Winter Magic Page 15

  The wind kicked up, and with it, the sand lifted to swirl around the three of them. A furious Winnie shoved at Rafe’s chest. “What is it about me that shouts ‘Let’s play Winnie for a fool’?”

  The sand particles stung where they connected with skin, and Zane lifted his hands to protect his face and eyes.

  “Win!” His call was lost to the wind.

  “I am sick to death of people mistaking me for gullible. You were supposed to be my friend, Rafe!” she shouted over the howling wind. “My friend! Do you realize what you’ve done?”

  Zane absently noted that while sand, pieces of plant, and slivers of broken pottery swirled around Winnie, she maintained a protective pocket of air around her. Neither Rafe, nor himself, were as lucky. Zane felt the sharp sting of a pottery shard cut open his forearm, and he winced at the pain.

  “Winnie!” he yelled again as he fought his way against the tropical-storm-force winds to reach her. “Winnie, stop!”

  Rafe’s face lost its tan as he stared at Winnie. Could be, for the first time, he realized the power of a Thorne witch. Zane almost felt sorry for the bastard. Having experienced what Winnie could do—eight years of it without even knowing—Zane could’ve told Rafe that she was more powerful than she seemed.

  He managed to get close enough to wrap his arms around her. “Babe, stop!”

  The air went still. “Call them off, Rafe,” she ordered. “Call them off, or I flip their SUVs.”

  Rafe frowned and glanced over his shoulder. “Those aren’t anyone I’m associated with.”

  The three of them exchanged glances and came to the same conclusion.

  “Lin,” they stated in stereo.

  “We need to teleport. Now!” Rafe said. He grabbed each of their hands. But nothing happened. “He’s commissioned Blockers.”

  “What the hell are Blockers?” Zane asked.

  “What the hell does it sound like?” Rafe snapped. “They’re witches and warlocks who have the ability to block others from teleporting.”

  “What if the three of us work together? Maybe we can overpower them.” Winnie asked as she eyed the distance between them and the oncoming enemy.

  “Pick a place,” Rafe said.

  “Poolside in Malta?” Winnie suggested gripping Zane’s hand tighter.

  “Works for me,” Zane agreed.

  “On three,” Rafe stated. “One… two… three.”

  Again, they were grounded.

  Winnie released Zane’s hand and grabbed her necklace. “Uncle Alastair, if you can hear me, we’re under attack in Saqqara. We can’t teleport out, and I don’t know if anyone can teleport in.”

  Her worried expression wasn’t reassuring either Zane or Rafe.

  Zane made a decision. He grabbed Winnie’s hand and tugged her into a run. “Head for the pyramid,” he shouted as he pointed toward two triangular formations in the distance.

  The first structure was roughly seventy yards from the temple ruins. Odds were, they wouldn’t make it, but it was worth a try.

  * * *

  With each labored breath Winnie took, she mentally cursed herself for not sticking to a daily exercise routine. She also silently scolded herself for not anticipating the Blockers. But really, who the hell could’ve possibly known those type of witches existed? With the exception of her hotel room the one time, Winnie had had no experience with this type of thing. Their only hope would be to outrun the area spelled by the Blockers.

  When the stitch in her side made taking another step impossible, she tugged out of Zane’s grasp. She wasn’t going to make it, but Zane and Rafe might stand a chance. “I can’t,” she panted. “Go on… without me.”

  “Fuck no! That’s not happening, Win.”

  “I can’t… run… anymore.”

  Without a by-your-leave or warning of any kind, Zane heaved her up onto his shoulder in a classic fireman’s hold and hauled ass toward the pyramid. She rose up and pushed her hair out of her eyes to see Rafe keeping time. The SUVs were closing in fast and almost upon them.

  They weren’t going to make it!

  Winnie threw up her arms and said, “Goddess hear my plea and assist us in our time of need.” She called her air element and pulled from the earth to create a solid wall of dirt.

  They all heard the impact as the lead SUVs crashed. But the other four vehicles circled around her makeshift wall.

  Winnie lifted her joined fists and separated them in a sharp gesture. “Hole!”

  A crack appeared in the ground behind them, and the crevice was large enough to catch the wheels of vehicle three. Four, five and six continued without slowing.

  Internally, Winnie gathered her strength for a hurricane-force blast.

  Zane stumbled in that moment.

  They went down in a tangle of body parts, taking Rafe out in the process.

  As the three of them scrambled to their feet, the remaining SUVs circled and closed in around them. They were trapped.

  Winnie lifted her hands for another attempt to save them, but the cocking of a weapon from behind caught her attention.

  “Winter Rose.”

  Lin’s smarmy, smug face appeared in her peripheral as he exited his vehicle.

  Zane and Rafe closed rank around her in a misguided attempt to protect her. She could’ve told them not to bother. Lin would cut through them in nothing flat.

  She turned her hands over and lifted her palms toward the sky. A thick mist descended outside the air bubble she’d created around their small group.

  A shot rang out. Rafe grunted and dropped to the ground.

  “Disperse the mist, or I’ll open fire on your lover, Winter Rose,” Lin commanded. “You already know you cannot teleport.”

  The uniform clicking of men positioning their guns echoed around them.

  Fire flared to life and danced across Zane’s fingertips. “It’s your call, Win. Chances are, he intends to kill us anyway.”

  “Last chance, Ms. Thorne,” Lin said sharply.

  Winnie had never been so torn. Zane was probably right, but if she could spare him, she’d gladly give herself over to Lin.

  “I have one condition,” she called out.

  “I don’t think you’re in a position to negotiate,” Lin returned.

  “I believe I am. You see, you can probably gun us down, but not before Zane can barbecue your ass. So, I repeat. I have one condition.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “Win,” Zane whispered urgently. “Don’t you dare give yourself in exchange for me. Don’t you do it.”

  As she remained locked on Zane’s worried face, she raised her voice to say, “Zane and Rafe go free.”

  “No,” Lin said without inflection, as if deciding whether to have strawberry or grape jam on his toast.

  “Did you miss the part where she said I’d set fire to your ass, Lin?” Zane called out.

  “One life in exchange for yours, Winter Rose. Not both.”

  She closed her eyes.

  “Save Rafe, Win. I’m not leaving you.”

  “Don’t be a martyr, asshole,” Rafe panted from where he knelt on the ground. “I’m as good as dead anyway. Lin laces his bullets with poison, as your girlfriend is well aware.”

  “Time’s up, Winter Rose. Make your choice,” Lin said, almost kindly.

  “Zane,” she called. “I want you to release Zane.”

  “No!” Zane shouted and threw a line of fire toward the direction of Lin’s voice.

  Screams of pain could be heard, but none of them reflected the arrogant voice of Lin.

  Zane had missed him.

  “Fire!” Lin ordered.

  Time froze as the reports of the rifles sounded. The hail of bullets hung in the air around them. Taking advantage of the spare seconds, Winnie had the presence of mind to drag Zane down and shove Rafe flat as she hit the dirt. With a prayer to the Goddess, she swirled her hands up and about, creating a cyclone above their heads and whisking away the bullets.

  It wa
s all she could manage before time rebounded with a pop.

  “Nice work, babe.” Zane praised, careful to keep his voice low. He threw another line of flames toward the SUV on his left and urged them to army crawl in the opposite direction toward the gap between the vehicles. “What about you, hero? What’s your superpower?”

  “He can’t use magic in his condition,” Winnie whispered. “His ramped up cells will make the poison work that much faster. It’s the same reason I can’t heal him with my magic; I could become infected.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Yep.”

  “I can try to hold them off, qalbi,” Rafe offered.

  “No, we’re all getting out of this. Keep moving.”

  Rafe grunted. “Is she always this bossy?” he asked Zane.

  “Yep. You dodged a bullet when she fell in love with me, man,” Zane tossed back.

  “Good one,” Rafe muttered.

  Inappropriate laughter bubbled up, and Winnie fought to suppress the accompanying giggle.

  “Give yourself up, child.”

  The thought screamed through her mind, and Winnie grabbed her head against the pain the sudden psychic onslaught brought.

  “Give yourself up to Lin. I will come for you.”

  Alastair. Her uncle had to be utilizing strong magic in order to break through the blockers.

  “He’ll kill them, Uncle.”

  “He will if you don’t surrender. If you do, he’ll likely keep them alive to control you.”

  “We are almost to the pyramid.”

  “He has more men arriving momentarily. You are cut off.”

  Winnie halted her forward movement. “Zane, stop.”

  “Win? We don’t have time.”

  “Alastair said we’re trapped. Lin has reinforcements.”

  “Christ! Does he have a way out?” Zane asked, voice low.

  “No. He suggested we surrender.”

  “Are you kidding me right now? That lunatic will shoot us for sport, Winnie.”

  “Alastair is coming. I just need to keep you both alive until he does.”

  “What about you, Winter? Who will keep you alive?” Rafe asked gravely.

  Winnie crouched and slowed the cyclone marginally. “I have a plan for that too.” She withdrew three vials from her pocket. “Thank you, Goddess,” she whispered fervently for the sudden appearance of the serum and handed a container to each man. “Drink this and bury your container in the sand.” She uncapped hers and downed it.

  23

  “Lin?” Winnie shouted out. “I’ve changed my mind. I’d like to surrender, but I still have that condition.”

  The gunfire ceased, and she slowed the cyclone to a tropical-speed wind.

  “You still here, Zhu?” she called. Couldn’t hurt to appear friendly by using his first name, she reasoned.

  “I’m here, Ms. Thorne.”

  Ms. Thorne. That meant Lin wasn’t a happy man. And rightfully so. She’d taken out three vehicles while Zane burned a handful of his men.

  “I want you to spare Zane,” she shouted across the distance.

  “Stand and clear the mist.”

  Winnie did as Lin ordered.

  Then she got her first glimpse of him and gasped. She didn’t know how he did it, but not a single black hair of the thick, slicked-back mass was out of place. Winnie doubted she looked as neat. With an involuntary glance down at her shirt, she swiped at the sand and dirt there.

  From the corner of her eye, she noticed two men utilizing magic to heal the others of their team. Taking stock of Lin’s numbers, she changed tactics.

  “Okay, so hi!” she said cheerfully. “I figure we can start again. I think we got off on the wrong foot.”

  Zane snorted at her feet and slowly rose. He held out a helping hand to Rafe.

  “Is that so, Winter Rose?” Lin asked as he strolled in her direction. A simple hand gesture on Lin’s part had most of his army closing in behind her.

  Winnie held up a hand, and Zane’s flame flared back to life.

  “Far enough, Zhu. I need some assurances first.”

  A crafty smile spread over Lin’s countenance. “I assure you I will not kill him.”

  “Nor will your men,” she clarified.

  “Nor will my men.”

  “I want your word.”

  “Are you questioning my honor, Ms. Thorne?” His tone had turned dangerous.

  Winnie stepped toward Lin. “No. I know if you give me your word, you’ll keep it. It’s why I asked for it.”

  “Smart girl.” Alastair praised through their private connection.

  A light entered Lin’s pale green eyes, and to Winnie, it looked like respect.

  “I give you my word.”

  “Thank you. Now, if you’ll remove the block for the two of them to teleport, I’d be much obliged.”

  “That will not be possible.” Lin strolled forward and wrapped his hands lightly around her throat.

  Zane growled behind them, but Winnie held up a hand for him to stay where he was. The last thing she needed was for him to take it into his head to attack Lin for touching her.

  “He’s uncivilized, Winter Rose. Not the man for you.” Lin told her as he stroked the column of her throat.

  “And you are?” she asked casually.

  “I could be.”

  “Somehow, I suspect if I take you up on your offer, you’ll be disappointed in me.”

  Lin dropped his arm to his side and smiled. “You are correct. Come.”

  Winnie stood her ground. “What about Zane and Rafe?”

  His cold gaze swept past her to focus on the men in question. “Bring them,” Lin ordered.

  Zane and Rafe were forced into one vehicle while she was escorted to another. They all drove the short distance to the temple ruins and parked outside the border of the grid they’d set up.

  “I want the amulet. You and your lover will get it for me.”

  She snorted in her self-disgust. “You never had any intention of killing him outright, did you? Not until you got what you wanted.”

  “I was testing your abilities,” Lin confirmed.

  “What if I wasn’t as powerful as you’d originally thought?”

  “I would have mourned your loss.”

  “Doubtful.”

  “No, when the time comes, I will mourn you.”

  Winnie stared into the soul of the man. “I was told the Désorceler Society no longer exists except for you. You don’t have to continue down this path.”

  “This has always been a much bigger movement than you or your family will ever understand.”

  “Explain it to me. Help me understand,” she urged.

  He studied her for a long moment.

  During that time, Winnie was careful to appear sincere—which she was. If she could find a way to end the war between Lin and her family, she would.

  To her surprise, he launched an explanation.

  “We have common ancestors, you and I.”

  Her lower jaw hit her chest.

  Lin chuckled and tapped it closed. “I’m not the long-lost bastard of any of your close ancestors. But I descend from the line of Isis’s sister, Serqet. She fell from grace, and her powers were stripped from her. On that day, she swore revenge against her sister.

  “You see, Isis was the cause of my ancestor’s misfortunes. Had she not interfered when Serqet set out to punish another, the war between our families would not exist.”

  “At some point, you have to let bygones be bygones, Zhu. I mean, if we’re cousins, I’m willing to forgive and forget. Just let us go and—”

  “Enough. I gave you the courtesy of an explanation. You turn it into a joke.”

  “My life is no joking matter,” she countered earnestly. “Nor are the lives of Rafe and Zane. Neither are related to Isis, by the way.”

  “They are the casualties of war.”

  “Casualties? You gave me your word that you wouldn’t kill them!”

  “I will stick
by my word.”

  Winnie knew Lin would find a way around his promise, his slip of the tongue proved as much. She only hoped she was able to stall long enough for reinforcements to arrive.

  “Pardon me if I’m starting to have reservations about your sincerity. You’ve mentioned my death and the deaths of Zane and Rafe. That’s not instilling confidence.”

  He cocked his dark head to the side and narrowed his eyes as if he were trying to understand her reasoning. Or perhaps he was waiting for her to comprehend what he was saying.

  When it dawned on her, she could’ve smacked herself in the head.

  “You’re a warlock.” She studied him. It was the only explanation that made sense. He didn’t age like a mere mortal. “A warlock without powers.”

  Lin’s eyes crinkled, and he applauded. “Very astute, Winter Rose. But I do have power, as you will soon find out. It may not be natural born, but it is useful to me all the same.” He signaled someone over her shoulder, and the door opened behind her.

  As Winnie exited the SUV, her eyes connected with Jolly Ollie—aka Uncle Ryker—who tried to convey a silent message. She’d almost failed to recognize him in his magical disguise. Had Alastair not given her a photo of Ryker in disguise with the aerial photos of the ruins, Winnie wouldn’t have recognized him at all.

  With an infinitesimal bob of her lowered head, Winnie acknowledged him without appearing obvious. She needed to be on alert for when their chance to escape arrived.

  “Winter Rose.”

  Lin’s commanding voice stopped her in her tracks. She faced him, brows raised.

  “I will need a promise from you now.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “You will be my bride.”

  Despite the dire situation, Winnie doubled over as laughter took hold.

  Lin’s tone was pure ice when he said, “I do not understand what you find humorous.”

  A glance around showed the shocked faces of his minions. Even Zane, Rafe, and Ryker were stunned by her hilarity.

  “Sorry. I was picturing family gatherings. Can you imagine how well it would go over when I brought you home?” The picture she painted brought on more giggles she found too difficult to contain. “Alastair’s face would be priceless.”