Denai Touch: Excalibar Investigations Series (24 page)

Cate opened her eyes to find herself in an unfamiliar bedroom. Her head had settled to a dull ache and her limbs felt stiff from disuse. At once her mind reached for Jason; he was close by and her panic faded.
Jason?

“Finally! Gods woman, that’s been the longest two days of my life,” he said as he came into the room.

She frowned. “Two days? How could I have slept for two days?”

“Niara put you into a healing sleep — you must have needed a lot of healing.”

Cate pulled him down, capturing his mouth in a hungry kiss. “I’m so sorry,” she murmured against his lips.

“For what?”

“For attacking you, taking your energy and almost killing you. Goddess, I don’t think I can say sorry enough times,” she said.

“It’s okay, it wasn’t really you.”

“Yes it was, at least on some level. I don’t know why I lost control, but –”

“I do, I’ll explain over breakfast.” Jason made a move to get up, but she grabbed his hand, immediately noticing there was something missing.

“You took your ring off.” Cate looked down at her own hand and missed the familiar weight of the diamond there. “Why did you take them off?”

“I thought it would be a good idea, given the way Seline and your dad reacted when they saw mine.”

Cate groaned. “I can’t believe you had to go through that on your own. Did Gran use her Touch on you?”

Jason grinned. “I think she would have, if Niara hadn’t pulled rank on her.”

“I would have loved to see that!” she said with a grin.

“Maybe you will. Niara says we can stay here at her house for a few days, whilst we carry on searching for the book,” he said. “It might be safer with the ascension being so close.”

“I don’t want to stay. I want to go home.”

“We can still work. Jade and your brothers are here and Charlie too. So the team is all together.”

“They are?” That wouldn’t give them much time alone.

Jason nodded. “Yeah, they were worried about you.”

She wrapped her arms around him as she pulled him back down again. “Are you okay now?” She saw him wince. “Oh goddess, you’re still hurt?”

“It’s not so bad, just a bit sore,” he insisted. “That Ashrali blade of yours can really do some damage.”

“Probably why my dad gave it to me,” she replied. “I’m just sorry we never got to finish our date.”

“Devas are known for their impeccable timing.”

“Maybe we can pick up where we left off later?”

“Maybe not, I’m still sore. Niara – I think she’s a less scary-looking version of Seline. She knows everything that goes on in her house.”

“House!” Cate exclaimed as it all came flooding back. “Ah shit! Your house!”

“It’s alright. It can be replaced. I spend more time at yours than I ever spent there.”

“I’m a walking disaster zone. You shouldn’t be around me.” She buried her head in her hands.

He smiled. “Probably not,” he agreed and stroked her hair off her face.

“Where are our rings?”

“I have them. Why?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I kind of liked wearing it.”

“Well, I’d like to keep my head, if you don’t mind. If Seline sees us wearing them again–”

“I’m not afraid,” she said. “There’s something I want to tell you. Something I would have told you the other night if we hadn’t been interrupted. I…”

The door was flung open. “Sweetie? You’re awake!” Jade said excitedly. “Am I interrupting?”

Jason pulled away from Cate abruptly. “No, I was just leaving. I’d better go and tell Niara.”

“She probably already knows. Goddess, your grandma has some serious power, Cate.”

“Auntie Cate!” Charlie came bouncing in and it wasn’t long before her brothers joined in and started smothering her.

Cate couldn’t help but notice that Jason hung back and seemed to be keeping his distance, and it hurt. She thought after the other day things would be different, but maybe he was still a little shaken after everything that had happened. They would need to talk later.

After breakfast, the others revealed they had been busy pouring through old records in search of the Grimoire and told her they were still searching.

“But now we have you, things will move a lot faster,” said Ian.

“Why are you all helping? It’s not that I don’t appreciate it, but finding the book is my responsibility.”

“The prophecy may say you’re the only one who can kill Raven, but that doesn’t mean we can’t assist.”

“Yes, and we can help find the Grimoire. You’re not on your own,” said Steve. “We’re family, all of us, and family sticks together.”

“What they said,” Jade joined in. “Two Denais are better than one.”

“Too bad Gran hasn’t been able to get anything out of Bethany,” Steve commented.

“On that note, I need to be going.” Jason got to his feet.

“Where are you going?” Cate asked, anxiously.

“To help Mel and Seline.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“No, you’re still weak.”

“You’re not exactly fighting fit yourself.”

“I’m fine. Just stay here, focus on getting ready for the ascension.”

Cate followed him out to the hallway. “Niara gave me some crystals to feed from. How long before you’re fully healed?” She gave him a worried look.

“A couple more days, maybe less,” Jason shrugged nonchalantly. “Nuardans don’t heal the same way other immortals do, which is another reason why I have to go.”

“I could go with you. I can compel–”

“No, you’ve seen what your powers can do. It’s safer for you to stay here.”

“You made me stay behind the other day,” she said and her shoulders slumped.

“Yes, and look what happened,” he said and she winced. “It’s not your fault.”

“Good, because I never meant to hurt you.”

“You didn’t. Let’s just forget about it.”

“We need to talk. About what happened, about where we stand after we…”

“We’ll talk later. Don’t worry about it, I know you’d never hurt me.” He turned to go.

“Okay. I’ll see you later then.” She barely managed to keep the pain out of her voice.

Jason hesitated in the doorway then turned around and strode towards her. Their lips met mid-embrace and she wrapped her arms around him, returning his kiss with just as much need. He cursed and pulled away, wincing.

“Sorry,” she said and caressed his cheek. “I’m not used to you being hurt.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Okay, go be one with the elements or whatever you do to heal, but we have unfinished business.”

“Try not to get in any trouble whilst I’m gone.”

“Trouble? Me? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, feigning a look of innocence.

Jason laughed and shook his head.

Cate and her brothers started searching through some old records, but found nothing of interest.

“I think I’m going to call Mum,” Cate told her brothers.

“Why would you want to do that?” Steve demanded.

Ian said, “Stevie isn’t adjusting very well to having her back in our lives.”

Steve glared at him. “Not all of us are mummy’s boys!” he snapped. “How can you welcome that woman back after she left us?”

“She’s still our mother,” Ian protested.

“That doesn’t excuse her walking out on Dad and leaving him to raise Cate by himself.”

“Maybe it’s time we gave her a second chance. We don’t know what happened between her and Dad,” Cate said.

“Well I for one don’t want her around! Ian, don’t think I don’t know you’ve been going to see her over the years.”

“I’ve seen her too,” she said, “but only recently.”

“What is it with this family and keeping secrets?” Steve demanded.

“Maybe it’s because we knew you’d react like this,” Ian snapped. “Just because she and Dad split up and Gran banished her, doesn’t mean we should give up on her.”

Steve glared at Cate. “How can you be so quick to welcome her back?”

“Because she’s always been around keeping me safe and now I need her. She’s the only one who can help me get through the ascension and find the Grimoire,” she said indignantly.

“You have us, Gran and Talbot, as well as Niara and Dad.”

“But she’s the only one who understands what I’m going through. She’s not the Goddess Marked, but she’s damned close. Maybe part of me just wants to know what it’s like to have a mother.”

“Gran won’t be happy,” Steve pointed out.

“Gran will just have to put up with it.”

“You’re both bloody mad!” Steve stormed off.

“Why can’t he understand?” asked Ian. “She’s still our mum.”

“Yeah, and her leaving hurt him just as much as it did us. Give him time, I don’t completely forgive Mum either. But you’re always quick to take her side.”

“Maybe Dad and Gran shouldn’t have turned their backs on her.”

“I think it’s best if we stay out of it.”

“Hmm, maybe you’re right. By the way, well done for burning Raven’s arse the other day.”

“Yeah, and almost killing myself and Jason in the process.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“Why does everyone keep saying that? It
was
my fault, or at least in part,” she said with a sigh.

“You know Talbot has barely left your side the past couple of days. What’s up with you and Mr Sex-on-Legs?”

“I’m still trying to figure that out. He seems kind of…off.”

“Did you have a good date day?”

Cate frowned. “How did you know about that?”

“It wasn’t that hard to figure out given that you two disappeared for the day,” Ian grinned. “And maybe Stevie tracked your phone.”

“You did what?” She exploded.

“Calm down. You can’t blame us for worrying, what with the ascension and the Covenant.”

“Once my ascension is over, I’m leaving the city and going somewhere really far away.”

“Don’t be like that, baby sis. We just worry.”

“Well don’t. I’m a big witch now,” she snapped.

“So did you?” Ian asked curiously.

“Did I what?”

“Sleep with Talbot. Was he good?” Ian sighed. “Goddess, why can’t he be gay? I’d kill to –”

“Ian! Don’t put gay sex images of you and my boyfriend in my head!”

Ian beamed. “So he’s your boyfriend now?”

“No, not exactly. I honestly don’t know, but I didn’t sleep with him.”

“You want to though?”

“Of course, but we got interrupted.”

There was a bright flash of gold orbs as Ceri appeared.

“Mum! Catie has a boyfriend.”

“He’s not my boyfriend!” Cate threw a cushion from the settee at her brother.

Ceri smiled. “It’s nice to see my children still bickering,” she said. “Any luck reading through those files?”

“Not yet. We still don’t know where the book was when it disappeared.”

“From my research, I gather it was in Myrus. That’s where Cercei was killed, around the time the book went missing.”

“Steve said it looks like Myrus vanished off the map,” said Ian.

“There must be ruins somewhere. None of us went back afterwards. My grandmother, Ide, moved the coven to a new town. We just have to keep searching.”

“Do you think the book could still be hidden in the ruins?” Cate asked.

“Anything is possible, but first I need your help.”

“My help?” Cate put a hand to her chest in surprise. “Wow, you lot have been running rings around me so much lately I was beginning to feel like a prisoner.”

“Nonsense. The only way for you to gain control is by practising and learning to use your new powers.”

“Are you saying I’m still going to be like this after the ascension?” she asked, horrified.

“Perhaps, you’ll still need to work on controlling your powers.”

“Goddess, help me!”

Ian pulled out a camera. “Picture time, gather round people.”

“Ian, put that thing away,” Cate sighed.

“Come on, it’s the first picture of us together in years.” Ian whined.

“I’m not in the mood.” Cate folded her arms across her chest.

“We have more important things to do,” Ceri told him and then turned to Cate. “I need you to come with me. Bethany is being completely uncooperative and you may be the only one able to get her talking.”

“You want me to compel someone this close to the ascension?” she asked incredulously.

“Cate, despite what some people might think, you are anything
but
incapable right now.” She almost hugged her mother. Damn right she wasn’t!

“But photos first,” Ian insisted. “We’re together again. We should celebrate. Mum, come stand in the middle.”