by Tobi Grim
“Well… Isabella told me something in confidence and I probably shouldn’t be saying like… anything at all, you know how it is with girls, we are supposed to keep the secrets with us til the day we die, forever and ever! And I did say I wouldn’t tell, I haven’t even told my boyfriend you know. But seeing as you are like… wolfblood police and all…” the girl lowered her voice and leaned towards them “She told me she thinks that the wolfblood is actually her brother. Her oldest brother.”
Bullshit. Lupa had thought that maybe the girl had something to say that was half decent. But Lupa hadn’t even felt a small trace of wolfblood in the Jay’s. And unless… oh. Could be. She sighed and wrote it down. Probably nothing, but if Mrs Jay had slept with someone else… She looked up at Sadie who seemed to think she was queen fucking bee for knowing something no one else in the room did. Lupa wondered whether she made it up just for everyone’s attention…
“Thank you, Sadie, I will certainly look into that… piece of information.”
Dameon shifted next to her, she could tell he was starting to get restless, she was feeling the same. They had been here for an hour and a half and learned fuck all. But at least Ben seemed willing to help them… that would mean no more door knocking for the day. That was something.
“Well if you can’t think of anything else, we’ll get going.”
“Would you like to stay for some pie?” Mrs Corpore asked, smiling at her.
“No!” Lupa responded a little too hastily, “No, thank you. We really should get back to the city and start our paper work… and you are still happy to get reports from everyone for us?”
“Of course,” Ben boomed, “and how about you both come to a town dinner tomorrow? I’m sure I can organise it by then. No one says ‘no’ to a free feed!”
Except us. “Thank you, Mr Corpore, your assistance will be recorded. We appreciate it.”
They stood to go, Ben leading them out and the family all watching them from the porch as they hopped in Dameon’s van. Lupa waved as they left, getting a wave back from everyone except Sadie. Sighing, she lit a smoke for Dameon and then herself.
“Well… what do you think?” Lupa asked her Protector.
“I thought they were nice. I didn’t sense anything from them. Did you smell anything?”
“I’m not sure, I thought I could outside… and then… I thought I could smell blood but I don’t know for sure. And I mean, they are farmers, there would be blood from killing animals and such for food… but that Emma lady gave me the creeps.”
“Well, we can’t be too careful. Not after what you learned with the blood magick… shit. What are we going to do about eating then?”
Lupa gazed out the window, noticing Dameon wasn’t heading back to the city, but along the foot of the hill. Was he heading to the small town centre? “Not. Hope no one notices? Where are you going?”
“To the town, I’m hungry. Hopefully no one notices….”
Lupa nibbled her lip. She didn’t like the idea of coming out here and having to be there at night, but if there were wolfbloods around… she should be able to feel them. They both should. And if there was blood magick… shit. She should have asked Hammer if there was any way to tell if someone was using it… she could call him later… Lupa glanced over at Dameon. Sure. He’d fucking love that.
Dameon pulled the van up out the front of a deli, jumping out quickly. Lupa got out and followed him inside the dim building. An old man was at the counter watching them warily, Dameon order a pie and grabbed a bottle of water, Lupa just opted for the water.
They went back to the van and Dameon finished his pie before they had even reached it. Lupa went to open her door, stopping when she noticed there was a note on the windscreen. She grabbed it and climbed into her seat.
“Hey, look at this.” She handed it to Dameon.
He frowned as he read it. “‘Wolfbloods don’t belong here’... What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
Lupa lit a smoke as he handed the note back to her and started the engine. “If there are witches here…” it could mean her.
Dameon looked over at her, knowing exactly what she meant. He plucked her smoke off her and she lit herself another one and staring out the window. Fuck. Everything was looking to be adding up to witches and not to wolfbloods… she wondered if she should call Slasher and get The Force involved instead…
“I want to stay on this case… if you’re wondering…”
“Yeah? Even though it’s likely to have nothing to do with wolfbloods?”
Dameon glanced over to her, then quickly back at the road. His thumb running along his unshaven chin absentmindedly. She waited. “Yeah. I mean… if you think we should hand it over, I’ll understand but… it’s interesting. When the hell are we going to get something like this again? My guess is never. Besides, the spear thing felt of wolfblood…. Don’t you wanna do it?”
Lupa thought about it. If she was honest, yes she did. It was exciting to be looking into something different. And he was right, they’d never have this opportunity again. And… she was a little curious about the blood magick…
“Yeah, I guess I kinda do. We’re suckers for punishment, hey?”
He laughed and turned back onto the road that headed to Black City. She let her mind wander out the window. Were they really prepared to take on rogue witches using blood magick? Probably not… but then, she could always ask Hammer… no. She couldn’t really do that. She already owed him. If she asked for his involvement again… fuck.
✽ ✽ ✽
They walked into headquarters silently and Dameon pushed the button for the elevator. They had decided to go to the library to see what they could find on the Corpore family. A Protector stepped out of the elevator stinking of the dungeons below, Lupa shuddered as they stepped in. She held her breath while Dameon hit the button for the first basement level and they rode down in silence.
Lupa stepped out of the elevator as quickly as she could, the stench still invading her senses. “Ok, personnel files or computer?”
Dameon looked over to the desk and smiled, “I’ll take the files.” He strode off ahead of her.
Lupa walked towards where the computers were located near the filing room, noticing Dameon flirting with the Keeper at the desk. Lupa smiled to herself and started her search. She wondered if he had a thing for the girl before today, or if he just thought she was hot and decided to go get his flirt on…
Lupa frowned at the computer screen. The Corpore’s had moved down to the country from Central City. Who in the fuck moved so far away from the rich city of Central to live in the country? Especially Blackmoars… it wasn’t exactly well off… but then, the Corpore’s could certainly buy a lot down there, Lupa saw that they not only owned the farm they were on, but had bought four other farms off the local people, leasing it back out to them. Lupa thought it was suspicious, but didn’t really know if that’s just what rich people did when they got tired of the big city…
Frowning again, Lupa wondered why if they were so rich, did they all dress so… plain. In her experience, people with the sort of money that they had, liked to show it off… their house was lovely, yes, but was that enough? Or were they just trying to fit in so that everyone in Blackmoars would trust them… accept them. Smart.
There was no history of magick in Ben’s family line, but there was in Emma’s, although not anything strong for at least fifty years. If they had any magick in their veins now, mostly likely they wouldn’t even know. They probably wouldn’t manifest any physical magick. Lupa sighed and glanced over to see Dameon still talking to the desk girl, had he even looked at the files? Not that they would likely have anything useful that wasn’t already on the computer…
Lupa’s phone started ringing, the Keeper glared at her as Lupa quickly answered it to shut the noise up. “Hello?” she whispered.
“Hammer wantin’ to see you. I’m outside.” Sledge’s voice sounded all business down the line.
“I’m not
at home.”
Silence. “I aint at your house.”
Shit. Was Hammer watching her? Or was just Sledge watching her? Fuck it. They could if they damn well wanted. If she said anything it wouldn’t make a fucking difference. Especially not to Hammer. She bet he liked to keep tabs on people who were… obligated to him.
“Ok. I’ll be up in a minute, I’m underground.”
Sledge grunted and hung up. She squeezed her eyes shut and then exited the search page and went over to Dameon, trying not to intrude… “Hey um… I’m going to go. Call me later?”
Dameon rubbed his thumb down his chin, then glanced at the girl at the desk. Lupa waited. He just shrugged and nodded, deciding not to say whatever was on his mind. She threw him a smile over her shoulder as she left the library, but he didn’t seem to notice.
Chapter five
“Not all magick is the same…”
“S
o, are you following me or is Hammer keeping tabs on me?” Lupa blurted as she climbed into Sledge’s car.
He gave her a strange look as he climbed into the driver’s seat. “Thinkin’ I followin’ you?”
“Well, I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking…”
Sledge grunted as the engine roared to life and he started heading for Blackwater. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Hadn’t they gotten past this shit? Whatever.
“Hammer always knowin’ where people are. But if’n you must know, you tellin’ me that you bein’ out all day in Protector Hawk’s car. Hammer dun knowin’ it aint dropped you home yet.”
Great. Was Hammer watching her place or just her in general? Not that it mattered. He wouldn’t hurt her… at least, not if she could hold up her end of things, if he ever got around to telling her what the fuck it was. Wait, had Sledge just told Hammer, or had Hammer asked? Did Hammer know that Sledge and she had… her cheeks burned. Shit.
“So why is Hammer wanting to see me?”
Sledge glanced at her then away again. “Wantin’ your help with somethin’.”
Ah damn. Guess he had come up with something for her to owe him then. Another damned thing to add to the list. Although… at least she’d be busy… the thoughts would be chased away if she stayed busy. That was something, right?
Sledge pulled the car around the back again, hopped out and opened her door for her. Not moving to the back door but standing and staring down at her. “Hammer aint tellin’ me what he needs help with. But thinkin’ you aint gonna like it from the way he been, and some… shit been goin’ on, if’n it has to do with that... Just a heads up.”
He turned away from her, strode over to the back door and opened it. Fuck. She walked in and Sledge followed her, pointing to the jukebox room. He went to the bar and grabbed them each a beer, leaning against the wall as she sat on the velvet couch.
Hammer walked in with his big, charming ass smile on his face, nodded to Sledge then took Lupa’s hand in his and kissed it. “How wonderful to see you again, Little Red, I know we had discussed meeting Friday, but there is something of some importance I wish to discuss with you regarding the little favour you owe me.”
Lupa took a drink of her beer and waited, what the fuck else was she supposed to do? Hammer sat beside her, crossing his legs and smiling. Cocky fucking bastard.
“Now, across the river there is a man. A man I dislike, and distrust, very much, as he has been trying to buy out parts of Blackwater. Of course, I own a lot of it, but there are still many developments that I do not. I have discovered he has bought at least three of these.” Hammer pulled out his cigarette case, offering her one and lighting it, then lighting his own, still with that damn fucking smile on his face.
“Usually such a bothersome man would not faze me, for I have my… ways of getting what I want. But there is something different going on here. Something… magick. I have sent three of my men to investigate these properties, and when they returned they seemed a little ‘out of sorts’. They could not enter these buildings, and they could not seem to remember coming back here. I fear that this bothersome man has put some sort of wards on these buildings.”
“Why not just get rid of them then?”
Hammer raised an eyebrow. Right. He didn’t want people knowing about his power. But surely he could do it himself, why the fuck did he want her involved? And why exactly was this man so ‘bothersome’?
“Ah, little wolf witch, let me explain. This magick is not one I am familiar with, as we know, I do not know The Organization’s magick for example, I only know my ancestors magick passed down. Whilst I may be knowledgeable on such subjects, much of it was never used by my people so I am not intimate with it. I can recognise it, of course, but I cannot use it or work against it. We have had no need for wards, nor spell curses and the like. And, of course, there is the matter of my family being rather secretive about their magick. So you see, I need someone to help me with ridding these buildings of the wards.”
Right. Well that seemed easy enough. Go to the buildings, break the wards, go the fuck home. Hardly difficult. She looked at Hammer carefully. What wasn’t he telling her? Surely he would be able to just ask her how to do it and get one of his lesser magickal people to break the wards. He was a smart guy, he had a wealth of knowledge about the magickal world…
“What else?” Lupa asked, finishing her beer off and putting it on the table.
“Whatever do you mean, my beauty?”
Lupa sighed. “I mean, what else is there? This can't just be a simple fucking warding spell, if it was, I could teach one of your people how to break it and be done with it. If he is just some guy who has gotten a warding spell, it can’t be that strong. Or are you saying he is from The Organization and has put something stronger on it?”
Sledge shifted his body against the wall, Hammer just continued smiling at her. Why wouldn’t he just spit it the fuck out? She felt her heart do an unwelcome and loud thump, something really did not seem right about this.
“It is not Organization magick. And it is no simple warding spell.”
Lupa put her smoke out and folded her arms, glaring at Hammer. What was he hiding? Probably a fuck tonne. But what specifically…. “Fine. I’ll have a look at it. But if you’re not going to give me the full story, it might take some time for me to break them. What do you need them broken for?”
Hammer just smiled. Right. None of her fucking business, and she probably didn’t want to know anyway. “Fantastic news, I am delighted you have agreed. Sledge will take you to look at one now, if you are not otherwise engaged this evening?”
Was he really giving her a choice? She thought not. Nor had she any other choice than to agree, after all, he’d said he would only ask of her something she could give. And this was something that she could do.
She sighed, “Yeah, I can have a look now, but I won't be able to just break it if you think it’s not something simple…”
“I completely understand, Little Red beauty, but I have faith in your marvellous abilities. I know you will be able to do it. Now, I must bid you farewell. Sledge will fill me in on your adventure, so he may drop you at your home afterwards.” Hammer stood and kissed her hand, then turned to Sledge. “After you have delivered our lovely wolf witch home, the night is yours. Maccabee will be accompanying me tonight.”
They nodded at each other and Hammer left. Lupa didn’t look at Sledge, she wondered why that little exchange had happened in front of her. As far as she knew, Maccabee was the front door guard… but then again he was big… not her business really, but Hammer was a calculated and smart man, why let her hear that? Why had he also admitted he didn’t know what the magick was? Shit, this was getting strange.
✽ ✽ ✽
Sledge pulled the car up in front of a three-story apartment building. It looked as run down as most of the other buildings around Blackwater. Windows boarded up, or covered in newspaper, concrete steps were falling apart… Lupa shrugged to herself, the people who lived there probably didn’t give a shit.
Sledge opened the door for her and as she climbed out the warding hit her. She wasn’t even near the fucking building yet. She stumbled back against the car and Sledge grabbed her arm to steady her.
“You a’right?”
Lupa regained her feet and stepped away from the car so Sledge could shut the door. “Yeah, Hammer’s right though. Fucking strong. Specific too. You feel it?”
“Aint thinkin’ as strong as you, it just makin’ me wanna hop back in the car and go home. Aint makin’ me wobble.”
Lupa leaned against the door and lit a smoke, closing her eyes to try and feel out the magick. It pushed against her, telling her to leave, telling her that home seemed like a much better place to be… That must be it. The people that lived here would just go inside, but other people…no… it was more than that. It didn’t want witches near it. And it worked against Hammer’s men… well, that was easy enough, Hammer men were hostile to whoever built the spell. Strange that it would be repelling witches, yet not be an Organization spell casting…
“What do you know about this?” she asked Sledge, opening her eyes and watching him.
“Aint knowin’ much more’n you know.” Sledge didn’t look at her.
Bull-fucking-shit. “He’s your boss, I get that, he’s your friend too, but if I’m going to do my fucking part then I need to know as much as I can. It’ll take me a damn long time to figure it out exactly, and if you know something…” The rain started falling again, but neither of them moved. Lupa was still staring at him, and he was still fucking avoiding her gaze.
Sledge cleared his throat and glanced at her, “Hammer aint makin’ friends across the river. Takin’ a deal that somebody else wantin’. Aint just no regular somebody, bein’ a witch somebody. Aint hidin’ his magick like Hammer does. Hammer seein’ it plain as day.” Sledge lit a smoke and leaned against the car too.
