“Susie might have been able to,” Morgan went on, “but she didn’t adapt her portal spell until later. I’d really like to know how you did that, by the way.” Susie didn’t respond, apparently still asleep, but I could have sworn I saw her lips twitch in a ghost of a smile. “You,” she said, nodding to Mrs. Kendricks, “are a traditionally-trained witch. You couldn’t kill another person, not without losing your bond with the Goddess. Olivia was still in the hospital in New Orleans back in May, which leaves Amy –”
“Not it,” Amy declared immediately. “I was still locked up in a soulstone back then.”
“– and Peter.” Morgan’s bright blue eyes fell on me and my heart flip-flopped in my chest. “A remarkable young man with unusually destructive spells, a Philosopher’s Stone, and a strong attachment to a certain succubus.”
“I, uh –” Everyone was looking at me now, but not in fear or dismay. They all looked wary and determined, as if they were waiting for a signal from me. Even Susie’s eyes were cracked open and flickers of light played around her rings. Oh my God, I realized, they’re going to fight Agent Morgan to protect me. That would be a disaster of epic proportions. I couldn’t let that happen. I opened my mouth to confess but Daraxandriel spoke first.
“Metraxion slew Parathraxas,” she said, lifting her chin defiantly, “in retribution for his captivity. Peter Simon Collins did not harm him.”
“Metraxion.” Morgan put a lot of skepticism in that utterance but at least her attention was off me for the moment. “You’re telling me Dr. Bellowes captured one of the most powerful demon lords in Hell and used him to hunt other demons?”
“Certes,” Daraxandriel nodded firmly. “Even a demon lord may be tricked and ensnared, if one is canny and skilled enough. Thou shouldst find record of Parathraxas’ deed within his journals. He was ever one to brag of his triumphs,” she added with a sneer.
“Like someone else we know,” Amy scoffed.
Morgan rested her hands on the arms of her chair, slowly drumming her fingers one after the other as she considered Daraxandriel’s tale. “And Dr. Bellowes just happened to lose control of Metraxion while hunting you?”
“Metraxion was not a willing prisoner,” Daraxandriel pointed out, “and Parathraxas was distracted at the time.” Her wide grin exposed her fang.
I tried to discern what Morgan was thinking but her face gave away nothing. Everything Daraxandriel said was true, technically, but she made it sound like Dr. Bellowes slipped up during their encounter, without me being involved at all. Part of me wanted to blurt out the truth but the rest of me shouted, Shut up if you want to get out of this in one piece!
“I’ll ask Evelyn to check your claim about Metraxion,” Morgan said finally, “but what proof do you have about how Dr. Bellowes actually died?”
“My solemn oath,” Daraxandriel declared proudly. Every single one of us rolled our eyes.
“I was there,” Mrs. Kendricks stated flatly. “I saw him taken by Metraxion.”
I stared at her with my mouth hanging open. “What are you doing?” I asked, aghast. She held up her hand to silence me, keeping her eyes on Agent Morgan.
“He captured me and four of my witches,” she went on, “including Susie and my daughter, and Melissa as well. He tried to feed Susie’s soul to Metraxion and lost control. I have no regrets for his end,” she said through her teeth. “I only wish he suffered more.”
“And why should I believe you?” Morgan asked.
Mrs. Kendricks held out her hand and whispered a lilting phrase. A sphere of glowing lines and circles appeared above her palm, bobbing gently in the air. “I swear by the Goddess that all I have spoken here is true, without deceit or embellishment.” The sphere brightened, casting a soothing greenish light, and I could have sworn there were wind chimes ringing just at the edge of my hearing.
“Well. that settles that, I suppose,” Morgan said thoughtfully and Mrs. Kendricks let the sphere dissipate as I let my breath out in relief. “Except for one thing.”
I looked from her to Mrs. Kendricks in alarm but she remained cool. “And what is that?”
“Dr. Bellowes disappeared two months ago, according to you, yet you never reported his death.” Morgan leaned forward again, her eyes narrowing. “Why not?”
“Who would I tell?” Mrs. Kendricks retorted. “The police? There was no body, no signs of violence, no missing persons report that I was aware of. Chief Collins would have laughed me out of his office or locked me away if I claimed that someone was taken away by a demon.”
“You had the chance when I was here before,” Morgan argued. “You let me go to London in ignorance, knowing full well I was wasting my time.”
“It was hardly a waste,” Mrs. Kendricks pointed out. “You discovered quite a bit about Dr. Bellowes’ past deeds.”
“But you couldn’t have known that would happen. You kept his belongings for yourself, I notice.” Morgan nodded pointedly at the book in Amy’s hands.
“Not by choice,” she insisted. “His artifacts are extremely dangerous but I don’t have the power to destroy them.”
“I do.” Whether by design or accident, Morgan’s sleeve slid up an inch, exposing her bracelet.
Mrs. Kendricks set her jaw. “I trust myself and these courageous few,” she said tersely, indicating the six of us on either side of her. “I hardly know you, Agent Morgan.”
Morgan didn’t look happy about that pronouncement. “Ryan trusts me, Miss Kendricks,” she replied, equally frosty. “You should as well.”
Mrs. Kendricks eyes flashed. “Perhaps he trusts you too much. It’s quite a coincidence, isn’t it, that he was sent out of town on a mission just as you returned to accuse us of killing Dr. Bellowes.”
I expected Morgan to deny that but she just looked at Mrs. Kendricks with her lips pressed together. The silence stretched out until it was ready to snap.
“Well,” she said finally, “we seem to be at an impasse. What happens now?”
“Now we need to take care of the incubus who’s been targeting my witches.”
Morgan didn’t quite sneer, but it was close. “Even a hedge witch can banish an incubus.”
“This one has Dr. Bellowes’ ring, the one he used to enslave Metraxion.”
Morgan’s smirk vanished. “How did you let him take it?”
“We didn’t let him, he discovered where it was hidden. He’s already caused us some problems with it.” I thought that was the understatement of the year, considering that I was sort of dead. “The longer he has it, the harder it’ll be to stop him. We’re trying to learn all we can about it to see if there’s some weakness we can exploit.” She nodded in Amy’s direction.
“You’re wasting your time,” Morgan stated flatly, rising to her feet. “Only a fool would write down his secrets where anyone could find them and by all accounts, Dr. Bellowes was no fool. I’ll take care of this incubus myself and recover the ring.”
“I’ll go with you,” Mrs. Kendricks said, getting to her feet as well. “You shouldn’t underestimate this demon.”
“This isn’t my first incubus,” Morgan said dismissively, “and I’m better equipped to deal with whatever tricks it has up its sleeve. Do you know where it is now?”
“No, unfortunately. Susie, do you think you can track it down?”
Susie stretched and sat up with a sigh. “Maybe. Is it still Peter?”
Morgan blinked. “Is it what?”
I cleared my throat awkwardly. “The incubus possessed me last night. He’s still using my body.”
“Then what are you?” she asked, looking me over with a dubious frown.
“A ghost, kind of,” I said ruefully. “The Dread Lord’s curse is making me, um, visible.”
Morgan squeezed her eyes shut and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Unbelievable,” she muttered.
“Peter should go with you,” Mrs. Kendricks insisted, “so he can reclaim his body when the incubus is gone.”
“No,” she refused f
irmly. “I don’t know what effect my banishment spell will have on a ghost. Everyone stay put until it’s gone and then we’ll see about putting all the pieces back together. Susie, can you teleport me to where the incubus is?”
Susie heaved a sigh and unfolded herself from the chair. She spread her hands and closed her eyes as the jewels on her rings glowed blue-white. A faint echo of her portal pentagram appeared around my feet and I tried to jump out of the way, but it followed me like a gleaming shadow. “Susie!”
“Stop moving, Peter!” she ordered irritably. “I’m getting two signals all mixed together and I need to concentrate.” I stood where I was, watching the pentagram nervously until it finally flickered out. “Okay, I can send you there,” she said to Agent Morgan.
“Good,” she nodded. “Where is he? I don’t want to run into any surprises.”
“I can’t tell, that’s not how this works. He’s that way somewhere, that’s all I know.” Susie pointed at the house, but that didn’t mean very much. He could have been in the apartment or the library or the police station or just about anywhere else around downtown Hellburn. Or maybe he’s actually in the house, I thought uneasily, eyeing the back door.
“Well, I’ll have to make do, then,” Morgan said. “This should only take a few minutes. I’ll call you when I’m done so you can bring me back.”
“I don’t know you well enough,” Susie told her. “I’ll need something that belongs to you.”
Morgan frowned as she considered that and then reached into her blazer, pulling out a black leather case. She flipped it open, revealing a gold FBI badge. “Will this do?”
Susie took it from her and the amethyst on her right forefinger flared momentarily. “Yes.” She tossed it on her chair and raised her hands again. “Ready?”
“Wait! What’s your phone number?” Morgan pulled a cellphone out of another pocket.
“I left my phone at Peter’s apartment.”
Morgan looked at me expectantly. “The incubus has my phone,” I apologized.
Morgan let out a long-suffering sigh. “Anyone?”
“Call me,” Mrs. Kendricks said, reciting her number. Morgan added it to her contacts and stowed her phone away.
“Get ready,” Susie warned, raising her hands. “I’m going to put you right beside him.”
Morgan nodded and traced a complicated symbol in the air. A faint silvery sheen surrounded her, like she was encased inside a soap bubble. “I’m ready,” she said. “As soon as –” A pentagram drawn in white fire popped into existence around her feet, flashed brightly, and then disappeared, leaving us blinking at the space where Agent Morgan used to be. Susie flopped back down on her chair, wiggled around to remove Morgan’s badge from underneath her, and laid her head back with her eyes closed.
“Well,” said Mrs. Kendricks after a long moment, “let’s keep our fingers crossed. I left my phone inside,” she added, moving towards the back door. “Which reminds me, I still need to call Tara and ask her to get poor Mrs. Phipps out of jail. Stay here and keep alert,” she warned us somberly. “This isn’t over yet.” She stepped inside the house and shut the door behind her.
“I am ill at ease,” Daraxandriel confessed softly, fingering the hilt of her sword. “Dame Morgan is a most potent witch, yet the incubus has already claimed three such without trouble.”
“They were caught by surprise,” I argued. “Agent Morgan knows what to expect and she’s going in ready for a fight. Besides, she has her Philosopher’s Stone. I just hope she doesn’t disintegrate my body getting rid of him,” I added glumly. “That would suck.”
“Verily,” she agreed, but she still seemed worried.
“Do you really think she believed Dara?” Melissa asked anxiously. “I’m mean, you’re the one who distracted Dr. Bellowes, right? What if she finds out it was actually you and arrests you?”
“That won’t happen,” I told her firmly, hoping all the while that it was true. “Mrs. Kendricks was the only other person there – the only one who was awake, anyway – and there’s no other evidence. It’s our word against her suspicion.”
“Too bad you’re such a terrible liar,” Amy snorted. “You’d better avoid Agent Morgan like the plague as soon as this is over.”
“Nothing would make me happier,” I assured her. I tried to check my watch to see how long Morgan had been gone but I didn’t have a watch anymore. “How long does it take to exorcize an incubus?” I asked Susie.
She shrugged. “How would I know?”
“It’s a witch thing and you’re a witch.”
“It’s an exorcism thing,” she corrected me, “and I’m not an exorcismist.”
“Exorcist.” Susie shrugged again and slumped lower in her chair, like all her bones were melting. “Are you all right?”
“I’m tired,” she grumbled. “I need your Philosopher’s Stone. Or a good night’s sleep.”
“Couldn’t you have used Agent Morgan’s?”
A frown creased her forehead and she pried one eyelid open for a moment, scanning the patio. “Maybe.”
“So what happens when you get your body back?” Olivia asked, sounding despondent. “What’s going to happen to the curse? Am I going to be like this forever?”
I certainly hope so, Little Peter leered. My chair hid the lower half of Olivia’s body but the top half was on full display.
Shut up! “I don’t know,” I told her honestly. “We’re just going to have to deal with it, no matter how things turn out. Um, Olivia,” I explained to everyone else, pointing. Olivia just nodded forlornly. I felt sorry for her but I didn’t really know what else to say.
Silence fell over the back yard as we waiting, except for the rustle of paper as Amy turned to a new page in the journal. “There’s no point in finishing that,” I reminded her. “The incubus will be gone in a few minutes.”
“The ring won’t be,” she argued, “and guess who’s going to be wearing it in a few minutes.”
“Agent Morgan?” I guessed doubtfully. “Why would she take it?”
“You don’t honestly believe she’s going to let any of us have it, do you?”
“It needs to be destroyed,” I insisted.
“Yes, well, good luck talking her into that.”
That little exchange didn’t make me feel any better about the situation. I trusted Agent Morgan, more or less, but that ring was a ticking time bomb. Hopefully she’d agree that destroying it would be for the best.
The back door opened again and Mrs. Kendricks stood there holding her cellphone. “It’s done,” she reported. “Bring her back, Susie.”
“Already?” I asked doubtfully. I patted my chest experimentally but I didn’t feel any different. “Why aren’t I back in my body?”
“Maybe you need to be closer,” Melissa suggested.
“Maybe it’s a smoldering heap of ashes,” Amy sniggered.
“Thank you so much for that reassuring image,” I told her, rolling my eyes. I really, really hoped she was wrong about that.
Susie let her breath out in a weary whoosh and unfolded herself from her chair, spreading her hands again. Her rings flashed and the fiery pentagram came and went, depositing Agent Morgan in exactly the same spot, although she was facing away from us.
“Well?” I asked her eagerly. “What happened? Did you get him?” Morgan turned around and looked right at me and I sucked in my breath in horror. Her eyes were all pupil. “Susie! Simon says, get us out of here!” I shouted, just as Morgan reached up over her head and pulled a bolt of lightning out of the clear blue sky that made my Lightning Strike spell look like a spark of static electricity. It hit me dead on and everything went white.
12
For the first couple of decades of our lives, our parents are there to look after us. They feed us when we’re hungry, they pick us up and kiss our boo-boos when we fall, and they hug us and tell us everything’s going to be okay when things go wrong. Even if they’re not actually with us at any given moment, the knowle
dge that there’s someone we can turn to in a moment of need is sometimes all we need to make it through the day.
Of course, as we become adults, we come to realize our parents aren’t the perfect beings we adored when we were younger and we no longer rely on them to take care of us. We strike out on our own, but just because we’re older and more experienced doesn’t mean the world suddenly becomes a safe and comfortable place. Bad stuff still happens but who can we turn to when we need a hug from someone bigger and stronger and wiser than ourselves?
For many people, the answer is God, or whatever Supreme Being stands at the top of their particular faith. The Christian God in particular is often called the Almighty Father, an omniscient and omnipotent benefactor with boundless love for all His children. When all else fails, He will always be there for you. I can understand why millions of people around the world find that reassuring, but truth be told, I’d rather call Dad when I’m in trouble. He’s a lot closer and I don’t have to repent of my sins before he helps me.
“Peter!”
Between the ringing in my ears and my arms wrapped protectively around my head, I barely heard Olivia’s scream. I cautiously opened my eyes, blinking away the spots, and tried to figure out what happened to me.
I was still standing on Mrs. Kendricks’ patio but the concrete surface was scorched black all around me. My chair was sagging mess of aluminum tubing and melted nylon webbing and what looked like a bundle of cloth smoldered at my feet. I hastily backed away and patted at my clothing, certain I was on fire, but my motions slowed as I realized I was wearing my uniform again.
“Peter!” Olivia grabbed my arm and hung on for dear life, looking stunned and wild-eyed. “What happened? Are you okay?” She took a closer look at me and gasped. “Oh my God, you’re dead!”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” I sighed. “Did everyone else get away?” The only other people in sight were Agent Morgan and Mrs. Kendricks, both of them frowning at me, or at least in my direction. “Why didn’t Susie take Mrs. Kendricks with her?” I asked in dismay.
Sudden Death Page 17
