Chapter 24

Excitement built inside James, starting in his stomach and rising rapidly. "Magical energy is stable in a fuel cell. It's trapped, and the only way to get it out is the spell they teach technicians."

"Okay, and?" Sebastian seemed to be catching James's excitement, his gaze sharp and mouth set in anticipation.

"And," James continued, "magic in a battery is meant to be used, so of course, it leaks out when the veins here pull on it. But I bet a fuel cell wouldn't drain, not right away. They also hold much more power than even the biggest battery. If we could get the curse to link to a fuel cell instead of us, I bet it would sustain the imbalance just as well as a living person."

Sebastian's eyes widened. "For how long?"

"I have no idea, but it's not like it's taking that much energy from you, and I haven't noticed it taking anything from me, so hopefully, a fuel cell would last a year or even longer."

"And then what? Keep changing out fuel cells?"

James admitted that was a catch. "Well, yeah, but it's better than us being stuck here. It would free us to get help. Find someone who can sort out a permanent solution to the imbalance."

Sebastian's hands had stopped their massaging, his full attention on the conversation. "Even if all that's true, James, how will we transfer the curse? You can't bleed inanimate objects. The curse and the transfer spell are both grounded in blood magic."

James chewed on his lip. "The thing about blood magic," he said slowly. "Is that it's not always the blood that's needed, per se. It's the magic in your blood. You can't bleed an inanimate object, but you can leach a fuel cell. If it's all about magical energy, same difference."

Sebastian shrugged. "I mean, sure. It sounds like good logic. You know more about magical power than I do, Mr. Electrician. We might as well give it a try. It can't go worse than our last attempt."

In James's opinion, things could always go worse, but he chose to keep that to himself. He doubted there would be any dangerous repercussions to trying this out and failing. He might not even have a panic attack this time.

"The only thing is," he did have to admit, "fuel cells are expensive. I had to take out a business loan to get the ones for Gray Electrical."

"Oh, we'll be fine." Sebastian waved his concern away. "I'll send a letter to my lawyer."

James narrowed his eyes. "You have one hundred to two hundred grand to spare, do you?"

"That expensive? Damn." Sebastian winced, then braced himself. "No, it's fine." He squeezed James's feet to accentuate the point. "I have stock in Nelson Power. Worst comes to worst, maybe I can cash some in for a fuel cell. I hold too many shares for them to say no to a deal. Actually, I wonder if I could get a discount."

James was shocked. "You own that much of the company?"

"Yeah. It's been in the family since they incorporated." Sebastian gave him a significant look. "Nelson Storm—the big pain in the ass who ran off after ruining everything with his brother Sullivan—Nelson Power, founded by a revolutionary magical theorist. Same guy."

"No fucking way." James had always assumed Nelson was a last name.

"Yeah, how else do you think I'm so loaded? Selma weaseled a healthy portion of the company's initial shares out of her son before she died. We've been living off it for generations. Keeps me rolling in high-end dildos and organic, sustainably produced goods."

"Oh my god." James splashed Sebastian, sending bubbles into the air between them.

Sebastian splashed back with an evil grin. "I can't believe me saying the word dildo makes you blush."

"There's no need to keep saying it," James grumbled.

Sebastian pushed James's legs off his lap and stalked toward him on his hands and knees. "Dildo," he muttered, his face an inch from James's.

"Nightmare," James whispered back.

"But I'm your nightmare." Sebastian's eyes flashed, and he captured James's mouth in a filthy kiss.

Sebastian wrote to his lawyer, requesting the most powerful fuel cell available. He seemed confident in leaving the details of the deal to the lawyer's discretion, only adding that he'd like the fuel cell delivered as soon as possible. It was a waiting game after that.

James and Sebastian fell into a domestic routine, gardening and making jam, spending hours in the kitchen cooking and laughing. No one came out to Storm House to check on James. He didn't bring it up, and neither did Sebastian. There was nothing they could do about it.

James missed his old habits and going to work. Sebastian's life was full of things James wanted in addition to what he already had, not in place of everything else, but when he could forget about that, he felt good.

The clothes Sebastian had ordered for James arrived half a week later. He'd bought more than James would have asked for. The clothes were nice, good quality, and maybe even high-end, given Sebastian's comments. It was nice to not have to wear Stephen's clothes, and James couldn't pretend he didn't notice the way Sebastian eyed him in his new shirts. His leather jacket was still wherever Sebastian had squirreled it away. James hadn't seen it since he'd lent it to Sebastian after breaking the tongue binding, but Sebastian had bought him a nice black bomber jacket and several hoodies, so he couldn't complain.

The fuel cell arrived a week later. The delivery driver was wholeheartedly confused when he pulled up to the house and not impressed that Sebastian wouldn't let him back up the driveway.

"Just stop there," Sebastian shouted. The truck's cab was still beyond the property line and, therefore, not at risk of having its battery drained.

"You could have moved this truck." The driver said as he climbed out of the cab, indicating James's abandoned vehicle. "It's nearly impossible for me to maneuver."

"Sorry," James said without feeling. He was too anxious to find out if his theory was correct to care about a truck that was impossible for him to move anyway.

The driver lowered the fuel cell onto the driveway. The metal cylinder hummed with power, the indicator lights on the side glowing green. It was as tall as Sebastian, bigger than the ones at Gray Electrical, and wide enough that James couldn't wrap his arms around it and have his hands touch on the other side.

"Sign this, please." The driver thrust a pile of papers at Sebastian.

He did and handed the top paper back. "Thank you so much."

The man scowled as he got back in his truck and left. Sebastian locked the gate behind him.

James's attention returned to the indicator on the fuel cell. "Doesn't look like it's losing any power."

"Hell yeah." Sebastian slung an arm around his shoulders. "I got a deal on the thing too. The trust manager is really earning his keep."

"Nice for some." James still couldn't believe Sebastian owned part of one of the wealthiest companies in the country.

Sebastian circled the fuel cell, then looked expectantly at James. "So are we just going to look at it, or what?"

James crossed his arms. "For now. I want to make sure it's not draining before we haul it all the way to the clearing."

"In that case, can we get back to the garden and check on it later?" Sebastian came closer and leaned his head on James's shoulder.

"I want to watch it." It wasn't like James could do anything to stop the magical energy from leeching away if it started happening. He needed to feel like he was doing something regardless and didn't want to miss any changes in case they told him something helpful about how the energy imbalance worked. "You can go back to gardening if you're bored."

"Okay." Sebastian straightened. "Let's move it before dark though. Assuming it hasn't died by then."

The fuel cell didn't die. James stared at it for two hours before he went to go find Sebastian, and when the two of them returned to the driveway, everything was fine.

Moving the thing was a pain. James wished he'd left his dolly at Sebastian's place the day he'd used it weeks ago, trying to set up the generator—which was essentially a big battery and not a source of energy like the fuel cell. That day felt like a million years ago.

Sebastian had an old wooden cart that would hold the fuel cell fine. The only problem was getting it inside. James had to use a spell to manipulate the air and levitate the fuel cell into the cart. With such a heavy object, it was a costly spell, and he let out a grunt of exertion as it landed safely on the creaking wood.

It took both of them pushing to get the cart moving, and James had to use more magic to stabilize the fuel cell to keep it from falling as they moved over the uneven ground. They made slow progress. Miss Moo barely looked up from her grazing as they passed.

The woods looked less foreboding during the day. James wouldn't go as far as to say they were welcoming, but at least there were fewer shades. The sun moved in and out from behind fast-moving clouds, and even with the shadows under the canopy, any shades wouldn't be able to move around very freely.

Just as they were entering the trees, James noticed something off to his right that he'd missed in the dark. A small cemetery was tucked into the trees, surrounded by an iron fence, with a smaller version of the front gate standing open. There were five headstones clustered toward the back of the plot.

"Meet my relatives," Sebastian said dryly, but James caught a tightness in his tone.

James had never seen a private cemetery like this. True, he'd never been to a property the size of Storm House before, but still, it seemed creepy. Not that he was the most comfortable with death, so maybe that was on him. "Is your uncle buried here?"

"Yeah, Stephen is the one in front." Sebastian pointed to the newest-looking headstone. "He never left."

A chill went down James's spine. It was haunting to think the people the curse claimed couldn't even escape the house in death. James slid his arm around Sebastian's waist and pulled him close. "Did you have to bury him alone?"

"No." Sebastian leaned into his embrace. "An undertaker came out." After another letter to the lawyer, no doubt.

There was a grim silence. James tried not to think about himself or Sebastian joining the cemetery.

"I thought only three people had carried the curse before you," James said after a moment. He didn't want to linger and wasn't sure if Sebastian did either.

"That's right: Sullivan, Simon, and Stephen. Selma is here too." He pointed to the tallest headstone. "And Sullivan's wife decided to be laid to rest with him. Unlike Simon's, who went to join her family in town."

James wondered if the cursed occupants of the cemetery could have been buried anywhere else or if, even in death, they were prevented from leaving the property's boundary.

Sebastian slipped out from James's hold. "Come on. Let's get this thing in place."

They made it to the clearing, where James used more magic to position the fuel cell. It looked strange in the middle of the forest. A bird landed on top, pecked at the metal, and flew off. The good news was it still hadn't lost any power.

Sebastian grabbed James's hand. "Let's rest up before we do this."

Back at the house, James ate his fill to replenish his energy, and then laid down to try and sleep, but he was nervous. He wanted this to work so badly.

Sebastian seemed to be in the same boat. He was quieter than usual, staying close to James, his body restless. They curled up together, and James was glad for the comfort.

Eventually, they fell asleep, and when Sebastian roused him again, it was past the middle of the night.

"It's two-thirty," Sebastian whispered. "Let's have some coffee and head out."

They each brought an oil lamp as they headed outside. Not a single shade so much as swooped near them as they crossed the property.

When they reached the clearing, James rushed to the fuel cell. The glowing indicator still said it was full. He could feel the power thrumming within and breathed out in relief.

"James." Sebastian's uncertain voice cut across the quiet night even though it was barely above a whisper.

"Hm?" He turned to see Sebastian looking upward.

James followed his gaze. No wonder there hadn't been any shades pestering them on the way over. They were all here. Hundreds of sets of eyes peered down from the treetops. Even the sky above the clearing was blocked out by wispy bodies and blinking onyx eyes.

"Fuck," James muttered.

"They were waiting," Sebastian whispered back. "Why would they be waiting?"

James tried not to let the alarm in Sebastian's voice get to him. He glanced at the fuel cell. Did the shades know what it was? They must be able to sense the magic within, but why had it drawn them? Sweat dampened his palms as uncertainty threatened to overwhelm him.

He had to stay calm. The shades' behavior didn't matter. They had to do this. The shades' presence could mean they were onto something. The beasts responded to activity in the veins if what Sebastian said was correct. Hopefully, that meant the fuel cell was what they needed.

"Let's hurry." James pulled off his shirt and picked up the knife.

"They're going to pounce." Sebastian pulled his shirt over his head. "No way they don't come for us."

"Unless you want to do the spell during the day, we don't have a choice." James tried to convince himself they wouldn't be swarmed and overpowered by the shades as soon as they started the spell.

Sebastian clenched his balled-up shirt. "We aren't risking doing it during the day."

James respected Sebastian's unflinching resolve. He wouldn't risk hurting an innocent person, even if it meant risking himself instead. He was a good man. James just hoped this plan was enough to help him.

James performed the linking spell. He was driving the transfer magic this time since he was the one who could access the magical energy inside the fuel cell. They were going to try and transfer the curse from both of them this time, not just from James. The fuel cell held way more magical energy than a person did, so there was no reason—theoretically—that it shouldn't be able to take on the curse for them both.

Once linked, James bled Sebastian, then himself, reciting the incantation and collecting their blood in a bowl. The magic formed a haze around his mind once again. He managed to focus through it, concentrating on the tasks he needed to complete, but as his surroundings blurred, he prayed the shades stayed back.

The first step was done. It was time to ‘bleed' the fuel cell. James picked up the cord that was normally plugged into the car or generator being refueled. He positioned the end over the bowl Sebastian held and cast the same refueling spell he'd done hundreds of times for customers at Gray Electrical, only this time, he coaxed out as little energy as possible.

It worked beautifully. Energy began to flow out of the fuel cell in a steady trickle. James stopped the flow after a few seconds, only needing a small amount to mix with the blood.

A green glow lit the blood in the bowl. The mixture became sludgy as it swirled counterclockwise of its own accord. James took a breath and plunged his fingers into the glowing blood. He painted the symbols on the fuel cell above the indicator lights. Somehow, it was creepier to see the bloody lines on the polished metal than on the cow.

Once the symbols were complete, James summoned another light flow of energy from the fuel cell. He said the last of Selma's incantation in a fevered tone, unable to slow the words as they came out. Sweat prickled at his brow. He could feel his own energy flagging.

And then it was done. The energy in the bloody bowl flared brightly. Light shot up the cord and into the fuel cell. The whole thing pulsed green, lighting the clearing in a sickly throbbing display. Then the light sucked back in on itself and a loud boom rocked the earth, sending James and Sebastian flying backward. The knife slipped from James's hand as he was thrown into a tree with enough force to knock the wind from his lungs. Sebastian cried out and the shades above them shrieked. The beasts had been blown back as well, their bodies swirling uncontrollably through the night sky.

Silence fell. Both oil lamps had been blown out. James struggled to get to his feet, but a moment later, Sebastian was there, pulling him up.

"Come on. Let's run before they get back."

James spared one look at the fuel cell. The indicator lights glowed just as before. It hummed happily.

Sebastian yanked on his arm and they ran through the trees, but they couldn't outpace the shades. The horde descended upon them just as they reached the tree line. The sheer number of bodies assaulting them knocked them to the ground like a tidal wave. Sebastian swore as his hand was ripped from James's grip.

James was crushed into the dirt as shades bore down on him. It was getting hard to breathe under the weight. Why couldn't the beasts turn into shadows when he needed them to?

There was no way to get up. There were too many. James was exhausted from all the magic he'd done, but he'd die if he did nothing and let the shades crush him. He managed to get a hand under himself. He couldn't push up, the pressure was too much, but he could wipe the blood from above his heart, breaking his link to Sebastian.

"James!" Sebastian yelled, likely feeling the lost connection, but James didn't respond. He didn't want them linked in case this went badly.

It was even harder to breathe. He was being crushed, his vision darkening at the edges as the shades pressed him into the earth.

With the last of his strength, James summoned light. Not just a small flicker but a blinding flash even brighter than the one he'd summoned under the house weeks ago.

The shades closest to him burst into shadow and disappeared. Screeches filled the air. James heard Sebastian shouting but couldn't make out his words. It was too much. He was fading fast. He was no longer being crushed, but he was blinded by light and too weak to move.

His thoughts blurred and everything went black.