Blood & Thorns

I double-checked the info on the bag-n-tag assignment in the accepted folder on my cell and pocketed my phone. Then I narrowed my magical scope to this individual based on his photo, birthdate, and blood type. He would be in hiding, so his name wouldn't connect my scrying to him that way.

I was a half-breed of both a witch and a wizard. My magic was enough to hold my own against paranormal creatures, which is why the bounty hunting agency gave me the tougher jobs, but I didn't care. It paid the rent and I didn't have to work a boring desk job. Win-Win. I pulled out my amethyst pendulum necklace from underneath my shirt, concentrating on locating my target. The gem swung wide toward a shoe store. Gotcha. I tapped the baton strapped to my hip, its magic humming under my fingertips.

A few moments later, the dude stepped out of the store with a shoebox under each arm.

“Hi, handsome!” I made my voice super sweet and put on my best fake smile. “Mind taking a photo of me?”

He narrowed his eyes, his nostrils flaring like he scented something in the air.

Shit! Did he sense my magic? Maybe he wasn't human after all.

Instead of fighting, like I'd expected, the guy flung the boxes of shoes at me, which I dodged, then he tore off down the street.

Why do the guilty always run? Doesn't matter if the mark is human, vamp, were, or even fae, they all take off as soon as they realize I'm there to take them in. Their response should fuel my ego, right? Nope, it just pissed me off. For once, why couldn't a person acquiesce and let me do my job: turn them in to the authorities so I could collect my pay and get on with my life.

I had nearly finished binge-watching Dexter for the third time when this bounty hunting order popped up on my cell. I should've known there was more to it than a quick pick-up.

My human target dashed into the crowd. Under the rising sun, business people shuffled down the sidewalk in a rush to get to work. A taxi driver had hit another vehicle, and both drivers were standing outside their cars, yelling.

Crap, where had the dude fled? If he thought he'd gotten away, he was too late; I'd already thrown a tracking enchantment on him. But I couldn't risk him discovering it and paying a black arts wizard or witch to break it. Time to move. And I'd worn my heeled boots today thinking a human target, even one with an expensive dollar sign on his head, would be easy.

As I ran, I fingered the baton at my hip. I couldn't use my dual magic to freeze him with all these civilians in the way. With my luck, if I tried, the humans would turn into ice sculptures and stay that way for weeks.

My boots clicked across the cement as I chased after my mark. He barreled into an old woman, knocking her down, and her bag of groceries scattered across the sidewalk. Apples and a grapefruit tumbled out into the street. The bastard kept running.

“Here, let me help you up.” I paused and held out my hand to the older woman. “Then we'll get your food.” And I would pick up the dude's trail from the magical tracking spell that had landed on his back. It wasn't like I didn't know his crimes. The order was to pick him up for skipping bail and shoplifting. Hardly hardcore stuff, and I should have him bagged, tagged, and delivered before my morning coffee craving hit. Was he too fast a runner to be bagged by the human bounty hunters? Is that why ASH had given me the case and placed a six-thousand-dollar price tag on him? I should've known something was up when I read the order. Too easy—and nothing in my life was ever easy.

“Thank you, sweetie.” The old woman's eyes widened when I touched her arm, and she began to shake.

What the hell? My magic had siphoned out of me and…into this woman. Why? Had I triggered a wormhole spell that had laid dormant right here all this time? Whatever it was, it was draining me like I hadn't eaten or slept in weeks. I jerked to get away, but my hand wouldn't budge off her arm. My French-manicured nails turned blue. Sparks shot out at our connection. People around us screamed and ran, some ducking into shops and businesses, others jumping into taxis.

The elderly female glanced up at me, the corners of her wrinkled mouth curling upward. “That boy you're hunting is my nephew.”

“What the fuck are you?” I tried to yank my hand back, but it didn't move. It felt like I was superglued and sewed to her arm. If I got out of this, it might be useful information for when I tried to apprehend him. Did the dude have any talents like hers? From the neck down, I was a statue. Was she emptying my magic? How?

“A Terin.” She grinned and her teeth were serrated and black. “And after I finish feeding on your power, I'm going to enjoy devouring your flesh and bones.”

Nice. A shiver skated down my back. Wouldn't be the first time I'd been in over my head. “Crime scene cleanup must be a breeze then.” I swallowed, fighting the urge to close my eyes. Something told me if I did, she'd win, and I wasn't giving in that easily. My whole life had been a struggle, and I wasn't gonna let some monster get the best of me. Was it a creature like this that had killed my parents? All I knew was I'd come home from high school to find them gone. No trace. No blood. Not even a smidgen of a backfired spell.

“Wingetta Meuion,” I said.

She slapped her other hand down on mine. “Not so fast, my little witch.

Double speed, my power flooded forward and into her. I opened my mouth for another spell, but the words stuck in my throat like barnacles. Fuck!

My witch side was useless, along with my wizard power that wouldn't work without a focal point: a staff, a stick, a wand, or, in my case, the used police baton I'd picked up at a garage sale. If I could reach the thing…

Spots paraded across my vision. I didn't want to die, but my energy was fading fast. My thoughts turned sluggish. Soon I'd be this ghoul's dinner.

“Hold it right there!” a voice shouted, but I couldn't move to see who'd spoken, couldn't warn them.

“Step away with your hands up.”

Must be a cop and a human one. Anyone else would see her aura slurping up mine. I struggled against the fatigue crashing into me to shout a warning, but I couldn't even get out a squeak.

“I said, hands up.” The voice came louder this time. Over the Terin's shoulder, a cop held up a pistol. I seriously doubted that would even leave a scratch on her, but I hoped it would distract her enough if he did fire, for me to throw out a spell and bind the bitch.

She laughed and waved out a hand. Instantly, the guy convulsed. Smoke rose from his body. He screamed. His eyes bulged and his skin changed to a sunburned red. With a bang, his body combusted, leaving fragments of blood and guts steaming on the sidewalk.

Damn, how in the world did she tap into my fire spell? Wait, what else could she do?

Shit, shit, shit! This creature not only absorbed magic, but reused it? And the dead officer had my magical signature all over him. If the Terin didn't kill me, then ASH-Aligned Supernatural Human task force –would lock me up and throw away the key. Like I didn't have enough problems.

Rage shimmered across my flesh. I drew into my fading energy, but it slipped through my fingers, like trying to weave spider silk.

I ground my teeth until my jaw cramped. If I could reach the baton, even touch it with my pinkie finger, then I could blast the Terin away from me. It was right there on my hip, an inch at most from my freaking hand. I strained, pulling all the reserves I had left into a central spot on my finger. Move, damn you! Sweat trickled down my spine.

The Terin's eyes transformed to a crimson color. Not just the iris, but her whole eye. Probably not a good sign.

Come on! I strained to lift my finger, and the nail grazed the baton. Yes. Just a little bit more. My pinkie brushed the cool wood. Yes! I let out a breath and charged the weapon. Or tried to, but my magic didn't flow into the baton as it should've, instead sparks leaped from it and into the Terin.

“Oh, you surprise me, little witch.” She grinned, revealing her black jagged teeth and making the Grinch look like jolly ol' Saint Nick. “Or should I say witchard.” She spat the last word like an insult.

Yup, that was me, half-breed and lucky to have both halves of magic that warred within me like two neighbors who hated each other.

But if this Terin was going to end me, I was going to take her to hell with me. I just had to do it without being able to move or use my magic. Otherwise, I'd have to figure out how to haunt her as a ghost.

I couldn't move my body or use my magic or even kick this bitch to the curb. Wait, I was able to move my head a bit. I reared back as far as I could and slammed my forehead into the side of her head. She blinked as if I had whispered something to her while my skull vibrated from the impact. No way was I giving up, I'd give myself a concussion before I stopped fighting. Again, I smashed into her, making stars zip past my vision. At least this way, she wouldn't be able to kill me… I was doing a damn fine job of that myself.

A siren sounded in the distance, but ASH would be too late. Already, my life essence was trickling away from me. My breaths and pulse crawled from one to another. I screamed inside my head as a burning pain, feeling like lava coursed through my body and melted my bones.

I screamed. No sound came out. Nor did anyone on the street come to my aid. Not that I blamed them. The Terin had sucked all my magic out like it was a pixie straw on Halloween night. I was unable to budge, and I couldn't cast a counterspell. All of my body felt like it was being yanked through a hot press. Pain shot through me with every inhale. Even my wand…billy club…didn't escape her siphoning. Her gray hair blew back from a wrinkled face. My zenyar magic illuminated her features like she was on a glamour photo session. It even made her black jagged teeth appear shiny.

My head still throbbed from where I had head-butted her. Little good that had done. Look at me now, paralyzed and being drained by a magic sucker. Prickling anger snaked through my veins. If this was how I was to die then I was taking this bitch with me.

So I slammed on the brakes of my power, but nothing stopped. Somehow I had to escape this trap. A plan of holding on until the last second and then cease resisting came to me. I'd never tried this before and it would either buy me time or send me into a magical coma that I'd never wake from. I took a shaky breath and, using all the strength and will I had left, I tied off my zenyar like yanking a thick rubber band back. Terin's power leaped closer, seeking the origin. She frowned, her brow knitting together.

I had to time this right or she might decide to rip out my spine and have a snack right here on the sidewalk. When she snarled like she would kill me, I let my zenyar go. The blue haze sprung forward and knocked her back a couple of steps.

With the break in contact, I stumbled away from her spell. I gulped air like I'd been underwater for too long. My knees nearly buckled from fatigue, but I planted my feet and snatched my billy stick before she could touch me again.

“You've little power left,” she snorted. “Probably enough to squash a gnat before you pass out.”

Exhaustion washed over me and I struggled to keep my eyes open and focused. Who cared that the bitch was right? I still had one trick left before I hit the cement.

“Got enough juice to pound you into the ground.” Goodness, I was tired. Couldn't even come up with a good retort.

She chortled and took a step toward me. Two more and she'd be too close. I couldn't let her touch me. Adrenaline pumped through me and my hand shook as I pointed my black stick at her.

“Reveritera Oblin Osa Torhri,” I yelled and wobbled back several steps as the zenyar I had buried inside my wand for emergencies sprang to life. It would take me a week to recharge after this attack if I lived through this. And a month to load my baton back up. But this was my chance to put her down before I ended up devoured, and I had to take it.

The Terin's eyes widened, but the spell struck her in the chest and she backpedaled, before disintegrating into a pile of smoldering ash.

But my spell kept going with fragments of her residue floating along with it. Son of a bitch! I had to stop my zenyar!

“Run!” I screamed at the people standing in shock a few feet away. “Cern Drunghai!” The spell yanked the last of my strength. I collapsed onto the pavement, pain radiating through my hip and head. My black baton rolled from my fingers, but I was too late. The power in the wood had sensed my distress and it came to my aid. It burrowed across the ground in a web-like pattern.

It wasn't stopping with one enemy, it judged everyone nearby as a threat. Individuals screamed as it hit them.

No! I yelled in my mind and held out a trembling hand to pull the zenyar back into me, to reverse the spell's flow. It might fry my brain, but at least everyone else would be safe. I already had my parents' deaths to carry, and I didn't need more bodies on my conscience. The magic curled around my fingers like static electricity, making the hairs on my arm stand on end.

I jerked on the remaining strands of zenyar. They slammed into me like an electric current. Involuntarily, my teeth clenched together until I thought I'd crack them all. Every part of me sizzled like I had been tossed into a hot frying pan. Still, I tugged on the zenyar, trying to coax more of it back, concentrating, imagining it rolling into my center, where the magic bloomed from me being a witchard.

My hand shook as the web slowly recoiled, inching back into me. That's it, keep coming. Sharp pains pummeled my gut, but I kept drawing in the excess energy.

“Stop, Regan!” a voice bellowed down at me and I flinched.

Couldn't he see that's what I was trying to do?

A boot stomped on my arm, crushing my fingers.

“Fuck!” My connection to the wand's powers was severed and with it the people's lives it had contact with. “Bastard, you killed them all!”

He yanked my head up by my hair. “No, I didn't Regan, you did. Your magical stench is all over the street.” His breath smelled of cheap beer and spearmint. “A half a dozen ASH members, including myself, just watched you murder these people.”

“Terin!” I kicked, trying to get away from him. My body was sluggish as if I waded through mud. Panic squeezed my chest. What if they didn't believe me or, like me, had never heard of Terin before?

What would've happened if I hadn't been able to escape? Would all traces of me have vanished… like my parents? Was that what had killed them, and why, after all these years, I hadn't found out what had happened to them? I swallowed the spiked lump that formed in my throat at their memory.

“You are under arrest,” he answered, wrenching my arm behind my back. I stepped on his foot and, when that didn't make a difference, I twisted away from him and fell.

Scrambling up, I took two steps backward. “And why didn't any of you help?”

All the ASH officers looked at each other, then me. Had they not seen the Terin burst into soot?

I shook my head. Guilt and sadness careened through me as I pictured the people being blasted into charred bones. “This wasn't my fault.” I trembled and nausea punched my stomach. Two officers wrestled me to the ground. A tangle of arms and legs, I kicked and punched. Someone snatched my billy stick from me. I grunted as an elbow clipped me on my jaw and a knee struck me in the stomach.

My arms were wrenched behind my back and zenyar cuffs snapped on my wrists. “No, you're making a mistake! The Terin did this!”

Killing the Terin had caused my magic to backlash, and now all those people had paid the price for not getting far enough away.

The ASH cops hauled me upright and dragged me to their van.

“No, listen, it wasn't me. I didn't do this!”

“Save it for the judges,” one of the officers said. “Your zenyar signature is all over the place… no one else's.”

Three judges ruled on every case that came into ASH headquarters. The good news was with that many, stalemates were possible, and another three judges were assigned. However, if two of the three judges decided for the guilty, then no appeals. Ever.

“My magic was ensnared by the Terin! It caused a chain reaction when she died that I couldn't stop.” Oh goddess, how I had tried. All those people's deaths were on my head.

They shoved me into the back of the squad car. I'd be lucky if I even got a lawyer before they strapped me down and gave me a magical lobotomy before killing me for harming humans.