Magic Lies Read online

  Magic Lies

  Croft & Sterling Paranormal PI Agency — Book 2

  C.C. Sommerly

  Contents

  Also By The Author

  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

  Also By The Author

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2020 C.C. Sommerly

  All rights reserved.

  Cover Design by Sylvia Frost at thebookbrander.com

  Edited by Diane Sittig and Anja Lewis

  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.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Also By The Author

  The Hybrid Series

  The Hidden – Book 1

  The Betrayed – Book 2

  The Controlled – Book 3

  The Embattled – Book 4 (available 2020)

  * * *

  Croft and Sterling Paranormal PI Agency Series

  Magic Thief — Book 1

  Magic Lies — Book 2

  Magic Wants — Book 3 (available 2021)

  Magic Hungers — Book 4 (available 2021)

  Magic Kills — Book 5 (available 2021)

  Dedication

  To those people who struggle to see the light through the darkness, there is always a way through no matter how difficult it seems.

  1

  Why isn’t he dead? How hard could it be to kill someone? My last memory of my father was when the flames ate the flesh off his bones. I forced myself to watch the flames greedily consume the man who was more monster than human. Watching him die meant the nightmare was over. No one and nothing could survive that fire.

  Seeing him just now, at my home no less, forced me into a mindless terror. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. Fear raced through me, saturating every fiber of my being, making me shake from the intensity of it.

  Darkness crept into my vision. My chest tightened with the force of a boulder-sized fist squeezing it. My breath came out in forced and painful pants. Why can’t I breathe? Why can’t I see?

  Sounds slowly filtered through my fear. “Something’s wrong. She’s not responding,” someone said. Their words were muffled like the speaker was standing across the room or talking through a thin wall.

  “Marty. Marty!”

  A slap across my cheek finally brought me fully out of my panic. I blinked, focusing on the man in front of me. My face stung from the hit. I focused on the pain, holding it in my mind with a fierce desperation, as if it could hide the fear and panic. The pain helped ground me and keep me from sinking under the hysteria that lingered just below the surface waiting for me to succumb to it.

  Callie was standing a little ways off with her hand covering her mouth and frozen in shock.

  When did I fall on the ground? Sterling was hunched down next to me with my snarling and unwilling devil dog, Muffin, who was struggling to get loose. Muffin strained against Sterling’s hold on his leash.

  At least he was protecting me. Muffin wanted to go after the monster, but my father was gone – at least for the time being.

  “Sorry, but I had to do it. You were hyperventilating,” he said, looking sorry, but mainly concerned. And he should be. I’d never lost it like this.

  “No, I needed that. And we need to talk.”

  I’m so stupid. I don’t know how long I laid here on the ground freaking out before Sterling and Callie found me. I’d been completely defenseless and a sitting target.

  My breathing was still jerky and black spots did a merry little dance before me. If Sterling noticed me trembling, he kindly kept it to himself.

  To Callie, I said “Can you gather everyone?”

  “Right now?” asked Callie. “You were just about to pass out from fear. Can’t it wait until you’re more settled?”

  I got it, she wanted to take it easy on me. But this news was too important, so my next words came out harsher than I intended.

  “Yes, everyone needs to meet me in the living room right now.”

  “I’d do it without you being nasty,” she said, stomping into the house.

  Sterling frowned at me.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  I reached for Muffin, but Sterling held tight to his leash. “For now, let me hold him. Give yourself a few minutes to calm down.”

  “I don’t have time for this.” I did need a minute, but I didn’t want anyone else seeing me weak. I couldn’t stand feeling this way. Falling apart wouldn’t fix anything and it would take all of my strength and wits to have even a remote chance of surviving whatever my father had planned for me.

  “You were having a freak out and still look nauseous,” he said. When I didn’t respond, he continued speaking. “I’m worried about you.”

  I sighed. He had reason to worry, but I couldn’t tell the story more than once. He’d have to wait until I told him and the others what happened.

  “I’ll explain once everyone is together.”

  Now that my nerves had settled down some and I wasn’t at risk of hyperventilating, I tried to wrangle my emotions to something controllable. Currently, they were tumbling around in my mind bringing with them darkness and dread.

  My father was toying with me. He could have easily killed me, but he hadn’t. That was scarier than anything. That man never did anything without intent. He was the personification of evil. I spent the past few years comforted in knowing that he died in the fire that fateful day.

  We walked into the house and sat down in the living room. Lochlan came into the living room with Zander on his heels. Jennica and Callie trailed behind.

  “Can you contain your pet? He’s doing his best to eat through my couch,” said Lochlan.

  And sure as heck my miserable mutt was happily gnawing at the leg of Lochlan’s couch. I jerked on his leash, the muscles in my arms straining with the effort, but Muffin wouldn’t let go. And darn if he didn’t keep chewing away – completely ignoring my attempts to get him to stop.

  “A little help here guys.”

  No one made a move to help me or move the dog.

  “If you want to keep that thing, then you need to train him,” said Lochlan.

  “How exactly am I supposed to do that? It’s a devil dog.”

  “Figure it out before he destroys my house,” he said.

  “I believe Marty has a reason for calling us together — and it’s not to discuss her pet’s poor manners,” said Sterling.

  I shot him a grateful look. I appreciated the support. I’d need it once they realized the risk I posed to all of us. First a threat from my caustic magic and now my father.

  I cleared my throat. This was hard
er than I thought. The dog’s chewing was distracting and Lochlan was giving Muffin a death glare.

  “I’m gonna tie him up outside. I’ll be right back,” I said.

  I snatched up Muffin’s leash and the dog didn’t budge. I tugged, but he refused to let go of his newest chew toy.

  Everyone was staring at me. I really didn’t want to deal with this dog. Frustrated, I brought my hand down hard on his backside. The dog was startled enough to let go of the couch. I snatched him by the collar and hauled him towards the front door. I really didn’t want to go out alone and Sterling looked worried. He followed me to the door.

  Nearly at the door, I heard the others snicker. They didn’t realize the potential danger that might await me outside, or they wouldn’t be amused.

  “Next time you take him out,” I said.

  I was brave in front of the others, but I didn’t like being outside alone with only Muffin as my companion. I didn’t know if my father, a.k.a., the Crimson Fiend, was still out here, watching me. He would be back, and I better be ready to face him.

  There was a gargantuan oak tree, not far from the house. The tree had to be hundreds of years old and could easily keep from breaking under the force of a devil dog. Although, I doubted how well it would hold Muffin seeing how he was hell-bent on destruction. With my luck, I’d find him eating his way through the tree.

  Surprisingly, the dog didn’t fight me and was docile as I tied him to the tree.

  “So now you behave. What am I going to do with you?”

  I straightened from where I was crouching and smacked into a large male’s chest. Automatically, my fist shot out to incapacitate my adversary. It was a good thing that Sterling had amazing reflexes because he stopped the punch I’d thrown at his head.

  “What’s wrong? I’ve never seen anyone startle you, certainly not me.”

  “We can talk inside.”

  “I know something has you spooked.”

  “Did your shifter senses tell you that?”

  “No, I didn’t need them to pick up on the fear pouring off of you. I’ve known you for five years. Never have I smelled such fear from you. And it smells odd out here.”

  “Forget the smells. I’ll tell you what made me this way when I explain what happened to everyone. It’s going to be hard enough to tell it once. Don’t make me tell the story twice.”

  He searched my eyes, staring for an uncomfortably long time, before looking away.

  “Very well, I’ll walk you back to the house.”

  Neither of us spoke on the short walk back to the house. I settled into the couch as best I could. My nerves and fear had me clenching my hands. Would they throw me out when I told them about my father? Would they even believe me?

  “We’re waiting, Marty,” complained Zander.

  Our resident brat jolted me out of my pity party. This was one of the few times I was thankful for his rudeness.

  “So, basically, the short of it is –”

  “Spit it out already,” said Zander.

  “You don’t have to be so rude. And she was trying to tell us before you interrupted her,” said Callie.

  “I just ran into my father outside.”

  “What?! The Crimson Fiend,” shrieked Callie as she threw herself over the back of the couch in an uncharacteristic show of athleticism.

  Sterling didn’t wait to hear the details. He shifted, tearing his clothes to shreds as he transformed into his Kodiak bear. He took the shortest route outside, which unfortunately for Lochlan, was the living room wall. Zander looked scared and Jennica looked confused. Lochlan was calm and quiet, so I couldn’t gauge his reaction.

  “I certainly didn’t expect to start my day with a bear crashing through my wall,” said Lochlan.

  I laughed, which sounded off and contained a trace of hysteria.

  2

  The ragged edges of the crumbling wall resembled a monster with an open mouth, full of teeth – just waiting to swallow us up.

  “One of us needs to go after Sterling. I think it’s better that it’s not you, Marty,” said Lochlan.

  That pissed me off and relieved me at the same time. I didn’t need coddling, but I’m not sure that I’m prepared to confront my father again. Seeing him was a huge shock.

  “I don’t supposed arguing will change your mind about that?”

  “Nope.”

  And with a snap of his fingers he was gone. Why can’t my magic be something normal like that? And something I could actually use. Mine was only good for death and destruction.

  Speaking of destruction, this wall wasn’t going to fix itself. I walked over to check out the remains of the wall. Up close it looked even worse.

  I gathered up what I could salvage and started separating broken things from anything that could be restored.

  Callie and Jennica joined me in the cleanup efforts. I looked in disgust at the growing pile of ruined furniture, art, and pieces of the wall. The pile of ruined things was twice the size of what we could save.

  “Did everyone except me know about your father?” asked Jennica.

  “No, I just told them about it when I demolished the Agency.”

  “That was you?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m not sure what to say. He’s scary and killed a lot of people,” said Jennica.

  “Do you really think your dad is back, Marty? Could it be a mistake and you thought you saw him?” asked Callie.

  “I have no doubt it’s him. I’ve known he was a monster long before the world did.”

  “Why now?” Callie asked.

  And that was the question of the day.

  “I don’t know. And, that worries me the most. If he’s been alive and in hiding for five years, what prompted his reconciliation attempts? When Lochlan and Sterling come back, they can help us strategize. He can’t be allowed to remain free,” I said.

  Where is Zander and why isn’t he helping us?

  “Has anyone seen Zander? I asked.

  “No, do you think he went with Lochlan?” asked Callie.

  “You saw him literally snap his way out of here. Zander was still here when Lochlan left,” I said. “We have more than enough help for now, but we can save something difficult for him to do. He’s probably smoking, but he can’t get out of this completely.”

  “Marty, I’m so sorry. Things have gotten bad and you have more than enough to take care of without me adding to the burden. Should I leave?” asked Jennica in a soft, wavering voice.

  I placed my hand on her shoulder and she leaned into me for the barest of touches before pulling back.

  “No, you should stay.” Then to confuse her more, I added, “Actually, I’m not sure. I don’t know how safe any of us are. I can’t promise that staying here won’t put you and the others in danger.”

  “We aren’t leaving you, Marty,” said Callie.

  “I’m sorry I said to do otherwise. I want to stay. We’re family. Don’t think that doesn’t include you, Jennica. So no running off,” I said.

  “I no intentions of running away. I’m not that irresponsible,” snipped Jennica. “Do you think the worst of me?”

  She stomped away sniffling. That was a mood change. In that moment, she reminded me very much of Zander. With the two of them, it was like having teenagers in the house. Not that I thought badly of her, it was just that she used to be so different. The new Jennica could go from sweet and kind to waspish and surly in an instant.

  Callie shook her head at me as if she knew what unkind thoughts were running through my mind.

  I shouldn’t think of my dearest friend like this. It wasn’t right or fair what was done to her. And, now I had magic and she didn’t. Magic Jennica so desperately tried to get unblocked for herself when she was kidnapped.

  “We can fix this. I don’t know her like you do, but she’s working through things. We all get like that and you know what it feels like to be kidnapped. She’s probably reacting more out of fear than anything,” said Callie.


  “Not everything is so easily fixed,” I said as I worried that it would turn out to be the case.

  I did know what that felt like. While, I wasn’t held against my will as long as Jennica was, my own recent kidnapping was still pretty fresh in my mind. Jennica wasn’t adjusting at all.

  They removed the block on her magic and stole it. Jennica felt I should have done more to stop her from going to the mysterious group in the first place. Their promise of a cure to unblock her magic was crap and I knew it, but I was too wrapped up in my cases to look out for her. She had every reason to blame me, heck, I blamed me.

  I turned my attention back to the damaged wall. If Lochlan hadn’t left, he could have magically restored the wall. As it was, we couldn’t leave it like this. It was a serious security breach and we needed security now more than ever. We’d come to stay with Lochlan when my magic demolished our old Agency and home. Now, we needed the protection from my dad as well.

  Even with Lochlan’s protective wards surrounding the house, it wasn’t safe. My father had easily gotten through those without the wards indicating they were breached. Alarms should have gone off, but didn’t.

  The front door was flung open and I flinched and yanked my sword out thinking it was my father. God, I’m such a baby. Once I saw who it was, I relaxed and put my sword away.

  “I brought your bear back,” said Lochlan.