Collide Book 2

Lorena

I’m clutching a picture of Maggie in one hand and my sister’s hand in the other. A sprawling map of New York City lies before us. We have to find Maggie, and fast.

Our focus has shifted from Alan’s brother to Maggie, and I can feel my sister’s energy coursing through me. My magic sparks to life, blooming like a flower.

My eyes are shut tight, and all I can think about is Maggie. The scent of the candles fills the air, reminding me of my flower garden.

Suddenly, I feel a heat at my fingertips. Opening my eyes, I see Maggie’s picture burning in my hand. The ashes fall onto the map, all gathering in one spot.

Hoboken Cemetery in New York City. My face drains of color. It’s the perfect place to hide a body…among the buried. I release my sister’s hand.

Alan is staring at the spot, his jaw tight. He’s visibly shaken, his face pale and the muscles in his neck taut.

Victoria grabs my face, forcing me to look at her. Fear is etched in her eyes.

“I love you. You’re all the family I have left. Be careful. Come home. And most importantly, go kick his ass.” I smile at her, planting a kiss on her cheek.

We share a brief hug before she leaves the room. When I turn back to Alan, he’s still staring at me.

“You don’t have to come. We know where he is now.”

But panic is stirring within me. I have to save Maggie. I don’t know why, but I feel a connection to her. What if it were me? What if I were the one being held captive by wolves?

I would want to be saved. I would pray for someone, anyone, to come for me. So, I shake my head. I’m going, and no one can change my mind.

Alan studies me for a moment longer before nodding. I know he understands. He’s a warrior, after all. They live to protect.

We leave the room and venture deeper into the pack house. I’ve never been here before. We pass through an iron door that seems out of place amidst the wooden decor.

Behind the door is a massive gym. Wolves are lined up, and Surf Boy is addressing them. He turns and waves me over. I keep my head high as I approach.

The wolves watch me curiously. I know they can hear my heartbeat quicken. Images of flowers flash in my mind.

Sunflowers, dahlias, tulips… Flowers always calm me. Surf Boy places a hand on my shoulder.

“This is Lorena. She’s the one who found him. Each and every one of you will protect her. If you see Joseph run, but she’s in danger, let him run.

“Catching him is our second priority. Protecting the witch is our first priority.” I shake my head and shrug off Surf Boy’s hand.

“I can protect myself just fine. Or do I need to prove it to you again? I’m not the top priority, and neither is your rogue, Joseph.

“The girl is. Her name is Margaret, and the rogue has her. She’s injured and scared. So if you want to save my ass, which I highly doubt you’ll need to, you better make sure she’s safe first.”

I cross my arms and stare down Surf Boy. He stares right back. I can tell he’s struggling to maintain control.

Dominant wolves don’t like being told to fuck off, but that doesn’t bother me. I can feel Alan standing behind me. The wolves in line are shifting uneasily.

“Matt, you might want to listen to the lady. The Alpha will be pissed if you screw this up.” The voice comes from one of the men in line.

Surf Boy, or rather, Matt, turns to look at him. His anger now directed at the ash-blond man. He stands tall, easily six-feet-two.

He has a dimple in his right cheek. His brown eyes look down on Matt. He doesn’t seem concerned at all. I hear Matt sigh.

“Arm up.” The wolves quickly exit the room through a different door than Alan and I used. Before leaving, the ash-blond man winks at me. I decide right then that I like him.

But Matt’s anger hasn’t subsided. Alan steps forward to stand beside me as Matt approaches.

He’s standing uncomfortably close, but I don’t back down.

“I know things are different in witch town, but here we follow orders. And the reason we do that is because we bring everyone home alive.

“When we’re out in the field, you will follow every order I give you. If one of my people dies because you couldn’t keep your attitude in check, you’ll answer to me.

“And I couldn’t care less about keeping peace with flower-picking voodoo freaks like you.”

Before I can respond, Matt is sent flying across the room, Alan on top of him. The sound of punches echoes through the gym as the two men brawl.

I glance at the door the wolves disappeared through, but no one comes back out. I sigh deeply, trying to rub the frown from my forehead.

With a flick of my wrist, the men are lifted into the air, pinned to opposite walls of the gym.

They hang there like puppets until I release the wind magic holding them. I point a finger at Matt.

“You. You will never disrespect me again, or I’ll put your drooling ass in a dog cage.”

I turn and point at Alan. “And you will never come to my rescue again. You’re as much of a disappointment as the rest of these wet, smelly dogs.

“This isn’t about me or any of you. This is about a woman who is being held against her will.

“She’s hurt and scared. Every second you idiots stand here fighting each other, her chances of survival decrease.

“So tuck your dicks back in your pants and let’s get moving. Or I’ll tell Jackson myself that I don’t want either of you with me.”

A deep, hearty laugh has all three of us spinning around. Standing behind us is the ash-blond guy, now dressed in a sleek, all-black leather outfit.

The bulge at his hip tells me he’s packing heat.

“I don’t know what team she’s on, brother. But I’m with her.” He flashes me a wide, dimpled smile that’s all teeth.

“Brother?” My face twists in distaste as I notice the similarities between Matt and Dimple. That’s a major loss of brownie points.

“Don’t worry. He’s always been a stick in the mud. Thankfully, we’re nothing alike. I, for one, know how to talk to pretty ladies.”

I roll my eyes but can’t help the smile that tugs at my lips. Alan growls behind me, while Matt sighs so loudly I swear he’s the big bad wolf huffing and puffing at the three little pigs.

One by one, the other wolves trickle back into the room. A lot of them eye me warily, and I can’t blame them.

I stood up to their leader, and not only am I still breathing, but they’re now tasked with protecting me over their own wolf buddies.

All the wolves are dressed in outfits similar to Dimple’s. I scan them one by one. There must be at least twenty of them. Matt steps forward and instantly their whispers die down.

“We’re going in blind. All we know is that it’s a cemetery where Joseph is hiding. As we all know, he’s highly dangerous and no one is to approach him alone.

“We want this to be quick and dirty. We go in and out, without anyone getting hurt. There will be four teams, and we’ll have air support.

“Each team will enter from a different side of the cemetery to prevent him from escaping.”

Matt throws me a side-glance. “Make sure to secure the girl safely. You’ll all be given a picture of her in the car.

“Whichever team secures the girl will retreat immediately. She and the witch are our top priorities.” He continues to divide the wolves into four separate teams.

“Austin, you’re with the witch.”

The ash-blond guy walks up to me and slings an arm around my shoulder. I’m not usually one for touchy-feely stuff, but I find myself drawn to Austin.

His energy is light and fun, a stark contrast to the tense and nervous wolves in the room. Alan grabs Austin’s arm and yanks it off me.

I roll my eyes and ignore him. Austin just starts laughing loudly, earning him another glance from Matt. What’s with all these alpha males?

As a group, we all head out of the gym. We end up at the back of the pack house. Four large SUVs are parked in front of us. Alan grabs my hand and pulls me toward the first one.

He opens the door for me, and as much as I want to yell at him for treating me like a doll, I don’t. We’ve wasted enough time already.

I climb into the car, and just as Alan moves to get in next to me, Austin jumps in. He takes the middle seat, his legs awkwardly bent.

“Thanks, man.” I can’t help but giggle when Alan growls at him. He slams the door shut, causing Austin and me to laugh even harder.

Austin moves to sit on the right passenger side, while I stay on the left. Alan takes the driver’s seat and a dark-skinned, bald guy takes shotgun.

He glances over his shoulder at me but doesn’t say anything.

“That’s Jared. A witch cut out his tongue when he was captured a few years back, so he doesn’t talk. But he’s got quick reflexes and a mean left hook,” Austin explains.

A wave of guilt washes over me, and I look back at Jared.

“I’m sorry.” My voice is barely a whisper. Jared turns back around. His eyes scan me from head to toe for a moment before he nods.

“He says it’s not your fault.” I frown at Austin. He taps his temple. Right, I forgot about the mind-link thing.

I really need to figure out how to do that. Alan starts the car and looks back at Austin.

“Are you done with the chitchat?” His voice is sharper than necessary. Austin seems to find joy in that. He just smiles back at Alan without responding.

The car starts moving, and when I look over my shoulder, I see the other cars following us.

The ride lasts about twenty minutes, and with each passing minute, my heart beats faster. About five minutes from the cemetery, Austin grabs my hand.

He must have heard my heart.

“Don’t leave my sight once we’re in. I know you don’t need protection, but two people can be a hell of a lot meaner than one.”

I feel my palm get sweaty in his hand, but I nod. I’ve been trained by the witches to use my magic for harm.

But training for something is different than actually having to hurt people. Despite my attitude, which I clearly inherited from my mother, I’m not one to fight easily.

But I’m also not one to back down. Having an older sister will teach you that. Alan’s eyes keep finding my face in the rearview mirror.

I smile at him, but he doesn’t smile back. The cars behind us are gone. They’re undoubtedly taking a different route to the cemetery. We stop in the back of the parking lot.

Austin unbuckles his seatbelt and gets out, so I follow suit. Alan is already pulling something out of the trunk when I finally manage to get out of the car.

He holds out a black leather jacket to me.

“Put it on.” When I take it from him, I can feel it’s not just a leather jacket. It’s heavy and feels thick. My hands shake as I fumble with the zipper. Austin comes up and takes it from me.

“It’s specially designed to make it harder for wolves to claw through. You won’t need it, but you can never be too careful. Don’t want to mess up that pretty body.”

Alan lets out another growl. I can’t help but smile, even though my heart is pounding like a drum.

Suddenly, a wave of panic washes over me, followed by a sharp pain in my abdomen. It’s not me; it’s Maggie.

“We need to go. He’s hurting her!” I start sprinting toward the cemetery, her panic drawing me closer. Footsteps echo behind me.

Alan curses, and in a flash, Jared is running ahead of me. His gun is raised, scanning for danger. I can feel Maggie’s presence guiding me like a thread.

Then, it vanishes. I stop running abruptly, causing Austin to nearly collide with me. Jared spins around, his gun still at the ready.

I look around frantically. Where is she? All I see are gravestones and trees. No place to hide. I start walking back the way we came.

Alan stays close to my side, while Austin takes the lead. After a few steps, I feel her again. I try to breathe through the pain that our bond is transmitting.

“Where is she, Lor?” Alan’s voice is soft, barely above a whisper. I don’t understand. I can feel her so close, but I can’t see her. There’s a small memorial building ahead of us.

It’s old. But I know she’s not there. She’s right here. Unless… I glance from the building to the ground beneath my feet.

“She’s underneath us.” We move toward the building in unison.

The building is made of ancient stone and looks like it could crumble at any moment. A massive white door bars our way. Austin pushes against it, his face strained with effort. Jared stands next to him, his gun aimed into the darkness.

We shuffle in slowly. I grab Austin’s hand, knowing he can see in the dark. Alan switches on a light on his gun from behind me, illuminating our path.

An old stone staircase spirals down in front of us. Jared leads the way, followed by Austin.

I follow Austin, and we descend the stairs slowly. I have to let go of Austin’s hand. The connection I feel with Maggie grows stronger.

At the bottom of the stairs, we find ourselves in a tunnel. The air is cold and damp. Spiderwebs cling to the walls, but none hang in the middle.

This path has been used recently. I can feel Alan’s body pressed against mine. His warm breath brushes my ear.

“Stay in sight.” His whisper sends shivers down my spine, and I can feel his chest tighten. Alan switches off his gun light. His chest remains pressed against my back.

We move together through the tunnel. Suddenly, a high-pitched scream echoes through the tunnel. Every nerve in my body screams. I sprint forward, past Austin.

Jared is running too. His footsteps blend with the screams. I raise my hand, and a fireball appears, illuminating the tunnel just in time for me to veer left to avoid a wall. Jared is a good distance ahead of me. Gunshots ring out. Austin is shouting something behind me, but I can’t make it out.

Sharp pains in my side push me to run faster.

We enter an old room. A desk sits in the middle. Behind it, a man holds a woman against his chest.

Maggie’s head is bleeding, and her white dress is soaked in blood. She looks pale, and her blue eyes have lost their vibrancy.

The man looks at me. His hair appears darker in the shadows, and his eyes are almost black. But I recognize him instantly. It’s Joseph, Alan’s brother.

Something about his energy is off, but I can’t pinpoint what. His nostrils flare.

“A witch? Oh my, how the wolves have fallen.” His voice is deep and mocking. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

Maggie is struggling to breathe. Jared, Austin, and Alan have their guns trained on Joseph.

“Let her go.” Austin’s voice is low and commanding, all traces of his usual light tone gone.

I can’t tear my eyes away from Maggie. She’s having trouble breathing. Her dress is still wet, indicating she’s still bleeding.

“You know I can’t do that. Tell him, brother. Tell him why I can’t.” Alan stiffens next to me. I turn to look at him. His face is devoid of emotion.

“Let her go,” is all he says. Joseph bursts into laughter. It’s a deep, evil laugh that sends vibrations through the stone walls.

I take a small step to the side. Joseph’s eyes snap to me.

“How about we trade a witch for a witch?” Austin and Alan growl in unison. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jared inching closer to Joseph.

“Yes.” My voice is soft but firm. Joseph’s eyes light up. Austin tenses. But Jared continues to move closer.

I step toward Joseph. Alan’s hand shoots out to grab my arm, holding me in place. I see Maggie’s legs buckle.

The moment they do, Joseph is distracted, and I lunge forward. Alan’s hand falls away from my arm. I thrust my hand up, and a gust of wind sends Joseph flying back against the wall.

Maggie collapses onto the floor, and I drop to my knees next to her. More gunshots ring out. I throw myself over Maggie to shield her.

A wall of fire surrounds us as my magic forms a barrier. I hear Austin shouting from further down the tunnel. I don’t know what’s happening, and I don’t care.

Maggie is making squeaky sounds beneath me. She’s struggling to breathe. I place my hands over her stomach. I learned to heal during my training.

My healing abilities have always been weaker than the other witches. I close my eyes, pleading with the universe for my magic to work this time. My hands buzz with the energy of it.

Beneath me, Maggie trembles. Footsteps echo nearby, but I block out the noise.

“Please…” I whisper to the universe. She can’t die. My magic fizzles out, and I open my eyes. Maggie’s hand is resting on my arm, her eyes shut tight.

Her breathing is shallow and quiet. But her heart, it’s still beating strong. I glance up, my magic drained. The fire has dimmed, and I can’t see a thing. Suddenly, an arm wraps around me.

“Let’s go.” Alan’s voice is somewhere close. His flashlight flickers back on, illuminating Maggie as he lifts her.

I scan the area for Austin and Jared, but the only thing lit up is the tunnel we came through. I start back down the tunnel.

Maggie’s breathing has steadied, but my nerves are shot. Where are Austin and Jared? The tunnel seems shorter on the way out.

Every little noise makes me jump. The gunshots and echoes have stopped, replaced by the sound of Alan’s footsteps. When we reach the end of the stairs, a man and a wolf are waiting.

The man takes Maggie from Alan, the wolf standing guard at the stone stairs. I recognize the man, but panic still flares as he walks away with Maggie in his arms. Alan cups my face in his hands.

“Are you hurt?” I shake my head. “Are you sure?” I nod.

He takes my hand, leading me outside. Above us, the sound of a helicopter cuts through the air.

Across the fields, behind the gravestones, more wolves appear. Some in human form, armed with guns, others in their wolf forms.

They form a protective circle around us as we make our way back to the car. The man carrying Maggie climbs into an ambulance. It speeds away. Alan opens the door to our SUV, but I can’t bring myself to get in.

I spin around, scanning the faces of the crowd. None of them are Austin or Jared.