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Synopsis
Bestselling author Alexandra Ivy’s newest adventure in the Magic for Hire series returns to the small New Jersey bookstore and mage’s office, Witch’s Brew, where Maya, Peri, and Skye match wits against a thief with skills like they’ve never seen . . .
Wynn takes what she wants. Nothing stops her: not walls, not spells, not even a coven of clever mages. Certainly not rules. Her immunity to magic gives her access to rare artifacts and a life of luxury, but her cunning, fearlessness, and defiant nature protect her in a world where no one cares. It’s worked for centuries—but now the horrible dreams haunting her suggest a corruption has gotten past her guard. Inconvenient timing, since somehow a mysterious stranger is tracking her, moving closer with every job.
When he finally catches up, Azh is like no one Wynn’s ever known. Gorgeous, secretive, and oddly protective, he seems to think the corruption burning through Wynn is an ancient curse on his people, the dragons who are trapped in hibernation. She can’t trust him, even if the tingly feeling she gets when he’s near is its own kind of magic. But as Wynn’s enemies close in, Azh makes for an irresistible ally. And if they can uncover the truth about the treachery that’s warped both their pasts, she’ll see where his loyalties truly lie . . .
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Print pages: 256
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Dragon Magic
Alexandra Ivy
Chapter 1
Maya Rosen was bored. A shocking realization for the powerful mage. Usually she was running around like a maniac trying to keep up with her endless to-do list.
After all, in the past few months she’d acquired a vampire mate, Ravyr. She’d taken on the training of potential mages who equally inspired and frustrated her to the point of exhaustion. And she’d completely remodeled the deep basement beneath the Witch’s Brew coffee shop in Linden, New Jersey.
The basement had started off as a barren hole in the ground, but now it was a luxurious apartment with elegant furnishings and high-tech gadgets that Ravyr used in his security-for-hire business. She’d also replaced the vault she used to protect her vast collection of magical charms, amulets, relics, and a stockpile of potions with a massive steel safe that could withstand everything from an earthquake to a magical tsunami, and even the fire from a dragon.
Not that everything had changed, of course. The Witch’s Brew still looked the same. The small bakery still had white tiled floors and lavender walls lined with shelves of pastries and round tables set near a large front window that offered a charming view of the street. It still oozed with the fragrance of freshly baked muffins that lured in customers by the hundreds. It was still attached to the shadowed bookstore where a customer could settle in a leather chair and become lost in a cozy world far removed from their own. And there was still a private office at the very back of the building where Maya negotiated contracts with the local demons.
As a powerful mage she had the ability to create curses and love potions, track down missing relatives, and create short-term illusions.
It was her main source of income and business had never been better. New York City was the epicenter of a pool of magic that throbbed deep in the earth called a Gyre. At one time the spot had been the lair of a dragon, but since their retreat from the world, it was used by both goblin and fey creatures to tap into their ancient powers.
The Gyre was currently under the rule of the vampire named Valen. The Cabal maintained control of all the Gyres spread across the world. Something that annoyed the hell out of Maya, despite the fact she was currently mated to a vampire. And why she chose to remain in New Jersey at the edge of Valen’s territory. She didn’t need the power. She had her own wild magic flowing through her veins.
Another thing that hadn’t changed was the fact that when she needed help, she reached out to the mages who were the sisters of her heart.
Peri Sanguis was currently standing next to her as she hid behind the steep stairs that led to the basement. The young mage was without a doubt the most powerful magic user born in the past millennium. The beautiful woman had lush, dark curls and vivid blue eyes and was mated to Valen, the local Cabal leader. Maya had also called on Skye Claremont, a clairvoyant who was mated to Micha, the Cabal leader of New Orleans. Skye was currently MIA. A fact that had Maya on edge. She wasn’t worried about her friend. Skye had proven she could not only take care of herself, but could prevent the world from being consumed in endless flames. But she needed Skye’s gentle soul.
Clearly as bored as Maya, Peri leaned against the side of the staircase, stifling a yawn. Peri was wearing a pair of cutoff shorts and a Green Day T-shirt with her hair pulled into a high ponytail. It had been a punishingly hot day in New Jersey and the August heat hadn’t faded as the sun set. In fact, it had thickened to an unpleasant soup of damp humidity.
“Explain again why we’re kidnapping a child,” Peri demanded.
Maya clicked her tongue. She’d chosen a loose black caftan that fell to her ankles. The air in the basement was cool and silk felt good against her skin. Besides, she had a reputation for her flawless elegance. Just because she was setting a trap for a mysterious thief was no excuse not to look her best.
She smoothed back her dark, silky hair that was cut just above her shoulders. “We’re not kidnapping anyone.”
“No?” Peri arched a brow. “When you demanded that Valen—”
“Asked,” Maya corrected. “I asked.”
“Okay, when you very aggressively asked for Valen to spread the word that an extremely dangerous artifact had been discovered in New York City and then he’d asked you to keep it hidden in your vault. And then you asked me and Skye to join you in setting a magical trap to capture a child. I’m not gonna lie, it seems weirdly close to kidnapping.”
“We’re catching a thief.” Maya made a sound of impatience. “And where is Skye? She said she’d be here an hour ago.”
“Her plane was late and now she’s stuck in traffic. Finish telling me why we’re kidnapping a child.”
“For the last time, it’s not kidnapping. It’s...an intervention.”
“Intervention. Right.”
“Look, I don’t have a choice. The supposed child has been spotted from Miami to New York stealing magical objects.”
“From what Valen could discover, they were mostly junk. The kind of stuff that you sell to tourists, not to serious magic users.”
Maya pressed her lips together. She’d been just as dismissive when she’d first started hearing the rumors about a kid sneaking into magic shops and even onto a few covensteads. Human magic wasn’t that dangerous. Not like the charms and potions that were created by mages and demons.
She remained indifferent even after she’d viewed the security video sent to her of a young girl with a round freckled face and big brown eyes. She looked like a harmless child. Who cared if she was taking a few baubles?
But when the rumors became more frequent and the vaults that she began to enter were owned by mages and demons that were heavily protected, she reluctantly conceded that she had to do something.
Which currently included crouching next to the staircase, in the dark, listening to her friend bitch and gripe.
“I don’t care what she’s stealing. I care about the fact that she’s been able to slip in and out of some of the most secure safes, vaults, and repositories in the country. The next thing she steals might not be a harmless trinket.”
“Fine.” Peri heaved a resigned sigh. “Is she a demon?”
“No one knows. She’s been captured on security video, but she doesn’t leave a trace of her presence. Not fingerprints or footprints or even a scent. Like she’s a ghost.”
“Then she must be a mage.”
Maya shook her head. A mage began life as a human with a mother who had some ability to use magic. A witch, a fortune teller, a midwife. As she became an adult, her powers would manifest as the wild magic seared through her blood, transforming her into a mage. The powers ranged from Peri, who was off the charts, to some mages who could barely sense their magic. But the one thing that was universal was the initial rush of wild magic.
“She’s too young to have come into her powers.”
“I was young.”
“In the video she looks about twelve.”
“Looks can be deceiving,” Peri insisted.
Maya shrugged. She didn’t have her friend’s skill with illusions, but she understood that things weren’t always what they seemed to be.
“Which is why I want to meet her face-to-face. If we discover she’s a harmless kid, then I’ll let her go about her business.”
“It still feels excessive,” Peri groused, more out of habit than annoyance at being called to help. The young mage had always been headstrong and fiercely independent. It kept their relationship interesting. And by interesting, Maya meant snarky. “This isn’t because Sinjon has called a meeting of the Cabal in Greece and you were lonely, is it?”
Maya clicked her tongue. Although Ravyr wasn’t an official member of the Cabal, his years as a spy for Sinjon, the current leader of the vampires, meant he was often requested to attend the meetings.
“I spend my days with a half dozen mages in training who snipe and snarl and indulge in epic meltdowns on a regular basis. I swear it would be less stressful to try and tame a pack of hyenas,” she said dryly. “Certainly it would be quieter. That doesn’t include keeping the Witch’s Brew running smoothly and fulfilling the contracts I’ve signed with several impatient demons. I can promise you that I would far prefer to spend the next few nights alone, soaking in a hot bubble bath with a glass of wine and utter silence. Which is exactly what I would be doing if I hadn’t spotted the kid hanging around the shop when I was cleaning up.” She reached up to touch the perfect emerald that hung on a chain around her neck. The gem held her magic if she needed an extra boost. “The trap has been baited and the prey is on my doorstep. I have no choice but to spring it.”
Peri studied her, as if sensing the tension that vibrated through Maya. “You really are worried.”
“I don’t understand how she’s slipping through the magical barriers. That should worry all of us.”
Peri wrinkled her nose. “For once I wish Joe was around.”
“I’m not that desperate,” Maya growled.
Joe had been a part of Maya’s existence since she set up the Witch’s Brew years ago. He hung around the shop, looking like a street person with a bushy beard and velour tracksuit, but Maya had eventually realized he was the mysterious Benefactor who’d offered her protection for her business while at the same time demanding that she perform small tasks for him. Like a mob boss on steroids. More than one of those tasks had nearly gotten her killed. Eventually he revealed himself to be the Watcher, an even more mysterious creature who was the ultimate guardian over the vampires, demons, and dragons.
Whether he’d been in his disguise as Joe or the Benefactor or the Watcher, he’d been a pain in the ass.
“Come on,” Peri teased. “You have to miss him at least a little.”
“Like I miss an infected toenail.”
“That’s very...graphic.”
Maya shrugged. “He had his uses, but there is enough testosterone in my life. He’s welcomed to pester someone else.”
“I wonder where he is,” Peri mused. Then without warning her magic tingled in the air. “Someone’s coming,” she whispered.
Maya thought she heard the soft sound of footsteps, but didn’t have Peri’s talent for sensing who or what was approaching.
“Human? Demon? Mage?”
“I don’t know.”
“Damn, I wish Skye was here.”
Peri looked confused. “We’re two of the most powerful mages in the world. We could take down a vampire if necessary. Why are you worried?”
“Skye has something we don’t.”
“What’s that?”
“The patience to deal with a child.”
“Yeah. Good point,” Peri agreed. “She’s a lot nicer than we are.”
Maya didn’t know if it was Skye’s brutal upbringing at the hands of demons or the dark visions that haunted her, but whatever the cause, Skye possessed the most gentle, empathetic soul she’d ever known.
Maya’s thoughts were shattered as the steel door leading down to the basement was slowly pushed open. She exchanged a glance with Peri. Earlier they’d both cast layers of magic that would keep out a horde of demons, not to mention set off a dozen different alarms.
There’d been nothing to indicate the Witch’s Brew had been breached. Not a peep.
Maya and Peri remained hidden in the shadows as footsteps crept down the stairs and a silhouette passed by, heading directly for the safe that was built into a concrete wall. Maya touched Peri’s arm, keeping her from springing the trap. She wanted to see exactly how the girl was entering the vaults. Was it magic? An incantation? Did she have inside help? And just as importantly, how did she know the safe was hidden behind the shelf of books?
Maya barely dared to breathe as the intruder lifted a hand and waved it in a circle, as if she were conducting an orchestra. In response, the shelves swept aside and the door to the vault swung open.
There was no tingle of magic. No blast of power. Nothing.
Next to Maya, she could feel Peri tense in surprise. Was the younger mage finally realizing that they weren’t dealing with a sticky-fingered brat?
A minute passed, then another. This was no smash and grab. The intruder was taking her sweet time. After what felt like an eternity the shadow reappeared and, chanting in a soft voice, Maya released the spell she’d cast onto the floor. At the same time, Peri dropped her own spell from the ceiling, wrapping it around the shadow.
“What the...” The intruder briefly struggled against the invisible bands wrapped around her, then as if realizing that each movement made them tighter, she made a sound of disgust.
“A snare?” The girl’s voice floated through the darkness. “Really? Super original.”
Maya reached to flip on the light switch. The soft glow flooded the formal sitting room decorated in dramatic shades of black and silver with low glass coffee tables and metal works of art that shimmered with a cold beauty. It was what most people expected when they visited the lair of a vampire and a powerful mage. The private areas of the lair were far cozier, with deep couches and lots of soft, fuzzy pillows. It turned out, she liked to snuggle with her vampire. Honestly, no one was more surprised than she was.
Maya stepped away from the stairs, sweeping her gaze over the short, slender form that was no longer hidden by shadows. Up close the girl looked even younger than Maya had expected. Her round face was sprinkled with freckles and surrounded by a halo of brown curls that matched her wide eyes. In defiance of the sweltering heat, she was wearing an oversized winter coat with large silver buttons and baggy sweatpants with sneakers. There was no aura around her that would mark her as a demon. Red for goblin or green for fey creatures. And the girl certainly wasn’t a vampire. There were less than a hundred leeches in the entire world and they were exclusively male. Just like all mages were females.
Maya’s attention turned to the swirling mist that formed over the girl’s coat pocket as well as the black bag she clutched in a tight grip. The snare was designed to reveal magical objects as well as any spells or curses attached to her captive.
“She’s carrying some magical artifacts.”
Peri nodded, moving forward to grab the black bag before reaching into the coat pocket.
“What are you doing? Leave me alone.” The girl slapped at Peri’s hand. “Stranger danger! Stranger danger!” she screamed in a piercing voice.
“Hush.” With a wave of her hand, Maya placed a weave of air over the thief’s lips.
The girl glared at her, but her eyes widened as she caught sight of the silvery scars that ran the length of Maya’s jaw. It was possible she was simply bothered by the disfigurement, but Maya suspected that girl had belatedly recognized her. The rumors of Maya’s battle with a demented vampire had become the stuff of legends over the past forty years. In the demon world there were few creatures who weren’t a little afraid of the mage with a scarred face.
“These are yours,” Peri said as she strolled back to Maya and handed her the bag.
Maya peered inside. It felt oddly heavy. A lead lining? Interesting. She tilted the bag to the side, studying the three crystals that held minor curses and a vial of truth serum.
“Out of all the magical objects in the safe, this is what you decided to steal?” Maya demanded in confusion.
“This was in her pocket.” Peri handed Maya a small round stone with a hole drilled in the center of it.
“What is it?”
“There’s some sort of magic, but I don’t recognize it.”
Maya smoothed her thumb over the stone. It looked like something you could pick up anywhere, but there was a tingle of power that warned it wasn’t just another rock.
“There’s magic in it,” she murmured, gathering a small tendril of power. “But the only way to figure it out is to trigger the spell.”
“Don’t!” the girl snapped, easily breaking through the web Maya had placed over her lips. “You’re going to ruin it.”
Maya cut off her magic, like turning off a faucet. There was an edge of urgency in the girl’s voice.
“What is it?” Maya demanded.
“My private property is what it is.” The girl stuck out her hand. “Give it back.”
“Fine, I’ll figure it out myself.” Maya held up the stone, as if preparing to probe it with her magic.
“No!” the girl said in frustration. “It’s an opener.”
“An opener?” Maya scowled. “What does that mean?”
“I don’t know how to explain it. It’s...like a garage door opener.”
“What does it open?”
“Everything.”
Maya continued to study the stone. She’d never heard of a rock that doubled as a garage door opener. There were demon relics that allowed them to pass through magical barriers, and a rare few that also opened locks, but they had been banned by the Cabal for centuries. And the one she’d confiscated from a goblin ten years ago had been a seven-foot crystal figurine that glowed with a crimson power. They weren’t exactly user friendly.
Was it possible that the demons had managed to create a new artifact that was smaller and less conspicuous? A daunting thought.
“How does it work?” she demanded.
“Magic, I guess,” the girl said. “I just know when I’m holding it, the stone lets me go into places most people can’t get into.”
“Like locked vaults?”
The girl continued to hold out her hand, snapping her fingers at Maya. “Can I have it back?”
“No. Where did you get it?” Maya demanded.
“I found it. Don’t ask where. I don’t remember.”
Maya narrowed her eyes. Normally she admired a young girl with confidence. She didn’t even mind a little cockiness. How else would women ever change the world? But there was spicy attitude and you’re-wearing-on-my-freaking-nerves attitude.
“Do you think this is a game?”
The girl gave an angry toss of her curls. “I think two old ladies lured an innocent child into a trap and now you’re holding her against her will. It’s called trafficking. Google it if you don’t believe me.”
Peri leaned against the side of the staircase, her lips twitching as if she were enjoying the show.
“Told you,” she murmured softly.
Maya sent her fellow mage a chiding glance. With friends like that, who needed enemies? With a click of her tongue, she returned her attention to the thief.
“We are not old.”
“Okay, boomer.”
Maya paused, forcing herself to count to ten before she did something stupid. Maybe she was getting old.
“Where did you get this?” She nodded toward the stone lying in the center of her palm.
“I told you, I found it.”
“Where?” Maya tightened the bonds of the snare. Not enough to cause pain, but a physical warning that she was in charge of the situation. “And don’t tell me you don’t remember.”
“Fine.” The girl sniffed. “It was in some junk I found when I was walking through the Everglades.”
The mention of the Everglades prompted a memory of the complaint that Maya had received last summer from a witch who demanded that Maya do more to track down and punish thieves. It was an early warning that something was wrong. Unfortunately, Maya had been too busy dealing with the demons from her past to check into the complaints. After that, she’d been caught up in her new school for young mages and joining her life with Ravyr, not always an easy task.
Now she regretted letting the child continue her stealing spree. Obviously she’d managed to get her hands on objects that were far more powerful than Maya had assumed. Some of them might be dangerous in the wrong hands.
“You didn’t find it,” she corrected the girl. “You stole it from the Celeste Coven.”
The brown eyes widened. “Coven? Does that mean it was from a bunch of witches? Cool. No wonder it has some weird-ass magic.”
Maya ignored the girl’s fake astonishment. The thief might look and smell human, but there was something very suspicious about her.
“What were you doing in the Everglades?” she asked. Maybe if she could get the girl talking, she would give away some useful nugget of information.
There was a short silence, the girl’s face suddenly grim, as if she were attempting to break free of the bonds. Then, clearly unable to escape the snare, the thief forced her clenched muscles to relax, a mocking smile curving her lips.
“I was there on vacation. Not my idea. Honestly, it’s pretty lame unless you like mosquitoes and skanky water.” She wrinkled her freckled nose. “The alligators were legit, I guess, but the heat was smothering. Like being stuck in a sauna. And not the good kind of sauna, the stinky kind.”
Maya arched a brow. “You were on vacation?”
“Yup.”
“With who?”
“Mom, who else?”
Maya didn’t believe a word coming out of the girl’s mouth. “And does your mom know about your crime spree?”
“Crime spree?” The girl snorted. “Are you serious? I stole a few worthless doohickies and sold them on eBay. So what? I hoped I might eventually find something worth real money, but so far there’s been nothing but a bunch of bottles filled with weird stuff and crystals. Plus a few necklaces and bracelets but they were all butt ugly. I’m not wasting my time trying to pawn that junk.”
“How did you choose which vaults to break into?”
“The stone.” The dark gaze flicked toward the seemingly harmless rock. The words coming out of the girl’s mouth were no doubt lies, but her hunger for the stone was very real. “I’d walk around and it would start glowing when there was a big safe I could sneak into.” She stretched out her hand again. “Now give it back and I’ll be on my way.”
“I don’t think so.” Maya curled her fingers around the stone, hiding it from view. “Where’s your mother?”
“None of your business.”
“No problem.” Maya glanced toward Peri. “Call the police. I’m sure they’ll be interested in—”
“Wait.” The girl lowered her arm. “If you must know, my mom’s in the hospital. Happy?”
“Why?”
“Are you dense? Obviously she’s sick. Why else would she be in the hospital?”
The overhead lights flickered as Maya struggled to control her temper. She’d encountered annoying kids before, but she’d never let them get under her skin. This one...argh.
“What’s wrong with your mother?” she managed to ask in a voice that was just short of a growl.
“The doctors said that she has some sort of rare cancer. I brought her to New York because I heard they have a new treatment to help. I didn’t know how expensive it was going to be.”
Maya studied the round face and big brown eyes. She didn’t trust the girl, not for a second, but was it possible she really did have a pressing need for money? A need that might explain why she was such an annoying little shit?
“That’s why you’re stealing?”
“It’s not like I want to—”
The girl snapped her lips together as the sound of footsteps lightly running down the stairs had them all turning to watch Skye Claremont make her belated appearance.
The clairvoyant didn’t look much older than the thief, with her golden curls corkscrewing around her heart-shaped face and her deep, midnight eyes. At least until you took a closer look. Those eyes were as ancient and mysterious as time itself.
“Sorry I’m late,” Skye said as she reached the bottom step. “You wouldn’t believe the traffic. Did I miss anything?” She blinked as her gaze landed on the girl trapped in front of the safe. “Hello.”
“This is our midnight bandit,” Maya explained as she moved to stand next to her friend.
“Wait.” Skye furrowed her brow. “You said it was a child.”
Maya studied Skye’s confused expression. “I don’t know if she’s entirely human, but she’s most certainly young.”
“No.” Skye abruptly stepped back, as if she sensed an unseen danger. “She’s old. Very, very old.”
“What?”
“Sucker.” Without warning the thief pounced toward Maya. Why the aggravating...snot. She’d been pretending she was stuck in the snare while waiting for her chance to escape. Before Maya could react, the girl had snatched the stone along with the lead-lined bag that Maya had forgotten she was holding. Then, with a blinding speed, she was racing up the steps and disappearing.
Peri moved to peer up the stairs. “What just happened?”
Maya hissed in fury. Well, that was embarrassing. The creature had not only waltzed through her layers of magic as if they weren’t there and stolen her belongings, but she’d fooled Maya into thinking she was an obnoxious child. Hell, Maya had started to fall for her sob story about her mother being in the hospital. Gah.
“I have no idea.”
Chapter 2
Wynn raced out of the Witch’s Brew and darted into the alleyway across the street. Once out of sight, she leaned against the brick wall and struggled to catch her breath.
Dammit. She’d been careless. For the past two centuries she’d trained herself to wait until she’d devised a meticulous, detailed plan before executing a job. It sometimes took years to properly prepare herself. But tonight she’d plunged into the most obvious trap ever set. It was embarrassing.
Then again, it wasn’t like she had much choice. She was no longer in the position to wait to create the perfect heist. Hell, the way the magic was consuming her, she was beginning to wonder if she had more than a few weeks.
Right now she had to gamble on finding what she needed, even if it meant risking the wrath of the mages. She was trusting that she had the skill to stay one step ahead. Or if not skill, then maybe dumb luck would be on her side.
Sucking in a deep breath, she took a quick glance around to make sure she was alone. There didn’t seem to be anyone hanging around, but a prickle of unease crawled over her skin. It was late enough for the humans to be tucked in bed, and since it was outside the Gyre, it wasn’t a hot spot for demons or vampires. Not unless they were there to purchase a magical contract with the mages. But over the past week, she couldn’t shake the sensation she was being stalked by an unseen enemy.
The sensation was wearing on her already raw nerves.
Telling herself that she was imagining things, Wynn rubbed her thumb over the stone. She’d lied about . . .
Maya Rosen was bored. A shocking realization for the powerful mage. Usually she was running around like a maniac trying to keep up with her endless to-do list.
After all, in the past few months she’d acquired a vampire mate, Ravyr. She’d taken on the training of potential mages who equally inspired and frustrated her to the point of exhaustion. And she’d completely remodeled the deep basement beneath the Witch’s Brew coffee shop in Linden, New Jersey.
The basement had started off as a barren hole in the ground, but now it was a luxurious apartment with elegant furnishings and high-tech gadgets that Ravyr used in his security-for-hire business. She’d also replaced the vault she used to protect her vast collection of magical charms, amulets, relics, and a stockpile of potions with a massive steel safe that could withstand everything from an earthquake to a magical tsunami, and even the fire from a dragon.
Not that everything had changed, of course. The Witch’s Brew still looked the same. The small bakery still had white tiled floors and lavender walls lined with shelves of pastries and round tables set near a large front window that offered a charming view of the street. It still oozed with the fragrance of freshly baked muffins that lured in customers by the hundreds. It was still attached to the shadowed bookstore where a customer could settle in a leather chair and become lost in a cozy world far removed from their own. And there was still a private office at the very back of the building where Maya negotiated contracts with the local demons.
As a powerful mage she had the ability to create curses and love potions, track down missing relatives, and create short-term illusions.
It was her main source of income and business had never been better. New York City was the epicenter of a pool of magic that throbbed deep in the earth called a Gyre. At one time the spot had been the lair of a dragon, but since their retreat from the world, it was used by both goblin and fey creatures to tap into their ancient powers.
The Gyre was currently under the rule of the vampire named Valen. The Cabal maintained control of all the Gyres spread across the world. Something that annoyed the hell out of Maya, despite the fact she was currently mated to a vampire. And why she chose to remain in New Jersey at the edge of Valen’s territory. She didn’t need the power. She had her own wild magic flowing through her veins.
Another thing that hadn’t changed was the fact that when she needed help, she reached out to the mages who were the sisters of her heart.
Peri Sanguis was currently standing next to her as she hid behind the steep stairs that led to the basement. The young mage was without a doubt the most powerful magic user born in the past millennium. The beautiful woman had lush, dark curls and vivid blue eyes and was mated to Valen, the local Cabal leader. Maya had also called on Skye Claremont, a clairvoyant who was mated to Micha, the Cabal leader of New Orleans. Skye was currently MIA. A fact that had Maya on edge. She wasn’t worried about her friend. Skye had proven she could not only take care of herself, but could prevent the world from being consumed in endless flames. But she needed Skye’s gentle soul.
Clearly as bored as Maya, Peri leaned against the side of the staircase, stifling a yawn. Peri was wearing a pair of cutoff shorts and a Green Day T-shirt with her hair pulled into a high ponytail. It had been a punishingly hot day in New Jersey and the August heat hadn’t faded as the sun set. In fact, it had thickened to an unpleasant soup of damp humidity.
“Explain again why we’re kidnapping a child,” Peri demanded.
Maya clicked her tongue. She’d chosen a loose black caftan that fell to her ankles. The air in the basement was cool and silk felt good against her skin. Besides, she had a reputation for her flawless elegance. Just because she was setting a trap for a mysterious thief was no excuse not to look her best.
She smoothed back her dark, silky hair that was cut just above her shoulders. “We’re not kidnapping anyone.”
“No?” Peri arched a brow. “When you demanded that Valen—”
“Asked,” Maya corrected. “I asked.”
“Okay, when you very aggressively asked for Valen to spread the word that an extremely dangerous artifact had been discovered in New York City and then he’d asked you to keep it hidden in your vault. And then you asked me and Skye to join you in setting a magical trap to capture a child. I’m not gonna lie, it seems weirdly close to kidnapping.”
“We’re catching a thief.” Maya made a sound of impatience. “And where is Skye? She said she’d be here an hour ago.”
“Her plane was late and now she’s stuck in traffic. Finish telling me why we’re kidnapping a child.”
“For the last time, it’s not kidnapping. It’s...an intervention.”
“Intervention. Right.”
“Look, I don’t have a choice. The supposed child has been spotted from Miami to New York stealing magical objects.”
“From what Valen could discover, they were mostly junk. The kind of stuff that you sell to tourists, not to serious magic users.”
Maya pressed her lips together. She’d been just as dismissive when she’d first started hearing the rumors about a kid sneaking into magic shops and even onto a few covensteads. Human magic wasn’t that dangerous. Not like the charms and potions that were created by mages and demons.
She remained indifferent even after she’d viewed the security video sent to her of a young girl with a round freckled face and big brown eyes. She looked like a harmless child. Who cared if she was taking a few baubles?
But when the rumors became more frequent and the vaults that she began to enter were owned by mages and demons that were heavily protected, she reluctantly conceded that she had to do something.
Which currently included crouching next to the staircase, in the dark, listening to her friend bitch and gripe.
“I don’t care what she’s stealing. I care about the fact that she’s been able to slip in and out of some of the most secure safes, vaults, and repositories in the country. The next thing she steals might not be a harmless trinket.”
“Fine.” Peri heaved a resigned sigh. “Is she a demon?”
“No one knows. She’s been captured on security video, but she doesn’t leave a trace of her presence. Not fingerprints or footprints or even a scent. Like she’s a ghost.”
“Then she must be a mage.”
Maya shook her head. A mage began life as a human with a mother who had some ability to use magic. A witch, a fortune teller, a midwife. As she became an adult, her powers would manifest as the wild magic seared through her blood, transforming her into a mage. The powers ranged from Peri, who was off the charts, to some mages who could barely sense their magic. But the one thing that was universal was the initial rush of wild magic.
“She’s too young to have come into her powers.”
“I was young.”
“In the video she looks about twelve.”
“Looks can be deceiving,” Peri insisted.
Maya shrugged. She didn’t have her friend’s skill with illusions, but she understood that things weren’t always what they seemed to be.
“Which is why I want to meet her face-to-face. If we discover she’s a harmless kid, then I’ll let her go about her business.”
“It still feels excessive,” Peri groused, more out of habit than annoyance at being called to help. The young mage had always been headstrong and fiercely independent. It kept their relationship interesting. And by interesting, Maya meant snarky. “This isn’t because Sinjon has called a meeting of the Cabal in Greece and you were lonely, is it?”
Maya clicked her tongue. Although Ravyr wasn’t an official member of the Cabal, his years as a spy for Sinjon, the current leader of the vampires, meant he was often requested to attend the meetings.
“I spend my days with a half dozen mages in training who snipe and snarl and indulge in epic meltdowns on a regular basis. I swear it would be less stressful to try and tame a pack of hyenas,” she said dryly. “Certainly it would be quieter. That doesn’t include keeping the Witch’s Brew running smoothly and fulfilling the contracts I’ve signed with several impatient demons. I can promise you that I would far prefer to spend the next few nights alone, soaking in a hot bubble bath with a glass of wine and utter silence. Which is exactly what I would be doing if I hadn’t spotted the kid hanging around the shop when I was cleaning up.” She reached up to touch the perfect emerald that hung on a chain around her neck. The gem held her magic if she needed an extra boost. “The trap has been baited and the prey is on my doorstep. I have no choice but to spring it.”
Peri studied her, as if sensing the tension that vibrated through Maya. “You really are worried.”
“I don’t understand how she’s slipping through the magical barriers. That should worry all of us.”
Peri wrinkled her nose. “For once I wish Joe was around.”
“I’m not that desperate,” Maya growled.
Joe had been a part of Maya’s existence since she set up the Witch’s Brew years ago. He hung around the shop, looking like a street person with a bushy beard and velour tracksuit, but Maya had eventually realized he was the mysterious Benefactor who’d offered her protection for her business while at the same time demanding that she perform small tasks for him. Like a mob boss on steroids. More than one of those tasks had nearly gotten her killed. Eventually he revealed himself to be the Watcher, an even more mysterious creature who was the ultimate guardian over the vampires, demons, and dragons.
Whether he’d been in his disguise as Joe or the Benefactor or the Watcher, he’d been a pain in the ass.
“Come on,” Peri teased. “You have to miss him at least a little.”
“Like I miss an infected toenail.”
“That’s very...graphic.”
Maya shrugged. “He had his uses, but there is enough testosterone in my life. He’s welcomed to pester someone else.”
“I wonder where he is,” Peri mused. Then without warning her magic tingled in the air. “Someone’s coming,” she whispered.
Maya thought she heard the soft sound of footsteps, but didn’t have Peri’s talent for sensing who or what was approaching.
“Human? Demon? Mage?”
“I don’t know.”
“Damn, I wish Skye was here.”
Peri looked confused. “We’re two of the most powerful mages in the world. We could take down a vampire if necessary. Why are you worried?”
“Skye has something we don’t.”
“What’s that?”
“The patience to deal with a child.”
“Yeah. Good point,” Peri agreed. “She’s a lot nicer than we are.”
Maya didn’t know if it was Skye’s brutal upbringing at the hands of demons or the dark visions that haunted her, but whatever the cause, Skye possessed the most gentle, empathetic soul she’d ever known.
Maya’s thoughts were shattered as the steel door leading down to the basement was slowly pushed open. She exchanged a glance with Peri. Earlier they’d both cast layers of magic that would keep out a horde of demons, not to mention set off a dozen different alarms.
There’d been nothing to indicate the Witch’s Brew had been breached. Not a peep.
Maya and Peri remained hidden in the shadows as footsteps crept down the stairs and a silhouette passed by, heading directly for the safe that was built into a concrete wall. Maya touched Peri’s arm, keeping her from springing the trap. She wanted to see exactly how the girl was entering the vaults. Was it magic? An incantation? Did she have inside help? And just as importantly, how did she know the safe was hidden behind the shelf of books?
Maya barely dared to breathe as the intruder lifted a hand and waved it in a circle, as if she were conducting an orchestra. In response, the shelves swept aside and the door to the vault swung open.
There was no tingle of magic. No blast of power. Nothing.
Next to Maya, she could feel Peri tense in surprise. Was the younger mage finally realizing that they weren’t dealing with a sticky-fingered brat?
A minute passed, then another. This was no smash and grab. The intruder was taking her sweet time. After what felt like an eternity the shadow reappeared and, chanting in a soft voice, Maya released the spell she’d cast onto the floor. At the same time, Peri dropped her own spell from the ceiling, wrapping it around the shadow.
“What the...” The intruder briefly struggled against the invisible bands wrapped around her, then as if realizing that each movement made them tighter, she made a sound of disgust.
“A snare?” The girl’s voice floated through the darkness. “Really? Super original.”
Maya reached to flip on the light switch. The soft glow flooded the formal sitting room decorated in dramatic shades of black and silver with low glass coffee tables and metal works of art that shimmered with a cold beauty. It was what most people expected when they visited the lair of a vampire and a powerful mage. The private areas of the lair were far cozier, with deep couches and lots of soft, fuzzy pillows. It turned out, she liked to snuggle with her vampire. Honestly, no one was more surprised than she was.
Maya stepped away from the stairs, sweeping her gaze over the short, slender form that was no longer hidden by shadows. Up close the girl looked even younger than Maya had expected. Her round face was sprinkled with freckles and surrounded by a halo of brown curls that matched her wide eyes. In defiance of the sweltering heat, she was wearing an oversized winter coat with large silver buttons and baggy sweatpants with sneakers. There was no aura around her that would mark her as a demon. Red for goblin or green for fey creatures. And the girl certainly wasn’t a vampire. There were less than a hundred leeches in the entire world and they were exclusively male. Just like all mages were females.
Maya’s attention turned to the swirling mist that formed over the girl’s coat pocket as well as the black bag she clutched in a tight grip. The snare was designed to reveal magical objects as well as any spells or curses attached to her captive.
“She’s carrying some magical artifacts.”
Peri nodded, moving forward to grab the black bag before reaching into the coat pocket.
“What are you doing? Leave me alone.” The girl slapped at Peri’s hand. “Stranger danger! Stranger danger!” she screamed in a piercing voice.
“Hush.” With a wave of her hand, Maya placed a weave of air over the thief’s lips.
The girl glared at her, but her eyes widened as she caught sight of the silvery scars that ran the length of Maya’s jaw. It was possible she was simply bothered by the disfigurement, but Maya suspected that girl had belatedly recognized her. The rumors of Maya’s battle with a demented vampire had become the stuff of legends over the past forty years. In the demon world there were few creatures who weren’t a little afraid of the mage with a scarred face.
“These are yours,” Peri said as she strolled back to Maya and handed her the bag.
Maya peered inside. It felt oddly heavy. A lead lining? Interesting. She tilted the bag to the side, studying the three crystals that held minor curses and a vial of truth serum.
“Out of all the magical objects in the safe, this is what you decided to steal?” Maya demanded in confusion.
“This was in her pocket.” Peri handed Maya a small round stone with a hole drilled in the center of it.
“What is it?”
“There’s some sort of magic, but I don’t recognize it.”
Maya smoothed her thumb over the stone. It looked like something you could pick up anywhere, but there was a tingle of power that warned it wasn’t just another rock.
“There’s magic in it,” she murmured, gathering a small tendril of power. “But the only way to figure it out is to trigger the spell.”
“Don’t!” the girl snapped, easily breaking through the web Maya had placed over her lips. “You’re going to ruin it.”
Maya cut off her magic, like turning off a faucet. There was an edge of urgency in the girl’s voice.
“What is it?” Maya demanded.
“My private property is what it is.” The girl stuck out her hand. “Give it back.”
“Fine, I’ll figure it out myself.” Maya held up the stone, as if preparing to probe it with her magic.
“No!” the girl said in frustration. “It’s an opener.”
“An opener?” Maya scowled. “What does that mean?”
“I don’t know how to explain it. It’s...like a garage door opener.”
“What does it open?”
“Everything.”
Maya continued to study the stone. She’d never heard of a rock that doubled as a garage door opener. There were demon relics that allowed them to pass through magical barriers, and a rare few that also opened locks, but they had been banned by the Cabal for centuries. And the one she’d confiscated from a goblin ten years ago had been a seven-foot crystal figurine that glowed with a crimson power. They weren’t exactly user friendly.
Was it possible that the demons had managed to create a new artifact that was smaller and less conspicuous? A daunting thought.
“How does it work?” she demanded.
“Magic, I guess,” the girl said. “I just know when I’m holding it, the stone lets me go into places most people can’t get into.”
“Like locked vaults?”
The girl continued to hold out her hand, snapping her fingers at Maya. “Can I have it back?”
“No. Where did you get it?” Maya demanded.
“I found it. Don’t ask where. I don’t remember.”
Maya narrowed her eyes. Normally she admired a young girl with confidence. She didn’t even mind a little cockiness. How else would women ever change the world? But there was spicy attitude and you’re-wearing-on-my-freaking-nerves attitude.
“Do you think this is a game?”
The girl gave an angry toss of her curls. “I think two old ladies lured an innocent child into a trap and now you’re holding her against her will. It’s called trafficking. Google it if you don’t believe me.”
Peri leaned against the side of the staircase, her lips twitching as if she were enjoying the show.
“Told you,” she murmured softly.
Maya sent her fellow mage a chiding glance. With friends like that, who needed enemies? With a click of her tongue, she returned her attention to the thief.
“We are not old.”
“Okay, boomer.”
Maya paused, forcing herself to count to ten before she did something stupid. Maybe she was getting old.
“Where did you get this?” She nodded toward the stone lying in the center of her palm.
“I told you, I found it.”
“Where?” Maya tightened the bonds of the snare. Not enough to cause pain, but a physical warning that she was in charge of the situation. “And don’t tell me you don’t remember.”
“Fine.” The girl sniffed. “It was in some junk I found when I was walking through the Everglades.”
The mention of the Everglades prompted a memory of the complaint that Maya had received last summer from a witch who demanded that Maya do more to track down and punish thieves. It was an early warning that something was wrong. Unfortunately, Maya had been too busy dealing with the demons from her past to check into the complaints. After that, she’d been caught up in her new school for young mages and joining her life with Ravyr, not always an easy task.
Now she regretted letting the child continue her stealing spree. Obviously she’d managed to get her hands on objects that were far more powerful than Maya had assumed. Some of them might be dangerous in the wrong hands.
“You didn’t find it,” she corrected the girl. “You stole it from the Celeste Coven.”
The brown eyes widened. “Coven? Does that mean it was from a bunch of witches? Cool. No wonder it has some weird-ass magic.”
Maya ignored the girl’s fake astonishment. The thief might look and smell human, but there was something very suspicious about her.
“What were you doing in the Everglades?” she asked. Maybe if she could get the girl talking, she would give away some useful nugget of information.
There was a short silence, the girl’s face suddenly grim, as if she were attempting to break free of the bonds. Then, clearly unable to escape the snare, the thief forced her clenched muscles to relax, a mocking smile curving her lips.
“I was there on vacation. Not my idea. Honestly, it’s pretty lame unless you like mosquitoes and skanky water.” She wrinkled her freckled nose. “The alligators were legit, I guess, but the heat was smothering. Like being stuck in a sauna. And not the good kind of sauna, the stinky kind.”
Maya arched a brow. “You were on vacation?”
“Yup.”
“With who?”
“Mom, who else?”
Maya didn’t believe a word coming out of the girl’s mouth. “And does your mom know about your crime spree?”
“Crime spree?” The girl snorted. “Are you serious? I stole a few worthless doohickies and sold them on eBay. So what? I hoped I might eventually find something worth real money, but so far there’s been nothing but a bunch of bottles filled with weird stuff and crystals. Plus a few necklaces and bracelets but they were all butt ugly. I’m not wasting my time trying to pawn that junk.”
“How did you choose which vaults to break into?”
“The stone.” The dark gaze flicked toward the seemingly harmless rock. The words coming out of the girl’s mouth were no doubt lies, but her hunger for the stone was very real. “I’d walk around and it would start glowing when there was a big safe I could sneak into.” She stretched out her hand again. “Now give it back and I’ll be on my way.”
“I don’t think so.” Maya curled her fingers around the stone, hiding it from view. “Where’s your mother?”
“None of your business.”
“No problem.” Maya glanced toward Peri. “Call the police. I’m sure they’ll be interested in—”
“Wait.” The girl lowered her arm. “If you must know, my mom’s in the hospital. Happy?”
“Why?”
“Are you dense? Obviously she’s sick. Why else would she be in the hospital?”
The overhead lights flickered as Maya struggled to control her temper. She’d encountered annoying kids before, but she’d never let them get under her skin. This one...argh.
“What’s wrong with your mother?” she managed to ask in a voice that was just short of a growl.
“The doctors said that she has some sort of rare cancer. I brought her to New York because I heard they have a new treatment to help. I didn’t know how expensive it was going to be.”
Maya studied the round face and big brown eyes. She didn’t trust the girl, not for a second, but was it possible she really did have a pressing need for money? A need that might explain why she was such an annoying little shit?
“That’s why you’re stealing?”
“It’s not like I want to—”
The girl snapped her lips together as the sound of footsteps lightly running down the stairs had them all turning to watch Skye Claremont make her belated appearance.
The clairvoyant didn’t look much older than the thief, with her golden curls corkscrewing around her heart-shaped face and her deep, midnight eyes. At least until you took a closer look. Those eyes were as ancient and mysterious as time itself.
“Sorry I’m late,” Skye said as she reached the bottom step. “You wouldn’t believe the traffic. Did I miss anything?” She blinked as her gaze landed on the girl trapped in front of the safe. “Hello.”
“This is our midnight bandit,” Maya explained as she moved to stand next to her friend.
“Wait.” Skye furrowed her brow. “You said it was a child.”
Maya studied Skye’s confused expression. “I don’t know if she’s entirely human, but she’s most certainly young.”
“No.” Skye abruptly stepped back, as if she sensed an unseen danger. “She’s old. Very, very old.”
“What?”
“Sucker.” Without warning the thief pounced toward Maya. Why the aggravating...snot. She’d been pretending she was stuck in the snare while waiting for her chance to escape. Before Maya could react, the girl had snatched the stone along with the lead-lined bag that Maya had forgotten she was holding. Then, with a blinding speed, she was racing up the steps and disappearing.
Peri moved to peer up the stairs. “What just happened?”
Maya hissed in fury. Well, that was embarrassing. The creature had not only waltzed through her layers of magic as if they weren’t there and stolen her belongings, but she’d fooled Maya into thinking she was an obnoxious child. Hell, Maya had started to fall for her sob story about her mother being in the hospital. Gah.
“I have no idea.”
Chapter 2
Wynn raced out of the Witch’s Brew and darted into the alleyway across the street. Once out of sight, she leaned against the brick wall and struggled to catch her breath.
Dammit. She’d been careless. For the past two centuries she’d trained herself to wait until she’d devised a meticulous, detailed plan before executing a job. It sometimes took years to properly prepare herself. But tonight she’d plunged into the most obvious trap ever set. It was embarrassing.
Then again, it wasn’t like she had much choice. She was no longer in the position to wait to create the perfect heist. Hell, the way the magic was consuming her, she was beginning to wonder if she had more than a few weeks.
Right now she had to gamble on finding what she needed, even if it meant risking the wrath of the mages. She was trusting that she had the skill to stay one step ahead. Or if not skill, then maybe dumb luck would be on her side.
Sucking in a deep breath, she took a quick glance around to make sure she was alone. There didn’t seem to be anyone hanging around, but a prickle of unease crawled over her skin. It was late enough for the humans to be tucked in bed, and since it was outside the Gyre, it wasn’t a hot spot for demons or vampires. Not unless they were there to purchase a magical contract with the mages. But over the past week, she couldn’t shake the sensation she was being stalked by an unseen enemy.
The sensation was wearing on her already raw nerves.
Telling herself that she was imagining things, Wynn rubbed her thumb over the stone. She’d lied about . . .
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