A Nightly Howl

by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

  "Yes, right away," she said promptly, and I exhaled with relief. She went to her desk, dropping the files on the floor yet again.

  I just needed to get used to it. We had to go out and buy a few more mugs because she’d smashed them all. Whenever she offered to make a cup of coffee, I preferred to do it myself, so did Kate. After Sara sorted out the mess with her files, she made a phone call to the first potential client. Just before eleven, my dad walked through the door, accompanied by Stuart. My stomach tightened automatically: they weren't just here for a visit.

  "Hi, Dad, what are you doing here?" I asked, swallowing hard. Stuart’s expression didn’t give anything away.

  "We need to talk to you," he said, glancing at Sara who was talking loudly on the phone. "In private."

  I nodded, then took them to the interview room, wondering why they were here. Dad looked like he needed a good night’s sleep. Stuart appeared tense and distracted.

  "So, what’s going on?" I asked with an edge in my voice.

  "Rufus is missing; his wife called last night. He was supposed to be back from Manchester yesterday. He called her, stating that he was leaving, but never made it home. His phone hasn’t been working since eight o’clock last night. His wife mentioned that he always calls if he’s running late."

  I had to sit down and take a deep breath.

  "Maybe he didn’t want to drive for so long and stopped at a hotel," I suggested, not allowing myself to think that something might have happened to him.

  "When was the last time you spoke to him?"

  I sat back, thinking about Rufus; he was supposed to be in the office last week, but he didn’t show up, saying he had to go to Manchester. He sent me a quick email telling me to attend that networking event, but we hadn’t spoken since he left the office the week before last. A bead of sweat rolled down my back as I looked at my father’s worried face.

  "Last week. He was going to Manchester, then he sent me an email asking me to go to that networking event. I tried to call him for several days, but he never got back to me," I explained, trying to stay calm, but my heart was already pounding.

  Dad looked at me for several long moments before he spoke. "We can’t trace his phone. I wanted to talk to you before I took any actions. I’ll speak to the unit in Manchester to see what they’ve got. First, the murder, now Rufus? I don’t like this, Julia, not one bit."

  "Dad, I hope you don’t think something happened to him..." I whispered, trailing off.

  "We have to consider every possibility," he answered, shrugging.

  "If he’s missing, then McGregor is behind this," I said, balling my fists.

  "We don’t know that, hon. You might be right; someone already tried to burn the agency. Rufus has a lot of knowledge and contacts in this industry. He was telling me that Paranormal Personnel made tonnes of money dealing with La Caz Pharmaceutical."

  I knew straight away what he was talking about. Since Nathaniel started outsourcing his recruitment, we made money and his production line had expanded. We were the biggest supplier of his staff. The other two agencies were smaller, and they were struggling, as far as I knew. Then I exposed Caleb McGregor, who was producing and smuggling a fake Lucrative Shot, and now he was no doubt looking for revenge. Nausea hit me as I thought about Rufus. I could only hope he was all right and safe. I couldn’t bear it if something happened to him because of a decision I made, especially after what happened to Claudia. She’d been kidnapped in the middle of a busy street, and now Rufus was also missing.

  "Rufus has done nothing wrong. He might have knowledge, but he isn’t important."

  “It's too early to speculate. I’ll see what the unit up north has to say first. If we don’t hear from him within the next twenty-four hours, then I’ll start an intensive search," Dad said. "I just wanted to give you a heads up."

  "I can’t believe this is happening. You must have some leads on McGregor?"

  "We already discussed this. It’s not that difficult to disappear, Julia. McGregor has contacts and money." Dad frowned.

  "What do I tell the girls and anyone from management if they call?" I asked, feeling hopeless.

  "Just keep it quiet until tomorrow. I’ll call you if I know more."

  They left shortly after that. I put on a brave face and got back to work. I couldn’t find my place for the rest of the day, thinking about Rufus. I tried to talk with Sara but didn’t concentrate much on what I was doing. Clients came in and I dealt with them the best I could, but my mind drifted away too often. Rufus had a family to look after; I couldn’t imagine what his wife was going through.

  After work, I skipped the gym, waiting anxiously for any news from my dad. Roberto gave me a lift home; I didn’t have time to think about Nathaniel because Rufus was on my mind for the rest of the evening. I kept checking my phone, hoping that my father would call with news, but the tiny voice in my head told me that I was wasting my time.

  It was ten o’clock in the evening when I’d had enough of sitting on my bum waiting for the phone to ring. Roberto was away, and I didn’t feel a bit guilty for leaving the flat on my own. My neighbourhood was quiet and there was never any trouble around there. I wanted to get some wine to take the edge off from the stress of the day. The past few days were draining, and I hadn’t been sleeping well. The local shop was only a five-minute walk from my apartment. Maybe I was stupid drinking on a work night, but my magic was whipping through me like frosting for a birthday cake. I needed to cast a spell, but I knew that I would mess something up. Dad kept telling me to go see a healer to avoid the burst of magic, but I could never find a spare minute.

  The young Asian shopkeeper gave me a smile after I paid for the wine. Dark clouds covered the moon and it was warm despite the rainy weather we’d had the past few weeks. On my way back, a few youngsters gave me a dirty look, pointing at my slippers.

  I couldn’t help it; I showed them the middle finger. Yeah, very mature. I slipped between the houses, taking a shortcut. I was only two minutes away from my apartment when I heard a scream. I told myself to ignore it and just move along when the woman’s terrifying voice rang in my mind.

  I stopped, glancing around, and my stomach tightened. A current of energy charged through my body quicker than I anticipated. During the day, I’d been lacking concentration, so all my senses were sharper and hypersensitive. I darted around, but my path was empty; I could hear the screams further down. Then I heard a loud laugh. I charged through the passage, not even thinking about what I was doing. In the corner of a dark alley, a bright blue light was radiating from an old garage—a place where most teenagers gathered to drink.

  My breathing was shallow; my heart beat furiously in my chest. I peered behind the wall. A tall figure was standing above someone, possibly a woman. From the bright light, I gathered that I was dealing with paranormals. My energy was pulling me toward them. Adrenaline crawled through my body, awakening the rest of the energy I tried to pull back. The excess magic was making me shake like jelly. My heart skipped a beat when I heard the cracking voice again.

  “Don't you dare touch me, you, fucking areshole!" the woman screamed. She was lying on the ground, trying to drag herself away from her captor. She was Scottish, her accent strong.

  "Oh, you’re so wrong, sugar. I’ll teach you a lesson; no one walks away from me," the rasping, sharp voice growled.

  It would be morally wrong to dismiss that she was in trouble, and I wasn't the kind of person who kept walking when people needed help. I was caught in the moment, so I stepped out of my hiding place and roared, "Hey, arsehole, leave her alone!"

  My voice was thick and strong, but my whole body was shaking. I didn’t know what to expect. It was dark, but my senses were working better than usual, and I was ready to kick his arse. He turned around carefully; I sensed that he was a wizard.

  "Keep walking, my dear, or this one here might not be satisfying enough," he barked, waving his wand quickly, not giving me a chance to react. I wasn't ready for
what came after that. I was swept off my feet, landing on my butt, seeing stars. I moaned as sharp pain shot through my back; my elbows were bruised; my heart was romping. Shaking my head, I inhaled, really pissed off. The bomb started ticking once I lifted myself off the ground.

  Chapter 5

  New friend.

  "Fuck you, arsehole!"

  Throughout the day I’d tried to control my power, but right now I wasn't prepared to hold back. The guy in front of me needed to start praying because he had no idea what was coming. Concentrating on my own voltage of magic, I opened my eyes. My flesh started burning—tension prevalent in the air—every part of me filled with the stiff current of magic. I concentrated. Red light hummed out of my body; the wind whisked me above the ground. My skin started smouldering and I smelled of burning flesh.

  "What the...?"

  He didn’t finish whatever he wanted to say, as a jet of energy lashed out of my body, knocking him off his feet. I stretched my arms and pools of light streamed out, covering him. For the first time in my life, the power roared along with me and I wanted to hurt him, tear his body to pieces. Energy crinkled through me and he crumbled, moaning. He was in agony, burning alive. Blood rushed to my ears, descending my energy to the lowest level. I held back, remembering I was near humans.

  The silence coursed, the air vibrated around me unnaturally for several long moments. I gasped for oxygen like I’d been underwater for an unnatural length of time. My chest heaved when I saw the wizard on the ground, no longer moving. I shrunk with fear, wondering if I’d killed him. Picking myself up, I rushed to the girl who was staring at me, immobile.

  "Hey, are you all right?" I stammered, my throat burning.

  She was a shapeshifter.

  "Is he dead?" she whispered.

  “Don't know. C’mon, let’s get out of here," I said, helping her to her feet. She was slightly drunk but able to walk. I was ready to throw up when the smell of his burning flesh reached my nostrils. The guy was unconscious, maybe dead. We both approached him, he wasn't breathing so I checked his pulse; it was faint, and I exhaled with relief. I’d gone too far; I didn’t plan to kill him. My bottle of wine was still untouched, lying by the bins. I had no idea how it didn’t get smashed, but I picked it up, hoping to have a strong drink later on. Someone must have heard the banging noise; I wasn't ready to be arrested for assault, so we needed to get out of there fast.

  When we got to my street, I kept looking behind me, wondering if we’d been followed. The girl hung on my shoulder, cursing off the captor loudly.

  "Who are you?" she finally asked.

  "The person who just saved your butt."

  We didn’t have time to discuss anything right then. We needed to get home before anyone figured out what went on in the alley. I couldn’t leave her on the street; she was still drunk and could really use a shower.

  "I'm glad you kicked that bastard’s arse. I wish you’d killed him," she yelled, stumbling into my living room.

  “I'm not so sure," I muttered. "You need to report this." I passed her my mobile phone.

  Now I had a chance to take a closer look at her. She looked like she’d been rolling in the mud; her clothes were soaked right through and she’d lost one of her shoes. I guessed that she had dark hair and delicate features, although I could have been wrong because she was so dirty.

  "No... no. I won’t be reporting this. I don’t need any more trouble with the police," she groaned, staring at me like I was the bad guy.

  "Are you crazy? That fucker nearly raped you!"

  "Thank you for your help, but I need to get going. I really don’t want to complic—"

  "Hold on. If you don’t want to report this, fine, but use the bathroom for God’s sake. You can’t go out like that," I insisted when she rose from the chair.

  "Okay, you’re right... I’m a mess."

  I showed her to the bathroom door.

  "Here," I said. "Get yourself sorted and I’ll make you a cup of tea."

  When she disappeared into the bathroom, I went to the kitchen. I felt peaceful; my energy was out of my system, and after that spectacle of power I wouldn’t have to worry about excess magic for a few days. A couple months ago when I’d cursed Carter in Nathaniel’s office, I wanted to stop him, but then a moment ago I was ready to kill that motherfucker in the alley and didn’t feel bad at all. The burning inside my core stopped once I drank a glass of water. My body was numb; I was considering calling Dad behind the girl’s back, but I changed my mind.

  I took the tray to the living room and found some clothes that would fit her. She took them, frowning, which made me laugh. I would probably cry in this situation, but she seemed perfectly fine, worrying about what she was going to wear.

  She emerged after a moment wearing my dress, which appeared too big for her. She was beautiful, and my clothes didn’t do her justice. Her long, dark, tangled hair hung around her shoulders; her olive skin silky. She had large brown eyes that were gleaming with curiosity.

  "Are you all right?" I asked, scanning her face, searching for any bruises or cuts.

  “I'm good, thanks. I’m sorry for freaking out earlier on. I normally handle pricks like him with a good kick up the arse."

  “It's okay. I couldn't just leave you there," I admitted. "Here, have some tea. I need something stronger."

  I showed her the bottle of wine, which I managed to save after the incident in the alley.

  "Do you mind if I have a glass? I would rather skip the tea." She chuckled.

  I laughed and fetched two wineglasses from the kitchen. I passed her one, finally sitting down on the sofa.

  "So, let’s start with your name."

  "Oh, right, sorry, that’s just typical of me. I’m Kelsie. People normally call me Kel."

  "Well, Kel, I’m Julia," I said. "So, what happened up there?"

  She took a generous sip of the wine and scratched her head. "I live nearby and was going to get pissed tonight. Then this arsehole started chatting me up. I wasn't in the mood, so I told him straight, but he was persistent. In the end the barman kicked him out. The guy followed me; I had way too much vodka, so I didn’t even notice him until he grabbed me up near that garage."

  "We were lucky. Normally I’m rubbish with magic, but I haven’t cast any spells in the past few weeks, so my energy took over."

  She narrowed her eyes and her expression hardened. "So, what are you then? A fairy?"

  "Half elf, from my father’s side."

  "Oh, right." She paused, watching me. “You're a cracking elf. If it wasn't for you, I would be lying there probably dead."

  "To be honest, I just lost control. I can never do anything right or cast a simple memory spell," I told her, sitting next to her.

  She started laughing, spilling her wine on my brand-new carpet. "Rubbish, you just saved my butt, so you can’t be that bad!"

  "It was just luck."

  She was silent for a moment, looking around my apartment. She had an odd scar on her left eyebrow. "I appreciate your help, I really do, but I need to bail."

  "Oh, come on, stay. I’ve got a driver who can take you home."

  "A driver? You’re kidding me, right?" She laughed. I looked away, massaging my wrist. I didn’t want to bore Kelsie with my story about Nathaniel. She’d just gone through a really traumatic event and she was a complete stranger.

  "Nah, just an obsessed ex-boyfriend who I really want to kill, but this is not the time or place to talk about it." I pursed my lips, trying not to think about him.

  "Ex-boyfriend. I hear that!"

  I smiled. "My father works for the Paranormal Unit. He can be trusted... are you sure you don’t—"

  "No offence, but I hate those pricks from the police. I don’t fancy being stuck in the police station and questioned by some arsehole. I wanted to have fun tonight, but instead, I got attacked. Let’s move on, I’m still here."

  "Fine, I won’t push." I wondered if she got into trouble like that often. The answer was obv
ious.

  "What about you? Why did you go out so late? No judgment, but what about this bottle of wine?"

  I sighed.

  "I found out today that my regional manager has vanished—no one has seen him since yesterday and I’m really worried that something must’ve happened to him," I explained, scratching my head. "Then problems with the ex-boyfriend and my human friend. After that, I decided I needed it."

  I didn’t know why, but I felt comfortable in Kel’s company. It didn’t take her long to finish the generous glass of wine.

  "Regional manager?"

  "Yeah, I work for Paranormal Personnel. It’s a recruitment firm for paranormals."

  "Hmm, that’s interesting. How are you so sure that something happened to him? Maybe he just bailed because he’s had enough like everyone else in this shitty city."

  "He doesn't just get into trouble and bail out. He loves his job," I tried to explain. “It's a boring subject anyway."

  She raised her brow, looking around my apartment. "Oh, come on, you can tell me. We’ve still got that bottle of wine to finish, so you might as well talk. I changed my mind; I don’t fancy going home yet."

  I was stunned, wondering if I should talk about work with a complete stranger. After all, she saw what I could do to her if she pissed me off. I sunk into my seat and started talking about Nathaniel, our short intense relationship, and everything else. I didn’t know what came over me that evening, but I couldn't stop talking. I was pouring my heart out, feeling that someone finally wanted to listen to what I had to say. She didn’t interrupt, looking genuinely interested. An hour later the bottle was empty, and we were both tipsy.

  "Oh, my God! I thought that my life was fucked up, but now I’m not so sure," she said, laughing.

  "Yeah, so, now you kind of know why I lost control with that twat." I giggled. "What about you? What do you do?"

  "Nothing at the moment; I’m between jobs. I was a bartender in central London, but I got sacked a few weeks ago."