by Ally Shields
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The hospital parking lot was sweltering in the heat of the day, and Ari found a grove of trees at the far end. Even in the shade, the sweat beaded on her forehead. She pulled out the phone she’d borrowed from Andreas because it held all the contact numbers that weren’t on her throwaway. Neither of them had anticipated she’d be using this particular one.
Bastian answered on the third ring. “Andreas, what a surprise to hear from you again so soon.”
“It’s me. Arianna.”
His voice sharpened. “Something must be very wrong. Is it Andreas?”
“It’s my cop partner, Ryan.” Ari forgot her prepared spiel and just blurted it out. “He’s being sucked dry by Porbius and Volucris or one of you. They’re stealing his soul. I want you to stop it.”
Silence. Then… “Even if I could, why should I?”
Ari took a breath to ease the knot in her stomach. “You keep asking us for some kind of commitment. A favor, I think you called it. I can’t speak for Andreas, but short of harming my baby or my friends, I’ll promise you whatever you want.”
“This person must be very important.”
“He is to me. He’s like family.” Why was she talking about family ties to a man who’d rejected his own son? “Will you help him or not?”
“Explain the precise problem.”
Ari straightened. At least he was curious. She swiftly summarized events since Porbius’s phone call to her in St. Louis.
When she finished, Bastian spoke as if musing through a puzzle in his head. “Luc is here. I saw him a few hours ago. Since he could not form a hold this strong from such a distance, he must be using someone…apparently Porbius as a conduit. That’s the solution,” he said decisively. “If you want to save your friend, you need to locate Porbius.”
Ari glared at the phone in frustration. Like that was easy. If she knew where he was, he’d already be dead. “Any suggestions how I do that?” she snapped.
“How should I know? Make him come to you. Wave a red flag.” He cut off his impatient response. “I suppose I could distract Luc on this end to make it a little easier, but you have to deal with Porbius yourself. I assume you understand the consequences of killing him. I’m not talking about retaliation from the council, although they wouldn’t be forgiving. But your friend could die if you kill Porbius while the link is still in place.”
“Yeah, I understand. I’ll take steps to protect Ryan, but Porbius has gone too far this time.”
* * *
When Andreas showed up at the hospital at 3:30 p.m., Ryan seemed to be holding his own. Apparently the power of love wasn’t a myth. She still hadn’t figured out how to find Porbius, and she hadn’t mentioned her call to Bastian. She wanted to talk with Andreas first, and she invited him to go for a walk. He gave her a speculative look, but neither of them said much until they exited the hospital and stopped in a shaded spot.
“I’ve seen that look before.” Andreas’s dark eyes locked on her face. “One of us is in trouble. Either you’ve done something or I have. You wouldn’t drag me down to the parking lot unless you thought there was going to be a fight.”
“Why didn’t you tell me Volucris was a soul sucker?”
“I didn’t want to worry you until it was necessary. Without the lab’s confirmation, Ryan’s condition was just a theory.” He narrowed his eyes. “I think you already knew that. What’s the real reason we’re down here? What have you done?”
She blew out a noisy breath. “I called Bastian.”
“Go on.”
“He wasn’t very helpful.”
“As expected. Did you think he would be?”
“Well, he told me Volucris was still in Germany, and that he’s probably channeling the spell through Porbius. And…he offered to distract Volucris so we could get to Porbius and break the spell.” She hesitated, and Andreas lifted an eyebrow. “In return I offered him anything he wanted.”
Andreas stilled. “And he accepted? What are his terms?”
Watching her husband’s tense face, she faltered. “I…I’m not sure. We really didn’t discuss it more than that.”
Andreas shook his head. “I cannot permit you to be beholden to Bastian. Not even for Ryan.”
“I think I already am.”
“It was not sealed in blood.”
She jerked her chin up and stepped back. “We’re not talking about a stupid vampire oath. I gave him my word. My word.”
“Cara mia.”
“You can’t sweet-talk me out of this. If he helps us save Ryan, I’ll keep my promise.”
Andreas grabbed her arm, more frustration than anger in his eyes. “Even if it endangers our child?”
“Of course not,” she said more quietly. “Whatever payment Bastian demands will have to wait another few weeks.”
“A child needs a mother.”
“Now you’re playing dirty.” She shook off his hand and turned toward the hospital door. “I’m going to check on Ryan.”
“This discussion is not over.”
“I didn’t think it was.” She tossed the words over her shoulder.
Andreas didn’t follow her inside immediately. When he did, he acted as if nothing had happened. But Ari wasn’t fooled. Their fights normally had a quick end, followed by making up. Leaving things dangling like this was uncomfortable and awkward for both of them.
Claris was so focused on Ryan she didn’t notice the tension, but it didn’t take Steffan long. Ari saw him talking quietly with Andreas. She sighed when Steffan came over and suggested they have a drink in the cafeteria. Might as well get this over.
She chose a small carton of milk, a fruit and cheese plate, and a dish of Jell-O to make up for the skimpy meals she’d consumed over the last twenty-four hours. When Steffan sat down with his coffee, she looked up. “OK, lay it on me.”
Steffan grinned. “Does that mean you’ll listen?”
“I’m here, aren’t I?” She set down her fork. “Look, Steffan, I know Andreas hates this, but Ryan is my partner. There isn’t much I wouldn’t do for him.”
“Andreas knows that. What he’s struggling with is that you’re shoving him away.”
“I’m not. Well, I didn’t mean to.”
“By contacting Bastian before Andreas was awake? Low blow, Ari.” His brown eyes assessed her. “Give the guy a break. He loves you.” Before she could respond, Steffan hurried on. “But I didn’t ask you down here to plead Andreas’s case. He doesn’t need me for that. We’re both worried about your safety as long as Porbius knows where you are. You’ve been lured back to Riverdale for a purpose.”
“Yeah, I know.” She frowned. “And so…”
“You can’t stay at the hospital indefinitely, and you can’t go home.”
Ari’s face flushed, and her stricken gaze shot to his face. “Andreas doesn’t want me there? He’s that angry? Why didn’t he tell me himself?”
“It’s not like that. Dammit, Ari, he knows you so well. He said you’d jump to some stupid conclusion. And for your information, he didn’t ask me to talk to you. In fact, he told me to stay out of it. I wish I had.” Steffan crossed his arms and stared at her, shaking his head, then leaned forward as if realizing he needed a better approach. His tone was milder now. “He’d prefer to have you at the mansion, but it’s not safe. Isn’t that why you originally left town? Everyone knows where you live. So, I came up with an idea. My pack has a hunting lodge about ten miles from town that isn’t used during the summer. Jena and I could stay there with you until the baby’s born.”
She narrowed her eyes. “How does that find Porbius or cure Ryan?”
His answer was just as blunt. “It doesn’t, but it allows the rest of us to hunt for the vampire without worrying about you.”
Ari glared at her plate of fruit and swallowed an angry retort. They wanted to put her back on the sidelines. Being helpless never sat well, but turning her anger on her husband and friends wasn’t going to resolve her iss
ues. Was there a compromise? Couldn’t she stay at the hospital at least part of the time?
Hmm. Why not? Porbius was a vampire. If they’d agree she could go where she wanted during the day, maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.
“Fine. I’ll do it.” She watched Steffan visibly relax. “But just at night when Porbius is awake. The rest of the time I’m watching over Ryan or looking for Porbius and finding a safe way to break the thrall.”
“What about this psychic vamp? Won’t he be awake in Germany?”
“Part of the time. But he needs Porbius’s active help to initiate anything new. The rest of us are safe from an attack when Porbius is down and out.” She scooted forward in her seat. “In fact, there should be hours when they’re both down, and that’s our best time to break this thrall.” She gulped down her milk. “Let’s go talk with the others.”
* * *
Ari came to a halt in the hospital doorway. Any discussion would have to wait. A Catholic priest stood next to the bed; he, Mrs. Foster, Claris, a uniformed officer, and a couple of family members were praying. Ari’s chest tightened. Was this the last rites?
She refused to dwell on the implied finality.
Since Jena was sitting in the far corner of the room by herself, Ari wondered if she too was uncomfortable with the proceedings. Steffan eased past Ari and joined his fiancée.
Andreas stood near the window, not participating in the ritual but paying close attention. Did this have significance for him? He’d been raised Catholic, and that early upbringing would have influenced his moral beliefs. They’d never discussed his ties to the church. Not that it mattered to her. A person’s actions were more important.
Ari crossed the room to lay a hand on Andreas’s arm. His eyes looked a question, and she nodded toward the door. The hallway was empty, except for the police guard and nursing staff. She stopped several feet from the room and kept her voice low.
“Why didn’t you talk to me?”
“You walked away. Remember? I was waiting until we had a moment alone, but Steffan got out ahead of me. What did you decide?”
“I’ll go.” She looked up at him. “I would have gone just because you wanted it.”
“I know, but it’s better when you make up your own mind.”
“Are you still upset about Bastian?”
Andreas’s eyes darkened. He reached out a hand and tilted her chin up. “I’ve already spoken with him. He was informed any requests of you go through me.”
“What did he say?”
“He had the effrontery to laugh.”
“Well, I guess you told him.” Wasn’t that just like them both?
Before they got caught up in another argument, she changed the subject to the thrall and the best time to break it. “If I calculated right, it should be weakest between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m. Now all we need to do is figure out how to break the spell without harming Ryan.”
“Is that all?” he said dryly.
“I already have an idea…from seeing the priest. An exorcism. A magical exorcism, and Merlin just might be the man to do it.”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“Um, I guess I haven’t either, but it might work like a banishment. It’s worth talking to the wizard, don’t you think?”
“Of course.” He put a hand on each shoulder so she’d look at him. “But how are you going to arrange all this from the cabin?”
“I’ll stay there every night, but from dawn until three, I’d be safe while Porbius is asleep.”
“Six to two,” he said promptly. “I don’t want you cutting it close.”
“OK, six to two.” He shifted his hands to hold her in a loose embrace. “You drive me crazy, cara mia, but I love you.”
She looked up at him. “I don’t mean to worry you. Honestly.” She brushed her lips lightly against his. A deeper kiss was tempting, but they were standing in a public hospital with an interested cop sitting by the door and a religious ceremony taking place only steps away. When she pulled back, Andreas’s eyes were laughing at her. He was aware of the incongruity too.
She grinned, and he pulled her closer to whisper in her ear. “I’m spending part of my nights at the cabin. I love having you and our child in my arms.”
* * *
For fear of raising false hopes, Ari didn’t discuss the possibility of an exorcism with anyone at the hospital except Andreas. He offered to play bodyguard for a trip to the Magic Hall, and she arranged to meet Merlin in his office an hour later. Andreas waited in the lobby, talking on his cell phone with Marcus at the club.
The wizard listened to her idea, frowning at first, then running his fingers over his beard. “An intriguing concept,” he admitted. “I’ve never heard of this particular set of variables—a psychic vampire feeding on a human soul by using another vampire’s enthrallment as the conduit. Very complex. But I believe you’re correct in thinking it is potentially vulnerable to magical manipulation—a psychic exorcism, as you called it.”
Ari sat up straighter. “What do we need to do?”
He pursed his lips. “There is a wizardry spell reputed to come straight from my famous ancestor. Let me think on it and look through some old papers.”
“Can I help?”
“I appreciate the offer but this is something I must do.” His gaze settled on her face. “I understand the urgency, Arianna, and will move as swiftly as possible. You’ll have an answer by morning.”
“I’ll be here shortly after six.” She explained her enforced absence during the evening and night hours but not where she’d be staying. The fewer people who knew, the lower the risk of information getting to the wrong ears.
“I will know by six if it is feasible.”
Ari had to be satisfied with that.
Andreas escorted her back to the hospital and left for the club. She promised to call when Steffan was ready to leave for the cabin so he could go with them.
When Ari reached Room 418, the priest was gone, and Ryan’s brother and sister-in-law were just leaving. Since it was beyond regular visiting hours, the only people staying were Claris, Mrs. Foster, Steffan, and Jena. Ari took her turn sitting with Ryan, while Claris took a short break. His hand was still warm from Claris’s.
Ari squeezed his fingers. There was no responding pressure, but she continued to watch his face, hoping for some reaction. She no longer felt the churning inside him and hoped it was a good sign. She told him about calling Bastian, how freaked out Andreas had been over the deal she’d made, and her recent discussion with Merlin.
We’re doing everything we can, Ryan. You just have to stay with us until we find the answer.
At midnight the lab tech was back to take another reading. Claris and Mrs. Foster refused to abandon their posts even for an exam, and the tech agreed to work around them. Steffan and Jena stood close by, while Ari peppered him with questions. He explained he was there to measure soul levels.
That was just creepy. She hadn’t known the lab could do that. After he’d clicked his device and taken several readings, she finally asked, “Well? How bad is it?”
The tech looked up from the tiny screen. “Not much change. His levels are stable, which is good. I had expected continuing loss.”
“We’ve been talking to him, trying to call his spirit back. Do you think it’s working?” Claris asked.
The tech looked uncomfortable. “I couldn’t say. Um, something’s working. He hasn’t improved, but he isn’t worse.”
Ari closed her eyes for an instant. She’d take what she could get.
With that encouraging news, Mrs. Foster and Claris concentrated even harder. Since there didn’t seem to be much for Ari, Steffan and Jena to do, they called Andreas to let him know they were on the way to the lodge. He met them with Ari’s bags, the cat, and a few things he’d brought from home.
The hunting cabin held six sleeping rooms and a main room with a fireplace and kitchen facilities. It had both electricity and water provided by a generator and
well. Anticipating the summer heat, Steffan had brought two fans to keep air circulating in the bedrooms.
Andreas didn’t stay long. “You have circles under your eyes, my wife.” He grabbed her hand, led her into the bedroom, and kissed her good night. “You need sleep more than anything else.”
She wasn’t so sure about that, but she crawled into bed and fell asleep within minutes with her hand on the Walther under her pillow.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Ari slipped quietly into the Magic Hall at 6:05 the following morning and went straight to Merlin’s office. The door stood open and the lights were on. Stacks of books and scattered papers covered his desk, but he wasn’t there. She left a note on his chair and went to her office to fix the decaf. She was just pouring the first cup when Merlin appeared in the doorway. He was carrying his staff and a bundle that looked like a ceremonial robe.
“Come with me. We haven’t much time. I’ll explain on the way to the hospital.”
“What is it? Has something happened?”
“We’re ready to perform the exorcism. You were correct, the optimum window is between seven and eight. We’ll have to hurry if we’re to make the attempt today.”
Ari picked up her pace to keep up with him. For an old man, Merlin was quite spry when he wanted to be. In spite of what she suspected had been an all-nighter, he seemed energized this morning.
“Do you need me to help with the exorcism?”
“No, these are wizardry spells. Best left to me and my fellow wizards who are meeting us there.” He nodded at the receptionist as they passed through the front doors. “But we’ll need you to raise a protective shield the moment the thrall is broken. We don’t want to give the vampires an opportunity to reestablish control. You should discuss with the family the need to immediately move your friend to an undisclosed location. Preferably away from Riverdale.”
“I can take care of that. We’ll send the entire Foster family…and Claris on vacation for a while.”
A blue sedan pulled up to the curb with one of the Magic Hall’s elven guards driving. Merlin motioned her toward it. “Our ride is here.”
