Page 68 of Touch Of Fate
“What kind of experiment?” she asks.
“I want to see if I can control the flow of emotions.” She freezes, her fork suspended halfway to her mouth. “If I can, touching the men tonight won’t incapacitate me, and I can direct it toward them without any effect on me.”
“I’m the safest bet,” she mumbles.
“Yes.” She sets down her plate and wipes her mouth. “I think I can.”
“I believe in you,” she says.
“Rome can step in, just in case,” I say.
“Let's do it.” She rolls her shoulders and stands. I hesitate and look at Rome. He nods and smiles.
“Give me a second.” I straighten and move in front of her. I close my eyes and concentrate on my spells. They are awake and ready. As I open my eyes, I’m humbled by the trust she has in me. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” She holds out her hand, her palm up. I stare at it for a moment and exhale harshly.
My hand shakes slightly as I hover it over hers. Please work. I jerk when we connect. I forget everything when I see Lace as a child. Her loneliness floods through me. Pictures of her pass through me. I see myself giving her a stuffed animal as a present. She hugged it fiercely, and it became her constant companion. Tears flood my eyes when she had to give it up. It was too worn out and falling apart. Mom’s face when she died is burned into Lace’s subconscious, as is her desperation to bring her back to life. Lace wanted her family back, and she still does. She prayed for our father to magically appear in his human form. Her trust of men greatly diminished when he didn’t ride to the rescue.
“Mara, remember your intention,” Rome says, bursting through Lace’s memories. He’s not touching me, but is standing close. It gives me the push to remember what I’m trying to do.
Mentally, I pull away, imagining severing the connection. I build a wall between us, shoving Lace behind it.I don’t want to feel. Her feelings are hers to share. I don’t need to take them.I repeat the words over and over. I build the barrier higher and higher. A fog settles over my vision instead of Lace’s past. It flickers beyond it as if I’m watching it behind a wall of water, blurry and distant. Her sadness recedes, and my eyes dry. I pull at my spells, bending them to my will, not giving them a choice but to obey. I pile every spell against the back of the wall, reinforcing it with every ounce of magic. It becomes easier to mold. I press my eyes closed. The magic pulses, glowing red within me, and I watch in wonder as it wraps around my intention.I don’t want to feel. Her feelings are hers to share. I don’t need to take them.
“Shit,” Rome breathes. “You fucking did it, my Mara.” I open my eyes and blink.
“I did,” I rasp. His pride in my skill causes my cheeks to feel hot, yet confidence settles within me.
“Brilliant,” Lace whispers, launching into my arms.
I feel nothing except our mutual love.
Chapter Fifteen
Rome
The sisters are still vibrating with energy as I park the car down the block from the old Victorian house. The neighborhood is sparse, and many of the houses are abandoned. The owner of the house of hell, Davis, is in his forties and has built a reputation as a harsh businessman. The men who are invited to partake in his horrible games are thoroughly investigated to make sure their morals are the same as his. Their rules are strict, and secrecy is their number one priority. Looking at the home, no one would suspect what goes on behindthe scenes. Gavin’s search into Davis’s background was fairly extensive, and he supplied me with the information. While Mara was getting ready, I did more digging. Archer studied everything I found and is ready to tear apart the men who agree to play Davis’s games. He has been married four times, and they all left him. He is a shit husband as well as an abusive man. Oddly, he didn’t hit his wives but relied on intimidation and emotional games. They got tired of his lack of good attention and his ridicule in all the moments he was home. He likes to spend his money on other women and the horrible businesses he runs.
“It looks haunted,” Lace whispers, leaning forward.
“That’s one way to put it,” Archer mumbles. It does look like it should be featured on a ghost-hunting show.
“Rome, are you sure?” Mara grabs my hand, but her focus is on the house.
“Yes.” I kiss her fingers and pull away. “Don’t worry.” She turns to me and tilts her head. “Try not to.” I cup her chin. “Gather your magic. I won’t be caught.”Hide what I don’t want seen. Shield me from bad eyes. Invisible. Invisible to all who should not see.She nods, and I open the door. “The car is spelled. Stay in it until I come back.” I look over my shoulder, and Archer nods lightly.
I step out and shut the door softly. Focusing on the house, I walk down the middle of the road. The lighting is low on the street, but it wouldn’t matter if it weren’t. The only people who can see me are in the car. Mara’s concerns are pushed to the back of my mind as I close in on the house. I can’t let her fears influence my concentration. The women inside are my concern now. I hate men who force their dominance on women. The helpless shouldn’t be taken advantage of in any way. No matter how powerful I have gotten, I’ve never used it on those who didn’t deserve a lesson.
There are several expensive cars in the driveway and down the block. They park them strategically, ensuring they appear to be at other residences. My feet touch the edge of the property, and I spot several cameras facing me. Others scan the whole property. Lights illuminate the closed windows, their shine peeking through the heavy curtains shielding the inside. I step forward, walking between the cars, scanning the interior. I don’t want to be surprised by someone inside of them. Instead of going to the front door, I walk beside the house, watching the property around it. I don’t see any guards marching in the yard. Davis must be confident in his guests, knowing they would never reveal their activities. I spot two more cameras along the side of the building. As I round the back, there is another on top of the back door.
I’m thankful we can shield ourselves. We would have alerted the residents in an instant. Once we take care of the men inside, I can disable the cameras. The backyard is barren. No chairs. No tables. Not even a BBQ grill to keep up the pretenses of a normal home. A man's chuckle reaches me as I step closer to the door. He would certainly see the door opening by an invisible hand. The door must lead to the kitchen. I smell an assortment of food beyond it. I have to wait until he leaves or find an opening empty of bodies.
I don’t like bringing my soul bond to a place like this. She doesn’t belong here, but she has proven her strength over and over again. I don’t doubt her, yet it makes me sick to think of her in the mix of these men. I move on, walking around the other side of the house. More windows, but no cameras. The path is narrow, and a long line of bushes separates the side from an empty house. Perhaps they think the smaller space and shrubbery are enough to deter an attack. Their mistake. Five windows. One is slightly open. It’s the perfect place to enter and to leave in a hurry if needed. I’m guessing it has three floors anda basement. Unless they remodeled the inside, the rooms will be many and small.
Stopping under the open window, I see no light shining through. I place my hand just under the frame. My spells can tell me if there are any people on the other side. It’s easier because of the lack of a barrier between me and the room.Guide me.No one is on the other side. I inch the window up and curl my fingers over the edge. Calling on my magic, I glide fluidly inside. I land in a crouch, looking at every corner. It’s dark, and the furnishings aren’t clear. The door is shut, so I hold out my palm, asking for light. An orb forms in my hand, dim, but enough to show the way. Standing straight, I see a small bed, a side table, and a dresser. I run my finger over the top of the wood and come away with dust. The room is rarely occupied. Good to know.
The noise gets louder as I enter the inner sanctum. Walking toward the door, my foot hits something, and I frown. Crouching, I hold out my light and grit my teeth. A pair of metal cuffs. There is blood around the edges, and I take another look at the room. I thought it wasn’t used, but now I notice the depressions on the bed. The pillow is dented, and the sheets are rumpled. They don’t care about the dirt, just the evil they can do in it. Fuck. I move quickly to the door and concentrate on whatever is on the other side. The noise is not directly outside it. I decide to make the room a safe space. If shit goes down, at least we can escape here, knowing my magic holds it under its control. I cut off my light with a flick of my hand and press my palm to the wood.Safe. Holds the innocent and no other. My space.
I take a breath and turn the doorknob. Slipping out quickly, I enter a short hallway. No one is in it, so I shut the door softly. I twist my neck and center myself. My spells are firmly in place. Moving to the right, I follow the sounds. There are two other doors, but I don’t sense any activity beyond them. As the end comes into sight, I jerk to a stop as a woman runs by, a manlumbering behind her. His laughter is loud, as is the disgust on her face. I have to stop myself from draining him on sight.
