Bewitching the Beast Read online

  Her heart leapt to her throat. Ethan . . . no, The Beast was losing ground against Kade. His face bloodied, he staggered back and raised his hand, the dragon on his palm barely lit. Kade grabbed a fire extinguisher from the wall and swung it high in the air. The canister crashed down on The Beast’s head, knocking him to the ground. He lay still. His eyes closed.

  Thunder boomed around them, and another crash resounded through the roof. A large crack raced along the ceiling and splayed into smaller fissures in the concrete.

  Taking a deep breath, Tess looped the amulet around her neck and rose unsteadily to her feet. She enclosed the gem in her hand.

  “Amulet, I change my command.

  Begin now with their glowing hands.

  Draw out the beasts’ energy with no haste. I mean, with haste.

  And this time . . .”

  Oh, screw it. She started over. Instead of focusing on rhyme and meter, she concentrated on funneling the energy of the storm into her words.

  “Amulet, draw out the beasts’ energy,

  And channel it into me.

  Then send these beasts to the spirit realm.”

  The icy wind changed direction, swirling around them. Kade’s glare snapped to Tess, one of his eyes swollen and purple.

  Tess’s legs shook as she took a step forward. The closer the amulet came to Kade, the faster it would work. She could do this. Her gaze darted to Ethan, and she squared her shoulders.

  Kade raised his hand.

  Tess held her breath. His power touched her, but she merely swayed on her feet. Confusion flashed through his eyes, and he stared down at his palm. She walked forward, her teeth chattering from the cold.

  He tried his hand trick again. Nothing. Tess forced herself to move faster. She held the power now. Already she could feel his energy seep into her body, warming her like a summer breeze. Kade lifted an arm to shield himself as she stepped closer. Lightning flashed around them. And Tess felt invincible for the first time in her life.

  Kade snarled, a low rumble that built into a roar. He leapt for her, and his hand clamped around her neck.

  Holy hell. She grabbed his arm and yanked.

  He squeezed tighter, choking off her air supply.

  Tess smacked him in the face with the mirror. He didn’t flinch. Already spots of black blotted her vision. She searched wildly around for something, anything to fight with. The glint of her athame lying next to The Beast caught her eye. She kicked out for the blade. Too far away. A grunt reached her ears, and The Beast’s foot tapped the knife. It skidded toward her. For a split second, she wondered if the person helping her was Ethan or The Beast, man or dragon. Man or dragon? That’s it. Maybe she had to bring out the humanity in Kade. If she combined her power with the mirror, the effect might last longer. It couldn’t hurt to try.

  She lifted the mirror, directing energy from the storm, the city, the universe, into the glass, and croaked out a spell. The magical words rolled off her tongue as if second nature.

  “Mirror, draw forth Kade, the man.

  Show him his true self, who he once was,

  Before his life as a beast began.”

  As if in a trance, Kade fixated on his reflection in the mirror, and his hold on her neck loosened.

  Before he could stop her, she took off the amulet and looped it over his head, then placed her hand along the side of his face and concentrated on drawing power from her heart. Her love for Ethan, her desire to save him flowed through her in a calming wave. Her breath caught as emotion poured from her—fear, pain, and love. Within moments, Kade’s green eyes faded to brown.

  “Kade?” Her voice wavered.

  Thunder boomed, and the building shook. The cracks in the walls grew, and pieces of concrete crashed to the floor.

  “We need to get out of here.” She didn’t know how long the mirror’s spell would last, but she had to make the most of it. Tess stared down at The Beast . . . no, Ethan. She refused to believe he was gone. “Help me move Ethan.”

  Kade studied his reflection with amazement.

  “Hey.” She nudged his shoulder.

  This time he looked at her, confusion in his brown eyes.

  “Kade, I have to believe you’re a good guy. Please, help me move him.” She pointed to Ethan’s body, and Kade’s gaze followed. “We need to leave the building before it collapses.”

  After a last glance in the mirror, he nodded and leaned over Ethan.

  Tess bent down to retrieve her athame, and something flew into her face. She stood. A gray pigeon flapped its wings in front of her. She swatted the thing, and the bird tried to peck her head. What the hell? Tess rushed toward the stairwell as Kade lifted Ethan over his shoulder and followed. No birds bothered them.

  The pigeon nagged her all the way to the door. Reminded her of the mockingbird back at her apartment. Mom? Behind her, the parking ramp groaned as a pillar gave way, and the ceiling above it broke free. Kade rushed forward with Ethan as the wreckage crashed down on them.

  “No!” Tess ran to the pile of rubble separating her from them. “Ethan!” A cloud of dust hung in the air. Coughing, she clawed at the pile of rock as tears sprang to her eyes. “Ethan!”

  “Please keep them safe, keep them well,” she chanted. “Keep them safe, keep them well.” She repeated the words again and again. The pigeon pecked at her head and shoulders, but she continued to dig. When the building grumbled again, louder this time, the bird stabbed her in the forehead with its bleeping beak. Worse, another joined in. Then another. Soon it seemed a whole flock hovered around her head, urging her toward the stairwell. The floor shifted under her feet, and Tess raced for the door, a sob escaping her throat. The moment she stepped inside, the building rocked, and a series of crashes echoed against the walls.

  The birds at her heels, she raced down the steps and out into the night, where they flew away. Gulping air, she dropped to her knees, unable to see through her tears. Ethan. He couldn’t be dead. She pulled her cell phone from her coat pocket with fumbling fingers and dialed 911.

  “9-1-1. Can I help you?”

  Tess froze. An image of Matt struggling for breath on her bedroom floor invaded her mind.

  “9-1-1. What’s your emergency?”

  Matt died before any help could arrive. Tess peered up at the broken building, half of its floors pancaked on top of one another. It was happening again.

  “Hello?”

  “A building collapsed,” she cried, her words mangled, “with two men inside. I need help.”

  “What’s the address?”

  She struggled to remember and gasped out the location. Sleet rained down on her, and her knees numbed. Ending the call, she slumped forward, her heart empty. A bone-deep chill enveloped her, and her body shivered violently against the cold. A hand gripped her shoulder. “Ethan?” Hope flared. She looked up, and the pain came crashing back. “Mom. How is it you’re here?”

  “Your grandmother came to me in a dream. She told me to come here.” Her mother cradled Tess’s face in her hands. “Are you hurt?”

  Tess stared down at her scraped fingers and shook her head.

  “You’re freezing.” Her mother rubbed her palms up and down Tess’s arms. “And your head—it’s bleeding. Let’s get you out of here.”

  “N-No. Ethan.” She flung her arm in the direction of the parking ramp. “He’s still in there with K-Kade.” Tess drew in a ragged breath. “Oh, God, no. They’re not dead. E-Ethan’s not dead.”

  In a back brace, her mother eased herself to the ground in front of Tess. “Hold my hands. If we combine our powers, there’s a chance.”

  “We could save them?”

  “We can try, but you need to calm down. Focus.”

  Tess took her mother’s hands and tamped down her fear. Li
ke before, her connection to her mother felt strong and pure. Closing her eyes, Tess tapped into the energy of the city—cars passing, the fading fury of the storm, people carrying on with their normal lives.

  Her mother’s words calmed and centered her.

  “To mine mother I now invite,

  And all on our ancestral tree.

  We require your magical might.

  Please awaken and hear our plea.

  For Ethan and Kade we fight,

  Together our powers are strong.

  Deliver these men from their plight.

  Save them from this mystical wrong.”

  The air grew thick with magic, and the ground trembled. Tess chanted the spell with her mother and focused her thoughts on the two men buried under the rubble, willing them to live. The vague sensation of sitting in the eye of a storm swept over her. Time ceased. She imagined Ethan and Kade swathed in protective light, their injuries mending.

  Sirens echoed around them. She held strong, deepening her focus until everything around her faded to nothingness. Not until her mother pulled her hands away did she blink her eyes open.

  A police officer stood over them. He took one look at Tess, dried blood caked on her face, and grabbed for the radio attached to his shoulder. “Paramedic needed at the south corner of the building.”

  “N-No, we’re not finished.” Tess grasped her mother’s hands. She couldn’t stop now. Ethan needed her.

  Her mother shook her head. “It’s up to the rescuers now.”

  Tess’s body shuddered, the cold overpowering. “But we’re not done yet.”

  No one heard her, or they didn’t care. A coarse blanket enveloped her, and a man in a paramedic uniform crouched beside her, inspecting the gash on her head.

  “We need to clear the area,” the officer said, helping her mother to her feet.

  Nearby, firefighters and policemen assessed the situation. A crowd formed behind them on the sidewalk, taking in the scene.

  In a daze, Tess let the EMT lead her to a safe distance. “They’re on the third floor.”

  “What?” The officer stopped on the street corner.

  “There are two men in there on the third floor,” she repeated. That much the rescuers needed to know.

  The policeman spoke into his radio again. He wore a wedding ring. Her groggy mind grasped onto that fact. He had a wife or a partner. Did he have any kids? She’d probably never get married—she had the worst luck with men. She stifled a sob.

  The officer wanted to question her, but the EMT intervened. He said something about hypothermia, and the policeman waved them away. He spoke to her mother instead. Their conversation became a blur. “Who were the men? Why did they go inside the ramp?”

  Rescuers combed through the debris as the EMT guided her to the back of an ambulance. “It’s going to be all right. I’m taking you to the hospital,” he told her, his tone soft and reassuring.

  “No.” She stumbled from his grasp and almost lost her footing. “I-I have to stay.” Her words slurred together. So tired. As darkness closed in around her, one thought whispered through her mind. Ethan was dead.

  Chapter 23

  Tess rose from her couch with the lethargy of an incredibly old woman and followed her parents to the door.

  “You’re sure you don’t want to come home? I could use the help.” A back brace still strapped around her torso, her mother’s stiff movements were painful to watch.

  Like she had every day for the last two weeks, Tess pasted on her cheery face. “I have a lot of work to catch up on at the gallery.”

  “Maybe I should stay here for a little while longer,” her mother pressed.

  Tess silently groaned. “Mom, I’ll be fine.” Her parents’ company took the edge off the first couple of days. Now she needed to grieve, alone.

  “Don’t worry.” Her dad patted Tess’s shoulder. “This time your mother stays home with me.”

  Tess smiled. Dad to the rescue.

  He drew Tess in for a hug. His oversized body enveloped her. “Although I may have to bolt her brace to a chair. And maybe put that chair in an ice fishing shack.” When she pulled away, he grinned. “That’ll give me something to do while I keep an eye on her.”

  “Call me if you need me.” The worry in her mother’s eyes tugged at Tess’s heart. No matter what had happened in the past, her mother cared.

  Tess stepped forward and wrapped her mother in a hug. “I’m going to be okay. I promise.”

  “I know you will.” Her voice held no sarcasm, only the reluctant confidence of a mother letting go.

  “Well, I think it’s time.” Her dad opened the door.

  “Mom.”

  Her mother turned back. “Hmm?”

  “Thanks.”

  Some of the tension lifted from her mother’s face. “Anytime.”

  Her parents walked down the hall, holding hands. The sight warmed Tess. Lasting love. It existed, just not for her. Ethan’s face clouded her vision, and a hollow ache tightened her chest.

  The phone rang. Sighing, she closed the door and crossed the room to pick it up. “Hello.”

  “This is the OB/GYN department at the NYU Langone Medical Center. I need to reschedule your next appointment with Dr. Valente. She has a conflict.”

  “Sure.” Tess grabbed a notepad and pen.

  The nurse checked the doctor’s schedule. As they worked out a new date and time, Tess doodled, letting the pen go where it would. After several minutes, she jotted down a reminder of the new appointment and hung up the phone. A checkup for her and the baby, one of many in the coming months. Their baby, all she had left of Ethan.

  She looked down at the paper, and Ethan’s eyes stared back. The ache in her chest intensified. Her doodles weren’t as random as she’d thought.

  Her hand trembled as she brushed a finger over the likeness. The eyes should be dark blue, midnight blue, with brushstrokes of ultramarine violet and a hint of turquoise.

  Tess rushed to her closet for her easel and painting supplies. The moment her paintbrush touched the canvas, she was lost in visions of Ethan—his wavy dark hair, his intense gaze, that rare, lazy smile. She remembered his tender touch, the way he smelled.

  A tear ran down her cheek. She’d failed him. If she’d been stronger, more experienced, she could have saved him.

  Gram had been right not to use magic meant to harm. Cursing the amulet had been a mistake. The resulting karma was far worse than the good it did. Ethan was dead.

  Tess inhaled a wavering breath and let Ethan’s image flow from her brush with caressing strokes. Her anger toward him for Matt’s death seemed meaningless now. Ethan had never wanted to hurt anyone, and yet he’d blamed himself for every victim The Beast had touched. She’d added to his pain. What she wouldn’t give to take it all back, the blame and resentment. She would give anything to tell him she loved him one last time.

  Ethan gazed at her from the canvas, the look on his face tortured. The painting blurred as her tears flowed faster and the guilt burrowed deeper.

  Moments turned to hours, and hours to days. Grief poured out of her, spilling into the images she brought to life. More canvases became wet with paint, and still she couldn’t stop. Sorrow and love kept her painting, kept her living.

  A knock on her door barely penetrated her concentration. “Come in. It’s open,” she called, adding another stroke of black for depth.

  The hinges squeaked as the door opened.

  Tess glanced over to see Holly in the hallway.

  “Can I come in?”

  Nodding, Tess turned to her work, swallowing the bitter words that threatened.

  “You’re painting again.” Holly shut the door and stepped closer. “Oh, Tess. These are wonderful.”

 
; “Thanks.” Tess clamped her brush between her teeth and reached for a fresh canvas.

  Holly strolled past the row of paintings. “No, really. I think we should show these to my dad.”

  “So now we’re friends again?” Anger flared inside Tess. She pushed the feeling away and set to work with a vision of the finished painting already in her head.

  “I’m sorry about Ethan.” Holly’s voice came from behind her.

  Tess blocked everything out but the canvas and the shades of color she would mix.

  “I should have come earlier.” Holly paused. “I didn’t know what had happened until your mother called me.”

  Tess tensed. “I would’ve thought you’d be happy Ethan’s gone.” She calmed again once she let visions of The Mood on New Year’s Eve settle into her mind, and the dim interior where she’d first seen Ethan.

  “I thought Ethan was going to hurt you. That’s all. I never had anything against him personally.”

  Her brush recreated the memory. She could almost hear the pounding music.

  “Tess, are you all right? Look at me.”

  He’d sat back with his knees spread, so casual and relaxed. What a lie. The Beast had haunted him that night. She’d seen it in his eyes.

  Holly grabbed Tess’s shoulders and turned her around. “Tess.”

  “What?” Tess snapped. “I’m in the middle of something.”

  “You look like you haven’t slept in days.”

  Had she? How much time had passed?

  “You do remember you’re coming to work on Tuesday.”

  “Have to. I’m getting hungry.” Tess glanced at the calendar in the kitchen. What day was it? “No money, no food.”

  “When did you eat last?”

  Had she eaten today? Yes, yes she had. Fruit and a granola bar.

  “Your mother asked me to check on you. You haven’t been answering your phone.”

  “As you can see, I’m fine.”

  “Are you?” Holly’s perfectly bobbed hair framed her expertly made-up face.