The Cat's Meow

by Stacey Kennedy

  Since they didn’t know of a reason why Charleston was involved, I figured it best to voice my own discovery. Especially considering I now realized that my withholding information might piss them off. “Last night, I did a spell on the warlock Edwin, and it appears Bryon might be involved.”

  Mom’s mouth formed an O before she whispered, “Your Bryon?”

  “No, not my Bryon,” I countered, “But yes, that Bryon.”

  Glenda lowered her teacup and cocked her head. “He came back to Charleston?”

  “I guess so.” As her lips parted, I raised my hand and added, “No, I don’t know why he’s come back…or I should say, why he came back and then left again, but he’s gone now.”

  “Is he a threat?” Hettie asked in her whimsical tone, looking around at the other High Priestesses. “Should we notify the Alchemy of him?”

  “How can we believe Edwin knows all the facts?” Glenda said. “If Bryon was frightened, he might have slipped on the details, and I don’t want to accuse a member of the Alchemy of such a thing until we know for sure.” She looked at me. “Hold off on this for a while. If we need to locate Bryon, you can do so. Once we have solid evidence, we will go to the Alchemy.” Her eyebrows furrowed, her icy eyes staring deeply into mine, colder than I’d ever witnessed. “You are sure he’s no longer in Charleston?”

  “As far as I heard from Edwin, Bryon wanted out and ran.”

  “Good.” Mom sighed. Perhaps she realized the last thing I wanted to do was go on a hunt to locate the warlock who had broken my heart and face him again. While I would if he were involved, a twinge of pain reminded me those old wounds weren’t as healed as I’d like them to be.

  Shoving all thoughts of past hurts and Bryon away, I studied Mom to get a read on her. She seemed concerned about this matter, but her lax expression told me she wasn’t overly stressed about it, which made my earlier thought rise. “I’m taking it this isn’t the reason you called me here tonight?”

  “There’s been a murder in Hampton Park,” Glenda replied.

  “Another cat?”

  Mom shook her head. “We’ve sent Peyton to the scene now. From what we’ve been told, a human has been used in a ritual and the body remains.”

  I groaned and suspected my irritation was burned on my expression. The stakes got higher and higher. First, dead cats, then whispers of Alchemy troubles that could involve not only those from Charleston, but an ex-boyfriend whom I really didn’t want to hunt, no matter that he might deserve death. Now, human murders proved Charleston wasn’t safe any longer. As well as the odd sensation that my coven didn’t trust me anymore, and that I sure as hell didn’t trust them either. “Do you think the murder is involved in the rebellion with the Alchemy…or the cats?”

  Glenda’s shrug was halfhearted. “Peyton should know more. Go there and see what you can find out. Determine if anything can be linked to this rebellion, and if so, how the death is related.”

  She lowered her teacup to the table and her features tightened, crinkling her already-wrinkled eyes. “The Alchemy has put us on high alert to be careful with the ones behind this. Human murders in New Orleans have increased with rapid numbers directly related to the Alchemy problem, and we need to be sure this doesn’t land in our lap.”

  No shit!

  “The warlock can help you.” Something flashed across Glenda’s face; a hard emotion I didn’t trust. “While he wasn’t assigned to this task, a good witch is only good if she’s resourceful.”

  I withheld my questions—Glenda was the highest Priestess in the coven, and it wasn’t my place to question her. “Got it.”

  Mom stood, looking at the other Priestesses with a fake smile, and then back at me. “Come, Libby.” She offered her hand and her expression was anything but warm. “We’ll take a walk in the gardens before you go and chat a moment. I’ve missed you, my darling.”

  I would’ve smiled at the Priestesses, even said good-bye, but something about my mother’s tight tone and fake smile made me only able to take her hand. While we ventured through the house and made our way to the back door, Mom stayed silent, as did I.

  Once I stepped outside, the scent of flowers and lush grass overwhelmed me, and I took a long, deep sniff to savor the aroma. The garden was circular with the center being a large fountain. Stone sculptures were spread throughout, and green hedges hugged the stone walkways.

  Mom stopped by the fountain and sat on the outer edge, patting the stone ledge. “Have a seat, sweetie.” After I joined her, she took both my hands and squeezed. “I want you to be careful. I feel a lot of distrust right now.”

  Her hands trembled around mine, causing me to hold tighter and react to her concern. My pulse kicked up a notch. “Distrust?”

  “I don’t like that the Priestesses didn’t inform me that the warlock was sent to you.”

  My eyes widened at the implication of her accusation, and while I had my own thoughts on the matter, my mother was a hundred percent in line with the coven, always. Her wavering opinion of them sent my worries skyward. “You don’t trust the other Priestesses?”

  After Mom hesitated a moment, she chose her words carefully and spoke in a hushed voice. “The coven is not a personal place, and you know this. They act because of what’s in the best interests of the coven, but withholding such information from me makes me wonder why.”

  I didn’t intend to bring up my suspicions on the matter to my mother, worried she’d raise hell over it, but now with all my confusion and concern, I allowed myself to lean on her. “Do you think the coven wants me gone?”

  Mom’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. “Gone? No, Libby, the coven would never order your death.”

  I rolled my eyes. This was why I never told her anything—she always overreacted. Exactly why I remained tight-lipped with the coven, and I thought they understood that, until now. “No, Mom, not dead, fired. Could that be why Kale is here—to watch over me to find a way to get me out?”

  Mom’s tight expression relaxed. “My dear, your attitude and how you don’t inform us right away of matters are enough reason to let you go. They wouldn’t need to go to these measures to remove you from the coven.” She gave my hand another hard squeeze, and pride lightened her eyes. “Your abilities have always been appreciated, and we need you. I don’t, for one second, believe that’s their intention with the warlock.”

  Okay, putting it that way did make my worries seem a little silly, but in truth they could kick me out…for a lot of reasons. My mother believed one thing, but I wasn’t nearly as confident. Something was up, the High Priestesses were lying, and until I knew why, I wouldn’t discount any possibility. “If you believe that, then why don’t you believe what Glenda has said?”

  Mom glanced around and when the empty garden greeted us, she looked back at me. “If what she said about Kale being a new Ward you were just showing around was the truth, why did she not tell me?”

  As I shifted through my suspicions, a very good reason stood out. “Could be because you’re my mother and they think your judgment isn’t clear. Perhaps they thought if they told you, you’d do exactly what you did and refuse he come with me. It could be that simple, or I sure as shit hope that’s why.”

  “This is true and does explain it well enough.” Her hands tightened around mine, unsettling me more with Mom’s concern amplifying my own. “But when it involves you I’d think that information wouldn’t be withheld.”

  She had a good point.

  “How did you hear about him with me anyway?”

  She glanced down, avoiding me. “I…I just heard.”

  “From who?”

  “A source.”

  Again, another reason I kept my coven at a distance—my mother could be ridiculous with keeping a firm eye on me. “And this source didn’t know of him?”

  She finally lifted her head, shifting against the ledge. “From what my source told me, Glenda informed him Kale was new to Charleston, so when we spoke my source knew only of tha
t.” Her eyes deepened with concern. “Trust no one until we can understand what’s going on. I’ll probe for more information to see what I can discover.” She squeezed my hands again so tight that they trembled around mine. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

  I almost rolled my eyes—what, was I fifteen years old? Instead of arguing with her that I was always careful, in which she’d just go on and on about my safety, I gave in. “Okay, Mom. I promise.”

  “Very well.” She stood, running her hands over her black silk blouse. My mother had great fashion sense. Once she straightened out her clothes, she continued, “Go and see what this murder is about. Keep your mind open to all possibilities, and do check back in once you know what’s going on.”

  “Will do.” I hugged her, totally understanding her need to put emphasis on my lack of attention to detail when it came to the coven. But the tension radiating off my mother made the air around me feel thick.

  If I couldn’t trust my own coven, whom could I trust? My mother would never betray me, nor would Peyton, but the rest of the coven, I didn’t have a shred of confidence in.

  “Be. Careful,” she warned again as she backed away from me, and her smile appeared forced. With a kiss on my cheek and a simple good-bye, I left her behind me in the gardens, probably lost in her thoughts.

  I made quick time getting out of the house and thought over the hell I currently found myself in. So, what did I know?

  Cats were being murdered in Charleston, and I had no idea why. My ex-lover might be part of some conspiracy to take down the magical world as a whole, and I possibly would have to hunt him down in the foreseeable future. Kale was on this case with me no matter what I did, and I had no clue what the real purpose of his arrival was, though I had suspicions.

  Whatever the reason, I had to kick it up a notch and pull out spells I hadn’t used before to impress him. Ones I’d practiced with, but just never needed. It was time to pull out the big guns and show the coven up. Mom might believe the coven wasn’t behind this, but I doubted that. Even if they weren’t and I had this all wrong, I wouldn’t take that chance.

  Besides, I couldn’t deny I’d been lazy with my magic, but the challenge had never been there. Now was the time to prove they had no reason to let me go. If they kicked me out, Peyton would be in the middle of it without me. For that reason alone, I had to kick some serious magical butt and ask more of the Goddess than I usually did.

  For now, I only hoped she’d answer my request and not fail me when the time came, because there was risk in using spells that were new to me.

  Once I exited the house, I slammed the door behind me, and stopped dead in my tracks. Kale leaned up against the light post with his arms folded, a stupid and sexy grin on his face.

  “Isn’t this convenient?” I trotted down the steps while fighting against the memory of the last time I’d seen Kale. Damn, had I forgotten it at all? My body heated in the exact way it had when he went all seductive male on me. I narrowed my eyes and hoped he read that on my expression instead of the mess inside. “How did you know I was here?”

  “I did say I would find you.” At my scowl and wave to get on with it, he added with a chuckle, “The coven contacted me and said you’d be here.”

  I didn’t believe him, but I also didn’t care right now. I had bigger problems, and that included all my previous concerns with the now added worries over the all-too-casual warlock who made my body awaken with all types of sultry ideas. I rolled my eyes, more than done with it all, and pushed past him. “Whatever.”

  I got into my SUV, Kale joined me to settle into the passenger seat, and I started up the engine. I put the SUV in gear, glancing sideways at him. “Have you had a lot of experience with human murders?”

  “I’ve had some.” A crease formed above shadowy eyes that I tried to find a flaw in, but sadly, I didn’t. “Why?”

  His tight voice suggested he had more than some, but why ask? He wouldn’t tell me anyway. “Because we’re about to see a dead person, and I don’t want you to faint on me.”

  His mouth twitched. “Do I seem the type to be bothered by such a thing?”

  While so far he seemed efficient, and also had a whole dollop of confidence that could exist in ten warlocks, history reminded me of the truth. “I’ve seen warlocks turn green and barf, so yes.”

  His eyebrow arched in a silent challenge. “Warlocks who are employed to kill?”

  “Yes, I know, it’s pathetic, but…” I swallowed back the shudder, all too aware of what disgustingness I would soon discover, “human deaths by ritual are far worse than a warlock who has been killed with magic.”

  He winked. “Don’t worry about me, Libby.”

  I almost corrected him—I wasn’t worried about him, but concerned about vomit on my shoes. Besides, it irritated me that he said worry with such conviction, as though he was implying that I cared and looked out for him. While I was tempted to prove my point that I didn’t give a rat’s ass about him to stop whatever this was between us, it did seem best to keep the conversation to a minimum to avoid any additional confirmation of what he believed. Some warlocks I could outsmart and push under, but Kale wasn’t among them, and somehow my argument ended up with me melting into a puddle of goo.

  For that, I shut my trap and didn’t add fuel to his ability to make me unravel. What I hated most of all—beyond Kale and his ability to stay on top—was that I had the nagging sensation things were about to get messier than the big old crazy-disorganized mess I currently was knee-deep in.

  Chapter Five

  In the forest area of Hampton Park, totally secluded and hidden from the outside world, my nose scrunched as I refused to inhale the scent of blood that lingered in the air. Old blood. Dirty blood. Dark blood.

  “This is so, so bad.” I glanced over at Kale, and sex-packaged-in-jeans looked troubled with his dark expression.

  I was right there with him. Not only did the body and manner of death concern me, but also the time constraints—we needed to act quickly to avoid human involvement. While I doubted anyone would come into this area of the forest, as it was far off the trail, the last thing we needed was human police sniffing around in something they knew nothing about.

  The coven rarely failed to get to a scene first, since Peyton sensed dark magic in the works, but if it had happened, it just made my job that much harder. Humans always labeled the deaths as kids worshiping Satan, tending to cause hysteria in Charleston. Not something anyone wanted.

  Though typically, a human life hadn’t been lost. The coven was usually onto the culprit before a death. Warlocks and witches didn’t go from white magic to the darkest of all black magic without needing to learn it, which might have explained the cats’ deaths. I had to wonder if whoever killed the cats had now taken what they learned and used it to kill this human.

  Kale circled the human body, studying the large slash around the victim’s neck and the man’s blood drenching the grass below. “Dark magic is at work here.”

  “Ya think?” I didn’t need a magic meter like Peyton to sense the lingering darkness. The pentagram around the body was enough of an explanation, but his blood being used to draw the pentagram was a clear indicator. Plus, the position of the man’s body—arms and legs out forming a star—confirmed that black magic had been conjured. The ground around the body looked burned, as if flames had risen from it, making me very, very concerned because this ritual was about as evil as they came.

  The night was dark and within the starry sky, energy seemed to rest heavily in the air. Shadows formed, appearing to close in on me. I glanced around in haste to search out any sign of trouble, but only a quiet wooded area greeted me now.

  “The evil is so thick,” Peyton whispered, as if her throat had closed. Her worried eyes bored into mine and the way she fiddled with her fingers indicated how bad the evil weighed her down. “I can hardly breathe right now.”

  Kale squatted, dipped his finger into the blood, and examined the liquid as it drippe
d off his finger. “Whoever did this used dead man’s ash mixed with the blood when they drew the pentagram.”

  I blinked. First, because Kale had an education when it came to dark magic that I sure as hell didn’t. I doubted I would’ve noticed the ash in the blood, probably because I’d never stick my finger in it. Second, because every step of the way, the danger worsened. “Demon summoning?”

  Kale nodded. “A higher demon, I suspect.”

  My heart thudded as I did a double take; Kale’s knowledge was so enriched he knew what level of demon had been called forth? I had little acquaintance with anything this evil, because Charleston didn’t have these types of troubles. Sure, some dabbled in darker magic, like to call upon minions of hell to use in rituals and such, but the scene in front of me was not a simple ritual.

  My thoughts drifted back to the cats and whether the two cases were connected. If the magic user had killed the cats to practice dark magic on, why hadn’t Peyton sensed dark magic at the scene? I tried to connect this scene and the dead cats, and the two didn’t seem related. Why would anyone kill cats with magic for no purpose?

  It didn’t add up.

  “I can’t believe anyone in Charleston is after this type of power,” Peyton said.

  I sighed, wondering if this was what Edwin mentioned and the coven confirmed. But why would this rebellion do this in our town? And what would demonic power do to help their attack against the Alchemy?

  As much as I wanted to be honest with Peyton, the less she knew the better—it’d save her a meltdown.

  The death of her mother five years back—my first case, that one Bryon took credit for—wore on Peyton’s heart. She had seen firsthand how evil destroyed lives and that’s why each death hit her so hard.

  Her mother, once a Priestess, had been attacked for her position in the coven. The witch who summoned the demon that killed Peyton’s mother had died for her actions, but her mother’s death directed Peyton’s life. I knew the mention of this evil would bring Peyton back to that horrible memory.