Black Magic Rose Page 19

  “My guess is Kiernan. Was there no card?” Dragomir studied Sofia. Her mood had gone from pleading to absolute confusion to rage in less than four blinks of her eyes.

  The poisonous flowers were certainly doing their job. She was hardly in control of herself and more than a minor challenge to contain.

  She plastered herself against the window, drawn to the flowers like a child to a candy store. “It was signed from you.” Her breath fogged the glass.

  Dragomir looked at Osgar and raised an eyebrow.

  “Now you can understand why I agreed to train her.” Osgar shook his head. “She’s better in the fresh air. This close she’s somewhat obsessed.”

  Dragomir nodded. “She only touched them, no consumption. Is that correct?”

  “Yeah, but she wanted to eat them.”

  “I’m right here.” She glared over her shoulder. “They smell so good.” She smiled and licked her lips then turned back to the window, pressing her forehead to the glass. “I’ll share them.” She sang the offer, batting her eyes at the flowers.

  “Who delivered them?” Dragomir peeled Sofia off the window and pulled her to the edge of the porch.

  “Flowers by Judy.” Sofia tried to wiggle free.

  He tightened his grip.

  “Let me go.” She pushed on his chest. “I want to go into my house. Let me go!” She glared at him. Her dark green eyes held more than the usual contempt.

  “You cannot enter the house. The flowers know you. They want you.” Dragomir held on to Sofia’s hand while picking up the bag he’d brought. Swords and stakes clanged when he slung the strap across his chest. “We go back to Cader.” He pulled her along the porch. “Osgar, I’ll return with reinforcements.”

  “Okay.” Osgar leaned against the house. “Good luck getting her back to the hospital.”

  “I’m not going there. You can’t just drag me off because of some flowers.” She dug her feet in, using all her weight in an attempt to remain planted where she stood.

  Dragomir pulled her down the stairs, yanking her hand harder with each step she resisted. His grip tightened around her wrist, trying to keep hold of her without breaking any bones. Focusing on not hurting her, he didn’t anticipate her next move. She swung her foot out, tangling her right leg between his and sending him flying down the last two steps. She sailed over his head, tumbling to a stop in the rut that had once been her hedges.

  Bolting to her feet she made a run for the back deck.

  “She trained easily. And she’s a bit sneaky, too.” Osgar chuckled. “Maybe I should have warned you earlier.”

  Dragomir caught Sofia well before she reached the first step. What he didn’t expect was an all-out attack.

  She spun to her left, planted her left foot hard, and kicked him in the chest with her right. He flew backwards, landing on his back. She sprinted up the stairs to the landing. Dragomir leapt onto the deck, blocking her path to the door.

  Sofia hunched as though she planned to plow straight through him. Her eyes narrowed and she curled back her lips. “Get out of my way, vampire.” Her voice dropped, making her sound possessed.

  Dragomir did not move. He watched Sofia. Her eyes darted between him, the flowers, and the stairs. She panted. Sweat beaded on her upper lip. Her hands trembled.

  “You have been marked. Black Magic Roses are deadly. Kiernan has sent an open threat. He means to kill you.” Dragomir shifted his weight. “I know you hate Cader after sundown, but that is the safest place for you.” He stepped toward her.

  Her breathing came fast and hard. She edged back from him, glancing to the sides. “I’m not safe there. And you know it.”

  He had to admire her efforts. Obvious as she was, she looked for a way to stop him, an escape. But he’d not let her get away. She would not elude his protection.

  “Killing you would be a tremendous blow to The Alliance,” Dragomir said. He took a measured step to the right, cutting off her path to the stairs but allowing her a view of the flowers.

  She stared at the roses. “Why? Because there’d be no one to write policies?” she hissed. Her eyes glazed and she stood up straight, dropping her arms and stepping toward the sliding glass door as though hypnotized.

  Dragomir was familiar with the effects of Black Magic Roses. He’d seen vampires succumb to their poison. Even at this distance Sofia was helpless against their magic. One drop of their venom and she’d be lost forever.

  Dragomir darted in front of her, pulling her against his body. “You are special to Jankin and you are my mate. To lose you would be painful for us both.” He caught her chin and brought her gaze to his. “In spite of what you think, I care about you.” He bent his head to hers, his mouth barely brushing her lips. “You’re mine to protect. My heart is yours.”

  She didn’t react, simply leaned against him. He didn’t wait for her to protest. He picked her up and carried her down the stairs to the forest edge.

  “Osgar, let us deliver Sofia back to Cader. We will visit Flowers by Judy tonight. There’s a delivery boy with some information we need.”

  A gust of wind blew. The scent of the roses was carried in the opposite direction.

  Sofia snapped out of her lethargy and squirmed like a puppy trying to break free. Dragomir lost his hold and she landed with a thud on her ass. “I’m coming.” She stood up. “I’m not going to Cader. I’m coming with you.”

  “No.” Dragomir caught her elbow and ushered her into the woods.

  To his dismay, she flipped backward out of his grip. “Listen, you Neanderthal, you are not telling me what to do. In the past four weeks I’ve tolerated an awful lot from werewolves, Dr. MacDuff, and you. I have officially hit my limit.”

  Osgar joined them in the woods, looking from one to the other, though he didn’t say a word, just watched their interaction.

  “You’re either taking me willingly or I’m coming on my own. You don’t own me. I will not be forced to do one more thing against my will.” She stalked back toward the driveway. “Tolerating violent wolves. Drinking vampire blood. Marrying a vampire. Magic roses.” She turned around. “That’s it.” She threw her hands in the air. “Not one more thing. That’s the threshold. One more thing and I swear to God someone is going to die.” She climbed into Osgar’s truck. “And I’m riding shotgun.”

  Dragomir and Osgar looked at each other. Osgar’s shoulders rose and dropped. “Do we take her?” he whispered.

  “I can hear you!” she yelled. “Let’s go!” She clicked her seatbelt.

  Dragomir sighed and led the way back to the truck. “This is a very bad—”

  “Zip it, Vlad.” She crossed her arms over her chest and one leg over the other. Her foot tapped.

  Osgar backed the truck out of the driveway.

  “Sofia,” Dragomir began.

  She spun around in the seat, finger pointed at him. “Do not even think about telling me I’m staying in the truck. I’ve…” Her mouth dropped.

  Dragomir sat watching her, silent, not breathing, still as the night. But he knew what she saw. He was ready for battle, ready to defend, ready to kill. His eyes blazed. He’d hoped to warn her about what she’d see before she turned around, but instead she, of course, had something to say.

  If he hadn’t experienced a similar event the other night, he’d have been just as surprised as Sofia. His vision had faded to black and white the moment he acquiesced to her demand to accompany them. He’d instinctively gone into battle mode, ready to defend her to the death. It was usually safe and comfortable. But with Sofia all that had changed.

  Everything he saw was in black and white except Sofia. She remained in full, vibrant color.

  She swallowed.

  “May I speak?” His voice was low, calculated.

  She nodded.

  “As you insist on participating, tonight’s mission will be just to gather information. We will not confront anyone. Do you understand?” He watched her face, waiting to see if her mouth dropped a quarter inch and i
f she averted her eyes for a split second, both telltale signs that she would agree. He knew her well enough to know when she was weighing her risks. If she agreed too soon, he’d take her back to Cader, probably bound and gagged and needing Osgar to help get her that way.

  “But, what if the delivery boy is there?” Her eyes darted down and her mouth opened a touch then she bit her lip and looked back at Dragomir.

  “We watch him. Nothing more.” Dragomir concentrated on not smiling.

  “But…”

  “Then we return to Cader. Tonight you learn to use your arms and hands in a fight.” Warmth rolled through Dragomir. The idea of teaching his mate to spar excited him. He’d trained many a soldier, but never one whose very existence was tied to his. “You’ve learned well with Osgar today.”

  “And no lessons before. Impressive,” Osgar said. He turned the truck down Route 102 and took the left past Gregson’s.

  “My dad showed me a few moves when I was a kid. That’s all.” Sofia faced forward.

  “I thought your dad had been sick. How was he showing you fighting moves?” Osgar slowed the truck, looking for the side street that led out to Wolf Run Road.

  “I don’t know. I guess he wasn’t always weak. When I was a teenager, he couldn’t do as much. But when I was younger we practiced and raced and stuff.” She looked out the window. “It’s the next right.”

  Osgar took the next turn and slowed.

  “How do you know the farm?” Dragomir asked.

  “I knew Judy and Ilene for a long time. Judy was my first boss. They were like family.” Sofia turned to Dragomir. “They weren’t really killed in a fire, were they?”

  He shook his head. The Alliance had made up the story. Last Christmas Judy and her sister became two more dead victims of Bas Dubh.

  Osgar drove by the farm without changing speed. Dragomir noted five cars parked in the back, one a limo. He cracked the window and inhaled. The musky scent of wolves blew into the truck. Wolves and the unmistakable scent of poisonous roses.

  Sofia’s head turned toward the farm and she inhaled loudly.

  Dragomir didn’t smell the vampires, but he felt their power coming from the building. He couldn’t be sure which vampires were present, but there were at least three masters somewhere on the property.

  Osgar drove to the end of the road and took a left. “I don’t think we should make another pass. Too much power to risk it.”

  “Agreed. To Cader with a report.” Dragomir held the window button and the glass slid back into place. “After our report you will show me all you can do, Sofia.”

  She glanced back and nodded.

  Her agreement nearly confused Dragomir. He’d expected her to argue that she’d decide if and when she’d train with him. He was glad to be seated behind her in the dark where she couldn’t see him. “You will learn the knife and the stake. When the times comes, you will be prepared to kill.”

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Sofia sat on the couch in Dr. MacDuff’s office while Osgar and Dragomir gave a report on the events from the past twelve hours. She’d been in this office twice before. Both times Dr. MacDuff had left her waiting for him, giving her plenty of time to snoop. She was well aware of his “Sofia shelf” and his pictorial family tree that spread across three of the four walls.

  “The roses are being grown on the farm, not twenty miles from here,” Dragomir said.

  Fergus and Dr. MacDuff nodded, occasionally asking a question, but otherwise they simply listened.

  “He hasn’t used Black Magic since the deaths of Ralston and Maria Campbell in 1898.” Dr. MacDuff faced the portraits of Maria and Ralston. When he turned to face them, Sofia noticed he looked tired, older even.

  “This time the flowers were much more potent. Fuller, petals like pockets of fluid.” Dragomir stood to Sofia’s left. “Almost like mutant roses.”

  “Sofia succumbed within a few minutes of their arrival,” Osgar said. “I’d never seen them before. If I’d known what they were, I wouldn’t have allowed that kid to deliver them.” Osgar frowned and raked his fingers through his hair.

  “You didn’t know, lad. You weren’t even born the last time we encountered them.” Dr. MacDuff sat back. “I doubt you’d have been able to stop the delivery. Black Magic Roses are grown specifically for each victim. Sofia would not have allowed you to send them away. The roses wouldn’t have allowed you to interfere.” His eyes widened a touch.

  “How were they grown for me?” Sofia asked. The roses had known her. They called to her by name.

  “The poison is created from your DNA then fed to the roses as they grow. Someone has been working on this project for years,” Dr. MacDuff answered.

  “Bas Dubh has known about me that long? They’ve wanted me dead? They don’t even know me.” This was just great. She really was a target of some group of psychos. In the back of her mind she wondered how many of them she might have fired or disciplined at other jobs.

  “Aye. They’ve known.” Dr. MacDuff pulled out a binder from the shelf, flipped open a page to an article cut from the Mid-State Bulletin. The headline read: Football Team State Champs. He pointed to the picture below the caption. Sofia sat in the stands. “Do you see the man sitting two rows behind you, the one staring at you?”

  It was a grainy shot, but she could easily see him staring at her. The expression on his face gave her the creeps. “I remember this. Dad was very upset by it. He looks like a pedophile. But I never even noticed him.” She remembered her father not letting her leave the house unattended for several weeks after the photo made the paper.

  “That is Kiernan. He could have easily swiped you away that day. Right under our noses he sat within an arm’s reach of you.” Dr. MacDuff closed the book. “He’s been planning for a long time. He probably took a few locks of your hair that afternoon.”

  “Why do you suppose he didn’t just take me then?”

  “Kiernan is a patient man. Devious. Dramatic. Losing you on that day would have been painful. But watching you suffer the effects of the roses would have been far worse.” Jankin’s presence moved around Sofia like a warm blanket wrapping around her shoulders.

  Sofia hadn’t realized how close she’d come to her own demise before today. “He could have found my hair or DNA anywhere on that farm. Back then I worked two afternoons and Saturday mornings for Judy.”

  “Black Magic poison is a slow moving poison. The victim begins with an obsession about the flowers. The need to consume them overtakes her. She will stop at nothing, even killing to have them.” Dr. MacDuff replaced the book on the shelf.

  Sofia shivered. Dr. MacDuff was right. She had wanted those roses. She’d have killed for them. She glanced up at Dragomir. She had contemplated using his own sword to cut his head off.

  “Once the victim consumes the poison, she falls prey to Kiernan’s commands. And his main goal is to destroy The Alliance and bring civilized humanity to its knees.”

  This world was far too violent for her. What was she becoming?

  “Why? Why would I be the target?” Sofia looked from Dr. MacDuff to Dragomir.

  “It had to be your connection with me,” Jankin answered. He watched Sofia with an expression of guilt. “I tried to be careful and keep hidden my friendship with your parents. But my efforts were not good enough.”

  “What do you mean?” His explanation confused her.

  “I can only assume Kiernan saw an opportunity in our connection. His goal would have been for you to be under his command, but closely aligned with me.” Jankin and Dragomir looked at each other as if a secret message had passed between them.

  “And with you mated to me, Kiernan would have known I’d train you to fight.” Dragomir’s hand rested on Sofia’s back. “He’d have commanded you to kill Jankin.”

  Sofia’s mouth dropped open. “I couldn’t do that. Wouldn’t do it.”

  “You’d have had no choice,” Dragomir said.

  “I knew something wasn’t right. The
moment that truck pulled up I knew I should stop that kid. But I didn’t.” Osgar looked up at Fergus then back at the floor after only a second.

  Fergus placed a hand on Osgar’s shoulder. “Don’t. You could not have stopped this delivery alone.”

  The moment they touched an invisible link connected Fergus and Osgar, and Sofia couldn’t help but sense the current flowing between them.

  “I didn’t want her upset.” Osgar’s voice dropped to a mumble. “I should have killed that kid. I failed her.”

  “No, Osgar. You didn’t.” Sofia reached for Osgar’s hand. “Don’t think that. You helped me. I’d have eaten one of those stupid flowers. It’s insane, but I wanted to eat roses today.”

  “Osgar, you did right by Sofia.” Dragomir sat on the couch beside her. “Keeping her out of the house saved her. Rigorous activity flushed the poisonous vapors from her system.”

  “If you’d been there, you could have helped. You’d have been able to stop the spell before it started,” Osgar said. His shoulders slumped.

  “If she’d allowed me.” Dragomir glanced at Sofia. His dark gaze moved over her face, and her heart sped.

  “What do you mean?” She had the desire to touch him. It was almost as strong as her desire to eat poisonous flowers.

  “To break the spell would have required physical contact, intimate physical contact of one sort or another.” He licked his lips.

  Heat rose up Sofia’s neck to her cheeks. Her stomach knotted, and she thanked God she was seated because her arms and legs suddenly had that familiar feel of gelatin bones. She didn’t want to look away. She wanted to be able to hold his gaze, not flinch. But she couldn’t. Parts of her that shouldn’t warm up were heating straight to her core.

  She let her gaze drop to his chest.

  “Well.” Dr. MacDuff stood. “It seems we have a leak within our ranks. Sofia Engle-Petrescu?” He shook his head. “I’m not a fan of the hyphenated name. A bit old fashioned, I’ll admit.” He glanced at Sofia and Dragomir. “None the less, that information had not been shared until late this afternoon. Only we five, Meg and Jamieson knew last night. Our security plan needs an upgrade.”