by E.J. Stevens
“Have you heard from her since she left?” I asked.
“No,” he said. “Not a word.”
His face clouded over and his eyes flashed silver.
“Any idea how dangerous her mission is?” I asked.
I’d assumed that her bosses had shipped her off as punishment for attacking Hans. But Kaye’s comments had been nagging at me. Maybe they had sent Jenna off on some top secret mission in order to advance her training. Odds were, it was a bit of both.
“All I know is they sent her to Belgium,” he said. “That’s bad.”
I raised an eyebrow. When I think of warzones, I do not think of Belgium. If you’re going to get shipped out of the country, it didn’t sound like a bad post to me. Wasn’t Belgium the land of beer and chocolate? How could that be bad?
“How so?” I asked.
“Belgium might be safe for people in the human world, but not for Hunters,” he said. “Paranormals have been deeply entrenched in the European countries for centuries, and they share a bloody history with the Guild—one they’re not likely to forgive or forget.”
“But if that’s true, why send a teenage girl there?” I asked. Jonathan bristled, but I held up a gloved hand. “I’m not saying she’s weak. We both know she’s a cute as hell killing machine. But she’s young for that kind of solo assignment, isn’t she?”
“It’s unusual to be sent to the Old Country at this point in her training, especially on her own,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “I should have been sent with her.”
“So why do you think the Guild sent her flying solo into a viper’s nest of paranormals?” I asked.
“That’s what I’d like to know,” he said.
He turned to stare at me and a sick feeling crept into my gut.
“Are you hiring me to find Jenna?” I asked.
If that’s what Jonathan was asking, I’d have to refuse. As much as I liked and respected Jenna, there were people who needed me here in Harborsmouth. Not to mention the fact that I was running on a deadline. I was nowhere near ready for the summer solstice.
Heck, with my debts to the vamps and The Green Lady in play, I may not even survive the night.
“No,” he said. I briefly closed my eyes. I wouldn’t have to turn the guy down, thank Mab. “But if you learn anything, I’d like to know.”
“Yeah, sure,” I said.
Jonathan stopped in front of an office door and I could read the tension in his neck and shoulders.
“This is Master Janus’ office,” he said.
“You’ll let me know if you hear from Jenna?” I whispered.
He nodded.
I rubbed my arms and looked up and down the hall. We were deep inside the administrative building, far from any exits, and the only door in this corridor was the one I now faced.
I took a deep breath and nodded for Jonathan to go ahead. There were so many questions I’d like to have had answered, but it looked like our time was up.
Chapter 25
At Jonathan’s knock, a gruff voice barked for us to enter. I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and prepared to face one of the Hunters’ Guild’s most formidable local masters. But Jonathan didn’t open the door. I shot him a questioning glance and he flicked his eyes downward.
There, held between our bodies, was an envelope folded so many times it was the size of a quarter. Jonathan held it out to me, looking furtively up and down the hall. I was loath to touch anything that came from the lovesick werewolf, but my curiosity won out.
He mouthed “from Jenna” and I gingerly grabbed the note with gloved hands and slipped it inside my jacket pocket for later. With the envelope safely stashed away, Jonathan turned the knob and opened the door wide.
I walked slowly into the office, doing a quick scan for potential threats. I’d feel better having Jonathan at my back, but with a nod to his boss, the werewolf bowed and left the room, closing the door behind me. Aside from two armchairs, a heavy wooden desk, and the old books and artifacts that lined the floor to ceiling shelves, the place was empty, but my fingers still itched for my weapons. That probably had something to do with the man sitting behind the desk.
Master Janus may be the head of the Harborsmouth Hunters’ Guild, but he wasn’t an old geezer by my standards, far from it. The man was a powerhouse of lean muscle and sharp intellect, but the gray hair dusting his temples, sideburns, and short beard, and the creases at his eyes bellied his age—and garnered respect amongst his men.
Janus was in his forties, which was ancient for a Hunter. Hunters fought hard and died young. Wrinkles were a luxury that few Hunters ever lived to receive. But living to the ripe old age of forty was only one of the man’s many accomplishments.
In an organization as competitive as the Hunters’ Guild, Janus had climbed his way to the rank of Master. That was no small feat. Some said he was soon on his way to becoming Grand Master, an honor bestowed to few Hunters. From what Kaye and Jenna had shared, there were less than a dozen Grand Masters worldwide.
One look at the man’s sword-calloused hands, ripped muscles, and curious hazel eyes and it was no wonder he’d come so far in a guild that prized secrets, combat skills, leadership, and military cunning. That didn’t mean I had to stand here shaking in my boots.
I strode forward and dropped uninvited into the chair facing the guild master’s desk. I never was one for ceremony.
Janus let out a noisy breath, posture stiffening and, for a moment, I thought he was going to grab a sword. Instead, he pounded his hand against the hard surface of the desk, which made me jump. Janus let out a bark of raucous laughter.
“You’re not what I expected from fae royalty, but then again, I should have known better from a friend of Kaye’s,” he said. The creases at the corners of Janus’ eyes deepened with a smile and I realized those wrinkles came from more than squinting down the barrel of a weapon. I could see why his men would follow him into battle. The Hunter’s smile was contagious, and I fought to keep my trademark frown intact. “I was worried I’d lose my entire afternoon to some poncy twit spouting Shakespeare while trying to stab me in the back with my own blade.”
“Nope, no dancing around with flowery words from me,” I said. “I don’t know which knife and fork to use at a fancy dinner party either. I’m not your typical faerie princes. I grew up human, same as you.”
For all his reputed skill with a sword and rugged good looks, the man was human. That was clear.
Janus smiled more widely and leaned back in his chair.
“So what can I do for you, Miss Granger?” he asked.
“I was hoping you could help me locate a mutual friend,” I said. “Kaye took off without a word as to where she was going, and now all hell’s breaking loose.”
“You talking about those bloody pyro demons?” he asked.
Now it was my turned to gape like an idiot.
“Aye, lass, we know all about the fire imps plaguing the city,” he said. “I’ve got men on it, though we’re short staffed here at the moment. Timing couldn’t have been worse, almost as if it happened that way on purpose.”
He rubbed the back of his neck and scowled.
“You think the demons showing up now is a targeted attack on the city?” I asked.
“I don’t know, but Kaye was checking things on her end,” he said. “She went to walk the perimeter barrier. It may not keep things out like it used to, not enough powerful magic users left to fuel the damn thing, but the barrier still works as an early warning system for those of us who still care about protecting this city.”
“So Kaye went to check the perimeter?” I asked.
“Aye, fire imps were popping up inside the city, but there was no sign of them passing through the barrier,” he said. “Had our witch friend in a right tizzy.”
“Yeah, I bet,” I said.
I remembered how foul tempered she’d been when Forneus managed to enter Harborsmouth without triggering Kaye’s magic alarm system. In fact, he
never did share how he managed that trick.
I sighed. Kaye hadn’t been the only one to disappear. Forneus had left with a promise to help find out how to break the incubus’ hold on Jinx—and I hadn’t heard from him since. I guess I should know better than to trust a demon.
“Any theories on how a bunch of rare demons are getting inside the city without setting off the barrier?” I asked.
I bit my lip, a knot forming in my belly. As far as I knew, Forneus was the only demon to pass unnoticed, until now. If I found out that the demon attorney had something to do with the fire imp plague on the city, I’d send him straight back to Hell—and I’d make damn sure he stayed there.
“Not yet, but I don’t reckon we’ll like the answer,” he said.
No, probably not.
“Well, um, thanks for the info,” I said. I thought about what Father Michael said regarding the possibility of Hell gates and winced. “Tell your men to keep an eye out for portals…mirrors, tears into the fabric of reality, that sort of thing.”
God, did I just say that with a straight face?
“Already on it, lass,” he said.
Master Janus rose to his feet, the universal sign for ‘get the hell out of my office.’ I stood slowly, every muscle in my body protesting, and went for the door.
“If you hear from Kaye, let me know,” I said. “I’m in the book.”
Jinx had printed up fancy Private Eye business cards, but I hadn’t thought to grab any earlier. I was too busy strapping on weapons.
“Aye, will do,” he said.
I nodded over my shoulder. I may not trust the man, or his guild, but I did appreciate the fact he’d seen me on short notice. I was also aware that someday, if Kaye and I were gone, the Hunters’ Guild could be the one thing that came between the rogue paranormals and the human inhabitants of Harborsmouth. With Kaye’s magic waning and my current situation with The Green Lady, that day may come sooner than later.
“Safe travels, Janus,” I said.
“Good hunting, Granger,” he said.
I just hoped that this round of hunting didn’t get me dead.
Chapter 26
My exit from the Hunters’ Guild was uneventful. Jonathan was nowhere in sight and his taciturn replacement escorted me to the front gates with no more than a series of monosyllabic grunts and mutters. I’d been ready for a fight, but Hendricks had left his post and I made it through the gate without so much as a barbed insult.
I sprinted away from the looming edifice of the Herne building, burning off unspent adrenaline while formulating a plan. Kaye’s magic perimeter barrier encircled the entire city of Harborsmouth. If I started tracing it now, I could be running in circles for days looking for the woman. There was a chance I’d never encounter the witch at all.
No, I’d take my chances back at The Emporium. Kaye was bound to return eventually and Arachne had that demon vessel artifact for me. Plus, I wanted to check in with Jinx. A status report over the phone was all well and good, but I needed to see my friend for myself.
Decision made, I hastened toward the Old Port quarter which was thankfully downhill. I may run along the harbor and go through basic defense drills daily, but unfulfilling my bargain with The Green Lady was beginning to take its toll. My breathing was labored and sweat was beading on my forehead and upper lip.
Although the sweat may have had something to do with my close proximity to a dozen fire imps. Imps ran across my path, cackling and chittering as they slipped into a nearby alleyway.
Fire imps roving in packs? Now that was interesting. In fact, there was a chance they’d lead me to the Hell gate that Father Michael suspected was somewhere in the city.
I considered turning around and raising the alarm back at the guild, but shook my head and put on more speed. Why let the Hunters have all the fun? I bolted after the demons.
My limbs felt heavy with fatigue—damn The Green Lady—but I pushed forward, muscles burning. I careened around the corner and into the alley, gulping air thick with the reek of garbage, urine…and smoke. I choked on the stench, raising an arm to cover my nose and mouth.
The fire imps had definitely come this way, but they were nowhere in sight and the alley was blocked by a tall, chain-link fence. I retraced my steps, but there were no doors or windows on the first or second floors of the adjoining brick buildings. Unless there was a portal here which I couldn’t see, the imps must have made their way over, under, or through the fence.
I let out an impatient growl and returned to the fence, searching for signs of the diminutive demons. A closer inspection turned up a patch of blood where one of the buggers had cut himself trying to climb up and over to the other side.
I eyed the fence, topped with barbed wire, and sighed. I’d never catch up with the imps now, not in my current bargain-plagued condition. If I wanted answers about the location of the Hell gate, I’d have to take my chances with the cooling blood.
I grimaced, not liking my options. Using my psychometry was always risky, which is why I was so selective in how I went about engaging it. Normally, I tried to play it safe, and fondling some demon blood was not my idea of safe—not by a long shot. But if there was a portal to Hell in my city, there was no way I could sit back and let demon hordes pour through unchecked.
The gate had to be closed, and the only way to do that was to find its location. I thought of the gigantic master demons that Father Michael had shown me in his books and shivered. Those demons dominated the demons of their plane. What would they do to the people of this city? Would they enslave my family, my friends?
I imagined Jinx in shackles, her spirit broken. Mab’s bones, what about Marvin? Could the bridge troll take another beating? The kid still had scars from the each uisge attack. And I knew what Kaye and Ceff would do. They’d fight until their bodies lay broken and lifeless at the feet of the demon lords.
I tugged at the fingers of my glove, and took a long, quivering breath. Stupid, stupid, stupid, I admonished myself, but I forced my shoulders back. Sure, I could lose my sanity and end up a gibbering mess in an alley stinking of piss and smoke. Heck, if the convulsions were bad enough, I could break my own neck. But I continued to strip off my gloves.
There are some things that are worth the risk.
I went through my preparations slowly, all the while trying to calm my nerves. I needed to find my center, my chi, and focus my will. I slid a plastic mouthguard into my mouth and ignored the drool that immediately had me resembling a slavering barguest. The mouthguard made me claustrophobic, but my convulsions could be violent and now was not the time to bite my tongue off. I had to maintain control, at all cost.
I cleared the ground at my feet, sweeping away the refuse that littered the pavement with my boot. I thumbed off my phone’s ringtone, not wanting any unnecessary distractions. This would be hard enough without the jarring sound of my ringer going off.
I was pretty sure that losing my focus while handling demon blood would be a mistake of epic proportions. Stabbing myself with one of my many weapons was also probably a bad idea. With jerky movements, I stripped off my leather jacket, forearm sheaths, and utility belt placing them all in a plastic bag I kept folded inside my jacket.
Even in the heat of the alley goosebumps dotted my skin. I felt naked, vulnerable. I tossed the bag aside and planted my feet wide.
I winced at the drool trickling down my chin, but the mouthguard was a necessary evil. Not only would it keep me from choking, or eating my own tongue, it would also muffle my screams.
I raised a shaking hand to the fence and swallowed hard. It was time to go down the rabbit hole.
Chapter 27
Everything was burning. EVERYTHING, and it was glorious. Burn, burn, burn! Fire, fire, fire!
I giggled with glee, but NO. This was not me. These thoughts were those of a fire imp, the one whose blood I’d touched in the alley. I was Ivy G-g-granger…
I felt myself slipping, drowning beneath the tide of flames…losing my
sense of self…becoming a demon.
Fire, fire, fire, fire! Who that? Witch with bad magic. Nooooooooo! Darkness, stuck, bottled up with brothers. Bored. No fire, no fire, no fire, no fire. Whoa! Falling, tumbling, FREE!
Girl with purple hair? Witch! Run, run, run. Hide, hide, hide.
Tall buildings. No darkness. No masters. No witch.
Make fire. Fire, fire, fire!
I groaned, drool leaking past my lips. I struggled to breathe, but the cloying scent of smoke and unwashed demons lingered. I turned my head to the side, pulled the mouthguard from my mouth, and puked my guts out in the alley.
I heaved until there was nothing left, body wracked with the shakes. My muscles cramped as spasms sent fingers of pain throughout every nerve, but it could have been worse. I’d survived the vision. Thankfully, fire imps were simple creatures obsessed with fire, flame, and smoke. Not much else left an impression on them—except being bottled up by a witch.
Oh shit. Images from the vision came back to me and I began to make sense of them now that I wasn’t trapped inside a fire demon’s puny brain.
Kaye had rounded up these little mischief makers before. She used her magic to keep them contained in a small, arcane vessel—an artifact that Arachne had disturbed in Kaye's office.
Now I understood the kid’s nervousness on the phone. Arachne was the girl with purple hair from my vision. Intentionally or not, she was responsible for the fires raging through Harborsmouth. Arachne had set the fire imps free.
Arachne had offered us the artifact to help lure the fire imps to the carnival grounds. So she knew that the magic item must have been a demon vessel, she’d figured that much out. If her nervousness was any indication, she also knew that she’d screwed up. But did she realize exactly what she’d done? Probably not.
I sighed and rubbed my face. The kid was about to learn about facing the repercussions of her actions. I knew from my own experience that it was a hard lesson to take.
