Dangerous Dalliances (Maxwell Investigations) (7 page)

Tsukiko
fell to the ground as she gulped in air. “Take your own advice,” she growled
before rolling to her knees and slamming her fist into Madison’s stomach. When
the Necromancer doubled over, she quickly pulled her hand back preparing for
another blow. Her eyes went round when Madison’s own hand struck her throat. As
Tsukiko started to gasp and choke, she saw Dori run and tackle Madison to the
ground.

Madison
quickly turned and pinned her attacker to the grass. Her eyes widened when she looked
into a face that could have mirrored her own. The girl slid her hand between
her body and Madison’s and tried to claw her breast. Madison quickly shifted
her position and rolled the child onto her stomach. “Who taught you that?”
Madison asked in a growl. There was only one person she knew of that would use
that move. When the child looked at Tsukiko, who was still trying to get more
air, Madison lifted her up and turned her away from the other woman. “Answer
me.”

“My
father did,” Dori shouted. She broke free from Madison’s hold and turned to
look at the woman attacking her mother. Tears fell from her almond shaped eyes
as she took another swing at Madison.

Barely
dodging the girl’s hand, Madison felt something cut across her skin. She
grabbed the child again and saw that she held a small blue dagger. Madison’s
lips pressed together as she looked into the eyes of her niece. “Jimmy,” she
said with a nod.

Dori
tried to kick at Madison. Her eyes were blurry as she saw her mother fall over.
Dori shifted her stance and turned. As she flipped Madison over her body, Dori
ran to her mother’s side.

Madison
slowly sat up and looked around the neighborhood. Too many people were started
to come out of their homes to see what was going on with Himura and her daughter.
Her magic pulsed out once more. A slow smile crossed her face as everyone
started to drop. As she stood, Madison caught sight of a car quickly
approaching the house. She smiled as she easily recognized Victor’s Porsche.

Dori
screamed as her mother’s gasps stopped. She slowly turned and saw her aunt
glowing in a red light. Her dagger was still in her hand as she slowly stood.
Just as Dori was about to take a step, a ruby blade was at her throat.

Madison
looked at the girl. She ignored the way the color seemed to drain out of the
nature around them. “I don’t want to hurt you,” she said in a growl. “But I
will if you keep fighting me.”

The
tears in Dori’s eyes started to fall. “You killed her,” she said in a choked
voice.

Madison
stepped closer to Dori and took the sapphire dagger from her. She then removed
the bracelet the girl wore. “I know. But she shot first,” she said wrapping her
arm around Dori’s shoulders. “It didn’t have to come to this.”

For
the first time, Dori looked around and noticed the neighborhood. “Did you do
this?” she asked in a whisper.

Madison
heard a soft hissing sound in her head. Her magic was going wild, and for once,
it really didn’t bother her. “Yes. And I’ll do worse if you don’t come with
me,” she said darkly.

Dori
looked at the car pulling up to the curb and recognized James Maxwell. “He’s my
grandfather,” she whispered.

Madison
growled as her eyes focused on James. She could remember how cold he was after
announcing that she was going to be sent to New York. He never had a word of
kindness when she did something that would make any other parent proud. All he
wanted was a way to control the beast.

Her
magic quickly wrapped around his heart and started to squeeze. She growled as
he fell to his knees and locked eyes with her. It would have been so simple to
stop his heart.

Dori
looked at her with wide eyes. “I’ll go with you,” she said quickly. “But don’t
hurt him. Please, Aunt Madison,” she pleaded.

The
familiar feeling of someone in her mind brought her attention around to Victor.
She smiled at her foster father before wrapping her arms around her niece and
vanished into the night.

James
gasped as Madison’s magic released him. He fell completely to the ground and
gasped for air. His eyes looked around for Madison and the girl that had been
with her. Instead, he saw Victor standing nearly frozen with blood coming from
his nose.

Victor
pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his nose. “It seems that
Madison has better mental shields than I realized,” he said before helping James
to his feet. “Are you alright?”

James
nodded as he looked at the dead people lying around them. “She killed
everything,” he said in a whisper. His eyes quickly found Tsukiko. “The very
nature around of this entire block is just gone.”

Victor
slowly inhaled as he went to see about the Oracle. The
Maxwells
had no idea what they were in for. “I will say this, try not to take offense to
it.” He looked at James for a moment. “You have no concept of the power Madison
and Dylan can control. She killed everything on this block simply because she
could. Now, she has the ability to vanish into thin air, with someone in tow. I
fear that she is becoming the demon she always feared she was.”

“What
makes you think she isn’t?” James countered. His eyes burned with the thought
that his daughter could do something like this.

Victor
knelt over Tsukiko’s body and gently closed her eyes. “The girl,” Victor
stated. He looked at James with serious eyes. “If Madison had given over to the
demon that resides in her, the girl would be dead as well.”

Lily
opened the door to the penthouse apartment and smiled as she entered. “Welcome
to my sanctuary,” she said as she placed her key card on the table by the door.
She turned and looked at Barry. When he didn’t say anything, she looked around
the penthouse and tried to look at it from his point of view. The décor was
modern and masculine. While the walls and trim were done in shades of white,
the actual furniture was plush black leather. She swallowed as he stepped next
to her. “Just after Dad and Luna died, I thought about changing the place
around.”

“But
you never got around to it,” Barry cut in. He looked into her eyes and knew she
was nervous. She told him before that he was the first person she brought here.
This was almost like a secret between them. He moved closer to her and brushed
her hair behind her ear. “It’s fine,” he said softly.

She
blushed as she moved away from him. There was no way she would be able to think
with him in her personal space. “There’s a kitchenette to the left. As you see,
the living room is straight ahead, and there are two spare rooms up the stairs
with the master. My room is on this floor off to the right.”

Barry
frowned. “You don’t sleep in the master?” he asked. When her blush deepened, he
cleared his throat. “Don’t answer that,” he said quickly. A smirk crossed his
face. “You probably had nightmares of Mathias and Luna going at it.”

Lily’s
blush deepened even more. “I normally don’t talk about this,” she said with a
shake of her head. She glanced at him and saw his curious expression. “The
typical reaction to various sexual situations would be either disgust, or an
overly eager desire to act on the thoughts, so I normally don’t say anything
about what turns me on,” she said quickly.

He
nodded as he stepped closer to her. He couldn’t stop himself from brushing his
lips against the skin of her neck. “I’ll let you get away this time,” he
whispered into her ear. When she moaned softly he smiled. “But I won’t let you
hide from me forever.”

She
frowned at him. “I’m not hiding,” she argued. When his smile widened, she
laughed and leaned her head against his shoulder. “I think I had too many
Dragon Elixirs,” she confessed.

Barry
chuckled. “You only had two,” he reminded her.

“Not
including the other two I had while you were with Diana,” she said softly.

He
felt like an ass all over again. “I won’t do that to you again,” he whispered
against her skin. When she nodded, he sighed. “And I think you may need to
sleep this off before we start any real search for those seals.”

Lily
looked into his eyes. He had the kind of eyes she could get lost in. A soft
smile crossed her face. “Will you walk me to my door?” she questioned. When he
nodded, she took his hand and led him to her bedroom door. “I had a nice time
tonight Barry,” she told him.

His
hand brushed against her cheek again. He couldn’t get enough of touching her.
“I did too.” And it was surprising that he actually meant it. Barry leaned in
close and gently pressed his lips against hers. A soft groan escaped him when
her lips opened for him. This was supposed to be a simple kiss, but the feeling
of her hands ghosting over his hair and around his shoulders struck him like a
match to dry wood. Barry felt the smile on Lily’s face when he lifted her into his
arms and pinned her against the wall. He inhaled through his nose when her legs
locked around his waist. His hands were shaking as they tangled in her hair.
The feeling of her tongue against his was a drug Barry found himself becoming
addicted to.

Lily
heard the faint ripping of fabric and ignored it. The feeling of Barry’s body
against hers was not something she wanted to fight against. This was what she
always thought of when it came to him. A kiss that was all consuming.
Something that set her on fire.
Her body came alive as she
ground her pelvis against his. A low growl was her only warning before Barry
returned her grind with a thrust of his own. She heard another rip of fabric
and her hands came in contact with his skin. Lily ran her hands across his
shoulders and chest as she bit down on his bottom lip. Being with him was more
intoxicating than the four rum laced drinks she had at dinner.

Barry
trailed kisses down the side of her neck. He didn’t know if Lily realized her
legs became a vice around his waist, but he would gladly sacrifice his pelvis
for her to keep moving. He smiled when her body trembled against his. She was
close, and after everything that happened this evening, he couldn’t just leave
her craving. Barry sank his teeth into the side of her neck as he thrust
against her once more.

Lily
cried out as she came. She couldn’t tell which way was up as Barry carried her.
This had been the first time she actually came, without having to feed from
someone. A soft smile crossed her face as she realized they were in her room.
“You have to be more than just a Mage,” she whispered into his ear.

He
chuckled as he carefully laid her back on the bed. “I’m sexy and I know it,” he
said as he pulled away from her. He blinked as if realizing for the first time
Lily had ripped his shirt to shreds. As she blushed, he removed his shirt and
balled it up at his side. “Good night, Lily,” he said before covering her with
the bed’s comforter. When she blinked at him dumbly, he pressed a kiss to her
forehead. “It’s our first date. I’m not going to sleep with you just yet,” he
explained.

She
blinked as he walked to the door of her room. Her emotions swung on a wild
pendulum as she looked at the mocha colored skin of his back. “What if I want
you to?” she asked quickly. When he turned to her, the blush on her face
brightened.

His
eyes darkened for a moment. “You said you’ve never had a real relationship.
It’s been a real long time since I’ve had one myself,” he confessed. When she
started to sit up, he smiled at her. “I want to treat you like the treasure you
really are. So, if you wanted me to jump in that bed with you, I would have to
say no. You deserve a lot better than that.” He saw the confusion in her eyes
and smiled. “Goodnight, Lily,” he repeated before leaving her room.

As
he pulled the door closed, he reached down and adjusted his pants. He was going
to have to take a cold shower, and find a new shirt. A chuckle escaped him as
he looked at the ruined shirt in his hands. If this was a glimpse of his future
with Lily, he was going to have quite a few cold showers.

Barry
headed for the stairs when his cell phone started to ring. He frowned when he
saw his father’s name on the device. “Are you okay?” he questioned. His father
never called him.

“I
need you here,” James stated darkly. “Madison was just here. She killed
everyone in a two-block radius and kidnapped your niece. Jimmy’s already on his
way and I’m going to need you to sit on him while I deal with your mother.”

Barry’s
blood went cold as he processed what his father just said. He rubbed his eyes
as he turned back to Lily’s room. She was standing at the door of her room.
“Text me the address.
I’ll be there as soon as I can.” When
he disconnected the call, he looked at her. “It’s bad,” he said simply.

Lily
slowly nodded as she leaned against the door jam. “I figured.” She tried to
look at anything except for him. It would be too selfish to demand that he stay
with her. And she was in no condition to go with him. Lily cleared her throat
and forced herself to look at him. “Daddy still has some clothes in the master,
and I think Cord may have left some things in one of the guest rooms. You’re
more than welcome to any of it,” she said before turning and going back into
her room.

Barry
sighed before going to the master bedroom. Things between him and Lily weren’t
going as he planned, but he would have to wait to see if that was a good of a
bad thing. He quickly found a shirt and put it on. His coat was still in his
car. There was no reason for him to worry about her while he checked on his
family, and he could also stop by his apartment and grab some of his own
clothes.

Within
minutes Barry was in front of Lily’s bedroom door. He knocked gently and smiled
when she opened the door. “I’ll be back soon,” he said before kissing her.

Lily
smiled as he stepped away from her. Neither one of them wanted to get carried
away. Not with the serious situation surrounding them all. “Be careful.”

“I’m
a Maxwell,” he chuckled as he made his way to the door. Before he left, he
winked at her.
“Never.”

* *
* * *

James
frowned as he spied his wife’s car. Over the past few months, he watched as she
grew to cherish Madison. Even if this didn’t drive a wedge between them, it
would put a massive strain on their relationship. He looked at Victor and
motioned for where his wife was climbing out of her car. “I’ll try to handle
this,” he said lowly.

Victor
nodded silently as he caught sight of Casper’s car pulling up behind his. He
turned his attention to the vampire that loved Madison.
“Are you sure you
want to see this?”
he questioned mentally.

Casper
frowned as he climbed out of his car. “What did she do?” Casper asked darkly.
“Remember, Father, I was there when she was twenty one and slaughtered a pack
of wildlings. I know how bad she can get.”

“Two
blocks all around,” Victor said sharply. When Casper nodded slowly, Victor
continued. “She stopped James from approaching her, and nearly crushed my mind
when I tried to reach out to hers.” Victor’s eyes narrowed when Casper simply
folded his arms over his chest. “You expected this?”

“You
didn’t?” Casper countered.

The
sound of a slap echoed on the empty street. Victor and Casper turned to see
Tina glaring at James, who was holding his cheek.

“I
have come too far with her. I will not have you calling her a monster,” Tina
said with a growl.

Victor
moved away from Casper and went to Tina’s side. “You must realize, the woman we
are now dealing with is not our Madison,” he said diplomatically. His eyes
locked with Tina’s. “Her magic is controlling her. Normally, the idea of
killing an entire neighborhood would never enter her mind. It was a means to an
end for her.”

“But
what end?” Tina asked.

Victor
pressed his lips together for a moment.
“To take your
granddaughter.”
Victor glanced at James before turning back to Tina.
“Madison was even prepared to kill your husband and myself.”

A
tear escaped Tina’s eyes as she shook her head. “Why are you telling me this?”
she asked. “After everything I’ve done to her, how could you say something like
this?”

James
stepped close to Tina and touched her hand. “She nearly stopped my heart Tina,”
he said softly. “It wasn’t until the little girl said that she would go with
her and they vanished that she let go of her hold on me.”

Tina
shook her head as tears fell from her eyes. She already fought for Madison
once. She even squared off against her daughter after she killed Mathias and
Cord. Knowing that Madison was lost once again to darkness ripped her apart.
Without a word, she walked over to her car and climbed in. Everyone in the
Council knew she and James
were
a unit. She would
leave him to take care of this situation, while she tried to figure out some
way to help her girls.

Victor
grabbed James’s arm and shook his head when he moved to go after his wife. “Let
us handle one thing at a time. After we have everything contained here, then
you can go after her.”

James
watched his wife leave and his youngest son pull up. He took a slow breath when
Barry’s car also came down the road. “This is going to be a long night,” he
said to the pair at his side. “You think it will get any better?”

Casper
snorted as he looked at both Victor and James. “This isn’t even the tip of the
iceberg,” he said before going over to Jimmy.

* *
* * *

Pan
walked into his penthouse and frowned at the child sitting on the corner of the
sofa. His eyes traveled the room before landing on Madison, who was once again
looking through his research notes. “Madi, what is the meaning of this?” he
questioned.

Madison
looked at him with bored crimson eyes. “I need information,” she said simply.
“I needed an Oracle, so I went to get one.”

Pan
shook his head. “She is too young to be an Oracle,” he argued.

Madison
turned her eyes to Dori and folded her arms over her chest. “Dori, tell him
what you told me,” she ordered. When the girl wiped her eyes, Madison went to
the kitchen area and grabbed a handful of napkins. She ignored Pan’s expression
as she went over to her niece and wiped her eyes. “I’ve already explained to
you, I won’t hurt you. But you need to tell me what you see.”

Dori
looked at Madison for a moment and wiped her eyes. “I saw blood,” she said
quietly. “I saw a building falling and you and Aunt Dylan fighting. I don’t
know if her statue had broken.”

Pan
frowned as he approached the pair. “Statue?” he questioned.

She
looked at Madison and nodded. “My Grandfather used to tell me stories about
you. He said the seals were each connected to what you would become.” She
brought her knees up to her chest as tears continued to slip down her face.
“Aunt Dylan’s Seal is a statue shaped like a dragon. He said a wise man never
seeks War.” Dori looked at Madison with terror in her eyes. “I was told that I
had to give it to my daddy before you got it.”