuck. She hurried back in their direction. Sorry, I got carried away.

  Thank God. It’s like mud in here for the rest of us.

  She took his hand and started forward once more. The team fell into place behind Braden. She kept one eye on the path and the other on the seven men following her.

  They’d been wolf warriors for a long time and maintained silence. Each levitated a few inches above the ground.

  Greg’s voice entered the group telepathy. There are women in each of these cells. What the hell is this?

  She didn’t hesitate to speak the truth. A place of torture.

  Maeve ignored the expletives that exploded from Greg’s mind. She almost pathed an ‘amen’ in response.

  When she reached the last cell, she saw what she already knew to be true. Kiara wasn’t there.

  Braden’s voice entered her mind. This is Kiara’s cell, isn’t it?

  It is. Do I press on, Braden? Because I have no idea what we’ll find.

  ~ ~ ~

  Braden knew he had to take the reins of the mission. It was one thing to bust someone out of a cell they could locate. But another to enter a fortified compound. Will Veyda’s spell last? If it
does, you’ll need to keep leading us to the torture site. If not, I want you behind me as we move forward.

  Let’s find out.

  He still held her hand as she moved to the edge of the building. The spell was a swirling purple and black smoke that tugged at him. He kept a vigilant watch on the team behind him as well. The wolves stuck close.

  When she reached the corner, he tugged on her hand. Careful. When you take a look, lean just enough to use only one eye.

  He waited as she pressed herself close to the wall and leaned just enough to get a view of what was out there.

  I’m seeing an immaculate garden.

  He could feel her sudden distress. What is it? Kiara?

  No, it’s that Veyda has used something so beautiful to disguise the horror of what goes on in this place.

  All right. Take a breath. Literally. Now. Breathe.

  He watched her back rise and fall. Better?

  Yes. Sorry.

  No worries. Do you see any guards?

  None. Just a long walkway that leads to a street-side, heavy iron gate and stone walls. The spell doesn’t cover the front part of the compound.

  He moved in close behind her and had a look himself. She was right. The purple and black mist ended at the side of the building. The garden was lush with tall, well-groomed trees but no leaf debris on the ground. Flowers bloomed in tidy beds. Shrubs were neatly pruned. This was a home once. A very nice home.

  Yes, it was.

  He stepped around her and looked up at the roofline. No electronic security that I can see. I’m guessing Veyda trusts her spells more than surveillance.

  She’s powerful enough to feel confident.

  Yet here we are.

  She squeezed his hand.

  The sound of women singing, no, chanting in terrible dissonance, crested through the garden.

  I know that sound. Braden. The torture will start up again. As if on cue, a woman screamed.

  Kiara.

  Braden glanced back at his men. They’d all heard it. A few noses and cheeks had elongated. Fur sprouted. Shall we take care of these bitches?

  Heads bobbed.

  We need a quick recon.

  Greg stepped forward. I’ll go.

  Maeve broke in, Let me go with you. I might see a witch trap you won’t.

  Braden turned to stare at Maeve. He knew she was right. If Greg hit a spell, who knows where he’d end up. But he didn’t like the idea of Maeve, as untried as she was, heading anywhere without him. Yet they had to have the information. If they went in blind, they could all end up dead.

  He made the decision to go with her himself, but Maeve shook her head. Stay here with my wolves. If anything goes wrong, take them straight up into the air and get the hell out of here.

  She was thinking like an alpha female. The pack came first.

  When Braden nodded, Maeve released his hand then took Greg’s.

  Braden froze. Don’t touch her!

  Greg jerked his hand from Maeve’s and all the wolves responded by bowing their heads. Braden had invoked their submissive stance by his sharp telepathic words.

  Maeve immediately drew close to Braden and put her hand on his neck. Look at me.

  With some difficulty, he shifted his gaze to hers. He’d been staring at Greg ready to challenge him to a dominance fight.

  He blinked at Maeve. He felt tufts of fur along his jaw and down his neck. His jaw quivered. Nostrils flared.

  She leaned up and kissed him. Not a simple kiss either. Her tongue was pushing at his lips and his partial wolf fangs.

  He turned into her and wrapped her up in his arms. He wasn’t in his rational mind. He knew that. But wolf instinct outweighed everything, even the need to rescue a woman who’s screams he could hear again.

  That was my fault, Braden. I took his hand. We don’t have to touch. I won’t do it again.

  Her words and the feel of her tongue swirling over his fangs, had a positive effect. Eventually, his wolf face began to smooth out and he could kiss her in return.

  The moment he drove his tongue into her mouth, she collapsed against him. He didn’t need more proof than that and his wolf eased down until he was himself again.

  When he released her, he turned to Greg. Sorry about that. But please, don’t touch her. Though I haven’t marked her, she’s mine. The last word carried a warning growl.

  Greg nodded. I’ll be careful, Boss.

  Though he found the words didn’t leave his mouth easily, he said, If you need to, you have my permission.

  Got it, Boss.

  Greg turned to Maeve. It rocks you can levitate now.

  Maeve smiled. Yes, it does.

  Braden watched them take off. The remaining wolves drew close to him. He let each get a look at the garden, then drew them back into the shadows. Veyda’s security spell was still there, but behind them now.

  As a unit, each grew still and quiet, waiting and levitating. It was tough when the screaming would end for a few seconds, then the chanting would rise like nails on a chalkboard. He dreaded the moment it stopped. His sharp wolf hearing could detect Kiara’s agonized pleas for her torturers to let her die.

  Greg and his wolves, however, were seasoned. Five Bridges wasn’t a playground and Savage saw this kind of brutality as well.

  No more than two minutes had passed when Maeve and Greg returned.

  Greg gave a brief, seasoned report. No guards outside. A second main entrance at the east end with SUVs. Best guess, she’s got a force inside, but they’re not active on the grounds.

  Another scream made Greg stop and shut his eyes for a moment. Braden watched him take a deep breath and regroup.

  When his eyes opened, he continued. There’s also an exit of some kind on the north end. He then threw his arm toward the south. Beyond that gate, we’ve got high-end vehicles all lined up, most with drivers. But no security, except one at the far end. Looks like a cartel vehicle and two toughs by the car.

  Braden flared his nostrils. So, everyone inside must feel secure.

  That works in our favor.

  Braden cast his gaze around the team, six now with one wounded in the Graveyard. Arm up.

  Where do you want me? Maeve’s voice in his head brought him up short.

  Out of the line of fire.

  You might need me.

  I know. Stick close. Follow my orders.

  She nodded.

  He took one final deep breath of his own then cast his gaze around the squad. Let’s go get Kiara.

  He moved slowly into the garden. Maeve levitated beside him.

  As soon as they drew near the doors to the compound, his sensitive wolf nose detected a witch odor, something full of poison.

  The chanting had started again which meant Kiara was begging to die once more. The double front door was slightly ajar.

  Maeve pathed, I can feel Veyda’s presence. She’s not far.

  There was only one thing he wanted to know. Will you be able to see her?

  I have no idea. But I’m hopeful.

  Braden pulled the door open. The foyer was long and elegant. Paintings hung on either side and at the far end, a waterfall feature filled the space with soothing humidity. The floor was tiled with marble.

  I’ve been here before.

  Braden heard the despair in Maeve’s voice. This is definitely the place, then, where you killed the witches?

  It is.

  With his own emerging witch senses, Braden knew two things at once. This was where his wife had died and Maeve was close to remembering everything.

  Chapter Eight

  Maeve wasn’t sure if it was the smell or what, but she knew this was where Veyda had tried to force her to join the dark coven.

  She didn’t have a specific recollection, not of the elegant foyer. But the smell had lit up her memory. The past swooped down on her. She listed, but Braden caught her arm.

  Steady.

  She could feel the memory pressing in on her wanting to come back, to instruct
her. She realized the touch of emerald flame was enhancing her perceptions as well and possibly igniting the forgotten parts of that night.

  Any time she thought back to that terrifying experience when she’d first released her killing power, dread threatened to immobilize her.

  She closed her eyes and turned inward. What had Kiara said to her time and again, You must face and accept what happened fully, then you will be free.

  She knew she was close to remembering everything. She calmed her mind then focused on what could help Kiara right now.

  Slowly, her memory opened up with critical information. She could recall in detail the lay-out of this part of Veyda’s compound. Resolve descended like a steel wall. She would take this place down, one piece at a time, if it was the last thing she did.

  And she would start now.

  She pivoted to face the team and accessed the group telepathy. Beyond that lovely fall of water are two entrances. One, to the killing room. The other to the observation room.

  As much as I’d like to get into the latter and slice the throats of every paying customer, our goal is to get Kiara and get her out. But I want you to know, I intend to fry as many of these dark coven witches as I can. And I definitely intend to burn the room up.

  We’ll be entering to the left of the waterfall. Once inside there’s an emergency exit at the far west end, opposite our point of entry.

  The horrible chanting started up again. Let’s go.

  She turned around and let her killing energy rise in her left hand. Now facing the waterfall, she began to levitate.

  A witch appeared wearing one of the scarlet velvet gowns used for rituals.

  She opened her mouth to shout the alarm, but Maeve had already swept her arm in a quick swathe. A golden stream of energy hit the woman in the throat before she could utter a cry. She sank to the floor, dead.

  Levitating swiftly, Maeve reached the waterfall then flew to the left. The entrance, however, was blocked by a wizard she knew by name but whom she’d never met. Wizard Glissane. It was believed he worked hand-in-hand with the cartels.

  Power boiled in the air.

  Maeve’s heart set up a racket. Wizard Glissane could kill them all right now. Without hesitation, she sent a wave of energy toward him. He crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. Her killing power fell harmless to the floor, then he vanished.