Page 46 of Touch Of Fate
“Show me your memories,” I say. When I took her emotions this time, they left a bitter taste.
“It’s difficult to recall them,” she whispers.
“I know.” I felt the woman's pain tied to Mara’s, and I wanted to protect her from it. “It’s necessary if we want to find him.” She nods and stares into my eyes. Lace and Archer disappear, and it’s just us. Her spells release and flow into me. I see the woman cowering in her room, a man's fist coming toward her face. I detach my emotions from seeing the event and focus on the man’s face. He looks like every other middle-aged human man to me. No one would know the sickness he hides behind a smiling face. A light breeze blows through the room as I use more of my power to lock onto the man. Finding him will be easier with my guidance. We have to find him fast so Mara can rest easy.
Find him. Find him.
It’s difficult to explain how magic works. I don’t question it, just push it where I want it to go. The man is forty-five and is seen as a good guy. It’s as if I am flying above him and watching his life. Where he goes, works, and who he interacts with. He has no idea what is coming to him. He doesn’t know I am watching his life unfold, hunting him. They live in a decent neighborhood. His wife ignores his anger and the late nights out with his friends. I see her hopeful smile when he comes home from work, eager to spend time with him. It slips when he tells her his plans for the night without her. She has been living a lie, ignoring her instincts and the daughter she thought he was good to.
As much as his actions disgust me, I have to set personal feelings aside. I feed off the emotions of others, but the emotions usually don’t affect me. He is a despicable human who thrives on the chaos and pain of those weaker than him. He loves his wife's neediness and her hero worship. Watching her desperation gets him off. I fly forward, guiding him to show me where he goes. Iknow where he lives, but he’s rarely there. I don’t think we will find him at his house.
He walks into a building. It’s in a deserted part of town. The lights are dim, and the beat of the music vibrates in my head. He greets a man who slaps him on the back, grinning. The space is dark, and I watch him walking through it, excitement drums in his veins. Entering another room, I see nine men sitting at tables, and women dancing around them. A strip club. But no, it’s more than that. I tilt my head and study the woman. They don’t want to be there. Their faces are blank, either escaping into their heads, or they have been given something.
Mara’s hands jerk, seeing the same images. I wish I could shield her from them, but our power is working together. We may have stumbled onto something more than we expected. The business is shady at best. Killing the man was the goal, but it’s changing. He needs to die, and whatever is going on in that building needs to be shut down. Mara will take care of him, and I will put the owner out of business.
The man sits at the bar, orders a drink, and beckons one of the women. She walks slowly, her eyes heavy, and her body exposed. My stomach rolls at the sick thoughts flashing through his head.
Mara whimpers, and I back out quickly. I memorize the name and location. I break our connection abruptly, hoping she didn’t see anything more. She rocks back, her palms hitting the floor, blinking.
“I haven’t felt anything like you,” Lace whispers, and I glance at her. Her hair is sticking up, her eyes wide. I look around and notice things are knocked over.
“It takes time to get used to it,” Archer says lightly, walking toward the couch. He’s not affected; his hair is still in place as he leans against the cushion.
“You’ve been holding back,” Mara says, staring intently, and I shrug.
“There hasn’t been a need to use it,” I say.
“The man is worse than I thought,” she mumbles.
“What did you see?” Lace asks.
“You don’t want to know.” I pull Mara forward and smooth her hair. “We have more to deal with. He visits a place. It’s open all night, and he’s there now.”
“Place?” Archer asks, narrowing his eyes.
“There are others there that we will encounter,” I explain. I look at Lace, unsure if I want to share with her.
“Don’t treat me like I’m fragile,” Lace says, guessing my intent. “My magic may be little, but I am aware of the horrors in the world.” I nod.
“Men were gathered in the building. The women who serve them are either drugged or desperate. He is a frequent visitor. If we go there and just kill him, there will be witnesses. We have to isolate him first.”
“Can you freeze them?” Mara asks.
“That’s a lot of bodies at once. The emotions are thick, so I shouldn’t run out of fuel to do it. I’ll need Archer to spell the women and get them out.” I look at him. “Are you up for it?” His magic doesn’t need emotions to work, but it still takes concentration and energy.
“Yes. Where are we taking them?” he asks.
“We don’t know anything about them,” Mara says. “Do they stay there? Are they under the control of whoever owns the place?”
“I couldn’t delve into their heads. The man was the target. He will leave at some point. We could catch him somewhere more private.” We didn’t plan on such a large undertaking.
“I know a place,” Lace says, and we look at her. “Well, I know someone who could help.”
“Are they trustworthy?” I ask.
“He is,” she says, running her hands through her hair. “It’s Gavin.”
“Gavin?” Mara frowns.
