Chapter 7

• Closing my eyes, I connected with what I called my spark. As I opened my eyes, I raised my hands up and watched the arc bounce between my hands. It was like a fire, I’d always thought it was so cool that I could manipulate it enough it would look like an explosion of reds and yellow flames, an energy.
• Stepping toward the barrier, I lowered my hands until there were purple sparks combining with my red ones. I pushed and tried to force the barrier to part. My hands started shaking. Stepping back, I dropped them, and the flames were gone. I looked up to Leone. “Move in case these go through.”
• He nodded and stepped out to stand in the bathroom doorway.
• Taking a step back, I blew out a breath and reached for it again. Bringing my hands almost together in front of my body I moved them, watching the bright ball form. With a quick jerk I sent it at the barrier. It hit it with enough force it sounded like a small explosion. The floor beneath my feet shook. Gritting my teeth, I did it again and this time the blow-back almost knocked me off my feet. I was using a lot of power and knew I’d pay for it, but I gave it one more attempt. This time I did get knocked back and landed on my butt because of my weakened state.
• I looked to Leone. “That’s all I’ve got until I recharge a bit.” I huffed out a breath and dragged myself over to lean against the wall.
• Leone came back to the barrier and sat down. “I get the knocking me on my ass line now.”
• I shrugged. “I don’t know what this is they’ve done, but my blast should have broken though.” I slid over to be close enough to pick up my coffee. Energy was energy, regardless of temperature.
• Leone was quiet for a few moments. “Your transporter device, it is just a stabilizer, or do you have buttons?”
• I gave him a ‘huh’ look.
• “Does it open?”
• Setting the coffee down I lifted my wrist and looked at it. “I don’t think so.” I pried on the edges gently and then shook my head. “I don’t see any buttons.” Sighing, I turned my wrist over and undid it and tossed it toward him. “You look.”
• He scrambled to his knees and caught it, then gave me a horrified look, concern etched on his face. “Are you okay?”
• I sighed. “I feel like a zombie from using that much magic, but after a nap and snack, I’ll be fine.”
• He gave me a look and sat down again, glancing from me to the device I’d tossed at him.
• “Davis and his idiot friends said,” I made quotes in the air, “‘bad things would happen’ if I took that off.” I huffed out a breath. “Is anything I’ve been told the truth?”
• He turned the device over in his hand. “Actually, in that they weren’t lying. Very few people can cross over and survive without wearing one of these.”
• I gaped at him. “I could have died taking that off just now?” I put my hand over my fast beating heart. “Should I put it back on?”
• Leone looked at me for a long moment, the silence almost suffocating. Finally, he shook his head. “It’s not necessary, for you.” His blank look turned to a confused one. “Your eyes didn’t change color when you were using your magic.”
• I studied him. “And that means?”
• “You’re completely human.” He whispered so low I barely heard him.
• I snorted, “Uh, last time I checked, yeah.”
• “I wasn’t sure, whatever they gave me messed with my sense of smell for a bit.” Dropping the device, he covered his face and started mumbling. “Could this get any more fucked up?” He stood up and paced down the hall. “That’s fucking brilliant. Trap me somewhere with a human female.” He raised his face and looked at the ceiling. “What could I have possibly done to piss off the fates this much?”
• I pulled myself up, so I was sitting straighter. “You want me to come back and explain after you’re done having your meltdown?”
• He turned and glared at me. “You’re going to have to get help.”
• “I have my phone. We can call someone?”
• His look brightened, then he shook his head. “I don’t know any numbers, because they’re in my phone. Which is on my horse. Do you have him? My horse.”
• I shook my head.
• “Can you call someone?”
• I raised my eyebrows. “I don’t know where we are.” I motioned in the direction of the kitchen. “I see nothing for miles outside. Fields, a few trees, just nothing.”
• Standing there with his hands on his hips he closed his eyes. “How long was I out?” He looked into the room toward the window.
• “A few hours.”
• He nodded slowly. “Okay, so it’s hasn’t been a full day.” He shrugged. “Porting out probably won’t work. They’re blocking magic. Probably using some kind of cloak too…”
• I had no idea what he was talking about as he continued murmuring quietly to himself.
• “When are they supposed to negotiate with my family?”
• “Two days they said.”
• He started to pace. “From now. or is today day one?”
• I shrugged. “From today I think.”
• “Fuck. Three days. I can’t do three days. I don’t even think I can go two.” He stopped moving. “Shit. I’m screwed.” He glanced to me then shook his head. “You might be as well. Fuck.” He growled his annoyance. “Did they tell you to pick me or was it random?”
• I looked at him for a moment trying to decide what his problem was. “They brought me a bunch of stuff to use to try to zero in on one person.” I gave him a hard look. “I couldn’t even get in to any but your head, and that almost knocked me out trying.”
• His brows drew together, and he looked at me for a moment, then clenched his jaw. “So they don’t know, it’s totally random, and my dumb fucking luck that it’s me here.” Leone went into the bedroom and stopped in the door with his back to me. “Fuck.” He said again.
• “Am I supposed to have any clue what you’re talking about?”
• He spun around and smirked at me. “What,” he waved his hand around, “did they tell you to do for the next few days while you guarded me?”
• I laughed. “I’m not guarding you.”
• “Whatever. What did they say?” He lifted his hand in a regal way to tell me it was my turn to speak.
• “To make you food?” I’m sure my confusion was showing on my face.
• He looked at the floor then to me. “They used those words?”
• I thought back to what Davis had said. “Um, all you have to do is watch him and feed him.”
• Leone snorted. “Yeah.” He nodded and walked into the bedroom.
• I stood up, then felt light-headed and leaned against the wall. “Leone? What am I missing here?”
• Coming back to the door, he gave me a curious look, probably because I was holding up the wall.
• I waved it off. “Just wobbly after using magic. I’ll go get some juice, then you can fill in more blanks, because as usual I’ve missed a lot.” I turned and walked to the kitchen. When I got there, I grabbed an orange juice and sat in the closest chair. My head was pounding, and this day wasn’t turning out to be what I’d hoped for. I hadn’t known it was going to be three days before this was over. I thought they’d contact them as soon as they had Leone. I reached up and pulled the scrunchie from my hair and then immediately regretting it when all I could see was my hair hanging in front of my face. Brushing it back, I took another drink, and then grabbed an apple off the table and got up.