Crux

Chapter 13

Jackson swam his way up through the darkness for what felt like forever. He spent far too long in the shadows between unconsciousness and waking, knowing he needed to open his eyes and move, because there was something…

Mackenzie.

His head pounded, even as he dragged himself to his feet and stumbled down the hall. Steven burst through the back door and into the kitchen just as Jackson caught himself on the edge of the doorframe. “Shit. Fuck.”

Mahalia lay on the floor, her car keys mere inches from her open hand. Though there was an alarming amount of blood on the floor, including a copious amount soaked into the shirt he recognized as Mackenzie’s, there was no evidence of a wound anywhere on his mentor’s body.

Mackenzie was gone. “They came here. They took her.”

“He called me. My uncle.” Steven dropped to his knees and gathered Mahalia into his arms. “We should put her on the bed.”

Jackson’s jaw dropped. “No, you should get her to a hospital while I look for Talbot.”

“No,” Steven snapped. “You don’t need to look for him. I know where he’s going, and it’s suicide to go there by yourself.”

“We can’t just sit here. Mahalia needs a doctor, and I need—” I need to find Mackenzie before Talbot decides she’s too much trouble.

Mahalia stirred in Steven’s arms. “Charles.”

“May.” Steven touched her cheek. “It’s Steven and Jack. Are you all right?”

She opened her eyes and struggled, pushing against Steven’s chest. “Where is she? Is she gone?”

“Shh, May—” Steven helped her sit. “The Peytons and Jackson’s partner will be here by the end of the day, with any luck. We’ll get her back.”

Her reddened eyes welled with tears. “No. Not again, Steven. I did it again…” She pressed her face against his neck and began to sob.

“No.” Steven’s expression was pained as he cradled Mahalia against his chest. “It was too much to ask of you. Too much to ask of anyone. I’m sorry, May.”

Jackson started to reach out, but stopped and averted his eyes. Steven was far better suited to the task of comforting Mahalia than he was. “You said you knew where he was taking her.”

“Charles owns land in Coos County, New Hampshire, near the Vermont border. It’s remote, wrapped in protective spells, and he’s untouchable when he’s there.” Steven’s sudden smile was vicious. “Unless you’re his nephew and have a Seer with you. For once, the fact that we’re related just may do some good.”

Jackson felt equally vicious as he stared at the pool of blood on the floor, Mackenzie’s shirt in the middle of it. “If you and Nick’s sister can get me and Alec within a hundred yards of him, we’ll do the rest.”

Steven opened his mouth, obviously intending to give him another warning on how dangerous Charles was. Instead, he nodded shortly as he rose, Mahalia still held against his chest. “I’m going to get her cleaned up and settled down. We’ll talk about it when we’re all together.”

Jackson stared after them. His mind whirled as he picked up Mackenzie’s shirt, dropped it into the sink and turned the water on. It was one of the hardest things he’d ever done, but he pushed every thought he could from his mind as he located a dish towel, dampened it, and started cleaning the kitchen floor.

Mahalia glanced at Jackson’s hand on her elbow as they walked across the tarmac to the waiting jet. “I’m fine, Jack. You don’t have to treat me like an old lady.”

“I’m treating you like a lady who got her head whacked to hell and back a couple of hours ago.” He eyed the jet with a whistle. “Must be nice to own half of New York.”

“I doubt this is Peyton’s. Probably just one of hundreds he has at his ready disposal.” Mahalia smiled a little. “Have Nick and Alec made it in yet?”

“They should be waiting for us.”

Alec and Nick were, indeed, waiting inside the jet. Both were seated in luxurious seats on opposite sides of the plane, and Alec sported a prominent black eye.

Jackson’s eyebrows shot up. “What the hell happened to you?”

Alec slanted a look at Nick. “Little friendly disagreement.”

The look Nick shot him in return could have set his hair aflame. “And if you ever lump my sister in with the likes of Charles Talbot again, I’ll blacken more than your eye, you ridiculous, ignorant bastard.”

“I wasn’t—” Alec snapped his mouth shut and turned to Jackson. “She’s your best friend. Calm her down, would you?”

“I’m fine,” Nick told Jackson as he moved to sit next to her.

She wasn’t fine. Her body vibrated with tension, and the knuckles of her right hand were swollen and bruised. “What happened?”

She didn’t answer at first. Instead, she dragged a ponytail holder from her purse and used it to secure her hair in a careless knot at the back of her head. “You’d think that Alec, of all people, would know better than to simply regurgitate some tired old ultraconservative shit, wouldn’t you?”

As soon as the words were out of Nick’s mouth, Jackson groaned. She was almost rabidly protective of Michelle, but backhanded references to the painful events of Alec’s life would only make things worse.

“Watch your mouth, Peyton,” Alec said, his voice cold. “You don’t know—”

“Enough.” Steven’s quiet voice overpowered Alec’s easily. “We’re already in over our heads. Perhaps we could stop jabbing at each other?” His eyes cut to Alec. “And let’s remember that, regardless of our personal feelings, Michelle Peyton is the only hope any of us have of facing down Charles Talbot and surviving.”

Alec wasn’t one to back down to anyone, but the sheer intensity in Steven’s eyes seemed to give his partner pause. “Fine.”

Jackson turned to Nick and raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to apologize. She exhaled and looked away. “I’m sorry, Alec. I shouldn’t have said that.” Then she mirrored Jackson’s expression and added, “But if anyone so much as hints that my sister is crazy, there’s going to be an ass-kicking after this is all taken care of.”

Mahalia sat next to Alec and patted his leg. “Don’t worry. I don’t even think she could kick your ass. Must have just…” She waved a hand at his face. “Well, she must have caught you off guard, that’s all.”

Alec snorted. “That girl’s damn scrappy for someone who doesn’t even come up to my shoulder.”

Jackson slid an arm around Nick and tugged her to his side. “We’re going to meet your dad and sister in New York?”

She nodded. “I just talked to Michelle. She’s pretty busy getting ready, so we’ll pick them up on our way.”

“All right.” The better prepared Michelle was to face Talbot, the more likely they’d get through this confrontation in one piece. “Steven, is there anything else we can figure out or plan right now?”

Steven shook his head. “Let’s get to New York.”