“Enough,” Bishop said, laying his hand flat on the desk. The large gold ring he wore on his first finger clicked against the hardwood and I flinched just a little. “For a Laudan with so many years behind his teeth, I’m still surprised that you talk so much. I’m sure you have made some… less than perfect krŭvno dete of your own. I seem to remember one in particular—“
Meridian’s smile faltered just a little, and his silver-shined eyes flickered to mine. It was nice to see that he had weaknesses… but this was definitely not the time to gloat. Hell no. There was still this whole tribunal thing, and something about crimes… I barely remembered what had happened in Spain.
I mean, I remembered being with Fee and Maia on the train, but then everything had gone black and when the lights had come on again I was standing in a pool of —
“Oh, shit.”
“I see you’ve remembered why you’re here.” Bishop’s smile was cold. Meridian took a silver flask from the pocket of his leather jacket and took a drink.
“What… what did I do? Do they want an apology? Am I supposed to do community service in a blood bank or something…” I was babbling now, but can you blame me? I didn’t know what the hell I was supposed to do, and it wasn’t as though I knew what kind of rules these… things… (things? Was I a thing now?) I didn’t know anything about being a proper Laudan, especially when it came to rules. Desperation clawed at my throat.
“If I didn’t know about the rules doesn’t that get me some kind of amnesty, or a free pass, or whatever? I’m still kind of new at all of this…”
“The Caedyr have sent representatives. They will host the tribunal… and you will stand before the Catamarian,” Bishop said calmly. “You will be, and you must promise me, on your very best behavior. You will come here and do your work, and you will stay in the city.”
I nodded hurriedly. Bishop’s voice might have been calm, but from the way Meridian was pacing, I had a feeling that I wasn’t the only one in trouble. This was way bigger than I thought, and I was really, really, really unprepared.
“As long as you are under our supervision, you are protected. The Caedyr are not known for their leniency,” Bishop said, glancing at Meridian quickly. “The tribunal will commence in two weeks’ time.”
“So you’d better work on that memory,” Meridian snarled.
Bishop raised an eyebrow, but he said nothing to the Laudan behind him. “Well?”
“Well, what?” I asked, my voice shaking just a little. “I don’t really have a choice here, do I?”
“Not unless you want to taste death a second time,” Meridian said ominously. “I promise you, it’s not as quick the second time around.”
Bishop waved his hand, dismissing me, and I turned and fled from his office, running back into the club and the crush of bodies on the dance floor.
* * *
Tears blurred my vision as the enormity of what was happening crashed over me.
I had to find Eli; I had to talk to Fee… I had to get out of here.
Suddenly, a wildly dancing couple crashed into me, sending me stumbling to the side. I tripped over my own boots, or maybe it was someone else’s foot, but the next thing I knew I was falling forward into empty air.
A strangled cry left my lips as I plummeted towards the checkered dance floor. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the impact when a hand came out of nowhere and yanked me to my feet.
“Whoa, hey, are you okay?”
The eager face of Mutually Assured Destruction’s drummer swam into view. I smiled shakily as he set me on my feet again. Grady was the only human member of Eli’s band, and I still hadn’t decided if he was just blissfully unaware that his band, this club, and Spiral’s management team were all vampires... or if he was just living in a fog of denial.
He was a nice enough guy, but I always felt like I had to be careful around him. It wasn’t my responsibility to break his delusions. If what I’d overheard Fee and Eli talking about was any indication, when the time came to negotiate his M.A.D. contract, the truth would hit him like a ton of bricks.
I adjusted my glasses and thanked him for helping me out. “I’m not usually that clumsy,” I said a little sheepishly. That was true, and it was honestly entirely embarrassing that my Laudan reflexes hadn’t kicked in as the ground had rushed up to greet me.
“Hey, it happens to the best of us,” he said cheerfully. “You seemed a little distracted when you came out of Bishop’s office.” I must have raised my eyebrow, because he started talking faster. “I mean; I wasn’t really watching you. But I was. Just not in that way, y’know? It wasn’t that I didn’t notice you because I did, I mean anyone would, I just um...”
Oh, bats. Was this actually happening right now?
“Look, Grady, I’m really sorry, but I have to get out of here.” I looked around the club, which had only increased in its capacity since I’d arrived. “Have you seen Eli?”
“No, I mean, I thought he was here...” He looked around and then leaned closer when he was sure that we weren’t being watched. “We’re supposed to go over my contract soon and I want to be prepared.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell him that Meridian was nearby, chomping on his toothpick and listening to everything we were saying. I was just grateful that he couldn’t hear my thoughts; at least, I hoped he couldn’t. Grady’s contract with Bishop would mean the end of his mortal life, I knew that much. Sold for a song.
Not funny.
Was he looking for advice? This was not the right time, and I was definitely the worst one to be offering any kind of real-world advice.
“Look, when it comes to the contract, just make sure that you read all the fine print....” Grady looked a little alarmed, and I continued in a rush, trying to hide the awkwardness in my voice. “Otherwise they might change your name or something...” I finished lamely.
Grady made a face. “Really?”
I shrugged. “Isn’t that what it’s all about? Mystique?”
Grady didn’t look convinced, but I had problems of my own to deal with, and the night was growing way too thin for my liking. At this rate I’d be home just before dawn.
“Just promise me you’ll read it really carefully, okay?”
Grady smiled crookedly at me and nodded, but as I turned to leave I heard him say, “You wouldn’t put anything shady in my contract, would you, Eli?”
Shit.
Sure, I’d been looking for Eli, but I didn’t actually know what I was going to say when I found him. And I definitely didn’t expect to find him here.
I turned around slowly and my eyes met Eli’s... not a good thing.
I’d never seen him so angry.
Grady was distracted by his own concerns, and he didn’t notice Eli’s expression, or the way his hands clenched at his sides.
Hoo boy.
“Don’t listen to Lacey, she has no idea what she’s talking about, that’s why she’s behind the bar,” Eli replied through gritted teeth. His eyes burned into mine and I had to look away.
Meridian slid from the shadows to lean against the bar, a smug smile on his coldly handsome face. He sidled over, dodging dancers and a guy with a tattooed neck and long blue hair that was heading for the bar.
“What’s all this about a contract,” he said, draping his arm lazily across Grady’s shoulders. “Surely you’re not taking legal advice from a beer wench...” His gaze slid to me and I glared back for just a moment before I turned on my heel and ran for the stairs. I knew that Eli was following me, but I didn’t care.
I hit the top of the stairs and jumped over Church’s velvet rope, my boots thudding on the sidewalk as I ran for the subway.
Eli was waiting for me in the park, standing at the edge of a pool of orange streetlight. His face looked gaunt and strangely hollow. I ground my teeth and shoved my hands into the pockets of my jacket.
“Are you going to tell me what the fuck that was all about?”
I put my head down and marched pa
st him, making a beeline for Fee’s apartment. “What what was all about,” I snapped. He couldn’t have known about my meeting with Bishop, and I didn’t want him to know. He’d said barely five words to me since we got back from Spain anyway.
Eli fell into step beside me, matching my strides easily. It was impossible to walk fast beside Eli Maddern; it only made me more aware of how short I was. He probably liked it that way.
“That shit you pulled with Grady,” he said. “What were you going to tell him?”
Oh, that.
“It was nothing, he just seemed nervous,” I said with a shrug.
Eli grunted but didn’t reply, so I took a deep breath and kept talking. “What happened to you when you were turned? Who taught you everything you’re teaching me?” He wasn’t teaching me much these days, but he had to have gotten it from somewhere.
Eli smirked and looked at me carefully, his eyebrow raised. “I don’t remember.”
“Seriously,” I squeaked. “That’s a big load of batshit and you know it. Spill!”
“All right, all right, don’t make a scene.” Eli pulled a crumpled pack of cigarettes out of the pocket of his leather jacket and shoved one in his mouth. He lit it purposefully and took a long, overly dramatic drag before blowing the cloud of smoke at me. I made a face and waved it away and he smiled at my annoyance.
“I had a rough couple of weeks... the Laudan that turned me, let’s just say that he wasn’t super thrilled about it, so he wasn’t the best teacher. I don’t think I would have been ready to listen to what he had to say anyway. I went through some shit, and decided to get out of town for a little while.”
“Out of town? What did Bishop say?” He’d been pissed when I’d left... had the rules changed since Eli had been turned?
“Let’s just say I didn’t tell Bishop exactly where I was going.”
Juicy. Now we were getting somewhere.
“Where did you go?”
“New Orleans. I’d heard some of the others talking about some Laudan musicians that were running their own club down there. So I thought I’d check it out, see what I was in for.”
“Wait... New Orleans? Like Anne Rice New Orleans? How cliché are you!” I cackled gleefully, but then caught his expression and smothered my laughter with a careful cough. “So... it worked out, I guess?”
“I guess,” he said with a shrug. “When I was first turned, eternity seemed like a really long fucking time, and I didn’t know what to do with that. I was a twenty-year-old punk for fuck’s sake. I wasn’t supposed to live past 26.” He blew out another cloud of smoke and flicked the cigarette expertly into the gutter beside Fee’s apartment.
“I just... I don’t know if I want to sling beer for the rest of my forever, y’know?” That was definitely the truth. The prospect just seemed... depressing. Like, really depressing.
“You’ll figure it out, kid,” he said, pulling the crumpled back of Camels out of his pocket again and sliding another cigarette between his lips. His moonshined eyes glinted at me briefly before he turned to walk away.
“I’ll figure it out?” I called after him, but he was already gone, fading into the shrinking shadows as the sun began to climb over the tops of the buildings.
“Shit,” I muttered, scrambling up the apartment stairs and digging my keys out of my pocket.
Maybe I should go to New Orleans. Vampire vision quest.
The thought hit me suddenly, as I climbed the stairs to Ophelia’s apartment. The tribunal was in two weeks, but what if Bishop couldn’t find me... no criminal, no punishment. No apologizing for something I didn’t remember doing and no disappointed looks from Bishop while I stood in front of some ancient European vampire to beg his forgiveness for breaking a rule I didn’t know existed.
Perfect.
I paused in front of the apartment door. They probably wouldn’t even waste the time to look for me. If they even noticed I was gone.
As I shoved my key through the deadbolt I could hear Ophelia’s alarm go off. She and Maia would be leaving for Haven soon, and I definitely didn’t want to talk about anything with either of them.
No way.
5
Maia
When I was in Seattle I hadn’t minded coming home with the stench of the deep fryer in my hair and oil burns on my arms. At least I felt like I was doing something... and I had Becca to talk to. We didn’t have deep conversations or anything, but we were never bored.
Right now, all I could smell was coffee and burnt milk. I told you I was still shit at foaming that stuff.
Ophelia had been distant all morning, she wasn’t the biggest talker, but this morning she’d been even more withdrawn. She was pleasant enough with the customers, but she’d hardly said anything to me aside from calling out coffee orders.
She’d been in David’s office for what seemed like hours now, and I rested my forehead against the counter. The shop was almost empty and I was just counting the minutes until one of the new hires arrived so that I could get the fuck out of here.
I’d been thinking about Lacey’s bus tickets all day. She was determined to get to New Orleans, but so was I, and I wasn’t going to let her leave without me.
At least she’d agreed to talk about it when I got back from work, and there was no way I was letting her off that hook.
Since Ophelia had been made Haven’s manager, the owner had taken a more hand’s off approach... I’d only seen him a few times in the few weeks I’d been working here. I knew that Lacey missed working at the café, but she never said anything about it. We’d just show up in the morning and the entire place would be decorated in what I’m sure she considered was a ‘seasonally appropriate’ fashion.
Right now, with autumn on the way, the café was decorated with a harvest moon theme. I kind of liked it, but Ophelia had rolled her eyes when we’d opened the shop door. “I’m going to have to hide my keys better,” she had muttered. “And don’t tell me to ‘lighten up,’ I get enough of that shit from David without you backing him up.”
I hadn’t gotten the chance to argue before I was pulling chairs off the tables and flicking on the neon OPEN sign.
I’d have to remember to compliment Lacey on her décor choices when I got home. Maybe that would cheer her up a little, and piss Ophelia off.
I smirked and inhaled the smell of the coffee stained wooden counter. I could leave in an hour, and I was counting the minutes until I could toss my apron at the girl who was coming in to work the closing shift and run for home. I had an idea, and I needed a quiet apartment, and no Ophelia standing over my shoulder telling me that I was holding a candle wrong, or that I was stripping the shitty leaves off of her shitty plants the wrong way.
Literally two seconds before her shift was supposed to start, Genevieve walked through the door. She was always precisely on time, and always left exactly at closing time. She never did any more, or any less than was asked of her, and it drove Ophelia crazy.
“Hey,” she said, coming behind the counter. “Anything I need to—“
Her words were cut off as my apron hit her in the face and I dashed by her to grab my backpack. “Nope! Everything’s just this side of fucked up! Normal day!” I shouted as I rushed out the door.
I didn’t even look over my shoulder to see the look on her face. Genevieve had started just after I had, but she was a superstar at steaming milk. She could even make little designs on the top of the cappuccino’s. I was usually lucky if it all got in the cup, forget making some little fern shit on top of that mess. It wasn’t that I didn’t like her... but I also wasn’t interested in making any new friends. I had enough to deal with as it was.
When I walked through the door of Ophelia’s apartment I had already planned out everything I needed to do. I had hit a roadblock on my research into the book I’d rescued from Magdalena’s burning house, but now that I was actually going to New Orleans, maybe things would be a little clearer. I’d never been much for praying, or anything like that, but maybe Hec
ate would help me out just a little.
Ophelia never really talked about any religion or anything that went with our magic, but there had to be something. We couldn’t just be granted these powers without a catch... there had to be something in place to tether us to the goddess. It just made sense. Maybe this witch in New Orleans could help me with that.
Suki jumped up on the kitchen table and meowed at me.
“Hey there, miss,” I said, setting down my bag by the door. “I’m gonna need your help for this.”
Suki blinked at me and sat down to wash her paws. It was like she’d been expecting me. I peeked into the living room, but Lacey’s curtains were shut tightly against the daylight. Perfect.
I rushed around the kitchen grabbing everything I would need. Dried herbs, salt, the marble mortar and pestle, and Ophelia’s grimoire. I knew I wasn’t supposed to use any of this stuff without her supervision, especially the book, but I didn’t want her help for this.
Ophelia had shown me how to use the scrying bowl once before, but she hadn’t let me touch anything, and when she let me step closer to look in the bowl, I hadn’t seen anything but my reflection.
I set everything down on the kitchen table and then filled a pitcher with water from a jug in the fridge that I’d purified under the last full moon. Ophelia hadn’t asked why I’d done it, but I think she was just happy to see that I was using my powers for something other than avoiding doing my share of the housework.
Ophelia’s scrying bowl was made of black marble, and it was heavy as fuck. I lugged it carefully to the table, setting it down gently in the center of the table and wiggling it into place.
“Five candles; check. Salt; check. Sandalwood; check...” Arranging everything around the scrying bowl was the most complicated part of the ritual; at least, that’s what it seemed like to me. So much set up for something so simple. I should have just taken a bath. Suki watched everything I did with interest, her emerald green eyes wide and unblinking. I sprinkled a pinch of sea salt into the bottom of the empty bowl and took a deep breath.
Power of Three: (Urban Fantasy) (Daughters of Hecate Book 3) Page 4
