8. Kiera

EIGHT

KIERA

In an hour, Neo would be here to take me out for a drink. I hesitated to label it as a date, because I wasn't sure that was what it was. For all I knew, it could be a farewell drink, or a "wish you well" gesture. However, while I might not know the purpose of this drink together, I knew what I wanted it to be. Even though it was stupid of me to want it to be something more, I couldn't help myself.

Neo had gotten into my bloodstream.

Glancing at myself in the long mirror in the corner, I debated whether my outfit was working for or against me. My selection was limited, considering I'd only brought enough clothes to last a few days.

A knock sounded at the door, startling me. I grabbed my cell off the bed to check the time. There was still forty-five minutes until eight. If that was Neo, he was early, and the outfit I had on would have to do. A smile formed on my face as I neared the door, anticipation coursing through me. However, when I swung the door open, my smile vanished. The person who stood before me was definitely not Neo.

"Hello, little witch." A vicious grin twisted Lucius's lips. "Weren't expecting to see me, were you?"

"What are you doing here?" I asked, fear clenching my gut.

It was a rhetorical question. I knew what he was doing here.

"Are you sure that's the question you want me to answer?" His pupils elongated as his snake drew close to the surface. "Or do you want to try again with a different one?"

I moved to slam the door shut, but he wedged his foot in the way, blocking it. His head cocked to the side as judgment entered his stare, and he shoved his weight against the door. I flung back from the force, nearly falling to the floor.

"How did you find me?" I asked as he entered the room, closing the door behind him.

My heart raced as I inched back, keeping distance between us. Now that the door was firmly shut, it was unlikely anyone would hear me if I called out for help. The walls of this room were exceptionally thick, a detail I'd noticed during my stay. While I was sure it was meant for privacy, it suddenly felt like a barrier between me and anyone who might hear me.

"You aren't the only witch in the city," he replied. "Turns out, when motivated, witches will do a tracking spell easily."

I mentally kicked myself for not having given him enough credit to seek out another witch to help him find me. Tracking spells were more powerful than locator spells. They didn't just tell the location of where someone was—they actually tracked the person.

Which meant Lucius would have found me anywhere.

"I know Dennis hired you to help get his sister out of my congregation," he snarled, stalking toward me.

Shit, this wasn't good. I needed a weapon.

While I was a witch, my magic couldn't help me in this situation. I couldn't move things with my mind or wield any type of defensive magic against him, which left me wondering how I would get out of this mess alive.

"It was just a job. It wasn't anything personal," I tried to appease him.

It was a lie, though. It was personal.

Lucius treated people like pawns. He took advantage of them, forced them to do things they didn't want to, and acted like he was a king. He disgusted me, and he deserved more than having his powers bound for a few days.

Lucius's eyes flashed with his snake again. "How callous of you to think so little of what you did." His words dripped with venom. "You ruined everything, witch, and I'm here for my revenge. But first, you're going to reverse your little voodoo magic on me. I want my power back," he seethed.

Pure evil radiated off him, and my lungs squeezed tight as panic set in.

"I can't reverse it," I whispered, purposely leaving out the fact that the bind I'd set on his ability was only temporary.

He pulled out a knife from a hidden sheath at his waist. "Wrong answer, witch."

Every single alarm inside me went off at the sight of the blade. Lucius smirked, his serpentine eyes showing a twisted sense of pleasure at seeing my terror. Before I could even move, he lunged at me. Instinct took over, and even though he seemed to possess inhuman speed, I attempted to dash past him for the door. His arm wrapped around my waist, catching me before I could go far, and he slung me onto the bed. I crashed against the mattress, the impact jarring me, and then Lucius's weight pressed down on top of me.

This monster was going to kill me for what I'd done.

Panic coursed through my veins as I struggled to break free from his constricting hold. I bucked beneath him, thrashing and twisting my body in an attempt to get him off me so I could escape, but it did no good.

He was deadweight.

As Lucius leaned closer, his face inches from mine, he ran his forked tongue along my cheek. I instinctively recoiled, pressing myself firmly against the mattress beneath me.

"You thought you could escape?" he sneered, his hot breath caressing my skin. "Not. Going. To. Happen."

Panic flared through me again, and I squeezed my eyes shut.

Was this how I died? At the hands of this monster of a man?

No. Not happening. I refused to give in to the fear that threatened to consume me.

"We'll see," I replied.

Summoning every ounce of strength within me, I delivered a fierce knee to his groin. A guttural cry erupted from his throat as he rolled off me, his blade nicking my cheek in the process. As if I needed it, the sharp sting served as a reminder of the danger I was in. I scrambled off the bed and bolted for the door, snatching my keys off the dresser on my way out. Running down the hall, I didn't bother to look back.

I dashed down the hall, heading for the stairs, not caring if anyone saw me running like a maniac. My brain had switched from fight to flight, and I wasn't about to slow down for anyone.

No one stood at the receptionist's desk to ask questions or offer aid, so I continued out the front door, heading straight for my car. I jammed my key into the ignition and cranked it to life before shifting into reverse. As I swung my car around, I caught sight of Lucius in my rearview mirror.

He'd stepped out onto the porch, rage darkening his eyes as he watched me. I shifted into drive and pressed the gas to the floorboard. My heart beat wildly inside my chest as I barreled down the road. I didn't know where I was going at first. My only thought was to get away. However, after a few turns, clarity dawned, and I suddenly knew exactly where I was headed.

To Neo.

As soon as I cut onto his road, a slight sense of relief rolled through me. When I saw the string of campers, I headed straight for his. There was a light on inside, and his motorcycle was still parked in front. Thank goodness he hadn't left to pick me up yet. Apparently, he wasn't a stickler for time.

The other campers were dark, and part of me thought it was for the best. Lucius was vicious, and I would hate for any of them to get mixed up in this mess. It was bad enough I was dragging Neo into it. I didn't know where else to go or what else to do, though.

Shifting into park, I cut the engine on my car and swung the driver's door open. I'd barely made it two steps toward his camper before Neo emerged. He was dripping wet and wearing only a low-hung pair of dark jeans.

"Kiera? What's wrong?" he demanded, as I launched myself at him. He reached out, his thumb brushing under the cut on my cheek. Murder burned through his eyes when they met with mine again. "Who did this to you?"

"Lucius, the guy I was hired to bind his ability. He had another witch do a tracking spell, and he found me," I said in a rush of words, trying to explain everything as fast as I could before the inevitable happened and Lucius showed up. "He'll be here soon. I know he will. He wants revenge."

Neo didn't say anything, but red-hot rage burned through his eyes. I'd never seen someone look so pissed off, yet tender all at once.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I don't know why I came here. I just—I didn't know where else to go."

A vehicle came barreling down the gravel road in the distance, and my heart rate sped up.

"He's here," I whispered, fear rushing through me once more. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring this to your doorstep."

Neo cupped my face between his big, strong hands, and looked me in the eye. "I'm glad you did," he uttered, his softness shifting to rage in an instant. "And it doesn't matter that he's here, because he won't touch you again. Scratch that. He won't be fucking breathing soon." Neo's eyes flashed with his panther.

In a swift motion, almost too rapid for the naked eye, he moved, positioning me safely behind him. His stance widened, and he folded his arms over his solid chest, his gaze no doubt fixed on the jacked-up truck approaching us. I should be worried, but I wasn't because I believed Neo was more than capable of handling the situation. Also, I believed him when he claimed Lucius wouldn't be breathing soon.

The certainty in his tone left no room for doubt.