Midnight Poison (The Paranormal Poisons Saga #1)(124)
When Kiara paused to take a breath, he interjected, "Be careful. You're doing it again. Thinking and speaking of yourself in the third person. It's good in some ways, but I've been worried since I couldn't bring you out during our last few sessions."
"It has only been a few days since I had the encounter with Fauxleander."
His brows knitted together. "No, my dear. It has been over a month."
"Oh." She blinked. "I did not realize."
"And now you're telling me you've been quite the busy bee. Revealing several times on your own. At Mab's castle and with the assassin. And even with the young werewolf?"
"Yes. But I did not mean to. I still cannot control it."
He touched a large, gilded mirror and the bookcase slid away to reveal a stairway. The doctor and Kiara descended. Fluorescent lights flickered to full strength as they reached the concrete floor at the bottom.
Other than one table holding a stack of old leather journals, pages crammed with scribbled notes and drawings, the state-of-the-art lab rivaled those at the VLAAD Institute. Stainless steel, glass, and high-tech equipment, some of which was new since she had last visited. An antiseptic odor permeated through the many unique scents that always wrinkled her nose.
The doctor snapped on rubber gloves. On the table, Kiara placed the dagger Leontes had sent over, the one she had taken from Fauxleander and then lost in the fight for Giselle. She and Lyons shared a long, hopeful look, then she raised her hand over the weapon and sprinkled the handle with tendrils of magic.
As the spell swirled onto the handle, the jewels glowed. A low hum entered the silence. The knife vibrated against the table, sounding like teeth chattering from the cold. After a muted pop, the handle split open lengthwise into two neat halves to reveal a clear glass vial nestled inside.
The bottle held a fine pale powder, which glistened with a vague iridescence. The doctor held it up against the light. "The color is right." He twisted the stopper out and waved the bottle under his nose. He nodded. "Now the rest."
Kiara sliced the dagger across her finger and squeezed in the correct measure of blood. Dr. Lyons replaced the stopper, shook the vial, then held it up to the light again. The liquid shimmered like mercury. Seconds ticked by. Kiara's face began to fill with disappointment.
Then the liquid cleared to a pristine glacial blue.
The doctor smiled.
Kiara leaned on the table, weak with relief. "Now we just need the remaining items."
"The rumor I circulated about artifacts from your past life has gained credibility faster than I had hoped. Once we obtain all of the artifacts, we can re-create the Midnight Poison."
"And I can finally have my life back. Get rid of this silly girl."
Dr. Lyons chuckled.
She jerked her head toward him. "What is so amusing?"
"I keep telling you, that silly girl is you."
Kiara huffed. "She is so not me."
The doctor outright laughed. "That inflection and vernacular you just used, it's present day. Even the old you is taking on bits of the new." He rolled his eyes at her imperious sniff. "She is you. More of the person you would have been if he had not gotten hold of you."
"You have told me this before."
"You don't seem to listen."
"It makes my head hurt. I just want to go back to my old self."
"It won't be that simple. She has become a part of you. The two must integrate one day."
She put her hands over her ears and babbled, "La, la, la, la, la."
"Ah, yes. You are the epitome of maturity."
"Dear God," Kiara moaned. "The ridiculous girl is rubbing off on me."
"This will all work out. Even if, God forbid, someone gets the ingredients, the formula and your part in it were never written down." He patted her hand. "A brilliant decision on your part, my dear."
"On our part," she corrected. "We do this together. As always. My brawn and your brains." She laughed and hugged him tightly, reveling in the warmth and comforting presence of the only father she had ever known. "After all, you are the great Leonardo da Vinci."
Excerpt from
DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT
BOOK ONE OF
THE DIVINICUS NEX SERIES
CHAPTER ONE
Someone's car was totaled and it wasn't my fault.
But who's going to believe a teenager?
"The demon did it" excuse, while more creative than "the dog ate my homework," was still as unbelievable. And much more likely to get me sent to the psych ward. So when the fang-filled flying hellion barely missed me and dropped like a wrecking ball onto the SUV, exploding shattered bits of glass and vehicle parts in my direction, I ditched the scene pronto.