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  Mystic Rising

  Mystic Series, Book 3

  J.L. Lawrence

  Mystic Rising is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright ©2019 by J.L. Lawrence

  All rights reserved.

  Cover Design by Rae Monet, Inc.

  Edited by Alicia Dean

  Interior Layout by Jesse Gordon

  Dedication

  To My Husband and Children

  This journey would never have reached completion

  without your continual love and support over the years.

  You allowed my imagination to soar and

  believed in me every step of the way.

  Prologue

  The acrid smell of smoke filled the air, suffocating her. Kate took in her surroundings. Trepidation skidded down her spine. Where on earth had her visions taken her this time? More importantly, why were her anatomical parts incorrect?

  Screams of fallen warriors penetrated her thoughts. Shadow Warriors were fighting massive demons close to ten feet tall and with nasty dispositions. Even more so than usual. Looking straight ahead, she met his eyes. Drago. She recognized him from the paintings in the great hall of the castle. He paraded before her, showing off his powers. He had no doubt that his super demons would win this battle for him. Was idiocy a requirement for Omegas?

  But why was she confronting a demon that Cassius had already destroyed?

  It became clear. Her outer skin belonged to Cassius. She would witness his death.

  Shivers traveled up her body as she tried to disconnect. This wasn’t like before. He didn’t seem to be aware of her presence. “It’s time, my love. You know what must be done.” Who the…

  Guinevere.

  Impossible.

  At that same moment, Drago transformed into Guinevere’s body. He taunted Cass, mercilessly blaming him for her brutal torture and ultimate death. It had no impact. He didn’t hear it. So, who spoke the words? Did Drago have enough power to project words inside his head? It couldn’t have been the real Guinevere, could it? Kate searched his mind for answers but instead watched everything unfold like a movie.

  Cass’s laugh echoed inside her. “This fool honestly believes he can pretend to be you. But no one compares, my darling. We’ll be together soon. This is the right path.”

  “You must hurry. Perfect timing is essential for the spell to work. We have one chance to save our future daughter. I’ll be waiting, my love. Always.”

  “Then let’s finish what we started.”

  Kate’s heart froze. Cass had never been tricked or overcome with grief. Guinevere had been inside him all along. Her essence resided within him, waiting to be freed. She’d never endured the torture because she’d left her body before it began. This had all been part of their plan.

  Kate held her breath, trying to make sense of it all as Cassius approached the Omega. His inner peace scared her. She didn’t want to feel any more death.

  Jet streams of energy clashed in a battle of wills. Slowly they inched closer to the center of the circle. Cass drew him in with banter and let Drago believe he was falling for the lies. When they were standing about a foot apart, Cass disappeared.

  He reappeared behind Drago and sank his dagger into his chest. Then he paused, giving Drago time to turn and face him. Cass leaned forward, exposing his side, and allowed the demon’s blade to sink deep. He thrust his own athamae through Drago’s heart, cutting it clear out of his chest.

  Cass made no attempt to heal himself. Death was his choice and necessary for the spell.

  With my blood and life freely given

  Bind the spirits of my future generations

  My blood shall never answer fate’s demands

  Find another lineage to hold the world in their hands

  The Council will not be able to hear, feel, or see

  With my last breath, daughter I set you free.

  He soaked the dagger in his blood and began to repeat the spell. He aimed his power to the stars. Kate begged him to stop, but he couldn’t hear her.

  Her lungs seized, and her head spun as she launched into another body. Pain and sorrow radiated inside her. She tried to regain her focus, but her new body clutched something tightly to her chest and sobbed. When her new host finally pulled back far enough for her to see his face, she gasped. It couldn’t be.

  Rowena’s husband. Rowena’s body encased her now. Losing her husband broke something inside her and for the briefest moment she didn’t care if they won or not. They’d made so many plans. All gone now. She fried every demon that came within ten feet. Lost in her grief, she almost missed the final blows of the battle.

  She screamed as the dagger sunk into Cassius, and she ran toward him. He had become like a son to her. She couldn’t lose him, too. He’d killed the demon, so she could heal him, save him.

  When she approached the circle, a powerful shield knocked her backward. Cass refused to let her help him.

  She leaned in closer and noticed him chanting a spell, and a new level of fear pierced her heart. Rumors had already begun that the next Mystic would be of his lineage. Guinevere had probably seen everything. Rowena’s lungs tightened as the implications of his spell hit her. I must stop him.

  He’d used his blood to seal the spell and traded his life. The light still resided inside him. No power existed on this earth that could undo the spell. But she could weaken it if she was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. With Cass dying, she couldn’t give her life. The Council needed her to clean up the mess after this horrific battle. However, she could trade her powers. With this, she’d never be able to gain full power or accept the light as a Mystic. And it would only be enough to weaken the spell not remove it. Time ticked away. She couldn’t risk waiting. Now or never.

  Taking her knife, she drew a pentagram on the palm of her hand and raised it to the sky.

  Fates, please hear and answer my plea

  Weaken the spell Cass has sent to thee

  While she will remain hidden, that I cannot sway

  Provide us with a Guardian who will find the way

  Take my powers as my offering of faith and hope

  Bless the child with these abilities to cope

  As soon as she finished the chant, a white light shot from her hands straight into the sky at the same time Cass took his last breath. Her offer of power had been accepted, but would it be enough?

  She collapsed to the ground. All the demons had disappeared and the Hell Realm secured. They’d won the Rising. But what was the cost? Her visions showed so much pain and suffering on the horizon. All because one Mystic had tempted to defy destiny.

  And what of her own actions? If her spell failed, who would pay the ultimate price? She said a silent prayer. Please let this sacrifice not be in vain. Or I’ve given the entire world a death sentence.

  Kate wept with her.

  Chapter 1

  “Wow, so Rowena gave up her powers so that Xander would have a chance to find you?” Angie pushed her long brown hair out of her face and leaned back against Xavier. Her auburn streaks had become more pronounced, and her brown eyes had gained specks of silver as her abilities increased. They had convened in the study once Kate made it back into her own body.

  “Yes, but more than that, she gave me those powers to help me survive until he found me. It was in the last two lines of the spell. She offered her powers and asked for the child to be blessed with them. It’s also why she had to kill me during the Awakening to erase the rest of the spell and reset everything. Now we know why I had all those powers as a human.”

 
No one spoke for several moments. Too much emotion had plagued them recently. Losing Gregory and Roxy still saddened their hearts, and his betrayal haunted them.

  Kate leaned against Xander for support. Psychic backlash still wore her down at times. It didn’t help she’d known all the players in this latest vision and felt their death and despair first hand. She couldn’t erase the feel of the cold dagger sinking into her side and twisting. Omen or reminder? Either way, she hoped her own reality took a different course. No more sharp objects needed here.

  “So, Cass is a prick that caused a tremendous amount of pain?” Shaking his head. Xavier grabbed a drink for Angie. As soon as his hands were free, he started rubbing her shoulders.

  Kate smiled at the wonderful couple they’d become. Seeing something good once in a while gave her hope. “Being in both their minds, I don’t think so. I assume Guinevere knew all along what we needed to happen for me to have the best chance to win. Maybe they didn’t understand all the repercussions or maybe didn’t count on the Shadow Warriors renouncing their heritage. He wouldn’t have so carefully created all the visions if he hadn’t been pretty sure that I’d be found. Maybe I can ask someday. At least we know more than we did.”

  To save time, she’d already transmitted the vision to the Council. They were meeting now to discuss everything. Rowena had opted out of this one, but Kate sent a special thank you to her. She’d proven to be one of the best people Kate had ever known.

  They’d also met with Tristan earlier to begin a list of potential human recruits. Starting with recently discharged or retired military with little-to-no family made the most sense. Anonymity was the name of this game, especially when you factored in the survival rate. Specialized forces were top priority. Covert operatives from the FBI, CIA, and other agencies were also on the list. Keeping everything under the radar in today’s society proved to be the biggest barrier.

  Since the humans couldn’t be trusted yet, a second training camp in Alaska had been created. Most soldiers would be told this was a top-secret threat to the nation and that everyone from the Meadows represented a secret government agency. A bit of a stretch, but the threat part was real enough. She’d chosen to label the new camp, RISE (Rising International Services and Extractions). Originally, she’d thought of Extermination but decided that might be a little harsh. A phoenix rising from the ashes and spreading its wings became the logo for the new human recruits.

  “We have to decide where to start with recruiting,” Kate continued. “The list of names is long and time is short. Many have already chosen their people to approach. I’ve still got to figure out this quest thing too. What if we—”

  The ring of her cell phone startled her. She left it on for emergencies and family. Her mother always called the same night each week, but her heart raced when she saw the number on the screen. Fate sure had a weird sense of humor, or maybe it was time to face what she’d known all along. “Hey Teri, what’s up?”

  “Kate, it’s good to hear your voice. I’ve sure missed you and Angie. We all have. It’s not the same without our fearless leader.”

  “We miss you guys, too. I hear the distress in your voice. Randy and Chris don’t know you’re calling.” She did miss her old FBI friends and sometimes still had pangs of sadness for her former life.

  “Not exactly. We’ve got a bad one, Kate. Several families have been attacked. They’re targeting children especially. Our recent victim is the father. Somehow, he guarded the house and used himself as bait in the barn. The torture can’t be human. It reminds me of the last case we all worked on together. Whether the boys want to admit it or not, we need your help. Can you come?”

  Kate had no doubt it wasn’t human. This had become the new attack plan of the Hell Realm.

  Angie kept pulling her arm and nodding, then she snatched the phone. “Of course, we’ll help,” she blurted out. “Send us the address. We’ve been tracking some similar cases and probably aren’t far from you. Hang tight. See you in a few.”

  “Thanks, I’ll be looking for you.” Odd, she didn’t even question them being close by.

  Their chosen recruits became obvious, but she didn’t have to like it. She guessed there wasn’t a better place to start than with the people you could trust with your life. She wanted to tell them the truth and see if they could still accept her.

  Angie broke into her thoughts. “You’ve known they would be joining us for a long time. Denial doesn’t change the truth. It’s our turn to show them absolute trust and let them into our world.”

  Maybe Angie was right, but their world usually led to untimely deaths.

  * * *

  A gray mist surrounded the house as they approached. The front door stood slightly ajar and a large sign stood by the entrance that read ‘All who are weary are welcome.’ Not a good time to be asking people into your home.

  Wait…

  Kate stepped closer to the sign, and it changed. ‘Any who wish us harm will be cursed.’ Whoever lived here had a special gift with spells. To the average human, it would be harmless but spelled doom for any demons trying to enter. She liked their style. All the windows had protective crystals and the doors were lined with consecrated salt. It might not be foolproof but would stop the average demon.

  This family had been targeted to weaken the light, the Alpha. My team didn’t come across this scene by accident. Destiny steered our pathways toward each other. Maybe we can do this. Humans could be the missing key. Or I’m just trying to make myself feel better.

  Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside the door with Angie tight on her heels. Chris and Randy stared. Her appearance had definitely changed over time. From the bright stormy seas of her swirling eyes to the long bright blonde hair, it’d become too difficult to worry about hiding the changes. Wait till she unleashed the tattoo or cut herself and bled blue. Then, they’d really be stunned.

  Teri didn’t seem fazed and raced over to greet them. Her complexion appeared as pale as ever, and her light blue eyes hid a lot of grief from this case. If Kate didn’t know her better, she would’ve considered her fragile.

  “I’ve missed you both so much.” Teri reached out and hugged Kate and then Angie. “It hasn’t been the same without you. They tried to give us a new team leader after your wedding, but he’s a real dick. So we volunteered to take some of these crazy cases and travel all over the country. Honestly, I was hoping one of them would bring us back together. Our last case didn’t end in that alley, did it? Am I right?”

  Chris and Randy crept closer but kept their distance. Their anger stung, but she understood. Soon, they all would.

  While she tried to figure out the right thing to say, Angie plowed ahead. “Yes, you’re absolutely correct. We’re dealing with some seriously scary individuals. I promise you one thing, after tonight we won’t leave you in the dark again. If you think you can handle it.”

  “Please, like we ever needed you. I can handle whatever you throw my way. What’s up with your two bonehead bodyguards anyway?”

  Xander and Xavier moved forward, but Kate held them in place. They were hurt and didn’t trust newcomers. Neither had she. They couldn’t comprehend why she and Angie chose strangers over them. Now wasn’t the time.

  “Enough Chris.” Kate pinned him with her famous death stare. “We will deal with this later. Not everything is a simple as you want it to be.” He humphed but slid back over to the side. His deep scowl only added to his natural movie star looks.

  Two girls in their teens walked into the room. The youngest immediately zeroed in on Kate. “I felt your presence. Are you here to heal my dad?” Witches. And strong ones. They both had jet black hair and hazel eyes. She’d bet the color changed with their moods. She sensed mostly fear for their father but also grief. She studied them closely. I wonder.

  “Do you know who I am?”

  “The Mystic, my lady.” The younger spoke while the older sister glared. Her resistance to anything magical became obvious. Yet more than half the
protections spells around the house came from her. Curious.

  “I am. Take me to him.”

  Teri jabbed Chris in the stomach. “Don’t say another word.” She pushed his jaw his back into place.

  Since seeing was believing, the time had come for Kate to show them what she could do and give their minds time to adjust. She remembered the feeling of shock and awe.

  They followed the girls down the hall.

  “Teri, this attack is recent,” Kate said. “Within hours would be my guess. How did everyone manage to get here so fast?”

  “We were at the next farm working on a murder case.” She nodded toward the girls. “Their aunt and cousin were murdered a couple days ago. They had also been tortured. It appeared that the child was lured out of the house and the mother ran out to protect her. The uncle held the other child inside the house. It was horrifying. We were out collecting evidence when we heard some screams. When we arrived, something in me knew it was time to call you. This is out of our league.”

  “Speak for yourself, Teri.” Chris’s attitude began to wear on Kate’s nerves.

  “Shut up, Chris.” Teri’s strain had become evident. “We haven’t solved any of these cases since losing them. You think I didn’t see how green you turned when we walked into that barn? Grow up. Man up. Leave the pissing contest to when we don’t have a man ripped apart refusing medical care. You’re an idiot.”

  He started to retaliate, but a dark gaze from Randy’s deadly brown eyes silenced him. His whole appearance screamed military. He’d even kept his brown hair cut short. Kate focused on his thoughts for a moment. He had stayed quiet but took in every detail. He didn’t possess as much anger as she’d originally thought. His time in special ops had given him a different perspective. Secrecy saved lives. He just didn’t like being the one in the dark. Soon, he’d know that too much information wasn’t a good thing either. She left him to control Chris and refocused.

  The oldest girl opened the door, and Kate stepped inside. Blood covered the sheets. The man’s skin had been shredded and most of his bones broken. His internal injuries were too severe for him to survive. Their mother held him to her, refusing to give up. It wouldn’t be long until they both died. There wasn’t even a single patch of skin to lay her hand.