Chapter 26
Maxine sat in the back of the Lexus. She’d greeted Josephine with such happiness, but that faded during the long drive back. Mason kept looking at Josephine to do something to help with that.
Josephine seemed to relish Maxine’s discomfort.
And Mason started to feel like maybe he was in the middle of some sick game.
“You certainly seem cozy with my husband,” Maxine prompted.
Josephine laughed. “We’ve been friends for ages. Remember, I introduced you to your husband.”
“True, but you still make me nervous,” Maxine admitted.
She turned in her seat. “Afraid I’ll try to steal Orlando?”
“Maybe,” Maxine whispered, looking out the window.
“Don’t worry. I’m happy with Mason. And if I’d been interested in Orlando, I would have taken him instead of introducing you two.”
She nodded.
Mason continued driving without a word.
Orlando spoke up, “Darling, you’re my only love.” He took Maxine’s hands and placed a kiss on both. “Relax. We came to visit your family. Remember? Josephine is like a sister. Never a lover.”
Mason caught Maxine’s smile from the rearview mirror. “You’re keeping Josephine happy?”
“Doing my best.” He pulled into Josephine’s driveway. She had taken over the ranch house her mother’s family had owned. It was nicer than any place he’d ever lived, but her family was old and had money. His family, well, they had been in Saint Morton nearly as long, but the Shiringtons had always been working class.
“We’re here.” He climbed out and went around to open the door for Josephine before going to the trunk to get her guests’ bags.
Josephine whispered in his ear, “Soon, you’ll have your magic, and no one will have to deal with that stuck-up bitch.”
He hadn’t seen anything to believe she was conceited. Just paranoid. But maybe there was a side he hadn’t seen yet.
Besides, this would bind him closer to Josephine.
* * * *
Poor Mason. He’d gone from the perfect companion, to leery of Maxine’s impending doom. He hadn’t said as much, but if he didn’t get back on board, Josephine would have to get rid of him and move on to grooming Butch.
A shame. Mason had really grown on Josephine. And maybe the moment they got inside, Maxine’s snotty side would come out full force.
“Here’s your room. Get settled,” Josephine murmured before going downstairs.
Mason smiled as she entered the living room. “I see why you can’t stand her.”
“You do?” she purred, walking closer. She hoped so, she truly did.
“Her jealousy over your friendship with her husband. I can imagine that coming out even worse when you two talk privately.”
“Oh, it can be. I’ve never wanted Orlando for myself. But I was in love with another man when I met him. The one who brought me back to life after my unfortunate death.”
“You’ve told me of Coltrain many times. And how you grew to hate him. And I’m not worried about Orlando.”
She moved closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Good man.” Then she kissed him.
“You want them to see?” he murmured against her lips.
Her lips moved to his ear. “No. It’s time to make you more.”
“Want me to take her to the barn?”
“I do.”
Slipping from her arms, he hurried up the stairs and knocked on the door.
Maxine opened it, her eyes narrowed, all pretense of happiness gone. “You’re her pet, aren’t you? A mindless drone who does everything she commands?”
“I’m not a drone. She’s pumping life into this town. She’s shown me love.”
“Oh, you’re such a fool. She doesn’t love anyone but herself. She’s using you, just like she uses everyone. Only you’re too stupid too stupid to realize you’re nothing more than a puppet.”
Mason shook his head slowly, his hands clenching into fists as anger flowing through him. Sure, she commanded the other men, but there was something more between Josephine and him.
“Quiet, love,” Orlando murmured, placing his hands on her shoulders. She fell forward and Mason scooped her over his shoulder and started for the stairs.
Josephine opened the door. “Ready to finally be rid of her, Orlando?”
“You have no idea,” Orlando stated. “I truly did love her. However, she’s too pure of heart. She wants everyone to be a saint. She doesn’t realize what an elitist bitch she can be.”
“No one is a saint,” Mason answered.
“She isn’t either. She hates homeless people, anyone of any ethnicity other than her own, people with too much power, and she always assumes the worst about everyone. She decided you were just another of Josie’s drones. But you see things on a different level. You pay attention,” Orlando explained. “You wondered if Maxine was as bad as she is. You only caught a glimpse, yet the doubt is gone.”
Mason nodded and carried the woman to the barn. He didn’t like Orlando. The guy made his skin crawl, but not nearly as much as Maxine.
Just having physical contact with her made his bones vibrate. And he was going to have some of her power. He almost asked what he could expect. Didn’t matter, this would please Josephine, and he craved her approval more than to understand what he was getting into.
Mason got inside the barn and strapped Maxine down to the chair in the center of the room. He turned to Josephine with a calm expression. Whatever would happen would.
“Are you ready, darling?” Josephine asked.
He nodded. “Tell me what you want me to do.”
“You’ve watched me so many times, Mason. You know what to do. Just repeat after me as you cut into her flesh. The magic will come.” She handed him the blade.
She started the spell and he repeated as he pressed the blade into Maxine’s pale flesh. Blood welled up. With it a pale blue essence flowed from the wound, up the blade, around his arm, and up his body, into his mouth. Her magic flowed into Mason, taking his breath away.
As his senses burst with colors and elements, his vision went dark as he fell.
* * * *
Josephine grabbed the blade as Mason fell to the ground. The colors in the barn brightened, muted, then flared back to bright tones. He’d gain her power to manipulate his reality.
Smiling, she continued to slice into Maxine as Orlando dragged Mason out of the way.
“Think that was wise?” Orlando asked. “If the magic doesn’t bond to him, he’ll have to do this every time you feed.”
She lifted a shoulder, continuing to chant.
“You may have written his death certificate.”
Josephine stopped the cutting and the spell. “Well, he wants to please me. He needs to find this girl who got away. Her magic felt like nothing I’ve ever felt. She’s like a beacon of light I could see from miles and miles away. I need her power.”
Orlando nodded. “She’ll be your last if this works. Hopefully he gained enough magic to track her down.”
She smiled. “I’m sure he has. And if not, I have another plan. I’m going to send him to take the young man we believe is protecting her.”
“Thought you said the whole reservation is protecting her.”
“Well, yes, but it’s one man in particular who was seen with her. And he has more magic than he realizes. I plan to unlock it and take it for myself.”
“What is he?”
“Druid and shaman.”
“Interesting. Druids can sometimes bridge the gap of broken magic. Maybe it can fuse magic to you permanently, breaking the need to drain others.”
Maxine woke up with a whimper, then a scream as her own blood dripped onto her chin from the blade. She struggled in her binds. “Let me go,” she screamed.
“Oh no. I’m afraid you’ve been a thorn in my side for far too long, love,” Orlando said sweetly. “You have doubted my love for far too long.”
“You wouldn’t need me to change if that love was pure,” she hissed.
“Oh, you want me to be just like you. You berate me, accuse me, punish me for things I’ve never done. You are the evil one.”
Josephine would have to give Mason this memory if ever he questioned Maxine’s innocence. Her darkness came in another form from Josephine’s or Orlando’s.
“Sorry, Maxi, but no one wants you anymore.” Josephine pulled Maxine’s mouth open and cut out her tongue before starting the spell anew. She wouldn’t stop until she’d taken every last ounce of her remaining magic.