A balance of power, p.1
A Balance of Power, page 1
A BALANCE OF POWER
Magic Incarnate Book III
Nicole Zoltack
Contents
Copyright
Dedication
The Story So Far…
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Epilogue
Other Books By Nicole Zoltack
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Copyright
Copyright © 2016 by Nicole Zoltack
Cover Artist: Sylvia Frost
ISBN: 9781706455462
All rights reserved.
* * *
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Dedication
To those who think magic and faith don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
The Story So Far…
My life has turned upside down and inside out and every other which way. I can barely believe what’s happened lately, and I actually lived through it all!
You see, shortly before my sixteenth birthday, I discovered that my mom is actually my aunt and that my birth parents are actually dead.
But that’s not the crazy part. Turns out, my birth mom sought out the help of witches to conceive me.
And that’s still not the crazy part. A witch called Scarlet Blood sacrificed herself so that I could be born.
Now is the really crazy part—I’m not human. I’m magic incarnate. I have unlimited magic.
At least, I did.
Coming to terms with everything—with my mom/aunt, with my faith, with my powers—took some time, time I didn’t have because shamans and witches both wanted to use me to end their war.
And I did end it. At great personal cost. I lost control of magic and almost destroyed the world by creating a massive storm. To dissolve the cloud, I killed myself.
But God gave me a second chance at life. As a human.
Now, I have a strange connection to this life and to death, and because a witch-hunting dog was sacrificed to bring me back, I can also turn into a monster beast type thing.
Remember that Scarlet Blood? She linked to me, siphoned my magic, and went after my boyfriend Vince and my best friend Bri, marking them for death, willing to trade their souls for her own and her father’s.
I stopped her.
My friends, though, are still marked. And there’s a portal to Hell near my hometown.
And I didn’t even mention Gavin, a witch whose father used to be a witch hunter until I killed him. Gavin who went through so much to help me. Gavin who tried to spare me some pain by lying and saying Vince got together with Bri when Gavin mistakenly thought Vince was dead. Gavin who kissed me a few times. And Vince doesn’t know about that…
Yeah. My life has been kinda insane.
And I doubt that’ll change anytime soon.
Chapter 1
Light. It’s bearing down on us—Vince Fuller, Gavin Venator, Brianna Stoker, and me—as we make our way slowly back toward home, to Claymore.
I haven’t been home, to actually live there, in a long while, and I’m ecstatic to return home, or I would be if I had the energy.
My hair falls forward, and I brush it back. It still startles me that my hair is blond with a few white streaks. I was born with brown hair, but this second life of mine is a lot different from my first.
A quick peek behind us and—
“Why do you keep doing that?” Vince, my boyfriend, squeezes my hand. Dirt and mud cover his clothes and his face, but his smile is perfect.
“Why do I what?” I ask.
“Looking back. We’re fine.”
For now hangs in the air, and I can’t prevent myself from glancing at his wrist.
“Stop doing that.” Vince laughs, but it sounds a little forced. “Scarlet Blood is dead. There’s nothing back there that can harm us.”
“Did you forget about the still-open portal to Hell?” I whisper to him, almost hissing the words. I stop walking, and so does everyone else. “Maybe we should go back and try to close it. If someone happens to stumble on it…”
Gavin, a newbie witch, makes a show of cracking his knuckles. “If you want, I can try to figure out a way to cover it. I’m way too tired to try to seal it, forever or even temporarily.”
I put my hands on my hips. “Why didn’t you already try that? Before we walked half a mile away?”
“I’m a little tired, like I said, and I didn’t think about it. So glad you’re so much smarter than I am.”
“Didn’t remember you being so sarcastic before,” Vince cuts in.
Uh oh.
“Guys—“ I start.
But they ignore me.
“Do remember going to your funeral,” Gavin comes back with.
“Yeah, well, I was trying to find Crystal, and—“
“And you found me,” I say in a rush, shooting Gavin a glare. The last thing I need is for Gavin to spill the beans about us kissing. In my defense, I thought Vince had moved on at the time. I thought I had to leave my life behind, that my presence would only lead to danger for those I love. Then I found Vince’s grave, so I, naturally, thought Vince died. Turns out that Gavin made up the bit about Vince dating Bri. He thought my learning that Vince committed suicide would be too much for me.
But Vince only faked his death. He learned I used to be magic incarnate and tried to find me. We did reunite, which is amazing and incredible, and I keep glancing over at him to be assured he’s still there, that I haven’t dreamed all of it.
And despite my best intentions, my loved ones remain in danger, had never stopped being in danger. Vince and Bri, my best friend, are both marked for death, their souls doomed to Hell, and my mom and her husband, Officer Wallace, are stuck in a vial, living out a life that isn’t real.
Plus the whole portal to Hell thing.
And I haven’t a clue how to fix any of it.
Gavin turns around to face the direction we just came from. “If you think I can shield it or camouflage it, I’m willing to try.”
Bri is uncharacteristically quiet, glancing between me and the two guys, a puzzled expression on her face.
I almost want the earth to open up and swallow me whole. Too bad that’s already happened to me in my worst nightmares. Earthquakes used to be my biggest fear, but that was before I realized how much evil there was in the world, and most of it seems centered on a few magic users.
At least Mr. Venator isn’t a threat anymore, although I hadn’t meant to kill him…
Scarlet Blood is dead now, but the damage she’s done remains.
And circling back to Mr. Venator, he’s the one who trapped Mom and her husband. I guess Officer Wallace is my stepdad, but considering I didn’t go to the wedding, that I haven’t seen him for months, that’s so weird to think about.
Vince and Gavin are both staring at me, waiting for me to say something. I haven’t been paying attention. Whoops.
I glance at Bri for help. She shrugs. “It can’t hurt to go back and look. I mean, I badly want to go home and see my parents and Julie, but maybe we were a little foolish to just leave right away.”
“We all don’t need to go back,” Vince interjects.
“Fine.” Gavin’s lips curl into a smug smile. “You and Briana—“
“And Crystal,” Vince cuts in.
“I think that I might need her help,” Gavin protests.
“You just—“
“We’ll all go back,” I snap.
I wince at my tone. It’s not fair for me to be upset with them for acting this way. It’s my own fault. Vince feels threatened, and it’s not exactly unjustified. As much as I don’t want Vince to realize how close Gavin and I became, I also know I’ll have to come clean at some point. Just not while Gavin’s around.
Ignoring the guys, I move closer to Bri and loop our arms together, walking fast enough that there’s some distance between us and the guys.
She looks down at me. Bri and the rest of my friends are all taller than me. Older too. “What’s going on?” she asks.
“With what?” I grumble. There’s so much she can be referring to.
“Everything.” Bri side-eyes me.
“I…” There’s so much, too much. I’m still wrapping my mind around her and Vince knowing about magic. They j ust accept it. What have they seen? What have they been through when they had been looking for me? When exactly did they start looking? I mean, for six whole months, I had been dead.
She waves her hand near her nose like something smells bad. “Pew hu. Someone’s thinking so hard she stinks of burnt rubber.”
I giggle. “That doesn’t even make any sense!”
Bri laughs too. “You know, the wheels are turning, grinding against each other, making smoke… It does too make sense!”
“If you have to explain it…” I tease.
She knocks her shoulder into me, and I stumble. “I see magic hasn’t made you any less of a klutz.”
“I’m not a klutz.”
“Just vertically and gravitationally challenged.” She nods wisely.
“Geez, I’m feeling the love.”
Bri glances over her shoulders at the guys then slowly turns back to me and raises one eyebrow.
My cheeks feel so hot. “That’s… I…”
“You thought Vince was dead,” she murmurs.
“Yeah, but…” I swallow hard and look at the grass beneath our feet as we backtrack toward the portal. “I don’t think I ever really believed that. I never accepted he was dead. But before that…”
“Go on,” she prompts when I stop talking.
I exhale loudly but continue to talk in a hushed tone. “Gavin told me that you and Vince had moved on,” I say in a rush.
She frowns. “How did he know that? He went to Vince’s fake funeral with me. I left afterward, met up with him, and we took off. I still can’t believe his mom went for it, but she really cares about you, Crystal.”
“He… Gavin didn’t know. About Vince being alive.” I stare straight ahead, walking faster.
Bri keeps pace with me easily. “So by telling you Vince and I moved on…” She stops suddenly. “You don’t mean to tell me you thought—“
“He thought it might be easier for me to accept.” I don’t bother to halt myself. Just keep on going.
Thankfully, she darts forward to be beside me again because I sure don’t want the guys to realize what we’re talking about. “And was it?”
“Easier to accept? I don’t know.” I shrug and can’t look at her.
“You really thought Vince and I… Ew! No way! God, no!”
“Keep your voice down,” I hiss.
She doesn’t say anything for a moment, but when she does, her voice has grown very quiet. “You really thought I would do that to you?”
“I thought you all thought I was dead. And I was dead. For six months.” I shrug, staring straight ahead instead of at her. “A lot could’ve happened in six months. Like my mom getting married.”
And getting trapped in a vial.
“But, Crystal…” She sighs and runs her hand through her blond hair. “I would never do that. Hook up with Vince. Never in a million years. I don’t like him that way. We’re friends. That’s it. But…”
“But, what?”
“I kinda did think Gavin was cute when he first transferred to our school…”
“Yeah, and…”
“And you did too,” she says quickly. “I know that doesn’t mean much, and that you love Vince and all that…”
“Did I ever tell you that I love him?” My mind is all over the place, and I can’t remember if I did or not.
“You really think no one else knows?” she says with a snort. “You and your prince charming just ooze like a fairy tale couple. I half expect little red or pink hearts to appear in your eyes when you look at each other.”
“We’re that obvious?” I never meant to be so open about it.
“Nah. I just know you, that’s all. You do love him, though, right?”
“Yep.”
“And Gavin… what? He has a crush on you?”
If only that was the case. Gavin has a lot of dreams or visions that tend to come true, and a lot feature us, together.
“He wants us to be together,” I venture slowly.
“Did anything happen between you two?”
I should tell her. It would be practice for telling Vince. Lying is one of my most committed sins, so it’s not always easy for me to tell the truth.
I open my mouth when Bri grabs her wrist and falls down with a shriek.
“Bri?” I roll her over onto her back.
Her skin is so hot that I can’t touch her. Blisters form on her face.
Now I’m the one shrieking, but Bri? She’s eerily quiet.
Chapter 2
My heart pounds in my chest as I grab Bri by her jeans so I’m not touching her skin. Quick as I can, I drag her backward. I’m not even sure why. I’m just moving on instinct.
Footsteps approach, and the guys take over for me. Bri’s breathing is easier now, not as labored, but she doesn’t stir.
“Heal her,” I demand of Gavin.
“On it.” He drops beside me—when did I kneel?—and touches her forehead. His eyes blink, the only reaction he gives to her way-too-high temp.
“What happened to her?” Vince asks.
I can’t do anything for her now, so I wipe my hands and stand, walking Vince a little bit away from Gavin so he can concentrate on healing her… if he can heal her.
“I’m not sure. We were just talking and…” I gesture to her.
“She looks like she’s burning.” Vince audibly swallows. “Like…”
“Not like Hell.” I barely refrain from stomping my foot. I feel so frustrated, but having a temper tantrum won’t help. A nap might, though. I’m so tired. Talking kept my mind occupied, but now I can feel the weight of exhaustion pulling me down, and I crumble to the ground.
Arms wrap around me, but I can’t open my eyes. My eyelids are too heavy, and I succumb to sleep.
✚✜✚
Softness beneath me. Bright light beyond my closed eyelids. Chirping, rustling, splashing…
I open my eyes and blink against the reflected rays of the sun from the nearby lake. With a groan, I sit up, my hands on the moss-like grass to support myself.
Gavin’s in the water, his back to me. The sunlight makes the beads of water on his back glisten, and I look away, my cheeks hot, but not nearly as hot as Bri’s skin felt.
“You okay?” Vince is sitting beside me, and he pats my hand.
His skin feels warmer than normal too. I snatch his hand, needing him to anchor me. “What happened?”
He grimaces. “We’re not really sure. You passed out. Gavin said it’s because you did too much, going up against Scarlet Blood. He can’t heal Bri. Not completely anyway. We thought the water might help cool her some…”
“How much time has passed?” I stand, feeling a little stronger now.
“About—”
“The portal. I’m going to go scope it out.”
He climbs to his feet. “I’ll come with you.”
“No.” I shake my head emphatically. “You stay here with—”
“Crystal, I almost lost you once. I’m not going to lose you again.”
I cup his cheek. “You aren’t going to lose me,” I say softly.
He covers my hand with his. “How can you be sure?” he asks hoarsely.
I shrug. “Gotta have faith, I guess.”
His lips curl into a teasing smile. “You’ve always had such confidence about you, Crystal. That’s what drew me to you.”
I start to shake my head then stop. He doesn’t need to know how much of my second life has been filled with doubt.
He squeezes my hand. “What’s wrong? I mean, besides Brianna.”
