Booke of the Hidden

by Jeri Westerson

  The parking lot was cold and I was instantly snapped awake. Jerking out of his arms, I rounded on Mr. Dark. “What the hell! What are you doing?”

  “I was…merely curious.” He stepped back, brushed his long jacket aside, and examined his nails, like he accosted women all the time and it was no big deal. “I wondered…what does one do on a date? Mortal rituals are strange to me.”

  “Are you out of your mind? You don’t just kidnap a person from their date. Their date with a cop!”

  His accent was at its poshest when he tilted his chin up in irritation. “I beg your pardon, but I did no such thing. At no time have I held you against your will.”

  “You grabbed me and dragged me—” I held up my hands, stopping my own tirade. “Never mind. Just…go away.” I rubbed my arms, trying to warm them, and headed back to the door.

  “May I remind you that we have an appointment in the meadow tonight?”

  “I know! Later, for God’s sake.” I grabbed the door handle but it was locked. An emergency exit. Great. Stomping through the parking lot I headed for the front entrance.

  “Won’t you catch your death? Here, put this on.” He started to take off his duster but I gestured angrily at him.

  “Keep your damned jacket.” I whirled to face him, grabbing the amulet and holding it up to his face. “And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll beat it!”

  He immediately froze. “Are you threatening me?”

  I stalked closer with the amulet still held forward. I was pleased when he took a step back. “Yes!”

  He seemed to shrink. “I just thought you’d want to know about the museum. But if you aren’t interested…”

  I pivoted. “What did you find out?”

  His smug satisfaction irritated me. “Something very interesting. It is a second gateway.”

  “The bikers.”

  “Quite. A ritual was performed and the gateway was opened. Such a gateway is difficult to open. It requires skill, determination…and a death.”

  “Death? You mean a sacrifice?”

  “Not necessarily. No doubt it was done at that location because of the very recent death of your museum curator. But as I said, this is highly sophisticated magic borne of great ability. I was not aware that such abilities of Craft were available to those of this area. I am very much afraid that by opening the book, you have unwittingly allowed those of mediocre skill a significant rise in said expertise.”

  “Wait. So…the Wiccans. They said that they’ve never been able to do the things they’re now doing.”

  “Precisely. Where before they might have been able to perform mere rudimentary charms and spells, now they have absorbed capabilities far beyond that of a skilled mage.”

  “Skilled mage.” I remembered that glowing scrying stick. Was the Booke making a mage out of me?

  “Those biker guys didn’t strike me as particularly skilled. Are you saying they were able to summon Shabiri because I opened the Booke?”

  His breath hitched. “You mustn’t use her name.”

  “She knows yours well enough.”

  “Wait. You…met her?”

  “Yeah. She came to the shop earlier today. What a bitch, if you pardon my French.”

  “You spoke with her?” He grabbed my arm a little too hard.

  “Hey!”

  “You must not speak with her!”

  I shook his hand off. “Believe me, I didn’t want to. But she did confirm something about a game and it was great to know how eager and naïve I was.”

  “Beelze’s tail!” He muttered to himself. I wasn’t sure if it was English or some of that strange backwards vortex speak. Finally, he turned to me. “If she comes again, summon me.”

  “Summon you?”

  “Call my name. I will come to you.”

  That burned something low in my gut. Maybe lower. I turned away. “All right. You can go now.”

  “But I haven’t told you the worst of it, about the vortex. I believe that a second succubus was released. Correction. Incubus. One who stalks women.”

  “Well, crap. Now I’ve got two after me?”

  “Yes. And while one is bent on your destruction, the other is supremely equipped to achieve it.”

  I dropped my head into my hand. “This is a nightmare.”

  “If only it were.”

  “Look,” I said, “thanks for telling me, but it really could have waited. It would have been nice to have one night…well…then this kidnapping me…” I blew out a frustrated breath. “Just go, Erasmus, okay?”

  “Very well. It’s clear my information isn’t welcomed.” Steam or smoke began billowing from his coat. “How much longer will you be with that oaf?”

  “He’s not an oaf, and I’ll be done when I’m good and ready to be done. And stop…smoldering!” He looked down at himself, and with an exaggerated huff, the smoke dissipated.

  An older couple was making their way across the parking lot. They gave us a wide berth and looked on with deep frowns. I nodded politely to them and bit my lip, waiting for them to pass before I laid into Erasmus again. “Now go home!”

  “Your home or—”

  “I don’t care!” I glanced at the couple again as they paused by their car to watch us. “Just go!” I hissed and turned on my heel. My teeth were chattering by the time I made it to the front door, and then I had to march all the way through the restaurant again because I really had to go by now. I passed our table and Ed looked up perplexed. “Made a wrong turn,” I said with a sheepish smile.

  By the time I made it back to our table from the ladies room, Erasmus was sitting at the extra chair and Ed looked less than pleased. I stood over him, my hands at my hips. Where’s a chthonic crossbow when you needed one? “What are you doing here?”

  “I went home but I can’t get in.”

  I wanted very much to wrap my hands around his neck, but it isn’t good form committing murder with the police right in front of you. “Why don’t you use your key?” Code for his appearing-anywhere-he-wanted-to act.

  “My key doesn’t work. Something seems to be preventing me from getting inside.”

  The goop! Apparently, Jolene’s potion worked too well.

  “Oh! I forgot. Um…I added an extra lock, what with all the stuff going on around here.”

  “So I surmised. What am I supposed to do while I wait for this date to be over?”

  He made an emphasis on the word “date” that made Ed flinch.

  “Well, you can’t wait here.”

  Erasmus got to his feet and the chair screeched back. Diners at the other tables were beginning to stare. “Right. I’ll just go then. I suppose I could wait outside the shop.”

  Ed got to his feet. “You’re just going to wait outside her shop all night in this cold?”

  “I don’t seem to have any other choice.”

  Ed looked at me pleadingly. “Can’t you just give him the new key?”

  “It’s not a key. It’s…a special alarm service.” Exasperated, I glared at Erasmus, which seemed to have no effect at all. “Why don’t you just go to Doc’s?”

  Erasmus rolled his eyes and gave a world-weary sigh. “If there is no alternative.”

  “There isn’t,” I said, sitting. I gestured for Ed to do the same. “So why don’t you go. Go now, Erasmus.”

  He lifted a disdainful brow but adjusted his lapels and nodded curtly to me. He turned, his duster spinning out around him, and stalked to the exit. By now, everyone was staring at us.

  I took a large gulp of my wine. It didn’t help.

  Ed stirred his coffee for a very long time before he quietly asked, “So…how long is he staying with you?”

  • • •

  We chatted brokenly after that. The mood was effectively ruined. There was a certain demon I wanted to slay. Plus, I was distracted now by the possibility of two succubi after me.

  We got into Ed’s car and drove back to my place without any words exchanged. When he pulled up in front
and killed the engine, we both sat in the quiet of the car. I turned to him. “Look, Ed. Despite the last half hour, I really had a good time tonight. And I promise that my annoying houseguest won’t be here much longer. What I’m saying is, I’d really like to see you again.” With a big sigh, I added, “But I will totally understand if it’s too much trouble.”

  With his hands still on the steering wheel, he looked straight ahead through the windshield. “He’s a wicked pain in the neck, Kylie, I won’t lie to you. But…” He turned to me then. “I don’t think one irritating houseguest is going to make much difference to me.” He unbuckled his seat belt and I did the same, thinking we were getting out of the car. But it only freed him to reach over the center console to take my arms and haul me toward him. His mouth was on mine in a kiss so sudden I didn’t have time to prepare myself. It started off sweet, but as I laid a gentle hand on his chest, not to push him away, but to gather his sweater to keep him close, he deepened it.

  There was nothing demanding about it. Just a leisurely kiss as if he had known me a long time. His whole controlled power thing immediately flooded me with want in a way that had been absent from boyfriends of days past. And it was different than what I had had with Erasmus the night before. With the demon, it was urgent and unfettered. It had left me no time to think. Yet with Ed my pulse quickened and I opened to him.

  We kissed for a while, until breathless, I canted back. We pressed our foreheads together and he chuckled. “All right?” he said.

  I giggled back. “Yeah, all right.”

  He drew back and opened his door and I did the same. He walked me to the front door, holding my hand. “Tomorrow’s your big day, then? Good luck on that. I’ll try to come by and see how it’s going.”

  “That would be nice. Police the big crowds,” I said, grinning.

  “When can I see you again?”

  And he hadn’t lied, either. That was a novelty. I stood and smiled at him for a moment or two, simply amazed that, indeed, there were real men out there who could be relied upon to tell you the truth. With no strings attached, no magical Booke mucking it up and bringing dangerous creatures into my life.

  I opened my mouth to answer when, over his shoulder, I saw two glaring red eyes.

  “Duck!”

  Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Ed started to turn but the succubus was coming up fast and slammed into him. I dashed out of the way, but Ed fell hard, smacking his head against the doorpost. Dropping to one knee, I looked up just as the door flew open and the crossbow slapped into my hand. But by the time I swung around to aim it, she was gone.

  I looked around for Ed, but the poor man was lying on the ground, out cold.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Doc arrived in record time. I had called him first thing and asked him if I shouldn’t call 9-1-1, but he told me to wait. He was less than five minutes away.

  Ed roused on his own, and Doc had him propped up against the doorpost with a blanket tucked around him. Doc was shining a small flashlight in and out of his eyes.

  “Looks okay to me,” he was saying.

  Ed stared at him perplexed, obeying Doc’s instructions hazily until he turned to me. “What happened?”

  “It was an owl!” I blurted. “It just came out of nowhere! And then you…you slipped. Hitting your head.”

  “I don’t remember an owl,” he muttered.

  “Well…what did you see?”

  He shook his head carefully, rubbing his temple. “Uh…nothing. You hollered ‘duck!’ I turned, and then blackout.”

  I was relieved. First that he was going to be all right, and second that he hadn’t seen the succubus.

  “I’ve called Deputy Miller to pick you up, Ed,” said Doc.

  “I’m fine,” he argued, rising. He winced when he stood unsteadily on his feet and rubbed his head. “I’m sorry about all this, Kylie.”

  “It’s not your fault. I’m sorry about…you know.”

  He waved it off. “Couldn’t be helped.”

  Doc was handing him a cold pack from his doctor’s bag. “You’ve got a sizeable bump on the head, Ed. Better keep this on it. And call me if you feel nauseated. I’d be happier if someone stayed with you tonight, keep an eye on things.”

  He flicked a hopeful glance at me and I was ready to volunteer when the deputy drove up, his car’s headlights sweeping over us. He got out, wearing work boots, jeans, and a heavy plaid jacket with a fleece collar.

  “What’s up, Sheriff? Doc called me and—Jeezum! That’s a honkin’ big bump you got there.”

  “Thanks, George,” he grunted.

  “No kidding, Sheriff. How’d it happen?”

  “An owl. I was attacked by a freaking owl.”

  “Are you kidding me? No way!”

  “Deputy,” said Doc. “I wonder if you could take Ed home and maybe stay with him tonight. He’s had a slight concussion, but I’d be happier if someone stayed by him, just to make sure it doesn’t get worse.”

  “Ah sure, Doc. No problem.” He took Ed’s arm and eased him toward the car.

  “I’m fine,” Ed grumbled, but I noticed he leaned heavily on Deputy George. The deputy helped him into the passenger side of his Interceptor but Ed wouldn’t let him close the door just yet. He motioned to me and I trotted over and leaned over into the warmth of the car interior. Deputy George frowned at me as if I was the root of Ed’s ruination. I couldn’t argue with him.

  Ed took my hand. “Kylie, I had a good time tonight. I’m sorry this spoiled things.”

  “It didn’t. I mean, it would have been nice to continue what we started in the car, but that can wait.”

  “You’re sweet. I’ll make it up to you. And I still plan to come by to see how your grand opening goes.”

  “Only if you’re up to it.” I squeezed his hand, leaned in, and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek.

  He smiled. “Okay. I’ll talk to you soon.”

  I stepped away and the deputy slammed the door a little too close to my face. I glared, remembering the chums he had at the Chamber Get-Together, Ruth Russell among them. He ran around to the other side and got in behind the wheel.

  I felt terrible, but I suppose it could have been worse. The succubus hadn’t gotten him, but she was getting bolder. It was time to take her down.

  I waved as they drove away. And then I felt that presence suddenly at my elbow. I whirled. “You just had to interfere, didn’t you?”

  Erasmus Dark stood unruffled beside me. A ghost of a smile was on his lips. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I came to impart some very important information to you.”

  “Well I’ll have you know it didn’t ruin anything. We’re going out again. So there!”

  “Mr. Dark,” said Doc, coming up between us, though he stayed a healthy distance from the demon. “Are you aware that the succubus attacked Sheriff Bradbury?”

  Erasmus glared at him and sniffed the air. “No. I did not know that.”

  “Too busy bothering people,” I muttered, but he ignored me.

  More headlights flashed across us as a car pulled up beside Ed’s. With the engine off Seraphina stepped out, wearing khaki pants and a fashionable leather jacket. Nick climbed out of the passenger seat and thumbed toward Ed’s car, looking around. “What’s the sheriff doing here?”

  “It’s a long story,” I said. “Let’s go inside.”

  I opened the door and everyone followed me in. All except for Erasmus.

  “Ahem!” he said. I turned. When I saw him eyeing the goop around the doorjamb I felt a certain satisfaction with giving him a little wave and closing the door on his infuriated face.

  I picked up the crossbow I had stashed by the door and ran my hand over it. It had returned the quarrel to its place, as I knew it would. But then I examined it more closely. I plucked the burned quarrel out of its slot, but it was no longer burned. It had repaired itself.

  Seraphina was putting her phone away. “Jolene will be over in a few minute
s. Her dad is going to drop her off.”

  Everyone settled in around the fireplace and I told them about the attack.

  Nick raised his hand. “Why is the, um, demon guy outside?”

  “Because Jolene made a protective potion and it’s keeping him out.”

  “Oh. I just wondered. He sure looks mad out there.”

  I turned toward the window and watched as an irate Erasmus stomped back and forth, throwing his hands up and moving his mouth in a muffled tirade.

  Good. Let him suffer.

  “He was being a jackass tonight.”

  “How did your date go?” asked Seraphina with a purr.

  I rolled my eyes, set the crossbow behind me on the counter, and joined them by the fire. I told them, not about the date but about the vortex and the attack on Ed. “Listen, that isn’t the worst of it. Erasmus went to check on our friendly neighborhood vortex at the museum and he said it was actually a second one. And someone summoned it, caused it to open.”

  “The melted wax,” Nick breathed.

  “Yeah. Our Ordo friends.”

  “Whoa,” said Nick. “I’ve never heard of them being able to do stuff like that!”

  “Like the stuff you guys can do?”

  We all turned and looked at the Booke.

  “You don’t think…” said Nick.

  “I do think. I mean, think about it. Were any of you able to do anything remotely this sophisticated before I opened the Booke?”

  Seraphina played with her rings. “It’s true,” she said softly. “The book is giving us more power.”

  “That’s pretty much what Erasmus said. But I don’t like the power it’s giving the Ordo. Not only did they get themselves a demon to do their bidding, but they opened that vortex and apparently they summoned an incubus.”

  “That’s very bad,” said Seraphina, turning her bracelets around and around on her wrist.

  “Yeah, it’s bad. So do we change our plan? Maybe laying a trap for a succubus isn’t such a hot idea when an incubus is also in the picture.”

  The door opened and Jolene flew in. She stared back at Erasmus for a moment while he sent an ice-melting glare at her. “What’s with him?”