Dark Bargain (Kayla McQueen Book 2)

by brett hicks

  ****

  An hour and a half of keeping our crime scene secure later, my mom came back out. Jenny McQueen was equal parts giddy and perplexed. She looked like she had just found the prize at the bottom of her crackerjack box! I could clearly sense that she had learned something. I arched my eyebrows and gave her that teenage daughter look that said, “Well?”

  Mom flipped her loose blonde hair back over her shoulder and she closed the distance between us in three long legged strides. I truly envied her and Sally in the leg department! Now I knew I was in full blown food delirium, because I was letting my mind wander to places not a part of my police investigation.

  “So, that was quite the ride you sent me on Kay.” Mom shattered my inner ADD and brought me back to focus in one line. I saw in her eyes that she recognized my hunger, but she did not mention it out loud. I shook my heads a little, as if trying to fully clear it physically, and then I said, “What ride would that be?” He eyes lit with excitement—well more excitement than before.

  “Oh, I just tried to back trace that spell, you know the one that was supposed to not exist in the first place?” Nodded, I rolled my hand in a motion for her to get on with it.

  “Well, I basically was astral traveling the lay lines this magic type has intersected. However, I was also being shot all over the city. I even landed in Singapore in spirit form. A lovely place from what little I was able to see of it.”

  My look hardened and my cranky nature was turned up to about level nine now.

  “Mom, please get to the point, we will have all day to work through your written findings after food and bed. What did you learn?”

  She quirked up into a smirk and said, “Two things for sure. This is arcane magic, which is not supposed to even exist in this realm now. Secondly, this magic was also covered up by some arcane spell that acted like magical bleach at the murder scene. The killer is a witch. No witch would actually be a false term for what this is.”

  “Oui, they were more commonly known to our ancestors as Sorcerers. They are not of our blood, nor our affinity to nature and its elements.” Joan cut in as she came up from behind my mother. Jenny McQueen had the good sense to just look and nod at her mother. She was too excited to be studying the extinct or supposedly extinct magic to give into hostilities with my grandmother now.

  “Yes, mom they were indeed sorcerers, I remember all the crazy bedtime stories you would tell me even now. Scared the crap outta me, but god did I love them all!”

  I was the only one here noticed the subtle softening of Joan’s young features and her timelessly deep ocean blue eyes. She allowed herself to remember a moment in their past where she was my mom’s whole world.

  “Oui, how could I forget that I raised the only girl in the whole generation to plead for horror stories at the ripe old age of four and a half?”

  Mom just beamed with pride of herself, she took everything that sets her apart from the others as a compliment. I noticed that all of us McQueen women had something in common with each other. We each danced to the beat of our own drums. My mom had just had enough solitude to learn to dance with me to my drum beat to. In a tiny place in my mind, I wondered—not for the first—could the rifts ever be healed? Were mom and I truly cursed to fear that grandma Joan might design to see one or both of us dead one day?

  I decided to test the waters, very, very carefully. “Grandma, can you keep the crime scene sealed off for us until we return after a little rest? I also believe mom will need to have both of us with her on this one. I am the best eyes, you are the vast knowledge and mom is like the crazy mad scientist of witches. I believe we might need all three of these things right now.”

  I felt the pulse of anger from Jade, whom had been sulking just barely in earshot of us. Joan’s true age shown in her eyes as she seemed to contemplate the olive branch I had extended her. Finally, she shrugged in a gesture that I thought I had patented myself.

  “I believe your idea has merit Kayla, besides it would be nice to have McQueen witches to work with once more no?”

  I gave her a half smile and cheekily said, “I guess we are all stuck together until this is over then.”

  “If by a crazy mad scientist of witches you mean, the brilliant spell crafter of all spell crafters, then yes I am.”

  She was reluctant for a moment, but I gave her a very subtle pleading look and she knew damn well what my game was. She had sworn off her mom when I was little and Jenny McQueen was a woman of her word. However, she also saw the look in her daughter’s pleading puppy dog eyes now. Ultimately Kayla puppy eyes seemed to trump her pride.

  “Well, mom looks like you will be working with me one more time. I hope you have your spell crafting flash cards ready so you can keep up with my brilliance.”

  Joan did not indulge my mother’s half serious proclamations of her genius, but she did not shoot them down either. She knew how to pick her battles and she seemed amused on some deep level by mom’s bravado. They had once been very close like mom and I are.

  My stomach growled in complaint and my throat flared up in pain anew. I saw both of the older blonde’s snap in my direction with concerned faces that were mirror images of each other’s.

  “I’m fine, just need to hit a burger joint on the way back to my apartment and then get some blood.”

  “I will have some stocked for you before you return in the morning. No need to starve while you are helping my sect, solve a terrible crime child.”

  This whole exchange seemed surreal to me somehow. Because my first and second impression of Joan were not warm, nor was she fuzzy. She was born in the middle-ages and she often thought in ways that were alien to modern or near modern supernatural beings like me, or even my mom.

  “I shall see you girls once you have rested up then?” Nodding, I shuffled from one foot to the other, not wanting to be rude to granny dearest, but I wanted food, blood and rest—in that order. Sensing my distress—with one final nod my grandmother regally dismissed us. Mom huffed low, only my dyamphyr ears picked up the low sound of annoyance. I gave her a pointed look that told her to behave herself. Mom and I had no other blood relatives on this planet, so forgive me if I wanted to try with the one remaining to us.

  ****

  I stopped off at a local burger joint open on the edge of the French Quarter twenty-four seven. When I returned to my small two bedroom apartment, I sat at the kitchen and ate my double bacon, cheese and hot sauce slathered burger and my hot, greasy fries. I downed a whole pint of type A blood—using my magic had made me extra hungry.

  I had just crawled into bed and gotten comfortable in my panties and an oversized tee shirt when Sally crept in and crawled under the covers behind me. She had a habit of crawling into my bed since she was a werewolf and shifters craved contact by nature.

  “Why am I always the little spoon in this sister type relationship?” I muttered through a flat and exhausted breath.

  Sally’s equally exhausted voice retorted lowly, “Because you’re so little, sis.” I snorted in amusement and that used up the last of my energy for the night. I faded quickly with the warmth of my sister from a shifter mother cuddled up behind me. Anyone who did not know us might believe some very interesting or erotic things were happening between us. However, we were like sisters and bond to one another as such. Our love and loyalty for each other, extended far beyond the scope of our respective species.

  Chapter: 4

  “Shooo… you’re going to be researching magic that is so old that the old battle axe thinks they were a thousand or so years extinct?”

  Sally sat opposite me in the kitchen at our small circular dining table. She spoke in between chunks of hot bacon and cheesy eggs. The taller blonde she-wolf radiated an unnatural level of amusement and curiosity as I filled her in on the day’s plans. Jon had already texted me that he was informing my TO of his need for me on this sup murder case. I was a witch, but I could not see the future. However, I knew that I would be catching grief from my TO for
this.

  “Well, we have my mom all amped up to keep experimenting with the rites and arcane magics she has discovered. Last night she apparently astral projected herself all over the damn world while tracing the spell’s source.”

  Sally’s green eyes were gleaming with excitement and she said, “Oh, I am so requesting on this shit before Dylan beats me to the were spot on the case!”

  I snorted into my bacon and tried to keep myself from laughing outright. Sally was almost always happy and energetic. Her shifter nature tended towards being curious, horny and hyper. It was a fun combination if you were nympho or so relaxed that you need a hyper best friend. Ever since we were tiny, she was the hyper child and I was the quiet, but still mischievous child. Together we were a force to be reckoned with and all the sups around us knew this to be a fact!

  “Well, I have to go in quickly and meet with the captain about the case once I punch in. I could drop your name to him casually?”

  Sally waved me off with one very well-manicured hand of royal blue nails. I had noticed that her human form manicures seemed to survive about two or three changes, if she was not clawing the daylights out of anything that is.

  “Nah, I will go talk to his royal captainess myself, because he loves staring at the girls anyway.”

  “You say that with absolutely no disgust what-so-ever. Don’t creepy older male mannerisms bother you too? You are not some common slut after all.”

  Sally beamed at me with a light glow in her slightly feral green eyes.

  “Why Kay, I do believe that is the highest form of praise you have ever given to my sexuality. I might actually cry.”

  She sniffled faux tears of joy and I tossed a piece of bacon across the table and popped her on her button nose with it—two points for me! Sally just picked up the piece of bacon, saluted me with it and then devoured it whole.

  “I should tease you more during meals.”

  “Why cause you get more scraps from the table?”

  “You little blood sucker!”

  “Bitch!”

  We looked at each other and shared an amused expression. She might be much more hyper than me, but we were so very much the same. Our sisterly bond was a tangible thing these days and it only seemed to grow stronger as we aged together.

  “So you really are going to try to patch things up with Matilda the Hun?”

  “If you mean my six hundred and fifty something year old grandma, then yes I actually am. You might think of extending an olive branch to your dad too hun. We both know how important blood is to each of us.”

  In the sassiest tone she possessed, Sally said, “I don’t drink blood remember?”

  I chucked another piece of bacon at her and it stuck to the long blonde locks flowing on the left side of her face. I cracked up at the sight of my achievement hanging from her hair. Sally plucked the fried mean from her hair and gave me a very wolfy smile.

  “You can expect retribution when you least expect it.”

  “You realize that is a bit of a contradiction Sal?”

  She shrugged and her grin widened and went absolutely feral now.

  “Maybe to a little blood sucker you’re just proving how little you know about wolf retribution my friend.”

  Sally let the apex alpha power flow off of her for just a moment, but I did not budge. She could not get my hackles to rise with her shifter powers these days and she seemed curious to see if surprise would raise my hackles. I stared into her eyes and kept an amused smile on my face. Any other two sups born of different sects and as powerful as the two of us; would have been in a duel for power by now. I could still feel the very animal instincts of Sally’s wolf side—she would die before harming me. Sally could sense the cold presence of my dyamphyr powers surfacing, yet she could feel no thirst for her blood. In short, we could have spats or even fight, but we could never mean true harm to one another.

  “That works a lot better with anyone not you Kay!”

  “You should have seen the witches last night when I pulled my power card out!”

  Sally’s eyes went wide with excitement and she said, “Ok, we are riding to work together and then you are telling me everything about last night.”

  Sally and I got up and cleaned off our dishes, and then we got changed for work. Since we were still rookie beat cops, we should have shown up in our official uniform. However, with this murder investigation in full swing, we opted to dress casual.

  I wore a pair of comfortable black jeans and a deep blue dress shirt. I had my silver shield on my belt next to my off duty firearm. I quickly fastened two five inch silver and cold iron blades into my wrist sheaths. I completed my outfit with a small pair of steel toed black boots. I hid two more blades into the ankle sheaths. I often preferred to keep a larger blade strapped to my back, but that hardly seemed logical on an official investigation. I would just have to use some ice magic if I needed an extra edge if fighting did ensue.

  Sally sashayed into my room in a pair of too tight white jeans and a grey dress shirt, which threatened to spill her ample cleavage out at any moment. She could read the disapproval on my face without me having to say a word. Sally pouted and her mischievous green eyes twinkled. My silly wolf, she is every the energizer bunny. I have a difficult time staying depressed with Sally living with me. I might be known for my brooding and Sally might be known for pulling stunts to shatter said brooding.

  Pointing at her with my index finger, I said, “We will be discussing what you consider to be proper business attire later young lady.”

  Sally puffed her chest out with pride and her large chest bounced not once, but twice. I could not help to look down at my much smaller breast and feel a pang of envy in that moment.

  “Please Kay; yours would look porn star ridiculous if they were any bigger with your small build. What self-respecting dyamphyr wants men to think she has had a boob job?”

  The Damn wolf could read me like a book.

  “There is a self-respecting dyamphyr? This is news to me,” I said cheekily and Sally did the mature thing, she stuck her tongue out at me in retaliation.

  “Hun there is a reason why all those pigs, pun not intended, at work are always harassing you.” My eyes went bug and I said, “I guess it was too much to hope that you missed that little detail huh?”

  Sally’s green eyes glowed brightly for a few seconds, and she said, “I would have torn through a few throats had Dylan not held onto me.”

  I shook my head frantically and said, “Sally the last thing I need is to be visiting my best friend from behind bars.”

  I motioned her to follow me, we collected out purses from the sofa and locked the door on our way out. We were quiet until we got into my silver 04 Civic. She was old faithful to me and she got great gas mileage being a five speed.

  “So, what exactly happened with the witches last night?” Sally asked with a level tone, but I could practically smell her lupine curiosity in overdrive.

  “Jaden, you know the red headed bitchy one, she actually attempted to encase me in a water tomb spell. I pulled out my ice magic and cause a cold snap in temperature and shattered the spell.”

  Sally smiled proudly and punched my shoulder, harder than any other being could have tolerated and said, “You literally iced her ass!” I snorted in amusement and I shook my head slowly while I drove us towards the French Quarter.

  It was only about nine thirty now, but the Quarter was all hustle and bustle. Tours were in full swing, because we never had a moment’s rest from gawking tourists. Restaurants were already full, serving many patrons their breakfasts. Voodoo and psychic shops were already open and people were indulging in the twenty-four seven bar services. It was just another day in New Orleans.

  I talked Sally’s head off on our short drive to work, about the positive interaction with my grandmother and how I had somewhat subdued the savage maternal beast, for now anyway.

  We walked into the precinct and there were more catcalls, as perusal; however, Sall
y made a point to strut her stuff. She did not duck and cover like me, she flaunted the goods and put the girls on display for all the horny cops to see. Yes, she is my best friend and unabashed werewolf extrodanare. This werewolf sashay of hers was only highlighted further by that tight grey dress shirt. I could see the hungry eyes and smell elevated levels of male desires now. I was about two seconds from punching Sally, because I did not want to smell all of that!

  We took the elevator up to the Super Natural Crimes Division floor and we made to the Captain’s office. At least on this floor there were no catcalls and few gawky men. We might hang on the fringes of the department’s social hierarchy, but at least SNCD could be professional with us.

  I overheard the Captain hurrying to finish his call, lest his two supernatural girls hear everything. Sally and I both pretended as if this did not happen on a regular basis with most everyone. Human’s love their secrets and I am glad to let them have what they can.

  Captain Reed Clark sat at his desk and he motioned us in with one very skinny hand. He was short, maybe three inches taller than I, so about five foot six. He was a very slight man and he had grey hair that held traces of the brown it had ocn3e been. His yellowish brown eyes were sharp and astute at observation. He held a powerful air of human command and power, considering how small he was.