Spellbound Murder Complete Trilogy (Spellbound Murder Box Set Book 1) Read online

  After a moment, he laughed humorously. "It's funny. Over there, I had no trouble rambling things off. Granted, I nearly killed you, but here it feels stupid. It's as though that world wasn't real." He gently squeezed her hand. "Small price to pay, right?"

  He closed his eyes again. "Remember what it felt like. That's what you said there, and it worked."

  Mira could feel Gabriel's power swirl around him. The cool energy washed over her in a gentle wave.

  "Remember what it felt like," he murmured to himself. With his eyes still closed, he adjusted his posture and situated himself directly facing her.

  There was silence for a few moments, and then he said, in a loud clear voice, "Unlock."

  Nothing happened, but Mira suspected Gabriel knew that because he didn't open his eyes.

  "Unlock!" he yelled more forcefully.

  There wasn't so much as a wobble from Mira. She could feel his power building, but not to the point that it should be.

  He tried again with no effect.

  Using one hand, he pointed at her. "Unlock!"

  He opened his eyes, looking more than a little lost. Then his look hardened and his gaze darted around the room. He gripped Mira's hand. Then he stood, trying to look everywhere at once.

  The shaking started moments later. Mira tried to tense, tried to move, but could only watch as the walls seemed to vibrate.

  Gabriel's eyes locked onto the picture over her bed. He jumped on her, shielding her as it fell, smacking him on the back of his head. He grunted as it hit. Gabriel took her other arm and tucked it in under him, not letting go of her other hand.

  Dishes rattled, books fell to the floor, and things broke around the apartment, but the shaking continued. He was tense from head to toe. Gabriel locked eyes with Mira for a moment before closing his own and resting his forehead on hers. Something inside him seemed to break.

  "Dammit, Mira, come back."

  It wasn't loud. He didn't yell or point, but Mira felt his cool power go through her, shifting something.

  For the first time in what seemed like days, Mira took a deep, shuddering breath.

  Chapter 16

  Loud crashes came from the other room and it felt as though the whole apartment tried to come down, but at the moment, Mira didn't care.

  She took another deep breath for the sheer joy of it, and gripped Gabriel's hand.

  His eyes opened slowly, as though afraid.

  Everything stopped moving. The dishes were unconvinced that the earthquake had ended, and a few more crashed to the ground.

  Gabriel pushed the picture off and sat up. Mira wanted to hold him and not let go, but when she tried to grab his arm, her arm flopped around rather uselessly.

  "Oh, god," Gabriel said, "what did I do?"

  Mira laughed, but it turned into a sob.

  Looking panicked, he grabbed her arm and started an inspection.

  "It's okay," Mira said, her voice dry and cracking, tears running down her face. "It's asleep."

  She sat up, buried her face into Gabriel's chest, and wrapped her arms around him as best she could.

  Gabriel held her tightly. At first, she didn't care. She didn't try to stem her ragged breathing or tears. The pins and needles sensation spread through her arms and grabbed her attention. Sniffing, she tried to rein herself in. Gabriel didn't seem ready to let go, so she brought herself under control.

  She wriggled her toes until the sharp stabs of pain suggested her circulation was returning. When she wiped the tears from her face, Gabriel loosened his grip.

  "Sorry," she said, using the sleeve of her shirt to rub away the tears.

  "Don't be," Gabriel said.

  "Thank you." She had to grit her teeth to avoid falling apart again.

  "I trust I wasn't asked here to witness this." Emmit's voice sounded serene, but he glared harshly at Gabriel.

  Mira sniffed and shifted so that she could see Emmit.

  The glare didn't entirely leave, but worry crowded most of it away. "What happened?”

  "I should go," Gabriel said.

  "What?" Mira asked. "No, you shouldn't."

  "If all is well, maybe I should take my leave," Emmit said. "I was under the impression there was an emergency."

  "There was," Mira said. "I mean, there is." She closed her eyes and rubbed her head. "I think I need a minute."

  "Of course," Gabriel said, standing up quickly.

  "I smell like smoke and need to move around a bit," Mira continued.

  "Smoke?" Emmit asked.

  "Of course," Gabriel said, ignoring him.

  "Can you fill Emmit in on what happened?" Mira asked.

  Gabriel's sighed. "Yeah."

  "Thank you," Mira said, "because we really need to talk."

  Gabriel shut the door, leaving Mira alone in her room. She wiped any remaining moisture from her face. Once again, she flexed her fingers and her toes, making sure they were still there.

  They had trapped her inside her own body. Fuming, she grabbed a towel and shut herself away in the bathroom.

  It had been easy for them to cast the magic. All her life she had been content in her own strength. Even in college when she let her life and her magic fall apart, she still knew the strength was there.

  Today that had been taken away from her. She scrubbed from head to toe, taking her anger out on the bubbles. The fire had been stupid. She was ready to admit that. However, looking back, she wasn't sure she would have changed anything. Remembering John—a dead man—coming into the circle to get her, sent shivers down her body.

  What did he want from her? Why did he want her? He hadn't really wanted her, had he? He would have been happy to use her, that was true, but she had blundered into his path.

  Karma again? Mira turned off the water and let herself drip dry for a few moments.

  It was one possibility, but there was too much about the day that karma couldn't explain.

  What was she going to do now? John would come for Barney. She was sure of that. Barney was some sort of communication conduit from the other side. What they needed to communicate, however, she couldn't even begin to hazard a guess.

  Mira dried off and put on a fresh set of clothes.

  John coming after her was a possibility, but not a strong one. Mira getting in John's way was much more likely. Next time, though, she would be ready for them.

  They had trapped her inside her own body and she was going to make them pay for that.

  There was a chill in the air when she pulled on her socks. She wondered briefly how much damage the apartment had sustained, but was drawn from her thoughts when she heard yelling from the other room.

  Shoving her other foot into her sock, she scuttled into the living room.

  "I told you I didn't do anything!" Gabriel yelled.

  Emmit went to grab Gabriel's arm and stopped inches away due to an invisible barrier.

  "She doesn't have a ward, but you do?" Emmit asked. "Where did you get it?"

  "Mira made it," Gabriel said.

  Emmit stepped in and lowered his cold steel voice, intending for only Gabriel to hear. "And this is how you've repaid her?"

  Mira felt as though she needed a ward, as power clashed around the two.

  "Enough!" Mira yelled. "What the hell is wrong with you two?"

  They appeared to ignore her.

  "She wouldn't have needed the help if you were there." Darkness seemed to stretch up and around Emmit.

  Alchemy hissed, his hair standing on end.

  "She didn't want me there," Gabriel snapped.

  The fire around them ebbed. "It's not magic she can break," Emmit said, although he sounded unsure.

  "She didn't break it. She found a way around it."

  Emmit stepped back and seemed to regain his composure, but his voice remained icy. "This is not how I intended things to go."

  "Hey, SHE is in the room," Mira snapped.

  "No one gives a damn what you intended!" Gabriel seethed.

  It wasn't
until Mira put herself between the two that they seemed to notice her.

  This close, Mira could feel Emmit's power like a storm dammed up.

  "What is it with you two?" Mira asked, glaring from one to the other.

  The power that had built between the two slowly dissipated.

  "We seem to be missing some information," Emmit said, calmly.

  Mira shivered and rubbed her arms. "We have a lot to talk about." She looked around the room, feeling deflated at the sight of the mess. Then her eyes fell on Barney. He still sat in the corner. "Gabriel, will you close the window? Emmit, mind turning on the heat?"

  She didn't wait for a reply, but went over to Barney and sat on the floor next to him. "How are you doing?"

  "They won't leave me alone," he said.

  "Is it coming from the Ether?"

  Barney shook his head.

  "The same people we heard earlier?"

  Barney shrugged, and then nodded.

  Gooseflesh broke out on Mira's arm. "I think I have something that can help, but I need you to move towards the middle of the room." She wanted those voices well away from anyone she knew.

  Barney was reluctant, but moved out. Mira grabbed a long skein of silk yarn and began to unwind it as she walked around him.

  "That's what they did," Barney said glumly, watching the string being placed.

  Mira froze. "It's only temporary," she promised, "and you can step out of it anytime you want."

  He nodded, but didn't seem convinced.

  She finished the circle and twisted the strands together. "When you leave, step over the string, okay? Not on it." She traced symbols onto the carpet, and then touched the string, putting power into her spell. That little use of power had her wavering.

  The effect on Barney wasn't instantaneous to the eye. For a few moments, nothing changed, and then he opened his eyes—which had been scrunched tightly closed. He breathed deeply a few times and started to relax.

  "Later," Mira said, "I'll try to make you something you can carry with you that will have the same effects."

  Barney was exhausted, but now he had a wide circle around him, enough to stretch out and get a break from the constant attack on his mind.

  Mira waited until she felt steady before standing. Someone had stacked her fallen books up into a pile next to the bookshelf. Looking around, though, she saw that Gabriel and Emmit seemed as if they were conspiring together by the window. How could they go from yelling at each other one minute to another moment of being buddy buddy?

  "What's up?" she asked.

  Gabriel stood aside and motioned out the window.

  Frowning, Mira pushed back her curtains. The world began turning white. Snowflakes blotted out the big house.

  "No wonder it's so cold," Mira said, already missing the warmth. She stared out the window for a few minutes, thinking about the earthquakes, the heat, and now the swirls of snow. Life was complicated enough without the atmosphere fighting against you.

  "We should talk," Emmit said.

  Mira glanced at Barney, who seemed to be meditating in the circle. "In the kitchen. I'll make us some tea."

  "Shoes," Gabriel said. "Trust me, you're going to need them if you go in there."

  The idea of seeing her kitchen in such a mess made her cringe, but she figured, as she laced up her shoes, she couldn't put it off forever.

  Even though she had braced herself for the mess, she groaned when she saw it. It seemed like everything had rattled itself off of shelves. It had caused more damage than the previous earthquakes put together. Trying to ignore the worst of the chaos, she waded over to the stove.

  "I'm not sure I should chance the burners," Mira said. "At least not until the gas can be checked."

  "There are a lot of blanks about the day that we need you to fill in," Emmit said.

  "Yeah," Mira sighed, "I know."

  The story unfolded while Mira made tea. Once that was done, she talked while starting to clean. The others helped where they could, organizing, stacking, sweeping. They managed to get much more done than she had anticipated. Mostly because it was a long story to tell.

  Once she reached the part where she discovered John, Emmit interrupted.

  "It couldn't have been John," Emmit said.

  "You're right," Mira said, "it wasn't him. It was that thing that possessed him, wearing him like a costume. The moment he spoke, I recognized the voice, but I couldn't be sure it was him until he showed himself."

  "How did he get here?" Emmit asked.

  "We weren't exactly having a back and forth dialogue," Mira said. "John was going to toss me into the Ether for the enjoyment of his friends. He thought they could use me for something. I was more interested in keeping him the hell away from me."

  "He couldn't have—"

  "Trust me," Mira said, "he was intent on doing just that. Besides, if he's here, it means there is a way to get back and forth." Emmit opened his mouth, but Mira cut him off. "And if you're going to tell me again that it's not possible, you're deluding only yourself."

  Emmit pursed his lips.

  "It's not surprising," Gabriel said. "When we were at Barney's apartment the other day, it felt as though we were almost in the Ether again."

  Mira nodded. "It felt as if something was right there with us."

  There was a knock at the front door, then it immediately opened and Ian called out. Gabriel went to meet him in the living room.

  "I know you don't want it to be true," Mira told Emmit the moment they were alone, "but he is back. It's not something I would lie about."

  "Could you have been drugged?" Emmit suggested. "Hallucinating, perhaps?"

  Mira shook her head and looked down. "He was having too much fun seeing my reaction while sober."

  She didn't see Emmit move, but he was beside her in the space of a breath and hugged her briefly.

  "I'm so sorry," Emmit said.

  Not expecting the contact, Mira almost jumped, but the contact felt good. At least until Gabriel and Ian walked in. Then it turned awkward.

  Emmit let go, but didn't move far away. "This changes a lot." Sadness filled his words, but Mira had no idea where it came from. "Everything, in fact. Is there anything else you can tell me?"

  "You know the rest," Mira said. "John was the ninth person, but it was the chorus of six that, well, did what they did to me."

  "John?" Ian asked.

  "I'll fill you in," Gabriel said. "Maybe we should—"

  "No," Emmit said quickly. "I'm leaving. Mira, would you see me out."

  "Of course," Mira said. She couldn't look at Gabriel or Ian when she led Emmit through the living room.

  "Are you going to be okay driving home?" Mira asked.

  "I assure you," Emmit said, "Reinfield's men will see me safely home."

  "Of course," Mira said.

  "I am sorry this has happened," Emmit said.

  "Any ideas of what we should do?" Mira asked.

  Emmit glanced at the spot where the kitchen light streamed into the living room. "As much as I'd rather not say it, keep Gabriel close by if you can."

  "I'm sure no one's going out in this weather," Mira said.

  "Dead men have little to worry about," Emmit said. "There's a lot I need to do. I should be going." He was almost at the door, when he hesitated and turned back to her. "Would you..."

  Mira's heart skipped a beat, but she had to urge Emmit to continue. "Would I, what?"

  "I know this has been a trying day and you probably need your rest, but would you spend tomorrow with me?"

  Mira's couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face. "I'd like that."

  Emmit's face softened. "I'll be here in the morning around ten." He gave her a rather chaste kiss before opening the door and disappearing in the sheet of white storming down.

  When she turned to the kitchen, Mira's smile wavered. A week ago, she had wanted to spend the day with Emmit. As much time as possible, in fact. Now, the thought of telling Gabriel made her
second think her date with Emmit.

  That's silly, she scolded herself. Gabriel hasn't shown any real interest in you. He saved your life several times, but he felt he needed to, more or less.

  To stall for time, she was going to ask if Barney needed anything, but found him asleep on the floor. She should have pulled the couch away from the wall, at least. Maybe she could get Ian and Gabriel to help with that. A circle around the couch wouldn't be any more difficult than on the floor, right?

  For now, Mira grabbed a pillow and blanket for Barney before going back to the kitchen.

  Mira's stomach growled at the smell of food in the air when she entered.

  "It's good to see you up and around," Ian said. "I'm pretty sure Della would have a few choice words for us if we hadn’t been able to get you fixed up."

  "All thanks to Gabriel," Mira said.

  "I brought food for everyone," Ian continued. "Want to see if Barney needs anything?"

  "He's asleep," Mira said, sitting down at the mostly cleared table.

  "Help yourself," Ian said.

  "Thanks," Mira said.

  "Gabriel and I were just discussing how this affects our case," Ian said. "Chasing a dead man isn't exactly something we can put in the case files."

  "According to the case files, though," Mira said, "he's alive."

  "True," Ian said, "but aren't people going to notice if we bring him in?"

  "I think we're jumping ahead of ourselves," Gabriel said. "We have to find him first."

  "What do you think he wants with the supernaturals?" Mira asked. "At least one of the chanters was a witch."

  "Maybe he's recruiting them," Ian suggested.

  Mira narrowed her eyes. "I don't think Tyler would have been hiding under a hood watching John feed me to monsters."

  "Of course not," Gabriel agreed, giving Ian a 'stop right there' look. "But he disappeared a week ago, before the most current group of magic users. If John is recruiting witches, it’s something new."

  It was enough to mollify Mira partially. Her phone sounded with a text from Della, which distracted her from the aggravation.

  Stuck in town. Are you at home? Everything okay there?

  We’re good here, Mira replied. Only a little shaken up.

  We? Della asked.

  Gabriel and Ian are here.