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  The old man shot up with unnatural speed. “Well, fuck me with a lightning bolt.” He laughed. “That thing has power. I see now why Drake’s been so keen to keep you safe over the years. Dangerous artefact you have there, girl.”

  She brushed her hair off her face. “Tell me something I don’t know.” She held out her hand. “Come on, show me Drake now.”

  Silas shook his head. “No can do.”

  “What? I let you use the orb, you hold up your end of the deal or you’ll get more than just a jolt of energy!”

  His eyes narrowed. “Visions won’t work on you, you never mentioned you’re a shadow walker demon.”

  People had called her that before, she still had no idea what it meant. “Bollocks! I’ve had visions shown to me before by my aunt.”

  “Have seers been able to use their power on you since then?” Silas asked.

  Charlie bit her lip. “No,” she admitted. “My demon side doesn’t react well to it.” Hell, she didn’t understand her demon powers, much less how to control them.

  “Well, well. I haven’t met one of your kind in millennia but then you’re a slippery lot, aren’t you?”

  “One of my what?” Charlie demanded. “What am I?”

  Silas turned to leave. “I’ve answered enough for one night. Be seeing you.”

  “Hey, you’re not leaving until you show me a damned vision. You’ve got to give me something,” she said, grabbing his arm. “Please, I can’t lose him.”

  Silas rubbed his beard. “I can sense he’s being held somewhere. He was on his way to Kyral, then he vanished.”

  She groaned. “Thanks for nothing.”

  “You’ll find him, I can sense that but he might not be the same man he was when he left.” Silas took her hand, and to her horror, kissed it. “Pleasure meeting you, little shadow walker. Never thought Drake would find a mate with power to match his.”

  He vanished in a blur of light.

  Charlie slumped onto Drake’s bed. Another dead end. She called for the orb and looked at the glowing Srimtar, feeling its energy pulsing like a heartbeat between her fingers. It had shown her Drake would leave, why couldn’t it show her where he was now?

  “Show me Drake,” she murmured. The orb flickered then darkened again to nothing. “Come on, I know you can show bits and pieces of the future. Show me Drake now.”

  Still nothing.

  She threw it on the bedside table in disgust. “Worthless thing. I don’t know why so many people want to possess you.” She sent it back to the spirit world before grabbing one of Drake’s shirts. Pathetic, but the only way she could sleep was by clutching it. It smelt like him and brought her a little comfort.

  Chapter 2

  Charlie blinked, finding herself back in a strange room where the walls were made of purple mist and the floor looked like glass. Her own little place in the spirit world where she could retreat to, where Drake would appear in dreams. She could come and go there both in dreams and physically. But she hadn’t seen him there in over two nights now which made her even more worried. “Drake, where are you?” She felt a presence behind her and spun around to see him standing there. “Oh, thank the goddess!” She threw her arms around him, hugging him tight.

  “I missed you, little witch.” Drake ran a hand through her hair, holding her like he never wanted to let go. “What’s wrong? I felt your panic.” He leaned down to kiss her but Charlie pulled back.

  “Don’t. You’re not gonna distract me with kisses this time.” She put her hands on her hips. “Tell me where you are. Right now.”

  Drake shook his head. “We’ve been through this, Charlotte. I won’t put you in danger.”

  She laughed. “I’m already in danger. Myles still has a bounty on my head and wants the Srimtar. I’m an enforcer; danger comes with the territory,” she snapped. “What won’t you tell me?” She saw his form flicker. “Goddess, your growing weaker, aren’t you?”

  He nodded. “This might be the last time we see each other. I’d rather not waste it by arguing.”

  Charlie’s eyes flashed. “Don’t be stupid, of course we’ll see each other again. Come on, tell truth. I never believed that crappy story you gave me. Things were going great between us, then you just left. Why?”

  Drake slumped onto the sofa, made from the same misty material and ran a hand through his short black hair. “I had to go to Kyral to see my brother.” His skin looked paler than usual and there were black circles under his eyes.

  Charlie tried not to wince at his haggard appearance. “I know that, but why did you pretend to break up with me?”

  His dark gaze met hers. “Because I can’t drag you into it. My brother is the Akaran,” he told her. “I was on my way home when—”

  “When what?” Charlie demanded.

  His form started to flicker again. Charlie grabbed him, crushing her mouth to his. He returned the kiss with just as much hunger.

  “You can’t go.” She clutched his shirt, then wrapped her arms around his neck, the other hand caressing his face. “I won’t let you. Not this time.”

  “You know I’d stay if I could. That’s why I want to enjoy whatever time I have left with you.”

  She pulled away. “You sound like you’re just giving up. Don’t you want to be with me?”

  “More than you’ll ever know.”

  “Then why the fuck won’t you tell me where you are?”

  “Charlie—” Drake’s body flickered in and out of existence.

  Charlie grabbed onto him, feeling something yank her out of the misty room. She blinked, suddenly surrounded by darkness, surprised to find herself back in the physical world. The only light came from a machine that buzzed and whirred in the corner. Hooked up to it was a man, his hair fell over his gaunt face, wires were hooked along his arms, his wrists and feet were chained in place.

  Goddess, Drake! Her heart skipped a beat.

  “Drake? Drake, wake up!” Charlie reached up to touch him only to have her hand pass straight through. Glancing down, she saw her feet hovering to feet off the ground. Bloody hell! My fazing has gone to a whole new level.

  She glanced around, knew she wouldn’t have long before this connection ended. She knew she could do nothing to free Drake in her incorporeal state. But she could try and figure out where the hell they were. Maybe this was an astral projection.

  Charlie moved through the closed door into an empty hallway, surprised she could stray so far from Drake. She hurried through, finding nothing but empty rooms. Come on, there must be a clue here somewhere. She passed through another wall and came face-to-face with a huge man with a shaggy red beard.

  “What the hell?” He gasped when he saw her.

  Damn, he can see me! “Who are you?” Charlie demanded. “Where the hell are we?”

  He hit the desk, an alarm sent out a loud wailing sound.

  Charlie shot back out through the wall, hurrying towards Drake. “Drake, please wake up.” She reached out, her form shimmered making contact with solid flesh for an instant.

  Drake groaned, his eyes blinking open as he stared up at her. “Char—” he tried to say her name.

  “It’s me, I’m here. Somehow.” She smiled.

  “No, you – have to go.”

  “Listen, I’m gonna get you out of here. You have help me.” She stroked his cheek. “Do you know where we are?”

  The sound of running footsteps echo down the hall. “Drake, please!” Charlie begged.

  “Desert – Lochlyn, he’s...” He turned his head towards the closed door. “Go!”

  Charlie gasped, head spinning as she found herself falling from the ceiling to the floor of Drake’s bedroom. But she smiled, she finally had clues. Though, who the hell was Lochlyn?

  Charlie headed inside Niara’s sitting room. “GG, do you know – whoa!” She stopped dead when she saw Niara with her arms around a man, kissing him.

  Niara and the stranger pulled apart. Niara’s hair turned a shade of flaming red to match her
cheeks. “Charlie, what you are doing here?”

  She covered her face. “Losing the will to live!”

  “Hello.” The man said. “You must be Charlotte.”

  “Yeah.” She gave him an awkward wave.

  “Damon was just leaving.” Niara squeezed his hand.

  “Right.” Charlie fell her cheeks burn as Damon gave her great-grandmother a quick kiss, then left with an awkward bow.

  “Would you please knock in the future?” Niara hissed.

  “Jeez, GG. Aren’t a bit old for that?”

  “I’m an immortal. Many of us have lovers over the centuries. Don’t I deserve a private life?”

  “No, because you’re very old and it’s very gross.” Charlie cringed, trying not to gag. Although an eleven-thousand-year-old immortal, Niara looked no older than thirty with her ethereal fey beauty, sapphire eyes and long hair that changed colour on a whim.

  “Your partner is only three thousand years younger than me, and you’re not even twenty-five yet.”

  Good point. “So who’s your special friend?” Charlie asked, grinning.

  “He’s an old friend. We knew each other when I was young.”

  “Before you married a psycho?”

  “Yes.” Niara sighed. “What did you want?”

  “I can come by later if you want Damon to come back.”

  “No, tell me.”

  Charlie told her about her dream, the strange astral travel and what she’d found. “It felt weird. It was like I fazed, but different.”

  Niara poured some tea. “It sounds like your power is escalating.”

  “Escalating to what? No other medium in Denai history has ever been able to faze or pass in and out of the spirit world.” She sipped the sweet tea. “Do you know anything about it or what Drake told me?”

  Niara shook her head. “I’m sorry, dear. I still can’t sense what your demon side is. Have you tried calling your mother’s spirit again?”

  Charlie scowled. “She never answers – not even when I command her to come to me.”

  Niara’s hair turned back to its natural shade of pale blonde. “Perhaps it would be worth a visit to the Kyral Desert.”

  “The Alliance won’t give me clearance without solid proof.” She shook her head. “Silas said I’m shielded from visions. Is that true?”

  “Yes, I’ve noticed that.”

  “What does it mean?”

  “I can’t answer that. Perhaps Helga or Cate could help. They’re both far stronger seers than I am.”

  “Cate’s already tried and Helga is a bad idea. I almost killed her last time she tried to get a vision for me.” She fiddled with her silver Denai pendant. “Drake’s not around to stop me this time. GG, I’ve got to figure out what my demon half is and how to control it too. But first I need Drake.”

  Niara sipped her tea. “You care for him, don’t you?”

  “Of course I do, more than I thought possible.” She put her head in her hands. “Now I might lose the one person I could see having a future with.”

  “We’ll find him.” Niara patted her hand. “Besides, I can’t see Drake giving up so easily. Go see Helga.”

  Charlie nodded and rose. Despite hating Helga, she’d do whatever it took to find Drake. “So what’s with you and Damon?”

  Niara’s hair flashed red again. “Like I said, we’re friends.”

  Charlie laughed. “Right.”

  A door slid open as Charlie approached Helga’s tree and found the sitting area inside empty. Vine covered the gnarled walls, filling the air with the scent of fresh leaves and wood. “Helga?” Her heart raced. She found this place creepy and its owner even more so.

  A quick scan of the tree revealed no sign of the crone.

  Charlie retreated outside, leaves crunching under her feet. She slumped down onto a tree stump and closed her eyes, trying to shimmer or faze to the place she’d seen Drake. Nothing. She buried her head in her hands.

  “Giving up, are you, girl?” a voice rasped.

  Charlie looked up and sniffed when she saw the hunched old woman with her straggly grey hair, wrinkled face and sharp eagle eyes. “No. Niara told me to come see you,” she replied. “Listen, I’m sorry about what happened the last time I was here. It wasn’t me – it was something else.”

  “Yes, your demon side. So yes, it was you.”

  Charlie folded her arms. “It’s not like I can control it. I don’t even know what it is.” She brushed her hair off her face. “Can you help me find Drake?”

  Helga cackled, leaning on her walking stick. “I won’t help you again.”

  “You don’t have to, and I’m pretty sure that was because you were trying to see the Srimtar.”

  Damn it, what would she have to do to convince Helga to help her? She couldn’t make a deal like she’d done with Silas.

  “Why should I help you?” Helga asked, shoving leaves out of her path with her stick.

  “Because you have nothing better to do. Plus you’ve got to admit your kind of curious about what I am, aren’t you?” she asked. “As long as you don’t ask to use my orb.”

  “Definitely a McCray and, no I’d rather steer clear of that damned orb.” She shuddered and motioned for Charlie to follow. “Come.”

  Charlie ducked inside, breathing in the heady scent of fresh leaves falling.

  Helga slumped into her high-backed chair. “I can’t offer any guarantees.”

  “I don’t expect any.”

  Helga’s eyes turned white as she called on her sight.

  Charlie waited, telling her demon self to behave.

  Helga shook her head. “I see conflicting images.”

  She sighed. “Thanks for trying.”

  “I do sense you’ll find answers in Kyral – but I warn you, you might learn more than you bargained for.”

  Kyral it is then. Now she just had to convince the others to let her go.

  Chapter 3

  Drake slumped onto the cold steel bunk, exhaustion washing over him. The stench of sweat and waste filled the tiny space but he ignored it. His arms and chest ached from being stabbed by needles, from the machine meant to drain his powers. Despite his body’s ability to regenerate, the constant strain had taken its toll. He was becoming weaker and didn’t know how much more he could take. Still, draining his energy wouldn’t give them the power they sought. Closing his eyes, he willed his body to heal, but he needed sustenance for that. Lochlyn wouldn’t keep him alive much longer.

  He had to get out of there but somehow Lochlyn had managed to block his powers and attempts of escape. Not much could do that. He hadn’t survived over eight thousand years by power alone. He’d learnt how to stay alive and shield himself from his enemies. Nor could he figure out what Lochlyn had been using.

  Drake’s thoughts drifted to Charlie again. Gods, he hoped she stayed safe. Despite their dream encounters, he’d ended their relationship, pretending like she meant nothing to him. He still worried about her, but knew he had to find a way out of there and get to his brother and find out why Daron had called him home after all these centuries. But first he had to see Charlie, apologise and try to win her back. She was the only thing that kept him alive here. Not that this was the worst kind of hell he’d been in. He’d been through worse, much worse.

  Drake wondered if hearing Charlie’s voice the night before had been real. Strange, he felt like she’d been there with him. Maybe I am losing my mind. He heard the outer door creak open, signalling the guard bringing him food and water.

  He sat up, filling a wave of dizziness. He needed more than a few scraps of bread could offer. Only energy could replenish him now.

  The guard unlocked the door, static flashing over the bars. The guard was a low-level demon with a mop of dark hair, grey eyes and a skinny figure. Young too, with little power. He dropped the plate and plastic tube on the floor.

  Drake shot to his feet, grabbed the man by the throat. The guard gasped, his eyes widening. He pulled out an agron, a sm
all metal rod that caused intense pain. Drake knocked the weapon aside. Drake’s eyes turned black as he squeezed the demon’s throat, snapping his neck. Light shot from the demon as his body exploded. Drake took a deep breath, feeling a surge of energy pass through him, giving him temporary strength.

  Charlotte, he thought as he closed his eyes.

  The room around him faded as he reappeared inside another room. His home office with its huge desk made from dryad oak covered in maps and files. Charlie had her head slumped on the desk.

  She was still here in his house.

  “Charlotte?” Gods, he wanted to reach out and put arms around her, show her just how much he missed her. But he had little time left. “Wake up, little witch.”

  Charlie looked up, eyes still half closed. “Drake.” She bolted up. “Goddess, you’re here. Am I dreaming again?”

  “No, listen—”

  She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face against his chest.

  He blinked, surprised when she made contact with solid flesh. He pulled her closer, breathing in her familiar citrus scent. “We don’t have much time. I am—”

  She pulled his head down to capture his mouth in a rough and hungry kiss. He groaned, fingers tangling in her hair he returned the kiss. He missed the taste and feel of her, but then he pulled back. He couldn’t waste time.

  “What’s wrong?” Charlie asked, disappointment showing in her eyes.

  “No time, I’m not really here. I came to tell you where I am.”

  “Finally, about time you put your damned pride aside and came to me for help.” She breathed, hands on hips. “Where are you?”

  “I don’t know the exact location but – argh, not enough time.” He felt the tug, knew he’d soon be dragged back to his body.

  Charlie grabbed his hands, he felt energy tingle against his skin as she held his spirit in place. “No, you can’t leave. I can lock your spirit here if I have to.”

  His lips curved at his determined little witch. “My body is too weak to survive that.”