Magic Awakened: A Paranormal Romance Boxed Set Page 15

  Paralyzed, she sucked in a breath and was forced to submit to the images that played out in her head.

  From far away, she could hear Egan calling for her. But, her voice was too distant, and Livia couldn’t find where it was coming from, let alone catch it.

  Then, their beloved city—New York—appeared before her.

  It was on fire. Buildings burned. People screamed and ran around, consumed by flames. Even the water was ablaze.

  Livia cried out and reached for the people. If only she could get to them, to help. But, she was frozen in place. Useless.

  Their screams filled her ears, drowning out Egan’s call to her.

  Then, out of the flames and smoke, a man appeared.

  Calmly, he walked toward the destruction.

  Livia watched him, but couldn’t make out his face. His body was burned, charred, and blackened.

  Follow the leader.

  Follow the leader.

  Follow the leader.

  Those words repeated over and over.

  “Follow the leader!”

  “Livia! Wake up!”

  Livia woke up screaming. Her eyes flew open.

  Egan yanked a knife from her fists.

  Livia looked to her, eyes wild, palms sweaty. They were in the kitchen.

  Her gaze dropped to the knife in Egan’s hand. “What happened?”

  “You tried to slit your throat! What the hell just happened? Why were you screaming ‘follow the leader?’”

  Livia fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands. “I wish I knew, Egan! Oh, God. This is terrifying. I have no control over my life.” She shook, her entire body feeling ice cold.

  While she sobbed, her phone rang.

  Egan kept her eyes on Livia and answered Livia’s cell.

  “Rion? What’s up? It better be important because we have some serious shit going on here!”

  Livia watched her through a veil of tears. Why did this have to keep happening to her? She’d promised Danvers that she would fight this and come back to him. Her sobs stopped when Egan fell to her knees in front of Livia, a stunned look in her eyes.

  “What is it?” Livia asked, reaching out to Egan who looked as if she might faint.

  “He’s awake,” Egan muttered, her eyes unblinking. “Jason Chambers is up and he’s walking around. Saying, ‘follow the leader.’”

  Follow the leader.

  Egan

  Jason Chambers is alive.

  Egan kept repeating the phrase in her mind, like if she said it enough times, it would be make more sense.

  “Get your coat, Livia. We’ve got to get over to Rion’s office.” She hustled toward her closet and grabbed the first coat in reach. Holding up a coat meant for the dry cleaners, she shrugged and put it on. “Livia! Are you ready to go?”

  Her faint voice from the far side of the penthouse answered. “Yes! I’m coming.”

  They met in the foyer, and, together, scurried out the front door.

  They took the elevator to the parking garage and raced toward Egan’s Corvette.

  “Back in the beast we go,” Egan said as she unlocked the car and ducked inside.

  “Right? I feel like we’re hamsters, scurrying back and forth,” Livia said, as she slid in the passenger’s seat.

  Egan powered the Corvette on and screeched away.

  The streets blurred as they drove to NYC OCME. Egan punched Rion’s number into her phone as they approached the office. “Hey, Rion. We’re almost to your building.”

  “Don’t come up. Stay outside.” Rion’s voice flew out the car speaker.

  “What? Why? I thought you said you had Jason in the morgue, securely locked.” She clenched the steering wheel.

  “I did. Apparently, lock and key can’t hold this new Jason. He twisted the door knob, melting it like it was made of wax. After he exited, it solidified. Imagine how I’m going to explain a mangled door knob to the chief M.E., let alone explain to him why the metal doors to the refrigerated cubbies had been pulled from their hinges. It looks like the Hulk went through this room.”

  Livia gasped. “Where is he now?”

  “He’s on his way outside, is my guess. He got away before I knew what was happening. I’d stepped into my office to check on him and when I returned…gone! Look, I’ve got to find him. Watch for me out front.” He disconnected, leaving silence rattling around in her ears.

  “Jesus Christ,” Egan said. “This whole thing makes no sense.” She turned the car onto the street where the OCME was located. “Livia, look!”

  She pointed toward the front door of the office building.

  A man emerged. In the street lights, he appeared completely charred, burnt beyond recognition. He strode calmly, rounding the corner, and heading in the direction of the East River.

  “That’s him! Here…here’s a spot.” Livia pointed at a vacant parking space.

  Egan zipped into the space. They got out, slammed the doors, and raced toward Jason.

  “Do you think he’s dangerous?” asked Livia.

  “Who the fuck knows? We’ve got to stop him.”

  Rion exited the front door. He lifted his hand in greeting. “Did you see him?”

  “He went that way.” Egan’s legs burned as she sprinted past him. She hadn’t had this much exercise in forever.

  Rion joined them in their chase.

  “He’s heading toward the river,” Livia panted. “Good thing I didn’t wear heels.”

  “Do ya think?” Egan’s lungs hurt. She didn’t know if she could make it. She stopped, resting her palms on her knees.

  Rion kept running.

  Livia stopped and whirled around. “What’s the matter?”

  “Are you kidding me? Out of shape, that’s what. You go. I’ll catch up.” She waved at Livia.

  “What? No, Egan.”

  Up ahead a few yards, the Jason zombie lurched across the street. He glanced back at her, and increased his speed.

  “There he is! Let’s go!” She pulled from her reserves and powered on, with Livia by her side.

  Jason peeled his shirt over his head and let it flutter onto the street. It landed on someone’s windshield.

  The driver squealed to a halt. He leaped from his vehicle and plucked the shirt from the front window.

  “Hey!” he yelled. He waved the blackened shirt like a flag. “You perv.”

  He tossed the garment onto the pavement, hopped in his car, and sped away.

  Jason paused, then pushed his pants down, hopping out of the pant legs. He kicked them away. Once free of them, he took off wearing nothing but his burned skivvies.

  Egan and Livia caught up to Rion. They were now only a couple of yards away from Jason.

  “How is it he has clothes?” Egan’s feet slapped the sidewalk as she ran.

  “No idea. The clothes he arrived in had to be cut from his body.” Rion barely looked winded.

  Egan wanted to die. She huffed and puffed beside him. She squinted at Jason’s bare body as her legs stumbled along. “Is he…? Is he healing? Look at his skin.”

  “Wow,” Livia said. “It looks like…he is,” she said through labored breaths.

  The river lay just ahead.

  Jason sprinted across the street, in front of traffic.

  A car slammed on its brakes, screeching into the bumper of the vehicle in front of it, barely missing Jason.

  A bus chugged in front of Egan, Rion and Livia, blocking her from seeing where he went. “Christ!”

  Cars began honking.

  She and her companions raced around the bus.

  The two drivers involved in the collision got out of their cars and yelled at one another.

  “Where is he? Where did he go?” Her head whipped right and left, searching for a half-naked man.

  A truck with the word Propane on its side slammed into a sedan. Another car crashed into the truck. The truck burst into flames.

  Someone screamed.

  Just like the lawn outside of Fran
k Barker’s, each vehicle burst into flames, one by one, like a string of firecrackers, as if by magic.

  Total gridlock overtook the street. Horns blared. People shouted.

  “There he is!” Livia lifted her hand and pointed.

  About a block away, Jason now jogged toward the waterfront, looking like he had all the time in the world.

  “This is what I saw,” Livia said. “This and fire, and a bird…a giant bird.”

  “The phoenix,” Egan says. “You saw a phoenix. It’s a Greek bird. It dies and is reborn stronger. It’s reborn in fire. Let’s go.”

  She dodged around the stalled vehicles, making her way toward him. Livia and Rion were right behind her.

  Jason picked up speed as he approached the pier. Sirens blasted from the distance.

  Egan’s muscles burned as she chased the Jason zombie. Only a couple of yards and I’ve got him.

  When Jason got to the end of the pier, he turned and looked at them. He smiled. Then, he turned around and leaped in the water.

  Egan, Rion, and Livia came to a halt, before falling into the water.

  “My, God, it looks like he’s a super human.” Egan pointed at Jason’s swimming form. “Look at the speed he’s got.”

  Jason’s arms chugged like machines. He churned up a streaming wake as he sped through the water.

  Then, she dropped her hands to her knees and gasped, trying to catch her breath.

  Rion stepped near her. He placed his palm on her back. A soothing warmth spread through her body.

  “Is that some of your Fae magic you’re using to soothe me?” She stood upright.

  “Perhaps. Perhaps it comes about for one I care about.” He smiled.

  “Well…thanks.” She chuffed out a breath. “I do feel better. Okay, what do we do now?”

  “Anyone know how to jump start a boat?” Livia’s hands wrapped around her tummy. “He’s getting away.”

  She inclined her head toward Jason’s bobbing shape, nearly out of sight. Her chest heaved as she panted.

  “In fact, I own a couple of jet skis. Can either of you ladies ride one?” Rion pointed toward the dock.

  “Livia and I will go together. You take the other one.” Egan hoped he’d understand. She had to protect Livia.

  A look of disappointment washed across his face. His eyes slid from Egan to Livia, and his expression became one of resolve. “Let’s go.”

  He took off at a jog toward his watercraft.

  Egan looked at Livia and shrugged. They both followed him, their footfalls clattering along the wooden dock.

  When they got to the skis, resting side by side on a plastic dock pushed against the main dock, Rion paused at a lock box. He waved his hand over it, and the lock opened.

  “Cool trick,” Egan said.

  “Thanks. I don’t do it when non-believing humans are around.” He opened the metal door and fished out a couple sets of keys. Tossing one set to Egan, he said, “Here you go.”

  She caught them. “Come on, Livia.”

  They scurried toward the watercraft.

  Egan climbed on the jet ski. Livia sat behind her. She slid the key into the ignition. “Any idea how we’ll find Jason? He was swimming so fast, he could be in China by now.”

  “Oh, I have a pretty good idea where he is. I’m a fairy, remember? I can sense him.” Rion smiled grimly.

  Egan swept out her hand. “Lead the way. Wait. How will we see? Jet ski lights are illegal, last I heard.”

  Rion grinned. He held out his hand. It lit with sparkling illumination.

  Egan nodded. “More cool tricks. I can’t wait to see what else you have going for you.”

  He waggled his eyebrows. “And I can’t wait to show you—later.”

  He climbed onto his jet ski.

  They powered up and took off.

  The watercraft lurched forward, then rose and fell along the choppy surface. Egan gripped the handlebars, afraid to let go. She focused on Rion’s light beam to find their way along the dark waters.

  “You okay?” Egan called.

  “Yes,” Livia shouted. “If the circumstances were different, this might be fun.”

  They zipped behind Rion’s watercraft.

  The minutes stretched with no sign of Jason.

  “Are you sure we’re going in the right direction?” Egan called.

  “Positive!” Rion shouted. “He’s heading in the direction of Riker’s Island.

  Several minutes later, Livia said, “My butt’s getting sore bouncing around.”

  “Mine, too!”

  They sped along, the skyline of New York providing a blurred backdrop.

  “He’s up ahead!” Rion called. He directed his light beam toward Jason’s bobbing head.

  Jason seemed oblivious to the watercraft behind him. He didn’t turn around to glance at them once. His arms powered him through the water like a speedboat, as he headed toward a brightly lit yacht about twenty yards ahead. The yacht rocked gently in the water, anchored to a mooring line outside Riker’s prison compound.

  A rope ladder fell over the side, flung by unseen hands.

  Jason pulled himself free from the water. He clambered over the side, leaving the ladder behind.

  “Oh, no!” Livia said. “Look at the name.”

  In bold letters, the word Phoenix had been printed along the side. Every one of Livia’s visions were coming true.

  Egan

  “Kill the engines!” Egan called to Rion, as they sped toward the yacht named Phoenix.

  Rion, zipping along beside her, nodded.

  Egan turned off her watercraft.

  Livia lurched forward, her fingernails digging into Egan’s shoulders.

  As soon as the roar of the jet ski engines died, the watercraft continued its trajectory toward the boat, slowing as it went.

  When they grew close enough to touch the yacht, Egan gave a signal. “Okay. It’s go time.”

  An eerie silence fell around them. Water slapped at the jet boats and the side of the yacht. A generator hummed inside the cabin. It gave off a gurgling plop, plop, plop noise.

  “Grab the ladder, Liv,” Egan hissed.

  Livia reached for the rope rungs, pulling their boat close to the side of the yacht.

  Egan held out her hand to Rion.

  He took it and pulled his jet ski close to hers.

  “Here,” Rion said. “You two climb up. I’ll tie the skis off on the mooring line and swim back to the ladder.”

  “How will you get onboard?” Egan whispered.

  “Up the ladder, how else?” Rion tilted his head to look at her.

  “Can’t you, like…you know…fly?” Livia asked.

  Rion smiled. “I could. I could also destroy this yacht with one good spell, but, what would be the point? Innocent lives might be lost. Fae aren’t without a heart, you know.”

  He fixed his eyes on Egan.

  She inhaled sharply. “Right. Well, then. We each have our destructive abilities. As well as our—” She cleared her throat. “—hearts.” She looked away from him. “Let’s go, Liv. You first. Pause at the top before climbing onboard. There could be someone waiting to apprehend us. Do you sense anything with your crazy telepathic skills?”

  Livia closed her eyes for a few seconds. When she opened them, she said simply, “No.”

  “All right, then.” Egan leaned forward to give Livia room.

  Livia steadied herself, clinging to the ladder. She stood, letting out a soft yelp, when the watercraft rocked to the side.

  Egan clutched Rion’s hand and leaned on the handlebars to steady the boat.

  Rion’s watercraft bobbed next to her. He crowded her jet ski with his to help keep her steady.

  “Okay,” Livia whispered. She swung her leg off the watercraft and climbed on the ladder.

  Egan’s jet ski bobbed side to side.

  She slammed her palm on the side of the yacht.

  “I’ve got you,” Rion said.

  “Crap!” Egan
whisper-yelled. “Don’t move. We might have alerted someone.”

  The three of them froze in position.

  Egan cocked her head to listen for signs of danger. After a few seconds, she nodded to Livia. “Okay. I don’t hear anything. Go. Wait for me.”

  Livia nodded back. Then, she scurried up the ropes.

  For a few seconds, Egan’s gaze tangled with Rion’s. His eyes were hypnotic. She wondered if she’d ever tire of looking at the wisdom, age, and passion staring back at her, if they ever decided to make this a “thing.”

  “Be safe,” Rion said, turning away, and breaking their connection. His boat started to drift away. “I’ll be right behind you.” He reached for her jet ski and maneuvered his boat next to hers. “Okay,” he whispered. “Go.”

  Egan caught the ladder and stood. She rocked back and forth, balancing herself. Then, clinging to the rope, she managed to get her feet on the soft rung. She climbed toward Livia. “See anything?”

  Livia turned to look down at Egan. “I think we’re safe. The coast is clear. Climb on.”

  Moving like cats, she and Livia climbed over the side of the boat. Lights were on in the cabin, but outside, on the deck, it was dark.

  “Do you see anyone?” Egan whispered.

  “No. You?” Livia said.

  “Coast is clear.”

  They tip-toed toward the cabin door. Egan sniffed the air. “Do you smell that?”

  “Yeah.” Livia pressed her thumb and forefinger against her nose.

  “Smells like something burnt.” Egan’s foot caught on something and she stumbled. “Oh, great.”

  She stared at the obstacle in the form of something human-like, spread out along the deck.

  The human groaned. It lifted a bony arm, devoid of skin.

  “Oh, fuck me,” Egan said, her stomach churning. “It looks like a zombie.”

  She blinked, trying to focus.

  Several more lounged on the deck, in various states of decay.

  “Are they all alive? Ish?” Livia whispered, huddled against Egan’s back.

  One of the other zombies rolled on his side, in answer.

  A burnt mark, along with a tiny piece of foil and a long piece of tubing came into view, like he’d been sleeping on them.

  “Great,” Egan muttered. “We’re standing amid meth-head zombies.”