Chapter Six
Moira had her inner shields up as they approached Defiance so that any magic wouldn’t overwhelm her. Slowly, with each step, she let the atmosphere seep in as they grew closer to the club. Light spread dully from the lampposts, indistinct in the misty drizzle that had started to fall. It was also oddly quiet for an L.A. neighborhood, only the distant sound of cars and the low beat of music breaking into the still night.
She released her internal guard bit by bit as she walked. She felt something in the air, but it wasn’t focused. Dark magical energy flitted around her, touching her without purpose. She held her bare arms a few inches from her body, palms up, trying to touch the energy so she’d know what type of spell was at work. She wasn’t scared; this energy wasn’t aimed at her or anyone specific. It was more a gentle pulse, soothing and comfortable.
Moira stopped a few feet from the entrance and closed her eyes.
“What do you feel?” Rafe asked quietly. She felt his hand on her back and through it his worries and protectiveness toward her. When he dropped it she breathed easier. His anxiety made it hard for her to feel anything but him.
Carter looked back at them. “You coming?”
“One minute,” Moira said.
Carter shrugged and said, “I’ll talk to the bouncer.” He approached the metal door and knocked.
The drizzle was turning to rain, but Moira stayed rooted to her spot. Rafe slipped off his trench coat to put over her shoulders, but Moira shook her head. “I’m okay. I realized something. I feel the magic with my skin, swirling supernatural energy, like a touch of smoke. I always thought I sensed magic with my mind, and that’s part of it, but touch dominates.” This newfound knowledge excited Moira. It was as if she were in more control, even though the magic was surrounding her. Knowing how she understood it gave her hope.
“Can you take a step back?” she asked Rafe. His emotions crowded in, and it was clouding her ability to decipher the spell.
His reluctance radiated from him, but he took two steps back and then the feeling of smoke increased. “It’s not a spell,” she whispered.
“Residual energy?” Rafe asked.
“I don’t know—it’s not an active spell, but it doesn’t feel stale, either.” She glanced back at him. “I think we’ll be okay, but be alert.”
“Always.”
Carter was watching her from the doorway, along with the bouncer. She didn’t know how long they’d been staring at her, but she smiled at the two men as she sauntered over, stepping into her role with each footfall. “Hello, laddie,” she said to the bouncer, letting her Irish accent she usually tamed come out strong. “Are we okay?” She winked, tilting her chin up, looking from the bouncer to Carter and back again.
“All good. I took care of the cover charge. You can pay me back later.” Carter winked and made the comment sound sexual.
Moira played along, not knowing what exactly to expect inside and not wanting to blow Carter’s cover. “Whatever you want, sugar.”
Carter slipped the bouncer cash and they stepped inside. Small red lights like from a Christmas tree lined the floor on one side of the long, dark hall. Edgy, alternative instrumental music, neither too loud nor too heavy, wrapped around them. The dark energy she’d felt outside was stronger in here, but like before, it was unfocused, just floating around. Moira didn’t know what to make of it, but kept her senses open so if it changed or turned into an attack, she’d know it instantly.
They were almost to the end of the hall when Moira sensed a hidden door to the right. It was painted black, like the walls, but there was a slight change in pressure. She pressed her fingers against a seam.
“Door,” she said. “Just in case we need it.”
They turned the corner and walked into the main room. It wasn’t what Moira had expected. It looked more like an elegant, turn-of-the-century hotel lobby. Groupings of ornate, red Victorian couches and chairs; tables for two; a beer and wine bar down the middle. The walls were covered in black material—possibly velvet, but she didn’t want to touch—and several large paintings that were both beautiful and horrific hung in strategic places, all with bloody themes. Burgundy and black silk sheets hung loosely from the ceiling, giving the large, square warehouse an intimate, gothic appearance. It was Friday night, and the place was full but not uncomfortably crowded. She estimated maybe a hundred people, some dressed even more elaborately than she was, some dressed very basic. Clothing came primarily in leather, rubber or lace, while black and red dominated the color scheme with hints of purple and ivory.
A tall, pale man with long, golden blond hair approached. He differed from everyone else because he wore a tuxedo. Not only was the suit black, but the shirt and tie as well.
When he spoke, Moira noticed he had small fangs. Most likely filed down, not implants.
“Hello,” he said with a slight bow. “First visit?”
“Yes,” Moira said. She gestured to the lush seating areas. “Very nice.”
She almost did a double take when she saw a man suck on a woman’s neck while they sat on a small couch.
“I thought you’d like it,” Carter said as he ran his hand down her bare arm. “Let’s get a drink.”
Goldilocks looked from Carter to Rafe, then smiled at Moira. He didn’t need to say a word, Moira knew exactly where gutter his mind had gone, but she didn’t correct him. Part of the act, she reminded herself.
“That would be lovely,” she said. “Rafe knows what I like.” She waved her hand to dismiss both of them. There was something about Goldilocks that she needed to figure out, and Rafe’s protective vibes were completely distracting her.
Rafe walked between her and Mr. Tux Guy. It was obvious he wasn’t comfortable with either Carter or leaving her alone with the stranger. She tilted her head up, revealing her long milky white neck for Rafe. Something primitive flashed in his eyes and he grabbed her and kissed her on the sensitive hollow of her neck with an open mouth. A jolt of lust she wasn’t expecting coursed through her, then he held her gaze for a long second, making her flush, before following Carter to the bar.
She covered her surprise by licking her lips. She looked up at Goldilocks. “He tries to be possessive.”
“But you are in charge.”
“How did you guess?”
He gestured toward the bar with his whole arm. “Two men who can’t keep their eyes off you. Of course, this is no surprise to me. You are a stunning woman. What is your name?”
“Moira.”
“You’re from Ireland.”
“My accent always gives me away, luv. And you?”
“Rex. This is my place.” He took her arm with his. “Please allow me to escort you to a seating area.”
His touch did something to her. Or, rather, she felt something very much like what she felt at the willow tree earlier that day. A snapshot of time past, as if she were someone else walking with Rex through this exact club. Then it was gone.
The magic that had swirled around her outside was here, in this room, and she felt it ten times stronger as soon as Rex touched her bare arm. She couldn’t turn away from him without arousing suspicion so she worked at putting up some of her internal shields against the bombarding negative energy.
She had been so certain that the person responsible was a woman, but there was darkness here, with Rex. She glanced at him. Handsome golden boy. Strong jaw, chiseled features. Younger than she thought. Much younger. Not over twenty-five. Dressed different, he could easily pass as a college student. Maybe he was the lure. The boyfriend Amy had told Rafe about.
She’d had two brief visions, both involving Amy Carney. One at the camp when she touched the willow tree and one here, when Rex touched her. Maybe she was seeing things through Amy’s eyes. Except during the first vision she was looking at Amy. Trying to make sense of what she felt and saw, she missed what Rex was saying to her.
“Pardon me?” she said, covering her confusion with a sexy smile.
“How is this?” Rex had stopped next to a long red velvet couch in the center of the club flanked by two black leather chairs. “Please sit.”
“Thank you.” She sat, relieved to not be touching Rex anymore. She crossed her legs, revealing the garter on her right thigh, and put her hands on her knee.
Rex sat next to her and took her hand. So much for getting away from him. “Your skin is lovely. Soft, but you have strong, well-defined muscles. A contradiction. Contradictions intrigue me.”
“Is that a compliment?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Of course.” He kissed her hand, lingering a beat too long. Was this his M.O. or was he onto her?
“You’re enchanting, Goldilocks,” she said. He seemed bemused that she had a nickname for him. She leaned in and noticed his eyes flickered to her breasts before looking at her face. He was trying to be cool, but she felt him trying to work a lust spell on her with his mind. She couldn’t repel it without him sensing what she was doing, so she had to distract him. “I came with two men tonight. That’s about all I can handle.”
“On the contrary, I think you can handle as many as you want.” He kissed her hand again. “But when you return, you’ll return just for me.”
He rose and bowed again. “You will return.”
It was an influence spell, to compel her to come back to Defiance, alone.
She responded the way she was supposed to. “Yes, I think I will.”
Rex smiled at Carter and Rafe when they approached with red wine. “Gentlemen, you have a lovely woman. If you need anything, please come to me. I am available to ensure you have a pleasurable evening.”
Rafe handed Moira the wine. “It’s safe,” he said.
“I hate wine,” she said, but sipped.
“What happened? You had an odd look on your face.”
“I was trying to repel an influence spell without him knowing what I was doing.”
Rafe sat next to her. Carter sat on the other side, putting his arm around her shoulders. Rafe glared at him. “I told you at the bar,” he said in a low voice, “don’t overstep.”
“Down, boy. It’s just an act.”
Rafe’s jaw tightened and Moira leaned over and kissed him next to his ear. “Rex is a magician,” she whispered. “But he’s not responsible for the dark energy I felt outside.”
“You can tell that?”
“His magic was simpler. The other energy I feel all around is unfocused and dormant, but much more complex. And I’m almost certain it has the same signature as the spell I felt at the camp.” She looked around. Some of the people were ignoring them, but most were curious and making obvious appraisals of the three of them. “I need to draw out whoever is generating it.”
“How?”
“The dance floor. I can touch people without it seeming suspicious.” She glanced at Carter. “Do you dance?”
“I do now.”
Rafe frowned. “We don’t need him.”
“Yes. It’ll draw attention, and that’s what we want.”
“We wanted to find out if there was dark magic here, and there is.”
“There’s far more. Whoever is in charge is here. I know it.” She hesitated, knowing Rafe wasn’t going to be happy about her next admission. “I had another vision. Brief, when Rex touched my arm. It matched the earlier flash. I was looking through someone else’s eyes. I thought it was Amy, but it’s not—because I saw her at the willow tree. I’m pretty certain I’m looking through the eyes of the woman generating all this energy.”
Carter was watching their exchange with an odd expression. Rafe said, “Go, we’ll be there in a minute.”
“Whatever,” Carter shrugged and walked away.
“Are you okay?” Rafe asked Moira.
“Yes, but you—”
“I’m just seeing another side of you I haven’t seen.”
“I don’t normally act like a slut.”
“I don’t like it.”
“Just for tonight. It’s not like I’m going to do anything.” She touched his cheek, surprised and a little amused at Rafe’s jealousy.
“It’s not you. It’s all the men, and some of the women, in this room looking at you as an object. And it’s more than a little creepy that they are focused on your neck. I’ll dance with you.”
“You know that won’t work. When you touch me, all I feel is you.” She rose, but Rafe pulled her back down and kissed her with a raw passion she hadn’t felt from him in quite this way.
The song changed, the lighting dimmed dramatically and a red spotlight moved languidly over the crowd from the corner of the DJ booth. It was the perfect time for her to get out on the dance floor.
Rafe stood, pulling Moira with him, and turned her around, wrapping one arm around her waist, her back flat against his chest. He danced her over to the floor where Carter was doing a full-body dance with a leather-clad brunette in five-inch heels.
“Rafe, I don’t know—”
He whispered in her ear. “I’m not risking you. You’re going to deal with it tonight. Find a way. I’m not letting you go.”
She couldn’t explain that she was fine, that the magic wasn’t going to touch her. She was on full-alert now, every nerve hyper-sensitive. But none of her explanations would get through the new, jealous Rafe.
Carter almost didn’t notice them approach. “Excuse me,” Moira said to Ms. Leather Pants. “He’s with me.”
“He wasn’t when I found him,” she said, but stepped aside.
“What’d you do that for?” Carter asked.
“You’re not safe here,” Moira whispered directly in his ear. Rafe was right behind her, and she was sandwiched between the two men. Carter smiled at her and he took one of her hands, dancing them through the crowd toward the middle of the dance floor.
Carter leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Don’t be obvious, but there’s a woman standing next to the DJ. She’s been watching us since we came in.”
Moira didn’t know why she hadn’t felt someone watching, but she’d been so wrapped up in keeping Rex from casting a spell over her she must have missed it. She kissed Carter’s cheek, leaving a nice mark with her lipstick. Rafe tightened his grip. She made a point of looking all over the dance floor, until her gaze scanned the stage.
Recognizing the woman, she did a discreet double-take. The woman next to the DJ was in the camp photo with Amy and Beth.
Except, she looked older, maybe twenty-eight, not much younger than Moira. In the photo she had looked like a teenager. Had Grant spoken to her today? What had he thought? Why hadn’t he mentioned her age? Had she cast a spell on him so he only saw what she wanted him to see?
She couldn’t tell if the dark energy was coming from the woman, but it was all around the dance floor. She needed to get closer.
With her body, she backed up, directing Rafe toward the stage. Carter followed, but was pulled into another threesome. Moira was concerned, because even though there was a lot of partner swapping on the floor, Carter’s safety was her responsibility.
“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Rafe said.
They were almost to the stage when Rex tapped on Rafe’s shoulder. “May I?”
Rafe didn’t let go immediately, then he dropped his arms and stepped aside. Another girl took his hand and pressed her body against his while Rex took Moira’s right hand and put his other hand on the small of her back. He didn’t speak, but danced her away from Rafe and Carter, over to the edge of the floor.
A voice behind Moira said, “Thank you, Rex.”
The dark energy increased tenfold. Moira immediately put up her shields, but it wasn’t enough, nor fast enough. The blonde from the stage turned Moira to face her, then wrapped her arms around Moira’s neck and pulled her body close, swaying to the beat of the music. When she smiled, Moira saw the fangs. Her canines had been carved into sharp points, sharp enough to puncture skin.
“Let go,” Moira said.
The sudden vision was painful, evil exploding in her mind. Moira did her best to control her reaction, but the blonde knew. Blackness wrapped around Moira, choking her.
“What do you want?” the blonde asked.
“I came to have fun,” Moira said, each word excruciating as she tried to block the horrific vision of blood, screams and laughter.
“You’re lying to me.” The woman tightened her grip. Her lips skimmed Moira’s ear. To any observer, they were two women interested in each other. But Moira had to fight to keep the woman out of her mind. She felt Rex’s energy building a spell around her, the same command spell he’d failed earlier, and she wouldn’t be able to battle both of them in such close proximity.
“Don’t interfere with me,” the woman said.
Moira gathered the strength to push her away. The witch stumbled in her tall heels, and Moira said, “I’m out of here.”
“Not yet.” The woman reached for her, getting a firm grip on her wrist before Moira could jerk away. Another vision, this one of a bleeding moon, hit her. She didn’t see anything except blood, and she closed her eyes, shaking her head in an attempt to block it.
Fighting the black magic weakened Moira. Had the wine been cursed? She’d only had one sip. Rafe said it was safe … what if he had been wrong?