Aden wanted to ask for Caleb’s help, but didn’t. He wouldn’t risk it. So many screens passed him, some of Jennifer as a little girl, some of Jennifer with a boy, obviously in love, some of Jennifer crying.
Then he saw the unexpected. Dr. Hennessy. Aden stopped breathing. He reached out before he’d realized what he was doing, inserting himself into a new scene. Dizzy only for a moment, he blinked and was clear-headed. This time, he found himself in the very woods he walked through every day. Only, the blonde witch and Dr. Hennessy were keeping pace beside him.
Again, it was night and the moon was high, the air frigid. In the distance, he could hear the howl of several wolves.
The blonde witch tensed.
“Do not worry about the wolves,” Dr. Hennessy said. “They can’t see or sense us.”
And why was that? A spell? What kind of power did the doctor possess?
“So what are you doing here?” the blonde demanded of the doctor.
So beautiful, Caleb said. And mine, I think. We have to talk to her, Aden. Please.
Hush! Aden hissed, but he wasn’t sure if the soul heard him or not. Do you want to alert Jennifer?
Now is not the time for chatter, Caleb, Elijah reminded the soul, perhaps sensing Aden’s thoughts. The psychic was more attuned to him than the other two.
There’s never a good time.
“The same thing you are, I’m sure,” Dr. Hennessy replied, yet his voice was different, softer, more feminine. “You, too, felt that explosion of power, Marie, then the tug of whatever’s here.”
Marie. Another name. This conversation must have happened when they’d first arrived in Oklahoma, when they hadn’t yet known Aden was the source of the “tug.”
“Yes,” Marie said. “We did. Are you saying you didn’t cause that tug to lure us into a trap?”
“Of course that’s what I’m saying. We’re allies. Unless you meant to lure us into a trap. This feels like black magic to me.”
“As you know, we do not deal in the black arts.”
“Then we’re still allies.”
The tension eased. “Great, but admitting we’re still on friendly terms is not the reason you called this meeting, I’m sure. And will you please drop the mask? You’re hideous like that, and I can’t stand to look at you a second longer.”
Dr. Hennessy frowned. “Subterfuge is necessary.”
“With the humans, yes, but not with us.”
“Oh, very well.” White light seeped from the doctor’s pores, brightening…brightening…before exploding in a shower of sparks. When those sparks faded, Aden could only gape. Ms. Brendal now stood in Dr. Hennessy’s place.
They were one and the same?
Did I just see what I think I just saw? Caleb asked.
I never suspected, Elijah breathed.
I’m…I’m… Julian couldn’t finish his thought.
Why had Brendal come to the ranch as herself, then, after pretending to be Dr. Hennessy? Because Dan had told “Dr. Hennessy” that Aden would be finding a new doctor? No, because the dinner invitation had come before the firing. This was…this was…too weird. He—she—was a fairy.
“Better,” Marie said. “And thank you.”
Again, Brendal shrugged, but her gaze snagged on Aden and she quirked a brow. “I’m beautiful, yes, but there’s no reason to stare at me.”
“Uh, sorry.” Aden cast his gaze to his feet. He wore sandals under his robe and his toenails were painted neon green. What the— Oh, yeah. He was in Jennifer’s body.
Marie nudged his shoulder, and he glanced up. She was frowning at him, a what’s-with-you glare in her eyes.
“So what do you plan to do about the tug?” Brendal asked, returning them to the only topic that mattered.
“Tell us your plans first,” Marie said.
Brendal gave another of those casual shrugs. “Very well. We must first discover the source of the allure. Is it human? Something man-made? Something just found beneath the earth?” She closed her eyes for a moment, inhaled deeply. Her step never faltered. “We are close to it, whatever it is. I can feel it more strongly than ever.”
Aden tried not to cringe.
“Me, too,” Marie said.
“Me, too,” Aden echoed, just to blend in. “What do you plan to do with it when you find it?”
“Dispose of it, of course,” the fairy said.
“Maybe we should keep it instead,” Marie suggested.
Brendal blinked in confusion. “Why would we want to?”
At Aden’s left, branches and leaves rattled together. Then several goblins sprinted out, their short legs moving faster than Aden would have thought possible. They were grinning evilly, grins that said this was all a game, blood dripping from the corners of their mouths. Two wolves burst after them, leaping through the air and slamming into their backs, sending them hurtling to the ground face-first.
A second later, high-pitched screams, growls, snarls and pleas erupted, then silence reigned. As Brendal had promised, neither the goblins nor the wolves noticed the trio.
Aden watched, horrified. He didn’t recognize the wolves, and he knew what they were doing was for the best, for the protection of the people, but…all that violence.
Brendal and Marie continued walking, unconcerned. When they realized Aden had fallen behind, watching the action, they turned. Frowning again, Marie motioned him over with a wave of her hand. He hurried to catch up, and they kicked back into gear as a group.
“This is a rare opportunity,” Marie went on as if they’d never been interrupted. “Let’s assume the tug comes from a human rather than an inanimate object, which I believe it does because we’re being pulled in different directions all the time, usually at the same time each day. The power required to do something like that must be tremendous. And therein lies the opportunity. Because not only were we summoned, but the vampires and their furry friends were, too.
“If we capture this human, we can harness its strange power for ourselves and lead our enemies into a trap. I mean, think about it. If we slaughter the vampires and the wolves, we’ll no longer have to worry about being used as a blood bank or medicine chest, and you’ll have protected your precious humans from the giant ticks we so abhor.”
Ticks. Aden’s hands fisted at his sides. Victoria was not a tick.
“Neither of our people is known for sharing, Marie. This you know,” Brendal said. “How would we share this human? If we are indeed looking for a human.”
“We’ll work out a custody plan. Anything is better than destroying someone—thing—so powerful.”
So. She didn’t want to destroy him. That was good to know, and finally something he could use.
“Unless that something powerful can be used against us,” the fairy said.
Marie sighed. “True.”
“Well, we’ll continue to search for it and reconvene when we’ve found it. Meanwhile, we must keep each other informed of our progress. Agreed?” Brendal asked.
“Agreed.”
Silence. Expectant silence, at that.
Brendal flicked Aden a glance. “Your apprentice is quiet. Have you no thoughts, girl?”
Once again, Aden found himself pulling back. He couldn’t think of an answer to give the fairy, and didn’t want to alter the future too much, so he imagined himself back inside Jennifer’s head. This time, when he settled into his shadowed corner, he realized the TV screens were no longer floating about and the boxes had returned.
Why? Had he given himself away? Or had he altered the future?
With a sigh, Aden stepped from the shadows.
Who’s there? Jennifer immediately demanded.
Without replying, Aden reached an arm out of her body, then the other, then a leg, then the other, until he was standing in front of her, sweating, panting. His knees gave out and he dropped, putting himself at eye-level with her. Or more accurately, blindfold-level. Body-possessing always weakened him, but the act had never done so this quickly. He must have stayed there too long.
“What did you do to me?” Jennifer shouted. “You’re the reason for my blackouts, aren’t you? Because it just happened again. Answer me!”
Blackouts. That’s how she saw the times he’d gone back. He’d changed the future, then. Made her weary and wonder what had been done to her.
She’s alive and she’s healthy, Caleb said with relief. Good job, Team Aden.
“Thank God,” Victoria breathed, suddenly behind him, arms wrapping around him, body heat seeping into him, strengthening him. “We didn’t think you would ever emerge.”
“How much time passed?”
“About six hours.”
His eyes widened. That long? The day was wasting away, a mere blink of time left. “Help me up,” he said, urgent.
She stood and dragged him with her, stronger than a girl who looked so delicate should be. With her arm around his waist, they left the room and the still-shouting witch. Down the hall and into another room they stumbled. There was a couch and a chair, both empty.
“Where’s Riley?” Aden asked as he plopped on the couch.
“He and Mary Ann went to get something to eat.” Victoria settled beside him. “Did you learn anything?”
“Nothing that helps us with the meeting.”
Her shoulders drooped with disappointment. “Then what did you learn?”
“I learned I have worse luck than I thought. Not only did Dr. Hennessy hypnotize and ward me, but it turns out he is really a she, and she is really a fairy. Nice, huh? She and the witches are working together, planning to use me to draw the vampires and wolves into a trap so both races can be slaughtered.”
“Okay, that’s a lot to absorb.”
“I know, and I’m sorry to throw it at you like this. But why haven’t they just snatched me up? Both the fairies and the witches now know I’m the one pulling at them, and they’ve had the opportunity.”