Magic Unleashed (Hall of Blood and Mercy, #3)

by K.M. Shea

“I’ll attack.” Leslie shot-putted the butt of her spear at her husband’s gut. Franco wheezed and folded in half when he didn’t raise a shield in time. He coughed. “Couldn’t give me more notice than that, could you?” “Not if you choose to make light of a very serious matter.” “Okay—AHH! Stop jabbing that spear at me, woman! I get it, I’ll take it seriously!”

Great Aunt Marraine laughed with the sly, carefree chortle of a senior citizen who knows how to manipulate her grandchildren.

Since the Wizard Council refused to do anything about House inheritance, I was slowly doling out complaints from myself and the members of House Medeis. I had written up the original form and essay and, as I had said, everyone went through and made a few minor changes. This was the most painful—legal—method I could think of. The staff below the Wizard Council had to process the paperwork—which involved scanning, summarizing, notarizing, and placing it in public places. Meanwhile, all the wizards on the subcommittee had to read the complaints and write up personal reviews. And I did this every week. Which meant week in and week out, they were reading the same story and forms over and over and over again.

“Still bearding the Wizard’s Council, are you?” Elite Bellus offered me a tiny pitcher of cream. “I’m not going to let them relax until they get an inheritance law on the table for discussion.” “And the more they resist?” I grinned. “The more paperwork they’re going to find waiting on their desks. So far we’ve only been lodging complaints about Mason. We can still register complaints on all the Houses that actively worked against me.” Elite Bellus laughed heartily. “I like your style. It’s legal, but you’re going to push until you force their hand—or drive them insane. Well done.”

“But you still haven’t said what you hope to achieve.” “Ah, yes.” He brandished a finger in the air. “Given the topic, I suspect seeing you might throw him for a loop.” “And you want him thrown for a loop?” “Indeed.” Elite Bellus leaned back in his chair and picked up his coffee, taking a slow sip. “He’s been an absolute bear since you left. If he goes to that meeting, he’s going to reject everything they say for the sheer principle of it.”

“What, did you two finally confess your unending love for each other?” Momoko gagged. “What? No! Ew! Gross.” Felix grimaced as if the idea physically pained him. “I stopped seeing either of you as females years ago.” “Really?” Momoko asked. “That’s funny, because you seem a lot like a girl friend to me.”

Dratted childhood friends—I’d forgotten that they could see all of my tells, too! “I am not trying to avoid thinking about them.” I sounded so fake, canned cheese seemed more genuine.

“Avoidance is your primary coping technique,” Momoko said. “You did it all the time as a kid, and I know you did it some with your parents. You would have avoided Mason if he’d only gone after you, but since he involved all of us he riled up your endless honor and virtue so you were going to face him sooner or later.” I forcibly kept my expression blank—Momoko almost sounded like Killian. His favorite pet name for me was the Virtuous Idiot. Don’t think of Killian. “There—right now!” Felix crowded Momoko so he could poke my cheek. “You avoided thinking of the Drake vampires right then!”

“You can’t live like this forever,” Momoko said. “You’ll die of overworking yourself. You either need to forgive him, or let the Drakes go entirely.” “I’m not totally avoiding him, or I wouldn’t be going to the meeting Elite Bellus invited me to,” I pointed out. “Or you’re just shifty enough to know this will put the Elite in your debt, and you’re going to use that to push for an inheritance law, which is really important to you,” Felix said dryly. “You two are horrible,” I complained.

Everyone loves you—they adore you. But they don’t feel like it’s their place to offer help.” “We don’t care,” Felix added. “Because we know you ate crayons in elementary school.” “That was an off year for me!”

“Well.” Momoko stuffed her hands in the pockets of her coat. “Now I feel like a jerk.” “She’s still avoiding the Drakes,” Felix drawled. “She just had a ready excuse for this particular instance.” “I told you we should have cornered her at breakfast,” Momoko said.

The truth was, I didn’t know exactly how I felt about everything. Right after I Ascended, I would have said I was ready to cut ties forever. But as much as I hated it, there was something reassuring about seeing the vampires lingering around our street. I had to face Mason alone—or everyone would have doubted I ruled House Medeis by myself. But I was sick of our House being the only one pushing for change. I was tired of fighting alone.

“Why do they leave? Franco said when he went with you once they bowed to you a little bit and called you Miss Hazel.” “Who knows?” I evasively said. I hid my face—and my tells, dang you childhood friends—by

I started walking backwards to the door. “I can’t leave things like this. But go home and prepare the House. Depending how nasty the Night Court is feeling, they might decide to come bother us.” “Hazel!” Momoko shouted. I could feel the extra tinge of fear in her voice, and I felt like a jerk for what I was about to do. We had invisible wounds in House Medeis. If I was extra protective of them because of my baggage, they had become rabidly protective of me. But I can’t leave Killian and the Drakes like this.

“You knew I was lying about that.” Killian slid his hands into the pockets of his slacks. “You said so as you stormed out of my office.” “That doesn’t excuse what you did!” I curled my hands into fists, shaking with anger—and maybe a hint of betrayal.

“Very well. What, then, do I do to change your mind?” “You have to apologize!” “I’m sorry.” He sounded about as convincing and sincere as a con man. “Now will you join in an alliance with me?” he continued.

I had never been more grateful for my family. Since my nerves were obviously frayed, they enveloped me as a group and chatted brightly without expecting real answers as they bodily escorted me away from Killian Drake.

She had sent me a curt message, scheduling a meeting for tomorrow evening. Which meant I had roughly twenty-four hours to figure out how to win my way back into her good graces. It felt both ridiculous and refreshingly challenging. I hadn’t worried about what any specific person thought of me since long before I became the Eminence. And now here I was, wondering how I could get one petite but powerful wizard to talk to me without annoyance crinkling the corners of her blue eyes. I sighed and tossed the pen on my desk. “I’d say it’s embarrassing, except—alarmingly—I’m more worried about the outcome than my prestige.”

“Perhaps someone ratted you out,” Josh said. “Of course they did,” I snorted. “It’s why I put all the bleeding hearts on guard rotation for her street.

I went back to staring at my desk. “She’s mad because she says I don’t trust her.” “Ah, we have returned to the topic of Hazel?” Josh thoughtfully tipped his head. “Perhaps she does not understand that the small degree to which you do trust her is rare.” “Yes,” I agreed without any intonation. “A small degree.” In reality I trusted Hazel far more than I wanted to.

“You sent her away for her protection, but given the alliance you proposed to her, might I assume you believe it’s no longer needed?” Josh asked. “She badly needs protection,” I said. “Because she’s an idiot who will run head first into a fight that doesn’t involve her just because she thinks it’s the ‘right thing to do.’”

I abruptly stood. “She said I wasn’t sincere,” I repeated, recycling my previous observation. “So, I will drown her in apologies until she gets one that hits whatever vague requirement she’s settled on.” I smirked, pleased with the turn my thoughts had taken.

And yet the two I trusted most had essentially painted me out of their lives. So I was understandably furious with my fragile heart that was happy to return to Drake Hall.

April and June exchanged confused looks, and Felix and Mr. Clark both were in danger of their eyes popping out of their heads. Sly Great Aunt Marraine looked unfortunately thoughtful, but Momoko studied me with a furrowed brow.

I crossed the room and hesitated for a moment. But the truth was no matter how hurt I felt, I still cared for the Drakes, even though I should have known better. I gazed up at Gavino and started to shift, then smiled when he beat me to it and swept me up in a hug just like Julianne had. I tried to squeeze him during the hug, but given my begrudgingly small stature and his massively broad shoulders—he was the biggest Drake vampire I’d seen, which made his fragile health that much more heartbreaking—it was pretty hopeless. “I’m glad you’re okay,” I whispered.

Great Aunt Marraine smiled and patted my cheek when I rejoined the group. “You seem to be a great deal closer to the Drakes than I originally estimated,” she muttered. “It’s not what you’re thinking,” I said. Great Aunt Marraine snickered and shook her head. “Oh, after what I’ve seen I very much doubt that!”

Killian smirked, losing the business-like manner he’d held on to since we sat down. “My requirement is that once a month, during these next six months while you are getting training and support, you have to stay at Drake Hall.”

When I finished my tirade I heaved a few breaths, and Killian looked thoughtful. I reviewed what he’d said, compared it to the slant of his eyebrows, then pointed a finger at him. “And you just did it again! You manipulated me into yelling at you!” “It’s hardly my fault you were so reluctant to share,” Killian pointed out. “And I can’t correct my mistake if you don’t tell me what I did.”

“It seems that you were most offended by my lack of trust,” Killian said. “Which isn’t quite true. I trust you a great deal more than you would think.” I gave him a withering glare. “Now that’s the stupidest lie you’ve ever tried to tell me.” “Except it’s true.” Killian thoughtfully folded his arms across his chest. “However, I don’t trust anyone—vampire or otherwise—at the level you seem to desire.”

“If I apologize properly, you’ll forgive me?” I thought for a moment. “No. I already have forgiven you—now that everything is out there.” “Then why is trust still an issue?” “Forgiveness means giving up my anger at your actions. It doesn’t mean there are no consequences to your actions,” I said.

But I was also intelligent enough to know that if we couldn’t get the trust issue worked out, things would end badly. And I would be the one to pay the price. I didn’t love by halves—it was why Killian’s lack of trust hit me so hard, same as Celestina and Josh’s rejection.

“You are willing to forgive me, but not my First or Second Knight?” Killian raised both eyebrows. “I don’t know if I should be concerned or rejoice at the preferential treatment.” “It’s not preferential,” I said. “I expected scheming and manipulating from you—you don’t even try to hide it. But Josh and Celestina treated me like a real friend, and then ripped that from me. Since they weren’t scheming like you, it revealed what they really thought of me.”

“Fine, but I have one last question for you,” Killian said. “If you were still angry with me, why did you agree to meet and discuss an alliance?” I paused with my hand on the doorknob. “I was mad at you, and I knew we needed to define our boundaries…but I’m furious with the Night Court for attacking you guys in what was supposed to be neutral territory.” “Ahhhh.” Killian smiled. “Your virtues stirred up righteous indignation, I see.” “What?” “Not to worry. It seems I ought to be thankful to the Night Court for provoking your champion-like tendencies.”

I glared at my childhood friend, but it was Momoko who whispered, “I think there was a misunderstanding, Hazel. And while I get that they hurt you, I know you love them enough to want to know what really went down. We arranged this for your sake.”

“I believe what my superior is attempting to say,” Josh cut in, “is that she was deeply traumatized by the events at the mall.” I stared at the black-haired vampire, and said, “What,” in a flat tone. “It’s true, Hazel,” Celestina said. “I don’t think you understand how terrifying it was to have the fae threaten to target you with weapons you couldn’t feel—unlike their magic. Weapons that we would be able to react to, but not in time to save you.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Does the entire Drake Family like to act like haughty know-it-alls and then use heart-twisting motivations to excuse their behavior, or is that just an upper management thing?” “We’re not trying to excuse our behavior, but rather explain it,” Josh said. “As much as I like to create witty quips and lighthearted statements about the unstoppable hunger of death that will eventually consume the world with its gaping maw, the prospect of losing you was daunting for myself, and Celestina.”

Celestina nodded. “As we expected. Regardless, we wish to apologize—we made a grave misstep in handling this matter.” “It was not our intention to hurt you,” Josh said. “We are sorry for any pain we might have caused.”

Celestina shook her head. “There won’t be a next time.” “That’s hardly realistic. I love you guys, but I know you’ll choose Killian every time—which I can understand. As long as you don’t ice me out again.” “Agreed,” Josh said. “But he’s not going to let you go a second time.” “I doubt that.” “You don’t think he is that desirous of you?” Josh asked. Gavino had been calmly sipping a blood pouch, but abruptly choked on it and started coughing up a storm. Similarly, Felix dropped a massive unlit candle he’d swiped off the mantle. It landed on his foot with a painful crack.

“That’s all I want.” I glanced over at Momoko and Felix—who were inspecting Felix’s foot. “Does the peanut gallery have anything to say about this?” Momoko batted her long eyelashes. “No. Why would we?”

I had hoped the mischievous wizard brothers would keep their mouths shut, but based on the way the car was angrily veering around the road, I’m pretty sure Rupert was close to homicidal.

“Sounds great. Take care—and welcome back.” Leila waited until Rupert had turned his back to her, then called in a musical tone that sounded as sweet as candy tasted. “Bye-bye Rupert, I’ll miss you!” When he visibly shivered she snickered,

Felix and Franco exchanged smirks, then jogged after their vampire driver. “Rupert, wait up!” Felix called. “Yeah.” Franco’s voice was too innocent and happy for him to be anything except gleeful. “You’ve been holding out on us! You didn’t tell us how friendly you are with other humans!” “I feel so wounded!”

“She seems nice,” Momoko said. “But I’d never want to get caught between her and Felix—that’s too much dazzling good looks for a regular person to handle.”

“Did you know Rupert gets eye twitches when he’s really annoyed?” I trotted at Killian’s side as we made our way down to the gym. “It’s so fun to watch!” Killian raised an eyebrow at me. “You were attacked by fae archers, and the most interesting observation you make out of the entire event is that Rupert has poor muscle control?”

After nearly crashing on the short drive over—Rupert didn’t appreciate it when Momoko tried to fish a leaf out of his hair while he was pulling into the driveway—we made it to Drake Hall.

“I’m sorry,” I read the words. I stared at the flower petals before I dared to ask, “Is this another apology?” “It is.” “Is there a reason why you keep going for a romantic vibe?” “I’m certain I don’t know what you mean,” Killian smirked. I inhaled deeply and started massaging my temples. “Where did you get this idea?” “I assigned Rupert the task of watching several human chick flick movies. He said this method usually returned wayward males into the good graces of their significant others.”

“You really would forgive me if I got you another sword?” “I already told you I forgave you.” I looked around, hoping for a broom or something to sweep the petals up—I now understood why all other vampires were conspicuously absent. “But we aren’t back to the way we were,” Killian persisted. “I told you just because I forgave you doesn’t mean there aren’t any consequences.”

I folded my arms across my chest and looked down at the blood-red flower petals again. “This looks like a murder scene.” Killian studied the flowers with too much interest. “It does bear a startling resemblance.”

A startling resemblance...😂

“Hah! Likely story!” I shook my finger at him. “Come on, what is it really? There’s no way you intend to waste your time like this.” “Any time spent with you is never a waste.”

“And yet, here we are, about to enter a practice match together.” Killian grinned at me. I shook my head. “My trust in you isn’t the issue, Killian. You’re the one with the trust problem.”

“Killian…” I stretched my toes out under my bed covers until the arches of my feet ached. “I know you’re a vampire, and you’ve had lots of time to solidify your thoughts and actions. I know how you got into the position you currently have. I’m not asking you to change overnight. I just…expected better of you. And I hoped that you trusted me as a person enough to know you didn’t have to screen your actions from me, because I’m not in this for the politics of it.”