Anya Bast - Witch Heart

She struggled when he put her in the passenger seat, but didn't bolt from the vehicle when he walked around to the driver's side.

Claire slumped in the seat as he started the car. "Been planning this all day, have you?"

"Yep."

"Great."

"Theo even had a charm to render you unconscious. I'm glad we didn't have to use that one," he commented as the car purred down the road away from the cabin.

"Lovely, Adam," she snapped. "Thanks for letting me know."

"What was that blast of earth going to do to me, Claire?"

She glanced at him and muttered, "Render you unconscious."

"Ah. Well, then, in my book that makes us even."

"Not even close."

They drove through the night, trees hurtling past the window where Claire rested her forehead. She was exhausted, but sleep eluded her. Worry for the witches they'd left behind ruled her mind. She faked sleeping, though, just so she didn't have to talk to Adam.

The fact he'd forced her to do this made anger curl through her stomach in long, hot tendrils. Made her want to say things she knew she'd regret, so she didn't say anything at all.

By the time early morning light tinged the world, they were pulling through the heavy iron gates of the Coven. It was amazing they'd never been pulled over for speeding. Adam had made fine use of the vehicle's ability to travel fast.

He gunned the engine once they were past the gates and raced up the curving tree-lined road toward the towering structure she could see in the distance. The Coven looked like a house — a huge one. It was not unlike some of the architecture one might find on Eudae, though that wouldn't be something she'd be sharing with anyone. Claire doubted the aeamon would take such a comment in the positive way she'd mean it.

The Coven appeared to be a mansion, like the residence of a very wealthy celebrity she'd seen on television. All white stone with arching windows, fireplaces, domes, and towers. The place was unique and quite attractive.

Thomas stood on the front steps watching Adam guide the car to a stop in the circular driveway.

Unwilling to give Adam even one syllable, she dashed from the car, up the steps, and into Thomas's arms. "It's good to see you."

He held her arm's length and studied her face. "Are you all right, Claire?"

Adam came up behind her and she spared a scornful glance at him. "Considering all that's going on, yes."

"Hey, Adam," Thomas greeted. "Nice driving. You made it in record time."

"Yeah, well, let's do this. I want that elium out of her yesterday."

Thomas studied the Challenger. "Where's my car, Adam?"

"Yeah, about that." Adam shifted and pushed a hand through his hair. "Your car met with an unfortunate accident in Wisconsin."

Thomas's mouth tightened into a thin line. "Did this accident involve fire magick?"

"It was a chance to kill the Atrika and I took it."

"It's true. It would have been a good move if the Atrika weren't so hard to kill," Claire said without glancing at Adam. She couldn't resist the urge to defend him a little. "Adam took a gamble. It would have solved all our problems if it had paid off."

Thomas just grunted something about good insurance and guided them into the Coven. The foyer was gorgeous — airy and open, but she didn't have much opportunity to gawk.

They were ushered into a large library, where a tall woman with strawberry blond hair and a broad-shouldered man with reddish brown, shaggy hair and green eyes sat.

The woman jumped up immediately, came to Claire, and hugged her. The light scent of expensive perfume enveloped her.

"You must be Isabelle," Claire said.

"Yes," Isabelle said, her brown eyes shiny with tears. "I have been waiting a long time to thank you for helping Thomas on Eudae. Without you I don't think he would have made it back."

Claire smiled. "Don't be too sure about that. It might have taken him a long time, but I feel certain Thomas would have made his way back to you no matter how long it took, no matter how hard he had to fight. I just hurried the process up a little."

A tear slipped down Isabelle's cheek and she hugged her again.

Claire laughed. She couldn't help it. She felt good about helping Thomas get back to Isabella It was clear they both loved each other very much. Claire allowed herself to melt against the other woman and close her eyes. Just for a moment. The hug felt good.

And she was so tired.

The green-eyed man cleared his throat. "Yeah, as much as I love to watch two hot women hugging, it's time to do this."

Claire disentangled herself from Isabelle and looked at the shaggy-haired guy. "And you must be Micah." The voice had been familar.

He stood. "Yep, I'm Micah, and if you don't want to be demon chow, you should come with me right now."

Fear lanced through her. Houses, she hoped this worked.

Adam walked over and reached out to her. Claire regarded him warily for a moment. She was still angry at Adam, but his hand offered warmth and strength. Regardless of what had happened back at the cabin, she needed him right now. She took his hand.

He held her gaze for a moment, hand warm and strong in hers. Her breath hitched at the emotion in his eyes. She stepped to the side, breaking the moment and her face flushed. Just a look from that man made her knees weak.

All of them, save Isabelle, walked down one of the posh corridors of the Coven to a smaller room that smelled of bitter herb. Within stood a table that held a spell pot and an open grimoire. On another small table rested a large oval container, like an oversized jar, of some sort of blue-green material. Claire walked to it and ran her fingers down the roughened side. It appeared handmade.

"It's where we'll store the elium," said Micah, close to her.

She glanced at him. "How do you know it can be stored in such a container? It rested in a demon before the demon put it in me."

Micah pushed a hand through his hair and sighed. She noticed the deep dark smudges under his eyes that marked his lack of sleep. "I've studied demon lore day and night since you arrived. If the texts I've been able to amass are correct, the combination of elements we blended into this container, along with the earth magick we've woven in, should keep the elium in stasis until we figure out how to destroy it."

Claire stared at the fragile jar for a moment longer, then turned to Adam. "Did you explain to them what it was like when I tapped the elium at the cabin?"

He nodded.

"So they know it was like a mini nuclear blast, zeroing out all magick within its reach? Blowing out windows? Nearly killing me?"

Adam nodded again.

"And that I only barely touched it, drew the thinnest and tiniest of threads to wield?"

"I told them everything, Claire."

She locked her jaw. How could this possibly work? What had she been thinking? There was no way that elemental witches, clear on the other side of Eudae, could ever even comprehend demon magick, let alone successfully manipulate it. All the hopes she'd been nursing in order to survive popped like the frailest bubble.

"This is crazy," she muttered.

"It's not only crazy," said Thomas. "It's our only shot. You know better than we do that the elium cannot stay inside you. The demons will just keep hunting you. When they find you, they'll take the elium and probably your life with it. If we can get the elium out of you, we save your life. We plan to mask the container in some way. hide it from them until we figure out what to do with it."

Claire looked at him. "You don't understand the magick that I'm carrying. Doing this spell and trying to move the elium is like trying to carry a brimming teacup of nitroglycerin barefoot over a bed of hot coals without spilling any."

Micah made an impatient gesture. "I've done the research, Claire, this is our only option."