All The Wrong Signs

Leaving Lakyn’s shop, I couldn’t help but glance over my shoulder at her. She was worried. Or at least she had told me that at least 5 thousand times.

I was still upset at her for not telling me about Collin, but I understood her reasoning of waiting until today to tell me. He had turned and headed out of town. Still, if she would have just told me, just warned me, I’d feel better about her.

The more she talked, I realized that her grandmother’s recent behavior was bothering her. She had only told her grandmother to try and help me because demons were beyond her scope. The more she apologized for betraying my trust, the more I believed her.

Maybe I was gullible, but I trusted her. It was her grandmother I didn’t trust.

Walking down the street, I huddled into my jacket a little tighter at the sharp bite of wind. Before I continued home, I decided to step into the coffee shop and grab a to go cup. I knew I could make coffee at home, but it just wasn’t the same.

Entering the coffee shop, I was surprised to find it near deserted. It usually kept a pretty good flow of traffic in and out. The barista that greeted me as I walked in was one I’d never seen before. Not that I knew anyone who worked here. I’d only been in a handful of times.

“It’s kind of slow today, isn’t it?” I commented, looking up at the menu.

“Yeah. It’s weird, but I’m not complaining.” The girl smiled, “what are you thinking today?”

I shrugged. “I usually get the caramel macchiato, but I’m kinda wanting to venture out.”

“Hot or cold?”

“Let’s do hot today. I’m freezing. I was not prepared for that wind today.”

“I know right.” She tilted her head. “What about a white chocolate mocha with salted caramel sauce on top?”

“Yeah, that sounds good, actually.”

She nodded, “it is my go to. What size?”

Deciding what the hell, I pointed at the large cup. “I think I need all the caffeine I can get.”

The barista laughed, turning around to make my drink. As I waited, I got the feeling that someone was watching me. Looking over my shoulder, I looked at the couple of tables that had people at them, but none of them were paying me any attention. In fact, they looked almost like a still picture. One girl was reading a book, but had yet to turn the page, and another guy was typing on his laptop, but his fingers remained motionless above the keys.

Turning back around, I decided I was thinking about it too much. The girl was probably stuck on a paragraph, and the guy probably had writer’s block. Happened to me all the time.

“Here you go,” the girl said, popping my drink in front of me. I looked down at her, realizing I had yet to pay. “How much is it? I might actually have cash today.”

The girl looked confused for a minute, but then shook her head. “This one is on me. Let me know if you like it. I’m new and still learning.”

Thanking her, I dug a five out of my pocket and put it in the tip jar. “I’ll let you know. I’m sure I’ll be back for an iced version of this.” Taking a sip, I made a face. “This is pretty good, and I’m not a huge fan of white chocolate.”

The girl smiled. “The salted caramel makes it.”

Thanking her again, I walked out of the store, sipping on my coffee. It was pretty good, but there was something a little off about the taste. I was pretty sure she put the fat-free flavor in instead of the regular one, but I wasn’t going to complain.

It made me smile to think that Blaze probably would complain. He would insist I take it back in and get the full sugar version. Tell me I needed all the calories I could get.

The closer I got to the house, the further away it felt. My feet were feeling sluggish, and I was getting a headache. My vision was blurring, making everything seem fuzzy. I’d never been a fan of the fat-free syrups. They left a nasty aftertaste, but I’d never had any side effects from them. Only the energy teas had ever given me a headache before.

My fingers felt numb even though I held the hot coffee cup with both hands. I had just thought it was the cold until the cup slide out of my fingers effortlessly. It was then I realized that something was wrong. It wasn’t sugar free syrup, there was something in my drink.

I tried to focus on Blaze. Surely he could feel me panic. Only I didn’t feel panicked. My entire body felt numb. I tried to take another step, but ended up losing my balance. I felt my body hit the hard concrete stone of the sidewalk, but I could only see black.

Blaze’s POV

I cut my eyes at my sister. “I’ve walked that entire coastline. I thought I’d be able to feel it, but I can’t. There has to be a way to trace it.”

Petra shook her head, “whatever spell he placed on your sigil makes it impossible for us to find it Blaze. We have to find him. It’s the only way.”

“Maybe…”

“Maybe what?” Petra asked. “Do you want your girlfriend to ask the witches to set up a meeting with Kyler? I’m sure that will go great.”

“A, she is not my girlfriend,” I growled at her. “B, I don’t want him anywhere near her.”

“Stop lying to yourself, Blaze. Bonding with her, ok. I could get past that. But you’ve set up all these things you want me to do if something happens to you. You made Collin forget she ever existed instead of killing him all because she asked you not to kill him.”

“And,”

“And you have never been attached to anyone before. You swore you’d never bond with anyone and you bonded with her because she cried. Because she cried! Blaze.”

I let out a sigh. “She needs me.”

“I’m not saying she doest. I’m saying you need her to. Maybe you should forget about Kyler. As long as they don’t know that Riley exist you’re safe.”

“For now. I need that fucking book, Petra.”

I paused, feeling Riley drawing closer and closer. She was calm, calmer than she had ever been before. I knew I shouldn’t be concerned, but to me, that was a huge red flag. Riley was always worried about something.

Petra tilted her head, “what’s wrong?”

“Riley’s calm.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

I wanted to say yes, but I realized how stupid it sounded. But she didn’t know Riley like I did. Even relaxed, Riley wasn’t calm. Her brain always went to the what if?

“You wouldn’t understand,” I said, looking at my sister. I figured she would blame the bond and move on. Of course she didn’t.

“Then tell me?”

“Petra. I’m not…” I froze. My connection with Riley came back and snapped at me like a rubber band. Reaching out to locate her, I came back empty. That wasn’t possible. Not unless she was dead. Even asleep, I should be able to track her. I...

Without a word, I transported to the last spot I could trace her to. The sidewalks were empty. No cars rode up and down the street. Things were too quiet.

“Blaze, what in the hell?”

“She’s gone,” I said, trying not to sound as panicked as I felt. Reading down, I picked up a discarded coffee cup, sniffing it and smelling the faint poison that laced what was left of the coffee.

“It’s just a sleeping drought,” Petra said, snatching the cup from me. “It’s strong, but it’s not deadly.”

I turned, storming off to the coffee shop with Petra quick on my heels. “Blaze, you have to be smart about this. This could be a trap.”

A trap was the last thing on my mind. I knew the risks, but Riley was the only thing I could think about. I needed to know she was safe. If anyone hurt her, I swear to Lucifer himself that they would regret ever touching her.

The moment I turned the corner to the coffee shop, I paused. There was a note on the door saying that it was closed due to illness. I blinked. She had a cup from this shop. I was sure of it.

Reaching down, I used my magic and unlocked the door before walking in. It was like walking into a brick wall. As I stumbled back, Petra caught me from behind. “Whoever cast this ward is powerful.”

“Lakyn,” I barked, transporting in front of Lakyn’s shop.

Petra popped up behind me, grabbing me before I could try to enter. “Think Blaze. She couldn’t have put that ward up herself. She isn’t powerful enough she...

Not listening to her, I threw open the shop door, once again running into an invisible wall. I growled, the sound piercing the wards and making the entire shop shake.

Lakyn looked up in horror from her seat on her counter. I couldn’t get to her, but she wasn’t thinking about that right now. In fact, I was pretty sure she wasn’t thinking anything at that second but panic.

“WHERE IS SHE!”