by Alicia Rades
Fifteen minutes later, we pulled up to a three-story brick building. It looked old, with shop windows on the lower level and apartments on the upper. I'd only been in this part of town a few times before, but I’d never seen much vampire action around here.
We stepped out of the car. The air was chilly for a summer day, and clouds were rolling in. A few people walked along the street, roaming in and out of shops, but in general it was quiet and felt a bit ominous.
I glanced to the shoe shop on the lower level, but Sondra cocked her head toward the alley.
“This way,” she whispered.
The three of us quietly followed behind her. I was acutely aware of the dagger in my boot, prepared to use it if something bad happened. The path between the buildings reminded me of the many alleyways I'd killed vampires in. I half expected one to jump out from behind the dumpster and attack us. But there was nothing except an old newspaper tumbling across the pavement in the wind.
Sondra stopped dead in her tracks and held a hand out to stop us. Warning bells went off in my head, sending my heart thumping. I followed her gaze to see the door we were headed for was cracked open. It creaked as we approached, giving way to a dark descending staircase. Tingles spread across my skin.
“Should my intuition be going haywire right now if I don't have any connection to Synchrony?” I whispered.
“It's not just you,” Jenna said, stepping cautiously toward the door.
“Intuition or not, this is a little creepy,” Sondra said.
Fiona shrugged. “Eh, we've dealt with worse. Let's check it out.”
Sondra opened the heavy metal door wider. When we saw what lay at the bottom, she started sprinting. “Xander!?”
I was right behind her, my heart racing. The door at the bottom of the stairs had been knocked off its hinges. Beyond it, the spell shop had been completely ransacked. Shelves were knocked over, and empty potion vials lay everywhere. Pages had been ripped out of spell books and littered the floor. Most of the merchandise was missing. The fluorescent lights above our heads flickered on and off.
“Xander?” Sondra called again as she climbed over the shelving and tried to avoid the broken glass shattered everywhere.
I could hardly take in the horrifying scene as I followed behind her. Jewelry cases that once held trinkets and charms were completely empty, as were the bookcases along the far wall. The only sign Xander once sold herbs was the bag of sage busted on the floor.
“Who would do this?” Fiona asked breathlessly.
Jenna looked around to take it all in. “You think whoever did this got him?”
Sondra opened her mouth to say something, but a muffled voice cut through the momentary silence.
“Help!”
I immediately raced toward the back room to the sound of the voice.
“Sondra, is that you? Help!”
The back room was just as bad as the main shop. A heavy bookcase had been knocked in front of a closet door, where the voice was coming from.
“Xander!” Fiona called.
“Who is that?” he called back.
I reached for the case and began lifting it. Damn, I was really missing my shifter strength right now. This thing felt like two hundred pounds. Jenna and Fiona rushed over to help.
“I’m here,” Sondra said. “You just hold tight. We're going to get you out of there.”
We pushed the bookcase upright. Sondra kicked old books aside and yanked open the door. Inside, an old man with white hair shivered in the corner of the dark closet. He put his hand up to shield his eyes from the light. Xander?
He looked so frail—so afraid.
Sondra reached down to help him to his feet. His whole body shook as he took in the destruction of his shop. I grabbed a chair that had been knocked over and set it upright for him. Fiona rushed out of the room and came back a few seconds later with a paper cup full of water.
“Here you go, Mr. Xander,” she said as he sank into the chair.
He took it with shaky hands and sipped the water.
“Xander, what happened here?” Sondra asked.
His eyes glossed over, like he couldn't believe what happened. “The Department of Magical Regulation found me.”
We each shared a collective gasp.
“But your protection spells,” Sondra pointed out. “They should've held, right?”
Xander shook his head regrettably. “I thought so, too. But they broke through it somehow. When the spell broke, it was like a bomb going off. Potion vials shattered, and shelves fell over. I drank a chameleon potion and hid in the closet. Then they came in and took everything. I heard all of it. By the time they left, the door was blocked.”
“How long have you been in there?” I asked breathlessly.
Xander raked his fingers through his gray hair. “I don't know. A day, maybe…?”
“What's a chameleon potion?” Jenna asked.
“It basically renders you invisible,” Sondra explained. “It's not true invisibility. It's a type of hypnosis spell. If someone looks at you while you're under the influence of it, they’ll be compelled to look away. It's like putting a blind spot in someone else's mind. Lasts about twelve hours. What I'm more concerned about is how the DMR broke through your protection spell. It's supposed to keep any threats out of your shop.”
Xander shook his head. “I don't know.”
“The DMR must be using magic,” I said in thought.
“What do you mean?” Fiona asked. “Like Matias is working with them?”
“I don't think so,” I said. “Leon Cavanaugh told me the DMR keeps and catalogues all magical artifacts they confiscate. They must have loads of potions and artifacts that they're using to serve their purpose.”
Jenna crossed her arms. “Well, that's just sick. Using the magic they despise to fight magic? A little ironic, don't you think?”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s like Ryland said. It’s the lesser of two evils for them. At least they can control the magic they have their hands on.”
Xander seemed to relax now that he'd had a drink of water. He looked up to Sondra. “What are you doing here?”
“We came to ask for your help,” she replied. “But we can talk about it later. Let's get you something to eat.”
Xander stood to follow Sondra's lead, but he looked a little disoriented, like he was still trying to take it all in. Sondra helped steady him while I stood on his other side and helped him over fallen shelves and to the door.
He finally seemed to steady himself as we ascended the stairs. “Thank you so much for helping me. I didn't know how long I was going to be stuck in that closet.”
“I’m glad we came when we did,” Sondra said.
Xander stepped into the alleyway and glanced around with squinted eyes, as if the daylight was blinding.
“There’s a café two doors down,” Sondra said, pointing out of the alleyway. “Is that okay?”
“Yes, of course,” Xander replied. “I’ll eat anything right now.”
We left the alley and entered a small café. The place was quiet, and there was only one other couple there. We claimed a corner booth far away from them so we could talk in private.
Our waitress arrived as soon as we sat, and she handed out menus. She pulled a pad and pen out of her pocket. “Welcome. I’m Terry, and I’ll be your server today. Can I start you folks off with some drinks?”
“Water for me, please,” I said. I still wasn’t hungry since breakfast.
“You guys can order whatever you want,” Sondra offered. “I’ll pay.”
“Ooh!” Jenna’s eyes lit up, and she flipped to the back of the menu. “Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had a soda? And French fries!”
Fiona glanced up to the waitress. “I’ll have a water, too, thanks.”
Sondra stuck with water as well, while Jenna ordered soda and Xander ordered coffee. His fingers continued to shake as he tore open the sugar packet and poured it in his cup. No one spoke until t
he waitress took our food orders and disappeared back into the kitchen.
“What can I help you ladies with?” Xander asked without meeting any of our gazes.
Sondra leaned her elbows on the table from where she sat next to him. “You’ve heard about Matias Vayne?”
Xander took a sip of coffee. “I’ve been stuck in a closet for a day. I haven’t been living under a rock.”
“We plan to go after him,” Sondra admitted. “We’re looking for witches willing to join us.”
Xander set his coffee down. His hand shook as he pressed his fingers to his lips to steady them. I was starting to wonder if his shaking was a normal tick and not due to being locked in a closet for the past twenty-four hours. “I fail to see how I can help, seeing as my magic is useless now.”
Sondra frowned. “You know that’s not true. You said yourself you used a chameleon potion just yesterday. Your potions and charms still work.”
Xander shook his head. “No, no. I’m afraid I can’t. The DMR took everything.”
“Everything?” I asked breathlessly. There was nothing left in his apartment? Nothing he’d kept secret from his patrons?
Xander shot me a pointed expression. “Yes, everything. I can’t help you.”
He started to stand, but Sondra’s hand shot out to grab his wrist. “Xander, please. We need you.”
He hesitated. His gaze traveled around the table, taking in each one of our pleasing expressions. We needed all the help we could get.
“Also, you need to eat something,” Fiona pointed out.
Xander glanced to the kitchen, then relaxed back into his seat. He took a sip of coffee again, as if it might steady his nerves. “What exactly do you want from me?”
“Whatever assistance you can offer,” Sondra said. “I know there’s more to your spell shop than you keep out in the open.”
Sondra had said Xander was a paranoid man. He must’ve had protection charms galore in hidden corners of his shop. Which meant whatever the DMR used to break through them was powerful.
“And none of that would be any use to you,” he snapped. He crossed his arms over his chest, like he was protecting himself from something.
“We could use information,” I added. “You could join us and help us find other people willing to support us.”
“No,” he answered immediately, sounding bitter about it. “I’m done. My shop is ruined, and my protection spells broken. I’m going into early retirement.”
“You don’t have to follow us,” Fiona said gently. “We’re just asking for any potions, charms, or trinkets that could help us face Matias and get our magic back.”
Xander gaped at her, then hugged himself even tighter. “I told you. The DMR took everything.”
“Do you know of anyone else who might be willing to help?” I asked, feeling hopeless. This guy clearly wasn’t willing to get involved in any of this.
“I can’t give out names,” he insisted. “I won’t put any other supernaturals at risk.”
“That’s not what we’re asking.” Jenna sounded offended. “No one will be at risk. We’ll give them a choice.”
Xander’s voice became more aggressive. “It would be a breach of my clients’ confidentiality!”
Just then, our waitress returned, and the whole table went silent. She placed a burger and fries in front of Jenna and a plate of pancakes in front of Xander. The rest of us hadn’t ordered anything.
“You folks enjoy your meal!” Terry said kindly before heading to check on the other patrons across the café.
“Look, Xander,” I said as softly as I could. I felt for the guy. I really did. But I also had a feeling he was hiding something. “What happened to you yesterday never should’ve happened. The DMR is abusing their power now that the magical community is vulnerable. We plan to change that. If we can restore magic, you can set up your protection spells again. All of us will get back a piece of ourselves that we lost when Matias took it. So if you know anything that could help us defeat the guy controlling magic, then please… help us.”
My throat began to close up. If the magical community wasn’t willing to step up against Matias with us, we would never defeat him. We couldn’t do it on our own.
Xander’s arms slowly relaxed, and he dropped them to his side. He shot a quick glance at Sondra, who was gazing at him with a pleading expression.
“You really think you can defeat him?” he asked skeptically.
“Yes,” Fiona and Sondra answered in unison. I nodded, while Jenna was barely paying attention as she dug into her burger like she hadn’t eaten in two years. Which, to be fair, was pretty close to the truth. She hadn’t had a decent meal in that long, at least.
“And what happens when you do?” Xander asked. “Everything goes back to normal?”
“Yes,” Sondra said, but her answer rubbed me the wrong way.
I didn’t just want things to go back to normal. I wanted them to be better. I wanted things to change. I didn’t want to keep hiding who I was, performing magic in secret and always watching my back when I shifted to make sure no one was watching me. I was a witch. I was a raven shifter. I’d embraced that, and it was time the Department of Magical Regulation embraced that, too.
Xander took several bites of his pancakes, then set his fork down. He inhaled a deep breath, like he was thinking hard about it. “All right. I will help you. But you must understand that I’m putting myself at great risk to do so.”
Xander began reaching into his pockets. He dropped a handful of all sorts of random objects on the table: hair barrettes, jewelry, coins, even a small pencil eraser. Then he dug into his other pocket to pull out even more. My jaw dropped as I watched the pile grow taller and taller. To the normal eye, it all looked like junk, but I knew better. They were trinkets, the type of protection charm Fiona had found in the book we’d read. They’d suppress another supernatural’s powers.
Xander reached up and pulled three different necklace chains over his head, which had been tucked into his shirt. He left one remaining for himself.
“Trinkets,” Sondra whispered under her breath. “I thought of those, but they’re not very strong.”
“Not on their own,” Xander agreed. “They won’t win you any fights against Matias, but they can give you a bit of an edge.”
“That’s very generous of you,” I said.
“Yes, well, it’s all I have,” Xander replied.
“It’s more than enough,” Sondra told him, staring down at the pile in fascination. “There will be enough for each of us to have one.”
“Well, go on.” He gestured to the pile. “Take them before I change my mind.”
“Thank you, Mr. Xander.” Fiona reached across the table and began gathering the trinkets into her jacket pockets.
I gathered the few she couldn’t fit and put them in my own pockets.
“Just one thing.” Xander leaned across the table and pointed a finger toward each of us as he spoke. “If this doesn’t work out, I want the trinkets back. Every. Single. One.”
I swallowed hard, acutely aware of the trinkets in my pockets. His words echoed in my mind. If this doesn’t work out.
It had to…
Right?
12
“I knew trinkets were a good idea,” Fiona raved proudly as we pulled into Genevieve’s driveaway. A maroon sedan that wasn’t there earlier was parked beside our spot.
“Is that another one of Richard’s cars?” Fiona asked.
Sondra’s eyebrows came together, as if confused. “No, I don’t think so. I think I might recognize that car, but—”
Her eyes traveled to the front door, where a pretty blonde stood. She looked vaguely familiar from the back, but I couldn’t place her.
“Oh my God!” Sondra exclaimed. She shoved the vehicle into park and cut the engine, then kicked her door open.
I quickly followed behind her. By the time I reached the front door, Genevieve was standing in the open doorway and inviting the girl in
side.
“Zoey!” Sondra called, holding her arms out wide like she was going in for a hug.
The blonde turned, and a wide smile spread across her face. “Sondra!”
The girl hurried down the stairs and into Sondra’s arms. And I. Stopped. Dead.
Instinct overcame me, and I suddenly had the urge to reach into my boot and stake my dagger through the girl’s heart.
The shape of her nose, the Cupid’s bow shape of her lips. I’d met Zoey before… except then her skin was paler, and her eyes were silver.
Fiona rushed up to greet Zoey like she was her long-lost sister, but I took a step back, completely dumbfounded.
Jenna stopped next to me. “What’s wrong, Rach? You know this girl?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, then finally found my feet. I grabbed Jenna’s wrist and pulled her down the walkway so we couldn’t be heard. “I met her in a bar once. She tried to flirt with me.”
Jenna shrugged and gazed at Zoey like she wasn’t at all a threat. “So? Flirt back.”
“Jenna.” I swatted her shoulder. “It was a vampire bar.”
Realization crossed Jenna’s face. “She was a vampire?”
I nodded and shot a disgusted look at her. Fiona and Sondra were raving over Zoey like they were best friends. Ew.
“Okay,” Jenna said, like it was no big deal. “So she’s cured now. Why are you acting like she’s still cursed?”
The question hit me like a slap in the face. I didn’t have an answer.
“Come on,” Jenna said, tugging at my arm. “Let’s not be rude.”
Jenna walked straight up to Vamp Girl and stuck her hand out. “Hi, I’m Jenna. I’m Rachel’s sister. She’s the one who killed Valkas and broke your curse.”
The blood drained from my face. Jenna grabbed on to my shoulders and shoved me in front of her, forcing me to take Vamp Girl’s outstretched hand. Her fingers were cold—just like a real vampire’s.
“Hi, Rachel. I’m Zoey.” She tilted her head, as if trying to remember where she’d seen me before. “We’ve met, haven’t we?”
I cleared my throat and lied straight through my teeth. “I’m not sure.”
