I looked up to see her expression filled with surprise and wonder. I smiled at her, loving the feel of her hand as her fingers slid through my hair in a reassuring caress. “I think I met our son. The soul of the child I held, I knew he would one day be my son, but I didn’t know who his mother would be. But if the baby you carry is a boy, I think it will be the soul that I met.”
“I hope you’re right,” she said in a strained voice.
“When I was with Mother Nature, I called him Squall. Could you . . . ?”
She nodded, wiping away fresh tears with her free hand. “I’ll honor it.”
“Thank you.” Leaning forward, I pressed a kiss to her abdomen while inwardly praying that this wasn’t the closest I ever came to kissing or holding my child. I stayed there for a second, my forehead pressed against Trixie’s stomach as I blinked back the tears and swallowed past the lump that was choking me. My throat was raw and the ache in my chest left me feeling as if my heart had been passed through a meat grinder.
After several deep breaths, I stood again and took a step back. Trixie was crying openly now, while trying to keep a smile pasted on her lips as if she could reassure me that this was for the best.
“I’ll send pictures and letters somehow. I’ll keep you updated on everything, I promise,” she said in a wavering voice.
“And I will find a way to make it safe. Even if it means tearing down the Towers one by one. It will be safe for you and our child. We’ll be together one day, I promise you that.”
“I know we will,” she said and then turned quickly and hurried out the door. The sound of her sobbing could be heard echoing down the hall as she descended the stairs.
Eldon moved to follow after her, but I grabbed his shoulder and slammed him against the nearest wall. The elf glared at me, his hand going to his side like he was going for a weapon, but I was already there in his face.
“You will watch over her. Keep her safe with your people. Do you understand me?” I snarled.
“Yes,” he hissed as me through clenched teeth.
“No one bothers her. No one goes near her or upsets her.”
“My sister is in enough pain. I would not have her suffer more.”
“And our child—”
“I will protect the child as if he were my own,” Eldon replied, his tone softening slightly for the first time.
“I don’t what him to suffer because of who his father is.”
“The child will not.” Eldon paused, looking a little uncomfortable. “While I might not be fond of you, the people of the Summer Court know what you have done for our race. You are . . . respected. Your child will be held in high esteem.”
With a nod, I released Eldon and stepped away from him. The elf gave me a small bow of his head and slipped out the open door. The silence of the empty apartment was suddenly overwhelming. I closed the door with a loud slam and leaned against it with my hands over my head.
“I will keep you safe!” I screamed, the desperate shout reverberating through the emptiness. “I will destroy them all! I . . . I will keep you safe.”
And then I let the pain consume me.
Chapter 8
I woke up lying half under the dining-room table, staring into the kitchen. I had no idea how I’d gotten there. It was only extreme discomfort that finally drove me to sit up. Sun poured through the open window blinds, casting the dusty living room in a golden light that was almost sickening considering the state of my life. Trixie was gone and I felt like I had no reason to ever move again. There was no reason to get up, make coffee, take a shower, or breathe.
Leaning back against the wall, I placed my elbows on my bent knees and roughly rubbed my face. My eyes felt like they had a pound of sand in them and my throat was raw. The throbbing ache in my head was getting worse the longer I stayed conscious. It was tempting to call up a snowstorm to blot out the sun while I crawled into my bed to stay for a few days.
But what would that have accomplished? I groaned and leaned my head back until it banged against the wall behind me. Trixie would still be gone. The killer stalking pregnant women would still be free, murdering more people. The other psychopath would be preparing his final triumph and Gideon would not be able to stop this asshole alone. And the Towers needed to be taken down permanently.
If I stopped the killers and destroyed the Towers, Trixie would come back. The world would be safe. She’d have to come back. I didn’t know if I was right or even if that was the sanest thought to cross my mind that morning, but it was a start. It was enough to get me to my unsteady feet. I had to hold on to the hope that I could get her back—that I could prove to her that I could create a safe home for her and our child.
I started the coffeemaker, creating more noise than substance in the process as my brain was having trouble getting my hands to obey commands. With the dark liquid brewing, I climbedinto the shower while the water was still ice cold to clear my head and shock myself awake. I needed all the cylinders running if I was going to figure this one out.
Serah would be hot on the trail of the tattooed killer and I fully expected her to call me with information at some point during the day. But the other murderer was out of her reach. The police might be able to identify the woman, but I needed Gideon to perfect the tracking spell with the blood he’d gotten from Serah. The only problem that was left was identifying the other killer. Gideon and I needed to know what the fuck we were up against before we met for the final showdown. He’d nearly killed us once. I didn’t think we’d be able to escape a second time.
Unfortunately, Zyrus couldn’t identify the fucker from the magic or the description I had given it. I’d kind of hoped that the demon had been around enough to be able to recognize every creature that walked the Earth. I guess there were still a few that escaped its notice.
I needed someone who knew a little bit about everything, particularly the dark side of this world. Someone who had his nimble little fingers in everything. And there was only one man in this city who knew everything that happened within the bounds of Low Town, and maybe even beyond.
Chang.The black-market dealer had his withered hands in everything, especially those rare, impossible-to-get items. He knew freaking everything without being told. And if I was lucky he’d know exactly what I’d need to do to defeat this asshole. I generally didn’t go to Chang for information, but rather for that rare item to complete a complicated potion or to save my ass from a nasty lunatic.
Turning off the water just as it was getting warm, I jumped out of the shower and toweled off the majority of the water still running down my body while hurrying to my bedroom. My heart was racing. I finally had a shot at getting one up on this bastard. It was a big first step in getting Trixie back.
Hell, if I could get rid of these two assholes today, I could maybe convince her to stay. Trixie and Eldon couldn’t have gotten too far from Low Town. I could use a tracking spell to find her and convince her that it was safe to come back.
I made a complete mess of my bedroom, or rather an even bigger mess than it already was, as I searched for something that was in the gradient of mostly clean. It had been weeks since I’d last bothered to take a pile of clothes down to the laundry room in the basement of my apartment building. For the past several days, I had been surviving on clothes that weren’t covered in blood, ripped to hell, or smelled like spoiled milk and feet.
The faded black jeans I pulled on were my last pair of clean pants. I’d either have to do laundry or wear shorts tomorrow. For most people, the choice would be clear considering that it was December and the temperature hadn’t climbed above freezing in more than a week. Sadly, as I pulled up the zipper, I found myself praying that I didn’t get blood or a new hole in these because I would be wearing them tomorrow.
Sucking down one cup of coffee, I filled a travel mug with more and left for Chang’s. It wasn’t too far
from the parlor, but it was a long drive because of the slow morning traffic that was struggling to pick its way through yet another blanket of snow. These damn Winter Court fey needed to back off with the fucking snow. Low Town wasn’t so far north that usually we got several feet of snow each winter. But now it was nearly every other day that we were getting a fresh coat, giving residents just enough time to dig themselves out before it started all over again.
By the time I found a parking spot more than a block from the entrance to Chang’s, my head was throbbing and I was trying to push down an ugly case of road rage. I’d nearly been hit by a bus when it slid into my lane while trying to stop for a light. Taking a deep breath, I sipped my coffee and waited until I was calm before stepping out into the bitter cold that failed to be alleviated by the bright sunlight reflecting off the piles of snow.
Burrowing down into my heavy wool coat, I walked briskly to the site of the burned-out Diamond Doll strip club. I paused in front of it, frowning at its blackened walls and boarded-up front door. The Towers did this. Fourteen people had died that day and several dozen had been injured in their attempts to escape. Most of the buildings on the block were boarded up, while others were simply vacant, the previous owners having left in search of somewhere safer to live. The gods only knew where that was.
With a shake of my head, I continued past the strip club and turned down an alley beside it. Taking a quick look over my shoulder to make sure no one noticed me, I entered through what looked like another boarded-up door; but the boards were only there for show. Chang still had a business to run regardless of the chaos the Towers created. This was probably a better cover for him than the strip club.
I walked quickly across the fire-scorched concrete floor past broken chairs and shattered glasses. The bar was almost completely gone and I smiled wistfully at it. I missed seeing Jerry Caskey, the owner of Diamond Dolls. We’d talked on a number of occasions as I waited for my turn to talk to Chang. I’d even gotten into the habit of picking up a coffee for him at a nearby cafe before coming in. A mocha-coconut coffee with nonfat milk, whipped cream, and toasted coconut flakes. I felt like an ass ordering it most of the time, but it made Jerry smile.
But the Towers had ruined that, like they had ruined so many other things in this world.
Cutting through the main room of the club, I entered a narrow hallway that had led to the washrooms. I put my shoulder into one of the blackened doors and it opened slowly without a sound. This room was untouched by the fire. The floor, ceiling, and walls of the small room were all completely done in a bright white. There was no smell of burned wood and as I walked across the floor, I left behind no sooty tracks on the perfect floor.
This was the first time I’d visited Chang since the attack on Low Town, but I knew that he would still be here. His place would be untouched by the Towers. The man had survived too long, acquired too many things, and knew too much to ever be caught by a warlock or a witch.
But his dogs were missing. Named Patty and Cake, the two Doberman pinschers were the most frightening dogs I had ever seen, and I didn’t even know if they were real. There was so much magic circling the old man that I was never quite sure what was an illusion. When it came to the dogs, I wasn’t willing to take a chance on their teeth.
Pushing the call button for the elevator, I was a little surprised when the door immediately slid open. Still no dogs waiting for me. I stepped into the elevator and hesitated. One of the dogs always pushed the button, knowing exactly where to find its master at any moment. Of the four floors besides the ground floor, I usually met Chang on the third floor of the subbasement, but the last trip had taken me to the first floor, which housed a giant underground Garden of Eden. With a growl of frustration, I pushed the button for the third floor, hoping to find the old man in his usual spot.
When the doors opened again, a familiar but unhappy sight was waiting for me. I found the dogs. They stood just beyond the open doors, their teeth bared as they growled. I stepped back until I hit the far wall of the elevator, my open hands raised before me. Every muscle in their lean bodies was tensed, waiting for a command from their owner to tear my throat out.
“Whoa!” I shouted, already mentally pulling together a defensive spell. “What the hell, Chang? I need to talk to you.”
To my surprise, the little old man stepped out from behind a shelf piled with his goodies. He wasn’t happy. “You’re not welcome here! Get out!” he shouted, waving his cane at me.
At the same time, the doors started to shut. Stretching my right leg out, I pressed the “open door” button with my toe. I kept it pressed there while balancing on my left foot. The dogs flinched and my heart stuttered in my chest. Holy shit! These dogs were going straight for my freaking nuts if Chang gave the command to attack!
“Listen, Chang. I need your help,” I said, trying to sound calm and not half as desperate as I felt.
“Go away, Gage Powell. You’re too much trouble.” Chang gave an irritated wave of one hand before he started to walk farther into the room and away from me.
“Damn it, Chang!” I swore as the little old man disappeared behind some shelves. I glared at the dogs, who were still growling at me while eyeballing my crotch like I was smuggling doggie treats down there. Reaching behind me, I pulled my wand out of my back pocket and waved it quickly at the dogs before they could react, inwardly praying that these were real fucking dogs and not some nasty spell. The moment the sleep spell hit them, they blinked a couple times, gave jaw-cracking yawns, and then lay down outside the elevator.
Sighing, I dropped my foot from the button and lunged forward, catching the doors before they could close. I carefully stepped around the sleeping dogs, figuring that I had close to an hour before either one of them stirred. More than enough time to talk to Chang and get the hell out of there. I had no idea what had crawled up his ass and died, but I was getting to the bottom of this. Chang had always helped me in the past and he had to know something of use now.
Once I was past the dogs, I hurried my pace to a jog and darted around the shelves I had seen Chang cut down, but he wasn’t there. Fuck, that old man could move fast! I paused, trying to guess where he’d gone when his voice drifted above the collection of objects.
“Get out of here, warlock. You’re not welcome here.”
“Come on, Chang! We’ve worked together for years,” I shouted back, trying to get a fix on his location from the sound of his voice. My eyes danced over crystal prisms holding snippets of actual rainbows, treasure maps under glass, and what looked to be Excalibur half hidden under a stack of fast food napkins and ketchup packets. “I need a little information and then I’m gone.”
“The last time you were in this part of town, the Towers burned half the neighborhood.”
“That wasn’t my fault! I didn’t lead them to you. Hell! They still don’t know about you, old man.”
“How do you know they’re not following you now?”
“They’re not, Chang. They’re not interested in me anymore.”
The old man stepped out from a shelf, his muddy brown eyes narrowed on me. “Yes, that’s because you’re one of them again. You are not welcome here, Gage Powell. Get out.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake, Chang!” I snarled, shoving both of my hands through my hair. “You know I’m not one of them. I had no choice but to go back to work for the guardians. They were going to kill me if I didn’t.”
The black-market dealer didn’t look convinced and I swore, briefly looking for something to kick in my frustration. That certainly wouldn’t have endeared me to Chang. “I’m still trying to protect the people of Low Town from the Towers. That’s a lot easier to do if I know what the Towers are planning, right? It’s better than working blind like I had been.”
“I’m not convinced.”
“Do you seriously think I would be part of a group that nearly wiped out my gi
rlfriend’s people? Do you think I would willingly be part of a group that would hunt down my child if they found out about him?”
For the first time since I’d met him, Chang looked surprised, but that was understandable since the man made it his business, a very lucrative business, to know everything that was happening. “You’re having a baby?” he whispered.
“Trixie is, yes,” I said in a sigh, my shoulders slumping under the weight of the thoughts as well as the renewed ache at her loss. My anger flashed to life again in the next heartbeat. “And if you tell a goddamn soul I swear I’ll give you something to fucking worry about.”
Chang’s dark expression eased a little as he stared at me, possibly weighing what he knew of me. I had been going to Chang for several years after being introduced to the old man by my tattooing mentor Atticus Sparks. It should have been no surprise that I would end up with a tattooing mentor who liked to color outside the lines of what was legal from time to time. And Chang’s goodies definitely wouldn’t have been on TAPSS’s list of approved ingredients for potions.
I never said one word to Chang about being a warlock. He’d sold me things to get past suicidal vampires and crazed warlocks. He’d even helped me escape the Grim Reaper once. I thought we had a good understanding, but the fact that he believed I could willingly return to the Ivory Towers hurt. It hurt more than I would have thought it could.
“Come on,” he grumbled, motioning for me to follow him as he shuffled along a winding course through his massive warehouse of unique goods. I smiled faintly when we walked over the flying carpet still pinned down on each corner by a stack of books. Apparently Chang hadn’t been successful in getting rid of it yet.
As we walked, I filled Chang in on what had happened in the Towers that saw me returning to the fold, as it were. He nodded, his free hand absently touching his various treasures as he passed them, as if their presence comforted him. Chang moved a little slower than he usually did. He looked older too, as if he’d aged a few years since my last visit, at the end of summer.
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