The prostitute began to sob and beg. Agent Pacelli closed his eyes.
“That would make it clear who’s boss, huh?” Frank nodded. “All right. Jones, throw the hooker out the window.”
I didn’t try to fight the order, because I knew there was a vampire outside. Just used my TK to lift her, and sent her flying backward. Glass shattered and broke as she screamed, dropping from sight. A blur followed her, and I breathed a private sigh of relief as those in the room began laughing. She wouldn’t end up splattered, but I hoped she hadn’t been cut too badly, going through.
Agent Pacelli was glaring at me. Let him...as if I could do anything about that anyway. Frank’s lowering of his hand didn’t matter. I was under the ring’s spell, and didn’t have to see it anymore.
There had to be something I could do, but at that moment, nothing was coming to mind.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Frank ordered me to stand beside the door and not use any of my abilities. I obeyed, because trying to resist didn’t work. The psychic band of psychos were in no hurry to vacate, appearing completely unconcerned by the knowledge that the place was surrounded.
No vampires came bursting in either. I figured that had to mean the one by the window had heard or seen enough for them to realize what had happened.
Logan would be worried sick, and I couldn’t contact him to let him know I was all right. Well, mostly all right.
Unless I could break free of the ring’s spell, when they decided it was time to leave, I’d be going with them. I’d become a murderer, killing people because Frank wanted me to. I’d probably never see my family or friends again. I’d never see my dogs or Logan again.
The realization sent a tear down my cheek, and Pacelli’s glare softened. He was watching me, but listening to them as they fought over which city they were going to rampage through next, and with how much of a bang they’d leave Santo Trueno.
“I say we blow everyone down there sky high,” Yodal said.
“Even better, make her do it.” Isobel pointed at me. “Bet some of her friends are down there.”
“Her guy’s down there.” It had to be Briar speaking. Liam had said he was the one with telepathy. “Shifter named Logan.”
When had he found that out? Had he been eavesdropping on us, or did he pick it out of my mind when I was thinking about Logan a minute ago? Or he could’ve gotten that information from Pacelli. It wasn’t exactly a secret. Nothing was secret, when Schumacher was determined to tease you.
Frank scowled. “That could be a problem. Jimmy, why don’t you grab her guy, bring him up here?”
“You want me to drop in on a bunch of armed cops?” Jimmy shook his head. He’d been the one who’d taken the laptop from me. “No way in hell. They got that pretty boy vampire down there. I heard Renee tell you that.”
Crap, had O’Neal seen the other vamps? I hadn’t, and didn’t think anyone else had, either. We only knew they were there because Derrick had told us so. I flicked a look at Briar, but he didn’t seem to be focused on me.
“I’ll go get him.” Isobel stood and stretched, before cracking her knuckles. Her thin lips stretched into a leer. “Can we keep him for a while? It’d be fun.”
“Get him, and we’ll see.” Frank twisted the ring around his finger. “Might keep him as a whipping boy for her.”
No, no, no. This is not happening. I watched Isobel blink out of existence, my mind spinning.
“Nah, let’s just kill him. Nice and slow, while she watches.” Yodal called dancing flames to his fingertips. “I haven’t had much fun lately.”
My fear went up in flames of my own as anger filled me. He had to go down first, Frank second. Those two were the scariest. If O’Neal were outside the room, she’d have to open the door to come in, cloaked or not. How long would it be before Isobel returned with Logan?
Maybe she wouldn’t. Derrick and Stone were both out there. Logan was with them.
I heard a faint sound out in the hallway, followed by a thump loud enough to attract Briar’s attention. “Something’s going on out there.”
“Then go check.” Frank pointed at me. “You come over here, stand in the corner by me.”
My legs felt like lead as I moved. The new vantage point gave me an excellent view of the door, but I could barely see the window, and Pacelli’s head, from the corner of my eye. I could’ve reached out to strangle Frank, if I’d been able to move my arms. I was angry enough to do it.
Briar and Yodal went to check, leaving the door open.
“Think I’ll let Yodal have her guy. He’s getting on my nerves with his whining, the sick bastard.” Frank scratched at his scar again. “I don’t like shifters anyway.”
“Isobel does.” Jimmy was shivering. He was bone thin, and his teeth weren’t in great shape. Meth head? “She screwed her way through nearly the whole pack, back home.”
“She ain’t screwing this guy.”
No, she was not. Logan was mine. The thought growled through my mind, and I thought another echoed it. She wasn’t going to touch him, Yodal wasn’t going to torture him.
Jimmy fidgeted, looking at the door. “What’s taking them so long?”
“Calm down, and stay put. You’re my ticket out of here.”
Jimmy didn’t move, but he also didn’t calm down. “Shouldn’t she be back with the guy now?”
Pacelli chuckled. “I think your friends may have run into trouble.”
Oh, now he wanted to help. My insides squirmed, and I wondered if Sal had hitched a ride again, but the movement didn’t feel the same, exactly.
“Shut up.” Frank waved a hand in the agent’s direction, and specks of blood broke out on Pacelli’s face and hands. “I don’t need you anymore.”
“What if he’s right? Isobel should’ve been back. The guys have been gone too long. Maybe that sound was someone jumping Renee.” Jimmy was scratching his arms, his eyes blinking at a furious rate.
“I am right,” Pacelli said. “It’s just you two now. They’re captured.”
“I said, shut up.” Frank’s second wave brought blood pouring out of the agent, who screamed in shocked pain.
Repulsed, I tried to move, but nothing happened. I couldn’t even yell at Frank to stop.
I need help. Sal! My mental scream appeared to go unanswered, but then I realized my right arm was moving. Neither of the men noticed, Jimmy dancing back from Pacelli’s bloody, screaming figure, and Frank watching the agent bleed.
The squirming had stopped, but something was still moving inside me, and it had control. My hand dove into my coat, under my shirt, and grabbed.
A second later, I was free of the spell, my ears ringing from the shot. Pacelli fell silent, Jimmy blinked out of sight, and slowly, oh so slowly, Frank toppled over onto his side.
I’d shot him. Or rather, whatever had taken control of my body had shot him.
Isobel reappeared, clinging to Logan’s back with her arms around his neck. She sang out, “Got him!”
I swung my gun from Frank’s body to her head. “I got someone too. Now it’s your turn.”
Surprised, she didn’t react fast enough. Logan took three steps back, slamming her into the wall. Her head bounced off, and her eyes fluttered shut. Lowering my gun, I said, “We need to get Pacelli to the ambulance.”
“Are you okay?” He let her drop to the floor by taking a step forward.
“I’m fine. Pacelli’s not.” I tucked my gun into my coat pocket, listening to the soft, satisfied purr echoing in my mind.
“You used your gun?” If Damian’s eyes grew any wider, his eyeballs were going to fall out of his head.
I dropped it into the baggie Schumacher was holding out. “I do have a license, and I practice.”
“Yeah, under duress. Kate’s shared how much you complain about that. But you never carry it.”
“It’s a good thing she did.” Pacelli winced. He was on a gurney, already hooked up to an IV. They’d cleaned some of the blood from his face. �
��He was killing me.”
Stannett stood with his arms crossed. “You said you were under the influence of that ring.”
“I was. Guess hearing him screaming was the final kicker in breaking free. I’d been fighting it the whole time.” I signed the paper Schumacher shoved under my nose, and calmly continued lying. “I didn’t know what using TK or whatever on Frank would do. But I figured a bullet would stop him, and what he was doing to Pacelli, for sure.”
Damian was shaking his head. “You never carry your gun. Why did you even have it?”
“Someone told me I was becoming too predictable.” I gave Schumacher his pen back. “I’m trying not to be predictable anymore.”
“Is that really what happened?” Logan looked over from the driver’s seat.
“Was it that obvious I was lying?”
He chuckled. “No.”
“I couldn’t break free.” I hesitated. “I tried, especially when they were talking about bringing you up and killing you. Or rather, letting Yodal slowly burn you to death. But I couldn’t break free of the spell.”
Logan nodded. “So how’d you manage to shoot the guy?”
“I didn’t. Cerridwen woke up, and she did.” There was no other explanation, especially with the purring afterward. “But I think she’s back asleep now. Or maybe she’s left. I don’t know.”
“Okay, so the First Queen’s spirit woke up, took over your body, and managed to shoot the guy right in the head.” He nodded. “Makes perfect sense.”
“No it doesn’t, but it’s what happened.” I was tired, and there was blood on my coat from Pacelli. “This is one of those nights when I really wish I was a normal person.”
Logan put his hand on my leg. “If you were a normal person, you’d be dead.”
Couldn’t argue with that.
TWENTY-NINE
The lawn party was in full swing, and there were certainly things to celebrate. We’d stopped the psychotic psychics’ reign of terror, Tonya had discovered her familiar, and the Rex, James O’Meara, was now a member of the Council.
Arcane Solutions was booked solid for the next two months, and Mr. Whitehaven was hiring three new investigators to help cover the increased work load. We’d all gotten raises, and I was far less worried about ending up in the poor house.
Brock’s article had done more good than harm, at least for now, but I wasn’t willing to forgive him for throwing my family and friends to the media wolves. Thorandryll’s run for mayor had become national news, and because of the romantic association Brock had implied existed between us, I’d had to change numbers to stop the calls from reporters.
Logan walked up, carrying two tall glasses of iced juice. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” I’d found a relatively quiet spot on the edge of the madness. People and dogs were milling all over the place. Kethyrdryll was darting around, smiling, welcoming new arrivals, and making certain everyone was having fun. “He looks happy.”
“It’s his first official Adoption Day. He told me that twelve dogs have already found their new owners.” Logan sat down on the grass beside me. “You, on the other hand, don’t look happy.”
“Brock’s here. I’m trying to keep everyone between us. I don’t think I can resist the urge to kick the hell out of him, if we get within ten feet of each other.” I took a drink.
“Is that all that’s bothering you?”
“No. I’m wondering where Jimmy went.” He’d been the only one of Frank’s gang who hadn’t gotten caught. Possibly didn’t matter, since he could only teleport. The way he’d cut and run displayed a certain lack of loyalty. If I’d been right about his drug of choice, Jimmy was well down the path of self-destruction.
“Anything else?” Logan was watching my face. I frowned.
“I’m not sure how I feel about having Cerridwen inside me. It was okay at first, because she helped find you. And I know we both might not be sitting here right now, if not for her taking action. But why is she still here?”
“I don’t know, but I feel certain she won’t hurt you, if that’s what you’re worried about.” He pushed my hair off my shoulder before kissing it. “You could try asking her to leave.”
I had, and there’d been no response. She might already be gone, but I’d had a few dreams that indicated otherwise, because they were too vivid. I’d never hunted for food, unless you counted trying to find an open grocery store late at night.
“Is it because she took over your body?”
I looked at him. “Wouldn’t that freak you out?”
“Probably. But she did it to help.”
A long sigh escaped me. “I’m just tired of being used. Thorandryll’s used me, Sal and Cernunnos used me, Frank used me, demons have tried to use me, and now her, even if it was to help.”
Logan nodded. “I can understand that.”
“I’m being a total downer. We’re supposed to be having fun.” I spotted my mom, and waved, pasting a big smile on my face for her. She waved back, hanging onto Edrel’s arm. The pale-haired elf had been assigned as one of her body guards, and Mom was taking full advantage of it.
“Then let’s look on the bright side. It’s a beautiful day, here anyway.” We were in Thorandryll’s realm. “We’re surrounded by people having a great time, happy dogs, and if you haven’t already, you should really go check out the buffet.”
“I should, huh?” I was feeling a bit peckish.
“Oh, you should.” Logan smiled. “I don’t even know what half of it is, so could use some help filling a plate.”
“Sounds tempting.” I learned closer to him. “You forgot the best ‘bright side’ thing.”
“Which is?”
“We’re here together.” Our lips met, and I let my worries fade away for the moment. Then I recalled how awesome the food at the ball had been. I still needed to figure out how to kidnap Thorandryll’s chef. “Okay, let’s go check out the food.”
We climbed to our feet, and joined the throng of people. I felt the nudge of a cold nose on my elbow and looked. Leglin wagged his tail, knocking one of the servers clean off his feet, and sending another man staggering sideways.
“Oh, gosh.” I handed Logan my glass, ignoring the hound-induced chaos that was ensuing, and took the little black and tan puppy from Leglin’s mouth. “Oh, you are so cute.”
“Cordi.” Logan nodded at the ground. I looked down to find another tiny, reddish brown pup huddling between Leglin’s front legs. I swooped it up, and snuggled them both under my chin. Puppy kisses soon followed.
“May we keep them?” My hound asked, still wagging his tail, while bystanders made sure to steer clear. “Please?”
So much for that raise.
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Also by Gayla Drummond
After the Fall
Tria's Tale
Hunter's Edge
Discord Jones
Arcane Solutions
Something to Curse About
Save the Last Vamp for Me
Frost & Bothered
Black Magic Shadows
A Little Street Magic (Coming Soon)
Moon Children
Dark Cravings
Dark Souls
Standalone
Rift
Watch for more at Gayla Drummond’s site.
About the Author
A puppy rescuer and equine slave who loves to write and entertain people. She writes scifi, urban fantasy, and other things.
Visit her author website at http://gldrummond.com
Read more at Gayla Drummond’s site.
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