The Banshee's Embrace Read online

  "Yeah. I do. I don't really listen to metal though. I'm more of a pop person, I guess."

  "I guess I can forgive one or two flaws in you."

  "Well, thanks. How do you like your eggs?"

  "Like my women. Over easy."

  She grinned at him, though she knew she was supposed to be offended.

  "There's a smile," he said, with an answering grin of his own. "You don't smile enough, Jacqueline."

  "With all that goes on in your bar, I'm surprised you've ever noticed."

  "I notice more than you think."

  Jacqueline was silent, thinking about his words, about him. How different he seemed from her experiences with him in Merlyn's Bar. He always came across as gruff, grouchy even, but this morning--it was like he was a whole different person.

  "What are you thinking?" he asked.

  "Nothing, really. Just that you seem so…different outside of the bar."

  He frowned. "What do you mean?"

  "When you are at work, you are tenser. You don't like to let people close to you." She turned her back and cracked the eggs. "Now you seem relaxed. It's nice."

  When Toby didn't say anything, she glanced over her shoulder at him. He was staring at her speculatively. What could he be thinking? Something in his gaze unsettled her, and she bustled around the kitchen, trying to give off a semblance of control.

  "It won't work, you know." Toby spoke softly. "I can tell you're worried."

  She stopped and turned to him. "Wouldn't you be?"

  "Probably. But I've been dealing with oddities all my life."

  "I guess so."

  "Does it hurt to do what you do?" He tilted his head to the side, the speculative gleam in his eyes growing. "I mean, when you are in full banshee mode, does it hurt?"

  "It makes me sad," she said. "I'm so overwhelmed by the grief that it feels like I'm drowning in it."

  "You are very powerful. I don't think you even realize it."

  "Powerful?" She laughed and turned back to the stove. "Singing to dead people doesn't seem like much of a power to me."

  "That's because you haven't tapped into what you can really do."

  Toby had moved up behind her, and she jumped at his sudden nearness. How had he done that without her hearing? Was he part cat? She could almost feel his warm breath on the back of her neck, and it gave her tingles in places that had been dormant awhile. Jacqueline was tempted to lean back, to place her head against his chest, to invite his teeth to nip along the delicate line of her neck.

  "Do you know what you can do?" Toby whispered and touched a strand of her hair. "You can call out people's souls. You can take evil from the world and eradicate it. And you don't even have to wait for people to die."

  What was he talking about? Eradicate evil?

  "What the hell are you doing?" The deep voice came from the doorway of the kitchen. Startled, Jacqueline turned to see Toby standing there, an angry glower on his face.

  Then who was behind her? Who had she been talking to?

  As she turned to face the person she'd thought was Toby, he grabbed her so that she couldn’t move, pinning her body to his.

  "Think about what I've said, little banshee," the voice in her ear no longer sounded like the gruff bartender. "You are only learning what you can do. Don't waste your talents by listening to the demands of the Brotherhood. You can be more."

  Mist surrounded Jacqueline, carrying with it the faintest scent of moss and earth. The arms holding her seemed to dissolve, but not before the lightest of kisses was placed on her shoulder. Then the air cleared and the real Toby stood before her.

  "Jacqueline, are you okay?" Gently, Toby touched her face and tilted her chin so he could see her eyes. "Look at me."

  She did and then asked, "Who was that?"

  "Someone who wants you dead."

  "How come he looked just like you?"

  "Because that's his specialty, changing shapes. However, he needs something that belongs to the person he wants to look like in order to do it." Toby looked around the kitchen. "Wonder what he used. And how he got in."

  "When I came down the stairs he was floating blue crystals. I think he left them in the living room." Jacqueline watched the frown stretch deeper across his face. "What are those crystals?"

  "Divination tools." He went in to other room, returning with the blue crystals which he placed on the table. "He was able to mimic me based on these. They've been in my family a long time so my essences is imprinted on them, but his essence should be left behind now. We can find out who he is."

  "Do you think he's the wizard who killed Eric?"

  Toby met her gaze and for a second, something flickered in his eyes. Sympathy maybe? She couldn’t be sure.

  Without answering her question, Toby chanted some words in a language she didn’t recognize. The crystals shook on the table, almost as if they were fighting against an unseen force. Then a color of light burst forth from them: red.

  "Just as I thought." Toby rubbed at his beard. "This essence belongs to a Spark."

  "Spark? What does that mean? I just see red light."

  "That's because you aren't a wizard. All members of the Brotherhood carry the color of their family essence. It may look like plain red to you, but it carries a distinctive shade to it. This belongs to a member of the Spark household."

  "Are they bad?"

  "You gonna eat those eggs?" Toby pointed behind her to the eggs still on the stove.

  With a swear, she turned the burner off and slid the eggs onto a plate.

  "I was cooking them for the other you. You want them?" She handed him the plate and watched him sit down in the same chair as his imposter had been in. "That's just creepy. I can't believe I was talking to…a fake you. How did he even get in? I thought you put a protection thingy on the place last night."

  "It's called a spell, not a thingy, and I'm glad I came in the room in time. If this wizard is the Spark I think he is, then he's pretty dangerous."

  A slice of fear stabbed at Jacqueline's heart. She'd been so easily tricked, even attracted to an imposter. She could feel herself blush with embarrassment.

  "Hey," Toby said, watching her. "He could have fooled anyone."

  "I should have known he wasn't you."

  "How would you have? The resemblance is pretty strong."

  "The way he was acting should have been enough."

  "Oh yeah? How was he acting?"

  Nice. Approachable. Friendly. All of the words were on the tip of her tongue to say, but she kept them to herself.

  "Let's just say, his demeanor was a little more relaxed than yours," she said with a smile.

  Toby grunted in response.

  "Exactly." Jacqueline picked up the pan for the eggs and rinsed it off in the sink.

  "Aren't you going to eat?"

  "I've lost my appetite."

  "You've been through a lot. You need to eat to keep up your strength."

  Jacqueline grabbed an apple and took a big bite while looking in his direction.

  "Toby, what am I supposed to do with all this new information?"

  "Thought you'd never ask." He pushed back his chair and took the empty plate to the sink. His arm brushed hers, sending off a small shock of electricity. "First, we need to protect your house. Then we need to have a long talk about your husband."

  He brushed past her again, sending off another shock.

  "And, Jacqueline, whatever my demeanor may be, just remember, that I'm on your side."

  *****

  Women. He never could seem to figure them out. Toby sighed and pulled off his T-shirt. Tossing it onto the bathroom floor, he stepped into the hot shower. It had taken a few hours, but the spells had been put in place that would protect the perimeter of Jacqueline's home. He should have put a stronger one in place than the one he'd conjured hastily the night before. Obviously, it wasn't strong enough to keep a Spark wizard out. She should be safe now until he had a chance to sort out what was going on.

&nb
sp; But damn, the woman was a pain in the ass. Always asking questions. Always wanting to make conversation. Always in the way. Always tossing her hair or swishing her hips or bending over to pick stuff up. It was enough to drive anyone to madness.

  How had her husband stood her?

  Eric Huston must have been a saint. Or at least very patient. Toby frowned as he thought about the deceased cop/wizard. He hadn't known Eric well, but he'd known about his presence in Galesburg Falls. After all, wizards weren't that common. Two in one town were practically unheard of. Technically, Toby had been there first, but he'd never been one to snipe over territory. Besides the Huston branch of wizards were known to be peaceful, watcher types.

  Guardians.

  Was that why Eric Huston had married Jacqueline? To guard her? Surely, it wasn't coincidence that a wizard had married a woman of banshee heritage. The question was… what had he been planning?

  Murder seemed unlikely. He could have done that without marrying Jacqueline. Turning her into a half banshee hadn't been part of his plan either. In fact, that had appeared to be an accident as a result of Eric trying to protect her. Then what? Was it possible that he really hadn't known what he was marrying?

  Nope. Toby just couldn't buy that. There was always a method to a supernatural's madness. Always.

  As he scrubbed soap everywhere, thoughts of Jacqueline popped into his mind that was not related to her husband. Seeing her cozied up to the imposter in the kitchen had affected him more than he would have imagined. In the stranger's arms, something about her appeared different. She'd been…turned on, aroused maybe. And by the person she thought was him.

  The steam in the shower grew hotter, billowing up into white puffs in the air. He indulged himself in a small spell that made the mist take the form of a woman. Using magic, he sculpted a water image of Jacqueline, pleased when it smiled at him. He could feel a familiar tightening in his groin as he looked at her.

  Desire could be such a bitch.

  "Toby?" Jacqueline's voice through the bathroom door caused the misty figure to dissolve with the soap bubbles. "Do you need a towel?"

  A towel? What he needed, she couldn't give him. At least, Toby didn't think so. Still, he couldn't help but replay the image of her in the imposter's arms. She hadn't seemed too unhappy.

  "I'm fine, Jacqueline. I'll be out in a minute," he called over the sound of the shower.

  Get your head back in the game, Toby. She could never be interested in you.

  Drying himself off, Toby studied his reflection in the mirror. He was solidly built and thanks to the gym, his body was toned. The mark of the Brotherhood was the only thing that marred his skin, and it was something that he didn't mind. While he may not have had much to do with the Brotherhood, he would never be ashamed of his heritage.

  The mark. Of course! It was a way to keep Jacqueline from ever being fooled again.

  Slipping on his pants, he called for her.

  "What's up?" she asked, coming to the open bathroom door. She blushed at his shirtless chest. "Oh, sorry. Thought you were dressed."

  "See this mark on my arm?" He pointed to the tiny black bird that had been branded on his skin so long ago. "That's the symbol that represents my family. No one can imitate it. Not even a shape shifter. If you're ever unsure about whether or not you are talking to me, look for that mark."

  She nodded and then hurried away, her eyes looking everywhere but at him.

  He couldn't help but grin. Damn, she was cute when she wasn't in his way.

  ****

  "Okay, tell me everything."

  They were back in the kitchen, seated across from each other. Between them sat a number of items: the blue divinity crystals and a gray box that had belonged to Eric.

  Toby picked up the crystals and placed one in each of Jacqueline's hands.

  "Have you ever seen these around your house before?"

  "No. I don't think so."

  "Anything similar?"

  Jacqueline thought for a moment. "Yeah, actually I have seen something similar now that you mention it. My husband liked to collect rocks. I think he has a collection of crystals somewhere."

  "I figured he might. The Huston clan is considered to be guardians and healers. Crystals are important to them."

  "So are all of Eric's family members…well, are they all in the family business?" Jacqueline asked.

  "Most of the men, but not the women. The Huston's tend to keep their women in the dark about magic. They have the luxury of being able to do that since they aren't fighters."

  "That can't be true. Eric was a cop."

  "Cops are guardians, right? Sworn to protect?"

  "True."

  And he always had been very protective of her. Jacqueline smiled at the memory of Eric reminding her to keep her cell phone close or teaching her basic protection moves. He'd always put her safety first, even that last night.

  "Do you think Eric knew about me? Knew what I was?" She watched Toby's face closely, unsurprised when it became guarded. He was a little like Eric--always trying to be cautious.

  "I think he might have."

  So what did that mean to her? Had Eric loved her or had he married her out of duty?

  "He loved you," Toby said, as if he could read her thoughts. "It's obvious to me that he did."

  "Yeah, he did," she said, unable to fight back the tears. "I know that he did. Maybe he got interested in me because of my heritage, but I know his feelings for me were real. You can't fake the kind of love he showed me."

  "I saw the two of you together once," Toby admitted. "You were in the grocery store and I was tracking Eric. I knew another wizard was in town, but I didn't know if he posed a threat. So I followed you both around for a while. I knew by the way he looked at you that he was in love. It's actually one of the reasons I never really got in touch with Eric Huston. I figured he was trying to create a normal life. Who was I to stop him? Besides, the Brotherhood would have told me if there was a problem."

  "Tell me more about the Brotherhood, Toby."

  He frowned and she sensed that she'd touched on a sore subject.

  "The Brotherhood is an ancient order. They've been around in some form since the medieval ages protecting wizards."

  "So it's a very elite club," Jacqueline smiled.

  "Very. There are only a fifty known wizards still alive."

  "Why is the Brotherhood interested in me?"

  "Because you didn't die when you should have. And because banshee blood is rare. Really rare."

  "What can it do?"

  Toby leaned forward and ran a finger over the silver box.

  "A banshee is a harbinger of death. They appear to people in certain families to foretell the passing of an important person. It doesn't matter where the family is located either. Sure, the myth may have started in Ireland, but the banshee knows no boundary. If the important person is in New York or Chicago, that's where the banshee is called," Toby said. He kept his eyes on Jacqueline, watchful of her reactions. "The thing is--you aren't like that. You didn't die all the way and now you see the dead soul of anyone who is about to pass on."

  "Great. I feel really blessed." Jacqueline couldn't help the sarcasm that rolled out of her mouth. "So how does that make me a weapon? You're imposter said I could do more."

  The guarded expression clouded Toby's face again.

  "Just give it to me straight, Toby. I'm a big girl. I think I can handle it."

  "Can you?" he asked, doubtful. "Here it is. You can kill people by thinking about it."

  The silence stretched between them like a tenuous rope while she processed that information.

  "Nope," she finally said, with a shaky laugh. "I'm not buying it."

  "It's true. You focus enough, and you can rip the soul right out of another being."

  "No. I wouldn't do that!"

  "Of course, you wouldn't on purpose. But in the right hands, you could be such a powerful force," Toby said. "The wizards want you because it isn't just peop
le you can rip souls from. It's other supernaturals. Other wizards."

  His face was serious, more serious than she'd ever seen it before. Sitting there in the kitchen, listening to the surreal nature of his words, Jacqueline was struck by how handsome Toby was. Odd that such a thought should occur when she'd been given such awful news. Such painful and ridiculous news, really. There was no way she could ever harm someone the way he was suggesting.

  "Think about it," Toby continued. "If you were a wizard who wanted to wipe out other wizards, having someone like you that could do the dirty work would be a great thing for them. Not for you, of course. I've already seen what happens when they harness an actual banshee."

  "The hag?" Jacqueline thought back to the strange woman outside the bar the night before. "How did they capture her?"

  "I don't know, but I do know that there can be only one family banshee. That particular hag--she belonged to yours. Your 'almost death' a year ago, made her vulnerable. Any spirit can be controlled when its powers are split. I bet the wizard who wants you had been using her to track your movements."

  "I don't understand. If I'd died, what would have happened to the woman?"

  "She would have gone on to the other side, her job completed."

  "And I would have become the banshee?"

  "Yeah," Toby leaned back in his chair. "Yeah. I think that's what would have happened. In fact, she probably knew you were going to die and was even there that night, ready to pass on the power. Only Eric messed that up when he saved you. So the power became split."

  "I didn't hear any wailing or singing," Jacqueline pointed out.

  "The rain," Toby said. "It was raining, right?"

  "Yes. And just on my house." She said the words slowly, trying to fit the puzzle pieces together. "So that was her?"

  "I think so," Toby said. "I've never really encountered a banshee transfer before so I’m just guessing here."

  Another short silence surrounded them as Toby anxiously watched her. She reached out to touch the silver box.

  "So what is this?" she asked. "I found it in Eric's things, but haven't been able to open it. It looks old."