DOMINIC watched the bar. Something wasn’t right and it didn’t set well with him. It was most likely all this business with his mother had put him on edge. Simon prowled around keeping the women entertained. Which was nice as obviously he couldn’t anymore, even if he wanted to. Meriel was not the kind of woman who’d find it cute that he let anyone rub up on him. She’d probably maim him for it.

He grinned.

She’d taken to stopping in on the weekend nights and hanging out with him. He knew she wasn’t much for club hopping and she was also an early riser, but it pleased him that she made room in her life for him and what made him happy too. He liked seeing her at his table with her laptop. Yes, she even did work there. Or enjoyed a drink with Simon or their friends.

He just liked that she wanted to be with him and that she did it in a way that felt natural. He was lucky. Despite all the nonsense with the mages, he was lucky to have this woman in his life.

Dominic examined the wards again and then opened up his othersight to take the room in. So much magick here. Others packed the place nightly. It was more than a nightclub; it had turned into a sort of general hangout and meeting place. He liked that too. Profits were up and he didn’t have the stress of thinking about what the clan would do when they found him lifting from their font. He was proud. Heart of Darkness felt like his in a way it hadn’t until then.

He didn’t need the extra help now. Between him and Meriel, the warding was fine-tuned and powerful. He had no need to borrow magick now that he knew how to use his own. Admittedly he got a kick out of that.

The place continued to fill up as the evening wore on. There were the usual problems. He had to threaten a table of Weres to behave or be barred.

It was a waste of his time to have to stalk around to keep people in line. He gave them this place and they couldn’t just act like they had some sense?

“Why is it so hot in here? Fix that,” he barked at one of the servers, who scampered off to take care of it.

He slugged back a few drinks and then switched to water. His head hurt. He needed more sleep. But he wanted to be with Meriel when he could. There were always others who’d take up her time if he didn’t claim it. Always someone who couldn’t seem to do it themselves so Meriel had to do it. Like she was their mother. Stupid.

Dominic made a move to go back to his office but Simon hailed him with a wave.

“There a problem?”

“It’s hot. The DJ is fucking things up with this crap. I know I told him I didn’t want trance back here. Gets the vampires all worked up. Plus it annoys me. Don’t know why I have to say things a hundred times to get it taken care of.”

Simon looked at him closely. “Wards holding up?”

“Far as I can see. I used othersight and everything looks okay there too. We’ve got some pissed-off Weres near the bar, but I already told them they’d be barred if they didn’t keep it together. I can’t have all this fighting here. That’s worse than worrying over this mage bullshit. Last thing I need are bar fights back here.”

“You’re on edge. I trust that. Something doesn’t feel right.”

And then she walked in, scanning the room until she found him. Her smile made his head feel a little better. But he didn’t like the way men always looked at her.

“She’s a pretty woman, you know that? Fresh and lovely. Always smells good. That witchy—”

“Do you think I want to hear you wax rhapsodic about my woman’s smell?”

“Whatever. She smells good whether I tell you that or not.”

“Simon!” She approached and patted Simon’s arm. “I love that suit. You’re looking very handsome.”

“Me?”

Meriel turned to him. “You’re handsome too.”

He pulled her to his body and kissed her. He wanted everyone to see it and know she was spoken for.

Simon cocked his head. “Hey, I need to talk to you two. Office?”

Once the door was closed Simon turned, his arms crossed. “Someone is fucking with you.”

Meriel nodded. “I agree.”

“What?”

“You’re on edge. Prowling around like a shifter. You’re hyperaggressive. The magick is pouring off you.”

Dominic only felt rage. “What the fuck? You saying I’m so weak I’d be manipulated by some spell?”

Meriel looked him up and down. “I can feel it. Through the bond. It has to be outside the club because I’d feel it if it was happening in here. The wards would sound with that kind of spell.”

“You too?”

With an indignant sniff, she turned, kicked her shoes off and her hands began to dance as she spoke under her breath. Magick filled the room, made his own rise in response to join hers. That’s when it felt like she grabbed a string and unraveled him. His stomach went into freefall and he held back a gag.

And then things got really weird.

She raised her voice, this time speaking aloud as she wove the spell. She tapped the font and shoved it all into Dominic so that he gagged with it. He held a hand out but she didn’t stop. Instead she took it and squeezed.

Latin, yes, she was speaking Latin. He realized this as he warred to keep his consciousness and failed several times.

And then she was on her knees and his ears popped and he could hear clearly again.

He saw the red. “Blood?” He tried to stand, but dizziness made him stumble. Simon braced him and eased him into a chair.

“It’s not yours. It’s Meriel’s.”

His gaze shot to her and he found her pressing one of his handkerchiefs against her arm. “Did I hurt you?” He wanted to vomit.

Concern filled her eyes then and she came to him, kneeling and taking his hand. “No. Do you think you ever could? Really?”

“I don’t know. Baby, Christ, what happened?”

“It was a possession spell. Someone was riding in your consciousness and trying to affect your behavior.”

“Something was in me? And cut you?”

“I needed the blood to cast it out. It was ugly and powerful and not mage magic. It was darker than that.”

“You cut yourself for me? How could you do that? You are not to put yourself in danger like that.”

She waved it away. “I’ll do what I need to and you can’t stop me from protecting what’s mine. Anyway, it’s locked out. My blood mixed with the spell. The way is blocked.”

“How can this have happened? I thought my magick was locked, that you can’t be possessed … like demon possessed? Is that what the Latin was? Meriel, did you fucking exorcise me?” Sickness clawed at his insides.

“In a manner of speaking, yes. See what I mean about how we can learn from other kinds of practitioners?”

“Faith as magick?” Simon asked, handing her a bottle of water and then one to Dominic.

“Negative energy, no matter what you want to call it, can be affected by belief. The words hold power. I gave them intent.”

“But I can’t be demon possessed. I’ve done a lot of bad shit, but never dark magicks. Ever.”

Her face washed into a blank mask and he knew it before she even spoke. “If someone is of your blood, they can do it if they’re close enough. Siblings. Parents.”

“You’re telling me my mother just called a fucking demon into me? Like the guys who watch my front doors here?”

“No, not a demon. More precisely, I’m saying your mother was the bridge to let a very dark energy ride into you. It’s not like you think. Your head won’t go round three hundred and sixty degrees or anything. No levitating. But this dark chaos she let in can eat away at your foundations. At your boundaries and filters. Over time she could use you to be violent or other such things. She used her flesh-and-blood connection with you to let it in.”

“Get it out of me. Now. Or take me to the middle of the forest and leave me. I can’t be around you if I can’t trust myself.”

He felt unclean. What sort of people had he come from?

“Let’s go home. I’m going to ask Gage’s mother to come over. She’s a healer of sorts and can help you flush the darkness out.”