Page 72 of Blood Magic (Ariel Kimber 3)

A motel out in the middle of nowhere with sixteen rooms for rent. I didn’t care if there were vacancy’s, I wouldn’t be staying the night. No fucking way.

Six black SUV’s were parked in front of the building. The vehicles had windows tinted so dark there would be absolutely no peaking inside to see who was being driven around in there. And it did look like a vehicle that would come with a driver and some kind of Columbian drug lord in the middle seat. And there would certainly be someone inside with guns.

Quinton parked the Rover beside an SUV at the end of the line.

“I think I’ll wait here in the car,” I said in a small voice. My hand gripped the handle on the door so hard I knew it would leave red marks on my hand. My old friend pain, I hardly felt it.

I had a bad feeling. If I got out of this vehicle there was a chance my world would change, and nothing would ever be the same again. There was also a chance absolutely nothing would change. Bad things could happen, and I highly doubted anything good would come from this adventure.

A hand landed gently on my thigh, making me jump. Heat seared into me through the black slacks I had been forced to wear. No leggings or short-shorts for me this time. Guess that’s what happened when guys thought they were now in charge of your wardrobe. Just my luck.

Orange and yellow flames licked their way up the arm attached to the hand on my thigh. Quinton. Always there for me when I needed him to be. I did indeed love him just a little bit. Probably a whole lot.

I covered his hand with my own.

“Everything is going to be absolutely fine,” he promised me in a sincere voice. “We’re not going to let anything bad happen to you. All the Council really wants is to get a good look at you. And, can you blame them? There are so few females with magic, you know you’re rare and that kind of makes you a big deal.”

I had no desire to be rare or a big deal. I wanted to be left alone, not gawked at or looked over like I was soon to be going up for auction or something. Gross.

Tyson leaned in-between the two front seats. He placed his warm hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

“It’s also a big deal that they claim to not have any clue where you came from,” he said in an enthusiastic voice. “Your mother wasn’t a witch and we all know now about your father. We’ve not told them anything about him yet, so this should be interesting to see how they play it. Supposedly, nobody knows who your father was. Funny enough, the community isn’t big enough for there to be rogue witches that no one knows about. It doesn’t work like that and either the Council really does know nothing about you, which would be a first time ever, or they’ve been lying through their teeth and will have lots of covering their asses to do tonight.”

I knew they were trying to help here, but they weren’t being successful. They were actually doing the exact opposite. They were freaking me out and making me feel like I really did have something to fear here. If they hadn’t tried to comfort me, then my anxiety wouldn’t have grown tenfold.

I opened the passenger door, shrugged off Tyson’s hand and slid out from underneath Quinton’s.

When my feet were on the ground, I spun around and leaned back into the Rover. Fear of the assholes of this world, and just plain old assholes themselves, weren’t going to rule me anymore. I wouldn’t allow it.

“They aren’t all knowing,” I told them in a strong voice. “They had no idea about Mr. Cole’s sister until she was in her late teens, then they stole her away from her family. Look how that turned out, now she’s dead. I know these people aren’t good people, you don’t have to try and frighten me, but I do appreciate you not sugar-coating things. And, I’m not worried about whether they know about my father or who I am. I know who I am, and I know who my father is. His name is Rain Kimber and when this bullshit is over with, I’m going to find him, no matter what it takes. I could give a crap less what these crazy people have to say to me about it and, honestly, I think you should do the same.”

I stepped back and shut the door on their surprised faces, feeling more than a bit surprised myself.

I sighed as I turned my back on the Rover.

And opened my mouth and screamed bloody murder.

Chapter Twenty-Three

The incredibly small, bald man standing directly in front of me smirked up at me and I somehow managed to swallow down the next terrified scream that had been about to leave my mouth. I had no clue where this man had come from. He hadn’t been standing there moments ago when I had looked out the wind and towards the shoddy motel.

He was extremely pale, and the top of his bald head gleamed in the torch light. He was under five feet, to be sure. And he had a very round belly. Several gold hoops flashed in his ear lobes and I was impressed. He had almost as many ear piercings as I did. His face was round, jovial and his eyes were a watered-down green that looked like they could have once been vibrant in color but life had bled it out of them over time. Lines shot out from around his eyes and mouth, marking him with age. He’d either smiled a lot or frowned a lot to get that many lines.

He looked like he had a lamp hidden away somewhere just waiting for some poor, reckless fool to come along and give it a good rub. Only, I didn’t think this man would grant you your three wishes after he poofed out.

He was dressed in all black. Long-sleeved, black button down and black slacks. His shirt was unbuttoned half way down his chest exposing a silver medallion hanging off of a silver chain. It was too dark to see what was on the medallion so I didn’t bother trying to make it out.

We matched.

Julian had picked the clothes out that I had on and told me I had to wear them. Black dressy slacks and a thin, long-sleeved silk button down shirt. I had a black cami on underneath and it had been the only thing I had been allowed to pick out on my own.

The rest of the guys were dressed in similar clothing. Tonight’s color theme seemed to be black all around.

Not that I was complaining, I rocked black, but I’d skipped out on the eyeliner tonight so I didn’t feel like a goth.

The boots rounded out the outfit and they kicked some serious ass. They were black combat boots that went up to mid-calf. They had taken forever to get on because they laced all the way up the front and hadn’t been fun to get into. The boots had come out of the trunk that Damien and Julian had got out of the storage unit for me. The boots had been something they’d picked up on their shopping excursion. I freaking loved these boots. So much so, I had even thanked them for buying them for me.

“Did you say Rain, child?” The man standing before me asked in a smooth, refined voice that held a hint of an accent I couldn’t place. “I do believe Quinton forgot to mention that little piece of information when we discussed your past over the phone.”

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