by Robyn Bachar
The flames spread and engulfed my entire body to discourage anyone else from grabbing me. Heat licked at my skin and singed off the little bit of clothing I had on, but naked and alive was better than dead and modest. Harrison eyed me, looking for weaknesses, and I flipped him off with my free hand.
“You hardly seem worth fighting over,” he said.
“Go fuck yourself, asshole.”
Harrison scowled. “Very eloquent.”
“Yeah? Well your temper tantrum is real fucking mature. The Titania doesn’t love you. Get over it.”
My hand was slick and sticky where I held it against my neck. Not good. Harvey…
This one is still alive, Mistress, he replied.
Break his neck. That’ll slow him down for a while. Wouldn’t kill the bastard, but I needed my minion between me and the playboy in case I passed out. I wobbled, and Harrison darted forward. A dark blur collided with him and shoved him back. Faust, my avenging angel.
“Call off your dogs, Zachary. This has gone too far,” Faust snapped.
“No.”
Faust stepped forward and raised his blazing sword. “I won’t allow this. You are making a mistake, and it ends here.”
“You’re right. Step aside, and I’ll end it.”
“Bring it, pretty boy,” I snapped. I jumped as someone touched my shoulder, but relaxed when I saw Harvey standing behind me.
“Zachary, I don’t want to hurt you, but I will,” Faust warned. “Stand down.”
“Why are you protecting her? I’m your family,” Harrison whined. Well, it sounded whiny to me. He probably thought he was being dramatic.
“Because you’re behaving like a spoiled child. Patience has done nothing wrong. I love her. If you continue to pursue this, I will kill you.”
The vampire growled as he tensed to attack, and Faust leapt forward and punched him with the pommel of his sword and laid him out flat. Good for him. The victory was short-lived, because my legs crumpled and I fell. Too much blood loss.
“Potions. Bag,” I stammered. Harvey rushed off to find it, and Faust appeared at my side.
“Douse yourself, my dear, before you set fire to the carpet,” he warned. I nodded, and the flames vanished.
“Mistress, the vampires destroyed your potions,” Harvey said, my bag slung over his skinless shoulder. Wonderful. No healing potions. Just what I needed.
“I’ll take you to a healer.” Faust picked me up, and we blinked out of the room. It was cold and dark for a moment, and then we were in an unfamiliar library. “Catherine, I need your help.”
I worried for a moment about being bare-ass naked, but when I glanced down I was wearing the same suit Faust had conjured for me that morning. Hot damn, I loved him. I wanted to tell him, but it was hard to form the words—any words, for that matter. My brain warned, oh shit, poisoned blade, a second before the convulsions started and I made a sound like a strangled bird.
“Put her down,” the Titania ordered. She loomed over me, and I was never so happy to see a witch. They’re all healers. Well, she had gotten me into this mess, the least the woman could do was put me back together.
Faust laid me on the floor, and as my limbs flailed I managed to grab his hand and cling to it for dear life, refusing to let go. Catherine knelt on the other side of me and began chanting something. It rhymed, so I assumed it was witch magic.
“What happened?” Lex asked. He stood near my feet, a tower of disapproving authority.
“Zachary bit her,” Faust replied. His voice caught, as though he wanted to say more but couldn’t. It couldn’t be easy for him. He had so little family left, and here he was siding with me instead of his nephew. I squeezed his hand, and he gave me a reassuring smile. “There were two masters with him. I’ve never seen them before. Patience took a blade to the shoulder, here,” he motioned at the wound, “and I think it may have been poisoned.”
I agreed, judging by the omgwtf pain I was in. A fresh wave of agony coursed through me, and I choked down a scream and turned it into a string of expletives instead.
“Got it,” Catherine said. “Give me a little space, please.”
“No,” I blurted. I wasn’t letting him go.
The Titania looked down at me with an expression I couldn’t quite peg—surprise maybe, but with a side of sadness. “Okay. You’re good. No worries.”
I nodded, and my eyes slipped shut as she worked. The shaking subsided, leaving a burn in its wake. Normally I’m not bothered by heat, but this was the sickly warmth of fever and not the familiar comfort of fire. Faust murmured to me as Catherine worked, and he stroked my hair as he held my hand. I faintly heard the Oberon speaking to someone else, but I was too out of it to hear what was going on. All I knew was that it wasn’t Harvey. Wherever we were probably had demon wards. Not uncommon in a magician household, but never fun for my minion, who had to wait outside in the cold.
When the fever fog lifted I was lightheaded, but the pain had faded. They helped me sit up, and I opened my eyes to spot Lex standing across the room with Michael and Emily Black. I turned to Faust and blinked at him.
“You have lost your mind,” I said.
“Very likely. You needed a healer. Catherine is the only healer I know who isn’t on Zachary’s payroll,” he replied.
“Right. Thanks for the patch job. We’ll get out of your hair now,” I said to the Titania.
She shook her head. “Wait. We have questions.”
“Don’t we all. I need to get to my place and pick up some things. Now’s a good time, because we know the vamps are at his place.”
“But Kris could be at yours,” she countered.
“So could the Prometheans. It’s a big fucking party. Look, I have wards…that totally won’t work against Kris. Damn it all. This fucking sucks,” I muttered. Then I squared my shoulders and put on my best don’t-give-a-fuck. “If he’s there, you can put me back together again after he kicks my ass. Let’s go.”
Faust helped me to my feet, but the Oberon stormed over and stopped us before we could pop out. “You’re staying and answering questions. That’s an order.”
I snarled “Eat me, Duquesne” before my brain could remind me that I wasn’t supposed to sass him. Not that it’d ever stopped me before. Much. Faust snickered before scolding me. I cleared my throat. “Sorry. Look, Harrison never had a problem with me before you dragged me into your drama, and now he’s all ripping my damn throat out. So what do you want from me, Duquesne? What?”
“I want to help you,” he replied.
I burst into fit of hysterical laughter—not because it was funny, but at the sheer ridiculousness of it all. As a guardian, Alexander Duquesne busted my chops every time I bent a minor summoner law, like he had the stick of justice stuck up his ass. Guardians…then again maybe he’d mellowed now that he was Oberon.
“Yeah. Right. Pull the other one,” I said.
He sighed, his hands on his hips while he studied me, all rugged and annoyed. Still a little wobbly, I clung to my sweetie for comfort and balance. I wasn’t sure what Duquesne thought he could do for me. His track record against Harrison wasn’t so good lately. The soft sound of a gasp pulled my attention away from the Oberon, and I spotted Mrs. Emily Black eyeing us warily.
“Hey, I don’t care about who did what to who on some other continent in some other century. We’re going to stay in our separate corners and everyone’s keeping their hands and magic to themselves, got it?” I warned.
“You love him,” she said. I wasn’t sure if that was a statement or accusation.
“Yes…and?” I replied.
She frowned, her brow knitting in confusion. For a vampire she was a modest, prim and proper little thing. She looked more like a schoolmarm than a bloodsucker. Of course I looked more like a biker than a businesswoman, so what did I know?
“Wait, what?” Catherine said.
“Yup. Hearts and flowers, the whole nine yards. We’re buying a house in Wheaton and a Labradoodle named Geo
rge.” I hugged Faust in a proper embrace to punctuate my point, and he chuckled, rubbing my back comfortingly.
“I’ll hold you to that,” he murmured.
I winced. “Maybe not Wheaton. Somewhere less conservative. Forest Park, it’s near my office.” I drew away enough to look from the Titania to Mrs. Black. “Can we get on with whatever it is you want, so my honey and I can move on to our next thrilling fight against the forces of evil?”
“Never figured I’d hear you say that,” Lex said.
For a moment I gritted my teeth before any insults could slip out, and then I took a deep, calming breath. “Since October I’ve banished two, sometimes three demons a day, every day. It’s tough, and I’m exhausted, and I haven’t been paid a single dime for my work. Instead I’ve been battered, bruised, mauled, stabbed, a few cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder—”
Lex held his hands up. “I get the idea.”
“And it’s not going to let up. It’s going to get worse. And worse. Until there’s more of them than there are of us, and powers help us all on that day, because it’ll be ugly. So exactly how are you going to help me, O Lord Oberon? I take checks.”
“We’ll figure something out. Can you tell us anything about what Harrison has planned?” he asked.
“Not that we haven’t already told you,” Faust replied.
“And Kristoff?”
“He’s out there. Other than revenge, I don’t know what his agenda is,” I said. “Mayhem, probably. You’re not safe here. Or anywhere, really. Nobody’s got a house-sized ward strong enough to keep out an ancient demon. But killing him is on my to-do list, so don’t get your panties in a knot. Anything else?”
“Your auras are linked,” Mrs. Black said.
I glanced down, expecting to see some sort of magical ooze going on between Faust and I, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. Well, I was covered in blood and without shoes—I suspected Faust liked the concept of heels but not the reality that they made me much taller than him—but nothing strange aside from that.
“What does that mean?” he asked.
“It means that you are soul mates,” she explained.
My first reaction was shock, then a momentary giddiness, followed by a great sadness that settled on me like a weight. “Oh no. I’m so sorry.”
“Why?” he asked, clearly startled.
I swallowed hard and managed a weak smile. “Tick tock.” I tapped my watch for emphasis, and he nodded slowly. Clearing my throat, I blinked behind the shield of my specs. “Okay then… We’ll keep you posted. Anything else before we go?”
“Is it true that you are a member of the Infernus clan?” Michael Black asked.
Faust tensed, but he nodded. “I am.”
I could see the chronicler winding up with righteous indignation, so I stepped in front of Faust. “Hey, I said separate corners, no fighting. Cut him some slack, there’s only the two of them left anyway.”
“Two?” Mrs. Black repeated.
“Myself and my sister are the only ones left of my clan,” Faust explained.
Her eyes widened, and I swear she paled, which I wouldn’t have thought possible for a vampire. “But…there were hundreds of you.”
“Five hundred and forty-three.”
The number echoed in my ears. Lord and Lady. That was a small town, and they’d all been exiled. He said half of them had committed suicide that first year, and the sheer magnitude of that many deaths sucked the wind right out of me. I hugged him, because I’m sure he needed it, and I whispered, “Let’s go.”
He blinked us out of the room without another word.
Chapter Six
We popped into my living room, and it looked like a tornado had torn through it. Though a tornado was entirely possible, because this was Illinois after all, I suspected the damage was of the intruder variety. No vamps, hunters or demons popped out of the shadows to attacks us. My wards felt intact, but that didn’t mean a thing where Kris was involved, because he could smash through them like a deer through a windshield. There was no sense of a current intruder either, and I called out for Harvey.
“Yes, Mistress?”
“You okay?” I asked. The vamps hadn’t seen him to attack him, and he appeared uninjured.
“I am well. You look much better.”
“Thanks. It looks clear here to me. What do you think?”
His ears twitched as he glanced around the room. “I agree.”
“As do I,” Faust spoke up.
“Okay. Harvey, grab whatever you’ll need for the next few days, and make it fast.”
“Yes, Mistress.” He headed off toward his room—yes, unlike most summoners, I spoil my demon with his own room, in addition to all the video games he wants.
I flexed my fingers as I fought the urge to start putting things to rights. The couch and chairs were destroyed, the pillows slashed and foam stuffing scattered across the floor. Glass was shattered in the frame of each of my Van Gogh prints. They weren’t worth anything, just high-end poster store copies, but I liked them. They were colorful and interesting and brightened the place up. My TV was smashed, and DVDs were strewn every which way. I felt violated. Nauseous. This was supposed to be my safe haven, my sanctuary from all the terrible things I saw and did while on the clock. Faust hugged me, and I sighed against his shoulder.
“We need to have a conversation,” he said.
“I know, but we also need to keep this quick, in case they come back,” I said. “Come on, you can help me pack.”
“I can provide you with clothes,” he offered.
“I noticed. Thanks for dressing me, by the way. I’d rather not flash my naughty bits at the Oberon.”
“I’d like to avoid that as well.”
I snickered and moved away before he could distract me further. Against my better judgment I peeked into the kitchen and found it equally destroyed. I thought the damage to the living room might’ve been done during a search, but my dishes were smashed. I doubted anyone could find clues to my whereabouts hidden in the pattern on my china.
With a growl of disgust I headed to my study. The door was open, and I froze as I stepped through. Everything was gone—my spell books, my computer, even my damn mystery novels. The destruction was devastating, but I was more or less prepared for it, and I could deal with that, because I could rebuild. Outright theft of my entire library, on the other hand…
“Aww hell,” I muttered. “So much for making my own spell.”
Faust stepped past me, headed for my desk. He picked up a piece of paper and read aloud. “Dear Patience, because you have helped yourself to my library so many times, I decided to return the favor. I will see you soon. K.V.”
Balling my hands into fists, I let out a stream of expletives that’d make a sailor blush. That bastard. I stomped away to my bedroom, which was also in disarray. My stomach twisted, nauseated by the idea that the demon had rifled through my unmentionables. Then again, just because Kris stole my library didn’t mean that the vamps and/or the hunters hadn’t shown up and played a part in the mess. I paused as glass crunched under my conjured shoes, and I looked down at a broken picture frame. A family portrait was obscured by cracks spiderwebbing the glass. I didn’t have much in the way of mementoes, so I was pretty young in it—five or six years old, stuffed into an unfortunate pink polka-dotted dress with a matching bow in my hair—and I was surrounded by my parents and my mother’s parents. The hunters had killed the lot of them in the recent summoner purge. We weren’t close. Not a lot of summoners are what you’d call happy, loving or well-adjusted.
“Is that your family?” Faust asked when he joined me.
I cleared my throat and did the best to shake off the sudden urge to mourn. Now wasn’t the time to cry over my relatives, and I still wasn’t sure they were deserving of my tears. “Not anymore. Help me flip the bed.”
“Why?” He grabbed hold of the end of the mattress, curious.
“I have an emergency stash under the f
loor.”
“Very practical of you.”
We hauled the mattress off the bed, followed by the box spring, and leaned the two against my dresser. I hauled a storage container of out-of-season shoes out of the way, and pulled up the floor. A dull gray metal strongbox was hidden beneath the loose boards.
“This was my insurance plan in case I ever needed to split fast and head to a nice, warm country with no extradition laws.”
“Should we do that now?” he asked with a wicked grin.
“Tempting, but Kris would find us. Hang on, I need one more thing.” I handed him the box and sorted through the chaos of slain pillows and ruined clothing. Finally I found what I was looking for, and I snatched it up.
“Is that a stuffed dog?” Faust asked.
“Yes.”
“Is its name George?”
“Maybe.”
I hurried out of my room and headed to Harvey’s. He’d filled a backpack with what he considered the essentials, and appeared to be having a difficult time deciding between which Legend of Zelda game to bring with him.
“Come on, we’re out of here,” I said.
“Very well.” He scooped up all of his options and added them to his bag. I handed him my stuffed dog, which was, to be more accurate, a Weimaraner named George. I’d had George since I was a baby, and he was the only object in the world I had an emotional attachment to.
“I want you to look after this for me,” I ordered. “Keep it safe.”
“I’m honored,” Harvey replied. I knew he wasn’t teasing. In fact he looked a bit taken aback, because he knew how much the toy meant to me. Everything else in my condo was replaceable. George wasn’t. Harvey added George to his collection and zipped the backpack closed.
Faust popped us out of my place before anything leapt out to attack us, and we appeared outside the Drake Hotel. Between his charm, and a fake ID with matching credit cards from my stash, we checked into adjoining suites, and Harvey and I covered the rooms in wards. Afterward Harvey disappeared into his suite—again, I spoil my demon, and I didn’t want him to complain about overhearing any sexy fun time between Faust and me—I ordered room service.
