Entangled (Spellbound #1)

Chapter 26

Raj slept in late on Tuesday. School was out of the question. He drove straight to Adrian's. The first thing off was the bell. It didn't ring, being that it was no longer attached above the door. Raj stepped inside Adrian's chamber and cursed under his breath.

Everything was gone except the table, now cleared of its cloth.

There was a chuckle and the curtain above the back room flew to one side. Adrian entered as though upon a stage. "Don't worry, I haven't skipped town... yet."

Raj only relaxed slightly.

Adrian began clapping. "Bravo, Raj. Bravo. You and the little missus cleaned up good. And I feel fantastic!" Adrian waved his hand over the table and a bottle of champagne and two flutes appeared. "Drink?"

"No, thanks," Raj said.

"And the missus?"

Raj ground his teeth together. "Is out for the day."

Adrian poured himself a glass and lifted the flute in the air. "Ah, well, then a toast to her and you, as well." Adrian took a sip then set the flute down. "I tell you, Raj, don't ever take your powers for granted. They're a terrible thing to be without."

Raj folded his arms over his chest. "We kept our end of the deal. Let's talk about yours."

"Already on it." Adrian waved his hand and the champagne and flutes were replaced by a set of syringes filled with bright liquids. Every color of the rainbow was present.

Raj frowned. "What are those?"

"These?" Adrian smiled. "I call it Plan C." He grabbed a syringe and jabbed it inside a vein in his arm. "Always have a Plan C, D, E, and F. If you learn one thing from me, Raj, remember that." Adrian emptied the syringe with the red liquid into his vein and shuddered.

Raj tried without success to get a reading on what kind of potion Adrian was injecting himself with. When that didn't work he studied Adrian's aura. It turned white briefly.

"If this is Plan C, then what's Plan A and B?"

"Plan A: I have excellent news! I found a fresh one—terminally ill girl, same age, looker, going to croak any day."

"Don't talk about people that way," Raj said.

Adrian's brows arched when he smiled. "Or there's always Plan B: The Purge."

Raj nodded at the syringes. "And Plan C is poison yourself?"

"Possibly. This is a very delicate spell—never been done before, but then, there's never been a known case like this. Don't worry," Adrian continued. "I never go back on a bargain. Do you have the pendants, by the way?"

"I'm holding them for Gray."

The second syringe hovered above Adrian's opposite arm. "Thinks she can put a leash back on me if I misbehave, does she?"

Raj straightened. "I removed the blood from them. They no longer pose a threat."

"I want them destroyed."

"I'll let Gray decide."

Adrian studied Raj a moment. "I see."

"See what?"

"I'll simply need to take it up with the missus." The second syringe still hovered over Adrian's arm, yellow liquid inside. "I need to know what day she died."

"Why?"

"For this spell is why. We don't have time for twenty questions, McKenna."

This was a bad idea, a very bad idea—Adrian attempting a spell that had never been done before. Sure, that'd turn out well. Raj had to make sure the transfer worked. For now he'd answer Adrian's questions. It wasn't like it was secret information or anything. "February ninth."