by Gina LaManna
I brushed a strand of wayward hair from my face. “It’s fine. I understand. Everyone’s on edge.”
“Maybe a meal will calm your nerves?”
I glanced at the bed. My hesitation wasn’t lost on Grey.
“That will be there when we finish,” he said. “You need to eat. And once you see that file... there’s no going back.”
“Then let’s make this fast,” I said. “We don’t have a lot of time.”
DINNER WAS, AS MIDGE had promised, to die for. In fact, I scarfed enough food down that my pants had no hope of ever buttoning again. Grey was gentlemanly enough to look away the moment I sighed and actually lost the physical button. It flew from my waist, hit the table, and pinged off it.
“I think you look beautiful,” he said with a cheeky smile. He reached for the button, twisted it between his fingers, and then handed it back. “I think it’s your pants that have a problem.”
“Shut up.”
“Shall we order dessert?”
“Are you joking? I just lost the button on my pants.” I squeezed the button so tightly it indented into my palm. Then I shoved it in my jacket pocket and pulled my shirt down to cover the gap at my waist. “Anyway, I should really tuck in and get sleep. I want to be back by Matthew’s side first thing in the morning.”
“You want to get to the file,” Grey said quietly. “It’s important we’re honest with one another, Dani. I want to see you succeed—we all do. We need you to be victorious if we want to keep the balance of good and evil magic in alignment. A tip to one side of the scales would be a very bad thing to all societies.”
“Yeah, well, I’d like my privacy.”
“Very well.” Grey stood, tossed some money on the table. “I’ll be right next door if you need anything.”
We ascended the staircase in silence. The ragged, brown carpet softened our footsteps. The air smelled distinctly like soul food and fresh linens, a pleasant, homey scent. Quite different than the crisp woodsy cologne that clung to Grey.
When we reached our hallway, the one with the framed photos of an old family of gnomes, we faced one another.
“Goodnight,” I said.
“Good luck.”
I let myself into the room and crumbled onto the bed. My body barely felt capable of holding itself up anymore, and I imagined myself shattering to pieces if it weren’t for my skin and bones keeping me together.
The file was in a manila envelope—enchanted by the wolves, judging by the Residuals along the outside. I could see a trusty Identity Incantation that had been used to lock the files. I imagined if the wrong person opened it, the file would put itself on lockdown, or disappear entirely.
I reached for it, pulled it toward me. The package felt warm beneath my fingers and heavy. Unlike the master file that Matthew had secured for me, this one was stuffed to the brim with what felt like thick, sturdy papers. The envelope didn’t bend.
A quick glance around the room told me that I was alone and the door was locked. I looked at the wall opposite my bed, imagining Grey there—sitting, waiting, listening. For me to... what? I wondered. Scream?
Sliding one finger underneath the edge of the envelope, I tugged the lip open and felt the hiss of magic as the Identity Invocation climbed up my arms to verify that I was the intended recipient of the parcel.
I knew I’d passed the test when the tingle faded and the package went from heavy and warm, to quite normal and plain. Tipping the envelope upside down, I slid everything out in one go, noting a cover on the booklet of pages.
On the cover was a stamp. In big, blocky black letters, was printed a simple number: 2. Below it was an italicized font with the descriptor:
“Another seeks bright in deepest dark.”
If I interpreted this correctly, it meant that I wasn’t the second one mentioned in the master file. I was either one, three, four, or five.
Inhaling a breath, I gathered my courage and flipped the cover open. The first page caught my eye with an extra-large, smiling photo of a very familiar woman. I didn’t need to look at the name before I gasped.
Chapter 23
“How can this be?” I paced back and forth in the hotel room. Dawn was coming quickly, fingers of red pushing, poking at the darkness that slogged behind. “It’s impossible.”
“It’s her destiny.”
“There’s got to be another way,” I said. “This will kill her. I have to call Anita.”
“It won’t help anything,” Grey said. “I told you—this is a prophecy. Anita is doing everything she can to save Kady.”
“But what about Willa?” I yelled at him. “How can she be the second protector of the files? Her best spell, on a good day, is capable of breaking a window. This is all my fault. If she hadn’t come into my life, maybe she’d be safe.”
“I’d argue that she’s in your life now because The Hex Files magic drew her there. It’s the way things work, Dani. Everything happens for a reason. You were meant to meet Willa, just like her mom needed to be injured.”
“She doesn’t need to die!”
“She’s not dead yet.”
“Did you read the damn file?” I threw the papers on the bed. A few of them scattered, blew through the air. I didn’t care; a part of me wished I’d never read them in the first place. “Willa seeks bright in the deepest dark. That’s now! Her mother is dying! Willa’s not capable of seeking anything. She’ll be devastated.”
“You don’t know how strong someone is,” Grey said wisely, “until you’ve seen them go through hell. And come back.”
I crumpled on the bed. “She shouldn’t have to do this. Her mother can’t die.”
“If that’s what needs to happen, it’s what will happen.”
“How can you be so cavalier about this?”
“Cavalier?” Grey’s voice raised to a sharpness I’d never heard before. “Dammit, Dani! I am giving my life to this cause. Whatever it takes.”
“Well, maybe you should just let us protectors handle things,” I said dryly. “Isn’t that what this stupid hex is all about?”
“I don’t like this any more than you do,” Grey said. “But I’m as invested as you are. When the Elderwolves felt the pull of the files, I came to Wicked.”
“What was Lorraine, just a cover story?”
“Danielle.” Grey’s voice was sharp. “You know better than that.”
“I’m sorry. I know you were... I know you loved her. That you were just living your life,” I said. “But this sucks. None of us want to be a part of the files, and yet it seems the more we pull away, the more people get hurt.”
A light flicked on in Grey’s eyes. “Maybe that’s exactly it.”
“Exactly what?”
“The evil is growing stronger, but the good has not joined forces yet.” Grey stood, tapped a finger against the files. “Go searching the others out. Find Willa, find the others. The stronger you are, the more balanced the power struggle will be.”
“I’m trying,” I said. “But I can’t tear Willa away from her mother’s side. I have no clue where the other four files are, nor do I have any clue who they are.”
“The goblins, the witches, the sorcerers, the vampires, the humans.” Grey listed off the other species. “Go to them. Plead your case. Maybe, it will be enough for the other council members to turn over the files as the wolves have.”
I shook my head. “If only it were that easy.”
“You have to start somewhere.”
“I’m starting at the hospital,” I said. “I have to get home and shower and change, and I want to be there when Matthew wakes up. He’ll know what to do.”
“I’m not convinced Matthew is a part of this,” Grey said. “You might have to do this without him.”
I merely stared at Grey. “Well, that’s for me to find out, I suppose. Are you ready?”
We checked out and passed on Midge’s generous offers of a whoppingly sturdy breakfast. “I couldn’t possibly,” I told her as we left. �
�I quite literally lost the button on my pants last night.”
Midge gave us a giggly goodbye with promises she’d save us a room for our return visit. Maybe I’d take Matthew sometime once this mess was all over. It’d do no good to escape before we’d put an end to everything, as Matthew had wanted from the start. Running wouldn’t help anything.
Grey took us on a journey back to Wicked that I suspected toed the line of legality, but I was so tired from a sleepless night that I would have let him drag me wherever the hell he wanted so long as it ended with a warm shower and clean clothes.
Unfortunately, even after Grey dropped me at the trolley station near the Howler, making it home was not in the cards. As I hiked up my pants and opted for the walk back—I’d almost certainly fall asleep if I sat in the trolley and rode around the borough for the better part of the morning—I saw the flash of Flame Flares in the distance.
The colorful spells shot lights and formed boundaries around a fresh crime scene, usually one with a dead body. With a sigh and a frown at my uncooperative pants, I headed for the flares.
The crime scene was two streets down and, as I’d predicted, there was a body. Ropes and flares had been set up, and a handful of cops were trying to control the growing crowd.
Nash stood near the officer checking new officers into the scene. Sienna was nowhere to be found, which meant this was a fresh homicide. She usually wasn’t long behind a dead body. There was a necromancer joke in there somewhere, I thought, but my brain was too tired to crack it aloud.
Instead, I sidled over to my brother. “Hey, Nash, what happened?”
Nash looked at me, then did a double take. His face squashed up all horribly as if he’d seen a ghost. “Dani?”
“Um, yeah. Your sister.”
“What happened to you?”
“What are you talking about?” I stifled a yawn. “I had a busy night. Little sleepy, but that’s all.”
“You look like the crime scene, here,” Nash said. “Sienna’s gonna want to inspect you. Dead on your feet! What happened?”
“Long story.” I waved a hand. “I’d rather talk murder. Who’s the vic?”
“You’re...” Nash hesitated, then frowned. “Why are your pants unbuttoned?”
“Let’s focus on the murder.” I tugged my shirt down viciously. “What’s going on?”
The officer with the check in log winced at me. “Unfortunately, Detective, your name’s not on the list. Neither is Captain King’s.”
“Well, Captain King is in the hospital, so I guess that’s fair,” I said sarcastically. “But I’m here. Why don’t you use the Reserve while you’ve got me?”
Nash shifted his weight uneasily. “It’s another one.”
“Another what?”
“It looks like a vampire killed again, Dani,” Nash murmured softly, turning to the side to shield his gaze from looky-loos glancing over at my disheveled appearance and raised voice. “You should get on home. Sleep for a few hours before King wakes up. Watters isn’t going to be happy when she...”
“Watters isn’t going to be happy when what?” Lieutenant Watters herself asked from behind Nash, making both of us jump.
I’d been too tired, too focused to notice her stealthy appearance. An appearance that was a little too perfect. She wore a gray wool suit, a face of fresh makeup, and a starched white shirt with perfectly crisp edges. I was willing to bet all of her buttons were in place.
I couldn’t help the eye roll.
“You shouldn’t keep doing that,” Lieutenant Watters said. “My mother said if you roll your eyes too much they’ll get stuck like that.”
“Well, I’ve been doing it my whole life,” I said, “and they’re still rolling around just fine.”
“I see that.” Lieutenant Watters held out her hand. On her palm, two eyeballs appeared, rolling around.
Nash looked horrified, and my stomach felt as awful as his face looked.
“What are you doing?” I asked her. “That’s psychotic!”
“No, that’s your warning.”
I stared at her, then watched as she stepped past me and bypassed the cop taking names. The eyeballs on her palm disappeared as she closed her fist over them.
“That’s disgusting,” I said. “I knew she was a conjurer, but gross.”
“I think you should get out of here,” Nash said. “Please, Dani. Don’t push it.”
“I know I look bad, but jeez.”
“I’m not talking about that and you know it.”
“Well, pushing things is my middle name,” I said. “It’s how I get the job done. If I didn’t press on pain points now and again, I’d never bring in a criminal. Maybe you haven’t realized, but the bad guys don’t make a habit of turning themselves in freely.”
“Dani Pushing-Things DeMarco.” Sienna’s voice rang over my shoulder. “What are you doing here? I thought you were away.”
“I’m back.”
Sienna nodded. “What do we have here today?”
“Something I’m not allowed to see, apparently. I’m banned from the scene.” I nodded past the tape and flares. “Apparently it’s another death by vampire bite. And they’re not allowing the only vamp, and the person who best knows him, to investigate.”
“People are idiots.” Sienna had a way of putting things simply. “What do you think is going on?”
I thought of the last few hours—days?—and found the timeline warped in my mind. The Hex Files ran into homicide scenes, and my attack blended with Matthew’s and Kady’s in one dark and starry blur.
“Honestly,” I said. “I don’t know. All I can piece together in my limited investigation is that Allie Sparks was a new werewolf not yet into her powers. Nobody wanted her dead—at least on the surface.”
“Targeted for weakness?” Sienna suggested. “It’s not easy to kill a wolf—ask your Grey.”
“He’s not my Grey,” I corrected. “And I know. I’ve seen Matthew tangle with the wolves before. It’s a pretty even fight.”
“Exactly. But only when the wolves have their full powers. However, if someone wanted to tick off the wolves... and wanted an easy way to do it...”
“They’d go after the weakling.”
While this wasn’t new information, the way Sienna said it had things turning in my brain. Maybe I was looking at it all wrong. I’d been investigating Allie Sparks as one—as a singular entity. But what if she had done nothing wrong except been born into the wolf species? What if this was an attack on werewolves as a whole? The only thing worse than homicide, to werewolves, was homicide by vampire.
“Detective?” Sienna called after me. “Where are you going?”
I hadn’t realized I’d been inching away from the conversation as my brain worked through the newest development. “Well, I can’t be here anyway, so I’m going to take off and get in a visit with Matthew.”
“Matthew has been at the hospital, yes?” Sienna mused. “All night long?”
“Yes. Which would mean he’s got an alibi.” I gave her a satisfied smile, and she nodded back. “Let Watters know, will you?”
She winked. “Stop by later.”
“I will.”
As I spun from the crime scene and stalked away, I hoped I’d read Sienna right. Clearly, she was of the same mind as the chief—just because an order from above took me off the case, it didn’t mean I was on the outs with my friends.
Hopefully Sienna would have the information I needed when I swung by the morgue later. If our heads were in the correct place, I was betting that this vic would be a newer wolf, too. A weaker one, a target. Collateral damage in a war raging much larger than him.
Still wondering who would want to tick off an entire species, I made my way home and let myself into the pizzeria. It was blissfully quiet at this hour, and it was with a somber twitch that I realized both Jack and Willa were likely still at the hospital.
I putzed around in the kitchen while Comming my twin and Jimmy to secure their help for the
day. Once business was taken care of, I headed upstairs to take care of the hot mess that was Dani DeMarco.
My shower went from a quick rinse to a twenty-minute brainstorming session on the cases at hand, but unfortunately, the steamy bathroom didn’t prompt any brilliant breakthroughs. It did, however, make me feel like a new woman.
As I climbed out from underneath the hot stream of water, I opened the mirror to the medicine cabinet and took down an industrial sized jar of Aloe Ale. Running through the wilderness first alone, then with Grey and Ranger X, had done a number on my skin.
I winced, dabbing the Ale over my cuts and bruises, watching as the magic helped to seal the still-open wounds. It made me feel for Kady and Matthew. A few nicks from tree branches, and my body felt like someone had poured lemon juice into a thousand paper cuts. But they’d had their chests and faces ripped open by claws. I’d take the paper cuts.
The only downer about stopping by my place, besides Willa and Jack’s absence, was the silence of my furniture. Marla, my coatrack, was dreadfully quiet about my disheveled appearance, and the fact that my choice in clothing for the day was a uniform startlingly similar to the one from yesterday that I’d just kicked into the hamper.
My toaster, Tammy, didn’t giggle with glee and spew bread at me. Even Carl, my trusty couch, didn’t groan when I sat on him to lace up my boots. It was depressing.
I threw open Fred for good measure, but the refrigerator remained silent about his paltry contents—even when I rummaged through the last pickle jar for some source of sustenance for the day.
“Maybe I’ll grab a Jell-O from Anita at the hospital,” I told Fred. “How about that?”
His lack of appalled expletives notched my mood down a step further. I’d really have to see Felix and beg him for a favor. He could probably reverse engineer something—just as soon as we wrapped up the cases at hand.
Thoroughly satisfied that my furniture was still comatose, I locked up and walked briskly toward the hospital. The building loomed next door to the police station and was built of solid brick, meant to withstand the worst of the magical whirlwinds to blow through Wicked.
