“No, I told you, the Cult took Devon in when the binding started wearing off.”
“So you wouldn’t have a death record on him?”
Merick shook his head.
I glanced at my watch and then out the window. A moment later, Levi walked in without Mario. Everyone paused at the fact that Levi was missing his bodyguard, but almost like everyone got a cue I didn’t, Oliver, Liz, and Merick all stood up.
“I need to go make a phone call,” Merick muttered and walked out of the kitchen.
Liz patted my back. “I’ll be in the living room.” She walked out without looking at Levi.
“I’m getting tea.” Oliver simply walked over to the stove and filled a tea pot. He looked over his shoulder at me. “Coffee?”
I nodded and then looked back at Levi. “Where’s Mario?”
Levi sat down without answering me. “Were you going to tell me that Samuel came to see you today?”
“It’s been a long day, and that’s not even the worst of it, so no I wasn’t.” I stared at him. “Where’s Mario?” Dread filled me.
“Hannah visited, and Mario is in the process of healing.”
“What the fuck happened last night?”
“Hannah came with Samuel to finalize the territory contract. Hannah requested time with Mario, and, as his maker, I can’t deny her.”
I sighed. “So she took advantage of it and hurt him.”
“Yes, she’s one to push all the limits she can.” Levi sighed. “Samuel mentioned that he was watching you, and then one of my people saw him downtown standing with you and Liz. I have to say, I’m disappointed that she didn’t tell me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Why do you still have people in Manitou?”
“They were there shopping, believe it or not.” Levi met my gaze. “You have to tell me when Samuel does things.”
I sighed. “Look, we decided not to tell you because he’s not the immediate threat right now. He even admitted that he has to behave himself while he’s waiting to get his land. Liz and I have other things on our plate to focus on right now. If he’d tried to hurt me, you’d know.”
Oliver brought the coffee to me and sat down with his tea. “She didn’t tell me either.”
Both Levi and I just looked at him.
Oliver shrugged. “Levi, Abigail has been much more careful than normal. She’s been using her magic to keep herself protected, which helps strengthen it from the attack. She’s been sleeping and eating regularly.”
I wasn’t sure if what I was doing currently counted, but I was going to let him talk.
“She took back up when she went into an unknown situation.”
Oh shit, that was this morning. “There is one thing I need to tell you about, but PIB is handling it, so you can’t interfere.”
Levi looked at me, his face blank.
“This morning, Liz and I went to Black Hawk to follow Simon’s trail. We weren’t able to find Simon.” My voice hitched a little, but I forced my mind to find that place in my brain that was work and only work. Where I could shove the emotions away. “What we found was a note and Simon’s fur. The note’s handwriting matched the one at the crime scenes.”
Levi was quiet for a moment. “What is PIB doing about it?”
“They have a suspect they are looking into. They don’t want to spook her, so they aren’t moving too fast.”
“How are you handling it?”
I sipped my coffee, hiding behind the mug for a moment. “I can’t answer that until I know what the outcome of this case will be,” I said honestly. “Right now, I’m forcing myself to think in work mode so I don’t get overwhelmed and break down.” Though I was thinking that after this I was going to need a few years of therapy to get me through it all.
“You’re staying away from the case?” He asked.
“I’m doing the best a can.” It was a lie, and not even a good one. Levi sighed.
“You can’t do anything stupid, Abigail. You’re still healing. Samuel…”
“We’re not having this argument again. Levi, PIB is my job. This case is personal. I’m doing what I can to help solve it.” I stood with my coffee and turned away from him. “Nothing changes just because Samuel is here. If he gets in my way, I’ll kill him.”
I walked into the living room, leaving Levi alone with Oliver.
Liz looked at me. “That was short-lived.”
“I’m ready to do this. As soon as Levi leaves. I can’t leave Simon in captivity anymore.” I clenched my fists closed and then open again. “You have my back?”
Liz nodded. “Always. Tomorrow we get the PIB tracker on you. We do this officially and from the King’s side. You’ll have all the backup you need.”
Oliver walked in. “Levi is quite cross with you, but he went home. He promised to lock you away if you end up close to death again.”
I turned to him. “I’ll be fine.” I took a deep breath. “When we were attacked at Melisandra’s, you both said that there was another branch of the Cult after me.”
“Yes.”
“Do you think that’s still true?”
“I do, but Merick’s branch of the cult is looking into it from their end.”
“What can you tell me about it?”
“I don’t know much. They are dark and violent, but like all of the Cult, have a code they follow.” He shrugged.
That wasn’t a lot to go on. “Okay.” I yawned. “Let’s order some food and then call it a night. I want that tracker as early as possible, and then I want Merick to trade me for Raina. Ease his heart a little.”
Oliver nodded. “I’ll have food delivered.” He stood and walked out of the living room.
Liz looked at me. “Are you sure about this?”
“No, but do I have much of a choice?”
Her silence gave me my answer.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The next morning, Liz and I sat in a briefing room with O’Doanld. He put two folders down, one in front of me and one in front of Liz.
“This is a high priority and top security case. We did not fill the King in on your involvement, Abigail, so I suggest you keep that to yourself.”
“It’s daytime sir, I won’t really have a chance to talk to him until I’m back, and by then it’ll be too late.” I shrugged. “Also, I don’t share everything with Levi.”
He nodded and then put a small white box on the table in front of me. “This is the tracking device. We’ll hide it in the hem of your pants.”
So as long as I didn’t lose my pants, and no one thought to check inside the hem, I’d be okay. I also had my phone tracker, but O’Donald didn’t need to know that.
“The goal of this is to get in, rescue the hostages, and get out. I do not want you to engage the suspects.”
“And if it’s unavoidable sir?” I asked, trying to keep my tone even. “I mean, we’re talking about trying to get out with two known hostages. It may not be possible to avoid conflict.”
He nodded. “We’re giving you twelve hours before we go in after you. I don’t want you to engage without backup. Liz will lead the team of backup.”
And Oliver would have Melisandra, Travis, and Merick as backup as well. I swallowed, realizing I was willingly going into a situation where I knew my weapons would be stripped from me and I would have to depend on my backup.
I glanced at Liz.
“Twelve hours was the time we thought you’d be able to assess the situation, form a plan, and execute it.”
“So we wait for the witch to nab me and then the twelve hours start.” I opened the folder and saw Annabella’s face staring back at me. “This is who we think the witch is?”
“Yes, and if we’re wrong, then when we get you out, we’ll have a new suspect. If we’re lucky, you’ll come back with some evidence we’re able to trace that suspect with.”
I could probably do that in a fight, but I wasn’t sure I could do it stealthily. “Okay.”
“As you can see in the folder, the
re’s not much we know about Annabella Louise. We couldn’t find her birth certificate, her family, nothing in the PIB database.”
But the Cult had some information on her. That she was related to Nick somehow. I closed the folder. “Thank you for the briefing.”
I picked up the white box and my folder. “Who’s going to put this inside my hem?”
“I will.” Liz said. “I have a sewing machine. If I do it right, your hem won’t even look like we messed with it.”
That was a comfort to know.
“Okay.”
We both walked out of the room while O’Donald stayed there looking over his own file. My stomach tightened, and anxiety suddenly ate at me. I was going in alone for twelve hours. I’d survived Ira for that long, so certainly I could survive this witch. Right? Except with Ira, there weren’t any innocent lives at stake if I fucked up.
“Abby?” Liz asked, and I looked at her.
“Sorry, I’m in my head.”
“Look, you’re going to get through this. You have backup from three different places.”
“Three?”
“The Cult is behind you as well.” She smirked. “Looks like Merick’s counting you as an honorary member, like me, now.”
I snorted. “Okay. Let’s get this tracker into my pants and then back home.”
The plan was there, get in, get out, be safe. Of course, some details were missing.
#
Liz and I made it to my house after she’d sewn the tracker into my pants. Oliver and Merick were waiting for us.
“O’Donald is giving me twelve hours to get in and get out as soon as I’m taken. I don’t know how you guys want to handle it. Come in before PIB? After?” I glanced at Liz. “Any preference?”
Liz nodded. “After would be better if we need them. We don’t want them there before and have PIB mistake them for bad guys.”
Yeah, that could cause some problems. “Okay, so give PIB two hours to get me.”
“That’s fourteen hours total.” Merick shook his head. “They might kill you by then.”
I pressed my lips together. “I’m hoping they want me alive. They kept Nick alive when they attacked him magically. I don’t think they expected to find me with a hole in my aura and almost kill me. Notice they haven’t magically attacked since. Just brushes of magic here and there to let me know they are still around.”
“You’re banking on that.”
“Yep. I seem to be more valuable to people alive than dead. I’m hoping that trend continues.”
Merick sighed. “Okay then, what are we waiting for? Let’s go trade you for Raina.”
There was enough pain in his voice that I wanted to ask him if he was going to be okay, if Raina was going to be okay after all of this. I kept my mouth shut, though. I was a big bad PIB agent. Saving people was part of the job, even if it put me in danger.
I nodded and looked at Liz. “Wish me luck?”
“I’ll see you on the other side.” She smiled. “No need for luck.”
Merick grabbed my wrist, and the world shifted away. Once it rebuilt itself, I found us in a stone room with no windows, one door, and the floor splattered with blood. I knew that Liz was wrong. Very wrong.
“Annabella,” Merick shouted. “I brought her!”
A chill went through the room, and the door opened. The woman from the picture walked in, dragging a stumbling Raina with her.
“Oh Merick, you finally came through. Disarm Abigail.”
Merick grabbed my gun from the holster and tossed it to Annabella’s feet. He waited for a moment, but Annabella didn’t make a move.
“Of magical items too.”
Ah fuck, of course we didn’t think about that. I reached behind my neck and undid the chain and handed to him, he tossed it to Annabella. “Better?” I asked, trying to keep my anger from my voice. I still had my magic. I still had my elemental ability.
She nodded. “Oh yes, much.” She put her hand on the ground, and her magic flared around me. I cried out as red wrapped around my feet, keeping me in place. I’d seen this magic before. Back when the Cult tried to kill me in my dreams. After the hex.
My heart pounded in my chest. “You have me, now give Raina back to Merick.”
“My pleasure. She was losing her fun anyway. She had no more information on you or the cult to give me.” She shoved Raina to Merick. “If I even feel you back here Merick, I slaughter Abigail, and then come after you and Raina.”
She did plan on keeping me alive. At least we had one thing right. Two things, if you counted the fact that Annabella really was our suspect.
“I’m sorry, Abigail.” Merick said as he disappeared with his sister. I couldn’t blame him, but I was questioning how I was going to get out of this.
Pain inched through me, not unbearable, but enough to make me uncomfortable. It seemed to crawl up my body, leaving small stabbing pains every couple inches. My stomach churned and my body felt weaker.
“What you’re feeling is a temporary binding spell.” Annabella walked up to me. This close to me, I could tell she was older now. Her carefully done makeup clung to the wrinkles in her forehead and at the crow’s feet at the corner of her eyes. She put a hand on my cheek. “I’ve waited years for this.” She laughed and then snapped her fingers.
The ground below me began to drag me under. I couldn’t move as it swallowed me. A moment later I fell into a small, square stone chamber. The front of the square had bars, and in front of that was a light bulb swinging from the ceiling.
This was what Merick had described. Fuck. Hopefully It didn’t block either of the trackers. Twelve hours and counting, and the only thing I knew so far was the fact that my magic was bound and we were right about our suspect. I didn’t have eyes on Simon or Nick.
I closed my eyes and tried to listen for any sounds that would give something away. Nothing but silence greeted me. I shivered at the dampness of the room and rubbed my hands up and down my arms.
Annabella walked in front of my cell. “Fun trick, wasn’t it? There are all kinds of spells to transport people against their will. Most of them require blood, but that doesn’t matter. Blood magic is a drop in the hat compared to some other things I’ve done.” She flipped her hair back. “My husband has taught me so much. It’s a shame that my stepson had to run off and join PIB.”
“Nick,” I said easily. “But Christof is dead.”
“That’s what he wanted everyone to believe.” She grinned at me. “He’d go around using spells to conceal himself. No one was the wiser. He tried to teach Nick when he came to the Underground, but Nick refused.” She shrugged. “And now he’s here anyway.” She touched the bars, and they disappeared. A strange sense of magic went through me as they did. “Now come.”
I couldn’t resist the command, and I remembered what she had told Nick. She owned Nick. I wonder if this is what she meant.
I stepped out of the cell and she led me down the hall. Cells were placed next to each other with a few feet of stone walls between them. I stopped when I saw a wolf in one of the cages.
“Simon!” I went to the bars, and he looked up, giving me a glimpse of the silver collar around his neck and a sore under it from where she’d taken the fur. I turned to her. “Fuck you.”
She raised a hand, and pain shot through me. “You will not speak to me in such a way. We will set your wolf free as soon as Christof finishes with you. And until then.” She flicked her other hand and Simon yelped. “He’ll be used to control you.”
So that’s why they hadn’t killed him. I met Simon’s yellow gaze. I knew that I couldn’t let her torture him anymore than she might have already. I wasn’t strong enough to watch him take pain for me. Annabella crooked her finger, and I followed her down the hall and out a wooden door.
The room looked similar to the one Merick had taken me to. It was a round stone room, but the stone looked smoother and newer. The floor was stainless steel with a drain at the bottom. I was going to bleed. There was a c
hair near the drain that Annabella pointed to. “Sit.”
I sat down. The red magic wrapped around me again, and I cringed. A moment later the door opened, and Nick walked in with Melisandra’s sister right next to him. I blinked a few times to see if I was hallucinating. No, the woman next to him didn’t disappear. But she did start shifting forms. The facade melted away and left my mother in her place. My heart pounded. No, my mother was dead. I saw her body that night, Levi saw the body.
Then it melted away again, leaving Tobias there, then the man that Liz and I saw in the newspaper, then it melted one last time, leaving Christof standing there.
I’d only seen Christof in a picture before, and now he looked much older, wrinkles around his mouth and on his forehead were apparent, his hair was gray.
“That’s a hell of a spell,” I muttered.
He chuckled. “Spellbound, no magic, and you’re still calm.”
I wouldn’t go as far as calm.
“Nicolas tells me you’re stronger than we give you credit for.”
“Well, Nick has seen my magic firsthand while all you and Annabella over there do is hide in the shadows.”
I swore the red around my wrists and feet tightened. “You’re the high priest of the other Cult of Ra branch, aren’t you?”
“And smarter than we thought.” Christof stood in front of me. “The daughter of Tobias and Elizabeth, suddenly the heir to the Vampire throne.”
“That’s not how that works. I’m not Levi’s blood.”
“And it’s in her will to not be changed,” Nick piped in. Annabella walked over to him and put her hand against his cheek.
“Quiet.”
Nick paled a little, but he didn’t say anything else.
Christof nodded and stepped back. “But our sources say that you are learning the ways of vampire politics.”
“I can’t really avoid it at this point.” I shrugged. “Why am I here, Christof?”
He stepped back. “Ah yes, why go through all this work to get you here. Merick, Simon, Nick… bait for you. Seth, Michele, the vampire, all people who needed to be taken out because of the research.” He turned to me. “But I don’t have Tobias’ gift of languages. I don’t have his knack for figuring things out. That’s where you come in. Nick told me you deciphered the runes that Devon used when he went AWOL.”
Something Wicked (Here Witchy Witchy Book 11) Page 17
